bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Direito Antitruste e Poder Econômico: o movimento populista e “neo-brandeisiano”
Authors: Domingues Juliana Oliveira , Gaban Eduardo Molan
Published: February 2020

O papel do direito antitruste tem ganhado especial atenção com o crescimento e fortalecimento das grandes empresas de tecnologia nos mercados digitais. No Brasil, conforme a Constituição Federal, um dos objetivos da concorrência é o combate aos abusos do poder econômico. Assim, com base nos métodos exploratório e dialético, o presente artigo foi desenvolvido com três propósitos distintos e complementares: i) trazer, brevemente e historicamente, os fundamentos do direito antitruste, ii) esclarecer os contornos do movimento populista no direito antitruste (também chamado de “hispter” ou “brandeisiano”), e iii) apontar como referido movimento pode colaborar para o enfrentamento dos novos desafios do direito antitruste nos mercados digitais.
Constitution, Democratie et Etat
Authors: Rousseau Dominique
Published: February 2020

Une pensée unique se diffuse ainsi dans le Monde entier répétant que le Droit et en particulier la Constitution seraient responsables tout à la fois de l’affaiblissement des Etats, de la dissolution des identités nationales, de la colère des peuples, de la crise des démocraties et de la montée des populismes. Et, au bout de cette pensée, naturellement, la dénonciation de la Constitution.  Moins de constitution pour plus de démocratie, telle est la nouvelle devise. Grave erreur! La conjoncture politique actuelle invite à mettre le droit en position de résistance à un glissement généralisé des sociétés européennes vers une conception et une pratique sécuritaires du pouvoir. Moins de constitution c’est plus de populisme car c’est la constitution qui construit le citoyen quand le populisme se réfère aux “gens” et ce sont les droits constitutionnels qui font accéder à la délibération publique quand le populisme les efface pour mieux.
Segurança pública como direito fundamental: o atual cenário de crise
Authors: Lessa Sávio Antiógenes Borges , Hecktheuer Fabio Rychecki
Published: February 2020

O Brasil enfrenta uma séria crise na segurança pública, com altos índices de criminalidade. Parece que todas as ações governamentais no sentido de combater o avanço da criminalidade tem sido infrutíferas. Muitos são os fatores que contribuem para isso, mas destacamos como principal hipótese a corrupção epidêmica, pois esta compromete o funcionamento da máquina estatal. O objetivo deste trabalho é demonstrar que a segurança pública, por ter a finalidade de assegurar o gozo dos demais direitos constitucionais, é um direito fundamental que precede aos outros direitos e que o Brasil vive um cenário de crise onde a violência tornou-se epidêmica. Busca-se, também, a importância de se tratar a segurança pública com seriedade, realizando políticas públicas eficazes, eficientes e efetivas, pois só assim será possível combater a violência que assola o país.
Mental Time Travel in Shakespeare’s Sonnets: Aesthetic Art in Neuropsychological Perspectives
Authors: Al-Abdullah Mufeed
Published: February 2020

This study means to analyze Shakespeare’s use of mental time travel (MTT) in his collection of sonnets, especially those addressed to his young friend. It also hopes to amplify that Shakespeare’s versification of MTT anticipates modern neuropsychological studies on the topic. The article tackles MTT in light of four different premises induced from the sonnets subject to analysis: first, MTT occurs in the sonnets in correlation with objective time; second, the dual constructive and destructive nature of time triggers the need for the memory-based MTT; third, the disparaging effect of time on the poet and the friend’s mother is meant to stimulate the young friend to heed the future of his extraordinary beauty under the strokes of ruthless time; and, fourth, the destructive force of time on non-human beings and natural phenomena provides another stimulus to urge the young friend to heed the dangers of time on his future.
“I hunt. He bakes.”: Constructing and Deconstructing Gender Identity in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games Trilogy
Authors: Thibordee Rakchuda
Published: February 2020

This article aims to investigate the construction of the gender identity of the young-adult female protagonist in The Hunger Games trilogy. Through the lens of Judith Butler’s gender performativity, both male and female characters in the trilogy manifest different perspectives of masculinity and femininity through the deconstruction of the gender binary. Similar to the muttation of the mockingjays, the female protagonist hybridizes masculinity and femininity. Katniss Everdeen embraces both masculine and feminine attributes simultaneously, and this adoption promotes an alternative way of performing gender. Gender, hence, becomes a choice for characters to perform to present themselves. In this regard, Judith Butler’s gender performativity is applied to analyze Katniss’s gender identity that deconstructs the ideologies of the traditional gender binary. The adoption of gender performativity may encourage awareness and empowerment of gender equality in the trilogy.
Youth Athletes’ Moral Decision Making Levels and Sportspersonship Behavior Levels of Coaches
Authors: Karakullukçu Ömür F.
Published: February 2020

The aim of this study is to determine moral decision making attitudes of youth athletes and sportspersonship behavior levels of their coaches; and to test them in terms of certain variables. The study is in a descriptive research model; the sample group consists of 294 certified athletes playing in youth sports teams; the ages range between 11 and 17. As measurement, “Attitudes to Moral Decision-Making in Youth Sport Questionnaire-2 (AMDYSQ-2)” and “Sportspersonship Coaching Behaviors Scale (SCBS)” were used.

In order to test whether the data meet the prerequisite for multivariable tests, Skewness and Kurtosis values and Levene and Box M values were investigated. In the analysis of data, descriptive statistics methods, MANOVA, ANOVA and Pearson Correlation analysis were used. In order to determine the reliability of scales, their Cronbach Alpha internal consistency coefficients were calculated.

MANOVA results show that AMDYSQ-2 has a significant impact on all independent variables whereas SCBS has a significant impact on “gender” and “branch involvement duration” variables. According to the correlation results, there is a positive and low-level significant correlation between “acceptance of cheating” and “keep winning in proportion” factors of SCBS and “setting expectations for good sportspersonship”, “teaching good sportspersonship”, “reinforcing sportspersonship”, “prioritizing winning over good sportspersonship” and “modeling good sportspersonship” factors of AMDYSQ-2.

As a result, it is concluded that for the athletes, “acceptance of cheating” factor of AMDYSQ-2 and “setting expectations for good sportspersonship” factor of SCBS are the most important factors.
Análise comparativa de geocoberturas em três vertentes no Chapadão do Diamante, Serra da Canastra-MG, Brasil
Authors: Nazar Thallita Isabela Silva Martins , Rodrigues Sílvio Carlos
Published: February 2020

O presente artigo tem por objetivo a caracterização física de três vertentes representativas do Chapadão do Diamante, na Serra da Canastra, tendo em vista a diversidade de formas de relevo e de geocoberturas ali presentes. A aplicação das análises laboratoriais de granulometria contribuiu para a caracterização morfológica dos materiais, para o melhor entendimento dos processos físicos atuantes durante a sua gênese. Foram aplicadas técnicas de peneiramento e sedimentação, que permitiram uma importante diferenciação entre as três vertentes analisadas, além da elaboração de curvas granulométricas para cada camada nos diferentes pontos amostrais a partir do peneiramento, sendo que os dados oriundos da sedimentação foram lançados no triângulo textural. Os resultados demonstraram, também, variações dentro dos próprios transectos, indicando respostas dos materiais às características do terreno e do substrato.
A aplicação de parâmetros morfométricos no estudo do relevo das bacias do Rio Santo Antônio e Ribeirão Grande, Serra da Canastra, Sudoeste de Minas Gerais
Authors: Magalhães Camila Silva , Rodrigues Silvio Carlos
Published: February 2020

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo estudar como se configura a morfodinâmica das áreas compreendidas pelas bacias do Rio Santo Antônio e do Ribeirão Grande, localizadas na região sudoeste de Minas Gerais, utilizando-se de análises geomorfométricas, auxiliadas pelo uso de geotecnologias. Para isso, através da base cartográfica disponibilizada pelo IBGE em escala 1:50.000 da área de estudo, foi gerado um modelo digital de terreno hidrologicamente consistido (MDT-HC), a partir do qual foram extraídos e mensurados os atributos a serem correlacionados nos parâmetros morfométricos, buscando elucidar os aspectos lineares, areais e hipsométricos dessas bacias. Além disso, frente ao seu complexo contexto geotectônico, oriundo da evolução diacrônica da Faixa Brasília Meridional, também foi elaborado um mapa de lineamentos identificando feições morfoestruturais e morfológicas lineares de maior detalhe para essa área. Por fim, nos resultados, busca-se espacializar e ilustrar as relações entre a morfometria e a morfologia da região estudada, comprovando-se a profunda influência dos aspectos geotectônicos sobre essas e que, apesar das várias semelhanças aparentes, elas possuem dinâmicas energéticas diferenciadas.
Aspectos metodológicos e operacionais em morfometria fluvial, a partir do Geoprocessamento
Authors: Araujo Marina Silva , Maruschi Vinícius de Oliveira
Published: February 2020

Uma das etapas mais importante na ciência é a propagação do conhecimento. Para alguns filósofos, o conhecimento guardado para o indivíduo perde o seu valor. Sendo assim, este trabalho busca trazer, de maneira objetiva, o modus operandi de desenvolvimento de uma pesquisa acerca da temática Geomorfologia Fluvial e Geoprocessamento. Muitos são os trabalhos que realizam estudos de casos sobre a referida pesquisa e esse é um ponto muito positivo, pois uma parte de se fazer uma pesquisa é validar os resultados em outras regiões geográficas, cujos atributos físicos sejam semelhantes ou não. Isso permite, inclusive, determinar se tais metodologias são aplicáveis em condições climáticas tropicais, dentre outras situações. No entanto, grande parte desses estudos de caso se resume à explanação dos resultados obtidos e, dificilmente, focam não só nas metodologias, eles também analisam os procedimentos operacionais necessários para se chegar a tais resultados. Por diversas vezes, as horas gastas em se descobrir modos mais aplicáveis de determinadas metodologias ficam omitidas nos capítulos das dissertações e teses, artigos, dentre outros meios de divulgação. Assim, considerando os avanços das geotecnologias, o artigo em questão surge com o objetivo de demostrar, de forma aplicada, os benefícios operacionais de tais avanços na ciência Geomorfológica. Ao longo do trabalho, objetivou-se demonstrar, pelo Sistemas de Informação Geográfica (SIG’s), como desenvolver Índices Morfométricos pertinentes aos estudos de canais fluviais e quais são os benefícios de se trabalhar essa temática nesses ambientes.
Texture analysis using complex system models: fractal dimension, swarm systems and non-linear diffusion
Authors: Machado Bruno Brandoli , Rodrigues Junior Jose Fernando
Published: February 2020

Texture is one of the primary visual features used to computationally describe the patterns found in nature. Existing computational methods, however, do not successfully discriminate the complexity of texture patterns. Such methods disregard the possibility of describing images by benefiting from the complex systems properties that are characteristic to textures. To do so, we created approaches based on the Bouligand-Minkowski fractal dimension, swarm-system Artificial Crawlers, and non-linear diffusion of Perona-Malik, techniques that led to methodologies with efficacy and efficiency comparable to the state-of-the-art. The results achieved in the four methodologies described in this work demonstrated the validity and the potential of our hypothesis in tasks of pattern recognition. The contributions of our methodologies shall support advances in materials engineering, computer vision, and agriculture.
A Framework for Predictable Hardware/Software Component Reconfiguration
Authors: Reis João Gabriel , Bezerra Eduardo Augusto , Fröhlich Antônio Augusto
Published: February 2020

The current pace of innovation in computing makes it difficult to assume a fixed set of requirements for the whole life span of a system. Aggressive technology scaling also imposes additional constraints to modern hardware platforms. Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) reconfiguration can help systems cope with dynamic requirements such as performance and power, hardware defects due to Negative-Bias Temperature Instability (NBTI) and Process, Voltage and Temperature (PVT) variations, or application requirements unforeseen at design time. This work proposes a framework for reconfigurable components whereby the reconfiguration of a component implementation is performed transparently without user intervention. The reconfiguration process is confined in system's idle time without interfering with or being interfered by other activities occurring in the system or even peripherals performing I/O. A telecommunications switch was used as a case study for the deployment of reconfigurable components as well as the impact I/O interference has in the process and to explore non-functional trade-offs between implementations.
Uma nova abordagem para a segmentação de pulmões utilizando o método de contorno ativo não paramétrico Optimum Path Snakes em imagens de tomografia computadorizada
Authors: Medeiros Aldísio G. , Peixoto Solon A. , Barros Antonio Carlos S. , de Albuquerque Victor Hugo C. , Rebouças Filho Pedro P.
Published: February 2020

Este trabalho propõe uma nova abordagem para a segmentação pulmonar utilizando o método adaptativo e não paramétrico baseado em contornos ativos chamado Optimum Path Snakes (OPS), em imagem de tomografia computadorizada. O método é combinado com o extrator Análise de Densidades dos Tecidos Humanos (ADH) para a extração de características. Foram utilizadas 72 imagens pulmonares de voluntários com fibrose, doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica e sadios. Os resultados mostram que o OPS combinado com ADH apresenta potencial competitivo frente aos demais métodos comparados, alcançando valores de Acurácia e Sensibilidade na ordem de 99,88%±00,12 e 99,25%±00,33, respectivamente. Com índices de similaridade ao padrão-ouro superiores a 95%, em média, podemos concluir que a abordagem proposta pode ser utilizada para auxílio ao diagnóstico médico em pneumologia.
Desenvolvimento de descritores baseado em análise de forma para diagnóstico de lesões pulmonares
Authors: dos S. Neto Antonino Calisto , Ramos Alexandre Ribeiro C. , de C. Filho Antonio Oséas , de Sousa Alcilene D. , Drumond Patricia Medyna L. de L.
Published: February 2020

O câncer de pulmão é um dos tipos mais comuns de câncer e o que possui maior índice de mortalidade no mundo. A automatização do diagnóstico por sistemas de visão computacional, através da análise das imagens médicas, proporciona uma interpretação a respeito da patologia. A ideia é utilizar as características de forma extraídas das imagens dos nódulos pulmonares, para classificar em maligno ou benigno. Este trabalho apresenta o desenvolvimento de descritores baseado na análise de forma, para caracterização do nódulo. Os testes apresentaram resultados promissores com uma acurácia de 92%, uma especificidade de 89,2%, uma sensibilidade 91,5% e umaárea sob a curva ROC de 0,920.
Aprendizado Profundo para a classificação de blocos de tecidos pulmonares em imagens de Tomografia Computadorizada de Alta Resolução
Authors: Dartora Aline , de Oliveira Lucas Ferrari
Published: February 2020

Doenças pulmonares intersticiais (DPI) envolvem vários padrões de imagem anormais observados em exames de tomografia computadorizada de alta resolução. A caracterização automatizada de tecidos é um componente essencial de um sistema de auxílio ao diagnóstico por computador deste tipo de doença. As redes neurais convolucionais profundas aprendem características diretamente dos dados de treinamento em vez de extraí-los manualmente evitando a necessidade de otimização de extratores de características. Nesse contexto, o presente trabalho busca investigar um método de classificação utilizando aprendizado profundo para melhorar o desempenho de sistemas CAD no diagnóstico de DPIs. Resultados preliminares atingiram uma taxa de reconhecimento geral de 74,9% na classificação das cinco classes de DPIs em estudo.
Uma Abordagem de Classificação de Imagens Dermatoscópicas Utilizando Aprendizado Profundo com Redes Neurais Convolucionais
Authors: Santos Alan , Aires Kelson , Veras Rodrigo , Uchôa Valeska , Santos Luís
Published: February 2020

A identificação automática do melanoma em imagens dermatoscópicas ainda é um problema de difícil solução. Nesse contexto, esse trabalho propõe uma abordagem de classificação dessas imagens, utilizando Aprendizado Profundo com Redes Neurais Convolucionais. As arquiteturas Alexnet e VGG-F foram treinadas com imagens dermatoscópicas, em seguida, utilizadas como modelo para descrição de características, através das últimas camadas totalmente conectadas. A classificação dos dados extraídos foi realizada por alguns algoritmos tradicionais. No melhor resultado da abordagem, o classificados K-Vizinhos mais Próximos atingiu uma acurácia de 91,5%, com índice kappa igual a 0,83, recall e precisão maiores que 0,9.
Um Sistema de Diagnóstico de Leucemia utilizando CNN's Pré-treinadas e um Comitê de Classificadores
Authors: Vogado Luis H. S. , Veras Rodrigo M. S. , Andrade Alan R. , Santos Luís G. T. , Aires Kelson R. T. , Machado Vinicius P.
Published: February 2020

A leucemia está entre as doenças que mais afligem os jovens e adultos, causando assim uma morte precoce. Para auxiliar os especialistas no diagnóstico dessa doença, existem sistemas de auxílio por computador. Estes evitam que os diagnósticos sofram com variáveis como experiência e o cansaço do especialista, colaborando com uma prescrição de medicamentos mais adequada e evitando um tratamento inadequado. Neste trabalho, é apresentada uma nova metodologia para a criação de um sistema de diagnóstico da leucemia com o uso de CNN's, PCA e um comitê de classificadores. A base de dados ALL-IDB1 foi utilizada na realização dos experimentos e obtivemos 98,14% de acurácia, sobrepondo os resultados apresentados na literatura.
NutriMob Kids - Um Aplicativo Para Avaliação, Prescrição e Monitoramento da Terapia Nutricional Enteral Domiciliar em Pediatria
Authors: Callegari Daniel A. , Dias Raquel da Luz , Feoli Ana M. P. , Araújo Murilo de O. , Hofmeister Laura
Published: February 2020

Um dos principais componentes da assistência domiciliar em pediatria é a terapia nutricional enteral. O uso de tecnologias que apoiam as etapas de implementação do tratamento promove maior segurança e qualidade de vida aos profissionais, pacientes e cuidadores envolvidos. Este artigo descreve o desenvolvimento de uma solução computacional de suporte à avaliação, à prescrição e ao monitoramento da terapia nutricional enteral domiciliar para pacientes pediátricos, desenvolvido com base no OpenUP e suportado por diagramas UML. Os resultados do projeto incluem um website para profissionais de saúde e um aplicativo móvel, que permite que familiares ou cuidadores monitorem as orientações sobre a terapia nutricional prescrita.
Sistema de Suporte à Decisão baseado em Lógica Fuzzy para Outorga de Recursos Hídricos Superficiais
Authors: de Oliveira Carlos Ueslei R. , Zeilhofer Peter
Published: February 2020

A crescente demanda por recursos hídricos tem obrigado os gestores a criarem mecanismos de controle para garantir a sustentabilidade dos mananciais e gerir conflitos entre usuários. Neste trabalho está exposto o desenvolvimento de um Sistema de Suporte à Decisão baseado em lógica fuzzy e AHP para avaliar os efeitos dos usos múltiplos em bacias hidrográficas sobre a disponibilidade hídrica considerando características quantitativas e qualitativas da água. Possibilita também a geração de cenários para solução de possíveis conflitos, distribuindo o ônus para manutenção do sistema hidrológico entre usuários projetados e já instalados em uma bacia. Concepção e funcionamento do protótipo e suas saídas são ilustrados.
Biodiversity Data Quality Profiling: A practical guideline
Authors: Veiga Allan Koch , Saraiva Antonio Mauro
Published: February 2020

The increasing availability of biodiversity data worldwide, provided by an in creasing number of institutions, and the growing use of those data for a variety of purposes have raised concerns related to the "fitness for use" of such data and the impact on the outcomes of these uses. To tackle this issues a conceptual framework was defined in the context of the Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) to serve as consistent approach to assess and manage data quality (DQ) of biodiversity data. Based on this framework we propose a method to define DQ Profiles that describes the meaning of "fitness for use" in a given context and enable the DQ assessment and improvement.
Previsão de precipitações utilizando a técnica de previsão por conjuntos e um algoritmo baseado no vizinho mais próximo
Authors: Dutra e Campos Márcio Francisco , Gouvêa Júnior Maury Meirelles
Published: February 2020

Este trabalho apresenta um método de previsão de precipitações que utiliza a abordagem estocástica de previsão por conjuntos (ensembles) e a técnica do vizinho mais próximo (KNN) para selecionar, entre várias distribuições de probabilidades candidatas, aquelas que melhor aderem aos dados observados. A pesquisa utiliza as séries históricas de dados hidrológicos disponibilizados pela Agência Nacional de Águas (ANA). Os resultados preliminares mostram que o método proposto gera previsões que são, pelo menos, comparáveis a diversos métodos de regressão.
Os Dois Lados de Containers: Explorando o Balanço Entre Isolamento e Desempenho de Funções de Rede Virtualizadas
Authors: Kagami Nicolas Silveira , Gaspary Luciano Paschoal
Published: February 2020

Network Function Virtualization (NFV) tem sido sugerida como solução à histórica dependência da indústria de telecomunicações em implantar dispositivos físicos dedicados para prover novas funcionalidades. Para que NFV seja amplamente adotada pela indústria, é fundamental que a robustez e o desempenho não estejam muito longe daqueles observados no contexto de middleboxes tradicionais. A utilização de containers tem sido estudada recentemente como uma alternativa mais leve e com melhor desempenho do que a vastamente empregada virtualização de hardware. No entanto, a maioria das investigações não explora o custo de exercer isolamento no desempenho de containers. Tal consideração pode ser decisiva e não pode ser negligenciada, uma vez que a implementação do isolamento em containers é mais intrincada que em virtualização de hardware. Neste artigo propõe-se caracterizar a relação de compromisso entre isolamento e desempenho em ambientes NFV baseados em containers. Mais especificamente, explora-se eixos de tecnologias de isolamento, comunicação, funções de rede e anomalias.
Smart Cities: An Autonomic Management Architecture in the Context of IoT
Authors: Tibúrcio Pablo , Santos Marcelo , Fernandes Stênio
Published: February 2020

Network infrastructure management is a critical area for the maintenance of the network and quality of services provided by networks. This management has become quite complex as networks become larger and more heterogeneous. Thus, it increases the costs of management and the possibility of human error as well. Internet of Things (IoT) is an environment that offers these challenges. Management in IoT combines network infrastructure and node (end devices) management. Smart City (SC) is another environment with these management challenges because it is comprised by IoT, but even more complex, owing to large scale and the single administrative domain. In such regard, traditional mechanisms of network and devices management are not efficient. Thus, this work proposes AutoManIoT an architectural solution for autonomic network and devices management to the IoT and SC environments. The proposed architecture use an approach of dynamic and elastic network services provisioning through Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) technologies. These technologies improve the network control and operation efficiency and narrow the network management to application requirements.
Avaliação de desempenho de um controlador SDN implementado como uma VNF
Authors: Mendes Danyel , Santos Marcelo , Fernandes Stenio
Published: February 2020

No presente trabalho, realizamos experimentos com um controlador SDN implementado como uma função de rede virtual nos hypervisores de código aberto KVM e XEN e comparamos os parâmetros de desempenho mais críticos em relação a um cenário nativo com o propósito de mensurar a degradação de desempenho causada pela virtualização. Utilizamos Cbench para emular redes SDN e avaliar o desempenho e a latência do controlador Floodlight. Descobrimos que a virtualização do controlador no ambiente KVM resultou na degradação do processamento de fluxos em 29%, apresentou um aumento do tempo de resposta de 22% e utilizou bem menos o processador em relação ao ambiente Xen, que apesar de ter sobrecarregado a CPU em 25%, foi capaz de atingir o melhor desempenho, tempo de resposta e a menor utilização de memória RAM.
Analisando a participação do Brasil e dos demais países da América Latina nos encontros do IETF
Authors: Braga Juliao , Endo Patricia Takako , Santos Marcelo , Nobre Jéferson Campos , da Silva Leylane Graziele Ferreira , Campos Gleyson Rhuan Nascimento , Omar Nizam
Published: February 2020

Este artigo aborda a participação de brasileiros nos encontros do IETF comparando com outros países da América Latina e Caribe. Adicionalmente ele descreve as iniciativas de participação no desenvolvimento de documentos e os movimentos que disponibilizam recursos para financiar tais participações. Descreve as iniciativas brasileiras que estimulam a participação e recomenda outras que levadas a cabo no Brasil e em outros países da América Latina e Caribe aumentarão a presença de mais voluntários.
MicroRNAs as Next Generation Therapeutics in Osteoporosis
Authors: Kaur Taruneet , Kapila Rajeev , Kapila Suman
Published: February 2020

Bone is an active tissue that works as a tissue and an organ as well. It is constituted of cells and blood vessels by nearly 10% of its volume, while the rest 90% is majorly contributed by extracellular portion. Bone is a living structure stably undertaking continual remodeling between bone formation and bone resorption, where bone-forming cells (osteoblasts) and bone-resorbing cells (osteoclasts) exhibit a crucial role. The differentiation process of osteoblasts and osteoclasts takes place in a balanced manner under normal conditions. This intricate balance is chiefly sustained by biochemical signaling cascades, facilitating accurate bone homeostasis in the body. Loss of balance/misregulated signaling in the bone development or disruption may lead to pathological conditions such as osteoporosis, arthritis, etc. Among several regulators for bone-signaling pathways, microRNAs have appeared as an imperative control of gene expression at the level of post-transcription while addressing the genes that control bone remodeling with appropriate responses in the pathogenesis and perhaps the management of bone diseases. Further, microRNAs control the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which finally influence the bone formation. Hence, there is a great possibility in exploiting microRNAs as putative therapeutic targets for the medical relief of bone associated disorders, including osteoporosis.
Monitoring of Tsunami/Earthquake Damages by Polarimetric Microwave Remote Sensing Technique
Authors: Li Dong , Zhang Yunhua , Liang Liting , Yang Jiefang , Wang Xun
Published: February 2020

Polarization characterizes the vector state of EM wave. When interacting with polarized wave, rough natural surface often induces dominant surface scattering; building also presents dominant double-bounce scattering. Tsunami/earthquake causes serious destruction just by inundating the land surface and destroying the building. By analyzing the change of surface and double-bounce scattering before and after disaster, we can achieve a monitoring of damages. This constitutes one basic principle of polarimetric microwave remote sensing of tsunami/earthquake. The extraction of surface and double-bounce scattering from coherency matrix is achieved by model-based decomposition. The general four-component scattering power decomposition with unitary transformation (G4U) has been widely used in the remote sensing of tsunami/earthquake to identify surface and double-bounce scattering because it can adaptively enhance surface or double-bounce scattering. Nonetheless, the strict derivation in this chapter conveys that G4U cannot always strengthen the double-bounce scattering in urban area nor strengthen the surface scattering in water or land area unless we adaptively combine G4U and its duality for an extended G4U (EG4U). Experiment on the ALOS-PALSAR datasets of 2011 great Tohoku tsunami/earthquake demonstrates not only the outperformance of EG4U but also the effectiveness of polarimetric remote sensing in the qualitative monitoring and quantitative evaluation of tsunami/earthquake damages.
Near-fatal Periprosthetic Infection with Streptobacillus moniliformis: Case and Review
Authors: Smallbones Matthew , Monem Mohammed , Baganeanu Marina , Okocha Michael , Sofat Rajesh
Published: February 2020

Abstract. Case presentation of a 66 year old female with penicillin hypersensitivity, who suffered late acute periprosthetic infection of her total knee replacement. After emergency surgery and admission to intensive care, the responsible organism was later identified as Streptobacillus moniliformis.This serves as the first documented case of Streptobacillus moniliformis prosthetic joint infection. As standard culture mediums provide an exceedingly low detection rate, 16S PCR should instead be used as the first line method of identification. As a result, its detection is largely dependent on clinicians recognising relevant factors within the patient's history, namely close contact with rodents. In a patient with penicillin hypersensitivity, carbapenems have demonstrated potential as an effective treatment strategy.
1917 y nosotros Julián Casanova, entrevistado por Alejandro Lillo
Authors: Lillo Alejandro
Published: February 2020

Entrevista al Prof. Julián Casanova, por Alejandro Lillo.
La ética indolora. Las alternativas ecopacifistas
Authors: Pérez Garzón Juan Sisinio
Published: February 2020

Se plantea la tesis de que el desarrollo de una ética ecopacifista puede considerarse una revolución histórica. La idea de revolución no tiene por qué ceñirse a la violencia y destrucción. En este artículo se rescatan las propuestas y formas de cambio social basadas en principios noviolentos y de armonía con la naturaleza. Se aporta una reflexión básica sobre el despliegue de una ética noviolenta y de una ética ecologista.  Ambas, con la figura de Thoreau como punto de partida, y con el denominador común de haber subvertido los valores colectivos y los comportamientos individuales. Junto con el feminismo, han ampliado rotundamente el campo de los derechos y las metas justicia social.
Stopping sperm in their tracks
Authors: McGoldrick Luke L , Chung Jean-Ju
Published: February 2020

An automated high-throughput platform can screen for molecules that change the motility of sperm cells and their ability to fertilize.
Three-dimensional nephrometry scoring system: a precise scoring system to evaluate complexity of renal tumors suitable for partial nephrectomy
Authors: Liu Jingchao , Liu Jing , Wang Shuo , Zhao Haifeng , Tian Chuanxin , Shi Benkang , Jiang Xianzhou
Published: February 2020

Purpose

Several nephrometry scoring systems have been developed based on two-dimensional computerized tomography images to quantify anatomical features of renal tumors. We have developed an accurate three-dimensional nephrometry scoring system to respond to the urgent need for advanced systems based on three-dimensional images.

Materials and Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 135 patients who underwent partial nephrectomy in our institution. Stereoscopic models were reconstructed from preoperative computerized tomography images and three-dimensional scores were assigned directly on stereoscopic models. All tumors were analyzed for following features: tumor volume; endophytic tumor proportion; renal vascular variations; tumor’s relationships with urinary collecting system or renal sinus; longitudinal distance from tumor to equatorial plane. Correlation between three-dimensional score and warm ischemic time was calculated compared with existing classical nephrometry scoring systems. The value of nephrometry scoring systems predicting longer warm ischemic time was explored by receiver operating characteristic curves.

Results

Mean tumor volume was 31.25 ml; endophytic volume was less than 50% in 42 cases, more than 50% in 79 cases, and 100% in 14 cases; mean longitudinal distance from tumor to equatorial plane was 1.41 cm; 30 patients (22.2%) presented renal vascular variations; 18 cases (13.3%) involved both urinary collecting system and sinus. Mean three-dimensional score was 8.3. Variance analysis and covariance analysis revealed warm ischemic time a significant association with all evaluated tumor features. Furthermore, three-dimensional scores most highly correlated with warm ischemic time (rs = 0.64, p < 0.001), followed by R.E.N.A.L. scores (rs = 0.21, p = 0.012), centrality index (rs = − 0.20, p = 0.019) and Preoperative Aspects and Dimensions Used for Anatomy score (rs = 0.20, p = 0.019). Area under curve of above nephrometry scoring systems was 0.91, 0.67, 0.68 and 0.67 respectively (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The three-dimensional scoring system developed in this study was a highly-accurate system to quantify the anatomical features of renal tumors. It was identified to have a value in predicting duration of warm ischemic time.
n‐Doping of a Low‐Electron‐Affinity Polymer Used as an Electron‐Transport Layer in Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes
Authors: Smith Hannah L. , Dull Jordan T. , Longhi Elena , Barlow Stephen , Rand Barry P. , Marder Seth R. , Kahn Antoine
Published: February 2020

n‐Doping electron‐transport layers (ETLs) increases their conductivity and improves electron injection into organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs). Because of the low electron affinity and large bandgaps of ETLs used in green and blue OLEDs, n‐doping has been notoriously more difficult for these materials. In this work, n‐doping of the polymer poly[(9,9‐dioctylfluorene‐2,7‐diyl)‐alt‐(benzo[2,1,3]thiadiazol‐4,7‐diyl)] (F8BT) is demonstrated via solution processing, using the air‐stable n‐dopant (pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)(1,3,5‐trimethylbenzene)ruthenium dimer [RuCp*Mes]2. Undoped and doped F8BT films are characterized using ultraviolet and inverse photoelectron spectroscopy. The ionization energy and electron affinity of the undoped F8BT are found to be 5.8 and 2.8 eV, respectively. Upon doping F8BT with [RuCp*Mes]2, the Fermi level shifts to within 0.25 eV of the F8BT lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, which is indicative of n‐doping. Conductivity measurements reveal a four orders of magnitude increase in the conductivity upon doping and irradiation with ultraviolet light. The [RuCp*Mes]2‐doped F8BT films are incorporated as an ETL into phosphorescent green OLEDs, and the luminance is improved by three orders of magnitude when compared to identical devices with an undoped F8BT ETL.
Modified endoscopic Denker approach in management of inverted papilloma of the anterior maxillary sinus
Authors: Lee Jivianne T. , Yoo Frederick , Wang Marilene , Vengerovich Gennadiy , Suh Jeffrey D.
Published: February 2020

Background

Inverted papilloma (IP) is a benign epithelial tumor of the sinonasal cavity that is locally aggressive and has a propensity for recurrence. Tumors involving the anterior maxillary sinus can be challenging to reach endoscopically, and have historically been approached through a Caldwell‐Luc or canine fossa trephination. We present a case series of 22 patients with maxillary IPs originating from the anterior wall, which were successfully resected using a modified endoscopic Denker (MED) procedure. This technique enables access to the entire maxillary sinus without the need for a separate transseptal or sublabial incision.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed on patients who underwent the MED approach for management of maxillary IPs involving the anterior wall from 2012 to 2018. The demographic data, clinical presentation, radiographic findings, pathology, and surgical outcomes were reviewed.

Results

Twenty‐two patients were identified, including 13 males and 9 females. Eighteen of the 22 patients had prior surgery and all had Krouse stage 3 disease. After a mean follow‐up of 24 (range, 4‐63) months, only 1 patient (4.5%) developed a recurrence, which was treated successfully with endoscopic resection. Complications included 1 patient with preoperative epiphora who required dacryocystorhinostomy, epistaxis in another, and 1 patient with transient upper lip numbness. No patients developed alar notching or pyriform aperture stenosis.

Conclusion

The MED technique is highly effective for surgical resection of primary and recurrent maxillary IPs involving the anterior wall, providing complete access to the entire maxillary sinus. In many cases, the MED can obviate the need for an adjunctive sublabial or transseptal incision, while also providing excellent exposure for postoperative surveillance.
Speeding up the Generation of Entangled State between a Superconducting Qubit and Cavity Photons via Counterdiabatic Driving
Authors: Yan Run‐Ying , Feng Zhi‐Bo , Li Ming , Zhang Chun‐Li , Zhao Zheng‐Yin
Published: February 2020

Optimal generation of entangled states is of critical significance for robust quantum information processing. An effective scheme is presented for speeding up the generation of an entangled state between a superconducting qubit and microwave photons via counterdiabatic driving. At a magic bias point, the first three levels of a charge‐phase quantum circuit constitute an effective qutrit. An entangled state based on adiabatic population transfer is first achieved. By the technique of shortcuts to adiabaticity, a counterdiabatic driving is applied to the qutrit, which then accelerates the entanglement generation significantly. Moreover, with the accessible decoherence rates, the rapid operations in a shortcut way are highly robust when compared with adiabatic manipulations. The scheme could offer a promising approach toward optimal preparation of entangled states with superconducting artificial atoms in circuit quantum electrodynamics, experimentally.
Alga‐mediated facile green synthesis of silver nanoparticles: Photophysical, catalytic and antibacterial activity
Authors: Borah Debasish , Das Neeharika , Das Nirmalendu , Bhattacharjee Ankita , Sarmah Pampi , Ghosh Kheyali , Chandel Madhurya , Rout Jayashree , Pandey Piyush , Ghosh Narendra Nath , Bhattacharjee Chira R.
Published: February 2020

A facile, convenient and green method has been employed for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using dried biomass of a green alga, Chlorella ellipsoidea. The phytochemicals from the alga, as a mild and non‐toxic source, are believed to serve as both reducing and stabilizing agents. The formation of silver nanoparticles was confirmed from the appearance of a surface plasmon resonance band at 436 nm and energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. The transmission electron microscopy images showed the nanoparticles to be nearly spherical in shape with different sizes. A dynamic light scattering study revealed the average particle size to be 220.8 ± 31.3 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed the occurrence of alga‐derived phytochemicals attached to the outer surface of biogenically accessed silver nanoparticles. The powder X‐ray diffraction study revealed the face‐centred cubic crystalline structure of the nanoparticles. The as‐synthesized biomatrix‐loaded AgNPs exhibited a high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of the hazardous pollutant dyes methylene blue and methyl orange. The catalytic efficiency was sustained even after three reduction cycles. A kinetic study indicated the degradation rates to be pseudo‐first order with the degradation rate being 4.72 × 10−2 min−1 for methylene blue and 3.24 × 10−2 min−1 for methyl orange. The AgNPs also exhibited significant antibacterial activity against four selected pathogenic bacterial strains.
Synthesis and application of a novel thermostable epoxy plasticizer based on levulinic acid for poly(vinyl chloride)
Authors: Wang Yigane , Nie Xiaoan , Fang Guigan , Xiao Laihui
Published: February 2020

Epoxy bisphenol acid isooctyl ester (EBAIE) was synthesized and characterized by FTIR and H‐NMR. EBAIE was used as poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) plasticizer for the first time, and its addition amount was 30 wt% of PVC. The mechanical properties, thermal stability, compatibility, and decomposition activation energy of PVC blends were systematically studied. Compared to the commercial plasticizer‐dioctyl phthalate (DOP), the tensile strength had been significantly increased from 30.64 to 45.07 MPa, while the elongation at break had little difference. The thermal stability analysis showed that the static stability time at 180°C had been extended from 40 to 300 min. The decomposition activation energy indicated that the EBAIE plasticized PVC was with a higher thermal stability. The extraction and volatility resistance of the novel plasticizer were superior to those of DOP.
Spectroscopic characterization of nine binary star systems as well as HIP 107136 and HIP 107533
Authors: Heyne T. , Mugrauer M. , Bischoff R. , Wagner D. , Hoffmann S. , Lux O. , Munz V. , Geymeier M. , Neuhäuser R.
Published: February 2020

We present the results of our second radial velocity (RV) monitoring campaign, carried out with the Échelle spectrograph FLECHAS at the University Observatory Jena in the course of the Großschwabhausen binary survey between December 2016 and June 2018. The aim of this project is to obtain precise RV measurements for spectroscopic binary stars in order to redetermine, verify, improve, and constrain their Keplerian orbital solutions. In this paper, we describe the observations, data reduction, and analysis and present the results of this project. In total, we have taken 721 RV measurements of 11 stars and derived well‐determined orbital solutions for nine systems (seven single‐ and two double‐lined spectroscopic binaries) with periods in the range between 2 and 70 days. In addition, we could rule out the orbital solutions for the previously classified spectroscopic binary systems HIP 107136 and HIP 107533, whose radial velocities are found to be constant on the km s−1‐level over a span of time of more than 500 days. In the case of HIP 2225, a significant change of its systematic velocity is detected between our individual observing epochs, indicating the presence of an additional companion, which is located on a wider orbit in this system.
Electrochemical Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Investigations of FeN4‐Based Macrocyclic Molecules Adsorbed on Au(111) and Their Implications in the Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Facchin Alessandro , Kosmala Tomasz , Gennaro Armando , Durante Christian
Published: February 2020

Electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (EC‐STM) has become a reference among in operando techniques for probing the surface at molecular and atomic levels, allowing the fundamental processes occurring at the microscopic scale to be understood while an electrochemical reaction is occurring. Metal‐porphyrins and metal‐phthalocyanines (MN4) are synthons in biological molecules and have been successfully employed in the homogeneous as well as heterogeneous catalysis of many reactions. Therefore, studying the behavior in situ at the solid/liquid interface of these molecules allows information on their electronic and topographic structures to be obtained. Herein, Fe(II)‐ and Fe(III)‐coordinated phthalocyanines were examined by using the EC‐STM technique. An Au(111) single crystal was used as substrate to be functionalized with Fe‐phthalocyanines. These molecules were characterized in their ability to catalyze the oxygen reduction reaction, which is of great interest, especially in fuel cell technology. The FeN4 molecules in the form of an adlayer represent the catalyst material, which is probed under potential control in 0.1 M HClO4 by EC‐STM, with the aim to obtain information about the O2 adsorption/reduction process.
Improved formulation of the latent variable model inversion–based optimization problem for quality by design applications
Authors: Palací‐López Daniel , Villalba Pedro , Facco Pierantonio , Barolo Massimiliano , Ferrer Alberto
Published: February 2020

Latent variable regression model (LVRM) inversion is a relevant tool for finding, if they exist, different combinations of manufacturing conditions that yield the desired process outputs. Finding the best manufacturing conditions can be done by optimizing an appropriately formulated objective function using nonlinear programming. To this end, different formulations of the optimization problem based on LVRM inversion have been proposed in the literature that allow the use of happenstance data (eg, historical data) for this purpose, present lower computational costs than optimizing in the space of the original variables, and guarantee that the solution will conform to the correlation structure of available data from the past. However, these approaches, as presented, suffer from some limitations, such as having to actively modify the constraints imposed on the solution to achieve different sets of conditions to those available in the LVRM calibration dataset, or the lack of a standardized approach for optimizing a linear combination of variables. Furthermore, when minimizing or maximizing one or more outputs, a severe handicap is also present related to the definition of arbitrarily low or high “desired” values. This paper aims at tackling all of these issues. The resulting proposed formulation of the optimization problem is illustrated with three case studies.
Atroposelective Synthesis of 3,3’‐Bisindoles Bearing Axial and Central Chirality: Using Isatin‐Derived Imines as Electrophiles
Authors: Sheng Feng‐Tao , Li Zhi‐Min , Zhang Yi‐Zhu , Sun Li‐Xing , Zhang Yu‐Chen , Tan Wei , Shi Feng
Published: February 2020

Summary of main observation and conclusion

An atroposelective synthesis of a new class of 3,3’‐bisindoles bearing axial and central chirality has been established via catalytic asymmetric addition reactions using isatin‐derived imines as electrophiles (23 examples, up to 80% yield, > 95 : 5 dr, 98 : 2 er). This approach takes advantage of chiral phosphoric acid‐catalyzed dynamic kinetic resolution of 2‐substituted 3,3’‐bisindoles via nucleophilic addition of such substrates with isatin‐derived imines. In this approach, isatin‐derived imines acted as a class of competent electrophiles due to their high reactivity and bulky size, which provided an easy access to axially chiral 3,3'‐bisindoles incorporated with a biologically important chiral 3‐aminooxindole unit. This approach has greatly expanded the generality and applicability of the strategy of dynamic kinetic resolution for the synthesis of enantioenriched 3,3’‐bisindole derivatives bearing both axial and central chirality.