Fragile Points Research Articles

Meshless fragile points methods based on Petrov‐Galerkin weak‐forms for transient heat conduction problems in complex anisotropic nonhomogeneous media

AbstractThree kinds of fragile points methods based on Petrov‐Galerkin weak‐forms (PG‐FPMs) are proposed for analyzing heat conduction problems in nonhomogeneous anisotropic media. This is a follow‐up of the previous study on the original FPM based on a symmetric Galerkin weak‐form. The trial function is piecewise‐continuous, written as local Taylor expansions at the fragile points. A modified radial basis function‐based differential quadrature (RBF‐DQ) method is employed for establishing the local approximation. The Dirac delta function, Heaviside step function, and the local fundamental solution of the governing equation are alternatively used as test functions. Vanishing or pure contour integral formulation in subdomains or on local boundaries can be obtained. Extensive numerical examples in 2D and 3D are provided as validations. The collocation method (PG‐FPM‐1) is superior in transient analysis with arbitrary point distribution and domain partition. The finite volume method (PG‐FPM‐2) shows the best efficiency, saving 25% to 50% computational time comparing with the Galerkin FPM. The singular solution method (PG‐FPM‐3) is highly efficient in steady‐state analysis. The anisotropy and nonhomogeneity give rise to no difficulties in all the methods. The proposed PG‐FPM approaches represent an improvement to the original Galerkin FPM, as well as to other meshless methods in earlier literature.

Avoid a Fall or Fly Again: Turning Points of State Fragility

High persistence of state fragility (a fragility trap) suggests the presence of substantial benefits from avoiding a fall into fragility and considerable hurdles to successful exit from fragility. This paper empirically examines the factors that affect the turning points of entering and exiting from state fragility by employing three different approaches: an event study, the synthetic control method, and a logit model. We find that avoiding economic contraction is critical to prevent a country on the brink of fragility from falling into fragility (e.g., among near fragile countries, the probability of entering fragility would rise by 40 percentage points should real GDP per capita growth decline from +2.5 percent to -2.5 percent). Also, strengthening government effectiveness together with increasing political inclusion and maintaining robust economic activity should help make exit from fragility more successful and sustainable. In the current environment (the COVID-19 crisis and its aftermath), the findings suggest the importance of providing well-directed fiscal stimulus with sufficient financing, (subject to appropriate governance safeguards and well-designed policies), and protecting critical socio-economic spending to keep vulnerable countries away from being caught in a fragility trap.

A hybrid FPM/BEM scalar potential formulation for field calculation in nonlinear magnetostatic analysis of superconducting accelerator magnets

A new hybrid numerical method for the solution of nonlinear magnetostatic problems in accelerator magnets is proposed. The methodology combines the Fragile Points Method (FPM) and the Boundary Element Method (BEM). The FPM is a Galerkin-type meshless method employing for field approximation simple, local, and discontinuous point – based interpolation functions. Because of the discontinuity of these functions, the FPM can be considered as a meshless discontinuous Galerkin formulation where numerical flux corrections are employed for the treatment of local discontinuity inconsistencies. The FPM possesses the advantages of a mesh-free method, evaluates with high accuracy field gradients, and treats nonlinear magnetostatic problems by utilizing, for the same problem, fewer nodal points than the Finite Element Method (FEM). In the present work, the nonlinear ferromagnetic material of an accelerator magnet is treated by the FPM, while the BEM is employed for the infinitely extended, surrounding air space. The proposed hybrid scheme is based on the scalar potential formulation of Mayergouz et.al (1987), also used in the BEM/BEM and FEM/BEM schemes of Rodopoulos et al. (2019, 2020). The applicability of the method is demonstrated with the solution of representative 2-D magnetostatic problems and the obtained numerical results are compared to those provided by the FEM/BEM scheme of Rodopoulos et al. (2020), as well as by the commercial FEM package ANSYS. Finally, the magnetic field utilized for stable bending of the particles’ trajectory in a 16 Tesla dipole magnet design for the Future Circular Collider (FCC) project of CERN is accurately evaluated with the aid of the proposed here FPM/BEM scheme.

Predictive Factors for Severe Maternal Morbidity in Brazil: A Case-Control Study.

The maternal mortality or "maternal near miss" ratio in Brazil reflects the socioeconomic indicators as well as the healthcare quality in some areas of this country, pointing out fragile points in the health services. The aim of this study was to estimate the association of diverse variables related to pregnancy and the occurrence of Near Miss in a population of women who were cared in public maternity wards in Brazil. A case-control study was performed. The association between variables and outcomes was verified through a chi-square test. A multiple analysis was carried out, producing odds ratio (OR) estimates with values of p≤0.25 in the univariate model. The results point to the following risk factors for Severe Maternal Morbidity: non-white (<0.001, OR 2.973), family income of up to two minimum wage salaries (<0.001; OR 2.159), not having a partner (<0.001, OR 2.694), obesity (<0.001, OR 20.852), not having received pre-natal care (<0.001, OR 2.843), going to less than six prenatal appointments (<0.001, OR 3.498), undergoing an inter-hospital transfer (<0.001, OR 24.655), and the absence of labor during admission (<0.001, OR 25.205). Although the results vary, the incidence of women with potential life-threatening complications is high in Brazil, which reinforces the need to universalize more complex interventions as well as coverage of primary care. The presence of precarious socio-economic indicators and unqualified obstetric care were risk factors for Severe Maternal Morbidity.

Probing hydrocarbon dynamics at asphaltene/maltene interfaces for the global characterization of bitumen

Hypothesis.The objective is to noninvasively probe the local hydrocarbon dynamics at asphaltene/maltene interfaces to reveal the global characteristics of bitumen at increasing temperatures and under various mechanical constraints.Experiments.We propose multidimensional (1D and 2D) nuclear magnetic relaxation (NMR) experiments to characterize the dynamic properties of hydrocarbons for a set of bitumen from 40 to 180 °C. The convergence towards universal theoretical modelling of NMR relaxation experiments gives a comprehensive understanding of hydrocarbon transport in these very weakly permeable samples. Moreover, a multivariate statistical analysis allows for correlating these NMR relaxation data for all bitumen samples to the main empirical parameters by qualifying the bitumen grading, such as the penetrability, softening and fragility points over a large range of temperatures.Findings.These new experimental and theoretical multiscale approaches link hydrocarbon interfacial dynamics to the global characteristics of various bitumen types. This is critical for grading these universally encountered materials.

Can We Return to the Law, Please? Rethinking the Judicial interpretation of Procedural Rules in the ICC – A Conversation with Judge Tarfusser after the Gbagbo-Blé Goude Appeal Judgment

On 31 March 2021, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (“ICC”) delivered its judgment in the Prosecutor’s appeal against the decision of Trial Chamber I of 15 January 2019 (with reasons issued on 16 July 2019), wherein the Trial Chamber acquitted Mr Laurent Gbagbo and Mr Charles Ble Goude of all charges. The Appeals Chamber found no error that could have materially affected the decision of the Trial Chamber in relation to both of the Prosecutor’s grounds of appeal. Therefore, the Appeals Chamber rejected the Prosecutor’s appeal and confirmed the decision of the Trial Chamber. In this conversation, Giovanni Chiarini interviews Cuno Jakob Tarfusser – former Judge and Second Vice-President of the ICC – on two of the many fragile points that emerge from this appeal judgment, such as the method of judicial interpretation regarding the procedural rules. Specifically, they focus on: 1) the interpretation of “no case to answer”; and 2) the interpretation of the burden of proof. At the end of this short conversation, we could definitely agree that the manner of judicial interpretation of the procedural rules should strictly conform to the legal framework of the Court. Otherwise, an increasingly intricate and unforeseeable procedure emerges, based on an almost arbitrary discretion of the judges.

Avoid a Fall or Fly Again: Turning Points of State Fragility

Avoid a Fall or Fly Again: Turning Points of State Fragility

PRACTICES OF HOSPITAL NURSES FOR CONTINUITY OF CARE IN PRIMARY CARE: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

ABSTRACT Objective: to know the practices developed by hospital nurses for continuity of care for Primary Care. Method: this is an exploratory, qualitative research conducted in university hospitals in São Paulo and Curitiba, Brazil. For data collection, a semi-structured interview was conducted with the Director of Nursing and an online questionnaire through open-ended and closed-ended questions, with nurses between August 2018 and July 2019. The analyzes of the interviews were carried out as proposed by Minayo based on in the theoretical framework of continuity of care. Results: the research was conducted at three university hospitals, and one Director of Nursing and 48 nurses participated. From analysis of nurses’ answers, two categories of analysis emerged: identification of post-discharge patients’ care needs and the necessary competencies for continuity of care. Where it was perceived since patients’ admission, nurses’ concern for continuity of post-hospital discharge care, establishing flows together with nurses of the Internal Center for Regulation/Discharge Management Service for the Health Department of the municipality, which forwards to patients’ reference health unit. Conclusion: although nurses are professionals who actively participates in care at various points in the health care network and recognizes the importance of continuing post-discharge care, they remain a fragile point in the care chain, and it is necessary to strengthen this mechanism with Primary Care, optimize home care and avoid hospitalizations.

Using ecosystem service supply and ecosystem sensitivity to identify landscape ecology security patterns in the Lanzhou-Xining urban agglomeration, China

The construction of an ecological security pattern (ESP) is an important way to ensure regional ecological security and to achieve sustainable regional development. It is also one of the hotspot topics of landscape ecology research. This paper identifies the ecological source through the evaluation of the ecosystem service and ecosystem sensitivity of the Lanzhou-Xining (Lan-Xi) urban agglomeration. The minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model modified by night light data NPP/VIIRS (National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project/Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) was used to measure the relative resistance of the materials and energy circulation between the source areas, and to establish the resistance surface of the ecological source area expansion. Then ecological corridors were identified based on ecological sources and resistance surface. The ecological strategic node is the ecological fragile point in the ecological corridors. The ecological strategic node is identified with hydrological module by superimposing the “ridge line” of cumulative ecological resistance with the ecological corridor. Combined with ecological sources, corridors and strategic nodes, the ESP of the Lan-Xi urban agglomeration can be constructed. The ecological source of the Lan-Xi urban agglomeration accounts for 28.42% of the total area, most of which is distributed within Qinghai Province. The nature reserves in the area are all located within the ecological source area. A total of 41 potential ecological corridors have been identified in the study area. The total length of the potential corridors is 1201.03 km, comprising 23 source corridors and 18 radiation corridors. There are 30 strategic nodes identified in the Lan-Xi urban agglomeration. These locations are the most vulnerable areas of the ecological corridors. Ecological engineering should be applied in the construction of corridors. Affected by the ecological source, the potential ecological corridor extends from the northwest to the southeast, which is basically consistent with the direction trend of the mountains in the region.

Effect of binder rates and geogrid characteristics on the shear bond strength of reinforced asphalt interfaces

Practical applications and theoretical studies have demonstrated that the presence of the geosynthetic configures a fragile point in the contact between asphalt layers, which can cause problems such as slips and detachments. Geosynthetic characteristics combined with tack coat type and rate can lead to different interface shear bond results. A field-laboratory coupled testing program was conducted to investigate the effect of binder rates combined with geogrid properties on the interface shear bond performance. Increase in application rate on geogrid-reinforced samples showed a great effect on interface shear bond. The stiffer geogrid provided lower interface shear strength and interface shear stiffness, while presented highest geogrid coverage area. Geogrid physical characteristics had more significant influence than geogrid tensile properties. Results suggested that a combination of geogrid characteristics and other factors (binder type, asphalt mix, test temperature and test equipment) can also significant influence geogrid-reinforced asphalt interface mechanism. Findings encourage new investigations to understand the complex behavior of geogrid-interface shear bond and to establish guidelines to determine geogrid properties required for asphalt reinforcements, stablishing correlations between shear equipments and testing procedures.

Legal Challenges in the face of the Decisive Transformation of the Media

Purpose ”“ Approach and analyze the technological industries in society, as a global society, and how it is approached from the legal point of view. This study aims to make an analysis of the social context and technological progress and determine what main legal problems arise. There is also the purpose of investigating what impact new technologies have had in the audiovisual industry globally, taking into account the emergence of new digital business models, in order to determine their legal nature.&#x0D; Methodology ”“ The methodology used is mainly based on the analysis of the different Laws that regulate the digital market. The approach has been directed at European claims to respond to new digital models and discover if the result has had an effective application on citizens.&#x0D; Findings ”“ The study sets out as objectives achieved cross-border access of audiovisual platforms in the European territorial area. Objective met in a positive way but still with many inconveniences. It is noted a clear advantage for users, but with universal challenges, such as the exploitation of audiovisual content within the Right to information.&#x0D; Practical Implications ”“ If the laws were more current, companies and technological industries could give a more effective response to society, while creating wealth. It also shows the comparison between a European system, more protectionist towards the user, for example, with the protection of personal data, with respect to the Latin American system law. These differences impact economically differently in each country.&#x0D; Originality ”“ The study detects the most fragile points, the current conflicts of the digital platforms and shows the lines to follow through public policies.

Anticipatory Stress Responses and Immune Evasion in Fungal Pathogens.

In certain niches, microbes encounter environmental challenges that are temporally linked. In such cases, microbial fitness is enhanced by the evolution of anticipatory responses where the initial challenge simultaneously activates pre-emptive protection against the second impending challenge. The accumulation of anticipatory responses in domesticated yeasts, which have been termed 'adaptive prediction', has led to the emergence of 'core stress responses' that provide stress cross-protection. Protective anticipatory responses also seem to be common in fungal pathogens of humans. These responses reflect the selective pressures that these fungi have faced relatively recently in their evolutionary history. Consequently, some pathogens have evolved 'core environmental responses' which exploit host signals to trigger immune evasion strategies that protect them against imminent immune attack.

Primate differential redoxome (PDR) – A paradigm for understanding neurodegenerative diseases

Despite different phenotypic manifestations, mounting evidence points to similarities in the molecular basis of major neurodegenerative diseases (ND). CNS has evolved to be robust against hazard of ROS, a common perturbation aerobic organisms are confronted with. The trade-off of robustness is system's fragility against rare and unexpected perturbations. Identifying the points of CNS fragility is key for understanding etiology of ND. We postulated that the ‘primate differential redoxome’ (PDR), an assembly of proteins that contain cysteine residues present only in the primate orthologues of mammals, is likely to associate with an added level of regulatory functionalities that enhanced CNS robustness against ROS and facilitated evolution. The PDR contains multiple deterministic and susceptibility factors of major ND, which cluster to form coordinated redox networks regulating various cellular processes. The PDR analysis revealed a potential CNS fragility point, which appears to associates with a non-redundant PINK1-PRKN-SQSTM1(p62) axis coordinating protein homeostasis and mitophagy.

A new meshless “fragile points method” and a local variational iteration method for general transient heat conduction in anisotropic nonhomogeneous media. Part II: Validation and discussion

In the first part of this two-paper series, a new computational approach is presented for analyzing transient heat conduction problems in anisotropic nonhomogeneous media. The approach consists of a truly meshless Fragile Points Method (FPM) being utilized for spatial discretization, and a Local Variational Iteration (LVI) scheme for time discretization. In the present article, extensive numerical results are provided as validations, followed by a discussion on the recommended computational parameters. The FPM + LVIM approach shows its capability in solving 2 D and 3 D transient heat transfer problems in complex geometries with mixed boundary conditions, including preexisting cracks. Both functionally graded materials and composite materials are considered. It is shown that, with appropriate computational parameters, the FPM + LVIM approach is not only accurate, but also efficient, and has reliable stability under relatively large time intervals.

High-performance epidermal strain sensor based on macro-defect graphene foams

Three-dimensional (3D) epidermal sensing components featuring broad working range, excellent sensitivity and high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), have attracted great interest for the fast developing wearable electronic systems. Herein, an efficient optimization of the sensitivity of graphene foams (GrF) based strain sensors is reported by making macroporous structure in the framework. The macron-scale hole makes the GrF more fragile points and leads to the resistance change signal more detectable under micro-deformation. The analysis of the comparative experiments shows that the macroporous structure could significantly increase the sensitivity of the 3D graphene-elastomer composite, endowing the piezoresistive sensor with a maximum gauge factor (GF) as high as 30 (about 10 times of pure GrF device) and a wide sensing range up to 20 %. In addition, the stretchable and biocompatible strain sensor can be easily attached on human skin as the wearable electronics, which shows ultrahigh SNR in real-time detection of human motion and typical acoustic waves. The rational design of macroporous structure provides an efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly strategy for electromechanical properties optimization, which may be valuable for designing and fabricating other high performance smart electronics.

Prostaglandin E2 activates complement protein CD55 to enhance cell adhesion in endometriosis

Endometriosis is a leading cause of pelvic pain and infertility. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is widely regarded to be central to its pathogenesis.1 A promising novel target of PGE2 signaling is decay accelerating factor (CD55) which has increased RNA expression in endometriotic stromal cells.2 CD55 has a well described role in the complement pathway, but emerging evidence indicates other functions in cell proliferation and activation of cellular signaling. The objective of this work was to determine whether CD55 protein is expressed in ectopic endometrium, whether PGE2 is a regulator of CD55 expression, and whether CD55 is necessary and sufficient for endometriosis pathogenesis via a non-canonical pathway. Laboratory investigation. To study the principal cellular compartments of endometriotic lesions in vitro, immortalized endometrial stromal (T-HESC) and endometriotic epithelial (12Z) cell lines were studied. Immunohistochemistry was performed to localize the presence of CD55 in a random sample of eight human pathology specimens of eutopic and ectopic endometrium. CD55 expression analysis was performed on cell lines (RNA expression by quantitative real-time PCR; protein expression by immunoblotting and flow cytometry) treated first with 0, 1, 3, 10, 30, and 100 uM of PGE2 then with 10uM PGE2 for 0, 1, 2, 6, and 24 hours. Overexpression of CD55 in 12Z cells was achieved using lentiviral transduction with an empty vector control. Cell adhesion was determined by plating cells on cell culture plates coated with fibronectin, collagen I, or bovine serum albumin at different time points, washing the plates, then quantifying remaining adherent cells using a luminescent ATP detection assay. Intra- and inter-experimental variation was addressed by multiple wells per condition and ≥2 replicates per experiment. Both 12Z and T-HESC lines demonstrated CD55 expression at baseline, as did histologic specimens of eutopic and ectopic endometrium. Treatment with PGE2 of 12Z and T-HESC lines resulted in increased CD55 expression in a dose dependent fashion until maximal treatment effect (3-fold) was achieved at 10 uM. In time course experiments, CD55 RNA expression was maximal at 6 hours and protein expression at 18 hours. 12Z cells overexpressing CD55 demonstrated more than 2-fold number of adherent cells as compared to wildtype and empty vector controls. These preliminary cellular studies indicate that PGE2 induction of CD55 can lead to promotion of adhesion of endometriotic cells, a necessary step in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Future in vivo studies using CD55-/- mice will investigate CD55 function in adhesion in mouse models of endometriosis. Understanding this downstream pathway of PGE2 signaling may identify points of fragility for future translational therapies.

The last garum of Pompeii: Archaeozoological analyses on fish remains from the “garum shop” and related ecological inferences

AbstractThis study represents the first detailed archaeozoological analysis on garum remains from Pompeii. It aims to contribute to our knowledge of activities connected to garum in one of the most celebrated centres of production in the Mediterranean by osteoarchaeological, taphonomical, and ecological analyses. One place for the production and sale of this fish sauce was located in the urban perimeter of the town, the so‐called “garum shop”, buried by the pyroclastic deposits of the Vesuvius eruption in 79 AD. After a short summary about the nature, role and origin of garum, and its production processes, a description of the state of the art about garum production in Pompeii is summarized to assess the issue. The analyses undertaken on the remains found in an amphora from the “garum shop” show that the production of at least one kind of garum in Pompeii was obtained using individuals of picarels (Spicara smaris) as the fundamental ingredient. The state of preservation of the fish remains indicates that the picarels were not subject to any intense process of movement or compression that could have caused breakage at fragile points of the fish skeletons; it is therefore deduced that the product was still in the maceration stage awaiting the final process when the Pompeii destruction happened. The study revealed that the picarels were left to macerate whole; they were neither decapitated nor filleted. The osteoarchaeological and ecological analyses revealed the age of death, the sex, and the season when the fish was caught contributing to define the fishing techniques, the production processes, and the period of the year when the volcanic destruction happened.

Jewels mechanics: structural research applied in conception and development

The creation and production of jewelry, as adornment objects, started at the beginnings of humanity. Throughout the history, the construction techniques were improved, but production methods of the jewelry industry still have an empirical feature. With this premise, this research analyzes the simulation and evaluation of jewelry, in stages before the production. Searching how the structural analysis through finite elements can support designers in first steps of jewelry development. First the test body, a virtual model, is created through the software Rhinoceros 3D. This model is exported to software Abaqus CAE, where material properties, loads and support conditions are inputted, simulating the situation of daily use. For the material, it is opted for the silver because it is a precious metal widely used in the jewelry industry. The results of simulations in Abaqus CAE allow the evaluation of minimum and maximum von Mises stresses as the displacements generated in the 3D model. The process helps to identify fragile points in the structure or points in which it is possible to be a reduction of the used material. The results show the importance of this kind of analysis applied before the production, taking jewelry as structures subject to external loads of destructive character and searching for the suitable way for optimizing the use of materials.

Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase Inhibition Sensitizes Colorectal Cancer-Initiating Cells to Chemotherapy.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading killer in the U.S. with resistance to treatment as the largest hurdle to cure. Colorectal cancer-initiating cells (CICs) are a self-renewing tumor population that contribute to tumor relapse. Here, we report that patient-derived CICs display relative chemoresistance compared with differentiated progeny. In contrast, conventional cell lines failed model therapeutic resistance. CICs preferentially repaired chemotherapy-induced DNA breaks, prompting us to interrogate DNA damage pathways against which pharmacologic inhibitors have been developed. We found that CICs critically depended on the key single-strand break repair mediator, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), to survive treatment with standard-of-care chemotherapy. Small molecule PARP inhibitors (PARPi) sensitized CICs to chemotherapy and reduced chemotherapy-treated CIC viability, self-renewal, and DNA damage repair. Although PARPi monotherapy failed to kill CICs, combined PARPi therapy with chemotherapy attenuated tumor growth in vivo. Clinical significance of PARPi for CRC patients was supported by elevated PARP levels in colorectal tumors compared with normal colon, with further increases in metastases. Collectively, our results suggest that PARP inhibition serves as a point of fragility for CICs by augmenting therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy. Stem Cells 2019;37:42-53.

Determinação da fragilidade ambiental de bacia hidrográfica em relação à atividade suinícola utilizando SIG

The intensified use of natural resources started after the industrial revolution, with increasing the disorderly occupation of watersheds and environmental degradation over the past century. Studies of environmental fragilities helps to identify areas with greater or lesser fragility regarding to certain aspect or activity analyzed, contributing to the decision making and adoption of strategies to minimize such impacts. The objective of the study was to evaluate the environmental fragility of Lajeado Erval Novo Watershed front the swine farming in order to subsidize the support of the decision taken for the environmental licensing system. Therefore, was held an integrated environmental assessment of the basin from data processing in Geographic Information System using a model based on qualitative and quantitative variables and adding socio-environmental characteristics to hierarchize areas with higher and lower environmental fragility for swine effluents. The areas to the southwest and northeast of the studied watershed were diagnosed as points of high environmental fragility. This fragility was, mainly, related to higher generation of swine effluent load and the conditions that contribute to the process of environmental embrittlement of areas, such as the use and soil type, slope and proximity to water resources. The mapping of environmental fragilities, by addressing the specifics variables and conditions of areas, proved to be a very important tool for decision-making and the maintenance of swine activities and the environmental balance of the watershed.