bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Functional interval observer design for linear time-varying systems with additive disturbances
Authors: Gu Da-Ke , Sun Li-Song , Liu Yin-Dong
Published: October 2022

This paper investigates the problem of the functional interval observer design for linear time-varying (LTV) systems with additive disturbances in both input and output channels. First, sufficient conditions for the existence of a functional interval observer for LTV systems are proposed. Based on the solution of a type of Sylvester matrix equations (generalized Sylvester equations, GSEs), completely parameterized expressions of functional interval observer coefficient matrices are established, yielding a simple and effective design approach for solving the interval estimation issue of the LTV system, while the free parameters in the expressions provide the design degrees of freedom that can be utilized to achieve additional system specifications. Furthermore, the developed observer may execute state estimation at the desired convergence rate, considerably improving estimate performance. Finally, a numerical example and a back-to-turn (BTT) aircraft control example are presented, with the results showing that the upper and lower bounds provided by the designed observer provide a better performance of interval estimation of the functional state variables, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed method.
A Rare Chordoma-The Epiglottic chordoma
Authors: Yu Jinfen , Wang Linsheng , Jiang Nan , Li Chuanting , Sun Lixin
Published: October 2022

Chordomas are rare malignant bone tumors. Chordomas originate from notochordal elements. Chordomas have the phenotype of the embryonic notochord, characterized by the dual expression of cytokeratin and brachyury. Chordomas occur anywhere along the central axis. Rarely, chordomas occur in extra-axial structures. We could not find any reports on epiglottic chordoma. Here, we present a case of epiglottic chordoma to highlight this rare cause of laryngeal mass.
Platform ecosystems, market hierarchies and the megacorp: The case of Reliance Jio
Authors: Athique Adrian , Kumar Akshaya
Published: October 2022

The ‘great integration’ of disparate economic sectors by ‘Big Tech’ has been fuelled by the massive expansion of mobile infrastructure, especially in developing countries, and the systemic enclosure of users within multi-sided marketplaces operating under the euphemism of ‘platform ecosystems’. Taking the case study of India’s ‘national champion’ Reliance Jio, this article considers the ways in which India’s leading ‘corporate’ has deployed the ‘ecosystem’ blueprint and adopted the strategic role of the oligopolistic megacorp in India’s digital economy. It has done so, seemingly, without adopting the institutional form upon which Eichner’s founding proposition rests. Consequently, we argue that the separation of ownership and management as per the North American corporate form is not fundamental to the status, function or strategy of a conglomerate oligopoly. Rather, we propose that the megacorps of the digital age have an arisen as an inevitable consequence of market hierarchies in the digital economy, and that the key institutional factor in the consolidation of their market power is the licence of the state.
Malignant syphilis in a young woman: A case report
Authors: Chen Jia-Qi , Cao Yue-Lan , Man Xiao-Yong
Published: October 2022

Malignant syphilis (MS) is a rare dermatological manifestation of secondary syphilis. This case report describes a young woman that presented with a 15-day history of generalized condyloma lata and seborrheic dermatitis-like lesions at various stages. Laboratory tests showed a toluidine red unheated serum test titre of 1:128 and Treponema pallidum particle agglutination positivity. Serology for HIV antibodies was repeatedly negative. MS was diagnosed according to established MS diagnostic criteria. The lesions regressed after treatment with 2 400 000 units penicillin G benzathine by intramuscular injection weekly for three consecutive weeks. MS is more frequently associated with HIV-infected patients, which makes this current case more interesting because MS in HIV-negative patients has rarely been reported.
Aberrant Driving Behavior Prediction for Urban Bus Drivers in Taiwan Using Heart Rate Variability and Various Machine Learning Approaches: A Pilot Study
Authors: Tsai Cheng-Yu , Lin Youxin , Liu Wen-Te , Cheong He-in , Houghton Robert , Hsu Wen-Hua , Iulia Manole , Liu Yi-Shin , Kang Jiunn-Horng , Lee Kang-Yun , Kuan Yi-Chun , Lee Hsin-Chien , Wu Cheng-Jung , Joyce Li Lok-Yee , Cheng Wun-Hao , Ho Shu-Chuan , Lin Shang-Yang , Majumdar Arnab
Published: October 2022

Objective: Aberrant driving behavior (ADB) decreases road safety and is particularly relevant for urban bus drivers, who are required to drive daily shifts of considerable duration. Although numerous frameworks based on human physiological features have been applied to predict ADB, the research remains at an early stage. This study used heart rate variability (HRV) parameters to establish ADB occurrence prediction models with various machine learning approaches. Methods: Twelve Taiwanese urban bus drivers were recruited for four consecutive days of naturalistic driving data collection (from their routine routes) between March and April 2020; driving behaviors and physiological signals were obtained from provided devices. Weather and traffic congestion information was determined from public data, while sleep quality and professional driving experience were self-reported. To develop the ADB prediction model, several machine learning models—logistic regression, random forest, naive Bayes, support vector machine, and gated recurrent unit (GRU)—were trained and 10-fold cross-validated by using the testing data. Results: Most drivers with ADB reported deficient sleep quality (≤80%), with significantly higher mean scores on the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale and driver behavior questionnaire subcategory of lapses and errors than drivers without ADB. Next, HRV indices significantly differed between the measurement of a pre-ADB event and a baseline. The accuracy of the GRU models ranged from 78.84% ± 1.49% to 89.57% ± 1.31%. Conclusion: Drivers with ADB tend to have inadequate sleep quality, which may increase their fatigue levels and impair driving performance. The established time-series models can be considered for ADB occurrence prediction among urban bus drivers.
Use of Anatomic Radiographic Horizons for the Lateral Center-Edge Angle in the Classification of Hip Dysplasia
Authors: Megerian Mark F. , Strony John T. , Mengers Sunita R. , Joseph Noah M. , Salata Michael J. , Wetzel Robert J.
Published: October 2022

Background:

The lateral center-edge angle of Wiberg (LCEA) and Tönnis angle (TA) rely on a “horizon” that functions as a reference point for measurements of hip dysplasia on weightbearing anteroposterior pelvis radiographs. There are 3 different horizons that are currently utilized depending on surgeon preference: (1) a line parallel to the radiographic floor (F), (2) a line that connects the inferior portions of the acetabular teardrops (ATs), or (3) a line that connects the ischial tuberosities (ITs). It is imperative to accurately assess the degree of hip dysplasia on initial workup to select the appropriate surgical intervention.

Purpose:

To assess how the choice of a radiographic horizon affects the measurements of the LCEA and TA. The secondary purpose was to assess how the horizon affected the classification of hips as either normal, borderline dysplastic, or dysplastic.

Study Design:

Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

The LCEA and TA were measured on all preoperative weightbearing anteroposterior pelvis radiographs for 186 consecutive patients who underwent hip preservation surgery between February 2016 and November 2020 (140 hip arthroscopic procedures, 46 combined hip arthroscopic procedures with periacetabular osteotomy), 3 times per hip, each time using an F, AT, and IT horizon. The Student t test was used to analyze the differences in the measurements of the LCEA and TA, and discordance rates in the dysplasia classification between horizons were quantified.

Results:

For the entire study population, the mean LCEAF (23.4°± 7.4°) was significantly greater than the mean LCEAIT (23.1°± 7.2°) (95% CI, −0.634 to −0.003; P = .047) and mean LCEAAT (23.0°± 7.1°) (95% CI, −0.723 to −0.139; P = .004). There was no difference between the LCEAIT and LCEAAT (95% CI, −0.305 to 0.080; P = .251). When stratified by hip arthroscopic surgery, the mean LCEAF (26.3°± 5.6°) was significantly greater than the mean LCEAAT (25.8°± 5.3°) (95% CI, −0.845 to −0.162; P = .004). Overall, there was a 17.7% and 18.3% discordance rate in the dysplasia classification using the LCEAIT and LCEAAT compared with the LCEAF, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between the mean TAIT, TAAT, and TAF for the entire study population, the arthroscopic surgery group, and the combined arthroscopic surgery and periacetabular osteotomy group.

Conclusion:

There was no statistical difference between the AT and IT horizons for LCEA measurements. The dysplasia classification was in better agreement between the 2 anatomic horizons compared with the F horizon. The TA was not affected by changes in the horizon.
A hybrid cartilage extracellular matrix-based hydrogel/poly (ε-caprolactone) scaffold incorporated with Kartogenin for cartilage tissue engineering
Authors: Mohsenifard Sadaf , Mashayekhan Shohreh , Safari Hanieh
Published: October 2022

Despite extensive studies, hydrogels are unable to meet the mechanical and biological requirements for successful outcomes in cartilage tissue engineering. In the present study, beta cyclodextrin (β-CD)-modified alginate/cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM)-based interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogel was developed for sustained release of Kartogenin (KGN). Furthermore, the hydrogel was incorporated within a 3D-printed poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/starch microfiber network in order to reinforce the construct for cartilage tissue engineering. All the synthesized compounds were characterized by H1-NMR spectroscopy. The hydrogel/microfiber composite with a microfiber strand size and strand spacing of 300 μm and 2 mm, respectively showed a compressive modulus of 17.2 MPa, resembling the properties of the native cartilage tissue. Considering water uptake capacity, degradation rate, mechanical property, cell cytotoxicity and glycosaminoglycan secretions, β-CD-modified hydrogel reinforced with printed PCL/starch microfibers with controlled release of KGN may be considered as a promising candidate for using in articular cartilage defects.
Reassessing the Confluence Model of Men’s Risk for Sexual Aggression
Authors: Yucel Ebru , Angelone D. J. , Jones Meredith C.
Published: October 2022

Reassessing the confluence model of men’s risk for sexual aggression—the confluence model of sexual aggression has been widely used to study men’s risk for perpetrating sexual violence. Over time, researchers have attempted to expand this model to improve its predictive utility. Unfortunately, this work has continued to produce similar results with only slight improvements in prediction at best. One explanation for the inability to enhance the model could be due to changes in the dating landscape and shifts in beliefs about gender roles. Therefore, the current study aims to reassess the confluence model using a more contemporary construct, hostile sexism, in an effort to improve the predictive utility of the confluence model of sexual aggression. Participants were 258 college men recruited from a medium-sized public university in the northeastern United States, using an online participant pool of students who volunteered to participate as part of a requirement for a psychology course. Structural equation modeling using mean- and variance-adjusted weighted least squares estimation indicated that the confluence of hostile sexism and impersonal sex appears to be a better predictor of sexual aggression in comparison to the confluence of hostile masculinity and impersonal sex. The results suggest that replacing hostile masculinity with hostile sexism may produce a model that is better able to predict men’s risk for perpetrating sexual aggression. These results can provide insight for future iterations of the confluence model, which may include hostile sexism as a core construct. Attitudes that stem from hostile sexism may be a beneficial target for future interventions designed to decrease the frequency of perpetration.
Heat transfer analysis of triple concentric tube heat exchanger using MWCNT/water nanofluids under parallel flow configurations
Authors: Hariprasath V , Kumar PC Mukesh
Published: October 2022

In this investigation, heat transfer characteristics of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes/water nanofluids are studied experimentally in a triple concentric tube heat exchanger under parallel flow configurations and compared with water. The Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes/water nanofluids are formulated for 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6% nanoparticle volume concentrations using a two-step method by adding sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate surfactant. At 0.6% particle volume concentration, the Nusselt number is found to be 10% higher compared with water at 7500 Reynolds number. In this experimental investigation, it is found that at Reynolds number 9500, the overall heat transfer coefficient is enhanced by 15% and pressure drop enhanced by 15% compared with water at 6500 Reynolds number and friction factor is enhanced by 16% compared with water at 0.6% Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes/water nanofluids concentration.
Researching with care: ethical dilemmas in co-designing focus group discussions
Authors: PADAN YAEL , NDEZI TIM , RENDELL JANE
Published: October 2022

This paper reflects on the ethics of research and knowledge co-production aimed at addressing urban inequality. It draws on work within the Knowledge in Action for Urban Equality (KNOW) programme, which aimed to co-produce knowledge to activate transformation. We employ a lens of feminist care ethics to examine ethical challenges in research partnerships, which derive from interrelated layers of power asymmetry and inequality. We focus on ethical dilemmas that emerged during the planning stage of research work led by the NGO Centre for Community Initiatives (CCI), Tanzania, in collaboration with University College London’s Institute for Global Prosperity (IGP). We argue that contextualizing the value of knowledge co-production in generating transformation in the long term reveals a necessity for simultaneously addressing the immediate needs of intersectionally marginalized research participants. We suggest that ethical awareness of both long- and short-term modes of “caring for” could better support initiatives for addressing urban inequalities in context.
The Family Impact of a Robin Sequence Prenatal Diagnosis
Authors: Ma Christopher Y. , Caprio Ryan M. , Jindal Snigdha , Netson Rebecca , Resnick Cory M.
Published: October 2022

Objective

Assess the impact of prenatal diagnosis of Robin sequence (RS) on parental experience during gestation and early infancy.

Design

Prospective case-control study. An online survey was administered via email to 44 parents representing 34 unique patients with RS.

Participants

Parents of children diagnosed with RS and who received mandibular distraction at our tertiary care children's hospital. Participants were separated by the timing of RS diagnosis into prenatal and control postnatal groups.

Main Outcome Measures

Effects of timing of diagnosis on parents’ preparation, caregiver support, education about the condition, stress, and overall mental health.

Results

Complete responses were received from 44 parents representing 34 unique patients (50% response rate): prenatal, n = 17; postnatal, n = 27. Prenatal diagnosis improved parents’ satisfaction regarding time to prepare for treatment ( P = .001), stress of uncertainty about their child's health ( P = .018), and stress about the operation(s) their child would need ( P = .001). Both the prenatal (82%) and postnatal (78%) groups reported a negative impact on mental health based on diagnosis timing. All parents in the prenatal group preferred having received a prenatal diagnosis and the majority of the postnatal group (85%) would have preferred to have received the diagnosis prenatally.

Conclusions

Prenatal diagnosis of RS provided tangible benefits for parents by allowing them to mentally prepare, make plans for delivery and treatment, and become educated about the condition. Parents in both groups reported a negative impact on their mental health based on diagnosis timing and the majority of parents consistently preferred prenatal diagnosis.
A micromechanical crack bridging model considering the slip-softening interface with the residual shear stress for SFRCC
Authors: Wei Xiangyang , Zhu Hehua , Chen Qing , Ju J Woody , Yan Zhiguo , Shen Yi
Published: October 2022

Characterizing the bond properties of the steel fiber/matrix interface plays an important role in describing the crack bridging effect in steel fiber-reinforced cementitious composites (SFRCC). In this paper, a new interface law considering the residual shear stress is proposed to interpret the slip-softening effects of the steel fiber/matrix interface. Accordingly, a micromechanical crack bridging model for SFRCC is formulated by combining the single steel fiber pullout model with the image analysis-based fiber orientation distribution. Comparisons with the experimental data and the existing models show that the proposed model can well predict SFRCC’s tensile softening behavior. Meanwhile, the decrease rate of the bridging stress, the composite fracture energy, the peak bridging stress and the corresponding peak crack opening displacement (COD) are employed to quantitatively evaluate the crack bridging curves. Finally, the effects of the residual shear stress ratio, the interfacial softening coefficient and the fiber orientation distribution on the crack bridging relation are discussed with the proposed framework.
An Update on State Legislation Supporting Menstrual Hygiene Products in US Schools: A Legislative Review, Policy Report, and Recommendations for School Nurse Leadership
Authors: Francis Lucine , Meraj Shafkat , Konduru Divya , Perrin Eliana M.
Published: October 2022

Access to menstrual products is important to support adolescent health. Advocacy to increase access to menstrual products in schools is growing; however, ideal access requires policies that will require schools to support the menstrual health of menstruating students. We conducted a legislative review on the existence and status of state legislation related to the provision of menstrual products in US schools and categorized by state's political control (political party affiliation of governors and state legislature). Of 50 states and 6 territories, 21 had legislation to support menstrual products in schools, 7 had bills pending, 10 had bills failed, and 18 states had no policies introduced in the state legislature. States with Democrat control have significantly more menstrual product state laws compared to states with Republican control [z  =  2.54, p  =  0.01]. There is a need, especially in Republican states, to accelerate efforts to pass laws that will support menstrual product access in schools.
Current and Cumulative Stress Experiences: A Model for Arab American Young Adults
Authors: Albdour Maha , Templin Thomas , Zilioli Samuele , Hong Jun Sung , Lumley Mark A.
Published: October 2022

Background:

The effect of multiple stressors on immigrant young adults’ endocrine functioning and health outcomes has not been comprehensively investigated.

Aims:

This study tested a theoretical model of cumulative and current stressor effects on the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical (HPA) axis functioning and health-related quality of life (HRQL) among Arab American young adults.

Methods:

Using a cross-sectional design, we recruited 160 participants, ages 18 to 24 years, from an urban university in the Midwest. Cumulative stress was assessed by self-report measures of childhood adversity, bullying victimization, and perceived ethnic discrimination. Current perceived stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) while cortisol levels were measured in participants’ hair. Structural equation modeling tested the effects of cumulative and current stress on cortisol and HRQL.

Results:

Cumulative stress was negatively associated with HRQL (standardized path coefficient = −.51, p < .05). Interestingly, however, cumulative stress was inversely associated with hair cortisol level (standardized path coefficient = −.51, p < .05). Current stress was positively associated with cortisol level (standardized path coefficient = .43, p < .05) and negatively associated with the mental HRQL (standardized path coefficient < −.37, p < .05).

Conclusion:

Cumulative stress exhibited a different effect on HPA functioning from current perceived stress. Mental health was significantly impaired by both cumulative and current perceived stress. Implications for mental health nursing practice and research among Arab Americans are discussed.
Should Moderated Regressions Include or Exclude Quadratic Terms? Present Both! Then Apply Our Linear Algebraic Analysis to Identify the Preferable Specification
Authors: Kalnins Arturs
Published: October 2022

Organizational research increasingly tests moderated relationships using multiple regression with interaction terms. Most research does so with little concern regarding curvilinear relationships. But methodologists have established that omitting quadratic terms of correlated primary variables may create false interaction positives (type 1 errors). If dependent variables are generated by the canonical process where fully specified regressions satisfy the Gauss-Markov assumptions, including quadratics solves the problem. But our empirical analysis of published organizational research suggests that dependent variables are often generated by processes where, even with quadratics included, regression analyses will remain Gauss-Markov non-compliant. In such cases, our linear algebraic analysis demonstrates that including quadratics—even those motivated by compelling theory—may exacerbate rather than mitigate the incidence of false interaction positives. The interaction coefficient may substantially change its magnitude and even flip sign once quadratics are included, and not necessarily for the better. We encourage researchers to present two full sets of results when testing moderating hypotheses—one with, and one without, quadratic terms. Researchers should then answer five questions developed here in order to determine the preferable set of results.
Frictional analysis on stiffness and damping characteristics of bump foil gas bearings
Authors: Zhao Qi , Qiang Mingchen , Yan Shaohang , Liu Xue , Hou Yu , Lai Tianwei
Published: October 2022

Gas foil bearing has been used in high-speed turbomachinery for its high speed, high adaptability, and eco-friendly. The stability of the rotor bearing system is greatly enhanced due to the flexible foil support structure. In the foil supporting structure, vibration energy of the rotor bearing system can be absorbed by the Coulomb friction dissipation. In order to evaluate the frictional dissipation on bearing performance, a quasi-2-dimensional mechanical model is proposed considering the Coulomb friction. The Coulomb damping dissipation characteristics of the bearing in operating conditions are analyzed by coupling gas film. Frictional analysis is conducted on the bump foil bearing with different structural parameters, such as bump height, foil thickness, friction coefficient and number of bump foil strips. The stiffness of the foil bump is less affected by the base load. In the process of foil bearing design, the optimal friction coefficient, bump height should be properly selected in favor of either foil bearing stiffness or damping characteristics. In addition, the overall performance of bump foil bearing is strongly affected by the number of bump foil strips.
Robustness of a tuned viscous mass damper (TVMD) controlled system
Authors: Cheng Yuhao , Ji Xiaodong
Published: October 2022

A tuned viscous mass damper (TVMD) is a novel type of vibration absorber which exhibits outstanding vibration control performance. In this study, an experiment was conducted to investigate the robustness of a TVMD for the vibration control of a typical single degree of freedom (SDOF) structural system. To that end, a new eddy-current TVMD (EC-TVMD) was developed as a representative TVMD device. The TVMD-controlled SDOF system was investigated using a series of shaking table tests. The influence of variations in stiffness of the primary structure and TVMD damping (including damping amplitude and damping nonlinearity) was assessed. The variation in TVMD damping exerted a smaller influence on control performance than the variation in primary structure stiffness. The robustness of TVMD control was enhanced by increasing the inertance-to-mass ratio. Parametric analyses using a numerical model further confirmed the experimental observations, and indicated that a TVMD exhibits improved robustness compared with a conventional tuned mass damper (TMD) which is sensitive to the detuning effect. The vibration control mechanism and robustness characteristics of the TVMD were further revealed by a Kelvin-Voigt model. Finally, the influence of damping nonlinearity was verified by the nonlinear time history analysis of a finite element model of the test structure. The results indicate that damping nonlinearity has limited influence on the control of a TVMD with nonlinear damping as long as this TVMD has the same peak displacement amplification ratio as the optimal linear design.
Heightened scrutiny: The unequal impact of online hygiene scores on restaurant reviews
Authors: Yu Chao , Margolin Drew
Published: October 2022

The success of the public display of restaurant hygiene scores has encouraged online review sites to display these scores digitally on their platforms. By investigating 225,252 Yelp reviews toward 1,937 restaurants in Charlotte, North Carolina, we find that while displaying hygiene scores digitally can inform consumers in a way that reduces bias in reviews, it paradoxically can also promote the creation of more reviews that are biased, something we call the cognitive–discursive dilemma. Specifically, after the digital display on Yelp, reviews mentioning hygiene were more in line with scores, indicating an improvement in “accuracy” across reviews in general. Yet, the digital display also led to greater attention to hygiene, leading to lower scores for restaurants of lower social status as measured by price and cuisine type. Our findings thus call for more attention to a broader theoretical implication about the provision of “accurate information” on review sites.
Phenotyping in clinical text with unsupervised numerical reasoning for patient stratification
Authors: Tanwar Ashwani , Zhang Jingqing , Ive Julia , Gupta Vibhor , Guo Yike
Published: October 2022

Phenotypic information of patients, as expressed in clinical text, is important in many clinical applications such as identifying patients at risk of hard-to-diagnose conditions. Extracting and inferring some phenotypes from clinical text requires numerical reasoning, for example, a temperature of 102°F suggests the phenotype Fever. However, while current state-of-the-art phenotyping models using natural language processing (NLP) are in general very efficient in extracting phenotypes, they struggle to extract phenotypes that require numerical reasoning. In this article, we propose a novel unsupervised method that leverages external clinical knowledge and contextualized word embeddings by ClinicalBERT for numerical reasoning in different phenotypic contexts. Experiments show that the proposed method achieves significant improvement against unsupervised baseline methods with absolute increase in generalized Recall and F1 scores of up to 79% and 71%, respectively. Also, the proposed method outperforms supervised baseline methods with absolute increase in generalized Recall and F1 scores of up to 70% and 44%, respectively. In addition, we validate the methodology on clinical use cases where the detected phenotypes significantly contribute to patient stratification systems for a set of diseases, namely, HIV and myocardial infarction (heart attack). Moreover, we find that these phenotypes from clinical text can be used to impute the missing values in structured data, which enrich and improve data quality.
Heat and mass transfer analysis of MHD stagnation point flow of carbon nanotubes with convective stretching disk and viscous dissipation
Authors: Alqahtani Bader , Mahmood Zafar , Alyami Maryam Ahmed , Alotaibi Abeer M , Khan Umar , Galal Ahmed M
Published: October 2022

The research of single and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs/MWCNTs) mixed in sodium alginate-based nanofluid with MHD stagnation-point flow on a convective heated stretching disk with viscous dissipation and suction effects is being done with the intention of decoding the heat and mass transmission mechanism. It is possible to transform PDEs that govern the boundary layer into ODEs. MATLAB’s Bvp5c is used to numerically solve the revised equations. The Yamada-Ota model and the Buongiorno model are used in this work to scrutinize the flow, heat, and mass transfer parameters. The following parameters were brought up for discussion: volume fraction nanoparticle, magnetic parameter, suction, Brownian motion, thermophoresis, Lewis number, Eckert number, Biot number, stretching, and thermophoresis. This study found that nanofluid (SWCNT/sodium alginate) has a superior flow, heat, and mass transfer rate than nanofluid (MWCNT/sodium alginate). Graphical representations of the effects of various factors are shown, and a comparison of current and prior findings is given in a table. A comparison of current and previous findings reveals a 0% relative inaccuracy. The velocity ratio parameter has solutions that look close to the separation value. The performance of heat and mass transfer operations may be improved by increasing suction parameters. Increases in Brownian motion [Formula: see text] and suction decrease the temperature profile, whereas increases in velocity ratio and magnetic parameters increase velocity. This research is critical for estimating flow, temperature, and concentration behavior for CNTs with incorporated physical properties.
Using data-mining techniques to improve combinatorial optimization algorithms
Authors: Jamieson Peter , Gharibian Farnaz , Shannon Lesley , Wilton Steve
Published: October 2022

In this work, we show how data-mining can be used to cluster algorithmic generated data and use that data to improve algorithms that solve combinatorial optimization problems for a real-world application—the field-programmable gate array placement problem. Our methodology is a means for other algorithm engineers to improve their own algorithms for specific real-world problems that are hard to improve. In our case, the placement algorithms are difficult to improve, and to find better heuristics we analyze the results of placement solutions to find clustered information which can then be used to improve the algorithms. Specifically, we show a technique for gathering cluster information about placement, we create a new simulated annealing algorithm and a new genetic algorithm that can deal with a mixed granularity of placement objects on a virtual field-programmable gate array, and we show that these algorithms either execute faster or improve the overall quality of solution compared to their basic algorithm without this clustering data and improved heuristics. For our improved simulated annealing placer we improve the algorithms run-time by 17% across a range of benchmarks, and our genetic algorithm improves placement metrics—-critical path by 10% and channel-width by 4%.
Intraoperative identification of the lateral spinal artery in a case of craniocervical junction dural arteriovenous fistula surgically obliterated
Authors: Ishibashi Ryota , Maki Yoshinori , Ikeda Hiroyuki , Chin Masaki
Published: October 2022

Background

The formation of a dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) at the craniocervical junction is rare. Such a fistula can be fed by the branches of the vertebral and external carotid arteries. The lateral spinal artery can branch from the vertebral artery. The feeders of a DAVF at the craniocervical junction are often diagnosed on preoperative angiography, and there is little reported evidence on the intraoperative diagnosis of the lateral spinal artery.

Case description

An 84-year-old man presented with motor weakness and sensory disturbance of the lower extremities. Edematous changes in the medulla oblongata and cervical spinal cord were observed on magnetic resonance imaging. Cerebral angiography revealed a DAVF fed by a branch of the vertebral artery, with a shunting point located in the dura of the right condyle; the main drain was the anterior spinal vein. The DAVF drain was surgically obliterated to prevent hemorrhagic events and improve neurological symptoms. Intraoperatively, an artery branching from the feeder of the DAVF was identified and preserved. The patient had a good postoperative course, and the neurological symptoms were ameliorated. Follow-up cerebral angiography revealed proximal branching of the lateral spinal artery from the feeding artery of the DAVF.

Conclusion

A lateral spinal artery was identified intraoperatively while a DAVF at the craniocervical junction was obliterated. This suggests that preoperative imaging should be carefully reviewed, and endovascular procedures should consider such possibilities to avoid adverse ischemic outcomes.
Alcohol consumption and its determinants among pregnant women in Gozamin district, Amhara, Ethiopia, 2020
Authors: Abetew Mulatu Mengaw , Alemu Addisu Alehegn , Zeleke Haymanot , Ayenew Asteray Assmie , Aynalem Fikreselassie Getachew , Kassa Getachew Mullu , Khajehei Marjan
Published: October 2022

Objective:

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause many major severe illnesses to both mothers and their offspring. Despite this, many pregnant women consume both homemade and manufactured alcoholic beverages. We conducted this study to assess the prevalence and determinants of alcohol consumption among pregnant women in Gozamin district, Amhara, Ethiopia, in 2020.

Methods:

Community-based cross-sectional study was employed from 1 to 30 November, 2020. The participants were recruited using a stratified multi-stage sampling technique. A structured and pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire was utilized for data collection. The collected data were entered into Epi-data Version 3.1 and exported to SPSS Version 25 for further analysis. The model fitness was checked by Hosmer and Lemeshow’s goodness of fit test. Then, logistic regression models were considered to determine the associations of independent variables with the outcome variable. Variables with p < 0.25 in bivariable logistic regression were considered for multivariable logistic regression. Finally, variables with p < 0.05 in multivariable logistic regression were considered as determinants of alcohol consumption.

Result:

A total of 555 pregnant women participated in this study, making the response rate of 97.4%. The prevalence of alcohol consumption among the participants was 45.6% (95% confidence interval = 41.4–49.2). The determinants of alcohol consumption among the participants were highest wealth index (adjusted odds ratio = 3.21; 95% CI = 1.68–6.14), pre-pregnancy alcohol consumption (adjusted odds ratio = 3.67; 95% confidence interval = 2.36–5.71), poor social support (adjusted odds ratio = 3.08; 95% confidence interval = 1.60–5.94), and unplanned pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio = 1.66; 95% confidence interval = 1.04–2.66).

Conclusion:

In this study, the prevalence of alcohol consumption was high among the pregnant women. Our findings suggest introduction of policies and interventions that can help reduce alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The health education priority should be creation of awareness about the negative health impacts of alcohol on the health of pregnant mothers and their offspring.
Fairness perceptions of algorithmic decision-making: A systematic review of the empirical literature
Authors: Starke Christopher , Baleis Janine , Keller Birte , Marcinkowski Frank
Published: October 2022

Algorithmic decision-making increasingly shapes people's daily lives. Given that such autonomous systems can cause severe harm to individuals and social groups, fairness concerns have arisen. A human-centric approach demanded by scholars and policymakers requires considering people's fairness perceptions when designing and implementing algorithmic decision-making. We provide a comprehensive, systematic literature review synthesizing the existing empirical insights on perceptions of algorithmic fairness from 58 empirical studies spanning multiple domains and scientific disciplines. Through thorough coding, we systemize the current empirical literature along four dimensions: (1) algorithmic predictors, (2) human predictors, (3) comparative effects (human decision-making vs. algorithmic decision-making), and (4) consequences of algorithmic decision-making. While we identify much heterogeneity around the theoretical concepts and empirical measurements of algorithmic fairness, the insights come almost exclusively from Western-democratic contexts. By advocating for more interdisciplinary research adopting a society-in-the-loop framework, we hope our work will contribute to fairer and more responsible algorithmic decision-making.
Bridging Gaps in Diabetic Nephropathy Care: A Narrative Review Guided by the Lived Experiences of Patient Partners
Authors: Beaubien-Souligny William , Leclerc Simon , Verdin Nancy , Ramzanali Rizwana , Fox Danielle E.
Published: October 2022

Purpose of review:

Diabetes affects almost a 10th of the Canadian population, and diabetic nephropathy is one of its main complications. It remains a leading cause of kidney failure despite the availability of effective treatments.

Sources of information:

The sources of information are iterative discussions between health care professionals and patient partners and literature collected through the search of multiple databases.

Methods:

Major pitfalls related to optimal diabetic nephropathy care were identified through discussions between patient partners and clinician researchers. We identified underlying factors that were common between pitfalls. We then conducted a narrative review of strategies to overcome them, with a focus on Canadian initiatives.

Key findings:

We identified 5 pitfalls along the diabetic nephropathy trajectory, including a delay in diabetes diagnosis, suboptimal glycemic control, delay in the detection of kidney involvement, suboptimal kidney protection, and deficient management of advanced chronic kidney disease. Several innovative care models and approaches have been proposed to address these pitfalls; however, they are not consistently applied. To improve diabetic nephropathy care in Canada, we recommend focusing initiatives on improving awareness of diabetic nephropathy, improving access to timely evidence-based care, fostering inclusive patient-centered care environment, and generating new evidence that supports complex disease management. It is imperative that patients and their families are included at the center of these initiatives.

Limitations:

This review was limited to research published in peer-reviewed journals. We did not perform a systematic review of the literature; we included articles that were relevant to the major pitfalls identified by our patient partners. Study quality was also not formally assessed. The combination of these factors limits the scope of our conclusions.
Learning and organising for social transformation: Lessons from WEB Du Bois and Jane Addams
Authors: Silver Daniel
Published: October 2022

This article examines the potential for critical theories to contribute towards social transformation through a process of popular education that supports learning and organising. Theory can create a platform of understanding across different communities that are resisting social injustice. This can enhance opportunities for translocal learning to catalyse social transformation at scale. Too often, however, academic theories remain disconnected from contemporary struggles for social justice – and as a result their contribution to social transformation is diminished. Therefore, we must reconsider how critical theories develop. Pragmatism is a philosophical tradition that builds theory through social action. It can guide a methodological infrastructure through which to best develop practice-led theory. I will explain how a critical pragmatist approach, anchored in participatory research, is more likely to generate theories that are both resonant to conditions of injustice and relevant for social transformation. The methodological innovations of early 20th century scholars WEB Du Bois and Jane Addams illustrate the key dimensions necessary for a critical pragmatist approach. Du Bois’ contestation of structural problems and Addams’ commitment to participatory experimentalism can inform an effective approach to these issues. In so doing, the article outlines key foundations for a philosophy of social inquiry to support learning and organising about social transformation. The ideas presented in this paper also contribute to debates about how to re-imagine the civic purpose of the academy.
Environmental Regulation and the Innovation Performance of Chinese Export Firms: A Quasi-Natural Experiment based on the Law of Promoting Cleaner Production
Authors: Ding Liang , Wu Yingna , Ma Yuetong , Zhang Li
Published: October 2022

As China’s export products have been pollution-intensive in recent decades, stringent environmental regulations have been applied to export products. Environmental regulation will squeeze out a firm’s expense on innovation and impact its productivity through the cost effect and innovation offset effect. However, the overall impact on productivity change is uncertain because of the trade-off between the two effects. This study explores the relationship between the innovations of export firms and environmental regulation using the panel data of export firms in 18 industrial industries. The impact of the implementation of the Law of Promoting Cleaner Production on the innovation of export firms in industries with different pollution intensities has been studied using the difference-in-differences method. The findings show that environmental regulation has a negative impact on the innovation of export firms. Export destinations create a difference in innovation performance. Environmental regulation tends to have a positive impact on the innovation of firms whose major markets are developed countries. Compared with light pollution-intensive industries, the Law of Promoting Cleaner Production has reduced the innovation ability of export firms in heavy and medium pollution-intensive industries. Therefore, when formulating environmental policies, regulators should consider the impact of such policies on the innovation of export enterprises and formulate a reasonable intensity of environmental regulations to achieve a win–win situation vis-à-vis improving the ecological environment and enhancing the innovation ability of export enterprises.
Hypersensitivity Reaction to Metal: A Bibliometric Study
Authors: de Macedo Tassia Teles Santana , de Jesus Itana Lúcia Azevêdo , Figueredo Wilton Nascimento , Dordunoo Dzifa
Published: October 2022

Background: To delineate the scientific publications on metal hypersensitivity. Methods: Scopus database from 1946 to 2020, written in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. This is a bibliometric study, with a descriptive and quantitative approach. For data analysis, we used RStudio® and VOSviewer® and bibliometric packages—bibliometrix and biblioshiny. Results: Of the 804 articles retrieved, most of the publications come from European, Asian, and American countries, with Germany, Japan, and United States leading. Published articles and keywords refer to orthopedic, dermatological, and orthodontic specialties. Conclusion: Scientific production is scarce with slight oscillations in the studied period, authored predominantly by researchers in North America and Europe. Articles were mostly published in scientific journals in the fields of dermatology, dentistry, and orthopedics, which indicated the need for greater investments in the research development on the topic.
All-Soft Tissue Meniscus Allograft Transplantation: Indications, Techniques, and Results
Authors: Zsidai Bálint , Lucidi Gian Andrea , Winkler Philipp W. , Gnandt Ryan J. , Engler Ian D. , Musahl Volker
Published: October 2022

Background:

Meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT) may be indicated for young patients with joint line pain following subtotal or total meniscectomy. Several different approaches for performing MAT have been described in the literature and are influenced by appropriate patient selection, graft-sizing, and soft-tissue fixation techniques. Clinical studies demonstrate favorable results regarding pain relief and knee function in young patients undergoing MAT, making it a viable option for the treatment of postmeniscectomy syndrome.

Indications:

Meniscus allograft transplantation is indicated for symptomatic patients following subtotal or total meniscectomy. Selection criteria include patient age below 40 to 45 years, body mass index below 35, chondral changes of grade 2 or less, anatomic or correctable joint alignment, and normal or correctable knee stability.

Technique Description:

A standard arthroscopy is performed to confirm the indication for MAT, followed by debridement of the meniscus remnant up to the meniscus-capsular junction. The meniscus horns are prepared using a single No. 5 suture, while 4 to 5 No. 2 sutures are passed through the posterior body. The anterior and posterior root tunnels are drilled, and the meniscus is inserted through a posterior vertical arthrotomy using suture passers transmitted via the bone tunnels. The allograft is manipulated into proper position with a probe and the application of axial traction on the posterior root suture. At this point, sutures attached to the posterior horn are passed to the posterior capsule and 6 to 8 inside-out sutures are used to stabilize and fixate the midbody and anterior portion of the allograft.

Results:

Several clinical studies report good outcomes following MAT with a mean survival rate of approximately 70% at 10-year follow-up and 60% at 15 years. Additionally, some evidence is currently available regarding the long-term chondroprotective effect of MAT.

Description/Conclusion:

All-soft tissue meniscus allograft transplantation is a feasible approach for substitution of the damaged native meniscus and maintenance of tibiofemoral contact mechanics. Consequently, MAT is an important procedure in the toolkit of knee surgeons providing treatment for young, symptomatic postmeniscectomy patients.