bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Abstract 1535: Lifelong Exercise Training Demonstrates a Dose Dependent Effect on Left Ventricular Compliance and Distensibility
Authors: Bhella Paul S , Shibata Shigeki , Hastings Jeffery L , Prasad Anand , Arbab-Zadeh Armin , Minniefield Nicole , Palmer M. D , McLoughlin James , Creson Daniel , Levine Benjamin D
Published: August 2024

Background:
Sedentary aging leads to decreases in left ventricular (LV) chamber compliance and distensibility. Conversely, Masters’ athletes who train 6 –7 sessions per week throughout their adult lives maintain youthful LV compliance and distensibility (

Circulation

.
2004
;
110
:
1799
–1805

). We hypothesized that preservation of compliance during aging may be possible with less rigorous training.

Methods:
Men > age 65 (n=35) were recruited from:

the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, a well validated study which has prospectively documented lifelong exercise training patterns in subjects for the past 25 years,

regional road-race results and

US Masters competitions.

Subjects were stratified into ‘Quads’ based on their history of exercise training: Quad 1 (Q1) <2 sessions/wk (n=7); Q2=2–3/wk (n=5); Q3=4 –5/wk (n=11); Q4=6 –7/wk plus regular competitions (n=12). All subjects underwent simultaneous right heart catheterization and transthoracic echo to define LV pressure-volume curves. PCWP and LVEDV were measured at baseline, during decreased cardiac filling by lower-body negative pressure (−15 and −30 mm Hg) and after saline infusion (15 and 30 mL/kg).

Results:
The pressure volume relationships are presented in Figure 1

. Thick lines=Quad pressure-volume relationships; thin lines=95% confidence intervals. Quad mean peak VO2±S.D. is also reported.

Conclusion:
Lifelong exercise training has a dose-dependent effect on left ventricular chamber compliance and distensibility. Based on these findings, increasing levels of prolonged, sustained endurance training improve diastolic function and may help to prevent heart failure in the elderly.
Abstract 2667: Effects of Ranolazine in a Goat Model of Lone Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Verheule Sander , Tuyls Els , van Hunnik Arne , Kuiper Marion , Wang Wei-Qun , Dhalla Arvinder , Belardinelli Luiz , Schotten Ulrich
Published: August 2024

BACKGROUND: In MERLIN TIMI-36, ranolazine (RAN) reduced the indicidence of new onset AF (

Scirica et al,

Circ

2007
;
116
:
1647

). At therapeutic concentrations, RAN inhibits the persistent sodium current. At higher concentrations, RAN also inhibits IKs, IKr and late ICaL. We investigated the effects RAN on cardiac electrophysiology in a goat model of AF. In this model, AF itself leads to a progressive shortening of the effective refractory period (ERP) and a gradual increase in AF stability.

METHODS: Arrays of atrial epicardial electrodes were implanted in 7 Dutch milk goats. After recovery, experiments were performed at baseline and after 2 and 14 days of artificially maintained AF. At these time points, RAN was infused intravenously for 1 hour to result in plasma concentrations of 4, 8 and 16 uM. ECG parameters, ERP, conduction velocity (CV), AF cycle length (AFCL) and AF episode duration (AFdur) were determined.

RESULTS: The main parameters are summarized in the table

. At baseline and after 2 days of AF, 8 and 16 uM RAN significantly prolonged the PQ and RR intervals. After 2 days of AF, 8 and 16 uM RAN also significantly prolonged the QT interval and shortened the AFdur. After 14 days of AF, all goats were in persistent AF. At this time, 8 and 16 uM RAN significantly prolonged the AFCL, from 103±3 during solvent infusion to 109±3, 119±5* and 139±9* at 4, 8 and 16 uM RAN, respectively. However, only one out of 7 goats cardioverted during infusion of 16 uM RAN.

CONCLUSION: The lowest concentration of ranolazine tested here, which mainly inhibits the late sodium current, did not significantly affect the atrial electrophysiological parameters assessed in this study. Higher doses of ranolazine significantly reduced CV, prolonged ERP and AFCL, and shortened AF episode duration. In the goat model of AF the antiarrhythmic effect appears to be due to action potential prolongation rather than due to late sodium current blockade.
Abstract 3731: Overlapping Patterns of Gene Expression in Experimental and Clinical Models of Myocardial Recovery
Authors: Topkara Veli K , Wang Wei , Gao Feng , Robbins Jeffrey , Sivasubramanian Natarajan , Mann Douglas L
Published: August 2024

Background:
Similar patterns of myocardial gene expression occur following beneficial pharmacological and/or device therapies for heart failure, suggesting that there may be specific ensembles of genes that promote myocardial recovery (MyoRec).

Purpose/Methods:
We previously developed and characterized a tetracycline responsive transgenic model (ttA-MHCmin
TetO
-TRAF2 mice) that allows for conditional cardiac restricted over expression of tumor necrosis factor receptor associated factor 2 (TRAF2), which we have shown is responsible for progressive left ventricular (LV) remodeling in cardiac inflammation. The ttA-MHCmin
TetO
-TRAF2 mice develop LV remodeling by 8 weeks of age. Oral administration of dox for 4 weeks allows for complete LV reverse remodeling (MyoRec) in the ttA-TRAF2 mice (age 12 weeks), whereas “no dox” mice undergo progressive LV dilation (age 12 weeks). We performed a gene array in the hearts of wild-type and ttA-MHCmin
TetO
-TRAF2 mice that were given dox or no dox. Changes in the patterns of gene expression were then compared to published (

Circ. Res.

2005
;
96
:
592
–599

) changes in the human gene expression before and after support with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD).

Results:
There were 748 genes that were differentially expressed (403 upregulated, 345 downregulated) in the ttA-MHCmin
TetO
-TRAF2/no dox (LV remodeling) compared to ttA-MHCmin
TetO
-TRAF2/dox mice (MyocRec). Gene Ontology (GO) classification of the genes that were involved in MyoRec showed remarkable overlap with the patterns observed in human LVAD samples (table

).

Conclusions:
These data suggest that there are specific ensembles of genes may be responsible for myocardial recovery, which opens the possibility for developing therapeutic approaches that are specifically designed to promote myocardial recovery.

Gene Ontology Classification of Myocardial Recovery Genes
Gendered Ideologies and Authoritarianism in Nicaragua
Authors: Neumann Pamela
Published: August 2024

Although anti-feminist discourses and practices are often associated with “right-wing” governments, self-proclaimed “leftist” regimes can also be organized around patriarchal ideas. In this article, I analyze how the Ortega-Murillo regime in Nicaragua has employed gendered ideologies to consolidate and legitimate its political power. While the Ortega-Murillo regime initially used elite pact-making to gain control of Nicaragua’s legal institutions, their latter strategies, which included alliances with religious conservatives, threats and intimidation, and legal mechanisms, were mainly focused on restructuring and pacifying civil society. Within this process, targeting feminist ideas and feminist organizations has been a central component of their autocratic toolkit.
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis With Reconstructed Time-To-Event Data of Frozen Elephant Trunk and Conventional Aortic Repair
Authors: Naito Noritsugu , Takagi Hisato
Published: August 2024

Frozen elephant trunk (FET) has gained popularity since its inception. Nevertheless, the optimal approach for managing aortic arch pathologies remains subject of debate. This meta-analysis compared outcomes between patients undergoing FET and those undergoing conventional aortic repair. Systematic searches were conducted up to February 2024. Pooled results of short and long-term outcomes were computed. A systematic review identified 21 non-randomized studies encompassing 3240 patients. Short-term mortality was lower in FET recipients than in those undergoing conventional repair (OR [95% CI] = 0.58 [0.44–0.78], P < .01). Postoperative paraplegia incidence was higher in the FET cohort (OR = 1.85 [1.02–3.34], P = .04), while subgroup analysis showed no difference between the two groups in patients with acute aortic dissection. Long-term all-cause mortality was lower among FET recipients. Subgroup analysis showed FET was associated with reduced all-cause mortality (HR = 0.55 [0.39–0.79], P < .01) and aortic re-intervention (HR = 0.62 [0.39–0.99], P = .05) in acute aortic dissection patients. This meta-analysis underscores the favorable association between the utilization of FET and improved short and long-term outcomes compared with conventional repair, while paraplegia incidence was higher in the FET group. FET appears to offer superior benefits, particularly evident in patients with acute aortic dissection.
The Theological Anthropology of Dobbs: Women in Service to White Nationalism
Authors: Craigo-Snell Shannon
Published: August 2024

In 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States decided Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and overturned Roe v. Wade, ending federal protection for the rights of people who are pregnant to obtain an abortion. Discussions of abortion in the United States are, and always have been, bound up with issues of gender, race, and ethnicity. The Dobbs decision is the latest in a long history of U.S. policies that manipulate reproduction in order to maintain white dominance. In the same logic as military service, people who can become pregnant are now being required to sacrifice themselves, not for the possible individual embryo or fetus they might carry, but rather for the nation. They are conscripted into service of a particular vision of the United States as a white nation. This universal, enforced availability for service truncates the status of women, rendering us less than fully human.
Exploring critical health literacy in health education: A social justice approach
Authors: Jacobs Jeanette , Morton Brenda
Published: August 2024

Objective:

To explore the perspectives and practices of high school health education teachers implementing health literacy with a focus on the social determinants of health within the context of a concern for social justice.

Design:

Qualitative content analysis was used to assess high school teachers’ accounts of the practices used to teach health education in line with their professional preparation, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards, the textbook(s) used and the district’s health education curriculum.

Setting:

A large urban independent school district in southern Texas, USA.

Method:

Six high school health education teachers’ interviews were analysed using the social ecological framework and a social justice framework to identify themes that aligned with the teaching practices used to facilitate critical health literacy.

Results:

Although teachers were unfamiliar with the term Social Determinants of Health, they were able to speak to the challenges that their students faced in everyday life. The need for support and the remedying of knowledge deficits were two important themes.

Conclusion:

Health education teachers often lack the preparation to teach about the social determinants of health in a manner that resonates with students’ backgrounds. The current TEKS standards provide insufficient guidance, emphasising kinesiology, diet and movement over a focus on critical health literacy and the social determinants of health, resulting in a limited and inadequate curriculum for high school students.
Phytonadione Utilization and the Risk of Bleeding in Chronic Liver Disease
Authors: He Joanna , Cox Tessa R. , Gilbert Brian W.
Published: August 2024

Purpose: To determine the safety and efficacy of phytonadione in patients with an elevated international normalized ratio (INR) secondary to chronic liver disease without active bleeding. Methods: This retrospective chart review compared hospitalized patients from 2015 to 2022 with a diagnosis of chronic liver disease, a baseline INR of 1.2 to 1.9, and without active bleeding who did or did not receive phytonadione. The primary outcome was the incidence of new bleeding. The incidence of thrombosis and change in INR were also evaluated. Results: A total of 133 patients were included, of which 46 received phytonadione (mean 2.46 doses and mean dose 7.95 mg, 72.74% intravenously). Child-Pugh scores were higher in phytonadione patients (8.7 vs 9.93, P = .0003). There was no difference in the incidences of new bleeding (9.20 vs 13.04%, P = .492) or thrombosis (3.45 vs 0%, P = .203) between the control and phytonadione groups. After phytonadione administration, there was no change in INR, while INR increased by 0.24 in the control group ( P = .025). Conclusion: In chronic liver disease patients who were not bleeding, phytonadione did not reduce INR or the incidence of new bleeding.
Online Learner Engagement: Insights from a University Language Centre
Authors: Consoli Sal , Curle Samantha
Published: August 2024

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the appeal for online or hybrid modes of teaching has steadily increased. In particular, this study examines the relatively novel notion of psychological engagement for the language learner in online contexts. The study is set in a university language centre with a team of five academic English teachers sharing direct insights through observations and interviews. In particular, this paper highlights several implications for teacher education and professional development in relation to online learner engagement. There is a need for students to be ‘alert’ and involved in an active ‘quest’ for knowledge. However, teachers need to distinguish between actual engagement and ‘shallow engagement’. Diversity and variety in task design as well as the use of multiple digital tools may captivate students’ attention. Also, teachers may need to infuse task design with emotions that will support learning. This goes hand in hand with fostering a sense of curiosity, which is particularly important in an online context where there may be a degree of human distance. Finally, teachers need to strike a balanced sense of challenge and perhaps revisit this in light of students’ added difficulties posed by online technologies. Overall, this study suggests that online teaching, despite its barriers, presents unique opportunities for enhancing learner engagement that are not present in traditional face-to-face classroom settings.
Bringing the climate into existence
Authors: Hughes Hannah
Published: August 2024

This special issue takes up the problem of how, where and through what methodological means the study of international relations, and ourselves as scholars, may be brought into closer connection to climate change and contribute to the social and political change critical to responding to global environmental degradation. In the introduction, I begin from where I became aware of the absence of climate change in how I studied and analysed the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). I came to look back on and understand this absence through a journey that I was taken on by collaboration and with writers of and from other worlds. This provides a starting point to explore where the articles and commentaries take us as they chart their own journeys through the discipline of IR in the study of climate change. Each article articulates particular dimensions of the challenge that the special issue grapples with as it sets out to examine how, where and through what means the study of international relations may be re-rooted in closer relation to the Earth.
Precarious work and constructions of masculinities: the case of day labour workers in Cape Town, South Africa
Authors: Malinga Mandisa
Published: August 2024

Masculinities are organised hierarchically, and how a man sees himself is often informed by his positioning within this hierarchy. The context within which men are located determines which factors or markers of masculinity become more salient at different times, and so do the social situations and spaces men are interacting within, and with whom they are interacting. Their socio-cultural, political, and economic positioning inform not only how they construct their gendered identities, but also where they are located within social hierarchies of masculinity. This article examines constructions of masculinities among economically marginalised men who seek work on the side of the road in Cape Town, South Africa. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 10 Black African men and the findings suggest that economic provision remains a central feature in participants’ constructions of masculinity. Men’s experiences of precarious work not only impact how they see themselves but also their ability to establish and maintain romantic relationships which, as argued in this study, serve an important role in validating and affirming participants’ masculinity. This study shows that when some men are not able to provide, their romantic relationships fail, which adversely impacts their self-esteem. In response, some of the participants in this study turned towards alcohol abuse, and neglecting/abandoning their homes and families as a way to avoid the shame and humiliation they experience as ‘men who cannot provide’.
Evolving yet contentious transcultural fanscapes: Peruvian fans’ accounts of K-pop and its fandoms
Authors: Yoon Kyong , Labarta Garcia Camila Alexandra
Published: August 2024

Global fans’ engagement with K-pop (South Korean pop music) demonstrates how audiences’ daily lives and identities are interwoven with transcultural media. This study explores how global K-pop fan cultures have evolved along with the genre’s expansion overseas, with particular reference to Peruvian fans in the Global South context. Drawing on Peruvian fans’ accounts of the global K-pop fanscapes – the universes experienced and mediated through fan practices, the study addresses the complexities, negotiations, and conflicts in audience engagement with transcultural media. By examining how K-pop fans in a distant locale imaginarily identify with K-pop idols and interact with other global fans and non-fans, the study reveals that local fans may realize their identity in the global fanscapes while being aware of power relations that operate between different audiences.
Study on interface characteristics of WC-Co doped Y rare earth element cemented carbide cutting tool and its influence on material properties
Authors: Fan Yihang , Li Zhengyi , Hao Zhaopeng
Published: August 2024

The influence of doping rare earth element Y on the material properties at the W and C interfaces of WC (0001)/Co (111) was studied using first principles calculations, taking into account adhesion work, interface energy, density of states, and Mulliken population. The grain size of WC-Co cemented carbide doped with rare earth element Y was analyzed before and after doping through cellular automata simulation. The microscopic morphology of the cemented carbide materials before and after doping with Y element was observed and analyzed by experiments, and their mechanical properties were tested. The research results have shown that the interface structure doped with Y has smaller interface energy, greater adhesion work, and stronger interface bonding ability. All four interface models exhibit metallic properties, and the addition of Y element enhancing the metallicity of WC-Co. The W-d and Y-p orbitals undergo orbital hybridization and generate covalent bonds, improving the durability and bonding strength of the material. The bond length of C-W at the interface after doping is smaller than that before doping, and the population is greater than that before doping, indicating an enhanced stability of the interface. After the addition of rare earth element Y, the crystals underwent through-crystal fracture, and the fracture showed irregular shapes, which improved the bonding strength of the interface. Through the cellular automata simulation, it was found that the grain size after doping with Y element was significantly smaller than that before doping, and it was experimentally verified that the doping of rare earth element Y played the role of grain refinement. At the same time, it could reduce the coefficient of friction of the material, and improve the overall performance of the cemented carbide material.
Mechanical properties and corrosion behavior of biodegradable Mg-Cu alloys
Authors: Najafi Mostafa , Mirzadeh Hamed , Mehdinavaz Aghdam Rouhollah , Emamy Massoud
Published: August 2024

Mechanical properties and in vitro corrosion behavior of Mg-Cu alloys in the simulated body fluid solution were investigated. Copper addition led to grain refinement and formation of α–Mg/Mg2Cu eutectics, resulting in the best combination of mechanical properties for the as-cast Mg-0.5Cu alloy, for which the values of the yield stress, ultimate tensile strength, total elongation, and tensile toughness were obtained as 71 MPa, 164 MPa, 5.8%, and 7.5 MJ/m3, respectively. Hot deformation by extrusion led to fine grain sizes via dynamic recrystallization and breaking up the eutectics. Accordingly, the extruded Mg-0.1Cu alloy showed tensile toughness of ∼30 MJ/m3 and good corrosion resistance; while Mg-1.2Cu alloy with a distinct protective surface layer was also considered as a viable alternative for biomedical applications.
Ireland, intellectual property and the political economy of information monopolies
Authors: Murphy Kenneth
Published: August 2024

Ireland's policies towards US-owned global digital intermediaries (Big Tech) have emerged as an international political issue and received global media attention. So far, political and media focus has been on the impact of Ireland's tax policies on the revenue-raising ability of other European states and perceptions of light touch regulation of those corporations based in the Republic. The current paper will focus on how Ireland's switch to a focus on capital allowances for the sizeable American tech corporations has enabled the latter to sustain their dominance in the digital transition through incentivizing and subsidizing their switch to assetization as a means of deriving investment. Assetization enables investment and profits based on present and future rents from intellectual property. We argue here that the assets and intellectual property of the tech giants are emblematic of a broader process of political–economic restructuring and information monopoly building. The evidence for this resides in Ireland's bumper rise in corporate tax from 2015. Ireland's facilitation of assetization is the end process of some broader institutional transformations that structure economic power.
Comparative analysis of peri-nidal cerebral blood flow and metabolism using a novel quantitative 15O-PET method in patients with arteriovenous malformations
Authors: Maruyama Daisuke , Iida Hidehiro , Koshino Kazuhiro , Nakagawara Jyoji , Morita Yoshiaki , Hashimura Naoki , Mori Hisae , Satow Tetsu , Takahashi Jun C , Fukuda Tetsuya , Iihara Koji , Kataoka Hiroharu
Published: August 2024

To effectively treat cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), peri-nidal flow regulation and metabolic status must be understood. In this study, we used 15O-oxygen positron emission tomography (PET) post-processing analysis to investigate vascular radioactivity in the nidal region of AVMs. Single-dynamic PET imaging was performed on seven unruptured AVM patients during the sequential inhalation of 15O2 and C15O2. A previously validated dual-tracer basis function method (DBFM) was employed to calculate parametric images. The results of our study were as follows. First, in remote and contralateral AVM regions, DBFM and a previous approach of dual-tracer autoradiography (DARG) showed strong positive correlations in cerebral blood flow ( CBF), cerebral oxygen metabolism rate ( CMRO2), and oxygen extraction fraction. Second, peri-nidal CBF and CMRO2 correlation was lower, and overestimation occurred with DARG compared to with DBFM. Third, on comparing DBFM to quantitative 123I-iodoamphetamine single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), CBF correlated significantly. In contrast, the correlation between DARG and quantitative 123I-iodoamphetamine-SPECT was weaker in the peri-nidal regions. Fourth, analysis of tissue time-activity curves demonstrated good reproducibility using the novel formulation in the control, peri-nidus, and core nidal regions, indicating the adequacy of this approach. Overall, the DBFM approach holds promise for assessing haemodynamic alterations in patients with AVMs.
Cost-Effective Pavement Condition Survey for Municipal Road Networks
Authors: Hecht Christian , Swarna Surya Teja , Bhavsar Parth , Mehta Yusuf , Bouhsine Taha
Published: August 2024

One of the most challenging issues for municipalities in the U.S. is to secure federal funding, state funding, or both, for local roadway improvement. Existing frameworks such as manual data collection, light detection and ranging have proven to be expensive and cumbersome. In this paper, a low-cost pavement management framework is proposed using artificial intelligence (AI). AI has solidified itself across industries as a revolutionary advancement that can automate many tasks that were performed by humans. AI has the potential to make roadway assessment easier and more cost-effective than ever, but this application has been hindered by dataset quality and quantity. Roadway datasets are often imbalanced, containing many more images of certain deformations than others. This decreases the performance of AI models. In this paper, different methods of pavement dataset labeling are tested to gain an understanding of which is best for pavement distress detection using a classification neural network. An AI-friendly pavement condition index is designed to give a clear indicator of the current pavement condition and provide a metric by which to rank the roads based on the need to repair them. The best-performing AI model is incorporated into the low-cost pavement management framework.
Review of Risk Assessment Methods for Cybersecurity Attacks on Road Network and Intelligent Transportation System Applications
Authors: Leungbootnak Natchaphon , Heaslip Kevin
Published: August 2024

One of the most discussed infrastructure issues of our time is cybersecurity. A transportation system that connects not only people but also logistics to make the community around the world closer is one of the critical infrastructures requiring cybersecurity to perform its functions. Transportation systems include aviation, maritime, pipeline, railroad, and road networks. This study focuses only on the roadway network system. Cutting-edge technologies related to highway networks, such as variable message signs, vehicular ad hoc networks, and in-vehicle networks, have been developed to improve safety and efficiency. Those technologies make transportation systems more complex and integrated, bringing many potential vulnerabilities and cyber risks. This can attract an adversary to attack and exploit the system. The number of cybersecurity attacks on transportation systems has been growing for many years. However, it is not feasible to protect against all cybersecurity attacks in the system. The risk assessment concept is proposed to prioritize risk resulting from attacks to support decision-makers in formulating appropriate policies or countermeasures. This study reviews risk assessment methods for cybersecurity attacks on road networks and intelligent transportation system applications. Three potential risk assessment methods are examined for road network systems: the National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-30, Attack Potential and Damage Potential, and the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process.
Evaluation of Conventional Surrogate Indicators of Safety for Connected and Automated Vehicles in Car Following at Signalized Intersections
Authors: Do Wooseok , Saunier Nicolas , Miranda-Moreno Luis
Published: August 2024

The driving behaviors of connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) will differ from those of human-driven vehicles (HDVs) because the CAVs’ driving decisions are controlled by computers. Because of the limited amount of crash data for CAVs, researchers have relied on surrogate measures of safety to assess their safety impacts. However, they often use the same safety indicators for CAVs that were used for HDVs, raising questions about the adequacy of the safety indicators for CAVs. This study aims to investigate the suitability of using conventional safety indicators for CAVs. To achieve this, we evaluated eight safety indicators used for CAVs in the literature: time-to-collision (TTC), post-encroachment time (PET), time-exposed TTC, time-integrated TTC, deceleration rate to avoid a crash (DRAC), crash-potential index, rear-end-collision risk index, and potential index for collision with urgent deceleration (PICUD). For the evaluation, we first simulate CAVs on an approaching lane of signalized intersections using the acceleration-control algorithm. The algorithm replaces the HDV trajectories with CAVs for mixed simulations where HDVs and CAVs coexist. Analyzing the simulation output, we examined the safety indicators for the various car-following scenarios and the CAV proportions. The findings suggest that PET and PICUD can yield different safety implications for CAVs because of their small-gap car-following characteristics. Ignoring such characteristics may lead to interpreting the small-gap car-following situations as simply dangerous traffic interactions for CAVs. The car-following experiments indicate that TTC, PET, and DRAC are insufficient in measuring the safety implications when successive vehicles operate at similar speeds for CAVs.
Modeling Interdependent Infrastructure System Vulnerability with Imprecise Information Using Two Fuzzy Inference Systems
Authors: Pan Shidong , Bathgate Kyle , Han Zhe , Sun Jingran , Zhang Zhanmin
Published: August 2024

Infrastructure systems play important roles in economic development and the social quality of life. Interdependencies exist between infrastructure systems: a functional disruption in one system can affect dependent systems, thereby escalating the impacts. It is vital to properly model interdependencies to understand the full impacts of disruptive events on infrastructure systems. Quantitative data on infrastructure interdependency is often difficult to obtain or unavailable for a variety of reasons. To overcome quantitative data scarcity issues, qualitative subject expert knowledge has been used in interdependency analysis, primarily in the form of linguistic responses. Linguistic data is susceptible to uncertainties arising from variations in intended meanings, which may yield inaccurate results. This paper proposes a framework to address this problem using two fuzzy inference systems to model event-specific, network-wide infrastructure failures. The first fuzzy inference system models the damage induced by interdependencies using verbal descriptions. The second fuzzy inference system accounts for synergistic, compounding effects of multiple incidences of indirect damage caused by interdependencies. A case study is conducted to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed methodology using electric and gas distribution networks in the United Kingdom. Sensitivity analyses are performed to show the flexibility of the fuzzy inference systems. The results show that the proposed method can model the interdependency and vulnerability of infrastructure systems using fuzzy inference systems to handle imprecise input. The proposed framework may assist practitioners in better understanding the interdependency and vulnerability of infrastructure systems, and in making more informed decisions to reduce losses resulting from disruptive events.
Clopidogrel Hyperresponsiveness and Hemorrhagic Complications Using On-Label Clopidogrel Dosing after Pipeline Embolization
Authors: Nickelsen Paige Morgan , Neyens Ron , Al Kasab Sami
Published: August 2024

Introduction: Clopidogrel hyperresponsiveness is a timely topic, with wide ranging reports of hemorrhagic complications, using various clopidogrel dosing strategies following neuroendovascular procedures. This study serves to investigate hemorrhagic complications using standard clopidogrel doses and timing of these complications in relation to the procedure. Materials and Methods: Retrospective cohort of consecutive adult patients undergoing flow diversion with Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) at an academic medical center, receiving on-label clopidogrel doses. Patients with clopidogrel hyperresponsiveness (VerifyNowTM P2Y12 reaction unit (PRU) ≤ 70) were compared to those who were normoresponsive. The primary outcome is the rate of hemorrhagic complications between groups. Results: Of 148 included patients, 54 (36.5%) were identified as clopidogrel hyperresponsive (PRU ≤ 70) and 94 (63.5%) as clopidogrel normoresponsive (PRU 71 – 194). There were no hemorrhagic complications observed in patients who were clopidogrel hyperresponsive, with 5 occurring in patients who were normoresponsive ( P = 0.09). Three (60%) of the hemorrhages were intracranial with most occurring intra-procedure or within the first week of the procedure. Age > 60 years was the only candidate predictor for hemorrhagic complications ( P = 0.004). Conclusion: Our findings are contradictory, with lower hemorrhagic complications in clopidogrel hyperresponders than prior literature, and most occurring intra-op or in the immediate acute post-op phase.
A method to standardize the temperature for near infrared spectra of the indigo pigment in non-dairy cream based on symbolic regression
Authors: Zhang Yun , Liu Jun , Tan Zheng Lin , Jiang Ming Yi
Published: August 2024

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is sensitive to physical conditions such as sample temperature, meaning that rapid detection methods based on NIR spectroscopy are significantly influenced by temperature. To address this challenge, symbolic regression was employed to mitigate the effects of temperature. The Weighted Windowed Adaptive Optimization algorithm was proposed and combined with the Sequential Projection Algorithm to extract temperature-related feature points and remove redundant data. Subsequent 3D modeling of these feature points revealed that absorbance alterations due to temperature comprised two distinct segments. Consequently, based on symbolic regression, the temperature standardization algorithm was devised to generate piecewise equations. This algorithm surpassed genetic programming and non-segmented methods in performance metrics. The piecewise function equations generated by the algorithm were used to regress the absorbance at different temperatures to the standard temperature. Non-dairy cream, with different indigo pigment contents, was temperature standardized using a piecewise function to obtain spectra at two standard temperatures; 18°C and 28°C. The r2 for the quantitative regression model improved from 0.71 to 0.95 at 18°C and from 0.63 to 0.85 at 28°C. The temperature standardization method offers interpretable equations for spectra that model the complex changes with temperature, factoring out the temperature variation, thereby facilitating the practical use of NIR spectroscopy in rapid detection applications.
Income Elasticity of Demand for Healthcare and Change Over Time: Across the Income Groups  in India
Authors: Dubey Jay Dev
Published: August 2024

The study computes the income elasticity of out-of-pocket healthcare expenditures (OOPEs) of Indian households across the income groups. Using data from the National Sample Survey Organization for the 71st (2014) and 75th (2018) rounds, a log-linear model with splines estimates the elasticity of healthcare expenditure across different income segments. The analysis controls for demographic variables and employs dual deflation to adjust for price changes. The elasticity magnitude depends upon the marginal propensity to OOPE (MP-OOPE), which is inconsistent across the income groups. The random MP-OOPE is due to the non-linear relationship between income and healthcare expenditure. The data revealed increased income (proxied by household consumption expenditure) and decreased average OOPE in wave 2. Despite this, households in the bottom income bracket experience a rise in elasticity, and those at the top observe reduced elasticity in wave 2. The income group-wise MP-OOPE suggests uncertain healthcare demand patterns and evidence of widening healthcare inequality. Poorer households either face low-magnitude inelastic healthcare demand, leaving their healthcare needs unmet, or experience high-magnitude inelastic demand, leading to financial hardship. Policies should aim to reduce out-of-pocket healthcare expenses for vulnerable groups. Expanding public-funded risk pooling mechanisms like Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana would be crucial in addressing this issue.
A Case Report of Tinea Infection (Dadru Kustha) with Ayurvedic Intervention
Authors: Mandal Sonia , Ade Vinod , Sawarkar Punam , Gamne Reeya , Sawarkar Gaurav , Parwe Shweta
Published: August 2024

Background

The most typical dermatologic disorders worldwide include tinea infections. Skin ringworm infections, such as tinea corporis and tinea cruris, are caused by Trichophyton rubrum, Epidermophyton, and Microsporum canis. These are the main dermatophytes responsible for tinea. Red, scaly, itchy, and growing lesions should be tinea. It is most seen in males compared to females. All skin illnesses are categorized in Ayurveda as Kushta Roga (skin diseases), while Dadru Kushta (tinea) has a connection to the diseases caused by fungi. The illness has aggravated Pitta and Kapha dosha. The line of treatments for these illnesses includes palliative, purificatory intervention, and peripheral biocleansing procedures. However, in this case, we utilize palliative, mild laxative, and peripheral biocleansing procedures. Here, mild laxatives act as purificatory therapy to treat the illness.

Purpose

To study the effect of Ayurvedic intervention in the management of tinea (Dadru).

Methods

In this case report, a 41-year-old male patient receives Ayurveda treatment after 2 months of experiencing relief from ring-like patches, discoloration, and itching in the groin, upper back, and upper and lower thighs. He is diagnosed by presenting clinical symptoms, and pathological examination is the specific tool for diagnosis of fungal infection.

Results

Significant improvements were seen in the parameters, including increased circular skin lesions, eruptions, erythema, and itching. He experienced 70% relief.

Conclusion

Treated with the Ayurveda line of treatment is the best tinea infection treatment.
A Tale of Two Frontlines: Critically Assessing the Dynamics of Interracial Service Encounters
Authors: Thornton LaDonna M , Jones Angela L , Ekpo Akon E , Kent Pettis , Story W Keith
Published: August 2024

Minority frontline workers are often required to engage in interracial service encounters, which often involve additional complexities due to the subtle biases and stereotypes held by customers. Improving service delivery in interracial service encounters requires understanding the experiences of minority frontline workers. We begin by explaining the challenges faced by minority frontline workers and then offer an analytical framework that will allow operations management research to better account for these experiences. Next, we discuss opportunities for operations management researchers to explore how interracial service encounters impact employees, service operations, and service supply chains.
Corporate Use of Social Media After ESG Incidents
Authors: Pu Jingchuan , Shan Hongyu , Yuan Tao
Published: August 2024

Despite increasing investments in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives and practices, firms often fail to meet public expectations, causing ESG incidents. While firms often choose to remain silent after an incident, we argue that this is not attractive to firms anymore on social media platforms, where consumers and stakeholders can freely share information and concerns. That is, firms tend to use official social media accounts to increase communication frequency and communicate with stakeholders about the incidents (i.e., incident-related posts) after the occurrences. We are also interested in the extent to which firms would adjust their use of social media in terms of non-incident-related posts, as the current prevailing practical advice and studies offer contradicting predictions. Using data from different sources, we construct an event-based firm-day dataset and empirically show that firms significantly increase the number of social media posts after ESG incidents. The impact is more salient for firms in consumer-oriented industries and when the incident is more impactful. Using a semi-supervised, dictionary-based approach, we delve into the content of tweets and demonstrate that firms are inclined to increase both the number of incident-related and the number of non-incident-related tweets after an ESG incident. The follow-up analyses at the incident level indicate that firms that post more after an ESG incident experience a better reaction from the capital market, especially for customer-oriented firms or incidents that receive high attention from the traditional media.
Demonstrating the Value and Impact of Human Factors-based Projects in Healthcare
Authors: Saleem Jason J. , Ruark Kurt , Maddox Kyle , Herout Jennifer
Published: August 2024

Institutionalizing human factors in healthcare organizations is a formidable enterprise. While much progress has been made over the years, challenging disconnects remain in applying and communicating about human factors tools and methodologies in the healthcare domain. Our objective was to explore how human factors professionals, especially those embedded within a healthcare organization, assess the value and impact of their healthcare operations-based projects. Toward this end, we interviewed eight human factors professionals working in healthcare to understand strategies that work well for them in demonstrating the value and impact of their work, as well as pitfalls to avoid. While especially relevant to the healthcare domain, this knowledge may help other human factors professionals in any industry develop strategies and plans to demonstrate value from their work, communicate about impact, and thereby grow the reach of human factors.
Smart All-Hazard Responses Framework (SARF): Human Factors and Ergonomics Approach
Authors: Park Junho , Rathenberg Ava , Usher Katie , Son Changwon
Published: August 2024

The integration of Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE) into emergency responses is crucial due to frequent human errors and inadequate human-system interactions which impede effective emergency and disaster management. Therefore, this research aims to develop and validate the Smart All-hazards Response Framework (SARF) that systematically incorporates HFE principles across all aspects of disaster management, from planning through post-response analysis. The framework focuses on reducing human errors, enhancing human-system interactions, and boosting system resilience. The research methodology includes a detailed literature review, the development of the HFE-integrated framework, and rigorous testing through experimental studies and simulations across various scenarios. Key questions address the integration of HFE to optimize system performance and the impact of ergonomic interventions on responder safety in high-risk environments. By advancing a holistic, human-centered approach to emergency and disaster management, this study aims to significantly enhance the effectiveness, safety, and adaptability of responses to all kinds of hazards.
Understanding Team Cognition in Support of Long-Distance Space Missions
Authors: Käosaar Andres , Fiore Stephen M. , Gomez Caroline , Burke C. Shawn
Published: August 2024

Future long-distance space missions (LDSM) present formidable challenges due to prolonged isolation, communication delays, and extreme conditions, which affect individual and team cognitive functions, crucial for mission success. This necessitates a higher degree of autonomy, emphasizing the importance of team cognition in managing the complexities of LDSMs. Although prior research has largely focused on individual cognition, the collective cognitive processes that support effective team performance in space have been less studied. This oversight is critical as factors like microgravity and isolation can impair individual level cognitive functions vital for teamwork, such as attention and working memory. This paper employs the Macrocognition in Teams Model to study publicly available transcripts from the Apollo space missions to understand the challenges to collaborative problem-solving in these complex and high stress environments.
Promoting Eco-Friendly Behavior in University Activity-Based Workspaces Through Eco-Feedback
Authors: Sadralashrafi Sara , Nahavandian Mohammadhossein , Neyens David M , Knijnenburg Bart , Li Da
Published: August 2024

Eco-feedback has been demonstrated as an effective strategy to promote energy-saving behavior among occupants in buildings by providing real-time or historical information on energy consumption and environmental impacts. However, the application of eco-feedback in academic buildings for space choices is limited. In this study, we explored the impact of providing eco-feedback on occupants’ space choices in university Activity-Based Workspaces (ABW), where individuals select their workspaces using an online booking system. We designed two user interfaces: one baseline interface with no eco-feedback, and also an intervention interface that included eco-feedback. A within-subject user interface evaluation study was conducted, and the results suggest that eco-feedback significantly motivates occupants to select highly eco-friendly spaces ( p-value < .05). Consequently, providing eco-feedback in university ABW environments can encourage more eco-friendly and sustainable decision making and has the potential to reduce the contribution of buildings in energy-related carbon emissions.
Evaluating the Influence of Incorrect Reassurances on Trust in Imperfect Automated Decision Aid
Authors: Kim Jin Yong , Richie Olivia , Yang X. Jessie
Published: August 2024

Prior research on trust in automation has primarily focused on instances where decision aids form predictions based on the same raw input information as humans. This study extends the paradigms into the human-processed input framework, where machine predictions are based on human-processed data, instead of the raw input. The human-processed input framework introduces a unique error pattern, “incorrect reassurance,” where faulty automation prediction erroneously validates users’ initial errors. This study examined the impact of “incorrect reassurance” on human trust in automation in the human-processed input framework. Thirty-five participants completed a Mental Rotation Task (MRT), using an imperfect automated decision aid. Results show that incorrect reassurance patterns led to larger trust decrement, lower final performance, and quicker final reaction time compared to other performance patterns. The findings emphasize the importance of understanding trust in automation in the context of the human-processed input framework.