bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chronic tophaceous gout mimicking widespread metastasis
Authors: Thompson Joshua W , Srinivasan Sriram , Makkuni Damodar
Published: May 2021

Gout is a common crystal-induced arthropathy affecting mainly the joints of the appendicular skeleton; however, rarely this condition affects the axial skeleton as well. Spinal gout can cause radiculopathy, cord compression, canal stenosis and discitis. We describe a case of a 71-year-old woman where the initial presentation of destructive arthropathy and spinal masses secondary to axial gout was mistaken for a metastatic malignancy. Despite chronic polyarthropathy and bilateral subcutaneous gouty tophi, spinal gout was not considered a differential diagnosis during initial assessment.

The patient was managed conservatively with pharmacological treatment resulting in improvement of her upper limb radiculopathy and systemic joint pain, although little improvement in mobility. Such extensive involvement is rare and the masses can mimic an underlying metastatic disease. Careful history and clinical examination recognising polyarthropathy and subcutaneous tophi can aid the clinician to make the right diagnosis and institute correct treatment. Delay in recognising gout as a differential diagnosis can lead to marked morbidity as illustrated in our case.
Status epilepticus secondary to hyperammonaemia: a late presentation of an undiagnosed urea cycle defect
Authors: Beddoes Penelope , Nerone Gabriela , Tai Charlotte
Published: May 2021

In this report, we describe the diagnosis, investigation and management of a patient presenting with refractory status epilepticus secondary to a previously unrecognised urea cycle defect, ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency, causing a hyperammonaemic encephalopathy. While metabolic disorders will be readily considered in a paediatric population presenting with difficult seizures, it is unusual for such cases to present in adulthood, and maintaining a broad differential in patients with status epilepticus is important. Early recognition and initiation of treatment are vital. Furthermore, the patient had been diagnosed with schizophrenia over a decade previously and more recently started on sodium valproate, a medication known to contribute to hyperammonaemia. This case also emphasises the importance of exclusion of underlying organic disease prior to diagnosis of psychiatric conditions.
Pituitary apoplexy and associated cranial nerve palsies secondary to bleeding caused by immune thrombocytopaenia in a patient with known pituitary macroadenoma
Authors: Ambrose Christopher , Sarma Sruthi , Banerjee Ritwick , Myers Sam
Published: May 2021

An 84-year-old man presented with a frontal headache and easy bruising. He had a background history of a pituitary macroadenoma, diagnosed incidentally a year earlier. Investigations showed haemorrhage into the pituitary macroadenoma leading to a diagnosis of pituitary apoplexy in the context of low platelet count secondary to immune thrombocytopaenia. He was treated with intravenous hydrocortisone, platelet transfusion, intravenous immunoglobulin and high-dose steroid. Neurosurgical intervention was not indicated initially. Five days into his admission, he developed bilateral ptosis and ophthalmoplegia. MRI confirmed further haemorrhage associated with compression of the optic chiasm. He was transferred to a tertiary neurosurgical centre where he underwent urgent surgical decompression. To date, there has been minor improvement in his neurological symptoms. Management of this patient required considerable multidisciplinary teamwork between the clinics of endocrinology, haematology, neurosurgery, ophthalmology and geriatrics.
Poland’s syndrome mimicking traumatic chest injury
Authors: Ohn May Honey , Ohn Khin Maung
Published: May 2021

Poland’s syndrome (PS) is a rare developmental anomaly that can manifest mild (pectoralis muscles involvement) to severe deformities (rib hypoplasia and hand deformities). We report a case of 69-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with a traumatic chest injury after a fall. It was initially thought to have a significant chest injury as the trauma survey revealed a palpable defect and tenderness in the right anterior chest wall. There was also a symbrachydactyly deformity in the right hand. CT of the chest showed lack of right pectoralis muscles, which were consistent with PS. This case highlights the importance of gathering detail history in adult trauma patients such as congenital disorder especially in the presence of bony deformity. With possibilities of several traumatic conditions in trauma patients eliminated, one can expand the non-traumatic differential, keeping in mind the possibility of a congenital disorder that can mimic traumatic chest injury.
Triple-hit high-grade B-cell lymphoma presenting with ovarian torsion
Authors: Osataphan Soravis , Augustynowicz Aleksandra , Perrino Carmen , Lam Prudence
Published: May 2021

We report a case of a previously healthy woman in her early 70s who presented with 2 weeks of episodic abdominal pain and significant weight loss. Imaging of her abdomen revealed acute right ovarian torsion associated with bilateral ovarian enlargement and an indeterminant pelvic mass. An urgent laparoscopic bilateral oophorectomy was performed with pathological results consistent with triple-hit high-grade B-cell lymphoma. She was successfully treated with dose-adjusted etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and rituximab, intrathecal methotrexate and venetoclax with complete remission after three cycles. Ovarian lymphoma is a rare entity and its genetic features have not been well described. We performed a literature review, describe the current knowledge regarding ovarian lymphoma and its therapeutic implication in the genomic age.
Barriers in health and social care access and navigation for elder orphans: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Kervin Lucy , Teo Kelly , Churchill Ryan , Riadi Indira , Cosco Theodore D
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Family members have traditionally been relied on to provide informal care to older adults. However, social and demographic changes are resulting in rising numbers of kinless and isolated elderly who are unable to rely on familial caregiving and are without assistance in navigating complex systems of health and social services. Research examining this vulnerable subset of the elderly population, identified as elder orphans, is limited, particularly within the context of health and social care access. The aim of this scoping review is to map and report the evidence available in identifying barriers and facilitating factors in health and social care access and system navigation by elder orphans.

Methods and analysis

Arksey and O’Malley’s six-staged methodology framework will guide the conduct of this scoping review. The primary author will conduct a systematic search and an initial screen of titles and abstracts from six electronic databases (CINAHL Complete, ASSIA, Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science and PsycINFO) from January 2005 to the date of commencement, to identify English language peer reviewed studies of various methodologies. Subsequently, two reviewers will independently screen a shorter list of studies for inclusion. We will also search the reference lists of eligible studies. Data from the selected studies will be extracted and charted by two independent reviewers. Findings will be summarised in a tabulated format and accompanied by a narrative synthesis.

Ethics and dissemination

As the scoping review methodology aims to synthesise information from publicly available materials, this study does not require ethical approval. The finalised scoping review will be submitted for publication to a scientific journal.

Registration

The present protocol has been registered with the Open Science Framework platform (registration ID:https://osf.io/7vjty/).
Exploring goal planning in mental health service delivery: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Stewart Victoria , McMillan Sara Sinclair , Roennfeldt Helena , El-Den Sarira , Ng Ricki , Wheeler Amanda J
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Goal planning is widely recognised as an integral part of mental health service delivery and an important element in supporting recovery. Goal planning identifies priorities for treatment through discussion and negotiation between service users and health practitioners. Goal planning enhances motivation, directs effort, and focuses the development of strategies and treatment options to improve recovery outcomes and promote service users’ ownership of the recovery process. While goal planning is a common practice in mental health settings, evidence regarding its impact on treatment outcomes is lacking. This paper outlines a protocol for a systematic review that aims to explore the types of goals planned, experiences of service users and practitioners, and the effectiveness of goal planning as a mental health intervention.

Methods and analysis

A systematic search will be conducted during March 2021 by searching Medline, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus and PsycINFO electronic databases to answer the following questions: (1) What types of goals are being developed within mental healthcare?; (2) What is the evidence for the effectiveness of goal planning on health and well-being for mental health service users?; (3) What are the experiences of mental health service users and their treating healthcare practitioners in relation to goal planning?; and (4) What are the barriers and facilitators to effective goal planning in mental health settings? Two independent researchers will screen the articles, selecting literature that meets criteria. All literature, regardless of study design that involves adult participants, with a mental illness and reporting on goal planning will be considered for inclusion. Data will be extracted from all eligible articles regardless of study design and summarised in a table. Appropriate quality assessment and data synthesis methods will be determined based on included study designs.

Ethics and dissemination

No ethics approval is required. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020220595.
Two dilemmas for medical ethics in the treatment of gender dysphoria in youth
Authors: Baron Teresa , Dierckxsens Geoffrey
Published: May 2021

Both the diagnosis and medical treatment of gender dysphoria (GD)—particularly in children and adolescents—have been the subject of significant controversy in recent years. In this paper, we outline the means by which GD is diagnosed in children and adolescents, the currently available treatment options, and the bioethical issues these currently raise. In particular, we argue that the families and healthcare providers of children presenting with GD currently face two main ethical dilemmas in decision making regarding treatment: the pathway dilemma and the consent dilemma.
New risk model is able to identify patients with a low risk of progression in systemic sclerosis
Authors: van Leeuwen Nina Marijn , Maurits Marc , Liem Sophie , Ciaffi Jacopo , Ajmone Marsan Nina , Ninaber Maarten , Allaart Cornelia , Gillet van Dongen Henrike , Goekoop Robbert , Huizinga Tom , Knevel Rachel , De Vries-Bouwstra Jeska
Published: May 2021

Objectives

To develop a prediction model to guide annual assessment of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients tailored in accordance to disease activity.

Methods

A machine learning approach was used to develop a model that can identify patients without disease progression. SSc patients included in the prospective Leiden SSc cohort and fulfilling the ACR/EULAR 2013 criteria were included. Disease progression was defined as progression in ≥1 organ system, and/or start of immunosuppression or death. Using elastic-net-regularisation, and including 90 independent clinical variables (100% complete), we trained the model on 75% and validated it on 25% of the patients, optimising on negative predictive value (NPV) to minimise the likelihood of missing progression. Probability cutoffs were identified for low and high risk for disease progression by expert assessment.

Results

Of the 492 SSc patients (follow-up range: 2–10 years), disease progression during follow-up was observed in 52% (median time 4.9 years). Performance of the model in the test set showed an AUC-ROC of 0.66. Probability score cutoffs were defined: low risk for disease progression (<0.197, NPV:1.0; 29% of patients), intermediate risk (0.197–0.223, NPV:0.82; 27%) and high risk (>0.223, NPV:0.78; 44%). The relevant variables for the model were: previous use of cyclophosphamide or corticosteroids, start with immunosuppressive drugs, previous gastrointestinal progression, previous cardiovascular event, pulmonary arterial hypertension, modified Rodnan Skin Score, creatine kinase and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide.

Conclusion

Our machine-learning-assisted model for progression enabled us to classify 29% of SSc patients as ‘low risk’. In this group, annual assessment programmes could be less extensive than indicated by international guidelines.
CspB and CspC are induced upon cold shock in Bacillus cereus strain D2
Authors: Li Haoyang , Yang Rui , Hao Linlin , Wang Chunli , Li Mingtang
Published: May 2021

Bacillus cereus D2, a psychrotrophic strain, plays an essential role in the restoration of heavy metal-contaminated soils, especially at low temperatures. However, the cold shock response mechanisms of this strain are unclear. In this study, the cold shock response of B. cereus D2 was characterized; as per the Arrhenius curve, 10 °C was chosen as the cold shock temperature. Six cold shock-like proteins were found and temporarily named cold shock protein (Csp)1–6; the respective genes were cloned and identified. Quantitative real-time PCR results showed that csp1, csp2, csp3, and csp6 were overexpressed under cold shock conditions. Interestingly, after cloning the respective encoding genes into the pET-28a (+) vector and their subsequent transformation into E. coli BL21 (DE3), the strains expressing Csp2 and Csp6 grew faster at 10 °C, showing a large number of bacteria. These results suggest that Csp2 and Csp6 are the major cold shock proteins in B. cereus D2. Of note, the comparison of amino acid sequences and structures showed that Csp2 and Csp6 belong to the CspB and CspC families, respectively. Additionally, we show that the number of hydrophobic residues is not a determining feature of major Csps, while, on the other hand, the formation of an α-helix in the context of a leucine residue is the most dominant difference between major and other Bacillus and E. coli Csps.
Constraining neutrino mass in dark energy dark matter interaction and comparison with 2018 Planck results
Authors: Amiri Hamid Reza , Salehi Amin , Noroozi Amir Hossein
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we investigate the constraints on the total neutrino mass $$\sum m_{\nu }$$

∑

m
ν

in a cosmological model in which dark energy and neutrinos are coupled such that the mass of the neutrinos and potentials are function of the scalar field as $$m_{\nu }=m_{0}\exp (\frac{\alpha \phi }{m_{pl}})$$

m
ν

=

m
0

exp

(

α
ϕ

m

pl

)

and $$V(\phi )=m_{pl}^{4}\exp (\frac{-\lambda \phi }{m_{pl}})$$

V

(
ϕ
)

=

m

pl

4

exp

(

-
λ
ϕ

m

pl

)

respectively. The observational data used in this work include the type Ia supernovae (SN) observation (Pantheon compilation), CC, CMB and BAO data. We find that the neutrino mass is tightly constrained to $$\sum m_{\nu }< 0.125$$

∑

m
ν

<
0.125

 eV 95% Confidence Level (C.L.) and the effective extra relativistic degrees of freedom to be $$N_{eff}=2.955^{+0.11}_{-0.12}$$

N

eff

=
2
.

955

-
0.12

+
0.11

68% C.L in agreement with the Standard Model prediction $$ N_{eff} = 3.046$$

N

eff

=
3.046

, matter-radiation equality, $$z_{eq}=3389^{+24}_{25}$$

z

eq

=

3389
25

+
24

(68% C.L). These results are in good agreement with the results of Planck 2018 where the limit of the total neutrino mass is $$\sum m_{\nu }<0.12$$

∑

m
ν

<
0.12

eV (95% C.L., TT, TE, EE + lowE + lensing + BAO) , $$N_{eff}=2.99^{+0.17}_{-0.17}$$

N

eff

=
2
.

99

-
0.17

+
0.17

(68% C.L., TT, TE, EE + lowE + lensing + BAO) and $$z_{eq}=3387^{+21}_{21}$$

z

eq

=

3387
21

+
21

(68% C.L TT, TE, EE + lowE + lensing + BAO).
Thermodynamics of scale-dependent Friedmann equations
Authors: Bargueño Pedro , Contreras Ernesto , Rincón Ángel
Published: May 2021

In this work, the role of a time-varying Newton constant under the scale-dependent approach is investigated in the thermodynamics of the Friedman equations. In particular, we show that the extended Friedman equations can be derived either from equilibrium thermodynamics when the non-matter energy momentum tensor is interpreted as a fluid or from non-equilibrium thermodynamics when an entropy production term, which depends on the time-varying Newton constant, is included. Finally, a comparison between black hole and cosmological thermodynamics in the framework of scale-dependent gravity is briefly discussed.
Investigating the development and interaction of bus-metro based on Lotka–Volterra models: Evidence from seven central cities in China
Authors: Liang Xinyu , Meng Xianghai
Published: May 2021

Bus and metro are the two most important public transport modes in many metropolises in China, and they both have experienced rapid growth and meanwhile coexisted for decades. However, little is known on how the metro and bus interacted with each other during their rapid growths. This study was proposed to investigate the growth and interaction of bus-metro from the macro perspective. The passenger volume data for metro and bus were collected from seven central cities to represent the development of the two public transport modes, and the Logistic model and Lotka–Volterra model were employed to model the growth as well as the interaction of bus-metro, respectively. The modeling results show that the development of bus conforms to the Logistic model (i.e. S-shaped curve), while the bus-metro interaction conforms to the Lotka–Volterra model with interaction modes of competition (Shanghai city from 2000–2009, Shanghai city from 2009–2018, Guangzhou city from 2009–2017, Nanjing city from 2008–2018), and mutualism (Guangzhou city from 2000–2009). The further analysis indicates that urban characteristics and policies determine the interaction, and the parameters of the Lotka–Volterra model could be used to judge the bus-metro interaction type.
Case-Base Maintenance: An Approach Based on Active Semi-Supervised Learning
Authors: Chebli Asma , Djebbar Akila , Merouani Hayet Farida , Lounis Hakim
Published: May 2021

Case-Base Maintenance (CBM) becomes of great importance when implementing a Computer-Aided Diagnostic (CAD) system using Case-Based Reasoning (CBR). Since it is essential for the learning to avoid the case-base degradation, this work aims to build and maintain a quality case base while overcoming the difficulty of assembling labeled case bases, traditionally assumed to exist or determined by human experts. The proposed approach takes advantage of large volumes of unlabeled data to select valuable cases to add to the case base while monitoring retention to avoid performance degradation and to build a compact quality case base. We use machine learning techniques to cope with this challenge: an Active Semi-Supervised Learning approach is proposed to overcome the bottleneck of scarcity of labeled data. In order to acquire a quality case base, we target its performance criterion. Case selection and retention are assessed according to three combined sampling criteria: informativeness, representativeness, and diversity. We support our approach with empirical evaluations using different benchmark data sets. Based on experimentation, the proposed approach achieves good classification accuracy with a small number of retained cases, using a small training set as a case base.
Adv-Emotion: The Facial Expression Adversarial Attack
Authors: Sun Yudao , Wu Chunhua , Zheng Kangfeng , Niu Xinxin
Published: May 2021

Artificial intelligence is developing rapidly in the direction of intellectualization and humanization. Recent studies have shown the vulnerability of many deep learning models to adversarial examples, but there are fewer studies on adversarial examples attacking facial expression recognition systems. Human–computer interaction requires facial expression recognition, so the security demands of artificial intelligence humanization should be considered. Inspired by facial expression recognition, we want to explore the characteristics of facial expression recognition adversarial examples. In this paper, we are the first to study facial expression adversarial examples (FEAEs) and propose an adversarial attack method on facial expression recognition systems, a novel measurement method on the adversarial hardness of FEAEs, and two evaluation metrics on FEAE transferability. The experimental results illustrate that our approach is superior to other gradient-based attack methods. Finding FEAEs can attack not only facial expression recognition systems but also face recognition systems. The transferability and adversarial hardness of FEAEs can be measured effectively and accurately.
DeepOnKHATT: An End-to-End Arabic Online Handwriting Recognition System
Authors: Alwajih Fakhraddin , Badr Eman , Abdou Sherif , Fahmy Aly
Published: May 2021

The importance of online handwriting recognition technology has steadily increased in recent years. This importance stems from the rapid increase in the number of handheld devices with digital pens and styluses. In addition, a large number of currently available communication software have been designed to support handwriting boards. During the past decade, most innovation in online handwriting recognition technology was geared towards supporting languages using the Latin alphabet. There has been a lack of sufficient development of Arabic online handwriting recognition (AOHR) systems, especially ones that perform recognition at the sentence level. In this paper, we present DeepOnKHATT, an end-to-end AOHR based on bidirectional long short-term memory and the connectionist temporal classification (BLSTM-CTC). DeepOnKHATT is capable of performing recognition at the sentence level in real-time. We evaluated our system utilizing two open access databases: CHAW and Online-KHATT. Our model achieved a 4.08% character error rate (CER) and a 14.65% word error rate (WER) against the CHAW dataset and a 12.24% CER and a 28.35% WER against the Online-KHATT dataset. A Comparison of the functionality of our proposed model to that of other existing systems showed that DeepOnKHATT had outperformed these systems.
Blood Vessel Segmentation Based on the 3D Residual U-Net
Authors: Xin Mulin , Wen Jing , Wang Yi , Yu Wei , Fang Bin , Hu Jun , Xu Yongmei , Linghu Chunhong
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we propose blood vessel segmentation based on the 3D residual U-Net method. First, we integrate the residual block structure into the 3D U-Net. By exploring the influence of adding residual blocks at different positions in the 3D U-Net, we establish a novel and effective 3D residual U-Net. In addition, to address the challenges of pixel imbalance, vessel boundary segmentation, and small vessel segmentation, we develop a new weighted Dice loss function with a better effect than the weighted cross-entropy loss function. When training the model, we adopted a two-stage method from coarse-to-fine. In the fine stage, a local segmentation method of 3D sliding window is added. In the model testing phase, we used the 3D fixed-point method. Furthermore, we employ the 3D morphological closed operation to smooth the surfaces of vessels and volume analysis to remove noise blocks. To verify the accuracy and stability of our method, we compare our method with FCN, 3D DenseNet, and 3D U-Net. The experimental results indicate that our method has higher accuracy and better stability than the other studied methods and that the average Dice coefficients for hepatic veins and portal veins reach 71.7% and 76.5% in the coarse stage and 72.5% and 77.2% in the fine stage, respectively. In order to verify the robustness of the model, we conducted the same comparative experiment on the brain vessel datasets, and the average Dice coefficient reached 87.2%.
A Compact, Dual-Band Antenna with Defected Ground Structure for 5G Applications
Authors: Gupta Surendra Kumar , Bage Amit
Published: May 2021

In this paper, a novel dual-band monopole planar antenna is presented. The antenna is operated in 28/38[Formula: see text]GHz and has a bandwidth of 0.5/0.7[Formula: see text]GHz to operate in 5G frequency bands. Additionally, it exhibits a stable omni-directional radiation pattern with high gain characteristics, which helps to improve the performance of future 5G communication devices. The radiation efficiency achieved more than 94% throughout its operating bands. The numerical analysis has been carried out using a three-dimensional (3D) full-wave electromagnetic solver (ANSYS HFSS). In order to validate the numerical analysis, the proposed antenna has been fabricated and shows a good agreement with simulated results. The antenna has been designed and fabricated on Roger RT/Duroid 5880 dielectric substrate. This paper paves a new idea to design dual-band, simple and miniaturized single-element monopole planar antennas, which would be a good candidate for future millimeter-wave 5G communication systems.
EFFECT OF BODY-BORNE LOAD ON LATERAL TRUNK FLEXION AND ITS RELATION TO KNEE ABDUCTION BIOMECHANICS DURING A SINGLE-LEG CUT
Authors: Cardenas Cesar , Fain Auralea C. , Lobb Nicholas J. , Seymore Kayla D. , Brown Tyler N.
Published: May 2021

Body-borne load reportedly increases incidence of military-related knee injury by altering trunk and lower limb biomechanics. This investigation determined whether body-borne load impacts lateral trunk flexion during a single-leg cut, and whether greater lateral trunk flexion exaggerates knee abduction biomechanics. Thirty-six participants had trunk and knee biomechanics quantified during a single-leg cut with four body-borne loads (20, 25, 30 and 35[Formula: see text]kg). To evaluate the impact of load on lateral trunk flexion and its relation with knee abduction biomechanics, peak stance lateral trunk flexion was submitted to a linear mixed model with load (20, 25, 30, and 35[Formula: see text]kg) and sex (male, female) as fixed effects, and dominant limb peak stance knee abduction joint angle and moment considered as covariates. During the cut, there was a significant sex by load interaction for peak stance lateral trunk flexion ([Formula: see text]), and peak stance lateral trunk flexion angle exhibited a significant association with peak stance knee abduction angle ([Formula: see text]) and moment ([Formula: see text]). Adopting lateral trunk flexion during loaded single-leg cuts may increase knee biomechanics related to ACL injury, but adding load only decreased lateral trunk flexion for female participants and did not further exaggerate knee abduction biomechanics.
An Optimized Logistic Regression Model Based on the Maximum Entropy Estimation Under the Hesitant Fuzzy Environment
Authors: Song Chenyang , Wang Liguo , Xu Zeshui
Published: May 2021

The logistic regression model is one of the most widely used classification models. In some practical situations, few samples and massive uncertain information bring more challenges to the application of the traditional logistic regression. This paper takes advantages of the hesitant fuzzy set (HFS) in depicting uncertain information and develops the logistic regression model under hesitant fuzzy environment. Considering the complexity and uncertainty in the application of this logistic regression, the concept of hesitant fuzzy information flow (HFIF) and the correlation coefficient between HFSs are introduced to determine the main factors. In order to better manage situations with small samples, a new optimized method based on the maximum entropy estimation is also proposed to determine the parameters. Then the Levenberg–Marquardt Algorithm (LMA) under hesitant fuzzy environment is developed to solve the parameter estimation problem with fewer samples and uncertain information in the logistic regression model. A specific implementation process for the optimized logistic regression model based on the maximum entropy estimation under the hesitant fuzzy environment is also provided. Moreover, we apply the proposed model to the prediction problem of Emergency Extreme Air Pollution Event (EEAPE). A comparative analysis and a sensitivity analysis are further conducted to illustrate the advantages of the optimized logistic regression model under hesitant fuzzy environment.
Perturbations of quasi-Newtonian universes in scalar–tensor gravity
Authors: Sami Heba , Abebe Amare
Published: May 2021

In this contribution, we consider the well-known equivalence between [Formula: see text] gravity and Brans–Dicke-type scalar–tensor theories to study the evolution of scalar cosmological perturbations for a class of shear-free cosmological dust models with irrotational fluid flows. We use the [Formula: see text] covariant formalism to present the covariant linearized evolution and constraint equations. We then derive the integrability conditions describing a consistent evolution of the linearized field equations of quasi-Newtonian universes in the modified (scalar–tensor) theory of gravity. Finally, we derive the evolution equations for the density and velocity perturbations of the quasi-Newtonian universe. We apply the harmonic decomposition and explore the behavior of the matter density contrast by considering [Formula: see text] toy models. The growth of the matter density contrast for both short- and long-wavelength modes has been examined by applying certain assumptions of the initial conditions. We then apply the so-called quasi-static approximation to obtain exact solutions on small scales, but the results show that this approximation is not applicable here. Moreover, any small deviation from general relativity and any small change in the initial conditions of the perturbations causes huge orders-of-magnitude deviations from limiting general relativistic results, potentially putting constraints on the modified theory in the quasi-Newtonian cosmologies treatment. Our current work differs from other works in the literature, in that it is the first such work to show quasi-Newtonian cosmologies are unstable to linearized perturbations in modified gravity.
EFFECT OF EFFLUX PUMP INHIBITORS ON ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF FLORFENICOL AGAINST RESISTANT STRAINS OF PORCINE ACTINOBACILLUS PLEUROPNEUMONIAE AND PASTEURELLA MULTOCIDA
Authors: Rattanapanadda Porjai , Kuo Hung-Chih , Hsieh Ming-Kun , Chou Chi-Chung
Published: May 2021

The aim of this study is to investigate whether combinational use of efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) could improve florfenicol (FF) antimicrobial activity. Five EPIs including Carbonyl Cyanide Chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP), omeprazole, Phenylalanine-arginine [Formula: see text]-naphthylamide (PA[Formula: see text]N), reserpine and verapamil were individually combined with FF and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against porcine Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae and Pasteurella multocida were evaluated by the broth microdilution assay. The results indicated that CCCP demonstrated substantial improvement on the antimicrobial activity (FF MIC reduction [Formula: see text] folds) while PAßN showed minimal effect at high concentrations (80–120[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]g/mL). The MICs of FF were further examined with CCCP at 5[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]g/mL against resistant A. pleuropneumoniae and at 2[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]g/mL against resistant P. multocida. With this combination, a total of 75% (6/8) of A. pleuropneumoniae and 100% (8/8) of P. multocida resistant isolates showed significantly reduced ([Formula: see text] folds) FF MICs. In addition, 100% of the 16 resistant bacterial strains carried the floR gene that regulates the phenicol-specific efflux pump (FloR pump). The time kill experiments were used to verify the effect of CCCP demonstrating a bactericidal effect in resistant A. pleuropneumoniae and synergistic effect in resistant P. multocida. In contrast, the FF MICs were not significantly affected in the FF susceptible strains of these two bacteria. These findings suggested that despite small sample sizes, consistent beneficial effects of CCCP were evident such that the combinational use of selective EPI with FF might be an alternative antibacterial strategy against FF resistant A. pleuropneumoniae and P. multocida. The anti-efflux mechanism was indicated, but more researches to further decipher the mechanisms of CCCP’s effects are warranted.
Super domination in trees
Authors: Senthilkumar B. , Venkatakrishnan Y. B. , Kumar H. Naresh
Published: May 2021

Let [Formula: see text] be a simple graph. A set [Formula: see text] is called a super dominating set if for every vertex [Formula: see text], there exist [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text]. The minimum cardinality of a super dominating set of [Formula: see text], denoted by [Formula: see text], is called the super domination number of graph [Formula: see text]. Characterization of trees with [Formula: see text] is presented.
Mechanical properties and deformation behavior of a refractory multiprincipal element alloy under cycle loading
Authors: Peng Jing , Li Fang , Liu Bin , Liu Yong , Fang Qihong , Li Jia , Liaw Peter K.
Published: May 2021

In comparison with the state-of-the-art Ni-based superalloys, refractory multiprincipal element alloys (MPEAs) exhibit considerably higher strengths at temperatures above 1600[Formula: see text]C, which can be a significant potential required in the high demand for aerospace applications. However, the atomic-scale work-hardening behavior of such important materials during low-cycle loading remain unknown. Here, using molecular dynamics simulations, we study the low-cycle fatigue of nanocrystalline refractory multiprincipal element alloy with different grain sizes, to reveal the cyclic deformation, work hardening and damage mechanism. As a result, an extensive grain growth is observed during the cyclic deformation, thus driving the dynamic Hall–Petch strengthening mechanism. For the model with large grain size, the glide of partial dislocations with screw structure can be responsible for the deformation behavior under cyclic loading, and at small grain size the grain growth-coordinated deformation twinning can control the plastic process. The deformation twin boundaries generated during the cyclic loading show high stability, while the remaining high-angle grain boundaries are highly unstable. The initial softening followed by hardening depends upon the dislocation density and grain size. In particular, atomic-scale element segregation occurs after cyclic loading. This study gives a cyclic deformation micromechanism, and thus accelerates the design and development of superior fatigue-resistant refractory multiprincipal element alloy over a wide temperature range.
Insulin action in the brain regulates both central and peripheral functions
Authors: Agrawal Rahul , Reno Candace M. , Sharma Sunny , Christensen Camille , Huang Yiqing , Fisher Simon J.
Published: May 2021

The brain has been traditionally thought to be insensitive to insulin, primarily because insulin does not stimulate glucose uptake/metabolism in the brain (as it does in classic insulin-sensitive tissues such as muscle, liver, and fat). However, over the past 20 years, research in this field has identified unique actions of insulin in the brain. There is accumulating evidence that insulin crosses into the brain and regulates central nervous system functions such as feeding, depression, and cognitive behavior. In addition, insulin acts in the brain to regulate systemic functions such as hepatic glucose production, lipolysis, lipogenesis, reproductive competence, and the sympathoadrenal response to hypoglycemia. Decrements in brain insulin action (or brain insulin resistance) can be observed in obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2DM), aging, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), indicating a possible link between metabolic and cognitive health. Here, we describe recent findings on the pleiotropic actions of insulin in the brain and highlight the precise sites, specific neuronal population, and roles for supportive astrocytic cells through which insulin acts in the brain. In addition, we also discuss how boosting brain insulin action could be a therapeutic option for people at an increased risk of developing metabolic and cognitive diseases such as AD and T2DM. Overall, this perspective article serves to highlight some of these key scientific findings, identify unresolved issues, and indicate future directions of research in this field that would serve to improve the lives of people with metabolic and cognitive dysfunctions.
Chronic jetlag-induced alterations in pancreatic diurnal gene expression
Authors: Schwartz Patrick B. , Walcheck Morgan T. , Berres Mark , Nukaya Manabu , Wu Gang , Carrillo Noah D. , Matkowskyj Kristina A. , Ronnekleiv-Kelly Sean M.
Published: May 2021

Cell-autonomous circadian clocks exist in nearly every organ and function to maintain homeostasis through a complex series of transcriptional-translational feedback loops. The response of these peripheral clocks to external perturbations, such as chronic jetlag and shift work, has been extensively investigated. However, an evaluation of the effects of chronic jetlag on the mouse pancreatic transcriptome is still lacking. Herein, we report an evaluation of the diurnal variations encountered in the pancreatic transcriptome following exposure to an established chronic jetlag protocol. We found approximately 5.4% of the pancreatic transcriptome was rhythmic. Following chronic jetlag, we found the number of rhythmic transcripts decreased to approximately 3.6% of the transcriptome. Analysis of the core clock genes, which orchestrate circadian physiology, revealed that nearly all exhibited a shift in the timing of peak gene expression—known as a phase shift. Similarly, over 95% of the rhythmically expressed genes in the pancreatic transcriptome exhibited a phase shift, many of which were found to be important for metabolism. Evaluation of the genes involved in pancreatic exocrine secretion and insulin signaling revealed many pancreas-specific genes were also rhythmically expressed and several displayed a concomitant phase shift with chronic jetlag. Phase differences were found 9 days after normalization, indicating a persistent failure to reentrain to the new light-dark cycle. This study is the first to evaluate the endogenous pancreatic clock and rhythmic gene expression in whole pancreas over 48 h, and how the external perturbation of chronic jetlag affects the rhythmic expression of genes in the pancreatic transcriptome.
Periodic Cycles of Eyewall Convection Limit the Rapid Intensification of Typhoon Hato (2017)
Authors: Fang Rong , Chen Shumin , Zhou Mingsen , Li Weibiao , Xiao Hui , Zhan Tang , Wu Yusi , Liu Haoya , Tu Chaoyong
Published: May 2021

The ability to forecast tropical cyclone (TC) intensity has improved modestly in recent years, partly because of an inadequate understanding of eyewall convection processes. Short-term periodic convection activities (period: 3–5 h) have been identified in a number of TCs, but the effect of these activities on the evolution of TC intensity at the hourly scale is yet to be fully investigated. Using radar observations and a high-resolution numerical simulation based on the Weather Research and Forecasting model, we analyzed the periodic cycles of eyewall convection associated with the intensification of Typhoon Hato (2017). Results indicate the presence of four short-term periodic cycles (period: 3–5 h) in the eyewall convection, which correspond to TC intensification. We further divided each cycle into three stages. The periodic evolution of convection inhibited the rapid intensification of the TC. The highest and lowest intensification rates were associated with the first and third stages according to the virtual potential temperature tendency in the eyewall region, respectively. Heating was dominated by the vertical advection associated with sensible heat and latent heat, which were controlled by the eyewall convection and structure. Of the three stages in each cycle, the vertical transport released the largest amount of latent heat in the first stage; consequently, the highest intensification rate occurred in this stage. In the second stage, heating was reduced because of decreased latent heat and increased cooling of sensible heat associated with vertical advection as the eyewall intensified. Vertical transport was the weakest in the third stage; this resulted in the smallest amount of heating, which limited the rapid intensification of the TC.
Influence of Restrainer Piers on the Seismic Performance of Long Bridges with Equal-Height Piers
Authors: Luo Yuhu , Li Yongguang , Wang Xu , Lu Guangping
Published: May 2021

Pounding may occur between the main girders under the action of strong earthquakes, so as between main girders and abutments. This causes excessive longitudinal displacement of the main girder and unseating damage to bridges. Because long bridges in mountainous areas with high intensity are easy to unseat, the authors studied the influence of restrainer piers, expansion joint spacings (EJSs), and the span on the seismic performance of long bridges. The ABAQUS finite element software was used to simulate a bridge dynamic analysis model considering the elastoplasticity of the pounding effect of the pier and the beam. By inputting El-Centro, Northbridge, and Taft seismic waves, the time-history analysis of the seismic response of long bridges was carried out. The results indicated that a reasonable number of restrainer piers, an appropriate EJS, and a span could effectively reduce the maximum relative displacement of pier-beams. This behavior will improve the seismic performance of bridge structures. Moreover, for a 24-span equal-height beam bridge, the optimum seismic effect was obtained when 3 restrainer piers, an EJS of 70 mm, and a 50 m span were used.
Association between Maternal Dietary Diversity and Low Birth Weight in Central India: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Sharma Shantanu , Maheshwari Sonali , Mehra Sunil
Published: May 2021

Low birth weight (LBW) is one of the major public health challenges in India. LBW etiology is multifactorial and linked to multiple determinants, including maternal undernutrition and sociodemographic characteristics. The objective of the present endeavor was to assess how maternal dietary diversity and other sociodemographic factors among marginalized populations are associated with the incidence of LBW. The study was a part of the community-based intervention that aimed to improve maternal and child health in the Morena district of Madhya Pradesh, a state in central India. In this case-control study, cases were defined as mothers with an LBW child (<2500 grams) and controls as mothers without an LBW child. A quantitative survey was done with women of reproductive age, having at least one child aged 0–24 months. We calculated the dietary diversity based on the number of food groups consumed during pregnancy by women on a daily basis. Stepwise logistic regression models were built to test for associations between sociodemographic and dietary diversity variables and LBW incidence. There were 157 mothers with and 214 without an LBW child. Women’s diets mainly consisted of grains, such as wheat, rice, maize, and roots and tubers. Eggs and meat were consumed by less than 1% of the women. There were 20% lesser chances of an LBW child with increasing maternal dietary diversity scores (odds ratio: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.65, 0.96). The poor maternal diet quality during pregnancy may result in adverse birth outcomes with long-term consequences in a child.
Investigation of ANN Architecture for Predicting Load‐Carrying Capacity of Castellated Steel Beams
Authors: Nguyen Thuy-Anh , Ly Hai-Bang , Tran Van Quan
Published: May 2021

Castellated steel beams (CSB) are an attractive option for the steel construction industry thanks to outstanding advantages, such as the ability to exceed large span, lightweight, and allowing flexible arrangement of the technical pipes through beams. In addition, the complex localized and global failures characterizing these structural members have led researchers to focus on the development of efficient design guidelines. This paper aims to propose an artificial neural network (ANN) model with optimal architecture to predict the load‐carrying capacity of CSB with a scheme of the simple beam bearing load located at the center of the beam. The ANN model is built with 9 input variables, which are essential parameters equivalent to the geometrical properties and mechanical properties of the material, such as the overall depth of the castellated beam, the vertical projection of the inclined side of the opening, the web thickness, the flange width, the flange thickness, the width of web post at middepth, the horizontal projection of inclined side of the opening, the minimum web yield stress, and the minimum flange yield stress. The output variable is the load‐carrying capacity of the CSB. With the optimal ANN architecture [9‐1‐1] containing one hidden layer, the performance of the ANN model is evaluated based on statistical criteria such as R2, RMSE, and MAE. The results show that the optimal ANN model is a highly effective predictor of the load‐carrying capacity of the CSB with the best value of R2 = 0.989, RMSE = 3.328, and MAE = 2.620 for the testing part. The ANN model seems to be the best algorithm of machine learning for predicting the CSB load‐carrying capacity.
Intelligent SLA-Aware VM Allocation and Energy Minimization Approach with EPO Algorithm for Cloud Computing Environment
Authors: Samriya Jitendra Kumar , Chandra Patel Subhash , Khurana Manju , Tiwari Pradeep Kumar , Cheikhrouhou Omar
Published: May 2021

Cloud computing is the most prominent established framework; it offers access to resources and services based on large-scale distributed processing. An intensive management system is required for the cloud environment, and it should gather information about all phases of task processing and ensuring fair resource provisioning through the levels of Quality of Service (QoS). Virtual machine allocation is a major issue in the cloud environment that contributes to energy consumption and asset utilization in distributed cloud computing. Subsequently, in this paper, a multiobjective Emperor Penguin Optimization (EPO) algorithm is proposed to allocate the virtual machines with power utilization in a heterogeneous cloud environment. The proposed method is analyzed to make it suitable for virtual machines in the data center through Binary Gravity Search Algorithm (BGSA), Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). To compare with other strategies, EPO is energy-efficient and there are significant differences. The results of the proposed system have been evaluated through the JAVA simulation platform. The exploratory outcome presents that the proposed EPO-based system is very effective in limiting energy consumption, SLA violation (SLAV), and enlarging QoS requirements for giving capable cloud service.