bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Midlife cardiorespiratory fitness and the long-term risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Hansen Gorm Mørk , Marott Jacob Louis , Holtermann Andreas , Gyntelberg Finn , Lange Peter , Jensen Magnus T
Published: June 2019

Background

Good midlife cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) may reduce the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Reverse causation may play a role if follow-up time is short. We examined the association between CRF and both incident COPD and COPD mortality in employed men with up to 46 years follow-up, which allowed us to account for reverse causality.

Methods

Middle-aged men (n=4730) were recruited in 1970–1971. CRF was determined as VO2max by ergometer test. Categories of CRF (low, normal, high) were defined as ± 1 Z-score (± 1 SD) above or below the age-adjusted mean. Endpoints were identified through national registers and defined as incident COPD, and death from COPD. Multi-adjusted Cox models and restricted mean survival times (RMST) were performed.

Results

Compared with low CRF, the estimated risk of incident COPD was 21% lower in participants with normal CRF (HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.99) and 31 % lower with high CRF (HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.91). Compared with low CRF, the risk of death from COPD was 35% lower in participants with normal CRF (HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.91) and 62% lower in participants with high CRF (HR 0.38, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.61). RMST showed a delay to incident COPD and death from COPD in the magnitude of 1.3–1.8 years in normal and high CRF vs low CRF. Test for reverse causation did not alter the results.

Conclusion

In a population of healthy, middle-aged men, higher levels of CRF were associated with a lower long-term risk of incident COPD and death from COPD.
Coset construction of Virasoro minimal models and coupling of Wess–Zumino–Witten theory with Schramm–Loewner evolution
Authors: Koshida Shinji
Published: June 2019

Schramm–Loewner evolution (SLE) is a random process that gives a useful description of fractal curves. After its introduction, many works concerning the connection between SLE and conformal field theory (CFT) have been carried out. In this paper, we develop a new method of coupling SLE with a Wess–Zumino–Witten (WZW) model for [Formula: see text], an example of CFT, relying on a coset construction of Virasoro minimal models. Generalizations of SLE that correspond to WZW models were proposed by previous works [E. Bettelheim et al., Stochastic Loewner evolution for conformal field theories with Lie group symmetries, Phys. Rev. Lett. 95 (2005) 251601] and [Alekseev et al., On SLE martingales in boundary WZW models, Lett. Math. Phys. 97 (2011) 243–261], in which the parameters in the generalized SLE for [Formula: see text] were related to the level of the corresponding [Formula: see text]-WZW model. The present work unveils the mechanism of how the parameters were chosen, and gives a simpler proof of the result in these previous works, shedding light on a new perspective of SLE/WZW coupling.
Gravitational Baryogenesis in Hořava–Lifshitz gravity
Authors: Maity Sayani , Rudra Prabir
Published: June 2019

In this work, we intend to address the matter–antimatter asymmetry via the gravitational baryogenesis mechanism in the background of a quantum theory of gravity. We investigate this mechanism under the framework of Hořava–Lifshitz gravity. We will compute the baryon-to-entropy ratio in the chosen framework and investigate its physical viability against the observational bounds. We also conduct the above study for various sources of matter like scalar field and Chaplygin gas as specific examples. We speculate that quantum corrections from the background geometry will lead to interesting results.
Using Axisymmetric Smoothed Finite Element Method (S-FEM) to Analyze Pressure Piping with Defect in ABAQUS
Authors: Cui X. , Qie Y. H.
Published: June 2019

Pressure piping is the most productive way for large-volume compressed natural gas (CNG) transportation. In pipeline constructions, the thickness at the point where two pipes join together is often not consistent due to the mismatch in dimensions, and thus stress concentrations can often occur at the pipe joints, causing safety concerns. Therefore, it is important to accurately analyze the key influencing factors of dimensional mismatch defects, providing a theoretical basis for the preliminary design and post-repair of pipelines. This work uses the smoothed finite element method (S-FEM) that has been proven accurate in stress analysis compared with the traditional FEM. Since geometry and load of the pressure piping are axisymmetric, a novel axisymmetric S-FEM element is first developed, coded and integrated in ABAQUS using the User-defined Element Library (UEL). Intensive studies are then carried out to examine the effects of different levels of mismatch in the thicknesses of two joined pipes and the effects of the radius of the transitional fillet used to bridge the mismatches. It is found that the maximum hoop stress reduces as the radius of the transitional fillet increases. For the thinner section of the pipe, the maximum hoop stress is only affected by the thickness mismatch.
A Type of Novel Nonlinear Distributions for Improving Significantly the Stiffness of Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Composite Beams
Authors: Vo-Duy T. , Truong Tam T. , Nguyen-Quang K. , Nguyen-Thoi T. , Vu-Do H. C.
Published: June 2019

So far, the carbon nanotube (CNT) distributions have been still limited in the linear forms, which may lead to the limitations in maximizing the strength and potential of carbon nanotube reinforced composite (CNTRC) structures. This study, hence proposes a type of novel CNTs distribution for improving the stiffness of CNTRC beams. The distributions are in the nonlinear forms and ensure the same total CNT volume fraction along the thickness of structures. For demonstrating, the effectiveness of the proposed CNT distributions, the static, free vibration and buckling analyses of functionally graded carbon nanotube (FG-CNT) reinforced composite beams using the new CNT distributions are conducted and one-dimensional NURSB basis functions based on the third-order shear deformation theory (TSDT) are utilized to describe the exact geometry and to approximate the unknown solution in finite element model of the beam. The numerical investigations of the geometric and material parameters reveal that the new nonlinear CNT distributions can help increase the normalized frequency, buckling load and the nondimensional central deflection to the maxima of 8%, 16% and 16% respectively, in some conditions of geometric parameters.
Research of Precise Time Integration Method and its Derived Formats on Helicopter Rotor Dynamics
Authors: Wu Jie , Du Xianbin , Ma Yijiang , Ren Peng
Published: June 2019

The aeroelastic coupling dynamic equation of helicopter rotor is essentially a set of nonlinear and inhomogeneous equations with large rigidity, in which the inhomogeneous term is a function of blade motion and aerodynamic load. In this paper, the precise time integration method and its derived formats are introduced to solve the rotor blade dynamic equation, and the Duhamel integral item can be calculated by various numerical methods. In terms of computational accuracy and numerical stability, the precise Kutta method and high precision direct integration method (HPD method) are carefully selected to compare with classical Runge–Kutta method numerically. HPD method is used to solve the rotor blade dynamic equation, and the transient response of the rotor blade is examined by Newmark and implicit trapezoidal methods. Results indicate that HPD method dominates the classical Runge–Kutta method in step size independence, and gets close to implicit methods in numerical stability and accuracy for dynamic equation of helicopter rotor blade.
Partial stability analysis of nonlinear time-varying impulsive systems
Authors: Ghanmi Boulbaba
Published: June 2019

This paper investigates the stability analysis with respect to part of the variables of nonlinear time-varying systems with impulse effect. The approach presented is based on the specially introduced piecewise continuous Lyapunov functions. The Lyapunov stability theorems with respect to part of the variables are generalized in the sense that the time derivatives of the Lyapunov functions are allowed to be indefinite. With the help of the notion of stable functions, asymptotic partial stability, exponential partial stability, input-to-state partial stability (ISPS) and integral input-to-state partial stability (iISPS) are considered. Three numerical examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed theoretical results.
Efficient degradation of refractory contaminants with silver ferrite for persulfate activation
Authors: Li Cong , Yang Wei , Guo Sheng , Yang Zhixiong , Fida Hussain , Liang Huan
Published: June 2019

The advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) based on sulfate radicals have triggered tremendous research efforts in environmental remediation field. In this study, we proposed a facile silver ferrite ([Formula: see text] nanocatalyst via a simple co-precipitation at room temperature. The as-prepared AgFeO2 was characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, FTIR and N2 adsorption–desorption techniques and was used for persulfate (PDS) activation for the first time. The result showed that AgFeO2 as a PDS activator exhibited superior degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB) as compared to bare Ag2O, FeOOH and CuFeO2. Moreover, the AgFeO2 catalyst also demonstrated high degradation efficiency for 4-nitrophenol and Methyl Orange in the presence of PDS. The catalytic performance of AgFeO2 was further evaluated in terms of various parameters, including solution pH, PDS concentration and catalyst dosage. The degradation pathway was proposed based on Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometer (LC-MS) result and the degradation mechanism was elucidated through radical scavenger experiments. These findings will extend the scope of novel catalysts for PDS activation and promote the use of AgFeO2 in more practical applications.
Blockwise Multi-Order Feature Regression for Real-Time Path-Tracing Reconstruction
Authors: Koskela Matias , Immonen Kalle , Mäkitalo Markku , Foi Alessandro , Viitanen Timo , Jääskeläinen Pekka , Kultala Heikki , Takala Jarmo
Published: June 2019

Path tracing produces realistic results including global illumination using a unified simple rendering pipeline. Reducing the amount of noise to imperceptible levels without post-processing requires thousands of
samples per pixel
(spp), while currently it is only possible to render extremely noisy 1 spp frames in real time with desktop GPUs. However, post-processing can utilize feature buffers, which contain noise-free auxiliary data available in the rendering pipeline. Previously, regression-based noise filtering methods have only been used in offline rendering due to their high computational cost. In this article we propose a novel regression-based reconstruction pipeline, called
Blockwise Multi-Order Feature Regression
(BMFR), tailored for path-traced 1 spp inputs that runs in real time. The high speed is achieved with a fast implementation of augmented QR factorization and by using stochastic regularization to address rank-deficient feature data. The proposed algorithm is 1.8× faster than the previous state-of-the-art real-time path-tracing reconstruction method while producing better quality frame sequences.
Exploring Low-Occlusion Qwerty Soft Keyboard Using Spatial Landmarks
Authors: Sun Ke , Yu Chun , Shi Yuanchun
Published: June 2019

The Qwerty soft keyboard is widely used on mobile devices. However, keyboards often consume a large portion of the touchscreen space, occluding the application view on the smartphone and requiring a separate input interface on the smartwatch. Such space consumption can affect the user experience of accessing information and the overall performance of text input. In order to free up the screen real estate, this article explores the concept of Sparse Keyboard and proposes two new ways of presenting the Qwerty soft keyboard. The idea is to use users’ spatial memory and the reference effect of spatial landmarks on the graphical interface. Our final design
K3-SGK
displays only three keys while
L5-EYOCN
displays only five line segments instead of the entire Qwerty layout. To achieve this, we employ a user-centered computational design method: first study the reference effect of a single landmark key (line segment) from empirical data, then make assumptions to generalize the effect to multiple landmarks, and finally optimize the best designs. To make the text entry function more complete, we also design and implement gestural interactions for editing operations and non-alphabetical characters’ input. User evaluation shows that participants can quickly learn how to type with
K3-SGK
and
L5-EYOCN
. After five 15-phrase typing sessions, participants achieve 88.1%--92.8% of the full Qwerty keyboard in terms of words per minute on the smartphone and 98.4%--99.1% on the smartwatch. The differences on character and word error rate between our keyboard designs and the full Qwerty keyboard are not significant. The results of out-of-vocabulary words input are also promising. In addition, participants can quickly recall the typing skills and maintain the input performance even after a few days. User feedbacks in real application contexts show that with the low occlusion keyboard, users can acquire more information and perform less scrolling on the smartphone and achieve a higher input efficiency on the smartwatch with a more fluent input experience.
Software Prefetching for Indirect Memory Accesses
Authors: Ainsworth Sam , Jones Timothy M.
Published: June 2019

Many modern data processing and HPC workloads are heavily memory-latency bound. A tempting proposition to solve this is software prefetching, where special non-blocking loads are used to bring data into the cache hierarchy just before being required. However, these are difficult to insert to effectively improve performance, and techniques for automatic insertion are currently limited.

This article develops a novel compiler pass to automatically generate software prefetches for indirect memory accesses, a special class of irregular memory accesses often seen in high-performance workloads. We evaluate this across a wide set of systems, all of which gain benefit from the technique. We then evaluate the extent to which good prefetch instructions are architecture dependent and the class of programs that are particularly amenable. Across a set of memory-bound benchmarks, our automated pass achieves average speedups of 1.3× for an Intel Haswell processor, 1.1× for both an ARM Cortex-A57 and Qualcomm Kryo, 1.2× for a Cortex-72 and an Intel Kaby Lake, and 1.35× for an Intel Xeon Phi Knight’s Landing, each of which is an out-of-order core, and performance improvements of 2.1× and 2.7× for the in-order ARM Cortex-A53 and first generation Intel Xeon Phi.
Local Decision Pitfalls in Interactive Machine Learning
Authors: Wu Tongshuang , Weld Daniel S. , Heer Jeffrey
Published: June 2019

Tools for Interactive Machine Learning (IML) enable end users to update models in a “rapid, focused, and incremental”—yet local—manner. In this work, we study the question of local decision making in an IML context around feature selection for a sentiment classification task. Specifically, we characterize the utility of interactive feature selection through a combination of human-subjects experiments and computational simulations. We find that, in expectation, interactive modification fails to improve model performance and may hamper generalization due to overfitting. We examine how these trends are affected by the dataset, learning algorithm, and the training set size. Across these factors we observe consistent generalization issues. Our results suggest that rapid iterations with IML systems can be dangerous if they encourage local actions divorced from global context, degrading overall model performance. We conclude by discussing the implications of our feature selection results to the broader area of IML systems and research.
The Power-optimised Software Envelope
Authors: Roberts Stephen I. , Wright Steven A. , Fahmy Suhaib A. , Jarvis Stephen A.
Published: June 2019

Advances in processor design have delivered performance improvements for decades. As physical limits are reached, refinements to the same basic technologies are beginning to yield diminishing returns. Unsustainable increases in energy consumption are forcing hardware manufacturers to prioritise energy efficiency in their designs. Research suggests that software modifications may be needed to exploit the resulting improvements in current and future hardware. New tools are required to capitalise on this new class of optimisation.

In this article, we present the Power Optimised Software Envelope (POSE) model, which allows developers to assess the potential benefits of power optimisation for their applications. The POSE model is metric agnostic and in this article, we provide derivations using the established Energy-Delay Product metric and the novel Energy-Delay Sum and Energy-Delay Distance metrics that we believe are more appropriate for energy-aware optimisation efforts. We demonstrate POSE on three platforms by studying the optimisation characteristics of applications from the Mantevo benchmark suite. Our results show that the Pathfinder application has very little scope for power optimisation while TeaLeaf has the most, with all other applications in the benchmark suite falling between the two.

Finally, we extend our POSE model with a formulation known as System Summary POSE—a meta-heuristic that allows developers to assess the scope a system has for energy-aware software optimisation independent of the code being run.
Constant-Error Pseudorandomness Proofs from Hardness Require Majority
Authors: Viola Emanuele
Published: June 2019

Research in the 1980s and 1990s showed how to construct a pseudorandom generator from a function that is hard to compute on more than 99% of the inputs. A more recent line of works showed, however, that if the generator has small error, then the proof of correctness cannot be implemented in subclasses of TC
0
, and hence the construction cannot be applied to the known hardness results. This article considers a typical class of pseudorandom generator constructions, and proves an analogous result for the case of large error.
Caliper
Authors: Kannan Ram Srivatsa , Laurenzano Michael , Ahn Jeongseob , Mars Jason , Tang Lingjia
Published: June 2019

We introduce
Caliper
, a technique for accurately estimating performance interference occurring in shared servers. Caliper overcomes the limitations of prior approaches by leveraging a micro-experiment-based technique. In contrast to state-of-the-art approaches that focus on periodically pausing co-running applications to estimate slowdown, Caliper utilizes a strategic phase-triggered technique to capture interference due to co-location. This enables Caliper to orchestrate an accurate and low-overhead interference estimation technique that can be readily deployed in existing production systems. We evaluate Caliper for a broad spectrum of workload scenarios, demonstrating its ability to seamlessly support up to 16 applications running simultaneously and outperform the state-of-the-art approaches.
Approximation Schemes for Independent Set and Sparse Subsets of Polygons
Authors: Adamaszek Anna , Har-Peled Sariel , Wiese Andreas
Published: June 2019

We present a (1+ε)-approximation algorithm with quasi-polynomial running time for computing a maximum weight independent set of polygons from a given set of polygons in the plane. Contrasting this, the best-known polynomial time algorithm for the problem has an approximation ratio of 
n
ε
. Surprisingly, we can extend the algorithm to the problem of computing the maximum cardinality subset of the given set of polygons whose intersection graph fulfills some sparsity condition. For example, we show that one can approximate the maximum subset of polygons such that the intersection graph of the subset is planar or does not contain a cycle of length 4 (i.e.,
K
2,2
). Our algorithm relies on a recursive partitioning scheme, whose backbone is the existence of balanced cuts with small complexity that intersect polygons from the optimal solution of a small total weight.

For the case of large axis-parallel rectangles, we provide a
polynomial
time (1 + ε)-approximation for the maximum weight independent set. Specifically, we consider the problem where each rectangle has one edge whose length is at least a constant fraction of the length of the corresponding edge of the bounding box of all the input elements. This is now the most general case for which a PTAS is known, and it requires a new and involved partitioning scheme, which should be of independent interest.
Distributed Dominating Set Approximations beyond Planar Graphs
Authors: Amiri Saeed Akhoondian , Schmid Stefan , Siebertz Sebastian
Published: June 2019

The Minimum Dominating Set (MDS) problem is a fundamental and challenging problem in distributed computing. While it is well known that minimum dominating sets cannot be well approximated locally on general graphs, in recent years there has been much progress on computing good local approximations on sparse graphs and in particular on planar graphs. In this article, we study distributed and deterministic MDS approximation algorithms for graph classes beyond planar graphs. In particular, we show that existing approximation bounds for planar graphs can be lifted to bounded genus graphs and more general graphs, which we call locally embeddable graphs, and present

(1) a local constant-time, constant-factor MDS approximation algorithm on locally embeddable graphs, and

(2) a local
O
(log
*
n
)-time (1+ϵ)-approximation scheme for any ϵ > 0 on graphs of bounded genus.

Our main technical contribution is a new analysis of a slightly modified variant of an existing algorithm by Lenzen et al. [21]. Interestingly, unlike existing proofs for planar graphs, our analysis does not rely on direct topological arguments but on combinatorial density arguments only.
An Integrated Metaheuristic Routing Method for Multiple‐Block Warehouses with Ultranarrow Aisles and Access Restriction
Authors: Chen Fangyu , Xu Gangyan , Wei Yongchang
Published: June 2019

A problem‐specific routing algorithm integrating ant colony optimization (ACO) and integer‐coded genetic algorithm (GA) is developed to address the newly observed limitations imposed by ultranarrow aisles and access restriction, which exist in the largest e‐commerce enterprise with self‐run logistics in China. Those limitations prohibit pickers from walking through the whole aisle, and the access restriction even allows them to access the pick aisles only from specific entrances. The ant colony optimization is mainly responsible for generating the initial chromosomes for the genetic algorithm, which then searches the near‐optimal solutions of picker‐routing with our novel chromosome design by recording the detailed information of access modes and subaisles. To demonstrate the merits of the proposed algorithm, a comprehensive simulation for comparison is conducted with 12 warehouse layouts with real order information. The simulation results show that the proposed hybrid algorithm is superior to dedicated heuristics in terms of solution quality. The impacts of the parameters with respect to warehouse layout on the picking efficiency are analyzed as well. Setting more connect aisles and cross aisles is suggested to effectively optimize the picking‐service efficiency in the presence of access limitations.
Calculation of Pile Side Friction by Multiparameter Statistical Analysis
Authors: Zhou Zhijun , Dong Yaqin , Jiang Peijun , Han Dandan , Liu Tong
Published: June 2019

In this paper, a static load test and a multiparameter statistical analysis method are used to study the value of pile side friction in different soil layers in a loess region. Currently, static load testing is the most commonly used method to determine the bearing capacity of pile foundation. During the test, a vertical load is applied at the top of the pile, the data under each load level are recorded, and a Q‐S curve is drawn to obtain the ultimate bearing capacity of a single pile. Reinforcement stress gauges are installed at different sections of the pile body, and then the axial force and the pile side friction of each section are calculated. Few studies have investigated the calculation of pile side friction in different soil layers using the multiparameter statistical analysis method. Obtaining accurate results using this method will provide an important supplement to the calculation of pile side friction and will also be conducive to the development of theoretical calculation of pile side friction. Therefore, taking Wuding Expressway project in loess region as an example, the lateral friction resistance of six test piles is studied through static load testing and multiparameter statistical analysis. The multiparameter statistical analysis method is compared with the static load test results, and the error is controlled within 20%. The results show that the calculation results of multiparameter statistical analysis essentially fulfill engineering requirements.
Exploring the Perspectives of Older People on the Concept of Home
Authors: Hatcher Deborah , Chang Esther , Schmied Virginia , Garrido Sandra
Published: June 2019

Objectives. Continuing to live at home is arguably one of the most important challenges older persons face as they age. The aim of this study was to clarify how older adults conceptualise home through age-related lifestyle changes. Methods. Principles from grounded theory were used to examine the perspectives of 21 older adults obtained from three focus group discussions and 10 in-depth semistructured interviews. Results. Four major categories were developed: “anchoring self,” “enabling freedom,” “being comfortable,” and “staying in touch.” Discussion. For the participants in this study remaining at home enabled a sense of independence and freedom, self-worth and identity, comfort, and an ongoing active role in the community. However, some aspects of home could be renegotiated despite changes to living location, with new social connections able to be forged and personal comforts being transferrable. This holds important implications for supporting older persons to both sustain living at home and to adjust to changing circumstances, suggesting the importance of drawing on the experiences of older persons themselves in developing strategies to promote successful aging.
Assessing Sensory Characteristics and Consumer Preference of Legume-Cereal-Root Based Porridges in Nandi County
Authors: Gitau Peninah W. , Kunyanga Catherine N. , Abong' George O. , Ojiem John O. , Muthomi James W.
Published: June 2019

Previously, porridge has been cereal based, consumed as a beverage or weaning food. Malnutrition among children has necessitated inclusion of legumes and roots in an effort to boost nutrient density. Therefore, the current study aimed at identifying the most acceptable porridge based on different food ingredient combination. Composite porridge flour included legumes (soybean, groundnut, and lablab), cereals (finger millet, sorghum, maize, and wheat), pseudocereals (pumpkin seed, buckwheat, and amaranth seed), and roots (cassava and arrowroot). New composite porridge flours were formulated using Nutrisurvey linear programming software. Different composite flours formulated to target either school-going children or a family setup were subjected to sensory analysis and the consumer preference test. Eight new formulations were developed. Buckwheat, wheat, and arrowroot were eliminated, maize and lablab content (%) were reduced, and cassava and finger were increased in the new formulations. A total of 149 participants composed of men (30.9%) and women (69.1%) aged between 11 and >60 yrs were interviewed. Newly formulated porridges were more preferred to the previous porridge formulations on color (40–54.2%), smell (40–52.4%), taste (41.5–47.5%), texture (58.3%), viscosity (35.4–45.8%), and overall acceptability (35–54.2%). The most cited reason for liking or disliking a particular porridge was taste (38.9%) and texture (32.2%), respectively. However, all the sensory attributes positively correlated with overall acceptability. Increased finger millet and cassava proportions in the newly formulated composite porridge flour highly influenced their high acceptability. Thus, consumer acceptability of new products is key for their adoption.
Alleviation of Hepatic Ischemia Reperfusion Injury by Oleanolic Acid Pretreating via Reducing HMGB1 Release and Inhibiting Apoptosis and Autophagy
Authors: Wang Wenwen , Wu Liwei , Li Jingjing , Ji Jie , Chen Kan , Yu Qiang , Li Sainan , Feng Jiao , Liu Tong , Zhang Jie , Chen Jiaojiao , Zhou Yuting , Mao Yuqing , Wang Fan , Dai Weiqi , Fan Xiaoming , Guo Chuanyong , Wu Jianye
Published: June 2019

Hepatic ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury (IRI) occurs during liver transplantation, hepatectomy, and hemorrhagic shock. Oleanolic acid (OA) is a natural compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity that has been used to treat liver disorders in clinical practice for several years. Here, we investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of OA in hepatic IRI. A 60-minute partial (70%) hepatic, warm, ischemic reperfusion model was established in BALB/c mice, and two doses (30 and 60 mg/kg) of OA were administered intragastrically for 7 consecutive days prior to hepatic IR. Orbital blood and liver specimens were collected at 2, 8, and 24 h after IR. The results showed that OA preconditioning significantly alleviated hepatic injury, as evidenced by decreased alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels; improved histology, inhibition of JNK phosphorylation, and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1); and tumor necrosis factor-α downregulation in hepatic IR mice. OA upregulated Bcl-2 and downregulated caspase-3, caspase-9, Bax, Beclin 1, and LC3, which play crucial roles in the regulation of apoptosis and autophagy. These findings highlighted the protective effects of OA against hepatic IRI mediated by the inhibition of apoptosis and autophagy and the release of HMGB1, which acted as a late inflammatory mediator in hepatic IRI.
Ameloblastic Fibroma of the Mandible Reconstructed with Autogenous Parietal Bone: Report of a Case and Literature Review
Authors: Carroll Conor , Gill Mishaal , Bowden Eleanor , O’Connell John Ed , Shukla Rajeev , Sweet Chris
Published: June 2019

Ameloblastic fibroma (AF) is a rare, slow-growing benign neoplasm, comprised of tissues of odontogenic origin. It constitutes 2% of odontogenic tumours, occurring at any age, but has a predilection to present in the first two decades of life. AF principally affects the posterior mandible. It is characterized by epithelial islands and cords immersed in ectomesenchyme that mimics the dental papilla and enamel organ but without actual hard tissue formation. Herein, we describe the case of a 6-year-old Caucasian male who presented to the Oral and Maxillofacial Department at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool, UK, with a painless expansile mass in the left mandible which was diagnosed as a benign ameloblastic fibroma and subsequently enucleated and reconstructed with a parietal calvarial bone graft. A brief literature review and the issues surrounding diagnosis are discussed.
In Situ Determination of Density Profiles in Complex Strata Using the Nuclear Density Cone Penetrometer
Authors: Jia Rui , Lei Huayang , Zhang Wenjun , Zhou Haizuo
Published: June 2019

The nuclear density cone penetrometer (ND‐CP) is an in situ testing device that can provide continuous data on soil density, but it measures the composite density (ρc) of the soil within a spheroid centered at the midpoint between the gamma ray source and the detector. A theoretical model for predicting ρc of the ND‐CP is proposed, and equations for calculating ρc are derived when the ND‐CP penetrates into strata with different functions of density distributions. The calculated ρc profiles provide a good fit to the laboratory‐measured ρc profiles by the ND‐CP, indicating that the proposed theoretical model can be used to calculate the ρc within the spheroid. The comparisons of the density (ρ) and ρc values show that the ρc profiles are considerably different from the actual ρ profiles at the boundaries of each stratum where density changes suddenly. Therefore, a method for deducing the actual ρ profiles from the measured ρc profiles in complex strata is proposed, and this method is used to determine the actual ρ profiles from the ND‐CP measured ρc profiles in the field. The research results would be beneficial for the in situ determination of the density profile in complex strata using the ND‐CP.
Generating Behaviors of Strong Tremors and Experimental Study of Rockburst‐Triggering Criterion
Authors: Wang Guifeng , Jin Feng , Gong Siyuan , Dou Linming , Fan Chaojun , Cai Wu , Yuan Xiaoyuan
Published: June 2019

Numerous tremors occur during excavation and mining periods in coal mines, and low‐energy tremors often occur before strong tremors. In addition, it is found that not all strong tremors cause rockbursts. Therefore, generating behaviors of strong tremors and the triggering criterion for the occurrence of the rockburst must be investigated. In this study, generating behaviors of strong tremors were inferred by velocity tomograms and energy density clouds. An innovative facility capable of applying dynamic disturbance to roadway models was developed to study the triggering criterion for rockbursts. Velocity tomograms indicated that the stress concentration extended to the syncline region with the advance of the coalface. High‐energy‐density clouds expanded rapidly and regularly in some areas that were parts of the high‐velocity region, indicating that the stress increased rapidly in these areas, until strong tremors took place nearby. AE activities suggested that the modelled roadway offered good resistance as the dynamic loading energy grew from 29.4 J to 117.6 J. Then, sharp AE activity at the dynamic loading energy of 147 J indicated the ultimate shock resistance of the roadway was almost reached. Finally, bursting failure of the modelled roadway was observed at a dynamic loading energy of 176.4 J.
Modeling and Dynamic Behavior Analysis of Rope‐Guided Traction System with Terminal Tension Acting on Compensating Rope
Authors: Wang Lei , Cao Guohua , Wang Naige , Yan Lu
Published: June 2019

Traction systems are a good choice for high‐rise lift systems, especially in deep wells. With increasing lift depth and weight, rope‐guided traction systems have become an essential design methodology in the mine lift field. In this paper, a comprehensive mathematical model is established to simulate the dynamical responses of a rope‐guided traction system with different terminal tensions acting on the compensating rope. The results and analysis presented in this paper reveal dynamical responses in terms of longitudinal and transverse vibration. Additionally, a wide range of resonances occurs in the target system. Differences in the dynamical responses between a traditional traction system and tensioned traction system are analysed in detail. Through comparison and analysis, it is determined that terminal tension plays an important role in the suppression of longitudinal vibration in a system. However, changes in the amplitude of longitudinal vibration are independent of terminal tension, which only affects longitudinal elastic elongation and does not affect the basic shape of longitudinal and transverse vibrations. Based on this analysis, it can be concluded that longitudinal vibration suppression can be achieved by applying proper tension on the compensating rope to ensure that it reaches a tensioning state. Continuing to increase terminal tension is not beneficial for the vibration suppression of a system. The results presented in this paper will serve as a valuable guide for the design and optimisation of traction systems.
The Effects of Virtual Reality Training on Function in Chronic Stroke Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Lee Han Suk , Park Yoo Junk , Park Sun Wook
Published: June 2019

Objective. The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis to examine whether virtual reality (VR) training is effective for lower limb function as well as upper limb and overall function in chronic stroke patients. Methods. Three databases, OVID, PubMed, and EMBASE, were used to collect articles. The search terms used were “cerebrovascular accident (CVA),” “stroke”, and “virtual reality”. Consequently, twenty-one studies were selected in the second screening of meta-analyses. The PEDro scale was used to assess the quality of the selected studies. Results. The total effect size for VR rehabilitation programs was 0.440. The effect size for upper limb function was 0.431, for lower limb function it was 0.424, and for overall function it was 0.545. The effects of VR programs on specific outcomes were most effective for improving muscle tension, followed by muscle strength, activities of daily living (ADL), joint range of motion, gait, balance, and kinematics. Conclusion. The VR training was effective in improving the function in chronic stroke patients, corresponding to a moderate effect size. Moreover, VR training showed a similar effect for improving lower limb function as it did for upper limb function.
Investigation of Pore Structure and Water Imbibition Behavior of Weakly Cemented Silty Mudstone
Authors: Wang Shuai , Han Lijun , Meng Qingbin , Jin Yuhao , Zhao Weisheng
Published: June 2019

Water‐rock interaction of weakly cemented mudstone is intense due to its complex pore structure and mineral compositions. As primary channels for water imbibition, pore structures determine water migration. In this paper, pore properties of weakly cemented mudstone are measured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen adsorption/desorption (NAD), and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), respectively. Water imbibition tests under free and lateral restraints are performed on self‐developed water absorption instruments. The results show that skeleton aggregates, pore zone, and fissure zone constitute the basic structure of the rock, together with pore scales in nanoscale, submicron‐scale, and micron‐scale, respectively. The porosities of each zone are inferred with the values of 13.5%, 7.3%, and 2.3% by comparison of different methods. The main pore type is mesopore. Based on water imbibition tests, water rises along the large fissure and pore zones initially. Pores in the skeleton aggregates absorb water from pore and fissure zones subsequently. However, water imbibition is limited under lateral restraints. Owing to lateral restraints, the ascending height and rate of the sample with lateral restraints are lower than those of the sample with free confinements. The results suggest that lateral restraints can restrain water migration and water‐rock interaction for weakly cemented mudstones, and measures can be taken to control swelling deformation by strengthening lateral restraints.
Trigger Twins: 2 Cases of Ipsilateral Twin Trigger Digit and a Review of Published Literature
Authors: Brinkman David , Sheridan Gerard , O’Sullivan Michael
Published: June 2019

Background. The aetiology of trigger digits has been debated since Notta first described them in 1850. Aetiology has been segregated for adult and paediatric presentations. While an adult trigger digit is most likely an acquired inflammatory process, the same is not true for cases in children: no inflammatory reaction is seen on microscopic evaluation. We wish to add strength to a genotypical aetiology for paediatric cases. Methods. We present two cases of monozygotic twins with trigger digits managed in our institution. A comprehensive review of literature was conducted for cases of trigger digit in monozygotic twins to support our theory. Results. Our two sets of twins enjoyed a full recovery from surgery at one-month follow-up. A total of seven other cases of monozygotic twins were found in literature. Conclusion. Our cases add to the growing body of evidence supporting a genotypical aetiology for paediatric trigger digit.
miR-25 Promotes Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer by Targeting the LATS2/YAP Signaling Pathway
Authors: Wu Tangwei , Hu Hui , Zhang Tianzhu , Jiang Liyuan , Li Xiaoyi , Liu Shuiyi , Zheng Chao , Yan Ge , Chen Weiqun , Ning Yong , Li Yong , Lu Zhongxin
Published: June 2019

Metastasis is the leading cause of high mortality in lung cancer patients, and metastatic lung cancer is difficult to treat. miRNAs are involved in various biological processes of cancer, including metastasis. Our previous studies revealed that miR-25 promoted non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell proliferation and suppressed cell apoptosis by directly targeting TP53 and MOAP1. In this work, we further explored the miR-25 expression in NSCLC patients in the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and measured the miR-25 expression levels in the tissues of NSCLC patients and cell lines. miR-25 was overexpressed in both NSCLC tissues and cell lines. NSCLC patients who expressed a higher level of miR-25 exhibited worse overall survival than those with a lower level of miR-25. Overexpression of miR-25 enhanced NSCLC cell migration and invasion, while the inhibition of miR-25 exhibited the opposite effects. We identified the large tumor suppressor homology 2 (LATS2) as a new target gene of miR-25 in lung cancer. The effects of miR-25 on promoting NSCLC cell migration and invasion were at least partially due to activation of the Hippo signaling pathway. Additionally, miR-25 antagomir inhibited xenograft tumor growth and metastasis by the upregulation of LATS2. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that miR-25 contribute to lung cancer cell proliferation and metastasis by targeting the LATS2/YAP signaling pathway, which implicate miR-25 as a promising therapeutic target for lung cancer metastasis. Given that oxidative stress induces the overexpression of miR-25 and plays a critical role in cancer progression, this study establishes miR-25 as an intermediate between oxidative stress and lung cancer metastasis.
Phenotype-Based Screens with Conformation-Specific Inhibitors Reveal p38 Gamma and Delta as Targets for HCC Polypharmacology
Authors: Yu Jia Xin , Craig Amanda J. , Duffy Mary E. , Villacorta-Martin Carlos , Miguela Verónica , Ruiz de Galarreta Marina , Scopton Alexander P. , Silber Lisa , Maldonado Andres Y. , Rialdi Alexander , Guccione Ernesto , Lujambio Amaia , Villanueva Augusto , Dar Arvin C.
Published: June 2019

The approved kinase inhibitors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not matched to specific mutations within tumors. This has presented a daunting challenge; without a clear target or mechanism, no straightforward path has existed to guide the development of improved therapies for HCC. Here, we combine phenotypic screens with a class of conformation-specific kinase inhibitors termed type II to identify a multikinase inhibitor, AD80, with antitumoral activity across a variety of HCC preclinical models, including mouse xenografts. Mass spectrometry profiling found a number of kinases as putative targets for AD80, including several receptor and cytoplasmic protein kinases. Among these, we found p38 gamma and delta as direct targets of AD80. Notably, a closely related analog of AD80 lacking p38δ/γ activity, but retaining several other off-target kinases, lost significant activity in several HCC models. Moreover, forced and sustained MKK6 → p38→ATF2 signaling led to a significant reduction of AD80 activity within HCC cell lines. Together with HCC survival data in The Cancer Genome Atlas and RNA-seq analysis, we suggest p38 delta and gamma as therapeutic targets in HCC and an “AD80 inhibition signature” as identifying those patients with best clinical outcomes.
Detection of Adverse Perinatal Outcomes at Term Delivery Using Ultrasound Estimated Percentile Weight at 35 Weeks of Gestation: Comparison of Five Fetal Growth Standards
Authors: Savirón-Cornudella Ricardo , Esteban Luis M. , Tajada-Duaso Mauricio , Castán-Mateo Sergio , Dieste-Pérez Peña , Cotaina-Gracia Laura , Lerma-Puertas Diego , Sanz Gerardo , Pérez-López Faustino R.
Published: June 2019

Objective: To assess the predictive ability of the ultrasound estimated percentile weight (EPW) at 35 weeks of pregnancy to predict adverse perinatal outcomes (APOs) at term delivery according to 5 fetal growth standards, including population, population-customized, and international references. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 9,585 singleton pregnancies. Maternal clinical characteristics, fetal ultrasound data obtained at 35 weeks and pregnancy and perinatal outcomes were used to calculate EPWs to predict APOs according to: the customized and noncustomized (NC) Miguel Servet University Hospital (MSUH), the customized Figueras, the NC INTERGROWTH-21st, and the NC World Health Organization (WHO) international standards. APOs were defined as the occurrence of cesarean or instrumental delivery for nonreassuring fetal status, 5-min Apgar score < 7, arterial cord blood pH <7.10, or stillbirth. The predictive ability of EPW for APOs was analyzed using the area under the curve (AUC), and sensitivities were calculated for different false-positive rates (FPRs). Results: For a 10% FPR, detection rates for total APOs ranged between 12.7% with the customized MSUH (AUC 0.52; 95% CI 0.50–0.55) and 14.4% with the NC MSUH standard (AUC 0.55; 95% CI 0.53–0.57) for EPW by ultrasound; and from 22.0% with the customized MSUH standard (AUC 0.60; 95% CI 0.58–0.63) to 27.8% with the NC WHO (AUC 0.65; 95% CI 0.63–0.68) for EPW at delivery. Conclusions: The predictive capacity of the EPW for APOS is limited and similar, by both ultrasound and at delivery, for the 5 growth standards, without significant differences between customized and NC standards.
Long-Term Outcomes of 92 Cases of Fetal Hydrothorax Including Thoracoamniotic Shunting
Authors: Matsui Masako , Takahashi Yuichiro , Iwagaki Shigenori , Asai Kazuhiko , Katsura Daisuke , Yasumi Shunsuke , Furuhashi Madoka
Published: June 2019

Background: There have been no previous reports on the postnatal course, especially long-term outcomes, of fetal hydrothorax patients, including those treated with thoracoamniotic shunting (TAS) using a double-basket catheter.The outcomes of cases from a single center are reported. Methods: Cases of fetal hydrothorax managed at our center between 2005 and 2015 were enrolled retrospectively. TAS was performed if indicated. Long-term outcomes such as cerebral palsy, developmental disabilities, and others were analyzed. Results: Ninety-two cases of fetal hydrothorax were included. The causes were primary chylothorax, transient abnormal myelopoiesis, cardiac disease, pulmonary sequestration, mediastinal neoplasm, and infection. TAS was performed in 36 cases. Early neonatal death occurred in 19 cases. The 28-day survival rates for all cases and for TAS cases were 70% (48/69) and 72% (26/36), respectively. Of the cases that underwent TAS, one was treated with home oxygen therapy, one was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and severe intellectual disability, and five were diagnosed with mild or moderate developmental disabilities. Conclusions: The results showed that the survival rate and long-term outcomes of cases with hydrothorax have improved as TAS has become more prevalent. The reasons for these results need to be elucidated, and efforts are needed to further improve outcomes.