bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Operational Strategy for Low‐Carbon Supply Chain under Asymmetric Information of Fairness Concerns
Authors: Wei Guangxing , Zhang Xu , Qin Xinghong , Bary Binta
Published: February 2022

Carbon emission reduction has become a common hot topic around the world. Although the previous literature has proven that the asymmetric information and fairness concerns would influence the operational strategy for low‐carbon supply chain, it hardly touched the asymmetric information of fairness concerns, which contradicted practical observations and experimental evidence. Incorporating the asymmetric information of fairness concerns, this paper investigates a low‐carbon supply chain consisting of a manufacturer and a retailer with discrete types including selfish S‐type and fairness‐concerned F‐type. The manufacturer can observe and thereby know the behavioral type of the retailer in the scenario of symmetric information, while it cannot in the scenario of asymmetric information. In the approach of game theory, the optimal carbon emission reducing strategy and pricing strategy in the symmetric scenario and asymmetric scenario are achieved successively. By comparing the above two scenarios, the impacts stemming from the asymmetric information of fairness concerns at the individual level and systematic level are analyzed, respectively. A case study is offered before concluding some implications for the supply chain management. The findings include the following: Firstly, the asymmetric information of fairness concerns enhances the carbon emission reduction significantly. Although the fairness concerns alone decrease the carbon emission reduction, the asymmetric information increases with the dominating power. Secondly, the asymmetric information of fairness concerns raises the wholesale price and retail price dramatically. Although the impact of either fairness concerns or asymmetric information randomly changes with the behavioral type and information structure, their interactive impacts are stable and change smoothly. Thirdly, the asymmetric information of fairness concerns promotes a fairer profit distribution, while either fairness concerns or asymmetric information alone hardly changes the overall profit of the low‐carbon supply chain.
Measurement of Body Surface Area for Psoriasis Using U-net Models
Authors: Lin Yih-Lon , Huang Adam , Yang Chung-Yi , Chang Wen-Yu
Published: February 2022

During the evaluation of body surface area (BSA), precise measurement of psoriasis is crucial for assessing disease severity and modulating treatment strategies. Physicians usually evaluate patients subjectively through direct visual evaluation. However, judgment based on the naked eye is not reliable. This study is aimed at evaluating the use of machine learning methods, specifically U-net models, and developing an artificial neural network prediction model for automated psoriasis lesion segmentation and BSA measurement. The segmentation of psoriasis lesions using deep learning is adopted to measure the BSA of psoriasis so that the severity can be evaluated automatically in patients. An automated psoriasis lesion segmentation method based on the U-net architecture was used with a focus on high-resolution images and estimation of the BSA. The proposed method trained the model with the same patch size of

512
×
512

and predicted testing images with different patch sizes. We collected 255 high-resolution psoriasis images representing large anatomical sites, such as the trunk and extremities. The average residual of the ground truth image and the predicted image was approximately 0.033. The interclass correlation coefficient between the U-net and dermatologist’s segmentations measured in the ratio of affected psoriasis over the body area in the test dataset was 0.966 (95% CI: 0.981–0.937), indicating strong agreement. Herein, the proposed U-net model achieved dermatologist-level performance in estimating the involved BSA for psoriasis.
A Resource Allocation Scheme for Real-Time Energy-Aware Offloading in Vehicular Networks with MEC
Authors: Zhang Haibo , Liu Xiangyu , Bian Xia , Cheng Yan , Xiang Shengting
Published: February 2022

With the emergence of new vehicular applications, computation offloading based on mobile edge computing (MEC) has become a promising paradigm in resource-constrained vehicular networks. However, an unreasonable offloading strategy in offloading can cause serious energy consumption and latency. A real-time energy-aware offloading scheme for vehicle networks, based on MEC, is proposed to optimize communication and computation resource to decrease energy consumption and latency. Because the problem of computation offloading and resource allocation is the mixed-integer nonlinear problem (MINLP), this article uses a bi-level optimization method to transform the original MINLP into two subproblems. Furthermore, considering the mobility of vehicle users (V-UEs) and the availability of cloud resources, an offloading scheme based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL) is adopted to help users make the optimal offloading decisions. The simulation results show that the proposed bi-level optimization algorithm reduces the total overhead by nearly 40% to the compared algorithm.
Discrete Maximum Principle and Energy Stability of the Compact Difference Scheme for Two-Dimensional Allen-Cahn Equation
Authors: Bo Yu , Tian Dan , Liu Xiao , Jin Yuanfeng
Published: February 2022

The Allen-Cahn model is discussed mainly in the phase field simulation. The compact difference method will be used to numerically approximate the two-dimensional nonlinear Allen-Cahn equation with initial and boundary value conditions, and then, a fully discrete compact difference scheme with second-order accuracy in time and fourth-order in space is established. And its numerical solution satisfies the discrete maximum principle under the constraints of reasonable space and time steps. On this basis, the energy stability of the scheme is investigated. Finally, numerical examples are given to illustrate the theoretical results.
A Study of Compaction Densification Behavior of Composite Particles by Multiparticle Finite Element Method
Authors: Li Junnan , Han Peng , Xu Yingshi , Liu Kun , Zhang Guoxin , Xu Peng
Published: February 2022

In this paper, 3D particulate scale modelling on the die compaction of DEM generated initial packings of both soft and hard particles was conducted by employing the multiparticle finite element method (MPFEM). The effects of initial packing structures as well as the compaction pressure on the macroscopic and microscopic properties of the whole powder mass and local structures were investigated. In addition, corresponding physical experiments were carried out for model validation. The results show that the compact obtained from the initial dense packing under vibration undergoes yielding stage earlier than that with natural initial packing (without vibration), and the relative density is much higher. Pores that are significantly smaller and with more uniform size and homogenous stress distribution are observed in the former case. Highest stress regions occur in most cases at a grain boundary with large curvature after deformation. Moreover, the high stress in the central part of both soft and hard particles during compaction is significantly reduced after pressure unloading, reaching a new force balance. In this case, the stress is concentrated mainly at the corners of the deformed particles, which creates the risk of cracking during subsequent sintering at either the contact region between particles or the corners. The numerical results are found to be in good agreement with those from physical experiments, confirming the robustness and reliability of the numerical model used in the simulations.
Forced Convection Heat Transfer in V-Pattern Folded Core Sandwich Structures
Authors: Li Sifeng , Wang Zhijin , Zhou Chen
Published: February 2022

Fully developed laminar flow and heat transfer performance of V-pattern folded core sandwich structures subjected to forced convection are numerically investigated. Based on the periodic feature of folded core, a methodology to simulate the fully developed flow and heat transfer state with a few unit cells is developed. The influences of geometric parameters on the coolant flow resistance and heat transfer behaviour are evaluated. Afterwards, approximate models are established based on design to optimize the heat dissipation efficiency. Design variables considered are geometric parameters of the V-pattern folded core, while the corresponding relative density is taken as a constraint. The simulation results show that the presented methodology makes it possible to analyse the fully developed regime with less computing resources. It is found that both pressure drop and heat transfer rate increase with the tortuosity of the flow channel and the inclination of the folded core. The optimization generates a design with a mildly tortuous feature in the streamwise direction to gain a maximum of heat dissipation efficiency under the current conditions.
The Construction of a Smart Education System in Colleges and Universities Based on Cloud-Side Collaborative Computing Task Scheduling Algorithm
Authors: Yu Lingyun
Published: February 2022

In order to improve the resource scheduling efficiency of the smart education system in colleges and universities and improve the stability and security of educational resource processing, this paper combines cloud-side collaborative computing technology to improve the cloud computing task scheduling algorithm and uses the improved algorithm for task scheduling. Moreover, this paper combines the global optimization and local optimization processes to make the final optimal solution performance better and further reduce the task scheduling execution time in the cluster, thereby improving the computing efficiency of cloud computing. In addition, this paper combines the improved algorithm to construct the system structure framework and verifies the system performance through experiments. The experimental research results show that the smart education system in colleges and universities based on the cloud-side collaborative computing task scheduling algorithm constructed in this paper is very good in all aspects and has a greater advantage in processing educational resources.
CT Image under Improved Fuzzy C-Means Clustering Algorithm for Evaluation of the Relationship between Cerebrospinal Fluid Change and Communicating Hydrocephalus after Decompressive Craniectomy in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Zhang Yanmin , Zhang Chunyue , Wang Yan
Published: February 2022

This study was aimed to realize the automatic segmentation of communicating hydrocephalus lesions in brain CT after decompressive craniotomy (DC) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and discover correlation between cerebrospinal fluid changes and communicating hydrocephalus. Based on the traditional fuzzy C-means (FCM) algorithm, a new segmentation method filter-based FCM (FBFCM) algorithm was proposed. With 56 TBI patients as the research objects, the hydrocephalus lesions in CT images of patients after DC were segmented. The segmentation success rate (SSR), the segmentation coefficient Epc, the segmentation entropy Epe, and the number of iterations were indicators reflecting segmentation performance of FBFCM. The region of interest (ROI) on the segmented image was used to study the patient’s cerebral aqueduct, foramen magnum, and C2 level of the cerebrospinal fluid velocity and flow, to analyze the characteristics of the occurrence of communicative hydrocephalus. It was indicated that average Epc of FBFCM algorithm was 0.9321 ± 0.0144, Epe was 0.1126 ± 0.0081, the average number of iterations was 14.42 ± 3.79, and the segmentation success rate was 96%. Moreover, the above four indicators had statistically considerable differences compared with those of the FCM algorithm and the hard clustering algorithm (HCM) (

P

 < 0.05). Analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid flow rate in patients with communicative hydrocephalus found that the cerebrospinal fluid flow rate at the midbrain aqueduct of the patient increased greatly. The net flow was 0.000 ± 0.004 mL/s in the aqueduct of the midbrain, 0.001 ± 0.006 mL/s in the foramen magnum, and 0.002 ± 0.004 mL/s in the C2 layer. In summary, the FBFCM algorithm is effective in the segmentation and processing of CT images, which can further improve the effect of this diagnosis. After examination, it is concluded that the cranial cerebrospinal fluid flow rate and flow of TBI patients are improved after DC treatment, so that the patient’s condition can be effectively relieved. It has promotion value with clinical application.
Updated Integrated Analysis of the Efficacy and Safety of Entrectinib in Patients With NTRK Fusion-Positive Solid Tumors
Authors: Demetri George D. , De Braud Filippo , Drilon Alexander , Siena Salvatore , Patel Manish R. , Cho Byoung Chul , Liu Stephen V. , Ahn Myung-Ju , Chiu Chao-Hua , Lin Jessica J. , Goto Koichi , Lee Jeeyun , Bazhenova Lyudmila , John Thomas , Fakih Marwan , Chawla Sant P. , Dziadziuszko Rafal , Seto Takashi , Heinzmann Sebastian , Pitcher Bethany , Chen David , Wilson Timothy R. , Rolfo Christian
Published: February 2022

Purpose:

Entrectinib potently inhibits tropomyosin receptor kinases (TRKAs)/B/C and ROS1, and previously induced deep [objective response rate (ORR) 57.4%] and durable [median duration of response (DoR) 10.4 months] responses in adults with NTRK fusion-positive solid tumors from three phase I/II trials. This article expands prior reports with additional patients and longer follow-up.

Patients and Methods:

Patients with locally advanced/metastatic NTRK fusion-positive solid tumors and ≥12 months' follow-up were included. Primary endpoints were ORR and DoR by blinded independent central review (BICR); secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), intracranial efficacy, and safety. The safety-evaluable populations included all patients who had received ≥1 entrectinib dose.

Results:

At clinical cut-off (August 31, 2020), the efficacy-evaluable population comprised 121 adults with 14 tumor types and ≥30 histologies. Median follow-up was 25.8 months; 61.2% of patients had a complete (n = 19) or partial response (n = 55). Median DoR was 20.0 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 13.0–38.2]; median PFS was 13.8 months (95% CI, 10.1–19.9). In 11 patients with BICR-assessed measurable central nervous system (CNS) disease, intracranial ORR was 63.6% (95% CI, 30.8–89.1) and median intracranial DoR was 22.1 (95% CI, 7.4–not estimable) months. The safety profile of entrectinib in adults and pediatric patients was aligned with previous reports. Most treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were grade 1/2 and manageable/reversible with dose modifications. TRAE-related discontinuations occurred in 8.3% of patients.

Conclusions:

With additional clinical experience, entrectinib continues to demonstrate durable systemic and intracranial responses and can address the unmet need of a CNS-active treatment in patients with NTRK fusion-positive solid tumors.
Analysis of the Impact of Clinical Factors on Low-Intensity Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction
Authors: Oginski Natalie , Apel Hendrik , Richterstetter Mario , Lieb Verena , Fiebig Christian , Goebell Peter J. , Wullich Bernd , Sikic Danijel
Published: February 2022

Introduction: Predictive factors for the treatment success of low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (Li-ESWT) for erectile dysfunction (ED) are still under debate. Methods: Li-ESWT was performed in 50 patients suffering from ED by applying 3,000 shock waves once a week over a period of 6 weeks. Treatment success was defined as an increase in the International Index of Erectile Function 5 (IIEF-5) score by ≥5 points or an Erectile Hardness Score (EHS) of ≥3 points. IIEF-5 and EHS were measured at baseline and at 3 and 6 months of follow-up. Results: Treatment success according to either the IIEF-5 score or EHS at any time of follow-up was achieved in 28 patients (56%). Twenty-five patients (50%) experienced an improvement during the first 3 months, which lasted for 6 months in 8 cases (16%). Three patients reported improved erectile function only after 6 months. When stratifying the cohort with regard to potential influencing factors, a significantly improved IIEF-5 score could be achieved in men with cardiovascular risk factors (p = 0.026) and in men with antihypertensive medication (p = 0.009). Men without cardiovascular risk factors showed no therapeutic benefit from Li-ESWT. Discussion/Conclusion: Li-ESWT is a valid but often short-lived treatment option for ED, especially in men with cardiovascular risk factors or controlled hypertension. Future studies should assess the feasibility and safety of repeated applications of Li-ESWT.
Monocular Temporal Hemianopia due to Acute Zonal Occult Outer Retinopathy
Authors: Ahmed Yusuf , Sayal Aman , Kaplan Alexander J. , Micieli Jonathan A.
Published: February 2022

Retinal disease may mimic an optic neuropathy since both may result in a relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD), and retinal abnormalities may not be evident on a clinical exam. We report a case of a young woman with a monocular temporal hemianopia respecting the vertical meridian due to acute zonal occult outer retinopathy (AZOOR). This 34-year-old woman presented with a 10-day history of left eye vision loss and was found to have a visual acuity of 20/20 in both eyes, a left RAPD, and left temporal hemianopia on Humphrey 24-2 SITA-Fast visual field testing. Dilated fundus examination showed a normal-appearing optic nerve and retina in both eyes. She had already had a normal magnetic resonance imaging of the orbits with contrast and retinal disease was suspected. Optical coherence tomography showed dropout of the ellipsoid zone in the peripapillary retina, and fundus autofluorescence showed hyper-autoflourescence in the peripapillary region of the left eye. A diagnosis of AZOOR was made, and no improvement with prednisone occurred at final follow-up. This case demonstrates the importance of multimodal imaging in patients referred for optic neuropathies since retinal disease such as AZOOR can produce visual field defects characteristic of optic nerve disease.
Efficacy and Safety of Intensive Nonsedating Antihistamines for Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Zhou Peimei , Zeng Shihua , Fu Linxin , Chen Hao , Li Lin
Published: February 2022

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of intensive versus standard nonsedating antihistamines (NSAs) for chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) patients. Methods: An electronic search was performed on the PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases to identify eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) throughout January 2021. The weighted mean difference (WMD) and relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were applied to calculate the pooled outcomes for the continuous and categorical data using the random-effects model. Results: Nine RCTs involving 1,996 CSU patients were selected. We found that intensive NSA was associated with greater reduction in the mean pruritus score than the standard dose of NSA (WMD: −0.13; p = 0.005). However, there was no significant difference between the intensive and standard dose of NSA in terms of the rate of response to antihistamines (RR: 1.00; p = 0.865). Finally, the use of intensive NSA was associated with a higher risk of somnolence than the use of standard NSA (RR: 3.28; 95% CI: 1.55–6.95; p = 0.002). Conclusion: We found that the use of intensive NSA could achieve greater reduction in the mean pruritus score, without increasing the risk of adverse events.
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Central Retinal Vein Occlusion: Macular Changes and Their Correlation with Peripheral Nonperfusion at Ultra-Widefield Fluorescein Angiography
Authors: Cavalleri Michele , Sacconi Riccardo , Parravano Mariacristina , Costanzo Eliana , Pezzella Mario , Bandello Francesco , Querques Giuseppe
Published: February 2022

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between ischemic index (ISI) measured on ultra-widefield (UWF) fluorescein angiography (FA) images and macular parameters obtained by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) in eyes affected by central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). Methods: Retrospective study of data from 12 eyes affected by treatment-naïve CRVO. All patients underwent a comprehensive ocular examination including structural OCT, OCT-A, and UWF FA. Variables analyzed included best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measured with the ETDRS chart; foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area at full-thickness OCT-A angiogram; perfusion density (PD) in the superficial (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP); ISI; and central macular thickness (CMT). Results: ISI showed a significant positive correlation with FAZ area (r = 0.63, p = 0.019) and a significant negative correlation with PD in the SCP (r = −0.62, p = 0.022), PD in the DCP (r = −0.66, p = 0.011), and BCVA (r = −0.75, p = 0.002). FAZ area also negatively correlated to PD in the SCP (r = −0.75, p = 0.002) and DCP (r = −0.64, p = 0.016). BCVA positively correlated to PD in the SCP (r = 0.67, p = 0.009) and DCP (r = 0.68, p = 0.008), while a negative correlation was found with FAZ area (r = −0.65, p = 0.013) and CMT (r = −0.70, p = 0.006). Discussion/Conclusion: OCT-A macular parameters (namely, FAZ area and PD of SCP and DCP) significantly correlated with ISI, a quantitative way to assess peripheral retinal nonperfusion on UWF FA. Macular OCT-A analysis may help in assessing the need for additional UWF FA testing in eyes affected by CRVO.
Impact of Decentration and Tilt on Spherical, Aberration Correcting, and Specific Aspherical Intraocular Lenses: An Optical Bench Analysis
Authors: Borkenstein Andreas F. , Borkenstein Eva-Maria , Luedtke Holger , Schmid Ruediger
Published: February 2022

Introduction: The human eye is not optically symmetrical, and very few intraocular lens (IOLs) are perfectly centered in the eye. That is why contrast sensitivity can degrade in some conditions, especially in low light. In an optical bench analysis, we compare spherical (A), aberration correcting (B), and specific aspherical lenses (C) in terms of impact of decentration and tilt on the modulation transfer function as well as the simulated overall quality with USAF test targets. Material and Methods: The OptiSpheric IOL PRO2 was used to measure the optical performance of IOLs (A, B, C). In order to assess the optical quality of the IOLs, the optical quality parameters for the aperture size of 3.0 mm and 4.5 mm at the IOL plane were assessed. Through Frequency Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) and Strehl Ratio (SR) values, as well as the “US Airforce 1951 resolution test chart images” as qualitative simulation, were analyzed. All measurements (ISO) were repeated and done for centered, decentered (1 mm), and tilted (5°) IOLs. Results: Centered: The MTF (mean) at 50 lp/mm (IOL A, B, C) with 3.0-mm aperture was 0.794/0.716/0.797 (ISO-1 cornea) and 0.673/0.752/0.723 (ISO-2 cornea) and with 4.5-mm aperture 0.728/0.365/0.751 (ISO 1) and 0.276/0.767/0.505 (ISO 2). The SR (mean) with 3.0-mm aperture was 0.763/0.829/0.898 and with 4.5-mm aperture 0.228/0.386/0.432. Decentered by 1 mm: The MTF (mean) at 50 lp/mm with 3.0-mm aperture was 0.779/0.459/0.726 (ISO 1) and 0.695/0.381/0.662 (ISO 2). The MTF (mean) at 50 lp/mm with 4.5-mm aperture was 0.732/0.348/0.653 (ISO 1) and 0.355/0.069/0.346 (ISO 2). The SR (mean) with 3.0-mm aperture was 0.829/0.543/0.397 and with 4.5-mm aperture was 0.259/0.145/0.192. Tilted by 5°: The MTF (mean) at 50 lp/mm with 3.0-mm aperture was 0.731/0.705/0.751 (ISO 1) and 0.623/0.727/0.732 (ISO 2). The MTF (mean) at 50 lp/mm with 4.5-mm aperture was 0.579/0.406/0.701 (ISO 1) and 0.277/0.512/0.429 (ISO 2). The SR (mean) with 3.0-mm aperture was 0.539/0.478/0.514 and with 4.5-mm aperture was 0.262/0.136/0.201. Conclusion: Aberration correcting IOLs perform best when perfectly centered. The optical performance of aberration correcting IOLs can be markedly downgraded by misalignment. The examined ZO optic performed well in decentration and tilt. The ZO concept seems to be a good alternative to aspheric lenses, as it achieves to combine benefits of spherical and aspheric intraocular lenses. There is no perfect IOL, but fitting and choosing the right one for the individual case seems to be crucial to take advantage of benefits and minimize disadvantages. This is why knowledge of optical properties is also mandatory for the surgeon.
False Utopia of One Unifying Description of the Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaque: A Call for Recalibration That Appreciates the Diversity of Mechanisms Leading to Atherosclerotic Disease
Authors: Pasterkamp Gerard , den Ruijter Hester M. , Giannarelli Chiara
Published: February 2022

Atherosclerosis is a complex disease characterized by the formation of arterial plaques with a broad diversity of morphological phenotypic presentations. Researchers often apply one description of the vulnerable plaque as a gold standard in preclinical and clinical research that could be applied as a surrogate measure of a successful therapeutic intervention, despite the variability in lesion characteristics that may underly a thrombotic occlusion. The complex mechanistic interplay underlying progression of atherosclerotic disease is a consequence of the broad range of determinants such as sex, risk factors, hemodynamics, medications, and the genetic landscape. Currently, we are facing an overwhelming amount of data based on genetic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic studies that all point to heterogeneous molecular profiles of atherosclerotic lesions that lead to a myocardial infarction or stroke. The observed molecular diversity implies that one unifying model cannot fully recapitulate the natural history of atherosclerosis. Despite emerging data obtained from -omics studies, a description of a natural history of atherosclerotic disease in which cell-specific expression of proteins or genes are included is still lacking. This also applies to the insights provided by genome-wide association studies. This review will critically discuss the dogma that the progression of atherosclerotic disease can be captured in one unifying natural history model of atherosclerosis.
Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity as Adjunct Risk Marker for Assessing Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Prospective Study
Authors: Valencia-Hernández Carlos A. , Lindbohm Joni V. , Shipley Martin J. , Wilkinson Ian B. , McEniery Carmel M. , Ahmadi-Abhari Sara , Singh-Manoux Archana , Kivimäki Mika , Brunner Eric J.
Published: February 2022

Background:

Aortic pulse wave velocity is a noninvasive measure of aortic stiffness and arterial aging. Its current value in cardiovascular risk estimation practice is unknown. We aimed to establish whether aortic pulse wave velocity identified individuals with higher risk of incident major adverse cardiovascular events and improved performance of the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score.

Methods:

This prospective analysis included 3837 Whitehall II cohort participants screened in 2008 to 2009, and followed for 11.7 years (mean=10.3, SD=1.81), without history of stroke, myocardial infarction, or coronary heart disease.

Results:

Mean age of the sample was 65.0 years (SD=5.6), 2831 participants (73.8%) were male and mean atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score was 13.8%. At the end of follow-up, 411 individuals (10.7%) had suffered a major cardiovascular event. Those in the highest aortic pulse wave velocity quartile were at high risk (hazard ratio, 2.99 [95% CI, 2.25–3.97]) and reached the threshold for statin medication (7.5% risk) after 5 years whereas others reached it after 10 years (difference
P
<0.001). The addition of aortic pulse wave velocity to the risk score improved the C statistic (0.68 versus 0.67,
P
=0.03) and net reclassification index (4.6%,
P
=0.04 and 11.3%,
P
=0.02).

Conclusions:

Our results show that aortic stiffness predicted major adverse cardiovascular events in a cohort of elderly individuals, improving the performance of a widely used cardiovascular disease risk estimator. Aortic pulse wave velocity measurement is scalable, radiation-free, and easy to perform. Further studies on its applicability in cardiovascular disease risk assessment in primary care settings are needed.
Recording another History: Songs, Martyrs, and the Cultural Memory of the Tunisian Left
Authors: Carnevale Alessia
Published: February 2022

This article investigates the role of songs in recording and transmitting the history and memory of the Tunisian Left. Since its appearance in the mid-1970s, the Tunisian “committed song” has been functioning as an instrument of resistance, struggle, and popular education. Also, these songs have served as archives of a contentious history of the nation, and vehicles of shared memories through times. As such, they have significantly contributed to the construction and re-construction of a leftist cultural memory and identity. Tunisian committed songs record and celebrate popular struggles, commemorate martyrs, speak for political prisoners. By doing so, they mark the events of an alternative calendar, one denied by the historiography of the nation-state. Up to the present days, these songs continue to be performed during days of commemoration and political events, thus contributing to generating solidarity and a common path for different generations of activists. Based on lyrics and oral testimonies collected during fieldwork as well as on participant observation, this article argues that the committed song in Tunisia functions as a partisan and emotional archive of a political community, and as such it creates a space of active and collective memory and imagination.
Evaluating Coupled Climate Model Parameterizations via Skill at Reproducing the Monsoon Intraseasonal Oscillation
Authors: Orenstein Patrick , Fox-Kemper Baylor , Johnson Leah , Li Qing , Sane Aakash
Published: February 2022

Empirically generated indices are used to evaluate the skill of a global climate model in representing the monsoon intraseasonal oscillation (MISO). This work adapts the method of Suhas et al., an extended empirical orthogonal function (EEOF) analysis of daily rainfall data with the first orthogonal function indicating MISO strength and phase. This method is applied to observed rainfall and Community Earth System Model (CESM1.2) simulation results. Variants of the CESM1.2 including upper ocean parameterizations for Langmuir turbulence and submesoscale mixed layer eddy restratification are used together with the EEOF analysis to explore sensitivity of the MISO to global upper ocean process representations. The skill with which the model variants recreate the MISO strength and persistence is evaluated versus the observed MISO. While all model versions reproduce the northward rainfall propagation traditionally associated with the MISO, a version including both Langmuir turbulence and submesoscale restratification parameterizations provides the most accurate simulations of the time scale of MISO events.
The July 2019 European Heat Wave in a Warmer Climate: Storyline Scenarios with a Coupled Model Using Spectral Nudging
Authors: Sánchez-Benítez Antonio , Goessling Helge , Pithan Felix , Semmler Tido , Jung Thomas
Published: February 2022

Extreme weather events are triggered by atmospheric circulation patterns and shaped by slower components, including soil moisture and sea surface temperature, and by the background climate. This separation of factors is exploited by the storyline approach in which an atmospheric model is nudged toward the observed dynamics using different climate boundary conditions to explore their influence. The storyline approach disregards uncertain climatic changes in the frequency and intensity of dynamical conditions, focusing instead on the thermodynamic influence of climate on extreme events. Here we demonstrate an advanced storyline approach that employs a coupled climate model (AWI-CM-1-1-MR) in which the large-scale free-troposphere dynamics are nudged toward ERA5 data. Five-member ensembles are run for present-day (2017–19), preindustrial, +2-K, and +4-K climates branching off from CMIP6 historical and scenario simulations of the same model. In contrast to previous studies, which employed atmosphere-only models, feedbacks between extreme events and the ocean and sea ice state, and the dependence of such feedbacks on the climate, are consistently simulated. Our setup is capable of reproducing observed anomalies of relevant unconstrained parameters, including near-surface temperature, cloud cover, soil moisture, sea surface temperature, and sea ice concentration. Focusing on the July 2019 European heat wave, we find that the strongest warming amplification expands from southern to central Europe over the course of the twenty-first century. The warming reaches up to 10 K in the 4-K-warmer climate, suggesting that an analogous event would entail peak temperatures around 50°C in central Europe.

Significance Statement

This work explores a new storyline method to determine the impact of climate change on specific recent extreme events. The observed evolution of the large-scale atmospheric circulation is imposed in a coupled climate model. Variations in climate parameters, including ocean temperatures and sea ice, are well reproduced. By varying the background climate, including CO2 concentrations, it is demonstrated how the July 2019 European heat wave could have evolved in preindustrial times and in warmer climates. For example, up to 10°C warmer peak temperatures could occur in central Europe in a 4°C warmer climate. The method should be explored for other types of extreme events and has the potential to make climate change more tangible and to inform adaptation measures.
Antimicrobial Stewardship in the Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: Venturini Sergio , Avolio Manuela , Fossati Sara , Callegari Astrid , De Rosa Rita , Basso Barbara , Zanusso Chiara , Orso Daniele , Cugini Francesco , Crapis Massimo
Published: February 2022

During COVID-19 pandemic, implementing and maintaining an antimicrobial stewardship protocol obtained both low rates of MDR microorganisms and low antimicrobial use in an 800-bed hospital network in northern Italy. Infectious diseases specialist consulting was crucial to maintain this protocol active.
Conducting Research in Marketing with Quasi-Experiments
Authors: Goldfarb Avi , Tucker Catherine , Wang Yanwen
Published: February 2022

This article aims to broaden the understanding of quasi-experimental methods among marketing scholars and those who read their work by describing the underlying logic and set of actions that make their work convincing. The purpose of quasi-experimental methods is, in the absence of experimental variation, to determine the presence of a causal relationship. First, the authors explore how to identify settings and data where it is interesting to understand whether an action causally affects a marketing outcome. Second, they outline how to structure an empirical strategy to identify a causal empirical relationship. The article details the application of various methods to identify how an action affects an outcome in marketing, including difference-in-differences, regression discontinuity, instrumental variables, propensity score matching, synthetic control, and selection bias correction. The authors emphasize the importance of clearly communicating the identifying assumptions underlying the assertion of causality. Last, they explain how exploring the behavioral mechanism—whether individual, organizational, or market level—can actually reinforce arguments of causality.
A Pedagogical Chatbot: A Supplemental Language Learning Tool
Authors: Kohnke Lucas
Published: February 2022

This innovations in practice article introduces a chatbot that was developed to support and motivate second language learners during the COVID-19 pandemic. The chatbot was designed to facilitate active, out-of-class language learning to supplement in-class input. It can adapt to learners’ abilities and pace by chatting with them, thus providing differentiated instruction. I describe the rationale for the development and implementation of the chatbot and its pedagogical implications. My aim is to motivate and assist chatbot developers and second language teachers in designing and implementing chatbots that will enhance motivation and independent learning in language students.
Agamben’s ‘bare life’ and Grossman’s ethics of senseless kindness
Authors: Christiaens Tim
Published: February 2022

In his early works, Giorgio Agamben argues that some Auschwitz inmates practised a ‘silent form of resistance’ by shutting themselves off from the world until nothing could harm them. I argue that this conception of ‘bare life’ is both too abstract and too individualistic. Agamben’s idea of bare life’s resistance first neglects the socio-historical context that has produced particular instances of it, effectively barring the investigation into how to avoid future occurrences of sovereign violence. Agamben, second, emphasizes the potential for resistance present in individual bodies shut off from the world without providing guidelines for how these bodies should form a substantive community. I consequently employ Vasily Grossman’s writings on the Shoah to provide an alternative conception of bare life’s resistance in the camps. According to Grossman, resistance lies not in closing oneself off from the world, but in cultivating ineradicable nodes of ‘senseless kindness’ in concrete human interactions.
Possible Cytoprotection of Low Dose Lipopolysaccharide in Rat Thioacetamide-Induced Liver Lesions, Focusing on the Analyses of Hepatic Macrophages and Autophagy
Authors: Pervin Munmun , Karim Mohammad Rabiul , Kuramochi Mizuki , Izawa Takeshi , Kuwamura Mitsuru , Yamate Jyoji
Published: February 2022

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) may influence hepatic macrophages and autophagy. We evaluated the potential participation of macrophages and autophagosomes in thioacetamide (TAA)-induced rat liver injury under pretreatment of a low dose LPS (0.1 mg/kg BW, intraperitoneally; nonhepatotoxic dose). F344 rats were pretreated with LPS (LPS + TAA) or saline (TAA alone) at 24 hours before TAA injection (100 mg/kg BW, intraperitoneally); rats were examined on Days 0 (controls), 1, 2, and 3 after TAA injection. Data were compared between TAA alone and LPS + TAA rats. LPS pretreatment significantly reduced TAA-induced hepatic lesion (centrilobular necrosis with inflammation) on Days 1 and 2, being reflected by declined hepatic enzyme values and decreased number of apoptotic cells. LC3B-immunoreacting autophagosomes (as cytoplasmic fine granules) were significantly increased on Days 1 and 2 in hepatocytes of LPS + TAA rats. In LPS + TAA rats, hepatic macrophages reacting to CD68, CD163, and MHC class II mainly on Day 2 and mRNA levels of macrophage-related factors (MCP-1, IL-1β, and IL-4) on Day 1 were significantly decreased. Collectively, the low-dose LPS pretreatment might act as cytoprotection against TAA-induced hepatotoxicity through increased autophagosomes and decreased hepatic macrophages, although the dose/time-dependent cytoprotection of LPS should be further investigated at molecular levels.
News Story Credibility and the Impact of Dominant News Frames on Attitudes toward Refugees: Are Young People More Receptive to News than Adults?
Authors: Debrael Marlies , Joris Willem , d’Haenens Leen
Published: February 2022

The predominant frames in news media representations of migration issues shape attitudes towards refugees. Being mostly confronted with negative news frames, people may be less inclined to believe stories that stress positive aspects of immigration. However, the frames’ positive implementation hinges on their presumed credibility. The aim of this study is to better understand both how young and adult Flemings perceive dominant news frames concerning refugees and how they are affected by them. We distinguish between young people and adults since they differ in their news media use, news attitudes, and opinion towards refugees. Accordingly, a randomized, post-test, only between-subjects survey experiment was conducted ( N = 2424). Our results show that young people are more receptive than adults to media messages, regardless of a positive or negative connotation. Furthermore, our study confirms that the perceived credibility of a news frame is associated with the audience’s attitudes to migration, since an audience demonstrates a clear tendency to only accept the relevant frames as true, if they align with their own views.
Teaching and assessing strategies for an undergraduate manufacturing processes course: Experiences of 9 years
Authors: Ulutas Berna Haktanirlar
Published: February 2022

The Manufacturing Processes course includes the main principles of the processes, engineering materials, tools, machines, and examples of manufactured goods. Transferring the up-to-date knowledge to the students may change over time although core topics remain the same. This paper aims to attract attention to the need for change to obtain a well-prepared course content that combines theory and practice. For this purpose, the study is structured in two phases. In the first phase, teaching and grading activities for an Industrial Engineering undergraduate course is considered for nine years period. Statistical analysis confirm that workshop sessions have a positive effect on students’ success. To identify the overall learning experience during the course and the awareness of flipped classrooms, a feedback questionnaire is conducted in the second phase. The questionnaire results verify that students can benefit from audio-visual course materials that are shared with them before the class. Case discussions and hands-on practices may be helpful to increase the success of undergraduate engineering students for courses like Manufacturing Processes. However, strict health-safety regulations and unexpected occasions such as pandemics may restrict hands-on learning. Learning environments equipped with new technologies can replace traditional methods soon when it is not possible to conduct such training physically.
Using Ground Penetrating Radar to Monitor Seasonal Moisture Fluctuations in Base Layers of Existing Roads
Authors: Zegeye-Teshale Eyoab , Holzbauer Micah , Dai Shongtao
Published: February 2022

A high moisture content in the unbound aggregate layers of pavements can lead to severe functional and structural damage, especially in pavement constructed in freeze-thaw environments, such as Minnesota. In these climates, the freezing temperatures can contribute to the formation of severe crack-heaving issues, and the early spring-thaw conditions can significantly reduce a pavement’s bearing capacity. A good understanding of subsurface seasonal moisture fluctuation is, therefore, essential for implementing effective maintenance and road load management techniques. Unfortunately, traditional pavement moisture testing approaches are expensive, time-consuming, invasive, limited in spatial coverage, and negatively affect the traffic flow. The present study builds on previous efforts to characterize moisture and frost conditions in pavement base layers using ground penetrating radar (GPR) and moisture sensing instruments. The paper offers a simple methodology for monitoring moisture variations in the base layer and assessing the moisture susceptibility of aggregate base materials from single-offset GPR measurements. The methodology was validated by comparing the GPR data with moisture content readings collected from four different pavement test sections over a period of approximately two years. Overall, the moisture contents obtained from the GPR were comparable with those obtained from sensors installed in the pavement section. However, the GPR approach offered the added advantage of covering long stretches of pavement in short times and with minimal impact on the pavement and traffic.
Multistate Pilot Study Evaluating the Short-Term Efficacy of a Smartphone-Based Older Driver Support System on Modifying Risky Driving Behaviors
Authors: Morris Nichole L. , Tian Disi , Libby David A. , Craig Curtis M.
Published: February 2022

Older drivers are most at risk of serious and fatal injury in crashes per vehicle mile driven compared with other age groups owing to a combination of cognitive decline and increased fragility. A smartphone coaching application targeting risky driving behaviors (e.g., speeding, hard braking), was iteratively designed to ensure older driver acceptance and usability. A 12-week field operational test examined driving performance of 28 drivers aged 65 to 78 from Kansas and Minnesota using the RoadCoach app and an ABA reversal design. Participants’ baseline driving behaviors were recorded for 3 weeks, followed by a 6-week experimental phase of real-time app coaching, and concluded with a 3-week baseline phase with no feedback provided. Compared with the pretreatment phase, there was a significant reduction in the rates of hard braking and stop sign violations associated with system use. A protection effect was observed through the posttreatment phase. Excessive speeding violations were not significantly different across the phases; however, there were modest declines in the proportion of miles traveled 15 mph above the speed limit in the posttreatment phase compared with the prior two phases. No significant effect was found for excessive acceleration and aggressive turning measures posttreatment, despite an observed increase in both rates during the treatment phase compared with pretreatment. Overall, the results indicate that the RoachCoach app may be an effective intervention to reduce several risky driving behaviors while in use and may result in prolonged behavior changes (i.e., reduced hard braking and stop sign violations) after treatment cessation.
Mining the language of the “rush” for gold in the 19th century
Authors: Carpenter Lloyd , Fields Alison
Published: February 2022

This research seeks to identify newspapers’ contribution to the construction of the language describing the era now popularly termed the “gold rush.” We examine the early narratives of the first golden finds, tracing how these ignited a conflagration which would impact the whole world and examining the unique contribution made by the Hawai’ian Polynesian newspaper to spread the news to Australasia, the American East Coast, and even Great Britain. Employing text-mining tools offers a way of uncovering the language used in context and at source over the past two centuries, and to provide an overarching view of the language of the rush for gold. Text-mining tools and primary source newspapers are used to identify this contribution and the startling conclusion that the world experienced, not a rush for gold, but a fever, a mania, and even an excitement.