bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Foveal cone count reduction in resolved endophthalmitis: an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AO-SLO)-based prospective pilot study
Authors: Dave Vivek Pravin , Kumar Sanjay , Mulani Yasmeen , Richhariya Ashutosh , Pappuru Rajeev Reddy , Das Taraprasad
Published: September 2020

Aim

To report the foveal cone count in eyes with resolved endophthalmitis vis-à-vis normal fellow eyes using an indigenous adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AO-SLO).

Methods

In a prospective cross-sectional comparative pilot study, we recruited patients with resolved endophthalmitis in one eye (study eye) and a normal fellow eye (control eye). Collected data included measurement of the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging and AO-SLO imaging and cone counting at the fovea in both eyes.

Results

The study included 12 eyes of 6 patients. The mean age was 51.66±11.97 years (median 56 years). BCVA in all control eyes was 20/20 (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (LogMAR) 0), and in the study, eyes was 0.21±0.13 (median 0.19, Snellen 20/30; p=0.001; 95% CI −0.39 to −0.09). The follow-up was 18.66±12.32 (median 20 months). The cone count at the fovea in the control eye was 4356.33±1993.93 (median 4498), and in the study eye, it was 2357.16±1541.17 (median 2187.5; p=0.03; 95% CI −3556 to −1082).

Conclusions

Eyes with resolved endophthalmitis with near-normal vision have reduced number of foveal cones even in absence of OCT-detected gross structural changes.

Translational Relevance

The current work describes the application of cellular-level imaging technique called adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AO-SLO) to the clinical condition of resolved endophthalmitis. The study of retinal cell biology at the cellular level is possible using the emerging technology of AO-SLO. This new investigative modality that has the potential to image the retina at the cellular level until the photoreceptors is more likely to unravel the pathophysiology of a variety of retinal diseases.
Last-resort strategies during mask shortages: optimal design features of cloth masks and decontamination of disposable masks during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Bhattacharjee Shovon , Bahl Prateek , Chughtai Abrar Ahmad , MacIntyre C Raina
Published: September 2020

Face masks and respirators are the most widely used intervention measures for respiratory protection. In the wake of COVID-19, in response to shortages and lack of availability of surgical masks and respirators, the use of cloth masks has become a research focus. Various fabrics have been promoted with little evidence-based foundation and without guidelines on design principles for optimal performance. In these circumstances, it is essential to understand the properties, key performance factors, filter mechanisms and evidence on cloth masks materials. The general community might also need to decontaminate and reuse disposable, single-use devices as a last resort. We present an overview of the filter materials, filter mechanisms and effectiveness, key performance factors, and hydrophobicity of the common disposable masks, as well as cloth masks. We also reviewed decontamination methods for disposable respiratory devices. As an alternative to surgical masks and respirators, we recommend a cloth mask made of at least three layers (300–350 threads per inch) and adding a nylon stocking layer over the mask for a better fit. Water-resistant fabrics (polyesters/nylon), blends of fabrics and water-absorbing fabrics (cotton) should be in the outside layer, middle layer/layers and inside layer, respectively. The information outlined here will help people to navigate their choices if facing shortages of appropriate respiratory protection during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What do speech pathology students gain from virtual patient interviewing? A WHO International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) analysis
Authors: Miles Anna , Hayden Sarah , Carnell Stephanie , Halan Shivashankar , Lok Ben
Published: September 2020

Background

Virtual patients have an established place in medical education but do virtual patient interviews train holistic clinicians or just diagnosticians? This study explored speech pathology students’ virtual patient interviews using WHO International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF).

Methods

Eighteen speech pathology students in their final year of training participated. Students interviewed virtual patients with dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) as part of their curriculum. Student questions and patient responses were coded using established ICF coding. Codes were tallied and compared under categories of body structures, body functions, activities/participation and environmental factors. Flesch Reading Ease was calculated as a measure of health literacy.

Results

Conversational turns primarily focused on the ICF component—activity and participation in both student questions and virtual patient responses: 0.03% body structures, 30% body functions—swallowing, 7% body functions—associated, 43% activities/participation and 19% environmental factors. Personal factors such as gender, ethnicity, age or socio-economic situation were not mentioned by student or patient. Patients commented on social impact on self and/or family, sometimes in the absence of targeted student questions. Student and virtual patient Flesch Reading Ease scores were congruent.

Conclusion

Speech pathology students naturally matched their virtual patient’s health-literacy level and asked a range of medical and daily living questions. Virtual patients readily offered social impact information to student questions. Computer science: healthcare teams should consider creating virtual patients who challenge students to practise asking sensitive questions and in doing so develop holistic thinkers with competent communication skills.
Complete response to avelumab and IL-15 superagonist N-803 with Abraxane in Merkel cell carcinoma: a case study
Authors: Drusbosky Leylah , Nangia Chaitali , Nguyen Andrew , Szeto Christopher , Newton Yulia , Spilman Patricia , Reddy Sandeep Bobby
Published: September 2020

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare aggressive form of skin cancer originating in neuroendocrine cells. The antiprogrammed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) monoclonal antibody (mAb) avelumab has been approved for treatment of MCC, but options are limited, should it be ineffective as a monotherapy. Combined therapy with low/moderate dose nab-paclitaxel and an interleukin 15 (IL-15)-based therapeutic such as the IL-15 ‘superagonist’ N-803 may increase response by activation of the immune system. The case of a 71-year-old man diagnosed with MCC who achieved and maintained a complete response (CR) by treatment with the anti-PD-L1 mAb avelumab in combination with IL-15 superagonist N-803 and nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane) is presented. Avelumab treatment alone resulted in a response in a para-aortic lesion, but not the other tumor masses. N-803 was added, followed by nab-paclitaxel; CT showed a decrease in the size of the abdominal mass at 1 month, near resolution at 3 months and CR at 5 months. Abraxane was discontinued after the first CR on CT, and the patient continues on avelumab/N-803 treatment and maintains a CR. Combination of avelumab with low/moderate-dose chemotherapy and an immune enhancer such as N-803 may offer a viable treatment option for MCC patients for whom avelumab therapy alone was not effective.
Atherosclerosis in SLE: a potential role for serum parathormone levels
Authors: Giannelou Mayra , Skarlis Charalampos , Stamouli Aikaterini , Antypa Eleni , Moutsopoulos Haralampos M , Mavragani Clio P
Published: September 2020

Objective

A link between bone metabolism and cardiovascular (CV) disease has been suggested mainly in the general population. In the current study we explored whether altered bone metabolism influence CV risk in patients with SLE.

Methods

In 138 consecutive patients with SLE, atherosclerosis was assessed by the presence of plaque and/or arterial wall thickening in carotid/femoral arteries by ultrasound. Bone mineral density (BMD) levels and hip/spinal cord fractures together with classical CV disease and osteoporosis risk factors including serum 25(OH) vitamin D3 and parathormone (PTH) levels were recorded in all patients. Serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand were quantitated by commercial ELISA. Statistical analysis included both univariate and multivariate models.

Results

Abnormal PTH serum concentrations (>65 pg/mL)—but not 25(OH) vitamin D3 serum levels—were identified as a risk factor for both plaque formation and arterial wall thickening in patients with SLE (ORs (95% CIs): 8.2 (1.8 to 37.4) and 3.9 (1.3 to 11.8), respectively). This association remained significant following adjustment for vitamin D3 levels and classical CV risk factors. Moreover, an independent association between osteoporosis with plaque formation and arterial wall thickening was detected following adjustment for total steroid dose, premature menopause and disease duration (ORs (95% CIs): 5.3 (1.1 to 26.2) and 3.5 (1.1 to 11.4), respectively). An inverse correlation between femoral neck BMD values and intima–medial thickness scores was also observed (r: −0.42, p=0.008).

Conclusions

These findings further strengthen the concept of shared pathophysiological mechanisms between atherogenesis and altered bone metabolism in autoimmune populations, revealing heightened PTH levels as a potential marker for atherosclerosis among patients with SLE.
Association of ERAP2 polymorphisms in Colombian HLA-B27+ or HLA-B15+ patients with SpA and its relationship with clinical presentation: axial or peripheral predominance
Authors: Londono John , Santos Ana M , Rueda Juan C , Calvo-Paramo Enrique , Burgos-Vargas Ruben , Vargas-Alarcon Gilberto , Martinez-Rodriguez Nancy , Arias-Correal Sofia , Muñoz Guisselle-Nathalia , Padilla Diana , Cuervo Francy , Reyes-Martinez Viviana , Bernal-Macías Santiago , Villota-Eraso Catalina , Avila-Portillo Luz M , Romero Consuelo , Medina Juan F
Published: September 2020

Objective

To determine the association between endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase (ERAP)1 and ERAP2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and human leukocyte antigens (HLA)-B27+ or HLA-B15+ patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA).

Methods

104 patients with SpA according to Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society criteria were included in the study. HLA typing was performed by PCR. The polymorphisms were determined by real-time PCR on genomic DNA using customised probes for SNPs rs27044, rs17482078, rs10050860 and rs30187 inERAP1, and rs2910686, rs2248374 and rs2549782 inERAP2.

Results

70 of the104 patients with SpA were HLA-B27+ and 34 were HLA-B15+. The distribution of ERAP1 and ERAP2 SNPs between the HLA-B15+ and HLA-B27+ patients with SpA did not reveal differences. Likewise, no differences in the frequencies of ERAP1 SNP haplotypes and alleles HLA-B15 or HLA-B27 were found. Interestingly, however, the frequencies of three particular haplotypes formed by ERAP2 SNPs rs2549782/rs2248374/rs2910686 varied between HLA-B15+ and HLA-B27+ patients: the ERAP2 SNPs haplotype TGT was more common in HLA-B15+ patients with SpA (OR 2.943, 95% CI 1.264 to 6.585; P=0.009), whereas the ERAP2 SNP haplotypes TGC and CAT were more associated with HLA-B27+ patients with SpA: (OR 4.483, 95% CI 1.524 to 13.187; p=0.003) and (OR 9.014, 95% CI 1.181 to 68.807; p=0.009), respectively.

Conclusion

An association was found between HLA-B15+ patients with SpA and haplotype TGT of ERAP2 SNPs. On the other hand, HLA-B27+ patients with SpA were associated with ERAP2 haplotypes TGC and CAT. These associations could be related to the clinical presentation of the disease, specifically with a peripheral or axial predominance, respectively.
Clinical reasoning in canine cervical hyperaesthesia: which presenting features are important?
Authors: Grapes Nicholas John , Packer Rowena Mary Anne , De Decker Steven
Published: September 2020

Background

To evaluate whether clinical features from the history, presentation, physical and neurological examination of dogs with cervical hyperaesthesia are statistically predictive of the underlying diagnosis.

Methods

Two hundred and ninety‐eight dogs presenting with cervical hyperaesthesia between January 2010 and October 2018 were investigated. Only neurologically normal dogs with cervical hyperaesthesia on examination were included, while those with concurrent neurological deficits including gait abnormalities and proprioceptive deficits were excluded. Univariate analysis of clinical variables was performed, and those associated with each diagnosis were retained for multivariable binary logistic regression models.

Results

Ninety‐five per cent of cervical hyperaesthesia presentations were represented by eight conditions that included steroid‐responsive meningitis arteritis (SRMA; n=100), intervertebral disc extrusion (n=78), syringomyelia (SM; n=51), intervertebral disc protrusion (n=30), neoplasia (n=8), cervical spondylomyelopathy (n=7), immune‐mediated polyarthritis (n=5) and meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown aetiology (n=5). Younger age (P=0.003), pyrexia (P=0.003) and haematology abnormalities (P=0.03) comprising leucocytosis, neutrophilia or monocytosis were associated with a diagnosis of SRMA.

Conclusions

Easy‐to‐recognise clinical features can be used to identify the most likely differential diagnosis in neurologically normal dogs with cervical hyperaesthesia, which may aid the decision making of veterinary surgeons evaluating dogs with this presentation.
A new method for determining optimal locations of bike stations to maximize coverage in a bike share system network
Authors: Salih-Elamin Rabab , Al-Deek Haitham
Published: September 2020

A new method that combines maximal covering location problem and bike station importance is utilized to find optimal locations of bike stations and maximize bike share system (BSS) demand coverage within a specific distance. This method uses multi-criteria that focus on centrality measures and bike station’s importance. Results of applying the new method to a real-life BSS network demonstrated that BSS efficiency improved after removing the least important bike stations up to a critical point after which efficiency started to deteriorate as the network became disconnected. The new method can be used to improve management of BSS networks.
A Multistage Algorithm Design for Electrocardiogram Signal Denoising
Authors: Harkat Amel , Benzid Redha , Athamena Noureddine
Published: September 2020

This work describes a new scheme for denoising noisy electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. In the first step, the noise variance is estimated using the well-known DONOHO’s estimator followed by the wavelet-based baseline wander removing. In the second step, the estimated variance is employed in the adaptive 1D Wiener filter to reduce the additive noise. Next, a Low Pass filter, based on the FFT, is applied on the resulting denoised signal. Furthermore, a cascaded Savitzky–Golay (SG) smoother filter is applied to refine the restoration process. The final step consists in the recovering of the [Formula: see text]-peaks and the surrounding areas. It can be reported that the suggested algorithm is optimal for the additive Gaussian noise and is useful for other types of noises. Both qualitative and quantitative results, achieved from several experimental tests, establish high-quality restoration ability and the efficiency of the proposed method. Thus, when compared to some powerful techniques recently published, the designed algorithm demonstrates very competitive performances.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION BASED ON IMPROVED MARCHING CUBES ALGORITHM
Authors: WANG MONAN , LUO HAIYANG , CUI QI
Published: September 2020

Based on the standard Marching Cubes (MC) algorithm, this paper proposes an improved MC algorithm. First, the original 15 topological configurations in the MC algorithm are increased to 24, which effectively avoid the generation of voids phenomenon. To further improve the speed of three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction, in this paper, the midpoint selection method is used instead of the linear interpolation method, and the 24 configurations are divided into three types. Each class corresponds to a thread. The multi-thread parallel processing is used to improve the calculation speed. The critical region is used to realize multi-thread synchronization, and then we designed a protocol mapping table according to the idea of the message mapping table. The function pointer is triggered by macro. Processing function is called by function pointer and completes the encapsulation of the protocol mapping table, which maintains the opening and closing principle of the class and ensures the scalability of the class. Through the improved MC algorithm accuracy verification and reconstruction speed verification, it is concluded that the improved MC algorithm can make up for the voids problem. By comparing the calculation time under the two platforms of Windows and Linux, the reconstruction speed of the improved MC algorithm is approximately 30% faster than the standard MC algorithm and 40% faster than the Masala algorithm. Finally, the algorithm is applied to the medical image 3D reconstruction system, and the accuracy and applicability of the algorithm are demonstrated by two sets of examples.
EFFECTS OF THE INSERTION OF AN ARCHWIRE THIN-WALLED SLEEVE IN ACCELERATING THE CANINE’S TRANSLATION
Authors: CAI YONGQING
Published: September 2020

In sliding mechanics, resistance to sliding (RS), including friction, binding, and notching, generated at a wire-bracket interface has a bearing on the force transmitted to the teeth and further influences the biomechanical behavior associated with tooth movement efficiency. Objective: This study aimed to propose and verify the insertion of a rectangular thin-walled sleeve between an archwire and a bracket to minimize the resistance effect on the biomechanical behavior of tooth movement by using the finite element (FE) method. Material and methods: A 3D FE solid model was constructed and composed of mandibular dentitions, including the surrounding tooth-supporting structures and fixed self-ligating appliances. The translation of the left mandibular canine was simulated (0.1[Formula: see text]mm and 0.3[Formula: see text]mm) from the labial side to the lingual side with or without the thin-walled sleeve by using eight kinds of archwires with various dimensions and cross-sections by FE methods. Results: FE analysis indicated that the canine’s maximum initial displacement and the highest periodontal ligament (PDL) von Mises stress were mainly influenced by the orthodontic wire and the insertion of the thin-walled sleeve. Without the thin-walled sleeve, rectangular archwires could initiate a more optimal tissue response than round archwires. However, the insertion of the thin-walled sleeve between the small round archwire and the bracket significantly presented the most optimal biological responses in all of the cases. Conclusion: FE results revealed that the insertion of a thin-walled sleeve in a small round archwire and a bracket could have a positive influence on final tooth movement.
ORGANISATIONAL ANTECEDENTS OF INNOVATION PERFORMANCE: AN ANALYSIS ACROSS 32 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
Authors: KOSTER FERRY
Published: September 2020

While innovation studies generated a great number of insights regarding the conditions under which innovation performance occurs, there are two main points of criticisms. First, many studies focus on a narrow conception of innovation (namely product innovation). Second, many studies are based on data from the manufacturing sector. The present analysis aims to overcome these criticisms by analyzing a broad indicator of innovation across multiple sectors. Hypotheses are formulated guided by organizational learning theories of innovation. These hypotheses are tested using data from the third European Company Survey.
Flexible Resistive Switching Memory Devices Based on Graphene Oxide Polymer Nanocomposite
Authors: Zhao Enming , Liu Shuangqiang , Liu Xiaodan , Wang Chen , Liu Guangyu , Xing Chuanxi
Published: September 2020

Flexible resistive switching memory devices based on graphene oxide (GO) polymer nanocomposite were prepared on flexible substrate to research the influence of bending on resistive switching behavior. The devices showed evident response in resistive switching memory characteristics to flexible bending. The 2000 cycles flexible bending leads to the switch of resistive switching memory characteristic from write-once-read-many time memory (WORM) to static random access memory (SRAM). Both WORM and SRAM memory properties are all repeatable, and the threshold switching voltage also showed good consistency. The resistive switching mechanism is attributed to the formation of carbon-rich conductive filaments for nonvolatile WORM characteristics. The bending-induced micro-crack may be responsible for the partial broken of the electrical channels, and may lead to the volatile SRAM characteristics.
Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Student Performance in Parallel Programming using a New Measurement Technique
Authors: Daleiden Patrick , Stefik Andreas , Uesbeck P. Merlin , Pedersen Jan
Published: September 2020

There are many paradigms available to address the unique and complex problems introduced with parallel programming. These complexities have implications for computer science education as ubiquitous multi-core computers drive the need for programmers to understand parallelism. One major obstacle to student learning of parallel programming is that there is very little human factors evidence comparing the different techniques to one another, so there is no clear direction on which techniques should be taught and how. We performed a randomized controlled trial using 88 university-level computer science student participants performing three identical tasks to examine the question of whether or not there are measurable differences in programming performance between two paradigms for concurrent programming: threads compared to process-oriented programming based on Communicating Sequential Processes. We measured both time on task and programming accuracy using an automated token accuracy map (TAM) technique. Our results showed trade-offs between the paradigms using both metrics and the TAMs provided further insight about specific areas of difficulty in comprehension.
The Best of the Best
Authors: Arnold Ed
Published: September 2020

Over a dozen expert panelists from higher education, industry, and government sectors shared their experiences at the MIT Conference on Distance Education and Training Strategies: Lessons From Best Practices conference held on September 24th at the Tang Center at MIT. This all-day conference attracted about 150 learning professionals from the Boston area and beyond, including a panelist who presented virtually from his office in Nairobi, Kenya.
Enterprise models, strategic transformations and possible solutions
Authors: Delic Kemal A.
Published: September 2020

A simple three-layer model may foster better understanding of enterprise architecture.
Talking with Terry Winograd
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: September 2020

Convergence, ambient technology, and success in innovation
View from Bangladesh
Authors: Saadi Mir Lutful Kabir
Published: September 2020

How communications technology will bridge the Divide
The money of invention
Authors: Gompers Paul A. , Lerner Josh
Published: September 2020

Ninety percent of new entrepreneurial businesses that don't attract venture capital fail within three years.
IT services = People + Tools + processes
Authors: Delic Kemal A.
Published: September 2020

People add the power to a simple equation for enlightened decision-making in the IT service industry
An Interview with David Rejeski
Authors: Ubiquity staff
Published: September 2020

The accelerated rate of scientific discovery and technological innovation makes it difficult to keep up with the pace of change. What do policymakers know of nanotechnology and genetic modification? David Rejeski helps government agencies anticipate emerging technological issues.
High Performance FeNC and Mn-oxide/FeNC Layers for AEMFC Cathodes
Authors: Santori Pietro Giovanni , Speck Florian Dominik , Cherevko Serhiy , Firouzjaie Horie Adabi , Peng Xiong , Mustain William E. , Jaouen Frédéric
Published: September 2020

While the Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (AEMFC) is gaining interest due to high power performance recently achieved with platinum-group-metal (PGM) catalysts, its implementation will require high-performing PGM-free cathodes. FeNC catalysts have shown high activity and stability for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) in alkaline electrolyte; however, the production of hydrogen peroxide during ORR can lead to premature degradation of FeNC and ionomer. In order to minimize the amount of peroxide formed on FeNC, α-MnO2, β-MnO2, δ-MnO2 and α-Mn2O3 were investigated as co-catalysts, with the aim of increasing the apparent activity of FeNC-based cathodes for the hydrogen peroxide reduction reaction (HPRR). The specific activity of α-Mn2O3 for the HPRR was distinctly superior to the other Mn-oxides. The four Mn-oxides were mixed with a FeNC catalyst comprising atomically-dispersed FeNx sites, showing higher HPRR activity and higher four-electron ORR selectivity than FeNC alone. The stability of α-Mn2O3/FeNC was studied operando by on-line inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry, to evaluate the potential and time dependent leaching of Mn and Fe. Finally, FeNC and α-Mn2O3/FeNC were applied at the cathode of AEMFCs, both achieving similar or higher current density at 0.9 V than a Pt/C commercial cathode, and peak power densities of ca. 1 W·cm−2.
The Rate-Dependence of Supercapacitor Performance: Quantitative Evaluation Using Peukert’s Constant
Authors: Mills Edmund M. , Kim Sangtae
Published: September 2020

Peukert’s law, widely used to model the rate-dependence of battery capacity, is beginning to receive attention in the evaluation of supercapacitors. Here, we demonstrate the use of a simple method of determining Peukert’s constant using impedance spectroscopy in order to analyze the rate-dependence of supercapacitor performance. The relationships between porosity and pseudocapacitance and Peukert’s constant are investigated through the simulation of equivalent circuit models. The utility of Peukert’s constant for the evaluation of the rate-dependence of supercapacitor performance is established through a novel analysis of supercapacitor data available in the literature. The use of a quantitative approach to understanding supercapacitor rate-performance provides additional clarity and insight over the commonly used qualitative approach.
Heterogeneous Condensation for Abatement of Sulfuric Acid Aerosol and Water Saving
Authors: Zhang Rui , Si Xiaodong , Zhao Lingling , Yang Linjun , Wu Hao
Published: September 2020

Based on the fundamentals of heterogeneous nucleation, a method to eliminate sulfuric acid aerosol associated with water recycling in the process of limestone-gypsum desulfurization was investigated. The supersaturated environment was achieved in a heat exchanger. Numerical calculation shows that high temperature drop and relative humidity are conducive to the formation of supersaturated vapor environment, and vapor heterogeneous condensation can improve the removal efficiency of sulfuric acid aerosol. Experimental results indicate that the critical supersaturation degree of the sulfuric acid aerosol is found in inverse proportion to their sizes and the removal efficiency of sulfuric acid aerosol could be increased by about 20%. The theoretical and the actual condensable water mass values have been also studied in detail. The mass of condensed water produced by the experiment system is 0.0440 kg/(Nm3·h) as the temperature drop is 5°С, and the most suitable temperature drop is about 1∼2°С for water scarce area. High temperature and humidity reveal a huge potential to recycling water.
Intraoperative Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging in Corneal Surgery: A Literature Review and Proposal of Novel Applications
Authors: Eguchi Hiroshi , Hotta Fumika , Kusaka Shunji , Shimomura Yoshikazu
Published: September 2020

Intraoperative optical coherence tomography (iOCT) is widely used in ophthalmic surgeries for cross-sectional imaging of ocular tissues. The greatest advantage of iOCT is its adjunct diagnostic efficacy, which facilitates to decision-making during surgery. Since the development of microscopic-integrated iOCT (MIOCT), it has been widely used mainly for vitreoretinal and anterior segment surgeries. In corneal transplantation, MIOCT allows surgeons to visualise structure underneath the turbid and distorted cornea, which are impossible to visualise with a usual microscope. Real-time visualisation of hard-to-see area reduces the operation time and leads to favorable surgical outcomes. The use of MIOCT is advantageous for a variety of corneal surgical procedures. Here, we have reviewed articles focusing on the utility of iOCT  and MIOCT in penetrating keratoplasty, deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty, Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty, and Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty. The applications of MIOCT to corneal surgery in terms of surgical education for trainees, emergency surgery, and novel surgery are also discussed, with our cases performed using RESCAN® 700.
Analysis of the Impact of Different Forecasting Techniques on the Inventory Bullwhip Effect in Two Parallel Supply Chains with a Competition Effect
Authors: Yuan Xigang , Zhang Xiaoqing , Zhang Dalin
Published: September 2020

This paper studies the impact of different forecasting techniques on the inventory bullwhip effect in two parallel supply chains with the competition effect, which is in contrast to the situation of a single product in a serial supply chain. In particular, this paper constructs two parallel supply chains, each of which includes one manufacturer and one retailer. Moreover, the market demand is impacted by the self-price sensitivity coefficient, the cross-price sensitivity coefficient, the market share, and the demand shock. We then assumed that the retailer can forecast market demand by using different forecasting techniques (i.e., the moving average technique (MA), the exponential smoothing technique (ES), and the minimum mean square error technique (MMSE)). We constructed the quantity model of the bullwhip effect and the inventory bullwhip effect. Finally, we analyzed the impact of different forecasting techniques and market share on the inventory bullwhip effect. We analyzed the conditions under which the retailers should choose different types of forecasting techniques on the basis of the inventory bullwhip effect. The results show that the MMSE forecasting technique can reduce the lead-time demand forecast error to the largest extent, and the inventory bullwhip effect can obtain the lowest level using the MMSE method: retailer-1 can reduce the inventory bullwhip effect by using the MA technique, when the self-price sensitivity coefficient, the price autoregressive coefficient, and the probabilities associated with customers choosing retailer-1’s product are very low.
Emotion Recognition of Students Based on Facial Expressions in Online Education Based on the Perspective of Computer Simulation
Authors: Wang Weiqing , Xu Kunliang , Niu Hongli , Miao Xiangrong
Published: September 2020

Online education has developed rapidly due to its irreplaceable convenience. Under the severe circumstances caused by COVID-19 recently, many schools around the world have delayed opening and adopted online education as one of the main teaching methods. However, the efficiency of online classes has long been questioned. Compared with traditional face-to-face classes, there is a lack of direct, timely, and effective communication and feedback between teachers and students in the online courses. Previous studies have shown that there is a close and stable relationship between a person’s facial expressions and emotions generally. From the perspective of computer simulation, a framework combining a face expression recognition (FER) algorithm with online courses platforms is proposed in this work. The cameras in the devices are used to collect students’ face images, and the facial expressions are analyzed and classified into 8 kinds of emotions by the FER algorithm. An online course containing 27 students conducted on Tencent Meeting is used to test the proposed method, and the result proved that this method performs robustly in different environments. This framework can also be applied to other similar scenarios such as online meetings.
Sulforaphene Ameliorates Neuroinflammation and Hyperphosphorylated Tau Protein via Regulating the PI3K/Akt/GSK-3βPathway in Experimental Models of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Yang Wen , Liu Yue , Xu Qing-Qing , Xian Yan-Fang , Lin Zhi-Xiu
Published: September 2020

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia characterized by progressive loss of cognitive functions due to neuronal death mainly in the hippocampal and cortical brain. Sulforaphene (SF) is one of the main isothiocyanates isolated from a Chinese herb Raphani Semen. In this study, we aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of SF usingin vitroandin vivomodels of AD. Streptozotocin (STZ) was intracranially injected into the rats; then, SF (25 and 50 mg/kg) was given orally once a day for 6 consecutive weeks. After drug treatment, the cognitive functions were assessed using the Morris Water Maze Test (MWMT). After the MWMT, the rats were euthanized and brain tissues were collected. In thein vitrotest, BV-2 microglia were pretreated with SF (1 and 2 μM) for 1 h and then stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for another 23 h. Both molecular and histological methods were used to unravel the action mechanisms and elucidate the signaling pathway. The MWMT results showed that SF treatment significantly improved the STZ-induced cognitive deficits in rats. SF treatment markedly suppressed the production of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) but increased the release of IL-10 in the STZ-treated rats. In addition, SF significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of tau protein at Thr205, Ser396, and Ser404 sites, while enhancing the ratios of p-Akt (Ser473)/Akt and p-GSK-3β(Ser9)/GSK-3βin the hippocampus of the STZ-treated rats. On the other hand, SF (1 and 2 μM) treatment also markedly attenuated the cytotoxicity induced by LPS in BV-2 cells. In addition, SF treatment obviously suppressed the releases of nitric oxide (NO), TNF-α, and IL-6 in the LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells. Moreover, SF treatment significantly mitigated the nuclear translocation of p-NF-κB p65 and the ratio of p-GSK-3β(Ser9)/GSK-3βin LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells. Taken together, SF possessed neuroprotective effects against the STZ-induced cognitive deficits in rats and LPS-induced neuroinflammation in BV-2 cells via modulation of the PI3K/Akt/GSK-3βpathway and inhibition of the NF-κB activation, suggesting that SF is a promising neuroprotective agent worthy of further development into AD treatment.
Untargeted Metabolomic Profiling Using UHPLC‐QTOF/MS Reveals Metabolic Alterations Associated with Autism
Authors: Liang Yujie , Ke Xiaoyin , Xiao Zhou , Zhang Ying , Chen Yangxia , Li Yingyuan , Wang Zhonglei , Lin Ling , Yao Paul , Lu Jianping
Published: September 2020

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a clinical spectrum of neurodevelopment disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and social interaction along with repetitive/stereotyped behaviors. The current diagnosis for autism relies entirely on clinical evaluation and has many limitations. In this study, we aim to elucidate the potential mechanism behind autism and establish a series of potential biomarkers for diagnosis. Here, we established an ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography‐quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry‐ (UHPLC‐QTOF/MS‐) based metabonomic approach to discriminate the metabolic modifications between the cohort of autism patients and the healthy subjects. UHPLC‐QTOF/MS analysis revealed that 24 of the identified potential biomarkers were primarily involved in amino acid or lipid metabolism and the tryptophan kynurenine pathway. The combination of nicotinamide, anthranilic acid, D‐neopterin, and 7,8‐dihydroneopterin allows for discrimination between ASD patients and controls, which were validated in an independent autism case‐control cohort. The results indicated that UHPLC‐QTOF/MS‐based metabolomics is capable of rapidly profiling autism metabolites and is a promising technique for the discovery of potential biomarkers related to autism.
A Finite Element Formulation and Nonlocal Theory for the Static and Free Vibration Analysis of the Sandwich Functionally Graded Nanoplates Resting on Elastic Foundation
Authors: Tran Van-Ke , Tran Thanh-Trung , Phung Minh-Van , Pham Quoc-Hoa , Nguyen-Thoi Trung
Published: September 2020

This article presents a finite element method (FEM) integrated with the nonlocal theory for analysis of the static bending and free vibration of the sandwich functionally graded (FG) nanoplates resting on the elastic foundation (EF). Material properties of nanoplates are assumed to vary through thickness following two types (Type A with homogeneous core and FG material for upper and lower layers and Type B with FG material core and homogeneous materials for upper and lower layers). In this study, the formulation of the four-node quadrilateral element based on the mixed interpolation of tensorial components (MITC4) is used to avoid “the shear-locking” problem. On the basis of Hamilton’s principle and the nonlocal theory, the governing equations for the sandwich FG nanoplates are derived. The results of the proposed model are compared with published works to verify the accuracy and reliability. Furthermore, the effects of geometric parameters and material properties on the static and free vibration behaviors of nanoplates are investigated in detail.
Annular Spatial Pyramid Mapping and Feature Fusion-Based Image Coding Representation and Classification
Authors: Xu Mengxi , Lu Yingshu , Wu Xiaobin
Published: September 2020

Conventional image classification models commonly adopt a single feature vector to represent informative contents. However, a single image feature system can hardly extract the entirety of the information contained in images, and traditional encoding methods have a large loss of feature information. Aiming to solve this problem, this paper proposes a feature fusion-based image classification model. This model combines the principal component analysis (PCA) algorithm, processed scale invariant feature transform (P-SIFT) and color naming (CN) features to generate mutually independent image representation factors. At the encoding stage of the scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) feature, the bag-of-visual-word model (BOVW) is used for feature reconstruction. Simultaneously, in order to introduce the spatial information to our extracted features, the rotation invariant spatial pyramid mapping method is introduced for the P-SIFT and CN feature division and representation. At the stage of feature fusion, we adopt a support vector machine with two kernels (SVM-2K) algorithm, which divides the training process into two stages and finally learns the knowledge from the corresponding kernel matrix for the classification performance improvement. The experiments show that the proposed method can effectively improve the accuracy of image description and the precision of image classification.
Magnetic Solid Phase Extraction as a Promising Technique for Fast Separation of Metallic Nanoparticles and Their Ionic Species: A Review of Recent Advances
Authors: Hagarová Ingrid
Published: September 2020

The widespread use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in a wide variety of industrial as well as medical sectors is indisputable. This leads to a new concern about their presence in various environmental compartments. Since their negative effect and potential toxicity impact have been confirmed, analytical chemists focus on the development of different procedures for their reliable detection, identification, characterization, and quantification, not only in homogenous and simple matrices but also in complex environmental matrices. However, nanoparticles and their ionic species can coexist and their toxicity may differ; therefore, novel analytical approaches are necessary to monitor not only the nanoparticles but also their ionic species. The aim of this article is to bring a review of recent works where magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) procedures in connection with spectrometric methods were used for separation/preconcentration and quantification of (1) silver and gold ions in various environmental samples, (2) AgNPs and AuNPs in real water samples in the presence of various coexisting ions, and (3) both species (it means Ag ions and AgNPs; Au ions and AuNPs) in real water samples. The results presented herein show the great analytical potential of MSPE procedures in connection with spectrometric methods used in these fields and can be helpful in guiding analytical chemists who aim to work on this subject.
Research on Control Technology of Jet and Rectifying Cone Combined Flow Field
Authors: Lv Hongqing , Xu Lei , Wang Zhenqing , Zhang Xiaobin
Published: September 2020

As an active flow field control technology, reverse jet and rectifier cone can significantly affect the flow field around the high-speed aircraft and reduce the drag and heat of high-speed aircraft to a certain extent. In this paper, the CFD numerical method is used to simulate and analyze the flow around the bluff body front rectifier cone and the reverse jet interference flow field. Further considering the combination of the two, the flow field structure around the bluff body under the combination of rectifying cone and reverse jet flow was simulated. Research shows, for the flow field of a single reverse jet, the pressure ratio of the reverse jet to the main flow has a significant effect on the drag reduction performance. With the change of the pressure ratio of the jet to the main flow, two modes of long jet and short jet will appear. The structure of the short jet modal flow field is relatively stable. However, with the increase of attack angle, the shear layer of free flow will attach to the shock wave and form hot spot, which is a great threat to high-speed aircraft. When the rectifier cone and the reverse jet are combined, within a certain angle of attack, the wall will not form a reattachment shock wave. The area behind the bow shock and in front of the aircraft head is a free-state zone, which has a good cooling effect on the aircraft head. At the same time, the static pressure on the wall is reduced, which has a very good drag reduction effect.
Noncanonical IL6 Signaling-Mediated Activation of YAP Regulates Cell Migration and Invasion in Ovarian Clear Cell Cancer
Authors: Azar Walid J. , Christie Elizabeth L. , Mitchell Chris , Liu David S. , Au-Yeung George , Bowtell David D.L.
Published: September 2020

Ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma (OCCA) is characterized by a particularly poor response to conventional chemotherapy and a short overall survival time in women with established disease. The development of targeted treatments for OCCA relies on a better understanding of its molecular characteristics. IL6 is strongly expressed in OCCA and may therefore provide a novel therapeutic target. Here we use CRISPR/Cas9 and conditional short hairpin interfering RNA to perform loss-of-function studies in human OCCA cell lines to explore the requirement for IL6 in vitro and in vivo. While reduction of IL6 expression exerted limited effects in vitro, its attenuation significantly impaired tumor growth and neovascularization in vivo. In contrast to typical signaling via STAT3, IL6 in OCCA signaled via a noncanonical pathway involving gp130, Src, and the Hippo pathway protein YAP. A high-throughput combination drug screen identified agents that enhanced cell killing following reduction of IL6 signaling. Intersection of screen hits obtained from two cell lines and orthogonal approaches to attenuation of IL6 yielded AKT and EGFR inhibitors as enhancers of the inhibitory monoclonal IL6 receptor antibody tocilizumab. This study defines for the first time the requirements for, and mechanisms of, signaling by IL6 in human OCCA cell lines and identifies potential combinatory therapeutic approaches. Given the molecular diversity of OCCA, further in vitro and in vivo studies are warranted to determine whether such approaches will overcome the limited efficacy of tocilizumab observed in ovarian cancer to date.

Significance:

This study defines the requirements for and mechanisms of noncanonical signaling by IL6 in human ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma cell lines and identifies combinatory therapeutic approaches to be explored clinically.
Radiomics Improves Cancer Screening and Early Detection
Authors: Gillies Robert J. , Schabath Matthew B.
Published: September 2020

Imaging is a key technology in the early detection of cancers, including X-ray mammography, low-dose CT for lung cancer, or optical imaging for skin, esophageal, or colorectal cancers. Historically, imaging information in early detection schema was assessed qualitatively. However, the last decade has seen increased development of computerized tools that convert images into quantitative mineable data (radiomics), and their subsequent analyses with artificial intelligence (AI). These tools are improving diagnostic accuracy of early lesions to define risk and classify malignant/aggressive from benign/indolent disease. The first section of this review will briefly describe the various imaging modalities and their use as primary or secondary screens in an early detection pipeline. The second section will describe specific use cases to illustrate the breadth of imaging modalities as well as the benefits of quantitative image analytics. These will include optical (skin cancer), X-ray CT (pancreatic and lung cancer), X-ray mammography (breast cancer), multiparametric MRI (breast and prostate cancer), PET (pancreatic cancer), and ultrasound elastography (liver cancer). Finally, we will discuss the inexorable improvements in radiomics to build more robust classifier models and the significant limitations to this development, including access to well-annotated databases, and biological descriptors of the imaged feature data.

See all articles in this CEBP Focus section, “NCI Early Detection Research Network: Making Cancer Detection Possible.”