bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving Fidelity of Energy Management Software Testing Through Hierarchical Clustering of Train Consist Data
Authors: Aiken Bradford , Wait Keith W.
Published: August 2020

Energy management systems, such as New York Air Brake’s LEADER [1], are real-time control technologies that optimize train performance as Level 2 Autonomy systems under the SAE’s “Levels of Driving Automation” classification system [2], and are now commonly used by many railroads. Such systems require extensive testing due to varying requirements of speed and fuel efficiency, compatibility with the wide variation in consists actually marshalled in the field, as well as the potential for the systems to cause break-in-twos or other undesirable situations. Devising accurate test cases that translate well to real-world usage is a common obstacle in the software development process. Using empirical data gathered from sampling field observations and an unsupervised machine learning model, we have created a simple but effective software system capable of performing automated statistical analysis on train consists and recommending a small number of consists which best capture the variation observed on-track. The data produced by such a system is demonstrably useful in developing truly representative test cases for train control systems/energy management software.

In this investigation, we first applied such an algorithm to a population of train consists from some arbitrary segment of North American track to identify the most representative sample. We then evaluated the performance of the LEADER driving strategy for the sample set of consists with one of two consists that had previously been used for ad-hoc development testing of the software. Our findings from these simulations indicate that the consists identified by the clustering algorithm display greater variation in LEADER-controlled performance across several features than the ad-hoc testing consists do. Such metrics are transit time, fuel consumption, speed limit adherence, and air brake usage. Application of the algorithm is therefore beneficial in that it allows for more efficient and more thorough testing and characterization of energy management software.
Aerodynamic Coefficients of a High-Speed Train in Presence of Windbreaks With Different Gap Configurations
Authors: Brambilla Elia , Tomasini Gisella , Giappino Stefano
Published: August 2020

In the present paper the force aerodynamic coefficients measured, according the European Standard Specifications, by means of wind tunnel tests carried out on a 1:15 scaled model of ETR1000 train in presence of different windbreaks configurations, are presented. In particular, 3m high band barriers (40% of porosity) have been tested with different gaps (from 0,5m to 30m, full scale) in the windbreaks and considering different positions of the train with respect to the gaps. The results shown in this paper allow to evaluate the effect of different windbreak parameters (gap amplitude, train position) on the train overturning risk and they represent a complete database for validation of CFD analyses.
A Computationally Efficient Algorithm for Simulating the Dynamic Train-Track Interaction
Authors: Datta Arya , Rizos Dimitris , Qian Yu , Mullen Robert
Published: August 2020

A new method to determine the dynamic interaction between the train and track has been presented. The train and the track are considered as different subsystems. The subsystems are solved independently assuming no contact force exists, and the overall solution of the system is obtained enforcing displacement compatibility and dynamic force equilibrium equations. The proposed method solves the interface contact forces and the displacements of the contact points explicitly. The method proposed avoids iterative methods to enforce compatibility and equilibrium conditions as devised by other authors. The proposed method is also computationally efficient to the methods devised by different authors when the system is solved as one system since smaller systems are solved at a time and there is no need to update structural matrices at every time step. The numerical examples presented show the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed algorithm.
Verification of a Numerical Model for Simulating Intervertebral Disc Pathophysiology
Authors: Gao Xin , Gu Weiyong
Published: August 2020

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration may cause low back pain which has a tremendous impact on the society and economy in the United States. It is important to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate its pathophysiology in order to diagnose and treat disc degeneration. Recently, we have developed a multiphasic computational model for investigating cell mediated disc degeneration as well as exploring new strategies for disc therapies. The objective of this study was to verify this new computational model according to the guidelines of ASME V&V40. The model was discretized with finite element method and implemented in COMSOL Multiphysics. Several benchmark problems and method of manufactured solutions (MMS) were used to verify the numerical implementation. For all the benchmark problems tested, the numerical results were in excellent agreement with those analytical solutions or other numerical solutions. In addition, the observed convergence rates of primary unknowns obtained with MMS were in excellent agreement with theoretical convergence rates. This study showed that our model has been verified and found no evidence of coding errors.
Limiting Machine Learning Overfitting Uncertainties Through Persistent Homology
Authors: Haas Kyle
Published: August 2020

Machine learning techniques are powerful predictive tools that continue to gain prominence with increasingly available computational power. Engineering design professionals often view machine learning tools through a skeptical lens due to their perceived detachment from the underlying physics. Machine learning tools, such as artificial neural networks and regression models, are fueled by training data, obtained either analytically or through physical collection, the use of such surrogate models introduces an additional source of uncertainty. Sources of uncertainty associated with machine learning models can originate from the collected data or from the training process itself. Validation and verification methods are especially important for machine learning applications due to their perceived disconnect from underlying physics, sensitivity to data accumulation uncertainties, and potential for under or over training the model itself. Despite all of these potential pitfalls, sufficient testing of machine learning models against segregated testing data and use of regularization tools to diagnose overfitting is not always employed by industry practioners. This paper will illustrate the use of topological data analysis (TDA), specifically persistent homology, a subset of algebraic topology, as an alternative means to achieve generalization of a predictive manifold produced through a machine learning model. Persistent homology will be used to seek out and identify the most meaningful and connected components within the data that forms the predicted manifold, with less connected components treated as noise to be disregarded. Therefore, the uncertainties associated with overfitting can be limited. The proposed method will be demonstrated through its application to a simple single-degree-of-freedom structural system to demonstrate its effectiveness in generalizing the resulting manifold and limiting the associated uncertainty.
A Verification and Validation Study of the Cyclops I PBX 9502 Experiment
Authors: Grove John W. , Coleman Adam C. , Johnson Carl E. , Menikoff Ralph
Published: August 2020

A computational verification and validation study of the Cyclops I experiment [1–7] was conducted using the Los Alamos Eulerian Applications code xRage [8]. The purpose of this study was to validate the Scaled Unified Reactive Front (SURF) plus (SURFplus) model for insensitive high explosives [9–12]. Diagnostics from the experiment included photon doppler velocimetry measurements of the encasing shell for the device and proton radiography photographs of the explosions. This data was compared to the xRage computed data and a convergence study of burn front evolution was conducted. We conclude that the SURFplus high explosive model does an excellent job at predicting the high explosive burn front velocity and shape with results that converge to the experimental data at rates near to or better than first order in most cases. Some companion verification metrics for the solution convergence are also described. These metrics show that the xRage computed solution for the high explosive burn front converges to first order or better, as consistent with the treatment of shock fronts in a higher order Godunov hydrodynamic solver as used in xRage.
“The New Woman and the Manly Art”: Women and Boxing in Nineteenth-Century Canada
Authors: Ross MacIntosh , Wamsley Kevin B.
Published: August 2020

On July 27, 1859, “Canada” Kate Clark met two Americans, Nellie Stem and Mary Dwyer, for a pair of prize fights in Fort Erie, Canada West. Beginning their adventure in Buffalo, New York, they rowed their way across the Niagara River to the fighting grounds in the British colony. Like pugilists before them, they stripped to the waist to limit potential grappling in battle. Both the journey and pre-fight fight preparations were tried and true components of mid-nineteenth century prize fighting. Although the press, and later historians, overwhelmingly associated such performances with male combatants, women were indeed active in Canadian pugilistic circles, settling scores, testing their mettle, and displaying their fistic abilities both pre- and post-Confederation. In this article, we begin to untangle the various threads of female pugilism, situating these athletes and performers within the broader literature on both boxing and women's sport in Canada. By examining media reports of female boxers—both in sparring and prize fighting—we hope to provide a historiographic foundation for further discussions of early female pugilism, highlighting the various ways these women upheld and challenged the notion of the “new woman” in Canada.
Association between early essential newborn care and breastfeeding outcomes in eight countries in Asia and the Pacific: a cross-sectional observational -study
Authors: Li Zhao , Mannava Priya , Murray John Charles Scott , Sobel Howard Lawrence , Jatobatu Annie , Calibo Anthony , Tsevelmaa Baldan , Saysanasongkham Bounnack , Ogaoga Divinal , Waramin Edward Joseph , Mason Elizabeth Mary , Obara Hiromi , Tran Hoang Thi , Tuan Hoang Anh , Kitong Jacqueline , Yaipupu Jessica Mara , Cheang Kannitha , Silvestre Maria Asuncion , Kounnavongsa Outhevanh , Putney Pamela , Nga Pham Thi Quynh , Tung Rathavy , Phal Sano , Kubota Shogo , Krang Sidonn , Burggraaf Simon , Rattana Sommana , Xu Tao , Zhang Tuohong , Enkhmaa Ulziikhutag , Delgermaa Vanya , Chhour Y Meng
Published: August 2020

Objective

To explore the association between early essential newborn care (EENC) policy, practice and environmental interventions and breastfeeding outcomes.

Design

Cross-sectional observational study.

Setting

150 national, provincial and district hospitals implementing EENC in eight countries in East Asia and the Pacific.

Participants

1383 maternal interviews, chart reviews and environmental assessments during 2016 and 2017.

Main outcome measures

Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), that is, feeding only breastmilk without other food or fluids since birth and before discharge, and, early breastfeeding initiation, that is, during skin-to-skin contact (SSC) with the mother without separation.

Results

Fifty-nine per cent of newborns initiated breastfeeding early and 83.5% were EBF. Duration of SSC showed a strong dose–response relationship with early breastfeeding initiation. SSC of at least 90 min was associated with 368.81 (95% CI 88.76 to 1532.38, p<0.001) times higher early breastfeeding. EBF was significantly associated with SSC duration of 30–59 min (OR 3.54, 95% CI 1.88 to 6.66, p<0.001), 60–89 min (OR 5.61, 95% CI 2.51 to 12.58, p<0.001) and at least 90 min (OR 3.78, 95% CI 2.12 to 6.74, p<0.001) regardless of delivery mode. Non-supine position (OR 2.80, 95% CI 1.90 to 4.11, p<0.001), rooming-in (OR 5.85, 95% CI 3.46 to 9.88, p<0.001), hospital breastfeeding policies (OR 2.82, 95% CI 1.97 to 4.02, p<0.001), quality improvement mechanisms (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.07 to 2.49, p=0.02) and no formula products (OR 17.50, 95% CI 5.92 to 51.74, p<0.001) were associated with EBF.

Conclusion

EENC policy, practice and environmental interventions were associated with breastfeeding outcomes. To maximise the likelihood of early and EBF, newborns, regardless of delivery mode, should receive immediate and uninterrupted SSC for at least 90 min.
Prognostic indicators of short‐term outcome in dogs undergoing surgery for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome
Authors: Seneviratne Maheeka , Kaye Benjamin Marcus , Ter Haar Gert
Published: August 2020

Background

The aims of this study were to assess the impact of epidemiological variables, severity of presurgical respiratory signs, diagnostic findings from pharyngeal and laryngeal examination using a new grading scheme and CT scan images, on postsurgical outcome in dogs undergoing surgery for brachycephalic obstruction airway syndrome (BOAS).

Methods

An owner‐based questionnaire was used to grade dogs based on their respiratory signs before surgery and at least six weeks after surgery. Epidemiological data and results from presurgical pharyngeal and laryngeal examination and CT scan findings for 75 dogs undergoing airway surgery were collected from the medical records.

Results

70.7 per cent of dogs showed an improvement in respiratory signs following rhinoplasty and palatoplasty. This improvement was associated with the severity of inspiratory efforts and the Poncet score on presentation, but not with any other clinical sign or anatomical abnormality found during BOAS assessment, nor by the degree of craniofacial shortening as determined by CT‐scan. Presurgical snoring was positively associated with the degree of narrowing of pharyngeal dimensions.

Conclusions

Dogs presenting with clinical signs of BOAS benefit from rhinoplasty and palatoplasty alone. The degree of narrowing of pharyngeal dimensions appears to be associated with severity of snoring while soft palate length alone was not.
Contrasting practices and opinions of UK‐based veterinary surgeons around neutering cats at four months old
Authors: McDonald Jenni , Clements Jane
Published: August 2020

Background

Many cats in the UK are not neutered before reaching potential breeding age. The purpose of this investigation was to understand the prevalence of veterinarians’ behaviours around neutering cats at four months of age and to identify any needs of the veterinary profession on this.

Methods

A sample of 483 veterinarians that completed a cross‐sectional online questionnaire were included in quantitative and qualitative analyses.

Results

Almost 70 per cent of veterinarians indicated they were comfortable carrying out neutering on cats of four months of age, and approximately half of veterinarians indicated they would recommend neutering client‐owned cats at four months of age if practice policy permitted. There was no association found between these practices and geographic risk factors. Instead, neutering at four months was associated with the gender of the veterinarian, their practice policy and whether they routinely neuter unowned cats. Veterinarians have contrasting beliefs on similar themes, depending on whether they neuter kittens at four months or not, including differing opinions on general anaesthetic, surgery risks, owner compliance and their perceptions of neutering practices within the wider profession.

Conclusion

Familiarity and experience with the procedure, alongside perceived norms, are central to beliefs. We also highlight informational and learning barriers.
Upper Cambrian and Lower Ordovician conodont biostratigraphy and revised lithostratigraphy, Boothia Peninsula, Nunavut
Authors: Zhang Shunxin
Published: August 2020

The strata exposed along Lord Lindsay River on southern Boothia Peninsula were previously named the Netsilik Formation, and then recognized as the Turner Cliffs Formation; the interpretation of the age and correlation was based on limited data. New detailed field investigation at 23 localities along the section resulted in the discovery of over 640 identifiable conodont specimens, with 35 species representing 16 genera, among which a new species, Rossodus? boothiaensis sp. nov., is recognized. Five North American standard conodont zone/subzone-equivalent faunas are documented from the section, namely the Hirsutodontus hirsutus Subzone-equivalent, Cordylodus angulatus, Rossodus manitouensis, Acodus deltatus/Oneotodus costatus and Oepikodus communis Zone-equivalent faunas. These faunas enable a new understanding of the age and stratigraphic position of the Netsilik and Turner Cliffs formations on southern Boothia Peninsula. The Netsilik Formation can be correlated with the lower member (except for the lowest part) and upper member of the Turner Cliffs Formation; the previously unmeasured upper part of the section can be associated with the lower Ship Point Formation. Based on the new conodont data, these three units are dated as early Age 10, late Cambrian to middle Tremadocian, Early Ordovician; late Tremadocian, Early Ordovician; and early Floian, Early Ordovician, respectively. This study fills a gap in upper Cambrian and Lower Ordovician biostratigraphy on Boothia Peninsula, and links the regional biostratigraphy to that of Laurentia.
Ocular Injury Caused by the Sprayed Venom of the Asian Giant Hornet (Vespa mandarinia)
Authors: Hirano Koji , Tanikawa Atsuhiro
Published: August 2020

This report presents the details of a case of sight-threatening injury in the right eye of a 77-year-old man which was caused by the venom of the Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia). The patient was not stung, rather the venom was sprayed into his eye. Although the injured eye was washed as a first aid treatment, persistent corneal defect, corneal endothelial decompensation, iris atrophy, pupil dilation, and mature cataract were observed and a hand movement visual acuity was recorded 8 weeks after the injury. Since a slight a-wave was detected in his electroretinogram (ERG) result after the corneal epithelial defect had healed, we performed cataract surgery and Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK). After the DSAEK, the cornea of the right eye became clearer; however, the visual acuity of his right eye did not improve. Fundus examination revealed branch retinal artery occlusion but no optic disc atrophy. ERG showed that the a-wave amplitude of the injured eye recorded after the surgery was almost half of that of the fellow eye. The iris atrophy and mature cataract show that the sprayed Vespa venom of the Asian giant hornet can permeate into the intraocular area even without stinging. Whether the venom directly affects retinal function is unclear, but the decreased a-wave of the injured eye shows that the venom caused damage of retinal function in some way. Irrigation of the anterior chamber as well as eye washing is needed as a first aid treatment in similar cases.
Late Spontaneous Reabsorption of Interface Fluid after Descemet’s Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty Surgery
Authors: Romanazzi Filippo , Morano Anna , Caccavale Antonio
Published: August 2020

An 80-year-old male was referred to our hospital for chronic bullous keratopathy in the right eye. Ten years before, he was affected by an attack of primary acute angle closure glaucoma in high hyperopia and Fuchs’ endothelial dystrophy. A bilateral iridotomy was performed. Thereafter, the patient developed an endothelial decompensation in the left eye, and, in another hospital, he underwent an open-sky combined cataract extraction and penetrating keratoplasty. Our surgical approach for the right eye consisted of phacoemulsification and, after 1 month, a Descemet’s stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK). After the procedure, an interface fluid was suspected, and an anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT) confirmed it. The graft was well centered but thickened, showing no movement in the anterior chamber, adherent to the periphery of the recipient cornea but with a pool of fluid in the center. Seven days postoperatively, an anterior segment OCT showed initial signs of reabsorption of the fluid. On day 45, the graft was adherent with normal thickness and the interface fluid had completely disappeared. The corneal stroma was clear, but a faint interface opacity appeared and is still present. We obtained a good surgical result and best corrected visual acuity was 7/10 at postoperative month 4. No further surgical procedures are scheduled.
PP-Extraposition and Precedence
Authors: Neeleman Ad , Koot Hans van de
Published: August 2020

This squib argues that NPI-licensing and variable binding are subject to a precedence constraint. The argument is based on Dutch, which allows extraposition of PPs. There is substantial evidence that when multiple PPs appear after the verb, their order corresponds to reverse c-command (that is, postverbal PPs c-command postverbal PPs to their left). Nonetheless, variable binding and NPI-licensing in the postverbal domain are possible only when the dependent category follows its binder/licenser. We argue that this state of affairs requires (a) Quantifier Raising of the binder/licenser and (b) a precedence constraint on NPI-licensing and variable binding.
Rehabilitated into a Critic
Authors: Crain Samantha
Published: August 2020

In Cain Byron demonstrates his interest in using the Bible to critique itself. He sticks close to the letter of his biblical source while engaging directly with traditional scriptural readings including the commonplace combination of the Devil with the serpent who tempts Eve—which Byron’s Lucifer rebuts himself. Byron engages more subtly with the typological equivalence frequently drawn between Abel and Christ, allowing the equivalence to stand but refusing to employ it to legitimize Christianity at the expense of Judaism. Byron thus seeks to rehabilitate two of Genesis’ most reviled characters as part of his search for a credible deliverer of his critique. Cain is juxtaposed with Lucifer and then with his sister Adah and brother Abel. These doublings within the play ultimately demonstrate that Cain is the figure most worthy of conveying Byron’s culminating critique of Christian hypocrisy at the play’s close.
Revolutionizing the Human Sciences: A Response to Wiebe
Authors: Josephson Storm Jason Ânanda
Published: August 2020

In this short response, Storm challenges the limitations of the academic manifesto as a genre, criticizes tendencies toward a naive view of science in the study of religion, and gestures instead at the need for a comprehensive revolution in the human sciences.
George Berkeley’s Tar-water Medicine
Authors: Hošman Mirek Tobiáš
Published: August 2020

In his last major book, Siris (1744), the philosopher George Berkeley proposed tar-water as a universal medicine, suggesting that he had found a panacea. Shortly after its publication, Siris became immensely popular and tar-water spread all around Europe and even reached America. The aim of this article is to present Berkeley’s ideas about tar-water as a medicine with a particular focus on the origins of tar-water in Berkeley’s thinking and its alleged medical effects. Berkeley conceived of tar-water as at one end of a chain, with God at the other end. I reconstruct this chain, excluding from the examination the last parts, related to metaphysics and theology. Furthermore, relying on eighteenth-century letters, books and pamphlets, I briefly introduce the conditions leading Berkeley to start experimenting with tar-water as well as the context and the so called “pamphlet war” following the publication of Siris.
Is There a Need for Legislative Recognition of Rehabilitative Maintenance in South Africa? Lessons from Specified States of the United States of America
Authors: Marumoagae Motseotsile Clement
Published: August 2020

This paper traces the development of rehabilitative maintenance in South Africa. It illustrates that while there is no statutory provision dealing with rehabilitative maintenance in the country, courts are nonetheless, willing to make maintenance orders for limited periods. This paper shows that the criteria that courts use to grant this type of maintenance is not clear, making it difficult for legal practitioners to predict their clients’ cases. Courts have wide discretion when adjudicating rehabilitative maintenance disputes. They can order specific amount of maintenance to be paid to the maintenance seeking spouse for a particular period without outlining the basis for their decisions. While rehabilitative maintenance is relatively new in South Africa, it is nonetheless, well established and legislated in some of the States within the United States of America. This paper argues that rehabilitative maintenance should be legislated in South Africa in order to provide adequate guidance to the courts. Further, that failure to legislate rehabilitative maintenance would lead to inconsistent approaches being developed by the courts. In particular, it recommends the amendments of the Divorce Act in order to make provision for rehabilitative maintenance.
Notes on the Afrotropical species of Alastor Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae), with description of nine new species
Authors: SELIS MARCO
Published: August 2020

Nine new species of Alastor Lepeletier, 1841 from Africa are described: Alastor (A.) brevicornis Selis, sp. nov., Alastor (A.) carens Selis, sp. nov., Alastor (A.) gestroides Selis, sp. nov., Alastor (A.) moody Selis, sp. nov., Alastor (A.) namibiensis Selis, sp. nov., Alastor (A.) parilis Selis, sp. nov., Alastor (A.) sabrinae Selis, sp. nov., Alastor (A.) temperatus Selis, sp. nov., and Alastor (Alastorellus) planipunctus Selis, sp. nov. New distributional records for Alastor (A.) aeger Giordani Soika are provided.
Comparison of Raman and Near-Infrared Chemical Mapping for the Analysis of Pharmaceutical Tablets
Authors: Carruthers Hannah , Clark Don , Clarke Fiona , Faulds Karen , Graham Duncan
Published: August 2020

Raman and near-infrared (NIR) chemical mapping are widely used methods in the pharmaceutical industry to understand the distribution of components within a drug product. Recent advancements in instrumentation have enabled the rapid acquisition of high-resolution images. The comparison of these techniques for the analysis of pharmaceutical tablets has not recently been explored and thus the relative performance of each technique is not currently well defined. Here, the differences in the chemical images obtained by each method are assessed and compared with scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (SEM-EDX), as an alternative surface imaging technique to understand the ability of each technique to acquire a chemical image representative of the sample surface. It was found that the Raman data showed the best agreement with the spatial distribution of components observed in the SEM-EDX images. Quantitative and qualitative comparison of the Raman and NIR images revealed a very different spatial distribution of components with regards to domain size and shape. The Raman image exhibited sharper and better discriminated domains of each component, whereas the NIR image was heavily dominated by large pixelated domains. This study demonstrated the superiority of using Raman chemical mapping compared with NIR chemical mapping to produce a chemical image representative of the sample surface using routinely available instrumentation to obtain a better approximation of domain size and shape. This is fundamental for understanding knowledge gaps in current manufacturing processes; particularly relating the relationship between components in the formulation, processing condition, and final characteristics. By providing a means to more accurately visualize the components within a tablet matrix, these areas can all be further understood.
An Existential Analysis of Responses to the 2020 Coronavirus Outbreak
Authors: Palitsky Roman , Schmitt Harrison , Sullivan Daniel , Young Isaac F.
Published: August 2020

This essay examines people’s responses to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic from the perspective of existential psychology. The existential anxieties associated with the pandemic, as well as people’s responses to them, can be understood and articulated through Sartre’s concept of bad faith. Using this existential lens, we examine the ways in which people’s responses to the virus interact with long-standing societal patterns of interconnection as well as inequity, and how these processes are rooted within the cultural context of late modernity. This analysis reveals that our interconnection simultaneously constitutes the most profound challenges in our psychological response to the pandemic, as well as our greatest source of hope.
Threat of Entry and Organizational-Form Choice: The Case of Franchising in Retailing
Authors: Nishida Mitsukuni , Yang Nathan
Published: August 2020

Retail expansion is led by multistore firms, which often mix two organizational forms: franchised and company-owned outlets (“franchising decisions”). The authors examine whether strategic considerations in entry and expansion play a role in organizational-form decisions (e.g., franchising) in retailing. The authors utilize store count and revenues for franchised and company-owned outlets of nationwide convenience store chains in 47 geographical markets in Japan between 1984 and 2010. The empirical analyses show that strategic considerations in entry and expansion, ignored in the literature on franchising, appear to influence an organizational-form decision: firms rely more on company-owned outlets for expansion when the threat of entry from competitor firms in adjacent markets increases. The authors examine two interpretations: the convenience of quick deployment and a credible signal. Numerical analyses of a simple dynamic model of entry and franchising confirm that company-owned-outlet-based expansion arises under heightened entry threat. The simulation analysis highlights how franchising decisions in response to an elevated threat of entry may be beneficial (or harmful) for an incumbent firm, which yields key implications for firms, consumers, and policy makers.
Democracy in the prison of political science
Authors: de Oliveira Felipe Antunes
Published: August 2020

After the Brexit vote and the election of Donald Trump, a widespread perception emerged that the world was witnessing a crisis of liberal democracy. Not surprisingly, said crisis is at the core of a new batch of political science literature. This review article takes stock of some key contributions to the literature, namely Albright (2018), Levitsky and Ziblatt (2018), Norris and Inglehart (2018), Runciman (2018a) and Eatwell and Goodwin (2018). My key argument is that the reviewed books are fundamentally limited by problematic ontological assumptions stemming from artificial disciplinary boundaries. Privileging either individual traits of authoritarian leaders or the very specific experience of the USA or the UK, they fail to capture varied, yet deeply interconnected international expressions of contemporary authoritarianism. Following Justin Rosenberg’s open invitation to place the concept of multiplicity at the centre of a renewed research agenda, I suggest that a more holistic take on the crisis of democracy requires a renewed attention to inter-societal dynamics.
United we stand and divided we fall: Coalitions in the GATT/WTO negotiations
Authors: Cepaluni Gabriel , Fernandes Ivan Filipe
Published: August 2020

Coalition formation is considered an important tool to leverage bargaining power in GATT/WTO negotiations. While most of the literature has focused on developing countries, we show that sizable economies are the primary users of coalitions at the GATT/WTO. We also find evidence that middle powers do not exhibit distinctive collectivist behavior at the WTO. There is a linear and strong relationship between countries’ economic power—measured as real GDP—and coalition participation within the GATT/WTO system. We explain these results, presenting evidence that large economies—countries that have greater trade negotiations power—join coalitions more often because they are better equipped to absorb transaction costs and more prepared to deal with the uncertainty of WTO negotiations. We also found a relationship between coalition entry and trade openness, with countries more open to trade joining coalitions more often.
Language Skills of Vulnerable Children With Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Difficulties: An Australian Primary School Sample
Authors: Eadie Patricia A. , Snow Pamela C. , Stark Hannah L. , Sidoti Nancy , Berndt Jacinta
Published: August 2020

The co-occurrence of social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties (SEBD), maltreatment, and language disorders (LD) is recognized in school-age children; however, the nature of the interaction between them remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to explore associations between LD and SEBD in children with and without suspected histories of maltreatment. Forty-one primary school students enrolled at a specialist unit for children with SEBD are described with respect to language skills, maltreatment history, and comorbid neurodevelopmental disorders. Two thirds of students who met criteria for SEBD also met criteria for LD. Children with higher levels of internalizing problems were found to have stronger expressive language scores, but otherwise the severity of LD did not correlate with severity of SEBD. SEBD was similar in students with and without a history of maltreatment, and this did not increase the likelihood or severity of LD, except for pragmatic language skills. There is considerable overlap between SEBD, LD, and suspected maltreatment in this group. Students with SEBD and/or a suspected history of maltreatment need additional support to ensure that the interaction of their behavior and communication difficulties are understood so they make steady progress in social and academic skills and remain engaged in school.
A glucose-stimulated BOLD fMRI study of hypothalamic dysfunction in mice fed a high-fat and high-sucrose diet
Authors: Mohr Adélaïde A , Garcia-Serrano Alba M , Vieira João PP , Skoug Cecilia , Davidsson Henrik , Duarte João MN
Published: August 2020

The hypothalamus is the central regulator of energy homeostasis. Hypothalamic neuronal circuits are disrupted upon overfeeding, and play a role in the development of metabolic disorders. While mouse models have been extensively employed for understanding the mechanisms of hypothalamic dysfunction, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on hypothalamic nuclei has been challenging. We implemented a robust glucose-induced fMRI paradigm that allows to repeatedly investigate hypothalamic responses to glucose. This approach was used to test the hypothesis that hypothalamic nuclei functioning is impaired in mice exposed to a high-fat and high-sucrose diet (HFHSD) for seven days. The blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI signal was measured from brains of mice under light isoflurane anaesthesia, during which a 2.6 g/kg glucose load was administered. The mouse hypothalamus responded to glucose but not saline administration with a biphasic BOLD fMRI signal reduction. Relative to controls, HFHSD-fed mice showed attenuated or blunted responses in arcuate nucleus, lateral hypothalamus, ventromedial nucleus and dorsomedial nucleus, but not in paraventricular nucleus. In sum, we have developed an fMRI paradigm that is able to determine dysfunction of glucose-sensing neuronal circuits within the mouse hypothalamus in a non-invasive manner.
Prospective Single-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Pericapsular Injection Versus Lumbar Plexus Peripheral Nerve Block for Hip Arthroscopy
Authors: Scanaliato John P. , Christensen Daniel , Polmear Michael M. , Salfiti Catherine , Gaspar Patrick S. , Wolff Andrew B.
Published: August 2020

Background:

Hip arthroscopy has become the standard for the operative treatment of symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement. Given the high levels of postoperative pain associated with hip arthroscopy, optimal analgesia is critical to ensure patient comfort and safety after discharge.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

Our purpose was to perform a single-blinded randomized controlled trial comparing the use of pericapsular injection versus lumbar plexus blockade for postoperative pain control after arthroscopic surgery on the hip. We hypothesized that pericapsular injection would provide equivalent pain relief to that of lumbar plexus blockade while minimizing adverse effects and alleviating the dependence on a qualified individual to administer.

Study Design:

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

Methods:

A total of 64 consecutive patients undergoing hip arthroscopy were prospectively assessed over a 6-month period between 2017 and 2018. Patients were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 groups: 32 patients received a lumbar plexus blockade by a single anesthesiologist, while 32 patients received a pericapsular injection of 30 mL of ropivacaine and 12 mg of morphine. Postoperative pain in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) as measured using the numeric rating scale, time to discharge, PACU morphine equivalents, and adverse effects were collected by PACU staff. Postoperative day 1 and 2 narcotic use was obtained through a telephone call with the patient on postoperative day 3.

Results:

We found no statistically significant difference in PACU pain scores at all time points, although there was a trend toward lower pain for patients receiving a pericapsular injection. PACU and short-term narcotic demand did not vary across the 2 arms. Time to discharge from the PACU did not differ. There were no major adverse events reported for either intervention.

Conclusion:

Pericapsular injection provides equivalent analgesia when compared with lumbar plexus blockade. It is a safe intervention that allows for efficient postoperative analgesia for patients undergoing hip arthroscopy.

Registration:

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03244631.
A Vote of Competence: How a Similar Upbringing to Political Candidates Influences Voting Choice
Authors: Meng Matthew D. , Davidson Alexander
Published: August 2020

A common strategy employed by political leaders to win elections is to establish similarity with their constituents. This article extends previous research on this approach in several ways. First, the authors test and confirm the commonly used, but underresearched, political marketing tactic of highlighting similarity with constituents through upbringing characteristics. Second, given the debate about why the similarity-voting effect occurs, the authors aimed to establish causality of the effect. They found that perceived competence and liking both mediate this relationship in the context of similar upbringing. Finally, the positive effect of similar upbringing only holds for those with average and above-average self-perceptions of political skills, meaning that this approach would not be effective for some inexpert voting populations. By understanding the mechanism behind the similarity-voting effect in the context of similar upbringing, in addition to its important caveat, political marketers can approach campaigns in a more informed manner.
Second Opinions: Negotiating Agency in Online Mothering Forums
Authors: Aston Megan , Price Sheri , Hunter Andrea , Sim Meaghan , Etowa Josephine , Monaghan Joelle , Paynter Martha
Published: August 2020

Study background

Online forums and other virtual communities are an increasing source of postpartum support and information for first-time mothers. However, there is little evidence about how new mothers in Canada access and use online resources.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine how first-time mothers accessed information and support both online and off-line during the first six months postpartum and how their experiences were constructed through social and institutional discourses.

Methods

A qualitative feminist poststructuralist approach was used to analyze an online discussion board with first-time mothers in Nova Scotia.

Results

Mothers who used the online discussion board experienced a sense of community with other mothers where empathy and encouragement were integral to the ways in which information and support were shared. “Weak ties” (with strangers) were important and led to the following themes: (a) empathy, encouragement, and information; (b) socialization; (c) blurring the boundaries of online and off-line networks; and (d) Developing community.

Conclusions

These online forums offer insight for health professionals looking to improve mothers’ care postpartum and point to a need to foster spaces for new mothers to talk to each other.
Artificial Intelligence Solutions for Analysis of X-ray Images
Authors: Adams Scott J. , Henderson Robert D. E. , Yi Xin , Babyn Paul
Published: August 2020

Artificial intelligence (AI) presents a key opportunity for radiologists to improve quality of care and enhance the value of radiology in patient care and population health. The potential opportunity of AI to aid in triage and interpretation of conventional radiographs (X-ray images) is particularly significant, as radiographs are the most common imaging examinations performed in most radiology departments. Substantial progress has been made in the past few years in the development of AI algorithms for analysis of chest and musculoskeletal (MSK) radiographs, with deep learning now the dominant approach for image analysis. Large public and proprietary image data sets have been compiled and have aided the development of AI algorithms for analysis of radiographs, many of which demonstrate accuracy equivalent to radiologists for specific, focused tasks. This article describes (1) the basis for the development of AI solutions for radiograph analysis, (2) current AI solutions to aid in the triage and interpretation of chest radiographs and MSK radiographs, (3) opportunities for AI to aid in noninterpretive tasks related to radiographs, and (4) considerations for radiology practices selecting AI solutions for radiograph analysis and integrating them into existing IT systems. Although comprehensive AI solutions across modalities have yet to be developed, institutions can begin to select and integrate focused solutions which increase efficiency, increase quality and patient safety, and add value for their patients.
Cognitive, Functional, and Mortality Outcomes of Attenuated Delirium Syndrome in Stroke Survivors
Authors: Ojagbemi Akin , Bello Toyin , Owolabi Mayowa , Baiyewu Olusegun
Published: August 2020

Objectives:

There is a knowledge gap on the prognostic significance of subsyndromes of delirium. We describe the association of poststroke attenuated delirium syndrome (ADS) with cognitive, functional, and mortality outcomes at 3 months.

Methods:

A longitudinal observational study in which repeated assessments for delirium symptoms were conducted in the first week of stroke using the confusion assessment method. Attenuated delirium syndrome was characterized in survivors who were free of the full delirium syndrome but had ≥2 core features of delirium. Baseline and follow-up assessments were conducted using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), 10-word list learning and delayed recall test, Animal naming test, and Barthel index.

Results:

Among 150 participants recruited consecutively over 2 years, ADS was present in 32 (21.3%). Of 121 who were free of the full delirium syndrome, 21 (17.4%) had died by 3 months. Those who survived were more likely to be receiving treatment for systemic hypertension (88.5%, P = .007). In analyses adjusting for the effect of age, economic status, and systemic hypertension, ADS in the first week of stroke predicted cognitive decline at 3 months ([mean difference (MD) in MMSE scores = −3.8, 95% CI = −7.0 to −0.7, P = .019]). However, ADS was not associated with greater decline in activities of daily life (MD = −0.4, 95% CI = −2.8 to 2.0) or significant odds ratio (OR) of mortality (OR = 2.3, 95% CI = 0.8-6.3).

Conclusion:

Attenuated delirium syndrome may be an important marker of cognitive impairment at 3 months poststroke. Its detection may lead to identification of stroke survivors who are likely to benefit from evidence-based preventive interventions for poststroke cognitive decline.
Hypothermia – an unusual initial presentation of human immunodeficiency virus infection
Authors: Simpson SJ , Ratnappuli A , Porte ME , McGann H , Lacey CJ
Published: August 2020

We report an unusual case of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection initially presenting with hypothermia and bradycardia associated with an HIV encephalitis. Searches reveal only five reported cases of spontaneous episodic hypothermia in the context of HIV infection. In our case, magnetic resonance imaging revealed the presence of a persistent cavum septum pellucidum (CSP), an anatomical and functional neuro-developmental abnormality, as well as changes compatible with an HIV encephalitis. Episodic hypothermia can occur in association with agenesis of the corpus callosum, known as Shapiro’s syndrome, and the presence of a persistent CSP in our case suggests it may have contributed to the clinical presentation.
HOTAIR Promotes Cisplatin Resistance of Osteosarcoma Cells by Regulating Cell Proliferation, Invasion, and Apoptosis via miR-106a-5p/STAT3 Axis
Authors: Guo Jiankuo , Dou Dongmei , Zhang Tianlun , Wang Bo
Published: August 2020

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a common primary malignant bone tumor among adolescences, and the emergence of multidrug resistance poses a huge challenge for clinical treatment of OS. LncRNA HOTAIR (HOX antisense intergenic RNA) has been reported to be associated with many malignancies, including OS. However, the underlying mechanisms of HOTAIR involved in drug resistance in OS are obscure. Our study showed that HOTAIR was upregulated in cisplatin (DDP)-resistant OS tissues and cells. HOTAIR knockdown decreased the DDP resistance, drug resistance–related gene expression, cell proliferation, and invasion and promoted apoptosis of Saos2/DDP, MG-63/DDP, and U2OS/DDP cells. Mechanism researches displayed that miR-106a-5p was downregulated in DDP-resistant OS tissues and cells. MiR-106a-5p directly bound with HOTAIR and was regulated by HOTAIR. Moreover, STAT3 was inhibited by miR-106a-5p at a post-transcriptional level, and the transfection of miR-106a-5p reversed the upregulation of STAT3 caused by HOTAIR overexpression. The increase or decrease of miR-106a-5p suppressed the effect of HOTAIR upregulation or downregulation on DDP resistance, cell proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis of Saos2/DDP, MG-63/DDP, and U2OS/DDP cells. What’s more, the transfection of STAT3 siRNA reversed the decrease of DDP resistance, cell proliferation, and invasion and rescued the increase of apoptosis induced by miR-106a-5p inhibition. These data suggested that HOTAIR enhanced DDP resistance of Saos2/DDP, MG-63/DDP, and U2OS/DDP cells by affecting cell proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis via miR-106a-5p/STAT3 axis.