bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Covariant and Contravariant Symbols of Operators on $l^{2}(\mathbb{Z})$
Authors: ELMABROK Abdelhamid S
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we investigate covariant and contravariant symbols of operators generated by a representation of the integer group $\mathbb{Z}$. Then we describe some properties (Existence, Uniqueness, Boundedness, Compactnessi and Finite rank) of these operators and reformulated some know results in terms of wavelet transform (covariant and contravariant symbols).﻿
Fixed Point Formulation Using Exponential Logarithmic Transformations and Its Applications
Authors: C. Ganesa Moorthy
Published: November 2020

The axioms for a metric $D$ were transformed into axioms of the function $\exp D$, and a new generalized metric called multiplicative metric was introduced in 2008 based on these transformed axioms. A review of a method of converting metric fixed point results through logarithmic transformation to multiplicative metric fixed point results and converting multiplicative metric fixed point results through exponential transformation to metric fixed point results has been presented. Applications of this procedure have also been discussed.
Impactos causados pela COVID-19 no setor educacional Brasileiro: Uma análise descritiva
Authors: Granja Isabela da Costa , Sanfins Marco Aurélio , Silva Tuany Esthefany Barcellos de Carvalho , Santos Daiane Rodrgues dos , Santos Pablo Silva Machado Bispo dos
Published: December 2020

Há mais de 51 anos o mundo não vivia uma realidade tão assustadora e com um alto número de mortes, causadas por uma pandemia, como vivemos atualmente com a Covid-19.  A Covid-19 surgiu na China em dezembro de 2019, quando houve relatos de uma infecção respiratória causada por um novo coronavírus, o SARS-CoV-2 (WU, Di; et al. 2020). A doença pode ser transmitida através do aperto de mão, gotículas de saliva e objetos ou superfícies contaminadas (Ministério da Saúde, 2020.). Como consequência de ser altamente contagiosa ocasionou o fechamento de lojas de serviços não essenciais, incluindo escolas e universidades. O propósito desse projeto é analisar os impactos causados pela Covid-19 na educação do Brasil, a fim de comparar as diferentes consequências na Rede Pública e Privada de ensino. Serão utilizadas técnicas de estatística descritiva para descrever e sumarizar os dados, obtidos através do Formulário que foi enviado para docentes e discentes, e testes de hipóteses para afirmar ou negar algumas hipóteses que serão levantadas ao longo deste artigo.
Influence of Brazilian red propolis polymeric nanoparticles in haematology, renal, and hepatic evaluations in dogs
Authors: Melo Mariana Rivelo Rodrigues de , Lira Junior Arnaldo Cesar Oliveira Gomes , Oliveira Karina Pessoa , Nascimento Ticiano Gomes do , Escodro Pierre Barnabé , Notomi Marcia Kikuyo
Published: December 2020

Recognized for various beneficial actions, propolis can be differentiated according to its origin. Red propolis, discovered in the northeast of Brazil, offers a strong antioxidant action. Nanoparticles are an innovative tool in the pharmaceutical field, as they help in efficient drug delivery. This study aimed to use red propolis nanoparticles in dogs and evaluate their action based on hematological and biochemical results. Eight healthy adult dogs (bodyweight, 6–27 kg) received 50 mg/animal of polymeric nanoparticles with 20% red propolis extract in a capsule, orally, once a day. Blood samples were collected weekly (five times), and hematologic, hepatic, and renal evaluations were performed. No significant changes were observed, except for alkaline phosphatase, which showed a significant reduction over time. This study in healthy adult dogs did not verify any hematologic, renal, or hepatic adverse effects of daily oral red propolis polymeric nanoparticles (capsules) administration. The results suggest a potential beneficial effect on the liver.
The making of scientific ethics – lessons from unethical conducts
Authors: Lalchhandama Kholhring
Published: December 2020

With its importance in and influence to our lives, well-being and survival, science has never been more vulnerable to prejudices and scandals as a platform of all sorts of academic misconducts. Lessons are taught by some of the biggest unethical conducts in the recent past which had prompted more stringent ethical guidelines and publication procedures. The case of Yoshitaka Fujii as a scientist with the most number of publications retracted is astonishing. The ability of Yoshihiro Sato to deceive the world leading journals and their referees is astonishing. These cases show that individual or few publications with fabricated data is impervious to detection, but when a series of such faked results is available, it cannot dodge the function of reviewing eventually. The story of Hwang Woo-Suk will forever remain a quintessential pitfall of scientific corruption. The way the purported creation of human stem cell deceived one of the leading journals in the world will be a scientific monument. What could more exemplify breaching ethical standards in human experimentation at the highest level than by He Jiankui’s creation of gene-edited babies? These are the chronicles in the science hall of shame.
Antipodean Aftershocks: Group Settlement of Hebridean and non-Hebridean Britons in Western Australia following World War One
Authors: Jones Roy , Jones Tod
Published: December 2020

In the speech in which the phrase ‘land fit for heroes’ was coined, Lloyd George proclaimed ‘(l)et us make victory the motive power to link the old land up in such measure that it will be nearer the sunshine than ever before … it will lift those who have been living in the dark places to a plateau where they will get the rays of the sun’. This speech conflated the issues of the ‘debt of honour’ and the provision of land to those who had served. These ideals had ramifications throughout the British Empire. Here we proffer two Antipodean examples: the national Soldier Settlement Scheme in New Zealand and the Imperial Group Settlement of British migrants in Western Australia and, specifically, the fate and the legacy of a Group of Gaelic speaking Outer Hebrideans who relocated to a site which is now in the outer fringes of metropolitan Perth.
Large quantum networks
Authors: Sukachev D D
Published: November 2020

Quantum networks that allow generating entangled states between distant qubits have enormous scientific and applied potential. They can be used for secure quantum cryptography and the teleportation of quantum states between cities and countries, in high-resolution astronomy, and in distributed quantum computing. The scattering of photons in an optical fiber and the difficulties in creating full-fledged quantum nodes impede the construction of large quantum networks. We review current approaches to the creation of such networks, with the emphasis on quantum repeaters intended for ‘compensating’ losses in optical fibers. We also discuss methods for increasing the range of quantum cryptography systems without using quantum repeaters.
Economic Evaluation of School Health Programmes: A Mapping Review (2005-2015)
Authors: Lima de Oliveira Fernanda Piana Santos , Moita Galba Freire , Ferreira e Ferreira Efigênia , Araújo Drummond Andreia Maria , Duarte Vargas Andrea Maria , Dias Sônia , Hartz Zulmira
Published: November 2020

The economic evaluation has gained popularity in recent years but, to be useful, it must be conducted and reported accurately. The aim of this study was to perform a mapping review identifying published articles about economic evaluation of school health programmes, characterizing and qualifying what has been published, and discussing how these studies were conducted. The review was carried out in PubMed for studies published in the past decade. The search strategy included "cost", "economic evaluation", "school health services", "school health", "school health promotion" and "school health program”. Thirty-five studies were assessed. The studies addressed ten different countries and cost-effectiveness was the most economic evaluation used. The narrative synthesis gathered the selected studies in nine groups, demonstrating a high heterogeneity of methods and results in the economic analyzes performed. There is evidence that school health programmes can bring benefits to the target population and society. The gathered information in this article can contribute to performing economic evaluation studies and improving programmes
Formación interdisciplinar STEAM + A: vocaciones por género y resultados de la experiencia
Authors: Cortés Rincón Albenis , Álvarez Monrroy Victor Nicolás
Published: November 2020

El presente artículo da cuenta de la implementación de una estrategia de apropiación social del conocimiento a través del semillero denominado STEAM +A el cual busca aportar al desarrollo social y económico del país a través de la promoción de vocaciones en ciencia, tecnología, ingeniería, artes y matemáticas en educación media articulada con educación superior.  La experiencia adquirida ha generado la necesidad de validar, a través de un estudio observacional, la relación existente entre la percepción frente a las disciplinas STEAM +A y el género. En la recolección de información se implementó una encuesta de percepción que fue implementada en un periodo de dos años con un total de cinco mediciones. Debido a la fluctuación de los estudiantes en el servicio de educación pública de la ciudad de Bogotá D.C. (Colombia) la muestra presentó algunas modificaciones por lo que no se puede basar solo en los datos numéricos, sino que se requiere de información cualitativa para lograr una mayor comprensión de lo que sucede. Los resultados indican que no existe una asociación significativa entre el género y las vocaciones en las disciplinas anteriormente mencionadas.
Tendencias para implementar proyectos creativos por estudiantes de administración de empresas
Authors: Balarezo Noboa Mauricio Alberto
Published: November 2020

La economía creativa es considerada como la generación de riqueza basada en el talento, la propiedad intelectual, la conectividad y la cultura en un país, elementos que son apuntalados desde la innovación y el uso de la tecnología. Las actividades creativas aportarían más de dos billones de dólares anuales a la economía mundial. Este estudio pretende conocer las tendencias de los estudiantes de administración de empresas para implementar proyectos creativos, también trata de identificar aquellos elementos de apoyo que deberían provenir tanto de la academia como del Estado hacia el desarrollo de este sector. Se utilizó el método exploratorio descriptivo, estudio de caso en la Facultad de Ciencias Administrativas de la Universidad Central del Ecuador, aplicando encuestas a estudiantes de los últimos niveles pertenecientes a sus tres carreras. El cuestionario se basó en las actividades de la clasificación sectorial de las industrias creativas de la Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre Comercio y Desarrollo (UNCTAD). Entre los resultados se menciona que los estudiantes tienden por la implementación de  proyectos de servicios de publicidad, los relacionados con actividades de I+D y artesanías. Los elementos de apoyo que son necesidad de los estudiantes de esta rama son la formación en propiedad intelectual, capital semilla, asistencia técnica en diseño de prototipos y políticas de Estado apropiadas.
La Sinergasia y nuevos emprendimientos innovadores durante la Pandemia del Covid 19 en Ecuador, primer semestre de 2020
Authors: Játiva Pesantez María Augusta , Cabezas Maldonado Jaime Leopoldo
Published: November 2020

Esta investigación bibliográfica e histórica tiene como objeto encontrar el estado del arte de la teoría de la Sinergasia, ciencia que estudia la cooperación y asociación humana, como una teoría praxeológica de la firma; una entidad empresarial formada al menos por dos individuos, término acuñado por el Doctor Leonardo Ravier en el marco de la Escuela Austriaca de Economía y como la aplicación axiomática de diez principios en los que se fundamenta esta teoría, sirve de explicación de hechos históricos de la empresarialidad y que los observamos en la creación de los nuevos emprendimientos y aplicaciones innovadoras durante el primer semestre del año  2020 en los que el mundo entero en general y el Ecuador en particular se ha visto abocado a una situación de destrucción del ingreso (y producto) de los individuos, debido a la caída del empleo, como resultado de la Pandemia de la enfermedad conocida como COVID 19. Hemos observado por tanto la creación de nuevas modalidades de negocios y actividades productivas, como resultado de la urgente necesidad de adecuarse casos proactivamente a la nueva realidad; de cualquier manera, desde la perspectiva de la empresarialidad con resiliencia, una actitud creativa se ha hecho presente en el mundo de los negocios y se lo ha podido observar durante estos primeros seis meses del año 2020, a pesar de las restricciones impuestas por el Estado.
Gestión administrativa análisis del proceso de adquisiciones en el Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática período 2013-2018
Authors: Espinoza Galvez Rogelio , Asca Agama Pompeyo Gabriel , Ramos Huamán Olga María Del Carmen , Solis Tipian Martín Albino
Published: November 2020

Esta investigación tuvo como propósito analizar la gestión administrativa del Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática en el período 2013 – 2018 en sus procesos de compra de bienes y contratación de servicios. Estudio de enfoque cualitativo, utilizando el estudio de caso, método inductivo. Se utilizaron como métodos de recolección de datos las entrevistas estructuradas en profundidad y el análisis documental de las leyes de contrataciones y el presupuesto de cada año del período del estudio. Se trabajó con una muestra de siete personas entre las que se encontraban funcionarios del INEI y expertos en compras públicas, sus respuestas permitieron evidencias la falta de coordinación entre las áreas, así como deficiencias en el diseño de objetivos y estrategias para las compras, falta de motivación al personal y retrasos en procesos. Se recomienda hacer seguimiento a los procesos de fiscalización posteriores, además de dar retroalimentación y capacitación permanentemente a los trabajadores; se espera que con este estudio se pueda aportar herramientas para que los encargados puedan actualizar normas, manuales de funciones y revisar los requerimientos para que se puedan realizar estudios de mercados de acuerdo a lo que se define en la ley de contrataciones públicas.
Control and Performance Analysis of Variable Speed Pump-Controlled Asymmetric Cylinder Systems under Four-Quadrant Operation
Authors: Zhang Shuzhong , Li Su , Minav Tatiana
Published: November 2020

Since the energy crisis, the further development of a variable speed pump-controlled hydraulic system driven by an electric machine has attracted increasing attention during the past few years. As a response to this, an innovative double pump-controlled asymmetric cylinder system (DPC) and its control method are proposed in this study. The purpose of this study is to investigate the performance of two variable speed pump-controlled systems for asymmetric cylinders under a four-quadrant operating condition, in comparison with single pump control (SPC). The four-quadrant operating principles of the two systems are analyzed by simulation. Simulation models for both systems are introduced, and a position control method is proposed, with a tracking differentiator and speed feedforward, plus proportional-integral-derivative (PID) for four-quadrant operation. The DPC model was validated with the measurement of a crane. The simulations using the validated model were performed with a position reference and a varying load (four-quadrant operating arm of an excavator). The results demonstrated that the velocity fluctuation is eliminated by using the DPC instead of the SPC, and the position control performance of the DPC is better compared to the SPC, although the energy efficiency decreases slightly. Hence, the proposed DPC and its position control method are feasible for the four-quadrant operation of asymmetric cylinders.
Browning of ‘Empire’ and ‘Fuji’ Apples as Affected by Antioxidant Activities
Authors: Jung Seok-Kyu , Choi Hyun-Sug
Published: November 2020

Internal ethylene concentration (IEC) and activities of peroxidase (POX), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) were analyzed to evaluate their effects on browning in late-harvested ‘Empire’ apples (Malus × domestica Borkh.), during air storage at 0.5 °C for five months, and for ‘Fuji’ apples treated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), stored for seven months. IEC remained higher in the ‘Empire’ apples compared to values observed in the ‘Fuji’ apples for up to three months in storage, although 1-MCP treatment reduced the IEC in both fruit cultivars. Antioxidant enzymes, such as PPO, POX, and PAL, mostly increased in the flesh and core tissues in both 1-MCP-treated apple cultivars, but were slightly higher in the ‘Empire’ apples between one and three months of storage time. Browning developed in the ‘Empire’ apples after three months of storage, with high susceptibility to incidences of browning observed on the 1-MCP-treated fruit.
Building a Spatial Information System to Support the Development of Agriculture in Poland and Ukraine
Authors: Szafranska Beata , Busko Malgorzata , Kovalyshyn Oleksandra , Kolodiy Pavlo
Published: November 2020

The space of rural areas is subject to constant changes in terms of structure and development. The area structure of rural areas, especially in the south and east of Poland, remains unsatisfactory. The weakness of Polish agriculture is the fragmentation of the area structure of its farms; this was due to historical, natural, economic and social factors and, to a large extent, tradition. Therefore, the current status of agricultural land in Poland requires carrying out many arrangement and agricultural operations. In Ukraine, there is also no coherent IT system that would allow for the efficient management of rural space and agriculture. In order to conduct a coherent rural development policy in the region, the self-governments in Poland and in Ukraine are facing the need to expand the existing spatial information infrastructure system. This study is a proposal to expand the spatial information system with elements related only to agricultural surveying. To this end, the concept of building the Agricultural Geodesy Module was created as an element of the region’s spatial information system. The Agricultural Land Surveying Module will be an information repository and will enable powering the region’s database. Data supplying the repository will be divided into source data, operational data, metadata and final studies, such as analyses or reports. These data will not only be used by the local government of the region, but will also be made available to external users.
Evaluation of Sub-Lethal Toxicity of Benzethonium Chloride in Cyprinus carpio Liver
Authors: Gheorghe Stefania , Mitroi Daniel N. , Stan Miruna S. , Staicu Cristina A. , Cicirma Marius , Lucaciu Irina E. , Nita-Lazar Mihai , Dinischiotu Anca
Published: November 2020

Benzenthonium chloride (BEC, Hyamine 1622) is a quaternary ammonium surfactant with cationic properties widely used in cleaning, sanitation, and medical products that can become harmful to humans and also to the environment. This study aimed to evaluate its acute effects on Cyprinus carpio fish in terms of oxidative stress and morphological changes on hepatic tissue in order to show the sub-lethal toxicity of BEC. Fish were exposed to 1 mg/L BEC for 24, 48, and 96 h, and the liver samples were collected. The most significant changes were noticed after 96 h of exposure when the entire antioxidant enzyme system was affected. The activities of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione S-transferase decreased by 44%, 31%, 30%, and 45%, respectively, compared to control. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity decreased by 29% after 96 h of control, inducing a reduction of NADPH formation which decreased by half the level of reduced glutathione, the main non-enzymatic antioxidant. These effects correlated with the raised value of lipid peroxidation after 96 h and the morphology changes on hepatic tissue, such as cytoplasmic vacuolization and nuclear hypertrophy that could affect the normal function of the liver. All of these results showed acute toxicity of BEC on C. carpio after 96 h of exposure, causing oxidative stress response at the hepatic level.
A Deep Learning Approach with Feature Derivation and Selection for Overdue Repayment Forecasting
Authors: Liu Bin , Zhang Zhexi , Yan Junchi , Zhang Ning , Zha Hongyuan , Li Guofu , Li Yanting , Yu Quan
Published: November 2020

Risk control has always been a major challenge in finance. Overdue repayment is a frequently encountered discreditable behavior in online lending. Motivated by the powerful capabilities of deep neural networks, we propose a fusion deep learning approach, namely AD-MBLSTM, based on the deep neural network (DNN), multi-layer bi-directional long short-term memory (LSTM) (BiLSTM) and the attention mechanism for overdue repayment behavior forecasting according to historical repayment records. Furthermore, we present a novel feature derivation and selection method for the procedure of data preprocessing. Visualization and interpretability improvement work is also implemented to explore the critical time points and causes of overdue repayment behavior. In addition, we present a new dataset originating from a practical application scenario in online lending. We evaluate our proposed framework on the dataset and compare the performance with various general machine learning models and neural network models. Comparison results and the ablation study demonstrate that our proposed model outperforms many effective general machine learning models by a large margin, and each indispensable sub-component takes an active role.
Classification of Similar Sports Images Using Convolutional Neural Network with Hyper-Parameter Optimization
Authors: Podgorelec Vili , Pečnik Špela , Vrbančič Grega
Published: November 2020

With the exponential growth of the presence of sport in the media, the need for effective classification of sports images has become crucial. The traditional approaches require carefully hand-crafted features, which make them impractical for massive-scale data and less accurate in distinguishing images that are very similar in appearance. As the deep learning methods can automatically extract deep representation of training data and have achieved impressive performance in image classification, our goal was to apply them to automatic classification of very similar sports disciplines. For this purpose, we developed a CNN-TL-DE method for image classification using the fine-tuning of transfer learning for training a convolutional neural network model with the use of hyper-parameter optimization based on differential evolution. Through the automatic optimization of neural network topology and essential training parameters, we significantly improved the classification performance evaluated on a dataset composed from images of four similar sports—American football, rugby, soccer, and field hockey. The analysis of interpretable representation of the trained model additionally revealed interesting insights into how our model perceives images which contributed to a greater confidence in the model prediction. The performed experiments showed our proposed method to be a very competitive image classification method for distinguishing very similar sports and sport situations.
PICCOLO White-Light and Narrow-Band Imaging Colonoscopic Dataset: A Performance Comparative of Models and Datasets
Authors: Sánchez-Peralta Luisa F. , Pagador J. Blas , Picón Artzai , Calderón Ángel José , Polo Francisco , Andraka Nagore , Bilbao Roberto , Glover Ben , Saratxaga Cristina L. , Sánchez-Margallo Francisco M.
Published: November 2020

Colorectal cancer is one of the world leading death causes. Fortunately, an early diagnosis allows for effective treatment, increasing the survival rate. Deep learning techniques have shown their utility for increasing the adenoma detection rate at colonoscopy, but a dataset is usually required so the model can automatically learn features that characterize the polyps. In this work, we present the PICCOLO dataset, that comprises 3433 manually annotated images (2131 white-light images 1302 narrow-band images), originated from 76 lesions from 40 patients, which are distributed into training (2203), validation (897) and test (333) sets assuring patient independence between sets. Furthermore, clinical metadata are also provided for each lesion. Four different models, obtained by combining two backbones and two encoder–decoder architectures, are trained with the PICCOLO dataset and other two publicly available datasets for comparison. Results are provided for the test set of each dataset. Models trained with the PICCOLO dataset have a better generalization capacity, as they perform more uniformly along test sets of all datasets, rather than obtaining the best results for its own test set. This dataset is available at the website of the Basque Biobank, so it is expected that it will contribute to the further development of deep learning methods for polyp detection, localisation and classification, which would eventually result in a better and earlier diagnosis of colorectal cancer, hence improving patient outcomes.
Hydrogen Intramolecular Stretch Redshift in the Electrostatic Environment of Type II Clathrate Hydrates from Schrödinger Equation Treatment
Authors: Burnham Christian J. , Futera Zdenek , Bacic Zlatko , English Niall J.
Published: November 2020

The one-dimensional Schrödinger equation, applied to the H2 intramolecular stretch coordinate in singly to quadruply occupied large cages in extended Type II (sII) hydrogen clathrate hydrate, was solved numerically herein via potential-energy scans from classical molecular dynamics (MD), employing bespoke force-matched H2–water potential. For both occupation cases, the resultant H–H stretch spectra were redshifted by ~350 cm−1 vis-à-vis their classically sampled counterparts, yielding semi-quantitative agreement with experimental Raman spectra. In addition, ab initio MD was carried out systematically for different cage occupations in the extended sII hydrate to assess the effect of differing intra-cage intrinsic electric field milieux on H–H stretch frequencies; we suggest that spatial heterogeneity of the electrostatic environment is responsible for some degree of peak splitting.
Reaction Mechanism of Simultaneous Removal of H2S and PH3 Using Modified Manganese Slag Slurry
Authors: Bao Jiacheng , Wang Xialing , Li Kai , Wang Fei , Wang Chi , Song Xin , Sun Xin , Ning Ping
Published: November 2020

The presence of phosphine (PH3) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in industrial tail gas results in the difficulty of secondary utilization. Using waste solid as a wet absorbent to purify the H2S and PH3 is an attractive strategy with the achievement of “waste controlled by waste”. In this study, the reaction mechanism of simultaneously removing H2S and PH3 by modified manganese slag slurry was investigated. Through the acid leaching method for raw manganese slag and the solid–liquid separation subsequently, the liquid-phase part has a critical influence on removing H2S and PH3. Furthermore, simulation experiments using metal ions for modified manganese slag slurry were carried out to investigate the effect of varied metal ions on the removal of H2S and PH3. The results showed that Cu2+ and Al3+ have a promoting effect on H2S and PH3 conversion. In addition, the Cu2+ has liquid-phase catalytic oxidation for H2S and PH3 through the conversion of Cu(II) to Cu(I).
Positive Association of Serum Alkaline Phosphatase Level with Severe Knee Osteoarthritis: A Nationwide Population-Based Study
Authors: Park Hye-Min , Lee Jun-Hyuk , Lee Yong-Jae
Published: November 2020

Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), a well-known marker of hepatobiliary and bone disorders, has recently been discovered to be a biochemical marker of cardiometabolic diseases and chronic low-grade inflammation. We aimed to evaluate the association of serum ALP level with knee osteoarthritis in the general population. The study included 3060 men and women aged ≥50 years who participated in the 2009–2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The participants were categorized into three groups based on log-transformed serum ALP level as follows: T1 (1.74–2.32), T2 (2.33–2.43), and T3 (2.44–3.01). Their radiographs were evaluated by two well-trained radiologists using the Kellgren–Lawrence (KL) grading system. After excluding those with KL Grade 0, we categorized the remaining participants into two groups, a severe osteoarthritis group (KL Grade 4) and a non-severe osteoarthritis group (KL Grades 1 to 3). The odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of severe osteoarthritis according to the tertiles of log-transformed serum ALP levels of patients with osteoarthritis were calculated using a weighted multivariate logistic regression analysis. Compared with T1, the adjusted ORs (95% CIs) for severe osteoarthritis of the T3 serum ALP group was 1.613 (1.087–2.394; p = 0.018) after adjusting for the confounding variables. Conclusively, serum ALP activity was independently and positively associated with severe knee osteoarthritis in middle-aged and older adults.
Recent Progress in Birdcage RF Coil Technology for MRI System
Authors: Ahmad Sheikh Faisal , Kim Young Cheol , Choi Ick Chang , Kim Hyun Deok
Published: November 2020

The radio frequency (RF) coil is one of the key components of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. It has a significant impact on the performance of the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) detection. Among numerous practical designs of RF coils for NMR imaging, the birdcage RF coil is the most popular choice from low field to ultra-high field MRI systems. In the transmission mode, it can establish a strong and homogeneous transverse magnetic field B1 for any element at its Larmor frequency. Similarly, in the reception mode, it exhibits extremely high sensitivity for the detection of even faint NMR signals from the volume of interest. Despite the sophisticated 3D structure of the birdcage coil, the developments in the design, analysis, and implementation technologies during the past decade have rendered the development of the birdcage coils quite reasonable. This article provides a detailed review of the recent progress in the birdcage RF coil technology for the MRI system.
To Freeze or Not to Freeze? Epidemic Prevention and Control in the DSGE Model Using an Agent-Based Epidemic Component
Authors: Kaszowska-Mojsa Jagoda , Włodarczyk Przemysław
Published: November 2020

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has raised numerous questions concerning the shape and range of state interventions the goals of which are to reduce the number of infections and deaths. The lockdowns, which have become the most popular response worldwide, are assessed as being an outdated and economically inefficient way to fight the disease. However, in the absence of efficient cures and vaccines, there is a lack of viable alternatives. In this paper we assess the economic consequences of the epidemic prevention and control schemes that were introduced in order to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The analyses report the results of epidemic simulations that were obtained using the agent-based modelling methods under the different response schemes and their use in order to provide conditional forecasts of the standard economic variables. The forecasts were obtained using the dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model (DSGE) with the labour market component.
Optimal Siting and Sizing of Wayside Energy Storage Systems in a D.C. Railway Line
Authors: Lamedica Regina , Ruvio Alessandro , Palagi Laura , Mortelliti Nicola
Published: November 2020

The paper proposes an optimal siting and sizing methodology to design an energy storage system (ESS) for railway lines. The scope is to maximize the economic benefits. The problem of the optimal siting and sizing of an ESS is addressed and solved by a software developed by the authors using the particle swarm algorithm, whose objective function is based on the net present value (NPV). The railway line, using a standard working day timetable, has been simulated in order to estimate the power flow between the trains finding the siting and sizing of electrical substations and storage systems suitable for the railway network. Numerical simulations have been performed to test the methodology by assuming a new-generation of high-performance trains on a 3 kV direct current (d.c.) railway line. The solution found represents the best choice from an economic point of view and which allows less energy to be taken from the primary network.
Frictional Properties and Seismogenic Potential of Caprock Shales
Authors: Bohloli Bahman , Soldal Magnus , Smith Halvard , Skurtveit Elin , Choi Jung Chan , Sauvin Guillaume
Published: November 2020

Fractures and faults are critical elements affecting the geomechanical integrity of CO2 storage sites. In particular, the slip of fractures and faults may affect reservoir integrity and increase potential for breach, may be monitored via the resulting seismicity. This paper presents an experimental study on shale samples from Draupne and Rurikfjellet formations from the North Sea and Svalbard, Norway, using a laboratory test procedure simulating the slip of fractures and faults under realistic stress conditions for North Sea CO2 storage sites. The motivation of the study is to investigate whether the slip along the fractures within these shales may cause detectable seismic events, based on a slip stability criterion. Using a direct shear apparatus, frictional properties of the fractures were measured during shearing, as a function of the shear velocity and applied stress normal to the fracture. We calculated the friction coefficient of the fractures during the different stages of the shear tests and analysed its dependency on shear velocity. Information on velocity-dependent friction coefficient and its evolution with increasing slip were then used to assess whether slip was stable (velocity-strengthening) or unstable (velocity-weakening). Results showed that friction coefficient for both Draupne and Rurikfjellet shales increased when the shear velocity was increased from 10 to 50 µm/s, indicating a velocity-strengthening behaviour. Such a behaviour implies that slip on fractures and faults within these formations may be less prone to producing detectable seismicity during a slip event. These results will have implications for the type of techniques to be used for monitoring reservoir and caprock integrity, for instance, for CO2 storage sites.
Gas-Liquid Flow and Interphase Mass Transfer in LL Microreactors
Authors: Doyle Brendon J. , Morin Frederic , Haelssig Jan B. , Roberge Dominique M. , Macchi Arturo
Published: November 2020

This work investigates the impact of fluid (CO2(g), water) flow rates, channel geometry, and the presence of a surfactant (ethanol) on the resulting gas–liquid flow regime (bubble, slug, annular), pressure drop, and interphase mass transfer coefficient (kla) in the FlowPlateTM LL (liquid-liquid) microreactor, which was originally designed for immiscible liquid systems. The flow regime map generated by the complex mixer geometry is compared to that obtained in straight channels of a similar characteristic length, while the pressure drop is fitted to the separated flows model of Lockhart–Martinelli, and the kla in the bubble flow regime is fitted to a power dissipation model based on isotropic turbulent bubble breakup. The LL-Rhombus configuration yielded higher kla values for an equivalent pressure drop when compared to the LL-Triangle geometry. The Lockhart–Martinelli model provided good pressure drop predictions for the entire range of experimental data (AARE < 8.1%), but the fitting parameters are dependent on the mixing unit geometry and fluid phase properties. The correlation of kla with the energy dissipation rate provided a good fit for the experimental data in the bubble flow regime (AARE < 13.9%). The presented experimental data and correlations further characterize LL microreactors, which are part of a toolbox for fine chemical synthesis involving immiscible fluids for applications involving reactive gas–liquid flows.
Soft Drink Consumption in Young Mexican Adults Is Associated with Higher Total Body Fat Percentage in Men but Not in Women
Authors: Campos-Ramírez Cesar , Ramírez-Amaya Víctor , Olalde-Mendoza Liliana , Palacios-Delgado Jorge , Anaya-Loyola Miriam Aracely
Published: November 2020

A high consumption of soft drinks (SDs) has been linked with the development of anthropometric and metabolic alterations. We evaluate the association between SD consumption and some anthropometric and metabolic variables. This study is an observational study, using a sample of 394 university students, of which 158 were men (40.1%) and 238 women (59.9%), between 18 and 30 years. An SD intake questionnaire provided the consumption of different SDs. The participants’ weight, height, and waist and hip circumferences were collected. Metabolic biomarkers were analyzed. The average intake of caloric SDs (CSDs) was 1193.6 ± 1534.8 mL/week and 84.5 ± 115.02 mL/week for non-caloric SDs (NCSDs). Sex differences were found in the amount of SD consumption and these statistical differences were driven by those men subjects with a high total body fat percentage (TBF%). In men, correlations were found between the intake of CSDs and the body mass index, waist and hip circumferences, TBF%, and visceral fat percentage. In woman, a correlation was found with glucose and triglycerides. The prediction model revealed that the intake of CSDs predicts TBF% and low-density lipoprotein only in men. A high amount of CSD consumption in men was associated with a high TBF%, and this may be predictive of future development of metabolic abnormalities.
Impact of Environmental Factors on the Prevalence Changes of Allergic Diseases in Elementary School Students in Ulsan, Korea: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Lee Jiho , Yun Seokhyun , Oh Inbo , Kim Min-ho , Kim Yangho
Published: November 2020

We examined the effect of long-term changes in environmental factors on the prevalence of allergic diseases in elementary school students in Ulsan, Korea. This longitudinal study was conducted among 390 students who were enrolled from three elementary schools in Ulsan in both the first (2009–2010) and second survey (2013–2014). The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire was used to determine the prevalence of allergic diseases and hazardous environmental factors. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to investigate the impact of environmental factors on the change in the prevalence of allergic diseases. The survey revealed that an increased risk of allergic rhinitis was associated with exposure to secondhand smoke, the remodeling of a room, the replacement of wallpaper or flooring, the use of a humidifier, and irritation symptoms of air pollution. Atopic dermatitis was associated with the relocation to or repairs of a new house, and allergic conjunctivitis was associated with low levels of weekly physical activity, the use of insecticides, and irritation symptoms of air pollution. The results indicate that (1) allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis are associated with indoor pollution, (2) allergic conjunctivitis is associated with exposure to indoor chemical compounds and low levels of weekly physical activity. This study suggested that the proper evaluation and decrease in the number of environmental risk factors could effectively manage allergic diseases.
Comparative Analysis of User Exposure to the Electromagnetic Radiation Emitted by the Fourth and Fifth Generations of Wi-Fi Communication Devices
Authors: Sârbu Annamaria , Miclăuș Simona , Digulescu Angela , Bechet Paul
Published: November 2020

A suitable metric to describe human exposure to microwaves emitted by wireless communication devices is still incomplete. By using both theoretical analysis and experimental validation (in controlled and real deployed networks), we analyze and compare the specificity of exposure due to data transmissions in different configurations of fourth and fifth generation wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) standards in the proximity of a mobile device. Measurements made use of the capability of the amplitude probability density incorporated in a real-time spectrum analyzer, proving its agility of highlighting different user exposure profiles. The results are presented comparatively and indicate that, in Wi-Fi networks, the modulation and coding scheme (MCS) should be used together with the duty cycle for an improved exposure assessment. The present work introduces the emitted energy density per bit in describing the user’s exposure to Wi-Fi signals and proves its superiority in characterizing the true levels of exposure for the IEEE 802.11n and 802.11ac standards of communication.
Emotional Intelligence and the Different Manifestations of Bullying in Children
Authors: Alvarado Jesús M. , Jiménez-Blanco Amelia , Artola Teresa , Sastre Santiago , Azañedo Carolina M.
Published: November 2020

The main objective of this research was to help clarify the relationship between ability emotional intelligence (AEI) and bullying in children. Bullying is a maladaptive behaviour that generates severe adverse consequences in the school environment and is a matter of growing concern in the educational community. To investigate the relationship between AEI and bullying, we administered two tests to a sample of 329 students (52.9% girls) aged between 8 and 12 years old (Mage = 9.3; SD = 1.2). AEI was assessed using a test based on the interpretation of cinema scenes (EMOCINE). EMOCINE was designed to measure two of the primary factors considered in Mayer and Salovey’s ability model: emotional perception and emotional understanding. Furthermore, we administered a measure of bullying and school violence (AVE), which provides a global index of bullying, as well as a measure of its intensity, by considering eight scales or types of victimisation (harassment, intimidation, coercion, threats, social blocking, social exclusion, manipulation and aggression). The results show that age had a statistically significant effect on measures of bullying, while gender showed an interaction with victimisation types. A reduction in bullying behaviours was observed as the age of children increased, while gender-based analyses revealed different patterns in bullying behaviours. Regarding EI, it was observed that students with high AEI scores presented the lowest levels in both global bullying indexes and the victimisation types. Consequently, AEI seems to have important implications for bullying behaviours, and therefore, interventions aimed at the evaluation, training and development of AEI might offer the educational community the possibility of preventing or redirecting bullying situations.
Mental Health of Chinese Online Networkers under COVID-19: A Sociological Analysis of Survey Data
Authors: Xiao Yang , Bian Yanjie , Zhang Lei
Published: November 2020

This paper reports the results of a recent survey of Chinese WeChat networkers (n = 2015, August 2020) about China’s mental health conditions under COVID-19. The purpose of the survey was to measure symptoms of depression, anxiety, and somatization by using a standard 18-item battery and assess how the results were related to an individual’s socioeconomic status, lifestyle, and social capital under an ongoing pandemic. The survey reveals that the pandemic has had a significant impact, as the respondents had more serious mental symptoms when their residential communities exhibited a greater exposure to the spread of the virus. The socioeconomic status of the respondents was negatively associated with the mental symptoms. It modified the impact of COVID-19, and its effect was substantially mediated by measures of lifestyle and social capital.
Risk Factors on the Progression to Clinical Outcomes of COVID-19 Patients in South Korea: Using National Data
Authors: Kim Seon-Rye , Nam Seoul-Hee , Kim Yu-Rin
Published: November 2020

10–20% of COVID (Corona Virus Disease)-19 cases proceed to a severe stage, and age and the presence of comorbidity increased the risk of death from COVID-19. The identification of risk factors on progression to the severity stages is essential in providing more efficient and suitable management to COVID-19 patients. However, there is insufficient study on risk factors for severity stages of COVID-19 patients. In this study, 2959 confirmed COVID-19 patients were analyzed while using national data, COVID-19 patients Clinical Epidemiological Information provided from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The epidemiological variable, hospital room, periods from confirmation to release, initial symptom and vital signs, underlying comorbidities, and initial blood variables were used to verify the relation with progression to severity stages of COVID-19 and severe COVID-19. The chi-square test, welch test, multiple regression and logistic regression analysis were performed. The ICU (Intensive Care Unit) admission rate of patients having characteristics, such as older age, male, abnormal BMI (Body Mass Index), high heart rate, high body temperature, fever, cough, sputum, sore throat, rhinorrhea, fatigue, dyspnea, change of consciousness, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, chronic artery disease, chronic kidney disease, cancer, dementia, abnormal hemoglobin, abnormal hematocrit, abnormal lymphocyte, abnormal platelets, and abnormal white blood cell were high. The risk factors for severe COVID-19 were older age, shorter hospitalization, abnormal lymphocyte, abnormal platelets, dyspnea, change of consciousness, and dementia. Whereas, significant predictors for progression to severity stages of COVID-19 were older age, longer period from confirmation to release, higher BMI, higher body temperature, abnormal lymphocyte, abnormal platelets, fever, no sore throat, dyspnea, no headache, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), and dementia. Therefore, classifying patients with a high risk of severe stage of COVID-19 and managing patients by considering the risk factors could be helpful in the efficient management of COVID-19 patients.
Does Multiple Sclerosis Differently Impact Physical Activity in Women and Man? A Quantitative Study Based on Wearable Accelerometers
Authors: Pau Massimiliano , Porta Micaela , Coghe Giancarlo , Frau Jessica , Lorefice Lorena , Cocco Eleonora
Published: November 2020

In people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), fatigue, weakness and spasticity may reduce mobility and promote sedentary behavior. However, little is known about the existence of possible differences in the way MS modifies the propensity to perform physical activity (PA) in men and women. The present study aimed to partly close this gap by means of quantitative analysis carried out using wearable sensors. Forty-five pwMS (23 F, 22 M, mean age 50.3) and 41 unaffected age- and sex-matched individuals wore a tri-axial accelerometer 24 h/day for 7 consecutive days. Raw data were processed to calculate average number of daily steps, vector magnitude (VM) counts, and percentage of time spent in sedentary behavior and in PA of different intensities (i.e., light and moderate-to-vigorous, MVPA). Women with MS spent more time in sedentary behavior and exhibited a reduced amount of light intensity activity with respect to men, while MVPA was similar across sexes. However, in comparison with unaffected individuals, the overall PA patterns appear significantly modified mostly in women who, in presence of the disease, present increased sedentary behavior, reduced MVPA, number of daily steps and VM counts. The findings of the present study highlight the urgency of including sex as variable in all studies on PA in pwMS.