bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the implication of dietary nitrate supplementation for the hemodynamic and fatigue response to cycling exercise
Authors: Thurston Taylor S. , Weavil Joshua C. , Hureau Thomas J. , Gifford Jayson R. , Georgescu Vincent P. , Wan Hsuan-Yu , La Salle D. Taylor , Richardson Russell S. , Amann Markus
Published: October 2021

This study sought to characterize the impact of dietary nitrate supplementation on the hemodynamic response, locomotor muscle fatigue, and time to task failure during cycling exercise. Although nitrate supplementation lowered mean arterial pressure and exercising leg blood flow, leg vascular conductance and oxygen utilization were unaffected. Despite significant hemodynamic changes, there was no effect of dietary nitrate on neuromuscular fatigue development and, ultimately, cycling time to task failure.
REDD1 deletion attenuates cancer cachexia in mice
Authors: Hain Brian A. , Xu Haifang , VanCleave Ashley M. , Gordon Bradley S. , Kimball Scot R. , Waning David L.
Published: October 2021

Cancer cachexia is a debilitating and lethal consequence of many advanced cancers. REDD1, a negative regulator of mTORC1 activity, is an emerging target in cachexia. Our data show that skeletal muscle REDD1 expression is increased in LLC-induced cancer cachexia. Mice lacking REDD1 have attenuated skeletal muscle atrophy that is likely due to maintaining both protein synthesis and inhibiting protein degradation.
circ_0002346 Suppresses Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Progression Depending on the Regulation of the miR-582-3p/STXBP6 Axis
Authors: Wang Weijie , Lin Yi , Zhang Guanghui , Shi Guofu , Jiang Yongsheng , Hu Wentao , Zuo Wei
Published: October 2021

Background. Accumulating articles have reported the pivotal regulatory roles of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumorigenesis. Here, our purpose was to explore the role of circ_0002346 in NSCLC progression and its associated mechanism. Methods. Cell proliferation ability was assessed by a 5-ethynyl-2

′

-deoxyuridine (EDU) assay and a colony formation assay. Transwell assays were conducted to analyze cell migration and invasion abilities. Cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry and by using a caspase3 activity assay kit. The glycolysis of NSCLC cells was analyzed using a fluorescence-based glucose/lactate assay kit. A dual-luciferase reporter assay and an RNA pull-down assay were performed to verify the binding relationship between microRNA-582-3p (miR-582-3p) and circ_0002346 or syntaxin-binding protein 6 (STXBP6). Results. circ_0002346 level was prominently downregulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. circ_0002346 overexpression significantly suppressed the proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis and triggered the apoptosis of NSCLC cells. circ_0002346 directly interacted with miR-582-3p, and circ_0002346 overexpression-mediated antitumor effects in NSCLC cells were partly reversed by miR-582-3p overexpression. miR-582-3p directly interacted with the 3

′

untranslated region (3

′

UTR) of STXBP6, and STXBP6 silencing partly counteracted circ_0002346 overexpression-mediated antitumor influences in NSCLC cells. circ_0002346 can upregulate the expression of STXBP6 by acting as a miR-582-3p sponge in NSCLC cells. circ_0002346 overexpression suppressed xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Conclusion. circ_0002346 overexpression suppressed the malignant properties of NSCLC cells by binding to miR-582-3p to induce the expression of STXBP6.
Study on the Impact of Hydraulic Fracturing on Surrounding Ancillary Buildings considering SSI
Authors: Cheng Shishan , Liu Dewen , Fang Sitong , Wu Qianqian , Liu Lin , Li Tianming , Shu Tong , Lei Ming
Published: October 2021

Hydraulic fracturing is a key technology in the development of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs. With the continuous industrialization and large-scale development of shale gas production in China, the workload of hydraulic fracturing is also increasing rapidly, and the induced seismic events are also increasing gradually, resulting in different degrees of damage to the surrounding ancillary buildings. In order to study the impact of hydraulic fracturing on ancillary buildings, the finite element software ABAQUS was used to establish a three-dimensional model of middle and high-rise isolated structures to simulate the earthquake triggered by hydraulic fracturing. Then, considering the SSI (soil-structure interaction) effect of soil-based structure, the nonlinear dynamic response of the structure under the action of ground motion was analyzed. Through the adoption of different types of soil and the foundation depth, the influence of various parameters is discussed. The study found that in the case of not considering SSI, basal shear force, and displacement between floors of the seismic-isolation structure significantly greater than considering SSI, using hard soil layer, base shear displacement is greater than the soft soil layer and interlayer, shows that due to the effect of hydraulic fracturing, making fluid diffusion in soil, the seismic energy dissipation effect. It is also found that the period, base shear, peak displacement, and interlayer displacement of deep foundation pit are increased compared with shallow foundation pit considering SSI effect.
Successful Control of Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation following Restart of Ibrutinib in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia
Authors: Tjønnfjord Sara Kristina Viberg , Tjønnfjord Eirik Brekka , Konopski Zbigniew , Tjønnfjord Geir Erland
Published: October 2021

Ibrutinib is a targeted therapy drug that blocks the activity of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase, and it is an approved treatment for several mature B-cell malignancies including chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Side effects include infections, cytopenia, nausea, and diarrhoea. In this report, we describe a case of hepatitis B reactivation in a female CLL patient undergoing treatment with ibrutinib. Diagnosis was confirmed with highly elevated hepatitis B virus DNA and a prior blood sample confirmed previous exposure. Ibrutinib was paused, and antiviral therapy was initiated with prompt clinical improvement. Ibrutinib was reinitiated shortly after clinical improvement. Thus, our case report demonstrates that systematic HBV screening is essential before starting treatment with ibrutinib. We suggest that antiviral prophylaxis is considered for patients at risk of reactivation, and ibrutinib may be continued following HBV reactivation with proper antiviral treatment.
Neurofibromatosis Type I and Stromal Tumor with a Multiple Digestive Localization
Authors: Chaka Amina , Ennaceur Farouk , Tormen Mohamed Amine , Korbi Ibtissem , Noomen Faouzi , Zouari Khadija
Published: October 2021

Neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) is also known as von Recklinghausen disease. It is a genetic disorder that affects the growth and development of nerve cell tissue, which is characterized by a multisystem disorder and an increased risk for cancer. The incidence of gastroduodenal stromal tumor during Recklinghausen disease can reach 35% in autopsies and 5% in clinical cases. In our case, the diagnosis of neurofibromatosis type I was made in a middle-aged women initially diagnosed with a pancreaticoduodenal tumor.
Human Umbilical Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Mixed with Hyaluronan Transplantation Decreased Cartilage Destruction in a Rabbit Osteoarthritis Model
Authors: Chang Yu-Hsun , Ding Dah-Ching , Wu Kun-Chi
Published: October 2021

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common type of arthritis, causes pain in joints and disability. Due to the absence of ideal effective medication, stem cell transplantation emerges as a new hope for OA therapy. This study is aimed at evaluating the capability of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells (HUCMSCs) mixed with hyaluronan (HA) to treat osteoarthritis in a rabbit model. Differentiation capability of HUCMSCs, magnetic resonance image examination, and immunohistochemistry of the cartilage after transplantation of HUCMSCs mixed with HA in a rabbit OA model were explored. HUCMSCs exhibited typical mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) characteristics, including spindle-shaped morphology, surface marker expressions (positive for human leukocyte antigen- (HLA-) ABC, CD44, CD73, CD90, and CD105; negative for HLA-DR, CD34, and CD45), and trilineage differentiation (chondrogenesis, adipogenesis, and osteogenesis). The gene expression of SOX9, type II collagen, and aggrecan in the HUCMSC-derived chondrocytes mixed with HA was increased after in vitro chondrogenesis compared with HUCMSCs. A gross and histological significant improvement in hyaline cartilage destruction after HUCMSCs mixed with HA was noted in the animal model compared to the OA knees. The International Cartilage Repair Society histological score and Safranin O staining were significantly higher for the treated knees than the control knees (

p
<
0.05

). Moreover, the expression of MMP13 was significantly decreased in the treated knees than in the OA knees. In conclusion, HUCMSCs mixed with HA in vitro and in vivo might attenuate the cartilage destruction in osteoarthritis. Our study provided evidence for future clinical trials.
Design and Analysis of a Thinned Phased Array Antenna for 5G Wireless Applications
Authors: Moon Cheon-Bong , Jeong Jin-Woo , Nam Kyu-Hyun , Xu Zhou , Park Jun-Seok
Published: October 2021

This paper focuses on the design of a thinned array antenna using microstrip patch, which is a novel task in recent years. The aim of thinned array antenna synthesis is to obtain a desired radiation pattern with a minimum number of antenna elements. For uniform spacing array antenna, a certain number of elements can be removed, while maintaining a desired radiation pattern using genetic algorithm optimization. Parameters such as beamwidth and side lobe level are evaluated for proposed thinned array antenna by comparison with those obtained for different types of uniform array antennas. Numerical examples are presented to show the high energy efficiency of the proposed thinned array antenna.
Exploration of Cross-Modal Text Generation Methods in Smart Justice
Authors: Zhang Yangqianhui
Published: October 2021

With the development of modern science and technology, information technology has brought great changes to many fields. Smart justice has become one of the increasing areas that people are paying more attention to. For example, large and small cases occur every day, and the legal library is continuously updated. Therefore, a large number of documents and evidence collection archives will bring tremendous pressure on the judiciary. The text generation technology can automatically present the results extracted from these redundant legal data and express the results of the analysis in natural language. It facilitates the business for huge amounts of legal data effectively, which relieves the work pressure of the judicial department. However, the text generation algorithms have not been promoted in justice. Therefore, this paper focuses on what benefits text generation can produce in law and how to apply text generation technology in legal field. The survey provides a comprehensive overview on text generation firstly, through summarizing the existing methods, that is, text to text, data to text, and visual to text. Then, we examine the process of the practical application of text generation in law. Furthermore, this paper puts forward the challenges and possible solutions to the judicial text generation, which provides pointers on future work.
miR-20a Overexpression in Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Promotes Therapeutic Efficacy in Murine Lupus Nephritis by Regulating Autophagy
Authors: Wei Shanshan , Zhang Zhiwen , Yan Lu , Mo Yinjuan , Qiu Xianwen , Mi Xiangbin , Lai Kuan
Published: October 2021

Objective. Lupus nephritis is the most common and severe complication of systemic lupus erythematosus. The aim of our study was to investigate the efficacy of miR-20a overexpressing adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC) transplantation in murine lupus nephritis (LN) and explore potential molecular mechanisms. Methods. Mouse ADSCs were transfected with a miR-20a lentiviral vector to obtain miR-20a overexpression ADSCs (miR-20a-ADSCs). We first observed the influence of miR-20a on ADSC viability and apoptosis in vitro. B6.MRL/lpr mice were administered ADSC/miR-20a-ADSC intravenously every week from age 30 to 33 weeks, and the lupus and normal control groups received PBS on the same schedule. Results. miR-20a expression increased in miR-20a-ADSC-derived exosomes, and miR-20a overexpression promoted ADSC proliferation and inhibited apoptosis. Compared with ADSCs, miR-20a-ADSC treatment significantly improved serologic and histologic abnormalities, as evidenced by reduced serum creatinine, anti-dsDNA antibody, 24 h urine protein levels, nephritis scores, and C3/IgG deposits. Furthermore, miR-20a-ADSC treatment resulted in downregulated Akt, mTOR, and p62 expression and upregulated miR-20a, Beclin 1, and LC3 II/I expression compared with ADSC treatment. After treatment with miR-20a-ADSC, a significant increase in the number of autophagosomes within podocytes was observed, along with upregulated expression of podocin and nephrin, compared with the ADSC group. Conclusions. miR-20a-ADSC transplantation prevents the development of lupus nephritis and significantly ameliorates already-established disease, and its mechanism is related to autophagy by targeting the miR-20a-regulated mTOR pathway.
The Secret of the Main Campus Water-Wells, Arba Minch University, Ethiopia
Authors: Berhanu Kibru Gedam , Tegegn Asnakew Mulualem , Aragaw Tamru Tesseme , Angualie Gashaw Sintayehu , Yismaw Alemshet Belayneh
Published: October 2021

Groundwater is one of the precious water sources for domestic, irrigation, and industrial demands in arid and semiarid regions of the world. The same is true in Ethiopia context. In this study, seven groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for various chemical constituents (pH, TDS, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, SO42−, Cl−, HCO3−, and NO3−) to assess the hydrogeochemical characteristics and water types of the groundwater wells. Among the seven sampled groundwater wells, five wells are found and used for domestic water supply in Arba Minch University (AMU) main campus. The remaining two are used for industrial and irrigation demands located at the compound of Textile Factory and Haile Resort, respectively. Results showed that the main campus groundwater wells are saline and harder than the two wells from Textile Factory and Haile Resort. Moreover, elevated concentration of nitrate and potassium (greater than the maximum permissible level allowed in Ethiopia) were obtained in the groundwater sources used mainly in the AMU main campus wells. These elevated concentrations of potassium and nitrate beyond the enriched salt contents in the AMU main campus wells could pose kidney, cardiovascular, and other related health problems. This study, therefore, recommends the AMU to find other groundwater sources for drinking purpose other than the studied water-well field.
Cascading and Residual Connected Network for Single Image Superresolution
Authors: Huang Kai , Wang Wenhao , Pang Cheng , Lan Rushi , Li Ji , Luo Xiaonan
Published: October 2021

Convolution neural networks facilitate the significant process of single image super‐resolution (SISR). However, most of the existing CNN‐based models suffer from numerous parameters and excessively deeper structures. Moreover, these models relying on in‐depth features commonly ignore the hints of low‐level features, resulting in poor performance. This paper demonstrates an intriguing network for SISR with cascading and residual connections (CASR), which alleviates these problems by extracting features in a small net called head module via the strategies based on the depthwise separable convolution and deformable convolution. Moreover, we also include a cascading residual block (CAS‐Block) for the upsampling process, which benefits the gradient propagation and feature learning while easing the model training. Extensive experiments conducted on four benchmark datasets demonstrate that the proposed method is superior to the latest SISR methods in terms of quantitative indicators and realistic visual effects.
Computational Analysis of Fluid Flow through a Sine-Curved Channel with High Reynolds Number
Authors: Memon Abid A. , Memon M. Asif , Bhatti Kaleemullah , Alotaibi Hammad , Hamed Y.S. , Shaikh Gul M. , Khan Ilyas
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we attend to investigate the steady flow of a Newtonian fluid through a sine-curved channel working with the least-square technique of Galerkin’s approach. We implement the whole simulation using Comsol Multiphysics 5.4. To study the fluid flow through this channel, we take the Reynolds numbers in the range from 1000 to 10,000 and amplitude of the sine-curved channel in the range from 10 cm to 30 cm. We examine the flow rate and pressure at the outlet. It is observed that, at the outlet, maximum speed is increasing linearly along the Reynolds number and that the maximum pressure settled a negative relationship with the Reynolds number when increased. It is also determined that due to an increase in the hydraulic jumps, when increasing the amplitude of vibration of the channel, the velocity of flow got fluctuated at the above walls, which also results in a decline in the pressure from the inlet to exit of the channel. Moreover, the several correlations keeping amplitude as constant have been developed for the maximum flow velocity magnitude at the exit of the channel relating to the Reynolds number. These correlations will be definitely used for the future production and comparison for the fluid flow for the curvy channel.
Distribution of the Emergency Supplies in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cloud Computing Based Approach
Authors: Wu Jixiao , Wang Yinghui
Published: October 2021

The containment of the COVID-19 pandemic was significantly affected by the unbalanced distribution of emergency supplies, low coordinated transport efficiency, high costs, and the inability of nonprofit organizations to handle the emergency supplies efficiently. Based on the COVID-19 experience, in this paper, we build a cloud platform for emergency supplies distribution to reduce the asymmetry of emergency logistics information, reduce the costs, and improve the efficiency of emergency supplies distribution. Our proposed method uses a genetic algorithm with the monarch scheme to optimize the urban emergency supplies distribution. The numerical results and sensitivity analysis for a sample network indicate that using the proposed platform the integrated cost in different cities are reduced by 29.01%, 28.67%, and 22.73%, the required time in different cities are reduced by 22.98%, 26.59%, and 36.65%. The results suggest that the proposed method reduces the integrated cost and transportation time and finds the optimal distribution path.
Association of HER1 and HER2 Gene Variants in the Predisposition of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Alanazi Ibrahim O. , Shaik Jilani Purusottapatnam , Parine Narasimha Reddy , Azzam Nahla A. , Alharbi Othman , Hawsawi Yousef M. , Oyouni Atif Abdulwahab A. , Al-Amer Osama M. , Alzahrani Faisal , Almadi Majid A. , Aljebreen Abdulrahman M. , Alanazi Mohammad Saud , Khan Zahid
Published: October 2021

Background. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major health concern worldwide. A series of sequential accumulation of genetic and epigenetic changes are responsible for the initiation and progression of diseases via the normal > adenoma > carcinoma sequence. Genetic variants in crucial cancer-causing genes are known to mediate the risk of cancer. Objective. In this case-control study, we examined single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in HER1 (rs763317 and rs3752651) and HER2 (rs1136201 and rs1058808) genes to assess their role in the susceptibility of CRC in a Saudi population. Methods. TaqMan allelic discrimination assay was utilized to identify the genotypes in 163 normal and 143 CRC patients. Results. In the overall analysis, the rs3752651 and rs1136201 were significantly associated with the risk of CRC. Although none of the examined SNPs had any impact on the age at which CRC was diagnosed, interestingly, three SNPs showed a significant association based on gender. The rs3752651 conferred significant protection only in men, whereas rs1136201 diminished the risk and rs1058808 considerably increased the susceptibility of CRC only in women. Conclusions. Our result suggests that these SNPs in HER1 and HER2 after validation in larger cohorts of different ethnicities may be utilized as genetic screening markers for predicting colorectal cancer predisposition.
MCMC Sampling Estimation of Poisson-Dirichlet Process Mixture Models
Authors: Qiu Xiang , Yuan Linlin , Zhou Xueqin
Published: October 2021

In this article, we aim to estimate the parameters of Poisson-Dirichlet mixture model with multigroup data structure by empirical Bayes. The number of mixture components with Bayesian nonparametric process priors is not fixed in advance and it can grow with the increase of data. Empirical Bayes is the useful method to estimate the mixture components without information on them in advance. We give the procedure to construct smooth estimates of base distribution

G

0

and estimates of the two parameters

α
,
θ

. The performances of estimations for parameters under multigroup data are better than those of the single-group data with the same total size of individuals in the perspectives of bias, standard deviations, and mean squared errors by numerical simulation. Also, we applied Poisson-Dirichlet mixture models to well-known real datasets.
Neurological and Neurobehavioral Disorders Associated with Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Humans
Authors: Virus Maxwell A. , Ehrhorn Evie G. , Lui LeeAnna M. , Davis Paul H.
Published: October 2021

The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii is estimated to infect up to 30% of the world population, leading to lifelong chronic infection of the brain and muscle tissue. Although most latent T. gondii infections in humans have traditionally been considered asymptomatic, studies in rodents suggest phenotypic neurological changes are possible. Consequently, several studies have examined the link between T. gondii infection and diseases such as schizophrenia, epilepsy, depression, bipolar disorder, dysphoria, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). To date, there is varying evidence of the relationship of T. gondii to these human neurological or neurobehavioral disorders. A thorough review of T. gondii literature was conducted to highlight and summarize current findings. We found that schizophrenia was most frequently linked to T. gondii infection, while sleep disruption showed no linkage to T. gondii infection, and other conditions having mixed support for a link to T. gondii. However, infection as a cause of human neurobehavioral disease has yet to be firmly established.
The Three-Stage Integrated Optimization of Automated Container Terminal Scheduling Based on Improved Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Lu Yiqin
Published: October 2021

This paper proposes an improved GA (genetic algorithm)-based integrated optimization of automated container terminal scheduling. The three-stage integrated optimization model of automated container terminal scheduling is suggested, and the objective is the minimal operation time of the loading and unloading tasks at the automated container terminal. To solve the difficult combination problem, an improved GA, which is named PGA (Probability Genetic Algorithm), is developed. As traditional GA does not change the probability according to the specific iterations in the population, PGA improves the above limitation to improve population distribution and accelerate convergence. Different from published literature, the study of this paper can be presented in two aspects. One is in the modeling; it includes (i) formalizing the description of the purpose of the model and (ii) having a real-world coordination of three types of equipment that are incorporated at automated container terminals. The other is that PGA is applied to deal with the integrated scheduling whose results can be gotten with better solving speed and convergence. Numerical experiments show that the model constructed in this paper has important reference value for the optimum ratio of QCs, AGVs, and ASCs in automated container operation, which is of great significance to improve the efficiency of the automated terminal. Furthermore, compared with the results of traditional GA and PSO (particle swarm optimization), the speed and convergence of PGA have been greatly improved.
The Protective Role of E-64d in Hippocampal Excitotoxic Neuronal Injury Induced by Glutamate in HT22 Hippocampal Neuronal Cells
Authors: Xie RuiJin , Li TianXiao , Qiao XinYu , Mei HuiYa , Hu GuoQin , Li LongFei , Sun Chenyu , Cheng Ce , Cui Yin , Hong Ni , Liu Yueying
Published: October 2021

Epilepsy is the most common childhood neurologic disorder. Status epilepticus (SE), which refers to continuous epileptic seizures, occurs more frequently in children than in adults, and approximately 40–50% of all cases occur in children under 2 years of age. Conventional antiepileptic drugs currently used in clinical practice have a number of adverse side effects. Drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) can progressively develop in children with persistent SE, necessitating the development of novel therapeutic drugs. During SE, the persistent activation of neurons leads to decreased glutamate clearance with corresponding glutamate accumulation in the synaptic extracellular space, increasing the chance of neuronal excitotoxicity. Our previous study demonstrated that after developmental seizures in rats, E-64d exerts a neuroprotective effect on the seizure-induced brain damage by modulating lipid metabolism enzymes, especially ApoE and ApoJ/clusterin. In this study, we investigated the impact and mechanisms of E-64d administration on neuronal excitotoxicity. To test our hypothesis that E-64d confers neuroprotective effects by regulating autophagy and mitochondrial pathway activity, we simulated neuronal excitotoxicity in vitro using an immortalized hippocampal neuron cell line (HT22). We found that E-64d improved cell viability while reducing oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis. In addition, E-64d treatment regulated mitochondrial pathway activity and inhibited chaperone-mediated autophagy in HT22 cells. Our findings indicate that E-64d may alleviate glutamate-induced damage via regulation of mitochondrial fission and apoptosis, as well as inhibition of chaperone-mediated autophagy. Thus, E-64d may be a promising therapeutic treatment for hippocampal injury associated with SE.
Design of Automatic Integration Algorithm for Popular Science Microanimation Works in the Context of New Media
Authors: Shan Xiaowen , Chen Hao
Published: October 2021

When traditional methods integrate popular science microanimation works, the integration effect of the animation works is not good. In this paper, we propose an automatic integration algorithm of popular science microanimation works in the context of new media. The system first analyzes the characteristics of the new media context and gives the meaning of microanimation in the context of new media. It simplifies the edge folding of popular science microanimation integration and calculates the Facial Animation Parameter (FAP) value to realize the automatic integration of popular science microanimation works. We conducted a number of experiments using various size datasets to test the proposed system. We achieved an average integration accuracy of 96.3% with datasets of 500 to 3000 animation works, having the highest accuracy of 99% with a dataset of 500 animation works. On the other hand, the integration time of the animation works was recorded just 1.25 seconds with a dataset of 3000 animation works which is much lower than the existing work.
Speed Sensor‐Less Control System of Surface‐Mounted Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor Based on Adaptive Feedback Gain Supertwisting Sliding Mode Observer
Authors: Zhang Lei , Bai Jing , Wu Jing
Published: October 2021

Aiming at the problems of severe chattering and difficulty in low‐speed operation of the surface‐mounted permanent magnet synchronous motor (SPMSM) sensor‐less speed control system based on the traditional sliding mode observer (SMO), this paper proposes a sensor‐less control strategy of supertwisting sliding mode observer based on adaptive feedback gain (AFG‐STA‐SMO). This strategy combines the supertwisting algorithm (STA) with the equivalent feedback principle and designs an adaptive law to compensate for the rotor position error by adjusting the feedback gain coefficient online. Secondly, considering the ripple component in the back electromotive force (back‐EMF), the Kalman filter gets a smoother back‐EMF signal, further improving the rotor position estimation accuracy. The stability of the system is proved by using the Lyapunov function. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed control strategy are verified by MATLAB/Simulink simulation.
Anatomical Brain Changes and Cognitive Abilities in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Filipovic Branka , Đuric Vesna , Filipovic Natasa , Kiurski Stanimir , Al Kiswani Jamal , Markovic Branka , Laketic Darko , Marjanovic-Haljilji Marija , Kapor Slobodan , Filipovic Branislav R.
Published: October 2021

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by repetitive complete or partial collapse of the upper airway and reduction of airflow during sleep. It is associated with significantly increased daytime muscle sympathetic nerve activity thought to result from the repetitive intermittent periods of hypoxemia during sleep and brain alterations that are likely to result. Different brain regions are affected by subsequent hypoxia/anoxia. Neurodegenerative processes result in measurable atrophy of cortical gray matter in the temporal lobes and posterior cingulate cortex, as well as in subcortical structures such as the hippocampus, amygdala, and thalamus. This study involved a group of firstly diagnosed, therapy-naive, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients, out of which 144 (96 males and 48 females), aged 34–57 (mean 47.88 ± 6.07), satisfied the recruiting criteria for the study and control groups. All the patients underwent MRI scanning, polysomnography testing, and cognitive evaluation. Cognitively, worse results were obtained in the group with OSA (

p
<
0.05

) and NAFLD (

p
=
0.047

). A significant decrease in volumes of cortical and subcortical structures was revealed (

p
<
0.001

). In conclusion, brain deterioration followed by cognitive impairment is, most likely, the result of intermittent hypoxia and anoxia episodes that initiate the domino process of deteriorating biochemical reactions in the brain.
Innovation Strategy of 3D Printing in Industrial Design Based on Vision Sensor
Authors: Sun Haijiao
Published: October 2021

3D printing is becoming increasingly integrated across all disciplines affecting traditional manufacturing. Traditional subtractive and isomaterial processing techniques make it difficult to process and manufacture complex structures such as spatial surfaces and complex cavities. Traditional processing and manufacturing processes are complex. Cumbersome clamps are also a drawback of traditional machining. Compared to traditional processing and manufacturing, 3D printing has significant advantages in manufacturing processes and manufacturing complex structures. Based on this, this paper studies the application of visual sensor 3D printing technology in industrial design and further studies the innovative free design methods under the implementation of 3D printing to provide a design basis for solving industrial product processing troubles and complex structures. This paper first provides a theoretical analysis of the combination of 3D printing of vision sensors and innovative design of industrial products. Next, take two classic industrial parts, a mechanical hydraulic valve block, and a crankshaft, as an example, and adopt an innovative and free design method to get an optimized pipeline of hydraulic valve blocks. The crankshaft molding structure integrated with the structure of the lightweight block demonstrates the superiority of 3D printing technology over the innovative design and manufacture of industrial products. Experiments have proved that the molding direction 1 consumes the least time and consumables (5 h 3 min, 24.44 m), but the inner channel is a blind hole, and it is difficult to remove the support after processing. The molding direction 2 consumes a little more consumable but not too much, but the channel supports are all easy to remove, and molding direction 3 has no advantage in all aspects. Research on industrial design innovation strategy of vision sensor 3D printing technology not only leads to the realization of vision sensor 3D printing technology and its equipment. It also provides a specific reference for the green and intelligent development of the future high‐end equipment manufacturing industry.
Integration of NMR and NMRC in the Investigation of the Pore Size Distribution of Tight Sandstone Reservoirs: A Case Study in the Upper Paleozoic of Dongpu Depression
Authors: Zhu Ning , Yao Suping , Wang Xuejun , Xia Binfeng , Zhang Yunxian
Published: October 2021

Exploring appropriate methods to understanding the pore structure and overall pore size distribution (PSD) of tight sandstone reservoir is important for evaluating the quality of the reservoir. An integration analysis comprising X-ray diffraction (XRD), three beams of argon ion (TIB) polishing approach, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-pressure mercury intrusion (HPMI), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and nuclear magnetic resonance cryoporometry (NMRC) was applied to determine the pore structure of the tight sandstone reservoirs in the Upper Paleozoic of Dongpu Depression as well as their relationship with the physical properties of the reservoirs. NMRC offered the possibility to obtain the nanoscale (4-1400 nm) pore structure of the reservoirs directly and accurately. Therefore, an attempt by combining NMRC and NMR can reveal the PSD of tight sandstone reservoirs with different pore structures. The results showed that the tight sandstone reservoirs consisted of intergranular, intragranular, and intercrystalline (clay mineral) pores. The full PSD intelligibly showed pore structure characteristics of four different types of reservoirs, with pore sizes ranging from 2 nm to dozens of microns. Specifically, the overall PSD of type I reservoirs showed a broad unimodal distribution pattern with the peaks in the range 0.1–2 μm, indicating an association with dissolution intergranular pores, and for type II reservoirs, the overall PSD showed a bimodal distribution pattern, with their left and right peaks, in the ranges 0.004–0.01 μm and 0.15–0.4 μm, respectively, showing similar amplitudes, implying the predominance of both intergranular (mesopores) and intergranular (macropores) pores. The full PSDs of type III and IV reservoirs showed much lower amplitudes than type I and II reservoirs, indicating a lower pore number and a complex pore structure. Furthermore, NMRC also demonstrated that different diagenesis resulted in a correlation between pore structure and reservoir physical properties.
Development and External Validation of a Model for Predicting Sufficient Filter Lifespan in Anticoagulation-Free Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy Patients
Authors: Zhang Wei , Bai Ming , Zhang Ling , Yu Yan , Li Yangping , Zhao Lijuan , Yue Yuan , Li Yajuan , Zhang Min , Fu Ping , Sun Shiren , Chen Xiangmei
Published: October 2021

Background: Anticoagulation-free continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) was recommended by the current clinical guideline for patients with increased bleeding risk and contraindications of citrate. Nevertheless, anticoagulation-free CRRT yielded heterogeneous filter lifespan. Furthermore, the specific cutoff values for traditional coagulation parameters to predict sufficient filter lifespan of anticoagulation-free CRRT have not yet been determined. The purpose of our present study was to develop and validate a model for predicting sufficient filter lifespan in anticoagulation-free CRRT patients. Methods: Patients who underwent anticoagulation-free CRRT in our center between June 2013 and June 2019 were retrospectively included. The primary outcome was sufficient filter lifespan (≥24 h). Thirty-seven predictors were included for modeling based on their clinical significance and previous reports. The final model was developed by using multivariable logistic regression analysis and was validated in a separate external cohort. Results: The development cohort included 170 patients. Sufficient filter lifespan was observed in 80 patients. Thirteen variables were independent predictors for sufficient filter lifespan by logistic regression: body temperature, mean arterial pressure, activated partial thromboplastin time, direct bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, blood urea nitrogen, vasopressor use, body mass index, white blood cell, platelet count, D-dimer, uric acid, and pH. The area under the curve (AUC) of the stepwise model and internal validation model was 0.82 (95% confidence interval [CI] [0.76–0.88]) and 0.8 (95% CI [0.74–0.87]), respectively. The positive predictive value and the negative predictive value of the stepwise model were 0.77 and 0.79, respectively. The validation cohort included 44 eligible patients and the AUC of the external validation model was 0.82 (95% CI [0.69–0.96]). Conclusions: The use of a prediction model instead of an assessment based only on coagulation parameters could facilitate the identification of the patients with filter lifespan of ≥24 h when they accepted anticoagulation-free CRRT.
Prevalence of Risk of Malnutrition and Risk of Sarcopenia in a Reference Hospital for COVID-19: Relationship with Mortality
Authors: Riesgo Henar , Castro Angeles , del Amo Sofía , San Ceferino Maria Jesus , Izaola Olatz , Primo David , Gómez Hoyos Emilia , López Gómez Juan Jose , de Luis Daniel A.
Published: October 2021

Introduction: Many elderly patients with COVID-19 are at risk of malnutrition. The aim of our study was to evaluate the risk of malnutrition and sarcopenia in elderly COVID-19 patients with the R-MAPP (Remote-Malnutrition APP). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 337 consecutive outpatients ≥65 years who attended the Central Emergency COVID-19 Hospital of Castilla y Leon was conducted. In all patients, the protocol of R-MAPP (Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool [MUST] and Simple Questionnaire to Rapidly Diagnose Sarcopenia [SARC-F]) was realized. Results: The mean age was 86.1 ± 8.7 years, with a sex distribution of 167 males (49.5%) and 170 females (51.5%). According to the MUST test, patients with 0 points have a low nutritional risk (n = 50, 14.8%), 1 point a medium nutritional risk (n = 19, 5.6%), and 2 or more points a high nutritional risk (n = 268, 79.6%). The SARC-F questionnaire generates patients with 4 or more points as predictive of sarcopenia (n = 304, 80.2%) and <4 points without prediction of sarcopenia (n = 33, 9.8%). Global mortality was 24.03% (n = 81). The mortality rate was related to the pathological SARC-F score ≥4 (27.1% vs. 3.1%; p = 0.01) and MUST score ≥2 (26.7% vs. 16.4%; p = 0.04). In the logistic regression analysis, only the SARC-F score ≥4 remained as an independent variable related to mortality; odds ratio was 8.34 (95% CI: 1.1–63.8; p = 0.04), adjusted for age, sex, albumin levels, and MUST test. Conclusions: During COVID-19 infection, hospitalized patients at risk of sarcopenia have a high risk of mortality and have a poor nutritional status.
Metastatic Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma with Extensive Bone Marrow Replacement in an Older Adult
Authors: Cheng Justin J. , Mott Ryan T. , Savage Paul D. , Paluri Ravi K.
Published: October 2021

Rhabdomyosarcoma is extremely rare in adults. Metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma can resemble other malignancies, which can delay diagnosis and prompt treatment. This case illustrates an example of metastatic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma with concurrent bone marrow infiltration. A 67-year-old woman presented with epistaxis and diffuse bone pain. She developed progressive thrombocytopenia requiring platelet transfusions. The patient was initially thought to have leukemia. She was found to have a large sinonasal mass with extensive metastatic disease and bone marrow infiltration. The patient was ultimately diagnosed with metastatic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. She was started on chemotherapy with vincristine, actinomycin, and cyclophosphamide. Unfortunately, she died prior to discharge home. Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma can resemble a primary bone marrow malignancy when it infiltrates the bone marrow. Further investigation is needed to clarify its clinical behavior and expedite diagnosis and treatment.
Successful Treatment of Ulcerative-Type Pyoderma Gangrenosum with a Combination Therapy of Oral Prednisolone, Vacuum-Assisted Closure, and Skin Grafting
Authors: Goto Hiroyuki , Okada Yoshimoto , Watanabe Seimi , Danno Kanako , Yamamoto Shinya , Ishiura Ryohei , Nakayama Yuichi , Mitsui Kohei , Ueki Ayaka , Nakai Yasuo , Narushima Mitsunaga , Yamanaka Keiichi
Published: October 2021

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a relatively rare inflammatory skin disease that progressively causes necrotic ulceration mainly on the lower extremities and trunk. Systemic corticosteroid is considered a first-line treatment for PG as it facilitates wound healing; however, several cases where tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors, adalimumab and infliximab, were administered showed good response. For intractable PG with a large ulcer or problematic epithelization, chemical or mechanical debridement of necrotic tissue in combination with skin grafting may be necessary to promote wound healing. Our report presents a case of intractable ulcerative PG requiring oral prednisolone and skin grafting. Although mechanical debridement was performed, granulation was poor; therefore, after the PG activity became quiescent, we utilized a vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) system to promote granulation and adaptation of the grafted skin. Although more cases are required for a definitive conclusion, the VAC system may be a choice for PG with large ulcers.
The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Surgical Primary Retinal Detachments
Authors: Ferreira André , Afonso Miguel , Silva Nisa , Meireles Angelina
Published: October 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to describe the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the presentation characteristics, timings, and surgical decisions for primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Methods: A historical cohort including all patients who presented to the Surgical Retina Section at Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto (CHUPorto), over a 2-year period, was recruited and divided into 2 groups: pre-COVID and COVID groups. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was recorded as starting on March 18, 2020, the same day the first pandemic-related lockdown came to effect in Portugal. Results: This study enrolled 449 eyes of 443 patients: 272 in the pre-COVID group and 177 in the COVID one. Of the patients, 63.6% were male, and the mean ± SD age was 63.0 ± 13.2 years (range 13–92 years). Of the eyes, 55.5% (n = 151) presented with macular detachment in the pre-COVID group compared with 66.9% (n = 119) in the COVID group (odds ratio [OR] 1.62; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09–3.86; p = 0.016). The time from symptom onset to hospital admission (p = 0.021) and from admission to surgery (p < 0.001) was longer in the COVID era. In the COVID period, silicone oil (OR 2.03, 95% CI: 1.09–3.79, p = 0.025) and C3F8 gas (OR 2.42, 95% CI: 1.57–3.71, p < 0.001) were used more often. No differences in anatomical success or final visual acuity were found. Conclusions: The lockdown due to COVID pandemic affected the epidemiology of RRD. The services must adapt to the novel reality and produce backup plans for similar events. Despite the contingencies, the final results were not different between groups.
Gender Dysphoria in Young People: A Model of Chronic Stress
Authors: Mason Avril , Crowe Eimear , Haragan Beccy , Smith Simon , Kyriakou Andreas
Published: October 2021

Background: Gender dysphoria (GD) refers to the distress that may accompany gender incongruence, often heightened at the onset of puberty, with the development of secondary sex characteristics. Children and adolescents may be especially vulnerable to severe stressors, including GD, with potentially irreversible effects if these exposures occur during critical periods of development and brain maturation. Summary: We describe the evidence for GD as a chronic stressor, drawing parallels to other established models of stress, activating both innate psychological and biological stress responses. As well as being an inherently distressing experience, a person who experiences GD may also experience minority stress. Minority stress has been demonstrated in young people who experience GD with higher rates of social rejection and internalized stigma and shame. The biological stress response in young people with GD is illustrated through the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, autonomic nervous system, and pro-inflammatory response. The number of young people who report experiencing GD has increased exponentially worldwide in the past decade, demanding a change in the clinic infrastructure. Paediatric endocrinologists and specialists in mental health work together to both support psychosocial well-being and offer individualized treatment to align the phenotype with gender identity with the aim of alleviating the distress of GD. Medical interventions may include puberty suppression and gender-affirming hormones. Ongoing monitoring is required prior to initiation and during treatment to ensure that the goals of treatment are being achieved.
Natural selections: regularities observed in a case of untrained ad hoc academic interpreting
Authors: Hanes William F.
Published: October 2021

A case is presented in which a doctoral student in Scientific and Technological Education with no prior experience was asked to interpret a lecture by a foreign colleague with minimal preparation. The event was recorded and regularities in communication behavior were determined for both speaker and interpreter. Through these regularities in positioning, inferences were drawn regarding their assumptions about the interpretation act. Background information was obtained in an interview with the interpreter. Standing out among the findings was the high visibility of the interpreter, interposing herself both physically and by means of discourse between the audience and speaker, and this marginalization was tacitly accepted by the speaker, indicating a shared view of the interpreter as an acknowledged active participant and (re)shaper of the transmitted discourse.