bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The differentiation between the reproductive traits ofAllium wallichiiKunth in central and peripheral populations
Authors: Tang Hanqing , Hu Demei , Zhang Chao , Yang Juan , Xiang Mengda , Wang Xiaoyue , Yi Yin , Tang Xiaoxin
Published: February 2021

The differentiation of reproductive characteristics not only exists between different populations but also may exist within populations. In this work, the differences between the central and peripheral populations were experimentally compared and analyzed in terms of biodiversity index, plant traits, anthesis, pollen germination, floral visitors, seed setting rate, and ploidy. The results showed that the diversity and richness of other plant species, in the central population were significantly lower than those in the peripheral population, but the plant density was much higher than in the peripheral population. The plant anatomical traits, anthesis, pollen germination, floral visitors, seed setting rate, and ploidy were significantly different between central population and peripheral populations. The term increasing rate (IR) is proposed as a means of comparing morphologies in different organs. IR differences in vegetative characteristics were more stable, while those in reproductive characteristics differed significantly. For the central population, the effect of the intraspecific reproductive competition and pollinator selection on plants may significant, and morphology was differentiated in terms of reproductive characteristics. Plants in the peripheral populations were visited by many more pollinators than in the central population, and all pollinators visited infrequently. The reproductive characteristics of plants in the peripheral populations may therefore only be weakly affected by pollinator selection. The reproductive characteristics of plants in the peripheral population may weakly affected by the selection of pollinators, and the variation was small. In conclusion, morphological differentiation among the different populations was associated with differences in vegetative and reproductive characteristics.
FINANCIAL DISCRIMINATION AND WAGE INEQUALITY IN CHINA
Authors: PI JIANCAI , ZHANG PENGQING
Published: February 2021

This paper investigates how financial discrimination influences skilled-unskilled wage inequality in China. In the basic model, we find that a reduction of financial discrimination will reduce skilled-unskilled wage inequality. In the extended model, we find that skilled-unskilled wage inequality will be narrowed down if and only if the substitution elasticity of unskilled labor and the intermediate product in the private sector is larger than that of the skilled labor and capital in the public sector. When considering the reality of China, we predict that a reduction of financial discrimination leads to the decline of wage inequality.
Codimension-One and -Two Bifurcations of a Three-Dimensional Discrete Game Model
Authors: Eskandari Zohreh , Alidousti Javad , Ghaziani Reza Khoshsiar
Published: February 2021

In this paper, bifurcation analysis of a three-dimensional discrete game model is provided. Possible codimension-one (codim-1) and codimension-two (codim-2) bifurcations of this model and its iterations are investigated under variation of one and two parameters, respectively. For each bifurcation, normal form coefficients are calculated through reduction of the system to the associated center manifold. The bifurcations detected in this paper include transcritical, fold, flip (period-doubling), Neimark–Sacker, period-doubling Neimark–Sacker, resonance 1:2, resonance 1:3, resonance 1:4 and fold-flip bifurcations. Moreover, we depict bifurcation diagrams corresponding to each bifurcation with the aid of numerical continuation method. These bifurcation curves not only confirm our analytical results, but also reveal a richer dynamics of the model especially in the higher iterations.
Hybrid Biogeography-Based Optimization and Genetic Algorithm for Feature Selection in Mammographic Breast Density Classification
Authors: Hans Rahul , Kaur Harjot
Published: February 2021

It can be acknowledged from the literature that the high density of breast tissue is a root cause for the escalation of breast cancer among the women, imparting its prime role in Cancer Death among women. Moreover, in this era where computer-aided diagnosis systems have become the right hand of the radiologists, the researchers still find room for improvement in the feature selection techniques. This research aspires to propose hybrid versions of Biogeography-Based Optimization and Genetic Algorithm for feature selection in Breast Density Classification, to get rid of redundant and irrelevant features from the dataset; along with it to achieve the superior classification accuracy or to uphold the same accuracy with lesser number of features. For experimentation, 322 mammogram images from mini-MIAS database are chosen, and then Region of Interests (ROI) of seven different sizes are extracted to extract a set of 45 texture features corresponding to each ROI. Subsequently, the proposed algorithms are used to extract an optimal subset of features from the hefty set of features corresponding to each ROI. The results indicate the outperformance of the proposed algorithms when results were compared with some of the other nature-inspired metaheuristic algorithms using various parameters.
Unsupervised spatial-awareness attention-based and multi-scale domain adaption network for point cloud classification
Authors: Guo Rui , Zhou Yong , Zhao Jiaqi , Yao Rui , Liu Bing , Zhang Xunhui
Published: February 2021

Domain adaption is a special transfer learning method, whose source domain and target domain generally have different data distribution, but need to complete the same task. There have been many significant types of research on domain adaptation in 2D images, but in 3D data processing, domain adaptation is still in its infancy. Therefore, we design a novel domain adaptive network to complete the unsupervised point cloud classification task. Specifically, we propose a multi-scale transform module to improve the feature extractor. Besides, a spatial-awareness attention module combined with channel attention to assign weights to each node is designed to represent hierarchically scaled features. We have validated the proposed method on the PointDA-10 dataset for domain adaption classification tasks. Empirically, it shows strong performance on par or even better than state-of-the-art.
Cartan approach to Teleparallel Equivalent to General Relativity: A review
Authors: Huguet E. , Le Delliou M. , Fontanini M.
Published: February 2021

In previous works, questioning the mathematical nature of the connection in the translations gauge theory formulation of Teleparallel Equivalent to General Relativity (TEGR) Theory led us to propose a new formulation using a Cartan connection. In this review, we summarize the presentation of that proposal and discuss it from a gauge theoretic perspective.
Conformal vector fields for some vacuum classes of pp-waves space-times in ghost free infinite derivative gravity
Authors: Hussain Fiaz , Shabbir Ghulam , Malik Shabeela , Ramzan Muhammad
Published: February 2021

The aim of this paper is to find conformal vector fields (CVFs) for some vacuum classes of the pp-waves space-times in the ghost free infinite derivative gravity (IDG). In order to find the CVFs of the above-mentioned space-times in the IDG, first, we deduce various classes of solutions by employing a classification procedure that in turn leads towards 10 cases. By reviewing each case thoroughly by direct integration technique, we find that there exists only one case for which the space-time admits proper CVFs whereas in rest of the cases, the space-time either becomes flat or it admits homothetic vector fields (HVFs) or Killing vector fields (KVFs). The overall dimension of CVFs for the pp-waves space-times in the IDG has turned out to be one, two, seven or fifteen.
Review—Recent Advances in Thermally Conductive Paper-Like Films
Authors: Owais Mohammad , Javed Muhammad Humza , Akram Muhammad Zain , Paxton William F. , Akhatov Iskander S. , Abaimov Sergey G.
Published: February 2021

Polymer nanocomposites have been extensively used in the electronic industry as thermal interface materials (TIMs) and thermal management materials owing to their sought-after properties related to thermal conductivity and electrical insulation. Typical TIMs include thermal pads and grease; however, thermal papers/films are rapidly getting popular for their remarkable properties like mechanical strength and extraordinary thermal conductivity (TC). Papery films with merits, including simple processing reduced optimized thickness, and enhanced flexibility, are emerging as a new class of materials for thermal management applications in electronics. Thus, even higher loading concentrations of thermally conductive fillers, as high as 95 wt.%, could achieve a tremendous TC with practically no deterioration in the mechanical integrity of composite films, something that was previously known to be a major problem in conventional polymer nanocomposites. In this review, we shall highlight and discuss the latest progress in thermally conductive papers/tapes/thin films and their possible impact on the next-generation electronic components relying on advanced nanotechnologies, and, discuss how these advancements have helped resolving the setbacks related to conventional thermal interface materials, thereby making the thermally conductive thin films/papers a viable solution for future microelectronics.
Representation Learning Based on Autoencoder and Deep Adaptive Clustering for Image Clustering
Authors: Yu Siquan , Liu Jiaxin , Han Zhi , Li Yong , Tang Yandong , Wu Chengdong
Published: February 2021

Image clustering is a complex procedure, which is significantly affected by the choice of image representation. Most of the existing image clustering methods treat representation learning and clustering separately, which usually bring two problems. On the one hand, image representations are difficult to select and the learned representations are not suitable for clustering. On the other hand, they inevitably involve some clustering step, which may bring some error and hurt the clustering results. To tackle these problems, we present a new clustering method that efficiently builds an image representation and precisely discovers cluster assignments. For this purpose, the image clustering task is regarded as a binary pairwise classification problem with local structure preservation. Specifically, we propose here such an approach for image clustering based on a fully convolutional autoencoder and deep adaptive clustering (DAC). To extract the essential representation and maintain the local structure, a fully convolutional autoencoder is applied. To manipulate feature to clustering space and obtain a suitable image representation, the DAC algorithm participates in the training of autoencoder. Our method can learn an image representation that is suitable for clustering and discover the precise clustering label for each image. A series of real-world image clustering experiments verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Bitcoin Theft Detection Based on Supervised Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Chen Binjie , Wei Fushan , Gu Chunxiang
Published: February 2021

Since its inception, Bitcoin has been subject to numerous thefts due to its enormous economic value. Hackers steal Bitcoin wallet keys to transfer Bitcoin from compromised users, causing huge economic losses to victims. To address the security threat of Bitcoin theft, supervised learning methods were used in this study to detect and provide warnings about Bitcoin theft events. To overcome the shortcomings of the existing work, more comprehensive features of Bitcoin transaction data were extracted, the unbalanced dataset was equalized, and five supervised methods—the k-nearest neighbor (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), adaptive boosting (AdaBoost), and multi-layer perceptron (MLP) techniques—as well as three unsupervised methods—the local outlier factor (LOF), one-class support vector machine (OCSVM), and Mahalanobis distance-based approach (MDB)—were used for detection. The best performer among these algorithms was the RF algorithm, which achieved recall, precision, and F1 values of 95.9%. The experimental results showed that the designed features are more effective than the currently used ones. The results of the supervised methods were significantly better than those of the unsupervised methods, and the results of the supervised methods could be further improved after equalizing the training set.
Method of Profanity Detection Using Word Embedding and LSTM
Authors: Yi MoungHo , Lim MyungJin , Ko Hoon , Shin JuHyun
Published: February 2021

With the rising number of Internet users, there has been a rapid increase in cyberbullying. Among the types of cyberbullying, verbal abuse is emerging as the most serious problem, for preventing which profanity is being identified and blocked. However, users employ words cleverly to avoid blocking. With the existing profanity discrimination methods, deliberate typos and profanity using special characters can be discriminated with high accuracy. However, as they cannot grasp the meaning of the words and the flow of sentences, standard words such as “Sibaljeom (starting point, a Korean word that sounds similar to a swear word)” and “Saekkibalgalag (little toe, a Korean word that sounds similar to another swear word)” are less accurately discriminated. Therefore, in order to solve this problem, this study proposes a method of discriminating profanity using a deep learning model that can grasp the meaning and context of words after separating Hangul into the onset, nucleus, and coda.
Shi-Zhen-An-Shen Decoction, a Herbal Medicine That Reverses Cuprizone-Induced Demyelination and Behavioral Deficits in Mice Independent of the Neuregulin-1 Pathway
Authors: Ma Chao , Wu Yan , Liu Xinyao , He Yi , Jia Yuan , Chen Pei , Yin Dongqing , Ning Yanzhe , Xing Guoqiang , Sun Zuoli , Jia Hongxiao
Published: February 2021

Shi-Zhen-An-Shen decoction (SZASD), a Chinese herbal medicine that is a liquor extracted from plants by boiling, has been reported to be effective in treating schizophrenia. However, the mechanism is unclear. Abnormal demyelination has been implicated in schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of SZASD on myelin in demyelinated mice exhibiting schizophrenia-like behaviors. Sixty male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into six groups (

n
=
10

per group): (1) control group, (2) cuprizone (CPZ, a copper chelator that induced demyelination, 0.2%

w
/
w

)+saline, (3) CPZ+low-dose SZASD (8.65 g·kg-1·d-1), (4) CPZ+medium-dose SZASD (17.29 g·kg-1·d-1), (5) CPZ+high-dose SZASD (25.94 g·kg-1·d-1), and (6) CPZ+quetiapine (QTP, an atypical antipsychotic that served as a positive treatment control, 10 mg·kg-1·d-1). Mice in groups 2-6 were treated with CPZ added to rodent chow for six weeks to induce demyelination. During the last two weeks, these mice were given an oral gavage of sterile saline, SZASD, or quetiapine. Behavioral tests and brain analyses were conducted after the last treatment. The brain expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) was assessed using immunohistochemistry and Western blots. CPZ induced significant schizophrenia-like behaviors in the mice, including reduced nest-building activity and sensory gating deficits. Hyperlocomotor activity was accompanied by significant reductions in MBP expression in the corpus callosum, hippocampus, and cerebral cortex. However, both QTP and SZASD significantly reversed the schizophrenia-like behaviors and demyelination in CPZ-fed mice. The QTP and medium-dose SZASD resulted in better therapeutic effects compared to the low and high SZASD doses. Reduced NRG-1 expression was observed in CPZ-fed mice compared with controls, but neither QTP nor SZASD showed significant influence on NRG-1 expression in the hippocampus. Together, SZASD showed a therapeutic effect on demyelinated mice, and the improvement of demyelination might not be through the NRG-1 pathway.
Resveratrol Confers Vascular Protection by Suppressing TLR4/Syk/NLRP3 Signaling in Oxidized Low‐Density Lipoprotein‐Activated Platelets
Authors: Xue Yun , Chen Huilian , Zhang Shenghao , Bao Li , Chen Beidong , Gong Huan , Zhao Yanyang , Qi Ruomei
Published: February 2021

This study investigated the effect of resveratrol on Toll‐like receptor 4‐ (TLR4‐) mediated matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3) and MMP9 expression in oxidized low‐density lipoprotein‐ (ox‐LDL‐) activated platelets and the potential molecule mechanism. Human platelets were used in the present study. The results showed that resveratrol suppressed TLR4, MMP3, and MMP9 expression in ox‐LDL‐activated platelets. The TLR4 inhibitor CLI‐095 also inhibited MMP3 and MMP9 expression and secretion in ox‐LDL‐ and lipopolysaccharide‐ (LPS‐) activated platelets. The combination of resveratrol and CLI‐095 synergistically suppressed MMP3 and MMP9 expression in ox‐LDL‐ and LPS‐activated platelets. These findings suggest that the resveratrol‐induced inhibition of MMP3 and MMP9 expression is linked to the suppression of TLR4 activation. Resveratrol also suppressed spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) phosphorylation and nucleotide‐binding domain leucine‐rich repeat containing protein 3 (NLRP3) expression and IL‐1β secretion in ox‐LDL‐ and LPS‐treated platelets. The coimmunoprecipitation results showed that resveratrol inhibited the binding of Syk and NLRP3. Finally, resveratrol reduced vascular senescence cells and the expression of TLR4, MMP3, and MMP9 and prevented alterations of vascular structure in 52‐week‐old mice. Our findings demonstrated that resveratrol decreased inflammatory protein expression and improved vascular structure in aged mice. Resveratrol inhibited the expression of TLR4 and secretion of MMP3, MMP9, and IL‐1β. The mechanism of action of resveratrol appears to be associated with the inhibition of TLR4/Syk/NLRP3 activation in ox‐LDL‐activated platelets.
Casa Niemeyer Digital: uma jovem coleção universitária de arte contemporânea nas redes sociais
Authors: Avelar Ana Candida , Correia Samara , Zaiden Victor
Published: February 2021

Neste artigo, apresenta-se uma reflexão sobre as estratégias de construção de um lugar digital para a Casa Niemeyer ao criar-se um programa de atividades educativas do museu universitário na esfera digital, dado o fechamento temporário diante da pandemia de SARS-CoV-2. Tais atividades procuraram agenciar a coleção de arte contemporânea "Triangular", formada por artistas brasileiros de diversas gerações, regiões e realidades sociais, em 2019, nas redes sociais.
Cidades desertas, florestas queimando: assistindo 2020 de nossas poltronas
Authors: Ottoni Ana
Published: February 2021

De casa assistimos as cidades esvaziadas pela covid, e ao mesmo tempo os sintomas da catástrofe climática. As imagens de ruas desertas remetem à melancólica ideia de um planeta depois do humano. Tal sensibilidade é parte do gosto contemporâneo pelas ruínas e se traduz em uma produção fotográfica que explora a neutralidadeno lugar do deslumbramentoou choque, A essa abordagem nomeiodesencantada.
Walter Benjamin e os anjos
Authors: Papini Pedro Augusto , Silva Rafael Camelier da , Moschen Simone Zanon
Published: February 2021

Buscamos trabalhar o motivo dos anjos em Walter Benjamin, com ênfase às relações abertas na sua leitura de Franz Kafka. O ensaio será levado a uma montagem que pretende pensar os anjos de Benjamin, aproximados às figuras do estudante e do leitor, como portadores de uma mensagem que indica para uma ética da esperança na leitura da história; mas uma esperança que não é para nós.
Contravozes: Frestas de um processo criativo de desenho de paisagens urbanas distópicas
Authors: Silva Rafael Ghiraldelli da
Published: February 2021

Discorre-se aqui acerca do processo criativo de desenhos feitos para a sequência de abertura em animação 2D de um curta-metragem em desenvolvimento, dirigido pelo autor deste ensaio. Intitulado "Contravozes", o referido projeto visa representar uma versão distópica da cidade de Campinas – SP com base nas formas de ocupação pública de outrora de seus lugares de passagem mais conhecidos atualmente.
Imagens em movimento: sintomas e frestas em experiência da pandemia
Authors: Gregori Márcia Sandoval
Published: February 2021

O objetivo do artigo é refletir sobre a representação da cidade de São Paulo durante o isolamento para o combate à pandemia do vírus Sars-Cov-2, causador da Covid-19, e constituir memória desse período invulgar. Para tanto, apresenta imagens realizadas pela autora durante o ano de 2020 em percursos pela cidade nos quais o solo, os corpos sentados ou deitados no meio-fio e nas calçadas surgem como importantes sintomas das fissuras do atual arranjo social vigente. Organização que exclui completamente milhares de pessoas da cidadania, tratando-as como restos, refugo a ser descartado, desconsiderado e apagado, corpos que, no entanto, resistem e sobrevivem. A partir de experiência da autora, o trabalho visa restituir ao coletivo as imagens e postular a urgente necessidade de se imaginar novas perspectivas, frestas abertas para novas composições possíveis.
Ichthyofaunal diversity in the upper-catchment of Kabini River in Wayanad part of Western Ghats, India
Authors: Thampy Dencin Rons , Sethu M.R. , Bibin Paul M. , Shaji C.P.
Published: February 2021

We present here a detailed account of the diversity, distribution, threats, and conservation of freshwater fishes in the upper-catchment of the Kabini River in the Wayanad part of the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot.  A total of 136 fish species belonging to 13 orders, 29 families, and 69 genera were recorded.  Order Cypriniformes dominated with five families, 36 genera, and 84 species, and Cyprinidae was the dominant family represented by 51 species within 21 genera.  The true diversity of ichthyofauna in this catchment, is still unclear and requires further exploration and taxonomic studies.  At least 44 species recorded during the study are endemic to the Western Ghats, of which 16 are endemic to the Cauvery River System and two species endemic to the Kabini Catchment.  A total of 20 non-native fish species were recorded from the study area, of which six species were inter-basin (within India) transplants and 14 species were exotic.  Among the native species with confirmed identity, four are Critically Endangered (CR) and nine Endangered (EN) as per the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.  As a part of the study, we also extend the distribution ranges of Opsarius malabaricus, Laubuka trevori, Opsarius bendelisis, Puntius cauveriensis, Oreichthys coorgensis, Mesonoemacheilus pambarensis, Hypselobarbus curmuca, and Pseudosphromenus cupanus to the Kabini Catchment.  The presence of four species, which were earlier considered to be endemic to the west flowing rivers of the Western Ghats, viz, Laubuka fasciata, Hypselobarbus kurali, Sahyadria denisonii, and Puntius mahecola, in an east flowing stream is reported and discussed.  Deforestation and removal of riparian vegetation, pollution, stream channel modification, sand mining, destructive fishing practices, dams and other impoundments, monsoon fishing, and non-native species are the major threats to freshwater fishes in the region.  Strategies for the conservation of aquatic ecosystems in the Kabini Catchment are discussed.
Food habits of the Dusky-striped Squirrel Funambulus sublineatus (Mammalia: Rodentia: Sciuridae)
Authors: Aravind Palassery Suresh , Joe George , Dhanesh Ponnu , Nandini Rajamani
Published: February 2021

We report the first observations of feeding behaviour of the Dusky-striped Squirrel Funambulus sublineatus in the Western Ghats.  It was observed feeding on eight plant species, including four non-native species.  Feeding was observed in forests as well as in plantations and agricultural habitats, indicating the urgent need for studies in such human-modified landscapes.
A checklist of earthworms (Annelida: Oligochaeta) in southeastern Vietnam
Authors: Lam Dang Hai , Nguyen Nam Quoc , Nguyen Anh Duc , Nguyen Tung Thanh
Published: February 2021

The earthworms of southeastern Vietnam are reported based on literature and samples collected during the period of 2012–2019.  A total of 41 earthworm species of 12 genera in six families are recorded in the southeastern part of Vietnam.  Of these, Polypheretima elongata and Dichogaster affinis are recorded for the first time in the region.  The dominant family is Megascolecidae with 35 species of seven genera while each of the other families is represented by only one species, except for Octochaetidae which has one genus and two species.  The comprehensive checklist also provides data of each species including examined specimens, distributions and remarks.  An identification key to species is compiled for southeastern Vietnam.
Torah as Wisdom in 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch
Authors: Gore-Jones Lydia
Published: February 2021

This essay is concerned with the meaning of torah and its relationship with wisdom in late Second Temple Judaism. It has been previously argued that, as the Mosaic torah had gained dominance, the wisdom school absorbed and accommodated the Mosaic torah tradition, and yet maintained all the essential elements of the sapiential tradition. Through a study of two Jewish apocalypses, 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch, the essay discovers not only the sapientialization of the Mosaic torah, but also the total submission of the wisdom tradition under the authority of the Mosaic torah tradition to gain legitimacy. It argues that this is done through a submission of sapiential revelations to the Mosaic revelation received at Sinai, and a portrayal of wisdom recipients and apocalyptic visionaries as types of Moses. This process reflects religious innovation under the disguise of compliance with established, older traditions.
Disintegration of Polyalthia debilis (Annonaceae): P. cambodica comb. nov., P. canaensis comb. et stat. nov., and P. suthepensis nom. nov. for Unona dubia

Authors: WIYA CHATTIDA , CHAOWASKU TANAWAT
Published: February 2021

Polyalthia debilis (Annonaceae), a widespread species in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam, is recircumscribed by morphological reappraisal. Three heterotypic synonyms of Polyalthia debilis, viz. Popowia cambodica, Popowia cambodica var. canaensis, and Unona dubia differ from Polyalthia debilis and from each other by different combinations of the following traits: plant height, leaf blade size, petiole length, flowering pedicel length, inner and outer petal size, number of carpels per flower, number of ovules per ovary, and stipe length. Consequently, each heterotypic synonym deserves recognition as a separate species. Polyalthia cambodica comb. nov. and Polyalthia canaensis comb. et stat. nov. are accordingly made; and Polyalthia suthepensis, a replacement name for Unona dubia, is proposed because the name Polyalthia dubia pre-exists. A key to Polyalthia debilis, Polyalthia cambodica, Polyalthia canaensis, and Polyalthia suthepensis is provided.
Climatological Features of Strong Winds Caused by Extratropical Cyclones around Japan
Authors: Hirata Hidetaka
Published: February 2021

We examined the climatological features of strong winds associated with extratropical cyclones around Japan during 40 seasons between November and April from 1979/80 to 2018/19 using reanalysis data. Our assessments revealed that the extratropical cyclones caused most of the strong winds around Japan (80%–90%). Notably, the contribution of explosively developing extratropical cyclones is larger (70%–80%). The strong winds are mainly related to the warm conveyor belt (WCB) and cold conveyor belt (CCB) inside the explosive cyclones. Moreover, the strong winds tend to be distributed widely over the southwestern quadrant of the cyclones. This is due to the intensification of the horizontal pressure gradient between the mature cyclones and the Siberian high extending from the Eurasian continent to Japan. We investigated the regionality of strong winds by highlighting the three areas with high frequencies of strong winds: the area around Hokkaido (i.e., the northernmost island of Japan; area A), and the areas around the Japan Sea side (area B) and the Pacific Ocean side (area C) of the main island of Japan. The features of the seasonal change in the frequency of the strong winds differ in each area, which reflects the seasonal change in the activities of the explosive cyclones. Moreover, the CCB, the head of the CCB and WCB, and the CCB and WCB bring the strong winds to areas A, B, and C, respectively. The timing of the appearance of these windstorms during the life cycles of typical cases highlighted in this study is consistent with that observed in Europe.
Using Machine Learning to Generate Storm-Scale Probabilistic Guidance of Severe Weather Hazards in the Warn-on-Forecast System
Authors: Flora Montgomery L. , Potvin Corey K. , Skinner Patrick S. , Handler Shawn , McGovern Amy
Published: February 2021

A primary goal of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Warn-on-Forecast (WoF) project is to provide rapidly updating probabilistic guidance to human forecasters for short-term (e.g., 0–3 h) severe weather forecasts. Postprocessing is required to maximize the usefulness of probabilistic guidance from an ensemble of convection-allowing model forecasts. Machine learning (ML) models have become popular methods for postprocessing severe weather guidance since they can leverage numerous variables to discover useful patterns in complex datasets. In this study, we develop and evaluate a series of ML models to produce calibrated, probabilistic severe weather guidance from WoF System (WoFS) output. Our dataset includes WoFS ensemble forecasts available every 5 min out to 150 min of lead time from the 2017–19 NOAA Hazardous Weather Testbed Spring Forecasting Experiments (81 dates). Using a novel ensemble storm-track identification method, we extracted three sets of predictors from the WoFS forecasts: intrastorm state variables, near-storm environment variables, and morphological attributes of the ensemble storm tracks. We then trained random forests, gradient-boosted trees, and logistic regression algorithms to predict which WoFS 30-min ensemble storm tracks will overlap a tornado, severe hail, and/or severe wind report. To provide rigorous baselines against which to evaluate the skill of the ML models, we extracted the ensemble probabilities of hazard-relevant WoFS variables exceeding tuned thresholds from each ensemble storm track. The three ML algorithms discriminated well for all three hazards and produced more reliable probabilities than the baseline predictions. Overall, the results suggest that ML-based postprocessing of dynamical ensemble output can improve short-term, storm-scale severe weather probabilistic guidance.
Testing young foreign language learners’ reading comprehension: Exploring the effects of working memory, grade level, and reading task
Authors: Brunfaut Tineke , Kormos Judit , Michel Marije , Ratajczak Michael
Published: February 2021

Extensive research has demonstrated the impact of working memory (WM) on first language (L1) reading comprehension across age groups (Peng et al., 2018), and on foreign language (FL) reading comprehension of adults and older adolescents (Linck et al., 2014). Comparatively little is known about the effect of WM on young FL readers’ comprehension, and even less within testing contexts. Young FL readers are still developing their L1 reading skills and general cognitive skills (e.g., attentional regulation abilities). Completing FL reading tests might be particularly taxing on their WM, and differences in WM capacity – as well as other learner and task characteristics – might create construct-irrelevant variance in test performance.

In this study, we investigate the effects of WM, grade level, and reading task on young learners’ FL reading test performances. Ninety-four young English language learners (Grades 6–7) in Hungary completed the TOEFL® Junior™ Comprehensive’s reading test and a WM test battery. Our mixed-effects model predicted significantly higher comprehension accuracy among learners with higher WM capacity, and among learners in Grade 7 compared to learners in Grade 6. Reading task differences were not associated with significant comprehension accuracy differences. We discuss the implications of our findings for testing young learners’ FL reading comprehension.
Developing individualized feedback for listening assessment: Combining standard setting and cognitive diagnostic assessment approaches
Authors: Min Shangchao , He Lianzhen
Published: February 2021

In this study, we present the development of individualized feedback for a large-scale listening assessment by combining standard setting and cognitive diagnostic assessment (CDA) approaches. We used the performance data from 3,358 students’ item-level responses to a field test of a national EFL test primarily intended for tertiary-level EFL learners. The results showed that proficiency classifications and subskill mastery classifications were generally of acceptable reliability, and the two kinds of classifications were in alignment with each other at individual and group levels. The outcome of the study is a set of descriptors that describe each test taker’s ability to understand certain level of oral texts and his or her cognitive performance. The current study, by illustrating the feasibility of combining standard setting and CDA approaches to produce individualized feedback, contributes to the enhancement of score reporting and addresses the long-standing criticism that large-scale language assessments fail to provide individualized feedback to link assessment with instruction.
Knowledge and Myths About Child Sexual Abuse in Mexican Women
Authors: Rueda Pilar , Ferragut Marta , Cerezo M. Victoria , Ortiz-Tallo Margarita
Published: February 2021

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a terrible type of maltreatment that occurs in all countries and social statuses, but due to the shame and taboo that it creates, it is still riddled with myths and false beliefs that make it difficult for the population and the authorities to adequately determine its prevalence. The objective of this work was to explore what Mexican women know about CSA. The participants were Mexican women ( N = 499) who filled out a questionnaire comprising ten items referring to truths and myths about CSA, indicating their degree of agreement with them on a Likert scale. The results showed that although Mexican women have quite adequate knowledge about CSA, they still hold wrong beliefs about the child’s feelings toward the abuser or the child victim becoming an adult abuser. Likewise, differences were found in the myths and truths about CSA held by women under 40 and over 40 years of age.
‘Let the virus spread’. A doctrine of pandemic management for the libertarian-authoritarian capital accumulation regime
Authors: Bourgeron Théo
Published: February 2021

Debates have grown around the initial COVID-19 response of radical right-wing governments such as those of the UK, the US and Brazil. These governments initially let the virus spread among the population and delayed the enforcement of strong social distancing measures such as a lockdown. Focusing on the UK’s early response to COVID-19, this article builds on Nicos Poulantzas’ Marxist theory of the state to highlight how this pandemic management doctrine stemmed from changes in the UK’s capitalist class. It traces the ideological grounding of this doctrine, relating it to the rise of libertarian think tanks in British conservative circles and shifts in the policy committees in charge of pandemic preparedness. It suggests that this pandemic response is an episode of the ongoing replacement of the dominant neoliberal accumulation regime with a new libertarian-authoritarian one and examines how this latter materialises the interests of an emerging group of ‘disaster capitalists’. Therefore, it takes the COVID-19 crisis as an example of how the reconfiguration of capitalist accumulation regimes articulates a new doctrine of catastrophe management, radical right-wing ideologies, libertarian-authoritarian institutions and the growing power of capitalist actors able to profit from extreme events.
Diagnostic Value of Vaginal Microecology, Serum miR-18a, and PD-L1 for Identifying HPV-Positive Cervical Cancer
Authors: Zhang Yumei , Qiu Sujuan , Guo Yueli , Zhang Jiaqin , Wu Xiaoqing , Hong Guolin
Published: February 2021

Objective:

We aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of the vaginal microecology, serum miR-18a, and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) for human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive cervical cancer.

Methods:

Eighty-four patients with HPV-positive cervical cancer were assigned to the observation group, 107 HPV-positive patients without cervical cancer were assigned to the positive group, and 191 healthy women were assigned to the control group. Vaginal microecology and serum levels of miR-18a and PD-L1 on the surface of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were compared among the 3 groups. The observation group was further divided into subgroups according to patients’ characteristics for comparison. The diagnostic value of miR-18a and PD-L1 for HPV-positive cervical cancer was investigated.

Results:

Women in the control group had better vaginal microecology and lower levels of miR-18a and PD-L1 than those in the observation and the positive groups (all P < 0.05). Compared with the positive group, the observation group had similar vaginal microecology (all P > 0.05) but higher levels of miR-18a and PD-L1 (all P < 0.05). Moreover, the patients at stage III had higher levels of miR-18a and PD-L1 than those at stage I and II (all P < 0.05). The values of area under the curve for miR-18a and PD-L1 in the diagnosis of HPV-positive cervical cancer were over 0.8 (all P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

Patients with HPV-positive cervical cancer have vaginal microbial dysbiosis and high serum levels of miR-18a and PD-L1. miR-18a and PD-L1 have diagnostic value for identifying HPV-positive cervical cancer.
From Realizable Dreams to Sustainable Facts: An Empirical Study on the Role of Internships in Students’ Career Plans in a Turkish Business School
Authors: Karakiraz Ahmet , Üstündağ Asuman , Karataş Ayşegül , Özdemir Yasemin
Published: February 2021

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of internships that are done during undergraduate education on graduates’ first job choice and later career plan in a Turkish business school context. To accomplish this purpose, a case study that utilized both quantitative and qualitative data was designed. The quantitative data were obtained from 133 graduates via an online survey form, whereas the qualitative data were obtained from nine graduates during a focus group session. The qualitative data were used to complement the quantitative data and to gain further understanding of the findings of the survey. The results showed that the graduates who did their internships in sectors in line with their career plans continued their career in the same sectors or similar sectors to the sectors in which they did their internships. The duration before starting the first job after graduation was found to be significantly shorter for graduates who did their internship in line with their career plan than for graduates who did not do their internship in line with their career plan. The findings provided useful insight into the role of internships during undergraduate business education.
Effect of Real-Time Feedback Devices on Primary Care Patient Experience Scores: A Cluster-Randomized Trial
Authors: Philips Kaitlyn , Dadlez Nina , Fazzari Melissa , Samuel Shawn , Southern William , Heo Moonseong , Azad Namita , Drasher Michael , Rinke Michael L
Published: February 2021

Patient experience is a critical measure for ambulatory primary care, although it is unclear how to best improve patient experience scores. This study aimed to determine whether use of a real-time feedback (RTF) device improved patient experience scores in a cluster-randomized trial. The primary outcomes were change from baseline in 9 Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CG-CAHPS) question and domain scores most closely related to the RTF questions asked in a linear mixed effects model. There were no observed statistically significant intervention-related differences in CG-CAHPS scores in any of the 9 CG-CAHPS questions or domains ( P = .12-.99). In intervention clinics, there were no statistically significant correlation between CG-CAHPS top box scores and RTF device scores ( P = .23-.98). Clinics in an urban primary care network randomized to receive RTF devices did not significantly improve related CG-CAHPS question or domain scores nor were those scores correlated with RTF device scores. More research is needed to identify effective interventions to improve ambulatory primary care patient experience.
The Virtual Mock Oral Examination: A Multi‐institutional Study of Resident and Faculty Receptiveness
Authors: Goodman Joseph F. , Saini Prashant , Straughan Alexander J. , Badger Christopher D. , Thakkar Punam , Zapanta Philip E.
Published: February 2021

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, several American Board of Medical Specialties members have implemented board exams in an online format. In response, we decided to evaluate the efficacy and receptiveness of otolaryngology faculty and residents to a web‐based virtual mock oral examination (MOE). Faculty and residents from DC‐metropolitan institutions were recruited for decentralized virtual MOE in early 2020. A total of 28 faculty and 20 residents signed up. Follow‐up included a survey study consisting of Likert scale and free‐text questions to evaluate receptiveness. Helpfulness of the exercise was rated as an average of 8.8 and 9.06, respectively, by faculty and residents on a 10‐point Likert scale. Likelihood to recommend a similar exercise to others was 9.2 and 9.3, respectively, for faculty and residents. All survey respondents said they would participate again if given the opportunity. We conclude that existing videoconferencing technologies can be effective tools for conducting virtual MOE by otolaryngology residency programs.
Kufahrite, PtPb, a new mineral from Ledyanoy Creek placer, Galmoenan ultramafic complex, Koryak Highlands, Russia
Authors: Sidorov Evgeniy G. , Kutyrev Anton V. , Zhitova Elena S. , Agakhanov Atali A. , Sandimirova Elena I. , Vymazalova Anna , Chubarov Valery M. , Zolotarev Andrey A.
Published: February 2021

Kufahrite, PtPb, is a new mineral (IMA2020-045) from the Ledyanoy Creek placer, Koryak Highlands, Russia. The mineral was found in isoferroplatinum (Pt3Fe) grains extracted from a heavy-mineral concentrate, together with tetraferroplatinum (PtFe), tulameenite (Pt2FeCu), native iridium, hollingworthite (RhAsS) and Cr-rich spinel. Kufahrite occurs as part of alteration rims which are formed together with tetraferroplatinum after isoferroplatinum, or as grains up to 150 μm in size. According to powder X-ray diffraction analyses kufahrite is isotypic to its synthetic analogue, it is hexagonal and crystallises in space groupP63/mmcadopting the nickeline structure type. Its unit-cell parameters are:a =4.2492(6) Å;c =5.486(6) Å;V =85.78 Å3andZ =2. The calculated density is 14.80 g/cm–3. The strongest diffraction lines are [d, Å (I, %) (hkl)]: 3.052 (80) (101), 2.197 (100) (102), 2.125 (28) (110), 1.747 (18) (210), 1.528 (35) (202), 1.240 (18) (212) and 0.958 (22) (312). The Vickers hardness is 295 kg/mm2(range 262–320,n= 5), corresponding to a Mohs hardness of 4. The empirical formula of kufahrite, calculated from a mean value of 23 electron-microprobe analyses is (Pt0.94Rh0.04)Σ0.98(Pb0.83Sb0.19)Σ1.02. The name (pronounced as [ku fa rait]) honours Fahrid Shakirovitch Kutyev (1943‒1993), a geologist from the Institute of Volcanology of USSR Academy of Sciences, who played a key role in the discovery of the Koryak–Kamchatka Platinum Belt, including the Ledyanoy Creek placer platinum deposit, where the new mineral has been discovered.
Using augmented reality technology for balance training in the older adults: a feasibility pilot study
Authors: Blomqvist Sven , Seipel Stefan , Engström Maria
Published: February 2021

Background

Impaired balance leading to falls is common in the older adults, and there is strong evidence that balance training reduces falls and increases independence. Reduced resources in health care will result in fewer people getting help with rehabilitation training. In this regard, the new technology augmented reality (AR) could be helpful. With AR, the older adults can receive help with instructions and get feedback on their progression in balance training. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility of using AR-based visual-interactive tools in balance training of the older adults.

Methods

Seven older adults (66–88 years old) with impaired balance trained under supervision of a physiotherapist twice a week for six weeks using AR-based visual-interactive guidance, which was facilitated through a Microsoft HoloLens holographic display. Afterwards, participants and physiotherapists were interviewed about the new technology and their experience of the training. Also, fear of falling and balance ability were measured before and after training.

Results

Five participants experienced the new technology as positive in terms of increased motivation and feedback. Experiences were mixed regarding the physical and technical aspects of the HoloLens and the design of the HoloLens application. Participants also described issues that needed to be further improved, for example, the training program was difficult and monotonous. Further, the HoloLens hardware was felt to be heavy, the application’s menu was difficult to control with different hand manoeuvres, and the calibration took a long time. Suggestions for improvements were described. Results of the balance tests and self-assessment instruments indicated no improvements in balance performance after AR training.

Conclusions

The study showed that training with the new technology is, to some extent, feasible for the older adults, but needs further development. Also, the technology seemed to stimulate increased motivation, which is a prerequisite for adherence to training. However, the new technology and training requires further development and testing in a larger context.
Preventing and controlling water pipe smoking: a systematic review of management interventions
Authors: Babaie Javad , Ahmadi Ayat , Abdollahi Gholamreza , Doshmangir Leila
Published: February 2021

Background

Water pipe smoking (WPS) is re-gaining widespread use and popularity among various groups of people, especially adolescents. Despite different adverse health effects of WPS, many of the WPS interventions have failed to control this type of tobacco smoking. This study was conducted to identify experienced management interventions in preventing and controlling WPS worldwide.

Methods

A systematic literature review was conducted. Electronic databases were searched for recordes which were published from beginning 1990 to August 2018. Studies aiming at evaluating, at least, one intervention in preventing and controlling WPS were included in this review, followed by performing the quality assessment and data extraction of eligible studies by two independent investigators. Finally, interventions that were identified from the content analysis process were discussed and classified into relevant categories.

Results

After deleting duplications, 2228 out of 4343 retrieved records remained and 38 studies were selected as the main corpus of the present study. Then, the identified 27 interventions were grouped into four main categories including preventive (5, 18.51%) and control (8, 29.62%) interventions, as well as the enactment and implementation of legislations and policies for controlling WPS at national (7, 25.92%) and international (7, 25.92%) levels.

Conclusion

The current enforced legislations for preventing and controlling WPS are not supported by rigorous evidence. Informed school-based interventions, especially among adolescents can lead to promising results in preventing and controlling WPS and decreasing the effects of this important social and health crisis in the global arena.