bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preserving women’s reproductive autonomy while promoting the rights of people with disabilities?: the case of Heidi Crowter and Maire Lea-Wilson in the light of NIPT debates in England, France and Germany
Authors: Perrot Adeline , Horn Ruth
Published: March 2022

On July 2021, the UK High Court of Justice heard the Case CO/2066/2020 on the application of Heidi Crowter who lives with Down’s syndrome, and Máire Lea-Wilson whose son Aidan has Down’s syndrome. Crowter and Lea-Wilson, with the support of the disability rights campaign, ‘Don’t Screen Us Out’, have been taking legal action against the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (the UK Government) for a review of the 1967 Abortion Act: the removal of section 1(1)(d) making termination of pregnancy lawful for ‘severe’ fetal indications detected after 24 weeks' gestation. On 23 September 2021, the High Court dismissed the claim. This action came at a time when non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) was introduced into the NHS England Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme for the trisomies 21, 13 and 18. The implementation of NIPT has been heavily criticised, in particular by ‘Don’t Screen Us Out’ campaigners, for increasing fetal selection and discrimination of people living with disabilities. The case of Crowter and Lea-Wilson echoes debates in other European countries such as in France and Germany, where the introduction of NIPT in the public healthcare system has provoked equally vehement public reactions and discussions. The comparison between these three countries allows contextualising the public discourses around NIPT and the ground for termination of pregnancy in relation to different socio-cultural and political contexts. We examine how each country, and particularly England, deals with the conflict between the principles of promoting the rights of people living with disabilities and preserving women’s reproductive autonomy.
Development of an assessment and prediction framework for bridge expansion joints
Authors: Badawy Abdelhay , Hosny Ossama A. , Elbehairy Hatem , Dorra Elkhayam M.
Published: March 2022

Expansion joints (EJ)s are considered one of the weakest elements in bridges as their lifetime is considerably shorter than that of other elements. The objective of this research was to select an appropriate system for assessment and maintenance of bridges’ EJs. The system seeks to predict the conditions of EJs, with the aim of offering appropriate maintenance and repair strategies that extend their life spans. An EJ management system (EJMS) was developed that optimizes cost over time, targeting the optimum maintenance strategy for EJs, through visual inspections and a genetic algorithm to construct a unique Markov chain transition matrix capable of predicting EJ deterioration. The model was tested using case studies of existing bridges in Egypt and the results were compared against visual inspection, with the comparison showing deviations between 3.2% and 8.1%. The EJMS can help decision makers in selecting the optimum maintenance strategy that maximizes the overall conditions of EJs while meeting budgetary constraints.
Technology Innovation and Digital Ecosystems: Case Study Analysis and Proposal of a Lifecycle Model
Authors: Taylor Arthur
Published: March 2022

Digital ecosystems are a logical variant of the business ecosystem, defined as a group of businesses which cooperate for mutual advantage. While there has been much business strategy research concerning the economic innovations created by a functioning digital ecosystem, research which specifically analyzes the technology innovations both preceding and during the life of the digital ecosystem is lacking. Likewise, the lifecycle process which involves the creation, sustainability, and gradual dissolution of the ecosystem is treated as a nebulous activity with scarce mention in existing literature. Notably, no formal model of a digital ecosystem lifecycle has been proposed. A clear delineation of a digital ecosystem lifecycle would provide a framework for examination of the sources and types of innovations which lead to the formation of a digital ecosystem and thus provide the basis for further research in this area which would inform the process of developing and sustaining digital ecosystems. In order to discern the lifecycle of a digital ecosystem, this paper uses a case study approach to examine the history of several prominent digital ecosystems in the time period between 1981 and 2012: the IBM PC, the French Minitel, and the Apple and Android smartphones. The synthesis and analysis of the historical data contained in the case studies is then organized into a proposed digital ecosystem lifecycle model, a framework for further research. Additionally, observational analysis of the case studies provides insights concerning the sources of the technologies used to create the digital ecosystems and ability of those technologies to sustain the ecosystem.
Fracture of Honeycombs Produced by Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Ling Chen , Nguejio Josiane , Manno Riccardo , St-Pierre Luc , Barbe Fabrice , Benedetti Ivano
Published: March 2022

Lattice materials, such as honeycombs, are remarkable in their ability to combine high stiffness, strength and toughness at low density. In addition, the recent and pervasive development of additive manufacturing technologies makes it easier to produce these cellular materials and opens new possibilities to improve their properties by implementing small modifications to their microstructure. Such developments open new opportunities towards the design of new classes of architectured materials. For example, recent computational studies have shown that honeycombs with lattice density gradients have a fracture energy under tensile loading up to 50% higher than their uniform counterparts. The aim of this study is to provide experimental evidence for these promising numerical results. To achieve this, single-edge notched tension specimens, with a honeycomb lattice structures, were manufactured by stereolithography using a ductile polymer resin. The performances of three different honeycombs were compared: (i) a uniform sparse lattice, (ii) a uniform dense lattice, and (iii) a gradient lattice with alternating bands of sparse and dense lattices. The results indicated that specimens with a density gradient may achieve a work of fracture per unit volume that is up to 79% higher than that of a uniform lattice.
Electrochemical Sensor with Bimetallic Pt–Ag Nanoparticle as Catalyst for the Measurement of Dissolved Formaldehyde
Authors: Su Li , Cheng Yarong , Shi Jiaci , Wang Xuefeng , Xu Pengcheng , Chen Ying , Zhang Yuan , Zhang Sen , Xinxin Li
Published: March 2022

Formaldehyde (FA) in food is harmful to human health, an effective detecting tool is highly desired especially for the on-site test. Herein, an amperometric aqueous FA sensor was fabricated by applying Pt–Ag core-shell nanoparticles as electrocatalyst. The well-characterized core-shell nanostructure exhibits high electro-catalytical activity for the detection of FA molecules in solution due to the synergistic effect of bimetallic Pt–Ag nanostructure. The proposed sensor exhibits high FA sensing performance, with a linear detection range from 1 to 100 μM and a limit of detection (LOD) down to 1.0 μM on the optimized conditions. Interferents coexisting in food samples were efficiently minimized by good selectivity. The Pt–Ag nanostructure-based FA sensor keeps catalytical activity for at least 30 d and shows good batch reproducibility. The proposed sensor was applied for the detection of FA in the food samples and satisfactory results were obtained, showing potential for the fast, simple, disposable, and cost-effective FA detecting method for food safety.
Relationship between Coronary VH-IVUS Plaque Characteristics and CTRP9, SAA, and Hcy in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease
Authors: Liu Yongli , Wang Xubo , Wang Ting , Zhang Wenbin , Chang Ying , Dai Weixin , Zhao Jun , Wang Zhuoqun , Qi Yingying , Pan Hongtao
Published: March 2022

Coronary heart disease is a common disease threatening human health. In recent years, the incidence of coronary heart disease in China has only increased. It is the most common type of organ disease caused by coronary atherosclerosis, which is observed in the aorta, carotid artery, and femoral artery. The main clinical treatments for coronary heart disease include coronary artery bypass grafting and drug treatment. To investigate the relationship of serum adipocytokine C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein 9 (CTRP9), amyloid A (SAA), and plasma homocysteine (Hcy) with coronary artery plaque characteristics in patients with coronary heart disease. Overall, 143 patients with coronary heart disease admitted to our hospital are selected as research participants. The proportion of plaque necrosis core volume is higher in group A than in group B, and the differences are statistically significant (

P
<
0.05

). In group A, necrotic core volume percentage is negatively correlated with CTRP9 levels and positively correlated with SAA and Hcy levels (

P
<
0.05

). Logistic regression analysis revealed that increased systolic blood pressure, increased number of coronary artery lesions, decreased CTRP9 levels, and increased Hcy levels are independent risk factors for thin fibrous cap atherosclerosis in patients with coronary heart disease (

P
<
0.05

). Decreased CTRP9 levels and increased Hcy levels are independent risk factors for coronary heart disease patients with thin fibrous cap atherosclerosis.
A Study on Risk Factors Associated with Reflux Esophagitis in Patients Undergoing Esophageal Cancer Surgery
Authors: Wang Ping , Liu Chunzhi , Wei Lianmin , Wei Wenchao , Liu Zhao , Wu Fengting , Qu Rui
Published: March 2022

Objective. To investigate the risk factors associated with reflux esophagitis in patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery and to provide reference for the prevention and treatment of reflux esophagitis. Methods. In the manner retrospective study, the data of 300 patients with esophageal cancer who received the surgical treatment in our hospital (January 2018–December 2020) were retrospectively reviewed. The 300 patients were divided into the occurrence group (n = 45) and nonoccurrence group (n = 255) depending on whether they had reflux esophagitis after surgery. The social demographic data and clinical data of the patients in the two groups were collected. These data were classified into the personal factors and surgical factors. The single-factor analysis method was adopted to analyze the effects of the personal and surgical factors on reflux esophagitis. The factors with statistically significant differences in the single-factor analysis were analyzed by logistic regression to verify the factors were the risk factors associated with reflux esophagitis in patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery. Results. The differences in the bodyweight, body mass index (BMI), length of the resected esophagus, surgical approach, intraoperative blood loss, gastrointestinal decompression volume, and surgery time between the two groups were of statistical significance (

P
<
0.05

). After being tested by the logistics multivariate analysis, length of the resected esophagus, whole stomach reconstruction, intraoperative blood loss, and surgery time were identified as the risk factors associated with reflux esophagitis in patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery. Conclusion. The length of the resected esophagus, whole stomach reconstruction, intraoperative blood loss, and surgery time were the risk factors associated with reflux esophagitis in patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery. It is necessary to choose the appropriate surgical approach according to the patients’ conditions in practice and to strengthen the prevention and treatment of reflux esophagitis.
Optimization of Flocculation and Sedimentation Parameters of Total Tailing Filling Material Based on Response Surface Method
Authors: Li Gang , Qiao Dengpan , Xie Jincheng
Published: March 2022

Using sulfide ore and oxide ore tailings of a tin mine in Yunnan as raw materials, 17 groups of flocculation settling tests were designed by Box‐Behnken in Design‐Expert software, and the settling velocity and underflow concentration of mixed tailings with sulfur/oxygen ratio of 5 : 5 were studied. The effects of volume concentration, flocculant unit consumption, and flocculant concentration on settling velocity and underflow concentration were explored, and the optimal parameters of settling velocity and underflow concentration were obtained. Results. The best mixing parameters of mixed tailings are volume concentration of 17.66%, flocculant unit consumption of 39.589 g/t, and flocculant concentration of 0.195%. At this time, the settling speed is 2.231 mm/s and the underflow concentration is 65.289%. The flocculation settling velocity under this parameter condition was tested, and the experimental results were consistent with the predicted results of the model. This surface method can be used to design the flocculation and settlement test of mine tailings, which has certain guiding significance for the selection of parameters in actual production of mines.
Machine Learning and Image Processing Enabled Evolutionary Framework for Brain MRI Analysis for Alzheimer’s Disease Detection
Authors: Kamal Mustafa , Pratap A. Raghuvira , Naved Mohd , Zamani Abu Sarwar , Nancy P. , Ritonga Mahyudin , Shukla Surendra Kumar , Sammy F.
Published: March 2022

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the presence of abnormal protein bundles in the brain tissue, but experts are not yet sure what is causing the condition. To find a cure or aversion, researchers need to know more than just that there are protein differences from the usual; they also need to know how these brain nerves form so that a remedy may be discovered. Machine learning is the study of computational approaches for enhancing performance on a specific task through the process of learning. This article presents an Alzheimer’s disease detection framework consisting of image denoising of an MRI input data set using an adaptive mean filter, preprocessing using histogram equalization, and feature extraction by Haar wavelet transform. Classification is performed using LS-SVM-RBF, SVM, KNN, and random forest classifier. An adaptive mean filter removes noise from the existing MRI images. Image quality is enhanced by histogram equalization. Experimental results are compared using parameters such as accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, and recall.
Optimization of Sorting Robot Control System Based on Deep Learning and Machine Vision
Authors: Feng Changyong , Nie Guanghua , Naveed Quadri Noorulhasan , Potrich Erich , Sankaran K. Sakthidasan , Kaur Arshpreet , Sammy F.
Published: March 2022

To enhance the control technology of coal gangue dry separation method which is replaced by the machine in coal washing plant and to explore the control effects of traditional PID and dynamic domain fuzzy self-tuning PID, which will aid in determining the ideal position and orientation for grasping an object as well as understanding physical and logistic data patterns, an optimal design of PID controller for sorting robot based on deep learning is initiated. The mathematical model of ball screw system driven by a single joint motor of the robot is introduced, the control effects of classical PID and variable domain fuzzy self-tuning PID are studied and imitated, respectively. The simulation outcome appears that the selection time is 0.001 s and simulation time is 8 s. The tracking error of variable domain fuzzy PID is minor than that of PID tracking at the starting point, and the convergence rate of error is quick than that of PID manage, the steady-state error is minor than PID, the control accuracy is higher, and the tracking performance is better. The advantages of variable domain fuzzy PID control method in position tracking control are verified, the variable domain fuzzy PID can modify the control framework online as per the different position mistake and mistake change rate, the design of the variable domain of input and output makes the fuzzy inference rules locally finer, the speed of adjustment is faster and the tracking accuracy is further improved, so it has finer tracking presentation than the traditional PID tracking management.
Scientific Computational Visual Analysis of Wood Internal Defects Detection in View of Tomography Image Reconstruction Algorithm
Authors: Ye Ruochen , Pei Ying , Wang Weibin , Zhou Haibin
Published: March 2022

With the development of non-destructive testing technology and computer technology, wood non-destructive testing technology will develop towards intelligence and automation. The primary condition for development is to be able to carry out the testing of various physical properties of wood without destroying the wood itself. Wood defects refer to abnormal wood structure. Its existence will affect the quality of wood, change the normal performance of wood, and reduce the utilization rate and use value of wood. The purpose of this article is to try to find an effective detection method without damaging the original structure of the wood. It can accurately and quickly determine the defect information on the wood surface. This research mainly discusses the visual analysis of wood internal defect detection based on tomographic image reconstruction algorithm. According to the analysis of the planks to be tested, this paper determines the structural characteristics, the types of defects to be tested, and the classification standards. To analyze the principle of machine vision imaging, this paper designs a hardware experiment system for wood board imaging, by observing the collected Biyun Temple building wood images and summarizing the Biyun Temple building wood defects, surface texture features, and various appearance features in the image. Based on digital image processing technology, this paper designs a complete set of real-time timber classification and detection algorithms. The algorithm realizes the extraction of Biyun Temple’s architectural wood region, texture region extraction, and the comprehensive feature vector extraction of Biyun Temple’s architectural wood. In the image preprocessing stage, the color image is converted into a grayscale image through the grayscale processing of the image. Through the equalization processing of the histogram, the defect features in the defect image are highlighted. Through image smoothing and denoising processing, the noise points that may exist in the image are removed. The signal-to-noise ratio of the Marching Cube algorithm is maintained at a relatively high level under different noise conditions, which is about 3-4db higher than the Gaussian method with OPED. This research is helpful for the continuation and inheritance of ancient architectural attainments.
The Hermite–Hadamard–Mercer Type Inequalities via Generalized Proportional Fractional Integral Concerning Another Function
Authors: Aljaaidi Tariq A. , Pachpatte Deepak B.
Published: March 2022

In order to be able to study cosmic phenomena more accurately and broadly, it was necessary to expand the concept of calculus. In this study, we aim to introduce a new fractional Hermite–Hadamard–Mercer’s inequality and its fractional integral type inequalities. To facilitate that, we use the proportional fractional integral operators of integrable functions with respect to another continuous and strictly increasing function. Moreover, we establish some new fractional weighted

φ

-proportional fractional integral Hermite–Hadamard–Mercer type inequalities. Furthermore, in this article, we are keen to present some special cases related to our current study compared to the previous work of the inequality under study.
Staged Nursing Intervention: The Effect of the Compliance in Liver Cancer Patients with Interventional Therapy
Authors: Zhang Limin , Li Xinsheng
Published: March 2022

Objective. To evaluate the effect of the compliance in liver cancer patients with interventional therapy in the use of staged nursing intervention. Methods. A total of sixty liver cancer patients with interventional therapy were enrolled from January 2019 to December 2020. All patients were randomized to the control group (n = 30) and the experimental group (n = 30); routine nursing intervention and staged nursing intervention were conducted, respectively. The characteristics of compliance, psychological state, and other related indicators were recorded and compared. Results. The experimental group experienced lower VAS scores and higher treatment compliance. After intervention, both groups observed obvious reductions in the self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) scores, self-rating depression scale (SDS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores, while those were markedly lower in the experimental group (all

P
<
0.05

). The experimental group yielded a significantly lower complication rate than the control group (

P
<
0.05

). Conclusion. In liver cancer patients with interventional therapy, staged nursing intervention could effectively relieve the pain, reduce the incidence of complications, and timely eliminate the negative emotion, thus playing a vital impact on the prognosis, worthy of further promotion.
Modified Zagreb Connection Indices for Benes Network and Related Classes
Authors: Wang Wenhu , Nisar Asma , Fahad Asfand , Qureshi Muhammad Imran , Alameri Abdu
Published: March 2022

The study of networks such as Butterfly networks, Benes networks, interconnection networks, David‐derived networks through graph theoretical parameters is among the modern trends in the area of graph theory. Among these graph theoretical tools, the topological Indices (TIs) have been frequently used as graph invariants. TIs are also the essential tools for quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) as well as quantity structure property relationships (QSPR). TIs depend on different parameters, such as degree and distance of vertices in graphs. The current work is devoted to the derivation of 2‐distance based TIs, known as, modified first Zagreb connection index and first Zagreb connection index (ZC1) for r− dimensional Benes network and some classes generated from Benes network. The horizontal cylindrical Benes network (HCB(r)), vertical cylindrical Benes network (VCB(r)), and toroidal Benes network (TB(r)) are the three classes generated by identifying the vertices of the first row with the last row, the first column with the last column of the Benes network. The obtained results are also analyzed through graphical tools.
Sensor Fault Diagnosis and Fault Tolerant Control of Quadrotor UAV Based on Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Hua Lianghao , Zhang Jianfeng , Li Dejie , Xi Xiaobo , Shah Mohd Asif
Published: March 2022

The quadrotor drone is small in size and light in weight, the mechanical structure is simple, and the requirements for the working environment are low. The development of a quadrotor UAV technology is also the focus of the current technical personnel. The author proposes a four-rotor UAV sensor fault diagnosis and fault-tolerant control based on genetic algorithm and introduces common sensor failures, and based on the improved BP neural network of the GA algorithm, the genetic algorithm is improved. This paper uses a classical BP algorithm, a classical GA-BP algorithm, and an improved GA-BP algorithm for training. Using a total of 150 sets of training data and training function using LevenbregMarquardt (trainlm), MeanSquaredError (performance function using mse), in the same noise background, the improved GA-BP algorithm has the highest detection rate, the classical GA-BP algorithm followed, and classical BP algorithm is the worst. Therefore, using the improved GA-BP algorithm, various errors of the sensor can be detected quickly and accurately.
[Retracted] CRISPR‐Cas System: An Adaptive Immune System’s Association with Antibiotic Resistance in Salmonella enterica Serovar Enteritidis
Authors: Haider Muhammad Zulqarnain , Shabbir Muhammad Abu Bakr , Yaqub Tahir , Sattar Adeel , Maan Muhammad Kashif , Mahmood Sammina , Mehmood Tahir , Aslam Hassaan Bin
Published: March 2022

Several factors are involved in the emergence of antibiotic‐resistant bacteria and pose a serious threat to public health safety. Among them, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat‐ (CRISPR‐) Cas system, an adaptive immune system, is thought to be involved in the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. The current study was aimed at determining not only the presence of antibiotic resistance and CRISPR‐Cas system but also their association with each other in Salmonella enteritidis isolated from the commercial poultry. A total of 139 samples were collected from poultry birds sold at the live bird markets of Lahore City, and both phenotypic and genotypic methods were used to determine antimicrobial resistance. The presence of the CRISPR‐Cas system was determined by PCR, followed by sequencing. All isolates of S. enteritidis (100%) were resistant to nalidixic acid, whereas 95% of isolates were resistant to ampicillin. Five multidrug‐resistant isolates (MDR) such as S. enteritidis isolate (S. E1, S. E2, S. E4, S. E5, and S. E8) were found in the present study. The CRISPR‐Cas system was detected in all of these MDR isolates, and eight spacers were detected within the CRISPR array. In addition, an increased expression of CRISPR‐related genes was observed in the standard strain and MDR S. enteritidis isolates. The association of the CRISPSR‐Cas system with multiple drug resistance highlights the exogenous acquisition of genes by horizontal transfer. The information could be used further to combat antibiotic resistance in pathogens like Salmonella.
Curcumin Is an Iconic Ligand for Detecting Environmental Pollutants
Authors: Devasena T. , Balasubramanian N. , Muninathan Natarajan , Baskaran Kuppusamy , John Shani T.
Published: March 2022

The rapid increase in industrial revolution and the consequent environmental contamination demands continuous monitoring and sensitive detection of the pollutants. Nanomaterial‐based sensing system has proved to be proficient in sensing environmental pollutants. The development of novel ligands for enhancing the sensing efficiency of nanomaterials has always been a challenge. However, the amendment of nanostructure with molecular ligand increases the sensitivity, selectivity, and analytical performance of the resulting novel sensing platform. Organic ligands are capable of increasing the adsorption efficacy, optical properties, and electrochemical properties of nanomaterials by reducing or splitting of band gap. Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is a natural organic ligand that exhibits inherent fluorescence and electrocatalytic property. Due to keto‐enol tautomerism, it is capable of giving sensitive signals such as fluorescence, luminescence, ultraviolet absorption shifts, and electrochemical data. Curcumin probes were also reported to give enhanced meterological performances, such as low detection limit, repeatability, reproducibility, high selectivity, and high storage stability when used with nanosystem. Therefore, research on curcumin‐modified nanomaterials in the detection of environmental pollution needs a special focus for prototype and product development to enable practical use. Hence, this article reviews the role of curcumin as a natural fluorophore in optical and electrochemical sensing of environmentally significant pollutants. This review clearly shows that curcumin is an ideal candidate for developing and validating nanomaterials‐based sensors for the detection of environmental pollutants such as arsenic, lead, mercury, boron, cyanide, fluoride, nitrophenol, trinitrotoluene, and picric acid and toxic gases such as ammonia and hydrogen chloride. This review will afford references for future studies and enable researchers to translate the lab concepts into industrial products.
Cross-Border e-Commerce Business Model Based on Wireless Communication Network and Blockchain
Authors: Chai Boyue , Zhu Yixue
Published: March 2022

At present, traditional business models are gradually being replaced, and companies in different industries and fields are paying much attention to the innovation and reform of e-commerce business models. First of all, this article summarizes the e-commerce business model applicable to this article through the literature induction method, the detailed explanation of cross-border e-commerce business model, and the innovation of domestic and foreign business models. It categorizes business models and introduces cross-border import business. It also introduces the development process of cross-border e-commerce in China’s consumer market, business processes, and the success factors of cross-border e-commerce. And, it introduces an evaluation matrix to create a cross-valuation model. The final research results show that the cross-border e-commerce business model has been comprehensively evaluated based on the evaluation index system. From the evaluation indicators and weights, it can be concluded that the organizational value weight of the platform in the cross-border e-commerce business model accounts for the largest weight, occupying a weight of 0.6370. Among the secondary evaluation indicators, the weight of key business capabilities accounted for the largest proportion, reaching 0.8571.
A Comprehensive Study of Past, Present, and Future of Spectrum Sharing and Information Embedding Techniques in Joint Wireless Communication and Radar Systems
Authors: Munir Muhammad Fahad , Basit Abdul , Khan Wasim , Saleem Ahmad , Al-salehi AbdulRahman
Published: March 2022

Wireless spectrum is a limited resource, and the rapid increase in demand for wireless communication-based services is increasing day by day. Hence, maintaining a good quality of service, high data rate, and reliability is the need of the day. Thus, we need to apportion the available spectrum in an efficient manner. Dual-Function Radar and Communication (DFRC) is an emerging field and bears vital importance for both civil and military applications for the last few years. Since hybridization of wireless communication and radar designs provoke diverse challenges, e.g., interference mitigation, secure mobile communication, improved bit error rate (BER), and data rate enhancement without compromising the radar performance, this paper reviews the state-of-the-art developments in the spectrum shared between mobile communication and radars in terms of coexistence, collaboration, cognition, and cooperation. Compared to the existing surveys, we explore an open research issue on radar and mobile communication operating with mutual benefits based on collaboration in terms of spectrum sharing. Additionally, this paper provides important perspectives for future research of DFRC technology.
Adipocyte-Derived Serum Amyloid A Promotes Angiotensin II–Induced Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in Obese C57BL/6J Mice
Authors: Shridas Preetha , Ji Ailing , Trumbauer Andrea C. , Noffsinger Victoria P. , Leung Steve W. , Dugan Adam J. , Thatcher Sean E. , Cassis Lisa A. , de Beer Frederick C. , Webb Nancy R. , Tannock Lisa R.
Published: March 2022

Background:

Obesity increases the risk for human abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and enhances Ang II (angiotensin II)–induced AAA formation in C57BL/6J mice. Obesity is also associated with increases in perivascular fat that expresses proinflammatory markers including SAA (serum amyloid A). We previously reported that deficiency of SAA significantly reduces Ang II–induced inflammation and AAA in hyperlipidemic apoE-deficient mice. In this study. we investigated whether adipose tissue-derived SAA plays a role in Ang II–induced AAA in obese C57BL/6J mice.

Methods:

The development of AAA was compared between male C57BL/6J mice (wild type), C57BL/6J mice lacking SAA1.1, SAA2.1, and SAA3 (TKO); and TKO mice harboring a doxycycline-inducible, adipocyte-specific SAA1.1 transgene (TKO-Tg
fat
; SAA expressed only in fat). All mice were fed an obesogenic diet and doxycycline to induce SAA transgene expression and infused with Ang II to induce AAA.

Results:

In response to Ang II infusion, SAA expression was significantly increased in perivascular fat of obese C57BL/6J mice. Maximal luminal diameters of the abdominal aorta were determined by ultrasound before and after Ang II infusion, which indicated a significant increase in aortic luminal diameters in wild type and TKO-TG
fat
mice but not in TKO mice. Adipocyte-specific SAA expression was associated with MMP (matrix metalloproteinase) activity and macrophage infiltration in abdominal aortas of Ang II–infused obese mice.

Conclusions:

We demonstrate for the first time that SAA deficiency protects obese C57BL/6J mice from Ang II–induced AAA. SAA expression only in adipocytes is sufficient to cause AAA in obese mice infused with Ang II.
A new coccoid family (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) for an unusual species of scale insect on Podocarpus macrophyllus (Podocarpaceae) from southern China
Authors: WU SAN-AN , XU HAN
Published: March 2022

A new family, Qinococcidae Wu, fam. n., is established for the species Qinococcus podocarpus gen. n. and sp. n., collected from southern China under the bark of Podocarpus macrophyllus (Podocarpaceae). The adult female and male, egg, and all immature instars including the male pupa of Q. podocarpus sp. n. are described and illustrated. The new family is diagnosed mainly on the adult male possessing an inverted “π”-like post-tergite and unusual venation of the fore wing, with a pterostigma, posterior cubital vein and bifurcate anterior flexing patch. A key to all the developmental stages is provided.
Growing inequality during the Great Recession: Labour market institutions and the education gap in unemployment across Europe and in the United States
Authors: Berghammer Caroline , Adserà Alicia
Published: March 2022

We study how the education gap in unemployment has evolved by gender and age groups across 28 European countries and the United States from 2000 to 2014, using the European Union's Labour Force Surveys and the US Current Population Surveys. During and after the Great Recession, the absolute education gap in unemployment expanded in almost all countries, which was mainly driven by a marked increase in the unemployment risk among low educated men. A two-step multilevel analysis confirmed the negative relationship between the education gap and both (lagged) GDP growth and GDP level. Further, institutional labour market features moderated the impact of the business cycle. A higher share of temporary employment boosted employment for less educated persons, thus flattening the education gradient in unemployment, while a larger public sector somewhat protected more highly educated individuals against unemployment. The gap for young workers was large in settings with strict regular contract regulations.
Serial CT for Nonoperatively Managed Splenic Injuries
Authors: Byerly Saskya E. , Jones Michael D. , Lenart Emily K. , Seger Catherine P. , Filiberto Dina M. , Lewis Richard H. , Kerwin Andrew J. , Magnotti Louis J.
Published: March 2022

Introduction

The role of serial computed tomography (CT) in the nonoperative management of blunt splenic injuries (NOMSIs) remains unclear. The purpose of the study was to determine the utility of serial CT of Grade 2-5 NOMSI in the modern era.

Methods

Blunt splenic injuries were identified over a 3.5-year period, ending in 6/2020. Our institutional protocol for NOMSI mandates a repeat 24-hour CT for Grade 2-5 injuries. Patients age<18, Grade 1 injuries and patients that underwent intervention prior to repeat scan were excluded. Demographics, comorbidities, timing of events (admission, CTs, splenectomy, and angiography), injury details, procedural details, total transfusion requirements, complications, length of stay, mortality, and discharge disposition were recorded. Descriptive statistics were performed.

Results

219 patients with Grade 2-5 NOMSI had both an initial and 24-hour CT after exclusions. 24-hour CT identified 14 patients with new PSA(s) and 11 (5%) went to angiography within 24 hours with 9 (4%) undergoing angioembolization and 4 (2%) had splenectomy. Two hundred and four (93%) had no intervention though eventually 12 went on to angiography and 6 went for splenectomy. The 24-hour CT rarely altered management in the absence of clinical indication or prior PSA on initial CT with 5 (2%) receiving a therapeutic embolization and 2 (1%) had a nontherapeutic angiogram. No deaths were attributable to splenic injury.

Conclusions

Routine 24-hour CT for NOMSI did not impact management. Clinical status and change in exam may warrant repeat CT in select cases in the setting of a plausible alternate explanation. Prompt angioembolization or splenectomy is more appropriate in clear-cut cases of failed NOMSI.
Establishing Recovery Colleges in mental healthcare services: A Royal Commission recommendation
Authors: Hopkins Liza , Saraf Sudeep , Foster Andrew
Published: March 2022

Recovery Colleges are an innovative education-based approach to support mental health recovery that, following the recent Royal Commission, will have to be established in every area mental health service within the state of Victoria. This paper describes the rationale, benefits and some of the key considerations to successfully establish Recovery Colleges. The establishment of Recovery Colleges has the potential to drive culture change within mental health services and embed recovery orientation within service provision as well as engaging service users in their own recovery journey. There are significant challenges, however, in implementing the collaborative, co-produced model within the constraints of a publicly funded mental health clinical service. This paper considers some of the practice implications for public mental health services in developing and integrating Recovery Colleges. The paper, like everything we do at the Recovery College, is co-produced and co-authored – in this case, by a lived experience expert, a medically trained expert and a research/writing expert.
Information and Financialization: Credit Markets as a New Source of Inequality
Authors: Iversen Torben , Rehm Philipp
Published: March 2022

Driven by financialization and rising demand for credit, household sector debt in OECD countries has risen sharply. We argue that this rise in private debt has become a significant driver of inequality because access to, and the terms of, credit vary by the risk of default, which is closely tied to income. The effect is magnified by a trove of new data that allow lenders to more accurately assess individual risks, thereby linking interest rates more closely to the underlying risk distribution. This inequalizing logic is conditioned by social transfers and by government regulation of financial markets. We test our model with data on mortgage interest rates and access to credit, using the government takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (FM/FM) in the United States (resulting in regulatory change) and the Hartz-IV reform in Germany (resulting in changes to social transfers) as exogenous changes in important parameters of our model.
A hydrophobic coating on cellulose nanocrystals improves the mechanical properties of polyamide-6 nanocomposites
Authors: Benkaddour Abdelhaq , Demir Eyup Can , Jankovic Nicole C , Kim Chun Il , McDermott Mark T , Ayranci Cagri
Published: March 2022

Recent demands for high-performance lightweight materials have brought researchers’ attention to various nanoparticles to reinforce polymeric materials. As such, sustainable and stiff cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) have become a popular candidate as nano-reinforcements. While CNC can offer great advantages, such as high mechanical properties and low density, it might agglomerate even in hydrophilic polymers because of its strong affinity to itself (intra and intermolecular hydrogen bonds) which prevents its broader use in industrial applications. This study aims to improve the compatibility between CNC and polyamide 6 (PA6) by a chemical modification that produces a surface polarity drastically different from non-modified CNC. The surface of CNC was rendered by the covalent coupling of stearic acid (SA) to the surface hydroxyl groups to produce stearate modified CNC (CNC SA). The effect of the modification was analyzed for CNC SA reinforced PA6 nanocomposites, and the results are compared to that of non-modified CNC reinforced PA6 samples. The addition of unmodified CNC to PA6 provided a modest improvement while the addition of CNC-SA provided substantial improvement on the modulus and tensile strength of the nanocomposite films.
First Person: The birthday problem
Authors: Lacrete Josiana
Published: March 2022

A 2nd-grade teacher who never cared much about birthdays made them part of her classroom routine once she saw how important they were to her students. But forgetting a student’s birthday on a chaotic Friday afternoon led her to question whether these kinds of celebrations should be her responsibility.
On Leadership: The voices we need to hear
Authors: Starr Joshua P.
Published: March 2022

It’s understandable that federal education leaders, like Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, tend to focus on areas of broad agreement within education. But Joshua Starr suggests that they’re neglecting important stories that need to be told. In particular, education leaders need to create a new narrative that recognizes society’s collective responsibility to take care of all children, even as some in the community want to keep the focus on their own individual rights. If leaders at the top don’t speak up, local leaders may need to galvanize their own communities to shift the narrative about what schools are — and are not — responsible for. Students, like the aspiring educators in the Educators Rising program, can be a powerful voice for what schools need.
Worldview complexity: The challenge of intersecting diversities for conceptualising diversity
Authors: Bouma Gary , Halafoff Anna , Barton Greg
Published: March 2022

Social science analysis of diversity, and religious diversity in particular, has long struggled to move beyond simple binaries of religious-secular, religious-spiritual, traditional-modern, global north-global south, and so on. Twenty-first century realities test existing terms and find them wanting. While concepts such as the postsecular, multiple modernities, multiple secularities, and non-religion point to new lines of analysis, each still refers to binary and thereby limiting terms. This article reviews research on religious diversity, delineating some of the major challenges posed. Building on useful frameworks of superdiversity, multiple pluralities, and religious complexity, we argue that the more widely encompassing concept of worldview complexity might represent a better way forward. It has the advantage of acknowledging the intersecting diversity of diversities in multiple, differing contexts, and abiding similarities in what is occurring ‘beneath religion’.
A moderated-mediation approach to LMX-outcome relationship in M&A
Authors: Samal Arbind , Chatterjee Devjani
Published: March 2022

How employees think and relate to their jobs is a significant area of interest to scholars and practitioners in the organizational change management domain. The current study examines the role of leader–member exchange (LMX) quality on individual resistance to change (RTC) in the context of mergers and acquisitions. Specifically, we put forward a moderated-mediation model wherein LMX quality predicts RTC through possible mediation of organizational dissent under the boundary setting conditions of employee’s perception of politics. Results drawn from a sample of 260 employees from the banking sector in India support our hypotheses. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Material-scale flammability characteristics of epoxy-based coating systems
Authors: Siow Jonathan , Dasari Aravind
Published: March 2022

Flammability of intumescent coatings at the materials-scale is “expected” to have an impact on their fire resistance offered to the steel member. However, to what extent and at what stage during the exposure to an imposed fire curve in a furnace are not thoroughly established. The role of different functionality of the flame-retardant additives in this process is also not clear despite a thorough understanding of their thermal decomposition mechanisms. In an effort to better understand some of these aspects, in this work, model systems based on different flame-retardant additives in epoxy are chosen to cover various strategies (like intumescent, radical quenching, and endothermic behavior) that are typically employed to reduce the flammability of a coating system. The flame-retardant additives chosen are ammonium polyphosphate, tetrabromobisphenol-A, 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene oxide, and aluminum trihydroxide. The effects of flame-retardant additives on the curing, thermal decomposition, and flammability of epoxy resin are investigated. Reactive flame-retardant additives, in particular, are found to reduce the enthalpy associated with curing of epoxy by more than 45%. However, as the amount of hardener incorporated in these formulations is not controlled despite the presence of reactive flame-retardant additives, this had a negative effect on the thermal decomposition behavior of the epoxy/flame-retardant formulations, and consequently on the calculated decomposition activation energies. Heating rate seems to be a dominating parameter influencing the flammability of the formulations. Peak heat release rate values, irrespective of the formulation, increased by more than 1382%–1970% by changing the heating rate in a pyrolysis flow combustion calorimeter from 6°C/min to 100°C/min. As the flammable volatiles released per unit time are higher at high heating rates, ignition and subsequent flaming of the coating occurred in the furnace tests, where a cellulosic fire curve was simulated. This has significantly influenced the fire resistance times.
Lennart Nilsson (1922-2017) – Pioneer of embryo photography and his work Ett barn blir till
Authors: Scharf Jann Lennard , Dracopoulos Christoph , Gembicki Michael , Rody Achim , Welp Amrei , Weichert Jan
Published: March 2022

‘Making the invisible visible’ is a requirement of a coveted prize for scientific photography – the Lennart Nilsson Award – which is named after the pioneer of human embryo photography. There is no way of avoiding his influence if the hitherto invisible is to be made visible, the intangible almost tangible, the unimaginable made imaginable, and mysteries otherwise hidden from the human eye are to be processed in a popular-scientific way and visualized in an artistic way by means of scientific-medical imaging techniques. Whilst Lennart Nilsson used state-of-the-art imaging technology within the rapidly evolving field of endoscopy, he also created what is probably the best-selling illustrated book of all times with A Child Is Born contributing to both the further understanding of early prenatal development, as well as achieving worldwide popularity.