bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanomechanical and Molecular Characterization of Aging in Dentinal Collagen
Authors: Schuh C.M.A.P. , Leiva-Sabadini C. , Huang S. , Barrera N.P. , Bozec L. , Aguayo S.
Published: February 2022

Methylglyoxal (MGO) is an important molecule derived from glucose metabolism with the capacity of attaching to collagen and generating advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which accumulate in tissues over time and are associated with aging and diseases. However, the accumulation of MGO-derived AGEs in dentin and their effect on the nanomechanical properties of dentinal collagen remain unknown. Thus, the aim of the present study was to quantify MGO-based AGEs in the organic matrix of human dentin as a function of age and associate these changes with alterations in the nanomechanical and ultrastructural properties of dentinal collagen. For this, 12 healthy teeth from <26-y-old and >50-y-old patients were collected and prepared to obtain crown and root dentin discs. Following demineralization, MGO-derived AGEs were quantified with a competitive ELISA. In addition, atomic force microscopy nanoindentation was utilized to measure changes in elastic modulus in peritubular and intertubular collagen fibrils. Finally, principal component analysis was carried out to determine aging profiles for crown and root dentin. Results showed an increased presence of MGO AGEs in the organic matrix of dentin in the >50-y-old specimens as compared with the <26-y-old specimens in crown and root. Furthermore, an increase in peritubular and intertubular collagen elasticity was observed in the >50-y-old group associated with ultrastructural changes in the organic matrix as determined by atomic force microscopy analysis. Furthermore, principal component analysis loading plots suggested different “aging profiles” in crown and root dentin, which could have important therapeutic implications in restorative and adhesive dentistry approaches. Overall, these results demonstrate that the organic matrix of human dentin undergoes aging-related changes due to MGO-derived AGEs with important changes in the nanomechanical behavior of collagen that may affect diagnostic and restorative procedures in older people.
Communicating an Outbreak: The Visual Genres of Zika Virus Reports
Authors: Fanning Shannon N.
Published: February 2022

This article examines visuals used in the reporting of the 2015-2016 Zika virus outbreak in order to explore the use of different image forms and genres in communicating health information to distinct audiences. By tracing an informational report through several publication types, the use of different image forms and rhetorical genres are observed, as is the robustness and flexibility of these categorizations.
Nonfragile H∞ tracking control strategies for classes of linear and bilinear uncertain Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy systems
Authors: Ghorbel Chekib , Benhadj Braiek Naceur
Published: February 2022

This paper presents fuzzy tracking control strategies for classes of linear and bilinear Takagi-Sugeno Fuzzy System with Uncertainties and Disturbances (T-S FSUD). For both classes, the Lyapunov direct approach and the parallel distributed compensation concept are used to design nonfragile H∞ tracking controllers, which ensure the robust asymptotic stability of augmented systems despite the presence of parameter uncertainties, external disturbances, and controllers fragility. Besides that, based on the Schur complement, the separation lemma, and through some variable transformations, sufficient stability conditions of each augmented T-S FSUD are established and formulated in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Finally, numerical simulations are carried out to demonstrate the validity and the applicability of designed control schemes on tracking control of an inverted pendulum and a nonlinear mechanical system.
Observer-based adaptive neural network control for stabilized platform in rotary steerable system with unknown input dead-zone
Authors: Wan Min , Huang Shanshan , Wang Guorong , Zhang Qiang
Published: February 2022

The core task of the stabilized platform in the rotary steerable system is to control the toolface angle, so that the trajectory of the whole bit can move forward to the set direction. Due to many downhole interference factors, the uncertainties of parameters related to internal friction and interference torque of stabilized platform always exist, which poses great challenges to model establishment and controller design. Moreover, the actuator dead-zone nonlinearity makes the control more complicated. Hence, a dynamic model of stabilized platform considering a variety of nonlinear factors is established, and an observer-based adaptive neural network (NN)-control law is proposed. An NN state observer is developed to cope with the uncertain states composed of unknown friction parametric uncertainties and unmodeled disturbances, the dead-zone inverse is constructed to compensate for a dead-zone, and the dynamic surface control (DSC) strategy is used to solve the “differential explosion,” all signals in the system are proved to be semi-global uniformly ultimately bounded (SGUUB) by the Lyapunov function. Finally, the MATLAB simulation is set up, and the accurate tracking effect of the system is proved by the simulation in the presence of friction, modeling error, and dead-zone nonlinearity. The validity and the superior performance of the proposed control method under the downhole harsh environment and parameter perturbation is verified by the comparison simulation experiments.
The Lord Mayor's Show for 1621 and 2021: Reconstructing a Triumph
Authors: Potter Lois
Published: February 2022

In October 2021, the Beyond Shakespeare group performed the text of Thomas Middleton's Lord Mayor's Show of 1621, The Sun in Aries, at Bow Church in London's Cheapside. Lasting about half an hour, as opposed to the original all-day event, it featured music, child and adult performers, and minimal visual effects. The experiment showed that actors’ voices can be effective even in outdoor spaces (though less effective than music), but also that much of their language is unintelligible without its context. This, then, is what future experiments should attempt to provide.
Automated Extraction of Anatomical Measurements From Temporal Bone CT Imaging
Authors: Ding Andy S. , Lu Alexander , Li Zhaoshuo , Galaiya Deepa , Ishii Masaru , Siewerdsen Jeffrey H. , Taylor Russell H. , Creighton Francis X.
Published: February 2022

Objective

Proposed methods of minimally invasive and robot‐assisted procedures within the temporal bone require measurements of surgically relevant distances and angles, which often require time‐consuming manual segmentation of preoperative imaging. This study aims to describe an automatic segmentation and measurement extraction pipeline of temporal bone cone‐beam computed tomography (CT) scans.

Study Design

Descriptive study of temporal bone measurements.

Setting

Academic institution.

Methods

A propagation template composed of 16 temporal bone CT scans was formed with relevant anatomical structures and landmarks manually segmented. Next, 52 temporal bone CT scans were autonomously segmented using deformable registration techniques from the Advanced Normalization Tools Python package. Anatomical measurements were extracted via in‐house Python algorithms. Extracted measurements were compared to ground truth values from manual segmentations.

Results

Paired t test analyses showed no statistical difference between measurements using this pipeline and ground truth measurements from manually segmented images. Mean (SD) malleus manubrium length was 4.39 (0.34) mm. Mean (SD) incus short and long processes were 2.91 (0.18) mm and 3.53 (0.38) mm, respectively. The mean (SD) maximal diameter of the incus long process was 0.74 (0.17) mm. The first and second facial nerve genus had mean (SD) angles of 68.6 (6.7) degrees and 111.1 (5.3) degrees, respectively. The facial recess had a mean (SD) span of 3.21 (0.46) mm. Mean (SD) minimum distance between the external auditory canal and tegmen was 3.79 (1.05) mm.

Conclusions

This is the first study to automatically extract relevant temporal bone anatomical measurements from CT scans using segmentation propagation. Measurements from these models can streamline preoperative planning, improve future segmentation techniques, and help develop future image‐guided or robot‐assisted systems for temporal bone procedures.
Outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cancer versus non-cancer-patients: a population-based study in northeastern Italy
Authors: Rugge Massimo , Zorzi Manuel , Guzzinati Stefano , Stocco Carmen , Avossa Francesco , Del Zotto Stefania , Clagnan Elena , Bricca Ludovica , Dal Maso Luigino , Serraino Diego
Published: February 2022

Introduction:

This study assesses the risk of infection and clinical outcomes in a large consecutive population of cancer and non-cancer patients tested for SARS-CoV-2 status.

Methods:

Study patients underwent SARS-CoV-2 molecular-testing between 22 February 2020 and 31 July 2020, and were found infected (CoV2+ ve) or uninfected. History of malignancy was obtained from regional population-based cancer registries. Cancer-patients were distinguished by time between cancer diagnosis and SARS-CoV-2 testing (<12/⩾12 months). Comorbidities, hospitalization, and death at 15 September 2020 were retrieved from regional population-based databases. The impact of cancer history on SARS-CoV-2 infection and clinical outcomes was calculated by fitting a multivariable logistic regression model, adjusting for sex, age, and comorbidities.

Results:

Among 552,362 individuals tested for SARS-CoV-2, 55,206 (10.0%) were cancer-patients and 22,564 (4.1%) tested CoV2+ ve. Irrespective of time since cancer diagnosis, SARS-CoV-2 infection was significantly lower among cancer patients (1,787; 3.2%) than non-cancer individuals (20,777; 4.2% - Odds Ratio (OR)=0.60; 0.57-0.63). CoV2+ ve cancer-patients were older than non-cancer individuals (median age: 77 versus 57 years; p<0.0001), were more frequently men and with comorbidities. Hospitalizations (39.9% versus 22.5%; OR=1.61; 1.44-1.80) and deaths (24.3% versus 9.7%; OR=1.51; 1.32-1.72) were more frequent in cancer-patients. CoV2+ ve cancer-patients were at higher risk of death (lung OR=2.90; 1.58-5.24, blood OR=2.73; 1.88-3.93, breast OR=1.77; 1.32-2.35).

Conclusions:

The risks of hospitalization and death are significantly higher in CoV2+ ve individuals with past or present cancer (particularly malignancies of the lung, hematologic or breast) than in those with no history of cancer.
Perfusion with 10% neutral-buffered formalin is equivalent to 4% paraformaldehyde for histopathology and immunohistochemistry in a mouse model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
Authors: Snyder Jessica M. , Radaelli Enrico , Goeken Adam , Businga Thomas , Boyden Alexander W. , Karandikar Nitin J. , Gibson-Corley Katherine N.
Published: February 2022

Intravascular (IV) perfusion of tissue fixative is commonly used in the field of neuroscience as the central nervous system tissues are exquisitely sensitive to handling and fixation artifacts which can affect downstream microscopic analysis. Both 10% neutral-buffered formalin (NBF) and 4% paraformaldehyde (PFA) are used, although IV perfusion with PFA is most commonly referenced. The study objective was to compare the severity of handling and fixation artifacts, semiquantitative scores of inflammatory and neurodegenerative changes, and quantitative immunohistochemistry following terminal IV perfusion of mice with either 10% NBF or 4% PFA in a model of experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE). The study included 24 mice; 12 were control animals not immunized and an additional 12 were immunized with PLP139–151 subcutaneously, harvested at day 20, and fixed in the same fashion. Equal numbers (4 per group) were perfused with 10% NBF or 4% PFA, and 4 were immersion-fixed in 10% NBF. NBF-perfused mice had less severe dark neuron artifact than PFA-perfused mice ( P < .001). Immersion-fixed animals had significantly higher scores for oligodendrocyte halos, dark neuron artifact, and perivascular clefts than perfusion-fixed animals. Histopathology scores in EAE mice for inflammation, demyelination, and necrosis did not differ among fixation methods. Also, no significant differences in quantitative immunohistochemistry for CD3 and Iba-1 were observed in immunized animals regardless of the method of fixation. These findings indicate that IV perfusion of mice with 10% NBF and 4% PFA are similar and adequate fixation techniques in this model.
Non-thrombotic pulmonary embolism of brain, liver, or bone marrow tissues associated with traumatic injuries in free-ranging neotropical primates
Authors: Rodrigues Oliveira Ayisa , Oliveira dos Santos Daniel , Pizzolato de Lucena Fabiana , Aquino de Mattos Sara , Parente de Carvalho Thaynara , Barroso Costa Fabíola , Giannini Alves Moreira Larissa , Magalhães Arthuso Vasconcelos Izabela , Alves da Paixão Tatiane , Lima Santos Renato
Published: February 2022

From 2016 to 2019, Southeastern Brazil faced an outbreak of yellow fever (YF) affecting both humans and New World primates (NWP). The outbreak was associated with a marked increase in traumatic lesions in NWP in the affected regions. Non-thrombotic pulmonary embolization (NTPE) can be a consequence of massive traumatic events, and it is rarely reported in human and veterinary medicine. Here, we describe NTPE of the brain, liver, and bone marrow in free-ranging NWP, highlighting the epidemiological aspects of these findings and the lesions associated with this condition, including data on traumatic injuries in wild NWP populations during the course of a recent YF outbreak. A total of 1078 NWP were necropsied from January 2017 to July 2019. Gross traumatic injuries were observed in 444 marmosets (44.3%), 10 howler monkeys (23.2%), 9 capuchins (31.0%), 1 titi-monkey (50.0%), and 1 golden lion tamarin (33.3%). NTPE was observed in 10 animals, including 9 marmosets (2.0%) and 1 howler monkey (10.0%). NTPE was identified in the lung and comprised hepatic tissue in 1 case, brain tissue in 1 case, and bone marrow tissue in 8 cases. Although uncommon, it is important to consider NTPE with pulmonary vascular occlusion during the critical care of traumatized NWP. In addition, this study highlights the importance of conservational strategies and environmental education focusing on One Health, not only to protect these free-ranging NWP populations but also to maintain the efficacy of epidemiological surveillance programs.
Lessons Learned: Hands-on Fluids Lab in Remote Delivery Mode
Authors: Fleischmann Shirley , Manoharan Sanjivan
Published: February 2022

With the advent of the COVID-19 outbreak, major disruptions were witnessed in the engineering education community, especially with regards to course delivery. With the subsequent cancelation of in-person classes, transition to remote delivery had to be swift, and both faculty and students had to face many challenges, not the least of which was how to handle course-integrated laboratory exercises. At Grand Valley State University, while the traditional in-person classrooms were converted to virtual classrooms with relative ease, a major concern was the delivery of the accompanying laboratories for certain courses, especially fluid mechanics. The fluid mechanics lab, which requires extensive hands-on experience, is woven into the lecture component; therefore, it was concerning that the students would miss this vital component, resulting in a greatly diminished experience. Several possibilities ranging from canceling the lab to simply providing data for the students to analyze were considered. Ultimately, to preserve the conceptual and mechanical literacies, it was decided to incorporate the hands-on approach by requiring students to conduct certain experiments at-home using readily available (or easy to purchase) supplies and analyze the collected data. This paper demonstrates several innovative ideas that were implemented to enable students to better comprehend fluid mechanics concepts through engaging hands-on experiments. A total of eleven different labs and a project were conducted during the remote semester. Of the eleven labs, six required students to conduct at-home experiments in addition to the experiments conducted onsite. For ten of the eleven labs, the authors conducted experiments onsite and provided students with data for further analysis; aspects of some, but not all, onsite experiments were video recorded for the students, but the at-home experiments were demonstrated by video. The students welcomed the at-home experiments and indicated that it was vital in their understanding of certain fundamental concepts while being fun at the same time. Assessment indicated that this approach seemed to be effective in terms of outcomes with respect to fluid mechanics (cross-sectional study), but the aspects of deep learning and confidence did significantly decrease performance in the subsequent advanced course, heat transfer (long-term study).
A 10-year Trend of Sleeping Patterns, Geographical, and Community Disparities Among Chinese Older Adults
Authors: Lee Yi-Ting Hana , Lee Yen-Han , Wu Yu-Hsuan , Liu Ching-Ti , Chang Yen-Chang
Published: February 2022

This study examined the trend and geographical/community disparities of sleeping patterns among Chinese older adults. We included older adults from four waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS; n = 25,672; age ≥65). We used a multivariable logistic regression model to examine sleep quality (not good versus good), and a multinomial logistic regression model to assess daily sleep duration (7–8 hr, <7 hr, >8 hr). Older adults from the Central/South and the West regions were less likely to report good sleep quality (AOR [adjusted odds ratio] = .63, 95% CI: .55, .72 and AOR = .80, 95% CI: .70, .93, respectively) while the Northeastern residents reported better sleep quality (AOR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.27, 1.79), compared with Northern residents. Older adults from Central/South and West were more likely to obtain less than 7 hr of sleep. Public health interventions are necessary to improve the sleep of Chinese older adults.
Sleep Deprivation Does not Change the Flash Electroretinogram in Wild-type and Opn4−/−Gnat1−/− Mice
Authors: Schoonderwoerd Robin A. , Buck Thilo M. , Andriessen Charlotte A. , Wijnholds Jan , Hattar Samer , Meijer Johanna H. , Deboer Tom
Published: February 2022

Sleep deprivation reduces the response of neuronal activity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and the phase shift in circadian behaviour to phase shifting light pulses, and thus seems to impair the adaptation of the circadian clock to the external light-dark cycle. The question remains where in the pathway of light input to the SCN the response is reduced. We therefore investigated whether the electroretinogram (ERG) changes after sleep deprivation in wild-type mice and in Opn4−/−Gnat1−/− mutant male mice. We found that the ERG is clearly affected by the Opn4−/−Gnat1−/− mutations, but that the ERG after sleep deprivation does not differ from the baseline response. The difference between wild-type and mutant is in accordance with the lack of functional rod and melanopsin in the retina of the mutant mice. We conclude that the decrease in light responsiveness of the SCN after sleep deprivation is probably not caused by changes at the retinal level, but rather at the postsynaptic site within the SCN, reflecting affected neurotransmitter signalling.
You Hurt Me, so I Hurt Myself and Others: How Does Childhood Emotional Maltreatment Affect Adolescent Violent Behavior and Suicidal Ideation?
Authors: Wang Xiaoyue , Xie Ruibo , Ding Wan , Jiang Min , Kayani Sumaira , Li Weijian
Published: February 2022

Violent behavior and suicidal ideation are two major public health problems, with the former representing outward attack and the latter characterizing inward attack. The effects of emotional maltreatment in childhood will continue into adolescence. This study explores the impact of childhood emotional maltreatment on adolescent violent behavior/suicidal ideation and its mechanism. Participants were 3,600 adolescents (average age is 16.21 ± 0.99) from the middle east of China. They completed questionnaires measuring emotional maltreatment in childhood, deviant peer affiliation, depression, violent behavior, and suicidal ideation in adolescence. After controlling for demographic variables, we found that deviant peer affiliation and depression mediated between childhood emotional maltreatment and adolescent violent behavior/suicidal ideation. Multi-group analysis results showed that males’ deviant peer affiliation would contribute to their violent behaviors. Among female groups, deviant peer affiliation and depression were risk factors for violent behavior and suicidal ideation. a) cross-sectional design was used in this study; b) all the measures were self-reported. Preventing emotional maltreatment in childhood can help reduce violent behavior and suicidal ideation by reducing deviant peer affiliation and depression in adolescence. Males who experienced emotional maltreatment in childhood are more likely to show violent behaviors shaped by external factors such as deviant peer affiliation. In contrast, females’ interpersonal orientation and internalizing factors both influence their external and internal aggressive behaviors.
Impact of Drug Interactions on Major Bleed Rates in Patients Taking Direct Oral Anticoagulants
Authors: Cook Hannah E. , Hewitt Jennie H. , Patterson Emily P. , Randolph Amy E.
Published: February 2022

Background: While direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have less stringent monitoring, favorable pharmacokinetics, and fewer drug interactions compared to warfarin, there is still a potential for drug–drug interactions. There is limited evidence showing total impact of DOAC drug interactions on major bleeding events. Methods: This was an IRB-approved retrospective, case control, single center study. Patients were included if they had received a DOAC from January 2012 to September 2019 and were identified for major bleeding events and matched to a control group. The primary objective was to compare the presence of major drug interactions between patients on DOACs who did and did not have a major bleeding event. The secondary objectives were to compare the impact of specific interacting drug classes and their additive effects on major bleeding events. Results: There were 122 patients included in the study. While the number of patients on at least one interacting medication within duration of DOAC use was numerically higher in the bleed group (85% vs 72%), this was not significant (P = .077). There were significantly more patients on at least three interacting medications within the last 3 months of the study period in the bleed group (n = 9 vs 1), with significantly higher use of aspirin (n = 38 vs 17) and rate control agents (n = 24 vs 11). Conclusion: There may be a cumulative effect on risk of bleeding if patients are on three or more interacting medications concomitantly with a DOAC. This risk of bleeding may be higher with aspirin and rate control agents.
Combination of vibrational spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and chemometrics in an innovative food chemistry laboratory of the Italian health authority and research organization for animal health and food safety: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe)
Authors: Tata Alessandra , Bragolusi Marco , Massaro Andrea , Zacometti Carmela , Piro Roberto
Published: February 2022

This paper illustrates the goals, the achievements and the team of a new food chemistry laboratory of the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie. The laboratory equipment, the testing activity and the research network are also described.
Estimation of the proportion of true null hypotheses under sparse dependence: Adaptive FDR controlling in microarray data
Authors: Biswas Aniket , Chakraborty Subrata , Baruah Vishwa Jyoti
Published: February 2022

The proportion of non-differentially expressed genes is an important quantity in microarray data analysis and an appropriate estimate of the same is used to construct adaptive multiple testing procedures. Most of the estimators for the proportion of true null hypotheses based on the thresholding, maximum likelihood and density estimation approaches assume independence among the gene expressions. Usually, sparse dependence structure is natural in modelling associations in microarray gene expression data and hence it is necessary to develop methods for accommodating the sparse dependence well within the framework of existing estimators. We propose a clustering based method to put genes in the same group that are not coexpressed using the estimated high dimensional correlation structure under sparse assumption as dissimilarity matrix. This novel method is applied to three existing estimators for the proportion of true null hypotheses. Extensive simulation study shows that the proposed method improves an existing estimator by making it less conservative and the corresponding adaptive Benjamini-Hochberg algorithm more powerful. The proposed method is applied to a microarray gene expression dataset of colorectal cancer patients and the results show gain in terms of number of differentially expressed genes. The R code is available at https://github.com/aniketstat/Proportiontion-of-true-null-under-sparse-dependence-2021 .
Household Expenditure on Secondary Education in Haryana (India): Levels, Patterns and Determinants
Authors: Singh Harvinder , Gill Angrej Singh , Choudhury Pradeep Kumar
Published: February 2022

Existing studies on household expenditure on education in India largely focus on the elementary and tertiary levels of education. Until recently, researchers have paid little consideration to examining the issue of household investment at the secondary level of education, especially in the sub-national context. Using a recent primary survey encompassing quantitative and qualitative data, this article examines the levels, patterns and determinants of parental allocation of financial resources for secondary education in Haryana, India. We find that households spend 7.22% of their annual family income per student per annum in secondary education—with stark differences between government (2.26%) and private schools (10.68%). Besides, the complex interplay of socio-economic and cultural factors in the state leads to systematic patterns in the said expenditures, intensifying pro-male gender disparities and deepening the hegemony of the privileged sections (i.e., in terms of a household’s caste, class and educational capital), particularly at the urban and intermediate levels. The study emphasizes the role of policies and practices of the state in pragmatically aiming at the removal of the aforesaid inequalities, inter-alia, by regulating the commercialization of school education in the non-state sector.
The hydrated mind, the glycolytic mind, and the holobiont mind
Authors: Molero-Ramírez Freddy J , Carro-Godoy Ruy L
Published: February 2022

The holobiont mind is a recent theory in the movement of 4E cognition grounded in gut‐brain axis (GBA) research. The theory claims that the mind is an emergent property which arises from the multi-genomic morphology of a composite animal agent, in ever-changing interactions with its ecological niche. We claim that the theory is unnecessary since GBA findings can be easily accommodated by previous and broader concepts like embodiment, enaction, and the extensive mind theory without making the picture more complex than it is.
Dynamic performance of the energy harvester with a fractional-order derivative circuit
Authors: Wang Bin , Liu Jinguo , Tang Bo , Xu Ming , Li Yongge
Published: February 2022

Vibration energy harvesters are expected to replace chemical batteries and achieve self-power for low-power electronic devices, and their design has attracted significant attention. In previous studies, circuits consistent with the constitutive relationship with integer derivatives were frequently used, but fractional-order derivative circuits have received less attention. Because of the dissipation effects, such as internal friction and thermal memory, the fractional-order derivative is an effective mathematical approach for determining such nonconservative behaviors. In this study, the dynamic performance of a vibration energy harvester with a fractional-order derivative circuit in a random environment was investigated. Both linear and nonlinear vibration energy harvesters were evaluated using the linear random vibration theory and the equivalent linearization technique. The effects of the system parameters on the mean output power were analyzed, and the optimal system parameters, such as the oscillation frequency of the circuit and the coupling coefficient, were determined. Furthermore, the relationships between the optimal parameters and the order of the fractional derivative were established. Our study will potentially guide future designs of vibration energy harvesters.
Medicaid Payment and Fluoride Varnish Application During Pediatric Medical Visits
Authors: Kranz Ashley M. , Opper Isaac M. , Stein Bradley D. , Ruder Teague , Gahlon Grace , Sorbero Mark , Dick Andrew W.
Published: February 2022

All Medicaid programs pay for fluoride varnish applications during medical visits for infants and toddlers, but receipt of care varies considerably across states. Using 2006–2014 Medicaid data from 22 states, this study examined the association between Medicaid payment and receipt of fluoride varnish during pediatric medical visits. Among 3,393,638 medical visits, fewer than one in 10 visits included fluoride varnish. Higher Medicaid payment was positively associated with receipt of fluoride varnish during pediatric medical visits. As policymakers consider strategies for increasing young children’s access to preventive oral health services, as well as consider strategies for balancing budgets, attention should be paid to the effects of provider payment on access to pediatric oral health services.
Modeling of an energy harvester with porous piezoelectric/piezomagnetic nanocomposite structure
Authors: Fan Tao
Published: February 2022

Micro-energy harvesters are attracting more and more attention due to the demand of the miniaturization and the self-power for the electrical devices. A three-layered porous piezoelectric (PE)/piezomagnetic (PM) energy harvester at the nanoscale is modeled in this paper. The layered PE/PM structure works in the magnetic field; the electrical power can be obtained from the PE layer due to the magnetostriction of the PM layers. Based on the surface elasticity and Boit’s porous theory, the governing equations and the analytical expressions of the harvester with the thickness-shear mode are derived. The numerical analysis indicates that the electrical energy capture capability of the porous PE/PM energy harvester is much superior to its nonporous alternative. Then, the influences of the porous properties, the surface effects, and the constitution of the PE/PM materials on the energy capture performance are discussed. The results indicate that the nano PE/PM energy harvester with pores can be controlled and optimized by improving the porous, surface, and geometrical parameters.
How capricious supervisors affect hospitality employees’ service performance? A diary study from the employees’ emotional perspective
Authors: Park In-Jo , Hai Shenyang , Kim Peter Beomcheol
Published: February 2022

Drawing on the affective events theory, this study examined the detrimental effects of supervisors’ emotional expression variability on hospitality employees’ emotional experience variability and service performance, and whether employees’ emotion management buffers such negative impacts. The research hypotheses were examined using longitudinal data collected from 145 hotel employees of multiple hotel companies who completed surveys in four phases: Time 1 (i.e., daily surveys for seven workdays to assess supervisors’ emotional expression variability), Time 2 (i.e., daily surveys for 7 workdays to assess employees’ emotional experience variability), Time 3, and Time 4 (i.e., a survey rated by supervisors). The results show that supervisors’ emotional expression variability has an indirect effect on employees’ service performance through employees’ emotional experience variability, and employee emotion management mitigates the related detrimental effects. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed for hospitality researchers and practitioners.
Unpacking Sequential Actions Within Use of Force Incidents
Authors: Tillyer Rob
Published: February 2022

Use of force incidents involving police officers and civilians are complex, multi-faceted, and interactional. Officer force and civilian resistance are frequently measured at their maximum level or in relation to one another. While this approach is informative, it does not fully reflect the complexity of these encounters that contain a series of sequential actions taken by both parties. These processes are difficult to capture using traditional data collection efforts as they require time consuming independent coding of each action. Using data from two municipal police agencies, this study outlines a methodology for unpacking these complex interactions and examines sequentially based incident characteristics and their relation to the highest levels of force and resistance. Results reveal the importance of total actions and the starting point of force and resistance, which has specific implications for our understanding of how these interactional encounters change over time and police use of force more broadly.
A Clinical Update on Vasoactive Medication in the Management of Cardiogenic Shock
Authors: Shankar Aditi , Gurumurthy Gayathri , Sridharan Lakshmi , Gupta Divya , Nicholson William J , Jaber Wissam A , Vallabhajosyula Saraschandra
Published: February 2022

This is a focused review looking at the pharmacological support in cardiogenic shock. There are a plethora of data evaluating vasopressors and inotropes in septic shock, but the data are limited for cardiogenic shock. This review article describes in detail the pathophysiology of cardiogenic shock, the mechanism of action of different vasopressors and inotropes emphasizing their indications and potential side effects. This review article incorporates the currently used specific risk-prediction models in cardiogenic shock as well as integrates data from many trials on the use of vasopressors and inotropes. Lastly, this review seeks to discuss the future direction for vasoactive medications in cardiogenic shock.
Experimental Investigation of Cage Dynamics and Ball-Cage Contact Forces in an Angular Contact Ball Bearing
Authors: Arya Ujjawal , Sadeghi Farshid , Conley Benjamin , Russell Thomas , Peterson Wyatt , Meinel Andreas
Published: February 2022

The objectives of this investigation were to experimentally examine the cage motion and ball-cage contact forces for an angular contact ball bearing (ACBB) operating under various load and speed combinations. In order to achieve the objectives, a Counter Rotating Angular Contact Ball Bearing Test Rig (CRACTR) was designed and developed such that both the races of an ACBB can be rotated simultaneously in opposite directions, providing valuable insights into the ball-cage interaction. Five proximity probes were used concurrently to measure the in-plane (radial) and out-of-plane (axial) motion for three commercially available cage designs. Two load cells were used to measure the contact forces between the balls and cage pocket. The experimental results demonstrate that high inner race speeds and high axial loads develop the smallest and most circular cage whirl motions. Additionally, cage radius, cage pocket clearance, cage pocket area and cage inertia were the prominent factors affecting the magnitude of cage whirl. Experimental results also indicate that contact forces between the ball and cage pocket increase linearly with the increased race speeds. Ball-cage contact force was shown to be different for the three cages and was primarily governed by the cage pocket area and the cage radius. Results from this investigation can be utilized to predict the correlation between the ball-cage contact forces and the race speeds, and identify the key parameters governing the stable cage motion during bearing operation.
Modeling censored tourism expenditures in Turkey with non-normal and heteroscedastic errors: An application of the inverse hyperbolic sine double-hurdle model
Authors: Urak Faruk , Küçük Nihat , Bilgiç Abdulbaki , Yen Steven T
Published: February 2022

Censoring, extreme values, and non-normal distribution are common features in microdata. These data features can compromise the statistical distributions of the estimators when an appropriate model is not used. We use an inverse hyperbolic sine (IHS) transformation in the double-hurdle (DH) model to accommodate extreme values and skewness in censored accommodation spending among Turkish households. The full-parameterized model nests many restricted specifications which do not accommodate dependence, heteroscedasticity, and non-normality in the error terms. Statistical test results support the use of the fully parameterized dependent IHS-DH specification. The statistically significant correlation between the binary and level decisions of accommodation precludes the use of a model with a two-step structure. Some of the findings in our study have a determining or driving force in expressing causality relationship in monthly accommodation probability and level decisions. The study made also prudent policy recommendations about what the results might mean to policymakers and stakeholders.
Immigrants’ perspectives on healthy life and healthy lifestyle counseling: a focus group study
Authors: Nekouei Marvi Langari Maliheh , Lindström Jaana , Absetz Pilvikki , Laatikainen Tiina , Pihlajamäki Jussi , Tilles-Tirkkonen Tanja , Turunen Hannele
Published: February 2022

Background:

Immigrants have a higher risk of developing chronic diseases than the general population, but there is a lack of knowledge about appropriate counseling models to promote their health. This study aimed to explore Asian and Russian immigrants’ perspectives in Finland on healthy lifestyle and healthy lifestyle counseling to improve the quality of the counseling in primary health care services to prevent type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases.

Methods:

We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured questions for eight focus groups. The participants were 46 adult immigrants (21 Asian and 25 Russian) living legally in Finland. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed using deductive content analysis.

Results:

We identified three themes regarding healthy lifestyle: (1) limited knowledge on different dimensions of healthy lifestyle, (2) understanding the impact of culture and community on healthy living, and (3) changing the lifestyle to live healthier after immigration. Moreover, we found three themes regarding healthy lifestyle counseling: (1) shortcomings in health care for providing healthy lifestyle counseling, such as lack of educational materials and miscommunication, (2) influential individual factors for using healthy lifestyle counseling, such as stress, and (3) positive outcomes of healthy lifestyle counseling.

Conclusion:

Developing a culturally tailored healthy lifestyle counseling program for the enhancement of immigrants’ knowledge regarding healthy lifestyle with consideration of cultural and linguistic aspects is recommended for preventing chronic diseases among immigrants.
Sharing inequalities: Racial discrimination in review acquisition on Airbnb
Authors: Yu Chao , Margolin Drew
Published: February 2022

Online reviews are found to mitigate racial discrimination in the sharing economy, but we argue that the chance of getting reviews is unequal for suppliers/workers of difference races. We test this logic with 16,674 hosts and 396,923 reviews on Airbnb in New York City. We find that the majority hosts (i.e. White) acquire their first review and third review (enough to trigger the publication of aggregate rating) more quickly than minority hosts (i.e. Asian and Black). However, setting listings instantly bookable helps reduce the racial difference in review acquisition. Our analyses also reveal that compared with Asian or Black hosts, White hosts receive higher aggregate ratings and more positive reviews at early stage of review acquisition. Such racial difference attenuates over time as the number of reviews increases. Our findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of racial discrimination against minorities in the sharing economy.
How MRS′ Journal has Contributed to the Development of Market and Social Research
Authors: Mouncey Peter R.
Published: February 2022

This article describes the history of the journal published by the UK Market research Society (MRS). The reasons for introducing a journal are discussed, and the competitive context, at that time and onwards. Changes in the format, title and content of the journal over time are described, and its evolution from an in-house production to its current status within the journal portfolio of a leading international academic publishing house. The changing nature of the two main communities with the most interest in the journal, academics and practitioners, are described and the impact on the journal are discussed. Finally, the article summarises some of the many key contributions that the journal has made to the body of knowledge and evidence in the fields of market and social research.
Structural health monitoring of fastener hole using ring-design direct-write piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer
Authors: Wong Voon-Kean , Liu Menglong , Goh Wei-Peng , Chen Shuting , Zheng Wong Zheng , Cui Fangsen , Yao Kui
Published: February 2022

Fatigue cracks initiated from fastener holes are common in aircraft structures. Implementation of effective structural health monitoring (SHM) system to detect or monitor fatigue cracks near fastener holes is desired for realizing condition-based maintenance with improved aircraft safety at reduced cost. In this work, direct-write piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers were used for monitoring crack near fastener hole. Made of poly (vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] film and annular array electrodes, the direct-write piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers were both directly coated and patterned around the fastener holes. A novel ring-design using annular array electrodes with small footprint was proposed to detect fatigue crack initiated in the vicinity of a fastener hole using pulse-echo and pitch-catch methods. The ring-design direct-write piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers were designed to operate with Lamb wave modes at 1.5 MHz. A numerical simulation study was conducted to investigate the interaction of Lamb wave modes with the fatigue crack. Experimental ultrasonic testing was performed with signal gates determined using wavelet analysis. Fatigue crack detection was demonstrated using an energy ratio method by comparing energy parameter of gated ultrasonic signal with baseline signal. Using the pulse-echo method, the direction of the fatigue crack was able to be determined. The pitch-catch method was found to have higher sensitivity in fatigue crack detection but could not determine the direction of the fatigue crack. These transducers made of thin films promise high conformability even on curved surface and around irregular objects with limited space, compared to conventional discrete ultrasonic transducers. The analysis and results showed that the ring-design direct-write piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers have great potential for fastener hole SHM.
“Where There Are Stars, There Is Also Darkness”: Young Icelandic Men’s Experience of Prescription Drug Misuse
Authors: Arnarsdottir Andrea Yr , Johnsen Arni , Thorsson Kjartan , Sigurdardottir Sigrun
Published: February 2022

Misuse of prescription drugs is a public health problem in many places around the world, including Iceland. It is considered most common among 18- to 25-year-olds, various risk factors and motives explain this trend. The purpose of this study was to examine young Icelandic men’s experience of prescription drug misuse. Participants in this study were seven Icelandic males, 18–26 years old, mean age was 20.9. Data were collected through 14 interviews and then processed using a qualitative methodological approach based on Vancouver’s school of phenomenology. The overriding theme of the study “ Where there are stars, there is also darkness” refers to the common thread in participants’ experiences of misuse of prescription drugs that were initially positive but quickly turned negative. Four main themes were identified: influence factors, reasons, onset, and continued drug misuse. The influencing factors were social influence, social group, lack of knowledge, and curiosity. The main reasons for the drug misuse were to suppress distress, improve capacity and efficiency, or have fun and avoid boredom. The onset of prescription drug misuse was characterized by quick fixes, misuse of one’s own medication or medication from a friend/family member. Continued misuse was characterized by a vicious circle, black market, medical visits on false pretenses, and symptoms of dependence and addiction. It is necessary to highlight this public health problem that prescription drug misuse among young Icelandic males appear to be and it needs to be considered as a multifarious problem as the results indicate that its nature is truly complex.
Comparison of 4 Different 4-Strand Core Suturing Techniques for Flexor Tendon Laceration: An Ex Vivo Biomechanical Study
Authors: Nassar Mohammad , Sallam Asser , Sokkar Sherif , Abdelsadek Hesham , Zada Mohamed
Published: February 2022

Background:

Forces applied to the repaired flexor tendon should not exceed its yield force during early postoperative rehabilitation to prevent gapping and rupture. We aimed to biomechanically compare the tensile strengths and the 2-mm gapping of 4 different 4-strand core suturing techniques for flexor tendon repair.

Methods:

Fifty-six goat deep digital flexor tendons were repaired with the 4-strand double-modified Kessler, the 4-strand augmented Becker, the 4-strand Savage, and the 4-strand modified Tang techniques. All tendons were repaired with 4-0 polyester for core suture and 5-0 polyester for continuous epitendinous running suture. The specimens were subjected to static linear tensile testing by applying a single linear load-to-failure pull. After the linear load testing, the yield load, the ultimate strength of the repaired tendons, and the force exerted to yield a 2-mm gap were measured.

Results:

All peripheral sutures ruptured near the yield point. All core suture techniques were similar regarding the yield force. The augmented Becker 4-strand technique had the greatest ultimate strength (98.7 [82-125.3] N). The modified double Kessler technique was the weakest in resisting a 2-mm gap formation. The 4-strand modified Tang repair had the shortest (11.3 [7-15] minutes), while the 4-strand augmented Becker had the longest operative time (29 [23-33] minutes).

Conclusions:

All 4 techniques demonstrated similar yield force, with differences in operative time, ultimate strength, and resistance to gapping. Future clinical studies can further elucidate their appropriateness for early active motion protocols.