bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationship between internet gaming disorder and insomnia among medical college students of Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu
Authors: E. Karthikeyan , Norman Prasan , D. Thirunaaukarasu , M. Geetha , Kumar Hareesh
Published: September 2021

Background: Excessive online gaming poses a big problem among the growing generation. It leads to poor quality of sleep among students.Methods: It is a cross-sectional study done among medical college students of a tertiary care hospital, Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu for a period of 6 months (May to October 2019). 376 students participated in this study. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaire containing IGDS9-SF and ISI scales. Data was analysed using SPSS version 21.Results: Of the 376 participants, 220 (58.51%) were males and 156 (41.49%) were females. Prevalence of internet gaming disorder (IGD) was 4.25%. Among the 376 participants, 73(19.4%) had moderate severity insomnia. Correlation was significant between internet gaming and insomnia severity.Conclusions: The result of the study shows that prevalence of IGD was low among medical college students in the Kanchipuram district and there was medium correlation between IGD and insomnia.
Indications, advantages, disadvantages and effectiveness of Invisalign aligners
Authors: Hosny Mohamed A. A. , Alasmari Fahad S. , Alsaidi Nada M. , Alsharif Hanin M. , Alshareef Sewar A. , Aldwyyan Nora F. , Alahmadi Rahaf Y. , Almutairi Ruba A. , Almutairi Bashayer M. , Alhemaidi Ghufran S. , Alahdal Ebtihal T.
Published: September 2021

As a result of the increasing demands to enhance esthetics among the different community populations, many efforts have focused on innovating other substitutes to increase patients’ satisfaction and to obtain better clinical outcomes. Among the variously proposed candidates, clear aligners are now commonly reported and used within clinical settings. Additionally, technological advances are also significant in this field. In this literature review, we aim to discuss the indications, advantages, disadvantages and the effectiveness of Invisalign braces. Typically, the ideal patients that are indicated to receive Invisalign systems are adult patients with either incisor flaring, spacing, crowding, infra- or supra-positions. Although time-consuming, Invisalign systems are reported with reduced adverse events and toxic reactions with the gingival tissue, minimizing the risk of developing periodontal diseases. However, Although Invisalign modalities are associated with fewer adverse events and reduced gingival inflammation and plaque formation. Previous studies have demonstrated that the outcomes might be similar when patients with fixed appliances are educated about properly conducting oral hygienes. Besides, improved healing of the periodontal ligament was also reported with the modality. Therefore, better clinical outcomes are expected with the modality. Furthermore, studies have also demonstrated similar effectiveness between Invisalign and fixed appliances while the most accurately obtained tooth movements with Invisalign might include retrusion, rotations, fan-type expansions and protrusions. Further investigations are urgently needed for further validation of the current evidence.
Asymptomatic hearing loss-a missed symptom of COVID-19
Authors: Sathyanarayanan Choudhary , Swaminathan Balaji , Shanmugam Ruta , Shanmugam V. U. , . Prakash , Lavanya V. M. , Divya P. S.
Published: September 2021

Background: COVID-19 pandemic is caused by SARS CoV2. The last reference of pandemic was Spanish flu in 1918 which caused hearing loss in many patients. The effect of COVID-19 is an interesting issue in audiology. Not much studies have been done; therefore, this kindled our interest to have a study on audiological profile of asymptomatic COVID-19 patients.

Methods: The 20 cases in the age group of 20 and 50 years who were confirmed positive for COVID-19 formed the study group. 20 subjects who had normal hearing (Audiometric threshold at or better than 15 db HL) were used as control group. Pure-tone audiometry (PTA) was done for both the group on day 7 and 30. Air conduction and Bone conduction were measured. The audiometric thresholds were measured using the modified Hughson-Westlake method.

Results: High frequency hearing impairment was found in 9 out of 20 patients in the study group on day 7. Out of the 9 affected patients 7 patients showed improvement upon further testing done on day 30.

Conclusions: Like anosmia and ageusia, hearing loss can be considered as one of the clinical features in COVID-19 patients. This study was recorded to find a significant hearing loss in asymptomatic COVID-19 patients and thus sheds light on the auditory problem that people are experiencing during these difficult times and for future reference on pandemic research.
Clinical evaluation of diaphyseal femoral fractures operated in lateral decubitus position with interlocking nail
Authors: Haque Syed S. M. , Pathan Alaf A. , Aziz Ansari M. A. , Saba Ayesha
Published: September 2021

Background: The diaphyseal fractures of femur in adults are conventionally treated in supine position on traction table, which carries risk of compartment syndrome, pudendal nerve palsy, whereas in lateral decubitus position these complications can be avoided with additional advantage of easy access to greater trochanter particularly in obese patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate outcomes of femur diaphyseal fractures treated with intramedullary interlocking nail in lateral decubitus position.

Methods: In this study 40 patients with femur diaphysea fractures were treated with intramedullary interlocking nail in lateral decubitus position, were studied for a period of 9 months from September 2019 to May 2020.

Results: At the end of our study of 40 patients, outcome is graded according Thoresen’s criteria where 22 (55%) patients had excellent results with full, pain-free, function of the extremity and 11 (27.5%) patients had good result; 10 patients had range of motion 1200 and shortening of femur by 1.5 was observed in 1 patient. There were 6 (15%) patients with fair result; with range of motion 900 and 1 poor result (2.5%) had non-union with range of motion <900.

Conclusions: Fixation of femur diaphyseal fracture in lateral decubitus position leads to easy access to the proximal femur making it easy to establish an entry point for an intramedullary device and it significantly eliminates the complications caused by other conventionally used methods.
Plantabilidade e suas Variáveis no Estabelecimento da Cultura de Soja
Authors: Duarte Erich Dos Reis
Published: September 2021

As variáveis capazes de aumentar a produtividade de uma lavoura, está na qualidade da operação de semeadura. A velocidade de deslocamento dos maquinários, associado à profundidade de deposição das sementes influenciam de forma direta no desenvolvimento e de um estande das plantas de soja. O experimento foi conduzido no Sitio Santa Maria no Município de Bandeirantes-PR localizado entre as coordenadas 23°05'58.6"S 50°25'56.9"W, no ano de 2020 e 2021 e teve por objetivo avaliar a influência das velocidades de deslocamento com facão sendo 5; 6,5; 8; e com disco duplo com 5; 6,5; 8; e 9,5 km h-1 e as profundidades de semeadura de 2,3,4 e 5 cm com sistema de disco duplo na lavoura de Soja. Na abertura do sulco, visando a colocação das sementes e fertilizante, utilizaram-se dois mecanismos: rompedores do tipo facão e disco duplo. A roda compactadora utilizada foi do tipo roda metálica lisa em forma de V. Foram determinados os níveis de pressões aplicadas sobre o solo (12,2, 18,5 e 24,1 e 28,5 kPa) por meio de uma célula de carga, com os sensores de linha ligados e desligados. A profundidade de semeadura influenciou as variáveis estudadas, assim como da velocidade de deslocamento adotada. A maior profundidade ocasionou redução da média de produtividade, assim como também a pressão em kPa aumentada foi benéfica a produtividade da cultura da soja de forma significativa.
Effects of Cryofrequency at Dermal and Hypodermic Level: Case Study
Authors: Maia Rafaella , Silva Rodrigo Marcel Valentim da , Vasconcellos Liliane Santos de , Silva Fabiana Nunes da , Silva Hevellyn Oliveira Marques , Carreiro Eneida Morais , Costa Júlio Davi , Meyer Patrícia Froes , Câmara Fernando César , Soares Ciro Dantas
Published: September 2021

Background: Cryofrequency consists of the combination of cryotherapy and radiofrequency, acting simultaneously in the treatment of flaccidity and localized adiposity.
Objective: To investigate the effects of cryofrequency at the dermal and hypodermic levels.
Materials and methods: This is a case study, composed of one woman of 39-year-old, with interest to perform abdominoplasty surgery, presenting adiposity and flaccidity located in infra-umbilical region. Its treatment consists of eight cryofrequence applications.
Results: There was reduction of 7 cm on supra-umbilical plicometry and 6 cm on infra-umbilical; a decrease of 2.7 kg of body weight. The ultrasound data show a decrease of 0.6 mm, in the thickness of the adipose layer. In the histological analysis: thicker epidermis, with more layers and dermis with greater number of fibroblasts and inflammatory cells, greater quantity of neoformed collagen tissue.
Conclusion: The application of cryofrequence promoted reduction of adipose tissue and increased production of collagen.
Level of Evidence: Level III, case-control study.
Morphological Description of Den-3 Virus Infection Cells through EDTA Blood Feed In Aedes Aegypti Mosquitoe
Authors: Triyana Y Rahma
Published: September 2021

Mosquito Ae. aegypti is the main dengue virus vector which causes the virus to grow and develop properly. The Artificial Membrane Feeding (AMF) method is a method of indirectly transmitting the dengue virus in the Ae. aegypti. This method uses blood feed with EDTA anticoagulant and DEN-3 virus in the insectarium. One way to detect the dengue virus found in Ae mosquito cells. aegypti is an immunohistochemical Streptavidin Biotin Peroxidase Complex (SBPC). In this method, the morphological picture of DEN-3 virus infection cells will be seen through the heparin anticoagulant blood feed using the AMF method. Anticoagulants function to slow the blood clotting to feed the Ae mosquitoes. Aegypti. The aim of this study was to determine the Positive Infection Rate of DEN-3 virus and the morphological picture of DEN-3 virus infection cells using the AMF method of EDTA anticoagulant blood feed through SBPC immunocytochemical examination of Ae mosquitoes. aegypti. The design method of this study was experimental, infected Ae.aegypti mosquitoes using anticoagulant blood containing DEN-3 virus orally as an infectious sample. Negative control used Culex Sp mosquitoes and positive control used adult Ae.aegypti mosquitoes which were infected with DEN-3 virus by injection. Detection of DEN-3 virus in Ae.aegypti mosquitoes through SBPC immunositochemical examination. Results of Positive Infection Rate for Ae.aegypti mosquitoes with EDTA anticoagulant as much as 23.20% through SBPC immunocytochemical examination with a picture of cell morphology of DEN-3 virus infection. The conclusion of SBPC immunositochemical examination showed positive cell morphology of DEN-3 virus infection with EDTA anticoagulant in Ae.aegypti mosquitoes fed by human blood orally through the AMF method.
Attitudes and beliefs of patients and primary caregivers towards deprescribing in a tertiary health care facility
Authors: Gaurang Narayan , Priyadharsini Rajendran , Balamurugesan Kandan , Prakash Mathiyalagen , Reka Devanathan
Published: September 2021

Background: Good prescribing practices form the essence of drug therapy for better patient care. The major aim of better prescribing is to improve rational prescribing. Deprescribing gained momentum in recent decades.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the attitude and beliefs of deprescribing among patients and their caregivers forming dyads in a tertiary health care facility.

Methods: Cross-sectional, questionnaire-based prospective study done for two months. Attitude towards deprescribing was assessed by using validated rPATD (revised Patient attitude towards deprescribing) questionnaire. Cohen's kappa coefficient was used to measure the agreement between the views of people and their caregivers forming dyads about medication cessation.

Results: 312 patients and caregivers (156 forming dyads) participated in the study. Among 156 patients, 25.6% were hypertensives & 21.2% had diabetes. 41.7% were between 36-50 years of age. Only 16.7% belong to the elderly age group. 2.5% were taking >5 medications. 43.6% of patients and 62.2% of caregivers were female. 51.3% of the patients were willing to stop one or more of their regular medicine(s) under the treating physician's advice, but 62% were satisfied with their current medicine(s). 33.4% were reluctant to stop taking medicines for a long time.

Conclusions: In our study, more than 50% of people and their caregivers were willing to try medication cessation under their physician's recommendation. There was moderate agreement between patients and their caregivers in the trial of medication cessation. Thus, the results obtained from this study may help towards improving rationalized prescribing practices in the institutional setup.
The Rocktalog: Scholars Celebrating & Inhabiting Musicians
Authors: Carter Geoffrey V.
Published: September 2021

The Rocktalog brings together scholars’ reflections on a selection of musicians from different styles, along with a range of imagined dialogues and statements from the artists themselves, some remixed and some improvised. Edited by Geoffrey V. Carter, this collection of sixteen works draws on “The Octalog,” a lively panel discussion at the CCCC’s in 1988, later published as “Octalog I” in Rhetoric Review. Reimaginging this original “electric” dialogue as an ongoing conversation between musicians and musical scholars, The Rocktalog asks questions about the roles of remix, conversation, and composition in engaging with music and musical artists. Each reflection features a mix of audio tracks, original essays and transcripts.
A com-post
Authors: Vitanza Victor J.
Published: September 2021

Rock … let’s look in the mirror. A com-post by Victor J. Vitanza.
Jaco Pastorius
Authors: Hart-Davidson Bill
Published: September 2021

Choosing Jaco Pastorius was an easy call. As a player, he occupies a fascinating place in the world of electric bass. He is, in a word, undeniable. And yet, as a survey of Rolling Stone readers in 2011 noted, he’s not a “household name.” He was just number seven on the magazine’s list of all time greats. John Entwhistle of The Who and Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers come in at one and two. But just as there’s no Entwhistle without James Jamerson (Funk Brothers bass icon who, most agree, first defined what an electric bass could and should do), there’s no Flea without Jaco.
Glenn Gould
Authors: Beasley James
Published: September 2021

James Beasley utilizes Glenn Gould’s self-interviews to demonstrate how Gould’s contrapuntal strategies have many similarities with the density of Kenneth Burke’s "countergridlock" style. Through the interview process, Beasley also demonstrates how Gould’s mixing and splicing in the recording studio allowed Gould to imagine the role of technology in ethical performance practices.
Mary Travers
Authors: Haynes Cynthia
Published: September 2021

Those were turbulent times, the 60s and 70s…Dylan, Buffalo Springfield, Hendrix, the festivals, the scenes, but the music was powerful and I felt we were channeling a nation of young people full of anger and confusion (“stop children, what’s that sound”). With Peter and Paul, our trio tried to do justice to traditional folk songs, and we had a perfect blend of harmony. We shared a need to speak out, to shout out, through the music. Civil Right and the Vietnam were catalysts for an endless stream of songs that had been written both before and during the 60s in which we vocalized the mantra of “peace” and love.
Jerry Garcia
Authors: Conrey Sean M.
Published: September 2021

The Grateful Dead, and particularly Garcia’s approach to the guitar, implies that if you're not far enough out of yourself, or aren't giving enough of yourself to the world at the moment, you can't begin to approach something that those involved will agree is the truth. Composition as a polite and civil “gathering of positions,” breaks down under these conditions. The incumbent attributes of co-ecstasy, namely mutual bewilderment, astonishment and amazement, help to refocus attention on the impolite bonds between the positions of those involved, and those bonds become a gathering force in their own right.
Link Wray
Authors: Grant David
Published: September 2021

This piece focuses on the musical and genre innovations of early rock n' roll guitarist, Link Wray. Given his Native American ancestry and physical disability, Wray is a difficult figure to place, though his material and embodied methods of making music prefigured other, more famous artists. The audio file reflecting on Wray suggests a more proper scope of his influence in an attempt to decolonize both the history of rock music as well as methods of multimodal and sound composition.
Ian Curtis
Authors: Richardson Tim
Published: September 2021

Tim Richardson’s work considers some of the influences and material interventions – books, records, rooms, paint - that supported Ian Curtis’s breakthrough contributions to post-punk music as well as the cassette tapes that allowed high school kids in West Texas to find and love him afterward. Tim suggests that these material affordances are personal encounters that continue to register emotionally.
Nina Simone
Authors: McFarlane Nicole Ashanti
Published: September 2021

In Nicole Ashanti McFarlane’s work, she reflects on the musical legacy of Nina Simone through a fittingly polyphonic reading of “Four Women,” in keeping with Simone’s interpretation of the many voices within black women’s political and artistic vocalizing.
Ronnie James Dio
Authors: Carter Geoffrey V.
Published: September 2021

Although Ronnie James Dio is often parodied for his lyrical ruminations on dragons, demons, and other Dungeons and Dragons style phantasmagoria, he maintained a humor about himself and possessed a capacity for openness unique to heavy metal. He is known for popularizing the devil horn hand gesture (“malocchio”) at rock shows, though he said its history extended back to his Italian Grandmother who used it as a way of protecting against someone’s evil eye. Dio also said his Grandmother could use it as a curse when provoked. Thus, Dio linked the symbol of the devil horns to protection as much as provocation. Carter’s work likewise considers the polarities in Dio’s work that made him the formidable artist of Heaven and Hell.
Frank Zappa
Authors: Rice Jeff
Published: September 2021

There is benefit in not presuming. There is a benefit in not acting as if knowledge is based on a presumed meaning. There is a benefit in writing and in thought to bracket assumptions and presumptions regarding those tropes and expectations we bring to rhetorical readings and exchanges. This short essay is a reflection on presumption. This is also a reflection on Frank Zappa. This, I note, is also a reflection on my own lack of interest in scholarship built upon what Roland Barthes once declared, “as if everything shudders with meaning.” Rhetoric, consumed with meaning, may simultaneously not always involve figuring out what something means or what it is. Rhetoric can also be about suggestion.
Donny Hathaway
Authors: Olague Mark
Published: September 2021

Mark Olague looks at the compositional potential of the “live” album in pop music through the other “performance” coming through the speakers on Peter Frampton’s 1975 album Frampton Comes Alive: that of the crowd. He then switches focus to look at Donny Hathaway’s 1972 album Donny Hathaway Live! The key to the late soul singer’s enormous talent, according to critics like Emily J. Lordi, was the way Hathaway was able to build a shared intimacy with his mostly African American audience, reflecting their triumphs and suffering even through reinterpretations of popular covers like Carole King’s “You Got a Friend” and John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy.” Hathaway’s live performances, captured on his classic live album, invite the crowd to participate and spontaneously create community, a practice rooted in the African American religious tradition in which Hathaway was raised.
John Hartford
Authors: Brooks Ron
Published: September 2021

As a banjo player, John Hartford would eventually go on to found an entirely new genre of music (Newgrass) one that would open up possibilities for many of the musicians we know today: Noam Pikelny, Allison Brown, Bela Fleck, Danny Barnes--they all trace some part of their lineage back to him. But what draws me to Hartford is the writing, and the way that his writing reflects the obsession to compose.
John Lennon
Authors: Arroyo Sarah J.
Published: September 2021

In Sarah J. Arroyo’s work, she reflects on the intense impact John Lennon’s song, “Watching the Wheels” had on her at age 10. This impact existed outside of John’s public persona since she was unaware of his cultural influence at the time. Decades later, she analyzes John and Yoko’s last interview conducted hours before his death where they discuss their album Double Fantasy, the album that contains “Watching the Wheels.” She experiences a punctum of recognition and argues that John and Yoko used choric invention in their creative processes and were electrate before their time.
Jim Morrison
Authors: Sundvall Scott
Published: September 2021

We have much to learn from the rhetoric of Jim Morrison (and The Doors) and the rhetoric employed by Jim Morrison (and The Doors). Scott Sundvall‘s piece argues that the rhetorical tension of the band partially rests on their still-today reputation as the “band you love to hate,” but also partially on the fact that they (Jim in particular) were also the “band that loved to hate you—the audience and everything about rock and roll.” And there is a positive feedback loop between the two. After all, The Doors in general, Morrison in particular, were about the (rhetorical) meaning in a lack of meaning, insofar as rock and roll itself was dead. Morrison, Sundvall suggests, was the centerpiece of such a rhetorical exchange and comportment. You either love getting your faced shoved into the shit, Sundvall/Morrison argues, or you’re going to get your kicks in before the whole shithouse goes up in flames—in true Nietzschean import. All right!
Enrique Morente
Authors: Lestón Robert
Published: September 2021

Enrique Morente, who died in 2010, recruited numerous collaborators for this ground-breaking album, including rock/punk band Lagartija Nick. Morente dedicated his album to two poets: Federico Garcia-Lorca and Leonard Cohen. Each track on the album is one of the poet’s words put to this flamenco-rock fusion, interpreted and translated by Morente himself.
Impacts of Prolonged Online Learning Practice during COVID-19 Epidemic on Body Functions and Wellbeing: A Review Article
Authors: Yousof Shimaa , Eid Alsawat Rasha , Ali Almajed Jumana , Abdulaziz Alkhamesi Ameera Abdulaziz Alkhamesi , Mane Alsuhaimi Renad , Abdulrhman Alssed Shrooq , Mohamad Wahby Salem Iman Mohmad Wahby Salem
Published: September 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has had impact on life on a global scale, however, one of the most affected aspects are the teaching and learning practices. Advances in technology have made distance learning a good alternative option for on-site learning, as students can both interact with one another and with the tutor, use audio, video, text to learn, as well as use the internet for research purposes. However, this mode of education will extend throughout 2020 and early 2021, which could have negative implications on the health and body functions of university students. This review aims to shed light on the negative consequences of the prolonged technology-based, remote online learning on the students’ wellbeing. Therefore, in this review we will discuss some of the physiological functions and body systems which could be affected during the COVID-19 pandemic in an attempt to suggest preventive measures in advance for safe technology-based learning.
Calculation and Decomposition Analysis of Embodied Energy and Embodied Carbon Emissions in China’s Foreign Trade Based on Value-Added Trade
Authors: Han Zhong , Wu Wenkai , Sun Yan , Shi Yun ,   School of Economics, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics No.3 Wenyuan Road, Qixia District, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China,   College of Economics and Management, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics No.29 Jiangjun Ave, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211106, China
Published: September 2021

Under the new mode of labor division for global production, the method of calculating a country’s energy consumption and carbon emissions is based on a “production side” principle that disregards the embodied energy and carbon emissions caused by international trade. This method is unfair to China and other large, exporting countries. From the perspective of value-added trade, the multiregional input–output model based on the world input–output table and environmental account from the World Input–Output Database are used to measure the scale of China’s value-added trade; subsequently, the import and export net values of China’s foreigntraderelated embodied energy and carbon emissions are calculated. The results show that: (1) China’s value-added exports in 2009 amounted to US $1,045.37 billion, which constitutes 21% of China’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in that year. Nearly half of the value-added exports are to fulfill the final demand from North America and European Union countries; manufacturing and service are the main value-added export industries of China. (2) China has a relatively high unit coefficient for value-added energy consumption and carbon emissions, both representing a net export of embodied energy and embodied carbon emissions in foreign trade. In this regard, energy and mid-level technology manufacturing industries, such as coke, refined oil, and nuclear fuel processing, are the main exporters of embodied energy and embodied carbon.
Evaluating Default Risk and Loan Performance in UK Peer-to-Peer Lending: Evidence from Funding Circle
Authors: Xu Boyu ,   School of Economics and Finance, Huaqiao University No.269 Chenghua, North Road, Fengze District, Quanzhou, Fujian 362021, China, Su Zhifang , Celler Jan
Published: September 2021

The United Kingdom is the third-largest peer-to-peer (P2P) lending market in the world, which is surpassed only by the two dominant forces in P2P investing, China and the United States of America. As an innovative financial market in the UK, P2P lending brings not only many opportunities but also many risks, especially the loan default risk. In this context, this paper uses binary logistic regression and survival analysis to evaluate default risk and loan performance in UK P2P lending. The empirical results indicate that credit group, loan purpose for capital needs, sector type, loan amount, interest rate, loan term, and the age of the company all have a significant impact on the probability of loan default. Among them, the interest rate, loan term, and loan purpose for capital needs are the three most important determinants of the probability of loan defaults and survival time of loans.
Lookback Option Pricing Problems of Uncertain Mean-Reverting Stock Model
Authors: Liu Zhaopeng ,   School of Mathematics and Statistics, Suzhou University East Campus of Suzhou University, Education Park, Suzhou, Anhui 234000, China
Published: September 2021

A lookback option is a path-dependent option, offering a payoff that depends on the maximum or minimum value of the underlying asset price over the life of the option. This paper presents a new mean-reverting uncertain stock model with a floating interest rate to study the lookback option price, in which the processing of the interest rate is assumed to be the uncertain counterpart of the Cox–Ingersoll–Ross (CIR) model. The CIR model can reflect the fluctuations in the interest rate and ensure that such rate is positive. Subsequently, lookback option pricing formulas are derived through the α-path method and some mathematical properties of the uncertain option pricing formulas are discussed. In addition, several numerical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed model.
Market Distortion, Inter-Provincial Factor Misallocation, and Total Factor Productivity
Authors: Zhang Shangfeng , Xu Jingjue , Chen Wei , Teng Manzhou , Yu Xiuwen , Ren Huiru ,   School of Statistics and Mathematics, Zhejiang Gongshang University  18 Xuezheng Street, Xiasha Education Park, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China,   Modern Business Research Center, Zhejiang Gongshang University  Zhejiang, China,   Collaborative Innovation Center of Statistical Data Engineering, Technology & Application  Zhejiang, China
Published: September 2021

As an emerging economy, market distortions exist in China’s institutional adjustment during its economy transformation. However, the price distortion of capital and labor factors will lead to factor misallocation among provinces. This will eventually reduce the total factor productivity (TFP) at the national level. Based on Hsieh and Klenow’s [1] model framework, this paper aims to measure the degree of misallocation of capital and labor factors among provinces, and estimates the growth potential of China’s TFP by using input-output data from 1993 to 2017. The findings show that: First, the degree of inter-provincial labor misallocation is greater than that of capital. For example, in 2017, the degree of capital (labor) misallocation was 5.77% (10.25%), resulting in China’s TFP loss of 17.23%. Second, due to the factor marketization reforms, the degree of labor misallocation has declined while the degree of capital misallocation has intensified in recent years. Lastly, this paper introduces the time-varying elasticity production function model, finding that using the Cobb-Douglas production function will cause the factor misallocation to be underestimated by 5.91% due to the assumption of constant output elasticity.
Time-Varying Transmission Effects of Internet Finance Under Economic Policy Uncertainty and Internet Consumers’ Behaviors: Evidence from China
Authors: Gu Guangtong , Zhu Wenjie ,   Faculty of Economics and Management, Zhejiang A & F University  Yijin Street, Lin’an, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, China,   Zhejiang Province Key Cultivating Think Tank–Research Academy for Rural Revitalization of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang A & F University  Yijin Street, Lin’an, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, China,   Institute of Ecological Civilization, Zhejiang A & F University  Yijin Street, Lin’an, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, China,   Institute of Carbon Neutrality, Zhejiang A & F University  Yijin Street, Lin’an, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, China
Published: September 2021

The modern finance industry is composed of not only numerous financial intermediaries but also internet-based mechanisms which are operated by mobile phone users and online consumers daily. In the coming 10 years, estimates suggest that over half of banks’ functions will likely be replaced by high-tech artificial intelligence. Given the great ongoing shifts in contemporary financial systems, the transmission effects of internet-based finance practices have introduced an important yet unaddressed empirical question on the coupling relationship between the internet finance industry and economic policy uncertainty (EPU). This paper adopts the time-varying parameter vector autoregressive model with stochastic volatility (TVP-SV-VAR) model and novel data from Alibaba Corp. to investigate this relationship. We find: First, the impact of internet-based financial approaches on EPU is greater than the reversal effect, indicating that China’s gross domestic product (GDP) is largely influenced by the online finance industry. Second, the lag impacts are time varying and become stable after 2016, corresponding to the current Chinese government’s long-term strategic plan that emphasizes maintaining the economy’s overall stability. Lastly, additional evidence shows that the online financial approaches are positively correlated with consumers’ behaviors, implying that the online finance industry is gaining its momentum when people are using e-currency rather than real cash. After all, it takes time to observe the real effect of these macro policies. With internet and information technology developing, artificial intelligence is being used in the areas of big data, credit lending, and risk control. This largely reduces the data analyzing cost for internet finance companies and makes risk control more convenient.
Agglomeration and Innovation: An Empirical Study Based on China’s Manufacturing Data
Authors: Li Zeyang ,   School of Statistics, Huaqiao University No.668 Jimei Avenue, Jimei District, Xiamen, Fujian 361021, China
Published: September 2021

This study explores the relationship between spatial agglomeration and innovation, taking Chinese manufacturing data as an example. Tractable model is built to explain the mechanism through which spatial concentration of firms in a city affects industrial innovation. Then in the empirical analysis, new agglomeration and innovation indicators are used to test the theoretical conclusions at the city-industry level. Results show that the geographical concentration of firms has significant negative effects on industrial innovation and growth. These overall effects can be divided into positive and negative categories after considering the interaction between the industrial labor scale and firm’s spatial agglomeration. Industries with a higher labor scale will bear more crowding effects of firms’ spatial agglomeration. These findings mean that moving to a less concentrated area might be a good choice for the labor-intensive firms which aim at innovation.
Sino-Japanese Relations from the Perspective of Chinese Mainstream Media During the Pandemic: Based on Word2vec and DTM Model
Authors: Wei Jiangying ,   School of Statistics, Huaqiao University No.668 Jimei Avenue, Jimei District, Xiamen, Fujian 361021, China, Zhang Xiuwu
Published: September 2021

We conducted sentiment classification for news reports during the COVID-19 pandemic on Sino-Japanese relations from Chinese and Japanese media. Based on the Word2vec and Dynamic Topic Models, we analyzed the macroscopic dimension of theme distribution and the semantic change process of “Sino-Japanese” related words. The results indicate that Chinese media reports are mainly neutral, but Japanese ones are mainly negative. The meaning of the terms related to “Sino-Japanese” has not changed significantly, but there are minor differences in the content of reports on the same subject in different periods. During Suga’s administration, the overall stability of Sino-Japanese relations and the continued advancement of pragmatic cooperation are expected to continue.
Stock Prediction Based on News Text Analysis
Authors: Gu Wentao ,   Department of Statistics, School of Statistics and Mathematics, Zhejiang Gongshang University 18 Xuezheng Street, Xiasha Education Park, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China, Zhang Linghong , Xi Houjiao , Zheng Suhao
Published: September 2021

With the vigorous development of information technology, the textual data of financial news have grown massively, and this ever-rich online news information can influence investors’ decision-making behavior, which affects the stock market. Thus, online news is an important factor affecting market volatility. Quantifying the sentiment of news media and applying it to stock-market prediction has become a popular research topic. In this study, a financial news sentiment lexicon and an auxiliary lexicon applicable to the financial field are constructed, and a sentiment index (SI) is constructed by defining the weight of semantic rules. Then, a comprehensive sentiment index (CSI) is constructed via principal component analysis of the sentiment index and structured stock-market trading data. Finally, these two sentiment indices are added to the generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedastic (GARCH) and the Long short-term memory (LSTM) models to predict stock returns. The results indicate that the prediction results of LSTM models are better than those of GARCH models. Compared with general-purpose lexicons, the financial lexicons constructed in this study are more stable, and the inclusion of a comprehensive investor sentiment index improves the accuracy of measuring sentiment information. Thus, the proposed lexicons allow more comprehensive measurement of the effects of external sentiment factors on stock-market returns and can improve the prediction effect of stock-return models.
Effect of the International Tourism Island Policy on Hainan Farmers’ Income and the Urban–Rural Income Gap: An Analysis Based on the GPCA and SCM Models
Authors: Xia He , Wu Shaoying ,   School of Economics, University of Sanya #191 Xueyuan Road, Sanya, Hainan 572000, China,   University of Sanya #191 Xueyuan Road, Sanya, Hainan 572000, China
Published: September 2021

The construction of Hainan International Tourism Island, one of the national strategies in China, implemented in January 2010. A common concern is whether the policy has managed to raise farmers’ income and reduce the income gap between urban and rural residents. Therefore, this study aims to make counterfactual causal inferences based on data from 2005 to 2018 on Hainan Province. This study applies both the generalized principal component analysis method and the synthetic control method. According to the model results, the policy did not increase farmers’ income in Hainan or narrow the income gap between urban and rural areas in the first five years. However, after 2014, the result reversed. The increasing farmers’ income and narrowing gap indicate that the tourism-related Kuznets curve hypothesis is valid for the policy. The results of a placebo test verify the robustness of this conclusion.
The Influence of Aging Population on Consumption Quantity in China
Authors: Xu Guixiong , Zhao Xindong ,   School of Economics and Finance, Huaqiao University No. 269 Chenghua North Road, Fengze District, Quanzhou 362021, China,   School of Statistics, Huaqiao University No.668 Jimei Avenue, Jimei District, Xiamen 361021, China
Published: September 2021

In this study, a fixed effect model is established to empirically examine the effect of population aging on consumption in China. Research analyzing the influence mechanism of population aging on consumption quantity has yet to determine the effect of population aging on consumption quantity under various conditions. Panel data from 31 provinces and cities in China were analyzed, with the old-age dependency ratio as the main control variable, and considering income, economic development level (GDP), and consumer price index. The samples are divided into nationwide, as well as eastern, central, and western regions, for modeling and discussion. The results show that population aging negatively affects consumption quantity. In response to the negative impact, we propose relevant policies and suggestions for enhancing consumption quantity.
Adaptive Fertigation System Using Hybrid Vision-Based Lettuce Phenotyping and Fuzzy Logic Valve Controller Towards Sustainable Aquaponics
Authors: II Ronnie S. Concepcion , Lauguico Sandy C. , Alejandrino Jonnel D. , Bandala Argel A. , Sybingco Edwin , Vicerra Ryan Rhay P. , Dadios Elmer P. , Cuello Joel L. ,   Electronics and Communications Engineering Department, De La Salle University 2401 Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila 1004, Philippines,   Manufacturing Engineering and Management Department, De La Salle University 2401 Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila 1004, Philippines,   Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department, University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona, USA
Published: September 2021

Sustainability is a major challenge in any plant factory, particularly those involving precision agriculture. In this study, an adaptive fertigation system in a three-tier nutrient film technique aquaponic system was developed using a non-destructive vision-based lettuce phenotype (VIPHLET) model integrated with an 18-rule Mamdani fuzzy inference system for nutrient valve control. Four lettuce phenes, that is, fresh weight, chlorophylls a and b, and vitamin C concentrations as outputted by the genetic programming-based VIPHLET model were optimized for each growth stage by injecting NPK nutrients into the mixing tank, as determined based on leaf canopy signatures. This novel adaptive fertigation system resulted in higher nutrient use efficiency (99.678%) and lower chemical waste emission (14.108 mg L-1) than that by manual fertigation (92.468%, 178.88 mg L-1). Overall, it can improve agricultural malpractices in relation to sustainable agriculture.
Varietal Classification of Lactuca Sativa Seeds Using an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System Based on Morphological Phenes
Authors: Mendigoria Christan Hail R. , Aquino Heinrick L. , Alajas Oliver John Y. , II Ronnie S. Concepcion , Dadios Elmer P. , Sybingco Edwin , Bandala Argel A. , Vicerra Ryan Rhay P. ,   Electronics and Communications Engineering Department, De La Salle University  2401 Taft Ave, Malate, Manila 1004, Philippines,   Manufacturing Engineering and Management Department, De La Salle University  2401 Taft Ave, Malate, Manila 1004, Philippines
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Published: September 2021

Seed varieties are often differentiated via the manual and subjective classification of their external textural, spectral, and morphological biosignatures. This traditional method of manually inspecting seeds is inefficient and unreliable for seed phenotyping. The application of computer vision is an ideal solution allied with computational intelligence. This study used Lactuca sativa seed variants, which are commercially known as grand rapid, Chinese loose-leaf, and iceberg (which serves as noise data for extended model evaluation), in determining their corresponding classifications based on the extended morphological phenes using computational intelligence. Red-green-blue (RGB) imaging was employed for individual kernels. Extended morphological phenes, that is, solidity, roundness, compactness, and shape factors, were computed based on seed architectural traits and used as predictors to discriminate among the three cultivars. The suitability of ANFIS, NB, and CT was explored using a limited dataset. A mean accuracy of 100% was manifested in ANFIS; thus, it was proved to be the most reliable model.
Application of Fuzzy Logic for Controlling Spray Drying Parameters in Production of Bignay (Antidesma Bunius) Juice Powder
Authors: Evangelista Danielle Grace D. , Vicerra Ryan Rhay P. , Bandala Argel A. , Sybingco Edwin , Dadios Elmer P. ,   Manufacturing Engineering and Management Department, De La Salle University 2401 Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila 1004, Philippines,   Electronics and Communications Engineering Department, De La Salle University 2401 Taft Avenue, Manila 1004, Philippines
Published: September 2021

Spray drying is a rapid, continuous, cost-effective, reproducible, and scalable process for reducing the moisture content of a fluid material into a solid powder. To improve this process in juice powder production, automation can be applied to increase efficiency and productivity. Hence, fuzzy logic is used in this study as a control system in the spray-drying process of concentrated liquid bignay juice into juice powder, where the inlet temperature and carrier agent concentrations affecting the properties of the juice powder, such as moisture content and product yield, are considered. The proposed fuzzy system can provide feedback to the control variables, inlet temperature, and carrier agent concentration based on the moisture content and product yield of the juice powder.
Optimization of Biofilter Size for Aquaponics Using Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Bracino Amir A. , Española Jason L. , Bandala Argel A. , Dadios Elmer P. , Sybingco Edwin , Vicerra Ryan Rhay P. ,   Manufacturing Engineering and Management Department, De La Salle University 2401 Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila, Manila 1004, Philippines,   Electronics and Communications Engineering Department, De La Salle University 2401 Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila, Manila 1004, Philippines
Published: September 2021

Unlike a media-filled aquaponic system, the nutrient film technique (NFT) and deep water culture (DWC) require the installation of an external biofilter to provide sufficient area for nitrifying bacteria colonization, which is essential for the conversion of toxic ammonia from fish waste into nitrate that is easily assimilated by plants. Given the importance of biofilters, it is imperative to properly design this tank to effectively support the nitrification process. Several factors need to be considered for the biofilter design. Thus, an optimization algorithm can be used to obtain combinations of the design parameters. The genetic algorithm (GA) is a heuristic solution search or optimization technique based on the Darwinian principle of genetic selection. The main goal of this study was to obtain the optimal biofilter size for a given fishpond volume and the amount of ammonia to be treated. The conversion coefficient in the Michaelis–Menten equation was used as the fitness function in this study. The parameters optimized using GA include the hydraulic loading rate, height of the biofilter, and predicted ammonia concentration. For the given assumption of a 60 kg feed introduced to the system and a 1500 L fishpond, the hydraulic loading rate, biofilter height, and final concentration of ammonia were 0.17437 m, 0.58585 m, and 0.01026 ppm, respectively. Using the values obtained from running the GA, the optimum biofilter volume for the system was 0.4608 m3, whereas the water flow rate was 0.03 L/min. For recommendations, multiple objective GAs can be used to add cost-related variables in the optimization because they have not yet been considered in the computation.
Three-Dimensional Stereo Vision Tracking of Multiple Free-Swimming Fish for Low Frame Rate Video
Authors: Palconit Maria Gemel B. , II Ronnie S. Concepcion , Alejandrino Jonnel D. , Pareja Michael E. , Almero Vincent Jan D. , Bandala Argel A. , Vicerra Ryan Rhay P. , Sybingco Edwin , Dadios Elmer P. , Naguib Raouf N. G. ,   Electronics and Communications Engineering, De La Salle University 2401 Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila 1004, Philippines,   Manufacturing and Management Engineering, De La Salle University 2401 Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila 1004, Philippines,   Liverpool Hope University Hope Park, Taggart Avenue, Liverpool L16 9JD, UK
Published: September 2021

Three-dimensional multiple fish tracking has gained significant research interest in quantifying fish behavior. However, most tracking techniques use a high frame rate, which is currently not viable for real-time tracking applications. This study discusses multiple fish-tracking techniques using low-frame-rate sampling of stereo video clips. The fish were tagged and tracked based on the absolute error of the predicted indices using past and present fish centroid locations and a deterministic frame index. In the predictor sub-system, linear regression and machine learning algorithms intended for nonlinear systems, such as the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), symbolic regression, and Gaussian process regression (GPR), were investigated. The results showed that, in the context of tagging and tracking accuracy, the symbolic regression attained the best performance, followed by the GPR, that is, 74% to 100% and 81% to 91%, respectively. Considering the computation time, symbolic regression resulted in the highest computing lag of approximately 946 ms per iteration, whereas GPR achieved the lowest computing time of 39 ms.