bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multiple Cranial Neuropathies and Pachymeningitis in a Patient With a Pathogenic Nucleotide-Binding Oligomerization Domain 2 Polymorphism
Authors: Vegunta Sravanthi , Bohnsack John , Crum Alison , Digre Kathleen , Katz Bradley , Seay Meagan , Quigley Edward , Kennedy Sean , Mamalis Nick , Warner Judith
Published: November 2021

An 11-year-old boy presented with 2 weeks of intermittent headache, right orbital pain, and constant diplopia. Brain MRI showed dural thickening and enhancement of the right lateral cavernous sinus, right orbital apex, and tentorium. Initial cerebral spinal fluid analysis showed only mild pleocytosis, and serum diagnostics were unrevealing. The working diagnosis was Tolosa-Hunt syndrome. His pain and sixth nerve palsy resolved with corticosteroids. Five months after initial presentation, he developed new numbness of the right cheek, complete right ophthalmoplegia, and weakness and numbness of his right hand and leg, all of which were responsive to steroids. Fifteen months later, he returned to the emergency department with 2 weeks of left-sided headaches and acute diplopia. On examination, he had a left cranial nerve 6 palsy. Dural biopsy showed diffuse mononuclear inflammatory cell reaction consisting mostly of lymphocytes with no signs of granuloma formation, nor any epithelioid or giant cells. His clinical course was consistent with an autoinflammatory condition of unknown etiology. Genetic testing with an immunodeficiency panel showed a risk allele in NOD2 (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2) c.3019dup (p.Leu1007Prof*2) that is associated with an increased risk for Crohn disease. His clinical condition had similarities to central nervous system sarcoidosis. Because of the similarities between our patient's clinical, imaging, and genetic findings and neurosarcoidosis, he was switched to a more targeted therapy—infliximab. His condition has since been stable for nearly 2 years. In conclusion, genetic testing should be considered in patients with suspected occult autoimmunity.
Faecalibacter bovis sp. nov., isolated from cow faeces
Authors: Li Fuxiang , Zhao Wenhua , Hong Qionghua , Shao Qingyong , Song Jianling , Yang Shibiao
Published: November 2021

A Gram-stain-negative, non-spore-forming, yellow-pigmented, aerobic, pleomorphic rod-shaped bacterium, designated ZY171143T, was isolated from faeces of a cow with diarrhoea in Wenshan, Yunnan Province, south-west China and its taxonomic position was studied. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain ZY171143T belonged to the family

Weeksellaceae

and was most closely related to the only species of the genus

Faecalibacter

,

Faecalibacter macacae

CCTCC AB 2016016T with a sequence similarity of 97.8 %. The genomic OrthoANI and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values between the strain and

F. macacae

CCTCC AB 2016016T were 86.2 and 30.5 %, respectively. The genomic G+C content was 31.1 mol%. The predominant fatty acids (>5 %) were C15 : 0 iso, C17 : 0 iso 3OH, C16 : 0, C16 : 1 ω5c and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or 16 : 1 ω6c). The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, triacylglycerol and sulfonolipid. The sole respiratory quinone was MK-6. These chemotaxonomic characterizations also revealed that strain ZY171143T was a member of the genus

Faecalibacter

. Based on the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic data, strain ZY171143T represents a novel species within the genus

Faecalibacter

, for which the name Faecalibacter bovis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ZY171143T (=CGMCC 1.13663T=KCTC 62642T).
Warmth or competence? The effects of cool and cuteness on the perceived quality of digital products
Authors: Li Baoku , Nan Yafeng , Yao Ruoxi
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of cuteness and cool on the perceived quality of digital products, the mediating effect of brand perception (warmth and competence) and the moderating effect of the individual perception level.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper utilizes experimental design and survey methods to collect data and the ANOVA, independent sample t-test and bootstrap analysis methods to verify the assumed hypotheses.

Findings

Studies 1 and 2 demonstrate that cuteness (vs cool) is more likely to promote the perception of brand warmth (vs competence), and the brand perception plays a mediating role between cuteness (cool) and the perceived quality. Study 3 replicates the findings of Study 2 and indicates that people with high-cuteness (vs low-cuteness) perception are the same to perceive the brand warmth to promote the perceived quality of digital products, but people with high-cool (vs low-cool) perception are more likely to perceive the brand competence to promote the perceived quality of digital products.

Practical implications

Based on the conclusions in this paper, marketers could emphasize the cool information of digital products in advertisements to promote the perceived quality to promote younger consumers' willingness to pay (WTP). Furthermore, firms could shape warm brand images by the perception of cuteness because cuteness is positively associated with the warmth of brand perception (e.g. the logo of Three Squirrels, a Chinese nut business brand that consists of three cute squirrels).

Originality/value

From a theoretical standpoint, this paper contributes to the brand perception when consumers accept product information with the characteristics of cuteness or cool. Second, a model of perceived quality of digital products is built based on the stereotype content theory. Third, this paper considers individual perception levels on cuteness and cool as the boundaries to conduct further conceptual model.
How can hotel smartphone apps enhance hotel guest experiences? An integrated model of experiential value
Authors: Kim Hyeongmin , Huh Chang , Song Chanho , Lee Myong Jae
Published: November 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships among the experiential value of hotel apps, the cognitive and affective evaluation of hotel apps users, hotel apps users’ satisfaction and their endorsement for the hotel apps. Specifically, this study examined the relationships that enhance hotel guests’ experiences through hotel apps.

Design/methodology/approach

The measurement items were developed through extensive literature review. This study used a web-based survey to test an integrated model of the experiential value. With a total of 320 usable samples, partial least squares structural equation modeling was carried out to identify key “driver” constructs and validate the proposed model.

Findings

A significant relationship was found in the playfulness of hotel apps and hotel guests’ cognitive and affective evaluations of the hotel apps, which positively influence hotel guests’ satisfaction and their endorsement for the hotel apps. Hotel apps should create fun and entertainment features in the hotel apps so that the users of hotel apps can be enjoyable during their usage. In addition, providing hotel apps users with time saving and easy use of the hotel apps can affect their satisfaction and endorsement for the hotel apps.

Originality/value

This study confirmed the positive links among hotel apps users’ experiential value, their cognitive and affective evaluation of the hotel apps, their satisfaction of using the hotel apps and their endorsement for the hotel apps. This study also revealed that hotel apps can be hotels’ effective communication tool that enhances existing and potential customers’ overall experiences.
The effect of plant invasion on soil microbial carbon‐use efficiency in semi‐arid grasslands of the Rocky Mountain West
Authors: Nasto Megan K. , McLeod Morgan Luce , Bullington Lorinda , Lekberg Ylva , Stark John M.
Published: November 2021

Grassland ecosystems invaded by exotic plant species often exhibit substantially higher above‐ground productivity and soil nitrogen (N) than the native communities they replace. These shifts are likely associated with altered microbial carbon (C) and N cycling, but we know surprisingly little about how these processes change with plant invasion.

Targeting four invasive plant species common in the Rocky Mountain West, we collected soils from invaded and adjacent uninvaded grassland field plots, as well as from an experimental garden. We used a laboratory incubation of soils with 13C‐ and 15N‐labelled substrates to examine how microbial C respiration, C assimilation and N cycling differed among plant communities. To assess how these rates corresponded with plant productivity and microbial communities, we measured above‐ground plant biomass and characterized bacterial and fungal communities using Illumina sequencing.

In the paired observational plots, soil microbial communities associated with invaders generally had higher respiration rates and lower growth rates than those associated with the native plant communities, leading to a lower microbial carbon‐use efficiency (CUE). Overall, soil substrate with a lower C:N was related to decreased CUE, and lower CUE was related to increased gross and net N mineralization. In turn, faster gross N mineralization was related to greater above‐ground biomass. These patterns coincided with significant differences in fungal communities, whereas bacterial communities varied by site. Invasive plants also altered microbial communities in the experimental plots, but this was not associated with shifts in microbial CUE, which was low overall.

Synthesis. Our results provide evidence that invasive plants alter bacterial and fungal communities. These shifts were not associated with changes in microbial CUE and, thus, the often‐assumed link between compositional and functional shifts was not apparent in this study. However, lower CUE was associated with elevated rates of N cycling and productivity, which, in low‐productivity systems, could help explain the increased growth and success of exotic plant invaders.
Performing Catholic Masculinity in Early Twentieth‐Century Spain: The International Eucharistic Congress of Madrid (1911)*
Authors: Núñez‐Bargueño Natalia
Published: November 2021

This article seeks to establish a new perspective for the understanding of Catholic masculinity by relating men's devotional practices to urban space, to the development of mass culture and politics, and to the development of modern international Catholic spiritual trends. The study of men's piety in the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) questions the clear‐cut dichotomies with which some historians still tend to approach the study of religion, gender, and modernity. Men's presence in public and urban space has traditionally been studied from the perspective of their role as citizens participating in modern types of homosocial gatherings, protests, and political meetings. This view has tended to overlook other forms of social action, particularly new forms of “devotional activism.” Firmly rooted in the wider Catholic revival movement, all‐male processions are an interesting example of these “reinvented” forms of institutionalized piety with which the Hierarchy and Holy See hoped to reinforce Catholicism's presence in the public and urban spheres, as well as in the masculine universe. The first part of the article explains our specific hermeneutic perspective, in particular with relation to establishing a reconsideration of religion's relationship to urban space. The second part analyses the all‐male procession in the IEC of Madrid (1911).
Enlightenment of the Mariana Fore‐arc Sedimentary Basin Evolution to the Subduction Process
Authors: XING Lei , LI Qianqian , MENG Qingwei , LIU Huaishan , WEI Jia , LÜ Boran , ZHOU Heng
Published: November 2021

The Mariana subduction structure is a hot topic in ocean‐ocean subduction zone research, and its subduction mechanism has attracted wide attention from experts and scholars in China and abroad. Based on the multi‐channel seismic data of survey line MGL1204 in the Mariana fore‐arc and DSDP ocean drilling data, this paper studies the development and evolution characteristics of the structure and strata in the Cenozoic Mariana fore‐arc sedimentary basin. The Cenozoic strata are divided into six seismic sequences, with the possible era of each seismic sequence discerned, and the relationship between fault development and earthquakes analyzed. The episodic activity of the volcanic chain of the Mariana island arc is thought to control the tectonic and stratigraphic development pattern of the Cenozoic sedimentary basin in the fore‐arc. Between 16°N–19°N and 146°E–151°E, the maximum thickness of the sedimentary center of the Cenozoic fore‐arc sedimentary basin in Mariana is about 2360 m. Normal faults are developed in the area and some broke to the seabed, indicating that the Mariana island arc is still in the post‐arc expansion stage. The application of multi‐channel seismic sections in structural and stratigraphic evolution study is an important means to elucidating the Mariana subduction mechanism.
Big data feature selection using fish and frog optimization
Authors: R. P. S. Manikandan , A. M. Kalpana
Published: November 2021

Big data denotes a large amount of data which includes a wide range of such methodologies like big data collection, storage, analysis, and managing the data. Every data collected in this process (homogeneous or heterogeneous considered as data), we called as big data. In this article, fish colony and their social behavior are used recently for developing an algorithm, we called as novel represented as fish swarm optimization algorithm (FSOA), which is based on the fish swarm and its behavior while search for food. The shuffled frog leaping algorithm (SFLA) is one which we introduced recently for finding near optimal solutions. The technique of Hybrid FSO‐SFLA is used here for evaluating performance in big data queries.
Adaptive partitioning‐based copy‐move image forgery detection using optimal enabled deep neuro‐fuzzy network
Authors: Mariappan Geetha , Satish Aravapalli Rama , Reddy P. V. Bhaskar , Maram Balajee
Published: November 2021

The emergence of photo editing applications, like Adobe Photoshop, has manipulated the operation of digital images into a simple task. However, these manipulations of images misrepresent the content of the original image for misleading the public. Various copy move forgery detection techniques are developed, but these show less robustness on the image with noise and blurring. This article develops an optimization‐driven deep learning technique for image forgery detection. The purpose is to develop a copy‐move image forgery detection technique using a deep neuro‐fuzzy network and a newly developed optimization algorithm. Here, adaptive partitioning is adapted using a rectangular search for splitting the image into different parts. In addition, the features like local Gabor XOR pattern and Texton features are extracted from the partition. Furthermore, the forgery is detected using the deep neuro‐fuzzy network. Finally, the deep neuro‐fuzzy network training is performed using the proposed multi‐verse invasive weed optimization (MVIWO) technique. The proposed MVIWO method will be newly designed by integrating the multi‐verse optimizer and invasive weed optimization technique. Thus, the copy‐move image forgery detection is effectively performed using the proposed MVIWO‐based deep neuro‐fuzzy network. The developed MVIWO‐based deep neuro‐fuzzy network offers superior performance with the highest specificity of 93.54%, highest accuracy of 94.01%, and highest sensitivity of 97.75%.
Recruitment contributions and natal fidelity in tributary rivers of the Grand Lake, Oklahoma, Paddlefish stock
Authors: Schooley Jason D. , Whitledge Gregory W. , Scarnecchia Dennis L.
Published: November 2021

Microchemistry of sectioned dentary (lower jaw) bones was used to determine natal river (Neosho, Spring or Elk River) of paddlefish Polyodon spathula (Walbaum) in the economically important snag fishery in Grand Lake, northeastern Oklahoma, and to assess the relative importance of the tributary rivers as sources of recruits to the fishery. Geological differences between the Neosho River and Spring River watersheds resulted in large differences in water strontium:calcium (Sr:Ca) ratios reflected in dentary Sr:Ca for paddlefish from each river. Dentary core Sr:Ca signatures were used to infer natal river for paddlefish harvested over the period 2008–2018. Most harvested fish (87%) were identified as Neosho River origin, and 7% were within the predicted range for Spring River origin (6% undetermined). Relative frequencies of Neosho River and Spring River‐origin fish (the latter, all ≤10%) differed among cohorts but did not differ among years, locations or sexes. Results corroborate a sonar survey of spawning substrates that concluded that the Neosho River has higher potential value for paddlefish spawning and recruitment than the Spring River. No evidence of natal river fidelity was found. Results highlight the importance of maintaining habitat conditions and inform harvest management regulations required for paddlefish spawning, recruitment and sustainability.
Natural forests promote phosphorus retention in soil
Authors: Yu Zhen , Guoyi Zhou , Liu Lei , Manzoni Stefano , Ciais Philippe , Goll Daniel , Peñuelas Josep , Sardans Jordi , Wang Wantong , Zhu Jie , Li Lin , Yan Junhua , Liu Juxiu , Tang Xuli
Published: November 2021

Soil phosphorus (P) availability often limits plant productivity. Classical theories suggest that total P content declines at the temporal scale of pedogenesis, and ecosystems develop toward the efficient use of scarce P during succession. However, the trajectory of ecosystem P within shorter time scales of succession remains unclear. We analyzed changes to P pools at the early (I), middle (II), and late (III) stages of growth of plantation forests (PFs) and the successional stages of natural forests (NFs) at 1969 sites in China. We found significantly lower P contents at later growth stages compared to earlier ones in the PF (p < .05), but higher contents at late successional stages than in earlier stages in the NF (p < .05). Our results indicate that increasing P demand of natural vegetation during succession, may raise, retain, and accumulate P from deeper soil layers. In contrast, ecosystem P in PF was depleted by the more rapidly increasing demand outpacing the development of a P‐efficient system. We advocate for more studies to illuminate the mechanisms for determining the divergent changes, which would improve forest management and avoid the vast degradation of PF ecosystems suffering from the ongoing depletion of P.
Combining ability and selection for agronomic and nutritional traits in Urochloa spp. hybrids
Authors: Gouveia Beatriz Tomé , Mateus Rogério Gonçalves , Barrios Sanzio Carvalho Lima , do Valle Cacilda Borges , de Sousa Bueno Filho Júlio Sílvio , Fernando Rios Esteban , Dias Alexandre Menezes , Rodrigues Nunes José Airton
Published: November 2021

The Urochloa spp. breeding program at EMBRAPA‐Brazil targets the development of apomictic hybrids to improve animal performance, while reducing the environmental impact of livestock. In summary, breeders perform multiple crosses between apomictic and sexual parents, and screen progeny to perform selections for agronomic and nutritional traits across several harvests, years and locations. Thus, choosing the right parents and the cross combinations is crucial for the success of the breeding program. The objectives of this study were to: (i) estimate the general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining ability, and contribution of additive and nonadditive effects, from a partial diallel cross design between three apomictic and ten sexual parents, for agronomical and nutritional traits in Urochloa spp.; (ii) assess genetic gain for all traits by selecting for yield of high nutritional value leaf mass (NLM); (iii) characterize the genotype profiles using genotype by yield*trait (GYT) biplot analysis. A total of 1380 interspecific hybrids from 29 full‐sib progenies were evaluated and then the hybrid selection was performed based on studentized best linear unbiased prediction of NLM. The 10% top‐performing hybrids were used in the GYT analysis using NLM as the basic variable. There was a predominance of nonadditive effects on the phenotypic expression of agronomic and nutritional value traits. The GCA was observed only for some traits in sexual parents, whereas SCA was observed in all traits. The selection based on NLM provided favorable gains for most of the agronomic traits and GYT biplot analysis was efficient to characterize genotype profiles.
Development and validation of a supervised deep learning algorithm for automated whole‐slide programmed death‐ligand 1 tumour proportion score assessment in non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Hondelink Liesbeth M , Hüyük Melek , Postmus Pieter E , Smit Vincent T H B M , Blom Sami , von der Thüsen Jan H , Cohen Danielle
Published: November 2021

Aims

Immunohistochemical programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) staining to predict responsiveness to immunotherapy in patients with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has several drawbacks: a robust gold standard is lacking, and there is substantial interobserver and intraobserver variance, with up to 20% discordance around cutoff points. The aim of this study was to develop a new deep learning‐based PD‐L1 tumour proportion score (TPS) algorithm, trained and validated on a routine diagnostic dataset of digitised PD‐L1 (22C3, laboratory‐developed test)‐stained samples.

Methods and results

We designed a fully supervised deep learning algorithm for whole‐slide PD‐L1 assessment, consisting of four sequential convolutional neural networks (CNNs), using aiforia create software. We included 199 whole slide images (WSIs) of ‘routine diagnostic’ histology samples from stage IV NSCLC patients, and trained the algorithm by using a training set of 60 representative cases. We validated the algorithm by comparing the algorithm TPS with the reference score in a held‐out validation set. The algorithm had similar concordance with the reference score (79%) as the pathologists had with one another (75%). The intraclass coefficient was 0.96 and Cohen’s κ coefficient was 0.69 for the algorithm. Around the 1% and 50% cutoff points, concordance was also similar between pathologists and the algorithm.

Conclusions

We designed a new, deep learning‐based PD‐L1 TPS algorithm that is similarly able to assess PD‐L1 expression in daily routine diagnostic cases as pathologists. Successful validation on routine diagnostic WSIs and detailed visual feedback show that this algorithm meets the requirements for functioning as a ‘scoring assistant’.
Formation mechanism and microhardness characterization of the ultrasonic hardening layer in cementitious materials
Authors: Shi Yong , Wang Lihui , Zhang Zhanrong , Yang Liguo
Published: November 2021

Ultrasonic surface treatment (UST) is a novel treatment method to improve the durability of cementitious materials, resulting in the formation of an ultrasonic hardening layer (UHL). The UHL acts as an effective natural coating, offering penetration and erosion protection. However, the formation mechanism and the quantitative characterization of the UHL have not been studied, and the validity of the UST on the top and side surfaces of cementitious materials is still unknown. Therefore, in this study, we investigated and proposed a formation mechanism for the UHL, and defined a transition layer between the UHL and the matrix. We also utilized HV microhardness testing to provide an effective quantitative characterization method for the UHL. Finally, using a set of custom‐designed ultrasonic molds, we confirmed the validity of the UST on the top and side surfaces of the cementitious materials.
Vacuolar ATPase subunit F is critical for larval survival in Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata
Authors: Zeng Jie , Kang Wei‐Nan , Jin Lin , Anjum Ahmad Ali , Li Guo‐Qing
Published: November 2021

Vacuolar ATPase (vATPase) is an important proton pump in insect tissues including gut and Malpighian tubule. Subunit F, one of the 16 subunits of the vATPase holoenzyme, is not well characterized. Here, we found that two HvvATPaseF isoforms were highly expressed in the hindgut and Malpighian tubules (MT) in the 28‐spotted lady‐beetle Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata, an agricultural pest that feeds on Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae. Knockdown of both HvvATPaseF variants by RNA interference (RNAi) delayed larval growth and negatively affected ecdysis and adult emergence. In the midgut, RNAi treatment resulted in the disappearance of peritrophic membrane, the reduction in the size and the impaired integrity of the gut, which was associated with sparse principle cells and an increase in TUNEL‐ and EdU‐positive cells. Whereas the MT were opaque and the tubule lumens were full of urine in dsegfp‐fed larvae, the tubules were clear and the tubule lumens were empty in the dsvATPaseF‐fed larvae. HvvATPaseF knockdown was also associated with a decrease in the abundance of the fat body and the levels of glucose, trehalose, triglyceride, total soluble amino acids and proteins, and an increase in glycogen. Consistent with the known effects of sugars on chitin formation, both the expression level of a chitin biosynthesis gene and the thickness of the head capsule cuticle were reduced in the HvvATPaseF‐depleted beetles. Our results demonstrated that subunit F plays an essential role in H. vigintioctopunctata development.
Factors associated with postpartum resumption of sexual intercourse among women in China: A retrospective multicenter study
Authors: Fan Xiaorong , Zhou Fang , Li Yuyan , Xia Wei , Che Yan ,   PPC Study Group
Published: November 2021

Objective

To examine the prevalence and factors associated with early resumption of sexual intercourse among postnatal women in China.

Method

We conducted a retrospective multicenter study of 15 834 postpartum women from 60 hospitals in 15 different locations across China. Data were obtained from questionnaires administered to the participants. All dates were analyzed using a one‐way ANOVA and two‐level Cox multiple linear regression models.

Results

More than half of the participating women (55.9%) resumed sexual intercourse by 3 months postpartum. The independent variables associated with the postpartum resumption of sexual intercourse included sociodemographic characteristics (age, geographic location, educational attainment) and medical histories, including the previous abortion (incorporate with spontaneous and voluntary abortion) frequency, menstrual recovery, exclusive breastfeeding, and number of living children (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

More than half of the women in this study resumed sexual intercourse within 3 months postpartum. Women with a lower educational attainment and from the western regions of China were more likely to resume sexual intercourse earlier. Increasing age, delayed recovery of menses, and exclusive breastfeeding were associated with a delayed resumption of sexual intercourse. Women who had greater experience with abortion or the number of living children resumed sexual intercourse earlier than their counterparts.
Recess and Overweight and Obesity in Children 5‐11 Years of Age: 2013‐2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey*
Authors: Rogers Chakene D. , Richardson Michael R. , Churilla James R.
Published: November 2021

BACKGROUND

Recess has been shown to increase total daily energy expenditure, which may favorably impact body mass index by decreasing adiposity. This study examines associations between recess participation and adiposity.

METHODS

The study sample included male (N = 1434) and female (N = 1409) children 5 to 11 years of age participating in the 2013‐2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Overweight and obesity were defined using age‐ and sex‐specific percentiles. Recess participation interview questions were answered via proxy response.

RESULTS

Compared to a referent group participating in recess 5 days/week for >30 minutes/day and independent of demographic and behavioral factors, analysis revealed significantly greater odds of obesity in females reporting no recess participation (odds ratio 1.80; 95% confidence interval, 1.03‐3.15, p = .03). Furthermore, minority females were consistently found to possess greater odds of overweight and obesity independent of recess participation time. Only Mexican American boys were found to have greater odds of obesity independent of participation recess time.

CONCLUSIONS

In a large nationally representative sample of US children, reporting no recess was associated with significantly greater odds of obesity in females. Minority females were also more likely to be overweight and obese and Mexican American boys are more likely to be obese independent of recess participation time.
Grasslands half‐full: investigating drivers of spatial heterogeneity in ungulate occurrence in Indian Terai
Authors: Rastogi S. , Chanchani P. , Sankaran M. , Warrier R.
Published: November 2021

Grassland ecosystems have declined in their extent globally, driving declines in wild ungulate populations. Even within the remnant grasslands, ungulate distribution is highly heterogeneous for reasons that are not well understood. This in turn undermines both local and landscape level conservation efforts for these often‐neglected ecosystems and the herbivores they support. We investigated grassland‐ungulate relationships in the Terai region of North India, where wild ungulates are patchily distributed across alluvial grasslands, a besieged ecosystem. Specifically, we posited that spatial variation in grassland habitat use by swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii duvaucelii), hog deer (Axis porcinus) and spotted deer (Axis axis) would be explained by community composition, palatability of key grasses, and fire and flooding regimes in grasslands. Hierarchical clustering and multivariate ordination revealed that three dominant tall‐grass communities and the narrowly distributed and more palatable short grass Cynodon‐Oryza community were only marginally influenced by fire and flood histories. Ungulate habitat use, assessed using occupancy models for spatially correlated data, indicated that hog deer were ubiquitously distributed across the grasslands in the park (habitat use probability, ᴪ = 0.92, se = 0.05) utilizing a diverse range of grassland types, while spotted deer (ᴪ = 0.80, se = 0.17) and swamp deer (ᴪ = 0.45, se = 0.10) occurrence within grasslands was relatively lower. Grass height and grassland extent positively influenced habitat use of swamp deer and spotted deer, respectively. However, grassland community composition, fire history, flood history and palatability were relatively uninformative predictors of fine‐scale habitat use. Our study provides a robust baseline for future monitoring of grasslands and ungulates as well as insights for the design and implementation of grassland management interventions.
The legal status of Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs): Challenges and improvements for PSSA resolutions
Authors: Choi Junghwan
Published: November 2021

As an area‐based management tool, the concept of the Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) has played a significant role in protecting the marine environment and marine ecosystems from threats posed by international shipping activities. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) allows a coastal State to adopt various associated protective measures in a proposed PSSA for the protection of the marine environment and the conservation of biological diversity. Yet PSSAs remain controversial, as they are based on IMO resolutions, which are not legally binding. To examine the legal status of a PSSA, this article analyses the legal effects of IMO resolutions, their relationship with Part XII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the application of the precautionary principle. Furthermore, the article examines limitations of PSSAs and suggests how the effectiveness of PSSAs in preventing vessel‐source pollution could be strengthened. The article concludes by referring to the necessity of revision of the PSSA resolutions to clarify the legal status of PSSAs.
Salud mental colectiva y cuidados transnacionales. Retos y desafíos
Authors: Arias López Beatriz Elena , Hernández Holguín Dora María
Published: November 2021

En este artículo se plantea una reflexión sobre la migración internacional partiendo de las cercanías de este fenómeno social y político con el desplazamiento forzado en el marco del conflicto armado en Colombia. Específicamente, en este punto de intersección se ubica la experiencia de “vivir en tierra ajena” y sus implicaciones para el mundo de las relaciones, las emociones y los afectos, para la salud mental. Estas reflexiones tienen su base empírica en procesos de investigación y de acompañamiento a comunidades campesinas afectadas por el conflicto armado para el fortalecimiento del cuidado comunitario y de la salud mental colectiva, con la participación activa de las comunidades. Este proceso ha permitido resaltar una salud mental colectiva, con fundamento en lo relacional, histórico y político, posibilitadora de la transformación social, en contraposición a la salud mental individualista, funcionalista y morbicéntrica. Desde esta perspectiva se exponen las nociones de “sufrimiento social”, “sufrimiento ético político” y “humillación social”, “territorio, territorialidad y lugar” y “cuidados transnacionales” en su relación directa con la salud mental –colectiva– desde una perspectiva de derechos en casos de migración. Se propone así un giro epistémico hacia la salud mental colectiva y su propuesta de un sujeto histórico-social, estético y político que participa activamente en la invención de nuevas formas de vida, punto de partida en la reorientación del cuidado de la salud mental.
Comparing Virtual and Face-to-Face Team Collaboration: Insights From an Agent-Based Simulation
Authors: Singh Harshika , Cascini Gaetano , McComb Christopher
Published: November 2021

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the acceptance of virtual team collaboration as a replacement for face-to-face collaboration. Unlike face-to-face collaboration, virtual collaboration has different factors like technology mediation influencing communication that affects a team’s processes. However, there is a lack of rigorous research that assesses the impact of virtual teaming on the engineering design process. Therefore, the current study investigates the effect of virtual team collaboration on design outcomes by means of the MILANO (Model of Influence, Learning, and Norms in Organizations) framework. To tailor MILANO for virtual collaboration, this paper first presents an empirical study of human design teams, that shows how the model parameters for face-to-face collaboration (like self-efficacy, perceived influencers, perceived degree of influence, trust and familiarity) must be modified. The empirical study also shows the positive impact of effective communication on conflict resolution, task cohesion and the model parameters listed above. The simulation results for both virtual and face-to-face collaboration show how design outcomes differ with collaboration mode.
Data Augmentation for Roller Bearing Health Indicator Estimation Using Multi-Channel Frequency Data Representations
Authors: Hendriks Jacob , Dumond Patrick
Published: November 2021

This paper demonstrates various data augmentation techniques that can be used when working with limited run-to-failure data to estimate health indicators related to the remaining useful life of roller bearings. The PRONOSTIA bearing prognosis dataset is used for benchmarking data augmentation techniques. The input to the networks are multi-dimensional frequency representations obtained by combining the spectra taken from two accelerometers. Data augmentation techniques are adapted from other machine learning fields and include adding Gaussian noise, region masking, masking noise, and pitch shifting. Augmented datasets are used in training a conventional CNN architecture comprising two convolutional and pooling layer sequences with batch normalization. Results from individually separating each bearing’s data for the purpose of validation shows that all methods, except pitch shifting, give improved validation accuracy on average. Masking noise and region masking both show the added benefit of dataset regularization by giving results that are more consistent after repeatedly training each configuration with new randomly generated augmented datasets. It is shown that gradually deteriorating bearings and bearings with abrupt failure are not treated significantly differently by the augmentation techniques.
A Novel Method for Calculating the Parametric Hypervolume Indicator
Authors: Weaver-Rosen Jonathan M. , Malak Richard J.
Published: November 2021

This paper presents a new methodology for calculating the hypervolume indicator (HVI)for multi-objective and parametric data. Existing multi-objective HVI calculation techniques cannot be directly used for parametric data because designers do not have preferences for parameters like they do for objectives. The novel method presented herein allows for the consideration of both objectives and parameters through the newly introduced hypercone heuristic (HCH). This heuristic relaxes the strict rules of parametric Pareto dominance for a more practical dominance assessment when comparing designs of differing parameter values without violating Pareto dominance rules. A parametric HVI (pHVI) enhances a design engineer’s toolkit by enabling both online and offline evaluation of parametric optimization results. The pHVI measure allows designers to compare solution sets, detect optimization convergence, and to better inform optimization procedures in a parametric context. Results show that the HCH-based pHVI yields a similar quality measure to the existing technique based on a support vector domain description (SVDD) in a fraction of the computational time. Furthermore, the novel HCH-based pHVI technique satisfies multi-objective HVI properties allowing previous applications of the HVI to be applied to multi-objective parametric optimization. This contribution enables the field of parametric optimization, and thus parametric design, to benefit from prior and future advances in the multi-objective optimization domain involving the HVI.
Gravity Balancing Reliability and Sensitivity Analysis of Robotic Manipulators With Uncertainties
Authors: Nguyen Vu Linh , Kuo Chin-Hsing , Lin Po Ting
Published: November 2021

This paper presents the gravity balancing reliability and sensitivity analysis of robotic manipulators with uncertainties. The gravity balancing reliability of the robot is defined as the probability that the reduction torque ratio of the robot reduces below a specified threshold. This index is of great importance for assessing and guaranteeing the balancing performance of the robot in the presence of uncertainties in input parameters. In this work, the balancing design for an industrial robot using the gear-spring modules (GSMs) is proposed with the adoption of a simulation-based analysis of the gravity effect of the robot. The Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) method with normally distributed variables (i.e., link dimensions, masses, and spring stiffness coefficients) is employed to analyze and simulate the reliability. A case study with an industrial robot is then given to illustrate the reliability performance and the sensibility of the uncertain parameters. It is found that the gravity balancing behavior is achieved even when the uncertainties are applied. The uncertainties could deteriorate the balancing performance when increasing the standard deviations by more than seven percent of their means. The dimensional parameters enjoy the most critical influence on the balancing performance.
Automating Design Requirement Extraction From Text With Deep Learning
Authors: Akay Haluk , Yang Maria , Kim Sang-Gook
Published: November 2021

Nearly every artifact of the modern engineering design process is digitally recorded and stored, resulting in an overwhelming amount of raw data detailing past designs. Analyzing this design knowledge and extracting functional information from sets of digital documents is a difficult and time-consuming task for human designers. For the case of textual documentation, poorly written superfluous descriptions filled with jargon are especially challenging for junior designers with less domain expertise to read. If the task of reading documents to extract functional requirements could be automated, designers could actually benefit from the distillation of massive digital repositories of design documentation into valuable information that can inform engineering design. This paper presents a system for automating the extraction of structured functional requirements from textual design documents by applying state of the art Natural Language Processing (NLP) models. A recursive method utilizing Machine Learning-based question-answering is developed to process design texts by initially identifying the highest-level functional requirement, and subsequently extracting additional requirements contained in the text passage. The efficacy of this system is evaluated by comparing the Machine Learning-based results with a study of 75 human designers performing the same design document analysis task on technical texts from the field of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS). The prospect of deploying such a system on the sum of all digital engineering documents suggests a future where design failures are less likely to be repeated and past successes may be consistently used to forward innovation.
Evaluation of Commercial Building Clusters With Energy Storage to Reduce Reliance on Electrical Utility Grids
Authors: Kaminski Gregory , Odonkor Philip
Published: November 2021

The decreasing cost of implementation and increasing regulatory incentive to lower energy use have led to an increased adoption of distributed energy resources in recent years. This increased adoption has been further fueled by a surge in energy consciousness and the expansion of energy-saving products and technologies. To lower reliance on the electrical grid and fully realize the benefits of distributed energy resources, many consumers have also elected to use battery systems to store generated energy. For owners of multiple buildings, or multiple owners willing to share the operational cost, building clusters may be formed to more effectively take advantage of these distributed resources and storage systems. The implementation of these systems in existing buildings introduces the question of what makes a “good” building cluster. Furthermore, the scalable nature of distributed energy sources and storage systems create countless possibilities for system configuration. Through comparison of unique two-building clusters from a stock of five buildings with a given distributed energy resource (in this case, a solar photovoltaic panel array) and energy storage system, we develop a fundamental understanding of the underlying factors that allow building clusters to be less reliant on the utility grid and make better use of energy generation and storage systems.
Modulating Functions Based Fast and Robust Estimation for a Class of Fractional Order Vibration Systems
Authors: Wang Zhi-Bo , Liu Da-Yan , Boutat Driss , Tian Yang , Liu Hao-Ran
Published: November 2021

This paper aims to fast and robustly estimate the fractional integrals and derivatives of positions from noisy accelerations for a class of fractional order vibration systems defined by the Caputo fractional derivative. The main idea is to convert the original issue into the estimation of the fractional integrals of accelerations and the ones of the unknown initial conditions, on the basis of the additive index law. Being proper integrals, the fractional integrals of accelerations can be estimated via a numerical method. Consequently, solving the original problem boils down to estimating the unknown initial values. To this end, the modulating functions method is adopted. By constructing appropriate modulating functions, the unknown initial values are exactly given in terms of algebraic integral formulas in different situations. Finally, two illustrations are presented to verify the correctness and robustness of the proposed estimators.
Topology Optimization With Locally Evaluable Complement Space Connectivity
Authors: Morris Clinton B. , Mirzendehdel Amir M. , Behandish Morad
Published: November 2021

Enforcing connectivity of parts or their complement space during automated design is essential for various manufacturing and functional considerations such as removing powder, wiring internal components, and flowing internal coolant. The global nature of connectivity makes it difficult to incorporate into generative design methods that rely on local decision making, e.g., topology optimization (TO) algorithms whose update rules depend on the sensitivity of objective functions or constraints to locally change the design. Connectivity is commonly corrected for in a post-processing step, which may result in suboptimal designs. We propose a recasting of the connectivity constraint as a locally differentiable violation measure, defined as a “virtual” compliance, modeled after physical (e.g., thermal or structural) compliance. Such measures can be used within TO alongside other objective functions and constraints, using a weighted penalty scheme to navigate tradeoffs. By carefully specifying the boundary conditions of the virtual compliance problem, the designer can enforce connectivity between arbitrary regions of the part’s complement space while satisfying a primary objective function in the TO loop. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach using both 2D and 3D examples, show its flexibility to consider multiple virtual domains, and confirm the benefits of considering connectivity in the design loop rather than enforcing it through post-processing.
Infinite Energy Problem of Fractional Circuit Elements: Overview and Perspectives
Authors: Wei Yiheng , Chen YangQuan , Chen Yuquan , Zhang Hui
Published: November 2021

Fractional circuit elements become increasingly popular due to their versatility in various applications. However, the bottleneck in deploying these tools in practice is related to an open problem, i.e, infinite energy problem. On this topic, many valuable achievements have been made. Some scholars don’t dare to use fractional circuit elements because of the infinite energy problem while some scholars believe that there is no paradox compared with classical finite energy or even some scholars think that this problem has been successfully solved. However, there is still no consensus on this topic and confusion remains widespread. Consequently, a comprehensive review on infinite energy problem is needed imperatively. At this point, this paper reviews the consequences, root causes, and potential mitigation approaches through the modeling analysis and literature survey. This review starts with the fractional capacitors. Subsequently, other fractional circuit elements and fractional order operators/systems are considered. Finally, the main technical challenges as well as future researches on this topic are highlighted carefully.