bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Implementation of a CMS Nursing Facility Initiative: Differences by Racial Minority Resident Population
Authors: Bercaw Lawren E. , Gasdaska Angela , Segelman Micah , Voltmer Helena , Jones Jessica M. , Feng Zhanlian , Khatutsky Galina , Ingber Melvin J.
Published: December 2022

Objectives: The CMS Initiative to Reduce Avoidable Hospitalizations Among Nursing Facility Residents: Payment Reform (NFI 2) provided billing opportunities to incentivize participating facilities to keep long-stay residents onsite for acute care, rather than hospitalizing them. We examined cross-facility differences in NFI 2 implementation by racial composition of facility resident populations. Methods: We analyzed Medicare claims in conjunction with in-person and telephone interviews among facility staff to assess NFI 2 engagement in relation to racial minority resident population. Results: Participating facilities with larger racial minority resident populations faced additional barriers to NFI 2 implementation. These facilities submitted fewer NFI 2 claims, reported more challenges engaging resident families, and experienced greater facility staff and leadership instability, compared to facilities with predominantly white resident populations. Discussion: Addressing structural differences within facilities with larger populations of racial minority residents may encourage future development of targeted programs to support diverse nursing facilities.
The simulation of the emission of iron fumes caused by shielded metal arc welding using a computational fluid dynamics method
Authors: Paridokht Fatemeh , Soury Shiva , Karimi Zeverdegani Sara
Published: December 2022

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is an indispensable simulation tool for predicting the emission of pollutants in the work environment. Welding is one of the most common industrial processes that might expose the operators and surrounding workers to certain hazardous gaseous metal fumes. In the present study, we used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methodology for simulating the emission of iron fumes from the shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) procedure. A galvanized steel chamber was fabricated to measure the pollutant concentration and identify the size of the fume created by the SMAW. Then, the emission of welding aerosol was simulated using a method of computational fluid-particle dynamics with the ANSYS 2020 R1 software. The highest amount of welding fumes concentration was related to iron fumes (i.e., 3045 μg/m3 with a diameter of 0.25 μm). The results of the current study indicated that the local exhaust and general ventilation system can prevent the spreading of welding fumes to the welder’s breathing zone and the surrounding environment. CFD was also found to be an efficient method for predicting the emission of the iron fumes created by SMAW as well as for selecting an appropriate ventilation system. However, further studies that take the modeling of welding-generated emission of additional metal particles and gases into account will need to be undertaken.
Regeneration of sciatic nerve injury through nanofiber neural guidance channels containing collagen hydrogel and acetyl L carnitine: An in vitro and in vivo study
Authors: Savari Kouzehkonan Gholamreza , Motakef Kazemi Negar , Adabi Mahdi , Mosavi Seyyedeh Elaheh , Rezayat Sorkhabadi Seyed Mahdi
Published: December 2022

Unlike the central nervous system (CNS), peripheral nervous system (PNS) injuries are partially repairable. Nerve guidance channels (NGCs) have been shown to improve the level of nerve repair after injury. In the present study, we developed a nanofiber NGC for the delivery of acetyl L carnitine (ALC) in a rat model of sciatic nerve injury. NGCs were produced by electrospinning a polymer blend of polycaprolacton and gelatin. The physicochemical and biological properties of developed scaffolds were investigated using Scanning electron microscopy, surface hydrophilicity measurement, porosity measurement, tensile strength studies, cell viability assay, and cell attachment assay. ALC was included in the collagen hydrogels at three weight ratios of 1%, 3%, and 5%. Cell viability assay showed that the hydrogels containing 5% ALC demonstrated a more favorable effect on PC-12 metabolic activity. Therefore, this concentration was chosen to treat PNS injury. The NGCs were implanted in rats and then their lumen was filled with collagen hydrogel + 5%ALC. The results of histopathological examinations and functional recovery studies showed that NGCs filled with ALC containing hydrogel have significant recovery potential compared to NGCs loaded with collagen hydrogels without ALC. Our results support the potential use of ALC-delivering NGCs in the treatment of peripheral nerve injury in the clinic.
“All I was Thinking About was Shattered”: Women's Experiences Transitioning Out of Anti-Trafficking Shelters During the COVID-19 Lockdown in Uganda
Authors: Namy Sophie , Namakula Sylvia , Nabachwa Agnes Grace , Ollerhead Madeleine , Tsai Laura Cordisco , Kemitare Jean , Bolton Kelly , Nkwanzi Violet , Carlson Catherine
Published: December 2022

Human trafficking is an egregious violation of fundamental human rights and a global challenge. The long-term harms to survivors’ physical, psychological and social wellbeing are profound and well documented, and yet there are few studies exploring how to best promote resilience and holistic healing. This is especially true within shelter programs (where the majority of anti-trafficking services are provided) and during the transition out of residential shelter care, which is often a sensitive and challenging process. The current study begins to address this gap by centering the lived experiences of six women residing in a trafficking-specific shelter in Uganda as they unexpectedly transitioned back to their home communities due to the COVID-19 lockdown. We explore this pivotal moment in participants’ post-trafficking journey, focusing on how these women described and interpreted their rapidly changing life circumstances—including leaving the shelter, adjusting back to the community setting, and simultaneously navigating the uncertainties of a global pandemic. Four core themes emerged from the analysis: economic insecurities as a cross-cutting hardship; intensification of emotional and physical symptoms; social disruptions; and sources of hope and resilience. By centering their personal stories of struggle and strength, we hope to elevate survivors’ own accounts and draw on their insights to identify actionable considerations for future programming.
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Collaborative Management and Prescription of Diabetes Medications with Cardiovascular Benefit
Authors: Ballister Briana , Hernandez Rebecca L. , Quffa Lieth H. , Franck Andrew J.
Published: December 2022

Background: Involvement of Clinical Pharmacy Specialists (CPS) in the care of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) has been demonstrated to be beneficial. Whether this positive impact applies to increased use of cardiovascular risk-reducing medications is less well established. Objective: To determine the association of CPS co-management on the prescription of diabetes medications with proven cardiovascular benefits for patients with DM and established cardiovascular disease in the primary care setting. Methods: This retrospective cohort study evaluated patients in a Veterans Affairs health-system in primary care settings from February 1, 2019, through January 31, 2020. Patients were included if they had type 2 DM treated with at least one medication and had CVD. Patients were grouped into two cohorts for comparison, those with CPS co-management and those without. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients in each group with new prescriptions for empagliflozin or liraglutide initiated during the study timeframe. Results: In total, 8058 patients were found eligible for inclusion in the study. Clinical co-management by a CPS was provided to 2099 patients. Study medications were prescribed, approved, and initiated in 596 patients during the study period, including 391 (18.6%) in the CPS group and 205 (3.4%) in the non-CPS group (P < .001). Conclusion: This study showed CPS involvement is associated with increased prescribing of diabetes medications with proven cardiovascular benefits.
Development of piezoelectric fast steering mirror with tilt error compensation for portable spectroscopic sensor
Authors: Kim Ho-Sang , Don Lee Kyoung , Lee Chan-Hee , Lee Won-Gi
Published: December 2022

Fast steering mirror, a key component that can compensate for the distortion of the optical axis, plays an essential role in portable spectroscopic sensors. Because the performance of the fast steering mirror has a great influence on the accuracy of the interferometer in the spectroscopic sensor, it is important to verify whether it can satisfy the design requirements by evaluating the performance. In this study, a piezoelectric fast steering mirror with high-resolution and high-speed tilting capability for a portable spectroscopic sensor was fabricated and tested. Design requirements such as steering angle, resolution, and frequency range were set for portable spectroscopic sensors and elastic guide structures actuated by piezoelectric actuators were proposed. Before fabrication, the performances of the proposed fast steering mirror were examined by the finite element method. To verify the proposed fast steering mirror, a prototype was manufactured with a size of 24.5 mm × 24.5 mm × 37.4, including a mirror with a diameter of 20 mm and thickness of 3 mm. This prototype can provide the sufficient convenience for mounting on a spectroscopic sensor for gas monitoring at a distance. Its performance was tested, confirming a steering range of 0.56°, resolution of 1.27 µrad seconds and natural frequency of 282 Hz. In addition, through a performance evaluation test using a visible light laser on an optical test bed, the ability to compensate the tilt error within a few seconds was confirmed for its applicability to actual spectroscopic interferometer products in the future.
Safety analysis of high temperature superconducting maglev train considering the aerodynamic loads under crosswinds
Authors: Wang Xiaofei , Hu Xiao , Wang Jukun , Wang Li , Li Haitao , Deng Zigang , Zhang Weihua
Published: December 2022

The objective of this study is to investigate the safety of high temperature superconducting (HTS) high-speed maglev trains operating in an open environment subjected to strong crosswinds. Therefore, a full-size numerical model of the HTS high-speed maglev engineering prototype is developed based on the 3-D, steady RANS method and SST k-ω turbulence model. Then, the aerodynamic loads are added to the simplified aerodynamic loading center of the train, and a dynamic vehicle model on basis of the special nonlinear magnetic-track relationship is established to study the variation of safety indexes of the HTS maglev train under different crosswinds and operation speeds. It is found that the safety indexes of the maglev train meet the requirements under different crosswind scenarios, indicating that the HTS maglev engineering prototype has great stability against crosswinds. It is expected to adapt to high-speed operation and withstand at least 20.7 m/s crosswind speed under 600 km/h operation speed, to provide a reference for future engineering applications of the HTS maglev train.
Design and analysis of electric power-assisted steering in vehicles for mountain forests
Authors: Kalyashov Vitalii , Mikheev Alexander , Kunickaya Olga , Grigorev Igor , Tikhonov Evgeniy , Grigorev Gleb , Storodubtseva Tamara , Lavrov Mikhail
Published: December 2022

This study investigates the problem of vehicle exploitation in the mountainous and wooded regions of the Russian Federation. Considering how critical rollover accidents are in the logging industry, it is vital to ensure safe and stable driving. This study aims to develop a model of electric power steering (EPS) control using a quasi-continuous sliding-mode controller in MATLAB/Simulink. Experiments were carried out under the following conditions: maximum slope angle, 30°; maximum steering angle, 30°; maximum driving speed, 7 m/s. The dynamic characteristics of the suspension and EPS systems were optimized using the receding horizon optimization technique. The theoretical and experimental results suggest that the model reaches its critical state of stability (−0.2) at a speed range of 0–7 m/s with a steering angle of 25°. After optimization, critical stability (0.3) occurs at the driving speed of 7 m/s when the steering angle is 30°. The paper discussed the possibility of installing the EPS control system into vehicles that operate in mountainous wooded areas.
From Pictures to the People in Them: Averaging Within-Person Variability Leads to Face Familiarization
Authors: Koca Yaren , Oriet Chris
Published: December 2022

Familiar faces can be confidently recognized despite sometimes radical changes in their appearance. Exposure to within-person variability—differences in facial characteristics over successive encounters—contributes to face familiarization. Research also suggests that viewers create mental averages of the different views of faces they encounter while learning them. Averaging over within-person variability is thus a promising mechanism for face familiarization. In Experiment 1, 153 Canadian undergraduates (88 female; age: M = 21 years, SD = 5.24) learned six target identities from eight different photos of each target interspersed among 32 distractor identities. Face-matching accuracy improved similarly irrespective of awareness of the target’s identity, confirming that target faces presented among distractors can be learned incidentally. In Experiment 2, 170 Canadian undergraduates (125 female; age: M = 22.6 years, SD = 6.02) were tested using a novel indirect measure of learning. The results show that viewers update a mental average of a person’s face as it becomes learned. Our findings are the first to show how averaging within-person variability over time leads to face familiarization.
Effect of motor intrusion on the aerodynamic performances and unsteady characteristics of internal flow of a volute-free centrifugal fan
Authors: Qin Hengjun , Wang Zhengdao , He Haijiang , Yang Wenxia , Wang Zhongxian , Zhu Zuchao , Zhang Wei
Published: December 2022

The volute-free centrifugal fans are widely used in air conditioning and ventilation applications due to their simple configuration and easy maintenance. The motor normally intrudes towards the fan interior from the rear disc to reduce the size and achieve better compatibility. The size and geometry of the motor affects the local flow field, which may have a serious impact on the aerodynamic performances of the fan. In this paper, we numerically investigated the effect of motor intrusion on the performances and internal flow characteristics of the volute-free centrifugal fan at different flow rates. The numerical results reveal that the internal flow field varies with the increasing of motor height at all flow rates. Under large flow rate, the height of motor has more obvious influence on the static pressure and static pressure efficiency of the fan; as the height of motor increases from 0 to 4 H/8, the two values decrease by 82.8% and 49.7%, respectively. The flow is more unstable which are manifested by the intensified velocity and pressure fluctuations. Therefore, the blocking effect of motor cannot be ignored and must be taken into account for the design the volute-free centrifugal fans.
Are we bad winners? Public understandings of the United Nations’ World Happiness Report among Finnish digital media and their readers
Authors: De Paola Jennifer , Pirttilä-Backman Anna-Maija
Published: December 2022

In this research, we investigate the public understanding of the World Happiness Report within the context of its highest-ranking country: Finland. We analyse how two actors, Finnish online media and their readers, understood the publication as well as the concept being measured: happiness. Digital media adopted an ambivalent stance towards both the World Happiness Report (‘sports victory’ vs ‘societal problems’) and the concept of happiness (‘reticence to define happiness’ vs ‘secrets of Finnish happiness’). Readers agreeing with the World Happiness Report define Finland as an ‘almost utopia’ while readers disagreeing with the World Happiness Report, in addition to presenting a reversed image of Finland (‘almost dystopia’), further justify their distrust towards the World Happiness Report by attacking the publication, its authors and the participants (Finns). Both actors carefully construct their understanding of happiness to fit their arguments aimed at the glorification/scandalization of the World Happiness Report.
Book review: Anna Lindberg, Experience and Identity: A Historical Account of Class, Caste and Gender Among the Cashew Workers of Kerala, 1930–2000
Authors: Thampi Binitha V.
Published: December 2022

Anna Lindberg, Experience and Identity: A Historical Account of Class, Caste and Gender Among the Cashew Workers of Kerala, 1930–2000. New Delhi: Manohar Publishers, 2021, 386 pp., ₹1,350. ISBN: 9789390729913 (Hardback).
Book review: Ross Fergusson & Nicola Yeates, Global Youth Unemployment: History, Governance and Policy
Authors: Rambaldi Chiara
Published: December 2022

Ross Fergusson & Nicola Yeates, Global Youth Unemployment: History, Governance and Policy. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2021, 296 pp., £95. ISBN: 9781789900415 (Hardback).
Cannabis in Cancer Survivors Who Report High Impact Chronic Pain: Findings from a 1500+ Patient Survey
Authors: Philpot Lindsey M. , Ramar Priya , Jatoi Aminah , Rosedahl Jordan , Canning Rachel , Ebbert Jon O.
Published: December 2022

Background

Chronic pain in cancer survivors negatively impacts quality of life. This study sought to investigate the relationship between high-impact chronic pain (HICP) -- defined as chronic pain that limits life or work activities on most days or every day in the past 3 months -- and cannabis in cancer survivors.

Methods

An electronic survey was developed in conjunction with the National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States. This survey was distributed to cancer survivors within a multi-site, single institution setting.

Results

The survey response rate was 23.0% (2304/10,000); 72.7% of these patients (1676/2304) did in fact have a confirmed cancer diagnosis. Among these cancer survivors, 16.5% (unweighted 278/1676) had HICP, and 12.4% (208/1676) reported cannabis use since their cancer diagnosis. The prevalence of past 30-day cannabis use was 12.3% (206/1676). Compared to cancer survivors without pain, those with HICP were more likely to believe in the benefits of cannabis (unweighted 92.1% vs. 74.7%; age-adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 3.1; 95% CI: 1.9-5.1) and less likely to believe in its risks (unweighted 48.2% vs. 58.4%; age-adjusted OR = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4-0.7).

Conclusions

Cancer survivors with HICP have a higher prevalence of cannabis use compared to those patients without pain. More research is needed to advance pain and symptom management among cancer survivors and to identify clinical scenarios in which benefit is greater than potential harm.
Missed Opportunities to Ease Suffering: An Explanatory Model of Occupational Therapy Utilization in End-of-Life Care
Authors: Chow Janice Kishi , Pickens Noralyn D. , Fletcher Tina , Bowyer Patricia , Thompson Mary
Published: December 2022

Background: With disease progression, a terminally ill person may experience loss of physical and cognitive skills required to perform everyday activities. Such functional loss can erode autonomy and cause existential suffering. Supported engagement in everyday activities may help terminally ill people stay involved in living and cope with dying. Occupational therapy enables people to engage in valued activities at the end of life, yet remains under-utilized. Objectives: To address the perceived under-utilization of end-of-life care occupational therapy, the authors investigated how utilization of occupational therapy in end-of-life care is determined from the perspective of decision-makers and occupational therapists and then developed a model of the process. Methods: Using a grounded theory method, authors conducted two semi-structured interviews with 20 decision-makers and 21 occupational therapists. Theoretical sampling followed by paradigm analysis, yielded a data-grounded model. Results: The authors developed The Model of Occupational Therapy Utilization in End-of-Life Care. Service utilization was primarily contingent upon the decision-makers’ awareness of occupational therapy’s role in end-of-life care and further influenced by place of care cost constraints and participants’ ability to adjust focus of the occupational therapy to accommodate the patient’s dying process. Conclusion: Limited awareness of occupational therapy’s role in end-of-life care warrants research on whether modification of model constructs may increase awareness and utilization. Education is indicated to teach providers about suffering due to functional loss and how to adjust focus of occupational therapy to sustain occupational participation through decline, across different care settings, and along a range between rehabilitation-focused to participation-focused outcomes.
The Dying and the Moment of Death of an Oncologically Ill Child
Authors: Slaninka Michal , Krajmer Peter , Kolenová Alexandra
Published: December 2022

This thesis focuses on the perception and experience of dying and the moment of death of an oncologically ill child from the parental perspective. The main intention is to point out the existence and meaning of this moment. The secondary aim is to discover what parents are experiencing during these moments. The interviews were conducted with eight women and five men. Children were diagnosed with osteosarcoma, testicular sarcoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, and liver cancer. We used qualitative methodology. The results show that this moment can be perceived as sacred. It has been shown that the dignity of this moment is essential for the parents, as also the need to be with the child in the situation of dying, of the death itself, and also in the hours following death. There is present pain, fear, mutual closeness and peace of mind, and a friendly and respectful attitude of the staff.
Investigation into a comprehensive forming limit curve considering multi-parameters effects for semi-cured FMLs through uniform pressure loading test
Authors: Zhang Meng , Mirza Hasnain Ali , Zhang Ye Chi , Tabasum Muhammad Nazim , Lang HL , Zou Ping Zheng
Published: December 2022

Recently, hydroforming has paid dividends in composite forming due to its uniform pressure distribution, which helps in reducing the delamination defects. Considering the need to develop an appropriate criterion for evaluating the formability of FMLs, inspired by sheet metal forming and testing, the uniform pressure loading test was adopted to characterize the formability of semi-cured FMLs by forming limit curve ( FLC). In this paper, both theoretical analysis models considering and ignoring the tangential cohesive effect were established, and the stress expression of the critical zone was given. The results show that the tangential cohesive stress demonstrates a non-negligible influence on the FLC. A new form of comprehensive FLC was given by defining global equivalent strain and global strain ratio and analyzed by the finite element method. In addition, the numerical simulation model and the experimental parameters were verified. A simplified Hashin criterion was proposed and developed into the numerical simulation as a subroutine based on theoretical analysis. Parameters such as blank holder pressure, pressure rate, and temperature were considered both in experiments and simulation. Only fiber stretching damage was distinguished in the cross, single, and arc crack but no wrinkling. As predicted theoretically, a lower forming limit is expected when FMLs are subjected to greater tangential cohesive stress. Finally, with the help of numerical simulation, the influence of different boundary conditions on the comprehensive FLC was studied. Instead of a simple evaluation of FMLs, this comprehensive FLC could be used directly to optimize hydroforming processes in the engineering field.
Glimpsing the Iceberg: Parent-Child Physical Aggression and Abuse
Authors: Slep Amy M. Smith , Rhoades Kimberly A. , Lorber Michael F. , Heyman Richard E.
Published: December 2022

Despite evidence that parents’ physical aggression abuse has long-lasting negative consequences, information about the true population prevalence of aggression and physical abuse is limited. We have even less information about how parental aggression and abuse vary by child age, parent gender, and how that aggression and abuse might be clustered within families. To address these gaps, an anonymous, computer-based assessment was administered to nearly 40,000 parents of more than 60,000 children in the United States Air Force, which included a detailed assessment on up to four minor children of aggression and its impact. The survey was the largest of its type ever conducted in the United States, allowing for stable, crossvalidated estimation of rates of both corporal punishment and physical abuse. Approximately 39% of children experienced corporal punishment, peaking at three years of age, and 7% experienced physical abuse, peaking at age six. About 45% of parents reported perpetrating corporal punishment and 8% abuse; these rates were higher in multi-child families and most often involved more than one child. Parent gender was not associated with physical aggression or abuse.
Genetic variants found in paediatric oncology patients with severe chemotherapy-induced toxicity: A case series
Authors: Bernsen EC , Hanff LM , Haveman LM , Tops BBJ , van der Lee M , Swen JJ , Huitema ADR , Diekstra MHM
Published: December 2022

Paediatric oncology patients who develop severe chemotherapy-induced toxicity that requires dose reduction, delay or termination of treatment are at risk of decreased treatment efficacy. Previous research has provided evidence that genetic variants in TPMT, NUDT15, UGT1A1 and DPYD are associated with toxicity of anticancer drugs. This led to pharmacogenetic guidelines that are integrated into clinical practice in paediatric oncology. Recently, novel genetic variants have been associated with a higher risk of developing chemotherapy-induced toxicity. In this case series, we selected 21 novel variants and genotyped these in nine patients with excessive chemotherapy-induced toxicity using whole exome sequencing or micro-array data. We observed that six out of nine patients carried at least one variant that, according to recent studies, potentially increased the risk of developing methotrexate- or vincristine-induced toxicity. As patient-derived genetic data are becoming widely accessible in paediatric oncology, these variants could potentially enter clinical practice to mitigate chemotherapy-induced toxicity.
Myxedema Coma: A Rare Case of Shock Post-Pericardial Window Procedure
Authors: Asllanaj Blerina , Olson Mark , McWhorter Yi
Published: December 2022

The clinical features of severe hypothyroidism vary in presentation, ranging from subclinical symptoms to multiorgan failure referred to as myxedema coma. The cornerstone treatments of myxedema coma include aggressive thyroid hormone replacement combined with excellent supportive care in the intensive care unit. We report a rare case of a 56-year-old female with history of hypothyroidism treated with levothyroxine, who developed myxedema coma post-pericardial window surgery for a large pericardial effusion. She was supported with substantial doses of vasopressors and inotropes for shock. In addition, she was initiated on lung-protection ventilation for acute respiratory distress syndrome. After the diagnosis of myxedema coma was made, she was started on intravenous levothyroxine and hydrocortisone with great sustained clinical response. This case illustrated myxedema coma as an unusual cause of shock in post-operative patients with past medical history of hypothyroidism.
Current Management of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Myeloid Blast Phase
Authors: Yohanan Binoy , George Binsah
Published: December 2022

Despite the major advancements in the management of chronic phase (CP) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), blast crisis (BC) remains a major therapeutic challenge. BC can be myeloid, lymphoid, or mixed lineage with myeloid BC being the most common type. BC in CML is mediated by aberrant tyrosine kinase activity of the BCR::ABL fusion protein. The introduction of BCR::ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) has been a gamechanger in the treatment of CML and there has been a significant reduction in the incidence of BC. The main treatment goal in BC is to achieve a second CP and consolidate that with an allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) in eligible patients. The outcomes in BC remain dismal even in the current era. In this review, we provide an overview of the biology and current therapeutic approach in myeloid BC.
Texture shape optimization induced higher load carrying capacity of sealing ring based on improved PSO algorithm
Authors: Gong Ran , Cheng Xing , Jiao Mei
Published: December 2022

An improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is presented to optimize the texture shape of the sealing ring in order to enhance the load carrying capacity (LCC). The shape optimization uses the unrelated generation method of the texture curves, and two splines are applied to fit the boundary of the texture to improve the continuity. The inertia factor is adjusted through the differential strategy to enhance the local optimization capacity. The optimization model is verified by two optimization cases. The optimized texture is bullet-shaped. The increase of inlet oil pressure transforms the optimized texture from the bullet shape to the inner spiral shape. In addition, the increase of the texture depth leads to the gradual elongation of the texture shape. The increase in the number of textures flattens the seal texture. The results shows that the improved PSO algorithm has high global optimization ability of the texture shape for the sealing ring in the vehicle transmission through appropriate parameter settings.
Effect of the micro-textured piston on the performance of a hermetic reciprocating compressor
Authors: Shahzad Aamir , Haque Umar Ul , Lazoglu Ismail
Published: December 2022

A hermetic reciprocating compressor is one of the most critical parts for the energy efficiency of a household refrigerator. Piston-cylinder contact in the hermetic compressor accounts for most of the energy loss. The tribological performance of the piston-cylinder pair can be enhanced by introducing micro-texturing on the piston surface. In this research, an experimental study is presented to tribologically assess the effect of the micro-textured piston on the performance of the hermetically sealed reciprocating compressor. The micro-texture on the piston surface was prepared by the laser surface texturing method. Four different micro-textures were studied: radial micro-grooves, axial micro-grooves, mesh micro-grooves, and micro-dimples. The textures’ size, shape, and depth were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and white light interferometry (WLI) techniques. The results were compared with the non-textured piston compressor. It was found that the radial, axial, and mesh micro-grooves pistons have a negative effect on the coefficient of performance of the hermetic reciprocating compressor. However, the piston with the micro-dimples texture increased the compressor's coefficient of performance by 1%. Refrigerant leakage from the piston-cylinder clearance was also investigated and it was observed that micro-dimples on the piston surface decrease the refrigerant leakage by 35% due to the presence of a continuous oil film between piston and cylinder. The compressor's cooling capacity (Qc) was observed to be increased by 1 W in the case of a micro-dimpled piston.
Effect of micro-grooved surface on the static and dynamic characteristics of journal bearings with misalignment
Authors: Li Peng , Shi Zhanqun , Zhang Hao , Li Xin , Xiao Sen , Gu Fengshou
Published: December 2022

This paper presents a hydrodynamic lubrication model to investigate the static and dynamic characteristics of micro-grooved bearings considering journal misalignment. An averaged Reynolds equation with the mass conservation is derived and numerical procedure is solved by the finite difference method. The influences of eccentricity ratio, misalignment and micro-groove parameters on lubrication performances of aligned/misaligned journal bearings are compared systematically. Mathematical expressions of five micro-grooves with different geometric shapes i.e., straight-groove, left spiral-groove, right spiral-groove, left herringbone-groove and right herringbone-groove are given. The results show that with the increase of degree of misalignment, the load carrying capacity, main stiffness and damping coefficients increase, and the friction coefficient decreases, while the effect of misalignment angle on bearing performance is opposite. The results also indicated that the left herringbone-groove has better performance improvement for aligned journal bearing, while the right spiral-groove has better performance improvement for misaligned journal bearing under the optimal micro-groove parameters, especially at low eccentricity ratio. Moreover, the amount of the performance improvement of micro-grooved bearing depends on the design of the micro-groove parameters. This study can provide theoretical guidance for the design optimization of micro-grooved journal bearings with misalignment.
Combining process tracing and synthetic control method: Bridging two ways of making causal inference in evaluation research
Authors: Podestà Federico
Published: December 2022

This article discusses potential ways of combining two methods of evaluation in single-case studies: the synthetic control method and the process tracing method. Both are designed to examine certain events/programmes that take place in given cases but view these events/programmes from different causal perspectives. Seeing an event/programme as a cause, synthetic control estimates its impact on one or more outcomes. Conversely, starting from a certain outcome, process tracing uncovers the causes responsible. One can start from the causal explanation reached via one of the two methods and then proceed to examine that explanation through the other method. Once the causes of an outcome are traced via a process tracing analysis, that account can be validated by estimating the effects of those causes via synthetic control. Equally, once the impact of a certain event is estimated through synthetic control, causal mechanisms traceable via process tracing can be exploited to refine that impact evaluation.
Contribution of semantic context to bilingual processing
Authors: Ghanim Iyad , Wambacq Ilse , Covey Lauren
Published: December 2022

Aims:

This paper seeks to determine the degree to which bilinguals and monolinguals use the semantic information available to them to activate semantically related lexical associates and facilitate processing.

Design:

We conduct a visual word masked priming task with 300 pairs of words that differed in forward strength of association in English-dominant early-acquiring and late bilinguals and monolinguals. We measured the reaction time for participants who completed a semantic judgment.

Data and Analysis:

Reaction times from 34 college-aged bilinguals and 28 monolinguals were analyzed with a series of analyses of variance (ANOVAs). The coefficient of variation (CV), a measure of efficiency, was calculated and used to compare speaker groups.

Conclusions:

Results indicated bilinguals were generally slower than monolinguals and did not display a benefit of additional semantic context on reaction time speed. The increase of semantic information in highly associated word pairs compared to unassociated word pairs did not increase reaction time in bilinguals to the same degree as it did in monolinguals. Comparing CV values indicate that the speaker groups were processing semantic information with approximately equal efficiency, although both groups were processing at different speeds.

Originality:

This study expands on previous research exploring the effect of semantic relations across three word strengths conditions and using visual pairs in a masked priming paradigm using predominantly English-dominant bilinguals.

Significance:

The findings indicate that even early-acquiring bilinguals may not be using meaning-related information to activate semantic associates in the same way as monolinguals. Such differences with word-level processing and activation may contribute to bilinguals’ differences and delays in sentence processing tasks.
Civil society elites’ challengers in the UK: A frontlash/backlash perspective
Authors: Ivanovska Hadjievska Milka
Published: December 2022

Amid growing polarisation in European societies, civil society elites, encompassing resource-rich, influential and often liberal-oriented civil society organisations (CSOs), are under increased attacks by conservative and progressive actors alike. This article aims to understand who challenges civil society elites, on what grounds, and with what means do they do so in the United Kingdom, by drawing on the cultural theory of frontlash/backlash. The article portrays two ideologically opposed challengers: one coming from within the charity sector in the form of the #CharitySoWhite campaign and another from outside the charity sector led by Conservative MPs, the Common Sense group. While these two challengers are not directly connected, they are part of the broader frontlash/backlash dynamic polarising public debates, with spillover effects in civil society. By applying a frontlash/backlash perspective, the article puts an emphasis on cultural cleavages as one of the central sources of polarisation in the civil space.
Shear behavior of web-embedded steel-concrete composite beam
Authors: Yang Yuanlong , Han Jinjun , Zhao Yi , Yu Yingying , Chen Yohchia F
Published: December 2022

To optimize conventional composite beam, this paper proposes a new steel-concrete composite beam without top flange, and discusses the shear behavior of this novel web-embedded steel-concrete composite beam (WSCB). Five patterns of embedded shear connectors are proposed, including the shapes of swallow tail, gear, modified gear, circular hole, and steel bar. A shear experiment on ten specimens with the shear span ratio λ = 1.5 were conducted, considering effects of the concrete slab width ( B) and the shear connector pattern. The experiments showed two typical shear failure modes depending on the shear connector type. All five kinds of shear connectors guaranteed good integral action in the specimens. The concrete slab width B shows an obvious positive effect on the shear capacity and ductility. Furthermore, a FE model was established and verified by the experimental results to investigate the shear mechanism of WSCB. According to the experimental and numerical analysis results, a specific calculation method for the shear capacity of the WSCB is proposed, which includes the contributions from the steel web and concrete slab.
Nearly one in five older adults in Danish nursing homes live with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Dynesen Anja W. , Pedersen Solvejg G.H. , Lorenzen Janne K. , Lehn Sara F.
Published: December 2022

Aim:

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) among Danish nursing home residents (aged ⩾65 years).

Methods:

Individuals with T2D in the Danish population of older adults in 2018 were identified using a Danish diabetes register based on administrative and clinical register data. Data on age, sex, type of housing, educational level and place of origin were obtained from various high-quality administrative registers. We calculated frequencies of T2D among older adults living in nursing homes and in other types of housing. We performed a multiple logistic regression analysis to estimate the odds ratio (OR) of T2D among people living in nursing homes and adjusted for sex, age, educational level and place of origin.

Results:

All Danish older adults aged ⩾65 years, alive and living in Denmark on 31 December 2018 were included ( N=1,170,517). Nursing home residents accounted for 37,891 older adults, and of these, 19% had T2D, whereas 14% of older adults living in other types of housing had T2D. According to the multiple logistic regression analysis, nursing home residents had a higher OR of having T2D compared to older adults living in other types of housing (OR=1.47; confidence interval 1.43–1.51) when adjusting for socio-demographic factors.

Conclusions:

The prevalence of T2D in nursing home residents exceeds the prevalence in the background population at ⩾65 years of age. This indicates a need for increased focus on individualised interdisciplinary care plans aimed at maintaining physical function and maximising quality of life for this group of vulnerable older adults.
Stochastic non-stationary characteristics of vehicle-induced bridge vibrations
Authors: Hua Xia , Xiao Feng , Chen Gang S , Zatar Wael , Hulsey Leroy J
Published: December 2022

Quantifying vehicle-bridge interaction mechanism is critical for bridge safety design, transportation weight control, condition assessments in maintenance, and structural health monitoring. In this paper, the stochastic non-stationary characteristics of a bridge under vehicle-bridge interaction are investigated. The response of the bridge under the loading of vehicles is, respectively, depicted in Fourier spectrum, spectrogram, and Hilbert spectrum. Both Fourier spectrum and spectrogram exhibit some cluster bands. The Hilbert spectrum exhibits time-varying frequencies in the proximity of low bridge natural modes, which suggests possible non-linear and non-stationary characteristics. The stochastic and non-stationary properties are further characterized by using bispectrum and recurrence analysis, and the weak nonlinear properties are characterized by using nonlinear invariants. The free-decay response of bridge (vehicle left the bridge) exhibits linear properties, which is correlated with the natural modes of bridge, whereas the bridge vibrations under moving vehicle exhibit complicated stochastic non-stationary and non-linear properties. These provide the insights into the conventional modal analysis-based approaches for heavy vehicle-loaded bridge condition assessments and structural health monitoring.
Cab-Over-Engine truck cabins: A mathematical model for dynamics, driver comfort, and suspension analysis and control
Authors: Lu Yukun , Khajepour Amir , Soltani Amir , Wang Yonggang , Zhen Ran , Liu Yegang , Li Guoqiang
Published: December 2022

Various cabin designs have been developed for commercial vehicles to meet different driver comfort requirements. Among those configurations, the cab-over-engine (COE) is widely used because of its compact size and good road visibility. Since the engine is assembled underneath the cabin, it is required that the cabin can be entirely tilted forward in order to access the engine for inspection and maintenance. Hence, the forepart of the cabin suspension is designed to connect with the chassis frame through a linkage mechanism. The dynamic modelling of this commonly used configuration was lack of study in the literature, but it is essential for further cabin's dynamic analysis and vibration control. Considering the rapid development of the comfort-oriented cabin suspension, this study introduces a multi-body dynamic modelling approach for the COE cabin with a titling mechanism. The dynamic equations are derived based on the Lagrangian modelling method, which are then implemented in MATLAB/Simulink. Besides, a high-fidelity truck model is developed in ADAMS/Car to study the accuracy of the proposed dynamic model through co-simulation. Meanwhile, a four-point cabin model that has been widely used in past studies is used as the benchmark. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed cabin dynamic model can accurately estimate the cabin's behaviour in vertical, roll, and pitch directions, which can be used for cabin dynamics, ride comfort, and cabin suspension control studies.
A window of opportunity? The relevance of the rotating European Union presidency in the public eye
Authors: Eisele Olga , Heidenreich Tobias , Kriegler Nina , Syed Ali Pamina , Boomgaarden Hajo G.
Published: December 2022

The rotating EU presidency's relevance for EU politics has decreased since the introduction of a permanent council president. However, news salience and framing of the own government acting as the EU presidency can amplify publicity for EU affairs. We, therefore, evaluate the visibility and framing of the EU presidency in 12 Austrian newspapers for 2009–2019. We conduct an automated text analysis of 22 presidencies over 11 years, testing several hypotheses statistically, and qualify results via manually coded frames of the Austrian EU presidency in 2018. The results confirm the crucial importance of the domestication of EU politics, underscoring the potential of the presidency to serve as a window of opportunity for public debate. We discuss our findings with reference to the EU's democratic deficit.
Religious instruction in the post-truth world: A critique of Australia’s controversial religious instruction classes in public schools
Authors: Bleazby Jennifer
Published: December 2022

Even though religious schools are common in Australia, many government schools provide religious instruction (RI) classes. Religious instruction involves students being segregated into faith based groups so as to receive instruction in the beliefs and practices of one religion. This practice also occurs in many other countries. In Australia, the provision of RI in government schools has become increasingly controversial, resulting in numerous government reviews, law and policy changes and frequent media coverage. In this paper, I examine Australia’s RI laws, policies and other relevant literature. I argue that RI aims to indoctrinate. Consequently, it may conflict with educational efforts to combat the sorts of thinking and problems that characterise the ‘post-truth world’ – that is, a world flooded with disinformation, conspiratorial thinking and science denialism, which fosters social divisiveness and undermines effective responses to serious global problems (e.g. COVID-19, climate change). A more educational alternative to teaching about religions is recommended.
Primary Ewings Sarcoma of the Inferior Vena Cava
Authors: Basu Shibaji , Penumadu Prasanth , Munuswamy Hemachandren , Srinivas Bheemanathi Hanuman , Gnanasekaran Senthil
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Sarcomas of vascular origin are rare. A case of Ewings sarcoma of Inferior Vena Cava [IVC] is reported here.

Report

A 36-year-old lady presented with a 6-month history of bilateral pitting lower limb swelling and 1-month history of vaginal bleeding. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the thorax and abdomen revealed a soft tissue lesion extending from the cavoatrial junction to the junction of the middle hepatic vein with IVC. She underwent IVC resection (suprahepatic) and left lateral hepatectomy with dacron graft reconstruction. The pathology was suggestive of Ewings sarcoma and she received adjuvant chemotherapy.

Conclusion

Preoperative tissue diagnosis can be considered in vascular tumors to sequence the various treatment modalities for improved outcomes.