bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Leveraging Prior Knowledge to Support Short-term Memory: Exploring the Role of the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex
Authors: Race Elizabeth , Tobin Hope , Verfaellie Mieke
Published: January 2023

It is well established that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) plays a critical role in memory consolidation and the retrieval of remote long-term memories. Recent evidence suggests that the vmPFC also supports rapid neocortical learning and consolidation over shorter timescales, particularly when novel events align with stored knowledge. One mechanism by which the vmPFC has been proposed to support this learning is by integrating congruent information into existing neocortical knowledge during memory encoding. An important outstanding question is whether the vmPFC also plays a critical role in linking congruent information with existing knowledge before storage in long-term memory. The current study investigated this question by testing whether lesions to the vmPFC disrupt the ability to leverage stored knowledge in support of short-term memory. Specifically, we investigated the visuospatial bootstrapping effect, the phenomenon whereby immediate verbal recall of visually presented stimuli is better when stimuli appear in a familiar visuospatial array that is congruent with prior knowledge compared with an unfamiliar visuospatial array. We found that the overall magnitude of the bootstrapping effect did not differ between patients with vmPFC lesions and controls. However, a reliable bootstrapping effect was not present in the patient group alone. Post hoc analysis of individual patient performance revealed that the bootstrapping effect did not differ from controls in nine patients but was reduced in two patients. Although mixed, these results suggest that vmPFC lesions do not uniformly disrupt the ability to leverage stored knowledge in support of short-term memory.
The role of epidemic spreading in seizure dynamics and epilepsy surgery
Authors: Millán Ana P. , van Straaten Elisabeth C. W. , Stam Cornelis J. , Nissen Ida A. , Idema Sander , Baayen Johannes C. , Van Mieghem Piet , Hillebrand Arjan
Published: January 2023

Epilepsy surgery is the treatment of choice for drug-resistant epilepsy patients, but only leads to seizure freedom for roughly two in three patients. To address this problem, we designed a patient-specific epilepsy surgery model combining large-scale magnetoencephalography (MEG) brain networks with an epidemic spreading model. This simple model was enough to reproduce the stereo-tactical electroencephalography (SEEG) seizure propagation patterns of all patients (N = 15), when considering the resection areas (RA) as the epidemic seed. Moreover, the goodness of fit of the model predicted surgical outcome. Once adapted for each patient, the model can generate alternative hypothesis of the seizure onset zone and test different resection strategies in silico. Overall, our findings indicate that spreading models based on patient-specific MEG connectivity can be used to predict surgical outcomes, with better fit results and greater reduction on seizure propagation linked to higher likelihood of seizure freedom after surgery. Finally, we introduced a population model that can be individualized by considering only the patient-specific MEG network, and showed that it not only conserves but improves the group classification. Thus, it may pave the way to generalize this framework to patients without SEEG recordings, reduce the risk of overfitting and improve the stability of the analyses.
Characterizing heterogeneity in early adolescent reward networks and individualized associations with behavioral and clinical outcomes
Authors: Mattoni Matthew , Smith David V. , Olino Thomas M.
Published: January 2023

Associations between connectivity networks and behavioral outcomes such as depression are typically examined by comparing average networks between known groups. However, neural heterogeneity within groups may limit the ability to make inferences at the individual level as qualitatively distinct processes across individuals may be obscured in group averages. This study characterizes the heterogeneity of effective connectivity reward networks among 103 early adolescents and examines associations between individualized features and multiple behavioral and clinical outcomes. To characterize network heterogeneity, we used extended unified structural equation modeling to identify effective connectivity networks for each individual and an aggregate network. We found that an aggregate reward network was a poor representation of individuals, with most individual-level networks sharing less than 50% of the group-level network paths. We then used Group Iterative Multiple Model Estimation to identify a group-level network, subgroups of individuals with similar networks, and individual-level networks. We identified three subgroups that appear to reflect differences in network maturity, but this solution had modest validity. Finally, we found numerous associations between individual-specific connectivity features and behavioral reward functioning and risk for substance use disorders. We suggest that accounting for heterogeneity is necessary to use connectivity networks for inferences precise to the individual.
Predicting mobility and research performance of the faculty members in the economics departments at Turkish public universities
Authors: Yuret Tolga
Published: January 2023

Academic mobility is an important factor that shapes academic institutions. Research performance is correlated with many factors, including the past research performance and gender of the academic. Understanding the factors behind academic mobility and research performance may provide a guide for a better higher education policy. In this paper, we analyze the mobility, publication, and research grant performance of all faculty members who taught in economics departments at Turkish public universities in 2010. Women, older faculty, and those who work in more established universities or in three major cities are less likely to move. The faculty members who have better past research performance, and who hold foreign PhDs, publish more. However, contrary to most of the literature, we do not find any gender productivity differentials. Last, we find that past publication performance is positively correlated with the number of current research grants, although past research grant performance does not have a significant correlation with the number of current publications.
Three Regimes of Internal Gravity Wave–Stable Vortex Interaction Classified by a Nondimensional Parameter δ: Scattering, Wheel-Trapping, and Spiral-Trapping with Vortex Deformation
Authors: Ito Kaoru , Nakamura Tomohiro
Published: January 2023

The internal wave–vortex interaction was investigated for a broad parameter range except near inertial waves, by 1) scaling, 2) numerical experiments, and 3) the estimation of possible occurrences. By scaling, we identified a nondimensional parameter, δ = (V/c)[1/(kR)], where V is the vortex flow speed, R is the radius, c is the incident wave phase speed, and k is the horizontal wavenumber. As δ appears in all terms related to the interaction, it is important in the classification of the wave–vortex interaction. Numerical experiments were conducted on internal waves incident on a stable barotropic vortex with a parameter range of δ = [0.001, 1.7], which is much broader than that used in previous studies (δ ≪ 1). We found new phenomena for δ > 0.15, in addition to previously known scattering for δ ≤ 0.15 (scattering regime). For 0.15 < δ ≤ 0.4, part of the incident internal wave is trapped in a vortex, forming a wheel-like shape maintaining a superinertial frequency (wheel-trapping regime). When δ > 0.4, incident waves are trapped, but with a spiral shape (spiral-trapping regime). Spiral-shaped trapped waves release momentum by wave breaking, which deforms the vortex into a zigzag shape in the vertical direction. Vortex deformation produces vertical shear, which rapidly increases the vertical wavenumber of the incident wave. The distribution of δ in the Pacific Ocean was estimated using a high-resolution (1/30°) ocean general circulation model output. We found the occurrences of all three regimes. The scattering and wheel-trapping regimes are distributed broadly and varied seasonally, thus affecting mixing variability.

Significance Statement

Oceanic internal waves constitute the fundamental forcing of overturning and material circulation, because internal waves eventually break and cause vertical mixing. Interactions between internal waves and vortices affect wave properties and, therefore, mixing. However, as far as we are aware, all previous studies have focused on large weak vortices relative to waves. Here, we investigated such interactions for a much larger parameter space and identified two new regimes, in which vertical mixing is caused by newly found internal wave trapping and vortex deformation processes. We identified a nondimensional parameter that classifies the regimes and estimated their spatiotemporal distribution. These results suggest new energy routes from internal waves to turbulence and are applicable to other types of waves and vortices.
Qualitative Study Assessing Factors for 30-day Readmissions: A Head and Neck Oncology Cohort
Authors: Beatty Simon , Penn Joseph , O’Donnell Mackenzie , Villwock Jennifer
Published: January 2023

Objectives:

There is a paucity of literature on what contributes to 30-day readmission rates from the patient’s perspective in head and neck cancer patients. Post-operatively, these patients are often discharged with multiple surgical sites and home equipment requiring education and a large responsibility upon arriving home. Patients have a unique understanding of the discharge process and rationale behind presenting for care following initial discharge. Understanding the experience of the readmitted patient may be critical in finding effective methods to prevent unnecessary readmissions.

Methods:

Through key-informant interviews, we assessed factors that impact readmission rates from the patient perspective. Patients were eligible if they were discharged within the last 30 days and subsequently readmitted following an admission for a head and neck cancer surgery. Inductive coding was used to analyze interview transcripts and develop themes.

Results:

Thirteen respondents were interviewed. 46% (n = 6) did not feel ready for discharge after the index admission. Out of these 6 patients, 83% (n = 5) felt their readmission could have been avoided. Patients often encountered unexpected events after returning home from the index admission and felt their readmissions were potentially avoidable with more information regarding what to expect at home, prior to discharge. Although medically stable upon discharge, these findings indicate some patients might be discharged sooner than they should be due to factors outside of medical indications.

Conclusions:

To address the various biopsychosocial components of patient care in addition to medical aspects, an otolaryngology-specific, prior-to-discharge checklist could aid in lowering 30-day readmissions. Since the amount of education each patient requires to feel competent managing their health at home varies, more work is needed to craft post-education assessments of patient/caregiver competencies for home equipment, prior to discharge to reduce avoidable readmissions.
The Consumers’ Beef about Beef Prices
Authors: Blair Roger D.
Published: January 2023

There have been allegations that the dominant meatpackers have conspired to raise beef prices in violation of §1 of the Sherman Act. In this article, I examine the market structure and find it to be conducive to collusion, which may be tacit or overt. The article analyzes the allegations of collusion in a partial conspiracy model. The empirical evidence appears to be consistent with the implications of the theory. The article also considers evidentiary problems for the plaintiffs as well as the pursuit of private damages and public sanctions.
Iranian Women Traveling in vTime: A Cyberfeminist Approach
Authors: Kiani Mahtab , Tavakoli Rokhshad , Mura Paolo
Published: January 2023

Informed by a cyberfeminist standpoint, this paper explores the role of cyberworlds and virtual tourism in providing less constrained and more liberating traveling experiences for women. More specifically, through interviews with a group of Iranian women traveling in a virtual world known as vTime, this work discusses whether and how virtual tourist experiences allow women to overcome their travel-related constraints and pave the way to forms of self-determination and emancipation. In contrast, several feminists hold utopian and dystopian views regarding the benefits of the Internet and technology for women’s empowerment, and the findings of our study point to a rather complex and less encouraging scenario. Virtual tourism in cyberspace allows Iranian women to overcome constraints affecting their traveling experiences. Nevertheless, it is far from a liberating experience as women’s self-expression and activities are restricted and limited by patriarchy-driven concerns about surveillance, legal consequences, harassment, social stigma, and western dominance.
Climate Policy Uncertainty and Corporate Investment: Evidence From the U.S. Tourism and Hospitality Sector
Authors: Gao Jing , Zhang Lei
Published: January 2023

We examine the association between climate policy uncertainty (CPU) and corporate investment using U.S. data on tourism and hospitality firms over the period 2001–2020. We find that the aggregate country-level CPU is significantly negatively associated with capital investment, with the impact extending at least 4 years into the future. In particular, we find that CPU has an influence on firms’ capital investment that is incremental to economic policy uncertainty (EPU). By contrast, we document that CPU is unrelated to R&D investment. Our main findings are robust to a battery of sensitivity tests, including an instrumental variable approach and sub-industry analyses. Overall, our findings highlighting the impact of CPU on capital investment have significant implications for academics, managers, and policy makers.
“The Uniform’s in the Way”: Navigating the Tension Between Security and Therapeutic Roles in a Rehabilitation-Focused Prison in Norway
Authors: Kilmer Ashley , Abdel-Salam Sami , Silver Ian A.
Published: January 2023

The Norwegian Correctional Service ascribes to both a humane and rehabilitative approach to incarceration which includes the use of dynamic security practices, emphasizing relationship-building and communication between officers and incarcerated individuals. In addition, officers are expected to actively participate in the rehabilitative process. Despite Norway’s low rates of prison-based violence, there remain questions about officers’ ability to implement dynamic security and contribute to therapeutic goals. The current study explores perspectives about dynamic security and officer relationships using a questionnaire ( n = 81) and semi-structured interview ( n = 47) data from individuals incarcerated at Halden Prison in Norway. Findings indicate that officers have generally attained authoritative legitimacy through dynamic security, but their participation in the rehabilitative process is met with resistance stemming from prison culture expectations of officers’ role in enacting State punishment. Results from this study provide meaningful insights into the role of dynamic security implementation and the contributions of correctional officers to the rehabilitative process.
Extensive Tongue Laceration in an Edentulous Infant: Is It Child Abuse?
Authors: Bernstein Jeffrey D. , Kruczek Sara , Laub Natalie , Carvalho Daniela
Published: January 2023

It is important for medical providers to distinguish between accidental and abusive mechanisms of injury in children. In the absence of a serious trauma, an isolated tongue laceration and oromaxillofacial trauma in a young, edentulous infant raises significant concern for abuse. The presented case demonstrates a unique injury pattern and serves as an opportunity to explore the multidisciplinary approach to infant trauma in Otolaryngology. Presented is an edentulous infant who sustained a deep splitting laceration of the oral tongue as a result of being dropped a short distance onto carpeted floor. This injury pattern, in the absence of other trauma, raised concern for abuse. Hospital social work and Child Abuse Pediatrics further investigated the matter. A surveillance camera video was produced which demonstrated the blunt force of the fall, coupled with the friction sliding on the floor, ripped open the infant's tongue and left a pattern otherwise suspicious for sharp object laceration. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing a full-thickness tongue laceration after a fall from a caregiver’s arms onto carpeted ground. This case underscores the responsibility of the astute provider coupled with a multidisciplinary team to identify or rule out potential child abuse.
Better Safe Than Sorry: CEO Regulatory Focus and Workplace Safety
Authors: Qian Cuili , Balaji Pavithra , Crilly Donal , Liu Yilin
Published: January 2023

Research shows that CEOs who are sensitive to maximizing gains (promotion focus) engage in more socially oriented initiatives, while CEOs who are sensitive to avoiding losses or harm (prevention focus) attend more to shareholder concerns. Our point of departure, however, is that many social initiatives are of the “do no harm” type that involve efforts to avoid burdening stakeholders with social and economic costs. Integrating research on strategic leadership and regulatory focus, we develop a framework for understanding the relevance of CEO regulatory focus for workplace safety. We argue that firms with prevention-focused CEOs have fewer employee injuries than firms with promotion-focused CEOs as these latter CEOs impose aggressive workloads on employees. Drawing on regulatory fit theory, we further identify two contextual factors that attenuate or accentuate CEO motivation to pursue harm-reducing or growth-maximizing goals. Whereas analyst downgrades mitigate the influence of prevention focus by motivating CEOs to avoid missing their obligations to shareholders, environmental munificence strengthens the influence of promotion focus on injuries by motivating CEOs to take advantage of growth opportunities in the environment. Based on a sample of S&P 500 firms and injury data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) from 2002 to 2011, we find support for our predictions. The results illustrate the unforeseen consequences of CEO regulatory focus on employee interests.
Brothers in arms: Adorno and Foucault on resistance
Authors: Mascaretti Giovanni Maria
Published: January 2023

This article offers a comparative exploration of the practices of resistance Theodor Adorno and Michel Foucault champion against the structures of modern power their enquiries have the merit to illuminate and contest. After a preliminary examination of their views about the relationship between theory and praxis, I shall pursue two goals: first, I shall illustrate the limitations of Adorno’s negativist portrait of an ethics of resistance and contrast it with Foucault’s more promising notion of resistance as strategic counter-conduct, which in his late ethico-political writings becomes the heart of a distinctive politics of the governed. Second, despite their dissimilarities, I shall argue that their ideas can be brought together to elaborate a ‘compounded’ account of resistance, where Adorno’s politics of suffering figures as the necessary pre-condition for the creative practices of freedom Foucault seeks to encourage.
Hispanic caregivers’ preferences for content, delivery methods, and sources of nutrition education from their child's preschool: Qualitative research findings
Authors: Viera Stacey B , Vivekanandan Nikita , Cheney Marshall , Le Daisy , Lora Karina R
Published: January 2023

Background: With the obesity epidemic disproportionately affecting Hispanic children and preschool being a critical period when interventions may be effective to prevent it, nutrition education interventions in the preschool setting have the potential to stem obesity's spread. However, the nutrition education needs of low-income Hispanic populations and methods of delivery of that information require further exploration as culturally tailored approaches have seen limited reach to the target audience. Aim: To explore content, delivery methods, and sources of nutrition education that Hispanic caregivers prefer to receive from their child's preschool. Methods: Qualitative interviews with 25 self-identified Hispanic caregivers (≥18 years of age) of 3- to 5-year-old children at Head Start centers in the Washington, D.C., area. Caregivers were interviewed about preferred nutrition education topics, how nutrition education should be delivered, and by whom. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis in NVivo v12. Results: Caregivers wanted to know about healthy foods and appropriate portion sizes to feed their children, fruit and vegetable feeding strategies, and how to incorporate Hispanic foods in healthy meals. Preferred delivery methods included receiving nutrition education and recipes in print and digital formats and in-person nutrition classes. Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children educators were regarded as trusted nutrition education sources. Conclusion: Tailored nutrition education messages combined with multiple delivery methods could be an effective way to reach Hispanic caregivers of preschoolers to increase their nutrition knowledge.
Money to Marriage, or Marriage to Money? Examining the Directionality Between Financial Processes and Marital Processes Among Newlywed Couples
Authors: Saxey Matthew T. , LeBaron-Black Ashley B. , Dew Jeffrey P. , Yorgason Jeremy B. , James Spencer L. , Holmes Erin K.
Published: January 2023

Researchers have shown that if couples manage their money in sound ways, their marriages may benefit. Scholars have also shown that the quality of a marriage may precede positive financial behaviors. Previous studies have not determined the directionality of these processes, but researchers have assumed that it flows from financial variables to marital satisfaction. Utilizing a sample of U.S. mixed-gender, newlywed dyads ( N = 1220), we examined which is a stronger association: financial processes predicting marital processes or marital processes predicting financial processes. Specifically, we estimated three dyadic, structural equation models to examine cross-lagged associations between husbands’ and wives’ own financial behaviors and their own marital satisfaction, between husbands’ and wives’ own financial communication and their own marital satisfaction, and between husbands’ and wives’ own financial behaviors and their own financial communication across two waves of data. We found that husbands’ marital satisfaction predicted rank-order change in their reports of financial communication more strongly than the reverse. Furthermore, we found that wives’ financial behaviors predicted rank-order change in their reports of financial communication more strongly than the reverse. These results have implications for theory, future research, and improving the financial and marital wellbeing of U.S. mixed-gender, newlywed couples.
Linking scores from two written receptive English academic vocabulary tests—The VLT-Ac and the AVT
Authors: Warnby Marcus , Malmström Hans , Hansen Kajsa Yang
Published: January 2023

The academic section of the Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT-Ac) and the Academic Vocabulary Test (AVT) both assess meaning-recognition knowledge of written receptive academic vocabulary, deemed central for engagement in academic activities. Depending on the purpose and context of the testing, either of the tests can be appropriate, but for research and pedagogical purposes, it is important to be able to compare scores achieved on the two tests between administrations and within similar contexts. Based on a sample of 385 upper secondary school students in university-preparatory programs (independent CEFR B2-level users of English), this study presents a comparison model by linking the VLT-Ac and the AVT using concurrent calibration procedures in Item Response Theory. The key outcome of the study is a score comparison table providing a means for approximate score comparisons. Additionally, the study showcases a viable and valid method of comparing vocabulary scores from an older test with those from a newer one.
Histology, prevalence, and environmental sources for pulmonary silicates depositions in domestic and wild animals
Authors: Walker Randall T. , Illanes Oscar , Conan Anne , Williams Bruce H. , Hilchie David , Bolfa Pompei
Published: January 2023

The source and significance of pulmonary silicate crystals in animals and people are poorly understood. To estimate the prevalence and characterize the pulmonary crystalline material in animals from St. Kitts, tissue samples from dogs, horses, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, mongooses, and monkeys were examined by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive x-ray analysis (SEM/EDXA), and x-ray diffraction. Crystalline material was seen in 201 of 259 (77.6%) lung samples as perivascular and interstitial accumulations of heterogeneous crystalline particulate material, free or within macrophages (silicate-laden macrophages [SLMs]), mostly lacking evidence of chronic inflammation or fibrosis. The crystalline material was birefringent, basophilic on acid-fast, and composed of silicas on SEM/EDXA. Mongooses (100%) and monkeys (98%) had the highest prevalence of SLM, followed by cattle and chickens. Lesions were graded on a 3-point scale based on the histologic location and extent of silicates and SLM and were significantly more severe in mongooses (median = 3) than in monkeys (median = 2), dogs (median = 2), and chickens (median = 1). On EDXA, the crystalline material from lungs, air, and topsoil was composed of silicon, oxygen, aluminum, and iron, with a particulate matter size between 2.5 and 10 µm. We hypothesize Saharan dust, volcanic ash, topsoil, and rock quarry dust are potential sources of siliceous dust inhalation and SLM accumulations lacking chronic inflammation (silicosis); dust generation may be potentiated by road vehicle or wind suspension. Future investigations are warranted on the role of silicate inhalation and respiratory comorbidities in people, with monkeys, mongooses, or chickens serving as possible sentinels for exposure.
Bronchopneumonia with interstitial pneumonia in feedlot cattle: Epidemiologic characteristics of affected animals
Authors: Haydock Luke A. J. , Fenton R. Kent , Smerek Dani , Renaud David L. , Caswell Jeff L.
Published: January 2023

Bronchopneumonia with interstitial pneumonia (BIP) of feedlot cattle is characterized by gross and histologic lesions of cranioventral bronchopneumonia (BP) and caudodorsal interstitial pneumonia. This study described the characteristics and frequency of BIP in western Canadian feedlot cattle and identified epidemiologic differences between BIP and either BP or acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP). The study of 9909 deaths on 4 western Canadian feedlots included 1105 BIP, 1729 BP, and 878 AIP cases. A population of 55 cases with gross, histopathology, and microbiology data was used to validate the primary data set. BIP was the second most common reason for death (or euthanasia) from respiratory disease (1105/9909 cases), and the observed frequency was twice what was expected from random concurrence of BP and AIP. Based on logistic regression models, epidemiologic characteristics of BIP were comparable to those of BP, although BIP cases were more chronic with more instances of clinical illness prior to death. BIP was epidemiologically distinct from AIP. Specifically, BIP more frequently affected steers than heifers, deaths occurred earlier in the feeding period at lower body weights and lower daily weight gains, and BIP cases had longer durations from the first clinical illness to death and more separate instances of clinical illness prior to death. Furthermore, death from BIP mainly occurred in winter and fall, while death from AIP was most frequent in summer. These findings define BIP as a unique condition of feedlot cattle and suggest that chronic BP may promote the development of fatal interstitial lung disease in at-risk cattle.
Protozoal meningoencephalitis and myelitis in 4 dogs associated with Trypanosoma cruzi infection
Authors: Landsgaard Kirsten A. , Milliron Sarai M. , Faccin Mayane , Broughton Clark A , Auckland Lisa D. , Edwards John F. , Hamer Sarah A. , Hensel Martha E.
Published: January 2023

American trypanosomiasis is caused by the zoonotic protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi and primarily results in heart disease. Organisms also infect the central nervous system (CNS). The Texas A&M University veterinary teaching hospital archive was searched for dogs with CNS disease with intralesional protozoal amastigotes. This study summarizes 4 cases of dogs with disseminated trypanosomiasis and CNS involvement confirmed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) with T. cruzi primers. Clinical signs included lethargy, respiratory distress, tetraparesis, and seizures. Central nervous system lesions included meningeal congestion (1/4), necrosis with hemorrhage in the spinal cord gray and white matter (2/4), and histiocytic meningoencephalitis (4/4), and meningomyelitis (2/4) with intralesional and intracellular protozoal. Genotyping identified 1 case of T. cruzi discrete typing unit (DTU) TcI and 2 cases as TcIV, both are common variants in the United States. Trypanosomiasis should be considered a differential diagnosis for dogs with CNS signs in T. cruzi-endemic areas.
Scientific conferences, socialization, and the Covid-19 pandemic: A conceptual and empirical enquiry
Authors: Collins Harry , Leonard-Clarke Willow , Mason-Wilkes Will
Published: January 2023

Since the 1970s social analysts have seen communication between scientists not solely as information exchange (the algorithmical model), but as a process of socialization into overlapping and mutually embedded scientific domains (the enculturational model). Under the algorithmical model, the impact of the Covid-19 shutdown on travel would be easily remedied by replacing face-to-face communication with online platforms. Conferences and similar gatherings are costly, elitist, and environmentally damaging, but under the enculturational model abandoning them could be disastrous for science, which depends on the development of cross-national trust and mutual agreements through face-to-face interaction and, in turn, disastrous for science’s role in democracy. We explore the problem theoretically and empirically, arguing against recent proposals from some scientists for the wholesale and permanent replacement of conferences with remote communication.
Outcomes and predictive factors for re-stricture with urethroplasty methods for anterior urethra stricture
Authors: Güler Yavuz
Published: January 2023

Objectives:

We wished to compare the treatment success of urethroplasty methods (EPA and BMG) used for anterior urethra stricture after unsuccessful internal urethrotomy.

Methods:

A total of 85 and 51 patients, respectively, who underwent excision and primary anastomosis (EPA) and buccal mucosal graft (BMG) urethroplasty due to recurrent strictures after direct vision internal urethrotomy (DVIU) were evaluated retrospectively. On the uroflowmetry test, >15 ml/s urine flow and residual urine (PVR) below 50 ml were determined as success criteria. Cox regression analysis investigated the probable predictive factors for surgery success. Kaplan-Meier analysis assessed stricture free survival after redo-urethroplasty.

Results:

After surgery, EPA and BMG patients were followed for 31.9 ± 9.8 (4–40) and 30.7 ± 10.3 (4–40) months. At the end of this follow-up duration, success was obtained for 71 (83.5%) and 44 (86.3%) patients. Mean re-stricture times were 13.9 ± 6.0 (4–19) and 10.2 ± 5.1 (4–26) months. Most re-strictures had penile location (10 (71.5%) and 7 (100%)). After one session of DVIU, there was 100% success in both groups, but after >3 sessions of DVIU, success fell to 70.3% and 78.3% in the groups respectively. Patients with high numbers of DVIU sessions had longer durations for urethroplasty surgery. Apart from complications related to the donor field in the oral region with BMG and four patients who developed fistula (7.8%), complications were similar in both groups.

Conclusions:

In this series of cases, it was not possible to identify which of the techniques employed provides the best result or predictive factors for stenosis recurrence after correction procedures for anterior urethral stenosis.
Effect of gender on presentation and outcome of renal colic
Authors: Golomb Dor , Shemesh Amit , Goldberg Hanan , Hen Eyal , Atmana Fahed , Barkai Eyal , Shalom Ben , Cooper Amir , Raz Orit
Published: January 2023

Objectives:

To examine gender-related differences in the presentation, management, and outcomes of patients admitted to the emergency department ED with ureteral stones.

Methods:

Retrospective analysis of all patients admitted to the ED at our institution, found to have a ureteral stone on CT. Clinical, laboratory, imaging parameters, and outcomes were collected.

Results:

778 patients were admitted with ureteral stones between January 2018 and December 2020. 78% ( n = 609) were males and 22% ( n = 169) were females. The mean ages were 49.4 (SD 14.4) and 51.6 (SD 15.7) in males and females, respectively ( p = 0.08). Female patients presented with a higher body temperature ( p = 0.01), pulse rate ( p < 0.0001), nausea and vomiting ( p < 0.0001), elevated serum C-reactive protein (CRP) ( p = 0.002) compared to males. The prevalence of elevated serum creatinine was higher in males ( p < 0.0001). Alpha-blockers were recommended on discharge in 54.8% (334) of males, compared to only 29.6% (50) of females ( p < 0.0001). Spontaneous stone expulsion was significantly higher in males compared to females ( p = 0.01).

Conclusions:

Our results demonstrate that gender does effect presentation and outcome of patients presenting with renal colic. Females were found to have elevated infectious parameters, more nausea and vomiting and a higher incidence of positive urine cultures. Males admitted to the ED were found to have significantly higher serum creatinine levels. Medical expulsive therapy (MET) with alpha-blockers was prescribed significantly less in female patients, which may have resulted in a lower spontaneous stone expulsion rate.
A Model of the Monetary Expression of Labor Time with Non-commodity Money
Authors: Lin C.
Published: January 2023

Following the commodity-money system that prevailed at the time of his research, Marx assumed the monetary expression of labor time (MELT) to be fixed. This assumption cannot hold in the contemporary regime of non-commodity money. It is essential to resolve the question of how the MELT is determined in a system of non-commodity money. The expression is the ratio of the total paper money circulating in the economy, less all paper money advanced on constant capital, to the total number of socially necessary labor hours exerted in the economy. Expressed algebraically, m = (Mv − C)/L. This model differs from those proposed by Moseley; Saros; Rieu, Lee, and Ahn; and Foley.

JEL Classification: B51, E11
Relationships Between State Anxiety and Reading Comprehension of Chinese Students With and Without Dyslexia: A Cross-Sectional Design
Authors: Wang Li-Chih , Chen Ji-Kang , Poon Kean
Published: January 2023

This cross-sectional study aims to examine the age differences in state anxiety (i.e., anxiety triggered toward specific situations) as well as its relationship to the reading comprehension of Chinese students with and without dyslexia across school ages. In total, 131 typically developing students and 81 students with dyslexia in primary and secondary schools were recruited in Taiwan. Our results indicate that students with versus those without dyslexia have different patterns of state anxiety across the three age levels. In addition, we found similar patterns between students with dyslexia and those without across the three age levels in the effects of state anxiety on reading comprehension. However, the contributions of state anxiety to reading comprehension tended to decline as typically developing students matured, while they remained relatively constant for students with dyslexia across the three age levels. These results may have implications for teaching activities or examinations for students whose state anxiety has a significant impact on their reading comprehension skills.
Coaxial laser cladding of cobalt-base alloy StelliteTM 6 on gray cast iron/investigations on friction, wear versus commercial brake pad, and corrosion characteristics
Authors: Kiehl Maximilian , Scheid Adriano , Graf Karin , Ernst Benedikt , Tetzlaff Ulrich
Published: January 2023

Environmental legislation and the electrification of vehicles place increased requirements on brake disks in terms of wear and corrosion resistance. Departing from a preliminary study, the present investigation examined the friction and wear behavior as well as the corrosion properties of Stellite™ 6 coatings on gray cast iron, which were deposited by laser cladding. The friction and wear experiments were conducted on a pin-on-disk tribometer at contact pressures of 1.0 and 2.0 MPa as well as rotation speeds of 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 2.0 m/s. The pins are manufactured from an automotive semi-metallic brake pad. The friction behavior of gray cast iron and Stellite™ 6 coatings is similar under changing test conditions. The tribological behavior is strongly influenced by the microstructural and mechanical properties of the coatings and the brake pad material. A third body layer of contact patches is formed on Stellite™ 6, which mainly consists of brake pad components. The transformation of the Co-matrix (fcc → hcp), subsurface fatigue, and tribo-oxidation are the main wear mechanism for Stellite™ 6. The electrochemical characteristics were analyzed by potentiodynamic polarization, and the corrosion rate was determined with Tafel plots in 3.5% NaCl solution, respectively. Compared to gray cast iron, Stellite™ 6 coatings have a pronounced corrosion resistance due to the formation of a protective passive layer of Co and Cr oxides. This corrosion resistance is mainly influenced by the microstructure. The corrosion rate of the coatings increases in parallel with the Fe dilution.
Numerical investigation of crash behavior of vehicle side door beams under high-speed pole side impacts
Authors: Akar Mustafa Atakan , Kumlu Umut , Yıldızhan Şafak
Published: January 2023

In side vehicle accidents, there is a very short distance between the impactor and the passenger. In such accidents, car manufacturers place impact energy absorber beams inside the door so that the passengers do not suffer from loss of life or major damage. In this study, the crashworthiness performances of impact energy absorber beams were investigated. Comparisons were made by changing the beams’ angles, materials, thickness, and cross-sections. Among the materials used (Aluminum 6061-T6 and A36 steel), Aluminum 6061T6 material stood out with its high Specific Energy Absorption (SEA) value, low reaction force, and low permanent deformation performance. The best Velocity Absorption Time (VAT) value was obtained in the combination where the angle between the two beams defined by A36 steel was 25°. It has been stated that the hexagonal cross-section door beam used is superior to the circular beam and is open to improvement.
Vision-based driver ear recognition and spatial reconstruction
Authors: Peng Cheng , Liu Jiang , Jiang Tao , Zhang Xilong
Published: January 2023

How to identify the ear hole more accurately and more quickly are critical for the active noise reduction in the road vehicle. Obscurations, causing by the long hair, the earphone, and some kind of caps, make the spatial location and orientation of the driver’s ears almost impossible. To solve these two problems, a new method was proposed to replace the original image scaling detection by combining the Haar-like algorithm with the scale size of the variable detection window in the recognition process. A depth positioning camera is added to the ear recognition, which may offer more accurate point vectors for the driver’s two ear holes. A simplified spatial reconstruction model was developed to assist the search when the piercing was occluded. After calculating the image-camera-cab projection mapping relationship, only four feature points are enough for the model’s data requirement. The test results show that the detection Frame Per Second (FPS) was improved to 8.8, and the ear hole’s positioning error is less than 0.1 cm. The proposed system can locate ear holes even with 100% obscurations. The research may have potential application as a front-end subsystem for the active noise reduction and voice interaction systems, improving the quality of acoustic control in cars.
Maintenance cost prediction for the vehicle based on maintenance data
Authors: Zhonghui Sun , Yanying Guo , Zhonghong Sun , Shouchen Yang , Baoyu Hao
Published: January 2023

With the fierce competition in the automobile market, the focus of competition in the automobile industry had gradually turned to the automobile extended warranty service. The prediction of maintenance cost was a very important premise for the formulation of automobile extended warranty service. Combining the failure frequency data of vehicles in multiple sales batches, the mixed Weibull model was used to fit the failure process, and the single vehicle failure rate prediction model was obtained; At the same time, combined with the maintenance cost data of the same batch of vehicles, the prediction model of single vehicle maintenance cost was obtained by iterative solution. Using the existing maintenance data, the maintenance cost prediction model based on user group had been verified. The results showed that the model was real, effective and had strong engineering application value.
Fault diagnosis of wind turbine based on multi-signal CNN-GRU model
Authors: Chen Yang , Zheng Xiaoxia
Published: January 2023

Deep Learning has been widely used in the monitoring and diagnosis of wind turbines. However, most of the current fault diagnosis methods only use single sensor signal as the input of DL model, which leads to the limitation of the model performance. Therefore, this paper proposes a multi-signal CNN-GRU model. Firstly, the acquired multiple sensor signals are converted to time–frequency images by Multi-Synchrosqueezing S-Transform, the frequency domain features of multiple sensors are extracted by Convolutional Neural Network and fused by Attention Mechanism, then the multi-source time-frequency features are extracted by Gated Recurrent Unit and finally classified by SoftMax. Experiments are conducted on the CWRU dataset and the field gearbox dataset. The results show that the proposed method achieves an average accuracy of 99.69% and 100% on the two datasets, which are both higher than existing DL-based fault diagnosis methods. The proposed method can effectively fuse signals from multiple sensors, thus improving the classification accuracy and stability of the model, which has high practicality and reliability for fault diagnosis of wind turbines.
Visual servoing of quadrotor UAVs for slant targets with autonomous object search
Authors: Shi Lintao , Li Baoquan , Shi Wuxi , Zhang Xuebo
Published: January 2023

In this paper, an enhanced visual servoing method is designed for a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based on virtual plane image moments, under underactuation and tight coupling constraints of UAV kinematics. Moreover, in order to make the UAV search visual targets autonomously in target vicinity during flight, a flexible flight system is developed with stages of take-off, target searching, and image-based visual servoing (IBVS). With dual-camera sensor configuration, the UAV system searches targets from given directions while making localization. A virtual image plane is constructed and image moments are adopted to decouple UAV lateral movement. For a non-horizonal target, homography is utilized to construct the target plane and transform it into a horizonal plane. Backstepping techniques are used to derive the nonlinear controller to realize the IBVS strategy. Stability analysis proves global asymptotic performance of the closed-loop system. Experimental verification shows feasibility of the overall flight system and effectiveness of the visual servoing controller.
(Re)shaping Amazon labour struggles on both sides of the Atlantic: the power dynamics in Germany and the US amidst the pandemic
Authors: Kassem Sarrah
Published: January 2023

With the initial context of COVID-19 fuelling Amazon’s exponential growth, this article investigates how the pandemic (re)defined labour struggles, i.e., cultivating labour’s structural, associational and institutional powers in two case study countries, Germany and the US. By analysing these power resources in its two largest markets, I argue that Amazon’s structural conditions by which it organises its warehouse labour, which predate the pandemic, have continued to act as obstacles to collective labour action. While in Germany, ver.di continues to mobilise its workplace power but has been unable to get Amazon to sign a collective agreement, the pandemic triggered unprecedented workplace mobilisations and the pursuit of associational power in the US, albeit with varying outcomes. Despite their different industrial relations systems and labour struggles, these two cases highlight the key role of shop-floor organising to put pressure on Amazon, while Amazon’s continued rejection of unions as negotiating partners further underlines the importance of regulating Amazon’s union-busting tactics.
Wrongdoing in Publicly Listed Family- and Nonfamily-Owned Firms: A Behavioral Perspective
Authors: Smulowitz Stephen J. , Cossin Didier , De Massis Alfredo , Lu Hongze (Abraham)
Published: January 2023

We integrate research on family-owned firms (FOFs) and the Behavioral Theory of the Firm (BTOF) to study wrongdoing—a specific dimension of corporate social responsibility (CSR) associated with destructive risk—in family- versus nonfamily-owned firms (NFOFs). We argue that FOFs are likely to respond differently from NFOFs to risks because in addition to concern for economic costs and benefits, FOFs are uniquely concerned with the socioemotional wealth (SEW) accruing from the noneconomic costs and benefits of their actions. Furthermore, we argue that the differences in behavior are dependent upon whether the nature of risk associated with a behavior is destructive, as in the case of wrongdoing, versus productive, as in the case of other previously examined behaviors such as research and development [R&D] investment, diversification, or internationalization. Our analyses, based on 17,022 observations from a sample of 1,900 publicly traded U.S. firms from 1999 to 2016, provide robust empirical support for these predictions, showing that FOFs commit less wrongdoing than their nonfamily counterparts and respond to performance relative to aspirations regarding wrongdoing in a way that varies from their responses regarding other behaviors examined in prior studies. We thereby advance the literatures on BTOF and FOFs by explaining how family owners’ decisions change depending on the type of risk associated with their behavior— destructive versus productive, and by integrating the additional aspiration related to SEW into BTOF predictions to tell a more complete story of organizational wrongdoing from the BTOF perspective. By focusing on wrongdoing as a specific dimension of CSR, our findings also have implications for CSR research as they show that the relative importance of social responsibilities shifts according to the type of risks (and trade-offs) associated with those responsibilities.