bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical Study of the Protective Capacity of Artificial Patina of CuS04 Exposed in an Urban-Marine Atmosphere
Authors: Triana-Romero Andres Alberto , Galván Martínez R. , Mejía-Sánchez Edgar , Aleman-Xolo Karen Citlali , Hernandez Miguel Ángel , Orozco Cruz Ricardo
Published: January 2021

The damage caused by atmospheric pollutants, chlorides, and sulfates, is evident in historical metallic monuments. Therefore, it is vitally important to analyze these interactions to ensure adequate conservation. The electrochemical behavior was studied using Linear Polarization Resistance (LPR) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) of quaternary bronze with an artificially formed patina with CuSO4 representing a historical metal exposed in the atmosphere and thus obtaining information about its degradation process during a determined time. The results show that charge and mass transfer processes were carried out by varying the resistances of the patinas during the weeks that they were exposed, reaching to observe a diffusive and metastable process due to the formation of corrosion products that lead to an increase in the resistance of charge transfer.
Numerical Study of Local pH Variations in a Galvanic Carbon Steel-Aluminum Alloy System Under Immersion Conditions
Authors: Ruiz Allan , Ortiz Alma , Genesca Juan , Montoya Rodrigo
Published: January 2021

This work focused on developing a mathematical model to predict the transient distribution of chemical species generated in the galvanic corrosion process when an aluminum alloy and carbon steel are coupled. It was considered a bared galvanic system under immersion conditions. The 2D electrochemical model considers both the electrochemical and homogeneous reactions, which occur in a static and uniform sodium chloride solution. The model was solved by the finite element method (FEM), and the main contribution of the investigation is the prediction of the local pH variation due to galvanic corrosion. The calculated pH profiles on the surface of the aluminum alloy showed strong acidification of the electrolyte. This abrupt drop in pH has already been measured experimentally with innovative techniques and attributed to aluminum's hydrolysis reactions.
Fabrication and Characterization of a-IGZO Thin-Film Transistors With and Without Passivation Layers
Authors: Chu Yen-Lin , Young Sheng-Joue , Ji Liang-Wen , Yan Shih-Ping
Published: January 2021

The thin-film transistors (TFTs) devices based on amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-InGaZnO, a-IGZO) films were fabricated and characterized in this paper. We have employed the a-IGZO thin film as an active channel layer in the bottom gate structure of transistor, the silicon dioxide (SiO2) as a gate insulator, and the indium tin oxide (ITO) as a gate source and drain electrodes. All of them were grown on ITO glass substrates by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering technique. However, there were still some inherent defects in the a-IGZO materials, it would be affected the performance of the fabricated transistors. Therefore, in this work, it explored to research a-IGZO TFTs with aluminum (Al) passivation layers as sensitive to water and oxygen thereby affect the device stability, and time dependence threshold voltage variation in ambient of passivation layer and reliability. Demonstrably, our experimental results revealed that the W/L (W = wide, L = length) ratio is 10, the on/off ration and the mobility would be better, respectively. Moreover, the results also showed improvement in the performance of a-IGZO TFTs with the Al passivation layers and annealing process treatment.
A Rare Indolent Course of Rhinocerebral Mucormycosis
Authors: Khudyakov Aleksandr , Ahmed Rafsan , Huynh Chi Doan , Dehghani Amir , Li Zhonghua , Rose Michael
Published: January 2021

Mucormycosis is a highly invasive and rapidly progressing form of fungal infection that can be fatal. The infection usually begins after oral or nasal inhalation of fungal spores and can enter the host through a disrupted mucosa or an extraction wound. The organism becomes pathogenic when the host is in an immunocompromised state. There are several clinical presentations of mucormycosis including rhinocerebral, pulmonary, cutaneous, gastrointestinal, disseminated, and miscellaneous forms. The most common clinical presentation of mucormycosis is the rhinocerebral form which has a high predilection for patients with diabetes and metabolic acidosis. An indolent disease course taking weeks to months of this infection is rare making it difficult to diagnose. Therefore, early detection and prompt treatment with surgical and antifungal therapy are very important in achieving good treatment outcomes.
Continuous Infusion of Ketamine and Lidocaine Either with or without Maropitant as an Adjuvant Agent for Analgesia in Female Dogs Undergoing Mastectomy
Authors: Soares Priscila C. L. R. , Corrêa Janaina M. X. , Niella Raquel V. , de Oliveira Jéssica N. S. , Costa Brenda A. , Silva Junior Alex C. , Sena Aline S. , Pinto Taísa M. , Munhoz Alexandre D. , Martins Luci Ana F. , Silva Elisângela B. , Lavor Mário S. L.
Published: January 2021

Maropitant, an antagonist of neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptors, blocks the pharmacological action of substance P on the central and peripheral nervous systems. The objective of this study was to compare the antinociceptive and cardiorespiratory effects of the continuous intraoperative infusion of maropitant with ketamine and lidocaine in female dogs undergoing unilateral radical mastectomy. Twenty-four female dogs were used and were divided randomly into two groups (n = 12). The GLK group received ketamine bolus (1.0 mg/kg), lidocaine bolus (1.5 mg/kg), and continuous infusion of ketamine and lidocaine (10 mcg/kg/min and 50 mcg/kg/min), respectively; the GLKM group received the same anesthetic protocol combined with maropitant bolus (1.5 mg/kg/IV) and continuous infusion of maropitant (100 mcg/kg/h). Continuous infusion was initiated at the start of surgery and was maintained until 1 hour postoperatively. Pain was evaluated in the postoperative period using four scales and a digital analgesimeter. Data were analysed using analysis of variance, Student's t-test, Mann–Whitney test, and Friedman’s test (P < 0.05). Kaplan–Meier curves were compared using the log-rank test. The results indicated lower pain scores, better survival curves with a lower number of patients requiring rescue analgesia, and lower peripheral sensitization, in the GLKM group than in the GLK group. It was concluded that the coadministration of maropitant with ketamine and lidocaine had an adjuvant effect with minimal cardiorespiratory effects and effective analgesia, improving pain management and patient comfort.
Diagnosis of Isolated Cleft of the Anterior Mitral Leaflet in a Dog: A Case Study Using Real-Time Three-Dimensional Echocardiography
Authors: Araki Ryuji , Iwanaga Koji , Ueda Kazunori , Isaka Mitsuhiro
Published: January 2021

Isolated cleft of the anterior mitral leaflet (ICAML) in dogs without a septal defect is a rare pathological condition. Until now, only one paper has contributed to the detailed understanding of canine ICAML. Reports have confirmed that 3-dimensional echocardiography (3-DE) is a simple and fast imaging technique that is useful for the diagnosis of ICAML and morphological evaluation of the mitral valve in humans. However, to our knowledge, no studies have provided details about the effectiveness of 3-DE in ICAML diagnosis in dogs. Thus, we aimed to determine the usefulness of a diagnostic technique using 3-DE in a 2-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with ICAML that exhibited mild mitral valve regurgitation. ICAML was initially assessed by transthoracic two-dimensional echocardiography. A diagnosis of congenital mitral regurgitation due to ICAML and understanding of the morphological structure of the valve was established based on the 3-DE findings.
An Accurate Measurement Method for Tension Force of Short Cable by Additional Mass Block
Authors: Li Shuichang , Wang Longlin , Wang Hua , Shi Peihua , Lan Riyan , Wu Changxia , Wang Xirui
Published: January 2021

The equivalent effective length parameter is introduced into the vibration equation of short cable; that is, the boundary condition that affects the test accuracy of short cable force is equivalent to the calculated length of cable. By attaching an additional mass block to the cable, new parameters are introduced to identify the tension force. Vibration differential equations are established for cable with and without addition mass block, taking new parameters into account, such as equivalent effective length and added mass. By solving the equations using the RITZ method, the analytical relationship between the natural frequency of cable and equivalent effective length before and after a mass block is added can be developed. It can also develop an analytical method to identify the equivalent effective length depending on whether the added mass block is attached. Then, tension force of short length cable can be evaluated by measuring its natural frequency based on equivalent effective length. The method is verified by field tests. The tests results indicate the new method mentioned in this paper is going to largely improve the accuracy of tension force measurement of short length cable.
Injection of Lidocaine Alone versus Lidocaine plus Dexmedetomidine in Impacted Third Molar Extraction Surgery, a Double-Blind Randomized Control Trial for Postoperative Pain Evaluation
Authors: Alizargar Javad , Etemadi Sh Milad , Kaviani Nasser , Wu Shu-Fang Vivienne , Jafarzadeh Keyvan , Ranjbarian Parisa , Hsieh Nan-Chen
Published: January 2021

Objectives. Administration of medications such as dexmedetomidine as a topical anesthetic has been suggested in the pain control in dentistry. This double-blind randomized control trial study evaluated postoperative pain and associated factors following impacted third molar extraction surgery. Lidocaine alone was taken as the control and lidocaine plus dexmedetomidine as the intervention. Materials and Methods. Forty patients undergoing mandibular third molar extraction entered the study and were randomly allocated to the control and interventional groups. 0.15 ml of dexmedetomidine was added to each lidocaine cartridge and the drug concentration was adjusted to 15 μg for the intervention group while only lidocaine was used in the control group. A visual analog scale was used to measure and record pain levels at the end of the surgery and 6, 12, and 24 hours after the surgery and number of painkillers taken by the patients after the surgery was also recorded. Results. Pain scores of the intervention group decreased significantly during the surgery and also 6, 12, and 24 hours after the surgery compared to the control group. The pain score was correlated significantly with our intervention during the surgery and also 6 and 12 hours after that (all

P
 
value
<
0
.
05

). There was a nonsignificant reduction in the number of painkillers taken by the patients at 6, 12, and 24 hours after surgery (all

P
 value
>
0
.
05

). Conclusion. In patients undergoing molar surgery, administration of a combination of dexmedetomidine and lidocaine is beneficial for the pain control. Clinical Relevance. Compared to the injection of lidocaine alone, combination of dexmedetomidine and lidocaine can be used for a better pain control in molar surgeries.
Numerical Simulation and Experimental Study on Flow Field in a Swirl Nozzle
Authors: Sun Yicheng , Fu Yufan , Chen Baohui , Lu Jiaxing , Deng Wanquan
Published: January 2021

In order to study the internal flow characteristics and external droplet velocity distribution characteristics of the swirl nozzle, the following methods were used: numerical simulations were used to study the internal flow characteristics of a swirl nozzle and phase Doppler particle velocimetry was used to determine the corresponding external droplet velocity distribution under medium and low pressure conditions. The distributions of pressure and water velocity inside the nozzle were obtained. Meanwhile, the velocities of droplets outside the nozzle in different sections were discussed. The results show that the flow rate in the swirl nozzle increases with the increase in inlet pressure, and the local pressure in the region decreases because of the excessive velocity at the internal outlet section of the swirl nozzle, resulting in cavitation. The experimental results show that under an external flow field, the minimum droplet velocity occurs in the axial direction; starting from the axis, the velocity first increases and then decreases along the radial direction. Swirling motion inside the nozzle and velocity variations in the external flow field occur under medium and low pressure conditions. The relationship between the inlet pressure and the distributions of water droplets’ velocities was established, which provides a reference for the research and development of the swirl nozzle.
Preparation and Characterization of Biodegradable Composited Films Based on Potato Starch/Glycerol/Gelatin
Authors: Niu Xiaoqing , Ma Qianyun , Li Shuiling , Wang Wenxiu , Ma Yajuan , Zhao Hongqian , Sun Jianfeng , Wang Jie
Published: January 2021

The use of plastics is resisted worldwide. Therefore, finding alternatives to plastic packaging products is an urgent issue. This work was dedicated to the preparation of biodegradable composited films with potato starch, glycerol, and gelatin. The formulation of the biodegradable film was first optimized via response surface methodology combined with the multi-index comprehensive evaluation method that considered physical properties (thickness, water solution (WS), tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (E%)) and barrier property (light transmittance (T%)). Results indicated that the optimal conditions were 2.5% starch, 2.0% glycerol, and 1.5% gelatin (based on water). The optimized film presented excellent properties with TS of 4.47 MPa, E% of 109.91%, WS of 43.64%, and T% of 41.21% at 500 nm, and the comprehensive evaluation score of the composite film was 28.68. Moreover, a model verification experiment was further conducted, which proved that the predicted value highly matched experimental values, indicting the credibility and accuracy of the model. The resulting films were further characterized on the basis of rheological measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The rheological measurements proved that the film-forming solution exhibited low shear viscosity and non-Newtonian fluid behavior. FTIR and SEM revealed excellent compatibility among starch, glycerol, and gelatin. Hence, the resulting optimized film may be expected to provide theoretical basis and technical support for the food packing industry.
Exact Solutions of Newell-Whitehead-Segel Equations Using Symmetry Transformations
Authors: Bibi Khudija , Ahmad Khalil
Published: January 2021

In this article, Lie and discrete symmetry transformation groups of linear and nonlinear Newell-Whitehead-Segel (NWS) equations are obtained. By using these symmetry transformation groups, several group invariant solutions of considered NWS equations have been constructed. Furthermore, some more group invariant solutions are generated by using discrete symmetry transformation group. Graphical representations of some obtained solutions are also presented.
[Retracted] Potential Drug Prediction of Glioblastoma Based on Drug Perturbation‐Induced Gene Expression Signatures
Authors: Zhu Bochi , Mao Xijing , Man Yuhong
Published: January 2021

Objectives. Glioblastoma (GBM) is a malignant brain tumor which is the most common and aggressive type of central nervous system cancer, with high morbidity and mortality. Despite lots of systematic studies on the molecular mechanism of glioblastoma, the pathogenesis is still unclear, and effective therapies are relatively rare with surgical resection as the frequently therapeutic intervention. Identification of fundamental molecules and gene networks associated with initiation is critical in glioblastoma drug discovery. In this study, an approach for the prediction of potential drug was developed based on perturbation‐induced gene expression signatures. Methods. We first collected RNA‐seq data of 12 pairs of glioblastoma samples and adjacent normal samples from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by DESeq2, and coexpression networks were analyzed with weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA). Furthermore, key driver genes were detected based on the differentially expressed genes and potential chemotherapeutic drugs and targeted drugs were found by correlating the gene expression profiles with drug perturbation database. Finally, RNA‐seq data of glioblastoma from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset was collected as an independent validation dataset to verify our findings. Results. We identified 1771 significantly DEGs with 446 upregulated genes and 1325 downregulated genes. A total of 24 key drivers were found in the upregulated gene set, and 81 key drivers were found in the downregulated gene set. We screened the Crowd Extracted Expression of Differential Signatures (CREEDS) database to identify drug perturbations that could reverse the key factors of glioblastoma, and a total of 354 drugs were obtained with p value < 10-10. Finally, 7 drugs that could turn down the expression of upregulated factors and 3 drugs that could reverse the expression of downregulated key factors were selected as potential glioblastoma drugs. In addition, similar results were obtained through the analysis of TCGA as independent dataset. Conclusions. In this study, we provided a framework of workflow for potential therapeutic drug discovery and predicted 10 potential drugs for glioblastoma therapy.
[Retracted] Development and Supervision of Robo‐Advisors under Digital Financial Inclusion in Complex Systems
Authors: Dai Wensheng
Published: January 2021

With the rapid development of the market economy, there are more and more projects in the financial industry, and their complexity and technical requirements are getting higher and higher. The development of computer technology has promoted the birth of robot consultants, and it is of great significance to use robot consultants to manage and supervise financial industry projects. In order to further analyze the development and supervision of robo‐advisors under the digital inclusive financial system, this paper uses complex systems and clustering algorithms as technical support to carry out research. First, the traditional K‐means algorithm is used to select the initial clustering center, to improve the noise and outlier processing capabilities, and to build a data mining system based on the improved algorithm. Then, a product design model for robo‐advisors is built and the risks of robo‐advisors are analyzed from three aspects: technology, market, and law. Analyzing the performance of the improved K‐means algorithm, in the operation of the experimental dataset B, the accuracy of the clustering result after 6 iterations reached 97.08%, which shows that the algorithm has good performance. During the trial operation of the data mining system, the four types of customers of financial institutions were accurately clustered, and it was concluded that the main type of customers who brought benefits to financial institutions was high‐income customers accounting for 10.75%. Robo‐advisory product models are used to build five risk‐level investment portfolios and conduct risk backtests. Except for the growth and income portfolio, other portfolios have consistently outperformed the performance benchmark during the analyzed time period. Running the research system of this paper in a financial institution, comparing the capital budget before and after the operation, found that the system can improve the accuracy of the budget and reduce the risk of the robo‐advisor for the financial institution.
Multifeature Extraction of Three‐Dimensional Topography of Carbon Steel Specimen during Fatigue Process
Authors: Liu Tao , Wu Jingxiong , Lei Jingfa , Wang Xue , Zhang Bingqi , Zhang Shu
Published: January 2021

In order to investigate the variation of three‐dimensional metal surface topography during fatigue process, a three‐dimensional (3D) topography acquisition platform was built with an in situ tensile tester and a three‐dimensional profilometer. Q235 steel specimens were chosen as research objects, and the three‐dimensional surface topography information at various stages of fatigue damage was obtained. Through the characterization of three‐dimensional roughness, combined with surface height distribution and multifractal analysis, the variations of metal surface topography in the fatigue process were described. Results show that the arithmetic mean deviation of the surface (Sa), the width of the multifractal spectrum (Δα), and the mean value of surface height distribution (μ) and its standard deviation (δ) increase nonlinearly with the increase of fatigue cycles. The rate of fatigue damage is slow in the early stage and high in the middle and late stages. The surface height distribution amplitude (A) decreases with the increase of fatigue cycles, which indicates that the height data concentration decreases, and the metal surface becomes uneven. The Bayesian data fusion method was applied to establish a nonlinear mapping between the topography features and the damage, with the above five characteristic parameters (Sa, Δα, A, μ, and δ) as the data layer. Finally, a surface topography feature fusion method is proposed, and a case study is conducted to verify its applicability. The research results can provide reference for fatigue damage assessment.
Comparison of Interferon-Gamma Release Assay and Tuberculin Skin Test for the Screening of Latent Tuberculosis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients: Indian Scenario
Authors: Mantri Alok Kumar , Meena Priti , Puri Amarender Singh , Kumar Ajay , Sachdeva Sanjeev , Srivastava Siddharth , Arivarasan K. , Varakanahali Shivakumar
Published: January 2021

Background. In a country like India, where the prevalence of tuberculosis is very high, the role of screening tools for detection of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) like TST and IGRA is still unclear, especially in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Our study is aimed at comparing the interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) and tuberculin skin test (TST) to determine the prevalence of LTBI in IBD patients in the Indian subset of the population. Methods. It was a prospective observational analysis. A total of 257 participants were included in the study. Both TST and IGRA were performed in consecutive patients diagnosed with IBD (131 patients) and in 126 healthy individuals. Both tests were performed on the same day. LTBI diagnosis was considered if any one of TST or IGRA was found to be positive. Results. Out of 131 IBD patients, 121 patients had ulcerative colitis and 10 patients had Crohn’s disease. 29% of the IBD patients and 22% of the control subjects had LTBI. The study demonstrated concordance between TST and IGRA. Agreement test kappa value for IBD patients was 0.656 (CI 0.50-0.81), with a

p

value of <0.001, suggestive of a fair agreement. Mean IFN-γ release was lower in the immunosuppressed group as compared to non-immunosuppressed individuals (

0.26
±
0.17

vs.

0.45
±
0.07

,

p
=
0.02

). Cohen’s kappa coefficient values in IBD cases and control subjects were 0.66 and 0.79, respectively. TST was found to be negatively correlated to BMI. Conclusion. Agreement between TST and IGRA was fair in IBD patients. For LTBI screening in IBD patients, TST and IGRA are complementary methods.
Physical and Biological Properties of a Chitosan Hydrogel Scaffold Associated to Photobiomodulation Therapy for Dental Pulp Regeneration: An In Vitro and In Vivo Study
Authors: Moreira Maria Stella , Sarra Giovanna , Carvalho Giovanna Lopes , Gonçalves Flavia , Caballero-Flores Hector Valentin , Pedroni Ana Clara Fagundes , Lascala Cesar Angelo , Catalani Luiz Henrique , Marques Márcia Martins
Published: January 2021

Background. The regeneration of dental pulp, especially in cases of pulp death of immature teeth, is the goal of the regenerative endodontic procedures (REPs) that are based on tissue engineering principles, consisting of stem cells, growth factors, and scaffolds. Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) showed to improve dental pulp regeneration through cell homing approaches in preclinical studies and has been proposed as the fourth element of tissue engineering. However, when a blood clot was used as a scaffold in one of these previous studies, only 30% of success was achieved. The authors pointed out the instability of the blood clot as the regeneration shortcoming. Then, to circumvent this problem, a new scaffold was developed to be applied with the blood clot. The hypothesis of the present study was that an experimental injectable chitosan hydrogel would facilitate the three‐dimensional spatial organization of endogenous stem cells in dental pulp regeneration with no interference on the positive influence of PBMT. Methods. For the in vitro analysis, stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAPs) were characterized by flow cytometry and applied in the chitosan scaffold for evaluating adhesion, migration, and proliferation. For the in vivo analysis, the chitosan scaffold was applied in a rodent orthotopic dental pulp regeneration model under the influence of PBMT (660 nm; power output of 20 mW, beam area of 0.028 cm2, and energy density of 5 J/cm2). Results. The scaffold tested in this study allowed significantly higher viability, proliferation, and migration of SCAPs in vitro when PBMT was applied, especially with the energy density of 5 J/cm2. These results were in consonance to those of the in vivo data, where pulp‐like tissue formation was observed inside the root canal. Conclusion. Chitosan hydrogel when applied with a blood clot and PBMT could in the future improve previous results of dental pulp regeneration through cell homing approaches.
Introduction and Application of a Simple Probabilistic Liquefaction Hazard Analysis Program: HAZ45PL Module
Authors: Chou Jui-Ching , Hsieh Pao-Shan , Lin Po-Shen , Yen Yin-Tung , Lin Yu-Hsi
Published: January 2021

The 2016 Meinong Earthquake hit southern Taiwan and many shallow foundation structures were damaged due to soil liquefaction. In response, the government initiated an investigation project to construct liquefaction potential maps for metropolitans in Taiwan. These maps were used for the preliminary safety assessment of infrastructures or buildings. However, the constructed liquefaction potential map used the pseudo‐probabilistic approach, which has inconsistent return period. To solve the inconsistency, the probabilistic liquefaction hazard analysis (PLHA) was introduced. However, due to its complicated calculation procedure, PLHA is not easy and convenient for engineers to use without a specialized program, such as in Taiwan. Therefore, PLHA is not a popular liquefaction evaluation procedure in practice. This study presents a simple PLHA program, HAZ45PL Module, customized for Taiwan. Sites in Tainan City and Yuanlin City are evaluated using the HAZ45PL Module to obtain the hazard curve and to construct the liquefaction probability map. The liquefaction probability map provides probabilities of different liquefaction potential levels for engineers or owners to assess the performance of an infrastructure or to design a mitigation plan.
Research on Fault Diagnosis Method of Electro‐Hydrostatic Actuator
Authors: Zhufeng Lei , Lvjun Qin , Xiaodong Wu , Wen Jin , Caixia Wang
Published: January 2021

Electrohydrostatic actuator is a type of actuator that uses hydraulic energy as the energy transmission carrier, which has the advantages of small size and high power. Since it is commonly used in harsh conditions such as strong vibration, high pressure, and heavy loads, condition monitoring and fault diagnosis of its hydraulic system are particularly important. This paper proposed a novel fault feature extraction method and applied to fault diagnosis of electrohydrostatic actuator. Firstly, the pressure signal of the hydraulic system is decomposed at multiple scales to obtain the center frequency of its maximum energy intrinsic mode component, and the feature data set is constructed based on the statistical features of the time domain. Then, a fault identification model of hydraulic system based on support vector machine is established. Finally, the fault classification and identification results of the hydraulic system are outputted. After a variety of method comparisons, the method proposed in this paper has a fault time ratio accuracy of 96.7%, which provides a basis and a new way for the fault diagnosis of the hydraulic system.
Association between Poststroke Depression and Psychological Crisis: A Retrospective Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Hsieh Han-Chin , Yang Pei-Jin , Huang Yu-Chi , Lee Yan-Yuh , Yang Tsung-Hsun , Wu Szu-Ying , Chen Po-Cheng
Published: January 2021

Objective. To investigate the association between poststroke depression (PSD) and psychological crisis in patients who have experienced a stroke within 6 months. Methods. This was a retrospective cross‐sectional study that enrolled patients within 6 months after stroke onset. The investigators reviewed medical charts to obtain patients’ baseline characteristics, and a psychologist evaluated each patient for depression using the Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire (TDQ) and for psychological crisis using the Triage Assessment System (TAS). A generalized linear model (GLM) was used to analyze the association between the results of the TDQ and TAS. Results. Ninety‐seven patients with stroke were included. Age (p = 0.003), time since onset of stroke (p = 0.041), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.004), hypertension (p = 0.016), heart disease (p = 0.005), and TDQ score were significantly different between the hemorrhagic stroke group and the ischemic stroke group. The TDQ score was significantly lower in the hemorrhagic stroke group (p = 0.012). The TDQ score was associated with the TAS total score and each domain score, and the presence of heart disease was associated with poorer TAS score in the behavioral domain (p = 0.016). Conclusion. PSD is likely an important component of psychological crisis in stroke patients. For clinicians, a comprehensive psychologic evaluation is necessary to optimize treatment.
Protective Effects of Astragalus Polysaccharide on Sepsis-Induced Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Sun Jie , Wei Shanzhai , Zhang Yilai , Li Jia
Published: January 2021

Objective. To explore the protective roles of Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) on acute renal injury (AKI) induced by sepsis. Methods. Firstly, an animal model of sepsis-induced AKI was established by injecting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into mice. The mice were pretreated with an intraperitoneal injection of 1, 3, and 5 mg/(kg·d) APS for 3 consecutive days. The severity of kidney injury was then scored by histopathological analysis, and the concentrations of serum urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (SCr) and the levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were determined as well. In in vitro experiments, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to induce HK-2 cell injury to establish a sepsis-induced AKI cell model, and the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) method was performed to determine the cytotoxicity and appropriate experimental concentration of APS. Then, cells were divided into the control, LPS, and APS+LPS groups. Cell apoptosis and inflammation-related TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 were determined by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. The microscope was used to observe the morphological changes of cells, and the cell migration ability was measured by wound healing assay. RT-qPCR and Western blot assay were used to determine the mRNA and protein levels of apoptosis-related factors including caspase-3, caspase-9, Bax, and Bcl-2; endoplasmic reticulum stress- (ERS-) related biomarkers including C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) and glucose-regulated protein78 (GRP78); and epithelial-mesenchymal transition- (EMT-) related biomarkers including E-cadherin, Snail, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMΑ), and Vimentin. Results. In vivo experiments in mice showed that APS can reverse LPS-induced kidney damage in a concentration-dependent manner (P<0.05); the concentrations of BUN and Scr were increased (allP<0.05); similarly, the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β were increased as well (allP<0.05). In in vitro experiments, the results showed that LPS can significantly cause HK-2 cell damage and induce apoptosis, inflammation, ERS, and EMT. When APS concentration was in the range of 0-200 μg/mL, it had no cytotoxicity in HK-2 cells, and 100 μg/mL APS pretreatment could significantly mitigate the decrease of cell activity induced by LPS (P<0.05). Compared with the LPS group, APS pretreatment could inhibit the expression of inflammatory factors including TNF-α, IL-1 β, IL-6, and IL-8 (allP<0.05), reducing the number of apoptotic cells (P<0.05), suppressing the expression of caspase-3, caspase-9, and Bax, but upregulating the expression levels of Bcl-2. In ERS, APS pretreatment inhibited LPS-induced upregulation of CHOP and GRP78. Moreover, in EMT, APS pretreatment could inhibit the morphological changes of cells, downregulate the migration, decrease the expression of EMT biomarkers, and inhibit the process of EMT. Conclusion. APS could alleviate sepsis-induced AKI by regulating inflammation, apoptosis, ERS, and EMT.
Adiponectin Deficiency Suppresses Rhabdomyosarcoma Associated with Gut Microbiota Regulation
Authors: Peng Jiao , Wang Jia-yue , Huang Hai-feng , Zheng Ting-ting , Li Jie , Wang Li-jun , Ma Xiao-chi , Xiao Hai-tao
Published: January 2021

The gut microbiota is very important in the initiation, progression, and dissemination of cancer, and the regulation of microbiota has been employed as a novel strategy to enhance the effect of immunotherapy. Adiponectin (APN), an adipocyte‐derived hormone, plays a vital role in regulating the immune response of innate immune cells. The deficiency of APN inhibits rhabdomyosarcoma growth. However, whether this function is associated with regulating gut microbiota remains unknown. To investigate, we performed 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing on the fecal microbiome of APN gene knockout mice to determine whether APN deletion affects the gut microbiota. We found APN deficiency alters gut microbial functions involved in metabolism, genetic information processing, and cellular processes. In addition, a decreased abundance of Bacteroides and an increased abundance of Prevotella and Helicobacter were observed in rhabdomyosarcoma‐bearing APN knockout mice; these bacteria were associated with the inhibition of rhabdomyosarcoma growth. These findings suggest that gut microbiota may be a potential target of APN deficiency against rhabdomyosarcoma.
How Small-Scale Farmers Understand Rain Water Harvesting Technology? Evidence from Northern Ethiopia
Authors: Mengistu Abay Tafere
Published: January 2021

The study examined farmers’ perceptions and adoption of rain water harvesting technology in Raya-Alamata district of Ethiopia. Four kebeles were purposively selected from the 13 homogeneous kebeles (small administrative unit). During the survey, primary data were collected through a semistructured questionnaire distributed to 270 systematically selected sample respondents and through interview with key informants, development agents, and local administrators. Secondary data were retrieved from district agriculture office, books, and published scientific materials. Descriptive statistics, simple narration, and a probit regression model were used to analyze the data. The results showed that the farmers perceived rain water harvesting as a motivational way of creating sense of belongingness. They think that it increases crop production, increases forest regeneration, and encourages forage production. The probit regression models revealed that determinants of farmers’ adoption of rainwater harvesting technology were significantly and positively affected by education, farm size, and off-farm income. The effect of distance to the farmland and farmers training center (FTC) was also significant but negative. Men farmers had higher level of adoption compared to their counterparts. Productive and reproductive roles constrain women household farmers from using the technologies. Based on the finding, the policy implications were as follows: dissemination of information related to rain water harvesting technology should be imperative through formal and informal education. Alternative sources of water need also be promoted. More importantly, female-headed households need to be encouraged to be community leaders to foster the adoption of rain water harvesting technology.
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography of Nonarteritic Cilioretinal Artery Occlusion Alone
Authors: Ikebukuro Toyo , Igarashi Tsutomu , Kameya Shuhei , Arima Takeshi , Kunishige Tomoyuki , Takahashi Hiroshi
Published: January 2021

Cilioretinal artery occlusion (CLRAO) is a rare disease. Here, we report the case of a 70-year-old man with nonarteritic cilioretinal artery occlusion alone. The patient was allergic to fluorescein. Therefore, we followed the retinal circulation with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). OCTA at 40 days postonset showed partial improvement in the retinal circulation.
Primary Cilia as a Biomarker in Mesenchymal Stem Cells Senescence: Influencing Osteoblastic Differentiation Potency Associated with Hedgehog Signaling Regulation
Authors: Fu Su , Zhang Chunlin , Yan Xu , Li Dongzhe , Wang Yongkui , Dong Chao , Cao Zhengming , Ning Yongming , Shao Chenglong , Yang Tengyue
Published: January 2021

Bone tissue engineering-based therapy for bone lesions requires the expansion of seeding cells, such as autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). A major obstacle to this process is the loss of the phenotype and differentiation capacity of MSCs subjected to passage. Recent studies have suggested that primary cilia, primordial organelles that transduce multiple signals, particularly hedgehog signals, play a role in senescence. Therefore, we explored the relationships among senescence, primary cilia, and hedgehog signaling in MSCs. Ageing of MSCs by expansion in vitro was accompanied by increased cell doubling time. The osteogenic capacity of aged MSCs at passage 4 was compromised compared to that of primary cells. P4 MSCs exhibited reductions in the frequency and length of primary cilia associated with decreased intensity of Arl13b staining on cilia. Senescence also resulted in downregulation of the expression of hedgehog components and CDKN2A. Suppression of ciliogenesis reduced the gene expression of both Gli1, a key molecule in the hedgehog signaling pathway and ALP, a marker of osteoblastic differentiation. This study demonstrated that the senescence of MSCs induced the loss of osteoblastic differentiation potency and inactivated hedgehog signaling associated with attenuated ciliogenesis, indicating that primary cilia play a mediating role in and are biomarkers of MSC senescence; thus, future antisenescence strategies involving manipulation of primary cilia could be developed.
Increased Expression of DNA2 Was Linked to Poor Prognosis in Breast Cancer
Authors: Han Yingyan , Zhang Zeyu , Wang Zhi , Sun Shujuan
Published: January 2021

DNA double-strand break (DSB) repaired by homologous recombination (HR) is an essential process for breast cancer cells to survive. DNA2 nuclease acts parallel to homologous recombination (HR). Here, we investigated the detailed clinical attribute of DNA2 in breast cancer and the role of DNA2 in breast cancer cells’ growth. We found that elevated expression of DNA2 was obviously linked to poor prognosis in breast cancer. Further, DNA2 expression was increased in the ER-negative group, PR-negative group, HER2-positive group, and high-grade group via analyzing 2,509 breast cancers in “cBioportal” and 3,063 breast cancer data in “bc-GenExMiner.” Besides, the immunohistochemical staining in 26 breast cancer tissues also showed that elevated expression of DNA2 was correlated with ER-/PR-/HER+. To further detect the role of DNA2 in breast cancer cells, we took GESA, GO, and KEGG analyses and found that DNA2 was enriched in cell cycle and DNA replication pathways. Furthermore, silencing of DNA2 inhibited cell growth in T47D and MD-MB-231 breast cancer cells and suppressed tumor growth in vivo, indicating DNA2 functioned importantly in breast cancer progression and maybe a potential prognostic marker in breast cancer. Our research reveals that DNA2 is a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis in breast cancer from multiple perspectives and gives a new clue for further preclinical and clinical investigation.
A Novel and High-Precision Method for Calculating the γ-Ray Build-Up Factor for Multilayer Shields
Authors: Li Chao , Song Yingming , Zhang Zehuan , Mao Jie , Yuan Weiwei , Wang Bo
Published: January 2021

In the field of radiation protection, the point-kernel code method is a practical tool widely used in the calculation of 3-D radiation field, and the accuracy of the point-kernel integration method strongly depends on the accuracy of the build-up factor. It is well known that calculation of the build-up factor for single-layer shields is composed of single material, but it is very complicated to calculate the build-up factor for multilayer shields (MLBUF). Recently, a novel and high-precision method based on the deep neural network (DNN) for calculating MLBUF has been proposed. In this paper, the novel method is described completely by slab models. Through the study of photon transport in multilayer shields, the parameters that mainly affect the calculation of build-up factor are analyzed. These parameters are trained by DNN as the input vectors, and the build-up factor for multilayer shields is predicted based on the trained DNN. The results predicted by DNN confirm that the method can calculate the build-up factor for multilayer shields quickly and accurately. The method has been preliminarily applicated into a 3-D radiation field calculation software, and it has proved that the method for calculating MLBUF has a broad application prospects in 3-D radiation field calculation.
Effects of Aging on the Color and Translucency of Monolithic Translucent Y‐TZP Ceramics: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of In Vitro Studies
Authors: Zhang Chang-yuan , Agingu Check , Tsoi James Kit Hon , Yu Hao
Published: January 2021

Background. Monolithic restorations made of translucent yttria‐stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Y‐TZP) have become popular over the past few decades. However, whether aging affects the color and translucency of monolithic translucent Y‐TZP is unclear. Objective. The aim of this systematic review and meta‐analysis of in vitro studies was to evaluate the effects of aging on the color and translucency of monolithic translucent Y‐TZP ceramics. Materials and Methods. This systematic review/meta‐analysis was reported according to the PRISMA statement and registered in the OSF registries (https://osf.io/5qjmu). Four databases including Medline via the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases and the Cochrane Library were searched using no publication year and language limits. The last search was executed on November 20, 2020. In vitro studies comparing the translucency and/or color of monolithic translucent Y‐TZP ceramics before and after simulated aging were selected. Meta‐analyses were performed using Review Manager software (version 5.3, Cochrane Collaboration, Oxford, UK) with random‐effects models at a significance level of 0.05. A risk‐of‐bias assessment was also performed for the included studies. Results. Of the 188 potentially relevant studies, 13 were included in the systematic review. The hydrothermal aging duration ranged from 1 to 100 h at relatively similar temperatures (~134°C). In the general meta‐analyses, the aged Y‐TZP ceramics exhibited similar translucency parameter (TP), L ∗, and b ∗ values compared with the nonaged controls (P = .73, P = .49, and P = .62, respectively). Moreover, there was a significant difference between the aged and nonaged Y‐TZP ceramics in the a ∗ value (P = .03; MD = −0.26; 95% CI = −0.51 to − 0.02), favoring the nonaged Y‐TZP ceramics. The subgroup analyses showed that the duration of aging contributed to changes in the translucency and color of the Y‐TZP ceramics. Conclusions. The optical properties of monolithic translucent Y‐TZP ceramics were stable after hydrothermal aging at 134°C and 0.2 MPa for ≤20 h. Moreover, clinically unacceptable changes in the translucency and color of monolithic translucent Y‐TZP ceramics were found after hydrothermal aging for >20 h.
Adaptive Radar Waveform Design Based on Weighted MI and the Difference of Two Mutual Information Metrics
Authors: Xin Fengming , Wang Bin , Li Shumin , Song Xin , Wang Chi-Hsu
Published: January 2021

This study deals with the problem of radar waveform design based on the weighted mutual information (MI) and the difference of two mutual information metrics (DMI) in signal‐dependent interference. Since the target and clutter information are included in the received signal at the beginning of the design, DMI‐based waveform is designed according to the following criterion: maximizing the MI between the received signal and target impulse response while minimizing the MI between the received signal and the clutter impulse response. This criterion is equivalent to maximizing the difference between the first MI and the second MI. Then maximizing the difference of two types of MI is used as the objective function, and the optimization model with the transmitted waveform energy constraint is established. In order to solve it, we resort to maximum marginal allocation (MMA) method to find the DMI‐based waveform. Since DMI‐based waveform does not allocate energy to the frequency band where the clutter power spectral density (PSD) is greater than the target PSD, we propose to weight the MI‐based waveform and DMI‐based waveform to synthesize the final optimal waveform. It could provide different trade‐offs between two types of MI. Simulation results show the proposed algorithm is valid.
Antitumor T-cell Immunity Contributes to Pancreatic Cancer Immune Resistance
Authors: Ajina Reham , Malchiodi Zoe X. , Fitzgerald Allison A. , Zuo Annie , Wang Shangzi , Moussa Maha , Cooper Connor J. , Shen Yue , Johnson Quentin R. , Parks Jerry M. , Smith Jeremy C. , Catalfamo Marta , Fertig Elana J. , Jablonski Sandra A. , Weiner Louis M.
Published: January 2021

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Pancreatic tumors are minimally infiltrated by T cells and are largely refractory to immunotherapy. Accordingly, the role of T-cell immunity in pancreatic cancer has been somewhat overlooked. Here, we hypothesized that immune resistance in pancreatic cancer was induced in response to antitumor T-cell immune responses and that understanding how pancreatic tumors respond to immune attack may facilitate the development of more effective therapeutic strategies. We now provide evidence that T-cell–dependent host immune responses induce a PDAC-derived myeloid mimicry phenomenon and stimulate immune resistance. Three KPC mouse models of pancreatic cancer were used: the mT3-2D (Kras+/LSL-G12D; Trp53+/LSL-R172H; Pdx1-Cre) subcutaneous and orthotopic models, as well as the KP1 (p48-CRE/LSL-Kras/Trp53flox/flox) subcutaneous model. KPC cancer cells were grown in immunocompetent and immunodeficient C57BL/6 mice and analyzed to determine the impact of adaptive immunity on malignant epithelial cells, as well as on whole tumors. We found that induced T-cell antitumor immunity, via signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), stimulated malignant epithelial pancreatic cells to induce the expression of genes typically expressed by myeloid cells and altered intratumoral immunosuppressive myeloid cell profiles. Targeting the Janus Kinase (JAK)/STAT signaling pathway using the FDA-approved drug ruxolitinib overcame these tumor-protective responses and improved anti–PD-1 therapeutic efficacy. These findings provide future directions for treatments that specifically disable this mechanism of resistance in PDAC.