bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Un lieu de recours ambigu : usages féminins de la justice islamique dans les oasis du Grand Touat (Sud algérien) aux XVIIIe et XIXe siècles
Authors: Warscheid Ismail
Published: November 2019

Cet article se penche sur le recours des femmes aux tribunaux de cadis dans l’archipel oasien du Grand Touat, situé dans l’extrême sud de l’Algérie, aux XVIIIe et XIXe siècles. L’enjeu est de remettre en question l’image des sociétés rurales maghrébines comme peu judiciarisées au sein desquelles la justice islamique n’a constitué qu’un phénomène marginal. Notre enquête se fonde sur l’examen d’une série de recueils de jurisprudence inédits (nawāzil) compilés par des jurisconsultes oasiens entre 1750 et 1850. Les matériaux conservés dans ces collections laissent entrevoir une profonde ambiguïté caractérisant la présence des femmes dans l’espace judiciaire. D’un côté, les femmes sont des usagères assidues des auditoires des différents jurisconsultes et juges qui, à leur tour, examinent avec diligence les plaintes déposées. De l’autre, l’accès à la magistrature n’infléchit que jusqu’à un certain degré les rapports de subordination, dans la mesure où l’institution judiciaire représente aussi un instrument puissant pour perpétuer les structures sociales patriarcales.
The Role of Practice in International Organizations
Authors: Arditi Lorenzo
Published: November 2019

This article explores the ‘practice’ of the International Monetary Fund (‘imf’) by focusing on the organization’s approach to recognition of governments. After analysing this approach in some detail, it surveys the organization’s practice from three perspectives. First, it identifies the different functions of practice within the imf’s legal system, including the imf’s treaty. Second, the article reviews how the practice of the imf relates to key conceptions of practice under international law: (i) as part of international custom; (ii) under articles 31(3)(b) and 32 of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties; and (iii) as a ‘rule of the organization’. Finally, the article compares ‘practice’ under the imf treaty and a national legal system by considering how the United States’ Supreme Court has interpreted the power to recognise governments under the USConstitution.
Silencing of Long Non-Coding RNA Myocardial Infarction-Associated Transcript Suppresses Progression of Gastric Cancer
Authors: Wang Lei , Hu Qi , Gu Feng
Published: November 2019

Background: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been consistently demonstrated to be involved in gastric cancer (GC) as either tumor oncogenes or tumor suppressors. However, the detailed role of MIAT in GC remains poorly understood. Methods: The expression of MIAT in GC
tissues was measured by In situ hybridization (ISH) assay. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, cycle, migration and invasion assays were performed to analyze the biological functions of MIAT in GC cells. Besides, western blotting was used to evaluate the role of MIAT in the expressions of
P16, COX-2 and MMP-9. Results: In the present study, we identified that MIAT was up-regulated in GC tissues. Furthermore, silencing MIAT significantly suppressed GC cells proliferation, migration and invasion, promoted GC cells apoptosis, and induced GC cells cycle arrest in G1 phase.
Additionally, knockdown of MIAT notably up-regulated the protein level of P16 and down-regulated the protein levels of COX-2 and MMP-9. Conclusion: These observations imply that silencing MIAT inhibits the proliferation, migration and invasion, promotes apoptosis, and induces cell arrest
in G1 phase, partially through up-regulating the expression level of P16 and down-regulating the expression levels of COX-2 and MMP-9, indicating that MIAT may a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for GC.
Detection of Plant Leaf Diseases by Applying Image Processing Schemes
Authors: Kaur Navneet , Devendran V. , Verma Sahil
Published: November 2019

Timely diagnosis of the disease is the key factor in agricultural productivity. If timely detection of the disease is not taken into account, it may lead to crop yield loss. Hence, agriculturists and agronomists face troubles to detect diseases successfully at an early stage or later
stage. To support these personnels to diagnose disease syndromes in infected plants, deep learning plays an important role. The machine based recognition system based on image processing not only saves time but also is more robust and efficient in comparison to manual assessment system. It
helps the growers to take timely steps involved in the judicious treatment of the concerned leaf diseases for crop protection. Maximizing the production or minimizing the production loss is the primary goal of automatic plant leaf disease recognition system. Following review presents some
leaf disease detection techniques.
Optimal Design of Computational Grids Topology
Authors: Das Debashreet , Tripathy Chitta Ranjan , Tripathy Pradyumna Kumar , Kabat Manas Ranjan , Sharma Avinash
Published: November 2019

The selection of a proper heterogeneous network contributes to the design of various distributed systems such as grids for making an effective layout. However, the level of accuracy of such networks has not been addressed in the past. Hence, this article suggests a new topology which
is more accurate and addresses the scalability problem. The experiments are conducted in Matlab and the suggested layout is generated using Network Simulator 2.3. The suggested layout is found to be more effective compared to the traditional layouts for interlinking the systems.
Performance Analysis of Face Recognition Techniques for Feature Extraction
Authors: Garg Shilpa , Mittal Sumit , Kumar Pardeep
Published: November 2019

Due to increasing applications which need security, face is the most natural way to recognize the person. This paper presents the performance analysis of different face recognition techniques. Linear Binary Pattern (LBP), Gabor Wavelet, Histogram of Oriented Gradient (HOG) techniques
are used for feature extraction on two standard databases of images i.e., ORL and Yale Face database. Then Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is applied for feature selection with six different distance metric functions, Cosine, Euclidean, Correlation, Cityblock, Spearman and Minkowski for
similarity matching of images.
A Comparative Analysis to Visualize the Behavior of Different Machine Learning Algorithms for Normalized and Un-Normalized Data in Predicting Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Kumar Neeraj , Manhas Jatinder , Sharma Vinod
Published: November 2019

Advancement in technology has helped people to live a long and better life. But the increased life expectancy has also elevated the risk of age related disorders, especially the neurodegenerative disorders. Alzheimer’s is one such neurodegenerative disorder, which is also the
leading contributor towards dementia in elderly people. Despite of extensive research in this field, scientists have failed to find a cure for the disease till date. This makes early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s very crucial so as to delay its progression and improve the condition of the
patient. Various techniques are being employed for diagnosing Alzheimer’s which include neuropsychological tests, medical imaging, blood based biomarkers, etc. Apart from this, various machine learning algorithms have been employed so far to diagnose Alzheimer’s in its early stages.
In the current research, authors compared the performance of various machine learning techniques i.e., Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), K-Nearest Neighbour (KNN), Naïve Bayes (NB), Support Vector Machines (SVM), Decision Trees (DT), Random Forests (RF) and Multi Layer Perceptron (MLP)
on Alzheimer’s dataset. This paper experimentally demonstrated that normalization exhibits a predominant role in enhancing the efficiency of some machine learning algorithms. Therefore it becomes imperative to choose the algorithms as per the available data. In this paper, the efficiency
of the given machine learning methods was compared in terms of accuracy and f1-score. Naïve Bayes gave a better overall performance for both accuracy and f1-score and it also remained unaffected with the normalization of data along with LDA, DT and RF. Whereas KNN, SVM and MLP showed
a drastic (17% to 86%) improvement in the performance when they are given normalized data as compared to un-normalized data from Alzheimer’s dataset.
Antecedents and Consequences of Massive Open Online Courses Adoption: A Structural Model in the Indian Context
Authors: Mittal Ruchi
Published: November 2019

In today’s scenario learning via online media is becoming an essential part of everyone’s life. Whether learning is for the purpose of work or for academic pursuits, this way of learning has shown a growing importance. Online learning is adopted more these days compared
to traditional teaching as it gives better and convenient opportunities of learning with more sophistication and accessibility. All available communication mediums should be explored for enhancing learning techniques and ways. This paper describes technology based Massive Open Online Courses,
their adoption, and learning effectiveness. A multivariate technique structural equation modeling was used to examine the antecedents and consequences of Massive Open Online Courses adoption in the Indian context. This paper also describes the parameters which need to be optimized while adopting
e-learning modules.
Study on Carrier Mobility Model for PD-Ge Monolithic Optoelectronic Integration Chips
Authors: Yuan Ren , Jianjun Song , Wen Yang , Xianying Dai , Tianlong Zhao
Published: November 2019

Based on the difference of thermal expansion coefficient between Si and Ge, low-intensity tensile stress can be introduced into Ge epitaxial layer on Si substrate. S-Ge/Si semiconductor (as known as low tensile strained Ge grown on Si substrate) has a higher carrier mobility when compared
with unstrained-Ge or Si material, so that s-Ge/Si is appropriate for the production of high-speed circuit. At the same time, transformation from indirect bandgap semiconductor Ge into Pseudo-Direct bandgap semiconductor (which is also called PD-Ge) will be happen after s-Ge/Si is heavy doped,
which makes LED produced of PD-Ge material perform a higher luminous efficiency because the radiative recombining probability of carriers in PD-Ge material is greatly improved compared with unstrained one. Taking the advantages referred of s-Ge/Si into account, s-Ge/Si has the potential to
PD-Ge monolithic optoelectronic integration. Carrier mobility of the semiconductor is one of the key physical parameters during the design and simulation of PD-Ge monolithic optoelectronic integrated system. While as far as the authors are aware, carrier mobility model of s-Ge/Si is still
rarely reported to date. In view of that all above, based on the E-k relation in both conduction band and valence band of s-Ge/Si material, the analytical models of physical parameters in energy band are established, and the models are verified by experiments. Then the s-Ge/Si
carrier models are further established based on our band structure model, and the Monte Carlo method is used to verify our s-Ge/Si carrier mobility model. The quantificational results of our paper will help understand s-Ge/Si material physics and provide an important theoretical basis for
the design of PD-Ge monolithic optoelectronic integration.
Corona Discharge Detection System Based on Ultraviolet Sensor and Optical Lens
Authors: Luo Li , Yang Qing , Gong Jin-Long , Wang Yi-Fan
Published: November 2019

Ultraviolet radiation produced by corona discharge can be used for discharge diagnosis, but the ultraviolet imager is expensive and the ultraviolet signal is susceptible to external interference during the day, so it can not accurately identify the occurrence of corona discharge. In
this paper, an optical lens is designed to collect ultraviolet signal. In this paper, a corona detection method based on ultraviolet sensor and optical lens was proposed. The design of optical lens to concentrate the ultraviolet signal so as to suppress external interference was presented.
By carrying out insulator corona discharge experiments, the feasibility of the proposed method was studied. Finally, a comparison and verification was made with the combination of corona discharge images collected by UV imager. Research results by this paper indicate that, when the detection
distance is smaller than 5 m, and the power supply is about 700 V, the proposed corona detection method can effectively collect the ultraviolet rays generated by corona discharge, thus realizing the feasible recognition of corona discharge. Moreover, this method can feasibly reflect the changing
of UV intensity with applied voltage and detection distance. The research results can provide important reference for the development and calibration of ultraviolet detection equipment.
Electromigration Behavior of Sn58Bi and Sn58Bi Epoxy Solder Joint
Authors: Lee Choong-Jae , Kim Jae-Ha , Jeong Haksan , Bang Jae-Oh , Jung Seung-Boo
Published: November 2019

As demanding for high performance and miniaturization of electronic devices, interconnection materials required higher reliability in mechanical, thermal and electrical. The importance of electromigration issue has increased because of these trends. We evaluated the electromigration
behavior of Sn58Bi solder and Sn58Bi epoxy solder under high temperature and constant current flow. The electromigration test-kit was a designed and fabricated flip chip-type module and the diameter of the solder bump was 250 μm. A current was passed through the two solder joints,
producing a current density of 3.0 × 103 A/cm2 at 100 °C. The microstructure of solder joint after electromigration test were investigated with field-emission scanning electron microscopy during electromigration, a Bi-rich layer was observed at the anode side
of the solder joint and the formation of Kirkendall voids was observed at the cathode side of the solder joints. Different inorganic materials affect electromigration in the eutectic Sn58Bi solder joints.
Highly Stretchable Conductive Electrode Composed of Silver Flake and Ecoflex
Authors: Park Jin Yeong , Nam Hyun Jin , Lee Won Jae , Choa Sung-Hoon
Published: November 2019

Stretchable electronic devices commonly require interconnectors with high stretchability, conductivity, and durability. In this work, we demonstrated a highly stretchable electrode based on a composite of silver (Ag) flake filler and Ecoflex binder. The stretchable composite material
was printed on polyurethane substrate. To improve the dispersibility and printability of the composite material, poly(dimethylsiloxane-ethylene oxide polymeric) was used. The effects of Ag flake content and Ecoflex binder materials on the electromechanical properties of the stretchable electrode
were investigated via stretching and cyclic stretching tests. As the amount of Ag flake increased, the electrical conductivity of the electrode increased as well, but the stretchability decreased. Use of Ecoflex 00-10 material, with its softer and lower Young's modulus, greatly improved the
stretchability of the electrode—allowing it to stretch to a strain of up to 120%. The stretchable electrode withstood repetitive cyclic stretching durability tests of 10,000 cycles. The addition of carbon black also had a great impact on its electromechanical properties. An electrode
fabricated with 0.2 wt% carbon black showed the highest conductivity and excellent stretchability of more than 150%.
Optimization of Single-Step UV Exposure for Fabrication of Integrated Optical Device by Imprinting
Authors: Shim Young Bo , Uk Bae Han , Park Jun Tae , Jeong Myung Yung
Published: November 2019

In this paper, a single ultra-violet exposure for multi-height structure was used to fabricate an optical-fiberintegrated planar lightwave circuit (PLC) splitter using a thermal imprinting technique. The 1 × 8 tapered multimode PLC splitter was designed with a trench at a depth
of 50 μm and a variable width ranging from 50 μm to 690 μm for the insertion of waveguide and fiber structures measuring 125 μm × 87.5 μm in order to minimize insertion loss. Photolithography with a Cr layer and bottom anti-reflection
coating (BARC) was utilized to fabricate a multi-height photoresist structure, and the effect of the thick Cr layer and BARC on the geometry was investigated. Scanning electron microscopy of the fabricated structures showed that a Cr thickness of 50 nm and BARC provided the ideal geometry
with a minimal undercut and sidewall roughness. Based on the characterization of the imprinted splitter, the average value and uniformity of optical loss between the channels were 10 dB and less than 0.42 dB, respectively.
Electroplated NiCo Alloy with Low Residual Stress from the Sulfate Bath
Authors: Lee Yong-Su , Lee Jae-Ho
Published: November 2019

NiCo alloys are electroplated in sulfate bath. The concentration of cobalt sulfate and current density were varied to optimize the surface hardness. The properties of NiCo deposits were analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy
(EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The surface hardness of the NiCo alloy was increased up to 500 Hv at 24 wt% Co in the deposits due to the grain refinement. The size of grain was reduced to 12 nm. The residual stress of the deposits was varied from tensile to compressive as the saccharin
concentration increased. The zero residual stress was achieved at 0.05 g/L saccharin addition.
Fixing Social Security: Major Reform or Minor Repairs?
Authors: Burtless Gary
Published: November 2019

Without congressional action, the Social Security reserve fund will be exhausted by 2035. When that occurs, benefit payments must be cut by one-fifth. To avoid that outcome, Congress must agree on a reform plan that boosts revenues, cuts pensions, or does both. The choice of a reform strategy should depend on voters’ support for the goals of the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program and evidence about the program’s effectiveness in achieving those goals. This article explains the aims of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) program, briefly describes how the program attempts to achieve those aims, and considers evidence on whether the goals have been achieved and at what cost. It then considers alternative reforms that address OASI’s main problem, namely, the long-term shortfall in program revenues compared with pension commitments. It concludes by identifying the reforms that seem best suited to achieving OASI’s core aims while conforming to voter preferences.
The Earned Income Tax Credit
Authors: Hoynes Hilary
Published: November 2019

In this article, I review the most prominent provision of the federal income tax code that targets low-income tax filers, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), as well as the structurally similar Child Tax Credit and Additional Child Tax Credit. I discuss the programs’ goals: distributional, promoting work, and limiting administrative and compliance costs. The article reviews the history of the programs, the predicted economic effects, and what is known about program impacts and distributional consequences. I conclude that the EITC effectively targets low-income households and is efficient in reducing poverty while encouraging work and that increases in after-tax household incomes lead to improved outcomes over the life course for children of those households. I propose reforms to the program, including policies that expand the generosity of the credit and increase take-up, as well as structural reforms that include spreading benefits throughout the year and reducing reliance on paid tax preparers.
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program: Time for Improvements
Authors: Haskins Ron , Weidinger Matt
Published: November 2019

The 1996 welfare reforms imposed major changes on the nation’s means-tested benefits, including a requirement that states place at least half of their cash welfare caseload in work or related activities. Congress also increased both cash and in-kind subsidies for low-income working families. Between the mid-1990s and 2000, work and wages among low-income women increased and poverty declined. The recessions of 2001 and 2007–2009 caused rising employment to falter, but after 2014, women’s employment rose again, and poverty declined. The impacts of welfare reform on these outcomes have been disputed, with many on the Left charging that states have used welfare funds inappropriately and many on the Right arguing that welfare reform played a major role in the improvements in work, wages, and poverty. We review reforms that have been proposed by one or both parties in recent years, including focusing spending on benefits and work. We conclude with lessons of these reform experiences for future reforms of entitlement programs.
Exploring Options to Improve the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Authors: Schanzenbach Diane Whitmore
Published: November 2019

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), previously known as the Food Stamp Program, is a cornerstone of the U.S. safety net. SNAP provides means-tested electronic vouchers that can be used to purchase most foods at participating retail outlets and helps low-income families afford the food that they need. It also helps to stabilize the economy in fiscal downturns, because more benefits are paid when jobs and income are scarce. SNAP households range widely in their demographic characteristics, from those with elderly or disabled members, to prime-age families (typically with children) who combine work and benefit receipt, to those with no or very low levels of income. Potential reforms, such as policies to encourage work or improve dietary outcomes, may have different impacts on various subgroups and should be designed with the heterogeneity of the caseload in mind. I review the theoretical and empirical research literature on SNAP’s impacts and consider potential reforms by analyzing them in terms of the program’s stated goals.
When One Size Does Not Fit All: Modernizing the Supplemental Security Income Program
Authors: Daly Mary C. , Duggan Mark
Published: November 2019

The federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program is an important part of the safety net in the United States, paying means-tested benefits to children with disabilities, nonelderly adults with disabilities, and elderly individuals. In this article, we describe the eligibility criteria for the program, how these have changed over time, and the impact of these changes on SSI enrollment. We also show that over time, SSI has grown to serve a heterogenous population, with an array of life experiences and needs. In this context, we discuss potential reforms intended to modernize the program and increase its ability to achieve its goals. These include a proposal to raise the generosity of benefits for elderly SSI recipients, increase the incentive to work among nonelderly adult SSI recipients, and harmonize disability decision-making across medical examiners and administrative law judges.
Unemployment Insurance Reform
Authors: von Wachter Till
Published: November 2019

The Unemployment Insurance (UI) system is the largest general social insurance program for working-age individuals in the United States and currently insures more than 140 million workers against temporary income losses related to unemployment. UI has been the bedrock of U.S. social policy in recessions, but the system has remained largely unchanged since the mid-1970s despite substantial changes in the labor market that include deindustrialization, higher female participation, increases in wage inequality, and technological changes. This article summarizes existing empirical evidence on the state of the UI system and its effectiveness in achieving its stated goals. A range of reform proposals are discussed that aim to address both the well-known, long-term issues with UI, as well as UI’s readiness to support the workforce of the twenty-first century.
Economic Principles for Medicare Reform
Authors: Chandra Amitabh , Garthwaite Craig
Published: November 2019

In this article, we develop an economic framework for Medicare reform that highlights trade-offs that reform proposals should grapple with, but often ignore. Central to our argument is a tension in administratively set prices, which may improve short-term efficiency but do so at the expense of dynamic efficiency (slowing innovations in new treatments). The smaller the Medicare program is relative to the commercial market, the less important this is; but in a world where there are no market prices or the private sector is very small, the task of setting prices that are dynamically correct becomes more complex. Reforming Medicare should focus on greater incentives to increase competition between Medicare Advantage plans, which necessitates a role for government in ensuring competition; premium support; less use of regulated prices; and less appetite for countless “pay for performance” schemes. We apply this framework to evaluate Medicare for All proposals.
Reply to Irving, “One Word, many wordings”
Authors: Brown Robert G.
Published: November 2019

Alex Irving has written a considered and informed response, from the perspective of a systematic theologian, to my own initial article which challenged several British evangelical organisations to specify exactly which books and wordings are the products of divine inspiration. Irving’s response consists of two key arguments. Firstly, he argues that the theory of revelation which I think is held by evangelicals is flawed. However, as I think that my understanding of Evangelicalism’s view of the relationship between the Bible and revelation is correct, it seems to me that Irving is actually critiquing the movement he theoretically represents. Secondly, Irving argues for a ‘personalist’ theory of the relationship between the Bible and revelation. His theory parallels twentieth-century neo-orthodoxy in that it views the Bible as a witness to revelation and a vehicle through which the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus Christ; which stands in contrast to the evangelical belief that the Bible is itself revelation. Thus, whilst his own theory may be very good, it is decidedly not ‘evangelical’ and therefore misses the point of my initial article, i.e., it does not justify how the evangelical doctrine of scripture can be maintained in light of the challenges I raised.
Functioning in community-dwelling patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders in rural Greece
Authors: Peritogiannis Vaios , Nikolaou Panagiota
Published: November 2019

Background:

There is a dearth of studies on functioning in patients with psychotic disorders in rural areas.

Aim:

The objective of this study was to assess functioning in a population-based sample of patients with psychotic disorders who live in rural, remote and deprived areas in Greece, and to explore the differences in functioning across ages.

Methods:

The sample consisted of 61 patients with psychotic disorders that were engaged to treatment with a community mental health service. The mean age of patients was 54.2 years, and the mean illness duration was 26.5 years.

Results:

A total of 23 patients (37.7%) had score in the Global Assessment of Functioning scale >60, and were rated as adequately functioning, and 18 patients (29.5%) had score in Clinical Global Impression scale-Schizophrenia ⩽3 and could be rated as mildly or minimally ill. Functioning was found to be inversely related to the patients’ symptomatology. No correlation with age was found.

Conclusion:

This study suggests that a large proportion of patients with psychotic disorders in rural Greece may achieve a satisfactory level of functioning in the long-term, across the whole age range despite the not completely remitted symptomatology. More research is needed to clarify the factors associated with rural residency that may account for patients’ functioning.
Temperature variation during continuous laser-assisted adjacent hoop winding of type-IV pressure vessels: An experimental analysis
Authors: Zaami Amin , Schäkel Martin , Baran Ismet , Bor Ton C , Janssen Henning , Akkerman Remko
Published: November 2019

Laser-assisted tape winding is an automated process to produce tubular or tube-like continuous fiber-reinforced polymer composites by winding a tape around a mandrel or liner. Placing additional layers on a previously heated substrate and variation in material and process parameters causes a variation in the bonding temperature of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic tapes which need to be understood and described well in order to have a reliable manufacturing process. In order to quantify the variation in this critical bonding temperature, a comprehensive temperature analysis of an adjacent hoop winding process of type-IV pressure vessels is performed. A total of five tanks are manufactured in which three glass/HDPE tapes are placed on an HDPE liner. The tape and substrate temperatures, roller force and tape feeding velocity are measured. The coefficient of variation for each round is characterized for the first time. According to the statistical analysis, the coefficient of variation in substrate temperature is found to be approximately 4.8–8.8% which is larger than the coefficient of variation of the tape temperature which is 2.1–7.8%. The coefficient of variations of the substrate temperatures in the third round decrease as compared with the coefficient of variations in the second round mainly due to the change in gap/overlap behavior of the deposited tapes. Fourier and thermographic analysis evince that the geometrical disturbances such as unroundness and eccentricity have a direct effect on the temperature variation. In addition to the temperature feedback control, a real-time object detection technique with deep learning algorithms can be used to mitigate the unwanted temperature variation and to have a more reliable thermal history.
HDAC3 Regulates Gingival Fibroblast Inflammatory Responses in Periodontitis
Authors: Lagosz K.B. , Bysiek A. , Macina J.M. , Bereta G.P. , Kantorowicz M. , Lipska W. , Sochalska M. , Gawron K. , Kaczmarzyk T. , Chomyszyn-Gajewska M. , Fossati G. , Potempa J. , Grabiec A.M.
Published: November 2019

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are important regulators of gene expression that are aberrantly regulated in several inflammatory and infectious diseases. HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) suppress inflammatory activation of various cell types through epigenetic and non-epigenetic mechanisms, and ameliorate pathology in a mouse model of periodontitis. Activation of gingival fibroblasts (GFs) significantly contributes to the development of periodontitis and the anaerobic bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis plays a key role in driving chronic inflammation. Here, we analyzed the role of HDACs in inflammatory responses of GFs. Pan-HDACi suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) and/or ITF2357 (givinostat) significantly reduced TNFα- and P. gingivalis–inducible expression and/or production of a cluster of inflammatory mediators in healthy donor GFs ( IL1B, CCL2, CCL5, CXCL10, COX2, and MMP3) without affecting cell viability. Selective inhibition of HDAC3/6, but not specific HDAC1, HDAC6, or HDAC8 inhibition, reproduced the suppressive effects of pan-HDACi on the inflammatory gene expression profile induced by TNFα and P. gingivalis, suggesting a critical role for HDAC3 in GF inflammatory activation. Consistently, silencing of HDAC3 expression with siRNA largely recapitulated the effects of HDAC3/6i on mRNA levels of inflammatory mediators in P. gingivalis–infected GFs. In contrast, P. gingivalis internalization and intracellular survival in GFs remained unaffected by HDACi. Activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and NFκB signaling was unaffected by global or HDAC3/6-selective HDACi, and new protein synthesis was not required for gene suppression by HDACi. Finally, pan-HDACi and HDAC3/6i suppressed P. gingivalis–induced expression of IL1B, CCL2, CCL5, CXCL10, MMP1, and MMP3 in GFs from patients with periodontitis. Our results identify HDAC3 as an important regulator of inflammatory gene expression in GFs and suggest that therapeutic targeting of HDAC activity, in particular HDAC3, may be clinically beneficial in suppressing inflammation in periodontal disease.
Universal Baby Bonds Reduce Black-White Wealth Inequality, Progressively Raise Net Worth of All Young Adults
Authors: Zewde Naomi
Published: November 2019

The distribution of wealth has grown increasingly unequal, especially along racial lines. Lawmakers and researchers propose to address the issue with universal “baby bonds,” paid to every newborn and preserved until young adulthood. Bond values are tied inversely to wealth up to a $50,000 maximum investment. This study uses longitudinal data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics on the assets of young adults to simulate contemporary racial inequalities under a counterfactual policy environment in which the United States had administered baby bonds when the current cohort of young adults were newborns. Initial bond values are defined categorically by quintiles of household wealth observed in 1989 and 1994, smoothed across the inverse hyperbolic sine of household wealth, and then assumed to grow at 2% per year through 2015. Without baby bonds, young White Americans hold approximately 16 times the wealth of young Black Americans at the median ($46,000 vs. $2,900). Baby bonds reduce the disparity to a factor of 1.4 ($79,143 vs. $57,845), in the absence of intervening behavioral responses to the policy. The share held by the top decile decreases from 72% to 65%, marginally approaching the more egalitarian societies. Baby bonds considerably narrow wealth inequalities while simultaneously improving the net asset position of young adults and alleviating asset concentration.
Book review: R. Raj Rao, Criminal Love? Queer Theory, Culture and Politics in India
Authors: Ghosh Biswajit
Published: November 2019

R. Raj Rao. Criminal Love? Queer Theory, Culture and Politics in India. Los Angeles, London & New Delhi: Sage Publications India Private Limited, 2017, xxviii + 163 pp., ₹450 (hardback). ISBN: 978-93-864-4649-7.
Qualitative classification of waste textiles based on near infrared spectroscopy and the convolutional network
Authors: Liu Zhengdong , Li Wenxia , Wei Zihan
Published: November 2019

The recycling of waste textiles has become a growth point for the sustainable development of the textile and clothing industry. In addition, sorting is a key link in the follow-up recycling process. Since different fabrics are required to be processed by different technologies, manual sorting not only takes time and effort but also cannot achieve accurate and reliable classification. Based on the analysis of near infrared spectroscopy, the theory and methods of deep learning are used for the qualitative classification of waste textiles in order to complete the automatic fabric composition recognition in the sorting process. Firstly, a standard sample set is established by waveform clipping and normalization, and a Textile Recycling Net deep web suitable for near infrared spectroscopy is established. Then, a pixilated layer is used to facilitate the deep learning of features, and the multidimensional features of the spectrum are extracted by using the multi-layer convolutional and pooling layers. Finally, the softmax classifier is adopted to complete the qualitative classification. Experimental results show that the convolutional network classification method using normalized and pixelated near infrared spectroscopy can realize the automatic classification of several common textiles, such as cotton and polyester, and effectively improve the detection level and speed of fabric components.
A hybrid intelligence technique based on the Taguchi method for multi-objective process parameter optimization of the 3D additive screen printing of athletic shoes
Authors: Wang Yacheng , Liu Yuegang , Sun Yize
Published: November 2019

This paper presents a hybrid intelligence technique based on the Taguchi method for multi-objective process parameter optimization of 3D additive screen printing of athletic shoes. 3D additive screen printing is mainly used in the high-end athletic shoes and clothes field. It requires overlapping and overprinting dozens of times to make the printed patterns stereoscopic. The process of 3D additive screen printing is complex and variable and the production cycle is long. Because of the variability of the screen printing process and the coupling between process parameters, there is no simple method to guide the trial production of new products and obtain the optimal process parameters of screen printing. Trial-and-error is often used but it expends a lot of manpower, materials, and financial resources. To solve the optimization problem, a Taguchi experiment based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation with five factors and two responses was first designed. Then, a back-propagation network (BPN), least-squares support-vector machine (LSSVM), and random forest (RF) were trained with experimental data to obtain a forecasting model for the process parameters. On comparison, the RF forecasting model performed best in this case. Then, the multi-objective antlion optimizer (MOALO), which is a new multi-objective optimization algorithm with excellent performance, was improved to the IMOALO, and it was proved that IMOALO has a better performance than MOALO. Combining the RF forecasting model with IMOALO, and carrying out the optimization, the optimal process parameters were obtained. Actual printing production shows that the proposed hybrid intelligence technique improves the production efficiency and first pass yield of printed products.
Park futures: Excavating images of tomorrow’s urban green spaces
Authors: Barker Anna , Crawford Adam , Booth Nathan , Churchill David
Published: November 2019

British urban parks are a creation of the 19th century and a central feature in the Victorian image of the city. In the UK, parks are at a critical juncture as to their future role, prospects and sustainability. This article contributes to renewed interest in ‘social futures’ by thinking forward through the past about the trajectory of Victorian public parks. We outline six images of what parks might become, derived from traces in history and extrapolations from current trends. These projections diverge in terms of adaptations to funding and governance, management of competing demands and organisation of use. In contrast to a dominant Victorian park ideal and its relative continuity over time, we are likely to see the intensification of increasingly varied park futures. We draw attention to interaction effects between these differing images of the future. Excavated from the Victorian legacy, the park futures presented have wider potential inferences and resonance, including beyond the UK. By mapping divergent visions for parks, we call for a public debate about how parks might be re-imagined in ways that draw upon their rich heritage and highlight the pivotal role of civil society actors in shaping future pathways between possible, probable and preferable futures.
Heuristic open-loop output feedback model predictive control for control of intermittent transonic wind tunnel
Authors: Hu Jianchen , Ding Baocang
Published: November 2019

For intermittent transonic wind tunnel (ITWT), Mach number and total pressure are crucial features of the flow field in the test section. However, they are typically difficult to control due to system nonlinearities, uncertainties, coupling and delays. This paper proposes an output feedback model predictive control (MPC) strategy to ensure the tracking of Mach number and total pressure of the ITWT to a specified reference trajectory. The proposed approach includes open-loop prediction, steady state target calculation (SSTC) and dynamic control, where the lower layer dynamic control tracks the steady state target obtained from the upper SSTC layer. By adding an artificial disturbance in the identified linear parameter varying (LPV) model for ITWT, and utilizing the resulting LPV model in both SSTC and dynamic control layers, a heuristic open-loop output feedback MPC approach is proposed. The experimental results for the control of Mach number and total pressure for ITWT demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Longitudinal development of adolescent academic engagement following the Wenchuan earthquake: Domain-specific trajectories
Authors: Zhen Rui , Wu Xinchun , Zhou Xiao
Published: November 2019

Recent studies have examined academic engagement trajectories, but many focused on the overall academic engagement of adolescents, and few assessed specific engagement dimensions of adolescents with trauma experiences. The current study recruited 342 adolescents who had experienced an earthquake to examine their behavioral and psychological engagement trajectories. Participants were asked to complete self-report questionnaires at 3.5, 4.5, and 5.5 years after the Wenchuan earthquake in China. The results identified two types of behavioral engagement trajectories (high–stable and decreasing), and two types of psychological engagement trajectories (high–stable and increasing). The behavioral engagement trajectories showed strong agreement with the psychological engagement trajectories. We also found that gratitude could prevent behavioral engagement from decreasing over time, and that social support facilitated increase of psychological engagement. The findings suggested that the developmental paths of behavioral and psychological engagement were both heterogeneous among adolescents following an earthquake, and gratitude and social support played different roles in predicting engagement trajectories.
First Use of a New Robotic Endoscope Guiding System in Endoscopic Orbital Decompression
Authors: Mattheis Stefan , Schlüter Anke , Stähr Kerstin , Holtmann Laura , Höing Benedikt , Hussain Timon , Kanaan Oliver , Eckstein Anja , Lang Stephan
Published: November 2019

Purpose:

Over the last years, robot-assisted surgery gained in importance in head and neck surgery. In our study, we used a new robotic endoscope guiding system in patients undergoing endoscopic balanced orbital decompression. The aim of the study is to evaluate the feasibility and benefit of a robotic arm in endoscopic orbital surgery.

Methods:

The Medineering Robotic Endoscope Guiding System is a robotic arm designed for holding an endoscope during interventions. An endoscope equipped with a 4K camera was attached at the tip of the robotic arm and placed in the surgical field. The surgeon controlled the movements of the endoscope with foot pedal. Eight patients underwent balanced endoscopic orbital decompression showing typical symptoms of Graves’ orbitopathy preoperatively. Balanced decompression was performed via a combined approach transnasally and laterally via a small skin incision.

Results:

Attaching the endoscope to the robotic guiding system and placing it in the nasal cavity were relatively simple procedures. Setup time was less than 10 minutes. Tool motion and control using the foot pedal were comfortable and adequately precise. Movements of the attached endoscope inside the nose were feasible and allowed 2-hand surgery. The patients did not show any adverse events or complications.

Conclusion:

The Medineering Robotic Endoscope Guiding System seems to be a safe and effective support in endoscopic skull base surgery especially for orbital decompression, thus allowing 2-hand or even 4-hand settings. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study describing the successful application of a robotic system in orbital surgery.
Active backers, product commercialisation and product quality after a crowdfunding campaign: A comparison between first-time and repeated entrepreneurs
Authors: Butticè Vincenzo , Noonan Douglas
Published: November 2019

Building on the theories of social capital and social obligation, we study how the attraction of active backers, that is, backers who participate in the co-design of the product is associated with product commercialisation and product quality after a reward-based crowdfunding campaign. We argue theoretically and show empirically that this association varies when the entrepreneur’s experience in conducting crowdfunding campaign is taken into account. Through a quantitative analysis of 1406 board games campaigns posted on Kickstarter, we show that for entrepreneurs who are novice to crowdfunding, attracting a large crowd of active backers increases the chances to commercialise the product after the campaign, while it reduces its final quality. On the contrary, for entrepreneurs who already relied on crowdfunding in the past, the attraction of a large crowd of active backers is associated with increasing product quality.
The effectiveness of spinal cord injury ADL inpatient education on rehabilitation outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Abu Mostafa Moussa , Plastow Nicola Ann , Savin-Baden Maggi
Published: November 2019

Introduction

Occupational therapy patient education is an acknowledged intervention that may enable clients with spinal cord injury to improve performance of activities of daily living. Many spinal cord injury individuals return to the community with inadequate activities of daily living skills due to short length of stay in inpatient rehabilitation. This systematic review evaluates the effect of activities of daily living education on rehabilitation outcomes following spinal cord injury.

Method

A systematic review and meta-analysis of activities of daily living clinical trials for spinal cord injury was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines.

Findings

Three educational interventions were identified: Clinical Practice Guidelines for preservation of upper limb function following spinal cord injury; Peer Mentoring Education; and Needs Assessment Checklist. The educational programmes improved performance in activities of daily living, patient awareness, and health and wellbeing ( p: 0.0001–0.755). Intermediate and long-term rehabilitation outcomes including self-efficacy, pain, and participation did not improve ( p > 0.05). The overall random effect of the Clinical Practice Guidelines programme was ineffective (heterogeneity: p = 0.00001, I2 = 97%).

Conclusion

There was mixed evidence for the effectiveness of activities of daily living education following spinal cord injury. Further research on occupational therapy patient education during spinal cord injury rehabilitation to improve outcomes is needed.
Can a Green Care Informal Learning Program Foster Active Aging in Older Adults? Results From a Qualitative Pilot Study in Central Italy
Authors: Santini Sara , Piccinini Flavia , Gagliardi Cristina
Published: November 2019

Due to population aging worldwide, it is important for Health Care Systems to design new services fostering Active Aging dimensions (e.g., physical health, psychological well-being, social engagement, and lifelong learning). The aim of this pilot study was to develop new services fostering Active Aging dimensions by means of a 12-month green care informal learning program targeting 112 individuals among community-dwelling older people and day care center users. The impact of the intervention was assessed through three rounds of focus groups. Individuals’ perception of the training benefits depended on their health and social condition at baseline. The program improved the social participation and learning attitudes of community-dwelling older people and the perceived well-being and health of day care center users. Green care activities triggered an Active Aging virtuous spiral where learning new practical and relational competencies helped older people recognize their value. Thus, it is recommendable to include green care therapy within the practice of services for older people, especially day care centers.