bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Structured Data in Biomedicine Using Soft Computing Techniques and Computational Analysis
Authors: Wu Yanping , Rahman Md. Habibur
Published: October 2022

In the field of biomedicine, enormous data are generated in a structured and unstructured form every day. Soft computing techniques play a major role in the interpretation and classification of the data to make appropriate decisions for making policies. The field of medical science and biomedicine needs efficient soft computing-based methods which can process all kind of data such as structured data, categorical data, and unstructured data to generate meaningful outcome for decision-making. The soft-computing methods allow clustering of similar data, classification of data, predictions from big-data analysis, and decision-making on the basis of analysis of data. A novel method is proposed in the paper using soft-computing methods where clustering mechanisms and classification mechanisms are used to process the biomedicine data for productive outcomes. Fuzzy logic and C-means clustering are devised as a collaborative approach to analyze the biomedicine data by reducing the time and space complexity of the clustering solutions. This research work is considering categorical data, numeric data, and structured data for the interpretation of data to make further decisions. Timely decisions are very important especially in the field of biomedicine because human health and human lives are involved in this field and delays in decision-making may cause threats to human lives. The COVID-19 situation was a recent example where timely diagnosis and interpretations played significant roles in saving the lives of people. Therefore, this research work has attempted to use soft computing techniques for the successful clustering of similar medical data and for quicker interpretation of data to support the decision-making processes related to medical fields.
Efficacy of Cold Atmospheric Plasma Therapy on Chronic Wounds: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of RCTs
Authors: Guo Julan , Huang Yuxing , Xu Bojun , Yang Jiao
Published: October 2022

Objective. A previous meta-analysis has revealed that cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) might not be clinically beneficial to chronic wounds. However, several new randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reported that CAP was an effective treatment option for accelerating wound healing in chronic wounds. The purpose of this review is to incorporate these new results and evaluate the efficacy of CAP in chronic wounds. Methods. The major databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, were searched for articles related to CAP treatment in chronic wounds until March 21, 2022. The literature retrieval and evaluation were carried out by two independent researchers. Result. A total of 13 randomized clinical trials published between 2010 and 2022 were finally included. CAP therapy showed to be more effective in reducing the area of wounds (mean difference (MD): -1.74, 95%; confidence interval (CI): [-3.14, -0.33],

p
=
0.02

), compared with non-CAP treatments. The immediate reduction of the bacterial load was higher in the CAP group than in the control group. (MD: -0.37, 95%; CI: [-0.7, -0.05],

p
=
0.02

). Conclusion. No significant changes were found in long-term antibacterial efficacy and pain perception between the two groups. However, more RCTs of excellent methodological quality are required to confirm technical details of the source of AP and the appropriate duration of the treatment with plasma.
Naringenin Alleviates Renal Ischemia Reperfusion Injury by Suppressing ER Stress-Induced Pyroptosis and Apoptosis through Activating Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Zhang Banghua , Wan Shanshan , Liu Hao , Qiu Qiangmin , Chen Hui , Chen Zhiyuan , Wang Lei , Liu Xiuheng
Published: October 2022

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, pyroptosis, and apoptosis are critical molecular events in the occurrence and progress of renal ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury. Naringenin (4

′

,5,7-trihydroxyflavanone) is one of the most widely consumed flavonoids with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. However, whether naringenin is able to relieve renal I/R injury and corresponding mechanisms have not been fully clarified. This study was aimed at exploring its role and relevant mechanisms in renal I/R injury. The C57Bl/6 mice were randomly assigned to receive administration with naringenin (50 mg/kg/d) or sterile saline (1.0 mL/d) for 3 d by gavage and suffered from renal I/R surgery. One specific ER stress inhibitor, 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA, 100 mg/kg/d), was intraperitoneally administered to validate the regulation of ER stress on pyroptosis and apoptosis. Cultured HK-2 cells went through the process of hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) to perform cellular experiments with the incubation of naringenin (200 μM), 4-PBA (5 mM), or brusatol (400 nM). The animal results verified that naringenin obviously relieved renal I/R injury, while it refined renal function and attenuated tissue structural damage. Furthermore, naringenin treatment inhibited I/R-induced ER stress as well as pyroptosis and apoptosis as indicated by decreased levels of specific biomarkers such as GRP78, CHOP, caspase-12, NLRP3, ASC, caspase-11, caspase-4, caspase-1, IL-1β, GSDMD-N, BAX, and cleaved caspase-3 in animals and HK-2 cells. Besides, the upregulated expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 proteins after naringenin treatment suggested that naringenin activated the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway, which was again authenticated by the usage of brusatol (Bru), one unique inhibitor of the Nrf2 pathway. Importantly, the application of 4-PBA showed that renal I/R-generated pyroptosis and apoptosis were able to be regulated by ER stress in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, naringenin suppressed ER stress by activating Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and further alleviated pyroptosis and apoptosis to protect renal against I/R injury.
Metagenomic Analysis of Gut Microbiome in Gout Patients with Different Chinese Traditional Medicine Treatments
Authors: Xie Jingjing , Wang Jing , Zhao Fang , Qiu Xia , Chen Jianwei , Jia Yangyang , Qin Panpan , Zhu Yuanfang , Zhang Jianyong , Wang Binbin
Published: October 2022

Introduction. Changes in eating habits have made gout a metabolic disease of increasing concern. Previous studies have indicated that there are significant differences in species composition and abundance of gut microbiome in gout patients compared with average. Considering that traditional Chinese medicine has a momentous effect in treating gout, the research study aimed to explore the differences of genomic and metabolomics of gut microbiome before and after traditional Chinese medicine treatment in patients with gout. Method. 30 patients with gout and 29 matched controls were recruited of which 16 patients took H treatment and 14 patients took T treatment. Stools were collected twice for patients before and after treatment and only once for controls. A total of 89 samples were annotated with metagenomic species and functions, and the enrichment analysis of differential genes and KO pathway was carried out. Result. The results showed a decrease in the diversity of gut microbiome in gout patients and the gene abundance and metabolomics had great differences among study groups. The number of bacterial genera also had significant differences among treatment groups. Moreover, among different groups, the regulation of different species was variously correlated. The correlation between species and clinical laboratory indicators in the rising group was stronger than that in the decreasing group and the upregulation of some strain was related to the content of urea nitrogen. Conclusion. After the traditional Chinese medicine treatment, the glutathione pathway was significantly enriched and some pathogenic bacteria were significantly inhibited. The study suggests that traditional Chinese medicine treatment may exert its therapeutic effect by inhibiting relevant pathways.
[Retracted] Correlation of IgH‐CDR3 Immune Repertoire Diversity Test in Peripheral Blood of Neuromyelitis Spectrum Diseases
Authors: Peng Zhihui , Deng Hongfei
Published: October 2022

Neuroretinitis spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is generally regarded as an acute or subacute inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, mainly involving the optic nerve and spinal cord, mediated by humoral immunity. To address these questions, this work established an immunomic library of the heavy chain complementarity determinant 3 (gHI‐CDR3) of peripheral blood lymphocyte B cell receptors. The library was established in patients with a spectrum of neurosyphilis‐retinitis disorders. Six NMOSD patients and six healthy volunteers were recruited, and the NMOSD group was divided into an early‐onset group and a stable group according to treatment conditions. The IgH‐CDR3 gene fragment cultured in vitro was amplified by multiplex PCR technology, and the gene was sequenced by the second‐generation high‐throughput sequencing technology, and the statistical analysis was carried out by the method without reference. The quantity, type, and diversity of IgH‐CDR3 in peripheral blood B lymphocytes of NMOSD patients were significantly lower than those of normal group (P > 0.05); the variation of IgH‐CDR3 sequence in the initial stage of treatment was higher than that in the stable stage (P > 0.05); the replication frequency of the characteristic gene “CASSICLGSGCGGYYYGMDVW” was significantly increased in patients at the initial stage of NMOSD treatment (P < 0.05). The conclusion was that the gene expression and gene expression analysis of NMOSD patients could accurately judge the condition of NMOSD patients, evaluate their efficacy, and provide new molecular targets and new theoretical basis for clinical application.
Construction of Virtual Marketing Interactive Platform for Digital Twin Innovation and Entrepreneurship Based on Blockchain
Authors: Huang Sen-Huang , Day Jen-Der , Shu Ming-Hung , Huang Hsiao-Chun , Huang Jui-Chan
Published: October 2022

With the rapid development and application of internet technology, people are gradually entering a state of digital life. However, it is difficult for digital assets to be circulated with a unified standard protocol. Blockchain has the characteristics of decentralization, trustworthiness, and immutability, which can be used to solve the above problems. Although virtual marketing technology shows great potential, as a form of organization that is difficult to manage, there is still a lack of experience in the form factors and operation mechanism of a virtual business model. Therefore, combined with the realistic background, this paper built a digital twin innovation and entrepreneurship virtual marketing interactive platform based on blockchain. The article analyzed the data structure of the blockchain and completed the construction of the platform operation mode. It studied the encryption and decryption process of cryptography and expanded the ciphertext space, then the blockchain is encrypted and decrypted again, and finally, a chi-square analysis is performed. After building the platform, it conducted market research and analyzed the main operating indicators of the A platform on the market. Then, it compared the uncertain string preprocessing enumeration length change and the index occupied space between the platform constructed in this paper and the platform in the literature. The comparison results have shown that the index proposed in this paper is 320 MB in 8 iterative calculations, while the bibliographic index starts at 10000 MB and keeps increasing during the iterative calculation process. The two are not in the same order of magnitude, illustrating the superiority of the platform in this paper.
[Retracted] Significance of Edaravone Combined with Emotion Management Model in Promoting the Recovery Process and Improving Negative Psychology in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Combined with Stroke
Authors: Lv Xiaoyun , Lu Xiaolan
Published: October 2022

Background and Objective. To investigate the significance of edaravone (EDA) combined with emotion management model in promoting the recovery process and improving negative psychology in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) combined with cerebral stroke (CS). Methods. Eighty‐one patients with T2DM combined with CS who attended our hospital and received rehabilitation treatment from March 2020 to May 2021 were enrolled to a prospective nonrandomized controlled analysis. Among them, 46 patients received EDA combined with emotional management model and were regarded as the observation group (OG), and 35 received EDA combined with conventional care and were seen as the control group (CG). The clinical efficacy and glycemic function of the two groups were compared, and the scores of the Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Self‐Assessment Scale for Anxiety and Depression (SAS and SDS) were investigated before and after treatment. At the time of discharge, patient satisfaction with care was counted. Within six months after prognosis, T2DM self‐management behavior and CS self‐management behavior score surveys were conducted. Results. There was no difference in clinical efficacy between both groups (P > 0.05); The posttreatment glucose, PSQI, SAS, and SDS scores were lower in the OG than in the CG, while ADL and emotional management scores were higher than in the CG (P < 0.05). In addition, both nursing satisfaction and prognosis disease self‐management behavior scores were also higher in the OG than in the CG (P < 0.05). Conclusion. The EDA combined with emotion management model can effectively promote the recovery process of patients with type II T2DM combined with CS, while improving their negative psychology and enhancing their self‐management ability, which has high potential for clinical application.
Application of Digital Interactive Display Design Based on Computer Technology in VR Film
Authors: He Jing , Wu Yanping
Published: October 2022

In order to explore the sustainable development of VR films, the paper analyzes the current situation and problems of the film works and the important role of digital interactive display design in the film, and makes a comprehensive analysis and comparison between traditional display design and digital interactive display design by using statistical methods. Finally, it is concluded that the application of digital interactive display design in VR films not only meets the development needs of the digital industry in the intelligent era but can also improve the interactive experience of VR films. The application of computer technology to the digital integration of VR movies can enhance the visual effect of the movies and more easily resonate with the audience, and it has important strategic significance to promote the economic prosperity of later animation films.
Numerical Simulation on Hydrofracture Propagation in Fractured-Vuggy Unconventional Reservoirs
Authors: Jiang Tingxue , Wang Haitao , Bian Xiaobing , Wang Daobing , Zhou Jun , Yu Bo
Published: October 2022

The unconventional reservoirs such as carbonate formation develops complex and diverse storage space structures, and it is composed of large-scale cavity, dissolved vug, and fractures. The carbonate reservoir is highly heterogeneous. Acid fracturing of carbonate reservoir is completed through the complex mechanical mechanism of interaction between vug and hydraulic fracture (HF). We use the equivalent method of reducing the rock strength by acid etching and serious fluid leakoff during interaction of HF and vug to establish a finite element (FE) model of HF propagation during acid fracturing in the fractured-vuggy carbonate reservoir. The model considers the effect of serious fluid leakoff during interaction between HF and vug, mechanism of interaction between HFs and the fracture-vug system, and change in acid etching intensity. Then, we carry out numerical simulation on impacts of injection rate, fluid viscosity, leakoff behavior in fractures and vugs, and natural fracture (NF) approaching angle on HF propagation in acid fracturing and compare the characteristics of injection pressure, fracture pressure, and HF size. It is suggested that the acid fracturing treatment should be operated by increasing the acid solution viscosity to reduce fluid leakoff, injecting fracturing fluid and acid fluid alternatively, increasing injection rate, and injecting fibers and ceramics when small pressure drop occurs during the HF interacts with the fracture-vug. When a large pressure drop occurs, it is suggested that the middle-low viscosity acid be injected at a low rate to etch the carbonate rock and enhance the fracture conductivity. HF propagates under higher pressure when the NF approaching angle is smaller.
Toward an Integrative Paradigm of Positive Youth Development: Implications for Research, Practice, and Policy
Authors: Buenconsejo Jet U. , Datu Jesus Alfonso D.
Published: October 2022

Positive youth development (PYD) has gained considerable traction among researchers and practitioners in promoting adolescent well-being and mental health. Several models have also been proposed in conceptualizing and measuring PYD, almost all of which were developed in individualistic and Western contexts. The abundance of overlapping PYD indicators from different models poses a challenge in further expanding the applicability of PYD in diverse cultural settings. Based on a review of major PYD paradigms (i.e., five/six/seven Cs model, 15 PYD constructs, and the 40 developmental assets framework), we propose an integrative paradigm of PYD, which organizes the different indicators of adolescent thriving into three clusters: (a) intrapersonal-immediate, (b) interpersonal-proximal, and (c) ecological-distal indicators. Building on prior empirically supported models of PYD, this paradigm aims to provide a common and unifying taxonomy among developmental scientists in conceptualizing and measuring adolescent thriving without neglecting the specificity of adolescent development in various ecologies. Future directions for PYD researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to advance the field are discussed.
Estimation of Plasma Renin Activity on the Basis of Serum and Urinary Chloride Concentrations versus Sodium Concentrations
Authors: Kataoka Hajime
Published: October 2022

Introduction: The present study examined the possible estimation of plasma renin activity (PRA) by serum and urinary concentrations of chloride versus sodium in acute and chronic heart failure (HF). Methods: Data from 29 patients with acute HF (48% men; 80.3 ± 12 years) and 26 patients with recovery of HF after decongestive therapy (50% men; 81.2 ± 12 years) were analyzed. Blood and urine samples were obtained immediately before decongestive therapy in acute HF patients. Clinical tests included peripheral blood tests, serum and spot urinary electrolytes, and plasma neurohormones. Sodium- or chloride-related indices included serum ([sNa+] or [sCl−]) and urinary ([uNa+] or [uCl−]) concentrations, their differences, and their ratio. Linear regression analysis was used for correlation coefficients. Results: PRA levels higher than the normal range were detected in only 5 (17%) of 29 patients with acute HF, but in as many as 11 (42%) of 26 patients with chronic HF. In the 29 patients with acute HF, all the chloride- and sodium-related indices except for [sNa+] were correlated with PRA: the [sCl−]/[uCl−] ratio was best correlated with PRA (R2 = 0.84, p < 0.0001) followed by the [sNa+]/[uNa+] ratio (R2 = 0.64, p < 0.0001). In the 26 patients with chronic HF, however, both the [sCl−] (R2 = 0.36, p = 0.001) and [sNa+] (R2 = 0.22, p = 0.016) were only weakly correlated with PRA. Conclusion: In acute HF, chloride-related indices derived from serum and urinary concentrations were firmly associated with PRA or better than sodium-related indices. In chronic HF, either chloride- or sodium-related indices were not firmly associated with PRA, presumably due to influence of cardiovascular medication.
Results of the North American Complex Abdominal Aortic Debranching (NACAAD) Registry
Authors: Escobar Guillermo A. , Oderich Gustavo S. , Farber Mark A. , de Souza Leonardo R. , Quinones-Baldrich William J. , Patel Himanshu J. , Eliason Jonathan L. , Upchurch Gilbert R. , H. Timaran Carlos , Black James H. , Ellozy Sharif H. , Woo Edward Y. , Fillinger Mark F. , Singh Michael J. , Lee Jason T. , C. Jimenez Juan , Lall Purandath , Gloviczki Peter , Kalra Manju , Duncan Audra A. , Lyden Sean P. , Tenorio Emanuel R. ,   for the NACAAD Investigators
Published: October 2022

Background:

Hybrid debranching repair of pararenal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms was initially designed as a better alternative to standard open repair, addressing the limitations of endovascular repair involving the visceral aorta. We reviewed the collective outcomes of hybrid debranching repairs using extra-anatomic, open surgical debranching of the renal-mesenteric arteries, followed by endovascular aortic stenting.

Methods:

Data from patients who underwent hybrid repair in 14 North American institutions during 10 years were retrospectively reviewed. Society of Vascular Surgery scores were used to assess comorbidity risk. Early and late outcomes, including mortality, morbidity, reintervention, and patency were analyzed.

Results:

A total of 208 patients (118 male; mean age, 71±8 years old) were treated by hybrid repair with extraanatomic reconstruction of 657 renal and mesenteric arteries (mean 3.2 vessels/patient). Mean aneurysm diameter was 6.6±1.3 cm. Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms were identified in 163 (78%) patients and pararenal aneurysms in 45 (22%). A single-stage repair was performed in 92 (44%) patients. The iliac arteries were the most common source of inflow (n=132; 63%), and most (n=150; 72%) had 3 or more bypasses. There were 30 (14%) early deaths, ranging widely across sites (0%–21%). A Society of Vascular Surgery comorbidity score >15 was the primary predictor of early mortality (
P
<0.01), whereas mortality was 3% in a score ≤9. Early complications occurred in 140 (73%) patients and included respiratory complications in 45 patients (22%) and spinal cord ischemia in 22 (11%), of whom 10 (45%) fully recovered. At 5 years, survival was 61±5%, primary graft patency was 90±2%, and secondary patency was 93±2%. The most significant predictor of late mortality was renal insufficiency (
P
<0.0001).

Conclusions:

Mortality after hybrid repair and visceral debranching is highly variable by center, but strongly affected by preoperative comorbidities and the centers’ experience with the technique. With excellent graft patency at 5 years, the outcomes of hybrid repair done at centers of excellence and in carefully selected patients may be comparable (or better) than traditional open or even totally endovascular approaches. However, in patients already considered as high-risk for surgery, it may not offer better outcomes.
The Diabatic Rossby Vortex: Growth Rate, Length Scale, and the Wave–Vortex Transition
Authors: Kohl Matthieu , O’Gorman Paul A.
Published: October 2022

In idealized simulations of moist baroclinic instability on a sphere, the most unstable mode transitions from a periodic wave to an isolated vortex in sufficiently warm climates. The vortex mode is maintained through latent heating and shows the principal characteristics of a diabatic Rossby vortex (DRV) that has been found in a range of different simulations and observations of the current climate. Currently, there is no analytical theory for DRVs or understanding of the wave–vortex transition that has been found in warmer climates. Here, we introduce a minimal moist two-layer quasigeostrophic model with tilted boundaries capable of producing a DRV mode, and we derive growth rates and length scales for this DRV mode. In the limit of a convectively neutral stratification, the length scale of ascent of the DRV is the same as that of a periodic moist baroclinic wave, but the growth rate of the DRV is 54% faster. We explain the isolated structure of the DRV using a simple potential vorticity (PV) argument, and we create a phase diagram for when the most unstable solution is a periodic wave versus a DRV, with the DRV emerging when the moist static stability and meridional PV gradients are weak. Last, we compare the structure of the DRV mode with DRV storms found in reanalysis and with a DRV storm in a warm-climate simulation.

Significance Statement

Past research has identified a special class of midlatitude storm, dubbed the diabatic Rossby vortex (DRV), which derives its energy from the release of latent heat associated with condensation of water vapor and as such goes beyond the traditional understanding of midlatitude storm formation. DRVs have been implicated in extreme and poorly predicted forms of cyclogenesis along the east coast of the United States and the west coast of Europe with significant damage to property and human life. The purpose of this study is to develop a mathematical theory for the intensification rate and length scale of DRVs to gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics of these storms in current and future climates.
The Acceptance of Driverless Cars: The Roles of Perceived Outcomes and Technology Usefulness
Authors: Mesch Gustavo S. , Dodel Matias
Published: October 2022

The accelerating development of autonomous vehicles is expected to have important effects on society such as reducing the number of traffic accidents, preventing the disabilities and deaths attributed to car accidents, and reducing pollution. However, their adoption depends on the willingness of the population to accept this innovation and incorporate it in their everyday activities. This study investigated the association between socio-demographic factors, political ideology, and attitudes toward technology and its perceived potential impact on society on support for driverless cars. We conducted a secondary analysis of a large sample of employees in the United States ( n = 2,470). Based on conceptual frameworks relevant to the study of technology adoption such as the self-interest hypothesis, the usefulness of the technology, ideological orientation, and socio-demographic gaps in attitudes toward technology, our results indicate that perceived social outcomes of driverless cars are strongly associated with their support. Age and gender are negatively associated with support for autonomous vehicles. In contrast, perceived positive outcomes of the introduction of technology in the workplace are positively associated with them. Individuals with a consistently conservative ideology are also less likely to be supporters of autonomous vehicles. Our findings indicate that the centrality of the expected societal impact of autonomous vehicles implies the need to provide the public with accurate facts about their expected effect. Doing so is critical to increasing the public’s willingness to adopt the technology and support its production. People must also be reassured that regulations and product designs will be created to ensure their safety.
Aortic Arch Laterality in Chromosome 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: Male-Female Difference
Authors: Evans William N. , Acherman Ruben J. , Restrepo Humberto
Published: October 2022

We reviewed patients with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. We analyzed cardiovascular findings in patients with confirmed chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome live-born in Nevada between March 2007 and September 2020. We identified 60 patients. Of the 60 patients, 32 (53%) were female. Of the 60, 48 (80%) had a conotruncal abnormality (including isolated vascular rings): 23 of 32 (72%) for females versus 25 of 28 (89%) for males, P = .41. However, 11 (34%) of 32 females had a right aortic arch; whereas, 21 (75%) of 28 males had a right aortic arch, P = .007. In conclusion, in our patient cohort, we found conotruncal malformations were common. However, we noted males were statistically more likely to have a right aortic arch than females. To the best of our knowledge, this male-female aortic arch laterality difference in patients with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome has not been previously noted.
Complicating ideas of the political: Examining subaltern performativity as gendered resistance
Authors: Jan Umer , Malik Sheeba
Published: October 2022

This article attempts to wrest away the notion of popular political resistance and performativity from the realm of visibility in the ‘public’ sphere/space and place them within the unperformed acts that remain optically invisible. Taking the example of India-controlled Kashmir, where public spaces remain militarized and performative assemblies criminalized, the article focuses on how popular resistance to Indian rule is regularly embodied within what we call subaltern performativity. Furthermore, the gendered nature of this subaltern performativity is also underlined through ethnographic fieldwork.
Communicating the Scientific Consensus on Climate Change: Diverse Audiences and Effects Over Time
Authors: Goldberg Matthew H. , Gustafson Abel , van der Linden Sander , Rosenthal Seth A. , Leiserowitz Anthony
Published: October 2022

Prior research has demonstrated that communicating the scientific consensus that human-caused climate change is happening is an effective way to increase public understanding and engagement with the issue. However, less is known about (1) how persuasive this message is to oppositional audiences, (2) how long message effects last over time, and (3) what factors predict whether such effects last. We address these questions in a two-wave longitudinal study and find that consensus messaging leads to updated consensus beliefs across Global Warming’s Six Americas. Although consensus treatment effects decay over time, 40% of the original treatment effect remains 26 days later. Additionally, the treatment effect is most durable among people Doubtful or Dismissive of climate change. Our findings address an ongoing debate in the literature and support a Bayesian learning perspective, with little evidence of motivated reasoning.
Climate Change and Health: Consequences of High Temperatures among Vulnerable Groups in Finland
Authors: Astone Roberto , Vaalavuo Maria
Published: October 2022

In this article, we examine the effects of high temperatures on hospital visits and mortality in Finland. This provides new information of the topic in a context of predominantly cool temperatures. Unique, individual-level data are used to examine the relationship at the municipality-month level over a span of 20 years. Linear regression methods alongside high-dimensional fixed effects are used to minimize confounding variation. Analysis is conducted with special emphasis on the elderly population, as well as on specific elderly risk groups identified in previous literature. We show that for an additional day per month above 25°C, monthly all-cause mortality increases by 1.5 percent (95% CI: 0.4%–2.6%) and acute hospital visits increase by 1.1 percent (95% CI: 0.7%–1.6%). We also find some evidence that these effects are elevated in selected population subgroups, the low-income elderly, and people with dementia. Hospital visits also increase among younger age groups, illustrating the importance of using multiple health indicators. Such detailed evidence is important for identifying vulnerable groups as extreme heat waves are expected to become more frequent and intense in northern countries.
A Meta-Analytic Review of Social Learning Theory and Teen Dating Violence Perpetration
Authors: Pusch Natasha
Published: October 2022

Objectives

The purpose of this study is to examine social learning theory (SLT) and teen dating violence (TDV) perpetration. This study aims to determine which predictors have the largest effect sizes, whether they vary for males and females, and whether they differ based on research design and sample characteristics.

Methods

This study uses hierarchal meta-analytic methods to examine both within- and between-dataset differences in relationships between a variety of SLT predictors and TDV outcomes. Both bivariate and multivariate effect sizes are computed for a sample of n = 1,157 effect sizes nested in n = 116 studies that used n = 88 unique datasets.

Results

Findings indicate that a variety of SLT predictors can explain TDV perpetration. Predictors with the largest effect sizes include anticipated benefits of TDV (Bivariate: r = .254; multivariate: r = .308) and peer TDV perpetration (Bivariate: r = .279; multivariate: r = .205). While most predictors show similar effect sizes for males and females, peer TDV perpetration appears to be a stronger influence for males. Several significant moderators are found.

Conclusions

SLT should continue to provide a theoretical framework for TDV research and practice. Future research should examine same-sex teen relationships and sexual minorities.
Effects of trash-removing part geometry on the airflow in the rotor spinning unit and the yarn properties
Authors: Yang Ruihua , He Chuang , Zhong Hongxiu
Published: October 2022

Three-dimensional geometric models for two types of carding and impurity removal mechanisms in rotor spinning were created and designated as model I and model II, respectively. A numerical simulation using Ansys Fluent was performed, and the pressure, airflow velocity, and turbulent energy distribution characteristics in the models were computed. The results show that there is a strong negative pressure with unequal velocities in the two models. Moreover, the turbulent energy occurs at the impurity discharge port of model I, which is not conducive to the discharge of impurities and the quality of yarns. However, there is no turbulent energy change in the impurity removal zone of model II, which is beneficial for impurity removal. Moreover, the effect of airflow on yarn performance by simulation is verified by the performance test of the yarn produced in the chambers mentioned above.
Uniaxial tensile strain correction of multi-axial warp-knitted fabric
Authors: Dong Zhaoyong , Jiang Yaming
Published: October 2022

This paper analyzes the error between the theoretical calculated and actual values of single inserting yarn strain of multi-axial warp-knitted fabric under the uniaxial stretching process, and the “open M-shaped curved surface” of error was obtained theoretically. The analysis results show that the error increases with the increase of fabric elongation. The error is smaller in the small deformation range (fabric maximum elongation is 5%) and larger in the large deformation range. In addition, the error is also related to the angle between the single inserting yarn axis and the uniaxial tensile direction. The error varies periodically with the angle ([Formula: see text]), reaching its maximum when it is close to [Formula: see text]. In order to realize the correction of the existing theoretical calculated formula of single inserting yarn strain, the error formula was fitted by combining the laws of errors. The correction of the single inserting yarn strain was successfully achieved by the fitted error formula. The correction equation can correct the inserting yarn at any angle in the fabric strain range of 0–50%. The correction equation has a larger range of use and more accurate results than the theoretical calculated formula for inserting yarn. Finally, the validation was carried out with bias inserting yarn at [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] angles and the results were very good. Therefore, the corrected equation can replace the actual value of bias inserting yarn strain.
CONFEDERATION IS THE TWO‐STATE SOLUTION 2.0
Authors: Scham Paul
Published: October 2022

In the wake of the failure of the “classic” two‐state solution to make headway since the collapse of the Camp David negotiations in 2000, the idea of a confederal solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict is being increasingly seen as a realistic political format by Palestinians and Israelis of both the left and the right. Examples and models of reconciliation and confederation are discussed in this article and certain myths, including that religious strictures are unchangeable, are challenged. The author concludes that confederation is possible, though admittedly difficult, and seems the only viable alternative to the stalemated status quo.
Metaphysical Perspectives and Their Role in Science
Authors: Bar-Am Nimrod
Published: October 2022

In this paper I offer a brief summary of Popper’s views on metaphysics. I then explain Agassi’s criticism of those views, and why I regard them as fruitful improvements.
When Corporations Are People: Agent Talk and the Development of Organizational Actorhood, 1890–1934
Authors: Knight Carly
Published: October 2022

Research in organizational theory takes as a key premise the notion that organizations are “actors.” Organizational actorhood, or agency, depends, in part, on how external audiences perceive organizations. In other words, organizational agency requires that external audiences take organizations to be agents. Yet little empirical research has attempted to measure these attributions: when do audiences assume that organizations are agents and how have these attributions changed over time? In this article, I suggest that scholars can triangulate across computational methods—including named entity recognition, dependency parsing, topic models, and dictionary methods—to analyze attributions of agency in text, discourse that I term “agent talk.” I demonstrate the utility of this approach by analyzing how business organizations were discussed as agents during a key period of organizational development, the turn of the twentieth century. Analyzing articles from two of the leading national newspapers, the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, I examine agent talk in everyday business discourse. I find that agent talk generally increased over the early twentieth century, as organizations were depicted as active subjects in text and personified as speakers. Moreover, I find that this discourse was concentrated in social and legal semantic contexts: in particular, contexts relating to labor, regulation, and railroads. Finally, I show the uneven growth of this rhetoric over time, as organizations across different semantic arenas were personified as speakers. Overall, these results show how measures of discourse can provide a window into how and when audiences endow organizations with actorhood.
Increasing incidence of slipped capital femoral epiphysis in Trinidad and Tobago: A 50-year review
Authors: Beharry Allan C , Quan Soon Camille H , Augustus Megan , Toby David , Thomas Dylan
Published: October 2022

Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE) is a physeal disorder of the proximal femur. Misdiagnosis and late treatment are associated with poorer outcomes. The epidemiology and delays in treatment of the disease between 1968 and 2018 were investigated in North Trinidad. The number of cases presenting annually has increased over the decades and the incidence between 2008–2018 was 2.2 cases per 100 000 per year. Almost 70% of cases were above the 95th percentile for body weight. Delay in treatment from onset of symptoms was 278 ± 258 days. Awareness of the risk factors and clinical presentation of SCFE may facilitate early diagnosis and treatment, and prevent severe hip disability in adulthood.
Trichomoniasis refractory to 5-nitroimidazole therapy in Trinidad
Authors: Edwards Robert Jeffrey , Parboo Miriam , Edwards Jonathan , Boyce Gregory
Published: October 2022

Trichomoniasis is the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infection (STI) occurring worldwide and the majority of infected persons (70–85%) have mild or no genital symptoms. Symptoms in women may include a vaginal discharge which may be associated with vulval irritation and most infections can be effectively treated with metronidazole 500mg bd for seven days. Trichomoniasis unresponsive to 5-nitroimidazole therapy is uncommon but results in substantial therapeutic challenges, especially in resource limited countries. We present such a case which was eventually treated with a low-cost intravaginal combination of boric acid and clotrimazole cream.
Enforcing rules regulating the use of temporary positions in Norway: A matter of exit, voice or silence?
Authors: Svalund Jørgen , Alsos Kristin
Published: October 2022

Companies’ access to temporary workers is an important aspect of the functioning of labour markets. The strictness of regulations is not determined by the regulations alone, but also how these are enforced. Thus, knowledge on why some employees take action while others do not is important to understand the functioning of these regulations. We analyse temporary workers’ experiences and perceptions related to enforcement in the Norwegian labour market by distinguishing between ‘exit’, ‘voice’ and ‘silence’. Where enforcement is left to the temporary employee, as in Norway, enforcement may be difficult due to the limited power of the employee vis-a-vis the employer. Trade unions may, however, increase this power and in this study the role of local trade union representatives in enforcement is included. Taking the comprehensive Norwegian model of trade unions’ support into account, this case can be seen as a robust case for understanding the process of enforcement.
UK government-backed start-up loans: Tackling disadvantage and credit rationing of new entrepreneurs
Authors: Cowling Marc , Dvouletý Ondřej
Published: October 2022

In 2012, the UK government made the decision to offer loans to new entrepreneurs who were excluded from the credit market through the start-up loan (SUL) scheme. By 2021, loans totalling £759 million have been issued to 85,809 new start-ups. A disproportionate share of these SULs was issued to previously unemployed people to support their transition into self-employment. This paper questions whether those who started with the fewest resources achieved better or worse outcomes than those who started from a more beneficial position. Our findings show that previously unemployed start-ups had smaller loans and that they had a higher default hazard on their loans than entrants from waged employment, but more educated and older unemployed entrants survived longer. More generally, SULs to unemployed start-ups were cost-effective for the government in a loan portfolio sense, but once the benefits of supported entry into self-employment were fully accounted for, the overall contribution was very positive. This highlights the potential more comprehensive societal benefits of removing capital constraints by supporting the transition from unemployment to self-employment. Furthermore, we propose testing the effect of replacement start-up subsidies by soft loans in those countries, offering only direct grants, to increase the efficiency of public financial resources.
School regime restructuring in Western China: From archetypal to multi-scale and variegated political–economic embeddedness
Authors: Zhang Mengzhu
Published: October 2022

This study investigates the emerging variegated school and education regimes (SERs) in urban China during the political–economic restructuring in the 2010s. Criticising the existing literature for pursuing a national-scale, ideal and static embeddedness of SER in stylised territorial capitalism, this study develops an inter-scale analytical framework foregrounding urban political economy to link the SER restructuring, local socio-spatial transformation and changing political economy in the real world. This framework is based on variegated capitalism approach and multi-spatial meta-governance thesis with a focus on the extended and spatial function of SER at the urban scale. We substantiate the framework by investigating the three SERs in three Chinese cities. Attention is paid to how the municipality uses a specific SER to facilitate a specific local socio-spatial transformation, and how these actions stem from the new local entrepreneurial strategies that are induced by the changing national accumulation strategy. This study provides a new perspective to understand the recent and drastic socio-spatial transformation in Chinese cities, and shifts the research concern on the multi-level, variegated and dynamic embeddedness of SER restructuring in the geographical process of changing political economy.
Impacts of COVID-19 on the Operational Performance of Express Lanes and General-Purpose Lanes
Authors: Kodi John H. , Kitali Angela E. , Kidando Emmanuel , Alluri Priyanka
Published: October 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak brought significant changes in the travel behavior and operational characteristics of transportation systems. Express lanes (ELs) are among the transportation facilities that are affected by this pandemic. These facilities are built adjacent to existing general-purpose lanes (GPLs), providing drivers additional lanes that are dynamically priced in response to changing traffic conditions. This research investigated the impacts of COVID-19 on the operational performance of ELs and GPLs based on field data from a 5.5 mi corridor on I-95 in Miami, Florida, U.S. The traffic flow parameters, which include speed, traffic flow, and occupancy, were used to describe the traffic conditions before and during COVID-19 (i.e., March–June 2019 and March–June 2020, respectively). The travel time reliability measures, coefficient of variation of travel time, and planning time index, were used to measure user satisfaction. These metrics were derived from a multivariate Bayesian additive regression model that was developed to calibrate the traffic conditions on the study corridor. Overall, the model results indicated that both ELs and GPLs have less variation in travel time, thus making the travel time more reliable during COVID-19 than before. This may be attributed to the decline in the traffic volume observed during the pandemic. The results further showed that COVID-19 had more impact on the GPLs compared with the ELs. The results from this research could assist transportation agencies in understanding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on ELs and GPLs in relation to traffic operations.
The protective mechanism of salidroside modulating miR-199a-5p/TNFAIP8L2 on lipopolysaccharide-induced MLE-12 cells
Authors: Tan Yang , Zou Yong-fan , Zhang Huang-bo , Liu Xu , Qian Chuan-yun , Liu Ming-Wei
Published: October 2022

Objectives

Salidroside is used for treating inflammation-based diseases; however, its molecular mechanism is unclear. In this study, we determined the protective role of salidroside on the endotoxin-induced damage caused to the mouse alveolar epithelial type II (MLE-12) cells and its underlying mechanism.

Methods

An in vitro model for acute lung injury was constructed by inducing the MLE-12 cells using lipopolysaccharide (lipopolysaccharides, 1 mg/L). Then, The MTT assay was conducted to assess the survival rate of the MLE-12 cells in the different groups. After the treatment, apoptosis of MLE-12 cells was determined, and the mRNA and protein expression of miR-199a-5p, HMGB1, NF-kB65, TNFAIP8L2, p-IkB-α, and TLR4 was estimated by Western Blotting and RT-PCR. ELISA was also used to measure the concentration of inflammatory cytokine molecules IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-18 in the cell-free supernatant. Lastly, cell morphology was examined using the AO/EB technique.

Results

We showed that salidroside reduced the protein and gene expression of HMGB1, NF-kB65, miR-199a-5p, p-IkB-α, and TLR4, whereas it increased the gene and protein expression of TNFAIP8L2. Furthermore, it decreased the concentrations of cytokine molecules like IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-18 in the cell-free supernatant. MLE-12 also showed a lower apoptosis rate, higher survival rate, and better cell morphology.

Conclusion

Salidroside significantly inhibited the LPS-induced MLE-12 cell damage. Our results suggest that this could be by reducing miR-199a-5p and enhancing TNFAIP8L2 expression.