bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chapter 4 Landslide and slope stability hazard in the UK
Authors: Lee Edward Mark , Giles David Peter
Published: June 2020

With its rich lithological variation, upland, lowland and coastal settings, and past climatic changes, the UK presents a wide variety of landslide features that can pose significant hazards to people, construction and infrastructure, or simply add to landscape character and conservation value of an area. This chapter describes and defines the nature and extent of this landsliding; the causes, effects and geological controls on failure; and their mitigation and stabilization. A risk-based approach to landslide management is outlined with qualitative and semi-quantitative methodologies described. Numerous case studies are presented exemplifying landslide and slope stability hazards in the UK.
Chapter 5 Debris flows
Authors: Winter M. G.
Published: June 2020

Fast-moving, rainfall-induced debris-flow events are relatively common in the mountainous areas of the UK. Their impacts are largely, although by no means exclusively, economic and social. They often sever (or delay) access to and from relatively remote communities for services and markets for goods; employment, health and educational opportunities; and social activities. Specific forms of economic impact are described and their extent is defined by the vulnerability shadow. The mechanisms of rainfall-induced, fast-moving debris flows are considered to bridge between slow mass movements and flood phenomena. The occurrence of debris flows is largely restricted to mountainous areas and a series of case studies from Scotland is briefly described. Hazard and risk assessment are briefly considered and a strategic approach to risk reduction is described. The latter allows a clear focus on that overall goal before concentrating on the desired outcomes and the generic approach to achieving those outcomes. The effects of climate change on debris-flow hazard and risk are also considered and it is concluded that, in Scotland, increases in debris-flow frequency and/or magnitude are most likely and that increases in the risks associated with debris flows are also likely.
Chapter 9 Peat hazards: compression and failure
Authors: Warburton Jeff
Published: June 2020

Peat is a highly compressible geological material whose time-dependent consolidation and rheological behaviour is determined by peat structure, degree of humification and hydraulic properties. This chapter reviews the engineering background to peat compression, describes the distribution of peat soils in the UK, provides examples of the hazards associated with compressible peat deposits and considers ways these hazards might be mitigated. Although some generalizations can be made about gross differences between broad peat types, no simple relationship exists between the magnitude and rate of compression of peat and loading. Based on examples described here, land failures resulting from peat compression are locally generated, but due to the sensitive nature of peat these can result in runaway failures that pose great risk. Understanding the geological hazards associated with compressible peat soils is challenging because peat is geotechnically highly variable and the mapped extent of peat in the UK is subject to considerable error due to inconsistencies in the definition of peat. Mitigating compression hazards in peat soils is therefore subject to considerable uncertainty; however, a combination of improved understanding of the properties of compressible peat, better mapping and land use zoning, and appropriate construction will help to mitigate risk.
Major faulting in London: evidence for inherited basement faults in the London Basin
Authors: Morgan Tom , Ghail Richard , Lawrence James
Published: June 2020

The near-surface of London is faulted, although the locations, architecture and tectonic origins of the faults are broadly unknown. This presents serious issues for geotechnical engineering in London and has implications for our structural understanding of the London Basin. The region is a product of Alpine compression, yet it is unclear whether these major faults are new Alpine shears or reactivated basement faults. We assess the plausibility of Alpine reactivation and inheritance of basement faults in London through three investigations: analysing structures in the near-surface; mechanically assessing the feasibility of basement fault reactivation under Alpine stress conditions; and comparing inheritance mechanisms with observations in London and the Thames Estuary. Three major en echelon fault sets are identified. These appear to have compartmentalized London's near-surface geology and are all interpreted to be products of Alpine reactivation of the underlying basement faults. Fault interaction and linkage is evidenced by complex zones of intense faulting identified by tunnelling projects. The role of new structural development in accommodating Alpine compression is considered to have been comparatively minor. The lack of major faulting in the basin's interior may reflect the competence of the underlying Anglo–Brabant Massif in restricting Alpine strains to its margins.

Thematic collection:
This article is part of the Geology of London and its implications for ground engineering collection available at:
https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/london-basin
Centaur
Authors: Liu Chun-Yi , Kotra Jagadish , Jung Myoungsoo , Kandemir Mahmut Taylan
Published: June 2020

Due to the high density storage demand coming from applications from different domains, 3D NAND flash is becoming a promising candidate to replace 2D NAND flash as the dominant non-volatile memory. However, denser 3D NAND presents various performance and reliability issues, which can be addressed by the 3D NAND specific full-sequence program (FSP) operation. The FSP programs multiple pages simultaneously to mitigate the performance degradation caused by the long latency 3D NAND baseline program operations. However, the FSP-enabled 3D NAND-based SSDs introduce lifetime degradation due to the larger write granularities accessed by the FSP. To address the lifetime issue, in this paper, we propose and experimentally evaluate Centaur, a heterogeneous 2D/3D NAND heterogeneous SSD, as a solution. Centaur has three main components: a lifetime-aware inter-NAND request dispatcher, a lifetime-aware inter-NAND work stealer, and a data migration strategy from 2D NAND to 3D NAND. We used twelve SSD workloads to compare Centaur against a state-of-the-art 3D NAND-based SSD with the same capacity. Our experimental results indicate that the SSD lifetime and performance are improved by 3.7x and 1.11x, respectively, when using our 2D/3D heterogeneous SSD.
Latency Imbalance Among Internet Load-Balanced Paths
Authors: Pi Yibo , Jamin Sugih , Danzig Peter , Qian Feng
Published: June 2020

Load balancers choose among load-balanced paths to distribute traffic as if it makes no difference using one path or another. This work shows that the latency difference between load-balanced paths (called latency imbalance ), previously deemed insignificant, is now prevalent from the perspective of the cloud and affects various latency-sensitive applications. In this work, we present the first large-scale measurement study of latency imbalance from a cloud-centric view. Using public cloud around the globe, we measure latency imbalance both between data centers (DCs) in the cloud and from the cloud to the public Internet. Our key findings include that 1) Amazon's and Alibaba's clouds together have latency difference between load-balanced paths larger than 20ms to 21% of public IPv4 addresses; 2) Google's secret in having lower latency imbalance than other clouds is to use its own well-balanced private WANs to transit traffic close to the destinations and that 3) latency imbalance is also prevalent between DCs in the cloud, where 8 pairs of DCs are found to have load-balanced paths with latency difference larger than 40ms. We further evaluate the impact of latency imbalance on three applications (i.e., NTP, delay-based geolocation and VoIP) and propose potential solutions to improve application performance. Our experiments show that all three applications can benefit from considering latency imbalance, where the accuracy of delay-based geolocation can be greatly improved by simply changing how \textttping measures the minimum path latency.
Molecular Modeling and Simulations of Peptide–Polymer Conjugates
Authors: Taylor Phillip A. , Jayaraman Arthi
Published: June 2020

Peptide–polymer conjugates are a class of soft materials composed of covalently linked blocks of protein/polypeptides and synthetic/natural polymers. These materials are practically useful in biological applications, such as drug delivery, DNA/gene delivery, and antimicrobial coatings, as well as nonbiological applications, such as electronics, separations, optics, and sensing. Given their broad applicability, there is motivation to understand the molecular and macroscale structure, dynamics, and thermodynamic behavior exhibited by such materials. We focus on the past and ongoing molecular simulation studies aimed at obtaining such fundamental understanding and predicting molecular design rules for the target function. We describe briefly the experimental work in this field that validates or motivates these computational studies. We also describe the various models (e.g., atomistic, coarse-grained, or hybrid) and simulation methods (e.g., stochastic versus deterministic, enhanced sampling) that have been used and the types of questions that have been answered using these computational approaches.
Mechanistic Modeling of Preparative Column Chromatography for Biotherapeutics
Authors: Kumar Vijesh , Lenhoff Abraham M.
Published: June 2020

Chromatography has long been, and remains, the workhorse of downstream processing in the production of biopharmaceuticals. As bioprocessing has matured, there has been a growing trend toward seeking a detailed fundamental understanding of the relevant unit operations, which for some operations include the use of mechanistic modeling in a way similar to its use in the conventional chemical process industries. Mechanistic models of chromatography have been developed for almost a century, but although the essential features are generally understood, the specialization of such models to biopharmaceutical processing includes several areas that require further elucidation. This review outlines the overall approaches used in such modeling and emphasizes current needs, specifically in the context of typical uses of such models; these include selection and improvement of isotherm models and methods to estimate isotherm and transport parameters independently. Further insights are likely to be aided by molecular-level modeling, as well as by the copious amounts of empirical data available for existing processes.
Disease in Invasive Plant Populations
Authors: Goss Erica M. , Kendig Amy E. , Adhikari Ashish , Lane Brett , Kortessis Nicholas , Holt Robert D. , Clay Keith , Harmon Philip F. , Flory S. Luke
Published: June 2020

Non-native invasive plants can establish in natural areas, where they can be ecologically damaging and costly to manage. Like cultivated plants, invasive plants can experience a relatively disease-free period upon introduction and accumulate pathogens over time. Diseases of invasive plant populations are infrequently studied compared to diseases of agriculture, forestry, and even native plant populations. We evaluated similarities and differences in the processes that are likely to affect pathogen accumulation and disease in invasive plants compared to cultivated plants, which are the dominant focus of the field of plant pathology. Invasive plants experience more genetic, biotic, and abiotic variation across space and over time than cultivated plants, which is expected to stabilize the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of interactions with pathogens and possibly weaken the efficacy of infectious disease in their control. Although disease is expected to be context dependent, the widespread distribution of invasive plants makes them important pathogen reservoirs. Research on invasive plant diseases can both protect crops and help manage invasive plant populations.
The Role of Local Inhomogeneities on Dendrite Growth in LLZO-Based Solid Electrolytes
Authors: Barai Pallab , Ngo Anh T. , Narayanan Badri , Higa Kenneth , Curtiss Larry A. , Srinivasan Venkat
Published: June 2020

The majority of the ceramic solid electrolytes (LLZO, LATP) demonstrate polycrystalline grain/grain-boundary (G/GB) microstructure. Higher lithium (Li) concentration and lower mechanical stiffness result in current focusing at the GBs. Growth of Li dendrites through local inhomogeneities and subsequent short circuit of the cell is a major concern. Recent studies have revealed that bulk Li metal is a viscoplastic material that has low (∼0.3 MPa) and high (∼1.0 MPa) yield strength during deformation at smaller and larger rates of strain, respectively. It has been argued that during deposition at smaller current densities, due to its lower yield strength, Li metal should demonstrate plastic flow against stiff ceramic electrolytes, and Li dendrites will be prevented from penetrating through solid electrolytes. In this manuscript, a multiscale modeling framework has been developed for predicting properties of GBs and the bulk of ceramic electrolytes using atomistic calculations for input to mesoscale models. Using the parameters obtained from the atomistic simulations, the mesoscale model reveals that, given enough time, even at low charge rates, lithium dendrites can grow through the GBs of LLZO. The present multiscale model results also provide information regarding the dendrite growth velocity through LLZO.
Meteorological Drought, Hydrological Drought, and NDVI in the Heihe River Basin, Northwest China: Evolution and Propagation
Authors: Zhong Fanglei , Cheng Qingping , Wang Ping
Published: June 2020

Understanding the evolution and propagation of different drought types is crucial to reduce drought hazards in arid and semiarid regions. Here, Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Streamflow Drought Index (SDI), and Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) were used to investigate the spatiotemporal variation of different drought types and correlations between Pre (Pre-R)/post (Pos-R)-reservoir. Results showed that the average peak/intensity/duration/severity of meteorological droughts (MD) were greater in the Pre-R than in the Pos-R period in the upstream Heihe River Basin (UHRB), while there was little change between the Pre-R and Pos-R periods in the midstream Heihe River Basin (MHRB). The average peak/intensity/duration/severity of hydrological drought (HD) decreased in the mainstream for Yingluoxia (Ylx) but increased for Zhengyixia (Zyx) station in the Pos-R period. Propagation time decreased by 3 months (negative effect) in Ylx and increased by 8 months (positive effect) in Zyx compared with the Pre-R period. In the Pos-R period, propagation time increased (1–3 months) for tributaries (positive effect). Propagation times for the mainstream and tributaries varied for different seasons and time periods. Pearson’s correlation coefficient values were lower at short timescales (1–3 months) but higher at long timescales for the Pos-R period in Ylx and Zyx for SDI-1 with different timescales of SPI. The SDI and SPI had no lag in the UHRB and MHRB. However, VCI with SPI had a significant lag correlation at short timescales in the UHRB (lag 6 months) and MHRB (lag 4 months), and the VCI with SDI had a significant lag correlation for 1 month in the MHRB. The propagation time from MD to HD has been reduced for Pos-R in the UHRB. There was a positive effect (prolonged MD propagation HD time) in Pos-R but still faces serious drought stress in the MHRB.
Phenylethanol Glycosides Protect Myocardial Hypertrophy Induced by Abdominal Aortic Constriction via ECE‐1 Demethylation Inhibition and PI3K/PKB/eNOS Pathway Enhancement
Authors: Fan Qiong-Ling , Wang Jia-Wei , Zhang Shi-Lei , Liu Tao , Zhao Jun , You Shu-Ping
Published: June 2020

Phenylethanol glycosides (CPhGs) are the core material basis of pharmacological activity in Cistanche tubulosa and have a variety of pharmacological effects. However, it is unclear whether CPhGs have an ameliorative effect on pressure overload‐induced myocardial hypertrophy. In this study, male SD rats weighing (200 ± 20) g were established cardiac hypertrophy models by abdominal aortic coarctation (AAC). After operation, the rats were gavaged with corresponding medicine for 6 weeks (CPhGs 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg/d and valsartan 8.3 mg/kg/d). Echocardiography, heart weight index (HWI), cross‐sectional area of cardiomyocytes (CSCA), fibrosis area, plasma endothelin 1(ET‐1), and proinflammatory factors levels were detected. Our results showed that different CPhGs dosage decreased left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT), left ventricular end‐diastolic diameter (LVED), HWI, CSCA, fibrosis area, ET‐1, proinflammatory factors, arterial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), endothelin converting enzyme 1(ECE‐1) mRNA levels, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX‐2), high mobility group box 1 (HMGB‐1) protein levels, and ECE‐1 demethylation level while increasing left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF), left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS), phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (p‐PI3K), phosphorylated protein kinase B (p‐PKB), and phosphorylated endothelial nitric oxide synthetase (p‐eNOS). The indexes of CPhGs 250 and 500 mg/kg group were significantly different from AAC group; compared with valsartan group (AV), the indexes of CPhGs 500 mg/kg group were not significantly different. In conclusion, CPhGs ameliorated myocardial hypertrophy rats by AAC, which may be related to ECE‐1 demethylation inhibition and PI3K/PKB/eNOS enhancement.
Dynamic Optimal Control of Transboundary Pollution Abatement under Learning-by-Doing Depreciation
Authors: Chen Zhigang , Xu Rongwei , Yi Yongxi
Published: June 2020

This paper analyzes a dynamic Stackelberg differential game model of watershed transboundary water pollution abatement and discusses the optimal decision-making problem under non-cooperative and cooperative differential game, in which the accumulation effect and depreciation effect of learning-by-doing pollution abatement investment are taken into account. We use dynamic optimization theory to solve the equilibrium solution of models. Through numerical simulation analysis, the path simulation and analysis of the optimal trajectory curves of each variable under finite-planning horizon and long-term steady state were carried out. Under the finite-planning horizon, the longer the planning period is, the lower the optimal emission rate is in equilibrium. The long-term steady-state game under cooperative decision can effectively reduce the amount of pollution emission. The investment intensity of pollution abatement in the implementation of non-cooperative game is higher than that of cooperative game. Under the long-term steady state, the pollution abatement investment trajectory of the cooperative game is relatively stable and there is no obvious crowding out effect. Investment continues to rise, and the optimal equilibrium level at steady state is higher than that under non-cooperative decision making. The level of decline in pollution stock under finite-planning horizon is not significant. Under the condition of long-term steady state, the trajectories of upstream and downstream pollution in the non-cooperative model and cooperative model are similar, but cooperative decision-making model is superior to the non-cooperative model in terms of the period of stabilization and steady state.
Scale-Adaptive Context-Aware Correlation Filter with Output Constraints for Visual Target Tracking
Authors: Xu Jingxiang , Wu Xuedong , Zhu Zhiyu , Yang Kaiyun , Chang Yanchao , Du Zhaoping , Wan Zhengang , Gu Lili
Published: June 2020

Context-aware correlation filter tracker is one of the most advanced target trackers, and it has significant improvement in tracking accuracy and success rate compared with traditional trackers. However, because the complexity of background in the process of tracking can lead to inaccurate output response of target tracking, an accurate tracking model is difficult to be established. Moreover, the drift problem is easy to occur during the tracking process due to the imprecise tracking model, especially when the target has large area occlusion, fast motion, and deformation. Aiming at the drift problem in the target tracking process, a novel algorithm is proposed in this paper. The developed method derives the specific representation of constraint output by assuming that the output response is Gaussian distribution, and a variable update parameter is obtained based on the output constraint relationship at first, then the tracking filter is selectively updated with changeable update parameters and fixed update parameters, and finally, the target scale is updated with maximizing posterior probability distribution. The effectiveness of developed algorithm is verified by comparing with other trackers on OTB-50 and OTB-100 evaluation benchmark datasets, and the experimental results have shown that the suggested tracker has higher overall object tracking performance than other trackers.
A Novel Spine Fixation System Made Entirely of Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced PEEK Composite: An In Vitro Mechanical Evaluation
Authors: Uri Ofir , Folman Yoram , Laufer Gil , Behrbalk Eyal
Published: June 2020

Background. Semirigid spine fixation systems utilizing nonmetallic materials have emerged as a promising innovation to overcome the inherent disadvantages of metal instrumentation in spine surgery. This study tests the mechanical properties of a novel spine fixation system made entirely of carbon-fiber-reinforced PEEK (CFR-PEEK) composite material (CarboClear System, CarboFix Orthopedics Ltd., Israel). Methods. An in vitro mechanical evaluation of the CFR-PEEK CarboClear system was conducted in compliance with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F1717, F2193, and F543 standards. Results. The mean bending yield load, bending ultimate load, and bending stiffness of the construct were 322 N, 363 N, and 45 N/mm, respectively. All tested samples completed 5 × 106 dynamic cycles successfully, with no evidence of fatigue failure at increasing load levels, up to 83% of ultimate bending load. The mean torsional stiffness was 1.0 Nm/deg and the mean screw axial pull-out strength was 2,037 N. Conclusion. The CarboClear Pedicle Screw System has mechanical properties comparable to those of other commonly used titanium-made systems, with superior fatigue properties. The fatigue resistance, modulus of elasticity which is very similar to that of bone, radiolucency, and CT/MRI artifact-free feature of this spine fixation system made entirely of CFR-PEEK may offer advantages over traditional spine fixation systems made of metal alloys.
Effect of Repeated Intravitreal Ranibizumab and Aflibercept Injections on the Cornea in Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Urban Beata , Szwabowicz Magdalena , Bakunowicz-Łazarczyk Alina
Published: June 2020

Purpose. To assess the effect of repeated intravitreal ranibizumab injections (RI) and aflibercept injections (AI) on the corneal endothelium and central corneal thickness (CCT) in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Materials and Methods. In the retrospective study, 110 eyes of 106 patients, aged 52 to 93 years, were analyzed. Fifty eyes were treated only with RI (I group), and 60 eyes were treated only with AI (II group). Every patient received one intravitreal injection of 0.5 mg of ranibizumab once a month or 2 mg of aflibercept for 3 subsequent months. Each patient received only 3 injections during the whole observation period. Corneal analysis was obtained with the specular microscope. Examinations were performed before initial treatment, after each injection, and 6 months after the first injection. Analysis included corneal endothelial cell density (ECD), hexagonal cell percentage (% Hex), coefficient of variation (CoV), and CCT. Results. There was a statistically significant ECD loss, regardless of the type of the anti-VEGF agent. The mean ECD value in the I group was 2397 ± 459 cells/mm2 before RI, 2389 ± 459 cells/mm2 after the first RI, 2386 ± 467 cells/mm2 after the second RI, 2378 ± 475 cells/mm2 after the third RI, and 2357 ± 460 cells/mm2 6 months after the first RI. The mean ECD value in the II group was 2448 ± 493 cells/mm2 before treatment, 2456 ± 498 cells/mm2 after the first AI, 2426 ± 496 cells/mm2 after the second AI, 2402 ± 488 cells/mm2 after the third AI, and 2348 ± 473 cells/mm2 6 months after the first AI. In comparison with the group treated with RI, the group treated with AI presented a greater ECD loss at each measuring point. The percentage of hexagonal cells was decreased in both groups. There was a slight increase in polymegathism in both treated groups. Ranibizumab proved to cause a small increase in CCT, while CCT remained unchanged in the aflibercept group. Conclusions. Repeated intravitreal injections of 0.5 mg of ranibizumab or 2 mg of aflibercept can influence the morphology of the corneal endothelium but not CCT.
Proteomic Profile of Mouse Brain Aging Contributions to Mitochondrial Dysfunction, DNA Oxidative Damage, Loss of Neurotrophic Factor, and Synaptic and Ribosomal Proteins
Authors: Li Yingchao , Yu Haitao , Chen Chongyang , Li Shupeng , Zhang Zaijun , Xu Hua , Zhu Feiqi , Liu Jianjun , Spencer Peter S. , Dai Zhongliang , Yang Xifei
Published: June 2020

The deleterious effects of aging on the brain remain to be fully elucidated. In the present study, proteomic changes of young (4-month) and aged (16-month) B6129SF2/J male mouse hippocampus and cerebral cortex were investigated by using nano liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (NanoLC-ESI-MS/MS) combined with tandem mass tag (TMT) labeling technology. Compared with the young animals, 390 hippocampal proteins (121 increased and 269 decreased) and 258 cortical proteins (149 increased and 109 decreased) changed significantly in the aged mouse. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that these proteins are mainly involved in mitochondrial functions (FIS1, DRP1), oxidative stress (PRDX6, GSTP1, and GSTM1), synapses (SYT12, GLUR2), ribosome (RPL4, RPS3), cytoskeletal integrity, transcriptional regulation, and GTPase function. The mitochondrial fission-related proteins FIS1 and DRP1 were significantly increased in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex of the aged mice. Further results in the hippocampus showed that ATP content was significantly reduced in aged mice. A neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BNDF), a protein closely related with synaptic plasticity and memory, was also significantly decreased in the hippocampus of the aged mice, with the tendency of synaptic protein markers including complexin-2, synaptophysin, GLUR2, PSD95, NMDAR2A, and NMDAR1. More interestingly, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a marker of DNA oxidative damage, increased as shown by immunofluorescence staining. In summary, we demonstrated that aging is associated with systemic changes involving mitochondrial dysfunction, energy reduction, oxidative stress, loss of neurotrophic factor, synaptic proteins, and ribosomal proteins, as well as molecular deficits involved in various physiological/pathological processes.
Equivalent Locally Martingale Measure for the Deflator Process on Ordered Banach Algebra
Authors: Hussein Boushra Y.
Published: June 2020

This paper aims at determining the measure of Q under necessary and sufficient conditions. The measure is an equivalent measure for identifying the given P such that the process with respect to P is the deflator locally martingale. The martingale and locally martingale measures will coincide for the deflator process discrete time. We define s-viable, s-price system, and no locally free lunch in ordered Banach algebra and identify that the s-price system C,π is s-viable if and only a character functional ψC≤π exists. We further demonstrate that no locally free lunch is a necessary and sufficient condition for the equivalent martingale measure Q to exist for the deflator process and the subcharacter ϕ∈Γ such that φC=π. This paper proves the existence of more than one condition and that all conditions are equivalent.
Government Supervision Mode Selection in the Promotion Period of Prefabricated Construction Using Evolutionary Game
Authors: Jing Shuwei , Zhang Zhuangyi , Yan Junai
Published: June 2020

Aiming at the speculative behavior of some developers who seek private interests in the promotion period of prefabricated construction, this research combines the actual situation, objectively and reasonably determines the parameters in the model, and builds an evolutionary game model to study the choice of government supervision mode in different situations, from the perspective of government supervision. The results showed that the choice of government supervision mode has great connection with the probability of identifying developers’ speculative behavior when the government adopts node supervision. When the probability is greater than the developers’ speculative value, the government will choose node supervision, while the developers will not adopt speculative behavior. Conversely, there will be a periodic behavior pattern in the evolutionary system, and the choice of government supervision mode is related to the value of each parameter. At the same time, the minimum probability of identifying speculative behavior that keeps the optimal situation stable is obtained. On this basis, the paper takes a practical case to discuss the influence of different parameter variations on the choice of government supervision mode and makes numerical simulations; then it puts forward some specific suggestions for government to restrain the speculative behavior of developer.
3D Limit Analysis of the Transient Stability of Slope during Pile Driving in Nonhomogeneous and Anisotropic Soil
Authors: Rao Pingping , Wu Jian , Mo Zhihao
Published: June 2020

To evaluate the stability of a slope subjected to pile driving in nonhomogeneous and anisotropic soils, an upper‐bound limit analysis method is employed in this paper. A 3D rotational failure mechanism for soil slope is extended to account for different failure patterns (i.e., toe failure and base failure). In order to avoid missing the global minimum, an efficient optimization method is simultaneously employed to find the least upper bound to the factor of safety (FS). The effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed method is well demonstrated by comparing the results obtained from the proposed approach with the solutions from published literatures. The effects of key designing parameters are presented and discussed. The optimal pile location and the three‐dimensional effect of the slope are discussed. In addition, these results highlight that the adverse effects of pile driving on slope stability should be highly concerned during the design of geotechnical infrastructures, rather than emphasizing the reinforcement effect of a pile only.
Discrete Cosine Transformation and Temporal Adjacent Convolutional Neural Network-Based Remaining Useful Life Estimation of Bearings
Authors: Pang Yu , Jia Limin , Liu Zhan
Published: June 2020

In recent years, several time-frequency representation (TFR) and convolutional neural network- (CNN-) based approaches have been proposed to provide reliable remaining useful life (RUL) estimation for bearings. However, existing methods cannot tackle the spatiotemporal continuity between adjacent TFRs since temporal proposals are considered individually and their temporal dependencies are neglected. In allusion to this problem, a novel prognostic approach based on discrete cosine transformation (DCT) and temporal adjacent convolutional neural network (TACNN) is proposed. Wavelet transform (WT) is applied to effectively map the raw signals to the time frequency domain. Considering the high load and complexity of model computation, bilinear interpolation and DCT algorithm are introduced to convert TFRs into low-dimensional DCT spectrum coding matrix with strong sparsity. Furthermore, the TACNN model is proposed which is capable of learning discriminative features for temporal adjacent DCT spectrum coding matrix. Effectiveness of the proposed method is verified on the PRONOSTIA dataset, and experiment results show that the proposed model is able to realize automatic high-precision estimation of bearings RUL with high efficiency.
A Holling Type II Discrete Switching Host-Parasitoid System with a Nonlinear Threshold Policy for Integrated Pest Management
Authors: He Mengqi , Tang Sanyi , Cheke Robert A.
Published: June 2020

A nonlinear discrete switching host-parasitoid model with Holling type II functional response function, in which the switch is guided by an economic threshold (ET), is proposed. Thus, if the weighted density of two generations of the host population increases and exceeds the ET, then integrated pest management (IPM) measures are enacted, i.e., biological and chemical measures are implemented together, assuming that the chemical immediately precedes the biological inputs to avoid pesticide-induced deaths of the natural enemies. First, the existence and local stability of the equilibria of two subsystems were studied, and the existence and coexistence of several types of equilibria of a nonlinear switching system were analysed. Next, the nonlinear switching system was investigated by numerical simulation, showing that the system exhibits quite complex dynamic behaviour. A two-dimensional bifurcation diagram revealed the existence and coexistence regions of different types of equilibria including regular and virtual equilibria. Moreover, period-adding bifurcations in two-dimensional parameter spaces were found. One-dimensional bifurcation diagrams revealed that the system has periodic, quasiperiodic, and chaotic solutions, Neimark–Sacker bifurcation, multiple coexisting attractors, period-doubling bifurcations, period-halving bifurcations, and so on. Finally, the initial densities of hosts and parasitoids associated with host outbreaks and their biological implications are discussed.
Oncogenic Herpesvirus Engages Endothelial Transcription Factors SOX18 and PROX1 to Increase Viral Genome Copies and Virus Production
Authors: Gramolelli Silvia , Elbasani Endrit , Tuohinto Krista , Nurminen Veijo , Günther Thomas , Kallinen Riikka E. , Kaijalainen Seppo P. , Diaz Raquel , Grundhoff Adam , Haglund Caj , Ziegelbauer Joseph M. , Pellinen Teijo , Bower Mark , Francois Mathias , Ojala Päivi M.
Published: June 2020

Kaposi sarcoma is a tumor caused by Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) infection and is thought to originate from lymphatic endothelial cells (LEC). While KSHV establishes latency in virtually all susceptible cell types, LECs support spontaneous expression of oncogenic lytic genes, high viral genome copies, and release of infectious virus. It remains unknown the contribution of spontaneous virus production to the expansion of KSHV-infected tumor cells and the cellular factors that render the lymphatic environment unique to KSHV life cycle. We show here that expansion of the infected cell population, observed in LECs, but not in blood endothelial cells, is dependent on the spontaneous virus production from infected LECs. The drivers of lymphatic endothelium development, SOX18 and PROX1, regulated different steps of the KSHV life cycle. SOX18 enhanced the number of intracellular viral genome copies and bound to the viral origins of replication. Genetic depletion or chemical inhibition of SOX18 caused a decrease of KSHV genome copy numbers. PROX1 interacted with ORF50, the viral initiator of lytic replication, and bound to the KSHV genome in the promoter region of ORF50, increasing its transactivation activity and KSHV spontaneous lytic gene expression and infectious virus release. In Kaposi sarcoma tumors, SOX18 and PROX1 expression correlated with latent and lytic KSHV protein expression. These results demonstrate the importance of two key transcriptional drivers of LEC fate in the regulation of the tumorigenic KSHV life cycle. Moreover, they introduce molecular targeting of SOX18 as a potential novel therapeutic avenue in Kaposi sarcoma.

Significance:

SOX18 and PROX1, central regulators of lymphatic development, are key factors for KSHV genome maintenance and lytic cycle in lymphatic endothelial cells, supporting Kaposi sarcoma tumorigenesis and representing attractive therapeutic targets.
Stress-induced Norepinephrine Downregulates CCL2 in Macrophages to Suppress Tumor Growth in a Model of Malignant Melanoma
Authors: Steinberger Kayla J. , Bailey Michael T. , Gross Amy C. , Sumner Laura A. , Voorhees Jeffrey L. , Crouser Nisha , Curry Jennifer M. , Wang Yijie , DeVries A. Courtney , Marsh Clay B. , Glaser Ronald , Yang Eric V. , Eubank Timothy D.
Published: June 2020

Psychological stressors have been implicated in the progression of various tumor types. We investigated a role for stress in tumor immune cell chemotaxis in the B16F10 mouse model of malignant melanoma. We exposed female mice to 6-hour periods of restraint stress (RST) for 7 days, then implanted B16F10 malignant melanoma tumor cells and continued the RST paradigm for 14 additional days. We determined serum corticosterone and liver catecholamine concentrations in these mice. To evaluate the tumor microenvironment, we performed IHC and examined cytokine expression profiles using ELISA-based analysis of tumor homogenates. We found that tumors in mice subjected to RST grew significantly slower, had reduced tumor C-C motif ligand 2 (CCL2), and contained fewer F4/80-positive macrophages than tumors from unstressed mice. We observed a concomitant increase in norepinephrine among the RST mice. An in vitro assay confirmed that norepinephrine downregulates CCL2 production in both mouse and human macrophages, and that pretreatment with the pan-β-adrenergic receptor inhibitor nadolol rescues this activity. Furthermore, RST had no effect on tumor growth in transgenic CCL2-deficient mice. This study suggests that stress reduces malignant melanoma by reducing recruitment of tumor-promoting macrophages by CCL2.
Amount of Dentifrice and Fluoride Concentration Influence Salivary Fluoride Concentrations and Fluoride Intake by Toddlers
Authors: Sampaio Caio , Delbem Alberto Carlos Botazzo , Paiva Mayra Frasson , Zen Igor , Danelon Marcelle , Cunha Robson Frederico , Pessan Juliano Pelim
Published: June 2020

The present study evaluated fluoride (F) concentrations in saliva of toddlers after brushing with dentifrices containing different F concentrations, applied in different quantities, and estimated F intake from toothbrushing. The study comprised a double-blind, crossover protocol, in which toddlers (n = 18, 2–3 years old) were randomly assigned into six groups, according to possible combinations of dentifrices (0/550/1,100 ppm F, as NaF) and amounts (rice grain, pea size, and transverse technique). Volunteers used a F-free dentifrice during 1 week. On the 7th day, saliva samples were collected before (baseline), and at 5/15/30/60 min after toothbrushing. All dentifrice expectorated after brushing was collected. F concentrations (saliva and expectorate) were determined with an ion-specific electrode. Data were submitted to ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by Fisher’s LSD or Student-Newman-Keuls’ tests (p <0.05). Brushing with 550 ppm F dentifrice (pea size or transversal technique) increased the area under the curve (AUC) at similar levels compared to 1,100 ppm F (rice grain). The highest AUC and salivary F at 5 min after brushing were achieved by 1,100 ppm F (pea size), followed by 550 ppm F (transversal technique). Regarding F intake, the highest values were observed for 550 ppm F (transversal technique), followed by 1,100 ppm F (pea size). It is possible to conclude that the amount of dentifrice and F concentration in the product significantly affected both salivary F concentrations and F intake during toothbrushing.
Clinical Outcomes following Endoscopic Treatment for Sporadic Nonampullary Duodenal Adenoma
Authors: Na Hee Kyong , Kim Do Hoon , Ahn Ji Yong , Lee Jeong Hoon , Jung Kee Wook , Choi Kee Don , Song Ho June , Lee Gin Hyug , Jung Hwoon-Yong
Published: June 2020

Background and Aims: Endoscopic treatment for duodenal neoplasms is associated with a high risk of perforation. This study aimed to determine the feasibility of endoscopic treatment for sporadic nonampullary duodenal adenoma (SNDA). Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing endoscopic treatment for SNDA between January 2005 and December 2015 were included in the study. Clinical characteristics and endoscopic outcomes were analyzed using medical records. Long-term outcome was assessed in patients whose follow-up period was >12 months >1 year. Results: A total of 95 lesions (92 patients) were treated with argon plasma coagulation (APC) ablation (n = 25), endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR, n = 59), or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD, n= 11). The median age was 54.9 years, and 63% were male. In patients who underwent EMR and ESD, the en bloc resection rate was 83.1 and 90.0% (p > 0.99); and the complete resection rate was 81.4 and 80% (p > 0.99), respectively. Perforation occurred in 8 patients (8.7%), 4 of whom required surgery. The ESD group showed a significantly higher perforation rate than APC or EMR group (45.5 vs. 0 and 5.1%; p < 0.001). During the median follow-up period of 19 months (range 12–137 months), one patient in the APC ablation group experienced recurrence; no recurrences were seen among EMR and ESD groups. Conclusions: Favorable long-term outcomes indicate that endoscopic treatment is an effective approach for the treatment of SNDA. Considering the high risk of perforation associated with ESD, APC, or EMR may be an acceptable alternative.
Galectin-3 Induces Atrial Fibrosis by Activating the TGF-β1/Smad Pathway in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Xiao Minghan , Zhang Meixia , Bie Mengjun , Wang Xiaowen , Guo Jingwen , Xiao Hua
Published: June 2020

Background: Atrial fibrosis plays a critical role in the occurrence and maintenance of atrial fibrillation. The role of TGF-β1 in mediating atrial fibrosis is well documented. The β-galactoside-binding lectin galectin-3 (Gal-3) is mainly produced by macrophages in biological events such as inflammation and angiogenesis. Previous studies have shown that Gal-3 is associated with atrial fibrosis, but the relationship between TGF-β1 and Gal-3 in atrial fibrosis remains unclear. Objective: To determine whether Gal-3 induces atrial fibrosis and atrial fibrillation by activating the TGF-β1/Smad pathway and whether the expression of Gal-3 is mediated by TGF-β1, which can enable assessing the relationship between Gal-3 and TGF-β1 in atrial fibrosis. Methods: In this study, 30 patients’ right atrial appendages were collected and divided into 3 groups: congenital heart disease sinus rhythm group (n = 10, as a control group), rheumatic heart disease sinus rhythm group (n = 10), and rheumatic heart disease atrial fibrillation group (n = 10). Rat atrial fibroblasts were cultured in vitro, and recombinant Gal-3 and recombinant TGF-β1 proteins were added to the cell culture. The expression of Gal-3, TGF-β1, Smad2, and collagen I was detected by Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR. Atrial tissues were stained with Masson’s trichrome stain to evaluate the extent of atrial fibrosis. The expression of Gal-3 and TGF-β1 was detected by immunohistochemical staining and immunofluorescence staining. Gal-3 and TGF-β1 interaction was demonstrated by immunoprecipitation. Results: The expression levels of Gal-3, TGF-β1, Smad2, and collagen I were elevated in the rheumatic heart disease atrial fibrillation group compared with the congenital heart disease sinus rhythm group and the rheumatic heart disease sinus rhythm group. In cultured atrial fibroblasts, there is a synergistic interaction between Gal-3 and TGF-β1. Gal-3 stimulated the TGF-β1/Smad pathway, and overexpression of TGF-β1 induced Gal-3 expression. Conclusions: Gal-3 and TGF-β1 interact with each other and stimulate the downstream TGF-β1/Smad pathway. This finding suggests that Gal-3 could be an important factor in TGF-β1-induced fibrosis in atrial fibrillation.
Real-World Efficacy and Safety of Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion (CSII) Therapy and Comparison of Treatment Satisfaction between CSII and Multiple Daily Injection Therapy
Authors: Kochar Inderpal Singh , Sethi Aashish , Ramachandran Smita
Published: June 2020

Objectives: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is one of the most common pediatric endocrine diseases. India alone is home to around 97,700 children with T1DM. This paper evaluates the efficacy, safety, and quality of life with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) in patients treated for a protracted time period of 1 year in a retrospective study versus multiple-dose insulin (MDI). Methods: CSII was offered to patients with poor metabolic control (HbA1c >8.5%) on MDI, patients needing flexible timing of meals, or patients with hypoglycemia unawareness/nocturnal hypoglycemia/high blood sugar fluctuations. Continuous blood glucose monitoring (CGM) was done using the Medtronic CGM system gold/iPro 2 in all patients. Data were collected through a questionnaire completed by patients with the help of a pediatric endocrinologist. Results: A total of 45 patients completed the study evaluation period. The results demonstrated better glycemic control, reduced hypoglycemia on CGM, and no events of diabetic ketoacidosis noted on CSII. The hypoglycemic events were few and nonsevere. The patients in the CSII group reported better quality of life on the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 3.2 Diabetic Module diabetes score than the MDI group. Conclusions: This study is the first of this kind in India in the field of pediatric endocrinology. The clinical outcomes validate the use of CSII as the desirable intensive insulin therapy.
Clinical Outcome in Patients with Carcinoma of the Esophagogastric Junction Treated with Neoadjuvant Radiochemotherapy or Perioperative Chemotherapy: A Two-Center Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Wundsam Helwig Valentin , Doleschal Bernhard , Prommer Regina , Venhoda Clemens , Schmitt Clemens , Petzer Andreas , Metz-Gercek Sigrid , Rumpold Holger
Published: June 2020

Background: Adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) is a rare but rising tumor entity in the Western world. Treatment is complex, as multimodality is key to optimal results. However, trials solely including AEG are rare, and the question if neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy (NRCT) or neoadjuvant/perioperative chemotherapy (NACT) is superior remains unanswered. Patients and Methods: Patients with AEG I–III treated between October 2010 and August 2019 at the Ordensklinikum Linz or the Kepler University Hospital were identified either from a monitored tumor registry or by chart review. Time-to-event data were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier product limit estimation. The Kruskal-Wallis test and Fisher’s exact test were used for comparing continuous and categorical data, respectively. Results: A total of 85 patients (median age 63 years; median Charlson Comorbidity Index 3; 98.8% ECOG PS 0–1) were analyzed. Of these, 52 patients received NRCT (81% CROSS protocol) and 33 NACT (65% EOX and 35% FLOT protocol). There was a significantly higher pathological complete response rate in the NRCT group (30 vs. 12%; p = 0.010); distant relapse rates were higher in the NRCT group and local relapse rates were higher in the NACT group (both not significant). These differences, however, did not translate into a different disease-free survival (20 months; 95% CI: 13–34) or overall survival (44 months; 95% CI: 33–NA). Patients >65 years old had the same advantage from treatment as patients <65 years of age. Conclusions: Although treatment of AEG is complex, the progress documented over the last centuries can be reproduced in our real-life setting. Data regarding the superiority of either type of neoadjuvant/perioperative treatment are sparse. We assume no difference between EOX-based NACT and NRCT.