bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Advances in Peripheral Nerve Injury Repair with the Application of Nanomaterials
Authors: Zhu Jianqiang , Fu Qingfeng , Song Lujie , Liu Leyi , Zheng Zhiwen , Xu Yong , Zhang Zhihong
Published: May 2022

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is a relatively common disease caused by various circumstances, ultimately affecting the life quality of patients. Although existing medications and surgical interventions have particular benefits for nerve repair, more effective therapeutic strategies are urgently needed for various types of nerve injuries. Increasing investigations of nanomaterials have demonstrated their excellent biological properties, such as biocompatibility, permeability, degradability, high medicine loading efficacy, suitable mechanical properties, and broad applications in the biomedical field. Concerning peripheral nerve (PN) repair, nanomaterials with outstanding biological properties can be fitted as nerve conduits to provide support and guidance for PN regeneration and loaded with functional cells, cytokines, or specific medications to promote regenerative outcomes further. Almost all existing studies have focused on the application of different nanomaterials in PN repair, while the application of nanomaterials in different PN injuries has not been taken into account. This article outlines the application of nanomaterials in the medical field and the prevalent therapeutic strategies for PN repair. Importantly, it focuses on the application of nanomaterials in various PNI diseases, covering injuries of the sciatic nerve, cavernous nerve, facial nerve, median nerve, and more.
Computer Image Content Retrieval considering K-Means Clustering Algorithm
Authors: Yu Miao , Liu Xiaojie
Published: May 2022

The traditional computer image content retrieval technology can only meet the specific requirements of customers; because of its general features, it cannot comply with the requirements of various environments, purposes, and time simultaneously. This study presents a computer image content retrieval method for a K-means clustering algorithm (KCA). The information collected by computer is preprocessed by K-means clustering algorithm, and the unacquired computer image is labeled based on the optimal learning order according to the KCA. The K-means clustering algorithm classifies the color, pattern, shape, and content of computer images and takes advantage of the invariance advantages of image content retrieval such as scale, rotation, illumination, and blur correction to effectively solve the recurring problems of computer images during retrieval and increase its accuracy. The results of the experiment indicate that the proposed K-means clustering algorithm can enhance the efficiency and performance effectively during image retrieval by computer as compared to the traditional content search algorithm and also help to quickly converge to the query content; it also shows that KCA has good robustness.
[Retracted] Synthesis and Workability Behavior of Cu‐X wt.% TiC (x = 0, 4, 8, and 12) Powder Metallurgy Composites
Authors: Mohanavel V. , Ravichandran M. , Ashraff Ali K.S. , Sathish T. , Karthick Alagar , Arungalai Vendan S. , Velmurugan Palanivel , Salmen Saleh H. , Alfarraj Saleh , Sivakumar S. , Gebrekidan Atkilt Mulu
Published: May 2022

In this work, copper (Cu) matrix composite reinforced with titanium carbide (TiC) was fabricated by powder metallurgy (PM) method with the varying TiC content from 0% to 12% by weight in the step of 4%. The required weight percentage of powders was milled in an indigenously developed ball milling setup. Green compacts were made using a computer‐controlled hydraulic press (400 kN) and sintered in a muffle furnace at a temperature of 950°C. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to analyze the distribution of TiC particles in Cu matrix in as‐sintered conditions. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis resulted in the existence of respective phases in the produced composites. The structural characteristics such as stress, strain, dislocation density, and grain size of the milled composites were evaluated. Cold upsetting was conducted for the sintered composites at room temperature to evaluate the axial (σz), hoop (σө), hydrostatic (σm), and effective (σeff) true stresses. These stresses were analyzed against true axial strain (εz). Results showed that the increase in the inclusion of weight percentage of TiC into the Cu matrix increases density, hardness, (σz), (σө), (σm), (σeff), and stress ratio parameters such as (σz/σeff), (σθ/σeff), (σm/σeff), and (σz/σθ) of the composites.
Optimization and Simulation of Accounting Information Practice Model Assisted by Discrete Dynamic Events
Authors: Han Yusheng
Published: May 2022

The performance function expressed by the expected value of the discrete event dynamic system usually does not have a closed analytical expression, so it can only be estimated by the Monte-Carlo method. The inherent limitations of the Monte-Carlo method (low simulation efficiency) and the complexity of the system bring a lot to the simulation optimization problem. A huge challenge has come. A reasonable combination of mathematical methods and computer simulation technology is an important direction to study the optimal design of DESD. On the basis of linear systems on maximal algebras, this article studies a class of multimodel systems on maximal algebras. This article presents a non-Markov DEDS time-synchronized parallel simulation algorithm and proves that the common random number method can maximize the simulation efficiency of an existing event-synchronized algorithm. We take advantage of the inherent parallelism of genetic algorithm, and combine the idea of parallel simulation and DEDS order optimization to give an optimization algorithm for discrete parameter space DEDS. This article discusses the relationship between ultimate control, internal control, and accounting information quality. This article analyzes the relationship between ultimate control right, internal control, and accounting information quality. We use the manipulated accruals calculated by the modified Jones model and the earnings response coefficient of the earnings-return model to measure the quality of accounting information, and analyze the impact of the ultimate control ratio and internal control level on the quality of accounting information. Based on the difference in the nature of the controller and the ratio of ultimate control rights, this article examines the difference in the effect of internal control on the quality of accounting information in companies with high and low ratios of ultimate control rights. The robustness tests of the two accounting information measurement models are carried out, respectively, and the results obtained are basically consistent with the empirical research conclusions. The situation is the most important to its own development. Among them, the asset turnover rate has a greater effect on the early warning of corporate financial crisis, and the status of the current asset turnover rate and the total asset turnover rate in the financial early warning is also crucial. This article studies the correlation between the overall level of internal control and the quality of accounting information, avoiding the one-sidedness caused by using a single index to measure the level of internal control.
Determination of Adsorption of Methylene Blue Dye by Incense Stick Ash Waste and Its Toxicity on RTG-2 Cells
Authors: Yadav Virendra Kumar , Choudhary Nisha , Ali Daoud , Kumar Gokhlesh , Gnanamoorthy G. , Khan Azhar Ulla , Kumar Pankaj , Hari Kumar S. , Tizazu Belachew Zegale
Published: May 2022

Incense stick ash (ISA) has traces of toxic heavy metals which have an adverse effect on the environment. Every year, tonnes of ISA are disposed of in rivers and other water bodies which leads to water pollution and affects the natural water resources. ISA has several value-added minerals which could be modified or functionalized for environmental cleanup. Here, in the current research work, ISA was transformed into a flower-like noble porous material by mixing ISA and NaOH in a 1 : 1 ratio followed by calcination at 600°C for six hours in a muffle furnace. The developed material was analyzed by sophisticated instruments for the identification of the properties. The microscopic techniques revealed the micron-sized flower-like structure, while the XRD showed peaks at 30–33° which indicates the transformation of the calcite and silicate phases into new-phase mineral. FTIR also revealed bands in regions of 500–1200 cm−1 and new bands near 450 cm−1. EDS confirmed the presence of Na in the sintered product and the transformation of the ISA. Finally, the sintered product potential was assayed for the removal of methylene blue dye from wastewater using an adsorption mechanism. The removal efficiency of dye reached up to 70% within one hour only. It was found that the ISA sintered product has the potential to remove MB dye efficiently from wastewater and also reduce solid waste pollution. Microculture tetrazolium assay (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays were performed to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the sintered incense stick ash product on RTG-2 cells. The sintered incense stick ash product induced cytotoxicity on RTG-2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Sintered ISA products have the potential to remove methylene blue dye efficiently from wastewater and reduce solid waste pollution.
Resource Sharing Algorithm of Ideological and Political Course Based on Random Forest
Authors: Lei Xiaoli
Published: May 2022

Three aspects of the system’s online resource distribution and application are built around subject, object, and intermediary resources. The invention relates to a method for allocating resources based on the random forest algorithm. The resource allocation process entails the following steps: constructing a mathematical model of the resource allocation process, defining a mathematical model of the resource allocation process for the target object, and designing the cost function. The training data set for random forest is constructed using the classification concept. It is based on the mathematical model of resource allocation and cost function. Generation of random forests and prediction of target objects are based on historical data. Resource allocation steps are based on predictive structure. The invention provides a resource allocation method that satisfies task completion degree constraints and includes a resource allocation algorithm based on random forest with a high probability of finding an optimal solution. It also addresses the issue that intelligent optimization algorithms such as genetic algorithms are prone to fall into local optimum.
Calculation Method of Projectile Movement Characteristics for Complex Structure Railgun
Authors: Du Xiangyu , Liu Shaowei , Guan Jiao
Published: May 2022

Electromagnetic railgun is a launcher that relies on electrical energy to do work to propel a projectile to high speed. In the military application of railgun, the acquisition and adjustment of projectile movement characteristics, including acceleration and velocity, are very important. In order to realize the rapid calculation of the projectile movement characteristics and the precise adjustment of the thrust, the force and projectile movement characteristics for a complex structure railgun, augmented quadrupole hyperbolic railgun, were studied by the method of field-circuit coupling. Based on Biot-savart Law and accurate fitting of current distribution, the electromagnetic characteristics and force characteristics of the launcher are analyzed, and the iterative method is used to realize the coupling between the pulse forming network and the calculation of the force on launcher and finally solve the movement of the launcher projectile characteristic. Comparing the calculation and experiment, the error of speed calculating with this method is small in the low speed stage.
Interplay of Teacher Talk and Learners’ Motivation in Learning English: A Psycholinguistic Study
Authors: Sakka Wahyuni , Nasmilah Nasmilah , Khan Ayub , Mumu Sukmawaty , Hamidi Bahramuddin
Published: May 2022

Many cases of learners failing to obtain learning materials from their teachers are due to a lack of contact or engagement between the teacher and the learners. This indicates that if a teacher communicates knowledge to students in the appropriate way, all subjects, including citizenship, will be easily understood. Indirectly, the teacher talk is based on Flanders, it can improve the student’s morale or motivation to learn the given material. A learner’s motivation to learn can come from goals or encouragement to achieve desired results. This research aimed to study the interplay of teacher talk and learners’ motivation at Watang Pulu’s 6 high schools in Sidrap, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. This paper presented some questions which are as follows: (1) what is the analysis of teacher talk in English learning? (2) What is the learners’ motivation of English at senior secondary education? (3) What is the interplay of teacher talk and learners’ motivation in learning English? This study applied a quantitative and qualitative mixed-method design. Data were collected through video, observation, and questionnaire surveys of three classes in 6 high schools of Watang Pulu in Sidrap. The results showed a significant interplay between teacher talk and learners’ motivation in learning English, and all the seven types of teacher talk were found. Amongst them, asking the question is the most frequently used interactive method by teachers. From the learners’ observation, about 70.53 % of learners could be categorized in the high interpretation of motivation.
The Diagnostic Value of Serum GDF15 and hs-CTnT in Elderly Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: He Yejun , Wang Hui , Fang Zhihua
Published: May 2022

Objective. To analyze the diagnostic value of serum growth differentiation factor 15 (GDFl5) and high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-cTnT) in elderly acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods. A retrospective analysis of 165 patients with acute chest pain admitted to the Department of Cardiology in our hospital from January to December 2020, Among them, 76 AMI patients (AMI group), 89 non-AMI patients (non-AMI group), and 80 healthy people were selected as the control group during the same period. Compare the three groups of serum GDF15, hs-CTnT levels, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) parallel correlation analysis, and draw the receiver operating curve (ROC) of serum GDF15 and hs-CTnT levels to diagnose AMI. Results. The serum GDF15 and hs-CTnT levels of the AMI group were significantly higher than those of the non-AMI group and the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01). The LVEF was significantly lower than the non-AMI group and the control group, whose difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Among them, the indicators of the non-AMI group were both higher and lower than the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Serum GDF15 and hs-CTnT levels of AMI patients increased with the increase of NYHA grade, among which grade IV group was significantly higher than grade I∼II group and grade III group (P < 0.01), and grade III group was significantly higher than grade I∼II Group (p < 0.01). Pearson correlation analysis showed that GDF15 and hs-CTnT levels of AMI patients were significantly negatively correlated with LVEF (r = −0.584, −0.612, − < 0.01). The ROC curve showed that GDF15 had a high specificity (93.75%) and hs-CTnT has a high sensitivity (90.67%). The area under the curve for diagnosing AMI is > 0.7 (0.895, 0.948). The sensitivity of the combined detection and the specificity are higher than that of individual detection. Conclusion. Serum GDF15 and hs-CTnT are highly expressed in elderly patients with AMI. The combined detection of the two can improve the efficiency of AMI diagnosis. GDF15 can be used as a new biomarker for AMI diagnosis and disease monitoring.
Hybrid Algorithm for English Translation Speech Recognition Based on Deep Learning Model and Clustering
Authors: Zhang Baicheng
Published: May 2022

Speech recognition is the most important research direction in human-computer interaction. It is the key to the connection between human beings and machines and the expression of intelligence and automation in the information society. Taking English as the research object, using the related knowledge of speech recognition, it is based on the hidden Markov model technology of deep learning and clustering analysis algorithm and evaluated according to the cross-language English phonemic recognition system of sparse autoencoder (SA) method. By studying the speech recognition algorithm of the English translation, the influence of the speech recognition environment on the accuracy of speech recognition is confirmed. This provides a direction for humans to study speech recognition at a deeper level. Based on the language model of Transformer and the language model based on Seq2Seq, it sets different vocabularies, and the data are collected in the laboratory and outdoors, respectively, and the posttest template library is formed after collection. In the task of restoring phonetic symbols to English characters when phonemes are modeling units, the error rate is the lowest. The error rate on the test set reached 9.54%, which was 6.97 percentage points higher than that of the syllable modeling unit.
Teaching Morphophonetic Characters in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language Based on Internet of Things Assistance
Authors: Xiao Qing
Published: May 2022

Teaching Chinese as a foreign language is a very important part of teaching Chinese as a foreign language, and morphemes account for a large proportion of Chinese characters. In this paper, a questionnaire survey on the cognition of morphemes was conducted for each grade of students in the School of International Cultural Education of Heilongjiang University. Through the survey, it was concluded that international students in the Chinese culture circle and non-Chinese culture circle affect the cognition of morphemes at the primary stage, and a study on the teaching of morphemes in teaching Chinese as a foreign language based on the assistance of Internet of Things was proposed to analyze that students learning Chinese no longer affect the cognition of morphemes. In teaching Chinese as a foreign language, the use of the Internet of Things system and the introduction of video sensors (mainly for the access and computer analysis of spoken Chinese as a foreign language learner model) and voice sensor (mainly for the Chinese as a foreign language learner voice access and computer analysis), with the standard spoken language pattern in the software and the comparison of standard pronunciation, the oral mode and pronunciation of TCSL learners can be corrected. The experiment knows the biases that international students are prone to when learning Chinese characters and summarizes the implications for teaching Chinese characters to foreigners; in addition, the higher the level of learning, the higher is the degree of cognition of morphophonetic characters.
Prediction of Coal Mining Subsidence Based on Machine Learning Probability Theory
Authors: Tian Xiaohong , Jin Xinyuan , He Xinwei
Published: May 2022

Geological disasters such as subsidence caused by mining have been continuously affecting people’s production and life. Therefore, how to predict the occurrence of geological disasters such as mining subsidence is an urgent technical problem. The study of mining subsidence prediction can effectively guide the safe production of mining area, and it is of great practical significance. Probability theory is a discipline used to express uncertainty. It provides methods and axioms to quantify and deduce uncertainty, which allows us to reason when uncertainty exists. This paper mainly studies the prediction process of mining subsidence based on machine learning probability theory. In this paper, the mining subsidence problem is studied. The main research contents are as follows: through the research and analysis of the mining subsidence prediction method, the probability integral method is determined as the theoretical basis for the study. The mining parameters are obtained from the three-dimensional geological body model of the mining area, and the prediction parameters are calculated by the least square fitting. This paper makes a detailed plan for the overall design of mining subsidence prediction module, adopts the form of independent research and development and joint development with the existing software, designs five submodules according to the design objectives, principles, and functional needs of the module, and studies the application of mining subsidence prediction module. In this study, it is found that the predicted data of the maximum settlement value appear at the 23rd point, and the maximum value is 1567 mm, which is completely consistent with the change trend of the measured value. The settlement value is calculated from the edge position of the working face to the position where the chariot gradually increases, which conforms to the change law of surface movement and settlement.
Effects of Biochar Addition into Substrate on Tomato Plug Seedlings and Its Working with Automatic Transplanting
Authors: Han Luhua , Mo Menghan , Gao Yansu , Ma Haorui , Liu Yang , Mao Hanping
Published: May 2022

Vegetable seedling transplantation has become a beneficial and specialized procedure, and a vegetable-specific study on seedling qualities for compatibility with automatic transplanting is needed. In this study, biochar prepared from corn straws was used as the auxiliary material to
cultivate seedlings. Firstly, physicochemical properties of compound substrates with different composite of biochar (volume ratio 0, 10, 20~50%) and growth indices of seedlings were measured according to agpronomic conditions. Then, mechanical properties of root lumps and transplanting integrity
were investigated. Finally, the optimal seedling qualities for automation of seedling transplanting were comprehensively evaluated with Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). In the results, the rich porous structure and surface area of corn straw biochar
can regulate the physicochemical properties of the matrix, which significantly affected the growth of seedling roots and plants. The biochar addition of 10% and 20% in volume ratios was beneficial to the root formation and plant growth. More than 30% biochar-treated substrates had a tendency
to inhibit seedling growth. Under the same seedling conditions, the appropriate addition of biochar can improve the twisting strength of root lumps and prevent axial deformation. In conclusion, the comprehensive evaluation coefficient of addition with 10% biochar was 0.67, which was significantly
higher than other treatments. Under this treatment, tomato seedlings were stockily grown with rich roots, and the integrity rate of automatic transplanting was above 96%. The biochar of corn straws may be an effective application for the necessary qualities of seedlings for automatic transplanting.
Dynamic Modeling of Food Security in the Light of Reality and the Future: The Case of Maize Crop
Authors: Eliw Moataz , M. Negm M. , Sami Rokayya , Algarni Eman , Alshehry Garsa , Aljumayi Huda , Benajiba Nada , Al-Mushhin Amina A. M. , Bahloul Asmaa M. E.
Published: May 2022

Some countries are experiencing an absolute shortage of maize production and supplies for domestic consumption, affecting the country’s overall food security situation. As a result, the government relies heavily on corn imports to compensate for the shortage of domestic supplies.
This study was designed to assess current and future corn food security, the impact of agricultural price policies on corn consumers and producers, and the welfare impact of government interventions. We used secondary data on corn production, consumption and other related variables from 2000
to 2017. We applied a simulation model using Vensim software to predict the results for the next decade. In addition, an almost ideal demand model (AID) was used to assess various price elasticity across the international markets. To estimate the impact of government intervention (as opposed
to nonintervention) on welfare gains, we used a partial equilibrium model. The results show that by 2030, Egypt’s dependence on maize imports will increase by 61.97%. Although domestic maize production and productivity are expected to increase in the future, maize food security will
decline due to the high population growth in the country. The results of AID model show that the demand for corn in the Egyptian market is elastic. In addition, approximately 56% of corn imports come from Argentina, Brazil and the United States. The results of the partial equilibrium model
show that the government has been imposing implicit taxes on corn producers and that they will be better off without government intervention. In addition, domestic corn production has a comparative advantage over imported corn. With government intervention, consumer surplus and producer losses
and net economic losses are higher. These results indicate that the government should strive to increase domestic corn production while keeping intervention in the corn market to a minimum.
Development and Characterization of Novel Macaroni Product Prepared from Grain and Legume
Authors: Alshehry Garsa , Sami Rokayya , Algarni Eman , Aljumayi Huda , Benajiba Nada , Al-Mushhin Amina A. M. , Singh Manjeet Kumar , Alharthi Sarah
Published: May 2022

In the current research the functional and value added macaroni was prepared with fortification of lentil, millet, and white rice flour as ingredients with wheat semolina. The proximate composition, physico-chemical analysis such as phenolic content, flavonoid content and antioxidant
activity of the raw materials were investigated. The cooking quality, color, and sensory properties of different macaroni blends were also estimated. The results showed that the lentil had significant (p < 0.05) higher amounts of nutritional compositions such as crude protein (25.38%)
and crude fiber (12.47%). The maximum carbohydrate content (91.47%) was found in rice followed by durum wheat semolina (81.83%) respectively. The significantly (p < 0.05) higher phenolic content (12.51 mg/g), flavonoid content (10.32 mg/g), and antioxidant activity such as ABTS (6.59
Mmol TEACg−1), DPPH (4.69 Mmol TEACg−1) and FRAP (8.62 Mmol TEACg−1) were recorded in millets followed by lentil. The solubility decreased steadily from 3.25% in a blend (5) to 1.52% in control semolina flour. The swelling powder of macaroni
was decreased with increasing proportion of lentils. The optimal cooking time was also increased with increasing proportion of lentils. The cooking time range was 5.28 min (control) to 7.12 min (blend 5). Therefore, it could be recommended that the use of a small amount of lentils at 10% and
20% are potential to obtaining macaroni with high consumer acceptability. Moreover, the macaroni blends from lentils at 30% blend (4) had medium acceptability.
Quality, Chemical Composition, Microbiological and Sensory Assessments of Stored Mackerel Fish (Rastrelliger kanagurta) Products
Authors: Aljahani Amani H. , Alkuraieef Amal Nassir , Aljobair Moneera Othman , Aljabryn Dalal Hamad , Sami Rokkaya , Alshehry Garsa , Aljumayi Huda , Algarni Eman , Alharthi Sarah , Ismail Khadiga Ahmed , Qari Sameer H. , Almasoudi A.
Published: May 2022

This study focused on the quality, chemical composition, microbiological population, and sensory assessments of stored mackerel fish products such as bouillon and sauce during the cold storage (4 °C) condition throughout the 12 month of storage period. The fish contains appreciable
amounts of moisture content (71.33 g/100 g), protein content (22.55 g/100 g) and fat content (4.60 g/100 g), whereas the ash content and carbohydrate was recorded 1.23 g/100 g, and 0.29 g/100 g respectively. The results of the present study showed that the proximate chemical compositions of
storage of both products generally increased at the end of the storage period to reach 10.05 g/100 g for protein content, 61.29 g/100 g for carbohydrate, and 17.01 g/100 g for ash content in stock powder. Besides, the sauce has detected an increase in protein content (4.05 g/100 g), fat content
(21.12 g/100 g), ash content (3.41 g/100 g) and carbohydrate (15.09 g/100 g) respectively. The counts of Fecal coliform bacteria and Staphylococcus aureus were less than 10 indicating the good hygienic quality of the developed products. The total aerobic plate counts were significantly
(p < 0005) higher in mackerel fish sauce (3.0×102 CFU/g) compared to stock powder (1.5×102 CFU/g). Yeast counts were found higher in mackerel sauce (1.9×102 CFU/g) compared to mackerel stock powder (1.2×102 CFU/g) at the end of storage period. The sensory
score was slightly reduced after the storage period. In mackerel fish sauce, the long storage period had adversely affected the appearance (8.25), color (8.75) and odor (8.45) of the product, whereas, it enhanced the taste 9.00, and did not affect the texture (8.75) and overall acceptability
(8.70). Overall, scores of all sensory attributes of both products were high indicating the acceptability of these products by panellists. The date showed the benefits mackerel fish products and their availability after storage for 12 months.
Development of Mathematical Models for Predicting Mass Transfer and Changes in Quality Properties of Falafel Prepared from Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) by Air Frying Technique
Authors: Fikry Mohammad , Sami Rokkaya , Al-Mushhin Amina A. M. , Aljahani Amani H. , Almasoudi A. , Alharthi Sarah , Ismail Khadiga Ahmed , Dabbour Mokhtar
Published: May 2022

Air Frying technology is an innovative technique which could produce healthy fried food materials using hot air. The current work aimed to model the kinetic changes in mass transfer, texture and colour attributes and determining the temperature dependency of the rate constants of the
mass transfer, texture and colour traits of the air-fried falafel during the air frying process. To achieve these objectives, five mathematical equations were applied to forecast the mass transfer through frying process. The findings of this study indicated that the air-fried falafel moisture
content declined as the frying time increases at varied frying temperatures. The outputs of nonlinear regression analysis showed that the moisture loss of air-fried falafel could be satisfactorily fitted to the modified Page model. The outcomes discovered that the alterations in the texture
and the total colour difference (ΔE) of air-fried falafel throughout frying process have linearly increased at varied temperatures and were properly fitted to the zero-order kinetic equation. Meanwhile, temperature dependence of the rate constant of moisture loss, texture and colour
change was sufficiently described by the Arrhenius-type model. The increase in rate constants was detected because of the growth of frying temperature. The activation energy values of mass transfer, hardness and ΔE were 70, 21.8 and 0.167 kJ/mol, respectively. The information on kinetic
modelling the quality changes during air frying of falafel could be beneficial for helping air fried falafel manufactures with the optimum conditions and quality as well.
To Play Is the Thing: How Game Design Principles Can Make Online Deliberation Compelling
Authors: Gastil John
Published: May 2022

This essay draws from game design to improve the prospects of democratic deliberation during government consultation with the public. The argument begins by reviewing the problem of low-quality deliberation in contemporary discourse, then explains how games can motivate participants to engage in demanding behaviors, such as deliberation. Key design features include: the origin, governance, and oversight of the game; the networked small groups at the center of the game; the objectives of these groups; the purpose of artificial intelligence and automated metrics for measuring deliberation; the roles played by public officials and nongovernmental organizations during the game; and the long-term payoff of playing the game for both its convenors and its participants. The essay concludes by considering this project’s wider theoretical significance for deliberative democracy, the first steps for governments and nonprofit organizations adopting this design, and the hazards of using advanced digital technology.
The Authoritarian Elephant Next Door?: A Canadian and Comparative Perspective Amidst American Democratic Backsliding & Uncertainty
Authors: Gillies Jamie
Published: May 2022

The rise of right-wing populism and nationalism has had a profound effect on politics in the advanced industrial world. Canada, flummoxed by its normally reliable neighbor to the south and an American electorate it no longer understands, may have to dramatically rethink its position with respect to the United States both as its major trading partner and closest ally. With a bad faith actor political party in the Republicans, America is increasingly taking on authoritarian tendencies that have already played out in countries such as Hungary and Poland. The recent voting rights suppression movement and a fraudulent campaign to overturn the 2020 election, culminating in the January 6, 2021 insurrection and attack on the Capitol, have created conditions in which anti-democratic measures can potentially overcome weakening democratic institutions. In this article, the upheaval of the Trump years and the dynamics of the 2020 election and its aftermath are put into a Canadian and comparative perspective.
Acute Appendicitis During The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multicenter, Retrospective Analysis From The US Epicenter
Authors: Tamirian Richard , Klein Michael , Chui Patricia , Park Julia , Frangos Spiros , Shah Paresh , Malino Cris M.K.
Published: May 2022

Background

Acute appendicitis (AA) is the most common surgical emergency, with a relatively stable yearly incidence. During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, as New York City (NYC) emerged as the US epicenter, hospitals saw a marked reduction in patients presenting with non-COVID-related diseases. The objective of this study was to characterize the effects of the pandemic on the incidence, presentation, and management of AA.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of patients with AA who presented to two academic medical centers during the NYC COVID peak (March 22nd-May 31st, 2020) was performed. This group was compared to a control cohort presenting during the same period in 2019. Primary outcomes included the incidence of AA, complicated disease, and management. Secondary outcomes included duration of symptoms, hospital length of stay, and complication rates. Statistical analyses were performed using Mann-Whitney U, Chi-square, and Fisher’s exact tests.

Results

A 49.1% reduction in the incidence of AA was seen between 2019 (n = 114) and 2020 (n = 58). Median duration of symptoms doubled from 1 day in 2019 to 2 days in 2020 ( P < .02). Proportionally, the incidence of complicated appendicitis rose from 19.3% to 41.4% ( P < .005). 32.4% of patients with uncomplicated AA underwent non-operative management in 2020, compared to 12% in 2019 ( P < .02). Hospital length of stay and complication rates were similar between years.

Discussion

Significantly fewer AA patients presented during the initial phase of the pandemic. Patients presented later, which may have contributed to a higher proportion of complicated disease. Surgeons were also more likely to treat uncomplicated AA nonoperatively than they were prior. Further research is needed to understand the long-term consequences of these changes.
Bending behavior and geometrical optimization of five-layered corrugated sandwich panels with equal in-plane principal stiffness
Authors: Vakilifard A , Mazaheri H , Shaban M
Published: May 2022

In this work, bending properties of five-layer sandwich panels with corrugated three-layer core are investigated both numerically and experimentally. Sheet metal forming is employed to construct the corrugated core and three-point bending tests are performed to experimentally evaluate the bending behavior of the panels. Besides, reliable finite element model is developed and validated by the experimental results. The results show that the phase difference of the external core has no considerable effect on the panel behavior. Next, the effect of orientation for the corrugated cores is studied for two 0/90/0 and 90/0/90 layups. The results show that bending rigidity of 90/0/90 is greater than other case due to more bending rigidity of the external cores. To design an optimum sandwich panel, genetic algorithm is utilized by constraining the mass and height of the panel. For optimization purpose, an analytical formulations that is validated by presented experimental and numerical results are used. Based on optimization results, optimized sandwich panel is constructed and exposed to TPB test. Good agreement is observed between all the numerical, analytical and experimental methods. The results indicate that the optimized configuration can achieve notable higher bending resistance in the same weight especially for the 90/0/90 case. Finally, an isotropic multilayered sandwich panel is introduced and optimized to overcome the drastic anisotropic properties of corrugated cores. The optimized isotropic panel have equal bending rigidity in two principal axes of the panel.
Modeling of the creep behavior of epoxy/yerba-mate residue composites
Authors: Motta Neves Roberta , Fischer Kerche Eduardo , Maciel Monticeli Francisco , Luiz Heitor
Published: May 2022

This work presents the short-term creep behavior of novel epoxy composites reinforced by post-consumed yerba-mate (YM). Particulate composites were manufactured using 5, 10, and 20 wt.% of YM. The composite morphologies were related to the dynamic mechanical and creep behavior at the glassy state (∼30°C). Creep tests were performed using three different stress loads (1.5, 3.0, and 6.0 MPa). Weibull model, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) approach and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) were used to fit the experimental curves and to predict results. A better fit was obtained using the ANN approach than the Weibull model due to the capability of ANN to learn from own data and in fitting complex nonlinear data. The RSM approach proved to be an intelligent and reliable technique to access a higher range of results, reducing experimental time and cost and keeping statistical significance. Also, the present methodology can be extended to model and predict other properties and/or optimize parameters.
Anxiety as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Deviant Peer Association and Substance Use: Does the Specific Dimension of Anxiety Matter?
Authors: Wojciechowski Thomas
Published: May 2022

Deviant peer association has been identified as a risk factor for substance use. Anxiety has been examined as a moderator of this relationship in a limited capacity. Despite this, investigations of specific dimensions of anxiety as moderators of this relationship remain understudied. This study examined three dimensions of anxiety as moderators: physiological anxiety, worry/oversensitivity anxiety, and social concerns/concentration anxiety. The Pathways to Desistance data were used in analyses. Ordered logistic regression models were used to assess relationships of interest for three substance use outcomes: heavy episodic drinking, marijuana use, and cigarette use. Findings indicated that social concerns/concentration anxiety moderated the relationship between deviant peer association and marijuana use, but, contrary to predictions, a protective effect at higher levels of this form of anxiety was observed. Worry/oversensitivity anxiety also appeared to exert a significant and negative direct effect on all three substance use outcomes. Implications are discussed.
Affirmative Action in the Political Domain
Authors: Bengtson Andreas
Published: May 2022

This article has two parts. First, I argue that three prominent arguments in favour of affirmative action – the mitigating discrimination argument, the equality of opportunity argument and the diversity argument – may be based on a relational egalitarian theory of justice, as opposed to a distributive understanding of justice. Second, I argue that basing these arguments in favour of affirmative action on relational egalitarianism has an interesting implication when it comes to the site(s) of affirmative action. Whereas affirmative action is usually discussed and pursued in university admissions and in hiring for jobs, the relational egalitarian–based arguments entail, all else equal, that we have more reason to pursue affirmative action in the political domain than in the traditional sites.
Integrating I-DEVS and schedulability methods for analyzing real-time systems constraints
Authors: Mello Braulio A , Wainer Gabriel A
Published: May 2022

The design of embedded real-time systems (RTS) is challenging due to the criticality of the timing constraints of these systems. Various informal and formal methods for RTS design have been proposed, both in the design space and the real-time execution at the hardware level, but many of these methods are not effective when the complexity of the system scales up. Here, we discuss a new method to integrate a modeling (and simulation) formalism that allows designing complex systems specifications for real-time constraints called Imprecise-DEVS (I-DEVS), and the mapping of such high-level models into a real-time task model. This method allows analyzing real-time constraints both at the high level of modeling as well as the low level of the tasks executed by the processing units and the Operating System. A new method to study the schedulability of the task models is proposed. The method provides a design analysis space from the model level, up to the individual tasks, with a focus on the schedulability of real-time constraints under transient overloading conditions.
The spiritual turn and the disenchantment of the world: Max Weber, Peter Berger and the religion–science conflict
Authors: Watts Galen , Houtman Dick
Published: May 2022

There is little question that organized religion as embodied in the Christian churches has not fared well in recent decades. Yet, precisely the period when the decline of organized religion hit its stride – the 1960s and 1970s – also witnessed the rise of what Ernst Troeltsch referred to as ‘mystic religion’, only now it goes by ‘spirituality’. Indeed, recent empirical studies suggest that, in addition to secularization, we are also witnessing a veritable spiritual turn. How do we explain this? We pursue this puzzle in a somewhat peculiar fashion: by turning the sociological gaze toward the lives and oeuvres of the two sociologists who have arguably played the largest roles in the development of classical secularization theory: Max Weber and Peter Berger. Addressing their theoretical contributions in tandem with their personal stances vis-à-vis religion, we argue that the standard account of secularization rests on an extremely one-sided interpretation of their legacy: it leaves out their steadfast romanticism, their deep commitments to the value of individual freedom, and, most importantly, the particular religious paths they charted. Furthermore, we contend that each of them exemplifies a way of reconciling a rationalist commitment to disenchanting science with a romantic longing for ultimate meaning, which sheds significant light on why mystical religion (or ‘spirituality’) has come to flourish in late modernity.
Prevalence, Beliefs, and the Practice of the Use of Herbal and Dietary Supplements Among Adults in Saudi Arabia: An Observational Study
Authors: Syed Wajid , Samarkandi Osama A. , Sadoun Ahmed Al , Bashatah Adel S. , Al-Rawi Mahmood Basil A. , Alharbi Mohammad K.
Published: May 2022

Background and Aim: Alternative treatments for respiratory disorders attempt to prevent or relieve symptoms and enhance functions. Furthermore, substantial evidence shows that several herbal medicines have been clinically effective against respiratory disorders. Thus this study assesses the Saudi students’ use, beliefs, and practices related to herbal and dietary supplements for the possible prevention of respiratory infections. Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was designed using Google Forms to collect the data from the healthcare and non-healthcare students currently pursuing their courses at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The data was collected over 4 months, from November 2021 to February 2022, using convenience sampling with a 25-item questionnaire. A statistical package for social sciences, SPSS 26, was used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 274 participants responded to the study. The mean age of the respondents was 21.9 ± 3.08 (mean (SD)). The prevalence of herbal medicine (HM) was found to be 62.7% (n = 172). Around 48.5% (n = 133) of the respondents occasionally used some form of HM during the period of an illness associated with a respiratory infection. About 66% of the respondents agreed that using HMs prevents or controls respiratory symptoms and strengthens immunity. A majority (75.2%) of the respondents agreed that ginger extract possesses antiviral and immunity-boosting properties, followed by garlic extract (59.5%), cinnamon (39.4%), and lemongrass (38.3%). In addition, between 37% and 45.6% of the respondents agreed that vitamin C and vitamin D intake helps in boosting immunity and reducing the likelihood of developing respiratory infections. The overall mean of the positive beliefs and practice score was 9.6 (range 0-14). The mean positive beliefs and practice scores were significantly higher for males (11.4 ± 3.2) compared to females (8.6 ± 3.6) (P < .001). The numbers were not significantly different regardless of the source of information (9.6 ± 3.5), respondents being in health colleges (8.9 ± 4.1) or non-health colleges (9.8 ± 3.7), them being previously or currently infected (9.7 ± 3.8), the absence of infection (9.7 ± 3.8), or the respondents possessing a history of chronic diseases (10.5 ± 3.9) or not (9.5 ± 3.7) (P > .05). Conclusions: This study found a relatively high prevalence of herbal and dietary supplements’ use, positive beliefs, and practices to strengthen one’s immunity against respiratory symptoms.
The Sociological Imagination within Teaching Sociology: 1973–2020
Authors: Palmer Nathan
Published: May 2022

The sociological imagination is widely considered essential to sociology and sociological scholarship-of-teaching-and-learning research. Still, sociologists have struggled to agree on precisely what it is and how to measure its development effectively. A content analysis of every article published in Teaching Sociology was conducted examining where the sociological imagination appeared in the journal, where authors claimed to develop students’ sociological imagination, and the methodological sophistication of the evidence they provided to substantiate those claims. Analysis confirms the importance of the sociological imagination, appearing in a fourth of all published articles and nearly half of the articles published between 2010 and 2020. Just over a fourth of claims-making authors provided no evidence to validate their claims, and the frequency of making unsubstantiated claims persists even as the methodological rigor of the journal overall increased. Among the studies that provided evidence, however, the methodological sophistication appears to be increasing.