bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimisation of process parameters of a thermal digester for the rapid conversion of food waste into value-added soil conditioner
Authors: Kumar Nitin , Gupta Sunil Kumar , Yadav Brahmdeo
Published: April 2023

A novel thermal digester for converting food waste (FW) into nutrient-rich soil conditioner was designed and explored. The process variables, that is, temperature, the volume of the digestion chamber and the rotational speed of the digester were optimised using response surface methodology (RSM). The study revealed that the digester temperature of 150°C and rotational speed of 40 RPM required minimum time (180 minutes) for attaining the equilibrium moisture with a minimum energy consumption of 0.218 kWh kg−1. The process resulted in 80 ± 2.5% reduction in total volume of the FW. Detailed characterisation revealed that the end product was comparable to the organic fertiliser as per the Fertiliser Association of India norms. The digestion helps in breakdown of cellulose content of FW into hemicellulose which supports formation of primary and secondary walls, seed storage carbohydrates, and facilitates plant growth. 1H-Nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectra of the end product revealed mineralisation of organics during digestion. Decrease in ultraviolet (UV) absorbance value at 280 nm also revealed the humification of the end product. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis disclosed extremely low crystallinity and non-recalcitrant nature of the end product. A low humification index value (HI-3.43), high fertilising index (FI-4.8), and clean index (CI-5.0) revealed that the end product could safely be utilised as an organic fertiliser. The cost–benefit analysis revealed that thermal digestion technique is profitable and economically viable with benefit–cost ratio (BCR) of 1.35. The study offers a unique approach for the rapid and hassle-free production of value-added soil conditioner from FW.
Risk assessment of lead exposure in radiology personnel in Menoufia hospitals, Egypt
Authors: Sweilum Ola , El-Badry Aziza , El-Agamy Situhom
Published: April 2023

Lead shielding is used as a guard against scatter radiation. Lead aprons can emit particulate lead into the occupational environment, resulting in the accumulation of lead dust on the skin and garments of workers. This study aimed to assess the risk of lead exposure among radiologists working in the radiology departments by estimating hair and blood lead levels. A total of 40 radiology personnel (18 wearing aprons and 22 not wearing aprons) with a comparable control group (20 personnel not working in a radiology department) underwent a pre-designed questionnaire with estimation of blood and hair levels. The hair and blood lead levels in radiologists wearing aprons were significantly higher than those of the control group and that of the radiologist not wearing aprons. The lead levels in hair and blood were correlated significantly with the duration of wearing aprons in years and weekly working hours. Health care workers in radiology departments demonstrated high hair and blood levels that were higher among workers wearing aprons than those not wearing protective equipment. Hair lead levels can be detected quickly, cheaply, and non-invasively, and could be a helpful screening test for occupational exposure.
Opportunistic Extraction of Quantitative CT Biomarkers: Turning the Incidental Into Prognostic Information
Authors: Md Shah Mohammad Nazri , Azman Raja Rizal , Chan Wai Yee , Ng Kwan Hoong
Published: April 2023

The past two decades have seen a significant increase in the use of CT, with a corresponding rise in the mean population radiation dose. This rise in CT use has caused improved diagnostic certainty in conditions that were not previously routinely evaluated using CT, such as headaches, back pain, and chest pain. Unused data, unrelated to the primary diagnosis, embedded within these scans have the potential to provide organ-specific measurements that can be used to prognosticate or risk-profile patients for a wide variety of conditions. The recent increased availability of computing power, expertise and software for automated segmentation and measurements, assisted by artificial intelligence, provides a conducive environment for the deployment of these analyses into routine use. Data gathering from CT has the potential to add value to examinations and help offset the public perception of harm from radiation exposure. We review the potential for the collection of these data and propose the incorporation of this strategy into routine clinical practice.
Antibacterial effect and biological reaction of calcium phosphate cement impregnated with iodine for use in bone defects
Authors: Morinaga Sei , Yamamoto Norio , Tokoro Masaharu , Hayashi Katsuhiro , Takeuchi Akihiko , Miwa Shinji , Igarashi Kentaro , Taniguchi Yuta , Asano Yohei , Nojima Takayuki , Tsuchiya Hiroyuki
Published: April 2023

Calcium phosphate cement (CPC) is often used to repair bone defects that occur after bone tumor and fracture treatment. To address bone defect cases with a high infection risk, developing CPCs with a longlasting wide-spectrum antibacterial effect is critical. Povidone-iodine has a wide antibacterial spectrum. Though there have been some reports of CPC containing antibiotics, no report of CPC with iodine has been described. In this study, the antibacterial effect and biological reaction of CPC impregnated with iodine was investigated. Iodine release from CPC and bone cement with various iodine contents (2.5, 5, and 20%) was evaluated, and 5 %-iodine CPC retained more iodine than the other CPCs after one week. Antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was also investigated, showing that 5 %-iodine had an antibacterial effect for up to eight weeks. Cytocompatibility was assessed, and 5 %-iodine CPC showed the same amount of fibroblast colony formation as control samples. CPCs with varying iodine contents (0, 5, and 20%) were then inserted into lateral femora of Japanese white rabbits for histological analysis. Osteoconductivity was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, and hematoxylin-eosin staining. Consecutive bone formation was observed around all CPCs at eight weeks. These results indicate that CPC impregnated with iodine exhibits antimicrobial activity and cytocompatibility, and therefore, it may be effective for bone defect cases with high infection risk.
COVID-19 Pandemic, Physical Distancing Policies, and the Non-Profit Sector Volunteer Force
Authors: Lebenbaum Michael , de Oliveira Claire , McKiernan Joanne , Gagnon France , Laporte Audrey
Published: April 2023

Although COVID-19-related physical distancing has had large economic consequences, the impact on volunteerism is unclear. Using volunteer position postings data from Canada’s largest volunteer center (Volunteer Toronto) from February 3, 2020, to January 4, 2021, we evaluated the impact of different levels of physical distancing on average views, total views, and total number of posts. There was about a 50% decrease in the total number of posts that was sustained throughout the pandemic. Although a more restrictive physical distancing policy was generally associated with fewer views, there was an initial increase in views during the first lockdown where total views were elevated for the first 4 months of the pandemic. This was driven by interest in COVID-19-related and remote work postings. This highlights the community of volunteers may be quite flexible in terms of adapting to new ways of volunteering, but substantial challenges remain for the continued operations of many non-profit organizations.
Research on the vibration characteristics of the ball bearing considering the uncertain bearing-shaft interference fit
Authors: Liu Yongzhen , Zhang Hengyi , Hu Peng , Wang Yan , Shi Yufeng
Published: April 2023

Due to the exist of the inevitable dimensional tolerance and assembling errors in the ball bearing, the interference amounts between the inner ring and the connected shaft are uncertain but bounded, which could directly affect the dynamics performance of the rotor-ball bearing system. Whereas, most of the works on the field of dynamics in a ball bearing have considered the varying compliance (VC) vibration as deterministic vibration and there are few quantitative studies considering the uncertain factors. Therefore, in this paper, an uncertain ball bearing-rotor dynamic model is presented based on the Chebyshev interval method. Firstly, the uncertain interference amounts between the bearing inner ring and the connected shaft are modeled by the Chebyshev interval method. Then the radial clearance and actual interference amounts of ball bearing are derived by the bearing-shaft interference fit model. The time-dependent ball-raceway contact probability is formulated and the influence of the average and deviation coefficient of the initial interference amounts on the vibration behaviors of the rotor under various rotational speeds are investigated based on the double degrees of freedom (2-DOF) ball bearing system. The numerical cases show that the amounts of the bearing-shaft interference fit are uncertain and could be affected by rotational speed, which have an obvious influence on the dynamic performance of the rotor-ball bearing system. Reasonable design of the interference amounts could reduce the dispersion of the displacement and time-varying stiffness. The numerical results obtained by the present study are compared to the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS), which show the validity of the study.
A short review on SLM-processed Ti6Al4V composites
Authors: Kathiresan M , Karthikeyan M , Immanuel R Jose
Published: April 2023

The advancements in computer-aided design, manufacturing, and additive manufacturing techniques attracted the researcher to apply various new methods with the unique combination of alloys and composites to design and develop complex parts. Among them the selective laser melting (SLM) process, a branch of additive manufacturing, and Ti6Al4V (Ti64) composite. Due to the better mechanical and corrosion resistance characteristics of Ti64 and its composites, they have been utilized for making various engineering parts related to jet engine fans of aero-engine, engine valves of automobiles, knee and hip joint endoprosthesis in the biomedical field, and corrosion resistance pipes in chemical industries. Also, more complex, net-shaped, and lattice-structured components can be fabricated by advancing the SLM process. The final quality of the parts manufactured from the SLM technique will depend on the fabrication process parameters followed. Many researchers have done research work on metal additive manufacturing by changing and optimizing the SLM process parameters such as laser power ( P), scanning speed ( v), hatch spacing ( d), and layer thickness ( h). Also, they have studied the effect of changes on the feedstock preparation, SLM process parameters, milling time of composite and post-heat treatment on the quality of Ti6Al4V composites. Therefore, a detailed review is needed to study the effect of the abovementioned parameters on the quality of metal additively manufactured parts through SLM. Hence, a short review is done on future challenges and opportunities of SLM-processed Ti6Al4V composites and reported in this article.
Archaeological and modern whitemouth croaker fish (Micropogonias furnieri) of southeastern Brazil: A geochemical proxy for environmental preference
Authors: Lopes Mariana Samor , Aguilera Orangel , Monteiro-Neto Cassiano , Miller Nathan R , Gaspar Maria Dulce , Costa Marcus Rodrigues da
Published: April 2023

In this study, laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry was used to characterize the growth patterns of otolith of Micropogonias furnieri from southeastern Brazil under the influence of coastal marine upwelling. Archaeological fish sagittae otoliths of M. furnieri recovered from Brazilian shell mounds (5820‒4980 cal BP) were analysed and compared with those of modern specimens. Otolith Sr/Ca analysis indicated that off southeastern Brazil, M. furnieri shifted from freshwater/brackish in archaeological specimens to brackish/marine in modern times. Regular core-to-edge Sr/Ca oscillations suggest that both modern and archaeological M. furnieri are resident estuarine fish that also use the marine waters adjacent to the coastal zone. Based on analyses of a wide range of otolith edge Sr/Ca values measured in archaeological samples, pre-colonial fishing activities in the coastal regions of Guanabara Bay occurred throughout the year. This study reinforces the importance of M. furnieri as a precolonial fishing resource in this area and demonstrates a shift in fishing practices, where smaller fish are targetted within the bay and larger fish are caught beyond the bay. These data may also be indicative of a shift in the life cycle of this species, possibly caused by the overfishing of this important resource and significant increase in human activities in protected coastal waters in modern times.
Inflation and Its Uncertainty: Evidence from Indonesia and the Philippines
Authors: Kuncoro Haryo
Published: April 2023

This article investigates the relationship between inflation and its uncertainty under the inflation-targeting regime in Indonesia and the Philippines over 2005(7)–2021(12). The Kernel density function and entropy index applications reveal that the price level in both countries is heterogeneous. The non-linear quantile regression estimation shows that inflation affects inflation uncertainty positively. Inflation more likely induces its uncertainty in higher quantiles. The effect exhibits an inconsistent linearity property. While the symmetric behavior holds in the Philippines, inflation in the case of Indonesia affects the inflation uncertainty differently, not only inter-quantiles but also intra-quantiles. Given that Indonesia and the Philippines have low inflation rates relative to other emerging markets, our findings suggest that announcing higher inflation targets may be costly to provoke higher inflation uncertainty. Accordingly, controlling inflation uncertainty in the inflation-targeting regime can be achieved if monetary policy is credible and independent.

JEL Classification

C14, C21, D08, E31, O23
Product specialisation, global competition, and industrial decline: Portugal’s path to crisis
Authors: Stadheim Victoria
Published: April 2023

A widely held view in economics and comparative capitalism states that the crisis in the eurozone was a crisis of labour cost competitiveness. This view maintains that a divergence in unit labour costs engendered a cleavage between the euro area’s core and periphery. Critics have disputed this and drawn attention to export specialisation, along with global competition, rather than intra-European competition. To make progress on this agenda, this article focuses on structures of production as a source of crisis vulnerability. It advances the notion that countries have unique forms of articulation within global capitalism, and that this matters to understanding national crisis trajectories. Focussing on the Portuguese case, the article scrutinises the interactions between export specialisation, global competition and industrial decline. The article shows that Portugal’s current account deficit developed within a context of industrial change and deindustrialisation, which was facilitated competition from China and Eastern Europe. By stressing industrial patterns and global competition, the article provides a more concrete analysis of production than most accounts of the eurozone crisis.
Comparison of Superior Semicircular Canal Bone Thickness and Patterns in Unilateral and Bilateral Cleft Patients and Normal Controls: A CBCT Study
Authors: Paknahad Maryam , Karimnezhand Khas Reyhaneh , Hasani Mahvash
Published: April 2023

Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence (SSCD) is a recently-defined developmental defect may be associated with several craniofacial anomalies such as Cleft Lip/Palate (CLP). The present study aimed to compare subjects with unilateral and bilateral CLP and normal controls in terms of Superior Semicircular Canal (SSC) bone thickness and pattern.

A total of 238 Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) images were collected from 52 unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate (UCLP) subjects (104 temporal bones) and 38 Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate (BCLP) (76 temporal bones) subjects and 148 healthy controls (296 temporal bones). The SSC bone thickness was measured twice and validated by a maxillofacial radiologist. The samples were then classified into five categories based on bone thickness: papyraceous or thin, normal, thick, pneumatized, and dehiscence. After all, the UCLP, BCLP, and normal control groups were compared concerning the SSC pattern and thickness.

The results revealed no significant difference among the three groups regarding the SSC pattern and thickness based on gender. The SSC patterns ( P value = .001) and SSC thickness (0.01) were strongly correlated to the cleft type. The thinnest bone thickness and the highest incidence of SSCD were observed among the subjects with BCLP.

The results showed a significant association between the SSC patterns and SSC thickness and the study groups.
Butylphthalide protects against ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats via reducing neuron ferroptosis and oxidative stress
Authors: Lu Jun-Dong , Sun Mei-Lin , Pei-Li  , Wang Xiao-Peng
Published: April 2023

Local ischemia in the cerebra leads to vascular injury and necrosis. Ferroptosis is involved in the pathophysiological process of many diseases and widely exists when ischemia-reperfusion injury occurs in many organs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Butylphthalide (NBP) on middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats model-caused neuron injury. Sprague Dawley Rats were randomly allocated to receive sham and MCAO operation. NBP low-dose (40 mg/kg b.w), and high-dose (80 mg/kg b.w) were administrated in MACO rats. Results showed NBP improves infarct volume, attenuates neuronal apoptosis in the brain tissue of MCAO rats. The tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), IL-6, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels decreased after NBP administration, while the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the ratio of GSH/GSSG in MACO rats increased. MACO caused non-heme iron accumulation in the brain tissue and Perl’s staining confirmed NBP attenuates ferroptosis in MACO rats. The protein expressions of SCL7A11 and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) decreased following MCAO, and NBP treatment subsequently increased the expression of SCL7A11 and GPX4. In vitro analysis in cortical neuron cells indicated that the GPX4 inhibitor reverses the inhibition of ferroptosis by NBP, which suggested that the SCL7A11/GPX4 pathway majorly contributed to the NBP ferroptosis protection effect.
Development of prediction software to describe total mesophilic bacteria in spinach using a machine learning-based regression approach
Authors: Yildirim-Yalcin Meral , Yucel Ozgun , Tarlak Fatih
Published: April 2023

The purpose of this study was to create a tool for predicting the growth of total mesophilic bacteria in spinach using machine learning-based regression models such as support vector regression, decision tree regression, and Gaussian process regression. The performance of these models was compared to traditionally used models (modified Gompertz, Baranyi, and Huang models) using statistical indices like the coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE). The results showed that the machine learning-based regression models provided more accurate predictions with an R2 of at least 0.960 and an RMSE of at most 0.154, indicating that they can be used as an alternative to traditional approaches for predictive total mesophilic. Therefore, the developed software in this work has a significant potential to be used as an alternative simulation method to traditionally used approach in the predictive food microbiology field.
Prescription Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) and Incidence of Depression Among Older Cancer Survivors With Osteoarthritis: A Machine Learning Analysis
Authors: Shaikh Nazneen Fatima , Shen Chan , LeMasters Traci , Dwibedi Nilanjana , Ladani Amit , Sambamoorthi Usha
Published: April 2023

ObjectiveS:

This study examined prescription NSAIDs as one of the leading predictors of incident depression and assessed the direction of the association among older cancer survivors with osteoarthritis.

Methods:

This study used a retrospective cohort (N = 14, 992) of older adults with incident cancer (breast, prostate, colorectal cancers, or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma) and osteoarthritis. We used the longitudinal data from the linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results -Medicare data for the study period from 2006 through 2016, with a 12-month baseline and 12-month follow-up period. Cumulative NSAIDs days was assessed during the baseline period and incident depression was assessed during the follow-up period. An eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model was built with 10-fold repeated stratified cross-validation and hyperparameter tuning using the training dataset. The final model selected from the training data demonstrated high performance (Accuracy: 0.82, Recall: 0.75, Precision: 0.75) when applied to the test data. SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) was used to interpret the output from the XGBoost model.

Results:

Over 50% of the study cohort had at least one prescption of NSAIDs. Nearly 13% of the cohort were diagnosed with incident depression, with the rates ranging between 7.4% for prostate cancer and 17.0% for colorectal cancer. The highest incident depression rate of 25% was observed at 90 and 120 cumulative NSAIDs days thresholds. Cumulative NSAIDs days was the sixth leading predictor of incident depression among older adults with OA and cancer. Age, education, care fragmentation, polypharmacy, and zip code level poverty were the top 5 predictors of incident depression.

Conclusion:

Overall, 1 in 8 older adults with cancer and OA were diagnosed with incident depression. Cumulative NSAIDs days was the sixth leading predictor with an overall positive association with incident depression. However, the association was complex and varied by the cumulative NSAIDs days.
Early Changes of Serum Interleukin 14α Levels Predicts the Response to Anti-PD-1 Therapy in Cancer
Authors: Wang Buhai , Chen Caiyue , Jiang Shiyu , Huang Yuxiang , Zeng Yichun , Li Lei , Wang Maoqi , Guo Jingliang , Li Qiuxian , Cao Jin , Shen Long , Gu Juan J , Liang Yichen
Published: April 2023

Background:

Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) blockade has been shown to confer clinical benefit in cancer patients. Here, we assessed the level of serum interleukin 14α (IL14α) in patients receiving anti-PD-1 treatment.

Methods:

This prospective study recruited 30 patients with advanced solid cancer who received pembrolizumab treatment in Northern Jiangsu People’s Hospital between April 2016 and June 2018. The western blot analysis was used to assess the expression level of serum IL14α in patients at baseline and after 2 cycles of treatment. Interleukin 14α was performed using the unpaired 2-tailed Student test. The progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test.

Results:

The early change of IL14α after 2 cycles of anti-PD-1 therapy was calculated as delta IL14α % change = (IL14α level after 2 cycles − IL14α level before treatment)/IL14α level before treatment × 100%. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was analyzed to get a cutoff point of delta IL14α % change as 2.46% (sensitivity = 85.71%, specificity = 62.5%; area under the ROC curve [AUC] = 0.7277, P = .034). Using this cutoff to subgroup the patients, an improved objective response rate was observed in patients with a delta IL14α change higher than 2.46% ( P = .0072). A delta IL14α change over 2.46% was associated with a superior PFS ( P = .0039).

Conclusions:

Early changes of serum IL14α levels may be a promising biomarker to predict outcomes in patients with solid cancer following anti-PD-1 treatment.
The impact of race and ethnicity on acute telestroke care: A multistate experience
Authors: McDonald Mark , Sevilis Theresa , Boudreau Michelle , Chen Hsiong , Boyd Caitlyn , Avila Amanda , Zaman Mohammed , Heath Gregory , Gao Lan , Devlin Thomas
Published: April 2023

Introduction

Previous analyses suggest that ethnic and racial differences exist in acute stroke care including thrombolytic treatment rates. The current study evaluates ethnic or racial differences in acute stroke treatment within a multi-state telestroke program.

Methods

Acute telestroke consultations seen in the Emergency Department in 203 facilities and 23 states were extracted from the Telecare by TeleSpecialistsTM database. Cases were reviewed for age, race, ethnicity, sex, last known normal time, arrival time, treatment with thrombolytic therapy, door-to-needle (DTN) time, and baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score. Race was defined as Black, White, or Other; ethnicity was defined as Hispanic or non-Hispanic.

Results

The current study included 13,221 acute telestroke consultations consisting of 9890 White, 2048 Black, and 1283 patients classified as Other. A total of 934 patients were Hispanic and 12,287 patients were non-Hispanic. There were no statistically significant differences noted in thrombolytic treatment rates when comparing White (7.9%) patients with non-White patients (7.4%), p = 0.36, or comparing Black (8.1%) with non-Black patients (7.8%), p = 0.59. In addition, there were no statistically significant differences in treatment rates comparing Hispanic (6.3%) with non-Hispanic (7.9%) patients, p = 0.072. We noted no measurable differences in DTN times by race or ethnicity.

Conclusions

Contrary to previous reports, we failed to detect any significant differences in thrombolytic treatment rates and DTN times by race or ethnicity among stroke patients in a multistate telestroke program. These findings support the hypothesis that telestroke may mitigate racial and ethnic disparities which may be attributable to local variability in stroke procedures or access to healthcare.
Evaluation of cognitive disengagement syndrome in children with obsessive-compulsive disorder: Clinical implications
Authors: Uzun Cicek Ayla , Ucuz Ilknur , Isık Cansu Mercan , Temelli Gürkan
Published: April 2023

Cognitive disengagement syndrome (CDS) has been found to be associated with internalizing symptoms. Yet, no study thus far has focused on whether there is an association between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and CDS. The purpose of this study is to examine the symptom frequency and clinical implications of CDS in children with OCD. The study included sixty-one children with OCD and sixty-six typically developing children. Children were evaluated by a semi-constructed diagnosis interview, Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory, Barkley Child Attention Scale, and Stroop test. The frequency of elevated symptoms of CDS, and total time, total error, and total correction scores of the Stroop test were significantly higher in the OCD group compared to the controls. Elevated CDS symptoms were significantly associated with higher OCD symptom prevalence and poorer performance on the Stroop Test. Moreover, poor insight, hoarding symptoms, mental compulsions, and ADHD comorbidity were significantly higher in those with elevated CDS symptoms than in those without CDS in the OCD group. The findings of this study provide clinical implications that CDS symptoms may contribute to deficits in attentional orientation, conceptual flexibility, and cognitive processing speed in OCD.
A Book Review of ‘Basics of Child Neuropsychology: A Primer for Educators and Clinicians' by Stephen R Hooper
Authors: Moore Anna
Published: April 2023

A Book Review of ‘Basics of Child Neuropsychology: A Primer for Educators and Clinicians' by Stephen R. Hooper.
User agency–based versus machine agency–based misinformation interventions: The effects of commenting and AI fact-checking labeling on attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccination
Authors: Lee Jiyoung , Bissell Kim
Published: April 2023

This study aimed to examine the effects of commenting on a Facebook misinformation post by comparing a user agency–based intervention and machine agency–based intervention in the form of artificial intelligence (AI) fact-checking labeling on attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccination. We found that both interventions were effective at promoting positive attitudes toward vaccination compared to the misinformation-only condition. However, the intervention effects manifested differently depending on participants’ residential locations, such that the commenting intervention emerged as a promising tool for suburban participants. The effectiveness of the AI fact-checking labeling intervention was pronounced for urban populations. Neither of the fact-checking interventions showed salient effects with the rural population. These findings suggest that although user agency- and machine agency–based interventions might have potential against misinformation, these interventions should be developed in a more sophisticated way to address the unequal effects among populations in different geographic locations.
Justifying leniency at a time of punitiveness: Federal clemency narratives in the United States
Authors: Canossini Erika
Published: April 2023

Scholarship on contemporary US penality has paid little attention to practices opposing the punitive trend. This study explores clemency – official acts moderating punishment and its lasting consequences – as an executive back-end mechanism of leniency. To explore how clemency is discussed at a time of increasingly punitive penal policies, I conducted a qualitative analysis of 36 years’ worth of presidential statements on clemency from Reagan to Obama. This study revealed that three central justifications are used to validate clemency decisions: individuals’ deservingness, community benefits and justice ideals. Discussions of clemency challenge punitiveness by closing the social distance between individuals with criminal histories and law-abiding society and calling for moderation in punishment and penal reform. However, by using a justificatory tone and mirroring penal rationales, clemency statements are limited in inviting progressive change and at times actively drive and reinforce dominant punitive narratives.
Navigating Intersecting and Conflicting Identities: Experiences of Immigrant Mothers at a Canadian College
Authors: Cox Rebecca D.
Published: April 2023

This article explores the perspectives of immigrant student-parents who pursued post-secondary education at one community college in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Drawing from interviews with 10 women who had immigrated to Canada as adults, this analysis focuses on the experiences and pathways of the immigrant student-mothers into career preparation programs at the college. The accounts of these women illuminate tensions among the multiple identities that they navigated in the process of making a new life in Canada. Key themes I explore from their accounts include narratives of job downgrading and underemployment; the gendered complexity of navigating post-migration employment and child-rearing; and the emotional weight of navigating multiple identities as college students. Ultimately, this analysis highlights the emotional labor undertaken by immigrant mothers in a larger system of inequities in immigration, employment, and education.
A Parochial Comment on Midjourney
Authors: Byrne Ultan
Published: April 2023

This paper recommends that critical attention towards machine learning should be focused on the ordering procedures at work in these models. More precisely, it draws attention to the central role of ‘latent spaces.’ The paper first explores ‘latent space’ through a series of analogies, and then briefly situates the concept in relation to a genealogy reaching back to developments in mathematical statistics at the turn to the 20th century.
Long-Term Follow-up of Subjects With Iliac Occlusive Disease Treated With the Viabahn VBX Balloon-Expandable Endoprosthesis
Authors: Holden Andrew , Takele Elleni , Hill Andrew , Sakhuja Rahul , Metzger Christopher , Gray Bruce H. , Cavadino Alana
Published: April 2023

Introduction:

This physician-initiated study provides 5-year (i.e., long-term) treatment durability data from 3 top recruitment sites that participated in the prospective, multicenter, nonrandomized, single-arm VBX FLEX clinical study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02080871). It evaluates the long-term treatment durability of the GORE VIABAHN VBX Balloon Expandable Endoprosthesis (VBX Stent-Graft) in the treatment of subjects with de novo or restenotic aortoiliac lesions.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 59 subjects with 94 treated lesions were enrolled at the 3 participating sites from the original 140 intent-to-treat subjects in the VBX FLEX study. The primary durability endpoint was long-term primary patency. Secondary long-term outcomes included freedom from target lesion revascularization (TLR), freedom from target vessel revascularization (TVR), as well as resting ankle-brachial index (ABI), Rutherford category, EuroQol 5 Dimensions, and Walking Impairment status.

Results:

Fifty-nine subjects participated and twenty-eight (47.5%) were available through the end of the study at 5-year follow-up (the median follow-up time was 6.6 years due to complications resulting from COVID-19 precautions). At 3 and 5 years, the Kaplan-Meier estimates for freedom from all-cause mortality were 94.5% and 81.7%, respectively. The Kaplan-Meier estimates for primary patency at 3 and 5 years were 94.0% and 89.5% (by lesion) and 91.7% and 84.4% (by subject). Primary assisted patency at 3 and 5 years were 93.3% and 93.3%. Kaplan-Meier estimate for freedom from TLR at 5 years was 89.1%. The majority of subjects were asymptomatic (Rutherford category 0) at 3 years (29/59; 72%), and at 5-year follow-up (18/28; 64%). The 5-year mean resting ankle-brachial index was 0.95±0.18, an improvement of 0.15±0.26 from the baseline (p<0.001). Quality of life measures also showed sustained improvement through long-term follow-up.

Conclusion:

The 5-year long-term follow-up data underscore the robustness and durability of the Viabahn Balloon-Expandable Endoprosthesis for treating aortoiliac occlusive disease.

Clinical Impact

Durable improvement after endovascular treatment of iliac occlusive disease is clinically important because many of these patients are claudicants with significant life expectancy. This study is the first to evaluate the long-term outcomes in patients with iliac occlusive disease treated with the Viabahn VBX balloon-expandable endopirostheses. The study reports excellent long-term patency outcomes with prolonged clinical benefit. These durable results are likely to be an important consideration for clinicians undertaking iliac artery revascularization procedures.
Study on tensile properties of compression SOCKS ankle cut-strips at practical extension
Authors: Siddique Hafiz Faisal , Mazari Adnan Ahmed , Cirkl David , Akçagün Engin , Yilmaz Abdurrahim , Azeem Musaddaq , Petrů Michal , Masin Ivan
Published: April 2023

Compression pressure exertion is strongly related to mechanical properties of compression socks deployed with various type of materials and machine adjustments. These socks work on the principle of highest pressure at the ankle and gradually decrease towards the calf portion. Compression socks are used for the prophylaxis and treatment of venous disorders. Venous disorders range from minor asymptomatic incompetence of venous valves to chronic venous ulceration. Current research work contains analysis of the force at practical extension compared to experimental pressure (Ps), the relationship between experimental pressure (Ps), force at practical extension, and tensile indices which include hysteresis (H), tensile resilience (TR), and tensile linearity (TL). Results showed that the force value at practical extension (FL) impart the significant influence on experimental pressure (Ps). It is also portrayed that the tensile indices (W, W′, H, TR, and TL) combined with force at practical and experimental pressure also shown to have contributed significantly to the explanation of experimental pressure (Ps) results. Compression sock tensile characteristics are highly significant and directly related to their productivity, effectiveness, and working life.
Video Game Accessibility Defined Through Advocacy: How the Websites AbleGamers.org and CanIPlayThat.com Use the Word Accessibility
Authors: Anderson Sky LaRell
Published: April 2023

This study investigates how the word “accessibility” is used in online news articles published by two video game-based disability advocacy organizations. AbleGamers is an accessibility and disability advocacy charity focused on improving the lives of people with disabilities through gaming. Can I Play That? publishes accessibility reviews of video games. Both organizations have news pages that publish disability and accessibility news. The study examines 50 news articles published by these organizations for how they use the word “accessibility.” The articles produced 105 instances of the word “accessibility.” The study finds nine themes for how “accessibility” is used. The study compares those uses and concludes by producing six pseudo-definitions for video game accessibility.
Graphical Retrieval and Analysis of Temporal Information Systems (GRATIS): An Integrative Mixed Methodology and Open-Access Software to Analyze the (Non-)Linear Chronological Evolution of Information Embedded in Textual/Qualitative Data
Authors: González Canché Manuel S.
Published: April 2023

Like a video that reveals much more than a single photo, the incorporation of time to the analysis of qualitative evidence promotes contextualized understandings and allows research participants and readers to interactively review the processes and rationale that researchers followed to craft their findings and conclusions. However, mixed methods and qualitative methodologies available today forfeit the nuances gained by analyzing the chronological/temporal evolution of processes. We contribute to mixed methods research by introducing graphical retrieval and analysis of temporal information systems (GRATIS), a methodology (and open-access software) designed to visualize and analyze the time-based richness embedded in all qualitative/textual data. GRATIS employs dynamic network visualizations and data science mining/retrieval tools to combat the assumption that longitudinal studies require large timespans. We showcase how all qualitatively- or machine-learning-coded textual data may be analyzed with no extra feature engineering (i.e., data cleaning or preparation), rendering fully integrative/interactive outputs that strengthen the transparency of our findings and conclusions and open the “analytic black box” that characterizes most of mixed methods and qualitative studies to date. GRATIS contributes to democratizing data science by removing financial and computer programming barriers to benefit from data science applications. All data and software to replicate the analyses are provided with this submission.
Non-contact measurement of vibrations using deferred moiré patterns
Authors: Saveljev Vladimir , Son Jung-Young , Lee Hyoung , Heo Gwanghee
Published: April 2023

We measured vertical and horizontal displacements of distant objects based on the moiré effect. The grid attached to the object was photographed and recorded on video camera. The video was processed later in the lab. The method is self-calibrated and does not need special equipment in the field (except for a regular videographer’s apparatus). The objectives of this study were to create a method for non-contact moiré measurement based on camera images and to find a way to deal with anomalous vibrations of structures. The experimental measurements of the fundamental frequency are in accordance with the theory of square beams. Tests with broken models were also conducted. The influence of two opposite factors on the fundamental frequency in the beams with cracks was estimated. In determining the pre-failure condition, the decay rate seems to be a more promising indicator than the fundamental frequency; however, this was only observed when a crack was near the fixed edge. The results and findings can be applied in measuring displacement in various objects; in public safety, and particularly, in distinguishing between normal and abnormal vibration in bridges.
An examination of cannabis-related information typically asked by consumers at retail cannabis locations: A Canadian survey of budtenders and managers
Authors: Cameron Jameason , Dhalla Rahim , Lougheed Taylor , Blanc Ariane , Vaillancourt Régis
Published: April 2023

Background:

Since cannabis has been legalized in Canada for medicinal and recreational use, there has been an increased demand on pharmacists for cannabis counselling. The aim of the study was to examine typical questions posed by consumers to managers and budtenders working at licensed recreational cannabis stores in Canada and to assess how often consumers seek unlicensed medical advice to treat various conditions using cannabis.

Methods:

An online survey was synthesized, consisting of 22 questions capturing demographics and Likert scale responses to survey questions, and was distributed online across Canada from January to June 2021.

Results:

There were 211 survey respondents: 91 budtenders and 120 managers. A total of 87.7% ( n = 185) of respondents indicated that they receive questions related to cannabis use for medical purposes and/or perceived medical benefit, with the same number indicating that they have been told by a customer that their physician sent them to obtain a cannabis-containing product for medical purposes. The most common cannabis component asked about in an average day was THC (42% of responses).

Conclusion:

An alarming proportion of budtenders and managers in Canada report that they are fielding medical cannabis questions. This situation has the potential to put individuals at risk for drug-drug interactions and drug-disease interactions and to increase unnecessary hospitalizations due to adverse effects.
Child word learning in song and speech
Authors: Ma Weiyi , Bowers Lisa , Behrend Douglas , Hellmuth Margulis Elizabeth , Forde Thompson William
Published: April 2023

Listening to sung words rather than spoken words can facilitate word learning and memory in adults and school-aged children. To explore the development of this effect in young children, this study examined word learning (assessed as forming word-object associations) in 1- to 2-year olds and 3- to 4-year olds, and word long-term memory (LTM) in 4- to 5-year olds several days after the initial learning. In an intermodal preferential looking paradigm, children were taught a pair of words utilising adult-directed speech (ADS) and a pair of sung words. Word learning performance was better with sung words than with ADS words in 1- to 2-year olds (Experiments 1a and 1b), 3- to 4-year olds (Experiment 1a), and 4- to 5-year olds (Experiment 2b), revealing a benefit of song in word learning in all age ranges recruited. We also examined whether children successfully learned the words by comparing their performance against chance. The 1- to 2-year olds only learned sung words, but the 3- to 4-year olds learned both sung and ADS words, suggesting that the reliance on music features in word learning observed at ages 1–2 decreased with age. Furthermore, song facilitated the word mapping–recognition processes. Results on children’s LTM performance showed that the 4- to 5-year olds’ LTM performance did not differ between sung and ADS words. However, the 4- to 5-year olds reliably recalled sung words but not spoken words. The reliable LTM of sung words arose from hearing sung words during the initial learning rather than at test. Finally, the benefit of song on word learning and the reliable LTM of sung words observed at ages 3–5 cannot be explained as an attentional effect.
Subjective knowledge in open water activities: Scale development and validation
Authors: Cho Heetae , Koh Koon Teck , Chian Lit Khoon
Published: April 2023

Subjective knowledge is a significant factor influencing individuals’ behaviors. It plays a critical role in preventing people from tragic event during open water activities (OWAs). However, a measurement scale for subjective knowledge in OWAs has not been developed and comprehensively investigated in the field of maritime and coaching studies. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and validate a subjective knowledge scale in OWAs (SKS-OWA) to better understand participants’ safety perceptions. We collected data from individuals who participated in OWAs within three years in Singapore. This study conducted the pilot study ( n = 260) and the main study ( n = 453) and employed a rigorous scale development procedure to assess the psychometric properties of the SKS-OWA. The findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of subjective knowledge in OWAs, and the SKS-OWA can be used to help coaches and practitioners to plan their training programs, increase public awareness, and reduce the rates of deaths from drowning.
Challenging traditions: Systematic review of practice, instruction, and motor skill acquisition in soccer
Authors: Pacheco Matheus M , de Oliveira Luiz M M , dos Santos Carlos C A , Godoi Filho José R M , Drews Ricardo
Published: April 2023

Williams and Hodges (2005) stated five myths that soccer coaches held when organizing their athletes’ practice. However, their arguments were based, majorly, in laboratory studies which limit their validity. Here, we performed a systematic review to verify the validity of their claims and map the current scenario of how coaches can manipulate factors of practice (augmented information, focus of attention, demonstration, and practice schedule) to support learning and performance in soccer. The results, in terms of each category or the myths presented, are, in most cases, not unanimous and much more must be performed to support, or criticize, coaches’ practice. We provide an encompassing view that provides general ideas for practice and future research.
Design of intelligent visitor system based on cloud and edge collaborative computing
Authors: Zhao Xiao-Feng , Chen Zi-Heng , Yin He-Feng , Wu Xiao-Jun
Published: April 2023

With the maturity of face recognition and speech recognition technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) cloud and edge computing collaboration have become a new research direction. In many enterprises and government departments, there are certain management requirements for visitors, usually using traditional manual records or computer-aided manual management. These methods require certain personnel management costs, and they face underlying problems concerned with personal identification as well as security. In this paper, we analyze the functions and features of cloud-edge collaboration and discuss the edge intelligence technology in the cloud-edge collaboration environment. Then by combining the architecture of the intelligent visitor system, we apply AI cloud and edge computing to collaboratively solve critical issues faced by the visitor system, such as real-time and data authenticity. The intelligent visitor system employs a Rockchip RK3399 motherboard, ID card reader, microphone array, camera, and other hardware to build an edge computing environment. Combined with Baidu AI cloud, the system has an intelligent visitor system with face recognition and voice interaction capabilities, which can realize verification of visitor information, voice self-registration, and automatic measurement of visitors’ body temperature and other functions.