bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Generative Algorithms for Fusion of Physics-Based Wildfire Spread Models with Satellite Data for Initializing Wildfire Forecasts
Authors: Shaddy Bryan , Ray Deep , Farguell Angel , Calaza Valentina , Mandel Jan , Haley James , Hilburn Kyle , Mallia Derek V. , Kochanski Adam , Oberai Assad
Published: April 2024

Increases in wildfire activity and the resulting impacts have prompted the development of high-resolution wildfire behavior models for forecasting fire spread. Recent progress in using satellites to detect fire locations further provides the opportunity to use measurements toward improving fire spread forecasts from numerical models through data assimilation. This work develops a physics-informed approach for inferring the history of a wildfire from satellite measurements, providing the necessary information to initialize coupled atmosphere–wildfire models from a measured wildfire state. The fire arrival time, which is the time the fire reaches a given spatial location, acts as a succinct representation of the history of a wildfire. In this work, a conditional Wasserstein generative adversarial network (cWGAN), trained with WRF–SFIRE simulations, is used to infer the fire arrival time from satellite active fire data. The cWGAN is used to produce samples of likely fire arrival times from the conditional distribution of arrival times given satellite active fire detections. Samples produced by the cWGAN are further used to assess the uncertainty of predictions. The cWGAN is tested on four California wildfires occurring between 2020 and 2022, and predictions for fire extent are compared against high-resolution airborne infrared measurements. Further, the predicted ignition times are compared with reported ignition times. An average Sørensen’s coefficient of 0.81 for the fire perimeters and an average ignition time difference of 32 min suggest that the method is highly accurate.

Significance Statement

To initialize coupled atmosphere–wildfire simulations in a physically consistent way based on satellite measurements of active fire locations, it is critical to ensure the state of the fire and atmosphere aligns at the start of the forecast. If known, the history of a wildfire may be used to develop an atmospheric state matching the wildfire state determined from satellite data in a process known as spinup. In this paper, we present a novel method for inferring the early stage history of a wildfire based on satellite active fire measurements. Here, inference of the fire history is performed in a probabilistic sense and physics is further incorporated through the use of training data derived from a coupled atmosphere–wildfire model.
Machine Learning Investigation of Downburst-Prone Environments in Canada
Authors: Hadavi Mohammad , Romanic Djordje
Published: April 2024

Thunderstorms are recognized as one of the most disastrous weather threats in Canada because of their power to cause substantial damage to human-made structures and even result in fatalities. It is therefore essential for operational forecasting to diagnose thunderstorms that generate damaging downdrafts of negatively buoyant air, known as downbursts. This study develops several machine learning models to identify environments supportive of downbursts in Canada. The models are trained and evaluated using 38 convective parameters calculated based on ERA5 reanalysis vertical profiles prior to thunderstorms with (306 cases) and without (19 132 cases) downbursts across Canada. Various resampling techniques are implemented to adjust data imbalance. An increase in the performance of the random forest (RF) model is observed when the support vector machine synthetic minority oversampling technique is utilized. The RF model outperforms other tested models, as indicated by model performance metrics and calibration. Several model interpretability methods highlight that the RF model has learned physical trends and patterns from the input variables. Moreover, the thermodynamic parameters are deemed to have higher impacts on the model outcomes compared to parcel, kinematic, and composite variables. For example, a considerable rise in the downburst probability is detected with an increase in cold pool strength. This study serves as one of the earliest attempts toward the fledgling field of machine learning applications in weather forecasting systems in Canada. The findings suggest that the developed model has the potential to enhance the effectiveness of issuing severe thunderstorm warnings in Canada, although further assessment with operational meteorologists is needed to validate its practical application.

Significance Statement

Severe thunderstorms demand particular attention in forecasting as their outflow can pose a serious threat to both structures and human life. This study uses machine learning techniques to predict whether or not a thunderstorm generates a damaging outflow in Canada. Atmospheric conditions that could trigger a severe thunderstorm are identified and discussed. Results show that the models have the potential to assist forecasters in better analyzing and predicting thunderstorms that generate destructive winds. Consequently, taking advantage of promising machine learning tools can yield more reliable forecasts of damaging thunderstorms, thereby mitigating the economic and societal burdens of these storms on Canadian communities.
Survival Probability in Multidrug Resistant Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in a South Indian Region
Authors: Smitha Thungathurthi , Sunitha Pantham , Prabhakar Orsu , Vasudeva Murthy Sindgi
Published: April 2024

Background: Drug-resistant tuberculosis is a burgeoning threat to public health requiring novel strategies to combat the infection. Although national tuberculosis elimination programs focus on improving health services, challenges in eradicating tuberculosis still exist. Factors attributing to unfavorable outcomes are unknown in Warangal district of Telangana state. Methods: This study included 296 patients diagnosed with multidrug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis. The study participants followed up for a maximum of 20 months to determine treatment outcomes. Statistical applications of Kaplan-Meier curve and log-rank test used to find the survival probabilities in subgroups. Results: The survival of multidrug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis patients was ascertained, in male and female patients, aged between 31 and 50 years. Resistance to rifampicin was prominent. The study found a survival rate of 76.68% and a mortality rate of 23.31%. The log-rank test revealed a significant difference in survival in subcategories with and without comorbidities ( P = .03), non-adherence to treatment ( P = .0001), treatment duration ( P = .02), regimens ( P = .01), and grading of radiograph ( P = .0001). Conclusion: This study identified factors that influenced the survival probability of multidrug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis patients, including comorbidities, weight band, non-adherence to treatment, treatment duration, regimens, and grading of radiograph. These findings emphasize the need for enhanced management strategies to improve treatment outcomes.
The primary frequency modulation control strategy based on fuzzy active disturbance rejection control for gas turbines
Authors: Cui Xiaobo , Xu Pan , Gu Hui , Wang Liang , Xiong Xiaohe , Tan Houzhang
Published: April 2024

Gas turbines play a core role in clean energy supply and construction of comprehensive energy system, and the control performance of primary frequency modulation (PFM) of gas turbine has a great impact on the frequency control of the power grid. However, there are some control difficulties in the PFM control of gas turbines, such as the coupling effect of fuel control loop and speed control loop, slow tracking speed and large variation of operating conditions. To relieve the above difficulties, a control strategy based on the fuzzy-modified active disturbance rejection control (F-MADRC) proposed in this paper. Based on the analyses of the parameter stability region for active disturbance rejection control (ADRC), fuzzy tuning rules of parameters for F-MADRC are designed. Finally, the proposed F-MADRC is applied to the PFM system of MS6001B heavy-duty gas turbine. The simulation results show that the gas turbine unit with the proposed method can obtain the best control performance of the PFM with strong ability to deal with system uncertainties. The proposed method shows good engineering application potential.
Beyond Death: Funeral Rituals and Megalithic Traditions Among the Bhil Tribes of India
Authors: Mendaly Subodha
Published: April 2024

The earliest traces of funeral rituals in the Indian Subcontinent date back to the Mesolithic period. Data from various parts of the country clearly indicate that this tradition gained popularity during the Neolithic and Iron Age periods in India. Besides, during the Iron-age period we found evidence of megalithic tradition, and the megalithic sites found in the Indian subcontinent reveal an elaborate process of death rituals. This present study focuses on first-hand data obtained from the south-eastern part of Rajasthan, India. The data unveils many hidden aspects of funeral rituals and megalithic traditions related to the Bhils community. To gain a better understanding of death rituals, beliefs about afterlife, and the erection of memorial pillars on behalf of the deceased, the author compares the death rituals of the Bhils with those of the Munda communities in central eastern parts of India.
Exploring therapeutic targets for molecular therapy of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Li Yue , Jiang Congshan , Zhu Wenhua , Lu Shemin , Yu Hongchuan , Meng Liesu
Published: April 2024

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic and progressive interstitial lung disease with a poor prognosis. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is characterized by repeated alveolar epithelial damage leading to abnormal repair. The intercellular microenvironment is disturbed, leading to continuous activation of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, deposition of extracellular matrix, and ultimately fibrosis. Moreover, pulmonary fibrosis was also found as a COVID-19 complication. Currently, two drugs, pirfenidone and nintedanib, are approved for clinical therapy worldwide. However, they can merely slow the disease's progression rather than rescue it. These two drugs have other limitations, such as lack of efficacy, adverse effects, and poor pharmacokinetics. Consequently, a growing number of molecular therapies have been actively developed. Treatment options for IPF are becoming increasingly available. This article reviews the research platform, including cell and animal models involved in molecular therapy studies of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis as well as the promising therapeutic targets and their development progress during clinical trials. The former includes patient case/control studies, cell models, and animal models. The latter includes transforming growth factor-beta, vascular endothelial growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, lysophosphatidic acid, interleukin-13, Rho-associated coiled-coil forming protein kinase family, and Janus kinases/signal transducers and activators of transcription pathway. We mainly focused on the therapeutic targets that have not only entered clinical trials but were publicly published with their clinical outcomes. Moreover, this work provides an outlook on some promising targets for further validation of their possibilities to cure the disease.
Green in their own way: Pragmatic and progressive means for cities to overcome institutional barriers to sustainability
Authors: Gonzalez Ana , Brandtner Christof
Published: April 2024

To realise their potential to lead in sustainability development, cities require both symbolic resources such as social capital and legitimacy and material resources such as financial and technical support. Recent research in urban studies has shown that cities overcome institutional barriers to urban sustainability by drawing on support from their wider environment. However, we argue that resource needs vary depending on whether cities spotlight or sideline sustainability. Drawing on in-depth interviews with sustainability managers in cities with variable seriousness about sustainability, and representatives of city networks and support organisations, we show that cities express different symbolic and material resource needs as well as means to acquire them. When cities express pragmatic needs, they seek to demonstrate political feasibility and look to peer cities for legitimation; when cities express progressive needs, they aim to push the boundaries of technical possibility and broadcast their achievements to the world. Since cities require dissimilar external support, skewed attention towards ‘leading’ cities in extant research limits our understanding of how cities can overcome institutional barriers to climate action, especially when these barriers are high. Our findings offer contributions to the literature on city strategies for climate change on the institutional drivers of urban sustainability.
When Meaningful Movies Invite Fear Transcendence: An Extended Terror Management Account of the Function of Death in Movies
Authors: Das Enny , de Graaf Anneke
Published: April 2024

Meaningful movies can serve as an anxiety buffer against the fear of death, unless death plays a central role in the movie. This invites the question what happens when death is central to a movie storyline. The present research introduces and tests the so-called fear transcendence route, a second terror management route in which meaningful movies about death invite viewers to virtually confront and transcend their fear of death. Two experiments ( N = 206; N = 401) tested three preconditions for fear transcendence, that is, (1) death is salient in real life; (2) death is central to the storyline, and (3) the movie projects a specific meaning to death. We assessed effects on fear transcendence, operationalized as decreased fear of death; decreased death avoidance; increased death acceptance. Especially older viewers became less avoidant and more accepting of death when the preconditions for fear transcendence were met. Meaningful movies about death can thus evoke fear transcendence.
The Role of Personal Values in Shaping Perceptions of the Legitimacy of Public Health Officials During a Global Pandemic
Authors: Hawks Kate
Published: April 2024

Major environmental jolts can prompt individuals to critically evaluate their personal view of the legitimacy (i.e., propriety) of established authorities, especially when jolts amplify conflicts between the authority and individuals’ value priorities. The COVID-19 pandemic constituted a major jolt that highlighted both clashes and alignment between the values of public health officials (enhancement of health and disease prevention) and other basic values. Using data from a survey of 1,356 U.S. adults collected in spring 2022, I descriptively assess whether the pandemic jolt prompted individuals to critically evaluate the legitimacy of public health officials. I then investigate how basic values that aligned and clashed with public health values during the pandemic shaped assessments of public health officials’ propriety two years into the pandemic as well as intentions to comply with them in a future health crisis. Descriptive findings reveal that individuals actively assessed public health legitimacy during the pandemic. Other analyses demonstrate how value (mis)alignment affects evaluations of the propriety of public health officials. Values also operate through propriety assessments to influence future compliance intentions, providing insight into social psychological processes undergirding institutional endurance and change.
The role of mutually responsive orientation in promoting relationship satisfaction for first-time and experienced parents: An investigation from pregnancy to toddlerhood
Authors: Ramsdell Erin L. , Calkins Frances C. , Brock Rebecca L.
Published: April 2024

The transition to parenthood creates a context for family reorganization that can place couples at risk for declining relationship satisfaction; however, few studies have examined the experiences of parents navigating this transition while parenting other children in the home. Further, there is a critical need to identify factors explaining unique trajectories of relationship satisfaction and determine whether these factors serve similar functions for first-time versus experienced parents. The goal of the present study was to examine relationship satisfaction across the pregnancy-postpartum transition for not only first-time, but also experienced parents, and identify prenatal couple dynamics and contextual factors that explain individual differences in these trajectories across parenting groups. We pursued these aims in a sample of 152 mixed-sex couples, across five waves of data spanning pregnancy to 2 years postpartum. First-time and experienced parents demonstrated unique trajectories of relationship satisfaction across the transition to parenthood. Greater mutually responsive orientation (i.e., MRO; an established system of attunement, reciprocity, cooperation, and warmth) between partners during pregnancy was associated with higher overall levels of relationship satisfaction spanning pregnancy to 2 years postpartum for first-time mothers and low-income experienced mothers and less relationship satisfaction decline over time for low-income experienced fathers. The present study replicates past work suggesting that experienced parents are also at risk for relationship discord across the pregnancy-postpartum transition and identifies prenatal MRO as a dyadic relationship quality that maintains and promotes satisfaction across this transition, warranting closer attention in future research and interventions.
Agreement between the thromboelastography reaction time parameter using fresh and citrated whole blood during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation with Teg®5000 and Teg®6s
Authors: De Falco Stefano , Meli Andrea , Caccioppola Alessio , Grasselli Giacomo , Panigada Mauro
Published: April 2024

Purpose

We aimed at assessing the correlation between TEG reaction time (TEG-R) in citrated and fresh blood samples with TEG5000 and TEG 6S during heparin administration in patients with and without ECMO support.

Materials and Methods

Paired TEG5000 (fresh and citrated whole blood, kaolin and kaolin-heparinase) and TEG6S (citrated whole blood) samples were obtained, together with standard coagulation laboratory tests. Bland-Altman analysis and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient were used to assess agreement.

Results

Thirteen consecutive ECMO patients and eight consecutive non-ECMO patients were enrolled and TEG was performed for a total of 84 paired samples. ECMO patients received 19.2 (12.6-25.8) U/kg/h of heparin. Five of the non-ECMO patients did not receive heparin, two of them received a very low prophylactic dose (1.6 and 2.9 IU/kg/h, respectively), and one of them 13.1 U/kg/h of heparin. Using TEG®5000, TEG-R was 21.0 (−23.4; 65.5) min longer on fresh compared to citrated blood in patients receiving heparin while only 1.58 (−5.5; 8.7) min longer in patients not-receiving heparin. These differences were reverted by heparinase.

Conclusions

Using citrated-recalcified blood to perform TEG might lead to underestimation of the effect of heparin.
Clinical decision making for VA ECMO weaning in patients with cardiogenic shock A formative qualitative study
Authors: Hermens J. A. J. , van Til J. A. , Meuwese C. L. , van Dijk D. , Donker D. W.
Published: April 2024

Weaning and liberation from VA ECMO in cardiogenic shock patients comprises a complex process requiring a continuous trade off between multiple clinical parameters. In the absence of dedicated international guidelines, we hypothesized a great heterogeneity in weaning practices among ECMO centers due to a variety in local preferences, logistics, case load and individual professional experience. This qualitative study focused on the appraisal of clinicians’ preferences in decision processes towards liberation from VA ECMO after cardiogenic shock while using focus group interviews in 4 large hospitals. The goal was to provide novel and unique insights in daily clinical weaning practices. As expected, we found we a great heterogeneity of weaning strategies among centers and professionals, although participants appeared to find common ground in a clinically straightforward approach to assess the feasibility of ECMO liberation at the bedside. This was shown in a preference for robust, easily accessible parameters such as arterial pulse pressure, stable cardiac index ≥2.1 L/min, VTI LVOT and ‘eyeballing’ LVEF.
The intricate physiology of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: an overview for clinicians
Authors: Tomarchio Emilia , Momigliano Francesca , Giosa Lorenzo , Collins Patrick Duncan , Barrett Nicholas A , Camporota Luigi
Published: April 2024

During veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO), blood is drained from the central venous circulation to be oxygenated and decarbonated by an artificial lung. It is then reinfused into the right heart and pulmonary circulation where further gas-exchange occurs. Each of these steps is characterized by a peculiar physiology that this manuscript analyses, with the aim of providing bedside tools for clinical care: we begin by describing the factors that affect the efficiency of blood drainage, such as patient and cannulae position, fluid status, cardiac output and ventilatory strategies. We then dig into the complexity of extracorporeal gas-exchange, with particular reference to the effects of extracorporeal blood-flow (ECBF), fraction of delivered oxygen (FdO2) and sweep gas-flow (SGF) on oxygenation and decarbonation. Subsequently, we focus on the reinfusion of arterialized blood into the right heart, highlighting the effects on recirculation and, more importantly, on right ventricular function. The importance and challenges of haemodynamic monitoring during V-V ECMO are also analysed. Finally, we detail the interdependence between extracorporeal circulation, native lung function and mechanical ventilation in providing adequate arterial blood gases while allowing lung rest. In the absence of evidence-based strategies to care for this particular group of patients, clinical practice is underpinned by a sound knowledge of the intricate physiology of V-V ECMO.
Reactive optimal motion planning to anywhere in the presence of moving obstacles
Authors: Rousseas Panagiotis , Bechlioulis Charalampos , Kyriakopoulos Kostas
Published: April 2024

In this paper, a novel optimal motion planning framework that enables navigating optimally from any initial, to any final position within confined workspaces with convex, moving obstacles is presented. Our method outputs a smooth velocity vector field, which is then employed as a reference controller in order to sub-optimally avoid moving obstacles. The proposed approach leverages and extends desirable properties of reactive methods in order to provide a provably convergent and safe solution. Our algorithm is evaluated with both static and moving obstacles in synthetic environments and is compared against a variety of existing methods. The efficacy and applicability of the proposed scheme is finally validated in a high-fidelity simulation environment.
Makeshift activism and the afterlives of refugee welcome in Covid-19 Italy
Authors: Lanari Elisa
Published: April 2024

This article captures a shift occurring at the peripheries of the Italian asylum system where, as reception infrastructures are progressively gutted, dismantled, and transformed into security apparatuses, local organizations refocus their efforts on helping refugees and asylum seekers carve out spaces of agency and autonomy in the time-space after institutional reception. I introduce the concept of “makeshift activism” to describe this relentless, creative patching together of solutions to support migrant emplacement beyond and – sometimes – against the confines of official programs. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in one of the world’s first Covid-19 hotspots – Italy’s Veneto region, I take the pandemic as a magnifying glass to expose the precarious nature of this activism but also its potential for prefiguring alternatives to the state’s (non-existent) paths towards long-term inclusion. More broadly, I shift the anthropological gaze towards charting the afterlives and aftermaths of refugee “welcome” in less spectacular locales, such as mid-size cities and small municipalities in peripheral mountain regions.
Reconfiguration of distribution network-based wind energy resource allocation considering time-varying load using hybrid optimization method
Authors: Kazeminejad Mohammad , Karamifard Mozhdeh , Sheibani Ali
Published: April 2024

This study proposed a method for optimizing a radial distribution network by integrating wind turbine allocation, considering fluctuating load demands, through the use of a hybrid Grey Wolf Optimizer-Genetic Algorithm (HGWOGA). This approach aims to decrease the network’s energy loss costs. By incorporating genetic algorithm techniques, the method enhances the Grey Wolf Optimizer’s efficiency, speeding up convergence and avoiding local optima. The strategy determines the network’s open lines and the placement and capacity of wind turbines, adhering to radiality and operational constraints. It categorizes load levels into residential, commercial, and industrial, providing a comprehensive analysis of energy losses and their cost implications under various scenarios, including constant and dynamic loads. The study suggests that managing time-varying demand offers a more accurate depiction of network challenges, enabling effective reconfiguration throughout different demand phases. Moreover, HGWOGA demonstrates its ability to find the global optimum efficiently, even with reduced population sizes—a feat not achievable with the Grey Wolf Optimizer alone. Comparative analyses reveal HGWOGA’s effectiveness in curbing network energy loss costs better than previous methodologies. By simultaneously applying network reconfiguration and wind turbine allocation, as opposed to merely reconfiguring the network, this approach notably reduces power loss, diminishes the cost of losses, and enhances the voltage profile. This synergistic strategy leverages the dynamic allocation of wind turbines within the network, optimizing energy flow and distribution efficiency, thereby offering a substantial improvement over conventional network reconfiguration methods.
Reliability-Based Pavement Roughness Progression Modeling Using Bayesian Approach
Authors: Biswas Soumyarup , Kuna Kranthi Kumar
Published: April 2024

This paper aims to develop reliability-based roughness progression models for bituminous pavements across different climatic zones in India. The methodology involves dividing the Indian geographical region into six climatic zones with specific climatic characteristics that influence pavement deterioration. This delineation is achieved using K-means clustering and considers parameters such as temperature, rainfall, and humidity. The roughness progression models and reliability interpretations are developed through a Bayesian regression framework. Initially, International Roughness Index (IRI) progression models are created for three climatic zones: hot and dry, warm and humid, and moderate. These models are based on time series data from 2015 to 2016, gathered from 130 pavement sections in each zone. To validate the models, additional time series data from 2016 to 2017 are utilized. The forecast results indicate that the hot and dry zone exhibits the highest IRI progression rate for specified causal variable values, followed by the warm and humid zone and the moderate zone. The adoption of the Bayesian regression framework provides probabilistic parameter distributions for model coefficients, enabling the assessment of model-level reliability. The study demonstrates that, by adjusting the quartile of causal variables, the overall reliability of the model can be improved, thereby reducing the deviation from actual IRI values. Moreover, it is possible to evaluate variable-level reliability by examining the influence of individual variables on roughness progression.
Social Skill Abilities and Demographic Correlates of Older Volunteers
Authors: Chen Szu-Yu , Chen Kuei-Min , Chang Chiang-Ching , Lai Ching-Yi , Belcastro Frank , Kuo Chuan-Feng
Published: April 2024

Older age is associated with reduced social networks while social skill abilities are important assets for older people to cope with these situations. To better understand older people’s social skill ability and important demographic correlates, the present cross-sectional survey research interviewed 1000 Taiwanese older volunteers from 73 community care centers. Findings of a mixed model indicated that education and serving area outweighed other demographic factors significantly correlated with older volunteers’ social skill ability. Latent class analyses further identified different latent ability groups for different education (high vs. low) or serving-area (urban vs. suburban) older volunteers. Specifically, low-education or suburban volunteers were correlated with disadvantageous social skill profiles. Notably, the suburban eclectic ability group exhibited a skill pattern signifying the risk of loneliness. Overall, the findings called for further investigation into the relationship between older people’s socioeconomic factors (e.g., education and serving area) and their social skill ability.
Disparities in the Quality of Working Life Among Older Workers: Housing Conditions and Life Satisfaction With Latent Class Analysis
Authors: Choi Mi Sun , Marçal Katherine E. , Showalter Kathryn
Published: April 2024

Little empirical research informs understanding of the disparate active aging experiences among working older adults, especially in terms of the association with living circumstances and life satisfaction. To address this knowledge gap, this study used latent class analysis on data from the 2020 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) core interview and focused on 1,194 employed adults aged 50 and above. The results revealed four subtypes of the quality of working life in older workers. Notably, in contrast to the other identified classes, higher levels of housing satisfaction and feelings of neighborhood safety were significantly associated with an increased likelihood of being a member of the group of older adults with the highest work capacities and the healthy work–life balance. Furthermore, participation in the class characterized by the highest work capacity and a healthy work–life balance was related to the highest levels of overall life satisfaction.
Non-square internal model control for mode transition of hybrid electric vehicles with multiple time delays
Authors: Peng Cheng , Chen Li , Miao Dongxiao , Fu Shenglai
Published: April 2024

Mode transitions of multi-mode hybrid electric vehicles need careful coordination among the engine torque, motor torque, and clutch transmitted torque. However, the three torques have different actuation delays which make it difficult to ensure mode transition performance. A non-square internal model controller (IMC) is proposed in this paper for mode transition during which the input number is greater than the output number and each input has a different actuation delay. At first, the Moore-Penrose generalized inverse matrix is introduced to solve the inverse of the non-square matrix and make the IMC applicable. Secondly, the all-pole method is adopted to approximate the three delay models. Based on these specialized techniques, the tracking controller and anti-disturbance controller of the IMC are derived. Experiment results verify the effectiveness of the proposed controller.
Modeling and analysis of vehicle stability region based on Lyapunov and coordinated control
Authors: Zhang Minghao , Wu Xiaojian , Liu Jiansheng , Wang Aichun , Jiang Huihua
Published: April 2024

The timely intervention of the assisted driving system is the key to improving the handling stability and roll stability of the vehicle, and the vehicle stability region serves as the core basis for determining the intervention timing of the assisted driving system. With the aim of modeling and analyzing the vehicle stability region, a three-degree-of-freedom (3-DOF) vehicle dynamics model including yaw, roll, and lateral motions, as well as a nonlinear Magic Formula tire model are established in this paper. Based on this, a simplified but improved cubic tire model is developed to accurately fit the tire lateral force of Magic Formula tire model within a larger range of slip angles. Subsequently, using the Lyapunov method, the roll stability region and the yaw stability region are respectively constructed, and the accuracy verification and robustness analysis of the established stability region are conducted in the Matlab/Simulink environment. Finally, a model-free adaptive control method is employed to keep the vehicle state within the stability region, without tracking specific vehicle state objectives. The study in this paper can provide theoretical support for stability boundary determination, formulation of intervention timing for assisted driving stability control, and coordination control of vehicle stability and anti-rollover with local compatibility or even conflicts.
The Formation of Negative Attitudes Toward Novel Groups
Authors: Woitzel Johanna , Alves Hans
Published: April 2024

People perceive out-groups, minorities, and novel groups more negatively than in-groups, majorities, and familiar groups. Previous research has argued that such intergroup biases may be caused by the order in which people typically encounter social groups. Groups that are relatively novel to perceivers (e.g., out-groups, minorities) are primarily associated with distinct attributes that differentiate them from familiar groups. Because distinct attributes are typically negative, attitudes toward novel groups are negatively biased. Five experiments ( N = 2,615 adults) confirmed the generalizability of the novel groups’ disadvantage to different aspects of attitude formation (i.e., evaluations, memory, stereotyping), to cases with more than two groups, and to cases in which groups were majority/minority or in-groups/out-groups. Our findings revealed a remarkably robust influence of learning order in the formation of group attitudes, and they imply that people often perceive novel groups more negatively than they actually are.
Effects of Artemisia dracunculus powder on dough rheology and quality properties as a novel ingredient in bread formulation
Authors: Bölek Sibel , Tosya Feyza , Göksu Feriha
Published: April 2024

Tarragon has a great potential to be a healthy functional food ingredient thanks to its rich antioxidant, phenolic compounds, and nutrient content. The possibility of enriching bread with tarragon was investigated. For this aim, tarragon powder was used at the rates of 0, 2, 4 and 6% instead of wheat flour. In this study, the effects of substitution on the rheological properties of bread dough and color, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, texture, sensory, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis of bread samples were performed. The composition of tarragon powder showed significant protein (23.16%), crude fiber (7.4%), antioxidant (48.22 ± 0.11%), and total phenolic content (511.66 ± 1.56 mg GAE/100 g). Bread samples with increased fiber and protein content were obtained by adding tarragon powder to the bread formulation. The major differences in the FT-IR absorbance spectra for the bread samples were not observed. Additionally, tarragon powder significantly increased the antioxidative properties of breads ( p < 0.05). Adding up to 4% tarragon powder to the bread formulation increased the sensory scores of the breads.
Experimental and simulation study of the crashworthiness behavior of thickness-graded auxetic structures of ductile and brittle materials
Authors: Hosseini Mohammad , Mazaheri Hashem
Published: April 2024

This article examines the compressive behavior of re-entrant auxetic structures to optimize its energy absorption. The unique properties of auxetic structures have made them popular in various industries, especially for sports equipment. This study aims to create different types of structures using an FDM 3D printer. First, an appropriate raster angle for 3D printing of tensile test samples is examined for PLA and PLA+ materials. Next, three types of structures are constructed using brittle PLA and ductile PLA+ materials, and their energy absorption is compared. These structures are homogeneous auxetic re-entrant (HAR), unilateral graded thickness (UGT), and bilateral graded thickness (BGT). Changing from brittle (PLA) to soft material (PLA+) increases energy absorption in all structures. Likewise, grading the thickness of the structure, especially on BGT, increases energy absorption. Simulation results are validated by modeling the structures in two ways for brittle and ductile materials using Abaqus software. Finally, based on the simulation results, the most appropriate step of the bilateral graded thickness is recognized as 0.8-1-1.2.
Perspectives on citizen data privacy in a smart city – An empirical case study
Authors: Lucas Evie , Simpson Seamus
Published: April 2024

Digitisation is arguably an inevitable feature of contemporary urban development, yet privacy issues arising from the mass data collection, transmission and processing it entails continue to be a poorly understood and contentious issue for people living in cities. This article uses a case study approach to provide new evidence of the detailed perspectives of citizens and policy makers on data privacy in rapidly digitising urban environments, with a focus on one of the UK’s most prominent smart cities: Manchester. It adds to the literature on smart cities through the application of complementary scholarship from two areas – trust and participation – in order to analyse comparatively citizens’ views and concerns on data gathering activity in their city with efforts of policy makers to incorporate data privacy matters in their digital city planning. The article finds a clear – but reparable – data privacy disconnect between people and digital policy makers and explores how citizen data privacy concerns may be addressed through a lens of trust and participation.
Costumes of the migrating body: A study of indentured labors’ clothes and jewelry
Authors: Jha Nidhi , Singh Smriti
Published: April 2024

The years 1838–1924 in colonial India saw the first organized exodus of around 1.5 million. These emigrants were employed as indentured laborers in the various plantations owned by the Empire. Along with the people, what migrated were objects like clothes and jewelry. While some of these items were provided by the plantation regimes, others were brought by the emigrants. Though there have been studies about the lives on the plantations, the marine lives of the travelers and their personal belongings have been neglected. Objects such as clothes and jewelry not only have cultural significance but also form part of the emigrants’ memory. This article critically analyses the usage of cultural artifacts as “floating signifiers” and how these artifacts are altered with a change of setting. Building on the ideas of Bhabha, Skinner, and others, this article aims to understand the role of material possessions in the lives of the plantation workers. The narratives discussed allow readers to witness changes in the role of materials like clothes and jewelry accompanying the emigrants on their voyage to the plantations.
Using a visual support package to facilitate independent leisure engagement and choice-making for individuals with moderate to severe autism in Taiwan
Authors: Shan Ge , Wang Hui-Ting , Juan Chen-Ya , Chang Chien-Huey
Published: April 2024

Self-determination is a complex process with several components, such as making choices and independence. However, limited research on self-determination has focused on individuals with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorder. This study aimed to support independent leisure engagement and choice-making of leisure activities for this population by using a visual support intervention package, including the use of a visual activity schedule, video modeling, structured environment, preference assessment, and prompt procedures. The study used a single case research multiple baseline probe design to test the effectiveness of the intervention on three adults with autism spectrum disorder. Findings showed that implementing the visual support package was effective in promoting independent leisure engagement and facilitating choice-making of leisure activities. The study highlights the need for and advantages of incorporating video modeling and preference assessment into the visual activity schedule for this particular population.

Lay Abstract

Self-determination encompasses various components, including decision-making and independence, making it a complex process. While the importance of self-determination for individuals with autism spectrum disorder has been explored in previous studies, there is limited research focusing on individuals with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorder. Evidence-based practices such as visual activity schedules and video modeling have shown effectiveness in promoting independence among individuals with autism spectrum disorder. To address the need for independence and choice-making among individuals with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorder, this study developed a visual support package incorporating visual activity schedules, video modeling, preference assessments, and prompt procedures. By investigating the intervention’s effectiveness in three participants, this study contributes to the existing literature on the use of a visual activity schedule and video modeling in enhancing choice-making and independent leisure engagement. Following the intervention, all participants were able to select three leisure activities, develop their own visual schedules, and complete them. Notably, this study conducted preference assessments to determine participants’ preferred leisure activities and did not provide additional reinforcement. Practical implications of this research include incorporating video prompting as needed and adjusting activity engagement time. Future research should explore the long-term effectiveness of the visual support package and its application in developing novel skills or vocational activities for individuals with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorder. This study fills a critical gap in the literature, providing important insights for practices and research in the field of autism spectrum disorder interventions.
‘Straight sex in porn is anything but just straight’: Exploring queer heteroporn
Authors: Thorneycroft Ryan
Published: April 2024

Several ideas across pornography studies and queer theory have gestured towards the potential queerness of heteroporn, and this article synthesises this body of scholarship by considering its logics, merits, and implications. It explores the ways in which heteroporn may not be as ‘straight’ as often thought, and identifies queer practices, glimmers, flourishes, residues, creations, and forms of spectatorship that infiltrate the genre. The findings suggest that most ‘queer heteroporn’ occupies a ‘kinda hegemonic, kinda subversive’ space, wherein while this type of pornography contain queer elements, it nevertheless reifies central attributes of heteronormativity via its privileging of sexism and the penetrative economy of sex. Against this backdrop, the article considers the opportunities that these queer interventions might make, and speculates whether these queer traces are inefficacious, or alternatively, worth lingering upon to imagine and build a queer/er future. The overall findings suggest that ‘queer heteroporn’ should be viewed cautiously as a site with which to build further resistance; it may be that certain types of queer heteroporn offer a route through which straight subjects can challenge heteronormativity and embrace a queer/er world. Anchored throughout this contribution is a discussion about the meanings, possibilities, and ethics of queer.
Resisting the future: Preparedness, degradation, and “inquietude” among survivalists in contemporary France
Authors: Roux Sébastien , Lévêque Cédric
Published: April 2024

In France today, an increasing number of people consider themselves to be “survivalists.” Presuming an inevitable crisis, they are organizing themselves to acquire and develop the skills, techniques, and knowledge they believe are necessary to survive the potential dissipation of mainstream ways of life. Based on ethnographic data collected in the Southwest of France, this article aims at understanding the motivations surrounding “preparedness”—as well as the discourses it generates and the practices it engenders—by repositioning them within the political and social context in which they emerge. For the most part, French survivalists develop traditional anti-liberal discourses, values, and practices, wherein notions of disaster or collapse are used as vehicles to promote a conservative political agenda. However, for some, prepping may also be a way to confront a feeling of the degradation of their lives, transforming survivalism into a paradoxical way of re/affirming one’s place in the world.
On the researcher as parasite
Authors: Hillier Jean , Houston Donna
Published: April 2024

An Australian reimagining of the Aesop fable of the fox, the flies and the hedgehog introduces critical exploration of spatial planning-related imaginaries whereby practices of settler colonialism and urban expansion have caused disruption and destruction of hundreds of thousands of human and other-than-human lives. The argument is grounded in Serres’ concept of the parasite, questioning what type of parasitic relationship spatial planning has with its more-than-human context. Resetting the coordinates of planning practice through a relational transversal approach is proposed. Transversality is a vehicle of rupture and convergence constituted through events and alliances as temporary resting places in which the agential capacities of humans and other-than-humans are temporarily suspended, so that their relations can be reassembled in a form of inclusive disjunctive synthesis, sensitive to the place and issues involved.
Associations Between Resistance Training and All-Cause Mortality: NHANES 1999-2006
Authors: Booker Robert , Wong Mandy , Boyer William , Gorzelitz Jessica , Carnethon Mercedes R. , Alexandria Shaina J.
Published: April 2024

Background: The Physical Activity Guidelines 2nd Edition recommends ≥2 days of resistance training (RT). Evidence supports a dose-response relation between RT volume and cardiometabolic health. We examined whether RT guidelines and volume were associated with lower all-cause mortality. Methods: Participants from the 1999-2006 NHANES cycles (N = 5855) self-reported the past 30 days of physical activity including the number of sessions, average session duration in minutes, and activity type. Mortality was ascertained from the linked National Death Index through the end of 2019. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios for all-cause mortality by RT Guideline adherence and per 1000 MET-minutes of monthly RT volume. Results: Approximately 1-in-10 participants met the RT Guidelines (n = 612, 11.6%). The mean monthly RT volume was 2033.3 ± 2487.7 MET-minutes. Mortality incidence was 10.6% (n = 886). Neither meeting the Guidelines (HR [95% CI]; 1.02 [.74, 1.41], compared to not meeting the Guidelines) nor monthly RT volume per 1000 MET-minutes (1.02 [.92, 1.14]) was associated with all-cause mortality in adjusted models, with no evidence of effect modification by sex or age. Conclusions: The present study did not find an association between RT and all-cause mortality. These results do not support the RT canon, warranting further investigation.