bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long-Term Average Speech Spectra and Dynamic Ranges of 17 Indian Languages
Authors: Narne Vijaya Kumar , Sreejith V. S.  , Tiwari Nachiketa
Published: November 2021

Purpose:

In this work, we have determined the long-term average speech spectra (LTASS) and dynamic ranges (DR) of 17 Indian languages. This work is important because LTASS and DR are language-dependent functions used to fit hearing aids, calculate the Speech Intelligibility Index, and recognize speech automatically. Currently, LTASS and DR functions for English are used to fit hearing aids in India. Our work may help improve the performance of hearing aids in the Indian context.

Method:

Speech samples from native talkers were used as stimuli in this study. Each speech sample was initially cleaned for extraneous sounds and excessively long pauses. Next, LTASS and DR functions for each language were calculated for different frequency bands. Similar analysis was also performed for English for reference purposes. Two-way analysis of variance was also conducted to understand the effects of important parameters on LTASS and DR. Finally, a one-sample
t
test was conducted to assess the significance of important statistical attributes of our data.

Results:

We showed that LTASS and DR for Indian languages are 5–10 dB and 11 dB less than those for English. These differences may be due to lesser use rate of high-frequency dominant phonemes and preponderance of vowel-ending words in Indian languages. We also showed that LTASS and DR do not differ significantly across Indian languages. Hence, we propose a common LTASS and DR for Indian languages.

Conclusions:

We showed that differences in LTASS and DR for Indian languages vis-à-vis English are large and significant. Such differences may be attributed to phonetic and linguistic characteristics of Indian languages.
Engaging Graduate Students in Cultural Experiences Early: The Development, Implementation, and Preliminary Student Perceptions of a Community Engagement Clinical Experience
Authors: Taliancich-Klinger Casey , Hernandez Naomi Arcos , Maurer Alycia
Published: November 2021

Purpose:

Speech-language pathologists and audiologists are called to serve an increasingly diverse patient population in the United States. This increased diversity highlights the need for clinicians to be educated early in their careers about best practices to serve patients and clients from diverse backgrounds. In this clinical focus article, the authors present the development, implementation, and preliminary perceptions of a culturally responsive clinical experience for speech-language pathology graduate students designed to engage them early in their learning career.

Method:

The pilot program was based on pillars of experiential learning and community engagement. Graduate students attended trainings aligned with a model of culturally relevant care to prepare them to conduct speech and language screenings and small group language enrichment in English and Spanish.

Results:

Preliminary analyses of student reflections indicated themes of positive perceptions about the experience and provided preliminary support for students learning about working with culturally and linguistically diverse populations in an early, intentional, and focused experience.

Conclusions:

Early personnel preparation to culturally responsive care is crucial to meet the needs of future caseloads. Further research into the effectiveness of this kind of program is necessary to identify which variables may have the most impact on a student's cultural sensitivity, awareness, knowledge, and skills.
A novel hybrid model of ARIMA‐MCC and CKDE‐GARCH for urban short‐term traffic flow prediction
Authors: Zhao Leina , Wen Xinyu , Wang Yanpeng , Shao Yiming
Published: November 2021

The linearity and heteroscedasticity are the important characteristics of short‐term traffic flow data. Generally, the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model and the generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH) model are respectively used to explain these characteristics. However, the prerequisite for the use of ARIMA is that the training residuals should follow the standard Gaussian distribution, which is hard to be satisfied in practice. Meanwhile, the variance in the GARCH model usually neglects the time‐varying characteristic. To address these problems, this paper proposes an innovative method based on the combination of ARIMA, maximum correntropy criterion (MCC), conditional kernel density estimation (CKDE), and GARCH. Specifically, the MCC method is first employed to estimate the coefficients of the ARIMA model (i.e. ARIMA‐MCC), by which the linear prediction is conducted. Then, the CKDE model is established to describe the training residuals obtained by ARIMA‐MCC and estimate the time‐varying variance in the GARCH model (i.e. GARCH‐CKDE). Case studies based on four groups of data measured in the urban road are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. Compared with the traditional ARIMA model, the improvement by the proposed method reaches 14.45% in terms of the evaluation criterion of mean absolute percentage error.
Efficient finite element modelling of litz wires in toroidal inductors
Authors: Panchal Jay , Lehikoinen Antti , Rasilo Paavo
Published: November 2021

Accurate understanding of losses and frequency‐dependent winding parameters have been an important aspect for selecting the right configuration of stranded conductors in power‐electronic inductors. An approach for modelling frequency‐dependent parameters of a winding with twisted wire bundles in toroidal inductors using a multi‐axial sliced finite element (FE) modelling approach is presented here. A 2D magnetodynamic FE problem is solved in several axial and radial slices of the inductor, accounting for the twisted conductor bundles by varying the conductor positions in the slices. Case studies are presented for different levels and pitch lengths of twisting. The approach is validated against 3D FE simulations in the case of 3–4 parallel strands and against measurements in the case of 75, 105 and 125 strands, which would be impossibly heavy for conventional 3D FE tools. The results provide insight into the effect of strand grouping, twisting levels and twisting pitch on the frequency‐dependent resistance of windings.
Collisional effects in the blue wing of the Balmer-α line
Authors: Allard N. F. , Spiegelman F. , Kielkopf J. F. , Bourdreux S.
Published: November 2021

In order to investigate the near wing of the Lyman-α line, accurate line profile calculations and molecular data are both required due to the existence of a close line satellite responsible for its asymmetrical shape. Lyman-α lines observed with the Cosmic Origin Spectograph on the Hubble Space Telescope show this peculiarity in the spectra of DBA and DA white dwarf stars. A similar asymmetrical shape in the blue wing can be predicted in the Balmer-α line of H perturbed by He and H atoms. In continuation with a very recent work on the Lyman-α line, where the n = 2 potential energies and transition dipole moments from the ground state were determined, we present new accurate H-He potential energies and electronic transition dipole moments involving the molecular states correlated with H(n = 3)+He and their transition dipole moments with the states correlated with H(n = 2)+He. Those new data and existing molecular data for H(n = 2,3)-H are used to provide a theoretical investigation of the collisional effects in the blue wing of the Balmer-α line of H perturbed by He and H atoms. We note the consequences for the Balmer-α line shape in the physical conditions found in the cool atmosphere of DZA white dwarfs where helium densities may be as high as 1021 cm−3. This study is undertaken with a unified theory of spectral line broadening valid at very high helium densities.
Steady-state accretion in magnetized protoplanetary disks
Authors: Delage Timmy N. , Okuzumi Satoshi , Flock Mario , Pinilla Paola , Dzyurkevich Natalia
Published: November 2021

Context. The transition between magnetorotational instability (MRI)-active and magnetically dead regions corresponds to a sharp change in the disk turbulence level, where pressure maxima may form, hence potentially trapping dust particles and explaining some of the observed disk substructures.

Aims. We aim to provide the first building blocks toward a self-consistent approach to assess the dead zone outer edge as a viable location for dust trapping, under the framework of viscously driven accretion.

Methods. We present a 1+1D global magnetically driven disk accretion model that captures the essence of the MRI-driven accretion, without resorting to 3D global nonideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. The gas dynamics is assumed to be solely controlled by the MRI and hydrodynamic instabilities. For given stellar and disk parameters, the Shakura–Sunyaev viscosity parameter, α, is determined self-consistently under the adopted framework from detailed considerations of the MRI with nonideal MHD effects (Ohmic resistivity and ambipolar diffusion), accounting for disk heating by stellar irradiation, nonthermal sources of ionization, and dust effects on the ionization chemistry. Additionally, the magnetic field strength is numerically constrained to maximize the MRI activity.

Results. We demonstrate the use of our framework by investigating steady-state MRI-driven accretion in a fiducial protoplanetary disk model around a solar-type star. We find that the equilibrium solution displays no pressure maximum at the dead zone outer edge, except if a sufficient amount of dust particles has accumulated there before the disk reaches a steady-state accretion regime. Furthermore, the steady-state accretion solution describes a disk that displays a spatially extended long-lived inner disk gas reservoir (the dead zone) that accretes a few times 10−9 M⊙ yr−1. By conducting a detailed parameter study, we find that the extent to which the MRI can drive efficient accretion is primarily determined by the total disk gas mass, the representative grain size, the vertically integrated dust-to-gas mass ratio, and the stellar X-ray luminosity.

Conclusions. A self-consistent time-dependent coupling between gas, dust, stellar evolution models, and our general framework on million-year timescales is required to fully understand the formation of dead zones and their potential to trap dust particles.
A survey on Hungaria asteroids involved in mean motion resonances with Mars
Authors: Forgács-Dajka E. , Sándor Zs. , Sztakovics J.
Published: November 2021

Context. A region at the inner edge of the main asteroid belt is populated by the Hungaria asteroids. Among these objects, the Hungaria family formed as the result of a catastrophic disruption of the (434) Hungaria asteroid a few hundred million years ago. Due to the Yarkovsky effect, the fragments depending on their direction of rotation are slowly drifting inwards or outwards from the actual place of collision. Due to this slow drift, these bodies could approach the locations of the various outer-type mean-motion resonances (MMRs) with Mars.

Aims. We aim to study the actual dynamical structure of Hungaria asteroids, which is primarily shaped by various outer-type MMRs with Mars. Moreover, we also seek connections between the orbital characteristics of Hungaria asteroids and their absolute magnitude.

Methods. To map the resonant structure and dynamics of asteroids belonging to the Hungaria group, we used the FAst Identification of mean motion Resonances method, which can detect MMRs without the a priori knowledge of the critical argument. We also compiled stability maps of the regions around the MMRs by using the maximal variations in the asteroids’ eccentricities, semi-major axes, and inclinations. We numerically integrated the orbits of all asteroids belonging to the Hungaria group available in the JPL Horizon database together with the Solar System planets for one and ten million years.

Results. Having studied the resonant structure of the Hungaria group, we find that several asteroids are involved in various MMRs with Mars. We identify both short- and long-term MMRs. Besides this, we also find a relationship between the absolute magnitude of asteroids and the MMR in which they are involved.
Multilevel modeling an innovative tool for analyzing clustered data: application to education and its projection on environmental management
Authors: Liouaeddine Mariem , Bijou Mohammed
Published: November 2021

The objective of this article is to show how multilevel modeling is a tool that is most appropriate to analyze clustred data in many field (education, business, environment, energy consumption etc.). Thus, we used this approach to analyze students' achievements in morocco using TIMSS database. The results show that several factors influence the academic performance of Moroccan students in mathematics such as student’s gender, Student’s SES and the principal's emphasis on students' success.
The National Survey on Population and Family Health (NSPFH), Morocco-2018: a Data Quality Assessment
Authors: Asraoui Abdelghani , Khassouani Chems Eddouha , Soulaymani Abdelmajid
Published: November 2021

The National Survey on Population and Family Health (NSPFH) is an important source of data in Morocco. Its objective is to assess, periodically, the state of population health and the impact of policies and programs put in place, by updating the main demographic and health indicators. The report of the sixth NSPFH, conducted during the period October 2017-January 2018, illustrates updated socio-demographic data and the new prevalence of several diseases. As the NSPFH results are a reference for decision-makers, researchers and professionals, it seems necessary to promote them and give them more credibility. The objective of this paper is to verify the reliability of the NSPFH data and results using demographic data quality assessment methods (graphic methods: age-gender pyramid and distribution by gender and area of residency, and statistical methods: non-response rate and age accuracy indexes) to ensure if they are of good quality. This study showed that the NSPFH-2018 data were of good quality. Indeed, the non-response rate did not exceed 1.1% for all questionnaires (household 1.1%, woman 0.5% and elderly 1.1%). The age-gender pyramid confirmed the demographic transition towards ageing and the downward trend of fertility in Morocco. The distribution by area of residency confirmed the trend towards urbanization of the country (61% urban and 39% rural). The Whipple (1.05), Myers (4.73), Bachi (2.31) indexes and the United Nations Combined Index (31.21) were all within the standards for a good quality of age declaration. In addition, the results were consistent with each other and in line with the national and international health context.
Analysis of the genetic predisposition to develop a Myocardial Infarction in a sample of Moroccan patients
Authors: Anaibar Fatima Ezzahra , Essenhagi Sana , Abeid Said Nassor , Farhane Hamid , Motrane Majida , Habbal Rachida , Ghalim Norredine , Harich Nourdin
Published: November 2021

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a multifactorial coronary artery disease influenced by environmental and genetic factors. Being one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in developed countries, it is becoming a national health concern in developing countries such as Morocco. In the present work, we aim to study the association between 4 Alu polymorphisms (ACE, FXIII-B, TPA-25 and APOA1) genes and the risk of MI in the Moroccan population.

210 patients with a history of myocardial infarction and 203 healthy individuals were included in this study. The Alu polymorphisms were determined by the PCR technique followed by direct electrophoresis.

Only the I / I_APOA1 genotype showed a significant association with the risk of MI (p˂0.001; OR = 2.171), while genotypes carrying the D allele (D / D or I / D) showed a protective effect (p <0.001; OR = 0.46). Patients presenting an association between I / I and a high level of triglycerides (p = 0.020, OR = 2.14)), as well as a significant association with a high level of LDLs (p = 0.035, OR = 2, 00). Subjects carrying the I / I_APOA1 genotype with dyslipidemia or hyperglycemia are more likely to develop MI, as are those carrying I / D_APOA1 with hyperglycemia or high cholesterol.
New approach needed for diagnosis of human brucellosis in Morocco
Authors: Qasmaoui Aicha , Belkadi Bouchra , Ohmani Farida , Halout Karima , Charof Reda , Hamamouchi Jamila
Published: November 2021

Human brucellosis is an infectious disease, caused by different species of the genus Brucella. It is a mandatory notifiable disease in most countries, including Morocco, and thus requires special vigilance on the part of health agencies. Prevention of this disease is based on surveillance and prevention of risk factors. Its management is based on serological or other diagnostic tests. The National Laboratory of Epidemic Diseases received 17 blood samples of human origin for notified cases of brucellosis in a region of southern Morocco. Biological confirmation of these samples was performed by Rose Bengal test and ELISA IgM test. The results showed a positivity rate of 88% proving the important role of serological tests in the diagnosis of brucellosis. Other rapid and efficient techniques are becoming essential for the confirmation of cases, taking into account the advanced biosafety procedures for these highly infectious pathogens.
Epidemiology of infectious complications in endo-arterial interventional radiology in France: Feasibility of the nationwide hospital discharge database (PMSI), 2010 – 2013
Authors: Aid Mellouk Kaoutar , Soulaymani Abdelmajid , Misset Benoit
Published: November 2021

Introduction : The epidemiology of the Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) post-EndoArterial Interventional Radiology Procedures (EAIRP) is unknown. The objective is to test the feasibility of the nationwide hospital discharge French database, named, le Programme de Médicalisation des Systèmes d’Information (PMSI) to determine the incidence of IN post- EAIRP. The procedures selected are: Angioplasty, angioplasty with stent, embolization and thrombectomy. Subjects and methods: Denominator: patients with at least one stay including the code "trans/arterial route" of the French Common Classification of Medical Acts. Numerator: cases of HAIs according to the International Classification of Diseases in its French version, Tenth Revision. The study was approved by the French National Commission for Data Protection and Liberties. Results: 460,461 patients included in 692 centers from 2010 to 2013. 9,227 (2.01%) infections within 3 months of an EAIRP. Mortality 2.79% without HAI, versus 9.77% with HAI (P <0.001). Conclusion: Measuring the incidence of HAI secondary to an EAIRP with the PMSI is feasible. The HAI appears to be associated with excess mortality. The causal link between HAI and death deserves to be deepened. Comparisons with databases from other countries are necessary.
Epidemiological profile of Echinococcosis in Morocco from 2014 to 2018: case of Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region
Authors: Nabah Kaoutar , Mezzoug Nadya , Oufdou Halima , Abrini Jamal , Rharrabe Kacem
Published: November 2021

In Morocco, the National Hydatidosis Control Program has approved considerable progress. However, updating epidemiological profile data of the disease is necessary. This study is carried out to explore the characteristics and epidemiological profile of Hydatidosis in Tangier-Tetouan-Al-Hoceima region. We conducted a retrospective descriptive study from 28 April 2019 to 18 February 2020. The data collected covering 2014-2018 period from the program reports. The statistical analysis was performed by EpiInfo 7. In total, 94 cases were notified. In 2015, we recorded the highest incidence (0.83 cases/100.000 inhabitants). The highest percentage of patients was in Tetouan (28,7%). 54.3% of cases were women and 57.4% were from rural areas. The age of 47,3% of the cases was [18-40[years. The association between the professional status and sex was statistically significant (p<0.05). 94.4% of cases, in the first stage of infection, were diagnosed by ultrasound. 84.7% presented hepatic localization. Almost all cases (98.9%) were treated surgically. In conclusion, the National Hydatidosis Control Program should direct the actions in rural areas where the living conditions of the population are precarious. The study of canine Hydatidosis will also be necessary in the context of environmental health to carry out an integrated control for the human Hydatidosis disease.
Risk management and surveillance systems: A Model proposed for the provincial public hospital (CHP)
Authors: Khassouani Chems-Eddouha , Asri Abdellatif , Soulaymani Abdelmajid
Published: November 2021

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the provincial hospitals (CHP) of Morocco have demonstrated a remarkable capacity for reactivity. They were able to reorganize themselves to ensure the response to the pandemic and maintain basic functions. However, this reactivity alone does not prove their resilience in the face of new infections and possible disasters. The CHP must plan its responsiveness well in advance by building an intra-hospital health vigilance system that meets basic provincial requirements and that communicates with its internal and external environments.

A qualitative analysis, using the focus group method, on Ifrane hospital risk management system revealed that, the systems for notification and declaration of adverse events are set up under the responsibility of multiple actors and using multiple notification forms. The processes and procedures are not clear with an overlap between the activities of quality assurance, risk management and complaints treatment system. A lot of information does not arrive at its destination on time, which impacts decision-making. This work proposes a hospital risk management model with two systems, one for safety of care and the other for risk management, taking into account the missions of the CHP and the different sources of information.
Sun exposure, dressing habits, and vitamin D status in Morocco
Authors: Dadda Sakhr , Azekour Karima , Sebbari Fouzia , El Houate Brahim , El Bouhali Bachir
Published: November 2021

Sunlight is the main source of vitamin D. Almost 80% of vitamin D3 is produced in the skin. The region of Draa Tafilalet benefits from long daily sunshine time. As such, vitamin D deficiency should be low in this region. However, dressing habits can highly influence vitamin D status. This study aimed to evaluate sun exposure and its relation to vitamin D status among the general population in the region of Draa-Tafilalet, Morocco. Clinical, biological, and sociodemographic data were obtained from 331 adults visiting local healthcare units during the summers of 2019 and 2020. Plasma 25(OH)D2/D3 was measured by immunofluorescence. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 37.5%, while Vitamin D insufficiency represented 56.5%. Most of the studied population (76.4%) had restricting dressing habits and exposed only their faces. statistic tests showed a correlation of vitamin D levels with daily sun exposure (r= 0.308, p<0.001), dressing habits (p<0.001), age (r= -0.141, p=0.01), sex (p<0.001), physical activity level (p=0.003), and BMI (r= -0.298, p<0.001). The study showed a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in this region. Similarly, it exposed the effects of restricting clothes and low daily sun exposure on vitamin D status.
Perception of secondary school adolescent girls on their own diet and health status in urban Benin
Authors: Mama Chabi Sherifath , Fanou Fogny Nadia , Nago Koukoubou Eunice , Egbakotan Axel , Amoussou Lokossou Yrence
Published: November 2021

From childhood to adulthood, adolescence phase transition, implies many lifestyle changes. This study aims to investigate the perception of adolescent girls of their own diet and health status. A cross-sectional study, using a structured face-to-face administered questionnaire, were carried out in 395 adolescent girls 15 - 19 years old in secondary schools in Cotonou, in Benin. Chi 2 and Wilcoxon - Mann Whitney tests were performed to appreciate the variables associations. Logistic regression was executed to appraise the effect of self-perception on dietary practices. The average age of the participants was 16.7 ± 1.26 years. The prevalence of self-reported anaemia, diet quality and overweight/obesity was 18.23%; 57.72% and 9.87% respectively. Considering school character, more adolescents in private schools perceived themselves as being “overweight/obese” (22.8%) compared to their peers from public schools (0.4%). Self-perceived anaemia was related to dark green leafy vegetable and vitamin C-rich fruits consumption while self-perceived overweight/obesity decrease the consumption of meat and meat products. Adolescents who perceived their own diet as healthy reached the Minimum Dietary Diversity. The findings of this study highlight the importance of self-perception in adolescents eating habits and this should be considered in interventions improving their diet quality.
Retracted Article: Mathematical Model of Hybrid and Electric Cars Control System
Authors: Kozlovsky Vladimir
Published: November 2021

This paper has been formally retracted from publication by the author on ethical grounds. Actually, a misunderstanding occurred between a few authors, including Vladimir Kozlovsky, with the result that they mistakenly sent the same article simultaneously to two different conferences. The author is responsible for this mistake and apologise for it. Request approved by the proceedings Editor and the Publisher on November 17, 2021.
Observation of Damage of Cotton Fiber in the Processes of Blowing, Cleaning and Carding
Authors: Tojimirzaev Sanjar , Sadikov Muhammad , Rasulov Shokhruh , Mirzaahmedov Javohir , Plekhanov А.F.
Published: November 2021

The quality of the produced yarn mainly depends on the properties of the raw material, its preparation for spinning, the condition of the equipment, and the preservation of the natural quality of cotton fiber during processing. The question of the number of defects in cotton fiber and their total content is a very important issue for cotton spinning. The non-standardized number of defects in the raw material reduces the quality indicators and yarn yield, which requires additional technological processes; therefore, on the part of production, the requirements for reducing the share of cotton fiber defects are constantly increasing. During processing in blowing and cleaning units and on carding machines, the cotton fiber is mechanically damaged. To observation the damaged fibers, we used the Congo-Roth red paint according to the method of Ch. Dore. Despite the carding is considered the last stage in the process of cleaning the fibers from impurities and defects in the spinning system, 30% of impurities and fiber defects still remain on the card sliver. Besides, it should be noted the carding machine is also considered an additional occurrence of defects, in particular (neps), which reduce the quality indicators of the card sliver and the finished product.
Impact of Interface Model on Simulation Results of a Radial Pump at Part Load and Shut-Off Conditions
Authors: Palamarchuk E. F. , Zharkovsky A. A. , Thamsen P. U.
Published: November 2021

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is a well-known tool for predicting and analyzing performance in a variety of engineering branches, including turbomachinery, allowing engineers to partially replace physical experiments with their virtual analog. Nevertheless, numerical analysis should be used carefully regarding possible deviation between simulated and experimental results due to multiple reasons (including but not limited to applied simplifications in the numerical model). These deviations usually have their minima close to the Best Efficiency Point (BEP). The paper deals with analyzing the outcome of steady-state simulations for a radial pump at strong part load and shut-off conditions by switching between three simulation types (steady-state with mixing plane, steady-state with frozen rotor, transient with sliding mesh). A comparison of velocity profiles on the interface surfaces is made, showing how the chosen interface model affects the structures being formed at part load conditions. These effects show particular impact on performance parameters (first of all, head production), which is discussed in the paper. The information provided could be helpful for adjusting the simulation parameters and finding an appropriate compromise between simulation reliability and demand for computational time thereby.
Assessment of Technical Condition and Readiness of Pump Units by Diagnostic Methods
Authors: Muhammadiev M. M. , Glovatsky O. Y. , Ergashev R. R. , Nasyrova N. R. , Saidov F. S.
Published: November 2021

The article presents the developed methods and models for analyzing the dynamic indicators of pumping units for different time intervals of their state during operation. The main tasks of assessing the technical condition are to identify deviations from design solutions, the presence of damage, defects in pump structures that can cause accidents. The results of the development of a diagnostic system for pumping units at pumping stations are presented. The working conditions of the connecting links of the main pumping and power equipment and its diagnostics are considered. The introduction of the proposed diagnostic system will lead to a reduction in operating costs of pumping units and the cost of their maintenance.
Sustainability strategies for PV: framework, status and needs
Authors: Gervais Estelle , Herceg Sina , Nold Sebastian , Weiß Karl-Anders
Published: November 2021

The large-scale deployment of photovoltaics (PV) is a central pillar in decarbonizing energy systems and reaching climate goals. Although PV is inherently associated to environmental awareness, it is not immune to reputational risks nor exempt of a responsibility for transparency and sustainability leadership. So far, advances in the PV industry have mainly been shaped by cost-reduction targets. We identified in previous works 16 topics where the PV sector comes short in addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12) “Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns”. In this paper, practical approaches to address each of these sustainability gaps are proposed. The best-practices identified cover all aspects of sustainability as defined by SDG 12–from resource use and hazardous substances through corporate reporting and risk assessment to due diligence and waste management. Insights on methodological needs to improve sustainability assessment and accounting in PV are also provided. The compiled list of actions needed, although not intended to be exhaustive, constitutes a starting point for stakeholders to raise their ambitions and achieve more sustainability in PV value chains.
Ant colony optimization with semi random initialization for nurse rostering problem
Authors: Achmad Said , Wibowo Antoni , Diana Diana
Published: November 2021

A nurse rostering problem is an NP-Hard problem that is difficult to solve during the complexity of the problem. Since good scheduling is the schedule that fulfilled the hard constraint and minimizes the violation of soft constraint, a lot of approaches is implemented to improve the quality of the schedule. This research proposed an improvement on ant colony optimization with semi-random initialization for nurse rostering problems. Semi-random initialization is applied to avoid violation of the hard constraint, and then the violation of soft constraint will be minimized using ant colony optimization. Semi-random initialization will improve the construction solution phase by assigning nurses directly to the shift that is related to the hard constraint, so the violation of hard constraint will be avoided from the beginning part. The scheduling process will complete by pheromone value by giving weight to the rest available shift during the ant colony optimization process. This proposed method is tested using a real-world problem taken from St. General Hospital Elisabeth. The objective function is formulated to minimize the violation of the constraints and balance nurse workload. The performance of the proposed method is examined by using different dimension problems, with the same number of ant and iteration. The proposed method is also compared to conventional ant colony optimization and genetic algorithm for performance comparison. The experiment result shows that the proposed method performs better with small to medium dimension problems. The semi-random initialization is a success to avoid violation of the hard constraint and minimize the objective value by about 24%. The proposed method gets the lowest objective value with 0,76 compared to conventional ant colony optimization with 124 and genetic algorithm with 1.
Infections Deaths in the PLATO Trial
Authors: Serebruany Victor , Tanguay Jean-Francois
Published: November 2021

Background Cardiovascular benefits of aggressive dual antiplatelet therapy may be associated with extra risks including bleeding, cancer, and infections discovered first for prasugrel in the TRial to assess Improvement in Therapeutic Outcomes by optimizing platelet InhibitioN with prasugrel (TRITON) trial. Ticagrelor in PLATO also caused slightly more infections but surprisingly less sepsis-related deaths (SRD) than clopidogrel. However, verified infection fatalities in PLATO were lacking from the public domain. We obtained the complete Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-issued primary causes death list, matched it with the few local site records dataset and analyzed the patterns of infections and deaths reported in PLATO.

Methods Among infections, the FDA spreadsheet contains only two primary death codes for pneumonia (12–2) and SRD (12–8). We obtained local evidence for two pneumonia and two SRD and matched those with the FDA records. We assessed how SRD patterns were reported among nonvascular death's dataset.

Results The FDA PLATO records indicate that clopidogrel caused numerically less (n = 8) primary pneumonia deaths than ticagrelor (n = 10) but over three times more SRD (n = 23/7). Among matched verifiable outcomes, both pneumonia deaths were correct, but two clopidogrel SRD were incorrect. Of the remaining 21 clopidogrel SRD, 6 were reported as two separate closed paired entries in Brazil (lines 76 and 78 and 86 and 88) and India (lines 436 and 440), suggesting last minute addition of potentially incorrect SRD reports. Four ticagrelor SRD (lines 24,193,467 and 650) were “compensated” with close or next in line clopidogrel SRD entries (lines 22,195,468 and 651).

Conclusion The FDA-issued evidence suggests no benefit of ticagrelor in preventing deaths from infections with slightly more pneumonia deaths, with possible misreporting of SRD in PLATO. These findings require an in-depth precise review of sepsis deaths in this trial.
From cell spheroids to vascularized cancer organoids: Microfluidic tumor-on-a-chip models for preclinical drug evaluations
Authors: Wu Yue , Zhou Yuyuan , Qin Xiaochen , Liu Yaling
Published: November 2021

Chemotherapy is one of the most effective cancer treatments. Starting from the discovery of new molecular entities, it usually takes about 10 years and 2 billion U.S. dollars to bring an effective anti-cancer drug from the benchtop to patients. Due to the physiological differences between animal models and humans, more than 90% of drug candidates failed in phase I clinical trials. Thus, a more efficient drug screening system to identify feasible compounds and pre-exclude less promising drug candidates is strongly desired. For their capability to accurately construct in vitro tumor models derived from human cells to reproduce pathological and physiological processes, microfluidic tumor chips are reliable platforms for preclinical drug screening, personalized medicine, and fundamental oncology research. This review summarizes the recent progress of the microfluidic tumor chip and highlights tumor vascularization strategies. In addition, promising imaging modalities for enhancing data acquisition and machine learning-based image analysis methods to accurately quantify the dynamics of tumor spheroids are introduced. It is believed that the microfluidic tumor chip will serve as a high-throughput, biomimetic, and multi-sensor integrated system for efficient preclinical drug evaluation in the future.
Effects of Atwood number and stratification parameter on compressible multi-mode Rayleigh–Taylor instability
Authors: Luo Tengfei , Wang Jianchun
Published: November 2021

This study numerically analyzes the two-dimensional (2D) compressible multi-mode Rayleigh–Taylor instability at different Atwood numbers (At) and stratification parameters (Sr), corresponding to the different levels of flow compressibility. It is found that the growth of bubble thickness is suppressed with the increase in Sr due to the density stratification at small At, whereas it is enhanced at large At, because of the expansion and compression motions. The ratio of the bubble to spike thickness increases with the increase in Sr at any At. The effects of the flow compressibility on the molecular mixing fraction, Taylor Reynolds number, turbulent Mach number, and velocity divergence statistics are similar at different Atwood numbers. The expansion and compression motions are enhanced by increasing the Sr and At. The expansion motions are relatively strong in the mixing layer, whereas the compression motions are prevalent outside the mixing layer, which may form a force promoting the upward movement of the bubble. The profiles of mean concentration, mean temperature, and root mean square of velocities can overlap with each other at different stratification parameters after normalization, which demonstrates the self-similarity of the 2D compressible Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) turbulence. The density stratification weakens the conversion from potential energy to kinetic energy, while the flow compressibility enhances the pressure-dilatation work at large values of Sr. The present results can help in the development of theoretical models of compressible RT turbulence.
What has driven acute public hospital expenditure growth in South Australia? An analysis of the relative importance of major expenditure drivers between 2006–07 and 2017–18
Authors: Larg Allison , Moss John R.
Published: November 2021

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate whether increasing costs of delivering care have driven real growth in acute public hospital expenditure in South Australia (SA) and what has contributed to these real cost increases. Methods Using published time-series data, we decomposed inflation-adjusted growth in per capita total acute public hospital recurrent expenditure into its major utilisation and cost components to evaluate their relative contribution over the 12 years to 2017–18. Results Real per capita total acute public hospital recurrent expenditure grew by AU$667 (45.2%) over the 12-year period; of this, 86.0% was from real growth in input costs per weighted activity unit, with real growth in the average salaries of hospital staff accounting for AU$247 or 37.0%. Hospital utilisation rates contributed a minor 14.0%. Conclusion Over the 12 years to 2017–18, real growth in average clinical salaries was a more important driver of real growth in per capita total acute public hospital expenditure than rates of hospital utilisation. This would be facilitated by improvements in the scope, accuracy, quality and consistency of published national hospital data. What is known about the topic? Public hospital expenditure is one of the largest and fastest growing areas of government expenditure in Australia. Policy narratives often centre around demand pressures from an increasingly older, overweight, and chronically ill population. Comparatively little attention has been paid to the influence of increases in real input costs within the Australian context. What does this paper add? Real salary growth has been a major driver of acute public hospital recurrent expenditure growth in SA, whereas hospital utilisation rates have played a minor role. What are the implications for practitioners? A clearer understanding of the main drivers of acute public hospital expenditure growth and the resulting benefits to population health is needed to guide the efficient and sustainable use of scarce healthcare resources.
Racism complaints in the Australian health system: an overview of existing approaches and some recommendations
Authors: Truong Mandy , Allen Dominique , Chan Jocelyn , Paradies Yin
Published: November 2021

Patients from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds can experience racism and race-based discrimination in the health system, enduring unfair and inferior treatment that negatively affects physical and mental health and well-being and may, in some cases, lead to premature and avoidable death. Racism within the health system also acts as a deterrent to health care access because individuals may choose to avoid healthcare settings for fear of repeated exposure to racism. Racism and its impacts in health are well documented and health care-related regulatory organisations and antidiscrimination commissions in Australia are the recipients of racism complaints that occur within the health system. However, the extent and nature of complaints of racism in healthcare settings (i.e. self-reported incidents of racism) and how they are managed by regulatory organisations and antidiscrimination commissions are not well understood. This paper provides a summary of existing approaches to complaints in the Australian health system related to healthcare regulatory organisations and antidiscrimination commissions. We offer recommendations for improvements to data collection and dissemination of racism complaints to better understand the nature and extent of racism and race-based discrimination in the health system, and thus inform changes to process and practices that will reduce the incidence of racism and improve health outcomes. What is known about the topic? Patient complaints of racism in the health system are received by health care-related regulatory organisations and antidiscrimination commissions. However, the extent and nature of the complaints of racism in healthcare settings and how they are managed are not well understood. What does the paper add? This paper provides a summary of existing approaches to complaints in the Australian health system related to healthcare regulatory organisations and antidiscrimination commissions. We identify ways that existing complaints processes and mechanisms can be strengthened to enhance the safety and quality of patient care. What are the implications for practitioners? Practitioners, healthcare managers and policy makers can enhance existing complaints processes and mechanisms in order to improve the collection and use of healthcare racism complaints that can inform strategies to reduce healthcare racism and improve patient care.
Fifty years of criteria development for selecting wetlands of international importance
Authors: Stroud David A. , Davidson Nick C.
Published: November 2021

The Ramsar Convention’s criteria for the identification of wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites) and its associated guidance have been widely influential, not only in the selection of Ramsar sites, but also in the development of similar criteria to identify internationally or nationally protected areas for biodiversity through other processes. Over 50 years there has been a conceptual broadening of the scope of the criteria from an initial focus on waterbirds, as well as progressive development of interpretive guidance, allowing meaning and interpretation to develop to support criteria that have been unchanged since 2005. However, establishing criteria based on the provision of cultural or socioeconomic ecosystem services for humans, although regularly discussed at recent conferences of parties, remain unresolved, with opposing views among contracting parties. A pragmatic way forward may be to establish a status ‘badge’ or attribute that acknowledges the value of a Ramsar site to human communities, distinct from the site selection criteria. Allowing parties themselves to ‘award’ this status to appropriate sites would give flexibility for differential national uptake, perhaps being more frequently applied by some parties than others.
Mechanisms underlying drug-mediated regulation of membrane protein function
Authors: Rusinova Radda , He Changhao , Andersen Olaf S.
Published: November 2021

Significance

Many drugs have off-target effects that involve membrane proteins. We explore a general mechanism for such effects based on the notion that first, membrane proteins are energetically coupled to their host bilayer, and second, many drugs are amphiphiles that partition into and alter lipid bilayer properties. Using the prototypical potassium channel KcsA, we show that structurally diverse drugs regulate membrane protein function through changes in bilayer properties and nonspecific drug binding. These nonspecific mechanisms likely underlie pleiotropic, off-target drug effects observed with structurally and functionally diverse membrane proteins when the concentrations at which a drug alters the function of a desired target protein overlaps with the concentration at which it alters bilayer properties.
On the nature of crosslinguistic influence
Authors: Liceras Juana M. , Fernández Fuertes Raquel
Published: November 2021

Root Infinitives (RI) in Spanish have an infinitival marker, while in English they are bare forms. For languages like English, the RI stage has been said to be longer and to have a higher incidence than in Spanish. Within Liceras, Bel, and Perales’ (2006) typology of an RI universal stage, Spanish is a [+Person (P), +Infinitival marker (R)] language while English is [−P, −R]. Our analysis of the English and Spanish RIs produced by English-Spanish bilingual children and English and Spanish monolingual children reveals no interfering influence from English into Spanish and no positive influence from Spanish into English, which suggests that the degree of lexical transparency of the [+P, +R] features of Spanish is not strong enough to trigger acceleration in overcoming the bilingual English RI stage.
Swedish FrameNet++ – lexical samsara*
Authors: Borin Lars , Forsberg Markus , Lönngren Lennart , Zechner Niklas
Published: November 2021

One of the main goals of the Swedish FrameNet++
initiative is to recycle and include as many existing modern Swedish
lexical resources as possible into one unified lexical macroresource
useful for automatic language processing. In this chapter we
describe the structure of Saldo, the central resource of Swedish
FrameNet++, the design of the formal interlinking mechanism keeping
the lexical macroresource together, and our work on Swesaurus, a
Swedish wordnet, and a Swedish Roget-style thesaurus as components
of Swedish FrameNet++.
Semantic role labeling*
Authors: Johansson Richard , Friberg Heppin Karin , Kokkinakis Dimitrios
Published: November 2021

We investigate the feasibility of automatic
semantic role labeling (SRL) using Swedish
FrameNet (SweFN). In the first part of the chapter, we describe a
baseline system using a traditional division into segmentation and
labeling steps. These subsystems are implemented as separate machine
learning models, and we explore a wide range of syntactic and
lexical features for these models. In the second part, we turn to
the question of how the frame-to-frame relations defined in FrameNet
allow us to use the annotated examples more effectively. The
cross-frame generalization methods reduce the number of errors made
by the labeling classifier by 27%. For previously unseen frames, the
reduction is even more significant: 50%.