bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Concerns over COVID-19 and prejudice: Pre- and during-pandemic in Italy
Authors: Passini Stefano
Published: January 2022

While at first the fear of COVID-19 disease spread was limited by the fact that the pandemic appeared to be confined to China, the growing emergency in Italy and the rapid escalation in positive cases and deaths have made the threat of this disease a national as well as global phenomenon. In the present research, a questionnaire was collected both before ( n = 396) and during ( n = 250) the outbreak of the pandemic in Italy. The aim of the research was to analyze the possible mediation of binding moral foundations on the relationship between concerns over COVID-19 and prejudice vis-à-vis immigrants. As hypothesized, the results show that concerns over COVID-19 increased greatly after the start of the Italian pandemic. Moreover, both before and during the pandemic, the relationship between concerns over COVID-19 and prejudice toward immigrants is mediated by binding moral foundations.
Guidance for the Antiracist Educator: Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies for Disability and Diversity
Authors: Harkins Monaco Elizabeth A. , Brusnahan Lynn Stansberry , Fuller Marcus
Published: January 2022

Racism in the United States has risen to the forefront of public awareness through the national outrage, grief, and terrible injustice and bias that continues to dictate the fates of individuals in our communities of color. Centuries of systemic racism require our organization to publish innovative evidence-based practices for use in a wide variety of educational programs and settings around topics related to racial and cultural practices. This special edition of Teaching Exceptional Children (TEC) emphasizes racially and culturally competent and sustaining practices when working with students with disabilities who also experience another social identity.
The Problem Solver: A Behavioral Intervention for Teaching Problem Solving to High-Functioning Students With Autism
Authors: Ayvazo Shiri , Brill Alit , Magal Karen Samuel
Published: January 2022

Problem-solving is a skill of fundamental importance for populations with developmental delays, and especially for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Training students with ASD to solve ill-defined problems is a challenging objective for educational and therapeutic teams. This is due to the myriad of unpredictable situations presented during the school day and the various responses, socially appropriate or inappropriate, that may be emitted to solve one's problem. The purpose of this paper is to present a systematic clinical behavioral program named the Problem Solver (PS) specifically designed to teach problem-solving to high-functioning students with ASD. The authors detail the three stages of the PS program (i.e., determining a set of problems and solutions for each student, skill acquisition and practice, and implementation of whole-class token economy). The authors conclude with recommendations for successful implementation in school settings.
Staying Online, Staying Connected: Exploring the Effect of Online Chatting on Adolescents’ Psychological Well-being during COVID-19 Quarantine
Authors: Feng Yulei , Tong Qingyan
Published: January 2022

Rooted in scholarship of social connectedness and social support, this research raises the question: Can online chatting help mitigate the negative psychological influence of physical distancing during COVID-19? By a correlational and cross-sectional research design, the current study testified the mediating role of two factors—social connectedness and perceived social support in the relationship between online chatting and three indicators of psychological well-being (happiness, self-esteem, and loneliness) for adolescents. This research demonstrated the potential of online chatting in mitigating the severity of quarantine from the supplementary perspective of online communication effects on adolescents, which provided a further insight into understanding the ways in which adolescents use media during school closure. Possible contingent factors that should be paid special attention to in future researches are discussed.
The Effect of China’s Two-Child Policy on the Child Sex Ratio: Evidence From Shanghai, China
Authors: Tang Di , Gao Xiangdong , Cai Jiaoli , Coyte Peter. C.
Published: January 2022

Objective: The bias towards males at birth has resulted in a major imbalance in the Chinese sex ratio that is often attributed to China’s one-child policy. Relaxation of the one-child policy has the potential to reduce the imbalance in the sex ratio away from males. In this study, we assessed whether the bias towards males in the child sex ratio was reduced as a result of the two-child policy in China. Medical records data from one large municipal-level obstetrics hospital in Shanghai, East China. Design: Matching and difference-in-differences (MDID) techniques were used to investigate the effect of the two-child policy on the imbalance in the sex ratio at birth after matching for pregnancy status and socioeconomic factors. Results: Analyzing 133,358 live births suggest that the relaxation of the one-child policy had a small, but statistically significant effect in reducing the imbalance in the male to female sex ratio at birth. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that relaxation of the one-child policy reduced the imbalance in the male to female sex ratio at birth from 1.10 to 1.05 over the study period at one of the major obstetrics and gynecology hospitals in China.
Why does Germany abstain from statutory bargaining extensions? Explaining the exceptional German erosion of collective wage bargaining
Authors: Günther Wolfgang , Höpner Martin
Published: January 2022

Against the European trend, German statutory collective bargaining extensions (SBEs) have decreased in the last two decades, contributing to the exceptional erosion of German wage-bargaining coverage. This article distinguishes between two liberalization dynamics: an intrasectoral dynamic that started with the introduction of employers’ association memberships outside the scope of collective agreements, and an intersectoral dynamic. The latter is the result of an abnormal German institutional feature, the veto power of the employers’ umbrella association in the committees that have to approve SBE applications. Activation of this veto enabled employers to promote collective bargaining erosion in sectors other than their own, in order to contain cost pressures. This intersectoral liberalization dynamic has been part of Germany’s transition into an asymmetrically export-driven growth regime and could be stopped by means of political reforms.
Can labor-standards advocacy by transnational civil society organizations interact with the power of labor to improve labor standards in global supply chains? A case study of the Cambodian garment industry
Authors: Li Min , Hu Xiaoli
Published: January 2022

Recent research shows that the focus of labor-standards advocacy by transnational civil society organizations (CSOs) has shifted to building the organizational capacity of workers’ organizations in developing countries, suggesting cooperation between transnational CSOs and local trade unions potentially improving working conditions in global supply chains. However, scant attention has been paid to how the two actors interact in practice. Based on fieldwork in Cambodia, including in-depth interviews with garment sector stakeholders, this article examines the interaction between transnational CSOs and trade unions in improving working conditions in the garment industry. The data analysis shows that transnational CSOs and trade unions have distinct comparative advantages in improving working conditions. Rather than the conflicting relationship between CSOs and trade unions as suggested in the literature, this article demonstrates a complementary relationship between the two, indicating the significance of the cooperation between these actors in improving working conditions within global supply chains.
Fast and Accurate U-Net Model for Fetal Ultrasound Image Segmentation
Authors: Ashkani Chenarlogh Vahid , Ghelich Oghli Mostafa , Shabanzadeh Ali , Sirjani Nasim , Akhavan Ardavan , Shiri Isaac , Arabi Hossein , Sanei Taheri Morteza , Tarzamni Mohammad Kazem
Published: January 2022

U-Net based algorithms, due to their complex computations, include limitations when they are used in clinical devices. In this paper, we addressed this problem through a novel U-Net based architecture that called fast and accurate U-Net for medical image segmentation task. The proposed fast and accurate U-Net model contains four tuned 2D-convolutional, 2D-transposed convolutional, and batch normalization layers as its main layers. There are four blocks in the encoder-decoder path. The results of our proposed architecture were evaluated using a prepared dataset for head circumference and abdominal circumference segmentation tasks, and a public dataset (HC18-Grand challenge dataset) for fetal head circumference measurement. The proposed fast network significantly improved the processing time in comparison with U-Net, dilated U-Net, R2U-Net, attention U-Net, and MFP U-Net. It took 0.47 seconds for segmenting a fetal abdominal image. In addition, over the prepared dataset using the proposed accurate model, Dice and Jaccard coefficients were 97.62% and 95.43% for fetal head segmentation, 95.07%, and 91.99% for fetal abdominal segmentation. Moreover, we have obtained the Dice and Jaccard coefficients of 97.45% and 95.00% using the public HC18-Grand challenge dataset. Based on the obtained results, we have concluded that a fine-tuned and a simple well-structured model used in clinical devices can outperform complex models.
Best Practices in Finance Education in COVID Era: IIM Sirmaur
Authors: Singh Amrinder , Bhusan CA Soumik
Published: January 2022

This piece of contribution is the experience sharing from the finance educators teaching various finance courses at Indian Institute of Management Sirmaur.
Prolonged release of VEGF and Ang1 from intralesionally implanted hydrogel promotes perilesional vascularization and functional recovery after experimental ischemic stroke
Authors: Yanev Pavel , van Tilborg Geralda AF , van der Toorn Annette , Kong Xiangmei , Stowe Ann M , Dijkhuizen Rick M
Published: January 2022

Injectable hydrogels can generate and support pro-repair environments in injured tissue. Here we used a slow-releasing drug carrying in situ-forming hydrogel to promote post-stroke recovery in a rat model. Release kinetics were measured in vitro and in vivo with MRI, using gadolinium-labeled albumin (Galbumin), which demonstrated prolonged release over multiple weeks. Subsequently, this hydrogel was used for long-term delivery of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) (Gel VEGF + Ang1, n = 14), in a photothrombotically induced cortical stroke lesion in rats. Control stroke animals were intralesionally injected with saline (Saline, n = 10), non-loaded gel (Gel, n = 10), or a single bolus of VEGF + Ang1 in saline (Saline VEGF + Ang1, n = 10). MRI was executed to guide hydrogel injection. Functional recovery was assessed with sensorimotor function tests, while tissue status and vascularization were monitored by serial in vivo MRI. Significant recovery from sensorimotor deficits from day 28 onwards was only measured in the Gel VEGF + Ang1 group. This was accompanied by significantly increased vascularization in the perilesional cortex. Histology confirmed (re)vascularization and neuronal sparing in perilesional areas. In conclusion, intralesional injection of in situ-forming hydrogel loaded with pro-angiogenic factors can support prolonged brain tissue regeneration and promote functional recovery in the chronic phase post-stroke.
Predicting papillary thyroid carcinoma cervical lymph node metastases: an algorithm using the American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging, Reporting and Data System
Authors: Shangguan Ronger , Kan Guangjuan , Yang Jing , Bao Lingyun
Published: January 2022

Background

It is important to predict lymph node metastasis (LNM) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) preoperatively; however, the relationship between the American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging, Reporting and Data System (ACR TI-RADS) score and cervical LNM remains unclear.

Purpose

To evaluate the association between the ACR TI-RADS score and cervical LNM in patients with PTC.

Material and Methods

This retrospective study consisted of 474 patients with 548 PTCs. Cervical LNM including central LNM (CLNM) and lateral LNM (LLNM) were confirmed by pathology. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate the risk factors of CLNM and LLNM.

Results

Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that younger age and multifocality were risk factors for CLNM in PTCs with TR5. In addition, younger age, larger tumor size, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) were risk factors for LLNM in PTCs ≥ 10 mm with TR5. In PTCs with TR4, ACR TI-RADS scores 5–6 conferred risks for LNM. In PTCs ≥ 10 mm with TR5, ACR TI-RADS scores ≥9 were risk factors for LLNM.

Conclusion

A higher ACR TI-RADS score is a predictor for cervical LNM in PTCs with TR4 and PTCs ≥ 10 mm with TR5.
Mean platelet volume and polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Li Li , Yu Jianxiu , Zhou Zhongwei
Published: January 2022

Objective

This meta-analysis evaluated the association between the mean platelet volume (MPV) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Methods

A systematic literature search using PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases until June 2021 was conducted. Pooled standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were determined using a random effects model.

Results

Ten studies involving 866 women with PCOS and 548 age- and body mass index-matched women without PCOS were included. The MPV was significantly increased in women with PCOS compared with non-PCOS women (SMD = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.13–0.72). Subgroup analyses showed that this trend was consistent in cross-sectional studies (SMD = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.03–0.86) and in Turkish women (SMD = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.13–0.79). Meta-regression analysis revealed a marginally positive correlation between the MPV and the homoeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance in women with PCOS. The sensitivity analysis showed that the effect estimate was robust and stable, and publication bias was not evidenced in the pooled analysis.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis revealed that women with PCOS have a significantly increased MPV than women without PCOS, which is probably associated with insulin resistance. INPLASY registration number: INPLASY2021100021.
Data from small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix: FIGO 2018 staging is more accurate than FIGO 2009
Authors: Zhang Yunqiang , Ding Jingxin , Hua Keqin
Published: January 2022

Objective

To compare the prognostic value of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2009 and 2018 staging systems in surgical patients with small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix (SCNEC).

Methods

We re-staged 64 surgical IB–IIA (FIGO 2009) SCNEC patients according to the FIGO 2018 system and refined stage IIIC of FIGO 2018 based on tumor local invasion. The prognostic factors were analyzed, and the advantages of FIGO 2018 were compared with 2009.

Results

The 5-year overall survival rate (OS) was 78.5% for stage I and 22.2% for stage II (FIGO 2009). In FIGO 2018, there was no difference between stage I and II, and the 5-year OS was 74.1%, 60.2%, and 0% for stage I/II, IIIC1, and IIIC2. After combining stage IIIC with the local invasion stage (T1 was limited to the cervix and vagina; T2 involved the parametrium; T3 involved the pelvic or abdominal cavity), the 5-year OS for stage IIICT1, IIICT2, and IIICT3 was 83.3%, 30.0%, and 0%, respectively.

Conclusions

For stage II SCNEC patients, FIGO 2009 underestimated the prognosis, while FIGO 2018 was more accurate. For stage IIIC, FIGO 2018 might be more individualized and accurate after combining stage IIIC with tumor local invasion.
The Effect of Extralegal Factors in Decision-Making About Juvenile Offenders in Chile: A Quasi-Experimental Study
Authors: Carvacho Pablo , Droppelmann Catalina , Mateo Mariel
Published: January 2022

This study seeks to identify the underlying factors related to the sentencing process for juvenile justice cases in Chile. To this end, a factorial survey method or quasi-experimental vignette method was used. This method allows us to understand with greater clarity the complex cognitive process involved in judicial decision-making. The results confirm that legal factors carry the critical weight for judicial decisions, though extralegal factors also play a role. Among these, factors associated with the offender (such as drug use and school attendance) and characteristics of the judges themselves (such as judicial attitudes and their previous experience) all influenced the decision-making process. These findings allow us to provide evidence about decision-making in the Latin American contexts and add to existing evidence in order to understand the moderating effect of certain class and gender stereotypes.
Surviving Senior Psychopathy: Informant Reports of Deceit and Antisocial Behavior in Multiple Types of Relationships
Authors: Andersen Donna M. , Veltman Emma , Sellbom Martin
Published: January 2022

A prevailing view among researchers and mental health clinicians is that symptoms of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD)/psychopathy decrease as affected individuals reach middle age. In the current investigation, informants were surveyed about the behavior of individuals who they believed showed traits of ASPD/psychopathy and were over the age of 50. A final sample of 1,215 respondents rated the index individuals according to the ASPD/psychopathy traits derived from the pre-publication first draft of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition, revealing high endorsement of traits associated with ASPD. Survey respondents reported their observations that individuals who met a threshold for putative ASPD/psychopathy continued to engage in antisocial behavior after age 50, and as a result the respondents endured significant harm, including material losses, financial losses, and various self-reported mental health problems. Those who knew the index individuals both before and after the age of 50 were specifically asked whether there was a change in the individual’s engagement in manipulation, deceit, and antisocial behavior; 93% of respondents reported that the behavior was just as bad or worse after age 50. Other researchers have suggested that the DSM diagnostic criteria do not accurately describe ASPD/psychopathy symptoms and behavior in older adults, and that the disorder remains stable, but its manifestation changes with age. This study supports those conclusions.
Information needs and delivery channels: Experimental evidence from Cambodian smallholders
Authors: Bruns Selina , Mußhoff Oliver , Ströhlein Pascal
Published: January 2022

Despite numerous policy interventions, poverty still exists. Those most harshly affected are people living in rural areas of low-income countries, regions that are often characterized by information asymmetries leading to market failure. The widespread growth of information and communications technologies (ICTs) in remote areas across the world holds immense potential for lifting the information barriers of the rural poor. However, there is little evidence of the effectiveness of delivery channels, which might be one reason why digital advice differs in its impact. Seeking to ascertain how smallholders can best be served by ICT, the authors investigated information needs and effective ICT delivery channels. Sociodemographic and ICT-related data was collected and a framed field experiment was conducted with smallholders in Cambodia; they were asked to build an object while using various delivery channels for instruction. Employing different regression techniques and matching algorithms, the experiment reveals that multisensory instructions trump all others.
Quantitative Framework for Establishing Low-Risk Inter-District Travel Corridors During COVID-19
Authors: Dave Raviraj , Choudhari Tushar , Maji Avijit , Bhatia Udit
Published: January 2022

Aspirations to slow down the spread of novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) resulted in unprecedented restrictions on personal and work-related travels in various nations across the globe in 2020. As a consequence, economic activities within and across the countries were almost halted. As restrictions loosen and cities start to resume public and private transport to revamp the economy, it becomes critical to assess the commuters’ travel-related risk in light of the ongoing pandemic. The paper develops a generalizable quantitative framework to evaluate the commute-related risk arising from inter-district and intra-district travel by combining nonparametric data envelopment analysis for vulnerability assessment with transportation network analysis. It demonstrates the application of the proposed model for establishing travel corridors within and across Gujarat and Maharashtra, two Indian states that have reported many COVID-19 cases since early April 2020. The findings suggest that establishing travel corridors between a pair of districts solely based on the health vulnerability indices of the origin and destination discards the en-route travel risks from the prevalent pandemic, underestimating the threat. For example, while the resultant of social and health vulnerabilities of Narmada and Vadodara districts is relatively moderate, the en-route travel risk exacerbates the overall travel risk of travel between them. The study provides a quantitative framework to identify the alternate path with the least risk and hence establish low-risk travel corridors within and across states while accounting for social and health vulnerabilities in addition to transit-time related risks.
Study Investigating the Influence of Warm-Mix Asphalt Additives on Rutting and Fatigue Performance of Nano-Modified Asphalt Binders
Authors: Bhat Faheem Sadiq , Mir Mohammad Shafi
Published: January 2022

The current study investigates the synergized effect of a nanomaterial and two warm mix additives asphalt (WMA) additives on different properties of asphalt binders. The study used an optimal percentage of 2% for nano-Al2O3; two WMA additives were used in different concentrations. The results revealed that the addition of WMA additives increased the softening point of nano-Al2O3 modified asphalt binder. Penetration and ductility results showed a decrease after the introduction of WMA additives. The viscosity of nano-Al2O3 modified asphalt binders showed a reduction after the introduction of WMA additives. Rutting evaluation was done by using the superpave rutting parameter and multiple stress creep and recovery (MSCR) test. The fatigue performance of the asphalt binders was measured using the superpave fatigue parameter and linear amplitude sweep (LAS) test. Results showed that the introduction of WMA additives improved the rutting and fatigue performance of nano-Al2O3 modified asphalt binders. The introduction of WMA additives enhanced the aging performance of the nano-Al2O3 modified asphalt binders.
Fatigue Life Predictions for a European Pavement Test Section Subjected to Individual and Platoon Truck Configurations
Authors: Leiva-Padilla Paulina , Blanc Juliette , Salgado Aitor , Hammoum Ferhat , Hornych Pierre
Published: January 2022

Truck platooning for the transportation of loads is a strategy recently proposed by the automotive sector to cope with traffic congestion, fuel consumption, and operational costs. This new way of configuring trucks changes the typical pressures pavements structures experience. For this reason, the research efforts of the pavement sector should be aligned with the automotive sector to propose road-friendly platoon configurations. This is one of the objectives of the European project ENSEMBLE. ENSEMBLE, as indicated by its acronym, works on ENabling SafE Multi-Brand pLatooning for Europe. In this context, the present study presents a real scale test done in the Applus IDIADA facilities to evaluate the fatigue behavior of a pavement structure subjected to individual and platoon truck configurations. The effects of parameters such as traffic distribution through the year and by time of day, percentage of platoons, truck loads, number of trucks in platoon configuration, lateral wandering, and inter-truck distances were evaluated. The study’s findings revealed that the reduced rest times between trucks in the platoon configuration reduce the recovery time of the asphalt layers, increasing the fatigue damage to the pavement at high temperature conditions. This underlines the need for further research to allow the proper implementation of truck platoons. For example, research is needed to define strategies to make truck platoon configurations more pavement-friendly and analyze the costs associated with the changes in the required road maintenance/rehabilitation treatments, among others.
Recycled Polyethylene Modified Asphalt Binders and Mixtures: Performance Characteristics and Environmental Impact
Authors: Abdalfattah Ibrahim A. , Mogawer Walaa S. , Stuart Kevin D.
Published: January 2022

This study addresses the effects of recycled polyethylene (RPE) on the performances of both asphalt binders and asphalt mixtures. Whether using RPE in an asphalt mixture might leach harmful chemicals into rainwater or melted snow was also determined. Two processes, wet and dry, were used to formulate the RPE modified asphalt binders and mixtures. In the wet process, RPE was added to asphalt binder. In the dry process, it was added to heated aggregates. RPE from two sources and PG 64-22 virgin asphalt binders from two sources were used in this study. In conclusion, RPE improved the rutting resistance of the asphalt binders and asphalt mixtures. However, it had adverse effects on their resistance to intermediate-temperature and non-load associated cracking. The dry process could produce a mixture with a higher RPE dosage compared with the wet process using one virgin asphalt binder but not the other; thus, the virgin asphalt binder source was a significant factor for the dry process. Based on an embryotoxicity test, it was found that RPE can be used by the asphalt paving industry without creating any significant environmental risks.
“I was 15 when I started doing drugs with my dad”: Victimization, Social Determinants of Health, and Criminogenic Risk Among Women Opioid Intervention Court Participants
Authors: Morse Diane S. , Cerulli Catherine , Hordes Melissa , El-Bassel Nabila , Bleasdale Jacob , Wilson Kennethea , Henry Olivia , Przybyla Sarahmona M.
Published: January 2022

The presence and severity of childhood and adult victimization increase the likelihood of substance use disorder (SUD), crimes, antisocial behaviors, arrests, convictions, and medical and psychiatric disorders among women more than men. These problems are compounded by the impact of social determinants of health (SDH) challenges, which include predisposition to the understudied, dramatic increase in opioid dependence among women. This study examined victimization, related SDH challenges, gender-based criminogenic risk factors for female participants, and public health opportunities to address these problems. We recruited women from the first national Opioid Intervention Court, a fast-track SUD treatment response to rapidly increasing overdose deaths. We present a consensual qualitative research analysis of 24 women Opioid Intervention Court participants (among 31 interviewed) who reported childhood, adolescent, and/or adult victimization experiences in the context of substance use and recovery, mental health symptoms, heath behaviors, and justice-involved trajectories. We iteratively established codes and overarching themes. Six primary themes emerged: child or adolescent abuse as triggers for drug use; impact of combined child or adolescent abuse with loss or witnessing abuse; adult abduction or assault; trajectory from lifetime abuse, substance use, and criminal and antisocial behaviors to sobriety; role of friends and family support in recovery; and role of treatment and opioid court in recovery, which we related to SDH, gender-based criminogenic factors, and public health. These experiences put participants at risk of further physical and mental health disorders, yet indicate potential strategies. Findings support future studies examining strategies where courts and health systems could collaboratively address SDH with women Opioid Intervention Court participants.
Rates of Forced Sexual Experiences Among High School Students From 2001 to 2019
Authors: Marcantonio Tiffany L. , Weese James , Willis Malachi
Published: January 2022

Public awareness of sexual assault and initiatives aimed at preventing sexual assault continue to increase over the years. However, whether rates of sexual assault have diminished because of such cultural shifts remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to assess if rates of sexual assault (i.e., forced sex) have changed over the past 18 years for adolescent girls and boys as well as potential differences across racial/ethnic identities. Using nationally representative data from the Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance Survey from 2001 to 2019, we conducted logistic regressions to assess rates of experiences of forced sex by sex and by sex and racial/ethnic identity, while accounting for grade level. Participants included 135,837 high school students. From 2001 to 2019, rates of forced sex maintained for girls; however, there was a decrease over time for boys. For girls, there were inconsistent differences in rates of forced sex by racial/ethnic identities. However, boys who identified as Black, Hispanic, Multi-Racial, and Other Race/Ethnicity were at higher risk to report forced sex than their White peers, until 2015; only Other Race/Ethnicity was at higher risk in 2019. As girls and boys aged, the risk of forced sex increased. Despite prevention efforts, rates of forced sex did not decrease from 2001 to 2019 for adolescent girls disregarding race/ethnicity, and for racial/ethnic minority boys. That rates of forced sex continue to be high is problematic as experiencing sexual assault at an earlier age is associated with myriad consequences. Further, results suggest current prevention initiatives may be inadequate at addressing risk factors for forced sex, and more broadly, sexual assault. Moving forward, researchers and educators may want to re-evaluate the strategies used to address and measure sexual assault experiences.
Teacher leadership and teacher identity in turbulent times in Iraq
Authors: Altae Mayamin
Published: January 2022

This article addresses the professional challenges faced by teacher leaders in Iraq. The country is beginning to emerge from a period of political unrest and violent threats to personal safety. This has seriously affected the educational provision; nowhere more so than in Mosul, Iraq's third-largest city. The article examines three issues: how teacher-leaders describe and understand their empowerment to build inclusive education systems in the post-conflict city; how professional learning communities can support inclusive practices to optimise students’ learning and build community cohesion; and what role digital skills can play in the modernisation of an inclusive Iraqi curriculum. The naturalistic enquiry approach draws on interview data from two teachers, two headteachers and two inspectors; the latter work directly with the Iraqi Ministry of Education and local communities. The findings show that, as teacher leaders reframe their understanding of the role of educational leaders in the changing context of Iraq, they become better empowered to build sustainable learning communities. Digital skills are crucial in supporting learning within and beyond the school curriculum.
Investigation of the shear properties of 3D printed short carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites
Authors: Tanabi Hamed
Published: January 2022

Short fiber-reinforced 3D printed components are high performance materials with a wide range of potential applications in various industries ranging from aerospace to automotive.

Mechanical characterization of 3D printed short carbon fiber polyethylene terephthalate and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene parts are presented under the application of shear load in this study. The anisotropy properties of both composite and polymer materials were investigated by printing samples at two different orientations, using fused deposition modeling (FDM) technique. The fabricated samples were subjected to tensile and shearing loads while 2D digital image correlation (DIC) was used to measure full-field strain on the specimen.

The obtained results revealed a noticeable anisotropy in shear properties as the function of printing orientation. Moreover, it found that using carbon fiber-reinforced PET results in higher elastic modulus, tensile, and shear strengths up to 180%, 230%, and 40% compared to ABS.
Lesbian and bisexual women's experiences of aversion therapy in England
Authors: Spandler Helen , Carr Sarah
Published: January 2022

This article presents the findings of a study about the history of aversion therapy as a treatment technique in the English mental health system to convert lesbians and bisexual women into heterosexual women. We explored published psychiatric and psychological literature, as well as lesbian, gay, and bisexual archives and anthologies. We identified 10 examples of young women receiving aversion therapy in England in the 1960s and 1970s. We situate our discussion within the context of post-war British and transnational medical history. As a contribution to a significantly under-researched area, this article adds to a broader transnational history of the psychological treatment of marginalised sexualities and genders. As a consequence, it also contributes to LGBTQIA+ history, the history of medicine, and psychiatric survivor history. We also reflect on the ethical implications of the research for current mental health practice.
Improving robotic impedance control performance employing a cascaded controller based on virtual dynamics model
Authors: Liu Guanghui , Han Bing
Published: January 2022

We propose a cascaded impedance control algorithm based on a virtual dynamics model (VDM) to achieve robust and effective mechanical impedance for a robot interacting with unknown environments. This cascaded controller consists of an internal loop of virtual impedance control based on a VDM and an external loop of impedance reference control. The VDM-based virtual impedance control can achieve the same effect as the conventional admittance control; its intermediate output of force/torque serves as the input for the external loop reference impedance control. Therefore, this cascaded controller shows superior performance by combining the advantages of admittance control and impedance control. We evaluate the controller in multiple-contact experiments on a six-degrees of freedom (6-DOF) industrial robot manipulator. The result shows that under various contact situations such as soft and rigid surfaces and free space, the proposed method can rapidly track the target and effectively maintain stability. In the experiments conducted on the robot in contact with various environments, the proposed control method reduced the steady-state error by more than 20% compared with the conventional admittance control.
Analysis of combined radiation and convection heat transfer inside a porous medium with heat source electronic devices
Authors: Nahal Ali Mokhtari , Nobakhti Mohammad Hassan , Aghanajafi Cyrus , Khayat Morteza
Published: January 2022

In this study, a numerical study is performed on the cooling phenomenon of three heat source electronic devices. The electronic devices are cooled in the form of natural heat transfer by the airflow in a porous medium. Electronic devices are installed on the boundary walls of a square environment. Cooling simulations are performed by drawing flow lines and constant temperature lines. Our main goal is to find the highest cooling rate in different Darcy numbers and different Rayleigh numbers in our investigation. The range of Darcy numbers and Rayleigh numbers is between 0.0001 to 0.01 and 1000 to 100,000, respectively. Our investigation showed the maximum cooling is obtained at the Darcy number of about 0.01. And also, by decreasing the value of Darcy number, a higher cooling rate for the hot boundary walls is achieved.
Partial state feedback sliding mode control for double-pendulum overhead cranes with unknown disturbances
Authors: Chen Qingrong , Cheng Wenming , Liu Jiahui , Du Run
Published: January 2022

In this paper, a novel sliding mode controller which requires partial state feedback is proposed for double-pendulum overhead cranes subject to unknown payload parameters and unknown external disturbances. Firstly, it is theoretically proved that the hook and payload tend to their respective equilibrium points concurrently. Secondly, a decoupling transformation is performed on the original nonlinear dynamics of double-pendulum overhead cranes. The novel sliding mode controller that does not require the prior information and motion signals of the payload is designed based on the decoupled nonlinear dynamics. Then, the asymptotic stability of the equilibrium point of double-pendulum overhead cranes is proved by rigorous analysis. Finally, several simulations are conducted to validate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed controller.
Motion analysis of screw drive in-pipe cleaning robot
Authors: Zhang Zheng , Hu Linghui , Li Xiuhong , Hu Xinyu
Published: January 2022

In-pipe cleaning robots often need to carry cleaning tools, and their tails are connected with cables such as water pipes and air pipes. Especially when cleaning vertical straight pipes and curved pipes, a greater traction is required. Therefore, a new type of screw drive in-pipe cleaning robot was designed in this paper. The robot solves the problems of small traction, complex structure, and unstable motion of the in-pipe cleaning robot. The kinematics modeling was carried out on the screw drive in-pipe cleaning robot’s screw module for generating traction, and the force analysis was performed on this basis. The function model of the torque, air pressure, and traction of the screw module was established, which was verified by the simulation and experiment. The results show that the screw in-pipe cleaning robot has a large traction, stable operation, and can be well adapted to the vertical straight pipes and curved pipes.
Entropy generation optimization of unsteady radiative hybrid nanofluid flow over a slippery spinning disk
Authors: Acharya Nilankush , Maity Suprakash , Kundu Prabir K
Published: January 2022

Entropy generation investigation of hybrid nanofluidic transport over an unsteady spinning disk is reported in this analysis. The magnetic influence, velocity slips, and thermal radiative effects are included within the flow. Ferrous oxide (Fe3O4) and graphene oxide (GO) are used as tiny nano ingredients, and water (H2O) is the base medium. The dimensional leading equations are settled to dimensionless nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) by significant similarity transformations. Then, classical RK-4 scheme with a shooting process has been initiated to execute the numerical simulation. The software MAPLE-18 is used to run the entire simulation with an indispensable accuracy rate. Several streamlines, graphs, and requisite tables are executed to divulge the parametric impact on the nanofluidic stream. Entropy generation–related figures are depicted for diverse parameters, and parametric effects on Bejan number are also analyzed. Moreover, the corresponding physical consignments like the measure of the frictional hindrance, heat transport are calculated and reviewed. The entropy generation augments for higher magnetic value but reduces for velocity slip, radiation, and nanoparticle concentration. Hybrid nanofluid gives a lower magnitude in entropy production as compared to the usual nanofluid. Magnetic parameter reduces the Bejan number, while slip factor and nanoparticle concentration amplify such effects. Heat transfer ultimately seems to increase for nanoparticle volume fraction, and the increase rate is 4.01685 for usual nanofluid, but it is 6.7557 for hybrid nanofluid. Also, the numerical fallouts address the possibility of using magnetized spinning disks in space engines and nuclear propulsion, and such a model conveys significant applications in heat transport improvement in so many industrial thermal management equipment and renewable energy systems.
Biconvective transport of magnetized couple stress fluid over a radiative paraboloid of revolution
Authors: Gangadhar K. , Manasa Seshakumari P. , Venkata Subba Rao M. , Chamkha Ali J.
Published: January 2022

In the present study, the physical features of the bioconvective MHD flow of a couple stress fluid over an upper horizontal surface (i.e. surface shaped like a submarine or any ( uhsp) aerodynamical automobile) is analysed by considering radiation and viscous dissipation effects. In the fluid-saturated domain flow is induced due to the reaction of catalytic surface, double diffusion and stretching fluid layers. In fact, couple stress fluid is electrically conducted because non-uniform magnetic field is imposed. With the assistance of appropriate similarity transformations governing equations of the study are reduced to set of ordinary differential equations. Thereafter, built-in MATLAB solver bvp4c is implemented to solve the system numerically. By means of graphs and tables variations of the velocity, temperature, concentration, friction factor, local heat and mass transfer rates are observed thoroughly by varying the flow controlling parameters. From this analysis, main observations are, for rising values of couple stress and magnetic parameter velocity is decline, whereas temperature rises for the same parameters and increase in the thermal boundary layer is noted for the Brinkman number, whereas reverse trend is noted in the concentration boundary layer. Finally, comparison is done and a good correlation is identified between the present analysis and perversely recorded analysis.
Railway track support condition assessment—Initial developments on a vehicle-based monitoring solution through modal analysis
Authors: Morais João , Morais Paulo , Santos Carlos , Paixão André , Fortunato Eduardo
Published: January 2022

Nowadays, there are multiple initiatives showing a renewed interest on railway transport of goods and passengers around the world. Thus, an efficient management of railway infrastructures, both at the operational level and in terms of economic profitability, is not only desirable but also corresponds to an area of ongoing research. In order to contribute to these efforts, an alternative and novel methodology to evaluate railway track support conditions is presented here, based on modal analysis of the characteristic frequencies of the multi-element system composed by a railway infrastructure and an instrumented vehicle moving over it. This methodology belongs to the group of vibration-based structural damage identification methods, and is focused on observing the characteristic frequencies of this multi-element system, which can be correlated with changes in the physical properties of the railway infrastructure under analysis. An important feature of the proposed methodology is that it should enable the collection of information regarding the conditions of the substructure of a railway infrastructure. By performing this assessment of a railway infrastructure over its length, and over time by comparing different rides over the same railway stretch, important information can be gathered regarding the support conditions of the track. This paper presents a complete description on the current stage of development of the proposed methodology, along with the theoretical model that serves as the basis to interpret the collected data. Preliminary verification of this methodology is performed through the analysis of two case studies regarding the passage of an instrumented vehicle over two underpasses. The results obtained so far show that the proposed methodology can provide relevant information regarding the support conditions of railway tracks.
“I want you to help me, you’re family”: A relational approach to women's experience of distress and recovery in the perinatal period
Authors: Enlander Abi , Simonds Laura , Hanna Paul
Published: January 2022

Theoretical approaches have tended to understand perinatal distress through either individual or socio-cultural factors. In contrast, Natasha Mauthner proposed a relational model that understands perinatal distress in the context of interpersonal relationships. This study aims to build on Mauthner's work to explore how women speak about their relationships in connection to their stories of perinatal distress and recovery. Eight women were interviewed for the study. All women had at least one child under the age of three and self-identified as having experienced distress in the perinatal period. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed using Voice Centred Relational Analysis. Four broad themes were identified: (i) the role of practical support, (ii) the role of emotional support, (iii) relational dynamics, and (iv) the role of socio-cultural norms. Whilst some women experienced practical and emotional support in their relationships, those who did not linked a lack of support to their feelings of distress. Relationships were also found to reinforce unhelpful social norms around motherhood and mental health, as well as offering a space to resist norms and create wider discourses about what it means to be a mother. This study suggests that organizations supporting women in the perinatal period should focus on women's relational needs and consider the cultural discourses of motherhood that they perpetuate.
Rethinking Education and Livelihoods in India
Authors: Endow Tanuka , Mehta Balwant Singh
Published: January 2022

The COVID-19 crisis has revealed a need for rethinking approaches to education and livelihoods. Education in its present dispensation does not provide equitable access to children from marginalized segments of the population. It also suffers from deficits in the areas of social and emotional skills, over-emphasis on the three Rs, language used as a medium of instruction, and excessive competition for scoring marks, among others. There is very low uptake of vocational education. The National Education Policy 2020 tries to address some of these issues and plans on closer integration of vocational education with the school framework. High unemployment rates of educated youth, along with underemployment due to skill mismatch, show poor school-to-work transition and underscore the importance of TVET for youth in the future. Skill already exists in the economy in informal knowledge systems which are largely undocumented and thus not acknowledged in the formal system. These need to be combined with Western-centric knowledge systems so that the imbalance between formally educated/trained workers and informally trained workers is redressed. There is also a need to bring back the joy of learning, as Tagore’s experimentation with education has demonstrated.