bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Concentration‐Specific Constitutive Modeling of Gelatin Based on Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Abdolazizi Kian P. , Linka Kevin , Sprenger Johanna , Neidhardt Maximilian , Schlaefer Alexander , Cyron Christian J.
Published: January 2021

Gelatin phantoms are frequently used in the development of surgical devices and medical imaging techniques. They exhibit mechanical properties similar to soft biological tissues [1] but can be handled at a much lower cost. Moreover, they enable a better reproducibility of experiments. Accurate constitutive models for gelatin are therefore of great interest for biomedical engineering. In particular it is important to capture the dependence of mechanical properties of gelatin on its concentration. Herein we propose a simple machine learning approach to this end. It uses artificial neural networks (ANN) for learning from indentation data the relation between the concentration of ballistic gelatin and the resulting mechanical properties.
A modal approach to late‐lumping of transformation‐based observer designs
Authors: Riesmeier Marcus , Woittennek Frank
Published: January 2021

Efficient late‐lumping strategies for transformation‐based observers for distributed parameter systems are discussed. This is achieved by extending previously introduced ideas for the approximation of state‐feedback designs to the observer gain approximation for Riesz spectral systems.
The Capriccio method: a scale bridging approach for polymers extended towards inelasticity
Authors: Zhao Wuyang , Pfaller Sebastian
Published: January 2021

In this contribution we present an extension of the multiscale Capriccio method towards inelasticity. This enables coupled simulations of a particle domain embedded into a continuum with particular focus on polymer systems. Starting from the method's initial implementation of pure elasticity, we substitute the nonlinear elastic continuum constitutive law by a recently developed viscoelastic‐viscoplastic one which is able to capture the mechanical behaviour of the particle system in a much larger strain range. Furthermore, we discuss numerical aspects like the choice of time steps and iteration numbers.
Least Squares Finite Element Method for Hepatic Sinusoidal Blood Flow
Authors: Bertrand Fleurianne , Lambers Lena , Ricken Tim
Published: January 2021

The simulation of complex biological systems such as the description of blood flow in organs requires a lot of computational power as well as a detailed description of the organ physiology. We present a novel Least‐Squares discretization method for the simulation of sinusoidal blood flow in liver lobules using a porous medium approach for the liver tissue. The scaling of the different Least‐Squares terms leads to a robust algorithm and the inherent error estimator provides an efficient refinement strategy.
Study on the Interaction of Nonlinear Water Waves considering Random Seas
Authors: Hollm Marten , Dostal Leo , Fischer Hendrik , Seifried Robert
Published: January 2021

The nonlinear Schrödinger equation plays an important role in wave theory, nonlinear optics and Bose‐Einstein condensation. Depending on the background, different analytical solutions have been obtained. One of these solutions is the soliton solution. In the real ocean sea, interactions of different water waves can be observed at the surface. Therefore the question arises, how such nonlinear waves interact. Of particular interest is the interaction, also called collision, of solitons and solitary waves.

Using a spectral scheme for the numerical computation of solutions of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation, the nonlinear wave interaction for the case of soliton collision is studied. Thereby, the influence of an initial random wave is studied, which is generated using a Pierson‐Moskowitz spectrum.
Sensitivity Analysis of a Simulated Hydrogel
Authors: Keller Karsten , Wallmersperger Thomas , Ricken Tim
Published: January 2021

Crosslinked polyelectrolytic polymers embedded in an aqueous solution, so‐called hydrogels, show stimuli‐responsive behaviour under various kinds of stimulation. These “smart” reactions can be triggered by e.g. chemical, electrical, mechanical or thermal stimuli. The hydrogels react via uptake or delivery of mobile ions and solvent, and show enormous swelling capabilities. This behaviour can be used for chemo‐electro‐mechanical energy converters or as an actuator or sensor.

The presented research investigates anionic hydrogels in the framework of a sensitivity analysis, by a design of experiment (DOE) with the use of ANSYS optiSLang. The hydrogel itself is modelled within a finite element code (Abaqus Unified FEA) as a user element. The applied stimuli are of different nature: chemical, electrical, mechanical and thermal.

On the one hand, the stimulus is applied by the change of boundary conditions, e.g. for chemical stimulation by a change of the concentrations of the constituents themselves (Na+ and Cl−). For electrically stimulated hydrogels, two electrodes are incorporated at the boundaries and the electric potential is changed. On the other hand, the mechanical stimulus is defined by prescribed displacements at a boundary of the fixed hydrogel. The thermal stimulus is applied over the whole domain in the form of transient temperature changes with temperature‐dependent material parameters.

The reactions of the hydrogel differ – depending on the type of hydrogel and the stronger or weaker sensitivity – on the applied stimulus. The fully coupled three‐field description of the chemo‐electro‐mechanical model enhanced with thermal dependencies is capable of giving local concentrations, electric potential and displacements.
A variational concept and its experimental calibration for temperature‐induced rate‐dependent phase transformations in steel
Authors: Jaworek David , Waimann Johanna , Reese Stefanie
Published: January 2021

In forming processes of metals, different physical phenomena are observable which may alter the material properties and behavior severely. These observations can be attributed to changes in the surface layer of the material. This research is a part of the transregional collaborative research center SFB/TRR 136 which deals with surface layer modifications in 42CrMo4 steels and aims to determine process independent correlations between material loads and material modifications. These correlations are called process signatures. The present work is concerned with investigating thermally induced solid‐solid phase transformations in steels. An example of a predominantly thermal process is the induction hardening process. In this process, an initially ferritic‐pearlitic structure is at first heated until reaching a temperature that lies above the temperature at which homogeneous austenite is formed. During this heating process, the steel undergoes diffusion‐driven phase transformations which are heating‐rate‐ and time‐dependent. After sufficiently long incubation, a homogeneous austenitic microstructure is obtained. Then, the specimen temperature is lowered at a very high cooling rate. This invokes high‐temperature rates on the microstructure and results in an austenitic‐martensitic phase transformation, see e.g. [1]. Based on the Principle of the Minimum of the Dissipation Potential (PDMP) as presented in [2], the austenitic‐martensitic transformation has been widely discussed in the context of shape memory alloys. We present a material model which is also able to show the ferritic‐austenitic transformation. The individual phase transitions are modeled using a rate‐ and transformation‐process‐dependent formulation of the dissipation potential. The presented material model is finally tested with numerical simulations.
On the application of representative volume elements for steel fiber reinforced high performance concrete ‐ a numerical study
Authors: Pise Mangesh , Brands Dominik , Schröder Jörg , Gebuhr Gregor , Anders Steffen
Published: January 2021

In this contribution, ellipsoidal and hexagonal prism representative volume element (RVE) which characterize the steel fiber reinforced high performance concrete (HPC) along a preferred fiber direction are constructed and analyzed numerically. A virtual experiment is simulated using a microscopic boundary value problem based on two different RVEs. The suitable mechanical and periodic boundary conditions are applied on each RVE at the microscale. The homogenized macroscopic quantities are computed using their microscopic counterparts. The microscopic response of ellipsoidal and hexagonal prism RVE are simulated and the macroscopic behavior of steel fiber reinforced HPC is analyzed.
Investigation of Large Scale Motion Interaction with the Near‐Wall Turbulence
Authors: Richter Stefan , Zanoun El-Sayed , Egbers Christoph
Published: January 2021

The main objective of the current work is to better understand the interaction of pipe flow large‐scale structures in the outer region with the near‐wall turbulence. To do so, a decomposition of velocity fluctuating signals has been adopted. Thus, the streamwise velocity fluctuation has been measured for three Reynolds numbers using two pipes located at the Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU). Three Reynolds numbers, Reb ≈ 6 × 104, Reb ≈ 105 and at Reb ≈ 6 × 105, have been examined, where Reb is the Reynolds number based on the bulk velocity (Ub), the pipe diameter (D) and the kinematic viscosity (ν). For both pipe facilities, constant temperature hot‐wire anemometry has been utilized. The comparison of those three cases addresses the low and high Reynolds number effects on the structures of the outer and the inner regions of the pipe flow. Subsequently, Reynolds‐number scaling for such structures and their interaction with the buffer‐layer turbulence will be examined.
Identification of mechanical models and parameters for alginate‐based hydrogels as proxy materials for brain tissue
Authors: Kaessmair Stefan , Distler Thomas , Schaller Emely , Boccaccini Aldo R. , Steinmann Paul , Budday Silvia
Published: January 2021

Due to their qualitatively similar mechanical behavior to brain tissue, the present study focuses on the modeling and identification of material parameters for alginate‐gelatine hydrogels. A generalized Maxwell model is used to describe its finite viscoelastic response. By comparing the experimentally recorded data with finite element simulations, we define a least squares problem to identify appropriate material parameters. We show that we can parameterize the model to well fit each loading mode individually.
From a hyperbranched polyimide to a microporous network polyimide via reaction temperature change and its application in gas separation membranes
Authors: Liu Shan , Luo Jiangzhou , Deng Guoxiong , Wang Yilei , Liu Xiangyun , Wu Quanping , Xue Song
Published: January 2021

We prepared a series of microporous network polyimides (MN‐PIs) derived from tris(4‐aminophenyl)amine (TAPA), and three commercial dianhydrides such as 4,4′‐(hexafluoroisopropylidene) diphthalic anhydride (6FDA), 3,3′,4,4′‐ benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA), and pyromellitic anhydride (PMDA). Particularly, in order to obtain these free‐standing membranes before forming insoluble gel products, the self‐crosslinking rate between dianhydride and triamine functional groups was controlled via reaction temperature changing. All MN‐PIs exhibited outstanding thermal stability with high glass transition temperatures (Tg) exceeding 305°C. Gas transport experiments demonstrated that 6FDA‐derived MN‐PI membrane showed the highest gas permeabilities and well‐maintained gas‐pair selectivities rooting from the bulky ‐C(CF3)2‐ linkage groups that inhibited efficient chain‐packing and the comparable backbone rigidity relative to that of PMDA‐derived MN‐PI. The comprehensive gas transport properties of 6FDA‐based MN‐PI membrane approached the 2008 Robeson upper bound for CO2/CH4, showing CO2 permeability of 37.4 Barrer and ideal selectivity of ~56.7. Physical aging monitored for 75 days lead to a decline in gas permeabilities (e.g., 7.8% and 18.4% drop for O2 and N2) and moderately enhanced selectivity (corresponding 14.3% rise for O2/N2). Additionally, 6FDA‐derived MN‐PI also possessed excellent mixed CO2/N2 gas selectivity of 32.9, roughly equaling to its pure gas transport behaviors, which are probably related to the Lewis acid‐base interactions between CO2 and N atoms of tertiary amine in TAPA segments.
Thermal and Electrical behaviors of Boron Nitride/Epoxy reinforced polymer matrix composite—A review
Authors: Salunke Dinesh Ramesh , Gopalan Venkatachalam
Published: January 2021

In electronic and electric instruments, heat dissipation is one of the major issues that degrade performance and efficiency. Polymer material has high specific strength and modulus, and it is mainly used in electrical insulation materials due to easy processability and light in weight with great flexibility but has low thermal conductivity. This paper examines the recent developments in highly thermal conductive epoxy‐based polymer composites. First, the composite materials, with applications, are briefly introduced. Second, the thermally conductive polymer types with their thermal conductivity are summarized. Third, the thermal and electric properties of different boron nitride (BN) with epoxy‐filled composite are listed. It also focuses on enhancement in thermal conductivity and electrical insulation, which are mainly influenced by the microstructure and amount of filler content. Some highly thermal conductive BN polymer based composites are reviewed. Fourth, various thermal conductivity measurement techniques are listed with their drawbacks. Finally, the review gives current scenario on thermal conductive polymer materials and developments needed with challenges in this area.
BHLH IRIDOID SYNTHESIS 3 is a member of a bHLH gene cluster regulating terpenoid indole alkaloid biosynthesis in Catharanthus roseus
Authors: Singh Sanjay Kumar , Patra Barunava , Paul Priyanka , Liu Yongliang , Pattanaik Sitakanta , Yuan Ling
Published: January 2021

Basic helix‐loop‐helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) are key regulators of plant specialized metabolites, including terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs) in Catharanthus roseus. Two previously characterized subgroup‐IVa bHLH TFs, BIS1 (bHLH Iridoid Synthesis 1) and BIS2 regulate iridoid biosynthesis in the TIA pathway. We reanalyzed the recently updated C. roseus genome sequence and discovered that BIS1 and BIS2 are clustered on the same genomic scaffold with a previously uncharacterized bHLH gene, designated as BIS3. Only a few bHLH gene clusters have been studied to date. Comparative analysis of 49 genome sequences from different plant lineages revealed the presence of analogous bHLH clusters in core angiosperms, including the medicinal plants Calotropis gigantea (giant milkweed) and Gelsemium sempervirens (yellow jessamine), but not in the analyzed basal angiosperm and lower plants. Similar to the iridoid pathway genes, BIS3 is highly expressed in roots and induced by methyl jasmonate. BIS3 activates the promoters of iridoid branch genes, geraniol synthase (GES), geraniol 10‐hydroxylase (G10H), 8‐hydroxygeraniol oxidoreductase (8HGO), iridoid synthase (IS), 7‐deoxyloganetic acid glucosyl transferase (7‐DLGT), and 7‐deoxyloganic acid hydroxylase (7DLH), but not iridoid oxidase (IO). Transactivation of the promoters was abolished when BIS3 is converted to a dominant repressor by fusing with the ERF‐associated amphiphilic repression (EAR) sequence. In addition, BIS3 acts synergistically with BIS1 and BIS2 to activate the G10H promoter in tobacco cells. Mutation of the known bHLH TF binding motif, G‐box (CACGTG) in the G10H promoter significantly reduced but did not abolish the transactivation by BIS3. Promoter deletion analysis of G10H suggests that the sequences adjacent to the G‐box are also involved in the regulation by BIS3. Overexpression of BIS3 in C. roseus flower petals significantly upregulated the expression of iridoid biosynthetic genes and increased loganic acid accumulation. BIS2 expression was significantly induced by BIS3 although BIS3 did not directly activate the BIS2 promoter. Our results advance our understanding of the regulation of plant specialized metabolites by bHLH TF clusters.
Introduced a new method for enhancement of intrusion detection with random forest and PSO algorithm
Authors: Ajdani Mahdi , Ghaffary Hamidreza
Published: January 2021

As computer networks expand, attacks and intrusions into these networks have increased. In addition to firewalls and other intrusion prevention equipment, other systems, such as IDS (Metrics), are designed to provide enhanced security in computer systems, including the purpose of monitoring intrusive and intrusive activities. Intrusive allocation system can be considered effective if the high intrusion rate is slightly misleading, and in this article a new way to classify it is abnormal (infiltration) in the host or network. UNSW‐NB15 and KDD‐Cup'99 Datasets Introducing Random Forest and PSO algorithm. In this paper, training data and label data used with the random forest algorithm. After creating a random forest algorithm, provide test data. We use the data stored in train step, which is actually a copy of the data, so that when performing the test step, the same training data can be compared with categorize using a PSO algorithm. In in order to show the accuracy of the proposed method, an example of the confusion matrix formed in the code that showed performance of all methods and modes studied is compared based on accuracy and time that the PSO algorithm has always been able to take less time, which is quite acceptable and predictable. Improves correct diagnosis of correct detection rate in that report was 75.94% and in the proposed method in this article it reached 97%. With the proposed method, learning speed has been greatly increased and accuracy is acceptable.
Mode localization in linear and periodically time‐varying mistuned wind rotor
Authors: Guo Xin , Li Dongsheng , Guo Peng , Kraemer Peter
Published: January 2021

Rotor blades are the most important and most expensive part of a wind turbine; their dynamic behavior is of great significance for maintenance planning and safe operation. In this study, the effect of mistuning on the vibration modes of rotor blades was investigated, with a focus on the mode localization of linear time‐varying wind turbine rotors. And the significance of the work lies in finding that the mode localization may aggravate the blade damage and potentially reduced fatigue life of the blade. The rotating blades were approximated as cantilever Bernoulli–Euler beams, and the flapwise and edgewise modes of each blade were considered. The Lagrangian method was employed to derive the linear time‐varying dynamic equations of the wind turbine rotor. A wind turbine rotor was mistuned because of slight fluctuations in the blade stiffness; subsequently, Floquet analysis was employed for modal decomposition of a mistuned wind turbine rotor, and the mechanism of mode localization was examined in depth. Numerical simulation results indicated that slight mistuning of a single blade is sufficient for triggering mode localization. The effects of the magnitude of the blade mistuning and rotor speed on the severity of mode localization were analyzed. Finally, different quantitative measures were considered for characterizing the degree of mode localization in mistuned wind turbine rotors.
Transkranielle elektrische Hirnstimulationsverfahren zur Behandlung der Negativsymptomatik bei Schizophrenie
Authors: Haller Nikolas , Hasan Alkomiet , Padberg Frank , Strube Wolfgang , da Costa Lane Valiengo Leandro , Brunoni Andre R. , Brunelin Jerome , Palm Ulrich
Published: January 2021

Über die letzten Jahre entwickelten sich Neuromodulationsverfahren zu einer dritten Säule neben Pharmakotherapie und Psychotherapie in der Behandlung psychischer Erkrankungen. Besonders in der Behandlung von Menschen mit einer Schizophrenie könnten Hirnstimulationsverfahren eine Alternative oder Ergänzung zu den etablierten Therapiestrategien darstellen. Die meist vorhandenen Positivsymptome können zumeist mit Antipsychotika adäquat behandelt werden. Gerade bei Patienten mit Schizophrenie besitzen jedoch Negativsymptome einen überdauernden Krankheitswert und beeinflussen den Verlauf durch globale Antriebsverarmung und beeinträchtigte Kognition im alltäglichen Leben negativ. Dieser Übersichtsartikel stellt eine Zusammenfassung über die verschiedenen nichtinvasiven Hirnstimulationsverfahren transkranielle Gleichstromstimulation (transcranial direct current stimulation, tDCS), Wechselstromstimulation (transcranial alternating current stimulation, tACS) sowie Rauschstromstimulation (transcranial random noise stimulation, tRNS) zur Behandlung der Negativsymptomatik bei Schizophrenie dar. Die neuen transkraniellen Hirnstimulationsverfahren könnten dabei helfen, gestörte neuronale Vernetzungen wieder herzustellen und die Konnektivität vor allem der dorsolateralen präfrontalen Anteile des Kortex zu verbessern. Einige Studien weisen auf eine Verbesserung der Negativsymptome durch Behandlung mit tDCS, tACS bzw. tRNS hin und könnten so neue Therapiemöglichkeiten in der Behandlung der Schizophrenie darstellen.
Resection of swollen temporal muscles in patients with intractable intracranial hypertension after decompressive craniectomy
Authors: Huang Shih-Hao , Huang Abel Po-Hao , Huang Sheng-Jean , Kuo Lu-Ting
Published: January 2021

Background

Decompressive craniectomy is employed as treatment for traumatic brain swelling in selected patients. We discussed the effect of temporal muscle resection in patients with intractable intracranial hypertension and temporal muscle swelling after craniectomy.

Methods

Records of 280 craniectomies performed on 258 patients who were admitted with severe head injury were retrospectively reviewed. Eight patients developed intractable increased intracranial pressure with temporal muscle swelling within 24 h after craniectomy and were treated by muscle resection.

Results

The initial Glasgow Coma Scale score was 7 ± 1. The mean intracranial pressure was 41.7 ± 8.59 mmHg before muscle resection and 14.81 ± 8.07 mmHg immediately after surgery. Five patients had skull fracture and epidural hematoma at the craniectomy site. The mean intensive care unit stay was 11.25 ± 5.99 days. Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended scoring performed during the 12-month follow-up visit showed that 6 patients (75%) had a favorable outcome.

Conclusions

Our study findings indicate that a direct impact on the temporal region during trauma may lead to subsequent temporal muscle swelling. Under certain circumstances, muscle resection can effectively control intracranial pressure.
Inherited Follicular Epithelial-Derived Thyroid Carcinomas: From Molecular Biology to Histological Correlates
Authors: Cameselle-Teijeiro José Manuel , Mete Ozgur , Asa Sylvia L. , LiVolsi Virginia
Published: January 2021

Cancer derived from thyroid follicular epithelial cells is common; it represents the most common endocrine malignancy. The molecular features of sporadic tumors have been clarified in the past decade. However the incidence of familial disease has not been emphasized and is often overlooked in routine practice. A careful clinical documentation of family history or familial syndromes that can be associated with thyroid disease can help identify germline susceptibility-driven thyroid neoplasia. In this review, we summarize a large body of information about both syndromic and non-syndromic familial thyroid carcinomas. A significant number of patients with inherited non-medullary thyroid carcinomas manifest disease that appears to be sporadic disease even in some syndromic cases. The cytomorphology of the tumor(s), molecular immunohistochemistry, the findings in the non-tumorous thyroid parenchyma and other associated lesions may provide insight into the underlying syndromic disorder. However, the increasing evidence of familial predisposition to non-syndromic thyroid cancers is raising questions about the importance of genetics and epigenetics. What appears to be “sporadic” is becoming less often truly so and more often an opportunity to identify and understand novel genetic variants that underlie tumorigenesis. Pathologists must be aware of the unusual morphologic features that should prompt germline screening. Therefore, recognition of harbingers of specific germline susceptibility syndromes can assist in providing information to facilitate early detection to prevent aggressive disease.
Pratiques de l’écrit, pratiques de la carte : Rendre justice aux cartes médiévales et modernes (note critique)
Authors: Theis Valérie
Published: January 2021

Pratiques de l’écrit, pratiques de la carte: Rendre justice aux cartes médiévales et modernes (note critique)

La sortie du catalogue de l’exposition qui a eu lieu en 2019 aux Archives nationales, Quand les artistes dessinaient les cartes. Vues et figures de l’espace français, Moyen Âge et Renaissance, sous la direction de Juliette Dumasy-Rabineau, Nadine Gastaldi et Camille Serchuk, est l’occasion de revenir sur une production cartographique importante à partir de la fin du Moyen Âge, celle des cartes à grande échelle, envisagées ici pour l’espace français. Si le catalogue met l’accent sur la dimension artistique de ces cartes, le corpus choisi permet surtout de montrer que celles-ci s’inscrivaient dans des contextes documentaires plus vastes. L’ouvrage rend également compte de la diversité de leurs usages et de leur rôle récurrent dans le cadre du règlement de conflits devant la justice. Il donne un certain nombre d’éclairages, qui mériteraient d’être approfondis, concernant les commanditaires de ce type de cartes et invite, pour finir, à réfléchir sur quelques idées reçues quant aux représentations cartographiques de l’espace dans les sociétés médiévales et modernes, mais aussi dans les sociétés occidentales contemporaines.
Des cartes autochtones en situation coloniale : Le cas du Tonkin à la fin du xixe siècle
Authors: de Rugy Marie
Published: January 2021

Des cartes autochtones en situation coloniale: Le cas du Tonkin à la fin du xixe siècle

À partir d’un corpus de cartes vietnamiennes conservées dans les Archives nationales de Hà Nội, cet article vise à répondre à une double interrogation, méthodologique et heuristique : comment analyser en historien des sources cartographiques détachées de leur contexte de production ; peut-on voir une spécificité du cas vietnamien dans l’appropriation des savoirs autochtones en situation coloniale ? En comparant ces cartes à celles des géographies royales vietnamiennes, en les croisant avec des sources coloniales françaises de la conquête du Tonkin (années 1880-1890), en analysant l’entremêlement des écritures – caractères chinois, vietnamien romanisé et français –, les codes visuels et la matérialité de ces documents, cette étude propose trois pistes fécondes et complémentaires pour l’histoire et l’anthropologie des savoirs. La spécificité vietnamienne réside d’abord dans l’existence de ce grand nombre de cartes, qui n’a d’équivalent ni dans les possessions coloniales en Afrique ni ailleurs en Asie du Sud-Est. Elle apparaît aussi dans les contextes de production des cartes, que la correspondance privée d’un officier, Fernand Bernard, et les journaux de marche militaires permettent de retracer : si les enquêtes orales dans les villages ou le renseignement sont des situations répandues, la sollicitation des fonctionnaires locaux, habitués à dresser des cartes pour le pouvoir, l’est moins. Finalement, l’étude de ces documents laisse entrevoir des formes de contact et une appropriation propres aux débuts de la colonisation, qui disparaissent ensuite.
Sustained Government Engagement Improves Subsequent Pandemic Risk Reporting In Conflict Zones
Authors: HAIM DOTAN , RAVANILLA NICO , SEXTON RENARD
Published: January 2021

Community information sharing is crucial to a government’s ability to respond to a disaster or a health emergency, such as a pandemic. In conflict zones, however, citizens and local leaders often lack trust in state institutions and are unwilling to cooperate, risking costly delays and information gaps. We report results from a randomized experiment in the Philippines regarding government efforts to provide services and build trust with rural communities in a conflict-affected region. We find that the outreach program increased the probability that village leaders provide time-sensitive pandemic risk information critical to the regional Covid-19 Task Force by 20%. The effect is largest for leaders who, at baseline, were skeptical about government capacity and fairness and had neutral or positive attitudes towards rebels. A test of mechanisms suggests that treated leaders updated their beliefs about government competence and shows that neither security improvement nor project capture by the rebels are primary drivers. These findings highlight the important role that government efforts to build connections with conflict-affected communities can play in determining public health outcomes during times of national emergencies.
The Ties That Bind: Text Similarities and Conditional Diffusion among Parties
Authors: Düpont Nils , Rachuj Martin
Published: January 2021

Comparative analyses of party policy diffusion are only just emerging. To better understand the conditions under which diffusion occurs, this article argues that three heuristics – availability, representativeness and anchoring – shape parties' efforts to gather information (from elsewhere), leading to differing diffusion effects. The study operationalizes the outcome as textual similarity of party manifestos in nineteen Western democracies from 1960 to 2016, applying a text-as-data approach and machine translation. Analyzing dyads, it assesses how commonalities and sender/receiver attributes impact diffusion. It finds that there is little room for cross-border diffusion as successful parties stick to their old program. Beyond the still-prevailing domestic context, ‘learning from cultural reference groups’ in a region is most important. In addition, diffusion appears within EP factions and transnational party organizations independently of the success/loss of the sender. The analysis thus sheds light on (un-)favorable conditions for party policy diffusion and paves the way for future studies applying machine translation and quantitative text analyses.
An audit of UK audiological practice in specialist paediatric oncology centres regarding hearing assessment of children at risk of ototoxicity due to chemotherapy
Authors: Brown E C M , Caimino C , Benton C L , Baguley D M
Published: January 2021

Objective

Platinum-based chemotherapy drugs are associated with substantial ototoxicity. The hearing of children treated with these drugs should be closely monitored.

Method

A questionnaire was sent out to the 19 audiology departments associated with national paediatric cancer specialist centres in the UK looking at current practice in ototoxicity monitoring.

Results

Responses were received from 17 of 19 centres (89 per cent). All offered some form of audiometric monitoring service. Extended high-frequency testing (9–20 kHz) was only utilised by 7 services (29 per cent). A majority of respondents were reluctant to consider self-test devices in paediatric ototoxicity monitoring (n = 9; 53 per cent). Provision of long-term audiological follow up is sporadic with only 4 (23 per cent) respondents keeping all children with normal hearing under review once treatment is completed.

Conclusion

While some good practice in paediatric ototoxicity was identified, opportunities exist to improve clinical practice and protocols, promote multidisciplinary team working and to utilise technologies such as extended high frequency and self-test audiometry.
Endoscopic epitympanic exploration in mucosal chronic otitis media: is canal wall up mastoidectomy really needed?
Authors: Das A , Mitra S , Hazra S , Sengupta A
Published: January 2021

Objective

To compare endoscopic epitympanic exploration with conventional canal wall up (cortical) mastoidectomy for mucosal chronic otitis media in terms of post-operative outcomes.

Methods

Seventy-six patients diagnosed with chronic otitis media (mucosal variety) were randomly assigned to two treatment groups: endoscopic epitympanic exploration and conventional canal wall up (cortical) mastoidectomy. The groups were compared in terms of: post-operative anatomical outcomes (graft uptake), middle-ear physiological outcomes (post-operative tympanometry), audiological outcomes (air–bone gap), surgical time, post-operative pain, vertigo, and long-term complications such as retraction pocket and re-perforation.

Results

There was a statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of mean air–bone gap at 12 months, surgical time, and median post-operative pain measured at 6 hours (p< 0.05). No statistically significant differences were noted in terms of: graft uptake at 1, 3 and 6 months, mean air–bone gap at 3 and 6 months, tympanometry at 3, 6 and 12 months, vertigo at 1 week, or long-term complications.

Conclusion

Endoscopic epitympanic exploration resulted in significantly better long-term audiological outcomes, shorter operating time and less pain compared with conventional canal wall up (cortical) mastoidectomy.
Embodying ageing: middle-aged and older women's bodily fitness and aesthetics in urban China
Authors: Sheng Li
Published: January 2021

This article explores the embodied practices of anti-ageing among middle-aged and older Chinese women (damas) who engage in plaza dancing (guangchangwu) as a leisure activity in urban areas. Drawing upon data collected from three months of participant observation in three different plaza dance groups and 29 semi-structured interviews with older Chinese women, I first investigate my participants’ experiences of plaza dancing in terms of health-keeping and bodily maintenance. I then analyse their usage of cosmetic products at a time when the beauty economy is booming during the post-Mao era. These female plaza dancers’ bodily regulation and ‘beautification’ indicate not only older women's strategies and struggles in the face of the double standard of ageing, but also a change in the age hierarchy under the transforming socio-cultural landscape of urban China, which is generating new social norms.
Pilot approach to analyzing patient and citizen involvement in health technology assessment in four diverse low- and middle-income countries
Authors: Holtorf Anke-Peggy , Mueller Debjani , Sousa M. Sharmila A. , Pretorius Lauren , Wijaya Kalman Emry , Adeyemi Sylvester , Ankleshwaria Dipen
Published: January 2021

Background

In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) striving to achieve universal health coverage, the involvement of different stakeholders in formal or informal ways in health technology assessment (HTA) must be culturally and socially relevant and acceptable. Challenges may be different from those seen in high-income countries. In this article, we aimed to pilot a questionnaire for uncovering the context-related aspects of patient and citizen involvement (PCI) in LMICs, collecting experiences encountered with PCI, and identifying opportunities for patients and citizens toward contributing to local decision- and policy-making processes related to health technologies.

Methods

Through a collaborative, international multi-stakeholder initiative, a questionnaire was developed for describing each LMIC's healthcare system context and the emergence of opportunities for PCI relating to HTA. The questionnaire was piloted in the first set of countries (Brazil, Indonesia, Nigeria, and South Africa).

Results

The questionnaire was successfully applied across four diverse LMICs, which are at different stages of using HTA to inform decision making. Only in Brazil, formal ways of PCI have been defined. In the other countries, there is informal influence that is contingent upon the engagement level of patient and citizen advocacy groups (PCAGs), usually strongest in areas such as HIV/AIDS, TB, oncology, or rare diseases.

Conclusions

The questionnaire can be used to analyze the options for patients and citizens to participate in HTA or healthcare decision making. It will be rolled out to more LMICs to describe the requirements and opportunities for PCI in the context of LMICs and to identify possible routes and methodologies for devising a more systematic and formalized PCI in LMICs.
Characteristics of antegrade-only accessory pathways in children and adolescents
Authors: Nguyen Minh B. , Hill Allison C. , Bar-Cohen Yaniv , Silka Michael J.
Published: January 2021

There is minimal data regarding antegrade-only accessory pathways in young patients. Given evolving recommendations and treatments, retrospective analysis of the clinical and electrophysiologic properties of antegrade-only pathways in patients <21 years old was performed, with subsequent comparison of electrophysiology properties to age-matched controls with bidirectional pathways. Of 522 consecutive young patients with ventricular pre-excitation referred for electrophysiology study, 33 (6.3%) had antegrade-only accessory pathways. Indications included palpitations (47%), chest pain (25%), and syncope (22%). The shortest value for either the accessory pathway effective refractory period or the pre-excited R-R interval was taken for each patient, with the median of the antegrade-only group significantly greater than shortest values for the bidirectional group (310 [280–360] ms versus 270 [240–302] ms, p < 0.001). However, the prevalence of pathways with high-risk properties (effective refractory period or shortest pre-excited R-R interval <250 ms) was similar in both study patients and controls (13% versus 21%) (p = 0.55). Sixteen patients had a single antegrade-only accessory pathway and no inducible arrhythmia. Six patients had Mahaim fibres, all right anterolateral with inducible antidromic reciprocating tachycardia. However, 11 patients with antegrade-only accessory pathways and 3 with Mahaim fibres had inducible tachycardia due to a second substrate recognised at electrophysiology study. These included concealed accessory pathways (7), bidirectional accessory pathways (5), and atrioventricular node re-entry (2). Antegrade-only accessory pathways require comprehensive electrophysiology evaluation as confounding factors such as high-risk conduction properties or inducible Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) due to a second substrate of tachycardia are often present.
TAX RULES TO PREVENT EXPECTATIONS-DRIVEN LIQUIDITY TRAPS
Authors: Tamanyu Yoichiro
Published: January 2021

Multiple equilibria arise in standard New Keynesian models when the nominal interest rate is set according to the Taylor rule and constrained by a zero lower bound (ZLB). One of these equilibria is deflationary and referred to as an expectations-driven liquidity trap (ELT) as it arises because of the de-anchoring of inflation expectations. This study demonstrates that a simple tax rule responding to inflation can prevent a liquidity trap from arising without increasing government spending or debt. We analytically investigate the necessary and sufficient conditions to prevent an ELT and show that both the frequency and persistence of ELT episodes affect the extent to which the tax rule must respond to inflation. In brief, the higher the frequency or the longer the persistence of the ELT, the greater the response of the tax rate must be.
RAMSEY OPTIMAL POLICY IN THE NEW-KEYNESIAN MODEL WITH PUBLIC DEBT
Authors: Chatelain Jean-Bernard , Ralf Kirsten
Published: January 2021

In the discrete-time new-Keynesian model with public debt, Ramsey optimal policy eliminates the indeterminacy of simple-rules multiple equilibria between the fiscal theory of the price level versus new-Keynesian versus an unpleasant equilibrium. If public debt volatility is taken into account into the loss function, the interest rate responds to public debt besides inflation and output gap. Else, the Taylor rule is identical to Ramsey optimal policy when there is zero public debt. The optimal fiscal-rule parameter implies the local stability of public-debt dynamics (“passive” fiscal policy).
Crises, Race, Acknowledgement: The Centrality of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics to the Future of Political Science
Authors: McClain Paula D.
Published: January 2021

The United States, and the world, is in the grips of a coronavirus pandemic, and in the United States, we are facing a crisis of faith in the fairness of our political institutions, particularly the ability of Black Americans to live without the fear of dying at the hands of the police for going about their daily lives. Race has been and continues to be intertwined with American government and politics, in general, and how the United States approaches crises, in particular. Racial minority groups have been scapegoats for the failings of American policy makers to deal with numerous crises historically and at present. Race and racism are also at the foundation of the origins of American political science. The racism at the roots of our discipline’s founding have created a blindness to the significance and importance of the field of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics (REP) to the study of politics, democracy, and how American society reacts during a crisis. Our discipline is also at an inflection point that requires us to acknowledge its racist origins, confront its continued influence on the present, and finally to move forward in recognizing the importance of REP to the health and future of the discipline.
Climate‐Driven Variability in Runoff Erosion Encoded in Stream Network Geometry
Authors: Getraer Alexander , Maloof Adam C.
Published: January 2021

Climate signatures recorded in the geometry of branching streams provide insight into climate and landscape histories on Earth and other planetary bodies. Recent findings establish that branching angles are narrower and stream profiles are straighter in more arid climates. However, these two observations have been attributed to different mechanisms. Here we demonstrate that for US watersheds the difference in slope between confluent streams increases with humidity, and streams with a greater difference in slope tend to branch at wider angles. Our observations suggest a branching angle endmember of 90° when stream slopes are most different. Using a simple model of runoff erosion, we show how this variation in relative stream slopes can be explained by a shift in streamflow accumulation across climate regimes. These findings connect previously observed climate signatures in branching angles and stream profiles, suggesting that both record the same control of aridity on surface flow.
Introduction to hybrid catalysis
Authors: Kanai Motomu , Beller Matthias
Published: January 2021

Motomu Kanai and Matthias Beller introduce the Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry themed issue on hybrid catalysis.
The Perception of Regional Dialects and Foreign Accents by Cochlear Implant Users
Authors: Tamati Terrin N. , Pisoni David B. , Moberly Aaron C.
Published: January 2021

Purpose

This preliminary research examined (a) the perception of two common sources of indexical variability in speech—regional dialects and foreign accents, and (b) the relation between indexical processing and sentence recognition among prelingually deaf, long-term cochlear implant (CI) users and normal-hearing (NH) peers.

Method

Forty-three prelingually deaf adolescent and adult CI users and 44 NH peers completed a regional dialect categorization task, which consisted of identifying the region of origin of an unfamiliar talker from six dialect regions of the United States. They also completed an intelligibility rating task, which consisted of rating the intelligibility of short sentences produced by native and nonnative (foreign-accented) speakers of American English on a scale from 1 (
not intelligible at all
) to 7 (
very intelligible
). Individual performance was compared to demographic factors and sentence recognition scores.

Results

Both CI and NH groups demonstrated difficulty with regional dialect categorization, but NH listeners significantly outperformed the CI users. In the intelligibility rating task, both CI and NH listeners rated foreign-accented sentences as less intelligible than native sentences; however, CI users perceived smaller differences in intelligibility between native and foreign-accented sentences. Sensitivity to accent differences was related to sentence recognition accuracy in CI users.

Conclusions

Prelingually deaf, long-term CI users are sensitive to accent variability in speech, but less so than NH peers. Additionally, individual differences in CI users' sensitivity to indexical variability was related to sentence recognition abilities, suggesting a common source of difficulty in the perception and encoding of fine acoustic–phonetic details in speech.
Galaxies with kinematically distinct cores in Illustris
Authors: Ebrová Ivana , Łokas Ewa L. , Eliášek Jiří
Published: January 2021

Context. The growing amount of integral-field spectroscopic data creates an increased demand for understanding kinematic peculiarities that carry valuable information about the evolution of host galaxies.

Aims. For kinematically distinct cores (KDCs), a number of formation mechanisms have been proposed, but it is still unclear as to which of them commonly occur in the Universe. We aim to address the KDC formation in the cosmological context.

Methods. We used the publicly available data of the large-scale hydrodynamic cosmological simulation Illustris. We identified 134 KDCs, studied their properties, and followed their evolution back in time. Examples of four galaxies hosting KDCs are presented and described in detail.

Results. The masses of the KDC hosts follow the general distribution of the Illustris galaxies, with a possible slight preference for massive galaxies. KDCs can be long-lived features, with their formation epochs distributed, roughly uniformly, between look-back times 0–11.4 Gyr, and they can survive even major or multiple subsequent mergers. There is no single channel of KDC formation, but mergers seem to be the formation mechanism for about 60% of KDCs with a significant preference for major mergers and with the percentage being higher among massive hosts. Other KDCs formed during a pericentric passage or flyby of another galaxy by the precession of a previously formed rapidly rotating core, or without an obvious external cause. The mean mass-weighted stellar age inside the KDC radius is either about the same as the look-back time of the KDC formation or older. Although the radii of our KDCs are, on average, larger than observed, we find that younger stellar ages are typically associated with smaller KDCs. A significant fraction of KDC hosts possess stellar shells that formed during mergers, which led to KDCs within the last 5 Gyr, or double peaks in their velocity dispersion maps.
Traffic Sign Detection for Intelligent Transportation Systems: A Survey
Authors: Ellahyani Ayoub , El Jaafari Ilyas , Charfi Said
Published: January 2021

Recently, intelligent transportation systems (ITS) attracts more and more attention for its wide applications. Traffic sign detection and recognition (TSDR) system is an essential task of ITS. It enhances the safety by informing the drivers about the current state of traffic signs and offering valuable information about precautions. This paper reviews the popular traffic sign detection methods (TSD) prevalent in recent literature. The methods are divided into color-based, shape-based, and machine learning based ones. Color space, segmentation method, features, and shape detection method are the terms considered in the review of the detection module. The paper presents a comparison between these methods. Furthermore, a list of publicly available data sets and a discussion on possible future works are provided.