bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adipocyte-derived exosomes may promote breast cancer progression in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Jafari Naser , Kolla Manohar , Meshulam Tova , Shafran Jordan S. , Qiu Yuhan , Casey Allison N. , Pompa Isabella R. , Ennis Christina S. , Mazzeo Carla S. , Rabhi Nabil , Farmer Stephen R. , Denis Gerald V.
Published: November 2021

Exosomes from insulin-resistant adipocytes induce changes in breast cancer cells that promote metastasis.
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Infection Disturbs the Mitochondrial Network, Leading to Type I Interferon Production through the RNA Polymerase III/RIG-I Pathway
Authors: Berry Noémie , Suspène Rodolphe , Caval Vincent , Khalfi Pierre , Beauclair Guillaume , Rigaud Stéphane , Blanc Hervé , Vignuzzi Marco , Wain-Hobson Simon , Vartanian Jean-Pierre
Published: November 2021

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) impairs the mitochondrial network through the viral protein UL12.5. This leads to the fusion of mitochondria and simultaneous release of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in a mouse model.
A Histoplasma capsulatum Lipid Metabolic Map Identifies Antifungal Targets
Authors: Zamith-Miranda Daniel , Heyman Heino M. , Burnet Meagan C. , Couvillion Sneha P. , Zheng Xueyun , Munoz Nathalie , Nelson William C. , Kyle Jennifer E. , Zink Erika M. , Weitz Karl K. , Bloodsworth Kent J. , Clair Geremy , Zucker Jeremy D. , Teuton Jeremy R. , Payne Samuel H. , Kim Young-Mo , Reyes Gil Morayma , Baker Erin S. , Bredeweg Erin L. , Nosanchuk Joshua D. , Nakayasu Ernesto S.
Published: November 2021

It is estimated that 150 people die per hour due to the insufficient therapeutic treatments to combat fungal infections. A major hurdle to developing antifungal therapies is the scarce knowledge on the fungal metabolic pathways and mechanisms of virulence.
Topology and Contribution to the Pore Channel Lining of Plasma Membrane-Embedded Shigella flexneri Type 3 Secretion Translocase IpaB
Authors: Chen Poyin , Russo Brian C. , Duncan-Lowey Jeffrey K. , Bitar Natasha , Egger Keith T. , Goldberg Marcia B.
Published: November 2021

Type 3 secretion systems are nanomachines employed by many bacteria, including
Shigella
, which deliver into human cells bacterial virulence proteins that alter cellular function in ways that promote infection. Delivery of
Shigella
virulence proteins occurs through a pore formed in human cell membranes by the IpaB and IpaC proteins.
A Selective Tether Recruits Activated Response Regulator CheB to Its Chemoreceptor Substrate
Authors: Li Mingshan , Xu Xianjin , Zou Xiaoqin , Hazelbauer Gerald L.
Published: November 2021

Two-component signal transduction systems are a primary means by which bacteria sense and respond to their environment. Response regulators are key components of these systems.
Supplemental Material: Crustal thickness of the Grenville orogen: A Mesoproterozoic Tibet?
Authors: Brudner Adam , Chu Xu , al. et
Published: November 2021

Brief review of Grenville geology, analytical methods, data reduction, and datasets.
Carbon Dioxide Flux at the Water–Air Boundary at the Continental Slope in the Kara Sea
Authors: Polukhin A. A. , Flint M. V. , Belikov I. B. , Gusak G. V. , Kazakova U. A. , Muravya V. O. , Pankratova N. V. , Pronina Yu. O. , Skorokhod A. I. , Chultsova A. L. , Shchuka A. S.
Published: November 2021

The values and direction of carbon dioxide flux in the area of the continental slope in the north of the Kara Sea (St. Anna Trough) are calculated based on field studies in 2020 within the Siberian Arctic Sea Ecosystems program. The existence of a stable frontal zone in this area has been confirmed, which is formed by an alongslope current and limits the northward spread of surface waters freshened by the continental runoff. The simultaneous analysis of the carbonate system in the upper sea layer and the CO2 concentration in the surface air layer shows the CO2 flux with a rate of 0.2 to 22 mmol/m2 day to be directed from the atmosphere into the water in the area of the outer shelf, which is affected by the river runoff, and in the area of the continental slope, which is beyond this effect. The highest rates of CO2 absorption by the sea surface layer are localized above the continental slope. Local processes in the area of the slope frontal zone determine the CO2 emission into the atmosphere with a rate of 0.34 mmol/m2 day.
The impact of war on the health system of the Tigray region in Ethiopia: an assessment
Authors: Gesesew Hailay , Berhane Kiros , Siraj Elias S , Siraj Dawd , Gebregziabher Mulugeta , Gebre Yemane Gebremariam , Gebreslassie Samuel Aregay , Amdeslassie Fasika , Tesema Azeb Gebresilassie , Siraj Amir , Aregawi Maru , Gezahegn Selome , Tesfay Fisaha Haile
Published: November 2021

The war in Tigray region of Ethiopia that started in November 2020 and is still ongoing has brought enormous damage to the health system. This analysis provides an assessment of the health system before and during the war. Evidence of damage was compiled from November 2020 to June 2021 from various reports by the interim government of Tigray, and also by international non-governmental organisations. Comparison was made with data from the prewar calendar year. Six months into the war, only 27.5% of hospitals, 17.5% of health centres, 11% of ambulances and none of the 712 health posts were functional. As of June 2021, the population in need of emergency food assistance in Tigray increased from less than one million to over 5.2 million. While the prewar performance of antenatal care, supervised delivery, postnatal care and children vaccination was 94%, 73%, 63% and 73%, respectively, but none of the services were likely to be delivered in the first 90 days of the war. These data indicate a widespread destruction of livelihoods and a collapse of the healthcare system. The widespread use of hunger and rape during the brutal war and the targeting of healthcare facilities seem to be key components of the war. To avert worsening conditions, an immediate intervention is needed to deliver food and supplies and rehabilitate the healthcare delivery system and infrastructure.
Science, healthcare system, and government effectiveness perception and COVID-19 vaccination acceptance and hesitancy in a global sample: an analytical cross-sectional analysis
Authors: Dye Timothy D , Barbosu Monica , Siddiqi Shazia , Pérez Ramos José G , Murphy Hannah , Alcántara Lisette , Pressman Eva
Published: November 2021

Background

Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance are complex; how perceptions of the effectiveness of science, healthcare and government impact personal COVID-19 vaccine acceptance is unclear, despite all three domains providing critical roles in development, funding and provision, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccine.

Objective

To estimate impact of perception of science, healthcare systems, and government along with sociodemographic, psychosocial, and cultural characteristics on vaccine acceptance.

Design

We conducted a global nested analytical cross-sectional study of how the perceptions of healthcare, government and science systems have impacted COVID-19 on vaccine acceptance.

Setting

Global Facebook, Instagram and Amazon Mechanical Turk (mTurk) users from 173 countries.

Participants

7411 people aged 18 years or over, and able to read English, Spanish, Italian, or French.

Measurements

We used Χ2analysis and logistic regression-derived adjusted Odds Ratios (aORs) and 95% CIs to evaluate the relationship between effectiveness perceptions and vaccine acceptance controlling for other factors. We used natural language processing and thematic analysis to analyse the role of vaccine-related narratives in open-ended explanations of effectiveness.

Results

After controlling for confounding, attitude toward science was a strong predictor of vaccine acceptance, more so than other attitudes, demographic, psychosocial or COVID-19-related variables (aOR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.8 to 2.5). The rationale for science effectiveness was dominated by vaccine narratives, which were uncommon in other domains.

Limitations

This study did not include participants from countries where Facebook and Amazon mTurk are not available, and vaccine acceptance reflected intention rather than actual behaviour.

Conclusions

As our findings show, vaccine-related issues dominate public perception of science’s impact around COVID-19, and this perception of science relates strongly to the decision to obtain vaccination once available.
Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in a vulnerable population in France: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Beaumont Adeline , Durand Cécile , Ledrans Martine , Schwoebel Valérie , Noel Harold , Le Strat Yann , Diulius Donatien , Colombain Léa , Médus Marie , Gueudet Philippe , Mouly Damien , Aumaître Hugues
Published: November 2021

Objectives

We aimed to assess the level of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection in socially deprived neighbourhoods after the first wave of the pandemic, and to identify factors associated with seropositivity.

Design

A cross-sectional study.

Setting

Three socially deprived neighbourhoods of the city of Perpignan, in the south of France, where large settled Roma communities live.

Participants

People aged 6 years old or over, living in the study area. 700 people were included in the study using two-stage stratified sampling design.

Interventions

The study included a questionnaire and SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing by the Roche Elecsys immunoassay between 29 June and 17 July 2020.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalence was estimated from weighted data. Associated factors and reported symptoms were investigated using univariable and multivariable logistic regressions.

Results

The seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 35.4% (95% CI 30.2% to 41.0%). People aged 15–64 years old had increased odds of being seropositive than those aged 65 years or over. Obese people had higher odds of being seropositive (adjusted OR (aOR)=2.0, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.8). The odds of being seropositive were higher in households with clinical COVID-19 cases (one case: aOR=2.5, 95% CI 1.3 to 5.0; several cases: aOR=6.9, 95% CI 3.1 to 15.2). In the neighbourhood with the highest measured seroprevalence, people living in a dwelling with one to two rooms had higher odds of being seropositive than those living in a four-room house (aOR=2.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 6.3). Working during the lockdown was associated with lower odds of being seropositive (aOR=0.2, 95% CI 0.03 to 1.0).

Conclusion

Transmission of SARS-COV-2 in this vulnerable population was very high during the COVID-19 pandemic’s first wave. Our results highlight the need to strengthen and adapt preventive measures taking into account all social determinants of health, especially housing conditions.
Advance care planning dashboard: quality indicators and usability testing
Authors: Xiao Jingjie , Simon Jessica , Wityk Martin Tracy Lynn , Biondo Patricia , Fassbender Konrad
Published: November 2021

Objective

Advance care planning (ACP) and goals of care designation (GCD) performance indicators were developed and implemented across Alberta, Canada, and have been used to populate an electronic ACP/GCD dashboard. The study objective was to investigate whether users found the indicators and dashboard usable and acceptable.

Methods

This study employed a survey among a convenience sample of ACP/GCD community of practice members. The survey included questions on demographics, clinical practices and a validated usability questionnaire for the dashboard, System Usability Scale (SUS).

Results

Eighteen of 33 community of practice members (54.5%) answered the survey. Half of participants had a leadership or management role for ≥10 years. Most respondents (55.6%) had access to the ACP/GCD dashboard, and various ACP/GCD audit resources were used. Mean SUS was 70.83 (SD 19.72), which was above the threshold for acceptability (68). Approximately three-quarters of respondents (72.7%) found the indicators informative and meaningful for their practice, and over half (54.5%) were willing to use the dashboard and/or indicators to change their ACP/GCD practice.

Conclusion

The nine indicators and dashboard were acceptable and usable for monitoring ACP/GCD performance. This set of indicators shows promise for describing and evaluating ACP/GCD uptake throughout a complex, multisector healthcare system.
Non-cardiac surgery in patients with valvular heart disease
Authors: Sorrentino Regina , Santoro Ciro , Bardi Luca , Rigolin Vera , Gentile Federico
Published: November 2021

In patients with significant valvular heart disease (VHD) undergoing non-cardiac surgery (NCS), perioperative adverse cardiac events are a relevant issue. Although postoperative outcomes can be adversely affected by valve-related haemodynamic instability, recommended perioperative risk scores prioritise the risk of the surgical procedure and the presence of cardiovascular risk factors, neglecting the presence or extent of VHD. Perioperative management and anaesthetic approach should focus on the underlying type and severity of VHD, the compensatory mechanisms deployed by left ventricle and right ventricle and the type and risk of NCS. Due to the lack of randomised trials investigating different therapeutic approaches of valvular intervention prior to NCS, recommendations mainly rely on consensus opinion and inference based on large observational registries. As a general rule, valvular intervention is recommended prior to NCS in symptomatic patients or in those who meet standard criteria for cardiac intervention. In the absence of such conditions, it is reasonable to perform NCS with tailored anaesthetic management and close invasive perioperative haemodynamic monitoring. However, patient-specific management strategies should be discussed with the heart team preoperatively. Symptomatic patients with severe VHD or those undergoing high-risk NCS should ideally be treated at a high-volume medical centre that is equipped to manage haemodynamically complex patients during the perioperative period.
δCP for leptons and a new take on CP physics with the FSM
Authors: Bordes José , Chan Hong-Mo , Tsou Sheung Tsun
Published: November 2021

A bonus of the framed Standard Model (FSM), constructed initially to explain the mass and mixing patterns of quarks and leptons, is a solution (without axions) of the strong CP problem by cancelling the theta-angle term [Formula: see text] in colour a by a chiral transformation on a quark zero mode which is inherent in FSM, and produces thereby a CP-violating phase in the CKM matrix similar in size to what is observed.1 Extending here to flavour, one finds that there are two terms proportional to [Formula: see text]: (a) in the action from flavour instantons with unknown coefficient, say [Formula: see text], (b) induced by the above FSM solution to the strong CP-problem with therefore known coefficient [Formula: see text]. Both terms can be cancelled in the FSM by a chiral transformation on the lepton zero mode to give a Jarlskog invariant [Formula: see text] in the PMNS matrix for leptons of order [Formula: see text], as is hinted by the experiment. But if, as suggested in Ref. 2, the term [Formula: see text] is to be cancelled by a chiral transformation in the predicted hidden sector to solve the strong CP problem therein, leaving only the term [Formula: see text] to be cancelled by the chiral transformation on leptons, then the following prediction results: [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] which is (i) of the right order, (ii) of the right sign and (iii) in the range favoured by the present experiment. Together with the earlier result for quarks, this offers an attractive unified treatment of all known CP physics.

a We use [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] here to denote, respectively the [Formula: see text], flavour [Formula: see text] and colour [Formula: see text] gauge fields.
Machine learning approach for the search of resonances with topological features at the Large Hadron Collider
Authors: Dahbi Salah-Eddine , Choma Joshua , Mokgatitswane Gaogalalwe , Ruan Xifeng , Lieberman Benjamin , Mellado Bruce , Celik Turgay
Published: November 2021

The observation of resonances is unequivocal evidence of new physics beyond the Standard Model at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). So far, inclusive and model-dependent searches have not provided evidence of new resonances, indicating these could be driven by subtle topologies. Here, we use machine learning techniques based on weak supervision to perform searches. Weak supervision based on mixed samples can be used to search for resonances with little or no prior knowledge of the production mechanism. Also, it offers the advantage that sidebands or control regions can be used to effectively model backgrounds with minimal reliance on simulations. However, weak supervision alone is found to be highly inefficient in identifying corners of the multi-dimensional space of interest. Instead, we propose an approach to search for new resonances that involves a classification procedure that is signature and topology based. A combination of weak supervision with Deep Neural Network algorithms is applied following this classification. The performance of this strategy is evaluated on the production of SM Higgs boson decaying to a pair of photons inclusively and in exclusive regions of phase space tailored for specific production modes at the LHC. After verifying the ability of the methodology to extract different SM Higgs boson signal mechanisms, a search for new phenomena in high-mass final states is set up for the LHC.
Complex Dynamics of a Four-Dimensional Circuit System
Authors: Wang Haijun , Fan Hongdan , Pan Jun
Published: November 2021

Combining qualitative analysis and numerical technique, the present work revisits a four-dimensional circuit system in [Ma et al., 2016] and mainly reveals some of its rich dynamics not yet investigated: pitchfork bifurcation, Hopf bifurcation, singularly degenerate heteroclinic cycle, globally exponentially attractive set, invariant algebraic surface and heteroclinic orbit. The main contributions of the work are summarized as follows: Firstly, it is proved that there exists a globally exponentially attractive set with three different exponential rates by constructing a suitable Lyapunov function. Secondly, the existence of a pair of heteroclinic orbits is also proved by utilizing two different Lyapunov functions. Finally, numerical simulations not only are consistent with theoretical results, but also illustrate potential existence of hidden attractors in its Lorenz-type subsystem, singularly degenerate heteroclinic cycles with distinct geometrical structures and nearby hyperchaotic attractors in the case of small [Formula: see text], i.e. hyperchaotic attractors and nearby pseudo singularly degenerate heteroclinic cycles, i.e. a short-duration transient of singularly degenerate heteroclinic cycles approaching infinity, or the true ones consisting of normally hyperbolic saddle-foci (or saddle-nodes) and stable node-foci, giving some kind of forming mechanism of hyperchaos.
Bifurcations of Nonlinear Waves in the Generalized KdV–mKdV-Like Equation
Authors: Chen Yiren , Chen Wensheng
Published: November 2021

Using bifurcation analytic method of dynamical systems, we investigate the nonlinear waves and their bifurcations of the generalized KdV–mKdV-like equation. We obtain the following results : (i) Three types of new explicit expressions of nonlinear waves are obtained. They are trigonometric expressions, exp-function expressions, and hyperbolic expressions. (ii) Under different parameteric conditions, these expressions represent different waves, such as solitary waves, kink waves, 1-blow-up waves, 2-blow-up waves, smooth periodic waves and periodic blow-up waves. (iii) Two kinds of new interesting bifurcation phenomena are revealed. The first phenomenon is that the single-sided periodic blow-up waves can bifurcate from double-sided periodic blow-up waves. The second phenomenon is that the double-sided 1-blow-up waves can bifurcate from 2-blow-up waves.

Furthermore, we show that the new expressions encompass many existing results.
Boundedness of planar jump discontinuities for homogeneous hyperbolic systems
Authors: Rauch Jeffrey
Published: November 2021

Suppose that [Formula: see text] is a homogeneous constant coefficient strongly hyperbolic partial differential operator on [Formula: see text] and that [Formula: see text] is a characteristic hyperplane. Suppose that in a conic neighborhood of the conormal variety of [Formula: see text], the characteristic variety of [Formula: see text] is the graph of a real analytic function [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] identically equal to zero or the maximal possible value [Formula: see text]. Suppose that the source function [Formula: see text] is compactly supported in [Formula: see text] and piecewise smooth with singularities only on [Formula: see text]. Then the solution of [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text] is uniformly bounded on [Formula: see text]. Typically when [Formula: see text] on the conormal variety, the sup norm of the jump in the gradient of [Formula: see text] across [Formula: see text] grows linearly with [Formula: see text].
WKB expansions for weakly well-posed hyperbolic boundary value problems in a strip: Time depending loss of derivatives
Authors: Benoit Antoine
Published: November 2021

We are interested in geometric optics expansions for linear hyperbolic systems of equations defined in the strip [Formula: see text]. More precisely the aim of this paper is to describe the influence of the boundary conditions on the behavior of the solution. This question has already been addressed in [A. Benoit, Wkb expansions for hyperbolic boundary value problems in a strip: Selfinteraction meets strong well-posedness, J. Inst. Math. Jussieu 19(5) (2020) 1629–1675] for stable boundary conditions. Here we do not require that the boundary conditions lead to strongly well-posed problems but only to weakly well-posed problems (that is loss(es) of derivatives are possible). The question is thus to determine what can be the minimal loss of derivatives in the energy estimate of the solution. The main result of this paper is to show, thanks to geometric optics expansions, that if the strip problem admits a boundary in the so-called [Formula: see text]-class of [S. Benzoni-Gavage, F. Rousset, D. Serre and K. Zumbrun, Generic types and transitions in hyperbolic initial-boundary-value problems, Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinburgh Sect. A 132(5) (2002) 1073–1104] then the loss of derivatives shall be at least increasing with the time of resolution. More precisely this loss is bounded by below by a step function increasing with respect to time which depends on the minimal time needed to perform a full regeneration of the wave packet.
Adversarial Machine Learning in Image Classification: A Survey Toward the Defender’s Perspective
Authors: Machado Gabriel Resende , Silva Eugênio , Goldschmidt Ronaldo Ribeiro
Published: November 2021

Deep Learning algorithms have achieved state-of-the-art performance for Image Classification. For this reason, they have been used even in security-critical applications, such as biometric recognition systems and self-driving cars. However, recent works have shown those algorithms, which can even surpass human capabilities, are vulnerable to adversarial examples. In Computer Vision, adversarial examples are images containing subtle perturbations generated by malicious optimization algorithms to fool classifiers. As an attempt to mitigate these vulnerabilities, numerous countermeasures have been proposed recently in the literature. However, devising an efficient defense mechanism has proven to be a difficult task, since many approaches demonstrated to be ineffective against adaptive attackers. Thus, this article aims to provide all readerships with a review of the latest research progress on Adversarial Machine Learning in Image Classification, nevertheless, with a defender’s perspective. This article introduces novel taxonomies for categorizing adversarial attacks and defenses, as well as discuss possible reasons regarding the existence of adversarial examples. In addition, relevant guidance is also provided to assist researchers when devising and evaluating defenses. Finally, based on the reviewed literature, this article suggests some promising paths for future research.
Impact of Charging and Charging Rate on Thermal Runaway Behaviors of Lithium-Ion Cells
Authors: Ouyang Dongxu , Weng Jingwen , Chen Mingyi , Wang Jian
Published: November 2021

The present work carries out a series of thermal runaway experiments to explore the impact of charging and charging rate on the thermal runaway behaviors of lithium-ion cells, in which five charging rates (0 C, 0.5 C, 1 C, 2 C and 4 C) and three initial states of charge (SOC), i.e. 25%, 50% and 75% are included. The thermal runaway process of 18650 lithium-ion cells induced by over-heating usually consists of seven stages, and is accompanied with high-temperature, fire and toxicity risks. The internal morphology of cells and the micro features of cell materials are seriously damaged after thermal runaway. Charging aggravates the thermal runaway behavior of cells, which is further exhibited as the earlier occurrence of safety vent opening, gas releasing and thermal runaway. Moreover, the severity deteriorates as the charging rate increases (the larger the charging rate, the earlier and more severe the thermal runway), which may be ascribed to the growth of cell SOC and the decline of cell stability under charging. This phenomenon is especially apparent for the cell with a high initial SOC where a more dramatic-rising α (the advancement ratio of critical times for thermal runaway due to charging) is observed.
Electrochemical Performance of Delafossite, AgFeO2: A Pseudo-Capacitive Electrode in Neutral Aqueous Na2SO4 Electrolyte
Authors: Singh Abhay Narayan , Mondal Rakesh , Rath Chandana , Singh Preetam
Published: November 2021

Layered delafossite AgFeO2 with open channel structure is envisaged as a pseudo capacitor electrode using Fe2+/Fe3+ redox couple. A simple co-precipitation method was employed for the phase formation of delafossite AgFeO2 resulting in a mixture of 2H and 3R-phase. Phase tuning of 2H phase was done by controlling the calcination conditions and characterizing by powder XRD, FT-IR, and Raman methods. 2H AgFeO2 was used to synthesize as a majority phase because it have the larger inter layer spacing than 3R phase shown. HRTEM study confirms the formation 2H phase in majority. All of the synthesized samples exhibit predominantly faradic battery-type redox behavior along with surface charge storage. Flower like microarchitectures of AgFeO2 show outstanding electrochemical performance with high specific capacity of 110.4 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 current density, that retained up to 89% after 2000th times charge/discharge in 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte. In an asymmetric device mode, AFO-400//AC full cell exhibits superior electrochemical performance by delivering high energy density (33.5 Wh kg−1) and high power density (454.3 W kg−1) with excellent cycling stability (86% retention after 2000th cycles). The results clearly demonstrate that the synthesized delafossite AgFeO2 containing mixture of 2H and 3R-phases have remarkable potential to be used as a negative electrode material for supercapacitor and other energy storage technologies.
Factors Affecting E-Shopping Behaviour: Application of Theory of Planned Behaviour
Authors: Tang Honglei , Rasool Zeeshan , Khan Mohsin Ali , Khan Ahmad Imran , Khan Farooq , Ali Hina , Khan Anum Afzal , Abbas Syed Arslan
Published: November 2021

E-shopping is a rapidly growing phenomenon among different individuals who intend to shop online. However, a trust deficit in the E-shopping environment has always been a critical issue in the brick-and-click mode of shopping, being one of the main reasons for E-cart abandonment in E-commerce. This empirical study is aimed at investigating the perceived effect of website trust on E-shopping intentions and behaviour, drawing upon the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires from working adults who shop for garments online. Structural equation modelling was used to evaluate the model fit and assumptions. Our findings suggest that website trust and E-shopping attitude play substantial roles in building E-shopping intentions and actual behaviours. Both are the significant predictors of the behaviour mediated by E-shopping intentions. However, E-shopping intentions did not mediate between subjective norms and E-shopping behaviour, when working adults decide to purchase garments online.
Establishment and Validation of a Gene Signature-Based Prognostic Model to Improve Survival Prediction in Adrenocortical Carcinoma Patients
Authors: Ge Xiaoqin , Liu Zhenzhen , Jiao Xuehua , Yin Xueyan , Wang Xiujie , Li Gengxu
Published: November 2021

Background. The current guideline for the management of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is insufficient for accurate risk prediction to guide adjuvant therapy. Given frequent and severe therapeutic side effects, a better estimate of survival is warranted for risk-specific assignment to adjuvant treatment. We attempted to construct an integrated model based on a prognostic gene signature and clinicopathological features to improve risk stratification and survival prediction in ACC. Methods. Using a series of bioinformatic and statistical approaches, a gene-expression signature was established and validated in two independent cohorts. By combining the signature with clinicopathological features, a decision tree was generated to improve risk stratification, and a nomogram was constructed to personalize risk prediction. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (tROC) and calibration analysis were performed to evaluate the predictive power and accuracy. Results. A three-gene signature could discriminate high-risk patients well in both training and validation cohorts. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated the signature to be an independent predictor of overall survival. The decision tree could identify risk subgroups powerfully, and the nomogram showed high accuracy of survival prediction. Particularly, expression of a gene hitherto unknown to be dysregulated in ACC, TIGD1, was shown to be prognostically relevant. Conclusion. We propose a novel gene signature to guide decision-making about adjuvant therapy in ACC. The score shows unprecedented survival prediction and hence constitutes a huge step towards personalized management. As a secondary important finding, we report the discovery and validation of a new oncogene, TIGD1, which was consistently overexpressed in ACC. TIGD1 might shed further light on the biology of ACC and might give rise to targeted therapies that not only apply to ACC but potentially also to other malignancies.
Detection of OqxAB Efflux Pumps, a Multidrug-Resistant Agent in Bacterial Infection in Patients Referring to Teaching Hospitals in Ahvaz, Southwest of Iran
Authors: Moosavian Mojtaba , Khoshkholgh Sima Mahtab , Ahmad Khosravi Nazanin , Abbasi Montazeri Effat
Published: November 2021

Antibiotic resistance mechanisms in Enterobacteriaceae are causative agents of global health problems. Bacterial infections due to multidrug resistance (MDR) may be mediated by the overexpression of efflux pumps. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of oqxA and oqxB genes as two encoding agents of efflux pumps and the determination of antibiotic resistance rate in clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae. In this study, 100 Enterobacteriaceae isolates collected from different clinical specimens of infectious patients, such as wounds, urine, blood, discharge, and abscesses except stool, were examined. Identification of the isolates was performed using standard biochemical tests such as TSI, citrate, urea, lysine, SIM, MR-VP, and gas production. The antimicrobial susceptibility test was carried out by the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method according to CLSI guidelines, and finally, the oqxA and oqxB genes were detected by the PCR method. Among 100 Enterobacteriaceae isolates, Escherichia coli and Enterobacter gergoviae were the most common isolates with 71% and 20%, respectively. Also, the lowest isolates belonged to Enterobacter cloacae (3%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (1%). Out of 100 Enterobacteriaceae isolates, 37 isolates (37%) were positive for at least one of oqxA or oqxB genes, while both of these genes were detected among 12% of them. oqxAB genes were detected in 8 cases of 20 (40%) Enterobacter gergoviae and 4 cases of 71 (5.7%) E. coli isolates. The antimicrobial susceptibility test showed that all isolates (100%) were susceptible to imipenem, while the maximum resistance to piperacillin, ceftriaxone, and cefotaxime were 69%, 55%, and 55%, respectively. Also, the results of this study showed that antibiotic resistance in Enterobacteriaceae isolates caused by oqxAB genes is increasing among patients in Iran. Therefore, identification of resistant isolates and antibiotic monitoring programs are essential to prevent the spread of MDR isolates.
Application of Multislice Spiral CT Imaging Technology in the Diagnosis of Patients with Chest Sarcoidosis
Authors: Ma Hong-Fei , Chen Liang
Published: November 2021

Objective. To study the qualitative value of multislice spiral CT (MSCT) dynamic enhancement scanning for solitary nodules (SPN) of the chest. Methods. In this paper, 40 cases of chest nodules (including 25 cases of malignant nodules, 8 cases of inflammatory nodules, and 7 cases of benign nodules) were first scanned to determine the scope of nodules. At the two rates of 5 ml/s and 3 ml/s, CT dynamic enhancement scans were performed at the center of the nodule, and the CT values, peak enhancement (PH) and peak time (PT) before and after SPN enhancement, were recorded. It is mainly strengthened, with 80% (20/25) of net added value between 20 and 60 Hu, and 20% (5/25) >60 Hu or <20 Hu. The enhancement peak and peak time are (31.31 ± 10.62) Hu and 45 s, respectively. The time-density curve (T-DC) showed a slowly rising type; the inflammatory nodules were mainly severely strengthened, with a net increase of >40 Hu. The enhancement peak value is (49.25 ± 12.44) Hu, and the peak time is 80 s and 140 s. There is a characteristic of rising and falling and then rising in the curve. Conclusion. Multislice spiral CT dynamic enhancement scan reflects the dynamic characteristics of chest nodular blood flow, which can be used to noninvasively evaluate and diagnose SPN.
Automatic Roadblock Identification Algorithm for Unmanned Vehicles Based on Binocular Vision
Authors: Fang Liang , Guan Zhiwei , Li Jinghua
Published: November 2021

In order to improve the accuracy of automatic obstacle recognition algorithm for driverless vehicles, an automatic obstacle recognition algorithm for driverless vehicles based on binocular vision is constructed. Firstly, the relevant parameters of the camera are calibrated around the new car coordinate system to determine the corresponding obstacle position of the vehicle. At the same time, the three‐dimensional coordinates of obstacle points are obtained by binocular matching method. Then, the left and right cameras are used to capture the feature points of obstacles in the image to realize the recognition of obstacles. Finally, the experimental results show that for obstacle 1, the recognition error of the algorithm is 0.03 m; for obstacle 2, the recognition error is 0.02 m; for obstacle 3, the recognition error is 0.01 m. The algorithm has small recognition error. The vehicle coordinate system is added in the camera calibration process, which can accurately measure the relative position information between the vehicle and the obstacle.
The Application of Visual Sensors in the Artistic Design of College Campus Landscape
Authors: Kan Xuan , Cao Deli
Published: November 2021

The research purpose is to solve the problems of low efficiency, low accuracy, and high cost of traditional environmental landscape mapping and landscape volume measurement methods in the artistic design of college campus landscape and make up the defects that the traditional campus monitoring is vulnerable to adverse weather, which results in low monitoring accuracy. Primarily, a binocular stereo vision measurement based on Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) matching algorithm is proposed, which can realize accurate collection of environmental spatial information and measurement of landscape volume without contact in the process of campus landscape design. Then, the visual monitoring system of college landscape based on the Internet of Things (IoT) is constructed to realize real‐time monitoring and early warning of human damage to campus landscape. The proposed method is verified by actual measurement of different objects and simulation experiments using simulation software. Ultimately, the application of visual sensors in artistic design of college campus landscape is analysed by literature analysis. The results show that (1) the error of the improved binocular stereo vision measurement designed here is 52.32% and 59.69% lower than that of the traditional measurement method when measuring the same object with different volumes and the volumes of different objects, respectively, which indicates that the measurement accuracy of the new method is higher. (2) The proposed landscape visual monitoring method based on IoT improves the image recognition accuracy by 21% compared with the traditional digital image monitoring method. The average recognition time is shortened by 12 ms, which ensures the accuracy and improves the recognition efficiency. (3) Through the analysis of existing literature, it is found that the binocular stereo vision sensor can be used to monitor the whole process of landscape construction in real time. The sensor can be combined with social networks, mobile terminals, and physiological monitoring equipment to comprehensively analyse and evaluate people’s preference for campus landscape. The proposed method has broad application prospects in campus landscape design, construction, and maintenance. The research purpose is to provide important technical support for the improvement of the overall image of the college campus and even the city for the design of landscape environment and the technical upgrading of maintenance work in the college campus.
Hyperlipidemia May Synergize with Hypomethylation in Establishing Trained Immunity and Promoting Inflammation in NASH and NAFLD
Authors: Drummer Charles I. V. , Saaoud Fatma , Sun Yu , Atar Diana , Xu Keman , Lu Yifan , Shao Ying , Johnson Candice , Liu Lu , Shen Huimin , Jhala Nirag C. , Jiang Xiaohua , Wang Hong , Yang Xiaofeng
Published: November 2021

We performed a panoramic analysis on both human nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) microarray data and microarray/RNA-seq data from various mouse models of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease NASH/NAFLD with total 4249 genes examined and made the following findings: (i) human NASH and NAFLD mouse models upregulate both cytokines and chemokines; (ii) pathway analysis indicated that human NASH can be classified into metabolic and immune NASH; methionine- and choline-deficient (MCD)+high-fat diet (HFD), glycine N-methyltransferase deficient (GNMT-KO), methionine adenosyltransferase 1A deficient (MAT1A-KO), and HFCD (high-fat-cholesterol diet) can be classified into inflammatory, SAM accumulation, cholesterol/mevalonate, and LXR/RXR-fatty acid β-oxidation NAFLD, respectively; (iii) canonical and noncanonical inflammasomes play differential roles in the pathogenesis of NASH/NAFLD; (iv) trained immunity (TI) enzymes are significantly upregulated in NASH/NAFLD; HFCD upregulates TI enzymes more than cytokines, chemokines, and inflammasome regulators; (v) the MCD+HFD is a model with the upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines and canonical and noncanonical inflammasomes; however, the HFCD is a model with upregulation of TI enzymes and lipid peroxidation enzymes; and (vi) caspase-11 and caspase-1 act as upstream master regulators, which partially upregulate the expressions of cytokines, chemokines, canonical and noncanonical inflammasome pathway regulators, TI enzymes, and lipid peroxidation enzymes. Our findings provide novel insights on the synergies between hyperlipidemia and hypomethylation in establishing TI and promoting inflammation in NASH and NAFLD progression and novel targets for future therapeutic interventions for NASH and NAFLD, metabolic diseases, transplantation, and cancers.
Derivation of a Novel CIHI in Patients with Lung Adenocarcinoma for Estimating Tumor Microenvironment and Clinical Prognosis
Authors: Zhou Liang , Xu Guangyan , Wang Li , Zhang Jianyong , Li Weimin
Published: November 2021

An interaction between hypoxia and immunity has been confirmed in tumor tissue. However, there is no combined biomarker for diagnosis on this basis. Therefore, we developed a scoring formula based on markers of hypoxia and immunity. Firstly, the hypoxia-immune formula of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) was derived using LASSO-Cox regression in three cohorts from public database, and the corresponding score was calculated for each patient. The formula is as follows:

combined
 
hypoxia
 
and
 
immune
 
index
 

CIHI

=
LDHA
 
expression
×
0.2252
+
GAPDH
 
expression
×
0.0727
+
ANGPTL
4
 
expression
×
0.0724
+
VEGFC
 
expression
×
0.1911
+
DKK
1
 
expression
×
0.1355
+
ADM
 
expression
×
0.0588
+
BTK
 
expression
×
−
0.1659

. Meanwhile, patients were divided into groups according to high and low CIHI, and expression profiles of hypoxia markers and immune markers were analyzed in different groups. CIHI was used to confirm that patients with high CIHI represented a state of hypoxiahigh-immunitylow, which had worse overall survival. We also discussed the evaluation value in the immune microenvironment and clinical application of CIHI. In conclusion, this study developed and validated a hypoxia-immune formula that can guide hypoxia modifier treatment and immunotherapy in LUAD.
A Novel Ferroptosis-Related Gene Signature to Predict Prognosis in Patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Xu Li , Li Ying-ying , Zhang Yang-chun , Wu Yong-xu , Guo Dan-dan , Long Dan , Liu Zhao-hui
Published: November 2021

The clinical TNM staging system is currently used to evaluate the prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The 5-year survival rate for patients with HNSCC is less than 50%, which is attributed to the lack of reliable prognostic biomarkers. Ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) regulate cancer initiation and progression. Therefore, we analyzed the correlation between FRGs and the clinical outcomes of patients with HNSCC. A typical prognostic model of FRGs for HNSCC was constructed using bioinformatics tools and data from public databases, including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and GeneCards. The model was generated based on the following six FRGs: ATG5, PRDX6, OTUB1, FTH1, SOCS1, and MAP3K5. The accuracy of model prediction was analyzed systematically. The overall survival (OS) of the high-risk group was significantly lower than that of the low-risk group. The AUC for 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival were 0.645, 0.721, and 0.737, respectively, in the training set (TCGA cohort) and 0.726, 0.620, and 0.584, respectively, in the validation set (GSE65858). The multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the risk score was an independent prognostic factor for HNSCC. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses revealed that six FRGs were enriched in the ferroptosis pathway. A novel FRG prognostic signature model was established for HNSCC. The findings of this study reveal that FRGs are potential biomarkers for HNSCC.
VOVU: A Method for Predicting Generalization in Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Wang Juan , Ge Liangzhu , Liu Guorui , Li Guoyan
Published: November 2021

During the development of deep neural networks (DNNs), it is difficult to trade off the performance of fitting ability and generalization ability in training set and unknown data (such as test set). The current solution is to reduce the complexity of the objective function, using regularization methods. In this paper, we propose a method called VOVU (Variance Of Variance of Units in the last hidden layer) to maximize the optimization of the balance between fitting power and generalization during monitoring the training process. The main idea is to give full play to the predictability of the variance of the hidden layer units in the complexity of the neural network model and use it as a generalization evaluation index. In particular, we take full advantage of the last layer of hidden layers since it has the greatest impact. The algorithm was tested on Fashion-MNIST and CIFAR-10. The experimental results demonstrate that VOVU and test loss are highly positively correlated. This implies that a smaller VOVU indicates that the network has better generalization. VOVU can serve as an alternative method for early stopping and a good predictor of the generalization performance in DNNs. Specially, when the sample size is limited, VOVU will be a better choice because it does not require dividing training data as validation set.
Intelligent Detection Method of English Text in Natural Scenes in Video
Authors: Dai Liqin , Chen ChunHua
Published: November 2021

With the rapid development of Internet technology, breakthroughs have been made in all branches of computer vision. Especially in image detection and target tracking, deep learning techniques such as convolutional neural networks have achieved excellent results. In order to explore the applicability of machine learning technology in the field of video text recognition and extraction, a YOLOv3 network based on multiscale feature transformation and migration fusion is proposed to improve the accuracy of english text detection in natural scenes in video. Firstly, aiming at the problem of multiscale target detection in video key frames, based on the YOLOv3 network, the scale conversion module of STDN algorithm is used to reduce the low-level feature map, and a backbone network with feature reuse is constructed to extract features. Then, the scale conversion module is used to enlarge the high-level feature map, and a feature pyramid network (FPN) is built to predict the target. Finally, the improved YOLOv3 network is verified to extract key text from images. The experimental results show that the improved YOLOv3 network can effectively improve the false detection and missed detection caused by occlusion and small target, and the accuracy of English text extraction is obviously improved.