bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Motion of Lumbar Endplate in Degenerative Lumbar Scoliosis Patients with Different Cobb Angle In Vivo: Reflecting the Biomechanics of the Lumbar Disc
Authors: Xu Fei , Jiang Shuai , Wang Longjie , Hou Xiangyu , Zhou Siyu , Li Zhuofu , Sun Zhuoran , Zou Da , Li Weishi
Published: October 2022

Study Design. Controlled laboratory study. Objective. To evaluate the influence of degenerative lumbar scoliosis (DLS) with different Cobb angles and degenerative discs on the range of motion (ROM) of the lumbar endplates during functional weight‐bearing activities in vivo. Summary of Background. DLS data might influence spinal stability and range of motion of the spine. Altered lumbar segment motion is thought to be related to disc degeneration. However, to date, no data have been reported on the motion patterns of the lumbar endplates in patients with DLS in vivo. Methods. We recorded 42 DLS patients with the apical disc at L2‐L3 and L3‐L4. Patients were divided into A group with a coronal Cobb angle >20° (number: 13; 62.00 ± 8.57 years old) and group B with a coronal Cobb angle <20° (number: 28; 65.79 ± 6.66 years old). Patients’ discs were divided into a degenerated disc group (III‐V) and a nondegenerated disc group (I‐II) according to the Pfirrmann classification. Computed tomography (CT) was performed on every subject to build 3‐dimensional (3D) models of the lumbar vertebrae (L1–S1), and then the vertebras were matched according to the dual fluoroscopic imaging system. The kinematics of the endplate was compared between the different Cobb angle groups and the healthy group reported in a previous study and between the degenerative disc group and nondegenerative disc group by multiway analysis of variance. Results. Coupled translation at L5‐S1 was higher than other levels during the three movements. During the flexion‐extension of the trunk, around the anteroposterior axis, rotation in group A was higher than that in the control group at L2‐L3 and L3‐L4 (6.62 ± 3.61 mm vs 4.36 ± 2.55 mm, 5.01 ± 3.19 mm; P < 0.05, P < 0.05). During the left‐right bending of the trunk, around the mediolateral axis, rotations in groups A and B were higher than those in the control group at L5‐S1 (17.52 ± 11.43°, 17.25 ± 9.22° vs 10.08 ± 5.42°; P < 0.05, P < 0.05). During the left‐right torsion, around the anteroposterior axis, rotation in group A was higher than that in group B and the control group at L2‐3 (9.69 ± 5.94° vs 5.77 ± 4.02°, 4.47 ± 2.00°; P < 0.05, P < 0.05). In patients with Cobb angle <20°, coupled translation was higher in the degenerated disc group than in the nondegenerated disc group, especially along the anteroposterior axis. Conclusion. An increase in the coupled rotation of the endplate at the scoliotic apical level in patients with DLS was related to a larger Cobb angle. Moreover, segments with degenerative discs had higher coupled translations in the anteroposterior direction than segments with nondegenerative discs in DLS patients with Cobb angle <20°. These data might provide clues regarding the etiology of DLS and the basis for operative planning.
A New Spectral Three‐Term Conjugate Gradient Method with Random Parameter Based on Modified Secant Equation and Its Application to Low‐Carbon Supply Chain Optimization
Authors: Zhou Guoling , Yang Yueting , Cao Mingyuan
Published: October 2022

In this work, considering the advantages of spectral conjugate gradient method and quasi‐Newton method, a spectral three‐term conjugate gradient method with random parameter is proposed. The parameter in the search direction of the new method is determined by minimizing the Frobenius norm of difference between search direction matrix and self‐scaled memoryless BFGS matrix based on modified secant equation. Then, the search direction satisfying the sufficient descent condition is obtained. The global convergence of new method is proved under appropriate assumptions. Numerical experiments show that our method has better performance by comparing with the up‐to‐date method. Furthermore, the new method has been successfully applied to the optimization of low‐carbon supply chain.
Exploration of RCBF and Metabolic Changes in the Brain Functional Areas of Patients with Hypothyroidism by ASL and MRS Techniques
Authors: Li Yanpeng , Du Xiaomeng , Lang Xiaoyan
Published: October 2022

Objective. To study the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in important brain functional areas and the metabolic levels of these brain functional areas in patients with primary hypothyroidism by using arterial spin labeling (ASL) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) techniques to explain the possible causes of brain dysfunction in patients with primary hypothyroidism. Methods. Twenty-five patients with primary hypothyroidism (newly diagnosed and not treated) who were treated in the endocrinology department of our hospital were selected as the research group, and 25 healthy patients with normal thyroid function who came to our hospital during the same period with matched gender and age were selected as the control group. ASL and MRS techniques were used to detect and calculate regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the frontal lobe, hippocampus, and posterior cingulate gyrus, as well as N-acetylaspartate/creatine (NAA/Cr), choline/creatine (Cho) in the brain/Cr, and inositol/creatine (mI/Cr) ratio. The correlations between metabolite ratios measured by rCBF, MRS, and serum TSH, FT3, and FT4 levels were analyzed. Results. Compared with the control group, the rCBF in the frontal lobe, hippocampus, and posterior cingulate gyrus of the dominant hemisphere of the hypothyroid patients in the study group decreased significantly (

P
<
0.05

). The comparison of metabolite ratios showed that compared with the control group, the NAA/Cr ratio of the frontal lobe and posterior cingulate gyrus of the study group was significantly decreased, and the Cho/Cr ratio of the posterior cingulate gyrus of the study group was significantly increased. The MI/Cr ratio of the hippocampus was significantly decreased (all

P

values < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that rCBF and NAA/Cr in posterior cingulate gyrus were significantly negatively correlated with serum TSH levels (

P
<
0.05

). Conclusion. The changes of rCBF and metabolite ratios in the frontal lobe, hippocampus, and posterior cingulate gyrus of patients with primary hypothyroidism can be detected using ASL and MRS techniques. The changes of rCBF and metabolite ratio and their negative correlation with serum TSH level are helpful to explain the causes of brain dysfunction in patients with primary hypothyroidism.
Association between ERCC1 Gene Polymorphism (rs11615) and Colorectal Cancer Susceptibility: A Meta-Analysis of Medical Image Fusion and Safety Applications
Authors: Liu Min , Qiu Zhifeng , Yang Qi
Published: October 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a malignant tumor of the colorectal mucosa epithelial tissue transformed. The fusion of data for medical imaging has become a central issue in such biomedical applications as image-guided surgery and radiotherapy. Currently, CRC has been one of the most threatening tumors affecting people’s health worldwide. The excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1) is a key enzyme for nucleotide excision repair (NER). Emerging epidemiological studies have indicated that the presence of colorectal cancer (CRC) may be relevant to the ERCC1 rs11615 genetic polymorphism. However, the results of ERCC1 rs11615 on CRC in these studies are controversial. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CNKI, and CBM databases for the effects of ERCC1 rs11615 variant on CRC development. There was no meta-analysis focused on the diagnosis of colorectal cancer with ERCC1 rs11615 variant. We creatively carried out a meta-analysis of nine case-control studies and used Stata (version 12.0) software to integrate the pooled odds ratios (ORs) corresponding to a 95% confidence interval (CI) of overall and subgroup analysis. Our results suggest that a significant correlation was observed between rs11615 and the susceptibility of CRC OR 95%

CI
=
1.13

(1.04-1.23) under an allele genetic model and OR 95%

CI
=
1.14

(1.01-1.30) under a dominant genetic model for overall CRC. Significant statistical difference was also noted in Asians rather than Caucasians based on the ethnicity subgroups. These results suggested that there is a certain association between rs11615 and the susceptibility of colorectal cancer in the Asian populations.
NET-Triggered NLRP3 Activation and IL18 Release Drive Oxaliplatin-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy
Authors: Lin Tongtong , Hu Liang , Hu Fan , Li Kun , Wang Chao-Yu , Zong Li-Juan , Zhao Ya-Qian , Zhang Xiaotao , Li Yan , Yang Yang , Wang Yu , Jiang Chun-Yi , Wu Xuefeng , Liu Wen-Tao
Published: October 2022

Oxaliplatin is an antineoplastic agent frequently used in the treatment of gastrointestinal tumors. However, it causes dose-limiting sensorimotor neuropathy, referred to as oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy (OIPN), for which there is no effective treatment. Here, we report that the elevation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NET) is a pathologic change common to both cancer patients treated with oxaliplatin and a murine model of OIPN. Mechanistically, we found that NETs trigger NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation and the subsequent release of IL18 by macrophages, resulting in mechanical hyperalgesia. In NLRP3-deficient mice, the mechanical hyperalgesia characteristic of OIPN in our model was reduced. In addition, in the murine model, treatment with the IL18 decoy receptor IL18BP prevented the development of OIPN. We further showed that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) reduced NET formation by suppressing the LPS–TLR4–JNK pathway and thereby abolished NLRP3 inflammasome activation and the subsequent secretion of IL18, which markedly prevented oxaliplatin-induced mechanical hyperalgesia in mice. These results identify a role for NET-triggered NLRP3 activation and IL18 release in the development of OIPN and suggest that utilizing IL18BP and EPA could be effective treatments for OIPN.
Protection of Regulatory T Cells from Fragility and Inactivation in the Tumor Microenvironment
Authors: Zhang Hongru , Tomar Vivek S. , Li Jinyang , Basavaraja Raghavendra , Yan Fangxue , Gui Jun , McBrearty Noreen , Costich Tara Lee , Beiting Daniel P. , Blanco M. Andres , Conejo-Garcia Jose R. , Saggu Gurpanna , Berger Allison , Nefedova Yulia , Gabrilovich Dmitry I. , Fuchs Serge Y.
Published: October 2022

Fragility of regulatory T (Treg) cells manifested by the loss of neuropilin-1 (NRP1) and expression of IFNγ undermines the immune suppressive functions of Treg cells and contributes to the success of immune therapies against cancers. Intratumoral Treg cells somehow avoid fragility; however, the mechanisms by which Treg cells are protected from fragility in the tumor microenvironment are not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that the IFNAR1 chain of the type I IFN (IFN1) receptor was downregulated on intratumoral Treg cells. Downregulation of IFNAR1 mediated by p38α kinase protected Treg cells from fragility and maintained NRP1 levels, which were decreased in response to IFN1. Genetic or pharmacologic inactivation of p38α and stabilization of IFNAR1 in Treg cells induced fragility and inhibited their immune suppressive and protumorigenic activities. The inhibitor of sumoylation TAK981 (Subasumstat) upregulated IFNAR1, eliciting Treg fragility and inhibiting tumor growth in an IFNAR1-dependent manner. These findings describe a mechanism by which intratumoral Treg cells retain immunosuppressive activities and suggest therapeutic approaches for inducing Treg fragility and increasing the efficacy of immunotherapies.
Rates of Intracoronary Imaging Optimization in Contemporary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Report From the BMC2 Registry
Authors: Madder Ryan D. , Seth Milan , Sukul Devraj , Alraies M. Chadi , Qureshi Mansoor , Tucciarone Michael , Saltiel Frank , Qureshi M. Imran , Gurm Hitinder S.
Published: October 2022

Background:

Intracoronary imaging (ICI) during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) improves outcomes, yet hospital- and physician-level variabilities in ICI and its impact on ICI use in contemporary PCI remain unknown. This study was performed to evaluate hospital- and physician-level use of ICI to optimize PCI.

Methods:

Using data from a large statewide registry, patients undergoing PCI between July 2019 and March 2021 were studied. The primary measure of interest was ICI (intravascular ultrasound or optical coherence tomography) optimization during PCI. A fitted hierarchical Bayesian model identified variables independently associated with ICI optimization. The performing hospital and physician were included as random effects in the model.

Results:

Among 48 872 PCIs, ICI optimization was performed in 8094 (16.6%). Median [interquartile range] hospital- and physician-level frequencies of ICI were 8.8% [3.1%, 16.0%] and 6.1% [1.1%, 25.0%], respectively. Bayesian modeling identified left main PCI (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 4.41; 95% credible interval [3.82, 5.10]), proximal left anterior descending artery PCI (aOR, 2.28 [2.00, 2.59]), PCI for in-stent restenosis (aOR, 1.55 [1.40, 1.72]), and surgical consult prior to PCI (aOR, 1.21 [1.07, 1.37]) as independent predictors of ICI optimization. The hospital-level median odds ratio, an estimate of the contribution of inter-hospital variability in odds of ICI use, was 3.48 (2.64, 5.04). Physician-level median odds ratio was 3.81 (3.33, 4.45).

Conclusions:

Substantial hospital- and physician-level variation in ICI was observed. Except for performance of left main PCI, the hospital and physician performing the PCI were more strongly associated with ICI optimization than any patient or procedural factors.
Growing Heart Failure Burden of Hypertensive Heart Disease: A Call to Action
Authors: Díez Javier , Butler Javed
Published: October 2022

Hypertensive heart disease (HHD) is currently the second leading cause of heart failure. The prevalence of HHD and its associated risk of heart failure have increased despite substantial improvement in arterial hypertension treatment and control in the recent decades. Therefore, the prevention of heart failure in patients with HHD represents an unmet medical need, due to its clinical, economic, and social impact. In this conceptual framework, we call to action because the time has come for diagnosis and treatment of patients with HHD not to be limited to assessment of morphological and functional left ventricular changes, blood pressure control, and left ventricular hypertrophy regression. We propose a further perspective incorporating also the detection and reversal of the histological changes that develop in the hypertensive heart and that lead to the structural remodeling of the myocardium. In particular, we focus on the diagnosis and treatment of myocardial interstitial fibrosis, likely the lesion most critically involved in the transition from subclinical HHD to clinically overt heart failure. In this context, it is worth considering whether the use of imaging and circulating biomarkers for the noninvasive diagnosis of myocardial interstitial fibrosis should be incorporated in the medical study of hypertensive patients, especially of those with HHD.
Quantification of underwater calling and foraging activities in the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis
Authors: Lorrain-Soligon Léa , Secondi Jean
Published: October 2022

Aquatic anuran species are difficult to detect and observe and this is a major limit to the study of their behaviour and ecology. This habit limits the direct monitoring of sexual and foraging activity, and the investigation of how environmental factors influence their expression as well as how individuals allocate time between competing activities. We investigated this issue in Xenopus laevis, a mostly aquatic frog that forages and emits calls underwater. This model species in biology has been extensively studied in the lab but its behaviour in nature remains poorly described. We carried out a study in a pond during the breeding season in the French invasive range. We recorded underwater vocal activity as a proxy for sexual activity using a hydrophone, set food-baited traps to quantify foraging activity, and recorded environmental conditions (moonlight intensity, temperature and rainfall) over two lunar cycles. We found that individuals engage in these two activities during the breeding season. At the peak of the breeding period, vocal activity was expressed during the day. The investment in reproduction (calling activity) may reduce the time allocated to foraging on a circadian scale. The two activities seem to be partitioned depending on moonlight intensity, with a stronger effect on males. Foraging activity decreased and vocal activity increased when moonlight intensity increased. We also observed a negative effect of temperature and a positive effect of rainfall on vocal activity only. Our method is promising to monitor the activity of other aquatic anurans.
Diasporic Chinese Boundaries and Bonds Revisited: An Introduction to the Special Issue
Authors: Yow (游俊豪) Cheun Hoe
Published: October 2022

Over myriads of migration trajectories, settlement adaptations, and generation variations, diasporic Chinese have constantly reconfigured their subjectivities as a group, locally, regionally, and globally. Either as migrants transcending geographic demarcations and territories or ethnic groups with distinctive cultures and mentalities, members of the Chinese diaspora have aspirations and concerns that have evolved over time and space. This special issue re-examines and reconceptualizes boundaries and bonds of Chinese diaspora in various realms and aspects. It features six revised papers, from an international conference on “Boundaries and Bonds” held in October 2021, and an article that shares the same academic concern. They are riveting accounts of how multiple disciplines should be engaged in order to approach Chinese diaspora as subject matter and to reveal the diversity of situations where Chinese as migrants and ethnic groups are positioned and constructed for a myriad of reasons. Their case studies on Guangdong, Brazil, Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Myanmar reveal the various processes and routes of resetting networks and boundaries that have brought about new elements of Chinese ethnicity.
Paradox of Superdiversity: Contesting Racism and “Chinese Privilege” in Singapore
Authors: Liu (刘宏) Hong , Huang (黄伶俐) Lingli
Published: October 2022

Large-scale immigration has turned Singapore into a highly diverse setting, where migrants and local-born Singaporeans encounter one another on a daily basis. In the past decade, the city-state has seen rising debates and contestations over racism, despite being known as a racially harmonious society. This article situates the public discourse on racism and “Chinese privilege” in the context of superdiversity and examines its wider implications for theorization and policy. Approaching the paradox of superdiversity from a political economy perspective, we investigate how three sets of factors have contributed to the rising public discourse on racism not only between migrants and locals but also among local-born Singaporeans: i) immigration regime and the strategy toward a knowledge economy, ii) new patterns of electoral politics, and iii) the impacts of China’s growing influences in Southeast Asia. This article offers two broader theoretical implications for the scholarship on migration and race relations in a context of superdiversity. First, the paradoxical co-existence of superdiversity and racism obtains not only between migrants and natives, as many studies have shown, but also between native races in the host society. Second, diversifications and new forms of contestations and racism are not only a result of the immigration regime and domestic politics of the host country, but are also shaped by the international political economy, as evidenced by the way in which the rise of China has intensified contestations on race relations in Singapore.
Hobbes on Public Ministers
Authors: Miller Jonah
Published: October 2022

Until recently, scholars paid relatively little attention to chapter 23 of Leviathan, in which Hobbes discussed “the public ministers of sovereign power.” In the past few years, however, political theorists have used chapter 23 extensively in discussions of Hobbes’ concept of the state. But what was the significance of the chapter in its own time? This article suggests it served two purposes. First, it allowed Hobbes to bolster and elaborate arguments made elsewhere in Leviathan. Second, it responded to 1640s debates between royalists and parliamentarians over the role of subordinate magistrates in a polity. By the time Leviathan was published in 1651 these debates were no longer pressing, which explains the chapter’s rapid descent into obscurity. Nonetheless, recovering this polemical context helps to understand the genesis of this small but significant part of Hobbes’ political thought.
The Waste Land 100 Years On
Authors: Vanheste Jeroen
Published: October 2022

Over the past century, there have been remarkable changes in the appreciation of T.S. Eliot (1888–1965). From the interwar years up to the 1950s, he was for decades an icon of high culture and outstanding moral values, of everything that is beautiful and good and deserves admiration; while from the 1970s onwards he became a symbol of a completely different kind: one of elitism and conservatism, of everything that is wrong and deserves condemnation. Over the past twenty years, gradually a more balanced view has been established. In this article I outline this development, relate it to general changes in the cultural climate, and argue that, a hundred years after publication of his major poem The Waste Land (1922), T.S. Eliot remains highly significant to us both as a poet and a cultural critic.
Is it Possible to Maintain Information Flow in Japanese into Thai Translation? A Study of Connecting Clauses
Authors: Chawengkijwanich Somkiat
Published: October 2022

This paper investigates the ordering of connecting subordinate and coordinate clauses in Japanese-Thai translation to examine whether it is possible to maintain information flow from the source text. Japanese preposed clauses were translated using both preposed and postposed clauses in the Thai translated text. Preposed clauses were used widely when they provided: 1) listed information; 2) grounded information for comprehending main clauses; 3) the framework within which main clauses are held; 4) temporal sequences; and 5) information linking prior context to a new discourse topic. Postposed clauses were used mainly to modify main clauses. In cases where clauses provided the information needed to comprehend subsequent clauses, professional translators attempted to place the clause sentence initially, despite a preference for sentence-final occurrence arising from Thai syntactic constraints. This demonstrated norms in Japanese-Thai translation in terms of awareness among professional translators of the significance of information flow in the source text.
Transitivity System and a Translation of Lexical Metaphors: The Case of the Emirates Airline Website
Authors: Chueasuai Pasakara
Published: October 2022

Lexical metaphors colourise literary as well as non-literary texts. In the case of a website, it can make the text more appealing and consequently improve the sales of a company. In the highly competitive airline industry, an impressive webpage plays a significant role, especially in online reservation and purchase. This article examines the lexical metaphors used in the English and Thai websites of the Emirates Airline, adopting Transitivity of the Systemic Functional Linguistics by Eggins (2004) as the analytical framework. It also explores how the translated lexical metaphors are similar to and/or different from the original version. The study finds the lexical metaphors are realised in the transitivity systems of process, participant and circumstance. The translation is found to retain mostly the original transitivity systems. The study further finds both literal translation and adaption play parts in preserving and removing the original metaphorical form.
Danish Attempts to Open Trade with Japan, 1637–1645
Authors: Karlsmose Mathias Istrup
Published: October 2022

This article will describe the first attempt made by the Danish East India Company to establish trade with Japan in 1637–1645, as described in Dutch and Portuguese sources. In doing this, it will contribute to a rich historiography of early modern European contacts with Japan. In English-language historiography on seventeenth-century maritime East Asia, the Danish East India Company has largely been overlooked as an actor compared to its larger European counterparts. Conversely, in Danish historiography the interactions between the Danish company and its larger competitors, especially the Dutch, have been overlooked as well. The article will show how the governor of the Danish East India Company tried to cooperate with the Spanish and Portuguese in bypassing the Dutch monopoly in Japan. In addition, it will show how the Japanese relied on Dutch intelligence on the outside world.
A Study of Aromatic Woods in Seventeenth-Century India: Circulation of Aloewood and Sandalwood through Facilitating Port Cities and Trade Networks
Authors: Chattopadhyay Amrita
Published: October 2022

During the seventeenth century, various commodities carved out an economic sphere for themselves across the littoral parts of the Indian Ocean through the interconnectedness of its port cities. The present article focuses on two significant aromatic woods: aloewood and sandalwood, both plant-based materials, and locates them as “commodities” in commercial networks across the maritime space. Various port cities like Surat, Patna, Mausalipatam and Cambay, all central to the trading activities of the European companies, served as chief nodes in the grid of circulation that enabled their mobility, value addition and economic exchanges. Revisiting English factory records, Dutch East India Company documents and European travel accounts, this article explores the neglect of ephemeral objects in the material hierarchy of trading items. It also accounts for the thriving presence of these aromatic woods in the Indian Ocean maritime networks as two key materials in European trading interests and as facilitators of the early modern economy.
A training programme for community pharmacists to support people living with severe and persistent mental illness: Intervention mapping in the context of a pandemic
Authors: McMillan Sara S , El-Den Sarira , O’Reilly Claire L , Roennfeldt Helena , Theodorus Theo , Chapman Justin , Bailey Kylie , Crump Keith , Collins Jack C , Ng Ricki , Stewart Victoria , Wheeler Amanda J
Published: October 2022

Objective:

The Bridging the Gap Between Physical and Mental Illness in Community Pharmacy ( PharMIbridge) randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to test the effectiveness of a pharmacist-led support service in improving medication adherence, and the physical and mental health of people living with severe and persistent mental illness compared to a standard medication review service.

Method:

Using the six-step intervention mapping (IM) framework, this paper describes the development and content of the PharMIbridge pharmacist training programme, an integral part of the RCT implementation, and continuous adaptations made to the process to keep pace with the evolving severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in Australia. A Training Working Group comprising health educators, practitioners, mental health consumers and researchers, refined the programme objectives and assisted with developing content and troubleshooting issues related to training delivery for pharmacists randomised to the RCT intervention arm.

Results:

A 2-day training programme was developed, which included Mental Health First Aid, simulated patient role-plays, and four pre-recorded modules using lectures, demonstration case vignettes, role-play activities and discussion. The programme, co-facilitated by project team members and mentors (pharmacist and consumer educators), aims to enhance pharmacists’ mental health literacy, skills and confidence and empower them to engage with this vulnerable population using a strengths-based approach. Pre- and post-training questionnaires and interviews will be used to evaluate the impact of the PharMIbridge training programme.

Conclusion:

The systematic stepwise method provided by the IM framework highlights the solution-focused approach adopted by the project team and characteristics including adaptability and resilience which enabled training development and implementation across four Australian regions during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Impact of Demographic Vulnerabilities and Socio-Economic Resilience on Food Insecurity in Pakistan
Authors: Parveen Ayesha , Tufail Saira , Salman Verda
Published: October 2022

Despite being an agrarian economy, food insecurity is pervasive in Pakistan. This study examines the impact of multiple dimensions of household vulnerability and socio-economic resilience on food insecurity. The results of ordinary least squares and Logistic regression based on data from Pakistan Standard and Living Measurement Survey (2018–2019) and Food Insecurity Experience Scale showed that vulnerabilities like age and employment dependency, household size, and gender composition play a significant role in food insecurity. The key policy interventions that can prevent households from experiencing food insecurity would be investments in human capital, empowering women, and reduction in rural–urban disparity.
Melancholic media: virtual reality, traumatic loss, and magic
Authors: Zeavin Hannah
Published: October 2022

This essay concerns itself with the status of ‘melancholic media’, or digital objects in psychic life after trauma on the grounds of three very different cases: Replika (a chatbot with avatar), Deep Nostalgia (the reanimating of family photographs), and Not the Only One (a noncommercial virtual agent). If for Freud, trauma is more than mind can endure; these surrogates both suggest concretization that which is being endured. Instead of directly confronting trauma and its overwhelm, these users might omnipotently reproduce a literal figure of their loss. Rather than examining these human and non-human interactions via the lens of the uncanny, I will return to the status of objects as melancholic media to think about psychic states in relationship to trauma and its multi-temporal aftermath. I trouble what these digital partial revivifications might do to and for psyches.
Envisioning a credit society: social credit systems and the institutionalization of moral standards in China
Authors: Wang Jing , Li Hongmei , Xu Weiai Wayne , Xu Wei
Published: October 2022

China’s Social Credit System (SCS) has been widely considered a centralized surveillance project, whereas recent research found multiple scoring systems co-existing in various fields at multiple administrative levels and in diverse forms. Despite the broadened view toward the complexity of SCS, these research projects continue to focus on SCS mainly as political and digital control mechanisms. Instead, this paper is interested in the social and cultural meanings of SCS constructed in the media, both at the national and local levels. Based on the analyses of news reports since the year 2003, when the term SCS was officially coined, this paper examines the historical narratives about SCS, including its rationales, stakeholders, and intended goals/tasks. It argues that the SCS construction has been a societal project anchored in a distinct moral orientation of financial credit. While credit systems are often used to classify consumers and financial subjects in Western contexts, the case of Chinese SCS shows that the moral dimension of financial credit scoring has enabled its spread into other non-financial domains. Also, the institutionalization of such moral standards is considered an effective approach to addressing various socio-economic and ethical issues that have long baffled economic development and social justice in China’s reform era.
Deep Learning-Based Dynamic Traffic Assignment With Incomplete Origin–Destination Data
Authors: Fan Wenbo , Tang Zhenkun , Ye Pengyao , Xiao Feng , Zhang Jun
Published: October 2022

Dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) methods have been developed fruitfully in theory but are limited in application. Reasons may include the high computational complexity, the difficulty in model calibration, and the reliance on accurate and complete origin–destination (OD) data. Recognizing the incompleteness of OD data in the real world, this paper proposes a deep learning-based DTA model. Specifically, a convolution neural network (CNN) is chosen to account for the spatial correlation of OD pairs. The CNN-based DTA model is trained with the input of historical OD data (incomplete because of limited survey tools) and the output of link flow data (complete thanks to detection technologies). These data are obtained first by simulations in experimental networks and then from an empirical survey in Dazhou, China. Extensive experiments are done about various levels of data incompleteness (measured by the percentage of missing OD data). Comparisons show that the trained CNN-based DTA model performs better with higher accuracy than other common statistical/machine learning algorithms (e.g., feed-forward neural network, k-nearest neighbor, and Kriging). The proposed model also shows robustness to the small-sized dataset, data noise, and network changes. Additional examinations include employing the proposed framework to learn and estimate traffic flow characteristics (i.e., average speed and travel time) and the dynamic flow of turning movements at intersections. Lastly, a case study demonstrates the application of the proposed model using real data. Overall, this study indicates the promising prospect of the CNN-based DTA model as a supplement to traditional ones.
Politeness as a Cultural Aspect in Japanese and Turkish Languages
Authors: Tekmen Ayşe Nur
Published: October 2022

Various studies have been made on different aspects of the Turkish and Japanese languages, but comparative studies between the two languages are still limited. The aim of this study is to describe the politeness strategy of these two languages from a cultural perspective within the paradigm of cognitive linguistics. Both Turkish and Japanese are agglutinative languages, and speakers of both languages prefer the subjective construal. So, if the typology of a language might be related to its perception, the conceptualization of ‘polite’ and the perception of politeness in that language may be alike.
Mechanical performance of composite flat specimens and pressure vessels produced by carbon/epoxy towpreg dry winding
Authors: Okten Yigit Kemal , Kaynak Cevdet
Published: October 2022

The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of certain processing parameters on the mechanical performance of carbon/epoxy towpreg wound composite structures. For this purpose, composite sample productions and their evaluations were conducted in two steps. In the first step, dry winding of carbon/epoxy towpregs was used to produce flat composite plates. Their evaluation was performed by rheological analysis, interlaminar shear tests, and unidirectional tensile tests. In the second step, towpreg dry winding was used to produce composite pressure vessel samples. Their performance was evaluated by observing the effects of various winding process parameters on the safety of the vessels via hydrostatic burst pressure tests. Compared to the traditional wet filament winding, the main difficulty observed was maintaining the “straight towpreg path” necessary for efficient winding operations. This problem was prevented by applying higher tension forces during dry winding. Evaluation of the hydrostatic burst tests in terms of burst pressure, hoop strain and safe failure mode revealed that the optimum pressure vessel performance could be obtained in the vessel samples with “helical-hoop-helical winding layer sequence.” On the other hand, use of “complex helical pattern” resulted in no advantages at all, due to basically higher number of undulation zones acting as stress concentration zones.
Physical and chemical characteristics of fat, oil and grease deposits in Chinese kitchen drainage systems
Authors: Yan Xin , Guan Yuxi , Fang Zheng
Published: October 2022

The blockage of kitchen pipes seriously affects people’s normal life. Minimal research is reported on fat, oil and grease (FOG) deposits in kitchen drainage pipes in China. In this study, 16 collected kitchen pipe deposits from various pipe materials are tested using physical and chemical methods. Experimental results show that samples have rough surfaces with porosity between 7 and 20% and appear as milky white lumps with moisture content less than 30% and the density is less than 1.000 g/cm3. Larger diameter of pipes can short blockage period. The oil content varies in deposits. The frequency of restaurants using oil is eight times higher than the family kitchen and the number of oil using is four times. The types of all free fatty acids in the samples are C14–C20, and the content of C16H32O2 is the highest. The highest metal content in the sample is calcium ion, up to 605.036 mg/L. Not only samples have a discontinuity formation process, but also characteristic absorption spectrum between 1300 and 1420, 1550 and 1610 and 1745 cm−1 also draws that saponification reaction occurs during the formation of these samples. The composition and formation rules of FOG deposits analysed can provide reference to prevent and remove blockages in the pipes and develop the kitchen drainage system in China.
An Analysis of SNAP Online Purchasing Behavior in California: A Review of the First 7 Months of Program Implementation and Lessons Learned
Authors: Foster Isabelle S. , LeBoa Christopher , Hoffs Charlie T , Polselli Angelina M. , de Nocker Charly , Liu Samantha Y. , Rummo Pasquale E. , Brandt Eric J. , Rimm Eric B.
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Online Purchasing Pilot (OPP) allows for the online purchase of groceries using SNAP benefits. First implemented in California in late April 2020, little is known about program usage. This study assessed initial implementation of SNAP Online in California using SNAP OPP transaction data from April - October 2020. Insights can identify usage differences by demographics, store availability, and rurality to help inform future pilot programs and nutrition initiatives.

Design

Using generalized estimating equations, we modeled county-level associations between transactions and county-level demographics, rurality, and retailer availability.

Setting

Transaction data from California’s Department of Social Services (CDSS) was linked with publicly-available, county-level demographics.

Subjects

Anonymized county-level data on SNAP Online transactions and CalFresh households.

Measures

The primary outcome was successful SNAP Online food transactions per county.

Analysis

Generalized estimating equation models with clustering by county was used.

Results

During the first 7 months, median SNAP Online transactions per county per month was 665; 2.7% of total SNAP redemptions were from SNAP Online. Counties with more female-led, disabled, Latino, or Asian CalFresh households had fewer Amazon transactions. Each additional Walmart per county corresponded to 260.7 more Walmart transactions (P < .001). Each percent increase in county zip codes covered by Amazon Fresh corresponded to 45.4 fewer Walmart transactions (P < .05) and 37.3 more Amazon transactions (P < .001).

Conclusion

Number of stores per county was associated with greater online grocery transactions, whereas rurality was not. County-level SNAP demographics correlated with transactions at particular retailers.
Antidepressant Use During Hospice Patients’ Final Months on Routine Home Care
Authors: Crampton Erika , Weisse Carol S.
Published: October 2022

Background: Antidepressants can be used to manage symptoms at the end of life, but the dying process can impact their use. Objectives: To examine the use of antidepressants during hospice patients’ final months of home care. Methods: A retrospective case records review of 227 hospice patients in their last three months of care in a residential setting. Chart reviews were conducted of medication logs, hospice staff notes, and caregiver narratives to examine antidepressant use including types of medications prescribed and factors associated with medication maintenance. Results: Thirty percent of patients were prescribed at least 1 antidepressant for symptoms including depression, anxiety, pain, disturbances in sleep, and poor appetite. The majority (96.1%) of patients were not administered their antidepressant on the day of death, and more than half (61.8%) did not receive their antidepressant during their last 3 days of life. A quarter (25.5%) of patients on antidepressants did not receive medication 4-7 days prior to death while some (12.7%) went without their antidepressant for 8 or more days. Antidepressant use was discontinued by hospice staff or caregivers due to a variety of reasons including difficulty swallowing, minimal consciousness, confusion, nausea, or patient refusal. Conclusions: Antidepressants are prescribed to manage multiple symptoms at the end of life, but use is often disrupted during patients' final days. Tapering and other prescription adjustments may be warranted to avoid risk of antidepressant discontinuation syndrome (ADS).
“I Can Sense When My Hands Need Washing”: A Qualitative Study and Thematic Analysis of Factors Affecting Young Adults’ Hand Hygiene
Authors: Thaivalappil Abhinand , Young Ian , Pearl David L , McWhirter Jennifer E , Papadopoulos Andrew
Published: October 2022

Handwashing is one of the most effective and low-cost public health measures. However, it is often not practiced frequently enough or correctly by the public. Young adults in particular have poorer intentions to wash their hands, frequency of handwashing, and sanitizer use compared to other age groups. Therefore, there is a need to identify barriers and facilitators affecting hand hygiene within this group. The objective of this qualitative study was to apply the Theoretical Domains Framework to explore factors which influence hand hygiene among young adults aged 18 to 25 years old. An online questionnaire (n = 37) and thematic analysis were used to generate 3 overarching themes. The main findings indicated internal factors such as knowledge and intentions; interpersonal factors such as social norms; and environmental factors such as reminders, cues, accessibility, and cleanliness of handwashing facilities determined the level of hand hygiene practiced among young adults. The findings suggest that behavior change techniques such as social comparisons and tailored messaging to suit the needs of young adults may be more effective at increasing hand hygiene.
No seasonality in the risk of multiple sclerosis in an equatorial country: A case–control ecological study
Authors: Cárdenas-Robledo Simón , González-Caicedo Paula , Carvajal-Parra Michael Steven , Guío-Sánchez Claudia Marcela , López-Reyes Lorena
Published: October 2022

Background:

Multiple sclerosis risk has been shown to have seasonal variations that are more pronounced in higher latitudes. However, this phenomenon has not been adequately studied near the Equator.

Objective:

To explore the risk of multiple sclerosis associated with month, season of birth, and sunlight exposure variables in Colombia.

Methods:

In this case–control study, 668 multiple sclerosis cases were matched to 2672 controls by sex and age. Association of multiple sclerosis with each month/season of birth and sunlight exposure variables was estimated with multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression and ecological regression models, respectively. Seasonality in the births of multiple sclerosis was assessed with a non-parametric seasonality test.

Results:

We found a higher probability of multiple sclerosis in September (0.25; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.21–0.31) and lower in March (0.15; 95% CI = 0.10–0.18), which turned non-significant after a multiple comparisons test. Sunlight exposure variables had no significant effect on the risk of MS, and the tests of seasonality in the births of MS did not show significant results.

Conclusion:

Our results show no seasonality in the risk of multiple sclerosis near the Equator, supporting the hypothesis that this phenomenon is latitude dependent.
Comparative Analysis Study on the Traditional and Modern Methods of Performance Appraisal in the Service Industries of Goa
Authors: Barreto Nigel , Silveira Cedric Thomas , Carvalho Valerie
Published: October 2022

In today’s age and times, one wants to know as to which method will suit best for a performance appraisal. Are the traditional methods still good, or does one have to shift to the newer methods or the modern methods? Also, whether any correlation existed between the traditional forms of performance appraisal and employee promotion and the modern forms of performance appraisal and employee promotion. The study was conducted on 50 managers from different service organizations across the state of Goa. A random direct structured questionnaire was utilized wherein a personal interview was conducted. The findings were such that the highest ranked method of performance appraisal desired by the service managers was the 360-degree method followed by management by objectives (MBO) and assessment centers. A high negative correlation existed between traditional forms of performance appraisal and employee promotion and a medium positive correlation between modern forms of performance appraisal and employee promotion. This meant that although the modern forms of performance appraisal were desired by managers, they did not feel the need to use them when it came to giving promotions to the employees.
Embracing the City: Black Families’ Place Attachments and (Re)imaginings of the City and Suburb in Search of Educational Opportunity
Authors: Nickson Dana
Published: October 2022

Like many predominantly Black urban cities, Detroit, Michigan, has experienced significant out-migration among Black residents over the past 30 years. This situation has altered families’ relationships to the communities and schools where they have been nurtured or call home. Therefore, this paper examines how seven Black families’ place attachments influenced their geographic movement and school choices in the Detroit metropolitan region. Findings show that despite families’ movement to surrounding suburbs, varied experiences in Detroit influenced families’ decision-making regarding where to live, their search for sociocultural experiences that supported their families holistically, and their perceptions and navigation of municipal boundaries and borders. Families’ intention toward maintaining connections with Detroit enact what I term embracing the city. Embracing the city helps consider the importance of socio-spatial ties that persist and orient Black families’ community perceptions and school choices in suburban contexts.