bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A research on relevance between photoplethysmography signal and perceptual stimulation
Authors: Lin Chih-Hsueh , Wang Zhi-Hao , Jong Gwo-Jia
Published: August 2020

In this paper, the Photoplethysmography (PPG) signal response of humans under different perceptual stimuli was mainly discussed. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulates the functioning of organs or tissues in the body to make the body adapt to the environment. When the human body is stimulated, it can obtain information about ANS from the analysis results of heart rate variability (HRV).The proposed method is used with PPG signals for time domain and frequency domain analysis to obtain HRV parameters and short-time Fourier transform (STFT) output heat map, respectively. Different environmental stimuli were given during the experiment and changes in PPG signals were observed. There were eight males and eight females with a total of 16 subjects with an average age of 24 years. Heart rate was observed to vary with stimulation in 16 subjects. The heat map clearly distinguishes whether the subject is affected by the stimulus and causes the ANS to regulate the human body. The data obtained under various stimuli are directly compared and measured from physiological signals. It can establish an objective patient’s current emotional judgment and can be used to explore the patient’s diagnosis status during the diagnosis process.
On the left primeness of some polynomial matrices with applications to convolutional codes
Authors: Alfarano Gianira N. , Lieb Julia
Published: August 2020

Maximum distance profile (MDP) convolutional codes have the property that their column distances are as large as possible for given rate and degree. There exists a well-known criterion to check whether a code is MDP using the generator or the parity-check matrix of the code. In this paper, we show that under the assumption that [Formula: see text] divides [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text] divides [Formula: see text], a polynomial matrix that fulfills the MDP criterion is actually always left prime. In particular, when [Formula: see text] divides [Formula: see text], this implies that each MDP convolutional code is noncatastrophic. Moreover, when [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] do not divide [Formula: see text], we show that the MDP criterion is in general not enough to ensure left primeness. In this case, with one more assumption, we still can guarantee the result.
COVID-19 and the Antipoverty Vaccines
Authors: Hotez Peter J.
Published: August 2020

The number of global COVID19 cases has just exceeded 15 million, and there is mounting evidence for a devastating economic impact from this illness. Although COVID19 affected primarily China, Europe, and North America during the first half of 2020, now this disease is accelerating in the resource-poor nations of the Global South. Across Latin America, South Asia, and Africa, COVID19 is expected to push up to 100 million people into extreme poverty, eroding many of the economic gains achieved over the last five years. COVID19 vaccines will be required to help control the pandemic, especially in low- and middle-income nations. These will have important health benefits, but might also prevent further economic devastation. The term “antipoverty vaccines” has been used to refer to vaccines to prevent neglected tropical diseases that affect worker productivity, child development, and the health of girls and women. COVID19 vaccines could also become important antipoverty technologies provided we find ways to scale and distribute them as affordable vaccines. Two vaccines now being accelerated for global health include whole inactivated virus and recombinant protein vaccines. These might become essential tools for combating global poverty.
Early Detection of Social Media Hoaxes at Scale
Authors: Zubiaga Arkaitz , Jiang Aiqi
Published: August 2020

The unmoderated nature of social media enables the diffusion of hoaxes, which in turn jeopardises the credibility of information gathered from social media platforms. Existing research on automated detection of hoaxes has the limitation of using relatively small datasets, owing to the difficulty of getting labelled data. This, in turn, has limited research exploring early detection of hoaxes as well as exploring other factors such as the effect of the size of the training data or the use of sliding windows. To mitigate this problem, we introduce a semi-automated method that leverages the Wikidata knowledge base to build large-scale datasets for veracity classification, focusing on celebrity death reports. This enables us to create a dataset with 4,007 reports including over 13M tweets, 15% of which are fake. Experiments using class-specific representations of word embeddings show that we can achieve F1 scores nearing 72% within 10 minutes of the first tweet being posted when we expand the size of the training data following our semi-automated means. Our dataset represents a realistic scenario with a real distribution of true, commemorative, and false stories, which we release for further use as a benchmark in future research.
Immuno-Inflammatory Characteristics in Low Severity COVID-19 Patients with Digestive Symptoms
Authors: Duan Caihan , Zhang Shengyan , Wang Jian , Qian Wei , Han Chaoqun , Hou Xiaohua
Published: August 2020

Aim. The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in a global pandemic, with the main manifestations being of respiratory nature, including pneumonia. It is noteworthy that digestive symptoms are also observed in COVID-19 patients. In this article, we describe the immuno-inflammatory characteristics of low severity COVID-19 patients with digestive symptoms. Methods. Patients with mild symptoms of COVID-19 were split into three groups based on the patients’ symptoms. The first group displayed digestive symptoms only, the second group displayed respiratory symptoms only, and the last group displayed both digestive and respiratory symptoms. Patients were discharged based on negative results of rRT-PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 from at least two sequential respiratory tract specimens collected ≥24 hours apart. Multiorgan function and immuno-inflammatory characteristics were analyzed for all of the three groups. Results. Mild liver damage and activation of the immuno-inflammatory system were the most common abnormalities observed in patients with mild COVID-19 symptoms but no significant differences were found (P>0.05). Patients with digestive symptoms were more likely to have slightly higher and later peak values of inflammatory cytokines during the subsequent course of disease (P<0.05). In addition, a significant correlation between IL-2 and TNF level was found in the first group which included patients with digestive symptoms only (P<0.05). Conclusions. Patients with mild cases of COVID-19 only displaying digestive symptoms are a special subtype. Patients in this group were more likely to have slightly higher and delayed peak values of inflammatory cytokines during the subsequent course of the disease. Prevention and clinical management of this type should be taken into consideration.
Effects of Wuqinxi in the Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Yao Chongjie , Li Zhenrui , Zhang Shuaipan , Wu Zhiwei , Zhu Qingguang , Fang Lei
Published: August 2020

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the major concerns of the current health care. The guidelines for chronic LBP recommend traditional Chinese exercise as an effective treatment. As one of the representatives of traditional Chinese exercise, Wuqinxi has been famous in China for its effects on improving health and treating chronic diseases for thousands of years. The objectives of the study were to assess the effects of Wuqinxi in the patients with chronic LBP on pain intensity, trunk muscle strength, and quality of life. The primary outcome measure was assessed by the Short‐Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF‐MPQ), including the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Present Pain Intensity (PPI) as the subtables. The effects of Wuqinxi on the quality of life were also assessed by the Short‐Form Health Survey (SF‐36) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) from physical component summary (PCS), mental component summary (MCS), and sleep quality. Besides, the electrical activities of the rectus abdominis (RA), obliquus externus abdominis (OEA), lumbar erector spinae (ES), and multifidus (MF) were assessed by integrated electromyogram (iEMG) after the end of the intervention. Both the groups showed statistically significant improvement in SF‐MPQ, SF‐36, PSQI, and iEMG at 12 weeks and 24 weeks when compared with baseline (P < 0.05). However, Wuqinxi demonstrated better effects in SF‐MPQ and MCS after 24 weeks of intervention compared with the general exercise (P < 0.05). The patients in the Wuqinxi group (WQXG) also showed a significantly higher iEMG on OEA than the general exercise group (GEG) in 30°/s and 90°/s (P < 0.05). Our results showed that Wuqinxi had better effects on chronic LBP for a long time compared with general exercise, including pain intensity and quality of life. Thus, Wuqinxi should be recognized as a possible standalone therapy and self‐management skill in chronic LBP, which is suitable for long‐term practice.
Outcomes of Idiopathic Full-Thickness Macular Hole Surgery: Comparing Two Different ILM Peeling Sizes
Authors: Khodabande Alireza , Mahmoudi Alireza , Faghihi Hooshang , Bazvand Fatemeh , Ebrahimi Ebrahim , Riazi-Esfahani Hamid
Published: August 2020

Purpose. This study aimed to show the impact of different extents of internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling on visual and anatomical outcomes following idiopathic full-thickness macular hole (FTMH) surgery. Methods. In this single-center prospective study, patients with idiopathic FTMH underwent standard pars plana vitrectomy with two different extents of ILM peeling: 2-disc diameters (DD) or 4 DD. The main outcome measures were the closure rate of the holes based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings at three months after surgery. Results. Forty eyes from 39 patients were enrolled in the study. After three months, anatomical closure was achieved in 78% and 76% eyes in 2 DD peel and 4 DD peel groups, respectively. From 29 eyes with macular hole index (MHI) ≤ 0.5, type 1 closure was achieved in 42% eyes receiving a 2 DD ILM peel, compared to 66% eyes receiving a 4 DD peel p=0.041. In comparison, this significant difference was not seen in the subgroup of MHI > 0.5 p=061. In the subgroup of subjects with baseline MHI ≤ 0.5, visual improvement was significantly more in eyes with 4 DD ILM peeling p=0.034, which was not seen in the MHI > 0.5 subgroup p=0.61. Conclusion. In patients with idiopathic full‐thickness macular hole (MHI ≤ 0.5), a larger ILM peel of 4 DD appears to yield better anatomical outcomes than a more limited 2 DD peel.
The Ischial Spine in Developmental Hip Dysplasia: Unraveling the Role of Acetabular Retroversion in Periacetabular Osteotomy
Authors: El-Hajj Gerard , Abdel-Nour Hicham , Ayoubi Rami , Maalouly Joseph , Jabbour Fouad , Ashou Raja , Nehme Alexandre
Published: August 2020

Purpose. Radiological diagnosis of acetabular retroversion (AR) is based on the presence of the crossover sign (COS), the posterior wall sign (PWS), and the prominence of the ischial spine sign (PRISS). The primary purpose of the study is to analyze the clinical significance of the PRISS in a sample of dysplastic hips requiring periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) and evaluate retroversion in symptomatic hip dysplasia. Methods. In a previous paper, we reported the classic coxometric measurements of 178 patients with symptomatic hip dysplasia undergoing PAO where retroversion was noted in 42% of the cases and was not found to be a major factor in the appearance of symptoms. In the current study, we have added the retroversion signs PRISS and PWS to our analysis. Among the retroverted dysplastic hips, we studied the association of the PRISS with the hips requiring PAO. We also defined the ischial spine index (ISI) and studied its relationship to the coxometric measurements and AR. Results. In hips with AR, the operated hips were significantly associated with the PRISS compared to the nonoperated ones (χ2 = 4.847). Additionally, the ISI was able to classify acetabular version (anteverted, neutral, and retroverted acetabula). A direct correlation between the ISI and the retroversion index (RI) was found, and the highest degree of retroversion was found when the 3 signs of acetabular retroversion were concomitantly present (RI = 33.6%). Conclusion. The PRISS, a radiographic sign reflecting AR, was found to be significantly associated with dysplastic hips requiring PAO where AR was previously not considered a factor in the manifestation of symptoms and subsequent requirement for surgery. Moreover, the PRISS can also serve as an adequate radiographic sign for estimating acetabular version on pelvic radiographs.
Method for Selecting an Engagement Index for a Specific Type of Game Using Cognitive Neuroscience
Authors: Biercewicz Konrad , Borawski Mariusz , Duda Jarosław
Published: August 2020

The popularity of video games means that methods are needed to assess their content in terms of player satisfaction right from the production stage. For this purpose, the indicators used in EEG studies can be used. This publication presents a method that has been developed to determine whether a person likes an arcade game. To this end, six different indicators to measure consumer involvement in a video game using the EEG were compared, among others. The study was conducted using several different games created in Unity based on the observation (n=31) of the respondents. EEG has been used to select the most suitable indices studied.
Centralized Airflow Control to Reduce Output Power Variation in a Complex OWC Ocean Energy Network
Authors: Mishra Sunil Kumar , Appasani Bhargav , Jha Amitkumar Vidyakant , Garrido Izaskun , Garrido Aitor J.
Published: August 2020

A centralized airflow control scheme for a complex ocean energy network (OEN) is proposed in this paper to reduce the output power variation (OPV). The OEN is an integrated network of multiple oscillating water columns (OWCs) that are located at different geographical sites connected to a common electrical grid. The complexity of the OWC-OEN increases manifolds due to the integration of several OWCs and design of controllers become very challenging task. So, the centralized airflow control scheme is designed in two stages. In control stage-1, a proportional-integral- (PI-) type controller is designed to provide a common reference command to control stage-2. In control stage-2, the antiwindup PID controllers are implemented for the airflow control of all the OWCs simultaneously. In order to tune the large number of control parameters of this complex system, a fitness function based on integral squared error (ISE) is minimized using the widely adopted particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique. Next, the simulation results were obtained with random wave profiles created using the Joint North Sea Wave Project (JONSWAP) irregular wave model. The OPV of the proposed OWC-OEN was reduced significantly as compared to the individual OWC. It was further observed that the OPV of the proposed scheme was lower than that achieved with uncontrolled and MPPT controlled OWC-OEN. The effect of communication delay on the OPV of the proposed OWC-OEN scheme was also investigated with the proposed controller, which was found to be robust for a delay up to 100 ms.
Calcified Leiomyomata Presenting as Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
Authors: Alhalabi Mohammad Marwan , Kakaje Ameer , Alhalabi Marwan
Published: August 2020

Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is a problem that faces women for a variety of reasons. Although leiomyomata is relatively common, calcified leiomyomata which is called “womb stones” is a very rare cause of RSA. These womb stones are correlated with retained products from conception and osseous metaplasia. We report a very rare case of a large calcified leiomyomata which caused secondary infertility and pregnancy loss of 7 pregnancies due to spontaneous abortions.
Clinopodium tomentosum(Kunth) Govaerts Leaf Extract Influencesin vitroCell Proliferation and Angiogenesis on Primary Cultures of Porcine Aortic Endothelial Cells
Authors: Tubon Irvin , Bernardini Chiara , Antognoni Fabiana , Mandrioli Roberto , Potente Giulia , Bertocchi Martina , Vaca Gabriela , Zannoni Augusta , Salaroli Roberta , Forni Monica
Published: August 2020

Clinopodium tomentosum(Kunth) Govaerts is an endemic species in Ecuador, where it is used as an anti-inflammatory plant to treat respiratory and digestive affections. In this work, effects of aClinopodium tomentosumethanolic extract (CTEE), prepared from aerial parts of the plant, were investigated on vascular endothelium functions. In particularly, angiogenesis activity was evaluated, using primary cultures of porcine aortic endothelial cells (pAECs). Cells were cultured for 24 h in the presence of CTEE different concentrations (10, 25, 50, and 100 μg/ml); no viability alterations were found in the 10-50 μg/ml range, while a slight, but significant, proliferative effect was observed at the highest dose. In addition, treatment with CTEE was able to rescue LPS-induced injury in terms of cell viability. The CTEE ability to affect angiogenesis was evaluated by scratch test analysis and by anin vitrocapillary-like network assay. Treatment with 25-50 μg/ml of extract caused a significant increase in pAEC’s migration and tube formation capabilities compared to untreated cells, as results from the increased master junctions’ number. On the other hand, CTEE at 100 μg/ml did not induce the same effects. Quantitative PCR data demonstrated that FLK-1 mRNA expression significantly increased at a CTEE dose of 25 μg/ml. The CTEE phytochemical composition was assessed through HPLC-DAD; rosmarinic acid among phenolic acids and hesperidin among flavonoids were found as major phenolic components. Total phenolic content and total flavonoid content assays showed that flavonoids are the most abundant class of polyphenols. The CTEE antioxidant activity was also showed by means of the DPPH and ORAC assays. Results indicate that CTEE possesses an angiogenic capacity in a dose-dependent manner; this represents an initial step in elucidating the mechanism of the therapeutic use of the plant.
Clinical Significance of PIK3CA Gene in Non‐Small‐Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Wang Yi , Wang Yan , Li Jialong , Li Jue , Che Guowei
Published: August 2020

Aim. To explore the clinicopathological and prognostic role of PIK3CA gene mutation and expression in non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods. A systematic and comprehensive literature search was conducted through EMBASE (via OVID), Web of Science, and PubMed. Relative risks (RRs) and hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were combined to evaluate the relationship of the PIK3CA gene with clinicopathological parameters and the survival of NSCLC patients, respectively. Results. A total of 13 studies involving 3908 patients were analyzed in our study. Only lymph node metastasis status had an association with PIK3CA mutation (RR = 2.823; 95% CI: 1.128‐7.065; P = 0.029). The results indicated that PICK3CA mutation was related with overall survival (OS) (HR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.13‐2.13; P = 0.007), progression‐free survival (PFS) (HR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.06‐2.08; P = 0.023), and cancer‐specific survival (CSS) (HR = 2.63; 95% CI: 1.00‐6.92; P = 0.005). Furthermore, PIK3CA high expression was more prevalent in NSCLC patients with smoking history (RR = 2.42; 95% CI: 1.04‐5.61; P = 0.040). However, no significant relation between PIK3CA expression and OS was found (HR = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.58‐1.12; P = 0.193). Conclusion. PIK3CA mutation may affect lymph node metastasis and serve as a promising prognostic factor, and smoking may be related with PIK3CA high expression in NSCLC patients. However, more well‐designed prospective researches are needed to verify the abovementioned findings.
Ac2-26 Alleviates Brain Injury after Cardiac Arrest and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Rats via the eNOS Pathway
Authors: Gong Jing , Tai Qi-Hang , Xu Guang-Xiao , Wang Xue-Ting , Zhu Jing-Li , Zhao Xiao-Qing , Sun Hai-Bin , Zhu Dan , Gao Wei
Published: August 2020

Background. Brain injury is the leading cause of death following cardiac arrest (CA) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Ac2-26 and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) have been shown to reduce neuroinflammation. This study is aimed at determining the mechanism by which Ac2-26 protects against inflammation during brain injury following CA and CPR.Methods. Sixty-four rats were randomized into sham, saline, Ac2-26, and Ac2-26+L-NIO (endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) inhibitor) groups. Rats received Ac2-26, Ac2-26+L-NIO, or saline after CPR. Neurologic function was assessed at baseline, 24, and 72 hours after CPR. At 72 hours after resuscitation, serum and brain tissues were collected.Results. Blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability increased, and the number of surviving neurons and neurological function decreased in the saline group compared to the sham group. Anti-inflammatory and proinflammatory factors, neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels, and the expression of eNOS, phosphorylated (p)-eNOS, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and oxidative stress-related factors in the three CA groups significantly increased (P<0.05). BBB permeability decreased, and the number of surviving neurons and neurological function increased in the Ac2-26 group compared to the saline group (P<0.05). Ac2-26 increased anti-inflammatory and reduced proinflammatory markers, raised NSE levels, increased the expression of eNOS and p-eNOS, and reduced the expression of iNOS and oxidative stress-related factors compared to the saline group (P<0.05). The effect of Ac2-26 on brain injury was reversed by L-NIO (P<0.05).Conclusions. Ac2-26 reduced brain injury after CPR by inhibiting oxidative stress and neuroinflammation and protecting the BBB. The therapeutic effect of Ac2-26 on brain injury was largely dependent on the eNOS pathway.
The Effect of Iodine Status on the Risk of Thyroid Nodules: A Cross-Sectional Study in Zhejiang, China
Authors: Lou Xiaoming , Wang Xiaofeng , Wang Zhifang , Mao Guangming , Zhu Wenming , Wang Yuanyang , Pan Xuejiao , Chen Zhijian , Mo Zhe
Published: August 2020

Objective. The aim of this study was to explore whether iodine nutrition is associated with the risk of thyroid nodules among adult population in Zhejiang Province, China. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the general population aged 18 years or older. A total of 2,710 subjects received physical examination, questionnaires, and thyroid ultrasonography. Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and thyroid hormone levels were measured and documented for each subject. 4 multiple logistic regression models adjusted for other risk factors were applied to analyze the association between iodine nutrition and thyroid nodules. Results. The prevalence of thyroid nodules was 15.5% among all adults. As indicated by all 4 models, subjects with UIC varying from 200 μg l−1 to 399 μg l−1 had lower risk of thyroid nodules compared with those with relatively low UIC (<100 μg l−1), with approximately 37–57 percent reduction in risk. Moreover, subjects with UIC between 100 and 199 μg l−1 had a decreased risk of thyroid nodules in model 1 and 2 (OR = 0.75, 95% CI, 0.58–0.97; OR = 0.75, 95% CI, 0.58–0.97, respectively). However, there was no significant difference of risk in thyroid nodules between subjects with high UIC (≥400 μg l−1) and low UIC (<100 μg l−1). Furthermore, intake of iodized salt was inversely associated with risk of thyroid nodules, with approximately 69–77 percent reduction in risk. Conclusion. The relationship between UIC and the risk of thyroid nodules is U-shaped. Consumption of noniodized salt is an independent risk factor of thyroid nodules.
Faba Bean Gall (Olpidium viciae K.) as a Priority Biosecurity Threat for Producing Faba Bean in Ethiopia: Current Status and Future Perspectives
Authors: Meresa Birhanu Kahsay , Gebremedhin Hailay Mehari
Published: August 2020

The diploid cool-season legume species, faba bean (Vicia faba L.), is one of the vital pulses for the people in the world as it maintains the sustainability of agriculture and provides nutrient-rich grains. Biotic and abiotic stresses are, however, challenging the faba bean production in many countries. The foliar diseases of faba bean are among the major constraints for the production and productivity of faba bean. Recently, a new foliar disease “Faba bean gall” caused by plant debris and soil-borne pathogen (Olpidium viciae K.) is rapidly spreading and causing high yield losses in Ethiopia. This review paper presents the distribution, impact, epidemiology, and biology of faba bean gall pathogen and principally illustrates how the application and investigation of the various diseases’ management approaches such as avoiding crop residues, crop rotation, intercropping, use of elicitors to induce host resistance, use of resistant genotypes, bioagents, compost teas, plant extracts, and lastly use of chemical fungicides could be important to control the faba bean gall disease underlying in faba bean.
Current Sensor Fault-Tolerant Control of DSIM Controlled by ADRC
Authors: Oumar Aichetoune , Chakib Rachid , Cherkaoui Mohamed
Published: August 2020

This paper aims to contribute to the fault-tolerant control of the current sensor. The system studied is a double star induction machine (DSIM) controlled by a robust control called Active Disturbance Rejection Control (ADRC). The proposed method makes it possible to detect, isolate, and reconfigure the fault in real time. The reconfiguration is based on the comparison between the values measured by the current sensors and the estimated values. Two voltage observers will be used to estimate the estimated currents, and these two observers are placed at the level of the converters. This method of fault-tolerant control (FTC) has the advantage of ensuring, even in the presence of a sensor fault, the continuity of the system’s operation and maintaining its performance at the desired level. The effectiveness of the FTC strategy proposed in this work is illustrated with simulations carried out under the MATLAB/Simulink environment.
The Potential Diagnostic Value of Exosomal Long Noncoding RNAs in Solid Tumors: A Meta‐Analysis and Systematic Review
Authors: Wu Zilong , Xu Zihao , Yu Boyao , Zhang Jingtao , Yu Bentong
Published: August 2020

Background. Exosomes are defined as small membranous vesicles. After RNA content was discovered in exosomes, they emerged as a novel approach for the treatment and diagnosis of cancer. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA), a kind of specific RNA transcript, have been reported to function as tumor growth, metastasis, invasion, and prognosis by regulating the tumor microenvironment in exosomes. This study aims at exploring the potential diagnostic of exosomal lncRNA in solid tumors. Methods. A meta‐analysis conducted from January 2000 to October 2019 identified publications in the English language. We searched all relevant English literature from the Web of Science, EMBASE, and PubMed databases through October 1, 2019. The articles were strictly screened by our criteria and critiqued using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines. Results. There were 28 studies with 19 articles (4017 patients) identified, including studies on gastric cancer, laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, breast cancer, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, nonsmall cell lung cancer, and prostate cancer. A meta‐analysis showed that the combined value of sensitivity in 29 studies was 0.74 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.7–0.78), and the combined value of specificity in the studies was 0.81 (95% CI, 0.78–0.83). This suggests the high diagnostic efficacy of liquid exosomes in cancer patients. It is statistically insignificant in terms of sex, ethnicity, and year. The diagnostic power of urinary system tumors was found to be higher than that of digestive system tumors by several subgroup analyses. Conclusions. We performed a meta‐analysis and literature review of 28 studies that included 4017 patients with 10 malignant cancer types. Mechanistically, our study demonstrated that lncRNAs in exosomes could be a promising bioindicator for the diagnosis and prognosis of solid tumors. INPLASY Registration Number: INPLASY202060083.
Fuzzy Boost Classifier of Decision Experts for Multicriteria Group Decision-Making
Authors: Wang Xiao-yi , Yang Yi , Bai Yu-ting , Yu Jia-bin , Zhao Zhi-yao , Jin Xue-bo
Published: August 2020

The expert is a vital role in multicriteria decision-making, which provides source decision opinions. In the existing group decision-making activities, the selection of experts is usually conducted artificially, which relies on personal subjective experience. It has been the urgent demand for an automatic selection of experts, which can help to determine their weights for the follow-up decision calculation. In this paper, an expert classification method is proposed to solve the problem. First, the CatBoost classification algorithm is improved by integrating the 2-tuple linguistic, which can effectively extract the features of samples. Second, the framework of the expert classification is designed. The flow combines the expert resume collection, expert classification, and database update. Third, a decision-making case is analyzed for the expert selection issue. The experiment and result indicate that the proposed classifier performs better than the classic methods. The proposed classification method of the decision experts can support the automatic and intelligent operation of the decision-making activities.
An Edge IDS Based on Biological Immune Principles for Dynamic Threat Detection
Authors: Zhang Yajing , Wei Jia , Wang Kai
Published: August 2020

Edge computing solves such questions as the massive multisource data and resource consuming computing tasks in edge devices. Some new security problems especially the data security and privacy issues have been introduced into the edge computing scenario. Through analyzing the biological immune principles, a novel idea for the problem of intrusion detection in edge computing is provided. Specifically, an edge intrusion detection system (Edge IDS) with a distributed structure, which has the characteristics of an imprecise model, self-learning, and strong interactivity, is constructed in a systematic way inspired by the biological immune principles. Moreover, a newly proposed gene immune detection algorithm (GIDA) is designed. In order that Edge IDS can deal with the dynamic data problem efficiently, the key functional components such as the remaining gene, niching strategy, and extracting vaccine are embedded into the GIDA algorithm. Furthermore, extensive simulation experiments are conducted, and the results show that the proposed Edge IDS can be adapted to the domain of edge computing with comparative performance advantages.
Residential Location, Mobility, and Travel Time: A Pilot Study in a Small-Size Italian Metropolitan Area
Authors: Malavenda Giuseppe A. , Musolino Giuseppe , Rindone Corrado , Vitetta Antonino
Published: August 2020

This research concerns the topic of Land Use and Transport Interaction (LUTI) models. In particular, the patterns between residential households’ location and mobility choices are analyzed and simulated. The attributes that influence household residential location choices belong to four categories: socioeconomic and mobility attributes of households and/or of their components; land use; real-estate market; transport system. The paper presents the results of a pilot study on households’ location and mobility patterns in the metropolitan area of Reggio Calabria (Southern Italy). The pilot study is divided into two stages. In the first stage, a survey allowed to collect information and identify existing patterns about residential and mobility choices of a sample of households. In the second stage, a residential location model is proposed and some preliminary calibrations are presented in a prototypal way. The pilot study could be extended and improved in terms of spatial extension and sample dimension in order to allow a complete specification-calibration-validation process of the model. The model development can support the land use-transport planning process in the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria.
Importance‐Performance Analysis of Prefabricated Building Sustainability: A Case Study of Guangzhou
Authors: Xie Linlin , Chen Yajiao , Xia Bo , Hua Chunxiang
Published: August 2020

In the era of sustainability as the development concept, prefabricated buildings have gradually become an important way to achieve sustainable development of the construction process due to the advantages of high construction speed, energy‐saving, and environmental protection. In order to make the prefabricated building develop in a sustainable direction, it is necessary to understand the importance and performance of the critical sustainability aspects of the prefabricated building. However, the existing research has not fully explored this point, and classification research on all aspects of sustainability according to the management priorities of sustainable development is lacking. The present study determines the critical sustainability characterization items (criteria) of prefabricated buildings and uses the importance‐performance analysis (IPA) method to explore the sustainability importance and performance level of prefabricated buildings in Guangzhou on the basis of the three dimensions of economic, social, and ecological sustainability. In particular, this study revises the traditional IPA method and uses the comprehensive weight obtained by the analytical network process‐ (ANP‐) entropy weight method to obtain the importance of items. Results show that items “environmental protection” and “construction civilization” are of high importance and perform well. “Construction cost” and “product quality” are considered high‐importance items with relatively poor performance; that is, these areas require urgent improvement actions. The “policy support” item at the intersection of IPA coordinates is also an aspect worthy of attention and discussion. This study provides a useful reference for decision‐makers and relevant personnel on determining the priority of project management and achieving the optimal allocation of resources to promote the sustainable development of prefabricated buildings.
Smart Switching Strategy-Based Supervision Rule to Mitigate the Problem of Pilot Contamination in Massive MIMO Systems
Authors: Belhabib Abdelfettah , Boulouird Mohamed , Hassani Moha M’Rabet
Published: August 2020

Despite the large benefits that can be fulfilled through the exploitation of Massive Multi-input Multioutput (M-MIMO), this technology still constrained by a well-known constraint, called as pilot contamination problem (PCP), which is the main consequence of, simultaneously, reusing the same set of orthogonal pilot sequences (OPSs) for the users of several cells. Due to the scarcity of the OPS resources, the reuse of the same set of the OPSs for the users of different cells is unavoidable. Hence, this work proposes a novel decontaminating strategy, which is aimed at guaranteeing a trade-off between the use of the OPSs and the mitigation of the PCP. Specifically, to make the use of the available OPSs better, we propose the consolidation of two powerful decontaminating strategies. Under a derived supervision rule (SR), these strategies are the soft pilot reuse-based multicell block diagonalization precoding (SPR-MBDP) and the weighted graph coloring-based pilot assignment (WGC-PA). The SR enables the switching mechanism between the two strategies, which leads to address the PCP with a fewer number of the OPSs compared to the SPR-MBDP, therefore boosting the per-cell achievable rate. Simulation results prove the effectiveness of our proposed strategy.
MRI and FDG PET/CT Findings for Borderline Brenner Tumor of the Ovary: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Matsutani Hiroki , Nakai Go , Yamada Takashi , Yamamoto Kazuhiro , Ohmichi Masahide , Osuga Keigo
Published: August 2020

The imaging features of borderline Brenner tumor (BT) of the ovary are very limited, especially regarding apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)/CT. We report a case of borderline BT in a 54-year-old woman with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and FDG-PET/CT findings. Furthermore, ADC values and maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max) in the present case were compared with those of an additional 7 cases of benign BT in this institution in addition to literature reviews. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a pelvic unilocular cystic tumor with two solid components. The solid mass showing a low signal intensity (SI) in T2-weighted images (T2WI) and DWI was diagnosed as a benign BT histologically. The papillary tumor adjacent to the solid mass showing intermediate SI in T2WIs and high SI on DWI was a borderline BT. The mean ADC value (×10-3 mm2/s) of benign BTs (n=7) and benign component in this case (n=1) was 1.13, and the range of ADC values was broad (0.51–1.8). While, the ADC value of borderline Brenner component in this case was 1.10. The mean SUVmax of the benign BTs (n=4) demonstrated mild FDG uptakes (2.3, range 1.9–2.6) in contrast with moderate FDG uptake (SUVmax: 5.8) of borderline Brenner component in this case and high FDG uptake (SUVmax: 9.6) of a malignant BT in a previous report. ADC values for the solid component of BTs are not useful for differentiating benign from malignant or borderline components, whereas PET/CT could be useful.
Presenting an Effective Method to Detect and Track the Broken Path in VANET Using UAVs
Authors: Bakhtiari Zohreh , Oskouei Rozita Jamili , Soleymani Mona , Jalbani Akhtar Hussain
Published: August 2020

The routing process in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) is a challenging task in urban areas which is due to the high mobility of vehicles, repetitive defects of the communication path, and the various barriers that may affect the reliability of data transmission and routing. Accordingly, the connectivity in vehicular communications has received the researchers’ attention, so different geographic routing protocols have been proposed in this respect. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are useful for overcoming routing constraints. Cloud computing has also been defined as a new infrastructure for VANET which is made up of a significant number of computing nodes including stable data centers as well as a set of mobile computing devices embedded on vehicles. The aim of this research is to simulate a VANET in an urban area using cloud computing infrastructure and applying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) so that the negative influence of barriers in packet delivery and routing is avoided. To evaluate, the proposed method is compared with the basic protocol ClouDiV. Ns-2 simulation results show that the proposed method outperforms with different densities and variable times in terms of efficiency and performance.
The Impact of Multidisciplinary Discussion (MDD) in the Diagnosis and Management of Fibrotic Interstitial Lung Diseases
Authors: Ageely Ghofran , Souza Carolina , De Boer Kaissa , Zahra Saly , Gomes Marcio , Voduc Nha
Published: August 2020

Accurate diagnosis of interstitial lung disease (ILD) is crucial for management and prognosis but can be challenging even for experienced clinicians. Expert multidisciplinary discussion (MDD) is considered the reference standard for ILD diagnosis; however, there remain concerns regarding lack of validation studies and relative limited information on the impact of MDD in real-life clinical practice. The goal of this study was to assess the effect of MDD in providing a specific ILD diagnosis, changing the diagnosis provided upon referral, and to determine how often and in which way MDD altered management. Material and Methods. Retrospective observational study in an ILD referral tertiary academic center. MDD diagnoses were categorized as specific, provisional, and unclassifiable ILD. Pre-MDD and MDD diagnoses were compared for change in diagnosis and concordance rates for specific diagnoses. Relevant change in management including initiation or change in pharmacological treatment, referral to surgical biopsy, and nonpharmacological management were recorded. Results. 126 cases were included (79M, 47F, 36–93 years, mean 70 y). Specific MDD diagnosis was provided in 62% (78/126); 12% (15/126) had provisional diagnosis, and 21% (27/126) was unclassifiable. Overall agreement for specific pre-MDD and MDD diagnosis was 41% (52/126) and 80% for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) diagnosis. MDD altered diagnosis in 37% (47/126) and changed management in 39% (50/126). Amongst concordant diagnoses, management was altered in 46% (24/52). In summary, MDD provided a specific diagnosis discordant with pre-MDD diagnosis in a significant proportion of cases and was particularly valuable in the diagnosis of non-IPF ILD. MDD often altered management and had relevant impact on management even in cases with concordant pre-MDD diagnosis.
Genetic Polymorphism of the Nrf2 Promoter Region (rs35652124) Is Associated with the Risk of Diabetic Foot Ulcers
Authors: Teena Rajan , Dhamodharan Umapathy , Ali Daoud , Rajesh Kesavan , Ramkumar Kunka Mohanram
Published: August 2020

The genetic polymorphism in the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) gene has been reported as one of the prognosis markers for various diseases, including cancer. Nrf2 is a key transcription factor involved in wound healing by regulating angiogenesis. We investigated the genetic association of NRF2 single-nucleotide polymorphism rs35652124 with T2DM and DFU and assessed its functional impact. A total of 400 subjects were recruited for the study and categorized into three groups: infected DFU patients (DFU, n=100), T2DM patients without complications (T2DM, n=150), and healthy adults with normal glucose tolerance (NGT, n=150). The subjects were genotyped by PCR-RFLP, and the polymorphism was identified by bidirectional Sanger sequencing. The expression of NRF2, IL-10, TNF-α, and IL-6 was studied by qPCR to evaluate the functional impact of rs35652124. The “TT” genotype of rs35652124 was associated with a significant risk for T2DM [OR=2.2 (1.2-4.2), p=0.01] and DFU [OR=7.9 (4-14.9), p<0.0001]. A significant decrease in transcriptional levels of NRF2 and IL-10 and a remarkable increase in TNF-α and IL-6 were observed in subjects with TT genotype. In conclusion, rs35652124 (TT) is a harmful genetic variant that predisposes to insulin resistance and impaired angiogenesis. Hence, it may serve as a diagnostic genetic marker for T2DM and DFU in combination with different inflammatory markers.
Molecular and Immunologic Signatures are Related to Clinical Benefit from Treatment with Vocimagene Amiretrorepvec (Toca 511) and 5-Fluorocytosine (Toca FC) in Patients with Glioma
Authors: Accomando William P. , Rao Aliz R. , Hogan Daniel J. , Newman Aaron M. , Nakao Aki , Alizadeh Ash A. , Diehn Maximilian , Diago Oscar R. , Gammon Dawn , Haghighi Ali , Gruber Harry E. , Jolly Douglas J. , Ostertag Derek
Published: August 2020

Purpose:

High-grade gliomas (HGGs) are central nervous system tumors with poor prognoses and limited treatment options. Vocimagene amiretrorepvec (Toca 511) is a retroviral replicating vector encoding cytosine deaminase, which converts extended release 5-fluorocytosine (Toca FC) into the anticancer agent, 5-fluorouracil. According to preclinical studies, this therapy kills cancer cells and immunosuppressive myeloid cells in the tumor microenvironment, leading to T-cell–mediated antitumor immune activity. Therefore, we sought to elucidate this immune-related mechanism of action in humans, and to investigate potential molecular and immunologic indicators of clinical benefit from therapy.

Patients and Methods:

In a phase I clinical trial (NCT01470794), patients with recurrent HGG treated with Toca 511 and Toca FC showed improved survival relative to historical controls, and some had durable complete responses to therapy. As a part of this trial, we performed whole-exome DNA sequencing, RNA-sequencing, and multiplex digital ELISA measurements on tumor and blood samples.

Results:

Genetic analyses suggest mutations, copy-number variations, and neoantigens are linked to survival. Quantities of tumor immune infiltrates estimated by transcript abundance may potentially predict clinical outcomes. Peak values of cytokines in peripheral blood samples collected during and after therapy could indicate response.

Conclusions:

These results support an immune-related mechanism of action for Toca 511 and Toca FC, and suggest that molecular and immunologic signatures are related to clinical benefit from treatment.
Repeat Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Recurrent Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia: A Systematic Review and Our Initial Experience
Authors: Kaye Joel , Daggubati Lekhaj C. , Zeller Sabrina , McInerney James
Published: August 2020

Background: Glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN) is a rare facial pain syndrome with debilitating symptoms. For medication-resistant GPN, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is an emerging treatment option with a promising role; however, recurrence rates after SRS are fairly high. We present a patient who underwent repeat SRS for recurrent GPN and subsequently maintained over 3 years of complete pain relief. For the first time, we present a systematic review of repeat SRS for recurrent GPN. Summary: Twelve cases of repeat SRS for GPN have previously been reported in the literature (13 studies including ours). Among patients with follow-up, initial pain relief was achieved in 83% (n = 10) of cases a median of 5 weeks after repeat SRS; 2 patients failed to obtain any pain relief. A favorable pain response (BNI I–IIIb) was achieved in 67 and 58% of cases at 6 and 12 months, respectively. All 13 were targeted to the glossopharyngeal meatus. Three patients (23%) experienced adverse radiation effects. Five patients (50%) experienced recurrence a median of 14 months after repeat SRS. Two patients (17%) required additional surgical intervention. At the final follow-up, 75% (n = 9) of the patients had a favorable pain outcome. Key Messages: Repeat SRS may be a viable alternative to open surgery for the treatment of recurrent GPN, albeit with an increased risk of adverse radiation effects. Though limited by a small cohort of patients, the best predictors of an effective second treatment may be a response to initial SRS for >5 months, a maximum dose >75 Gy, and a target at the glossopharyngeal meatus. Larger prospective studies are needed to better define its role.