bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Is isolated bladder outlet obstruction associated with hydronephrosis? A database analysis
Authors: Sinha Sanjay , Matai Lavina 
Published: September 2020

AbstractAimsTo examine whether isolated bladder outlet obstruction in the absence of associated lower urinary tract abnormality results in hydronephrosis. Isolated obstruction causes a brief rise in bladder pressure that might not trigger hydronephrosis.MethodsData included adult men who underwent urodynamics for refractory non‐neurogenic lower tract symptoms between 2011 and 2020. International Continence Society indices for obstruction (bladder outlet obstruction index [BOOI] ≥ 40) and underactivity (bladder contractility index [BCI] < 100) were calculated. Storage abnormality was defined as detrusor overactivity (DO) or poor compliance (<20 ml/cm H20). Isolated obstruction was defined as BOOI ≥ 40, BCI ≥ 100 and no storage abnormality. Nonparametric tests using R program (3.5.0) applied (p < .05 significant). Logistic regression analyses were performed to study the relationships of hydronephrosis with lower urinary tract function.ResultsA total 1596 men (range, 18–91 years; median, 51.0 years; Q3, 64.0 years; Q1, 34.0 years) were eligible. Hydronephrosis was noted in 274 (17.2%). A total of 45.4% were obstructed, 52.3% were underactive and 41.7% had storage abnormality. Storage abnormality (odds ratios [OR], 2.05; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.56, 2.69; p < .001) and bladder contractility (OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.25–2.26; p < .001) but not obstruction (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.80–1.44; p = .634) was associated with hydronephrosis. Of eight possible combinations, men with BOO ≥ 40, BCI ≥ 100 and storage abnormality had highest probability of hydronephrosis (OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.24–0.33). Subanalysis showed that poor compliance (OR, 3.39; 95% CI, 2.49–4.60; p < .001) but not DO was associated with hydronephrosis. Younger age and higher postvoid residual urine were also associated with hydronephrosis.ConclusionsIn adult men with refractory non‐neurogenic lower urinary tract symptoms, isolated bladder outlet obstruction is not associated with hydronephrosis.
Independent Role of Severe Obesity as a Risk Factor for COVID‐19 Hospitalization: A Spanish Population‐Based Cohort Study
Authors: Fresán Ujué , Guevara Marcela , Elía Fernando , Albéniz Esther , Burgui Cristina , Castilla Jesús ,   for the Working Group for the Study of COVID‐19 in Navarra
Published: September 2020

ObjectivesThis study analyzed the association between severe obesity and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) hospitalization and severe disease.MethodsThe incidence of hospitalization for laboratory‐confirmed COVID‐19 was evaluated in a prospective population‐based cohort of 433,995 persons aged 25 to 79 years in Spain during March and April of 2020. Persons with and without class 3 obesity were compared using Poisson regression to estimate the adjusted relative risk (aRR) from class 3 obesity of COVID‐19 hospitalization and of severe disease (intensive care unit admission or death). Differences in the effect by age, sex, and chronic conditions were evaluated.ResultsIndividuals with class 3 obesity had a higher risk of hospitalization (aRR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.66‐2.93) and developing severe COVID‐19 (aRR = 2.30, 95% CI: 1.20‐4.40). In people younger than 50 years, these effects were more pronounced (aRR = 5.02, 95% CI: 3.19‐7.90 and aRR = 13.80, 95% CI: 3.11‐61.17, respectively), whereas no significant effects were observed in those aged 65 to 79 years (aRR = 1.22, 95% CI: 0.70‐2.12 and aRR = 1.42, 95% CI: 0.52‐3.88, respectively). Sex and chronic conditions did not modify the effect of class 3 obesity in any of the outcomes.ConclusionsSevere obesity is a relevant risk factor for COVID‐19 hospitalization and severity in young adults, having a magnitude similar to that of aging. Tackling the current obesity pandemic could alleviate the impact of chronic and infectious diseases.image
A novel approach for isolation of nanofibers from sugarcane bagasse and its characterization for packaging applications
Authors: Gond R. K. , Gupta M. K. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractA novel approach including only one stage of ecofriendly treatment, by sodium bicarbonate, followed by mechanical grinding was used to isolate the nanofibers from waste sugarcane bagasse subjected to its characterization for the packaging applications. The result of dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis was found in line with the result of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to confirm the nanosize of developed nanofibers. The X‐ray diffraction analysis showed the highest crystallinity of nanofibers than those of untreated and treated fibers. The removal of hemicelluloses and lignin from treated fibers and nanofibers was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. Moreover, a good thermal stability of nanofibers was also confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The optical properties (ie, absorbance and transmittance) in wavelength range 200 to 700 nm were also measured using UV‐visible spectroscope. An excellent optical and antibacterial property against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Bacillus bacteria along with better strength and stiffness was offered by the isolated nanofibers, which makes them the most suitable reinforcement to be used in polymeric composites for the packaging applications.
Portuguese validation of the Separation Anxiety Scale for Children (SASC)
Authors: Sousa‐Rodrigues Micaela F. , Espada José P. , Gonzálvez María T. , Orgilés Mireia 
Published: September 2020

AbstractSeparation anxiety symptoms are very common in children. The present study aims to examine the psychometric properties and the factorial structure of the Portuguese version of the Separation Anxiety Scale for Children (SASC). The participants included 874 children, 52% male, aged between 8 and 11 years (M = 9.50; SD = 1.15). Factor analysis supported the three‐factor model found in the original scale. The instrument demonstrated to have good reliability for the total score (α = .81) and for its three factors (Discomfort from separation, α = .80; Worry about separation, α = .72; Calm at separation, α = .59). The validity, examined via the correlation of the SASC with the separation anxiety subscale of the SCARED, was satisfactory (r = .49); the test–retest reliability for the total scale was good (r = .81). The SASC was shown to have good psychometric properties for its use with Portuguese children for clinical and research purposes.
Semi‐fluorinated polyarylenes: Microwave‐assisted synthesis and structure–property relationships
Authors: Budy Stephen M. , Khan Mansoor , Chang Xu , Iacono Scott T. , Son David Y. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractA series of three fluorine containing and three non‐fluorinated Diels–Alder step‐growth polyarylene polymers and copolymers was synthesized via conventional oil bath heating (days/weeks). A drastic time reduction was realized with a microwave‐assisted polymerization (hours). The polymers were characterized by multinuclear (1H, 13C, and 19F) NMR and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy, thermal analysis (thermogravimetric analysis [TGA], differential scanning calorimetry [DSC], and dynamic mechanical analysis [DMA]), gel permeation chromatography, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), water contact analysis, and refractive index (RI) measurements. The NMR spectra indicated a mixture of para and meta conformations through the polymer backbone increasing to more para with greater fluorine content. TGA revealed the fluorine‐containing polyarylenes possessed the highest char yields at almost 80% at 1000°C under nitrogen, and all the polyarylenes possessed onset of degradation temperatures above 550°C under nitrogen and air atmospheres. XRD analysis indicated more ordering for the fluorine‐containing polyarylenes which afforded the high char yields. DMA gave storage moduli values in the range of 1–10 GPa for the polyarylenes. Molecular weights for all samples were above 100 kg/mol. Water contact angles did not change with fluorine content due to the shielding effect of the pendant phenyl groups. However, the RI decreased to 1.6497 at 632.8 nm for the polyarylene with the highest fluorine content.
Contesting Science That Silences: Amplifying Equity, Agency, and Design Research in Literacy Teacher Preparation
Authors: Hoffman James V. , Hikida Michiko , Sailors Misty 
Published: September 2020

ABSTRACTIn this article, we argue that the “science of reading” (SOR) construct is being used to shape the future of literacy teacher preparation and silence the voices and work of literacy teacher education researchers to the detriment of quality science, quality teaching, and quality teacher preparation. First, we briefly inspect the SOR movement in terms of its historical roots in experimental psychology. Next, we examine the claims being made by SOR advocates regarding the absence of attention to the SOR literature in teacher preparation programs, and the related claims for the negative consequences that occur when these so‐called underprepared teachers enter the workforce. Then, we present literature reviews, drawn from a large and dynamic database of research on literacy teacher preparation (over 600 empirical studies that were published between 1999 and 2018); the studies in the database have been excluded from the SOR. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of equity, agency, and design as a pathway forward in improving literacy teacher preparation.
On the synthesis of metadata tags for HTML files
Authors: Jiménez Patricia , Roldán Juan C. , Gallego Fernando O. , Corchuelo Rafael 
Published: September 2020

SummaryRDFa, JSON‐LD, Microdata, and Microformats allow to endow the data in HTML files with metadata tags that help software agents understand them. Unluckily, there are many HTML files that do not have any metadata tags, which has motivated many authors to work on proposals to synthesize them. But they have some problems: the authors either provide an overall picture of their designs without too many details on the techniques behind the scenes or focus on the techniques but do not describe the design of the software systems that support them; many of them cannot deal with data that are encoded using semistructured formats like forms, listings, or tables; and the few proposals that can work on tables can deal with horizontal listings only. In this article, we describe the design of a system that overcomes the previous limitations using a novel embedding approach that has proven to outperform four state‐of‐the‐art techniques on a repository with randomly selected HTML files from 40 different sites. According to our experimental analysis, our proposal can achieve an F1 score that outperforms the others by 10.14%; this difference was confirmed to be statistically significant at the standard confidence level.
Mode interaction in cold‐formed steel members: state‐of‐art report
Authors: Camotim Dinar , Martins André Dias , Dinis Pedro Borges , Young Ben , Chen Man‐Tai , Landesmann Alexandre 
Published: September 2020

AbstractExtended keynote paper of Eurosteel 2021This two‐part paper provides a state‐of‐art report on the most recent findings concerning the behaviour, strength and Direct Strength Method (DSM) design of cold‐formed steel (CFS) columns and beams affected by mode coupling phenomena not adequately covered by the current specifications for CFS members, namely local‐distortional (L‐D), local‐distortional‐global (L‐D‐G), distortional‐global (D‐G) and global‐global (flexural‐torsional/flexural – FT‐F) interaction. The paper addresses experimental tests, numerical simulations and DSM‐based design approaches that are intended to i) acquire in‐depth knowledge on the non‐linear behaviour (elastic and elastic‐plastic), load‐carrying capacity and failure mode nature of the members under consideration, and ii) make use of that knowledge to develop, propose and assess the merit of efficient DSM‐based design approaches to estimate their failure loads/moments. Initially, illustrative column results are briefly presented to help grasp some fundamental concepts, namely the characterisation of i) the aforementioned mode coupling phenomena, ii) different sources of mode interaction that may lead to failure load/moment erosion, and iii) the most detrimental initial geometrical imperfections. The DSM design curves currently codified and two strength curves recently developed for column flexural‐torsional and beam distortional failures are presented next. The two‐part paper then addresses separately each mode coupling phenomenon dealt with, for columns, but only L‐D and D‐G interaction for beams – while L‐D interaction (in columns and beams) appears in Part 1, the remaining column and beam coupling phenomena (all involving global buckling) are dealt with in Part 2 [1]. For columns undergoing L‐D and L‐D‐G interaction, beams experiencing L‐D interaction and angle columns susceptible to FT‐F interaction, the work reported includes experimental studies, numerical simulations and DSM‐based design considerations and/or guidelines. For the remaining coupling phenomena, only numerical results are reported, but they unveil interesting (and unexpected) behavioural features that will help plan future test campaigns and achieve efficient design approaches. Finally, the two‐part paper closes with a few concluding remarks and an outlook regarding future developments in this field.
Long‐term investigations on reduction of constraint forces caused by imposed deformation by creep
Authors: Berger Johannes , Feix Juergen 
Published: September 2020

AbstractExternal constraint is an action that arises when a structure cannot deform freely. This deformation may be caused by imposed deformation. These deformations lead to support reactions and internal forces only in statically indeterminate systems and are proportional to the absolute values of the structural stiffness. The structural stiffness is significantly reduced by creep of concrete. The classical models for calculating the creep impact on constraint forces assume linear‐elastic or linear‐viscoelastic behavior. The influence of the reinforcement on the creep deformation is neglected as well as the effect of cracking. For this reason, experiments were carried out to obtain results on the creep‐induced degradation of constrained forces caused by imposed deformations. Long‐term experiments were performed on a two‐span beam on which the constraint force was applied by lifting the middle support. Dimensions of the test bodies were l/w/h = 7.3 m/0.4 m/0.2 m. Measurements were carried out on two test bodies, one conventional reinforced test body and one post‐tensioned test body. Thus, the stiffness of a cracked and non‐cracked test body was given. As a result, the influence of the reinforcement as well as effect of crack formation can be taken into account. The experiment lasted over a period of 500 days. The aim is to compare the results of the theoretical models taking into account different stiffness and different creep behavior with the measured test results.
The Arm’s Blind Line: Anisotropic Distortion in Perceived Orientation of Stimuli on the Arm
Authors: Kuroki Scinob 
Published: September 2020

AbstractGiven that mechanoreceptors are highly heterogeneously distributed and there is no direct sensory signal of the distribution, it must be challenging for the brain to identify stimuli in external space by remapping sensory inputs. Some previous studies reported perceptual distortion of tactile space, reflecting a difference in scales for different body parts. Here we report another example in which the orientation of stimuli perceived on the arm is rotated regionally, or even flipped. This illusion cannot be explained simply in terms of the resolution difference of mechanoreceptors.
Evaluation of Changes in Perceived Intensity and Threshold of Moisture Sensation of Clothes Associated with Skin Moisture
Authors: You Shanyi , Shibahara Mai , Sato Katsunari 
Published: September 2020

AbstractMoisture sensation is an important determinant of clothing comfort. Conventional studies have attempted to elucidate the mechanism behind moisture sensation by using wet sample cloths that vary by water content. However, these studies did not consider the impact of the moisture levels of the skin that makes contact with the samples. In this study, we investigated changes in skin moisture sensation in terms of perceived strength and detection thresholds, based on contact with sample cloths, given various skin moisture conditions. In the first experiment, participants reported their perceived moisture levels for sample cloths that varied in water content and temperature, after making forearm contact with each sample cloth. The result showed that participants felt small amounts of moisture when skin moisture was increased. In the second experiment, participants’ detection thresholds were evaluated using the staircase method, based on forearm-sample contact. The results showed that skin moisture did not affect the threshold of moisture sensation.
WeATaViX: WEarable Actuated TAngibles for VIrtual Reality eXperiences
Authors: de Tinguy Xavier , Howard Thomas , Pacchierotti Claudio , Marchal Maud , Lécuyer Anatole 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThis paper presents the design and evaluation of a wearable haptic interface for natural manipulation of tangible objects in Virtual Reality (VR). It proposes an interaction concept between encounter-type and tangible haptics. The actuated 1 degree-of-freedom interface brings a tangible object in and out of contact with a user’s palm, rendering making and breaking of contact with, and allowing grasping and manipulation of virtual objects. Device performance tests show that changes in contact states can be rendered with delays as low as 50 ms, with additional improvements to contact synchronicity obtained through our proposed interaction technique. An exploratory user study in VR showed that our device can render compelling grasp and release interactions with static and slowly moving virtual objects, contributing to user immersion.
ThermalTex: A Two-Modal Tactile Display for Delivering Surface Texture and Thermal Information
Authors: Guo X. , Zhang Y. , Wei W. , Xu W. , Wang D. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractWe present a two-modal surface display that can simultaneously display thermal and texture stimuli to the user’s fingers. The texture is generated by electrovibration effect on a flexible film with a high thermal conductivity. The temperature of the film is controlled by Peltier element attached with a water-cooling heatsink. The performance of the prototyped device is evaluated by the temperature response to the step signal and the maximum electrostatic force of the display. The application of the display is demonstrated in a virtual reality environment where users can feel the two modal haptic property of the virtual object.
Movement-Free Virtual Reality Interface Using Kinesthetic Illusion Induced by Tendon Vibration
Authors: Tanaka Satoshi , Ushiyama Keigo , Takahashi Akifumi , Kajimoto Hiroyuki 
Published: September 2020

AbstractIn current virtual reality (VR) systems, the physical movement of the body is required, which creates problems of safety, cost, and accessibility. To solve those problems, we propose a system that fixes a user’s body, detects force when a user tries to move, and generates the sensation of movement using kinesthetic illusion caused by tendon vibration. We implemented a system limited to simple motion, and conducted an experiment to evaluate operability, body ownership, and agency. Although we could not statistically verify the effect of kinesthetic illusion, the results suggested that it may be possible that kinesthetic illusion could increase ownership and decrease agency.
Haptic Display Using Fishing Rod
Authors: Naito Daiki , Kajimoto Hiroyuki 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThis paper proposes a grounded haptic display that can widely present a force sensation using a fishing rod. The proposed haptic display incorporates a fishing rod to present the force sensation at the user’s fingertip using a thread being reeled from the tip of the fishing rod. The multidirectional force sensation is presented by driving the base supporting the fishing rod using a pan-tilt mechanism, and wending the thread using the reel. The fishing rod is lightweight and moves at high speed. Additionally, it is possible to widely present the force by bending the fishing rod. This device requires conversion from the position of the user’s fingertip and magnitude of the force to the necessary winding force of the thread and the posture of the fishing rod. This study developed a control method and evaluated it by considering a case wherein the force to be presented is exerted in the vertical direction.
2MoTac: Simulation of Button Click by Superposition of Two Ultrasonic Plate Waves
Authors: Garcia Pierre , Giraud Frédéric , Lemaire-Semail Betty , Rupin Matthieu , Amberg Michel 
Published: September 2020

AbstractRecent studies have shown that a button click sensation could be simulated thanks to ultrasonic vibrations. In this context, a travelling wave may enhance the simulation because it creates internal lateral stresses that are released during the stimulation. However, this solution is difficult to integrate on plates. We present 2MoTac, a method which superpose a longitudinal and a bending mode simultaneously on a plate, in order to create a pseudo-travelling wave. We present the design, and a psychophysical study to deduce the optimal ratio between the bending and longitudinal mode amplitudes, in terms of detection threshold and robustness.
ElectroAR: Distributed Electro-Tactile Stimulation for Tactile Transfer
Authors: Tirado Jonathan , Panov Vladislav , Yem Vibol , Tsetserukou Dzmitry , Kajimoto Hiroyuki 
Published: September 2020

AbstractWe present ElectroAR, a visual and tactile sharing system for hand skills training. This system comprises a head-mounted display (HMD), two cameras, a tactile sensing glove, and an electro-tactile stimulation glove. The trainee wears the tactile sensing glove that gets pressure data from touching different objects. His/her movements are recorded by two cameras, which are located in front and top side of the workspace. In the remote site, the trainer wears the electro-tactile stimulation glove. This glove transforms the remotely collected pressure data to electro-tactile stimuli. Additionally, the trainer wears an HMD to see and guide the movements of the trainee. The key part of this project is to combine distributed tactile sensor and electro-tactile display to let the trainer understand what the trainee is doing. Results show our system supports a higher user’s recognition performance.
Identifying Tactors Locations on the Proximal Phalanx of the Finger for Navigation
Authors: Saint-Aubert Justine 
Published: September 2020

AbstractVibrotactile stimulation has been investigated to provide navigational cues through belts, vests, wrist-bands and exotic displays. A more compact solution would be the use of a ring type display. In order to test its feasibility, a user-centered experiment is conducted. The ability of participants to identify cardinal directions and inter cardinal directions by vibrotactile stimulation on the proximal phalanx is investigated. The results indicate that participants achieved $$96\%$$

96
%

accuracy for cardinal directions and $$69\%$$

69
%

accuracy for cardinal plus inter-cardinal directions using a static stimulation. The identification rates of dynamic stimulation are lower than that of static stimulation.