bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sawi Decomposition Method for Volterra Integral Equation with Application
Authors: Higazy M. , Aggarwal Sudhanshu , Nofal Taher A.
Published: December 2020

In this paper, authors present a new method “Sawi decomposition method” for determining the primitive of Volterra integral equation (V.I.E.) with application. Sawi decomposition method is the combination of Sawi transformation and decomposition method. Some numerical problems have been considered and solved sequentially for explaining the complete methodology. For the practical application of the Sawi decomposition method, an advance problem of medical science for determining the blood glucose concentration during an intravenous injection has been considered and solved sequentially applying this method. Results of numerical problems depict that the Sawi decomposition method is a very effective decomposition method for determining the primitives of V.I.E.
An Ensemble Learning Model for Short-Term Passenger Flow Prediction
Authors: Wang Xiangping , Huang Lei , Huang Haifeng , Li Baoyu , Xia Ziyang , Li Jing
Published: December 2020

In recent years, with the continuous improvement of urban public transportation capacity, citizens’ travel has become more and more convenient, but there are still some potential problems, such as morning and evening peak congestion, imbalance between the supply and demand of vehicles and passenger flow, emergencies, and social local passenger flow surged due to special circumstances such as activities and inclement weather. If you want to properly guide the local passenger flow and make a reasonable deployment of operating buses, it is necessary to grasp the changing law of public transportation short-term passenger flow. This paper builds a short-term passenger flow prediction model for urban public transportation based on the idea of integrated learning. The goal is to use the integrated model to accurately predict the short-term passenger flow of urban public transportation, using Multivariable Linear Regression (MLR), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) as the four seed models, and then use regression algorithm to integrate the model and predict the passenger flow, station boarding and landing, and cross-sectional passenger flow data of the typical representative line 428 in the “Huitian Area” of Beijing from January 1, 2020, to May 31, 2020. Finally, the prediction results of the submodels are compared with those of the integrated model to verify the superiority of the integrated model. The research results of this paper can enrich the short-term passenger flow forecasting system of urban public transportation and provide effective data support and scientific basis for the passenger flow, vehicle management, and dispatch of urban public transportation.
Staphylococcal Enterotoxins and Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin‐1 and Their Association among Bacteremic and Infective Endocarditis Patients in Egypt
Authors: Elsherif Heba M. , Helal Zeinab H. , El-Ansary Mona R. , Fahmy Zeinab A. , Eltayeb Wafaa N. , Radwan Sahar , Aboshanab Khaled M.
Published: December 2020

Purpose. Infective endocarditis (IE) is a major complication in patients with bacteremia of Staphylococcus (S.) aureus infection. Our aim was to determine the association of the major Staphylococcal superantigens (SAgs), including Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) and toxic shock syndrome toxin‐1 (TSST‐1), among hospitalized patients diagnosed with bacteremia and those with IE. Methods. This study was conducted on 88 patients; of these, 84 (95.5%) had two positive blood cultures. Eighteen out of the 84 patients (21.4%) were diagnosed based on the modified Duke criteria by a cardiologist to have IE. The recovered isolates were screened phenotypically using ELISA followed by molecular analysis of sea, seb, sec, sed, see, and tsst-1, the major SAg coding genes, and the obtained findings were statistically analyzed. Results. Phenotypic screening for SE production of 26 selected Staphylococci (15 isolated from the IE patients (10 S. aureus and 5 coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS)) and 11 from bacteremic patients (10 S. aureus and 1 CoNS)) using ELISA revealed that 12/26 (46%) isolates were SE producers. PCR analysis showed that 19 (73%) isolates were PCR positive for SAg genes with the highest prevalence of the sea gene (79%), followed by seb (63%) and tsst-1 (21%). The least frequent gene was sed (5.3%). Statistical correlations between bacteremic and IE isolates with respect to prevalence of SAgs showed no significant difference (P value = 0.139, effect size = 0.572) indicating no specific association between any of the detected SAgs and IE. Conclusion. There is high prevalence of SEs among clinical isolates of Staphylococci recovered from patients suffering bacteremia and those with IE. No significant difference was found among Staphylococcal isolates recovered from patients with bacteremia or IE regarding both phenotypic and genotypic detection of the tested SAgs.
Protective Role of Coenzyme Q10 in Acute Sepsis‐Induced Liver Injury in BALB/c Mice
Authors: Li Qian-wei , Yang Qin , Liu Hong-Yang , Wu Yu-ling , Hao Yu-Hua , Zhang Xiao-Qing
Published: December 2020

Sepsis increases the risk of the liver injury development. According to the research works, coenzyme Q10 exhibits hepatoprotective properties in vivo as well as in vitro. Current work aimed at investigating the protective impacts of coenzyme Q10 against liver injury in septic BALB/c mice. The male BALB/c mice were randomly segregated into 4 groups: the control group, the coenzyme Q10 treatment group, the puncture and cecal ligation group, and the coenzyme Q10+cecal ligation and puncture group. Cecal ligation and puncture was conducted after gavagaging the mice with coenzyme Q10 during two weeks. Following 48 h postcecal ligation and puncture, we estimated hepatic biochemical parameters and histopathological changes in hepatic tissue. We evaluated the expression of factors associated with autophagy, pyroptosis, and inflammation. Findings indicated that coenzyme Q10 decreased the plasma levels in alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase in the cecal ligation and puncture group. Coenzyme Q10 significantly inhibited the elevation of sequestosome‐1, interleukin‐1β, oligomerization domain‐like receptor 3 and nucleotide‐binding, interleukin‐6, and tumor necrosis factor‐α expression levels; coenzyme Q10 also increased beclin 1 levels. Coenzyme Q10 might be a significant agent in the treatment of liver injury induced by sepsis.
Leptin Receptor Deficiency Protects Mice against Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion-Induced Neuroinflammation and White Matter Lesions
Authors: Du Yu , Song Yufei , Zhang Xiaojie , Luo Yan , Zou Wenying , Zhang Jiawei , Fu Jianliang
Published: December 2020

Leptin participates in the inflammatory responses in multiple cell types and animal models. Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) induces inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS), which acts as one of the main reasons for CCH-induced white matter lesions (WMLs). But whether leptin participates in the pathogenesis of CCH-induced WMLs remains unknown. Therefore, we performed bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) to induce CCH on the leptin receptor- (LepR-) deficient db/db mice, aiming to evaluate the possible involvement of leptin in CCH-induced cognitive impairment, WMLs, and neuroinflammation, and further explore the effect of leptin on chronic hypoxia-induced inflammation using the BV2 microglial cell line. After four weeks of BCAS, wild-type mice showed significant working memory deficits, WMLs, activation of microglia and astrocytes, decrease in the number of oligodendrocytes, downregulation of myelin basic protein expression, and increase in the expression of TNF-α and IL-1β; however, four weeks of BCAS failed to induce significant changes in the LepR-deficient db/db mice but elevated the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines and activated the M2 microglia. We further confirmed that leptin would aggravate the hypoxia-induced proinflammatory cytokine expression in the BV2 microglia cell line. These results suggested that LepR deficiency would protect mice against the CCH-induced cognitive impairment and WMLs by inhibiting glial activation and suppressing proinflammatory responses as well as promoting anti-inflammatory cytokine expression and M2 microglia activation in the white matter.
The Associated Regulatory Mechanisms of Zinc Lactate in Redox Balance and Mitochondrial Function of Intestinal Porcine Epithelial Cells
Authors: Tang Wenjie , Long Jing , Li Tiejun , Yang Lingyuan , Li Jianzhong , He Liuqin , Li Shuwei , Kuang Shengyao , Feng Yanzhong , Chen Heshu , Li Fenglan , Du Zhiliang , Yin Yulong
Published: December 2020

Zinc lactate (ZnLA) is a new organic zinc salt which has antioxidant properties in mammals and can improve intestinal function. This study explored the effects of ZnLA and ZnSO4 on cell proliferation, Zn transport, antioxidant capacity, mitochondrial function, and their underlying molecular mechanisms in intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC-J2). The results showed that addition of ZnLA promoted cell proliferation, inhibited cell apoptosis and IL-6 secretion, and upregulated the mRNA expression and concentration of MT-2B, ZNT-1, and CRIP, as well as affected the gene expression and activity of oxidation or antioxidant enzymes (e.g., CuZnSOD, CAT, and Gpx1, GSH-PX, LDH, and MDA), compared to ZnSO4 or control. Compared with the control, ZnLA treatment had no significant effect on mitochondrial membrane potential, whereas it markedly increased the mitochondrial basal OCR, nonmitochondrial respiratory capacity, and mitochondrial proton leakage and reduced spare respiratory capacity and mitochondrial reactive oxygen (ROS) production in IPEC-J2 cells. Furthermore, ZnLA treatment increased the protein expression of Nrf2 and phosphorylated AMPK, but reduced Keap1 and p62 protein expression and autophagy-related genes LC3B-1 and Beclin mRNA abundance. Under H2O2-induced oxidative stress conditions, ZnLA supplementation markedly reduced cell apoptosis and mitochondrial ROS levels in IPEC-J2 cells. Moreover, ZnLA administration increased the protein expression of Nrf2 and decreased the protein expression of caspase-3, Keap1, and p62 in H2O2-induced IPEC-J2 cells. In addition, when the activity of AMPK was inhibited by Compound C, ZnLA supplementation did not increase the protein expression of nuclear Nrf2, but when Compound C was removed, the activities of AMPK and Nfr2 were both increased by ZnLA treatment. Our results indicated that ZnLA could improve the antioxidant capacity and mitochondrial function in IPEC-J2 cells by activating the AMPK-Nrf2-p62 pathway under normal or oxidative stress conditions. Our novel finding also suggested that ZnLA, as a new feed additive for piglets, has the potential to be an alternative for ZnSO4.
PPPs Policy Entity Network Change and Policy Learning in Mainland China
Authors: Jiang Ying , Wang Qian
Published: December 2020

Since 1995, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) mode has been applied in mainland China accompanied by the issuance of a series of PPPs policies. Taking 201 policy documents promulgated from 1995 till 2019 as a research sample, this paper explores PPPs policy entity network change and policy learning behind it in China. Research results show the following: (1) China’s PPPs policy entity network has mainly gone through three stages: partial-focus network with bad stability, loose-multiactor network with general stability, and balanced-multiactor network with good stability; (2) the key players are NPC in the first stage, MOF and NDRC in the second stage, and MOF and 8 other government entities in the third stage; (3) policy learning behind PPPs policy entity network change is government learning in the first stage and lesson-drawing in the second and third stages.
Large Mammal Diversity in Nensebo Forest, Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Girma Zerihun , Worku Zerubabel
Published: December 2020

There is a lack of information on mammalian faunal resources of remote forests in Ethiopia; as a result, the findings of the research on large wild mammals at Nensebo forest is one of the steps in a continuing effort to document and describe the diversity and distribution of Ethiopian mammals in remote and less accessible forests. The survey was conducted to assess the species composition and relative abundance of large mammals. Two standardized survey techniques, direct (sighting/hearing) and indirect (scat/footprint), were employed using systematically established transect lines and field plots in two dominant habitat types (modified moist Afromontane forest and intact moist Afromontane natural forest) of the study area. A total of 16 species were recorded including two endemic mammals, namely, Tragelaphus buxtoni and Tragelaphus scriptus meneliki. Abundance of species among different habitat types was not significantly different (χ2 = 0.125, df = 1,p>0.05), and Colobus guereza was the most abundant species. In contrast, Felis serval, Panthera leo, and Tragelaphus buxtoni were the least abundant species. The highest diversity index was recorded in the natural forest habitat (H′ = 2.188), and the modified forest had the lowest diversity index (H′ = 1.373). There is an urgent need to minimize threats and mitigate impacts.
Research on Channel Model and Price Dispersion of E-Commerce Market Based on Blockchain Technology
Authors: Zhang Qifeng , Liu Fei
Published: December 2020

In order to accurately predict the channels and prices of the e-commerce market, and thereby control the cost of the e-commerce market, this paper studies the channel model and price dispersion of the e-commerce market from the perspective of suppliers. First, this paper establishes a model to analyze the price dispersion structure under different proportions of informed consumers and theoretically analyzes the objective reasons for continued price dispersion in the e-commerce market where search costs have fallen sharply. Then, this article combines theoretical models with empirical research to study the price and price differences between the two types of retailers. The results show that as consumers’ interest in retailers changes, prices will also change, and the degree of price dispersion in the e-commerce market has not yet converged. This research result has a good predictive effect on the pricing and market estimation of the e-commerce market and can control the cost of e-commerce operation and improve the competitiveness of the e-commerce market.
Adaptive Panoramic Video Multicast Streaming with Limited FoV Feedback
Authors: Li Jie , Han Ling , Zhang Cong , Li Qiyue , Li Weitao
Published: December 2020

Virtual reality (VR) provides an immersive 360-degree viewing experience and has been widely used in many areas. However, the transmission of panoramic video usually places a large demand on bandwidth; thus, it is difficult to ensure a reliable quality of experience (QoE) under a limited bandwidth. In this paper, we propose a field-of-view (FoV) prediction methodology based on limited FoV feedback that can fuse the heat map and FoV information to generate a user view. The former is obtained through saliency detection, while the latter is extracted from some user perspectives randomly, and it contains the FoV information of all users. Then, we design a QoE-driven panoramic video streaming system with a client/server (C/S) architecture, in which the server performs rate adaptation based on the bandwidth and the predicted FoV. We then formulate it as a nonlinear integer programming (NLP) problem and propose an optimal algorithm that combines the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker (KKT) conditions with the branch-and-bound method to solve this problem. Finally, we evaluate our system in a simulation environment, and the results show that the system performs better than the baseline.
Landslide Failure Mechanisms of Dispersive Soil Slopes in Seasonally Frozen Regions
Authors: Wang Lixiang , Yuan Xiaoming , Wang Miao
Published: December 2020

Hydraulic projects with dispersive soil in seasonally frozen regions are susceptible to landslide failures. The mechanism of such landslide failures has not been fully understood thus far; therefore, it was investigated in this study by using on‐site surveys, laboratory tests, and theoretical calculations. The results showed that the landslides of dispersive soil in seasonally frozen regions could be categorized as shallow‐seated landslides and deep‐seated landslides. The preconditions for landslide occurrence were soil mass looseness and cracks, caused by freeze‐thawing. The degradation of dispersive soil led to a rapid influx of water into the soil. The reason for shallow‐seated landslides was that the numerous sodium ions present in the soil mass dissolved in water and damaged the soil structure, resulting in a substantial reduction in shear strength. The reason for deep‐seated landslides, however, was the erosion due to rainfall infiltration after the shallow‐seated landslides caused tensile cracks at the top of the slope, leading to soil instability. Landslide failures occurred when the dispersing soil slope underwent freeze‐thawing and saturated soaking. The sliding surface was initiated at the top of the slope and gradually progressed to the bottom along the interface between the soil layers.
Prognostic Factors of Radiofrequency Ablation plus Systemic Chemotherapy for Unresectable Colorectal Cancer with Liver Metastasis
Authors: Thai Doan Ky , Nguyễn Việt Long , Nguyen Tien Thinh , Nguyen Canh Binh , Ngo Thi Hoai , Nguyen Thanh Ngoc , Bui Quang Bieu , Le Van Quang , Woong Lee Hyun , Mai Hong Bang
Published: December 2020

Introduction. Survival outcomes in patients with unresectable colorectal cancer (CRC) liver metastasis treated by radiofrequency ablation (RFA) combined with systemic chemotherapy and correlation with potential prognostic factors were investigated. Material and Methods. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 61 CRC patients with unresectable liver metastasis who underwent liver tumor-directed percutaneous RFA combined with conventional systemic chemotherapy between October 2013 and September 2018. Survival analyses were conducted using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was used to characterize differences in the median survival time and the 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year overall survival rates of subgroups to identify prognostic factors. Results. Median overall survival and progression-free survival of all patients were 32 and 14 months, respectively. The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3-, and 5-years were 93.2%; 44.5%, and 38.2%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that pre-RFA serum CEA levels, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) status, number of liver lesions, the size of the largest lesion, and the total lesion size were prognostic factors. However, multivariate analysis demonstrated that only the number of liver lesions and the size of the largest lesion were independent prognostic factors for survival. Conclusion. RFA plus systemic chemotherapy provides an encouraging survival outcome for patients with unresectable CRC liver metastasis. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the number and size of liver metastatic lesions are independent prognostic factors for survival.
Traffic Status Evolution Trend Prediction Based on Congestion Propagation Effects under Rainy Weather
Authors: Xue Yongjie , Feng Rui , Cui Shaohua , Yu Bin
Published: December 2020

In rainy weather, the accurate prediction of traffic status not only helps road traffic managers to formulate traffic management methods but also helps travelers design travel routes and even adjust travel time. In this paper, based on six-dimensional data (e.g., past and present spatiotemporal traffic status, road network structure, pavement type, water accumulation, and rainfall level), a fuzzy neural network (FNN) prediction system is proposed to predict traffic status. The traffic status evolution trend is related not only to the existing traffic but also to the new traffic demand. Therefore, the FNN prediction system designed includes offline and online parts using the data of the past and the day separately and avoids the forecast of new traffic demand. The fuzzy C-means clustering algorithm is applied to cluster traffic status data under similar rainy weather in the past to form an offline initial dataset, which is used to train FNN weight parameters. The online part uses real-time detection data and the parameters trained by the offline part to further predict the traffic status and returns the prediction errors to the offline part to correct the weight parameters to further improve prediction accuracy. Finally, the FNN prediction system is verified using real Beijing expressway network data. The verification results show that the prediction system can guarantee prediction accuracy and can be used to effectively identify traffic status.
Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing Blockchain-Based Trust Management in Distributed Internet of Things
Authors: Li Fengyin , Wang Dongfeng , Wang Yilei , Yu Xiaomei , Wu Nan , Yu Jiguo , Zhou Huiyu
Published: December 2020

The development of Internet of Things (IoT) and Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) has led to close cooperation between electronic devices. It requires strong reliability and trustworthiness of the devices involved in the communication. However, current trust mechanisms have the following issues: (1) heavily relying on a trusted third party, which may incur severe security issues if it is corrupted, and (2) malicious evaluations on the involved devices which may bias the trustrank of the devices. By introducing the concepts of risk management and blockchain into the trust mechanism, we here propose a blockchain-based trust mechanism for distributed IoT devices in this paper. In the proposed trust mechanism, trustrank is quantified by normative trust and risk measures, and a new storage structure is designed for the domain administration manager to identify and delete the malicious evaluations of the devices. Evidence shows that the proposed trust mechanism can ensure data sharing and integrity, in addition to its resistance against malicious attacks to the IoT devices.
Comparison of DMA-80 and ICP-MS Combined with Closed-Vessel Microwave Digestion for the Determination of Mercury in Coal
Authors: Zhang Siyu , Zhou Mingxuan
Published: December 2020

As one of the most widely used techniques for concentration determination of trace elements in coal, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has also been used in several studies for the determination of mercury concentration in coal. ICP-MS after closed-vessel microwave digestion and a Milestone DMA-80 are employed in this study to determine the mercury concentration in coal. Three NIST  standard references of coal samples were selected as references to verify the accuracy of the test results. The Au rinse solution (200 μg/L, 5% HNO3) can diminish mercury memory effects to a blank level within 80 seconds. The results showed that ICP-MS can accurately determine the mercury content in mercury standard solutions, but the mercury concentration in most NIST samples after microwave digestion is lower than the detection level of the ICP-MS. The inaccuracy may be due to volatilization of mercury during solid sample digestion process. By contrast, the determined concentrations in NIST samples by the Milestone DMA-80 are very close to the verified values. Therefore, ICP-MS is not recommended to analyze mercury in coal after digestion even in a closed-vessel digestion system, but the mercury direct analyzer (without digestion) is recommended to analyze mercury in coal.
Analysis of the Model on the Effect of Seasonal Factors on Malaria Transmission Dynamics
Authors: Yiga Victor , Nampala Hasifa , Tumwiine Julius
Published: December 2020

Malaria is one of the world’s most prevalent epidemics. Current control and eradication efforts are being frustrated by rapid changes in climatic factors such as temperature and rainfall. This study is aimed at assessing the impact of temperature and rainfall abundance on the intensity of malaria transmission. A human host-mosquito vector deterministic model which incorporates temperature and rainfall dependent parameters is formulated. The model is analysed for steady states and their stability. The basic reproduction number is obtained using the next-generation method. It was established that the mosquito population depends on a threshold value

θ

, defined as the number of mosquitoes produced by a female Anopheles mosquito throughout its lifetime, which is governed by temperature and rainfall. The conditions for the stability of the equilibrium points are investigated, and it is shown that there exists a unique endemic equilibrium which is locally and globally asymptotically stable whenever the basic reproduction number exceeds unity. Numerical simulations show that both temperature and rainfall affect the transmission dynamics of malaria; however, temperature has more influence.
Large Deformation Mechanics of Gob‐Side Roadway and Its Controlling Methods in Deep Coal Mining: A Case Study
Authors: Zheng Jianwei , Ju Wenjun , Sun Xiaodong , Li Zhongwei , Wang Shuai , Liu Biao
Published: December 2020

Maintaining surrounding rock mass stability of roadways is essential to the safety of deep coal mining. In this study, the No. 2‐2092 roadway of the No. 2‐209 mining face in Ganhe coal was taken as the target roadway for field analysis. The selected region can be considered a typical area with dominating geological tectonic stress, based on the geological survey and in situ stress results. A mechanical model of roadway overburdens was developed to analyse the large deformation and stress field distribution. It is found that the large deformation is caused by the combined superposed stress field including laterally transferred stress formed in structures at overlying strata, mining‐induced advanced abutment pressure, and the regional in situ stress. Thus, a Two‐Direction Hydrofracturing Technique (TDHT) was proposed to reduce the pressure of the No. 2‐2092 roadway by altering the roof structure in the influenced zones. Compared with the original roadway without fracturing, it is found that the roof to floor convergence has dropped by nearly 47% after fracturing; the displacement of sidewalls has reduced by almost 31%, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed method in pressure relief. Results from this study can provide guidance on controlling the large deformation of roadways in deep underground mines.
MicroRNA‐361‐5p Inhibits Tumorigenesis and the EMT of HCC by Targeting Twist1
Authors: Yin Liang-Chun , Xiao Gang , Zhou Rui , Huang Xiao-Ping , Li Ning-Lei , Tan Can-Liang , Xie Feng-Jiao , Weng Jun , Liu Li-Xin
Published: December 2020

MicroRNA‐361‐5p (miR‐361‐5p) is a tumor suppressor miRNA that is dysregulated in several types of human cancer. However, the functional significance of miR‐361‐5p in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear. This study explored the biological function of miR‐361‐5p in regulating the progression of HCC and the underlying molecular mechanism. RT‐qPCR analysis showed that miR‐361‐5p was downregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. Functional analysis revealed that miR‐361‐5p acted as a tumor suppressor, inhibiting cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in HCC cell lines. Bioinformatics analyses identified Twist1 as a direct target of miR‐361‐5p, which was validated by dual‐luciferase reporter assays, RT‐qPCR, and western blotting. Rescue experiments indicated that Twist1 may mediate the tumor‐suppressive effect of miR‐361‐5p in HCC cells, and this was supported by the effect of miR‐361‐5p on inhibiting the epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) by targeting Twist1. This study is the first to suggest that miR‐361‐5p inhibits tumorigenesis and EMT in HCC by targeting Twist1. These findings are valuable for the diagnosis and clinical management of HCC.
Reconstruction of Alzheimer’s Disease Cell Model In Vitro via Extracted Peripheral Blood Molecular Cells from a Sporadic Patient
Authors: Liu Sijun , Zhao Yuying , Su Xiaoying , Zhou Chengcheng , Yang Peifen , Lin Qiusan , Li Shijun , Tan Hanxu , Wang Qi , Wang Changjun , Wu Qingguang
Published: December 2020

The establishment of human-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models from sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (sAD) patients is necessary and could potentially benefit research into disease etiology and therapeutic strategies. However, the development of sAD iPSC models is still limited due to the multifactorial nature of the disease. Here, we extracted peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a patient with sAD and induced them into iPSC by introducing the Sendai virus expressing Oct3/4, Sox2, c-Myc, and Klf4, which were subsequently induced into neural cells to build the cell model of AD. Using alkaline phosphatase staining, immunofluorescence staining, karyotype analysis, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and teratoma formation in vitro, we demonstrated that the iPSC derived from PMBCs (PBMC-iPSC) had a normal karyotype and potential to differentiate into three embryonic layers. Immunofluorescence staining and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) suggested that PBMC-iPSCs were successfully differentiated into neural cells. Detection of beta-amyloid protein oligomer (AβO), beta-amyloid protein 1-40 (Aβ 1-40), and beta-amyloid protein 1-42 (Aβ 1-42) indicated that the AD cell model was satisfactorily constructed in vitro. In conclusion, this study has successfully generated an AD cell model with pathological features of beta-amyloid peptide deposition using PBMC from a patient with sAD.
Comparative Analysis of Thermomechanical Properties and Thermal Damage Constitutive Models of Three Soft Sedimentary Rocks
Authors: Zha Wenhua , Shao Weixing , Yao Suqin , Chen Qiang , Chen Denghong
Published: December 2020

In order to study the difference in thermomechanical properties of soft sedimentary rocks of different coal measures, three types of soft sedimentary rocks, sandstone, sandy mudstone, and mudstone, which are common in deep mines, are tested using the RMT‐150B rock mechanics test system and GD‐65/150. Uniaxial compression experiments were conducted on three kinds of soft rock‐cement mixed specimens at 25°C～55°C multistage temperature in an environmental chamber. The difference of important parameters such as stress‐strain curve, peak stress, and elastic modulus was analyzed and compared. The results show that (i) in the test temperature range, the stress‐strain curves of the three types of soft rocks at different temperatures are roughly divided into four stages: compaction, elasticity, yield, and failure. The proportion of deformation in the compaction stage to the total deformation decreases gradually with the increase of temperature. (ii) When the temperature is lower than 40°C, the yield stage is shorter, and the peak stress and elastic modulus of the three types of soft rocks decrease significantly with the increase of temperature. (iii) Above 40°C, the decreasing trend of peak stress and elastic modulus curve decreases, and the yield stage becomes more and more obvious. The decreasing rate of elastic modulus of sandstone is 0.041 GPa/°C; the decreasing rate of peak stress is 0.193 MPa/°C, the decreasing rate of sandy mudstone is 0.022 GPa/°C and 0.124 MPa/°C, and the decreasing rate of mudstone is 0.020 GPa/°C and 0.051 MPa/°C. (iv) The rationality of the established thermal damage constitutive model of sedimentary soft rock was verified.
Unraveling the Molecular Mechanisms of Fructus Anisi Stellati as a Remedy for Infantile Colic by Network Pharmacology
Authors: Li Xingyu , Xu Yan
Published: December 2020

Fructus anisi stellati (FAS) is an anise‐scented star‐shaped fruit from Illicium verum tree. It is commonly consumed in many cultures as food and medicine, particularly as a remedy for infantile colic (IC). The elucidation of molecular mechanisms of action would contribute to the understanding of the traditional therapy of FAS and help to guide the preclinical and clinical study of this herb. The aim is to investigate the key therapeutic compounds of FAS and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms of FAS therapy. The chemical compounds of FAS were obtained through data mining on TCMSP and ADME screening, and the common targets of the FAS compounds and the IC‐correlated diseases were obtained from PharmMapper, GeneCards, and OMIM databases. GO and KEGG databases were used for molecular function and pathway enrichment. Cytoscape was used for network construction and analysis. SystemsDock was used for molecular docking. Three key compounds (i.e., quercetin, luteolin, and kaempferol), 19 targets, 7 molecular pathways, and 12 IC‐correlated diseases were identified to be involved in the molecular mechanisms of FAS for the treatment of IC. This work showed that three therapeutic modules were primarily engaged in the molecular mechanisms of FAS for IC therapy, including the inhibition of inflammatory reactions, stimulating immunoglobulin A (IgA) production in the gastrointestinal tract, and enhancing the secretion of digestive enzymes.
Using Serological Proteome Analysis to Identify and Evaluate Anti-GRP78 Autoantibody as Biomarker in the Detection of Gastric Cancer
Authors: Qin Jiejie , Yang Qian , Ye Hua , Wang Keyan , Zhang Meng , Zhu Jicun , Wang Xiao , Dai Liping , Wang Peng , Zhang Jianying
Published: December 2020

The serological biomarkers as noninvasive tests are the most promising way for diagnosing gastric cancer (GC). Serological proteome analysis (SERPA) has been used to identify tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) and the corresponding autoantibodies in many studies. To explore the relationship between gastric cancer development and serum autoantibody anti-GRP78 response found by the method of SERPA with the GC cell line AGS, we included two cohorts (133 GC and 133 normal individuals in test group; 300 GC and 300 normal individuals in validation group) of patients with newly diagnosed GC for verification. All GC and normal controls were matched by age and gender. The autoantibody levels of the sera in two cohorts were measured by immunoassay. Finally, the results showed that 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) was identified in GC by SERPA and the level of anti-GRP78 antibody in GC was higher than that in normal individuals in the two cohorts. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed similar diagnostic value of anti-GRP78 antibody in test group (AUC: 0.718) and validation group (AUC: 0.666) to identify GC patients from normal individuals. The AUCs of anti-GRP78 autoantibody in the diagnosis of GC patients with different clinical characteristic ranged from 0.676 to 0.773 in test group and ranged from 0.645 to 0.707 in validation group. In conclusion, autoantibody against GRP78 might be a potential diagnostic biomarker. Further large-scale studies will be needed to validate and improve its performance of the sensitivity, specificity, and AUC value in distinguishing GC from other diseases.
Turismo de Base Comunitária: outras economias na mira da emancipação social
Authors: Leão Carolina Valéria de Moura
Published: December 2020

O sentido de comunidade tem sido a ideia-chave do Turismo de Base Comunitária (TBC), associando formas comuns de organização e gestão, em que esta é a principal beneficiária. Este artigo procura conhecer que mecanismos colaborativos e de gestão as comunidades recetoras têm desenvolvido, que sinalizem outras lógicas assentes na autogestão e na solidariedade, contrariamente à tendência da concentração empresarial e do lucro. Por sua vez, se estes se refletem em uma proposta de transformação social, com o aparecimento de novos sujeitos protagonistas no processo. Os elementos empíricos são obtidos a partir do recorte das informações incluídas no relatório de avaliação final externa de um projeto de TBC, em Timor Leste, tendo como foco três comunidades/cooperativas. O estudo revela a existência de novos sujeitos que se organizam na partilha de poderes e saberes, a partir de códigos de conduta e um conjunto de procedimentos de gestão colaborativa, apontando para um horizonte de emancipação social.
Tomei Caldo de Mocotó aí oh Fiquei Forte! Processo de desenvolvimento de recursos estratégicos em restaurante gastronômico
Authors: Salazar Viviane Santos , Moraes Walter Fernando Araújo de , Leite Yákara Vasconcelos Pereira
Published: December 2020

Entender as origens da vantagem competitiva das empresas torna-se fundamental para sua sobrevivência no mercado. Uma das mais importantes teorias para explicar a vantagem competitiva das empresas é Resource-Based View (RBV), na qual os recursos estratégicos são a principal explicação para o desempenho superior das empresas. O objetivo do trabalho é analisar o processo de desenvolvimento e/ou aquisição desses recursos de um restaurante gastronômico brasileiro. A metodologia adotada foi um estudo de caso do Restaurante Mocotó e os dados coletados foram entrevistas, análise de documentos, vídeos e fotos. A metodologia de análise foi a análise de conteúdo com o auxílio do Atlas.ti. Os resultados apontam que os principais recursos estratégicos são cultura organizacional, rede de relacionamento e a capacidade de inovar e criar do chef de cozinha, que foram desenvolvidos internamente.
Nuevos Conceptos, Nuevas Realidades: revisando el rol de la belleza en la formación del turismo oscuro
Authors: Costa Jean Henrique , Korstanje Maximiliano E.
Published: December 2020

Este artículo tiene como objetivo discutir el concepto de belleza a través de la teoría estética de Theodor Adorno y la noción de sublime en Kant. El turismo clásico priorizaba una idea apolínea de belleza, que con el tiempo ha cedido a formas mórbidas en el que el sufrimiento se ha transformado en el principal atractivo. El producto sol y playa ha sido reemplazado por visitas al Museo del Holocausto en Auschwitz, o a lugares plagados de pesar y sufrimiento. En este sentido, se discute la significación de la estética inscripta en la filosofía marxista de Adorno la cual se sitúa como un campo fértil para comprender el rol que representa el espectáculo del desastre en los medios de comunicación. En segundo lugar, indagamos la manera en la cual el llamado “turismo oscuro” ha estado trabajado en la literatura académica, sea como una tendencia sádica de una sociedad que ha perdido la sensibilidad al dolor del otro, sea como una forma de controlar y disciplinar a la muerte. Si la Escuela de Frankfurt y Theodor Adorno se encontraban preocupados por la predominancia de los valores estéticos en un mundo cada vez más sensual, no menos cierto es que necesitamos repensar los objetos explotados por el turismo oscuro, los cuales se separan de la lógica cultural industrial para abrazar la lógica de la emancipación. Partiendo de la base que la memoria implica libertad, ¿hasta qué punto podemos juzgar el mensaje que transmiten estos sitios como verdaderos iconos de autenticidad? Una lectura de Adorno no solo nos permite responder estas preguntas, sino que nos permite dilucidar sobre el núcleo perverso del turismo oscuro.
Políticas públicas para o turismo sustentável: o caso de Armação dos Búzios – RJ
Authors: Paula Bárbara Tavares de , Silva Fernanda Cristina da , Faria Evandro Rodrigues de
Published: December 2020

O presente estudo tem por objetivo geral analisar a dinâmica do turismo em um destino turístico de “sol e praia”, buscando identificar os seus efeitos para o local de acordo com a opinião de residentes e o papel das políticas públicas nesse contexto. Como caso de estudo, escolheu-se a cidade de Armação dos Búzios – RJ, um dos maiores destinos turísticos do segmento. A base teórica do estudo contempla, principalmente, a literatura sobre políticas públicas de turismo, buscando relacionar tais objetivos à atuação sustentável. Quanto aos procedimentos metodológicos, o estudo possui natureza quantitativa e pode ser classificado como descritivo e de levantamento, pois foram aplicados 250 questionários junto a moradores entre dezembro de 2018 e março de 2019. Para a análise dos dados, foram utilizadas ferramentas estatísticas que permitiram validar as categorias criadas e interpretá-las. Como resultado, observou-se que, segundo os moradores, há necessidade de melhor distribuição da renda gerada pelo setor e melhor fornecimento de serviços básicos, além de melhoria das políticas públicas que visem à manutenção do turismo e à promoção de uma relação harmoniosa entre os turistas e a população local, a fim de integrar os diferentes atores da dinâmica turística da cidade.
Saúde mental de mães de crianças entre 15 e 36 meses da coorte BRISA – São Luís, Maranhão
Authors: Benassule Stéfannie Cardoso , Cavalcante Milady Cutrim Vieira , Lamy-Filho Fernando
Published: December 2020

Objetivo: Descrever características demográficas, socioeconômicas, de hábitos de vida e de saúde mental de mães residentes em São Luís - Maranhão. Métodos: Este estudo utilizou dados de 3.215 mães que participaram da coorte BRISA, avaliadas na ocasião do nascimento e seguimento de crianças entre 15 e 36 meses de vida. Foi utilizado questionário para coletar dados demográficos, socioeconômicos e de hábitos de vida, além de três instrumentos para avaliação da saúde mental materna: Escala de Depressão Pós-Parto de Edimburgo (EPDS), Escala de Estresse Percebido (Perceived Stress Scale – PSS 14) e a versão brasileira do Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). A análise estatística descritiva foi realizada pelo Stata 12.0. Resultados: A taxa de resposta do estudo foi de 62,2%. Predominaram mães de 20-34 anos, cor da pele parda, que possuíam companheiro, cursaram entre o segundo grau incompleto a superior completo e que recebiam até três salários mínimos. Verificou-se que 17,8% das entrevistadas apresentaram sintomas de estresse e 7,5% de depressão. Sofrimento psicológico esteve presente em 22,7% das mulheres avaliadas ao longo do segundo e terceiro anos de vida de seus filhos. Conclusão: Os dados refletem características relevantes sobre a saúde mental das mães de São Luís-Maranhão, ressaltando a importância da incorporação pelos serviços de saúde, de ações regulares de prevenção, detecção precoce e tratamento relacionados à saúde mental desse público.
Austrian Syndrome: a report of an exceptionally rare and deadly syndrome
Authors: Jesus Gustavo Nobre de , Carvalho Tânia , Caldeira Alexandre , Fernandes Susana M.
Published: December 2020

Austrian Syndrome is the rare combination of a triad of endocarditis, meningitis, and pneumonia in the context of pneumococcal infection. Due to the involvement of several anatomical sites, the Austrian syndrome has a high mortality. Importantly, endocarditis is usually not considered during pneumococcal infection.
We present a case of Austrian syndrome in a previously healthy 67-year-old woman. She featured with mental state alteration, respiratory failure, and shock, and was diagnosed with ceftriaxone-sensitive pneumococcal bacteremia, meningitis, and pneumonia. A transesophageal echocardiogram revealed vegetation of the mitral valve. Despite an improvement in her medical condition, she remained in a coma and died due to neurological complications.
Even though the major cause of mortality in Austrian syndrome is cardiac involvement, meningitis is also linked with high morbidity and eventually death. We emphasize the relevance of an early diagnosis of the triad in order to decrease the very high mortality associated with this syndrome.
Petrografia e geoquímica de pegmatitos básicos da Província Ígnea do Paraná, no sudoeste do estado do Paraná
Authors: Oliveira Arthur Vicentini de , Vasconcellos Eleonora Maria Gouvêa , Licht Otavio Augusto Boni , Santos Anderson Matias dos
Published: December 2020

No sudoeste do estado do Paraná ocorre grande concentração de pegmatitos básicos hospedados em derrames da Província Ígnea do Paraná. Apesar de estudos de detalhe recentes com esses pegmatitos, há a necessidade de compreender as características e os processos de formação, realizando uma correlação em escala regional. Dados petrográficos e geoquímicos de trabalhos anteriores foram reunidos em um banco de dados. Juntamente com cristais 5 a 20 vezes maiores que cristais do basalto hospedeiro, é possível observar que os pegmatitos possuem associação mineral muito similar, com plagioclásio, augita e minerais opacos como principais fases minerais. Nos pegmatitos, esses minerais ocorrem sob a forma de fenocristais e microfenocristais juntamente com micrólitos derivados da devitrificação da matriz. Também possuem cristais com hábito esqueletal, augita em leque e intercrescimento simplectito, além de mesóstase vítrea, evidenciando rápido resfriamento. Geoquimicamente, os pegmatitos são rochas mais evoluídas, formadas por fracionamento do plagioclásio, augita, óxidos de Fe-Ti e apatita. Com a ajuda da análise de componentes principais e diagramas multielementares foi possível definir seis grupos de pegmatitos geoquimicamente semelhantes e espacialmente próximos. Todos os pegmatitos estudados estão hospedados em derrames do Tipo 1 (baixo SiO2, Zr, TiO2 e P2O5), sendo a maioria nos derrames de Tipo 1 Centro-Norte e raros de Tipo 1 Sul. Derrames desse tipo são comumente pahoehoe, essencial para a formação dos pegmatitos, enquanto derrames basálticos de outros tipos, mais evoluídos, costumam ter maior ocorrência de derrame rubbly pahoehoe ou a’a’, o que poderia explicar a falta de ocorrências descobertas em derrames desses tipos.
Catálogo de Traduções do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Literatura e Cultura Russa
Authors: Bonavina Rafael , Siphone Raquel
Published: December 2020

Depois de constatarmos a falta de sistematização das traduções do PPG em Literatura e Cultura Russa, decidimos organizar em um arquivo facilmente acessível e que permita buscas rápidas em seu conteúdo. Por causa da crise sanitária, o presente catálogo encontra-se incompleto, no entanto, planeja-se a publicação de um complemento em futuro próximo.
Echoes from the underground
Authors: Fuentes Susana
Published: December 2020

Attentive to the resonances of the “underground man” in the work of Brazilian writer Clarice Lispector, born in Tschetschelnik, in today’s Ukraine (1920-1977), the present study aims at perceiving glimpses of these echoes as they appear in the narrator’s voice in Clarice’s novel The Passion According to G.H. (1964), as well as images that may inform the reading of her novel The Hour of the Star (1977), along with her short-stories “The Buffalo” and “An Angel’s Discontent”. As we know from the material researched by her biographer Nadia Battella Gotlib, Clarice Lispector would read Dostoevsky and Hermann Hesse, namely Steppenwolf (1927), whose imagery for its turn we may consider in relation to Dostoevsky’s Notes from the underground.
"Ashik-Kerib", de M. I. Lérmontov
Authors: D'Angelo Biagio
Published: December 2020

Tradução ao português do conto de M. I. Lérmontov, "Ashik-Kerib".