bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Evolution Game of Network Platform Employment Governance
Authors: Peng Weihua , Hou Renyong
Published: January 2023

Network platform employment management concerns the sustainable development effect of high-quality employment. However, new forms of employment in recent years have revealed many new employment problems, such as ineffective supervision of the laborer, the difficulty of defining the employment relationship between platform enterprises and laborers, and the chaotic evaluation and statistical standards of network platform employment. To achieve high-quality employment goals, an evolutionary game model between platform organization and platform enterprises, in which laborer supervision was considered, was theoretically constructed in this study. The evolutionary stability of each participant’s strategy choice was analyzed, the influence of each factor on their strategy choice was explored, and the stability of the balancing point in the game system was further analyzed. The results of this study are as follows. (i) The laborer supervision has a significant impact on the “Compliance” behavior of platform enterprises and the “Strict-control” strategies of the platform organization. (ii) It is more conducive to strengthen laborer supervision and improve the platform enterprises’ conduct code. (iii) The platform organization should give full play to the laborers’ supervision utility in the design of the employment recommendation system. (iv) In order to achieve high-quality employment, mutual trust and a harmonious relationship between the platform organization and platform enterprises should be constructed. This study not only proposes an evolutionary game model of network platform employment governance but also advances policy and practical guidance for platform organizations and platform enterprises to accelerate the sustainable development of high-quality employment.
Numerical Simulation and Sensitivity Analysis of Hydraulic Fracturing in Multilayered Thin Tight Sandstone Gas Reservoir
Authors: Zhang Hao , Bai Yuhu , Xu Bingxiang , Du Xulin , Gai Shaohua
Published: January 2023

Hydraulic fracturing is a necessary measurement to realize the commercial exploitation of oil and gas, but its application in multilayered thin tight sandstone gas reservoirs is still not perfect, which usually have thin gas layers mixed with complex intervals, and shows a dramatic variation in geological and geomechanical properties in the vertical direction. When conventional hydraulic fracturing methods are applied to this kind of reservoir, it is hard to get proper fracture propagation, especially for fracture height control. Facing this situation, this paper proposes a numerical study of the hydraulic fracturing mechanism and analyzes its influencing factors in the multilayered thin tight sandstone gas reservoir. Relying on a real reservoir in the Ordos Basin in China, relevant geological and geomechanical parameters of major gas layers and interlayers are obtained. According to these parameters, the hydraulic fracturing simulation in the multilayered thin tight gas reservoir model is carried out, based on which, the sensitivity analysis of different geological and fracturing parameters which affect the fracture propagation is performed. Furthermore, a real low-production well after fracturing in this kind of reservoir is selected as an example, and based on the analysis, an optimized fracturing scheme is proposed to adapt to the characteristics of the reservoir. According to the comparison of fracturing and production simulations, the optimized fracturing scheme can prevent hydraulic fractures from breaking through thin interlayers, control the fracture height, and prevent fractures from communicating strata with a high water-bearing layer. At the same time, with the same amount of proppant and fracturing fluid, longer fracture length and better fracture conductivity are created, so that the productivity of the optimized fracture has been greatly improved.
A Fuzzy Logic-Based Energy-Adaptive Localization Scheme by Fusing WiFi and PDR
Authors: Yang Yankan , Huang Baoqi , Xu Zhendong , Yang Runze
Published: January 2023

Fusing WiFi fingerprint localization and pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) on smartphones is attractive because of their obvious complementarity in localization accuracy and energy consumption. Although fusion localization algorithms tend to improve localization accuracy, extra hardware and software involved will result in extra computations, such that energy consumption is inevitably increased. Thus, in this study, we propose a novel fusion localization scheme based on fuzzy logic, which aims to achieve ideal localization accuracy by consuming as little energy as possible. Specifically, energy-efficient inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors are routinely called to provide the displacement of a smartphone user in the manner of PDR, whereas a fuzzy inference system is employed to adaptively schedule energy-hungry WiFi scans to fulfill WiFi fingerprint localization according to a coarse metric for fusion localization errors and the remaining energy of the smartphone, so as to achieve a trade-off between localization accuracy and energy consumption. Moreover, in order to mitigate the effect of drift errors induced by PDR, straight trajectories of the user are further identified using a series of WiFi localization results to calibrate heading estimates of PDR. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme achieves the same accuracy as the complementary filter, but consumes 38.02% energy than the complementary filter, confirming that the proposed scheme can effectively balance the localization accuracy and energy consumption.
Risk Factors Associated with Acute Pancreatitis after Percutaneous Biliary Intervention: We Do Not Know Nearly Enough
Authors: Song Jing , Deng Jun , Wen Feng
Published: January 2023

Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage (PTCD) and percutaneous transhepatic biliary stenting (PTBS) may be used as a palliative treatment for inoperable patients with malignant biliary obstruction (MBO) to improve the prognosis and their quality of life. However, acute pancreatitis is a common and severe complication that cannot be ignored after PTCD and PTBS in patients with MBO. A few cases may develop severe pancreatitis with a higher mortality rate. In this study, we summarize the known risk factors for acute pancreatitis after percutaneous biliary interventional procedures and investigate possible risk factors to reduce its occurrence by early identifying high-risk patients and taking appropriate measures.
Effects of a Macroporous Resin Extract of Dendrobium officinale Leaves in Rats with Hyperuricemia Induced by Anthropomorphic Unhealthy Lifestyle
Authors: Li Lin-Zi , Wang Xi-Ming , Feng Xiao-Jie , Liu Kun , Li Bo , Zhu Li-Jie , Xu Wan-Feng , Zheng Xiang , Dong Ying-Jie , He Xing-Lishang , Guan Hao-Ru , Ding Yan-Yan , Wu Han-Song , Zhou Chuan-Jie , Ye Sen-Yu , Zhang Bei-Bei , Lv Gui-Yuan , Chen Su-Hong
Published: January 2023

Aim. Hyperuricemia (HUA) has received increased attention in the last few decades due to its global prevalence. Our previous study found that administration of a macroporous resin extract of Dendrobium officinale leaves (DoMRE) to rats with HUA that was induced by exposure to potassium oxazine combined with fructose and a high‐purine diet led to a significant reduction in serum uric acid (SUA) levels. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of DoMRE on hyperuricemia induced by anthropomorphic unhealthy lifestyle and to elucidate its possible mechanisms of action. Methods. Dosages (5.0 and 10.0 g/kg/day) of DoMRE were administered to rats daily after induction of HUA by anthropomorphic unhealthy lifestyle for 12 weeks. The levels of UA in the serum, urine, and feces; the levels of creatinine (Cr) in the serum and urine; and the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in serum were all measured using an automatic biochemical analyzer. The activities of xanthine oxidase (XOD) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) in the serum, liver, and intestine tissue supernatant were measured using appropriate kits for each biological target. The expressions levels of UA transporters (ABCG2 and GLUT9), tight junction (TJ) proteins (ZO‐1 and occludin), and inflammatory factors (IL‐6, IL‐8, and TNF‐α) in the intestine were assayed by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was used to assess histological changes in the renal and intestinal tissues. Results. DoMRE treatment significantly reduced SUA levels and concomitantly increased fecal UA (FUA) levels and the fractional excretion of UA (FEUA) in HUA rats. Furthermore, DoMRE significantly reduced both the XOD activity in the serum, liver, and intestine and the ADA activity in the liver and intestine. DoMRE also effectively regulated the expression of GLUT9 and ABCG2 in the intestine, and it significantly upregulated the expression of the intestinal TJ proteins ZO‐1 and occludin. Therefore, DoMRE reduced the damage to the intestinal barrier function caused by the increased production of inflammatory factors due to HUA to ensure normal intestinal UA excretion. Conclusion. DoMRE demonstrated anti‐HUA effects in the HUA rat model induced by an anthropomorphic unhealthy lifestyle, and the molecular mechanism appeared to involve the regulation of urate transport‐related transporters (ABCG2 and GLUT9) in the intestine, protection of the intestinal barrier function to promote UA excretion, and inhibition of XOD and ADA activity in the liver and intestine to inhibit UA production in the HUA‐induced rats.
The Resultative ὅτι in the New Testament with Special Attention to Luke-Acts
Authors: Bruehler Bart B.
Published: January 2023

The possibility of the occurrence of resultative ὅτι clauses in the NT has been noted by grammarians and commentators but with a lack of consistency and clarity. Commentators often overlook this exegetical possibility, and a survey of NT Greek grammars displays a wide variety of opinions on the category. Luke 7:47 is a key instance that exemplifies the diffuse debate. A review of possible instances of the resultative ὅτι across the LXX, the NT, and the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs shows that this was a viable way to indicate result clauses in questions and statements within Semitic-influenced Greek during the Hellenistic era. Luke uses resultative ὅτι clauses to indicate a fait accompli in five instances, including Luke 7:47.
O Brother, Who Art Thou?
Authors: Lambert Matthew
Published: January 2023

The two unnamed brothers at the close of 2 Cor 8 have occasioned the speculation of scholars both ancient and modern, all of whom have sought to answer the question: why did Paul not name them? After reviewing and problematizing the standard explanations for this anonymizing, the author here argues that Paul excludes their names in an effort to present them as guarantors of the collection. His failure to name them suggests that they stand at some distance from Paul, that they are not part of his circle, and so can provide “non-Pauline” oversight for the Jerusalem collection. The article concludes by suggesting that the success of Paul’s anonymization explains why Paul did not mention the collection in 2 Cor 10–13, his last known correspondence with the Corinthians.
Der Kampf gegen die Irrlehre als „Krieg“
Authors: Hauck Marion Christina
Published: January 2023

In 1 Tim 1, particularly in vv. 18–20, the author of the letter uses a cluster of terms that evoke the image of “Timothy” engaged in a military campaign. Along these lines, the verb ἀπωθέοµαι (v. 19) activates the mental picture of a previous struggle or clash through which one party (the τινες) has been disadvantaged. This article seeks to identify the leading metaphors that the author summons in 1 Tim 1, to scrutinize the concepts that he employs for creating these metaphors, and to describe the set of relations that enables a coherent understanding of 1 Tim 1 in general and 1:18–20 in particular. In addition, this article examines how these metaphors are embedded in the wider framework of 1 Tim 1–6 and integrated into the author’s struggle against a false teaching circulating in the Ephesian ekklesia.
The Second Peter
Authors: Rodenbiker Kelsie G.
Published: January 2023

In early Christian literary production, Peter emerges as an early apostolic figure of prominence ripe for a prolific textual afterlife, lending his name to a wide range of literature. These works include 2 Peter, which is widely recognized as a pseudepigraphal writing. Here, the author argues that pseudepigraphy is a form of exemplarity—the constructive and strategic usage of a figure from the past as a model for the present and future. Within this model, 2 Peter is read as a pseudepigraphon styled and traditioned as a second, testamentary epistle of Peter, the leader of the apostles. Second Peter’s authoritative status is doubted in the early stages of the canonical process. But the ongoing transmission of the reputation of Peter, attested for example by the manuscript tradition, aids this work’s establishment as a Petrine text.
Discursive Structures in Matthew Kukah’s January 2020 Speech on the State of Insecurity in Nigeria
Authors: Adedomi Oluwayemisi O.
Published: January 2023

This study investigates the discourse structures in the state of the nation speech given by Mathew Kukah, the Bishop of Sokoto (Nigeria) Catholic Diocese in the wake of 2020. The study explores how the various discursive moves are deployed in Kukah’s speech to condemn the spate of insecurity in Nigeria as well as call for attitudinal change amongst Nigerians. The study adopts van Dijk’s (2004) critical discourse analytical model as theoretical frame of reference. This model supplies the material for the categorization of the discursive moves deployed for self-positive and other negative representation. The data is purposively selected because it is considered as interventionist and one of the objective appraisals of the insecurity situation in present-day Nigeria. The study revealed that seven discursive moves: lexicalization, comparison, victimization, rhetoric, authority, presupposition and burden are used by Kukah to delegitimize terrorism and religious intolerance, castigate President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as well as give a wake-up call to all Nigerians. The study concludes that linguistic choices are deployed in Kukah’s speech to call for national re-awakening.
Rethinking the Tensions between Populism and Diplomacy: A Case Study of Regional Sub-State Diplomacy as Populist Image-Building Strategy in Flanders
Authors: Meijen Jens
Published: January 2023

Populism is traditionally understood as a challenge to diplomacy. This article reconsiders that notion through an illustrative case of regional sub-state diplomacy. First, it examines how and why populists discredit diplomacy and the international order through four typically populist discursive strategies: crisis discourse, exceptionalism, underdogism and challengerism. Second, it explores why populists may approach regional sub-state diplomacy differently. To illustrate this, it examines the position of Vlaams Belang (a Flemish populist party in Belgium) in the Flemish Parliament Commission for Foreign Policy. It shows that the party discredits state diplomacy while advocating for stronger Flemish diplomacy, implying that the idea of populism as a challenge to diplomacy does not necessarily hold up for regional sub-state diplomacy. As such, the article suggests that the multifarious ways in which populism and diplomacy intersect deserve greater scrutiny and that diplomacy studies should approach populism not as a monolith but as a multi-faceted concept.
Management of Gastric Cancer
Authors: Hall Caroline E. , Maegawa Felipe , Patel Ankit D. , Lin Edward
Published: January 2023

Gastric adenocarcinoma is a complex disease that requires a thorough multidisciplinary approach for appropriate management. Management strategies vary in different regions of the world and have changed over time. In spite of improvements in chemotherapy and surgical techniques and an improvement in outcomes over the last several decades, overall survival remains low. The best outcomes are likely related to early detection, preoperative reduction of tumor burden with immunochemotherapy, consistent surgical technique for resection, and postoperative eradication of tumor cells. We aim to describe the management for gastric cancer, from the specifics of staging and imaging workup to the tenets of surgical resection and reconstruction as well as the adjuvant treatment strategies in this broad review of gastric cancer management.
A Primer on General Surgery Applicants Who Have Graduated From Indian Medical Schools
Authors: Schenarts Paul J. , Panwar Aru , Mukkai Krishnamurty Devi , Nandipati Kalyana
Published: January 2023

Background: Graduates of Indian medical schools account for the greatest proportion of non-US born international medical graduates applying to general surgery residency programs.

Purpose: Provide information to facilitate fair and holistic review of applicants from Indian medical schools.

Research Design: Comprehensive review of the Indian medical education system, including history, regulatory agencies, medical school admission, curriculum, cultural differences, immigration issues, and outcomes after residency.

Results: The Indian medical education system is one of the world’s oldest. The number of medical schools and graduates continues to increase. Medical school admission criteria are variable. Recent regulatory changes have improved the quality of applicants entering the US. Emphasis on academic performance over volunteerism as well as communication styles differ from US graduates. The success of graduates during and after residency is well documented.

Conclusions: Understanding the differences in the US and Indian medical education systems will provide a basis for the fair evaluation of applicants.
Congruence Concept for Comparison of Spectra
Authors: Németh Zsolt I. , Rákosa Rita
Published: January 2023

This paper introduces an alternative, easy-to-implement spectrum comparison concept. The evaluation procedure is illustrated by artificial and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectra, which it can also be extended to other spectrometries (e.g., ultraviolet–visible or UV–Vis and Raman). The evaluation for the comparison of two spectra is divided into four phases: (i) spectrum pre-treatment (e.g., smoothing and background correction), (ii) standard normal variate (SNV) transformation, (iii) regression analysis of SNV spectra, and (iv) calculation of the quantification index (FG). The FG is derived from the formula of R2. It characterizes and quantifies the identity and/or similarity of the compared spectra.
Expanding Developmental and Behavioral Health Capacity in Pediatric Primary Care
Authors: Jeung Joan , Talgo Julia , Sparks Aleah , Martin-Herz Susanne P.
Published: January 2023

The Development and Behavior Access Clinic (DBAC) deploys a general pediatrician with brief/intensive training and proctoring by developmental-behavioral pediatricians (DBP) to provide developmental-behavioral (DB) care to children referred with mild/moderate complexity needs as determined by a team of clinical psychologists. This pilot study utilizes visit data, chart review, and surveys to assess wait times, need for subspecialty care, and referring clinician satisfaction. In its first 18 months, DBAC decreased the need for subspecialty DB care, providing initial services for 44% of patients referred for DB pediatric care from the study site; 89% did not require subsequent subspecialty evaluation. Among DBAC participants, average wait times for DB care decreased from a baseline of 218 to 41 calendar days. This pilot study provides a model for building DB clinical skills among interested general pediatricians, decreasing wait times, and building the capacity of primary care settings to address mild-to-moderate complexity DB concerns.
Cooperation and Scientific Contribution: The Search for a Common Nexus
Authors: Arredondo Montero Javier , Bronte Anaut Mónica , Martín-Calvo Nerea , Bardají Pascual Carlos
Published: January 2023

International cooperation in pediatrics and pediatric surgery entails important barriers such as sociocultural differences, language difficulties, lack of infrastructure and resources, and short duration of campaigns. In this work, we share our personal experience in relation to the scientific publication of works carried out in pediatric international cooperation, and we make a critical reflection on the aspects to be considered for this field to develop in the future.
Nutritional Status and Feeding Problems in Pediatric Specific Learning Disability
Authors: Memiç İnan Cansu , Özfer Özçelik Ayşe
Published: January 2023

This cross-sectional study aims to determine the feeding problems and nutritional status of children diagnosed with specific learning disability (SLD), which is one of the neurodevelopmental disorders. Sociodemographic information, anthropometric measurements, and food consumption records of 76 children (38 boys and 38 girls) diagnosed with SLD were obtained by applying a questionnaire. The Behavioral Pediatrics Feeding Assessment Scale was used to determine the feeding problems of children. About 31.6% of children with SLD are overweight and obese. Feeding behavioral problems were found in 39.5% of the children with SLD. Binary logistic regression analysis showed a significantly higher frequency of feeding behavior problems in children with SLD: (1) lower body mass index (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.841, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.722-0.979), (2) lower tri-ponderal mass index (AOR: 0.738, 95% CI: 0.585-0.933), (3) lower upper middle arm circumference (AOR: 0.772, 95% CI: 0.649-0.918),and (4) lower triceps skinfold thickness (TSFT) (AOR: 0.890, 95% CI: 0.808-0.980). In this study, feeding behavior problems are common in children diagnosed with SLD. Therefore, identifying feeding behavior problems in children diagnosed with SLD and developing solutions specific to the problem are important for gaining healthy eating habits throughout life.
The Impact of Star Teacher Characteristics on Teacher Selection and Retention in Urban High Poverty Schools: A Qualitative Analysis
Authors: McKinney Sueanne E. , Ford Deana J. , Tomovic Cynthia
Published: January 2023

A qualitative content analysis was employed to examine what factors contributed to effective teachers’ selection and retention in urban high poverty schools. First, the Star Teacher Interview was used to identify effective urban educators. Then, verbal interviews were conducted with star subjects to determine factors that contributed to their selection and decision to remain in urban high-poverty districts. An inductive analysis process revealed emerging and reoccurring themes. Four major factors were identified that influenced STAR teachers’ decision to begin their career in an urban school district and/or Title I school: Giving back to the community, diversity, location, and autonomy. Three major factors were identified that influenced STAR teachers’ decision to continue their career beyond 5 years in an urban school district and/or Title I school: Job satisfaction, effective with population, and perseverance. Implications of this study suggest that urban districts work closely with practicum and observation students from the universities who show promise in working with culturally diverse children. Providing teacher candidates with rich experiences in urban schools may positively impact their decision to work in urban settings.
Talking about disappointments: Identification work through multiple discourses at a prestigious university
Authors: Mitra Mahima , Gill Michael , Dopson Sue
Published: January 2023

Disappointment is common in many organizations. Yet little is known about how individuals’ talk about their workplace disappointment shapes their identification with organizations. We conducted an analysis of 104 academics in a prestigious British university to make two contributions to our understanding of the discursive constitution of organizational identification (OID). First, we show how individuals used different types of disappointment-talk to narrate and respond to identification dilemmas in distinct ways. Our findings extend existing research by showing that discourses of emotion do not simply delimit agency but also enable individuals to resist and reject organizational discourses that attempt to anchor them to specific identity positions. Second, we identify a novel way in which individuals can configure the multiple discourses that can be in tension and generate disappointment – unravelling. Here, individuals draw upon one among the multiple discourses in conflict (in our case, prestige) to ‘unravel’ the knotting between the various discourses that constituted their OID dilemmas. We also consider the implications of our study for academic labour in universities.
Financially insecure and less ethical: Understanding why and when financial insecurity inhibits ethical leadership
Authors: Qu Yuanmei (Elly) , Babalola Mayowa T , Ogbonnaya Chidiebere , Ren Shuang , Chen Lu , Yang Mengxi
Published: January 2023

With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, among other crises (e.g., Russia–Ukraine conflicts and recession projections) threatening organizations’ financial conditions across the globe, supervisors may not only encounter challenges such as job cuts that test their ethical leadership, but also experience financial insecurity themselves. However, our knowledge of why and when supervisors’ ethical leadership behaviors may be affected in such a situation remains quite limited. In this research, we draw on uncertainty management theory (UMT) to examine the potential influence of financial insecurity on ethical leadership. Specifically, we suggest that financial insecurity triggers anxiety in supervisors, which inhibits their demonstration of ethical leadership. We also propose organizational pay fairness as a boundary condition for this process, such that supervisors who perceive their pay as fair are less susceptible to the anxiety resulting from financial insecurity than those who perceive their pay as unfair. Results from two multi-source, multi-wave studies supported our hypothesized model. We conclude by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of our findings.
Creating inclusivity through boundary work? Zooming in on low-wage service sector work
Authors: van Eck Dide , Dobusch Laura , van den Brink Marieke
Published: January 2023

Workers in the low-wage service sector represent a sociodemographically heterogeneous and particularly vulnerable group in terms of job security, job quality and health implications. However, organizational inclusion research has largely neglected this group. In contrast, this article builds on a qualitative study of a Dutch aircraft cleaning company in order to assess the ‘inclusivity of inclusion approaches’ for less privileged groups of employees. By reconstructing how managers and cleaners draw/rework boundaries, we identify certain configurations of inclusion and exclusion that can unfold more or less ‘inclusive’ consequences for historically disadvantaged group members, and more or less exclusionary repercussions for particularly privileged and/or majority group members. We stress the need to say goodbye to a linear narrative of organizations becoming ‘inclusive as such’. Furthermore, we argue that the presence of decent working and employment conditions and the absence of steep differences in those conditions between groups represent the ‘silent foundation’ of creating inclusivity. Consequently, we ask: does inclusion research reach its ‘natural limits’ by tiptoeing around the topic of equality?
Political Uncertainty and Corporate Investment: Evidence from the Chinese Private Companies
Authors: Piao Long , Jung Kwangho
Published: January 2023

China’s political system has continued to maintain a highly centralized regime despite embracing a decentralized development strategy after the 1979 economic reform. The central government frequently makes changes in political leadership to control regional governments. Such political turnover in the regional governments can generate substantial political uncertainty, which affects the overall management direction and environment of Chinese public enterprises. This study analyzes the impact of replacing city-level party secretaries (CPS) on corporate investment in 228 municipal cities in China. Political appointees can replace city-level party secretaries from within and outside the city or from higher levels of the government. Our empirical results show that these kinds of replacements more significantly dampened investment activities in listed private companies than in companies in which the city-level party secretaries have retained their positions. Corporate investment activities decreased more when a city-level party secretary was replaced with a person outside the city or parachuted from central government than when replaced within the city. Moreover, replacement effects were more negative for privatized state-owned enterprises (SOEs) than for the original privately owned companies.
Deterrence or Coercion: Analyzing DPRK’s Nuclear Intentions with Its Propaganda Texts
Authors: Zhang Hongyu , Zhang Weiqi , Zinoviev Dmitry
Published: January 2023

Although the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) nuclear program has been a challenge to international security for three decades, the world still knows little about its nuclear intentions. A recently available dataset of Korean Central News Agency’s English publications (1997–2018) provides a complete coverage of DPRK’s nuclear activities in the time span. Our study employs the Louvain method of community detection in large networks to detect patterns and trends in North Korea’s nuclear rhetoric. We have two findings: Pyongyang’s primary objective is deterrence, although it also utilizes nuclear development to boost regime legitimacy. This secondary intention of legitimization is more prominent under Kim Jong-un than under Kim Jong-il, but still not as salient as deterrence. Our results suggest a policy approach of engagement and deterrence.
Sweet Taste Receptor Gene and Caries Trajectory in the Life Course
Authors: Chisini L.A. , Costa F.D.S. , Horta B.L. , Tovo-Rodrigues L. , Demarco F.F. , Correa M.B.
Published: January 2023

This study aims to investigate whether the trajectory of dental caries in the life course is associated with rs307355 ( TAS1R3) and rs35874116 ( TAS1R2) and if there is an epistatic association between rs307355 ( TAS1R3) and rs35874116 ( TAS1R2). A representative sample of all 5,914 births from the 1982 Pelotas birth cohort was prospectively investigated, and the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMF-T) components were assessed at ages 15 ( n = 888), 24 ( n = 720), and 31 ( n = 539) y. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to identify groups with similar trajectories of DMF-T components in the life course. Genetic material was collected, and rs307355 ( TAS1R3) and rs35874116 ( TAS1R2) were genotyped. Ethnicity was evaluated using ADMIXTURE. Generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction software was used to investigate epistatic interactions. Considering rs307355 ( TAS1R3) in the additive effect, the genotype TT was associated with the high decayed trajectory group (odds ratio [OR] = 4.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15–17.74) and the high missing trajectory group (OR = 3.35; 95% CI, 1.09–10.26). In the dominant effect, the genotype CT/TT was associated with the high decayed trajectory group (OR = 1.64; 95% CI, 1.14–2.35). Allele T was associated with an increased odds of 64% (OR = 1.64; 95% CI, 1.20–2.25) for the decayed component and 41% (OR = 1.41; 95% CI, 1.04–1.92) for the missing component. No associations were observed between rs307355 ( TAS1R3) and the filled component. rs35874116 ( TAS1R2) was not associated with DMF-T components. Positive epistatic interactions were observed involving rs307355 ( TAS1R3) and rs35874116 ( TAS1R2) with the decayed component (OR = 1.72; 95% CI, 1.04–2.84). Thus, rs307355 ( TAS1R3) genotypes and alleles seem positively associated with the trajectory of decayed and missing components in the life course. Epistatic interaction between rs307355 and rs35874116 may increase the decayed caries trajectory.
A War on Sugar? Effects of Reduced Sugar Content and Package Size in the Soda Category
Authors: Keller Kristopher O. , Guyt Jonne Y.
Published: January 2023

Increased consumer demand for healthier product options and looming regulation have prompted many consumer goods brands to adjust the amount of sugar content in their product lines, including adding products with reduced sugar content or smaller package sizes. Even as brands adopt such practices, little guidance exists for how they should do so to protect or enhance their brand performance. This research studies whether and when sugar reduction strategies affect sales. The analysis of almost 130,000 product additions by nearly 80 brands over 11 years in the U.S. soda category shows that, on average, products with sugar content reductions perform comparably to similar products without reduced sugar content, while smaller package sizes perform better. Importantly, these effects depend substantially on product labeling, branding, and packaging decisions. By accounting for these contingent effects, this study establishes win–win conditions, in which brands realize higher volume sales while category-level sugar sales decrease. In doing so, the study sheds light on how marketing can bridge brands’ sales objective with society's health focus, doing well and doing good simultaneously.
Impact of Buying Groups on Buyer–Supplier Relationships: Group–Dyad Interactions in Business-to-Business Markets
Authors: Kumar Alok , Shi Huanhuan , Skiba Jenifer , Saini Amit , Lu Zhi
Published: January 2023

This article examines the impact of business-to-business (B2B) buying groups on buyer–supplier relationships. The authors outline two distinct initiatives—monitoring and community building—through which buying groups govern buyer–supplier exchange and impact supplier performance toward buyers. Two boundary conditions are identified for the performance efficacy of the buying group's governance efforts: the buyer's own governance of the supplier and the dependence relations among the focal parties. Analyses using two-wave primary data collected from the U.S. health care sector and replications using secondary outcomes indicate support for the proposed framework. The authors conduct a conjoint experiment to further enhance the generalizability of the findings and report that a buying group's monitoring of suppliers enhances supplier performance both by itself and with increasing supplier monitoring by the buyer firm. Further, the supplier's dependence on the buying group and the buyer's dependence on the supplier both sharpen the efficacy of the buying group's monitoring program. However, the performance effects of community building are weakened as the buyer–supplier relationship becomes stronger and as the buyer grows more dependent on the supplier. The authors thus uncover novel interplays between B2B buying groups and B2B dyads and document their consequences for firm performance.
Pregnant Women’s Experiences During and After Hurricanes Irma and Maria, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, Puerto Rico, 2018
Authors: Simeone Regina M. , House L. Duane , Salvesen von Essen Beatriz , Kortsmit Katherine , Hernandez Virella Wanda , Vargas Bernal Manuel I. , Galang Romeo R. , D’Angelo Denise V. , Shapiro-Mendoza Carrie K. , Ellington Sascha R.
Published: January 2023

Objective:

Exposure to natural disasters during and after pregnancy may increase adverse mental health outcomes. Hurricanes Irma and Maria struck Puerto Rico in September 2017. Our objectives were to understand hurricane-related experiences, maternal health concerns, and the impact of hurricane experiences on postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS).

Methods:

We used data from the 2018 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System to describe differences in maternal hurricane experiences among women who were pregnant during and after the 2017 hurricanes. We assessed maternal concerns and PDS. We estimated adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) and 95% CIs for the associations between hurricane experiences and PDS.

Results:

The most frequently reported hurricane experiences were losing power for ≥1 week (97%) and feeling unsafe due to lack of order/security (70%). Almost 30% of women who were pregnant during the hurricanes reported missing prenatal care. PDS were reported by 13% of women. Most hurricane experiences were associated with an increased prevalence of PDS. Feeling unsafe (aPR = 2.4; 95% CI, 1.2-4.9) and having difficulty getting food (aPR = 2.1; 95% CI, 1.1-4.1) had the strongest associations.

Conclusions:

Most women who were pregnant during or after hurricanes Irma and Maria struck Puerto Rico reported negative hurricane experiences, and most experiences were associated with an increased prevalence of PDS. Understanding the experiences of pregnant women during and after disasters and identifying risks for adverse mental health outcomes after pregnancy are important to inform emergency preparedness and prenatal and postpartum care.
Unequal and unjust: The political ecology of Bangkok’s increasing urban heat island
Authors: Marks Danny , Connell John
Published: January 2023

The intensity of Bangkok’s urban heat island during the dry season can be as high as 6–7° and in the densest areas the urban heat island’s intensity is approximately 4°C. The urban heat island thus is causing a city already oppressively hot to become even hotter. The urban heat island also contributes to health problems, such as heat stroke and fatigue, particularly to those with lower incomes. We historically examine the numerous causes of Bangkok’s urban heat island, such as the lack of green space, high levels of air conditioning, and high rates of vehicle exhaust fumes. For example, Bangkok has only three square metres of green space per person which is one of the lowest in all of Asia. Local governmental weaknesses, administrative fragmentation, prioritisation of economic growth and limited buy-in from the private sector have intensified Bangkok’s urban heat island, and imposed numerous barriers to actions that would reduce heat, such as establishing green space, restructuring urban transport or creating and following an effective urban plan. Ideas mooted to remedy these problems have yet to come to fruition, largely because of bureaucratic inertia, fragmentation and divisions within the relevant lead organisations. The political ecology lens also reveals how political–economic processes largely determine the vulnerability of urban inhabitants to heat, but also that thermal governance is highly unequal and unjust. Those who contribute to and profit the most from Bangkok’s urban heat island, such as real estate developers, shopping mall owners, and automobile corporations, suffer the least from its effects, whereas low-income communities hardly contribute to this problem, yet are the most vulnerable.
Event-triggered adaptive sliding mode control for steer-by-wire systems with actuator fault
Authors: Li Hongjuan , Ma Bingxin , Wang Yongfu
Published: January 2023

The event-triggered tracking control is studied for the steer-by-wire (SbW) system with actuator fault, inaccurate dynamic model, and external disturbance. First, an adaptive sliding mode control based on event-triggering mechanism is proposed. The lumped nonlinearity, including friction torque and self-aligning torque of SbW systems, is approximated by an adaptive robust radial basis function neural network (RBFNN). Robust terms of sliding mode control attenuate the negative effects of the actuator fault, modeling error, external disturbance, and event-triggering error on control performance. More importantly, the sliding-mode high-frequency switching control appears in the high-order derivative of sliding variable without increasing the input–output relative degree, thereby eliminating chattering. Furthermore, the designed method can achieve the practical finite-time stability. The proposed event-triggering mechanism can strictly exclude Zeno behavior and economize the communication resources. Finally, simulations and experiments show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
An improved sliding mode control–based GMPPT algorithm for photovoltaic system
Authors: Nadeem Ahsan , Sher Hadeed Ahmed , Murtaza Ali Faisal , Ahmed Nisar , Al-Durra Ahmed
Published: January 2023

In this paper, an improved fixed-frequency-based integral sliding mode controller is designed and applied to a stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) system to obtain the desired reference signal for the maximum power point tracking. The proposed technique is designed with the modified sliding surface and sigmoidal function-based control law which improves the transient and steady-state performance of the PV system under uniform and partial shading conditions. Moreover, the cost of the proposed technique is further reduced by predicting the inductor current without employing a current sensor. In addition, the varying tuning factor strategy is used to further reduce the undershoot and overshoot issues during the tracking process. The desired voltage reference signal is provided by the online fractional open-circuit voltage algorithm. Furthermore, the proposed sliding mode control technique is integrated with the 0.8 Voc model-based algorithm to obtain the global maximum power point. To check the effectiveness and fair analysis, the proposed technique is tested in MATLAB/Simulink environment under partial shading conditions, and its results are compared with the recently developed double integral derivative sliding mode control technique. The suggested technique is also tested experimentally on a 245 W PV module, in conjunction with a boost converter. The simulation and experimental findings reveal that the proposed technique outperforms the double integral derivative sliding mode control technique in terms of steady-state and transient performance, tracking speed, and transient efficiency.
Generative adversarial network–assisted image classification for imbalanced tire X-ray defect detection
Authors: Gao Shuang , Dai Yun , Xu Yongchao , Chen Jinyin , Liu Yi
Published: January 2023

A high-performance tire X-ray defect image classification method plays a key role in enhancing the automation level of tire defect detection. In industrial practice, however, a typical challenge is that the collected datasets of diverse tire defects are often imbalanced. To address this issue, a Wasserstein generative adversarial network (WGAN)–assisted image classification method is proposed for imbalanced tire X-ray defect detection. To expand the minority classes in original datasets, a WGAN model is established to generate high-quality X-ray defect images. Considering the feature similarity of different defect grades in the same type, the WGAN is trained based on a pre-trained model to extract deep features. An improved deep convolutional neural network model is restructured for performance improvement. Finally, the augmented balanced datasets are used to train the improved network for image classification of tire X-ray defects. The experiments validate that the proposed method is effective for type and grade classification of imbalanced tire X-ray defect detection, and shows better classification performance than existing popular models.
A sensorless control system of permanent magnet synchronous motor for electric locomotive based on improved high-frequency rotating injection method
Authors: Li Guanjun , Li Haoyuan , He Xianghui , Wang Xiangyu
Published: January 2023

The mechanical sensor of electric locomotive is easy to lose, leading to position measurement error, which deteriorates the performance of permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drive system. Therefore, a limp-home mode based on high-frequency injection sensorless strategy is proposed. The signal processing of conventional high-frequency rotating injection needs several filters, and the delay has an impact on estimated position, which is phase-based demodulation. In this paper, an amplitude-based demodulation strategy is proposed, which needs only one low-pass filter, meanwhile the digital control delay can be canceled automatically. Accordingly, the position estimation precision and robustness can be enhanced with the aid of proposed method. The feasibility and effectiveness of theoretical analysis is verified on an 18-kW PMSM drive system experimental platform.
Robust output feedback control for electro-hydraulic servo system with error constraint based on high-order sliding mode observer
Authors: Wang Yunfei , Zhao Jiyun , Zhang He , Wang Hao
Published: January 2023

In this paper, a robust output feedback controller with error constraint is proposed to improve the position tracking performance of the electro-hydraulic servo system. Since only the position signal of the system is available, a high-order sliding mode observer is designed to estimate the unobtainable system states. The new state observer can not only avoid the influence of sensor measurement noise but also reduce the chattering of traditional sliding mode observer. To cope with the modeling error, parameter uncertainty, and external disturbance, a robust controller based on backstepping method is designed. In addition, barrier Lyapunov function is introduced to limit the maximum tracking error to a preset range. Finally, comparative experiments are carried out on the asymmetric hydraulic cylinder test bench. The experimental result shows that the proposed controller has a satisfied tracking performance.
A thrust allocation strategy for intelligent ships based on model prediction control
Authors: Zhu Wei , Wang Yucheng , Gao Diju , Shi Weifeng , Yu Wanneng , Wang Yide
Published: January 2023

In order to solve the problem of the traditional sequential quadratic programming thrust allocation method, such as limited feasible region and low propulsion efficiency, a thrust allocation strategy based on model predictive control is proposed in this paper. The proposed thrust allocation strategy is realized by rolling optimization of model predictive control, and moreover, considering the possibility of thruster failure, a fault-tolerant thrust allocation strategy is proposed. The simulation results show that the proposed strategy can not only make the ship run in the expected condition but also reduce the average power consumption by 16.3% compared with the traditional sequential quadratic programming method and has good fault tolerance in the face of thruster failure.
Cochlear Implantation: The use of OTOPLAN Reconstructed Images in Trajectory Identification
Authors: Hajr Eman , Abdelsamad Yassin , Almuhawas Fida , Alashour Amnah , Hagr Abdulrahman
Published: January 2023

Objectives

This study aimed to define the best electrode trajectory line in cochlear implant (CI) surgery using the OTOPLAN (otology planning software) reconstructed 3D model and to investigate the surgical distance of the retro-facial approach as a direct access to the round window.

Methods

Computed tomography (CT) scans of the normal temporal bone were included for analysis in this study. OTOPLAN reconstruction was used to build 3D models with specific ear structures for study analysis.

Results

Twenty-five scans were included; the average age at the time of CT scan was 6.8±12 years. Twelve scans (48%) were right-sided and thirteen (52%) were left-sided. The best trajectory line to the round window was identified in all scans. The retro-facial approach was the optimal approach for 52% of cases (13/25). In all scans, the safe distance from the facial nerve were in favor of the retro-facial approach (P = 0.0011).

Conclusion

The OTOPLAN reconstructed imaging provided a good analysis of the retro-facial approach and helped in planning the surgical trajectory line towards the round window. Additionally, calculation of the surgical distance can help the surgeon compare the retro-facial approach to the standard facial recess for preoperative planning. These findings may help in robotic surgery.