bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of change from suvorexant to lemborexant drug in the treatment of sleep disorders
Authors: Okino Kazumaro , Suzuki Hirohisa , Kondo Seiji , Tomioka Hiroi , Tokumasu Takahiro , Yamada Hiroki , Iwanami Akira , Inamoto Atsuko
Published: June 2022

Background

This study aimed to examine the effects of a change in medication from suvorexant to lemborexant among patients with insomnia.

Methods

Patients with chronic insomnia who had persistent insomnia for 3 months or longer and who had been taking suvorexant for 3 months or longer were selected. The participants were divided into two groups: the ‘modified’ group and the ‘non‐modified’ group. Four sub‐types of insomnia (i.e., difficulty initiating sleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, early‐morning awakening, and non‐restorative sleep) were investigated. Logistic regression was used to investigate improvements in both the groups after 12 weeks.

Results

Among the 77 participants, 43 and 34 patients were in the modified drug group and the non‐modified drug group, respectively. Comparing sleep disorders between the two groups, we found significant improvement after 12 weeks in the modified drug group in terms of difficulty initiating sleep, compared with the non‐modified drug group (odds ratio = 0.036, P = 0.008, 95% CI = 0.003–0.415). However, no significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of difficulty maintaining sleep, early‐morning awakening, and non‐restorative sleep.

Conclusions

Sleep disorders can be treated by alleviating difficulties in initiating sleep by changing from suvorexant to lemborexant. In addition, it was confirmed that the drug change caused no serious side effects and that it was highly safe and tolerated.
Morphometric changes on the vulva from proestrus to oestrus of nulliparous and multiparous HYPERPROLIFIC sows
Authors: De la Cruz‐Vigo Paloma , Rodriguez‐Boñal Alvaro , Rodriguez‐Bonilla Angel , Córdova‐Izquierdo Alejandro , Pérez Garnelo Sonia S. , Gómez‐Fidalgo Ernesto , Martín‐Lluch Mercedes , Sánchez‐Sánchez Raúl
Published: June 2022

The aim of this study was to assess whether vulvar morphometric changes occurring in female pigs during proestrus and oestrus could be objective, accurate and predictive indicators of the onset to oestrus and thus performed artificial inseminations at the most appropriate time. For that purpose, pictures of vulvas from 60 hyperprolific females (30 gilts and 30 sows) during proestrus and oestrus were taken once a day. Vulva measurements (area, perimeter, length and width) on these pictures were performed using the image processing ImageJ software. Gilts and sows showed statistical differences (p < .01) in all vulvar morphometric measurements between proestrus and oestrus. Statistical differences in vulvar metrics were detected 24 h before the onset to oestrus, affecting all vulvar measurements in gilts, whereas only vulvar width was affected in sows. The image analysis used in this study may contribute to the development of smart technology in swine farming.
Reliability analysis of man–machine systems using fuzzy cognitive mapping with genetic tuning
Authors: Rotshtein Alexander , Katelnikov Denis , Pustylnik Ludmila , Polin Brian A.
Published: June 2022

This article offers a method for analyzing the reliability of a man–machine system (MMS) and ranking of influencing factors based on a fuzzy cognitive map (FCM). The ranking of influencing factors is analogous to the ranking of system elements the probabilistic theory of reliability. To approximate the dependence of “influencing factors—reliability,” the relationship of variable increments is used, which ensures the sensitivity of the reliability level to variations in the levels of influencing factors. The novelty of the method lies in the fact that the expert values of the weights of the FCM graph edges (arcs) are adjusted based on the results of observations using a genetic algorithm. The algorithm's chromosomes are generated from the intervals of acceptable values of edge weights, and the selection criterion is the sum of squares of deviations of the reliability simulation results from observations. The method is illustrated by the example of a multifactor analysis of the reliability of the “driver–car–road” system. It is shown that the FCM adjustment reduces the discrepancy between the reliability forecast and observations almost in half. Possible applications of the method can be complex systems with vaguely defined structures whose reliability depends very much on interrelated factors measured expertly.
Risk‐benefit perceptions, preferences for solutions, and gaining trust: Listening to New Jersey's Atlantic Ocean port communities
Authors: Greenberg Michael , Kocakusak Diren
Published: June 2022

We designed a survey to measure public preferences for management actions at ports that would reduce negative risk perceptions, increase competence‐based trust, and overall provide port managers with opportunities to build communication channels with surrounding populations. A total of 511 people who lived in a 45‐square mile area of New Jersey containing over 300,000 people and a dozen large and small ports responded to solutions that offered independent science support, provided ongoing public health surveillance, and economic assistance for local communities. Environmental health concerns about air, noise, fires, port security, and protection against climate‐related impacts were major correlates of these preferences. Yet many residents recognized economic benefits associated with nearby ports and many either trusted port management or were neutral and felt not well informed. Those who had a personal or family connection to the port were stronger port supporters. The most important finding and challenge for port managers is building ongoing relationships with the majority of nearby residents who are not aware of port activities, which presents an opportunity for increasing trust through proactive outreach and listening to nearby community representatives.
Clinical performance, intermediate and long‐term outcomes of high‐volume hemodiafiltration in patients with kidney failure
Authors: Guedes Murilo , Vernooij Robin W. M. , Davenport Andrew , Kuhlmann Martin K. , Aregger Fabienne , Pecoits‐Filho Roberto
Published: June 2022

Hemodiafiltration (HDF), in which both convective and diffusion methods are combined, yields an increased overall solute clearance compared with hemodialysis (HD), specifically for medium and larger molecular weight uremic toxins. Due to uncertainty in the treatment effects, the nephrology community still perceives the implementation of HDF and the achievement of high convective volume as complex. In this article, we review practical aspects of the implementation of HDF that can effectively deliver a high‐volume HDF therapy and assure clinical performance to most patients. We also present an overview of the impact of high‐volume HDF (compared to HD) on a series of relevant biochemical, patient‐reported, and clinical outcomes, including uremic toxin removal, phosphate, Inflammation and oxidative stress, hemodynamic stability, cardiac outcomes, nutritional effects, health‐related quality of life, morbidity, and mortality.
‘Baby brain’ in pregnancy: A review of social psychological explanations and future research directions
Authors: Pownall Madeleine , Conner Mark , Hutter Russell R. C.
Published: June 2022

The colloquial concept of ‘baby brain’ suggests that throughout pregnancy and into the immediate postpartum period, women have reduced cognitive abilities and are more distracted, forgetful, and incompetent. To date, a plethora of cognitive and neuropsychological research testing the cognitive functioning of pregnant women relative to other groups has yielded inconsistent and unclear findings. However, there is a notable lack of literature that adopts a social psychological perspective, critically assessing the contribution of social context to the ‘baby brain’ phenomenon. In this paper, we review the current ‘baby brain’ literature and outline two potential social perspectives that provide insights into this research area: stereotype threat theory and objectification theory. We argue that inconsistencies in the ‘baby brain’ cognitive literature may be impacted by under‐explored social phenomena, which may result from activation of stereotypes or objectifying cues throughout pregnancy and into early new motherhood. We end with suggestions for future social and personality psychological research directions in the area of ‘baby brain’.
Evaluation of clotrimazole prophylaxis on tacrolimus trough concentrations in kidney transplant recipients
Authors: Wings Emily , Spinner Michael , Eckardt Jamie
Published: June 2022

Background

Clotrimazole troches are used as prophylaxis against oropharyngeal candidiasis post‐transplant and have limited systemic absorption. Following several occurrences of tacrolimus concentration fluctuations after clotrimazole discontinuation, its use as prophylaxis was discontinued post‐kidney transplant.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate the effect of clotrimazole prophylaxis on tacrolimus trough concentrations post‐kidney transplant. The study included adult patients who received a kidney transplant at Cleveland Clinic Main Campus from August 1, 2019 to July 1, 2020 and were maintained on per‐protocol, standard‐dose tacrolimus through 90 days post‐transplant. Patients were excluded if they received cyclosporine, systemic antifungals, strong CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers, or a simultaneous multiorgan transplant. The primary objective was to compare tacrolimus trough concentrations before and after completion of clotrimazole prophylaxis. Secondary objectives were to compare the time to first post‐transplant goal tacrolimus trough concentration, the rate of for‐cause allograft biopsies within 90 days after transplant, and the incidence and type of candidiasis within 30 days after transplant, pre‐ and post‐protocol change.

Results

Following clotrimazole discontinuation, the median tacrolimus trough concentration decreased from 10.5 ng/ml (IQR 8.4–12.2) to 6.6 ng/ml (IQR 5–8.7, p < 0.0001). No statistically significant differences in the rate of for‐cause allograft biopsies (4.9% vs. 9.7%, p = 0.264) or incidence of candidiasis (1.2% vs. 5.4%, p = 0.217) were observed between those who received clotrimazole and those who did not receive clotrimazole.

Conclusions

Our study provides further evidence of a significant drug–drug interaction between tacrolimus and clotrimazole among kidney transplant recipients that can potentially lead to negative allograft outcomes.

image
Maternal and foetal‐neonatal outcomes of dengue virus infection during pregnancy
Authors: Rathore Sawai Singh , Oberoi Sharvi , Hilliard Jonathan , Raja Ritesh , Ahmed Noman Khurshid , Vishwakarma Yogesh , Iqbal Kinza , Kumari Chandani , Velasquez‐Botero Felipe , Nieto‐Salazar María Alejandra , Cortes Guillermo Andrés Moreno , Akomaning Edwin , Musa Islam elFatih Mohamed
Published: June 2022

Objective

Given that women of reproductive age in dengue‐endemic areas are at risk of infection, it is necessary to determine whether dengue virus (DENV) infection during pregnancy is associated with adverse outcomes. The aim of this systematic review and meta‐analysis is to investigate the consequences of DENV infection in pregnancy on various maternal and foetal‐neonatal outcomes.

Methods

A systematic literature search was undertaken using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Embase till December 2021. Mantel–Haenszel risk ratios were calculated to report overall effect size using random effect models. The pooled prevalence was computed using the random effect model. All statistical analyses were performed on MedCalc Software.

Result

We obtained data from 36 studies involving 39,632 DENV‐infected pregnant women. DENV infection in pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of maternal mortality (OR = 4.14 [95% CI, 1.17–14.73]), stillbirth (OR = 2.71 [95% CI, 1.44–5.10]), and neonatal deaths (OR = 3.03 [95% CI, 1.17–7.83]) compared with pregnant women without DENV infection. There was no significant statistical association established between maternal DENV infection and the outcomes of preterm birth, maternal bleeding, low birth weight in neonates, and risk of miscarriage. Pooled prevalences were 14.9% for dengue shock syndrome, 14% for preterm birth, 13.8% for maternal bleeding, 10.1% for low birth weight, 6% for miscarriages, and 5.6% for stillbirth.

Conclusion

DENV infection in pregnant women may be associated with adverse outcomes such as maternal mortality, stillbirth, and neonatal mortality. Hence, pregnant women should be considered an at‐risk population for dengue management programmes.
Place dialogue
Authors: Adams Paul C. , Kotus Jacek
Published: June 2022

This paper argues for attention to place dialogue, rethinking how place meanings emerge through interactions between human agency and the nonhuman agency of place. To speak is to act, so what is in play here is acknowledging place not only as a ‘speaker’ and a ‘listener’ but also as an agent. In addition to developing posthumanist geographies, the article proposes a new direction for geographical studies of communication, building on the semiotic theory of C.S. Peirce and closely related research in philosophical pragmatism. Communication geography research on place‐in‐communication (representations) and communication‐in‐place (infrastructures) should be complemented by a third approach that recognises place as an interlocutor intervening in meaningful ways with human and nonhuman inhabitants' lives. In calling for this sort of recognition of place dialogue, we trace an ontological shift already prescribed by Indigenous geography, assemblage theory, philosophical pragmatism and posthumanism. The body of the article offers glimpses of three place dialogues: a research meeting taking place in an outdoor seating area of a bakery/cafe, a short viral video featuring a resourceful rat living in the New York subway, and a trip to a nature preserve to climb a mountain. In each example, we show how geographers can return to the non‐modern idea that place acts and speaks.
Green rebranding: Regenerative agriculture, future‐pasts, and the naturalisation of livestock
Authors: Cusworth George , Lorimer Jamie , Brice Jeremy , Garnett Tara
Published: June 2022

Anxieties around the relationship between livestock agriculture and the environmental crisis are driving sustained discussions about the place of beef and dairy farming in a sustainable food system. Proposed solutions range from ‘clean‐cow’ sustainable intensification to ‘no‐cow’, animal free futures, both of which encourage a disruptive break with past practice. This paper reviews the alternative proposition of regenerative agriculture that naturalises beef and dairy production by invoking the past to justify future, nature‐based solutions. Drawing on fieldwork in the UK, it first introduces two of the most prominent strands to this green rebranding of cattle: the naturalisation of ruminant methane emissions and the optimisation of soil carbon sequestration via the use of ruminant grazing animals. Subsequent thematic analysis outlines the three political strategies of post‐pastoral storytelling, political ecological baselining and a probiotic model of bovine biopolitics that perform this naturalisation. The conclusion assesses the potential and the risks of this approach to grounding the geographies and the temporalities of agricultural transition in the Anthropocene: an epoch in which time is out of joint and natures are multiple and non‐analogue, such that they provide slippery and contested grounds for political solutions.
Securing the pig farmgate? Biosecurity, affects and pathological atmospheres
Authors: Wang Chi‐Mao
Published: June 2022

Faced with infectious disease threats, the global pork industry and the state have prioritised biosecurity in order to maintain porcine proliferation. Techniques such as good sanitation and surveillance are deemed necessary to ensure animal health. Rooted in germ theory, biosecurity regards disease as an incursion of pathogens from the outside. By drawing distinctions between healthy and diseased bodies, biosecurity regimes appear to represent an anthropocentric desire to control life through spatial enclosure. However, recent work on health geographies has revealed that health is a multifaceted configuration of changing relationships that often escape the purview of biosecurity. Critical studies have pointed out that the management of animal health relies less on any uniform understanding of disease and more on situated veterinary knowledge. This paper seeks to extend this body of work by emphasising inter‐species bodily encounters and earthly elements of the weather‐world. To elucidate this, I draw on recent research into atmosphere and affect, thereby developing the idea of pathological atmospheres. With reference to ethnographical work conducted in veterinary laboratories and commercial pig farms in Taiwan, I point out that a vet's situated expertise is conditioned by their ability to sense and respond to the atmospheric milieu in which they are immersed.
Administrative Support and Provisionally-Licensed Special Education Teachers: Examining Support Dimensions During a Global Pandemic
Authors: Macedonia Anna , Weiss Margaret P.
Published: June 2022

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to report on the perspectives of provisionally-licensed special education teachers as to the administrative support they experienced and felt they needed in a distance learning environment. Utilizing a three-step convenience sampling process, five provisionally-licensed special education teachers who attended a Mid-Atlantic university participated in the study and described their perspectives of administrative support. Utilizing House’s (1981) theory of social support as a conceptual framework, data was collected through participant journal entries and semi-structured interviews and analyzed through a multi-step coding process. Findings revealed that provisionally-licensed special education teachers require support across all of House’s (1981) dimensions including instrumental support, informational support, emotional support, and appraisal support. Findings include four main takeaways: (a) provisionally-licensed special education teachers require supports across dimensions, most importantly, emotional support; (b) provisionally-licensed special education teachers reported a need for school-based administrators to establish open communication to inform special education teacher roles, establish expectations of collaboration, and demonstrate care and support; (c) school-based administrators who possess a background in special education were reported to possess knowledge and skills to support special education teachers and students with disabilities; and (d) support provided to provisionally-licensed special education teachers did not always align to needed support. Recommendations for administrative support approaches for provisionally-licensed special education teachers are described and limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
Beyond Health Belief: Modeling the Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake among Social Media Users in Nigeria
Authors: Erubami Joshua Aghogho , Okpeki Philo Igue , Ohaja Edith Ugochi , Anorue Uchenna Chijindu , Ezugwu Martins Ndubisi
Published: June 2022

There have been sustained global efforts to promote the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, yet studies suggest the upsurge of vaccine resistance around the world. Considering the wide adoption of social media as crucial sources of health information, the nature of popular online debates on vaccination initiatives can significantly sway people’s vaccine-related decisions. This study develops a structural equation model for the predictors of COVID-19 vaccine uptake among Nigerian social media users. Using an online survey of 436 respondents, the study fundamentally extends the constructs of the Health Belief Model by examining the unique roles of social media exposure, fear, and anticipated regret in the prediction of individuals’ vaccination decisions. We found that perceived susceptibility to and perceived severity of vaccination risk, perceived barriers to vaccination, exposure to vaccine-critical posts on social media, fear of vaccination risk, and anticipated regret for vaccine uptake significantly predicted COVID-19 vaccine uptake. However, the perceived benefits of COVID-19 vaccine uptake and anticipated regret for inaction related to vaccination did not predict COVID-19 vaccine-related decisions. The findings accentuate why stakeholders in the public health sector should pay adequate attention to social media-related trends on public health promotion schemes, and counter any detected falsehood with credible information.
International Students' Experience of Learning to Speak Interculturally on an Online Platform
Authors: Irawan Nico , Retnaningdyah Pratiwi , Mustofa Ali
Published: June 2022

Through an online platform, this paper attempted to elicit international students' learning experiences in speaking interculturally. It allows students to learn in both synchronous and asynchronous modes while remaining in their native countries and communicating with others. They had unrestricted access to it from anywhere in the world. To obtain data, this work employed a phenomenology case study and photovoice. Purposive selection of virtual observation and interviews for particular international students who studied at a Thai institution from their home countries (i.e., Cambodia, mainland China, South Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines) were utilized by the researchers. Despite the fact that the researchers observed 136 business administration undergraduates, just 10 were identified and chosen to conduct specialized studies and in-depth interviews. Furthermore, this research revealed that international students must utilize English to communicate with others in order to improve intercultural communication quality while also growing their cross-cultural competence and interaction. In addition, the practical implications of these findings for intercultural communication learning experiences are highlighted.
Effectiveness of social activity interventions for improving sleep among older people: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Naruse Takashi , Kynoch Kathryn , Sumikawa Yuka , Ramis Mary-Anne , Tuckett Anthony G.
Published: June 2022

Objective:

The objective of this review is to evaluate the effectiveness of social activity interventions for improving sleep among older people.

Introduction:

Sleep is one of the most important functions for humans because it assists in maintaining health. Sleep disturbance is common in older people. Social activity has shown to be associated with better sleep in the older population; however, the effectiveness of these interventions is unclear.

Inclusion criteria:

This review will consider studies that include people aged 60 years or older. Any type of social activity intervention will be included. Outcomes will include both objective (eg, sleep time) and subjective sleep measures (eg, subjective sleep satisfaction). This review will consider both experimental and quasi-experimental study designs.

Methods:

MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Ichushi web will be searched for eligible studies. Sources of unpublished studies and gray literature to be searched include OpenGrey and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Studies published in any language will be considered. No date filter will be applied. Titles and abstracts will be screened by two independent reviewers who will then assess the full text of selected citations against the inclusion criteria. Eligible studies will be critically appraised by the reviewers using the JBI critical appraisal instruments. Where possible, studies will be pooled using meta-analysis. Where statistical pooling is not possible, the findings will be presented in narrative form. The degree of certainty of the evidence on sleep outcomes will be assessed using the GRADE approach.

Systematic review registration number:

PROSPEPO CRD42022315454
Experiences of health care professionals in intensive care when families participate in clinician handovers: a qualitative systematic review protocol
Authors: Wong Pauline , Gamble Andree , Jaspers Rose , Pope Nicole , Endacott Ruth
Published: June 2022

Objective:

This review will evaluate the experiences of health care professionals in the intensive care unit when families participate in clinician handovers.

Introduction:

Families of patients admitted to the intensive care unit report stress and anxiety. Family participation in multidisciplinary rounds in the intensive care unit may improve patient and family outcomes. However, health care professionals have different attitudes toward family participation. Furthermore, there is limited understanding of the barriers, facilitators, and other outcomes of family participation in clinician handovers for the patient, family, and health care professionals.

Inclusion criteria:

The review will consider studies involving health care professionals (eg, nurses, physicians, allied health professionals) and any type of family participation, from bedside presence to participation in decision-making. Clinician handovers may be multidisciplinary ward rounds or nursing handovers. Settings may be the adult, pediatric, or neonatal intensive care unit in rural or metropolitan regions in any country. Studies in other clinical contexts will be excluded.

Methods:

Databases to be searched include CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, PsycINFO, Embase, Emcare, Web of Science, and ProQuest Central. The search will be limited to articles written in English from 2000 to the present. Two independent reviewers will screen titles and abstracts, assess the full text of selected citations for inclusion, and assess methodological quality. A data extraction tool will be used, and findings will be assigned a level of credibility. Meta-aggregation will be used to synthesize findings. Disagreements between reviewers will be discussed to reach consensus; a third reviewer will be consulted if necessary.

Systematic review registration number:

PROSPERO CRD42020223011
Postlockdown Performance in French Swimming Championships
Authors: Miguens Nathan , Pla Robin , Difernand Audrey , Toussaint Jean-François , Sedeaud Adrien
Published: June 2022

Purpose: To measure the proportion of French swimmers that progressed, stagnated, or regressed during the 2020 national championship compared with previous ones. Method: Individual best performances were collected at the French national championships from 2000 to 2020. Yearly proportions of swimmers who improved, stagnated, or regressed in performances were compared with their previous performances. Results: In 2020, the proportion of swimmers with performance regression has significantly increased (33% vs 17% in 2019). Women showed a higher proportion of performance regression (41%) than men (26%, P < .0001) in 2020. Only 39% of women and 53% of men experienced progression in 2020 (vs 60.8% [3.7%] and 66.7% [5.2%], respectively, in the previous years). Only the 2008 and 2009 championships showed a regression proportion that did not increase with age. The 2010 championship (the year of swimsuits ban) showed a higher proportion of regressing athletes than these previous years. Long-distance events showed higher proportion of performance regression (36.2% [0.5%]) for 400-, 800-, and 1500-m races than for short-distance ones (32.1% [3.2%]; 50-, 100-, and 200-m events). Breaststroke events showed higher regression (42.4%) than other styles (30.5% [2.1%]). Younger swimmers more often improved their performance than older ones (61.9% [8.5%] for swimmers less than 18 y of age vs 20.0% [10.8%] for those 25 y and older). Conclusion: A high proportion of swimmers experienced performance regression during the 2020 French national championships. A higher impact was observed among female, long-distance, and breaststroke swimmers. Eight weeks of lockdown without training may have led to poorer swimming performances.
Implementation of an Evidence-Based, Tai Ji Quan Fall Prevention Program in Rural West Virginia Churches: A RE-AIM Evaluation
Authors: Jones Dina L. , Selfe Terry Kit , Wen Sijin , Eicher Jennifer L. , Wilcox Sara , Mancinelli Corrie
Published: June 2022

This study implemented a 16-week Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance® intervention for older adults in churches in hard-to-reach, medically underserved, rural communities, and evaluated the process using the RE-AIM Framework. Community-dwelling adults, aged 55 years, or older, were eligible. Data (N = 237) were collected at baseline, 16 weeks, and 32 weeks on falls efficacy, depression, physical/mental health-related quality of life, aerobic activity, gait speed, mobility, balance, and leg strength. Generalized/linear mixed models determined if outcomes improved. Eighteen churches sponsored 16 classes. Church adoption was 94%, instructor adoption was 86%, reach was 90%, and fidelity was good/fair. All outcomes improved except physical health-related quality of life and gait speed. Thirty-six percent of participants, 28% of churches, and 37% of instructors continued Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance at 32 weeks. Compared with two prior RE-AIM evaluations, adoption and reach rates, improvements in outcomes, and satisfaction were comparable; attendance, program completion, and continuation rates were lower.
The Politics of Canada’s Return to International Hockey in 1977: Hockey Diplomacy?
Authors: Scherer Jay
Published: June 2022

In 1977, the Canadian men’s national hockey team returned to international competition, marking the end of a controversial boycott launched in 1970 by Canadian ice hockey officials in protest of the International Ice Hockey Federation’s refusal to allow professionals to participate in international tournaments. However, Canada’s much-heralded presence at the 1977 World Championships in Vienna, Austria, was memorable for mostly the wrong reasons. The hastily assembled team of professionals finished fourth, out of medal contention, and engaged in repeated acts of brutality against its opponents. The team’s poor performance and unsportsmanlike conduct subsequently prompted Iona Campagnolo, the minister of state for Fitness and Amateur Sport, to commission a study on Canada’s role in international hockey. Drawing from archival diplomatic communications, this article explores the changing political and economic dynamics that shaped the series of negotiations and compromises that culminated in Canada’s return to international competition in 1977 and the fallout from its performance there. It argues that Canada’s return to the International Ice Hockey Federation’s World Championships in 1977 with a team of professionals marked a pivotal moment in the history of international hockey, further propelling the sport into a new era of commodification and accentuating the decline of the traditional amateur ideal—developments that consolidated the power of the National Hockey League in international hockey and over the Canadian men’s national team.
A Reduced F
420
-Dependent Nitrite Reductase in an Anaerobic Methanotrophic Archaeon
Authors: Heryakusuma Christian , Susanti Dwi , Yu Hang , Li Zhou , Purwantini Endang , Hettich Robert L. , Orphan Victoria J. , Mukhopadhyay Biswarup
Published: June 2022

Coenzyme F
420
-dependent sulfite reductase (Fsr) protects methanogenic archaea inhabiting deep-sea hydrothermal vents from the inactivation of methyl coenzyme M reductase (Mcr), one of their essential energy production enzymes. Anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME) that oxidize methane and rely on Mcr, carry Fsr homologs that form a distinct clade.
Can Radioactive Emanations in a Seismically Active Region Affect Atmospheric Electricity and the Ionosphere?
Authors: Surkov V. V. , Pilipenko V. A. , Silina A. S.
Published: June 2022

Abstract—Anomalous variations in radon emissions from the soil are sometimes observed before and after strong earthquakes. In this paper, we theoretically analyze the known hypothesis that these variations in radioactive emanations in the surface layer of the atmosphere cause variations in the vertical background current in the atmosphere with subsequent changes in the electron density $${{n}_{e}}$$ in the lower ionosphere. For this purpose, we will first assess the relation between radon emission variations and the vertical atmospheric current flowing into the ionosphere. Then we will solve a model problem concerning the spatial distribution of plasma density and electric field perturbations occurring in the E-layer of the ionosphere caused by an inflowing vertical current. It was believed that the current flowing into this layer contains only an electron component and is attenuated only by the recombination of electrons. The estimate of the maximum variation $${{n}_{e}}$$ is at least 3–5 orders of magnitude smaller than the observed anomalous variations, which allows us to conclude that this hypothesis is not plausible.
HEAT TRANSFER APPLICATIONS IN CURVED MICRO-CHANNEL DRIVEN BY ELECTROOSMOSIS AND PERISTALTIC PUMPING
Authors: LU D. C. , NOREEN S. , WAHEED S. , TRIPATHI D.
Published: June 2022

A precise model is presented to designate the curvature effects in electroosmotic flow classifications to organize flow in a curved micro-vessel. Heat transfer analysis is also considered under the viscous dissipation effect. Lubrication scheme, Debye–Hückel estimation, and suitable boundary conditions have been employed to arising nonlinear system. The coupled nonlinear PDEs are solved numerically using Mathematica software. The obtained numerical results for electric potential, stream function, pressure gradient, axial velocity, temperature and shear stress are displayed through graphical illustrations. Trapping for blood flow under the effects of physical parameter is also discussed. The annotations also demonstrate the silent features of the micro-mixer peristaltic pumps and chip devices which may additionally be exploited in hemodialysis and judgement of samples respectively.
Enumeration for FO Queries over Nowhere Dense Graphs
Authors: Schweikardt Nicole , Segoufin Luc , Vigny Alexandre
Published: June 2022

We consider the evaluation of first-order queries over classes of databases that are
nowhere dense
. The notion of nowhere dense classes was introduced by Nešetřil and Ossona de Mendez as a formalization of classes of “sparse” graphs and generalizes many well-known classes of graphs, such as classes of bounded degree, bounded tree-width, or bounded expansion.

It has recently been shown by Grohe, Kreutzer, and Siebertz that over nowhere dense classes of databases, first-order sentences can be evaluated in pseudo-linear time (pseudo-linear time means that for all

\( \epsilon \)

there exists an algorithm working in time

\( O(n^{1+\epsilon }) \)

, where

\( n \)

is the size of the database).

For first-order queries of higher arities, we show that over any nowhere dense class of databases, the set of their solutions can be enumerated with constant delay after a pseudo-linear time preprocessing. In the same context, we also show that after a pseudo-linear time preprocessing we can, on input of a tuple, test in constant time whether it is a solution to the query.
Learning Implicit and Explicit Multi-task Interactions for Information Extraction
Authors: Sun Kai , Zhang Richong , Mensah Samuel , Mao Yongyi , Liu Xudong
Published: June 2022

Information extraction aims at extracting entities, relations, and so on, in text to support information retrieval systems. To extract information, researchers have considered multitask learning (ML) approaches. The conventional ML approach learns shared features across tasks, with the assumption that these features capture sufficient task interactions to learn expressive shared representations for task classification. However, such an assumption is flawed in different perspectives. First, the shared representation may contain noise introduced by another task; tasks coupled for multitask learning may have different complexities but this approach treats all tasks equally; the conventional approach has a flat structure that hinders the learning of explicit interactions. This approach, however, learns implicit interactions across tasks and often has a generalization ability that has benefited the learning of multitasks. In this article, we take advantage of implicit interactions learned by conventional approaches while alleviating the issues mentioned above by developing a Recurrent Interaction Network with an effective Early Prediction Integration (RIN-EPI) for multitask learning. Specifically, RIN-EPI learns implicit and explicit interactions across two different but related tasks. To effectively learn explicit interactions across tasks, we consider the correlations among the outputs of related tasks. It is, however, obvious that task outputs are unobservable during training, so we leverage the predictions at intermediate layers (referred to as early predictions) as proxies as well as shared features across tasks to learn explicit interactions through attention mechanisms and sequence learning models. By recurrently learning explicit interactions, we gradually improve predictions for the individual tasks in the multitask learning. We demonstrate the effectiveness of RIN-EPI on the learning of two mainstream multitasks for information extraction: (1) entity recognition and relation classification and (2) aspect and opinion term co-extraction. Extensive experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the RIN-EPI architecture, where we achieve state-of-the-art results on several benchmark datasets.
Hierarchical and Progressive Image Matting
Authors: Qiao Yu , Liu Yuhao , Wei Ziqi , Wang Yuxin , Cai Qiang , Zhang Guofeng , Yang Xin
Published: June 2022

Most matting research resorts to advanced semantics to achieve high-quality alpha mattes, and a direct low-level features combination is usually explored to complement alpha details. However, we argue that appearance-agnostic integration can only provide biased foreground (FG) details and that alpha mattes require different-level feature aggregation for better pixel-wise opacity perception. In this article, we propose an end-to-end hierarchical and progressive attention matting network (HAttMatting++), which can better predict the opacity of the FG from single RGB images without additional input. Specifically, we utilize channel-wise attention (CA) to distill pyramidal features and employ spatial attention (SA) at different levels to filter appearance cues. This progressive attention mechanism can estimate alpha mattes from adaptive semantics and semantics-indicated boundaries. We also introduce a hybrid loss function fusing structural similarity, mean square error, adversarial loss, and sentry supervision to guide the network to further improve the overall FG structure. In addition, we construct a large-scale and challenging image matting dataset comprised of 59,000 training images and 1,000 test images (a total of 646 distinct FG alpha mattes), which can further improve the robustness of our hierarchical and progressive aggregation model. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed HAttMatting++ can capture sophisticated FG structures and achieve state-of-the-art performance with single RGB images as input.
What Did My AI Learn? How Data Scientists Make Sense of Model Behavior
Authors: Cabrera Ángel Alexander , Tulio Ribeiro Marco , Lee Bongshin , Deline Robert , Perer Adam , Drucker Steven M.
Published: June 2022

Data scientists require rich mental models of how AI systems behave to effectively train, debug, and work with them. Despite the prevalence of AI analysis tools, there is no general theory describing how people make sense of what their models have learned. We frame this process as a form of sensemaking and derive a framework describing how data scientists develop mental models of AI behavior. To evaluate the framework, we show how existing AI analysis tools fit into this sensemaking process and use it to design
AIFinnity
, a system for analyzing image-and-text models. Lastly, we explored how data scientists use a tool developed with the framework through a think-aloud study with 10 data scientists tasked with using
AIFinnity
to pick an image captioning model. We found that
AIFinnity
’s sensemaking workflow reflected participants’ mental processes and enabled them to discover and validate diverse AI behaviors.
iBiR
: Bug-report-driven Fault Injection
Authors: Khanfir Ahmed , Koyuncu Anil , Papadakis Mike , Cordy Maxime , Bissyandé Tegawende F. , Klein Jacques , Le Traon Yves
Published: June 2022

Much research on software engineering relies on experimental studies based on fault injection. Fault injection, however, is not often relevant to emulate real-world software faults since it “blindly” injects large numbers of faults. It remains indeed challenging to inject few but realistic faults that target a particular functionality in a program. In this work, we introduce
iBiR
, a fault injection tool that addresses this challenge by exploring change patterns associated to user-reported faults. To inject realistic faults, we create mutants by re-targeting a bug-report-driven automated program repair system, i.e., reversing its code transformation templates.
iBiR
is further appealing in practice since it requires deep knowledge of neither code nor tests, just of the program’s relevant bug reports. Thus, our approach focuses the fault injection on the feature targeted by the bug report. We assess
iBiR
by considering the Defects4J dataset. Experimental results show that our approach outperforms the fault injection performed by traditional mutation testing in terms of semantic similarity with the original bug, when applied at either system or class levels of granularity, and provides better, statistically significant estimations of test effectiveness (fault detection). Additionally, when injecting 100 faults,
iBiR
injects faults that couple with the real ones in around 36% of the cases, while mutation testing achieves less than 4%.
ASA:

A

ccelerating

S

parse

A

ccumulation in Column-wise SpGEMM
Authors: Zhang Chao , Bremer Maximilian , Chan Cy , Shalf John , Guo Xiaochen
Published: June 2022

Sparse linear algebra is an important kernel in many different applications. Among various sparse general matrix-matrix multiplication (SpGEMM) algorithms, Gustavson’s column-wise SpGEMM has good locality when reading input matrix and can be easily parallelized by distributing the computation of different columns of an output matrix to different processors. However, the sparse accumulation (SPA) step in column-wise SpGEMM, which merges partial sums from each of the multiplications by the row indices, is still a performance bottleneck. The state-of-the-art software implementation uses a hash table for partial sum search in the SPA, which makes SPA the largest contributor to the execution time of SpGEMM. There are three reasons that cause the SPA to become the bottleneck: (1) hash probing requires data-dependent branches that are difficult for a branch predictor to predict correctly; (2) the accumulation of partial sum is dependent on the results of the hash probing, which makes it difficult to hide the hash probing latency; and (3) hash collision requires time-consuming linear search and optimizations to reduce these collisions require an accurate estimation of the number of non-zeros in each column of the output matrix.

This work proposes ASA architecture to accelerate the SPA. ASA overcomes the challenges of SPA by (1) executing the partial sum search and accumulate with a single instruction through ISA extension to eliminate data-dependent branches in hash probing, (2) using a dedicated on-chip cache to perform the search and accumulation in a pipelined fashion, (3) relying on the parallel search capability of a set-associative cache to reduce search latency, and (4) delaying the merging of overflowed entries. As a result, ASA achieves an average of 2.25× and 5.05× speedup as compared to the state-of-the-art software implementation of a Markov clustering application and its SpGEMM kernel, respectively. As compared to a state-of-the-art hashing accelerator design, ASA achieves an average of 1.95× speedup in the SpGEMM kernel.
CoVerPlan: A

Co

mprehensive

Ver

ification

Plan

ning Framework Leveraging PSS Specifications
Authors: Das Sourav , Sanyal Sayandeep , Hazra Aritra , Dasgupta Pallab
Published: June 2022

With increasing design complexity, the portability of tests across different designs and platforms becomes a key criterion for accelerating verification closure. The Portable Test and Stimulus Standard (PSS) is an emerging industry standard prepared by Accellera for system-on-chip verification and testing. It provides language constructs to create a target-agnostic representation of stimulus and test scenarios reused by various users across many levels of integration. In this article, we present
CoVerPlan
, a comprehensive verification framework built to explore the power of action inferencing on test models written in PSS. The proposed verification framework leverages a Boolean satisfiability problem planner to unwind the actual verification flow from the PSS specifications and automatically synthesizes target-specific constraint-random testbenches and formal assertions.
CoVerPlan
also carries out assertion-based verification of the synthesized properties. We demonstrate the efficacy of our proposed framework over several case studies, like the Advanced Microcontroller Bus Architecture advanced peripheral bus protocol, a simple Reduced Instruction Set Computer processor, and a cache coherence protocol.
Methodological Standards in Accessibility Research on Motor Impairments: A Survey
Authors: Sarsenbayeva Zhanna , van Berkel Niels , Velloso Eduardo , Goncalves Jorge , Kostakos Vassilis
Published: June 2022

The design and evaluation of accessibility technology is a core component of the computer science landscape, aiming to ensure that digital innovations are accessible to all. One of the most prominent and long-lasting areas of accessibility research focuses on motor impairments—deficiencies that affect the ability to move, manipulate objects, and interact with the physical world. In this survey article, we present an extensive overview of the past two decades of research into accessibility for people with motor impairments. Following a structured selection process, we analyzed the study details as reported in 177 relevant papers. Based on this analysis, we critically assess user representation, measurement instruments, and existing barriers that exist in accessibility research. Finally, we discuss future directions for accessibility research within the computer science domain.
The DEVStone Metric: Performance Analysis of DEVS Simulation Engines
Authors: Cárdenas Román , Henares Kevin , Arroba Patricia , Risco-Martín José L. , Wainer Gabriel A.
Published: June 2022

The DEVStone benchmark allows us to evaluate the performance of discrete-event simulators based on the Discrete Event System (DEVS) formalism. It provides model sets with different characteristics, enabling the analysis of specific issues of simulation engines. However, this heterogeneity hinders the comparison of the results among studies, as the results obtained on each research work depend on the chosen subset of DEVStone models. We define the DEVStone metric based on the DEVStone synthetic benchmark and provide a mechanism for specifying objective ratings for DEVS-based simulators. This metric corresponds to the average number of times that a simulator can execute a selection of 12 DEVStone models in 1 minute. The variety of the chosen models ensures that we measure different particularities provided by DEVStone. The proposed metric allows us to compare various simulators and to assess the impact of new features on their performance. We use the DEVStone metric to compare some popular DEVS-based simulators.