bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spectrum Analysis of a Coaxial Dual-Rotor System with Coupling Misalignment
Authors: Zhang Hongxian , Huang Liangpei , Li Xuejun , Jiang Lingli , Yang Dalian , Zhang Fanyu , Miao Jingjing
Published: July 2020

The finite element model of a dual-rotor system was established by Timoshenko beam element. The dual-rotor system is a coaxial rotor whose supporting structure is similar to that of an aero-engine rotor system. The inner rotor is supported by three bearings, which makes it a redundantly supported rotor. The outer rotor connects the inner rotor by an intershaft bearing. The spectrum characteristics of the dual-rotor system under unbalanced excitation and misalignment excitation were analysed in order to study the influence of coupling misalignment of the inner rotor on the spectral characteristics of the rotor system. The results indicate that the vibration caused by the misaligned coupling of the inner rotor will be transmitted to the outer rotor through the intershaft bearing. Multiple harmonic frequency components, mainly 1x and 2x, will be excited by the coupling misalignment. The amplitudes of all harmonic frequencies increase with the misalignment in both the inner and outer rotors. The vibration level of the outer rotor affected by the misalignment is lower than that of the inner rotor because it is far from the misaligned coupling. Harmonic resonance occurs when any harmonic frequencies of the misalignment response coincide with a natural frequency of the system. In order to verify the theoretical model, experiments are performed on a test rig. Both the experimental and simulation results are in good accordance with each other.
Homotopy Analysis Method for Three Types of Fractional Partial Differential Equations
Authors: Qu Haidong , She Zihang , Liu Xuan
Published: July 2020

In this paper, three types of fractional order partial differential equations, including the fractional Cauchy–Riemann equation, fractional acoustic wave equation, and two-dimensional space partial differential equation with time-fractional-order, are considered, and these models are obtained from the standard equations by replacing an integer-order derivative with a fractional-order derivative in Caputo sense. Firstly, we discuss the fractional integral and differential properties of several functions which are derived from the Mittag-Leffler function. Secondly, by using the homotopy analysis method, the exact solutions for fractional order models mentioned above with suitable initial boundary conditions are obtained. Finally, we draw the computer graphics of the exact solutions, the approximate solutions (truncation of finite terms), and absolute errors in the limited area, which show that the effectiveness of the homotopy analysis method for solving fractional order partial differential equations.
New State Identification Method for Rotating Machinery under Variable Load Conditions Based on Hybrid Entropy Features and Joint Distribution Adaptation
Authors: Xue Xiaoming , Zhang Nan , Cao Suqun , Jiang Wei , Zhou Jianzhong , Liu Liyan
Published: July 2020

Fault identification under variable operating conditions is a task of great importance and challenge for equipment health management. However, when dealing with this kind of issue, traditional fault diagnosis methods based on the assumption of the distribution coherence of the training and testing set are no longer applicable. In this paper, a novel state identification method integrated by time-frequency decomposition, multi-information entropies, and joint distribution adaptation is proposed for rolling element bearings. At first, fast ensemble empirical mode decomposition was employed to decompose the vibration signals into a collection of intrinsic mode functions, aiming at obtaining the multiscale description of the original signals. Then, hybrid entropy features that can characterize the dynamic and complexity of time series in the local space, global space, and frequency domain were extracted from each intrinsic mode function. As for the training and testing set under different load conditions, all data was mapped into a reproducing space by joint distribution adaptation to reduce the distribution discrepancies between datasets, where the pseudolabels of the testing set and the final diagnostic results were obtained by the k-nearest neighbor algorithm. Finally, five cases with the training and testing set under variable load conditions were used to demonstrate the performance of the proposed method, and comparisons with some other diagnosis models combined with the same features and other dimensionality reduction methods were also discussed. The analysis results show that the proposed method can effectively recognize the multifaults of rolling element bearings under variable load conditions with higher accuracies and has sound practicability.
Analysis and Modeling of Football Team’s Collaboration Mode and Performance Evaluation Using Network Science and BP Neural Network
Authors: Zhang Jian , Zhao Xueyin , Wu Yushuai , Cao Peng , Wang Xuhao , Shi Feiting , Niu Yu
Published: July 2020

With the continuous development of society, the cooperation of different dimensions is urgently needed. Analysis and modeling of team cooperation model and performance evaluation are especially important for competitive sport. In this paper, a football team’s attacking mode and the team performance were assessed using network science methodologies. The match process was analyzed by using the data of Team A (given in the form of attachment due to excessive file size) and the method of complex network science. Each player was regarded as a node in the network, and the interaction among players was considered as the connection to the network. This method directly reflected the favorable formation of the team and the interaction frequency among members. Then, a team performance evaluation model was established using the backpropagation neural network (BPNN) and the uncrossed analytic hierarchy process (U-AHP) method based on the factors including the number of passes and successful pass rate. The team performance was comprehensively rated from two levels: member and team level. Analysis from established models indicated that Team A had a higher probability of winning when using the “4-4-2” offensive strategy and performance evaluation analysis indicated that more passes and higher pass success rates were more beneficial to win the game. Following the model developed in this study, some suggestions were given from the perspectives of team strategy, attack mode, cooperation, and incentive mode.
Rate Maximization for Suspicious Multicast Communication Networks with Full-Duplex Proactive Monitoring
Authors: Liu Dongsheng , Zhao Sai , Li Quanzhong , Qin Jiayin
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we investigate the optimization of the monitoring rate for a suspicious multicast communication network with a legitimate full-duplex (FD) monitor, where the FD monitor is proactive to jam suspicious receivers and eavesdrop from the suspicious transmitter simultaneously. To effectively monitor the suspicious communication over multicast networks, we maximize the monitoring rate under the outage probability constraint of the suspicious multicast communication network and the jamming power constraint at the FD monitor. The formulated optimization problem is nonconvex, and its global optimal solution is hard to obtain. Thus, we propose a constrained concave convex procedure- (CCCP-) based iterative algorithm, which is able to achieve a local optimal solution. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed proactive eavesdropping scheme with optimal jamming power outperforms the conventional passive eavesdropping scheme.
Frailty and Nutritional Status among Urban Older Adults in South India
Authors: Shalini T. , Chitra P. Swathi , Kumar B. Naveen , Madhavi G. , Reddy G. Bhanuprakash
Published: July 2020

The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of frailty and nutritional status among older adults. This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 163 subjects aged 60–88 years, from Hyderabad City, South India. Data were obtained on sociodemographic details and anthropometry and biochemical parameters. Dietary intake was assessed by a three-day 24 h dietary recall, and the probability of adequacy (PA) was calculated using the estimated average requirements. Frailty indicators were as follows: handgrip strength was measured by using a Jamar dynamometer, gait speed was measured by a ten-meter length walk test, and low physical activity level, weight loss, and exhaustion were assessed using a questionnaire. Among the study population, 20% of the participants were frail and 80% were nonfrail. The prevalence of frailty is higher in older (30.1%) than the younger (12.2%) age groups, and it is more so in women (32.4%) than in men (10.1%). The lower educational status and income were associated with frailty. The PA of most of the nutrients was low in the frail group. Noticeably, the mean PA (MPA) across the fourteen micronutrients was significantly higher in nonfrail (38%) compared to the frail group (25%). The prevalence of frailty was higher in the lowest tertile of most of the food groups and nutrient intake compared to the highest tertile. The study revealed a 20% prevalence of frailty among urban older adults and provided evidence that inadequate intake of nutrients is independently associated with frailty.
Compatibility of Azospirillum brasilense with Pesticides Used for Treatment of Maize Seeds
Authors: Santos Mariana S. , Rondina Artur B. L. , Nogueira Marco A. , Hungria Mariangela
Published: July 2020

Seed treatment with chemical pesticides is commonly used as an initial plant protection procedure against pests and diseases. However, the use of such chemicals may impair the survival and performance of beneficial microorganisms introduced via inoculants, such as the plant growth-promoting bacterium Azospirillum brasilense. We assessed the compatibility between the most common pesticide used in Brazil for the treatment of maize seeds, composed of two fungicides, and one insecticide, with the commercial strains Ab-V5 and Ab-V6 of A. brasilense, and evaluated the impacts on initial plant development. The toxicity of the pesticide to A. brasilense was confirmed, with an increase in cell mortality after only 24 hours of exposure in vitro. Seed germination and seedling growth were not affected neither by the A. brasilense nor by the pesticide. However, under greenhouse conditions, the pesticide affected root volume and dry weight and root-hair incidence, but the toxicity was alleviated by the inoculation with A. brasilense for the root volume and root-hair incidence parameters. In maize seeds inoculated with A. brasilense, the pesticide negatively affected the number of branches, root-hair incidence, and root-hair length. Therefore, new inoculant formulations with cell protectors and the development of compatible pesticides should be searched to guarantee the benefits of inoculation with plant growth-promoting bacteria.
Antimicrobial Resistance Profile and Biofilm Production of Microorganisms Isolated from Oropharynx of Rupornis magnirostris (Gmelin, 1788) and Caracara plancus (Miller, 1777)
Authors: Silva Fernanda Alda da , dos Santos Medeiros Sandrelli Meridiana de Fátima Ramos , Costa-Junior Sérgio Dias da , Roberto Ana Emília Medeiros , Palácio Sarah Brandão , Lima-Neto Reginaldo Gonçalves de , Neves Rejane Pereira , Magalhães Carolina Peixoto , Garcia José Eduardo , Cavalcanti Isabella Macário Ferro
Published: July 2020

The aim of this preliminary study was to identify microorganisms with antimicrobial resistance profile and biofilm producers in oropharynx of Rupornis magnirostris and Caracara plancus. Six R. magnirostris and six C. plancus maintained in Triage Center for Wild Animals (CETAS) facilities were studied. Coagulase-positive staphylococci (CoPS), enterobacteria, and yeasts were identified by the biochemical analysis or MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The resistance profile of the microorganisms was analyzed according to CLSI. The biofilm production was evaluated by Congo red and violet crystal staining methods. Among the 12 birds, 10 presented strains of CoPS and/or enterobacteria with resistance profile, such as methicillin-resistant CoPS (MR-CoPS), vancomycin-resistant CoPS (VR-CoPS), extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL), and Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase- (KPC-) producing bacteria. Regards the fungal analysis, Candida spp., Cryptococcus spp., Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, R. glutinis, and Trichosporon coremiiforme were identified. All the Trichosporon coremiiforme strains were resistant to amphotericin B, as well as all the Rhodotorula mucilaginosa exhibited resistance to fluconazole. Related to the biofilm production, among the 8 CoPS, 27 enterobacteria, and 10 yeasts isolates, 3, 16, and 7 strains were biofilm producers, respectively. Thus, the presence of these microorganisms in birds of prey is worrisome, highlighting its possible influence in the spread of infections in urban centers.
Design of a Novel Second-Order Prediction Differential Model Solved by Using Adams and Explicit Runge–Kutta Numerical Methods
Authors: Sabir Zulqurnain , Guirao Juan L. G. , Saeed Tareq , Erdoğan Fevzi
Published: July 2020

In this study, a novel second-order prediction differential model is designed, and numerical solutions of this novel model are presented using the integrated strength of the Adams and explicit Runge–Kutta schemes. The idea of the present study comes to the mind to see the importance of delay differential equations. For verification of the novel designed model, four different examples of the designed model are numerically solved by applying the Adams and explicit Runge–Kutta schemes. These obtained numerical results have been compared with the exact solutions of each example that indicate the performance and exactness of the designed model. Moreover, the results of the designed model have been presented numerically and graphically.
Multitask Learning by Multiwave Optical Diffractive Network
Authors: Su Jing , Yuan Yafei , Liu Chunmin , Li Jing
Published: July 2020

Recently, there has been tremendous research studies in optical neural networks that could complete comparatively complex computation by optical characteristic with much more fewer dissipation than electrical networks. Existed neural networks based on the optical circuit are structured with an optical grating platform with different diffractive phases at different diffractive points (Chen and Zhu, 2019 and Mo et al., 2018). In this study, it proposed a multiwave deep diffractive network with approximately 106 synapses, and it is easy to make hardware implementation of neuromorphic networks. In the optical architecture, it can utilize optical diffractive characteristic and different wavelengths to perform different tasks. Different wavelengths and different tasks inputs are independent of each other. Moreover, we can utilize the characteristic of them to inference several tasks, simultaneously. The results of experiments were demonstrated that the network could get a comparable performance to single-wavelength single-task. Compared to the multinetwork, single network can save the cost of fabrication with lithography. We train the network on MNIST and MNIST-FASHION which are two different datasets to perform classification of 32∗32 inputs with 10 classes. Our method achieves competitive results across both of them. In particular, on the complex task MNIST_FASION, our framework obtains an excellent accuracy improvement with 3.2%. In the meanwhile, MNSIT also has the improvement with 1.15%.
The Effect of Inflammation on the Formation of Thyroid Nodules
Authors: Li Zexin , Huang Yiteng , Chen Xiang , Wei Chiju , Yang Peixuan , Xu Wencan
Published: July 2020

Background. Some studies have demonstrated that inflammation is highly associated with the prevalence of thyroid nodules (TNs). However, more confounders, such as metabolic diseases, should be adjusted. Methods. A clinical study collecting 2722 subjects was conducted to confirm the association between inflammation and TNs. The underlying mechanism was investigated in combination with bioinformatics analysis. Results. In the clinical study, propensity score matching was used to match metabolic parameters and other confounders, and it is observed that subjects with high inflammation had a higher prevalence of TNs and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) than those with low inflammation. After further matching TNs, it is found that inflammation was positively associated with TSH, which was also demonstrated in a population without TNs. In bioinformatics study, inflammation did not promote TNs formation directly. Instead, it inhibited the synthesis of thyroid hormone, which might be the cause of the elevated TSH coexisting with inflammation. Conclusion. Inflammation promotes the development of TNs disease, probably due to its indirect effect through inhibiting the synthesis of thyroid hormone, which results in the elevation of TSH.
Exploratory Genome-Wide Interaction Analysis of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs and Predicted Gene Expression on Colorectal Cancer Risk
Authors: Wang Xiaoliang , Su Yu-Ru , Petersen Paneen S. , Bien Stephanie , Schmit Stephanie L. , Drew David A. , Albanes Demetrius , Berndt Sonja I. , Brenner Hermann , Campbell Peter T. , Casey Graham , Chang-Claude Jenny , Gallinger Steven J. , Gruber Stephen B. , Haile Robert W. , Harrison Tabitha A. , Hoffmeister Michael , Jacobs Eric J. , Jenkins Mark A. , Joshi Amit D. , Li Li , Lin Yi , Lindor Noralane M. , Marchand Loïc Le , Martin Vicente , Milne Roger , Maclnnis Robert , Moreno Victor , Nan Hongmei , Newcomb Polly A. , Potter John D. , Rennert Gad , Rennert Hedy , Slattery Martha L. , Thibodeau Steve N. , Weinstein Stephanie J. , Woods Michael O. , Chan Andrew T. , White Emily , Hsu Li , Peters Ulrike
Published: July 2020

Background:

Regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) is associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer. Genome-wide interaction analysis on single variants (G × E) has identified several SNPs that may interact with NSAIDs to confer colorectal cancer risk, but variations in gene expression levels may also modify the effect of NSAID use. Therefore, we tested interactions between NSAID use and predicted gene expression levels in relation to colorectal cancer risk.

Methods:

Genetically predicted gene expressions were tested for interaction with NSAID use on colorectal cancer risk among 19,258 colorectal cancer cases and 18,597 controls from 21 observational studies. A Mixed Score Test for Interactions (MiSTi) approach was used to jointly assess G × E effects which are modeled via fixed interaction effects of the weighted burden within each gene set (burden) and residual G × E effects (variance). A false discovery rate (FDR) at 0.2 was applied to correct for multiple testing.

Results:

Among the 4,840 genes tested, genetically predicted expression levels of four genes modified the effect of any NSAID use on colorectal cancer risk, including DPP10 (PG×E = 1.96 × 10−4), KRT16 (PG×E = 2.3 × 10−4), CD14 (PG×E = 9.38 × 10−4), and CYP27A1 (PG×E = 1.44 × 10−3). There was a significant interaction between expression level of RP11-89N17 and regular use of aspirin only on colorectal cancer risk (PG×E = 3.23 × 10−5). No interactions were observed between predicted gene expression and nonaspirin NSAID use at FDR < 0.2.

Conclusions:

By incorporating functional information, we discovered several novel genes that interacted with NSAID use.

Impact:

These findings provide preliminary support that could help understand the chemopreventive mechanisms of NSAIDs on colorectal cancer.
Differential Diagnosis of Small Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary or Ovarian Metastases of Small Cell Carcinoma of the Lung: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Oneda Ester , Zorzi Fausto , Gorio Antonio , Quaglia Federico , Abeni Chiara , Rota Luigina , Zaniboni Alberto
Published: July 2020

Small cell tumors arise from the neuroendocrine cell system and they are most frequently found in the lung (SCLC). Small cell tumor could occasionally arise in other body sites, such as the cervix, prostate, gastrointestinal tract, and very rarely from other sites. Metastatic SCLC patients present with metastatic disease in 80% of cases, and the metastases typically are reported in brain, liver, lung, and bone; they rarely could be found in the ovary. Differently, primitive small cell carcinoma of the ovary of pulmonary type is a rare and highly aggressive tumor arising from the ovarian cells; no suitable treatment strategy has been established yet. In this paper, we talk about a 72-year-old woman who presented with abdominal bleeding and a large mass in her pelvic region. A primary ovarian carcinoma was suspected, and she underwent hysterectomy with laparoscopic surgery and bilateral oophorectomy, lymph node resection, omentectomy, complementary appendix and sigmoid resection. The postoperative pathologic diagnosis was a differential diagnosis between small cell ovarian carcinoma of the pulmonary type and metastasis of SCLC.
Hand gesture recognition using machine learning algorithms
Authors: B. Abhishek , Krishi Kanya , M. Meghana , Daaniyaal Mohammed , H. S. Anupama
Published: July 2020

Gesture recognition is an emerging topic in today’s technologies. The main focus of this is to recognize the human gestures using mathematical algorithms for human computer interaction. Only a few modes of Human-Computer Interaction exist, they are: through keyboard, mouse, touch screens etc. Each of these devices has their own limitations when it comes to adapting more versatile hardware in computers. Gesture recognition is one of the essential techniques to build user-friendly interfaces. Usually gestures can be originated from any bodily motion or state, but commonly originate from the face or hand. Gesture recognition enables users to interact with the devices without physically touching them. This paper describes how hand gestures are trained to perform certain actions like switching pages, scrolling up or down in a page.
Compliance With Imaging Guidelines for Workup of Transient Ischemic Attack
Authors: Timpone Vincent M. , Jensen Alexandria , Poisson Sharon N. , Trivedi Premal S.
Published: July 2020

Background and Purpose:

Multiple societal guidelines recommend urgent brain and neurovascular imaging in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) to identify and treat risk factors that may lead to future stroke. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether national imaging utilization for workup of TIA complies with society guidelines.

Methods:

Analysis utilized the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample. Primary analysis was performed on a 2017 cohort, and secondary trend analysis was performed on cohorts from 2006 to2017. Patients diagnosed and discharged from emergency departments with TIA were identified using
International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision
and
Tenth Revision
codes. Brain and neurovascular imaging obtained during the encounter was identified using Current Procedural Terminology codes. Demographics, health insurance, patient income, and hospital-type covariates were analyzed using a hierarchical multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify predictors of obtaining neurovascular imaging during an emergency department encounter.

Results:

In 2017, there were 167 999 patients evaluated and discharged from emergency departments with TIA. The percentage of patients receiving brain and neurovascular imaging was 78.5% and 43.2%, respectively. The most common imaging workup utilized was a solitary computed tomography–brain without any neurovascular imaging (30.9% of encounters). Decreased odds of obtaining neurovascular imaging was observed in Medicaid patients (odds ratio, 0.65 [95% CI, 0.58–0.74]), rural hospitals (odds ratio, 0.26 [95% CI, 0.17–0.41]), nontrauma centers (odds ratio, 0.40 [95% CI, 0.21–0.74]), and weekend encounters (odds ratio, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.85–0.96]). Trend analysis demonstrated a steady rise in brain and neurovascular imaging in 2006 from 34.9% and 6.8% of encounters, respectively, to 78.5% and 43.2% of encounters in 2017.

Conclusions:

Compliance with imaging guidelines is improving; however, the majority of TIA patients discharged from the emergency department do not receive recommended neurovascular imaging during their encounter. Follow-up studies are needed to determine whether delayed or incomplete vascular screening increases the risk of future stroke.
Biparental negotiation or larval begging? Determinant of male provisioning in a burying beetle (Nicrophorus quadripunctatus)
Authors: Suzuki Seizi
Published: July 2020

In species showing biparental care, parents often adjust their level of care facultatively. Partners can potentially monitor each other directly (modify their effort sequentially in direct response to the prior effort of their mate) or indirectly (parents modify their effort through the begging rates of their offspring). This study examined whether partner negotiation or begging by larvae best explains male provisioning in Nicrophorus quadripunctatus. The frequency of males approaching larvae to feed did not increase with either female removal or female handicapping. However, larval begging toward males increased with female removal, but not with female handicapping. This suggests that larvae are not affected by the change of female investment in care but larvae reacted to the absence of a female parent. Although larvae begged more towards the male when the female was removed, my findings show that males did not respond by increasing their care, which suggests that males are insensitive to variation in their partner’s state or offspring behaviour in N. quadripunctatus.
Transcending Borders in the Work of Fumie Taniguchi
Authors: Kitahara Megumi
Published: July 2020

Fumie Taniguchi was a nihonga painter whose modern portraits of women enjoyed widespread acclaim within art circles during the 1930s. Although she moved to America shortly after Japan lost the war and spent the latter half of her life there, her existence was suddenly forgotten. There are almost no extant examples of Taniguchi’s paintings from her American period, however, her autobiographical novels that appeared in Japanese American fanzines provide significant clues that help to trace her life. Through these publications and oral interviews with her family members, this article seeks to introduce readers to the painterly practice and life of Taniguchi, and make clear what exactly was distinctive and unique about her life and practice. For a woman who continued to struggle against the patriarchal gaze both in Japan and the Japanese American community, what did the notion of transcending borders mean?
Court Divination and Christianity in the K’Ang-Hsi Era
Authors: Yi-long Huang
Published: July 2020

It has been said that “ astrological interpretations are neither mumbo jumbo nor unsuccessful science. They are best understood, like modern economic indicators, as a technical framework for policy debates, resolved, as often as not, on other grounds. Faith in the validity of astrological categories, like confidence in extensively manipulated statistics today, persists despite their repeated failure to deliver accurate predictions.” The same might be remarked of divination as an element in the formation of imperial Chinese policy. This study aims to demonstrate that astrology, siting, and hemerology, because they provided a form for resolving opposed interests, played focal roles in great events . Their neglect by historians of science is unwarranted. Conversely, it is impossible without considering the involvement of divination to understand many changes in government policy.

Yang Kuang-hsien’s celebrated anti-Christian movement in the K’ang-hsi era deeply influenced the scientific and cultural interchange between China and the West. Most previous studies of these movements have been focused on the calendar controversy between Yang and the Jesuits Johann Adam Schall vo n Bell (T’ang Jo-wang) and Ferdinand Verbiest (Nan Huai-jen). The inquiry summarized in this paper, however, indicates that deliberations in 1658 on the time of burial for Prince Jung, the fourth son of the Shih-tsu. the Shun-chih emperor, were pivotal for the fortunes of Christianity in the late seventeenth century.

Hemerology, the choice of lucky days, an art tied to (among other activities) the siting of tombs, has been since the Han one of the most important responsibilities of the court astrologer, who was expected to propose dates for state ceremonies. Two groups of people, led by Yang and Schall respectively , used different traditions of hemerology in their attempts to control the Imperial Board of Astronomy. Both sides used sudden shifts in the political situation to attack their opponents. The controversy prompted the royal astronomers to involve themselves in what had been a long-standing dispute over siting among astrologers serving the common people. This case, previously seldom discussed, was in many ways the most important of the incidents that triggered the anti-missionary agitation in the early K’ang-hsi period. This seemingly trivial polemic over the time of an infant’s burial, in view of its fateful consequences for the introduction of Western thought into China, will serve as an excellent example of the political significance of astrology, siting, and hemerology. A second example discussions of the Dalai Lama's visit to Peking in 1652, in which traditional astrology played a larger role, demonstrates that its uses in political debate were part of a set of roles shared by the divinatory arts.
A Numbers Game: Quantification of Work, Auto-Gamification, and Worker Productivity
Authors: Ranganathan Aruna , Benson Alan
Published: July 2020

Technological advances and the big-data revolution have facilitated fine-grained, high-frequency, low-cost measurement of individuals’ work. Yet we understand little about the influences of such quantification of work on workers’ behavior and performance. This article investigates how and when quantification of work affects worker productivity. We argue that quantification affects worker productivity via auto-gamification, or workers’ inadvertent transformation of work into an independent, individual-level game. We further argue that quantification is likely to raise productivity in a context of simple work, where auto-gamification is motivating because quantified metrics adequately measure the work being performed. When work is complex, by contrast, quantification reduces productivity because quantified metrics cannot adequately measure the multifaceted work being performed, causing auto-gamification to be demotivating. To substantiate our argument, we study implementation of an RFID measurement technology that quantifies individual workers’ output in real time at a garment factory in India. Qualitative evidence uncovers the auto-gamification mechanism and three conditions that enable it; a natural experiment tests the consequences of quantification of work for worker productivity. This article contributes to the study of quantification, work games, technology, and organizations, and we explore the policy implications of further quantification of work.
Albumin and calcium reference interval using healthy individuals and a data-mining approach
Authors: Jassam N , Luvai A , Narayanan D , Turnock D , Lee G , Earp K , West J , Day A , Jeffery J , Zouwail S , El-Farhan N , Dearman R , Hayden K , Willett S , Osborne J , Barth JH
Published: July 2020

Background

Harmonization of reference intervals for analytes that have a sound calibration and metrological traceability is a widely recommended practice. The UK Pathology Harmony has recently harmonized reference intervals for calcium and albumin. In this study, we have determined the reference intervals for calcium and albumin on the UK’s most commonly used analytical platforms.

Method

A prospective reference population of healthy individuals was recruited according to the IFCC CRIDL criteria. A second indirect population was collected from 14 primary care setting and measured in laboratories using various analytical platforms and methods (Roche, Abbott, Beckman and Siemens analytical platforms).

Results

In total, 299 subjects were recruited; the central 95th centile values for calcium for three out of four analytical platforms were in a close agreement with UK Pathology Harmony reference intervals of 2.2–2.6 mmol/L. Reference intervals of BCG methods from both cohorts and irrespective of analytical platforms were higher for both lower and upper reference limits than those for BCP. In comparison, the indirect study showed an age-related variation. The younger population reference intervals varied by up to 5.7% at the lower reference limit and up to 12% at the upper reference limit compared with Pathology Harmony reference intervals, and the older population showed a variation of up to 14% at both limits.

Conclusion

While calcium reference intervals can be a subject for harmonization, albumin reference intervals studied showed large variation which is unsupportive of embracing a common reference interval for albumin.
Healthy eating in a Boys & Girls Club afterschool programme: Barriers, facilitators and opportunities
Authors: Brockman Tabetha A , Sim Leslie A , Biggs Bridget K , Bronars Carrie A , Meiers Sonja J , Tolleson Ellen , Ridgeway Jennifer L , Asiedu Gladys B , Hanza Marcelo M , Olson Molly A , Slowiak Kathleen A , Weis Jennifer A , Patten Christi A , Clark Matthew M , Millerbernd Jodi , Sia Irene G , Wieland Mark L
Published: July 2020

Objective:

To determine intervention needs and to gather stakeholder input regarding healthy eating promotion for youth members served at a Boys & Girls Club in Rochester, Minnesota.

Design:

Mixed-methods design informed by community-based participatory research principles.

Setting and Method:

Young people completed a dietary habits questionnaire and height and weight measure-ments. Focus groups gathered stakeholder – Boys & Girls Club members, staff, caregivers – perspectives on opportunities to improve children’s healthy eating through the club setting. Content analysis identified major themes in informants’ accounts.

Results:

Participants identified individual and environmental barriers to healthy eating and opportunities to reduce barriers at this Boys & Girls Club site. Few children met basic nutritional guidelines related to fruit, vegetable, milk and water consumption, and limiting consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, and nearly half were overweight/obese. Stakeholders expressed interest in healthy eating promotion and identified multiple individual-level, interpersonal and environmental opportunities to promote healthier eating through the Boys & Girls Club site.

Conclusion:

Findings build on a growing literature indicating afterschool programmes are uniquely positioned to address health disparities related to paediatric nutrition and obesity, and can be used to inform the design of a multi-layered intervention to address the complexities influencing dietary quality and obesity among diverse and underserved youth.
An Empirical Investigation of Debt Overhang on Selected Asian Countries
Authors: Das Arindam , Mukherjee Nilotpal
Published: July 2020

The impact of external debt on investment is a very popular issue which has been empirically tested by many scholars. But when such debt becomes unsustainable it threatens sustainable economic development of a country. Since the inception of debt crisis in the 1980s, when and how external debt burden creates a debt overhang paradox is a controversial issue. Debt overhang is a paradox because debt is expected to stimulate growth and development of a country, but contrary to this expectation debt after crossing a threshold limit hinders such growth and development. This article examines whether huge external debt build over time really has a detrimental effect on investment at the country level. The present study has been conducted on 18 Asian countries of the world for the period from 2000 to 2015 by using the data from the World Development Indicators. Panel regression technique has been applied to examine the impact of external debt on investment. A Granger causality test has also been conducted on external debt and investment to find out whether external debt has any causal impact on investment. The result shows the existence of the debt overhang paradox.
Infrastructure as an Investment: A Study of Listed Infrastructure Firms in India
Authors: Hasnat Tanzeem
Published: July 2020

The important task of infrastructure provision and enhancement faces ever rising financing requirement in the face of little fiscal space and this points to the pertinence of market based finance. This calls for a pressing need to gauge the sectoral performance of infrastructure and this study takes up this task. The study assesses the risk-return and volatility profile of Nifty Infra, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) sectoral index for infrastructure vis-à-vis the broader Nifty 50 for the time period 2010-2019. The standard financial economic analysis finds the sectoral equity performance of infrastructure to be marginally below that of a broadly diversified index. Further, the study analyses the cashflow and leverage characteristics which are imperative factors in medium term risk return profile of infrastructure stocks. The disaggregated firm level analysis reveals that rent-like return do exist for the biggest players in the sector due to past installed capacities, while the subcontracting mechanism percolates to meagre cashflows for smaller players, partly bearing the greenfield risks.
Readdressing Spiritual Growth: What Can We Learn From Childhood Education?
Authors: Polemikou Anna , Da Silva João P.
Published: July 2020

The present article is specifically devoted to summarizing the literature on children’s emerging spirituality, so as to provide a synthesis of traditional and current understandings of spiritual development. To this end, it pulls together all the disparate yet interconnected theoretical positionings on this dubious construct. Specifically, the first section explains the importance of spiritual experience in children’s lives, as depicted in statutory requirements, and evaluates ongoing efforts to demarcate spirituality from—or to locate spirituality within—religious education. Subsequently, a critical overview of selected theoretical taxonomies tracing spiritual progression during the early school years is presented. Similarities and differences are contemplated, followed by considerations on how these may inform curriculum implemen-tation decisions and how they might advance ongoing efforts to instill spiritual literacy in public schooling.
Strong Anxiety Boosts New Product Adoption When Hope Is Also Strong
Authors: Lin Yu-Ting , MacInnis Deborah J. , Eisingerich Andreas B.
Published: July 2020

New products can evoke anticipatory emotions such as hope and anxiety. On the one hand, consumers might hope that innovative offerings will produce goal-congruent outcomes; on the other hand, they might also be anxious about possible outcomes that are goal-incongruent. The authors demonstrate the provocative and counterintuitive finding that strong anxiety about potentially goal-incongruent outcomes from a new product actually enhances (vs. weakens) consequential adoption intentions (Study 1) and actual adoption (Studies 2 and 3) when hope is also strong. The authors test action planning (a form of elaboration) and perceived control over outcomes as serial mediators to explain this effect. They find that the proposed mechanism holds even after they consider alternative explanations, including pain/gain inferences, confidence in achieving goal-congruent outcomes, global elaboration, affective forecasts, and motivated reasoning. Managerially, the findings suggest that when bringing a new product to market, new product adoption may be greatest when hope and anxiety are both strong. The findings also point to ways in which marketers might enhance hope and/or anxiety, and they suggest that the use of potentially anxiety-inducing tactics such as disclaimers in ads and on packages might not deter adoption when hope is also strong.
An Integrative Review of Factors Associated With Resilience Post-Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Bhattarai Muna , Smedema Susan Miller , Maneewat Khomapak
Published: July 2020

This study aimed to analyze factors associated with resilience among persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). An integrative review was conducted. Electronic databases including PubMed, ProQuest, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Web of Science were searched using relevant search terms and keywords. A total of two qualitative and nine quantitative studies were included in the review. Psychosocial factors such as social support, self-efficacy, spirituality, post-traumatic growth, life satisfaction, adaptive coping strategies, psychological strength, and being a role model were associated with higher resilience. Stress, anxiety, depression, external locus of control, and attachment avoidance correlated with lower resilience. Inconsistent results were reported for demographic and injury-related variables such as the age of the participants, gender, pain, and functional independence. The integrative review reported a number of factors associated with resilience in people with SCI. Rehabilitation counselors working with this population can design rehabilitation interventions targeting these variables to enhance the resilience of people with SCI. Consideration of cultural and contextual influences on resilience, as well as the design of effective interventions, are important directions for future research.
How to Borrow Information From Unlinked Data? A Relative Density Approach for Predicting Unobserved Distributions
Authors: Cheng Siwei
Published: July 2020

One of the most important developments in the current era of social sciences is the growing availability and diversity of data, big and small. Social scientists increasingly combine information from multiple data sets in their research. While conducting statistical analyses with linked data is relatively straightforward, borrowing information across unlinked data can be much more challenging due to the absence of unit-to-unit linkages. This article proposes a new methodological approach for borrowing information across unlinked surveys to predict unobserved distributions. The gist of the proposed approach lies in the idea of using the relative density between the observed and unobserved distributions in the reference data to characterize the difference between the two distributions and borrow that information to the base data. Relying on the assumption that the relative density between the observed and unobserved distributions is similar between data sets, the proposed relative density approach has the key advantage of allowing the researcher to borrow information about the shape of the distribution, rather than a few summary statistics. The approach also comes with a method for incorporating and quantifying the uncertainty in its output. We illustrate the formulation of this approach, demonstrate with simulation examples, and finally apply it to address the problem of employment selection in wage inequality research.
An incentive mechanism-based negotiation model for green supply chain networks
Authors: Yu Fang , Zhang Chun , Yang Yongsheng
Published: July 2020

This research aims to prompt agents to improve their strategies initiatively in order to decrease carbon dioxide emissions and enhance green factors during production and consumption processes. An incentive negotiation mechanism is proposed for agents in supply chains to improve their strategies. Multiple items, multiple attributes, and multiple echelons are involved in the proposed model. In addition, this research takes both the commerce and the environmental attributes into account. The environmental attributes were transformed into rewards or penalty by setting reward factors or penalty factors, and were taken into account during the calculation of the profits. The simulation results show that the proposed model was feasible to solve the complex negotiation problems, and had a good performance. The green factors of agents in the green supply chain network are increased when the agents have low initial green factors. Moreover, the proposed model can effectively reduce the carbon dioxide emissions as well. The proposed model can be seen as a “win–win” solution from the perspective of both business and environmental protection. The total profit of the green supply chain network is improved, and the harm to the environment is decreased as well.
Operation characteristics and methods of the hydraulic power take-off system
Authors: Chen Qijuan , Yan Donglin , Zheng Yang , Yue Xuhui , Geng Dazhou
Published: July 2020

The power take-off system plays a vital role in the wave energy generating unit. Here, for studying the operation characteristics and methods of the hydraulic power take-off system, its basic model is built relying on the operating principles of every component. Meanwhile, a proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller is also designed to regulate the rotational speed of the motor. Then, a test platform for the hydraulic power take-off system is constructed to verify the correctness of the model. Fortunately, based on model analyses, some useful results are found. Firstly, the PID controller has a visible effect on stabilizing the rotational speed. In addition, a group of optimal control parameters are obtained. Secondly, the influences of the displaced volume on the operation characteristics of the hydraulic power take-off system are found. Meanwhile, the optimal displaced volume is also presented by weighing the efficiency and stability. Finally, the operation modes and regions of the hydraulic power take-off system are obtained, and its rationality is also proved by a simulated running of the system. More importantly, these results can provide a reference to the design and operation of the hydraulic power take-off system.
Nonlinear control design using Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy applied to under-actuated visual servo system
Authors: Jonnalagadda Vimala Kumari , Elumalai Vinodh Kumar , Singh Harvir , Prasad Amit
Published: July 2020

This paper presents the Takagi-Sugeno (TS) fuzzy control design for nonlinear stabilization and tracking control of a ball on plate system. To deal with the plant nonlinearity and the fuzzy convergence issue, we formulate the parallel distributed compensator (PDC) TS fuzzy model to characterize the global behaviour of the nonlinear system and synthesize a feasible control framework using a velocity compensation scheme. The nonlinear dynamics of the ball on plate system is obtained using the Euler-Lagrangian energy based approach. To identify the moving objects in the video stream, a background subtraction algorithm using thresholding technique is formulated. Moreover, the stability analysis of the TS fuzzy control is reduced to linear matrix inequality (LMI) problem and solved using the Lyapunov direct method. The potential benefits of the proposed control structure for real time test cases are experimentally assessed using hardware in loop (HIL) testing on a ball on plate system. Experimental results substantiate that the TS fuzzy scheme can significantly improve not only the tracking performance but also the robustness of the closed loop system.