bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance of Locally Produced Coldâ€“Formed Steel Sections for Roof Truss System
Authors: M. T. Mahmood , Thong C. M. , Tan C. S.
Published: December 2020

Secara tradisi, kayu biasanya digunakan untuk kekuda bumbung sebagai bahan binaan. Walaubagaimanapun, kegunaan kayu tidak lagi mendapat sambutan kebelakangan ini disebabkan kos yang tinggi, bukan mesra alam sekitar disebabkan banyak pokok perlu ditebang, terdedah kepada serangan anaiâ€“anai dan keupayaan yang rendah dibandingkan dengan keluli. Keratan keluli tergulingâ€“sejuk telah dicadangkan di dalam kertas ini bagi pembinaan sistem bumbung kekuda sebagai pilihan lain daripada kekuda kayu. Kertas ini membincangkan keputusan uji kaji bagi cadangan keratan keluli tergulingâ€“sejuk yang dikeluarkan oleh pengeluar tempatan sebagaimana yang dinyatakan di dalam kod BS5950 Part 5:1987 bagi kegunaan sistem kekuda bumbung. Ujianâ€“ujian ini juga adalah untuk menepati keperluanâ€“keperluan yang telah digariskan oleh Jabatan Kerja Raya Malaysia. Keputusanâ€“keputusan ujian dari uji kaji menunjukkan keputusan persetujuan yang baik dengan BS 5950 Part 5. Keputusan uji kaji merumuskan bahawa keratan keluli terguling sejuk keluaran tempatan dan sambungannya sesuai digunakan bagi sistem kekuda bumbung.

Kata kunci: Keratan keluli terguling-sejuk, sistem kekuda bumbung, keupayaan keratan, keratan C, keratan topi

Traditionally, timber is usually used for roof truss as a construction material. However, the use of timber is no longer popular recently due to the increase in cost, not environmentalâ€“friendly as more trees need to be cut, prone to termite attack, and lesser capacity compared with steel. Coldâ€“formed steel section has been introduced in this paper for the construction roof truss system as an alternative to the timber truss. This paper describes experimental test results of the proposed coldâ€“formed produced locally with the code of practice as prescribed by BS 5950 Part 5: 1987 for the use in roof truss system. The tests were also performed to meet the requirements that have been outlined by Public Works Department Malaysia. The experimental results showed good agreement with BS 5950 Part 5. From the study it can be concluded that the proposed locally produced coldâ€“formed steel sections and the connections are suitable to be used in the roof truss system provided that the design values should not be more than the experimental values.

Key words: Cold-formed steel section, roof truss system, section capacities, C-section, hat-section
Making a Case for Sport as Avant-Garde
Authors: Rinehart Robert E.
Published: December 2020

The avant-garde has much to offer sport studies and many paths to explore for sport studies’ scholars. In this article, I makes a case for the use of the avant-garde as a metaphor for sport studies, sport scholars, and the public at large. To do this, I sketch out some of the foundational and pertinent characteristics of the avant-garde, provides exemplars from art, considers the similarities between sport and art (in terms of an avant-garde metaphor), and provides some exemplars from sport.
Congress backs research in 2021 spending bill
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: December 2020

Modest increases for science complete 4 years of substantial growth despite Trump
Mapping the global threat of land subsidence
Authors: Herrera-García Gerardo , Ezquerro Pablo , Tomás Roberto , Béjar-Pizarro Marta , López-Vinielles Juan , Rossi Mauro , Mateos Rosa M. , Carreón-Freyre Dora , Lambert John , Teatini Pietro , Cabral-Cano Enrique , Erkens Gilles , Galloway Devin , Hung Wei-Chia , Kakar Najeebullah , Sneed Michelle , Tosi Luigi , Wang Hanmei , Ye Shujun
Published: December 2020

Nineteen percent of the global population may face a high probability of subsidence
CDC20 assists its catalytic incorporation in the mitotic checkpoint complex
Authors: Piano Valentina , Alex Amal , Stege Patricia , Maffini Stefano , Stoppiello Gerardo A. , Huis in ’t Veld Pim J. , Vetter Ingrid R. , Musacchio Andrea
Published: December 2020

Checking fidelity in cell division

Everything has to go right during cell division, so a checkpoint mechanism known as the spindle-assembly checkpoint prevents mitosis from proceeding unless the kinetochores that attach chromosomes to the spindle microtubules are properly engaged. Two papers now reveal the detailed molecular choreography that allows a single, unattached kinetochore to arrest cell division: Lara-Gonzalez
et al.
used a visual probe that tracks a specific form of one of the checkpoint complex proteins, and Piano
et al.
used a biochemical reconstitution of the checkpoint. Together, these studies reveal how protein interaction, spatial constraints, phosphorylation, and catalytic conversion of the protein Mad2 to its active form allow this all-important sensor to function.

Science
, this issue p.
64
, p.
67
Aerosol invigoration of atmospheric convection through increases in humidity
Authors: Abbott Tristan H. , Cronin Timothy W.
Published: December 2020

Aerosols give clouds a lift

It has been observed that atmospheric aerosols can strengthen updrafts in deep convective clouds such as those that form in thunderstorms. Past work has linked such invigoration with the latent heat released by water condensation or freezing in chains of processes that depend on aerosol concentrations. Abbott and Cronin suggest a third possibility in which updrafts intensify because high aerosol concentrations increase environmental humidity by mixing more condensed water into the surrounding air, which in turn favors stronger updrafts.

Science
, this issue p.
83
Evolution of fold switching in a metamorphic protein
Authors: Dishman Acacia F. , Tyler Robert C. , Fox Jamie C. , Kleist Andrew B. , Prehoda Kenneth E. , Babu M. Madan , Peterson Francis C. , Volkman Brian F.
Published: December 2020

One sequence encoding two structures

Most proteins have stable, folded structures, but there are rare examples of metamorphic proteins that can switch between two different folds that may each have a different function. Dishman
et al.
investigated the evolution of XCL1, which is a member of the chemokine family that interconverts between the chemokine fold and a second, noncanonical fold that forms dimers. The authors used nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to investigate the structures of inferred evolutionary ancestral sequences. Their results suggest that XCL1 evolved from an ancestor with the chemokine fold and then transitioned to prefer the noncanonical fold before reaching the modern-day metamorphic protein.

Science
, this issue p.
86
Cheese, ketchup and grapes: a 10-step protocol on how to teach medical students and junior doctors cataract surgery in a simulated environment using household items
Authors: Norbury Christopher
Published: December 2020

Cataract surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures performed worldwide, yet many medical students and doctors remain uncertain as to what a cataract is or what the operation involves. This protocol provides a simple 10-step approach on how to teach medical students and non-specialist doctors the stages involved in cataract surgery, in a low cost wet lab-based environment, without the need for expensive surgical simulators or operating microscopes.
Trace dynamics, and a ground state in spontaneous quantum gravity
Authors: Roy Abhinash Kumar , Sahu Anmol , Singh Tejinder P.
Published: December 2020

We have recently proposed a Lagrangian in trace dynamics to describe a possible unification of gravity, Yang–Mills fields, and fermions, at the Planck scale. This Lagrangian for the unified entity — called the aikyon — is invariant under global unitary transformations, and as a result possesses a novel conserved charge, known as the Adler–Millard charge. In this paper, we derive an eigenvalue equation, analogous to the time-independent Schrödinger equation, for the Hamiltonian of the theory. We show that in the emergent quantum theory, the energy eigenvalues of the aikyon are characterized in terms of a fundamental frequency times Planck’s constant. The eigenvalues of this equation can, in principle, determine the values of the parameters of the standard model. We also report a ground state, in this theory of spontaneous quantum gravity, which could characterize a non-singular initial epoch in quantum cosmology.
Study of some cosmological parameters in logarithmic corrected f(R) gravitational model with swampland conjectures
Authors: Sadeghi J. , Mezerji E. Naghd , Gashti S. Noori
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we use corrected [Formula: see text] gravitational model which is a polynomial function with a logarithmic term. We employ the slow-roll conditions and obtain the number of cosmological parameters. This helps us to verify the swampland conjectures which guarantees validation of low energy quantum field theory. The obtained results show that the corresponding model is consistent with the swampland conjectures. Also, the upper and lower limits of the parameter [Formula: see text] are, respectively, 0.15 and 0.0033. Finally, by using scalar spectrum index [Formula: see text] and tensor-to-scalar ratio [Formula: see text] relations and comparing with the Planck 2018 data, we obtain the coefficients [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. Also, the corresponding results are constructed by several figures, literature and also Planck 2018 data.
Generalized optical theorem for Rayleigh scattering approximation
Authors: Rondón Irving , Lee Jooyoung
Published: December 2020

A general expression for the optical theorem for probe sources given in terms of propagation invariant beams is derived. This expression is obtained using the far field approximation for Rayleigh regime. In order to illustrate this results is revisited the classical and standard scattering elastic problem of a dielectric sphere for which the incident field can be any arbitrary invariant beam.
The influence of oxygen deficiency on the dispersion parameters of TiO2 films
Authors: Fouda A. N.
Published: December 2020

TiO2 thin films were deposited on quartz substrate by RF-magnetron sputtering technique. The effect of varying oxygen fraction [Formula: see text] on the surface morphology, structure, electrical and optical properties was investigated. Decreasing the oxygen fraction promotes phase transformation to the extent of isolating anatase phase with well oriented A(101) preferred crystal orientation at [Formula: see text] of 0.1%. The refractive index dispersion curves were utilized to estimate the single oscillator parameters. In addition, an enhancement in the electrical conductivity to [Formula: see text] at [Formula: see text]% was established. This enhancement was attributed to the deficiency of oxygen as well as the formation of anatase phase.
On new closed form solutions: The (2+1)-dimensional Bogoyavlenskii system
Authors: Tariq Kalim U. , Zabihi Ali , Rezazadeh Hadi , Younis Muhammad , Rizvi S. T. R. , Ansari Reza
Published: December 2020

This paper studies the new closed form solutions to (2+1)-dimensional Bogoyavlenskii system that describes interaction of a Riemann wave propagation. The extended Fan sub-equation technique is used to investigate some new traveling wave solutions to the higher-dimensional coupled model. The obtained closed form solutions are named as shock, kink, shock and periodic soliton solutions. Clearly, the outcomes of the study confirm the strength of the current approach. Moreover, the obtained results are helpful for the understanding of non-linear wave propagation and are of great interest to present-day scientists and can be employed to deal with more complex models arising in diverse disciplines of contemporary science.
Technical Q8A Site Answer Recommendation via Question Boosting
Authors: Gao Zhipeng , Xia Xin , Lo David , Grundy John
Published: December 2020

Software developers have heavily used online question-and-answer platforms to seek help to solve their technical problems. However, a major problem with these technical Q8A sites is
“answer hungriness,”
i.e., a large number of questions remain unanswered or unresolved, and users have to wait for a long time or painstakingly go through the provided answers with various levels of quality. To alleviate this time-consuming problem, we propose a novel D
EEP
A
NS
neural network–based approach to identify the most relevant answer among a set of answer candidates. Our approach follows a three-stage process: question boosting, label establishment, and answer recommendation. Given a post, we first generate a clarifying question as a way of question boosting. We automatically establish the
positive
,

neutral
+

,

neutral
-

, and
negative
training samples via label establishment. When it comes to answer recommendation, we sort answer candidates by the matching scores calculated by our neural network–based model. To evaluate the performance of our proposed model, we conducted a large-scale evaluation on four datasets, collected from the real-world technical Q8A sites (i.e., Ask Ubuntu, Super User, Stack Overflow Python, and Stack Overflow Java). Our experimental results show that our approach significantly outperforms several state-of-the-art baselines in automatic evaluation. We also conducted a user study with 50 solved/unanswered/unresolved questions. The user-study results demonstrate that our approach is effective in solving the answer-hungry problem by recommending the most relevant answers from historical archives.
Optimal-Time Dictionary-Compressed Indexes
Authors: Christiansen Anders Roy , Ettienne Mikko Berggren , Kociumaka Tomasz , Navarro Gonzalo , Prezza Nicola
Published: December 2020

We describe the first self-indexes able to count and locate pattern occurrences in optimal time within a space bounded by the size of the most popular dictionary compressors. To achieve this result, we combine several recent findings, including
string attractors
—new combinatorial objects encompassing most known compressibility measures for highly repetitive texts—and grammars based on
locally consistent parsing
.

More in detail, letγ be the size of the smallest attractor for a text
T
of length
n
. The measureγ is an (asymptotic) lower bound to the size of dictionary compressors based on Lempel–Ziv, context-free grammars, and many others. The smallest known text representations in terms of attractors use space
O
(γ log (
n
/γ)), and our lightest indexes work within the same asymptotic space. Let ε > 0 be a suitably small constant fixed at construction time,
m
be the pattern length, and
occ
be the number of its text occurrences. Our index counts pattern occurrences in
O
(
m
+log
2+ε
n
) time and locates them in
O
(
m
+(
occ
+1)log
ε
n
) time. These times already outperform those of most dictionary-compressed indexes, while obtaining the least asymptotic space for any index searching within
O
((
m
+
occ
),polylog,
n
) time. Further, by increasing the space to
O
(γ log (
n
/γ)log
ε
n
), we reduce the locating time to the optimal
O
(
m
+
occ
), and within
O
(γ log (
n
/γ)log
n
) space we can also count in optimal
O
(
m
) time. No dictionary-compressed index had obtained this time before. All our indexes can be constructed in
O
(
n
) space and
O
(
n
log
n
) expected time.

As a by-product of independent interest, we show how to build, in
O
(
n
) expected time and without knowing the sizeγ of the smallest attractor (which is NP-hard to find), a run-length context-free grammar of size
O
(γ log (
n
/γ)) generating (only)
T
. As a result, our indexes can be built without knowingγ.
Journey to the Center of the Point Set
Authors: Har-Peled Sariel , Jones Mitchell
Published: December 2020

Let
P
be a set of
n
points in R

d

. For a parameter α ∈ (0,1), an α-centerpoint of
P
is a point
p
∈ R

d

such that all closed halfspaces containing
P
also contain at least α
n
points of
P
. We revisit an algorithm of Clarkson et al. [1996] that computes (roughly) a 1/(4
d
2
)-centerpoint in Õ(
d
9
) randomized time, where Õ hides polylogarithmic terms. We present an improved algorithm that can compute centerpoints with quality arbitrarily close to 1/
d
2
and runs in randomized time Õ(
d
7
). While the improvements are (arguably) mild, it is the first refinement of the algorithm by Clarkson et al. [1996] in over 20 years. The new algorithm is simpler, and the running time bound follows by a simple random walk argument, which we believe to be of independent interest. We also present several new applications of the improved centerpoint algorithm.
Mechanisms of bone blood flow regulation in humans
Authors: Draghici Adina E. , Taylor J. Andrew
Published: December 2020

The current study is the first one to noninvasively investigate control of bone blood perfusion in vivo in humans, on a moment-by-moment basis. Our results indicate that tibial bone vasculature demonstrates active vasoconstriction in response to sympathoexcitatory stimuli in young healthy individuals. Compared with whole leg vasculature, bone vasoconstrictor response seems to be smaller, delayed, and more variable.
Sailing through the COVID-19 Crisis by Using AI for Financial Market Predictions
Authors: Sharma Gagan Deep , Erkut Burak , Jain Mansi , Kaya Tuğberk , Mahendru Mandeep , Srivastava Mrinalini , Uppal Raminder Singh , Singh Sanjeet
Published: December 2020

The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought the world to an unprecedented position where financial and mental resources are drying up. Livelihoods are being lost, and it is becoming tough to save lives. These are the times to think of unprecedented solutions to the financial challenges being faced. Artificial intelligence (AI) has provided a fresh approach to finance through its implementation in the prediction of financial market prices by promising more generalizable results for stock market forecasting. Immense literature has attempted to apply AI and machine learning for predicting stock market returns and volatilities. The research on the applications of AI in finance lacks a consolidated overview of different research directions, findings, methodological approaches, and contributions. Therefore, there is a need to consolidate the extant literature in this upcoming field to consolidate the findings, identify the research gaps in the existing literature, and set a research agenda for future researchers. This paper addresses this need by synthesizing the extant literature in the form of a systematic review for addressing the use of AI in stock market predictions and interpreting the results in a narrative review. The gap formed through this article is the use of a combination of AI as a subject with the neural network as another area and stock market forecasting as another theme, and it will pave the way for future research studies. The analyses help highlight four important gaps in the existing literature on the subject.
Psychological Effects of Hands-On Training Using Public Transportation among Inpatients with Physical Disabilities: Analysis of the Self-Efficacy and Perception of Occupational Enablement Using a Multimethod Design
Authors: Ogawa Masahiro , Hayashi Yoriko , Sawada Tatsunori , Kobashi Mizuki , Tanimukai Hitoshi
Published: December 2020

Introduction. This study is aimed at understanding how practicing the use of public transportation can affect the self-efficacy and perceptions of occupational enablement among patients with physical disabilities in a recovery rehabilitation hospital. Method. We recruited 21 inpatients with physical disabilities caused by stroke or orthopedic diseases from a recovery rehabilitation hospital in Japan and used a multimethod design including an intervention study and a follow-up survey. The intervention study utilized a before-after trial and provided hands-on training in the use of public transportation as the intervention. How self-efficacy and perceptions of occupational enablement changed before and after the intervention was measured using the visual analog scale (VAS). The follow-up survey was conducted to investigate whether patients used public transportation postdischarge. Results. Only differences in the VAS scores regarding self-efficacy were significant between before and after the hands-on training in the use of public transportation, whereas differences regarding the perceptions of occupation enablement were not. Self-efficacy after the intervention was higher than that before the intervention. In the follow-up survey, both VAS scores of the psychological factors were significantly higher in the group that used public transportation postdischarge than in the group that did not. Conclusion. Providing hands-on training in the use of public transportation for inpatients with physical disabilities increased their self-efficacy, indicating that psychological factors should be evaluated to predict their occupational skill improvement and to verify the outcomes of an occupational therapeutic intervention.
Peptidomics Analysis Discloses That Novel Bioactive Peptides Participate in Necrotizing Enterocolitis in a Rat Model
Authors: Liu Yiwen , Wang Changlin , Yu Renqiang , Fan Jianfeng , Jin Weilai , Zhu Yuting , Shi Yingzuo , Jing Yulei , Wang Xiaolei , Li Zhengying , Zhou Jian , Zhang Le
Published: December 2020

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a common devastating gastrointestinal disease in premature infants, the molecular mechanisms of which have not been fully elucidated. Recently, endogenous peptides have garnered much attention owing to their role in diagnosis and treatment. However, changes in the peptide expression of NEC intestinal tissues remain poorly understood. In the present study, a comparative peptidomics profiling analysis was performed between NEC and control intestinal tissues via liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS). In total, 103 upregulated and 73 downregulated peptides were identified in the intestinal tissues (fold change ≥ 1.5, p < 0.05). Bioinformatics analysis revealed that these differentially expressed peptides were significantly associated with NEC pathophysiology, including apoptosis, the TGF‐β signaling pathway, the Wnt signaling pathway, and the MAPK signaling pathway. Furthermore, two putative peptides could inhibit apoptosis and promote the migration of intestinal epithelial cells induced by lipopolysaccharide; these peptides were derived from the protein domains MT1 and EZRI, respectively. In conclusion, our study revealed that endogenous peptides are involved in the pathophysiologic mechanism of NEC; nevertheless, further exploration is required in this regard.
Positive and Negative Integrable Hierarchies: Bi-Hamiltonian Structure and Darboux–Bäcklund Transformation
Authors: Zhang Ning , Xu Xi-Xiang
Published: December 2020

Two integrable hierarchies are derived from a novel discrete matrix spectral problem by discrete zero curvature equations. They correspond, respectively, to positive power and negative power expansions of Lax operators with respect to the spectral parameter. The bi-Hamiltonian structures of obtained hierarchies are established by a pair of Hamiltonian operators through discrete trace identity. The Liouville integrability of the obtained hierarchies is proved. Through a gauge transformation of the Lax pair, a Darboux–Bäcklund transformation is constructed for the first nonlinear different-difference equation in the negative hierarchy. Ultimately, applying the obtained Darboux–Bäcklund transformation, two exact solutions are given by means of mathematical software.
Interactive Multimodal Television Media Adaptive Visual Communication Based on Clustering Algorithm
Authors: Yang Huayuan , Zhang Xin
Published: December 2020

This article starts with the environmental changes in human cognition, analyzes the virtual as the main feature of visual perception under digital technology, and explores the transition from passive to active human cognitive activities. With the diversified understanding of visual information, human contradiction of memory also began to become prominent. Aiming at the problem that the existing multimodal TV media recognition methods have low recognition rate of unknown application layer protocols, an adaptive clustering method for identifying unknown application layer protocols is proposed. This method clusters application layer protocols based on similarity of the load characteristics of network stream application layer protocol data. The method divides the similarity calculation in the clustering algorithm to improve the clustering efficiency of the algorithm. Experimental results show that the proposed method can efficiently and accurately recognize unknown visual communication. This article proposes that, in the interactive multimodal visual information transmission, human visual perception experience has changed, the diversity of visual information content expression makes the aesthetic subject more personalized and stylized.
Adaptive Fixed-Time 6-DOF Coordinated Control of Multiple Spacecraft Formation Flying with Input Quantization
Authors: Wang Shiyu , Liu Ruixia , Wen Lihua
Published: December 2020

This paper investigates the fixed-time coordinated control problem of six-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) dynamic model for multiple spacecraft formation flying (SFF) with input quantization, where the communication topology is assumed directed. Firstly, a new multispacecraft nonsingular fixed-time terminal sliding mode vector is derived by using neighborhood state information. Secondly, a hysteretic quantizer is utilized to quantify control force and torque. Utilizing such a quantizer not only can reduce the required communication rate but also can eliminate the control chattering phenomenon induced by the logarithmic quantizer. Thirdly, a 6-DOF fixed-time coordinated control strategy with adaptive tuning laws is proposed, such that the practical fixed-time stability of the controlled system is ensured in the presence of both upper bounds of unknown external disturbances. It theoretically proves that the relative tracking errors of attitude and position can converge into the regions in a fixed time. Finally, a numerical example is exploited to show the usefulness of the theoretical results.
Swiss Orthopaedics Minimal Dataset: First Pilot Report of Reliability and Validity
Authors: Jentzsch Thorsten , Dora Claudio , Müller Urs , Farshad Mazda
Published: December 2020

Background. The Swiss Orthopaedics Minimal Dataset (SOMD) was launched seven years ago. It is a standardized, generic, and patient-reported outcome questionnaire, comprising ten items (location of disease, pain within the past four weeks, limitations at work/leisure/sleep/autonomy, subjective value of a body part, employment status, work disability (sick leave/pension), and household support). We conducted this study about the SOMD to report its reliability, validity, and clinical applicability. Methods. A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted. The test-retest study population (n = 60; lost to follow-up: n = 7 (12%)) was drawn from three retirement homes (in 2013), while the test study population (n = 14,180; excluded (e.g., duplicates): n = 1,990 (14%)) consisted of patients from a university hospital (in 2014–2017). In the test-retest study population, the same questionnaire was completed twice (at days 0 and 7). In the test study population, only the first questionnaire was included (to avoid duplicates). In a subgroup of the test study population (n = 302), only those patients who completed the SOMD and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) of the hip within 14 days were considered (to minimize recall bias). Reliability (test-retest and internal consistency), criterion validity for the item of pain, and return rates were analyzed. Results. The test-retest study population (n = 53) showed very high test-retest reliability for all tested items of the SOMD (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.96–1.00 (95% confidence interval 0.93–1.00),

p
<
0.001

). The test study population (n = 12,190) revealed good internal consistency reliability for all ten items (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.80). The return rates of the SOMD were improvable (43% in 2016 and 31% in 2017). The subgroup of the test study population (n = 302) displayed a borderline acceptable criterion validity (correlation of the item of pain between SOMD and WOMAC hip: rho = 0.62,

p
<
0.001

). Conclusion. This is the first report about the validation of the SOMD. A relatively high reliability (test-retest and internal consistency), borderline acceptable (criterion) validity for the item of pain, and improvable clinical implementation were observed. This analysis serves as the basis for a structured modification of the SOMD to improve its value.
Head-To-Head Comparison of Treatment Failure and Costs among COPD Patients Who Used Noninvasive Ventilation in the Ward versus in the ICU: A Propensity-Matched Cohort Study
Authors: Hong Yueling , Liu Qiao , Bai Linfu , Jiang Lei , Han Xiaoli , Huang Shicong , Hu Wenhui , Duan Jun , Liu Chuanbo
Published: December 2020

Background. Head-to-head comparison of treatment failure and costs among chronic obstruct pulmonary disease (COPD) patients who used noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in the ward versus in the ICU is lacking. Methods. This retrospective study was performed in a department of respiratory and critical care medicine in a teaching hospital. COPD patients who used NIV in the respiratory ward or respiratory ICU were screened. We enrolled patients with PaCO2 more than 45 mmHg and pH less than 7.35 before the use of NIV. Results. We enrolled 83 patients who initiated NIV in the ward and 319 patients in the ICU. Only 5 (6%) patients in the ward were required to transfer to ICU for intensive care. The vital signs were worse but improved faster within 24 h of NIV among patients in the ICU than those in the ward. The NIV failure, hospital mortality, and the length of stay in hospital did not differ between the two groups. However, the duration of NIV was shorter (median 4.0 vs. 6.1 days,

p
<
0.01

) and hospital costs were higher (median 4638 vs. 3093 $USD,

p
<
0.01

) among patients in the ICU than those in the ward. After propensity matching, 42 patients were left in each group, and the baseline data were comparable between the two groups. The findings in the overall cohort were confirmed again in the propensity-matched cohort. Conclusions. Among COPD patients, the use of NIV in the ward leads to longer duration of NIV, but lower hospital costs, and similar NIV failure and mortality compared with those in the ICU.
[Retracted] The Relationship between the Mean Platelet Volume and Carotid Atherosclerosis and Prognosis in Patients with Acute Cerebral Infarction
Authors: Xu Min , He Xiao-ying , Huang Pan
Published: December 2020

Objective. To investigate the relationship between mean platelet volume (MPV) level and carotid atherosclerosis and prognosis in patients with acute cerebral infarction. Methods. A retrospectively included 160 patients with acute cerebral infarction classified by TOAST classification as aortic atherosclerosis as the observation group. To analyze the relationship between MPV and carotid atherosclerosis, and use receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to analyze the role of MPV in predicting the prognosis of acute cerebral infarction in the observation group, grouping patients with different MPV by cut‐off value, and analyze the differences in factors between the two groups of patients.Results. MPV has a positive correlation with carotid atherosclerosis in patients with acute cerebral infarction. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that increased MPV was an independent predictor of poor functional outcome in patients with acute cerebral infarction (Odds Ratio (OR): 6.152, 95% CI: 2.385‐13.625, P < 0.01). ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve for MPV to predict poor prognosis was 0.868 (95% CI: 0.787‐949, P < 0.01). The cutoff value, sensitivity, and specificity were 12.65, 76.2%, and 87.6%. Compared with patients with MPV < 12.65 at admission, patients with higher MPV levels (MPV ≥ 12.65) at admission have larger infarct size, more severe carotid artery stenosis, poor short‐term prognosis, and higher mortality. Conclusion. MPV level is closely related to the degree of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with acute cerebral infarction, and it is also an independent predictor of poor prognosis in patients with acute cerebral infarction at 3 months.
A Metabolic Gene Signature to Predict Overall Survival in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Wu Zeng-Hong , Tang Yun , Zhou Yue
Published: December 2020

Background. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common malignancy that emanates from the lips, mouth, paranasal sinuses, oropharynx, larynx, nasopharynx, and from other pharyngeal cancers. The availability of high-throughput expression data has made it possible to use global gene expression data to analyze the relationship between metabolic-related gene expression and clinical outcomes in HNSCC patients. Method. In this study, we used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA), with validation in the GEO dataset to profile the metabolic microenvironment and define potential biomarkers for metabolic therapy. Results. We extracted data for 529 patients and 327 metabolic genes (198 upregulated and 129 downregulated genes) in the TCGA database. Carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA9) and CA6 had the largest logFCs in the upregulated and downregulated genes, respectively. Our Cox regression model data showed 51 prognostic-related genes with lysocardiolipin acyltransferase 1 (LCLAT1) and choline dehydrogenase (CHDH) being associated with the highest risk (

HR
=
1.144

, 95%

CI
=
1.044
~
1.251

) and the lowest risk (

HR
=
0.580

, 95%

CI
=
0.400
~
0.839

) in HNSCC, respectively. We next used the ROC curve to evaluate whether the differentially expressed metabolic-related genes could serve as early predictors of HNSCC. The findings showed an AUC of 0.745 and 0.618 in the TCGA and GEO analysis, respectively. Besides, the ability for the genes to predict clinicopathological HNSCC status was analyzed and the data showed that the AUC for age, gender, grade, stage, T, M, and N was 0.520, 0.495, 0.568, 0.606, 0.577, 0.476, and 0.673, respectively, in the TCGA dataset. On the other hand, the AUC for age, gender, stage, T, M, N, smoking, and HPV16-pos was 0.599, 0.531, 0.622, 0.606, 0.616, 0.550, 0.614, 0.519, and 0.397, respectively, in the GEO dataset. Conclusion. Taken together, our study unearths a novel metabolic gene signature for the prediction of HNSCC prognosis based on the TCGA dataset. Our signature might point out the metabolic microenvironment disorders and provides potential treatment targets and prognostic biomarkers.
Effects of Physical Activity on Children’s Motor Skill Development: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: McDonough Daniel J. , Liu Wenxi , Gao Zan
Published: December 2020

Objective. This systematic review synthesized current randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining casual evidence regarding the effects of traditional and exergaming‐based physical activity (PA) interventions on motor skill development in typically developed children (i.e., those aged 6‐12 years). Methods. We adhered to the PRISMA‐P statement and searched electronic databases (Medline, PsycInfo, Web of Science, PubMed, ERIC, Scopus, and SportDiscus) from inception through July 2020. We screened for peer reviewed RCTs published in English between 2000 and 2020 examining the effect of PA on motor skill development in healthy children. Results. A total of 25 RCTs were included, 20 (80%) of which reported significant improvements in children’s motor skill performance. Specifically, 18 studies examined traditional PA interventions and 7 studies examined exergaming‐based PA interventions, 83% and 71% of which observed statistically significant improvements in children’s motor skill development, respectively. Conclusions. Findings support the causal evidence regarding the effects of PA on motor skill development in children. Notable limitations of this review included heterogeneity of measurement protocols and assessment tools used to test children’s motor skills across studies, a wide range of PA intervention dose across studies, and the lack of power analyses and long‐term follow‐up assessments in individual studies to discern appropriate sample sizes and long‐term effectiveness, respectively. To further strengthen the evidence in this emerging field, we advocate for future RCTs to employ a priori power analyses, long‐term follow‐up measurements, and more exergaming‐based interventions to allow for comparisons with traditional PA interventions, to explore the dose response and moderating relationships between PA and motor skill development in childhood, and to utilize homogenous assessment instruments to allow for more rigorous, quantitative syntheses.
Numerical Analysis on the Behavior of Existing Tunnels Subjected to the Undercrossed Shield Tunneling at a Small Proximity
Authors: Fu Chunqing , Gao Yuchun
Published: December 2020

Shield excavation in a proximity to existing tunnels inevitably causes deformation and stress change of the adjacent tunnels. Based on the project of new metro line in Beijing where the shield tunnel was constructed under existing tunnel, a modified equivalent stiffness model for the existing tunnel is proposed. Based on this, a three‐dimensional finite element is established, and subsequently the proposed modified equivalent stiffness model and the previous model are implemented into the finite element model (FEM), respectively, and then the effectiveness of it is verified through comparison with the field measurements. The results indicate that the modified equivalent stiffness model has excellent agreement with the monitoring value. The impacts of key parameters including undercrossing angle, vertical spacing, and soil parameters on the crown settlement of the existing tunnel are investigated. The maximum settlement of the existing tunnel crown decreases as the undercrossing angle increases. The decease of vertical spacing between the newly constructed tunnel and the existing tunnel leads to an increase of the peak value of crown settlement. As for the soil parameters, friction angle φ is the dominant parameter affecting crown settlement of the existing tunnel whereas the cohesion c is least influential. During the process of route selection, it is suggested to keep the vertical spacing between new tunnel and the existing tunnel greater than the external diameter of the new metro tunnel. For the situation of undercrossing an existing tunnel within an extremely small clearance, it is recommended to strengthen the soil as necessary.
A New Medical Device to Provide Independent Ventilation to Two Subjects Using a Single Ventilator: Evaluation in Lung-Healthy Pigs
Authors: Lugones Ignacio , Orofino Giambastiani Roberto , Robledo Oscar , Marcos Martín , Mouly Javier , Gallo Agustín , Laulhé Verónica , Biancolini María Fernanda
Published: December 2020

Background. The global crisis situation caused by SARS-CoV-2 has created an explosive demand for ventilators, which cannot be met even in developed countries. Designing a simple and inexpensive device with the ability to increase the number of patients that can be connected to existing ventilators would have a major impact on the number of lives that could be saved. We conducted a study to determine whether two pigs with significant differences in size and weight could be ventilated simultaneously using a single ventilator connected to a new medical device called DuplicARⓇ. Methods. Six pigs (median weight 12 kg, range 9–25 kg) were connected in pairs to a single ventilator using the new device for 6 hours. Both the ventilator and the device were manipulated throughout the experiment according to the needs of each animal. Tidal volume and positive end-expiratory pressure were individually controlled with the device. Primary and secondary outcome variables were defined to assess ventilation and hemodynamics in all animals throughout the experiment. Results. Median difference in weight between the animals of each pair was 67% (range: 11–108). All animals could be successfully oxygenated and ventilated for 6 hours through manipulation of the ventilator and the DuplicARⓇ device, despite significant discrepancies in body size and weight. Mean PaCO2 in arterial blood was 42.1 ± 4.4 mmHg, mean PaO2 was 162.8 ± 46.8 mmHg, and mean oxygen saturation was 98 ± 1.3%. End-tidal CO2 values showed no statistically significant difference among subjects of each pair. Mean difference in arterial PaCO2 measured at the same time in both animals of each pair was 4.8 ± 3 mmHg, reflecting the ability of the device to ventilate each animal according to its particular requirements. Independent management of PEEP was achieved by manipulation of the device controllers. Conclusion. It is possible to ventilate two lung-healthy animals with a single ventilator according to each one’s needs through manipulation of both the ventilator and the DuplicARⓇ device. This gives this device the potential to expand local ventilators surge capacity during disasters or pandemics until emergency supplies can be delivered from central stockpiles.
Advances in Pharmacological Actions and Mechanisms of Flavonoids from Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treating Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Yang Yang , Jin Xin , Jiao Xinyi , Li Jinjing , Liang Liuyi , Ma Yuanyuan , Liu Rui , Li Zheng
Published: December 2020

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common respiratory disease with high morbidity and mortality. The conventional therapies remain palliative and have various undesired effects. Flavonoids from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have been proved to exert protective effects on COPD. This review aims to illuminate the poly‐pharmacological properties of flavonoids in treating COPD based on laboratory evidences and clinical data and points out possible molecular mechanisms. Animal/laboratory studies and randomised clinical trials about administration of flavonoids from TCM for treating COPD from January 2010 to October 2020 were identified and collected, with the following terms: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or chronic respiratory disease or inflammatory lung disease, and flavonoid or nature product or traditional Chinese medicine. Pharmacokinetic studies and external application treatment were excluded. A total of 15 flavonoid compounds were listed. Flavonoids could inhibit inflammation, oxidative stress, and cellular senescence, restore corticosteroid sensitivity, improve pulmonary histology, and boost pulmonary function through regulating multiple targets and signaling pathways, which manifest that flavonoids are a group of promising natural products for COPD. Nevertheless, most studies remain in the research phase of animal testing, and further clinical applications should be carried out.
Mycobacterium neoaurum Bloodstream Infection Associated with a Totally Implanted Subclavian Port in an Adult with Diabetes and History of Colon Cancer
Authors: Moseley Jr. Jack E. , Thind Sharanjeet K.
Published: December 2020

Background. Mycobacterium neoaurum is a rapidly growing nontuberculosis mycobacterium (NTM) that was first isolated from soil in 1972 and is ubiquitous in soil, water, and dust. The first reported case of human infection by M. neoaurum was published in 1988, presenting as a Hickman catheter-related bacteremia in a patient with ovarian cancer. M. neoaurum has since been recognized as a source of predominantly opportunistic bloodstream infections in immunocompromised hosts. We report the case of an adult diabetic male with M. neoaurum bloodstream infection secondary to an infected venous-access port that had been implanted nearly six years prior for temporary chemotherapy. Case Presentation. A 66-year-old male with schizophrenia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and a history of excision and chemotherapy to treat adenocarcinoma of the colon 6 years prior, presented with fever and behavioral changes. He was found to have a M. neoaurum bloodstream infection secondary to his implanted subclavian port. Multiple preoperative blood cultures, as well as the removed catheter tip culture, were positive for M. neoaurum. The patient’s condition improved to near premorbid levels after port removal and 6 weeks of targeted antimicrobial therapy. Discussion and Conclusions. Bloodstream infections due to rapidly growing NTM, such as M. neoaurum, have been infrequently reported; however, improved isolation and identification techniques based on genomic testing are resulting in a more in-depth recognition of these widely scattered environmental microbes in human infections. Nonetheless, lengthy identification and susceptibility processes remain a diagnostic and treatment barrier. Patients such as ours who have a history of malignancy and an indwelling foreign body have most often been reported as acquiring M. neoaurum bacteremia. Fortunately, device removal and appropriate antimicrobial therapy guided by susceptibility data is often enough to manage these atypical mycobacterial infections.
Suhuang Zhike Capsules for the Treatment of Cough Variant Asthma: A Meta‐analysis
Authors: Gu Cheng , Peng Wenpan , Wang Zhichao , Xu Yong , Han Di , Zhou Xianmei
Published: December 2020

Cough variant asthma (CVA) is a unique type of asthma characterized by cough as the only or primary clinical presentation. Inhaled glucocorticoid is the main treatment in clinical practice currently, but its efficacy remains relatively unsatisfactory. Traditional Chinese medicine has certain advantages in the treatment of CVA, and at present, the most commonly used traditional Chinese medicine is Suhuang Zhike Capsule (SZC). The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of SZC in the treatment of CVA using a meta‐analysis. A comprehensive search of papers published in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature database (CBM), Wanfang Database, and VIP Information (VIP) from January 2018 to June 2019 was conducted. Review Manager 5.3 was used to carry out a meta‐analysis of 10 studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. In a total of 10 randomized controlled trials, 896 CVA patients were included. The results showed the following: (1) compared with conventional Western medicine, SZC can effectively increase the efficacy rate of CVA (RR 1.25, 95% CI, 1.16–1.35, P < 0.00001) and (2) compared with other traditional Chinese medicines, SZC can effectively increase the efficacy rate of CVA (RR 1.44, 95% CI, 1.01–2.05, P = 0.05), In conclusion, our study builds on existing clinical evidence showing that SZC is safe and effective in treating CVA. However, larger randomized controlled trials are required for further validation.
“Eu sou surda, tenho a minha voz”: leituras sobre autoria feminina surda
Authors: Tonani Paulo
Published: December 2020

O presente artigo busca traçar uma análise crítica de textos de autoria de mulheres surdas com o objetivo de discutir os modos de autorrepresentação da diferença surda, colocando em foco a heterogeneidade de tal experiência. O referencial teórico adotado para dar materialidade ao objetivo traçado parte primeiro da interrogação acerca da emergência deste novo perfil autoral que interpela o estatuto do literário ao produzir discursos que rompem com a ideia de homogeneidade e instauram o discurso da diferença enquanto recurso identitário. Além disso, devido a heterogeneidade do corpus que compõe o objeto de nossa análise, que reúne  narrativas autobiográficas e performances poéticas em língua de sinais, é igualmente acionado um referencial teórico que dialoga com pesquisas sobre a escrita de si e performances em Slam.