bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Public Willingness to Engage With COVID-19 Contact Tracing, Quarantine, and Exposure Notification
Authors: Liccardi Ilaria , Alekseyev Jesslyn , Woltz Vilhelm L. Andersen , McLean Jody E. , Zurko Mary Ellen
Published: October 2022

Objectives:

We conducted a survey to understand how people’s willingness to share information with contact tracers, quarantine after a COVID-19 exposure, or activate and use a smartphone exposure notification (EN) application (app) differed by the person or organization making the request or recommendation.

Methods:

We analyzed data from a nationally representative survey with hypothetical scenarios asking participants (N = 2157) to engage in a public health action by health care providers, public health departments, employers, and others. We used Likert scales and ordered logistic regression to compare willingness to take action based on which person or organization made the request, and we summarized findings by race and ethnicity.

Results:

The highest levels of willingness to engage in contact tracing (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.74; 95% CI, 1.55-1.96), quarantine (aOR = 1.91; 95% CI, 1.69-2.15), download/activate an EN app (aOR = 1.30; 95% CI, 1.16-1.46), and notify other EN users (aOR = 1.43; 95% CI, 1.27-1.60) were reported when the request came from the participant’s personal health care provider rather than from federal public health authorities. When compared with non-Hispanic White participants, non-Hispanic Black participants reported significantly higher levels of willingness to engage in contact tracing (aOR = 1.32; 95% CI, 1.18-1.48), quarantine (aOR = 1.49; 95% CI, 1.37-1.63), download/activate an EN app (aOR = 2.19; 95% CI, 2.01-2.38), and notify other EN users (aOR = 1.63; 95% CI, 1.49-1.79).

Conclusions:

Partnering with individuals and organizations perceived as trustworthy may help influence people expressing a lower level of willingness to engage in each activity, while those expressing a higher level of willingness to engage in each activity may benefit from targeted communications.
A paleolimnological context of ecological vulnerability for the freshwater ecosystems of Sable Island National Park Reserve, Canada
Authors: Watson Victoria Theresa , Kehler Dan , Medeiros Andrew Scott
Published: October 2022

Protected areas require long-term monitoring to understand the influence and extent of ecosystem stress to inform management and conservation decisions. As long-term data are not always available, paleolimnological methods offer a way of extending our knowledge of past environmental conditions necessary to use as context for remediation. Here, we examine four sediment cores and additional surface sediments from 14 ponds located on Sable Island National Park Reserve Canada (SINPR), where long-term ecological changes and vulnerability to disturbance are not well defined. We develop a paleolimnological approach to assessing environmental vulnerability through the use of biological indicators (Diptera: Chironomidae), where shifts in the environment are inferred by shifts in chironomid assemblages over time. Analysis of surface sediments show four distinct assemblage types reflecting four different habitat conditions; primarily represented by the presence of Glyptotendipes, Chironomus, Microtendipes, and Dicrotendipes. Differences in habitat conditions through time based on these results are then compared to biostratigraphic analysis of sediment cores from four of the ponds. We found that two ponds had large shifts in chironomids assemblages that were associated with changes in habitat over time, while two others that were not as exposed to the influence of erosion and influx of sand dunes did not. Our findings established a baseline of historical change in SINPR, broadening the scope of long-term monitoring, which is essential for defining goals for management and conservation of the ecological integrity of Sable Island.
Mitigating Mortality Anxiety: Identifying Heritage Tourism’s Role in Terror Management
Authors: Lyu Jiaying , Wang Lili , Wei Wei
Published: October 2022

Although terror management theory has been widely studied, little research has empirically examined whether travel functions as a terror management mechanism. Thus, the present research investigated the influence of mortality anxiety on heritage tourism preference and heritage protection intention through two studies. Study 1 shows that as individuals’ general mortality anxiety increases, their tendency to search for meaning in life increases, which fosters their heritage travel preference and heritage protection intention. Study 2, using an experimental method, reveals a causal relationship where incidentally increasing mortality anxiety increases heritage travel preference and heritage protection intention. In addition, this causal relationship is prominent for people with higher legacy beliefs. These findings shed light on the critical roles of the search for meaning in life and legacy belief in the links between mortality anxiety and heritage-related behavior.
Benign acute childhood myositis following human Influenza B virus infection – A case series
Authors: Pari P , Manikandan E , Jose Priya , K Peter Prasanth Kumar , Fermendenz Sharmila , Dhodapkar Rahul
Published: October 2022

Influenza virus primarily affects ciliated cells of respiratory epithelium. Humans do not have innate immunity for these viruses and are vulnerable to get attacked. Benign acute childhood myositis usually occurs at the early convalescent phase of a influenza viral illness when fever, cough, myalgia, nasal discharge are the initial presentation.
A non-uniform event-triggered distributed filtering scheme for discrete-time nonlinear systems over wireless sensor networks
Authors: Basit Abdul , Tufail Muhammad , Rehan Muhammad , Rashid Haroon ur
Published: October 2022

This paper investigates the distributed set-membership filtering problem for discrete-time nonlinear systems subject to one-sided Lipschitz (OSL) and quadratic inner-boundedness (QIB) constraints over wireless sensor networks (WSNs). The investigation takes into account both system and sensor nonlinearities under unknown but bounded (UBB) perturbations. Moreover, a novel non-uniform event-triggering condition is introduced to achieve resource conservation while maintaining filter accuracy. The proposed triggering condition is more general and can be customized as per design requirements. Furthermore, a recursive condition for set-membership filter design is derived that guarantees the existence of optimal bounding ellipsoids for true system states. In contrast to the existing methods, the proposed approach considers set-membership filtering for discrete-time systems subject to OSL system and sensor nonlinearities over a WSN and deals with non-uniform amplitude-based triggering. Finally, a numerical example is presented to validate filter’s efficacy.
Theory Integration for Examining Health Care Discrimination among Minoritized Older Adults with Chronic Illness
Authors: Olmos Brenda , Nava Adrianna , Jones Emily J.
Published: October 2022

Prevalence of chronic illnesses, including type 2 diabetes (T2DM), is increasing disproportionately among Latinx adults in the United States. Health care inequities such as health care discrimination contribute to the disparities in this population. Academic and clinical nurses must address health care discrimination from a strong theoretical framework. In this article, we integrate the minority stress theory and ecosocial theory of disease distribution to offer a whole-person model that identifies the concepts most relevant to Latinx older adults who function at multiple levels of intersectionality. This paper uses T2DM as an exemplar of chronic illness. The integrated model depicts possible pathways of physiological and psychological embodiment of lived experiences of minoritized older persons managing chronic illness who are living in a society deeply embedded with structural racism and oppression. This model may guide future research aimed at elucidating the social and structural determinants that impact health-related outcomes among Latinx older adults.
Phenotypic variability in 446 CADASIL patients: Impact of NOTCH3 gene mutation location in addition to the effects of age, sex and vascular risk factors
Authors: Dupé Charlotte , Guey Stéphanie , Biard Lucie , Dieng Sokhna , Lebenberg Jessica , Grosset Lina , Alili Nassira , Hervé Dominique , Tournier-Lasserve Elisabeth , Jouvent Eric , Chevret Sylvie , Chabriat Hugues
Published: October 2022

The recent discovery that the prevalence of cysteine mutations in the NOTCH3 gene responsible for CADASIL was more than 100 times higher in the general population than that estimated in patients highlighted that the mutation location in EGFr-like-domains of the NOTCH3 receptor could have a major effect on the phenotype of the disease. The exact impact of such mutations locations on the multiple facets of the disease has not been fully evaluated. We aimed to describe the phenotypic spectrum of a large population of CADASIL patients and to investigate how this mutation location influenced various clinical and imaging features of the disease. Both a supervised and a non-supervised approach were used for analysis. The results confirmed that the mutation location is strongly related to clinical severity and showed that this effect is mainly driven by a different development of the most damaging ischemic tissue lesions at cerebral level. These effects were detected in addition to those of aging, male sex, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. The exact mechanisms relating the location of mutations along the NOTCH3 receptor, the amount or properties of the resulting NOTCH3 products accumulating in the vessel wall, and their final consequences at cerebral level remain to be determined.
Systemic optimal control of wind energy system regulating conjointly generator speed and battery recharging current
Authors: Tounsi Souhir
Published: October 2022

In this paper is presented an optimal control technology of wind energy system recovering energy in a battery energy accumulator. This control technology makes it possible to regulate the speed of the electric generator at its optimum value, to avoid any over-speed problems leading to strong increases in current in the electrical components of the wind turbine, and subsequently to its destruction. This control technology also makes it possible to maintain the induced electromotive forces in phase with the phase’s currents of the generator to have an additive electromagnetic torque, and in this way the recovered energy will be optimal. This control technology is based on two conversions, one is an Alternative-Continuous conversion performed by an AC-DC converter with IGBTs, and the other is a DC-DC conversion performed by a booster chopper to regulate the voltage of recharges batteries at its nominal value.
Segment-Level Spatial Heterogeneity of Arterial Crash Frequency Using Locally Weighted Generalized Linear Models
Authors: Atumo Eskindir Ayele , Li Haibo , Jiang Xinguo
Published: October 2022

Decades of literature in traffic crash modeling show the popularity of generalized linear models (GLMs). However, because of the failure to accommodate spatial heterogeneity, parameters estimated with these models are inconsistent and inefficient. In light of that, this study aims to investigate the spatial heterogeneity of crashes aggregated at roadway segment levels using geographically weighted Poisson regression (GWPR) and two variants of the geographically weighted negative binomial regression (GWNBR) model. The results indicate: (i) the GWNBR model with global dispersion parameter outperforms conventional Poisson, GWPR, and negative binomial (NB) models; (ii) the performance of the GWNBR model further enhances as the dispersion parameter becomes spatially non-stationary; (iii) tests of spatial heterogeneity and autocorrelation reveal the existence of non-stationarity and less than 1% likelihood of randomness; and (iv) median of parameter estimates reveal a positive association between crashes and posted speed limit, number of lanes, number of three-leg intersections, number of access points, and vehicle miles traveled (VMT). The study concludes that, when spatial heterogeneity is evident, conventional GLMs should be avoided to circumvent the futile estimation of parameters on the arterial segments. The findings are expected to contribute to the small pool of literature on spatial non-stationarity of parameters in segment-based aggregation, identification and selection of segments with similar influence factors in corridor-level studies, and spatial analysis of arterial crashes.
Collective Social Capital, Outgroup Threat, and Americans’ Preference for Restrictive Immigration
Authors: Kim Harris Hyun-soo
Published: October 2022

Throughout parts of the Western world, populist nationalism has gained increasing momentum. Despite cross-national differences in populist leaders and parties, one common feature stands out: xenophobic prejudice. This paper examines in the U.S. context, first, a common assumption linking outgroup threat perception with support for restrictive immigration. Second, more importantly, this paper tests how and the extent to which collective (state-level) social capital independently influences the American citizens’ anti-immigrant attitudes, as well as whether it moderates the association between outgroup threat and preference for restricting immigration. Multilevel models based on a nationally representative sample show that people who hold higher perceptions of outgroup threat are indeed more likely to oppose immigration. By contrast, living in a state endowed with more social capital is associated with pro-immigration attitudes. Last, the association between security threat and anti-immigrant preference is weaker (stronger) in states with higher (lower) measures of social capital.
Intergenerational Programming Increases Solid Food Consumption for Adult Day Center Attendees
Authors: Turner Shelbie G. , Jarrott Shannon E. , Katz Benjamin
Published: October 2022

We examined whether participation in intergenerational programming would impact daily food and liquid intake for adult day service center (ADSC) participants, many of whom are at risk for malnutrition and dehydration. Data came from 75 ADSC participants who, on average, attended the center for 472.32 days between 2007 and 2018. We analyzed daily data using multilevel modeling, nesting attending days within ADSC participants. On days when participants joined intergenerational programming, they consumed significantly more solid food ( β = 1.54, SD = .37, p < .001), but no different liquid ( β = −.16, SD = .09, p = .06), than their own average across all days they attended the ADSC. Intergenerational programming may be an effective way to support ADSCs participants’ nutrition. Future research is needed to determine the longer-term health benefits of daily increases in food consumption and to explore why intergenerational programming may differentially impact eating and drinking.
On the toxicity of gold nanoparticles: Histological, histochemical and ultrastructural alterations
Authors: Jarrar Qais , Al-Doaiss Amin , Jarrar Bashir M. , Alshehri Mohammed
Published: October 2022

Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) are used in diagnostic and therapeutic applications together with a variety of industrial purposes and in many biomedical sectors with potential risks to human health. The present study aimed to the histological, histochemical, and ultrastructural alterations induced by Au NPS in vital organs. Healthy male Wistar Albino rats ( Rattus norvegicus) were subjected to 20 injections of 10-nm Au NPs at a daily dose of 2 mg/kg. Liver, kidney, heart, and lung biopsies from control and Au NPs-treated rats under study were subjected to histological and histochemical examinations. In comparison with the control rats, the renal tissue of Au NPs-treated rats demonstrated glomerular congestion, interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration, renal tubular hydropic degeneration, cloudy swelling, necrosis, and hyaline cast precipitation. In addition, Au NPs induced the following hepatic alterations: hepatocyte cytolysis, cytoplasmic vacuolation, hydropic degeneration, and nuclear alterations together with sinusoidal dilatation. Moreover, the hearts of the treated rats demonstrated myocarditis, cardiac congestion, hyalinosis, cardiomyocyte hydropic degeneration, myofiber disarray and cardiac congestion. The lungs of Au NPs-treated rats also exhibited the following pulmonary alterations: alectasis, emphysema, inflammatory cell inflammation, thickened alveolar walls, pulmonary interstitial edema, congestion, hypersensitivity, fibrocyte proliferation, and honeycombing. In conclusion, exposure to Au NPs induced histological, histochemical and ultrastructural alterations in the vital organs that may alter the function of these organs. Additional efforts are needed for better understanding the potential risks of Au NPs to human health.
Dementia and Related Comorbidities in the Population Aged 90 and Over in the Vitality 90+ Study, Finland: Patterns and Trends From 2001 to 2018
Authors: Halonen Pauliina , Enroth Linda , Jämsen Esa , Vargese Saritha , Jylhä Marja
Published: October 2022

Objectives

To examine trends in the prevalence of dementia and related comorbidities among the oldest old.

Methods

Six repeated cross-sectional surveys were conducted between 2001 and 2018, each including all inhabitants aged over 90 in Tampere, Finland ( n = 5386). Co-occurring conditions and their time trends among participants with dementia were examined using logistic regression and generalized estimating equations.

Results

The prevalence of dementia decreased from 47% in 2007 to 41% in 2018. Throughout the study period, depression was more common among people with dementia compared to those without. The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and osteoarthritis increased and the prevalence of depression decreased among people with dementia. The mean number of comorbidities increased from 2.0 in 2001 to 2.3 in 2018.

Discussion

Dementia remains highly prevalent among the oldest old and it is accompanied by an increasing burden of comorbidities, posing a challenge to people with dementia, their caregivers, and care systems.
The political economy of noncompliance in customs unions
Authors: Fjelstul Joshua C.
Published: October 2022

States create customs unions to accrue consumer welfare gains. Given the incentives to cheat to protect domestic firms from foreign competition, they create regulatory regimes with international courts to manage noncompliance. I develop a formal model that explains how the politics of compliance in regulatory regimes systematically distorts the welfare gains that states accrue from developing customs unions. The model predicts that regulatory regimes are most effective at enforcing compliance (i.e., at reducing trade barriers) in industries with intermediate levels of firm homogeneity in terms of productivity. In highly homogenous industries, regulatory regimes are not effective because noncompliance is minimal enough that litigation is not cost-effective; in highly heterogenous industries, regulatory regimes are not effective because courts, concerned about noncompliance with their rulings, are unlikely to rule against the defendants, deterring the plaintiffs from bringing cases. The model also predicts the downstream consequences for the performance of individual firms and consumer welfare.
Hierarchical model predictive control strategy based on Q-Learning algorithm for hybrid electric vehicle platoon
Authors: Yin Yanli , Huang Xuejiang , Zhan Sen , Zhang Xinxin , Wang Fuzhen
Published: October 2022

In view of the problem that hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) platoon energy management cannot adapt to working condition and online implementation, this paper proposes hierarchical model predictive control strategy based on Q-Learning algorithm. Firstly, the upper-level controller obtains the speed and position information of the preceding vehicle by vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication. Model predictive control (MPC) is implemented to achieve platoon longitudinal control. The target speed of following vehicle is calculated and transmit to the driver model. Then, the driver’s power demand is figured out on the basis of the difference between target and actual speed. The lower-level controller uses the Q-learning algorithm to allocate the energy of HEV platoon based on driver’s power demand and state of charge (SOC) at the current moment. Finally, the simulation model of Chongqing Yubei actual working condition is established by using MATLAB/Simulink software. The simulation results show that in the upper-level controller, the average speed error between No. 1 following vehicle and the leading vehicle is 0.167 m/s, and the average speed error between No. 2 following vehicle and No. 1 following vehicle is 0.153 m/s. Meanwhile, the spacing between the platoon vehicles is always kept within a reasonable range. These will ensure good following and driving safety of the platoon. In the lower-level controller, compared with dynamic programming (DP), the average fuel consumption per 100 km of the vehicle with the Q-learning algorithm is increased by 7.67%, but the offline calculation time is reduced by 23%. The results indicate the proposed strategy can not only adapt to random condition but also be realized online for HEV platoon.
Optimization of cervical cage and analysis of its base material: A finite element study
Authors: Jalilvand Elahe , Abollfathi Nabiolah , Khajehzhadeh Mohsen , Hassani-Gangaraj Mojtaba
Published: October 2022

Nowadays, cervical disorders are common due to human lifestyles. Accordingly, the cage design should be optimized as an essential issue. For an optimal design, an objective function is utilized to calculate the proper geometrical parameters. Additionally, the base material of the cage plays a key role in its functionality and final cost. Novel materials are currently introduced with more compatibility with the bone in terms of mechanical and chemical properties. In this study, a cervical cage was modeled based on PEEK material with three types of tooth designs on its surface. The cervical cage is assumed to be implanted between C6 and C7 vertebrae. The geometric parameters of the cage were optimized to minimize the mass by determining allowable stress and subsidence. The effect of complete cortical removal was investigated as a surgical mistake. Finally, a new composition of PEEK/titanium was introduced as the base material of the cage. Ansys 18.2 was used for FEA. The cage with a straight tooth was chosen due to its lower stress and subsidence compared with other designs. Furthermore, the optimized structures of all three tooth designs were determined. The mass and volume of the optimal cages were reduced by 41.47% and 41.52% respectively. Besides, complete cortical resection should not be carried out during fusion surgery, since it may lead to higher subsidence. The composition of PEEK/titanium was chosen as an appropriate base material due to its better performance compared with PEEK or titanium alone.
Assessment of cardiovascular risk factors in obese women with HIV
Authors: Ali Mohammed W , Ayanbisi Ismail , Adamu Simon , Saad Fadimatu K , Musa Muhammad S , Ayoola Yekeen A
Published: October 2022

Background

The risk of significant weight gain/obesity associated with recently adopted antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been shown to be particularly higher among the black race, and female gender compared to their male counterparts. Herein, we evaluated and compared subclinical CVD risk between apparently healthy obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) and age matched normal BMI (BMI 18.5–24.9 kg/m2) women with HIV (WWH) on ART.

Methods

This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study of adult (≥18 years) WWH. Conventional two-dimensional echocardiography and doppler imaging parameters, lipid profile, and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) measures were compared between the two groups. Multivariable regression analysis was done to determine independent variables.

Result

A total of 60 WWH were evaluated, 30 participants in each group. The mean age of the participants and duration on ART was 36.26 ± 5.71 and 10.23 ± 5.04 (years) respectively. Measured hsCRP, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoproteins were significantly ( p = 0.002, p = 0.044, and p = 0.016 respectively) elevated in the obese group. Obese WWH had higher left atrial diameter, left atrial volume, left atrial area, aortic diameter, left ventricular mass (LVM), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), intraventricular septum in systole/diastole, left ventricular posterior wall in diastole and systole ( p < 0.001, p = 0.018, p = 0.004, p = 0.025, p < 0.001, p = 0.019/ p < 0.001, p = 0.020, and p = 0.021 respectively). On multivariable regression analysis, the measured serum biomarker hsCRP and the echocardiographic variables LVM and LVMI were independently associated ( p = 0.02, p = 0.001 and p = 0.022 respectively) with BMI.

Conclusion

Obese WWH had higher biomarkers of CVDs and alterations in left ventricular structure that may increase their risk for adverse cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
Disability stylistics: An illustration based on Pew in Stevenson’s Treasure Island
Authors: Hermeston Rod
Published: October 2022

This article represents the first illustration of the tools of disability stylistics on a literary text. It does so by examining the representation of blindness in an extract from Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel Treasure Island in which the character Pew is introduced. The article outlines concepts relating to the othering of disabled people before describing two major cultural stereotypes of disability that scholars argue persist to the present day. These are the pathetic and pitiful disabled person and the disabled individual as evil. Disability scholars have identified language as a key area for the construction and perpetuation of stereotypes of disability. However, scholarship has tended to focus on labels, or discourse with language use considered in context. This article confirms that labels and basic description are crucial elements through a consideration of noun phrases. Nevertheless, the article also utilises the models of transitivity, speech acts and im/politeness, and elements of the framework of appraisal. The article identifies a pivotal moment in the extract in which Pew is transformed from a potentially (though ambiguous) pitiful figure into a realisation of the evil stereotype, and shows that all stylistic frameworks outlined permit these depictions to be analysed. The article calls for the tools to be used to test the claims that stereotypes persist into the present day. It also concludes that disability stylistics should be tested on representations of other disabilities. It argues that the tools need also to be used to analyse other disability stereotypes.
Multilingual Intelligence: The Politics of Poverty, Desire and Educational Reform
Authors: Panda Minati
Published: October 2022

This paper advocates a concept, “Multilingual Intelligence” (MI), for understanding human mind in economically challenging multilingual societies of developing nations. It examines the social, cognitive and intersubjective resources a multilingual society generates, and how these contribute to the development of human intellect. The attempt here is not to replace ontologically bounded imaginaries of old concepts and theories of intelligence with a new one, but to look at human intelligence from another lens of human capacity to trans-/multilanguage. This paper discusses two paradigmatic cases - a “Multilingual Urban Poor (MUP)” and a “Multilingual Tribal Child (MTC)”- to conceptualise Multilingual Intelligence. The logic for MI is derived from the observation that because multilinguality and orality are commonplace in most societies in India, a speaker constantly trans/multi-languages and transknowledges. She reads the minds and linguistic behaviour of the interlocutors before speaking, switches between languages to enhance mutual intelligibility and, perennially lives in the realm of translation. These social-cognitive activities generate an enormous amount of cognitive flexibility, working memory, and higher inferential and metacognitive skills, making it more possible for the children to be intersubjectively attuned. Multilingual children develop a worldview that is founded primarily on connections and not on separation. Extending the two paradigmatic cases to children from other multilingual communities, this paper reflexively engages with how linguistic diversity and constraints impact human intelligence and creativity, and, if so, what should be our politics of human psychology, education and liberation.
Spatial Interactions and the Commercialisation of Academic Patents: The Chinese Experience
Authors: Gu Jiafeng
Published: October 2022

Studies on academic patent commercialisation are well documented. However, spatial effects are seldom considered, which could lead to potentially misleading analytical results. This study addresses this concern by applying the spatial analysis method to investigate how university-level factors and commercialising academic patents are related. Using a comprehensive dataset of university patents from 1815 Chinese universities in 2016, we find that public research funding of universities, industrial research funding, the number of scientific research personnel, the number of monographs published, and the number of awarded achievements are positively related to the commercialisation of academic patents. However, the number of teaching and research personnel and the number of academic papers published are negatively related. There are positive spatial spillover effects in commercialising academic patents among neighbouring universities, but there will be negative spatial spillover effects in funding competition.
A one dimensional ubiquitiform damage model for quasi-brittle materials
Authors: Yang Xiao , Ou Zhuo-Cheng , Bai Zhiling , Duan Zhuoping , Huang Fenglei
Published: October 2022

Considering the self-similar characteristic of irregular pore network of materials during the damage evolution process, a pore ubiquitiform model (PUM) is developed to characterize the multiscale pore or microcrack network of quasi-brittle materials, and then based on the PUM, the ubiquitiform damage model (UDM) is proposed to describe the damage evolution process of quasi-brittle materials under quasi-static uniaxial tensile loading. The values of porosity and pore specific surface area estimated from the PUM and the stress-deformation curves including the softening curve calculated from the UDM are in good agreement with previous experimental data, respectively. It can be found that, the PUM can be adopted to characterize the self-similar multiscale pore network and estimate the porosity and pore specific surface area, and the UDM can describe the damage evolution process of quasi-brittle materials under quasi-static uniaxial tensile loading. Meanwhile, the UDM can characterize the self-similar characteristic of pore network during the damage evolution process of quasi-brittle materials through the evolving ubiquitiform complexity.
Numerical simulation research on impact mechanical properties of frozen soil based on discrete element method
Authors: Chunyu Zhanfan , Zhu Zhiwu , Li Bin , Li Tao
Published: October 2022

Many engineering activities have been conducted on permafrost. Frozen soil is subjected to impact loading, particularly during blasting and excavation projects. Thus, it is essential to study the impact mechanical properties of frozen soil. A split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) experiment was conducted to investigate the mechanical responses of frozen soil specimens subjected to impact loading under different strain rates at different temperatures. Evident strain rate and temperature effects were also observed. As crack development in the specimens could not be observed experimentally, a two-dimensional particle flow code was utilized to numerically simulate SHPB impact experiments on frozen soil. A contact bonding model was used for the simulation. We assumed that only temperature could change the particle parameters. The parameters and establishment of the geometric model in the simulation were calibrated and validated by comparing them with the experimentally obtained impact stress–strain curves and wave signals. More influences of strain rate and temperature on crack development were presented intuitively in this study, in combination with the propagation of stress waves. The results of the numerical simulation demonstrated that when the frozen soil specimen was subjected to impact loading, shear failure was the primary failure in the specimen. For a given temperature, a lower strain rate decreased the number of cracks generated, increased the duration of crack generation, and delayed the formation of cracks. For a given strain rate, a lower temperature decreased the number of cracks generated and the duration of crack generation; however, the number of tensile cracks was negligibly affected by changes in temperature.
Developing a Diet and Physical Activity Intervention for Hispanic/Latina Breast Cancer Survivors
Authors: Contento Isobel , Paul Rachel , Marin-Chollom Amanda M. , Ogden Gaffney Ann , Sepulveda Jhack , Dominguez Naxielly , Gray Heewon , Haase Anne M. , Hershman Dawn L. , Koch Pamela , Greenlee Heather
Published: October 2022

Objectives

There is limited guidance on how to effectively educate cancer survivors to adopt and maintain specific diet and physical activity recommendations, especially among underserved and under-resourced populations. Here, the objective is to present the development of a behavioral and theoretically-based multi-modal diet and physical activity intervention program for Hispanic/Latina breast cancer survivors, Mi Vida Saludable (My Healthy Life).

Methods

The development process was based on the 6 steps of the Nutrition Education DESIGN Procedure: (1). Decide behaviors; (2). Explore determinants; (3). Select theory-based model; (4). Indicate objectives; (5). Generate plans; and (6). Nail down evaluation. The theoretical framework for the intervention is Social Cognitive Theory.

Results

The resulting behavioral intervention consists of 2 components. The first component is in-person group education consisting of 4 lessons over 1 month. Each 4-hour group lesson includes a hands-on cooking component, a physical activity component, and facilitator-led nutrition education and discussion, with 2 field trips to a local grocery store and farmers’ market. The second component is an e-Health program that includes weekly text messages, biweekly emailed newsletters, and ongoing website access.

Conclusion

The systematic DESIGN Procedure provided practical guidance for developing a behaviorally-focused, theory-based, and culturally sensitive program that addresses both dietary and physical activity behaviors for delivery both in-person education and through eHealth. The Procedure may be useful for developing other behaviorally focused and theory-based interventions.
A metastructure conceptual model of cantilever beam for transverse vibration attenuation
Authors: Barzegari Mojtaba , Fadaee Mohammad
Published: October 2022

Minimum weight along with low vibration level of structures are main desires of engineers in various industries such as aerospace, automobile, and electronics. The metastructures are a kind of nontraditional structures with distributed vibration absorbers without any change in their general shape. In this article, transverse vibration suppression of a proposed metastructure cantilever beam (MSCB) was considered by a lumped mass-spring model. A prismatic cantilever beam with hollow square cross-section, carrying five uniformly distributed absorbers was investigated. Effects of combination of the absorbers’ first natural frequency on vibration suppression of the whole structure were examined. Results were validated by finite element method (FEM). Frequency response functions of the MSCB were compared by those of simple prismatic cantilever beams with the same mass. The results showed that the transverse vibration does not always decrease by increasing the number of absorbers. Also, linear combination of the first natural frequencies of absorbers leads to more vibration suppression for the MSCB.
Facing the Competition: Gender Differences in Facial Emotion and Prominence in Visual News Coverage of Democratic Presidential Primary Candidates
Authors: Gruszczynski Mike , Brown Danielle K. , Pierce Haley , Grabe Maria E.
Published: October 2022

This study considered the impact of gender on visual coverage of the top 12 candidates in the 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary. Using Microsoft Azure’s Face API, we analyzed 9,529 still images from 43 mainstream news sources for facial emotion (happiness, anger, neutrality) and prominence (close-up, medium, long shots). We found visual evidence for an age-old narrative that undermines confidence in women’s leadership fitness: They were presented as emotionally less composed than men. Although we found no gender differences for facial prominence per se, its interaction with facial emotion gave nuance to gender differences in visual coverage of leadership performances.
Creating a University Strategic Plan to Address Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct (RVSM): An Application of Principles-Focused Evaluation at Michigan State University
Authors: Campbell Rebecca , Munford Andrea , Moylan Carrie A. , PettyJohn Morgan E. , Schweda Kelly , Fedewa Tana , Rosen Holly , Ferguson Mary Ann , Beal Jesse , Buchanan NiCole T.
Published: October 2022

This paper describes a multi-year initiative at Michigan State University (MSU) to change our institutional response to relationship violence and sexual misconduct (RVSM) in the aftermath of a large-scale institutional crisis. While the circumstances at MSU are unique, many universities have faced or will face moments that bring RVSM issues into the spotlight. To inform other colleges and universities, we describe how we developed a 5-year strategic plan to transform services for survivors and develop prevention programming for multiple audiences and at multiple levels of analysis. We titled this framework Know More. Do More. Support More, whereby “know more” reflects our ongoing use of campus climate surveys and data sharing to educate our community about RVSM; “do more” includes our institutional-level strategic plan for culture change; and “support more” provides guidance to our community members on how to respond to disclosures in a trauma-informed way and connect survivors to support services. We discuss the challenges and opportunities that stemmed from our choice to work “within the system” to create this model, as well as the ethical dilemmas we faced in these partnerships.
Incidence of adverse events after loading phase of the brolucizumab therapy of neovascular AMD: Real-life evidence in the Czech Republic
Authors: Stepanov Alexandr , Studnicka Jan , Veith Miroslav , Nemec Pavel , Vyslouzilova Daniela , Koubek Michal , Nemcansky Jan
Published: October 2022

Aim

To evaluate the incidence of ocular adverse events after loading phase of the brolucizumab therapy in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in real-life clinical practice – in treatment-naive patients and in patients after switching from another anti-VEGF agent. Another aim was to evaluate treatment outcomes in patients with adverse events.

Methods

This is a multicentre, retrospective, observational study from 16 application centres in the Czech Republic. Patients diagnosed with nAMD were treated with brolucizumab in a fixed regimen of loading phase (3 injections administered at one-month intervals) and the mean follow-up period was 120 ± 10 days after the first injection. The incidence of adverse events and the development of best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) in patients with complications were evaluated. A total of 1,098 eyes were followed up, of which 783 were treatment-naive and 315 eyes were after switching from another anti-VEGF agent.

Results

Adverse events were recorded in 42 eyes (3.83%), of which 30 eyes were treatment-naive (2.7%) and 12 eyes were post-switch (1.09%). The mean baseline BCVA ± SD was 56.7 ± 10.7 ETDRS chart letters in the group of patients with adverse events, 58.8 ± 10.1 letters in treatment-naive patients, and 51.4 ± 10.2 letters in patients after switch from another anti-VEGF agent. The mean baseline CRT ± SD was 432.2 ± 154.7 μm, being 435.8 ± 137.3 μm in treatment-naive patients and 424.5 ± 186.6 μm in patients after switch from another anti-VEGF agent. At the end of the follow-up, the mean BCVA ± SD was 53.4 ± 9.5 ETDRS charts letters in patients with adverse events, 55.6 ± 10 letters in treatment-naive patients, and 47.6 ± 10 letters in patients after switching from another anti-VEGF agent. The mean CRT ± SD at the end of the follow-up was 300.7 ± 115.7 μm in the total patient cohort, 285.2 ± 78.8 μm in treatment-naive patients and 334.5 ± 165.4 μm in patients after switching from another anti-VEGF agent.

Conclusion

We observed the development of adverse events in the form of intraocular inflammation or vasculitis with subsequent decrease in BCVA in 3.83% of cases after loading phase of the brolucizumab therapy. The decrease in BCVA was reversible in most cases after initiation of anti-inflammatory steroid treatment. From a functional and morphological point of view, we did not demonstrate any statistically significant difference between the groups of treatment-naive patients and patients after switching from another anti-VEGF agent.
A situated examination of the complex dynamic nature of L2 listening in EMI
Authors: Ducker Nathan Thomas
Published: October 2022

Second language (L2) listening skills play an important role in both content- and language-focused academic success; however, provision of L2 listening-related pedagogy may be lacking or unsuitable in many contexts. Difficulties transposing research derived knowledge about listening processes to appropriate pedagogy arise because it can be difficult to monitor learners’ L2 listening activities, much research uses group-based data which can be difficult to extrapolate to individual needs, and comprehension and related factors are often measured using static metrics. For educators, situated, learner-centric accounts of listening processes, difficulties, and related responses may enable more appropriate listening-related pedagogy; therefore, this study used idiodynamic methodology to capture the dynamic nature of listening comprehension and to elicit rich accounts of learners’ experiences as they watched English medium instruction (EMI)-situated presentations. The data provides evidence of previously-uncaptured comprehension-related volatility during a single presentation, and different comprehension patterns across presentations and between learners. Idiodynamic methodology further allowed the researcher to pinpoint which listening difficulties – e.g. top-down, bottom-up, knowledge- and vocabulary-related – impacted which learner at any specific moment of the presentations. These results can help provide targeted L2 provision in language and EMI programs, and give guidance to EMI providers as to the level-appropriateness of their programs.
Development and characterization of protective gloves using waste para aramid fibers
Authors: Irfan Muhammad , Afzal Ali , Nazir Ahsan , Qadir Muhammad B , Khaliq Zubair , Ali Zulfiqar , Hassan Munib ul , Ali Usman
Published: October 2022

Increasing levels of textile waste have become a matter of great concern for the environment and the circular economy movement. Synthetic or man-made fibers are not decomposed in landfills and also generate toxic gases if incinerated. Waste of high-performance fibers has enormous potential to be used in the development of technical products. In this study, carding waste of para-aramid fibers was blended with virgin polyester fibers to produce needle punched nonwoven felts to be used in the development of protective gloves. Nonwoven webs of different blend ratios and three different weights (GSM) (100, 150, 200 g/m2) were produced. The nonwoven webs were then quilted with knitted polyester fabric to produce gloves. Cut resistance, abrasion resistance, tear resistance and heat resistance of the felts increased with the increase in GSM (g/m2). Particularly at lower GSM, an increasing percentage of aramid fibers showed significant enhancement in cut resistance. The nonwoven felts comprising aramid/polyester blends of 75/25 and 60/40 yielded level 3 cut resistance at 100 GSM which reduced to level 2 with a further decrease in aramid fiber content. The abrasion resistance and tear resistance of the gloves were at level 3 to 4 and showed little dependence on blend ratio but were relatively higher at higher GSM. At 100 GSM, the felts exhibited heat resistance level 1 which increased to level 2 at 200 GSM. The findings of this study suggest that waste of high-performance fibers can be used as cost control and environmentally friendly strategy in the development of protective textiles.
The Lion Refugee in Europe: A Critical Race/Anti-Blackness Counterstory
Authors: Dixon Talia , Parker Laurence
Published: October 2022

“The Lion Refugee in Europe” is a critical race/anti-Blackness fictional counterstory that offers a perspective on the European refugee/immigrant situation. The story follows Asad, a young Somali refugee who ventures to Italy in hopes of gaining political asylum. By centering Asad as the main character, this fictional counterstory is meant to expose the realities experienced by refugees on their passages, specifically those leaving Africa. The lead author conducted the research for the counterstory during the summer of 2019. Much of the story reflects real events involving the state of refugee affairs related to the anti-immigration policy implemented under Italy’s previous right-wing government. Asad’s story is meant to reflect the experiences of refugees and the anti-immigrant sentiment that is prevalent throughout Europe. An immigration/refugee fictional critical race theory (CRT) counterstory told from this point of view is meant to confront a European nationalist stance on immigration and promote a more critical race/anti-Blackness/Afrophobia awareness and response toward the experiences of Black immigrant/refugee populations in Europe.
Elusive Simplicity
Authors: Gloviczki Peter Joseph
Published: October 2022

In this essay, I braid media coverage of poet and environmentalist Wendell Berry into autoethnographic exploration. In doing so, I hope readers consider ways to layer ethnographic approaches into/onto critical/cultural studies.