bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heterogeneous Cross-Domain Identity Authentication Scheme Based on Proxy Resignature in Cloud Environment
Authors: Lv Yongyang , Liu Wenju , Wang Ze
Published: November 2020

Based on proxy resignature, the signature transformation between trust domains of different cryptographic systems is realized with the help of the cloud authentication center, so as to achieve cross-domain access between users and cloud service providers in heterogeneous environment. Hierarchical ID tree realizes the uniqueness of identity in communication, and the security of heterogeneous cross-domain identity authentication is enhanced by the two-factor authentication of “password + key” and temporary identity replacing real identity. The security of the scheme is proved under the CK model, which can anonymously trace entity identity, resist replay attacks, replacement attacks, and man-in-the-middle attacks, and the simulation experiment is carried out. By searching it in related fields, no paper on heterogeneous cross-domain identity authentication based on proxy resignature has been published yet. The results of this paper show that the proposed scheme has better computing performance and higher security.
Influence of the Postcuring Process on Dimensional Accuracy and Seating of 3D‐Printed Polymeric Fixed Prostheses
Authors: Kim Jaewon , Lee Du-Hyeong
Published: November 2020

The postcuring process is essential for 3‐dimensional (3D) printing of photopolymer‐based dental prostheses. However, the deformation of prostheses resulting from the postcuring process has not been fully investigated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different postcuring methods on the fit and dimensional accuracy of 3D‐printed full‐arch polymeric fixed prostheses. A study stone model with four prosthetic implant abutments was prepared. A full‐arch fixed dental prosthesis was designed, and the design was transferred to dental computer‐aided manufacturing (CAM) software in which supports were designed to the surface of the prosthesis design for 3D printing. Using a biocompatible photopolymer and a stereolithography apparatus 3D printer, polymeric prostheses were produced (N = 21). In postcuring, the printed prostheses were polymerized in three different ways: the prosthesis alone, the prosthesis with supports, or the prosthesis on a stone model. Geometric accuracy of 3D‐printed prostheses, marginal gap, internal gap, and intermolar distance was evaluated using microscopy and digital techniques. Kruskal‐Wallis and Mann‐Whitney U tests with Bonferroni correction were used for the comparison of results among groups (α = 0.05). In general, the mean marginal and internal gaps of cured prostheses were the smallest when the printed prostheses were cured with seating on the stone model (P < 0.05). With regard to the adaptation accuracy, the presence of supports during the postcuring process did not make a significant difference. Error in the intermolar distance was significantly smaller in the model seating condition than in the other conditions (P < 0.001). Seating 3D‐printed prosthesis on the stone model reduces adverse deformation in the postcuring process, thereby enabling the fabrication of prostheses with favorable adaptation.
The Effects of Chewing Gum in Preventing Eyestrain
Authors: Asakawa Ken , Kanno Susumu , Ando Tomonori , Osawa Kenji , Ishikawa Hitoshi
Published: November 2020

Purpose. To investigate the effects of chewing gum and tablet candy to reduce eyestrain in healthy individuals. Materials and Methods. A double‐blinded crossover trial was conducted. Forty‐six healthy individuals (23 men, 23 women) between 20 and 59 years old, feeling eyestrain, were enrolled. Each 10‐year age group included 12 individuals except the 30s group, which included 10 individuals. A visual task was performed on reading material displayed on a computer screen at a fixed distance for 60 min. Gum or tablet candy of two pieces were chewed for two 15‐min periods starting 15 and 45 min after starting to read. Subjects chewed gum on Day 1 and tablet candy on Day 2, and vice versa. Primary outcome is as follows: subjective eye fatigue (eye tiredness, eye heaviness, blurred vision, double vision, and eye dryness) using a visual analog scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes are as follows: subjective accommodation from near and far points of accommodation measured with a D’ACOMO, spherical equivalent refraction, and eye dryness by analyzing ring break‐up time (RBUT) measured with the RT‐7000 Auto Ref‐Topographer. Results. The VAS scores of subjective eye fatigue were not significantly changed between chewing gum and tablet candy (P = 0.397 − P = 0.909). Those scores of eye tiredness and eye heaviness were significantly longer before and after the visual task with tablet candy (P = 0.013 and P = 0.025, respectively) but not with chewing gum. The changes of subjective accommodation were significantly lower after the visual task between chewing gum and candy (P = 0.043). There were significant differences among each age group (20 s vs. 30 s, P = 0.594; 20 s vs. 40 s, P = 0.002; 20 s vs. 50 s, P = 0.002). After reading, the changes of spherical equivalent refraction did not indicate a shift toward myopia (P = 0.267). In the RBUT, there were no significant differences between the samples (P = 0.680). Conclusions. Chewing gum helps improve the ability of the eye to focus, especially in young adults.
[Retracted] Application Value of SAT‐TB Combined with Acid‐Fast Staining in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Authors: Qiu Chaochao , Pan Ning , Zhou Yueying , Ning Hongye , Ye Xinchun , Liu Saiduo , Shi Jichan
Published: November 2020

Objectives. This study is aimed at evaluating the clinical application value of RNA simultaneous amplification and testing method for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (SAT‐TB) combined with acid‐fast staining in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Methods. This paper included 168 suspected and confirmed PTB sufferers admitted to The Sixth People’s Hospital of Wenzhou from December 2018 to December 2019, whose sputum was collected and tested using SAT‐TB, smear acid‐fast staining method, and the BACTEC MGIT 960 system. With the MGIT 960 culture test method as the gold standard, the application value of SAT‐TB, acid‐fast staining, or SAT‐TB combined with acid‐fast staining in the diagnosis and treatment of PTB was assessed. Results. With the MGIT 960 culture as the gold standard, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of SAT‐TB for the diagnosis of PTB were 57.3%, 92.5%, 84.3%, and 73.5%, respectively. The conformity was 76.8%, and the Kappa value was 0.515, suggesting a statistically significant difference (χ2 = 7.314, p < 0.05) and a general consistency degree. Additionally, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of SAT‐TB combined with sputum smear acid‐fast staining were 81.3%, 86.0%, 88.4%, and 80.8%, respectively, with the MGIT 960 culture still the gold standard. The conformity and Kappa value were 83.9% and 0.672, respectively, showing no statistically significant difference (χ2 = 0.438, p > 0.05) and a relatively high consistency degree. Conclusion. SAT‐TB combined with acid‐fast staining had a similar detection rate to that of the MGIT 960 culture test with a high consistency degree, which could be applied in the diagnosis of PTB efficiently and accurately.
Burden of Uterine Rupture and Its Determinant Factors in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis
Authors: Addisu Dagne , Mekie Maru , Melkie Abenezer , Necho Worku
Published: November 2020

Background. Uterine rupture is a life‐threatening obstetrical emergency, which results in serious undesired maternal and perinatal complications in resource‐limited countries, mainly in Ethiopia. The prevalence, determinants, and outcomes of uterine rupture described by different studies were highly inconsistent in Ethiopia. Therefore, this systematic review and meta‐analysis is aimed at estimating the pooled prevalence, determinants, and adverse outcomes of uterine rupture in Ethiopia. Methods. Studies were searched from international databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, HINARI, Cochrane library, Google Scholar, and web of science) and Ethiopian universities’ digital libraries (Addis Ababa University, University of Gondar, and Harameya University). All observational studies were included. A total of 15 studies that fulfill the inclusion criteria were included in this meta‐analysis. Data were extracted by two reviewers and exported to STATA version 11 for analysis. The I2 statistics were used to assess heterogeneity across the studies. Publication bias was examined by using Egger’s test and funnel plot. The pooled prevalence of uterine rupture and its outcomes were estimated by using a random effects model. The associations between determinants and uterine rupture were evaluated by using both random and fixed‐effect models. Results. In this meta‐analysis, a total of 15 studies with 92,394 study participants were involved. The pooled prevalence of uterine rupture was 2.37% in Ethiopia. Obstructed labor (OR = 3.03; 95%CI = 2.52, 3.63), lack of antenatal care follow‐up (OR = 5.79; 95%CI = 2.47, 13.61), duration of labor > 24 hours (OR = 3.75; 95%CI = 2.24, 6.29), grand multipara (OR = 10.79; 95%CI = 4.77, 24.40), and being rural residency (OR = 7.17; 95%CI = 3.90, 13.16) were significantly associated with uterine rupture. Conclusion. The overall prevalence of uterine rupture was high in Ethiopia. Obstructed labor, lack of antenatal care follow‐up, duration of labor > 24 hours, grand multipara, and rural residency were determinants of uterine rupture. This study implies the need to develop plans and policies to improve antenatal care follow‐up and labor and delivery management at each level of the health system.
Joint Nonnegative Matrix Factorization Based on Sparse and Graph Laplacian Regularization for Clustering and Co-Differential Expression Genes Analysis
Authors: Dai Ling-Yun , Zhu Rong , Wang Juan
Published: November 2020

The explosion of multiomics data poses new challenges to existing data mining methods. Joint analysis of multiomics data can make the best of the complementary information that is provided by different types of data. Therefore, they can more accurately explore the biological mechanism of diseases. In this article, two forms of joint nonnegative matrix factorization based on the sparse and graph Laplacian regularization (SG-jNMF) method are proposed. In the method, the graph regularization constraint can preserve the local geometric structure of data.L2,1-norm regularization can enhance the sparsity among the rows and remove redundant features in the data. First, SG-jNMF1 projects multiomics data into a common subspace and applies the multiomics fusion characteristic matrix to mine the important information closely related to diseases. Second, multiomics data of the same disease are mapped into the common sample space by SG-jNMF2, and the cluster structures are detected clearly. Experimental results show that SG-jNMF can achieve significant improvement in sample clustering compared with existing joint analysis frameworks. SG-jNMF also effectively integrates multiomics data to identify co-differentially expressed genes (Co-DEGs). SG-jNMF provides an efficient integrative analysis method for mining the biological information hidden in heterogeneous multiomics data.
Human Papillomavirus Coinfection in the Cervical Intraepithelial Lesions and Cancer of Mexican Patients
Authors: Padilla-Mendoza Juan Ramón , Gómez-López Lucía Angélica , López-Casamichana Mavil , Azuara-Liceaga Elisa Irene , Cortés-Malagón Enoc Mariano , López-Cánovas Lilia , Reyes-Hernández Octavio Daniel , Rodríguez Mario Alberto , Bonilla-Delgado José , López-Reyes Israel
Published: November 2020

According to their oncogenic properties, Human Papillomaviruses (HPVs) are classified into two types: Low‐Risk (LR‐HPVs) and High‐Risk Human Papillomaviruses (HR‐HPVs). The immune system naturally controls the majority of HPV infections; however, when the HR‐HPV infection is persistent, the risk of developing cervical cancer increases. Previous studies indicate that multiple‐infection or coinfection with HR‐HPV occurs frequently and can potentiate the development of cervical lesions. This study aimed to establish the HPV coinfection rate in squamous intraepithelial lesions from Mexican patients. For HPV detection, we performed PCR on 55 cervical lesions diagnosed by colposcopy. We detected the presence of HPV infection in 87.27% (48/55) of the lesions; interestingly, HPV coinfection was observed in 70.83% (34/48) of these samples. We also evaluated HPV infection in adjacent areas without morphological changes from 25 samples. The results showed that 80% (20/25) of these were HPV‐positive and, curiously, all presented HPV‐16 infection. In conclusion, our results revealed a high prevalence of HPV coinfection in cervical lesions in Mexican patients, and these results contribute to future research focused on the role that HPV coinfection plays in the development of cervical cancer.
Ergonomic Reliability Assessment for Passenger Car Interface Design Based on EWM-MADM and Human Cognitive Reliability Experiments
Authors: Liu Xin , Liu Zheng , Chen Jia-Tuo , Yu Xin-Lou , Lai Bin-Jun , Zhan Bo , Huang Sai-Fan
Published: November 2020

The ergonomic reliability assessment of interface design scheme for the passenger car is very practical to enhance driving safety performance. In addition, it can significantly reduce development costs and the development cycle of the new car. From the perspective of guiding the improvement of the central console interactive interface design of the passenger car, the most effective method to build the ergonomic reliability assessment method of the interactive interface is to evaluate and predict the human reliability objectively and subjectively and to design, feedback, and guide the design process of the ergonomic interface for the passenger car. Firstly, the questionnaire survey and the classification of ergonomic reliability analysis factors are analyzed to be put forward based on predecessors; the judgment layer factors and index layer factors of human-machine interaction interface in automobile central console are put forward. Secondly, entropy weight method (EWM) and multiple attribute decision-making (MADM) were used for objective evaluation and subjective evaluation, respectively. Thirdly, the interaction interfaces in central consoles of three different passenger cars are taken as examples; objective simulated experimental test based on entropy weight method and subjective scoring evaluation based on MADM were conducted, respectively. Besides, the objective evaluation and subjective evaluation are coupled by fuzzy comprehensive evaluation. Finally, to verify the effectiveness and rationality of the ergonomic reliability assessment method, human cognitive reliability experiments are made based on the data acquisition from the eye-tracking experiments.
An Improved Nondestructive Semantic Segmentation Method for Concrete Dam Surface Crack Images with High Resolution
Authors: Zhang Jun , Zhang Jia
Published: November 2020

To nondestructive semantic segment the crack pixels in the image with high resolution, previous methods often use sliding window and the crack patches to train the FCNs, and then use the trained FCNs for crack recognition. However, the FCNs will produce a higher proportion of false crack predictions with messy distributions in the high-resolution image. A CNN-to-FCN method is proposed to solve this problem. The CNN is trained by all the patches for large-scale crack and background recognition, and the screened crack predictions are then segmented by the FCN. A real-world concrete dam surface crack image database is firstly established to verify the improved method. The results indicated that (1) the improved method can extremely avoid the higher proportion of false crack predictions and their messy distributions in the high-resolution image through the full utilization of background patches and large-scale background recognition; (2) the ResNetv2 backbone and DeepLabv3 architecture recommended by the improved method can be further modified by reducing the bottleneck channels and adding a DUC module to achieve better performance; (3) the improved method can also reduce the prediction time when the image has low proportion of crack patches, which becomes more practicable for the engineering applications.
Sudden Cardiac Death due to Coronary Artery Vasculitis in a Patient with Relapsing Polychondritis
Authors: Bukiri Heather , Ruhoy Steven M. , Buckner Jane H.
Published: November 2020

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by relapsing and remitting inflammation of the cartilaginous structures of the ears, nose, tracheobronchial tree, and joints. Diagnosis is challenging due to the heterogeneity of clinical manifestations, the relapsing and remitting nature of the disease, the presence of coexistent diseases in at least one-third of patients, and the lack of a diagnostic blood test. Although RP-associated cardiac disease is the second most common cause of death behind tracheobronchial complications, coronary artery vasculitis is rare. This report describes a case of sudden cardiac death due to vasculitis affecting the coronary arteries in a patient with RP. The pathologic findings included obliterative coronary arteritis with plasma cells and storiform fibrosis, features suggesting that IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) may have contributed to the patient’s cardiac disease. The literature on vasculitis and cardiac disease in RP and the possible role of IgG4-RD in this setting is also reviewed. The primary take-home message from this case report is the importance of frequent screening for cardiac disease, regardless of symptoms, in patients with RP. In addition, considering the diagnosis of IgG4-RD in some cases thought to be RP may also be warranted.
A Potential Role for Mitochondrial DNA in the Activation of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Liver Disease
Authors: Xuan Wei , Song Dandan , Yan Youyou , Yang Ming , Sun Yan
Published: November 2020

Mitochondria are organelles that are essential for cellular homeostasis including energy harvesting through oxidative phosphorylation. Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a vital role in liver diseases as it produces a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS), in turn leading to further oxidative damage to the structure and function of mitochondria and other cellular components. More severe oxidative damage occurred in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) than in nuclear DNA. mtDNA dysfunction results in further oxidative damage as it participates in encoding respiratory chain polypeptides. In addition, mtDNA can leave the mitochondria and enter the cytoplasm and extracellular environment. mtDNA is derived from ancient bacteria, contains many unmethylated CpG dinucleotide repeats similar to bacterial DNA, and thus can induce inflammation to exacerbate damage to liver cells and distal organs by activating toll-like receptor 9, inflammatory bodies, and stimulator of interferon genes (STING). In this review, we focus on the mechanism by which mtDNA alterations cause liver injuries, including nonalcoholic fatty liver, alcoholic liver disease, drug-induced liver injury, viral hepatitis, and liver cancer.
Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 Mediates APP Proteolysis and Lysosomal Alterations Induced by Oxidative Stress in Human Neuronal Cells
Authors: Llorente Patricia , Martins Soraia , Sastre Isabel , Aldudo Jesús , Recuero María , Adjaye James , Bullido Maria J.
Published: November 2020

The alteration of amyloid precursor protein (APP) proteolysis is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Recent studies have described noncanonical pathways of APP processing that seem partly executed by lysosomal enzymes. Our laboratory’s in vitro human SK-N-MC model has shown that oxidative stress (OS) alters the lysosomal degradation pathway and the processing/metabolism of APP. The present study identifies the lysosomal protein matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MMP14) as a protease involved in the APP noncanonical processing. Previous expression analyses of the above cells showed MMP14 to be overexpressed under OS. In the present work, its role in changes in OS-induced APP proteolysis and lysosomal load was examined. The results show that MMP14 mediates the accumulation of an ≈85 kDa N-terminal APP fragment and increases the lysosome load induced by OS. These results were validated in neurons and neural progenitor cells generated from the induced pluripotent stem cells of patients with sporadic AD, reinforcing the idea that MMP14 may offer a therapeutic target in this disease.
Risk Factors of Cerebral Infarction and Myocardial Infarction after Carotid Endarterectomy Analyzed by Machine Learning
Authors: Bai Peng , Zhou Yang , Liu Yuan , Li Gang , Li Zhengqian , Wang Tao , Guo Xiangyang
Published: November 2020

Objective. The incidence of cerebral infarction and myocardial infarction is higher in patients with carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Based on the concept of coprotection of heart and brain, this study attempts to screen the related factors of early cerebral infarction and myocardial infarction after CEA with the method of machine learning to provide clinical data for the prevention of postoperative cerebral infarction and myocardial infarction. Methods. 443 patients who received CEA operation under general anesthesia within 2 years were collected as the research objects. The demographic data, previous medical history, degree of neck vascular stenosis, blood pressure at all time points during the perioperative period, the time of occlusion, whether to place the shunt, and the time of hospital stay, whether to have cerebral infarction and myocardial infarction were collected. The machine learning model was established, and stable variables were selected based on single-factor analysis. Results. The incidence of cerebral infarction was 1.4% (6/443) and that of myocardial infarction was 2.3% (10/443). The hospitalization time of patients with cerebral infarction and myocardial infarction was longer than that of the control group (8 (7, 15) days vs. 7 (5, 8) days,

P
=
0.002

). The stable related factors were screened out by the xgboost model. The importance score (

F

score) was as follows: average arterial pressure during occlusion was 222 points, body mass index was 159 points, average arterial pressure postoperation was 156 points, the standard deviation of systolic pressure during occlusion was 153 points, diastolic pressure during occlusion was 146 points, mean arterial pressure after entry was 143 points, systolic pressure during occlusion was 121 points, and age was 117 points. Conclusion. Eight factors, such as blood pressure, body mass index, and age, may be related to the postoperative cerebral infarction and myocardial infarction in patients with CEA. The machine learning method deserves further study.
Transient Reliability Evaluation Approach of Flexible Mechanism with GA-Extremum Neural Network
Authors: Zhao Yongjun , Lu Cheng , Fei Chengwei , An Liqiang , Hu Yan , Huang Bo , Yuan Liu
Published: November 2020

Efficient analytical model directly enhances the reliability evaluation of flexible mechanism under operation. In this paper, genetic algorithm-based extremum neural network (GA-ENN) is developed as reliability model by introducing the thoughts of extremum and genetic algorithm (GA) into artificial neural network to address the key problems comprising transient response and modeling precision in the dynamic reliability analysis of flexible mechanism in a time domain. The thought of extremum is adopted to simplify transient response process as one extremum value to the difficulty of dynamic reliability analysis induced by transient process response, and the GA is applied to find the optimal model parameters of reliability model. The dynamic reliability analysis of two-link flexible robot manipulator (TFRM) (a typical flexible mechanism) was implemented based on the GA-ENN method, regarding the input random variables of material density, elastic modulus, section sizes of components, and the output response of components’ deformations. From the analysis, the comprehensive reliability of the TFRM is 0.951 when the allowable deformation is 1.8 × 10−2 m. Besides, the maximum deformations of the two components follow the normal distributions with the means of 1.45 × 10−2 m and 1.69 × 10−2 m and the standard variances of 6.77 × 10−4 m and 4.08 × 10−4 m, respectively. Through the comparison of methods, it is illustrated that the developed GA-ENN improves the simulation efficiency and modeling accuracy by overcoming the problems of transient response and model parameter optimization in the dynamic reliability analysis of TFRM.
Inhibition of Distinct Proline‐ or N‐Acetylglucosamine‐Induced Hyphal Formation Pathways by Proline Analogs in Candida albicans
Authors: Sato Tatsuki , Hoshida Hisashi , Akada Rinji
Published: November 2020

Candida albicans undergoes a yeast‐to‐hyphal transition that has been recognized as a virulence property as well as a turning point leading to biofilm formation associated with candidiasis. It is known that yeast‐to‐hyphal transition is induced under complex environmental conditions including temperature (above 35°C), pH (greater than 6.5), CO2, N‐acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), amino acids, RPMI‐1640 synthetic culture medium, and blood serum. To identify the hyphal induction factor in the RPMI‐1640 medium, we examined each component of RPMI‐1640 and established a simple hyphal induction condition, that is, incubation in L‐proline solution at 37°C. Incubation in GlcNAc solution alone, which is not contained in RPMI‐1640, without any other materials was also identified as another simple hyphal induction condition. To inhibit hyphal formation, proline and GlcNAc analogs were examined. Among the proline analogs used, L‐azetidine‐2‐carboxylic acid (AZC) inhibited hyphal induction under both induction conditions, but L‐4‐thiazolidinecarboxylic acid (T4C) specifically inhibited proline‐induced hyphal formation only, while α‐N‐methyl‐L‐proline (mPro) selectively inhibited GlcNAc‐induced hyphal formation. Hyphal formation in fetal bovine serum was also inhibited by AZC or T4C together with mPro without affecting the proliferation of yeast form. These results indicate that these proline analogs are ideal inhibitors of yeast‐to‐hyphal transition in C. albicans.
On Mixed Quermassintegral for Log-Concave Functions
Authors: Chen Fangwei , Fang Jianbo , Luo Miao , Yang Congli
Published: November 2020

In this paper, the functional Quermassintegral of log-concave functions in

ℝ

n

is discussed. We obtain the integral expression of the

i

th functional mixed Quermassintegral, which is similar to the integral expression of the

i

th mixed Quermassintegral of convex bodies.
Modulated Electrohyperthermia: A New Hope for Cancer Patients
Authors: Alshaibi Huda F. , Al-shehri Bashayr , Hassan Basmah , Al-zahrani Raghad , Assiss Taghreed
Published: November 2020

According to the World Health Organization, the prevalence of cancer has increased worldwide. Oncological hyperthermia is a group of methods that overheat the malignant tissues locally or systematically. Nevertheless, hyperthermia is not widely accepted, primarily because of the lack of selectivity for cancer cells and because the temperature‐triggered higher blood flow increases the nutrient supply to the tumor, raising the risk of metastases. These problems with classical hyperthermia led to the development of modulated electrohyperthermia (mEHT). The biophysical differences of the cancer cells and their healthy hosts allow for selective energy absorption on the membrane rafts of the plasma membrane of the tumor cells, triggering immunogenic cell death. Currently, this method is used in only 34 countries. The effectiveness of conventional oncotherapies increases when it is applied in combination with mEHT. In silico, in vitro, and in vivo preclinical research studies have all shown the extraordinary ability of mEHT to kill malignant cells. Clinical applications have improved the quality of life and the survival of patients. For these reasons, many other research studies are presently in progress worldwide. Thus, the objective of this review is to highlight the capabilities and advantages of mEHT and provide new hopes for cancer patients worldwide.
Using Nonlinear Dynamics and Multivariate Statistics to Analyze EEG Signals of Insomniacs with the Intervention of Superficial Acupuncture
Authors: Qi Shi-Yi , Lin Dong , Lin Li-Li , Huang Xiao-Zhen , Lin Shen , Yu Yun-Ying , Cao Chuan-Hai , Wang Zhi-Xin
Published: November 2020

Objective. As a noninvasive and nonpharmacological therapeutic approach, superficial acupuncture (SA) is a special method of acupuncture. In this study, using nonlinear dynamics and multivariate statistics, we studied the electroencephalography (EEG) of primary insomnia under SA intervention to investigate how brain regions change. Method. This study included 30 adults with primary insomnia. They underwent superficial acupuncture at the Shangen acupoint. The EEG signals were collected for 10 minutes at each state, including the resting state, the intervention state, and the postintervention state. The data were conducted using nonlinear dynamics (including approximate entropy (ApEn) and correlation dimension (CD)) and multivariate statistics. Result. The repeated‐measures ANOVA results showed that both ApEn and CD values were not significantly different at the three states (p > 0.05). The paired t‐test results showed that the ApEn values of electrodes O2 (the right occipital lobe) at the postintervention state have decreased, compared with the resting state (p < 0.05), and no difference was detected in CD (p > 0.05). The cluster analysis results of ApEn showed that patients’ EEG has changed from the right prefrontal lobe (electrode Fp2) to the right posterior temporal lobe (electrode T6) and finally to the right occipital lobe (electrode O2), before, during, and after the SA intervention. In addition, the factor analysis results of CD revealed that patients’ EEG of all brain regions except for the occipital lobes has changed to the frontal lobes and anterior temporal and frontal lobes from pre‐ to postintervention. Conclusion. SA activated the corresponding brain regions and reduced the complexity of the brain involved. It is feasible to use nonlinear dynamics analysis and multivariate statistics to examine the effects of SA on the human brain.
Squeeze Film Damping Effect on Different Microcantilever Probes in Tapping Mode Atomic Force Microscope
Authors: Sun Yan , Liu Jing , Wang Kejian , Wei Zheng
Published: November 2020

During the operation of tapping mode atomic force microscope (TM-AFM), the gap between the cantilever and sample surface is very small (several nanometers to micrometers). Owing to the small gap distance and high vibration frequency, squeeze film force should be considered in TM-AFM. To explore the mechanism of squeeze film damping in TM-AFM, three theoretical microcantilever simplified models are discussed innovatively herein: tip probe, ball probe, and tipless probe. Experiments and simulations are performed to validate the theoretical models. It is of great significance to improve the image quality of atomic force microscope.
Novel Technique for Reduction of Ankle Valgus Malunion and Chronic Talus Subluxation during Hindfoot Nailing
Authors: Ciminero Matthew , Kang Kevin , Abdelgawad Amr
Published: November 2020

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the incidence and severity of ankle fractures in the elderly. We present a case of an elderly patient with significant medical comorbidities and social issues who sustained an unstable ankle fracture that led to a severe malunion secondary to refusal for surgery and noncompliance with weight-bearing precautions. By choosing an intramedullary fixation method that can be inserted through a biologically advantageous surgical exposure, we can permit early mobilization, create a stable plantigrade foot for ambulation, and alleviate the expected noncompliance with weight-bearing precautions in this patient. Despite debridement of callus, fibular osteotomy, and plate-assisted reduction, a displaced valgus angulation of the ankle joint remained. The nail was removed then reinserted backwards with the bend directed medially instead of its normal lateral position in order to use the bend in the nail as a reduction aid to finalize the reduction. We feel this technique may be of assistance to future surgeons encountering a similar situation.
Stimulated Reservoir Volume Characterization and Optimum Lateral Well Spacing Study of Two-Well Pad: Midland Basin Case Study
Authors: Park Jaeyoung , Janova Candra
Published: November 2020

This paper introduces a flow simulation-based reservoir modeling study of a two-well pad with long production history and identical completion parameters in the Midland Basin. The study includes building geologic model, history matching, well performance prediction, and finding optimum lateral well spacing in terms of oil volume and economic metrics. The reservoir model was constructed based on a geologic model, integrating well logs, and core data near the target area. Next, a sensitivity analysis was performed on the reservoir simulation model to better understand influential parameters on simulation results. The following history matching was conducted with the satisfactory quality, less than 10% of global error, and after the model calibration ranges of history matching parameters have substantially reduced. The population-based history matching algorithm provides the ensemble of the history-matched model, and the top 50 history-matched models were selected to predict the range of Estimate Ultimate Recovery (EUR), showing that P50 of oil EUR is within the acceptable range of the deterministic EUR estimates. With the best history-matched model, we investigated lateral well spacing sensitivity of the pad in terms of the maximum recovery volume and economic benefit. The results show that, given the current completion design, the well spacing tighter than the current practice in the area is less effective regarding the oil volume recovery. However, economic metrics suggest that the additional monetary value can be realized with 150% of current development assumption. The presented workflow provides a systematic approach to find the optimum lateral well spacing in terms of volume and economic metrics per one section given economic assumptions, and the workflow can be readily repeated to evaluate spacing optimization in other acreage.
AKC-Based Revocable ABE Schemes from LWE Assumption
Authors: Cheng Leixiao , Meng Fei , Meng Xianmeng , Zhang Qixin
Published: November 2020

The emergence of quantum computing threatens many classical cryptographic schemes, leading to the innovations in public-key cryptography for postquantum cryptography primitives and protocols that resist to quantum attacks. Lattice-based cryptography is considered to be one of the promising mathematical approaches to achieving security resistant to quantum attacks, which could be built on the learning with errors (LWE) problem and its variants. The fundamental building blocks of protocols for public-key encryption (PKE) and key encapsulation mechanism (KEM) submitted to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) based on LWE and its variants are called key consensus (KC) and asymmetric key consensus (AKC) by Jin et al. They are powerful tools for constructing PKE schemes. In this work, we further demonstrate the power of KC/AKC by proposing two special types of PKE schemes, namely, revocable attribute-based encryption (RABE). To be specific, on the basis of AKC and PKE/KEM protocols submitted to the NIST based on LWE and its variants, combined with full-rank difference, trapdoor on lattices, sampling algorithms, leftover hash lemma, and binary tree structure, we propose two directly revocable ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption (DR-ABE) schemes from LWE, which support flexible threshold access policies on multivalued attributes, achieving user-level and attribute-level user revocation, respectively. Specifically, the construction of the ciphertext is derived from AKC, and the revocation list is defined and embedded into the ciphertext by the message sender to revoke a user in the user-level revocable scheme or revoke some attributes of a certain user in the attribute-level revocable scheme. We also discuss how to outsource decryption and reduce the workload for the end user. Our schemes proved to be secure in the standard model, assuming the hardness of the LWE problem. The two schemes imply the versatility of KC/AKC.
A Study on the Preparation of Microbial and Nonstarch Polysaccharide Enzyme Synergistic Fermented Maize Cob Feed and Its Feeding Efficiency in Finishing Pigs
Authors: Lin Biaosheng , Yan Jianbin , Zhong Zhilong , Zheng Xintian
Published: November 2020

1000 g maize cob mixed material was synergistically fermented by adding 2.5% composite probiotics and 0.06‐0.08% NSP (nonstarch polysaccharide) enzyme to prepare fermented feed, and its effectiveness as feed for fattening pigs was investigated. The results showed that the appearance, texture, and nutrient quality of maize cobs significantly improved after fermentation, the total number of bacteria was 4.5 × 1010 CFU/g, and the protein content was 7.1%. Compared to the control group, the pigs in the 6% fermented maize cob feed experimental group showed significantly increased daily feed intake, daily weight gain, and nutrient digestion rate (p < 0.05) and reduced feed conversion ratio (p < 0.05). Most indicators including slaughter performance and meat quality significantly improved. In addition, beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillus in the intestines of the finishing pigs significantly increased, and pathogenic bacteria including Escherichia coli in the intestines and feces were found to be significantly reduced (p < 0.05). The intestinal crypt depth, VH/CD ratio, and ileal mucosal immunity of the finishing pigs also significantly improved (p < 0.05). The cytokine content and gene expression of sIgA, IL‐8, and TNF‐α were found to be significantly increased (p < 0.05). It could be concluded that the addition of 6% fermented maize cob feed to the diets of finishing pigs could promote their growth, improve their production performance and slaughter performance meat quality, and enhance their intestinal microecological balance and immunity.
Essentials of a Robust Deep Learning System for Diabetic Retinopathy Screening: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Chu Aan , Squirrell David , Phillips Andelka M. , Vaghefi Ehsan
Published: November 2020

This systematic review was performed to identify the specifics of an optimal diabetic retinopathy deep learning algorithm, by identifying the best exemplar research studies of the field, whilst highlighting potential barriers to clinical implementation of such an algorithm. Searching five electronic databases (Embase, MEDLINE, Scopus, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library) returned 747 unique records on 20 December 2019. Predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to the search results, resulting in 15 highest-quality publications. A manual search through the reference lists of relevant review articles found from the database search was conducted, yielding no additional records. A validation dataset of the trained deep learning algorithms was used for creating a set of optimal properties for an ideal diabetic retinopathy classification algorithm. Potential limitations to the clinical implementation of such systems were identified as lack of generalizability, limited screening scope, and data sovereignty issues. It is concluded that deep learning algorithms in the context of diabetic retinopathy screening have reported impressive results. Despite this, the potential sources of limitations in such systems must be evaluated carefully. An ideal deep learning algorithm should be clinic-, clinician-, and camera-agnostic; complying with the local regulation for data sovereignty, storage, privacy, and reporting; whilst requiring minimum human input.
Nerve Conduction Studies in Patients with Lumbosacral Radiculopathy Caused by Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Herniation
Authors: Yousif Safa , Ahmed Ammar , Abdelhai Ahmed , Musa Afraa
Published: November 2020

Background. Nerve conduction studies (NCS) are electrodiagnostic tests used to evaluate peripheral nerves functions and aid in the assessment of patients with neuromuscular complaints. There is contrasting evidence concerning the use of NCS in the assessment of patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy. Objectives. This study was conducted to evaluate nerve conduction studies abnormalities in patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy and to find out their relation to abnormal physical examination findings. Materials and Methods. Twenty-seven patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy caused by L4/5 or L5/S1 intervertebral disc prolapse confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were recruited in the study. Twenty-five healthy subjects matched in age and sex served as control. Motor nerve conduction study bilaterally for both common peroneal and tibial nerves, F-wave for both nerves, and H-reflex had been conducted. Results. No significant difference was found in the motor nerve conduction study parameters (latency, amplitude, and conduction velocity) between the patients group and the control group. There was significant prolongation in H-reflex latency of both symptomatic and asymptomatic side in the patients group compared to the control group (

P
<
0.05

). Also, F-wave latencies (F minimum, F maximum, and F mean) of the tibial nerve were significantly prolonged (

P
<
0.05

) compared to control. Conclusion. Prolonged H-reflex latency was the commonest encountered abnormality in our study followed by F-wave latencies of the tibial nerve.
A Review on the Potency of Melaleuca leucadendron Leaves Solid Waste in Wood Preservation and Its In Silico Prediction upon Biological Activities
Authors: Patramurti Christine , Amin Radjali , Nastiti Christofori M. R. R. , Hariono Maywan
Published: November 2020

The essential oils from cajuput leaves (Melaleuca leucadendron) have been well-known and applied, especially in healthcare management. However, the utilization of the leaves solid waste has not been explored and reported in detail. In this review, we elaborate on the cajuput leaves starting from the plant description and leaf morphology, chemical composition, biological activities, wood decomposing organism, and an in silico prediction upon its molecular mechanism. Based on the in silico prediction, compounds such as guaiol, lupene, and 1, 8-cineole have the potential to be antifungal and insecticide that associates with the cajuput potency as a wood preservative agent.
The Impact of Advanced Glycation End-Products (AGEs) on Proliferation and Apoptosis of Primary Stem Cells: A Systematic Review
Authors: Evens Lize , Beliën Hanne , Deluyker Dorien , Bronckaers Annelies , Gervois Pascal , Hendrikx Marc , Bito Virginie
Published: November 2020

Stem cell-based regenerative therapies hold great promises to treat a wide spectrum of diseases. However, stem cell engraftment and survival are still challenging due to an unfavorable transplantation environment. Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) can contribute to the generation of these harmful conditions. AGEs are a heterogeneous group of glycated products, nonenzymatically formed when proteins and/or lipids become glycated and oxidized. Our typical Western diet as well as cigarettes contain high AGEs content. AGEs are also endogenously formed in our body and accumulate with senescence and in pathological situations. Whether AGEs have an impact on stem cell viability in regenerative medicine remains unclear, and research on the effect of AGEs on stem cell proliferation and apoptosis is still ongoing. Therefore, this systematic review provides a clear overview of the effects of glycated proteins on cell viability in various types of primary isolated stem cells used in regenerative medicine.
Effects of Initial Nitrate Concentrations and Photocatalyst Dosages on Ammonium Ion in Synthetic Wastewater Treated by Photocatalytic Reduction
Authors: Rojviroon Orawan , Sirivithayapakorn Sanya , Rojviroon Thammasak , Wantawin Chalermraj
Published: November 2020

Ammonium (

NH

4

+

) is an undesirable by-product of photocatalytic nitrate (

NO

3

−

) reduction since it is harmful to aquatic life once it converts into ammonia (NH3). This research investigated the removal efficiency of

NO

3

−

and for the first time quantified the relationships of initial nitrate concentrations ([

NO

3

−

]0) and photocatalyst dosages on the remaining ammonium (

NH

4

+

) in synthetic wastewater using photocatalytic reduction process with either nanoparticle titanium dioxide (TiO2) or 1.0%Ag-TiO2 under Ultraviolet A (UVA). The experiments were systematically carried out under various combinations of [

NO

3

−

]0 (10, 25, 50, 80, and 100 mg-N/L) and photocatalyst dosages (0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 g). The

NO

3

−

removal efficiency of both photocatalysts was 98.96-99.98%, and the catalytic selectivity products were nitrogen gas (N2), nitrite (

NO

2

−

), and

NH

4

+

. Of the two photocatalysts under comparable experimental conditions, 1.0%Ag-TiO2 provided better

NO

3

−

removal efficiency. For both photocatalysts, the remaining

NH

4

+

was predominantly determined by [

NO

3

−

]0; higher [

NO

3

−

]0 led to higher

NH

4

+

. Multiple linear regression analysis confirmed the dominant role of [

NO

3

−

]0 in the remaining

NH

4

+

. The photocatalyst dosage could play an essential role in limiting

NH

4

+

in the treated wastewater, with large variation in [

NO

3

−

]0 from different sources.
The Impact of Consumers’ Peer-Induced Fairness Concerns on Mixed Retail and E-Tail Channels
Authors: Zhao Yan-Fei , Wang Yong , Shi Guo-Qiang
Published: November 2020

With the rapid development of e-commerce, online retailing has become an important part of the market. In order to improve market competitiveness and increase market share, more and more retailers have opened both regular offline channel and online e-tail channel to sell products. Then how to price becomes an urgent problem for upstream manufacturers and dual-channel retailers when there is price competition between regular channel and e-tail channel, especially when consumers have peer-induced fairness concerns. However, linking consumers’ behavioral factors such as fairness concerns to pricing decisions of mixed retail and e-tail channels draws little attention in the literature on supply chain management. This paper incorporates “consumers’ peer-induced fairness concerns” (CPFC) into pricing decisions in a dyadic supply chain, where dual-channel retailer obtains products from manufacturers and then sells products to consumers through both regular channel and e-tail channel. We use game-theoretic models to analyze the equilibrium pricing strategies under the setting with “symmetry consumers’ peer-induced fairness concerns” (SCPFC) and with “asymmetry consumers’ peer-induced fairness concerns” (ACPFC), respectively. Detailed comparisons and numerical analysis are further conducted to examine the impacts of different types of CPFC on equilibrium pricing strategies and profits.