bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Automated Detection and Classification of Pavement Distresses using 3D Pavement Surface Images and Deep Learning
Authors: Ghosh Rohit , Smadi Omar
Published: April 2021

Pavement distresses lead to pavement deterioration and failure. Accurate identification and classification of distresses helps agencies evaluate the condition of their pavement infrastructure and assists in decision-making processes on pavement maintenance and rehabilitation. The state of the art is automated pavement distress detection using vision-based methods. This study implements two deep learning techniques, Faster Region-based Convolutional Neural Networks (R-CNN) and You Only Look Once (YOLO) v3, for automated distress detection and classification of high resolution (1,800 × 1,200) three-dimensional (3D) asphalt and concrete pavement images. The training and validation dataset contained 625 images that included distresses manually annotated with bounding boxes representing the location and types of distresses and 798 no-distress images. Data augmentation was performed to enable more balanced representation of class labels and prevent overfitting. YOLO and Faster R-CNN achieved 89.8% and 89.6% accuracy respectively. Precision-recall curves were used to determine the average precision (AP), which is the area under the precision-recall curve. The AP values for YOLO and Faster R-CNN were 90.2% and 89.2% respectively, indicating strong performance for both models. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were also developed to determine the area under the curve, and the resulting area under the curve values of 0.96 for YOLO and 0.95 for Faster R-CNN also indicate robust performance. Finally, the models were evaluated by developing confusion matrices comparing our proposed model with manual quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) results performed on automated pavement data. A very high level of match to manual QA/QC, namely 97.6% for YOLO and 96.9% for Faster R-CNN, suggest the proposed methodology has potential as a replacement for manual QA/QC.
Driving Maneuvers Detection using Semi-Supervised Long Short-Term Memory and Smartphone Sensors
Authors: Li Pei , Abdel-Aty Mohamed , Islam Zubayer
Published: April 2021

Driving maneuvers detection is an important component of proactive traffic safety management and connected vehicle systems. Most of the existing studies used supervised learning concepts to train their models with labeled data. These methods achieved promising results but were limited by the heavy dependence on the labeled data. With the development of mobile sensing technologies, massive traffic-related data can be efficiently collected by mobile devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, etc.). Considering the high costs of labeling data, this paper proposed a semi-supervised deep learning method to learn from the unlabeled data. Data from a smartphone’s accelerometer and gyroscope were collected by different drivers with a variety of smartphones, vehicles, and locations. Three long short-term memory (LSTM) models were trained with the proposed semi-supervised learning algorithm. Experimental results indicated that the proposed semi-supervised LSTM could learn from the unlabeled data and achieve outstanding results with only a small portion of the labeled data. Using much fewer labeled data, semi-supervised LSTM could achieve similar results compared with the supervised method. Moreover, the proposed method outperformed other machine learning methods (e.g., convolutional neural network, XGBoost, random forest) on precision, recall, F1-score, and area under curve. More and more traffic data will be available in the future, the proposed method is expected to make use of the undiscovered potential from the massive unlabeled data.
Development of a Novel Intelligent Speed Adaptation System Based on Available Sight Distance
Authors: Hazoor Abrar , Lioi Alessandra , Bassani Marco
Published: April 2021

Most existing roads were designed without considering the improved performance of modern vehicles and the new onboard technologies available for assisted driving. In addition, vehicles frequently travel at speeds that exceed the maximum considered in road design. For these reasons, the need for speed- and safety-related countermeasures (e.g., field control, mobile or fixed speed cameras, traffic calming measures) is evident. However, these countermeasures are only partially effective and the proportion of crashes that are speed-related remains significant. This investigation is aimed at the development of a new intelligent speed adaptation (ISA) system based on the available sight distance (ASD). In conditions of poor visibility, the system can (i) inform drivers when they are traveling at inappropriate speeds, or (ii) generate warning sounds to the same effect, or (iii) intervene directly and compel the vehicle to adopt the speed which is most appropriate to the particular ASD. As reported in this methodological paper, the functionality of the new ISA system was tested at the driving simulator of the Politecnico di Torino (Italy) and the resulting estimated ASD value was validated and tested successfully. Future experimental investigations will be devoted to assessing the effectiveness of the system on driver speed behavior and decision making.
Experimental investigation of the influence of the hydraulic performance of an axial blood pump on intraventricular blood flow
Authors: Liu Guang-Mao , Jiang Fu-Qing , Yang Xiao-Han , Wei Run-Jie , Hu Sheng-Shou
Published: April 2021

Blood flow inside the left ventricle (LV) is a concern for blood pump use and contributes to ventricle suction and thromboembolic events. However, few studies have examined blood flow inside the LV after a blood pump was implanted. In this study, in vitro experiments were conducted to emulate the intraventricular blood flow, such as blood flow velocity, the distribution of streamlines, vorticity and the standard deviation of velocity inside the LV during axial blood pump support. A silicone LV reconstructed from computerized tomography (CT) data of a heart failure patient was incorporated into a mock circulatory loop (MCL) to simulate human systemic circulation. Then, the blood flow inside the ventricle was examined by particle image velocimetry (PIV) equipment. The results showed that the operating conditions of the axial blood pump influenced flow patterns within the LV and areas of potential blood stasis, and the intraventricular swirling flow was altered with blood pump support. The presence of vorticity in the LV from the thoracic aorta to the heart apex can provide thorough washing of the LV cavity. The gradually extending stasis region in the central LV with increasing blood pump support is necessary to reduce the thrombosis potential in the LV.
Enhanced biomethane production by co-digestion of mixed sewage sludge and dephenolised two-phase olive pomace
Authors: Fragoso Rita , Henriques Ana Catarina , Ochando-Pulido Javier , Smozinski Nicole , Duarte Elizabeth
Published: April 2021

In this study, co-digestion of mixed sewage sludge from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and partially dephenolised two-phase olive pomace (DOP) as a co-substrate was addressed with the aim of improving the biodigestibility of both substrates. The introduction of DOP into WWTP anaerobic digester facilities could significantly increase biomethane production and enhance the sustainability of both activities. An improvement in the system’s performance was supported by stability parameters: total alkalinity increased and stabilised with the addition of 5% v/v DOP, and the specific energy loading rate was maintained at 0.177 ± 0.03 d−1, which indicated better buffer capacity and stability in the bioreactor, and the possibility of enhancing the organic loading rate. In terms of average daily biogas production rate, an increase of 39% was achieved, up to 0.39 ± 0.11 L L−1d−1. Moreover, there was a 40% and 37% improvement in specific methane production and methane production rate, respectively, up to 0.28 ± 0.02 L CH4 g TVS−1 and 0.26 ± 0.08 L L−1d−1. In addition, the proposed strategy leads to an energy saving of 20,328.6 kWh year−1 at the WWTP as a result of the electric energy production surplus, corresponding to an annual saving of €3293.23.
Crossing the Empathy Chasm: Unpacking a Knapsack Full of Unearned Advantage
Authors: Terry Paul E.
Published: April 2021

As demand for diversity, equity and inclusion workshops has risen sharply this past year, I’m not the first to observe that the burden for finding solutions, ironically, gets inordinately placed at the feet of people of color. Ironic, of course, because changing the hearts and minds of Whites is a challenge that needs to be met by Whites. McIntosh’s White privilege scale has inspired a growing number of other scales that help us examine our unconscious bias, privilege and advantages from our lived experiences. Deepening empathy for people of color is a prerequisite to being of any use whatsoever in a profession committed to health equity. An obvious way to cross the empathy chasm is to be sure those who are accountable for finding solutions have a deep affinity with those who are most directly affected by the problems. In my continued work to cross the empathy chasm, the space I take needs to be as someone intent on listening to, learning from and supporting those with empathy to spare.
The Prevalence of Ethnic, Cultural, and Folk Nonprofit Organizations in Increasingly Diverse Communities: A Case of Demand Heterogeneity
Authors: Kim Mirae , Potochnick Stephanie , Olson Kate
Published: April 2021

Building on the nonprofit density literature, we examine county-level factors that are linked to the growth of ethnic, cultural, and folk (ECF) nonprofits, a vital but often overlooked subfield of nonprofits. We draw county-level nonprofit, demographic, socioeconomic, and government data from 1995 to 2015 to examine how community factors, particularly immigrant and racial/ethnic composition, are associated with the number of ECFs. We pay particular attention to the influence of Asian and Hispanic populations, the two largest U.S. immigrant groups, and run national-origin subanalyses. Results suggest that ECFs have increased in counties experiencing new immigrant population growth. However, our study suggests that the growth in ECFs has not been evenly distributed across racial/ethnic groups, and there are important national-origin disparities among Asians and Hispanics. We conclude with a discussion of the importance of attending to how ECFs can support the needs of different racial/ethnic groups to better integrate U.S. communities.
Resilience Thinking in the Rural Human Settlements’ Development and Management
Authors: Chirisa Innocent , Nel Verna
Published: April 2021

The article makes a case for the integration of resilience thinking in the debate on rural human settlements in the regional planning. It observes the numerous definitions of resilience within different research traditions, disciplines and fields, such as sociology, psychology, medicine, engineering, economics, ecology and political science have affected the decision-making processes in different human settlements across the globe. The dynamics of integrating resilience theory and practice into rural settlement planning and implications for sustainable development are little understood. The paper suggests the broadening of resilience drawing on diverse perspectives that appeal to wide ranging interdisciplinary experiences. Using the multi-case study approach, the article suggests how ideas of resilience can be translated into practice and how practices of resilience can be theorised in the context of the regional planning in Zimbabwe. Undoubtedly, an integrated framework for the development country’s space economy should accommodate a wide range of concepts, strategies and models of resilience together with the underpinning policy implementation modalities.
Anticancer Potential of Moringa oleifera on BRCA-1 Gene: Systems Biology
Authors: Balogun Toheeb A , Buliaminu Kaosarat D , Chukwudozie Onyeka S , Tiamiyu Zainab A , Idowu Taiwo J
Published: April 2021

Breast cancer has consistently been a global challenge that is prevalent among women. There is a continuous increase in the high number of women mortality rates because of breast cancer and affecting nations at all modernization levels. Women with high-risk factors, including hereditary, obesity, and menopause, have the possibility of developing breast cancer growth. With the advent of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and surgery in breast cancer treatment, breast cancer survivors have increased. Also, the design and development of drugs targeting therapeutic enzymes effectively treat the tumour cells early. However, long-term use of anticancer drugs has been linked to severe side effects. This research aims to develop potential drug candidates from Moringa oleifera, which could serve as anticancer agents. In silico analysis using Schrödinger Molecular Drug Discovery Suite and SWISS ADME was employed to determine the therapeutic potential of phytochemicals from M oleifera against breast cancer via molecular docking, pharmacokinetic parameters, and drug-like properties. The result shows that rutin, vicenin-2, and quercetin-3-O-glucoside have the highest binding energy of −7.522, −6.808, and −6.635 kcal/mol, respectively, in the active site of BRCA-1. The essential amino acids involved in the protein-ligand interaction following active site analysis are ASN 1678, ASN 1774, GLY 1656, LEU 1657, GLN 1779, LYS 1702, SER 1655, PHE 1662, ARG 1699, GLU 1698, and VAL 1654. Thus, we propose that bioactive compounds from M oleifera may be potential novel drug candidates in the treatment of breast cancer.
Inequality, policy polarization and the income gap in turnout
Authors: Polacko Matthew
Published: April 2021

Previous research into the relationship between income inequality and turnout inequality has produced mixed results, as consensus is lacking whether inequality reduces turnout for all income groups, low-income earners, or no one. Therefore, this paper builds on this literature by introducing supply-side logic, through the first individual-level test of the impact that income inequality (moderated by policy manifesto positions) has on turnout. It does so through multilevel logistic regressions utilizing mixed effects, on a sample of 30 advanced democracies in 102 elections from 1996 to 2016. It finds that higher levels of income inequality significantly reduce turnout and widen the turnout gap between rich and poor. However, it also finds that when party systems are more polarized, low-income earners are mobilized the greatest extent coupled with higher inequality, resulting in a significantly reduced income gap in turnout. The findings magnify the negative impacts income inequality can exert on political behavior and contribute to the study of policy offerings as a key moderating mechanism in the relationship.
Parent stress and coping trajectories in Hispanic and non-Hispanic families of children at risk of autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Hickey Emily J , Stransky Michelle , Kuhn Jocelyn , Rosenberg Jessica E , Cabral Howard J , Weitzman Carol , Broder-Fingert Sarabeth , Feinberg Emily
Published: April 2021

Significant disparities exist between Hispanic and non-Hispanic families in time-to-diagnosis among children identified as at risk of autism spectrum disorder; yet, little is known about parent experiences throughout the diagnostic process that may contribute to or help explain these disparities. The current study examined longitudinal trajectories of parenting stress, coping, and perceived family impact during the autism spectrum disorder diagnostic process among an ethnically and racially diverse low-income, urban sample, allowing for comparisons between Hispanic and non-Hispanic families. Hispanic families reported lower levels of parenting stress (χ2 = 5.35(1), p = 0.021), avoidant (χ2 = 9.66(1), p = 0.002) and approach (χ2 = 8.61(1), p = 0.003) coping, and negative family impact (χ2 = 5.39(1), p = 0.020) across time (main effects) compared with non-Hispanic families. Furthermore, there were differences in the change in use (Time Period × Ethnicity interaction effects) of both avoidant (χ2 = 10.80(3), p = 0.013) and approach (χ2 = 11.57(3), p = 0.009) coping, as well as negative family impact (χ2 = 9.81(3), p = 0.020), between Hispanic and non-Hispanic parents over time. These differences begin to shed light on the unique experiences of Hispanic parents. Because of the strengths that Hispanic families demonstrate, interventions that leverage those strengths and focus on education, empowerment, and resilience might be particularly beneficial for Hispanic families and may also better inform work to increase resilience in non-Hispanic families.

Lay abstract

Little is known about parent experiences throughout the diagnostic process for autism or how these parent experiences may help explain the disparities that exist between Hispanic and non-Hispanic families in time-to-diagnosis among children identified as at risk for autism. The current study examined trajectories of parenting stress, coping, and perceived family impact over time, throughout the autism diagnostic process among Hispanic and non-Hispanic families. Hispanic families reported lower levels of parenting stress, coping, and negative family impact across time. Further, there were differences in the change in use of coping and the amount of negative family impact reported between Hispanic and non-Hispanic parents over time. These differences shed light on the unique experiences and strengths of Hispanic families demonstrate. Interventions that leverage those strengths and focus on education, empowerment, and resilience might be particularly beneficial for Hispanic families and may also better inform work to increase resilience.
Post-work society as an oxymoron: Why we cannot, and should not, wish work away
Authors: Deranty Jean-Philippe
Published: April 2021

In recent years, theorists have contended that we should move to a mode of social organisation where work and the values attached to it are no longer central, a ‘post-work society’. For these theorists, the modern ideology of work is intrinsically unjust, even irrational and no longer suited to the challenges of our time. The article presents an alternative response to the problems of work and employment. Rather than moving to a ‘post-work’ society, the article argues that we should transform the world of work, precisely by keeping in view why working is important to individuals and the community. In fact, it is not realistic to believe that human societies could ever do without work. Because human societies are by necessity work societies, and work, if organised correctly, entails many goods, we cannot really, and we should not, wish work away.
Light, lighting and human health
Authors: Boyce PR
Published: April 2021

Light can impact human health via the visual and non-visual systems originating in the retina of the eye or as optical radiation falling on eye or skin. This paper provides a summary of what is known about these impacts. Topics covered include aspects of lighting likely to cause eyestrain and headaches; increase the risk of falls; induce circadian disruption; enhance sleep; mitigate Alzheimer’s disease and depression; produce tissue damage; alleviate diseases through phototherapy and inactivate viruses through germicidal irradiation. It is concluded that human health is undoubtedly influenced by lighting, but there are four conditions that should be attached to such a simple assertion. First, the impact of lighting on human health can be either positive or negative. Second, human health is affected by many factors other than lighting. Third, the severity of the effects of light exposure can vary widely from the short-lived and trivial to the long-term and fatal. Fourth, the same lighting conditions can have very different health impacts for different individuals depending on their age and medical status. Taken together, these conditions imply that care is required when judging the veracity and relevance of broad assertions about the benefits of lighting for human health.
Addressing organ shortage: An automatic organ procurement model as a proposal
Authors: Morla-González Marina , Moya-Guillem Clara , Rodríguez-Arias David , de Miguel Beriain Íñigo , Molina-Pérez Alberto , Ortega-Deballon Iván
Published: April 2021

Organ shortage constitutes an unsolved problem for every country that offers transplantation as a therapeutic option. Besides the largely implemented donation model and the eventually implemented market model, a theorized automatic organ procurement model has raised a rich debate in the legal, medical and bioethical community, since it could show a higher potential to solve organ shortage. In this paper, we study the main arguments for and against this model. We show how, in the light of empirical data extracted from countries with a universal health care system, its implementation could lead to a positive impact on organ procurement rates. Three factors are envisioned as fundamental in the comprehension and a possible regulation of the automatic organ procurement model: the lack of recognition of the conscientious objection, the preservation of the right to choose end of life conditions, and the need to avoid incentives for families or healthcare professionals.
Are Training and Experience Adapting Evidence-Based Interventions Associated With Self-Efficacy and Attitudes? A Cross-Sectional Survey of Students and Practitioners With Varying Levels of Adaptation Experience
Authors: Escoffery Cam , Foster Maya , Fernández María E. , Haardörfer Regine , Mullen Patricia Dolan
Published: April 2021

Increasing use of evidence-based interventions (EBIs) in local settings will help reduce the research-practice gap and improve health equity. Because adaptation to new settings and populations is essential to effective EBI use, frameworks to guide practice are receiving more attention; most, however, only provide broad guidelines without instructions for making adaptations in practice. Therefore, practitioners may need additional training or technical assistance (TA) to implement and adapt EBIs. This study explores whether practitioners’ and students’ general EBI training or TA and level of adaptation experience are associated with self-efficacy in adapting EBIs and with attitudes toward EBI use. We analyzed baseline survey data of participants in an evaluation of IM-Adapt Online, a newly developed decision support tool. We asked about previous training on EBIs, general and specific adaptation behaviors, and attitudes toward EBIs and found an association between previous training or TA in using EBIs with higher self-efficacy for using and adapting EBIs. Respondents with prior EBI training were significantly more likely to have higher self-efficacy in EBI behaviors across subdomains and in total than those without training. Respondents reported lowest self-efficacy for planning adaptations ( M = 3.35) and assessing fit of EBIs to their local context ( M = 3.41). This study suggests the importance of EBI adaptation training and TA to increase adoption and adaptation of EBIs, subsequently. More adaptation-specific training is warranted to assist students, practitioners, and researchers undertaking the adaptation process and implement EBIs. Future training on EBI adaptation can help practitioners tailor EBIs to meet the specific needs of their populations.
Freebirthing in the United Kingdom: The Voice Centered Relational Method and the (de)Construction of the I-Poem
Authors: McKenzie Gemma
Published: April 2021

Freebirth occurs when women intentionally give birth to their baby without midwives or doctors present in countries and eras in which there are maternity services available to assist them. This paper forms part of a wider project on women’s freebirthing experiences in the United Kingdom. Verbatim transcripts created from face-to-face narrative interviews with 16 freebirthing women were analyzed using the Voice Centered Relational Method (VCRM). VCRM is a feminist methodology that consists of four readings of an interview transcript: reading for the plot and the researcher’s response to it; reading for the I; reading for relationships; and placing people within cultural and social contexts. This paper focuses on the second reading and in particular the creation of I-poems from the data, which require the researcher to focus on sentences made by the interviewee that include the word “I,” and without changing the order of those sentences, to present them in poetic stanzas. While there is literature on this form of data presentation, there is a paucity of information on how to evolve the data from transcript to I-poem and the alternative ways researchers can construct I-poetry. The aims of this paper are to demonstrate the theoretical background to I-poems, the variations in their form, explain the steps taken to create I-poems from interview transcripts from freebirthing women and to highlight poetry as a novel way of disseminating research results beyond an academic audience.
Study on the hygroscopicity of PET foam sandwich structure
Authors: Liu Hao , He Jian , Xie Dongyuan , Xue Qichao , Peng Quansheng
Published: April 2021

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) foam sandwich structure is widely used in the fields of construction, aerospace and shipbuilding. We have conducted research on its hygroscopic phenomenon. Take different sizes of GFRP panels, PET foam and PET foam sandwich structure for moisture absorption tests, analyze the data on the basis of the classic Fick’s law of diffusion to obtain the moisture absorption curves of each sample. And get the diffusion coefficient of the specimen. Then, we use the multi-physics software COMSOL to model and analyze the moisture absorption properties of the specified samples. The moisture absorption curve obtained by theoretical calculation was compared with the experimental moisture absorption curve, and the results showed that the two Good agreement. Tests have proved that the moisture absorption performance of PET foam is much greater than that of GFRP panel material, and the relative moisture absorption is related to the specific surface area of the sample. In the PET foam sandwich structure, the GFRP panel can effectively inhibit the hygroscopicity of the PET foam and has an excellent protective effect on the PET foam.
Terminal sliding mode speed control method of permanent magnet synchronous linear motor based on adaptive parameter identification
Authors: Li Zheng , Zhang Qingshan , An Jinfeng , Xiao Yu , Sun Hexu
Published: April 2021

In order to make the speed adjustment system of the permanent magnet synchronous linear motor more stable and make the convergence performance of the speed control system better, a speed regulator based on the terminal sliding mode algorithm is proposed. In addition, the permanent magnet synchronous linear motor will also be affected by temperature changes during its operation. Aiming to enhance the adaptability of linear motors to parameter changes, a terminal sliding mode speed control idea based on adaptive parameter identification is proposed. The Popov stability theory and the mathematical model of linear motor are used to construct a parameter identification system. The identification flux parameters are used as the control algorithm of the terminal sliding mode speed regulator and the update matching of speed regulator flux parameters and motor system parameters are realized. Through the above algorithm, the performance of the entire speed control system is improved. The results of simulation experiments can illustrate the effectiveness of this control method and its effect on improving the control performance.
Lack of correlation between spinal microgliosis and long-term development of tactile hypersensitivity in two different sciatic nerve crush injury
Authors: Kim Hyoung Woo , Won Chan Hee , Oh Seog Bae
Published: April 2021

Microglia activation following peripheral nerve injury has been shown to contribute to central sensitization of the spinal cord for the development of neuropathic pain. In a recent study, we reported that the amount of nerve damage does not necessarily correlate with chronic pain development. Here we compared the response of spinal microglia, using immunohistochemistry as a surrogate of microglial activation, in mice with two different types of crush injury of the sciatic nerve. We confirmed that incomplete crush of the sciatic nerve (partial crush injury, PCI) resulted in tactile hypersensitivity after the recovery of sensory function (15 days after surgery), whereas the hypersensitivity was not observed after the complete crush (full crush injury, FCI). We observed that immunoreactivity for Iba-1, a microglial marker, was greater in the ipsilateral dorsal horn of lumbar (L4) spinal cord of mice 2 days after FCI compared to PCI, positively correlating with the intensity of crush injury. Ipsilateral Iba-1 reactivity was comparable between injuries at 7 days with a significant increase compared to the contralateral side. By day 15 after injury, ipsilateral Iba-1 immunoreactivity was much reduced compared to day 7 and was not different between the groups. Our results suggest that the magnitude of the early microgliosis is dependent on injury severity, but does not necessarily correlate with the long-term development of chronic pain-like hypersensitivity after peripheral nerve injury.
Can transdisciplinary approaches contribute to the COVID-19 fight?
Authors: Aslan Dilek
Published: April 2021

Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) raised many questions needing answers in order to overcome the disease burden globally. Uncertainty about COVID-19 contributes to the complexity of the burden on the health, social, economic, and cultural influences of COVID-19. In this context, all related disciplines are working together to mitigate the negative influences of the disease. In particular, health promotion, a discipline of public health, matters to the pandemic as it may address the threats at different levels. Health promotion strategies mostly use solution-oriented efforts with inter- and multidisciplinary approaches. Nevertheless, as the COVID-19 burden has many time-critical determinants, these approaches cannot be sufficient to overcome the problem. A transdisciplinary approach in its broader sense using almost all inputs to synthesize and produce an integrative solution may be extremely helpful. In this paper, the importance of transdisciplinary approaches in health promotion to combat COVID-19 has been discussed.
Effect of introducing human papillomavirus genotyping into real-world screening on cervical cancer screening in China: a retrospective population-based cohort study
Authors: Dong Binhua , Zou Huachun , Mao Xiaodan , Su Yingying , Gao Hangjing , Xie Fang , Lv Yuchun , Chen Yaojia , Kang Yafang , Xue Huifeng , Pan Diling , Sun Pengming
Published: April 2021

Background:

China’s Fujian Cervical Pilot Project (FCPP) transitioned cervical cancer screening from high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) nongenotyping to genotyping. We investigated the clinical impact of this introduction, comparing performance indicators between HR-HPV genotyping combined with cytology screening (HR-HPV genotyping period) and the previous HR-HPV nongenotyping combined with cytology screening (HR-HPV nongenotyping period).

Methods:

A retrospective population-based cohort study was performed using data from the FCPP for China. We obtained data for the HR-HPV nongenotyping period from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2013, and for the HR-HPV genotyping period from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2016. Propensity score matching was used to match women from the two periods. Multivariable Cox regression was used to assess factors associated with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of grade 2 or worse (CIN2+). The primary outcome was the incidence of CIN2+ in women aged ⩾25 years. Performance was assessed and included consistency, reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and cost.

Results:

Compared with HR-HPV nongenotyping period, in the HR-HPV genotyping period, more CIN2+ cases were identified at the initial screening (3.06% versus 2.32%; p < 0.001); the rate of colposcopy referral was higher (10.87% versus 6.64%; p < 0.001); and the hazard ratio of CIN2+ diagnosis was 1.64 (95% confidence interval, 1.43–1.88; p < 0.001) after controlling for health insurance status and age. The total costs of the first round of screening (US$66,609 versus US$65,226; p = 0.293) were similar during the two periods. Higher screening coverage (25.95% versus 25.19%; p = 0.007), higher compliance with age recommendations (92.70% versus 91.69%; p = 0.001), lower over-screening (4.92% versus 10.15%; p < 0.001), and reduced unqualified samples (cytology: 1.48% versus 1.73%, p = 0.099; HR-HPV: 0.57% versus 1.34%, p < 0.001) were observed in the HR-HPV genotyping period.

Conclusions:

Introduction of an HR-HPV genotyping assay in China could detect more CIN2+ lesions at earlier stages and improve programmatic indicators. Evidence suggests that the introduction of HR-HPV genotyping is likely to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer in China.
Investigating Visual Crowding of Objects in Complex Real-World Scenes
Authors: Ringer Ryan V. , Coy Allison M. , Larson Adam M. , Loschky Lester C.
Published: April 2021

Visual crowding, the impairment of object recognition in peripheral vision due to flanking objects, has generally been studied using simple stimuli on blank backgrounds. While crowding is widely assumed to occur in natural scenes, it has not been shown rigorously yet. Given that scene contexts can facilitate object recognition, crowding effects may be dampened in real-world scenes. Therefore, this study investigated crowding using objects in computer-generated real-world scenes. In two experiments, target objects were presented with four flanker objects placed uniformly around the target. Previous research indicates that crowding occurs when the distance between the target and flanker is approximately less than half the retinal eccentricity of the target. In each image, the spacing between the target and flanker objects was varied considerably above or below the standard (0.5) threshold to either suppress or facilitate the crowding effect. Experiment 1 cued the target location and then briefly flashed the scene image before participants could move their eyes. Participants then selected the target object’s category from a 15-alternative forced choice response set (including all objects shown in the scene). Experiment 2 used eye tracking to ensure participants were centrally fixating at the beginning of each trial and showed the image for the duration of the participant’s fixation. Both experiments found object recognition accuracy decreased with smaller spacing between targets and flanker objects. Thus, this study rigorously shows crowding of objects in semantically consistent real-world scenes.
Harnessing emerging digital technologies: DataNet operations in eSwatini
Authors: Ahmed Jashim Uddin , Sharif Raihan , Islam Quazi Tafsirul , Ahmed Asma
Published: April 2021

This case study focuses on the impressive work carried out by DataNet. Their dedicated and innovative strategies helped develop the economy of eSwatini (formerly known as Swaziland). This case aims to demonstrate how this ingenious organization promoted eSwatini’s revenue to increase fourfold with DataNet’s advice regarding tax issues. DataNet also successfully executed numerous projects for the government of eSwatini. To name a few, DataNet has implemented the National Fire and Emergency Response System, Customs Automation, Scholarship Systems, as well as Surveillance System— a few of which were milestones for the company and eSwatini’s government. DataNet assimilates services tailored to the client’s needs with their technologies, including Internet of Things, high-performance computing, machine learning, big data platform, and their application on several industries, for example, education, finance, and health security and health. Challenges were encountered by DataNet while working in eSwatini; poor governance, lower Internet penetration rate, and the lack of a skilled workforce were real setbacks. Nonetheless, DataNet has been successful in leaving its mark in over six countries, covering three continents.
Systemic inflammation and protease profile of Afro-Caribbean patients with sepsis
Authors: Borhanjoo Panid , Singh Navneet , Nath Sridesh , Chowdhury MD Sadakat , Swanson Carl , Kaiser Ryan , Geraghty Patrick , Foronjy Robert F , Chow Lillian
Published: April 2021

Objectives:

Sepsis is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality within the healthcare system and remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. A major issue in the diagnosis of sepsis is understanding the pathophysiologic mechanism, which revolves around host immune system activation and dysregulated responses. African Americans are more likely to experience severe sepsis with higher mortality rates compared to the general population. This pilot study characterized multiple inflammatory markers and proteases in plasma of primarily African American and Afro-Caribbean patients with mild sepsis.

Methods:

Plasma was collected from 16 healthy controls and 15 subjects presenting with sepsis, on admission, and again upon resolution of the signs of sepsis, defined as a resolution of sepsis criteria. Plasma samples were analyzed for cytokines, chemokines, and proteases using multiplex bead assays.

Results:

Elevated levels of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, interleukin-10, interleukin-15, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, interleukin-8, interferon gamma-induced protein 10, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, matrix metallopeptidase 12, and cathepsin S were identified in plasma from sepsis patients on admission compared to control subjects. Interleukin-6, interleukin-8, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and cathepsin S were reduced in sepsis patients upon clinical resolution of sepsis.

Conclusion:

These findings profile the circulating inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and proteases in African Americans and Afro-Caribbean patients during sepsis. The role of these targets in sepsis needs addressing in this patient population.
Aspiring to Do All Things Through Him Who Strengthens? Quixotic Hope, Religiosity, and Mental Health in Emerging Adulthood
Authors: Upenieks Laura
Published: April 2021

Beliefs about the probability of educational success tend to be very optimistic in the United States. However, scholars are beginning to uncover mental health consequences associated with quixotic hope—the unrealistic outstripping of expectation by aspiration. Using longitudinal data from Waves 1 and 3 of the National Study of Youth and Religion, this study asks, (1) does religiosity promote or diminish the likelihood of quixotic hope? and (2) does religious attendance and closeness to God mitigate long-term mental health consequences of quixotic hope? Results show that weekly religious attendance had a modest negative relationship with the likelihood of experiencing quixotic hope, while increasing religious attendance over time attenuated the negative mental health consequences of quixotic hope on increases in depression. Closeness to God neither predicted quixotic hope nor played a moderating role for depression. As educational expectations rise, regular religious practice may help protect the emotional well-being of youth.
Pre-Operative Bariatric Surgery Imparts An Increased Risk of Infection, Re-Admission and Operative Intervention Following Elective Instrumented Lumbar Fusion
Authors: Couch Brandon K. , Fourman Mitchell S. , Shaw Jeremy D. , Wawrose Richard A. , Talentino Spencer E. , Boakye Lorraine A. T. , Donaldson William F. , Lee Joon Y.
Published: April 2021

Study Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Objectives:

To evaluate the impact of bariatric surgery on patient outcomes following elective instrumented lumbar fusion.

Methods:

A retrospective review of a prospectively collected database was performed. Patients who underwent a bariatric procedure prior to an elective instrumented lumbar fusion were evaluated. Lumbar procedures were performed at a large academic medical center from 1/1/2012 to 1/1/2018. The primary outcome was surgical site infection (SSI) requiring surgical debridement. Secondary outcomes were prolonged wound drainage requiring treatment, implant failure requiring revision, revision secondary to adjacent segment disease (ASD), and chronic pain states. A randomly selected, surgeon and comorbidity-matched group of 59 patients that underwent an elective lumbar fusion during that period was used as a control. Statistical analysis was performed using Student’s two-way t-tests for continuous data, with significance defined as P < .05.

Results:

Twenty-five patients were identified who underwent bariatric surgery prior to elective lumbar fusion. Mean follow-up was 2.4 ± 1.9 years in the bariatric group vs. 1.5 ± 1.3 years in the control group. Patients with a history of bariatric surgery had an increased incidence of SSI that required operative debridement, revision surgery due to ASD, and a higher incidence of chronic pain. Prolonged wound drainage and implant failure were equivalent between groups.

Conclusion:

In the present study, bariatric surgery prior to elective instrumented lumbar fusion was associated increased risk of surgical site infection, adjacent segment disease and chronic pain when compared to non-bariatric patients.
Osseointegrating and phase-oriented micro-arc-oxidized titanium dioxide bone implants
Authors: Chen Hsien-Te , Lin Hsin-I , Chung Chi-Jen , Tang Chih-Hsin , He Ju-Liang
Published: April 2021

Here, we present a bone implant system of phase-oriented titanium dioxide (TiO2) fabricated by the micro-arc oxidation method (MAO) on β-Ti to facilitate improved osseointegration. This (101) rutile-phase-dominant MAO TiO2 (R-TiO2) is biocompatible due to its high surface roughness, bone-mimetic structure, and preferential crystalline orientation. Furthermore, (101) R-TiO2 possesses active and abundant hydroxyl groups that play a significant role in enhancing hydroxyapatite formation and cell adhesion and promote cell activity leading to osseointegration. The implants had been elicited their favorable cellular behavior in vitro in the previous publications; in addition, they exhibit excellent shear strength and promote bone–implant contact, osteogenesis, and tissue formation in vivo. Hence, it can be concluded that this MAO R-TiO2 bone implant system provides a favorable active surface for efficient osseointegration and is suitable for clinical applications.
Factors Influencing College Football Players’ Beliefs About Incurring Football-Related Dementia
Authors: Baugh Christine M. , Gedlaman Mason A. , Daneshvar Daniel H. , Kroshus Emily
Published: April 2021

Background:

Football participation is associated with risks to acute and long-term health, including the possibility of incurring football-related dementia. Concerns have been raised regarding media coverage of these risks, which may have influenced athletes’ beliefs. However, little is known about football players’ views on football-related dementia. The risk-perception literature suggests that related risk perceptions and features of individual cognition, such as the ability to switch to reasoned, deliberative thinking, may influence individual perception of a long-term risk.

Purpose:

To evaluate factors influencing college football players’ belief that they are likely to incur football-related dementia in the future.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Methods:

Members of 4 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Power 5 Football teams participated in this survey-based study, providing responses to demographic, athletic, and risk-posture questions, and completed the cognitive reflection test. Logistic regressions were used to evaluate relationships between beliefs about football-related dementia and factors including athletic and demographic characteristics, football risk posture, health-risk posture, and cognitive reflection test score.

Results:

About 10% of the 296 participating athletes thought football-related dementia was likely to occur in their future. Skill players had lower odds than linemen of believing that football-related dementia was likely (odds ratio [OR], 0.35; 95% CI, 0.14-0.89). For each additional suspected concussion in an athlete’s career, his odds of believing football-related dementia was likely increased by 24% (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.07-1.45). Acute and chronic football-related risk perceptions, as well as non–football-related health-risk perceptions, were positively associated with athletes’ belief that football-related dementia was likely. Higher cognitive reflection test scores, a measure of ability to switch to slow, deliberative thinking, was positively associated with odds of believing football-related dementia was likely (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.12-2.21).

Conclusion:

Some athletes view football as generally riskier, while others view football as generally lessri sky. These risk postures are informed by athletes’ concussion history, primary playing position, and ability to switch from fast, reactive thinking to slow, deliberative thinking. Ensuring that athletes are appropriately informed of the risks of participation is an ethical obligation of universities; sports medicine clinicians are appropriate facilitators of conversations about athletes’ health risks.
Exploring Integrative Ministerial Education in African Theological Institutions
Authors: Naidoo Marilyn
Published: April 2021

In religious Africa, theological education and ministerial formation are strategically important, as leadership development impacts church practice and supports community well-being and development. In a time of profound fragmentation, the great aspiration of “integration” is seen as a solution to connect and transform ministry training, with little consensus, however, about what the term means. Since African theological education needs to respond to training in innovative ways, this article reports on an African study on integrative theological education. It reveals the institutional and contextual challenges that impinge on educational practice and underlines integration as a key approach to professional education.