bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pragmatic Prediction in the Processing of Referring Expressions Containing Scalar Quantifiers
Authors: Macuch Silva Vinicius , Franke Michael
Published: September 2021

Previous research in cognitive science and psycholinguistics has shown that language users are able to predict upcoming linguistic input probabilistically, pre-activating material on the basis of cues emerging from different levels of linguistic abstraction, from phonology to semantics. Current evidence suggests that linguistic prediction also operates at the level of pragmatics, where processing is strongly constrained by context. To test a specific theory of contextually-constrained processing, termed pragmatic surprisal theory here, we used a self-paced reading task where participants were asked to view visual scenes and then read descriptions of those same scenes. Crucially, we manipulated whether the visual context biased readers into specific pragmatic expectations about how the description might unfold word by word. Contrary to the predictions of pragmatic surprisal theory, we found that participants took longer reading the main critical term in scenarios where they were biased by context and pragmatic constraints to expect a given word, as opposed to scenarios where there was no pragmatic expectation for any particular referent.
Anxious and Angry: Emotional Responses to the COVID-19 Threat
Authors: Abadi David , Arnaldo Irene , Fischer Agneta
Published: September 2021

The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic elicits a vast amount of anxiety. In the current study, we investigated how anxiety related to COVID-19 is associated with support for and compliance with governmental hygiene measures, and how these are influenced by populist attitudes, anger at the government, and conspiracy mentalities. We conducted an online survey in April 2020 in four different countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK;N= 2,031) using a cross-sectional design. Results showed that (1) anxiety related to COVID-19 is associated with conspiracy beliefs, anger at the government, and populist attitudes, and (2) support for and compliance with hygiene measures are both positively predicted by anxiety related to COVID-19; however, (3) support for hygiene measures is also predicted by populist attitudes and negatively by conspiracy mentalities, whereas compliance with hygiene measures is more strongly predicted by anger at transgressors (anger at people transgressing the hygiene measures). Consequently, although anxiety related to COVID-19 concerns the health of individual people, it also has political and social implications: anxiety is associated with an increase in anger, either at transgressors or the government.
Relationships Between Teacher Feedback and Student Motivation: A Comparison Between Male and Female Students
Authors: Guo Wenjuan , Zhou Wenye
Published: September 2021

This study aimed to investigate gender differences in teacher feedback and students’ motivation in learning and their relationship patterns. In total, 1,082 secondary students in China (538 male and 544 female students) participated in this study. The results of MANOVAs suggested that language teachers provided less directive feedback but more criticism to male than female students. Male students reported less intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation and test anxiety than female students. The results of two-group structural equation modeling indicated that both male and female students’ motivation was best predicted by teachers’ scaffolding feedback and praise. Verification feedback had a negative correlation with female students’ extrinsic motivation and no significant correlation with male students’ motivation. Directive feedback had a negative correlation with male students’ intrinsic motivation and a positive correlation with female students’ extrinsic motivation. Further, teacher criticism only had a negative correlation with female students’ intrinsic motivation. Implications for future research as well as suggestions for teachers on how to improve male and female students’ motivation are discussed.
Role of Interface Design: A Comparison of Different Online Learning System Designs
Authors: Shi Aiqin , Huo Faren , Han Dongnan
Published: September 2021

Mobile devices are becoming an indispensable part of the daily lives and learning habits of older adults with the easy access of the Internet. It enhances the connection between old users and online education, which supplies an approach to cultivate them with innovative concepts and entrepreneurship of education. However, the complicated navigation of information systems (IS) confuses older adults, and gets them disoriented in searches of information, in addition, to influencing online activities for older adults. This study aims to investigate what kind of navigation of IS is suitable for older adults. A 2 × 2 (2 factors, 2 levels) mixed experimental design was employed. The two factors were, respectively, cognitive load (CL) and navigation structure (NS). A sample of 40 older participants (mean age = 64.37, SD = 4.03) performed online learning tasks in terms of innovative concept using linear hierarchical or mixed NSs under different time pressures. The results showed that linear hierarchical navigation is more appropriate for the elderly when learning and generating innovative concepts on smartphones, as the interaction between CL and NS exists. Overall, the findings combined suggest that the linear hierarchical NS, compared to mixed hierarchical navigation, obtained better usability in terms of task efficiency, CL, and subjective ratings. The findings can provide theoretical support for designers to design and develop mobile websites for older adults.
Embedded Philanthropic CSR in Digital China: Unified View of Prosocial and Pro-environmental Practices
Authors: Ye Qing , Rafique Zain , Zhou Rongting , Asmi Fahad , Anwar Muhammad Azfar , Siddiquei Ahmad Nabeel
Published: September 2021

In recent decades, China has transformed from a conventional society into a digitally competitive nation. From an economic perspective, embedded corporate social responsibility (CSR) is gaining a new height where gamified charity is a trendy approach. By adopting the norm activation model from the point of view of the stimulus–organism–response framework, this research theoretically conceptualized the role of the mobile application environment (including telepresence, functional transparency, and accessibility) to map the cognition and philanthropic behavioral intentions of consumers in the gamified setting. The quantified survey comprised 669 respondents. The findings highlighted the critical role of functional transparency and telepresence of a mobile application in driving consumers’ warm glow and ascribed responsibility. The research underlined the presence of the unique DNA of Internet Plus Charity (Public Benefits) for prosocial and pro-environmental purposes in China under the umbrella of philanthropic CSR.
Association Between Endocrine Markers, Accumulated Workload, and Fitness Parameters During a Season in Elite Young Soccer Players
Authors: Nobari Hadi , Mainer-Pardos Elena , Adsuar José Carmelo , Franco-García Juan Manuel , Rojo-Ramos Jorge , Cossio-Bolaños Marco Antonio , Urzua Alul Luis , Pérez-Gómez Jorge
Published: September 2021

The purpose of this study was to analyze differences between endocrine markers in soccer players, based on playing positions, and correlations between endocrine markers (testosterone, cortisol, growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor-1), with accumulated workload training and fitness parameters [maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), countermovement jump (CMJ), and isometric maximal strength (1-RM) of the knee for hamstring (ISH) and quadriceps (ISQ) muscles] during early-, mid-, and end-seasons. Twenty-four elite soccer players under 17 participated in this study. The results showed that there was no difference between levels of the endocrine markers among the different positions of the players. Significant correlations were observed between endocrines parameters and fitness performance (ISQ, ISH, VO2max, and CMJ). Regression analysis showed that 1-RM and VO2max were the best predictors of endocrine markers. These findings demonstrated that the activity profiles of youth soccer players were not influenced by endocrine markers. Also, it may be assumed that endocrines levels can be used to better explain the physical capacities of this population. Finally, endocrines markers may help to predict changes in 1-RM and VO2max.
Teamwork: A Systematic Review of Implications From Psychosocial Constructs for Research and Practice in the Performance of Ultimate Frisbee Games
Authors: Amoroso José Pedro , Rebelo-Gonçalves Ricardo , Antunes Raul , Coakley Jay , Teques Pedro , Valente-dos-Santos João , Furtado Guilherme Eustáquio
Published: September 2021

Introduction: Ultimate Frisbee (UF) is a non-contact, challenging, and self-promoted team sport. Some factors such as the game environment and rules seem to influence athletes' behavior. Goals: Provide a robust systematic review (SR) of the psychological domains associated with UF.

Methods: A SR according to Cochrane guidelines was completed. A reproducible search strategy was conducted by two independent reviewers in thirteen online databases: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, SCOPUS, B-On, SportDiscus, Scielo; APA PsycINFO, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences; Academic Search Complete; Medline (PubMed); ERIC; Google Scholar; Open Acess Thesis and Dissertations. The search occurred from 1st to 30th June 2020, and there were no limitations regarding the year of publication. Original papers that contained relevant data regarding psychological domains in the context of UF in English, Portuguese and Spanish were selected. The combination of the main terms “ultimate frisbee” and “sport psychology” was used in all databases. A total of 464 studies were identified and selected in the last phase of selection. After the Screening (n = 301) and Eligibility (n = 71) phases, a total of 30 potential papers were selected and classified. Finally, only four papers were qualified to be included in the final version of SR.

Results: The psychological dimensions revealed in the present study were: leadership; basic psychological needs; behaviors; task cohesion and performance; intrateam communication; performance-avoidance goals; friendship goals; sportsmanship associated with goal-directed self-talk and self-regulated learning.

Discussion: To our knowledge, this is the first SR about UF. In reviewing all the findings in the studies, there is evidence that UF can promote teamwork, task cohesion, leadership, and increase friendship-approach goals.

Conclusion: The results revealed that group goals and promoting teamwork significantly predicted social cohesion and that teamwork and task cohesion was mediated by communication. UF is characterized by communication between all players, whether they are from the same team or the opposing team. In summary, the current study revealed real-time information about the game and its rules. This is important because UF is one of the few team sports worldwide that are self-referred by participants.

Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=169294, identifier: CRD42020169294.
Identification of Methamphetamine Abstainers by Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Dong Tingting , Huang Qiuping , Huang Shucai , Xin Jiang , Jia Qiaolan , Gao Yang , Shen Hongxian , Tang Yan , Zhang Hao
Published: September 2021

Methamphetamine (MA) can cause brain structural and functional impairment, but there are few studies on whether this difference will sustain on MA abstainers. The purpose of this study is to investigate the correlation of brain networks in MA abstainers. In this study, 47 people detoxified for at least 14 months and 44 normal people took a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) scan. A dynamic (i.e., time-varying) functional connectivity (FC) is obtained by applying sliding windows in the time courses on the independent components (ICs). The windowed correlation data for each IC were then clustered by k-means. The number of subjects in each cluster was used as a new feature for individual identification. The results show that the classifier achieved satisfactory performance (82.3% accuracy, 77.7% specificity, and 85.7% sensitivity). We find that there are significant differences in the brain networks of MA abstainers and normal people in the time domain, but the spatial differences are not obvious. Most of the altered functional connections (time-varying) are identified to be located at dorsal default mode network. These results have shown that changes in the correlation of the time domain may play an important role in identifying MA abstainers. Therefore, our findings provide valuable insights in the identification of MA and elucidate the pathological mechanism of MA from a resting-state functional integration point of view.
The Role of Teacher-Student Relatedness and Teachers' Engagement on Students' Engagement in EFL Classrooms
Authors: Gan Shiyuan
Published: September 2021

Relationships in language contexts or interactions between teachers and learners might play an eminent role in EFL learners' language ability development. The current review brings to the fore an overview of teacher-student relationships and factors that contribute to this interaction. It has been revealed that EFL teachers' and learners' expectations, beliefs, personality, knowledge, and the language teaching context all play a role in creating an adequate relationship among teachers and learners. This overview suggests several practical tasks to develop a positive relationship between teachers and learners in EFL classrooms.
A “Proof of Concept” Randomized Controlled Trial of a Video Game Requiring Emotional Regulation to Augment Anger Control Training
Authors: Ducharme Peter , Kahn Jason , Vaudreuil Carrie , Gusman Michaela , Waber Deborah , Ross Abigail , Rotenberg Alexander , Rober Ashley , Kimball Kara , Peechatka Alyssa L. , Gonzalez-Heydrich Joseph
Published: September 2021

Emotional dysregulation leading to clinically significant anger and aggression is a common and substantial concern for youth and their families. While psychotropic medications and cognitive behavioral therapies can be effective, these modalities suffer from drawbacks such as significant side effects, high rates of attrition, and lack of real-world skill translation. Regulate and Gain Emotional Control (RAGE-Control) is a video game designed as an engaging augment to existing treatments. The game facilitates emotional regulation skill building through practice modulating physiological arousal while completing a challenging inhibitory task. We compared reduction in anger, aggression, oppositionality, and global severity between two treatment conditions: Anger Control Training (ACT) augmented with RAGE-Control and ACT with a sham version of the game, in a pilot double-blind randomized controlled trial. To begin to understand mechanisms of change, we examined heart rate during game play over the course of the study and explored associations between symptom changes and heart rate changes.

Materials and Methods: Forty youth with clinically significant anger dyscontrol (age 10–17) were randomly assigned to 10 sessions of ACT with RAGE-Control or ACT with sham video game.

Results: Both treatments similarly reduced self-reported anger. However, ACT with RAGE-Control led to larger improvements in aggression (CI: −17 to −1.0, ES: 0.55, p = 0.015); oppositionality (CI: −9.0 to −7e-6, ES: 0.48, p = 0.032); and global severity (CI: −1.0 to −5e-6, ES: 0.51, p = 0.023) relative to sham. Participants in the RAGE-Control group saw a decrease in median heart rate during game play (β = 1.2, p < 0.001). Larger pre to post decreases in heart rate were significantly associated with larger pre to post decreases in aggression and oppositional behaviors.

Discussion: Augmenting ACT with RAGE-Control reduced behavioral expression of anger, but not the experience of angry feelings, as compared to ACT with a sham version of the game. Increased heart rate control, demonstrated by reduction in median heart rate during gameplay, was associated with decreased aggression and oppositional behavior. Together these findings support that augmenting traditional treatment with technology facilitating heart rate control through skill practice translates to enhancements in real-life behavioral change. Therefore, further exploration into engaging skill-focused games such as RAGE-Control is warranted.

Clinical Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT01551732.
A Quasi-Experimental Study on the Effectiveness of Compulsory and Voluntary Treatment Settings for 1,299 Drug Abusers in Hunan, China
Authors: Huang Kai , Yu Caihua , Chen Xinxin , Hao Yuzhu , Ding Yudan , Wu Zhenzhen , Wang Xuyi
Published: September 2021

Background: Although the type and structure of substance abuse treatment have changed, the overall approaches of drug rehabilitation in China has remained largely unchanged. Evidence of effectiveness for compulsory drug rehabilitation centers (CRCs) and voluntary drug rehabilitation centers (VRCs) remains mixed. The main objective of our study is to reveal the outcomes of CRCs and VRCs and examine the factors associated with relapse in these two centers.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we recruited a total of 1,299 drug abusers in Hunan Province, 709 from CRCs and 590 from VRC, respectively. We used Pearson chi-squared test and t-test to examine the differences in demographics and drug-related characteristics. Binary logic regression was used to examine the relationship between important factors and relapse in CRCs and VRC.

Results: Patients from CRCs and VRC significantly differed in age, sex, types of drug used, medical illness, education, occupation, mental illness, and marital status. After drug rehabilitation, both groups both had improved in occupation, family support, and social function (p < 0.05). In addition, employment and family support were significantly associated with a decreased risk of relapse (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: This study revealed that compulsory rehabilitation is as effective as voluntary rehabilitation in (1) getting jobs and increasing monthly income, (2) having a good relationship with family, and (3) becoming more satisfied with their spared time. The components of these two settings were very different and may imply the necessity of these two approaches in China. In addition, employment and family support may prevent relapse.
Urban–Rural Differences in Patterns and Associated Factors of Multimorbidity Among Older Adults in China: A Cross-Sectional Study Based on Apriori Algorithm and Multinomial Logistic Regression
Authors: Zhang Chichen , Xiao Shujuan , Shi Lei , Xue Yaqing , Zheng Xiao , Dong Fang , Zhang Jiachi , Xue Benli , Lin Huang , Ouyang Ping
Published: September 2021

Introduction: Multimorbidity has become one of the key issues in the public health sector. This study aimed to explore the urban–rural differences in patterns and associated factors of multimorbidity in China and to provide scientific reference for the development of health management strategies to reduce health inequality between urban and rural areas.

Methods: A cross-sectional study, which used a multi-stage random sampling method, was conducted effectively among 3,250 participants in the Shanxi province of China. The chi-square test was used to compare the prevalence of chronic diseases among older adults with different demographic characteristics. The Apriori algorithm and multinomial logistic regression were used to explore the patterns and associated factors of multimorbidity among older adults, respectively.

Results: The findings showed that 30.3% of older adults reported multimorbidity, with significantly higher proportions in rural areas. Among urban older adults, 10 binary chronic disease combinations with strong association strength were obtained. In addition, 11 binary chronic disease combinations and three ternary chronic disease combinations with strong association strength were obtained among rural older adults. In rural and urban areas, there is a large gap in patterns and factors associated with multimorbidity.

Conclusions: Multimorbidity was prevalent among older adults, which patterns mainly consisted of two or three chronic diseases. The patterns and associated factors of multimorbidity varied from urban to rural regions. Expanding the study of urban–rural differences in multimorbidity will help the country formulate more reasonable public health policies to maximize the benefits of medical services for all.
Bio-Inspired Knee Joint: Trends in the Hardware Systems Development
Authors: Etoundi Appolinaire C. , Semasinghe Chathura L. , Agrawal Subham , Dobner Alexander , Jafari Aghil
Published: September 2021

The knee joint is a complex structure that plays a significant role in the human lower limb for locomotion activities in daily living. However, we are still not quite there yet where we can replicate the functions of the knee bones and the attached ligaments to a significant degree of success. This paper presents the current trend in the development of knee joints based on bio-inspiration concepts and modern bio-inspired knee joints in the research field of prostheses, power-assist suits and mobile robots. The paper also reviews the existing literature to describe major turning points during the development of hardware and control systems associated with bio-inspired knee joints. The anatomy and biomechanics of the knee joint are initially presented. Then the latest bio-inspired knee joints developed within the last 10 years are briefly reviewed based on bone structure, muscle and ligament structure and control strategies. A leg exoskeleton is then introduced for enhancing the functionality of the human lower limb that lacks muscle power. The design consideration, novelty of the design and the working principle of the proposed knee joint are summarized. Furthermore, the simulation results and experimental results are also presented and analyzed. Finally, the paper concludes with design difficulties, design considerations and future directions on bio-inspired knee joint design. The aim of this paper is to be a starting point for researchers keen on understanding the developments throughout the years in the field of bio-inspired knee joints.
A Perturbed Postural Balance Test Using an Instrumented Treadmill – Precision and Accuracy of Belt Movement and Test-Retest Reliability of Balance Measures
Authors: Lesch Kim J. , Lavikainen Jere , Hyrylä Vesa , Vartiainen Paavo , Venojärvi Mika , Karjalainen Pasi A. , Tikkanen Heikki , Stenroth Lauri
Published: September 2021

A perturbed postural balance test can be used to investigate balance control under mechanical disturbances. The test is typically performed using purpose-built movable force plates. As instrumented treadmills become increasingly common in biomechanics laboratories and in clinical settings, these devices could be potentially used to assess and train balance control. The purpose of the study was to investigate how an instrumented treadmill applies to perturbed postural balance test. This was investigated by assessing the precision and reliability of the treadmill belt movement and the test-retest reliability of perturbed postural balance test over 5 days. Postural balance variables were calculated from the center of pressure trajectory and included peak displacement, time to peak displacement, and recovery displacement. Additionally, the study investigated short-term learning effects over the 5 days. Eight healthy participants (aged 24–43 years) were assessed for 5 consecutive days with four different perturbation protocols. Center of pressure (COP) data were collected using the force plates of the treadmill while participant and belt movements were measured with an optical motion capture system. The results show that the treadmill can reliably deliver the intended perturbations with <1% deviation in total displacement and with minimal variability between days and participants (typical errors 0.06–2.71%). However, the treadmill was not able to reach the programmed 4 m/s2 acceleration, reaching only about 75% of it. Test–retest reliability of the selected postural balance variables ranged from poor to good (ICC 0.156–0.752) with typical errors between 4.3 and 28.2%. Learning effects were detected based on linear or quadratic trends (p < 0.05) in peak displacement of the slow forward and fast backward protocols and in time to peak displacement in slow and fast backward protocols. The participants altered the initial location of the COP relative to the foot depending on the direction of the perturbation. In conclusion, the precision and accuracy of belt movement were found to be excellent. Test-retest reliability of the balance test utilizing an instrumented treadmill ranged from poor to good which is, in line with previous investigations using purpose-built devices for perturbed postural balance assessment.
Case Report: A Novel Ventilated Thermoplastic Mesh Bandage for Post-operative Management of Large Soft Tissue Defects: A Case Series of Three Dogs Treated With Autologous Platelet Concentrates
Authors: Berni Priscilla , Leonardi Fabio , Conti Virna , Ramoni Roberto , Grolli Stefano , Mattioli Giovanni
Published: September 2021

A ventilated thermoplastic mesh bandage was used for the post-operative management of large soft tissue defects in three dogs. Once the granulation tissue appeared, the wounds were treated with liquid or jellified autologous platelet concentrates, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Platelet Lysate (PL), to improve the wound healing process. After cleaning the wound with sterile physiological solution, a dressing was performed with several layers of cotton. A window through the layers of cotton was opened above the wound. Then, the platelet concentrate was topically applied, and the bandage was completed by placing, over the access window, a ventilated thermoplastic mesh modeled according to the size and shape of the wound. After 24 h, it was replaced by a low adhesion bandage. The thermoplastic mesh avoids the direct contact between the wound and the external layers of the bandage, preventing the drainage of the topical agent and the removal of the growing healthy granulation tissue. The bandage proposed in this study is easily applied by the veterinarian and well-tolerated by the animal, ensuring high welfare standards in stressed patients presenting compromised clinical conditions.
How Can Gamified Applications Drive Engagement and Brand Attitude? The Case of Nike Run Club Application
Authors: Rodrigues Ivo , Lopes João M. , Borges Ana , Oliveira José , Oliveira Márcio
Published: September 2021

This research aims to analyze the feasibility of gamified applications as a tool to promote engagement and brand attitude. To accomplish this, this research was developed using a quantitative methodology. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed and the model hypotheses were tested by a structural equation modeling (SEM). A questionnaire was applied to Portuguese consumers who use the “Nike Run Club” application, from which 203 valid responses were received. The results confirm the influence of social circles and their impact on the intention to interact with the brand. For theoretical contributions, this research contributes to the existing literature and academic knowledge in the areas of marketing and gamification, providing a suggestion for the TAM model to be used in this type of research. It also contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between gamification and marketing, demonstrating that the use of gamified applications as engagement tools can have a positive impact on the brand attitude. On the practical side, it contributes as a consultation tool for brands, application designers, and marketers when defining engagement strategies, allowing a better understanding of the factors that may or may not influence the public’s relationship with the brands and what dynamics they should use in the development of new Gamified marketing solutions.
Microstructure Evolution Mechanism of Geopolymers with Exposure to High-Temperature Environment
Authors: Lu Yuanen , Cui Na , Xian Yougong , Liu Jiaqing , Xing Chao , Xie Ning , Wang Dawei
Published: September 2021

The investigation on geopolymers has intrigued broad interests in the past decades, due to the requirements for the recycling of aluminosilicate solid wastes, such as red mud, slags, sludges and demolished concrete. Previous studies have demonstrated the feasibility of reusing this Aluminosilicate as a resource to prepare cementitious materials and indicated their promising properties at ambient temperature. However, when this material was exposed to high temperatures, especially above 1000 °C, the microstructure evolution mechanisms were not systematically investigated. In this study, the microstructural evolution process of metakaolin-based K geopolymer (molar ratio of K:Al:Si was 1:1:4) is investigated. The crystalized leucite originated from the geopolymer precursor was detected above 1000 °C. The SEM results indicate that the microstructure of the geopolymer before heating was composed of non-reacted metakaolin with a typical layered structure and reacted amorphous binder phase. As the geopolymer heated to 1000 °C, the microstructure of the geopolymer changed to a porous structure with an average pore size from 10 to 30 μm. When the heating temperature reached 1100 °C, the pores started to close along with the leucite crystallization process. As the heating temperature reached 1200 °C, most of the pores were closed. The TEM results show that the microstructure of the geopolymer, after being heated to 1400 °C, was composed of an amorphous glassy phase and crystallized leucite phase. The crystallized leucite grains originated from the nano-sized crystal nuclei, with an average size of 2–3 nm. The TEM-EDS results indicate that the chemical composition of the glassy phase was complicated. It varied from area to area because of the movement and uneven distribution of K.
Phase Transition in Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MONDian) Self-Gravitating Systems
Authors: Zhoolideh Haghighi Mohammad Hossein , Rahvar Sohrab , Rahimi Tabar Mohammad Reza
Published: September 2021

We study the statistical mechanics of binary systems under the gravitational interaction of the Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) in three-dimensional space. Considering the binary systems in the microcanonical and canonical ensembles, we show that in the microcanonical systems, unlike the Newtonian gravity, there is a sharp phase transition, with a high-temperature homogeneous phase and a low-temperature clumped binary one. Defining an order parameter in the canonical systems, we find a smoother phase transition and identify the corresponding critical temperature in terms of the physical parameters of the binary system.
Design and Modeling of Metallic Bipolar Plates for a Fuel Cell Range Extender
Authors: Reimer Uwe , Nikitsina Ekaterina , Janßen Holger , Müller Martin , Froning Dieter , Beale Steven B. , Lehnert Werner
Published: September 2021

Fuel cells, designed for mobile applications, should feature compact and low-weight designs. This study describes a design process that fulfills the specific needs of target applications and the production process. The key challenge for this type of metallic bipolar plate is that the combination of two plates creates three flow fields, namely an anode side, a cathode side, and a coolant. This illustrates the fact that each cell constitutes an electrochemical converter with an integrated heat exchanger. The final arrangement is comprised of plates with parallel and separate serpentine channel configurations. The anode and cathode sides are optimized for operation under dry conditions. The final plate offers an almost perfect distribution of coolant flow over the active area. The high quality of this distribution is almost independent of the coolant mass flow, even if one of the six inlet channels is blocked. The software employed (OpenFOAM and SALOME) is freely available and can be used with templates.
DCM Boost PFC for High Brightness LED Driver Applications
Authors: Tayar Tal , Abramovitz Alexander , Shmilovitz Doron
Published: September 2021

This paper is concerned with the derivation of a discontinuous conduction mode boost PFC rectifier as a driver for high-power LED lighting applications. The proposed driver is operated in the current mode regime while emulating a resistance towards the line, thus attaining a near unity power factor and low total harmonic distortion of the line current. Theoretical analysis is reported and conditions for the low LED flicker are derived. A method of design for minimum THD is also suggested. Simulation and experimental results are reported.
Numerical Analysis of Minimum Ground Temperature for Heat Extraction in Horizontal Ground Heat Exchangers
Authors: Leski Krystian , Luty Przemysław , Gwadera Monika , Larwa Barbara
Published: September 2021

In this work, numerical simulation calculations were performed to investigate the minimum ground temperature that occurs when extracting thermal energy in a horizontal ground heat exchanger system in the Central European climate. The influence of ground thermal conductivity, heat flux extracted from the ground, periodic interruptions in the operation of the heat exchanger, periodic supply of heat energy to the ground, relative humidity of the ambient air, evaporation rate coefficient, and convective heat transfer coefficient on the ground minimum temperature were investigated. Based on the simulation, it was found that the high value of ground thermal conductivity favorably affects the operation of the installation with a ground heat exchanger. Both the reduction of the maximum heat flux taken from the ground, as well as periodic interruptions in the operation of the exchanger effectively protects the ground against excessive cooling. Further, it was found that heat supply to the ground in summer only slightly raises its minimum temperature, as well as the decrease of the relative humidity of the ambient air and evaporation rate coefficient. The change of the convective heat transfer coefficient has no significant impact on the minimum annual ground temperature.
Performance of Pure Crossflow Heat Exchanger in Sensible Heat Transfer Application
Authors: Silaipillayarputhur Karthik , Al-Mughanam Tawfiq
Published: September 2021

All process industries involve the usage of heat exchanger equipment and understanding its performance during the design phase is very essential. The present research work specifies the performance of a pure cross flow heat exchanger in terms of dimensionless factors such as number of transfer units, capacity rate ratio, and heat exchanger effectiveness. Steady state sensible heat transfer was considered in the analysis. The matrix approach that was established in the earlier work was used in the study. The results were depicted in the form of charts, tables, and performance equations. It was observed that indeterminately increasing the number of transfer units past a threshold limit provided very marginal improvement in the performance of a pure cross flow heat exchanger. Likewise, flow pattern in a heat exchanger is usually assumed either as mixed or unmixed. However, due to various operating conditions, partially mixed conditions do exist. This work considers partially mixed conditions in the tube side of the heat exchanger. The correction factor for heat exchanger effectiveness was developed to accommodate partially mixed flow conditions in the pure cross flow heat exchanger.
Estimating Occupational Exposure to VOCs, SVOCs, Particles and Participant Survey Reported Symptoms in Central Thailand Rice Farmers Using Multiple Sampling Techniques
Authors: Norkaew Saowanee , Phanprasit Wantanee , Robson Mark Gregory , Woskie Susan , Buckley Brian T.
Published: September 2021

Thailand is known for its agricultural productivity and rice exportation. Most farms use small machines and manual labor, creating potential exposure to multiple health hazards. A cross-sectional study was conducted to measure pollutants liberated during preparation, pesticide application, and harvesting. Thirty rice farmers, mostly males from 41 to 50 years old, participated. The participant survey data showed that 53.3% of the respondents spent >2 h per crop on preparation, <1 h on pesticide application, and about 1–2 h harvesting; 86.7% of the respondents maintained and stored mechanical applicators at home, suggesting possible after-work exposures. Gloves, fabric masks, boots, and hats were worn during all activities, and >90% wore long sleeved shirts and pants. VOCs and SVOCs were collected using charcoal tubes and solid phase micro sample extraction (SPME). An analysis of the charcoal and SPME samplers found that 30 compounds were detected overall and that 10 were in both the charcoal tubes and SPME samplers. The chemicals most often detected were 1, 1, 1 Trichloro ethane and xylene. Additionally, farmers experienced the highest exposure to particulates during harvesting. These results demonstrated that farmers experience multiple exposures while farming and that risk communication with education or training programs may mitigate exposure.
Relationships of Gut Microbiota Composition, Short-Chain Fatty Acids and Polyamines with the Pathological Response to Neoadjuvant Radiochemotherapy in Colorectal Cancer Patients
Authors: Sánchez-Alcoholado Lidia , Laborda-Illanes Aurora , Otero Ana , Ordóñez Rafael , González-González Alicia , Plaza-Andrades Isaac , Ramos-Molina Bruno , Gómez-Millán Jaime , Queipo-Ortuño María Isabel
Published: September 2021

Emerging evidence has suggested that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota may influence the drug efficacy of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients during cancer treatment by modulating drug metabolism and the host immune response. Moreover, gut microbiota can produce metabolites that may influence tumor proliferation and therapy responsiveness. In this study we have investigated the potential contribution of the gut microbiota and microbial-derived metabolites such as short chain fatty acids and polyamines to neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy (RCT) outcome in CRC patients. First, we established a profile for healthy gut microbiota by comparing the microbial diversity and composition between CRC patients and healthy controls. Second, our metagenomic analysis revealed that the gut microbiota composition of CRC patients was relatively stable over treatment time with neoadjuvant RCT. Nevertheless, treated patients who achieved clinical benefits from RTC (responders, R) had significantly higher microbial diversity and richness compared to non-responder patients (NR). Importantly, the fecal microbiota of the R was enriched in butyrate-producing bacteria and had significantly higher levels of acetic, butyric, isobutyric, and hexanoic acids than NR. In addition, NR patients exhibited higher serum levels of spermine and acetyl polyamines (oncometabolites related to CRC) as well as zonulin (gut permeability marker), and their gut microbiota was abundant in pro-inflammatory species. Finally, we identified a baseline consortium of five bacterial species that could potentially predict CRC treatment outcome. Overall, our results suggest that the gut microbiota may have an important role in the response to cancer therapies in CRC patients.
Improving the Rice Photosynthetic Efficiency and Yield by Editing OsHXK1 via CRISPR/Cas9 System
Authors: Zheng Shaoyan , Ye Chanjuan , Lu Jingqin , Liufu Jiamin , Lin Lin , Dong Zequn , Li Jing , Zhuang Chuxiong
Published: September 2021

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an important food crop species in China. Cultivating high-yielding rice varieties that have a high photosynthetic efficiency is an important goal of rice breeding in China. In recent years, due to the continual innovation of molecular breeding methods, many excellent genes have been applied in rice breeding, which is highly important for increasing rice yields. In this paper, the hexokinase gene OsHXK1 was knocked out via the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing method in the indica rice varieties Huanghuazhan, Meixiangzhan, and Wushansimiao, and OsHXK1-CRISPR/Cas9 lines were obtained. According to the results of a phenotypic analysis and agronomic trait statistics, the OsHXK1-CRISPR/Cas9 plants presented increased light saturation points, stomatal conductance, light tolerance, photosynthetic products, and rice yields. Moreover, transcriptome analysis showed that the expression of photosynthesis-related genes significantly increased. Taken together, our results revealed that knocking out OsHXK1 via the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing method could effectively lead to the cultivation of high-photosynthetic efficiency and high-yielding rice varieties. They also revealed the important roles of OsHXK1 in the regulation of rice yield and photosynthesis.
Topic Models Ensembles for AD-HOC Information Retrieval
Authors: Ormeño Pablo , Mendoza Marcelo , Valle Carlos
Published: September 2021

Ad hoc information retrieval (ad hoc IR) is a challenging task consisting of ranking text documents for bag-of-words (BOW) queries. Classic approaches based on query and document text vectors use term-weighting functions to rank the documents. Some of these methods’ limitations consist of their inability to work with polysemic concepts. In addition, these methods introduce fake orthogonalities between semantically related words. To address these limitations, model-based IR approaches based on topics have been explored. Specifically, topic models based on Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) allow building representations of text documents in the latent space of topics, the better modeling of polysemy and avoiding the generation of orthogonal representations between related terms. We extend LDA-based IR strategies using different ensemble strategies. Model selection obeys the ensemble learning paradigm, for which we test two successful approaches widely used in supervised learning. We study Boosting and Bagging techniques for topic models, using each model as a weak IR expert. Then, we merge the ranking lists obtained from each model using a simple but effective top-k list fusion approach. We show that our proposal strengthens the results in precision and recall, outperforming classic IR models and strong baselines based on topic models.
Cow Rump Identification Based on Lightweight Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Hou Handan , Shi Wei , Guo Jinyan , Zhang Zhe , Shen Weizheng , Kou Shengli
Published: September 2021

Individual identification of dairy cows based on computer vision technology shows strong performance and practicality. Accurate identification of each dairy cow is the prerequisite of artificial intelligence technology applied in smart animal husbandry. While the rump of each dairy cow also has lots of important features, so do the back and head, which are also important for individual recognition. In this paper, we propose a non-contact cow rump identification method based on convolutional neural networks. First, the rump image sequences of the cows while feeding were collected. Then, an object detection model was applied to detect the cow rump object in each frame of image. Finally, a fine-tuned convolutional neural network model was trained to identify cow rumps. An image dataset containing 195 different cows was created to validate the proposed method. The method achieved an identification accuracy of 99.76%, which showed a better performance compared to other related methods and a good potential in the actual production environment of cow husbandry, and the model is light enough to be deployed in an edge-computing device.
Multi-Institutional Study of Dorsal Onlay Urethroplasty of the Membranous Urethra after Endoscopic Prostate Procedures: Operative Results, Continence, Erectile Function and Patient Reported Outcomes
Authors: Angulo Javier C. , Dorado Juan F. , Policastro Connor G. , Martins Francisco E. , Rourke Keith , Ramírez Erick A. , Simhan Jay , Li Eric S. , Rusilko Paul , Venkatesan Krishnan , Warner Jonathan N. , Gago Jaime , Arance Ignacio , Nikolavsky Dmitriy
Published: September 2021

(1) Background: To critically evaluate dorsal onlay buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty (DOBMGU) for posterior urethral stenosis repair following transurethral resection and other endoscopic prostate procedures. (2) Methods: A retrospective multi-institutional review of patients with membranous or bulbomembranous urethral stenosis for whom treatment with DOBMGU was conducted after receipt of prostate endoscopic procedures. Baseline data, peri-operative care, post-operative care and patient-reported outcomes were analyzed. The primary outcomes were procedural failure and development of de novo stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The secondary outcomes were changes in voiding, sexual function and patient satisfaction. (3) Results: A total of 107 men with a mean age of 69 ± 9.5 years and stenosis length of 3.5 ± 1.8 cm were included. Prior endoscopic procedures among participants were 47 patients (44%) with monopolar TURP, 33 (30.8%) with bipolar TURP, 16 (15%) with Greenlight laser, 9 (8.4%) with Holmium laser enucleation and 2 (1.9%) with bladder neck incision. At a mean follow-up time of 59.3 ± 45.1 months, stenosis recurred in 10 patients (9.35%). Multivariate analysis confirmed that postoperative complications (OR 12.5; p = 0.009), history of radiation (OR 8.3; p = 0.016) and ≥2 dilatations before urethroplasty (OR 8.3; p = 0.032) were independent predictors of recurrence. Only one patient (0.9%) developed de novo SUI. Patients experienced significant improvement in PVR (128 to 60 cc; p = 0.001), Uroflow (6.2 to 16.8 cc/s; p = 0.001), SHIM (11.5 to 11.7; p = 0.028), IPSS (20 to 7.7; p < 0.001) and QoL (4.4 to 1.7; p < 0.001), and 87 cases (81.3%) reported a GRA of + 2 or better. (4) Conclusions: DOBMGU is an effective and safe option for patients with posterior urethral stenosis following TURP and other prostate endoscopic procedures. This non-transecting approach minimizes external urinary sphincter manipulation, thus limiting postoperative risk of SUI or erectile dysfunction.
The Prognosis of Baseline Mitral Regurgitation in Patients with Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation
Authors: Zhang Juqian , Bisson Arnaud , Boumhidi Jad , Herbert Julien , Saint Etienne Christophe , Bernard Anne , Lip Gregory Y.H. , Fauchier Laurent
Published: September 2021

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the most common valvular lesion in transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) recipients. This study aims to assess the long-term prognostic impact of baseline MR in TAVI patients. Methods: Adult patients who underwent TAVI were identified in the French National Hospital Discharge Database. All-cause and cardiovascular mortality, stroke, and rehospitalization with heart failure (HF) were compared in TAVI patients with and without baseline MR and tricuspid regurgitation (TR), respectively; the associations of MR and TR with the outcomes were assessed by Cox regression. Results: Baseline MR was identified in 8240 TAVI patients. Patients with baseline MR have higher yearly incidence of all-cause mortality (HR: 1.192, 95% confidence interval CI: 1.125–1.263), cardiovascular mortality (HR: 1.313, 95%CI: 1.210–1.425), and rehospitalization for heart failure (HF) (HR: 1.411, 95%CI: 1.340–1.486) compared to those without, except for stroke rate (HR: 0.988, 95%CI: 0.868–1.124). Neither baseline MR nor TR was an independent risk predictor for all-cause mortality or cardiovascular mortality in TAVI patients. Baseline MR was independently associated with rehospitalization for HF in TAVI patients. Conclusions: Baseline MR and TR were associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality post-TAVI, however, neither of them was independent predictor for all-cause or cardiovascular mortality.