bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of AMOC in Transient Climate Response to Greenhouse Gas Forcing in Two Coupled Models
Authors: Hu Aixue , Van Roekel Luke , Weijer Wilbert , Garuba Oluwayemi A. , Cheng Wei , Nadiga Balu T.
Published: April 2020

As the greenhouse gas concentrations increase, a warmer climate is expected. However, numerous internal climate processes can modulate the primary radiative warming response of the climate system to rising greenhouse gas forcing. Here the particular internal climate process that we focus on is the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC), an important global-scale feature of ocean circulation that serves to transport heat and other scalars, and we address the question of how the mean strength of AMOC can modulate the transient climate response. While the Community Earth System Model version 2 (CESM2) and the Energy Exascale Earth System Model version 1 (E3SM1) have very similar equilibrium/effective climate sensitivity, our analysis suggests that a weaker AMOC contributes in part to the higher transient climate response to a rising greenhouse gas forcing seen in E3SM1 by permitting a faster warming of the upper ocean and a concomitant slower warming of the subsurface ocean. Likewise the stronger AMOC in CESM2 by permitting a slower warming of the upper ocean leads in part to a smaller transient climate response. Thus, while the mean strength of AMOC does not affect the equilibrium/effective climate sensitivity, it is likely to play an important role in determining the transient climate response on the centennial time scale.
Evaluating Cumulus Parameterization Schemes for the Simulation of Arabian Peninsula Winter Rainfall
Authors: Attada Raju , Dasari Hari Prasad , Kunchala Ravi Kumar , Langodan Sabique , Niranjan Kumar Kondapalli , Knio Omar , Hoteit Ibrahim
Published: April 2020

This study investigates the sensitivity of winter seasonal rainfall over the Arabian Peninsula (AP) to different convective physical parameterization schemes using a high-resolution WRF Model. Three different parameterization schemes, Kain–Fritch (KF), Betts–Miller–Janjić (BMJ), and Grell–Freitas (GF), are used in winter simulations from 2001 to 2016. Results from seasonal simulations suggest that simulated AP winter rainfall with KF is in best agreement with observed rainfall in terms of spatial distribution and intensity. Higher spatial correlation coefficients and fewer biases with observations are also obtained with KF. In addition, the regional moisture transport, cloud distribution, and cloud microphysical responses are better simulated by KF. The AP low-level circulation, characterized by the Arabian anticyclone, is well captured by KF and BMJ, but its position is displaced in GF. KF is furthermore successful at simulating the moisture distribution in the lower atmosphere and atmospheric water plumes in the middle troposphere. The higher skill of rainfall simulation with the KF (and to some extent BMJ) is attributed to a better representation of the Arabian anticyclone and subtropical westerly jet, which guides the upper tropospheric synoptic transients and moisture. In addition, the vertical profile of diabatic heating from KF is in better agreement with the observations. Discrepancies in representing the diabatic heating profile by BMJ and GF show discrepancies in instability and in turn precipitation biases. Our results indicate that the selection of subgrid convective parameterization in a high-resolution atmospheric model over the AP is an important factor for accurate regional rainfall simulations.
A Deep Learning Network for Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Nowcasting with Multisource Data
Authors: Zhou Kanghui , Zheng Yongguang , Dong Wansheng , Wang Tingbo
Published: April 2020

Precise and timely lightning nowcasting is still a great challenge for meteorologists. In this study, a new semantic segmentation deep learning network for cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning nowcasting, named LightningNet, has been developed. This network is based on multisource observation data, including data from a geostationary meteorological satellite, Doppler weather radar network, and CG lightning location system. LightningNet, with an encoder–decoder architecture, consists of 20 three-dimensional convolutional layers, pooling and upsampling layers, normalization layers, and a softmax classifier. The central–eastern and southern China was selected as the study area, with considerations given to the topography and spatial coverage of the weather radar and lightning observation networks. Brightness temperatures (TB) of six infrared bands from theHimawari-8satellite, composite reflectivity mosaic, and CG lightning densities were used as the predictors because of their close relationships with lightning activity. The multisource data were first interpolated into a uniform spatial/temporal resolution of 0.05° × 0.05°/10 min, and then training and test datasets were constructed, respectively. LightningNet was trained to extract the features of lightning initiation, development, and dissipation. The evaluation results demonstrated that LightningNet was able to achieve good performance of 0–1-h lightning nowcasts using the multisource data. The probability of detection, the false alarm ratio, the area under relative operating characteristic curve, and the threat score (TS) of LightningNet with all three types of data reached 0.633, 0.386, 0.931, and 0.453, respectively. Because geostationary meteorological satellite and radar both possess the capability of capturing lightning initiation (LI) features, LightningNet also showed good performance in LI nowcasting. When all three types of data were used, more than 50% LI was predicted accurately and the TS exceeded 0.36. LightningNet’s nowcast performance using triple-source data was clearly superior to that using only single-source or dual-source data, and these findings indicate that LightningNet has good capability of combining multisource data effectively to produce more reliable lightning nowcasts.
Glider Sampling Simulations in High-Resolution Ocean Models
Authors: Steinberg Jacob M. , Eriksen Charles C.
Published: April 2020

Idealized simulations of autonomous underwater glider sampling along sawtooth vertical–horizontal paths are carried out in two high-resolution ocean numerical models to explore the accuracy of isopycnal vertical displacement and geostrophic velocity profile estimates. The effects of glider flight speed, sampling pattern geometry, and measurement noise on velocity profile accuracy are explored to interpret recent full-ocean-depth Deepglider observations and provide sampling recommendations for glider missions. The average magnitude of velocity error profiles, defined as the difference between simulated glider-sampled geostrophic velocity profile estimates and model velocity profiles averaged over the spatial and temporal extent of corresponding simulated glider paths, is less than 0.02 m s−1 over most of the water column. This accuracy and the accuracy of glider geostrophic shear profile estimates are dependent on the ratio of mesoscale eddy to internal wave velocity amplitude. Projection of normal modes onto full-depth vertical profiles of model and simulated glider isopycnal vertical displacement and geostrophic velocity demonstrates that gliders are capable of resolving barotropic and baroclinic structure through at least the eighth baroclinic mode.
The Performance of a Revised Simplified Arakawa–Schubert (SAS) Convection Scheme in the Medium-Range Forecasts of the Korean Integrated Model (KIM)
Authors: Han Ji-Young , Hong Song-You , Kwon Young Cheol
Published: April 2020

The Korea Institute of Atmospheric Prediction Systems (KIAPS) has developed a new global numerical weather prediction model, named the Korean Integrated Model (KIM). This paper presents the cumulus parameterization scheme (CPS) used in KIM, which originates from the simplified Arakawa–Schubert (SAS) convection scheme in the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Global Forecast System (GFS) and has undergone numerous modifications in an effort to improve the medium-range forecast skill for precipitation and large-scale fields. The modifications include the following: 1) the threshold of the trigger condition is updated to consider the dependency on the environmental relative humidity (RH) averaged over the subcloud layer in order to suppress the trigger of convection in dry low-level environments; 2) the entrainment rate is modified to increase the sensitivity to environmental humidity, so that enhanced entrainment under lower RH conditions leads to a greater decrease in the strength of the convection that develops in drier environments; 3) the autoconversion parameter from cloud condensate to convective precipitation is changed to have a temperature dependency above the freezing level; 4) the closure is modified to consider rapidly varying boundary layer forcing; 5) the effect of the convection-induced pressure gradient force in convective momentum transport is enhanced in the upper part of the convective updrafts; and 6) scale awareness that enables a mass-flux CPS to work seamlessly at various grid sizes across gray-zone resolutions is addressed. The evaluation of medium-range forecasts with the KIM CPS reveals higher forecast skill, especially over the tropics, in comparison with its original version.
Love, Hate Thy Neighbour? Or Just Don’t Care Much about Them: A Sentiment Analysis of China-Related Posts and Comments on Reddit.Com
Authors: He Lan , Yin Ming , Shi Yujia
Published: April 2020

Faced with the explosion of information about many other countries in the world on social media, the audience of a certain country may form different emotions, judgements and thoughts of such information, which are worthy of scrutiny. In this article, our aim is to examine Western users’ opinions towards China-related posts on Reddit.com through sentiment analysis of the comments following such posts. Using a statistical method, we collected and analysed the comments of 384 posts on China on Reddit.com, which were distributed in 36 subreddits. As the finding shows, the number of neutral comments exceeds the number of either positive comments or negative comments on China-related posts on Reddit.com. The results indicate that although most of the opinions on Reddit.com about China are neutral or irrelevant, they are largely neglected by the users or viewers who very much prefer negative or positive comments. Therefore, the perceptions on these opinions could be skewed due to this effect. In addition, for the citizens of any country, except for those who intentionally try to guide the direction of discussion on a topic, it is very unlikely for them to be really concerned or care about the events and incidents happening in another remote country.
Influence of exfoliated graphite filler size on the electrical, thermal, and mechanical polymer properties
Authors: Khammassi Sabrine , Tarfaoui Mostapha
Published: April 2020

Exfoliated graphite has attracted significant research interest, especially with respect to composite manufacturing as a sheet shape material for enhancing their mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties with cost-effectiveness. It has been proved in different researches that size of nanoparticles plays a vital role and has significant effect. So, in this study, exfoliated graphite with three different sizes i.e. 50 mesh (large dimension), 100 mesh (medium size), and 150 mesh (small size) are integrated in epoxy to examine their effect on the mechanical/electrical/thermal performance of the material and for each mesh size range of 0.5 wt.% to 20 wt.% is utilized. These three systems of reinforced epoxy with different size of exfoliated graphite are evaluated in DIGIMAT simulation software by investigating their electrical, thermal and mechanical properties. The numerical results showed that integration of exfoliated graphite in neat epoxy drastically improved its electrical, thermal, and mechanical performance. In addition, it was found that the use of the bigger size was more effective on the performance of the material, which is probably because of the enhanced connectivity between the structuring sheets. Moreover, a gradual increase in properties is observed with increasing the percentage of exfoliated graphite content in each system. This numerical study was developed in accordance to validate the experimental study conducted by Debelak et al. This study further provides the evidence of the appropriateness of the DIGIMAT simulation as an investigational load in relevant research.
The early identification of people with personality disorder in the criminal justice system
Authors: Craster Laura , Forrester Andrew
Published: April 2020

The prevalence of personality disorder is very high among criminal justice (correctional) populations, yet our understanding of this condition as it arises in police custody is presently limited. Although healthcare screening has a well-described role within criminal justice settings, including police custody, specific screening for personality disorders has hardly been considered. Yet such screening is broadly in keeping with the aims of liaison and diversion services and the general healthcare principle of early identification, has the potential to inform future care pathways and ameliorate risk and could in some cases inform future sentencing arrangements including community alternatives. Therefore, there is a need for research to consider the design and implementation of a suitable screening tool for application as early as possible in the criminal justice pathway, either as a stand-alone instrument, or as part of a wider package of healthcare screens. It will be important to consider the feasibility of any such design, given environmental and time limitations within police custody and the high levels of substance misuse, with issues relating to intoxication and withdrawal.
Solitary eating, an inferior alternative? An examination of time-use data in South Korea
Authors: Kim Sangmoon
Published: April 2020

This study has two objectives: (1) to investigate the changes in the frequency, duration, and timing of solitary, family, and social meals in South Korea, and (2) to examine the effects of these meals on subjective well-being (i.e., life satisfaction). As for the latter objective, it was hypothesized that solitary and desynchronized meals would be associated with lower life satisfaction, whereas family, social, and synchronized meals would be linked with higher life satisfaction. Analyses of the time-use data between 1999 and 2014 revealed that family meals were being rapidly replaced by both solitary and social meals. Contrary to the thesis of temporal destructuration, however, the collective rhythms of eating became more pronounced in South Korea. Regarding the effects of the meals, eating together had positive effects on life satisfaction, whereas eating alone did not. The effects of solitary meals varied across individuals, based upon the level of voluntariness and scheduling. Moreover, eating together, especially with family members, protected individuals from the adverse impacts of a desynchronized eating rhythm.
Voices from below: The role of anonymous women’s opinion in the birth of Israel’s monarchy
Authors: French Blaire A
Published: April 2020

This article argues that the opinion of anonymous women in the books of Samuel exerts a powerful influence over the reputation and political fortune of Israel’s first kings. The descriptions of the singing women who greet Saul when he returns with David from battle (1 Sam 18.6-7, 21.12, 29.5) reveal that, in this turbulent period, popular opinion forms at the lowest rungs of society and percolates from the bottom up. David demonstrates his own appreciation of this fact by actively cultivating the favor of disenfranchised women (2 Sam 6.14-22). Previous studies of community sentiment within Samuel have paid insufficient attention to women as generators of public opinion during the formation of the united monarchy.
Screw Removal Can Resolve Unexplained Anterior Pain Without Recurrence of Shoulder Instability After Open Latarjet Procedures
Authors: Godenèche Arnaud , Merlini Lorenzo , Roulet Steven , Le Chatelier Morgane , Delgrande Damien , Saffarini Mo , Michelet Aude , Métais Pierre
Published: April 2020

Background:

Anterior shoulder instability can be successfully treated using Latarjet procedures, although a small proportion of patients report unexplained pain.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose was to report the prevalence and characteristics of patients with unexplained pain without recurrent instability after open Latarjet procedures and to determine whether screw removal can alleviate pain. The hypothesis was that unexplained pain without recurrent instability might be due to soft tissue impingements against the screw heads and that the removal of screws would alleviate or reduce pain.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed the clinical and radiographic records of 461 consecutive shoulders treated by open Latarjet procedures for anterior instability between 2002 and 2014. Unexplained anterior pain was present in 21 shoulders (4.6%) and treated by screw removal at 29 ± 37 months (mean ± SD). Postoperative assessment at >12 months after screw removal included complications, visual analog scale for pain (pVAS), subjective shoulder value, Rowe score, Walch-Duplay score, and ranges of motion. The study cohort comprised the shoulders of 20 patients (9 women, 11 men) aged 25 ± 6 years (median, 25 years; range, 16-34 years) at screw removal and involved the dominant arm in 13 (62%) shoulders.

Results:

Screw removal alleviated pain completely in 14 shoulders (67%; pVAS improvement, 6.4 ± 1.8; median, 6; range, 3-8) and reduced pain in the remaining 7 (33%; pVAS improvement, 2.4 ± 1.4; median, 2; range, 1-5). At 38 ± 23 months after screw removal, 2 recurrences of instability unrelated to screw removal occurred. The subjective shoulder value was 79% ± 22% (median, 90%; range, 0%-95%); Rowe score, 85 ± 20 (median, 95; range, 30-100); and Walch-Duplay score, 82 ± 19 (median, 85; range, 25-100). Mobility improved in active forward elevation (171°± 14°), external rotation with the elbow at the side (61°± 12°), and external rotation with the arm at 90° of abduction (67°± 13°) and especially in internal rotation, with only 2 shoulders (10%) limited to T12 spine segment.

Conclusion:

The present findings confirm that unexplained anterior pain after Latarjet procedures can be related to the screws used to fix bone blocks, which can safely be alleviated or reduced by screw removal.
Introduction: Du point de vue des enfants
Authors: Pagis Julie , Simon Alice
Published: April 2020

Comment accéder aux points de vue des enfants ? Ce dossier analyse les défis méthodologiques que rencontrent les chercheurs qui travaillent sur les pratiques et représentations enfantines. Il a pour objectif, en donnant à voir diverses manières de faire face à ces défis, de participer au renouveau épistémique des études sur les enfants. Il s’agit en effet d’analyser les spécificités induites par le statut enfantin tout en rendant compte de la diversité de l’enfance. Cette perspective suppose la mise en place d’une méthodologie qui permette de placer la focale sur l’enfant sans l’isoler de son environnement. Ce dossier rassemble six contributions issues de différentes disciplines (sociologie, psychologie, science politique et géographie), qui reviennent sur des enquêtes menées auprès d’enfants ayant pour la plupart entre 5 et 11 ans, avec des dispositifs méthodologiques variés : questionnaires (Camus, Geay et Pagis ; Simon), observations au sein des familles ou à l’école (Lareau et Harvey ; Hargis), entretiens semi-directifs (Simon ; Ott ; Rouyer et al.), discussions de groupe (Ott), activités, dessins et jeux (Rouyer et al. ; Ott ; Simon ; Camus, Geay et Pagis). Ce faisant, le numéro montre en quoi une approche réflexive des questions méthodologiques rencontrées lorsqu’on interroge les enfants produit des connaissances sur l’enfance et ses différenciations sociales.
Serious Sociological Games in the ELFE Cohort Study: Using Children’s Play to Gain Perspective on their Visions of the World
Authors: Camus Jérôme , Geay Bertrand , Pagis Julie
Published: April 2020

Between June and December 2017, a protocol involving questionnaires designed to be enjoyable for children was implemented as part of the ELFE cohort study. This national study has followed 18,000 children since their birth in 2011. These sociological questionnaire/games aimed to collect information on the everyday preferences of young children (then aged 5-6 years old) and indicators of their moral and social sense. But this collection method had neither pre-existing experiments it could draw on, nor technology that had been fully perfected. This article revisits the methodological questions and issues that were raised over the process of developing and then administering these online questionnaires. In particular it looks at the way that social representations of childhood and research with children were raised in exchanges between sociologists and epidemiologists, or between researchers and parents.
International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis Practice Recommendations: The view of the person who is doing or who has done peritoneal dialysis
Authors: Corbett Richard W , Goodlet George , MacLaren Brian , Jolliffe Anne , Joseph Ann , Lu Chunping , Fernandes da Silva Camila C , Soni Bansi , Wicks Madeline , Brown Edwina A , Blake Peter G
Published: April 2020

The 2019 International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD) Practice Recommendations were prepared by a committee invited by the ISPD to develop new practice recommendations for prescribing high-quality, goal-directed peritoneal dialysis (PD). Further input was sought at the stage of the first draft of the proposed recommendations by circulating drafts of the recommendations and articles to an international selection of people who were either actively doing PD or who were previously treated with PD, as well as caregivers, to ask for their feedback. A diverse group of 22 people from 8 countries across 5 continents provided their feedback covering the main recommendations as well as the accompanying articles. Much of the feedback has been acted upon at the revision stages, however, the responses are published here in summary form to underscore the commitment to hearing the voice of those doing PD or caring for them. A key change that arose from the feedback has been the shift of language from “patient-centred” to “person-centered,” reflecting the desire of these recommendations to address the patient as a person with needs and preferences beyond just the medical perspective, along with the need for the person doing PD to be central to the process of shared decision-making. Notwithstanding the challenges of an international, multi-lingual population, with people doing PD in highly diverse geographic and economic environments, the next iteration of ISPD guidelines should consider the role of people doing PD and their carers in evidence-based coproduced guidelines, from the inception of the guidelines.
Law and Corporate Malfeasance in Neoliberal India
Authors: Deb Nikhil
Published: April 2020

Critical sociolegal scholars highlight how the law favors powerful actors in handling the socioenvironmental devastation affecting marginalized populations. What receives scant attention is how the neoliberalization of the world economy has further enabled powerful capitalist firms to shape the legal path in their own favor and to the detriment of the marginalized. Union Carbide’s 1984 Bhopal catastrophe killed 25,000, injured 600,000, and left prolonged consequences. This paper advances our understanding of the political economy of law by analyzing the handling of death and devastation in Bhopal. Drawing data from 60 interviews with Bhopal victim activists and archives, it advances the argument that the law mirrors the interests of the neoliberal actors of capital. Findings suggest that the law has not only proved unable to safeguard the weakest elements of Bhopal society, but also the pursuit of legal solutions under neoliberalism is incapable of addressing the long-term harms affecting marginalized Bhopalis.
The Extremism Industry: A Political Logic of Post-Hegemonic Liberalism
Authors: el-Ojeili Chamsy , Taylor Dylan
Published: April 2020

The rising fortunes of the academic ‘extremism industry’ call for robust social scientific scrutiny. We contend this industry is a significant expression of our current moment of post-hegemonic liberalism. We set out the typical definitional devices found in the literature, which assemble ‘extremism’ as a syndrome consisting of six major elements: non-normative values, anti-democracy, anti-liberalism, utopianism and a war on the present, totalisation and abstraction, justifications of unlawfulness. The extremism industry can be approached by way of three investigative spaces: modernisation approaches, psychological and culturalist explanations, and security and policing approaches. Within these spaces, we outline five ideal-typical modes of explaining extremism: consensual anti-fascism, civilisational provincialism, folk secularism, psychologistic pathologisation and moral educationism. We maintain that the extremism industry is analytically weak and politically pernicious and suggest that what passes for ‘extremism’ is better situated and understood at the crossroad of three important vectors: intellectual, geo-political and world-economic.
Periodical amnesia and dédoublement in case-reasoning: Writing psychological cases in late 19th-century France
Authors: Hajek Kim M.
Published: April 2020

The psychoanalytical case history was in many ways the pivot point of John Forrester’s reflections on case-based reasoning. Yet the Freudian case is not without its own textual forebears. This article closely analyses texts from two earlier case-writing traditions in order to elucidate some of the negotiations by which the case history as a textual form came to articulate the mode of reasoning that we now call ‘thinking in cases’. It reads Eugène Azam’s 1876 observation of Félida X and her ‘double personality’—the case that brought both Azam and Félida to prominence in late 19th-century French science—against a medico-surgical case penned by the Bordeaux physician in the same decade. While the stylistics of Azam’s medical case mirror its epistemic underpinnings in the ‘vertical’ logics of positivist science, the multiple narratives interwoven in Félida’s case grant both Azam and his patient the role of knowledge-making actors in the text. This narrative transformation chimes with the way Azam reasons ‘horizontally’ from particulars to Félida’s singular condition, but sits in tension with his choice to structure the observation along a ‘vertical’ axis. Between the two, we glimpse the emergence of the psychological observation as a mode of writing and thus of thinking in cases.
Numerical analysis of the transmission loss of water muffler according to the two-load method
Authors: Gong Jing-feng , Jiang Zhi-yuan , Xuan Ling-kuan , Ying Bao-sheng , Peng Wei-cai
Published: April 2020

A numerical method for the transmission loss prediction of the water muffler has been provided according to the measuring process of the two-load method. The commonly used acoustic loads can be applied in the proposed method. The accuracy of the proposed method has been proved by comparing the calculated transmission loss with that from the traditional direct predicting method. And then the proposed method is used to discuss effects of test bench on transmission loss measurement. The predicted transmission loss curves are consistent reasonably based on different test models. The location of monitors relative to the muffler inlet and outlet has little influence on the result. But the distance between the two monitors upstream or downstream should be controlled within a certain range based on the concerning frequency band and the main pipe diameter. It is found that modes of the coupled system consisting of the test pipes and the water cause extra peaks on the transmission loss curve. The influence can be reduced by arranging appropriate fixed points. The proposed method can be used to to explain the reasonability and validity of the test bench design.
Association of co-occurring psychosocial health conditions and HIV infection among MSM in Malaysia: Implication of a syndemic effect
Authors: Ng Rong Xiang , Guadamuz Thomas E , Akbar Mohd , Kamarulzaman Adeeba , Lim Sin How
Published: April 2020

In Malaysia, the HIV epidemic is concentrated in a highly stigmatized population, men who have sex with men (MSM). The relationship of multiple psychosocial health conditions and HIV risks have not been investigated. This study aims to assess the association of multiple psychosocial factors with risky sexual behaviour and HIV infection among MSM. Data on demographic characteristics, psychosocial health conditions, condomless anal intercourse (CAI), HIV testing and HIV status were collected via an anonymous online survey. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to determine whether psychosocial health conditions among MSM have a syndemic association with HIV status. Between July 2017 and February 2018, 622 MSM completed the online survey. Overall, 54.3% of participants reported engaging in CAI in the past three months and 46.0% were found to have two or more psychosocial health conditions. Increasing numbers of psychosocial health conditions (1, 2, 3, 4 or more) were significantly associated with HIV infection compared to those without psychosocial health condition (odds ratio [OR] 3.39, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.41–8.14; OR 3.51, 95% CI: 1.43–8.61; OR 4.22, 95% CI: 1.68–10.96, and OR 7.58, 95% CI: 2.44–23.55, respectively). Comprehensive HIV prevention programs addressing mental health and substance use are needed for MSM in Malaysia.
Sample size calculation and re-estimation based on the prevalence in a single-arm confirmatory diagnostic accuracy study
Authors: Stark Maria , Zapf Antonia
Published: April 2020

Introduction

In a confirmatory diagnostic accuracy study, sensitivity and specificity are considered as co-primary endpoints. For the sample size calculation, the prevalence of the target population must be taken into account to obtain a representative sample. In this context, a general problem arises. With a low or high prevalence, the study may be overpowered in one subpopulation. One further issue is the correct pre-specification of the true prevalence. With an incorrect assumption about the prevalence, an over- or underestimated sample size will result.

Methods

To obtain the desired power independent of the prevalence, a method for an optimal sample size calculation for the comparison of a diagnostic experimental test with a prespecified minimum sensitivity and specificity is proposed. To face the problem of an incorrectly pre-specified prevalence, a blinded one-time re-estimation design of the sample size based on the prevalence and a blinded repeated re-estimation design of the sample size based on the prevalence are evaluated by a simulation study. Both designs are compared to a fixed design and additionally among each other.

Results

The type I error rates of both blinded re-estimation designs are not inflated. Their empirical overall power equals the desired theoretical power and both designs offer unbiased estimates of the prevalence. The repeated re-estimation design reveals no advantages concerning the mean squared error of the re-estimated prevalence or sample size compared to the one-time re-estimation design. The appropriate size of the internal pilot study in the one-time re-estimation design is 50% of the initially calculated sample size.

Conclusions

A one-time re-estimation design of the prevalence based on the optimal sample size calculation is recommended in single-arm diagnostic accuracy studies.
Synthesis, characterization, and solution studies of polyoxometalate-doped conducting polymers
Authors: Selvam Jothi , Samannan Bharath , Peter Praveen , Thavasikani Jeyabalan
Published: April 2020

The present research focus is to design a new catalyst by doping polyoxometalate (POM) in conducting polymers. Polypyrrole (PPy)-doped Keggin type POM [PMO12O40]3− with various molar concentrations were synthesized using the coprecipitation method. The doped samples were synthesized and characterized using spectral techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectra, which show the presence of extended functional groups, and scanning electron microscopic morphology exhibits a square-shaped structure. X-Ray diffraction results reveal crystallite size of around 40 nm. The conductivity of PPy is 3.3 × 10−6 S cm−1, whereas polyacid-doped polypyrrole has resulted in increased conductivity of 7.12 × 10−5 S cm−1. The antimicrobial activity of PPy revealed a better antibacterial activity due to the presence of the NH group and aromatic ring in the structure.
Theoretical Underpinnings of India–Pakistan Relations
Authors: Shukla Ashish
Published: April 2020

The India–Pakistan relations have historically been marked by mistrust, broken promises, unresolved issues and unending conflicts. A number of divisive factors shaped and influenced the nature of this relationship which inter alia includes large-scale violence at the time of partition, perceptual enmity and numerous unresolved issues including Kashmir. Due to all these reasons, the two countries have found themselves locked in a complex situation that could best be described using zero-sum two-person game. The author argues that perceptions play an important role in shaping the nature of bilateral relations. He goes on to identify six different prisms—three each in India and Pakistan—through which one can understand the nature and direction of this otherwise difficult relationship.
Digital Disinformation and the Imaginative Dimension of Communication
Authors: Cabañes Jason Vincent A.
Published: April 2020

To nuance current understandings of the proliferation of digital disinformation, this article seeks to develop an approach that emphasizes the imaginative dimension of this communication phenomenon. Anchored on ideas about the sociality of communication, this piece conceptualizes how fake news and political trolling online work in relation to particular shared understandings people have of their socio-political landscape. It offers the possibility of expanding the information-oriented approach to communication taken by many journalistic interventions against digital disinformation. It particularly opens up alternatives to the problematic strategy of challenging social media manipulation solely by doubling down on objectivity and facts.
Human herpesvirus 6 encephalitis in a patient treated with everolimus for renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Kokkali Stefania , Oddou Isabelle , Gantzer Justine , Fitsiori Aikaterini
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Everolimus is a mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor and is approved as second-line treatment or beyond for renal cell carcinoma. We report a case of a 75-year-old male treated with everolimus for metastatic renal cell carcinoma, after sunitinib treatment, who was diagnosed with human herpesvirus 6 encephalitis.

Case report

After 39 months of everolimus, 10 mg per day, our patient was admitted with fever, consciousness disorders and a partial epileptic crisis. Laboratory tests revealed lymphopenia (170 lymphocytes/mm3), and polymerase chain reaction in cerebrospinal fluid was positive for human herpesvirus 6. Brain magnetic resonance imaging study demonstrated hippocampal abnormality and a pontine lesion.

Management and outcome

The patient stopped everolimus treatment indefinitely. He received ganciclovir initially intravenously, with a rapid clinical improvement, as well as polyvalent immunoglobulins were given to correct hypogammaglobulinemia. Two months later, antiviral therapy was switched to oral ganciclovir, which was never stopped. A new lumbar puncture was performed one month after the initiation of antiviral treatment, which did not reveal human herpesvirus 6 DNA anymore.

Discussion

Human herpesvirus 6 encephalitis is more common in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients and HIV patients. This is the first case probably associated to everolimus treatment. In contrast to most patients diagnosed with this infection, who either die or develop neurologic sequelae, our patient almost fully recovered two months later.
Supersonic flutter analysis of annular/circular sandwich panels containing magnetorheological fluid
Authors: Eshaghi Mehdi
Published: April 2020

The present study investigates the effect of magnetorheological fluids on the aeroelastic stability and flutter boundaries of the circular/annular magnetorheological (MR) sandwich plates in a supersonic airflow. The linear piston theory is employed to formulate the external force applied to the structure due to the aerodynamic pressure. The classical plate theory along with Hamilton’s principle is used to derive governing equations of motion of the sandwich plate. The assumed mode method is utilized to solve the equations and identify the flutter boundaries of the structure. In order to demonstrate validity of the developed model, an experiment is conducted on a circular MR sandwich plate to characterize dynamic properties of the structure, under different levels of the magnetic field, in terms of the resonant frequencies. Then, the verified model is employed to investigate the effects of MR fluid, magnetic field, boundary condition and inner/outer radius of the circular/annular MR sandwich plate on the aerodynamic instability of the structure. The results highlight the significance of the MR fluid in extending flutter boundaries of the annular/circular sandwich plates in the supersonic airflow.
Detecting Prostate Cancer Using Pattern Recognition Neural Networks With Flow Cytometry-Based Immunophenotyping in At-Risk Men
Authors: Dominguez George A , Polo Alexander T , Roop John , Campisi Anthony J , Somer Robert A , Perzin Adam D , Gabrilovich Dmitry I , Kumar Amit
Published: April 2020

Current screening methods for prostate cancer (PCa) result in a large number of false positives making it difficult for clinicians to assess disease status, thus warranting advancements in screening and early detection methods. The goal of this study was to design a liquid biopsy test that uses flow cytometry–based immunophenotyping and artificial neural network (ANN) analysis to detect PCa. Numerous myeloid and lymphoid cell populations, including myeloid-derived suppressor cells, were measured from 156 patients with PCa, 123 with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and 99 male healthy donor (HD) controls. Using pattern recognition neural network (PRNN) analysis, a type of ANN, PCa detection compared against HD resulted in 96.6% sensitivity, 87.5% specificity, and an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.97. Detecting patients with higher risk disease (⩾Gleason 7) against lower risk disease (BPH/Gleason 6) resulted in 92.0% sensitivity, 42.7% specificity, and an AUC of 0.72. This study suggests that analyzing flow cytometry immunophenotyping data with PRNNs may prove to be a useful tool to improve PCa detection and reduce the number of unnecessary prostate biopsies performed each year.
Performers’ discourses on listening to recordings
Authors: Volioti Georgia , Williamon Aaron
Published: April 2020

How we listen to music and respond to its media and contexts has changed significantly since the invention of sound recording. Today’s musicians have countless opportunities to listen to others’ interpretations given the vast availability of past and contemporary repertories through the global reach of recordings. This study investigated the extent to which the growing archive of recordings provides a valuable resource for performers’ creativity. Although musical performance is a particularly porous domain for influence through either deliberate or spontaneous assimilation of expressive variation from other aural sources, little empirical research exists on influence in performance and specifically on the influence of recordings. Qualitative data were obtained via an online questionnaire to identify how and in what ways the use and influence of recordings have changed over the course of classical performers’ training or professional careers. Respondents’ ( N = 130) comments were analysed using a thematic inductive approach. The emerging themes reveal an overall increased level of use of recordings now relative to the past, a largely positive contribution of recordings in shaping musical development, including the role of recordings in self-regulated learning, a largely positive attitude to the influence of others’ interpretations, a means of developing expressions of self-identity in relation to others and a route to acquiring a more critical and discerning mode of listening to recordings. Implications for music education are discussed in terms of how listening to recordings, in both formal and informal learning contexts, could support advanced musicians’ learning through trial and error, enhance creative insight, strengthen self-efficacy, foster metacognitive skills and nurture individuality.
Combined effect of cylindricity, roundness and roughness on axial load-carrying ability of interference fits
Authors: Raj Arun P , Bhatti Ankush , Dhanish P B
Published: April 2020

Interference fits are commonly used in engineering for various applications. While the effect of many factors on the load-carrying ability of interference fits has been studied extensively, the combined effect of cylindricity, roundness and roughness does not appear to have been considered to that extent, and this paper is an attempt to remedy the situation. As a first step, finite element method was used to verify that there will be a reduction in the load-carrying ability due to the introduction of perfect geometrical deviations on the shaft. Thereafter, a detailed experimental investigation was carried out to study the effect of cylindricity and their joint effect with various other factors on the axial load-carrying ability of shaft–bearing interference fitted assemblies. A number of shafts of C40 steel of nominal diameter 20 mm were manufactured with varying cylindricity values and selectively assembled with standard deep grove ball bearings, thereby achieving interference fits with a grade of H7/u6 between them. The assembled specimens were tested on a Universal Testing Machine with a specially made fixture and the maximum extraction load determined. The effect of the various factors on the extraction load was examined using statistical methods. It was found that shaft cylindricity error did reduce the load-carrying ability of interference fits. The combination of interference, cylindricity and surface roughness was found to give the best prediction for extraction load. Certain other parameters were also examined, but they were not found significant.
How can critical deliberative theory help to solve the methodological challenges of evaluating from a gender + perspective?
Authors: Martínez-Palacios Jone , Ahedo Igor
Published: April 2020

This article explains why and how it is possible to give greater democratic meaning to an evaluative process by bringing into dialogue the Gender + perspective and a critical approach to deliberative theory within its design. Furthermore, it identifies the methodological challenges of using this intersectional approach to create more inclusive evaluative procedures. Taking into account the experience of the evaluation of Law 4/2005 for Equality between Women and Men in the Basque Country (Spain, 2015–2016), the text explains that the enclave deliberation praxis proposed by critical deliberative theory helps to resolve the challenges that emerge from the implementation of the Gender + perspective in the evaluation of public policies. These challenges include the incorporation of the empowerment perspective into the evaluation, and guaranteeing dialogue between expert knowledge on gender and other more ‘intuitive’ types of knowledge.
Using artificial intelligence to examine online patient reviews
Authors: Ferguson Sarah Lord , Pitt Christine , Pitt Leyland
Published: April 2020

Healthcare consumers are increasingly turning to online sources such as educational websites, forums and social media platforms to share their experiences with medical services and to demystify the uncertainties associated with undergoing various procedures. This study demonstrates a non-invasive way of understanding the feelings and emotions that consumers share via electronic word of mouth. By using IBM Watson, a content analysis tool that harnesses artificial intelligence, we show how a large amount of unstructured qualitative data can be transformed into quantitative data that can be subsequently analysed to generate novel insights into what patients are sharing about their healthcare experiences online.
Unpacking the complexities of teacher identity: Narratives of two Chinese teachers of English in China
Authors: Li Wendy
Published: April 2020

This study explores the complexities of teacher identity formation for two Chinese teachers of English in China, who represent two growing groups of English teachers: Alice, who worked in a private English training institution and John, who was a self-employed private English tutor. Drawing insights from Barcelos’ (2015) theorization of the relationship among teacher beliefs, teacher identity, and teacher emotions, this study employs an integrated perspective to investigate two participants’ English teacher identity development by examining the dynamic interplay among these three constructs (beliefs, identity, and emotions). Narrative inquiry is used for data analysis. By exploring two participants’ life histories of learning English and becoming English teachers, this study captures the dynamics of how the focal participants’ core beliefs and emotions interacted inextricably with and shaped their teacher identity development.
Surgical exploration without resection in pancreatic and periampullary tumors: Report from a national database
Authors: Sahlström Emil , Nilsson Johan , Tingstedt Bobby , Bergenfeldt Magnus , Andersson Roland , Andersson Bodil
Published: April 2020

Background and objective:

Pancreatic and periampullary cancers are sometimes found to have a too advanced disease during surgery to allow resection. The aim was to describe characteristics, treatment, outcome, and time trends for patients that were planned for pancreatic surgery but found unresectable during surgery.

Methods:

Data from the Swedish National Pancreatic and Periampullary Cancer Registry were used. All patients registered between January 2010 and August 2018 were included. The patient cohort was divided in two halves based on year of diagnosis.

Results:

In total, 12,377 patients were included in the registry and finally 4568 patients were scheduled for surgery. During surgical exploration, 3879 (84.9%) patients underwent pancreatic resection, 658 (14.4%) patients were found unresectable, and 31 (0.7%) had no pancreatic resection due to other reasons (e.g. benign lesion, comorbidity). More patients underwent surgical exploration and resection during the second time period, but exploration without resection was unchanged (15.7% vs 13.7%; p = 0.062). Survival rates were lower among the unresectable patients with pancreatic and periampullary tumors compared to the resectable patients, including 30-day mortality (n = 17 (3.5%) vs n = 39 (1.6%), p = 0.004) and 90-day mortality (n = 72 (15.0%) vs n = 70 (2.8%), p < 0.001). Palliative surgery became less common during the second half of the time period (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

Unresectability is associated with an unfavorable prognosis. The frequency did not decrease during the study period, but palliative surgical procedures became less common.