bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Robust-adaptive-behavior strategy for human-following robots in unknown environments based on fuzzy inference mechanism
Authors: Nguyen Toan Van , Do Minh Hoang , Jo Jaewon 
Published: March 2022

Purpose
To follow and maintain an appropriate distance to the selected target person (STP), the mobile robot is required to have capabilities: the human detection and tracking and an efficient following strategy with a smooth manner that does not appear threatening to the STP and surroundings. The efficient following strategy must integrate the STP position and the obstacle information to achieve smooth and safe human-following behaviors, especially in unknown environments where robot does not have understandings in advance. The purpose of this study is to propose a robust-adaptive-behavior strategy for mobile robots.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents a robust-adaptive-behavior strategy (RABS) based on the fuzzy inference mechanism to help the robot follow the STP effectively in various unknown environments with the real-time obstacle avoidance, both indoor and outdoor and on different robot platforms. In which, the traversability of robots’ unknown surrounding environments is analyzed by using the STP position and the obstacle information obtained from the two dimensional laser scan, whose purpose is to choose the highest-traversability-score direction (HTSD) and an adaptive-safe-following distance (ASFD). Then, the HTSD, the ASFD and the current velocity of the robot are considered as inputs of the fuzzy system to adjust its velocity smoothly.

Findings
The proposed RABS is verified by a set of experiments using a real big-heavy autonomous mobile robot (BH-AMR), with the dimension 0.8 × 1.2 (m), weight 150 (kg), full-load 500 (kg), aiding smart factories. The obtained results have shown that the proposed RABS equips the BH-AMR with the ability to follow the STP smoothly and safely even when the robot is moving at the maximum speed 1.5 (m/s).

Research limitations/implications
In this paper, the autonomous mobile robot considers all environments as unknown even when it is working in mapped environments. This limitation is presented clearly in the future works section.

Practical implications
This proposed method can be used to help the autonomous mobile robot support persons in factories, hospitals, restaurants, supermarkets or at the airports.

Originality/value
This paper presents a RABS, including three new features: a fuzzy-based solution to help human-following robots maintain an appropriate distance to the STP safely and smoothly with the maximum velocity 1.5 (m/s); the proposed fuzzy-based solution, an adaptive vector field histogram and a new approach for the STP tracking is combined to follow the STP and avoid the collision simultaneously in unknown indoor and outdoor environments; the proposed RABS is considered for BH-AMRs (with the dimension 0.8 × 1.2 (m), weight 150 (kg), full-load 500 (kg)) to serve real tasks in smart factories.
How does relationship length influence donation amount over time for regular members of nonprofit organizations – the moderating role of donation frequency
Authors: Minguez Ana , Sese F. Javier 
Published: March 2022

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate whether a U-shaped relationship exists between the length of time a donor has been a regular member in a nonprofit organization and the amount donated over time. In addition, this research analyzes whether this relationship is moderated by donation frequency.Design/methodology/approachUsing a database of 6,137 members from a collaborating nonprofit organization, a longitudinal study is conducted over an eight-year period (2013–2020). A set of ordinary least square (OLS) regression analyses are carried out to empirically test the proposed hypotheses.FindingsThis study finds a nonlinear, U-shaped relationship between donation amount and relationship length. This effect can be explained through the dynamic evolution of two dimensions of commitment: affective (decreasing over time) and normative (increasing over time). The results also reveal that these effects, however, become flatter for members who engage in more frequent donations.Originality/valueThe results provide novel insights revealing the nonlinear nature of the relationship between the length of time a donor has been a member of a nonprofit organization and the amount donated, and underscores the moderating role of donation frequency, which makes the U-shaped relationship flatter, thus increasing the amounts donated. Despite their relevance in the service ecosystem, nonprofits have been under-represented in prior work. This study offers important practical insights into the effective management of the regular donor portfolio.
Effect of supervisors’ stress on subordinates’ unethical behavior: moderating role of managers’ despotic leadership
Authors: Shah Samar Batool , Afshan Gul , Mirani Manzoor Ali , Solangi Rukhman 
Published: March 2022

PurposeBy applying displaced aggression and conservation of resource theory, this paper aims to investigate the effect of supervisors’ workplace stress over subordinates' unethical behavior through displaced aggression as an underlying mechanism. Moreover, it tests the moderating effect of despotic leadership between supervisors’ workplace stress and displaced aggression.Design/methodology/approachThe data consists of three hierarchy levels: despotic leadership (top manager), supervisor’s (immediate supervisor/middle manager) workplace stress and displaced aggression and subordinates’ unethical behavior. The data was collected from 80 managers about their workplace stress and displaced aggression besides perceived unethical behavior of their 240 subordinates.FindingsThe data analysis of 80 bank managers of Pakistan about their perception of top managers’ despotic behavior and unethical behavior of their 240 subordinates shows the support for all hypothesized relationships. Supervisors’ workplace stress positively affected their displaced aggression over their subordinates, which motivated subordinates to engage in unethical behavior. Moreover, the findings supported the moderating effect of despotic leadership in the relationship between supervisors’ workplace stress and displaced aggression.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the limited studies on the trickledown displaced aggression phenomenon in the service (banking) sector. Moreover, the manager’s despotic leadership role as a higher-level negative supervisory behavior in increasing the supervisors’ displaced aggression shows the critical aspect in such a stressful workplace situation.
PLS algorithm for estimating quality rural electricity on household income in Tanzania
Authors: Muhihi Bikolimana Giliadi , Lusambo Leopold Pascal 
Published: March 2022

PurposeThis paper aims at discussing the impact of quality electricity on household income (HI) in rural areas with complementarities and intermediary resources context.Design/methodology/approachPartial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to estimate complex variables of quality electricity (QEC), development assets (DEA) and individual motivation (IMO) on rural HI. Age, education and gender were treated as moderators of antecedents for HI whilst household strength (HS) was treated as a mediator.FindingsThe findings show that QEC is an important predictor for HI in rural areas. In similar vein, land, social network, financial and physical resources cannot be undermined in bringing HI on stage. Moreover, IMO is a best complementary for electricity to bear impact on income. In fact, income cannot be equated with one factor; hence, moderating roles of education and gender should be considered.Research limitations/implicationsThe results are limited to QEC, IMO and DEA as key resources which are associated with HI.Practical implicationsThe findings should be twinned with rural development policy. There must be a multi-dimensional approach in diversifying development resources to the rural people for aggregated benefits.Social implicationsThe rural communities remain in dire need of electricity which is a precious resource for income generation. Electricity works better with other resources.Originality/valuePrevious scholars have inferred HI in relation to electricity. Income is a function of many resources. This study inculcated complementaries and intermediaries along QEC. Unique PLS-SEM was used in rethinking some of the rethinking of QEC–income relationships.
Mannan‐binding lectin exacerbates the severity of psoriasis by promoting plasmacytoid dendritic cell differentiation via the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3–interferon regulatory factor 8 axis
Authors: Zeng Jiaqi , Wang Di , Luo Jialiang , Li Lei , Lin Luyang , Li Jingyi , Zheng Wen , Zuo Daming , Yang Bin 
Published: March 2022

AbstractPsoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease mediated by host immune responses. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) and interferon (IFN)‐α secreted by pDC are involved in the initiation of psoriasis. Mannan‐binding lectin (MBL), a vital component of the complement pathway, plays a critical role in innate immune defense and the inflammatory response. Our previous study found that MBL could exacerbate skin inflammation in psoriatic mice, but the effect of MBL on pDC remains unstudied. Herein, we revealed that the circulating level of MBL was elevated in patients with psoriasis compared with the healthy controls. Moreover, the MBL level was positively correlated with disease severity, relative inflammatory cytokine levels, and peripheral blood (PB) pDC frequency in psoriasis. An in vitro study determined that the MBL protein could promote the differentiation of human pDC and upregulate the production of relative inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Additionally, MBL‐deficient (MBL−/−) mice exhibited decreased accumulation of pDC in lymph nodes, spleens, and skin lesions with reduced secretion of pDC‐related cytokines compared with wild‐type (WT) mice in the preliminary stage of psoriasis induced by imiquimod. Notably, the differentiation of pDC from bone marrow (BM) cells derived from MBL−/− mice was weakened compared with that from WT mice upon Fms‐like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L) incubation. Mechanistic research indicated that the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)–interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8) axis was responsible for MBL‐modulated pDC differentiation. In summary, these results suggest that MBL exacerbates the severity of psoriasis by enhancing pDC differentiation and pDC‐related cytokine secretion via the STAT3–IRF8 axis, thus providing a new target for psoriasis treatment.
The Word Nerds project: Findings from a research–practice partnership focused on spelling instruction
Authors: Tortorelli Laura S. , Bruner Lori 
Published: March 2022

Learning to spell in English requires the integration of general and specific word knowledge. This paper describes the ‘Word Nerds’ project, a research–practice partnership consisting of two researchers from a large public university and 17 elementary teachers in seven school districts in the United States. The collaboration was formed to study variation in instructional practice among teachers using theWords Their Wayprogramme and address teacher‐generated questions related to how children learn to spell words. This paper describes how stakeholders worked together to understand (1) what grouping and organisational structures teachers use for spelling instruction, (2) the extent to which elementary students use analogy to spell unknown words that share spelling patterns with known words and (3) the affordances and challenges of a partnership approach to educational research. Data collection took place over one school year. Data sources included teacher focus groups, classroom observations and student formative spelling assessment data (n = 178). Analyses included descriptive statistics,t‐tests and multilevel modelling, nesting spelling items in students in classrooms. Findings indicated that classroom observation scores for grouping, teacher talk, student‐to‐student talk, reflection and student engagement during spelling lessons varied depending on format (whole group, small group or pair/individual). Students showed evidence of spelling by analogy, but this strategy was associated in part with the semantic difficulty of the target words. Instructional practices for spelling vary based on teachers' priorities, and teachers need support to implement and prioritise evidence‐based practices. Conducting research in partnership allowed the researchers to observe and understand variation in implementation of a popular spelling programme and to develop and answer research questions that mattered to teachers; however, it also limited the size, scope and location of the project.
What Does the State Innovation Model Experiment Tell Us About States’ Capacity to Implement Complex Health Reforms?
Authors: BOXALL ANNE‐MARIE 
Published: March 2022

Policy Points
To make progress implementing payment and delivery system reforms, state governments need to make genuine stakeholder engagement routine business, develop reforms that build on past successes, and ensure health reform is a top priority for bureaucrats and political leaders.
To support state‐led reform initiatives, the federal government needs to provide financial support directly to state governments; build bureaucratic capability in supporting state officials with policy design and implementation; develop more flexible, outcome‐focused funding programs; reform its own programs, particularly Medicare; and commit to a long‐term strategy for progressing payment and delivery system reforms.
ContextFor decades, Americans have debated whether the states need federal government support to reform health care. The Affordable Care Act has allowed the federal government to trial innovative ways of accelerating state‐led reform initiatives through the State Innovation Model (SIM), which was run by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Innovation Center between 2013 and 2019. This study assesses states’ progress implementing health reforms under SIM and examines how well the federal government supported them.MethodsDetailed case studies were conducted in six states: Arkansas, Connecticut, Oregon, New York, Tennessee, and Washington. Data was collected from SIM evaluation and annual reports and through semistructured interviews with 39 expert informants, mostly state or federal officials involved in SIM. Preliminary findings were tested and refined through an online forum with health policy experts, facilitated by the Milbank Memorial Fund.FindingsStates that made the most progress implementing reforms had a strong track record and managed to sustain stakeholder, bureaucratic, and political support for their reform agenda. There was a clear correlation between past reform success and success under SIM, which raises questions about the value of federal government support beyond providing funding. State officials said the federal government could better support states, particularly those with less reform experience, by providing tailored advice that helped state officials overcome problems designing and implementing reforms. State officials also said the federal government could better support them by reforming their own programs, particularly Medicare, and committing to a long‐term strategy for health system reform.ConclusionsStates can make some progress reforming health care on their own, but real progress requires long‐term cooperation between state and federal governments. Federal initiatives like SIM that foster cooperation between governments should be continued but refined so they provide better support to states.
Microbial community succession of submerged bones in an aquatic habitat
Authors: Kaszubinski Sierra F. , Receveur Joseph P. , Nestle Emily D. , Pechal Jennifer L. , Benbow M. Eric 
Published: March 2022

AbstractAfter death, microbes (including bacteria and fungi) colonize carrion from a variety of sources during the decomposition process. The predictable succession of microbes could be useful for forensics, such as postmortem submersion interval estimation (PMSI) for aquatic deaths. However, gaps exist in our understanding of microbial succession on submerged bone, particularly regarding longer‐term decomposition (>1 year), fungal composition, and differences between internal and external microbial communities. To further explore this potential forensic tool, we described the postmortem microbial communities (bacteria and fungi) on and within submerged bones using targeted amplicon sequencing. We hypothesized predictable successional patterns of microbial colonization would be detected on the surface and within submerged bones, which would eventually converge to a similar microbial community. To best replicate forensic contexts, we sampled bones from replicate swine (Sus scrofa domesticus) carcasses submerged in a freshwater pond, every three months for nearly two years. Microbial bone (internal vs. external) community structure (taxa abundance and diversity) of bones differed for both bacteria and fungi, but internal and external communities did not converge to a similar structure. PMSI estimation models built with random forest regression of postmortem microbiomes were highly accurate (>80% variation explained in PMSI) and showed promise for forensic purposes. Overall, we provide further evidence that internal and external bone microbial communities submerged in an aquatic habitat are distinct and each community undergoes predictable succession, demonstrating potential utility in forensics for modeling PMSI in unattended deaths and/or cold cases.
Underdispersion: A Statistical Anomaly in Reported Covid Data
Authors: Kobak Dmitry 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThroughout the Covid-19 pandemic, we have become used to seeing daily numbers of cases and deaths go up and down. But in some countries, the reported numbers show very little movement over days and weeks – they are “underdispersed”, says Dmitry Kobak, and this may be a sign that all is not right with the data
Oxidation of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural with a novel aryl alcohol oxidase from Mycobacterium sp. MS1601
Authors: Sayed Mahmoud , Gaber Yasser , Junghus Fredrik , Martín Eric Valdés , Pyo Sang‐Hyun , Hatti‐Kaul Rajni 
Published: March 2022

SummaryBio‐based 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) serves as an important platform for several chemicals, among which 2,5‐furan dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) has attracted considerable interest as a monomer for the production of polyethylene furanoate (PEF), a potential alternative for fossil‐based polyethylene terephthalate (PET). This study is based on the HMF oxidizing activity shown by Mycobacterium sp. MS 1601 cells and investigation of the enzyme catalysing the oxidation. The Mycobacterium whole cells oxidized the HMF to FDCA (60% yield) and hydroxymethyl furan carboxylic acid (HMFCA). A gene encoding a novel bacterial aryl alcohol oxidase, hereinafter MycspAAO, was identified in the genome and was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli Bl21 (DE3). The purified MycspAAO displayed activity against several alcohols and aldehydes; 3,5 dimethoxy benzyl alcohol (veratryl alcohol) was the best substrate among those tested followed by HMF. 5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural was converted to 5‐formyl‐2‐furoic acid (FFCA) via diformyl furan (DFF) with optimal activity at pH 8 and 30–40°C. FDCA formation was observed during long reaction time with low HMF concentration. Mutagenesis of several amino acids shaping the active site and evaluation of the variants showed Y444F to have around 3‐fold higher kcat/Km and ~1.7‐fold lower Km with HMF.
Revticulate: An R framework for interaction with RevBayes
Authors: Charpentier Caleb P. , Wright April M. 
Published: March 2022

Abstract

Phylogenetic methods are increasingly complex. Researchers need to make many choices about how to model different aspects of the data appropriately. It is increasingly common to deploy hierarchical Bayesian models in which different data types may be described by different processes. This necessitates tools to help users understand model assumptions more clearly.

We describe the package Revticulate, which provides an R‐based interface to the software RevBayes. RevBayes is a Bayesian phylogenetic program that implements an R‐like computing language, but does not interface with R itself. Revticulate was designed to allow communication between an R session, and all of its associated capabilities, such as plotting and simulation, and a RevBayes session.

Revticulate can be used to copy objects from RevBayes into R. We provide several usage examples demonstrating how objects, such as random variables drawn from probability distributions and phylogenetic trees, can be generated in RevBayes. We then show how these objects can be used with R's phylogenetic ecosystem to plot a phylogenetic tree, or with base R functions to simulate the behaviour of a particular probability.

Revticulate is a broadly useful software. Revticulate can be used alongside popular document preparation packages, such as knitr and pkgdown to generate attractive reports, tutorials and websites. This means that researchers who are looking to communicate their work in RevBayes can do that very easily using Revticulate, enabling rapid generation of reproducible research outputs.
In situ size and motility measurement of aquatic invertebrates with an underwater stereoscopic camera system using tilted lenses
Authors: Lertvilai Pichaya , Jaffe Jules S. 
Published: March 2022

Abstract

In situ observation of traits of aquatic organisms, including size and motility, requires three‐dimensional measurements that are commonly done with a stereoscopic imaging system. However, to observe traits of small aquatic invertebrates, the imaging system requires relatively high magnification, which results in a small overlapping volume between the two cameras of a conventional stereoscopic system. The provision of a larger shared volume would therefore be of great advantage, especially, when the organism abundance is low.

We implement a stereoscopic system that utilizes a tilted lens approach, known as the Scheimpflug principle, to increase the common imaging volume of two cameras. The system was calibrated and tested in the laboratory and then deployed in a saltmarsh to observe water boatmen Trichocorixa californica. Processing of the image data from the field deployments resulted in the simultaneous estimation of the traits of body length and swimming speed of the aquatic insects.

Our stereo setup with tilted lenses increased the sampling volume by 3.1 times compared to a traditional stereo setup with the same optical parameters. The in situ data and subsequent processing reveal that the instrument can capture stereoscopic images that resolve both body length and swimming speed of the aquatic insects. Results indicate that the relationship between the body length and the swimming speed of the water boatmen is linear in the log–log space with an exponent of . Furthermore, the insects experience Reynold's number in the range of –.

Our results demonstrated that the system can be used to observe key traits of small aquatic organisms in an ecologically relevant context. This work expands the capability of underwater imaging systems to measure important traits of an individual aquatic invertebrate in its natural environment and aids in providing a trait‐based approach to zooplankton ecology.