bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of non-sinusoidal power supply on the performance of a single-phase capacitor induction motor
Authors: Alyozbaky Omar Sharaf Al-deen , Ab‐Kadir Mohd Zainal Abidin
Published: February 2022

Harmonic is seen to be an important factor that can influence the performance of different electrical appliances. Earlier studies have regarded the non-sinusoidal power supply as the major source of the harmonic in the induction motors. In this paper, the researcher compared the results generated by a single-phase capacitor induction motor (SIM) using the sinusoidal and non-sinusoidal power supplies. The results in the study could help in comprehensively understanding the impact of the harmonic on the effective performance of the SIM machines when they were powered using a non-sinusoidal power supply. Here, the performance of the SIM when subjected to a maximum load or non-load condition were studied and determined. Furthermore, numerous experimental work was presented to validate the results of the SIM. Power analyses and spectral analysis indicated the actual difference in the overall harmonic wave distortion. It was seen that the current load increased to 89% (i.e., an increase of 11%) when the motor working from the non-sinusoidal source. This investigation highlighted the direct impact of the non-sinusoidal power source on the properties and components of the SIM machine. The vibrations measured under varying conditions and compared the results for the 2 types of power supplies.
Three phase induction motor torque tracking algorithm based on the rotor time constant identification
Authors: Abbas Najimaldin M. , Saleh Dawood N. , Shakor Ali M.
Published: February 2022

The indirect vector control system can realize the on-line identification of the rotor time constant based on electromagnetic torque. However, still effective range of the torque model is suitable only for heavy load conditions. In this paper, an improved torque tracking model is constructed by modifying the conventional torque model with rotor time constant identification. Through the establishment of the small signal model of the identification system, the stability of the torque model is deeply analyzed, and it is concluded that the torque model has two balance points, namely the expected balance point and the error balance point; the error balance point limits the scope of the torque model root cause. The simulation show that the problem of unbalance point can be avoided with the aid of the proposed algorithm. In addition, the design ideas of proportional-integral adaptive law parameters are given from the two perspectives of system stable operation and optimal convergence process.
Multi-feature based automatic facial expression recognition using deep convolutional neural network
Authors: Dixit Anjali , Kasbe Tanmay
Published: February 2022

Deep multi-task learning is one of the most challenging research topics widely explored in the field of recognition of facial expression. Most deep learning models rely on the class labels details by eliminating the local information of the sample data which deteriorates the performance of the recognition system. This paper proposes multi-feature-based deep convolutional neural networks (D-CNN) that identify the facial expression of the human face. To enhance the accuracy of recognition systems, the multi-feature learning model is employed in this study. The input images are preprocessed and enhanced via three filtering methods i.e., Gaussian, Wiener, and adaptive mean filtering. The preprocessed image is then segmented using a face detection algorithm. The detected face is further applied with local binary pattern (LBP) that extracts the facial points of each facial expression. These are then fed into the D-CNN that effectively recognizes the facial expression using the features of facial points. The proposed D-CNN is implemented, and the results are compared to the existing support vector machine (SVM). The analysis of deep features helps to extract the local information from the data without incurring a higher computational effort.
Joint inter-intra representation learning for pornographic video classification
Authors: Phan Dinh-Duy , Nguyen Quang-Huy , Nguyen Thanh-Thien , Tran Hoang-Loc , Vu Duc-Lung
Published: February 2022

This paper addresses video inter-intra similarity retrieval for pornographic classification. The main approaching method is obtaining the internal representation and external similarity between a single unlabeled video and batches of labeled videos, then combining together to determine its label. For the internal representation, we extracted inner features within frames and clustered them to find the representative centroid as the intra-feature. For the external similarity, we utilized a similarity video learning named ViSiL to calculate distance score between two videos using chamfer similarity. With distance scores between input video and batches of pornographic/nonpornographic videos, the inter feature of the input video is obtained. Finally, the inter similarity vector and the intra representation are then concatenated together and fed to a final classifier to identify whether the video is for adults or not. In experiment, our method performs 96.88% accuracy on NPDI-2k, achieved a comparative result comparing to other state-of-the-art methods on the pornographic classification problem.
A human vision based system for biometric images recognition
Authors: Boukhari Wassila , Benyettou Mohamed , Abderrahim Belmadani
Published: February 2022

In this paper, a universal biometric system based on human vision is proposed. From recent biological and physiological results, A human identification system that approximates the natural vision and recognition of individuals is conceived. Liquid state machine (LSM), as a recurrent spiking neural network, is highly inspired by the brain neural architecture with low training cost. However, input dimension of large scale images requires efficient processing at the cost of performance or resource overhead. This paper propose a new neural input coding for images based on frequency signals rather than pixels. Each image is filtered and fragmented then the LSM liquid (or reservoir) will receive, first, high frequency signals, then low frequency signals from each fragment. The two sets of output neurons states corresponding to each type of filter will be matched to the entire enrollment database. A weighted sum rule between the matching results will determine the right class of a biometric image. The system was tested on three different biometric datasets: face, palmprint and off-line signature, results show the reliability of the proposed approach.
An experimental evaluation of localization methods used in wireless sensor networks
Authors: Laaouafy Mostapha , Lakrami Fatima , Labouidya Ouidad , Elkamoun Najib
Published: February 2022

The problem of localization in wireless sensor networks has received considerable attention from researchers over the past decades. Several methods and algorithms have been proposed to solve this problem. The effectiveness of these algorithms depends on the accuracy of the estimated positions and the information required to calculate the coordinates. In this paper, we propose to evaluate four of the most commonly used localization methods in sensor networks. Our study considers a mathematical description of the studied methods in order to evaluate their complexity, and then a practical implementation on the simulation tool Cooja. We evaluate the performance of the studied methods as a function of the number of deployed sensor nodes and their degree of mobility in terms of several performance metrics. The objective is to reveal the most suitable localization method for a particular case of deployment. Improvement proposals are also provided to improve the most relevant localization method for the investigated study.
A review on intelligent reflecting surface-based terahertz communication
Authors: Patel Arpita , Shukla Aasheesh
Published: February 2022

Terahertz (THz)-band communications can be considered as the new frontline for future-generation wireless communication systems as it has a wider bandwidth in comparison to microwave and mmwave communications. It also promises to integrate the wide range of diverse applications. Because of high path loss and narrow spreading of THz waves, the transmission is extremely sensitive and signal coverage is a critical problem. To overcome this, an intelligent reflecting surface (IRS), has received great interest which steers the beams of THz waves by regulating the phase shifts to alleviate blockage and improve the coverage capability. In this paper, the role of IRS in conjunction with the THz communication has been discussed. Further, challenges and research directions of IRS for terahertz communication are also discussed.
Investing in Malaysian healthcare using technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution
Authors: Azhar Farah Waheeda , Rahim Zati Halwani Abd , Fahami Norasyikin Abdullah , Abdul Rahim Siti Khatijah Nor , Karim Hilwana Abd
Published: February 2022

The purpose of this research is to assess the financial performance of Malaysian Healthcare companies using the multi-criteria and decision-making method, namely technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). The financial data of 20 companies in 2019 are retrieved from Datastream. For many years, ratios of financial aspects have been employed to analyse the companies’ financial performance. However, some studies indicate that the traditional ratio analysis is insufficient to measure a firm's financial performance. Thus, this paper employs the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution, or simply TOPSIS, to gain a more comprehensive result. The TOPSIS approach involves seven steps, utilizing significant ratios in financial aspect such as debt ratio, debt to equity ratio, current ratio, return on equity (ROE), acid-test ratio, earnings per share (EPS), and return on asset (ROA), as the criteria to evaluate the companies' financial performances. The result of this study ranks 20 healthcare companies in Malaysia and makes recommendations for investment-worthy companies to the investors, allowing the maximization of investment benefits. The results from this research are crucial for investors, companies, market participants, public and private policymakers to enhance their investment decision-making.
Adopting the cybersecurity concepts into curriculum: the potential effects on students’ cybersecurity knowledge
Authors: Azzeh Mohammad , Mousa Altamimi Ahmad , Albashayreh Mahmood , AL-Oudat Mohammad A
Published: February 2022

This study examines the effect of adopting cybersecurity concepts on the information and technology (IT) curriculum and determines the potential effect on students' knowledge of cybersecurity practices and level of awareness. To this end, a pilot study was first conducted to measure the current level of cybersecurity awareness. The results revealed that students do not have much knowledge of cybersecurity. Thus, a four-step approach was proposed to infuse the relevant cybersecurity topics in five matched courses based on the latest cybersecurity curricular guidelines (CSEC2017). A sample of 42 students was selected purposively without prior knowledge of cybersecurity and divided identically into experimental and control groups. Students in the experimental group were asked to take five consecutive courses over five semesters. In each course, groups went through a pre-test for the infused topics. Then, the experimental group taught the corresponding infused topics. A post-test was administered to both groups at the end of each course, and the t-test was conducted. The results found significant differences between marks of prior and post-tests for 11 out of 14 infused topics. These satisfactory results would encourage universities to infuse cybersecurity concepts into their curriculum.
Mobile recommender system based on smart city graph
Authors: Khalid Khoshnaw Karwan Hoshyar , Abdulkarim Shwany Zardasht Abdulaziz , Mustafa Twana , Ismail Shayda Khudhur
Published: February 2022

Mobile recommender systems have changed the way people find items, purposes of intrigue, administrations, or even new companions. The innovation behind mobile recommender systems has developed to give client inclinations and social impacts. This paper introduces a first way to build a mobile recommendation system based on smart city graphs that appear topic features, user profiles, and impacts acquired from social connections. It exploits graph centrality measures to expand customized recommendations from the semantic information represented in the graph. The graph shows and chooses graph algorithms for computing chart centrality that is the center of the mobile recommender system are exhibited. Semantic ideas, for example, semantic transcendence and likeness measures, are adjusted to the graph model. Usage challenges confronted to settle execution issues are additionally examined.
A machine learning for environmental noise classification in smart cities
Authors: Ali Yaseen Hadi , Rashid Rozeha A. , Abdul Hamid Siti Zaleha
Published: February 2022

The sound at the same decibel (dB) level may be perceived either as annoying noise or as pleasant music. Therefore, it is necessary to go beyond the state-of-the-art approaches that measure only the dB level and also identify the type of the sound especially when the sound is recorded using a microphone. This paper presented a case study that considers the ability of machine learning models to identify sources of environmental noise in urban areas and compares the sound levels with the recommended levels by the World Health Organization (WHO). The approach was evaluated with a dataset of 44 sound samples grouped in four sound classes that are highway, railway, lawnmowers, and birds. We used mel-frequency cepstral coefficients for feature extraction and supervised algorithms that are Support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbors (KNN), bootstrap aggregation (Bagging), and random forest (RF) for noise classiﬁcation. We evaluated performance of the four algorithms to determine the best one for the classification of sound samples in the data set under consideration. The findings showed that the noise classification accuracy is in the range of 95%-100%. Furthermore, all the captured data exceeded the recommended levels by WHO which can cause adverse health effects.
An empirical evaluation of phrase-based statistical machine translation for Indonesia slang-word translator
Authors: Eleison Kyrie Cettyara , Hutahaean Sari Uli Inggrid , Tampubolon Sarah Christine , Panggabean Teamsar Muliadi , Fitriyaningsih Ike
Published: February 2022

The use of slang (non-standard language), especially in social media, is increasing. It causes reducing the level of understanding when communicating because not everyone understands slang (non-standard language). The purpose of this work is to develop a slang-word translator. The other objective is to find the minimum number of sentences and BiLingual Evaluation Understudy (BLEU) score used as a benchmark to determine that the translation is understandable. The approach used in this project is a Phrase-based statistical machine translation (PBSMT) approach, suitable for low resource language, with a dataset of 100,000 sentences taken from the comments column of several online political news portals. The comments are then manually translated to produce a parallel corpus of non-standard language-standard language. The sample sentences are taken from the dataset then distributed using questionnaires to obtain the human understanding level regarding the translation result. The result of the implementation is a BLEU score of 64 and the minimum number of sentences to have an understandable machine translation is 500. The conclusion drawn from the distributed questionnaires is that humans can understand the sentences produced by the translation machine.
Combination of narrow bipolar pulses and attempted leaders in Melaka, Malaysia
Authors: Isa Nur Asyiqin Binti Mohd , Baharudin Zikri Abadi , Daud Izdihartun Najihah Binti Ahmad , Zainuddin Hidayat
Published: February 2022

This paper presents the characteristic of the positive attempted leaders preceded by positive narrow bipolar pulses (NPBPs). Attempted leaders are the preliminary breakdown process with no subsequent event (return stroke). On the other hand, narrow bipolar pulse is the lightning event commonly isolated and produces a strong electromagnetic field (in a short period). Attempted leaders hardly occurred in the tropics, and the preceding of the NBP (the combination) should be considered unique. In this present study, we found four samples in which the arithmetic means of duration of NPBPs pulse was 32.19 µs, with separation between the positive attempted leader was 1.86 ms apart. For the positive attempted leader, the arithmetic means of the whole pulse train, individual pulse and interval pulse of positive attempted leaders were 3.47 ms, 29.66 µs and 486.53 µs, respectively. The pulse train in this study seems to fade out fast compared to the isolated positive attempted leader pulse train. Next, the NPBP's pulse duration in this study shows well in agreement with the type of isolated NPBPs indicates that the association does not affect its pulse duration characteristic already present in the title.
Effect of Evolocumab in Patients With Prior Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Furtado Remo H.M. , Fagundes Antônio Aurélio , Oyama Kazuma , Zelniker Thomas A. , Tang Minao , Kuder Julia F. , Murphy Sabina A. , Hamer Andrew , Wang Huei , Keech Anthony C. , Giugliano Robert P. , Sabatine Marc S. , Bergmark Brian A.
Published: February 2022

Background:

Patients with prior percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are at high residual risk for multiple types of coronary events within and beyond the stented lesion. This risk might be mitigated by more intensive LDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol)-lowering beyond just with statin therapy.

Methods:

FOURIER (Further Cardiovascular Outcomes Research With PCSK9 Inhibition in Subjects With Elevated Risk) randomized 27 564 patients with stable atherosclerotic disease on statin to the PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9) inhibitor evolocumab or placebo with a median follow-up of 2.2 years. The end points of interest were major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, unstable angina or coronary revascularization), and major coronary events (a composite of coronary heart death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization). We compared the risk of MACE and the magnitude of relative and absolute risk reductions with evolocumab in patients with and without prior PCI.

Results:

Seventeen thousand seventy-three patients had prior PCI. In the placebo arm, those with prior PCI had higher rates of MACE (13.2% versus 8.3%; hazard ratio [HR]
adj
1.61 [95% CI, 1.42–1.84];
P
<0.0001) and major coronary events (11.5% versus 6.0%; HR
adj
, 1.72 [95% CI, 1.49–1.99];
P
<0.0001). Relative risk reductions with evolocumab were similar in patients with and without prior PCI (MACE: HR, 0.84 [0.77–0.91] versus HR, 0.88 [0.77–1.01];
P
interaction
0.51; major coronary events: HR, 0.82 [0.75–0.90] versus HR, 0.88 [0.75–1.04];
P
interaction
0.42). Absolute risk reductions for MACE were 2.0% versus 0.9% (
P
interaction
0.14) and for major coronary events 2.0% versus 0.7% (
P
interaction
0.045). In those with prior PCI, the effect of evolocumab on coronary revascularization (HR, 0.76 [0.69–0.85]) was directionally consistent across types of revascularization procedures: coronary artery bypass grafting (HR, 0.71 [0.54–0.94]); any PCI (HR, 0.77 [0.69–0.86]); PCI for de novo lesions (HR, 0.76 [0.66–0.88]); and PCI for stent failure or graft lesions (HR, 0.76 [0.63–0.91]).

Conclusions:

Evolocumab reduces the risk of MACE in patients with prior PCI including the risk of coronary revascularization, with directionally consistent effects across several types of revascularization procedures, including coronary artery bypass grafting and PCI for stent or graft failure.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT01764633.
Submammary placement of implantable cardioverter defibrillators: a Singapore plastic surgeon experience
Authors: Goh JC , Boey E , Kojodjojo P , Vigneswaran N
Published: February 2022

The use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) in young women has been increasing in recent years owing to greater awareness about inherited cardiac conditions that increase the risk of sudden death. Traditional placement of ICDs in the infraclavicular region among young women often leads to visible scars, a constant prominence that causes irritation from purse or bra straps and can result in body image concerns and device-related emotional distress. In this case series, two women with long QT syndrome required placement of ICDs for prevention of sudden cardiac death. Submammary placement of ICDs was performed in collaboration with electrophysiologists. We describe our local experience and technique in submammary placement of ICDs as well as the challenges faced.
‘Bury Me Not, I Pray Thee, in Egypt: But I Will Lie with My Fathers’
Authors: Moodrick-Even Khen Hilly
Published: February 2022

This article argues that certain legal duties of states involved in armed conflicts confer legal and moral rights on both the combatants and their families. The combatant is entitled to the right to be identified and buried, and the families are entitled, not only to receive information about the treatment of their dead relatives, but also to make decisions in this regard. These decisions relate to the rituals of burial and cremation and even the place of burial, which in some cases implies a right to demand repatriation of remains. The arguments are based on both ethical and legal grounds. Yet, apart from the right to be buried in a dignified way, rights regarding the nature and place of burial are not absolute. They can be limited according to a variety of considerations, including State policies and interests. The article also refers to the special case of dead combatants’ remains held by non-state actors that do not respect international law prescriptions regarding the dead. Under these circumstances, families have a stronger case to demand repatriation of remains as this would be the only way to secure the core right of the combatant to be respectfully buried.
Christopher Columbus and the «Great River Orinoko» in the Genesis of Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment
Authors: Barsht Konstantin A.
Published: February 2022

In the Notebooks to Crime and Punishment, kept by Dostoevsky during 1864–1865, we find a calligraphic annotation «Orenoko»
1
and one abbreviated variant «Oren». While these two caligraphic entries appear to be accidental and without much bearing on the genesis of Crime and Punishment, in actual fact these entries are traces of an alternative conception of the novel with which Dostoevsky was working, which is connected with the question of the meaning of life and the philosophical journey of his heroes. The theme of South America figured prominently in these deliberations, represented by the River Orinoko (the second largest river of the South American continent, called the «Big River» by the Indians), by the figure and destiny of Christopher Columbus and by Daniel Defoes’s novel Robinson Crusoe. Dostoevsky’s letters and works testify to his abiding interest in the discovery of America, the slave trade, and the attempts of the followers of Fourierism to establish there a society along new just principles. This article investigates the traces of the theme of Orenoko, the discovery of America and Defoe’s novel in Dostoevsky’s works, with special emphasis on the Notebooks to Crime and Punishment The semantic nexus “Robinson Crusoe — Christopher Columbus” in its portrayal of one of the incarnations of a “positively beautiful man”, ready to pronounce his “new word” and advance the history of mankind, forms an expanded paradigm that includes the appearance of “uninhabited island” as the last refuge for a talented person not recognized and rejected by the crowd. Simultaneously, it depicts the genesis of Dostoevsky’s “artistic Word”.
From Graphics to Calligraphy: textological Study of the Semantics and Poetcis of F. M. Dostoevsky’s The Idiot
Authors: Tarasova N. A.
Published: February 2022

The article contains an analysis of the manuscript materials to the novel The Idiot, comprised in three of Dostoevsky’s notebooks, dated bewteen 1867 and 1868. The article examines the probelms of the creative conception of the novel, the establishment of the text and the sequence of notes, as well as the study of Dostoevsky’s caligraphy. As a result of a critical evaluation of the scholarly publications of The Idiot, a revision of the Soviet tradition of establishing «versions» of the novel in the drafts to the novel is proposed. Comparing the published draft texts with the original, we were able to correct and give textological commentary to many previous readings of the drafts. We paid particular attention to the interpretation of Dostoevsky’s use of capital and small letters in the drafts, including the designation of the main hero by Dostoevsy as «idiot»/«Idiot». We examined the functional and semantic significance of the caligraphic writing found among the drafts to the novel. Our analysis shows that caligraphy had an artistic meaning not only in connection with the drafts to which it related but in the formation of the total conception of the novel and its problem statement, while it also determined Dostoevsky’s creative process. It is not an accident that Dostoevsky’s most intense experimentation with caligraphy coincides with the period of the writing of The Idiot, whose hero is an expert in caligraphy.
Dostoevsky’s Drawings: a New Perspective on his Literary Creation (Presentation of Konstantin Barsht’s Book The Drawings and Calligraphy of Fyodor Dostoevsky)
Authors: Schmid Wolf
Published: February 2022

More than 200 sheets of Dostoevsky’s manuscripts contain drawings, among them mainly portraits, sketches of Gothic windows and arches and calligrams. Dostoevsky’s graphic work is basically auto-communicative, not intended for a public. The graphics are not an illustration of the corresponding novels but express associations often of a highly private nature and have a meaning for the work that is often only very indirect and difficult to grasp. Dostoevsky’s graphics thus require hermeneutic effort, which has been achieved by Professor Konstantin Barsht of St. Petersburg in an impressive book, published in three separate editions in Russian, English and Italian. The decoding of Dostoevsky’s drawings is a most valuable contribution to Dostoevsky scholarship. It will serve to support new readings of Dostoevsky’s works or readings already in existence which have not received a favorable reception because of existing preconceptions about Dostoevsky’s system of beliefs relevant to his aesthetic production.
Building the Twenty-first Century Church: The Role of the Youth
Authors: Amankwa Eric , Awuku-Gyampoh Ransford Kwabena
Published: February 2022

Young people’s involvement in the church is pivotal to the development of the community. The youth of the church in the past are gone, leaving empty pews and the church in decline. This study examined the role of the Australian and North American African Diasporic youngsters in church management and growth by exploring two main objectives: the youths’ activities in the church and the importance of the youths’ actions in the church’s progress. The study used a systematic literature review that focused strictly on the youths’ role in the church structure. It revealed that the church’s youth activities included innovativeness; evangelism and church planting; music ministry; campus fellowship centres, and promoting formal Christian education. In addition, life-altering experiences, leadership development, and engagement in the social media formed the basis for the importance of the youths’ activities in the church’s progress. Thus, the youths’ involvement in the church ensures continuity, growth, and development.
Confirmation and its Preparation – Expectations and Effects
Authors: Hoering Patrik C.
Published: February 2022

The preparation for confirmation is connected with lots of hopes and expectations: Ministers, volunteers, the congregation, the parents – even the bishop who leads the liturgy of the confirmation – all have specific goals in mind they hope to reach. But does that meet the situation of young people attending a preparation course? A survey in the Roman-catholic diocese of Cologne gives insights into the situation of the juveniles and the volunteers who are engaged in the preparation courses and tries to find out what effects of the preparation could be observed.
“In the Character of their Material, Animate and Inanimate, the Troops of the United States Excelled”
Authors: Klingenberg Mitchell G.
Published: February 2022

This article considers logistics and supply in the China Relief Expedition. In the China campaign, as in all armed conflicts, the availability of matériel and subsistence determined what military options were available to commanders. In 1900, because of a strong industrial base and a burgeoning logistical network, the US Army, Marine Corps, and Navy demonstrated an increased capacity and capability to project power on hemispheric scales. Throughout the entirety of their intervention in China, Americans moved animals, artillery, medical supplies, men, ordnance, and subsistence across great distances – over sea and land, to and within the theatre of operations – with remarkable efficiency under difficult conditions. Thus, the China Relief Expedition was instructive for the US profession of arms, and pointed to a future in which large-scale combat operations on land and at sea would require careful integration and more extensive logistical support than military operations of nineteenth-century conflicts.
Protest in the Age of Cyberatomism
Authors: Cooke Miriam
Published: February 2022

How can we account for the exponential increase in worldwide mass protests over the past twenty years? While protests are not new, their rate and size are. Today, thousands of people can be assembled instantaneously to demonstrate for or against a variety of causes that in the past might not have attracted more than a handful of people. The cultural and social conditions of the cyberage have accelerated the distribution of information that fuels protests. I will argue below that this new phenomenon affecting all netizens needs a new key term to describe its range and power today. The best term, in my view is cyberatomism.
Textile defect detection using multilevel and attentional deep learning network (MLMA-Net)
Authors: Wei Bing , Xu Bailing , Hao Kuangrong , Gao Lei
Published: February 2022

For the sake of recognizing and classifying textile defects, deep learning-based methods have been proposed and have achieved remarkable success in single-label textile images. However, detecting multilabel defects in a textile image remains challenging due to the coexistence of multiple defects and small-size defects. To address these challenges, a multilevel, multi-attentional deep learning network was proposed and built to: (a) increase the feature representation ability to detect small-size defects; and (b) generate discriminative representation that maximizes the capability of attending the defect status, which leverages higher-resolution feature maps for multiple defects. Moreover, a multilabel object detection dataset in textile defect images was built to verify the performance of the proposed model. The results demonstrate that the network extracts more distinctive features and has better performance than the state-of-the-art approaches on the real-world industrial dataset.
Statistical life prediction of a unidirectional carbon fiber/polypropylene laminates under creep bending load
Authors: Nakada Masayuki , Miyano Yasushi , Morisawa Yoko , Nonaka Taiga , Isaki Takeharu , Hirano Taiki , Uzawa Kiyoshi
Published: February 2022

Our developed accelerated testing methodology (ATM) based on matrix resin viscoelasticity for the long-term life prediction of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) was applied to assess the statistical prediction of long-term creep failure time of a carbon fiber/polypropylene unidirectional (CF/PP) laminates under creep bending load. Results show that the statistical long-term creep failure times under an arbitrary constant bending load and temperature for the CF/PP laminates can be easily predicted from the statistical static strengths of the CF/PP laminates measured at several temperatures and the viscoelasticity of matrix PP.
Optimization of Electrodeposited Ni-Cr Composite Coatings by using Taguchi Design and Grey Relational Method
Authors: Jeyaraj S , Sivasakthivel P S
Published: February 2022

In this investigation, the Nickel (Ni) – Chromium (Cr) composite deposits was developed from conductive type nickel plating bath through electrodeposition technique. The Cr particles concentration in bath were taken in three different proportions such as 10 g/l,20 g/l and 30 g/l and got deposited on the Ni plate. The design of experiment technique, L27 orthogonal array of Taguchi method was employed for conducting experiments with different combination of parameters and its level. The parameters taken into consideration were current density level, pH range, bath temperature, Cr concentration in bath and stirrer speed. The experiment includes the measurement of micro hardness, area fraction of Cr, mass of deposit and coating thickness of coated samples with variable input parameters. The main effects of process parameters and their influences on the responses were analyzed. The outcomes shows that Cr concentration in bath and pH range are the most significant parameters for better enhanced responses measured. Microstructure examinations were conducted to analyze Cr deposition in prepared Ni plates using optical metallurgical microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM) micro images and Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) spectroscopy studies. Furthermore, the decision-making procedure was carried out for maximization of multi-performance measured responses using grey relational analysis (GRA). The optimized plating parameters levels are found to be 4 A/dm2 for Current density, 2.5 for pH, 45˚C for bath temperature, 30 g/l for bath concentration and 300 rpm for agitation speed to have the maximum micro hardness of 1037 HV, 370 mg of mass of deposit, 42% of Cr particle area fractions and 112 µm of coating thickness. Subsequently the obtained optimal combination of process parameters was validated through confirmation experiment. The results shows that the confirmation test responses are well associated with predicted response values on the Ni-Cr coatings.
Psychological Stress and Perceived School Success During COVID-19 Among Parents of Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Authors: Cheng Sanyin , Cheng Shengli
Published: February 2022

This study mainly explored psychological stress due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children and how it related to parents’ views of school success in mainland China. The Psychological Stress Questionnaire and Views of Social and Academic Success were administered to 213 parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Results showed that parents’ and children’s characteristics were related to psychological stress due to COVID-19, which significantly negatively predicted parents’ views of school success. The contributions, limitations, and implications of the present research are discussed.
On the possibility of using Ramie – A natural material in cost-effective low threat body armours
Authors: Sen Subhajit , Shaw Amit , Adhikari Basudam
Published: February 2022

Low intensity clashes have become the emerging crisis in society. In such situations, the protective vests worn by the law enforcing personnel are generally exposed to stabbing and low velocity impact from splinters. The present study is an attempt to explore the potential of Ramie, a natural fibre, to be used in body armours designed for relatively lesser threat (compared to military operations) encountered in low intensity conflict areas. Cultivation of Ramie plant to the preparation of Ramie fabric – the entire process is performed in a laboratory setup. Experiments (uniaxial tension test, direct shear test, yarn pull-out test, etc.) are conducted to characterize the stress–strain behaviour and inter-yarn friction of Ramie. The ballistic responses of single and multi-layered Ramie fabric targets are numerically investigated via FEM. In order to understand where Ramie stands with respect to Kevlar (a commonly used para-aramid synthetic fabric), the response of a single layer Kevlar target under similar circumstances (i.e. target size, boundary conditions, projectile types and impact velocities) is taken as the benchmark. Through the series of numerical simulations, the advantage and limitations of Ramie vis- a´- vis Kevlar are brought to an extent.
Real-world short-term VenaSeal ablation outcomes for symptomatic saphenous incompetence
Authors: Bahi Morwan , Guazzo Lucy , Taumoepeau Lupe
Published: February 2022

Objective

Chronic venous insufficiency is a common vascular condition with significant resultant patient morbidity. There has been a shift towards minimally invasive treatment modalities with VenaSeal endovenous ablation among the more recent treatment modalities introduced. Long-term outcome data for this treatment modality is not widely available yet. We aim to report 6-week patient outcomes over a 5-year period from a high-volume tertiary vascular centre.

Methods

This is a retrospective, single-centre study reporting short-term outcomes following VenaSeal endovenous ablation for symptomatic saphenous incompetence. Patients were followed-up at 6-weeks post-procedurally by telemedicine or in-person clinic appointment without routine venous ultrasound assessment.

Results

We report outcomes for 235 patients during this study period. All patients tolerated the procedure under local anaesthesia. Average age was 60.5 years (29–82 years) with slight male predominance (55.7%). The majority were New Zealand European (63.8%). Mean body mass index was 28.5 (22.2–41.4). We report a 21% rate of self-limiting phlebitis and 33 minor complication events. These include 15 cases of residual varicose veins, 9 saphenous nerve neuropraxia, 6 cases of puncture-site cellulitis and 3 deep vein thromboses. Patient demographics and primary surgeon did not have a statistically significant outcome on development of complications

Conclusion

We report that VenaSeal endovenous ablation is a safe and effective method of treatment for symptomatic truncal saphenous vein incompetence. We report safely managing post-operative phlebitis conservatively and find a mixture of clinical and phone clinic follow-up sufficient without requirement for objective duplex ultrasound following the procedure to ensure objective saphenous vein closure.
Gender equality and educational leadership in Chinese schools
Authors: Cunningham Christine , Hill Susan , Zhang Wei
Published: February 2022

In this article, we explore more than 100 Chinese school leaders’ views about gender, equality and the historical and social contexts of Chinese education that they have experienced. China’s success in international student assessment programmes is rising, and Chinese females are continuing a steady trend of outdoing their male counterparts at all levels of schooling. So importance grows for the world to better understand Chinese education and the influential roles leaders, especially women leaders, hold in that sector. Our research is underpinned by a theoretical framework that considers whether gender role-modelling by school leaders affects students’ beliefs about gender roles and norms because they observe adult staff in schools for years. We present data that reveal most of our participants believe they are leading schools in China where gender equality is being role modelled and has been achieved. We discuss and theorise about a form of ‘gender equality with Chinese characteristics’ which seems to value a rigid gender binary with different, gendered expectations for adults. Finally, we consider whether Chinese school leaders may be reinforcing rather than changing gender inequality, even with the best intentions that they do not.
Practice Consolidation in Otolaryngology: The Decline of the Single‐Provider Practice
Authors: Quereshy Humzah A. , Quinton Brooke A. , Ruthberg Jeremy S. , Maronian Nicole C. , Otteson Todd D.
Published: February 2022

Objective

To observe trends in practice consolidation within otolaryngology by analyzing changes in size and geographic distribution of practices within the United States from 2014 to 2021.

Study Design

Retrospective analysis based on the Physician Compare National Database from the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Setting

United States.

Methods

Annual files from the Physician Compare National Database between 2014 and 2021 were filtered for all providers that listed “otolaryngology” as their primary specialty. Organization affiliations were sorted by size of practice and categorized into quantiles (1 or 2 providers, 3‐9, 10‐24, 25‐49, and ≥50). Both the number of practices and the number of surgeons within a practice were collected annually for each quantile. Providers were also stratified geographically within the 9 US Census Bureau divisions. Chi‐square analysis was conducted to test significance for the change in surgeon and practice distributions between 2014 and 2021.

Results

Over the study period, the number of active otolaryngology providers increased from 7763 to 9150, while the number of practices fell from 3584 to 3152 in that time span. Practices with just 1 or 2 otolaryngology providers accounted for 80.2% of all practices in 2014 and fell to 73.1% in 2021. Similar trends were observed at the individual provider level. Regional analysis revealed that New England had the largest percentage decrease in otolaryngologists employed by practices of 1 or 2 active providers at 45.7% and the Mountain region had the lowest percentage decrease at 17.4%.

Conclusion

The otolaryngology practice marketplace has demonstrated a global trend toward practice consolidation.
Clinical, Radiologic, and Endolaryngeal Findings in Laryngeal Fractures: A 15‐Year Case Series
Authors: Wang Annette A. , Feng Allen L. , Rao Vishwanatha , Naunheim Matthew R. , Juliano Amy F. , Song Phillip C.
Published: February 2022

Objective

Laryngeal fractures are rare injuries; recent data describing these injuries and associated examination findings are limited. This study aims to describe injury etiology and outcomes associated with laryngeal fractures.

Study Design

Retrospective case series.

Setting

Academic tertiary center.

Methods

Patients with laryngeal fractures from 2005 to 2020 were identified in a retrospective chart review. Patient demographics, injury mechanisms, management, and voice outcomes were examined. Fracture type, radiologic, and endolaryngeal examination findings were analyzed for associations between fracture etiology and examination characteristics.

Results

Laryngeal fractures most commonly occurred at the thyroid cartilage. Fractures were most commonly due to sport‐related injuries. Mechanism of injury was not associated with specific radiologic or endolaryngeal findings. Mechanism of injury was additionally not significantly associated with the need for intubation, surgical intervention, or tracheotomy. Fracture location was significantly associated with intubation requirement (P =. 015), with 40% of patients with concomitant thyroid and cricoid fractures requiring intubation. Mechanism of injury significantly correlated with dysphonia at follow‐up (P =. 033). Mechanism of injury, fracture location, and surgical management were not associated with increased vocal fold injury or dysphonia.

Conclusion

There are no significant correlations between injury mechanism and fracture location, characteristics, radiologic findings, or endolaryngeal findings. These features emphasize the importance of a thorough and comprehensive laryngeal examination.
Protocol for a randomized controlled multicenter trial assessing the efficacy of leuprorelin for severe polycystic liver disease: the AGAINST-PLD study
Authors: Aapkes S. E. , Bernts L. H. P. , van den Berg A. P. , van den Berg M. , Blokzijl H. , Cantineau A. E. P. , van Gastel M. D. A. , de Haas R. J. , Kappert P. , Müller R. U. , Nevens F. , Torra R. , Visser A. , Drenth J. P. H. , Gansevoort R. T.
Published: February 2022

Background

In patients with severe polycystic liver disease (PLD), there is a need for new treatments. Estrogens and possibly other female sex hormones stimulate growth in PLD. In some patients, liver volume decreases after menopause. Female sex hormones could therefore be a target for therapy. The AGAINST-PLD study will examine the efficacy of the GnRH agonist leuprorelin, which blocks the production of estrogen and other sex hormones, to reduce liver growth in PLD.

Methods

The AGAINST-PLD study is an investigator-driven, multicenter, randomized controlled trial. Institutional review board (IRB) approval was received at the University Medical Center of Groningen and will be collected in other sites before opening these sites. Thirty-six female, pre-menopausal patients, with a very large liver volume for age (upper 10% of the PLD population) and ongoing liver growth despite current treatment options will be randomized to direct start of leuprorelin or to 18 months standard of care and delayed start of leuprorelin. Leuprorelin is given as 3.75 mg subcutaneously (s.c.) monthly for the first 3 months followed by 3-monthly depots of 11.25 mg s.c. The trial duration is 36 months. MRI scans to measure liver volume will be performed at screening, 6 months, 18 months, 24 months and 36 months. In addition, blood will be drawn, DEXA-scans will be performed and questionnaires will be collected. This design enables comparison between patients on study treatment and standard of care (first 18 months) and within patients before and during treatment (whole trial). Main outcome is annualized liver growth rate compared between standard of care and study treatment. Secondary outcomes are PLD disease severity, change in liver growth within individuals and (serious) adverse events. The study is designed as a prospective open-label study with blinded endpoint assessment (PROBE).

Discussion

In this trial, we combined the expertise of hepatologist, nephrologists and gynecologists to study the effect of leuprorelin on liver growth in PLD. In this way, we hope to stop liver growth, reduce symptoms and reduce the need for liver transplantation in severe PLD.

Trial registration Eudra CT number 2020-005949-16, registered at 15 Dec 2020. https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/search?query=2020-005949-16.
Neuroleptic malignant-like syndrome associated multiple system atrophy: report on three cases
Authors: Lin Yan , Ma Lin , Zhang Nan , Li Ruihua , Jiang Wenjing
Published: February 2022

Background

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) associated with neuroleptic malignant-like syndrome (NMLS) is rare and few cases have been described in the literature.

Case presentation

In the present study, three patients with MSA associated with NMLS were analyzed from January 2012 to January 2020 to characterize their clinical presentations. Data collected from the patients for analysis included general patient history, the fluctuation and severity of disease symptoms, the indicated therapies and disease progression at follow-up. All patients had histories of sudden withdrawal or reduction of levodopa prior to the onset of symptoms. Clinical presentations were characterized by hyperthermia, autonomic dysfunction, worsening of extrapyramidal symptoms, and elevated serum creatine kinase (CK) levels. During hospitalization, one patient rapidly progressed and died, while the other two patients were successfully treated.

Conclusions

Early diagnosis and treatment are very important for patient outcomes in NMLS. Notably, the correct dose and time of administration of dopaminergic medication may be key in treating NMLS.