bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design of highly-efficient acoustic waveguide couplers using impedance-tunable transformation acoustics
Authors: Cao Jun , Qi Fenghua , Yan Senlin , Zhang Lifa
Published: November 2020

In this paper, the theory of impedance-tunable transformation acoustics in the geometric-acoustics limit is proposed to design efficient two-dimensional acoustic waveguide couplers. By choosing suitable impedance functions in the original space, impedance matching between the transformation medium and the background medium becomes possible, and the reflection at the boundary is reduced. The theory can be used to enable efficient acoustic coupling between waveguides of different sizes and different embedded media. By selecting an appropriate impedance function and a tunable acoustic refractive index, the transformed medium in the coupler can become a simplified parameter medium, for which the bulk modulus is a constant. This makes the experiment substantially easier. The problem of a reduced coupling-efficiency at low frequencies (a deviation from the geometric acoustic approximation) can be mitigated by selecting a large acoustic refractive index. Our two-dimensional numerical simulations indicate that this theoretical design works very well. The method can be extended to other transformation acoustic designs including three-dimensional cases.
Simulation study of acoustic refraction wave manipulation based on sub-wavelength artificial periodic structure
Authors: Tang Shuai , Han Jianning
Published: November 2020

We proposed a kind of unit cell composed of simple steel plate structures in this work. A variety of acoustic phenomena including anomalous refraction, asymmetric transmission, acoustic splitting and acoustic focusing were realized by coding the unit cells with different splicing modes. The transformation from plane acoustic wave to vortex acoustic wave was also realized by using the coding method of three-dimensional rotation. This work increased the functionality of the unit cell and provided a method for the design of sub-wavelength acoustic devices.
Solitary dynamics of longitudinal wave equation arises in magneto-electro-elastic circular rod
Authors: Sajid Naila , Akram Ghazala
Published: November 2020

This paper examines the effectiveness of an integration scheme, which called the extended modified auxiliary equation mapping method in exactly solving a well-known non-linear longitudinal wave equation with dispersion caused by transverse Poisson’s effect arises in a magneto-electro-elastic (MEE) circular rod. Explicit new exact solutions are derived in different form such as hyperbolic, kinky, anti-kinky, dark, and singular solitons of the longitudinal wave equation. The movements of obtained solutions are shown graphically, which helps to understand the physical phenomena.
Non-locality effect of Majorana fermions via local entanglement entropy
Authors: Wang Heng , Cheng Qiu-Bo , Kong Xiao , Guo Cui-Xian , Wu Ya-Jie , Kou Su-Peng
Published: November 2020

In this paper, to characterize the effect of topological defects on the entanglement of topological states, we introduce the concept of local entanglement entropy. By using the spinless [Formula: see text] superconductor with quantized vortices, we numerically calculated the local entanglement entropy. In the topological superconducting (weak-pairing) phase, we found that the local entanglement entropy turns to 0.5 for a Majorana zero mode. For the system with two/four Majorana zero modes, by calculating local entanglement entropy, we found the non-locality effect of Majorana zero modes. In the future, we will use local entanglement entropy to characterize the defect effect on other many-body systems with long entanglement, for example, topological order and quantum spin liquid.
Anisotropic regularity of linearized compressible vortex sheets
Authors: Secchi Paolo
Published: November 2020

We consider supersonic vortex sheets for the Euler equations of compressible inviscid fluids in two space dimensions. For the problem with constant coefficients, Morando et al. recently derived a pseudo-differential equation that describes the time evolution of the discontinuity front of the vortex sheet. In agreement with the classical stability analysis, the problem is weakly stable if [Formula: see text], and the well-posedness holds in standard weighted Sobolev spaces. Our aim in this paper is to improve this result, by showing the existence in functional spaces with additional weighted anisotropic regularity in the frequency space.
The Commuting Graphs on Dicyclic Groups
Authors: Chen Jing , Tang Lang
Published: November 2020

For a group G and a non-empty subset Ω of G, the commuting graph [Formula: see text] of Ω is a graph whose vertex set is Ω and any two vertices are adjacent if and only if they commute in G. Define [Formula: see text], the dicyclic group of order [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text], which is also known as the generalized quaternion group. We mainly investigate the properties and metric dimension of the commuting graphs on the dicyclic group [Formula: see text].
Notes on Rings with Strong 2-Sum Property
Authors: Li Yu , Su Huadong , Tang Gaohua , Zhou Yiqiang
Published: November 2020

A ring is said to satisfy the strong 2-sum property if every element is a sum of two commuting units. In this note, we present some sufficient or necessary conditions for the matrix ring over a commutative local ring to have the strong 2-sum property.
Towards Domain-independent Complex and Fine-grained Gesture Recognition with RFID
Authors: Dian Cao , Wang Dong , Zhang Qian , Zhao Run , Yu Yinggang
Published: November 2020

Gesture recognition plays a fundamental role in emerging Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) paradigms. Recent advances in wireless sensing show promise for device-free and pervasive gesture recognition. Among them, RFID has gained much attention given its low-cost, light-weight and pervasiveness, but pioneer studies on RFID sensing still suffer two major problems when it comes to gesture recognition. The first is they are only evaluated on simple whole-body activities, rather than complex and fine-grained hand gestures. The second is they can not effectively work without retraining in new domains, i.e. new users or environments. To tackle these problems, in this paper, we propose RFree-GR, a domain-independent RFID system for complex and fine-grained gesture recognition. First of all, we exploit signals from the multi-tag array to profile the sophisticated spatio-temporal changes of hand gestures. Then, we elaborate a Multimodal Convolutional Neural Network (MCNN) to aggregate information across signals and abstract complex spatio-temporal patterns. Furthermore, we introduce an adversarial model to our deep learning architecture to remove domain-specific information while retaining information relevant to gesture recognition. We extensively evaluate RFree-GR on 16 commonly used American Sign Language (ASL) words. The average accuracy for new users and environments (new setup and new position) are $89.03%$, $90.21%$ and $88.38%$, respectively, significantly outperforming existing RFID based solutions, which demonstrates the superior effectiveness and generalizability of RFree-GR.
CAPath: 3D-Printed Interfaces with Conductive Points in Grid Layout to Extend Capacitive Touch Inputs
Authors: Kato Kunihiro , Ikematsu Kaori , Kawahara Yoshihiro
Published: November 2020

We propose a 3D-printed interface, CAPath, in which conductive contact points are in a grid layout. This structure allows not only specific inputs (e.g., scrolling or pinching) but also general 2D inputs and gestures that fully leverage the "touch surface." We provide the requirements to fabricate the interface and implement a designing system to generate 3D objects in the conductive grid structure. The CAPath interface can be utilized in the uniquely shaped interfaces and opens up further application fields that cannot currently be accessed with existing passive touch extensions. Our contributions also include an evaluation for the recognition accuracy of the touch operations with the implemented interfaces. The results show that our technique is promising to fabricate customizable touch-sensitive interactive objects.
Combating the Spread of Coronavirus by Modeling Fomites with Depth Cameras
Authors: Wilson Andrew D.
Published: November 2020

Coronavirus is thought to spread through close contact from person to person. While it is believed that the primary means of spread is by inhaling respiratory droplets or aersols, it may also be spread by touching inanimate objects such as doorknobs and handrails that have the virus on it ("fomites''). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) therefore recommends individuals maintain "social distance'' of more than six feet between one another. It further notes that an individual may be infected by touching a fomite and then touching their own mouth, nose or possibly their eyes. We propose the use of computer vision techniques to combat the spread of coronavirus by sounding an audible alarm when an individual touches their own face, or when multiple individuals come within six feet of one another or shake hands. We further propose using depth cameras to track where people touch parts of their physical environment throughout the day, and a simple model of disease spread among potential fomites. Projection mapping techniques can be used to display likely fomites in realtime, while headworn augmented reality systems can be used by custodial staff to perform more effective cleaning of surfaces. Such techniques may find application in particularly vulnerable settings such as schools, long-term care facilities and physician offices.
A Thermodynamic Reassessment of Lithium-Ion Battery Cathode Calorimetry
Authors: Shurtz Randy C.
Published: November 2020

This work demonstrates how staged heat release from layered metal oxide cathodes in the presence of organic electrolytes can be predicted from basic thermodynamic properties. These prediction methods for heat release are an advancement compared to typical modeling approaches for thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries, which tend to rely exclusively on calorimetry measurements of battery components. These calculations generate useful new insights when compared to calorimetry measurements for lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) as well as the most common varieties of nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) and nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA). Accurate trends in heat release with varying state of charge are predicted for all of these cathode materials. These results suggest that thermodynamic calculations utilizing a recently published database of properties are broadly applicable for predicting decomposition behavior of layered metal oxide cathodes. Aspects of literature calorimetry measurements relevant to thermal runaway modeling are identified and classified as thermodynamic or kinetic effects. The calorimetry measurements reviewed in this work will be useful for development of a new generation of thermal runaway models targeting applications where accurate maximum cell temperatures are required to predict cascading cell-to-cell propagation rates.
Surface Proton Conduction over Catalyst Support via Chemically Grafted Groups
Authors: Li Chenzhao , Liu Yadong , Le Xin  , Yu Yikang , Gong Qing , Yang Fan , Xie Jian
Published: November 2020

The proton conduction within a catalyst layer is one of the critical factors affecting the performance of membrane electrode assembly in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. In this work, a simple and effective approach for providing surface proton conduction over carbon supports was developed utilizing chemically grafting SO3H and COOH groups covalently bonded onto carbon surface. A method for accurately measuring the proton conductivity within a catalyst layer was also developed which physically excluded the conductivity contribution from the membrane. This method has several advantages: 1) providing easy sample preparation with high reproducibility, 2) allowing the control of measurement conditions such as gas flow rate, relative humidity and temperature to mimic the exact fuel cell operating conditions. The proton and electron conductivities of the catalyst layers made with and without functional groups at different relative humidifies were characterized with a specially designed 4-probe cell using the AC impedance spectroscopy technique. The results clearly demonstrated that the introduction of functional groups (i.e., SO3H and COOH) did result in a significant improved surface proton conduction over carbon surface and the resulted conductivity depends on the relative humidity, temperature and porosimetry of the carbon blacks.
A Cyan Emitting CsPbBr3 Perovskite Quantum Dot Glass with Bi Doping
Authors: Zhu Yuxuan , Yang Bobo , Lu Qing , Li Yang , Shi Mingming , Zou Jun
Published: November 2020

CsPbBr3:xBi3+ quantum dot glass was prepared by using traditional melting-quenching and heat treatment processes. The effects of Bi doing on the sinter of the precursor of glass and the crystalline of the perovskite quantum dot were discussed detailly. By doping Bi2O3 into the borosilicate glass matrix, the melting temperature was reduced to 900 °C. The tunable emission of CsPbBr3 quantum dots from 523 to 493 nm was achieved with suitable Bi2O3 doping. Due to the protection of the inorganic glass matrix, the prepared CsPbBr3 quantum dots still exhibit excellent thermal stability after multiple thermal cycles and thermal shocks. This provides a good solution to the problem of poor thermal stability of perovskite quantum dots.
Older age and male sex are associated with higher cerebrovascular impedance
Authors: Sugawara Jun , Tarumi Takashi , Xing Changyang , Liu Jie , Tomoto Tsubasa , Pasha Evan P. , Zhang Rong
Published: November 2020

Impedance modulus at the first harmonics of cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) and carotid artery pressure oscillations (Z1) was higher in the old (>64 yr) than in the young individuals (<45 yr), and it was higher in men than in women. Z1 is negatively associated with CBFV after adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index. Increases in cerebrovascular impedance with age may buffer systemic arterial pressure fluctuations at the cost of increased brain hypoperfusion risk.
Preparation and Properties of RDX/Aluminum Composites by Spray-Drying Method
Authors: Sun Hongyan , Li Xiaodong , Wu Pengfei , Song Changgui , Yang Yue
Published: November 2020

RDX/aluminum composites were prepared by the spray-drying method with F2602 as a binder. The morphology and covering effect of composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The effect of the processing parameters on the morphology of the samples was investigated. The impact sensitivity and thermal decomposition behavior of RDX/aluminum composites were also measured and analyzed. Optimal morphology of samples was achieved when the inlet temperature, nitrogen flow rate, and suspension feed flow rates were 80°C, 473 L·h-1, and 4.5 mL·min-1, respectively. In addition, RDX/aluminum composites with the same content were prepared by a coverage-mixing method for comparative analysis. Experimental results showed that the thermal sensitivity and the impact sensitivity of RDX/aluminum composites prepared by the spray-drying method were significantly lower than those of RDX/aluminum composites prepared by the coverage-mixing method.
Hydroxysafflor Yellow A Attenuates Hydrogen Peroxide‐Induced Oxidative Damage on Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
Authors: Xie Yuefeng , Guo Yan , Cao ShiDong , Xue Miaomiao , Fan ZhaoYue , Gao ChengXian , Jin Bo
Published: November 2020

Oxidative stress of endothelial cells is thought to be a principal cause that induces many cardiovascular diseases. Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) is a major active component in traditional Chinese medicine safflower and has been used to cure ischemic cardiovascular diseases in China for many years. This study aims to investigate whether HSYA has a repairing effect on oxidative damage of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) induced by H2O2 and to provide a theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of cardiovascular diseases related to traditional Chinese medicine. Based on the establishment of an H2O2‐induced HUVEC oxidative injury model, the cell viability and proliferation rate were measured by the MTT assay and EdU staining. The intracellular GSH/GSSG ratio and SOD activity were determined by kits. The ROS level was detected by flow cytometry. And the BAX, Bcl‐2, PTEN, and AKT expressions were evaluated with western blotting methods. The results showed that HSYA treatment significantly attenuated the H2O2‐induced HUVEC cell damage, increased the intracellular GSH/GSSG ratio and unit SOD activity also, and decreased the intracellular ROS levels. Furthermore, HSYA increased the expressions of AKT and Bcl‐2 proteins and inhibited the expressions of BAX and PTEN proteins. These suggest that HSYA exerts repair effects on H2O2‐induced oxidative damage in HUVECs, and the mechanisms may be related to the influence of BAX/Bcl‐2 expression and AKT/PTEN signal pathway expression.
Winging of Scapula due to a Sinister Etiology
Authors: Gunasekera Shania Niromi , Yogananda Priyanka , Karunatilaka Harindra , Senanayake Bimsara
Published: November 2020

Background. Scapular winging is a rare but disabling deformity, which is commonly caused by lesions of the long thoracic and spinal accessory nerves that innervate the serratus anterior and trapezius muscles, respectively. Across the literature, traumatic injury to the nerves account for the majority of cases. Less common, nontraumatic causes include viral illness, neuroinflammatory conditions, toxins, compressive lesions, and C7 radiculopathy. We present a case where an apical lung malignancy causes winging of scapula by infiltrating C5–C7 roots of brachial plexus, which has been reported only once in the literature. Case. A 54-year-old male presented with recent onset painful difficulty in raising his right arm. He had no respiratory or constitutional symptoms. On examination, winging of scapula on the right side was noted with wasting and fasciculation involving the ipsilateral shoulder girdle. Proximal muscle power of the right upper limb was of 3/5 with preserved distal muscle power. No sensory loss was noted. A patch of bronchial breathing was found in the upper zone of the right lung with multiple hard cervical lymphadenopathies. Chest X-ray and contrast-enhanced computerized tomography-chest revealed a large tumor in the upper lobe of the right lung, which was confirmed to be a carcinoma of the lung. Electromyogram revealed large motor unit potentials and poor activation of right serratus anterior and internal scapulae muscles, while nerve conduction studies concluded the presence of a compressive lesion involving C5–C7 nerve roots of brachial plexus. Histology of a biopsy of the cervical lymph node confirmed metastasis from a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the lung. The patient denied further investigation with MRI cervical spine. He was transferred to the cancer institute for further treatment. Conclusion. This case highlights the value of considering a compressive lung pathology with infiltration in the differential diagnosis, when evaluating winging of scapula.
Explicating the Pivotal Pathogenic, Diagnostic, and Therapeutic Biomarker Potentials of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in Glioblastoma
Authors: Richard Seidu A.
Published: November 2020

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a malignant and aggressive central nervous tumor that originates from astrocytes. These pathogenic astrocytes divide rapidly and are sustained by enormous network of blood vessels via which they receive requisite nutrients. It well proven that GBM microenvironment is extremely infiltrated by myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). MDSCs are a heterogeneous cluster of immature myeloid progenitors. They are key mediates in immune suppression as well as sustenance glioma growth, invasion, vascularization, and upsurge of regulatory T cells via different molecules. MDSCs are often elevated in the peripheral blood of patients with GBM. MDSCs in the peripheral blood as well as those infiltrating the GBM microenvironment correlated with poor prognosis. Also, an upsurge in circulating MDSCs in the peripheral blood of patients with GBM was observed compared to benign and grade I/II glioma patients. GBM patients with good prognosis presented with reduced MDSCs as well as augmented dendritic cells. Almost all chemotherapeutic medication for GBM has shown no obvious improvement in overall survival in patients. Nevertheless, low-dose chemotherapies were capable of suppressing the levels of MDSCs in GBM as well as multiple tumor models with metastatic to the brain. Thus, MDSCs are potential diagnostic as well as therapeutic biomarkers for GBM patients.
A Novel Method for Diagnosis of Bearing Fault Using Hierarchical Multitasks Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Liu Yong-Zhi , Zou Yi-Sheng , Jiang Yu-Liang , Yu Hui , Ding Guo-Fu
Published: November 2020

Intelligent mechanical fault diagnosis has developed very fast in recent years due to the advancement and application of deep learning technologies. Thus, there are many deep learning network models that have been explored in fault classification and diagnosis. However, there are still limitations in research on the relationship between fault location, fault type, and fault severity. In this paper, a novel method for diagnosis of bearing fault using hierarchical multitask convolution neural networks (HMCNNs) is proposed, taking into account the mentioned relationships. The HMCNN model includes a main task and multiple subtasks. In the HMCNN model, a weighted probability is used to reduce the classification error propagation among multitasks to improve the fault diagnosis accuracy. The validity of the proposed method is verified on bearing datasets. Experimental results show that the proposed method is very effective and superior to the existing methods.
Chemo-Mechanical Approach to Improve Repair Bond Strength of Denture Teeth
Authors: AlZaher Zahra A. , Almaskin Danah F. , Qaw Masoumah S. , Abu Showmi Tahani H. , Abualsaud Reem , Akhtar Sultan , Gad Mohammed M.
Published: November 2020

Background. Detachment of acrylic teeth from denture base material is a common complication in dentistry which accounts for 26–30% of repair cases. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of alumina-blasting, silane coupling agent, and thermal cycling on the shear bond strength of repaired teeth to denture base. Materials and Methods. Specimens (140) of repaired teeth to denture bases were fabricated and divided into 14 groups: 7 groups before thermal cycling and 7 groups after thermal cycling (n = 10). The groups were divided according to surface treatment into no treatment (control), treatment of the base (B), the tooth (T), or both (BT). Each group was further subdivided according to the surface treatment method into alumina-blasting or alumina-blasting and silane coupling agent. After treatment, acrylic discs and teeth were fixed in a jig, and the repair procedure was done. Half the specimens were thermally cycled. Shear bond strength was measured using a universal testing machine. ANOVA and Tukey HSD tests were performed at α = 0.05. Results. Surface treatment significantly improved the bond strength compared to the control group

P
<
0.001

. Comparing surface treatments, alumina-blasting with silane coupling agent treatment resulted in significantly higher strength compared to alumina-blasting alone

P
<
0.001

. The BT group treated with alumina-blasting and silane coupling agent showed the highest significant shear bond strength (23.91 ± 0.96 MPa)

P
<
0.001

. Significant drop in strength value was observed in all groups after thermal cycling

P
<
0.004

except the BT group treated with alumina-blasting

P
=
0.096

. Conclusion. Surface treatment using alumina-blasting with silane coupling agent for denture base and tooth increased repair strength.
Bio-Inspired Structure Representation Based Cross-View Discriminative Subspace Learning via Simultaneous Local and Global Alignment
Authors: Li Ao , Ding Yu , Zheng Xunjiang , Chen Deyun , Sun Guanglu , Lin Kezheng
Published: November 2020

Recently, cross-view feature learning has been a hot topic in machine learning due to the wide applications of multiview data. Nevertheless, the distribution discrepancy between cross-views leads to the fact that instances of the different views from same class are farther than those within the same view but from different classes. To address this problem, in this paper, we develop a novel cross-view discriminative feature subspace learning method inspired by layered visual perception from human. Firstly, the proposed method utilizes a separable low-rank self-representation model to disentangle the class and view structure layers, respectively. Secondly, a local alignment is constructed with two designed graphs to guide the subspace decomposition in a pairwise way. Finally, the global discriminative constraint on distribution center in each view is designed for further alignment improvement. Extensive cross-view classification experiments on several public datasets prove that our proposed method is more effective than other existing feature learning methods.
Prediction of the Compressive Strength of Concrete Admixed with Metakaolin Using Gene Expression Programming
Authors: Akin Oluwatobi O. , Ocholi Amana , Abejide Olugbenga S. , Obari Johnson A.
Published: November 2020

One of the problems of optimization of concrete is to formulate a mathematical equation that shows the relationship between the various constituents of concrete and its properties. In this work, modelling of the compressive strength of concrete admixed with metakaolin was carried out using the Gene Expression Programming (GEP) algorithm. The dataset from laboratory experimentation was used for the analysis. The mixture proportions were made of three different water/binder ratios (0.4, 0.5, and 0.6), and the grades of concrete produced were grade M15 and M20. The compressive strength of the concrete was determined after 28 days of curing. The parameters used in the GEP algorithm are the input variables which include cement content, water, metakaolin content, and fine and coarse aggregate, while the response was designated as the compressive strength. The model was trained and tested using the parameters. The R‐square value from the GEP algorithm was compared with the use of conventional stepwise regression analysis. With a coefficient of determination (R‐square value) of 0.95, the GEP algorithm has shown to be a good alternative for modelling concrete compressive strength.
Clinical Outcomes of Proximal Gastrectomy versus Total Gastrectomy for Proximal Gastric Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zhao Lulu , Ling Rui , Chen Jinghua , Shi Anchen , Chai Changpeng , Ma Fuhai , Zhao Dongbing , Chen Yingtai
Published: November 2020

Introduction: The extent of optimal gastric resection for proximal gastric cancer (PGC) continues to remain controversial, and a final consensus is yet to be met. The current study aimed to compare the perioperative outcomes, postoperative complications, and overall survival (OS) of proximal gastrectomy (PG) versus total gastrectomy (TG) in the treatment of PGC through a meta-analysis. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for articles published in English since database establishment to October 2019. Evaluated endpoints were perioperative outcomes, postoperative complications, and long-term survival outcomes. Results: A total of 2,896 patients in 25 full-text articles were included, of which one was a prospective randomized study, one was a clinical phase III trial, and the rest were retrospective comparative studies. The PG group showed a higher incidence of anastomotic stenosis (OR = 2.21 [95% CI: 1.08–4.50]; p = 0.03) and reflux symptoms (OR = 3.33 [95% CI: 1.85–5.99]; p < 0.001) when compared with the TG group, while no difference was found in PG patients with double-tract reconstruction (DTR). The retrieved lymph nodes were clearly more in the TG group (WMD = −10.46 [95% CI: −12.76 to −8.17]; p < 0.001). The PG group was associated with a better 5-year OS relative to TG with 11 included studies (OR = 1.35 [95% CI: 1.03–1.77]; p = 0.03). After stratification for early gastric cancer and PG with DTR groups, however, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups (OR = 1.35 [95% CI: 0.59–2.45]; p = 0.62). Conclusion: In conclusion, PG was associated with a visible improved long-term survival outcome for all irrespective of tumor stage, while a similar 5-year OS for only early gastric cancer patients between the 2 groups. Future randomized clinical trials of esophagojejunostomy techniques, such as DTR following PG, are expected to prevent postoperative complications and assist surgeons in the choice of surgical approach for PGC patients.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma Arising in Ungual Lichen Planus: Report and Review
Authors: Takatu Caroline Maris , Gabbi Tatiana Villas Boas , Nico Marcello Menta Simonsen
Published: November 2020

Background: Lichen planus (LP) can lead to severe scarring of the nail unit leading to anonychia. There are very few reports of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) occurring in the lesions of ungual LP. Objective: The aim of this study was to revise the previously reported cases of SCC appearing in ungual LP and to present a new case. Methods: A PubMed search was performed with the terms “nail lichen planus” and “squamous cell carcinoma.” Reported cases as well as a new case were depicted in a table. Results: Only 2 indexed articles reporting 3 cases were found. All patients suffered of long-lasting scarring ungual LP. Conclusions: The occurrence of SCC in nail LP is rare. LP is not “premalignant” per se, but SCC might rarely arise in LP scars.
Genomic Characterization of a Rare, de Novo Unbalanced ins(3;1)(p25.3;q21.3q23.3) in a Female Child with Multiple Congenital Anomalies
Authors: Ornelas-Arana Martha L. , Pérez-Garcia Guillermo , Robles-Espinoza Carla D. , Rangel-Sosa Martha M. , Castaneda-Garcia Carolina , Juárez-Vázquez Clara I. , López-Pérez Leopoldo G. , Pérez-Ornelas Carolina , Hernández-Zaragoza Guillermo , Lara-Aguilar Ricardo A. , Córdova-Fletes Carlos
Published: November 2020

“Simple” 1-way interchromosomal insertions involving an interstitial 1q segment are rare, and therefore, their characterization at the base pair level remains understudied. Here, we describe the genomic characterization of a previously unreported de novo interchromosomal insertion (3;1) entailing an about 12-Mb pure gain of 1q21.3q23.3 that causes typical (microcephaly, developmental delay, and facial dysmorphism) and atypical (interauricular communication, small feet with bilateral deep plantar creases, syndactyly of II-IV toes, and mild pachyonychia of all toes) clinical manifestations associated with this region. Based on our analyses, we hypothesize that the duplication of a subset of morbid genes (including LMNA, USF1, VANGL2, LOR, and POGZ) could account for most clinical findings in our patient. Furthermore, the apparent disruption of a promoter region (between CPNE9 and BRPF1) and a topologically associated domain also suggests likely pathogenic reconfiguration/position effects to contribute to the patient’s phenotype. In addition to further expanding the clinical spectrum of proximal 1q duplications and evidencing the phenotypical heterogeneity among similar carriers, our genomic findings and observations suggest that randomness – rather than lethality issues – may account for the paucity of “simple” interchromosomal insertions involving the 1q21.3q23.3 region as genomic donor and distal 3p25.3 as receptor. Moreover, the microhomology sequence found at the insertion breakpoint is consistent with a simple nonhomologous end-joining mechanism, in contrast to a chromothripsis-like event, which has previously been seen in other nonrecurrent insertions. Taken together, the data gathered in this study allowed us to inform this family about the low recurrence risk but not to predict the reproductive prognosis for hypothetical carriers. We highlight that genomic-level assessment is a powerful tool that allows the visualization of the full landscape of sporadic chromosomal injuries and can be used to improve genetic counseling.
Post-COVID-19 Epidemic: Allostatic Load among Medical and Nonmedical Workers in China
Authors: Peng Mao , Wang Li , Xue Qing , Yin Lu , Zhu Bo-heng , Wang Kun , Shangguan Fang-fang , Zhang Pei-ran , Niu Yan-yan , Zhang Wen-rui , Zhao Wen-feng , Wang Huang , Lv Jing , Song Hai-qing , Min Bao-quan , Leng Hai-xia , Jia Yu , Chang Hong , Yu Zhi-peng , Tian Qing , Yang Yuan , Zhu Zhou , Li Wei , Gao Xiao-ling , Liu Xiao-lei , Yang Mei , Wang Ping , Wei Peng-hu , Wang Chun-xue , Li Jin-na , Jia Long-bin , Huang Xiao-min , Li Dong-ning , Xu Dong-juan , Deng Yun-long , Si Tian-mei , Dong Hui-qing , Wang Yu-ping , Cosci Fiammetta , Wang Hong-xing
Published: November 2020

Background: As the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic continues, medical workers may have allostatic load. Objective: During the reopening of society, medical and nonmedical workers were compared in terms of allostatic load. Methods: An online study was performed; 3,590 Chinese subjects were analyzed. Socio-demographic variables, allostatic load, stress, abnormal illness behavior, global well-being, mental status, and social support were assessed. Results: There was no difference in allostatic load in medical workers compared to nonmedical workers (15.8 vs. 17.8%; p = 0.22). Multivariate conditional logistic regression revealed that anxiety (OR = 1.24; 95% CI 1.18–1.31; p < 0.01), depression (OR = 1.23; 95% CI 1.17–1.29; p < 0.01), somatization (OR = 1.20; 95% CI 1.14–1.25; p < 0.01), hostility (OR = 1.24; 95% CI 1.18–1.30; p < 0.01), and abnormal illness behavior (OR = 1.49; 95% CI 1.34–1.66; p < 0.01) were positively associated with allostatic load, while objective support (OR = 0.84; 95% CI 0.78–0.89; p < 0.01), subjective support (OR = 0.84; 95% CI 0.80–0.88; p < 0.01), utilization of support (OR = 0.80; 95% CI 0.72–0.88; p < 0.01), social support (OR = 0.90; 95% CI 0.87–0.93; p < 0.01), and global well-being (OR = 0.30; 95% CI 0.22–0.41; p < 0.01) were negatively associated. Conclusions: In the post-COVID-19 epidemic time, medical and nonmedical workers had similar allostatic load. Psychological distress and abnormal illness behavior were risk factors for it, while social support could relieve it.
Tradução e adaptação transcultural do Questionnaire de Satisfaction de la Personne Amputée face à sa Prothèse (SAT-PRO) para a língua portuguesa do Brasil
Authors: Gutierres Filho Paulo José Barbosa , Fernandes Jorge Manuel Gomes de Azevedo , Ferreira Leonardo Dimas , Lima David Braga , Silva Diego Rodrigues Pimentel da , Silva Rudney da
Published: November 2020

A satisfação da pessoa amputada com a sua prótese é fundamental para o sucesso da reabilitação protésica, o que justifica a necessidade de existirem instrumentos para serem utilizados pelos profissionais de saúde. Um dos instrumentos que permite realizar esta avaliação é o questionário SAT-PRO, que foi desenvolvido e aplicado no Canadá, em idosos amputados de membro inferior, mas que no Brasil ainda não está traduzido, adaptado ou validado. Objetivo: Realizar a tradução do SAT-PRO para a língua portuguesa, e apresentar uma versão adaptada culturalmente para ser aplicada em idosos brasileiros. Método: A tradução e adaptação transcultural foi realizada em cinco etapas, seguindo-se de uma sexta etapa em que se verificou a validade de conteúdo e confiabilidade do instrumento. Resultados: Durante o processo de tradução e adaptação encontraram-se algumas ambiguidades que foram colmatadas pela realização de ajustes consensuais ao questionário. O índice de validade de conteúdo dos itens variou entre 0,85 e 1, e o índice de validade da escala foi de 0,98. O valor total do coeficiente alfa de Cronbach foi de 0,89. Conclusão: O processo de tradução e adaptação transcultural do SAT-PRO, revelou que este se encontra adaptado à realidade cultural de idosos brasileiros com amputação de membro inferior, apresentando também boa validade de conteúdo e confiabilidade.
Guidance to Reduce the Cardiovascular Burden of Ambient Air Pollutants: A Policy Statement From the American Heart Association
Authors: Kaufman Joel D. , Elkind Mitchell S.V. , Bhatnagar Aruni , Koehler Kirsten , Balmes John R. , Sidney Stephen , Burroughs Peña Melissa S. , Dockery Douglas W. , Hou Lifang , Brook Robert D. , Laden Francine , Rajagopalan Sanjay , Bishop Kendrick Katherine , Turner Jay R. ,   On behalf of the American Heart Association Advocacy Coordinating Committee
Published: November 2020

In 2010, the American Heart Association published a statement concluding that the existing scientific evidence was consistent with a causal relationship between exposure to fine particulate matter and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and that fine particulate matter exposure is a modifiable cardiovascular risk factor. Since the publication of that statement, evidence linking air pollution exposure to cardiovascular health has continued to accumulate and the biological processes underlying these effects have become better understood. This increasingly persuasive evidence necessitates policies to reduce harmful exposures and the need to act even as the scientific evidence base continues to evolve.

Policy options to mitigate the adverse health impacts of air pollutants must include the reduction of emissions through action on air quality, vehicle emissions, and renewable portfolio standards, taking into account racial, ethnic, and economic inequality in air pollutant exposure. Policy interventions to improve air quality can also be in alignment with policies that benefit community and transportation infrastructure, sustainable food systems, reduction in climate forcing agents, and reduction in wildfires. The health care sector has a leadership role in adopting policies to contribute to improved environmental air quality as well. There is also potentially significant private sector leadership and industry innovation occurring in the absence of and in addition to public policy action, demonstrating the important role of public-private partnerships. In addition to supporting education and research in this area, the American Heart Association has an important leadership role to encourage and support public policies, private sector innovation, and public-private partnerships to reduce the adverse impact of air pollution on current and future cardiovascular health in the United States.
Muslim Judges at the Road of Intersection
Authors: Shehada Nahda
Published: November 2020

The work of Muslim judges in the shariʿa courts ranges from enforcing specific moral standards to redistributing wealth in accordance with Islamic inheritance norms. Judgments in cases involving divorce, alimony, and the custody of children are nonetheless part and parcel of the judges’ daily routine. This paper uses ethnographic work in Gaza–Palestine to explore whether, how, and why judges assert certain rules and norms on some occasions but make adjustments or accommodations on others during the process of adjudication. It tries to uncover certain ambivalences in the law and society that allow them to adjust situationally. Social factors such as gender, social status, educational background, and class are scrutinized to see how they are played out, together or separately, in the process of adjustment. Orality as a method is central to the judges’ work as well as to the analysis.
Believers without Religion: Trends and Paradoxes in Portuguese Society
Authors: Teixeira Alfredo , Vilaça Helena , Dix Steffen
Published: November 2020

By analysing the result of a survey conducted in 2018 in the most populated metropolis in Portugal, this study seeks to make a sociological characterisation of ‘believers without religion’ from a dual perspective: on one hand, their proximity to the non-believers groups regarding religious practices; on the other hand, their adjacency to Portuguese cultural Catholicism with respect to beliefs and attitudes. The growth of this population expresses a paradox: their identity accounts for the subsistence of fragments of a late traditional religiosity, but also points to the emergence of new forms of individual beliefs, strongly marked by the effects of the ‘subjective turn.’ In this context, the lack of institutional regulation does not convey an undetermined universe of believers. Paradoxically, references to cultural Catholicism endure; however, they do so hand in hand with forms of religious abandonment, giving rise to various paths that lead to a growing estrangement from Catholicism.
A new species of Tocoyena (Rubiaceae, Gardenieae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Authors: BORGES RODRIGO L. , GAEM PAULO HENRIQUE , ROQUE NÁDIA
Published: November 2020

Tocoyena atlantica, a new species endemic to southern Bahia and northern Espírito Santo states, Brazil, is here described and illustrated. The species consists of trees 5−8 m tall; with petioles 2−5 cm long, and leaf blades 7.4−24.5 × 2.5−9.1 cm, elliptic, adaxially glabrous; calyces cup-shaped with triangular lobes; corolla yellow during anthesis, with tube gradually wider towards the mouth; and laterally compressed hypanthia. Based on IUCN criteria, we consider T. atlantica endangered, with three collection localities within the Atlantic Forest domain. An identification key for species of Tocoyena occurring in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest is also provided.
Evaluating the Lagrangian Evolution of Subtropical Low Clouds in GCMs Using Observations: Mean Evolution, Time Scales, and Responses to Predictors
Authors: Eastman Ryan , Terai Christopher R. , Grosvenor Daniel P. , Wood Robert
Published: November 2020

A Lagrangian framework is developed to show the daily-scale time evolution of low clouds over the eastern subtropical oceans. An identical framework is applied to two general circulation models (GCMs): the CAM5 and UKMET and a set of satellite observations. This approach follows thousands of parcels as they advect downwind in the subtropical trade winds, comparing cloud evolution in time and space. This study tracks cloud cover, in-cloud liquid water path (CLWP), droplet concentration N

d
, planetary boundary layer (PBL) depth, and rain rate as clouds transition from regions with predominately stratiform clouds to regions containing mostly trade cumulus. The two models generate fewer clouds with greater N

d
relative to observations. Models show stronger Lagrangian cloud cover decline and greater PBL deepening when compared with observations. In comparing frequency distributions of cloud variables over time, it is seen that models generate increasing frequencies of nearly clear conditions at the expense of overcast conditions, whereas observations show transitions from overcast to cloud amounts between 50% and 90%. Lagrangian decorrelation time scales (e-folding time τ) of cloud cover and CLWP are between 11 and 19 h for models and observations, although they are a bit shorter for models. A Lagrangian framework applied here resolves and compares the time evolution of cloud systems as they adjust to environmental perturbations in models and observations. Increasing subsidence in the overlying troposphere leads to declining cloud cover, CLWP, PBL depth, and rain rates in models and observations. Modeled cloud responses to other meteorological variables are less consistent with observations, suggesting a need for continuing mechanical improvements in GCMs.
Explaining Variability in Response Style Traits: A Covariate-Adjusted IRTree
Authors: Ames Allison J. , Myers Aaron J.
Published: November 2020

Contamination of responses due to extreme and midpoint response style can confound the interpretation of scores, threatening the validity of inferences made from survey responses. This study incorporated person-level covariates in the multidimensional item response tree model to explain heterogeneity in response style. We include an empirical example and two simulation studies to support the use and interpretation of the model: parameter recovery using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimation and performance of the model under conditions with and without response styles present. Item intercepts mean bias and root mean square error were small at all sample sizes. Item discrimination mean bias and root mean square error were also small but tended to be smaller when covariates were unrelated to, or had a weak relationship with, the latent traits. Item and regression parameters are estimated with sufficient accuracy when sample sizes are greater than approximately 1,000 and MCMC estimation with the Gibbs sampler is used. The empirical example uses the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health’s sexual knowledge scale. Meaningful predictors associated with high levels of extreme response latent trait included being non-White, being male, and having high levels of parental support and relationships. Meaningful predictors associated with high levels of the midpoint response latent trait included having low levels of parental support and relationships. Item-level covariates indicate the response style pseudo-items were less easy to endorse for self-oriented items, whereas the trait of interest pseudo-items were easier to endorse for self-oriented items.
Has Social Sector Development Catalysed the Inclusiveness of India’s Economic Growth?
Authors: Chadha Vikram , Chadda Ishu
Published: November 2020

The study attempts to examine the impact of social sector development on inclusive growth in India. Ever since Independence, India’s encounter with gnawing poverty and stark deprivation, particularly of the weaker and the marginalised sections of society, cajoled India’s planners to moot the development policies with the sole objective of exacerbating growth with equity. That is why since the beginning of the planning era, the stress had been laid on strengthening and expanding the social sectors with the premise that it would boost the inclusive growth agenda, manifesting in equal access to employment and economic opportunities; equal participation in decision-making and reduction in poverty and inequality. In conformity with the objective of our study, we intend to gauge the effect and contribution of different components of social sector development in India, on inclusiveness of growth using time series data for the period of 1985–1986 to 2015–2016. It was found that the expenditure related to ‘social security and welfare’ contributes significantly towards inclusive growth in India while the expenditure incurred on ‘welfare of marginalised class’ and ‘rural development’ exudes negative association with inclusiveness of growth.