bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Immigrant Men’s Economic Adaptation in Changing Labor Markets: Why Gaps between Turkish and German Men Expanded, 1976–2015
Authors: Wiedner Jonas , Giesecke Johannes
Published: August 2021

How important were manufacturing and heavy industries to the economic integration of twentieth-century immigrants in Western societies? This article examines how macro-social change in Germany since the height of manufacturing has affected the socio-economic integration of male immigrants. We develop an analytical framework to assess how educational expansion among natives, deindustrialization, and the increasing importance of formal qualifications shape male immigrant-native gaps in labor-market outcomes over time. Empirically, we focus on first-generation male Turkish immigrants in Germany and use micro-census data spanning almost 40 years. Through a novel empirical quantification of key theoretical arguments concerning immigrant economic integration, we find growing inter-group differences between the late 1970s and mid-2000s (employment) and mid-2010s (incomes), respectively. The growth of differences between the immigrant and native income distributions was most pronounced in their respective bottom halves. Our analysis shows that these trends are linked to the increased importance of formal educational qualifications for individual labor-market success, to educational expansion in Germany, and to deindustrialization. Employment in Germany shifted away from middling positions in manufacturing, but while natives tended to move into better-paying positions, Turkish immigrants mainly shifted into disadvantaged service jobs. These results provide novel evidence for claims that the economic assimilation of less-skilled immigrants may become structurally harder in increasingly post-industrial societies. We conclude that structural change in host countries is an important, yet often overlooked, driver of immigrant socio-economic integration trajectories.
Hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign predicts favorable outcome after decompressive craniectomy in patients with malignant middle cerebral artery infarction
Authors: Xu Zhihua , Duan Jinfeng , Yang Benqiang , Huang Xin , Liang Guobiao , Duan Yang
Published: August 2021

Background

Malignant middle cerebral artery infarction (MMI) is a life-threatening cerebral vascular event. Early decompressive craniectomy (DC) has proven to be an effective treatment strategy. However, the ideal candidate for DC continues to be debated.

Purpose

To investigate whether a hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign (HMCAS) provides prognostic value after DC in patients with MMI.

Material and Methods

We reviewed clinical information and radiological parameters on computed tomography of 42 patients with MMI who underwent DC. Functional outcome was assessed according to the modified Rankin scale (mRS) at three months as follows: favorable outcome (mRS ≤ 4) versus unfavorable outcome (mRS > 4). Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of functional outcome after DC in patients with MMI.

Results

Age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.78–0.97; P = 0.014) and HMCAS (OR = 7.40; 95% CI = 1.35–40.48; P = 0.021) were associated with functional outcome. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for predicting favorable outcome using the combination of age and HMCAS was 0.882, and the sensitivity and specificity were 0.947 and 0.696, respectively.

Conclusion

Patients with MMI with HMCAS, as well as younger patients, often showed a favorable outcome after DC in this study.
Risk factors for clavicular midshaft fractures after hook plate fixation for the treatment of Neer type II clavicular fractures
Authors: Li Yihan , Tian Qingxian , Leng Kunpeng , Guo Meng
Published: August 2021

Objective

Neer type II fractures are common, and hook plate fixation is one of the recommended treatments. Although clavicular midshaft fractures after hook plate fixation are rare, such fractures increase patients’ suffering and worsen their functional outcomes. This study was performed to identify the risk factors for this complication.

Methods

From 2009 to 2018, 425 patients were admitted with Neer type II clavicular fractures. According to the selection criteria, 352 patients were included in this retrospective observational study. All patients were divided into either the complications group (patients with midshaft fractures) or the control group (patients without midshaft fractures). Data collected included patient demographics and surgical, hook plate, and screw characteristics. The chi-square test was used to conduct between-group comparisons of risk factors. Statistically significant variables were included in a logistic regression model.

Results

In both the complications group (n = 21) and control group (n = 331), significantly more patients of advanced age and significantly more patients treated with hook plates that were not bent during surgery developed midshaft fractures.

Conclusion

The risk of a clavicular midshaft fracture after hook plate fixation may be significantly increased by advanced age or a lack of hook plate bending.
A new intelligent fault diagnosis and prognosis method for wind turbine doubly-fed induction generator
Authors: Kamarzarrin Mehrnoosh , Refan Mohammad Hossein , Amiri Parviz , Dameshghi Adel
Published: August 2021

Condition Monitoring and fault-prognosis approaches are typical methods to reduce the energy production cost and Wind Turbine downtime. In this paper, a new CM combinatory system and fault prognosis are proposed based on an adaptive threshold, feature-level fusion, and new degradation indicator and the CM operation is based on a new index Symptom of Degeneration crossing of an adaptive threshold. Also, a new adaptive threshold is proposed based on the fuzzy rules and WT operation point. Fault prognosis is conducted with the Least-Squares Support-Vector Machine method, and Particle Swarm Optimization is employed for the optimum selecting of the wavelet Kernel function and the SVM parameters. The proposed technique is compared with other methods and the simulation results illustrate the PSO-LS-SVM superiorities. The effectiveness of the proposed prognostic structure is evaluated using a WT test-rig prototype. The experimental results demonstrate that the Condition-Based Maintenance is improved by the proposed structure and the RUL is predicted before serious damage occurrences.
Transtracheal jet ventilation in a general tertiary hospital: A 7-year audit
Authors: Barnes Richard K , Au Jonathan
Published: August 2021

Airway management in patients presenting with severe airway obstruction can present a challenge to the anaesthetist, as conventional difficult airway pathways are often inappropriate. The use of a transtracheal jet cannula is an alternative means of airway securement, but lack of familiarity has limited its use in general tertiary hospitals. We report a retrospective audit of the use of transtracheal jet ventilation in a general tertiary healthcare centre over the past seven years, with a total of 50 patients with severe airway compromise undergoing pharyngolaryngeal surgery. Transtracheal jet ventilation was successful in 98% of patients, and was the definitive means of airway management in 43 cases. In six cases, the technique was a useful temporising measure while the airway was secured by other means. Minor complications occurred in 12% of patients. No major morbidities or mortalities were recorded. We conclude that transtracheal jet ventilation for high-risk pharyngolaryngeal surgery can be performed using a high frequency jet ventilator, with a high rate of success and only minor complications. Cannulation of the trachea below the cricothyroid membrane is feasible but more challenging. Low-flow apnoeic oxygenation through the transtracheal jet ventilation cannula maintains oxygenation during initial surgical airway manipulation.
Study on the Feasibility of Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Applications Supported through Advanced Wireless Communications
Authors: Rayamajhi Anjan , Balse Animesh , Leslie Edward M. , Nallamothu Sudhakar , Park Hyungjun
Published: August 2021

Connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technology has the potential to improve transportation systems. CAV technology has been shown to bring benefits in transportation mobility, safety, and the environment. The signal phase and timing (SPaT) message is a fundamental and critical CAV message, as it enables connectivity between vehicles and infrastructure. Because SPaT messages can be transmitted using different wireless communication technologies, it is necessary to study the latency and coverage of SPaT messages in such cases. This study investigates performances of SPaT messages transmitted using two popular communication technologies in CAVs: dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) and cellular 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP)/4th generation long-term evolution (4G/LTE). To provide a robust evaluation, SPaT data transmitted by DSRC and cellular networks were collected in the field at various intersections in Northern Virginia and used to compare performance in terms of latency and distance coverage. The results showed that the latency experienced by SPaT messages over cellular networks is well below the 100 ms required by most infrastructure applications, implying that cellular communications may be used for many vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) safety and mobility applications. The feasibility of several CAV applications was investigated based on the network performance observed in this study. Specifically, several safety, mobility, and environmental applications were tested to determine whether DSRC and cellular networks could satisfy their requirements for network performance. The study also provides conclusive remarks on whether the wireless communication technologies are capable of supporting safety, mobility, and environmental applications.
Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma Plus Suramin, an Antifibrotic Agent, to Improve Muscle Healing After Injuries
Authors: Tsai Wen-Chung , Yu Tung-Yang , Chang Gwo-Jyh , Chang Hsiang-Ning , Lin Li-Ping , Lin Miao-Sui , Pang Jong-Hwei S.
Published: August 2021

Background:

The increasing use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to treat muscle injuries raises concerns because transforming growth factor–beta (TGF-β) in PRP may promote fibrosis in the injured muscle and thus impair muscle regeneration.

Purpose:

To investigate whether suramin (a TGF-β inhibitor) can reduce muscle fibrosis to improve healing of the injured muscle after PRP treatment and identify the underlying molecular mechanism.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Myoblasts isolated from the gastrocnemius muscle of Sprague Dawley rats were treated with PRP or PRP plus suramin. MTT assays were performed to evaluate cell viability. The expression of fibrosis-associated proteins (such as type I collagen and fibronectin), Smad2, and phosphorylated Smad2 was determined using Western blot analysis and immunofluorescent staining. An anti–TGF-β antibody was employed to verify the role of TGF-β in fibronectin expression. Gastrocnemius muscles were injured through a partial transverse incision and then treated using PRP or PRP plus suramin. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was conducted to evaluate the healing process 7 days after the injury. Immunofluorescent staining was performed to evaluate fibronectin expression. Muscle contractile properties—fast-twitch and tetanic strength—were evaluated through electric stimulation.

Results:

PRP plus 25 μg/mL of suramin promoted myoblast proliferation. PRP induced fibronectin expression in myoblasts, but suramin reduced this upregulation. The anti–TGF-β antibody also reduced the upregulation of fibronectin expression in the presence of PRP. The upregulation of phosphorylated Smad2 by PRP was reduced by either the anti–TGF-β antibody or suramin. In the animal study, no significant difference was discovered in muscle healing between the PRP versus PRP plus suramin groups. However, the PRP plus suramin group had reduced fibronectin expression at the injury site. Fast-twitch strength and tetanic strength were significantly higher in the injured muscle treated using PRP or PRP plus suramin.

Conclusion:

Simultaneous PRP and suramin use reduced fibrosis in the injured muscle and promoted healing without negatively affecting the muscle’s contractile properties. The underlying molecular mechanism may be associated with the phosphorylated Smad2 pathway.

Clinical Relevance:

Simultaneous PRP and suramin use may reduce muscle fibrosis without compromising muscle contractile properties and thus improve muscle healing.
Elimination of three doses of gentamicin over three consecutive days using a polyacrylonitrile-derived filter: An in vitro assessment
Authors: Baud Frédéric J , Seif Vanessa , Houzé Pascal , Raphalen Jean-Herlé , Pilmis Benoît , Carli Pierre , Lamhaut Lionel
Published: August 2021

Introduction:

Adsorption of gentamicin in a polyacrylonitrile filter was previously evidenced in a session lasting 6 h using the NeckEpur model. We extended the study over three consecutive days to mimic the 72-h life span of a filter.

Methods:

Prismaflex® monitor and ST150® filter were used in the continuous diafiltration (CDF) mode at a 2.5 L/h flowrate. The daily session started with a 6-h session of CDF. Thereafter, the 5-L central compartment was changed using a bag free of gentamicin to assess gentamicin release over the following 18 h. Experiments were repeated on Day 2 and stopped at the end of the 6-h session of CDF on Day 3. The experiment was performed in duplicate.

Results:

At a 2.5 L/h diafiltration flowrate, the mean daily clearances of gentamicin were 5.5, 4.0, and 3.3 L/h, respectively. The mean diafiltration and adsorption ratios in the daily elimination of gentamicin were 32/68%, 58/42%, and 88/12%, respectively. During days 1 and 2, the mean amount of gentamicin released from the ST150® filter were 14 and 34 mg, respectively.

Conclusion:

The pharmacokinetics of gentamicin over 3 days is strongly altered by adsorption in the same filter with a progressive decrease of elimination by adsorption, suggesting saturation of the filter. One limitation of our study results from the mode of administration using a bolus dose instead of an infusion over 30 min. Adsorption adds a clearance to those of diafiltration. The time-dependency of gentamicin clearance precludes using a constant dosage regimen over the filter’s life span.
Engineering Lab in Immersive VR—An Embodied Approach to Training Wafer Preparation
Authors: Xu Xinhao , Wang Fang
Published: August 2021

This paper reports an immersive virtual reality lab (iVRLab) training environment that offers college students an immersive and embodied experience in engineering lab work. The iVRLab provides a simple and safe environment for students to learn the complex lab operations to process and prepare silicon wafers. It features highly embodied interactions congruent to the actual body movements to manipulate the lab devices and materials in the physical world. Fourteen college students participate the lab training and the study results reveal positive learning effects, confidence levels of accomplishment, and embodied experiences. Students’ cognitive load is also measured, and its relationship with the embodied experiences is examined and discussed. The study offers a reference for peer researchers and practitioners for the design and implementation of immersive VR systems for engineering lab training. It also sketches a complementary approach during the time like the pandemic to practicing authentic lab work without having to be in a real classroom or laboratory.
Toward a 5E-Based Flipped Classroom Model for Teaching Computational Thinking in Elementary School: Effects on Student Computational Thinking and Problem-Solving Performance
Authors: Gao Xuemin , Hew Khe Foon
Published: August 2021

Computational thinking (CT) has attracted significant interest among many educators around the globe. Despite this growing interest, research on CT and programming education in elementary school remains at an initial stage. Many relevant studies have adopted only one type of method to assess students’ CT, which may lead to an incomplete view of student development on CT, while other studies employed small sample sizes, which may increase the chance of assuming a false premise to be true. Moreover, conventional programming courses typically have two limitations (e.g., limited student active learning and student low engagement). Given these gaps, this study investigates the effects of a theory-based (5E framework) flipped classroom model (FCM) on elementary school students’ understanding of CT concepts, computational problem-solving performance, and perceptions of flipped learning. To achieve this, a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study was conducted in a rural elementary school, including 125 students in the experimental group and 122 students in the control group. The results showed that the 5E-based FCM significantly improved student understanding of CT concepts and computational problem-solving abilities. The results also revealed positive student perception toward the FCM. The benefits and challenges of the 5E-based FCM are discussed.
Training Pathways for Adult Learning Professionals in Higher Education: Case of Hungary and Serbia
Authors: Beszédes Viktória
Published: August 2021

The topic of the professionalization of adult education is receiving a great deal of attention worldwide. This is justified because the competencies among adult learning professionals have a significant impact on the effectiveness of adult learning. The professional preparedness of adult learning practitioners is therefore a basic condition for the high-quality realization of the adult learning process. Nevertheless, the training system for adult learning professionals varies greatly from country to country. Professionals in adult education are often andragogically unskilled individuals, and national education policy also plays a key role in this. A comparative approach has been used in this study to examine the historical development and content elements of university-level andragogy programs in Hungary and Serbia. The findings show that although Hungary and Serbia are neighbors, the development of adult education as a profession has followed completely different trends in the two countries.
Associations Between Parental Monitoring and Multiple Types of Youth Violence Victimization: A Brief Report
Authors: Khetarpal Susheel K. , Szoko Nicholas , Culyba Alison J. , Shaw Daniel , Ragavan Maya I.
Published: August 2021

Youth violence victimization continues to be pervasive and a significant cause of adolescent mortality. Since their 2014 “Connecting the Dots” report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have encouraged researchers to identify shared protective factors that prevent multiple forms of youth violence. Parental monitoring, a bidirectional construct encompassing parental knowledge and regulation of their child’s activities with children’s concurrent perception of their parent’s awareness of such activities, could be such a cross-cutting protective factor. In this study, we examined associations between parental monitoring and multiple types of violence victimization among a school-based sample of adolescents. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of an anonymous survey of health risk and protective behaviors completed by students across Pittsburgh Public Schools ( N = 2,426). In separate analyses, we used logistic regression to examine associations between youth-reported parental monitoring and multiple experiences of youth violence victimization, ranging from school- and electronic-based bullying to different forms of sexual and physical violence. We found that many experiences of youth violence victimization were consistent with nationally representative data. In addition, we determined that higher parental monitoring was significantly and inversely associated with all violence victimization outcomes examined (school-based bullying, electronic-based bullying, threatening someone with a weapon, adolescent relationship abuse, sexual assault, and exchange sex) at the p < .05 threshold. Overall, this study is one of the first that examines how parental monitoring relates to multiple forms of youth violence victimization, including exchange sex, which is a critical but less-studied violence experience. This work adds to the growing literature on how parental monitoring may serve as a shared protective factor for multiple forms of violence victimization.
Preschoolers’ Intimate Partner Violence Exposure and Their Speeded Control Abilities Eight Years Later: A Longitudinal Mediation Analysis
Authors: Clark Hannah M. , Grogan-Kaylor Andrew C. , Galano Maria M. , Stein Sara F. , Graham-Bermann Sandra A.
Published: August 2021

Executive functioning (EF), or a set of related cognitive skills that facilitate goal-oriented behavior, is a critical aspect of adaptive development. Mounting research indicates that exposure to environmental threats during the preschool years jeopardizes EF; however, the extent and mechanisms through which early exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) influences children’s EF are unknown. Using data from an eight-year longitudinal investigation of mothers who had experienced IPV and their preschool-aged children (N = 120), this study examined the relative influence of recent and remote IPV exposure on speeded control—a component of EF influenced by processing speed—in late childhood. Results indicated that preschoolers’ IPV exposure had a significant negative impact on their speeded control eight years later, and this relation was mediated by the remote effects of IPV on their mothers. Specifically, IPV was positively associated with maternal depression, which in turn contributed to greater use of negative parenting strategies when children were of preschool age. Children’s IPV exposure during late childhood was not predictive of their concurrent speeded control. These findings lend further evidence to the notion that the preschool years are a sensitive period for the mastery of EF skills and that IPV exposure is a distinct risk factor that can have protracted effects on children’s cognitive development. Further, this study points to modifiable environmental risk factors, which, through targeted prevention and intervention efforts, could promote EF across the lifespan.
Examining the Career Construction Model of Adaptation Among Filipino Senior High School Students
Authors: Ochoco Marc Sherwin A. , Ty Welison Evenston G.
Published: August 2021

Career development literature that tested the career construction model of adaptation has, thus far, examined adaptability resource as a mediator in the relationship between adaptive readiness and adaptation results; however, there remains a need to elaborate the links between adaptive resources, adapting response, and adaptation results. This research tested a path model among 331 Filipino senior high school students using hope, career adaptability, career engagement, and life satisfaction as measures of adaptive readiness, adaptability resources, adaptive response, and adaptation results, respectively. Analyses revealed a significant serial relationship from hope to life satisfaction through career adaptability and career engagement. Findings suggest that having career-related abilities may not be enough to promote well-being; rather proactive career behaviors may be taken as a route to a satisfying life. Implications on theory, research, and practice are discussed.
Predictors and Outcomes of U.S. Quality Maternity Leave: A Review and Conceptual Framework
Authors: Sterling Haley M. , Allan Blake A.
Published: August 2021

Maternity leave includes the time that mothers take off from work to care for their baby and heal after childbirth. The United States’ maternity leave provisions lag behind other industrialized countries, resulting in poor quality maternity leave (QML) for many mothers. Accordingly, scholars have begun examining QML, a new construct that captures mothers’ subjective experiences of their leave, including dimensions like time off and flexibility. However, researchers know little about predictors and outcomes of QML. Therefore, in this literature review, we will integrate societal-, work-, and individual-level predictors as well as well-being and work-related outcomes of maternity leave into a testable conceptual framework for QML. This review has important implications for U.S. policy makers and organizations regarding their support of mothers. Future research should continue to build this framework to ensure that mothers and parents in the United States and internationally are provided the QML they need to thrive.
Increased Odds of Incident Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias in Presence of Common Non-Cancer Chronic Pain Conditions in Appalachian Older Adults
Authors: Khalid Sumaira , Sambamoorthi Usha , Umer Amna , Lilly Christa L. , Gross Diane K. , Innes Kim E.
Published: August 2021

Background

There is a growing concern regarding the increasing prevalence of common non-cancer chronic pain conditions (NCPCs) and their possible association with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). However, large population-based studies are limited, especially in Appalachian and other predominantly rural, underserved populations who suffer elevated prevalence of both NCPCs and known ADRD risk factors.

Objectives

We investigated the relation of NCPC to risk of incident ADRD in older Appalachian Medicare beneficiaries and explored the potential mediating effects of mood and sleep disorders.

Methods

Using a retrospective cohort design, we assessed the overall and cumulative association of common diagnosed NCPCs at baseline to incident ADRD in 161,573 elders ≥65 years, Medicare fee-for-service enrollees, 2013–2015. NCPCs and ADRD were ascertained using claims data. Additional competing risk for death analyses accounted for potential survival bias.

Main Findings

Presence of any NCPC at baseline was associated with significantly increased odds for incident ADRD after adjustment for covariates [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.26 (1.20, 1.32), p < .0001]. The magnitude and strength of this association increased significantly with rising burden of NCPCs at baseline [AOR for ≥4 vs. no NCPC = 1.65 (1.34, 2.03), p-trend = .01]. The addition of depression and anxiety, but not sleep disorders, modestly attenuated these associations [AORs for any NCPC and ≥4 NCPCs, respectively = 1.16 (1.10, 1.22) and 1.39 (1.13, 1.71)], suggesting a partial mediating role of mood impairment. Sensitivity analyses, multinomial logistic regressions accounting for risk of death, yielded comparable findings.

Conclusion

In this large cohort of older Appalachian Medicare beneficiaries, baseline NCPCs showed a strong, positive, dose–response relationship to odds for incident ADRD; this association appeared partially mediated by depression and anxiety. Further longitudinal research in this and other high-risk, rural populations are needed to evaluate the causal relation between NCPC and ADRD.
Cultural brokers in mental health care in Sri Lanka’s North
Authors: Arambewela-Colley Nadeeka
Published: August 2021

This article engages in an anthropological analysis of brokerage to investigate the role of community support officers (CSOs) and mental health clinicians working on implementing post conflict reconstruction and reconciliation projects in Jaffna, in the North of Sri Lanka. I propose that CSOs and mental health clinicians become cultural brokers in health care by operating beyond the universal clinical assumptions associated with mental illness and distress, navigating the space and interrelationship between community-based local voices, national health priorities and the translocal agendas of the global mental health framework. The CSOs and mental health clinicians’ scope of authority, the complexity of their social and cultural activities along with their agentive capacity in representing marginalised voices enables them to facilitate, be responsible for and actively influence the process of intermediation and translation; in other words, they engage in brokerage. This article provides insights into the socio-cultural matrix of mental distress and suffering in post-conflict affected communities in the North of Sri Lanka and builds on brokerage theory to recognise evolving social and political landscapes in translocal mental health diagnosis and treatment.
Influence of inlet swirl on pattern factor and pressure loss in an aero engine combustor
Authors: Narayana Rao KVL , Prasad BVSSS , Kanna Babu CH , Degaonkar Girish K
Published: August 2021

The effect of compressor exit swirl angle (θsw) at the intake of an aero engine combustor on the exit temperature non-uniformity (pattern factor) and combustor total pressure loss is investigated. Experiments are conducted in the engine test rig, measuring the gas temperature and pressure at the inlet and exit planes of the combustor. These parameters are measured at distinct locations along the circumferential and radial directions in the engine test facility. Simulations are carried out using RANS based turbulence modeling and reacting flow approach with Ansys CFX commercial code. The predicted results are validated with experimental data at 5° swirl angle. The swirl angle at the combustor intake is further varied from 0° to 15° and 4 cases (0°, 5°, 10° and 15°) has been considered to predict the effect on the combustor pattern factor and pressure loss. The changes in the flow structure inside the combustion chamber for all these 4 cases are reported in detail. The pattern factor varies from 0.34 to 0.49 as swirl angle changes from 0° to 15°. The lowest pattern factor of 0.34 occurs at 10° swirl angle. However a linear increase in combustor total pressure loss from 5.85% to 6.53% is predicted with the change in swirl angle from 0° to 15°.
Effect of austenite reverted transformation-annealing heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of Fe–0.14C–5Mn–1Al–Ce steel
Authors: Li Zhenjiang , Liu Yujing , Jia Pengju , Luo Chao , Zhang Ruyi , Qi Huiping , Yang Wen
Published: August 2021

Microstructure and mechanical properties of medium-Mn steel (Fe–0.14C–5Mn–1Al–Ce) processed by different austenite reverted transformation-annealing temperatures vary from 580 °C to 740 °C were studied. It was found that the austenite reverted transformation-annealing temperature has a strong effect on microstructure evolution. The martensite structure was transformed into austenite by austenite reverted transformation during the austenite reverted transformation-annealing process. The orientation relationship between the austenite and the matrix was dominated by the Kennicutt–Schmidt relation. With the increase of the austenite reverted transformation-annealing temperature, the content of retained austenite first increases and then decreases at room temperature. The tensile strength first decreases and then increases, while the elongation first increases and then decreases. An excellent combination of tensile strength and elongation (Rm × A) was obtained in the Fe–0.14C–5Mn–1Al–Ce steel by austenite reverted transformation-annealing at 640 °C.
What do senior genitourinary medicine physicians think of the future of the speciality? A national survey
Authors: Pocock Mamatha , Kingston Margaret , Whalley Simon , Carlin Elizabeth
Published: August 2021

Genitourinary Medicine (GUM) is a specialty that has undergone significant change over the past decade. Multiple factors have contributed to this including changes in service models and commissioning landscapes, health service leadership, medical education and changes in the spectrum of our clinical work. The Joint Specialist Committee for GUM at the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) conducted a national survey in December 2019 – January 2020 to understand the changing scope of work for GUM consultants. The survey indicated an increase in clinical complexity alongside a decline in registrar recruitment, staff shortages and service fragmentation. Funding cuts have impacted many services and the majority of consultants feel a return to an NHS commissioning model would be preferable. Despite the many challenges, GUM physicians consider the specialty ‘unique, dynamic, friendly and open-minded’. It is clear that senior doctors value the wider clinical, academic and educational opportunities within the specialty.
“Red Vienna” and the rise of the populist right
Authors: Essletzbichler Juergen , Forcher Johannes
Published: August 2021

While research on the spatial variation in populist right voting focuses on the role of “places left behind”, this paper examines the spatial distribution of populist right voting in one of the fastest growing capital cities of Europe, Vienna. Combining detailed electoral data of the 2017 national elections at the statistical ward level and the location of municipal housing units, the paper examines why the populist right “Austrian Freedom Party” (FPOE) performs better in the former bulwarks of socialism, in the municipal housing areas of “Red Vienna”. The paper links the socio-demographic development of Vienna and its municipal housing policy with election results and explores three possible reasons for elevated FPOE shares in municipal housing areas: rising housing costs pushed an increasing number of socially and economically vulnerable into the municipal housing sector and so increased the FPOE voter pool in those areas; European Union accession and changes in regulation allowed foreign citizens to apply to and obtain municipal housing flats triggering a backlash from Austrian municipal housing residents; and municipal housing is located in disadvantaged neighbourhoods further enhancing the FPOE voter pool. The paper demonstrates that higher FPOE vote shares in areas with high municipal housing shares are due primarily to higher shares of formally less educated residents, neighbourhood context and they are marginally elevated in those municipal housing areas experiencing a larger influx of foreign residents.
Peruvian Women’s Underrepresentation in Science and Technology: Strategic Guidelines
Authors: Avolio Beatrice
Published: August 2021

Women’s underrepresentation in science and technology (ST) has multiple complex reasons caused by cumulative effects at different stages in women’s lives. This is a relevant public policy issue for economic, social and ethical reasons that requires multiple solutions. In this sense, this study analyses the factors affecting Peruvian women’s participation in ST and proposes strategic guidelines to increase it. The originality of this article lies in studying this phenomenon, considering different stages of the career choice (access to education, career persistence and career progress) in a context that has not been previously studied, characterized by the highest female labour participation rate in Latin America. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with female students in high schools and universities, university professors in ST departments, professionals in ST careers, qualified researchers in ST institutions and ST experts. The information was encoded, categorized and analysed according to thematic analysis. Consequently, we propose an integrated framework of strategic guidelines based on the stages of women’s careers: access, persistence and advancement. The results are useful for public and private professionals and institutions engaged in ST, education and gender equality.
Financing Agribusiness: Potential Determinants of Financial Inclusion for Smallholder Rural Farming Communities in Kenya
Authors: Gichuki Castro N. , Kamau Charles Wambu
Published: August 2021

The purpose of this article is to empirically examine and compare the factors or determinants of financial inclusion in commercial banking institutions, microfinance banks, mobile banking platforms and table banking groups (informal banking groups) in Kenya. The data used in the study were obtained from 631 small and micro-sized (SMS) farming enterprises in Kenya. We use probit model to empirically establish the factors that determine the probability of small and micro-sized farming enterprises in accessing agricultural credit from the four major lending institutions. Also, we apply Heckman selection model to establish the determinants of agricultural credit rationing. OLS model is used to investigate the determinants of agricultural credit delinquency rates in the lending institutions. The results show that female-owned SMS farming enterprises are likely to access less agricultural credit amount from table banking groups, own small farms with no title deed and own less valued assets compared to male-owned SMS farming enterprises which access agricultural credit from commercial banks and microfinance banks. Further results revealed that household dependency ratio was a significant determinant factor in agricultural credit access from mobile banks, commercial banks and table banking groups. Additionally, agricultural credit delinquency in mobile banking is significantly reduced by distance to the banking agent. The availability of mobile banking agencies within village centres would considerably enable agri-entrepreneurs to make credit repayment within the required period.
Data-driven tracking consensus for a class of unknown nonlinear multi-agent systems
Authors: Wu Jia , Liu Ning , Tang Wenyan
Published: August 2021

This study investigates the tracking consensus problem for a class of unknown nonlinear multi-agent systems A novel data-driven protocol for this problem is proposed by using the model-free adaptive control method To obtain faster convergence speed, one-step-ahead desired signal is introduced to construct the novel protocol Here, switching communication topology is considered, which is not required to be strongly connected all the time Through rigorous analysis, sufficient conditions are given to guarantee that the tracking errors of all agents are convergent under the novel protocol Examples are given to validate the effectiveness of results derived in this article
An optimal sensor/actuator placement method for flexible structures considering spatially varying disturbances
Authors: Ding Runze , Chenyang Ding , Yunlang Xu , Yang Xiaofeng
Published: August 2021

Disturbances acting on flexible structures at spatially varying locations instead of fixed points may lead to deteriorated vibration control performance. To tackle this problem, this article presents an optimal sensor/actuator placement method, in which the closed-loop spatial [Formula: see text] norm is employed as the optimization criterion. In addition, a new way to calculate the spatial [Formula: see text] norm is proposed, which is independent of the modal orthogonality assumption in previous research. An optimization framework is established to optimize sensor/actuator placement by minimizing the closed-loop spatial [Formula: see text] norm using the genetic algorithm. Comprehensive numerical simulations are implemented on a fixed-fixed plate to validate the proposed method. Results show that magnitude of vibrations is reduced and decays faster after the optimization, which indicates that the proposed method markedly improves control performance when spatially varying disturbances exist.
Playing With the Past: An Autoethnography
Authors: Daly Diane K.
Published: August 2021

What does it take to become an elite professional performer in the culture of Western Classical music? Successful performers often begin lessons at an extremely early age, and many hours of childhood are given over to practice. The research reveals how an autoethnographic exploration through music, improvisation, composition, and somatic movement enabled the documentation and creation of a new work of artistic expression. This article presents how the research model provided the artist with a range of insights and discoveries that would have otherwise remained uncovered, highlighting the impact and value of autoethnography in producing new knowledge in the field of classical music education.
Gender bias in candidate turnover: A longitudinal analysis of legislative elections in Flanders/Belgium (1987–2019)
Authors: Muyters Gertjan , Put Gert-Jan , Maddens Bart
Published: August 2021

A higher candidate turnover among women may be one of the reasons why quota rules seldom succeed in attaining full legislative parity. This proposition is tested on the basis of a longitudinal analysis of 11,678 candidates for legislative elections during the period 1987–2019 in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is shown that male candidates have shorter careers than women, contrary to expectations. The duration of the career as a candidate depends on the electoral performance, but only for men. In the long run, the introduction of a strict quota rule prolongs the candidate careers of both men and women, but the effect for women is much stronger. This finding contradicts the allegation that quota lead to an influx of unmotivated women candidates with a high turnover.
Psychosocial determinants of anxiety about the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Wright Rachael N. , Faul Leonard , Graner John L. , Stewart Gregory W. , LaBar Kevin S.
Published: August 2021

Pandemic health threats can cause considerable anxiety, but not all individuals react similarly. To understand the sources of this variability, we applied a theoretical model developed during the H1N1 pandemic of 2009 to quantify relationships among intolerance of uncertainty, stress appraisals, and coping style that predict anxiety about the COVID-19 pandemic. We surveyed 1579 U.S. Amazon Mechanical Turk workers in April 2020. Using structural equation modeling, we found that individuals who were more intolerant of uncertainty reported higher appraisals of threat, stress, and other-control, which predicted higher anxiety when emotion-focused coping was engaged, and lower anxiety when problem-focused coping was engaged. Political affiliation moderated these effects, such that conservatives relied more on self-control and other-control appraisals to mitigate anxiety than independents or liberals. These results show that how people appraise and cope with their stress interacts with political ideology to shape anxiety in the face of a global health threat.
Basic income in the Swedish legislative debate: The forbidden topic
Authors: Zamboni Mauro
Published: August 2021

When it comes to welfare in general, Sweden’s legislation is certainly one of the most comprehensive in the world. Living up to the ideal of supporting its citizens and residents from the cradle to the grave, this Scandinavian country has expanded its laws exponentially in the last century to cover all aspects of individuals’ and families’ lives. Thus, it comes, then, as a particular surprise to discover that the notion of basic income has been - and still is - almost completely absent from the Swedish political debate (and has consequently remained off the agenda of the Swedish legislative bodies), while being one of the hottest topics around the European continent. The purpose of this article is to investigate the possible reasons why the idea of basic income is missing from Swedish legislative agenda and to draw some brief general conclusions that may be valid for all legislative actors operating in advanced capitalistic societies.
Many happy returns: Preliminary study on retrospective and prospective experiences of enchantment
Authors: Lange Rense , Houran James , Tracey J. Bruce
Published: August 2021

We examined the state of “enchantment” as a consumer motivator, especially in the context of social and travel restrictions during COVID-19. An online purposive sample ( n = 104) provided narrative data and ratings of past experiences versus future expectations of enchantment. Linguistic cluster analysis revealed five categories of these experiences termed Escapade, Nostalgia, Catharsis, Communion, and Attachment. These categories strongly align to hospitality-tourism offerings, but businesses must help consumers to overcome certain stated barriers (COVID and economic concerns) to future experiences of enchantment. Moreover, people often intend to relive their past experiences of enchantment but will opt for “escapades” when novelty is desired or repeats are unworkable.
Spray characterization of DMC and MeFo on multi-hole injectors for highly boosted DISI combustion engines
Authors: Plaß Alexander , Maliha Malki , Kubach Heiko , Koch Thomas
Published: August 2021

In the future, synthetic fuels could replace fossil fuels to minimize the CO2 emissions of combustion engines. Dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and methyl formate (MeFo) represent not only possible synthetic fuels but, due to their oxygen content, also have properties to reduce the pollutant emissions. For a good combustion process, the spray targeting and evaporation properties are important. Due to the less known injection behavior of DMC and MeFo, the spray characteristics were examined in a pressure chamber. The penetration depth, projected spray area, and spray angle were investigated at injection pressures of 100 and 200 bar, chamber pressures of 1 and 2.5 bar, and a temperature variation of up to 90°C for two different injector spray angles and flow rates in comparison with gasoline E5. The spray was recorded with a high-speed camera in a constant-volume chamber with a N2 environment. Both fuels showed a faster evaporation than E5 even with a higher injection mass due to their lower LHV. MeFo showed extreme spray collapse and flash boiling effects, which lead to even faster evaporation rates and higher penetration velocities.
Why do crowds cause trouble? Exploring affective instability in collectivity
Authors: Lopes Maíra Magalhães , Hietanen Joel , Ostberg Jacob
Published: August 2021

Through our ethnographic study of urban activism collectives in São Paulo, we propose another approach for exploring the process of collective formations and their longevity. Rather than seeking out the representational meanings of individualized communities, we approach collectivity from the perspective of crowds. Crowds are affective. Crowds are contagious. By adopting affect-based theorizing, we discuss affective intensities that bring about collectivity before the individuals awaken to narrate their meaning-makings. In our ethnographic context, collectives resist manifestations of gentrification (i.e., consumer culture in itself) and offer us a multifaceted site of being and becoming with the crowds. We explore how connections and disconnections affectively rekindle the social expression of collective bodies in consumer culture. This way, we add new dimensions to extant theorizing of consumer collectivity that tends to focus on individualized meaning, stability, and harmony.