bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Landslide Susceptibility Evaluation Using Different Slope Units Based on BP Neural Network
Authors: Huang Jianling , Zeng Xiaoye , Ding Lu , Yin Yang , Li Yange
Published: May 2022

Landslides are one of the most widespread natural hazards that cause damage to both property and life every year. Therefore, the landslide susceptibility evaluation is necessary for land hazard assessment and mitigation of landslide-related losses. Selecting an appropriate mapping unit is an essential step for landslide susceptibility evaluation. This study tested the back propagation (BP) neural network technique to develop a landslide susceptibility map in Qingchuan County, Sichuan Province, China. It compared the results of applying six different slope unit scales for landslide susceptibility maps obtained using hydrological analysis. We prepared a dataset comprising 973 historical landslide locations and six conditioning factors (elevation, slope degree, aspect, lithology, distance to fault lines, and distance to drainage network) to construct a geospatial database and divided the data into the training and testing datasets. We based on the BP learning algorithm to generate landslide susceptibility maps using the training dataset. We divided Qingchuan County into six different scales of slope unit: 4,401, 13,146, 39,251, 46,504, 56,570, and 69,013, then calculated the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and used the area under the curve (AUC) for the quantitative evaluation of 6 different slope unit scales of landslide susceptibility maps using the testing dataset. The verification results indicated that the evaluation generated by 56,570 slope units had the highest accuracy with a ROC curve of 0.9424. Overelaborate and rough division of slope units may not get the best evaluation results, and it is necessary to obtain the slope units most consistent with the actual situation through debugging. The results of this study will be useful for the development of landslide hazard mitigation strategies.
Nut Consumption and Effects on Chronic Kidney Disease and Mortality in the United States
Authors: Wang Koushu , Qian Duo , Hu Yuncan , Cheng Yichun , Ge Shuwang , Yao Ying
Published: May 2022

Background: Nuts have been found to have beneficial effects on some diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer, in several studies. However, there are few studies to show the effects of nuts on chronic kidney disease (CKD). Thus, we conducted this study to examine the association between the consumption frequency of nuts and the prevalence and mortality of CKD among adults in the USA. Methods: We analyzed data from 6,072 individuals (aged ≥20 years) who participated in the NHANES 2003–2006 following the scheduled procedure. Data on death were provided by the CDC. A logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association between nut consumption frequency and the prevalence of CKD. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was performed to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between nut consumption frequency and all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in the CKD and non-CKD populations. Results: Consuming nuts 1–6 times per week was associated with a lower prevalence of CKD (model 3: OR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.49–0.91). In addition, higher nut consumption was significantly associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the non-CKD population. For the CKD population, a consistently significant inverse association could be seen between consuming nuts 1–6 per week and all-cause mortality (model 3: HR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.47–0.86). No groups showed a significant difference in cardiovascular mortality compared with the reference in the full model. Conclusion: We recommend the CKD population to have an adequate intake of nuts 1–6 times per week, while the consumption frequency can be more flexible for the non-CKD. Further prospective studies should be conducted to confirm this conclusion.
Silencing of TRIM44 Inhibits Inflammation and Alleviates Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats by Downregulating TLR4-NF-κB Signaling
Authors: Zhu Lin , Dong Ce , Yue Xiongfei , Ge Pengzhen , Zheng Guozhen , Ye Zhanying , Pan Baogen
Published: May 2022

Background: Neuroinflammation subsequent to traumatic brain injury (TBI) is important for the recovery of patients and is associated with neurodegenerative changes post-TBI. The tripartite motif containing 44 (TRIM44) protein is an E3 ligase involved in the regulation of immune function with no previously known link to TBI. This study explores the connection between TRIM44 and TBI. Methods: After induction of TBI in rats by control cortex injury, TRIM44 expressions were determined with quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-NF-κB signaling was examined by the expression of TLR4, p65 phosphorylation, and the specific NF-κB transcription activity. The effects of TRIM44 knockdown on inflammation, neurological function, and TLR4-NF-κB signaling in TBI rats were revealed by the detection of proinflammatory cytokines and TLR4-NF-κB signaling molecules, modified neurological severity score, brain water content, and Evans blue permeability. Results: We found that TRIM44 expression was significantly increased following TBI induction along with TLR4-NF-κB activation. Silencing of TRIM44 suppressed proinflammatory cytokine production, improved neurological outcomes, alleviated brain edema, and inhibited TLR4-NF-κB signaling in TBI rats. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that suppressing TRIM44 or modulation of relevant pathways may be a therapeutic strategy for TBI.
Baltic Conferences on History of Science: Documenting the History of Science of the Baltic Countries in 1958–2019
Authors:   The Wroblewski Library of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, Miknienė Giedrė , Railienė Birutė ,   The Wroblewski Library of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences
Published: May 2022

The first attempt to bring together the historians of science from the Baltic States took place in Riga in 1958. Prof. Pauls Stradiņš (1896–1958) initiated and organised a joint meeting for historians of science from Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania under the supervision of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. A program for future joint activities was developed, and the tradition of joint conferences—the Baltic Conference on History of Science (BCHS)—in each country followed. In 1991, the Baltic Association of the History and Philosophy of Science (BAHPS), uniting historians and philosophers of science of independent Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, took over organising the BCHS. The article aims to present an overview of the published results of the conference, which is partly based on the annotated bibliography (1958–1985) of the conference. The authors analyse the subject, dissemination and tradition of the BCHS, and discuss the role of academic institutions in organising the events. Since the overview was inspired by a decision to gather a complete set of books of conference abstracts, it also resulted in recommendations for conference organisers. Between 1958 and 2019, twenty-nine conferences were organised and 2,880 papers were presented. The next conference will take place in Finland in 2022. The main ideas of the article were presented at the 26th International Congress on History and Philosophy of Science in Prague in 2021.
Ethics of the Corpus Hippocraticum: Philosophical Foundations of a Contemporary Debate
Authors:   Vilnius University, Ciurlionis Jonas
Published: May 2022

The article deals with a contemporary debate on Hippocratic ethics. Both the opponents and proponents of Hippocratic medical ethics seem to ignore the complexity of the said ethical system. The ethics of the Corpus Hippocraticum can be properly understood only in relation to physiological, psychological, and other factors. Therefore, the ongoing debate only partially represents ethical issues, and a number of arguments in it cannot be considered as valid. Moreover, the complexity of Hippocratic ethics reveals that quite a few of its principles are still valid today and deserve to be further analyzed. In addition, some of its principles have been incontestably incorporated into contemporary medical ethics.
Local development applied to the energy scheme using the geographic information system for decision making
Authors: Rodríguez Gámez María , Vázquez Pérez Antonio , Torres Pérez Mirelys , Núñez Alvarez José R.
Published: May 2022

The availability of endogenous energy resources in the province of Manabí can play an important role in achieving a diverse and sustainable territorial energy matrix. This research work shows the results of the project called geographic information system for sustainable development through the use of renewable energy sources. For the management of the project database, the geographic information system was used, and the information analysis took into account the works published in the main international databases on the use of renewable sources, planning energy, decision-making, and local development. The work allows revealing the energy potential that the territory of Manabí has in terms of the availability of renewable energy sources using the geographic information system, which can help in the decision-making process that contributes to the achievement of a diverse and sustainable territorial energy matrix.
Mass estimation of citrus limetta using distance based hand crafted features and regression analysis
Authors: Narayana Murthy Shobha Rani , Krishna Arun Sri , Laxmisagara Vishwa Prasad , Srinath Pavan H. , Madhusudan Vinay
Published: May 2022

Sorting and grading are qualitative operational tasks performed in food processing industries. Realization of higher accuracy in mass estimation is the key inclination of this work. In this work, an automated technique for mass estimation of citrus limetta is devised based on the geometrical features derived from pre-processed images. Dataset includes 250 data samples of citrus limetta, whose images are acquired in different orientations. Two novel handcrafted distance-based geometrical features along with four conventional geometrical features were employed for regression analysis. Predictive modeling is conducted with configuration of 150 training and 100 testing data samples and subject to regression analysis for mass estimation. Multiple linear and support vector regression models with linear, polynomial and radial basis function (RBF) kernels were employed for mass estimation with two different model configurations, conventional and conventional with handcrafted features, for which an R2 score of 0.9815, root mean squared error (RMSE) of 10.94 grams, relative averages of accuracy and error of 96.61% and 3.39% respectively is achieved for the proposed model and configuration which was validated using k-fold cross-validation. Through comparison with performance of model with conventional and conventional with handcrafted features configurations, it was established that inclusion of handcrafted features was able to increase the performance of the models.
Analysis of the visualizing changes in radar time series using the REACTIV method through satellite imagery
Authors: Hamid Hamood Shehab , Chisab Raad Farhood
Published: May 2022

A visualizing temporal stack of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images are presented in this work, the method is called REACTIV, which enabled us to highlight color zones that have undergone change over the detected period of time. This work has been widely tested using Google earth engine (GEE) platform, this method depends on the hue-saturation-value (HSV) of visualizing space and supports estimation only in the time domain; the method does not support the spatial estimation. The coefficient of temporal coefficient variation is coded depending on the saturation color, of which several statistical properties are described. The limitations are studied, and some applications are implemented in this study.
Programmable timer triggered energy harvesting wireless sensor-node using long range radio access technology
Authors: Prakash Guragain Deepesh , Kaji Budhathoki Ram , Ghimire Pramod
Published: May 2022

Despite widespread deployment of wireless sensor networks (WSN) in remote and inapproachable locations, energy consumption/storage of WSN hindered its adoption. Similarly, the battery-powered sensor nodes are of no use once the battery is depleted. To overcome this limitation, energy harvesting is one of the key techniques. In this paper, an almost perpetual self-powered sensor node is proposed. This sensor node uses a solar panel to harvest energy while the entire energy management is accomplished by BQ25570. Similarly, a super-capacitor is used as an energy storage unit with long range radio access (LoRa) as a transceiver unit. We measured the power generated/consumed continuously for 15 days with a transmission interval of 10 minutes. The result shows that this sensor node can potentially last for more than 7 days even at a low illuminance. Considering periodic wakeup at every 10 seconds with a sleep interval of 3 sec, a timer-triggered mechanism saves approximately 595 milliwatts of energy in one day compared to a deep-sleep mechanism. Furthermore, it is found that the application of the novel idea of external timer-driven technology in sensor node reduces energy consumption and provides a much efficient power optimization mechanism compared to the deep sleep mechanism that prevailed in WSNs technology.
Smart offload chain: a proposed architecture for blockchain assisted fog offloading in smart city
Authors: Patel Minal , Gohil Bhavesh , Chaudhary Sanjay , Garg Sanjay
Published: May 2022

Blockchain enables smart contract for secure data transfer by which fog offloading servers can have trustworthy access control to work with data execution. When cloud is used for handling requests from mobile users, the attacker may perform denial of service attack and the same is possible at fog nodes and the same can be handled with the help of blockchain technology. In this paper, smart city application is discussed a use case study for blockchain based fog computing architecture. We propose a novel offload chain architecture for blockchain-based offloading in internet of things (IoT) networks where mobile devices can offload their data to fog servers for computation by an access control mechanism. The offload chain model using deep reinforcement learning (DRL) is proposed to improve the efficiency of blockchain based fog offloading amongst existing models.
Ultra‐Early Functional Improvement After Stroke Thrombectomy – Predictors and Implications
Authors: Desai Shashvat M. , Catapano Joshua S. , Tonetti Daniel A. , Nayar Gautam , Shah Kavit , Morrison Andrew A. , Jha Ruchira M. , Jovin Tudor G. , Jadhav Ashutosh P.
Published: May 2022

Background

Neurocritical care is routinely provided to patients post‐endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for anterior large vessel occlusion strokes. We aim to study the relationship between immediate improvement in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score on outcomes post‐EVT and potential implications for postprocedural care.

Methods

We performed a retrospective review of anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (internal carotid/proximal middle cerebral artery) patients undergoing EVT. Demographic, clinical, and imaging information was analyzed. Ultra‐early functional improvement (UEFI) was defined as NIHSS score <6 within 30 minutes of successful recanalization. We analyzed the incidence and predictors of UEFI, and explored reasons for neurological decline post‐UEFI.

Results

Of the 343 anterior large vessel occlusion patients undergoing EVT, mean age was 71 ± 15 and 46% were male. Mean NIHSS was 17 ± 6 and Time Last Known Well (TLKW) to arrival was 9 ± 11 hours. UEFI was observed in 23% (79/343) of patients. Independent predictors of UEFI included lower pretreatment NIHSS, favorable Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS), and lower admission systolic blood pressure. Rates of 90‐day‐modified Rankin scale 0–2 were higher (71% versus 33%,
P
<0.01) and the rate of mortality (8% versus 28%,
P
<0.01) was lower in the UEFI group compared with the non‐UEFI group. Amongst patients with UEFI, 1.3% (1/79) experienced increase in NIHSS by ≥4 points within 24 hours of EVT. This patient received thrombolysis, achieved TICI‐2B recanalization, and follow‐up neuroimaging revealed a parenchymal hemorrhage and an infarct volume of 44 mL. None of the patients with UEFI required continuous antihypertensive infusions.

Conclusions

Approximately 1‐in‐4 of anterior large vessel occlusion stroke patients undergoing EVT have an NIHSS score of <6 within 30 minutes of successful recanalization. Only 1% of them experience significant decline in neurological status within 24 hours of the procedure with the majority achieving functional independence at 90 days. The need for advanced neurocritical care should be reevaluated in these patients.
Accelerating Climate Action: The Politics of Nonstate Actor Engagement in the Paris Regime
Authors: Jernnäs Maria , Lövbrand Eva
Published: May 2022

The 2015 Paris Agreement is often depicted as a turning point for global climate governance. Following years of diplomatic gridlock, it laid the foundations for a new global climate regime that invites states to partner with nonstate actors in the transition to the low-carbon society. This article critically examines the political rationalities that inform the pluralization of climate politics after Paris and the turn toward cooperative modes of governing. Drawing on an analysis of initiatives led by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that were launched to engage nonstate actors in the evolving Paris regime, we identify a global governmentality that mobilizes nonstate actors as active and responsible partners in the quest for rapid and deep decarbonization. In its search for cooperative and efficient forms of problem management, we argue, this form of rule nurtures a global space free from friction and opposition where businesses, investors, and industry are elevated as the real partners of government.
Reassessment of the status of some European and Asian Melitaea taxa described as subspecies of Melitaea phoebe ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), with designations of lectotypes where appropriate (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)
Authors: RUSSELL PETER J. C. , LUKHTANOV VLADIMIR A. , TENNENT W. JOHN
Published: May 2022

Morphological characters of value in distinguishing Melitaea phoebe from M. ornata are exemplified from photographs of specimens from sympatric and partially synchronic populations in the Russian Federation and Slovenia. Type material of a number of subspecies classified as M. phoebe have been examined and confirmed as being subspecies of M. phoebe or as subspecies of either M. ornata or M. telona. Larval and adult morphology of M. telona is very similar to those of M. ornata, making morphological separation difficult. Distribution of M. telona forms a major criterion for separation. Lectotypes are designated for amanica Rebel, 1917 and dorae Graves, 1925. The name enoch Higgins, 1941 is recognised as a distinct species and the names abbas Gross & Ebert, 1975 and zagrosi Tóth & Varga, 2011 synonymised with Melitaea enoch.
The Dodge City Tornadoes on 24 May 2016: Understanding Cycloidal Marks in Surface Damage Tracks and Further Analysis of the Debris Cloud
Authors: Wakimoto Roger M. , Wienhoff Zachary , Reif Dylan , Bluestein Howard B. , Lewellen David C.
Published: May 2022

Mobile, polarimetric radar data were collected on a series of tornadoes that occurred near Dodge City, Kansas. A poststorm survey revealed a series of tornadic debris swaths in several dirt fields and high-resolution pictures of the tornado documented the visual characteristics of the tornado and the lofted debris cloud. The main rotational couplet associated with the tornado was identified in the single-Doppler velocities; however, no secondary rotational couplets were resolved in the low-level data performed during two consecutive volume scans. Numerical simulations have suggested that cycloidal damage swaths can result when debris is deposited as the low-level inflow turns upward in the corner region of the updraft annulus of the tornado core. This mechanism can dominate even when suction vortices are present in the simulations and can produce these swaths in the absence of these smaller-scale vortices. It is hypothesized that the observed cycloidal damage swaths were a result of the low-level inflow in the corner region of the tornado and not by the existence of suction vortices. Polarimetric data were combined with photographs of the tornado in order to document the lofted debris cloud and its relationship with the funnel. This analysis provided an opportunity to investigate whether recent findings describing the cross-correlation coefficient ρhv and differential reflectivity ZDR signatures of the lofted debris cloud could be replicated. Regions of low ρhv at the periphery of the funnel cloud suggesting high debris loading and a column of negative ZDR centered on the tornado believed to be produced by common debris alignment were noted.

Significance Statement

It is well known that some tornadoes produce smaller-scale vortices that rotate around the central axis of the main circulation. In addition, numerous aerial photographs have documented cycloidal debris marks within tornado damage tracks that traverse open fields. The prevailing theory shown in numerous textbooks is that these marks are produced by these vortices. The current study suggests that this widely accepted model for producing these marks may be incorrect. It is suggested that these cycloidal marks are produced by the main tornado circulation and not by the smaller-scale vortices in this case.
Coronary Intervention in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients With Symptom Onset >12 Hours: Data from China Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry
Authors: Hu Mengjin , Peng Ya , Gao Xiaojin , Yang Jingang , Xu Haiyan , Wu Yuan , Song Lei , Qiao Shubin , Hu Fenghuan , Wang Yang , Li Wei , Jin Chen , Yang Yuejin ,   China Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry Investigators
Published: May 2022

To determine whether late percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of an infarct-related artery >12 h after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction onset is beneficial, patients were included from the prospective, nationwide, multicenter China Acute Myocardial Infarction registry. The number of patients who underwent PCI or received drug therapy alone was 4791 and 1149, respectively. Hazard ratio (HR) and associated 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Compared with drug therapy, PCI was associated with lower incidences of 2-year major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE; 6.43 vs 20.19%; HR, .27; 95% CI, .23-.32; P < .001), all-cause death (4.13 vs 15.74%; HR, .24; 95% CI, .20-.30; P < .001), myocardial infarction (1.73 vs 3.31%; HR, .49; 95% CI, .33-.72; P = .0003), stroke (1.02 vs 2.00%; HR, .47; 95% CI, .28-.77; P = .0026), and revascularization (10.96 vs 27.56%; HR, .32; 95% CI, .26-.39; P < .001). Subgroup analysis consistently indicated that PCI was superior to drug therapy. Moreover, the left ventricular ejection fraction in the PCI group was increased after 2-year follow-up, whereas there was no significant increase in the drug therapy group. In conclusion, late PCI is common in Chinese clinical practice, and it is associated with significant improvements in cardiac function and survival compared with drug therapy alone.
Scoring Graphical Responses in TIMSS 2019 Using Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: von Davier Matthias , Tyack Lillian , Khorramdel Lale
Published: May 2022

Automated scoring of free drawings or images as responses has yet to be used in large-scale assessments of student achievement. In this study, we propose artificial neural networks to classify these types of graphical responses from a TIMSS 2019 item. We are comparing classification accuracy of convolutional and feed-forward approaches. Our results show that convolutional neural networks (CNNs) outperform feed-forward neural networks in both loss and accuracy. The CNN models classified up to 97.53% of the image responses into the appropriate scoring category, which is comparable to, if not more accurate, than typical human raters. These findings were further strengthened by the observation that the most accurate CNN models correctly classified some image responses that had been incorrectly scored by the human raters. As an additional innovation, we outline a method to select human-rated responses for the training sample based on an application of the expected response function derived from item response theory. This paper argues that CNN-based automated scoring of image responses is a highly accurate procedure that could potentially replace the workload and cost of second human raters for international large-scale assessments (ILSAs), while improving the validity and comparability of scoring complex constructed-response items.
A Forum on Emerging Technologies
Authors: Litwin Adam Seth , Hammerling Jessie HF , Carré Françoise , Tilly Chris , Benner Chris , Mason Sarah , Viscelli Steve , Gutelius Beth , Theodore Nik
Published: May 2022

As part of ILR Review’s new special series “Novel Technologies at Work,” this article introduces a forum composed of five industry studies that examine the drivers and impact of recent and impending technological change. Each of the studies, condensed from longer reports published over the past two years, relies on interviews with sectoral actors and other primary data to determine the relevant technologies confronting workers and managers and the sorts of strategies and policies that will mediate their effects.
The Effect of Content on Zapping in TV Advertising
Authors: Becker Maren , Scholdra Thomas P. , Berkmann Manuel , Reinartz Werner J.
Published: May 2022

Consumers who are uninterested in or annoyed by a TV ad may avoid the ad, limiting the effectiveness of not only the ad but also the remaining commercial break. Active avoidance of ads by changing the channel—known as “zapping”—is potentially a major concern for both advertisers and broadcasters. In two studies, the authors investigate whether and why ad content drives or mitigates zapping and develop a conceptual framework linking multiple content factors to psychological reactions that then affect zapping. They test the content–zapping relationship by drawing on a data set reflecting the zapping behavior of over 2,500 German television viewers combined with advertising data and content information for 1,315 spots representing 308 brands from 96 categories. The results of the first study show that ad creativity is associated with less zapping, whereas a strong information focus and a prominent or early integration of branding elements are associated with more zapping. The findings also reveal that the effects differ significantly for products with a utilitarian (vs. hedonic) consumption purpose and for search (vs. experience) goods. The results of the second study show that irritation (determined by feeling, e.g., annoyed, offended, or overwhelmed), relative to enjoyment, acts as the central mechanism in explaining why ad content affects zapping.
Jeremy Bentham’s Social Ontology: Fictionality, Factuality and Language Critique
Authors: Green Bryan
Published: May 2022

In terms of the distinction between relationalist and substantialist philosophies of science opened up by American pragmatist thinkers like Dewey and Bentley, Bentham’s social ontology is relationalist and anti-substantialist. When the ontology is combined with his emphasis on ordinary language as the basis of social reality, it is seen to have thematic connections to later developments in social science such as social constructionism, social phenomenology, ethnomethodology and, due to its intent to critically question-received fictions, to neo-Marxian and other concerns about objectivation and reification. Also, by re-reading Bentham’s theory of fictions as a theory of vernacular language habits, it can be shown to have empirical relevance for the sociology of language.
From Initiation to Apprenticeship in Taste: A Career-Based Approach to Alcohol Consumption in France
Authors: Le Hénaff Yannick
Published: May 2022

Relying on the (classic interactionist) notion of “career,” this paper attempts to explore the alcohol trajectories of a sample of young adults in France. To reconstruct each career, we conducted 30 in-depth interviews with young adults from 19 to 25 years of age. Three distinct stages were identified. The first consists of trying the product; the second involves experimenting with the physical and sensory effects of drinking; the third sets the person on a course toward diversifying consumption patterns.
Does Absorptive Capacity Matter in the Impact of Immigration on Innovation in Africa? Evidence from Panel Quantile Regression with Nonadditive fixed Effects
Authors: Bassongui Nassibou , Ben Younes Houda
Published: May 2022

This study aims to assess the role of absorptive capacity in the relationship between immigration and domestic innovation in sending countries using five average period data points from a sample of 35 African countries over the period 1995-2019. The results based on panel quantile regression with nonadditive fixed effects support the brain drain hypothesis, implying that immigration has negative heterogeneous effects on the innovation performance of sending countries. Our findings also revealed that absorptive capacity mitigates the negative effects of immigration when countries’ absorptive capacity reaches a certain threshold. These results suggest that strengthening the quality of institutions and physical infrastructures could mitigate the brain drain effect of immigration in Africa.
Effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor discontinuation on anxiety-like behaviours in mice
Authors: Collins Helen M , Pinacho Raquel , Ozdemir Dersu , Bannerman David M , Sharp Trevor
Published: May 2022

Background:

Abrupt cessation of therapy with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) is associated with a discontinuation syndrome, typified by numerous disabling symptoms, including anxiety. Surprisingly, little is known of the behavioural effect of SSRI discontinuation in animals.

Aim:

Here, the effect of SSRI discontinuation on anxiety-like behaviour was systematically investigated in mice.

Methods:

Experiments were based on a three-arm experimental design comprising saline, continued SSRI and discontinued SSRI. Mice were assessed 2 days after SSRI discontinuation over a 5-day period using the elevated plus maze (EPM) and other anxiety tests.

Results:

An exploratory experiment found cessation of paroxetine (12 days) was associated with decreased open-arm exploration and reduced total distance travelled, in male but not female mice. Follow-up studies confirmed a discontinuation effect on the EPM in male mice after paroxetine (12 days) and also citalopram (12 days). Mice receiving continued paroxetine (but not citalopram) also showed decreased open-arm exploration but this was dissociable from the effects of discontinuation. The discontinuation response to paroxetine did not strengthen after 28 days of treatment but was absent after 7 days of treatment. A discontinuation response was not discernible in other anxiety and fear-learning tests applied 3–5 days after treatment cessation. Finally, discontinuation effects on the EPM were typically associated with decreased locomotion on the test. However, separate locomotor testing implicated anxiety-provoked behavioural inhibition rather than a general reduction in motor activity.

Conclusion:

Overall, this study provides evidence for a short-lasting behavioural discontinuation response to cessation of SSRI treatment in mice.
Cerebrovascular reactivity and deep white matter hyperintensities in migraine: A prospective CO2 targeting study
Authors: Lee Mi Ji , Park Bo-yong , Cho Soohyun , Kim Seonwoo , Park Hyunjin , Kim Sung Tae , Chung Chin-Sang
Published: May 2022

Several studies suggested the association of migraine with deep white matter hyperintensities (WMHs). We aimed to explore the cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), deep WMH burden, and their association in patients with migraine using a state-of-the-art methodology. A total of 31 patients with migraine without aura and 31 age/sex-matched controls underwent 3T MRI with prospective end-tidal carbon dioxide (CO2) targeting. We quantified deep WMH clusters using an automated segmentation tool and measured voxel-wise CVR by changes in blood oxygen level-dependent signal fitted to subjects’ end-tidal CO2. The association of migraine and CVR with the presence of WMH in each voxel and interaction of migraine and CVR on WMH were analysed. Patients had a higher number of deep WMHs than controls (p = 0.015). Migraine and reduced CVR were associated with increased probability of having WMHs in each voxel (adjusted OR 30.78 [95% CI 1.89–500.53], p = 0.016 and adjusted OR 0.30 [0.29–0.32], p < 0.001, respectively). Migraine had an effect modification on CVR on deep WMHs (p for interaction <0.001): i.e. the association between CVR and WMH was greater in patients than in controls. We suggest that the migraine-WMH association can be explained by the effect modification on the CVR.
Microfoundations of global value chain research: Big decisions by small firms
Authors: Buciuni Giulio , Canello Jacopo , Gereffi Gary
Published: May 2022

In this study, we introduce a unique longitudinal dataset from the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance Annual Survey (IMEFAS) to assess how micro and small enterprises (MSEs) partake in the global economy by tapping into global value chains (GVCs). The results of the empirical analysis show that the great majority of micro and small enterprises are unable to establish direct links with GVCs. However, two sub-categories of subcontractors and branded producers were able to accomplish upgrading and partake in GVCs after the 2008 economic crisis. For both groups of firms, strategies implemented in domestic value chains contributed to their future participation in GVCs. By identifying small firms’ value chain decisions associated with their ability to access GVCs directly, this study sheds light on the microfoundations of GVCs. It paves the way for the future intersection of small business economics and GVCs, two areas of research that have seldom talked to each other.
Data-Driven Computation of State-Dependent Passenger Car Equivalency for Multiple Truck Lengths
Authors: Yuksel Eren , Bertini Robert L. , (Shaw) Li Xiaopeng , Staes Brian , Ozkul Seckin
Published: May 2022

Passenger car equivalency (PCE) has been used for decades to convert mixed vehicle traffic into equivalent pure passenger car traffic streams for transportation planning, design, and operational analysis purposes. The term PCE was defined by the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) in 1965 as an adjustment factor, and many approaches have continued to be developed for refining PCE values for different types of freeway geometry and vehicle distributions since then. This paper proposes an improved data-driven state-dependent passenger car equivalency (PCE–SD) approach, initially for level terrain basic freeway segments that consider average vehicle lengths for different types of vehicles. The term “state-dependent” refers to the space headway ratio at the same speed ranges between long vehicles (trucks), that fall into the same clustered category, and passenger cars. The relatively unique data stream used in this study comes from the Portland Oregon Regional Transportation Archive Listing (PORTAL) online datahub. This rich continuous data stream provides valuable information about traffic-related data at a 20-s aggregation level. Most importantly for this effort, ranges of categorical vehicle lengths are also available. According to analysis results, PCE–SD values estimate the actual passenger car distribution at different speeds and levels of operational performance (levels of service) more accurately compared with the HCM-6 PCEs on level terrain basic freeway segments. The authors propose that a state-dependent passenger car equivalency approach bridges the conversion gap from different types of trucks to passenger vehicles and could be used as an improved supplementary methodology.
Statewide Assessment of Balanced Mixture Design for New York State’s Asphalt Mixtures
Authors: Bennert Thomas , Haas Edwin , Wass Edward , Tulanowski Drew , Zavery Zoeb
Published: May 2022

As state agencies want greater assurance that their asphalt materials will last longer, the inclusion of performance testing during mixture design and production has gained popularity. In particular, the concept of determining the asphalt content that optimizes asphalt mixture rutting and fatigue cracking resistance, called balanced mixture design (BMD), is being explored in the U.S. In this study, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) orchestrated a statewide evaluation of their asphalt mixtures under the BMD concept. Eleven asphalt mixtures, representing a majority of what is utilized as surface courses on New York (NY) asphalt pavements, were first volumetrically verified and then evaluated using BMD to determine the range of asphalt content where rutting and fatigue cracking resistance optimization are achieved. Three laboratory rutting tests (asphalt pavement analyzer [APA], Hamburg wheel tracking [HWT], and high temperature indirect tensile strength [HT-IDT]), and three fatigue cracking tests (overlay tester, semi-circular bending [SCB] flexibility index, and indirect tensile asphalt cracking test [IDEAL-CT] index) were utilized during the performance testing. The results showed that 6 of the 11 volumetrically designed asphalt mixtures were under-asphalted with respect to achieving minimum fatigue cracking resistance based on the laboratory tests. None of the volumetrically designed asphalt mixtures were determined to have rutting issues. The addition of polymer modification in the asphalt binders was found to increase the range of asphalt contents achieving a balanced condition. The study also showed that, when appropriate performance criteria are selected, it is possible to utilize different test methods.
Constructing ‘others’ and a wider ‘we’ as emotional processes: A case of South Korea in times of crisis
Authors: Noh Jae-Eun
Published: May 2022

This article examines how growing fears, insecurities and uncertainties during the COVID-19 pandemic have prompted an emotional distance from others. The aim is to explore how global solidarity and nationalism are challenged and constructed as collective emotional processes concerning ‘others’. Drawing on social theories of emotions during crises and emotions towards others, this study looks at policy decisions around vaccines and health services and their associated emotions in the context of Korea, which has a relatively small migrant population and a short history of supporting people in lower-income countries. The study finds that the COVID-19 pandemic has strengthened nationalism, both ethnic nationalism and cosmopolitan nationalism. This points to the need to highlight global norms such as human rights and justice and cultivate foundational emotions such as empathy and compassion. This article suggests paying attention to the role of emotions in generating othering practices and developing global solidarity.
Human rights overreach?
Authors: Farahat Anuscheh , Leijten Ingrid
Published: May 2022

Current and future challenges are in need of an effective human rights response. In ensuring this, the question can be asked whether there is such a thing as human rights overreach, and if so, what must be done about it. This contribution deals with this question by, first, outlining various forms of human rights proliferation. For example, proliferation can take the shape of expanding the scope of rights or inventing new human rights. It then illuminates several lines of criticism that can be found in the literature. These concern issues of legalisation and of judicialisation, as well as the indeterminacy of rights. The articles that together form this Special Issue deal with aspects of proliferation and (potential) overreach from different and original angles. After introducing these, it is concluded that the overreach question is even more complex than it seems and requires careful consideration if we want to make human rights more effective and more resilient.
Dual solutions and their stability analysis for inclined magnetohydrodynamics and Joule effects in Ti-alloy nanofluid: Flow separation
Authors: RamReddy Chetteti , Saran Har Lal
Published: May 2022

This article emphasizes the roles of Joule heating and inclined magnetic field on the Ti-alloy nanofluid towards an exponentially permeable shrinking/stretching surface for the first time. Adopting the Tiwari and Das model, this nanofluid incorporates water as the base fluid and Ti-alloy as the nanoparticles in the mathematical formulation. Non-dimensional form of resultant flow governing equations is solved numerically for dual solutions using the Shooting method along with the Runge-Kutta fourth order technique and also the stability of the system is verified through the eigenvalue approach. The streamlines and eigenvalue patterns are provided to show the stability of obtained solutions and the significance of the problem undertaken. In these solutions, the first solution is found to be realistic and stable whereas the second solution is not stable for each combination of inclined magnetic, Joule heating, stretching/shrinking, Ti-alloy volume fraction, and suction parameters within the limited ranges. The existence of a flow separation point is identified between the shrinking and stretching regions. Finally, the delay of boundary layer separation is pointed out with the enhancing values of volume fraction of Ti-alloy nanoparticles and magnetic parameter in the presence of suction. This kind of analysis plays a very important role in the fields of aerodynamics, medical, and space sciences.
Long short-term memory neural network with scoring loss function for aero-engine remaining useful life estimation
Authors: Ren Li-Hua , Ye Zhi-Feng , Zhao Yong-Ping
Published: May 2022

Estimation of the aero-engine remaining useful life (RUL) is a significant part of prognostics and health management (PHM) and the basis of condition-based maintenance (CBM) which can improve the reliability and economy. Multiple operating conditions, nonlinear degradation, and early prediction are significant and distinctive issues compared with other prognostics problems. While these issues do not get enough attention and researches in aero-engine RUL estimation. In view of these points, three specific data preparation approaches and a novel loss function are introduced. The data preparation approaches can extract high-quality data for the long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network according to the characteristic of aero-engine degradation data. Among these approaches, operating condition normalization is an effective method to handle the multiple operating conditions problems, and RUL limitation identification is a novel method to identify the turning point of the nonlinear degradation process. The scoring function is an innovative loss function used to replace the mean square error (MSE) loss function which has a preference for early prediction. The comparisons with the original LSTM and some other approaches indicate that the combination of the data preparations and the scoring loss function is an effective solution for the above issues, and can achieve the best performance among the approaches.
Correlates of bacterial vaginosis among women from North India
Authors: Challa Apoorva , Kachhawa Garima , Sood Seema , Upadhyay Ashish D , Dwivedi Sada N , Gupta Somesh
Published: May 2022

Background: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most prevalent cause of abnormal vaginal discharge among pre-menopausal women and associated with adversities of sexual and reproductive health. The present study aimed to identify potential epidemiological and behavioural risk factors and clinical predictors of BV among women in Delhi, India. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess 283 non-pregnant women aged 18–45 years for BV using Nugent’s scoring criteria. Information on demographics, sexual behaviours, hygiene practices and clinical symptoms was obtained and evaluated for their association with Nugent-BV status. Results: A positive diagnosis for Nugent-BV was made in 69 (24.4%) participants, 55 (19.4%) were intermediate and 159 (65.2%) were negative for Nugent-BV. Infertility ( p = .02) and recent unprotected sexual exposure ( p = .02) were strongly associated with Nugent-BV. On the other hand, women who reported regular use of condoms during intercourse were more likely to test negative ( p = .03). None of the patient complaints, however, had any significant correlation with Nugent-BV diagnosis. Conclusion: Women in their reproductive years share the highest burden of adversities associated with bacterial vaginosis. History of infertility, recent unprotected sexual exposure and frequent use of condoms were correlates having significant associations with Nugent-BV.
Room for a Specialist?
Authors: Sherrey Helen , Forbes Georgina , Mullan Helen
Published: May 2022

When the Associate Specialist grade shut in 2008 it left an untenable situation in which some Specialty Doctors were providing the most senior levels of care for patients without recognition of that seniority. Hence in 2021, the Specialist Grade was created as a new national grade for senior specialist and specialty (SAS) doctors. The post provides autonomous working and recognition of seniority for SAS doctors. Becoming a Specialist Grade doctor is not an automatic career progression and must be applied for when a position is created by the employer. The Specialist Grade route has potential to be an alternative but equally rewarding career choice to traditional training.