bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Applicability of CMIP5 and CMIP6 Models in China: Reproducibility of Historical Simulation and Uncertainty of Future Projection
Authors: Jia Qimeng , Jia Haifeng , Li Yijia , Yin Dingkun
Published: May 2023

General circulation model (GCM) outputs archived by the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) are widely used for climate projection. A comprehensive evaluation of the applicability of GCMs is crucial for generating reliable projections. However, previous GCM evaluation studies mainly focused on the reproducibility of the historical simulation to the observation data, ignoring the uncertainty involved in the future climate projection. In this study, an innovative and comprehensive index, named the history–future applicability score (HFAS), is proposed for evaluating the applicability of GCMs. Through incorporating the Taylor skill score (S) and the analysis of variance (ANOVA) within a general framework, the HFAS can reflect both the historical reproducibility and future uncertainty of GCMs. The HFAS framework is applied to quantitatively evaluating the skills of 28 GCMs (14 from CMIP5 and 14 from CMIP6) in modeling temperature and precipitation at 631 reference sites across China. Results indicate that (i) both CMIP5 and CMIP6 models underestimate the historical temperature of China and overestimate the historical precipitation; (ii) the total uncertainties in future temperature and precipitation projections increase along with time; compared to CMIP5, temperature uncertainty of CMIP6 is narrowed, while the precipitation uncertainty is increased; (iii) taking into account historical reproducibility and future uncertainty, CMIP6 models generally have increased applicability compared to CMIP5; and (iv) the best-performing GCMs in modeling temperature and precipitation of China are ACCESS-CM2 and MPI-ESM-LR, respectively, with the HFAS being 68.4 and 63.5. The findings are helpful for researchers to select locally appropriate GCMs and generate reliable regional climate projection.
The Influence of Large-Scale Radiation Anomalies on Tropical Cyclone Frequency
Authors: Hsieh Tsung-Lin , Zhang Bosong , Yang Wenchang , Vecchi Gabriel A. , Zhao Ming , Soden Brian J. , Wang Chenggong
Published: May 2023

The response of tropical cyclone (TC) frequency to sea surface warming is uncertain in climate models. We hypothesize that one source of uncertainty is the anomalies of large-scale atmospheric radiation in response to climate change, and whose influence on TC frequency is investigated. Given two atmospheric models with opposite TC frequency responses to uniform sea surface warming, we interchange their atmospheric radiation anomalies in experiments with prescribed radiative heating rates. The largest model discrepancy occurs in the western North Pacific, where the TC frequency tends to increase with anomalous large-scale ascent caused by prescribed positive radiation anomalies, while the TC frequency tends to decrease with anomalous large-scale descent caused by prescribed negative radiation anomalies. The model spread in TC frequency response is approximated by the model spread in the frequency response of pre-TC vortices (seeds), which is explained by changes in the large-scale circulation using a downscaling formula known as the seed propensity index. We further generalize the index to predict the influence of large-scale radiation anomalies on TC seed frequency. The results show that model spread in TC and seed frequency response can be reduced when constraining the large-scale radiation anomalies.

Significance Statement

It is difficult to predict whether tropical cyclones will occur more or less frequently in the future and by how much. We show that tropical cyclone frequency is strongly influenced by the global pattern of heating and cooling due to radiation, a process that has been neglected in existing theories. Our theory improves understanding of how tropical cyclones respond to climate change, explaining why one model may predict a frequency increase while a different but equally realistic model may predict a frequency decrease. One reason for the difficulty in predicting tropical cyclone frequency is found to be the difficulty in predicting how global cloud distribution will change in the future.
Assessing Public Interpretation of Original and Linguist-Suggested SPC Risk Categories in Spanish
Authors: Bitterman Abby , Krocak Makenzie J. , Ripberger Joseph T. , Ernst Sean , Trujillo-Falcón Joseph E. , Gaviria Pabón América , Silva Carol , Jenkins-Smith Hank
Published: May 2023

Recent work has shown that the words used in the Storm Prediction Center’s convective outlook are not easily understood by members of the public. Furthermore, Spanish translations of the outlook information have also been shown to have interpretation challenges. This study uses survey data collected from the Severe Weather and Society Spanish Survey, a survey of Spanish speakers across the United States, to evaluate how U.S. residents receive, understand, and respond to weather forecasts and warnings. For this experiment, respondents were tasked with ranking the words and colors used in the SPC’s convective outlook. They were randomly assigned either 1) the words originally used by the SPC for Spanish translations or 2) a set of words suggested by linguistic experts familiar with Spanish dialects in the United States. We find Spanish speakers have similar challenges to English speakers when ordering the words the SPC uses. When using the translations proposed by the linguistic experts, we find the majority of Spanish speakers ranked the words in the intended order of associated risk. Spanish speakers also displayed similar ranking distributions for the colors in the outlook as English speakers, where both groups ranked red as the highest level of risk. These findings suggest the original translations used by the SPC convective outlook create barriers for Spanish speakers and that the expert translations more effectively communicate severe weather hazards to Spanish-speaking members of the public.

Significance Statement

The SPC’s convective outlook provides important information about the risk posed by severe storms to members of the public. While the SPC had official Spanish translations for the categorical labels used in the outlook, it was believed anecdotally that there was a disconnect between the words the SPC was using and the way the translated outlook was being interpreted by Spanish-speaking members of the public. This work verifies previous beliefs about the original translation set and confirms the reliability of a new set of translations developed by linguistic experts among Spanish-speaking members of the public.
A Multimodel Real-Time System for Global Probabilistic Subseasonal Forecasts of Precipitation and Temperature
Authors: Robertson Andrew W. , Yuan Jing , Tippett Michael K. , Cousin Rémi , Hall Kyle , Acharya Nachiketa , Singh Bohar , Muñoz Ángel G. , Collins Dan , LaJoie Emerson , Infanti Johnna
Published: May 2023

A global multimodel probabilistic subseasonal forecast system for precipitation and near-surface temperature is developed based on three NOAA ensemble prediction systems that make their forecasts available publicly in real time as part of the Subseasonal Experiment (SubX). The weekly and biweekly ensemble means of precipitation and temperature of each model are individually calibrated at each grid point using extended logistic regression, prior to forming equal-weighted multimodel ensemble (MME) probabilistic forecasts. Reforecast skill of week-3–4 precipitation and temperature is assessed in terms of the cross-validated ranked probability skill score (RPSS) and reliability diagram. The multimodel reforecasts are shown to be well calibrated for both variables. Precipitation is moderately skillful over many tropical land regions, including Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, and over subtropical South America, Africa, and Australia. Near-surface temperature skill is considerably higher than for precipitation and extends into the extratropics as well. The multimodel RPSS skill of both precipitation and temperature is shown to exceed that of any of the constituent models over Indonesia, South Asia, South America, and East Africa in all seasons. An example real-time week-3–4 global forecast for 13–26 November 2021 is illustrated and shown to bear the hallmarks of the combined influences of a moderate Madden–Julian oscillation event as well as weak–moderate ongoing La Niña event.

Significance Statement

This paper develops a system for forecasting of precipitation and temperatures globally over land, several weeks in advance, with a focus on biweekly averaged conditions between three and four weeks ahead. The system provides the likelihood of biweekly and weekly conditions being below, near, or above their long-term averages, as well the probability of exceeding (or not exceeding) any threshold value. Using historical data, the precipitation forecasts are demonstrated to have skill in many tropical regions, and the temperature forecasts are more widely skillful. While weather and seasonal range forecasts have become quite generally available, this is one of the first examples of a publicly available, calibrated multimodel probabilistic real-time forecasting system for the subseasonal range.
Competences for promoting mental health in primary school
Authors: Lahti Mari , Korhonen Joonas , Sakellari Evanthia , Notara Venetia , Lagiou Areti , Istomina Natalja , Grubliauskienė Jūratė , Makutienė Monika , Šukytė Daiva , Erjavec Karmen , Petrova Gergana , Lalova Valentina , Ivanova Svetla , Laaksonen Camilla
Published: May 2023

Background:

The mental health od school-age children is of growing concern in many countries. School professionals require the competences and methods to intervene effectively to promote mental health in schools.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to describe school professionals’ perceptions of the competences needed and effective methods to promote mental health in primary schools.

Design and setting:

Qualitative study conducted in five European countries.

Method:

Multidisciplinary focus group interviews were conducted with teachers, school nurses, psychologists and social workers in Greece ( n = 2), Lithuania ( n = 3), Slovenia ( n = 2), Bulgaria ( n = 2) and Finland ( n = 2). Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Results:

Competences perceived as required for mental health promotion in primary schools were related to (1) knowledge of child development and mental health among primary school age children, (2) skills such as communication and empathy and (3) teachers’ self perception as health promoters. Insufficient attention is currently given to the development of these competences in basic teacher education and ongoing professional development. Providing a safe and inclusive school environment for children and families, early intervention and the use of structured models of support were viewed as effective approaches to use. Digital tools, online materials, and online support were seen as having a valuable role to play in children’s mental health promotion.

Conclusion:

School professionals require multiple competences to undertake mental health promotion in primary schools. The development of these competences is best supported by basic and ongoing education. Teachers, school nurses, psychologists and social workers see mixed methods as likely to be most effective in promoting mental health in primary schools.
Suicide literacy mediates the path from religiosity to suicide stigma among Muslim community adults: Cross-sectional data from four Arab countries
Authors: Fekih-Romdhane Feten , Daher-Nashif Suhad , Stambouli Manel , Alhuwailah Amthal , Helmy Mai , Shuwiekh Hanaa Ahmed Mohamed , Mohamed Lemine Cheikh Mohamed Fadel , Radwan Eqbal , Saquib Juliann , Saquib Nazmus , Fawaz Mirna , Zarrouq Btissame , Naser Abdallah Y , Obeid Sahar , Saleh Maan , Haider Sanad , Miloud Lahmer , Badrasawi Manal , Hamdan-Mansour Ayman , Barbato Mariapaola , Bakhiet Aisha , Sayem Najat , Adawi Samir , Grein Fatheya , Loch Alexandre Andrade , Cheour Majda , Hallit Souheil
Published: May 2023

Background:

The majority of research attention has been devoted to the link between religiosity and suicide risk, and a considerable amount of studies has been carried out on how stigma impacts individuals with mental health problems of different kinds. However, the interplay between religiosity, suicide literacy and suicide stigma has seldom been empirically researched, especially quantitatively. We sought through this study to redress the imbalance of research attention by examining the relationship between religiosity and suicide stigma; and the indirect and moderating effects of suicide literacy on this relationship.

Method:

A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted among Arab-Muslim adults originating from four Arab countries (Egypt: N = 1029, Kuwait: N = 2182, Lebanon N = 781, Tunisia N = 2343; Total sample: N = 6335). The outcome measures included the Arabic Religiosity Scale which taps into variation in the degree of religiosity, the Stigma of Suicide Scale-short form to the solicit degree of stigma related to suicide, and the Literacy of Suicide Scale explores knowledge and understanding of suicide.

Results:

Our Mediation analyses findings showed that literacy of suicide partially mediated the association between religiosity and stigmatizing attitude toward suicide. Higher religiosity was significantly associated with less literacy of suicide; higher literacy of suicide was significantly associated with less stigma of suicide. Finally, higher religiosity was directly and significantly associated with more stigmatization attitude toward suicide.

Conclusion:

We contribute the literature by showing, for the first time, that suicide literacy plays a mediating role in the association between religiosity and suicide stigma in a sample of Arab-Muslim community adults. This preliminarily suggests that the effects of religiosity on suicide stigma can be modifiable through improving suicide literacy. This implies that interventions targeting highly religious individuals should pay dual attention to increasing suicide literacy and lowering suicide stigma.
Youth Bulge as a Peacebuilding Opportunity for Africa: The Case of Zimbabwe’s Youth Empowerment Programmes
Authors: Yingi Edwin
Published: May 2023

This study seeks to investigate the impact of youth empowerment programmes on the peace process in Zimbabwe. Demographers have revealed that the youth population in Sub-Saharan Africa is growing to become what is termed the youth bulge. This demographic phenomenon combined with elusive formal wage employment in many African countries has often resulted in youth becoming a de-stabilising force. As a solution to youth unemployment and vulnerability, Zimbabwe adopted youth development and empowerment programmes. The efforts have, however, suffered from a myriad of challenges including lack of political will, political interference and marginalisation of the youth in decision making. This is an empirical mixed-methods study that relied on primary and secondary data that was gathered through quantitative and qualitative means. The study presents comprehensive perspectives on how youth empowerment can be a mitigating measure against youth propensity to violence. The study argues that without proper and genuine youth development and empowerment, peace will continue to be elusive in Zimbabwe and the rest of Africa.
Modeling hysteresis in expanded polystyrene foams under compressive loads using feed-forward neural networks
Authors: Rodríguez-Sánchez Alejandro E , Plascencia-Mora Héctor
Published: May 2023

Expanded polystyrene foams are widely used materials for various applications in engineering, including their use for protective designs. For this type of application, in engineering analysis and design, it is required to know the mechanical response to compression of this type of material, since energy parameters that support the analysis of the effectiveness of a design are derived from it. One of these parameters is strain hysteresis, through which it is possible to know how capable a material is of absorbing energy. The modeling and prediction of this parameter is a challenge from the analysis point of view. This contribution presents a method based on feed-forward artificial neural network models that address a modeling approach to derive this parameter from the mechanical response of expanded polystyrene foam. From this, models are constructed that can predict the response of such material to various density and loading rate conditions. The best of a total of 30 neural network models, which are capable of deriving energy parameters such as hysteresis, is chosen. The results show that this approach is valid for the deformation energy analysis of expanded polystyrene foams since results consistent with the material phenomenology and errors of less than 3% with respect to experimental data are obtained.
Permeability and fabric compaction in forming of fiber metal laminates
Authors: Kruse Moritz , Poppe Christian T. , Henning Frank , Ben Khalifa Noomane
Published: May 2023

Significant fluid–structure interaction is present in fiber metal laminate forming with a low viscous matrix. A modular, process-inspired test setup is presented for one-dimensional saturated and unsaturated infiltration experiments for fiber metal laminates. Permeability measurements for different fabric orientations, fabric layers, and fiber volume contents show low scatter and good repeatability for fiber volume contents up to 65%. Fiber metal laminate specimens were formed by exchanging the mid-segment of the test setup with a punch and die. The stiffness differences between metal and fabric lead to remarkably high compactions in the bending radii, significantly reducing the flow during infiltration. Contrary to resin transfer molding processes, no formation of resin-rich zones along bending edges occurs due to the high normal pressures from metal forming. A numerical forming simulation was developed to predict the local fiber volume content. Comparing the experimental results with the numerical simulation shows that the high fiber volume content in the radii almost exclusively impacts the overall permeability. Implications for fiber metal laminate processing and modeling are outlined.
Soft, strong, and breathable polylactic acid/polyethylene glycol microfibrous membranes with a fluffy alignment structure for skin contactor
Authors: Zhang Heng , Zhen Qi , Cao Yang , Gan Yi , Yang Ziqiang , Qian Xiaoming
Published: May 2023

Polylactic acid (PLA) microfibrous membranes, having high comfort and wearability features, have attracted considerable research interest for applications involving skin contactors. However, the poor softness and low strength of these membranes are the major challenges that prevent their large-scale fabrication and application. Herein, an advanced strategy for preparing a soft, strong, and breathable polylactic acid/polyethylene glycol (PLA/PEG) microfibrous membrane using an in situ drafting-assisted melt-blowing process has been developed. The introduction of PEG significantly improved the crystallization and plasticization of the PLA chain molecules, thus promoting the perfect crystallinity of the PLA phase. Benefiting from the synergy of the PEG and the drafting process, the prepared PLA/PEG microfibrous membranes exhibited a fluffy structure wherein the air permeability increased to 142.5 mm/s with the increase in DCD to 37 cm. Meanwhile, the PLA/PEG microfibrous membranes exhibit optimized anisotropic softness performance: a smaller maximum resistance of 0.13 N in the machine direction and a larger maximum resistance of 1.8 N in the cross direction were obtained in comparison with conventional membranes. This suggests the tremendous potential for using the fabricated membranes in flexible, breathable, and wearable skin contactors.
Monkeypox Virus and Other Emerging Outbreaks: An Overview and Future Perspective
Authors: Hamdana Amatul Hadi , Mohsin Habiba , Habib Tharwani Zoaib , Masood Waniyah , Furqana Amatul Quddus , Sohail Affan , Durdana Amatul Rehman , Ashraf Muhammad Talal , Uddin Naseer , Islam Zarmina , Essar Mohammad Yasir , Marzo Roy Rillera , Habib Zehra
Published: May 2023

Monkeypox (MPX) is a zoonotic disease caused by the MPX virus from the poxviridae family of orthopoxviruses. Typically, endemic in central and west Africa, it has now become a matter of concern since cases have been reported in non-endemic countries around mid-June 2022, especially in the European region, with the transmission not related to travel. The diagnosis is made by PCR testing of the skin lesions. Even though treatment is symptomatic, antiretrovirals, such as tecovirimat, are used in severe cases. Vaccination with second and third generation vaccines is approved for prophylaxis in high risk individuals. Unfortunately, these options of treatment and prevention are only available in high income countries at the moment. This review, through a thorough literature search of articles from 2017 onward, focuses on epidemiology, clinical manifestations, challenges, treatment, prevention and control of MPX virus and how they can be corelated with other viral outbreaks including COVID-19, Acute Hepatitis of unknown origin, Measles and Dengue, to better predict and therefore prevent its transmission. The previous COVID-19 pandemic increased the disease burden on healthcare infrastructure of low-middle income countries, therefore, this recent MPX outbreak calls for a joint effort from healthcare authorities, political figures, and NGOs to combat the disease and prevent its further spread not only in high income but also in middle- and low-income countries.
A Gamified Experiential Learning Intervention for Engaging Students Through Satisfying Needs
Authors: David Loukia , Weinstein Netta
Published: May 2023

A field experiment conducted across an academic semester tested the impact of a gamified experiential learning intervention strategically framing a student response system (SRS) to maximize student engagement through their technology use in class. Participants ( n = 123) aged 9–16 years received an experimental intervention designed to foster intrinsic motivation through optimally challenging engagement. To achieve this, the intervention utilized teamwork, made friendly competence-enhancing competition salient, and created choice. In a comparison condition, students used SRS without these additional enhancements. Students were surveyed at three time points. The experimental intervention reported increasing psychological need satisfaction for autonomy, competence, and relatedness and greater academic well-being. An observer rating demonstrated more classroom behaviors indicative of intrinsic motivation as compared to the comparison condition. The effects of the intervention increasing student-reported and observer-rated academic well-being were due to more immediate beneficial effects of the gamified experiential condition fostering basic psychological needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence.
Exponential convergence in the mean-square sense of nonlocal stochastic almost automorphic genetic regulatory lattice networks
Authors: Hao Bing , Zhang Tianwei
Published: May 2023

This paper first establishes the lattice model for nonlocal stochastic genetic regulatory networks with reaction diffusions by employing a mix of the finite difference and Mittag–Leffler time Euler difference techniques. Second, the existence of a unique bounded almost automorphic sequence in distribution and global mean-square exponential convergence to the achieved difference model are investigated. An illustrative example is used to show the feasible of the works of the current paper.
Nonlinear stabilization and reference tracking of visual servo system using TS fuzzy augmented iterative learning control: Experimental validation
Authors: Jonnalagadda Vimala Kumari , Elumalai Vinodh Kumar
Published: May 2023

To address the nonlinear stabilization problem and improve the tracking control feature of ball on plate system (BPS), this paper puts forward a novel Takagi Sugeno (TS) fuzzy control augmented with the current cycle feedback iterative learning control (CCF-ILC) scheme. According to Bode’s sensitivity integral, the performance of linear controllers is always a trade-off between reference tracking and robustness. Hence, to deal with the so-called ‘waterbed’ effect, this work exploits the capability of TS fuzzy to handle the nonlinear dynamics and synthesizes a learning control scheme based on current iteration error to capitalize the information rich error signal for enhancing the robustness and trajectory tracking features. The global asymptotic stability of the proposed TS fuzzy augmented ILC scheme is proved using the Lyapunov function and linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Moreover, the monotonic convergence of ILC is presented based on the singular value condition. For identifying the rolling mass from the video stream, a background subtraction algorithm based on thresholding technique is implemented. Finally, the robustness and tracking features of the proposed scheme are evaluated on a two degrees of freedom (DoF) laboratory scale BPS system through hardware in loop (HIL) testing for three realistic test cases. The tracking performance quantified using the root mean square error (RMSE) and power spectral density plot corroborates that the proposed scheme can offer better setpoint tracking and robustness feature compared to state-of-the-art fuzzy and ILC control techniques implemented on BPS.
Time Use and Subjective Well-Being of Multiple Jobholders: Evidence From the American Time Use Survey
Authors: Hill Brian
Published: May 2023

Millions of workers hold more than one job. Multiple jobholders work various combinations of part-time and full-time jobs, which suggests they might spend their time differently than single jobholders, and the second job might affect an individual's subjective well-being. Using data from the 2003-2019 American Time Use Survey, I show that multiple jobholders work and commute more, and spend less time relaxing, sleeping, and doing housework than single jobholders. Overall, multiple jobholders are less likely to report being rested and having a good life relative to single jobholders. I also show how these differences vary by gender and race.
Compelled TikTok creators? The ambivalent affordances of the short video app for Filipino musicians
Authors: Tintiangko Jeremy , Fung Anthony Y.H. , Leo-Liu Jindong
Published: May 2023

This study is concerned with the incorporation of TikTok by Filipino musicians in their performances, promotion strategies, and other career-related endeavors. As the music artists are compelled, whether consciously or otherwise, to adhere to the logics of the platform, we critically evaluate its implications on their experiences as creative workers. As revealed, the use of TikTok by Filipino musicians fosters the construction of a new cultural logic and format that enhances music content and narratives as they engage in novel creative pursuits as well as participate in nascent forms of audience relations. Yet the prevalence of TikTok use within the music industry also engenders a new range of obligations that reinforce existing pressures on musicians. This study sheds light on the ambivalent role of TikTok as a platform that could potentially liberate and amplify independent and creative cultural production while also generating new sources of tension for creative workers.
Knowledge diffusion for individual literature from the perspective of Altmetrics: Models, measurement and features
Authors: Zhang Jundong , Hou Jianhua
Published: May 2023

This article studies the effect of online social media on knowledge diffusion. In this article, an SIS (Susceptible–Infectious–Susceptible) model was established to chase the knowledge diffusion and identify the proper model for knowledge diffusion of individual literature from the perspective of Altmetrics. Based on the data collected from the PLoS ONE database, the transition probabilities of each paper were calculated, and the papers were divided into six groups according to the transition probabilities using a K-means algorithm. This article explores the impacts of transition probabilities and summarises the similarities and differences of the patterns of knowledge diffusion of each group from the perspective of Altmetrics. Research results showed that the SIS model could be used to describe the knowledge diffusion of individual literature from the perspective of Altmetrics. Besides, the classification method proposed in this article could also be applied in future informetric research. In addition, this article also contributes to the practitioners of knowledge diffusion and online platforms.
COVID-19 and the Housework Gender Division: Traditional or New Gender Patterns?
Authors: Larraz Beatriz , Roig Rosa , Aybar Cristina , Pavía Jose M.
Published: May 2023

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the gender dimension of its more visible socio-economic impacts has been the topic of study by several researchers. The current paper takes this further by focusing on the invisible chores done in the families at home. This paper studies how people’s behavior towards housework changed during and after the confinement period in Spain. We analyze whether people did more housework during the lockdown period than before it, the way this housework was distributed between women and men, and whether this has changed since the end of lockdown. The empirical analyses point to a new trend in the housework gender gap: differences between men and women have narrowed since the lockdown, although women continue to bear most of the responsibility.
Gender rules in the community corrections context: Examining how case managers navigate trans client supervision in a binary setting
Authors: Ellis Taylor , Opsal Tara
Published: May 2023

This article explores one US residential community corrections facility and the ways that case managers navigate working with transgender women under supervision in a facility that relies on the sex binary for housing placement. Similar to other research on this population in prisons that has been conducted both within and outside of the US context, we find that case managers contend with significant uncertainty in their work with these clients because of a lack of specific and formal training. To contend with that uncertainty, case managers reported relying on Gender Responsive Training and the Prison Rape Elimination Act to guide their understanding of and work with trans clients. However, we also found a great deal of discretion in the ways case managers managed programming for their trans clients that disrupted the gendered organization of the facility. We conclude with specific programmatic recommendations based on these findings.
Reciprocal self-disclosure: Although respondents are reluctant to steal the spotlight, self-disclosers feel validated, understood, and cared for when respondents share comparable experiences
Authors: Reese Zachary A. , Orrach Kristin
Published: May 2023

People often self-disclose news about themselves. Respondents may have similar news and feel conflicted about whether to share that news in the moment – that is, to reciprocally self-disclose. On the one hand, reciprocally self-disclosing could enable them to convey that they understand the recipient’s experience. On the other hand, reciprocally self-disclosing could dishonor the recipient’s contribution in a manner akin to stealing the spotlight. What contextual variables do respondents consider when navigating this conflict? How do recipients perceive reciprocal self-disclosures (RSDs) relative to non-disclosures – and what contextual variables moderate recipients’ perceptions? In this paper, we report four studies ( N = 1200 Reddit conversations, 733 MTurk and 701 Prolific users) examining how people use and perceive RSD across a variety of contexts. We focus principally on context valence (positive vs. negative) and news similarity (similar vs. more extreme). Across experimental and naturalistic studies, respondents were highly context-sensitive and particularly reluctant to reciprocally self-disclose in positive contexts. Yet, recipients were less context-sensitive. Recipients evaluated similar RSDs as comparably responsive as non-disclosures in positive contexts and more responsive than non-disclosures in negative contexts. Furthermore, recipients perceived more extreme RSDs as more responsive than non-disclosures in negative contexts and less responsive than non-disclosures in positive contexts. Exploratory analyses suggested privacy, gender of respondent, and closeness predicted whether respondents used RSD but not whether recipients perceived RSD as responsive. In short, people often refrain from RSD to avoid committing communication errors – but our research suggests RSD can be highly responsive and incurs few costs relative to non-disclosure.
Intelligence, Militarism, and Militarization in Latin America and the Caribbean Region
Authors: Matei Florina C.
Published: May 2023

Although the political landscape of Latin American and the Caribbean region is changing, intelligence democratization remains a constant challenge. The majority of the countries in the region have not achieved a tradeoff between operational effectiveness and democratic transparency and accountability. Militarism and militarization policies and practices—along with weak and ineffective institutions and corrupt, apathetic, and inexpert leaders—greatly contribute to this constant challenge.
The US Southern Command and the Militarization of US-Latin America Foreign Relations
Authors: Forner Clarissa N.
Published: May 2023

This proposal aims to analyze the militarization of US-Latin America foreign relations by discussing the role played by the U.S. Southern Command in the implementation of U.S. foreign policy for the region in the aftermath of the September 11th 2001 attacks. Since the last decades of Cold War, civilian and diplomatic agencies stationed in the region, notably the State Department and the USAID, suffered budgetary constraints that were aggravated at the beginning of the Global War on Terror. For instance, in Latin America, the Southcom has been adapted to perform the so called “military missions other than war,” including non-military functions such as the provision of humanitarian assistance, law enforcement, and the management of security assistance programs aimed to dismantle drug trafficking networks. As we intend to argue, the overreliance on security and military means reflects the militarized character of U.S. influence in the region and has impacts on how the local coercive systems are organized and deployed by the domestic political elites. By analyzing the annual posture statements and the initiatives conducted in the field by the Southcom, between 2001 and 2021, we hope to clarify how the violence structures from abroad are connected to those from within.
On students learning experience of fluid power engineering – Impact of simulation software
Authors: Mandal Nirmal Kumar , Azad Abul Kalam , Rasul M.G.
Published: May 2023

The School of Engineering and Technology of Central Queensland University focuses on the continuous development and innovation of best learning and teaching practices to increase student retention and improve their learning experiences. Face to face and distance learning (teaching delivery models) are fundamental aspects of providing quality support to the students’ learning. One incredibly important aspect of students’ learning is to provide relevant industry-related projects and applications of relevant simulation software to mimic the systems. This paper develops students’ essential problem-solving skills and control strategies of fluid power systems in mechanical engineering through the Master of Engineering programs by employing Simulink, SimScape Fluid applications in Matlab software and Energy Plus with Design Builder. The main focus is to ensure that the students achieve the required skills of building fluid circuit models based on physical connections that directly integrate with appropriate symbols and modelling paradigms in fluid power applications to model the appropriate physical models to mimic the industrial fluid power projects selected. The basic ideas and content are to be delivered through weekly lectures and tutorial sessions, and the students’ skills in fluid power systems and software are developed and monitored through weekly workshops scheduled for all projects. The key outcomes of this study are the level of understanding of fluid power systems, development of simulation skills using the software indicated, interpretation of the results the students have obtained and validations of those results. The students must show they have developed appropriate problem-solving skills using simulation software, professional presentation and effective team-building skills. As the students develop appropriate problem-solving and engineering practice skills, their satisfaction and feedback rates improve significantly.
Quantifying the Coupling Relationship of Road Grade Impacting Heavy-Duty Diesel Truck Operation Emissions in a Mountainous City in China
Authors: Liu Yonghong , Li Hauyan , Huang Wenfeng , Yang Xinru , Li Li , Kong Fanling , Ding Hui
Published: May 2023

To reveal the complex impact of the road grade on heavy-duty diesel truck (HDDT) emissions, the dynamic coupling relationships among the road grade, vehicle operation, and emissions were quantified based on portable emission measurement system data from 24 HDDTs in Chongqing, China. The results showed that the average emission factors of nitrogen oxides (NO x) and carbon dioxide (CO2) of China IV HDDTs were the highest among all tested HDDTs, and NO x emissions often exceeded their corresponding standard limit values. Next, the coupling relationships of road grade, speed, and emissions were studied. Graded roads caused a 4%–44% decrease in the average vehicle speed, resulting in a coupling effect on emissions. For all pollutants and vehicle emission standards, the HDDT emissions on uphill roads were much higher, while those on downhill roads did not deteriorate significantly owing to the increased acceleration operation. Overall, ignoring the road grade led to estimation errors of between −99.14% and 291.30% for CO2 and between −99.21% and 247.73% for NO x. Speed was less correlated with emissions on downhill roads (≤−3%). For uphill roads (>0%), the joint effect of road grade and speed caused a significant increase in CO2 and NO x emissions up to 21.26 and 17.29 times compared to idling emissions. A Sigmoid function successfully modeled the coupling relationship (average R2 = 0.95), and grouped S-shaped mapping curves were revealed for between −8% and 7% road grade and emissions. The model can estimate the influence of road grades on emissions at different speeds, thus providing support for emission reduction control.
Expression profile of cytokines and chemokines in a mouse high-altitude cerebral edema model
Authors: Shi Zibi , Jiang Xiufang , Geng Yanan , Yue Xiangpei , Gao Jiayue , Cheng Xiang , Zhao Ming , Zhu Lingling
Published: May 2023

Introduction

High-altitude cerebral edema (HACE) is considered to be the end-stage of acute mountain sickness (AMS); however, its pathophysiological mechanism remains unknown. Increasing evidences support that inflammation is an important risk factor for the occurrence of HACE. Including our published papers, previous studies demonstrated that the levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in both serum and hippocampus were increased in the mouse HACE model induced by LPS stimulation combined with hypobaric hypoxia exposure; however, the expression profile of other cytokines and chemokines remains unknown.

Objective

This study was to analyze the expression profile of cytokines and chemokines in the HACE model.

Methods

The mouse HACE model was established by LPS stimulation combined with hypobaric hypoxia exposure (LH). The mice were divided into the normoxic group, LH-6 h group, LH-1 d group, and LH-7 d group. Brain water content (BWC) was determined using the wet/dry weight ratio. The levels of 30 cytokines and chemokines in the serum and hippocampal tissue were detected using LiquiChip. The mRNA expression of cytokines and chemokines in hippocampal tissue were determined by q-PCR.

Results

In the current study, we found that the brain water content was increased after the combinational treatment of LPS and hypobaric hypoxia. The results of LiquiChip showed that, in the serum and hippocampal tissue, most factors in all 30 cytokines and chemokines were dramatically upregulated at 6 h, and then declined at the 1st d and 7th d. Among these factors, G-CSF, M-CSF, MCP-1, KC, MIG, Eotaxin, Rantes, IP10, IL-6, MIP-2, and MIP-1β were all increased in both serum and hippocampal tissue at 6 h. In addition, the results of q-PCR showed the mRNA levels of G-CSF, MCP-1, KC, MIG, Eotaxin, Rantes, IP10, IL-6, MIP-2, and MIP-1β in hippocampal tissue were dramatically upregulated at 6 h.

Conclusion

This study showed that the dynamic expression profile of 30 cytokines and chemokines in a mouse HACE model induced by LPS plus hypobaric hypoxia. The levels of G-CSF, MCP-1, KC, MIG, Eotaxin, Rantes, IP10, IL-6, MIP-2, and MIP-1β in both serum and hippocampus were significantly increased at 6 h, which may be involved in the occurrence and development of HACE.
A Cannabinoid Receptor 1 Agonist Reduces Light-induced Phase Delays in Male But Not Female Mice
Authors: Niepokny Timothy D. , Mintz Eric M.
Published: May 2023

Animals adapt to a changing environment by synchronizing their circadian rhythms to different stimuli, the strongest and most reliable being the daily light-dark cycle. Photic information reaches the central circadian pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which drives rhythms in physiology and behavior throughout the brain and body. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a neuromodulatory system that is present within the SCN, including the primary receptor, cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1). Exogenous cannabinoids that target CB1 inhibit the phase-shifting effects of light in hamsters, mice, and rats. Furthermore, there is evidence in cultured microglial cells that cannabidiol (CBD), a constituent of Cannabis sativa, alters core circadian clock genes, while the CB1 agonist delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) does not. The CB1 agonist studies were conducted using male animals only, but cannabinoids exhibit sex-dependent effects in various aspects of physiology and behavior. In addition, the effects of CBD on circadian behavioral rhythms have yet to be investigated. Therefore, we decided to test the effects of acute injections of CBD or the CB1 agonist CP 55,940 on light-induced phase delays in male and female C57BL/6J mice. Animals received a single injection at circadian time (CT) 15.5, followed by a 10-min light or dark (sham) pulse at CT 16. Running-wheel activity was monitored to determine activity levels and the behavioral phase shifts from different treatments. We observed a sex difference in the magnitude of phase delay size in response to CP 55,940 administration. Males had attenuated phase delays with increasing doses of CP 55,940, while females did not differ from control. Various doses of CBD had no effect on the phase-delaying effects of light in either sex. Our results show a sex difference in the gating of photic phase shifts by CB1 activation.
Effects of the molecular weight of soft segment of polycaprolactone polyurethane prepolymer on the properties of polyurethane composites with high wood content
Authors: Jiang Sike , Koranteng Ernest , Xiao Fang , Weng Fangqing , Jian Kui , Wu Qiangxian
Published: May 2023

Developing green composite with high biomass content is one crucial way to realize the strategy of ‘carbon reduction’. The type of polyurethane prepolymer and its soft segment’s structure have an important influence on the structure and properties of composite materials. This work focused on preparing different kinds of wood powder-polyurethane prepolymer (WCLPU) composite with high biomass content to study the effects of the molecular weight of the soft segment of the polyurethane prepolymer (PCLPU) on the structure and properties of the composites. The results showed that the composite materials with 70 wt% wood content exhibited high strength and good bending performance. Specifically, with decreasing molecular weight of the PCLPU soft segment, the bending strength and bending modulus of the modified WCLPU composite also increased. This work has laid a foundation for studying the effects of the molecular weight of the PCLPU soft segment on the structure and properties of composite materials.
Cutting Through the Comment Chaos: A Supervised Machine Learning Approach to Identifying Relevant YouTube Comments
Authors: Möller A. Marthe , Vermeer Susan A. M. , Baumgartner Susanne E.
Published: May 2023

Social scientists often study comments on YouTube to learn about people’s attitudes towards and experiences of online videos. However, not all YouTube comments are relevant in the sense that they reflect individuals’ thoughts about, or experiences of the content of a video or its artist/maker. Therefore, the present paper employs Supervised Machine Learning to automatically assess comments written in response to music videos in terms of their relevance. For those comments that are relevant, we also assess why they are relevant. Our results indicate that most YouTube comments are relevant (approx. 78%). Among those, most are relevant because they include a positive evaluation of the video, describe a viewer’s personal experience related to the video, or express a sense of community among the video viewers. We conclude that Supervised Machine Learning is a suitable method to find those YouTube comments that are relevant to scholars studying viewers’ reactions to online videos, and we present suggestions for scholars wanting to apply the same technique in their own projects.
Climate Change and the Voluntary Sector: An Introduction
Authors: Gazley Beth , Prakash Aseem
Published: May 2023

The voluntary and civil society sector plays important roles in climate policy, mitigation and adaptation, especially given the pervasive government and market failures in this policy domain. Does the quality and quantity of scholarship published in nonprofit-focused journals reflect the topic’s importance? This article reviews voluntary sector scholarship on climate issues and serves to introduce Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly’s first organized collection of research on the voluntary sector and climate change. We begin by summarizing and commenting on the findings of a modified systematic literature review of past research on this subject. We then introduce the other five articles published in this symposium, place them in the context of past literature, and discuss their potential contributions to helping researchers expand the conversation and the knowledge on this topic in future work. Finally, we outline ideas and issues for future research.