bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fear thy neighbor: Spillovers from economic policy uncertainty
Authors: Biljanovska Nina , Grigoli Francesco , Hengge Martina
Published: January 2021

High levels of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) in various parts of the world revamped the debate about its impact on economic activity. Employing heterogeneous panel structural vector autoregressions, we test for EPU spillovers on other countries’ economic activity. EPU reduces growth in real output, private consumption, and private investment, with spillovers from abroad accounting for about two‐thirds of the effect. Using local projections, we show that EPU surges in the United States, Europe, and China reduce economic activity in the rest of the world, with the effects being mostly felt in Europe and the Western Hemisphere.
The dental management of the asthmatic patients
Authors: Baghani Ehsan , Ouanounou Aviv
Published: January 2021

Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory condition characterized by airway inflammation and obstruction. Our increased knowledge and understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of this condition has widely assisted us in delivering effective therapies. Physicians strive to provide the best treatment modality to achieve symptom‐control and minimize the adverse effects of medication use. Nonetheless, patients continue to endure oral complications from the use of asthma medications. As dentists, it is prudent to address these oral complications and promote the oral health of these patients by way of early preventive and therapeutic dental intervention. This must be accomplished by adhering to certain precautionary measures for the sake of avoiding intraoperative problems while optimizing oral care. In this article, we discuss the diagnosis, oral findings, dental care, and emergency management of the asthmatic patients.
A Scientific Marketplace
Authors: Bender Andrea
Published: January 2021

Cognitive science thrives on the diversity of its (sub‐)disciplines, and topiCS is the ideal journal for bringing the diversity to bear. In this welcome address as its incoming Executive Editor, I outline my view of the journal and my vision for how to sustain its inviting and integrative power.
Profiling thimet oligopeptidase‐mediated proteolysis in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Iannetta Anthony A. , Rogers Holden T. , Al‐Mohanna Thualfeqar , O’Brien Juliana N. , Wommack Andrew J. , Popescu Sorina C. , Hicks Leslie M.
Published: January 2021

Protein homeostasis (proteostasis) is crucial for proper cellular function, including the production of peptides with biological functions through controlled proteolysis. Proteostasis has roles in maintenance of cellular functions and plant interactions with the environment under physiological conditions. Plant stress continues to reduce agricultural yields causing substantial economic losses; thus, it is critical to understand how plants perceive stress signals to elicit responses for survival. As previously shown in Arabidopsis thaliana, thimet oligopeptidases (TOPs) TOP1 (also referred to as organellar oligopeptidase) and TOP2 (also referred to as cytosolic oligopeptidase) are essential components in plant response to pathogens, but further characterization of TOPs and their peptide substrates is required to understand their contributions to stress perception and defense signaling. Herein, label‐free peptidomics via liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry was used to differentially quantify 1111 peptides, originating from 369 proteins, between the Arabidopsis Col‐0 wild type and top1top2 knock‐out mutant. This revealed 350 peptides as significantly more abundant in the mutant, representing accumulation of these potential TOP substrates. Ten direct substrates were validated using in vitro enzyme assays with recombinant TOPs and synthetic candidate peptides. These TOP substrates are derived from proteins involved in photosynthesis, glycolysis, protein folding, biogenesis, and antioxidant defense, implicating TOP involvement in processes aside from defense signaling. Sequence motif analysis revealed TOP cleavage preference for non‐polar residues in the positions surrounding the cleavage site. Identification of these substrates provides a framework for TOP signaling networks, through which the interplay between proteolytic pathways and defense signaling can be further characterized.
Conservation and diversification of HAIRY MERISTEM gene family in land plants
Authors: Geng Yuan , Guo Lei , Han Han , Liu Xing , Banks Jo Ann , Wisecaver Jennifer H. , Zhou Yun
Published: January 2021

The shoot apical meristems (SAMs) of land plants are crucial for plant growth and organ formation. In several angiosperms, the HAIRY MERISTEM (HAM) genes function as key regulators that control meristem development and stem cell homeostasis. To date, the origin and evolutionary history of the HAM family in land plants remains unclear. Potentially shared and divergent functions of HAM family members from angiosperms and non‐angiosperms are also not known. In constructing a comprehensive phylogeny of the HAM family, we show that HAM proteins are widely present in land plants and that HAM proteins originated prior to the divergence of bryophytes. The HAM family was duplicated in a common ancestor of angiosperms, leading to two distinct groups: type I and type II. Type‐II HAM members are widely present in angiosperms, whereas type‐I HAM members were independently lost in different orders of monocots. Furthermore, HAM members from angiosperms and non‐angiosperms (including bryophytes, lycophytes, ferns and gymnosperms) are able to replace the role of the type‐II HAM genes in Arabidopsis, maintaining established SAMs and promoting the initiation of new stem cell niches. Our results uncover the conserved functions of HAM family members and reveal the conserved regulatory mechanisms underlying HAM expression patterning in meristems, providing insight into the evolution of key stem cell regulators in land plants.
Whole blood donors' post‐donation symptoms diminish quickly but are discouraging: Results from 6‐day symptom diaries
Authors: Sweegers Maike G. , Twisk Jos W.R. , Quee Franke A. , Ferguson Eamonn , van den Hurk Katja
Published: January 2021

Background

Whole blood donors may experience post‐donation symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, or headache after blood donation, which could influence donor retention. We aimed to examine post‐donation symptoms during 1 week after whole blood donation, investigate donor characteristics associated with symptoms, and evaluate associations between symptoms and donor return.

Methods

During 1 week, whole blood donors who donated successfully at one of the collection centers in The Netherlands were invited to participate. Three thousand seventy six donors filled in a diary, assessing post‐donation symptoms during days 1 to 6 after donation. We used linear mixed models analyses to determine the change in post‐donation symptoms after donation for male and female donors separately. Furthermore, we investigated associations between post‐donation symptoms and donors' physical characteristics using multivariable regression and determined associations between symptoms and donor return.

Results

Donors reported fatigue as the most common symptom, with approximately 3% of donors experiencing severe problems at the first day after donation. Multiple symptoms improved significantly up to day 3 after whole blood donation. Age, BMI, blood pressure (male donors), and blood volume (female donors) were significantly associated with post‐donation symptoms. Donors with less fatigue after whole blood donation were more likely to return for their next donation within 31 days after receiving an invitation.

Conclusion

Post‐symptoms improve up to 3 days after whole blood donation. Our results may help blood collection centers to identify donors more prone to post‐donation symptoms and provide personalized information about the presence and course of post‐donation symptoms, possibly increasing donor return rates.
Another Modernity
Authors: Boulouque Clémence
Published: January 2021

STANFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

Stanford, California

STANFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

Stanford, California

© 2020 by the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system without the prior written permission of Stanford University Press....
The Legacy of Pluralism
Authors: Croce Mariano , Goldoni Marco
Published: January 2021

Book Abstract: How should the state face the challenge of radical pluralism? How could constitutional orders be changed when they prove unable to regulate society? Santi Romano, Carl Schmitt, and Costantino Mortati, the leading figures of Continental legal institutionalism, provided three responses that deserve our full attention today. Mariano Croce and Marco Goldoni introduce and analyze these three towering figures for a modern audience. Romano thought pluralism to be an inherent feature of legality and envisaged a far-reaching reform of the state for it to be a platform of negotiation between autonomous normative regimes. Schmitt believed pluralism to be a dangerous deviation that should be curbed through the juridical exclusion of alternative institutional formations. Mortati held an idea of the constitution as the outcome of a basic agreement among hegemonic forces that should shape a shared form of life.
The Legacy of Pluralism explores the convergences and divergences of these towering jurists to take stock of their ground-breaking analyses of the origin of the legal order and to show how these help us cope with the current crisis of national constitutional systems.
Conjugate Thermal Optimization With Unsupervised Machine Learning
Authors: Smith Reid , Dutta Sandip
Published: January 2021

With advances in additive manufacturing of metal components, commercial production of complex turbine components is becoming feasible. Thus, designers are not constrained to the limitations of conventional manufacturing methods. A new conjugate optimization technique is proposed, which is not computationally demanding and can be used when several heat transfer modes are working simultaneously. For this study, film cooling holes in the leading edge of a gas turbine airfoil are optimized without trial and error simulations. Since the machine learning technique is not dependent on thermal analysis, the optimization technique can be applied to any nonlinear problem. Film hole sizes are optimized to minimize coolant flow rate while reducing the temperature variations in the stationary vane. The technique used a transfer function based iterative optimization process with unsupervised machine learning that has been termed nonlinear optimization with replacement strategy (NORS). It uses a grading metric to replace the worst performing hole combinations with one that has been optimized with a given objective and several constraints. Optimized results show significant reductions in vertical temperature variations along the leading edge while minimizing coolant flow rate. Reduced temperature variation results in reduced thermal stresses. The finite element (FE) model and the associated correlations are not part of the unsupervised machine learning technique; therefore, the proposed optimization model can be generalized for any engineering design with multiple inputs for learning and multiple outputs for grading.
Methodology for Calculating Minor Radioactive Releases From VVER 1000 Using TRACE Code
Authors: Ruscak M. , Mazzini G. , Dambrosio A. , Musa A.
Published: January 2021

After the Fukushima DAIICHI accident, new safety requirements were imposed in order to reduce risk of severe accident. One of the principles that have been adopted is the introduction of emergency action levels resulting from the expected consequences. They cover a wide range of component and system malfunctions resulting in emergency, incident, and/or accident conditions. To evaluate those emergency action levels, thermal hydraulic (TH) analyses simulating these malfunction/incident/accident conditions are required. This paper describes the simulation of a real operational incident scenario using a standard thermal hydraulic model of the power plant in the TRACE code that was originally intended for simulation of design basis accidents such as large break coolant accident or loss of flow accident. Special attention was given to the methodology, addressing a long duration of an incident with corrective actions of the operators, and to computational issues leading to model modifications caused by a long duration of the incident along with the necessary conservatisms in the estimated results of the simulated radioactivity release.
Mitigation of Pressure Fluctuations From an Array of Pulse Detonation Combustors
Authors: Haghdoost Mohammad Rezay , Thethy Bhavraj S. , Edgington-Mitchell Daniel , Habicht Fabian , Vinkeloe Johann , Djordjevic Neda , Paschereit Christian Oliver , Oberleithner Kilian
Published: January 2021

An annular plenum is integrated downstream of six pulse detonation combustors arranged in a canannular configuration. The primary purpose of the plenum is the mitigation of pressure and velocity fluctuations, which is crucial for operation with a downstream turbine. The flow inside the plenum is investigated by means of flush-mounted pressure transducers arranged in the axial and circumferential directions. The test rig is operated in different firing patterns at 16.7 Hz per tube. Two firing patterns are studied to characterize the shock dynamics inside the plenum. The obtained data allows for a better understanding of shock interaction and attenuation inside the plenum, as well as the quantification of pressure fluctuations at the plenum outlet. Furthermore, a comparison is made between piezoresistive and piezoelectric pressure transducers, showing the capability of piezoresistive transducers for dynamic pressure measurements. The performance of the piezoresistive transducers allows for time-resolved measurement of both static and total pressure at the exit of the plenum. Moreover, the plenum results in a significant attenuation of the leading shock wave while redistributing its energy both spatially and temporally.
Performance of a Turbine Rim Seal Subject to Rotationally-Driven and Pressure-Driven Ingestion
Authors: Bru Revert Anna , Beard Paul F. , Chew John W. , Bottenheim Sebastiaan
Published: January 2021

This experimental study considered the performance of a chute rim seal downstream of turbine nozzle guide vanes (but without rotor blades). The experimental setup reproduced rotationally-driven ingestion without vanes and conditions of pressure-driven ingestion with vanes. The maximum rotor speed was 9000 rpm corresponding to a rotational Reynolds number of 3.3 × 106 with a flow coefficient of 0.45. Measurements of mean pressures in the annulus and the disk rim cavity as well as values of sealing effectiveness deduced from gas concentration data are presented. At high values of flow coefficient (low rotational speeds), the circumferential pressure variation generated by the vanes drove relatively high levels of ingestion into the disk rim cavity. For a given purge flow rate, increasing the disk rotational speed led to a reduction in ingestion, shown by higher values of sealing effectiveness, despite the presence of upstream vanes. At Uax/(Ωb)=0.45, the sealing effectiveness approached that associated with purely rotationally-driven ingestion. A map of sealing effectiveness against non-dimensional purge flow summarizes the results and illustrates the combined rotational and pressure-driven effects on the ingestion mechanism. The results imply that flow coefficient is a relevant parameter in rim sealing and that rotational effects are important in many applications, especially turbines with low flow coefficient.
The Feasibility of an Euler–Lagrange Approach for the Modeling of Wet Steam
Authors: Wittmann Tim , Bode Christoph , Friedrichs Jens
Published: January 2021

This study investigates the applicability of an Euler–Lagrange approach for the calculation of nucleation and condensation of steam flows. Supersonic nozzles are used as generic validation cases, as their high expansion rates replicate the flow conditions in real turbines. Experimental and numerical validation data for these nozzles are provided by the International Wet Steam Modeling Project of Starzmann et al. (2018, “Results of the International Wet Steam Modeling Project,” Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng. A, 232(5), pp. 550–570). In contrast to most participants of that project, an Euler–Lagrange approach is utilized for this study. Therefore, the classical nucleation theory with corrections and different droplet growth laws is incorporated into the discrete phase model of ansysfluent. Suggestions for an efficient implementation are presented. The Euler–Lagrange results show a good agreement with the experimental and numerical validation data. The sensitivities of the Euler–Lagrange approach to modeling parameters are analyzed. Finally, an optimal parameter set for the calculation of nucleation and condensation is proposed.
A Comparison Study of Soot Precursor and Aggregate Property Between Algae-Based Aviation Biofuel and Aviation Kerosene RP-3 in Laminar Flame
Authors: Sun Mingshan , Gan Zhiwen , Yang Yiyang
Published: January 2021

Algae-based aviation biofuel shows the potential to reduce soot emission in flight. A comparison study of soot precursor and aggregate property between algae-based biofuel and aviation kerosene RP-3 in laminar flame was conducted to investigate the reason of biofuel’s less soot formation. The soot precursors were determined by the fringe lengths of soot particles. At a typical dimensionless height DH = 0.50 of both flames, the geometric mean fringe lengths of biofuel and RP-3 are measured to be 0.67 and 0.73 nm, respectively, approximating to the size of five-ringed (A5) and seven-ringed (A7) poly-aromatic hydrocarbon, respectively. An A5 growth mechanism was then added to biofuel surrogate mechanisms for soot formation simulation. Since the carbon number component of biofuel is wide and difficult for comprehensive mechanism development, two surrogate mechanisms were developed. One is based on the C8–C16 n-alkane that covers biofuel’s main components, and the other one is based on biofuel’s average carbon number to simplify the mechanism. Meanwhile, an A7 growth mechanism was added to a popular RP-3 mechanism. The soot formation simulation with the combination mechanisms for both fuels provides a better agreement with the measured primary particle diameter and suggests that the reason for less soot production by biofuel is its less soot precursor production that weakens soot nucleation and growth. Lastly, the soot fractal dimension of biofuel is smaller than that of RP-3, indicating that biofuel has a looser soot aggregate.
MULTIPLICATIVE DIOPHANTINE APPROXIMATION OF THE EXPANSIONS UNDER DIFFERENT BASES ON A LINE
Authors: ZHANG YUAN , LÜ MEIYING
Published: January 2021

In this paper, we discuss a problem of multiplicative Diophantine approximation of the expansions under different bases restricted on a line. More specifically, let [Formula: see text] be a positive function. A dichotomy law of the Hausdorff measure for the following set: [Formula: see text] is obtained, which depends the convergence or divergence of certain series.
THE RELATIVE CONVERGENCE SPEED FOR ENGEL EXPANSIONS AND HAUSDORFF DIMENSION
Authors: ZHANG ZHENLIANG , TAN XIAOYAN
Published: January 2021

In this paper, we investigate how many real numbers can be well approximated by their convergents in the Engel expansions. Furthermore, the relative growth rate of convergence speed of convergents in the Engel expansion of an irrational number is studied to the rate of growth of its digits. The Hausdorff dimension of exceptional sets of points with a given relative growth rate is established.
MODELING THE PENETRATION DISTANCE OF POWER-LAW CEMENTING FLUID TRANSPORT IN DEEP-WATER WEAKLY CONSOLIDATED FORMATION
Authors: LU CHANG , LIU HUAJIE , GUO SHENGLAI , GUO XINYANG , ZHANG RUI , HOU XIANHAI
Published: January 2021

During the development of deep-water oil and gas resources, severe engineering problems or even marine geological hazards might be induced by the complex geological characteristics of deep-water weakly consolidated (DWC) formation. To solve these problems, the power-law cementing fluid was used to solidify the DWC formation during the well-cementing operation. However, the transportation process of cementing fluid in DWC formation is still unclear. To guide the solidification operation of DWC formation, a mathematical model for predicting the penetration distance of cementing fluid in DWC formation was proposed based on the generalized Darcy’s law and fractal theory. All the parameters in this model have clear physical meaning and no empirical parameter is involved. The numerical and experimental validation results show that the proposed model calculated penetration distance agrees well with both simulated and experimental results. The model capacity relates to the penetration pressure, the viscosity of cementing fluid, the permeability of formation, the effective radius of the flow path and the fractal dimension of formation. The maximum error of this model is less than 20%, which indicates that the mathematical model is reliable.
Investigation of electrocatalytic activity of NiTPPBr6 on the graphite electrode for oxidation of methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol and 2-propanol
Authors: Bahrami Arezo , Jafarian Majid , Ferdowsi Ghodsiyeh Sadat , Rayati Saeed
Published: January 2021

Due to the importance of producing clean energy through systems such as alcoholic fuel cell, methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, and 2-propanol, these alcohols were oxidized at the modified graphite electrode by NiTPPBr6 / NiTPPBr8 as a clean electrocatalyst in an alkaline media. This process investigated by various techniques such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), in all cases showed Cottrell type behavior with the diffusion of coefficients of 2.04 × 10[Formula: see text], 1.3 × 10[Formula: see text] 8.3 × 10[Formula: see text] cm[Formula: see text] s[Formula: see text] for the corresponding alcohols respectively. Likewise, the catalytic rate constant for methanol oxidation was found to be 2.9 × 108 cm3mol[Formula: see text] s[Formula: see text] through chronoamperometric measurements. Interestingly, the order in activity for oxidation of the alcohols introduced with the electrocatalyst was: 2-propanol [Formula: see text] 1-propanol [Formula: see text] ethanol [Formula: see text] methanol and was unlike previous studies in which the oxidation current was reduced by increasing the number of carbon atoms from methanol to propanol.
π-Electron delocalization and electronic transitions in oligomeric and polymeric phthalocyanine zinc(II) complexes. Part 2. Non-linear oligo- and two-dimensional polyphthalocyanines
Authors: Makarov Sergei G. , Schnurpfeil Günter , Ketkov Sergey Yu. , Wöhrle Dieter
Published: January 2021

Based on the results in Part 1 about linear oligo- and one-dimensional polyphthalocyanines, the calculations were extended to fully annulated (fused) non-linear zinc(II) oligo- and two-dimensional polyphthalocyanines in order to obtain information about optical spectra and [Formula: see text]-electron delocalization in these annulated systems. Similar non-linear annulated oligomeric benzenoid aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can be considered as analogues of non-linear oligoPcs, and the electronic structures can be compared. By calculations of 1H-NMR spectra and NICS, superaromaticity is predicted for a dication of the regular quadrilateral tetraphthalocyanine. According to DFT band gap calculations, two-dimensional zinc(II) polyphthalocyanine is predicted to be a narrow-gap semiconductor.
A Common Destiny: COVID-19 and the Ongoing Impact on China’s Belt and Road Initiative Among ASEAN Countries
Authors: Man-kong Chow , Wing-lok Hung , Chak-yan Chang
Published: January 2021

This paper seeks to apply China’s vision of a “common destiny” to an analysis of the relationship between China and ASEAN countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. It first discusses how the Sino-ASEAN relationship has been affected by the crisis, especially in fundamental business sectors. The second part explains how China has responded to global and regional economic challenges to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects. This paper advocates that an interpretative model of a common destiny should be considered when assessing the ongoing viability of the Belt and Road Initiative and in answering its critics.
CoHop
Authors: Wang Yuting , Zheng Xiaolong , Liu Liang , Ma Huadong
Published: January 2021

Cross-Technology Interference (CTI) badly harms the transmission reliability for low-power networks such as ZigBee at 2.4-GHz band. Though promising, channel hopping still faces challenges because the increasingly dense deployment of CTI leaves very few available channels. Selecting a good channel with the least overhead is crucial but challenging. Most of the existing works are heuristic methods that choose a channel far from the current one to avoid adjacent channels that may be correlatively interfered by CTI with a wider bandwidth such as WiFi. However, we observe that the correlated channels influenced by the same CTI source do not necessarily have the same channel qualities and even the opposite state, due to the uneven spectrum power density of CTI. Such channel opportunities are unexplored and wasted. In this article, we propose CoHop, a quantitative correlation-based channel hopping method for low-power wireless networks. We establish a quantitative model that describes the correlation of channel qualities to capture channel opportunities and calculate channel quality without probing, to reduce probing overhead. The probing sequence is optimized based on the Pearson Correlation Coefficient and the prediction-based probing algorithm. We implement CoHop on TinyOS and evaluate its performance in various environments. The experimental results show that CoHop can increase the Packet Reception Ratio by 80%, compared with existing methods.
Overexpression of Limb Bud and Heart Alleviates Sepsis‐Induced Acute Lung Injury via Inhibiting the NLRP3 Inflammasome
Authors: Wang Yifan , Shi Yang , Zhang Xiaohong , Fu Jing , Chen Feng
Published: January 2021

Objective. Sepsis is a leading cause of acute lung injury (ALI). This study attempted to investigate the effects of limb bud and heart (LBH) on the development of sepsis‐induced ALI and its underlying mechanism of action. Methods. The sepsis‐induced ALI mouse model was established by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The lung injury score and lung wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio were used to evaluate the lung injury. In vitro, ALI was simulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment in A549 cells. The mRNA expression of LBH, NLRP3, ASC, and proinflammatory cytokines was measured by qRT‐PCR. The viability of LPS‐induced A549 cells was analyzed by MTT assay. Furthermore, western blot was performed to detect the protein expression of LBH, NLRP3, and ASC. LPS‐induced A549 cells were treated with MCC950 (NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor) to confirm the effect of LBH on NLRP3 inflammasome. Results. The mRNA and protein expression of LBH was decreased in sepsis‐induced ALI. LBH overexpression reduced the lung injury score, lung W/D ratio, expression of proinflammatory cytokines, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in sepsis‐induced ALI mouse model. Additionally, LBH upregulation increased the viability, while it decreased the proinflammatory cytokine expression and NLRP3 inflammasome activation of LPS‐induced A549 cells. Moreover, MCC950 reversed the promoting effects of LBH silencing on proinflammatory cytokine expression and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in LPS‐induced A549 cells. Conclusions. LBH alleviated lung injury in sepsis‐induced ALI mouse model by inhibiting inflammation and NLRP3 inflammasome, and restrained the inflammation by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome in LPS‐induced A549 cells, providing a novel therapeutic target for ALI.
Entire Solutions for Complex Systems of the Second-Order Partial Differential Difference Equations of Fermat Type
Authors: Liu Si Min , Xu Hong Yan
Published: January 2021

This article is mainly concerned with the existence and the forms of entire solutions for several systems of the second-order partial differential difference equations of Fermat type

α

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. Our results about the existence and the forms of solutions for these systems generalize the previous theorems given by Xu and Cao, Gao, Liu, and Yang. In addition, we give some examples to explain the existence of solutions of this system in each case.
Conjunctival Tarsal Actinic Keratosis Treated with Interferon Alfa-2b: A Rare Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Gimeno-Carrero Mónica , Suárez-Fernández María-Jesús , Alonso-Martín Beatriz , de-Pablo-Cabrera Almudena , Garrido-Ruíz María-Concepción , Mencía-Gutiérrez Enrique
Published: January 2021

Conjunctival neoplasia is one of the most frequent tumors in the eye. Actinic keratosis (AK) or solar keratosis is a precancerous lesion that is included with other epithelial tumors. This alteration does not break the basal membrane. There is enough evidence of successful outcomes to consider interferon alfa-2b (IFN alfa-2b) as the first choice of treatment for this type of tumors. In addition, side effects are mild and uncommon. We report a case in an 83-year-old woman who was referred to evaluate a leukoplakia in the tarsal conjunctiva of the lower left eyelid that measured 1 cm in diameter. Pathological study revealed AK. After the INF alfa-2b treatment, we observed conjunctival hyperemia, noninfiltrated upper nasal de-epithelization, and inferior nasal bulla. AK with presentation in conjunctiva is rarely described and in tarsal conjunctiva is exceptional. It is the first case published with only tarsal conjunctiva affectation.
A Nonintrusive Load Monitoring Method for Microgrid EMS Using Bi‐LSTM Algorithm
Authors: Zhou Dongguo , Wu Yangjie , Zhou Hong
Published: January 2021

Nonintrusive load monitoring in smart microgrids aims to obtain the energy consumption of individual appliances from the aggregated energy data, which is generally confronted with the error identification of the load type for energy disaggregation in microgrid energy management system (EMS). This paper proposes a classification strategy for the nonintrusive load identification scheme based on the bilateral long‐term and short‐term memory network (Bi‐LSTM) algorithm. The sliding window algorithm is used to extract the detected load event features and obtain the load features of data samples. In order to accurately identify these load features, the steady state information is combined as the input of the Bi‐LSTM model during training. Comprising long‐term and short‐term memory (LSTM) network and recurrent neural network (RNN), Bi‐LSTM has the advantages of stronger recognition ability. Finally, precision (P), recall (R), accuracy (A), and F1 values are used as the evaluation method for nonintrusive load identification. The experimental results show the accuracy of the Bi‐LSTM identification method for load start and stop state feature matching; moreover, the method can identify relatively low‐power and multistate appliances.
Investigation into the Mechanism of the Steel Particle Feeding Process: A Numerical and Experimental Study
Authors: Li Lei , Xing Xueyang , Wang Fangxiang , Dai Xiaodong
Published: January 2021

The particle feeding system is a prerequisite for the realization of particle impact drilling technology. Because of the high density, the storage and flow of the steel particle are different from those of the other nonviscous particles. The differential equation of the particle movement was built with the liquid bridge force model and the discrete element method. The dynamic movement process and the distribution state of particles in the high-pressure tank were analyzed. For 1 mm steel particles, the mass flow rate decreased with the increase in water content. For 2 mm and 3 mm steel particles, the water content of 15% and 20% was the dividing point of the mass flow rate from increasing to decreasing. When the water content was 10% and 20%, the mass flow rate increased with the steel particle size. But when the water content was 30% and 40%, the mass flow rate decreased with the steel particle size. The study of the control mechanism of the uniformity and stability of particles showed that the funnel flow was the major reason causing the instability and blocking of the feeding process. This research results can provide a basis for the further improvement of the differential pressure feeding system.
The Potential of Massive‐MIMO on TV Towers for Cellular Coverage Extension
Authors: Taheri Tayebeh , Nilsson Rickard , van de Beek Jaap
Published: January 2021

Because of low potential revenue, network operators have mainly focused on providing connectivity in urban areas rather than in rural areas resulting in technology improvement in favour of urban areas; and consequently, most of remote areas suffer from poor or lack of connectivity. In this paper, we present the potential of massive‐MIMO to provide connectivity to sparse areas. We show that we can cover large rural areas with radius of tens of km using massive‐MIMO mounted on existing infrastructure of TV towers. We also show that, in contrast with common belief, higher frequencies, e.g., 3500 MHz rather than 700 MHz, can reach farther utilizing massive‐MIMO, provided that the antenna area is the same.
Reference-Driven Undersampled MR Image Reconstruction Using Wavelet Sparsity-Constrained Deep Image Prior
Authors: Zhao Di , Huang Yanhu , Zhao Feng , Qin Binyi , Zheng Jincun
Published: January 2021

Deep learning has shown potential in significantly improving performance for undersampled magnetic resonance (MR) image reconstruction. However, one challenge for the application of deep learning to clinical scenarios is the requirement of large, high-quality patient-based datasets for network training. In this paper, we propose a novel deep learning-based method for undersampled MR image reconstruction that does not require pre-training procedure and pre-training datasets. The proposed reference-driven method using wavelet sparsity-constrained deep image prior (RWS-DIP) is based on the DIP framework and thereby reduces the dependence on datasets. Moreover, RWS-DIP explores and introduces structure and sparsity priors into network learning to improve the efficiency of learning. By employing a high-resolution reference image as the network input, RWS-DIP incorporates structural information into network. RWS-DIP also uses the wavelet sparsity to further enrich the implicit regularization of traditional DIP by formulating the training of network parameters as a constrained optimization problem, which is solved using the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) algorithm. Experiments on in vivo MR scans have demonstrated that the RWS-DIP method can reconstruct MR images more accurately and preserve features and textures from undersampled

k

-space measurements.
An Iterative Algorithm for Solving n‐Order Fractional Differential Equation with Mixed Integral and Multipoint Boundary Conditions
Authors: Tan Jingjing , Zhang Xinguang , Liu Lishan , Wu Yonghong
Published: January 2021

In this paper, we consider the iterative algorithm for a boundary value problem of n‐order fractional differential equation with mixed integral and multipoint boundary conditions. Using an iterative technique, we derive an existence result of the uniqueness of the positive solution, then construct the iterative scheme to approximate the positive solution of the equation, and further establish some numerical results on the estimation of the convergence rate and the approximation error.
ICT1 Promotes Osteosarcoma Cell Proliferation and Inhibits Apoptosis via STAT3/BCL‐2 Pathway
Authors: Pan Xiaohui , Tan Jingxue , Weng Xiaokun , Du Rui , Jiang Yuqing , Weng Yiping , Zhou Dong , Shen Yifei
Published: January 2021

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a familiar malignant bone tumor that occurs mainly in adolescents. Immature colon carcinoma transcript‐1 (ICT1) is an important member of the large mitoribosomal subunit in mitochondrial ribosomes, which has been shown to be closely related to tumorigenesis. Its expression and function in OS, however, remained unclear. Here, we showed that ICT1 was significantly upregulated in OS and promoted the growth of OS cells. Mechanistically, ICT1 acted as an oncogene in OS and promoted proliferation and inhibited apoptosis of OS cells through the STAT3/BCL‐2 axis. These results reveal a novel insight into the role of the ICT1/STAT3/BCL‐2 axis in OS and therefore may represent a novel molecular target for novel treatments.
Superdiversity and social policies in a complex society: Social challenges in the 21st century
Authors: López Peláez Antonio , Aguilar-Tablada María Victoria , Erro-Garcés Amaya , Pérez-García Raquel María
Published: January 2021

Superdiversity is a characteristic of contemporary societies that affects processes of social change and social policies. Using meta-analytical methods, this article reviews how superdiversity is addressed in the literature to better inform social policies from a sociological perspective. A search of the literature in English and Spanish revealed 76 articles using different methodological approaches over the period 2007–2019. The descriptors for the search were superdiversity, cultural diversity, migratory flows, global migration, population change, social interactions, social change, social complexity, social care, social policy, superdiverse contexts, age, gender and migrants/ superdiversidad, diversidad cultural, flujos migratorios, migración global, cambio de población, interacciones sociales, cambio social, complejidad social, cuidados, política social, contextos superdiversos, edad, género and migrantes. The main results are the identification of key aspects to inform social policies and promote sustainable social change consonant with the current social reality.
Context Matters for Tone and Intonation Processing in Mandarin
Authors: Liu Min , Chen Yiya , Schiller Niels O.
Published: January 2021

In tonal languages such as Mandarin, both lexical tone and sentence intonation are primarily signaled by F0. Their F0 encodings are sometimes in conflict and sometimes in congruency. The present study investigated how tone and intonation, with F0 encodings in conflict or in congruency, are processed and how semantic context may affect their processing. To this end, tone and intonation identification experiments were conducted in both semantically neutral and constraining contexts. Results showed that the overall performance of tone identification was better than that of intonation. Specifically, tone identification was seldom affected by intonation information irrespective of semantic contexts. However, intonation identification, particularly question intonation, was susceptible to the final lexical tone identity and affected by the semantic context. In the semantically neutral context, questions ending with a rising tone and a falling tone were equally difficult to identify. In the semantically constraining context, questions ending with a falling tone were much better identified than those ending with a rising tone. This perceptual asymmetry suggests that top-down information provided by the semantically constraining context can play a facilitating role for listeners to disentangle intonational information from tonal information, but mainly in sentences with the lexical falling tone in the final position.
Vasoplegia in patients following ventricular assist device explant and heart transplantation
Authors: Emmanuel Sam , Pearman Madeleine , Jansz Paul , Hayward Christopher Simon
Published: January 2021

Background:

Vasoplegia has been shown to be associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. It has been previously stated that low pulsatile states as seen with current left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) may contribute to vasoplegia post LVAD-explant and heart transplant. We sought to examine the literature regarding vasoplegia in the post-operative setting for patients undergoing LVAD explant and heart transplant.

Method:

A literature review was conducted to firstly define vasoplegia in the setting of LVAD patients, and secondly to better understand the relationship between vasoplegia and LVAD explantation in the postoperative heart transplant patient cohort. A keyword search of ‘vasoplegia’ OR ‘vasoplegic’ AND ‘transplant’ was used. Search engines used were PubMed, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov , Ovid, Scopus and grey literature.

Results:

17 studies met the selection criteria for review. Three key themes emerged from the literature. Firstly, there is limited consensus regarding the definition of vasoplegia. Secondly, patients with LVADs experienced higher rates of vasoplegia following heart transplant than their counterparts and thirdly, increased cardiopulmonary bypass time was associated with a higher rate of vasoplegia.

Conclusion:

Vasoplegia is not clearly defined in the literature as it pertains to the LVAD patient cohort. Patients bridged with LVADs appear to have higher rates of vasoplegia, however the aetiology of this is unclear and may be associated with continuous flow physiology or prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass time. A universal definition will aid in risk stratification, early recognition and management.
Why Does He Do It? What Explanations Resonate During Counseling for Women in Understanding Their Partner’s Abuse?
Authors: Marsden Sally , Humphreys Cathy , Hegarty Kelsey
Published: January 2021

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a complex and multifaceted problem gaining increasing attention within mental health research and practice. IPV explanations focus on both individual and systemic levels; however, it is increasingly acknowledged that a single level explanation may not be sufficient. The practices of clinical disciplines may, however, still privilege an explanation at one level over another, which will influence how they work with clients. It is likely that one such clinical group, psychologists, may play a critical role in helping victim-survivors to understand and explain their experiences of IPV. However, we were unable to find any studies focusing on women’s perceptions of psychologists’ role in this. Additionally, we know little about women victim-survivors’ perceptions of why their partners use IPV. To address these gaps, the research question for this study was: What explanations resonate during counseling for women in understanding their partner’s abuse? To explore this question, 20 women who had seen psychologists after experiencing IPV participated in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis and three themes constructed from the data. The first two themes, narcissist description was helpful and not all bad all the time, showed that the women found it powerful in their healing processes when psychologists offered the opportunity to discuss their partners individual characteristics as explanations for their use of IPV. The third theme, structural explanations, showed that some of the women also reflected on wider structural contexts. Implications for clinical practice include the potential healing effect when practitioners can move along a continuum of explanation levels, covering both the inner and outer worlds. Implications for research into IPV perpetration are that women hold expertise and insight into individual perpetrators and could make valuable contributions to this field.
Childcare services in cities: challenges and emerging solutions for women informal workers and their children
Authors: Moussié Rachel
Published: January 2021

Cities present important challenges for the extension of quality childcare services to informal workers, who make up most of the urban poor across the global South. For women, who are disproportionately responsible for childcare in their own households, access to quality childcare services allows for more time to earn an income and seek new employment. This is particularly important as women informal workers struggle to recover their earnings following the economic recession brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. For children, quality childcare services can contribute to lifelong health, educational and social development benefits. This article explores the key barriers to childcare provision for women informal workers and their children in cities, and assesses the role municipalities can play in the provision of childcare services. Access to quality childcare services in urban areas can help break the cycle of gendered and intergenerational poverty as cities recover from the pandemic.
Accountability in Adult Basic Education: The Marginalization of Adults with Difficulty Reading
Authors: Pickard Amy
Published: January 2021

Federal accountability policies requiring rapid, measurable outcomes have increasingly shaped the nature and type of public literacy services available to adults. However, little empirical research has explored the impact of accountability policies on program practice in adult basic education, and almost no research has focused on the effect on services for adults who have difficulty reading. This ethnographically grounded research article explores one publicly funded adult basic education program’s efforts to comply with federal accountability policy and the impact these efforts had on services for adults with difficulty reading. Findings suggest that efforts to comply with accountability policies resulted in instructional practices that limited students’ opportunities for substantive engagement with reading and in program policies that excluded students who did not produce outcomes from participation. The findings also suggest that in the context of accountability pressures, student marginalization became normalized as an ordinary part of practice.
Loneliness in prison
Authors: Schliehe Anna , Laursen Julie , Crewe Ben
Published: January 2021

At first glance, contemporary prisons are environments defined by an ‘enforced collective’ (Goffman, [1961] 1991) and prisoners are, if anything, plagued by ‘life en masse’ (Sykes, 1958), yet the depth and weight of loneliness in prison can be intense. Prisons are often associated with metaphors of loneliness, disruption and empty time, and, as Armstrong (2018) highlights, imprisonment is an exemplary symbol for being stuck in space and time. Based on empirical data from a study of imprisonment in England & Wales and Norway, in this article we analyse several forms of loneliness found in prisons and beyond, from the visceral, immediate sense of being physically alone and separated from loved ones to the ethical or existential experience of abandonment and hopelessness. We conclude by pointing to the fact that the two otherwise very different penal contexts yield similar findings when it comes to the experiences of loneliness. This implies that the sense of not fitting in, of being ‘ethically alone’ (Stauffer, 2015) and essentially misrecognized (Lister in Fraser and Bourdieu, 2007), goes beyond specific prisons and jurisdictions. We also note that, as well as evoking feelings of loneliness, in some circumstances imprisonment can provide some respite from it.