bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel reduced instruction set computer-communication processor design using field programmable gate array
Authors: Prathap Joseph Anthony , Ramesh Sai
Published: April 2023

In this paper, a novel reduced instruction set computer (RISC)- communication processor (RCP) has been designed with 32-bit operations which access 64-bit instruction format and implemented using field programmable gate array (FPGA). The design of the RISC processor is facilitated with communication operations like basic signals sine, cosine, and square, and modulation schemes like amplitude modulation, amplitude shift keying, analog, and digital quadrature amplitude modulation. Additionally, application-oriented operations like a traffic light, digital clock, and linear feedback shift register are included in the design. The pipeline mechanism is incorporated in the design to enhance the performance characteristics of the processor, hence allowing the execution of the instructions more effectively. Also, the design is implemented with Xilinx Virtex 7 family FPGA. The device utilization analysis of the proposed FPGA along with different FPGA families is evaluated and compared.
Turbo encoder and decoder chip design and FPGA device analysis for communication system
Authors: Devrari Aakanksha , Kumar Adesh
Published: April 2023

Turbo codes are error-correcting codes with performance that is close to the Shannon theoretical limit (SHA). The motivation for using turbo codes is that the codes are an appealing mix of a random appearance on the channel and a physically realizable decoding structure. The communication systems have the problem of latency, fast switching, and reliable data transfer. The objective of the research paper is to design and turbo encoder and decoder hardware chip and analyze its performance. Two convolutional codes are concatenated concurrently and detached by an interleaver or permuter in the turbo encoder. The expected data from the channel is interpreted iteratively using the two related decoders. The soft (probabilistic) data about an individual bit of the decoded structure is passed in each cycle from one elementary decoder to the next, and this information is updated regularly. The performance of the chip is also verified using the maximum a posteriori (MAP) method in the decoder chip. The performance of field-programmable gate array (FPGA) hardware is evaluated using hardware and timing parameters extracted from Xilinx ISE 14.7. The parallel concatenation offers a better global rate for the same component code performance, and reduced delay, low hardware complexity, and higher frequency support.
Automated ventilator prototype for COVID-19 patient treatment: the design and development of the electronic system
Authors: Stacul Adrián , Pastafiglia Daniel , Dalmas Di Giovanni Ariel , Morales Martín , Saluzzi Sergio , García Gerardo
Published: April 2023

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created an urgent global demand for ventilators, respirators and various resuscitation devices. Various research and development organizations, private companies and individual engineers have collaborated and carried out the development of low-cost ventilation prototypes. In turn, doctors and nurses are collapsed due to the exponential increase in COVID-19 cases. This scenario worsens more when the tasks are manual in nature. The article`s objective to describe the electronic system designed, developed and implemented in a functional prototype of an automatic ventilator in order to be evaluated by a team of health professionals to be later used in cases of health emergencies. This system automates the manual ventilation task aided by a few medical resources in a scenario of scarce resources and is a temporary solution when a respirator is not available.
Video saliency-detection using custom spatiotemporal fusion method
Authors: Warad Vinay C. , Fatima Ruksar
Published: April 2023

There have been several researches done in the field of image saliency but not as much as in video saliency. In order to increase precision and accuracy during compression, reduce coding complexity and time consumption along with memory allocation problems with our proposed solution. It is a modified high-definition video compression (HEVC) pixel based consistent spatiotemporal diffusion with temporal uniformity. It involves taking apart the video into groups of frames, computing colour saliency, integrate temporal fusion, pixel saliency fusion is conducted and then colour information guides the diffusion process for the spatiotemporal mapping with the help of permutation matrix. The proposed solution is tested on a publicly available extensive dataset with five global saliency valuation metrics and is compared with several other state-of-the-art saliency detection methods. The results display and overall best performance amongst all other candidates.
Eventos de risco associados ao comportamento suicida
Authors: Silva Daniel Augusto da , Marcolan João Fernando
Published: April 2023

Objetivo: Analisar eventos de risco associados ao comportamento suicida em indivíduos atendidos em emergência geral. Métodos: Pesquisa exploratória, descritiva, abordagem qualitativa. Coleta de dados entre dezembro de 2017 e novembro de 2019, com pessoas que tentaram o suicídio, por meio de entrevista com questionário semiestruturado. Dados analisados com Análise de Conteúdo temático. Resultados: Entrevistadas 113 participantes, 86 (76,1%) do sexo feminino, 57 (50,4%) na faixa etária entre 18 e 30 anos, 103 (91,2%) heterossexuais, 49 (43,4%) solteiros. Conforme a análise dos dados, o conteúdo foi agrupado em uma categoria com quatro unidades temáticas que deram ênfase às relações familiares traumáticas, presença de histórico de experiências traumáticas para além da família, condições socioeconômicas e comportamento impulsivo e a percepção de inexistência de fatores de proteção. Sabe-se que no comportamento suicida há interferência das relações com familiares, com amigos e com outras pessoas com as quais haja relacionamento afetivo importante, de forma que o bom vínculo familiar assume papel de proteção ao comportamento suicida, enquanto vínculos familiares conflituosos são potenciais fatores de risco. Considerações finais: Resultados revelaram a experiência da multiplicidade de eventos que influenciaram a decisão pelo suicídio, ênfase para relações afetivas e familiares prejudicadas e experiências traumáticas.
Associação entre etnia e sobrepeso/obesidade populacional no Brasil
Authors: Pinheiro Thaís da Luz Fontoura , Silva Lenise David da , Santos Carollyne Maragoni , Oliveira Gabriel Mutschal de , Borba Dalciomar Pimentel , Abbade Eduardo Botti
Published: April 2023

Introdução: A obesidade é uma doença multifatorial, crônica e progressiva, que afeta parcelas consideráveis da população mundial e brasileira. Estudos mostram que sociedades e ambientes com maiores níveis de racismo estrutural podem desencadear maiores níveis de prevalência de obesidade nas suas populações marginalizadas. Assim, a maior vulnerabilidade das populações de etnia preta no Brasil, decorrentes do racismo estrutural e institucional instaurado, leva a maiores índices de sobrepeso e obesidade ocasionadas pela incapacidade de tais populações garantirem a segurança alimentar. Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a evolução da prevalência do sobrepeso e obesidade nas populações da etnia branca e preta no Brasil, avaliando hábitos alimentares com potencial de promover a obesidade. Além disso, buscou-se relacionar o agravamento do IMC populacional no Brasil com a etnia e o racismo estrutural presente na sociedade brasileira. Método: Trata-se de um estudo descritivo de cunho transversal. Foram selecionadas 12 questões padronizadas do inquérito VIGITEL realizados nos anos de 2011 a 2020. Os dados foram analisados ​​por meio de estatística descritiva, e para comparação entre os grupos étnicos aplicou-se o teste T de Student.
Resultados: Os resultados, de modo geral, evidenciam que indivíduos da etnia preta apresentam maior grau de IMC (Kg/m2) em comparação à etnia branca. Os dados de IMC entre as capitais brasileiras demonstram que tanto em 2011, quanto em 2020, as médias do índice avaliado foram maiores entre a população de etnia preta, apresentando 26,03 Kg/m2 e 27,07 Kg/m2 respectivamente, enquanto os indivíduos declarados brancos tiveram médias de 25,7 Kg/m2 e 26,45 Kg/m2 nos mesmos anos. O IMC médio nos anos de 2011 a 2020, de 25,99 Kg/m2 para a etnia branca, e de 26,50 Kg/m2 para a etnia preta indicam sobrepeso no âmbito nacional. Ademais, o consumo médio de verduras e legumes foi inferior entre a etnia preta, a qual manifestou uma frequência alimentar maior no consumo de refrigerante ou suco artificial do que a etnia branca, apresentando, de um modo geral, uma alimentação de menor qualidade.
Conclusão: O IMC médio e a prevalência de sobrepeso estão aumentando nas populações das capitais do Brasil, sendo tal aumento mais acentuado nas populações da etnia preta. Também se observou que as populações da etnia preta possuem uma alimentação de menor qualidade, quando comparado à alimentação da população de etnia branca.
Age estimation of Russian individuals by teeth using the London Atlas
Authors: Bustamante Juliane Sá dos Santos , Franco Ademir , Jacometti Victor , Turkina Anna , Arakelyan Marianna , Arzukanyan Alina , Makeeva Irina , Velenko Pavel , Silva Ricardo Henrique Alves da
Published: April 2023

Knowing an individual's age is necessary for several situations, both in the living and the deceased. The London Atlas uses dental development and eruption to estimate age. Testing the method in different populations is necessary to assess its performance. This study aimed to assess the performance of the London Atlas method in a Russian sample using panoramic radiographs. A sample of 703 panoramic radiographs of Russian individuals (n = 405 females, 57.61% and n = 298 males, 42.39%) with ages between 8 and 23 years were analyzed. The results showed overestimation in individuals from 8 to 14 years and underestimation from 15 to 23 years. The mean difference between estimated and chronological ages did not exceed 0.7 years among individuals with ages below 19 years. The difference increased to over three years in individuals from 20 to 23 years. Statistically significant differences were found between females and males between 17 and 18 years (p<0.05). The London Atlas is suitable for Russian children and adolescents aged between 8 and 19 years; however, it showed unsatisfactory results for application in individuals over 20 years.
Jmjd4 Facilitates Pkm2 Degradation in Cardiomyocytes and Is Protective Against Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Tang Yansong , Feng Mengying , Su Yang , Ma Teng , Zhang Hongjie , Wu Hongchun , Wang Xiaoyu , Shi Shuyue , Zhang Ying , Xu Yawei , Hu Shijun , Wei Ke , Xu Dachun
Published: April 2023

Background:

A large portion of idiopathic and familial dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) cases have no obvious causal genetic variant. Although altered response to metabolic stress has been implicated, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of DCM remain elusive. The JMJD family proteins, initially identified as histone deacetylases, have been shown to be involved in many cardiovascular diseases. Despite their increasingly diverse functions, whether JMJD family members play a role in DCM remains unclear.

Methods:

We examined Jmjd4 expression in patients with DCM, and conditionally deleted and overexpressed
Jmjd4
in cardiomyocytes in vivo to investigate its role in DCM. RNA sequencing, metabolites profiling, and mass spectrometry were used to dissect the molecular mechanism of Jmjd4-regulating cardiac metabolism and hypertrophy.

Results:

We found that expression of Jmjd4 is significantly decreased in hearts of patients with DCM. Induced cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of
Jmjd4
led to spontaneous DCM with severely impaired mitochondrial respiration. Pkm2, the less active pyruvate kinase compared with Pkm1, which is normally absent in healthy adult cardiomyocytes but elevated in cardiomyopathy, was found to be drastically accumulated in hearts with
Jmjd4
deleted. Jmjd4 was found mechanistically to interact with Hsp70 to mediate degradation of Pkm2 through chaperone-mediated autophagy, which is dependent on hydroxylation of K66 of Pkm2 by Jmjd4. By enhancing the enzymatic activity of the abundant but less active Pkm2, TEPP-46, a Pkm2 agonist, showed a significant therapeutic effect on DCM induced by
Jmjd4
deficiency, and heart failure induced by pressure overload, as well.

Conclusions:

Our results identified a novel role of Jmjd4 in maintaining metabolic homeostasis in adult cardiomyocytes by degrading Pkm2 and suggest that Jmjd4 and Pkm2 may be therapeutically targeted to treat DCM, and other cardiac diseases with metabolic dysfunction, as well.
Re-considering Nonresolution in Cyprus: The Impact of Illiberal Conditions on Liberal Peacebuilding
Authors: Gür Gül M.
Published: April 2023

Although bi-communal violence in Cyprus ended almost 50 years ago, the island’s northern and southern sides have yet to reach a comprehensive peace deal. As a result, Cypriots live in a state of functional coexistence whereby they interact with each other in a limited fashion and nonviolently. This article examines the most common explanations for the status quo of nonresolution that has existed in Cyprus for decades before offering a new explanation to consider and address this nonresolution: the mismatch between “liberal” peacebuilding interventions and “illiberal” conditions. To overcome this mismatch, this article argues that it is first necessary to address illiberal conditions to allow peacebuilding attempts to be successful. If illiberalities are not dealt with, they will not only sustain and perpetuate nonresolution, but they will also prevent the emergence of positive peace.
Metal Quivers from Hasanlu
Authors: Cifarelli Megan , Castelluccia Manuel
Published: April 2023

During the remarkable excavations at Hasanlu, in northwestern Iran, thousands of metal objects were discovered, but few have been systematically studied. The goal of this study is to present a catalogue of the metal quivers found by the Joint Expedition to Hasanlu (1956–1977), led by Robert H. Dyson of the University of Pennsylvania Museum. After a brief introduction concerning the site and the evidence for metal quivers in the Ancient Near East as a whole, the examples discovered at Hasanlu will be presented and analyzed within their archaeological contexts.
The Demonic ‘Sub-Humanity’ of the Bears in the Mazdean Framework and Other Remarks
Authors: Panaino Antonio
Published: April 2023

Ancient Iranians knew well “bears”, in spite of the fact that they are not frequently mentioned in the oldest literature of the Zoroastrians. Despite the classification of bears as wild and demonic beasts, their common name was not particularly affected by strong and unexpected changes due to linguistic taboos, at least in the earlier phases. The present article investigates the position of bears within the Pahlavi literature and discusses some aspects of their denomination within the Iranian linguistic area with special care for the Mazdean traditions in which bears were considered as having descended from the civilizing hero J̌am and a demoness.
On Peace Activists and Skilled Survivors
Authors: Mielke Katja
Published: April 2023

This article examines multiple entanglements of Afghan exiles’ biographies in West Germany with Cold War- and contemporary history. The life stories of six men who have been residing in Germany since the 1970s but were physically and cognitively highly mobile in their engagement for change in Afghanistan highlight the role of human agency in transnational history-making. The analysis shows that during the time of intense engagement connecting West Germany and Afghanistan, their lives became truly transnational, and the vernacular cosmopolitanism they practised has shaped transnational history from below. While all six life stories mirror transgressive biographies in connection with wartime events and differ from the global cosmopolitanism of elites, these life courses are neither standardised nor linear. The findings point to three types of transgressive biographies—skilled survivors, quietists and masters of crossover—that have preserved the transnational dimension that had been so significant earlier in the exiles’ lives to varying degrees and differed regarding related perceptions of failure, loss and regret.
Armenian Studies in Conversation with Critical Indigenous Studies and Settler Colonial Studies
Authors: Makhdoumian Helen
Published: April 2023

This article argues that Armenian Studies can learn from and contribute to the fields of critical Indigenous studies and settler colonial studies in generative ways, especially as those fields increasingly become global in scope. After surveying recent scholarly discourses in Armenian Studies, I illuminate pathways forward for interdisciplinary approaches to the study of indigeneity, colonization, genocide, removal, dispossession, biocultural assimilation, cultural heritage preservation, and memory work. I situate these potential possibilities and needed nuances within a larger discussion on the origins, aims, and current state of critical Indigenous studies and settler colonial studies, two interrelated but distinct modes of inquiry.
Trechus (s. str.) “subnotatus” species group (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in Bulgaria
Authors: KOSTOVA RUMYANA , BEKCHIEV ROSTISLAV
Published: April 2023

The presented study is the first attempt to clarify the taxonomic composition of the Trechus “subnotatus” species group sensu Jeannel (1927) in Bulgaria. The study is based on the material collected during field expeditions in Bulgaria from 2009 to 2021 and collections of some European museums and institutions. As a result, based on the morphology of the male aedeagi, five taxa (species and subspecies) of the T. “subnotatus” group were confirmed in the territory of Bulgaria, one of which is a new species to science and is described here: T. asiaticus Jeannel, 1927; T. cardioderus irenis Csiki, 1912 (stat. nov.); T. cardioderus athonis Schatzmayr, 1909; T. cardioderus balcanicus Jeannel, 1927 (stat. res.), recognized as a valid subspecies in the present study and T. strandzhensis, sp. n. T. cardioderus irenis remained as a valid name since we found consistent differences between its syntype, the Bulgarian material of the species and T. cardioderus cardioderus. Previously reported T. subnotatus subnotatus Dejean, 1831 and T. cardioderus golesnicensis Apfelbeck, 1918 were not proved to be present in Bulgaria. A stepwise discriminant analysis was conducted to reveal the most significant morphometric characters for species identification. It showed grouping to some extent, although the groups overlapped and formed a gradient.
Orthoptera of Northeast Asia and Northwest America
Authors: STOROZHENKO SERGEY YU.
Published: April 2023

An annotated list of 42 species in 26 genera and four families of Orthoptera recorded from Beringia (Northeast Yakutia, Chukotka, Magadan region, and Kamchatka in Russia, Alaska in USA, Yukon and the Northwestern Territories in Canada) is given. The distribution of species is clarified. The exchange of orthopteran faunas between Asia and America by the Bering Land Bridge in Pleistocene was strongly limited. The only three species, Tetrix subulata (Linnaeus, 1761), Melanoplus frigidus (Boheman, 1846), and Stethophyma grossum (Linnaeus, 1758), are recorded from both Asian and American parts. The orthopteran fauna of Beringia is not original. Majority of Beringian species are widespread throughout either Asia or North America. There are only four endemic grasshoppers, namely two Asian subspesies, Melanoplus frigidus kamtchatkae (Sjosted, 1935) and Aeropedellus variegatus gelidus Mistshenko, 1951, and two American species, A. arcticus Hebard, 1935 and Bruneria yukonensis Vickery, 1969. Composition of the regional faunas is briefly discussed. The monotypic genus Bohemanella Ramme, 1951 is again considered as a synonym of Melanoplus Stål, 1873, where a type species of the former genus, Melanoplus frigidus (Boheman, 1846) comb. resurr., forming its own species group.
A new species of Coenodomus Walsingham, 1888 (Epipaschiinae, Pyralidae, Lepidoptera) from India
Authors: RANJAN RAHUL , SINGH NAVNEET , KIRTI JAGBIR SINGH
Published: April 2023

In the present manuscript, one new species, Coenodomus wangi Ranjan, Singh & Kirti, sp. nov., is described and diagnosed with its closely similar species, C. dudgeoni Hampson, 1896 and C. rotundinidus Hampson, 1891. An updated checklist of global Coenodomus species is provided.
Do They Mind the Gap? The Role of Founders in Organizational Pay Dispersion
Authors: Chliova Myrto , Cacciotti Gabriella , Kautonen Teemu
Published: April 2023

This study adds to the emergent stream of work examining the micro-level antecedents of pay dispersion by focusing on how business founders’ personal characteristics influence pay dispersion in their organizations. We leverage stakeholder theory and the motivated information processing perspective to predict pathways between founders’ self- versus other-oriented motivations, their perceptions of employee and shareholder salience, and pay dispersion in their organizations. We test our hypotheses on data from a two-wave survey of founders. We find that a high level of motivation to benefit others on the part of a founder reduces the salience of shareholder concerns in decision-making, which in turn reduces pay dispersion. In contrast, a high level of motivation to benefit oneself heightens the salience of shareholder concerns in decision-making, increasing pay dispersion. Our results inform the debate on pay dispersion by elucidating the role played by founders’ self- versus other-oriented motivations and stakeholder salience perceptions.
Distributed Governance of a Complex Ecosystem: How R&D Consortia Orchestrate the Alzheimer’s Knowledge Ecosystem
Authors: Olk Paul , West Joel
Published: April 2023

Orchestrating an ecosystem requires coordination to create value, but prior research has tended to emphasize centralized ecosystem control over solutions involving distributed governance. By studying multilateral public-private collaborations to develop scientific knowledge to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, we identify a new model of ecosystem control—indirect and distributed governance using R&D consortia. We report archival and interview data on 46 consortia with overlapping corporate, nonprofit, and governmental membership. We find three models of consortia that allow member organizations to jointly orchestrate an ecosystem without centralized control. We discuss the broader implications of this model for orchestrating ecosystems.
Synods in Newman’s ecclesiology and in the twenty first century
Authors: Vélez Juan R
Published: April 2023

In his Arians of the Fourth Century (1833), John Henry Newman began his study of synods, and the Church’s Tradition and Magisterium. In two later texts, On Consulting the Faithful in Matters of Doctrine (1859) and the Preface to the Third Edition of the Via Media (1877), he articulated important notions for ecclesiology and for the contemporary theological concept of synodality. These works offer theological and historical foundations for the role of episcopal authority, the exercise of the sensum fidelium, and the work of theologians, applicable to the Church’s synods and synodality. Furthermore, in his Development of Christian Doctrine (1845) Newman provided useful notes to ascertain or validate authentic doctrinal development. His writings shed light on synodality in the Church today, in particular on the German Synodal Path.
Reclaiming Parenthood After Incarceration: The Nexus of Determination to Desist, Fulfillment of Parental Responsibilities, and Recidivism
Authors: Liu Lin , Miller Susan L.
Published: April 2023

Prior research indicates that reclaiming family roles, such as parent or spouse, can facilitate re-entry and reintegration for justice-involved individuals. However, few studies have examined whether a determination to desist and shield children from the negative impact of crime is associated with reentry outcomes. This study examined the nexus of determination to desist, parental nurturing practices, and recidivism. Multilevel longitudinal modeling was employed to analyze respondents’ varying levels of commitment to nurturing children and recidivism risk. Results showed that returning mothers were more committed to parenting activities than returning fathers. Moreover, with the effects of prior records, reentry programs, and familial criminogenic environment controlled, we found that returning parents who were more committed to parenting had significantly lower odds of recidivism. Implications for research and policy were discussed.
Do We Learn From Errors? The Economic Impact of Differentiated Policy Restrictions in Italy
Authors: Scotti Francesco , Flori Andrea , Bonaccorsi Giovanni , Pammolli Fabio
Published: April 2023

This paper investigates the economic impact of the three tiers risk framework implemented in Italy against the COVID-19 pandemic during the Autumn of 2020. Exploiting a large-scale dataset encompassing daily credit card transactions mediated by a large Italian bank, we estimate a set of panel event study models to disentangle the impact of restrictions with low, medium and high stringency levels in terms of consumption reduction. We show that space-time differentiated policies tend to produce stronger welfare losses for progressively more stringent restrictions in specific sectors targeted by these policies such as Retail and Restaurants. However, when we compare provinces implementing the same level of policy stringency, we show that territories with higher income per capita and larger concentration of manufacturing and service activities experience both significantly worse economic and epidemiological performances. Overall, our results suggest that policy makers should properly account for local socio-economic characteristics when designing tailored restrictions entailing an equal and homogeneous impact across territories.
Entertainment journalism as a resource for public connection: A qualitative study of digital news audiences
Authors: Penney Joel
Published: April 2023

Entertainment journalism has long been a marginal object of academic inquiry due to its reputation as a trivial distraction from public affairs journalism, yet this view has since been challenged by scholars who emphasize its substantive role in political discourse. Although previous research has disputed the idea that entertainment news helps audiences forge connections with public issues, the present study renews this line of inquiry at a time when this journalism has increasingly become a driver of political reporting and opinion, particularly in tandem with activism efforts addressing the media representation of marginalized identity groups as well as celebrity-fueled public advocacy. In-depth interviews are used to illuminate the interpretive processes of US audience members who engage online with this news, outlining how it is used as a resource for navigating the politics of media representation, for making political meanings from celebrity culture, and for fulminating right-wing backlash to cultural institutions.
Modeling local item dependence in C-tests with the loglinear Rasch model
Authors: Baghaei Purya , Christensen Karl Bang
Published: April 2023

C-tests are gap-filling tests mainly used as rough and economical measures of second-language proficiency for placement and research purposes. A C-test usually consists of several short independent passages where the second half of every other word is deleted. Owing to their interdependent structure, C-test items violate the local independence assumption of IRT models. This poses some problems for IRT analysis of C-tests. A few strategies and psychometric models have been suggested and employed in the literature to circumvent the problem. In this research, a new psychometric model, namely, the loglinear Rasch model, is used for C-tests and the results are compared with the dichotomous Rasch model where local item dependence is ignored. Findings showed that the loglinear Rasch model fits significantly better than the dichotomous Rasch model. Examination of the locally dependent items did not reveal anything as regards their contents. However, it did reveal that 50% of the dependent items were adjacent items. Implications of the study for modeling local dependence in C-tests using different approaches are discussed.
Impact of COVID-19 on Public Transit Accessibility and Ridership
Authors: Wilbur Michael , Ayman Afiya , Sivagnanam Amutheezan , Ouyang Anna , Poon Vincent , Kabir Riyan , Vadali Abhiram , Pugliese Philip , Freudberg Daniel , Laszka Aron , Dubey Abhishek
Published: April 2023

COVID-19 has radically transformed urban travel behavior throughout the world. Agencies have had to provide adequate service while navigating a rapidly changing environment with reduced revenue. As COVID-19-related restrictions are lifted, transit agencies are concerned about their ability to adapt to changes in ridership behavior and public transit usage. To aid their becoming more adaptive to sudden or persistent shifts in ridership, we addressed three questions: To what degree has COVID-19 affected fixed-line public transit ridership and what is the relationship between reduced demand and -vehicle trips? How has COVID-19 changed ridership patterns and are they expected to persist after restrictions are lifted? Are there disparities in ridership changes across socioeconomic groups and mobility-impaired riders? Focusing on Nashville and Chattanooga, TN, ridership demand and vehicle trips were compared with anonymized mobile location data to study the relationship between mobility patterns and transit usage. Correlation analysis and multiple linear regression were used to investigate the relationship between socioeconomic indicators and changes in transit ridership, and an analysis of changes in paratransit demand before and during COVID-19. Ridership initially dropped by 66% and 65% over the first month of the pandemic for Nashville and Chattanooga, respectively. Cellular mobility patterns in Chattanooga indicated that foot traffic recovered to a greater degree than transit ridership between mid-April and the last week in June, 2020. Education-level had a statistically significant impact on changes in fixed-line bus transit, and the distribution of changes in demand for paratransit services were similar to those of fixed-line bus transit.
Evaluation of Static Load Test Systems for Driven Piles in Intermediate GeoMaterials
Authors: Masud Nafis Bin , Ng Kam , Oluwatuyi Opeyemi E. , Islam Md Shafiqul , Kalauni Harish K. , Wulff Shaun S.
Published: April 2023

The driven pile designs in intermediate geomaterials (IGMs) entail relatively significant levels of uncertainty because of the transitional properties of IGMs between soil and hard rock. The performance and acceptability of driven piles in IGMs are typically evaluated using dynamic load test (DLT) approaches. Even though dynamic techniques have significant technological and financial advantages, a static pile load test (SLT) is required to comprehend the static behavior of driven piles in IGMs. This study presents three distinct SLT systems (independent, integrated, and innovative) that are performed on steel H-piles driven in IGMs in Iowa, Wyoming, and Colorado, respectively. Test pile 2 (TP2) is driven into siltstone in Wyoming, whereas test pile 1 (TP1) and test pile 3 (TP3) are driven into shale in Iowa and Colorado, respectively. DLTs are conducted using Wave Equation Analysis Program (WEAP) and Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) with a signal-matching analysis utilizing the Case Pile Wave Analysis Program (CAPWAP). The ultimate pile resistances are evaluated using six distinct failure criteria. According to the Davisson criterion, TP1 has the ultimate pile resistance of 305 kips, which is 11% and 2% less than the CAPWAP and WEAP analyses, respectively. For TP2, ultimate pile resistances based on all SLT criteria are higher than that from the DLTs, except for the 5%B criterion with ultimate pile resistance at 7% lower than CAPWAP. It is evident from TP3 that the ultimate resistances acquired from SLTs are higher than the resistances obtained from dynamic analysis.
Exploring the Effect of Visibility Factors on Vehicle–Pedestrian Crash Injury Severity
Authors: Harris Laura , Ahmad Numan , Khattak Asad , Chakraborty Subhadeep
Published: April 2023

The objective of this work was to determine the effect of visibility-related factors and some environmental and human factors on the severity of pedestrian-vehicle crashes. It was hypothesized that decreasing visibility, contributed to by factors such as lighting, number of lanes, speed limit, and weather, are associated with an increase in injury severity. Some of the key results of the final model indicate that higher speed limits, less light conditions, and no traffic controls were significantly correlated with increased pedestrian injury severity when roadway visibility factors were under consideration. Dusk and dark with or without lighting were found to be factors correlated with increased pedestrian injury severity, while inclement weather was found to be correlated with lower pedestrian injury severity when environmental visibility-related factors were considered. Furthermore, a spatial autocorrelation revealed a high concentration of pedestrian–vehicle crashes in the Nashville and Memphis areas. This work is similar to prior works in their goal to study factors that affect pedestrian injury severity. While other models have looked at a large range of possible factors that may affect pedestrian injury severity, the model developed in this work focuses on visibility factors, environmental factors, and human-related factors. Another contribution is the data and modeling of the data. This study utilizes a dataset from Tennessee with more categories recorded for the visibility-related factors and applies a multinomial logistic regression model to the data.
Analytical investigation on the buckling of cylindrical shells under combined non-uniform axial compression and external pressure
Authors: Yang Licai
Published: April 2023

This paper focuses on the buckling problem of cylindrical shells under combined non-uniform axial compression and external pressure. To obtain buckling loads, a completely new method called two-parameter perturbation method is established. Using this method, governing differential equations are solved and buckling loads expressed by load functions, load parameters, and shell dimensions are derived for the first time. Comparative studies show that buckling loads by the analytical formulas coincide with those for combined uniform loads or single wind load in literatures. Buckling of a cylinder subjected to combined bending and wind loads is analyzed, and confirmed by the Galerkin method for the case of small load variations. Therefore, the presented formulas are adequately validated. The numerical calculations are carried out to analyze the effects of non-uniform load parameters on buckling load coefficient. The obtained results in this paper can be applied to evaluate buckling loads for cylinders subjected to combined non-uniform loads in actual engineering.
A fusion estimation of tire vertical forces using model-based tire state estimators for a dual-sensor intelligent tire
Authors: Min Delei , Wei Yintao , Zhao Tong , He Junxiang
Published: April 2023

Estimating tire vertical forces is essential to vehicle state estimation and stability control. Intelligent tires can be used to estimate tire vertical forces, but functional safety and extensive tests are issues to consider during intelligent tire development. This paper proposes a fusion estimation approach using model-based tire state estimators (TSEs) to estimate the tire vertical forces of a dual-sensor intelligent tire, which can output the circumferential strain, radial, and circumferential acceleration signals with a strain sensor and an accelerometer mounted at different positions on the inner liner. The mutual conversion between strain and acceleration signals is indicated in this paper for the first time; therefore, the internal relationship between different signals is revealed. Each measurement signal of the two sensors corresponds to a TSE composed of a signal processing algorithm, a mathematical model, and a Kalman filter. The mathematical model is proposed in this paper based on the flexible ring tire model (FRTM). The final estimated value of the tire vertical force is obtained by weighting and summing the outputs of the three TSEs. The weighting factors are determined using the genetic algorithm to study the fusion estimation effect. An integrated CarSim model is built in this paper to validate the estimation performance under various driving conditions, including driving straight at a constant speed, driving on an S-shaped road, and performing a double lane change at a high vehicle speed. For all driving conditions, the mean error rates of the fusion estimation are less than 2%. The model-based tire state estimators can avoid the extensive tests needed in the data-based methods. Furthermore, the fusion of the outputs of three TSEs can further improve the estimation performance compared with the situation when a single TSE is used. Therefore, the studies in this paper have guiding significance for intelligent tire development.
Stability control of distributed drive electric vehicle based on adaptive fuzzy sliding mode
Authors: Kong Xinxin , Deng Zhaowen , Zhao Youqun , Gao Wei
Published: April 2023

To improve the driving stability of a distributed drive electric vehicle (DDEV), we propose a hierarchical direct yaw moment control strategy. In the upper-level controller, an adaptive fuzzy sliding mode controller (AFSMC) is designed with joint control objectives of sideslip angle and yaw rate. In the conventional controller, the weight coefficients of the joint control objectives are fixed values, which reduces the adaptability of the system. To improve this problem and achieve adaptive adjustment of the weight coefficients of the control objectives with the vehicle motion state, an adaptive fuzzy control-based target weight coefficient controller is designed. In the lower controller, a quadratic programing method is used to assign torque with the optimization objective of minimizing tire attachment utilization. A joint simulation with Carsim and Simulink software was performed to compare and analyze the AFSMC vehicle and the traditional SMC vehicle under the steering wheel turning angle sinusoidal input and double shift line conditions. The results show that AFSMC effectively reduces the magnitude of vehicle sideslip angle, yaw rate, and lateral acceleration, enhances the driving stability of the vehicle, and enables adaptive adjustment of the weight coefficients of the joint control objectives, improving the adaptability of the controller. Finally, the effectiveness of the control strategy is verified by hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test.
Reference by the Attorney General for Northern Ireland – Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Northern Ireland) Bill [2022]: The proportionality of safe access zone legislation
Authors: Ottley Emily
Published: April 2023

In an unanimous judgment given by Lord Reed on 7 December 2022, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (UKSC) held that clause 5(2)(a) of the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zone) (Northern Ireland) Bill is a proportionate interference with the rights of those who wish to express opposition to abortion services in Northern Ireland. This clause would make it an offence to do an act within the safe access zone with the intention of or being reckless as to the possibility of directly or indirectly influencing a protected person. In this comment, I analyse the reasoning of the UKSC. I consider, first, the clarifications offered by the UKSC on issues related to the proportionality assessment itself. I then turn my attention to the application of the proportionality test by the UKSC to the facts of the reference. I conclude that the reasoning of the UKSC in Reference by the Attorney General for Northern Ireland – Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Northern Ireland) Bill is sound. The UKSC’s decision is relevant to plans to introduce similar legislation in Scotland and to any future human rights based challenges to the English and Welsh Public Order Bill, which will create a similar offence to the one in clause 5(2)(a) of the Northern Ireland Bill when it becomes law later this year. Moreover, the decision is significant because the UKSC had not previously considered the proportionality of safe access zone legislation. The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zone) (Northern Ireland) Bill has now received Royal Assent.
Prostate Cancer and the Emotionology of Masculinity: Joking, Intellectualization, and the Reconstruction of Gender
Authors: Andreasson Jesper , Johansson Thomas , Danemalm-Jägervall Carina
Published: April 2023

This article builds on data gathered through focus group interviews with Swedish men treated for prostate cancer. First, we aim to analyse how the participants talk about and handle sensitive issues and common side effects. Second, we investigate how the participants’ feelings about their disease affect or interfere with their understanding of masculinity. The findings illustrate how participants partly break with historical expectations of men as emotionally inexpressive. Instead, in the groups they talk openly about incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and other sensitive issues. At the same time, these discussions can be positioned within certain discursive coping strategies. Using jokes and intellectualizing their health narratives, combined with a problematization and partial redefinition of gender and masculinity, most of the men adapt to their new life situation. The men’s ways of handling their emotions can be situated in the interface between discursive and gendered emotion ideologies, and lived experiences of masculinity.
Fangirling and a sociology of fucking
Authors: Plante RF
Published: April 2023

The last time I saw Ken Plummer was in Lancaster, England in 2018. He was gently and kindly listening to a younger sociologist talking about trying to do sexualities scholarship in a challenging British university environment.
Composite anti-disturbance control for ship dynamic positioning systems with thruster faults
Authors: Yu Ziwen , Wei Xinjiang , Zhang Huifeng , Hu Xin , Han Jian
Published: April 2023

Anti-disturbance control problem is studied for ship dynamic positioning systems with model uncertainties and ocean disturbances under thruster faults. For the ocean disturbance, a stochastic disturbance observer (SDO) is established to give the online estimation. For thruster faults, an adaptive law is used to evaluate, which is obtain from Lyapunov function. For model uncertainties, a robust control term with adaptive technology is used to attenuate it. Then, a composite anti-disturbance control (CADC) strategy is raised by combining disturbance observer-based control (DOBC), adaptive technology, and robust control term, which makes the position and yaw angle of ship reach the desired values. Finally, the simulation example proves the validity of the controller.
“Did You Wash Your Hands?” The Socioeconomic Inequalities Preventing Youth From Adopting Protective Behaviors During COVID-19 in South Africa
Authors: Wet-Billings Nicole De
Published: April 2023

Background. Behavior change has been a critical factor in slowing the spread of COVID-19. In South Africa where infection rates are high, research is needed on the protective behaviors adopted by youth who have low infection rates but are carriers of the virus. Aims. The purpose of this study is to (1) identify the protective behaviors young people adopted during the pandemic and (2) to estimate the probability of positive behavior change by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Methods. The study uses data from the South African National Income Dynamics—Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey 2020. The sample includes 985 ( n) youth aged 15–24 years. The outcome of interest is behavior change due to the Coronavirus. Cross-tabulations and an adjusted binary logistic regression model showing odds ratios, are fit to the data. Results. Not all youth adopted protective behaviors. The most prevalent behaviors adopted include washing hands (67.75%) and staying at home (54.02%). Youth in households with six or more members are more likely to change their behaviors ( ORs = 1.67 and 1.64, both p-values < .05). However, youth who do not have access to water to wash hands ( OR = 0.71), reside in households with food insecurity (OR = 0.94), and those living in nonformal housing ( OR = 0.69) are less likely to adopt behavior change. Conclusion. Due to the socioeconomic inequalities associated with behavior change, there is need for more tailored approaches to address youth living in impoverished households in the country.
Use of Tenecteplase in Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Time of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Ostos Fernando , Rodríguez-López Alberto , Martin Jiménez Paloma , Sánchez Carmen Sánchez , Martínez-Salio Antonio , Ballenilla Federico , Lizasoaín Ignacio , Calleja-Castaño Patricia
Published: April 2023

Tenecteplase (TNK) is a fibrinolytic drug that is administrated in a single bolus, recommended in eligible patients with acute ischemic stroke prior to mechanical thrombectomy. This study explores its usefulness in adverse situations, such as the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We conducted a retrospective study involving consecutive patients with suspected acute ischemic stroke treated either with intravenous fibrinolysis with alteplase during 2019 or with TNK (.25 mg/kg) between March 2020 and February 2021. A comparative analysis was made to compare patient treatment times and prognosis. A total of 117 patients treated with alteplase and 92 with TNK were included. No significant differences were observed in age, main vascular risk factors or previous treatments. The median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was 8 in the alteplase group and 10 in those treated with TNK (P = .13). Combined treatment with mechanical thrombectomy was performed in 47% in the alteplase group and 46.7% in the TNK group; Thrombolysis In Cerebral Infarction scale 2b-3 recanalization was achieved in 83% and 90.7%, respectively (P = .30). There was a decrease in onset-to-needle median time (165 min vs 140 min, P < .01) and no significant variations in door-needle median time. There was no significant difference in the incidence of symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation in mortality or functional independence at 3 months. The easier administration of TNK has improved the accessibility of fibrinolytic therapy, even in adverse circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Its use appears to be safe and effective, even in patients who are not candidates for mechanical thrombectomy.
A rare case of chronic Gianotti–Crosti syndrome: A case report
Authors: Chin Laura D , Liy-Wong Carmen
Published: April 2023

Gianotti–Crosti syndrome, also known as papular acrodermatitis of childhood, is a common, self-limiting dermatosis often seen in children with triggers including viral and bacterial infections along with immunizations. Lesions are generally described as asymptomatic, skin colored to erythematous papules and papulovesicles that often spontaneously resolve within weeks. Here, we will discuss Gianotti–Crosti syndrome and present a rare case of chronic Gianotti–Crosti syndrome in an otherwise healthy 3-year-old male persisting for over 20 months. From this report, we aim to better educate the dermatologic community on the extremes of the Gianotti–Crosti syndrome disease course to improve diagnosis and treatment of symptomatic patients.