bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Ultra-Wet Methane Combustion Technique for Power Generation
Authors: Zhang Kai , Dybe Simeon , Shen Yazhou , Schimek Sebastian , Paschereit Christian Oliver , Duwig Christophe
Published: October 2020

Using steam as a heat carrier and working media has merits to increase electric efficiency up to 60% and decrease NOx emission to single-digit compared to dry gas turbine cycles. These attribute primarily to the physical properties of steam as having high heat capacity to reduce local flame temperature, and hence reduce emissions by inhibiting the thermal NOx forward reaction rate. In this work, ultrahigh steam content with a steam-to-air mass ratio of up to 40% is premixed with methane–air mixture before entering into a swirl-stabilized high pressure (HP)-burner for combustion. A significant change of flame from V-shape (attached) to M shape (detached) is observed through a transparent combustion chamber whilst changing steam content. The measurement of chemiluminescence OH* is conducted with an intensified CCD-camera bandpass filtered at 320 nm. Following these measurements, large eddy simulation (LES) is used to capture reacting flow features. Reasonably well agreements between experimental data and numerical results are obtained for both attached and detached flames in terms of the OH* distribution. Slight inconsistency of OH* intensity is mainly due to uncollected wall temperature, which leads to either over- or underprediction of chemical reaction rate depending on the experimental flame positions. Distributed flame front is clearly identified with LES for wet methane combustion associated with 35% steam-to-air ratio corresponding to a high Karlovitz number flame. Slightly unstable combustion is observed when the steam-to-air ratio exceeds 40% featuring an onset of flame blow-off. In addition, interaction between precessing vortex core (PVC) and the flame is presented for different level of steam dilution, and conclusions are drawn regarding the flame stabilization. The in-depth understanding of the ultrawet combustion is an important step toward the use of sustainable, steam-diluted biosyngas for electricity production.
Design and Evaluation of a Passive Constant Force Mechanism for a Cardiac Ablation Catheter
Authors: van de Sande Werner W. P. J. , Ali Awaz , Radaelli Giuseppe
Published: October 2020

Contact force management has been proven to have a positive effect on the outcome of cardiac ablation procedures. However, no method exists that allows maintaining a constant contact force within a required and effective range. This work aims to develop and evaluate such a constant force mechanism for use in an ablation catheter. A passive constant force mechanism was designed based on a tape loop. The tape loop consists of two tapered springs that work in parallel. A finite element analysis was carried out to verify the behavior and performance of the design. A design based on requirements for a constant force ablation tip showed an average force of about 7.8×10−2 N±8×10−3 N over 20 mm in simulation. A scaled prototype was built and evaluated to prove the validity of the concept; this prototype provides an average force of 1.3×10−1 N±1.6×10−2 N over 35 mm. The mechanism allows for controlled delivery of contact force within a desired and effective range. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that the approach is successful but needs to be optimized for future applications. Being able to control the delivery of contact force in a constant range may increase the effectivity of cardiac ablation procedures and improve clinical outcomes.
Microfluidic Devices for Magnetic Separation of Biological Particles: A Review
Authors: Surendran Athira N. , Zhou Ran , Lin Yang
Published: October 2020

Separation of microparticles and cells serves a critical step in many applications such as in biological analyses, food production, chemical processing, and medical diagnostics. Sorting on the microscale exhibits certain advantages in comparison with that on the macroscale as it requires minuscule sample or reagents volume and thus reduced analysis cycle time, smaller size of devices, and lower fabrication costs. Progresses have been made over time to improve the efficiency of these microscale particle manipulation techniques. Many different techniques have been used to attain accurate particle sorting and separation in a continuous manner on the microscale level, which can be categorized as either passive or active methods. Passive techniques achieve accurate manipulation of particles through their interaction with surrounding flow by carefully designed channel structures, without using external fields. As an alternative, active techniques utilize external fields (e.g., acoustic, electronic, optical, and magnetic field, etc.) to realize desired pattern of motion for particles with specific properties. Among numerous active methods for microfluidic particle sorting, the magnetic field has been widely used in biomedical and chemical applications to achieve mixing, focusing, and separating of reagents and bioparticles. This paper aims to provide a thorough review on the classic and most up-to-date magnetic sorting and separation techniques to manipulate microparticles including the discussions on the basic concept, working principle, experimental details, and device performance.
New Forward and Inverse Solutions for Wet Fins Generalized Profiles With All Nonlinear Phenomena
Authors: Das Ranjan , Kundu Balaram
Published: October 2020

This study establishes forward closed-form and inverse analyses of wet fins of various profiles involving all modes of heat transfer. Existing limitations in the literature are addressed here by choosing the appropriate nonlinear variation of thermal conductivity and radiation effects. The error between linear and nonlinear methodologies is found to be within 60%. Furthermore, the maximum error between the closed-form solution based on the differential transformation method (DTM), and the numerical solution is observed as 0.5%. After necessary validations, optimization of various fin profiles is carried out by the maximization of the net fin heat transmission rate under a defined fin volume and thermogeometrical constraints. For the optimum criterion, the suitability of the artificial bee colony (ABC)-based metaheuristic technique is established. The identification of thermogeometrical parameters is realized by analyzing combinations obtained from 100 runs of ABC and the decision-making criterion is adopted on the basis of the maximum thermal performance. Among the studied profiles, concave parabolic geometry yields the maximum heat transport rate, which is followed by triangular, convex, and rectangular geometries for the same fin volume. The present combination of DTM and ABC techniques is proposed to be useful in practical applications toward design and the selection of evaporator fins for air-conditioning and refrigeration appliances operating under wet conditions in a more accurate and optimized manner.
A checkpoint for pyroptosis
Authors: Wong Wei
Published: October 2020

The nuclear pool of an immune checkpoint protein promotes pyroptosis and tumor necrosis downstream of TNFα.
Rare case of hepatocellular carcinoma metastasising to the pituitary and cavernous sinus causing panhypopituitarism and bilateral ophthalmoplegia
Authors: Ambalavanan Jayachidambaram , Peravali Monica , Perry David J
Published: October 2020

Pituitary metastases, especially from a primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), are rare. Review of the literature revealed only few cases reporting pituitary metastases complicated by panhypopituitarism from HCC. Calvarial metastases from HCC are even more rare. Here, we present a unique case of primary HCC with metastases to both the calvarium and the pituitary causing panhypopituitarism and bilateral ophthalmoplegia, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of two unique and rare complications from metastatic HCC.
National survey of feasibility of NIV trials for management of children with bronchiolitis
Authors: Rosala-Hallas Anna , Jones Ashley P , Bedson Emma , Compton Vanessa , Fernandes Ricardo M , Lacy David , Lyttle Mark D , Peak Matthew , Thorburn Kent , van Miert Clare , Woolfall Kerry , McNamara Paul S
Published: October 2020

Background

Bronchiolitis is a major cause of admission to hospital in children. Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) support with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen is routinely used for infants in the UK with bronchiolitis.

Objective

To establish UK paediatric practice regarding management of bronchiolitis, and to explore issues pertinent to the design of a potential future randomised controlled trial of NIV.

Design

Screening logs were completed in hospitals in England capturing information on paediatric bronchiolitis admissions. An online national survey of clinical practice was disseminated to healthcare professionals (HCPs) across the UK to ascertain current management strategies.

Results

Screening logs captured data on 393 infants from 8 hospitals. Reasons for admission were most commonly respiratory distress and/or poor fluid intake. Oxygen was administered for 54% of admissions. Respiratory (CPAP and HFNC) and non-respiratory support administered varied considerably. The national survey was completed by 111 HCPs from 76 hospitals. Data were obtained on criteria used to commence and wean NIV, responsibilities for altering NIV settings, minimum training requirements for staff managing a child on NIV, and numbers of trained staff. Most centres were interested in and capable of running a trial of NIV, even out of normal office hours.

Conclusions

Respiratory and non-respiratory management of bronchiolitis in UK centres varies widely. A trial of HFNC oxygen therapy in this group of patients is feasible and HCPs would be willing to randomise patients into such a trial. Future work should focus on defining trial eligibility criteria.
Impact of test-and-treat and risk reduction strategies on HCV transmission among MSM living with HIV in France: a modelling approach
Authors: Castry Mathieu , Cousien Anthony , Supervie Virginie , Velter Annie , Ghosn Jade , Paltiel A David , Yazdanpanah Yazdan , Deuffic-Burban Sylvie
Published: October 2020

Objective

Since the early 2000s, there has been an epidemic of HCV occurring among men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV, mainly associated with high-risk sexual and drug-related behaviours. Early HCV diagnosis and treatment, and behavioural risk-reduction, may be effective to eliminate HCV among MSM living with HIV.

Design

We developed a deterministic dynamic compartmental model to simulate the impact of test-and-treat and risk-reduction strategies on HCV epidemic (particularly on incidence and prevalence) among MSM living with HIV in France. We accounted for HIV and HCV cascades of care, HCV natural history and heterogeneity in HCV risk behaviours. The model was calibrated to primary HCV incidence observed between 2014 and 2017 among MSM living with HIV in care (ANRS CO4-French hospital database on HIV (FHDH)).

Results

With current French practices (annual HCV screening and immediate treatment), total HCV incidence would fall by 70%, from 0.82/100 person-years in 2015 to 0.24/100 person-years in 2030. It would decrease to 0.19/100 person-years in 2030 with more frequent screening and to 0.19 (0.12)/100 person-years in 2030 with a 20% (50%) risk-reduction. When combining screening every 3 months with a 50% risk-reduction, HCV incidence would be 0.11/100 person-years in 2030, allowing to get close to the WHO target (90% reduction from 2015 to 2030). Similarly, HCV prevalence would decrease from 2.79% in 2015 to 0.48% in 2030 (vs 0.71% with current practices).

Conclusion

Combining test-and-treat and risk-reduction strategies could have a marked impact on the HCV epidemic, paving the way to HCV elimination among MSM living with HIV.
Assessing the viability of pre-industrial sediment prior to remediation using primary producer (Zostera marina and Spartina alterniflora) growth and survival
Authors: Fraser Megan R. , Winsor Tyler , Williams Jim , Wyeth Russell C. , Garbary David J.
Published: October 2020

Boat Harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada, has served as a polishing pond for treated pulp and paper effluent since 1967. In 2020, the effluent flow ceased, and the site will be remediated. The focus of the remediation is the removal of a layer of contaminated sediment, shown to contain high levels of metals and dioxins and furans. Our primary objective was to test whether the underlying pre-industrial sediment could support growth and survival of estuarine plants. A large-diameter (15 cm) corer was used to extract cores from underneath the contaminated layer. These cores were inserted into a reference estuary, along with cores of reference estuarine sediment. Four 3 × 3 subtidal plots were used to test transplants of the estuarine plant Zostera marina, and five 1 × 9 marsh edge plots were used to test Spartina alterniflora. No significant differences in plant growth or survival were observed between Boat Harbour and reference sediment after 2 months. Postexperiment analysis of contaminants (metals and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs)) in both types of sediment and plant tissues showed similarly low levels of contaminants. Findings indicate that pre-industrial sediment in the harbor should be able to support plant growth after removal of overlying contaminated sediment.
INTRODUCTION — SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE: THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF REGIONALISM, TRADE, AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Authors: LIU HONG , TAN KONG YAM , LIM GUANIE
Published: October 2020

Since its launch in late 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has become a significant factor in shaping China’s economic and diplomatic relations with the world. China’s increasing clout presents opportunities as well as challenges, especially for the developing economies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which constitute major sites for investment and trade alongside the BRI routes. This special issue examines whether and to what extent China’s economic ascendancy has impacted the proposed ASEAN Economic Community and the respective nations in the region. It deals with this question by grounding the analysis along three themes — institutions at a regional level, industry/sector, and particular ASEAN countries’ economic relationship with China. A total of 12 articles are presented to illuminate the state of affairs at the regional level and in specific ASEAN economies. They point to the importance of managing trade and investment flows stemming from China’s increasingly sophisticated national firms. This in turn hinges on forging ‘rules of the game’ at both the multilateral and bilateral levels, which potentially leads to mutually beneficial industrialization and long-term wealth creation. In addition to summarizing key findings of the articles in the special issue, this introductory essay examines some of the key themes confronting ASEAN in its engagement with the BRI such as institutions, global supply chains, and economic strategies. It concludes with a brief discussion on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the BRI in Southeast Asia, and on ways to enhance regional integration.
Property of ionic polymer metal composite with different thicknesses based on solution casting technique
Authors: Yang Liang , Zhang Dongsheng , Zhang Xining , Tian Aifen , He Miaomiao
Published: October 2020

As an ionic electroactive polymer, ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) has unique advantages and is widely used in various fields. However, the output force of IPMC is small, which further limits the application of IPMC. In this study, the Nafion520cs were selected as the preparation solution, and three ion-exchange polymer membranes (IEPMs) with different thicknesses (158, 256 and 383 [Formula: see text]m) were designed and prepared successfully by solution casting technique to study the output force. Then, three platinum electrodes-IPMCs (Pt-IPMCs) were fabricated using electroless plating method. The properties of Pt-IPMCs in terms of morphology, displacements and blocking forces were then evaluated under direct current voltage. The results showed that the prepared ionic membranes were uniform, transparent and flat, without accumulation or bubble. The platinum particles were preferably deposited on the surface, which promoted delivery of current through the IPMCs under the applied voltage, and improved the actuation performance. With the increase of voltage, the maximum displacement and maximum blocking force of the three IPMCs increased first and then decreased. When the voltage is 5.5 V, the maximum displacement for 158 um is 26 mm, while the maximum blocking force of 10.74 mN appears at 6.5 V for 383 um. It is necessary to select suitable thickness of IPMCs to adapt to different working environment and field, which provides a strong basis for further application of IPMCs.
Understanding the Chemistry and Physics of Charge Transfer in Electrolysis with a Plasma Electrode
Authors: Delgado Hernan Eugenio , Elg Daniel T , Bartels David , Rumbach Paul , Go David B.
Published: October 2020

Plasma electrochemistry consists of an electrolytic cell where the cathode or the anode is replaced by a direct current (DC) plasma. Unlike conventional electrolysis, where reactions depend on the catalytic properties of the electrode, highly reactive species including solvated electrons (e-
aq), hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and atomic hydrogen (H•) are introduced into, or are generated in, the volume of the liquid. This novel interfacial interaction has led to a variety of applications including the chemical analysis of dissolved elements in an aqueous sample, the synthesis of both nanomaterials and useful chemicals, and the destruction of organic contaminants for water purification. With reported faradaic efficiencies greater than 100%, plasma electrolysis is a compelling alternative to conventional electrolysis. However, there are many things that are not understood about the charge transfer process, particularly when the plasma serves as the anode in the electrolytic cell. This includes how these chemical species are generated and in what amounts, as well as how electrons are emitted from the liquid into the plasma (in a process called secondary emission) to complete the electrolytic circuit. In this work we use the plasma voltage and breakdown voltage to study electron emission and show that emitted electrons are never solvated, or even pre-solvated, and are independent of the liquid chemistry. We find that secondary emission is very inefficient, with roughly 1 out of a million electrons escaping the solution. Finally, reactions with chloroacetate and chloroacetic acid were used to narrow down the potential yields of each of the chemical species and refine our understanding of the faradaic efficiency.
Interval Pricing Study of Deposit Insurance in China
Authors: Wu Sulin , Yang Shenggang , Wu Yifan , Zhu Sangzhi
Published: October 2020

This paper first proposes a European option pricing method for deposit insurance based on triangular intuitionistic fuzzy numbers. In the proposed method, we take into account the randomness and fuzziness of bank asset value simultaneously, and hence, the method can adequately reflect the high uncertainty of bank asset value. This method fuzzifies the value of bank asset, resubmits it into the original deposit insurance option pricing model as a fuzzy random variable, and then gives an analytic formula of deposit insurance rates using a risk-neutral method. After this, we have also conducted a numerical analysis. In specific, we have obtained the premium interval and presented the static analysis of key parameters. Finally, seven small- and middle-sized banks in Hunan Province in China are used as examples to validate the proposed interval pricing model. The Black-Scholes option pricing model and Yoshida’s triangular fuzzy model are also employed for comparison. The research results show that the interval rates obtained from the proposed European option pricing method for deposit insurance can better reflect the uncertainty of bank asset evaluation than the fixed rates obtained from the Black-Scholes option pricing model. Moreover, the model proposed in this paper is also superior to Yoshida’s model in practice.
Shapelet Discovery by Lazy Time Series Classification
Authors: Zhang Wei , Wang Zhihai , Yuan Jidong , Hao Shilei
Published: October 2020

As a representation of discriminative features, the time series shapelet has recently received considerable research interest. However, most shapelet-based classification models evaluate the differential ability of the shapelet on the whole training dataset, neglecting characteristic information contained in each instance to be classified and the classwise feature frequency information. Hence, the computational complexity of feature extraction is high, and the interpretability is inadequate. To this end, the efficiency of shapelet discovery is improved through a lazy strategy fusing global and local similarities. In the prediction process, the strategy learns a specific evaluation dataset for each instance, and then the captured characteristics are directly used to progressively reduce the uncertainty of the predicted class label. Moreover, a shapelet coverage score is defined to calculate the discriminability of each time stamp for different classes. The experimental results show that the proposed method is competitive with the benchmark methods and provides insight into the discriminative features of each time series and each type in the data.
Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid Cytokine Biomarkers for Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Martynova Ekaterina , Goyal Mehendi , Johri Shikhar , Kumar Vinay , Khaibullin Timur , Rizvanov Albert A. , Verma Subhash , Khaiboullina Svetlana F. , Baranwal Manoj
Published: October 2020

Background. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic debilitating disorder characterized by persisting damage to the brain caused by autoreactive leukocytes. Leukocyte activation is regulated by cytokines, which are readily detected in MS serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Objective. Serum and CSF levels of forty-five cytokines were analyzed to identify MS diagnostic markers. Methods. Cytokines were analyzed using multiplex immunoassay. ANOVA-based feature and Pearson correlation coefficient scores were calculated to select the features which were used as input by machine learning models, to predict and classify MS. Results. Twenty-two and twenty cytokines were altered in CSF and serum, respectively. The MS diagnosis accuracy was ≥92% when any randomly selected five of these biomarkers were used. Interestingly, the highest accuracy (99%) of MS diagnosis was demonstrated when CCL27, IFN-γ, and IL-4 were part of the five selected cytokines, suggesting their important role in MS pathogenesis. Also, these binary classifier models had the accuracy in the range of 70-78% (serum) and 60-69% (CSF) to discriminate between the progressive (primary and secondary progressive) and relapsing-remitting forms of MS. Conclusion. We identified the set of cytokines from the serum and CSF that could be used for the MS diagnosis and classification.
Generation of (3, 1) Vector Signal Based on Probabilistic Shaping Technology without Precoding
Authors: Xiao Jiangnan , Dong Xu , Liu Bo , Feng Xingxing , Zhao Chuang , Zuo Jiangli
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we introduce the probabilistic shaping (PS) technique to the normal (3, 1) vector signal and simulate the generated PS (3, 1) photonic vector signal on an optical transmission system. The PS (3, 1) photonic vector signal is generated by a radio frequency (RF) signal at 12 GHz driving a Mach–Zehnder modulator- (MZM-) based optical carrier suppression (OCS) doubling, and the PS (3, 1) photonic vector signal is not precoding. The PS (3, 1) photonic vector signal and the normal (3, 1) photonic vector signal are used to transmit in 5 km, 10 km, and 20 km single-mode fibers (SMF), respectively. The simulation results demonstrate that the bit error ratio (BER) of the PS (3, 1) vector signal is less than the forward error correction (FEC) threshold of 3.8 

×

 10−3, and the BER performance is better than that of the normal (3, 1) vector signal at 4 Gbit/s and 8 Gbit/s transmission rates.
Human Body Model for Channel Characterization Based on Ray-Tracing
Authors: Xiong Lei , Miao Haiyang , Yao Zhiyi
Published: October 2020

The propagation channel around human body will fluctuate due to the body effects, so it is essential to investigate the body channel. As an important method of channel modeling, ray-tracing (RT) is affected by the human body model. In this paper, a realistic human body is modeled with the idea of greedy algorithm. Based on the RT simulation and measurement results of path loss (PL), we derive the approximate shapes of the torso, head, arms, and legs, and propose a reference human body model whose credibility and accuracy have been verified at 2.4 GHz and 60 GHz. These results prove that the simulation results based on the reference human body model are in good agreement with the measurement values. In addition, the reference human body model can be adjusted according to the realistic dimension data of body.
Modelling and Analysis of Propagation Behavior of Computer Viruses with Nonlinear Countermeasure Probability and Infected Removable Storage Media
Authors: Zhang Xulong , Li Yong
Published: October 2020

The dissemination of countermeasures is diffusely recognized as one of the most valid strategies of containing computer virus diffusion. In order to better understand the impacts of countermeasure and removable storage media on viral spread, this paper addresses a dynamical model, which incorporates nonlinear countermeasure probability and infected removable storage media. Theoretical analysis reveals that the unique (viral) equilibrium of the model is globally asymptotically stable. This main result is also illustrated by some numerical experiments. Additionally, the numerical experiments of different countermeasure probabilities are conducted.
Stunting and Its Associated Factors among Early Adolescent School Girls of Gondar Town, Northwest Ethiopia: A School‐Based Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Tamrat Azmera , Yeshaw Yigizie , Dadi Abel Fekadu
Published: October 2020

Introduction. Stunting is a crucial indicator of long‐term chronic undernutrition that reflects a failure to reach a linear growth. Adolescent girls are potentially at a higher risk of stunting as they are traditionally married at an early age in low‐income countries. In Ethiopia, stunting has mostly been examined in early childhood, with limited information at the early adolescent age. Therefore, this study is aimed at determining the prevalence of stunting and its associated factors among early adolescent school girls age 10 to 14 in Gondar town. Methods. We conducted a school‐based cross‐sectional study. A multistage sampling method was used to sample 662 adolescent girls in selected primary schools. A pretested, structured, and interviewer‐administered questionnaire was used to collect the required data. Stata Version 14 and WHO Anthro‐plus software were used to analyze the data. The bivariable and multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors associated with stunting. Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated, and a p value ≤ 0.05 was considered to declare statistically significant variables. Results. The prevalence of stunting was 27.5% [95% CI: 25.5%‐29.5%]. The odds of stunting were found to be higher among grade 5 students [AOR; 95% CI: 1.90; 1.13‐3.20], those who reported a daily meal frequency of less than three [AOR; 95% CI: 2.37; 1.60‐3.50], and those who were from food‐insecure families [AOR; 95% CI: 2.52; 1.70‐3.73]. Adolescent girls whose mothers were government employees [AOR; 95% CI: 0.48; 0.26–0.89] or merchants [AOR; 95% CI: 0.43; 0.28–0.67] were less likely to be stunted compared to those whose mothers were housewives. Conclusion. Stunting among early adolescent girls is found to be a moderate public health problem. A school‐based nutritional program might be helpful to reduce stunting in this group of adolescent girls.
Demystifying COVID-19 Digital Contact Tracing: A Survey on Frameworks and Mobile Apps
Authors: Martin Tania , Karopoulos Georgios , Hernández-Ramos José L. , Kambourakis Georgios , Nai Fovino Igor
Published: October 2020

The coronavirus pandemic is a new reality, and it severely affects the modus vivendi of the international community. In this context, governments are rushing to devise or embrace novel surveillance mechanisms and monitoring systems to fight the outbreak. The development of digital tracing apps, which among others are aimed at automatising and globalising the prompt alerting of individuals at risk in a privacy-preserving manner, is a prominent example of this ongoing effort. Very promptly, a number of digital contact tracing architectures have been sprouted, followed by relevant app implementations adopted by governments worldwide. Bluetooth, specifically its Low Energy (BLE) power-conserving variant, has emerged as the most promising short-range wireless network technology to implement the contact tracing service. This work offers the first to our knowledge full-fledged review of the most concrete contact tracing architectures proposed so far in a global scale. This endeavour does not only embrace the diverse types of architectures and systems, namely, centralised, decentralised, or hybrid, but also equally addresses the client side, i.e., the apps that have been already deployed in Europe by each country. There is also a full-spectrum adversary model section, which does not only amalgamate the previous work in the topic but also brings new insights and angles to contemplate upon.
A Case Control Study to Evaluate the Impact of Colchicine on Patients Admitted to the Hospital with Moderate to Severe COVID-19 Infection
Authors: Sandhu Tegveer , Tieng Arlene , Chilimuri Sridhar , Franchin Giovanni
Published: October 2020

Background. Colchicine has been used in conditions such as periodic febrile illness, acute pericarditis, and gouty arthritis, all having a common hyperinflammatory response as seen in moderate to severe forms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This project was carried out during the rapid surge of cases in New York City, and the goal was to assess the efficacy of colchicine in treating patients with COVID-19. Methods. Patients admitted to two distinct pulmonary oriented floors of the BronxCare Hospital Center were compared. Patients on one floor were given colchicine in addition to standard of care, while control patients from another floor received only standard of care. Patients who had at least two separate timepoint measurements for at least two out of four serum inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, ferritin, or lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)) were selected for the final comprehensive analysis. Results. An initial analysis performed on all patients, irrespective of the availability of two timepoint inflammatory markers, revealed a lower mortality (49.1% versus 72.9%,

P
=
0.002

), a lower percentage of intubations (52.8% versus 73.6%,

P
=
0.006

), and a higher discharge rate (50.9% versus 27.1%,

P
=
0.002

), in the patients who received colchicine. Patients in the final comprehensive analysis groups (34 in the colchicine group and 78 in the control group) had a similar prevalence of comorbid medical conditions, except for renal failure, which was higher in the control group (65.3% versus 35.2%,

P
=
0.015

). HTN (71.8% versus 52.9%,

P
=
0.053

) and DM (51.3% versus 32.4%,

P
=
0.064

) were also more prevalent in the control group, although the difference was not statistically significant. Patients who received colchicine had a lower mortality than the control group (47.1% versus 80.8%,

P
=
0.0003

), lower rate of intubations (47.1% versus 87.2%,

P
<
0.0001

), and a higher discharge rate (52.9% versus 19.2%,

P
=
0.0003

). Patients in the colchicine group also showed a more significant decrease in inflammatory markers for D-dimer (

P
=
0.037

), CRP (

P
=
0.014

), and ferritin (

P
=
0.012

). Conclusions. Our study demonstrates that colchicine improved outcomes in patients with COVID-19 receiving standard of care therapy. Future randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials to assess the potential benefit of colchicine in COVID-19 are warranted.
New Simpson Type Integral Inequalities for
s
-Convex Functions and Their Applications
Authors: Kashuri Artion , Mohammed Pshtiwan Othman , Abdeljawad Thabet , Hamasalh Faraidun , Chu Yuming
Published: October 2020

First, we consider a new Simpson’s identity. This identity investigates our main results that consist of some integral inequalities of Simpson’s type for the

s

–convex functions. From our main results, we obtain some special cases which are discussed in detail. Finally, some applications on the Bessel functions, special means of distinct positive real numbers, and error estimation about Simpson quadrature formula are presented to support our theoretical results.
Astragaloside IV Reduces Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion‐Induced Blood‐Brain Barrier Permeability in Rats by Inhibiting ER Stress‐Mediated Apoptosis
Authors: Hou Bonan , Liu Rui , Wu You , Huang Shuiqing
Published: October 2020

Background. Previous studies proved that AS‐IV could prevent blood‐brain barrier (BBB) against an increase in permeability. However, its underlying molecular mechanism has not been enlightened yet. The aim of the study is to reveal the potential protective mechanism of astragaloside IV (AS‐IV) on the blood‐brain barrier after ischemia‐reperfusion. Methods. In vivo, AS‐IV neurological protection was measured by Long’s five‐point scale and 2,3,5‐triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. AS‐IV protection for BBB was observed by Evans blue extravasation technique. Endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis‐related protein levels were measured by western blot with AS‐IV intervention. In vitro, cell apoptosis was analyzed by western blot and flow cytometry.Endoplasmic reticulum stress‐related protein levels were quantified through western blot. Results. AS‐IV treatment could decrease the infarct size in rats’ brain and protect the BBB against Evans blue permeating through brain, after ischemia/reperfusion, significantly. Further, ischemia/reperfusion or oxygen‐glucose deprivation/reperfusion was found to have an increase in endothelial cell apoptosis proteins, such as Bax, Bcl‐2, and caspase‐3, and endoplasmic reticulum stress‐associated proteins, such as phosphorylated PERK and eIF2α, Bip, and CHOP, which were attenuated by AS‐IV treatment. Conclusions. AS‐IV can effectively protect the blood‐brain barrier and reduce the area of cerebral infarction via inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress‐mediated apoptosis in endothelial cells.
Hidden Multistability in a Memristor-Based Cellular Neural Network
Authors: Xu Birong , Lin Hairong , Wang Guangyi
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we report a novel memristor-based cellular neural network (CNN) without equilibrium points. Dynamical behaviors of the memristor-based CNN are investigated by simulation analysis. The results indicate that the system owns complicated nonlinear phenomena, such as hidden attractors, coexisting attractors, and initial boosting behaviors of position and amplitude. Furthermore, both heterogeneous multistability and homogenous multistability are found in the CNN. Finally, Multisim circuit simulations are performed to prove the chaotic characteristics and multistability of the system.
Development and Validation of a Gene Signature Classifier for Consensus Molecular Subtyping of Colorectal Carcinoma in a CLIA-Certified Setting
Authors: Morris Jeffrey S. , Luthra Rajyalakshmi , Liu Yusha , Duose Dzifa Y. , Lee Wonyul , Reddy Neelima G. , Windham Justin , Chen Huiqin , Tong Zhimin , Zhang Baili , Wei Wei , Ganiraju Manyam , Broom Bradley M. , Alvarez Hector A. , Mejia Alicia , Veeranki Omkara , Routbort Mark J. , Morris Van K. , Overman Michael J. , Menter David , Katkhuda Riham , Wistuba Ignacio I. , Davis Jennifer S. , Kopetz Scott , Maru Dipen M.
Published: October 2020

Purpose:

Consensus molecular subtyping (CMS) of colorectal cancer has potential to reshape the colorectal cancer landscape. We developed and validated an assay that is applicable on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples of colorectal cancer and implemented the assay in a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified laboratory.

Experimental Design:

We performed an in silico experiment to build an optimal CMS classifier using a training set of 1,329 samples from 12 studies and validation set of 1,329 samples from 14 studies. We constructed an assay on the basis of NanoString CodeSets for the top 472 genes, and performed analyses on paired flash-frozen (FF)/FFPE samples from 175 colorectal cancers to adapt the classifier to FFPE samples using a subset of genes found to be concordant between FF and FFPE, tested the classifier's reproducibility and repeatability, and validated in a CLIA-certified laboratory. We assessed prognostic significance of CMS in 345 patients pooled across three clinical trials.

Results:

The best classifier was weighted support vector machine with high accuracy across platforms and gene lists (>0.95), and the 472-gene model outperforming existing classifiers. We constructed subsets of 99 and 200 genes with high FF/FFPE concordance, and adapted FFPE-based classifier that had strong classification accuracy (>80%) relative to “gold standard” CMS. The classifier was reproducible to sample type and RNA quality, and demonstrated poor prognosis for CMS1–3 and good prognosis for CMS2 in metastatic colorectal cancer (P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

We developed and validated a colorectal cancer CMS assay that is ready for use in clinical trials, to assess prognosis in standard-of-care settings and explore as predictor of therapy response.
Changes in Neuronal Density of the Sensorimotor Cortex and Neurodevelopmental Behaviour in Neonatal Mice with Kaolin-Induced Hydrocephalus
Authors: Femi-Akinlosotu Omowumi Moromoke , Shokunbi Matthew Temitayo
Published: October 2020

Introduction: Hydrocephalus is a disorder in which the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid is altered in a manner that leads to its accumulation in the ventricles and subarachnoid space. Its impact on the neuronal density and networks in the overlying cerebral cortex in a time-dependent neonatal hydrocephalic process is largely unknown. We hypothesize that hydrocephalus will affect the cytoarchitecture of the cerebral cortical mantle of neonatal hydrocephalic mice, which will in turn modify sensorimotor processing and neurobehaviour. Objective: The purpose of this study is to probe the effect of hydrocephalus on 3 developmental milestones (surface righting reflex, cliff avoidance reflex, and negative geotaxis) and on cortical neuronal densities in neonatal hydrocephalic mice. Methods: Hydrocephalus was induced in 1-day-old mice by intracisternal injection of sterile kaolin suspension. The pups were tested for reflex development and sensorimotor ability using surface righting reflex (PND 5, 7, and 9), cliff avoidance (PND 6), and negative geotaxis (PND 10 and 12) prior to their sacrifice on PND 7, 14, and 21. Neuronal density and cortical thickness in the sensorimotor cortex were evaluated using atlas-based segmentation of the neocortex and boundary definition in 4-μm paraffin-embedded histological sections with hematoxylin and eosin as well as cresyl violet stains. Results: Surface righting and cliff avoidance activities were significantly impaired in hydrocephalic pups but no statistically significant difference was observed in negative geotaxis in both experimental and control pups. The neuronal density of the sensorimotor cortex was significantly higher in hydrocephalic mice than in age-matched controls on PND 14 and 21 (373.20 ± 21.54 × 10−6 μm2 vs. 157.70 ± 21.88 × 10−6 μm2; 230.0 ± 44.1 × 10−6 μm2 vs. 129.60 ± 3.72 × 10−6 μm2, respectively; p < 0.05). This was accompanied by reduction in the cortical thickness (µm) in the hydrocephalic mice on PND 7 (2,409 ± 43.37 vs. 3,752 ± 65.74, p < 0.05), PND 14 (2,035 ± 322.10 vs. 4,273 ± 67.26, p < 0.05), and PND 21 (1,676 ± 33.90 vs. 4,945 ± 81.79, p < 0.05) compared to controls. Conclusion: In this murine model of neonatal hydrocephalus, the quantitative changes in the cortical neuronal population may play a role in the observed changes in neurobehavioural findings.
Modulation of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplastic Cell Fate by Autophagy-Mediated Death
Authors: Matrood Sami , de Prisco Nicola , Wissniowski Thaddeus T. , Wiese Dominik , Jabari Samir , Griesmann Heidi , Wanzel Michael , Stiewe Thorsten , Neureiter Daniel , Klieser Eckhard , Mintziras Ioannis , Buchholz Malte , Bartsch Detlef K. , Gennarino Vincenzo A. , Di Fazio Pietro
Published: October 2020

Introduction: Autophagic cell death in cancer cells can be mediated by inhibition of deacetylases. Although extensive studies have focused on the autophagic process in cancer, little is known about the role of autophagy in degrading cytosolic and nuclear components of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplastic (pNEN) cells leading to cell death, thus improving the therapy of patients affected by pNEN. Methods: 2D and 3D human pNEN and pancreatic stellate cells were treated with panobinostat and bafilomycin. Autophagy markers were detected by RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence, and Western blot. Autophagosomes were detected by electron microscopy and their maturation by real-time fluorescence of LC3B stable transfected cells. ChIP was performed at the cAMP responsive element. Immunofluorescence was performed in murine pancreatic tissue. Results: We observed that pan-deacetylase inhibitor panobinostat treatment causes autophagic cell death in pNEN cells. We also found that although AMPK-α phosphorylation is counterbalanced by phosphorylated AKT, it is not capable to inhibiting autophagic cell death. However, the binding activity of the cAMP responsive element is prompted by panobinostat. Although autophagy inhibition prevented autophagosome synthesis, maturation, and cell death, panobinostat treatment induced the accumulation of mature autophagosomes in the cytosol and the nucleus, leading to disruption of the organelles, cellular digestion, and decay. Observation of autophagosome membrane proteins Beclin1 and LC3B aggregation in murine pancreatic islets indicates that autophagy restoration may also lead to autophagosome aggregation in murine insulinoma cells. A basal low expression of autophagy markers was detectable in patients affected by pNEN, and, interestingly, the expression of these markers was significantly lower in metastatic pNEN. Discussion/Conclusion: Our study highlights that the autophagy functional restoration and prolongation of this catabolic process, mediated by inhibition of deacetylase, is responsible for the reduction of pNEN cells. Prompting of autophagy cell death could be a promising strategy for the therapy of pNEN.
Por mais tempo afogado
Authors: Gatti Fábio Luiz Oliveira
Published: October 2020

Ao perceber, no autorretrato como um homem afogado, de Bayard, certa semelhança entre a pose corporal de sua fotografia e de outras produções visuais engendradas ao longo da história ocidental, estruturou-se um painel com 27 imagens baseado no conceito warburguiano de Pathosformeln para discutir as transformações diante da confrontação com a morte na sociedade ocidental, estudadas por Huizinga, Ariès e Morin. Por outro lado, a análise de Poivert sobre as relações dessa fotografia com o teatro, a biografia de Chatterton e a pintura da morte do poeta possibilitou pensar as noções de jogo, de ritual e de performatividade, presentes em Schechner; o caráter forjado da poesia chattertoniana, discutido por Groom; e a forte simulação desse afogado a partir de Baudrillard.
As diferentes acepções da arte na obra de Flusser
Authors: Reis Thiago
Published: October 2020

A arte desempenha um papel fundamental no pensamento de Flusser. Todavia, essa noção assumirá concepções diferentes ao longo da obra do autor. Nosso propósito é o de investigar e apresentar uma “morfologia” dessas acepções, partindo de sua obra inaugural, Língua e Realidade (1963), até os escritos tardios, voltados para a filosofia dos media. Ao final, buscamos perceber pontos de ruptura, mas também convergências, na teoria estética flusseriana.
Brasília Contemporânea
Authors: Sandoval Liz da Costa , Rezende Rogério , Cruz Luciana Sabóia Fonseca
Published: October 2020

Brasília é reconhecida tanto pela excepcionalidade de sua arquitetura modernista e de seu urbanismo como pela segregação socioeconômica representada pelas cidades-satélite. Sua área metropolitana conta com mais de três milhões de habitantes, sendo que 90% dessa população habita fora dos limites da cidade planejada. Essa ambiguidade é evidente no cinema, pois se, de um lado, os filmes produzidos para a divulgação de Brasília exploravam sua amplitude, monumentalidade e plasticidade, de outro, aqueles da primeira geração de cineastas nascidos na cidade revelam outras Brasílias. Este artigo explorará as tensões resultantes dessa segregação socioespacial que se materializam no espaço construído e na representação de Brasília no cinema.
De las artes visuales a lo “pluridisciplinario” en 1986
Authors: González Alejandra Soledad
Published: October 2020

En este artículo se analizan las características de la tercera edición de la feria El Arte en Córdoba, concretada en la ciudad homónima en 1986. La reconstrucción de este episodio implicó el trabajo con vestigios escritos, orales y visuales, conformando un archivo de documentos hasta ahora inexistente. Esta feria fue una experiencia significativa, donde confluyeron numerosos organizadores, instituciones, públicos y creadores. Las artes visuales mantuvieron protagonismo en todas las ediciones, pero en 1986 se incorporaron otras artes, como música y teatro. Para emprender esta investigación se recurrió a un enfoque transdisciplinar de Historia cultural y Sociología del arte, analizando posiciones, relaciones, capitales, obras y autonomías relativas que conformaban al campo artístico local durante los años de la posdictadura en Argentina.
Ostranênie e a pedagogia de Eisenstein
Authors: Barros Erivoneide
Published: October 2020

O presente artigo retoma a definição do conceito de ostraniénie, de Viktor Chklósvski, a fim de explorar a sua relação com a noção de imagem artística investigada nas aulas de Direção Cinematográfica ministradas por Serguei Eisenstein no Instituto Estatal Russo de Cinema (VGIK) e as possíveis conexões desse conceito com os estudos interartes.
On the Sources of Nihilism in Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment"
Authors: Galounis Markos
Published: October 2020

It is well known that Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment reflects the intellectual milieu of the period of its conception. More specifically, the motivation of Raskolnikov's crime is rooted in the nihilism of the radical intelligentsia of the period. In this article, the ideology of Raskolnikov is identified with the ideology of the representatives of the radical intelligentsia, namely Nikolai Chernyshevsky and Dimitri Pisarev. It also traces the continuity and discontinuity of the ideas of these thinkers. Finally, argues that Dostoevsky perceived the evolution and radicalization of the intelligentsia's ideas through the lenses of the evolution and radicalization of the Left Hegelians, namely Feuerbach and Stirner, whose ideology influenced the Russian radical intelligentsia. Thus is brought to the fore the intellectual origins of the Russian radical intelligentsia's nihilism, which was seminal to Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment.
Entrevista com Aurora Bernardini sobre o Formalismo Russo
Authors: Vaz Valteir
Published: October 2020

Por ocasião da publicação deste Dossiê sobre o Formalismo Russo, a professora, tradutora e ensaísta Aurora Bernardini generosamente se dispôs a responder às perguntas temáticas que se seguem.