bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do disease epidemics force economic activity underground? International evidence
Authors: Berdiev Aziz N. , Goel Rajeev K. , Saunoris James W.
Published: October 2021

This article studies the impact of disease epidemics on the worldwide prevalence of the shadow or the underground economy. The informal sector has low entry barriers and provides an easy short‐term option for the supply of goods and services during epidemics when traditional supply lines are cut or strained. Furthermore, the enforcement resources might be directed elsewhere during epidemics, lowering the expected costs of shadow operations. Using data for over 125 nations, we find that the incidence of epidemics positively and significantly contributes to the spread of the underground sector. These findings withstand a series of robustness checks.
The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and local institutions in Ghana’s mining communities: Challenges in understanding barriers to accountability
Authors: Dashwood Hevina S. , Idemudia Uwafiokun , Puplampu Bill Buenar , Webb Kernaghan
Published: October 2021

Motivation

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is a global standard that promotes transparency and accountability in resource‐rich countries to improve governance of the extractive sector. Despite improvements in the subnational disclosure of royalty payments, a significant problem is the failure of these efforts to improve accountability and benefits to mining communities.

Purpose

The article asks how institutions of local governance affect national efforts to improve accountability to mining communities in Ghana on the use of mineral revenues for development. It contributes to the broader theoretical literature on EITI by clarifying what outcomes, if any, can be directly attributed to the disclosure of royalty payments.

Methods and approach

This qualitative study employs a case‐study analysis of EITI adoption in Ghana, one of the first countries to join the initiative. The article contextualizes local governance institutions and dynamics in relation to the royalty disbursement process. It draws on original field research to analyse their role in impeding the expected benefits of royalty disbursements to mining‐affected communities.

Findings

The research identifies deficiencies in local governance structures and processes as they relate to the use of mineral royalties, but also instances of variation in how officials react to EITI. The range of individual actors, institutions, and complex processes on which the subnational disbursement of royalties depends, makes it problematic to attribute the absence of improvements directly to Ghana's EITI. The findings demonstrate that EITI's role in participating countries is best understood as facilitative and indirect when addressing development outcomes for mining communities.

Policy implications

Disclosure of royalty payments to local governments is unlikely on its own to result in improved development outcomes for local communities, even when the national government is committed to the goal. There is a need for policy interventions aimed at specific communities to ensure royalty payments reach the intended beneficiaries. These interventions should be tailored to the differences in national governance dynamics in countries participating in EITI, paying attention to contestation over the distribution and expenditure of royalties that disclosure helps bring to light.
Effects of mucilage concentration at different water contents on mechanical stability and elasticity in a loamy and a sandy soil
Authors: Rosskopf Ulla , Uteau Daniel , Peth Stephan
Published: October 2021

Mucilage released by plant roots affects hydrological and mechanical properties of the rhizosphere. The aim of this study was to disentangle the effects of the factors mucilage and soil moisture on a range of soil mechanical parameters in a sand and a loam. Both substrates were homogenised and filled into cylinders at bulk densities (ρb) of 1.26 and 1.47 g cm−3 for loam and sand, respectively. Chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) mucilage concentrations of 0, 0.02, 0.2 and 2 g dry mucilage kg−1 dry soil were tested at four different gravimetric water contents in loam (θg = 0.34, 0.19, 0.14 and 0.09 g g−1) and three in sand (θg = 0.20, 0.06 and 0.04 g g−1). To quantify the influence of water content on the effect of mucilage on mechanical soil properties, two sets of samples were prepared, one for a micro penetrometer test, the other to measure bulk soil properties. Penetration tests were performed at 120 mm h−1 using a universal testing machine with a high‐precision sensor equipped with a penetrometer conus resembling a root. Mechanical energies were determined by calculating the area of the time–force curves. The energy required for a root to grow in a loam at permanent wilting point was decreased from 0.31 J in the control to 0.26 J in the 2 g kg−1 mucilage treatment, whereas it increased from 0.05 J in the control to 0.08 J at the highest water content. Pre‐compression stress (σpc), compression index (Cc), swelling index (Cs) and elasticity index were determined with a confined uniaxial compression test. σpc was increased by addition of mucilage in both substrates whereas the response on compressibility and elasticity was specific to substrate and water content. Here mucilage had a stronger impact on sand—the substrate with lower initial compressibility and elasticity. We conclude that the effect of mucilage on soil mechanical properties and subsequently on plant growth depends on the combined response of substrate and water content.

Highlights

The influence of soil moisture on the mechanical effects of mucilage concentration was examined.

Mucilage decreased the energy required for root growth in a loam at the permanent wilting point.

Higher mucilage concentrations increased compressibility and elasticity in sand.

Effect of mucilage on mechanical parameters depends on interaction between substrate and moisture.
Productive engagement of older adults in China: A multilevel analysis
Authors: Sia Bik‐Kai , Tey Nai‐Peng , Goh Kim‐Leng , Ng Sor‐Tho
Published: October 2021

Aim

This study investigates how the personal characteristics and behavior, and health status of older adults in China influenced their productive engagement in paid and unpaid jobs.

Methods

Data for this analysis came from 2002, 2005, 2008 and 2011 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). We used a random intercept multilevel multinomial logit model to analyze data from 3208 older adults aged 65 from the 2002 wave, which decreased to 1385 in 2011. The main study variable is older adults' engagement in paid jobs and unpaid work (including housework, care‐taking, poultry farming, and planting vegetables that have an economic value).

Results

There was a strong association between older adults' productive engagement and their functional limitations to daily living activities, health and healthy behavior. Older adults with inadequate finance were more likely to be working to support themselves. Those who exercised less and living in the provinces with higher GDP were less likely to work post‐retirement. Chronic diseases, advances in age, no education and rural residence did not deter older adults from doing unpaid work.

Conclusion

Older adults in China were actively engaged in paid and unpaid activities. Efforts to support the active engagement of older adults require all stakeholders to promote healthy living, facilitate social engagements and provide an age‐friendly work environment. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 1138–1146.
Inpatient cardiac care for acute coronary syndromes in the Top End of Australia
Authors: Eng‐Frost Joanne , Marangou James , McMurdock Nathanial , Kangaharan Nadarajah , Ilton Marcus , Wing‐Lun Edwina
Published: October 2021

Background

Disparities in cardiovascular outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and non‐Indigenous Australians persist. This has previously been attributed to a combination of differences in burden of cardiovascular disease risk factors, and inpatient access to guideline‐recommended care.

Aims

To assess differences in inpatient access to guideline‐recommended acute coronary syndrome (GR‐ACS) treatment between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non‐indigenous patients admitted to Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) with index ACS event.

Methods

This retrospective study included index ACS admissions (n = 288) to RDH between January 2016 and June 2017. Outcomes included rates of coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), surgical revascularisation, GR‐ACS medications prescribed on discharge and short‐term outcomes (30‐day mortality and ACS readmissions; 12‐month all cardiac‐related readmissions).

Results

Two hundred and eighty‐eight patients, including 109 (37.85%) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, were included. Compared with non‐indigenous patients, they were younger (median age 48 years vs 60 years; P < 0.01), with a greater burden of comorbidities, including diabetes (39% vs 19%; P < 0.01), smoking (68% vs 35%; P < 0.01) and chronic kidney disease (29% vs 5%; P < 0.01). There were no differences in rates of coronary angiography (98% vs 96%; P = 0.24) or PCI (47% vs 57%; P = 0.12), although there was a trend towards surgical revascularisation in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients (16% vs 8%; P = 0.047). There were no differences in 30‐day mortality (1.8% vs 1.7%; P = 0.72), 12‐month ACS readmissions (7% vs 4%; P = 0.20) or 12‐month cardiac‐related readmissions (7% vs 13%; P = 0.11).

Conclusions

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients received similar inpatient ACS care and secondary prevention medication at discharge, with similar short‐term mortality outcomes as non‐indigenous patients. While encouraging, these outcomes may not persist long term. Further outcomes research is required, with differences compelling consideration of other primary and secondary prevention contributors.
Supervisory and administrative staff's perspectives of self‐directed supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Authors: Kim Kyung Mee , Meyer Nichole , Hall‐Lande Jennifer , Freeman Rachel
Published: October 2021

Background

Self‐directed supports (SDS) are a model of disability service delivery that focuses on supporting increased decision‐making authority and budget autonomy for people with disabilities and their families. This study identifies supervisory and administrative staff's perspectives within a self‐directed, individualised budgeting programme for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Method

Data were collected through 28 face‐to‐face interviews with supervisory and fiscal administrative staff in Minnesota, USA.

Results

A qualitative analysis of these interviews resulted in four major themes: (1) the benefits of SDS, (2) the relationship between SDS and person‐centred strategies, (3) the perception that a natural tension arises when balancing person‐centred approaches with the need for consistent and fair state policy—including rules and regulations within state systems and (4) the unique challenges related to SDS benefits and challenges occurring across Minnesota.

Conclusions

The results indicate the importance of providing effective communication and training to all stakeholders.
Regional circular economy of building materials: Environmental and economic assessment combining Material Flow Analysis, Input‐Output Analyses, and Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Meglin Ronny , Kytzia Susanne , Habert Guillaume
Published: October 2021

The construction industry is responsible for large quantities of construction and demolition waste and almost 50% of the worldwide annual resource consumption, putting the environment, its natural resources, and ecosystems under high pressure. Therefore, governments are implementing regional policies that support a circular economy (CE). But how do we know whether these developments will lead to a shift toward a CE on a regional scale? How can we identify hotspots in a value chain and regional economy to support decision‐makers and to develop regional policies? We propose an integrated assessment method that considers indicators for environmental impacts and economic benefits by combining Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with Input‐Output Analysis (IOA) as the connecting element. It provides the necessary data and indicators for a holistic and comprehensive evaluation of a region or industry. We demonstrate its benefits and limitations taking the Swiss canton of Aargovia as an example. We analyze which processes in the material flow system of construction minerals are decisive for formulating mass‐related or financial policies encouraging a CE. We show that a shift toward a CE can only be captured by combining material and money flows in a joined model, because a significant increase of services—mainly waste management—is a core element in this development. It can only be covered sufficiently by combining environmental and economic assessment. Our model captures the degree to which a regional economy is advanced in the transition toward a CE to compare different regions or analyze scenarios of future developments.
Existential phenomenology as a unifying philosophy of science for a mixed method study
Authors: Pedersen Birgith , Grønkjær Mette , Delmar Charlotte
Published: October 2021

This article discusses how existential phenomenology may serve as a frame in a mixed‐methods study of changes in weight and body composition among women in adjuvant treatment for breast cancer. In accordance with ontologically and epistemologically fundamental assumptions in nursing, we link mixed‐methods and existential phenomenology from the perspective of the French philosopher Maurice Merleau‐Ponty and his notion of a unified body subject. Letting this perspective permeate our philosophy, methodology and issues at the method level in mixed‐method research undermines the distinction between first‐ and third‐person perspective when applying and integrating different data sources in a mixed‐methods study. Applying Merleau‐Ponty's third way, the women's bodily experiences appear as gestalt; a ‘figure’ against a ground of existential threats that are grasped through insight from data integrating in joint displays, which revealed the women's experiences on a deep existential level. Existential phenomenology as a frame in mixed‐method studies can speak not only to nurses but also to a multidisciplinary audience in a shared attempt to deepen the understanding of a patient's healthcare problem.
The value of remote care in the reduction of healthcare utilization in implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator patients
Authors: van Steenbergen Gijs , Ben Jaddi Oumaima , Theuns Dominic , van Veghel Dennis , Dekker Lukas , Simmers Tim
Published: October 2021

Background

Minimal evidence is available of the reduction in healthcare utilization of remote care in ICD patients over a longer period of follow‐up.

Objectives

This study compared healthcare utilization up to 3 year follow‐up in implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (ICD) patients with remote care compared to conventional care.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who received a single or dual‐chamber ICD or cardiac resynchronization therapy‐defibrillator (CRT‐D) between 2016 and 2018. Patients with remote care and patients were compared with patients with received conventional care (control group). The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiac follow‐up visits, ICD follow‐up visits, telephone consultations, emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admissions and was defined as total healthcare utilization. The secondary endpoints were the individual care activities and one‐year all‐cause mortality.

Results

A total of 497 patients were included in the study, of which 299 patients were allocated to the remote care and 198 patients to the control group. Mean follow‐up was 815 ± 279 days. Remote care was associated with a significantly lower rate of adjusted total healthcare utilization in comparison to the control group that sustained for 3 subsequent follow‐up years (IRR = 0.78, 95% CI [0.67 to 0.92], p < .01). One‐year all‐cause mortality was similar between the remote care and control group (respectively 3.0% vs. 5.5%, p = .29).

Conclusions

Compared to the standard follow‐up of in‐office care, a remote care program was associated with a sustained lower rate of planned and unplanned healthcare utilization up to 3 subsequent years after ICD/CRT‐D implantation.
Three decades' analysis of pediatric liver transplantation outcomes reveals limited long‐term improvements
Authors: Bakhtiyar Syed , Batra Anjay , Malik Tahir , Cotton Ronald , Galvan N. Thao , O’Mahony Christine , Goss John , Rana Abbas
Published: October 2021

Background

The aim of this study was to assess improvements in long‐term survival of pediatric patients after liver transplantation by analyzing outcomes in transplant recipients who survived beyond 1 year after transplantation. There has been a marked increase in the 1‐year survival of pediatric patients, from 78% in transplant recipients between 1987 and 1990 to 95% in transplant recipients between 2011 and 2017. The long‐term outcomes have not seen a similar trend, creating a disparity that warrants analysis.

Methods

We analyzed 13 753 pediatric patients who survived for 1 year after receiving orthotopic liver transplantation between 1987 and 2017. The study period was divided into six eras. Outcomes were analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method for time‐to‐event analysis, and multivariable Cox regression.

Results

There were no significant gains in long‐term outcomes among 1‐year survivors over the past three decades. Log‐rank tests for equality of survivor functions between each era and 1987–1990 were not statistically significant. Cause of death analysis revealed that although infections caused 20.6% of deaths in patients transplanted between 1987 and 1990, this number dropped to 5.6% in those transplanted between 2011 and 2017 (p = .01). Malignancy caused 10.6% of deaths in 1987–1990 but caused 22.2% of the deaths in 2011–2017 (p = .04).

Conclusion

Despite the gratifying gains in short‐term survival of pediatric patients, 1‐year survivors have no significant improvements in long‐term survival after undergoing a liver transplantation. Long‐term sequelae of immunosuppression, such as malignancy and infection, continue to be the most common causes of death. This study highlights the necessity for better long‐term management of immunosuppression.
Floral traits and reproductive success variation among inflorescence orders in Eryngium maritimum
Authors: Cortés‐Fernández I. , Cerrato M. D. , Ribas‐Serra A. , Gil Vives L.
Published: October 2021

Eryngium maritimum L. is considered a key species in dunes of the western Mediterranean. Although Northern European populations are endangered, the Mediterranean populations show a good conservation status, despite a lack of studies of the reproductive requirements and strategies of this species. This study aims to analyse the reproductive biology of a population of E. maritimum in the western Mediterranean (Balearic Islands, Spain), specifically focusing on differences in morphometric and reproductive traits among inflorescence orders.

Capitulum size, number of flowers, fruit set and seed set were analysed to evaluate the morphological and reproductive differences among inflorescence orders. The association between subterranean development and investment in reproductive structures was also studied along the dune location. Breeding system was analysed, evaluating self‐pollination capacity at capitulum level and the pollen/ovary ratio. Finally, floral visitors were assessed.

Morphometric and reproductive traits showed a decline in size and production from early to subsequent inflorescence orders. A correlation between width of stem base (caudex) and number of reproductive structures was observed, whereas seashore distance did not affect the reproductive development. Flowering occurred during summer, from May until late July, while fructification took place from the middle of August until the last days of September. Pollinator exclusion treatments induced a fruit and seed set decline. Twenty‐one species of floral visitor were found.

First and second inflorescence orders contributed to the generation of seeds, displaying high fruit and seed production, while other inflorescence orders seemed to attract pollinators. Reproductive and non‐reproductive development could depend on the capacity to reallocate resources from underground to aerial structures, which seemed to be superior in samples with highly developed caudices. In the studied population, inner areas closest to the seashore showed a delay in anthesis, which could be related to microclimate differences along the coast‐to‐inland gradient. Pollination is strongly entomophilous and showed low levels of self‐compatibility at capitulum level. Considering these results, for habitat conservation the reported microclimate diversity should be taken into consideration, with a focus on conservation of the pollinator populations
Comparison of quality of life in end‐stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis in a Moroccan city
Authors: Chrifi Alaoui Amina , Touti Wiam , Al Borgi Yassine , Sqalli Houssaini Tarik , El Rhazi Karima
Published: October 2021

Purpose

End‐stage renal disease patients (ESRD) generally complain about a poor quality of life (QOL). The current study aims to describe and compare ESRD patients' QOL according to dialysis modalities (hemodialysis [HD] and peritoneal dialysis [PD]).

Methods

This is a cross‐sectional study, conducted in dialysis facilities of a Moroccan university hospital, during October 2018. All adult ESRD patients, treated either by HD or PD for more than 3 months and agreeing to participate, were included. Medical data were collected using a questionnaire, whereas the QOL data were collected using the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form (KDQOL SF v 1.3) scale previously validated in dialectal Arabic. The patients' characteristics and QOL data were compared between dialysis modalities (HD vs. PD), using a linear regression, before and after adjustment on several demographic and medical factors as well as a propensity score created to reduce the effect of confounding factors related to the choice of the treatment.

Results

Out of the 91 included patients (50.5% of men, median age 52.0 (IQR [36.5; 62.0]) years), 71 were on HD and 20 were on PD. The highest subscale score, for all participants, was the social support's one with a median of 83.3 (IQR [66.7; 100]), and the lowest one was the kidney disease burden with a median of 25.0 (IQR [0.00; 46.9]). The univariate analysis showed that the Physical Component Score (PCS), the cognitive function, and the dialysis staff encouragement were better in PD patients (p = 0.03, p = 0.04, and p = 0.007, respectively), while the multiple linear regression indicates that the PCS, the dialysis Staff encouragement, and the patient's satisfaction subscores decreased within patients on HD compared with those on PD (p = 0.01, p = 0.03, and p = 0.02, respectively) and that the burden of the kidney disease and the work status subscores increased within patients on HD against those on PD (p = 0.007 and p = 0.04, respectively).

Conclusion

This study showed a significant difference between dialysis modalities in some sides of quality of life.
How Poverty, Residence Status and Health Insurance Predict Unmet Healthcare Needs among Chinese Elders?
Authors: Wu Lili , Wang Chunyin , Kou Jiayun
Published: October 2021

This study focuses on the variability in unmet healthcare needs among vulnerable Chinese elders and the degree to which these unmet needs are associated with socioeconomic disadvantages. We use the 2013 wave of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and a multinomial logistic model to investigate how poverty, residence status and particular health insurance schemes influence unmet healthcare needs independently and in combination. Our results show that poverty and rural residence are strong predictors of unmet healthcare needs due to financial and non-financial constraints, respectively. Although health insurance can reduce financial barriers, its influence varies with different insurance schemes, thus generating unequal healthcare access among heterogeneous vulnerable subgroups of elders and putting poor rural migrants at the highest risk for unmet healthcare needs. Our findings direct attention to the differences in resources available to various subgroups of elders and the importance of social stratification in predicting unmet health care needs.
Comparison of goose down and woolen pillows in terms of house dust mites
Authors: Aykut Medeni
Published: October 2021

This study was conducted to compare the goose down and the woolen pillows in terms of number of house dust mites per gram of dust. The study was conducted in Kars province, Turkey in September 2020. A total of 180 house dust samples were collected from 45 randomly selected houses in various districts of the city. The number of houses in which at least one sample was positive regarding mites was found to be 39 (86.66%). Overall, 137 (76.11%) of dust samples were mite positive. This rate was 87.77% in dust samples of woolen and 64.44% in dust samples of goose down pillows. The number of mites/g dust varied between 15 and 625 in mite-positive woolen pillows, 10 and 420 in mite-positive goose down pillows. Mean number of mites per g of dust was 127.67 in woolen pillows and 79.39 in goose down pillows. A statistically significant difference was found between woolen and goose down pillows in terms of the number of mites per gram of dust (P<0.05). A total of 1,362 mite specimens were isolated from the dust samples. As a result of the identification of isolated specimens; a total of 16 species belong to 10 genera and 6 families were determined. Of these; Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Trouessart, 1897) (65.85%), Lepidoglyphus destructor (Schrank) (9.25%) and Acarus siro Linnaeus (6.16%) were the most dominant species in terms of number of specimens.
Vertical and slanted sound propagation in the near-ground atmosphere: Coherence and distributions
Authors: Ostashev Vladimir E. , Kamrath Matthew J. , Wilson D. Keith , White Michael J. , Hart Carl R. , Finn Anthony
Published: October 2021

Atmospheric turbulence causes acoustic signals to fluctuate and diminishes their coherence. These phenomena are important in applications such as source localization and sonic boom propagation. This article provides formulations for the spatial, cross-frequency, and temporal coherences of narrowband acoustic signals propagating over vertical and slanted paths in the atmosphere. Formulations for single- and two-point distributions of acoustic signals are also overviewed. The theoretical formulations are compared with data from a comprehensive sound propagation experiment carried out in 2018 at the National Wind Technology Center (Boulder, CO). The theories for sound propagation in a turbulent atmosphere, when combined with turbulence models incorporating shear and buoyancy instabilities, correctly predict the measured spatial coherence, which is primarily affected by small-scale isotropic turbulence. For relatively small coherence times, this approach also correctly predicts the temporal coherence. However, the approach underpredicts the cross-frequency coherence and temporal coherence for relatively large coherence times, which are affected by large-scale anisotropic buoyancy-driven velocity fluctuations. For different regimes ranging from unsaturated to fully saturated scattering, the measured distributions agree well with the theoretical predictions.
Automatic estimation of the sound emergence of wind turbine noise with nonnegative matrix factorization
Authors: Gloaguen Jean-Rémy , Ecotière David , Gauvreau Benoit , Finez Arthur , Petit Arthur , Le Bourdat Colin
Published: October 2021

In many countries, the acoustic impact of wind farms is often constrained by a curtailment plan to limit their noise, which spreads in their surroundings. To update the plan, on/off cycle measurements are performed to determine the ambient noise (wind turbines in operation) and residual noise (wind turbines shut down), but these shutdown operations are limited in time, which reduces the representativeness of the estimated in situ emergence. Consequently, a machine learning technique, called nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF), is proposed to estimate the sound emergence of wind turbines continuously, i.e., without stopping the machines. In the first step, the application of NMF on a corpus of various simulated scenes allows the determination of the optimal setting of the method to better estimate the sound emergence. The results show the proper adaptation of the method with regard to the influence of the propagation distance and atmospheric conditions. This method also proves to be efficient in cases in which the real emergence is less than 5 dB(A) with a mean error lower than 2 dB(A). The first comparison with in situ measurements validates these performances and allows the consideration of the application of this method to optimize wind farm operations.
Weekly Training Demands Increase, but Game Demands Remain Consistent Across Early, Middle, and Late Phases of the Regular Season in Semiprofessional Basketball Players
Authors: Williams Markus N.C. , Fox Jordan L. , O’Grady Cody J. , Gardner Samuel , Dalbo Vincent J. , Scanlan Aaron T.
Published: October 2021

Purpose: To compare weekly training, game, and overall (training and games) demands across phases of the regular season in basketball. Methods: Seven semiprofessional, male basketball players were monitored during all on-court team-based training sessions and games during the regular season. External monitoring variables included PlayerLoad™ and inertial movement analysis events per minute. Internal monitoring variables included a modified summated heart rate zones model calculated per minute and rating of perceived exertion. Linear mixed models were used to compare training, game, and overall demands between 5-week phases (early, middle, and late) of the regular season with significance set at P ≤ .05. Effect sizes were calculated between phases and interpreted as: trivial, <0.20; small, 0.20 to 0.59; moderate, 0.60 to 1.19; large, 1.20 to 1.99; very large, ≥2.00. Results: Greater (P > .05) overall inertial movement analysis events (moderate–very large) and rating of perceived exertion (moderate) were evident in the late phase compared with earlier phases. During training, more accelerations were evident in the middle (P = .01, moderate) and late (P = .05, moderate) phases compared with the early phase, while higher rating of perceived exertion (P = .04, moderate) was evident in the late phase compared with earlier phases. During games, nonsignificant, trivial–small differences in demands were apparent between phases. Conclusions: Training and game demands should be interpreted in isolation and combined given overall player demands increased as the season progressed, predominantly due to modifications in training demands given the stability of game demands. Periodization strategies administered by coaching staff may have enabled players to train at greater intensities late in the season without compromising game intensity.
The Association Between Active Transportation and Serum Total 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels Among US Childbearing-Aged Women
Authors: Hong Jia-Pei , Lee I-Min , Vasunilashorn Sarinnapha M. , Baer Heather J. , Charoenpong Prangthip , Lee Chih-Hong
Published: October 2021

Background: Serum total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) and physical activity (PA) both play important roles in maternal–fetal health. However, a high prevalence of vitamin D and PA insufficiency has been observed in women of childbearing age. Active transportation may increase overall PA levels and potentially boost serum 25(OH)D levels. Methods: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2007 and 2014 were used. A total of 5601 women aged 18–49 years were included. Transportation PA (TPA) was quantified as metabolic equivalents of task and serum 25(OH)D levels was measured. Multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders were conducted. Results: The corresponding adjusted odds ratios associated with vitamin D insufficiency (<50 nmol/L) were 1.09 (95% confidence interval, 0.87–1.37) for 1 to 499 MET minutes per week of TPA, 0.69 (0.52–0.91) for 500 to 1000 MET minutes per week of TPA, and 0.95 (0.72–1.26) for >1000 MET minutes per week of TPA, respectively, compared with no TPA. Using vitamin D deficiency (<30 nmol/L) as the outcome led to similar results. The association between TPA and serum 25(OH)D levels was more robust in high sedentary time. Conclusions: A moderate level of TPA is related to lower odds of suboptimal vitamin D status among women of childbearing age.
“Beyond the Rink”: A Multilevel Analysis of Social Identity Behaviors Captured Using the Electronically Activated Recorder
Authors: Herbison Jordan D. , Martin Luc J. , Benson Alex J. , McLaren Colin D. , Slatcher Richard B. , Boardley Ian D. , Sutcliffe Jordan , Côté Jean , Carré Justin M. , Bruner Mark W.
Published: October 2021

This study used ecological sampling methods to examine associations between youth athletes’ experiences receiving and engaging in behaviors indicative of in-group ties, cognitive centrality, and in-group affect (i.e., social identity) during a 3-day competitive ice hockey tournament. Forty-five youth (Mage = 12.39 years; SDage = 1.14 years; 94% male) from nine teams wore an electronically activated recorder that captured brief (50-s) audio observations throughout the tournament. Participants also completed daily diary questionnaires for each day of competition. Multilevel structural equation modeling demonstrated that athletes were more likely to engage in behaviors indicative of in-group affect and cognitive centrality on days when they received as higher-than-average frequency of behaviors indicative of cognitive centrality from teammates, coaches, and parents. The findings suggest that when team members interact in ways that demonstrate they are thinking about their team, they influence fellow members to behave in ways that promote a sense of “us.”
Activation of PPARα enhances astroglial uptake and degradation of β-amyloid
Authors: Raha Sumita , Ghosh Arunava , Dutta Debashis , Patel Dhruv R. , Pahan Kalipada
Published: October 2021

A drug combination turns neuroinflammatory astrocytes into neuroprotective, amyloid-clearing cells.
Supplemental Material: Quaternary basaltic volcanic fields of the American Southwest
Authors: Valentine Greg , al. et
Published: October 2021

Listing of published age dates and total Quaternary volcano counts in the southwest USA.
Ressayre’s pairs in the Kähler setting
Authors: Paradan Paul-Emile
Published: October 2021

The aim of this paper is to explain how to parametrize the equations of the facets of Kirwan polytopes using the notion of Ressayre’s pairs.
Gluons, light and heavy quarks in the instanton vacuum
Authors: Musakhanov M. , Yakhshiev U.
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we put our focus towards describing the nonperturbative effects in the properties of hadrons made from the light-heavy and the heavy–heavy quarks in the framework of Instanton Liquid Model (ILM) of QCD vacuum. The main features of ILM and its applicability in the heavy quark sector are briefly discussed. The properties of gluonic systems, the light and heavy quark correlators in the instanton background are also analyzed. We demonstrate that the consideration of both, perturbative and nonperturbative, gluon effects in the instanton background for a single heavy quark leads to the mass shift due to the direct-instanton nonperturbative and ILM modified perturbative contributions, respectively. For the interacting heavy quark and heavy anti-quark, the potential consists of the direct instanton-induced part and the one-gluon exchange (OGE) perturbative part. OGE interactions are screened at large distances due to the nonperturbative dynamics. The estimation of instanton contributions in the phenomenological Cornell-type potential model is presented. In relation to the experimental data, the charmonium properties, the role of instanton effects in their spectra and transitions are discussed. The main features of heavy-light quark systems in the instanton generated background are also discussed. As an example, we consider the process of pion emissions by the exited heavy quarkonium. We show that there is a sizable correction ([Formula: see text]) to the dipole approximation for the process [Formula: see text].
AN EFFICIENT ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENCE EQUATIONS WITH COHERENCE FRACTION UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF BOSON INTERFEROMETRY
Authors: BARY GHULAM , AHMED WAQAR , SAJID MUHAMMAD , AHMAD RIAZ , ALOTAIBI HAMMAD , KHAN ILYAS , HUANG DUOHUI , LIU FUTI
Published: October 2021

Boson intensity correlations were examined to explore the fluid characterization produced in the collisions at the largest colliders and were perceived to have an astonishing curtailment during the computation of three-pion quantum interferences. Such analogous suppression can be probed to investigate the characteristics of particle production sources created during the collisions of heavy nuclei at unprecedented energies. We have demonstrated and analyzed the particle emissions from radiated sources with Bose–Einstein coherence that induces three-particle interferences to investigate the peculiarity of the particle emitted fluids. We are perspicacious that the bosons resemble the pertinent aspirant of coherence, and the normalized three-particle correlations evaluate the occurrence of such conglomerate fluid phases of chaotic and coherence significantly. Moreover, we also explored and analyzed the cumulant and the normalized correlations to examine the specific features of particle emission sources during the smashing of heavy nuclei. With such particular and pioneering approach, we have observed a consequential difference in the three-particle correlations and the normalized correlator at small temperature regimes.
CityLightSense: A Participatory Sensing-based System for Monitoring and Mapping of Illumination levels
Authors: Middya Asif Iqbal , Roy Sarbani , Chattopadhyay Debjani
Published: October 2021

Adequate nighttime lighting of city streets is necessary for safe vehicle and pedestrian movement, deterrent of crime, improvement of the citizens’ perceptions of safety, and so on. However, monitoring and mapping of illumination levels in city streets during the nighttime is a tedious activity that is usually based on manual inspection reports. The advancement in smartphone technology comes up with a better way to monitor city illumination using a rich set of smartphone-equipped inexpensive but powerful sensors (e.g., light sensor, GPS, etc). In this context, the main objective of this work is to use the power of smartphone sensors and IoT-cloud-based framework to collect, store, and analyze nighttime illumination data from citizens to generate high granular city illumination map. The development of high granular illumination map is an effective way of visualizing and assessing the illumination of city streets during nighttime. In this article, an illumination mapping algorithm called Street Illumination Mapping is proposed that works on participatory sensing-based illumination data collected using smartphones as IoT devices to generate city illumination map. The proposed method is evaluated on a real-world illumination dataset collected by participants in two different urban areas of city Kolkata. The results are also compared with the baseline mapping techniques, namely, Spatial k-Nearest Neighbors, Inverse Distance Weighting, Random Forest Regressor, Support Vector Regressor, and Artificial Neural Network.
Discharge Profile and Its Correlation with Estimated Parametric Sensitivity and Electrical Contact Resistance Losses in Li-Ion Battery
Authors: Selvi G. Thamarai , Jha Shailendra K.
Published: October 2021

The electrochemistry-based models contain a large number of parameters and their sensitivity estimation is essential to obtain an accurate Li-ion battery model. The mitigation of interfacial contact resistance and associated ohmic loss and/or power loss in the real time evaluation of a battery performance is an important issue in the energy management. A compact analytical model for cell voltage and the discharge profile of Li-ion battery has been developed to analyze the impact of parametric sensitivity and interfacial contact resistance loss. The cell voltage of the battery depends on the polarization effect due to the anodic and/or cathodic overpotential and the contact resistance of the electrode/current collector interface. The impact of parametric sensitivity and with/without contact resistance on cell voltage analysis for a discharge process have been investigated and verified with the available experimental literature data.
Application of Traditional Cultural Symbols in Art Design under the Background of Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Lin Cuifang
Published: October 2021

In order to solve the declining influence of traditional cultural symbols, the research on traditional cultural symbols has become more meaningful. This article aims to study the application of traditional cultural symbols in art design under the background of artificial intelligence. In this paper, a fractal model with self-combined nonlinear function changes is constructed. By combining nonlinear transformations and multiparameter adjustments, various types of fractal models can be automatically rendered. The convolutional neural network algorithm is used to extract the characteristics of the style picture, and it is compared with the trained picture many times to avoid the problem of excessive tendency of the image with improper weight. The improved L-BFGS algorithm is also used to optimize the loss of the traditional L-BFGS, which improves the quality of the generated pictures and reduces the noise of the chessboard. The experimental results in this paper show that the improved L-BFGS algorithm has the least loss and the shortest time in the time used for more than 500 s. Compared with the traditional AdaGrad method, its loss is reduced by about 62%; compared with the traditional AdaDelta method, its loss is reduced by 46%. Its loss is reduced by about 8% compared with the newly optimized Adam method, which is a great improvement.
Unsupervised Wireless Network Model‐Assisted Abnormal Warning Information in Government Management
Authors: Sun Yumeng
Published: October 2021

The data generated through telecommunication networks has grown exponentially in the last few years, and the resulting traffic data is unlikely to be processed and analyzed by manual style, especially detecting unintended traffic consumption from normal patterns remains an important issue. This area is critical because anomalies may lead to a reduction in network efficiency. The origin of these anomalies may be a technical problem in a cell or a fraudulent intrusion in the network. Usually, they need to be identified and fixed as soon as possible. Therefore, in order to identify these anomalies, data‐driven systems using machine learning algorithms are developed with the aim from the raw data to identify and alert the occurrence of anomalies. Unsupervised learning methods can spontaneously describe the data structure and derive network patterns, which is effective for identifying unintended anomalous behavior and detecting new types of anomalies in a timely manner. In this paper, we use different unsupervised models to analyze traffic data in wireless networks, focusing on models that analyze traffic data combined with timeline information. The factor analysis method is used to derive the results of factor analysis, obtain the three major public factors and comprehensive factor scores, and combine the results with the BP neural network model to conduct a nonlinear simulation study on local governmental debt risk. A potential semantic analysis model based on Gaussian probability is presented and compared with other methods, and experimental results show that this model can provide a robust, over‐the‐top anomaly detection in a fully automated, data‐driven solution.
An Efficient Robust Nonparametric Triple EWMA Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Control Chart for Process Location
Authors: Rasheed Zahid , Zhang Hongying , Arslan Muhammad , Zaman Babar , Anwar Syed Masroor , Abid Muhammad , Abbasi Saddam Akber
Published: October 2021

The nonparametric (NP) control charts are famous for detecting a shift in the process parameters (location and/or dispersion) when the underlying process characteristic does not follow the distributional assumptions. Similarly, when the cost of estimations is very high and the ranking of observational is relatively simple, the ranked set sampling (RSS) technique is preferred over the simple random sampling (SRS) technique. On the other hand, the NP triple exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) control chart based on SRS is superior to the NP EWMA and NP double EWMA (NP DEWMA) based on the SRS technique to detect a shift in the process location. This study designed an advanced form of NP TEWMA Wilcoxon signed-rank based on RSS, denoted as

TEWMA
−
SR

RSS

control chart to identify a shift in the process location parameter. The Monte Carlo simulation method is used to assess the performance of the proposed

TEWMA
−
SR

RSS

control chart along with SRS-based NP TEWMA (TEWMA-SR), SRS-based NP TEWMA sign (TEWMA-SN), SRS-based

TEWMA
−

X
¯

, and RSS-based NP DEWMA-SR

DEWMA
−

SR

RSS

control charts. The study shows that the proposed

TEWMA
−
SR

RSS

control chart is more efficient in identifying shifts (especially in small shifts) in the process location than the existing control charts. Finally, a real-life application is also provided for the practical implementation of the proposed

TEWMA
−
SR

RSS

control chart.
Investigating the Performances of a Coated Plain Weave Fabric Designed for Producing Protective Gowns
Authors: Ghezal Imene , Jaouachi Boubaker , Sakli Faouzi
Published: October 2021

The aim of this research is to produce a substrate that can be used for the development of protective gowns. For this purpose, a cotton‐polyester blended plain weave fabric was treated with a coating paste comprising fluorocarbon and acrylic resins. The coating process parameters, which are fluorocarbon resin quantity (%), acrylic paste quantity (g m−2), and reticulation time (min), were varied by using a Box–Behnken experimental design. Textile fabric characteristics in terms of thickness (mm), coating add‐on (%), air permeability (L m−2 s−1), surface hydrophobicity (mg cm), and flexural rigidity (mg cm−1) were then analyzed and discussed.
A Decision‐Making Approach Based on Score Matrix for Pythagorean Fuzzy Soft Set
Authors: Siddique Imran , Zulqarnain Rana Muhammad , Ali Rifaqat , Alburaikan Alhanouf , Iampan Aiyared , Abd El-Wahed Khalifa Hamiden
Published: October 2021

Pythagorean fuzzy soft set (PFSS) is the most powerful and effective extension of Pythagorean fuzzy sets (PFS) which deals with the parametrized values of the alternatives. It is also a generalization of intuitionistic fuzzy soft set (IFSS) which provides us better and precise information in the decision‐making process comparative to IFSS. The core objective of this work is to construct some algebraic operations for PFSS such as OR‐operation, AND‐operation, and necessity and possibility operations. Furthermore, some fundamental properties have been established for PFSS utilizing the developed operations. Moreover, a decision‐making technique has been offered for PFSS based on a score matrix. To demonstrate the validity of the proposed approach, a numerical example has been presented. Finally, to ensure the practicality of the established approach, a comprehensive comparative analysis has been presented. The obtained results show that our developed approach is most effective and delivers better information comparative to prevailing techniques.