bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Linkage between Projected Precipitation and Atmospheric Thermodynamic Changes
Authors: Chen Jiao , Dai Aiguo , Zhang Yaocun
Published: July 2020

Light–moderate precipitation is projected to decrease whereas heavy precipitation may increase under greenhouse gas (GHG)-induced global warming, while atmospheric convective available potential energy (CAPE) over most of the globe and convective inhibition (CIN) over land are projected to increase. The underlying processes for these precipitation changes are not fully understood. Here, projected precipitation changes are analyzed using 3-hourly data from simulations by a fully coupled climate model, and their link to the CAPE and CIN changes is examined. The model approximately captures the spatial patterns in the mean precipitation frequencies and the significant correlation between the precipitation frequencies or intensity and CAPE over most of the globe or CIN over tropical oceans seen in reanalysis, and it projects decreased light–moderate precipitation (0.01 < P ≤ 1 mm h−1) but increased heavy precipitation (P > 1 mm h−1) in a warmer climate. Results show that most of the light–moderate precipitation events occur under low-CAPE and/or low-CIN conditions, which are projected to decrease greatly in a warmer climate as increased temperature and humidity shift many of such cases into moderate–high CAPE or CIN cases. This results in large decreases in the light–moderate precipitation events. In contrast, increases in heavy precipitation result primarily from its increased probability under given CAPE and CIN, with a secondary contribution from the CAPE/CIN frequency changes. The increased probability for heavy precipitation partly results from a shift of the precipitation histogram toward higher intensity that could result from a uniform percentage increase in precipitation intensity due to increased water vapor in a warmer climate.
A Lacuna in the Criminal Law’s Protection of Antenatal Life
Authors: King James P , Morrison Philip
Published: July 2020

The criminal law protects antenatal and postnatal life primarily through three offences: murder, child destruction and the prohibition on procuring a miscarriage. However, recent advances in medical science have rendered this framework under-inclusive and exposed gaps in the law’s protection. By setting out some of these scientific advancements, this article explores these gaps, considers how they have arisen and proposes a solution.
Cancer Screening Participation and Gender Stratification in Europe
Authors: Willems Barbara , Cullati Stéphane , Prez Vincent De , Jolidon Vladimir , Burton-Jeangros Claudine , Bracke Piet
Published: July 2020

The current study examines whether the extent of macrolevel gender inequality affects the association between women’s educational attainment and their participation in cervical and breast cancer screening and how this relationship is moderated by a country’s cancer screening strategy (organized vs. opportunistic). A multilevel design with women (Ncervical = 99,794; Nbreast = 55,021) nested in 30 European countries was used to analyze data from the European Health Interview Survey (2013–2015). Results of multilevel logistic regression models demonstrate that higher macrolevel gender inequality is associated with (a) a lower overall likelihood that women have had a mammography and Pap smear and (b) a larger gap in participation between women with low and high levels of education, regardless of a country’s screening strategy (i.e., no moderation by a country’s screening strategy was found). We conclude that macrolevel gender stratification should not be neglected when designing cancer screening policy.
Problems arising from PPE when worn for long periods
Authors: Vidua Raghvendra K , Chouksey Vivek K , Bhargava Daideepya C , Kumar Jitendra
Published: July 2020

In the context of Covid-19, personal protective equipment is much needed and often in short supply as a protection against the virus, but nobody until recently was discussing the downside of its prolonged use by its wearers. Increasing numbers of health care workers feel unwell using it and are overheating and some have fainted. Will it impair their professional performance? This article considers this aspect of PPE based upon the personal experience of a Forensic team at AIIMS Bhopal in India who wore it during autopsy work and proposed recommendations to minimise it.
Network Structures of Symptoms From the Zung Depression Scale
Authors: Briganti Giovanni , Scutari Marco , Linkowski Paul
Published: July 2020

The Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) is a psychometric tool composed of 20 items used to assess depression symptoms. The aim of this work is to perform a network analysis of this scale in a large sample composed of 1090 French-speaking Belgian university students. We estimated a regularized partial correlation network and a Directed Acyclic Graph for the 20 items of the questionnaire. Node predictability (shared variance with surrounding nodes in the network) was used to assess the connectivity of items. The network comparison test was performed to compare networks from female and male students. The network composed of items from the SDS is overall positively connected, although node connectivity varies. Item 11 (“My mind is as clear as it used to be”) is the most interconnected item. Networks from female and male students did not differ. DAG reported directed edges among items. Network analysis is a useful tool to explore depression symptoms and offers new insight as to how they interact. Further studies may endeavor to replicate our findings in different samples, including clinical samples to replicate the network structures and determine possible viable targets for clinical intervention.
Infectious Disease Hospitalizations, New York City, 2001-2014
Authors: Huang Chaorui C. , Lucero David E. , Lim Sungwoo , Zhao Yihong , Arciuolo Robert J. , Burzynski Joseph , Daskalakis Demetre , Fine Annie D. , Kennedy Jordan , Haberling Dana , Vora Neil M.
Published: July 2020

Objective

Hospital discharge data are a means of monitoring infectious diseases in a population. We investigated rates of infectious disease hospitalizations in New York City.

Methods

We analyzed data for residents discharged from New York State hospitals with a principal diagnosis of an infectious disease during 2001-2014 by using the Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System. We calculated annual age-adjusted hospitalization rates and the percentage of hospitalizations in which in-hospital death occurred. We examined diagnoses by site of infection or sepsis and by pathogen type.

Results

During 2001-2014, the mean annual age-adjusted rate of infectious disease hospitalizations in New York City was 1661.6 (95% CI, 1659.2-1663.9) per 100 000 population; the mean annual age-adjusted hospitalization rate decreased from 2001-2003 to 2012-2014 (rate ratio = 0.9; 95% CI, 0.9-0.9). The percentage of in-hospital death during 2001-2014 was 5.9%. The diagnoses with the highest mean annual age-adjusted hospitalization rates among all sites of infection and sepsis diagnoses were the lower respiratory tract, followed by sepsis. From 2001-2003 to 2012-2014, the mean annual age-adjusted hospitalization rate per 100 000 population for HIV decreased from 123.1 (95% CI, 121.7-124.5) to 40.0 (95% CI, 39.2-40.7) and for tuberculosis decreased from 10.2 (95% CI, 9.8-10.6) to 4.6 (95% CI, 4.4-4.9).

Conclusions

Although hospital discharge data are subject to limitations, particularly for tracking sepsis, lower respiratory tract infections and sepsis are important causes of infectious disease hospitalizations in New York City. Hospitalizations for HIV infection and tuberculosis appear to be declining.
Research on a nonlinear quasi-zero stiffness vibration isolator with a vibration absorber
Authors: Li Shao-Hua , Liu Nan , Ding Hu
Published: July 2020

A negative stiffness mechanism consisting of a spring and cylinder is proposed, and a grounded dynamic vibration absorber is designed based on a quasi-zero stiffness vibration isolator to constitute the vibration isolator with a vibration absorber system. The range of parameters for attaining zero stiffness is derived from static analysis. The dynamic analysis of the vibration isolator with a vibration absorber system is carried out by a multiscale method, and the amplitude–frequency response equation of the system is obtained. The influence of different system parameters on the amplitude–frequency response is analyzed. The amplitude–frequency response of the quasi-zero stiffness vibration isolator is compared with that of the vibration isolator with a vibration absorber, and the linear and nonlinear analytical solutions of the vibration isolator with a vibration absorber system are also compared. The results show that the designed vibration isolator with a vibration absorber is an ideal choice for low-frequency vibration isolation, with no large resonance peak throughout the system and significantly improved reliability of the system.
Qualitative analysis of cotton fiber pigment composition
Authors: Chen Mengying , Zhang Ting Ting , He Li , Wang Kezuo , Chen Yiren
Published: July 2020

Naturally colored cotton is a green textile material. To cultivate new colored cotton and improve its performance, we must first understand the types, composition, and formation mechanism of the pigments in colored cotton. This study aims to explore the composition and structure of cotton fiber pigments. Qualitative analyses of pigment extracts from brown cotton, green cotton, and white cotton fibers were carried out using ultraviolet spectroscopy, diagnostic agents, and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. The main component of cotton fiber pigments was flavonoids, and specific types of flavonoids were found in the pigments in brown cotton, green cotton, and white cotton fibers. Research on the composition of cotton fiber pigments can increase our understanding of colored cotton fibers and lay a foundation for the cultivation, planting, and development of colored cotton fibers, as well the identification of naturally colored cotton from dyed cotton.
The University and East Asian Cities: The Variegated Origins of Urban Universities in Colonial Seoul and Singapore
Authors: Oh Do Young
Published: July 2020

This article explores and compares the development of colonial urban universities in Seoul and Singapore for the purpose of examining the multifaceted and scaled socio-political relationships in colonial cities. The colonial universities were a contested space where different interests crossed. The pattern of these intersections was different because Seoul and Singapore experienced different colonial powers—Japan and Britain, respectively. In this regard, this article focuses on how different colonial experiences affected universities as well as urban environments in Seoul and Singapore. The findings show that the university campus development trends of colonial universities in Seoul and Singapore are important to understand the urbanization processes of both cities. The varied colonial interests, global and local, shaped universities and their surrounding urban environments in different ways. Understanding these differences helps us understand the development trajectory of East Asian urbanization.
Case Report of Acute Airway Obstruction Caused by Transglottic Squamous Carcinoma (Stage IV) During the Coronavirus Pandemic Cured by ECMO-Assisted Tracheostomy
Authors: Chen Zhongyan , Lv Yong , Feng Yun
Published: July 2020

Acute airway obstruction caused by invasive laryngeal cancer can make surgeons reluctant to perform a high-risk tracheostomy, which is life-saving for such patients. In the setting of the current COVID19 pandemic, we present a case of severe transglottic stenosis due to stage IV laryngeal carcinoma, in which gaseous exchange was facilitated by venovenous (VV) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation prior to emergent tracheostomy. The VV technique can ensure adequate oxygenation and CO2 removal. Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation provided sufficient time for surgical planning and preparation. It reduced the formation of aerosol, lowered the risk associated with life-saving tracheostomy, and protected the patient from ischemia.
On the Potentialities of Spaces of Care: Openness, Enticement, and Variability in a Psychiatric Center
Authors: d’Hoop Ariane
Published: July 2020

Science and technology studies (STS) scholars have turned their attention to the materiality of objects and buildings in order to examine what they make users do in practice. Taking a close look at a therapeutic community in a psychiatric day care center for teenagers, this paper joins these discussions by exploring the materiality of “spaces of care” as part of the center’s everyday practice. The analysis incorporates the concepts of scripts and dispositifs to describe the conditions of possibility in which caregivers and youths may position themselves in relation to others and to the space itself. This paper describes how spaces of care offer open, enticing, and variable conditions for fostering a dynamic of personal and relational responses as part of the care work. In this sense, the material environment entails potentialities in ways that are unpredictable but nonetheless consequential. Rather than arguing that material arrangements and things act, this paper draws attention to their impact via their potential within dispositifs of care that request participants’ attentiveness and responsiveness. Describing these potentialities brings out the subtler requirements of material environments in care practices that aim at circumventing the coercion of disciplinary spaces and their impersonal classifications.
Latent growth curve model selection with Tabu search
Authors: Marcoulides Katerina M.
Published: July 2020

The purpose of this research note is to introduce a latent growth curve reconstruction approach based on the Tabu search algorithm. The approach algorithmically enables researchers to optimally determine at both the individual and the group levels the order of the polynomial needed to represent the latent growth curve model. The procedure is illustrated using empirical data along with an easy to use computerized implementation.
Absconding During Inpatient Care from a Tertiary Psychiatric Hospital: A Comparative Study
Authors: Verma Dileep Kumar , Khanra Sourav , Goyal Nishant , Das Basudeb , Khess Christoday Raja Jayant , Munda Sanjay Kumar , Ram Daya
Published: July 2020

Background:

Absconding from psychiatric hospitals is of great concern for patients and caregivers. Absconding affects not only the treatment and safety of these patients but also patient’s caregivers and the community. Further investigation is needed to examine the pattern of this event and the characteristics of patients who abscond. Hence, our study was aimed to examine the sociodemographic and clinical profiles of inpatients who absconded from a psychiatric hospital in five years and to compare them with matched controls.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review of inpatients who absconded and matched control inpatients during the specified period of five years from January 2014 to December 2018 was done at a psychiatric hospital. Each control was matched with a corresponding absconding case on the following order: (a) admission ward, (b) admission period, (c) diagnosis, and (d) age. Results: Among 20,052 adult admissions during the specified period, 38 patients absconded, with a rate of 1.8 per 1,000 admissions. Most of them were male, from a younger age group, diagnosed with schizophrenia or mood disorder, and having comorbid substance use disorder, irritable affect, impaired judgment, and absent insight. Most of the events occurred within the first two weeks of admission. About 11% of them had a history of prior absconding from the hospital.

Conclusion:

Knowledge about the associated sociodemographic and clinical profile would help clinicians and mental health care professionals to prevent absconding. Further risk assessment using a patient’s profile would help to reduce absconding events from psychiatric hospitals in the future.
Anxiety and Depression Symptomatology Related to Inspiratory Muscle Strength and Functional Capacity in Preoperative Cardiac Surgery Patients: A Preliminary Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Yuenyongchaiwat Kornanong , Buranapuntalug Sasipa , Pongpanit Karan , Kulchanarat Chitima , Satdhabudha Opas
Published: July 2020

Background:

Poor psychological health and cardiorespiratory fitness prior to open heart surgery (OHS) might be predictors of postoperative pulmonary complications that lead to morbidity and mortality. Assessment of physical and psychological conditions should be considered for patients receiving OHS, to possibly prevent these complications. This study investigates how inspiratory muscle strength (IMS) and functional capacity (FC) relate to the psychological health of preoperative cardiac surgery patients.

Method:

A cross-sectional study was designed before OHS; the 6-minute walk test and IMS were performed on patients who were admitted for OHS. All participants were requested to complete Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Pearson correlation and hierarchal regression analysis were performed to determine the relationships between IMS and FC and psychological conditions (anxiety and depression).

Results:

Overall, 36 males and 28 females aged 56.89±10.23 years were recruited. Significant relationships were observed between IMS and anxiety and depression symptoms (r = –0.33 and r = –0.27, respectively). Anxiety was negatively related to FC ( r = –0.25). These relationships remained significant after adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) (∆ R2 = 0.11 and ∆ R2 = 0.09). In addition, anxiety was also related to FC after controlling for age, sex, and BMI (∆ R2 = 0.09).

Conclusion:

Among patients undergoing OHS, those with a higher level of depression or anxiety had a lower cardiorespiratory fitness than those with a low level of depression or anxiety.
Handling of incongruences in music notation during singing or playing
Authors: Chitalkina Natalia , Puurtinen Marjaana , Gruber Hans , Bednarik Roman
Published: July 2020

During music reading, performers create expectations of the upcoming music. When these expectations are violated due to changes in the notation, performers have to adjust their reading and adapt their motor responses to match this new information. In this study, we examine how selected background, outcome, and process measures reflect the successful handling of incongruences during music reading. Twenty-four performers were tasked with singing or playing versions of “Mary had a little lamb” in two different tonalities. Some versions contained a surprising element: a bar shifted down a tone. Selected outcome and process measures, such as performance accuracy and eye-movements during music reading (eye-time span, duration of first-pass fixations and pupil dilation), were analyzed. In sum, incongruence in music notation not only increased the number of performance mistakes, but incongruent melodies also led to micro-level changes in the reading processes. We propose that understanding the cognitive strategies for successful music reading requires going beyond the more traditional outcome measures and focus on the detailed analyses of the reading process itself.
From sounds to words: The relation between phonological and lexical processing of tone in L2 Mandarin
Authors: Ling Wenyi , Grüter Theres
Published: July 2020

Successful listening in a second language (L2) involves learning to identify the relevant acoustic–phonetic dimensions that differentiate between words in the L2, and then use these cues to access lexical representations during real-time comprehension. This is a particularly challenging goal to achieve when the relevant acoustic–phonetic dimensions in the L2 differ from those in the L1, as is the case for the L2 acquisition of Mandarin, a tonal language, by speakers of non-tonal languages like English. Previous work shows tone in L2 is perceived less categorically (Shen and Froud, 2019) and weighted less in word recognition (Pelzl et al., 2019) than in L1. However, little is known about the link between categorical perception of tone and use of tone in real time L2 word recognition at the level of the individual learner. This study presents evidence from 30 native and 29 L1-English speakers of Mandarin who completed a real-time spoken word recognition and a tone identification task. Results show that L2 learners differed from native speakers in both the extent to which they perceived tone categorically as well as in their ability to use tonal cues to distinguish between words in real-time comprehension. Critically, learners who reliably distinguished between words differing by tone alone in the word recognition task also showed more categorical perception of tone on the identification task. Moreover, within this group, performance on the two tasks was strongly correlated. This provides the first direct evidence showing that the ability to perceive tone categorically is related to the weighting of tonal cues during spoken word recognition, thus contributing to a better understanding of the link between phonemic and lexical processing, which has been argued to be a key component in the L2 acquisition of tone (Wong and Perrachione, 2007).
Long-term administration of cariprazine increases locus coeruleus noradrenergic neurons activity and serotonin1A receptor neurotransmission in the hippocampus
Authors: El Mansari Mostafa , Ebrahimzadeh Mohammad , Hamati Rami , Iro Chidibere M , Farkas Bence , Kiss Béla , Adham Nika , Blier Pierre
Published: July 2020

Background:

Cariprazine, the novel dopamine (DA) D3-preferring D3/D2 and serotonin (5-HT)1A receptor partial agonist, has activity as an adjunctive therapy in major depressive disorder (MDD).

Aims:

This study aims to investigate the effects of chronic cariprazine administration in combination with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor escitalopram on the activity of monoaminergic systems.

Methods:

Rats received cariprazine alone and in adjunct to escitalopram for 2 and 14 days and the firing activity of dorsal raphe nucleus 5-HT, locus coeruleus norepinephrine (NE) and ventral tegmental area DA neurons was assessed. 5-HT and NE neurotransmission in hippocampus pyramidal neurons was evaluated by assessing tonic activation of their 5-HT1A, and α1- and α2-adrenergic receptors, using their selective antagonists.

Results:

Two and 14-day cariprazine regimens increased the firing rate of NE, but not 5-HT and DA neurons. Addition of cariprazine to escitalopram reversed the inhibitory effect of escitalopram on NE but not 5-HT and DA neurons. In the hippocampus, there was an increase in neurotransmission at 5-HT1A receptors in cariprazine-treated rats, but no change in overall NE transmission by either regimen.

Conclusion:

Cariprazine increased NE neuronal firing and reversed the escitalopram-induced inhibition of these neurons. Despite a lack of effect on 5-HT neuronal firing activity, there was an increase in tonic activation of hippocampus 5-HT1A receptors by cariprazine alone but not with the combination. These effects provide a possible rationale for the clinical efficacy of cariprazine as an adjunctive strategy in patients with MDD.
Sex differences in nicotine-induced impulsivity and its reversal with bupropion in rats
Authors: Íbias Javier , Nazarian Arbi
Published: July 2020

Background:

Enhancement in cognitive impulsivity and the resulting alterations in decision making serve as a contributing factor for the development and maintenance of substance-use disorders. Nicotine-induced increases in impulsivity has been previously reported in male humans and rodents. Although the potential for sex differences in nicotine-induced impulsivity has not been examined.

Aims and methods:

In the present study, male and female Sprague Dawley rats were submitted to a delay discounting task, in which several consecutive measures of self-control were taken. Firstly, rats were tested with vehicle, and next with nicotine doses of 0.4 and 0.8 mg/kg. Thereafter, chronic treatment with bupropion started, and the animals were tested again. Half the animals continued to receive 0.8 mg/kg of nicotine, while the rest received nicotine and also a daily dose of 30 mg/kg of bupropion.

Results:

When the animals were first tested with nicotine, female rats showed a significant nicotine dose dependent increase of impulsive behaviour, whereas male rats only showed a decrease on their elections of the larger but delayed reward under the highest dose of 0.8 mg/kg of nicotine. Treatment with bupropion blocked the effect of nicotine on decision making in female rats, as they showed results close to their baseline levels. On the other hand, bupropion did not affect the nicotine-induced delay discounting in male rats.

Conclusion:

These findings demonstrate sexually dimorphic effects of nicotine on cognitive impulsivity which may help to shed light on nicotine use vulnerabilities observed in women.
Social defeat stress induces myocardial injury by modulating inflammatory factors
Authors: Gao XiaoLei , Kim SangJin , Zhao Tong , Ren MingFen , Chae JeiKeon
Published: July 2020

Objectives

We investigated the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and glucose-regulated protein (GRP) 78, as well as the inflammatory factors nuclear factor (NF)-κB and IκBα, to assess how social defeat stress induces myocardial injury. Furthermore, we evaluated the protective effects of the ER stress inhibitor 4-phenylbutyric acid (PBA) on myocardial injury in mice.

Methods

Adult mice were divided into control, control + PBA, social defeat, and social defeat + PBA groups. The social defeat and social defeat + PBA groups were exposed to social defeat stress for 10 days. Cardiac tissues from all groups were analyzed after social defeat stress. H9C2 cells were used to detect the role of the ER stress agonist thapsigargin on expression of ER stress and inflammatory markers.

Results

Social defeat stress promoted apoptosis of cardiomyocytes, increased CHOP, NF-κB and, phospho-NF-κB protein expression, and decreased GRP78 and IκBα protein expression. Moreover, PBA significantly reversed these changes and attenuated thapsigargin-induced increased expression of CHOP and phospho-NF-κB, and decreased IκBα expression in H9C2 cells.

Conclusions

Social defeat stress initiates ER stress, promotes expression of inflammatory factors, and induces myocardial injury. Inhibiting ER stress could protect the myocardium from social defeat stress-induced myocardial injury.
Clinical diagnosis and treatment of throat foreign bodies under video laryngoscopy
Authors: Lin Chuanyao , Liu Dingding , Zhou Han , Zhang Xiaoli , Lu Ling , Gao Xia
Published: July 2020

Objective

This study was designed to explore the clinical application of video laryngoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of throat foreign bodies (FBs).

Method

In total, 1572 patients diagnosed with throat FBs at the Department of Otolaryngology of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital were retrospectively analysed. The covariables collected were the time from FB ingestion to admission, age, sex, duration of admission, and site of impaction.

Result

The most common FBs were fish bones, which accounted for 1446 (91.98%) of 1572 FBs. Among all 1572 FBs, 1004 (63.87%) were successfully removed by video laryngoscopy without complications. A shorter duration of admission was associated with a higher diagnostic rate under video laryngoscopy. The diagnostic rate of sharp FBs was significantly higher than that of non-sharp FBs. The most common sites of throat FBs were the tongue root (42.29%), epiglottic vallecula (19.40%), tonsil (18.21%), and piriform fossa (10.65%).

Conclusion

Video laryngoscopy is a powerful tool for the diagnosis and treatment of throat FBs, allowing for identification of rare locations of FBs as well as refractory FBs.
Examining the Clearance Rates of Violent and Non-Violent Offences in the United States: A Trend Analysis, 2011–2018
Authors: Avdija Avdi S. , Akgul Arif
Published: July 2020

The main objective of this study was to examine the clearance rates of violent and non-violent offenses in the United States for the years 2011 to 2018. This study focused specifically on the differences in clearance rates of incidents involving crimes against persons, crimes against property, and crimes against society. The analyses are based on the FBI’s NIBRS data that have been reported by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies for 8 years combined. The analyses focused on the characteristics of the distribution of clearance rates by the types of incidents. The clearance rates were calculated based on the number of incidents that were cleared by arrest or exceptional means. The results show that the average clearance rate for incidents involving crimes against persons is 48.6%, for incidents involving property crimes is 18%, and for incidents involving crimes against society is 78%. The trend analyses show that the clearance rates are gradually decreasing for all three types of offense categories.
Comparison of Three Traffic Management Plans Showing Shadow and Police Vehicle Effects on Driver Behavior at Highway Single Lane Closures
Authors: Blackman Ross , Legge Matthew , Debnath Ashim Kumar
Published: July 2020

Lane closures on multi-lane roads require drivers to transition safely to an open lane before passing the worksite. To reduce worker and driver injury risk, truck-mounted attenuators (TMAs) are often used to prevent vehicle work zone intrusions and reduce the severity of collisions. To maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of TMA use, it is necessary to determine how and when they should be deployed as well as the best supporting measures. The current research focuses on the effects of different traffic management plans (TMPs) on driver behavior. Three TMPs at night time highway work zones were examined: ( 1 ) two tail vehicles in the advance warning area, ( 2 ) three tail vehicles in the advance warning area, and ( 3 ) addition of a marked police car with flashing lights in the buffer area downstream of the TMA. Driver response to the different TMPs was assessed by measuring vehicle speeds at three points in the traffic management area and observing lane change and merging behaviors on the approach to the TMA. Analysis showed a positive effect of police presence in the buffer area on driver behavior: TMP3 produced a reduction of 8.4%–12.9% in proportions of vehicles exceeding the speed limit by at least 5 km/h when passing the TMA. TMP3 also appeared to produce a positive effect on merging behavior compared with the other layouts. Use of a third tail vehicle in the advance warning area was not found to produce any additional safety benefit and may have a detrimental effect.
Reliability Analysis of Minnesota’s Unbonded Concrete Overlay Performance
Authors: Izevbekhai Bernard Igbafen , Farah Norma , Engstrom Glenn M.
Published: July 2020

Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has studied pavement performance associated with various interventions in the road network. In this study, unbonded overlay, a major concrete pavement intervention known for its long service life, was examined. Curve fitting was performed, including a comparison of the current decay curves with previous patterns toward a default performance curve, stepwise regression to identify performance variables associated with and predictive of remaining service life (RSL), and reliability (Weibull) analysis to examine the reliability and other performance characteristics of unbonded overlay in the Minnesota network. Reliability analysis resulted in a RSL (scale parameter) of 36 years, which was reasonably consistent with the 35.5 year RSL derived from the MnDOT Highway Pavement Management Analysis (HPMA). It also provided evidence that the unbonded overlay displays an end-of-life failure pattern as well as a 7-year threshold time to failure (location parameter). MnDOT’s sigmoidal decay model predicted the same expected service life (35.5 years) as did the Weibull analysis process (35.8 years). Stepwise linear regression showed a positive correlation between the time from the most recent rehabilitation (TTR_MR) and RSL. The other explanatory variables including RQI_Spike and time from original construction to intervention (TTR) were found to be non-significant in the prediction of RSL.
Longitudinal Follow-Up of Long-Term Care Planning Using PlanYourLifespan.org
Authors: Ramirez-Zohfeld Vanessa , Seltzer Anne , Ramirez Ana , Muhammad Ruqayyah , Lindquist Lee A.
Published: July 2020

Many older adults wish to age-in-place but do not have long-term care plans for when they may require more assistance. PlanYourLifespan.org (PYL) is an evidence-based tool that helps older adults understand and plan for their long-term care needs. We examined the long-term effects of PYL use on user perceptions and planning of long-term care services. Individuals who previously accessed PYL were invited to complete an online, nation-wide mixed methodology survey about end-user outcomes related to PYL. Among 115 completed surveys, users found PYL helpful with long-term planning for their future needs. Over half of website users reported having conversations with others because of PYL use. However, 40% of respondents reported not having a conversation with others about their plans; common themes for barriers to planning included procrastination and a lack of immediate support needs. Although PYL helps with planning, many people are still not communicating their long-term care plans.
A fair CoP? MRF sampling, testing and reporting: Big problems caused by small particles. Part 1: Compliance difficulties and data validity
Authors: Kirk Alan Robert McKenzie , Mokaddam Zarreen Banon
Published: July 2020

The Regulations governing Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) in England require that they report on the quality of both the incoming mixed wastes and the single-stream recyclate products, with the results being made available on a public register. In this investigation, tests were conducted on a number of mixed wastes from different suppliers being processed at a qualifying MRF to evaluate how effective the Regulations (or MRF Code of Practice (MRF CoP)) were in generating useful, meaningful information. The empirical evidence obtained showed that MRF CoP in its current form has a number of serious flaws which detract from the validity and value of the reported operational data. The statutory definition of ‘material particles’ in the mixed wastes given in the MRF CoP means that compliance with the MRF CoP is impracticable, and in order to overcome this it will be necessary to re-word the definition of ‘material particles’. Empirical evidence also invalidated the explicit assumption made in the MRF CoP that the composition of the material particles is identical to that of the bulk materials, and consequently the basis for the mandatory apportioning of the weight of the material particles has no logical foundation and apportioning leads to distortion in the reported data. Changes will be required to the present statutory requirements for reporting operational results if the recorded information is to have meaning and relevance for stakeholders in the system.
Virtual care: Enhancing access or harming care?
Authors: Hardcastle Lorian , Ogbogu Ubaka
Published: July 2020

COVID-19 has catalyzed the adoption of virtual medical care in Canada. Virtual care can improve access to healthcare services, particularly for those in remote locations or with health conditions that make seeing a doctor in person difficult or unsafe. However, virtual walk-in clinic models that do not connect patients with their own doctors can lead to fragmented, lower quality care. Although virtual walk-in clinics can be helpful for those who temporarily lack access to a family doctor, they should not be relied on as a long-term substitute to an established relationship with a primary care provider. Virtual care also raises significant privacy issues that policy-makers must address prior to implementing these models. Patients should be cautious of the artificial intelligence recommendations generated by some virtual care applications, which have been linked to quality of care concerns.
Experimental study and finite element analysis on the joining performance of GF/PP rivets
Authors: Wang Yuan , Li Yong , Huan Dajun , Li Lisha , Liu Li , Cheng Ye , Liu Hongquan
Published: July 2020

To improve the performance of thermoplastic composite joints and reduce the weight of joints, glass fiber (GF)/polypropylene (PP) thermoplastic composite rivets (GF/PP rivets) were prepared and tensile test and simulation analysis of GF/PP-riveted single-lap joints were carried out. Based on the tensile test, the optimum extension length of GF/PP rod with different diameters was determined by taking the specific joint strength (the ratio of joint strength to the weight of fasteners) as the evaluation index. The effects of the rivet diameter and the thickness of composite laminates on the specific joint strength and the weight reduction of GF/PP-riveted single-lap joints were studied. The joining mechanism and the failure behavior of GF/PP-riveted joints were analyzed by finite element simulation. The experimental results indicate that the specific joint strength of GF/PP-riveted joints decreased with increasing rivet diameter and laminate thickness. For the same specific joint strength, the weight of fasteners at joints could be reduced by 81.4% and 73.9%, respectively, by using GF/PP rivets instead of steel bolts and aluminum blind rivets. The simulation results show that the change of inclination angle of rivet body would cause the change of failure mode of joints.
High flow polypropylene composites reinforced by glass filaments: Manufacturing process and property evaluations
Authors: Weiguo Dong
Published: July 2020

High flow (hf)-modified polypropylene (PP) fibers and glass filaments (GFs) were made into webs, which were then laminated orthogonally and needle punched to make GF/PP-hf preforms. These preforms were then hot pressed to produce GF/PP-hf composites. Similarly, GFs and nonmodified PP were made into GF/PP composites with the aforementioned process to serve as the control group. The structure, morphology, and mechanical performances (i.e. tensile, bending, and impact strength) of GF/PP and GF/PP-hf composites were characterized and tested using differential scanning calorimeter and dynamic mechanical analysis. The test results showed that the GF/PP-hf composites are composed of reinforcing filaments at a weight ratio of 43.40% and an average length of 22.9 mm. Consequently, they had advantages of high fiber content, long fiber length, and adjustable fiber orientation. Compared to GF/PP composites, GF/PP-hf composites exhibited good dispersion of GFs in the matrices, good bonding between filaments and the matrix, and a relatively lower porosity factor of 2.92%. Moreover, the glass transition temperature and crystallinity were improved by 15.2°C and 10.42%, respectively. When the temperature was lower than 160°C, GF/PP-hf composites preserved a higher energy storage modulus and a lower loss factor. Furthermore, GF/PP-hf composites exhibited good static mechanical properties, including the tensile strength of 118 MPa, the tensile modulus of 5830 MPa, the bending strength of 180 MPa, the bending modulus of 780 MPa, and the impact strength of 33 KJ m−2, which are 30, 29.6, 78.2, 68.3, and 32%, respectively, higher than those of the control group.
Influence of electron beam oscillation patterns on the microstructure, texture, residual stress and mechanical properties of Ti-5Al-2.5Sn alloy weldments
Authors: Iltaf Asim , Junaid Massab , Khan Fahd Nawaz , Bakhsh Nabi , Rehman Muftooh Ur
Published: July 2020

Vacuum electron beam welding is widely employed for the welding of titanium alloys using different beam oscillation patterns. Since these patterns influence the physical phenomenon in the weld pool, its effect on the microstructure, texture, mechanical properties and residual stresses is of prime interest. In order to understand this influence, electron beam welding was used to prepare Ti-5Al-2.5Sn weldments using beam oscillations of triangular and rectangular waveform. It was observed that a change of welding pattern had a strong influence on the residual stresses, impact properties and texture of weld zone while tensile properties were not significantly affected. A partial martensitic transformation was observed in both the triangular and rectangular waveform of oscillations. An increase in alpha lathe width was observed in the fusion zone and similar strength of the rectangular pattern as compared to triangular pattern. Despite of this, the observed higher Vickers hardness of the fusion zone of rectangular pattern as compared to triangular and no-oscillation was attributed to texture strengthening using rectangular waveform.
Role of rigid boundary on the decay of turbulence generated by passive-grid for free surface flow
Authors: Raushan Pankaj Kumar , Singh Santosh Kumar , Debnath Koustuv
Published: July 2020

The present study aims to investigate the flow characteristics of grid-generated turbulence under the consideration of solid boundary in free surface flow. To understand the nature of isotropy and anisotropy in the flow, the turbulent intensity is evaluated at the downstream of the grid for different mesh sizes. The energy spectrums based on the Fast Fourier and marginal Hilbert–Huang transform are presented to understand the decay of energy in the associated spectral frequency domain. It is observed that the peak of energy associated with the Fourier spectrum decreases in the near-field region of the grid with the increase in mesh size of the grid. Further, to characterise the concentrated velocity fluctuations, the paper strives to analyse the joint probability distribution function and the local intermittency measure in the close and far stream of the grid. The autocorrelation functions and the magnitude of integral length scale of the stream-wise fluctuating velocity components are also presented at two different vertical levels from the solid boundary. The normalised Shannon entropy is also evaluated to characterise the degree of the orderness or disorderness in the flow due to the interaction of grid and rigid boundary.
Simulating re-reflections of arterial pressure waves at the aortic valve using difference equations
Authors: Hametner Bernhard , Kastinger Hannah , Wassertheurer Siegfried
Published: July 2020

Re-reflections of arterial pressure waves at the aortic valve and their influence on aortic wave shape are only poorly understood so far. Therefore, the aim of this work is to establish a model enabling the simulation of re-reflection and to test its properties. A mathematical difference equation model is used for the simulations. In this model, the aortic blood pressure is split into its forward and backward components which are calculated separately. The respective equations include reflection percentages representing reflections throughout the arterial system and a reflection coefficient at the aortic valve. While the distal reflections are fixed, different scenarios for the reflection coefficient at the valve are simulated. The results show that the model is capable to provide physiological pressure curves only if re-reflections are assumed to be present during the whole cardiac cycle. The sensitivity analysis on the reflection coefficient at the aortic valve shows various effects of re-reflections on the modelled blood pressure curve. Higher levels of the reflection coefficient lead to higher systolic and diastolic pressure values. The augmentation index is notably influenced by the systolic level of the reflection coefficient. This difference equation model gives an adequate possibility to simulate aortic pressure incorporating re-reflections at the site of the aortic valve. Since a strong dependence of the aortic pressure wave on the choice of the reflection coefficient have been found, this indicates that re-reflections should be incorporated into models of wave transmission. Furthermore, re-reflections may also be considered in methods of arterial pulse wave analysis.
Stress response envelopes of intact tibiofemoral joint and knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Haris Andi , Beng Chye Tan Vincent
Published: July 2020

The purpose of this study was to determine stress envelopes for an intact tibiofemoral joint and to study how they vary with knee loading, external–internal rotation, varus–valgus rotation and cartilage degradation (osteoarthritis) using the finite element method. The envelopes were presented in terms of knee flexion angle. The maximum von Mises stress for all tibiofemoral joint components increased with increasing the axial compressive force magnitude. Menisci exhibited the highest magnitude of maximum von Mises stress as compared to the femoral and tibial cartilages. In a range of flexion angles between 0° and 100°, the medial meniscus exhibited the highest maximum von Mises stress than the lateral meniscus and the stress in medial meniscus tended to increase with increasing the flexion angle. External–internal and varus–valgus rotations changed the stress distribution: higher stress on lateral compartment but lower stress on medial compartment, and conversely. The internal rotation provided more extreme effect than the external rotation. For the knee osteoarthritis, cartilage degradation (early stage) caused maximum von Mises stress to increase on the intact menisci revealing that knee osteoarthritis could also cause meniscal tear. The late osteoarthritis caused the maximum von Mises stress to increase on the calcified cartilage and subchondral bone.
Effect of supporting implants inclination on stability of fixed partial denture: A finite element study
Authors: Boukhlif Amel , Merdji Ali , Roy Sandipan , Alkhaldi Hashem , Abu-Alshaikh Ibrahim , Della Nourddine , Cristache Corina Marilena , Hillstrom Rajshree
Published: July 2020

The aim of this finite element study was to analyze effect of supporting implants inclination on stress distribution in the bone for a four-unit fixed partial denture. A three-dimensional finite element model of mandibular molar section of the bone to receive implants was constructed. Three implant-supported fixed partial dentures, with null, moderate and wide tilting, of 0°, 15° and 30° implant inclinations, respectively, were modeled. A mechanical load of 10 MPa was applied in coronal–apical direction on bridge framework at the regions of crowns positions. The finite element analysis was performed, and von Mises stress levels were calculated. Peak stress concentration in the cortical bone was observed mostly around the implant necks, in inter-implants line. There was favorable stress distribution during loading, with peak stress being 90.04 MPa for 0°, which decreased to 54.33 MPa for 15° and 46.36 MPa for 30° inclination. The supporting implants inclination in fixed partial denture plays an important role in stress distribution and may be helpful in preventing bone loss and implant failure. This phenomenon is likely to be more pronounced in bones of poor quality. Within the limitation of this study, it seems that the inclination of implants in fixed partial denture has a favorable effect on stress distribution pattern values around the supporting implants.
Spillover of Sentiments Between the GCC Stock Markets
Authors: Chowdhury Shah Saeed Hassan
Published: July 2020

This study examines how stock market sentiment in a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) stock market may spill over to affect sentiments in other markets in the region. Findings from dynamic conditional correlation models in a generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH) framework, traditional Granger causality test and impulse response functions suggest that Kuwait and Qatar stock markets are segregated from other markets in the region. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) markets are well integrated, and any shift in sentiment in either of the two affects the other. Bahrain and Oman are somewhat integrated with the UAE and Saudi stock market sentiments. Thus, when an investor has significant investments in both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, he must be aware of any contagion effect—especially in the case of a stock market panic.