bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PAX6is frequently expressed in ependymal tumours and associated with prognostic relevant subgroups
Authors: Tabasaran Julian , Schuhmann Martin , Ebinger Martin , Honegger Jürgen , Renovanz Mirjam , Schittenhelm Jens
Published: June 2021

Aims

An ependymoma shows divergent morphological and molecular features depending on their location. The paired box 6 (PAX6) transcription factor is a putative tumour suppressor and drives cancer cells towards a stem cell-like state. A transcriptome study reported highPAX6expression in ependymal tumours, but data on protein expression are lacking.

Methods

We, therefore, analysedPAX6expression by immunohistochemistry in 172 ependymoma samples and correlated its expression to histology, WHO grade, anatomical location and molecular subgroups.

Results

MeanPAX6nuclear expression in ependymoma was 27.5% (95% CI 23.3 to 31.7).PAX6expression in subependymoma (mean: 5%) was significantly lower compared with myxopapillary (30%), WHO grade II (26%) and anaplastic ependymoma (35%). Supratentorial ependymomas also displayed significant lowerPAX6levels (15%) compared with spinal cord tumours (30%). Expression levels in YAP1-fused ependymoma (41%) were higher compared with REL-associated protein (RELA)-fusion positive tumours (17%), whilePAX6expression was similar in posterior fossa group A (33%) and B (29%) ependymomas. Kaplan-Meier analysis in RELA-fusion positive ependymomas and posterior fossa group B showed a significant better outcome forPAX6at or above the cut-off of 19.45% compared with tumours withPAX6below the cut-off.

Conclusions

We demonstrate thatPAX6is frequently expressed in human ependymal tumours and immunohistochemistry may be helpful in determining prognostic relevant subgroups.
Clinical and serological associations of autoantibodies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Correa-Rodríguez María , Pocovi-Gerardino Gabriela , Callejas-Rubio Jose Luis , Ríos-Fernández Raquel , Martín-Amada María , Cruz-Caparrós María-Gracia , Rueda-Medina Blanca , Ortego-Centeno Norberto
Published: June 2021

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by the formation of antigen–antibody complexes which trigger an immune response. We investigate certain autoantibodies including nucleosome, double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), Smith, ribonucleoprotein, and Sjögren's syndrome-related antigens, and examine their associations with disease activity, damage accrual, and SLE-related clinical and serological manifestations in patients with SLE. We conducted a cross-sectional study with a total 293 patients (90.4% female, mean age 46.87±12.94 years) and used the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 and Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI) to evaluate disease activity and disease-related damage, respectively. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index scores were significantly higher in anti-nucleosome-positive (3.87±2.72 vs 2.52±2.76, p=0.004) and anti-dsDNA-positive (3.08±2.91 vs 2.04±2.48, p=0.010) patients compared with patients without these antibodies. SDI scores were also significantly higher in anti-nucleosome-positive patients (1.61±1.99 vs 0.89±1.06, p=0.004). The presence of antinucleosome (p=0.019) and anti-dsDNA antibodies (p=0.001) both correlated significantly with the incidence of nephritis; anti-La antibodies were associated with arthritis (p=0.022), and we also observed a relationship between the presence of antinucleosome antibodies and leukopenia (p=0.011). Patients with antinucleosome or anti-dsDNA antibodies had a higher disease activity and were likely to have nephritis. Antinucleosome was also associated with more damage accrual. A greater understanding of these autoantibodies could lead to the development of new approaches to more accurate assessments of SLE.
Recurrent de novo missense variants in GNB2 can cause syndromic intellectual disability
Authors: Tan Natalie B , Pagnamenta Alistair T , Ferla Matteo P , Gadian Jonathan , Chung Brian HY , Chan Marcus CY , Fung Jasmine LF , Cook Edwin , Guter Stephen , Boschann Felix , Heinen Andre , Schallner Jens , Mignot Cyril , Keren Boris , Whalen Sandra , Sarret Catherine , Mittag Dana , Demmer Laurie , Stapleton Rachel , Saida Ken , Matsumoto Naomichi , Miyake Noriko , Sheffer Ruth , Mor-Shaked Hagar , Barnett Christopher P , Byrne Alicia B , Scott Hamish S , Kraus Alison , Cappuccio Gerarda , Brunetti-Pierri Nicola , Iorio Raffaele , Di Dato Fabiola , Pais Lynn S , Yeung Alison , Tan Tiong Y , Taylor Jenny C , Christodoulou John , White Susan M
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Binding proteins (G-proteins) mediate signalling pathways involved in diverse cellular functions and comprise Gα and Gβγ units. Human diseases have been reported for all five Gβ proteins. A de novo missense variant in GNB2 was recently reported in one individual with developmental delay/intellectual disability (DD/ID) and dysmorphism. We aim to confirm GNB2 as a neurodevelopmental disease gene, and elucidate the GNB2-associated neurodevelopmental phenotype in a patient cohort.

Methods

We discovered a GNB2 variant in the index case via exome sequencing and sought individuals with GNB2 variants via international data-sharing initiatives. In silico modelling of the variants was assessed, along with multiple lines of evidence in keeping with American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines for interpretation of sequence variants.

Results

We identified 12 unrelated individuals with five de novo missense variants in GNB2, four of which are recurrent: p.(Ala73Thr), p.(Gly77Arg), p.(Lys89Glu) and p.(Lys89Thr). All individuals have DD/ID with variable dysmorphism and extraneurologic features. The variants are located at the universally conserved shared interface with the Gα subunit, which modelling suggests weaken this interaction.

Conclusion

Missense variants in GNB2 cause a congenital neurodevelopmental disorder with variable syndromic features, broadening the spectrum of multisystem phenotypes associated with variants in genes encoding G-proteins.
A new well-behaved class of compact strange astrophysical model consistent with observational data
Authors: Errehymy Abdelghani , Daoud Mohammed
Published: June 2021

The main focus of this paper is to discuss the solutions of Einstein’s Field Equations (EFEs) for compact spherical objects study. To supply exact solution of the EFEs, we have considered the distribution of anisotropic matter governed by a new version of Chaplygin fluid equation of state (EoS). To determine different constants, we have represented the outer space-time by the Schwarzschild metric. Using the observed values of the mass for the various strange spherical object candidates, we have expanded anisotropic emphasize at the surface to forecast accurate radius estimates. Moreover, we implement various analysis to examine the physical acceptability and stability of our suggested stellar model viz., the energy conditions, cracking method, adiabatic index, etc. Graphical survey exhibits that the obtained stellar system fulfills the physical and mathematical prerequisites of the strange astrophysical object candidates Cyg X-2, Vela X-1, 4U 1636-536, 4U 1608-52, PSR J1903+327 to examine the various physical parameters and their effects on the anisotropic stellar model. The investigation reveals that complicated geometries arise from the interior matter distribution obeys a new version of Chaplygin fluid EoS and they are physically pertinent in the investigation of discovered compact structures.
An Ordinal Weighted EDM Model for Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling
Authors: Li Qing-Na , Zhang Chi , Cao Mengzhi
Published: June 2021

Multidimensional scaling (MDS) is to recover a set of points by making use of noised pairwise Euclidean distances. In some situations, the observed Euclidean distances may contain large errors or even missing values. In such cases, the order of the distances is far more important than their magnitude. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) is then to deal with this problem by taking use of the ordinal information. The challenge of NMDS is to tackle the large number of ordinal constraints on distances (for [Formula: see text] points, this will be of [Formula: see text]), which will slow down existing numerical algorithms. In this paper, we propose an ordinal weighted Euclidean distance matrix model for NMDS. By designing an ordinal weighted matrix, we get rid of the large number of ordinal constraints and tackle the ordinal constraints in a soft way. We then apply our model to image ranking. The key insight is to view the image ranking problem as NMDS in the kernel space. We conduct extensive numerical test on two state-of-the-art datasets: FG-NET aging dataset and MSRA-MM dataset. The results show the improvement of the proposed approach over the existing methods.
Primordial black holes and scotogenic dark matter
Authors: Kitabayashi Teruyuki
Published: June 2021

We study the effect of the scotogenic dark matter on the primordial black holes (PBHs) and vice versa. We show that if the PBHs evaporate in the radiation dominated era, the upper limit of the initial mass of the PBHs [Formula: see text] should be constrained as [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text] TeV scotogenic dark matter [Formula: see text] TeV is the most appropriate energy scale in the scotogenic model). On the other hand, if the PBHs evaporate in the PBH dominated era, a quite heavy scotogenic dark matter ([Formula: see text] GeV) for [Formula: see text] may be allowed.
The silicon–carbon nanofibers-carbonized yeast powder composites with excellent electrochemical properties as lithium-ion anode materials
Authors: Dai Jianfeng , Shi Xiangyu , Wang Qing , Li Weixue , Yu Yongbo , Jiang Yi
Published: June 2021

Silicon–carbon nanofibers-carbonized yeast powder composite (SCNFs/CYP) was fabricated using the electrostatic spinning and hydrothermal processes. Experimental results show that the carbon nanofibers can restrain the volume expansion of silicon in the electrochemical process and the microporous structure of carbonized yeast powder can increase the specific surface area and promote the penetration of electrolyte. The compound was cyclically tested at charge–discharge rate of [Formula: see text]C, and the first charge/discharge capacity was 1725 and 1732 mAh/g. Although it is lower than the capacity of single structure silicon–carbon nanofibers (SCNFs), with the increase of the number of cycles, the capacity of charging and discharging has been greatly improved, and it can be maintained at 1656 mAh/g after 180 cycles. The [Formula: see text] after 1 cycle, 10 cycles and 100 cycles were 486, 286.5 and 231 [Formula: see text], from which we can see that the SCNFs–CYP has lower overall impedance values as the cycle increases. This indicated that the addition of carbon nanofibers and carbonized yeast powder inhibited the volume expansion and increased the specific surface area, providing more electrical contact sites.
Vulnerable Company’s Triumphs in M&A Negotiation under the Impact of COVID-19 — An Empirical Study of Asian Companies
Authors: Cheng Tsai-Hsin , Huang Chung-Jian , Sung Chao-Hsien , Huang Yi-Chang
Published: June 2021

The worldwide lockdown caused by COVID-19 has led to the complete suspension of shipping, land transportation, and aviation. As a result of the redistribution of global resources, governments have recently advocated acquisitions and mergers with strategic alliances and vertical integrations to revitalize the economy. This study aims to investigate how the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) were negotiated and how the equilibrium price was achieved with game theory and information economics in agricultural and fishery biotechnology industry. The findings in the present study propose that by adopting investment valuation (asset-based approach, revenue method, market method) and presenting three patents (globally unique nondrug-denatured pure male tilapia and GPS [Formula: see text]C cloud cold chain logistics), the more the vulnerable company is able to attain a triumphant price during the negotiation of M&A.
Prime and semiprime submodules of Rn and a related Nullstellensatz for Mn(R)
Authors: Cimprič J.
Published: June 2021

Let [Formula: see text] be a commutative ring with [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] a natural number. We say that a submodule [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] is semiprime if for every [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text] we have [Formula: see text]. Our main result is that every semiprime submodule of [Formula: see text] is equal to the intersection of all prime submodules containing it. It follows that every semiprime left ideal of [Formula: see text] is equal to the intersection of all prime left ideals that contain it. For [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] is an algebraically closed field we can rephrase this result as a Nullstellensatz for [Formula: see text]: For every [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] belongs to the smallest semiprime left ideal of [Formula: see text] that contains [Formula: see text] iff for every [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] we have [Formula: see text].
Design of nonlinear optimal tracking control law based on finite-time stability for quadratic performance index
Authors: Wang Di , Liu Can , Gao Suixiang , Liao Fucheng
Published: June 2021

In this paper, a design method of optimal tracking control based on finite-time stability for quadratic performance index is proposed. Finite-time stability of tracking control involves dynamical systems whose actual output can track desired output in finite time while satisfying Lyapunov stability. A nonlinear control law which guaranteed finite-time stability is designed depending on the core idea of dynamic programming. By using Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation and finite-time stability theory, sufficient conditions involving V-function are provided, and design steps for nonlinear finite-time tracking control law are derived by constructing augmented systems. In addition, the V-function is constructed to obtain corresponding law for given systems, which verified that the design method is feasible. Simulation examples validate the efficiency of the results.
A simple route to photodynamic chlorin e6 amide derivatives
Authors: Chen Yang , Terazono Yuichi , Fefer Michael , Liu Jun , Gale Cody B. , Brook Michael A.
Published: June 2021

Amide derivatives of the porphyrin Ce6 have demonstrated efficacy for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy or inactivation of microorganisms. Traditional methods for their synthesis involve carbodiimide coupling agents for direct coupling or, as a more attractive option, to make key mono- and dianhydrides that are then able to react with a variety of nucleophiles. We report a process to efficiently create a Ce6 dianhydride by the simple expedient usage of acetic anhydride as both dehydrating agent and reagent. The dianhydride reacts to give mixtures of mono- and di-amide derivatives. While these are difficult to separate from each other, this route avoids the more difficult challenge of removing unreacted Ce6 from reaction mixtures. The process further avoids the need to separate undesired by-products arising from carbodiimides and provides additional benefits, as it was optimized for use with the greener solvent Cyrene.
Synthesis of Large-Area MoSe2 Monolayer Film for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Analysis
Authors: Zheng Kongjia , Deng Jianjun , Zhou Zhonghao , Chen Jinglong , Wang Zhiyong , Cheng Zhihai
Published: June 2021

Ultrathin two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides represent a promising new class of materials with surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activities. Previous work mainly focused on the SERS effects of transition metal dichalcogenide crystals with sizes of micrometer scale. The enhancement effect is usually nonuniform on the SERS substrates. In this paper, we report a chemical vapor deposition method for the preparation of centimeter-scale MoSe2 films with uniform and high SERS activity. The molybdenum precursors are supplied in a “face-to-face” manner from a silica gel plate to the growth substrate, which guarantees uniform nucleation and growth of the monolayer MoSe2. We demonstrate that the monolayer MoSe2 film has strong SERS effect, which can be attributed to charge transfer between MoSe2 and the probe molecules. The detection limit of Rhodamine B on monolayer MoSe2 is determined to be 10[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]mol/L, and the Raman enhancement factor is estimated to be [Formula: see text]. Due to its atomic uniformity and chemical stability, the MoSe2 film can serve as an ideal two-dimensional SERS material for detection of various molecules.
Limit Order Book (LOB) Shape Modeling in Presence of Heterogeneously Informed Market Participants
Authors: Drame Mouhamad
Published: June 2021

The modeling of the limit order book is directly related to the assumptions on the behavior of real market participants. This paper is two-fold. We first present empirical findings that lay the ground for two improvements to these models. The first one is concerned with market participants by adding the additional dimension of informed market makers, whereas the second, and maybe more original one, addresses the race in the book between informed traders and informed market makers leading to different shapes of the order book. Namely, we build an agent-based model for the order book with four types of market participants: informed trader, noise trader, informed market makers and noise market makers. We build our model based on the Glosten–Milgrom approach and the most recent Huang–Rosenbaum–Saliba approach. We introduce a parameter capturing the race between informed liquidity traders and suppliers after a new information on the fundamental value of the asset. We then derive the whole “static” limit order book and its characteristics, namely, the bid-ask spread and volumes available at each level price- from the interactions between the agents and compare it with the pre-existing model. We then discuss the case where noise traders have an impact on the fundamental value of the asset and extend the model to take into account many kinds of informed market makers.
Page-Level Main Content Extraction From Heterogeneous Webpages
Authors: Alarte Julián , Silva Josep
Published: June 2021

The main content of a webpage is often surrounded by other boilerplate elements related to the template, such as menus, advertisements, copyright notices, and comments. For crawlers and indexers, isolating the main content from the template and other noisy information is an essential task, because processing and storing noisy information produce a waste of resources such as bandwidth, storage space, and computing time. Besides, the detection and extraction of the main content is useful in different areas, such as data mining, web summarization, and content adaptation to low resolutions. This work introduces a new technique for main content extraction. In contrast to most techniques, this technique not only extracts text, but also other types of content, such as images, and animations. It is a Document Object Model-based page-level technique, thus it only needs to load one single webpage to extract the main content. As a consequence, it is efficient enough as to be used online (in real-time). We have empirically evaluated the technique using a suite of real heterogeneous benchmarks producing very good results compared with other well-known content extraction techniques.
3DGCN: 3-Dimensional Dynamic Graph Convolutional Network for Citywide Crowd Flow Prediction
Authors: Xia Tong , Lin Junjie , Li Yong , Feng Jie , Hui Pan , Sun Funing , Guo Diansheng , Jin Depeng
Published: June 2021

Crowd flow prediction is an essential task benefiting a wide range of applications for the transportation system and public safety. However, it is a challenging problem due to the complex spatio-temporal dependence and the complicated impact of urban structure on the crowd flow patterns. In this article, we propose a novel framework, 3-
D
imensional
G
raph
C
onvolution
N
etwork (3DGCN), to predict citywide crowd flow. We first model it as a dynamic spatio-temporal graph prediction problem, where each node represents a region with time-varying flows, and each edge represents the origin–destination (OD) flow between its corresponding regions. As such, OD flows among regions are treated as a proxy for the spatial interactions among regions. To tackle the complex spatio-temporal dependence, our proposed 3DGCN can model the correlation among graph spatial and temporal neighbors simultaneously. To learn and incorporate urban structures in crowd flow prediction, we design the GCN aggregator to be learned from both crowd flow prediction and region function inference at the same time. Extensive experiments with real-world datasets in two cities demonstrate that our model outperforms state-of-the-art baselines by 9.6%∼19.5% for the next-time-interval prediction.
Voltage-Based Covert Channels Using FPGAs
Authors: Gnad Dennis R. E. , Nguyen Cong Dang Khoa , Gillani Syed Hashim , Tahoori Mehdi B.
Published: June 2021

Field Programmable Gate Arrays
(
FPGAs
) are increasingly used in cloud applications and being integrated into Systems-on-Chip. For these systems, various side-channel attacks on cryptographic implementations have been reported, motivating one to apply proper countermeasures. Beyond cryptographic implementations, maliciously introduced covert channel receivers and transmitters can allow one to exfiltrate other secret information from the FPGA. In this article, we present a fast covert channel on FPGAs, which exploits the on-chip power distribution network. This can be achieved without any logical connection between the transmitter and receiver blocks. Compared to a recently published covert channel with an estimated 4.8 Mbit/s transmission speed, we show 8 Mbit/s transmission and reduced errors from around 3% to less than 0.003%. Furthermore, we demonstrate proper transmissions of word-size messages and test the channel in the presence of noise generated from other residing tenants’ modules in the FPGA. When we place and operate other co-tenant modules that require 85% of the total FPGA area, the error rate increases to 0.02%, depending on the platform and setup. This error rate is still reasonably low for a covert channel. Overall, the transmitter and receiver work with less than 3–5% FPGA LUT resources together. We also show the feasibility of other types of covert channel transmitters, in the form of synchronous circuits within the FPGA.
Epidemic Dynamics of a Fractional-Order SIS Infectious Network Model
Authors: Liu Na , Li Yunliu , Sun Junwei , Fang Jie , Liu Peng
Published: June 2021

Outbreak and large-scale of the infectious diseases have caused enormous economic losses to all countries in the world. Constructing a network model which could reflect the transmission dynamics of the epidemics and investigating their transmission laws have a significant meaning in the precaution and control of the epidemics. In this article, a fractional-order SIS epidemic network model is proposed. First, an expression of the basic reproduction number is deduced. Second, applying the Lyapunov function, the stability of the equilibrium points about the infectious model is analyzed in detail. Finally, an example is present to verify the theoretical analysis. Furthermore, on account of the fractional-order coefficient, its influence on the transmission dynamics is also exhibited.
A Fast and Validated HPLC Method for the Simultaneous Analysis of Five 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists via the Quantitative Analysis of Multicomponents by a Single Marker
Authors: Chen Fuchao , Fang Baoxia , Li Peng , Wang Sicen
Published: June 2021

In this study, a new strategy for the simultaneous quantization of five serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor antagonists—ondansetron, azasetron, ramosetron, granisetron, and tropisetron—either in infusion samples or in injection dosage form was first established based on high-performance liquid chromatography combined with a quantitative analysis of multiple components by a single marker. The quantitative analysis of multicomponents by a single marker method was conducted with ondansetron as an internal reference substance and performed using relative retention time and ultraviolet spectral similarity as the double indicator. The quantitative analysis of the 5-HT3 receptor antagonists was calculated and investigated based on the relative correction factors. Chromatographic separation was achieved using a C18 column (150 mm × 4.6 mm, 5.0 μm), and the mobile phase was composed of acetonitrile-0.05 mol·L−1 potassium dihydrogen phosphate (pH 4.0) (25 : 75) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL·min−1 and detection wavelengths of 307 nm (ondansetron, azasetron, ramosetron), 302 nm (granisetron), and 285 nm (tropisetron). In addition, the accuracy of the quantitative analysis of multicomponents by a single marker method was compared with an external standard method, and no significant difference was observed between the two methods. The established method is rapid, is easy, and does not require many reference substances, and it can been successfully applied as part of the quality control of the five 5-HT3 receptor antagonists in their injection dosage form and infusion sample drugs in hospitals.
In Vitro Bioaccessibility of the Vitamin B Series from Thermally Processed Leafy African Indigenous Vegetables
Authors: Onyambu Zipporah M. , Nawiri Mildred P. , Nyambaka Hudson N. , Noah Naumih M.
Published: June 2021

Thermal processing of leafy African indigenous vegetables (LAIVs), which are rich in nutrients, especially vitamin B series affects the levels and bioaccessibility of the vitamins. This study investigated the bioaccessibility of vitamin B series in fresh and thermally processed LAIVs. Five commonly consumed indigenous vegetables, Cleome gynadra, Vigna unguilata, Amaranthus viridis, Basella alba, and Cucurbita maxima, were processed by boiling and/or frying, treated to in vitro gastrointestinal digestion procedure, and levels of vitamin B series determined before and after treatment. The vitamin B series in fresh LAIVs ranged from 0.73 ± 0.01 mg/100 g (B9; spider plant) to 174.16 ± 3.50 mg/100 g (B2; vine spinach) and had both significant increase (ranging from +8.71% to +446.84%) and decrease (ranging from −0.44% to −100.00%) with thermal processing (p<0.001). The in vitro digestion resulted in a significant increase (p<0.001) of vitamins ranging from 5.18% (B5; boiled cowpeas) to 100% (B2, B3, and B6 in several processed vegetables). Where detected, the bioaccessible levels of vitamin B series in fresh, processed, and in vitro digested samples were sufficient to meet the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) of children and adults. These findings support the promotion of a nutritional approach to malnutrition resulting from vitamin B series deficiency.
On the Existence of Long-Time Classical Solutions for the 2D Inviscid Boussinesq Equations
Authors: Xu Jiafa , Liu Lishan
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we consider the Cauchy problem for the 2D inviscid Boussinesq equations with

N

being the buoyancy frequency. It is proved that for general initial data

u

0

∈

H

s

with

s
>
3

, the life span of the classical solutions satisfies

T
>
C

ln
 
 
N

3
/
4

.
A Real-Time Clinical Decision Support System, for Mild Cognitive Impairment Detection, Based on a Hybrid Neural Architecture
Authors: Suárez-Araujo Carmen Paz , García Báez Patricio , Cabrera-León Ylermi , Prochazka Ales , Rodríguez Espinosa Norberto , Fernández Viadero Carlos , Neuroimaging Initiative for the Alzheimer’s Disease
Published: June 2021

Clinical procedure for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is mainly based on clinical records and short cognitive tests. However, low suspicion and difficulties in understanding test cut-offs make diagnostic accuracy being low, particularly in primary care. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are suitable to design computed aided diagnostic systems because of their features of generating relationships between variables and their learning capability. The main aim pursued in that work is to explore the ability of a hybrid ANN-based system in order to provide a tool to assist in the clinical decision-making that facilitates a reliable MCI estimate. The model is designed to work with variables usually available in primary care, including Minimental Status Examination (MMSE), Functional Assessment Questionnaire (FAQ), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), age, and years of education. It will be useful in any clinical setting. Other important goal of our study is to compare the diagnostic rendering of ANN-based system and clinical physicians. A sample of 128 MCI subjects and 203 controls was selected from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). The ANN-based system found the optimal variable combination, being AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and clinical utility index (CUI) calculated. The ANN results were compared with those from medical experts which include two family physicians, a neurologist, and a geriatrician. The optimal ANN model reached an AUC of 95.2%, with a sensitivity of 90.0% and a specificity of 84.78% and was based on MMSE, FAQ, and age inputs. As a whole, physician performance achieved a sensitivity of 46.66% and a specificity of 91.3%. CUIs were also better for the ANN model. The proposed ANN system reaches excellent diagnostic accuracy although it is based only on common clinical tests. These results suggest that the system is especially suitable for primary care implementation, aiding physicians work with cognitive impairment suspicions.
Performance Analysis in DF Energy Harvesting Full-Duplex Relaying Network with MRC and SC at the Receiver under Impact of Eavesdropper
Authors: Tran Tin Phu , Phan Van-Duc , Si Thien Chau Dong , Nguyen Tan N. , X. Nguyen Phu
Published: June 2021

This paper investigates the decode-and-forward (DF) full-duplex (FD) relaying system under the presence of an eavesdropper. Moreover, the relay node is able to harvest energy from a transmitter, and then it uses the harvested energy for conveying information to the receiver. Besides, both two-hop and direct relaying links are taking into consideration. In the mathematical analysis, we derived the exact expressions for intercept probability and outage probability (OP) by applying maximal ratio combining (MRC) and selection combining (SC) techniques at the receiver. Next, the Monte Carlo simulation is performed to validate the mathematical analysis. The results show that the simulation curves match the mathematic expressions, which confirms the analysis section.
Secrecy Performance Analysis of a Cognitive Network for IoT over k‐μ Channels
Authors: Li Junxia , Zhao Hui , Johnson Michael
Published: June 2021

With the development of Internet of Things (IoTs), devices are now connecting and communicating together on a heretofore unheard‐of scale, forming huge heterogeneous networks of mobile IoT‐enabled devices. For beyond 5G‐ (B5G‐) enabled networks, this raises concerns in terms of spectral resource allocation and associated security. Cognitive radio is one effective solution to such a spectrum sharing issue which can be adopted to these B5G networks, which works on the principle of sharing spectrum between primary and secondary users. In this paper, we develop the confidentiality of cognitive radio network (CRNs) for IoT over k‐μ fading channels, with the information transmitted between secondary networks with multiple cooperative eavesdroppers, under the constraint of the maximum interference that the primary users can tolerate. All considered facilities use a single‐antenna receiver. Of particular interest, the minimum limit values of secure outage probability (SOP) and the probability of strictly positive secrecy capacity (SPSC) are developed for this model in a concise form. Finally, the Monte Carlo simulations for the system are provided to support the theoretical analysis presented.
Genotype Variations and Association between PAI-1 Promoter Region (4G/5G and -844G/A) and Susceptibility to Acute Myocardial Infarction and Chronic Stable Angina
Authors: Kumar Sunil , Verma Amit Kumar , Sagar Vinay , Ranjan Ravi , Sharma Rahul , Tomar Preeti , Bhatt Deepti , Goyal Yamini , Alsahli Mohammed A. , Almatroudi Ahmad , Almatroodi Saleh A. , Rahmani Arshad Husain , Alrumaihi Faris , Muzammil Khursheed , Dev Kapil , Yadav Rakesh , Saxena Renu
Published: June 2021

The present study aimed at investigating the 4G/5G and -844G/A polymorphisms and plasma concentration of PAI-1 in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and chronic stable angina (CSA) in Indian population. It included 100 patients with AMI and stable angina and 100 healthy controls. All study subjects were typed for two PAI polymorphisms (4G/5G and -844G/A) through PCR-RFLP and level of PAI through ELISA. The comparison of AMI and CSA independently with control in terms of PAI-1 level was statistically significant but not between AMI and CSA. The frequency of 4G/4G and 4G/5G genotype and 4G allele was significantly higher in AMI cases than in control and was found to increase the risk of AMI. There was a significant relationship between 4G/5G polymorphism and AMI risk under the dominant and codominant genotype. The frequency of 4G/4G genotype and 4G allele was significantly higher in CSA cases than in control group and increases the risk of CSA. There was no significant association between 4G/5G polymorphism and CSA risk under recessive, dominant, and codominant models. The genotype and allelic frequencies difference between the cases (AMI and CSA) and control with regard to -844G/A polymorphisms were statistically nonsignificant. Also, we did not detect any significant association of -844G/A polymorphism with AMI and CSA in recessive, dominant, and codominant models. Along with the traditional risk factors, the 4G/5G allele polymorphism is an independent risk factor for the development of AMI. The detection of 4G/5G allele may therefore be helpful in primary prevention. Patients who carry the 4G/5G allele polymorphism have high concentrations of PAI-1, which might be involved in incidents leading to AMI. The present study for the first time revealed significant association of 4G/5G allele polymorphism with high risk of AMI in Indian population and will be helpful in identifying the genetic risk factors associated with AMI and CSA and for better management of diagnostic measures.
Effect of Parameters on the Design of a Suspension System with Four Oblique Springs
Authors: Gatti Gianluca
Published: June 2021

This paper presents the fundamental static and dynamic characteristics of a suspension system consisting of four linear springs arranged in an X‐shaped configuration to achieve geometric nonlinearity. The particular interest is towards the design of a softening spring geometry realizing a quasi‐zero stiffness behaviour at large deflections, and the influence of the system parameters is investigated. The static performance is studied in terms of the force‐deflection curve and the dynamic performance in terms of the frequency response curve. The softening‐hardening behaviour of the suspension leads to a frequency response which bends to the lower frequencies reaching a well‐defined minimum. It is found that both the static and dynamic behaviours may be described in terms of a single parameter, and a simple closed‐form expression is determined which links the damping in the system to the excitation amplitude to achieve the lowest possible resonance frequency.
The Anticonvulsant Effect of Hydroethanolic Leaf Extract of Calotropis procera (Ait) R. Br. (Apocynaceae)
Authors: Obese Ernest , Biney Robert Peter , Henneh Isaac Tabiri , Adakudugu Emmanuel Awintiig , Anokwah Daniel , Agyemang Lovia Serwaa , Woode Eric , Ameyaw Elvis Ofori
Published: June 2021

A number of currently used drugs have been obtained from medicinal plants which are a major source of drugs. These drugs are either used in their pure form or modified to a semisynthetic drug. Drug discovery through natural product research has been fruitful over the years. Traditionally, Calotropis procera is used extensively in the management of epilepsy. This study is conducted to explore the anticonvulsant effect of a hydroethanolic leaf extract of Calotropis procera (CPE) in murine models. This effect was evaluated using picrotoxin-induced convulsions, strychnine-induced convulsions, and isoniazid- and pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus in mice of both sexes. The results showed that CPE (100-300 mg/kg) exhibited an anticonvulsant effect against strychnine-induced clonic seizures by significantly reducing the duration (

p
=
0.0068

) and frequency (

p
=
0.0016

) of convulsions. The extract (100-300 mg/kg) caused a profound dose-dependent delay in the onset of clonic convulsions induced by picrotoxin (

p
<
0.0001

) and tonic convulsions (

p
<
0.0001

) in mice. The duration of convulsions was reduced significantly also for both clonic and tonic (

p
<
0.0001

) seizures as well. CPE (100-300 mg/kg), showed a profound anticonvulsant effect and reduced mortality in the pilocarpine-induced convulsions. ED50 (~0.1007) determined demonstrated that the extract was less potent than diazepam in reducing the duration and onset of convulsions but had comparable efficacies. Flumazenil—a GABAA receptor antagonist—did not reverse the onset or duration of convulsions produced by the extract in the picrotoxin-induced seizure model. In isoniazid-induced seizure, CPE (300 mg kg1, p.o.) significantly (

p
<
0.001

) delayed the onset of seizure in mice and prolonged latency to death in animals. Overall, the hydroethanolic leaf extract of Calotropis procera possesses anticonvulsant properties.
Pulmonary Artery Intimal Sarcoma Diagnosed Preoperatively by Endovascular Biopsy and Treated via Right Pneumonectomy and Pulmonary Arterioplasty
Authors: Kato Daiki , Mori Shohei , Harada Eriko , Shigemori Rintaro , Shibazaki Takamasa , Matsudaira Hideki , Hirano Jun , Ashida Hirokazu , Kimura Hiroko , Yoshitake Michio , Kunihara Takashi , Ohtsuka Takashi
Published: June 2021

Introduction. Intimal sarcoma is a very rare tumor arising within the intima of the pulmonary artery. Preoperative diagnosis of pulmonary artery sarcoma is difficult, and the tumor is sometimes misdiagnosed as pulmonary thromboembolism. We report a case of pulmonary artery intimal sarcoma successfully diagnosed by preoperative endovascular biopsy and treated via right pneumonectomy and pulmonary arterioplasty. Presentation of a Case. A 72-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with a low-attenuation defect in the lumen of the right main pulmonary artery by computed tomography. Pulmonary artery thromboembolism was suspected, and anticoagulation therapy was administered. However, the defect in the pulmonary artery did not improve. Endovascular catheter aspiration biopsy was performed. Histological examination revealed pulmonary artery sarcoma. The patient was treated with right pneumonectomy and arterioplasty with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. Discussion. Preoperative biopsy by endovascular catheter is worth considering for a patient with a tumor in the pulmonary artery and can help in planning treatment strategies.
Antiobesity and Antidiabetic Effects of Portulaca oleracea Powder Intake in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese C57BL/6 Mice
Authors: Jung Jae Hyun , Hwang Su Bin , Park Hyeon Ju , Jin Guang-Ri , Lee Bog Hieu
Published: June 2021

This study investigated the hypothesis that Portulaca oleracea L. exerts antiobesity and antidiabetic effects by evaluating blood lipid profiles, blood glucose control factors, protein expression of lipid metabolism, and insulin sensitivity improvement. Three groups of high-fat diet (HFD) induced obese C57BL/6 mice (n = 8) received treatment with low (5%; HFD + PO5%) or high (10%; HFD + PO10%) concentrations of P. oleracea powder for 12 weeks or no treatment (HFD) and were compared with each other and a fourth control group. Weight gain was reduced by 34% in the HFD + PO10% group compared to the HFD group. Moreover, the perirenal and epididymal fat contents in the HFD + PO10% group were 6.3-fold and 1.5-fold, respectively, lower than those in the HFD group. The atherogenic index (AI) and cardiac risk factor (CRF) results in the P. oleracea-treated groups were significantly lower than those in the HFD group. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels was lower in the HFD + PO10% group than in the HFD group. The protein expression levels of the proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-α, glucose transporter (GLUT) 4 and PPAR-γ were upregulated in the HFD + PO10% group compared to the HFD group. However, the protein expression levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were lower in the P. oleracea-treated groups than in the HFD group. Our results demonstrate that P. oleracea powder could be effectively used to treat and prevent obesity and diabetes-associated diseases through suppression of weight gain and reduction in body fat and blood glucose levels.
Neimark–Sacker Bifurcation and Controlling Chaos in a Three-Species Food Chain Model through the OGY Method
Authors: Feng Guo , Yin Ding , Jiacheng Li
Published: June 2021

The dynamics behavior of a discrete-time three-species food chain model is investigated. By using bifurcation theory, it is shown that the equilibrium point of the system loses its stability, and the system undergoes Neimark–Sacker bifurcation, which leads to chaos as the parameter changes. The chaotic motion is controlled on the stable periodic period-1 orbit using the implementation of the hybrid control strategy. The factor affecting the control time of chaos is also studied. Numerical simulations are consistent with the theoretical analysis. The results of this research prove that the chaos control method can be extended to the higher-dimensional biological model and can be realized.
Serum IgE Predicts Difference of Population and Allergens in Allergic Diseases: Data from Weifang City, China
Authors: Xu-De Zhang , Bei-Bei Guo , Xi-Juan Wang , Hai-Bo Li , Li-Li Zhang , Feng-Xia Liu
Published: June 2021

Background. Immunoglobulin E (IgE) is the most important promoter of allergic inflammation. However, there are few systematic studies on IgE in age range, genders, disease spectrum, and time regularity. Aim. To screen the common allergens, allergen spectrum, and IgE difference between type 2 inflammatory allergic diseases and other allergic diseases in Weifang, China. Methods. A retrospective study was performed by estimating patients’ clinical data suffering from allergic diseases (urticaria, pollinosis, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and bronchial asthma) between May 2019 and April 2020 using an allergen detection kit of Macro-Union Pharmaceutical. Results. 732 of the 1367 patients showed different antigen positive, and the positive rate was 53.5%. The most common allergens were dust mites, mixed fungi, Artemisia pollen, cat/dog dander, and cockroaches. There were 27.0% (369/1367) of the patients with single positive allergen-specific IgE (sIgE), 26.5% (363/1367) with multiple-positive IgE. The total immunoglobulin E (tIgE) levels varied with gender, age, and type of disease. There was a difference in the distribution of allergens between children and adults. A positive correlation between the serum-specific IgE and the corresponding local inhaled allergen density was observed. Conclusions. In this study, we found that type 2 inflammatory allergic diseases have higher serum IgE and a higher probability of inhaled sIgE positive. According to age, gender, and condition, serological IgE detection of allergens provides new insight into the early diagnosis and prevention of allergic diseases.
Remarks on the Systems of Semilinear Fractional Rayleigh-Stokes Equation
Authors: Long Le Dinh
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we study the Cauchy problem for a system of Rayleigh-Stokes equations. In this system of equations, we use derivatives in the classical Riemann-Liouville sense. This system has many applications in some non-Newtonian fluids. We obtained results for the existence, uniqueness, and frequency of the solution. We discuss the stability of the solutions and find the solution spaces. Our main technique is to use the Banach mapping theorem combined with some techniques in Fourier analysis.
Therapeutic Study of Thermosensitive Hydrogel Loaded with Super-Activated Platelet Lysate Combined with Core Decompression Technology for the Treatment of Femoral Head Necrosis
Authors: Huang Zhipeng , Zhao Zhe , Lang Jun , Wang Wantao , Fu Yinsheng , Wang Wenbo
Published: June 2021

Super activated platelet lysate (sPL) is a derivative of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) that contains high levels of several growth factors. In this study, we synthesized a temperature-sensitive hydrogel that contained temperature-sensitive Poly(DL-lactide-glycolide-glycolide acid) (PLGA), SrCl2, and HA, and loaded it with different concentrations of sPL. The hydrogel showed satisfactory encapsulation efficiency and release of the growth factors in a sustained manner, indicating its suitability as a drug carrier. The sPL-loaded hydrogel was inserted into the necrotic femoral head of a rat model and core decompression was applied and resulted in significantly accelerated bone repair and regeneration. Therefore, encapsulation of sPL in a hydrogel scaffolding may be an effective strategy for treating femoral head necrosis.
Physical and Mechanical Properties of Turfy Soils under Confining and Axial Pressure Increases Stress Paths in Jilin Province, Northeast China
Authors: Lv Yan , Huang Yaolong , Liu Chang , Su Zhandong , Nie Lei
Published: June 2021

In recent years, highways have been built rapidly in China’s turfy swamp areas to accommodate economic development. Turfy soil is a type of special soil with high humus and incompletely decomposed plant contents, so its properties are complex and unique. Both the axial and confining pressures of turfy soil increase during embankment filling. Therefore, in this study, three soil tests for analysing the decomposition degree, organic matter content, and triaxial compression under confining and axial pressure increases stress paths were performed to achieve insights into the stress‐strain properties of turfy soil. The volumetric and deviatoric strains of turfy soil were summarised to reveal the inner mechanisms of turfy soil, culminating in the establishment of a constitutive model for turfy soil. The results of the constitutive model were compared with the experimental test results to verify the accuracy of the constitutive model. The results showed that the stress‐strain and strength of turfy soil are closely related to the organic matter content and decomposition degree. The calculated stress and strain results are also consistent with the experimental results, indicating that this constitutive model can be used to better indicate the original deformation state and strength characteristics of the turfy soil.
The Dynamic Effect of Public Information on Liquidity: From the Perspective of Limited Attention
Authors: Bing Tao , Cui Yian
Published: June 2021

The financial system is a complex system. The heterogeneous behaviors of investors further increase the degree of its complexity. In this paper, we develop a rational expectations equilibrium model to analyze the effect of public information on market efficiency and liquidity, especially in the market in which investors monitor the market imperfectly. When public information is partly reflected in equilibrium price or the uncertainty about the asset value is great, market efficiency increases with the increase of the precision of public information and the investors holding it. However, when the uncertainty about the fundamental value is small, the increase of the precision of public information worsens market liquidity. And in this market, with the increase of the investors acquiring public information, market liquidity first decreases and then increases. Overall, our results suggest that listed companies should disclose their information accurately by different channels as much as possible, and the regulators should enhance the supervision of information disclosure to enhance market efficiency and liquidity.