bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Considering multiple levels of influence on adjustment in school: Ethnic–racial public regard, peer socialization, and social‐emotional learning practices
Authors: Hoffman Adam J. , Pullés Stephanie A. , Medina Michael A. , Pinetta Bernardette J. , Rivas‐Drake Deborah , Schaefer David R. , Jagers Robert J.
Published: December 2020

Adolescence represents a developmental period of marked increase in the development of ethnic–racial identity (ERI) and the importance and influence of friends. Moreover, scores of studies have revealed that ERI and friendships are influential factors in many different academic and psychosocial outcomes for adolescents. However, the development of these relations between ERI, friendships, and academic and psychosocial adjustment do not occur in a vacuum. One context that likely shapes these relations is the classroom. In the current study, we investigated how ERI and peer socialization were related to academic and social efficacy over time, and how perceptions of social‐emotional learning (SEL) practices in the classroom moderated these relations among 586 American middle school youth. Our analysis tested these hypothesized effects, controlling for potentially confounding the effects of friend selection. Results indicated that more positive ethnic–racial public regard predicted gains in students’ perceived social efficacy with teachers but not their perceived social efficacy with peers or academic efficacy. In the assessment of peer socialization effects, youth became increasingly similar to their peers in regard to academic efficacy, social efficacy with peers, and social efficacy with teachers over time. Moderation analyses indicated that perceptions of greater exposure to SEL practices reduced students’ susceptibility to their friends’ influence in social efficacy with teachers. Together, these results highlight the unique and combined impact of ERI, peer influence, and SEL in the development of adolescents’ social efficacy.
Ideology and Risk Focus: Conservatism and Opinion‐Writing In the U.S. Supreme Court
Authors: Ballingrud Gordon
Published: December 2020

Neuroscience proffers evidence that self‐described conservatives have stronger fear responses and aversion to risk than self‐described liberals. Combined with studies showing that judicial ideology drives the content of Supreme Court majority opinions, I argue that conservatism is linked to risk focus in Supreme Court majority opinions. I use the Language Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) software on a sample of Supreme Court majority opinions, and find that conservative opinions score higher on the LIWC dimension called Risk Focus than liberal opinions. This effect is enhanced in criminal procedural cases. If conservative judges’ perceptions of risk are inflated, and if such perceptions are reflected in the binding opinions that they author, then such opinions’ heightened sense of risk may influence the perceptions of risk of lower‐court judges, which may in turn affect their decision‐making in such important areas as sentencing and convictions. Such a pattern raises important questions for the thousands of lower‐court decisions which impact the basic liberties of American citizens.

Objective

To determine whether judicial ideology affects the focus on risk of Supreme Court opinions.

Methods

Original, random sampling of 1200‐1300 Court opinions; use of LIWC software to analyze risk focus of each opinion; regression analysis of ideology on risk focus.

Results

As ideology becomes more conservative, the Court's opinions demonstrate increased evidence of focus on risk. This effect is pronounced in criminal procedure cases.

Conclusion

The theory is supported. Increasingly conservative Court opinions demonstrate an increased focus on risk.
Terrorist Attacks, Stereotyping, and Attitudes Toward Immigrants: The Case of the Manchester Bombing
Authors: Mancosu Moreno , Ferrín Pereira Mònica
Published: December 2020

Objective

Growing research focusing on citizens' psychological reactions to terrorism finds that attacks perpetrated by individuals belonging to Muslim minorities increase negative attitudes toward immigrants as a whole. We argue that this empirical regularity might be explained by stereotyping, which produces immediate emotional reactions among people holding exogenously positive/neutral attitudes toward immigrants.

Methods

We employ a quasi‐experimental before–after design based on the Manchester bombing of May 22, 2017.

Results

Evidence is consistent with the stereotyping effect hypothesis as shown by the temporality of the effect on citizen's attitudes: the effect is indeed strong and significant in the first three days after the attacks for the more cosmopolitan citizens. After four to seven days, however, the effect disappears for every group.

Conclusion

The study suggests that the impact of terrorism on public opinion is consistent with a stereotyping effect and therefore, although immediately strong, it lasts very little in time.
HLA‐A, ‐B, ‐C, ‐DRB1 allele and haplotype frequencies of the Korean population and performance characteristics of HLA typing by next‐generation sequencing
Authors: Jekarl Dong Wook , Lee Gun Dong , Yoo Jae Bin , Kim Jung Rok , Yu Haein , Yoo Jaeeun , Lim Jihyang , Kim Myungshin , Kim Yonggoo
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) identification at the allelic level is important for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Next‐generation sequencing (NGS) resolves ambiguous alleles by determining the phase of the polymorphisms. The aim of this study was to validate the software for HLA‐SBT (sequence‐based typing), assess Korean allele frequency, and characterise the performance of NGS‐HLA typing.

Methods

From the 2009 to 2016 registry, 1293 unrelated healthy donors with a complete dataset of previously characterised HLA‐A, ‐B, ‐C, and ‐DRB1 loci were selected and assessed for frequency, haplotype inference, and relative linkage disequilibrium. For performance characteristics of NGS‐HLA, alleles included in 1293 cases and ambiguous or alleles assigned as new by SBT‐HLA software, or unassigned alleles were included. A total of 91 and 41 quality control samples resulted in 1056 alleles (132 samples × 4 loci × 2 diploid) for analysis. The GenDx NGSgo kit was used for NGS‐HLA typing using the Illumina MiSeq platform.

Results

A panel of 132 samples covered 231 alleles, including 53 HLA‐A, 80 HLA‐B, 43 HLA‐C, and 55 HLA‐DRB1 by HLA‐SBT typing. Comparison of SBT‐HLA and NGS‐HLA typing showed 99.7% (1053/1056) concordance and discrepant cases were resolved by manual evaluation. Typing by NGS resulted in 67 HLA‐A, 112 HLA‐B, 71 HLA‐C, and 72 HLA‐DRB1 alleles. A total of 132 ambiguous, 4 new, and 1 unassigned alleles by HLA‐SBT were resolved by NGS‐HLA typing.

Conclusions

NGS‐HLA typing provided robust and conclusive results without ambiguities, and its implementation could support HSCT in clinical settings.
Loss to follow up of pregnant women with HIV and infant HIV outcomes in the prevention of maternal to child transmission of HIV programme in two high-burden provinces in Papua New Guinea: a retrospective clinical audit
Authors: Kelly-Hanku Angela , Nightingale Claire Elizabeth , Pham Minh Duc , Mek Agnes , Homiehombo Primrose , Bagita Mary , Nankinga Justine , Vallely Andrew , Vallely Lisa , Sethy Ghanashyan , Kaldor John , Luchters Stanley
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Despite early adoption of the WHO guidelines to deliver lifelong antiretroviral (ARV) regimen to pregnant women on HIV diagnosis, the HIV prevention of mother to child transmission programme in Papua New Guinea remains suboptimal. An unacceptable number of babies are infected with HIV and mothers not retained in treatment. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of this programme and to investigate the factors associated with programme performance outcomes.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical records of HIV-positive pregnant women at two hospitals providing prevention of mother to child transmission services. All women enrolled in the prevention of mother to child transmission programme during the study period (June 2012–June 2015) were eligible for inclusion. Using logistic regression, we examined the factors associated with maternal loss to follow-up (LTFU) before birth and before infant registration in a paediatric ARV programme.

Results

763 of women had records eligible for inclusion. Demographic and clinical differences existed between women at the two sites. Almost half (45.1%) of the women knew their HIV-positive status prior to the current pregnancy. Multivariate analysis showed that women more likely to be LTFU by the time of birth were younger (adjusted OR (AOR)=2.92, 95% CI 1.16 to 7.63), were newly diagnosed with HIV in the current/most recent pregnancy (AOR=3.50, 95% CI 1.62 to 7.59) and were in an HIV serodiscordant relationship (AOR=2.94, 95% CI 1.11 to 7.84). Factors associated with maternal LTFU before infant registration included being primipara at the time of enrolment (AOR=3.13, 95% CI 1.44 to 6.80) and being newly diagnosed in that current/most recent pregnancy (AOR=2.49, 95% CI 1.31 to 4.73). 6.6% (50 of 763) of exposed infants had a positive HIV DNA test.

Conclusions

Our study highlighted predictors of LTFU among women. Understanding these correlates at different stages of the programme offers important insights for targets and timing of greater support for retention in care.
Study protocol randomised controlled trial comparison of cost–utility and cost-effectiveness of a face-to-face rehabilitation programme versus a telemedicine programme in the treatment of patients with chronic low back pain
Authors: Castro-Sanchez Adelaida M , Matarán-Peñarrocha Guillermo Adolfo , Gómez-García Silvia , García-López Héctor , Andronis Lazaro , Albornoz-Cabello Manuel , Lara Palomo Inmaculada C
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Chronic lower back pain is a highly prevalent medical condition in Western countries, which that incurs a considerable social and economic burden. Although prescription exercise at home for chronic pain has become a widely used alternative to reduce healthcare costs, the evidence regarding patient adherence and decreased in costs in European countries is scarce and inconclusive. The objective of this study is to examine the cost–utility and cost-effectiveness in patients with chronic lower back pain treated with the McKenzie Method and electroanalgesia via a telemedicine programme versus a face-to-face programme.

Methods and analysis

This study reports the protocol for a randomised, two-arm, multicentre, parallel controlled trial. A total of 540 patients with chronic lower back pain (onset time ≥3 months, Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire ≥4) will be recruited in three hospitals in Andalusia. Participants will be assigned to one of two groups (n=270, respectively) to receive electroanalgesia and Mckenzie method exercises through a telemedicine or a face-to-face programme. A total of 24 sessions will be administered three times a week for 8 weeks. Since the study design does not allow participant blinding, the outcome assessor and the statistician will be blinded. Use of helth care resources and costs due to work absenteeism will be captured and analysed. In addition, pain, intensity, fear of movement, quality of life and strength of the core muscle and anteflexion lumbar will be recorded at 2 and 6 months after the start of treatment.

Ethics and dissemination

Human Research and Local Ethics Committee of the ‘Hospital Complex Torrecárdenas of Almeria, University Hospital of Granada and Virgen Macarena de Sevilla Hospital—Andalusian Health Service’. Study ﬁndings will be released to the research, clinical and health service through publication in international journals and conferences.

Trial registration number

NCT04266366.
Qualitative exploration of patient flow in a Caribbean emergency department
Authors: De Freitas Loren , Goodacre Steve , O’Hara Rachel , Thokala Praveen , Hariharan Seetharaman
Published: December 2020

Objectives

Emergency departments (EDs) are complex adaptive systems and improving patient flow requires understanding how ED processes work. This study aimed to explore the patient flow process in an ED in Trinidad and Tobago, identifying organisational factors influencing patient flow.

Methods

Multiple qualitative methods, including non-participant observations, observational process mapping and informal conversational interviews were used to explore patient flow. The process maps were generated from the observational process mapping. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.

Setting

The study was conducted at a major tertiary level ED in Trinidad and Tobago.

Participants

Patient and staff journeys in the ED were directly observed.

Results

Six broad categories were identified: (1) ED organisational work processes, (2) ED design and layout, (3) material resources, (4) nursing staff levels, roles, skill mix and use, (5) non-clinical ED staff and (6) external clinical and non-clinical departments. Within each category there were individual factors that appeared to either facilitate or hinder patient flow. Organisational processes such as streaming, front loading of investigations and the transfer process were pre-existing strategies in the ED while staff actions to compensate for limitations with flow were more intuitive. A conceptual framework of factors influencing ED patient flow is also presented.

Conclusion

The knowledge gained may be used to strengthen the emergency care system in the local context. However, the study findings should be validated in other settings.
Study protocol for the systematic review and meta-analyses of the association between schizophrenia and bone fragility
Authors: Azimi Manavi Behnaz , Stuart Amanda L , Pasco Julie A , Hodge Jason M , Corney Kayla , Berk Michael , Williams Lana J
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Individuals with schizophrenia are known to be at higher risk of comorbid conditions, both physical and psychological. Osteoporosis is possibly one of these, leading to public health concerns due to higher rates of associated mortality and morbidity. We aim to systematically search all available evidence across electronic databases regarding the relationship between schizophrenia and bone fragility.

Methods and analysis

A systematic search of the research databases CINAHL, MEDLINE Complete, Embase and PsycINFO will be conducted and identified papers reviewed for eligibility, with a second reviewer confirming inclusions. Searches will be run from database inception to 1 October 2020 and supplemented by the hand checking of references of identified articles. A previously published scoring system will be used for assessing the methodological quality and risk of bias. A meta-analysis is planned.

Ethics and dissemination

Due to including published literature only, ethical permission will not be necessary. Results of this study will be published in a relevant scientific journal and presented at a conference in the field of interest.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020171959.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE USABILITY SCALE FOR POWER WHEELCHAIRS AND ITS APPLICATION IN POWER WHEELCHAIRS USERS IN KOREA
Authors: LEE BUM-SUK , LEE JUNG AH , CHOI HYUN , PAK HAN RAM , KIM EUN JOO , BAE JAE HYUK , YOO SUNG MOON , KWEON HYOSUN
Published: December 2020

More of power wheelchair users’ needs have to be met in the making of power wheelchairs. However, there has been no usability scale for the power wheelchair that is specifically focusing on the users’ needs. The purpose of this study was to test and validate a usability scale for power wheelchairs (USPW). The USPW has been developed through interviews with power wheelchair and consultations with a panel of experts. The USPW consists of four evaluation categories (safety, operation, efficiency, and satisfaction). In order to validate it, its usability and the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction Assistive Technology (QUEST) were also administered to 50 power wheelchair users. The USPW was extracted 12 items from safety, 7 from operation, 5 from efficiency, and 14 from satisfaction, with a total of 38 items. The content validity met the criteria. The total internal consistency (Cronbach’s [Formula: see text]) of the USPW was 0.75. Users of power wheelchair demanded that the safety of moving on the slopes, the satisfaction of storage space for power wheelchairs, and the repair service process would be improved. The correlation between the USPW and the QUEST was significant ([Formula: see text]). The USPW may be very useful to evaluate overall usability of power wheelchair including its safety, operability, efficiency, and satisfaction. The developed usability scale (USPW) may help wheelchair makers become aware of the problems of present power wheelchairs and the users’ needs, allowing them to make better ones.
TEMPORAL AND FRACTAL BEHAVIOR OF THE CENTER OF PRESSURE IN PARKINSONIAN AND HEALTHY ELDERLY COHORTS DURING QUIET STANDING
Authors: HWANG SEONHONG , REE JAESUN , HWANG JISUN
Published: December 2020

This study investigated the quantitative scaling properties of the center of pressure (COP) as well as the spatial-temporal properties of the COP to elucidate the postural control behavior of healthy elderly (HE) adults and adults with Parkinson’s disease (PD) during quiet standing. Eighteen adults with PD and eighteen HE adults participated in this study. The COP movements were recorded while participants stood on either a firm surface or on a foam pad with their eyes either opened or closed. The sway ranges in the anterior–posterior (AP) ([Formula: see text] and medio-lateral (ML) ([Formula: see text] directions, the total length of the trajectory ([Formula: see text], sway area ([Formula: see text], and scaling exponents ([Formula: see text] from detrended fluctuation analysis were computed from the measured COP data. All temporal variables of the COP in all conditions were found to be significantly larger in the PD group than in the HE group. Low scaling exponents obtained for the PD group showed this group possessed diminished postural control ability compared to the HE group. The PD group showed unpredictable open-loop control in both the AP and ML directions. This proprioceptive control became predictable and the time scale relations decreased as the postural challenges increased. The AP and ML closed-loop control of the PD group was more predictable than that of the HE group only when proprioception was distorted using intact visual input, and the visual and proprioceptive inputs were both intact.
MECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS ANALYSIS OF A BIONIC MUSCLE CABLE-DRIVEN LOWER LIMB REHABILITATION ROBOT
Authors: WANG YAN-LIN , WANG KE-YI , ZHANG ZI-XING , CHEN LIANG-LIANG , MO ZONG-JUN
Published: December 2020

Cable-driven parallel robots (CDPR) have been well used in the rehabilitation field. However, the cables can provide the tension in a single direction, there is a pseudo-drag phenomenon of the cables in the CDPR, which will have a great impact on the safety of patients. Therefore, the novelty of this work is that a bionic muscle cable is used to replace the ordinary cable in the CDPR, which can solve the pseudo-drag phenomenon of the cables in the CDPR and improve the safety performance of the rehabilitation robot. The cable-driven lower limb rehabilitation robot with bionic muscle cables is called as the bionic muscle cable-driven lower limb rehabilitation robot (BMCDLR). The motion planning of the rigid branch chain of the BMCDLR is studied, and the dynamics and system stiffness of the BMCDLR are analyzed based on the man–machine model in this paper. The influence of the parameters of the elastic elements in the bionic muscle cables on the mechanical characteristics of the BMCDLR system was analyzed by using simulation experiments. The research results can provide a reference basis for research on the safety evaluation and control methods of the BMCDLR system.
CLASSIFICATION OF HEALTHY PEOPLE AND PD PATIENTS USING TAKAGI–SUGENO FUZZY MODEL-BASED INSTANCE SELECTION AND WAVELET TRANSFORMS
Authors: LEE SANG-HONG
Published: December 2020

In this study, a new instance selection method that combines the neural network with weighted fuzzy memberships (NEWFM) and Takagi–Sugeno (T–S) fuzzy model was proposed to improve the classification accuracy of healthy people and Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. In order to evaluate the proposed instance selection for the classification accuracy of healthy people and PD patients, foot pressure data were collected from healthy people and PD patients as experimental data. This study uses wavelet transforms (WTs) to remove the noise from the foot pressure data in preprocessing step. The proposed instance selection method is an algorithm that selects instances using both weighted mean defuzzification (WMD) in the T–S fuzzy model and the confidence interval of a normal distribution used in statistics. The classification accuracy was compared before and after instance selection was applied to prove the superiority of instance selection. Classification accuracy before and after instance selection was 77.33% and 78.19%, respectively. The classification accuracy after instance selection exhibited a higher classification accuracy than that before instance selection by 0.86%. Further, McNemar’s test, which is used in statistics, was employed to show the difference in classification accuracy before and after instance selection was applied. The results of the McNemar’s test revealed that the probability of significance was smaller than 0.05, which reaffirmed that the classification accuracy was better when instance selection was applied than when instance selection was not applied. NEWFM includes the bounded sum of weighted fuzzy memberships (BSWFMs) that can easily show the differences in the graphically distinct characteristics between healthy people and PD patients. This study proposes new technique that NEWFM can detect PD patients from foot pressure data by the BSWFMs embedded in devices or systems.
THE DETECTION AND ESTIMATION OF THE AIR LEAKAGE IN NONINVASIVE VENTILaTION: PLATFORM STUDY
Authors: QIAO HUITING , LIU TIANYA , YIN JILAI , ZHANG QI
Published: December 2020

Although noninvasive ventilation has been increasingly used in clinics and homes to treat respiratory diseases, the problem of air leaks should not be neglected because they may affect the performance of the ventilation and even pose a threat to life. The detection and estimation of the leakage are required to implement auto-compensation, which is important in the development of intelligent ventilation. In this study, the methods of detection and estimation of the leakage were established and validated. Ventilation experiments were performed based on the established experimental platform. The air flow and pressure were detected at different locations of the airway to determine the relationship between the leakage and the other variables. The leakage was estimated using linear predictor models. The curves describing the relationships among pressure, flow and volume changed regularly with the leakage. For pressure-controlled ventilation, the leakage could be estimated by the detected peak flow and by the ventilation volume of one breathing cycle. The methods for the leakage estimation were validated. Volume-controlled ventilation was also studied. Although the leakage could be estimated using the detected peak pressure, the limitation of volume-controlled ventilation was obvious for noninvasive ventilation (NIV). Leaks could be detected and estimated using a linear predictor model via the flow/pressure curve. The use of this model is a potential method for the auto-compensation of noninvasive ventilation.
The Diagnostic Value of Cystatin C and Mild Hypothermia Therapy Based on Immunoturbidimetry Enhanced by Nanospheres in Asphyxia Neonate
Authors: Dang Xiaoping , Hu Xiaojian , Meng Yuancui , Yang Yan’e , Zheng Lingfang , Zhang Qiong , Dang Nan , Hao Jing , Zheng Liang , Ni Feng
Published: December 2020

In order to evaluate the early diagnosis value of CysC and the influence of mild hypothermia on the renal damage of asphyxia neonates, the serum cystatin C (CysC) levels of asphyxia neonates and normal neonates were measured by the nanomicrosphere-enhanced immunoturbidimetric method. The treatment was carried out, and the influence of mild hypothermia treatment on the renal damage of asphyxia neonates was analyzed. The results showed that the indicators of the asphyxia group were significantly higher than those of the control group, and the severe asphyxia group was significantly higher than that of the mild asphyxia group, which was statistically significant

p
<
0.05

; the heart rate of patients in the mild hypothermia treatment group decreased gradually with the decrease in body temperature. And compared with the control group, there was a significant difference (

p
<
0.05

); after symptomatic treatment, the two groups of ALT, AST, BUN, and SCR were improved to varying degrees, and the difference was statistically significant compared with before treatment (

p
<
0.05

). Studies have shown that serum CysC level can be used as an indicator to detect glomerular filtration function and early asphyxia newborns, and it is sensitive and specific for early diagnosis of kidney damage. At the same time, it can be used to monitor clinical renal function and determine the status of asphyxia newborns.
Concomitant of Pulmonary Hydatid Cyst and Aspergilloma: A Rare Coinfection
Authors: Zareshahrabadi Zahra , Sarkari Bahador , Shamsolvaezin Nadereh , Ziaian Bizhan , Tootoonchi Alireza , Shahriarirad Reza , Zomorodian Kamiar
Published: December 2020

The coexistence of cystic echinococcosis (CE) and aspergilloma is rather uncommon. Aspergillus species, saprophytic fungi, can colonize pulmonary cavities that are caused by tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, and CE. Infection by Aspergillus is often occurring in immunosuppressed patients. However, coinfection of aspergilloma with pulmonary hydatid cyst is very unusual, especially in an immunocompetent patient with unruptured cyst. Herein, we report a case of lung hydatid cyst coinfected with Aspergillus in a 42-year-old Iranian man from Southern Iran. Chest X-ray and computed tomography (CT) scan showed a circumscribed cystic lesion in the superior and inferior segment of the lower lobes of right and left lungs that suggests hydatid cyst. Radical surgery (lobectomy) was performed for the patient. Histopathological evaluation reconfirmed the classical laminated layer of hydatid cyst. Moreover, the ectocyst layer of the right lung showed the presence of numerous cluster septate hyphae with acute-angled branching, as seen in the morphology of Aspergillus species. DNA was extracted from the cyst, and the ITS1-5.8s-ITS2 region of the fungal agent was amplified. Sequencing and analysis of seminested PCR product revealed that the isolate has the most similarity with Aspergillus niger. Further attention is recommended to control fungal pathogens during pulmonary hydatidosis. The coexistence of aspergilloma should always be kept in mind for the better management of CE.
Forensic Validity of the Third Molar Maturity Index (I3M) for Age Estimation in a Russian Population
Authors: Scendoni Roberto , Zolotenkova Galina V. , Vanin Stefano , Pigolkin Yuri I. , Cameriere Roberto
Published: December 2020

The aim of this cross‐sectional study was to test the accuracy of the third molar maturity index (I3M) cut‐off value (0.08) to distinguish between individuals above and below the adult age of legal responsibility (18 years) in a Russian population. A sample of 571 digital panoramic radiographs of healthy Russian minors and young adults (363 females and 208 males), aged between 14 and 24 years, was evaluated. The lower left third molars were analyzed by applying the cut‐off value of 0.08 determined by Cameriere et al. (2008). Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient (ρc) and Cohen’s kappa coefficient (κ) showed that repeatability and reproducibility are high for both intra‐ and interobserver errors. The I3M value decreased with age in both sexes. Age distribution gradually decreases as I3M increases in both girls and boys. In the male group, molar maturity stages 0‐0.04, 0.04‐0.08, 0.08‐0.3, 0.3‐0.5, and 0.9‐1.4 were reached slightly earlier than in the female group. The results demonstrated that sensitivity is 0.96 in boys and 0.93 in girls; associated specificity values were both 0.98. The cut‐off value of I3M is statistically robust and thus valid for forensic application in a Russian population to determine whether or not a subject has reached 18 years of age. Finally, we compared our results with those of other studies in which the same I3M cut‐off value was tested on different populations. The method is novel as it is reliable and easily reproducible, thus ensuring a universal way of comparing the results obtained (based on a cut‐off value) among many populations, in order to develop an ever‐increasing database.
Performance Assessment of Classification Algorithms on Early Detection of Liver Syndrome
Authors: Naseem Rashid , Khan Bilal , Shah Muhammad Arif , Wakil Karzan , Khan Atif , Alosaimi Wael , Uddin M. Irfan , Alouffi Badar
Published: December 2020

In the recent era, a liver syndrome that causes any damage in life capacity is exceptionally normal everywhere throughout the world. It has been found that liver disease is exposed more in young people as a comparison with other aged people. At the point when liver capacity ends up, life endures just up to 1 or 2 days scarcely, and it is very hard to predict such illness in the early stage. Researchers are trying to project a model for early prediction of liver disease utilizing various machine learning approaches. However, this study compares ten classifiers including A1DE, NB, MLP, SVM, KNN, CHIRP, CDT, Forest-PA, J48, and RF to find the optimal solution for early and accurate prediction of liver disease. The datasets utilized in this study are taken from the UCI ML repository and the GitHub repository. The outcomes are assessed via RMSE, RRSE, recall, specificity, precision, G-measure, F-measure, MCC, and accuracy. The exploratory outcomes show a better consequence of RF utilizing the UCI dataset. Assessing RF using RMSE and RRSE, the outcomes are 0.4328 and 87.6766, while the accuracy of RF is 72.1739% that is also better than other employed classifiers. However, utilizing the GitHub dataset, SVM beats other employed techniques in terms of increasing accuracy up to 71.3551%. Moreover, the comprehensive outcomes of this exploration can be utilized as a reference point for further research studies that slight assertion concerning the enhancement in extrapolation through any new technique, model, or framework can be benchmarked and confirmed.
Bending of Nonconforming Thin Plates Based on the Mixed‐Order Manifold Method with Background Cells for Integration
Authors: Qu Xin , Su Lijun , Liu Zhijun , Xu Xingqian , Diao Fangfang , Li Wei
Published: December 2020

As it is very difficult to construct conforming plate elements and the solutions achieved with conforming elements yield inferior accuracy to those achieved with nonconforming elements on many occasions, nonconforming elements, especially Adini’s element (ACM element), are often recommended for practical usage. However, the convergence, good numerical accuracy, and high computing efficiency of ACM element with irregular physical boundaries cannot be achieved using either the finite element method (FEM) or the numerical manifold method (NMM). The mixed‐order NMM with background cells for integration was developed to analyze the bending of nonconforming thin plates with irregular physical boundaries. Regular meshes were selected to improve the convergence performance; background cells were used to improve the integration accuracy without increasing the degrees of freedom, retaining the efficiency as well; the mixed‐order local displacement function was taken to improve the interpolation accuracy. With the penalized formulation fitted to the NMM for Kirchhoff’s thin plate bending, a new scheme was proposed to deal with irregular domain boundaries. Based on the present computational framework, comparisons with other studies were performed by taking several typical examples. The results indicated that the solutions achieved with the proposed NMM rapidly converged to the analytical solutions and their accuracy was vastly superior to that achieved with the FEM and the traditional NMM.
New Mortar Mixes with Chemically Depolymerized Waste PET Aggregates
Authors: Foti Dora , Lerna Michela
Published: December 2020

Nanoparticles are used in innovative mortars in order to improve their engineering properties. In this paper, recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate) nanoparticles were used as a substitute for sand in mortars. PET aggregates were obtained cutting water bottles wastes into many small sized pieces and the plastic fibres were treated through chemical depolymerization process. Mortars with different percentages of PET were tested to determine their physical and mechanical (flexural and compressive strength) properties. Specific attention is given to the heat‐transfer capacity of the cement pastes investigated. The results of the mechanical tests showed a reduction of the flexural and compressive strength values when the amount of PET nanoparticles increase. The thermal conductivity tests showed that chemically depolymerized PET nanoparticles derived from plastic wastes reduced the heat conduction capacity of the mortar. Therefore, the innovative mortars here tested can be considered for thermal insulation applications in the construction field with the advantage of recycling waste PET.
M&A Short-Term Performance Based on Elman Neural Network Model: Evidence from 2006 to 2019 in China
Authors: Xiao Ming , Yang Xionghui , Li Ge
Published: December 2020

Based on the event study method, this paper conducts the analysis on the short-term performance of 1302 major mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in China from 2006 to 2019 and takes the cumulative abnormal return (CAR) as the measurement index. After comparing the five abnormal return (AR) calculation models, it is found that the commonly used market model method and the market adjustment method have statistical defects while the Elman feedback neural network model is capable of good nonlinear prediction ability. The study shows that M&A can create considerable short-term performance for Chinese listed company shareholders. The CAR in window period reached 14.45% with a downward trend, which is the win-win result achieved through the cooperation between multiple parties and individuals driven by their respective rights and interests in the current macro-microeconomic environment in China.
An Evolutionary Game Theoretical Analysis to Conflicts among Stakeholders Involved in the Operation of Municipal Waste Incineration
Authors: Yu Yang , Zhao Rui , Huang Yuxin , Yang Linchuan
Published: December 2020

This study presents an evolutionary game to model interactions among stakeholders with potential conflicts, including the operational enterprise of incineration plant, the local government, and the residents nearby. System dynamics is used to simulate the change of strategic actions corresponding to the three players, in order to seek for the evolutionary stability strategies. A numerical case is proposed to demonstrate the game theory application, in which the impacts of governmental incentive and punishment on the player’s actions are investigated. The results indicated that administrative penalty is effective not only in motivating the enterprises to upgrade treatment facilities for ensuring environmental quality but also in helping the local government and residents to approach dominant strategies. Policy implications are given based on the results to lay out a foundation for the alleviation of the conflicts.
Hyperstability of the
k
-Cubic Functional Equation in Non-Archimedean Banach Spaces
Authors: Aribou Youssef , Rossafi Mohamed
Published: December 2020

Using the fixed point approach, we investigate a general hyperstability results for the following

k

-cubic functional equations

f

k
x
+
y

+
f

k
x
−
y

=
k
f

x
+
y

+
k
f

x
−
y

+
2
k

k

2

−
1

f

x

,

where

k

is a fixed positive integer

≥
2

, in ultrametric Banach spaces.
G/M/N Queuing Model-Based Research on the Parking Spaces for Primary and Secondary School
Authors: Zhao Yi , Zhou Zhen , Pan Qilong , Zhou Tianhua
Published: December 2020

In order to ease the traffic congestion near primary and secondary schools during the drop-off and pick-up, traffic behavior was analyzed, and a quantitative allocation method for parking spaces was proposed. The proposed method includes three steps. Firstly, a vehicle queuing model based on G/M/N queue theory was built, and MATLAB was employed to simulate the queuing model to obtain a reasonable parking space for drop-off. Secondly, the reasonable parking space for pick-up is determined based on the cumulative number of vehicles. Finally, an optimization model for the scale of total parking spaces and the short-term parking spaces was proposed to achieve maximum utilization of parking spaces. An empirical analysis and verification were conducted based on actual traffic data of schools. The results show that the proposed model can analyze the overall scale of the parking space for primary and secondary school, as well as the scale of the short-term parking spaces. And the proposed scale of the parking space can well meet the actual parking demand.
Structure Optimization of Rib Drill Pipe Based on Gas-Solid Coupling and Orthogonal Experiment
Authors: Li Jia , Li Dongmin , Zhong Peisi , Ma Guofang , Luan Hengxuan , Xia Shangfei
Published: December 2020

At present, drilling rig is a common equipment for controlling gas outburst generated in underground coal mine, and rib drill pipe is an important component of drilling rig. Due to the insufficiency of slag discharge capacity, pipe-sticking accidents often occur during the drilling process, which greatly reduces the effect of gas control. In order to improve the capacity of slag discharge of rib drill pipe, the mechanism of slag removal was analyzed, and the process of slag discharge was simulated as a gas-solid two-phase flow coupling process. Utilizing the computational fluid dynamics method, the process of slag discharge was simulated on the Edem-Fluent cosimulation platform. The structural parameters of the drill pipe affecting the capacity of slag discharge were derived. Based on the analysis results, the structural parameters of rib drill pipe were optimized by orthogonal experiment method. The global optimal results were obtained as follows: its pitch, blade height, and blade width are 120 mm, 3 mm, and 15 mm, respectively. Therefore, the results of slag discharge experiment on the optimum structure of rig drill pipe show that the slag discharge efficiency is increased by 11.38%, which effectively resolves the pipe-sticking problem.
Trophic ecology and morphology of Anolis bartschi (Squamata: Dactyloidae) in Viñales National Park, Cuba
Authors: García-Padrón L. Yusnaviel , Amador Geydis León , Delgado Mariela Mezquía , Serrano Yusvel Martínez
Published: December 2020

Trophic ecology and morphology of Anolis bartschi (Squamata: Dactyloidae) in Parque Nacional Viñales, Cuba. Little is known about the trophic ecology of most anoles of Cuba. Morphology is directly related to ecological functions in lizards, such as feeding strategies, interspecifc competition or energetic demands linked to reproduction. Anolis bartschi is a regionally endemic species, restricted to karstic hills of western Cuba. Here, we offer new insights into the trophic ecology of this species, and its relation to head morphology. We captured 131 adults; males were larger than females in size and head width. Most of them had prey in their stomachs. Males consumed more prey than females, but the latter consumed larger prey. Prey overlap within sexes was detected in the dry season, but trophic segregation occurred in the rainy season. Hymenoptera was the most frequently consumed prey in both sexes. In addition, females ate Blattodea and Coleoptera, and males consumed more Diptera. We suggest that this lizard prefers sedentary rather than mobile prey. According to our dataset and feld observations, A. bartschi is a bimodal forager lizard, but research on temporal (daily and annual) variation in diet is recommended for a proper forage classifcation of this lizard.
Natural history of the marsupial frog Gastrotheca albolineata (Anura: Hemiphractidae) in lowland Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Authors: Muscat Edelcio , Menegucci Rafael Costabile , Tanaka Rafael Mitsuo , Rotenberg Elsie , Moroti Matheus de Toledo , Pedrozo Mariana , Stuginski Daniel Rodrigues , Sazima Ivan
Published: December 2020

Natural history of the marsupial frog Gastrotheca albolineata (Anura: Hemiphractidae) in lowland Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Gastrotheca albolineata is a marsupial frog endemic to the Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. It remains poorly studied in nature and is uncommon in herpetological collections. We studied the natural history of G. albolineata during a four-year period (2015 to 2019), in Ubatuba, São Paulo state, Brazil, at its southernmost distribution. Our results show that G. albolineata is arboreal, perches from low to medium heights, and breeds during the dry season without chorus aggregation. Calling activity occurs during the day but is more intense during the first half of the night. We used dorsal body markings to identify individuals. Six individuals were recaptured during the study, indicating site fidelity during the active season. The defensive repertory of G. albolineata contains seven different behaviors, including a high-pitched distress call. Egg development in the female’s dorsal pouch took at least 87 days, and fully formed froglets were born with a snout–vent length of 16 mm. Our data substantially add to the knowledge of the natural history of Brazilian marsupial frogs and can be helpful to delineate conservation strategies for elusive species such as G. albolineata.
Colonization and Forestry in French Indochina: the Control, Use, and Exploitation of Forests
Authors: Namba Chizuru
Published: December 2020

This paper aims to illustrate how forests, which play an important role in the economy, the environment, the military, and culture, were managed and used in French Indochina through the colonial period. The Forest Service’s plan involved rational, systematic logging with the participation of companies that generally excluded local inhabitants from the reserved forests and restricted forest use for their livelihoods. Also, the “communal reserves” established in some areas to prioritize locals’ forest use led to regional strife. Despite the colonial authorities’ view that maintenance of the abundant forests was a manifestation of their civilizing mission, the actual implementation of such policies was frequently accompanied by strict policies and repressive control. Friction existed between the various parties using the forest and the Forest Service concerning forest management. The views and behavior of the colonial authorities were also inconsistent, due to the multifaceted nature of the forests, which were at once natural treasures that supported people’s lives as well as a stage for conflicts between varied actors and interests, including local inhabitants, villages, outsiders, the Forest Service, and administrative agencies.
Energy Use in the Sugar Industry in Colonial Taiwan (1895–1945)
Authors: Hirai Kensuke
Published: December 2020

This paper discusses energy use in the Taiwanese sugar industry under Japanese colonial rule (1895–1945) and reconsiders the “unilinear energy shift” from organic resources to fossil resources. Although the sugar industry could obtain much of its energy from bagasse, it had to procure supplementary energy sources, such as firewood and coal from energy markets. Furthermore, technological improvements made by the sugar industry resulted in increased demand for these supplementary energy sources. Companies improved supply by increasing the range of procurement options according to the fluctuation of relative prices between resources or by improving procurement methods through negotiating with seller and transporter, and they lowered demand through the introduction of energy-saving technologies. As a result of each company pursuing the “optimal energy mix” in response to its own business environment (corporate culture, location, and management strategy), energy consumption did not converge on coal as a single source but diversified.
Energy Use in the Japanese Copper Industry from the Meiji Period to World War I
Authors: Yamaguchi Asuka
Published: December 2020

In recent years, energy constraints have been discussed from a historical point of view. This study aims at examining the copper industry’s energy use in Japan from the Meiji period to the time of World War I and clarifying the process of, and reasons for, the selection of energy sources. This study considered not only energy use in the large-scale mines but also energy use in the small-scale mines and miners’ homes. As a result, it was clarified that the mines changed into a space that was based on a diverse combination of energy sources, depending on differences in location (access to energy), natural conditions, financial power, the required amount and price of energy, energy use technologies, ore quality, and end product (usage).
Development of the dementia community attitudes questionnaire
Authors: Read Sheridan T , Wynaden Dianne , Albrecht Matthew A , Toye Christine
Published: December 2020

Background

What it means to live with dementia is changing. Autonomy, independence and continued community involvement are now recognised goals. As a result, new initiatives are required to support people with dementia to sustain their quality of life, update community understanding and reflect resultant change in community attitudes. Measuring the impact of such initiatives can help determine the extent of their success, inform needs for further intervention and, ultimately, shape policy.

Objective

To discover – or, if this could not be achieved, develop – a questionnaire measuring community attitudes towards people with dementia reflecting these newly recognised goals in terms of both content and expression.

Methods

A four-stage approach was used in this research: a scoping review of the literature, questionnaire development and expert review, questionnaire piloting, including with people living with dementia and their families, and preliminary psychometric testing.

Results

The review failed to retrieve a suitable existing questionnaire. A ten-item questionnaire, the Dementia Community Attitudes Questionnaire was developed, content validity was established by expert review and piloting led to refinements. Exploratory factor analysis ( N = 92) generated an interpretable three-factor solution. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for Factor 1, Engagement, was good (0.855); for Factor 2, Challenges, and Factor 3, Decision-Making, reliability was acceptable (0.785 and 0.709, respectively).

Conclusion

Supporting people with dementia to sustain their quality of life requires new initiatives and suitable measures to evaluate their impact. The Dementia Community Attitudes Questionnaire was developed with input from people with dementia, their families, and relevant experts. Items reflect current opportunities for people with dementia to retain their independence, autonomy and community engagement for as long as possible. Following further psychometric testing, this new questionnaire may be useful to evaluate such initiatives.