bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel Approaches for Getting the Solution of the Fractional Black–Scholes Equation Described by Mittag-Leffler Fractional Derivative
Authors: Sene Ndolane , Sène Babacar , Ndiaye Seydou Nourou , Traoré Awa
Published: July 2020

The value of an option plays an important role in finance. In this paper, we use the Black–Scholes equation, which is described by the nonsingular fractional-order derivative, to determine the value of an option. We propose both a numerical scheme and an analytical solution. Recent studies in fractional calculus have included new fractional derivatives with exponential kernels and Mittag-Leffler kernels. These derivatives have been found to be applicable in many real-world problems. As fractional derivatives without nonsingular kernels, we use a Caputo–Fabrizio fractional derivative and a Mittag-Leffler fractional derivative. Furthermore, we use the Adams–Bashforth numerical scheme and fractional integration to obtain the numerical scheme and the analytical solution, and we provide graphical representations to illustrate these methods. The graphical representations prove that the Adams–Bashforth approach is helpful in getting the approximate solution for the fractional Black–Scholes equation. Finally, we investigate the volatility of the proposed model and discuss the use of the model in finance. We mainly notice in our results that the fractional-order derivative plays a regulator role in the diffusion process of the Black–Scholes equation.
Application of FIB-SEM Techniques for the Advanced Characterization of Earth and Planetary Materials
Authors: Gu Lixin , Wang Nian , Tang Xu , Changela H. G.
Published: July 2020

Advanced microanalytical techniques such as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), atom probe tomography (APT), and synchrotron-based scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) enable one to characterize the structure and chemical and isotopic compositions of natural materials down towards the atomic scale. Dual focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) is a powerful tool for site-specific sample preparation and subsequent analysis by TEM, APT, and STXM to the highest energy and spatial resolutions. FIB-SEM also works as a stand-alone technique for three-dimensional (3D) tomography. In this review, we will outline the principles and challenges when using FIB-SEM for the advanced characterization of natural materials in the Earth and Planetary Sciences. More specifically, we aim to highlight the state-of-the-art applications of FIB-SEM using examples including (a) traditional FIB ultrathin sample preparation of small particles in the study of space weathering of lunar soil grains, (b) migration of Pb isotopes in zircons by FIB-based APT, (c) coordinated synchrotron-based STXM characterization of extraterrestrial organic material in carbonaceous chondrite, and finally (d) FIB-based 3D tomography of oil shale pores by slice and view methods. Dual beam FIB-SEM is a powerful analytical platform, the scope of which, for technological development and adaptation, is vast and exciting in the field of Earth and Planetary Sciences. For example, dual beam FIB-SEM will be a vital technique for the characterization of fine-grained asteroid and lunar samples returned to the Earth in the near future.
The Ethanol Extract of Avocado (Persea americana Mill. (Lauraceae)) Seeds Successfully Induces Implant Regression and Restores Ovarian Dynamic in a Rat Model of Endometriosis
Authors: Minko Essono Stéphane , Mvondo Marie Alfrede , Ngadjui Esther , Kemka Nguimatio François Xavier , Watcho Pierre
Published: July 2020

Endometriosis is an estrogen‐dependent disease with conventional therapies which do not have desirable effectiveness and possess many side effects. Scientific evidences suggest that medicinal plants with antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and/or antiproliferative properties are potential alternatives for the treatment of endometriosis. The ethanol extract of Persea americana Mill. (Lauraceae) seeds was found exhibiting antiproliferative properties in vitro and in vivo. This study therefore is aimed at investigating the effects of such an extract on an experimental model of endometriosis. Endometriosis was induced by grafting uterine fragments onto the peritoneum of female Wistar rats. After checking the success of the transplantation surgery, animals with endometriosis were orally treated with the ethanol extract of P. americana seeds at the doses of 12.5, 25, and 50 mg/kg. The positive control was treated with letrozole (10 mg/kg) while the negative control received the vehicle. Treatments lasted 7 days and animals were sacrificed thereafter. Endometrial implant volume was determined. Estradiol and progesterone levels were measured in serum samples and endometriosis lesions. The oxidative status of endometriosis lesions was evaluated. Histological analysis of endometriosis lesions, uterus, and ovaries was also performed. Results showed that the ethanol extract of P. americana seeds decreased endometrial implant volume (p < 0.001) and serum levels of estradiol and progesterone (p < 0.01). The levels of estradiol also decreased in endometriosis lesions at doses of 12.5 and 50 mg/kg (p < 0.001). Both malondialdehyde and glutathione levels increased in endometriosis lesions (p < 0.001). The ectopic endometrium height decreased and the number of antral follicles and corpora lutea (p < 0.05) increased while that of luteinized unruptured follicles decreased (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the ethanol extract of P. americana seeds displayed an antiendometriosis effect suggesting that it could be a potential alternative for the treatment of endometriosis.
Blood Monocyte Phenotype Fingerprint of Stable Coronary Artery Disease: A Cross‐Sectional Substudy of SMARTool Clinical Trial
Authors: Sbrana Silverio , Campolo Jonica , Clemente Alberto , Bastiani Luca , Cecchettini Antonella , Ceccherini Elisa , Caselli Chiara , Neglia Danilo , Parodi Oberdan , Chiappino Dante , Smit Jeff M. , Scholte Arthur J. , Pelosi Gualtiero , Rocchiccioli Silvia
Published: July 2020

Background and Aims. Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease with long‐lasting activation of innate immunity and monocytes are the main blood cellular effectors. We aimed to investigate monocyte phenotype (subset fraction and marker expression) at different stages of coronary atherosclerosis in stable coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. Methods. 73 patients with chronic coronary syndrome were evaluated by CT coronary angiography (CTCA) and classified by maximal diameter stenosis of major vessels into three groups of CAD severity: CAD1 (no CAD/minimal CAD, n° = 30), CAD2 (non‐obstructive CAD, n° = 21), and CAD3 (obstructive CAD, n° = 22). Flow cytometry for CD14, CD16, and CCR2 was used to quantify Mon1, Mon2, and Mon3 subsets. Expression of CD14, CD16, CD18, CD11b, HLA‐DR, CD163, CCR2, CCR5, CX3CR1, and CXCR4 was also measured. Adhesion molecules and cytokines were quantified by ELISA. Results. Total cell count and fraction of Mon2 were higher in CAD2 and CAD3 compared to CAD1. By multivariate regression analysis, Mon2 cell fraction and Mon2 expression of CX3CR1, CD18, and CD16 showed a statistically significant and independent increase, parallel to stenosis severity, from CAD1 to CAD2 and CAD3 groups. A similar trend was also present for CX3CR1 and HLA‐DR expressions on total monocyte population. A less calcified plaque composition was associated to a higher Mon2 expression of CD16 and higher TNF‐α levels. IL‐10 levels were lower at greater stenosis severity, while the IFN‐γ/IL‐10 ratio, a marker of a systemic pro‐inflammatory imbalance, was directly correlated to stenosis degree and number of noncalcified plaques. Conclusions. The results of this study suggest that a specific pattern of inflammation‐correlated monocyte marker expression is associated to higher stenosis severity and less calcified lesions in stable CAD. The clinical trial Identifier is NCT04448691.
Assessment of Knowledge and Attitudes of Traumatic Dental Injuries among Saudi Dental Students: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Bukhary Sundus
Published: July 2020

Introduction. The aim of this multicenter cross-sectional study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes of senior dental students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, regarding the management of traumatic dental injuries. Materials and Methods. A stratified random sample of fourth- and fifth-year dental students in different dental schools was given a two-part questionnaire; the first part included demographic questions, while the second part included case scenario questions related to knowledge and attitudes regarding the emergency management of concussion, crown fractures, luxation injuries, root fracture, and alveolar bone fracture. Data were statistically analysed using chi-square and ordinal logistic regression tests. The significance was set at p<0.05. Results. A total of 359 dental students participated in this study. The proportion of students from all dental schools with correct responses to each set of questions was as follows: alveolar bone fracture (78.4%), root fracture (70.1%), intrusive luxation (57.1%), complicated crown fracture (39.7%), uncomplicated crown fracture (35.5%), extrusive luxation (35%), concussion (31.1%), and lateral luxation (26.8%). The mean overall knowledge score of the participants was 3.421 ± 0.49. No statistically significant difference was found on any of the questions regarding the gender or year of study p>0.05. Conclusion. Based on the findings of this study, dental students’ knowledge of the management of traumatic dental injuries in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia ranges from low to moderate. Thus, there is a need to improve the knowledge of management of traumatic dental injuries among dental students.
Pathogenicity of Meloidogyne incognita and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum on Growth and Yield of Two Okra Varieties Cultivated in Ghana
Authors: Agbaglo Samuel Y. , Nyaku Seloame T. , Vigbedor Hannah D. , Cornelius Eric W.
Published: July 2020

The interaction of the fungus, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (FOV), and the nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, on wilt disease on “Essoumtem” and Clemson spineless okra varieties, was examined in pot and field experiments from September 2016 to June 2017, in the University of Ghana farms. Four-week-old “Essoumtem” and Clemson spineless seedlings for pot experiment and one-week-old “Essoumtem” and Clemson spineless seedlings for field experiment were inoculated with fungus, Fusarium oxysporum, and nematode, Meloidogyne incognita. The individual, simultaneous, and sequential inoculation of second stage juveniles (at 1000 J2/kg soil) of Meloidogyne incognita and Fusarium oxysporum (1.1 × 106 cells/kg soil) resulted in significant reduced plant growth parameters (plant height, plant girth, chlorophyll content, fresh and dry shoot weights, and fresh and dry root weights). Maximum suppression in plant growth parameters was observed in plants that received NF21 (Fusarium oxysporum inoculated 21 days after Meloidogyne incognita on okra) and F21 (fungus inoculated 21 days after seedling emergence) treatments for pot and field experiments, respectively. The least suppression of plant growth parameters was observed in separate inoculations of the two pathogens for both pot and field experiments. Maximum suppression in yield parameters was observed in okra plants that received NF21 and F21 treatments for pot and field experiments, respectively. Minimal yield suppression was observed for individual inoculations (N and F treatments) in both pot and field experiments. The highest severity of wilt disease was observed on okra plants that received NF21 and F21 treatment in both pot and field experiments. Plants in control plots had higher yields and the least wilt incidences (0.0%).
Refractory Paraneoplastic Diarrhea Secondary to Adenocarcinoma of the Lung: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Howdershelt Lauren , Forte Michael J. , Sangani Rahul G.
Published: July 2020

Paraneoplastic diarrhea is a commonly described complication of gastrointestinal tract or endocrine malignancies. It is an extremely rare complication of lung adenocarcinoma, with only one previously reported case in the literature. A 46-year-old female with newly diagnosed stage IVb lung adenocarcinoma presented to our intensive care unit in hypovolemic shock with symptoms suggestive of diabetes insipidus (DI) as well as profuse large volume watery diarrhea. Exhaustive serological and microbiological workup revealed the diarrhea to be paraneoplasitc in nature. This case represents the second known case of paraneoplastic diarrhea secondary to lung adenocarcinoma. Clinicians should be aware of this rare phenomenon.
Demanded Dwell Time Reduction Based on Prior RCS Fluctuation Constraint in Target Tracking
Authors: Wu Zijian , Wang Fei , Zhou Jianjiang
Published: July 2020

In the field of airborne radar resource management, one of the most accessible solutions to enhance the power of modern radar system is to save target tracking time as much as possible. During the target tracking process, it is effective to utilize the prior knowledge of the radar cross section (RCS) of the target to save airborne radar resource. Since the target RCS is sensitive to frequency and attitude angle, it is difficult to predict the target RCS accurately. This paper proposes an effective way to save airborne radar time resource in the target tracking process by changing radiation frequency of airborne radar to tolerate certain RCS fluctuation. Firstly, based on the tolerable fluctuation range of the target RCS, this paper designs an effective search algorithm to minimize the frequency set while maximizing the average RCS within the limited fluctuation range. Secondly, the detection probability prediction phase is renewed by taking the RCS fluctuation into account in order to reduce the radar dwell time. Finally, by using interactive multiple model Kalman filter (IMMKF) algorithm, a target tracking procedure with the minimum dwell time prediction method is proposed. Simulation results show that the proposed method is effective. As for target tracking simulation of three different trajectories, the proposed method can save at best 81.35% more dwell time than the fixed frequency method.
Importance of Distribution Type on Bearing Capacity of an Embedded Foundation in Spatially Varying Soils
Authors: Han Jiwei , Liu Xiaoming , Wu Yongxin , Zhou Xuhui
Published: July 2020

The objective of this paper is to investigate the effect of soil variability on bearing capacity of an embedded foundation in the presence of nonstationary undrained shear strength. The nonstationary undrained shear strength is simulated by a nonstationary random field generator based on the spectral representation method. An embedded foundation buried into the soil to two times of width is presented to investigate the influence of spatially variable undrained shear strength on bearing capacity. Firstly, Monte Carlo simulations are carried out to discuss the effect of distribution type, nonstationary gradient parameter, and horizontal autocorrelation length on the bearing capacity from the standpoint of mean value and standard deviation. Then, the influence of the distribution type on the failure probability of nonstationary random soil is also investigated, with the failure probability for the Beta distribution being demonstrated to be always larger than that for the Lognormal and Gamma distribution.
Tumoral Calcinosis of Thoracic Spine Associated with Vertebral Fracture and Inflammatory Reactions
Authors: Miura Isamu , Kubota Motoo , Takebayashi Kento , Momosaki Oji , Honma Koichi , Kawamata Takakazu , Yuzurihara Masahito
Published: July 2020

Tumoral calcinosis involving the spine is rare. The involvement of the thoracic spine is rarer than that of the cervical or lumbar spine. We report a case of thoracic tumoral calcinosis accompanied by vertebral fracture with increased concentrations of inflammatory markers and no abnormalities in serum calcinosis and phosphorus concentration. A 60-year-old woman presented with complete paraplegia. Her white blood cell count and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration were elevated. The thoracic magnetic resonance imaging revealed vertebral fracture and an epidural mass that demonstrated low intensity on both T2- and T1-weighted images at the T9/10 dorsal side of the central canal. This lesion is larger in size than that observed in the previous 2 months. Her laboratory data showed signs of infection, and only decompression surgery without fixation for treatment and diagnosis was performed. Histopathological examination was consistent with tumoral calcinosis. Postoperatively, the patient’s white cell count and CRP concentration were normalized. We found that tumoral calcinosis can occur at the thoracic level on the basis of the spinal instability due to the vertebral compression fracture and the accompanying increase in inflammation indicated by increased white blood cell count and CRP concentration.
Experimental Investigation of Cement/Soda Residue for Solidification/Stabilization of Cr‐Contaminated Soils
Authors: Zha Fusheng , Zhu Fanghua , Kang Bo , Xu Long , Deng Yongfeng , Yang Chengbin , Chu Chengfu
Published: July 2020

Adopting more efficient and sustainable remediation materials is of great importance for the development of solidification and stabilization (S/S) technology. Among them, soda residue could be considered as a desirable binder due to its strong adsorption for heavy metals. For understanding of the performance of Cr‐contaminated soils treated by cement/soda residue, the strength, leaching and microstructural characteristics, and the long‐term effectiveness under wetting‐drying cycles were comprehensively investigated in this study. The results showed that the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) increased and the leached Cr3+ concentration decreased with curing time, binder content, and binder ratio. Increasing the soda residue from C6S14 to C6S24 could improve soil strength and reduce leachability of Cr3+, while a reverse trend was presented with increasing initial Cr3+ concentration. With subsequent wetting‐drying cycles, the UCS further increased and then decreased; inversely, the leached Cr3+ decreased, followed by an increase of Cr‐contaminated soils. For the specimens of C6S14 and C6S24, the maximum UCS of 6.04 MPa and 6.48 MPa was reached; correspondingly, the minimum leached Cr3+ concentration of 2.78 mg/L and 1.93 mg/L was reached after 3 wetting‐drying cycles, respectively. Microstructure analysis results found that reaction products like calcium silicate hydrate (C‐S‐H) and ettringite (AFt) increasingly occupied the soil pore space and caused a denser soil structure after 3 wetting‐drying cycles, which indicated the long‐term effectiveness of contaminated soils treated by cement/soda residue.
Traumatic Blunt Force Renal Injury in a Diseased Horseshoe Kidney with Successful Embolization to Treat Active Bleeding: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Krutsri Chonlada , Singhatas Pongsasit , Sumpritpradit Preeda , Chaijareenont Chunlaches , Viseshsindh Wit , Thampongsa Tharin , Choikrua Pattawia
Published: July 2020

Background. Blunt force injuries in patients with preexisting kidney disease account for 19% of all kidney injuries, suggesting that diseased kidneys are more vulnerable than normal kidneys. When a horseshoe kidney (a rare anomaly: prevalence of 0.2%) is injured, treatment is challenging, especially when nonoperative management is desired. In high-grade blunt force normal kidney injury, nonoperative management has high succession rate (94.8%) with kidney-related complication (13.6%). Surgical reconstruction and preservation of a damaged horseshoe kidney is difficult because of variations in its vascular anatomy. We report successful nonoperative management of a blunt horseshoe kidney injury with active bleeding and review previous outcomes and complications. Case Presentation. A 57-year-old man had a head-on collision motorcycle road traffic accident. On arrival, blood pressure was 90/60 mmHg, pulse rate 140 bpm, and clear yellow urine output 200 ml. The patient was transiently responsive to fluid and blood component. Whole body computed tomography showed a high-volume retroperitoneal hematoma and multiple-lacerated lower pole of the kidney, compatible with preexisting horseshoe kidney disease with active contrast-enhanced extravasation from the accessory right renal artery. Embolization was performed. Renal function, transiently impaired after embolization, normalized on day 3. An infected hematoma found on day 7 was successfully controlled with antibiotics. His recovery was uneventful. At the 6-month follow-up, his serum creatinine level had returned to normal. The average age of blunt force horseshoe kidney injury is 31.75 years and occurred more common in male (87.5%). Conclusion. Diseased horseshoe kidneys are prone to injury even with low-velocity impact such as a road traffic accident speed<15 km/h. Embolization is considered the first choice for management, with its high clinical success rate leading to less need for surgical repair. Not removing a hematoma is likely to result in complications. If embolization fails to stop bleeding, life-saving surgical exploration should be mandated.
Alternative Splicing of Cdh23 Exon 68 Is Regulated by RBM24, RBM38, and PTBP1
Authors: Li Nana , Du Haibo , Ren Rui , Wang Yanfei , Xu Zhigang
Published: July 2020

Alternative splicing plays a pivotal role in modulating the function of eukaryotic proteins. In the inner ear, many genes undergo alternative splicing, and errors in this process lead to hearing loss. Cadherin 23 (CDH23) forms part of the so-called tip links, which are indispensable for mechanoelectrical transduction (MET) in the hair cells. Cdh23 gene contains 69 exons, and exon 68 is subjected to alternative splicing. Exon 68 of the Cdh23 gene is spliced into its mRNA only in a few cell types including hair cells. The mechanism responsible for the alternative splicing of Cdh23 exon 68 remains elusive. In the present work, we performed a cell-based screening to look for splicing factors that regulate the splicing of Cdh23 exon 68. RBM24 and RBM38 were identified to enhance the inclusion of Cdh23 exon 68. The splicing of Cdh23 exon 68 is affected in Rbm24 knockdown or knockout cells. Moreover, we also found that PTBP1 inhibits the inclusion of Cdh23 exon 68. Taken together, we show here that alternative splicing of Cdh23 exon 68 is regulated by RBM24, RBM38, and PTBP1.
Genotoxic Effect of Lead and Cadmium on Workers at Wastewater Plant in Iraq
Authors: Ibrahem Salih , Hassan Muna , Ibraheem Qais , Arif Khalid
Published: July 2020

Heavy metal poisoning is a worldwide problem that is caused by different human industrial activities such as battery and painting manufacturing and occupational exposure of those working at petrol stations. Wastewater is known to contain higher amounts of heavy metals such as lead (Pd) and cadmium (Cd) and might be sources of exposure for workers at the wastewater treatment plant. However, to our best knowledge, no studies were done to evaluate the level of cadmium and lead in blood of workers at wastewater treatment plants and evaluate the subsequent effect of lead and cadmium on delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (δ-ALAD), urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid (Uδ-ALA), and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) as markers of lead and cadmium toxicity. In this case-control study, 79 workers at the Al-Rustumiya wastewater plant in Baghdad, Iraq, and 40 control subjects were included. The levels of lead and cadmium were measured in blood of the study subjects using the atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) method. 8-OHdG was analysed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. δ-ALAD and Uδ-ALA were estimated using spectrophotometry-based methods. Our work showed that workers had a significantly higher level of lead and cadmium when compared with the control group (P<0.05), yet, still within the World Health Organization permissible limit. The level of both metals was positively associated with duration of work at the plant (P<0.01). The activity of δ-ALAD was inversely associated with the lead level, while both Uδ-ALA and 8-OHdG were positively correlated with the lead level (P<0.05). These three markers lacked any statistically significant association with the cadmium level (P>0.05). To sum up, working at the wastewater treatment plant was associated with a higher blood level of lead and cadmium and their possible health hazard. Health and occupational safety authorities are required to set up tighter regulations and protocols to minimize these hazards and ensure a safe working environment.
Existence of Periodic Solutions of Seasonally Forced SEIR Models with Pulse Vaccination
Authors: Wang Lin
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we are interested in finding the periodic oscillation of seasonally forced SEIR models with pulse vaccination. Many infectious diseases show seasonal patterns of incidence. Pulse vaccination strategy is an effective tool to control the spread of these infectious diseases. Assuming that the seasonally dependent transmission rate is a T-periodic forcing, we obtain the existence of positive T-periodic solutions of seasonally forced SEIR models with pulse vaccination by Mawhin’s coincidence degree method. Some relevant numerical simulations are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of such pulse vaccination strategy.
A New Image Encryption Scheme Based on Hybrid Chaotic Maps
Authors: Yasser Ibrahim , Khalifa Fahmi , Mohamed Mohamed A. , Samrah Ahmed S.
Published: July 2020

Chaos-based encryption algorithms offer many advantages over conventional cryptographic algorithms, such as speed, high security, affordable overheads for computation, and procedure power. In this paper, we propose a novel perturbation algorithm for data encryption based on double chaotic systems. A new image encryption algorithm based on the proposed chaotic maps is introduced. The proposed chaotification method is a hybrid technique that parallels and combines the chaotic maps. It is based on combination between Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) to decompose the original image into sub-bands and both permutation and diffusion properties are attained using the chaotic states and parameters of the proposed maps, which are then concerned in shuffling of pixel and operations of substitution, respectively. Security, statistical test analyses, and comparison with other techniques indicate that the proposed algorithm has promising effect and it can resist several common attacks. Namely, the average values for UACI and NPCR metrics were 33.6248% and 99.6472%, respectively. Additionally, unscrambling quality can fulfill security and execution prerequisites as evidenced by PSNR (9.005955) and entropy (7.999275) values. In sum, the proposed method has enough ability to achieve low residual intelligibility with high quality recovered data, high sensitivity, and high security performance compared to some other recent literature approaches.
Investigation of Seismic Behavior of Clay‐Pile Using Nonlinear Kinematic Hardening Model
Authors: Asheghabadi Mohsen Saleh , Cheng Xiaohui
Published: July 2020

In geotechnical mediums where the bearing capacity of upper layers of soil is not suitable for use of the shallow foundations, piles are usually used as deep foundations to transfer loads to the stronger lower layers. Here, the seismic behavior of single pile and pile group constructed in saturated soft kaolin clay under three different earthquakes using Abacus 3D software is investigated. The aluminum material considering the linear elastic model has been used for the piles, and the nonlinear kinematic hardening model with Von Mises failure criterion has been considered for clay. This model can consider the soil stiffness degradation by increasing the number of cyclic loading. Three different methods have been used to calibrate the model parameters, two of them are new methods. In all calibration methods, the cyclic shear and undrained cyclic triaxial tests are used. The results obtained from the numerical analysis of the soil‐pile model are in relatively good agreement with the centrifuge model results. According to the results, the variation of earthquake frequency and intensity affects the bending moment created along the pile and also the distance between piles in a pile group affects the amount of the interaction between them.
Existence of Positive Solutions and Asymptotic Behavior for Evolutionary q(x)-Laplacian Equations
Authors: Marcos Aboubacar , Soglo Ambroise
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we extend the variational method of M. Agueh to a large class of parabolic equations involving q(x)-Laplacian parabolic equation ∂ρt,x/∂t=divxρt,x∇xG′ρ+Vqx−2∇xG′ρ+V. The potential V is not necessarily smooth but belongs to a Sobolev space W1,∞Ω. Given the initial datum ρ0 as a probability density on Ω, we use a descent algorithm in the probability space to discretize the q(x)-Laplacian parabolic equation in time. Then, we use compact embedding W1,q.Ω↪↪Lq.Ω established by Fan and Zhao to study the convergence of our algorithm to a weak solution of the q(x)-Laplacian parabolic equation. Finally, we establish the convergence of solutions of the q(x)-Laplacian parabolic equation to equilibrium in the p(.)-variable exponent Wasserstein space.
Transumanismo e moda
Authors: Ferreira Francisco Rômulo Monte , Castilho Bianca Neves Milani de
Published: July 2020

Trata-se no presente artigo da relação entre o discurso do movimento transumanista e o discurso da moda. Entendemos que, apesar da ausência de qualquer filiação oficial entre esses dois movimentos, ocorre certa convergência principalmente naquilo que os aproximam da ficção científica em termos de mobilização do imaginário e de uma visão futurista de mundo, sendo essa talvez a principal característica tanto dos transumanistas quando de certa vertente da moda.
Um enlace entre ciência e literatura: o Somnium de Johannes Kepler
Authors: Giacomini Gustavo Santos
Published: July 2020

No início da idade moderna, novas concepções astronômicas e físicas fomentaram ideias relativas a outros mundos e vida extraterrestre, de modo que forneceram um  território inédito para a imaginação científica e literária, a saber, o novo mundo na Lua. Em vista disso, empregamos a obra Somnium, de Johannes Kepler, como vestígio e indício, com a finalidade de examinar a ligação existente entre ciência e literatura no princípio da modernidade. Procuramos destacar como as ideias relativas à pluralidade e habitabilidade dos mundos e à possibilidade de viagens lunares e cósmicas são exploradas nesse contato íntimo entre ciência e literatura. Nosso objetivo é identificar as persistências e metamorfoses dos resquícios na obra de Kepler e, com isso, delinear as linhas primevas de um novo gênero literário, isto é, a ficção científica. Ao propor um exercício de hermenêutica histórica sobre o Somnium, pretendemos levar em conta, pelo menos em parte, as transmissões e recepções do tema enquanto trajetória de uma ideia no tempo.
Os opostos que não se opõem
Authors: Faleiros Fabiano Galletti
Published: July 2020

Este artigo propõe debater os enunciados da Singularidade tecnológica e os da série Black Mirror, tratando-os como fragmentos de uma mesma narrativa. Embora tragam pontos de vista antagônicos acerca do desenvolvimento técnico, concordam que, em breve, os humanos deverão desaparecer, suprimidos pelo progresso tecnológico. Objetiva-se, com este trabalho, traçar, a partir da obra de Gilbert Simondon, tanto uma crítica aos postulados tecnofílicos da Singularidade, como aos enunciados tecnofóbicos de Black Mirror, mostrando como o medo ou o êxtase em relação à superação do humano dizem mais respeito ao desconhecimento sectário da existência dos objetos técnicos do que, propriamente, ao nosso fim.
Fato como ficção
Authors: Florio Victoria , Freire Júnior Olival
Published: July 2020

Seja a escrita de um poema ou de um romance, essas eram tidas como as atividades humanas mais elevadas até o início do século 20. Ao lado de poetas, cientistas não teriam lugar. Graças à associação entre a filosofia materialista e cientistas – considerados como pessoas sem imaginação -, havia um certo desgosto das ciências por parte das pessoas literatas. Os EUA pós-Guerra viram a necessidade de unificar essas duas culturas – as mesmas apontadas, na década de 50, pelo físico e romancista inglês C. P. Snow. O cenário de tensão e essa necessidade de unificação contribuíram para mudar lentamente a maneira como a imprensa especializada comunicava ciências para o público: no lugar de números e equações, metáforas, especulações futurísticas foram incorporadas como parte das rotinas jornalísticas. Esse foi o contexto em que o editor e escritor Hugo Gersnsback lançou a revista pulp de “scientifiction” Amazing Stories, cuja primeira edição foi publicada em abril de 1926. Com o mote “Ficção hoje, fato amanhã”, a revista proclamava o poder dos fatos científicos e da imaginação para reconciliar ciências e literatura, num processo em que diversas comunidades e instituições estão envolvidas na formação de uma cultura científica, em acordo com a proposta da espiral de cultura científica do linguista e divulgador das ciências Carlos Vogt.
Encurtando distâncias na comunicação científica: da República das Letras a Perdido em Marte
Authors: Sotério Carolina , Populim Matheus Steigenberg
Published: July 2020

O desenvolvimento da ciência ao longo da história também esteve atrelado ao desenvolvimento das tecnologias de comunicação de cada época. Dessa forma, o presente trabalho se propõe a traçar um panorama histórico a partir da República das Letras — na qual a comunicação por cartas era predominante — até o suprassumo da comunicação espacial, facilitada pelo desenvolvimento de sistemas especiais e corriqueiramente retratada nas produções de ficção científica. Damos destaque a internacionalmente renomada produção literária e audiovisual de Perdido em Marte, obra a qual a comunicação de ciência, em seu auge tecnológico, assume um papel crucial no desenvolvimento do enredo.
Narrativas do caos nas séries de TV
Authors: Cassaro Valmir Moratelli
Published: July 2020

A proposta do presente artigo é analisar as representações de práticas sociais em séries televisivas ficcionais cuja temática é a possibilidade de extinção da humanidade, retratada em situação extrema de desordem e caos. São tidas como objeto as produções The Walking Dead, Z Nation, Falling Skies, The 100, Terra Nova. A partir da descrição de como se firmam laços de relações e constituição de poder em cenários distópicos, pode-se perceber que o consumo e as tendências de dominação na ficção reproduzem modelos maniqueístas para identificar quem controla e quem obedece, com forte referência a situações reais.
Editorial
Authors: Magalhães Gildo
Published: July 2020

Editorial do número
Cerebral Small‐Vessel Disease and Risk of Incidence of Depression: A Meta‐Analysis of Longitudinal Cohort Studies
Authors: Fang Yuanyuan , Qin Tingting , Liu Wenhua , Ran Lusen , Yang Yuan , Huang Hao , Pan Dengji , Wang Minghuan
Published: July 2020

Background

Results of several longitudinal cohort studies suggested an association between cerebral small‐vessel disease and depression. Therefore, we performed a meta‐analysis to explore whether cerebral small‐vessel disease imparts increased risk for incident depression.

Methods and Results

We searched prospective cohort studies relevant to the relationship between cerebral small‐vessel disease and incident depression published through September 6, 2019, which yielded 16 cohort studies for meta‐analysis based on the relative odds ratio (OR) calculated with fixed‐ and random‐effect models. Baseline white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) (pooled OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.14–1.65), enlarged perivascular spaces (pooled OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.03–1.71), and cerebral atrophy (pooled OR, 2.83; 95% CI, 1.54–5.23) were significant risk factors for incident depression. Presence of deep WMHs (pooled OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.05–2.06) was a stronger predictor of depression than were periventricular WMHs (pooled OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 0.93–1.86). What's more, the pooled OR increased from 1.20 for the second quartile to 1.96 for the fourth quartile, indicating that higher the WMH severity brings greater risk of incident depression (25th–50th: pooled OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 0.68–2.12; 50th–75th; pooled OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 0.81–2.46; 75th–100th: OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.06–3.64). These results were stable to subgroup analysis for age, source of participants, follow‐up time, and methods for assessing WMHs and depression.

Conclusions

Cerebral small‐vessel disease features such as WMHs, enlarged perivascular spaces, and cerebral atrophy, especially the severity of WMHs and deep WMHs, are risk factors for incident depression.
High Mortality Rates Among Patients With Non‐Traumatic Intracerebral Hemorrhage and Atrial Fibrillation on Antithrombotic Therapy Are Independent of the Presence of Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy: Insights From a Population‐Based Study
Authors: Ponamgi Shiva P. , Ward Robert , DeSimone Christopher V. , English Stephen , Hodge David O. , Slusser Joshua P. , Graff‐Radford Jonathan , Rabinstein Alejandro A. , Asirvatham Samuel J. , Holmes David
Published: July 2020

Background

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) risk is higher in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation on antithrombotic therapy as well as those with cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). We investigated if mortality among patients with atrial fibrillation on antithrombotic therapy presenting with non‐traumatic ICH was influenced by underlying CAA.

Methods and Results

We used the Rochester Epidemiology Project to identify 6045 patients with atrial fibrillation aged >55 years on anticoagulation or antiplatelet therapy from 1995 to 2016. Seventy‐four patients in this cohort presented with non‐traumatic ICH. Medical records including imaging data were reviewed to identify those with CAA and record baseline variables and outcomes of interest; 38 of our 74 patients (51.4%) (mean age 81.5 years) met Modified Boston Criteria for possible or probable CAA. Twenty‐six of 74 patients (35%) died during the first 30 days while 56 of the 74 (76%) patients died by 10 years follow‐up after index ICH. Overall mortality was not significantly different between the CAA and non‐CAA groups at any point of time during follow‐up (
P
=0.89) even amongst patients restarted on anticoagulation +/− antiplatelet (n=19) (
P
=0.46) or those patients restarted only on antiplatelet therapy (n=22) (
P
=0.66). Three of the 41 patients who restarted on antithrombotic therapy had a recurrent ICH; these 3 patients met criteria for possible or probable CAA.

Conclusions

Although more than half of our patients with atrial fibrillation on antithrombotic therapy and non‐traumatic ICH met Modified Boston Criteria for CAA, CAA did not significantly influence the high mortality seen in this cohort.
“Standing before You, World”
Authors: Behar Daniel
Published: July 2020

This article examines translation activity in modern Syria and its intersections with original works as a middle ground between world literature and postcolonial studies. It argues for a return to the multiplicity residing within a postcolonial national setting as a way of understanding poetic production in interaction with foreign poetries. Syrian translating as practiced in the state-endorsed literary periodical Al-Adab Al-Ajanbiyya (Foreign Literatures) is studied as a site of tension between a political rhetoric maintained by a growingly invasive state and the narrowing field of individual enterprise. How would world literature figure from the perspective of a state-backed, professedly Arab-socialist culture? How would this construction then be contested by agents struggling to carve out spaces for individual expression? What role does translation play in this struggle? The parameters of postcolonial experience and representation are themselves fought over in an unequal playing field between state power and beleaguered authors on the literary margins. Translations originating in politicized agendas then become constitutive of non-ideological engagements with world literature sanctioning deviations from state hegemony and promoting civilian agendas.
Transcolonial Nationhood
Authors: Hwang Ji Hyea
Published: July 2020

The genre of modern drama was established in Korea primarily during Japan’s occupation (1910–1945), by playwrights such as Yu Ch’i-jin who sought to represent Korean nationhood on stage. Yu was especially influenced by Irish playwrights, due to the parallels he recognized in the two colonial nations. Moreover, he was also concerned with the genre of modern drama on the global scale, as he agreed with his contemporaries that Korean literature must become interconnected with world literature. As a colonial writer, Yu wrote and staged Korean national drama that was inspired by Irish national drama, which he studied alongside other foreign – mostly European – literary traditions while studying in Japan. Françoise Lionnet’s concept of transcolonialism, a spatial approach to understanding the network of colonial literatures, will be used to analyze the complex set of influences on Yu’s writings.
Reading Mohsin Hamid’s Exit West as a World Novel
Authors: Bilal Mushtaq
Published: July 2020

This paper investigates how Mohsin Hamid’s fiction challenges the so-called “natural law” of world literature according to which a work of literature has to be first born into a national literature before circulating into world literature. In addition, the paper shows how Hamid’s fiction and its reception strains the category of “national literature.” Building on the theoretical insights of Vittorio Coletti and Alexander Beecroft, I argue that Hamid’s 2017 novel Exit West can be read as a world novel because it narrates the world by framing the displacement of its characters in terms of migratory movement from the Global South to the Global North. The two narrative devices characteristic of the genre of world novel used in Exit West are: delocalization of place and entrelacement, or multi-strand narration.
Affinities of Postcolonial Memory
Authors: Pree Nathanael
Published: July 2020

The Rings of Saturn and other works by W.G. Sebald are discussed in conjunction with Landscape of Farewell, by Australian novelist Alex Miller, extending Aimé Césaire’s choc-en-retour, or “boomerang effect,” and following Michael Rothberg’s articulation of “Multidimensional Memory,” to inform a comparative, transcontinental analysis of specific aftershocks of colonialism. Contexts include contemporary Brussels, Indigenous Australia and the eroded coast of East Anglia. The effects of competing and complementary trajectories that arise from postcolonial memory, the presence of found books, following Homi Bhabha, and the intertextual presences of Joseph Conrad and explorer Ludwig Leichhardt, are discussed. The role of poesis articulated by an uncertain narrator against a background of exploitation and genocide is evaluated, as well as the effects of colonial activity on the landscape itself. In conclusion, the article considers the role of literature in effecting reconciliation and restitution.
Simulating Dramatic Networks
Authors: Moretti Franco
Published: July 2020

“Yes, interesting,” said someone from the audience, the first time I presented on dramatic networks; “but, as a mathematician, I feel I only understand something if I know how to ‘make’ it. So: how do you make a dramatic network? What elements does it need, what rules, what stages?” At the time, I had no idea how to respond; in a discipline like ours, where the objects of study are emphatically given – passed on with care, and often with reverence, from generation to generation – the idea of “making” Hamlet sounded half absurd, half sacrilegious. But that’s exactly my object here: neither real plays, nor even the networks that can be extracted from them, but their “simulations” instead.
Critical Disability Studies and ‘Inclusive’ Early Childhood Education: The Ongoing Divide
Authors: Eilers Nicole
Published: July 2020

Critical Disability Studies (cds) provokes the field of early childhood ‘inclusion’ to reflect on its own complex history in order to identify how ableism has played a central role in the field’s development. However, the fields of early childhood ‘inclusive’ education and cds remain largely distinct. This paper explores the ongoing separation between these fields in the context of the United States. I begin by providing a brief overview of the history of cds and early childhood ‘inclusive’ education as distinct fields. Then, I discuss the divide between these two fields, analyzing their contemporary states, and describing the factors that facilitate the distance between them.
Pediatric Scald Injuries Sustained From Instant Soup and Noodle Products
Authors: Allen Courtney E. , Figueroa Janet , Agarwal Maneesha , Little Wendalyn K.
Published: July 2020

Background and Objective. Scald burns are a major cause of pediatric burn injuries. Instant soups have been identified as one source of these injuries. This study aims to quantify and characterize these injuries in pediatric patients. Methods. Ten-year query of National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database identified instant soup- and noodle-related scald burns in children aged 4 to 12 years. Data included patient demographics, injured body part, case narratives, and emergency department disposition. Results. A total of 4518 cases were identified, yielding an estimate of 9521 cases/year in the United States. Younger children were affected more than the older. Trunk was the most commonly burned body area. Approximately 10% of injuries required admission or transfer for further care. Conclusion. Instant soup and noodle products are a common cause of pediatric scald burns, potentially injuring 25 children per day in the United States and leading to high rates of health care utilization.
Test-Taking for Gifted and Talented Kindergarten: Underscoring the Importance of Outreach
Authors: Lu Ying , Weinberg Sharon L. , McCormick Meghan
Published: July 2020

Using proprietary data collected prior to the establishment of the public Universal Prekindergarten program in New York City, this study finds statistically significant differences in test-taking rates for the city’s Gifted & Talented (G & T) program between two matched samples of students—those who attended a public prekindergarten (pre-K) program and those who did not—for each of four cohorts from 2008 to 2011, favoring the public pre-K group. Results also demonstrate that access to information about the G & T program is a plausible mechanism underlying the higher test-taking rates among the public pre-K group, especially for underrepresented groups. With the establishment of the Universal Prekindergarten in New York City in 2015, our results highlight the importance of instituting new policies for promoting the dissemination of information regarding the G & T admissions process within the public school sector. If targeted to address diversity in G & T, such policies could help reduce inequality in gifted education.