bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biological, clinical and epidemiological features of COVID-19, SARS and MERS and AutoDock simulation of ACE2
Authors: Zhang Xue-Yan , Huang Hao-Jie , Zhuang Dong-Lin , Nasser Moussa Ide , Yang Ming-Hua , Zhu Ping , Zhao Ming-Yi
Published: July 2020

Background

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a public catastrophe and global concern. The main symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough, myalgia, fatigue and lower respiratory tract infection signs. Almost all populations are susceptible to the virus, and the basic reproduction number (R0) is 2.8–3.9. The fight against COVID-19 should have two aspects: one is the treatment of infected patients, and the other is the mobilization of the society to avoid the spread of the virus. The treatment of patients includes supportive treatment, antiviral treatment, and oxygen therapy. For patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and circulatory support are recommended. Plasma therapy and traditional Chinese medicine have also achieved good outcomes. This review is intended to summarize the research on this new coronavirus, to analyze the similarities and differences between COVID-19 and previous outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and to provide guidance regarding new methods of prevention, diagnosis and clinical treatment based on autodock simulations.

Methods

This review compares the multifaceted characteristics of the three coronaviruses including COVID-19, SARS and MERS. Our researchers take the COVID-19, SARS, and MERS as key words and search literatures in the Pubmed database. We compare them horizontally and vertically which respectively means concluding the individual characteristics of each coronavirus and comparing the similarities and differences between the three coronaviruses.

Results

We searched for studies on each outbreak and their solutions and found that the main biological differences among SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV are in ORF1a and the sequence of gene spike coding protein-S. We also found that the types and severity of clinical symptoms vary, which means that the diagnosis and nursing measures also require differentiation. In addition to the common route of transmission including airborne transmission, these three viruses have their own unique routes of transmission such as fecal-oral route of transmission COVID-19.

Conclusions

In evolutionary history, these three coronaviruses have some similar biological features as well as some different mutational characteristics. Their receptors and routes of transmission are not all the same, which makes them different in clinical features and treatments. We discovered through the autodock simulations that Met124 plays a key role in the efficiency of drugs targeting ACE2, such as remdesivir, chloroquine, ciclesonide and niclosamide, and may be a potential target in COVID-19.
The role of steroid injection for vocal folds lesions in professional voice users
Authors: Al-Ali Mohamed , Anderson Jennifer
Published: July 2020

Background

Benign vocal fold lesions identified in professional voice users, frequently require further treatment after failure of conservative measures. The role of vocal fold steroid injection as a treatment option for select benign lesions is the focus of this study. Steroid injection may avoid phonosurgery in some individuals thereby reducing the potential for adverse side effects associated with surgery.

Objective

The purpose of the study is to review the effect of steroid injection on vocal function in professional voice users associated with a benign lesion(s) using the Voice Handicap Index-10.

Method

This study is a retrospective review of patients (professional voice users) that underwent 1 or more steroid injection(s) between July 2014-December 2018. The Voice Handicap Index-10 was compared from pre to post treatment. Patients were identified using billing code data for laryngeal injection. Patient demographics (age, gender, profession), previous phonosurgery, date of steroid injection and follow up dates as well as VHI-10 scores were collected from the electronic medical record.

Results

Twenty four patients were identified. The mean Voice HandicapIndex-10 score decreased from 23.5 pre injection to 17.8 post injection which represented a reduction of 24.3%. Vocal fold steroid injection procedure in our series was associated with one complication.

Conclusion

Vocal fold steroid injection for benign lesions is a safe, well-tolerated procedure with an improvement in vocal function without surgical intervention. Steroid injection should be considered as a treatment option to avoid surgery in patients with select vocal fold lesions.
Enhanced biomass productivity of microalgae Nannochloropsis sp. in an airlift photobioreactor using low-frequency flashing light with blue LED
Authors: Yustinadiar Novita , Manurung Robert , Suantika Gede
Published: July 2020

MicroalgaeNannochloropsissp. is a widely recognized renewable biodiesel feedstock. The ability of this microalgae to absorb CO2constitutes an added value toward reducing global warming. However, the process of optimizing its growth still involves many challenges. Photoinhibition, which takes places during microalgae cultivation when using continuous lighting, constitutes an unresolved problem. Therefore, the optimum light/dark cycle method is considered necessary. The experiments were conducted using a designed, tubular airlift photobioreactor and blue, energy-saving, light-emitting diode (LED) lights for the purpose of internal illumination. We observed that a 45:15 min (light:dark) cycle increased the production ofNannochloropsissp. biomass significantly, with a cell density, wet weight, and lipid content of 17 × 106cell/ml, 7.11 g, and 10.1% dry weight, respectively. By using the blue LED lights, our designed, airlift photobioreactor increased cell growth by 70% compared to the growth ofNannochloropsissp. in nature and produced 61 times higher lipid content compared toNannochloropsissp. that is exposed to natural light.
Genome-Wide Somatic Alterations in Multiple Myeloma Reveal a Superior Outcome Group
Authors: Samur Mehmet Kemal , Aktas Samur Anil , Fulciniti Mariateresa , Szalat Raphael , Han Tessa , Shammas Masood , Richardson Paul , Magrangeas Florence , Minvielle Stephane , Corre Jill , Moreau Philippe , Thakurta Anjan , Anderson Kenneth C. , Parmigiani Giovanni , Avet-Loiseau Hervé , Munshi Nikhil C.
Published: July 2020

PURPOSE

Multiple myeloma (MM) is accompanied by heterogeneous somatic alterations. The overall goal of this study was to describe the genomic landscape of myeloma using deep whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and develop a model that identifies patients with long survival.

METHODS

We analyzed deep WGS data from 183 newly diagnosed patients with MM treated with lenalidomide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (RVD) alone or RVD + autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) in the IFM/DFCI 2009 study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01191060 ). We integrated genomic markers with clinical data.

RESULTS

We report significant variability in mutational load and processes within MM subgroups. The timeline of observed activation of mutational processes provides the basis for 2 distinct models of acquisition of mutational changes detected at the time of diagnosis of myeloma. Virtually all MM subgroups have activated DNA repair–associated signature as a prominent late mutational process, whereas APOBEC signature targeting C>G is activated in the intermediate phase of disease progression in high-risk MM. Importantly, we identify a genomically defined MM subgroup (17% of newly diagnosed patients) with low DNA damage (low genomic scar score with chromosome 9 gain) and a superior outcome (100% overall survival at 69 months), which was validated in a large independent cohort. This subgroup allowed us to distinguish patients with low- and high-risk hyperdiploid MM and identify patients with prolongation of progression-free survival. Genomic characteristics of this subgroup included lower mutational load with significant contribution from age-related mutations as well as frequent NRAS mutation. Surprisingly, their overall survival was independent of International Staging System and minimal residual disease status.

CONCLUSION

This is a comprehensive study identifying genomic markers of a good-risk group with prolonged survival. Identification of this patient subgroup will affect future therapeutic algorithms and research planning.
DNA Methylation Profiling and Genomic Analysis in 20 Children with Short Stature Who Were Born Small for Gestational Age
Authors: Peeters Silke , Declerck Ken , Thomas Muriel , Boudin Eveline , Beckers Dominique , Chivu Olimpia , Heinrichs Claudine , Devriendt Koenraad , de Zegher Francis , Van Hul Wim , Vanden Berghe Wim , De Schepper Jean , Rooman Raoul , Mortier Geert ,   WES-BESPEED Study Group, Dotremont Hilde , Craen Margareta , Gies Inge , Lebrethon Marie-Christine
Published: July 2020

Purpose

In a significant proportion of children born small for gestational age (SGA) with failure of catch-up growth, the etiology of short stature remains unclear after routine diagnostic workup. We wanted to investigate if extensive analysis of the (epi)genome can unravel the cause of growth failure in a significant portion of these children.

Patients and Methods

Twenty SGA children treated with GH because of short stature were selected from the BELGROW database of the Belgian Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology for exome sequencing, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array and genome-wide methylation analysis to identify the (epi)genetic cause. First-year response to GH was compared with the response of SGA patients in the KIGS database.

Results

We identified (likely) pathogenic variants in 4 children (from 3 families) using exome sequencing and found pathogenic copy number variants in 2 probands using SNP array. In a child harboring a NSD1-containing microduplication, we identified a DNA methylation signature that is opposite to the genome-wide DNA methylation signature of Sotos syndrome. Moreover, we observed multilocus imprinting disturbances in 2 children in whom no other genomic alteration could be identified. Five of 6 children with a genetic diagnosis had an “above average” response to GH.

Conclusions

The study indicates that a more advanced approach with deep genotyping can unravel unexpected (epi)genomic alterations in SGA children with persistent growth failure. Most SGA children with a genetic diagnosis had a good response to GH treatment.
Exposure to Gestational Diabetes Enriches Immune-Related Pathways in the Transcriptome and Methylome of Human Amniocytes
Authors: Pinney Sara E , Joshi Apoorva , Yin Victoria , Min So Won , Rashid Cetewayo , Condon David E , Wang Paul Zhipang
Published: July 2020

Context

Gestational diabetes (GDM) has profound effects on the intrauterine metabolic milieu and is linked to obesity and diabetes in offspring, but the mechanisms driving these effects remain largely unknown. Alterations in DNA methylation and gene expression in amniocytes exposed to GDM in utero represent a potential mechanism leading to metabolic dysfunction later in life.

Objective

To profile changes in genome-wide DNA methylation and expression in human amniocytes exposed to GDM.

Design

A nested case-control study (n = 14 pairs) was performed in amniocytes matched for offspring sex, maternal race/ethnicity, maternal age, gestational age at amniocentesis, and gestational age at birth. Sex-specific genome-wide DNA methylation analysis and RNA-sequencing were completed and differentially methylated regions (DMRs) and gene expression changes were identified. Ingenuity pathway analysis identified biologically relevant pathways enriched after GDM exposure. In silico high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) analysis identified potential chromatin interactions with DMRs.

Results

Expression of interferon-stimulated genes was increased in GDM amniocytes, accounting for 6 of the top 10 altered genes (q < 0.05). Enriched biological pathways in GDM amniocytes included pathways involving inflammation, the interferon response, fatty liver disease, monogenic diabetes, and atherosclerosis. Forty-two DMRs were identified in male GDM-exposed amniocytes and 20 in female amniocyte analysis (q < 0.05). Hi-C analysis identified interactions between DMRs and 11 genes with significant expression changes in male amniocytes and 9 in female amniocytes (P < .05).

Conclusion

In a unique repository of human amniocytes exposed to GDM in utero, transcriptome analysis identified enrichment of inflammation and interferon-related pathways and novel DMRs with potential distal regulatory functions.
The “Modern Girl” Is a Communist
Authors: Knight John M.
Published: July 2020

Woman was a category in flux during China’s revolutionary 1920s. Alongside commercial magazines that celebrated the arrival of the modern girl (xiandai nüzi) were political currents that prioritized class and nation as sites for women’s liberation. Scholarship has criticized Marxism and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for negating women’s gendered interests in favor of a class focus. Yet, it was the proletarian women’s movement of the United Front that attracted the largest amount of women activists during China’s National Revolution (1925–27). What was the allure of a Communist-influenced movement for modern girls whose subjectivities were awakened by Western humanist concerns? This article engages select articles from Chinü zazhi (Red Women Magazine) to argue that China’s proletarian women’s movement reconciled Marxist, nationalist, and feminist demands. It was able to do so largely because it took place at a time when there was no unified Chinese nation to speak of, and the CCP still framed its Marxist rhetoric in a May Fourth lens. An examination into the proletarian women’s movement therefore problematizes Cold War narratives about the antithetical relationship between Marxism and feminism and asks us to reconsider approaches toward fostering interclass and international solidarity.
Cold War Shadows of Japan’s Imperial Legacies for Women in East Asia
Authors: Akibayashi Kozue
Published: July 2020

Japan occupies a unique position in the history of East Asia as the sole non-Western colonial power. Japan’s defeat in the Asia-Pacific War that ended its colonial expansion did not bring justice to its former colonies. The Japanese leadership and people were spared from being held accountable for its invasion and colonial rule by the United States in its Cold War strategy to make post–World War II Japan a military outpost and bulwark in the region against communism. How then did the Cold War shape feminisms in Japan, a former colonizing force that never came to terms with its colonial violence? What was the impact of the Cold War on Japanese women’s movements for their own liberation? What are the implications for today? This article discusses the effects of Japan’s imperial legacies during the Cold War and the current aftermath with examples taken from the history of the women’s movement in Japan.
Riding the Korean Wave in Iran
Authors: Koo Gi Yeon
Published: July 2020

This study explores the Korean Wave and fandom in the Islamic Republic of Iran. It follows Iranian women’s consumption of Korean popular culture in the context of their general pop-culture consumption patterns and how they create a fan culture through social media and pop culture. This study is based on data collected through anthropological fieldwork in Tehran. User-generated content on social media, such as Telegram and Instagram, was used to examine how young Iranian women are actively leading the fandom culture through their daily fan-related activities and how, in doing so, they forge a sense of solidarity with other women and global fans. The fandom phenomenon of the Iranian Muslim women shows how youth can effect social change in Iran while demonstrating that it is possible to trace the cultural changes taking place in Iran.
Strengthening research management and support services in sub-Saharan African universities and research institutions
Authors: Pulford Justin , Crossman Susie , Begg Sara , Amegee Quach Jessica , Abomo Pierre , El Hajj Taghreed , Bates Imelda
Published: July 2020

Background: International development partners and research councils are increasingly funding research management and support (RMS) capacity strengthening initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) as part of a broader investment in strengthening national and regional research systems.  However, the evidence-base to inform RMS capacity strengthening initiatives is limited at present. This research note presents a synthesis of 28 RMS capacity assessments completed in 25 universities/research institutions from across 15 SSA countries between 2014 and 2018. 

Methods: All 28 capacity assessments were completed following a standardised methodology consisting of semi-structured interviews conducted with research and research support staff at the respective institution as well as document reviews and observation of onsite facilities. Data were extracted from the 28 reports detailing the findings of each assessment according to a framework synthesis approach.

Results: In total, 13 distinct capacity gap categories emerged from across the 28 RMS capacity assessment reports.  Almost all the institutions assessed faced significant gaps in RMS capacity within and across each of these 13 categories. The 13 categories were not independent of each other and were often closely inter-connected. Commonalities were also evident across multiple categories, the two most obvious of which were severe fiscal constraints and the often-complex bureaucracy of the institutional operating environment.

Conclusions: The synthesis findings reveal multiple, commonly shared RMS capacity gaps in universities and research institutions across SSA. No single intervention type, or focus, would be sufficient to strengthen capacity across all 13 areas; rather, what is needed to facilitate a significant shift in RMS capacity within such SSA universities and research institutions is a combination of interventions, consisting of differing levels of cost and complexity, variously led (or supported) by both internal and external actors.
Turning up the heat on COVID-19: heat as a therapeutic intervention
Authors: Cohen Marc
Published: July 2020

Enveloped viruses such as SAR-CoV-2 are sensitive to heat and are destroyed by temperatures tolerable to humans. All mammals use fever to deal with infections and heat has been used throughout human history in the form of hot springs, saunas, hammams, steam-rooms, sweat-lodges, steam inhalations, hot mud and poultices to prevent and treat respiratory infections and enhance health and wellbeing. This paper reviews the evidence for using heat to treat and prevent viral infections and discusses potential cellular, physiological and psychological mechanisms of action. In the initial phase of infection, heat applied to the upper airways can support the immune system’s first line of defence by supporting muco-ciliary clearance and inhibiting or deactivating virions where they first lodge. This may be further enhanced by the inhalation of steam containing essential oils with anti-viral, mucolytic and anxiolytic properties. Heat applied to the whole body can further support the immune system’s second line of defence by mimicking fever and activating innate and acquired immune defences and building physiological resilience. Heat-based treatments also offer psychological benefits and enhanced mental wellness by focusing attention on positive action, enhancing relaxation and sleep, inducing 'forced-mindfulness', and invoking the power of positive thinking and ‘remembered wellness’. Heat is a cheap, convenient and widely accessible therapeutic modality and while no clinical protocols exist for using heat to treat COVID-19, protocols that draw from traditional practices and consider contraindications, adverse effects and infection control measures could be developed and implemented rapidly and inexpensively on a wide scale. While there are significant challenges in implementing heat-based therapies during the current pandemic, these therapies present an opportunity to integrate natural medicine, conventional medicine and traditional wellness practices, and support the wellbeing of both patients and medical staff, while building community resilience and reducing the likelihood and impact of future pandemics.
Modelling structural rearrangements in proteins using Euclidean distance matrices
Authors: Lafita Aleix , Bateman Alex
Published: July 2020

Proteins undergo large structural rearrangements such as circular permutations, dimerisation via domain swapping, and loss of core secondary structure elements in domain atrophy, among others. These structural changes can be naturally represented as distance matrix transformations, exploiting their conserved native residue contacts at the protein core. Here we present an homology modelling approach to formulate structural rearrangements as a Euclidean distance matrix (EDM) problem and use it to build their 3D structures. This modelling approach aims to be lightweight, flexible and fast, suitable for large-scale analyses. Models are typically coarse-grained and solely based on protein geometry. We demonstrate various applications of EDM-based modelling for protein structure analysis and release an open repository with the source code at: https://github.com/lafita/protein-edm-demo.
Virtual consent for virtual patients: benefits of implementation in a peri- and post-COVID-19 era
Authors: Mukherjee Subhabrata , Raza Asif
Published: July 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions to the healthcare system, including increased reliance on virtual services, particularly clinic appointments. This leads to difficulty in obtaining informed consent; the vast majority of patients now need to be consented on the day of the procedure. To reduce problems with this process, the practice of obtaining electronic consent may be the correct way forward.
Cotton Gin Fuel Use Patterns
Authors: Funk Paul A. , Hardin Robert G. , Terrazas Albert A. , Yeater Kathleen M.
Published: July 2020

Highlights

Principal component analysis found the impact of controlled and uncontrolled drying system variables.

Cotton gin fuel use can be minimized by avoiding excessive drying and minimizing conveying air.

Post-harvest processors should minimize the length of, and insulate, the duct from the burner to the mix point.

Abstract.
Fuel price volatility and variable incoming cotton moisture levels make drying costs unpredictable, threatening cotton gin profitability. One means for managing this risk is improving fuel use efficiency. Fuel use audits were conducted in 26 commercial cotton gins over three seasons to elucidate industry best practices. Material flow and changes in moisture content were used to estimate beneficial drying energy. Airflow and temperature data were used to estimate fuel consumption. The ratio of these quantities, defined as fuel use efficiency, was included with twelve other variables in a multivariate statistical analysis. Principal component analysis identified two controlled variables that inversely correlated to fuel use efficiency: the length of the duct between the burner and the seed cotton mix point, and the volume of conveying air per unit mass of seed cotton. Minimizing these two variables could reduce the cost of fuel energy, provided that the air volume is sufficient to maintain material flow, drying, and gin processing rate even when receiving very wet cotton. Keywords: Drying, Energy conservation, Fuel consumption, Postharvest processing, Principal component analysis.
Rigorous theoretical model of single-cycle vortex pulse beams produced by oscillating electric dipole arrays
Authors: Cao Xiaochao , Luo Mengdi , Wang Zhaoying
Published: July 2020

In this paper, we obtain an accurate description of single-cycle vortex pulse beams (SCVPBs) beyond the slowly varying envelope approximation. The SCVPBs are produced by an annular loop composed of oscillating electric dipole arrays. Based on the theoretical model of SCVPBs, simulation results show that the original donut-shaped distribution will evolve into a multi-ring pattern because of the interference effects during transmission. Unlike the

π

-phase jump effects in different rings in Laguerre–Gauss beams, the spiral isophasal lines of the SCVPBs show continuous change and spatially curved configurations in various donuts which are closely related to the energy distribution of the propagating pulses. In addition, we find the counter-rotating effects of the longitudinal Poynting vector of SCVPBs and calculate the rotation angle. Finally, we discuss the spatiotemporal coupling phenomenon of SCVPBs.
Giant electric and magnetic Purcell factor in dielectric oligomers
Authors: Rocco Davide , Lamprianidis Aristeidis , Miroshnichenko Andrey E. , De Angelis Costantino
Published: July 2020

We study the near-field enhancement of oligomers composed of high-refractive-index spherical particles. The huge enhancement of the electromagnetic field in the gap between the particles is observed. We reveal that this phenomenon is associated with the Fano-like resonances of both electric and magnetic multipole contributions inside each particle. We also predict that electric and magnetic Purcell factors can be strongly enhanced, being larger than

10
3

. The obtained results represent an important guideline for the realization of dielectric structures to enhance the spontaneous emission rate of quantum sources and various two-level systems.
Taking advantage of multiplet structure for lineshape analysis in Fourier space
Authors: Beckert Adrian , Sigg Hans , Aeppli Gabriel
Published: July 2020

Lineshape analysis is a recurrent and often computationally intensive task in optics, even more so for multiple peaks in the presence of noise. We demonstrate an algorithm which takes advantage of peak multiplicity (N) to retrieve line shape information. The method is exemplified via analysis of Lorentzian and Gaussian contributions to individual lineshapes for a practical spectroscopic measurement, and benefits from a linear increase in sensitivity with the numberN. The robustness of the method and its benefits in terms of noise reduction and order of magnitude improvement in run-time performance are discussed.
All-normal dispersion fiber laser with a bandwidth tunable fiber-based spectral filter
Authors: Khanolkar Ankita , Ge Xiaowei , Chong Andy
Published: July 2020

We investigate numerically and experimentally an all-fiber, bandwidth tunable spectral filter comprising birefringent fibers. The spectral bandwidth tunability of the filter is based on the compensation of birefringence in polarization maintaining fibers. This unique filter allows mode-locked operation of a fiber oscillator with the ability to generate distinct laser modes with different output spectral shapes and pulse evolutions.
Pure-rotational 1D-CARS spatiotemporal thermometry with a single regenerative amplifier system
Authors: Castellanos Leonardo , Mazza Francesco , Kliukin Dmitrii , Bohlin Alexis
Published: July 2020

We report spatiotemporal pure-rotational coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) in a one-dimensional imaging arrangement obtained with a single ultrafast regenerative amplifier system. The femtosecond pump/Stokes photon pairs, used for impulsive excitation, are delivered by an external compressor operating on a

∼

35

%

beam split of the uncompressed amplifier output (2.5 mJ/pulse). The picosecond 1.2 mJ probe pulse is produced via the second-harmonic bandwidth compression (SHBC) of the

∼

65

%

remainder of the amplifier output (4.5 mJ/pulse), which originates from the internal compressor. The two pump/Stokes and probe pulses are spatially, temporally, and repetition-wise correlated at the measurement, and the signal generation plane is relayed by a wide-field coherent imaging spectrometer onto the detector plane, which is refreshed at the same repetition rate as the ultrafast regenerative amplifier system. We demonstrate 1 kHz cinematographic 1D-CARS gas-phase thermometry across an unstable premixed methane/air flame-front, achieved with a single-shot precision

<

1

%

and accuracy

<

3

%

, 1.4 mm field of view, and an excellent

<

20

µ

m

line-spread function.
Soft surfaces and enhanced nonlinearity enabled via epsilon-near-zero media doped with zero-area perfect electric conductor inclusions
Authors: Nahvi Ehsan , Liberal Iñigo , Engheta Nader
Published: July 2020

Introducing a dielectric inclusion inside an epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) host has been shown to dramatically affect the effective permeability of the host for a TM-polarized incident wave, a concept coined as photonic doping [Science 355, 1058 (2017)SCIEAS0036-807510.1126/science.aal2672]. Here, we theoretically study the prospect of doping the ENZ host with infinitesimally thin perfect electric conductor (PEC) inclusions, which we call “zero-area” PEC dopants. First, we theoretically demonstrate that zero-area PEC dopants enable the design of soft surfaces with an arbitrary cross-sectional geometry. Second, we illustrate the possibility of engineering the PEC dopants with the goal of transforming the electric field distribution inside the ENZ while maintaining a spatially invariant magnetic field. We exploit this property to enhance the effective nonlinearity of the ENZ host.
Improvement in the temporal contrast in the tens of ps range of the multi-PW Apollon laser front-end
Authors: Ranc Lucas , Le Blanc Catherine , Lebas Nathalie , Martin Luc , Zou Ji-Ping , Mathieu François , Radier Christophe , Ricaud Sandrine , Druon Frederic , Papadopoulos Dimitris
Published: July 2020

We demonstrate the impact of the optics roughness in Öffner stretchers used in chirped pulse amplification laser chains and how it is possible to improve the temporal contrast ratio in the temporal range of 10–100 ps by adequately choosing the optical quality of the key components. Experimental demonstration has been realized in the front-end source of the multi-petawatt (PW) laser facility Apollon, resulting in an enhancement of the contrast ratio by two to three orders of magnitude.
Imaging through opacity using a near-infrared low-spatial-coherence fiber light source: publisher’s note
Authors: Ma Rui , Wang Zhao , Hui Zhang Hua , Li Zhang Wei , Jiang Rao Yun
Published: July 2020

This publisher’s note contains corrections to Opt. Lett.
45, 3816 (2020)OPLEDP0146-959210.1364/OL.397152.
Plato’s Gorgias - Labyrinth and Threads
Authors: Carvalho Mário Jorge de , Fidalgo Tomaz
Published: July 2020

Though at first it may seem to deal with rather specific questions concerning rhetoric, Plato’s Gorgias turns out to be about human life, and what is at stake in it. This apparent “change of subject” – or rather this ambiguity in the dialogue’s subjectmatter – has to do with the fact that the Gorgias is very much like a labyrinth: puzzling, intricate, made of multiple meandering paths in which one can easily get lost, and full of deviations which turn this way and that, of entrances that seem to be dead ends, and of dizzying turns that distort all sense of direction.
How did "state of emergency" declaration in Japan due to the COVID-19 pandemic affect the acoustic environment in a rather quiet residential area?
Authors: Sakagami Kimihiro
Published: July 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic caused lockdown in many countries. Acousticians made surveys to monitor how cities became quieter under the lockdown, mainly in the central areas of cities. However, there have been few studies on changes in the acoustic environment due to the pandemic in rather quieter residential areas. It may be expected to be different from the effect in originally noisy areas. Also, the effect could be different in Japan, because the "state of emergency" declaration there was different to lockdown. Considering these circumstances, this paper reports the results of noise monitoring and makes some observations on the acoustic environment in residential areas remote from city centres, to provide an example of how the acoustic environment was affected by the "state of emergency" declaration due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. The results showed that the reduction of noise levels was somewhat smaller than that reported in large cities. Also, comparing the results after the cancellation of the "state of emergency", the noise level increased again. However, observations of noise sources imply that a possible change in human behaviour may have also affected the acoustic environment.
Digital literacies and children’s personalized books: Locating the ‘self’
Authors: Kucirkova Natalia , Mackey Margaret
Published: July 2020

This conceptual article discusses the role of digital literacies in personalized books, in relation to children’s developing sense of self, and in terms of assessing the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI). Personalized books contain children’s data, such as their name, gender or image, and they can be created by readers or automatically by the publisher. Some personalized books are e-books enhanced with artificial intelligence, and some can be ordered as paperbacks. We discuss this use of children’s personal data in terms of the social location of the self with regard to subjective and objective dimensions. We draw on a map metaphor, in which objective space requires readers to locate themselves in an unknown ‘A-to-B’ space and subjective space provides an individually oriented world of ‘me-to-B’. By drawing on examples of personalized books and their use by parents and young children, we discuss how personalization troubles the borders between readers’ me-to-B and A-to-B space experiences, leading to possible confusion in the sense of self. We conclude by noting that AI-enhanced personalized texts can reduce personal agency with respect to formulating a sense of identity as a child.
Resistance, professional agency and the reform of education in England
Authors: Rayner Stephen M. , Gunter Helen M.
Published: July 2020

Much research into structural reform in education has reported on the success or failure of individual projects. Less attention has been paid to how the discourses associated with reform are normalized in teachers’ and head teachers’ thinking, and realized in their actions. In this article, we engage with resistance at the interface of legal policy positioning and position-taking by educational professionals. Drawing on empirical data from an ethnographic study of structural change in a school in England, we deploy the metaphor of ‘the Borg’ to develop new insights into the different stances that educational professionals can take to avoid assimilation into a hive mind.
Patrimônio Arqueológico Indígena no Triângulo Mineiro e Alto Paranaíba-MG
Authors: Mano Marcel , Ferreira Filho Aurelino José , Rodrigues Robson Antonio
Published: July 2020

Nas sociedades democráticas recentes o entendimento e a salvaguarda do patrimônio cultural passam pelo exercício da cidadania, já que os conhecimentos, as inovações e as práticas orientadas pelas tradições são apropriadas pelos diversos grupos sociais. A Arqueologia, enquanto campo da ciência que estuda os vestígios materiais da ação humana e seus patrimônios culturais, fornece elementos para estabelecer a ligação entre gerações passadas e futuras e, por isso, colabora com a incorporação de um conjunto de expressões materiais à memória local, regional e nacional. No Brasil, o patrimônio arqueológico, quando manejado de forma consciente, pode fazer com que os vestígios arqueológicos passem a ser reconhecidos pela população como parte de sua história e, consequentemente, valorizados, podendo gerar desdobramentos preservacionistas. Essa perspectiva está diretamente relacionada ao papel que os museus possuem, pois são espaços onde se aglutinam os processos do trabalho humano e seu contexto. Nesse sentido, os museus atuam como sistemas de comunicação que servem ao estabelecimento da interação da comunidade com os processos e com os produtos culturais. Com base nisso, o artigo pretende apresentar um panorama inicial das ações movidas por um grupo de pesquisadores das áreas de Arqueologia, Antropologia e História Indígena para criar um espaço público de preservação do patrimônio arqueológico indígena no Triângulo Mineiro.
A Memória como Ferramenta Política
Authors: Elisio Régis Rodrigues
Published: July 2020

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo apresentar um balanço analítico das cotas raciais para negros/as, na perspectiva da Nova História Política, buscando evidenciar os usos da memória como instrumento político do passado na contemporaneidade. Para isso, contextualizam-se as novas tendências historiográficas, indicando aplicabilidades para o enquadramento das ações afirmativas no Brasil. As análises apontam que os atuais discursos sobre cotas raciais reivindicam a memória como recurso legitimador de discordantes sentidos. Por fim, conclui-se que as recentes configurações do poder trouxeram, outra vez, o debate das cotas raciais para o centro das disputas políticas, escoradas, majoritariamente, em diferentes tipos de memórias que, da forma em que estão colocadas, fabricam revisionismos.

Palavras-chave: Cotas raciais. Negros/as. História. Memória. Política.
A Transmissão de Memórias e o Espaço Público
Authors: Musto Flores Rodrigo
Published: July 2020

Uma das principais características dos monumentos diz respeito, ao seu poder de perpetuação e evocação do passado em uma sociedade. Ao caracterizar esses marcos como elos entre o passado e o presente de um corpo social, as análises historiográficas sobre as narrativas, valores e símbolos que esses artefatos transportam, podem despertar reflexões sobre a construção de uma memória de um determinado grupo, bem como as disputas referentes à transmissão dessas memórias no espaço público. Portanto, tomando o espaço público da cidade de Juiz de Fora, localizada na zona da mata mineira, como centro da investigação, este artigo visa analisar os monumentos destinados a rememorar a participação da Força Expedicionária Brasileira (FEB), na Segunda Guerra Mundial (1939-1945). Além disso, interessa à presente reflexão as articulações, significados e disputas em torno da construção de uma memória coletiva da qual os monumentos analisados, são portadores.
Espacio público: soporte para la densificación residencial en altura
Authors: Pallares Torres María Eugenia , Pallarés Torres Mirtha , Chang Lou Jing
Published: July 2020

La instalación en el territorio chileno de la ley 20.958 de Aporte al Espacio Público provocará un cambio significativo en la producción de la ciudad, impactando los instrumentos de planificación, las instancias de administración territorial, el sector productivo y la comunidad, por lo que pareciera recomendable y necesario visibilizar anticipadamente el efecto a fin de que la aceptación, construcción y consolidación sea consecuente y adecuada, permitiendo superar la escasez de dotaciones y oportunidades para la vida urbana, situación generada en el tiempo a consecuencia de los procesos densificatorios que incrementaron la ocupación y diversificaron los usos.

El análisis de la evolución de los modos de producción de edificaciones residenciales en altura en la ciudad de Santiago permitió validar la relevancia de la construcción del espacio público resolviendo los requerimientos funcionales, promoviendo  la integración, consolidando la vida en comunidad y minimizando el efecto de la densidad, al compensar la aglomeración con espacialidades para la recreación, evidenciando que independiente de los cambios políticos, económicos, sociales y culturales que ocurren en la sociedad, el bienestar social provocado por la satisfacción de las necesidades colectivas se logra con el acceso a los bienes y servicios disponibles para la sociedad en su conjunto.
Propuesta de una metodología aplicada al estudio de simulación urbana-solar como herramienta de diseño
Authors: Longhini Victoria , Ajmat Raúl Fernando
Published: July 2020

El presente trabajo es un resumen de una propuesta metodológica que permite abordar con criterio científico-cuantitativo soluciones aplicadas a la problemática actual abarcando el tema de la ausencia de soluciones efectivas de diseño arquitectónico-urbano que aprovechen o resuelvan el acceso de luz natural y  aseguren la habitabilidad en recintos urbanos permitiendo su aprovechamiento para captación de energía solar. Mediante simulación, que se elaboró como metodología de estudio, se revisaron los lineamientos respecto de habitabilidad, salubridad y garantías de accesibilidad de energía solar, que propone el Código de Planificación Urbano y su cumplimiento en el Área Central de San Miguel de Tucumán. Se propone un proceso de simulación sistematizado para analizar las consecuencias de la densificación, producto de la industria de la construcción en curso, aplicando una metodología para investigar los efectos reales de la puesta en práctica de las normas urbanísticas. Esta permite el análisis del potencial de producción de energía limpia en superficies expuestas a la misma, la pre-visualización y estudio de la habitabilidad de patios de edificios de gran altura y la verificación de legislaciones que necesiten ser revisadas a fin de dar una solución real y efectiva a problemas de diseño y habitabilidad.
Premios Arquisur Extensión
Authors: Varios Autores
Published: July 2020

Asistencia y/o Transferencia Tecnológica.
Solving Assembly Sequence Planning Using Distance Evaluated Simulated Kalman Filter
Authors: Mustafa Ainizar , Ibrahim Zuwairie , Md Yusof Zulkifli , Al-Dabass David , Sallis Philip
Published: July 2020

This paper presents an implementation of simulated Kalman filter (SKF) algorithm for optimizing an assembly sequence planning (ASP) problem. The SKF search strategy contains three simple steps; predict-measure-estimate. The main objective of the ASP is to determine the sequence of component installation to shorten assembly time or save assembly costs. Initially, permutation sequence is generated to represent each agent. Each agent is then subjected to a precedence matrix constraint to produce feasible assembly sequence. In this paper, the distance evaluated SKF (DESKF) is proposed for solving ASP problem. The performance of the proposed DESKF is compared against previous works in solving ASP by applying BGSA, BPSO, and MSPSO. Using a case study of ASP, the results show that DESKF outperformed all the algorithms in obtaining the best solution.
Agonist Versus Antagonist in Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection Cycles: Which Is the Best?
Authors: Al-Mousawi Bushra J. , Al-Azzam Maanee A.H. , Al-Zahawi Balsam , Fawzi Hayder A.
Published: July 2020

Objectives: The comparison of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist against GnRH antagonists regarding the pregnancy rate and effect of various predictors on pregnancy outcomes. Materials and Methods: This prospective comparative study involved 189 women who underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles and were divided into agonist (107 patients) and antagonist arm (82 patients) groups. The chemical and clinical pregnancy rate was the main outcome and the other outcomes included the number and quality of oocyte measurement and pregnancy outcomes. Results: Based on the results, the agonist protocol showed a higher rate of pregnancy (32.7%, 95% CI: 23.9-42.4%) compared to the antagonist protocol (22.0%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 13.6-32.5%) with the odds ratio (OR) of (95% CI) = 1.73 (0.89-3.35). The results further revealed that the count of retrieved oocytes, count of M2 oocytes, count of fertilized oocytes, count of embryos, and the fertilization percent out of total retrieved oocytes were higher in the agonist arm compared to the antagonist arm. In the multivariate analysis after adjusting for the confounders, the agonist protocol had higher odds of a successful pregnancy compared to the antagonist protocol by 57% (partial OR = 1.57, P value = 0.23). Conclusions: In general, the agonist protocol offers a favourable outcome in comparison to the antagonist arm, and there seems to be an intrinsic benefit for the agonist protocol, which is not explained by the higher number of transferred embryos.
Correlation Between Divided Doses of Chronic Antihypertensive Drugs and Pregnancy Outcomes
Authors: Hatamipour Dehno Safura , Taghavi Simin , Ayati Nayyereh
Published: July 2020

Objectives: Hypertension, as a common problem during pregnancy, is a major cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Anti-hypertensive drugs are used to prolong the pregnancy or modify perinatal outcomes in pregnant women with hypertensive disorders. Severe monitoring of blood pressure is subsequently essential in these mothers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between divided doses of chronic hypertensive drugs and the end of pregnancy in mothers with gestational hypertension. Materials and Methods: In this prospective research, 99 pregnant women with chronic hypertension, who were treated with antihypertensive medicines, were studied during pregnancy. During routine follow-up of these mothers, the number of the drug and the divided doses were recorded. The incidence of maternal and fetal outcomes were evaluated according to the number of less or more than 5 divided doses. Results: Maternal and fetal-baby complications were observed in 5.50 and 5.53% cases, respectively. The incidence of maternal and fetal complications were significantly enhanced by increasing the number of up-taken anti-hypertensive drugs. The maternal and fetal-baby complications were higher in mothers who received more than five divided doses compared to those who received less than five doses. Conclusion: Based on our results, chronic hypertension was associated with maternal and fetal-baby complications in half of the cases. It is clarified that precise blood pressure monitoring and regularly taking of anti-hypertensive medicine may decrease the hypertension side effects. The awareness about this field in the pre-pregnancy consulting is considered as the patients’ rights and should be respected.
Missing data: the impact of what is not there
Authors: Groenwold Rolf H H , Dekkers Olaf M
Published: July 2020

The validity of clinical research is potentially threatened by missing data. Any variable measured in a study can have missing values, including the exposure, the outcome, and confounders. When missing values are ignored in the analysis, only those subjects with complete records will be included in the analysis. This may lead to biased results and loss of power. We explain why missing data may lead to bias and discuss a commonly used classification of missing data.