bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Barrier zone formation and development in the stems of Aquilaria sinensis (Thymelaeaceae) and the effect on agarwood formation
Authors: Liu Peiwei , Zhang Yuxiu , Yang Yun , Lin Xingning , Lin Songning , Deng Yanqing , Chen Bo , Wei Jianhe
Published: December 2023

Barrier and reaction zones are core parts of compartmentalization in trees. However, little is known about the relationship between them. Here, agarwood and barrier zone formation in Aquilaria sinensis trees were studied for the first time using compartmentalization theory. The main results were as follows: (1) Wounding methods had a very important influence on the occurrence of barrier zones in A. sinensis. (2) The barrier zone development process was divided into three phases based on the morphological features. (3) The agarwood resin mainly accreted during the barrier zone lag and division phases; then, after the barrier zone entered the differentiation phase, the resin no longer accreted and even tended to degrade. (4) In the application of the whole-tree agarwood-inducing technique, the barrier zone generally began to appear 10 months after the technique treatment, and the barrier zones were more severe in the lower part of the stem. (5) Considering the agarwood yield, agarwood resin filling degree and ethanol-soluble extract content, the serious barrier zone indeed reduced the agarwood productivity. This study is important for revealing the agarwood and barrier zone formation mechanism in Aquilaria trees. It also provides a good research model for considering the high economic value of agarwood when studying compartmentalization.
Nutritional composition and safety aspects of Asian giant hornet, Vespa magnifica (Hymenoptera: Vespidae): commonly consumed edible insect in Manipur, North East India
Authors: Sheileja T. , Singh K.M. , Shantibala T. , Mishra L.K. , Haldhar S.M.
Published: December 2023

The Asian giant hornet, Vespa magnifica is an edible insect fondly eaten in larval and adult stage in maximum ethnic communities of the Northeast India especially in Manipur state. The nutritional and anti-nutritional aspects of V. magnifica revealed high protein (31.1%, 38.4%), fat (22.0%, 8.13%), carbohydrates (1.67%, 0.72%) and fibre (0.69%, 4.34%) content in both larval and adult stage respectively. The results exhibited that consumption of 100 gram of V. magnifica in larval and adult stage provided optimal amount of energy (329.1 and 229.7 kcal, respectively). Iron, potassium, calcium, sodium, and phosphorus are the most prevalent minerals found in the edible hymenopteran that can be used as supplementary food to human diets. The IC50% of adults (0.701 mg/ml) exhibited lower value than larvae (0.813 mg/ml) expressing its stronger antioxidant properties than larval hymenopteran. Low levels of anti-nutritional components such as phenol (38.7 and 30.3 mg/g) and tannin (50.0 and 24.5 mg/g) have established the insects’ non-toxic character when taken as part of a human diet. The insect is widely available in Manipur local markets but at a very high price and great demand. It has the potential to support economic upliftment, nutrition and food security along with sustainable impact on environment.
Profitability of insect production for T. molitor farms in The Netherlands
Authors: Niyonsaba H.H. , Groeneveld I.L. , Vermeij I. , Höhler J. , van der Fels-Klerx H.J. , Meuwissen M.P.M.
Published: December 2023

Insects are increasingly considered as a relevant alternative protein source in the transition to a more circular economy and more sustainable food production. Understanding the profitability of insect farms is crucial for starting entrepreneurs, established rearers, and third parties. In this study we analysed the revenues and expenses of seven T. molitor farms in the Netherlands, representing approximately a quarter of the total sector. We calculated their gross margin and net present value. Revenues came from the sales of fresh larvae and insect frass, and from extension services. Expenses included investments, and non-allocated and variable expenses. Results cover technical and economic results, and a qualitative description of farm operations. The gross margins and net present values ranged from −180 to 2,030 and from −12,359 to 15,535 EUR/tonne fresh larvae production, respectively. The main determinants of T. molitor farms’ profitability included the sales price of larvae, and its labour and substrate expenses. Our estimates can be used by decision making of farmers, credit providers, and policy makers to support the growth of this still very small, but emerging sector.
Strengthening Relationship between the AO and the Occurrence Frequency of Arctic Daily Warming since the 1980s
Authors: Wang Cen , Ren Baohua , Li Gen , Zheng Jianqiu , Chen Lin , Jiang Linwei
Published: December 2023

Recently, the occurrence of Arctic winter daily warming events has attracted substantial attention from the media and scholars alike. Herein, these events are investigated further, particularly in respect of their relation with the Arctic Oscillation (AO). We define a Pacific pattern–Arctic rapid tropospheric daily warming (Pacific-RTDW) event, when the Arctic winter daily warming is triggered by a warm humid air mass that is transported by storms from the North Pacific into the Arctic. An anomalous northwest–southeast dipole pattern at 500-hPa geopotential is identified spanning from the Arctic to the North Pacific and associated with AO. The dipole pattern could favor the occurrence of Pacific-RTDW events because it induces a strong southerly in the middle troposphere, which mid-high-latitude storms may follow into the Arctic. In particular, the correlation between AO and the occurrence frequency of Pacific-RTDW events has strengthened since the early 1980s. This shift is attributed to the intensified Pacific storm-track (PST) activity intensity, which is possibly related to the phase transition of the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) and has induced stronger synoptic-scale eddy feedbacks to low-frequency flows since this period. Accordingly, stronger feedbacks of the synoptic-scale eddies could provide a favorable condition for the formation of such a dipole pattern associated with the AO, bolstering the connection between AO and Pacific-RTDW events. In contrast, the eddy feedback to the flow is not strong enough and is, therefore, unable to provide favorable conditions before this period due to the comparatively weak PST intensity.

Significance Statement

The Arctic winter daily warming event may lead to more severe cold air outbreaks invading the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes. We explored the climatic conditions favorable for the occurrence of Arctic winter daily warming events, thereby revealing that the correlated atmospheric circulation features a northwest–southeast dipole pattern. Additionally, since the early 1980s, the intensified Pacific storm-track activity is believed to have contributed to strengthening of the correlation between the Arctic Oscillation and the occurrence frequency of Arctic winter daily warming events. The findings here are expected to assist in prediction of future Arctic winter daily warming events.
Revisiting the Seasonal Cycle of Rainfall over Central Africa
Authors: Longandjo Georges-Noel T. , Rouault Mathieu
Published: December 2023

The intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), with its twice-annual passage over central Africa, is considered as the main driver of the rainfall seasonality. In this ITCZ paradigm, high rainfall occurs over regions of large low-level convergence. But recently, this paradigm was challenged over central Africa. Here, we show that a shallow meridional overturning circulation—driven by surface conditions—plays a thermodynamical control on the rainfall seasonality over central Africa. Indeed, due to the local evaporative cooling effect, the foot of the ascending branch of Hadley cells occurs where the temperature is the warmest, indicating a thermal low. This distorts the southern Hadley cell by developing its bottom-heavy structure. As result, both shallow and deep Hadley cells coexist over central Africa year-round. The deep mode is associated with the poleward transport of atmospheric energy at upper levels. The shallow mode is characterized by a shallow meridional circulation, with its moisture transport vanishing and converging in the midtroposphere rather than at lower troposphere. This midtropospheric moisture convergence is also the dominant component that shapes the vertically integrated moisture flux convergence, with little contribution of African easterly jets. This convergence zone thus controls the precipitating convection. Its meridional migration highlights the interhemispheric rainfall contrast over central Africa and outlines the unimodal seasonality. On the other hand, forced by the Congo basin cell, the precipitable water regulates the deep convection from the vegetated surface of Congo basin, acting as a continental sea. This nonlinear mechanism separates the rainfall into three distinct regimes: the moisture-convergence-controlled regime, with convective rainfall exclusively occurring in the rainy season; the local evaporation-controlled regime with drizzle in the dry season; and the precipitable-water-controlled regime, with exponential rainfall increase in the dry season.
Of Masks and Masculinities in Africa
Authors: Bjarnesen Jesper , Boulton Jack , Kovač Uroš , Mbah Ndubueze , Whitehouse Bruce , Wyrod Robert
Published: December 2023

Contemporary forms of precarity, migration, connectivity, and sociality have transformed what it means to be a man in many African communities. Responding with agency and creativity to various incentives and constraints, Africans have adapted practices pertaining to labour, marriage, and sexuality to the exigencies of modern life amid the impacts of European colonialism, rapid urban growth, economic hardship, and political conflict. Drawing upon ethnographic and historical research to study settings in East, West, and Southern Africa, the articles in this special issue review the social changes that have taken place regarding men's roles and assess prospects for the emergence of counter-hegemonic masculinities.
Black Fathers Matter: Messages of Hope in Black Father-Themed Instagram Memes
Authors: Moody-Ramirez Mia , Lemmons Brianna P. , Boddie Stephanie Clintonia
Published: December 2023

Using a Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Framing Theory as a lens, this study extends the literature on media representations through an examination of the framing and tone toward Black fathers illustrated in Instagram memes in 2022. Study findings indicate that Instagram offers a means for individuals to share positive messages about this marginalized group. Social media was used to offer messages of hope that framed Black fathers positively, often referencing the Black Lives Matter movement to encourage individuals to recognize the value of Black men in the lives of children and families. Memes offered counter-narratives to the traditional racist narratives that have plagued Black men historically. The findings of this study are important for advancing future research in this area and underscoring the powerful role of social media in shifting narratives about Black fathers.
Family Atmosphere and Suicidal Ideation in College Students: The Chain Mediation Effect of Attachment and Cognitive Flexibility
Authors: Yang Zhongjing , Pu Rongrong , Zhang Yao , Zhang Yushu , Wu Yan
Published: December 2023

Numerous studies have extensively examined the risk factors associated with suicidal ideation (SI). Nevertheless, there has been a dearth of research analyzing the potential positive factors, such as attachment and cognitive flexibility, that might contribute to a reduction in SI and facilitate more effective interventions. This study aimed to investigate the chain-mediating effects of attachment and cognitive flexibility on the family atmosphere and SI. Data were collected from 856 (range = 18–28 years old, 240 males) emerging adults who completed the Family Atmosphere Scale, the Relationship Questionnaire, the Cognitive Flexibility Scale, and the Self-rated Ideation of Suicide Scale. The findings revealed that the family atmosphere not only exerted a direct influence on SI but also operated through a chain-mediation mechanism involving fearful attachment and cognitive control flexibility. This study concludes that fearful attachment and cognitive control flexibility may mediate the impact of a negative family atmosphere on SI.
Sankofa: Using Topic Models to Review the History of the Journal of Black Psychology
Authors: Chappelle Marc , Auelua-Toomey Sakaria Laisene , Roberts Steven O.
Published: December 2023

We use Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling to review the articles published in JBP between 1975 and 2020. Doing so allowed us to estimate where JBP has been, and where it might go. We interpret our work within the framework of “Sankofa,” which is an Akan symbol for the integration of the past and present toward the future. Overall, we identified five major research themes that have characterized JBP over the past four decades: Racial Attitudes (i.e., how individuals think of themselves and others in the context of race and ethnicity), Health and Well-being (i.e., health disparities and community well-being), Education (i.e., learning and higher education experiences), Sexuality and Gender (i.e., how individuals think about gender, sexuality, and body image), and Resistance and Resilience (i.e., how people experience and cope with discrimination). The present research has implications for future research directions, including increasing the representation of Black communities outside the U.S. in the JBP literature, highlighting more holistic experiences of Black people of marginalized genders and sexualities, and generating and strengthening Black-centered constructs.
Exploring the Experiences of Black Men Through the Decision-Making Process in Secure Settings: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Mayers Chanae , Gordon Kim
Published: December 2023

Research has highlighted Black African and African Caribbean individuals within the United Kingdom not being involved in key aspects of decision-making and having more negative experiences of inpatient provisions. The aim of the current study was to explore Black men’s experiences of decision-making processes within mental health inpatient provisions within the United Kingdom and their perceptions of these services. The study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 5 Black men aged 33–40 who had experiences of mental health inpatient provisions within the last 10 years and had now been discharged. Eight Group Experiential Themes (GETs) and 9 sub-themes were identified: the role of/significance of medication, family involvement in decision-making and compliance with treatment and concordance around treatment. Participants highlighted a lack of involvement in decisions around their care. Inpatient mental health provisions need to support Black men to be involved in shared decision-making and encourage collaborative involvement in decisions.
The Accessibility and Usability of Online Job Applications for Screen Reader Users
Authors: Reuschel William , McDonnall Michele , Burton Darren
Published: December 2023

Introduction: This study investigated the accessibility and usability of online job applications by individuals with visual impairments who use screen readers. Method: Three blind, experienced screen reader users on the research team attempted to complete online job applications from 30 randomly selected Fortune 500 companies, with 90 application trials attempted. Each tester used a different screen reader and browser combination. Results: The testers experienced significant barriers to completing the online job applications: 50 of 90 (55.6%) attempts were successful, but 23 of the 30 (76.7%) websites had critical issues that prevented at least one tester from completing the application. Testers found 694 accessibility issues and gave an average ease-of-use rating of 3.60 (SD = 1.05) out of 5 for the job application websites. Twenty-six of the job application websites were created by eight job application software vendors, with significant variation in accessibility across different applications using the same vendor. Discussion: The accessibility and usability issues identified with the majority of online job applications evaluated present an unnecessary barrier to employment for screen reader users. While the 55.6% success rate found in this study is considerably higher compared to previous research, only 23.3% of the job application websites were accessible to all three screen readers. Implications: Job application software vendors and companies that create their own online job applications should take a Universal Design approach by following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and implementing recommended solutions to increase the accessibility of their applications. Software vendors are encouraged to only offer accessible options for creating online job applications, such that companies would not be able to create an inaccessible form.
Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls? How Complexity Demands More Agile Project Management Approaches to Municipal Strategy Implementation
Authors: Mitchell David , Mitchell Shabnam
Published: December 2023

Project management has emerged as an important component of strategy implementation. In the private sector, traditional “waterfall” project management approaches have been supplemented by “agile” methods that are more iterative and recursive. However, less attention has been paid to the efficacy of agile project management approaches in the public sector. This study examines the contextual effectiveness of waterfall, agile, and hybrid project management approaches in public organizations. Regression analysis of 207 strategic initiatives from 43 US municipalities confirms that the effectiveness of project management approach is contingent upon implementation complexity. Further, a descriptive analysis indicates there is no discernable pattern to project management approach by these municipalities, therefore risking the viability of their adopted strategies by selecting ineffective project management methods. These findings emphasize that public organizations should thoughtfully employ project management as they implement strategic plans.
The Datafication of Migrant Bodies and the Enactment of Migrant Subjectivities: Biometric Data, Power and Resistance at the Borders of Europe
Authors: Tsagarousianou Roza
Published: December 2023

The article engages with biometric data gathering technologies as part of migration infrastructures for the monitoring and control of migration. It explores power and agency by paying attention to the complexity of readings, interpretations, and storytelling of illegalised migrants in the Moria and Kara Tepe camps, in the Island of Lesvos in Greece, as they received their bureaucratic legal papers and discussed developments in their ‘cases’. Borrowing from feminist and feminist security studies scholarship, the article argues for an understanding of data gathering and sharing infrastructures as material. It suggests that the datafication of migrants’ bodies constitutes a manifestation of power that ‘enacts’ the migrant body as a subject of power but also produces counter self-subjectifications. The article also suggests an understanding of subject agency as the ‘capacity to act’ within contexts of power. Such a position on the agency of illegalised migrants allows us to examine the emergence of solidarities and alliances and to understand and contextualise not only actions that seem to be questioning and rejecting power, but also those that accept it and internalise it as a strategy of survival and of bettering one’s life chances.
Cerebrovascular CO2 reactivity and dynamic cerebral autoregulation through the eighth decade of life and their implications for cognitive decline
Authors: Weijs Ralf WJ , Oudegeest-Sander Madelijn H , Hopman Maria TE , Thijssen Dick HJ , Claassen Jurgen AHR
Published: December 2023

Aging is accompanied by a decrease in cerebral blood flow (CBF), especially in the presence of preclinical cognitive decline. The role of cerebrovascular physiology including regulatory mechanisms of CBF in processes underlying aging and subclinical cognitive decline is, however, not fully understood. We explored changes in cerebrovascular CO2 reactivity and dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA) through the eighth decade of life, and their relation with early cognitive decline. After 10.9 years, twenty-eight (age, 80.0 ± 3.5 years; 46% female) out of forty-eight healthy older adults who had participated in a previous study (age at baseline, 70 ± 4 years; 42% female), underwent repeated transcranial Doppler assessments. Linear mixed-model analyses revealed small reductions in cerebrovascular CO2 reactivity with aging (−0.37%/mmHg, P = 0.041), whereas dCA was modestly enhanced (gain: −0.009 cm/s/mmHg, P = 0.038; phase: +8.9 degrees, P = 0.004). These changes were more pronounced in participants who had developed subjective memory complaints at follow-up. Our observations confirm that dCA is not impaired in aging, despite lower cerebral perfusion and cerebrovascular reactivity. Altogether, this unique longitudinal study highlights the involvement of cerebrovascular health in preclinical cognitive decline, which is of clinical relevance in the development of dementia management strategies.
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy assisted by combined intravenous and intracholecystic fluorescent cholangiography: a case report
Authors: Xie Qingyun , Yang Manyu , Jiang Kangyi , Zhang Ling , Mao Tianyang , Gao Fengwei
Published: December 2023

This case report describes a laparoscopic approach using fluorescence imaging guidance to treat gangrenous cholecystitis with perforation (GCP). A male patient in his early 60s presented with 3 days of right upper abdominal pain. Computed tomography and ultrasonography findings were consistent with a stone incarcerated in the gallbladder neck, GCP, and localized peritonitis. Percutaneous gallbladder drainage was initially performed, followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy 7 days later, using combined intravenous and intracholecystic fluorescent cholangiography. This technique allowed visualization of the cystic and common bile ducts during surgery and enabled safe removal of the diseased gallbladder. The patient recovered well without complications, and reported no pain or discomfort at a 2-month follow-up.
A heavy weight, yet empowering: Grandparent Special Guardians’ lived experiences of the role and family dynamics - An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)
Authors: Sullivan-Hayes Stacey Rose O’ , Melia Yvonne , Nazir Faiza
Published: December 2023

Almost half of Special Guardians are grandparents, typically single grandmothers, who are required to facilitate and maintain relationships between parents and children if deemed in the child’s best interests. Current literature suggests that Special Guardians navigate complex family situations, support children with developmental trauma histories and receive scant support. Only limited research has examined the lived experiences of Special Guardians, especially using qualitative methods. Further exploration into such experiences may allow for better understanding and more specialised support for Special Guardians and the children they care for. The current research involved semi-structured interviews with six grandparent Special Guardians. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) five themes were constructed that highlighted some of the social, emotional, relational and financial difficulties they experienced from taking on the role. Compared to foster or adoptive carers, Special Guardians felt undervalued and abandoned by services. After a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) has been awarded, to encourage positive relationships Special Guardians may benefit from trauma training, peer and therapeutic support, as well as more whole family support.
Safety and Comfort Evaluation of High-Speed Cycling on Urban Asphalt Pavement
Authors: Yang Li , Tao Liu , Hai Wang , Rui Li , Jianzhong Pei , Zhibin Feng
Published: December 2023

Cycling is a healthy and sustainable means of urban travel. In this research, cycling tests and questionnaires were used to evaluate the impact of vibration intensity on the cycling experience. The standard deviation of vibration acceleration ( AStd) generated in cycling test was collected and vibration comfort and vibration perception were scored. Then, the simulation method was used to quantitatively analyze the influence of the macrostructure of the pavement on the cycling vibration. Moreover, through the simulation analysis of the most unfavorable situation of high-speed riding, the minimum British pendulum number (BPN) value that meets the skid resistance requirements is obtained. According to the results of regression analysis, the prediction equations of pavement structure parameters and AStd/BPN are obtained. After comprehensively considering cycling safety and comfort, the evaluation process of bicycle-specific pavement is given. This research hopes to provide a reference for the sustainable development of urban green travel.
Drivers’ Decision-Making When Experiencing a Traffic Conflict: A Scoping Review
Authors: Kusumastutie Naomi Srie , Patria Bhina , Kusrohmaniah Sri , Hastjarjo Thomas Dicky
Published: December 2023

When drivers encounter a traffic conflict, making a prompt and correct decision to take evasive actions is crucial to prevent collisions. Therefore, studying information processing in drivers’ decision-making is essential for driving safety. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews reporting guidelines, the aim of this scoping review was to map current studies on drivers’ decision-making in such situations. Our search strategy identified 2,506 peer-reviewed articles, out of which 20 were selected. The results indicated that the selected studies mainly measured drivers’ decision-making less holistically by focusing only on the perception phase instead of measuring the entire information processing phase involved in decision-making. Additionally, these studies explored interactions between drivers, vehicles, and the environment less comprehensively. There are opportunities to explore drivers’ decision-making in traffic conflict situations further, and this scoping review presents several challenges for further research and some strategies for overcoming them.
Estimation of the Effect of Self-Driving and En Route Preparation in Urban Parcel Delivery: The Case in Seoul
Authors: Lee Keyju , Jeong Dongjin , Chae Junjae
Published: December 2023

Self-driving technology is on the verge of commercialization and is expected to be utilized in delivery services. At the same time, low efficiency and physical limitations of last mile robots (especially for non-standardized cargo, stairs, etc.) are being pointed out. In addition, as leading overseas companies design robots to complete delivery through interaction with the recipient, it may be difficult to implement the robots in delivery environments like South Korea, where most parcels are not delivered face-to-face. Therefore, this study considers a parcel delivery model in which a person, not a robot, is on-board an autonomous truck for door-to-door deliveries. This study takes three expected effects of a self-driving vehicle into consideration: (i) reduced travel time, owing to alleviation of traffic congestion; (ii) reduced service time, owing to relaxed parking restrictions; and (iii) benefits from en route preparation (planning and collecting in advance of arrival) that can be realized when a person is not required in the driver’s seat. The findings from a case study conducted in Seoul indicate that advanced self-driving capabilities and en route preparation can potentially lead to a doubling of the delivery capacity at a terminal, along with a reduction of over 40% in operating costs per box. As suggested in this study, the en route preparation activities are verified to bring benefits.
Examining the Effects of Gateway Width on Motorist Yielding to Pedestrians
Authors: Hochmuth Jonathan , Newton Erik , Van Houten Ron
Published: December 2023

The gateway in-street sign configuration has been demonstrated to be a low-cost method for increasing motorist yielding the right of way to pedestrians at crosswalks. It has previously been hypothesized that the gateway is effective because it visually narrows a travel lane. In the present study, gateway widths (i.e., distance between signs) were compared to determine whether there was a differential effect on motorist yielding. Experiment 1 was a parametric analysis of distance between the signs, varying in 2-ft intervals from 12 to 18 ft. The results showed that the percentage of motorists yielding increased as the distance between the signs decreased. Experiment 2 examined curb-top and gutter-pan placements of the edge signs at three different sites. Both placements produced substantial increases in yielding compared with baseline, though the difference between gutter-pan and curb-top placement was not significant at two of the three sites. Based on the distance between signs in these two configurations, the results at two of the sites aligned with those in Experiment 1, and one site demonstrated much higher yielding than would have been predicted. This suggests that small increases in the distance between signs may result in a minor decrease in yielding but may improve the survivability of the signs and reduce maintenance costs over time. The potential to combine this sign effect with other engineering treatments (e.g., curb extensions and bicycle lanes) was additionally explored. The results are discussed in relation to a perceived narrowing hypothesis, sign survival, cost effectiveness, and equity.
Case Study on Using Warm Mix Asphalt at Reduced Production Temperatures for Balanced Mix Design
Authors: Yin Fan , Moore Nathan , Chen Chen , Taylor Adam
Published: December 2023

This study provides a case study to illustrate the feasibility of using warm mix asphalt (WMA) at lower production temperatures to design asphalt mixtures with balanced rutting and cracking resistance in a laboratory setting. Two balanced mix design (BMD) modification approaches were evaluated to modify an existing Superpave mix design with unbalanced performance because of inadequate cracking resistance: (1) adding asphalt binder and (2) using WMA with a surfactant-based chemical additive. The modified mix designs were tested with the indirect tensile asphalt cracking test and high-temperature indirect tensile strength test to determine compliance with the Alabama Department of Transportation’s (ALDOT’s) BMD performance requirements. The original and modified mix designs were then tested in the modified overlay test to characterize their reflective cracking resistance, and the results were input into the Texas Asphalt Concrete Overlay Design System (TxACOL) software for theoretical asphalt overlay design simulations. Finally, asphalt binder testing was conducted to determine the impact of BMD modifications on the rheological properties of extracted binders. Laboratory testing showed that both BMD modifications improved the cracking resistance of the mix design but through different mechanisms. All the modified mix designs met ALDOT’s BMD requirements with balanced rutting and cracking resistance at their corresponding optimum binder content (OBC), which was 0.4%–0.7% higher than the volumetric OBC, respectively. TxACOL simulations showed that BMD modifications significantly improved the predicted reflective cracking performance and service life of asphalt overlays, but the improvement varied depending on the underlying pavement and traffic conditions.
Examining the Cost-Effectiveness of Intensive Interventions: Implementation Costs From the Teacher and Student Perspective
Authors: Scheibel Gretchen , Hicks Tyler A. , Zimmerman Kathleen N. , Pace Jesse R.
Published: December 2023

Intensive interventions are time- and resource-demanding interventions designed to be implemented with a single student with unique learning needs. Economic evaluation provides a methodology for evaluating the time and material resource costs of implementing these interventions to provide detailed feasibility information for educators considering their implementation. This study presents a cost analysis of the time and materials required to implement an intensive intervention, I-Connect, and compares those costs to the reported effects, from the perspective of the intervention agent and recipient (i.e., teacher and student) using time as the primary cost metric. The results suggest the total time cost of implementing I-Connect falls within the time teachers and students are likely to have available. Furthermore, teachers will likely find I-Connect to be a cost-effective option for generating a 50% increase in on-task behavior if they have an initial 40 min of available time to become familiar with the intervention procedures, prepare the intervention, train the student to engage in self-monitoring, and initiate a 10-min session of I-Connect. Limitations and future research directions for the economic evaluation of intensive interventions are discussed.
E7-modified gelatin microcarriers for efficient expansion and stemness preservation of mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Li Yan , Ge Qunzi , Ma Lie
Published: December 2023

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess self-renewal ability, multi-differentiation potential and low immunogenicity, thus serving as an ideal choice for cell therapies. Ex-vivo expansion systems that have been developed to meet clinical demands are faced with two crucial barriers, limited quantity and stemness loss of expanded cells. Hence, it is crucial and feasible to construct microcarriers that can show high and specific affinity to MSCs, and support highly efficient cell expansion with minimal stemness loss. In this study, EPLQLKM (E7) peptides were modified onto gelatin microcarriers by poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) linkers, which showed great antifouling ability against xenogenic components. The rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs) harvested from the E7-modified gelatin microcarriers achieved better cell attachment, stemness maintenance, viability, and multilineage differentiation potentials, especially those with a higher E7 density. Attributing to the promotion for cell adhesion, E7 functionalization increased the expansion efficiency of rBMSCs with improved quantity and quality simultaneously, thereby providing a novel strategy for scalable expansion to optimize the clinical performance of MSCs.
Influence of dwell time on the hydraulic behaviour utilizing multiple injection strategies and a piezoelectric diesel injector
Authors: Martínez-Carrillo Ricardo , de la Garza Oscar A , García-Yera Miguel , García-Lara Héctor D , Martínez-Martínez S
Published: December 2023

The electric dwell time is defined as the duration between two electric pulse signals. It is a crucial parameter when multiple injection strategies are employed. The influence of electric dwell time on the hydraulic behaviour utilizing pilot injection strategy, split injection strategy, post injection strategy and a commercial piezoelectric diesel injector has been analysed experimentally. To do so, a sweep of electric dwell time from 1.15 ms up to 3 ms in all multiple injection strategies using rail pressures of 80, 100 and 120 MPa, and a back pressure of 5 MPa was performed. A fuel mass of 110 mg was injected in all cases analysed employing operating conditions defined from the characteristics curves of injected mass. The hydraulic behaviour was characterized through to measure the first and second hydraulic delay at opening and closing injector, the pressure oscillations generated during the first injection event, and injected fuel mass during second injection event in an injection discharge curve indicator, which is based on the Bosch tube method. In summary, the paper concludes that the hydraulic dwell time depends on the injected mass during the first injection event, and the dynamic response of injector. Moreover, a short electric dwell time causes an increase of injected fuel mass during second injection event, which can be attributed to combine two effects provoked by overlapping the first and second mass flow rate signals, namely, a reduction in the hydraulic delay at opening injector, and an increase in the hydraulic delay at closing injector. Finally, the present research provides information which can be employed to optimization the modulation of injection rate in a diesel engine.
Modelling tamping effectiveness for track geometry longitudinal levelling defects
Authors: Rodrigues Pedro , Teixeira Paulo F.
Published: December 2023

The geometric recovery achieved with tamping is affected by several factors, including maintenance history, ballast condition, type of tamping, age and configuration of track components, operational speeds, and human factors. In this paper, data from 2,819 defects of longitudinal levelling are analysed considering 66,892 km of inspections carried out on 19 lines of the Portuguese railway network over 10 years. The influence of infrastructure clusters, defect level, ballast age, degradation rate before tamping, and the still little-studied shape of defects on geometry recovery is firstly investigated by analysing relationships between the raw data (scatterplots). A multiple linear regression model is then developed to predict the defect level after tamping, taking into account both the defect level before tamping and its shape, which is modelled through a proxy parameter. It is concluded that track sections where there are singularities (underpasses, culverts, level crossings, bridges, tunnels and viaducts) usually have much shorter maintenance cycles (median values up to 60% lower). Ballast age and degradation rate before tamping did not prove to have a marked influence on geometry recovery. Although the defect level before tamping is found to be the factor that most conditions geometry recovery, thus corroborating the critical importance of timely intervention, its shape also proves to have a significant influence, giving rise to differences in geometry recovery of up to 20% of the defect level before tamping.
Adaptive backstepping-extended state observer control for electrohydraulic position servo systems with multiple disturbances using the compound friction compensation
Authors: Zhang Xinxing , Dai Kaiyu , Zhang Bing , Wang Leigang , Yang Jianbing
Published: December 2023

Multiple disturbances coming from friction, matched, and mismatched uncertainties make it difficult for electrohydraulic servosystems to obtain the satisfactory position-tracking performance. The existing adaptive backstepping controllers fail to effectively distinguish the difference of disturbance between the mechanical subsystem and the hydraulic subsystem, which limits the compensation effect of multiple disturbances, especially for friction nonlinearity. Therefore, the adaptive backstepping-extended state observer position-tracking controller combined with compound friction compensation is proposed to simultaneously compensate for the fast-varying friction disturbance of a mechanical subsystem and the slow-varying matched disturbance of a hydraulic subsystem. The extended state observer algorithm is integrated into the adaptive backstepping controller to suppress the null bias of the average tracking error. The compound friction compensation includes a LuGre model-based compensation and a high-order disturbance observer, which can improve the tracking performance of system and avoids the excessive gain of observer. A large number of comparative experiments are conducted to verify the effective of the proposed controller.
Pollen and non-pollen palynomorph depositional patterns in Kaziranga National Park, India: Implications for palaeoecology and palaeoherbivory analysis
Authors: Basumatary Sadhan K , van Asperen Eline N , McDonald H Gregory , Tripathi Swati , Gogoi Rajib
Published: December 2023

The main aim of this study is to produce a modern analog for pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) preserved in soil in relation to the different vegetation types and herbivore impact in the Kaziranga National Park (KNP). The pollen data obtained reflects both the extant vegetation types in each habitat as well as landuse, but some site-by-site variation was observed with respect to the coprophilous fungal spores present in the palynoassemblage. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) analysis of pollen data reveals the presence of five significantly different vegetation types, while the non-pollen palynomorphs are relatively similar in relation to the different vegetation types. The long-term association of the wildlife and their impact on different vegetation types is one of the main reasons for the variation seen in the depositional pattern in the assemblage. The openland area is one of the most important areas for wildlife in the KNP as indicated by the presence of marker pollen and coprophilous fungal spores in the palynoassemblages. Coprophilous fungal spores were most abundant in this vegetation type reflecting the higher density of herbivores. The representation of pollen and coprophilous fungal spores from the swamp samples reflected the overall composition of all vegetation types existing in the KNP. This data can be utilized as a baseline for the interpretation of paleoecological and paleoherbivory studies in other parts of the Indian subcontinent as well as its potential application at a global level.
5-Fluorouracil-induced toxicity in both male and female reproductive systems: A narrative review
Authors: Pirzaman Ali Tavakoli , Ebrahimi Pouyan , Doostmohamadian Shahrbanoo , Karim Bardia , Almasi Darya , Madani Fatemeh , Moghadamnia Ahmadreza , Kazemi Sohrab
Published: December 2023

The chemotherapeutic drug 5-fluorouracil (5FU) is frequently used to treat a wide range of solid malignant tumors, such as colorectal, pancreatic, gastric, breast, and head and neck cancers. Its antitumoral effects are achieved by interfering with the synthesis of RNA and DNA and by inhibiting thymidylate synthase in both malignant and non-malignant cells. Therefore, it can be responsible for severe toxicities in crucial body organs, including heart, liver, kidney, and reproductive system. Given the fact that 5FU-induced reproductive toxicity may limit the clinical application of this drug, in this study, we aimed to discuss the main locations and mechanisms of the 5FU-induced reproductive toxicity. Initially, we discussed the impact of 5FU on the male reproductive system, which leads to damage of the seminiferous epithelial cells and the development of vacuoles in Sertoli cells. Although no noticeable changes occur at the histopathological level, there is a decrease in the weight of the prostate. Additionally, 5FU causes significant abnormalities in spermatogenesis, including germ cell shedding, spermatid halo formation, polynucleated giant cells, and decreased sperm count. Finally, in females, 5FU-induced reproductive toxicity is characterized by the presence of atretic secondary and antral follicles with reduced numbers of growing follicles, ovarian weight, and maturity impairment.
Antiphospholipid (Hughes) syndrome 40th anniversary
Authors: Jawad Ali SM
Published: December 2023

This article is a celebration of the 40th anniversary of APS, a disease that appears to affect one in 2000 people. The quality of life of patients affected has improved significantly as a result of early diagnosis and effective treatment.
A Bayesian adaptive biomarker stratified phase II randomized clinical trial design for radiotherapies with competing risk survival outcomes
Authors: Park Jina , Hu Wenjing , Jin Ick Hoon , Liu Hao , Zang Yong
Published: December 2023

In recent decades, many phase II clinical trials have used survival outcomes as the primary endpoints. If radiotherapy is involved, the competing risk issue often arises because the time to disease progression can be censored by the time to normal tissue complications, and vice versa. Besides, many existing research has examined that patients receiving the same radiotherapy dose may yield distinct responses due to their heterogeneous radiation susceptibility statuses. Therefore, the “one-size-fits-all” strategy often fails, and it is more relevant to evaluate the subgroup-specific treatment effect with the subgroup defined by the radiation susceptibility status. In this paper, we propose a Bayesian adaptive biomarker stratified phase II trial design evaluating the subgroup-specific treatment effects of radiotherapy. We use the cause-specific hazard approach to model the competing risk survival outcomes. We propose restricting the candidate radiation doses based on each patient’s radiation susceptibility status. Only the clinically feasible personalized dose will be considered, which enhances the benefit for the patients in the trial. In addition, we propose a stratified Bayesian adaptive randomization scheme such that more patients will be randomized to the dose reporting more favorable survival outcomes. Numerical studies and an illustrative trial example have shown that the proposed design performed well and outperformed the conventional design ignoring the competing risk issue.
A stylistic model of the converse of pathetic fallacy
Authors: Pager-McClymont Kimberley
Published: December 2023

This paper builds on Pager-McClymont’s model of pathetic fallacy to show how its converse can equally impact narratives and readers’ or viewers’ perspective of texts. The link between pathetic fallacy and its converse is established, and an identification method is provided. Examples from literature and multimodal texts are provided to explore how the converse of pathetic fallacy is featured in texts and the effects it can have on narratives, especially characterisation. With the use of Conceptual Metaphor Theory, findings show that the mappings good is dark and bad is light (the reverse of the known conceptual metaphors good is light and bad is dark) are prevalent in several instances of PF’s converse, rendering them non-novel mappings despite the lack of research surrounding them.
Industrial Hog Operation Workers’ Perspectives on Occupational Exposure to Zoonotic Pathogens: A Qualitative Pilot Study in North Carolina, USA
Authors: Gigot Carolyn , Lowman Amy , Ceryes Caitlin A. , Hall Devon J. , Heaney Christopher D.
Published: December 2023

Industrial hog operation (IHO) workers face a range of occupational hazards, including exposure to zoonotic pathogens such as livestock-associated antimicrobial-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and swine-origin influenza viruses with epidemic or pandemic potential. To better understand this population's occupational exposure to zoonotic pathogens, we conducted a community-driven qualitative research study in eastern North Carolina. We completed in-depth interviews with ten IHO workers and used thematic analysis to identify and analyze patterns of responses. Workers described direct and indirect occupational contact with hogs, with accompanying potential for dermal, ingestion, and inhalation exposures to zoonotic pathogens. Workers also described potential take-home pathways, wherein they could transfer livestock-associated pathogens and other contaminants from IHOs to their families and communities. Findings warrant future research, and suggest that more restrictive policies on antimicrobials, stronger health and safety regulations, and better policies and practices across all IHOs could afford greater protection against worker and take-home zoonotic pathogen exposures.