bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of pullulan on the biomechanical and anti-collapse properties of dicalcium phosphate dihydrate bone cement
Authors: Xi Wenjing , Ding Zhengwen , Ren Haohao , Chen Hong , Yan Yonggang , Zhang Qiyi
Published: June 2021

In this work, a modified dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) bone cement with unique biodegradable ability in a calcium phosphate cement system was prepared by the hydration reaction of monocalcium phosphate monohydrate and calcium oxide and integration with pullulan (Pul), a non-toxic, biocompatible, viscous, and water-soluble polysaccharide that has been successfully used to improve defects in DCPD bone cement, especially its rapid solidification, fragile mechanical properties, and easy collapse. The effect of different contents of Pul on the structure and properties of DCPD were also studied in detail. The modified cement was characterised by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet–visible absorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, and rheological property measurements. The results indicated that Pul promoted the hydration formation of DCPD, and interface bonding occurred between Pul and DCPD. With increasing content of Pul, the setting time of the DCPD bone cement increased from 2.6 min to 42.3 min, the compressive strength increased from 0 MPa to 20.4 MPa, and the anti-collapse ability also improved owing to the strong interface bonding, implying that the DCPD bone cement improved by Pul has better potential for application in the field of non-loading bone regenerative medicine compared to unmodified DCPD bone cement.
Obtaining the Best Possible Medication History at Hospital Admission: Description of a Pharmacy Technician-Driven Program to Identify Medication Discrepancies
Authors: Kabir Rubiya , Liaw Samantha , Cerise Jane , Yi Jungen , Mulvany Colm , Qiu Michael , Beizer Judith L. , Sinvani Liron D.
Published: June 2021

Purpose:

Describe the process of obtaining the best possible medication history (BPMH) by Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhTs) on hospital admission to identify medication discrepancies.

Methods:

Cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted between December 2016 and June 2017 at a quaternary center in New York, including all patients 18 years and older admitted to the medicine service through the Emergency Department (ED) and seen by a CPhT. CPhTs obtained the BPMH using a systematic approach involving a standardized interview, checking medications with secondary sources and updating the electronic health record (EHR). Medication discrepancies were identified and categorized by type and risk. Summary statistics were provided as average and standard deviation (SD) for continuous variables, and as frequencies and percentages for categorical variables. Multivariable regression was used to test for associations between patient factors and presence of a medication discrepancy.

Results:

Of the 3,087 patient visits, the average age was 69 (SD 17.8), 54% were female (n = 1652) and 65% white (n = 2017); comorbidity score breakdown was: 0 (25%, n = 757), 1-2 (33%, n = 1023), 3-4 (23%, n = 699), > 4 (20%, n = 608). The average number of home and discharge medications were 10 (SD 6.1) and 10 (SD 5.4), respectively. The average time spent obtaining the BPMH was 30.6 minutes (SD 12.9). 69% of patients (n = 2130) had at least 1 discrepancy with an average of 4.2 (SD 4.6), of which 43% (n = 920) included high-risk medications. Having a medication discrepancy was associated with a higher number of home medications (p < 0.0001) comorbidities (p < 0.0001), and source of information (p < 0.04).

Conclusion:

Obtaining the BPMH by CPhTs on hospital admission frequently identifies medication discrepancies. Further studies are needed to evaluate the association between obtaining the BPMH and clinical outcomes.
Publication of Pharmacy Residency Research: A 12-Year Cohort From an Academic Medical Center
Authors: Swan Joshua T. , Rizk Elsie , Kwak Namhee , Guastadisegni Jessica , Thompson-Moore Nathaniel , Liebl Michael G.
Published: June 2021

Background:

Pharmacy residency programs provide research training experiences to residents, and publication is considered an indicator of high-quality research experiences.

Objective:

This study described attributes of pharmacy residents, residency programs, and residency major research projects and their associations with the outcome of publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Methods:

Pharmacy residents who graduated from one academic medical center between 2001 and 2012 were invited to participate via an electronic survey distributed in February 2014. The survey collected attributes of the resident, residency program, and research project. The outcome of publication was self-reported by residents in 2014 and updated in July 2019 using a validated search strategy.

Results:

This study included 53 resident graduates representing 66 major pharmacy residency projects. Eighteen (27%) projects were published, occurring at an average of 13.8 months after residency graduation. The outcome of publication was more likely for residents with human subjects research experience prior to PGY1 training, residency programs that cultivated resident expertise in Institutional Review Board submission and statistical analysis, and projects with Institutional Review Board approval, a larger number of co-investigators, non-pharmacy co-investigators, and a larger sample size.

Conclusion:

This cohort of residents, programs, and projects at an academic medical center identified many modifiable attributes that were associated with successful publication of resident research projects. Unfortunately, residency projects rarely used study design features that attenuate bias. Residents and preceptors were perceived as having limited expertise with statistical analysis and database management, which underscores the need to develop research infrastructure to enhance research training for pharmacy students, residents, and preceptors.
Thermally developing forced convection flow through porous concentric pipes annular duct
Authors: Ahmed Farhan
Published: June 2021

This article shows the thermally developing flow through concentric pipes annular sector duct by describing the Darcy Brinkman flow field. The cross sectional convection-diffusion terms are transformed in power law discretized form by integrating over the differential volume, whereas backward difference scheme is used in the axial direction of heat flow. With the help of semi implicit method for pressure linked equations-revised ( SIMPLE-R), we get the solution of the governing problem. The graphs of velocity profiles against R and average Nusselt number against axial distance are plotted for different values of Darcy number and geometrical configuration parameters. It has been pointed out that velocity and thermal entrance length decrease, when we decrease the value of Darcy number. By decreasing the cross section of the concentric pipes annular sector duct in the transverse direction, thermally fully developed flow region develops earlier.
The effect of palm kernel shell ash reinforcement on microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-Mg-Si metal-matrix composites
Authors: Oyedeji EO , Dauda M , Yaro SA , Abdulwahab M
Published: June 2021

Aluminium is one of the lightweight materials that have a major contribution in numerous applications globally and it is also considered less expensive compared with other lightweight metals such as titanium and magnesium. As a result of some engineering applications’ requirements of better hardness and strength of material with lesser weight, researchers’ attention is drawn to the enhancement of the mechanical properties of accessible aluminium alloys. This study was conducted to study the microstructure and mechanical properties of a composite Al-Mg-Si matrix with varying weight percentages (0, 4, 6 and 8 wt. %) of palm kernel ash (PKSA) reinforcement, which were denoted correspondingly as C1–C4. The PKSA was obtained at a calcination temperature of 850 °C, XRD and XRF analyses were conducted to characterize it. The formulated samples were then ball-milled using two roll mills for about 60 hours to achieve a near homogeneity of the composites. The SEM image of the reinforced samples (C2 and C3) revealed that there were many networks of coalesced or necked particles while individual particles are hardly found, which is an indication of a high degree of densification ratio percentage of PKSA. The results also showed that there was an increase in hardness (44.4%), modulus of rupture (37.4%) and impact strength (252.03%) of Al-Mg-Si matrix composites (C3) in comparison with the unreinforced matrix material.
Unsteady flow characteristics of energy conversion in impeller of centrifugal pump as turbine
Authors: Miao Senchun , Zhang Hongbiao , Zhang Jiawei , Wang Xiaohui , Shi Fengxia
Published: June 2021

To study unsteady flow characteristics of energy conversion in impeller of centrifugal pump as turbine (PAT), the overall and sub-section methods are used to calculate the unsteady flow of the PAT under six working conditions. Through numerical calculations, the net input power of the impeller, the time domain change law of the fluid's work on the impeller, the time domain change law of power loss in the impeller, and the time domain change law of energy conversion in different regions of the impeller are analyzed. Results show that: the dynamic and static interference between the impeller blades and the tongue caused the fluctuation of energy conversion; with the increase of area between the head of the impeller blade and the opposite tongue, the power loss in the impeller decreases. And when the blade head completely deviates from the position of the tongue about 10°, the power loss in the impeller is minimized. The power output of the PAT at different flow rates is related to its internal flow conditions and the geometric structure of each region of the impeller. The above research results can provide guidance on how to operate the PAT impeller stably and efficiently.
Microstructure and mechanical properties of interlock friction stir weld lap joint AA7475-T7 using fractional factorial design
Authors: Anand R , Sridhar VG
Published: June 2021

Friction stir welding (FSW) technique was preliminary developed to join various low strength and high strength alloys by considering different inputs and known to surpass the flaws which occur in conventional welding processes. The present study is focused on the FSWed interlock lap joint of AA7475-T7 using three-level three factor (33) full factorial design methodology to study the correlation among process parameters with the lap shear strength and hardness. To compare the strength and hardness of interlock lap joint, a typical lap joint has been made with an optimized input parameter obtained from the FSW interlock lap joint. Microstructure analysis, hardness and tensile strength of FSWed interlock lap joints and typical lap joints were done to analyze the robustness of the welds made. Results proved that the strength of FSWed interlock lap joints is high compared to typical lap weld with a ultimate tensile strength of 172.88 N and hardness of 200 HV when the process parameter level is at tool rotation speed of 1400 r/min, welding speed 30 mm/s plunge speed rate 0.06 mm/s. At the tool rotation speed of 1400 r/min dynamic recrystallization of the material occurs which thereby leads to the formation of fine grains in the SZ of the weld metal.
Trajectory optimization for manipulators based on external archives self-searching multi-objective particle swarm optimization
Authors: Liu Youyu , Zhang Xuyou
Published: June 2021

In order to improve the quality of the non-inferior solutions obtained by multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO), an improved algorithm called external archives self-searching multi-objective particle swarm optimization (EASS-MOPSO) was proposed and applied to a multi-objective trajectory optimization problem for manipulators. The position curves of joints were constructed by using quartic B-splines; the mathematical models of time, energy and jerk optimization objectives for manipulators were established; and the kinematic constraints of joints were transformed into the constraints of the control vertexes of the B-splines. A self-searching strategy of external archives to make non-inferior solutions have the ability to search the surrounding hyperspace was explored, and a diversity maintaining strategy of the external archives was proposed. The results of several test functions by simulation show that the convergence and diversity of the proposed algorithm are better than those of other 4 selected algorithms; the results of the trajectory optimization problem for manipulators by simulation show that the convergence, diversity and time consumption of the proposed algorithm are significantly better than those of non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm.
Physics-based linear model predictive control strategy for three-way catalyst air/fuel ratio control
Authors: Mamun Abdullah-al , Zhu Qilun , Hoffman Mark , Onori Simona
Published: June 2021

The Current practice of air-fuel ratio control relies on empirical models and traditional PID controllers, which require extensive calibration to maintain the post-catalyst air-fuel ratio close to stoichiometry. In contrast, this work utilizes a physics-based Three-Way Catalyst (TWC) model to develop a model predictive control (MPC) strategy for air-fuel ratio control based on internal TWC oxygen storage dynamics. In this paper, parameters of the physics-based temperature and oxygen storage models of the TWC are identified using vehicle test data for a catalyst aged to 150,000 miles. A linearized oxygen storage model is then developed from the identified nonlinear model, which is shown via simulation to follow the nonlinear model with minimal error during nominal operation. This motivates the development of a Linear MPC (LMPC) framework using the linearized TWC oxygen storage model, reducing the requisite computational effort relative to a nonlinear MPC strategy. In this work, the LMPC utilizing a linearized physics-based TWC model is proven suitable for tracking a desired oxygen storage level by controlling the commanded engine air-fuel ratio, which is also a novel contribution. The offline simulation results show successful tracking performance of the developed LMPC framework.
Fault isolation of analog circuit using an optimized ensemble empirical mode decomposition approach based on multi-objective optimization
Authors: Moezi Alireza , Kargar Seyed Mohamad
Published: June 2021

This article proposed a practical approach to isolating faults in analog circuits. The contribution of this article is twofold. First, the optimized empirical mode decomposition approach is presented based on the Hellinger distance such that there is a minimum dependency between intrinsic mode functions. Features with high distinction could be extracted by employing intrinsic mode functions in fault detection problem of analog benchmark circuits. Second, the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm is employed to retain excellent features and speed up the execution, resulting in the high accuracy of fault detection and isolation. The number of features and mean squared error are selected as objective functions. The features from the data are also extracted using the fast Fourier and wavelet transforms for comparison. Finally, the support vector machine and artificial neural network are employed to isolate faults. Two circuits under test are simulated, and the output signals of the faulty and fault-free circuits are extracted by the Monte Carlo analysis. According to the obtained simulation results, the proposed method with a low-dimensional feature vector outperformed the previous methods, and the computational time has also reduced significantly.
Spatial and temporal pattern of rice domestication during the early Holocene in the lower Yangtze region, China
Authors: Huan Xiujia , Lu Houyuan , Jiang Leping , Zuo Xinxin , He Keyang , Zhang Jianping
Published: June 2021

Rice is among the world’s most important and ancient domesticated crops. However, the spatial and temporal pattern of the early rice domestication process remains unclear due to the lack of systematic study of wild/domesticated rice remains and corresponding dates during the early Holocene. Here, we collected 248 samples from five typical Shangshan cultural sites in the lower Yangtze region where is the most likely origin place of rice for phytolith analysis. The results showed the following. (1) Rice bulliform phytoliths from the five sites all present domestication traits, suggesting that the rice domestication process had begun across the region by the early stage of the Holocene. (2) The relative domestication rates reflected by the rice bulliform phytoliths were different between sites, the sites with higher domestication rates were distributed closer to the mainstream river. (3) The rice domestication process revealed by bulliform phytoliths can be divided into three periods during the early Holocene: from 10 to 9 ka, rice domestication began and stayed at a low level under 35%; from 9 to 8.5 ka, rice domestication level increased to 50%; and from 8.5 to 8 ka, rice domestication level was in a fluctuating state. (4) By 9 ka BP, rice double-peaked phytoliths from glume cells are present in most of the studied sites, which imply the presence of crop dehusking processing. This study reconstructed the spatial and temporal patterns of rice domestication during the early Holocene, which will improve our knowledge of early crop domestication and enhance our understanding of changes in rice status.
Late-Holocene landscape evolution and human presence in the northern Danube delta (Chilia distributary lobes)
Authors: Preoteasa Luminița , Vespremeanu-Stroe Alfred , Dan Anca , Țuțuianu Laurențiu , Panaiotu Cristian , Stoica Marius , Sava Tiberiu , Iancu Liviu Mihail , Stănică Aurel-Daniel , Zăinescu Florin , Mirea Dragoș Alexandru , Olteanu Dan Cristian , Pupim Fabiano N , Ailincăi Sorin
Published: June 2021

This paper documents the Late-Holocene environmental changes and human presence in the northern Danube delta using a multidisciplinary approach that combines geoscientific data with archaeological findings, historical texts, and maps. It follows the formation and progression of the Chilia distributary and the reconfiguration of socioeconomic activities. Sedimentary facies identified on five new cores by changes in texture properties, magnetic susceptibility, geochemistry, and macro- and microfauna composition together with the newly obtained chronology constrain the complex evolution of the Chilia branch as filling in a long-lasting bay and then of a giant lagoon (Thiagola) which covered most of the northern delta since the Old Danube lobe inception (ca. 7500 yrs BP) till modern Chilia development. It initiated during the Greek Antiquity (ca. 2500 yrs ar BP) at the delta apex, while in Roman times (ca. 1800 yrs BP) it pursued its slow flowing into the vast Thiagola Lagoon. The most dramatic transformations occurred in the last 800 years when the river passed east of the Chilia promontory, rapidly went through the present-day Matița-Merhei basin (several decades), and created its first open-sea outlet. Solid discharge increased in two distinct periods, once in the Middle Ages (ca. 750 yrs BP) and then in the Modern Period (ca. 150 yrs BP) due to human-induced land-use changes in the Danube watershed. The chronology of the cultural remains on the pre-deltaic Chilia promontory and the multiproxy analysis of a sediment core retrieved nearby downstream suggest the terrestrial connection of the island with the mainland in ancient times. The hitherto contended issue of the old Thiagola Lagoon and its location are redefined here, as are the original identifications of ancient and medieval toponyms and hydronyms, especially for Chilia-Licostomo, Byzantine, Genoese, Moldavian, Ottoman, and Russian trading point of great importance in the political and economic history of the Black Sea and neighboring regions.
The principles and practice of death: The Oslerian conflicted conception of dying
Authors: Niburski Kacper
Published: June 2021

Sir William Osler espoused a particularly idealized medical life that included the patient in the physician's worldview. Disease is not considered a monolith, only a reflection of one's broader health. Death, too, is configured as a part of one's being, not as a thing apart from life. The wholesomeness that characterized Osler's practice is well known—however, his long discussions and thoughts on death have not been sufficiently analyzed. His clinical views have been hinted at and numerous medical historians have noted that Osler's worldview on death was avant-garde for its time, one in which he described finality not as a time of suffering and anguish, but as “singularly free from mental distress.” This essay contends with this simple view. This straightforward understanding becomes complicated when delving into such primary resources as Osler's Study on Dying cards, his writings on other medical conditions, and personal reflections following the personal losses of his sons Edward Revere Osler and Paul Revere Osler. This essay contends that the loss and the death he imagines is not one of peace, but rather, of horror and terror. Furthermore, the primary sources show Osler not as the paragon of flawless clinical acumen and reasoning, but a man of personal beliefs that were in conflict with views he espoused more publicly. The essay therefore reconceptualizes the common understanding of a stoic Osler, determines how death prefigures into Oslerian thought, and challenges the idea of an Oslerian simple death.
The effect of attitude towards work on professional commitment
Authors: Tuna Rujnan , Sahin Safiye
Published: June 2021

Background:

Professional commitment, which constitutes one of the criteria of the professionalisation process, is directly affected by attitude towards the work, constituting the content of nursing profession.

Aim:

This study was conducted to determine the effect of nurses’ attitudes towards work on their professional commitment.

Methods:

This study is a cross-sectional and analytical study. The data were collected from 293 nurses working at different units in a public hospital between April 2019 and May 2019. The data collection tool includes a 10-question participant information form, the Nurses’ Professional Commitment Scale and the Attitude Towards Work Scale. Variables were analysed using multiple linear regression.

Results:

The nurses obtained high scores from overall professional commitment and attitude towards work scales and their subscales. Significant differences were found in the scale total and its subscales caused especially by the variables of professional experience, position, income level and the status of willingly choosing the profession ( p < 0.05). Nursing professional commitment was predicted by ‘content of the work’, (β = 0.32, p < 0.01), ‘working conditions’ (β = 0.38, p < 0.01), ‘co-workers’ (β = 0.30, p < 0.01) and ‘compensation’ (β = 0.21, p < 0.01), which accounted for 25.6% of the variance in nursing professional commitment.

Ethical considerations:

Ethics committee approval and institutional permissions were obtained. The participants were informed about the study and written consent was obtained.

Conclusions:

The nurses who had an increasing duration of professional experience, were working in managerial position, found their income level sufficient and chose the profession willingly had higher professional commitment and attitudes towards work. In addition, a significant correlation was found between nurses’ professional commitment and their attitudes towards work, and nurses’ professional commitments were explained with their attitudes towards work. It is important to increase and strengthen the attitude towards work that affects nurses’ professional commitments.
The Culture and Personal Disposal Practices of University Students: A Qualitative Study in Brazil and Germany
Authors: Ibiapina Iveltyma Roosemalen Passos , Leocadio Aurio , Lazaro Jose Carlos , Romero Claudia Buhamra Abreu
Published: June 2021

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between cultural components and municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal individual practices in the context of Brazilian and German university students. To achieve this goal, we chose to conduct qualitative research with ethnographic inspiration, exploratory and descriptive nature. For one year, the authors collected data through participant and non-participant observations, interviews and photographs from both countries. The results showed that waste disposal is a constant concern in Germany. Waste separation for recycling is cultural and is the primary waste disposal practice in the country. In Brazil, the primary practice is to dispose of all waste in just one bin. Several elements of the cultural components are involved in these practices, revealing a significant sustainable cultural difference between the two countries. One of the limitations of the study is Brazil itself. Brazil is a continental and multi-cultural country. The results present a perceived country general view; but maybe in other cities inside Brazil, some differences could be present. As an empirical contribution, the study presents a lack of public policy and gives suggestions to improve the structure (material culture) and communication (and language) of the practices through actions. These actions can be the implementation of the selective collection in the city, improved enforcement of laws or even new public policies aimed at waste management. The originality of the article consists in investigating and comparing the disposal practices of MSW of Brazilian and German students in the light of culture. This study innovates bringing an empirical analysis of cultural components little studied.
Disparities of Subjective Cognitive Decline Among Native Hawaiians/Other Pacific Islanders, Asian Americans, and White Americans in Hawai‘i: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2015 and 2017
Authors: Ganbat Uyanga , Wu Yan Yan
Published: June 2021

Existing research on subjective cognitive decline (SCD) among Native Hawaiians/Other Pacific Islanders (NHOPIs) is limited even though NHOPI adults have the highest prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. In this study, we investigated SCD disparities among NHOPIs, Asian Americans, and White Americans and its contributing factors utilizing the 2015 and 2017 survey year data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for Hawai‘i State in the United States. The SCD prevalence was 11.9%, 8.97%, and 7.86% among NHOPIs, Whites, and Asians, respectively. Adjusting for sociodemographic and health behavioral variables, the prevalence ratios (PRs) of SCD were 1.37 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.05-1.78) for NHOPI versus Asian and 1.15 (95% CI = 0.89-1.50) for NHOPI versus Whites. The associations were weakened after adjusting for health conditions. Depressive disorders, coronary heart disease or myocardial infarction, stroke, and diabetes were associated with cognitive decline in the multivariate-adjusted model. NHOPIs experienced more SCD-related functional difficulties than other races.
Article 3(5) TEU a decade on: Revisiting ‘strict observance of international law’ in the text and context of other EU values
Authors: Dunbar Rupert
Published: June 2021

Article 3(5) of the Treaty on the European Union concerns EU external relations and was a new provision of the Lisbon Treaty. It has been seized upon by scholars for its reference to ‘strict observance of international law’ by the EU in its relations with the wider world. However, recent case law in the Court of Justice of the European Union has demonstrated little movement towards this supposed ideal. This article supports the fact that rigid and unquestioning adherence to international law has not emerged in case law, particularly as Article 3(5) TEU also mandates that the Union ‘uphold and promote its values and interests’. By taking a broader view of both the text and context of Article 3(5) TEU in EU law as a whole, and through consideration of the limited demands international law places on domestic courts, the article argues that – contrary to current literature – a more expressly balanced approach towards respect for international law is required and should be nurtured in the case law.
Evaluation of oral fluids for surveillance of foodborne and zoonotic pathogens in pig farms
Authors: Schott Franziska , Hoffmann Karolin , Sarno Eleonora , Bangerter Patrick D. , Stephan Roger , Overesch Gudrun , Haessig Michael , Sidler Xaver , Graage Robert
Published: June 2021

The use of oral fluid (OF) to detect zoonotic pathogens in pigs has been only scarcely assessed. We evaluated OF as a potential specimen for detection by culture of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Yersinia enterocolitica, and the detection of antibodies against Salmonella spp. and hepatitis E virus (HEV) using commercial ELISAs. Samples from 33 pig farms were collected at the beginning and end of the fattening period. Results of the OF samples were compared with the results of serum samples and nasal swabs from individual pigs and pen floor fecal samples, using the Cohen kappa (κ) and the McNemar test. For Salmonella spp. antibodies, OF samples were negative, although the corresponding serum samples were positive. The detection of HEV antibodies in sera and OF had agreement at the first sampling, and poor and significant agreement at the second sampling (κ = 0.185, McNemar p = 0.238; κ = 0.088, McNemar p < 0.001). At both sampling times, the detection of MRSA in nasal swabs and OF showed agreement (κ = 0.466, McNemar p = 0.077; κ = 0.603, McNemar p = 1); agreement was seen for the detection of Y. enterocolitica in fecal and OF samples (κ = 0.012, McNemar p = 0.868; κ = 0.082, McNemar p = 0.061, respectively). According to the McNemar test, the use of pen-based OFs is more feasible for the detection of MRSA and Y. enterocolitica by culture than is detection of antibodies by commercial ELISA.
The Online Use of the Newest Vital Sign in Adolescents
Authors: Caldwell Elizabeth Perry , Killingsworth Erin Elizabeth
Published: June 2021

Seventy percent of premature adult deaths are caused by adolescent behaviors. Data suggests that health literacy may influence adolescent behaviors. However, adolescent health literacy research is scarce; and, timely, more robust data is imperative. Nonetheless, many potential study samples are currently inaccessible due to the pandemic. Thus, there is an immediate need to evaluate online adolescent health literacy research modalities to further the science. The purpose of this study is to explore the psychometric properties of online administration of the Newest Vital Sign (NVS) health literacy instrument in adolescents. A total of 105 adolescents completed the study via Qualtrics. Internal consistency reliability of the online NVS was good (α = .77). There was, however, no significant correlation between online and in-person comparison scores ( r = .05, p = .59). This study yields clinically significant results showing insight into the online NVS for adolescents, providing a foundation for future adolescent health literacy research.
Student Engagement at Higher Education Institutions: A Study of International Student Engagement and Motivational Challenges at Chinese Universities
Authors: Yadav Devinder K.
Published: June 2021

Chinese universities have opened their doors for foreign students in recent years. Finding internationally accepted academic degrees programs and relevantly qualified academics however remains a challenge for the Chinese universities. The universities too are facing difficulties in engaging international students in studies and university activities. Many students remain regularly absent from academic activities because they feel isolated due to one institution-two systems concept of education administration at the universities. International education management and effectiveness of teaching and learning practices of the universities under the system are examined in this study.
The Effects of Team Mental Model Complexity on Team Information Search and Performance Trajectories
Authors: Uitdewilligen Sjir , Waller Mary J. , Roe Robert A. , Bollen Peter
Published: June 2021

Drawing on the concept of requisite complexity, we propose that mental model complexity is crucial for teams to thrive in dynamic complex environments. Using a longitudinal research design, we examined the influence of team mental model complexity on team information search and performance trajectories in a sample of 64 teams competing in a business strategy simulation over time. We found that team information search positively influences performance growth over time. More specifically, and consistent with requisite complexity, we found that mental model complexity positively influences both performance growth and information search over time, above and beyond the effects of mental model similarity and accuracy.
Technology Readiness Level as the Foundation of Human Readiness Level
Authors: Salazar George , Russi-Vigoya M. Natalia
Published: June 2021

Communication of the maturity of technology through the program/product life cycles helps enhance risk management from the beginning and support decision-making strategies for research, development, and allocation of resources. Currently, many organizations use the technology readiness level (TRL) as a simple metric to indicate the maturity of the technology. This article will discuss the TRL history, define the TRL levels, show how the TRL relates to the technology life cycle, and how the TRL framework contributes to the human readiness level (HRL) structure. Through the TRL advantages and disadvantages, this article will show how the TRL falls short in numerous areas of engineering, including the integration readiness of system/subsystem components and assessment of the readiness of the technology to operate within the human capabilities and limitations. Yet the article also shows how the TRL serves as the foundation for HRL.
“Stick to Sports”? First Amendment Values and Limitations to Student-Athlete Expression
Authors: Park Michael K.
Published: June 2021

The resurgence of political activism by student-athletes raises the specter of increased constitutional challenges to public university regulations on student-athlete speech. This article explores the special regulatory environment situating student-athletes and gleans the First Amendment values underpinning cases where student-athletes challenge institutional regulations on their freedom of expression. Analysis of the legal discourse suggests that courts are more likely to apply increased scrutiny to university officials’ attempts to regulate expression on public issues versus speech that address personal or private matters. This article ends with some suggestions for practitioners and scholars to consider when evaluating regulations on student-athlete speech.
A temperature problem for a square: An exact solution
Authors: Kovalenko Mikhail D. , Menshova Irina V. , Kerzhaev Alexander P. , Yu Guangming
Published: June 2021

We construct examples of exact solutions of the temperature problem for a square: the sides of the square are (i) free and (ii) firmly clamped. Initially, we solve the inhomogeneous problem for an infinite plane. The known exact solutions for a square, with which the boundary conditions on the sides of the square are satisfied, are added to this solution. The solutions are represented as series in Papkovich–Fadle eigenfunctions whose coefficients are determined from simple formulas.
Centering Ethnic Studies in Health Education: Lessons From Teaching an Asian American Community Health Course
Authors: Maglalang Dale Dagar , Peregrina Hillary Nicole , Yoo Grace J. , Le Mai-Nhung
Published: June 2021

Anti-Asian racism and violence dramatically increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, recent studies and reports are showing that the health and well-being of Asian Americans are negatively affected. To address this urgent problem, the field of health education and public health must be equipped with the critical frameworks and concepts to analyze racism and White supremacy and how it affects the health and well-being of Asian Americans. We argue that using an ethnic studies lens in health education can help educators, researchers, and practitioners teach and train health educators to address racism experienced by Asian Americans during COVID-19 in relation to their health. We will discuss the elements of ethnic studies and demonstrate how to use it as a lens in understanding health disparities in the Asian American population influenced and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
What Anansi Did for Us: Storytelling’s Value in Equitably Exploring Public Health
Authors: Fakunle David O. , Thomas, MPH David T. , Gonzales Kathy A. M. , Vidot Denise C. , Johnson LaShaune P.
Published: June 2021

There is growing implementation of storytelling as a specific application of narrative in public health. As the field’s latest epoch evolves to consider cultural determinants, reimagination of how scientists conceptualize, operationalize, and capture populations’ unique elements is necessary, and storytelling provides a genuine and efficacious methodology that can assist with that reimagination. Professionals are creating more spaces that demonstrate how storytelling elucidates, promotes, and supports contextual factors that are not captured by orthodox methodologies. However, more opportunities are needed to exhibit storytelling’s impact on capturing the nuances in human experiences, such as those of historically and systemically underrepresented populations. This study synthesizes the past decade of research in public health and related fields that primarily utilized storytelling and reports significant implications. Additionally, this study highlights explorations in public health that primarily use storytelling as a research and practice approach. Each case study includes a description of the background and aims, elaborates on storytelling’s utilization, and discusses findings, observations, and future directions. Finally, this study discusses conceptual issues in public health raised by use of storytelling, such as how to best capture impact on human beings and the importance of context. This article’s goal is to present current evidence of critical reevaluations to the epistemological, conceptual, and practical paradigms within public health through storytelling. Additionally, this article aims to provide support and empowerment to public health scientists considering creative approaches to better acknowledge and appreciate humanity’s inherent subjectivity.
A Scoping Review of Decolonization in Indigenous-Focused Health Education and Behavior Research
Authors: Narasimhan Subasri , Chandanabhumma P. Paul
Published: June 2021

Public health remains acutely affected by the historical legacy and ongoing processes of colonization. Although scholars have advocated for decolonization of public health systems, the principles and processes of decolonization have not been explicitly elaborated nor applied broadly within the field. To map these concepts, we conducted a scoping review of decolonization of the Indigenous-focused health behavior and education literature. Following the JBI (formerly Joanna Briggs Institute) scoping review framework, we conducted searches in PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science using key search terms: “health education,” “health behavior,” “health promotion,” “health practice” AND “decolonization” or “decolonial.” We also conducted targeted searches of key journals to ensure review completeness. For selected articles, we examined the article content, focal population, country context and health condition(s). We assessed for the definition of decolonization (if provided), descriptions of decolonial processes used (if stated), and the application of the decolonial processes (e.g., for research, intervention, or critique, etc.). Characteristics of decolonial processes were grouped by those that were similarly described leading to the generation of common themes of reflection, action, and planning. Our review suggests that no clear norms exist in conceptualizing the definitions and processes of decolonization in the reviewed literature. A small proportion of the articles articulate decolonial processes in manners that are consistent, cohesive and attentive to the goals of decolonization. We believe that this review will encourage public health practitioners to consider meaningful approaches to challenging colonizing structures and engage with community partners to advance the visions of social justice and health equity.
A comparative study of teriflunomide and dimethyl fumarate within the Swedish MS Registry
Authors: Hillert Jan , Tsai Jon A , Nouhi Mona , Glaser Anna , Spelman Tim
Published: June 2021

Background:

Teriflunomide and dimethyl fumarate (DMF) are first-line disease-modifying treatments for multiple sclerosis with similar labels that are used in comparable populations.

Objectives:

The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness and persistence of teriflunomide and DMF in a Swedish real-world setting.

Methods:

All relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients in the Swedish MS registry initiating teriflunomide or DMF were included in the analysis. The primary endpoint was treatment persistence. Propensity score matching was used to adjust comparisons for baseline confounders.

Results:

A total of 353 teriflunomide patients were successfully matched to 353 DMF. There was no difference in the rate of overall treatment discontinuation by treatment group across the entire observation period (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.12; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.91–1.39; p = 0.277; reference = teriflunomide). Annualised relapse rate (ARR) was comparable ( p = 0.237) between DMF (0.07; 95% CI = 0.05–0.10) and teriflunomide (0.09; 95% CI = 0.07–0.12). There was no difference in time to first on-treatment relapse (HR = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.50–1.21), disability progression (HR = 0.55; 95% CI = 0.27–1.12) or confirmed improvement (HR = 1.17; 95% CI = 0.57–2.36).

Conclusion:

This population-based real-world study reports similarities in treatment persistence, clinical effectiveness and quality of life outcomes between teriflunomide and dimethyl fumarate.
Correlates of perceptions of police legitimacy: Do perceptions of neighborhood crime matter?
Authors: Garduno L. Sergio , Keeling Deborah G.
Published: June 2021

Police legitimacy promotes trust and cooperation between members of the public and the police. Because the police require cooperation from the public to prevent and solve crimes, having high levels of legitimacy is an important asset for them. Researchers have explored policing strategies as well as individual and neighborhood characteristics that explain levels of police legitimacy. However, no study has explored whether perceived neighborhood crimes affect perceptions of police legitimacy. This study addresses this gap in the literature by analyzing the effect that perceiving four types of neighborhood crime as a problem had on levels of police legitimacy among 1773 respondents from a city in the Appalachians. Results obtained from a series of Ordinary Least Squares models indicate that perceptions of neighborhood crime have no significant effect on police legitimacy once police performance is accounted for. Research and policy implications are discussed.
Development and implementation of model smoothing method in the framework of absolute nodal coordinate formulation
Authors: Zhang Zhigang , Mao Hongsheng , Hou Junjian , Wang Liangwen , Wang Gengxiang
Published: June 2021

A model smoothing formulation used to filter out the high-frequency components in the dynamical modeling process is developed and implemented in the framework of absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF). Unlike the conventional method which employs stiff ordinary differential equation (ODE) solvers with numerical damping to calculate the dynamic responses of the ANCF model, a new formulation with the controlled high frequency is proposed in this paper. Using the average stress defined in a time interval to replace the instant stress in the virtual power of the internal force, the additional inertial and damping terms are introduced to the equations of motion of the ANCF element. It is proved that the highest frequency magnitude of the modified ANCF model can be adjusted by changing the length parameter of the time interval. As the high-frequency components are filtered out in the process of the model development, the traditional stiff problems of ANCF elements can be solved by using well-developed explicit integration algorithms, particularly in the very stiff and thin structures. Dynamic analysis of the classic examples including the pendulum beam and plate are performed to evaluate the performance of the model smoothing formulation of ANCF elements. Numerical results show that the proposed method can greatly improve the calculation efficiency of ANCF models, and the calculation accuracy can be also guaranteed.
Parametric study of a novel magneto-electro-aeroelastic energy harvesting system
Authors: Zaheri Abdehvand Mehran , Seyed Roknizadeh Seyed Alireza , Mohammad-Sedighi Hamid
Published: June 2021

This paper investigates a parametric study on a novel type of flutter-based aeroelastic harvester by utilizing magneto-electro-elastic materials, which can be used as an alternative to piezoelectric materials in aeroelastic harvesters to enhance the output electric power. The considered model includes a deformable clamped beam attached to a rigid airfoil, covering with one or two magneto-electro-elastic layers. Connected electrodes to magneto-electro-elastic layers capture potential electric from the produced electric field. Furthermore, an extrinsic coil is wrapped around the vibrating beam to produce the magnetic-based electric energy in the applied magneto-electro-elastic layer. First, the harvesting system is modeled as a discrete model to derive the governing equations using Faraday and Gauss laws, and the constitutive equations of magneto-electro-elastic materials according to Hamilton's principle. Then, different configurations have been examined and compared. Afterward, the effect of various parameters on the chosen harvester characteristics is investigated through considering stability to determine the optimal parameters resulting in the highest electric power generation. Lastly, the efficiency of the magneto-electro-aeroelastic harvester is compared with a piezo-aeroelastic counterpart indicating the supremacy of the presented harvester.
Recommended methods for conducting human factors experiments on the subjective evaluation of colour rendition
Authors: Royer M , Houser K , Durmus D , Esposito T , Wei M
Published: June 2021

This article explores the best practices for conducting psychophysical experiments that investigate how colour rendition influences the perception of architectural environments. We offer guidance that covers all stages of research from preliminary development to publication, focusing especially on experiments that investigate qualities such as perceived naturalness, vividness, preference or acceptability in response to changes in the spectral power distribution of light sources. This article is intended to be a consolidated guide for researchers and reviewers of this type of research. Key recommendations include: (1) New work should be motivated by clearly expressed research questions and, when possible, explicit hypotheses that build on the existing body of knowledge, (2) visual stimuli comprising spectral power distributions and visual targets should be deliberately engineered to probe the research questions, (3) experiments should be designed to lessen potential biases, (4) reporting of experimental conditions and statistical analyses should be thorough and (5) Results should be contextual, resisting overgeneralization that cannot be supported by the data. Our motivation is to encourage high-quality research that is credible and discourage poor quality research that slows scientific progress and misuses resources.