bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elevated Hemoglobin A1c Is Associated With Leaky Plaque Neovasculature as Detected by Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Sun Beibei , Ge Xiaoqian , Li Xiao , Zhang Jianjian , Zhao Zizhou , Liu Xiaosheng , Zhou Yan , Xu Jianrong , Zhao Huilin , Sun Jie
Published: March 2022

Background:

Patients with diabetes have accelerated atherosclerosis progression, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging has allowed in vivo characterization of plaque neovasculature, which plays a critical role in plaque progression. We aimed to evaluate the impact of diabetes on carotid plaque neovasculature as assessed by dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.

Methods:

Patients with recent ischemic stroke and ipsilateral carotid plaque underwent multicontrast magnetic resonance imaging for characterizing plaque morphology and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging for pharmacokinetic parameters of plaque neovasculature, including transfer constant (

K
trans

, reflecting flow, endothelial surface area, and permeability) and fractional plasma volume (
ν

p

).

Results:

Sixty-five patients were enrolled, including 30 patients with diabetes (years since diagnosis: median 5.0 [interquartile range, [3.0–12.0]) and 35 patients without diabetes. Subjects with diabetes had a greater plaque burden and a higher prevalence of high-risk characteristics. Additionally, carotid plaques in the subjects with diabetes showed higher

K
trans

than those in the subjects without diabetes (0.100±0.048 min
-1
versus 0.067±0.042 min
-1
,
P
=0.005) but
ν

p

was numerically lower in the subjects with diabetes (5.2±3.7% versus 6.2±4.3%,
P
=0.31). The association of diabetes with high

K
trans

(β=0.033,
P
=0.005) was independent of patient and plaque characteristics and remained largely intact after adjusting for serum lipids, glucose, or hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein). However, it became nonexistent after adjusting for hemoglobin A1c (β=−0.010,
P
=0.49).

Conclusions:

Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of carotid plaques suggested that plaque neovasculature in patients with diabetes is leaky, indicating enhanced capability of bringing blood constituents and facilitating extravasation of inflammatory cells, erythrocytes, and plasma proteins. Leaky plaque neovasculature correlated with hemoglobin A1c and may play a role in accelerated atherosclerosis progression in diabetes.
Deploying an Ethnographic Sensibility to Understand Climate Change Governance: Hanging Out, Around, In, and Back
Authors: Vanhala Lisa , Johansson Angelica , Butler Frances
Published: March 2022

What can an “ethnographic sensibility” contribute to research on climate change governance? With its emphasis on meaning making and understanding what may lie beneath more obvious interactions and processes, ethnographic methodologies, particularly collaborative event ethnography, are increasingly deployed to address complex questions and achieve conceptual leverage on issues related to climate governance. Drawing on literature in climate anthropology, material geography, and political ethnography, and with examples from our own fieldwork experiences, we devise a heuristic typology underpinned by an ethnographic sensibility to help guide the fieldwork phase of a research project. Building on the well-established practice of hanging out, we introduce hanging around, which attends to spatiality and matter; hanging in, which addresses issues of access and trust; and hanging back to guide the practice of reflexivity. We articulate what fieldwork with an ethnographic sensibility entails and discuss its potential and implications for climate governance research.
John’s Visionary Experience as an Interpretive Key to the Book of Revelation
Authors: Neal Joel
Published: March 2022

The author asserts that prophetic visionary experience is the primary and sole method of disclosure in the Apocalypse and has crucial relevance for New Testament studies. He argues that John’s visionary state was an altered state of consciousness with stream of consciousness affinities. This sheds invaluable light on Revelation in eight significant areas: 1) the fluid past/present/future shifting of tenses, 2) the fluid spatial dimension found in Revelation, 3) the ability to see into the invisible spirit realm, 4) an enhanced auditory or hearing component in the series of visions, 5) a greatly enhanced emotional intensity, 6) a distinct transport in the Spirit component, 7) pronounced interaction between John, the four Living Beings, the angels, the 24 Elders, the glorified saints in heaven, Jesus, and God the Father, and 8) an increased awareness of God’s glory and majesty in the context of the heavenly worship.
Taking Ownership of Our Spirituality
Authors: Åkerlund Truls
Published: March 2022

This article accentuates the need for leadership metaphors that align with an organization’s ethos and suggests the liturgical director as a viable metaphor for leadership in Pentecostal worship and spirituality. Borrowing its meaning from the world of film and theatre, the director metaphor denotes a person who tells actors how to play their parts, hence emphasizing the reciprocal relationship between the director (ecclesial leader), actors (congregants), and script (Scripture). Approaching leadership from this perspective provides a starting point for discussions on collaborate sensemaking and co-constructed leadership in Pentecostal congregations and allows for analyses of influence in Pentecostal leadership beyond the taxonomies of behavioral leadership studies.
Ngoma in Tanzania and Goma in Gujarat: Do You Know That This Ritual Practice Connects Tanzania and India?
Authors: Mapana Kedmon E.
Published: March 2022

This paper exposes a ritual practice that can create a potential cultural collaboration between Tanzania and India. In support of enculturation theory, the author argues that if Tanzanian and Indian governments promote ngoma musical arts in Tanzania and goma musical arts in Gujarat, India, cultural collaboration in music could be enhanced between the two countries. This paper briefly presents pertinent historical and cultural background of the two countries, and discusses empirical research that provides evidence of the close linkage between ngoma musical arts in Tanzania and goma musical arts in Gujarat, India. This paper is intended as foundational not only for artistic and intellectual exchange and collaboration between two regions, but also as a means of considering ways to foster social and economic development between artists and scholars of Tanzania and India.
Analysis of Economic Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Kenyan Economy
Authors: Siringi Elijah Mirwoba
Published: March 2022

COVID-19 virus can be described as one of the worst global pandemic ever experienced in the 21st Century. Focusing on the pandemic the study main objective was to analyze direct and indirect economic effect of COVID-19 pandemic and establish the extent to which the virus has affected Kenya’s key economic sectors contributing to the country’s GDP. The study adopts a content analysis approach whose aim is to describe COVID-19 phenomenon. The study relies on diverse secondary database not limited to: World Health Organization (WHO) on COVID-19 trends, IMF, UNDP, Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), KNBS, IPAR, ICA and KIPPRA among others. Data Analysis results reveal that COVID-19 poses an unprecedented shock by disrupting economic activity. Kenya’s current account deficits has declined drastically in capital flows. The GDP in 2020 shrank to 1.1% from. 5.7% .The country is also experiencing risk of collapse of health systems that is under pressure from spread of the virus; households have fallen into poverty; and a huge number of losses of employment have been experienced across all sectors estimated to about 4.64 million. Whereas the Kenyan Government focuses on re-engineering the economy by implementing economic stimuli package of fiscal, monetary, wage, and social protection policies aimed to arrest the economic recession. The study recommends that the government may consider sovereign debt restructurings; expansion of loan programs to firms and households in the formal sector and cash transfers to cushion vulnerable households in the informal sector and promote recovery of the economy.
A Meshwork of Melodies: Des-making Through the Singing and Wayfaring of Shah Abdul Latif’s Devotees
Authors: Huang Pei-ling
Published: March 2022

This article imagines a conception of Sindh that rejects the bounded ethnolinguistic region created through colonial-modern philology and administration. I explore affective geographies produced through singing, storytelling, and traveling in relation to the poetry of Sufi mystic Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (1689–1752) by his past and present devotees, drawing on the idea of region as a meshwork of movements created through lived lines of wayfaring, to borrow a concept from Tim Ingold. Focusing on the melodic chapters of verses (Surs) in Shah Jo Rāg, a repertoire for singing Latif’s poetry by specialist devotees (rāgī faqīrs), I reconstruct two kinds of movement. First, traces of historical movement from less-acknowledged Surs in Shah Jo Rāg and the Ganj, an early manuscript. Second, contemporary movements inspired by Surs based on two popular romances, from the narratives of Latif’s devotees. These movements reveal processes of des-making: creating entanglements to a relational and cumulative des (“land, country”).
Thalictrum spiristylum (Ranunculaceae), described from northwestern Yunnan, China, is merged with T. atriplex
Authors: ZENG YOU-PAI , YUAN QIONG , YANG QIN-ER
Published: March 2022

Based on critical observations on both herbarium specimens (including type material) and living plants in the wild, we demonstrate that Thalictrum spiristylum, described from northwestern Yunnan, China, is conspecific with T. atriplex, a Chinese species widely distributed in southwestern Qinghai, western Sichuan, northwestern Yunnan, and southeastern Xizang. We therefore reduce T. spiristylum to the synonymy of T. atriplex. Morphological distinction between T. atriplex and T. uncatum is clarified. Lectotypification is also proposed for T. atriplex.
New Thai giant pill-millipede species, with new genetic barcoding data (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida, Zephroniidae)
Authors: BHANSALI SNEHA , WESENER THOMAS
Published: March 2022

Three new species of giant pill-millipedes, Sphaerobelum meridionalis Bhansali & Wesener sp. nov., Zephronia chrysomallos Bhansali & Wesener sp. nov. and Zephronia erawani Bhansali & Wesener sp. nov. are described based on museum samples from Thailand. All three species are described in an integrative manner, combining light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, CT scans and genetic barcoding. Genetic barcoding was successfully conducted for all holotypes of the new species. In addition, genetic barcoding data of four recently described Thai Zephronia species, Zephronia lannaensis Likhitrakarn & Golovatch, 2021 in Likhitrakarn et al. 2021, Z. phrain Likhitrakarn & Golovatch, 2021, Z. panhai Srisonchai et al. 2021 and Z. golovatchi Srisonchai et al. 2021, together with new locality records, were added to the dataset. Our dataset includes all published sequences of the family Zephroniidae, including all but one (Z. enghoffi Srisonchai et al., 2021) of the described species from Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. All new species are genetically distant from other Zephroniidae from Thailand and surrounding countries showing uncorrected p-distances of >10 %. S. meridionalis sp. nov. is genetically and morphologically close to a recently described aberrant Sphaerobelum, S. aesculus Rosenmejer & Wesener, 2021, as well as an unspecified specimen from Malaysia, and might represent a genus different from Sphaerobelum Verhoeff, 1924. Both new Zephronia species are geographically, morphologically and genetically close to Z. panhai, but differ from the latter by >10% p-distance in the COI gene and numerous morphological characters. Virtual cybertypes of the holotype of Zephronia erawani sp. nov. and of a paratype of Z. chrysomallos sp. nov. were created and made publicly accessible.
Review of Calauta Solovyev & Witt, 2009 (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae) with description of a new species from Korea
Authors: SOHN JAE-CHEON , SOLOVYEV ALEXEY V.
Published: March 2022

The genus Calauta Solovyev & Witt, 2009 is reviewed with four included species. It is critically compared to other similar genera in Limacodidae based on external and genital morphology. A new species, Calauta koreana sp. nov. is described from the Republic of Korea. A taxonomic transfer of Aphendala notoseusa Wu, 2020 to Calauta is proposed. A distributional range of C. obscura Solovyev, 2017 is expanded with new distributional data. A diagnostic key of all the congeners is given. Photographs of habitus and genitalia are provided for all four species of Calauta.
Harnessing Energy from Wind Induced Vibrating Structures
Authors: Bhalerao Mrunal , Pangavhane Pooja , Thosare Ruchi , Pande Deepak
Published: March 2022

This paper focuses on the harnessing of energy from fluid induced vibrations of bluff bodies due to the phenomenon of vortex shedding. Vortex shedding causes oscillating drag and lift forces due to which the bluff body in question experiences transient forces causing it to vibrate.
An experiment has been conducted to investigate the potential of such vibrations and its probable usefulness. Maximum achievable efficiency of the system has been calculated and techniques to convert this mechanical energy into electrical energy have been discussed. In this experiment the
bluff body used is a simple circular cylinder. The model developed works on the phenomenon of vortex shedding and resonance. The innovation of the setup is that the natural frequency of the structure can be easily altered by changing the relative distance between two of the mounting springs
or by simply using springs of a different stiffness, as a result it can be ensured that the natural frequency of oscillation of the structure is always nearly matched to the frequency of vortex shedding for a wide range of wind velocities thereby ensuring a near resonance condition always.
Accuracy of Short-Term and Temporal Noise Monitoring Strategies in Indian Perspectives
Authors: Garg N. , Singh B. , Dhiman N. K. , Saini P. K.
Published: March 2022

The paper analyzes the errors associated with short-term and temporal noise monitoring strategies in Indian perspectives. The study recommends that random strategies offer to be cost-effective approach in noise monitoring as compared to the complicated and costly long-term noise monitoring.
The study recommends the random strategies serve to be the best substitute to long-term noise monitoring for achieving higher accuracy, reducing the costs and noise assessment of larger parts of the metropolitan cities of India. Such a strategy can be used for noise monitoring of the larger
number of sites of the urban agglomerations with the existing Noise Monitoring Terminals (NMTs) deployed for 24 hours throughout the year at some dedicate sites only.
Exergy Analysis of a Domestic Type Solar Parabolic Dish Cooker
Authors: Singh Uday Raj , Kumar Anil
Published: March 2022

An experimental investigation of parabolic dish solar cooker for exergy analysis is presented in this study. The experiments were carried out using 3 litres of water as cooking fluid. Commercially available parabolic dish domestic concentrator (SK14) was used to focus the solar radiations
whereas a blackened cooking vessel was used as a receiver. The average ambient temperature recorded for the experiment was 305.8 K and the mean ambient velocity of air was recorded as 2.03 m/s. The exergy efficiency varied from 1.79 to 2.47% for average solar radiation of 750 W/m2.
The Therefore, performance is acceptable and recommended to use as affordable way of cooking using solar energy.
Image Denoising Based on Improved Hybrid Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Alaoui Nail , Adamou-Mitiche Amel Baha Houda , Mitiche Lahcène
Published: March 2022

Digital images can be degraded through noise during the transmission and process of acquisition, it is still a fundamental challenge is to eliminate as much noise as possible while preserving the main features of the image, for instance, edges, texture, and corners. This paper proposes
for image denoising a new Improved Hybrid Genetic Algorithm (IHGA), whose combined a Genetic Algorithm (GA), with some image denoising methods. Wherein this approach uses mutation operators, crossover, and population reinitialization as default operators available in evolutionary methods with
applied some state-of-the-art image denoising methods, such as local search. Tests are conducted on some digital images, commonly used as a benchmark by the scientific community, where different standard deviations are used for digital images. Experimental results indicate that the proposed
method is very effective and competitive in comparison with previously published works.
Performance on Self-Compacting Concrete Using Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag (GGBFS)
Authors: Prathap M. G. , Sudarsan J. S. , Nithiyanantham S.
Published: March 2022

Concrete is likely the most widely utilized development material on the planet with around six billion tones being created each year. It is just close to water as far according to capita utilization. It makes more impacts condition perspectives and causes more harm because of crude
material extraction and outflow of carbon dioxide during the creation of concrete. The ecological issues had made analysts around the globe to lessen the use of concrete utilization by replacing the concrete by including different materials, which are happening normally, squander items from
businesses which utilizes less vitality. These materials are called as pozzolanas which can be which can joined with calcium hydroxide, displays cementitious properties. Most ordinarily admixtures utilized in the concrete substance are Conplast 430. This admixture is to be analysed for its
presentation when it is blended in with concrete so that can give decrease in life cycle cost. The main objective of this study is to focus the characteristics of M20 and M40 grade concrete with replacing partially of cement with 10%, 20% and 30% of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS)
by using the cubes, cylinders which were examined as compressive, split tensile and flexural strengths.
Automatic Patient-Level Detection of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Using Convolutional Neural Network from Lung CT Scans
Authors: Wu Zhan , Ge Rongjun , Chen Yang , He Xiaopu , Luo Limin , Cao Yu , Yu Hengyong
Published: March 2022

The outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has caused more than 176 million confirmed cases by June 14, 2021, and this number will continue to grow. Automatic and accurate COVID-19 detection/evaluation from the computed tomography (CT) scans is of great significance for COVID-19
diagnosis and treatment. Due to individual variations of patients and the influx of a large number of patients, the current clinical practices remain subject to shortcomings of potential high-risk and time-consumption issues from radiologists. In this paper, we propose a computer aided detection
system to relieve the clinical physicians from tediously reading the CT images of COVID-19 patients. Particularly, a COVID-19 detection network (COVIDNet) is proposed using deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) for patient-level COVID-19 detection to distinguish infected and non-infected
patients. The underlying method complementarily and comprehensively extract multi-level interplane volumetric correlation features of typical ground glass opacities (GGOs) lesions using 3D multi-Scale Network (MSN). To cover more GGO lesion features and reduce intra-class differences, a Phase
Ensemble (PE) is proposed for aggregation of different phases in one CT scan. The proposed method is evaluated on a clinically established COVID-19 database with five-fold cross-validation. Experimental results show that the proposed framework achieves classification performance with the specificity
of 1.0000, sensitivity of 0.9700, accuracy of 0.9850, precision of 1.0000, and Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.9980. All of these indicate that our method enables an efficient, accurate and reliable patient-level COVID-19 detection for clinical diagnosis. This can significantly improve the
work efficiency of clinical physicians on COVID-19 patient diagnosis and evaluation in hospitals and clinics. Impact statement—The proposed method can automatically and accurately distinguish the COVID-19 patients from patient-level CT scan images. On a clinically established
large-scale COVID-19 database with five-fold cross-validation, the experimental results show that the proposed framework achieves a classification performance with the specificity of 1.0000, sensitivity of 0.9700, accuracy of 0.9850, precision of 1.0000, and Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.9980.
It can relieve the clinical physicians from tediously reading the CT images of COVID-19 patients. Thus, it can significantly improve the work efficiency of clinical physicians on COVID-19 patient diagnosis and evaluation in hospitals and clinics, particularly in the pandemic period of COVID-19.
An Automated Framework to Segment and Classify Gliomas Using Efficient Shuffled Complex Evolution Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Valarmathy G. , Sekar K. , Balaji V.
Published: March 2022

Detection of Glioma and its segmentation can be a very challenging task for clinicians and radiologists. Accuracy in classifying glioma is required where brain tumorsgrow from the star-shaped glial cells among adults. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) indicates the human soft tissue
and its anatomical structure away from displaying the location, histological traits, and location of the lesions used to diagnose glioma clinically. An automated framework for the identification of gliomas is presented. Feature extraction will present much higher imaging features such as texture,
color, contrast, and shape. The Gabor filters can carry out multi-resolution decomposition due to localization with regard to spatial frequency. The Shuffle Complex Evolution (SCE) algorithm will combine Controlled random search, a complex mix, competition, evolution, and the adaptation of
the world’s population Nelder-Mead Simplex for all the benefits of optimal solutions. The CNN process is in an input texture that collects statistics within the spatial domain. The CNNs are normally capable of capturing spatial features, and spectral analysis can capture all scale-invariant
features. This work implements an automated method for classifying the Gliomas with an optimized shuffled complex evolution CNN.
Hybrid Melanoma Classification System Using Multi-Layer Fuzzy C-Means Clustering and Deep Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Jayachandran A. , AnuSheeba B.
Published: March 2022

Skin cancer is considered one of the most common type of cancer in several countries. Due to the difficulty and subjectivity in the clinical diagnosis of skin lesions, Computer-Aided Diagnosis systems are being developed for assist experts to perform more reliable diagnosis. The clinical analysis and diagnosis of skin lesions relies not only on the visual information but also on the context information provided by the patient. Skin lesion segmentation plays a significant part in the earlier and precise identification of skin cancer using computer aided diagnosis (CAD) models. But, the segmentation of skin lesions in dermoscopic images is a difficult process due to the constraints of artefacts (hairs, gel bubbles, ruler markers), unclear boundaries, poor and so on. In this work, multi class skin lesion classification system is developed based on multi layered Fuzzy C-means clustering and deep convolutional neural networks. Evaluate the performance of the proposed MLFCM with DCNN model on multi class skin cancer Dermoscopy images. Our results suggest that it is possible to boost the performance of skin lesion segmentation and classification simultaneously via training a unified model to perform both tasks in a mutual bootstrapping way.
An Automatic Detection of Liver Tumor from CT Abdominal Images—A Comparative Approach
Authors: Manjula Devi R. , Shenbagavalli A.
Published: March 2022

The liver is a vital organ in human body. Liver performs an important function including metabolism, digestion, and detoxification. Liver is a significant organ in an abdomen, and is connected to the nearby organ such as spleen, pancreas, gallbladder, abdomen, and gut through blood
vessels. Specific approaches such as image gradient and region growing are not quite reliable for the segmentation of the liver tumor. A level-set approach is evaluated in this paper compared with the active contour approach of segmentation of the liver imaging from the image of the CT abdomen
and Unified level set method, spatial Fuzzy C-means method for segmenting tumor from segmented liver images is appraised. The proposed approach is implemented by using the 3DIRCADB dataset available to the public as well as non-public datasets taken from Arthi Hospital, Chennai and Tirunelveli
scanning centre. For validating the system based on the diverse quantitative measures, including space overlap, coefficient of similarity, Jaccard indices, using ground truth images, which are available in the public data set 3DIRCADB and the expert segmentation results which are manually
identified by the clinical partner for nonpublic datasets. The analysis of the algorithm shows the better results for segmenting liver using level set system and spatial segmentation of Fuzzy C means of the tumor segmentation.
PCCAMN—Path Constancy Based Channel Assignment in Mobile ADHOC Network for Healthcare Data Transmission
Authors: Sangeetha T. , Manikandan M. S. K.
Published: March 2022

A MANET is a self-governing network for mobile devices in many crucial domains, including health care, for transmitting health data of the patients. The key challenge in MANETS is maintaining the links between devices under mobility; it creates limitless network disconnections and path
loss frequently. Such issues, raises network delay and minimize packet delivery ratio (PDR) and entire set-up throughput brings reduced quality of services (QOS). To get better QoS, stable path selection and link disconnection count based nearby device selection carried out in this work. It’s
on this basis that the thesis is exploring the design and the analysis of the FPC. The FPC is designed in network simulator with the support of optimized fuzzy logic (FL). It has obtained three inputs which is fallout to 27 set of laws. This law sets (LS) direct in the fortitude of the precedence
to select best path set to transmit a packets from sender to destination. The analyses are with previous protocols of Distributed Admission Control Protocol (DACP) and Call Admission Protocol of MANET. The outcome results monitored with delay, Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR), throughput and overheads
as the QOS metrics of network.
Transit Time Distributions and Ventilation Pathways Using CFCs and Lagrangian Backtracking in the South Atlantic of an Eddying Ocean Model
Authors: Chouksey Manita , Griesel Alexa , Eden Carsten , Steinfeldt Reiner
Published: March 2022

Transit time distributions (TTDs) for the Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) in the South Atlantic Ocean are estimated from an eddying ocean model with a twofold scope: validation of the TTD method and identifying pathways of the AAIW. The TTDs are inferred both from Lagrangian particle backtracking and the modeled CFC-11 concentrations, under the assumption that the TTDs can be described with an inverse Gaussian function. A bimodal distribution is obtained for the Lagrangian TTDs with four major subduction regions identified: near the Agulhas retroflection, south of New Zealand, west of the Drake Passage (smallest mean age Γ = 13 years), and in the Argentine basin (largest mean age Γ = 25 years). With the Southern Ocean as source region, the inverse Gaussian is a reasonable representation for the TTDs in the eastern Atlantic basin (40°–35°S, 0°–20°E), whereas the fit for region west (40°–35°S, 60°–40°W) of the mid-Atlantic ridge is not as good and overestimates the TTDs for transit times < 15 years. Mean ages from the modeled CFC-11 are mostly larger (up to 12 years) in the eastern Atlantic basin, and they are mostly smaller than the Lagrangian mean ages in the west. Both methods yield mean ages smaller in the western than in the eastern Atlantic basin and an aging of AAIW from the 1990s to the 2000s that is consistent with reduced flow velocities. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current appears to be the prime determinant of the transit times. The results suggest that the inverse Gaussian, despite assuming 1D advection–diffusion with constant mean flow and diffusivity, is a surprisingly good fit.

Significance Statement

In this article, we assess the transit time distribution method, often used to estimate anthropogenic carbon uptake in the ocean from observations, thereby exploring particle pathways from the surface into the ocean interior in the South Atlantic Ocean. We track thousands of particles in a model from their point of origin near the surface to the ocean interior. The tracking reveals multiple routes and gives the actual travel time of these particles, which we compare with the travel times predicted by theory. Thus, this research deepens our understanding of the routes and travel times of the water particles, which is important for the ocean circulation, and provides insights to improve the methods to infer anthropogenic carbon uptake, storage, and transport.
Questioning Impact: A Cross-Disciplinary Review of Certification Standards for Sustainability
Authors: Jellema Sylke F. , Werner Mirjam D. , Rasche Andreas , Cornelissen Joep
Published: March 2022

This article provides a review of scholarly approaches to assessing the impact of certification standards for sustainability. While we observe that some theoretical advances have afforded a better understanding of the potential impacts of adopting such standards, we also find that progress has been constrained due to a strong emphasis on assessing impact via linear causal pathways. This linear focus on the net effects for single stakeholders, such as farmers and producers, local communities and ecosystems, falls short of adequately capturing the broader impact of certifications across social and ecological dimensions. Inspired by theories on complex systems thinking, we present a framework based on a systems-based impact logic that better captures and assesses the impacts of certification standards within broader social-ecological systems. Our framework can be used as a heuristic to design impact-related studies and assess the impact of certification standards across disciplinary vantage points and empirical contexts.
From Drug Lords to Police State: The Effects of Order Transition on Local Economies
Authors: Gentil-Fernandes Leonardo , Guedes-Neto João V. , Incio José
Published: March 2022

What is the effect on local economies when the state intervenes to capture its own territories back from non-state actors? In 2008, the government of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, implemented a policy to take control of favelas that were previously dominated by organized crime groups (OCGs). We use day and night luminosity to assess the effects of this program on economic growth. The difference-in-differences design shows that state intervention has a significant and negative average treatment effect on the favelas that received the intervention. We further test a mechanism to explain this economic downturn: institutional replacement. Based on crime data, we demonstrate that this effect is caused by the destruction of local markets, especially illicit activities. The data highlight the perils of order transition, even when OCGs are removed by state actors. Furthermore, this paper reinforces the need for policies that are mindful of the externalities of institutional shifts.
The chronopolitics of the Anthropocene: The pandemic and our sense of time
Authors: Chakrabarty Dipesh
Published: March 2022

By drawing on the phenomena of anthropogenic climate change and the pandemic as two examples of the geologists’ idea of the Anthropocene, this article seeks to explain how the Anthropocene leads to a plurality of overlapping but conflicting temporalities for humans. This problem of time makes it difficult to imagine any globally concerted effort to deal with the Anthropocene or climate change as such.
How to implement project-based quantitative classroom projects while supporting curricular design: A case study from a quantitative methods course in a public affairs program
Authors: Cordova Adriana , Lahey Joanna , Taghiyeva Lala
Published: March 2022

This article outlines how Master of Public Administration (MPA)/Master of Public Policy (MPP) programs can integrate a project-based learning opportunity to study curricular design and accreditation needs in their quantitative courses. Bridging together theory and the practical implications of data collection and analysis is important for students’ long-term professional development. We provide case study examples of recent project-based learning opportunities in an MPA/MPP program in the United States in which students collected data on employer needs for MPA/MPP graduates. The projects provide an evidence base for program assessment and improvement. Focus groups conducted with project participants, including alumni and current students, demonstrate that they valued this opportunity because it provided them with important technical and interpersonal skills necessary to succeed in their capstones, internships, and future jobs. We provide scaffolding assignment examples and recommendations for professors interested in implementing similar projects in their own courses.
Comparative study of coronary artery bypass grafting combined with off-pump mitral valvuloplasty versus coronary artery bypass grafting alone in patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation
Authors: Liu Shuo , Wang Liangshan , Li Jingxing , Gu Chengxiong
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Whether mitral surgery should be performed simultaneously with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation (MIMR) is controversial. This study was performed to introduce a method of off-pump mitral valvuloplasty after off-pump CABG (OPCABG) and compare it with OPCABG alone.

Methods

Eighty-three patients with MIMR underwent OPCABG. Among them, 21 patients (Group A) underwent posterior mitral annuloplasty without cardiopulmonary bypass, and 62 patients (Group B) underwent OPCABG alone. The primary endpoint of follow-up was the mitral regurgitation area.

Results

The mean mitral regurgitant area in Group A and B was 6.42 ± 1.02 and 5.49 ± 1.24 cm2 preoperatively ( p = .479), 2.93 ± 1.35 and 3.28 ± 1.93 cm2 at 1 week postoperatively ( p = .516), 3.06 ± 2.16 and 3.09 ± 1.85 cm2 at 3 months postoperatively ( p = .839), and 3.02 ± 1.60 and 3.7 cm2 (median) at 1 year postoperatively ( p = .043). There was less regurgitation in Group A at the mid-term. Intragroup comparison showed significant differences between the preoperative and postoperative values in both groups, with no difference in the regurgitant area at each postoperative time point in Group A but a significant difference between 3 months and 1 year postoperatively in Group B ( p = .042). Multiple linear regression showed that the mid-term mitral regurgitant area changes were negatively correlated with graft flow and positively correlated with age.

Conclusion

In patients with MIMR who underwent OPCABG plus off-pump mitral valve annuloplasty, the mitral regurgitant area was smaller and mitral regurgitation recurrence was less frequent at the mid-term follow-up.
Using arterial spin labeling to measure cerebrovascular reactivity in Moyamoya disease: Insights from simultaneous PET/MRI
Authors: Zhao Moss Y , Fan Audrey P , Chen David Yen-Ting , Ishii Yosuke , Khalighi Mohammad Mehdi , Moseley Michael , Steinberg Gary K , Zaharchuk Greg
Published: March 2022

Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) reflects the CBF change to meet different physiological demands. The reference CVR technique is PET imaging with vasodilators but is inaccessible to most patients. DSC can measure transit time to evaluate patients suspected of stroke, but the use of gadolinium may cause side-effects. Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is a non-invasive MRI technique for CBF measurements. Here, we investigate the effectiveness of ASL with single and multiple post labeling delays (PLD) to replace PET and DSC for CVR and transit time mapping in 26 Moyamoya patients. Images were collected using simultaneous PET/MRI with acetazolamide. CVR, CBF, arterial transit time (ATT), and time-to-maximum (Tmax) were measured in different flow territories. Results showed that CVR was lower in occluded regions than normal regions (by 68 ± 12%, 52 ± 5%, and 56 ± 9%, for PET, single- and multi-PLD PCASL, respectively, all p < 0.05). Multi-PLD PCASL correlated slightly higher with PET (CCC = 0.36 and 0.32 in affected and unaffected territories respectively). Vasodilation caused ATT to reduce by 4.5 ± 3.1% (p < 0.01) in occluded regions. ATT correlated significantly with Tmax (R2 > 0.35, p < 0.01). Therefore, multi-PLD ASL is recommended for CVR studies due to its high agreement with the reference PET technique and the capability of measuring transit time.
Perceptual Grouping of Random Dot Patterns in the Presence of a Tilting Frame
Authors: Sarami Arefe , Afhami Reza , Mokhtari Setareh
Published: March 2022

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of tilting a frame on the perceptual organization in random dot patterns. Ten random patterns of nine dots were generated. For each pattern, a square frame was tilted at seven angles around the dots. Ten observers were asked to indicate the groups of dots in each stimulus. Each stimulus was seen 4 times by each observer which enabled us to study within-subject consistencies provided grouping reports. Within- and between-subject consistencies were computed to study if the responses provided by participants were consistent and thus reliable. The dominant group was defined as the most repeated group in all 40 reports (10 participants, 4 repetitions) obtained for each stimulus. We studied how tilting a frame affected the dominant group in each dot pattern. Perceptual grouping was not affected by tilting the frame. Based on a qualitative inspection, we remark that fundamental principles, for example, proximity, good continuation, and closure, respectively, in the order of strength, may remain the main drivers of the grouping behavior, irrespective of differences in the number of dots in each group, and the frame orientation. The numerosity condition did not affect our results. Similar trends were observed in patterns of 9 and 18 dots patterns.
‘Opioid’, opioids, pain, language and communication
Authors: Sussex Roland D
Published: March 2022

Over the last decades public discussion of opioids has changed radically. Opioid was once a word largely restricted to professional medical and pharmacological use for the treatment and management of pain. But propelled by the rapidly growing international wave of opioid use and overuse, it is now part of a much wider public discussion that covers more than pain medicine: dependency, addiction, over-prescription and oversupply, recreational drug use, and criminal drug trafficking. The word opioid is now controversial and value-laden. A key component of the developing views and values about opioids is carried by language, both written and spoken: on radio and television, in the social media, but also between healthcare professionals and patients, where communicating about pain in a context of emotionally and value-charged images of opioids can be challenging. This paper analyses aspects of the language of opioids. We document the shift from medical to addiction meanings and uses in the key term opioid, together with narcotic, drug, heroin, and to a lesser degree opiate and morphine. These changes follow four chronological phases in attitudes to pain and its treatment: traditional medical approaches to pain; pain being recognised as an under-treated ‘fifth vital sign’; the pharmacological and medical promotion of opioid use for treating pain, especially chronic pain; and the current reaction where opioid has become a pejorative and emotive term, closely connected to words like epidemic and addiction. We investigate whether and how a less charged and more balanced discourse might be possible.
Effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions on headache intensity, frequency, duration and quality of life of patients with tension-type headache. A systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Jung Andres , Eschke Robert-Christopher , Struss Julia , Taucher Wiebke , Luedtke Kerstin
Published: March 2022

Background

This systematic review assesses the effectiveness of physiotherapy on headache parameters and quality of life of patients with tension-type headache using network meta-analysis.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted in the databases Web of Science, Medline, Cochrane Library and Physiotherapy Evidence Database up to August 2021. Randomised controlled trials investigating the effect of physiotherapy on tension-type headache were included. Risk of bias assessment was performed using the Risk of bias tool 2.0. Results were presented according to the Cochrane handbook and the PRISMA statement.

Results

Twenty reports were eligible and 15 were included in network meta-analysis for pain intensity and frequency. Transcutaneous electrical stimulation combined with physiotherapy was the most effective approach to reduce pain intensity compared to control (mean difference (MD): −4.18, moderate confidence) and usual care (MD: −3.8, moderate confidence) Manual therapy (joint mobilisation) plus exercise was the most effective intervention to reduce headache frequency compared to control (MD: −13.03, low confidence) and usual care (MD: −13.95, moderate confidence).

Conclusion

Results suggest a combination of passive physiotherapy techniques with exercise and/or transcutaneous electrical stimulation as the most effective physiotherapy intervention to reduce pain intensity and frequency in the short term. More research is needed to investigate mid-term and long-term effects. Trial registration: This review was prospectively registered in www.aspredicted.org under the registration number #46098 and an updated protocol was registered in the Open Science Framework (OSF) with the registration DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/RVUEY
Time to Transplant in X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy
Authors: Bonkowsky Joshua L. , Wilkes Jacob
Published: March 2022

Objectives

Cerebral X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (cALD) is an inflammatory demyelination of the brain that can lead to death unless treated by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Survival and improved outcomes for cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy are associated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at earliest evidence of disease on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Our goal was to determine average duration between diagnosis of cALD and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Methods

This was a retrospective review of data of patients aged 18 years or younger, using a nationwide administrative health care database (Pediatric Health Information System), with an International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision ( ICD-10) diagnosis of adrenoleukodystrophy. Time range was October 1, 2015, through June 30, 2021. We determined time to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation by duration between index brain MRI and a code for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Results

We identified 27 patients with cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy. Total charges for the cohort was $53 million. Time to transplant averaged 97 days. For Hispanic patients, time to transplant was 117 days, compared with 80 days for White, non-Hispanic patients. Comparison of different hospitals showed significant variability in time to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Discussion

We found that time to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was >3 months for patients with cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy in the hospitals we evaluated. We noted differences in average time by race/ethnicity and by hospital. Our findings suggest opportunity to reduce time to transplant in cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy.
Synthesis and characterization of new aromatic copoly(ether amide)s bearing 4-trifluoromethylphenyl-2,6-diphenylpyridyl moieties in the main chain
Authors: Yu Yang-Ting , Zhao Jing-Wei , Wei Mei-Hong , Huang Zhi-Hui , Liu Xiao-Ling
Published: March 2022

A series of new aromatic fluorinated copoly(ether amide)s containing 4-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)-2,6-diphenylpyridyl moiety with high molecular weight were prepared by a low-temperature solution polycondensation of terephthaloyl chloride with 4-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)-2,6-bis(4-aminophenyl)pyridine and 1,4-bis(4-amino-2-trifluoromethylphenoxy)benzene with various mole ratios of the two monomers ranged from 20/80 to 80/20. All polymers were amorphous and soluble in common organic solvents such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, N,N-dimethylacetamide and tetrahydrofuran at room temperature or upon heating at 70oC, and could be solution cast into transparent, tough, and flexible films with tensile strengths of 66.9–80.2 MPa, tensile moduli of 1.84–2.03 GPa, and elongations at break of 11.8–20.7%. These new polyamides displayed good thermal stability with gradually increasing of glass temperatures of 259–285oC as an increase of the 4-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)-2,6-diphenylpyridyl component, the temperature at 10% weight loss of 476–505oC, and the residue of 55–61% at 750oC in nitrogen. They also exhibited low dielectric constants of 3.11–3.38 (1 MHz), low moisture absorption in the range of 1.43–1.75%, and high transparency with an UV–vis absorption cut-off wavelength in the 350–368 nm range.
Innovative optimization approach to improve noise vibration harshness and lightweight in lower control arm
Authors: Messana Alessandro , Luciano Ilaria , Ferraris Alessandro , Airale Andrea G , Carello Massimiliana
Published: March 2022

This paper presents a multi-material design for a lightweight swing arm of a McPherson suspension. Starting from a stamped steel lower control arm (LCA) of a C-segment vehicle a hybrid arm made of a metal core and two Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics covers has been hand sketched, Computer Aided Design designed, and Finite Element Method tested. To fully exploit hybridization potential, it has developed a specific methodology which combines the topological optimization of the metal core, and the 3-phase optimization of the composite covers. Also, an innovative viscoelastic material has been included in the laminates to enhance the damping properties of the arm and a Frequency Response Function analysis has been performed. The results in terms of mass, stiffness and stress distribution have been compared with the original stamped steel LCA and with another hybrid LCA design. The final comparison has shown that with the redesign approach it has been possible to reduce the mass to a greater extent without affecting stiffness performance and stress distribution.