bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coral Reef Cultivation Through Online Donations
Authors: Fenny Syafariani R. , Sitanggang Andri Sahata , Hasti Novrini
Published: January 2020

The amount of damage to coral reefs caused by human activities has an enormous impact on human life, then with that there must be conservation of reefs to preserve coral reefs in Indonesia, involve the Department of Fisheries and Maritime must play an important role in providing solutions
to these problems. The role of the Institute can be done by conducting the cultivation and supervision of coral reefs. The cultivation can be done by making online donations to coral reefs. That way the community will participate in preserving coral reefs. However, facilities for serving online
donations are not yet available, then this research is focused on making the system. The system will serve a donation system through the purchase of coral reefs and implanted by a diver agent at a specified location of coral reefs. This donation system was created using a structured approach
in analyzing problems that occur in making the system to be built. The existence of this system will facilitate the community to participate and increase public awareness in cultivating coral reefs.
Spiral CT Analysis of the Effect of Long-Term Heavy-Load Wrist Movement on Metacarpal Bone Structure
Authors: Zhou Lirong
Published: January 2020

In order to analyze the influence of long-term heavy-load wrist exercise on metacarpal structure based on spiral CT, the metacarpal data of five groups of long-term heavy-load wrist athletes and volunteers are compared. The measurement parameters are cancellous bone volume, cortical
bone volume, cancellous bone volume percentage and cortical bone volume percentage. After three-dimensional reconstruction and three-dimensional image cutting of metacarpal CT images and comparing the measured parameters, the volume of cancellous metacarpal bone in the experimental group is
larger than that in the control group, which indicates that long-term and heavy-load wrist exercise can produce stress stimulation on metacarpal bone, which can reconstruct bone tissue and change its composition.
Application of CT Image in Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Authors: Wan Yulei , Xiao Jiwei , Wang Dawei , Wang Xiaoyan , Liu Ying , Yang Qianqian
Published: January 2020

In order to study the diagnosis of computed tomography (CT) image-assisted pulmonary tuberculosis patients, patients who are diagnosed as tuberculosis in Wuhan No. 6 Hospital Affiliated to Jianghan University are selected as a research object, and multi-slice spiral CT and routine X-ray
examination are performed. By analyzing and comparing multi-slice spiral CT and routine X-ray examination, the diagnostic value of tuberculosis is evaluated and the detection rate of lesions in the lung and clinical classification of tuberculosis are also evaluated (including the anterior
segment of the upper lobe, the posterior segment of the superior lobe, the dorsal segment of the lower lobe, the basal segment of the lower lobe, and concealment). The results show that compared with conventional X-ray examination, the sensitivity and accuracy of multi-slice spiral CT examination
for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis are higher, and the difference is statistically significant. In the upper part of the upper lobe, the posterior part of the upper lobe, the lower part of the lower lobe, and the tuberculosis lesions in the basal segment and hidden part of the lower lobe,
the detection rate of multi-slice spiral CT examination is significantly higher than the X-ray examination, and the difference is statistically significant. In the diagnosis of tuberculosis classification, the misdiagnosis rate of multi-slice spiral CT examination is significantly lower than
the conventional X-ray examination, and the difference is statistically significant. Therefore, CT images have important reference value in the diagnosis of tuberculosis, the examination of lesions, and the clinical classification of tuberculosis. Although there are still some shortcomings
in the research process, it still provides some basis and ideas for more precise research.
Analysis of Segmentation and Modeling of Lung Cancer Images Scanned Continuously by Computed Tomography Based on Materiaise's Interactive Medical Image Control System
Authors: Pan Hongtao , Dong Mo , Zhao Xiangkun , Zhou Zhizun , Zhou Hongsuo
Published: January 2020

The purpose of this study is to explore the value of CT (computed tomography) continuous scanning by MIMICS (Materiaise's interactive medical image control system) in segmentation modeling of lung cancer images and to analyze the process of building a three-dimensional finite element
model of lung cancer quickly and accurately. In this study, MIMICS software is used to conduct data collection of routine CT continuous image for 12 patients diagnosed with lung cancer, and a database is established. The image is divided according to a specific rule, such as grayscale, space,
texture, geometric shape and other characteristics, to form a series of meaningful regions. Software MIMICS17.0 is used to perform visualization segmentation, extraction, and 3d rendering to images, followed by data transformation. Because the 3d images constructed by MIMICS software have
the advantages of strong editability and wide subsequent application, the lung cancer model images constructed in this study are lifelike in shape, with high geometric similarity and strong sense of solidity, truly reflecting the morphological characteristics of lung cancer and the spatial
relationship between adjacent structures. Therefore, by transparently treating the lungs, the internal tumor, bronchial system and vascular system can be observed directly, thereby better presenting the spatial location of the lung tumor. However, due to the limitations of the software itself,
the XYZ data of lung of space-occupying lesions could not be output by the program, which needs to be further studied and verified.
Confidence Surface-Based Fine Matching Between Dental Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Scan and Optical Surface Scan Data
Authors: Song Youngchan , Lee Jeongjin , Shin Yeong-Gil , Kim Dongjoon
Published: January 2020

In orthognathic or dental surgery, cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and optical surface scanning are commonly used in procedures for accurate diagnosis and treatment planning. Because the CBCT and optical scan surface have different scan ranges and orientations, surface matching
is required to use the both scan data simultaneously. In this study, we use a highly reliable scan surface, called confidence surface, for improving the matching accuracy. To do this, we propose a method to measure the noise possibility, that is, the uncertainty of each surface. This is accomplished
by estimation methods of geometric variation with respect to different scan data. An iterative closest point-based fine matching is performed using only the confidences surfaces. The matching accuracy was shown by root-mean-square-error (RMSE) and color-coded visualization of the distance
between the surfaces obtained from different scanning data. The average RMSE of matching result by the proposed method was 0.3298. This experimental results show that our proposed method improves the accuracy than the comparison methods, even with CBCT data that includes severe metal artifacts.
A Novel Coordinate Rotation Digital Computer Method for Energy and Latency Saving by Trigonometric Operations Spatial Locality Principle
Authors: Visalli Giuseppe
Published: January 2020

In this work, we propose an approximate and energy-efficient CORDIC method, based on a trigonometric function spatial locality principle derived from benchmarks profiling. Successive sine/cosine computation requests cover more than 50% when the absolute phase difference is at most ten
degrees. Consequently, this property suggests an optimized circuit implementation, both iterative or a succession of microrotation modules, where the last CORDIC requires fewer iterations, reducing the latency and the total energy budget at the same precision of two separate and independent
instances. Thus, this simple design strategy allows significant area and energy dissipation in general-purpose VLSI architectures, but it introduces also dramatically optimizations in applicationspecific embedded systems used in the area of signal processing and radio frequency communication.
In this contribution, we introduce a method, the hardware overhead and the energy budget per single cycle. Simulation results show the total energy saving in considered benchmarks is 40% in pipelined and iterative general purposes CORDIC. Furthermore, our application-specific systems (fast
Fourier transform and digital oscillators for radiofrequency down conversions) show remarkable cycle savings when the successive sine/cosine computation requests are more than 70%. Finally, in this work, we extend the proposed approach to whichever phase difference less than 26.56° , as
a variable for the second CORDIC number of angle rotations.
A Framework to Compare Estimated and Measured Power Consumption on FPGAs
Authors: Oliver Juan P. , Favaro Federico , Boemo Eduardo
Published: January 2020

In this paper, an extensive review of the available publications about comparing estimations versus measurements of power consumption in FPGA technology is carried out. This study reveals that the variety of experimental setups makes it difficult to elaborate solid studies departing
from the results of different researchers using meta-analysis techniques. To mitigate this problem, we propose a procedure to standardize the setup of FPGA power estimation experiments. The goal is to make as close as possible power estimations and their corresponding actual on-chip measurements.
The main idea is to use a fixed arrangement composed by a parameterized pattern generator block at the input, together with a set of interchangeable IP cores utilized as reference circuits. All the blocks are mapped together inside the FPGA sample, being the clock and reset lines the sole
input signals. Thus, both power estimation and actual measurements are performed to the whole system in identical conditions. In order to illustrate the method, the paper includes some examples of the proposed methodology for different cores. A set of 25 circuits have been tested in two FPGA
families, obtaining relative errors in power estimation between –61.5% and 9.2%.
Lauric acid/bentonite/flake graphite composite as form-stable phase change materials for thermal energy storage
Authors: Liu Songyang , Han Jie , Gao Qingjie , Kang Wenze , Ren Ruichen , Wang Lunan , Chen Dan , Wu Dapeng
Published: January 2020

The main purpose of this paper was to synthesize a novel form-stable composite phase change material (PCM). Herein, bentonite-based PCMs were synthesized by impregnating Na-bentonite clay with lauric acid (LA) through a vacuum impregnation method. Flake graphite (FG) was used to enhance
the thermal conductivity of the composite PCMs. In addition, FG also helped block the leakage of the PCMs. It is worth noting that with the addition of FG, the period of melting and solidifying of composite PCMs were decreased to some extent. Meanwhile, the thermal conductivity of the PCMs
has been obviously improved. Moreover, the synthesized composite PCM exhibited a favorable performance of reliability after 200 thermocycling test. Hence, this study showed that the developed composite PCM has the potential to be applied in thermal energy storage systems.
Pattern Recognition of 2 × 2 Matrices Based on DNA Strand Displacement
Authors: Wang Yanfeng , LV Aolong , Huang Chun , Sun Junwei
Published: January 2020

Biochemical circuits have been transformed from simple logic circuits to large-scale complex circuits, benefitting from the maturity of DNA strand displacement technology. Pattern recognition is a process of analyzing perceptual signals and identifying and interpreting objects. In this
study, pattern recognition of 2 × 2 matrices based on DNA strand displacement was designed, including dual-rail circuits and seesaw circuits. The effective results were obtained by simulation in Visual DSD software, simultaneously, the pattern recognition and DNA strand displacement
technology were perfectly combined.
Boron Fullerenes (B40)—A Projecting Applicant for Molecular Devices: A Review
Authors: Kaur Jupinder , Kumar Ravinder , Sawhney Ravinder Singh
Published: January 2020

The field of molecular electronics has gained a great impetus in the recent times and made the fabrication of extremely small devices possible that demonstrates extraordinary electrical properties. Being superconductive, fullerenes have drawn concerted attention of the research community
committed to the exploration of applications in the field of molecular electronics. After extensive research in the field of carbon fullerenes in the last decade, Boron based fullerenes have stolen the limelight for their inherent stability among fullerene group. While the properties of B80
fullerene are still under exploration, researchers have been successful in synthesizing all boron fullerenes B40 in the laboratory. B40 is distinctive from other known clusters of boron as it has extraordinary properties like high stability and comprises of both acidic
and basic sites, making it an optimum choice for detecting a number of gases like hydrogen, ammonia and carbon dioxide. This paper gives a brief review about the properties of B40 and the comparative research done on Boron fullerene so far.
Atmosphere–Ocean Interactions and Their Footprint on Heat Transport Variability in the Northern Hemisphere
Authors: Liu Yang , Attema Jisk , Hazeleger Wilco
Published: January 2020

Interactions between the atmosphere and ocean play a crucial role in redistributing energy, thereby maintaining the energy balance of the climate system. Here, we examine the compensation between the atmosphere and ocean’s heat transport variations. Motivated by previous studies with mostly numerical climate models, this so-called Bjerknes compensation is studied using reanalysis datasets. We find that atmospheric energy transport (AMET) and oceanic energy transport (OMET) variability generally agree well among the reanalysis datasets. With multiple reanalysis products, we show that Bjerknes compensation is present at almost all latitudes from 40° to 70°N in the Northern Hemisphere from interannual to decadal time scales. The compensation rates peak at different latitudes across different time scales, but they are always located in the subtropical and subpolar regions. Unlike some experiments with numerical climate models, which attribute the compensation to the variation of transient eddy transports in response to the changes of OMET at multidecadal time scales, we find that the response of mean flow to the OMET variability leads to the Bjerknes compensation, and thus the shift of the Ferrel cell at midlatitudes at decadal time scales in winter. This cell itself is driven by the eddy momentum flux. The oceanic response to AMET variations is primarily wind driven. In summer, there is hardly any compensation and the proposed mechanism is not applicable. Given the short historical records, we cannot determine whether the ocean drives the atmospheric variations or the reverse.
A Heuristic Approach for Precipitation Data Assimilation: Effect of Forecast Errors and Assimilation of NCEP Stage IV Precipitation Analyses
Authors: Pérez Hortal Andrés A. , Zawadzki Isztar , Yau M. K.
Published: January 2020

Recently, Pérez Hortal et al. introduced a simple data assimilation (DA) technique named localized ensemble mosaic assimilation (LEMA) for the assimilation of radar-derived precipitation observations. The method constructs an analysis by assigning to each model grid point the information from the ensemble member that is locally closest to the precipitation observations. This study explores the effects of the forecasts errors in the performance of the method using a series of observing system simulation experiments (OSSEs) with different magnitudes of forecast errors employing a small ensemble of 20 members. The ideal experiments show that LEMA is able to produce forecasts with considerable and long-lived error reductions in the fields of precipitation, temperature, humidity, and wind. Nonetheless, the quality of the analysis deteriorates with increasing forecast errors beyond the spread of the ensemble. To overcome this limitation, we expand the spread of the ensemble used to construct the analysis mosaic by considering states at different times and states from forecasts initialized at different times (lagged forecasts). The ideal experiments show that the additional information in the expanded ensemble improves the performance of LEMA, producing larger and long-lived improvements in the state variables and in the precipitation forecast quality. Finally, the potential of LEMA is explored in real DA experiments using actual Stage IV precipitation observations. When LEMA uses only the background members, the quality of the precipitation forecast shows small or no improvements. However, the expanded ensemble improves the LEMA’s effectiveness, producing larger and more persistent improvements in precipitation forecasts.
Assessment of ECMWF SEAS5 Seasonal Forecast Performance over South America
Authors: Gubler S. , Sedlmeier K. , Bhend J. , Avalos G. , Coelho C. A. S. , Escajadillo Y. , Jacques-Coper M. , Martinez R. , Schwierz C. , de Skansi M. , Spirig Ch.
Published: January 2020

Seasonal predictions have a great socioeconomic potential if they are reliable and skillful. In this study, we assess the prediction performance of SEAS5, version 5 of the seasonal prediction system of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), over South America against homogenized station data. For temperature, we find the highest prediction performances in the tropics during austral summer, where the probability that the predictions correctly discriminate different observed outcomes is 70%. In regions lying to the east of the Andes, the predictions of maximum and minimum temperature still exhibit considerable performance, while farther to the south in Chile and Argentina the temperature prediction performance is low. Generally, the prediction performance of minimum temperature is slightly lower than for maximum temperature. The prediction performance of precipitation is generally lower and spatially and temporally more variable than for temperature. The highest prediction performance is observed at the coast and over the highlands of Colombia and Ecuador, over the northeastern part of Brazil, and over an isolated region to the north of Uruguay during DJF. In general, Niño-3.4 has a strong influence on both air temperature and precipitation in the regions where ECMWF SEAS5 shows high performance, in some regions through teleconnections (e.g., to the north of Uruguay). However, we show that SEAS5 outperforms a simple empirical prediction based on Niño-3.4 in most regions where the prediction performance of the dynamical model is high, thereby supporting the potential benefit of using a dynamical model instead of statistical relationships for predictions at the seasonal scale.
Development of Mathematics and Self-Determination Skills for Young Adults With Extensive Support Needs
Authors: Gilley Deidre P. , Root Jenny R. , Cox Sarah K.
Published: January 2020

The purpose of this study was to support the development of mathematics and self-determination skills of young adults with extensive support needs. Mathematical problem solving is a natural context for teaching two component skills of self-determination: self-monitoring and goal setting. Three young adults with extensive support needs (i.e., autism and intellectual disability) were taught to solve real-world thematic word problems using modified schema-based instruction (MSBI). To build self-determination skills, participants self-monitored completion of problem-solving steps using a task analysis, self-graphed steps completed independently correct and then set goals for subsequent sessions. Generalization was measured within the context of scaling ingredients from a recipe without instructional supports of a task analysis or graphic organizer. Results of the multiple probe across participants design indicate a functional relation between MSBI and steps of problem solving completed independently correct. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
Queering Disability: Exploring the Resilience of Sexual and Gender Minority Persons Living With Disabilities
Authors: Hunter Tameeka , Dispenza Franco , Huffstead Mary , Suttles Mackenzie , Bradley Zachary
Published: January 2020

This study examined the resilience experiences of 13 sexual and gender minority persons living with disabilities, using phenomenological qualitative methodology. Researchers used in-depth, semi-structured interviews and various trustworthiness standards in the study. Participants endorsed four common resilience maximizers—self-acceptance, advocacy, social support, and a plea for recognition of humanity (an aspirational resilience maximizer)—and three common resilience minimizers—fragmentation, identity concealment, and punishment. Counseling implications and future research directions are also discussed.
Creating News Literacy Messages to Enhance Expert Corrections of Misinformation on Twitter
Authors: Vraga Emily K. , Bode Leticia , Tully Melissa
Published: January 2020

A number of solutions have been proposed to address concerns about misinformation online, including encouraging experts to engage in corrections of misinformation being shared and improving media literacy among the American public. This study combines these approaches to examine whether news literacy (NL) messages on social media enhance the effectiveness of expert correction of misinformation on Twitter. Two experiments suggest that expert organizations can successfully correct misinformation on social media across two controversial issues with a single tweet. However, three different NL messages did not improve the effectiveness of expert corrections. We discuss the difficulties of crafting NL messages that break through the clutter on social media and suggest guidelines for organizations attempting to address misinformation online.
Nouns and verbs in the linguistic environment of Argentinian toddlers: Socioeconomic and context-related differences
Authors: Rosemberg Celia Renata , Alam Florencia , Audisio Cynthia Pamela , Ramirez María Laura , Garber Leandro , Migdalek Maia Julieta
Published: January 2020

This article examines the input to Argentinian Spanish-learning children from low and middle socioeconomic status (SES). It aims to determine whether the vocabulary composition (nouns and verbs) of their input varies as a function of SES, the addressee and other contextual variables such as the type of activity and the pragmatic orientation of the utterances. Thirty children (mean: 14.3 months) and their families were audio-recorded for four hours and the middle two hours were analyzed using Computerized Language Analysis (CLAN). The nouns and verbs in child-directed speech (CDS) and overheard speech (OHS) were identified using the CLAN’s part of speech tagger MOR Morphosyntactic Analysis. Regression analyses showed effects of: (a) SES and addressee on the proportion of noun types and tokens; (b) the type of activity and the pragmatic orientation of the utterances on the proportion of nouns in CDS; (c) SES and type of activity on the proportion of entity and action-oriented utterances. These findings reveal that given the complexity of children’s home environments it is crucial to consider these social and contextual dimensions to account for the distribution of different lexical categories. How they are distributed in the input likely influences the developmental course of vocabulary acquisition.
Effects of a short mindful-breathing intervention on the psychophysiological stress reactions of German elementary school children
Authors: Kurth Luisa , Engelniederhammer Anna , Sasse Heide , Papastefanou Georgios
Published: January 2020

This research investigates whether a short mindfulness exercise can reduce children’s psychophysiological stress reactions in the face of a performance task. To answer the question, a randomized controlled trial with 106 elementary school children, aged between 5 and 11 years, was conducted. An intervention group completed a two-minute breathing exercise, whilst a comparison group watched a short video, before both groups performed a stress-evoking Stroop test. The stress levels of both groups were measured via galvanic skin response and compared. It was hypothesized that the comparison group would show a higher stress reaction during the stress-evoking task than the intervention group. Contrary to the hypothesis, results show that the intervention group had a higher psychophysiological stress reaction during the task than the comparison group. However, the stress reaction to the announced difficulty of the task was smaller in the mindfulness group than in the comparison group. Results are discussed based on different theoretical mechanisms of mindfulness. Directions for future research include the use of different techniques and durations of mindfulness interventions, different control group activities and stress-test operationalizations, as well as the distinction between age groups.
Review of Methods to Equate Target Sets in the Adapted Alternating Treatments Design
Authors: Cariveau Tom , Batchelder Sydney , Ball Sydney , La Cruz Montilla Astrid
Published: January 2020

The adapted alternating treatments design is a commonly used experimental design in skill acquisition research. This design allows for the evaluation of two or more independent variables on responding to unique target sets. Equating target sets is necessary to ensure a valid comparison of the independent variables. To date, there is little guidance on best practice when equating target sets and it is unclear how researchers have done so previously. We reviewed the reported methods used to equate target sets in articles published using the adapted alternating treatments design in five behavior-analytic journals. Just over half of the studies published using the adapted alternating treatments design reported any method to equate target sets and the methods varied considerably. Alternative methods, such as random assignment, were prevalent. Considerations for best practice and avenues for future research are discussed.
Management of Sharp-Pointed Esophageal Foreign-Body Impaction With Rigid Endoscopy: A Retrospective Study of 130 Adult Patients
Authors: Feng Shui , Peng Hong , Xie Hong , Bai Yunbo , Yin Jinshu
Published: January 2020

Objectives:

To propose a management algorithm for adult patients with sharp-pointed esophageal foreign-body impaction (EFBI) who have rigid endoscopy (RE) indications and to conduct a retrospective analysis of their data.

Methods:

All adult patients who received RE at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology in Beijing Shijitan Hospital between January 2017 and May 2019 were enrolled. The demographics, clinical characteristics, and management data were collected and analyzed.

Results:

A total of 130 patients were identified, 56.9% were female with median age 60 years. More than half (56.9%) of patients had foreign-body (FB) ingestion on holidays. The most frequent FBs were jujube pits (66.9%) and bones (23.8%). There is a significant female predominance in ingestion of jujube pits (65.5%, P = .005). The most common symptoms were odynophagia (49.2%) and sore throat (47.7%). The majority (96.8%) of FB founded were lodged at upper esophagus. In all, 74 patients were categorized as having mild complications and 54 having significant complications. Time interval from ingestion to presentation longer than 15 hours was an independent risk factor for significant complications, while esophagogram with barium as a protective factor.

Conclusions:

Long-time interval from ingestion to presentation will lead to high risk of significant complications. Computed tomography should be a prioritized imaging method for all patients suspected with EFBI, and multidisciplinary collaboration is recommended. Besides, mass education on eating habits is necessary.
Intersecting Inequalities: Education, Race/Ethnicity, and Sterilization
Authors: Eeckhaut Mieke C. W.
Published: January 2020

Despite extensive evidence that fundamental causes of health, such as socioeconomic status (SES) and race/ethnicity, often interact, the potential importance of such interactions has received limited attention in the contraceptive use literature. Even fewer studies have explicitly considered how interacting systems of power may structure contraceptive use with an intersectional framework. Drawing on the female ( N = 8,744) and male ( N = 5,826) samples of the 2006–15 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), this study relies on an intersectional approach to examine if education gradients in female and male sterilization vary by race/ethnicity. For non-Hispanic white respondents, results confirm the negative education gradient in female sterilization, and positive gradient in male sterilization. For non-Hispanic black and Hispanic respondents, education gradients tend to be less steep for female sterilization, but steeper for male sterilization. This indicates that different forms of oppression combine, overlap, and intersect to shape individuals’ unique social positions and experiences—including their contraceptive use.
Soft tissue necrosis in patients treated with transoral robotic surgery and postoperative radiotherapy: preliminary results
Authors: Alterio Daniela , Tagliabue Marta , Muto Matteo , Zorzi Stefano , Volpe Stefania , Gandini Sara , Sibio Daniela , Bayır Ömer , Marvaso Giulia , Ferrari Annamaria , Bruschini Roberto , Cossu Rocca Maria , Preda Lorenzo , Marangoni Roberta , Starzynska Anna , Vigorito Sabrina , Ansarin Mohssen , Jereczek-Fossa Barbara Alicja
Published: January 2020

Objective:

Postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) is indicated in almost two-thirds of patients treated with transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for head and neck tumors. The aim of this study was to quantify the toxicity profile of patients treated with PORT after TORS in oropharyngeal and supraglottic laryngeal cancer focusing on soft tissue necrosis (STN).

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed 28 patients. Acute and late toxicity were examined. Incidence and severity of STN were recorded.

Results:

No patient experienced acute grade 3 skin or mucosal toxicity; 1 patient had grade 3 dysphagia. At 12 months, no evaluated patient required enteral nutrition and 2 patients had tracheostomy. STN occurred in 4 (14%) patients: 3 out of 4 (75%) patients with STN had diabetes, whereas 6 out of 13 (25%) patients without STN had diabetes ( p = 0.05).

Conclusion:

We found an acceptable toxicity profile of PORT performed after a TORS procedure. Diabetes mellitus might be a risk factor for STN.
A framework for understanding water-related multi-hazards in a sustainable development context
Authors: Docherty Julia M , Mao Feng , Buytaert Wouter , Clark Julian RA , Hannah David M
Published: January 2020

Hazards often do not occur in isolation and, for this reason, a multi-hazard approach is vital in realising their impact and providing solutions for disaster risk reduction and sustainable development. We present a novel framework that emerges from a bibliometric analysis of the multi-hazard literature and a critical appraisal of the existing approaches. It was found that multi-hazard research has expanded greatly over the last 20 years, furthering our understanding of the subject with important applications in risk assessment and management. These studies have contextualised multi-hazards, developed models and frameworks to analyse them, provided case studies to test multi-hazard-based approaches and produced reviews. It was found that landslides and floods are the most frequently co-occurring hazards within the bibliographic dataset, yet understanding of their interactions, hydrometeorological drivers and landscape controls remains poorly conceptualised. Therefore, we propose a new framework for investigating water-related multi-hazards that leverages and synthesises existing methods to address the challenges identified to date. We also find a geographical bias, with less multi-hazard research in lower- and middle-income countries and remote environments due to data scarcity and limited accessibility. Our framework therefore includes the ability to address geographically specific key considerations including available and accessible data, community variability and cross-sectoral collaborations. In doing so it offers guidance on structuring future analyses to improve our understanding of multi-hazards, reduce disaster risk, increase community resilience and make progress towards sustainable development.
Effects of trace phenolic hydroxyl groups on the cure behaviours and properties of cyanate esters
Authors: Wang Danrong , Hou Defa , Chen Zhiwei , Ma Hanbing , Huang Chundi , Yang Lu
Published: January 2020

To improve the curing properties of cyanate esters and retain their heat resistance, dielectric properties and adhesion properties, modified cyanate copolymers were prepared by blending bisphenol A cyanate (BADCy) ester with phenol, hydroquinone (HO), resorcinol and phloroglucinol (LO). Differential scanning calorimetry analysis (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to investigate the cure behaviours of the prepared compounds. The prepared materials were compared with the BADCy ester containing trace of cobalt acetylacetonate (CoAt). The CoAt/BADCy blend modified by HO exhibited better curing properties. The exothermic peak temperature ( T p) of the CoAt/BADCy blend dropped to 169°C after introducing 1 wt% HO, likely due to the hydroxyl functional groups at the para position of the benzene ring resulting in higher symmetry and reactivity for the HO. In addition, compared with original CoAt/BADCy, the cyanate esters modified by phenolic hydroxyl groups demonstrated higher adhesive properties and a similar glass transition temperature (approximately 290°C) as well as stable dielectric properties. The experimental results indicate potential applications of the cyanate ester under high-temperature conditions.
Explaining the Complex Effect of Construal Level on Moral and Political Attitudes
Authors: Alper Sinan
Published: January 2020

The literature on construal-level theory has provided a rich but complex set of findings regarding how abstract and concrete construals affect moral and political attitudes. One set of findings suggests that abstractness sharpens and polarizes moral and political judgments, whereas other findings suggest the opposite. In this article, I first review and explain both sets of findings. Second, I argue that it is possible to reconcile seemingly contradictory results by considering (a) the interpersonal variation in core values, (b) the confounding effects of utilitarian and deontological thinking styles, and (c) potentially different effects of different manipulations of abstractness. I conclude by arguing that consideration of these factors would resolve the complexity in the relationship between construal levels and moral and political attitudes.
Regaining Consensus on the Reliability of Memory
Authors: Brewin Chris R. , Andrews Bernice , Mickes Laura
Published: January 2020

In the last 20 years, the consensus about memory being essentially reliable has been neglected in favor of an emphasis on the malleability and unreliability of memory and on the public’s supposed unawareness of this. Three claims in particular have underpinned this popular perspective: that the confidence people have in their memory is weakly related to its accuracy, that false memories of fictitious childhood events can be easily implanted, and that the public wrongly sees memory as being like a video camera. New research has clarified that all three claims rest on shaky foundations, suggesting there is no reason to abandon the old consensus about memory being malleable but essentially reliable.
At Risk of “Leftover Singles”: Dimensions and Sociopsychological Repercussions of Delayed Marriageability Among Educated Females in Pakistan
Authors: Sultan Tipu , Ahmad Saeed , Ayub Ayesha
Published: January 2020

The current study examined the educational, economic, and sociocultural, family and personal dimensions of delayed marriage among educated females in Pakistan. In addition, it revealed family-based and personal dimensions of delayed marriage among educated females in Pakistan. Furthermore, it highlighted the sociopsychological consequences of delayed marriageability among females in patriarchal society. For this purpose, 35 females, in the age bracket of 30–49 years and with a minimum of 16 years of education, were recruited for the current study through purposive and snowball sampling technique. An interview guide was used as a tool for data collection. The main sociocultural factors of delayed marriageability were the unavailability of a suitable match in the marriage market, the provision of the dowry, the pivotal role of the caste system and the second fiddle role of sectarian affiliation, and previous marital status (engaged or divorced) of the females. The structure and the size of the family were also the decisive family factors of delayed marriageability. Additionally, among personal traits, physical outlook and effective individualism played a prominent role. The current study conjectured a relational insight and transformation in a family structure for family demographers. It was the first qualitative study to highlight the patriarchal perspective of Pakistani society on the factors of delayed marriages. The findings of the current study would enrich the overall theoretical understanding of delayed marriageability among females.
A 12-Week Evidence-Based Education Project to Reduce Cardiovascular and Metabolic Risk in Adults With Serious Mental Illness in the Integrated Care Setting
Authors: Fenton Ashley , Sharps Phyllis , Kverno Karan , RachBeisel Jill , Gorth Marsha
Published: January 2020

BACKGROUND: Individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) such as schizophrenia spectrum disorders, severe bipolar disorder, or severe recurrent major depressive disorder have a shorter life expectancy compared with those in the general population. This is largely due to the higher rates of diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. Treatment adherence, diet, exercise, and weight management are modifiable risk factors for these cardiometabolic conditions, yet the use of educational lifestyle interventions is not common practice in the clinical setting. AIM: The purpose of this project was to evaluate a 12-week evidence-based diabetes prevention education program integrated into a primary care behavioral health setting for adults with SMI, diabetes, or prediabetes, and who were overweight or obese. METHOD: This project utilized a pretest–posttest intervention design. Outcomes for this project included diabetes knowledge, self-care, and health indicators (blood pressure, hemoglobin A1C, weight, body mass index, and medication adherence). The project also addressed feasibility and acceptability of the program in this setting. RESULTS: Project outcomes showed a reduction in weight, waist circumference, hemoglobin A1C, and blood pressure. Outcomes also indicated an improvement in participants’ self-knowledge and self-care. CONCLUSIONS: There was a high attendance rate and overall acceptability and feasibility described by participants. This project highlights the important role that primary care providers can play in providing health education to patients with SMI.
Three positions on the fat body: Evaluating the ethical shortcomings of the obesity discourse
Authors: Stefánsdóttir Ástríður
Published: January 2020

This article raises serious ethical concerns regarding the medical discourse on obesity. It offers a description of three alternate positions on the fat body: the scientific approach dominant within medicine, the critical view mainly raised by social scientists, and the voices of fat people themselves. By viewing and comparing the perspectives these positions reveal, it is possible to underline the complexity of the problem labeled as the “obesity epidemic” and draw attention to serious ethical concerns in the mainstream medical discussion. Medicalization of fat people narrows the focus on the “obesity epidemic” where it is framed as private and personal rather than social and political. It is also argued that the hegemonic discourse of medicine omits the social embeddedness of fat people and ignores their own voices and narratives. This undermines the well-being of fat people and hides their humanity as well.
The Role of the Medicaid Expansion in the Use of Preventive Health Care Services in California Men
Authors: Reynolds Grace L. , Fisher Dennis G.
Published: January 2020

Men’s use of preventive care services may be constrained due to a number of factors including lack of health care insurance. California used the Medicaid expansion provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to enroll low-income men between the ages of 18 and 64 years in publicly funded health insurance. Most studies on the effect of the ACA on health care services have focused on racial/ethnic differences rather than gender. Data from the California Health Interview Survey for the 2015–2016 survey period were used to model the use of preventive health care services in the year prior to interview. Population weights were used in the analysis which was done using PROC SURVEY LOGISTIC in SAS software, version 9.4. The sample consisted of men between the ages of 18 and 64 years ( N = 6,180). Of these 66% ( n = 4,088) reporting receiving any preventive care services in the year prior to interview. The largest proportions of respondents fell into the youngest group aged 18–25 (17%) followed by the oldest group aged 60–64 (16.9%); 43% reported they were married, 57% had incomes at greater than 300% of the federal poverty level. There was no effect of race or ethnicity on receiving preventive care services. Having a chronic condition such as hypertension or diabetes was associated with a greater odds of receiving preventive care. Expanding Medicaid to include low-income men below the age of 65 is associated with increased use of preventive health care, especially among those with chronic conditions.
For whom are we internationalizing? A call to prioritize second language learning in internationalization efforts
Authors: Garrett-Rucks Paula , Jansa Tim
Published: January 2020

Since the emergence of models and frameworks for college and university internationalization in the early 1990s, post-secondary world language education has remained a core dimension of internationalization in theory (American Council on Education, no date; Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2007; Hudzik, 2011; Rudzki, 1995; Spencer-Oatey and Dauber, 2016). Yet a report by the American Council on Education (ACE, 2017) found that, in actuality, most institutions have afforded little attention to developing students’ second language proficiency despite the considerable benefits of language learning experiences to prepare learners for the challenges of a global workforce in the 21st century. This article argues that developing an informed intercultural mindset paired with proficiency in at least one language other than English is essential for graduates to take advantage of the many professional, societal, and educational opportunities of today’s global community. To this end, we urge internationalizing post-secondary institutions with an interest in providing students with second language skills and the relevant educational experiences for which leading language organizations consistently advocate (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, 2015a, 2015b; Modern Language Association, 2007).
In-vivo three-dimensional motion analysis of the wrist during dart-throwing motion after midcarpal fusion and radioscapholunate fusion
Authors: Reissner Lisa , Politikou Olga , Fischer Gabriella , Calcagni Maurizio
Published: January 2020

We recorded the dart-throwing motion and basic motion tasks in patients following radioscapholunate fusion and midcarpal fusion with a three-dimensional motion capture system in vivo, using digital infrared cameras to track the movement of reflective skin markers on the hand and forearm. During the dart-throwing motion, 20 healthy volunteers showed a median range of motion of 107°. As expected, patients had significantly reduced wrist range of motion during basic motion tasks and dart-throwing motion compared with the healthy controls, except for ulnar flexion occurring in the dart-throwing motion in patients treated by midcarpal fusion and radial deviation after midcarpal fusion or radioscapholunate fusion. In addition, patients who had undergone radioscapholunate fusion had significantly reduced range of motion during dart-throwing motion compared with patients after midcarpal fusion.
Collective emotional dynamics: Perspectives for marketing
Authors: Didry Nico , Giannelloni Jean-Luc
Published: January 2020

This article focuses on the emotional dynamics at work in a collective experience. It thus fills a gap in research on emotions in the field of marketing, where emotions are usually tackled from an individual perspective. Its contribution is twofold. First, it draws on a review of the existing literature in psychology, social psychology, and sociology in order to identify, define, and characterize the main concepts related to emotions when they are experienced in a collective context. It also builds on this review by distinguishing the processes of emotional transfer from the collective emotional states that result from these transfers. Second, this article shows that the existing marketing literature almost exclusively addresses these topics through the lens of the buyer–seller dyadic relationship. Finally, it proposes further avenues of research that are focused on integrating collective emotional dynamics into marketing research.
Decentralization, participation, devolution and infrastructure development in rural areas: A case study of district Bhakkar, Pakistan
Authors: Hussain Mumtaz , Ismail Muhammad
Published: January 2020

This article highlights the role of decentralization and participation in democratic countries. Decentralization is a significant political process that enhances society’s enjoyment of the fruits of democracy and helps in developing basic infrastructure, and many regions accept these concepts. Statistical techniques were employed through SPSS on data collected yearly between 2001 and 2005 to draw the outcomes. The findings showed a significant and positive impact of decentralization and participation on rural and urban communities and infrastructure development. This study has great importance for the policy making of district, provincial and central governments.
Effect of solid-solution and aging treatment on corrosion behavior of orthogonal designed and vacuum melted Mg-Zn-Ca-Mn alloys
Authors: Liu Dexue , Zhou Tianshui , Liu Zehua , Guo Bing
Published: January 2020

Fast degradation rate and inhomogeneous corrosion are obstacles for magnesium alloy bio-corrosion properties. In this paper, a quaternary Mg-Zn-Ca-Mn alloy was designed by an orthogonal method and prepared by vacuum induction melting to investigate its bio-corrosion. Microstructure, corrosion morphology, and bio-corrosion properties of as-cast alloys 1 to 5 with good corrosion resistance were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction with immersion and electrochemical tests in simulated body fluid (SBF), respectively. Both the orthogonal method and in vitro degradation experiments demonstrated that alloy 3 exhibited the lowest degradation rate among the tested quaternary Mg-Zn-Ca-Mn alloys. Then, as-cast alloy 3 was treated by solid-solution and solid-solution aging. In vitro experimental results indicated that as-cast alloy 3 showed better corrosion resistance than heat-treated specimens and the average corrosion rate was approximately 0.15 mm/y. Heat-treated alloy 3 exhibited more uniform corrosion than as-cast alloy specimens. These results suggest that alloy 3 has the potential to become a biodegradable candidate material.