bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The British and the transfer of power in the Bechuanaland Protectorate: Neo-colonialism or passive revolution?
Authors: Lotshwao Kebapetse
Published: March 2021

Deploying the theoretical framework of Italian Marxist thinker, Antonio Gramsci, this article argues that rather than a neo-colonial arrangement, the transfer of power from the British to locals in the Bechuanaland Protectorate (Botswana) could be conceptualized as a passive revolution. This passive revolution, which was triggered by demands for independence by radical nationalists, entailed the formation of a pro-British political party, the Botswana Democratic Party, and transferring power to it in a carefully managed decolonization process. The passive revolution aimed not just at preserving British economic interests in the protectorate but also at state formation for purposes of expanding the capitalist mode of production in the newly independent state. Thus, the transfer of power took place concurrently with the creation of a legitimate capitalist state that served the interests of both the British and the cattle-owning Botswana Democratic Party elite that assumed power at independence. Post-independence, the cattle bourgeois class at the apex of the Botswana Democratic Party embarked upon the construction of hegemony through the creation of an interventionist developmental state that addressed the narrow interests of other classes and groups constituting the post-independence historical bloc. Such hegemony has allowed the Botswana Democratic Party to retain power to the present day.
Early Sport Specialization Among Former National Collegiate Athletic Association Athletes: Trends, Scholarship Attainment, Injury, and Attrition
Authors: Rugg Caitlin M. , Coughlan Monica J. , Li Justine N. , Hame Sharon L. , Feeley Brian T.
Published: March 2021

Background:

Many youth athletes focus on 1 sport to gain a competitive advantage, but early sport specialization may increase risk of overuse injuries and burnout. College athletes have successfully achieved advanced status; therefore, the study of their specialization patterns is a method to assess how specialization affects an athletic career.

Purpose:

To determine trends in sport specialization by sex, sport, and decade of participation in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes and assess the effect of specialization on scholarship attainment, injury, and attrition.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

An electronic survey was distributed to NCAA athletes who participated from 1960 to 2018. Survey topics included sex, sport, decade of participation, scholarship status, ≥30-day time-loss injuries sustained in college, orthopaedic surgery in college, career length, and age of single-sport specialization. Early specialization was defined as specialization in a single sport before age 15 years. Rates of early specialization were calculated for each sport, sex, individual and team sports, and decade of participation. Rates of scholarship attainment, injury, and attrition were compared between groups. Univariate associations were queried with logistic regression analysis to determine predictors of specialization, scholarship attainment, injury, and early attrition.

Results:

Of 1550 athletes who participated (17% response rate), 544 (35.1%) were women. Overall, 18.1% of athletes specialized before age 15 years (n = 281). Athletes in gymnastics, tennis, swimming and diving, and soccer were significantly more likely to specialize early, whereas football and baseball athletes were more likely to specialize late ( P < .05 for all groups). Early specialization was more common among women (23.4% vs 15.2%; odds ratio, 1.72; P < .01). There was a trend toward earlier specialization for recent college graduates, with graduates from the last decade more likely to be classified as early specialization than those from previous decades ( P = .036). Scholarship attainment was overall equivalent between groups. Time-loss injuries, lower extremity injuries, and orthopaedic surgery in college were not statistically different between groups. Career lengths were similar, but burnout was more common among early specialization athletes (10.5% vs 7.0%; odds ratio, 3.76; P < .01).

Conclusion:

Less than one-fifth of NCAA athletes surveyed specialized before age 15 years, and neither scholarship attainment nor time-loss injury rate was affected by early specialization. Early specialization is on the rise but is associated with increased burnout.
Return to Sport After Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Platt Brooks N. , Bowers Lucy C. , Magnuson Justin A. , Marx Sean M. , Liu Joseph N. , Farr Jack , Stone Austin V.
Published: March 2021

Background:

Patellar instability is frequently encountered in the athletic population. Medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction is a common strategy to treat recurrent patellar dislocation and demonstrates good clinical outcomes.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose was to examine return to sport after MPFL reconstruction for patellar instability. We hypothesized that patients would resume athletic activity at a high rate and that a large proportion would return to their preoperative level of performance.

Study Design:

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods:

A systematic review of the literature was conducted using PubMed and Cochrane Library databases to identify articles reporting return to sport after MPFL reconstruction for recurrent patellar dislocation. Athletes were defined as those reporting a preoperative sport. A random-effects model was used to evaluate return to sport rates, subsequent level, and rate of instability recurrence. Meta-regression was used to compare return to sport rates in patients undergoing MPFL reconstruction without osteotomy compared with those treated with simultaneous tibial tubercle osteotomy or trochleoplasty.

Results:

In total, 23 articles met inclusion criteria after full-text review. A total of 930 patients were analyzed, including 786 athletes. Women represented 61.3% of all patients. The overall mean age was 21.1 years (range, 9.5-60.0 years), with a mean follow-up time of 3.0 years (range, 0.8-8.5 years). The return to sport rate was 92.8% (95% CI, 86.4-97.6). Patients returned to or surpassed their preoperative level of activity in 71.3% (95% CI, 63.7-78.4) of cases. An osteotomy was performed on 10.5% of athletes. Return to sport did not differ significantly in patients undergoing MPFL reconstruction without osteotomy versus those receiving additional osteotomy (95.4% vs 86.9%; P = .22). Patients returned to sport at a mean of 6.7 months (range, 3.0-6.4 months) postoperatively. Osteotomy did not affect return time. Complications occurred at an overall rate of 8.8%. The most common complication was recurrence of instability (1.9%; 95% CI, 0.4-4.0). The Kujala score was reported by 13 studies, with pre- and postoperative combined means of 60.3 and 90.0, respectively.

Conclusion:

MPFL reconstruction is an effective and reliable treatment in the setting of patellofemoral instability. Surgeons can counsel their patients that they can expect a high rate of return to sport after MPFL reconstruction surgery alone or with concomitant osteotomy.
Association Between Radiological Evidence of Kaplan Fiber Injury, Intraoperative Findings, and Pivot-Shift Grade in the Setting of Acute Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury
Authors: Devitt Brian M. , Al’khafaji Ian , Blucher Nicola , Batty Lachlan M. , Murgier Jerome , Webster Kate E. , Feller Julian A.
Published: March 2021

Background:

Biomechanical studies have suggested that the Kaplan fibers (KFs) of the iliotibial band play a role in controlling anterolateral rotation of the knee. There is a paucity of clinical information on whether injury to the KF in the setting of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture contributes to increased rotatory laxity of the knee.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose was to evaluate the association among radiological evidence of KF injury, intraoperative arthroscopic findings, and grade of pivot shift at the time of ACL reconstruction (ACLR). It was hypothesized that KF injury would be associated with increased injury to the lateral compartment of the knee and a higher grade of pivot shift.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A retrospective magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis was conducted on 267 patients with ACL-injured knees who underwent primary ACLR. Patients who had MRI and surgery within 60 days of injury were included (mean age, 23.6 years); there were 158 (59.2%) male patients. MRI was performed using standard knee protocols, and diagnostic criteria were applied to identify KF injury. Associations were made among MRI findings, intraoperative findings, and grade of pivot shift with the patient examined under anesthesia at the time of ACLR. A comparison was made between patients with and without radiological evidence of KF injury.

Results:

The prevalence of KF injury was 17.6% (47/267 patients). Arthroscopic evidence of lateral meniscal injury was associated with KF injury (KF intact, 31%; KF injured, 55%; P = .010). The majority of patients in the intact and injured KF groups had a grade 2 pivot shift (75% and 70%, respectively). A minority had grade 3 pivot shift: 5% in the intact group versus 6.4% in the injured group. There was no association between radiological evidence of KF injury and pivot-shift grade ( P = .600).

Conclusion:

In acute ACL injury, KF injuries were not very common (17.6%), and the rate of grade 3 pivot shift was low (5.2%). When present, KF injuries were not associated with a higher-grade pivot shift. However, there was an association between KF injury and lateral meniscal tears identified at the time of ACLR. The role of KFS in controlling anterolateral rotatory laxity in the acute ACL injury in the clinical setting may be less evident when compared with the biomechanical setting.
Trans-urethral bladder suture in female patients: Not a tour de force but a quick and realistic answer to complex situations
Authors: Georgiades Fanourios , Kouriefs Chryssanthos , Makanjuola Jonathan , Grange Philippe
Published: March 2021

Introduction:

Trans-urethral bladder surgery has gained popularity in the fields of electro-resection and laser lithotripsy, with endoscopic suturing being overlooked. Bladder defect closure using a pure trans-urethral suturing technique can provide a quick and effective solution in situations where conventional management options are not feasible.

Methods:

Here we describe this innovative novel technique developed by our group that was used to treat two different cases with bladder perforation at two different institutions. We used a 5 mm laparoscopic port with gas insufflation and a laparoscopic needle holder trans-urethrally to achieve defect closure with a monofilament 2/0 monocryl mattress suture on a small 22 mm needle.

Results:

The defects were successfully closed without any intraoperative complications. Average operative time for the technique was 18 min with minimal blood loss. Bladder closure was sustained at a median follow-up of 2 years for one of these cases.

Conclusions:

We claim that transurethral bladder suturing is quick, safe in expert hands and provides an effective option where the clinical condition/situation of the patient warrants a minimally invasive surgery approach.
The Problem of Pétain: The State Politics of Difficult Reputations
Authors: Brossard Baptiste , Fine Gary Alan
Published: March 2021

How do governments commemorate salient national figures with contested reputations? The case of Marshal Philippe Pétain, whose fame followed World War I (WWI), but was later stigmatized for having led the Nazi-affiliated Vichy regime during World War II (WWII), suggests that political leaders consider the interests of competing groups. In the case of Pétain, these include veterans’ organizations, Jewish heritage groups, leftists, and, eventually, the rightist National Front. State leaders attempt to reconcile these pressures in the hope of avoiding politically damaging conflicts. Successful commemorations reinforce the legitimacy of the State as the guardian of symbolic compatibility between visions of history and morality. Recognizing memorialization as political process, we describe how Presidents of France attempt to distinguish an honorable Pétain from a dishonorable one. We describe four strategies by which states address difficult reputations: erasing, selecting, reconciling, and differentiating. Competing groups may create ambiguous meanings, attacking the State, while keeping distant from those with difficult reputations.
Closing the Gap: How Mayors’ Individual Attributes Affect Gender Wage Disparities in Local Bureaucracies
Authors: Funk Kendall D. , Molina Angel Luis
Published: March 2021

Gender inequities in public organizations manifest in various forms, including gaps in leadership roles and compensation. Increasing women’s representation in elected offices may reduce gender inequities in the public sector. This study examines whether women’s representation in local elected offices reduces gender wage disparities among men and women serving in Brazilian municipal executive bureaucracies. The findings suggest that municipalities with women mayors and larger proportions of women on the city council have smaller gender wage gaps in the municipal executive bureaucracy than those with men mayors and few women councilors. Furthermore, statistical models that account for diversity among men and women mayors in terms of their age, education, and partisanship suggest that even men mayors that likely hold progressive attitudes do not reduce gender disparities to the same degree as most women mayors. These findings underscore the importance of women’s representation for reducing gender inequities in the public sector.
The making of a socialist port: The Czechoslovak port in Hamburg in the 1940s and 1950s
Authors: Lemmen Sarah
Published: March 2021

What makes a port socialist? While the question of how to turn states into socialist entities was pressing in all of Eastern Europe in the late 1940s, ports played a specific role in this process as they presented some characteristics that counteracted the new socialist regime, mainly the inherent openness and connectedness to foreign goods, people and information. This was especially so in the Czechoslovak port in Hamburg. A relict from the interwar period, this port zone was now located in the western bloc. This article traces the attempts to integrate the Czechoslovak port in Hamburg into the socialist system. These attempts were based on various aspects. Central was the ideological legitimation of using a Western port despite the option of transferring the transit of goods to Eastern German or Polish ports. Another focus was on the hiring of Communist workers, especially at a port outside the eastern bloc. And finally, due to its specific location, the port zone in Hamburg was treated both as a socialist outpost in the West – prone to foreign espionage, smuggling or defection – and as a socialist showcase to the West, representing socialist superiority over the capitalist system, and therefore needed both heightened security measures and special attention to its appearance. Neither of these aspects were promptly implemented. Rather, as is argued in this article, over the course of about a decade, an approximation to these new rules under very specific circumstances was met by both support and opposition from groups as different as local representatives of the port zone, both German and Czech port workers or the British occupation forces in Hamburg.
Weaving the port into the socialist city: Fluid connections and transgressive movements in Gdańsk and Gdynia
Authors: Kalabinski Marta
Published: March 2021

During the communist era, the ports of Gdańsk and Gdynia were Poland’s window – and door – to the world. The merchant marine economy became increasingly important to the Polish state as its foreign-denominated debt grew in the 1970s, but Polish sailors posed challenges to the state’s control of space. Polish sailors travelled across political and ideological borders bringing goods – both declared and smuggled – into the ports of Poland from the outside. They provided key spatial connections and networks for the flow of goods and information into Poland. Polish sailors brought the open, connected and transgressive qualities of the ports into their cities. In doing so, sailors re-shaped the authorities’ notion of fixed and controllable urban spaces of Gdańsk and Gdynia into a dynamic movement of goods and peoples, a series of networks and relationships, and points linked to a broader, global web that was increasingly connecting the world.
Ports in state socialism, or why the Cold War matters to maritime history
Authors: Normand Brigitte Le , Lemmen Sarah
Published: March 2021

As central transport hubs of commodities, people and information, ports play a specific and important role in modern societies. This is valid even more so in socialist states. As we argue in this introduction, and subsequently throughout this Forum, socialist ports were in many ways places of exception: in a political system that preferred closed borders, ports symbolized the ‘gates to the world’; in an economic system that was thoroughly planned, ports became the main contact point for global trade outside of a planned economy. Therefore, while socialist ports differed from other socialist entities, they also differed from non-socialist ports, especially regarding the influence of government control and decision-making through state-owned companies or the ‘primacy of politics’ over economic argument. This specificity of socialist ports during the Cold War is analysed from three perspectives in the articles collected in this Forum: first, on the local or micro level, attention is afforded to agents such as sailors or port workers navigating the particular conditions of the ports; second, the top-down approaches of local or national management of the ports are discussed; third, ports are appraised as part of larger networks in their international context.
Bioactive anti-oxidative polycaprolactone/gelatin electrospun nanofibers containing selenium nanoparticles/vitamin E for wound dressing applications
Authors: Doostmohammadi Mohsen , Forootanfar Hamid , Shakibaie Mojtaba , Torkzadeh-Mahani Masoud , Rahimi Hamid-Reza , Jafari Elham , Ameri Alieh , Amirheidari Bagher
Published: March 2021

In this study, polycaprolactone/gelatin (PCL/GEL) electrospun nanofibers containing biogenic selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) and Se NPs/vitamin E (VE) with average diameters of 397.8 nm and 279.5 nm, respectively (as determined by SEM inspection) were prepared and their effect on wound healing was evaluated using in-vivo studies. The energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) mapping, TEM micrograph, and FTIR spectra of the prepared nanofibers strongly demonstrated well entrapment of Se NPs and VE into scaffolds. An amount of 57% Se NPs and 43% VE were gradually released from PCL/GEL/Se NPs/VE scaffold after 4 days immersion in PBS solution (pH 7.4). The both PCL/GEL/Se NPs and PCL/GEL/Se NPs/VE scaffolds supported 3T3 cell proliferation and attachment as confirmed by MTT assay and SEM imaging. Complete re-epithelialization, low level of edema and inflammatory cells in coordination with high level of oriented collagens demonstrated the wound healing activity of PCL/GEL/Se NPs/VE. Besides, significant antioxidant efficacy of PCL/GEL/Se NPs and PCL/GEL/Se NPs/VE scaffolds was demonstrated according to GSH and MDA assays. To sum up, the prepared PCL/GEL/Se NPs/VE scaffold in the present study represented suitable healing effect on animal model which candidate it for further studies.
Exploring Network Measures of Social Capital: Toward More Relational Measurement
Authors: Shin Bokyong
Published: March 2021

Although social capital is a relational concept, existing studies have focused less on measuring social relations. This article fills the gap by reviewing recent studies that used network measures grouped into three types according to the measurement level. The first group defined social capital as an individual asset and used node-level measures to explain personal benefits. The second group defined social capital as a collective asset and used graph-level measures to describe collective properties. The third group used subgraph-level measures to explain the development of social capital. This article offers a link between the concepts and measures of social capital.
Challenging the “‘Mean Kid”’ Perception: Boys’ and Girls’ Profiles of Peer Victimization and Aggression from 4th to 10th Grades
Authors: Olivier Elizabeth , Morin Alexandre J. S. , Vitaro Frank , Galand Benoit
Published: March 2021

Student involvement in peer aggression is assumed to include the uninvolved, victims, aggressors, and victim-aggressor groups. Yet, evidence supporting this four-group configuration is equivocal. Although most studies report the four groups, several of the aggressor groups could have been labeled as moderate victim-aggressors. This study first reviews studies identifying subgroups of students involved in verbal, relational, and physical aggression. The study then assesses students’ perceived involvement in elementary ( n = 2,071; Grades 4–6) and secondary school ( n = 1,832; Grades 7–10), as well as the associations with outcomes (school belonging, depressive thoughts, and perceived school violence). Latent profile analysis identified three profiles (uninvolved, victim-only, and victim-aggressor) across all grades and genders. In primary school, the uninvolved, victim, and victim-aggressor respectively included 54.56%, 37.51%, and 7.83% of the girls, and 44.23%, 31.92%, and 23.85% of the boys. In secondary school, the uninvolved, victim, and victim-aggressor respectively included 80.16%, 14.93% and 4.91% of the girls, and 64.31%, 22.95% and 12.74% of the boys. Victims and victim-aggressors reported poorer adjustment than uninvolved students. Victims and victim-aggressors reported lower levels of school belonging and higher levels of depressive thoughts than uninvolved students. Also, victim-aggressors perceived more violence in their school than victims and uninvolved students, and victims perceived more violence than uninvolved students. These findings question the existence of an aggressor-only profile, at least, according to student perception, suggesting the need for a new perspective when intervening with students involved in peer aggression.
Changing Social Representations and Agenda Interactions of Gene Editing After Crises: A Network Agenda-Setting Study on Chinese Social Media
Authors: Chen Anfan , Zhang Xing
Published: March 2021

By incorporating social representation theory with science communication and by using a critical milestone scientific crisis (i.e., the scandal of Chinese gene-edited human babies in 2018) as a dividing point, this study adopted a network agenda-setting approach to explore how various actors (i.e., scientists, the media, laypeople, and the government) engaged in the construction of social representations of the controversial issue of gene editing on Chinese social media (i.e., Sina Weibo). Based on large-scale social media data, supervised machine learning was employed to identify attribute categories, and semantic network analysis was used to construct attribute networks. Results reveal that after the 2018 crisis, gene editing received increasing social attention on Chinese social media. Further, two trends emerged in social representations of gene editing on social media: de-scientization and medialization. The following dynamic agenda interactions among various actors were found: On the one hand, the media and laypeople’s attribute network agendas converged while scientists and the media’s diverged after the scandal. This indicates a scientific crisis can serve as a trigger for agenda convergence and divergence among different actors online. On the other hand, there were constant agenda interactions, such as between the Chinese government and the media. This reveals a feature of Chinese science communication—the media not only mediates between scientists and the public, it also observes the government’s agenda closely when representing controversial scientific issues such as gene editing.
Five Year Analysis Assessing the Trend in Prescribing and Expenditures of Oral Oncolytics for Medicare Part D: 2013-2017
Authors: Borrelli Eric P. , McGladrigan Conor G.
Published: March 2021

Introduction:

Oral oncolytics are becoming a mainstay in oncology, representing first-line therapies for numerous different malignancies. In addition, the cost of oncology drugs has increased dramatically in recent years. Given the increasing number of oral oncolytics available, as well as the increase in medication costs in recent years, it is important to assess the trend in prescriptions and expenditures of these agents.

Methods:

A descriptive retrospective analysis of the Medicare Part D Provider Utilization and Payment Data Public Use File (PUF) was conducted for the years 2013 through 2017. Outcomes of interest included total aggregate prescriptions per year, total aggregate expenditures per year, mean expenditure per prescription per year, and mean expenditure per standardized 30-day prescription per year. Chi-square tests were conducted to assess statistical significance of differences in proportions of prescriptions as well as expenditures between 2013 and 2017.

Results:

The number of prescriptions for oral oncolytics dispensed to Medicare Part D beneficiaries increased from 7,017,902 in 2013 to 8,164,883 in 2017. Medicare Part D expenditures for oral oncolytics increased greater than 2.5-fold from $5,631,224,307 in 2013 to $14,422,681,331 in 2017 after adjusting for inflation. The mean expenditure per prescription for oral oncolytics increased from $802 in 2013 to $1,766 in 2017.

Conclusions:

This study found oral oncolytic utilization has been increasing in recent years with a slight, but statistically significant increase in the proportion of oncolytics for all Medicare prescriptions from 2013 through 2017.
A Review of the Evidence for Corticosteroids in COVID-19
Authors: Johns Meagan , George Stephy , Taburyanskaya Margarita , Poon Yi Kee
Published: March 2021

Objective:

To review available evidence on corticosteroids in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), and other viral pneumonias.

Data Sources:

A literature search of MEDLINE, PubMed and clinicaltrials.gov was performed to identify studies between 1980 to 2020 using the following search terms: corticosteroids, COVID19, severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and influenza. Pre-printed articles were also reviewed at medRxiv.org .

Data Analysis:

Corticosteroids were not recommended early in the COVID-19 pandemic outside of the use for concomitant indications (i.e. ARDS, septic shock) as they have been associated with delayed time to viral clearance in other viral pneumonias. A randomized trial showed a mortality benefit with dexamethasone in COVID-19. Guidelines have been updated to include a strong recommendation for their use in COVID-19 in those hospitalized requiring supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation.

Conclusion:

Based on data from available randomized trials, patients that require respiratory support or mechanical ventilation benefit from corticosteroid therapy. Corticosteroids are an inexpensive and readily available therapy that should be standard of care in hospitalized COVID-19 patients requiring respiratory support.
Nonprofit Entrepreneurship: Gender Differences in Strategy and Practice
Authors: Camarena Leonor , Feeney Mary K. , Lecy Jesse
Published: March 2021

There is evidence of meaningful gender differences in behaviors, resources, and outcomes for traditional and social entrepreneurs. We examine if these differences exist among nonprofit entrepreneurs—those who found organizations in a sector where women outnumber men and the activities of many nonprofits are perceived as feminine. Using survey data from 667 nonprofit founders, we investigate human, social, and financial capital differences between men and women. We find no gender differences in human capital before starting a nonprofit. We find gendered differences in founding approaches—women are more likely to take on full-time roles during the start-up phase and utilize volunteers, while men take on more financial debt. Although gender differences between nonprofit founders are not as extensive as those found among traditional and social entrepreneurs, our findings indicate more equitable opportunities for female nonprofit entrepreneurs. These findings highlight the opportunities for interrogating the gendering of nonprofit development.
A campus start-up ecosystem for mechanical engineering students: Challenges, approaches, catalysts and solutions
Authors: Pradeep M. , Satish K.P.
Published: March 2021

Start-up ecosystems are emerging rapidly worldwide. The speed of technology innovation and the diversity of business ideas keep the start-up landscape in constant flux. While many emerging start-ups are in the areas of electronics and information sciences, the field of mechanical engineering has huge potential that has yet to be exploited. Today’s mechanical engineering students need to be well positioned to recognize and seize potential start-up opportunities. This study examines the involvement of Indian mechanical engineering students in campus start-ups and the challenges they face in nascent entrepreneurship. Structural equation modelling was applied to a sample of 396 final-year undergraduate mechanical engineering students from the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University in Kerala. Data collection was achieved through a questionnaire developed on the basis of existing literature, feedback and market research. The findings highlight the currently prevailing barriers and best practices, and recommendations are derived for leveraging the nascent entrepreneurship potential of the mechanical engineering discipline. The negative effects of the barriers are positively moderated by the activities of campus-based entrepreneurship centres. The study results provide insights into the role of universities, higher education departments and government agencies in promoting a sustainable campus start-up culture through entrepreneurial learning.
Queuing theory-based optimization research on the multi-objective transportation problem of fourth party logistics
Authors: Hong Wei , Xu Zonglu , Liu Wen , Wu Linhai , Pu Xujin
Published: March 2021

Fourth party logistics is an urgent need for economic and social development, and its research focuses on path optimization. Comprehensively considering the choice of third party logistics suppliers, routes, and transportation modes, this study proposes a multi-objective transportation optimization model based on queuing theory, which minimizes cost, time, and carbon emissions. In addition, to solve the problems of infeasible solutions in fourth party logistics route optimization (4plrp), a priority-random based strengthen elitist genetic algorithm is proposed. Experiments show that the algorithm has good convergence and stability in solving small/large 4plrp and is superior to six typical algorithms, such as the elite genetic algorithm.
Performance calculation and configuration optimization of annular radiator by heat transfer unit simulation and a multi-objective genetic algorithm
Authors: Xu Zhe , Guo Yingqing , Yang Huarui , Mao Haotian , Yu Zongling , Zhang Hang
Published: March 2021

A performance calculation method based on heat transfer unit (HTU) simulation is proposed to calculate heat transfer capacity and air-side pressure drop of Annular radiator (AR), which can avoid the problem of a huge amount of grids, and at the same time, ensure the calculation accuracy. Calculation results are compared with experimental data, and the average errors of heat transfer capacity and air-side pressure drop are 11.5%, and 5.9%, respectively, which effectively validates the effectiveness and the reliability of this method. Besides, based on HTU simulation knowledge database, a configuration optimization method of AR using Non-dominated Sorted Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II) is introduced. Number of fins in circumferential direction, number of fins in axial direction, and fin height are chosen as design parameters, and two conflicting optimization objectives include heat transfer capacity maximization and air-side pressure drop minimization. Three optimal structures of AR are obtained, and the optimal results indicate that the heat transfer capacity of the optimal configurations increases by 34.31% on average compared with the original one, while the air-side pressure drop decreases by 24.00% on average, which indicates that this method is feasible and valid and can provide significant guidance for structural design of AR.
Prediction of human gait activities using wearable sensors
Authors: Halim Ahmed , Abdellatif A. , Awad Mohammed I , Atia Mostafa R A
Published: March 2021

This paper aims to enhance the accuracy of human gait prediction using machine learning algorithms. Three classifiers are used in this paper: XGBoost, Random Forest, and SVM. A predefined dataset is used for feature extraction and classification. Gait prediction is determined during several locomotion activities: sitting (S), level walking (LW), ramp ascend (RA), ramp descend (RD), stair ascend (SA), stair descend (SD), and standing (ST). The results are gained for steady-state (SS) and overall (full) gait cycle. Two sets of sensors are used. The first set uses inertial measurement units only. The second set uses inertial measurement units, electromyography, and electro-goniometers. The comparison is based on prediction accuracy and prediction time. In addition, a comparison between the prediction times of XGBoost with CPU and GPU is introduced due to the easiness of using XGBoost with GPU. The results of this paper can help to choose a classifier for gait prediction that can obtain acceptable accuracy with fewer types of sensors.
Modeling spray combustion using multi-component surrogate fuels
Authors: Yang Tao , Yi Ran , Wang Qiaoling , Chen Chien-Pin
Published: March 2021

Kerosene and diesel fuels involved in spray combustion operations are complex fuels composed of a wide and diverse variety of hydrocarbon components. For practical numerical modeling of the evaporation and combustion phenomena in a combustor, well-designed surrogates fuels that can mimic the real fuel thermal and chemical properties can be utilized. In this study, predictions and validations of the influence of fuel on the liquid and vapor penetration characteristics within a constant-volume chamber were first performed utilizing a benchmark m-xylene/ n-dodecane, Jet-A, and diesel surrogate fuels. Then, simulations of reacting spray of a bi-component m-xylene/ n-dodecane fule, and a four-component Jet-A surrogate fuel ( n-dodecane (C12H26), iso-cetane (C16H34), trans-decalin (C10H18) and toluene (C7H8)) were studied aided by skeleton chemical kinetic mechanisms available from the literature. The results of ignition delay time, lift-off length, radicals, and the mass fraction histories of fuel species were comprehensively used to assess the performance of relevant thermophysical and chemical sub-models. Two different chemical mechanisms were compared in detail to investigate the effect of the chemical kinetics model on the flame structures and spray characteristics. It has been found that the spray ignition of multi-component fuels is remarkably influenced by the chosen chemical kinetic mechanism and less affected by the droplet evaporation models.
Electroacupuncture stimulation at BL20, BL23 and SP6 prevents hind limb unloading–induced osteoporosis in rats
Authors: Wang Honghui , Wang Desheng , Li Zhili , Liu Shujuan , Dong Jingjing , Zhang Jianfeng , Wang Huijuan , Wang Minjie , Ji Bo , Li Yinghui
Published: March 2021

Background:

Bone loss induced by microgravity is a serious problem in space flight. However, the effects of acupuncture stimulation on osteoporosis induced by microgravity have not been studied. With the goal of developing an effective countermeasure, our aim was to evaluate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation at BL20, BL23, and SP6 on osteoporosis induced by simulated microgravity in rats.

Methods:

Thirty male Wistar rats (aged 10 weeks) were randomly divided into three groups: healthy control group (CON, n = 10), hind limb unloading by tail-suspension group (T-S, n = 10), and EA treatment group (TRE, n = 10). Rats in the T-S and TRE groups were subjected to tail-suspension at −30° for 30 days, while the CON group experienced freedom of activity. In this period, the TRE group received EA treatment at BL20, BL23, and SP6 for 30 min every other day, which continued for 30 days. The microarchitecture of the proximal tibia and the biomechanical features of the femur in the rats were analyzed. In addition, the levels of serum biomarkers bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP) and osteocalcin (BGP) were measured.

Results:

Compared with the CON group, the value of bone volume/total volume (BV/TV) and trabecular number (Tb.N) of the tibias in the TRE group remarkably decreased ( p  < 0.01). However, these changes were markedly less than those of the T-S group after 4 weeks of EA treatment ( p  < 0.05). Moreover, the serum concentration of BGP in the TRE group was also significantly higher than that of the T-S group ( p  < 0.05).

Conclusions:

These findings indicate that EA stimulation at BL20, BL23, and SP6 retards osteoporosis induced by hind limb unloading in rats.
Effect of layer thickness on residual monomer release in polymerization of bulk-fill composites
Authors: Kılıç Vahti , Hurmuzlu Feridun , Ugur Yılmaz , Cangul Suzan
Published: March 2021

The aim of the present study was to investigate and compare the quantity of residual monomers leached from the bulk-fill composites with different compositions polymerized at varying layer thickness. Three bulk-fill (X-tra-fil, Beautifil Bulk Restorative, Fill-Up) and a nanohybrid composite (Filtek Z550) were used for the study. The composite resin samples were prepared with a stainless steel mold. For each composite, two groups were constructed. The samples in the first group were prepared using the 2 + 2 mm layering technique. In the second group, the composite samples were applied as a 4 mm-thick one layer and polymerized. Then, each composite samples were kept in a 75% ethanol solution and residual monomers released from composite resins were analyzed with an HPLC device after 24hour and 1 month. The data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. Except the Fill-Up, all of residual monomer elution from the bulk-fill composites was significantly affected by the layer thickness (p < 0.05). The greatest monomer release was detected at 1 month after polymerization as a single 4 mm layer for Beautifil Bulk Restorative. Fill-Up composite showed similar residual monomer release in polymerization at different layer thicknesses compared to other composite resins. In the 2 + 2 mm layering technique, the least monomer elution was detected in the Filtek Z550 composite group. While Bis-GMA was the most released monomer in X-tra fil composite, UDMA was the most released monomer in all other composite resins. During polymerization of the bulk-fill composite, the layer thickness of the composite applied may affect the amount of residual monomers released from the composite resins. Conventional composites may release less monomer than bulk-fill composites when used with layering.
Residential Education for Disadvantaged Girls: An Alternate Field?
Authors: Rajendra Advaita , Sarin Ankur
Published: March 2021

In this article, we engage with the experiences of students in a government-run residential secondary school that enrols girls primarily from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. Through an exploration of the history of the programme, secondary evaluations conducted over the years and a month-long engagement with one such residential school, we probe how the categories of disadvantage—caste and gender— continue to operate, even as the state tries to obliterate them in this space. Drawing on Bourdieu’s theorization of ‘practices’, we describe daily informal interactions in the space, highlighting their role in reinforcing and sometimes challenging extant social differences. Drawing attention to the diversity that lies even within the formal category of ‘disadvantaged’, we describe the potential and the limitations of targeted residential schooling. Our work points to the need for greater sensitivity in the planning and implementation of state-run programmes targeted at the most marginalized and a re-imagination of efforts to offer an ‘alternate field’.
Effects of International Male Migration on Wives Left Behind in Rural Tamil Nadu
Authors: Arokkiaraj H. , Kaushik Archana , Rajan S. Irudaya
Published: March 2021

Emigration by skilled and semi-skilled workers from India to the Middle East is a strategy for better economic returns. Families rarely accompany migrants. Drawing insights from primary data gathered from intensive fieldwork in Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu, this article attempts to understand the psychological consequences on the wives left behind. A mixed sampling method was used to derive the sample size. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson’s chi-square tests were mainly used for quantitative analysis supplemented by qualitative methods. The results indicated that wives considered loneliness the most significant psychological problem arising from their husbands’ absence. Stress was also caused by financial problems and the necessity of taking on additional roles in the family.
Financial Constraints, Stock Returns and R&D in Indian Stock Market
Authors: Sinha Pankaj , Sawaliya Priya
Published: March 2021

When the accessibility of external finance prohibits a firm from taking the optimum decision related to investment, that firm is called financially constrained. By applying the methodology of Kaplan and Zingales (1997) and Lamont et al. (2001), the current study has created a construct to gauge the level of financial constraints (FC) of the companies which emanate from quantitative information. The study explores whether FC factor is present in the Indian stock market and explores whether the security returns of those firms that are financially constrained move in tandem. The study also attempts to establish the association between security returns and R&D of financially constrained firms. On a sample of 63 R&D reporting companies of S&P BSE 500, traded over the period March 2008 to February 2019, the study used the Fama–French methodology, fixed effect model and the ordered logistic regression. The study finds that firms that are highly constrained earn more returns than low constrained firms. Second, the security returns of firms that are financially constrained move in tandem because these firms are affected by common shocks. This suggests that the FC factor exists in the Indian stock market. Finally, when R&D interacts with the level of FC, then this interaction effect has a negative effect on returns.
Does Gender and Family Income Impact Stock Trading of B-School Students? Findings from a Stock Simulation Exercise
Authors: Prakash Nisha , Alagarsamy Subburaj
Published: March 2021

Educators across the globe utilize online stock market simulation games to introduce students to trading in the stock market. The primary objective of the simulation exercise is to expose students to the practical application of financial theories on fundamental analysis, stock selection, building an optimal portfolio, monitoring the risk-return characteristics and continuously improving the portfolio based on changing realities. This article utilizes the trading data from a simulation exercise conducted by a leading B-school in India. The exercise was conducted as part of Security Analysis and Portfolio Management (SAPM) course offered by the B-school. The objective of the article is to understand the role of gender and family income in the trading patterns of students in the simulation exercise. The article covers 163 students who were part of the simulation exercise in 2019. The results indicate that male students trade more aggressively than female students, both in terms of number of trades and the number of companies traded. However, the female students reported higher stock trading performance, measured in stock returns. This is observed to be true at all the quartiles, with the largest magnitude of the difference in the mid-quartiles. The study also indicates that the students from wealthier families perform better than those from poorer backgrounds. However, family income is an insignificant differentiating factor. Further, regression analysis indicates that gender is a significant determinant of stock returns. Based on these findings, the authors argue that gender has a significant role in the stock trading performance of B-schoolers. The article contributes to the field of behavioural finance, especially on the literature of gender and performance in financial markets.
Effectiveness of Interventional Strategies in Modulating Knowledge and Attitude of Health Care Professionals for Promoting Organ Donation: A Study in Tertiary Care Public Hospital of North India
Authors: Mahajan Pranay , Koushal V. , Chhabra R. , Dhaliwal N. , Pandey N. , Kaur R.
Published: March 2021

Objective:

To evaluate the impact of interventional “educational module” on knowledge and attitude regarding organ donation amongst resident doctors and nurses in the Institute of National Importance.

Study Design:

Interventional and prospective.

Methods:

We devised an interactive educational module covering various aspects of organ donation through a series of audiovisual lectures and information booklets. Resident doctors and nurses posted in those areas of the 1948-bedded Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), where head injury patients were treated and were subject to intervention using this module. The pre and postinterventional scores of their knowledge and attitude regarding organ donation were compared to find out impact of the intervention.

Results:

A total of 242 nurses and 87 resident doctors participated in this research. Higher knowledge score was observed preintervention amongst doctors as compared to nurses. Significant improvement was seen in total knowledge scores of both groups postintervention. Doctors had better scores for the “concept of organ donation,” while nurses were more familiar with “procedures and protocols.” Both had low knowledge about “clinical criteria for brain death” and “legal issues” preintervention which improved significantly postintervention. The positive impact of intervention was also observed on attitude in both categories. A significant impact of intervention was observed on overall propensity of doctors and nurses to promote organ donation, for pledging their own organs and for counseling of the patient/attendants on this cause.

Conclusion:

Scientifically designed educational modules have a promising role in improving awareness and attitude of health care professionals regarding organ donation and their propensity to be prospective donors, effective counselors, and advocates of organ donation.