bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Force of Negotiation: A Comprehensive Study of the Disney-Lucasfilm Acquisition
Authors: Ru Yicheng
Published: November 2024

This article provides a detailed analysis of the Disney-Lucasfilm acquisition, utilizing it as a lens through which to explore major negotiation principles and concepts within a commercial context. It categorizes the acquisition as a deal-making negotiation: a forward-looking transaction aimed at mutual benefit. The study first outlines the backgrounds of Disney and Lucasfilm to set the stage for a deeper understanding of the negotiation’s significance. It then delves into the specifics of the agreement, highlighting the strategic intersections and stipulations that facilitated this landmark deal in the entertainment industry. A thorough examination of the negotiation process reveals the tactical and strategic considerations that shaped the outcome, offering insights into the mechanisms of high-stakes business negotiations. The article concludes with an evaluation of the post-acquisition impacts, assessing the long-term outcomes against initial expectations. This analysis sheds light on the complexities of deal-making negotiations and provides valuable lessons and recommendations.
Regional range extension of two xanthid crab species (Decapoda, Brachyura) to the mid-Sanriku Coast, the coldest waters off Honshu, Japan
Authors: Ohtsuchi Naoya , Miller Michael J. , Kawamura Tomohiko
Published: November 2024

This paper reports the first occurrences of two brachyuran crab species of the family Xanthidae MacLeay, 1838, viz., Actaea semblatae Guinot, 1976 and Gaillardiellus orientalis (Odhner, 1925), from the mid-Sanriku Coast, along the Pacific coast of northeastern Japan. While these records do not represent the northern limit of distribution of these species, they do show a range extension into the coldest waters of Honshu, the main island of Japan, probably due to global warming and changes in flow patterns of the local sea currents.
Television and the Origins of Visual Pattern Recognition AI in Japan: a ‘Quest for a Seeing Machine’
Authors: Hsiung Hansun
Published: November 2024

This article traces the genealogy of contemporary data-driven computer vision to developments at the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) in the 1960s. Specifically, it examines NHK’s Visual and Auditory Information Science Unit and its role in the invention of the world’s first deep convolutional neural network. The use of television to collect viewer behaviour data enabled modelling of eye-brain information processing, in particular mechanisms of feature extraction. This, in turn, linked Fukushima Kunihiko’s formative work on signal compression to the development of a pattern recognition machine, resulting in the creation of the world’s first convolutional neural network. Recovering this history is important for two reasons. First, it helps counter a trend of ‘digital universalism’ that covertly homogenizes local differences into a single culture of artificial intelligence in the Cold-War-era US. Second, it reveals the largely ignored role of television in the genesis of digital image technologies and AI more broadly.
#IndonesiaRepresent: Investigating Nation Branding at International Fashion Events through the Presence of Social Media Influencers
Authors: Ratriyana Ina , Murti Desideria Cempaka Wijaya , Asmoro Immanuel Dwi
Published: November 2024

This study presents the complex tapestry of Indonesia’s nation branding, by investigating the activities of its influencers at international fashion events. The research questions focus on the influencers, the use of national symbols, and online textual expression, in which visual and internet lexicons converge. By simultaneously assessing the resonance for local and international spectators, we identify the dominant themes and narratives promoted by these influencers at international fashion events. We adopt a theoretical perspective focused on the employment of young influencers in nation branding, and our results reveal a striking dichotomy. Although these charismatic personalities can increase the resonance of nation branding, they frequently veer off course and are occasionally diverted by the potential for achieving fame. This divergence reveals a problematic issue: the use of influencers might unintentionally damage the national story that their employers want them to present.
Indonesian Performing Arts in the Era of Covid-19: Digitizing Campus Theatre
Authors: Meilinda  , Wibawa Satrya , Irawan Stefanny
Published: November 2024

In Indonesia, the Covid-19 pandemic dramatically affected many sectors, in particular modern theatre and higher education institutions that host campus theatres. This study focuses on the strategies employed by campus theatres to survive the pandemic, focusing on digital theatre productions by Petra Theatre (formerly Petra Little Theatre) in Surabaya, Play Performance Class in Yogyakarta, and Teater Kampus in Makassar posted on YouTube in 2020–2022. Taking the perspectives by Matthew Causey on digital performance, supported by Sarah Bay-Cheng’s dramaturgy of distortion of mediated theatre, and by Philip Auslander on liveness in mediatized performance, we analyze the emergence of certain aspects of mediatized/digital theatre that pertain to actor-audience relation and time-space relations exemplified by the digital performance offered by these three campus theatres.
Retelling as Resistance: Translating Niz̤āmī’s Ḳhusrau o Shīrīn in Colonial India
Authors: Ijaz Aqsa
Published: November 2024

Urdu literature written in the second half of the nineteenth century in North India has often been characterised in terms of rupture, reshaping, and loss of the legacies of the past. In this essay, I argue that such literary-historical framing not only limits our understanding of thriving Urdu aesthetic production in colonial North India, but also misrepresents a vibrant literary culture that continued to resist the colonial aesthetic valuations by drawing on the legacies of the past much more aggressively. To demonstrate this, I examine here Munshī Gobind Prasād Faẓā’s striking Urdu retelling of Niz̤āmī Ganjavī’s Persian poem, Ḳhusrau o Shīrīn, in the larger context of the colonial aesthetic politics. Through examining Faẓā’s maṡnavī (a poem in rhyming couplets) in the framework of anti-colonial resistance, I argue that Urdu maṡnavī writers engaged the notion of temporality through drawing on the deep memory of the Persianate past in the form of the maṡnavī and presented it as a counter-narrative to the poetics of orphaned newness that were becoming a gold standard in other literary forms at the time. In this essay, I highlight the unique cultural work that the form of Urdu maṡnavī did in addressing, and even overcoming, the proverbial death of a literary culture that remained thriving till deep into the twentieth century.
New design of robust H∞ controllers for descriptor discrete time-varying delay equations with bounded disturbances
Authors: Muoi Nguyen H , Phat Vu N
Published: November 2024

In this paper, a linear matrix inequality (LMI)-based design of robust [Formula: see text] controllers for linear descriptor discrete-time delay equations is proposed. The existing works of FTS and [Formula: see text] control are extended to the linear descriptor equations subjected to time-varying delays and bounded disturbances. First, sufficient LMI-based conditions are given to ensure the admissibility of such system, and then the conditions are applied to design [Formula: see text] controllers. A numerical example with simulations is given to illustrate the proposed results.
Stability of discrete-time system employing quantization and overflow nonlinearities
Authors: Pulikonda Mounika , Kokil Priyanka
Published: November 2024

An investigation of exponential stability for externally interfered discrete-time systems under various concatenations of quantization and overflow nonlinearities is conducted in this article. A new criterion is proposed based on the passivity approach such that the interfered nonlinear discrete-time systems ensure passivity performance in terms of its storage function. The derived criterion not only considers the effects of overflow nonlinearity but also the consequences of quantization nonlinearity. Furthermore, the proposed criterion guarantees the passivity performance of the discrete-time system in the presence of external disturbance and exponential stability for zero disturbance. The reported conditions are defined in terms of linear matrix inequality, for easy tractability. Suitable examples are given to demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed work.
Multi-method Coal Seam Floor Water Inrush Risk Evaluation Based on Variable Weight Theory
Authors: Wu Fuzhu , Du Jiamin , Sun Fuxun , Chen Gen , Jiang Feijun , Zhu Zhaoqun
Published: November 2024

Frequent water inrush disasters in deep coal seam mining pose a significant threat to the safety of coal extraction operations. Due to the complexity and non-linearity of water inrush factors, evaluating the risk of water inrush in coal seam floor is challenging and the results can vary significantly. To achieve more accurate evaluations, the weighted rank-sum method and Grey-TOPSIS method were employed, alongside a master control indicator variable-weight model, for assessing the risk of water inrush in coal seam floor. Validation of the evaluation zoning map against actual conditions revealed that both methods produced accurate assessment results, thus affirming the reliability of the new evaluation approach. Compared with the water inrush coefficient method, the diversification of index factors weakened the absolute control effect of the water inrush threshold. The evaluation outcomes were more systematic and comprehensive, providing a new methodology and perspective for deep coal seam mining.
ChatGPT Exhibits Bias Toward Developed Countries Over Developing Ones, as Indicated by a Sentiment Analysis Approach
Authors: Georgiou Georgios P.
Published: November 2024

This study analyzes how ChatGPT characterizes developed and developing countries using a sentiment analysis framework. We selected 10 countries with the highest Human Development Index (HDI) and 10 countries with the lowest. The sentiment analysis provided scores indicating the degree of positivity in the descriptions of these countries provided by ChatGPT. The results revealed that ChatGPT generally expressed positive sentiments about all countries. However, strong evidence emerged showing that countries with high HDI received more positive sentiments compared to those with low HDI. These findings highlight the bias of the model in describing developed versus developing countries. Ultimately, the study highlights the importance of adjusting large language models to ensure fairer representations of countries.
A Longitudinal Study of the Association of Awareness of Disease Incurability with Patient-Reported Outcomes in Heart Failure
Authors: Lee Jia Jia , Malhotra Chetna , Sim Kheng Leng David , Yeo Khung Keong , Finkelstein Eric , Ozdemir Semra
Published: November 2024

Objectives

To examine awareness of disease incurability among patients with heart failure over 24 mo and its associations with patient characteristics and patient-reported outcomes (distress, emotional, and spiritual well-being).

Methods

This study analyzed 24-mo data from a prospective cohort study of 251 patients with heart failure (New York Heart Association class III/IV) recruited from inpatient wards in Singapore General Hospital and National Heart Centre Singapore. Patients were asked to report if their doctor told them they were receiving treatment to cure their condition. “No” responses were categorized as being aware of disease incurability, while “Yes” and “Uncertain” were categorized as being unaware and being uncertain about disease incurability, respectively. We used mixed-effects multinomial logistic regression to investigate the associations between awareness of disease incurability and patient characteristics and mixed-effects linear regressions to investigate associations with patient outcomes.

Results

The percentage of patients who were aware of disease incurability increased from 51.6% at baseline to 76.4% at 24-mo follow-up ( P < 0.001). Compared with being unaware of disease incurability, being aware was associated with older age (relative risk ratio [RRR] = 1.04; P = 0.005), adequate self-care confidence (RRR = 5.06; P < 0.001), participation in treatment decision making (RRR = 2.13; P = 0.006), higher education (RRR = 2.00; P = 0.033), financial difficulty (RRR = 1.18; P = 0.020), symptom burden (RRR = 1.08; P = 0.001), and ethnicity ( P < 0.05). Compared with being unaware of disease incurability, being aware was associated with higher emotional well-being (β = 0.76; P = 0.024), while being uncertain about disease incurability was associated with poorer spiritual well-being (β = −3.16; P = 0.006).

Conclusions

Our findings support the importance of being aware of disease incurability, addressing uncertainty around disease incurability among patients with heart failure, and helping patients make informed medical decisions. The findings are important to Asian and other cultures where the prognosis disclosure to terminally ill patients is generally low with an intention to “protect” patients.

Highlights

Our 24-mo study with heart failure patients showed an increase from 52% to 76% in patients being aware of disease incurability. Compared with being unaware of disease incurability, being aware was associated with higher emotional well-being, while uncertainty about disease incurability was associated with poorer spiritual well-being.
Is Chinese IR Scholarship White? A Non-Dichotomous Critique of ‘The International as Singular, Enlightened and Sanitised’
Authors: Han Yang
Published: November 2024

Most Western IR theories – mainstream and critical alike – share an implicit Western-centric belief of the constitution and drivers for global development (towards modernity), whereas an emerging trend of literature criticizes such an assumption as epistemic whiteness. Examining global IR knowledge production beyond the Euro-American academia, this article proposes a non-dichotomous framework of critique. It centres around three interrelated conceptual modes of dichotomy, linearity and denialism, which correspond to three epistemological markers as the logics of existence, development and resistance. Mainland Chinese Sinophone International Relations (IR) scholarship on Sino-African relations is examined against this framework. The analysis demonstrates that, under the heavy influence of modernist worldviews, Sino-centric versions of dichotomy, linearity and denialism can be reproduced among academic works that are intentionally produced to resist epistemic whiteness. This poses critical questions on the applicability of epistemic whiteness as a term to capture the full dynamics. This article thus proposes an alternative term, the international as singular, enlightened and sanitized, to represent this problematic ontological imagination of the international. It calls for global IR scholars to exercise greater reflexivity towards an unproblematic acceptance and internalized appreciation of modernity as the endgame of history.
Cyberbalkanization Without Monotonic Polarization: Temporal Dynamics and User Heterogeneity in Online Debates on Traditional Chinese Medicine
Authors: Shen Jiao , Xu Deya
Published: November 2024

This paper examines the polarization and cyberbalkanization of opinions within a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) community on Zhihu, a prominent Chinese social question-answering platform. The study explores the impact of online interactions on opinion dynamics during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing a hybrid content and network analysis approach, the research identifies distinct subcommunities within the TCM debate and analyzes the influence of opinion leaders and user participation. The study finds a high level of cyberbalkanization, with users forming segregated communities based on their views towards TCM. However, contrary to expectations, the overall polarization levels do not increase monotonically over time, despite fluctuations during peak discussion periods. Further analysis reveals that the influx of moderate views from low-engagement users during heated debates counterbalances the extreme rhetoric of high-engagement partisan users. The longitudinal patterns suggest a potential convergence of views between the entrenched and peripheral users over time. These findings highlight the nuanced interplay between cyberbalkanization and polarization within online communities, challenging assumptions of an inevitable polarizing effect. The study underscores the importance of considering user heterogeneity and temporal dynamics when examining opinion polarization in digital spaces, offering insights into the complex forces shaping public discourse in the contemporary media environment.
Factors Affecting Post-adoption Behavioural Outcomes Towards Over- the-top (OTT) Video Services: An Integration of Expectation-confirmation Model and Updated IS Success Model
Authors: Saggu Jasleen Kaur , Mohan Tarannum
Published: November 2024

The purpose of the article is to examine the factors affecting users’ post-adoption behaviour by integrating the expectation-confirmation model and the IS success model in the context of OTT video services. The relationship between behavioural outcomes, continuance intention, and word-of-mouth intention is also analyzed. Online structured questionnaires are used to collect data from 208 users of OTT video services. Structural equation modelling (SEM) is used to test the research model. The results reveal that quality factors significantly affect user satisfaction. Expectation-confirmation significantly affects perceived usefulness, and there is a significant effect of perceived usefulness on users’ satisfaction levels. User satisfaction significantly influences users’ continuance intention and word-of-mouth intention towards OTT video services. Word-of-mouth intention was not significantly affected by continuance intention. The key findings of the study provide fundamental theoretical and managerial implications for academics and service providers to utilize and implement.
Exploring voter turnout dynamics in polarized elections: A group-rule utilitarian framework
Authors: Arzumanyan Mariam
Published: November 2024

Do differentiated policies encourage higher voter turnout than centrist policies? This paper uses the citizen-candidate model and group-based utilitarian approach of costly voting to study how political polarization affects voter turnout under positive voting costs. Two parties enter the electoral competition with a pre-commitment on the platforms, and the winner implements their ideal policy. Comparative statistics results demonstrate that under positive voting costs, the expected turnout is always positive in the presence of political polarization and is only zero when the policies converge. In addition, the expected turnout rises with increased polarization and decreases with voting costs. This study exhaustively demonstrates that positive voter turnout is feasible only when policy differentiation exists.
An Empirical Study of the Constituent Factors of Player Behaviour
Authors: Dumblekar Vinod , Dubey Jigyasu , Dhar Upinder
Published: November 2024

Background

Player behaviour comprises thoughts, decisions and other actions that arise from multiple sources and contexts in games and is based on the players’ complex environment of information, vicarious experiences and perspectives. Learning and superior performance within the game are shaped by the players’ goal orientation, conviction and interactions.

Objectives

of the study: The study sought to understand the concept, functions and constituents of player behaviour from their perspectives, expectations, beliefs and traits. Recognising player behaviour in terms of its constituent elements would clarify and enhance knowledge of human behaviour and make it simple to use the understanding in deeper enquiry and applications.

Method

An instrument of 43 statements was first developed based on extant research and refined by the responses of 45 university teachers. It was then administered to 1,260 university students from whom 711 valid responses were received. The sample was processed by exploratory factor analysis under varimax rotation to yield the scale of player behaviour at a Cronbach alpha of .96 and a cumulative variance of 54 percent.

Results

The seven factors of the scale had an eigenvalue each of more than one, and Cronbach α values of .58 to .90. The exploratory factor analysis generated seven factors that were named conviction, experience sharing, uncertainty, unpredictability, insights, preparedness and planning.

Discussion

The study identified the factors of player behaviour and studied the effect of gender and education on player behaviour. It showed that player behaviour emerges from convictions which are perspectives backed by ready resources, skills and action plans to simplify, understand and respond to situations and likely problems. The behavioural differences between gender, type of programme and level of education were not significant. The study also discussed the nature of each factor and the limitations, suggestions and implications of the study.
Effect of silver nanoparticles in polyethylene packaging on physicochemical, microbiological, and textural properties of oil cake
Authors: Joshaghanizade Monireh , Shahriari Shahla , Hoseini Ghiasvand Mozhdeh Karbalaee , Salehifar Mania
Published: November 2024

This study investigated silver nanoparticle (SNP)/titanium dioxide polyethylene films as chemical preservative substitutes to increase the shelf life of oil cake. The research examined three types of packaging films: standard low-density polyethylene (LDPE), LDPE with 3% SNP, and LDPE with 5% SNP, and assessed their impact on oil cake shelf life. Analysis of packaging films included scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The study evaluated the effects of SNP on chemical and microbial stability on oil cakes in different storage days (1st, 15th, 30th, and 37th days) at 25 °C. Parameters such as moisture content, water vapor permeability, water activity, peroxide, fat acidity, texture, and microorganisms were studied. The results demonstrated that SNP-containing films can extend the shelf life of oil cake up to 37 days, marked by a significant decrease in microbial growth, particularly mold, compared to conventional packaging films. Notably, films with 5% SNP concentrations exhibited the highest efficacy in preserving the quality of the oil cake. Higher concentrations of SNP led to an increased reduction in microbial load and enhanced mold control while maintaining favorable quality assessment indices throughout the storage period from day 1 to day 30. Remarkably, oil cake packaged with a 5% SNP polymer film displayed the most promising outcomes, extending shelf life up to 30 days at 25 °C.
Characteristics of submacular hemorrhage with bacillary layer detachment and intrabacillary hemorrhage
Authors: Choudhary Ayushi , Kapoor Saloni , Sehgal Gaurang , Gandhi Priyanka , Kathare Rupal , Prabhu Vishma , Hande Prathiba , Yadav Naresh Kumar , Chhablani Jay , Venkatesh Ramesh
Published: November 2024

Purpose

To study the outcomes of patients presenting with submacular hemorrhage (SMH) and bacillary layer detachment (BALAD) following intervention.

Methods

This retrospective study examined fundus photographs and optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans to identify treatment-naive SMH and BALAD cases. Two groups were formed: SMH cases with and without BALAD. The treatment outcomes of these cases were assessed.

Results

Thirteen (65%) of the 20 eyes with SMH had BALAD. Blunt trauma was the most common cause of SMH (n = 10, 50%). Median age was 46 years (IQR range: 28–70). Demographic, clinical, or OCT imaging findings between the groups ( p > 0.05) were comparable. Nine (45%) patients each underwent intravitreal gas injection alone or along with PPV and TpA injection. At 1-month post-treatment, VA improved (logMAR VA – 0.89; p = 0.017). BALADs and intrabacillary hemorrhage had resolved in eight (61%) cases. Intraretinal, subretinal, and sub-RPE fluids resolved in 100%, 70%, and 43% of cases, respectively. Eyes with resolved BALAD showed greater improvement in VA (logMAR VA – 0.98) than eyes with persisting BALAD (logMAR VA – 1.1) and resulted in significant decrease in central macular ( p = 0.016) and retinal thicknesses ( p = 0.031). SMH eyes without pre-treatment BALAD also observed statistically significant improvement in visual acuity following intervention ( p = 0.031).

Conclusion

BALAD and intrabacillary hemorrhage in SMH are relatively common. A significant proportion of cases had their BALAD and intrabacillary haemorrhage resolved following treatment. Persistence of BALAD had no effect on VA.
A novel combined hardening rule for the brass cartridge case using crimping simulation and optimization
Authors: Kacar İlyas , Yildirim Sefa
Published: November 2024

A cartridge shell case, a critical component in the defence industry, undergoes a crimping process to form one end for the insertion of a bullet. The shell case is primarily composed of brass. The crimping process is simulated using a novel plasticity model that combines a hardening rule with the Hill48 yield criterion and the associated flow rule. This study focuses primarily on the hardening rule, where a bilinear isotropic hardening (BISO) and Chaboche's nonlinear kinematic hardening (CHAB) rules are combined to develop a novel hardening model. The raw parameters of the models are calculated by regression performed on the data from monotonic tensile test and low-cycle fatigue (LCF) test. A multi-objective genetic algorithm is used to calibrate the raw parameters by the inverse analysis. The performance of the models is evaluated on the diameter of the shell considering the work-hardening. The novelty of this study lies in the acquisition of calibrated hardening rule parameters for the crimping process, which involves a multi-axial deformation pattern, using only data from uniaxial tensile and LCF tests, which are simpler to conduct. The force-moment requirements, springback, and material flow path are also calculated. The results provide a valuable insight into the combined hardening model, its parameters, and their sensitivity for the crimping process. The calibration process results in significant improvements in material properties, particularly yield strength ( YS) and tangent modulus ( TM). For the crimping, YS is observed to increase by 37.82% and TM is observed to decrease by 13.84% while parameters [Formula: see text] increase approximately 9% where Cm is hardening modulus, and [Formula: see text] is decrease rate. The model achives an absolute percent relative error (APE) of 0.18%.
Durkheim’s war for civilization
Authors: Marcel Jean-Christophe , Kemple Thomas
Published: November 2024

Émile Durkheim’s collaborations with other French intellectuals during the war in various committees and polemical pamphlets, editorials, and scholarly essays are treated here as both a continuation of and a challenge to ideas he had developed earlier concerning social solidarity, the science of sociology, socialism, the modern state, and, ultimately, the moral foundations of civilization itself. Writing on behalf of the French war effort and against German “barbarism,” he tacitly or explicitly developed insights from his books On the Division of Social Labour, Suicide, The Rules of Sociological Method, and The Elementary Forms of Religious Life, and he elaborated on themes from his lecture courses on socialism, professional ethics and civic morals, and education. Although his wartime writings were largely commissioned, written, and published as propaganda, they also provided him with an opportunity to test, refine, and in some instances revise sociological arguments he had been working on throughout his career. Rather than bringing Durkheim’s scholarly production to an abrupt halt or signaling a gradual decline in his intellectual capacities, the war provoked him to rethink some of his key sociological ideas and inspired him to take his research program in new directions.
Wakanda Forever: Afrofuturism, Healing, and Creating a New Diaspora
Authors: Strong Myron T. , Lê Jennifer , Echeverria Kyle Clarke , Daugherty Zaynab , Hasselberger Ayanna , Phillip Francis , Harper Calise , Gueye Yakhare
Published: November 2024

Myron T. Strong, Jennifer Lê, Kyle Clark Echeverria, Zaynab Daugherty, Ayanna Hasselberger, Francis Phillip, Calise Harper, and Yakhare Gueye on an Afrofuturistic vision of vulnerability and resilience.
A Face-to-Face Approach to Preventing Campus Sexual Assault
Authors: Nielsen Laura Beth
Published: November 2024

Laura Beth Nielsen on balancing response with prevention efforts.
Diagnosis of faults using a new VMD-WMRA approach, optimized by a new criterion: Industrial application
Authors: Mrabti Ammar , Ouelaa Nouredine , Younes Ramdane , Djamaa Mohamed Cherif , Ouelaa Zakarya
Published: November 2024

This paper proposes a new criterion for selecting the optimum number of Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs) from vibration signals measured on rotating machines. The criterion is based on calculating the variation of normalized Shannon entropy ([Formula: see text]) between two successive IMFs, enabling the optimization of the number of processed IMFs. The method combines Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) with Wavelet Multi-Resolution Analysis (WMRA) using the newly introduced criterion. The key steps involve determining the optimal number of IMFs, decomposing the vibration signals using VMD, and applying WMRA to the selected IMFs. Numerical simulations and experimental results demonstrate its effectiveness in identifying various faults, including gear defects, shaft misalignment, insufficient backlash, and belt defects. These latter flaws are the primary cause of the elevated noise levels in the measured signals. Finally, to validate our approach in an industrial setting, we diagnosed a turbofan, which revealed the presence of several typical faults for this type of installation. The proposed approach addresses a critical industry need by increasing fault diagnosis accuracy in noisy environments. Its practical impact stems from its ability to improve early fault detection, which is critical for predictive maintenance strategies aimed at reducing equipment downtime and extending its lifespan.
Interwoven nitinol stent-assisted arteriovenous fistula maturation: 2 year-outcomes of a single center experience
Authors: Suwanruangsri Veera , Bokerd Surakiat , Chanchitsopon Virapat
Published: November 2024

Objectives

The aim of this study was to report 2-year outcomes of interwoven nitinol (SuperaTM) stent-assisted arteriovenous fistula (AVF) maturation in patients who presented with non-matured AVF.

Methods

We reviewed the clinical data of 20 patients who presented with non-matured AVF (19 patients with brachiocephalic AVF and 1 patient with radiocephalic AVF) and underwent balloon angioplasty followed by SuperaTM stenting in the cephalic vein for long-term hemodialysis between January 2017 and January 2022. The outcomes were evaluated in these patients in terms of technical success, post-intervention complications, reintervention, and cumulative patency (6 months, 1 year, and 2 years).

Results

The study included 20 patients who presented with non-matured AVF. The mean age of the patients was 65 years (range, 40–85). The SuperaTM stents of size 6.5 mm were used in 15 patients (75%), and those of 7.5 mm and 5.5 mm were used in 4 (20%) and 1 (5%) patient, respectively. The average stent length was 99.5 mm (range, 80–120). Technical success was achieved in all patients. Early use within 1 week by needling at the SuperaTM stent segment (cannulation zone) was successful in all patients without any complications. The mean follow-up time was 24.5 months. During the follow-up period, reinterventions to maintain the function of AVF were performed in 8 patients (40%) (7 patients with juxta-anastomotic stenosis, 1 patient with in-stent restenosis). The reintervention rate was 0.39 procedures per patient per year. The primary patency at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years were 85.5%, 62.6%, and 54.2%, respectively. The assisted primary patency at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years were 95%, 84.5%, and 78.8%, respectively.

Conclusions

The use of the SuperaTM stent to improve the AVF maturation rate was associated with acceptable outcomes at 2 years. Its benefit over other strategies was the early use of the access for hemodialysis.
The Phenomenology of Animation
Authors: Parry Jack
Published: November 2024

This paper presents a framework for a phenomenology based on pure transcendental phenomenology that examines the nature of both the experience of viewing and creating animation. The technological innovation of film and cinema in general is based upon two overarching principles. The first is the phenomenon of the captured frame and the second is the spectator’s phenomenological experience of sequences of such captured frames. It is argued among animation and film theorists alike that the insights offered by the consideration of the phenomenon of the cinematic frame should form the nexus of all film theories.

This paper argues that a complete theory of film and cinema should start by explaining this fundamental conceptual bedrock, and that the ‘already-created’ frame of film restricts insight into the phenomenology of cinema spectatorship. The article also shows how the practice of animation is instrumental to the proposition and elaboration of a phenomenology of animation.
Exploring the Viewer’s Role in Narrative-Based Animated Virtual Reality Experiences: Strategies for Role Activation and Immersive Storytelling
Authors: Kim Ye Eun , Khajavi M Javad
Published: November 2024

Virtual reality (VR) storytelling offers immersive experiences that engage viewers in unique and interactive ways. This study investigates the viewer’s role within animated narrative-based VR and explores strategies and techniques employed to facilitate this engagement. Using thematic analysis, the authors examined 22 animated VR experiences and identified six key themes: viewer interaction, virtual body, viewer’s spatial perspective, voice of the narrator, directed viewing and providing options. These themes encompass various strategies used to activate the viewer’s role and enhance their immersion in the narrative. The findings reveal that interactive elements, such as viewer interactions and decision-making opportunities, contribute to a heightened sense of agency and immersion. Additionally, the incorporation of a visible and functional virtual body, strategic placement of the viewer and guidance from a narrator potentially shape the viewer’s experience and understanding of the narrative. However, it is essential to strike a balance between directed viewing and viewer agency to ensure a satisfying and engaging storytelling encounter. The implications of these findings provide valuable insights for VR creators, highlighting the importance of considering these strategies when designing narrative-based VR experiences. By utilizing these techniques effectively, creators can craft immersive and engaging VR narratives that captivate and involve viewers in dynamic and meaningful ways.
Provision of online information and resources for resistance training in Australian youth sports: A scoping review
Authors: Kennedy SG , Murray SJ , Guagliano JM , Lloyd RS , Lubans DR , Smith JJ , Eather N , Bennie A
Published: November 2024

Objectives

This study aimed to identify and synthesize online information/resources related to resistance training provided by governing bodies of the ten most popular youth sports in Australia.

Design

A scoping review.

Methods

The top 10 organised out-of-school sports were eligible for the review. A systematic search of national sporting organisation and associated websites was conducted, using key search terms. Data were extracted regarding information and/or resources aligning with current international youth muscle-and-bone strengthening activity guidelines (i.e., 5–17 years, three days per week).

Results

For all ten sports, information/resources on resistance training were provided for athletes or coaches, however the type of information and level of detail varied. There was lack of consistency between guidelines and information provided by sports. Age of commencement recommendations ranged from four years (athletics) to 14 years (Australian football), whilst others suggested resistance training for all ages (gymnastics) or did not provide an explicit age range (tennis and cricket). Regarding frequency, few sports organisations provided a recommendation for how many days per week resistance training should be performed. Some sports alluded to the need for youth to develop muscular fitness to enhance fitness and performance, whilst others focused primarily on the need for resistance training as an injury prevention tool.

Conclusions

Our findings highlight the gap that exists in the provision of information in relation to resistance training in Australian sports. It is important that national sporting organisations look to educate athletes and coaches (and parents) from grassroots levels on the need for muscular fitness.
Alterations of Gut Microbiome Composition and Function Pre- and Post-Adenotonsillectomy in Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Chuang Hai-Hua , Lee Li-Ang , Chuang Li-Pang , Li Hsueh-Yu , Huang Yu-Shu , Chou Shih-Hsuan , Lee Guo-She , Kuo Terry B. J. , Yang Cheryl C. H. , Huang Chung-Guei
Published: November 2024

Importance

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children is linked with alterations in the gut microbiome. The influence of adenotonsillectomy (AT), a primary intervention for OSA, on gut microbiota dynamics relative to disease severity remains to be elucidated.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the impact of OSA severity and AT on the gut microbiome in pediatric patients.

Design

A prospective observational study.

Setting

Tertiary referral center.

Participants

A cohort of 55 pediatric patients treated with AT for OSA.

Intervention

Total tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy procedures.

Main Outcome Measures

Comprehensive evaluations included in-laboratory polysomnography and 16S rRNA gut microbiome profiling at baseline, and again at 3rd and 12thmonth following surgery.

Results

Initial findings showed uniform α-diversity across different severities of OSA, while β-diversity was significantly elevated in the severe OSA subgroup. Certain gut microbiota taxa ( Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group, Ruminococcaceae UCG-002, Ruminococcaceae UCG-014, Alloprevotella, Christensenellaceae R-7 group, Ruminococcaceae UCG-005, Lactobacillus murinus, and Prevotella nigrescens) were found to inversely correlate with the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). Significant post-AT improvements in AHI and other polysomnographic metrics were observed. Notably, AHI changes post-AT were positively associated with microbial α-diversity (species richness), β-diversity, and specific bacterial taxa ( Enterobacter, Parasutterella, Akkermansia, Roseburia, and Bacteroides plebeius DSM 17135), but negatively with other taxa ( Fusicatenibacter, Bifidobacterium, UBA1819, Ruminococcus gnavus group, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. Longum, and Parabacteroides distasonis) and specific metabolic pathways (purine metabolism, transcription factors, and type II diabetes mellitus). The postoperative patterns of α- and β-diversity mirrored baseline values.

Conclusions and Relevance

This study documents significant changes in the gut microbiome of pediatric patients after AT, including variations in α- and β-diversities, bacterial communities, and inferred metabolic functions. These changes suggest a potential association between the surgical intervention and microbiome alterations, although further studies are necessary to discern the specific contributions of AT amidst possible confounding factors such as antibiotic use.
“Strike with visual bullets”: Digitalized deep play and floating emotional public sphere in the Bilibili bullet comments
Authors: Cao Yeyang , Wu Weihua
Published: November 2024

The bullet comment refers to a real-time built-in comment system attached to online video services on the Chinese Internet. It provides a mechanism transforming online spectatorship into an “audiencing” experience. This study interviews 16 bullet comment users to explore the digital media practices in bullet comments. We argue that the “audiencing” subjects are involved as players in the imagined communities through emotional invitations, implicit cultural “contract,” and diverse textual hijacking strategies. It is a digitalized subject deep play with the stake of cultural interpretation mastery. Based on space discourse deep play, the bullet comment forms a floating emotional public sphere through the flexible technological infrastructure, sustained subject involvement mechanisms, adaptable playing strategies, and a strategic discourse evolution. Its openness helps youth generate a sense of place to express their subjectivities in response to social pressures and paternalistic rhetoric in an alternative manner. This study provides a new perspective on the Chinese youth culture and online public sphere research.
Charging Rush Hour: Modeling Peak Electricity Demand for Charging a Fully Electric Fleet
Authors: Göberndorfer Lisa , Savanovic Milica , Jäger Georg
Published: November 2024

The shift from cars with a combustion engine to electric cars is a key ingredient in the transition toward a carbon-neutral mobility system. However, this leads to a drastic increase in the demand for renewable electric energy. In this study, we investigate the size and shape of this additional electricity demand. We develop an agent-based model to calculate the overall demand and, more importantly, the distribution throughout the day with a fine temporal resolution in order to identify demand peaks. We also take into account the existing demand for electricity to gain a more complete picture of the load on the entire grid. We find that the demand peaks arising from charging a fully electric fleet are extensive and the most prominent demand peak occurs at the so-called charging rush hour in the early evening. These findings suggest that our current mobility system is in need of drastic changes to make sustainable mobility achievable.
Digital Economy and Urban Innovation Ability: From the Spatial Nonlinear Perspective
Authors: Zhao Kai , Xu Huijie , Wu Wanshu
Published: November 2024

Using the panel data of China’s 286 prefecture-level cities from 2011 to 2019, this paper explores the causal relationship between digital economy and urban innovation ability by panel vector auto-regression (PVAR), examines the spatial and dynamic effects of digital economy on urban innovation ability by spatial dynamic panel Durbin (SDPD) model, and studies the nonlinear effects of digital economy on urban innovation ability under different external environments using threshold spatial dynamic panel (TSDP) model. The results show that: (a) The urban innovation ability has significant spatial dependence and presents a U-shaped evolution trend. (b) In the short term, the digital economy has a positive impact on urban innovation ability, both directly and indirectly; in the long term, only the indirect effect of the digital economy remains significantly positive. (c) In different external environments, the impact of digital economy on urban innovation ability is nonlinear and has significant external environmental threshold characteristics. Specifically, the digital economy is more conducive to the improvement of urban innovation ability with a moderate degree of marketization; the effect of digital economy empowering urban innovation ability is better in a good legal environment or technological environment.
Association of the Universal Designated Hitter Rule With Changes to Injuries in Major League Baseball Pitchers
Authors: Kholodovsky Eric , Luxenburg Dylan , Hodgens Blake , Liebmann Kevin , Baraga Michael
Published: November 2024

Background:

In 2022, Major League Baseball (MLB) implemented the universal designated hitter (DH) rule, thus allowing the pitcher to focus solely on defense while the DH, who bats for the pitcher, focuses solely on offense.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose of our study was to determine if implementation of the universal DH rule affected the incidence of injuries in MLB pitchers when compared with before implementation. It was hypothesized that the shift to the universal DH rule would be associated with a decrease in the rate of offense-related pitcher injuries.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods:

Using publicly available data, we identified injuries sustained by MLB pitchers during the 2021 (before the DH rule change) and 2022 (after the rule change) regular seasons. Pitchers placed on the injured list for non–gameplay related reasons were excluded. Statistical analysis was performed with the chi-square and independent t tests.

Results:

The injury incidence rate decreased significantly from before to after the rule change for MLB pitchers overall (from 6.58 to 5.60 injuries/1000 athlete game-exposures [AGE]; P = .02) and for National League pitchers (from 7.62 to 6.26 injuries/1000 AGE; P = .04). No significant changes were seen in American League pitchers ( P = .20). Injury locations that decreased from before to after the rule change were the thigh (from 0.52 to 0.21 injuries/1000 AGE; P = .003) and the hand/finger/wrist (from 0.63 to 0.30 injuries/1000 AGE; P = .01). Total time lost decreased from 9471 days before the rule change to 8857 days after the rule change ( P = .00001).

Conclusion:

Implementation of the universal DH rule was associated with a decrease in pitcher injuries overall and within the National League. Injuries to the thigh and hand/finger/wrist also decreased overall and within the National League. Furthermore, total days lost decreased from before to after the rule change. These findings may be due to the elimination of offensive gameplay requirements for pitchers, which highlights a positive consequence of the universal DH rule, but further studies are needed.
Religion, Social Capital and Exile: Social Transformations and the Dynamics of Tibetan Buddhist Practices in India
Authors: Coelho Joanna
Published: November 2024

Ever since the diasporic dispersal of Tibetans due to the annexation of Tibet by the People’s Republic of China in 1959 and their semi- permanent settlement in India, Tibetan Buddhist practices have been undergoing several transformations. The article examines, through the lens of social capital, how the Tibetan Buddhists, once considered as the Chela—disciplined followers of the religious practices preached by Indian Buddhist masters—have assumed the mantle of Guru or a teacher in the ongoing reproduction of Tibetan Buddhism in India. The article notes that the metamorphosis of Tibetan Buddhism as key to Tibetan identity retention has latently overtaken the issue of return to their fatherland.