bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fintech firms and banks sustainability: Why cybersecurity risk matters?
Authors: Najaf Khakan , Mostafiz Md Imtiaz , Najaf Rabia
Published: March 2021

In the new and evolving digitalized world, the cybersecurity threats have placed the assets and information of corporations, institutions, governments, and individuals at constant risk. Banks are not an exception. Offering the low-interest rate is becoming the fundamental strategic move of the banks to sustain. Due to the high demand for a tailored portfolio of financial products, the availability of sophisticated communication and advance transaction mechanisms lead to an emergence of a new type of competitor known as financial technology service (i.e., fintech). The collaboration between these fintech organizations and banks has recently increased to provide fine-tuned service to the consumer and satisfy emerging market needs. However, this collaboration between banks and fintech firms has triggered significant cybersecurity risk. Hence, the dilemma is whether the bank should embrace such collaboration to resuscitate the profit margin or be pragmatic, and shirk to eliminate sustainability risk? We argue that the alliance between bank and fintech firms triggers a high-level of cybersecurity risk. We propose a theoretical model and discuss various types of cybersecurity risks. The benefit (or cost-if any) of having alliance could be enormous in yielding profitability and increase sustainability if both fintech and banks collaboratively abate the cybersecurity risks.
Occupational Noise Exposure and Diabetes Risk
Authors: Kacem Imene , Kahloul M. , Maoua M. , Hafsia M. , Brahem A. , Limam M. , Ghardallou M. , Brahem F. , Aroui H. , El Maalel O. , Kalboussi H. , Chatti S. , Naija W. , Mrizek N.
Published: March 2021

Introduction. Noise is one of the most common worldwide environmental pollutants, especially in occupational fields. As a stressor, it affects not only the ear but also the entire body. Its physiological and psychological impacts have been well established in many conditions such as cardiovascular diseases. However, there is a dearth of evidence regarding diabetes risk related to noises. Aim. To evaluate the relationship between occupational exposure to noise and the risk of developing diabetes. Methods. This is a cross-sectional analytical study enrolling two groups of 151 workers each. The first group (noise exposed group: EG) included the employees of a Tunisian power plant, who worked during the day shift and had a permanent position. The second group (unexposed to noise group: NEG) included workers assigned to two academic institutions, who were randomly selected in the Occupational Medicine Department of the Farhat Hached University Hospital in Sousse, during periodical fitness to work visits. Both populations (exposed and unexposed) were matched by age and gender. Data collection was based on a preestablished questionnaire, a physical examination, a biological assessment, and a sonometric study. Results. The mean equivalent continuous sound level was 89 dB for the EG and 44.6 dB for the NEG. Diabetes was diagnosed in 24 workers from EG (15.9%) and 14 workers from NEG (9.3%), with no statistically significant difference (

p
=
0.08

). After multiple binary logistic regression, including variables of interest, noise did not appear to be associated with diabetes. Conclusion. Our results did not reveal a higher risk of developing diabetes in workers exposed to noise. Further studies assessing both level and duration of noise exposure are needed before any definitive conclusion.
Optimization on Medical Material Distribution Management System Based on Artificial Intelligence Robot
Authors: Yang Ying , Dong Limin , Rong Hua , Wu Jing
Published: March 2021

The traditional medical material distribution management system method lacks systematic analysis and relies heavily on the subjective judgment of related operators, and it is easy to cause excessive or too little inventory, which leads to waste of operating costs. This study builds on a dedicated system for artificial intelligence robot logistics and aims to minimize the total cost of medical material ordering and distribution operations. In addition, in view of the constraints in the actual operation of the hospital, this study uses the concept of the spatiotemporal network to construct an ordering and distribution scheduling planning model of single material certainty, single material stochastic, and multiple material stochastic to help the hospital make optimal decisions and ensure the hospital's continuous and stable operation. In addition, after building the system, this study designs experiments to analyze the performance of this study system. The research shows that the model constructed in this paper has a certain effect and can provide a reference for the follow-up medical material distribution management system.
Molecular Detection of Staphylococcal Enterotoxins and mecA Genes Products in Selected Food Samples Collected from Different Areas in Khartoum State
Authors: Yahya Ahmed Mohammed , Abdalbagi Ali Hashim , Mohammed Taher Gorish Babbiker , Omer Ali Sara , Saif Aldein Abdalrhim Eman , Hamza Mergani Mawada , Abass Abd Elgadir Asmaa , Khalid Mohammed Somaya , Omer Ahmed Salma , Alsaeid Musa Naglaa , Saeed Ahmed Alaa , Mohammed Abdalla Wafaa , Fadlallah Hamedelnil Yousif , Ibrahim Hashim Ahmed , Altayb Hisham N.
Published: March 2021

Staphylococcal food poisoning is an intoxication that results from the consumption of improperly prepared or stored foods containing sufficient amounts of one or more preformed S. aureus enterotoxins. Nowadays, many researchers worldwide noted an emergence of resistant strains such as Staphylococci particularly for the antibiotic methicillin. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the existence of Staphylococcus aureus and its enterotoxins, mecA genes, in selected food samples. A total of 400 selected food samples were collected from different areas in Khartoum State. The selected foods included cheese, meat products, fish, and raw milk. One hundred samples from each type of food were cultivated, and the resultant growth yielded 137 (34.25%) S. aureus, 126 (31.5%) bacteria other than S. aureus, and 137 (34.25%) yielded no growth. Eighty-four of the 137 S. aureus isolates were randomly selected and tested for the presence of mecA and enterotoxin genes. The oxacillin sensitivity test showed that 15 (11%) of 137 S. aureus isolates were oxacillin resistant. The PCR assay showed that the mecA gene was detected in 15 of 84 (17%) S. aureus isolates. Simultaneously, only 2 (2.385%) out of 84 S. aureus isolates showed an enterotoxin B gene product. There was a relatively moderate prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with very low frequency of enterotoxin B gene in different kinds of selected food samples collected from Khartoum State. These findings elucidate the increased risk on public in Khartoum being affected by Staphylococcal food poisoning upon consumption of dairy or meat products prepared in unhygienic conditions that could lead to intoxication by Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins.
Synchronization of Complex Dynamical Networks on Time Scales via Pinning Control
Authors: Kong Fang-Di , Sun Jian-Ping
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we are concerned with the synchronization problem of complex dynamical networks on time scales. Some pinning synchronization criteria, which combine main characteristics of time scales with main parameters of the pinning controlled network, are established. A numerical example is also included to verify the effectiveness of the results obtained.
[Retracted] Dynamic Index Optimal Investment Strategy Based on Stochastic Differential Equations in Financial Market Options
Authors: Zhang Jun
Published: March 2021

With the gradual development and improvement of the financial market, financial derivatives such as futures and options have also become the objects of competition in the financial market. Therefore, how to make the most favorable and optimized investment and consumption when options are included? It has become a problem facing investors. Aiming at the optimal investment problem of investors, this paper studies the calculation of an optimal investment strategy in stochastic differential equations in financial market options on the basis of fuzzy theory. Now, stochastic calculus has become an important branch of stochastic analysis, finance, control, and other fields. The study of introducing stochastic differential equations is mainly to solve the stochastic control problem, which is the principle of the stochastic maximum. In finance, some hedging or pricing problems of contingent rights can eventually be transformed into a series of stochastic differential equations. Based on the historical data of five aspects of bank deposits, bonds, funds, stocks, and real estate of four listed insurance companies, the paper analyzes the optimization strategy of the capital investment of listed insurance companies based on the investment yield of the domestic investment market. According to the final results, the historical proportion of bank deposits of the superior company is 27%, and the optimal proportion given by the model is 25%; the total proportion of funds and stocks is 15%, and the optimal proportion of funds analyzed in the model is 20% and the optimal proportion of stocks is 10%. Therefore, the final results show that the investment efficiency of listed insurance companies can actually increase investment in stocks and funds and reduce the proportion of bank deposits to obtain greater investment returns.
Proximal Humerus Reconstruction after Tumor Resection: An Overview of Surgical Management
Authors: D’Arienzo Antonio , Ipponi Edoardo , Ruinato Alfio Damiano , De Franco Silvia , Colangeli Simone , Andreani Lorenzo , Capanna Rodolfo
Published: March 2021

Proximal humerus is one of the anatomical sites that are most frequently involved by bone and soft tissue malignant tumors. Alone or in association with adjuvant treatments, surgery represents the main therapeutic option to treat and eradicate these diseases. Once the first-line option, in the last decades, amputation lost its role as treatment of choice for the large majority of cases in favor of the modern limb sparing surgery that promises to preserve anatomy and—as much as possible—upper limb functionality. Currently, the main approaches used to replace proximal humerus after a wide resection in oncologic surgery can be summarized in biological reconstructions (allografts and autografts), prosthetic reconstructions (anatomic endoprostheses, total reverse shoulder prostheses), and graft-prosthetic composite reconstructions. The purpose of this overview is to present nowadays surgical options for proximal humerus reconstruction in oncological patients, with their respective advantages and disadvantages.
Presentation of Analytical Methods for Better Decision Making about the Most Important Factor Influencing Rural Accidents
Authors: Hosseinian Seyed Mohsen , Najafi Moghaddam Gilani Vahid , Tahmasbi Amoli Hossein , Nikookar Mohammad , Orouei Alireza
Published: March 2021

Due to population growth and the increasing number of vehicles on rural roads, traffic accidents have become one of the most important problems in the transportation system, which greatly affects the social and economic situation of the people. The main purpose of this study was to apply the analytical method to investigate the factors affecting the severity of traffic accidents on rural roads of Guilan, Iran, in order to determine the most effective factor in the occurrence of these accidents. At first, the frequency analysis was used to evaluate the variables and their frequency, then the Friedman test (FT) was applied to prioritize the factors, and the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to determine the most effective factor in the occurrence of vehicle accidents in Guilan rural roads. Based on the FT, weather condition was the most important factor effective in these accidents. According to the results of the EFA, five factors were identified as the main factors involved in accidents in which the first factor contributing to accidents was the environmental factor, including weather condition and road surface condition. This indicates that concurrent result of the FT and the EFA, weather condition as an environmental factor, was identified as the most important factor affecting vehicle accidents on rural roads of Guilan. Finally, safety strategies were proposed to increase safety and reduce accidents along these roads.
An Innovation Design Approach for Product Service Systems Based on TRIZ and Function Incentive
Authors: Jiang Jie , Li Yan , Li Lidan , Zhou Changchun , Huo Yuxiang , Li Qian
Published: March 2021

Good balance between product and service is the key in the innovative design of product service systems (PSS). In this study, the evolution route of the PSS based on Teoriya Resheniya Izobretatelskikh Zadatch ideal final result was provided. The function model of the PSS was constructed according to the service blueprint and function system diagrams. On this basis, an innovation design method of the PSS based on function incentive was established. The function incentive strategies included function synergy, function supplement, and function substitution. Finally, the PSS design process of agricultural machinery based on computer‐aided innovation platform was analyzed to verify this method.
A Green and Blue Monochromatic Light Combination Therapy Reduces Oxidative Stress and Enhances B‐Lymphocyte Proliferation through Promoting Melatonin Secretion
Authors: Zhang Yijia , Wang Zixu , Cao Jing , Dong Yulan , Chen Yaoxing
Published: March 2021

Artificial illumination may interfere with biological rhythms and distort physiological homeostasis in avian. Our previous study demonstrated that 660 nm red light exacerbates oxidative stress, but a combination of green and blue lights (G→B) can improve the antibody titer in chickens compared with single monochromatic light. Melatonin acts as an antioxidant which is a critical signaling to the coordination between external light stimulation and the cellular response from the body. This study further clarifies the potential role of melatonin in monochromatic light combination‐induced bursa B‐lymphocyte proliferation in chickens. A total of 192 chicks were exposed to a single monochromatic light (red (R), green (G), blue (B), or white (W) lights) or various monochromatic light combinations (B→G, G→B, and R→B) from P0 to P42. We used qRT‐PCR, MTT, western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and Elisa to explore the effect of a combination of monochromatic light on bursa B‐lymphocytes and its intracellular signal pathways. With consistency in the upregulation in melatonin level of plasma and antioxidant enzyme ability, we observed increases in organ index, follicle area, lymphocyte density, B‐lymphocyte proliferation, PCNA‐positive cells, and cyclin D1 expression in bursa of the G→B group compared with other light‐treated groups. Melatonin bound to Mel1a and Mel1c and upregulated p‐AKT, p‐PKC, and p‐ERK expression, thereby activating PI3K/AKT and PKC/ERK signaling and inducing B‐lymphocyte proliferation. Overall, these findings suggested that melatonin modulates a combination of green and blue light‐induced B‐lymphocyte proliferation in chickens by reducing oxidative stress and activating the Mel1a/PI3K/AKT and Mel1c/PKC/ERK pathways.
Combined Treatment of Cinobufotalin and Gefitinib Exhibits Potent Efficacy against Lung Cancer
Authors: Han Youxi , Ma Ronghui , Cao Guolei , Liu Hao , He Lili , Tang Le , Li Hong , Luo Qin
Published: March 2021

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of cinobufotalin combined with gefitinib in the treatment of lung cancer. A549 cells were treated with gefitinib, cinobufotalin, or cinobufotalin plus gefitinib. MTT assay, annexin-V/PI staining and flow cytometry, TUNEL staining, DCFH-DA staining, Western blot, and real-time RT-PCR were performed to investigate the synergistic inhibitory effect of cinobufotalin combined with gefitinib on the growth of A549 cells. Results showed that cinobufotalin synergized with gefitinib displayed inhibited cell viability and enhanced apoptosis in the combination group. Cinobufotalin combined with gefitinib induced a significant enhancement in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production accompanied by cell cycle arrest in the S phase arrest, characterized by upregulation of p21 and downregulation of cyclin A, cyclin E, and CDK2. Besides, cinobufotalin plus gefitinib downregulated the levels of HGF and c-Met. In summary, cinobufotalin combined with gefitinib impedes viability and facilitates apoptosis of A549 cells, indicating that the combined therapy might be a new promising treatment for lung cancer patients who are resistant to gefitinib.
[Retracted] Comparison of 10‐Year Survival Outcomes for Early Single Hepatocellular Carcinoma following Different Treatments
Authors: Meng Fanyu , Zhang Haoyun , Peng Haiwen , Lu Shichun
Published: March 2021

Introduction. To compare the actual 10‐year survival outcomes of early single hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients between 3 first‐line treatments: radiofrequency ablation (RFA), surgical resection (SR), or transplantation (LT). Methods. A total of 1255 early single HCC patients retrieved from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database were included. Patients survived ≥10 years, and patients died <10 years were compared. Significant predictors associated with 10‐year survival were identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis. The 10‐year survival outcomes of 3 treatments were compared using multivariate model risk adjustment and inverse probability of treatment weighted (IPTW) adjustment. Results. Of the 1255 patients, 472 patients underwent SR, 259 patients underwent LT, and 524 patients underwent RFA. 149 patients achieved 10‐year survival. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, race, treatment, and fibrosis score were significant predictors for 10‐year survival, and LT had the best advantage of 10‐year survival, followed by SR. Comparable 10‐year survival outcomes were found between SR and RFA after IPTW. Then, a subgroup analysis was performed based on the tumor size, and the results showed that for ≤50 mm tumor, SR showed no significant advantages over RFA for 10‐year survival. Conclusions. Estimates of the observational association of different treatments with 10‐year survival are sensitive to the analytic method. LT showed the best outcomes for patients. No significant differences for 10‐year survival were found between SR and RFA in the IPTW cohort. Subgroup analysis showed that for >50 mm tumor, SR showed significant advantages over RFA after IPTW.
Soft Sensor Modeling Method Based on SPA-GWO-SVR for Marine Protease Fermentation Process
Authors: Li Zhu , Rehman Khalil Ur , Wenhui Liu , Atique Faiza
Published: March 2021

The marine protease fermentation process is a highly nonlinear, time-varying, multivariable, and strongly coupled complex biochemical reaction process. Due to the growth and reproduction of living organisms, the internal mechanism is very complicated. Some key variables (such as cell concentration, substrate concentration, and enzyme activity) that directly reflect the fermentation process's quality are difficult to measure in real-time by traditional measurement methods. A soft sensor model based on a support vector regression (SVR) is proposed in this paper to resolve this problem. To further improve the model's prediction accuracy, the grey wolf optimization (GWO) algorithm is used to optimize the critical parameters (kernel function width σ, penalty factor c, and insensitivity coefficient ε) of the SVR model. To study the influence of selecting auxiliary variables on soft sensor modeling, the successive projection algorithm (SPA) is used to determine the characteristic variables and compare them with grey relation analysis (GRA) algorithm. Finally, the Excel spreadsheet data was called by MATLAB programming, and the established SPA-GWO-SVR soft sensor model predicted crucial biological variables. The simulation results show that the SPA-GWO-SVR model has higher prediction accuracy and generalization ability than the traditional SPA-SVR model. The real-time monitoring was processed by MATLAB software for the marine protease fermentation process, which met the requirements of optimal control of the marine protease fermentation process.
Usability Evaluation of Optimized Single-Pointer Arabic Keyboards Using Eye Tracking
Authors: Benabid Najjar A. , Al-Wabil A. , Hosny M. , Alrashed W. , Alrubaian A.
Published: March 2021

This paper presents the design and usability evaluation of an Arabic keyboard for applications that predominantly use single-pointer input device. Such applications are particularly used in mobile devices like Portable Data Assistants (PDAs) and smartphones. They are also valuable in gaze-controlled interfaces that constitute a growing mode of communication and that particularly empower people with mobility impairments. A special focus is given to the optimization of the key arrangement based on the movement time and character transition frequencies. An optimization model as well as a Simulated Annealing algorithm are presented. Then, the performance of the optimized layout is assessed showing that it outperforms the commonly used Arabic keyboard in terms of the estimated typing speed. However, the main limitation that the new layout might face is that a new arrangement of keys may not be adopted by users, even if the currently used layouts are not optimum. Therefore, a usability evaluation of the optimized layouts was conducted using eye-tracking and task-based testing involving the end-users and considering both objective and subjective measures of usability. Implications for the design are also discussed.
Improvement in the Accuracy of the Postclassification of Land Use and Land Cover Using Landsat 8 Data Based on the Majority of Segment-Based Filtering Approach
Authors: Yulianto Fajar , Nugroho Gatot , Aruba Chulafak Galdita , Suwarsono Suwarsono
Published: March 2021

Improvement in the accuracy of the postclassification of land use and land cover (LULC) is important to fulfil the need for the rapid mapping of LULC that can describe the changing conditions of phenomena resulting from interactions between humans and the environment. This study proposes the majority of segment-based filtering (MaSegFil) as an approach that can be used for spatial filters of supervised digital classification results. Three digital classification approaches, namely, maximum likelihood (ML), random forest (RF), and the support vector machine (SVM), were applied to test the improvement in the accuracy of LULC postclassification using the MaSegFil approach, based on annual cloud-free Landsat 8 satellite imagery data from 2019. The results of the accuracy assessment for the ML, RF, and SVM classifications before implementing the MaSegFil approach were 73.6%, 77.7%, and 77.5%, respectively. In addition, after using this approach, which was able to reduce pixel noise from the results of the ML, RF, and SVM classifications, there were increases in the accuracy of 81.7%, 85.2%, and 84.3%, respectively. Furthermore, the method that has the best accuracy RF classifier was applied to several national priority watershed locations in Indonesia. The results show that the use of the MaSegFil approach implemented on these watersheds to classify LULC had a variation in overall accuracy ranging from 83.28% to 89.76% and an accuracy improvement of 6.41% to 15.83%.
New Modified Variational Iteration Laplace Transform Method Compares Laplace Adomian Decomposition Method for Solution Time-Partial Fractional Differential Equations
Authors: Mohamed Mohamed Z. , Elzaki Tarig M. , Algolam Mohamed S. , Abd Elmohmoud Eltaib M. , Hamza Amjad E.
Published: March 2021

The objective of this paper is to compute the new modified method of variational iteration and the Laplace Adomian decomposition method for the solution of nonlinear fractional partial differential equations. We execute a comparatively newfangled analytical mechanism that is denoted by the modified Laplace variational iteration method (MLVIM) and Laplace Adomian decomposition method (LADM). The effect of the numerical results indicates that the double approximation is handy to execute and reliable when applied. It is shown that numerical solutions are gained in the form of approximately series which are facilely computable.
Anomalous Origin of the Right Coronary Artery Causing Myocardial Ischemia: A Case for a Multimodality Imaging Approach
Authors: Alkhunaizi Fatimah A. , Kapoor Karan , Pallazola Vincent , Shapiro Edward P. , Johnston Peter V. , Vaishnav Joban , Gilotra Nisha A. , Kilic Ahmet , Rouf Rosanne
Published: March 2021

A 46-year-old man was admitted with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction and newly diagnosed acutely decompensated heart failure. Echocardiogram demonstrated left ventricular ejection fraction of 30% with basal inferior and inferolateral akinesis. Coronary angiography showed mild diffuse coronary artery disease and an anomalous right coronary artery arising from the left coronary cusp. Further imaging was consistent with ischemia in the right coronary distribution. Etiology of ischemia was thought to be the anomalous right coronary artery, and surgical unroofing of the right coronary ostium was performed. Here, we report a multimodality imaging approach, including cardiac magnetic resonance, cardiac computed tomographic angiography, and single-photon emission computed tomography, to support the diagnosis and management of a patient with anomalous right coronary artery arising from the left coronary cusp.
Drag‐Reduction Performance Evaluation of Controllable Hybrid Steering Drilling System
Authors: Zou Jianyan , Chen Ping , Ma Tianshou , Liu Yang , Wang Xingming
Published: March 2021

The excessive drag/torque and the backing pressure is an important factor that restricts the improvement of the penetration rate and the extension of the drilling in the sliding drilling process of extended‐reach wells and horizontal wells. To deal with this problem, this paper developed a novel controllable hybrid steering drilling system (CHSDS) based on the friction‐reducing principle of a rotating drill string. The CHSDS is composed of a gear clutch, hydraulic system, and measurement and control system. By controlling the meshing and separation of the clutch with the mud pulse signal, the CHSDS has two working states, which leads to two boundary conditions. Combined with the stiff‐string drag torque model, the effects of the drilling parameters on the friction‐reducing performance of the CHSDS are analyzed systematically. The results show that the friction reduction effect in the inclined section is the most significant, followed by that in the horizontal section, whereas there is almost no impact in the vertical section. Friction reduction increases with the rotary speed and the drilling fluid density, whereas it decreases with the increase in the surface weight‐on‐bit and the bit reaction torque. Field tests confirm the separation and meshing function of the CHSDS. The developed controllable hybrid steering and friction‐reducing technology provides an alternative approach for the safe and high‐efficiency drilling of horizontal wells.
[Retracted] Analysis of Feature Extraction and Anti‐Interference of Face Image under Deep Reconstruction Network Algorithm
Authors: Yang Jin , Zhao Yuxuan , Yang Shihao , Kang Xinxin , Cao Xinyan , Cao Xixin
Published: March 2021

In face recognition systems, highly robust facial feature representation and good classification algorithm performance can affect the effect of face recognition under unrestricted conditions. To explore the anti‐interference performance of convolutional neural network (CNN) reconstructed by deep learning (DL) framework in face image feature extraction (FE) and recognition, in the paper, first, the inception structure in the GoogleNet network and the residual error in the ResNet network structure are combined to construct a new deep reconstruction network algorithm, with the random gradient descent (SGD) and triplet loss functions as the model optimizer and classifier, respectively, and it is applied to the face recognition in Labeled Faces in the Wild (LFW) face database. Then, the portrait pyramid segmentation and local feature point segmentation are applied to extract the features of face images, and the matching of face feature points is achieved using Euclidean distance and joint Bayesian method. Finally, Matlab software is used to simulate the algorithm proposed in this paper and compare it with other algorithms. The results show that the proposed algorithm has the best face recognition effect when the learning rate is 0.0004, the attenuation coefficient is 0.0001, the training method is SGD, and dropout is 0.1 (accuracy: 99.03%, loss: 0.0047, training time: 352 s, and overfitting rate: 1.006), and the algorithm proposed in this paper has the largest mean average precision compared to other CNN algorithms. The correct rate of face feature matching of the algorithm proposed in this paper is 84.72%, which is higher than LetNet‐5, VGG‐16, and VGG‐19 algorithms, the correct rates of which are 6.94%, 2.5%, and 1.11%, respectively, but lower than GoogleNet, AlexNet, and ResNet algorithms. At the same time, the algorithm proposed in this paper has a faster matching time (206.44 s) and a higher correct matching rate (88.75%) than the joint Bayesian method, indicating that the deep reconstruction network algorithm proposed in this paper can be used in face image recognition, FE, and matching, and it has strong anti‐interference.
Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes in Cervical Cancer Patients by Comparative Transcriptome Analysis
Authors: S. D. Annapurna , Pasumarthi Deepthi , Pasha Akbar , Doneti Ravinder , B. Sheela , Botlagunta Mahendran , B. Vijaya Lakshmi , Pawar Smita C.
Published: March 2021

Cervical cancer is one of the most malignant reproductive diseases seen in women worldwide. The identification of dysregulated genes in clinical samples of cervical cancer may pave the way for development of better prognostic markers and therapeutic targets. To identify the dysregulated genes (DEGs), we have retrospectively collected 10 biopsies, seven from cervical cancer patients and three from normal subjects who underwent a hysterectomy. Total RNA isolated from biopsies was subjected to microarray analysis using the human Clariom D Affymetrix platform. Based on the results of principal component analysis (PCA), only eight samples are qualified for further studies; GO and KEGG were used to identify the key genes and were compared with TCGA and GEO datasets. Identified genes were further validated by quantitative real‐time PCR and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and the highest Youden index was calculated in order to evaluate cutoff points (COPs) that allowed distinguishing of tissue samples of cervical squamous carcinoma patients from those of healthy individuals. By comparative microarray analysis, a total of 108 genes common across the six patients’ samples were chosen; among these, 78 genes were upregulated and 26 genes were downregulated. The key genes identified were SPP1, LYN, ARRB2, COL6A3, FOXM1, CCL21, TTK, and MELK. Based on their relative expression, the genes were ordered as follows: TTK > ARRB2 > SPP1 > FOXM1 > LYN > MELK > CCL21 > COL6A3; this generated data is in sync with the TCGA datasets, except for ARRB2. Protein‐protein interaction network analysis revealed that TTK and MELK are closely associated with SMC4, AURKA, PLK4, and KIF18A. The candidate genes SPP1, FOXM1, LYN, COL6A3, CCL21, TTK and MELK at mRNA level, emerge as promising candidate markers for cervical cancer prognosis and also emerge as potential therapeutic drug targets.
Efficacy of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Patients with a Narrow QRS Complex
Authors: Nakai Toshiko , Ikeya Yukitoshi , Mano Hiroaki , Kogawa Rikitake , Watanabe Ryuta , Arai Masaru , Aizawa Yoshihiro , Kurokawa Sayaka , Ohkubo Kimie , Kitano Daisuke , Nagashima Koichi , Okumura Yasuo
Published: March 2021

Aims. In the guidelines for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), there is a gap between the Japanese Circulation Society (JCS) criteria, which specify a QRS duration of ≥120 ms, and other countries, with a QRS ≥ 130 ms. The efficacy of CRT remains controversial in patients with a narrow QRS <130 ms. The aims of this study are to evaluate the response to CRT in patients with a narrow QRS and to identify predictors of mortality. Methods. We retrospectively studied 212 patients who received CRT. They were divided into narrow QRS (<130 ms) and wide QRS (≥130 ms) groups. We compared CRT response rates and investigated whether age, gender, baseline New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, ischemic etiology, atrial fibrillation, and ventricular arrhythmias are associated with response and also predictive of mortality. Results. The CRT response rate was not significantly different between the wide QRS group and the narrow QRS group (74.6% versus 77.2%,

p

 = 0.6876), and the response rate in the narrow QRS group was as good as that reported worldwide. NYHA class IV was shown to be a predictor of mortality (HR 9.38, 95% CI 5.35–16.3,

p

 < 0.0001). Conclusions. The present study demonstrated that patients with a narrow QRS complex responded well to CRT. Even with QRS <130 ms, CRT should be tried if no other effective treatment is available.
Network Capacity Optimization for Cellular‐Assisted Vehicular Systems by Online Learning‐Based mmWave Beam Selection
Authors: Gui Jinsong , Liu Yao , Deng Xiaoheng , Liu Bin
Published: March 2021

Directional communication is helpful to improve the performance of millimeter Wave (mmWave) links. However, the dynamic nature of vehicular scenarios raises the complexity of directional mmWave vehicular communications. Also, a mmWave link is susceptible to blockages. Therefore, a mmWave vehicular communication system requires high environmental adaptability and context‐awareness. Due to inadequate context information and insufficient beam settings in the existing related algorithm, it is difficult to pick out the set of beams with more reasonable widths and directions, which hinders the further promotion of network capacity in vehicular networks. Therefore, we propose an improved fast machine learning (IFML) algorithm to overcome this shortcoming. In order to improve network capacity while suppressing the additional beam search overhead, a partitioned search method is designed in the IFML. Also, in order to be robust to occasional fluctuations and timely adapt to significant changes in communication environments, the IFML adopts a flexible beam performance update approach based on adjustable weight coefficient. The simulation results show that the IFML significantly outperforms the existing related algorithm in terms of aggregate received data after a certain number of online learning time periods.
Bioeconomic-Epidemiological Model of Scomber colias Population in the Moroccan Coasts
Authors: Baba Nossaiba , Agmour Imane , El Foutayeni Yousef , Achtaich Naceur
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we develop and study a mathematical model for the dynamics of Scomber colias and Thunnus thynnus prey-predator with parasitic helminths. We search to analyze a bioeconomic model in which both susceptible and infected prey populations Scomber colias are exposed to the predator Thunnus thynnus, with varying degrees of exposure. However, the predator feeds preferentially on the most numerous prey types. This implies a kind of switching from the susceptible class to the infected class, and vice versa, as these two types of prey change in numerical superiority. So, the positivity, boundedness, equilibria, stability, and bioeconomic equilibrium are studied. Some numerical simulation of stability is cited. For giving a high yield and keeping the Scomber colias and Thunnus thynnus populations away from extension, we use the Maximum Principle of Pontryagin.
Research on Designing an Industrial Product‐Service System with Uncertain Customer Demands
Authors: Zhang Fei , Jia Liecheng , Han Weizhen
Published: March 2021

The industrial product‐service system (iPSS) is a kind of system engineering methodology, integration scheme, and business model to realize service value by adding intangible services in the whole life cycle. However, the design of the system involves many difficulties such as uncertain customer demands, strong subjectivity of the experience design, and long debugging times. Methods for solving upper problems are therefore essential. This paper presents a design model that integrates an improved affinity propagation (AP) clustering algorithm, quality function development (QFD), and axiomatic design (AD). The entire process of designing an iPSS can be split into three steps. First, uncertain customer demands is determined and standardized. Second, the functions of the product‐service system are investigated. Finally, the structures of the system are determined. This paper examines the example of the control service of an iPSS for a water heater tank capping press. An improved AP clustering algorithm is used to determine standardized customer demands, the proposed QFD, and an AD integration model to initially establish a mapping between the customer demands domain and the function domain and clarify the design focus. Next, a QFD‐ and AD‐integrated model is constructed to establish a mapping between the function domain and the structure domain and optimize the control scheme through the quality of its risk prediction. Finally the paper verifies that the upper process and methods can guide the design process effectively in production applications.
The Success Rate of Endotracheal Intubation in the Emergency Department of Tertiary Care Hospital in Ethiopia, One-Year Retrospective Study
Authors: Zewdie Ayalew , Tagesse Dejene , Alemayehu Selam , Getachew Tesfaye , Sultan Menbeu
Published: March 2021

Background. Emergency medical care starts with airway assessment and intervention management. Endotracheal intubation is the definitive airway management in the emergency department (ED) for patients requiring a definitive airway. Successful first pass is recommended as the main objective of emergency intubation. There exists no published research regarding the success rates or complications that occur within Ethiopian hospitals emergency department intubation practice. Objective. This study aimed to assess the success rate of emergency intubations in a tertiary hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methodology. This was a single institute retrospective documentation review on intubated patients from November 2017 to November 2018 in the emergency department of Addis Ababa Burn Emergency and Trauma Hospital. All intubations during the study period were included. Data were collected by trained data collectors from an intubation documentation sheet. Result. Of 15,933 patients seen in the department, 256 (1.6%) patients were intubated. Of these, 194 (74.9%) were male, 123 (47.5%) sustained trauma, 65 (25.1%) were medical cases, and 13(5%) had poisoning. The primary indications for intubation were for airway protection (160 (61.8%)), followed by respiratory failure (72(27.8%)). One hundred and twenty-nine (49.8%) had sedative-only intubation, 110 (42.5%) had rapid sequence intubation, and 16 (6.2%) had intubation without medication. The first-pass success rate in this sample was 70.3% (180/256), second-pass 21.4% (55/256), and third-pass 7.4% (19/256), while the overall success rate was 99.2% (254/256). Hypoxia was the most common complication. Conclusion. The intubation first-pass success rate was lower than existing studies, but the overall intubation success rate was satisfactory.
Low Birth Weight Increases the Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death in the Young: A Nationwide Study of 2.2 Million People
Authors: Waaler Loland Vilde , Ågesen Frederik Nybye , Lynge Thomas Hadberg , Pinborg Anja , Jabbari Reza , Warming Peder Emil , Pedersen Morten Akhøj , Risgaard Bjarke , Winkel Bo Gregers , Tfelt‐Hansen Jacob
Published: March 2021

Background

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) constitutes a major health problem worldwide. We investigated whether birth weight (BW), small for gestational age (SGA), and large for gestational age are associated with altered risk of SCD among the young (aged 1–36 years).

Methods and Results

We included all people born in Denmark from 1973 to 2008 utilizing the Danish Medical Birth Register. All SCDs in Denmark in 2000 to 2009 have previously been identified. We defined 5 BW groups, SGA, and large for gestational age as exposure and SCD as the outcome. We estimated the age‐specific relative risk of SCD with 95% CI. Additionally, we investigated if SGA and large for gestational age are associated with pathological findings at autopsy. The study population for the BW analyses comprised 2 234 501 people with 389 SCD cases, and the SGA and large for gestational age analyses comprised 1 786 281 people with 193 SCD cases. The relative risk for SCD was 6.69 for people with BW between 1500 and 2499 g (95% CI, 2.38–18.80,
P
<0.001) and 5.89 for people with BW ≥4500 g (95% CI, 1.81–19.12,
P
=0.003) at age 5 years. BW 2500 to 3400 g was the reference group. Compared with an appropriate gestational age, the relative risk for SGA was 2.85 (95% CI, 1.35–6.00,
P
=0.006) at age 10 years. For the autopsied cases, the relative risk of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome at age 5 years was 4.19 for SGA (95% CI, 1.08–16.22,
P
=0.038).

Conclusions

We found an association between BW and SCD in the young, with an increased risk among SGA infants. In addition, we found an association between SGA and sudden arrhythmic death syndrome.
Small Left Ventricle and Clinical Outcomes After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
Authors: Saito Tetsuya , Inohara Taku , Yoshijima Nobuhiro , Yashima Fumiaki , Tsuruta Hikaru , Shimizu Hideyuki , Fukuda Keiichi , Naganuma Toru , Mizutani Kazuki , Yamawaki Masahiro , Tada Norio , Yamanaka Futoshi , Shirai Shinichi , Tabata Minoru , Ueno Hiroshi , Takagi Kensuke , Watanabe Yusuke , Yamamoto Masanori , Hayashida Kentaro
Published: March 2021

Background

In patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), those with small left ventricle (LV) may have an increased risk of poor outcomes, because small LV is associated with low‐flow (LF), left ventricular hypertrophy. However, the impact of small LV on patients undergoing TAVR remains unknown.

Methods and Results

We examined 2584 patients who underwent TAVR between October 2013 and May 2017 using data from the Japanese multicenter registry. On the basis of the American Society of Echocardiography guidelines, small LV was defined as left ventricular end‐diastolic dimension <42.0 mm for men or <37.8 mm for women. The 2‐year clinical outcomes were compared between patients with and without small LV using multivariable Cox regression analyses and propensity score matching. Subgroup analyses by LF, left ventricular hypertrophy were performed. Of 2584 patients who underwent TAVR, 466 (18.0%) had small LV. Patients with small LV had smaller body size and less comorbidity, and were more likely to have LF status compared with those without. Small LV was associated with a higher 2‐year all‐cause (20.8% versus 14.3%; adjusted hazard ratio [HR],1.58 [95% CI, 1.20–2.09];
P
=0.0013) and cardiovascular mortality (8.8% versus 5.5%; adjusted HR, 1.93 [95% CI, 1.25–2.98];
P
=0.0028). Propensity score matching analysis showed consistent findings. In subgroup analyses, LF, left ventricular hypertrophy did not interact with small LV.

Conclusions

Small LV, determined by a simple echocardiographic parameter, was associated with poorer clinical outcomes after TAVR regardless of LF, left ventricular hypertrophy. LV size may be useful for assessing clinical outcomes after TAVR.

Registration

URL:
https://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index.htm
; Unique identifier: UMIN000020423.
Associations Between HIV Serostatus and Cardiac Structure and Function Evaluated by 2‐Dimensional Echocardiography in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study
Authors: Doria de Vasconcellos Henrique , Post Wendy S. , Ervin Ann‐Margret , Haberlen Sabina Annette , Budoff Matthew , Malvestutto Carlos , Magnani Jared W. , Feinstein Matthew J. , Brown Todd T. , Lima Joao A. C. , Wu Katherine C.
Published: March 2021

Background

We aimed to investigate whether there are differences in cardiac structure and systolic and diastolic function evaluated by 2‐dimensional echocardiography among men living with versus without HIV in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy.

Methods and Results

We performed a cross‐sectional analysis of 1195 men from MACS (Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study) who completed a transthoracic echocardiogram examination between 2017 and 2019. Associations between HIV serostatus and echocardiographic indices were assessed by multivariable regression analyses, adjusting for demographics and cardiovascular risk factors. Among men who are HIV+, associations between HIV disease severity markers and echocardiographic parameters were also investigated. Average age was 57.1±11.9 years; 29% of the participants were Black, and 55% were HIV+. Most men who were HIV+ (77%) were virally suppressed; 92% received combination antiretroviral therapy. Prevalent left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction <50%) was low and HIV serostatus was not associated with left ventricular ejection fraction. Multivariable adjustment models showed that men who were HIV+ versus those who were HIV− had greater LV mass index and larger left atrial diameter and right ventricular (RV) end‐diastolic area; lower RV function; and higher prevalence of diastolic dysfunction. Higher current CD4+ T cell count ≥400 cell/mm
3
versus <400 was associated with smaller LV diastolic volume and RV area. Virally suppressed men who were HIV+ versus those who were HIV− had higher indexed LV mass and left atrial areas and greater diastolic dysfunction.

Conclusions

HIV seropositivity was independently associated with greater LV mass index, left atrial and RV sizes, lower RV function and diastolic abnormalities, but not left ventricular ejection fraction, which may herald a future predisposition to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction among men living with HIV.
Deficiency of ITGAM Attenuates Experimental Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Mice
Authors: Zhou Min , Wang Xia , Shi Yiqin , Ding Yong , Li Xu , Xie Tianchen , Shi Zhenyu , Fu Weiguo
Published: March 2021

Background

Integrin αM (CD11b), which is encoded by the Integrin Subunit Alpha M (ITGAM) gene, is not only a surface marker of monocytes but also an essential adhesion molecule. In this study, we investigated the effect of CD11b on experimental abdominal aortic aneurysm and the potential underlying mechanisms.

Methods and Results

The incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysm was not significantly lower in ITGAM(‐/‐) mice than in control mice. Nevertheless, knockout of CD11b reduced the maximum abdominal aortic diameter, macrophage infiltration, matrix metalloproteinase‐9 expression, and elastin and collagen degradation. Additionally, lower expression of IL‐6 was found in both the peripheral blood and abdominal aortas of ITGAM(‐/‐) mice, indicating a biological correlation between CD11b and the inflammatory response in abdominal aortic aneurysm. In vitro, the number of ITGAM(‐/‐) bone marrow–derived macrophages (BMDMs) that adhered to endothelial cells was significantly lower than the number of wild‐type BMDMs. Moreover, the CD11b monoclonal antibody and CD11b agonist leukadherin‐1 decreased and increased the number of adherent wild‐type BMDMs, respectively. Through RNA sequencing, genes associated with leukocyte transendothelial migration were found to be downregulated in ITGAM(‐/‐) BMDMs. Furthermore, immunoprecipitation–mass spectrometry analysis predicted that the Akt pathway might be responsible for the impaired transmigratory ability of ITGAM(‐/‐) BMDMs. The reduced activation of Akt was then confirmed, and the Akt agonist SC79 partially rescued the transendothelial migratory function of ITGAM(‐/‐) BMDMs.

Conclusions

CD11b might promote the development and progression of abdominal aortic aneurysm by mediating the endothelial cells adhesion and transendothelial migration of circulating monocytes/macrophages.