bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Statistical analysis of the human middle ear mechanical properties
Authors: Lobato Lucas C. , Paul Stephan , Cordioli Júlio A.
Published: March 2022

Many experimental data on the human middle ear (ME) mechanics and dynamics can be found in the literature. Nevertheless, discussions about the uncertainties of these data are scarce. The present study compiles experimental data on the mechanical properties of the human ME. The summary statistics of mean and standard deviation of the data were collected and the coefficients of variation were computed and pooled. Moreover, the linear correlation and distribution were assessed for the ossicles' mass. Results show that, generally, the uncertainties of the stiffness properties of the tympanic membrane, ligaments, and tendons are larger than the uncertainties of the ossicles' mass. In addition, the uncertainties of the ME response vary across frequency. The vibration measures, such as the stapes' velocity normalized by the sound pressure at the tympanic membrane, are more uncertain than ME input impedance and reflectance. It is expected that the results presented in this study will provide the basis for the development of probabilistic models of the human ME.
Gastrointestinal Hormones, Morphological Characteristics, and Physical Performance in Elite Soccer Players
Authors: Salhi Iyed , Ben Aabderrahman Abderraouf , Triki Raoua , Clark Cain C.T. , Gaed Sabri , Hackney Anthony C. , Saeidi Ayoub , Laher Ismail , Kurtz Jennifer A. , VanDusseldorp Trisha A. , Zouhal Hassane
Published: March 2022

Purpose: To determine the relationship between gastrointestinal hormones (leptin, glucagon-like peptide-1), ghrelin, cholecystokinin, peptide YY, morphological characteristics, and physical performances in elite soccer players. Methods: Q2 Twenty-two elite male soccer players (age = 23.1 [2.7] y, height = 177.0 [0.1] cm, weight = 70.2 [2.9] kg, body mass index = 22.1 [1.8] kg/m2) completed 3-day food records each week during the 5-week training period. Blood samples were drawn after an overnight fast before and after preseason training to assess gastrointestinal hormones (leptin, glucagon-like peptide-1, ghrelin, cholecystokinin, and peptide YY). Continuous analysis of the training load was used during the training period. Preintervention and postintervention tests assessed jumping (countermovement jump), sprinting (10, 20, and 30 m), and endurance fitness (the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 [YYIRT1]) levels. Results: Preseason training decreased body mass index (P = .001; effect size [ES] = 0.183) and body fat percentage (P = .001; ES = 0.516). There were increases in countermovement jump (P = .032; ES = 0.215), 20- (P = .016; ES = 0.195) and 30-m sprints (P = .001; ES = 0.188), and YYIRT1 performance (P = .001; ES = 0.9). Levels of cholecystokinin, peptide YY, and ghrelin did not change during preseason training, although changes in leptin (P = .001; ES = 0.41) and glucagon-like peptide-1 levels (P = .039; ES = 0.606) were recorded. Leptinemia correlated with anthropometric parameters (body mass index, r = .77, P = .001; percentage of body fat,r = .67, P = .006) and the total distance covered during the YYIRT1 (r = −.54; P = .03). Conclusion: Changes in morphological parameters and physical performance in elite-level male soccer players are related to variations in selected gastrointestinal hormones.
Supplemental Material: Relationship between glacial CO2 drawdown and mercury cycling in the western South Atlantic: An isotopic insight
Authors: Figueiredo Thiago S. , al. et
Published: March 2022

Hg isotopic composition measurements and supplemental figures.
Supplemental Material: Atypical landslide induces speedup, advance, and long-term slowdown of a tidewater glacier
Authors: Van Wyk de Vries Maximillian , al. et
Published: March 2022

Additional details about Amalia Glacier's surface velocity and post-landslide evolution, rSSC and landslide volume calculations, and ISSM glacier model.
Supplemental Material: Seismic anisotropy in the central Tien Shan unveils rheology-controlled deformation during intracontinental orogenesis
Authors: Zhang Bingfeng , Bao Xuewei , al. et
Published: March 2022

Detailed descriptions of the data, methods, and quality assessment specifics, discussion on the azimuthal variations of the XKS splitting measurements, and supplemental Figures S1–S7 and Tables S1–S6.
Supplemental Material: Detrital zircon provenance and transport pathways of Pleistocene-Holocene eolian sediment in the Pampean Plains, Argentina
Authors: Bruner Austin , Pullen Alex , al. et
Published: March 2022

Table S1: U-Pb geochronologic analyses.
Synthesis of Selenium-Containing Chitosan Derivatives and Their Antibacterial Activity
Authors: Egorov A. R. , Artemjev A. A. , Kozyrev V. A. , Sikaona D. N. , Rubanik V. V. , Rubanik V. V. , Kritchenkov I. S. , Yagafarov N. Z. , Khubiev O. M. , Tereshina T. A. , Kultyshkina E. K. , Medjbour B. , Khrustalev V. N. , Kritchenkov A. S.
Published: March 2022

The interaction of chitosan with 3-(chloromethyl)-[1,2,4]selendiazole[4,5-a]pyridin-4 bromide results in water-soluble, selenium-containing, cationic chitosan derivatives. Derivatives of chitosan with degrees of substitution of 0.15, 0.45, and 0.65 were obtained. These derivatives are characterized by a pronounced in vitro antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and the antibacterial activity of the derivatives increases with an increase in their degree of substitution. The antibacterial activity of the highly substituted derivative is comparable to that of the conventional antibiotics ampicillin and gentamicin.
Muscles of the Male Genitalia in the Butterfly Subfamily Aphnaeinae (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae)
Authors: Korzeev A. I. , Stekolnikov A. A.
Published: March 2022

The morphology of the skeleton and musculature of the male genitalia of the subfamily Aphnaeinae (Lycaenidae), distributed mainly in the Afrotropical Region, were studied and compared with those in other ancient taxa of the family Lycaenidae. The position of Aphnaeinae in the system of the family Lycaenidae is discussed based on the analysis of new comparative morphological data and with reference to the literature data. The male genital musculature was studied for the first time in Phasis thero (Linnaeus, 1764), Chrysoritis pyroeis (Trimen, 1864), and Aloeides pierus (Cramer, [1779]), representing distantly related genera of Aphnaeinae. The composition and topography of their muscles, unlike those of the previously studied Middle Asian species Cigaritis epargiros (Eversmann, 1854), were found to correspond to the ground plan of the nymphaloid group of families (Nymphalidae + Lycaenidae) and to show archaic features as compared with those in such early branches of Lycaenidae as the subfamilies Curetinae and Riodininae. Symplesiomorphic similarity of the musculature features of Aphnaeinae and Lipteninae (Liptenini) was established. The subfamilies Aphnaeinae, Poritiinae s. str., Lipteninae, and Miletinae share such a common feature as the lower wall of the saccus elongated into a narrow caudal plate (“saccus directed caudal”). However, it remains unknown whether this character is a synapomorphy of these subfamilies or a result of parallel evolution, i.e., a homoplasy.
A New Species of the Genus Bibio Geoffroy, 1764, B. kurentzovi sp. n., Close to B. consanguineus Loew, 1869 (Diptera, Bibionidae)
Authors: Krivosheina N. P.
Published: March 2022

Diagnostic characters of Bibio consanguineus Loew, recorded for the first time from the North Caucasus, are precised. A new species, Bibio kurentzovisp. n. is described from Eastern Siberia and the Russian Far East. Both species have darkened brownish wings but differ in the structure of the spurs on the fore tibia, in the wing venation, and in the morphology of the male genitalia.
Nocardia sienata: a new causative species of infectious keratitis
Authors: Mosenia Arman , Nguyen Anh H , Mandel Mark R , Seitzman Gerami D
Published: March 2022

A 25-year-old man presented with a 2-month history of progressively worsening left eye pain and an atypical corneal ring infiltrate. His condition deteriorated despite topical antibiotic therapy. Cultures for bacteria, fungus and acanthamoeba, repeated twice, all demonstrated no growth. On third corneal scraping, culture on Middlebrook agar grew colonies after 3 weeks of incubation. Sixteen-second deep sequencing identifiedNocardia sienataas the pathogen. This species of Nocardia has not previously been described as a causative pathogen for infectious keratitis. Sloughing and loose epithelium with recurrent filament formation are unusual in infectious keratitis and could be associated with this species. In culture-negative cases, clinicians should consider Nocardia as a cause of keratitis despite its rarity outside of south Asia and use steroids cautiously. Next generation sequencing technology may facilitate identification of the causate of keratitis and can be especially useful in culture-negative cases and with unexpected pathogens.
Modern contraceptive use among young women aged 15–24 years in selected municipalities of Western Nepal: results from a cross-sectional survey in 2019
Authors: Angdembe Mirak Raj , Sigdel Anil , Paudel Mahesh , Adhikari Nilaramba , Bajracharya Kamal Tara , How Thomas Christopher
Published: March 2022

Objective

To estimate the modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) and its predictors among young women aged 15–24 years.

Design

Cross-sectional analysis of Adolescent Youth Project baseline survey.

Setting

29 municipalities within Lumbini Province and Sudurpaschim Province in Western Nepal.

Participants

683 young women aged 15–24 years who were living in the catchment area of the selected 30 private OK network health facilities at the study sites from November to December 2019 and who provided informed consent or assent.

Outcome measure

mCPR among young women aged 15–24 years.

Results

The mean age of the respondents was 19 years, 61.7% never had sex and 63.9% were unmarried. The mCPR was 11.9% (95% CI 9.5 to 14.8). Of those who reported using a modern method of contraception, injectables (37.9%) were the most common, followed by male condom (35.9%) and implants (8.8%). Majority (86.4%) of the respondents reported currently not using any method of contraception. In the binary logistic regression analysis, the odds of contraceptive use were higher among women aged 20–24 years (adjusted OR (AOR)=5.50, 95% CI 2.94 to 10.29) and those of Janajati caste/ethnicity (AOR=2.08, 95% CI 1.16 to 3.71), while the odds were lower among women who faced high level of barriers (individual, family/societal, service provider and health facility barriers) to contraceptive use (AOR=0.36, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.98).

Conclusions

The mCPR among young women aged 15–24 years was low but similar to the national level. Sexual and reproductive health programmes aiming to improve the mCPR in this population of young women should consider the reported level of sexual activity. Reaching young women to improve their knowledge and self-efficacy for contraception is critical to ensure they can access contraception when needed. The focus should be on reaching not just young women but also key influencers and service providers and making health facilities adolescent-friendly to reduce barriers to contraceptive uptake and to realise self-efficacy.
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Africa: a scoping review
Authors: Thibodeau Juliette , Werner Kalin , Wallis Lee A , Stassen Willem
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is well studied in high-income countries, and research has encouraged the implementation of policy to increase survival rates. On the other hand, comprehensive research on OHCA in Africa is sparse, despite the higher incidence of risk factors. In this vein, structural barriers to OHCA care in Africa must be fully recognised and understood before similar improvements in outcome may be made. The aim of this study was to describe and summarise the body of literature related to OHCA in Africa.

Methods and analysis

Using an a priori developed search strategy, electronic searches were performed in Medline via Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar databases to identify articles published in English between 2000 and 2020 relevant to OHCA in Africa. Titles, abstract and full text were reviewed by two reviewers, with discrepancies handled by an independent reviewer. A summary of the main themes contained in the literature was developed using descriptive analysis on eligible articles.

Results

A total of 1200 articles were identified. In the screening process, 785 articles were excluded based on title, and a further 127 were excluded following abstract review. During full-text review to determine eligibility, 80 articles were excluded and one was added following references review. A total of 19 articles met the inclusion criteria. During analysis, the following three themes were found: epidemiology and underlying causes for OHCA, first aid training and bystander action, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) resuscitation and training.

Conclusions

In order to begin addressing OHCA in Africa, representative research with standardised reporting that complies to data standards is required to understand the full, context-specific picture. Policies and research may then target underlying conditions, improvements in bystander and EMS training, and system improvements that are contextually relevant and ultimately result in better outcomes for OHCA victims.
Study protocol of a randomised controlled trial for the effectiveness of a functional partial body weight support treadmill training (FPBWSTT) on motor and functional skills of children with ataxia
Authors: Lepoura Alexandra , Lampropoulou Sofia , Galanos Antonis , Papadopoulou Marianna , Sakellari Vasiliki
Published: March 2022

Introduction

A great heterogeneity characterises the paediatric population with ataxia, which has been studied poorly. The lack of postural control and coordination, in addition with features of the ‘ataxic’ gait are linked with functional limitations. Studies on physiotherapy interventions for children with ataxia are highly needed for identifying optimal training strategies for improving motor and functional related skills.

Methods and analysis

A stratified randomised control clinical trial of a 4-week functional partial body weight support treadmill training, (5 days/week 45 min/day) and 2-month follow-up period will be applied in children with ataxia, aged 8–18 years old with Gross Motor Function Classification System II–IV. Participants will be allocated to experimental group (intervention and usual care) or control group (usual care), using stratified randomisation process into two strata (progressive and non-progressive ataxia). Participants will be assessed at baseline, by the end of the 4-week period and by the end of a 2-month period as a follow-up measurement. Motor and functional skills will be assessed using the Gross Motor Function Measure-D and E, the Pediatric Balance Scale, the 10-meter walk test, the 6-minute walk test, the Scale for Assessment and Rating Ataxia, the timed up and go test and children’s spatiotemporal gait features will be assessed through GaitSens software recording over a 2 min low treadmill gait speed, while three-dimensional gait analysis will be performed for kinetic and kinematic analysis of the lower limbs in all three levels of movement. Two-way mixed Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with factors ‘intervention’ (between group) and ‘time’ (within group) will be used for the analysis of all parameters. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) will be used in case of imbalance of baseline measurements. Statistical significance will be set at p<0.05 using the statistical package SPSS V.21.00.

Ethics and dissemination

University of West Attica (study’s protocol: 14η/26-04-2021) and ‘ATTIKON’ General University Hospital of Athens (study’s protocol: Γ ΠΑΙΔ, ΕΒΔ 149/20-3-2020). Trial results of the main trial will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal and/or international conference.

Trail registration number

ISRCTN54463720.
Phase I, multicenter, open-label study of intravenous VCN-01 oncolytic adenovirus with or without nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine in patients with advanced solid tumors
Authors: Garcia-Carbonero Rocio , Bazan-Peregrino Miriam , Gil-Martín Marta , Álvarez Rafael , Macarulla Teresa , Riesco-Martinez Maria C , Verdaguer Helena , Guillén-Ponce Carmen , Farrera-Sal Martí , Moreno Rafael , Mato-Berciano Ana , Maliandi Maria Victoria , Torres-Manjon Silvia , Costa Marcel , del Pozo Natalia , Martínez de Villarreal Jaime , Real Francisco X , Vidal Noemí , Capella Gabriel , Alemany Ramon , Blasi Emma , Blasco Carmen , Cascalló Manel , Salazar Ramon
Published: March 2022

Background

VCN-01 is an oncolytic adenovirus (Ad5 based) designed to replicate in cancer cells with dysfunctional RB1 pathway, express hyaluronidase to enhance virus intratumoral spread and facilitate chemotherapy and immune cells extravasation into the tumor. This phase I clinical trial was aimed to find the maximum tolerated dose/recommended phase II dose (RP2D) and dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) of the intravenous delivery of the replication-competent VCN-01 adenovirus in patients with advanced cancer.

Methods

Part I: patients with advanced refractory solid tumors received one single dose of VCN-01. Parts II and III: patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma received VCN-01 (only in cycle 1) and nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine (VCN-concurrent on day 1 in Part II, and 7 days before chemotherapy in Part III). Patients were required to have anti-Ad5 neutralizing antibody (NAbs) titers lower than 1/350 dilution. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic analyses were performed.

Results

26% of the patients initially screened were excluded based on high NAbs levels. Sixteen and 12 patients were enrolled in Part I and II, respectively: RP2D were 1×1013viral particles (vp)/patient (Part I), and 3.3×1012vp/patient (Part II). Fourteen patients were included in Part III: there were no DLTs and the RP2D was 1×1013vp/patient. Observed DLTs were grade 4 aspartate aminotransferase increase in one patient (Part I, 1×1013 vp), grade 4 febrile neutropenia in one patient and grade 5 thrombocytopenia plus enterocolitis in another patient (Part II, 1×1013 vp). In patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma overall response rate were 50% (Part II) and 50% (Part III). VCN-01 viral genomes were detected in tumor tissue in five out of six biopsies (day 8). A second viral plasmatic peak and increased hyaluronidase serum levels suggested replication after intravenous injection in all patients. Increased levels of immune biomarkers (interferon-γ, soluble lymphocyte activation gene-3, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10) were found after VCN-01 administration.

Conclusions

Treatment with VCN-01 is feasible and has an acceptable safety. Encouraging biological and clinical activity was observed when administered in combination with nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine to patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Trial registration number

NCT02045602.
Theoretical study of water-assisted reaction between methane and nitrosonium cation
Authors: Shustov Gennady V.
Published: March 2022

The water-assisted reaction between CH4 and NO+ has been studied employing post Hartree–Fock and density functional theory methods. Two reaction pathways were considered: (i) a frontside NO+ attack on the C–H bond of methane with retention of configuration and (ii) a backside attack with inversion of configuration. The first pathway leads to a thermodynamically more favorable hydrate of N-protonated nitrosomethane, and the second one leads to its O-protonated isomer. The catalytic effect of a single water molecule is expressed in decreasing the activation energy for the elementary step by about a factor of two for the frontside mechanism and by a factor of four to five for the backside one when compared with the calculated literature data on water-free methane nitrosation. The combination of the activation strain model of reactivity and the energy decomposition analysis reveals that the activation barriers are largely determined by the relative stability of the termolecular reactant complexes. The crucial factor that stabilizes these complexes comes from the electrostatic attraction. The catalytic effect of the key water molecule is decreased with introduction of additional one or two explicit water molecules, which form a coordinate O→N bonding with NO+. On the contrary, an additional water molecule hydrogen bonded to the key catalytic water molecule enhances the catalytic effect.
Integrated simulation platform for a locomotive braking system
Authors: Jiajun Zhou , Chun Tian , Mengling Wu
Published: March 2022

We used a locomotive and a rail car to examine the working principle of a locomotive braking system. We established models of the locomotive braking system, the locomotive dynamics, and the brake disc thermodynamics and, based on the correlation parameters for each subsystem, built an integrated simulation platform for the locomotive braking system based on Simulink and AMESim. Using this platform, we simulated the characteristics of the pneumatic braking unit, the locomotive braking, and temperature increase in the brake disc under emergency braking conditions. We compared our simulation results with experimental data and the results showed that the integrated simulation platform for the locomotive braking system could successfully be used to study locomotive braking control on the vehicle level. We provide a design optimization method for the development of a braking system, the setting of the anti-skid criterion, and early warning of an increase in the brake disc temperature.
Effect of Permafrost on Seismic Performance of Railway Bridge Pile Foundation with Elevated Cap
Authors: Zhang Xiyin , Guan Jiada , Chen Xingchong , Pei Wansheng , Yu Shengsheng , Wang Yi , Wang Wanping
Published: March 2022

Pile foundation with elevated cap is always applied for railway bridges in permafrost region to minimize the thermal disturbance to vulnerable permafrost. Permafrost can influence the failure characteristics of the pile foundation under earthquakes and complicate the seismic performance evaluation of railway bridges with pile foundations in seismically active zones. Quasi-static tests of reduced scale models were carried out to investigate failure characteristics and hysteretic behaviors of the pile foundation with elevated cap in permafrost. Test results showed that the existence of permafrost can increase the stiffness of the foundation soil and then inhibit crack propagation of the unfrozen topsoil around the bridge pile foundation. Quite differently from the pile foundation in unfrozen soils, severer damages occurred at the pile foundation in soils with permafrost. Thus, the topsoil crack will be mitigated while the pile failure will be aggravated if strong earthquake occurs in permafrost regions for railway bridge pile foundation with elevated cap. Otherwise, the permafrost significantly influenced the loading bearing capacity and deformation features of the pile-soil interaction (PSI) system under seismic loads. The PSI system with permafrost has better energy dissipation than that with unfrozen soils due to the severe damage of the pile foundation. A simplified formula was developed to estimate the equivalent stiffness of the PSI system. It is indicated that the stiffness of the PSI system with permafrost degraded more severely than that with unfrozen soils. Therefore, permafrost effect cannot be neglected in seismic design of railway bridge pile foundations with elevated cap.
Optimization Design of the Magnetic Multi-Mass Damper for Multi-Frequency Vibration Suppression
Authors: Wang Xi , Xu Zhenyuan , Wang Dida , Wang Tao , Fu Guoqiang , Lu Caijiang
Published: March 2022

It is widely demonstrated that the tuned mass dampers (TMDs) are efficient to suppress resonant vibration, but the effective bandwidth is narrow and the robustness of the system is not enough, especially applied to variable frequency excitation. This paper presents an optimization design method of multi-mass damper (MMD) for variable multi-frequency vibration control. The dampers mounted on the primary system are made up of one main TMD and two MMDs, and each MMD is made up of three mass dampers, whose damping is provided by magnetic dampers, whose analytical model is established for optimization. The optimization objective function proposed is based on the variance, the difference between the maximum and the minimum values, root-mean-square values of the primary system vibration, which can help attenuate the vibration and improve the robustness of the primary system theoretically. The simulation results indicate that the vibration of the primary system under multi-frequency is suppressed 6[Formula: see text]dB by the designed dampers. In the experiments, the optimized damping ratios of every mass damper are realized using the magnetic dampers. The vibration amplitude of the primary system can be suppressed more than 50% when the main TMD and MMDs start work, the dramatic fluctuation of frequency response is replaced by gentle transition, and the experimental results are consistent with the simulation results well.
The Eye in Extended Reality: A Survey on Gaze Interaction and Eye Tracking in Head-worn Extended Reality
Authors: Plopski Alexander , Hirzle Teresa , Norouzi Nahal , Qian Long , Bruder Gerd , Langlotz Tobias
Published: March 2022

With innovations in the field of gaze and eye tracking, a new concentration of research in the area of gaze-tracked systems and user interfaces has formed in the field of Extended Reality (XR). Eye trackers are being used to explore novel forms of spatial human–computer interaction, to understand human attention and behavior, and to test expectations and human responses. In this article, we review gaze interaction and eye tracking research related to XR that has been published since 1985, which includes a total of 215 publications. We outline efforts to apply eye gaze for direct interaction with virtual content and design of attentive interfaces that adapt the presented content based on eye gaze behavior and discuss how eye gaze has been utilized to improve collaboration in XR. We outline trends and novel directions and discuss representative high-impact papers in detail.
Integrating Scientific Knowledge with Machine Learning for Engineering and Environmental Systems
Authors: Willard Jared , Jia Xiaowei , Xu Shaoming , Steinbach Michael , Kumar Vipin
Published: March 2022

There is a growing consensus that solutions to complex science and engineering problems require novel methodologies that are able to integrate traditional physics-based modeling approaches with state-of-the-art machine learning (ML) techniques. This article provides a structured overview of such techniques. Application-centric objective areas for which these approaches have been applied are summarized, and then classes of methodologies used to construct physics-guided ML models and hybrid physics-ML frameworks are described. We then provide a taxonomy of these existing techniques, which uncovers knowledge gaps and potential crossovers of methods between disciplines that can serve as ideas for future research.
Integrating Behavioral, Economic, and Technical Insights to Understand and Address Algorithmic Bias: A Human-Centric Perspective
Authors: Adomavicius Gediminas , Yang Mochen
Published: March 2022

Many important decisions are increasingly being made with the help of information systems that use artificial intelligence and machine learning models. These computational models are designed to discover useful patterns from large amounts of data, which augment human capabilities to make decisions in various application domains. However, there are growing concerns regarding the ethics challenges faced by these automated decision-making (ADM) models, most notably on the issue of
algorithmic bias
, in which the models systematically produce less favorable (i.e., unfair) decisions for certain groups of people. In this commentary, we argue that algorithmic bias is not just a technical (e.g., computational or statistical) problem, and its successful resolution requires deep insights into individual and organizational behavior, economic incentives, as well as complex dynamics of the sociotechnical systems in which the ADM models are embedded. We discuss a human-centric, fairness-aware ADM framework that highlights the holistic involvement of human decision makers in each step of ADM. We review the emerging literature on fairness-aware machine learning and then discuss various strategic decisions that humans need to make, such as formulating proper fairness objectives, recognizing fairness-induced trade-offs and implications, utilizing machine learning model outputs, and managing/governing the decisions of ADM models. We further illustrate how these strategic decisions are jointly informed by behavioral, economic, and design sciences. Our discussions reveal a number of future research opportunities uniquely suitable for Management Information Systems (MIS) researchers to pursue.
Performance-Driven X-Architecture Routing Algorithm for Artificial Intelligence Chip Design in Smart Manufacturing
Authors: Liu Genggeng , Zhu Yuhan , Xu Saijuan , Tang Hao , Chen Yeh-Cheng
Published: March 2022

The new 7-nm Artificial Intelligence (AI) chip is an important milestone recently announced by the IBM research team, with a very important optimization goal of performance. This chip technology can be extended to various business scenarios in the Internet of Things. As the basic model for very large scale integration routing, the Steiner minimal tree can be used in various practical problems, such as wirelength optimization and timing closure. Further considering the X-architecture and the routing resources within obstacles, an effective performance-driven X-architecture routing algorithm for AI chip design in smart manufacturing is proposed to improve the delay performance of the chip. First, a special particle swarm optimization algorithm is presented to solve the discrete length-restricted X-architecture Steiner minimum tree problem in combination with genetic operations, and a particle encoding scheme is presented to encode each particle into an initial routing tree. Second, two lookup tables based on pins and obstacles are established to provide a fast information query for the whole algorithm flow. Third, a strategy of candidate point selection is designed to make the particles satisfy the constraints. Finally, a refinement strategy is implemented to further improve the quality of the final routing tree. Compared with other state-of-the-art algorithms, the proposed algorithm achieves a better total wirelength, which is an important index of performance, thus better satisfying the demand for delay performance of AI chip design in smart manufacturing.
A Survey on Semi-supervised Learning for Delayed Partially Labelled Data Streams
Authors: Gomes Heitor Murilo , Grzenda Maciej , Mello Rodrigo , Read Jesse , Le Nguyen Minh Huong , Bifet Albert
Published: March 2022

Unlabelled data appear in many domains and are particularly relevant to streaming applications, where even though data is abundant, labelled data is rare. To address the learning problems associated with such data, one can ignore the unlabelled data and focus only on the labelled data (supervised learning); use the labelled data and attempt to leverage the unlabelled data (semi-supervised learning); or assume some labels will be available on request (active learning). The first approach is the simplest, yet the amount of labelled data available will limit the predictive performance. The second relies on finding and exploiting the underlying characteristics of the data distribution. The third depends on an external agent to provide the required labels in a timely fashion. This survey pays special attention to methods that leverage unlabelled data in a semi-supervised setting. We also discuss the delayed labelling issue, which impacts both fully supervised and semi-supervised methods. We propose a unified problem setting, discuss the learning guarantees and existing methods, and explain the differences between related problem settings. Finally, we review the current benchmarking practices and propose adaptations to enhance them.
A Survey on Voice Assistant Security: Attacks and Countermeasures
Authors: Yan Chen , Ji Xiaoyu , Wang Kai , Jiang Qinhong , Jin Zizhi , Xu Wenyuan
Published: March 2022

Voice assistants (VA) have become prevalent on a wide range of personal devices such as smartphones and smart speakers. As companies build voice assistants with extra functionalities, attacks that trick a voice assistant into performing malicious behaviors can pose a significant threat to a user’s security, privacy, and even safety. However, the diverse attacks and stand-alone defenses in the literature often lack a systematic perspective, making it challenging for designers to properly identify, understand, and mitigate the security threats against voice assistants. To overcome this problem, this article provides a thorough survey of the attacks and countermeasures for voice assistants. We systematize a broad category of relevant but seemingly unrelated attacks by the vulnerable system components and attack methods, and categorize existing countermeasures based on the defensive strategies from a system designer’s perspective. To assist designers in planning defense based on their demands, we provide a qualitative comparison of existing countermeasures by the implementation cost, usability, and security and propose practical suggestions. We envision this work can help build more reliability into voice assistants and promote research in this fast-evolving area.
Facilitating Load-Dependent Queueing Analysis Through Factorization (Extended Abstract)
Authors: Casale Giuliano , Harrison Peter G. , Hong Ong Wai
Published: March 2022

We construct novel exact and approximate solutions for meanvalue analysis and probabilistic evaluation of closed queueing network models with limited load-dependent (LLD) nodes. In this setting, load-dependent functions are assumed to become constant after a finite queue-length threshold. For single-class models, we provide an explicit formula for the normalizing constant that applies to models with arbitrary LLD functions, whilst retaining constant complexity with respect to the total population size. From this result, we then derive corresponding closed-form solutions for the multiclass case and show that these yield a novel mean value analysis approach for LLD models. Significantly, this allows us to determine exactly the correction factor between a load-independent solution and a limited load-dependent one, enabling the reuse of state-of-the-art methods for loadindependent models in the analysis of load-dependent networks.
Coalition Formation Resource Sharing Games in Networks
Authors: Singhal Shiksha , Kavitha Veeraruna
Published: March 2022

Cooperative game theory deals with systems where players want to cooperate to improve their payoffs. But players may choose coalitions in a non-cooperative manner, leading to a coalition-formation game. We consider such a game with several players (willing to cooperate) and a possible adamant player (unwilling to cooperate) involved in resource-sharing. Here, the strategy of a player is the set of players with whom it wants to form a coalition. Given a strategy profile, an appropriate partition of coalitions is formed; players in each coalition maximize their collective utilities leading to a non-cooperative resource-sharing game among the coalitions, the (unique) utilities at the resulting equilibrium are shared via Shapley-value; these shares define the utilities of players for the given strategy profile in the coalition-formation game. We also consider the utilitarian solution to derive the price of anarchy.
The Effect of Network Topology on Credit Network Throughput
Authors: Sivaraman Vibhaalakshmi , Tang Weizhao , Bojja Venkatakrishnan Shaileshh , Fanti Giulia , Alizadeh Mohammad
Published: March 2022

The global economy relies on digital transactions between entities who do not trust one another. Today, such transactions are handled by intermediaries who extract fees (e.g., credit card providers). A natural question is how to build financial systems that limit the need for such middlemen.
Elastic Job Scheduling with Unknown Utility Functions
Authors: Fu Xinzhe , Modiano Eytan
Published: March 2022

We consider a bipartite network consisting of job schedulers and parallel servers. Jobs arrive at the schedulers following stochastic processes with unknown arrival rates, and get routed to the servers, which execute the jobs with unknown service rates. The jobs are elastic, as their "size", i.e., the amount of service needed for their completion, is determined by the schedulers.
Improving the Mean-Field Fluid Model of Processor Sharing Queueing Networks for Dynamic Performance Models in Cloud Computing
Authors: Ruuskanen Johan , Berner Tommi , Arzen Karl-Erik , Cervin Anton
Published: March 2022

Resource management in cloud computing is a difficult problem, as one needs to balance between adequate service to clients and cost minimization in a dynamic environment of interconnected components. To make correct decisions in such an environment, good performance models are necessary. A common modeling methodology is to use networks of queues, but as these are prohibitively expensive to evaluate for many applications, approximation methods for key metrics are frequently employed. One such method-that provides both transient solutions and short, scalable computation times-is the fluid model, which approximates the dynamics of the mean queue lengths using a system of ordinary differential equations. However, finding a fluid model that can adequately approximate an arbitrary queueing network is in general difficult. In the paper, we extend the state of the art with the following three contributions. First, we show that for any mixed multiclass queueing network of processor sharing and delay queues with phase-type service time distributions, such a fluid model can be found via the meanfield approximation. Furthermore, we propose an improved model based on smoothing of the processor share function that improves the performance of certain systems. Finally, using the smoothed mean-field model, we introduce an accurate closed-form approximation of the response time CDF over any subset of classes and queues.
Probing High Oxygen Activity in YSZ Electrolyte
Authors: Robles-Fernández Adrián , Orera Alodia , Peña José I. , Merino Rosa I.
Published: March 2022

The redox behavior of terbium and praseodymium doped yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is studied. The aim is to identify spectroscopic probes and a suitable experimental procedure to monitor the oxygen activity in YSZ electrolytes in solid oxide cells with spatial resolution and at operation conditions (e.g. at high temperatures). Sintered ceramics and crystals with 0.3 to 10 at% content of Pr or Tb ions in YSZ were prepared. Upon equilibration in atmospheres from 10−20 to 100 bar PO2
around 800 °C, the majority of these rare earth ions are in the 3 + oxidation state. At oxygen pressures above 0.001 bar, the small proportion of Tb4+ and Pr4+ formed give rise to intense optical absorption around 300–500 nm and to decreased reflectance. From the reflectance measurements it is shown that the Tb4+ concentration increases as PO2

1/4, as correspond to the trapping of the holes generated upon the oxygen incorporation as Tb4+. This competitive absorption causes a decrease of the Tb3+ luminescence. A quantitative relationship of the Tb3+ luminescence intensity with PO2
at 800 °C has been found, which is compatible with the trapping model. The spatial resolution of the experimental procedure could be very roughly estimated of the order of 100 μm.
Energy Extraction from Capacitive Mixing: Experimental and Computational Analysis of Chemical Aspects
Authors: Cabrera J. Nicolás , González Graciela A. , Lizarraga Leonardo , Negri R. Martín
Published: March 2022

The double-layer expansion at the interfaces of charged electrodes when a concentrated salt solution (molar concentration Csalt
) is replaced by a diluted solution (C

fresh), produces an increase of the cell voltage. Experiments and simulations were performed in order to study the effect of several variables on the obtained transient voltage, V(t), and the rising of voltage at equilibrium, Δφ

eq. Carbon electrodes were prepared and characterized by cyclic voltammetry, amperometry, and N2-adsorption isotherms. The experimental results and finite elements simulations show that the shape of V(t) is influenced by the diffusion coefficients of the ions. On the other hand, experiments and simulations indicate that Δφ
eq
present a Nernstian-like dependence with the dilution coefficient, Cdil
= C

salt
/Cfresh
, while is independent of the initial charge and charging time. Quantitative features are interpreted by proposing a partial blocking of the electrodes for the dilution process, associated to irreversible incorporation of solution into the porous, presenting a model to estimate the blocking degree. Finally, cycles of charging-dilution-work-concentration were performed, extracting energies in the order of 100 μJ cm−2, which are in agreement with the model equations as function of Csalt
and Cfresh
.
Classifying Driving Fatigue by Using EEG Signals
Authors: Zeng Changqing , Mu Zhendong , Wang Qingjun
Published: March 2022

Fatigue driving is one of the main reasons for the occurrence of traffic accidents. Brain-computer interface, as a human-computer interaction method based on EEG signals, can communicate with the outside world and move freely through brain signals without relying on the peripheral neuromuscular system. In this paper, a simulation driving platform composed of driving simulation equipment and driving simulation software is used to simulate the real driving process. The EEG signals of the subjects are collected through simulated driving, and the EEG of five subjects is selected as the training sample, and the remaining one is the subject. As a test sample, perform feature extraction and classification experiments, select any set of normal signals and fatigue signals recorded in the driving fatigue experiment for data analysis, and then study the classification of driver fatigue levels. Experiments have proved that the PSO-H-ELM algorithm has only about 4% advantage compared with the average accuracy of the KNN algorithm and the SVM algorithm. The gap is not as big as expected, but as a new algorithm, it is applied to the detection of fatigue EEG. The two traditional algorithms are indeed more suitable. It shows that the driver fatigue level can be judged by detecting EEG, which will provide a basis for the development of on-board, real-time driving fatigue alarm devices. It will lay the foundation for traffic management departments to intervene in driving fatigue reasonably and provide a reliable basis for minimizing traffic accidents.
Cloud-IoT Resource Management Based on Artificial Intelligence for Energy Reduction
Authors: Daoud Wided Ben , Mchergui Abir , Moulahi Tarek , Alabdulatif Abdulatif
Published: March 2022

The rapid growth in demand for cloud services has led to the creation of large-scale data centers, which allows application service providers to lease data center capacity for application deployment as per user requirement in terms of quality of services (QoS). These data centers consume a lot of electrical power which contributes to increased operating costs and carbon dioxide emissions. In addition, modern cloud computing environments must provide QoS for their customers which leads them to a need to make a power-performance compromise that is to say in terms of energy consumption and service-level agreement (SLA) compliance. That is why, we introduce, in this paper, an intelligent resource management policy for cloud data centers. The goal is to dynamically allocate and continuously consolidate virtual machines taking advantage of live migration and disengage inactive nodes to minimize power feeding in this cloud environment while maintaining the quality of service. We integrate some artificial intelligence concepts to ensure a dynamic resource management and a better power-performance compromise and significantly reduce the consumed energy.
Point Prevalence Surveys of Antimicrobial Prescribing in a Non-Acute Care Hospital in Saitama Prefecture, Japan
Authors: Ishibashi Noriomi , Pauwels Ines , Tomori Yuki , Gu Yoshiaki , Yamaguchi Takefumi , Handa Takahiro , Yamaoka Minoru , Ito Daisuke , Sakimoto Takehiko , Kimura Takuma , Takizawa Kouichi , Sato Ryota , Sakashita Takahiro , Ooyama Akira , Versporten Ann , Goossens Herman , Tarumoto Norihito , Maesaki Shigefumi , Tanahashi Norio
Published: March 2022

Background. The global point prevalence survey (Global-PPS) is the standard for the surveillance of prescribed antimicrobials among inpatients and provides data for the development of hospital antimicrobial stewardship programs. Aim. To evaluate the prevalence and quality of antimicrobial prescriptions using the universally standardized Global-PPS protocol in a non-acute care hospital in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Methods. Antimicrobial prescriptions for inpatients, staying at the hospital overnight, were surveyed on three separate week days in November 2018, January 2019, and May 2019. Information on the prescribed antimicrobials on the survey target day was obtained from the in-hospital pharmacy. Survey data were collected by physicians, based on the extracted information. Patient information was anonymized and entered in the Global-PPS Web application by physicians. We report the antimicrobial use prevalence, the indication for prescription, diagnosis, the most prescribed antimicrobials, and a set of quality indicators related to antimicrobial prescribing. Results. In total, 6.7% of the surveyed inpatients (120/1796) were prescribed antimicrobials on the survey day. Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim was the most commonly prescribed, with 20.0% of systemic antibiotic prescriptions (ATC J01). Of all antibiotics for systemic use, up to 58.4% were Watch antibiotics, as defined by the World Health Organization AWaRe classification. The most prescribed group of systemic antibiotics was non-penicillin beta-lactam antibiotics (34.4%), followed by penicillin antibiotics in combination with beta-lactamase inhibitors (25.6%), and sulfonamides with trimethoprim (20.8%). Healthcare-associated infections and medical prophylaxis were the most common indications reported in 69.3% and 26.3% of prescriptions, respectively. The most common diagnosis for systemic antibiotic prescriptions was pneumonia (49.6%). Reasons for antimicrobial prescriptions were indicated in the medical records for 67.1% of prescriptions, and the stop/review date was documented to be 50.3%. Compliance with local guidelines reached 66.7%. Conclusions. This study highlights important challenges related to antimicrobial prescription in a highly specific, non-acute care patient population.
A Study on the Evaluation of Polyenoic Vegetable Oils and Their Female Health Benefits Based on Time Series Analysis Model: The Case of Peony Seed Oil
Authors: Li Haibo , Kang Songhao , Sun Lijuan
Published: March 2022

Polyenoic vegetable oils mainly contain polyenoic acids such as linoleic acid and linolenic acid, as well as active ingredients such as VE, phytosterols, mineral elements, and squalene. Among them, schisandra oil, kiwi seed oil, grape seed oil, maitake fruit oil, and evening primrose seed oil all contain up to 80% or more polyenoic acids. Studies have shown that polygenic vegetable oils have the effects of assisting in lowering blood lipids, antioxidation, delaying ageing, anti-inflammation, sun protection, moisturizing, slimming and weight loss, etc. They can be widely used in nutritional and healthy edible oils, health food, skin care, and cosmetic products and have great prospects for development and utilization. This paper explores the application of artificial neural networks in the analysis of data. A nonlinear time series prediction method based on the BP algorithm is proposed. The prediction accuracy is much higher than that of the traditional method.