bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Harmonics resonance elimination technique using active static compensation circuit
Authors: Antar Rakan Khalil , Suliman Mohammed Y. , Saleh Asef A.
Published: October 2021

The existence of nonlinear loads produces high distortion and low power factor in the power system that leads to get poor power quality. Resonance problem is occurred due to the power system inductances and the compensation capacitors which increases the harmonic distortion. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent the action of resonance even if conventional or modern methods are built to improve the power system quality. In this paper, active static compensation circuit is proposed and designed to have the features of improving power factor, reducing THD, and eliminating the harmonics resonance effect at the same time with different linear and nonlinear load conditions. These features have been performed based on a modified pulse width modulation technique to drive and control the proposed circuit. The originality designed point of this technique is to have ability to operate the active static compensation circuit as harmonics injector, power factor corrector and resonance eliminator at the same time. Simulation model results illustrate that the proposed circuit is effective for both steady-state and transient operations conditions. The THD of the supply voltage and current at firing angle (α=300) is reduced by 99% and 98.8% respectively. While the power factor is improved to stay around unity.
A FPGA threshold-based fall detection algorithm for elderly fall monitoring with verilog
Authors: Lo Pui Mun , Aziz Azniza Abd
Published: October 2021

Fall is one of the leading causes of accidental or unintentional injury deaths worldwide due to serious injuries such as head traumas and hip fractures. As life expectancy improved, the rapid increase in aging population implied the need for the development of vital sign detector such as fall detector to help elderly in seeking for medical attention. Immediate rescue could prevent victims from the risk of suspension trauma and reduce the mortality rate among elderly population due to fall accident effectively. This paper presents the development of FPGA-based fall detection algorithm using a threshold-based analytical method. The proposed algorithm is to minimize the rate of false positive fall detection proposed from other researchers by including the non-fall events in the data analysis. Based on the performance evaluation, the proposed algorithm successfully achieved a sensitivity of 97.45% and specificity of 97.38%. The proposed algorithm was able to differentiate fall events and non-fall events effectively, except for fast lying and fall that ending with sitting position. The proposed algorithm shows a good result and the performance of the proposed algorithm can be further improved by using an additional gyroscope to detect the posture of the lower body part.
Wide-band metamaterial perfect absorber through double arrow shape printed on a thin dielectric
Authors: Ali Siti Adlina Md , Abu Maisarah , Zabri Siti Normi , Hamzah Shipun Anuar
Published: October 2021

A wide-band metamaterial perfect absorber was introduced. The dual arrow shapes and the ground plane were in between the 0.0035λ TLY-3. Lump element technique was applied to enhance the absorption bandwidth, which was connected between both of the arrow structures. The limitation during fabrication process in using lump element, had seriously restricted its practical applications for microwave absorption. Then, a very thin line was connected between both arrow structures to represent the resistance by lump element which was expected to ease the fabrication process and practical applications as well. Four cases were analyzed: double arrow, double arrow with lump connected, double arrow with lump connected and 9 mm air gap, and thin line connected with 6 mm air gap. The fourth case achieved the highest operational absorbency frequency, which developed about 7.38 GHz (3.87 GHz to 11.25 GHz) approximately to 7.38 GHz. Three resonant frequencies were achieved; 4.17 GHz, 6.09 GHz and 10.30 GHz with perfect absorbency. These properties are expected to be used in practical applications such as satellite and radar communications transmission. These properties of the metamaterial absorber could increase the functionality of the metamaterial absorber to be used in any application especially in reducing radar cross section for stealth application.
An implementation of real-time detection of cross-site scripting attacks on cloud-based web applications using deep learning
Authors: Ayo Isaac Odun- , Abasi Williams Toro- , Adebiyi Marion , Alagbe Oladapo
Published: October 2021

Cross-site scripting has caused considerable harm to the economy and individual privacy. Deep learning consists of three primary learning approaches, and it is made up of numerous strata of artificial neural networks. Triggering functions that can be used for the production of non-linear outputs are contained within each layer. This study proposes a secure framework that can be used to achieve real-time detection and prevention of cross-site scripting attacks in cloud-based web applications, using deep learning, with a high level of accuracy. This project work utilized five phases cross-site scripting payloads and Benign user inputs extraction, feature engineering, generation of datasets, deep learning modeling, and classification filter for Malicious cross-site scripting queries. A web application was then developed with the deep learning model embedded on the backend and hosted on the cloud. In this work, a model was developed to detect cross-site scripting attacks using multi-layer perceptron deep learning model, after a comparative analysis of its performance in contrast to three other deep learning models deep belief network, ensemble, and long short-term memory. A multi-layer perceptron based performance evaluation of the proposed model obtained an accuracy of 99.47%, which shows a high level of accuracy in detecting cross-site scripting attacks.
Goal location prediction based on deep learning using RGB-D camera
Authors: Hakim Heba , Alhakeem Zaineb , Al-Darraji Salah
Published: October 2021

In the navigation system, the desired destination position plays an essential role since the path planning algorithms takes a current location and goal location as inputs as well as the map of the surrounding environment. The generated path from path planning algorithm is used to guide a user to his final destination. This paper presents a proposed algorithm based on RGB-D camera to predict the goal coordinates in 2D occupancy grid map for visually impaired people navigation system. In recent years, deep learning methods have been used in many object detection tasks. So, the object detection method based on convolution neural network method is adopted in the proposed algorithm. The measuring distance between the current position of a sensor and the detected object depends on the depth data that is acquired from RGB-D camera. Both of the object detected coordinates and depth data has been integrated to get an accurate goal location in a 2D map. This proposed algorithm has been tested on various real-time scenarios. The experiments results indicate to the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
“Nous alone enters from outside” - Aristotelian embryology and early Christian philosophy
Authors: Connell Sophia
Published: October 2021

In a work entitled On the Generation of Animals, Aristotle remarks that “intellect (nous) alone enters from outside (thurathen)”. Interpretations of this passage as dualistic dominate the history of ideas and allow for a joining together of Platonic and Aristotelian doctrine on the soul. This, however, pulls against the well-known Aristotelian position that soul and body are intertwined and interdependent. The most influential interpretations thereby misrepresent Aristotle’s view on soul and lack any real engagement with his embryology. This paper seeks to extract the account of intellect (nous) in Aristotelian embryology from this interpretative background and place it within the context of his mature biological thought. A clear account of the actual import of this statement in its relevant context is given before explaining how it has been misunderstood by various interpretative traditions. The paper finishes by touching on how early commentary by Christian writers, freed as it was from the imperative to synthesise Greek philosophy, differed from those that came after. While realising that Aristotle’s position would not aid them in their explanations of the soul’s survival after death, their engagement with Aristotle’s science allowed for other aspects of theology concerning the fittingness of soul to body.
The Place of Human Beings in the Natural Environment - Aristotle’s Philosophy of Biology and the Dominant Anthropocentric Reading of Genesis
Authors: Mingucci Giulia
Published: October 2021

In a seminal essay from 1967, historian Lynn White, Jr., argues that the profound cause of today’s environmental crisis is the anthropocentric perspective, embedded in the Christian “roots” of Western tradition, which assigns an intrinsic value to human beings solely. Though White’s thesis relies on a specific tradition – the so-called “dominant anthropocentric reading” of Genesis – the idea that anthropocentrism provides the ideological basis for the exploitation of nature has proven tenacious, and even today is the ground assumption of the historical and philosophical debate on environmental issues. This paper investigates the possible impact on this debate of a different kind of anthropocentrism: Aristotle’s philosophy of biology. The topic is controversial, since it involves opposing traditions of interpretations; for the purpose of the present paper, the dominant anthropocentric reading of Gen. 1.28 will be analyzed, and the relevant passages from Aristotle’s De Partibus Animalium, showing his commitment to a more sophisticated anthropocentric perspective, will be reviewed.
Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness in Association With Aircraft Noise Exposure:Long-Term Observation and Potential Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown
Authors: Wojciechowska Wiktoria , Januszewicz Andrzej , Drożdż Tomasz , Rojek Marta , Bączalska Justyna , Terlecki Michał , Kurasz Karol , Olszanecka Agnieszka , Smólski Mikołaj , Prejbisz Aleksander , Dobrowolski Piotr , Grodzicki Tomasz , Hryniewiecki Tomasz , Kreutz Reinhold , Rajzer Marek
Published: October 2021

In a cross-sectional analysis of a case-control study in 2015, we revealed the association between increased arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity) and aircraft noise exposure. In June 2020, we evaluated the long-term effects, and the impact of a sudden decline in noise exposure during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown, on blood pressure and pulse wave velocity, comparing 74 participants exposed to long-term day-evening-night aircraft noise level
>
60 dB and 75 unexposed individuals. During the 5-year follow-up, the prevalence of hypertension increased in the exposed (42% versus 59%,
P
=0.048) but not in the unexposed group. The decline in noise exposure since April 2020 was accompanied with a significant decrease of noise annoyance, 24-hour systolic (121.2 versus 117.9 mm Hg;
P
=0.034) and diastolic (75.1 versus 72.0 mm Hg;
P
=0.003) blood pressure, and pulse wave velocity (10.2 versus 8.8 m/s;
P
=0.001) in the exposed group. Less profound decreases of these parameters were noticed in the unexposed group. Significant between group differences were observed for declines in office and night-time diastolic blood pressure and pulse wave velocity. Importantly, the difference in the reduction of pulse wave velocity between exposed and unexposed participants remained significant after adjustment for covariates (−1.49 versus −0.35 m/s;
P
=0.017). The observed difference in insomnia prevalence between exposed and unexposed individuals at baseline was no more significant at follow-up. Thus, long-term aircraft noise exposure may increase the prevalence of hypertension and accelerate arterial stiffening. However, even short-term noise reduction, as experienced during the COVID-19 lockdown, may reverse those unfavorable effects.
Enhanced Sp1/YY1 Expression Directs
CBS
Transcription to Mediate VEGF-Stimulated Pregnancy-Dependent H
2
S Production in Human Uterine Artery Endothelial Cells
Authors: Bai Jin , Chen Dong-bao
Published: October 2021

Pregnancy and VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) stimulate uterine artery endothelial cell (UAEC) hydrogen sulfide production via selectively upregulating CBS (cystathionine β-synthase) but not CSE (cystathionine γ-lyase) expression. This study was conducted to determine the mechanisms by which VEGF utilizes to stimulate pregnancy-dependent upregulation of CBS and hydrogen sulfide production in human UAEC. The proximal human
CBS
promoter contains 4 Sp1 (specificity protein 1; a/b/c/d) sites and 1 YY1 (Yin Yang 1) site; luciferase assays using reporter genes driven by human
CBS
promoter with a series of 5′-deletions identified a promoter sequence (−574 to −394) containing Sp1d and the YY1 sites critical for basal and VEGF-stimulated
CBS
promoter activation. VEGF stimulated pregnancy-dependent recruitment of Sp1 to Sp1d and YY1 to YY1 and also recruited YY1 to Sp1c and increased Sp1/YY1 association in pregnant human UAEC, suggesting formation of a Sp1/YY1 complex at the Sp1c site. Endothelial Sp1 and YY1 proteins were significantly greater in pregnant than nonpregnant human uterine artery. VEGF stimulated pregnancy-dependent Sp1 and YY1 protein expression in vitro. Treatment with Sp1 and YY1 siRNAs completely blocked Sp1/YY1-mediated pregnancy-dependent CBS protein upregulation and hydrogen sulfide production by VEGF in human UAEC. VEGF did not
trans
-activate
CSE
promoter or increase CSE expression, and Sp1/YY1 knockdown did not affect CSE expression in human UAEC. Thus, pregnancy augments EC Sp1 and YY1 expression and promotes the recruitment of Sp1/YY1 to their DNA-binding sequences in proximal human
CBS
promoter to upregulate CBS transcription, underlying a novel mechanism to mediate VEGF-stimulated pregnancy-dependent endothelial hydrogen sulfide production in the human uterine artery.
Matriphagy in five species of the genus Anelosimus (Araneae: Theridiidae)
Authors: de Fatima Rocha Dias M. , Rios V.P. , Vasconcellos-Neto J. , Viera C.
Published: October 2021

Parental care has evolved numerous times in many taxonomic groups of animals. Matriphagy, as an extreme example of parental care, is present in many social species, subsocial species, and even in solitary spiders. Here, we describe matriphagy in five species of Anelosimus of different levels of sociality: social (A. dubiosus), intermediate social (A. jabaquara), subsocial (A. vierae, A. baeza), and solitary (A. nigrescens). Each group contained a female and its brood, maintained under standardized laboratory conditions. All species showed matriphagy, regardless of their social level. Further studies are necessary to clarify whether matriphagy is a necessary precondition for the evolution of sociality in spiders, or if it is phylogenetically conserved in some families.
Ontogeny of scent marking behaviours in an apex carnivore
Authors: Allen Maximilian L. , Wittmer Heiko U. , Alexander Emmarie P. , Wilmers Christopher C.
Published: October 2021

Puma (Puma concolor) communication with conspecifics is via indirect scent marking behaviours that are important for individuals to advertise their territory and reproductive status, but little is known about how the behaviours develop with age. To examine the development of scent marking behaviours, we monitored the behaviours of adult pumas and dependent kittens. Based on video recordings, we found that the frequency of puma communication behaviours significantly changed over time. Kittens exhibited olfactory investigation more frequently as they aged, but kittens generally did not exhibit scent marking behaviours. Kittens travel with their mothers until they disperse, so there is no need to establish territories or advertise availability to mate, but kittens are at risk of injury or mortality from other pumas. It is possible that there is no functional need for dependent kittens to scent mark until they mature, but there is a need for frequent use of investigative behaviours.
Breeding behaviour of ectotherms at high latitudes: the case of the natterjack toad Epidalea calamita at its northern range limit
Authors: Saare Linda , Rannap Riinu
Published: October 2021

We explored the breeding behaviour of a threatened amphibian, the natterjack toad, at its northern range limit in Estonia, to determine the extent to which reproduction is affected by harsh and unstable climatic conditions. Using photo identification of specimens, we found that in optimal weather conditions males formed three breeding cohorts, while in adverse conditions only a single cohort occurred and under extreme conditions reproduction was skipped entirely. During the extended breeding season, larger males participated in reproduction throughout the breeding period, while smaller males appeared in later cohorts. Breeding success was related to the calling effort of a male, where larger males had greater mating success than smaller ones. We found that the natterjack toad males exhibit significant plasticity in reproductive behaviour at the northern range limit, which, given the energetic cost of reproduction and the increased risk of predation, allows them to increase their fitness at high latitudes.
Post-true Politics and Secular-Religious Relations
Authors: Katz Yaron
Published: October 2021

Post-true is defined as partial information that is aimed at achieving a political goal while using the truth but not the whole truth. The paper examines the impact of post-true politics in political systems, concentrating on the secular-religious relations in Israeli politics. The significant of Israeli politics as a test case to examine the validity of post-true in modern politics is since a long-standing compromise has identified Israeli politics and society on religious issues. This compromise consists of an agreed status-que under which all segments of society accept a post-true environment and agree not to agree and not to argue on the volatile issue of state and religion relations. The examination is based on analysis of post-true in Israeli politics according to four leading theories of truth: correspondence, coherence, pragmatic and pluralistic. The purpose of explicating the four theories is to show that the relations between secular and religious groups can be examined according to different standards for truth. The paper predicts that the social, political and religious conflict that identifies Israel since its establishment is going to continue with full force in the years to come, since the post-true environment that this conflict is based upon serves the social aspirations and the political interests of different political parties.
The Rhythm of Communal Identity
Authors: Okpaleke Ikenna Paschal
Published: October 2021

The relationship between language, music and cultural identity has always been of special interest in the social sciences, especially in the areas of anthropology, social psychology and ethnomusicology. The main argument revolves on how language reflected through music positively impacts on the identity of a social group, and what happens where this is lacking. Cultures die and languages go into extinction when there are no creative ways of keeping them alive. The aim of this essay is to investigate how the culture and language of a particular society could be safeguarded through music. Beyond the theoretical framework, I shall substantiate this investigation with the example of the Igbo people of Southeastern Nigeria, whose cultural identity is seriously threatened by the lack of interest in the local language among the people. Part of this disinterestedness is caused by the unique tendency of Igbo people to travel outside their original communities and to culturally adapt in their diaspora communities. This essay therefore aims at a) addressing this problem of identity through a sociological analysis of communal identity, and b) seeking how identity could be rediscovered through music that is delivered in a local language, illustrated with the example of Igbo cultural group. It is hoped that such analysis would aid in presenting another means of safeguarding endangered local languages, which invariably has a lot of implications for the cultural identity of the group involved. Of course, the analysis that is advanced here is not limited to the Igbo since the argument is based on a general epistemological function of music and language with respect to cultural identity.
A Reference-Dependent-Preferences-Based Model of Extended Warranty Purchase Decisions
Authors: Lee Hyeong-Tak , Venkataraman Sriram
Published: October 2021

Durable goods often come bundled with limited-time and sometimes generous factory/base warranties. Yet, for many durable goods, customers purchase extended warranties against which they rarely make claims. This study offers a reference-dependent-preferences-based theoretical explanation for why consumers purchase extended warranties even if their purchased good is already covered by a base warranty. The authors show that consumers treat base warranties as a reference point, thereby creating a qualitative difference in the valuation of an extended warranty on the purchased product. The proposed theory model is validated using observational data from the automobile industry and shows how the reference-dependent-preferences-based effect varies with vehicle quality and macroeconomic conditions. The analyses reveal auto buyers’ elevated loss-aversion motivations and higher price sensitivity during weaker macroeconomic conditions than during more robust macroeconomic conditions. Finally, the authors use the empirical model to identify opportunities for auto dealers to engage in targeted price promotions as a function of prevailing macroeconomic conditions. These findings have important implications for marketing managers, as they provide valuable guidance on when an extended warranty should be promoted, to whom it should be promoted, and which extended warranty should be marketed.
Charismatic Tour-Guiding: Scale Development and Validation
Authors: Teng Hsiu-Yu , Tsaur Sheng-Hshiung
Published: October 2021

Charismatic leadership has been conceptualized as a signaling process whereby a leader influences followers to achieve effective management. Although there have been many studies on charismatic leadership, no scale exists to measure tour leaders’ charismatic guiding. Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable charismatic-guiding scale for tour leaders, from the perspectives of both tour leaders and tour members. Through a rigorous development process, the study’s 20-item, 4-dimensional tour leaders’ charismatic-guiding scale was proven to be valid and reliable. The novel scale may function as a tool for tour leaders to measure their charismatic guiding as well as for travel agencies in their assignment of tour leaders. This study applied charismatic leadership theory to tourism, furthering knowledge of charismatic guiding in tour leaders and establishing a foundation for future theoretical development.
Competitors or Complements: A Meta-analysis of the Effect of Airbnb on Hotel Performance
Authors: Yang Yang , Nieto García Marta , Viglia Giampaolo , Nicolau Juan Luis
Published: October 2021

The rise of peer-to-peer accommodation has challenged the traditional hotel business model. A lingering question is the effect of Airbnb supply on hotel performance. By analyzing 466 estimates from 33 different studies, our results reveal that the negative effect of Airbnb supply on hotel performance is moderate. The meta-regression of effect size recognizes the significant effects of different factors on the strength of the negative effect. In particular, the negative effect is smaller for high-end (vs. low-end) hotels, and its magnitude is shrinking over time. Additionally, the detrimental effect is less pronounced for European (vs. Asian) hotels. The study also reports that negative effects are more common in research published in academic journals. The synthesis of the effects across existing studies contributes to a robust and comprehensive understanding of the impact of Airbnb supply on hotel performance.
Pharyngeal Ulcer as the First Sign of Pemphigus
Authors: Liu Dong , Li Maocai , Li Lianqing , Gong Lili , Zhang Zuping
Published: October 2021

Pemphigus is a rare autoimmune mucocutaneous bullous disease that can be life-threatening. We report a case of pemphigus vulgaris with pharyngeal ulcer as the initial presentation that was treated with glucocorticoid therapy.
Foreign Investment and Stock Price Informativeness: Evidence From the Shanghai (Shenzhen)–Hong Kong Stock Connect
Authors: Lei Zhen , Lu Haitian
Published: October 2021

This article investigates the impact of heterogeneous foreign investment on home market stock price informativeness. Evidence from China’s nascent A-share market shows non-segmented foreign investment reduces firms’ stock return synchronicity, while segmented foreign investment does not. Using the Shanghai (Shenzhen)–Hong Kong Stock Connect program as a natural experiment that exogenously increases non-segmented foreign ownership, we find that synchronicity drops significantly for program stocks relative to the control stocks. Our results are most consistent with an “informed trading” explanation, rather than a “learning” or “governance” explanation. These results have policy implications for stock market liberalization programs.
Adverse neurological events after sodium tetradecyl sulfate foam sclerotherapy – A prospective, observational study of 8056 treatments
Authors: Davies Huw OB , Watkins Mike , Oliver Richard , Berhane Sarah , Bradbury Andrew W
Published: October 2021

Background

Ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS) is a flexible and highly utilised tool in the treatment of varicose veins (VVs), both as a primary treatment and as an adjunct to other treatments. Concern remains regarding the risk of neurological adverse events (AEs) such as migraine, visual disturbance and serious adverse events (SAEs) such as cerebrovascular accident that have been reported after UGFS treatments.

Aim

To determine the incidence of neurological AEs and SAEs after UGFS.

Methods

A prospective, multicentre, post-authorisation safety study across Europe (both private and government) was performed between January 2015–2020. Neurological adverse events after UGFS with Fibrovein® (Sodium Tetradecyl Sulfate) 1 and 3% physician generated foam.

Results

8056 patients underwent treatment. There were 46 AE (including 5 SAEs), 30 (65%) SAEs were in female patients. Mean age was 55 years with mean body mass index (BMI) of 27. Univariable logistic regression demonstrate that UGFS only treatment (i.e. no adjunctive treatment), liquid-to-gas ratio, gas type and total foam volume (1% sodium tetradecyl sulfate, STS) were significantly associated with the odds of experiencing the outcome. Multivariable logistic regression model exhibits that migraine and total foam volume (1% STS) maintained statistical significance thus associated with the odds of adverse events.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that UGFS with Fibrovein is safe with a very low incidence of neurological AEs and SAEs. Past history of migraine, use of physiological gas (O2/CO2) and increasing volumes of 1% foam increase the risk of AEs.
Hypofractionated radiotherapy for nonmelanoma skin cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: experience in 31 cases
Authors: Piccinno Roberta , Berti Emilio , Barei Francesca
Published: October 2021

As a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, radiation therapies have been modulated to reduce the risk of infection during outpatient activities and hypofractionated regimens or radiotherapy delay for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) were suggested. Hypofractionated radiotherapy not only may confer no disadvantage in regard to outcome when compared to a more protracted schedule but might also reduce the risk of infection. We report the experience of a dermatologic radiation therapy department concerning a group of patients with a diagnosis of NMSC selected for a radiation treatment plan aimed to minimize the number of their accesses to our department.
Do Triarchic Psychopathy Components of New Zealand High-Risk Parolees Predict Probation Officer Relationship Quality, Quality of Life on Parole, and Recidivism?
Authors: Polaschek Devon L.L. , Bell Rebecca K. , Casey Allanah R. , Dickson Sophie R. , Yesberg Julia A.
Published: October 2021

The Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM) is a self-report scale based on the Triarchic Model that has been little used in research in the criminal justice system. We sought to examine associations between pre-release TriPM components, probation officer relationships, and parolee quality of life, both measured after 2 months in the community, and reconviction 12 months after release. Using data from 234 New Zealand male high-risk prisoners, we tested four multivariate models each across three timepoints. Pre-release, we found Boldness was not predictive, but Meanness predicted poorer relationship quality after 2 months, both from probation officer and parolee perspectives, with the former in turn predicting reconviction within 12 months. Disinhibition predicted 12-month recidivism regardless of relationship quality or external life circumstances. This relationship to recidivism was partially explained in the final model which linked Disinhibition and poorer subjective wellbeing, with the latter in turn predicting recidivism.
Theory and Practice of Crisis in Political Economy: The Case of the Great Recession in Spain
Authors: Mateo Juan Pablo
Published: October 2021

This paper addresses Marx’s theory of crisis in order to analyze the Great Recession in Spain, a peripheral economy within the Eurozone. It demonstrates that underlying the problem of the “housing bubble” is an incapacity to generate surplus value, which in turn explains certain particularities related to capital composition, productivity, wages, and finance. The article further carries out a critique of both orthodox and heterodox approaches that focus on (1) profit squeeze caused by labor market rigidities, (2) underconsumption due to stagnant wages, and (3) finances, interest rates, and indebtedness

JEL classification: B14, E11, E20, E43, J30
Matters of Birth and Death in the Russian Orthodox Church and Ecumenical Patriarchate's Social Documents
Authors: Frost Carrie Frederick
Published: October 2021

In a span of twenty years, two of the autocephalous churches of the Orthodox Christian world released documents addressing the social realities of contemporary life: the Russian Orthodox Church's Basis of the Social Concept (2000) and the Ecumenical Patriarch's For the Life of the World: Toward a Social Ethos of the Orthodox Church (2020). This article offers a side-by-side comparison and analysis of the documents’ treatments of matters of birth and death, including childbirth, abortion, miscarriage, end-of-life care, euthanasia, suicide, and a vision of a good death. Detailed comparison demonstrates remarkable accord between the two churches on many of these matters. Differences of omission and emphasis appear to be indicative of contrasting demographic and historical situations, with the exception of one, notable divergence between the churches, all of which are discussed. The striking degree and depth of consonance between the documents offers potential for cooperation and unity as the two churches negotiate their conflicts while also seeking to guide their flocks and offer Orthodox Christian witness in an increasingly desacralized world.
A non-linear disturbance observer-based cooperative adaptive cruise control for real traffic scenarios
Authors: Sawant Jaswandi , Chaskar Uttam
Published: October 2021

Cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) has a strong potential to improvise highway traffic capacity and ease traffic disturbances. Extensive exploration is not carried out in the area of CACC for a cut-in maneuver. Contemporary control strategies proposed for CACC cannot regulate the peaking of control input and thus the acceleration/deceleration of following vehicles when applied for various real traffic scenarios. This paper aims to develop a non-linear disturbance observer-based sliding mode control to control a CACC system for various traffic scenarios. The proposed observer estimates the uncertainty present in the actuator dynamics and the preceding vehicle’s acceleration as the lumped disturbance at the same time, it adjusts the observer gain to alleviate the peaking of control input. The stability of individual vehicles and the string stability of vehicle platoon are derived The performance of the proposed scheme is validated with various traffic scenarios, that is, cut-in maneuver, cut-out maneuver, and non-zero initial conditions. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is demonstrated by comparing it with a linear disturbance observer-based control.
Micromechanical approach to viscoelastic stress analysis of a pin-loaded hole in unidirectional laminated PMC
Authors: Reza Arash , Shishesaz Mohammad , Sedighi Hamid M
Published: October 2021

This paper aims to investigate the effect of viscoelastic behavior of polymer matrix of unidirectional fiber-reinforced laminated composite on stress distribution around the pin-loaded hole under tensile loading. The Laplace transform is used to prevent the integral form of matrix governing stress-strain relation. Applying a micromechanical model, all equilibrium equations for the fibers are written analytically in the Laplace domain. The numerical algorithm of Gaver–Stehfest is implemented, and the governing equations were solved at any given time to extract the concerned results in the time domain. The obtained results are validated against the Finite Element Method results obtained through ANSYS software. Moreover, a comparison of the results of this study at the time equal zero with elastic solutions of other references showed a good agreement. The results revealed that in the long term, the maximum tensile load in the intact fiber around the pinhole was enlarged and the tensile load in fibers far from the pinhole slightly was decreased. Moreover, the location of the maximum axial load that had occurred on pinhole edges was moved slightly toward the center over time.
The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification: An Outline of its Genesis and Impact From a Baptist’s Perspective
Authors: Swarat Uwe
Published: October 2021

This essay outlines the genesis and impact of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification ( JDDJ) from a Baptist perspective. Starting with comparative studies of individual theologians from 1949 to 1980 it sketches the prehistory of the JDDJ including the results of ecumenical dialogues from 1972 to 1994. The essay then presents the origins and contents of the JDDJ from the draft version (1997) to the signing (1999), including the development and content of the “Official Common Statement.” The author includes as well the impact of JDDJ on the study on “The Biblical Foundations of the Doctrine of Justification” (2012); the Notre Dame Consultation (2019); and ecumenical dialogues on justification with Baptist participation. The author appreciates the JDDJ as the most significant result of ecumenical dialogues since the formation of the ecumenical movement and expresses his hope that the Baptist World Alliance too will assent to the consensus.
Diagnostic Value of Thromboelastography (TEG) for the Diagnosis of Death in Infected Patients
Authors: Xuan Jingchao , Wang Junyu , Wei Bing
Published: October 2021

In this study, we want to investigate the clinical value of each index of thromboelastography (TEG) on the prognosis of infected patients.

The clinical baseline data and TEG test results of 431 infected patients in our hospital’s emergency department between January 2018 and December 2018 were selected. And the patients were divided into death and survival groups to analyze the predictive value of each index of TEG and the joint model on the death of infected patients.

In the correlation study of C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) with each TEG parameter, CRP was positively correlated with maximum amplitude (MA, r  =  0.145, P  =  .003) and elasticity constants (E, r  =  0.098, P  =  .043), respectively. PCT was positively correlated with coagulation reaction time (R, r  =  0.124, P  =  .010) and time to MA (TMA) ( r  =  0.165, P  =  .001), respectively; PCT was negatively correlated with α-Angle ( r  =  0.124, P  =  .010) and coagulation index (CI, r  =  −0.108, P  =  .026), respectively. Multifactorial regression analysis showed that granulocytes, thrombocytes, platelet distribution width (PDW), and infection site were independent influences on infected patients’ death. Diagnostic data showed that all eight TEG indicators had good specificity for predicting death, but all had poor sensitivity; thrombodynamic potential index (TPI) had the best diagnostic value (area under the curve, AUC  =  0.609, P  =  .002). The eight-indicator modeling of TEG showed that the TEG model combined with PCT and CRP, respectively, had lower diagnostic efficacy than PCT (AUC  =  0.756, P < .001); however, TEG had better specificity (82.73%) when diagnosed independently.

The granulocytes, thrombocytes, PDW, and infection site are independent influencing factors of death in infected patients. Each index of TEG has better specificity in the diagnosis of death in infected patients.
Author, text and cultural meaning: Vijay Mishra's Salman Rushdie and the Genesis of Secrecy
Authors: Aveyard Karina
Published: October 2021

Vijay Mishra's meticulous analysis of the Rushdie Emory Archive - Salman Rushdie and the Genesis of Secrecy - is one of the most significant paperbacks to have been released in humanities publishing in 2021 (originally published in hardback in 2019). In one sense this book might be understood as a literary project, one that enriches understanding of the Rushdie's published works through the perspectives gained from close reading and detailed cross-referencing of Emory's extensive collection of the author's personal papers, unpublished manuscripts, digital materials and ephemera. However, to categorise The Genesis of Secrecy simply in terms of its literary credentials would be to overlook its conceptual and methodological value to wider areas of culture and media research. With this broader frame in mind, this review essay considers the book from an interdisciplinary perspective.
Resilient Values in Game Industry Formation: Institutional Perspective to the Finnish Context
Authors: Lehtonen Miikka J. , Schilli Katharina S. , Harviainen J. Tuomas
Published: October 2021

With the proliferation of technologies and digital platforms, contemporary game development firms’ value propositions have become more complex. While on a global scale a considerable share of the game industry’s revenue is captured by a few dozen firms, we are also witnessing the emergence of local and regional hotspots. In this context, legitimacy is of utmost importance if new competitive advantages are to become institutionalized as an industry. This paper extends studies which have offered temporal snapshots to the regional or local formation of game industry by focusing on the Finnish context. The concept of resilient values is introduced as legitimizing how the game industry is shaped and how the values are interpreted to develop the industry further. Our findings suggest legitimacy is intertwined with resilient values, thus resulting in the industry evolving over time through three different stages: (1) incubation period, (2) growth phase, and (3) institutionalized legitimacy.
The Guinea Pig Club: Forces and factors that revolutionised burns plastic surgery
Authors: Bates Ann , Wordsworth Stephen
Published: October 2021

The ‘Guinea Pig Club’ has been described as the most exclusive club in the world, but the entrance fee is something most men would care not to pay, and the conditions of membership are arduous in the extreme. The Guinea Pig Club was formed in July 1941 to support aircrew who were undergoing reconstructive plastic surgery after receiving burn injuries in the Second World War. This paper will explore the novel surgical techniques employed to treat the Guinea Pig Club members, their experiences at the hospital and their lives after the war and how Sir Archibald McIndoe and the Guinea Pig club members revolutionised burns plastic surgery as we know it today.
EU dialogue with Russian society: A reality check
Authors: Pszczel Robert
Published: October 2021

Engagement with Russian civil society is the least contested part of the EU’s current and expected future approach to Russia. There is broad agreement on the need to conduct a dialogue with Russian citizens and to facilitate people-to-people contacts, as well as to support civil society as such. However, this general goal is not fully matched by a clear understanding of what the basic features and sentiments of Russian society are today. This article seeks to sketch an unvarnished picture of Russian society, knowledge of which is essential for the effective design and successful conduct of any engagement activities (their formats, channels of communication and content). The key problems include the lack of enthusiasm among ordinary Russians for the European project, and their growing confusion—fuelled by authoritarian control and disinformation—about European institutions and norms.
Civic Engagement in Exile: Exploring Social Media Presence of Dissidents From Bangladesh
Authors: Kabir Punny
Published: October 2021

The emergence and the consequent popularity of social media in the 21st century have given dissenters living in exile an unprecedented opportunity to stay involved in domestic debates and disseminate information to local and international audiences. From an authoritarian context, the rebellious voices from exiled spaces are considered threats for building external pressure on the regime. In contemporary Bangladesh, the right to exercise freedom of expression is increasingly curtailed by various state-sponsored repressive measures, forcing many dissidents to leave the country. But many of them are continuously participating in civic affairs taking place in the digital sphere of the society they physically left behind. Why and how do certain exiled dissidents influence public discourse in Bangladesh through social media platforms? This is a vital question that drives the qualitative ethnographic research which employs interviews of five exiles and analysis of their social media usage from May to October 2020.
Exploring the development of early reading literacy and story narrative among young children
Authors: Li Chuanjiang , Ma Zhaojing , Xi Xinmei
Published: October 2021

While numerous studies have examined the development of reading literacy and language skills of older primary and middle school-aged children, comparably little research focuses on those of younger children. The present study investigates the links between early reading literacy – including reading behavior, comprehension, and engagement–and narrative skills among children aged from 3 to 6. Eighty-five children participated in a picture book reading activity and a storytelling task. Their early reading literacy was rated during a child-led picture book reading, and their narrative skills were scored using the Edmonton Narrative Norms Instrument. Although the children’s development varied greatly in three early reading literacy sub-dimensions, we found a significant developmental tendency and a correlated relationship between early reading literacy and narrative skills among young children. The preschool children’s reading initially focused on pictures and gradually transferred to print as their age increased. Moreover, their reading behavior, comprehension and engagement had a predictive effect on narrative structure and linguistic development. This study suggests that school-based practices for early reading instruction should focus on children’s reading literacy and narrative skills in the future.
The development of lexical semantics for Mandarin-speaking children in China: An exploratory study based on the East China Normal University Vocabulary Test
Authors: Zhang Yibin , Dai Xiyu , Zhou Jing
Published: October 2021

Through the compilation and research of the East China Normal University Vocabulary Test, this study explored the development of receptive and expressive language abilities of 58 children in the 2–3-year-old age group and 36 children in the 4–5-year-old age group. Results found that the children’s score of receptive vocabulary is higher than the score of expressive vocabulary, while there is a significant correlation between receptive vocabulary and expressive vocabulary. Moreover, children in the group of 2–3-year-olds had significantly lower scores than children in the group of 4–5-years-olds in both receptive and expressive vocabulary. Further analysis points out the earliest and most common word class of children is nouns, followed by verbs. Among the verbs, active verbs are the first to be acquired. Classifiers are the last acquired vocabulary by Chinese children. The exploration of phonetic errors reflects that children of 2–3 years old tend to misunderstand words by the similar sounds in words, but as their age increases, the number of phonetic errors decreases. Moreover, the results also indicate that biological and specific things are the two semantic categories learned by children. With cognition developing with age, the number of the words in different semantic categories that children acquired expands.
Immediate effect of dialogic reading on interactive quality of book sharing among Chinese preschool mother–child dyads
Authors: Zhao Jing , Luo Huilin , Zhou Yongyan , Zhong Lixing , Lai Jialin
Published: October 2021

Shared book reading is often used as an educational tool to promote the development of children’s early language and literacy skills. This study aimed to describe and compare the linguistic features of parent–child interactions during two shared book-reading sessions among 45 children (aged 4–6 years old) and their mothers. The dyads were divided into 2 groups: the intervention group ( n = 25), and the control group ( n = 20). In the first reading session, mothers read with their children the way they were most comfortable with and as they would usually do at home. Before the second reading session, we provided a 30-minute intervention on strategies of dialogic reading to the intervention group. Both readings were video-recorded. Mothers completed home literacy environment questionnaires. The results showed that even for mothers who were initially very skillful at reading with their children, this immediate intervention promoted a number of aspects of interactivity between mothers and their children, namely, the number of utterances, completion, open-ended, closed and labeling questions, and type token ratio by mothers, the number of utterances and initiated talk by children, and extra-textual talk and total number of turns by both mother and child. Mothers who received the intervention demonstrated more flexibility and more discursive styles, even though the intervention was short, and the time for them to practice was minimal.
Hiring of Persons with Disabilities in the Indian Private Sector: An Overview
Authors: Swarup Arjun
Published: October 2021

Disability hiring in India across organisations has increased gradually and remains differentiated depending on the nature of the organisation. Effective hiring of people with disabilities has occurred where there has been a planned effort to map jobs to specific disabilities and have scaled-up inclusion programmes. Challenges persist for firms on how to manage disabled employees, especially when there are performance management issues, and also at times on operational levels. There are also challenges for firms to balance the agenda of hiring disabled people with agendas focused on gender and LGBTQ equality.