bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of journal cylindricity error with saddle or drum distribution on the performance of hydrodynamic journal bearing systems
Authors: Li Bing , Zhou Dejian , Ogrodnik Peter , Xu Wubin
Published: September 2019

The present study investigates the effect of cylindricity error on the performance of hydrodynamic journal bearing systems. Two types of cylindricity errors of the journal, namely the drum shape distribution cylindricity error (DCE) and the saddle shape distribution cylindricity error (SCE), are considered. The Legendre–Fourier model is used to characterize the profile of each journal. Based on the nonlinear analysis method, the dynamic characteristics and stability of hydrodynamic journal bearing systems are analyzed. The results indicate that cylindricity error affects the system stability, and the effect is related to the type and level of the error. DCE used with a certain range of operating speed and load is not harmful and is even beneficial to the stability of hydrodynamic journal bearing systems; conversely, SCE decreases the system stability. When the Sommerfeld number is between 0.02 and 0.05, cylindricity errors have a minimal effect on the system stability. Additionally, the results indicate that the effect of cylindricity error on the bearing system is more significant than that of roundness error.
Identifying approaches for synthesizing and summarizing information to support informed citizen deliberations in health policy: a scoping review
Authors: Wilson Michael G , Nidumolu Aditya , Berditchevskaia Inna , Gauvin Francois-Pierre , Abelson Julia , Lavis John N
Published: September 2019

Objective

Public deliberations are an increasingly popular tool to engage citizens in the development of health policies and programmes. However, limited research has been conducted on how to best synthesize and summarize information on health policy issues for citizens. To begin to address this gap, our aim was to map the literature on the preparation of information to support informed citizen deliberations related to health policy issues.

Methods

We conducted a scoping review where two reviewers screened the results of electronic database searches, grey literature searches and hand searches of organizational websites to identify empirical studies, scholarly commentaries, and publicly available organizational documents focused on synthesizing and summarizing information to inform citizen deliberation about health policy issues. Two reviewers categorized each included document according to themes/topics of deliberation, purpose of deliberation and the form of deliberation, and developed a summary of the key findings related to synthesizing and summarizing information to support informed citizen deliberations.

Results

There was limited reporting about whether and how information was synthesized. Evidence was typically organized based on the source used (e.g. by comparing the views of stakeholders or experts) or according to the areas that policymakers need to consider when making decisions (e.g. benefits, harms, costs and stakeholder perspectives related to policy options). Information was presented primarily through written materials (e.g. briefs and brochures), audiovisual resources (e.g. videos or presentations from stakeholders), but some interactive presentation approaches were also identified (e.g. through interactive arts-based approaches).

Conclusions

The choice and framing of information to inform citizen deliberations about health policy can strongly influence their understanding of a policy issue, and has the potential to impact the discussions and recommendations that emerge from deliberations. Our review confirmed that there remains a dearth of literature describing methods of the preparation of information to inform citizen deliberations about health policy issues. This highlights the need for further exploration of optimal strategies for citizen-friendly approaches to synthesizing and summarizing information for deliberations.
Unemployment in multiple sclerosis across the ages: How factors of unemployment differ among the decades of life
Authors: Strober LB , Callanan RM
Published: September 2019

Rates of unemployment in multiple sclerosis are high. Certain disease, psychological, and person-specific factors contribute to these high rates. The present study examined these factors and associated risk of unemployment by age. Participants ( n = 221) completed an online survey on employment. Participants were broken down by decade of life. Several factors predicted whether someone felt as if they needed to leave the workforce. However, the extent to which these factors contributed to unemployment risk varied by age. Interventions aimed at maintaining employment should address these factors and take into consideration one’s stage of life, disease, and career.
Particle swarm optimization and spiral dynamic algorithm-based interval type-2 fuzzy logic control of triple-link inverted pendulum system: A comparative assessment
Authors: Masrom MF , A Ghani NM , Tokhi MO
Published: September 2019

This paper presents investigations into the development of an interval type-2 fuzzy logic control (IT2FLC) mechanism integrated with particle swarm optimization and spiral dynamic algorithm. The particle swarm optimization and spiral dynamic algorithm are used for enhanced performance of the IT2FLC by finding optimised values for input and output controller gains and parameter values of IT2FLC membership function as comparison purpose in order to identify better solution for the system. A new model of triple-link inverted pendulum on two-wheels system, developed within SimWise 4D software environment and integrated with Matlab/Simulink for control purpose. Several tests comprising system stabilization, disturbance rejection and convergence accuracy of the algorithms are carried out to demonstrate the robustness of the control approach. It is shown that the particle swarm optimization-based control mechanism performs better than the spiral dynamic algorithm-based control in terms of system stability, disturbance rejection and reduce noise. Moreover, the particle swarm optimization-based IT2FLC shows better performance in comparison to previous research. It is envisaged that this system and control algorithm can be very useful for the development of a mobile robot with extended functionality.
Adaptive process control of the changeover point for injection molding process
Authors: Chen Yi-Sheng , Wu Kuo-Tsai , Tsai Ming-Hong , Hwang Sheng-Jye , Lee Huei-Huang , Peng Hsin-Shu , Chu Hsiao-Yeh
Published: September 2019

To increase the productivity of injection molding machines, we developed a smart injection part weight stability control system based on C++ programming and domain knowledge. The proposed system is meant to eliminate variability in the quality of injected parts by adjusting the changeover position. We developed a viscosity index based on melt pressure data related to guide the adjustment to the changeover position in accordance with material properties. This was achieved by mounting a pressure sensor on the nozzle of the injection molding machine to enable the on-line monitoring of pressure throughout the injection molding process. A series of experiments was conducted to characterize the relationship between viscosity index and injection-molded samples in order to validate the efficacy of the proposed injection stability system. Single-factor experiments were conducted with the changeover position and melt temperature as parameters. The quality of the molded samples obtained under different process parameters was evaluated in terms of weight. Experiment results revealed a correlation between changes in viscosity index and changes in the weight of the samples. The injection stability system can also be operated in self-adjusting mode, in which the changeover position is varied according to viscosity index. In experiments, abnormal machine operations prompted the adjustment of changeover position. Variation in the weight of parts was used to define an index to validate the efficacy of the proposed system.
Contextualizing how teens manage personal and interpersonal privacy on social media
Authors: De Wolf Ralf
Published: September 2019

Many researchers have been studying teens’ privacy management on social media, and how they individually control information. Employing the theoretical framework of communication privacy management (CPM) theory, I argue that individual information control in itself is desirable but insufficient, giving only a limited understanding of teens’ privacy practices. Instead, I argue that research should focus on both personal and interpersonal privacy management to ultimately understand teens’ privacy practices. Using a survey study ( n = 2000), I investigated the predictors of teens’ personal and interpersonal privacy management on social media and compared different types of boundary coordination. The results demonstrate that feelings of fatalism regarding individual control in a networked social environment, which I call networked defeatism, are positively related with interpersonal privacy management. Also, interpersonal privacy management is less important when coordinating boundaries with peers than it is when coordinating sexual materials, and dealing with personal information shared by parents.
Influence of increased body mass index on orthodontic tooth movement and related parameters in children and adolescents: A systematic review of longitudinal controlled clinical studies
Authors: Michelogiannakis Dimitrios , Rossouw P Emile , Khan Junad , Akram Zohaib , Menenakos Evangelos , Javed Fawad
Published: September 2019

Objectives:

To assess the impact of increased body mass index (BMI) on orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) and related parameters in children and adolescents.

Search sources:

A search of six electronic databases and manual searching were performed up to June 2019 without language and time restrictions.

Data selection:

Eligibility criteria were as follows: (1) longitudinal controlled clinical studies; (2) children and adolescents undergoing orthodontic therapy (OT); (3) no systemic diseases; (4) experimental group: patients with increased BMI; and (5) control group: patients with normal BMI.

Data extraction:

Screening, study selection and data extraction were performed; bias within studies was assessed using the Risk of Bias In Non-randomised Studies (ROBINS-I) tool.

Results:

Seven studies were included. One study showed that an increased BMI is associated with less wear-time of removable orthodontic appliances and one study found no significant association. One study showed that an increased BMI is associated with less cooperation during OT; however, not with the treatment results. One study reported higher pain experience during OT in adolescents with than without increased BMI. Two studies showed that increased BMI in adolescents is related to OTM, one with increased and one with decreased rates of OTM, respectively. One study reported an association between increased BMI and incidence of white spot lesions and gingivitis during OT. The ROBINS-I tool showed low to moderate risk of bias within studies.

Conclusions:

The influence of BMI on OTM and related parameters in children and adolescents remains debatable.
The petition ceremony: Letters to the President of Argentina
Authors: Schijman Emilia
Published: September 2019

The thousands of petitions sent to the president from Argentina’s cities and far-flung rural areas bear witness to an intense dialogue between the poor and the state. Low levels of schooling do not prevent people from writing down and submitting their grievances, since model letters circulate in family and neighborly networks. More come from women than from men. Far from simple requests for patronage or expressions of submission, they carry a blend of excuses, prayers, proclamations of rights, threats, intimate accounts, and demands. Rather than focusing on a scene of collective mobilization or encounters with state bureaucracies, the article concerns letters that provide accounts of the poor’s legal consciousness and the current systems of legitimacy for claiming that they deserve. Based on a body of 200 letters addressed to President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner between 2007 and 2015, this article analyses such letters as a genuine form of action that aims to change the relationship between the poor, state agencies, and the law.
Dealing with fatherhood: Paternal identities among men in the illegal drug economy
Authors: Grundetjern Heidi , Copes Heith , Sandberg Sveinung
Published: September 2019

This study investigates paternal identities among men who are involved in the illegal drug economy in Norway. Using data from life-history interviews, we identified two paternal identities relating to the role fatherhood played in their lives and crimes: struggling fathers and absent fathers. Our analysis demonstrates the structural constraints of fatherhood for crime-involved men, which is rooted in their class positions and enhanced by being situated in hyper-masculine drug markets with little access to hegemonic masculinity. Our study offers a contribution to scholarship on marginalized fatherhood, and highlights the import of paternal identities for understanding the relationship between fatherhood and crime over the life course.
Negligent criminology: Alfred Adler’s influence on Bernard, Sheldon, and Eleanor Glueck
Authors: Shon Phillip , Mansager Erik
Published: September 2019

We suggest that Bernard, Sheldon and Eleanor Glueck routinely applied Alfred Adler’s general psychological concepts to specific instances of criminological theory without proper attribution. We offer several levels of support: (1) we contrast the Freudian terminology within Bernard Glueck’s early writings and Sheldon and Eleanor Glueck’s influential book Unraveling Juvenile Delinquency (1950) with the Adlerian constructs of their respective criminological works; (2) we describe the enduring similarity between life-course theory of crime and Adler’s original theory; and (3) we speculate as to how this apparent but non-attributed Adlerian influence occurred. Overall, the article exposes a circumstantial evidence of neglect in the criminology literature: Sheldon and Eleanor Glueck’s silence on Adler’s contribution and their own ostracization by mainstream criminology. We conclude that acknowledgment of the Gluecks’ contribution and their debt to Adler could continue to reinvigorate criminology today.
Authentic decision-making capacity in hard medical cases
Authors: Newton-Howes Giles , Pickering Neil , Young Greg
Published: September 2019

Because autonomy is regarded as central to modern bioethics; there is a considerable focus on the criteria by which autonomy may be judged. The most significant criterion used in day-to-day practice is decision-making capacity. A person who is decision-making capacitous is regarded as autonomous ipso facto. This rarely considered background analysis places a great deal of weight on the notion of decision-making capacity and how this is assessed. A person who is deemed to lack autonomy will be treated differently to a person who is deemed to have autonomy, at least when it comes to some medical decisions. In this paper we consider how extending the standard approach to decision-making capacity may deliver a more authentic reflection of autonomy. We refer to this as the ‘authentic approach’, to highlight its difference. The ethical advantages of extending the standard approach authentically in hard medical cases is analysed using a case, with recommendations about application described.
Efficient oblivious transfer with membership verification
Authors: Liu Weiwei , Sun Da-Zhi , Tian Yangguang
Published: September 2019

In this article, we introduce a new concept of oblivious transfer with membership verification that allows any legitimate group users to obtain services from a service provider in an oblivious manner. We present two oblivious transfer with membership verification schemes, differing in design. In the first scheme, a trusted group manager issues credentials for a pre-determined group of users so that the group of users with a valid group credential can obtain services from the service provider, while the choices made by group users remain oblivious to the service provider. The second scheme avoids the trusted group manager, which allows any user in the group to be a group manager, thus it is more suitable in distributed systems. In particular, we prove that the two oblivious transfer with membership verification schemes can achieve receiver’s privacy and sender’s privacy under a half-simulation model.
Functional Limitations Mediate the Relationship Between Pain and Depressive Symptoms in Former NFL Athletes
Authors: Turner Robert W. , Sonnega Amanda , Cupery Tim , Chodosh Joshua , Whitfield Keith E. , Weir David , Jackson James S.
Published: September 2019

The objective of this study was to analyze data from the National Football League Player Care Foundation Study of Retired NFL Players to understand potential risks for depressive symptoms in former athletes by investigating the relationship between pain and depressive symptoms in a multivariate context, while simultaneously exploring the potential connection with functional limitations. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the study sample and to conduct bivariate comparisons by race and age cohort. Linear regression models were conducted in the subsample of respondents reporting on depressive symptoms using the PHQ-9. Models examine the relationship of bodily pain, injury as a reason for retirement or not re-signing with a team, length of NFL career, sociodemographic characteristics, chronic conditions, and functional limitations to depression. Interaction terms tested whether race and age moderated the effect of bodily pain and functional limitations on depressive symptoms. Bivariate associations revealed no significant differences between younger and older former players in indicators of pain and only slightly higher functional limitations among younger former players. In the multivariate models, pain was significantly associated with depressive symptoms (β = 0.36; p < .01), net of a range of relevant controls. Adding an index of functional limitations reduced this association by nearly half (β = 0.20; p < .01) and functional limitations was significantly associated with depressive symptoms (β = 0.40; p < .01). No statistically significant interactions were found. Overall, bodily pain was strongly associated with depressive symptoms. After accounting for the effects of functional limitations, this association was notably reduced. These results may be useful in identifying aging-related physical declines in relatively younger adult men who may be at the greatest risk for depression. They highlight how physical functionality and activity may mitigate the risk of depression, even in the presence of significant bodily pain.
Pediatric Digit Replantation Following Traumatic Amputation: Nationwide Analysis of Patient Selection, Outcomes, and Cost
Authors: Li Neill Y. , Kleiner Justin E. , Harris Andrew P. , Goodman Avi D. , Katarincic Julia A.
Published: September 2019

Background: Indications for replantation following traumatic digit amputations are more liberal in the pediatric population than in adults, but delineation of patient selection within pediatrics and their outcomes have yet to be elucidated. This study uses a national pediatric database to evaluate patient characteristics and injury patterns involved in replantation and their outcomes. Methods: The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kid’s Inpatient Database was queried for traumatic amputations of the thumb and finger from 2000 to 2012. Participants were separated into those who underwent replantation and those who underwent amputation. Patients undergoing replantation were further divided into those requiring revision amputation and/or microvascular revision. Patient age, sex, insurance, digit(s) affected, charges, length of stay, and complications were extracted for each patient. Results: Traumatic digit amputations occurred in 3090 patients, with 1950 (63.1%) undergoing revision amputation and 1140 (36.9%) undergoing replantation. Younger patients, those with thumb injuries, females, and those covered under private insurance were significantly more likely to undergo replantation. Cost, length of stay, and in-hospital complications were significantly greater in replantation patients than in those who had undergone amputation. Following replantation, 237 patients (20.8%) underwent revision amputation and 209 (18.3%) underwent vascular revision, after which 58 required revision amputation. Risk of revision following replantation involved older patients, males, and procedures done recently. Conclusions: Pediatric patients who underwent replantation were significantly younger, female, had thumb injuries, and were covered by private insurance. Our findings demonstrate that in addition to injury factors, demographics play a significant role in the decision for finger replantation and its outcomes.
Impact of Melatonin and Branched-Chain Amino Acids Cosupplementation on Quality of Life, Fatigue, and Nutritional Status in Cachectic Heart Failure Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Jafari-Vayghan Hamed , Moludi Jalal , Saleh-Ghadimi Sevda , Enamzadeh Elgar , Seyed-Mohammadzad Mir Hossein , Alizadeh Mohammad
Published: September 2019

Background: Cardiac cachexia (CC) adversely affects the lifestyle of heart failure (HF) patients. The current study examined the impact of melatonin cosupplementation and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) on quality of life (QoL), fatigue, and nutritional status in cachectic HF patients. Methods: In this trial, 84 CC patients were randomized to melatonin, BCAAs, or coadministration (both) as intervention groups and a control group over 8 weeks. At baseline and postintervention, QoL, fatigue, and nutritional status were assessed. Results: After intervention, improvement in the overall and physical dimensions of QoL and appetite score were found to be statistically significant in the BCAAs (P < .001) and the melatonin+BCAAs (P < .001) groups compared with the placebo group. The emotional dimension score was significantly lower in the BCAAs group compared with the placebo group (P = .001). There was a statistically significant improvement in fatigue severity in all 3 intervention groups compared with the placebo group. The nutrition risk index (NRI) score increased significantly only in the melatonin group (P = .015), and there was no significant difference between the other groups (P = .804). Conclusions: Cosupplementation with BCAAs and melatonin improved QoL, fatigue status, and appetite in cachectic HF patients but did not affect NRI.
Is a picture really worth a thousand words? Evaluating contributions of fluency and analytic processing in metacognitive judgements for pictures in foreign language vocabulary learning
Authors: Carpenter Shana K , Geller Jason
Published: September 2019

Previous research shows that participants are overconfident in their ability to learn foreign language vocabulary from pictures compared with English translations. The current study explored whether this tendency is due to processing fluency or beliefs about learning. Using self-paced study of Swahili words paired with either picture cues or English translation cues, picture cues garnered higher confidence judgements but not faster study times, and this was true whether judgements of learning were made after a delay (Experiment 1) or immediately (Experiment 2). In Experiment 3, when participants learned Swahili words with only one type of cue (pictures or English translations) and then estimated which one would be more effective for learning, the majority of participants believed pictures would be more effective regardless of whether they had experienced those cues during learning. Experiment 4 showed the same results when participants had experienced neither type of cue during a learning phase. These results suggest that metacognitive judgements in foreign language vocabulary learning are driven more by students’ beliefs about learning than by processing fluency as reflected in self-paced study times.
Does a non-practiced cognitive automatism withstand the test of time?
Authors: Grégoire Laurent , Poulin-Charronnat Bénédicte
Published: September 2019

The present study aimed to ascertain whether the automaticity of a learned-cognitive process persisted after lengthy and complete cessation of practice. The musical Stroop paradigm offers the opportunity to test this specific question by evaluating the automaticity of note naming, the flexibility in manipulating practice of which is much greater than that of other cognitive automatisms like reading. Participants who previously attained a high level of musical expertise and ceased all musical practice for at least 3 years exhibited a musical Stroop effect, which attests to the automaticity of note naming. The musical Stroop effect was still observed in a subset of participants who completely ceased musical practice for more than 10 years. Our results suggest that the absence of practice, even over a very long period of time, does not eliminate the automaticity of cognitive processes.
Health protection
Authors: Stanton Emily , Bell Anita
Published: September 2019

Health protection is a key function of Public Health England, encompassing emergency preparedness, resilience and response, environmental health, and communicable disease control. The aim of this article is to discuss the role of health protection, its structure in England, and how GPs are integral to the reporting, surveillance and actions to protect public health. Case studies are included. Finally, the article will highlight knowledge that GPs will find useful when considering notifiable infectious diseases and the role of GP and health protection in the NHS Long Term Plan.
Factors that influence the intention to use mobile phone caller tunes for patient reporting of adverse drug reactions: a qualitative study
Authors: Appiah Bernard , Poudyal Anubhuti , Burdine James N. , Asamoah-Akuoko Lucy , Anum David Anidaso , Kretchy Irene Akwo , Sabblah George , Dodoo Alexander N.O. , McKyer E. Lisako J.
Published: September 2019

Background:

Patient reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) is low in low- and middle-income countries, in part because of poor awareness to report. With the increase in mobile subscription, mobile phones can be used as a platform to disseminate information on ADRs. The aim of this study was to qualitatively assess the potential of using mobile phone caller tunes (the message or sound the caller hears before the receiver answers the call) to encourage patient reporting of ADRs.

Methods:

A total of 38 key informant interviews and 12 focus group discussions (57 participants in groups of 4–5) were conducted in Accra, Ghana. The transcripts were analysed using key constructs of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) including perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and behavioural intention to use caller tunes for patient reporting of ADRs.

Results:

Respondents mentioned lack of knowledge on reporting ADRs, and their willingness to use mobile phone caller tunes to promote patient reporting of ADRs. Many respondents pointed out how ADRs usually led to discontinuity in medication use, usually without consultation with health professionals. Caller tunes were regarded an innovative, accessible and convenient platform to disseminate information on ADRs. Most respondents intended to use caller tunes with drug safety information to promote ADR reporting, particularly to help their friends and family members. Simplicity of the message, use of songs or messages in local languages and price of downloading the caller tunes were important considerations.

Conclusion:

There is a need for the creation and testing of caller tunes on ADRs in Ghana to promote patient or consumer reporting of ADRs. Further studies are needed to assess factors that could influence the creation and use of caller tunes to disseminate information on drug safety.
Short-term prediction of secondary progression in a sliding window: A test of a predicting algorithm in a validation cohort
Authors: Skoog B , Link J , Tedeholm H , Longfils M , Nerman O , Fagius J , Andersen O
Published: September 2019

Introduction

The Multiple Sclerosis Prediction Score (MSPS, www.msprediction.com ) estimates, for any month during the course of relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), the individual risk of transition to secondary progression (SP) during the following year.

Objective

Internal verification of the MSPS algorithm in a derivation cohort, the Gothenburg Incidence Cohort (GIC, n =  144) and external verification in the Uppsala MS cohort (UMS, n = 145).

Methods

Starting from their second relapse, patients were included and followed for 25 years. A matrix of MSPS values was created. From this matrix, a goodness-of-fit test and suitable diagnostic plots were derived to compare MSPS-calculated and observed outcomes (i.e. transition to SP).

Results

The median time to SP was slightly longer in the UMS than in the GIC, 15 vs. 11.5 years ( p = 0.19). The MSPS was calibrated with multiplicative factors: 0.599 for the UMS and 0.829 for the GIC; the calibrated MSPS provided a good fit between expected and observed outcomes (chi-square p = 0.61 for the UMS), which indicated the model was not rejected.

Conclusion

The results suggest that the MSPS has clinically relevant generalizability in new cohorts, provided that the MSPS was calibrated to the actual overall SP incidence in the cohort.
The offset effect of pharmaceutical innovation: A review study
Authors: Zozaya Néboa , Alcalá Bleric , Galindo Jhon
Published: September 2019

It is well known that pharmaceutical innovation has improved the health and quality of life of patients. It is however sometimes forgotten that new drugs also have the potential of improving the efficiency and the sustainability of the healthcare system. The objective of this review is to shed light on the magnitude of the offset effect that drugs may have in the realm of the healthcare system and for society as a whole. A narrative literature review was carried out. This review demonstrated that a growing body of literature has tried to measure the magnitude of the offset effect associated with pharmaceutical innovation, both at the aggregate level and for different diseases. There is evidence that the aggregate use of new drugs can generate net savings to the healthcare system and to society, as they may release both healthcare and non-healthcare resources for alternative uses. A high degree of heterogeneity in the magnitude of the effect has been found across different pathologies and different types of drugs.
Breaking down the silos through geodesign – Envisioning Sydney’s urban future
Authors: Pettit Christopher J , Hawken Scott , Ticzon Carmela , Leao Simone Z , Afrooz Aida E , Lieske Scott N , Canfield Tess , Ballal Hrishi , Steinitz Carl
Published: September 2019

One of the challenges in creating plans for sustainable urban futures is the ability to work across government agencies and to break down traditional barriers to truly collaborative planning. Typically, metropolitan planning has been carried out by different agencies that are separate in their mandate and planning strategies. This siloed approach to city planning means there are problems in the coordination and sequencing of critical projects. To address this problem, we investigate the use of the Steinitz geodesign framework and the GeodesignHub.com software for supporting collaborative and integrated negotiation-based geodesign. We hypothesised that by using the geodesign framework we can involve key government agencies and begin to break down the barriers between these agencies to create a single integrated strategic plan for the city. In this research we focus on South East Sydney, discussing the process in designing and implementing the geodesign framework with real world actors spanning several government agencies, municipalities, industry and academia for this study area. This being the first application of geodesign in the Australian context, we draw on feedback from participants on the strengths and weaknesses of the framework.
Algorithms for the parametric analysis of metric, directional, and intersection reach
Authors: Feng Chen , Zhang Wenwen
Published: September 2019

By asking how much street length can be reached from a given origin within a specified distance limit, and by defining distance in different ways as a function of the physical or cognitive effort required to move in cities, the analysis of reach produces measures that effectively characterize street density, connectivity, and the associated urban potential. While the conceptual foundation for reach analysis has already been laid, the computational aspects have not been sufficiently addressed. We introduce the different graph representations and algorithms we developed to analyze metric reach, directional reach, and intersection reach—a new addition to the existing measures. The graph representation we developed for directional reach analysis also sets the foundation for more advanced graph-based street network analysis. We also provide formulae for computing the mean directional and intersection reach. Finally, we discuss common street network modeling issues that can be addressed by consistent mapping protocols.
The visual quality of streets: A human-centred continuous measurement based on machine learning algorithms and street view images
Authors: Ye Yu , Zeng Wei , Shen Qiaomu , Zhang Xiaohu , Lu Yi
Published: September 2019

This study proposes a workable approach for quantitatively measuring the perceptual-based visual quality of streets, which has often relied on subjective impressions or feelings. With the help of recently emerged street view images and machine learning algorithms, an evaluation model has been trained to assess the perceived visual quality with accuracy similar to that of experienced urban designers, to provide full coverage and detailed results for a citywide area. The town centre of Shanghai was selected for the site. Around 140,000 screenshots from Baidu Street View were processed and a machine learning algorithm, SegNet, was applied to intelligently extract the pixels representing key elements affecting the visual quality of streets, including the building frontage, greenery, sky view, pedestrian space, motorisation, and diversity. A Java-based program was then produced to automatically collect the preferences of experienced urban designers on representative sample images. Another machine learning algorithm, i.e. an artificial neural network, was used to train an evaluation model to achieve a citywide, high-resolution evaluation of the visual quality of the streets. Further validation through different approaches shows this evaluation model obtains a satisfactory accuracy. The results from the artificial neural network also help to explore the high or low effects of various key elements on visual quality. In short, this study contributes to the development of human-centred planning and design by providing continuous measurements of an ‘unmeasurable’ quality across large-scale areas. Meanwhile, insights on the perceptual-based visual quality and detailed mapping of various key elements in streets can assist in more efficient street renewal by providing accurate design guidance.
Reversed urbanism: Inferring urban performance through behavioral patterns in temporal telecom data
Authors: Noyman Ariel , Doorley Ronan , Xiong Zhekun , Alonso Luis , Grignard Arnaud , Larson Kent
Published: September 2019

A fundamental aspect of well performing cities is successful public spaces. For centuries, understanding these places has been limited to sporadic observations and laborious data collection. This study proposes a novel methodology to analyze citywide, discrete urban spaces using highly accurate anonymized telecom data and machine learning algorithms. Through superposition of human dynamics and urban features, this work aims to expose clear correlations between the design of the city and the behavioral patterns of its users. Geolocated telecom data, obtained for the state of Andorra, were initially analyzed to identify “stay-points”—events in which cellular devices remain within a certain roaming distance for a given length of time. These stay-points were then further analyzed to find clusters of activity characterized in terms of their size, persistence, and diversity. Multivariate linear regression models were used to identify associations between the formation of these clusters and various urban features such as urban morphology or land-use within a 25–50 meters resolution. Some of the urban features that were found to be highly related to the creation of large, diverse and long-lasting clusters were the presence of service and entertainment amenities, natural water features, and the betweenness centrality of the road network; others, such as educational and park amenities were shown to have a negative impact. Ultimately, this study suggests a “reversed urbanism” methodology: an evidence-based approach to urban design, planning, and decision making, in which human behavioral patterns are instilled as a foundational design tool for inferring the success rates of highly performative urban places.
Community energy by design: A simulation-based design workflow using measured data clustering to calibrate Urban Building Energy Models (UBEMs)
Authors: Rakha Tarek , El Kontar Rawad
Published: September 2019

This paper presents a workflow that informs urban design decisions using measured data clustering to calibrate urban building energy models. The method’s goal is to support urban design in terms of form, building systems configurations, as well as influencing user behavior aspects in the built environment through a systemic analysis of measured data to develop reliable future-case design scenario energy models. Detailed data on appliance-level electricity use are employed via data clustering to calibrate a urban building energy model for the Mueller community in Austin, TX, USA. The data were collected by the Pecan Street Institute for a year in 2014 from consumers in Austin and other surrounding cities. First, collected energy data were restructured and cleaned from corrupt and/or missing information. Second, in order to identify common energy use patterns, a model-based clustering algorithm for functional data was applied. Behavioral/usage profiles are determined through clustering and translated into usage schedules and behaviors. As a result, an urban building energy model built in the urban modeling interface (umi) was calibrated, with fully calibrated and semi-calibrated buildings, within a maximum calibration error margin of 14% for daily-scale averages. Finally, an illustration of calibrated-urban building energy model design case scenarios is presented, and implications on community energy potential effects are discussed.
Development of urban types based on network centrality, built density and their impact on pedestrian movement
Authors: Berghauser Pont Meta , Stavroulaki Gianna , Marcus Lars
Published: September 2019

A better understanding of the relationship between the built environment and urban processes is central in guiding urban processes in more sustainable trajectories. Of particular importance to this endeavour is the idea of urban types. However, on closer scrutiny, while such types may capture the symbolic dimension of urban form, they frequently do not capture its performance or functional dimension. This prohibits precise policy formulation on the topic. This paper first presents a methodology for generating urban types relevant to urban practice (using analytical and statistical methods) and, second, an empirical test of the differences in performance concerning their influence on the presence of people in public space (an essential driver of many other urban processes). For this reason, a large (and to our knowledge unique) pedestrian survey of three European metropolitan areas was conducted and used to test the performance of the urban types developed. The results prove that the methodology for developing the types is robust, as it picks up generally recognised spatial patterns in all three cities. Further, the types were able to explain the intensity of pedestrian flow, its spatial distribution and fluctuations of intensity in space and time. These are vital steps forward and provide more useable typologies in urban planning and design practice.
Evaluating sensors for the measurement of public life: A future in image processing
Authors: Williams Sarah , Ahn Chaewon , Gunc Hayrettin , Ozgirin Ege , Pearce Michael , Xiong Zhekun
Published: September 2019

William Whyte, one of the most well-known urban planners, documented hundreds of hours of street life using videos, cameras, and interviews to develop social and physical policy recommendations for cities. Since then, studies of public life have primarily depended on human observation for data collection. Our research sets out to test whether Do-it-Yourself sensor technologies can automate this data collection process. To answer this question, our team embedded sensors in moveable benches and evaluated their performance according to the Gehl Method, a popular guideline that measures public life. During three field tests, we gathered information on public life via several sensors including image capture, location tracking, weight measurement, and other environmental sensing techniques. Ultimately, we determined that analysis derived from image processing was the most effective method for measuring public life. Our research demonstrates that it is possible to use sensors to automate the measurement of public life and highlights the value and precision of using video footage for collecting these data. Since image processing algorithms have become more accessible and can be applied to Do-it-Yourself projects, future work can build on this research to develop open access image processing tools to evaluate and advocate for urban design strategies.
The platform and the bricoleur—Improvisation and smart city initiatives in Indonesia
Authors: Offenhuber Dietmar
Published: September 2019

This article investigates the design and evolution of smart city platforms in the global south using the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Surabaya as case studies. While smart city projects are often framed in generic rhetoric of efficiency and modernization, the concept was originally formulated for cities in developed countries, and therefore requires adjustment for the local conditions in the developing world. While the former can rely on established institutions and well-developed infrastructures, the latter are characterized by rapid urbanization, weaker institutions, a lack of resources and public services. Unlike their highly regulated counterparts, cities in the global south are shaped by a dynamic informal economy and practices of improvisation. Using the lens of organizational improvisation, this article investigates how urban platforms emerge, and how they adapt to improvisational practices in the administration and the urban population. The article investigates different types of urban data platforms and their relationship with the social practices of their users. With Indonesian Smart City initiatives in Jakarta and Surabaya as a case study, this article aims to identify the local needs that motivated these cities to develop their respective projects. The second question asks how smart city implementations respond and adapt to the specific local conditions and the improvisational practices of their users. Distinguishing three types of urban data platforms, the article characterizes specific processes of bricolage and argues for stronger consideration of processes of improvisation in the design of urban data platforms. The contribution is threefold. The article provides a framework based on improvisation and bricolage that allows the social dynamics around smart city platforms and their impact on the system to be differentiated. It provides lessons on how traditional smart city models need to be adapted for cities in emerging economies. Finally, it offers a critique of the platform metaphors that are normally taken for granted.
Artificial intelligence-aided design: Smart Design for sustainable city development
Authors: Quan Steven Jige , Park James , Economou Athanassios , Lee Sugie
Published: September 2019

Current planning and design decision support systems show limitations in the integration of design, science, and computation. Planning support systems with manual design and post-design evaluations impose major challenges in exploring huge design spaces. Generative design systems largely neglect the wicked nature of design problems and lack appropriate representation methods and simulation tools at the urban scale. To tackle those challenges, this research developed a Smart Design framework featuring urban design decision-making reinforced by artificial intelligence-aided design (AIAD). The Smart Design framework treats urban design as an emergent pattern formation processes with contextualized and dynamic objectives. The framework integrates design thinking, advanced artificial intelligence search techniques (e.g. genetic algorithms), urban scale performance simulations, and participation to better inform decision-making. Through four major stages, the framework combines the ideas of Science for Design and Design in Science. The significance and potential of the Smart Design framework are demonstrated in an urban design study of Gangnam superblocks in Seoul, South Korea. The study explores sustainable urban forms in the high-density, super-complex, and hyper-consumptive environment of Gangnam, which can also be found in many other Asian contexts. The case study illustrates how the framework identifies design solutions for sustainable city development in the process of participatory decision-making through the co-evolution of design problems and solutions.
PRSS1 mutation: a possible pathomechanism of pancreatic carcinogenesis and pancreatic cancer
Authors: Liu Qicai , Guo Ling , Zhang Sheng , Wang Jingwen , Lin Xinhua , Gao Feng
Published: September 2019

Background

Previous studies revealed somatic mutations of the cationic trypsinogen gene (PRSS1) in patients with chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. However, whether PRSS1 mutations trigger pancreatic cancer and/or promote malignant proliferation and metastasis in pancreatic cancer remains largely unclear, as well as the potential underlying mechanisms.

Methods

In the present study, whole-exome sequencing was applied for screening, and the R116C mutation was validated by Sanger sequencing. Phosphorylation antibody array, RNA-Seq, and RT-qPCR were adopted to screen and validate that R116C mutation promoted pancreatic cancer progression via the JAK1-STAT5 pathway.

Results

It showed that migration and invasion were significantly increased in R116C-bearing PANC-1 cells compared with wild type counterparts. In a transgenic mouse model of iZEG-PRSS1_R116C, primary pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanINs) was observed in the pancreatic duct.

Conclusions

These findings suggested a novel pathway mediating pancreatic cancer development, with PRSS1 mutation and overexpression playing an “inside job” role in pancreatic carcinogenesis and tumor development.