bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interdicting International Drug Trafficking: a Network Approach for Coordinated and Targeted Interventions
Authors: Giommoni Luca , Berlusconi Giulia , Aziani Alberto
Published: February 2021

There is a relative dearth of literature on both the effects of cross-border interdictions and the impact of different types of interventions on international drug trafficking. This study identifies the main trafficking routes for cocaine and heroin, along with comparing the disruptive effects induced by targeted and non-coordinated interventions. It adopts a social network approach to identify the routes along which cocaine and heroin are trafficked, and then simulates the impact of different interdiction strategies on these two trafficking networks. The findings indicate that targeting countries based on their respective positions in the networks, as opposed to on the basis of the quantity of drugs exchanged, is more likely to disrupt drug flows. More specifically, concentrating law enforcement resources on countries with several incoming or outgoing trafficking connections, or those countries that mediate between producer, transit and consumer countries, would appear to be particularly effective in this regard. Interventions focused on specific trafficking routes are also likely to be effective if these routes have high edge betweenness centrality scores. This study contributes to extant understanding on the vulnerability of cocaine and heroin international trafficking networks, and, moreover, demonstrates that empirically-driven strategies are potentially more effective at interdicting international trafficking than non-strategic and non-coordinated interventions.
Parental Marital Conflict and Growth in Adolescents’ Externalizing Problems: the Role of Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia
Authors: Peng Yuan , Yang Xiaohui , Wang Zhenhong
Published: February 2021

Previous studies have examined the moderating effect of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) on the association between marital conflict and externalizing problems, however the findings were inconsistent. One possible reason is that the covariation of internalizing problems in externalizing problems. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine this issue. Participants were 332 Chinese adolescents (54.5% boys) age from 13 to 15 years old. At T1, electrocardiogram monitoring was performed on adolescents during the resting state and stressor tasks (a speech task and a mental arithmetic task) to obtain RSA data. The Chinese version of the Achenbach Youth Self-Report-2001 (YSR-2001) and the Chinese version of the Children’s Perception of Interparental Conflict scale were used to assess adolescents’ externalizing and internalizing problems and their perception of marital conflict, respectively. Adolescents’ problem behaviors were assessed again in the second and third waves of data collection, with a 1-year lag among each wave. The results revealed that the 3- interactions of marital conflict × RSA reactivity in speech task × sex significantly predicted the trajectory of externalizing problems when controlling for internalizing problems from externalizing problems. Specifically, girls with greater RSA suppression to the speech task reported low and stable externalizing problems, however, boys with the same pattern were associated with slightly increased levels of externalizing problems. While, RSA augmentation to the speech task predicted the increase in externalizing problems among both girls and boys in high marital conflict families over time. However, this interaction effects were not significant when not partial out internalizing problems from externalizing problems. The findings highlight the importance of controlling for the covariation of internalizing problems when examining the interaction effects of person and environment on the development of adolescents’ externalizing problems.
Machine Learning Based Preprocessing to Ensure Validity of Cross-Correlated Ultrasound Signals for Time-of-Flight Measurements
Authors: Herter Simon , Youssef Sargon , Becker Michael M. , Fischer Sarah C. L.
Published: February 2021

High precision ultrasonic time-of-flight measurement is a well known part of non-destructive evaluation used in many scientific and industrial applications, for example stress evaluation or defect detection. Although ultrasonic time-of-flight measurements are widely used there are some limitations where high noise and distorted ultrasonic signals are conflicting with the demand for high precision measurements. Cross-correlation based time-of-flight measurement is one strategy to increase reliability but also exhibits some ambiguous correlation states yielding to wrong time-of-flight results. To improve the reliability of these measurements a new machine learning based approach is presented based on experimental data collected on tightened bolts. Due to the complex structure of the bolts the ultrasonic signal is influenced by boundary conditions of the geometry which lead to high number of the ambiguous cross-correlation results in practice. In this particular application, bolts are in practice evaluated discontinuously and without knowledge of the time-of-flight in the unloaded condition which prevents the use of all other available comparative preprocessing techniques to detect time-of-flight shifts. Three different preprocessing strategies were investigated based on variations in the bolting configurations to ensure a machine learning based model capable of predicting the state of the cross-correlation function for different bolting parameters. With this approach, we achieve up to 100% classification accuracy for both longitudinal and transversal ultrasonic signals under laboratory conditions. In the future the method should be extended to become more robust and be applicable in real-time for industrial applications.
Differential diagnosis of ameloblastoma and odontogenic keratocyst by machine learning of panoramic radiographs
Authors: Liu Zijia , Liu Jiannan , Zhou Zijie , Zhang Qiaoyu , Wu Hao , Zhai Guangtao , Han Jing
Published: February 2021

Purpose

The differentiation of the ameloblastoma and odontogenic keratocyst directly affects the formulation of surgical plans, while the results of differential diagnosis by imaging alone are not satisfactory. This paper aimed to propose an algorithm based on convolutional neural networks (CNN) structure to significantly improve the classification accuracy of these two tumors.

Methods

A total of 420 digital panoramic radiographs provided by 401 patients were acquired from the Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital. Each of them was cropped to a patch as a region of interest by radiologists. Furthermore, inverse logarithm transformation and histogram equalization were employed to increase the contrast of the region of interest (ROI). To alleviate overfitting, random rotation and flip transform as data augmentation algorithms were adopted to the training dataset. We provided a CNN structure based on a transfer learning algorithm, which consists of two branches in parallel. The output of the network is a two-dimensional vector representing the predicted scores of ameloblastoma and odontogenic keratocyst, respectively.

Results

The proposed network achieved an accuracy of 90.36% (AUC = 0.946), while sensitivity and specificity were 92.88% and 87.80%, respectively. Two other networks named VGG-19 and ResNet-50 and a network trained from scratch were also used in the experiment, which achieved accuracy of 80.72%, 78.31%, and 69.88%, respectively.

Conclusions

We proposed an algorithm that significantly improves the differential diagnosis accuracy of ameloblastoma and odontogenic keratocyst and has the utility to provide a reliable recommendation to the oral maxillofacial specialists before surgery.
Evaluating the impact of percolated reclaimed water from river-channel reservoir on groundwater using tracers in Beijing, Northern China
Authors: Zhang Yinghua , Yu Yilei
Published: February 2021

As an increasingly important aspect of water management, historical dry river-channels, ponds or lakes are operated for the storage of reclaimed water as a landscape with the need for reuse of water. However, the percolated reclaimed water may have an adverse effect on groundwater quality. The aims of this work are to evaluate the potential for using various groundwater constituents or characteristics as tracers of percolated reclaimed water, to clarify the groundwater hydrochemical process with the effect of the reclaimed water recharge, and to estimate the degree to which the infiltrated reclaimed water has mixed with the native groundwater. Results obtained by comparing analysis between the dry season and wet season are presented based on multivariate statistics analysis, correlation of hydrochemical elements, and stable isotopes. The groundwater with the impact of reclaimed water was clustered together with higher Cl, K and NH4–N concentrations, lower Ca concentrations and more enriched heavy isotopes using unprecedentedly 3D-biplot; The water types of the groundwater change from Ca–Mg–HCO3–Cl, via Ca–Na–Mg–HCO3–Cl to Na–Ca–Mg–Cl–HCO3 with increasing reclaimed water percolated into the groundwater; the most useful tracers for evaluation of the fate and mixing of reclaimed water are chloride ion and oxygen-18 and chloride ion is more accurate than oxygen-18 to quantify the recharge source of the groundwater from the reclaimed water; using a two-end-member mixing model to calculate the reclaimed water discharged into the groundwater, the proportion of reclaimed water in groundwater is up to 94% near the unlined riverbed and up to 43% far from it. These results demonstrate the potential of the combined application of multivariate statistics analysis, traditional hydrochemical analysis and isotopes to assess the percolated reclaimed water in the groundwater, especially using 3D-biplot to determine the spatial water quality changes defined by the different factors.
Efficient removal of 2-chlorophenol from aqueous solution using TiO2 thin films/alumina disc as photocatalyst by pulsed laser deposition
Authors: Shah S. Ismat , Mahmoud Sawsan A. , Bendary Samar H. , Aboulgheit Ahmed K. , Salem A. A. , Fouad Osama A.
Published: February 2021

Pulsed laser deposition facilitates the epitaxial deposition and growth of TiO2 at low temperature on hot substrate. In this study, nanosized nitrogen-doped TiO2 thin films were deposited on fabricated alumina disc-shaped and glass substrates. Textural properties of the fabricated disc and alumina disc-supported TiO2 were investigated using N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. FESEM showed the presence of single crystals of TiO2 on the alumina disc. FTIR showed the presence of octahedral TiO2 and different hydroxyl groups on the surface which is responsible for the photoactivity and also showed the functional groups adsorbed on the catalyst surface after the photocatalytic degradation. The concentration of 2-chlorophenol and the photo-redox intermediate products as a function of irradiation time was determined. The concentration of the produced chloride ion during the photocatalytic degradation was determined by an ion chromatography. The results showed that the photocatalytic activity of the catalyst decreased upon cycling. The obtained results were compared with nanostructured TiO2 supported on glass substrate. Higher efficiency of 100% degradation was achieved for TiO2/Al2O3 catalyst, whereas about 70% degradation of 2-CP was achieved using TiO2/glass. Different photointermediates of 2-CP degradation have been identified for each cycle. The difference of intermediates is supported by the adsorbed fragments on the catalyst surface.
Procrastination on social media: predictors of types, triggers and acceptance of countermeasures
Authors: Alblwi Abdulaziz , McAlaney John , Al Thani Dena Ahmed S. , Phalp Keith , Ali Raian
Published: February 2021

Procrastination refers to the voluntary delay of urgent tasks and can have several negative consequences such as stress, health issues and academic under-achievement. Several factors including personality, culture and gender have been identified as predictors of procrastination, although there are some conflicting findings within the literature. Social networking sites have been identified as a possible facilitator of procrastination, in part due to their design features that encourage immersion and continual interaction. However, social networking sites also provide the opportunity for intelligent, real-time prevention and intervention strategies to be delivered that can reduce the experience of procrastination. In this paper, we build upon our research in which we used a mixed-method approach to explore the types, triggers and acceptance of countermeasures for procrastination on social media. Following a survey of 288 participants from the UK (n = 165) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (n = 123), we conducted a series of multiple regression and binary logistic regression models to determine predictors of these factors. Several predictors such as self-control and conscientiousness were found to be significant predictors, but overall, the amount of variance explained by the regression models was relatively low. The results demonstrate that participants are receptive to countermeasures for procrastination being delivered through social networking sites but suggest that the predictors of procrastination related phenomena experienced in social networking sites are different than in offline settings.
On ‘being first’: the case for first-generation status in Australian higher education equity policy
Authors: Patfield Sally , Gore Jennifer , Weaver Natasha
Published: February 2021

For more than three decades, Australian higher education policy has been guided by a national equity framework focussed on six underrepresented target groups: Indigenous Australians, people from low socioeconomic status backgrounds, people from regional and remote areas, people with disabilities, people from non-English speaking backgrounds, and women in non-traditional areas of study. Despite bringing equitable access to the forefront of university agendas, this policy framework has fostered a somewhat narrow conceptualisation of how educational disadvantage should be addressed. Responding to calls for reform, this paper draws on survey data from 6492 students in NSW government schools to examine the extent to which a new category warrants inclusion in the national framework: first-generation status. We illustrate how being the first in a family to attend university brings distinct equity status and argue for a revision of the national equity framework to recognise and support students who are ‘first’.
UV-light photocatalytic degradation of non-ionic surfactants using ZnO nanoparticles
Authors: Huszla K. , Wysokowski M. , Zgoła-Grześkowiak A. , Staszak M. , Janczarek M. , Jesionowski T. , Wyrwas B.
Published: February 2021

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of zinc oxide nanoparticles as a photocatalyst for photodegradation of two model non-ionic surfactants (Triton X-100 and C12E10). The first part of the investigation was focused on the synthesis and characterization of ZnO nanoparticles, since its crystalline structure strongly impacts its photocatalytic properties. Based on the results of the XRD analysis, it was concluded that the obtained material occurred in the form of hexagonal wurtzite with a polycrystalline structure. FT-IR and XPS analyses were used to elucidate and confirm the nanomaterial structure, whereas investigation of N2 adsorption/desorption and SEM/TEM imaging allowed to establish that the synthesized ZnO was characterized as a mesoporous material with uniform, spherical shape and particle size fluctuating between 90 and 130 nm. The second part of the study included spectrophotometric assessment of the photodegradation process. The use of the obtained ZnO nanoparticles allowed to achieve efficient photodegradation of both C12E10 (92%) and Triton X-100 (82%) after 1 h of UV irradiation. The Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism was used to describe the reaction kinetics. Subsequent LC-MS/MS analysis of the residues indicated that the degradation mechanism is most likely based on both central fission of the surfactant molecules with further terminal oxidation of poly(ethylene glycol) and terminal oxidation leading to carboxylic derivatives of surfactants.
H-convergence of a class of quasilinear equations in perforated domains beyond periodic setting
Authors: Haddadou Hamid
Published: February 2021

In this paper, we aim to study the asymptotic behavior (when$$\varepsilon \;\rightarrow \; 0$$ε→0) of the solution of a quasilinear problem of the form$$-\mathrm{{div}}\;(A^{\varepsilon }(\cdot ,u^{\varepsilon }) \nabla u^{\varepsilon })=f$$-div(Aε(·,uε)∇uε)=fgiven in a perforated domain$$\Omega \backslash T_{\varepsilon }$$Ω\Tεwith a Neumann boundary condition on the holes$$T_{\varepsilon }$$Tεand a Dirichlet boundary condition on$$\partial \Omega $$∂Ω. We show that, if the holes are admissible in certain sense (without any periodicity condition) and if the family of matrices$$(x,d)\mapsto A^{\varepsilon }(x,d)$$(x,d)↦Aε(x,d)is uniformly coercive, uniformly bounded and uniformly equicontinuous in the real variabled, the homogenization of the problem considered can be done in two steps. First, we fix the variabledand we homogenize the linear problem associated to$$A^{\varepsilon }(\cdot ,d)$$Aε(·,d)in the perforated domain. Once the$$H^{0}$$H0-limit$$A^{0}(\cdot ,d)$$A0(·,d)of the pair$$(A^{\varepsilon },T^{\varepsilon })$$(Aε,Tε)is determined, in the second step, we deduce that the solution$$u^{\varepsilon }$$uεconverges in some sense to the unique solution$$u^{0}$$u0in$$H^{1}_{0}(\Omega )$$H01(Ω)of the quasilinear equation$$-\mathrm{{div}}\;(A^{0}(\cdot ,u^{0})\nabla u )=\chi ^{0}f$$-div(A0(·,u0)∇u)=χ0f(where$$ \chi ^{0}$$χ0is$$L^{\infty }$$L∞weak$$^{\star }$$⋆limit of the characteristic function of the perforated domain). We complete our study by giving two applications, one to the classical periodic case and the second one to a non-periodic one.
Blocking of Stimulus Control in Children with Autism
Authors: Olaff Heidi Skorge , Vandbakk Monica , Holth Per
Published: February 2021

The present study aimed to investigate the blocking of stimulus control in three children with autism. We used a go/no-go procedure in a standard blocking paradigm. In Phase 1, we established one of two sounds or colored squares as a discriminative stimulus for touching a tablet screen. In Phase 2, a colored square was added to the sound or a sound was added to the colored square in a stimulus compound. The discrimination training continued as in Phase 1. We subsequently tested discriminative control by each of the single stimuli separately and by the compounds. Finally, after testing with no programmed consequences, we reestablished the original discrimination and replicated the test of stimulus control. The results support previous experiments by demonstrating that the establishment of discriminative control by a second stimulus by adding it to a previously established discriminative stimulus in a compound was blocked by the earlier discrimination training in all three participants. We discuss procedural details that may be critical to avoid the blocking of stimulus control in the applied field, particularly with respect to the acquisition of skills that involve multiple stimuli, such as joint attention, social referencing, and bidirectional naming.
Investigating Motivational and Cognitive Factors which Impact the Success of Engineering Students
Authors: Eichler Andreas , Gradwohl Julia
Published: February 2021

Engineering students particularly struggle with mathematics in the first year of their university studies. A result of these difficulties are high drop-out rates among the engineering students. There are various measures to support the students in their studies such as preparatory courses or bridging courses. The contribution of this research is to investigate the impact of certain factors on engineering students’ success in their first year of studies in a supportive environment which includes a preparatory course, tutorials, a bridging course and a drop-in centre. First, we ask how the students’ use of support measures impact the students’ success. Second, we clarify which affective, motivational and cognitive factors affect the students’ success in mathematics. Our further aim is to investigate the relationships between the factors that impact students’ success. We consider potential factors during the first year of studies. Our results suggest that particularly students’ mathematical abilities before the first semester and a support in tutorials during the first semester account for students’ success in the final exams in the first year of engineering studies.
Gateways to accessing powerful RE knowledge: a critical constructive analysis
Authors: Franck Olof
Published: February 2021

This article examines the conditions for designing an epistemologically grounded teaching about religions through an identification of what knowledge is central to the subject of Religious Education (RE). A starting point for the analysis is a discussion of Michael Young's well-known concept of powerful knowledge, as a possible platform for developing an approach for how a knowledge base in the subject could be identified. The concept of powerful knowledge is shown to be relevant for how epistemological perspectives can be considered in relation to an analysis of the subject's knowledge base. Such an analysis is carried out, and the concept of threshold concepts is introduced to develop a broader and sharper theoretical framework, at the same time as Young's approach becomes the subject of a more in-depth discussion. The presentation leads to a discussion of various considerations relevant to an analysis of how a powerful RE knowledge may be understood.
Edge strength of core drilled and waterjet cut holes in architectural glass
Authors: Sanders Kay , Bos Freek , ten Brincke Erwin , Belis Jan
Published: February 2021

In structural glass design, an often-applied connection is a bolted connection subjected to in-plane tensile loads. Traditionally, the hole in the glass pane is manufactured by core drilling and conical edge finishing. An alternative method is by waterjet cutting the holes, resulting in cylindrically shaped holes. This research compares the edge strength of core drilled and waterjet cut holes. It focuses on in-plane tensile tests and consists of an experimental part in combination with a numerical part. In the in-plane tensile tests, peak stresses occur perpendicular to the load direction. These stresses are found to be higher for waterjet cut holes (+ 13%) compared to core drilled holes. As a result, the characteristic ultimate load is lower for waterjet cut holes (− 16%). Furthermore, the influence of thermally toughening the glass is found to be more favourable for the characteristic ultimate load of specimens containing core drilled holes than it is for waterjet cut holes. Next to that, it was found that the ultimate load linearly increases with the panel thickness. Eccentric loading, caused by insufficient bushing material or rotation of the bolt, only slightly decreases the ultimate load, provided that no hard contact between bolt and glass occurs. In addition, coaxial double ring tests were performed in the hole area, showing that waterjet cut holes result in larger stresses near the hole edge than core drilled holes. Furthermore, waterjet cut holes are found not to be perfectly round, while drilled holes are. This un-roundness negatively influences the ultimate load and the stresses in the glass; the larger the extent of un-roundness, the higher the stresses and the lower the ultimate load. Also, the orientation of the un-round hole is of influence on the stresses and ultimate load for the tensile test. It is concluded that waterjet cut holes result in lower characteristic ultimate loads and higher stresses. Due to the different edge finishing, the ultimate load still is lower compared to core drilled holes, even if the waterjet cut holes are perfectly round.
Investigating the growth of AlGaN/AlN heterostructure by modulating the substrate temperature of AlN buffer layer
Authors: Aggarwal Neha , Krishna Shibin , Goswami Lalit , Jain Shubhendra Kumar , Pandey Akhilesh , Gundimeda Abhiram , Vashishtha Pargam , Singh Jasveer , Singh Sandeep , Gupta Govind
Published: February 2021

We have investigated the impact of AlN buffer layer growth parameters for developing highly single crystalline AlGaN films. The low mobility of Al adatoms and high temperature for compound formation are amongst the major causes that affects the growth quality of AlGaN films. Thus, proper optimization need to be carried out for achieving high quality AlGaN due to an augmented tendency of defect generation compared to GaN films. Thus, growth conditions need to be amended to maximize the incorporation ability of adatoms and minimize defect density. So, this study elaborates the growth optimization of AlGaN/AlN/Si (111) heterostructure with varied AlN buffer growth temperature (760 to 800 °C). It was observed that the remnant Al in low temperature growth of AlN buffer layer resist the growth quality of AlGaN epitaxial films. A highly single crystalline AlGaN film with comparatively lowest rocking curve FWHM value (~ 0.61°) and smooth surface morphology with least surface defect states was witnessed when AlN buffer was grown at 780 °C. From the Vegard’s law, the photoluminescence analysis unveils Aluminium composition of 31.5% with significantly reduced defect band/NBE band ratio to 0.3. The study demonstrates good crystalline quality AlGaN film growth with Aluminium content variation between ~ 30–39% in AlGaN/AlN heterostructure on Si(111) substrate leading to a bandgap range which is suitable for next-generation solar-blind photodetection applications.
Utilization of induction furnace steel slag based iron oxide nanocomposites for antibacterial studies
Authors: Baalamurugan J. , Ganesh Kumar V. , Stalin Dhas T. , Taran S. , Nalini S. , Karthick V. , Ravi M. , Govindaraju K.
Published: February 2021

Metals and metal oxide-based nanocomposites play a significant role over the control of microbes. In this study, antibacterial activity of iron oxide (Fe2O3) nanocomposites based on induction furnace (IF) steel slag has been carried out. IF steel slag is an industrial by-product generated from secondary steel manufacturing process and has various metal oxides which includes Al2O3 (7.89%), MnO (5.06), CaO (1.49%) and specifically Fe2O3 (14.30%) in higher content along with metalloid SiO2 (66.42). Antibacterial activity of iron oxide nanocomposites has been revealed on bacterial species such as Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. Micrococcus luteus has undergone maximum zone of inhibition (ZOI) of 12 mm for 10 mg/mL concentration of steel slag iron oxide nanocomposite. Growth inhibitory kinetics of bacterial species has been studied using ELISA microplate reader at 660 nm by varying the concentration of steel slag iron oxide nanocomposites. The results illustrate that IF steel slag is a potential material and can be utilized in building materials to increase the resistance against biodeterioration.

Graphic abstract
Needs satisfaction and motivation among adolescent boys and girls during self‐directed learning intervention☆
Authors: Schweder Sabine , Raufelder Diana
Published: February 2021

Introduction

Self‐directed learning (SDL) fosters adolescents' needs satisfaction. According to self‐determination theory, meeting adolescents' needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness is essential for their motivation. However, students' needs satisfaction and motivation tend to decrease during adolescence and the rate of decrease varies by gender. Prior research within the self‐determination theory literature has described adolescents in traditional teacher‐directed learning (TDL) contexts, but little research has examined decreases in adolescents' needs satisfaction and motivation or gender‐based differences among adolescents in SDL interventions.

Methods

The present two‐wave study compared questionnaire data from German adolescent boys and girls (N = 754; Mage = 13.56; SD = 1.2; 49.4% girls) who attended an SDL intervention. To investigate possible gender‐based differences in the interplay and extend of the variables, two multi‐group structural equation model (multigroup SEM) and latent mean comparison (LMC) were programmed.

Results & Conclusions

Boys reported higher values only for introjected and extrinsic regulation. With two different restricted multigroup SEMs, the present study detected additional gender‐based differences. For example, the paths between autonomy and intrinsic and identified motivation were stronger for boys than for girls, and competence was only associated with intrinsic motivation among girls. Overall, these findings suggest that fewer gender‐based differences exist in needs satisfaction and academic self‐regulation in an SDL intervention than have been observed in previous research in TDL contexts. Further, adolescents' needs satisfaction was explicitly associated with higher forms of academic motivation (i.e., intrinsic and identified).
Modality in Syntax, Semantics and Pragmatics
Authors: Abraham Werner
Published: February 2021

What do we mean when we say things like 'If only we knew what he was up to!' Clearly this is more than just a message, or a question to our addressee. We are expressing simultaneously that we don't know, and also that we wish to know. Several modes of encoding contribute to such modalities of expression: word order, subordinating subjunctions, sentences that are subordinated but nevertheless occur autonomously, and attitudinal discourse adverbs which, far beyond lexical adverbials of modality, allow the speaker and the listener to presuppose full agreement, partial agreement under presupposed conditions, or negotiation of common ground. This state of the art survey proposes a new model of modality, drawing on data from a variety of Germanic and Slavic languages to find out what is cross-linguistically universal about modality, and to argue that it is a constitutive part of human cognition.
The Influence of State-Level Production Outcomes upon U.S. National Corn and Soybean Production: A Novel Application of Correlated Component Regression
Authors: Bullock David W.
Published: February 2021

The relative importance of key state-level outcomes upon U.S. national corn and soybean production was examined usingcorrelated component regression, a recently developed regression technique for application to multicollinear and sparse data sets. Standardized coefficients were used to rank the states’ relative importance. A Herfindahl-Hirschman Index was used to measure the degree of concentration among the top ranked states. The empirical analysis looked at two time periods: a pre-Genetic Modification (1975–1995) and a post-Genetic Modification (1996–2017) period. The results indicate that U.S. corn production is becoming less geographically concentrated in terms of state-level importance while the opposite holds true for soybean production.
Is It Better to Be Objectively Wrong or Subjectively Right?
Authors: Bloch Lindsay C. , Hosen Jacob D. , Kracht Emily C. , LeFebvre Michelle J. , Lopez Claudette J. , Woodcock Rachel , Keegan William F.
Published: February 2021

For many years, archaeologists have relied on Munsell Soil Color Charts (MSCC) as tools for standardizing the recording of soil and sediment colors in the field and artifacts such as pottery in the lab. Users have identified multiple potential sources of discrepancy in results, such as differences in inter-operator perception, light source, or moisture content of samples. In recent years, researchers have developed inexpensive digital methods for color identification, but these typically cannot be done in real time. Now, a field-ready digital color-matching instrument is marketed to archaeologists as a replacement for MSCC, but the accuracy and overall suitability of this device for archaeological research has not been demonstrated. Through three separate field and laboratory trials, we found systematic mismatches in the results obtained via device, including variable accuracy against standardized MSCC chips, which should represent ideal samples. At the same time, the instrument was consistent in its readings. This leads us to question whether using the “subjective” human eye or the “objective” digital eye is preferable for data recording of color. We discuss how project goals and limitations should be considered when deciding which color-recording method to employ in field and laboratory settings, and we identify optimal procedures.
Hand hygiene and glove use in nursing homes before and after an intervention
Authors: Teesing Gwen R. , Richardus Jan Hendrik , Erasmus Vicki , Petrignani Mariska , Koopmans Marion P. G. , Vos Margreet C. , Schols Jos M.G.A. , Voeten Helene A.C.M.
Published: February 2021

We investigated whether an intervention to improve hand hygiene compliance in nursing homes changed glove use. Hand hygiene compliance increased, but substitution of hand hygiene with gloves did not decrease. We observed a reduction of inappropriately unchanged gloves after exposure to body fluids.

Clinical trials identifier: Netherlands Trial Register, trial NL6049 (NTR6188): https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/6049.
Evaluation of an initiative to improve prophylactic antimicrobial prescribing in patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) through the application of three antimicrobial-spectrum scores
Authors: Shah Aditya , Stevens Ryan W. , O’Horo John C. , Dierkhising Ross A. , Estes Lynn L. , Berbari Elie F. , Tande Aaron J.
Published: February 2021

Antimicrobial spectrum scoring is a method to quantify the spectrum of antimicrobial utilization. Herein, we applied a locally adapted scoring system, with other pre-existing scoring systems, using a data set of prophylactically administered antibiotics following a 2-stage antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) intervention in a population of patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).
Political Socialisation: Out of Purgatory?
Authors: Haegel Florence
Published: February 2021

This paper aims to put contemporary political socialisation research in perspective. It offers a rapid overview of the crisis of the subfield after the 1970s and then shifts attention to post-crisis studies. Beginning with child political socialisation, it raises four issues: the use of theoretical frameworks derived from child psychology; the need to reconnect political socialisation to the sociology of family; the benefits of renewing methods for understanding the world of child politics; and a new account of social inequality in the process of political socialisation. It then explores lifelong political socialisation and how it has developed around four research dynamics: the study of civic and political socialisation of school-age adolescents and young adults; the generational renewal; the socialising effects of political mobilisation; and the processes and agents of the secondary political socialisation of adults. The final section raises the major question of what is political in political socialisation.
Politicizing International Cooperation: The Mass Public, Political Entrepreneurs, and Political Opportunity Structures
Authors: De Vries Catherine E. , Hobolt Sara B. , Walter Stefanie
Published: February 2021

International institutions are increasingly being challenged by domestic opposition and nationalist political forces. Yet, levels of politicization differ significantly across countries facing the same international authority as well as within countries over time. This raises the question of when and why the mass public poses a challenge to international cooperation. In this article, we develop a theoretical framework for understanding the nature and implications of politicization of international cooperation, outlining three scope conditions: the nature of public contestation, the activities of political entrepreneurs, and the permissiveness of political opportunity structures. By empirically examining these scope conditions, we demonstrate that politicization can have both stabilizing and destabilizing effects on international cooperation. Highlighting the systemic implications of politicization for international cooperation has important implications for international relations scholarship. Although international organizations may face challenges, they also have ways of being remarkably resilient.
Built on Borders: Tensions with the Institution Liberalism (Thought It) Left Behind
Authors: Simmons Beth A. , Goemans Hein E.
Published: February 2021

The Liberal International Order is in crisis. While the symptoms are clear to many, the deep roots of this crisis remain obscured. We propose that the Liberal International Order is in tension with the older Sovereign Territorial Order, which is founded on territoriality and borders to create group identities, the territorial state, and the modern international system. The Liberal International Order, in contrast, privileges universality at the expense of groups and group rights. A recognition of this fundamental tension makes it possible to see that some crises that were thought to be unconnected have a common cause: the neglect of the coordinating power of borders. We sketch out new research agendas to show how this tension manifests itself in a broad range of phenomena of interest.
An institutional ethnographic analysis of public and patient engagement activities at a national health technology assessment agency
Authors: Bidonde Julia , Vanstone Meredith , Schwartz Lisa , Abelson Julia
Published: February 2021

Objective

The practice of public and patient engagement (PPE) in health technology assessment (HTA) has spread worldwide, yet gaps in knowledge remain. We carried out an institutional ethnography of the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) public and patient involvement in HTA.

Methods

The research took place over 15 months and included observational work in the institutional settings, text review, and interviews with individuals working for or involved with the agency.

Results

We found that despite demonstrated commitment to PPE, organizational history, governance structure, and practices were impediments to a unified approach to PPE. Unclear role descriptions for committee members and differences in philosophy and priority given to PPE across the organization presented challenges to effective participation. The high degree of value given to evidence-based principles at times conflicted with meaningful integration of patient input. A lack of clear goals and processes, roles, and differential treatment of evidence in PPE served to minimize the importance of patient experiences and to displace their validity. An acknowledgment of conflicts between multiple epistemic traditions at work within HTA activities may strengthen organizational approaches to PPE.

Conclusion

HTA organizations can learn from this study by reflecting on the challenges described and the recommendations offered to address them. We suggest solidifying CADTH's commitment to PPE with clear agency-wide roles and direction, values, and outcomes, a comprehensive framework, and policy and procedures. An acknowledgment of diverse epistemic traditions, as well as leadership and expertise in PPE, will strengthen CADTH's PPE activities and sustain its leadership position in the HTA field.
Analysis of impact of group delay on slope distortion of S-curve in delay locked loop
Authors: Liu Yuqi , Ran Yihang , Yang Yi , Chen Lin , Xiong Tuling , Pan Hongchen
Published: February 2021

As essential specifications of correlation domain for signal quality evaluation, distortions of the S-curve, including bias and slope distortions of the zero-crossing point, are usually selected as indicators of optimisation in the process of designing the channels of receivers or navigation satellites. Focusing on this issue, we present a detailed analysis of slope distortion in the presence of group delay and amplitude distortions. After validating the theoretical results, we present further discussions about the impacts of different group delay terms on slope distortions. The results indicate that both the odd-order and the even-order terms have impacts on the slope distortion, and higher odd-order terms have less slope distortion compared with the lower odd-order terms. These results are useful for evaluating the slope distortion from the group delay and guiding improvement in design of the channel.
Seeing Children in Prehistory: A View from Bronze Age Ireland
Authors: Haughton Mark
Published: February 2021

Despite growing strength in recent decades, an archaeology of childhood has often been overlooked by those studying prehistory. This is concerning because communities are enlivened by their children, and conversations with and about children often provide a critical arena for the discussion of aspects of societies which prehistorians are comfortable addressing, such as social structure, identity and personhood. Through an exploration of childhood as expressed in the Earlier Bronze Age burials from Ireland, this article demonstrates that neither written sources, artistic depictions nor toys are necessary to speak of children in the past. Indeed, an approach which tacks between scales reveals subtle trends in the treatment of children which speak to wider shared concerns and allows a reflection on the role of children in prehistory.
Radiation dermatitis: the evaluation of a new topical therapy for the treatment and prevention of radiation-induced skin damage and moist desquamation: a multicentre UK case cohort study
Authors: Johnson K. , Fenton G. , White R. J.
Published: February 2021

Introduction:

Radiotherapy is a mainstay of cancer therapy for a wide variety of anatomical areas. An unfortunate side effect of treatment can be radiation damage to the skin which can be a painful and debilitating problem. Previous experience from the experimental use of Flamigel® in two large-scale clinical studies on affected skin has proven sufficiently positive for the addition of a new product in the Flamigel® family (now commercially available in the UK as Flamigel RT®, Flen Health UK). The aim of this investigation is to evaluate the use of this new product to study how effective it is in the prevention and/or treatment of radiation-induced skin damage.

Materials and methods:

A survey was conducted among radiotherapy specialist teams in dedicated UK radiotherapy centres between 1 January 2017 and 31 October 2017. This report is of a preliminary evaluation conducted by UK-based specialists on 108 patients undergoing radiotherapy. The scoring system for skin reactions of the ‘Radiation Therapy Oncology Group’ was used.

Results:

Results show that the use of Flamigel® has the potential to soothe (p = 0·0001), reduce pain (p = 0·0001) and reduce pruritus (p = 0·004). The product met the expectations of the clinicians involved (p < 0·0001) of whom most were happy to continue use or to recommend its use to colleagues (p < 0·0001).

Conclusions:

Flamigel® is an effective treatment in the management of radiation-induced skin reactions. Erythema was unchanged through the study period (p = 0·42). No adverse reactions were reported after the use of Flamigel from twice to six times a day.
Delivery of Metals and Dissolved Black Carbon to the Southern California Coastal Ocean via Aerosols and Floodwaters Following the 2017 Thomas Fire
Authors: Kelly Rachel L. , Bian Xiaopeng , Feakins Sarah J. , Fornace Kyrstin L. , Gunderson Troy , Hawco Nicholas J. , Liang Hengdi , Niggemann Jutta , Paulson Suzanne E. , Pinedo‐Gonzalez Paulina , West A. Joshua , Yang Shun‐Chung , John Seth G.
Published: February 2021

The Thomas Fire began on December 4, 2017 and burned 281,893 acres over a 40‐day period in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, making it one of California's most destructive wildfires to date. A major rainstorm then caused a flash flood event, which led to the containment of the fire. Both airborne ash from the fire and the runoff from the flash flood entered into the Santa Barbara Basin (SBB). Here, we present the results from aerosol, river, and seawater studies of black carbon and metal delivery to the SBB associated with the fire and subsequent flash flood. On day 11 of the Thomas Fire, aerosols sampled under the smoke plume were associated with high levels of PM2.5, levoglucosan, and black carbon (average: 49 μg/m3, 1.05 μg/m3, and 14.93 μg/m3, respectively) and aerosol metal concentrations were consistent with a forest fire signature. Metal concentrations in SBB surface seawater were higher closer to the coastal perimeter of the fire (including 2.22 nM Fe) than further off the coast, suggesting a dependence on continental proximity rather than fire inputs. On days 37–40 of the fire, before, during, and after the flash flood in the Ventura River, dissolved organic carbon, dissolved black carbon, and dissolved metal concentrations were positively correlated with discharge allowing us to estimate the input of fire products into the coastal ocean. We estimated rapid aerosol delivery during the fire event to be the larger share of fire‐derived metal transport compared to runoff from the Ventura River during the flood event.
High‐Resolution C‐Isotope, TOC and Biostratigraphic Records of OAE 1a (Aptian) From an Expanded Hemipelagic Cored Succession, Western Tethys: A New Stratigraphic Reference for Global Correlation and Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction
Authors: Castro José M. , Ruiz‐Ortiz Pedro A. , de Gea Ginés A. , Aguado Roque , Jarvis Ian , Weissert Helmut , Molina José M. , Nieto Luis M. , Pancost Richard D. , Quijano María L. , Reolid Matías , Skelton Peter W. , López‐Rodríguez Carmina , Martínez‐Rodríguez Rafael
Published: February 2021

A high‐resolution carbonate C‐isotope stratigraphy for the Aptian is presented for the Cau core (Spain). The biostratigraphically calibrated C‐isotope stratigraphy of the core is used to refine the previously defined C‐isotope segments of the Aptian. Thirteen C‐isotope segments have been identified and correlated, and further subdivisions are presented. Correlation with other sections worldwide demonstrates the robustness of the C‐isotope stratigraphy of the Cau core. The studied succession includes a continuous record of the early Aptian Oceanic Anoxic Event (OAE 1a). Its onset has been studied at an ultrahigh‐resolution scale (0.2–0.5 kyr spacing), revealing a succession of sharp δ13Ccarbnegative spikes, interpreted as a record of pulses of volcanism and methane emissions. The largest spike was rapid (<10 kyr) and marks the base of OAE 1a, which occurs within a longer‐term falling δ13Ccarbtrend. The C‐isotope profile across OAE 1a perfectly records the negative (C3/Ap3), positive (C4/Ap4), steady (C5/Ap5), and positive (C6/Ap6) segments that were defined from Cismon (Italy) and subsequently identified worldwide. The Ap7 to Ap14 segments record a C‐isotope negative excursion, coupled with high TOC contents, probably related to regional paleogeography. The links with global environmental changes, episodes of widespread deposition of organic matter, and ultimately to major volcanic episodes are discussed. We propose the Cau core as a new reference section for the Aptian, and specifically for OAE 1a, based on its expanded and well‐preserved sedimentary, geochemical and biotic archives, which provide further insights into the environmental and biotic changes that occurred during this time interval.