bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular Analysis of Xmn1-Polymorphic Site ´5 to Gγ of the β-Globin Gene Cluster in a Saudi Population of Jazan Region in Correlation with Hb F Expression
Authors: Elderdery Abozer Y. , Alsrhani Abdullah , Alzahrani Badr , Atif Muhammad , Refaiy Ahmed I. , Shiwani Hussain , Abbas Amin , Yahia Dawelbiet A.
Published: March 2022

The southern part of Saudi Arabia has an ethnically diverse population where sickle-cell anemia (sickle cell disease) is common, but little is known about its βs haplotypes. The goal of the current study is to ascertain the prevalence of the Hb S gene with analysis of Xmn1 ′5 to Gγ haplotype among the Saudi population in the Jazan area. Initially recorded findings of (1) Hb S gene and (2) hematological parameters with Hb F levels were collected from 5990 participants. Then, the second series of 70 different patients with established sickling disease and 30 healthy individuals as a control group was recruited, in which the genotype of Xmn1 ′5 to Gγ-SNP was performed by PCR-RFLP. In the first series, the prevalence of Hb types was AA at 86.8% (N = 5198), AS at 12.4% (N = 745), and SS at 0.8% (N = 47). Of the second series, three patients (4.3%) were (±) Xmn1 ′5 to Gγ and 67 (95.7%) were (−/−) in Xmn1 ′5 to Gγ. In the controls, the (±) Xmn1 ′5 to Gγ was observed in only one individual (3.3%), aged 30. These findings possibly represent a new Saudi haplotype, [±] Xmn1 ′5 to Gγ. Our results demonstrate that most patients with SCD in Jazan have [−/−] Xmn1 with higher levels of Hb F and positive Xmn1 ′5 to Gγ normally associated with a low level of Hb F.
Map-Matching on Low Sampling Rate Trajectories through Frequent Pattern Mining
Authors: Yu Lei , Zhang Zhiqiang , Ding Rongtao
Published: March 2022

Map-matching, an important preprocessing task in many location-based services (LBS), projects each point of the global positioning system (GPS) within a trajectory dataset onto a digital map. The state-of-the-art map-matching algorithms typically employ Hidden Markov model (HMM) via shortest path computation. But the computation of the shortest path might not work well on low-sampling-rate trajectory data (e.g., one GPS point every 1–5 min), leading to low matching precision and high running time. To solve the problem, this paper firstly identifies frequent patterns (FPs) in historical trajectories to capture meaningful mobility behaviors, and then extracts mobile behavior criterion (MBC) of mobile users. Such a criterion generally represents the route choice of mobile users on road networks. Moreover, the temporal information within trajectory data was employed to estimate the speed of mobile users on road segments. The identified FPs, coupled with MBC and moving speed, help to improve the map-matching precision of low-sampling-rate trajectories. In addition, an FP-forest structure was proposed to index the identified FPs. The structure could greatly speed up the lookup of frequent paths for shorter running time. Furthermore, the FP-forest structure was pruned to reduce redundancy with smaller space cost. Finally, experiments were carried out on real-world datasets. The results confirm that our FP-matching method outperforms state-of-the-art in terms of effectiveness and efficiency.
Automatic Rock Classification Algorithm Based on Ensemble Residual Network and Merged Region Extraction
Authors: Guo Chenlu , Li Zhiyuan
Published: March 2022

Lithology identification of rocks is an important part in the field of oil and gas exploration, mineral exploration, and geological analysis. How to accomplish rock classification is a key issue for the further development of the geology industry. The current main method for classifying rock pictures containing background is to select sample points or disregard the disturbance of the background. For more accurate classification, the rock part extraction method for rock images containing boundaries is designed to eliminate the influence of background. First, the rock parts are extracted based on the image gradient information and color information, respectively. Then, the two images are intersected to realize the refinement of pixel-level information to obtain a pure rock image. Ensemble ResNet18 (ERN18) is designed as an image classification model. It contains basic blocks to reduce the loss of features during the training process. The method breaks the neglect of most previous studies on background interference. The effect of misclassification in certain regions on the results is eliminated by ensemble learning based on the voting method. The classification results are further improved. Compared with the effects of LeNet, AlexNet, and ResNet, ERN18 has achieved significant results.
Complexity between Aging and the Structure of Financial Market: Empirical Evidence from Microdata
Authors: Li Chao , Wang Lin , Luo Rundong , Ning Guangjie , Zhao Peiya , Yu Xiaoning
Published: March 2022

By empirically testing the scale and structure hypotheses of aging’s impacts on the financial market using Tobit, FRM, and Heckman selection models, this paper proves that the number and proportion of elderly family members change the structure of families’ financial assets, though without significant effects on their overall size. Specifically, aging increases the share of cash and deposits in families’ total financial assets and decreases both the quantity and percentage of investment in risky assets. One more family member aged sixty and over, the risky assets decline by 5, 500RMB and its share decreases by 8.8 percent. A Heckman two‐step model verifies the robustness of our results. The heterogeneity analysis reveals that aging plays different roles in different types of financial assets.
A Comparative Study of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-Based and Conventional Methods of Instruction on Learners’ Academic Enthusiasm for L2 Learning
Authors: Fannakhosrow Mahboubeh , Nourabadi Soolmaz , Ngoc Huy Dinh Tran , Dinh Trung Nguyen , Tashtoush Mohammad A.
Published: March 2022

The present study aimed to compare the effects of information and communication technology (ICT)-based and conventional methods of instruction on ninth-grade students’ academic enthusiasm for L2 learning (English). The statistical population included all ninth-grade students from lower secondary schools for girls located in the city of Tehran, Iran, in 2019–2020. For this purpose, applied research with a quasiexperimental design was employed to meet the study objectives. To select the statistical sample, the convenience sampling method was used, so one school equipped with the essential facilities was chosen to implement the ICT-based education. Then, two classrooms at the given school were selected as the experimental and control groups, each one consisting of 27 students, based on the random sampling method. The research tool was the 15-item Academic Enthusiasm Questionnaire (AEQ) containing behavioral, emotional, and cognitive subscales, and recruiting a five-point Likert-type scale. All the classrooms initially received a pretest, and then the experimental group was instructed by the ICT-based education. Finally, all the study groups completed a posttest. Moreover, inferential and descriptive statistics were applied for data analysis. The study results demonstrated a significant difference in terms of the baseline academic enthusiasm between the experimental and control groups. In addition, the ICT-based method of instruction showed stronger effects on students’ academic enthusiasm than the conventional one.
Real-Time Detection of Insulators and Drop Fuses Based on Improved YOLOv4
Authors: Yang Qixun , Rong Xuewen , Guo Rui , Zhao Haoning , Zhao Yuliang
Published: March 2022

During the power grid system maintenance and overhaul, real-time detection of the insulators and drop fuses is important for the live working robots in the distribution network to plan motion. The visual system of the robot needs object detection algorithms with high detection precision, fast speed, and robustness to image brightness changes. In this paper, the improved YOLOv4 is proposed for detecting the insulators and drop fuses based on the YOLOv4. The improved YOLOv4 extracts features of power components through convolutional neural networks (CNN) and then performs feature fusion. After feature extraction and fusion, the algorithm generates prediction boxes based on anchor boxes that are clustered by fuzzy C-means algorithm (FCM) instead of K-means algorithm to detect the objects. Finally, the nonmaximum suppression algorithm (NMS) is used to obtain the final prediction results. In order to detect small targets, the improved YOLOv4 is added to a larger detection layer. For enhancing the robustness of the algorithm, data augmentation methods are carried out to enrich the data set. Combining the improvements, the test results show that the improved YOLOv4 gets higher accuracy and faster detection speed compared with the other detection algorithms based on deep learning. The mean average precision is 97.0%, and the average detection time is 0.012 s. Therefore, the improved YOLOv4 is suitable for the live working robots in the distribution network to detect the insulators and drop fuses fast and accurately.
The Recovery Mechanism of Standardized Aphasia in Intelligent Medical Treatment
Authors: Zhou Rong , Lv Ying , Fu Chuhan
Published: March 2022

A total of 35 patients with aphasia after cerebral infarct were included. Among them, 15 conjunctures were sensory (Wernicke’s) aphasia and 20 cases were motor (Broca) aphasia. Perfusion Weighted Imaging (PWI) and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) were performed on the attached hard area to measure the local cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and sectional cerebral blood compass (rCBV), mean conveyance tense (MTT), point delay (TTP), and N‐acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), creatine (Cr)), and lactic acidic (lactate, Lac) and generally a relative analysis. Results. Among the patients with contaminative aphasia, rCBF was way diminished in the contralateral mirror extent. MTT and TTP were significantly longer than the contralateral mirror range, NAA and Cho were sullenness than the contralateral side, and the Lac peak appeared. The distinction was statistically taken (P < 0.05). Compared with the contralateral mirror circumference, motor aphasia was significantly reduced in rCBF and rCBV, and MTT and TTP were way prolonged. NAA and Cho were reduced compared with the contralateral side, and the Lac peak appeared. The dispute was statistically momentous (P < 0.05). Conclusion. After cerebral infarction, the language cosine extent of patients with aphasia bestows a rank of hypoperfusion and light metabolism, suggesting that it may be the pathogeny of aphasia.
Spatiotemporal Traffic Density Estimation Based on ADAS Probe Data
Authors: Lim Donghyun , Seo Younghoon , Ko Eunjeong , So Jaehyun(Jason) , Kim Hyungjoo
Published: March 2022

This study aims to develop a spatiotemporal traffic density estimation method based on the advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) Probe data. This study uses the vehicle trajectory data collected from the ADAS equipped on the sample probe vehicles. Such vehicle trajectory data are used firstly to estimate the distance headway between the vehicles on a specific road section, and the postprocessed distance headway data are finally used to estimate the spatiotemporal traffic density. The innovation aspect of the proposed methodology in this study is that traffic density can be estimated in high accuracy only with a small size of data points in support of ADAS. On the other hand, existing density estimation method requires a large number of probe vehicles and its numerous data sets including either the global positioning system data or the dedicated short-range communication data. To verify the proposed methodology, a two-step evaluation is performed: the first step is a numerical evaluation that estimates the spatiotemporal traffic density based on the simulated vehicle trajectory data, and the second step is an empirical evaluation that estimates the density based on the real-road data in both peak and nonpeak periods. Beyond the methodology development, this study verified the estimation reliability of traffic density under various traffic conditions based on the sampling rate of ADAS-equipped vehicles. Consequently, the traffic density estimation error decreased as the sampling rate increased. Estimation accuracy of 90% or higher was observed in all scenarios when the sampling rate was 50% or higher. It indicates that fairly accurate traffic density estimation is feasible using probe vehicles that correspond to half of the vehicles driven on the road. Therefore, this practical approach is expected to mitigate the burden of density estimation, particularly in future road systems in which ADAS and autonomous vehicles are prevalent.
Assessment of the Impact of China’s Carbon Emissions Trading Pilot Policy on the Export Product Quality
Authors: Ma Bing
Published: March 2022

This paper carries out the quasi‐natural experiment on China’s carbon emissions trading pilot policy to assess the impact of China’s carbon emissions trading pilot policy on the export product quality of enterprises in the pilot areas by using the data of listed companies and China Customs, and employing the DDD method. Meanwhile, it analyzes the heterogeneity of the impact under different ownership attributes and energy‐intensive attributes of enterprises. The empirical results are as follows. First, due to the implementation of the carbon emissions trading pilot policy, the enterprises in the included industries bear the emission reduction cost. The export product quality of the enterprises in the included industries in the pilot areas is negatively affected compared with that of nonincluded enterprises in the nonpilot areas. Second, the impact of the carbon emissions trading pilot policy on the export product quality of enterprises may be heterogeneous due to the different ownership attributes of enterprises. The carbon emissions trading pilot policy significantly reduces the export product quality of non‐state‐owned enterprises, but has no significant effect on state‐owned enterprises. Third, the impact of the carbon emissions trading pilot policy on the export product quality of enterprises is heterogeneous due to different energy‐intensive attributes of enterprises. The carbon emissions trading pilot policy significantly reduces the export product quality of enterprises in energy‐intensive industries, but it does not have a significant impact on enterprises in non‐energy‐intensive industries.
A New Numerical Approach for Solving Fractional Optimal Control Problems with the Caputo–Fabrizio Fractional Operator
Authors: Ghaderi Sara , Effati Sohrab , Heydari Aghileh
Published: March 2022

In this study, the necessary optimality conditions are achieved for a class of fractional optimal control problems (FOCPs) involving the Caputo–Fabrizio (CF) fractional derivative. We offer a new numerical method based on the Chebyshev cardinal functions for solving the problem. Our goal was to reduce the original problem into a nonlinear system of algebraic equations. For doing this, we approximate the state and control variables in terms of the Chebyshev cardinal functions. The operational matrices (OMs) of left and right CF fractional integrals are also derived for the Chebyshev cardinal functions. Error estimation and convergence analysis of the method are also introduced. The numerical results illustrate the effectiveness and the rapid convergence of the proposed technique. Due to the high accuracy of the solutions, the suggested method is very useful for numerical techniques in control theory.
Experiment Research on Emergency Stop Vibrations of Key Components in the Friction Vertical Lifting System
Authors: Peng Qifeng , xu Peng , Li Yukun , Yuan Hong , Xue Zhangna , Yang Jinchuan
Published: March 2022

In order to analyze emergency stop vibration of the friction vertical lifting system under different loads, a loading experiment was carried out, and the longitudinal vibration characteristics of the carriage, frame, and steel rope were measured during the emergency braking process of an elevator. Accordingly, it is found that the load mass does not affect the peak deceleration value of the car frame and the wire rope during downwards emergency stop. Then, vertical vibration is explored using the time-varying vibration analysis theory. The obtained results show that when analyzing the vibration of objects on both sides of the traction wheel, the deceleration of the wire rope on both sides of the traction wheel are not equal, and the influence of the pressure change during the traction-wheel friction should be considered in calculations. This article may provide a reference to calculate the steel rope tension of the elevator and mine hoist.
The Study on the Relationship between Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and Fractional Green Canopy Cover in Five Selected Crops
Authors: Lykhovyd Pavlo V. , Vozhehova Raisa A. , Lavrenko Sergiy O. , Lavrenko Nataliya M.
Published: March 2022

Crop models are of great use and importance in modern agriculture. Most models imply spatial vegetation indices, such as NDVI, or canopy cover characteristics, such as FGCC, to provide estimation of crops conditions and forecast productivity. The purpose of the study was to (1) determine the possibility of mutual conversion between spatial NDVI and Canopeo-derived FGCC in five crops (grain corn, sunflower, tomato, millet, and winter wheat) and (2) estimate the precision of such a conversion. The data set of the study was formed by the OneSoil AI derived satellite imagery on NDVI for the studied crops in different stages of their growing season combined with Canopeo-processed photographs of vegetating crops in the field with FGCC percentage calculation. The sets of NDVI and FGCC values were paired up and then statistically processed to obtain polynomial equations of NDVI into FGCC and inverse conversion for each crop. The results of the study revealed that mutual conversion between spatial NDVI and Canopeo-derived FGCC is possible. There is a strong direct correlation (R2 within 0.6779–0.9000 depending on the crop) between the studied indices for all crops. Close-growing crops, especially winter wheat, showed the highest correlation, while row crops and especially tomatoes had a less strong relationship between vegetation indices. The models for mutual conversion between FGCC and NDVI could be incorporated into the yield simulation models to improve the forecasting capacities.
Mechanical Behavior of Helical Spring Made of Composite with and without Material Property Grading under Stable Load
Authors: Asiri Saeed
Published: March 2022

Springs are one of the most popular means of mechanically storing and issuing energy, and they can be found in a wide variety of machines and products. Most springs are made of metal, and nowadays, there are many new alloys to choose from, but nonmetallic materials, such as the reinforced plastics and ceramics, have been appearing worldwide. The research problem is the performance for circular cross‐sectional springs with the same geometry and manufactured with three different materials: steel, composite, and functionally graded material (FGM) under stable loading using finite element analysis. This paper intends to guide mechanical designers in considering different material options for a spring design as well as to provide a methodology through finite element analysis for selecting the most favorable material option for the application required. The findings of this research show that some feature performances of compression springs made of carbon steel are improved by using FGM and composite materials. Enhanced capabilities include higher load to failure: 1.48 times in an FGM spring and 1.1 times in a composite spring, as well as increased energy storage: 1.53 times in an FGM spring and 6.84 times in a composite spring and less weight representing only 61% in an FGM spring and 24% in a composite spring.
Predicting the At-Risk Online Students Based on the Click Data Distribution Characteristics
Authors: Wang Xinzheng , Guo Bing , Shen Yan
Published: March 2022

High fail and dropout rates are the major problems in distance education. Due to a large number of online learners and limited teacher resources, it is essential to accurately identify these potential at-risk students in advance and provide timely aids, which will help to improve the educational outcome. In the online learning environment, students’ online learning behaviors can be recorded easily, with the click data being the most common one. Students’ learning behavior can reflect their learning situation and may differ among different students and periods. This paper proposed a model that uses the short-period activity characteristic and long-term changing pattern to predict the potential at-risk students. The model contains two stages: information extraction and information utilization. The first stage extracts data from the log files and organizes it in a form suitable for the model. In the second stage, according to the different characteristics of students’ short-term and long-term learning behavior, a convolution residual recurrent neural network (CRRNN) model is proposed. The convolutional neural network is used to obtain the representation of the student’s learning behavior in a certain period. Then, the residual recurrent neural network is used to get the behavior changing pattern over the periods. The experimental results indicate that the proposed model has higher performance than the three widely used baseline methods on the OULA dataset and has good practical application value for teaching and management.
De novo Minimal Change Disease in an Adolescent after Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccination: A Case Report
Authors: Pella Eva , Sarafidis Pantelis A. , Alexandrou Maria-Eleni , Stangou Maria , Nikolaidou Christina , Kosmidis Dimitrios , Papagianni Aikaterini
Published: March 2022

This is the first report in an adolescent of minimal change disease (MCD) after the first injection of the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech) with complete remission following steroid treatment. An 18-year-old white male with no prior medical history complained of gastrointestinal symptoms 11 days after his vaccination. Ascites and lower extremity edema were observed a few days later. He was admitted to a hospital as laboratory testing revealed proteinuria of 10.5 g/24 h, normal creatinine levels, and serum albumin of 1.8 g/dL, confirming the presence of nephrotic syndrome. Immunology and serology tests were unremarkable. A diagnostic kidney biopsy showed no significant glomerular or tubular abnormalities in light microscopy with negative immunofluorescence. Treatment with methylprednisolone 48 mg daily was initiated. A week after discharge, proteinuria declined to 1.2 g/24 h, and edema had disappeared, and 6 weeks later, complete remission was evident. As COVID-19 vaccination has been associated with the development of de novo and relapsing MCD, and this case provides additional support for this possible correlation.
Coexisting Choroidal and Brain Metastases in a Patient with Breast Cancer Treated with Stereotactic Radiotherapy
Authors: Oliverio Giovanni William , Tedesco Giovanni Roberto , Azzaro Claudia , Meduri Alessandro , Aragona Pasquale
Published: March 2022

Choroidal metastases from breast cancer are the most common ocular malignancies in adults. We report a case of a 37-year-old female with a history of breast cancer who had a sudden blurred vision in her right eye. An ophthalmologic assessment revealed a dome-shaped lesion and a secondary retinal detachment with subretinal fluid in the left eye, suggestive of choroidal metastasis. Moreover, an MRI scan showed the presence of a single brain lesion. The patient was treated with stereotactic radiotherapy, with 300 cGy for 10 days. Six months after treatment, there was a regression of the mass and improvement of visual acuity. Stereotactic radiotherapy is a safe and effective treatment for choroidal metastases and should be considered to treat coexistent choroidal and brain metastatic lesions, to improve survival, visual function, and quality of life.
Orbital Cellulitis following COVID-19 Vaccination
Authors: Hári-Kovács András , Vass Attila , Lovas Péter , Vince Viola , Végh Mihály , Tóth-Molnár Edit
Published: March 2022

A 72-year-old male patient was referred to our outpatient clinic with a painful left eye protrusion accompanied by marked conjunctival chemosis and external ophthalmoplegia being progressed despite topical and oral antibiotic therapy. He developed ocular symptoms 9 days after receiving his second SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (VeroCell). Of note, in previous history, 2 weeks after the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, he also developed a life-threatening laryngeal oedema treated at an emergency care unit. MRI of the orbit excluded pansinusitis as possible origin of the orbital cellulitis, and repeated COVID-19 antigen and antibody PCR tests were negative during his hospitalization. On the next day after his admittance, parenteral dexamethasone 250 mg/die treatment was commenced resulting in a quick and complete resolution of the symptoms. Due to the facts regarding this case, such as the temporal coincidence and the lack of respective comorbidity, there might be a causative relationship between the vaccination and the presented orbital cellulitis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on orbital cellulitis as a possible ocular adverse event following COVID-19 vaccination.
Phrasems with Component ‘Ass’ in German and in Indonesian Language
Authors: Ajie Raden Muhammad Arie Andhiko
Published: March 2022

This research is a contrastive comparison between German and Indonesian phrasems with the component "Arsch" (ass). In order to limit the analysis, only German phrasems, more precisely somatisms, with the component "Arsch" are compared with the Indonesian phrasems. This component is deliberately chosen to answer the following questions: 1. Are there suitable equivalents in Indonesian for the German phrasems with the component “Arsch”? 2. If not, what steps can be taken to find the equivalents? 3. What are the potential problems of finding the equivalents? Duden 11 (Dictionary of German Idiomatics) is used as the basis for this qualitative analysis. To search for equivalents in Indonesian, Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia online version, Kamus Ungkapan Bahasa Indonesia by Badudu (2009) Kamus Peribahasa by Badudu (2009) and Kamus Ungkapan Bahasa Indonesia by Mahayana et al. (1997) are used. Search engines such as Google and the online news portal www.tribunnews.com are consulted during the search so that the equivalents are corpus-validated. It turns out that there are only six phrasems in Indonesian that contain the word “pantat” (ass). The six phrasems consist of an idiom and five proverbs. There is no full equivalence. Thorough dictionary research is required to find equivalents. In order to check whether the equivalents are in use, an internet research should be carried out. Problems with finding equivalents have arisen because of the scarcity of Indonesian phraseological dictionaries. Another challenge is the lack of stylistic information and the problem with the currency of the registered phrasems.
The Word Dog in German Proverbs and Expression: Linguaculturology Analysis
Authors: Borgin Senja Fithrani
Published: March 2022

This study examines the word dog used in proverbs and the German expression of the linguaculture approach. The aim of the discussions is to identify the use of dog in proverbs and German expressions and to explain the meaning they contain. It is also intended to explain the meaning of the proverb and the German expression with the relationship of German society. The data were taken from the dictionary DUDEN Redewendung (2008). Presentation of the result of the data analysis presented using the descriptive method. The word dog in German proverbs and expressions has more negative than positive meanings, which means that German society regards dogs as bad animals. This can be explained by its influence on German culture through the linguistic perspective.
The Representation of Women in Bertolt Brecht’s Play
Authors: Haryati Isti
Published: March 2022

This study aims to describe the portrayal of women in Bertolt Brecht's dramas. In his plays, Brecht's women descriptions are different from the typical characteristics of his time. By looking at the way he portrayed the female characters, Bertolt Brecht's purpose can be identified. The data sources of this study are three Bertolt Brecht’s dramas, namely Die Dreigroschenoper, Mutter Courage und Ihre Kinder, and Der Gute Mensch von Sezuan. Marxist feminist literary theory is used to analyze the data. The results show that the women in Brecht's drama are described as strong and independent women. Polly Peachum and Mrs. Peachum in Die Dreigroschenoper are independent women who work to help her husband in managing the business.  Mutter Courage in Mutter Courage und Ihre Kind shows an independent woman who draws some money on the battlefield. Shen Te in Der Gute Mensch von Sezuan is a beautiful woman who was chosen by God as a good person and tries hard to open a business. From the portrayal of these women, it is comprehended that the women figures created by Brecht have different characters. They are eager to act and fight against the injustice against women and the classism factor. Despite their social class and gender being weak, they can rise and show their existence to prevent themselves from oppression. Brecht’s Marxist ideology preceded the portrayal of the female characters in his dramas.
Somatism "Heart" in German and Thai Idioms: A cognitive-semantic Analysis
Authors: Huaihongtong Supattra
Published: March 2022

This article examines the cognitive-semantic comparison to semantic structuring of heart in German and Thai idioms based on the metaphor. In order to achieve this goal, the idioms are investigated with the aid of the cognitive metaphor theory of Lakoff and Johnson. The result shows that the heart in German and Thai idioms conveys the meaning of feeling, thought, character, desire, etc., by itself. While structuring the specific meanings, e.g. sadness, love, etc., the metaphor plays an important role.
The Comparison between German and Vietnamese Cultural Standards
Authors: Nguyet Luong Minh
Published: March 2022

In today's world of globalization, all countries place a particular value on reinforcing development cooperation. Vietnam and Germany are no exception. However, with increasing intercultural encounters, conflicts arising from cultural differences also occur more frequently. Therefore, there is a need to better prepare the citizens from Vietnam and Germany for their future work in each other’s country. This paper will study the German and Vietnamese cultural standards and their effects on the work behavior of people from the respective cultures. For this purpose, German and Vietnamese culture are first compared on the basis of the cultural standard concept. An empirical study using qualitative research methods will also be carried out, in which the experiences of daily working life in the other country of several Germans and Vietnamese as well as their solutions for similar situations are analyzed. The aim of this analysis is to find out how cultural standards affect their behaviors at work, and what conflicts may arise in the process. The results of this study should provide important knowledge in avoiding conflicts during the cooperation as far as possible.
Subject Phenomenon in German
Authors: Hidayat Edy
Published: March 2022

Sentences are not only analyzed syntactically but also semantically. One then no longer speaks about syntactic aspects of the subjects, objects or predicates. A classification of the subjects from a semantic point of view mostly occurs according to the meaning structure of the verbs. Subjects therefore not only play the role as agents but also as Ursache, Zustandsträger, and even as patients. It is often understood that the subject does something in a sentence, i.e. as the perpetrator. The Data are described qualitatively based on the semantic functions of each subject. The subjects in the sentences Peter hat Fieber and Die Mutter wäscht die Hemden have different semantic functions. Besides verbs, there are other factors that determine the role of the subjects. The various semantic functions of the subjects in German sentences are discussed in this paper.
The Value of Passive Leg Raise During Right Heart Catheterization in Diagnosing Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction
Authors: van de Bovenkamp Arno A. , Wijkstra Niels , Oosterveer Frank P.T. , Vonk Noordegraaf Anton , Bogaard Harm Jan , van Rossum Albert C. , de Man Frances S. , Borlaug Barry A. , Handoko M. Louis
Published: March 2022

Background:

Because of limited accuracy of noninvasive tests, diastolic stress testing plays an important role in the diagnostic work-up of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Exercise right heart catheterization is considered the gold standard and indicated when HFpEF is suspected but left ventricular filling pressures at rest are normal. However, performing exercise during right heart catheterization is not universally available. Here, we examined whether pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) during a passive leg raise (PLR) could be used as simple and accurate method to diagnose or rule out occult-HFpEF.

Methods:

In our tertiary center for pulmonary hypertension and HFpEF, all patients who received a diagnostic right heart catheterization with PCWP-measurements at rest, PLR, and exercise were evaluated (2014–2020). The diagnostic value of PCWP
PLR
was compared with the gold standard (PCWP
EXERCISE
). Cut-offs derived from our cohort were subsequently validated in an external cohort (N=74).

Results:

Thirty-nine non-HFpEF, 33 occult-HFpEF, and 37 manifest-HFpEF patients were included (N=109). In patients with normal PCWP
REST
(<15 mmHg), PCWP
PLR
significantly improved diagnostic accuracy compared with PCWP
REST
(AUC=0.82 versus 0.69,
P
=0.03). PCWP
PLR
≥19 mmHg (24% of cases) had a specificity of 100% for diagnosing occult-HFpEF, irrespective of diuretic use. PCWP
PLR
≥11 mmHg had a 100% sensitivity and negative predictive value for diagnosing occult-HFpEF. Both cut-offs retained a 100% specificity and 100% sensitivity in the external cohort. Absolute change in PCWP
PLR
or V-wave derived parameters had no incremental value in diagnosing occult-HFpEF.

Conclusions:

PCWP
PLR
is a simple and powerful tool that can help to diagnose or rule out occult-HFpEF.
Four new species of the subfamily Braconinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from Vietnam
Authors: VAN DZUONG NGUYEN , LONG KHUAT DANG , MAI PHAM QUYNH , HOA DANG THI , OANH NGUYEN THI , NGHIEP HOANG THI
Published: March 2022

This paper contains descriptions and illustrations of four new species of braconine wasps from two genera Megalommum Szépligeti, 1900 and Nedinoschiza Cameron, 1911 from Vietnam, viz. Megalommum hoabinhense Long, sp. nov., M. simulatum Long, sp. nov., M. sonlaense Long, sp. nov. and Nedinoschiza khuathalinhae Long, sp. nov. Additionally, the genus Megalommum is the first record for Vietnam.
Pro-competition Regulation in the Digital Economy: The United Kingdom’s Digital Markets Unit
Authors: Dunne Niamh
Published: March 2022

The United Kingdom, like many jurisdictions, is introducing more demanding ex ante regulation for the digital economy. Centered on the work of a Digital Markets Unit located within the existing copetition authority, the U.K. proposals are defined by an explicit commitment to “pro-competition” regulation. This article traces the evolution and emerging design of the forthcoming U.K. regime. It then explores the notion of pro-competition regulation in greater detail. While the concept increasingly transcends its domestic origins, this article argues that the balancing act between conventional competition law and traditional regulation that it reflects can be fully understood only when located within the distinctive circumstances of the wider U.K. regulatory landscape.
The digital communication tools and citizens' relationship with local governments: a comparison of Georgian and Polish cities
Authors: Maziashvili Maia , Pleśniak Agnieszka , Kowalik Izabela
Published: March 2022

This article aims to explore the impact of digital communication tools application by citizens and the perceived usefulness of social media on the relationship between citizens and local authorities. The data were gathered in April–September 2020 through a survey (CAWI) among citizens of Poznan, Poland (n=502), and Kutaisi, Georgia (n=504), and were analyzed with structural equation modeling. The findings show that the intensity of digital communication tools usage for participation in the city branding and the perceived usefulness of social media contribute to the lasting relationships between citizens and local authorities in both countries. The novelty of this research concerns comparing two countries with different levels of development. Georgia is a developing economy in Europe and is in the process of modernizing the local governance across the cities. Poland, however, is a mature economy with a post-transformation heritage, where its cities benefit from considerable experience in building and developing citizen participation policies. Furthermore, the research was conducted amid the COVID-19 pandemic and evidenced the growing popularity of digital tools adoption by citizens in city matters. This study contributes to understanding the impact of digital tools on the relationship between citizens and local authorities in terms of city brand management. Citizens' participation in the city branding process via various digital communication tools increased citizen commitment towards long-lasting collaboration with local authorities. Moreover, citizens' perception of social media usefulness positively influences their desire to engage in the city branding process online, supporting the trust-building and collaboration between citizens and local authorities.

Points for practitioners The intensiveness of digital tools usage – governments should identify the tools already trusted and popular among their audience and employ those tools to a greater extent to maximize the chances of feedback, high citizen participation, and commitment. Citizens’ perception of social media – such characteristics as ease of use, transparency, ease of communication with the municipality, and safety encourage citizens to get involved in the city brand management process. Consequently, local authorities should consider the features mentioned above and develop the online tools quality.
Differentiation from above and below: Evolving immigration policy and the integration dilemma in Singapore
Authors: Zhan Shaohua , Huang Lingli , Zhou Min
Published: March 2022

Singapore is known for differentiating highly skilled and low-skilled migrants by regulating their social rights, employment, and pathways to permanent residency and citizenship. Since 2009, the city-state has made further differentiation between highly skilled migrants and natives, that is, native-born citizens. Existing studies on migrant differentiation mostly adopt a state-centric perspective. We argue that differentiation is also driven by forces from below. We introduce the concept of differential fairness to capture natives’ justification for differentiation between themselves and migrants, particularly the highly skilled. Drawing on survey data and in-depth interviews with natives and Chinese and Indian migrants, we show that natives demand for preferential policies to protect their interests. We further reveal that the measures of differentiation have created an integration dilemma, in which natives and migrants hold divergent views on fairness and expectations of migrant integration.
Estimating Passenger Car Equivalent Factors for Heterogeneous Traffic Using Occupancy-Density Linear Regression Model
Authors: Ahmed Afzal , Noman Syed Muhammad , Baig Mirza Asad Ullah , Ngoduy Dong , Adnan Muhammad , Ismail Muhammad Ali , Qadir Adnan
Published: March 2022

A variety of methods have been proposed in the existing literature for the estimation of passenger car equivalent (PCE) factors. These methods are based on the comparison of selected attributes of different vehicles. This research, for the first time, utilizes the basic notion of the linear relationship between road area occupancy and density for the estimation of PCE factors for different vehicle types in heterogeneous traffic. Aerial photographs obtained from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) were analyzed to estimate the road area occupancy and the number of vehicles classified in seven selected groups. A linear least-squares regression model was developed between road area occupancy and classified vehicle count. The coefficients of the occupancy-density linear regression model were used to estimate PCE and motorcycle equivalent (MCE) factors. The comparison of the estimated set of PCE values with the values reported in the literature shows that PCE factors estimated using the proposed method are reasonable and produce a better occupancy-density relationship than the other studies. In comparison with the existing methods that rely on lane-based measurements, the proposed method is well suited for traffic with weak/no lane discipline, as it considers the entire road width and the dynamics of lateral movement of different types of vehicles. The proposed method does not need extensive traffic data of speeds, headways, flow rates, and so forth, and is applicable on aerial photographs obtained from other sources, such as satellites.
Long-Term Traffic Forecast Using Neural Network and Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average: Case of a Container Port
Authors: Sadeghi Gargari Negar , Panahi Roozbeh , Akbari Hassan , Ng Adolf K.Y.
Published: March 2022

Long-term insight into maritime traffic is critical for port authorities, logistics companies, and port operators to proactively formulate suitable policies, develop strategic plans, allocate budget, and preserve and improve competitiveness. Forecasting freight rate is a spotlight in port traffic literature, but relatively little research has been directed at forecasting long-term vessel traffic trends. Based on forecast long-term freight rate input provided by the recent 10-year strategic planning of the port of Rajaee, the largest port of Iran, the paper implements seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) and neural network (NN) models to forecast its container vessel traffic between 2020 and 2025. A database consisting of monthly container traffic data for this port from 1999 to 2019 is utilized. The comparison between the two forecasting models is fulfilled by benchmarking the naïve method. The results reveal the superiority of the NN model over SARIMA in this practice. Considering NN model outputs, the port should expect a significant increase in Panamax and Over-Panamax vessels in the future, and, if not timely addressed, this would result in a systemic queue in the port of Rajaee. That said, the approach can be implemented in port planning and design to avoid under- or over-estimations in such capital-intensive projects.
How are common major life events perceived? Exploring differences between and variability of different typical event profiles and raters
Authors: Kritzler Sarah , Rakhshani Andrew , Terwiel Sophia , Fassbender Ina , Donnellan M Brent , Lucas Richard E , Luhmann Maike
Published: March 2022

Research on major life events and personality change often focuses on the occurrence of specific life events such as childbirth, unemployment, or divorce. However, this typical approach has three important limitations: (1) Life events are typically measured categorically, (2) it is often assumed that people experience and change from the same event in the same way, and (3) external ratings of life events have unknown levels of validity. To address these limitations, we examined how common life events are typically perceived, how much perceptions of life events vary within events, and how well external ratings of events correspond to subjective ratings from people who experienced the events. We analyzed ratings of nine psychologically relevant characteristics of 10 common major life events from three different types of raters ( N = 2,210). Each life event had a distinct subjectively rated profile that corresponded well to external ratings. Collectively, this study demonstrates that life events can be meaningfully described and differentiated with event characteristics. However, people’s individual perceptions of life events varied considerably even within events. Therefore, research on major life events and their associations with personality change should incorporate individual perceptions of the events to advance the understanding of these associations.
Belantamab mafodotin for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma
Authors: Gil-Sierra Manuel David , Briceño-Casado Maria del Pilar
Published: March 2022

Objective: Refractory multiple myeloma (MM) presents poor responses to therapies. New drugs for highly pretreated MM are a hope for this clinical context with limited treatment options. We developed a comparative commentary on the evidence about the use of belantamab mafodotin in heavily pretreated relapsed or refractory MM with respect to other therapies. Data sources: Regimen data were extracted from pivotal clinical trials. Data summary: Response rates were the main efficacy outcomes reported in trials. Overall response was achieved by approximately 30% of patients trated with belantamab mafodotin. Response rates of different regimens must be supported by more relevant data, such as overall survival or progression-free survival. Subgroups of patients with extramedullary disease and revised International Staging System III should be thoroughly evaluated in phase III comparative clinical trials with larger sample sizes. Belantamab mafodotin presented specific adverse events (visual disturbances and kerathopathies). Grade 3–4 adverse events involved high percentages of patients treated with the different schemes. The budgetary impact of different treatments for heavily pretreated refractory MM would be very high. Literature suggested increased efficiency of belantamab mafodotin versus chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies. Conclusions: Belantamab mafodotin and other regimens are promising drugs for MM, especially for triple-class refractory patients. Comparative studies are necessary to perform a reliable therapeutic positioning.
Efficient high-precision integer multiplication on the GPU
Authors: Dieguez Adrian P , Amor Margarita , Doallo Ramón , Nukada Akira , Matsuoka Satoshi
Published: March 2022

The multiplication of large integers, which has many applications in computer science, is an operation that can be expressed as a polynomial multiplication followed by a carry normalization. This work develops two approaches for efficient polynomial multiplication: one approach is based on tiling the classical convolution algorithm, but taking advantage of new CUDA architectures, a novelty approach to compute the multiplication using integers without accuracy lossless; the other one is based on the Strassen algorithm, an algorithm that multiplies large polynomials using the FFT operation, but adapting the fastest FFT libraries for current GPUs and working on the complex field. Previous studies reported that the Strassen algorithm is an effective implementation for “large enough” integers on GPUs. Additionally, most previous studies do not examine the implementation of the carry normalization, but this work describes a parallel implementation for this operation. Our results show the efficiency of our approaches for short, medium, and large sizes.