bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lectores y espectadores: Beatriz Sarlo crítica de cine
Authors: Oubiña David
Published: March 2022

Las intervenciones de Beatriz Sarlo a propósito de cuestiones cinematográficas continúan y expanden sus preocupaciones en tanto que crítica literaria. Sin duda, se aproxima al cine con las herramientas que aprendió en la literatura, pero, a diferencia de lo que suele suceder con muchos críticos culturales, no piensa los films como un objeto derivado. Más bien, al contrario: cuando escribe sobre Chantal Akerman, sobre Rainer Fassbinder, sobre Claude Lanzmann o sobre Raya Martin, despliega una erudición cinéfila que le permite amplificar su pensamiento literario y proyectarlo como una compleja teoría política de la cultura.
The acoustical absorption by air-saturated aerogel powders
Authors: Begum H. , Xue Y. , Bolton J. S. , Horoshenkov K. V.
Published: March 2022

The acoustical behavior of air-saturated aerogel powders in the audible frequency range is not well understood. It is not clear, for example, which physical processes control the acoustic absorption and/or attenuation in a very light, loose granular mix in which the grain diameter is on the order of a micron. The originality of this work is the use of a Biot-type poro-elastic model to fit accurately the measured absorption coefficients of two aerogel powders with particle diameters in the range 1–40 μm. It is shown that these materials behave like a viscoelastic layer and their absorption coefficient depends strongly on the root mean square sound pressure in the incident wave. Furthermore, it was found that the loss factor controlling the energy dissipation due to the vibration of the elastic frame is a key model parameter. The value of this parameter decreased progressively with the frequency and sound pressure. In contrast, other fitted parameters in the Biot-type poro-elastic model, e.g., the stiffness of the elastic frame and pore size, were found to be relatively independent of the frequency and amplitude of the incident wave. It is shown that these materials absorb acoustic waves very efficiently around the frequencies of the frame resonance.
The sound of one frog calling: The bullfrog's reactions to acoustic stimuli
Authors: Simmons Andrea Megela , Narins Peter M.
Published: March 2022

The Reflections series takes a look back on historical articles from The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America that have had a significant impact on the science and practice of acoustics.
Aspergillus terreus
and the Interplay with Amphotericin B: from Resistance to Tolerance?
Authors: Vahedi-Shahandashti Roya , Dietl Anna-Maria , Binder Ulrike , Nagl Markus , Würzner Reinhard , Lass-Flörl Cornelia
Published: March 2022

Aspergillus terreus
is an opportunistic causative agent of invasive aspergillosis and, in most cases, it is refractory to amphotericin B (AMB) therapy. Notably, AMB-susceptible
Aspergillus terreus
sensu stricto
(s.s.) representatives exist which are also associated with poor clinical outcomes.
Role of the Transcriptional Regulator ArgR in the Connection between Arginine Metabolism and c-di-GMP Signaling in Pseudomonas putida
Authors: Barrientos-Moreno Laura , Molina-Henares María Antonia , Ramos-González María Isabel , Espinosa-Urgel Manuel
Published: March 2022

Identifying the molecular mechanisms by which metabolic and environmental signals influence the turnover of the second messenger c-di-GMP is key to understanding the regulation of bacterial lifestyles. The results presented here point at the transcriptional regulator ArgR as a central node linking arginine metabolism and c-di-GMP signaling and indicate the existence of a complex balancing mechanism that connects cellular arginine contents and second messenger levels, ultimately controlling the lifestyles of
Pseudomonas putida
.
Draft Genome Sequence of a Novel Calicivirus from a Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) from Lake Memphremagog, Vermont/Quebec
Authors: Iwanowicz Luke R. , Blazer Vicki S. , Jones Tom , Bodnar Matthew , Eckstrom Korin , Dragon Julie A. , Emerson Peter
Published: March 2022

We report a draft genome sequence of a previously undescribed calicivirus from a single brown bullhead inhabiting Lake Memphremagog, Vermont/Quebec. The genome is 7,413 nucleotides long and is most similar to the Atlantic salmon calicivirus (nucleotide identity; 64.7%).
A Retrospective Overview of Zika Virus Evolution in the Midwest of Brazil
Authors: Giovanetti Marta , Pereira Luiz Augusto , Adelino Talita Émile Ribeiro , Fonseca Vagner , Xavier Joilson , de Araújo Fabri Allison , Slavov Svetoslav Nanev , da Silva Lemos Poliana , de Almeida Marques William , Kashima Simone , Lourenço José , de Oliveira Tulio , Campelo de Albuquerque Carlos Frederico , Freitas Carla , Peterka Cassio Roberto Leonel , da Cunha Rivaldo Venancio , Mendonça Ana Flávia , Lemes da Silva Vinícius , Alcantara Luiz Carlos Junior
Published: March 2022

Despite the considerable morbidity and mortality of arboviral infections in Brazil, such as Zika, chikungunya, dengue fever, and yellow fever, our understanding of these outbreaks is hampered by the limited availability of genomic data to track and control the epidemic. In this study, we provide a retrospective reconstruction of the Zika virus transmission dynamics in the state of Goiás by analyzing genomic data from areas in Midwest Brazil not covered by other previous studies.
Conserved Pattern and Potential Role of Recurrent Deletions in SARS-CoV-2 Evolution
Authors: Weng Shenghui , Zhou Hangyu , Ji Chengyang , Li Liang , Han Na , Yang Rong , Shang Jingzhe , Wu Aiping
Published: March 2022

Mutations in SARS-CoV-2 were studied extensively, while only the structure variations on the spike protein were discussed well in previous studies. To study the role of structural variations in virus evolution, we described the distribution of structure variations on the whole genome.
Vascular malformation of tongue with phlebothrombosis/phlebolith in a young patient: an unusual presentation
Authors: Davila-Villa Perla , Padilla-Rosas Miguel , Meza-García Gerardo , Nava-Villalba Mario
Published: March 2022

Venous malformations (VMs) are a type of vascular malformation formed by abnormally developed venous channels, with variations in size, pathway and thickness and are therefore a condition which can predispose to thrombosis. We present the case of a VM associated with phlebothrombosis/phlebolith, located on the lingual dorsum of a 20-year-old female patient. Clinical examination revealed a nodule of approximately 5 mm in diameter involving the anterior third of lingual dorsum, with a firm, compressible and non-pulsatile consistency. Histopathologically, the lesion revealed a VM with evidence of phlebothrombosis and phlebolith development. Although VMs manifest infrequently in this age group, they should be considered in the differential diagnosis of other lesions with similar characteristics in young people.
Nontubercular mycobacterial cough
Authors: Samitinjay Aditya , Ali Zulfikar , Biswas Rakesh
Published: March 2022

Habitual cough suppression leading to non-tuberculous mycobacteria infections and bronchiectasis has been reported. We present a case of a 55-year-old woman with a chronic history of cough with mild expectoration and frequent lower respiratory tract infections, remitting with antibiotic therapy and other supportive measures. She also reported habitual cough suppression for several years. She was eventually diagnosed with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) positive right middle lobe bronchiectasis—Lady Windermere syndrome and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), causing disabling symptoms limiting her daily activities. We aim to highlight two key issues—diagnosing MAC infections in a tuberculosis endemic country, and OSA and its long-term clinical implications.
Managing myocarditis in a patient with newly diagnosed dermatomyositis
Authors: Cheston Hannah Jane , Akhoon Cassim , Dutta Roy Smita , Reynolds Piero
Published: March 2022

A woman in her 20s presented with chest pain, dyspnoea, arthralgia, muscle weakness and skin discolouration. She was diagnosed with dermatomyositis. During her admission, she developed pleuritic chest pain and shortness of breath accompanied by a significant troponin I rise. Her echocardiogram showed a hyperdynamic left ventricle with a trivial pericardial effusion; there were no regional wall motion abnormalities. Gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepantaacetic-enhanced cardiac MRI showed extensive myocarditis. She was started on corticosteroids and azathioprine which led to an improvement of symptoms and biochemical markers.
Topical silicone gel mistaken for a retained orbital foreign body on MRI
Authors: Samia-Aly Emma , Mellington Faye
Published: March 2022

MRI is now a well-regarded imaging technique, but due to its use of strong magnetic fields, some metallic objects are contraindicated. We present a case of a man in his 40s with thyroid eye disease, who underwent bilateral orbital decompression. Following surgery, he was advised to start scar massage with topical silicone gel (Dermatix). He later underwent an MRI head scan which was halted due to concerns of a retained metallic foreign body. Topical silicone gel is widely used clinically for scar management. Due to its properties, it can cause the appearance of an artefact on MRI and be mistaken for a metallic foreign body. We present the first case to our knowledge of an MRI susceptibility artefact which was attributed to topical silicone gel and describe the diagnostic confusion it caused. We recommend asking patients to wash off any topical silicone gel before having an MRI scan.
Acute-onset dacryoadenitis following immunisation with mRNA COVID-19 vaccine
Authors: Murphy Treasa , Raheem Abu Shanab Abdul , Kang Kristopher , Lyons Christopher J
Published: March 2022

A 14-year-old boy was referred to the ophthalmology department with a 4-day history of rapid-onset right upper lid pain, swelling and erythema starting 9 hours after his first dose of COVID-19 mRNA vaccination (BNT162b2/Comirnaty, Pfizer-BioNTech). On examination, he had significant right upper lid ptosis, oedema and erythema, with associated limitation of right eye abduction and elevation. He was found to have acute dacryoadenitis with orbital inflammatory disease on clinical and laboratory investigations. He was given tapering oral prednisone and had full resolution of symptoms within 2 weeks. This is the first known case of orbital inflammation after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. Given the temporal association between the patient’s vaccination and symptom onset, we believe it is likely that immunisation prompted the onset of disease.
Late onset of pituitary apoplexy following gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist for prostate cancer treatment
Authors: Elshimy Ghada , Raj Rishi , Jacob Aasems , Correa Ricardo
Published: March 2022

Pituitary apoplexy (PA) is a clinical condition characterised by a sudden increase in pituitary gland volume secondary to ischaemia and/or necrosis. Most cases occur in non-functioning pituitary adenoma but can also occur in functioning adenoma. Certain predisposing factors can result in PA and the use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists for prostate cancer (PCa) is one such condition. Once diagnosed, both surgical and conservative management has been used for the treatment of PA. We present a case of a man in his late 50s who developed PA following treatment of PCa with leuprolide. His symptoms developed insidiously and he presented 6 months after symptom onset. Anterior pituitary hormone workup along with pituitary MRI confirmed the diagnosis of PA and patient was subsequently treated with adequate replacement of pituitary hormone with significant improvement in his symptoms. It is very important to keep a high index of suspicion for PA, especially among elderly patients receiving GnRH agonist treatment for PCa.
Differences in outcomes of patients with in-hospital versus out-of-hospital ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a registry analysis
Authors: Stehli Julia , Dagan Misha , Dinh Diem T , Lefkovits Jeffrey , Dick Ron , Oxley Stephanie , Brennan Angela L , Duffy Stephen J , Zaman Sarah
Published: March 2022

Objectives

Patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) that occur while already in hospital (‘in-hospital STEMI’) face high mortality. However, data about this patient population are scarce. We sought to investigate differences in reperfusion and outcomes of in-hospital versus out-of-hospital STEMI.

Design, Setting and Participants

Consecutive patients with STEMI all treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) across 30 centres were prospectively recruited into the Victorian Cardiac Outcomes Registry (2013–2018).

Primary and secondary outcomes

Patients with in-hospital STEMI were compared with patients with out-of-hospital STEMI with a primary endpoint of 30-day major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Secondary endpoints included ischaemic times, all-cause mortality and major bleeding.

Results

Of 7493 patients with PCI-treated STEMI, 494 (6.6%) occurred in-hospital. Patients with in-hospital STEMI were older (67.1 vs 62.4 years, p<0.001), more often women (32% vs 19.9%, p<0.001), with more comorbidities. Patients with in-hospital STEMI had higher 30-day MACE (20.4% vs 9.8%, p<0.001), mortality (12.1% vs 6.9%, p<0.001) and major bleeding (4.9% vs 2.3%, p<0.001), than patients with out-of-hospital STEMI. According to guideline criteria, patients with in-hospital STEMI achieved symptom-to-device times of ≤70 min and ≤90 min in 29% and 47%, respectively. Patients with out-of-hospital STEMI achieved door-to-device times of ≤90 min in 71%. Occurrence of STEMI while in hospital independently predicted higher MACE (adjusted OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.33 to 2.36, p<0.001) and 12-month mortality (adjusted OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.07, p<0.001).

Conclusions

Patients with in-hospital STEMI experience delays to reperfusion with significantly higher MACE and mortality, compared with patients with out-of-hospital STEMI, after adjustment for confounders. Focused strategies are needed to improve recognition and outcomes in this high-risk and understudied population.
Use and usability of GP online services: a mixed-methods sequential study, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on qualitative interviews, analysis of routine eConsult usage and feedback data, and assessment of GP websites in Devon and Cornwall, England
Authors: Jones Ray B , Tredinnick-Rowe John , Baines Rebecca , Maramba Inocencio Daniel Cortes , Chatterjee Arunangsu
Published: March 2022

Objectives

We explored use and usability of general practitioner (GP) online services.

Setting

Devon and Cornwall, England.

Design

Mixed-methods sequential study based on qualitative interviews, analysis of routine eConsult usage and feedback data, and assessment of GP websites.

Methods

First, we interviewed 32 staff and 18 patients from seven practices in June 2018. Second, we used routinely collected consultation meta-data and, third, patient feedback data for all practices using eConsult from June 2018 to March 2021. Lastly, we examined GP websites’ usability in January 2020 and September 2021.

Results

Interviews suggested practices infrequently involved patients in eConsult implementation. Some patients ‘gamed’ the system to achieve what they wanted. Usage data showed a major increase in eConsult resulting from COVID-19. Women used eConsult twice as much as men. Older had similar eConsult consultation rates to younger patients. Patient feedback forms were completed for fewer than 3% of consultations. Patients were mostly satisfied with eConsult but some had concerns about its length and repetitiveness, lack of continuity over time and between eConsult and medical records. We did not find clear evidence that patients’ suggested improvements were acted on. Finally, few GP websites met accessibility guidelines and may hinder access to online national services such as eConsult.

Conclusion

Given that, face to face, older people consult more, usage data suggest that older people have reduced online access. That the female-to-male ratio of eConsult use use was even greater than ‘traditional’ face-to-face ratio was unexpected and needs further research. Although eConsult collects and uses routine patient feedback to improve the system, more open systems for patient feedback, such as Care Opinion, may be more effective in helping online systems evolve. Lastly, we question the need for GP websites and suggest that national or regional services are better placed to maintain accessible services.
Refining sonographic criteria for paediatric appendicitis: combined effects of age-based appendiceal size and secondary findings
Authors: Neal Jeffrey T , Monuteaux Michael C , Rangel Shawn J , Barnewolt Carol E , Bachur Richard G
Published: March 2022

Objective

Appendiceal diameter is a primary sonographic determinant of paediatric appendicitis. We sought to determine if the diagnostic performance of outer appendiceal diameter differs based on age or with the addition of secondary sonographic findings.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients aged less than 19 years who presented to the Boston Children’s Hospital ED and had an ultrasound (US) for the evaluation of appendicitis between November 2015 and October 2018. Our primary outcome was the presence of appendicitis. We analysed the cases to evaluate the optimal outer appendiceal diameter as a predictor for appendicitis stratified by age (<6, 6 to <11, 11 to <19 years), and with the addition of one or more secondary sonographic findings.

Results

Overall, 945 patients met criteria for inclusion, of which 43.9% had appendicitis. Overall, appendiceal diameter as a continuous measure demonstrated excellent test performance across all age groups (area under the curve (AUC) >0.95) but was most predictive of appendicitis in the youngest age group (AUC=0.99 (0.98–1.00)). Although there was no significant difference in optimal diameter threshold between age groups, both 7- and 8-mm thresholds were more predictive than 6 mm across all groups (p<0.001). The addition of individual (particularly appendicolith or echogenic fat) or combinations of secondary sonographic findings increased the diagnostic value for appendicitis above diameter alone.

Conclusions

Appendiceal diameter as a continuous measure was more predictive of appendicitis in the youngest group. Across all age groups, the optimal diameter threshold was 7 mm for the diagnosis of paediatric appendicitis. The addition of individual or combination secondary sonographic findings increases diagnostic performance.
Implementation of a national smoke-free prison policy: an economic evaluation within the Tobacco in Prisons (TIPs) study
Authors: McMeekin Nicola , Wu Olivia , Boyd Kathleen Anne , Brown Ashley , Tweed Emily J , Best Catherine , Craig Peter , Leyland Alastair H , Demou Evangelia , Byrne Tom , Pell Jill , Semple Sean , Sweeting Helen , Graham Lesley , Hunt Kate
Published: March 2022

Objective

To determine the cost-effectiveness of a smoke-free prison policy in Scotland, through assessments of the trade-offs between costs (healthcare and non-healthcare-related expenditure) and outcomes (health and non-health-related non-monetary consequences) of implementing the policy.

Design

A health economic evaluation consisting of three analyses (cost-consequence, cost-effectiveness and cost-utility), from the perspectives of the healthcare payer, prison service, people in custody and operational staff, assessed the trade-offs between costs and outcomes. Costs associated with the implementation of the policy, healthcare resource use and personal spend on nicotine products were considered, alongside health and non-health outcomes. The cost-effectiveness of the policy was evaluated over 12-month and lifetime horizons (short term and long term).

Setting

Scotland’s national prison estate.

Participants

People in custody and operational prison staff.

Intervention

Implementation of a comprehensive (indoor and outdoor) smoke-free policy.

Main outcome measures

Concentration of secondhand smoke, health-related quality of life (health utilities and quality-adjusted life-years (QALY)) and various non-health outcomes (eg, incidents of assaults and fires).

Results

The short-term analyses suggest cost savings for people in custody and staff, improvements in concentration of secondhand smoke, with no consistent direction of change across other outcomes. The long-term analysis demonstrated that implementing smoke-free policy was cost-effective over a lifetime for people in custody and staff, with approximate cost savings of £28 000 and £450, respectively, and improvement in health-related quality of life of 0.971 QALYs and 0.262, respectively.

Conclusion

Implementing a smoke-free prison policy is cost-effective over the short term and long term for people in custody and staff.
Effects of the skew angle of new tunneling on an existing tunnel: three-dimensional centrifuge and numerical modeling
Authors: Ng Charles W.W. , Wong Y.Y.A. , Shakeel Muhammad
Published: March 2022

Tunneling results in stress relief and arching in the ground. New tunnel excavation beneath an existing tunnel but at different angles can lead to different patterns of stress redistribution. Studies on multitunnel interaction have mainly focused on perpendicular tunnels, and the effects of tunneling skew angle remain poorly understood. Three-dimensional centrifuge modeling and numerical back-analyses were conducted to investigate the effects of twin-tunnel interaction at three skew angles (30°, 60°, and 90°). The effects of new tunnel excavation on an existing tunnel were simulated by controlling tunnel volume and weight losses in-flight. A hypoplastic soil model capable of simulating path-dependent and strain-dependent soil stiffness was adopted for the numerical back-analyses. Distinct load redistribution patterns were identified to explain deformations of the existing tunnel at different skew angles due to the advancement of the new tunnel. For 90° tunneling, hoop force increased at the crown and decreased at the left springline of the existing tunnel. The opposite responses were identified at 30° tunneling. A critical skew angle of 30° tunneling led to the maximum invert settlement and tunnel deformation of the existing tunnel. At 30° tunneling, the induced strain in the tunnel lining was 2.3 times larger than that of tunneling at 90°, exceeding the cracking limit suggested by the American Concrete Institute.
Momentum and heat transfer characteristics for Newtonian fluid across a grooved cylinder
Authors: Abdi Mohamed , Menouer Abdelfettah , Chaib Khaled , Benferhat Slimane , Chemloul Nordeddine Sad , Kadari Ahmed
Published: March 2022

The present investigation set out to assess the influence of the surface roughness on the flow and thermal mean quantities, around the heated corrugated cylinder in the laminar steady flow. The current investigation has been devoted to a numerical analysis of a two-dimensional steady flow and forced convection heat transfer characteristics over a heated longitudinal sinusoidal shape grooved cylinder, immersed in an unconfined Newtonian fluid. The number of the grooved cavities was chosen to be 10, 20 and 30 grooves, equally distributed around the cylinder circumference with wavelength and wave amplitude of 1/50 and 1, respectively. Moreover, the thermal boundary condition effect has been analyzed by imposing a uniform heat flux and constant temperature on the cylinder periphery as a thermal boundary condition, over a Reynolds number range of ([Formula: see text]) and a fixed Prandtl number of 0.715. The numerical procedure is based on the finite volume method. The findings indicate that with increasing groove number, the total drag coefficient of the grooved cylinder reduces markedly compared to the smooth one. This trend is more pronounced as the Reynolds number increases. The effect of the groove number on the pressure coefficients is limited, where the profiles of the grooved cylinder coincide with that of the smooth one over the Reynolds number range. When the Reynolds number varies from 0.1 to 40, the average Nusselt number enhances noticeably by about 86% for the smooth and grooved cylinders. Moreover, the groove number affects significantly the average Nusselt number, where the increased groove number results in a gradual reduction in the average Nusselt number. This attenuation is more pronounced as the Reynolds number increases. To predict the average Nusselt number, a correlation has been proposed.
Congestion-Aware Rectilinear Steiner Tree Construction Using PB-SAT
Authors: Kundu Sudeshna , Roy Suchismita , Mukherjee Shyamapada
Published: March 2022

In this paper, Pseudo-Boolean Satisfiability (PB-SAT)-based congestion reduction and overflow minimization techniques are introduced for constructing congestion-aware rectilinear Steiner trees for global routing in IC design. Since congestion in different routing channels is a big issue in routing nets, various congestion minimization approaches have been proposed by many researchers. However, the increasing complexity of integrated circuits and the reduction of their size make the congestion problem more complicated. The proposed method can produce a congestion-free routing solution by generating a suitable rectilinear Steiner tree for circuit nets. To reduce the complexity of the problem, the nets are solved individually using a Minimum Bounding Box (MBB)-based heuristic technique. The algorithm is validated by utilizing the well-known ISPD 98 global routing benchmarks. Experimental results prove that the methodology is capable of routing most of the nets within the given routing capacity satisfying all the routing parameters. The results also show that the algorithm can produce congestion-aware Steiner trees efficiently within a nominal time-bound.
National Cultural Dimensions and Adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) for Small and Medium-Sized Entities (SMEs)
Authors: Mhedhbi Karim , Essid Moez
Published: March 2022

Synopsis

The research problem

This study investigates whether the adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) for small- and medium-sized entities (SMEs) is linked to national culture.

Motivation or theoretical reasoning

Little is known about the role of cultural dimensions in explaining countries’ adoption of the IFRS for SMEs. Focusing on this topic could contribute to a better understanding of the adoption of the IFRS for SMEs and would enrich the international accounting literature. Conducting a specific empirical investigation into the IFRS for SMEs is motivated by the difference between the full IFRS and the IFRS for SMEs, by the inherent characteristics of SMEs, and by differences between the number of countries that adopted the full IFRS and those that have adopted the IFRS for SMEs.

The test hypotheses

We used Hofstede’s dimensions of national culture (Power Distance, Individualism, Masculinity, Uncertainty Avoidance, Long-term Orientation, and Indulgence) to capture a country’s culture. We expected that these six dimensions would play a crucial role in countries’ decision to adopt the IFRS for SMEs. Based on previous relevant studies, we developed a research hypothesis for each of the mentioned cultural dimensions.

Target population

We selected the 101 countries included in Hofstede’s study. For each country, we looked at the data available on the IFRS website to identify its position in relation to the IFRS for SMEs. The final sample included 97 countries.

Adopted methodology

After classifying countries in three groups (Non-Adopters, Voluntary Adopters, and Mandatory Adopters), we performed several statistical regressions with adoption of the IFRS for SMEs as the dependent variable and the cultural dimensions as the relevant independent variables.

Analyses

Among others, we used several logistic regressions to estimate the association between national culture and the use of the IFRS for SMEs. We initially performed a statistical estimation for each of the six dimensions of national culture. Then, we included all cultural dimensions simultaneously. Finally, we performed robustness tests by applying multinomial regressions and focusing on the group of full IFRS adopters.

Findings

Empirical results revealed that the adoption of the IFRS for SMEs was less likely in countries with the highest levels of individualism. This conclusion held for both Mandatory and Voluntary Adopters. In contrast, the other dimensions of national culture were not significant in explaining the adoption of the IFRS for SMEs by national accounting regulators.
ReCDroid+: Automated End-to-End Crash Reproduction from Bug Reports for Android Apps
Authors: Zhao Yu , Su Ting , Liu Yang , Zheng Wei , Wu Xiaoxue , Kavuluru Ramakanth , Halfond William G. J. , Yu Tingting
Published: March 2022

The large demand of mobile devices creates significant concerns about the quality of mobile applications (apps). Developers heavily rely on bug reports in issue tracking systems to reproduce failures (e.g., crashes). However, the process of crash reproduction is often manually done by developers, making the resolution of bugs inefficient, especially given that bug reports are often written in natural language. To improve the productivity of developers in resolving bug reports, in this paper, we introduce a novel approach, called ReCDroid+, that can automatically reproduce crashes from bug reports for Android apps. ReCDroid+ uses a combination of
natural language processing (NLP)
, deep learning, and dynamic GUI exploration to synthesize event sequences with the goal of reproducing the reported crash. We have evaluated ReCDroid+ on 66 original bug reports from 37 Android apps. The results show that ReCDroid+ successfully reproduced 42 crashes (63.6% success rate) directly from the textual description of the manually reproduced bug reports. A user study involving 12 participants demonstrates that ReCDroid+ can improve the productivity of developers when resolving crash bug reports.
Verification of Distributed Systems via Sequential Emulation
Authors: Di Stefano Luca , De Nicola Rocco , Inverso Omar
Published: March 2022

Sequential emulation is a semantics-based technique to automatically reduce property checking of distributed systems to the analysis of sequential programs. An automated procedure takes as input a formal specification of a distributed system, a property of interest, and the structural operational semantics of the specification language and generates a sequential program whose execution traces emulate the possible evolutions of the considered system. The problem as to whether the property of interest holds for the system can then be expressed either as a reachability or as a termination query on the program. This allows to immediately adapt mature verification techniques developed for general-purpose languages to domain-specific languages, and to effortlessly integrate new techniques as soon as they become available. We test our approach on a selection of concurrent systems originated from different contexts from population protocols to models of flocking behaviour. By combining a comprehensive range of program verification techniques, from traditional symbolic execution to modern inductive-based methods such as property-directed reachability, we are able to draw consistent and correct verification verdicts for the considered systems.
Applying Bayesian Analysis Guidelines to Empirical Software Engineering Data: The Case of Programming Languages and Code Quality
Authors: Furia Carlo A. , Torkar Richard , Feldt Robert
Published: March 2022

Statistical analysis is the tool of choice to turn data into information and then information into empirical knowledge. However, the process that goes from data to knowledge is long, uncertain, and riddled with pitfalls. To be valid, it should be supported by detailed, rigorous guidelines that help ferret out issues with the data or model and lead to qualified results that strike a reasonable balance between generality and practical relevance. Such guidelines are being developed by statisticians to support the latest techniques for
Bayesian
data analysis. In this article, we frame these guidelines in a way that is apt to empirical research in software engineering.

To demonstrate the guidelines in practice, we apply them to reanalyze a GitHub dataset about code quality in different programming languages. The dataset’s original analysis [Ray et al. 
55
] and a critical reanalysis [Berger et al. 
6
] have attracted considerable attention—in no small part because they target a topic (the impact of different programming languages) on which strong opinions abound. The goals of our reanalysis are largely orthogonal to this previous work, as we are concerned with demonstrating, on data in an interesting domain, how to build a principled Bayesian data analysis and to showcase its benefits. In the process, we will also shed light on some critical aspects of the analyzed data and of the relationship between programming languages and code quality—such as the impact of project-specific characteristics other than the used programming language.

The high-level conclusions of our exercise will be that Bayesian statistical techniques can be applied to analyze software engineering data in a way that is principled, flexible, and leads to convincing results that inform the state-of-the-art while highlighting the boundaries of its validity. The guidelines can support building solid statistical analyses and connecting their results. Thus, they can help buttress continued progress in empirical software engineering research.
Cast to Vote: A Socio-technical Network Analysis of an Election Smartphone Application
Authors: Stachofsky Julia , Gebremedhin Assefaw , Crossler Robert E.
Published: March 2022

This article builds a socio-technical dataset and associated network and provides exploratory analysis of a GitHub repository for a smartphone application used by the Elizabeth Warren campaign during the 2020 Iowa Democratic Caucuses. It provides insights into the types of technology used by campaigns for tracking primary delegates and the social actors that have potential influence over those technologies. Results suggest that certain nodes in the network have more influence over the election technology and that security risks can manifest through the unique interaction between technical and social network components as supply chain attacks. The work sheds light on implications of how election technology is audited and designed, especially for potential public-facing voting technology. A metric for evaluating socio-technical vulnerability is also proposed.
On system QoE
Authors: Hoßfeld Tobias , Heegaard Poul E. , Skorin-Kapov Lea , Varela Martin
Published: March 2022

With Quality of Experience (QoE) research having made significant advances over the years, increased attention is being put on exploiting this knowledge from a service/network provider perspective in the context of the user-centric evaluation of systems. Current research investigates the impact of system/service mechanisms, their implementation or configurations on the service performance and how it affects the corresponding QoE of its users. Prominent examples address adaptive video streaming services, as well as enabling technologies for QoE-aware service management and monitoring, such as SDN/NFV and machine learning.
JPEG column: 83rd JPEG meeting in Geneva, Switzerland
Authors: Pinheiro Antonio
Published: March 2022

The 83rd JPEG meeting was held in Geneva, Switzerland.
A Variational View on Statistical Multiscale Estimation
Authors: Haltmeier Markus , Li Housen , Munk Axel
Published: March 2022

We present a unifying view on various statistical estimation techniques including penalization, variational, and thresholding methods. These estimators are analyzed in the context of statistical linear inverse problems including nonparametric and change point regression, and high-dimensional linear models as examples. Our approach reveals many seemingly unrelated estimation schemes as special instances of a general class of variational multiscale estimators, called MIND (multiscale Nemirovskii–Dantzig). These estimators result from minimizing certain regularization functionals under convex constraints that can be seen as multiple statistical tests for local hypotheses. For computational purposes, we recast MIND in terms of simpler unconstraint optimization problems via Lagrangian penalization as well as Fenchel duality. Performance of several MINDs is demonstrated on numerical examples.
Analysis of the Application of Virtual Reality Technology in Football Training
Authors: Zhao Kun , Guo Xueying
Published: March 2022

As computer science and information technology develop rapidly, virtual reality (VR) technology has evolved from theory to application. As a key technology in modern society, VR technology is increasingly influencing more and more aspects of people’s daily lives, including sports training. VR technology can be seen as an assistive technology that provides specific support for athletes’ sports training through various means such as simulating training scenarios and conducting data analysis. This paper focuses on exploring the application of VR technology in football training and the combination of sports training and VR technology. In addition, a feasibility analysis of the application of VR technology in football is carried out, and software such as Poser 8.0, 3ds MAX, and EON Studio in the virtual football training system are introduced. The aim is to further provide theoretical support for the development and research of virtual football sports system software and to study virtual systems that are not disturbed by external natural conditions. It will break through the limitations of sports training due to factors such as weather, player injuries, lack of training space, and funding. This is conducive to improving teaching and training methods, promoting the mastery of technical movement essentials and the improvement of football skills.
Estimation of Soft and Hard Tissue Revolutionization Surrounding Dental Implant: A 2-Year Retrospective Study
Authors: Al-Ahmari Manea Musa
Published: March 2022

A dental implant is an idyllic mode of operandi for oral rehabilitation for complete and partially edentulous patients. The success of an implant is based on the health of its surrounding tissues. Therefore, the biological and clinical aspects of implant prosthesis and their surrounding tissues must persist to be investigated. A two-year retrospective clinical-radiological study was conducted to estimate peri-implant soft and hard tissue revolutionization after the placement of implants. A clinical-radiological investigation was carried out to determine the amount of soft and hard tissue revolutionization that occurred following the implantation of 200 implants. From October 2020 to March 2021, the research was carried out in the College of Dentistry at King Khalid University in Saudi Arabia. It was decided to conduct this study using a retrospective clinical record, which involved gathering information about patients who had previously received dental implants within the previous two years. Plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), bleeding index (BI), peri-implant probing depth (PD), and peri-implant crestal bone level were measured at baseline and three months after implant placement in adult patients ranging in age from 20 to 50 years. The results were compared to the full-mouth index (FMI). Ethical clearance and written informed consent were obtained from all the study participants. The statistical analysis was done by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS-23.0 version) (IBM; Chicago). The present study concluded that plaque accumulation, gingival bleeding, and probing depth were increased around implants during the follow-up, but it would not affect crestal bone loss. Still, it is essential to conduct a similar study with a larger sample size and a long follow-up period to give more precise results.
A Case of Recurrent Compartment Syndrome with Concomitant Use of Eliquis
Authors: Nemunaitis James A. , Den Haese Jason P. , Buseck Mark S. , Storm Shawn W. , Tuck Joshua A. , Ferretti Anthony J.
Published: March 2022

Introduction. Acute compartment syndrome (ACS) occurs secondary to increasing pressure within a fascial compartment that exceeds perfusion pressure. This can be caused by spontaneous hematomas, which can be secondary to prolonged anticoagulation therapy. Eliquis® has not been associated with ACS of the thigh in any of the currently published literature. Identifying ACS early is important because it can reduce the risk of permanent structural damage, limb amputations, and mortality rates. Case Report. A 43-year-old male with past medical history of unprovoked Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) eight months prior to presentation on Eliquis® presented to the emergency department for significant right thigh pain after riding a roller coaster. There was increased tone/firmness of the anterior compartment and tenderness on palpation of the proximal two-thirds of the anterior thigh. Imaging, clinical findings, and Stryker needle measurements confirmed ACS secondary to hematoma, which required fasciotomy and evacuation of the hematoma. The patient was temporarily switched to aspirin for DVT prophylaxis postoperatively to prevent new hematoma formation. Six weeks later, the patient arrived at the ED with a DVT that was treated with Eliquis®. Eight months later, the same patient presented with acute right thigh pain that started while lying in bed. A diagnosis of recurrent ACS in the right anterior thigh was made, requiring a fasciotomy. Surgery was successful without any complications. Discussion. Eliquis® is associated with an increased risk of hematoma formation, which can lead to ACS. This is a rare adverse effect that providers should be aware of because it requires early management to prevent ACS-associated complications. This is significant because no currently published literature has identified an association of Eliquis® with ACS in the thigh. In cases of atraumatic ACS, we were unable to find any protocols advocating for or against the use of DVT prophylaxis postfasciotomy in the literature.
Folate Receptor-Alpha Targeted 7x19 CAR-γδT Suppressed Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Xenograft Model in Mice
Authors: Ye Xueshuai , Deng Xinna , Wen Junye , Li Yang , Zhang Mengya , Cai Ziqi , Liu Guan , Wang Hezhi , Cai Jianhui
Published: March 2022

Background. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the worst prognosis subtype of breast cancer due to lack of specific targets. Recent studies have shown that immunotherapy may solve that problem by targeting folate receptor-alpha (FRα). Methods. Gene modified γδ T cells were manufactured to express FRa specific chimeric antigen receptor (FRa CAR) and secrete interleukin-7 (IL-7) and chemokine C–C motif ligand 19 (CCL19). CAR-γδT cells that secrete IL-7 and CCL19 (7 × 19 CAR-γδT) were evaluated for their antitumor activity both in vitro and in vivo. Results. 7 × 19 CAR-γδT showed remarkable antitumor activity in vitro. Combined with PBMC, 7 × 19 CAR-γδT inhibited TNBC xenograft model growth superiorly compared with single-application or conventional CAR-γδT cells. Histopathological analyses showed increased DC or T cells infiltration to tumor tissues. Conclusion. Taken together, our results showed that 7 × 19 CAR-γδT have remarkable anti-TNBC tumor activity and showed a broad application prospect in the treatment of incurable TNBC patients.
A Decade of Value Engineering in Construction Projects
Authors: Chen Wei Tong , Merrett Hew Cameron , Liu Shu-Shun , Fauzia Nida , Liem Ferdinan Nikson
Published: March 2022

Over the past half‐century, value engineering (VE) has emerged as an effective tool to manage time, costs, and quality with an aim to maximize value. It has been shown to be a highly effective approach for evaluating current construction projects. However, this tool’s application in the construction domain is quite variable. This research aims to provide an in‐depth quantitative and qualitative content analysis of the application of VE in construction projects. It is found that new research over the past decade has continuously improved the efficiency and productiveness of VE practices. Current work focuses on integrating VE with other disciplines, applying VE in diverse project domains, assessing VE performance, and developing new VE technologies. This broad review highlights some of the key areas of interest that required future investigation to ensure the continued delivery of value in the ever‐changing and evolving construction industry.
Efficacy of Glucocorticoids and Glucocorticoid-Induced Hyperglycaemia in Renal Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Wang Zeng , Qu Yi Qian , Zhang Yang , Zhu Xing Yu , Gong Xiao Wei , Chen Hong Yu
Published: March 2022

Background. Glucocorticoids are the most effective anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs used to treat patients with renal disease. This study pooled the current evidence of the efficacy of Glucocorticoids and Glucocorticoid-induced hyperglycaemia in renal disease. Methods. We conducted a systematic literature search on PubMed, Cochrane Central, and Web of Science for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) up to September 1, 2021. The meta-analysis, sensitivity analysis and bias analysis were performed using Review Manager 5. 3. Results. In this study, seven RCTs with 797 patients were included in our analysis. The analysis revealed that glucocorticoids had a certain alleviating effect on the reduction of renal function. (risk ratio [RR] 0.49 95% confidence interval [Cl] 0. 28 to 0.85, p =0.01) and reduction of proteinuria (weight mean difference [WMD] -0.43; 95% CI -0.57 to-0.28) when compared with the control group. Patients receiving glucocorticoids therapy did not have an increased risk of developing new-onset diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose tolerance. (RR 3.76 95% CI 0.54 to 26.10, p =0.18). For other safety outcomes, glucocorticoids therapy did not increase risk of respiratory infections (RR 1.63, 95% CI 0. 69to3. 89, p =0.27) and Gastrointestinal SAEs is relatively controversial (RR 1.10, 95% CI 0.32 to 3.79, p =0.88). Discussion. In conclusion, current clinical evidence indicates that glucocorticoids is efficacious and safe to renal disease compared with control. Further research comparing long-term glucocorticoids use is needed.
A Hidden Chaotic Attractor with an Independent Amplitude‐Frequency Controller
Authors: Islam Yousuf , Li Chunbiao , Jiang Yicheng , Ma Xu , Akgul Akif
Published: March 2022

In this paper, a three‐dimensional chaotic system with a line equilibrium is studied, in which a single nonbifurcation parameter is used to control the amplitude and frequency. A variety of chaotic signals can be modified using the amplitude‐frequency control switch. The realization of circuit simulation based on multisim further verifies the theoretical analysis. Finally, the method for encrypting color images is tested, and the process performance is valued. It shows that the novel chaotic oscillation has a promising application prospect in image encryption.