bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Virtual Reality and Questionnaire Approach to Gathering Real-World Data for Agent-Based Crowd Simulation Models
Authors: Sinclair Jacob , Suwanwiwat Hemmaphan , Lee Ickjai
Published: March 2022

Gathering real-world data is a crucial process in developing realistic, agent-based crowd simulation models. In order to gather real-world data, three types of data need to be considered: physical, mental, and visual. Existing data gathering methods do not collect all three data types, but they provide a limited amount of data for agent-based simulations. This article proposes using a combination of Virtual Reality and Questionnaires as a means to gathering real-world data. This hybrid method collects all three data types and is validated by comparing it to data collected from the real world. Two data gathering experiments (real world and our proposed method) were conducted to collect all three types of data for comparison. Experimental results show that the proposed method can collect similar data to the real-world experiment, in particular for mental and visual data. The Chi-Square Goodness-of-Fit Test proves that there is no significant difference between the real world and our proposed method for mental and visual data, whilst the test shows there is significant difference in physical data, in particular, completed time. We propose an adjustment factor for the completed time data that mitigates the gap between virtual space and real space, and allows the results collected to be input into agent-based simulations as real-world data. Overall, the proposed method is cost effective, time efficient, reproducible, ecologically valid, and able to collect three types of data for agent-based crowd simulation models.
Comparison between Observed and Simulated AgI Seeding Impacts in a Well-Observed Case from the SNOWIE Field Program
Authors: Xue Lulin , Weeks Courtney , Chen Sisi , Tessendorf Sarah A. , Rasmussen Roy M. , Ikeda Kyoko , Kosovic Branko , Behringer Dalton , French Jeffery R. , Friedrich Katja , Zaremba Troy J. , Rauber Robert M. , Lackner Christian P. , Geerts Bart , Blestrud Derek , Kunkel Melvin , Dawson Nick , Parkinson Shaun
Published: March 2022

A dry-air intrusion induced by the tropopause folding split the deep cloud into two layers resulting in a shallow orographic cloud with a supercooled liquid cloud top at around −15°C and an ice cloud above it on 19 January 2017 during the Seeded and Natural Orographic Wintertime Clouds: The Idaho Experiment (SNOWIE). The airborne AgI seeding of this case was simulated by the WRF Weather Modification (WRF-WxMod) Model with different configurations. Simulations at different grid spacing, driven by different reanalysis data, using different model physics were conducted to explore the ability of WRF-WxMod to capture the properties of natural and seeded clouds. The detailed model–observation comparisons show that the simulation driven by ERA5 data, using Thompson–Eidhammer microphysics with 30% of the CCN climatology, best captured the observed cloud structure and supercooled liquid water properties. The ability of the model to correctly capture the wind field was critical for successful simulation of the seeding plume locations. The seeding plume features and ice number concentrations within them from the large-eddy simulations (LES) are in better agreement with observations than non-LES runs mostly due to weaker AgI dispersion associated with the finer grid spacing. Seeding effects on precipitation amount and impacted areas from LES seeding simulations agreed well with radar-derived values. This study shows that WRF-WxMod is able to simulate and quantify observed features of natural and seeded clouds given that critical observations are available to validate the model. Observation-constrained seeding ensemble simulations are proposed to quantify the AgI seeding impacts on wintertime orographic clouds.

Significance Statement

Recent observational work has demonstrated that the impact of airborne glaciogenic seeding of orographic supercooled liquid clouds is detectable and can be quantified in terms of the extra ground precipitation. This study aims, for the first time, to simulate this seeding impact for one well-observed case. The stakes are high: if the model performs well in this case, then seasonal simulations can be conducted with appropriate configurations after validations against observations, to determine the impact of a seeding program on the seasonal mountain snowpack and runoff, with more fidelity than ever. High–resolution weather simulations inherently carry uncertainty. Within the envelope of this uncertainty, the model compares very well to the field observations.
Process-Based Analysis of El Niño–Southern Oscillation Decadal Modulation
Authors: Kim Geon-Il , Kug Jong-Seong
Published: March 2022

Based on two long-term simulations using state-of-the-art coupled global climate models, we examined the physical processes that control the decadal modulation of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) amplitude. To identify the contributions of various feedback processes to the ENSO amplitude, we used the Bjerknes stability (BJ) index, which aims to quantify the main ENSO feedbacks from a linear perspective. To start, we demonstrated that the time-varying BJ index is highly correlated with the decadal changes in the standard deviation of the ENSO index, suggesting that it provides a good representation of the decadal modulation of the ENSO amplitude. We further revealed that this phenomenon can be attributed mainly to thermocline feedback changes, particularly changes in the oceanic response to zonal wind stress. In addition, two critical features of the background state were found to contribute significantly to changes in the equatorial thermocline feedback: 1) the subtropical–tropical cells and 2) ocean stratification. It was suggested that weak (strong) background subtropical meridional overturning circulation partly contributes to regulating the narrower (wider) meridional scales of the sea surface temperature and the associated zonal wind stress anomalies. The more stratified the ocean, the stronger ocean responses to a given wind stress forcing, which affects the ENSO amplitude.
Open-Ocean Polynyas in the Cooperation Sea, Antarctica
Authors: Qin Qing , Wang Zhaomin , Liu Chengyan , Cheng Chen
Published: March 2022

Extensive studies have addressed the characteristics and mechanisms of open-ocean polynyas in the Weddell and Cosmonaut Seas. Here, we show that more persistent open-ocean polynyas occur in the Cooperation Sea (CS) (60°–90°E), a sector of the Southern Ocean off the Prydz Bay continental shelf, between 2002 and 2019. Polynyas are formed annually mainly within the 62°–65°S band, as identified by sea ice concentrations less than 0.7. The polynyas usually began to emerge in April and expanded to large sizes during July–October, with sizes often larger than those of the Maud Rise polynya in 2017. The annual maximum size of polynyas ranged from 115.3 × 103 km2 in 2013 to 312.4 × 103 km2 in 2010, with an average value of 188.9 × 103 km2. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) travels closer to the continental shelf and brings the upper circumpolar deep water to much higher latitudes in the CS than in most other sectors; cyclonic ocean circulations often develop between the ACC and the Antarctic Slope Current, with many of them being associated with local topographic features and dense water cascading. These oceanic preconditions, along with cyclonic wind forcing in the Antarctic Divergence zone, generated polynyas in the CS. These findings offer a more complete circumpolar view of open-ocean polynyas in the Southern Ocean and have implications for physical, biological, and biogeochemical studies of the Southern Ocean. Future efforts should be particularly devoted to more extensively observing the ocean circulation to understand the variability of open-ocean polynyas in the CS.

Significance Statement

An open-ocean polynya is an offshore area of open water or low sea ice cover surrounded by pack ice. Open-ocean polynyas are important for driving the physical, biogeochemical, and biological processes in the Southern Ocean. Extensive studies have addressed the characteristics and mechanisms of open-ocean polynyas in the Weddell and Cosmonaut Seas. The purpose of this study is to document the existence of more persistent open-ocean polynyas in the Cooperation Sea (60°–90°E) and explore the atmospheric and oceanic forcing mechanisms responsible for the formation of the open-ocean polynyas. Our results would offer a more complete circumpolar view of open-ocean polynyas in the Southern Ocean and have implications for physical, biological, and biogeochemical studies of the Southern Ocean.
Microstructure and tensile properties of in-situ synthesized and hot-extruded aluminum-matrix composites reinforced with hybrid submicron-sized ceramic particles
Authors: Odhiambo John Otieno , Yoshida Motoshi , Otsu Akira , Yi Li-Fu , Onda Tetsuhiko , Chen Zhong-Chun
Published: March 2022

Aluminum-matrix composites (AMCs) reinforced with submicron-sized ceramic particles of Al2O3, TiB2 and TiC were in-situ synthesized by reactive sintering of Al, TiO2, and B4C powder mixtures and further densified by hot-extrusion process. The reaction mechanisms for formation of the reinforcing particles, extrusion behavior, microstructure, and tensile properties of the AMCs have been investigated. The reactions of TiO2 and B4C with molten Al were a stepwise process, and there were many intermediate phases including oxygen deficient titanium oxides (Ti3O5, Ti2O3, and TiO), Al4C3, AlB2, and Al3Ti, before the expected reinforcing particles of Al2O3, TiB2, and TiC were formed. The results showed that hot-extrusion process was an effective means to densify reactive-sintered porous composites, and dense AMCs can be obtained through hot-extrusion in a temperature range of 480–550°C. The microstructure of the resulting AMCs was characterized by fine reinforcing ceramic phases with an average particle size of 0.24 μm, which were homogeneously distributed in Al matrix. Furthermore, no significant change in particle sizes could be found after extrusion, and ceramic particle content and extrusion temperature have small influences on the average particle sizes of the reinforcing phases. The presence of these sub-micron hybrid ceramic particles resulted in significant enhancements in yield and tensile strength of the AMCs. The yield strength improvement is mostly due to the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch between the ceramic particles and Al matrix, followed by Orowan strengthening, while the relative contributions of grain refinement and load-bearing effects are much smaller.
A Phenomenological Investigation of the Multi-Componential Process of State Curiosity of Senior-Level Professionals
Authors: Horstmeyer Alison
Published: March 2022

Anxiety, stress, dissatisfaction, and disengagement at work have continued to rise in the United States, due partly to global conditions of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. The persistent cadence of associated change requires individuals to develop an embodied integration of sophisticated cognitive, emotional, social, and meaning-making dexterity. In effect, in such conditions, individuals need curiosity. This phenomenological study examined the lived experience of curiosity of an individual within the context of receiving humanistic coaching based on a sample of nine executives. The resulting data revealed a biopsychosocial, multi-componential process associated with curiosity. Contextualizing state curiosity in this way may encourage researchers and practitioners to forgo the perspective that curiosity occurs in relatively discrete intervals and, instead, embrace the concept that curiosity states encompass experiential variability across the mind-body dimensions (e.g., cognitive activation, emotional intensity, somatic sensation) associated with distinct stages within a state curiosity framework. This multi-componential process view also suggests that the stages of state curiosity may involve a mechanism of linking separate states, thereby, influencing the intensity, sustainability and/or frequency of episodic curiosity. Finally, framing state curiosity as a multi-componential process may also help to bring a humanistic texturization, which could contribute to our intersubjective understanding of how individuals are curious.
Negotiating Racialized Discourses and Navigating Racism in U.S. Schools: Understanding Chinese Immigrants’ Parenting Identities and Practices Through an AsianCrit Lens
Authors: Qin Kongji , Colomer Soria E. , Yu Linyu , Cole Colin
Published: March 2022

This article draws on Asian Critical Theory (AsianCrit) and racial literacy to examine how Chinese immigrant parents in one U.S. metropolitan area negotiated their parenting identity, and how they addressed racism faced by their children at school. Our analysis of interview data indicated that while some parents internalized “Tiger Mom” and model minority discourses and focused exclusively on their children's academic success, others countered such discourses to value their children's emotional and mental well-being. Parents adopted a range of strategies to navigate racism and to counter or reframe racialized discourses. This study highlights the importance of developing racial literacy among immigrant parents and institutional responses from schoools to address issues of racism and discrimination.
Conceptualizations of Effective Parenting: Perspectives of Religious Counselors in Ghana
Authors: Osei-Tutu Annabella , Belgrave Faye Z. , Dzokoto Vivian Afi
Published: March 2022

Limited research on effective parenting and optimal child outcomes within an African, specifically Ghanaian context exists. This study examined conceptions of effective parenting from the perspective of religious counselors who are often sought by parents for parenting advice. Two research questions were addressed: (1) how do religious counselors conceptualize effective parenting; and (2) to what extent do their conceptualizations reflect current literature and research on effective parenting? Ninety-two religious counselors, 19 Muslims and 73 Christians, were recruited from four urban areas in Ghana. Participants were asked about effective parenting during individual interviews. The findings revealed three major themes and several sub-themes. The three themes were socialization and structure, positive parent-child interaction, and autonomy support. Themes about what constitute effective parenting were both consistent and inconsistent with traditional views of parenting within a Ghanaian cultural context. Findings revealed some contemporary changes of parenting in Ghana with implications for effective parenting.
Bortezomib-Induced Ovarian Toxicity in Mice
Authors: Mutluay Duygu , Tenekeci Gözde Yücel , Monsef Yanad Abou
Published: March 2022

Cancer survivors may experience long-term adverse effects of cancer treatments such as premature ovarian failure and infertility. We aimed to investigate the potential effects and toxicity of bortezomib (BTZ) as an effective anticancer drug on ovaries, raise awareness to the negative consequences of the treatment, and help increase the quality of life after treatment. Mice were distributed into bortezomib (BTZ1, BTZ2) and saline-injected control groups (C1, C2) at a dose of 1 mg/kg twice per week for 6 weeks. We sacrificed C1, BTZ1 groups at day 1 and C2, BTZ2 groups at 4 weeks after the last injection. Ovary samples were examined using histopathological and immunohistochemical methods. Ovarian follicle impairment was detected on BTZ-treated mice and was associated with a statistically significant decreased population of primordial and antral follicles compared with control groups. In experimental groups, Caspase-3 and Ki67 expressions were increased, whereas estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and progesterone receptor (PR) expressions were decreased in various developmental stages of follicles. BTZ specifically targets granulosa cells by inducing granulosa cell apoptosis and may have long-term effects on follicles. Bortezomib treatment may adversely affect ovarian function by accelerating ovarian reserve depletion and changing ERα and PR hormone levels that can cause fertility problems in the long term.
‘The Pawns That They Moved Here and There’? Microacts, Room for Manoeuvre, and Everyday Agency in the 1974 Cyprus Conflict
Authors: Halstead Huw
Published: March 2022

Oral testimonies from Greek Cypriots who lived through the Greek dictatorship’s 1974 coup d’état on Cyprus and the subsequent Turkish invasion frequently present the narrators as mere pawns in a macro-scale historical drama, having little to no control over or understanding of the broader events unfolding around them. On one level, this rings true, as individual soldiers and civilians were rarely if ever able to dictate or perceive the broader trajectories of the conflict in which they found themselves. Yet this perspective belies the subtler reality that even in chaotic conditions and under deeply restricted circumstances people exercise agency and create spaces, however small, in which to operate as autonomous agents and to shape their own personal trajectories. Whilst they could not leave the chessboard, these ‘pawns’ actively moved themselves here and there, performing microacts that locally refracted official diktats and ideologies in mutable ways. Moreover, in the construction of their testimonies they assert further agency, assembling these microacts into meaningful narratives by placing them within broader historical frameworks.
‘Honey pot’ rural enterprise hubs as micro-clusters: Exploring their role in creativity-led rural development
Authors: Merrell Ian , Rowe Frances , Cowie Paul , Gkartzios Menelaos
Published: March 2022

Rural enterprise hubs are physical infrastructures designed to help rural businesses access tangible and intangible benefits. They generally operate within two main business models: ‘Honey Pots’ (i.e. targeting business-to-customer tenants) and ‘Hives’ (i.e. targeting business‐to‐business tenants). This paper focuses on the former type, Honey Pot hubs, which are best suited to tenants who sell their products/services directly to the general public, such as some creative sectors, retail and tourism. Honey Pot hubs are designed to cater to such needs by attracting footfall to the space, providing cafes and facilities for the general public and hosting events. This paper explores how these Honey Pot hubs contribute to rural and regional development, through the creative practices of their tenants. The paper draws on qualitative interviews with Honey Pot managers and tenants in remote rural locations of the North East of England. The findings are useful for Hub practitioners, policy makers and rural creative businesses who want to develop similar initiatives in their locales.
Relationship of concomitant anti-diabetic drug administration with sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor-related ketosis
Authors: Lin Cheng-Wei , Hung Shih-Yuan , Chen I-Wen
Published: March 2022

Objective

The use of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) may be associated with ketoacidosis. Therefore, the associated risk factors should be identified. In particular, information regarding the effects of the co-administration of anti-diabetic drugs is lacking.

Methods

We performed a retrospective study of 68 consecutive patients with diabetes who were taking an SGLT2i and attending a single medical center. After a period of treatment (median 78 days), their circulating ketone concentrations were measured. The concomitant use of other anti-diabetic drugs was analyzed to identify independent risk factors associated with ketosis.

Results

Twenty-five participants were taking empagliflozin, 23 were taking dapagliflozin, and 20 were taking canagliflozin. During the treatment period, no ketoacidotic events were recorded and their mean circulating ketone concentrations at the end of the study period were similar (0.3 mmol/L in the empagliflozin group, 0.26 mmol/L in the dapagliflozin group, and 0.25 mmol/L in the canagliflozin group). After adjustment for the use of anti-diabetic drugs, pioglitazone was found to be independently associated with a risk of high circulating ketone concentration (B value: 0.361, 95% confidence interval: 0.181–0.541).

Conclusion

SGLT2i-associated ketoacidosis was found to be infrequent, but the concomitant use of pioglitazone was associated with a higher risk of ketosis.
Planar Couette flow of power law nanofluid with chemical reaction, nanoparticle injection and variable thermal conductivity
Authors: Soumya DO , Gireesha BJ , Venkatesh P
Published: March 2022

This article presents the transport of thermal energy and mass in the mixed convection steady planar Couette flow of power-law nanofluid with variable thermal conductivity through a permeable microchannel. The entropy production deliberation here is to investigate the irreversibility aspects. The momentum equation has been made by the permeability of the porous medium, Hall current effect, thermal, and solutal bouncy force. The mathematical model for the thermal energy has been formulated by Ohmic dissipation, Brownian motion, temperature-dependent thermal conductivity, and thermophoresis. The microchannel boundaries retain the no-slip boundary conditions. The concentration formulation has been made by nanoparticle injection rate and chemical reaction. The momentum, energy, and solutal formulations have been numerically cracked by means of Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg fourth fifth-order numerical procedure. The applied Hall current effect generates the fluid flow in the transverse direction. The flow along both axial and transverse direction enhances with thermal and solutal Grashof number and diminutions with permeability of the porous medium. Optimum magnitude of thermophoresis and Brownian motion amplifies the thermal energy of the shear thinning fluid. Concentration field exhibits the opposite nature with the nanoparticle injection rate parameter and chemical reaction parameter. Hall current parameter enhances the irreversibility of the Newtonian nanofluid.
The Effect of Adding n-butanol on the Spray Characteristics of Aviation Kerosene
Authors: Fu Wei , Li Yayun , Li Hongzhe , Lu Lei , Xi Hongxi , Bao Jihu , Zhou Kun , Cheng Yunlang
Published: March 2022

As a way of energy saving and emission reduction, the blended fuel strategy can effectively reduce the dependence on fossil energy. In this paper, a long-chain alcohol—n-butanol was selected and blended with aviation kerosene to study the spray characteristics of the blended fuel in a constant volume environment. The results show that at a blending ratio of 10%, the blended fuel and pure aviation kerosene show similar spray characteristics. As the blending ratio increased, the spray tip penetration and spray cone angle of the blended fuel were more different from those of aviation kerosene. The spray volume and mass of entrained gas of AKB10 and aviation kerosene were larger, showing a better fuel-gas mixing degree.
The Impact of Make in India on Foreign Direct Investment: An Analytical Study
Authors: Nagarjuna B.
Published: March 2022

Make in India is a term created by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 25 September 2014 to encourage businesses all over the world to invest, and manufacture their products, in India. India should take a systematic approach to manufacturing evaluations in order to gain a competitive edge and develop global leadership. ‘Make in India’ is a government-led programme aimed at encouraging international and domestic companies to produce their products in India. The major purpose of the project is to focus on job creation and skill development. Domestic investment must take the lead, as foreign direct investment (FDI) accounts for less than 8% of overall investment in the country. The purpose of the research is to examine the impact of the ‘Make in India’ policy on FDI inflows and to investigate the potential of ‘Make in India’. When the average FDI inflow was compared before and after the ‘Make in India’ period, the results revealed a significant difference. This suggests that the average FDI inflow of the period after ‘Make in India’ is greater than that of the period preceding it. However, there hasn’t been much of a difference in FDI inflows as a percentage of GDP, implying that FDI inflows as a percentage of GDP haven’t increased considerably and that more attention is needed.
Perceived Performance of Gasoline Supply Chains: Empirical Evidences from Namibia
Authors: Chakraborty Ayon , Vashishth Abishek , lyambo Tupa , Mutingi Michael
Published: March 2022

This research focuses on the gasoline supply chain from Walvis Bay depots to the retail outlets in Namibia to assess the perceived performance of gasoline supply chain. Based on literature review and subsequent in-depth interviews with business analysts, experts and consultants from major stakeholders operational in the country, a structured questionnaire was designed. Analysis revealed that close partnership with suppliers and customer, and planning strategically are the most frequently used strategies. The government policy was found adequate and satisfies the current needs, and the road infrastructure and its management are in good state. The challenges identified from our study are outdated supply chain systems; lack of skilled manpower; poor railway infrastructures, inadequate resources available to improve the system and inadequate storage facilities. The study helps managers in understanding the challenges faced in gasoline supply chain by the major players in an emerging economy, such as Namibia.
Multimodal Treatment of Robin Sequence Utilizing Mandibular Distraction Osteogenesis and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
Authors: Kosyk Mychajlo S. , Carlson Anna R. , Zapatero Zachary D. , Kalmar Christopher L. , Liaquat Sidra , Bartlett Scott P. , Taylor Jesse A. , Cielo Christopher M. , Swanson Jordan W.
Published: March 2022

Mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO) and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may each have a role in effectively treating tongue-based airway obstruction (TBAO) in Robin sequence (RS). This study describes longitudinal outcomes after treatment of TBAO with CPAP and/or MDO.

Retrospective cohort study.

Tertiary Pediatric Hospital.

A total of 129 patients with RS treated with CPAP and/or MDO from 2009 to 2019 were reviewed. Subjects receiving baseline and at least one follow-up polysomnogram were included. 55 who underwent MDO ± CPAP and 9 who received CPAP-only treatment were included.

Patient characteristics, feeding, and polysomnographic data were compared and generalized linear mixed modeling performed.

Baseline obstructive apnea–hypopnea index (OAHI) was greater in the MDO-treated group (median x˜ = 33.7 [interquartile range: 26.5-54.5] than the CPAP-treated group (x˜ = 20.3[13.3-36.7], P ≤ .033). There was significant reduction in OAHI following treatment with CPAP and MDO modalities, P ≤ .001. SpO2 nadir after MDO was lower in syndromic (x˜ = 85.0[81.0-87.9] compared to nonsyndromic patients (x˜ = 88.4[86.8-90.5], P ≤ .005.) CPAP was utilized following MDO in 2/24 (8.3%) of nonsyndromic and 16/31 (51.6%) of syndromic subjects ( P ≤ .001,) for a median duration of 414 days. Three patients (5%) underwent tracheostomy, all had MDO. Nasogastric tube feeding at hospital discharge was more common following MDO (44, 80%) than CPAP-only (4, 44.4%, P ≤ .036), but did not differ at 6-month follow-up ( P ≥ .376).

CPAP appears to effectively reduce obstructive apnea in patients with RS and moderate TBAO and be a useful adjunct in syndromic patients following MDO with improved but persistent obstruction.
Change in country-level COVID-19 lethality is associated with improved testing: no apparent role of medical care or disease-specific knowledge
Authors: Smith Maia P.
Published: March 2022

Aim:

Reductions in the case fatality rate of COVID-19 in the unvaccinated have been credited to improvements in medical care. Here I test whether either of these factors predicts reductions in the case fatality rate, and whether observed reductions are better explicable by improved ascertainment of mild cases.

Methods:

Using weighted log–log regression, I compute the association between changes in the case fatality rate and test density between 3 July 2020 and 5 January 2021 in 162 countries; and check whether case fatality rate change is associated with either per capita medical spending (proxy for critical care access) or timing of the pandemic (proxy for COVID-specific knowledge).

Results:

The median test density increased from 175 tests per thousand population to 1200, while the median case fatality rate dropped from 4.1% to 2.0%. While the case fatality rate was higher at both timepoints in Europe/North America than Africa / Asia, its association with test density was similar across countries. For each doubling in test density, the mean case fatality rate decreased by 18% ( P<0.0001) with a median (interquartile rate) country-level decline of 20% (5–30) per doubling of test density. The rate of change of the case fatality rate was not associated with either medical care access or COVID-specific knowledge (all P>0.10).

Conclusions:

Declines in the case fatality rate were adequately explained by improved testing, with no effect of either medical knowledge or improvements in care. The true lethality of COVID-19 may not have changed much at the population level. Prevention should remain a priority.
Fault diagnosis for vehicle air conditioning blower using deep learning neural network
Authors: Wu Jian-Da , Ke Jun-Yuan , Shih Fan-Yu , Shyr Wen-Jye
Published: March 2022

This study presents a fault diagnosis system for vehicle heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) acoustic signal with various feature extractions in deep learning neural network. Traditionally, sound used for fault diagnosis or signal classification is observed the difference of energy in time or frequency domains. Unfortunately, the frequency smearing effect often arises in some critical conditions. In the present study, discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and wavelet packet transform (WPT) are proposed in fault diagnosis. Meanwhile, when using mechanical learning methods, the data are relatively large, in order to reduce the amount of data, DWT and WPT low-frequency decomposition could be used to improve the performance. Furthermore, the signal characteristics more comprehensive, this study attempts to use the feature extraction method of wavelet packet conversion to improve the signal characteristics. In the experiment process, the operation state of the blade blower in the vehicle air conditioner, four different faults were designed, test database was established through sound to classify, and identify the data using deep neural networks to achieve the purpose of blower fault diagnosis. In data analysis, the original signal is presented through wavelet packet decomposition and discrete packet conversion technology, compared with traditional time and frequency domain signals to explore the identification rate, identification speed and related issues. Experimental results show that using WPT combined with deep neural networks have good fault diagnosis and discrimination capabilities, training, and identification time is shorter than time-frequency domain signals.
Promoting gender equity in school leadership appointments: A comparison of male and female headteachers’ instructional leadership practices in Ghana
Authors: Abonyi Usman Kojo , Boateng Fred Kofi , Adjei-Boateng Emmanuel , Ansaah Ellen
Published: March 2022

Ghana’s efforts to end all forms of discrimination against women and ensure gender equity in school leadership appointments require a change in peoples’ mindsets, habits and cultural beliefs. It is envisaged that evidence on the performance of the few women who have been appointed into leadership positions against their male counterparts would be quite instrumental in the change process. This study, therefore, assessed whether statistically significant differences exist in the extent to which male and female headteachers in two selected educational districts in Ghana enact instructional leadership practices in their schools. Utilizing a descriptive survey design and employing the teacher version of the principal instructional management rating scale, 263 teachers participated in the study. Findings from the study showed that there were no significant differences between male and female headteachers in none of the ten instructional leadership functions explored in the study. This meant that male headteachers in the selected educational districts did not significantly demonstrate any superior instructional leadership practices compared to their female counterparts. The study recommends that educational policymakers in Ghana initiate pragmatic policies to increase women’s representation and participation in school leadership roles.
Systematic review and cost-effectiveness of pharmacokinetically guided sunitinib individualized treatment for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Chen Tingting , Chen Jiahe , Chen Chaoxin , Guo Jianming , He Xin , Zheng Song , Liu Maobai , Zheng Bin
Published: March 2022

Background:

Sunitinib has a narrow therapeutic window, with considerable differences between patients. Dosing based on pharmacokinetics (PK) may help overcome some of those issues. This study aims to evaluate and compare the cost-effectiveness of PK-guided individualized treatment of sunitinib with its standard dose in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC).

Methods:

A comprehensive literature search was performed, and relevant values were used to provide information for the decision analysis model. Utility data were derived from published studies, and costs were obtained from the perspective of payers in China and the United States. A Markov model was established to evaluate the associated costs and health outcomes for patients. The primary outputs of the model included lifetime costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). One-way and probability sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the potential uncertainties of parameters.

Results:

Cost-effective analysis showed that the QALY of the PK-guided group increased by 0.83 compared with that in the standard dose group. From the perspective of both countries’ health systems, the cost of PK-guided dose was lower than that of standard dose. Hence, PK-guided treatment was the dominant strategy. One-way and probability sensitivity analyses confirmed the reliability of these results.

Conclusion:

On the basis of currently available data, PK-guided sunitinib treatment may be a safe, effective, and economical intervention for patients with mRCC.
Multi-Dimensional Social Capital and Farmer’s Willingness to Participate in Environmental Governance
Authors: Wang Yuxin , Qu Wenjing , Zheng Lan , Yao Mei
Published: March 2022

Background

The construction and development of formal institutions has been lagging behind in rural areas of China for decades, so the role of social capital is particularly important. In the context of China’s implementation of the rural revitalization strategy, considering the impact of social capital on farmers’ willingness to participate in environmental governance is profitable to the improvement of rural human settlement environment and the increase in the implementation efficiency of relevant policies.

Methods

Based on the micro-data of villages in Anhui Province, this paper uses the logit model to explore the effects of social capital of trust, network, and norm on farmers’ willingness to participate in environmental governance.

Results

The results show that both network social capital and norm social capital have a significant effect on farmers’ willingness to participate in environmental governance, and the marginal effect of network social capital is greater than that of norm social capital. After controlling both social network and social norm, however, the effect of social trust is not evident. With the improvement in farmers’ schooling level and income level, the impact of social network and social norms on farmers’ willingness to participate become gradually insignificant, and social capital appears to be “the capital of the poor.”

Conclusion

Given the above results, we can improve the willingness of farmers to participate in the village environmental governance and lay a solid foundation for the improvement of rural human settlement environment by cultivating village trust, broadening social network, and creating a social custom of mutual benefit.

Implications for Conservation

Effective environmental governance is an important measure to achieve sustainable development goals. Farmers’ willingness to participate in environmental governance plays a significant role in improving the effectiveness of rural environmental governance. Accordingly, the study of how social capital affects farmers’ willingness to participate provides not only valuable enlightenment for rural environmental governance and protection, but also a long path for sustainable development and biodiversity protection.
Henri Lefebvre's conception of nature-society in the revolutionary project of autogestion
Authors: Napoletano Brian M. , Urquijo Pedro S. , Clark Brett , Foster John Bellamy
Published: March 2022

Henri Lefebvre's intricate material-dialectical approach to the nature-society problematic, taken together with his advocacy of a praxis oriented to total transformation from the ground up through autogestion, offers a unified, critical, and dialectical approach to political ecology. Unfortunately, his work in these areas has too often been interpreted as divided and fragmentary, splitting his radical analysis of the production of space-time from his critical praxis related to autogestion. We offer a corrective to this by elaborating briefly on his use of Marx's material-dialectical approach, outlining how Lefebvre brings this method to bear on the nature-society problematic, and how his theorization of autogestion points to a radical praxis aimed at overcoming the social-ecological contradictions of capital. His engagement with Marx's theory of metabolic rift, and his advocacy of a radical project of autogestion as part of the critique of everyday life, serve to place the underlying issue of alienation in spatial terms, offering geography a transformative perspective that avoids positing closed systems and attempting to exhaust the various meanings assigned to nature. In this, Lefebvre demonstrates how the nature-society problematic overflows issues of ontological framing and language, calling for a unity of radical theory and practice to overcome the separations.
Diversity in sociotechnical machine learning systems
Authors: Fazelpour Sina , De-Arteaga Maria
Published: March 2022

There has been a surge of recent interest in sociocultural diversity in machine learning research. Currently, however, there is a gap between discussions of measures and benefits of diversity in machine learning, on the one hand, and the broader research on the underlying concepts of diversity and the precise mechanisms of its functional benefits, on the other. This gap is problematic because diversity is not a monolithic concept. Rather, different concepts of diversity are based on distinct rationales that should inform how we measure diversity in a given context. Similarly, the lack of specificity about the precise mechanisms underpinning diversity’s potential benefits can result in uninformative generalities, invalid experimental designs, and illicit interpretations of findings. In this work, we draw on research in philosophy, psychology, and social and organizational sciences to make three contributions: First, we introduce a taxonomy of different diversity concepts from philosophy of science, and explicate the distinct epistemic and political rationales underlying these concepts. Second, we provide an overview of mechanisms by which diversity can benefit group performance. Third, we situate these taxonomies of concepts and mechanisms in the lifecycle of sociotechnical machine learning systems and make a case for their usefulness in fair and accountable machine learning. We do so by illustrating how they clarify the discourse around diversity in the context of machine learning systems, promote the formulation of more precise research questions about diversity’s impact, and provide conceptual tools to further advance research and practice.
Do the variations in ROI placement technique have influence for prostate ADC measurements?
Authors: Ueno Yoshiko , Tamada Tsutomu , Sofue Keitaro , Urase Yasuyo , Hinata Nobuyuki , Fujisawa Masato , Murakami Takamichi
Published: March 2022

Background

Prostate apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values calculated from diffusion-weighted imaging have been used for evaluating prostate cancer (PCa) aggressiveness. However, the way of measuring ADC values has varied depending on the study.

Purpose

To investigate inter- and intra-reader variability and diagnostic performance of three kinds of shaped 2D regions of interests (ROIs) for tumor ADC measurements in PCa.

Material and Methods

Seventy-four patients with PCa undergoing 3-T MRI before surgery were included. Histologic findings from radical prostatectomy specimens were reviewed to define each patient’s dominant tumor. Three readers independently measured the tumor ADCs using three different ROI methods: freehand, large-circle, and small-circles ROIs. Readers repeated measurements after 3 weeks. Bland-Altman analysis was performed to evaluate the inter- and intra-reader variability. Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis was used for assessment of tumor aggressiveness for PCa.

Results

For intra-reader and inter-reader variability, the mean coefficient of repeatability for freehand ROIs, large-circle ROIs, and small-circles ROIs were as follows: 13.7%, 12.4%, and 11.5%; 9.4%, 9.7%, and 9.5%. For differentiating Gleason score (GS) = 3 + 3 from GS ≥ 3 + 4 tumors, the area under the curves were 0.90 for freehand ROIs, 0.89 for large-circle ROIs, and 0.94 small-circles ROIs ( p = 0.31).

Conclusion

The variations in ROI method did not have a major influence on intra-reader or inter-reader reproducibility or diagnostic performance for prostate ADC measurements.
Screening for Information Environments: A Role for Health Systems to Address the Misinformation Crisis
Authors: Scales David , Gorman Jack
Published: March 2022

Misinformation about health topics is a public health issue. We are bombarded with information from many sources, across many digital means of communication, affecting the ways in which we are born, grow, work, live, and age. This makes information environments a social determinant of health (SDoH), but one not currently adequately addressed by clinical or public health practitioners. Since health systems are already screening for social determinants of health, existing mechanisms can additionally screen for unhealthy information environments. Then, for those patients who screen positive, we can apply best practices learned from initiatives addressing vaccine hesitancy: providing a non-judgmental environment in which to discuss health beliefs, using motivational interviewing techniques to gage patient perspectives and readiness for change, and taking a harm-reduction approach in recognizing that behavior change evolves over time. Displacing misinformation is a process, not an event. As such, we need to address the underlying psychological and sociological reasons that people maintain unscientific beliefs as we would hope to do with any other SDoH. Furthermore, as information environments are the product of both individual choices and structural factors, clinicians should approach patients immersed in unhealthy information environments without blame or ostracism, much as we would approach any patient adversely impacted by social determinants of health.
Health and Work Outcomes of Brief Counseling From an EAP in Vermont: Follow-Up Survey Results, Client Satisfaction, and Estimated Cost Savings
Authors: Attridge Mark , Dickens Steven P.
Published: March 2022

The purpose of this applied naturalistic study was to determine the effectiveness of brief counseling, estimate the potential cost savings associated with select outcomes, and explore the client ratings and comments evaluating their experience. Follow-up survey data from 830 employee users of counseling services from a statewide employee assistance program (EAP) were analyzed. Paired tests examined changes in anxiety, depression, health status, life satisfaction, and work productivity. At the start, more of the EAP cases were above the threshold for at-risk status on each outcome than healthy employees in normative data. Significant reductions in risk were achieved for all outcomes after counseling. Improvements in health were correlated with improvements in work productivity. Most of the cases (82%) considered their experience to be positive and helpful. Results were used to estimate an ROI of $4.26:$1 for the EAP from avoided overall health care treatment costs for depression ($611/case) and avoided lost work productivity ($1,433/case).
Understanding Health Care Administrators’ Data and Information Needs for Decision Making during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study at an Academic Health System
Authors: Guerrier Christina , McDonnell Cara , Magoc Tanja , Fishe Jennifer N. , Harle Christopher A.
Published: March 2022

Objective. The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented strain on the health care system, and administrators had to make many critical decisions to respond appropriately. This study sought to understand how health care administrators used data and information for decision making during the first 6 mo of the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods. We conducted semistructured interviews with administrators across University of Florida (UF) Health. We performed an inductive thematic analysis of the transcripts. Results. Four themes emerged from the interviews: 1) common types of health systems or hospital operations data; 2) public health and other external data sources; 3) data interaction, integration, and exchange; and 4) novelty and evolution in data, information, or tools used over time. Participants illustrated the organizational, public health, and regional information they considered essential (e.g., hospital census, community positivity rate, etc.). Participants named specific challenges they faced due to data quality and timeliness. Participants elaborated on the necessity of data integration, validation, and coordination across different boundaries (e.g., different hospital systems in the same metro areas, public health agencies at the local, state, and federal level, etc.). Participants indicated that even within the first 6 mo of the COVID-19 pandemic, the data and tools used for making critical decisions changed. Discussion. While existing medical informatics infrastructure can facilitate decision making in pandemic response, data may not always be readily available in a usable format. Interoperable infrastructure and data standardization across multiple health systems would help provide more reliable and timely information for decision making. Conclusion. Our findings contribute to future discussions of improving data infrastructure and developing harmonized data standards needed to facilitate critical decisions at multiple health care system levels.

Highlights

The study revealed common health systems or hospital operations data and information used in decision making during the first 6 mo of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants described commonly used internal data sources, such as resource and financial reports and dashboards, and external data sources, such as federal, state, and local public health data. Participants described challenges including poor timeliness and limited local relevance of external data as well as poor integration of data sources within and across organizational boundaries. Results suggest the need for continued integration and standardization of health data to support health care administrative decision making during pandemics or other emergencies.