bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Blood and Bone: Ancestors, Power, and Sacred Identity Among Nonbinary Black Womxn
Authors: Kerney Monyae A. , Malone Natalie , Hargons Candice N.
Published: August 2024

This community-based participatory action research project led by the C.I.R.C.L.E. (Collective Infiltrating Research to Center Community, Liberation, and Embodiment) employed interpretative phenomenological analysis via eco-womxnist and Afro-Indigenous cosmological frameworks to examine the connection between gendered-racial identity and sacredness among 11 nonbinary Black womxn (NBBW) from the US. Using semi-structured qualitative interviews, we elicited participants’ responses to the following inquiry: Would you we describe being a nonbinary Black womxn as sacred? Why or why not? Data analysis resulted in two themes: (a) Origins of Sacred Powers and (b) Manifestations of Sacred Powers. Four subthemes informed Manifestations of Sacred Powers: Sight/Seers, Osmosis, Intergenerational Healing/Curse Breaking, and Immortality. Participants described these four interconnected manifestations of sacred powers in service of collective and individual liberation, rooted in African spirituality, ancestral power, and the gendered-racial identity. We conclude with implications for future research and clinical practice with NBBW regarding spiritual beliefs, practices, and identities.
Safe path planning of mobile robot based on improved particle swarm optimization
Authors: Guo Bingbing , Sun Yuan , Chen Yiyang
Published: August 2024

Path planning is a fundamental aspect of mobile robot navigation, playing a crucial role in enabling robots to autonomously navigate while avoiding obstacles. Nevertheless, traditional path planning algorithms face navigation challenges, including obstacle avoidance and the potential for getting stuck in local minima or deadlocks along the path. To tackle these challenges, the study proposes an enhanced path planning method based on control barrier function (CBF). This approach introduces a safety velocity adjustment mechanism based on CBF and combines it with the particle swarm optimization (PSO), adjusting the safe speed in global planning and addressing the issue of local minima. Experimental simulations are conducted to validate the flexibility and global optimization performance of the proposed path planning method across various obstacle scenarios.
Improving breaking efficiency of hard rock: Research on the mechanism of impact-shear rock breaking technology
Authors: Ju Pei , Tian Dongzhuang
Published: August 2024

To expedite drilling operations in hard rock of coal mines, a new type of impact-shear drill bit was developed, and its mechanism of speed-up and efficiency increase was studied. The RHT constitutive model was used to describe the structural behavior of rock, and the rock-breaking simulation model of full-size bit was established. Compared with PDC bit and hammer bit, the rock-breaking force, bit torque, and rock stress characteristics of impact-shear bit were analyzed. The results show that, in comparison to PDC bit and hammer bit, the axial force of impact-shear bit was reduced by 68.25% and 71.40%, respectively, and the average torque was reduced by 91.79% and 83.36%, respectively. Notably, for the impact-shear bit, the fluctuation of drilling force was effectively mitigated, the stick–slip vibration of bit was weakened, the rock-breaking energy consumption was drastically reduced, and the rock-breaking efficiency and bit’s life were finally improved. In terms of rock stress characteristics, the pre-impact effect of the central hammer bit of the impact-shear bit can release the internal stress of the rock well, and the stress of the rock element on the hole wall was relatively reduced, thus making it easier for the external PDC bit to break the rock. Field test results show that, under the condition of the small drilling rig, the impact-shear bit can give full play to the pre-crushing function of the impact mechanism, thereby effectively protecting the PDC cutter of external PDC bit, and realizing the fast hole-forming in hard rock of coal mine.
Fat-soluble vitamins as biomarkers of nutritional status and their relation with complications in polytrauma patients
Authors: Verheul Esmee AH , Horzum Ebru , Dijkink Suzan , Krijnen Pieta , Hoogendoorn Jochem M , Arbous Sesmu M , Peters Ron , Schipper Inger B
Published: August 2024

Background and Aims

This exploratory observational prospective study aimed to evaluate fat-soluble vitamin plasma levels during hospital admission and its relation with the development of malnutrition and complications in polytrauma patients, considering the protocolized multivitamin supplementation during intensive care unit (ICU) admission.

Methods

In 49 well-nourished polytrauma (injury severity score ≥ 16) patients admitted to the ICU of two level-1 trauma centers, vitamin A, D, and E levels were assessed weekly during hospital stay. All patients received multivitamin supplementation during ICU stay. Linear mixed-effect models were used to assess a trend in vitamin levels over time during hospital stay. Mixed-effects logistic regression analysis was performed to relate vitamin concentrations with malnutrition, defined as a subjective global assessment score ≤5, and complications.

Results

Vitamin A levels increased 0.17 µmol/L per week (95% confidence interval 0.12–0.22, p < 0.001), vitamin D levels increased 1.49 nmol/L per week (95% confidence interval 0.64–2.33, p < 0.01), vitamin E levels increased 1.17 µmol/L per week (95% confidence interval 0.61–1.73, p < 0.001) during hospital stay (29 ± 17 days). Vitamin levels were not related to malnutrition or complications during hospital stay.

Conclusion

Vitamin A, D, and E levels increased due to supplementation during hospital admission. Plasma levels of vitamins A, D, and E do not seem to be useful as biomarkers for the nutritional status of polytrauma patients during hospital stay. No correlation with complications could be demonstrated.
The consequences of spousal infidelity for long-term chronic health: A two-wave longitudinal analysis
Authors: Hoy Eunicia Q. W. , Oh Vincent Y. S.
Published: August 2024

Objective: Research links low marital quality to poor mental and physical health, but the impact of spousal infidelity on long-term chronic health, especially using longitudinal data, is understudied. The present work investigates whether infidelity predicted long-term chronic health, and whether demographic factors and support or strain from friends or family moderated this relationship. Methods: Using longitudinal data from 2579 adults from the United States (1093 males, 1486 females; Mage = 57.17, Medianage = 56, SDage = 12.26, age range: 33–84 years), we examined associations between partner infidelity and chronic health conditions across two timepoints (T1: 2004–2006, T2: 2013–2014). We analyzed participants’ history of partner infidelity at T1 and its relationship with chronic health through mixed models as well as latent variable structural equation modelling. We also examined whether supportive relationships and demographic variables moderated these associations. Results: Controlling for demographic covariates (age, gender, education, ethnicity, employment, marital status, marital satisfaction and income level), infidelity was linked to poorer chronic health in mixed model analyses ( p < .001), and this finding was also supported in latent variable analyses that controlled for baseline chronic health ( p = .003). Additionally, moderation analyses found that the impact of infidelity on chronic health was larger among low-income individuals and ethnic minorities. Conclusion: Partner infidelity has lasting detrimental associations with chronic health that are not mitigated by positive relationships. The research highlights the potential long-term health implications of partner infidelity and suggests the need for interventions to mitigate such negative effects.
Role of pterygopalatine ganglion in regulating isoflurane-induced cerebral hyper-perfusion
Authors: Zhang Peng , Yuan Dan , Luo Chenglei , Guo Wenjing , Li Fengxian
Published: August 2024

Cerebral perfusion is functionally regulated by neural mechanisms in addition to the systemic hemodynamic variation, vascular reactivity and cerebral metabolism. Although anesthesia is generally esteemed to suppress the overall brain neural activity and metabolism, a few inhalation anesthetics, such as isoflurane, can increase cerebral perfusion, thus heightening the risks of higher intracranial pressure, bleeding, and brain edema during surgery. With the aid of laser speckle contrast imaging, we observed a transient yet limited effect of cerebral perfusion enhancement in mice from awake to anesthetized conditions with different concentration of isoflurane. Retrograde and antegrade tracing revealed a higher proportion of parasympathetic control more than sympathetic innervation for the blood vessels. Surprisingly, isoflurane directly activated pterygopalatine ganglion (PPG) explants and induced FOS expression in the cholinergic neurons. Chemogenetic activation of cholinergic PPG neurons reduced isoflurane-related cerebral perfusion. On the contrary, ablation of the cholinergic PPG neurons resulted in further enhancement of cerebral perfusion induced by isoflurane. While blocking muscarinic cholinergic receptors resulted in the overall reduction upon isoflurane stimulation, the blockage of nicotinic cholinergic receptors enhanced the isoflurane-induced cerebral perfusion only when PPG neurons exist. Collectively, these results suggest that PPG play important roles in regulating cerebral perfusion under isoflurane inhalation.
Interreligious Bullying and Academic Achievement Among Muslim and Non-Muslim Early Adolescents in Germany
Authors: Pistocchi Vieri , Triventi Moris , Agneessens Filip
Published: August 2024

Previous research has consistently found that pupils who are victims of bullying are at higher risk of academic underachievement. This study investigates whether the link between bullying victimization and academic achievement might be stronger when bullying occurs between school kids with a different religious affiliation, and in particular when the victim is a Muslim pupil who is being bullied by a non-Muslims peer. We use entropy balancing matching method in conjunction with multilevel regression analysis among 2320 students (1836 non-Muslim and 484 Muslim pupils) in 181 German school classes (CILS4EU data) collected between 2010 and 2011 to study how bullying victimization during the school year is related to the academic achievement of the bullied student at the end of the school year. Our findings show that interreligious bullying victimization is negatively linked to the victim’s academic achievement when the victim is a Muslim being bullied by a non-Muslim.
Study on the control of macro/semi-macro segregation in unevenly solidified slabs through optimizing soft reduction process
Authors: Geng Hao , Yang Feifei , Luo Yanzhao , Li Haibo , Zhu Hongyu , Wang Pu , Zhang Jiaquan
Published: August 2024

In recent years, concerns have been raising about issues such as poor soft reduction effect and severe center segregation caused by uneven solidification during slab continuous casting. In view of this, a transient heat transfer-solidification model has been employed to reveal the effects of both water flux distribution uniformity and casting speed on uneven solidification morphology together with experimental observation. The industrial trials demonstrate severe segregation near the 1/8 width position of the slab castings. Nevertheless, both the macrosegregation ratio and distribution region markedly decrease by adjusting the soft reduction segments and/or casting speed to align the central solid fraction at the inlet and outlet of the segments with the optimized soft reduction zone. Given the uneven solidification of the slab castings, it's necessary to broaden the soft reduction zone. Additionally, the dimensionless perimeter L of semi-macro segregation was first introduced to characterize the morphological complexity. The optimized soft reduction parameters decrease the size and dimensionless perimeter L of semi-macro segregation, which is beneficial to the minimization of macro/semi-macro segregation.
Grain boundary segregation of B and microstructure evolution in a hot-drawn Fe–B alloy
Authors: Wang Jie , Peng Hongbing , Xie Zhen , Chen Yuyao , Cui Xiangshui , Wang Xiaoyong
Published: August 2024

The grain boundary segregation (GBS) of boron and microstructure evolution in a hot-drawn Fe–B alloy are investigated utilising the Gleeble-1500, Auger electron spectrometer, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, electron back-scattered diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy techniques. The results suggest substantial boron segregation at grain boundaries of the Fe–B alloy during the hot drawing process. In comparison to the contribution of dislocations to boron diffusion coefficients, the influence of vacancies is predominant. With the increase in hot-drawing temperature, the ratio of excess vacancy content to thermal equilibrium vacancy content [Formula: see text] decreases, and the content of low [Formula: see text] (low Sigma coincidence site lattice) boundaries increases, resulting in a reduction in boron GBS content. Additionally, elevating the hot-drawing temperature promotes dynamic recrystallisation and refines the grains. The volume fraction of the <110>//RD (rolling direction) texture component initially increases and then decreases with increasing temperature, reaching a maximum value of 64.6% at 830 °C, while the percentage of the <100>//RD + <111>//RD texture components exhibits the opposite trend, with a peak value of 27.4% observed at 1000 °C.
How do family carers assist people with dementia? A qualitative observation study of daily tasks
Authors: Camino Julieta , Trucco Ana Paula , Kishita Naoko , Mioshi Eneida , Backhouse Tamara
Published: August 2024

Introduction:

As people with dementia progressively experience difficulties when performing daily tasks, family carers often become the main providers of support. Little is known about the role of carer support during task performance. Therefore, Occupational Therapy interventions are often underinformed in this area. Knowledge of how carers assist people with dementia could support Occupational Therapists in promoting participation in daily tasks. The objective was to explore how carers support people with dementia during the performance of daily tasks.

Methods:

A secondary analysis was conducted on observations video-recorded for the TASKed project, where people with dementia completed a task with carer support. Data were analysed using an inductive reflexive thematic analysis approach.

Findings:

Video recordings of 21 dyads were included in this study. Five themes were generated depicting how carers supported people with dementia during task performance: (1) person-enabled assistance, (2) goal-directed assistance, (3) carer-led assistance, (4) partnership-oriented assistance and (5) bystander.

Conclusion:

Our findings suggest carers employ different approaches when assisting people with dementia with daily tasks. Knowledge of these different modes of assistance could help Occupational Therapists and researchers understand what works well and what could be changed to facilitate the participation of people with dementia in daily activities.
Biomass-derived epoxy resin and its application for high-performance natural fiber composites
Authors: Kumar Bijender , Adil Samia , Kim Jaehwan
Published: August 2024

The development of bio-based materials with superior comprehensive properties from biomass resources remains a significant challenge, providing an alternative to conventional petroleum-based materials. This study explores the lignin-derived vanillyl alcohol epoxy (VAE) resin-containing mono and di (m&d) epoxy structure as an adhesive to develop environment-friendly natural fiber-reinforced composites to reduce the carbon footprint. The synthesized m&dVAE containing mono and di-epoxidized (m&d) aromatic rings, when cured with 4, 4´-diaminodiphenyl methane (DDM) hardener, exhibits higher record tensile strength ∼124.0 ± 8.43 MPa and tensile modulus ∼2.88 ± 0.35 GPa compared to a commercial petroleum-based epoxy, diglycidyl ether bisphenol A (DGEBA) thermoset. Additionally, it demonstrated higher adhesion shear strength (∼19.16 ± 0.58 MPa) with cellulose nanofibers film than DGEBA. Moreover, fabricated green composite possesses excellent flexural strength of ∼203.72 ± 2.08 MPa and stiffness of ∼11.58 ± 0.38 GPa than the petroleum-based thermoset composite. The composite’s fracture surface morphology shows that the resin and fibers have good interfacial adhesion. Notably, the sustainable composite showed good hydrophobicity and an excellent heat-resistant index of 144.4°C. The m&dVAE resin can be an alternative to petroleum-based resins as an adhesive, and its environment-friendly sustainable composite could be a promising candidate to replace synthetic materials for high-performance structural applications.
U.S. Secondary Students’ Source-Based Argument Writing in History
Authors: Steiss Jacob , Wang Jiali , Kim Young-Suk Grace , Booth Olson Carol
Published: August 2024

Developing students’ source-based argument writing skills is a vital educational goal for the 21st-century information society. Consequently, researchers and educators continually seek ways to understand and improve students’ capacities for advancing arguments and synthesizing multiple documents, texts, or sources in a range of subject areas in secondary schools. This study examined differences between middle and high school students’ argument essays (N = 207) in multiple dimensions of source-based argument writing in history, the dimensions writing in history, and the relations of identified dimensions to overall writing quality. Using multivariate analysis of covariance, middle and high school students’ writing significantly varied in areas of writing related to language use, the presentation of ideas, and evidence use. Their writing varied less so for skills related to historical thinking, indicating a lack of development in these skills across secondary school. Findings from confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling showed a bifactor model with a general factor and 4 specific factors—Presentation of Ideas, Evidence Use, Language Use, and Historical Thinking—best represented writing in this genre, with the general factor strongly predicting holistic writing scores. Implications for both research and educational practice are discussed, including the importance of attending to developmental variation in discrete writing skills.
Optimal configuration selection in reconfigurable manufacturing system considering variable production rate
Authors: Mittal Kamal Kumar , Vardhan Alok
Published: August 2024

Various manufacturing companies produce different components, parts, or entire products based on market demands. These needs are met by a variety of manufacturing systems. However, in today's dynamic environment where production capacities and company capabilities are subject to change, reconfigurable manufacturing systems (RMS) have emerged as crucial resources. At the heart of RMS lies the reconfigurable machine tool (RMT), which is designed with modular components to adapt to varying requirements. Evaluating the performance of RMS requires an index. This paper employs weighted sum theory to map various characteristics of RMS and develop a cumulative reconfigurability index. To illustrate the applicability of this methodology, a case study is presented, examining both machine and system levels. There are four configurations having eight RMTs arranged in different manner. The cumulative reconfigurability index is calculated for each configuration and the optimal configuration is selected. From this research, it has been observed that the reconfigurability index of system (d) is the highest, with system (a) having a value close to that of system (d).
Varying strain rates and elevated temperatures effects on the mechanical properties of AZ31B magnesium alloy
Authors: Kumar Raj , Mursaleen Mohammad , Harmain G.A.
Published: August 2024

This study investigates the monotonic tensile behavior of magnesium (Mg) alloy AZ31B across a temperature range from ambient (25 °C) to elevated (up to 300 °C) with varying strain rates (SR) (1.5 × 10−2 to 1.5 × 10−4 s−1). Mechanical properties such as ultimate tensile strength ( σu), tensile yield strength ( σy), strain to failure ( εf), plastic anisotropy ( r-value), strain rate sensitivity ( m) and strain hardening exponent ( n) were investigated in this study for these strain rates. As the temperature increased from 25 to 300 °C, the following changes in mechanical properties were observed: the yield strength ( σy) decreased by 84.50%, the ultimate tensile strength ( σu) decreased by 87%, the modulus of elasticity ( E) decreased by 63.0%, and the elongation increased by 72.0%. The reduction factors (RF) were proposed for the above-mentioned mechanical properties for varying temperature ranges. The impact of varying temperatures and strain rates on fracture surfaces was investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The results revealed the presence of tenacity nets, cleavage patterns, and an increasing number of dimples as temperatures increased.
Influence of bioinspired morphing on the flow field characteristics of UAV wings at low Reynolds number
Authors: Jini Raj R. , Rose J Bruce Ralphin
Published: August 2024

The aerodynamic performance of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) can be improved by optimizing the surface flow characteristics over a wide range of angle of attack (AoA) through novel mechanisms. Recently, the bioinspired camber morphing concept has received greater attention because of the proven ability of nature species towards the retention of aerodynamic performance under different environmental conditions. In particular, birds like Eagles ( Accipitriformes) increase their wing camber in the course of flight to achieve maximum climbing altitude with good manoeuvring capability. The biomimetic designs such as the corrugated bone structure of Eel fish ( Anguilliformes) helps to achieve the wing camber morphing with optimal aerodynamic load distributions. The present work is focused on the bioinspired variable camber morphing (VCM) strategy to enhance the flow control behaviour and aerodynamic forces for a specific UAV wing configuration at various AoA. Here, NACA 4412 airfoil is used as a baseline wing configuration and the camber morphing mechanisms which are derived through Eel fish and Eagle are analysed. The model with Eagle wing morphing (EWM) mechanism is considered as a primary case of VCM and Eel fish’s corrugated structure is taken as a secondary case of VCM model. The coefficient of lift ( C L ), coefficient of drag ( C D), coefficient of pressure ( C p) and endurance factor are estimated for both morphed and baseline wing configurations through high fidelity numerical simulations. Interestingly, it is observed that the EWM wing configuration has excellent surface flow control characteristics than the CSM wing configuration and the results are presented with a detailed discussion.
Exploration, Distributed Attention, and Development of Category Learning
Authors: Wan Qianqian , Sloutsky Vladimir M.
Published: August 2024

Category learning is a crucial aspect of cognition that involves organizing entities into equivalence classes. Whereas adults tend to focus on category-relevant features, young children often distribute attention between relevant and irrelevant ones. The reasons for children’s distributed attention are not fully understood. In two category-learning experiments with adults and with children aged 4, 5, and 6 ( N = 201), we examined potential drivers of distributed attention, including (a) immature filtering of distractors and (b) the general tendency for exploration or broad information sampling. By eliminating distractor competition, we reduced filtering demands. Despite identifying the features critical for accurate categorization, children, regardless of their categorization performance, continued sampling more information than was necessary. These results indicate that the tendency to sample information extensively contributes to distributed attention in young children. We identify candidate drivers of this tendency that need to be examined in future research.
A Longitudinal Study of Psychological Distress Among Youth in Peninsular Malaysia and Associated Factors
Authors: Daliana Nik Farid Nik , Aziz Nuraini , Jalaludin Muhammad Yazid , Majid Hazreen Abdul
Published: August 2024

The prevalence of mental health problems among youth worldwide is alarming and a public health concern. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of psychological distress (PD) among youth at two time points, ages 15 and 20 years, and to identify groups that are particularly vulnerable to PD. Utilizing data from the Malaysian Health and Adolescents Longitudinal Research Team study, we analyzed a cohort of 416 participants who underwent mental health assessments in 2014 and 2019/2020. The prevalence of PD increased significantly between the ages of 15 (15.9%) and 20 (34.6%) years. Factors such as parental mental health problems, Indian and other ethnicity, lower maternal education attainment, and alcohol consumption were significantly associated with PD in youth. This study underscores the importance of increasing access to mental health care while improving surveillance and prevention programs to protect youth’s psychosocial well-being.
Inadequate anticoagulation and hyperuricemia cause knee pain after platelet-rich plasma injection: A retrospective study
Authors: Chen Yang , Sang Hongxun , Wu Song , Zhang Haobin , Zhang Yi , Li Hongxing
Published: August 2024

Objectives

Platelet-rich plasma treatment delays the need for total knee replacement in patients with knee osteoarthritis. However, its use and preparation remain controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between anticoagulant use in the preparation of platelet-rich plasma and post-treatment pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Additionally, we explored the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma over medium- and long-term follow-up periods and identified other factors that may affect treatment outcomes.

Methods

In this retrospective study, 225 patients with knee osteoarthritis, who underwent knee platelet-rich plasma treatment from June 2021 to January 2022, were examined at three study centres. Patients were categorised, based on the type and amount of anticoagulant used during platelet-rich plasma preparation, into 4% sodium citrate (SC) 0.6 mL, 4% SC 1 mL, 4% SC 2 mL, heparin 0.1 mL, and heparin 0.2 mL groups. We analysed the patients’ basic information, pain after treatment, and inflammatory markers (i.e., interleukin 6, tumour necrosis factor-α, and hypersensitive C-reactive protein) in the joint fluid via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and joint fluid crystallisation. Additionally, we assessed the patients’ Western Ontario and McMaster University scores and minimal clinically significant differences after treatment.

Results

Patients in the 4% SC 0.6 mL and heparin 0.1 mL groups experienced less pain after platelet-rich plasma treatment than did patients in the high-dose anticoagulant group. The joint fluid of patients with pain in these groups had lower levels of inflammatory markers. Patients treated with SC had slightly better medium- and long-term therapeutic outcomes than did patients treated with heparin. Patients with poorly controlled hyperuricemia also experienced pain after platelet-rich plasma treatment.

Conclusions

The results suggest that platelet-rich plasma prepared using high-dose anticoagulants or administered to patients with poorly controlled hyperuricaemia may lead to moderate-to-severe knee pain and joint effusion after joint puncture therapy. Platelet-rich plasma had a therapeutic effect on knee osteoarthritis; however, its efficacy gradually decreased over time. SC anticoagulant is more suitable for platelet-rich plasma preparation than is heparin. Further studies are needed to understand the safety and the various factors influencing platelet-rich plasma therapy.
Joint Assortment and Price Optimization With Multiple Purchases
Authors: Luan Shujie , Wang Ruxian , Xu Xiaolin , Xue Weili
Published: August 2024

In this article, we incorporate the effects of multi-unit purchases into consumer choice models and investigate the associated joint assortment and price optimization problems. Under the proposed two-stage choice framework, consumers first form a consideration set, and then select a product with the optimal quantity from the consideration set to maximize their utility. For the joint assortment and pricing problem with homogeneous consumers, we find that a multi-purchase-willingness-ordered assortment is optimal under certain technical conditions, and propose a polynomial-time algorithm to find the optimal assortment and prices for general cases. We further show that the optimal prices and assortment size are not monotone in multi-purchase preference and multi-purchase resistance. For the joint assortment and pricing problem with heterogeneous consumers, we first prove that this problem is NP-hard. We then consider a scenario with discrete prices and develop a fully polynomial-time approximation scheme by considering a finite number of consumer segments and nested consideration sets. We conduct an empirical study on the JD.com dataset and show that the new choice framework can improve model fitting and prediction accuracy compared with existing choice models with multiple purchases. We reveal that our model is especially suitable for datasets exhibiting a strong diminishing marginal effect for product variety. We further extend our analysis to price competition and establish the existence and uniqueness of a Nash equilibrium. For the joint optimization with fixed costs, we develop an algorithm that can find a solution guaranteeing at least half the optimal expected profit.
Status Downgrade: The Impact of Losing Status on a User-Generated Content Platform
Authors: Pamuru Vandith , Kar Wreetabrata , Khern-am-nuai Warut
Published: August 2024

Non-financial incentives such as badges, ranks, and status are often used to encourage user participation on online platforms. This study focuses on the effect of one such incentive, “status,” in the context of a third-party restaurant-review platform. In contrast to previous research that has mainly focused on the effects of such incentives on subsequent contributions from users who gained statuses, we explore how the intrinsic and perceived quality of content generated by users is impacted after users lose their statuses. Using natural language processing techniques to extract quality metrics from online reviews in our dataset, we exploit a quasi-experimental setting and demonstrate that even though the intrinsic quality of reviews significantly decreases after a reviewer is demoted by a platform, consumers on the platform nonetheless perceive these reviews as disproportionately useful. We draw on inequity theory and the elaboration likelihood model to theoretically support our empirical results, as well as conduct mechanism analyses to rule out alternative explanations. Furthermore, we find that temporal associations with a platform or with an elevated status do not moderate the effect of status loss on the intrinsic and perceived quality of reviews written post-demotion. The implications of our findings are significant for platform managers who manage the design of status-driven recognition systems and must determine how the change in status should be displayed on the platform.
Designing and prototyping extensions to the Message Passing Interface in MPICH
Authors: Zhou Hui , Raffenetti Ken , Guo Yanfei , Gillis Thomas , Latham Robert , Thakur Rajeev
Published: August 2024

As HPC system architectures and the applications running on them continue to evolve, the MPI standard itself must evolve. The trend in current and future HPC systems toward powerful nodes with multiple CPU cores and multiple GPU accelerators makes efficient support for hybrid programming critical for applications to achieve high performance. However, the support for hybrid programming in the MPI standard has not kept up with recent trends. The MPICH implementation of MPI provides a platform for implementing and experimenting with new proposals and extensions to fill this gap and to gain valuable experience and feedback before the MPI Forum can consider them for standardization. In this work, we detail six extensions implemented in MPICH to increase MPI interoperability with other runtimes, with a specific focus on heterogeneous architectures. First, the extension to MPI generalized requests lets applications integrate asynchronous tasks into MPI’s progress engine. Second, the iovec extension to datatypes lets applications use MPI datatypes as a general-purpose data layout API beyond just MPI communications. Third, a new MPI object, MPIX_Stream, can be used by applications to identify execution contexts beyond MPI processes, including threads and GPU streams. MPIX stream communicators can be created to make existing MPI functions thread-aware and GPU-aware, thus providing applications with explicit ways to achieve higher performance. Fourth, MPIX Streams are extended to support the enqueue semantics for offloading MPI communications onto a GPU stream context. Fifth, thread communicators allow MPI communicators to be constructed with individual threads, thus providing a new level of interoperability between MPI and on-node runtimes such as OpenMP. Lastly, we present an extension to invoke MPI progress, which lets users spawn progress threads with fine-grained control to adapt the communication performance to their application designs. We describe the design and implementation of these extensions, provide usage examples, and highlight their expected benefits with performance results.
Activity of the Tobacco Industry in Research and Scientific Literature
Authors: Braun Markus , Klingelhöfer Doris , Brüggmann Dörthe , Groneberg David A.
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Tobacco companies conduct and fund research. They are not always interested in open-ended research. They promote their interests through public relations campaigns. It’s a proven fact that they influence the scientific community by impairing scientific reputation, especially in the case of health-related research.

Methods

To obtain a comprehensive picture of research and funding activities of the tobacco industry as well as studies about the tobacco industry, respective scientific articles were analyzed in terms of temporal aspects, research areas, networking, and funding sources using established and advanced bibliometric methods.

Results

We found the foci of publications with tobacco industry involvement or funding were mainly in chemistry, toxicology, pharmacology, and agricultural sciences. Health-related scopes occurred much less frequently. In contrast, health and medical sciences were the main focus of publications on the tobacco industry. The Chinese state-owned CNTC was the most research-involved tobacco company and often networked with Chinese academic institutions. Whereas, Western universities, on the other hand, collaborated with tobacco companies to a much lesser extent.

Conclusion

Conflicts of interest of researchers or academic institutions with the tobacco industry occur repeatedly. That is highly problematic and should not be ignored by the scientific community. The science and the public should be skeptical about tobacco industry-supported research.
‘Humans think outside the pixels’ – Radiologists’ perceptions of using artificial intelligence for breast cancer detection in mammography screening in a clinical setting
Authors: Johansson Jennifer Viberg , Engström Emma
Published: August 2024

Objective

This study aimed to explore radiologists’ views on using an artificial intelligence (AI) tool named ScreenTrustCAD with Philips equipment) as a diagnostic decision support tool in mammography screening during a clinical trial at Capio Sankt Göran Hospital, Sweden.

Methods

We conducted semi-structured interviews with seven breast imaging radiologists, evaluated using inductive thematic content analysis.

Results

We identified three main thematic categories: AI in society, reflecting views on AI’s contribution to the healthcare system; AI-human interactions, addressing the radiologists’ self-perceptions when using the AI and its potential challenges to their profession; and AI as a tool among others. The radiologists were generally positive towards AI, and they felt comfortable handling its sometimes-ambiguous outputs and erroneous evaluations. While they did not feel that it would undermine their profession, they preferred using it as a complementary reader rather than an independent one.

Conclusion

The results suggested that breast radiology could become a launch pad for AI in healthcare. We recommend that this exploratory work on subjective perceptions be complemented by quantitative assessments to generalize the findings.
Antecedents and consequences of the creative food tourism experience: Brand equity insights
Authors: Magdy Ahmed
Published: August 2024

This study introduces the creative food tourism experience (CFTE) idea to the fine-dining restaurant market, thereby broadening the understanding of food tourism. It examines the CFTE triggers and possible outcomes and also investigates the role of brand equity. It also incorporates staff cohesion as a personal environmental component and ties the balance theory to the brand experience theory by examining brand equity as a distinct outcome of CFTE. The results of a study conducted on 574 food tourists in authentic Egyptian fine dining establishments show that sensory and personal environment elements have a large and favourable impact on consumers’ CFTE, with restaurant atmosphere having the greatest influence. The results suggest that CFTE influences brand awareness, brand image, and perceived quality. Remarkably, brand trust moderates the relationship between perceived quality and brand loyalty but not the one between brand awareness, brand image, and brand loyalty. The study provided a significant contribution to restaurateurs.
Social media and the negotiation of travel photo authenticity in the making of Wanghongjingdian in China
Authors: Li Yihan , Lee Francis LF
Published: August 2024

Social media have reconfigured place-making in tourism so that industry-led place promotion through professionally produced media representations is nowadays intertwined with bottom-up processes involving online influencers and ordinary people. The emergence of wanghongjingdian (i.e. internet-popular tourist attractions) in China is a case in point. This article aims at contributing to our understanding of the production of wanghongjingdian through a focus on the bottom-up negotiation between influential bloggers and ordinary users, especially on the “authenticity” of travel photos. We conducted a virtual ethnography and visual and textual analyses of 290 blogs on Xiaohongshu, a highly popular visual-oriented platform in China. Three authentication strategies, which relate to existing theoretical conceptualizations of authenticity in nuanced manners, are identified, and the negotiation process between influencers and ordinary users is marked by a critical participatory culture, multiplicity of practices, and individuality-in-community. These features help us understand the production of wanghongjingdian on Chinese social media.
Health monitoring of bonded joints through electrical measurements
Authors: Carraro Paolo Andrea , Pontefisso Alessandro , Panozzo Francesco , Quaresimin Marino , Zappalorto Michele
Published: August 2024

The aim of this research work is to explore the possibility of continuously monitoring the presence of damage in bonded joints through electrical measurements. Initially, an analytical model for estimating the crack length based on the electric resistance increase measured across the bond area is presented. The model is successfully validated through finite element analyses and experimental tests on single lap joints made of a conductive adhesive and aluminium or carbon/epoxy adherends. For the last case, the model is extended to account for damage scenarios where a residual conductivity is present across crack faces, due, for instance, to fibre bridging. Eventually, a procedure for predicting the crack length and the stiffness reduction in bonded joint based on electrical measurement is developed.
State monitoring of brake uneven wear in high-speed train based on multi-source feature fusion
Authors: Zhang Min , Xu Wenxin , Li Jiamin , Meng Xiangyin
Published: August 2024

In the actual operation of high-speed trains, brake friction blocks work in a normal state at most times. In other words, most of the collected datasets on the uneven wear states are highly imbalanced. To address the issue of imbalanced data, a monitoring model based on a multi-head self-attention mechanism and a one-dimensional multi-scale convolutional neural network (MHSA–1DMCNN) is proposed, taking into account the correlation between multi-sources of data. First, multi-source friction interface parameters, such as vibration acceleration, braking noise, and friction coefficient, are collected as sample data to characterize the state of brake friction blocks. The Smote-Tomek method is used for comprehensive sampling of multi-source data. Then, a multi-head self-attention (MHSA) mechanism is utilized to extract important global information from multiple different representation subspaces. And 1DMCNNs are applied to extract friction block state features from multiple scales. Finally, MHSA is constructed to achieve the multi-source feature fusion for monitoring the uneven wear state. The experimental results show that the proposed model can maintain high recognition accuracy under different degrees of imbalance ratios. This provides a new feasible method for monitoring the uneven wear state of high-speed train brake pads under imbalanced data.
Optical Coherence Tomography–Guided Stenting for Common Carotid Free-Floating Thrombus
Authors: Shen Guangxun , Zhao Jingmin , Mao Ying , Yu Xiao , Lee Kwee-Yum , Nan Guangxian
Published: August 2024

A 57-year-old male with a history of esophagus cancer presented with acute dysarthria and mild weakness in his left extremities. Carotid duplex ultrasonography demonstrated a carotid free-floating thrombus (CFFT) in the right common carotid artery (CCA) extending to innominate artery (IA). It was difficult to determine the entity and the proximal end of the thrombus on digital subtraction angiography (DSA), but intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed unique morphological features and identified the exact location of the proximal and distal ends of the thrombus through the number of guide-wire artifacts, facilitating in making an informed decision regarding stent landing. After OCT-guided carotid artery stenting, DSA showed no residual free-floating thrombus and stenosis with complete recanalization in the CCA and IA. Our case highlights the rarity of a CFFT occurring in an uncommon location and OCT as a valuable adjunct to DSA in the management of CFFTs.

Clinical Impact

Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) has traditionally been considered an effective method for visualizing carotid free-floating thrombus (CFFT), but it falls short in providing detailed structures of the lumen and the composition of thrombi, making it challenging to determine the etiology. Intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a valuable adjunct to DSA that can precisely evaluate the characteristics of the intrinsic vessel wall and accurately distinguish between red and white thrombus, providing clues to the etiology of CFFTs. Moreover, OCT not only precisely determined the scope of a floating thrombus but also provided guidance for decision-making in endovascular treatment.
The Partisan Vote: Shared Partisanship and Constituent Service in the U.S. Congress
Authors: Snyder Rochelle
Published: August 2024

The theory of the “personal vote” assumes that constituent service, or the process by which members of Congress help their constituents navigate the federal bureaucracy, is a component of representation that transcends partisanship. However, recent research suggests that affective polarization and negative partisanship may discourage constituents from reaching out to ask for help from cross-partisan legislators. Using a conjoint experiment, I show that shared partisanship has a strong effect on constituents’ decisions about which of their legislators to contact for assistance. However, positive in-party affect is unrelated to these preferences, suggesting that negative partisanship is responsible for this result. Gender and seniority also matter for constituents’ preferences even when accounting for shared partisanship. The results suggest that legislators’ ability to build a “personal vote” by performing constituent service may be weakened in an era of strong partisanship.
NIMBY Syndrome and Abortion Access
Authors: Doherty David , Garbarski Dana , Shapsis Sasha
Published: August 2024

The potential for “not-in-my-backyard” (NIMBY) sentiments to shape public attitudes is well-documented. However, to date, research on NIMBYism has focused on attitudes about building substantial infrastructure that may undermine property values (e.g., wind turbines; affordable housing) and the opening of facilities like homeless shelters or drug rehabilitation centers that residents may fear will attract unsavory clientele to their neighborhood. Here we demonstrate that NIMBY considerations can also shape attitudes about a “hot button” social issue that is typically not thought of in NIMBY terms: abortion policy. We show that residents of an urban area adjacent to states that recently imposed restrictive abortion policies are less supportive of facilitating abortion access for out-of-state patients when those services would be provided in their own neighborhood, as opposed to in their state.
Emergent Life: Opening Our Lives to Differenciation and to Response-Ability, as We Turn Our Critical Gaze on the Enunciative Regularities That Hold the World the Same
Authors: Davies Bronwyn
Published: August 2024

In this article, I explore a range of concepts that enable those of us who work with children to break free from some of those enunciative regularities that function to hold the way things are, in place. The term “enunciative regularities” comes from Foucault, who advocated breaking open words and propositions to find what work they do, what systems they perpetuate. The way we speak the world into existence, and the ways we interpret that mode of speaking, can be taken for granted, by us, as the unquestionable truth of the world and of ourselves. We are, in general, not very accomplished at turning our reflexive gaze on the words and propositions that we are enmeshed in, and thus are not readily able to break them open. Turning our critical gaze on those enunciative regularities is vital, I suggest, if we want to bring about change in the way we order the world—and the ways the world orders us. The work of philosophy, in developing new concepts, enables us to look and to listen differently, and to creatively evolve beyond some of our unquestioned enunciative entrapments.