bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
lncRNA LINC01296 Promotes Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Development by Binding with SRSF1
Authors: Zhang Yanhui , Wang Aifang , Zhang Xiaohe , Wang Xiaoliang , Zhang Jin , Ma Jinji
Published: June 2021

Objective. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignant tumor of the head and neck, with strong local invasiveness and cervical lymph node metastasis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of LINC01296 in oral squamous cell carcinoma and its possible mechanism. Materials and Methods. GEPAI database analysis and clinical samples were used to detect the expression of LINC01296 in head and neck cancer. In vivo experiment, MTT, clone formation assay, and transwell were used to detect the proliferation, migration, and invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma. The effect of LINC01296 on EMT was detected by western blot and qRT‐PCR to measure the expression of epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypic markers. BALB/c nude mice were used to carry out in vitro treatment experiment. In terms of mechanism, the binding relationship between LINC01296 and SRSF1 was predicted and verified by the RBPDB database and RNA pull‐down assay. Results. LINC01296 was highly expressed in clinical samples and cell lines of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Overexpression of LINC01296 promoted the proliferation, invasion, and migration of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells and accelerated the formation of xenografts, while silencing LINC01296 inhibited tumor progression. In mechanism, LINC01296 plays a tumor‐promoting role by binding to SRSF1 protein. Conclusion. LINC01296 promotes malignant lesions in oral squamous cell carcinoma by binding to SRSF1 protein, which provides important experimental data and theoretical basis for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Project Gradient Descent Adversarial Attack against Multisource Remote Sensing Image Scene Classification
Authors: Jiang Yan , Yin Guisheng , Yuan Ye , Da Qingan
Published: June 2021

Deep learning technology (a deeper and optimized network structure) and remote sensing imaging (i.e., the more multisource and the more multicategory remote sensing data) have developed rapidly. Although the deep convolutional neural network (CNN) has achieved state-of-the-art performance on remote sensing image (RSI) scene classification, the existence of adversarial attacks poses a potential security threat to the RSI scene classification task based on CNN. The corresponding adversarial samples can be generated by adding a small perturbation to the original images. Feeding the CNN-based classifier with the adversarial samples leads to the classifier misclassify with high confidence. To achieve a higher attack success rate against scene classification based on CNN, we introduce the projected gradient descent method to generate adversarial remote sensing images. Then, we select several mainstream CNN-based classifiers as the attacked models to demonstrate the effectiveness of our method. The experimental results show that our proposed method can dramatically reduce the classification accuracy under untargeted and targeted attacks. Furthermore, we also evaluate the quality of the generated adversarial images by visual and quantitative comparisons. The results show that our method can generate the imperceptible adversarial samples and has a stronger attack ability for the RSI scene classification.
Verrucous Carcinoma of Buccal Mucosa in Female: A Rare Case Report of Traumatic Tooth Origin
Authors: Keerthi Narayan V.
Published: June 2021

Verrucous carcinoma or Ackermann’s tumor is considered a low-grade variant of squamous cell carcinoma frequently presenting at the oral mucosa and skin. Oral verrucous carcinoma clinically presents as a proliferative or cauliflower-like lesion or as ulceroproliferative lesion on the buccal mucosa followed by other sites such as the gingiva, tongue, and hard palate. Tobacco in both smoking and smokeless form, alcohol, and opportunist viral infections are the most associated etiologies in most of the reported literature cases. Here, in this paper, we discuss a rare case scenario of a 52-year-old female diagnosed with verrucous carcinoma of the left buccal mucosa with constant traumatic irritation caused by tooth as etiology for the occurrence of lesion, though verrucous carcinoma is described as a benign lesion with minimum aggressive potential but long-standing cases have shown transformation into squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore, early diagnosis and surgical excision of the lesion are the most appropriate treatment modality of verrucous carcinoma.
The Effect of Single‐Dose Ougan Juice Application on the Pharmacokinetics of Erlotinib
Authors: Yang Jin-zhao , Song Yi , Xiong Jian-hua , Lin Yu-xian , Wen Congcong , Li Yu , Zhou Yunfang
Published: June 2021

The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of single‐dose Ougan (Citrus reticulata cv. Suavissima) juice application on the pharmacokinetics of erlotinib in vivo. Twelve Sprague‐Dawley rats were randomly divided into the Ougan juice and control groups (n = 6 each). The rats were given a single dose of 1 mL/100 g Ougan juice or 1 mL/100 g normal saline (NS) by intragastric administration, followed by a single oral administration of 20 mg/kg erlotinib. The plasma concentration of erlotinib in rats was determined using ultra performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐MS/MS). Erlotinib‐d6 was used as the internal standard for chromatographic analysis on the UPLC BEH C18 analysis column (2.1 mm × 50 mm, 1.7 μm). The mobile phase was composed of acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid eluting by gradient. Different pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters of erlotinib were calculated. The Ougan juice promoted the absorption of erlotinib and reduced the clearance of the drug. The area under the curve of erlotinib in the single‐dose Ougan juice pretreatment group was approximately 1.87 times higher, and the maximum blood concentration (Cmax) was approximately 1.34 times higher than that in the control group. The mean residence time of erlotinib in the Ougan juice group was larger, and the clearance rate was smaller than those in the control group; the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Ougan juice affected the PK spectrum of erlotinib in rats by improving the bioavailability of the drug and significantly increasing its plasma concentration.
Lack of Association of LPA Gene Polymorphisms with Coronary Artery Disease in Pakistani Subjects
Authors: Shahid Saleem Ullah , N A Shabana , Humphries Steve
Published: June 2021

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Pakistan faces a high epidemic of CAD, and the disease burden is increasing with the passage of time. Several genetic markers have been reported to be significantly associated with CAD; one of them is the lipoprotein A gene. The aim of the current investigation was to genotype the LPA gene SNPs, rs3798220 and rs10455872, in Pakistani subjects with CAD in a case control study design. The genotyping was done by TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. The results showed that the cases had significantly higher prevalence of diabetes (64.6%), hypertension (62.1%), and smoking habits (29.5%). The level of cholesterol in cases was higher than in controls (

208.25
±
54.11

vs.

175.34
±
43.51

,

p
≤
0.0001

). The LDL-C was higher in cases than in controls (

104.62
±
37.94

vs.

77.05
±
21.17

,

p
≤
0.0001

). Similarly, triglycerides were also higher in cases than in controls (

214.51
±
74.60

vs.

190.54
±
70.26

,

p
≤
0.0001

), whereas HDL-C was lower in cases than in controls (

45.13
±
11.63

vs.

67.9
±
17.57

,

p
≤
0.0001

). For rs3798220, the risk allele (C) frequency was 0.005 in cases and 0.002 in controls. For rs10455872, the risk allele (G) frequency was 0.017 in cases and 0.014 in controls. The risk allele frequencies were not significantly different between cases and controls (

p
>
0.05

). In conclusion, these two LPA SNPs do not contribute significantly to CAD progression and cannot be used as independent risk factors for CAD in Pakistani population.
New Explicit Solutions to the Fractional-Order Burgers’ Equation
Authors: Uddin M. Hafiz , Arefin Mohammad Asif , Akbar M. Ali , Inc Mustafa
Published: June 2021

The closed-form wave solutions to the time-fractional Burgers’ equation have been investigated by the use of the two variables

G

′

/
G

,

1
/
G

-expansion, the extended tanh function, and the exp-function methods translating the nonlinear fractional differential equations (NLFDEs) into ordinary differential equations. In this article, we ascertain the solutions in terms of

tanh

,

sech

,

sinh

, rational function, hyperbolic rational function, exponential function, and their integration with parameters. Advanced and standard solutions can be found by setting definite values of the parameters in the general solutions. Mathematical analysis of the solutions confirms the existence of different soliton forms, namely, kink, single soliton, periodic soliton, singular kink soliton, and some other types of solitons which are shown in three-dimensional plots. The attained solutions may be functional to examine unidirectional propagation of weakly nonlinear acoustic waves, the memory effect of the wall friction through the boundary layer, bubbly liquids, etc. The methods suggested are direct, compatible, and speedy to simulate using algebraic computation schemes, such as Maple, and can be used to verify the accuracy of results.
Effect of P Application Rate and Rhizobium Inoculation on Nodulation, Growth, and Yield Performance of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)
Authors: Gebremariam Mebrahtu , Tesfay Teklay
Published: June 2021

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is the world’s third most vital food legume after beans and peas in production level. Yet, its productivity in the last decade has been declined, and it has been contended that the usual native soil rhizobial populations are insufficient/ineffective in N2-fixation. Rhizobium inoculation of the seed may substitute costly N-fertilizers and provide a useful way of achieving sustainable production. Hence, to supply an adequate rhizobial population in the rhizosphere, seed inoculation of chickpea with an effective and importunate rhizobial strain is essential in soils having no/feeble bacterial existence and has revealed optimistic effect on nodule number and mass, growth, yield, and its attributes over uninoculated ones. Its effect has been influenced by N content and P-deficiency of soil, rhizobium strain, variety, T°, pH, salinity, and moisture stress. Phosphorus (P) demand is high in chickpeas, and P deficiency also has a negative effect on chickpea production success. Several research results revealed significant effects of P rate (30–200 kg P2O5 ha−1) on nodule number, mass, and rating plant−1; LAI, RGR, DM, plant height, and branches plant−1; pods and grains plant−1, grain and biomass yields, 100-grain weight, and HI compared to the control. P rates response has been affected by moisture level, pH, available P and N, and variety. Particularly, joint use of P rate and rhizobium inoculation on chickpea has been stated to improve nodulation, growth, and yield and soil fertility. Various studies on the integrated use of P rate and rhizobium inoculation under varying situations showed enhanced nodulation, growth, and yield over the P rate or rhizobium inoculation alone. This might be attributed to adequate P supply and improved utilization with the provision of suitable N2-fixing bacteria for enhanced nodulation and adequate N supply.
Large Brunner’s Gland Hyperplasia with Bleeding: A Case Report
Authors: Okutomi Yuki , Kato Takaharu , Aizawa Hidetoshi , Endo Yuhei , Kasahara Naoya , Watanabe Fumiaki , Noda Hiroshi , Rikiyama Toishiki
Published: June 2021

We report a rare case of a large Brunner’s gland hyperplasia (BGH) with severe anemia. A 33-year-old woman was transferred to our hospital with anemia and a duodenal mass. She had a 2-week history of melena and mild shortness of breath. Her hemoglobin level was 4.9 g/dl, and she required a blood transfusion. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a 7 cm tumor in the descending duodenum, and duodenoscopy revealed a polyp-like tumor with an ulcer at the duodenal bulb. We decided to perform surgery to prevent further bleeding. Intraoperatively, the tumor stalk was located at the anterior wall of the duodenal bulb; the ampulla was not involved, and we resected the tumor with the wall of the duodenal bulb. The resected tumor measured

7.0
×
4.0
×
2.3
 
cm

, and pathologically, the tumor consisted of proliferated Brunner’s glands in a small amount of fibrous stroma. The histological diagnosis was BGH with no malignancy. Most cases of BGH are benign and asymptomatic; however, it is important to be aware that some patients have severe anemia, gastrointestinal obstruction, or malignant potential.
High Performance of IZO Coated on PET Substrate for Electroluminescence Device Using Oxygen Plasma Treatment
Authors: Poonthong Wittawat , Mungkung Narong , Arunrungrusmi Somchai , Yuji Toshifumi , Sung Youl-Moon
Published: June 2021

Thin films of indium zinc oxide (IZO) were deposited on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate with varying plasma power (from 100 W to 300 W) using the radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering technique and electroluminescence (EL) devices. The IZO films that were obtained from this process were treated with oxygen plasma powers using the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system. After this treatment, the microstructural, electrical, and optical properties of IZO films were observed and reported. The result showed that the IZO/PET films was fabricated at the lowest resistivity (

2.83
×

10

−
3

 
Ω
·
cm

), while the optical characterization displayed the maximum transmittance of 95% in the visible region with a smooth morphology and good crystalline structured, affected by the 300 W of plasma power with the optimum carrier concentration (

4.93
×

10

21

 
c

m

−
3

) and hall mobility (42.12 cm2/V·sec), respectively. The luminance properties and the EL efficiency were also investigated and shown a 300 W highest point of plasma power with 84 cd/m2 and 0.924 lm/W. The film properties were found responsible for producing and improving the performance of IZO/PET substrate, suitable for displaying the devices.
Bioinformatic Analysis Reveals Central Role for Tumor-Infiltrating Immune Cells in Uveal Melanoma Progression
Authors: Lachota Mieszko , Lennikov Anton , Malmberg Karl-Johan , Zagozdzon Radoslaw
Published: June 2021

Tumor-infiltrating immune cells are capable of effective cancer surveillance, and their abundance is linked to better prognosis in numerous tumor types. However, in uveal melanoma (UM), extensive immune infiltrate is associated with poor survival. This study aims to decipher the role of different tumor-infiltrating cell subsets in UM in order to identify potential targets for future immunotherapeutic treatment. We have chosen the TCGA-UVM cohort as a training dataset and GSE22138 as a testing dataset by mining publicly available databases. The abundance of 22 immune cell types was estimated using CIBERSORTx. Then, to determine the significance of tumor-infiltrating cell subsets in UM, we built a multicell type prognostic signature, which was validated in the testing cohort. The created signature was built upon the negative prognostic role of CD8+ T cells and M0 macrophages and the positive role of neutrophils. Based on the created signature score, we divided the patients into low- and high-risk groups. Kaplan-Meier, Cox, and ROC analyses demonstrated superior performance of our risk score compared to either clinical or pathologic characteristics of both cohorts. Further, we found the molecular pathways associated with cancer immunoevasion and metastasis to be enriched in the high-risk group, explaining both the lack of adequate immune surveillance despite increased infiltration of CD8+ T cells as well as the higher metastatic potential. Genes associated with tryptophan metabolism (IDO1 and KYNU) and metalloproteinases were among the most differentially expressed between the high- and low-risk groups. Our correlation analyses interpreted in context of published in vitro data strongly suggest the central role of CD8+ T cells in shifting the UM tumor microenvironment towards suppressive and metastasis-promoting. Therefore, we propose further investigations of IDO1 and metalloproteinases as novel targets for immunotherapy in lymphocyte-rich metastatic UM patients.
A New Support Vector Machine Based on Convolution Product
Authors: Yeh Wei-Chang , Jiang Yunzhi , Tan Shi-Yi , Yeh Chih-Yen
Published: June 2021

The support vector machine (SVM) and deep learning (e.g., convolutional neural networks (CNNs)) are the two most famous algorithms in small and big data, respectively. Nonetheless, smaller datasets may be very important, costly, and not easy to obtain in a short time. This paper proposes a novel convolutional SVM (CSVM) that has the advantages of both CNN and SVM to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of mining smaller datasets. The proposed CSVM adapts the convolution product from CNN to learn new information hidden deeply in the datasets. In addition, it uses a modified simplified swarm optimization (SSO) to help train the CSVM to update classifiers, and then the traditional SVM is implemented as the fitness for the SSO to estimate the accuracy. To evaluate the performance of the proposed CSVM, experiments were conducted to test five well‐known benchmark databases for the classification problem. Numerical experiments compared favorably with those obtained using SVM, 3‐layer artificial NN (ANN), and 4‐layer ANN. The results of these experiments verify that the proposed CSVM with the proposed SSO can effectively increase classification accuracy.
High HBV Load Weakens Predictive Effect of Serum miR-122 on Response to Sorafenib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients
Authors: Zhang Xiaomin , Wang Fu’an , Gu Guangfeng , Wu Qingpo
Published: June 2021

Background. MiR-122 is a liver-specific microRNA. The aim of the study was to explore the association of serum miR-122 with response to sorafenib in hepatitis B virus- (HBV-) related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and to further reveal the effect of the virus load on such potential relationship. Methods. A total of 588 patients with HCC were retrospectively included. All of them were diagnosed with HBV-related locally advanced HCC and were treated with sorafenib. Therapeutic and prognostic information and other information were collected from medical records. Stored blood specimens that were obtained before sorafenib treatment were adopted to detect miR-122. Results. The patients were divided into high-level group and low-level group according to the median of serum miR-122 level, and each group contained 294 patients. During the first 24 weeks after sorafenib treatment, the patients in the high-level group had more opportunities to experience progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) than those in the low-level group (HR: 2.47, 95%CI: 1.24∼4.88; HR: 1.20, 95%CI: 1.09∼1.32). In the subgroup analysis, the relationship between serum miR-122 level and overall survival still existed in the patients with relatively lower HBV load (HR: 1.22, 95%CI: 1.09∼1.36), but not in the patients with higher HBV load (HR: 1.12, 95%CI: 0.93∼1.35). Conclusion. Higher serum level of miR-122 at baseline was associated with a better response to sorafenib in HBV-related locally advanced HCC patients, and relatively high HBV load weakened such predictive effect mentioned above.
Numerical Solution of the Multiterm Time‐Fractional Model for Heat Conductivity by Local Meshless Technique
Authors: Almutairi Bander N. , Abouelregal Ahmed E. , Bin-Mohsin Bandar , Alsulami M. D. , Thounthong Phatiphat
Published: June 2021

Fractional partial differential equation models are frequently used to several physical phenomena. Despite the ability to express many complex phenomena in different disciplines, researchers have found that multiterm time‐fractional PDEs improve the modeling accuracy for describing diffusion processes in contrast to the results of a single term. Nowadays, it attracts the attention of the active researchers. The aim of this work is concerned with the approximate numerical solutions of the three‐term time‐fractional Sobolev model equation using computationally attractive and reliable technique, known as a local meshless method. Because of the meshless character and the simple application in higher dimensions, there is a growing interest in meshless techniques. To assess the reliability and accuracy of the proposed method, three test problems and two types of irregular domains are taken into account.
Investigation of Factors Influencing the Construction Safety of High‐Speed Railway Stations Based on DEMATEL and ISM
Authors: Lin Feng , Wu Ping , Xu Yidong
Published: June 2021

To explore the influencing factors and mutual influence mechanism of the construction safety of China’s high‐speed railway stations, this study takes the Hanghuang high‐speed railway Fuyang station as the subject and studies 17 risk factors in 4 categories affecting construction safety based on system safety theory, and the interaction relationship and degree among the factors were analysed. Based on DEMATEL (Decision‐making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory) and ISM (Interpretative Structural Modelling) methods, through a questionnaire survey, the logical relationship among the influencing factors is quantified. Then, the influencing degree, influenced degree, centrality, and causality of the influencing factors were calculated, and a multilevel hierarchical hybrid model is established to systematically analyse the influencing factors and the mechanism of high‐speed railway station construction. The results show that the factors of construction safety risk are summarized as 3 main factors, 6 important factors, and 7 direct factors and personnel factors and management factors need to be controlled with emphasis. In addition, some measures are proposed. This research provides a theoretical basis and method for preventing accidents and improving the safety of high‐speed railway station construction.
Javanese Turmeric (Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb.): Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, Biotechnology, and Pharmacological Activities
Authors: Rahmat Endang , Lee Jun , Kang Youngmin
Published: June 2021

Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb., locally famed as Temulawak, has been extensively utilized in Indonesia as medicinal and nutritional plants since immemorial time. The rhizome of this plant is an important ingredient for jamu formulation (Indonesian traditional medicine). C. xanthorrhiza is traditionally used to treat several ailments such as lack of appetite, stomach disorder, liver illness, constipation, bloody diarrhea, dysentery, arthritis, children’s fevers, hypotriglyceridaemia, hemorrhoids, vaginal discharge, rheumatism, and skin eruptions. To date, over 40 active compounds, including terpenoids, curcuminoids, and other phenolic compounds, have been isolated and identified from C. xanthorrhiza Roxb. Some pharmacological tests reported that C. xanthorrhiza Roxb. has antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antitumor, antidiabetic, and skincare and hepatoprotective properties. Efforts for biotechnologically production of C. xanthorrhiza have also been conducted, resulting in some micropropagation protocols of this plant. The current review focuses on the botanical description and distribution, ethnomedicinal uses, production and conservation status, phytochemical properties, and pharmacological activities of C. xanthorrhiza Roxb. to provide accurate and reliable data for future researches and commercialization purposes.
The Application Value of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in Testicular Occupied Lesions
Authors: Liu Qiping , Gong Huiling , Zhu Hui , Yuan Chunyan , Hu Bin
Published: June 2021

Objective. To discuss the clinical application value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in testicular occupied lesions. Methods. Nine conventional-ultrasound-found testicular occupied lesions which underwent CEUS meantime were analyzed retrospectively. The CEUS perfusion pattern was compared with the surgical pathological result or follow-up findings. Results. Among all the 9 testicular occupied lesions, there were 5 testicular malignant tumors, 1 testicular benign tumor, 1 testicular tuberculosis, and 2 testicular hematomas. CEUS diagnosed 6 testicular malignant tumors, 1 testicular benign tumor, and 2 testicular hematomas, and its diagnostic accuracy was about 88.9%. Conclusion. CEUS has high clinical application value in the differential diagnoses of benign and malignant testicular occupied lesions.
Acute Invasive Fungal Rhinosinusitis-Related Orbital Infection: A Single Medical Center Experience
Authors: Huang Yu-Fang , Liang Kai-Li , Liang Chiao-Ying , Yang Po-Chin , Chen Jun-Peng , Wei Li-Chen
Published: June 2021

Backgrounds. Acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (AIFRS) is a hazardous infectious disease with rapid progression and high mortality and morbidities. Further orbital involvement is commonly seen. This study aims to analyze risk factors, clinical characteristics, and outcomes between patients with or without orbital involvement. Methods. A retrospective review was performed in a single tertiary medical center over a span of 13 years (2005–2018). A total of 21 patients with diagnosis of AIFRS were enrolled. We reviewed the patients’ basic characteristics, comorbidities, clinical presentations, image study findings, culture pathogens, and treatment outcomes and analyzed the differences between orbital-involved and orbital sparing disease. Results. The most common comorbidities in AIFRS were diabetes mellitus (DM) and hematological malignancy. Nine the 21 AIFRS patients had orbital-involved disease. Patients with orbital involvement had a higher prevalence of DM (

p
<
0.05

). Image studies revealed significant infection of the ethmoid sinus, sphenoid sinus, and frontal sinus in the group with orbital complication (

p
<
0.05

). Mucor, Rhizopus, and Aspergillus were cultured in both groups. Five patients in the orbital involvement group expired, with all of them having an initial presentation of conscious disturbance (

p
<
0.01

). Rhino-orbital-cerebral fungal infection was noticed in 3 of the 5 expired patients. Conclusion. In AIFRS patients, DM other than hematological malignancy was the main risk factor for orbital-involved disease. Patients with ethmoid, sphenoid, or frontal sinusitis had a higher possibility of orbital complication. Poor consciousness at initial presentation revealed highest possibility of rhino-orbital-cerebral fungal infection and led to death.
Recognition of Operating Characteristics of Heavy Trucks Based on the Identification of GPS Trajectory Stay Points
Authors: Wei Long , Chen Gang , Sun Wenjie , Li Guoqi
Published: June 2021

As an emerging data source, feature identification based on GPS trajectory data has become a hot issue in the field of data mining and freight management. A method of trajectory data extraction, classification, and visualization based on stay points was proposed in this paper to analyze the operation characteristics of heavy trucks from the perspectives of intracity transportation, intraprovincial transportation, and interprovincial transportation. The GPS trajectory data of heavy trucks in Sichuan Province in March 2019 were taken as an example to analyze the operation characteristics. The results show that the heavy trucks in Sichuan Province are mainly transported within the province, and the freight efficiency is slightly better than the average level of the national freight trucks in the same period, failing to give full play to the advantages of long transport distance. The manufacturing industry is the main service object of heavy trucks, and the vehicles engaged in transportation within the province are more dependent on logistics enterprises and their ancillary facilities. The north-south longitudinal line and east-west horizontal line are the main interprovincial transport channels, and the provincial and municipal transport is mainly concentrated in some urban trunk lines, ring lines, and express routes. The proposed technical method can describe the operating characteristics of freight trucks from the perspective of microscopic and service market, not only to guide the layout of highway freight yards, logistics parks, and logistics hubs and the determination of service functions but also to provide a reference basis for freight management-related departments and drivers to formulate transportation plans and establish freight information platforms to improve freight efficiency and safety.
Effect of Near‐Fault Pulsed Ground Motions on Seismic Response and Seismic Performance to Tunnel Structures
Authors: Mei Xiancheng , Sheng Qian , Cui Zhen
Published: June 2021

Seismic analysis of tunnels close to or crossing seismogenic faults is a complex problem, which is often neglected at the design stage for the lack of specific codes or guidelines and also because underground structures are considered less vulnerable than that of the corresponding above‐ground facilities. Near‐fault ground motions are generally assumed to providing more powerful energy to tunnel structures. Therefore, a recently developed velocity pulse equivalent model is proposed to synthesize the artificial near‐fault pulsed ground motion for the seismic response behavior of the tunnel structure. A newly proposed nonlinear dynamic time history methodology, the incremental dynamic analysis method, is introduced into the analysis of seismic performance and fragility for tunnel structures. This study takes the Zheduoshan tunnel as a case study to illustrate the effects of velocity pulse on the seismic response behavior and seismic performance. The applicability of different seismic intensity measures is preliminarily discussed, and the vulnerability of the tunnel structure at different characteristic locations is analyzed. Afterward, the seismic vulnerability probabilities of the tunnel structure under the action of the near‐fault pulsed ground motions and the far‐field ground motions are presented, and then, the failure probabilities of the tunnel structure under the three‐level support requirements are obtained. Research results provide an objective assessment of the velocity pulse effects and acts as a reference for the likely seismic damage assessment of tunnel structures.
The Peril and Potential of Ambiguity: How National Laws and Policies Can Strengthen and Protect the Rights of Rohingya Refugees
Authors: Islam Sumaiya , Schupfer Coline , Hydari Zaid , Zetes Alexandra , Cole Kevin
Published: June 2021

Against a backdrop of toughening governmental stances towards refugees, migrants, and stateless persons in the Asia-Pacific region, there is a renewed urgency to consider possibilities for the expansion of protection and access to rights and services to those who normally face exclusion. Drawing on national case law, policy developments and other practices in six major host countries in the region, this article highlights instances in which, despite not being party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, states have extended rights to non-citizens and thereby signalled acceptance of key refugee rights norms. In examining these precedents, the article demonstrates the possibility of expanding protection outside of the international refugee law framework, and intends to provide inspiration for the progressive realisation of rights for displaced Rohingya communities across the region, as well as for other non-citizen communities facing similar challenges.
Rights Adrift: Sexual Violence Against Rohingya Women on the Andaman Sea
Authors: Yacoub Natasha , Errington Nikola , Nu Wai Wai , Robinson Alexandra
Published: June 2021

Women fleeing Myanmar in 2015 were trapped on the Andaman Sea for months when States in the region closed off places of disembarkation. Among the horrors of starvation and unsanitary conditions experienced on the boats, they faced additional risks of sexual violence. These women fled from a situation in Myanmar that severely curtailed their rights, including gender violence, which is being tried as genocide at the International Court of Justice, and were exposed to further violations while fleeing. Through interviews with survivors of the journey and those who assisted them, this article describes the experiences of these women at sea. It outlines the failure of States to apply customary principles of international law and related regional standards to protect these women. From a feminist legal theory perspective, it explores the reasons for these failures and recommends reforms to guarantee better protection at sea for women in the future.
Congenital Anomalies of the Ossicular Chain: Surgical and Audiological Outcomes
Authors: Henkemans Sara E. , Smit Adriana L. , Stokroos Robert J. , Thomeer Hans G.X.M.
Published: June 2021

Objectives:

In this study, we aim to analyze audiometric outcomes of middle ear surgery in patients with congenital middle ear anomalies.

Methods:

In this single center retrospective cohort study, audiological outcomes were extracted from patient files. Patients with a congenital middle ear anomaly treated surgically in a tertiary referral center between June 2015 and December 2020 were included. Pre- and postoperative short- and long-term audiometric data (at ≥3 and ≥10 months respectively) were compared to analyze hearing outcomes.

Results:

Eighteen ears (15 patients) were treated surgically with an exploratory tympanotomy. At short term follow up statistically significant improvements in air conduction thresholds and air-bone gaps were found. Hearing improved in 94.4% (17/18) of operated ears. Successful outcome, defined as an air-bone gap closure to within 20 dB after surgery, was reached in 44.4% (8/18). Serviceable hearing (air conduction ≤30 dB) was reached in 55.6% (10/18). Negative outcome (any significant deterioration in hearing) occurred in 1 patient: in this ear otitis media occurred during the postoperative course. At long term follow up, available for 50% of the cohort, hearing remained stable in 5 ears, improved in 1 ear and deteriorated in 3, all of which underwent revision surgery. Sensorineural hearing loss due to surgery, or other complications, were not encountered.

Conclusion:

middle ear surgery was found to be an effective treatment option to improve hearing in this cohort of patients with congenital middle ear anomalies. Surgical goals of obtained gain in air conduction thresholds and serviceable hearing levels were met by most patients without the occurrence of any iatrogenic sensorineural hearing loss.
A survey of the reactivity of in vitro diagnostic bilirubin reagents developed in Japan using artificially prepared bilirubin materials: A comparison of synthetic delta, unconjugated, and taurine-conjugated bilirubin
Authors: Kiuchi Sachiko , Ihara Hiroshi , Osawa Susumu , Ishibashi Midori , Kinpara Kiyoko , Ohtake Kazuko , Ida Takehisa , Miura Yoshinori , Fujimura Yoshiyuki , Ueda Shigeru , Hirano Yuuki , Watahiki Kensuke , Takada Daiichiro , Shinzaki Akihiro , Tanimoto Kazuhito , Adachi Hiroshi , Nejime Tetsuya , Totani Masayuki , Itoh Susumu ,   on behalf of the Committee on Enzymes and Analytical Reagents, Japan Society of Clinical Chemistry
Published: June 2021

Background

In vitro diagnostic bilirubin reagents based on oxidation with bilirubin oxidase or vanadic acid for total and direct-reacting bilirubin are widely used in Japan; however, their reactivity to unconjugated and conjugated bilirubin and delta bilirubin has not been completely disclosed by manufacturers. We used artificially prepared bilirubin materials to investigate the reactivity with four in vitro diagnostic bilirubin reagents.

Methods

Porcine unconjugated bilirubin solution, chemically synthesized ditaurobilirubin solution, and chemically synthesized delta bilirubin solution were used as surrogates of naturally occurring unconjugated bilirubin, conjugated bilirubin, and delta bilirubin, respectively. The total bilirubin and direct-reacting bilirubin concentrations were measured by three bilirubin oxidase methods and one vanadic acid method, and the observed concentrations were compared with those obtained by the diazo-based reference measurement procedure.

Results

The unconjugated bilirubin and delta bilirubin concentrations were similar when any of the four in vitro diagnostic bilirubin reagents were used during total bilirubin measurement. This was consistent with reference measurement procedure and exhibited a converged inter-method variation. Compared with reference measurement procedure, significantly low ditaurobilirubin concentrations were observed by the in vitro diagnostic bilirubin reagents despite the converged inter-method variation. In delta bilirubin measurement, some reagents reacted doubtfully with unconjugated bilirubin, while showed lower ditaurobilirubin concentrations than its corresponding total bilirubin concentration. Reactivity with delta bilirubin was different for each method including reference measurement procedure. Some reagents were developed to react less with delta bilirubin and others to strongly react with delta bilirubin.

Conclusions

We revealed the reactivity of IVD-TB and IVD-DB reagents to artificially prepared bilirubin materials, and their consistency with reference measurement procedure. The delta bilirubin data results vary depending on the reagents used.
Serum carbohydrate antigen 72-4 concentrations decrease with age in females but not in males in Beijing, China
Authors: Duan Tongmei , Chen Xun , Wu Jing , Li Ronghai , Guo Huijuan , Du Juan , Guo Jie
Published: June 2021

Objective

Carbohydrate antigen 72-4 (CA72-4) is widely used in the diagnosis and monitoring of many cancers. However, there are few studies on the differences of CA72-4 concentrations in terms of age and gender.

Methods

A total of 10,957 healthy subjects were divided into two groups according to gender and three age groups. The serum CA72-4 were detected. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS.

Results

The CA72-4 concentration in female group was significantly higher than that in male group. The concentration of CA72-4 gradually decreased with age. Compared with the age >60 group, the CA72-4 concentrations were increased in the age 46–60 group and 16–45 group ( P >0.05, respectively). To better observe the age difference, the age 16–45 and 46–60 groups were combined into the age 16–60 group. In comparison to the age >60 group, the CA72-4 concentration of age 16–60 group was significantly increased ( P = 0.000). In the age >60 group, there was no difference between genders. Nevertheless, the difference between the sexes in the age 16–60 group was significant ( P = 0.023).

Conclusions

The reference interval of CA72-4 for local healthy population was established. CA72-4 concentrations gradually decreased with the increase of age, and CA72-4 concentration in females aged 16–60 years (0–18.0 U/mL) was higher than in males (0–14.5 U/mL); however, there was no gender difference in the age group above 60 years old (0–14.5 U/mL). Moreover, in male CA72-4 there was no significant difference among all age groups, while the potential mechanism of female changes with age needs further study.
Analytical characterization and clinical performance evaluation of a new point-of-care testing system for high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I assay
Authors: Zhang Rui , Hong Yueyu , Shi Jie , Zhao Rui , Song Yichuan , Li Ziyao , Wang Qingtao
Published: June 2021

Background

We aimed to evaluate the analytical performance and clinical diagnostic accuracy of the SuperFlex point-of-care testing (POCT) high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) assay system.

Method

The imprecision, the limit of blank, the limit of detection, the limit of quantitation, linearity and comparability were assessed as per the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. Also, the 99th-percentile reference value and diagnostic accuracy were evaluated.

Results

The reproducibility and total imprecision were 1.52–1.92% and 2.69–2.92%, respectively. Limit of blank and limit of detection were 1 ng/L and 1.8 ng/L, respectively, and limit of quantitation was 12 ng/L at 10% coefficient of variation (CV). The results met the requirements of linearity, and the correlation coefficient was 0.996. The SuperFlex POCT results had good agreement with those obtained by the Siemens Advia 2400. The CV% was 7.24% at the 99th percentile concentration (p99th) of 25.6 ng/L (95% confidence interval: 22.0–33.3 ng/L) from 620 healthy subjects. The sex-partitioned CV% and p99th were 7.15% at 27 ng/L (males; n = 308) and 7.35% at 24 ng/L (females; n = 312), respectively ( P < 0.0001). The hs-cTnI detection rate of all observed healthy individuals from limit of detection to 99th was 82.57% by the SuperFlex POCT assay, 89.90% for the males and 75.48% for the females. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of diagnostic performance for acute myocardial infarction were 100%, 81.25%, 57% and 100%, respectively.

Conclusions

The SuperFlex POCT system showed the analytical performance characteristics required for enabling the clinical use of a hs-cTnI assay.
MGNREGA: The Guaranteed Refuge for Returning Migrants During COVID-19 Lockdown in India
Authors: Lokhande Nitin , Gundimeda Haripriya
Published: June 2021

This research note is prepared to present an insight into the efficacy of the government's decision to open up the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) activities in non-containment zones during the second phase of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions imposed in April 2020. Though the intention was to provide an impetus to the rural economy by creating job opportunities for rural workers as well as for the returning seasonal migrants amid the COVID-19 crisis, 'whether the decision helped the returning migrants in securing a part of their lost income' is the question of interest. Our study finds that nearly 7.5 million seasonal migrant workers took refuge under MGNREGA during the lockdown, found work for around 23 days and secured about 28% of the income they used to earn daily in the pre-COVID-19 period.

JEL Codes: H53, I38, J38
Participant Reports of Mindfulness, Posttraumatic Growth, and Social Connectedness in Psilocybin-Assisted Group Therapy: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis
Authors: Agin-Liebes Gabrielle , Ekman Eve , Anderson Brian , Malloy Maxx , Haas Alexandra , Woolley Josh
Published: June 2021

The primary objective of this qualitative study was to explore the therapeutic trajectories of individuals undergoing psilocybin-assisted group therapy. This interpretive phenomenological analysis focused on an enriched study sample of gay-identified cisgender men ( n = 9) with human immunodeficiency virus diagnosed before 1996 and clinically significant trauma symptoms. Microphenomenological interviews were carried out 1 day after participants’ individual psilocybin sessions to elicit fine-grained descriptions of the psilocybin-assisted treatment. Two major thematic change processes were identified using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. During their psilocybin sessions, participants reported transitioning out of habitual, evaluative modes of processing and into mindful, experiential modes of processing (from “autopilot” to “meta-aware”). Freed from their emotionally avoidant tendencies, participants were able to process and release previously disowned feelings (grief, shame) and access relational and self-transcendent feelings and prosocial attitudes (joy, gratitude, love, care, compassion). The treatment also supported processes of meaning-making and the realization of posttraumatic growth (in psychological, relational, spiritual dimensions) as participants integrated past traumas into their life narratives and identities (from “trauma-dominant” to “growth-dominant”). These findings suggest that administering adjunctive group therapy with psilocybin may enhance the effectiveness of trauma processing by reinforcing social cohesion, safety, trust, and belonging. These data provide the first empirical suggestion of psilocybin’s efficacy in alleviating trauma symptoms in a group-facilitated format and provide a deeper understanding of the potential psychological change processes involved in this novel treatment approach.
Big Data in the city
Authors: Bannister Jon , O’Sullivan Anthony
Published: June 2021

This editorial introduces a Special Issue on Big Data in the City. Collectively, six research articles and two commentaries explore the roles that Big Data can and might play in enhancing our understanding of urban processes and the qualities of urban outcomes. Big Data may be intrinsically considered a neutral technology but – refracted through existing power structures and resource distributions – its application within cities is by no means guaranteed always to help in the amelioration of social injustices or in the promotion of urban well-being. In application, Big Data becomes a performative technology that can be, is and will be further used in the creation and regulation of the cities of this century, a process that will be messy and of mixed consequence. The task for urban studies research is to shape that performativity, and to challenge any tendency that emerges to the further entrenchment of social inequities. In pursuit of these aims, and sensitively deployed, Big Data can be cast as part of the route map to better urban futures.
Hospital Board of Directors’ Composition and Financial Performance: Empirical Evidence from Taiwan
Authors: Chen Kuan-Chen , Hsieh Fang-Chu , Hsiao Yu-Jen
Published: June 2021

The board of directors of a nonprofit proprietary hospital is responsible for supervising and managing major operational matters and reviewing operational results. This study investigates how hospital financial performance is influenced by director and supervisor characteristics among the board members of nonprofit proprietary hospitals in Taiwan. Data were obtained from the Division of Medical Services of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. A generalized linear model was used to evaluate 32 non-profit proprietary hospitals for the years 2006 to 2017, totaling 363 observations. The empirical results revealed a significant positive correlation between the proportion of directors with management qualifications and hospital financial performance. Moreover, the results represented that a higher proportion of board members with a medical background did not correspond to higher hospital financial performance. Although doctors accounted for the highest proportion of board members, indicating their key role in hospital management, the need for board members with management expertise cannot be ignored. Therefore, a balance between directors with management experience and medical knowledge on the board of directors is beneficial for hospital financial performance.