bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gas Hydrate Formation Risk and Prevention for the Development Wells in the Lingshui Gas Field in South China Sea
Authors: Jiang Donglei , Yu Yi , Huang Yi , Meng Wenbo , Su Jianbo , Gong Zhenggang
Published: August 2021

Hydrate formation risk is an important challenge in the development of deep-water gas field. Considering the characteristics of the Lingshui (LS) gas field in the South China Sea and the difference of well structures, a model for calculating wellbore temperature and pressure in deep-water gas production well is proposed and verified by the field data. Combining the hydrate equilibrium models with varied gas components, the prediction method of hydrate formation region in deep-water gas well in the South China Sea is obtained. The hydrate formation regions under different operating conditions for a deep-water gas well in the South China Sea were given by the proposed model. The results show that no hydrate formation risk exists in the production operation, but the risk exists in the shut-in and testing operations. Meanwhile, the determination of the hydrate inhibitor injection parameters during the testing operation is studied, and the influence of the inhibitors’ injection concentration and pressure on preventing gas hydrates is analyzed. This work provides useful advice for the prediction and prevention of hydrate formation risk in the development of deep-water gas fields, especially in the South China Sea.
From Unknown to Similar: Unknown Protocol Syntax Analysis for Network Flows in IoT
Authors: Wang Yichuan , Yu Han , Hei Xinhong , Bai Binbin , Ji Wenjiang
Published: August 2021

Internet of Things (IoT) is the development and extension of computer, Internet, and mobile communication network and other related technologies, and in the new era of development, it increasingly shows its important role. To play the role of the Internet of Things, it is especially important to strengthen the network communication information security system construction, which is an important foundation for the Internet of Things business relying on Internet technology. Therefore, the communication protocol between IoT devices is a point that cannot be ignored, especially in recent years; the emergence of a large number of botnet and malicious communication has seriously threatened the communication security between connected devices. Therefore, it is necessary to identify these unknown protocols by reverse analysis. Although the development of protocol analysis technology has been quite mature, it is impossible to identify and analyze the unknown protocols of pure bitstreams with zero a priori knowledge using existing protocol analysis tools. In this paper, we make improvements to the existing protocol analysis algorithm, summarize and learn from the experience and knowledge of our predecessors, improve the algorithm ideas based on the Apriori algorithm idea, and perform feature string finding under the idea of composite features of CFI (Combined Frequent Items) algorithm. The advantages of existing algorithm ideas are combined together to finally propose a more efficient OFS (Optimal Feature Strings) algorithm with better performance in the face of bitstream protocol feature extraction problems.
Rare Anal Canal Cancer with Secondary Extramammary Paget’s Disease (Pagetoid Spread) Complicated by Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Skin
Authors: Kusuhara Tatsuki , Ito Takashi , Matsuoka Hiroki , Chohno Teruhiro , Zozumi Masataka , Ohnishi Takamasa
Published: August 2021

A 91-year-old man had a node and erythema in the anal area resistant to treatment. A biopsy of the node in the anus showed atypical cells developing as Paget’s disease, and staining revealed that the cells were CK7-positive, CK20-positive, and GCDFP15-negative. Therefore, tumor invasion with pagetoid spread (PS) from the anus to the skin was suspected, and the patient was referred to our department for a close examination and surgical treatment. Lower gastrointestinal endoscopy showed edematous, hemorrhagic mucosa in the anal canal, and he was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma via a biopsy. Additionally, redness and swelling with white moss were observed on the skin around the anus. Biopsy showed that Paget cells were diffusely present in the epithelium, and an image of squamous cell carcinoma directly under the epithelium was obtained. Taken together, the patient was diagnosed with the invasion of anal canal cancer with PS to the skin, and we performed laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection and skin carcinoma resection in the perineum. The histopathological analysis showed adenocarcinoma invading the external anal sphincter and subcutaneous adipose tissue in the vicinity of the pectinate line of the anal canal. Pagetoid spread of the adenocarcinoma was observed in the epidermis, and the open portion was slightly invaded up to the rectal mucosa. The anal skin region of the adenocarcinoma partially continued to the hair follicles, and it was complicated by squamous cell carcinoma invading the dermis. There are a few reports of anal canal cancer with PS, and the coexistence of adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, as seen in the present case, is rare. We report our case together with relevant literature.
Study on the Relationship between Fracture Morphology and Splitting Strength of Granite Based on Fabric Distribution
Authors: Du GuangSheng , Chen ShiJiang , Chen Xiaoyi , Gao Yunfeng , Wu Hailong
Published: August 2021

Because of the requirement of the mechanical properties of the damaged surrounding granite rock and the existence of the fracture water in hydraulic fracturing engineering, the strength of granite is related to the fabric, and the roughness of the section is also related to the liquid flow rate, a method of roughly determining the strength of the specimen by observing the failure mode of rock is needed. Considering that the physical and mechanical properties of granite are obviously affected by the fabric, the discrete element numerical simulation method was used to reconstruct the granite fabric based on the spatial correlation function to simulate the splitting experiment to investigate the failure mode of the specimen. The relationship between strength, the fractal value of cross-section, and the fabric was analyzed, which was verified through experiment. The results show that (1) the Voronoi GBM model with spatial correlation function of the discrete element can effectively simulate the controllable granite fabric and carry out micromechanical analysis. (2) The strength of the granite specimen and the fractal value of the cross-section have an obvious linear relationship with the fabric; besides, there is also a certain linear relationship between the strength of the specimen and the fractal value, which is influenced by granite fabric. (3) The predicted strength of the specimen according to the fractal value of the section is in good agreement with the actual strength with the error rate of 30%. In a word, this method can predict the strength of the specimen through the failure section and analyze the hydraulic fracture section and water pressure.
Fractional-Order Iterative Sliding Mode Control Based on the Neural Network for Manipulator
Authors: Zhang Xin , Xu Wenbo , Lu Wenru
Published: August 2021

This study aimed to improve the position tracking accuracy of the single joint of the manipulator when the manipulator model information is uncertain. The study is based on the theory of fractional calculus, radial basis function (RBF) neural network control, and iterative sliding mode control, and the RBF neural network fractional-order iterative sliding mode control strategy is proposed. First, the stability analysis of the proposed control strategy is carried out through the Lyapunov function. Second, taking the two-joint manipulator as an example, simulation comparison and analysis are carried out with iterative sliding mode control strategy, fractional-order iterative sliding mode reaching law control strategy, and fractional-order iterative sliding mode surface control strategy. Finally, through simulation experiments, the results show that the RBF neural network fractional-order iterative sliding mode control strategy can effectively improve the joints’ tracking and control accuracy, reduce the position tracking error, and effectively suppress the chattering caused by the sliding mode control. It is proved that the proposed control strategy can ensure high-precision position tracking when the information of the manipulator model is uncertain.
Prediction of Immunotherapy Response in Melanoma through Combined Modeling of Neoantigen Burden and Immune-Related Resistance Mechanisms
Authors: Abbott Charles W. , Boyle Sean M. , Pyke Rachel Marty , McDaniel Lee D. , Levy Eric , Navarro Fábio C.P. , Mellacheruvu Dattatreya , Zhang Simo V. , Tan Mengyao , Santiago Rose , Rusan Zeid M. , Milani Pamela , Bartha Gabor , Harris Jason , McClory Rena , Snyder Michael P. , Jang Sekwon , Chen Richard
Published: August 2021

Purpose:

While immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has become a pillar of cancer treatment, biomarkers that consistently predict patient response remain elusive due to the complex mechanisms driving immune response to tumors. We hypothesized that a multi-dimensional approach modeling both tumor and immune-related molecular mechanisms would better predict ICB response than simpler mutation-focused biomarkers, such as tumor mutational burden (TMB).

Experimental Design:

Tumors from a cohort of patients with late-stage melanoma (n = 51) were profiled using an immune-enhanced exome and transcriptome platform. We demonstrate increasing predictive power with deeper modeling of neoantigens and immune-related resistance mechanisms to ICB.

Results:

Our neoantigen burden score, which integrates both exome and transcriptome features, more significantly stratified responders and nonresponders (P = 0.016) than TMB alone (P = 0.049). Extension of this model to include immune-related resistance mechanisms affecting the antigen presentation machinery, such as HLA allele-specific LOH, resulted in a composite neoantigen presentation score (NEOPS) that demonstrated further increased association with therapy response (P = 0.002).

Conclusions:

NEOPS proved the statistically strongest biomarker compared with all single-gene biomarkers, expression signatures, and TMB biomarkers evaluated in this cohort. Subsequent confirmation of these findings in an independent cohort of patients (n = 110) suggests that NEOPS is a robust, novel biomarker of ICB response in melanoma.
Immune Responses Vary in Preinvasive Colorectal Lesions by Tumor Location and Histology
Authors: Wallace Kristin , El Nahas Georges J. , Bookhout Christine , Thaxton Jessica E. , Lewin David N. , Nikolaishvili-Feinberg Nana , Cohen Stephanie M. , Brazeal J. Grant , Hill Elizabeth G. , Wu Jennifer D. , Baron John A. , Alekseyenko Alexander V.
Published: August 2021

Immune responses vary in colorectal cancers, which strongly influence prognosis. However, little is known about the variance in immune response within preinvasive lesions. The study aims to investigate how the immune contexture differs by clinicopathologic features (location, histology, dysplasia) associated with progression and recurrence in early carcinogenesis. We performed a cross-sectional study using preinvasive lesions from the surgical pathology laboratory at the Medical University of South Carolina. We stained the tissues with immunofluorescence antibodies, then scanned and analyzed expression using automated image analysis software. We stained CD117 as a marker of mast cells, CD4/RORC to indicate Th17 cells, MICA/B as a marker of NK-cell ligands, and also used antibodies directed against cytokines IL6, IL17A, and IFNγ. We used negative binomial regression analysis to compare analyte density counts by location, histology, degree of dysplasia adjusted for age, sex, race, and batch. All immune markers studied (except IL17a) had significantly higher density counts in the proximal colon than distal colon and rectum. Increases in villous histology were associated with significant decreases in immune responses for IL6, IL17a, NK ligand, and mast cells. No differences were observed in lesions with low- and high-grade dysplasia, except in mast cells. The lesions of the proximal colon were rich in immune infiltrate, paralleling the responses observed in normal mucosa and invasive disease. The diminishing immune response with increasing villous histology suggests an immunologically suppressive tumor environment. Our findings highlight the heterogeneity of the immune responses in preinvasive lesions, which may have implications for prevention strategies.

Prevention Relevance:

Our study is focused on immune infiltrate expression in preinvasive colorectal lesions; our results suggest important differences by clinicopathologic features that have implications for immune prevention research.
Uptake of Genetic Testing Among Patients with Cancer At Risk for Lynch Syndrome in the National Health Interview Survey
Authors: Actkins Ky'Era V. , Srinivasan Swetha , Spees Lisa P. , Turbitt Erin , Allen Caitlin G. , Roberts Megan C.
Published: August 2021

Lynch syndrome is the most common inherited cancer syndrome that increases the risk of developing colorectal and endometrial cancer. Universal screening guidelines were first recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2009 and are updated annually by multiple societies. Therefore, one would expect genetic testing rates to increase over time. But testing remains underutilized among those with colorectal or endometrial cancer, even though early detection can improve prognosis and survival rates. In this study, we aimed to understand differences in genetic testing uptake among those with colorectal cancer or endometrial cancer from 2005, 2010, 2015, using data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). We examined genetic testing uptake across cancer-type, age (≤50 or ≥51), sex, race, insurance, and education using a χ2 statistical analysis. Despite an upward genetic testing trend in 2010, we found no significant differences in genetic testing uptake over time. In 2010, non-White individuals experienced the highest increase from 2005 in comparison with White individuals. However, genetic testing rates declined for both groups by 2015. Our findings show that genetic testing for colorectal cancer and endometrial cancer did not increase over a 10-year period in spite of guidelines that recommend testing.

Prevention Relevance: Genetic testing uptake for colorectal cancer and endometrial cancer has not increased over a 10-year period in spite of universal screening guidelines. More genetic testing education is needed at the provider and patient level to improve screening strategies for cancer patients who are most at risk for Lynch syndrome.
Bispecific CAR T Cells against EpCAM and Inducible ICAM-1 Overcome Antigen Heterogeneity and Generate Superior Antitumor Responses
Authors: Yang Yanping , McCloskey Jaclyn E. , Yang Huan , Puc Janusz , Alcaina Yago , Vedvyas Yogindra , Gomez Gallegos Angel A. , Ortiz-Sánchez Elizabeth , de Stanchina Elisa , Min Irene M. , von Hofe Eric , Jin Moonsoo M.
Published: August 2021

Adoptive transfer of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has demonstrated unparalleled responses in hematologic cancers, yet antigen escape and tumor relapse occur frequently. CAR T-cell therapy for patients with solid tumors faces even greater challenges due to the immunosuppressive tumor environment and antigen heterogeneity. Here, we developed a bispecific CAR to simultaneously target epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) to overcome antigen escape and to improve the durability of tumor responses. ICAM-1 is an adhesion molecule inducible by inflammatory cytokines and elevated in many types of tumors. Our study demonstrates superior efficacy of bispecific CAR T cells compared with CAR T cells targeting a single primary antigen. Bispecific CAR T achieved more durable antitumor responses in tumor models with either homogenous or heterogenous expression of EpCAM. We also showed that the activation of CAR T cells against EpCAM in tumors led to upregulation of ICAM-1, which rendered tumors more susceptible to ICAM-1 targeting by bispecific CAR T cells. Our strategy of additional targeting of ICAM-1 may have broad applications in augmenting the activity of CAR T cells against primary tumor antigens that are prone to antigen loss or downregulation.
Myeloid Sarcoma Presenting as Obstructive Jaundice
Authors: Patterson Matthew , Wu Yue , Niazi Mina
Published: August 2021

Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is a rare solid neoplasm that consists of extramedullary myeloid precursor cells. Generally, it is associated with underlying acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or AML yet to manifest clinically. It can present as isolated, also known as primary MS without evidence of AML or other myeloproliferative neoplasms. We present the case of a previously healthy 36-year-old male, who was admitted to hospital with new-onset painful obstructive jaundice and final diagnosis of isolated MS was made after through investigations. We are pleased to report that he had favorable response to the treatment and remains well.
Depósitos Irregulares de Lixo em áreas informais: a Ação Colaborativa como tática para a Qualificação do Espaço
Authors: Galeazzi Carolina Hartmann , Brandão Valdenise
Published: August 2021

A metrópole do Rio de Janeiro tem uma constituição de áreas formais e informais que apresentam alguns espaços abandonados, dada a sua configuração histórica urbana. Alguns desses espaços viram depósitos irregulares de lixo, como é o caso da rua Capitão Carlos, localizada entre uma área industrial em desuso e a Favela da Maré. Uma gari percebeu que a contínua varrição era insuficiente para implementar a limpeza definitiva do local, e, por meio do projeto “Jardins Sustentáveis”, mobilizou a comunidade para, juntos, atuarem na remoção dos depósitos irregulares de lixo. O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar a intervenção realizada na rua Capitão Carlos e discutir a importância de ações colabora-tivas e da participação dos usuários na qualificação dos espaços. A intervenção colaborativa incentivou a responsabilidade cidadã e teve como resultado a revitalização da rua, mostrando a relevância da participação dos moradores no processo de transformação. Foi aplicado um método de experimentação que agregou participação local e maior conexão entre os atores o que, a partir das ações informais, pode ser considerado alternativa visando o planejamento urbano da “participação verdadeira”.
The SRSF4–GAS5-Glucocorticoid Receptor Axis Regulates Ventricular Hypertrophy
Authors: Larrasa-Alonso Javier , Villalba-Orero María , Martí-Gómez Carlos , Ortiz-Sánchez Paula , López-Olañeta Marina M. , Rey-Martín M. Ascensión , Sánchez-Cabo Fátima , McNicoll François , Müller-McNicoll Michaela , García-Pavía Pablo , Lara-Pezzi Enrique
Published: August 2021

Rationale:

RBPs (RNA-binding proteins) play critical roles in human biology and disease. Aberrant RBP expression affects various steps in RNA processing, altering the function of the target RNAs. The RBP SRSF4 (serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 4) has been linked to neuropathies and cancer. However, its role in the heart is completely unknown.

Objective:

To investigate the role of SRSF4 in the heart.

Methods and Results:

Echocardiography of mice specifically lacking SRSF4 in the heart (SRSF4 KO) revealed left ventricular hypertrophy and increased cardiomyocyte area, which led to progressive diastolic dysfunction with age. SRSF4 KO mice showed altered electrophysiological activity under isoproterenol-induced cardiac stress, with a post-QRS depression and a longer QT interval, indicating an elevated risk of sudden cardiac death. RNA-Seq analysis revealed expression changes in several long noncoding RNAs, including GAS5 (growth arrest-specific 5), which we identified as a direct SRSF4 target in cardiomyocytes by individual-nucleotide-resolution cross-linking and immuno-precipitation. GAS5 is a repressor of the GR (glucocorticoid receptor) and was downregulated in SRSF4 KO hearts. This corresponded with elevated GR transcriptional activity in cardiomyocytes, leading to increases in hypertrophy markers and cell size. Furthermore, hypertrophy in SRSF4 KO cardiomyocytes was reduced by overexpressing GAS5.

Conclusions:

Loss of SRSF4 expression results in cardiac hypertrophy, diastolic dysfunction, and abnormal repolarization. The molecular mechanism underlying this effect involves GAS5 downregulation and consequent elevation of GR transcriptional activity. Our findings may help to develop new therapeutic tools for the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy and myocardial pathology in patients with Cushing syndrome.
Piezo1-Mediated Mechanotransduction Promotes Cardiac Hypertrophy by Impairing Calcium Homeostasis to Activate Calpain/Calcineurin Signaling
Authors: Zhang Yuhao , Su Sheng-an , Li Wudi , Ma Yuankun , Shen Jian , Wang Yaping , Shen Yimin , Chen Jian , Ji Yongli , Xie Yao , Ma Hong , Xiang Meixiang
Published: August 2021

Hemodynamic overload induces pathological cardiac hypertrophy, which is an independent risk factor for intractable heart failure in long run. Beyond neurohumoral regulation, mechanotransduction has been recently recognized as a major regulator of cardiac hypertrophy under a myriad of conditions. However, the identification and molecular features of mechanotransducer on cardiomyocytes are largely sparse. For the first time, we identified Piezo1 (Piezo type mechanosensitive ion channel component 1), a novel mechanosensitive ion channel with preference to Ca
2+
was remarkably upregulated under pressure overload and enriched near T-tubule and intercalated disc of cardiomyocyte. By applying cardiac conditional Piezo1 knockout mice (Piezo1

fl/fl

Myh6Cre+, Piezo1

Cko

) undergoing transverse aortic constriction, we demonstrated that Piezo1 was required for the development of cardiac hypertrophy and subsequent adverse remodeling. Activation of Piezo1 by external mechanical stretch or agonist Yoda1 lead to the enlargement of cardiomyocytes in vitro, which was blocked by Piezo1 silencing or Yoda1 analog Dooku1 or Piezo1 inhibitor GsMTx4. Mechanistically, Piezo1 perturbed calcium homeostasis, mediating extracellular Ca
2+
influx and intracellular Ca
2+
overload, thereby increased the activation of Ca
2+
-dependent signaling, calcineurin, and calpain. Inhibition of calcineurin or calpain could abolished Yoda1 induced upregulation of hypertrophy markers and the hypertrophic growth of cardiomyocytes in vitro. From a comprehensive view of the cardiac transcriptome, most of Piezo1 affected genes were highly enriched in muscle cell physiology, tight junction, and corresponding signaling. This study characterizes an undefined role of Piezo1 in pressure overload induced cardiac hypertrophy. It may partially decipher the differential role of calcium under pathophysiological condition, implying a promising therapeutic target for cardiac dysfunction.
Sea surface salinity reemergence in an updated North Atlantic in-situ salinity data set
Authors: Frankignoul Claude , Kestenare Elodie , Reverdin Gilles
Published: August 2021

Monthly sea surface salinity (SSS) fields are constructed from observations, using objective mapping on a 1°x1° grid in the Atlantic between 30°S and 50°N in the 1970-2016 period in an update of the data set of Reverdin et al. (2007). Data coverage is heterogeneous, with increased density in 2002 when Argo floats become available, high density along Voluntary Observing Ship lines, and low density south of 10°S. Using lag correlation, the seasonal reemergence of SSS anomalies is investigated between 20°N and 50°N in 5°x5° boxes during the 1993-2016 period, both locally and remotely following the displacements of the deep mixed-layer waters estimated from virtual float trajectories derived from the daily AVISO surface geostrophic currents. Although SSS data are noisy, local SSS reemergence is detected in about half of the boxes, notably in the northeast and southeast, while little reemergence is seen in the central and part of the eastern subtropical gyre. In the same period, sea surface temperature (SST) reemergence is found only slightly more frequently, reflecting the short data duration. However, taking geostrophic advection into account degrades the detection of remote SSS and even SST reemergence. When anomalies are averaged over broader areas, robust evidence of a second and third SSS reemergence peak is found in the northeastern and southeastern parts of the domain, indicating long cold-season persistence of large-scale SSS anomalies, while only a first SST reemergence is seen. An oceanic reanalysis is used to confirm that the correlation analysis indeed reflects the reemergence of subsurface salinity anomalies.
PISA 2012: Examining the influence of prior knowledge, time-on-task, school-level effects on achievements in mathematical literacy processes – Interpret, employ and formulate
Authors: Alagumalai Sivakumar , Buchdahl Nicholas
Published: August 2021

Recent studies reiterate the importance of mathematical literacy and the identification of skills, knowledge and cognitive processes which contribute to composite test scores to facilitate targeted remediation and extension activities. To this end, the current article examines data from the 2012 cycle of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), using multilevel modelling techniques to explore the relationship between selected student-level and teacher/school-level factors and the three processes of interpret, employ and formulate which were measured as the skills underlying mathematical literacy in that assessment. Results of the analyses indicate that boys outperform girls significantly ( p < 0.001) in all three processes whereby formulate invokes relatively more inter- and intra-level influences compared with interpret. Apart from the relatively higher item-difficulties of formulate, an increase in the complexity of contextual effects at the student and the teacher/school-level emerges as mathematical processes move from interpret to employ to formulate. Findings also reveal that students taught by teachers who had mathematics as a major in their undergraduate studies and who work in relatively smaller classes or groups show higher performance in all three mathematical literacy processes. Use of ICT in mathematics lessons is negatively associated with the three mathematical literacy processes. The additional negative effect of mathematical extracurricular activities at school on the processes highlights the need to rethink how technology and extracurricular lessons are to be used, designed/structured and delivered to optimise the learning of mathematical processes, and ultimately improve mathematical literacy.
Seoul’s up-and-down Romance with China amid US-China Rivalry: A Korean Perspective
Authors: Lee Seong-Hyon
Published: August 2021

South Korea’s quest to become a middle power, articulated through autonomy in foreign policy, has been challenged in the ambience of great power competition reality between the USA and China. This article delineates South Korean foreign policy’s complex nature in the evolving East Asian regional context, focusing on Seoul’s relationship with China in particular. Many observers noted that South Korea has in recent years been increasingly leaning towards China, despite the fact that it is a military-pact ally of the USA. It also comes as a bewilderment to outsiders to notice that South Korea has been ‘cold-shouldering’ Japan, the world’s number three economy. It does not necessarily mean that Seoul maintains good relations with China either. The two nations have yet to overcome the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) dispute. This article also scrutinises how the USA plays an important role in South Korea’s relations with its two neighbours. Seoul has been in search of diplomatic autonomy between the world’s two most powerful nations. The process has been tumultuous. The future outlook seems uncertain.
Book review: Scott A. Snyder, South Korea at the Crossroads: Autonomy and Alliance in an Era of Rival Powers
Authors: Won-soo Kim
Published: August 2021

Scott A. Snyder, South Korea at the Crossroads: Autonomy and Alliance in an Era of Rival Powers (New York: Columbia University Press, 2018), pp. 355, USD 37.00/ £ 30.00, ISBN 9780231185486 (hardback).
Half of the Cabinet: Explaining Ethiopia’s Move to Gender Parity in the Government
Authors: Breuning Marijke , Okundaye Gabriela
Published: August 2021

Half a year after rising to the position of prime minister in Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed appointed a cabinet that included an unprecedented 50% women, including the first female minister of defense. This was noteworthy, because women had not been well-represented in Ethiopian political leadership. What motivated the appointment of so many women? We argue that the selection of ministers in aid-dependent global south countries responds to external cues—and that this leads to more women in the cabinet. Our findings regarding Ethiopia’s 50% female cabinet suggest that the role of external cues in cabinet selection deserves further investigation.
Implications of Protest and Reform for Domestic Governance in Ethiopia
Authors: Ashine Yonas , Berhanu Kassahun
Published: August 2021

The nexus between protest–transition–reform situated in a larger frame of Ethiopia’s political dynamics anchored in historical narratives and theoretical debates are presented in this paper. Moreover, the genesis and the dynamics surrounding the rolling out of the post-2018 Ethiopia’s transition are examined from the vantage point of prospects for entrenching a stable democratic dispensation in the country. To this end, the political economy approach, along with presenting ethnographic narratives that are pertinent to the subject under study, is used as an analytical lens. Also, document review of journal articles, official and academic reports, internet blogs, and newspaper and other media posts was undertaken to substantiate findings from primary sources. The paper concludes that the ongoing Ethiopian transition unfolded by paving avenues for opening up space for negotiating unsettled issues surrounding state-society relations in a context of a relatively liberalized political economy. However, the envisioned model of transition is constrained by different factors characterized by a split in the ranks of the ruling coalition, intergroup conflicts, and rising unmet expectations that resulted in the absence of peace and stability. Besides, the prevailing weakness of democratic institutions and polarized inter-ethnic relations, the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic stalled the progress of the transition process.
The Potential of Democratization in Ethiopia: The Welkait Question as a Litmus Test
Authors: John Sonja
Published: August 2021

Abiy Ahmed was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for his role in initiating peace talks in the Horn of Africa and his attempts to reform the Ethiopian democracy. Under the slogan medemer, he promised he would do everything possible to unite the multi-ethnic country, reconcile conflicts and bring brotherly peace to the country. This article treats the Welkait question as a litmus test to determine the potential of democratization in Ethiopia. The identity question of the indigenous Welkait Amhara was raised and suppressed since 1991. In April 2018, the then newly elected Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met with members of the Welkait Amhara Identity Question Committee and promised that this case would be solved within the federal system and in accordance with the constitution. Within the struggle for recognition paradigm, this article asks if government responses follow the medemer approach of reconciliation, cooperation, rule of law and democracy.
The Origins of the EPRDF and the Prospects for the Prosperity Party
Authors: Lyons Terrence
Published: August 2021

This paper presents the historical development of the authoritarian Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) with particular attention to its origins in civil war and its use of multi-national federal structures to balance centralizing dynamics and demands for regional autonomy. It argues that the reform process launched by Prime Minister Abiy and the formation of the successor Prosperity Party failed to overcome the challenges and political logics that undermined the EPRDF. The article concludes by examining the prospects of the center to manage these contradictions and bind together the distinct and highly polarized regions and political interests.
Aluminum and copper deposition through the process of thermal flame spray on polypropylene-pine wood fiber composite filaments and their applications
Authors: Veroneze Sônia MA , Flores-Sahagun Thais HS , Paredes Ramón SC , Satyanarayana Kestur Gundappa
Published: August 2021

This paper presents a study about polypropylene-pine wood composites, both as filaments and products, coated with aluminum (Al) or copper (Cu), obtained through flame thermal spray process after subjecting the composites to thermal treatments in the second and third step of the study. Results revealed that a previous aluminum layer was needed in order to obtain copper coatings on the composites. The physical and mechanical properties of both metal coated composite filaments were also evaluated and compared with the uncoated composite filaments with and without heat treating these. Consequently, it was observed that the nature of the coating adhesion on the substrates was mechanical, and therefore abrasion blasting of filaments or the use of a higher wood fiber content in the composite improved the Al or Cu adhesion. Also, it was observed that extruded wood fiber/PP filaments should not be cooled in water because pieces might be molded directly once the moisture affects the metal coatings adhesion onto the substrates.
Effect of H2O2 Antiseptic on Dispersal of Cavitation-Induced Microdroplets
Authors: Roy T. , Damoulakis G. , Komperda J. , Mashayek F. , Cooper L.F. , Rowan S.A. , Megaridis C.M.
Published: August 2021

The persisting outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 has posed an enormous threat to global health. The sustained human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via respiratory droplets makes the medical procedures around the perioral area vulnerable to the spread of the disease. Such procedures include the ultrasonic dental cleaning method, which occurs within the oral cavity and involves cavitation-induced sprays, thus increasing the risk of pathogen transmission via advection. To understand the associated health and safety risks for patients and clinicians, it is critical to understand the flow pattern of the spray cloud around the operating region, the size and velocity distribution of the emitted droplets, and the extent of fluid dispersion until ultimate deposit on surfaces or escape through air vents. In this work, the droplet size and velocity distributions of the spray emerging from the tip of a free-standing common ultrasonic dental cleaning device were characterized via high-speed imaging. Deionized water and 1.5% and 3% aqueous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solutions were used as working fluids, with the H2O2—an established oxidizing agent—intended to curb the survival of virus released in aerosols generated from dental procedures. The measurements reveal that the presence of H2O2 in the working fluid increases the mean droplet size and ejection velocity. Detailed computational fluid dynamic simulations with multiphase flow models reveal benefits of adding small amounts of H2O2 in the feed stream of the ultrasonic cleaner; this practice causes larger droplets with shorter residence times inside the clinic before settling down or escaping through air vents. The results suggest optimal benefits (in terms of fluid spread) of adding 1.5% H2O2 in the feed stream during dental procedures involving ultrasonic tools. The present findings are not specific to the COVID-19 pandemic but should also apply to future outbreaks caused by airborne droplet transmission.
Refining the rat sciatic nerve block: a novel ultrasound-guided technique
Authors: Hughey Scott , Campbell Donald , Rapp-Santos Kamala , Cole Jacob , Booth Gregory , Longwell Jason , Stedje-Larsen Eric
Published: August 2021

Murine translational models are an important tool to understand pain pathophysiology. One procedure used frequently in murine research is the sciatic nerve block. This study sought to demonstrate the use of ultrasound-guided sciatic nerve block in a cadaveric murine model. A total of 40 injections were performed in 20 Sprague–Dawley male 18-month-old rat cadavers. Necropsy was performed to identify staining of the sciatic nerve. Staining with methylene blue occurred in 40 of 40 ultrasound-guided injections. The extremely accurate nature of this block under ultrasound guidance is favorable for future translational studies in rats undergoing sciatic nerve blocks. This method may represent a significant improvement in current methods.
Understand My Language, to Understand My Pain: Challenges of Neurological Evaluation Among Refugees
Authors: Vyshka Gentian , Ulqinaku Dritan
Published: August 2021

The increasing number of migrants and refugees entering Albania during the last decade has been a challenge to the medical service of the country. Many of the migrants arrive from remote areas of Middle East or other Asian regions, heading toward northern Europe, deprived from medical assistance during their tormenting journey. An exacerbation of previous m"unicodeedical conditions is expected and is related to the hardship of traveling conditions. The medical professionals working in migration medicine have little, if any, training on the field and need to familiarize themselves with a variety of previously unknown conditions. Empathy, necessary on an individual basis, may not be sufficient in itself; the burden of medically treating migrants needs a holistic and multidisciplinary approach.
Optimizing Feedback Frequency in Motor Learning: Self-Controlled and Moderate Frequency KR Enhance Skill Acquisition
Authors: Hebert Edward P. , Coker Cheryl
Published: August 2021

The purpose of this study was to compare the relative effects of self-controlled knowledge of results (SCKR) to other KR schedules of varying relative frequency (25%, 50%, and 100% of acquisition trials) on motor skill learning. Participants received basic instructions on the soccer overhead throw and then performed 50 acquisition trials, during which KR was provided according to the assigned schedule, followed by a retention test, during which no KR was provided. Retention scores were highest for the SCKR and 50% KR frequency groups who shared comparable absolute KR frequency and distribution relative to successful versus unsuccessful trials. These results indicated that both self-control and moderate frequency feedback enhanced learning, supporting an inverted U-shaped effect of feedback frequency on skill acquisition.
The Rise and Fall of Japan’s New Far Right: How Anti-Korean Discourses Went Mainstream
Authors: Yoon Sharon J. , Asahina Yuki
Published: August 2021

Why has right-wing activism in Japan, despite its persistence throughout the postwar era, only gained significant traction recently? Focusing on the Zaitokukai, an anti-Korean movement in Japan, this article demonstrates how the new Far Right were able to popularize formerly stigmatized right-wing ideas. The Zaitokukai represents a political group distinct from the traditional right and reflective of new Far Right movements spreading worldwide. In Japan, concerns about the growing influence of South Korea and China in the 1980s as well as the decline of left-wing norms opened up a discursive opportunity for the new Far Right. By framing Korean postcolonial minorities as undeserving recipients of social welfare benefits, the Zaitokukai mobilized perceptions of threat that has continued to powerfully influence public perceptions of Koreans even following the group’s organizational decline. While past research has focused on the new Far Right’s political influence, this article stresses their roles as ideological entrepreneurs.
Cold War Undercurrents: The Extreme-Right Variants in East Asia
Authors: Lee Yoonkyung
Published: August 2021

This study examines the mobilization of the Far Right in Korea and Japan in the 2000s and probes how and why the actors and political claims of East Asian extremists differ from their counterparts in Europe and North America. The Far Right forces in Korea and Japan are politically regressive in glorifying the authoritarian or colonial past and cling to unchanging ideological claims from the postwar decades in their current targeting of old-time, internal “others.” This divergence is explained by the United States–led Cold War geopolitics in Asia, under which Far Right elites were fortified in postwar Japan and Korea. The Cold War that has not ended in Asia as opposed to Europe or North America further allows the institutional sustainability of the radical Right and the political resonance of its old ideology of anticommunism and colonial racism. As such, democratic politics in East Asia is predicated on Cold War undercurrents.
Introduction to “Right-Wing Activism in Asia: Cold War Legacies, Geopolitics, and Democratic Erosion”
Authors: Lee Yoonkyung
Published: August 2021

This essay introduces four articles that form a special issue of Politics & Society titled “Right-Wing Activism in Asia: Cold War Legacies, Geopolitics, and Democratic Erosion.” The articles focus on Japan, South Korea, and Thailand. These three Asian countries present important cases to generate critical comparative insights about the patterns of Far Right mobilization, for their geopolitical histories provide common ground while institutional variations set distinctive conditions. Most importantly, all of them were shaped by the particularly sharp conflicts of the Cold War in the region, and the articles in this issue demonstrate how this legacy has generated illiberal conditions in these countries today.
Issues of Error Selection for Focused Written Corrective Feedback in Authentic Classroom Contexts
Authors: Lee Icy , Luo Na , Mak Pauline
Published: August 2021

In conventional written corrective feedback (WCF) practice, teachers spend an inordinate amount of time identifying every error in student writing. Research evidence suggests that such a comprehensive WCF approach is both undesirable and ineffective. Recent research has shown that focused WCF, where teachers respond to errors selectively, is a good practice since it is more manageable and less discouraging for students. Much of existing WCF research on focused WCF, however, has adopted the experimental or quasi-experimental design, involving a very small number of error categories, without paying attention to the real-life classroom conditions in which WCF takes place. To fill the research gap, the present study investigates how two secondary teachers select target language features for focused WCF and the issues that arise from their WCF practice. The paper provides pedagogical implications that contribute to our understanding of how teachers can go about selecting errors for focused WCF in authentic second language writing classrooms, as contrasted with experimental classrooms.
Language Teacher Identity and English Education Policy in Japan: Competing Discourses Surrounding “Non-native” English-speaking Teachers
Authors: Aoyama Ryosuke
Published: August 2021

This paper examines English teacher identity of Japanese “non-native” English-speaking teachers through a multi-layered analysis of discourses and identity. Informed by poststructuralist views of identity, it explores dominant discourses surrounding “non-native” English-speaking teachers by analyzing their portrayal in national English education policy in Japan. This analysis is combined with qualitative data analysis of interview accounts of five Japanese high school “non-native” English-speaking teachers, which allows for examination of the interrelation between dominant discourses and their teacher identities. The data analysis demonstrates how the policy documents portray “non-native” English-speaking teachers, framing them within two competing discourses: the discourse of teaching professionals vis-à-vis students and the discourse of “nonnative” teachers vis-à-vis imagined “native” speakers of English. This discursive portrayal corresponds to the “non-native” English-speaking teacher identity illuminated by narrative accounts from the participant teachers, manifesting the paradoxical and conflicting nature of teacher identity. The discussion concludes with implications and recommendations for English education policy design and teacher education with a heightened sensitivity to identity.
Evaluation of the energy consumption of container diesel trucks in a container terminal: A case study at Klaipeda port
Authors: Eglynas Tomas , Jakovlev Sergej , Jankunas Valdas , Didziokas Rimantas , Januteniene Jolanta , Drungilas Darius , Jusis Mindaugas , Pocevicius Edvinas , Bogdevicius Marijonas , Andziulis Arunas
Published: August 2021

Introduction:

In the paper, we examine the energy consumption efficiency of specialized container diesel trucks engaged in container transportation at a seaport terminal.

Objectives:

Using the container terminal at Klaipėda in Lithuania as the background for the research, we produced an improved energy consumption model for measuring the theoretical energy consumption and regeneration of diesel trucks at the terminal and provide a comparative analysis.

Methods:

We created a mathematical model which describes the instantaneous energy consumption of the diesel trucks, taking into account their dynamic properties and the overall geometry of their routes—“Ship-Truck-Stack-Ship”—using the superposition principle. We investigated other critical parameters relevant to the model and provide a statistical evaluation of the transportation process using data from a case study of Klaipėda port, where we collected measurements of container transportation parameters using georeferenced movement detection and logs from wireless equipment positioned on the diesel-powered container trucks.

Results:

The modeling results showed that an instantaneous evaluation of energy consumption can reveal areas in the container transportation process which have the highest energy loss and require the introduction of new management and process control initiatives to address the regulations which are designed to decrease harmful industrial emissions and encourage novel technologies and thereby increase the eco-friendliness of existing systems.

Conclusion:

Based on the research results, the article can provide a reference for the estimation of diesel truck efficiency in seaport terminal operations.
Quality of local government and social trust in European cities
Authors: Ziller Conrad , Andreß Hans-Jürgen
Published: August 2021

Communities are responsible for a range of public services and represent critical experiential contexts for social interactions between residents. However, the role of local governance and public service provision for creating social trust has received limited attention so far. This study examines how quality, efficiency and fairness of local public service provision relates to social trust. Using multilevel models on repeated cross-sectional survey data from the Quality of Life in European Cities project, we test the relationship between time-varying city-level indicators of quality of local government and social trust. The empirical results show that an increase in the dimension of local public service quality is substantially associated with an increase in social trust. We find improvements in sport and leisure facilities as well as the state of public spaces, streets and buildings to be particularly relevant.