bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Status and the perspectives of the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO)
Authors: Miramonti Lino
Published: March 2020

One of the remaining undetermined fundamental aspects in neutrino physics is the determination of the neutrino mass hierarchy, i.e. discriminating between the two possible orderings of the mass eigenvalues, known as Normal and Inverted Hierarchies. The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO), a 20 kt Liquid Scintillator Detector currently under construction in the South of China, can determine the neutrino mass hierarchy and improve the precision of three oscillation parameters by one order of magnitude. Moreover, thanks to its large liquid scintillator mass, JUNO will also contribute to study neutrinos from non-reactor sources such as solar neutrinos, atmospheric neutrinos, geoneutrinos, supernova burst and diffuse supernova neutrinos. Furthermore, JUNO will also contribute to nucleon decay studies. In this work, I will describe the status and the perspectives of the JUNO experiment.
On the time-dependent Rindler Hamiltonian single particle eigenstates in momentum space
Authors: Mitra Soma , Das Sanchita , Chakrabarty Somenath
Published: March 2020

We have developed a formalism in the non-relativistic scenario to obtain the time evolution of the eigenstates of Rindler Hamiltonian in momentum space. Hence, the particle wave function in spacetime coordinates is obtained using Fourier transform of the momentum space wave function. We have discussed the difficulties with characteristic curves, and re-cast the time evolution equations in the form of two-dimensional Laplace equation. The solutions are obtained both in polar coordinates as well as in the Cartesian form. It has been observed that in the Cartesian coordinate, the probability density is zero both at [Formula: see text] (the initial time) and at [Formula: see text] (the final time) for a given [Formula: see text]-coordinate. The reason behind such peculiar behavior of the eigenstate is because it satisfies (1 + 1)-dimensional Laplace equation. This is of course the mathematical explanation, whereas physically we may interpret that it is because of the Unruh effect.
Thermodynamic of the charged AdS black holes in Rastall gravity: P − V critical and Joule–Thomson expansion
Authors: Guo Sen , Han Yan , Li Guo Ping
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we study the thermodynamic of the charged AdS black holes in Rastall gravity. Firstly, the thermodynamic quantities of the charged AdS black holes in Rastall gravity are reviewed and the state equation of this black hole is obtained. Then, we investigate the [Formula: see text] critical and the Joule–Thomson expansion of the charged AdS black holes in Rastall gravity in which the critical temperature and the critical exponents are obtained. In addition, we get the inversion temperature and plot the isenthalpic and inversion curves in the [Formula: see text] plane, and also determine the cooling-heating regions of this black hole through the Joule–Thomson expansion. Finally, we investigate the ratio between the minimum inversion and critical temperatures, and find that the Rastall constant [Formula: see text] does not affect of this ratio.
Implications of last NA64 results and the electron ge − 2 anomaly for the X(16.7) boson survival
Authors: Krasnikov N. V.
Published: March 2020

We point out that last NA64 bound on coupling constant of hypothetical X[Formula: see text](16.7 MeV) vector boson with electrons plus the recent value of the anomalous electron magnetic moment exclude at 90% C.L. purely vector or axial–vector couplings of X[Formula: see text](16.7) boson with electrons. Models with nonzero [Formula: see text] coupling constant with electron survive and they can explain both the electron and muon [Formula: see text] anomalies.
Analytic Calculations of the Branching Ratio and CP Violation in Bs0 → Ds+Ds− Decay
Authors: Khan H. R. , Raslan E. H. , Reem R. A.
Published: March 2020

We present an analytic calculation of Branching Ratio (BR) and Charge-Parity (CP) violating asymmetries of the [Formula: see text] meson decays to [Formula: see text] by calculating the amplitude and the decay width of the process including the chiral loop and gluon condensate to first-order. We find the BR of [Formula: see text] which is in agreement with other experimental measurements and theoretical predictions. We also calculate the direct CP violation, CP violation in mixing and CP violation due to interference which are [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively.
Estimating and Controlling Overlap in Gaussian Mixtures for Clustering Methods Evaluation
Authors: Gherbaoui Radhwane , Ouali Mohammed , Benamrane Nacéra
Published: March 2020

The ad hoc nature of the clustering methods makes simulated data paramount in assessing the performance of clustering methods. Real datasets could be used in the evaluation of clustering methods with the major drawback of missing the assessment of many test scenarios. In this paper, we propose a formal quantification of component overlap. This quantification is derived from a set of theorems which allow us to derive an automatic method for artificial data generation. We also derive a method to estimate parameters of existing models and to evaluate the results of other approaches. Automatic estimation of the overlap rate can also be used as an unsupervised learning approach in data mining to determine the parameters of mixture models from actual observations.
Improving Classification Accuracy Using Hybrid of Extreme Learning Machine and Artificial Algae Algorithm with Multi-Light Source
Authors: D Devikanniga , Raj R. Joshua Samuel
Published: March 2020

Among other machine learning techniques, the extreme learning machine has evidently proved its diagnostic accuracy on many cases in medical domain. Its accuracy mainly depends on the optimal parameters that are used in training. The proposed work is based on optimizing the extreme learning machine using the recently proposed meta-heuristic optimization technique named artificial algae algorithm with multi-light source. In this work, two experiments are conducted using four binary classification datasets related to medical domain. The feasible number of hidden neurons is found from the first experiment using relevant performance parameters. In the second experiment, the classifier with feasible number of hidden neurons is further evaluated with the ten-fold cross-validation method based on its computation time and classification accuracy. In both the experiments, the proposed classifier performance compared with that of other four similar hybrid approaches. It is also statistically compared using Friedman test and Wilcoxon signed rank test based on the area under curve and accuracy values respectively. It is found that the proposed classifier produces better results than the other classifiers.
Uncertainty Measurement for a Tolerance Knowledge Base
Authors: Qin Bin , Zeng Fanping , Yan Kesong
Published: March 2020

A knowledge base is an important notion of rough set theory. A tolerance knowledge base is its generalization. Measures of uncertainty as important evaluation tools in the fields of machine learning can measure the dependence and similarity between two targets. This paper investigates uncertainty measurement for a tolerance knowledge base by using its knowledge structure. The knowledge structure of a given tolerance knowledge base is first introduced by means of set vectors. Then, the dependence and independence between knowledge structures of tolerance knowledge bases are depicted. Next, the measurement uncertainty of tolerance knowledge bases is investigated. Finally, to obtain two tolerance knowledge bases with additional data, two information systems from the UCI Repository of machine learning databases are selected to construct two numerical experiments, and an effectiveness analysis is performed from the perspective of statistics to show the feasibility of the proposed measures.
The multi-transitivity of free semigroup actions
Authors: Ding Zhumin , Yin Jiandong , Luo Xiaofang
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we introduce the conceptions of multi-transitivity, [Formula: see text]-transitivity and [Formula: see text]-mixing property for free semigroup actions and give some equivalent conditions for a free semigroup action to be multi-transitive, multi-transitive with respect to vectors and strongly multi-transitive, respectively. For instance, we prove that a free semigroup action is multi-transitive or multi-transitive with respect to a vector if and only if its corresponding skew product system is multi-transitive or multi-transitive with respect to the same vector.
Hydrodynamic Study and Performance Analysis of the OC4-DeepCWind Platform by CFD Method
Authors: Huang Yang , Zhuang Yuan , Wan Decheng
Published: March 2020

(1) The RAOs of OC4-DeepCWind platform motions are more sensitive to the low-frequency wave than the high-frequency wave. The nonlinear motion responses for platform heave and pitch motions are comparatively remarkable. (2) The pitch motion of OC4-DeepCWind platform is much more apparently influenced by the height of center of gravity (COG) than surge and heave motions. The lower COG height within a suitable range leads to a smaller fluctuation amplitude of platform pitch motion in waves. (3) A large horizontal displacement abruptly occurs to the OC4-DeepCWind platform when one mooring line is failure. The risk of failure for the other mooring lines significantly increases.

To better understand the hydrodynamic performance of a floating support platform in various wave environments, a two-phase CFD solver naoe-FOAM-SJTU based on the open source CFD toolbox OpenFOAM is applied to investigate the hydrodynamic characteristics and motion performance of the OC4-DeepCWind platform. Moreover, the restoring force and moment of mooring lines are simulated using the solver in time domain. The studies of grid sensitivity and time step refinement are first conducted to determine an appropriate time step and mesh size. Then hydrodynamic responses of the floater in free-decay tests are analyzed and compared with experimental data, and the motion performance of the platform in regular waves with different parameters is also investigated. In addition, the platform motion responses with one mooring line broken and different heights of center of gravity are explored. It is shown that simulation results have good agreement with published data, and several conclusions can be drawn through the study. The RAOs of platform motions are found to be more sensitive to the low-frequency wave than the high-frequency wave. Nonlinear motion responses are comparatively remarkable in platform heave and pitch motions. Besides, the lower height of center of gravity within a suitable range is benefit to the stability of floating platform. Survival condition with broken mooring line should be paid enough attention to avoid the failure of other mooring lines.
Crystallite size and micro-strain investigations of hydrothermally synthesized β-Ga2O3 by different analytical methods
Authors: Pilliadugula Rekha , Gopalakrishnan N.
Published: March 2020

XRD pattern of [Formula: see text]-Ga2O3 powder, synthesized through template-free two step hydrothermal method at low temperature thoroughly, is investigated by imposing different methods of analysis. Both crystallite sizes and micro-strains of the micro-structures are analyzed and compared. Along with the traditional Scherrer’s formula (S-average, LF and LFTZ), modified Williamson–Hall (W-H) method with UDM, USDM and UDEDM and Size-Strain Plot (SSP) method were used for the investigation. Stress and defect energy densities were calculated from USDM and UDEDM modified W-H plots of the powder sample, respectively. Detailed analysis of the crystallite size and micro-strain from different methods/models was done. Obtained crystallite sizes and micro-strains from different models were compared with the results obtained from TEM analysis. It was found that crystallite sizes obtained from UDM modified W-H analysis and SSP models well coincided with crystallite size observed from TEM micrograph.
Fingerpointing False Positives
Authors: Sacher Desiree
Published: March 2020

Security incidents created during the security continuous monitoring process (ISCM, NIST 800-137 [1]) can be a valuable source for improving company processes and an efficient reference for budget planning if used correctly. The idea presented in this article was created from years of experience in monitoring NIST 800-53 [2] controls, among others, where often the processes in place did not address the root cause of the problem but rather added suppressions to the detection rule. This article discusses how security incidents can be tracked to focus on company improvements and strategically create statistical values. It is a suggestion for a structured resolution approach, inspired by the Post-Incident Activity—Lessons Learned phase by NIST 800-61 [3].
Sparse Data–Driven Learning for Effective and Efficient Biomedical Image Segmentation
Authors: Onofrey John A. , Staib Lawrence H. , Huang Xiaojie , Zhang Fan , Papademetris Xenophon , Metaxas Dimitris , Rueckert Daniel , Duncan James S.
Published: March 2020

Sparsity is a powerful concept to exploit for high-dimensional machine learning and associated representational and computational efficiency. Sparsity is well suited for medical image segmentation. We present a selection of techniques that incorporate sparsity, including strategies based on dictionary learning and deep learning, that are aimed at medical image segmentation and related quantification.
Possibilities and Limits of Computational Fluid Dynamics–Discrete Element Method Simulations in Process Engineering: A Review of Recent Advancements and Future Trends
Authors: Kieckhefen Paul , Pietsch Swantje , Dosta Maksym , Heinrich Stefan
Published: March 2020

Fluid–solid systems play a major role in a wide variety of industries, from pharmaceutical and consumer goods to chemical plants and energy generation. Along with this variety of fields comes a diversity in apparatuses and applications, most prominently fluidized and spouted beds, granulators and mixers, pneumatic conveying, drying, agglomeration, coating, and combustion. The most promising approach for modeling the flow in these systems is the CFD-DEM method, coupling computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for the fluid phase and the discrete element method (DEM) for the particles. This article reviews the progress in modeling particle–fluid flows with the CFD-DEM method. A brief overview of the basic method as well as methodical extensions of it are given. Recent applications of this simulation approach to separation and classification units, fluidized beds for both particle formation and energy conversion, comminution units, filtration, and bioreactors are reviewed. Future trends are identified and discussed regarding their viability.
Water Structure and Properties at Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Surfaces
Authors: Monroe Jacob , Barry Mikayla , DeStefano Audra , Aydogan Gokturk Pinar , Jiao Sally , Robinson-Brown Dennis , Webber Thomas , Crumlin Ethan J. , Han Songi , Shell M. Scott
Published: March 2020

The properties of water on both molecular and macroscopic surfaces critically influence a wide range of physical behaviors, with applications spanning from membrane science to catalysis to protein engineering. Yet, our current understanding of water interfacing molecular and material surfaces is incomplete, in part because measurement of water structure and molecular-scale properties challenges even the most advanced experimental characterization techniques and computational approaches. This review highlights progress in the ongoing development of tools working to answer fundamental questions on the principles that govern the interactions between water and surfaces. One outstanding and critical question is what universal molecular signatures capture the hydrophobicity of different surfaces in an operationally meaningful way, since traditional macroscopic hydrophobicity measures like contact angles fail to capture even basic properties of molecular or extended surfaces with any heterogeneity at the nanometer length scale. Resolving this grand challenge will require close interactions between state-of-the-art experiments, simulations, and theory, spanning research groups and using agreed-upon model systems, to synthesize an integrated knowledge of solvation water structure, dynamics, and thermodynamics.
The Physics of Pair-Density Waves: Cuprate Superconductors and Beyond
Authors: Agterberg Daniel F. , Davis J.C. Séamus , Edkins Stephen D. , Fradkin Eduardo , Van Harlingen Dale J. , Kivelson Steven A. , Lee Patrick A. , Radzihovsky Leo , Tranquada John M. , Wang Yuxuan
Published: March 2020

We review the physics of pair-density wave (PDW) superconductors. We begin with a macroscopic description that emphasizes order induced by PDW states, such as charge-density wave, and discuss related vestigial states that emerge as a consequence of partial melting of the PDW order. We review and critically discuss the mounting experimental evidence for such PDW order in the cuprate superconductors, the status of the theoretical microscopic description of such order, and the current debate on whether the PDW is a mother order or another competing order in the cuprates. In addition, we give an overview of the weak coupling version of PDW order, Fulde–Ferrell–Larkin–Ovchinnikov states, in the context of cold atom systems, unconventional superconductors, and noncentrosymmetric and Weyl materials.
Influence of Variable Rigidity Design of Piled Raft Foundation on Seismic Performance of Buildings
Authors: Xie Yunfei , Chi Shichun , Wang Maohua
Published: March 2020

In order to reduce the costs and improve the overall performance of building systems, the static optimized design with variable rigidity of piled raft foundations has been widely used in recent years. Variable rigidity design of piled raft foundations that support midrise buildings in high-risk seismic zones can alter the dynamic characteristics of the soil-pile-structure system during an earthquake due to soil-pile-structure interaction. To investigate these aspects, a nuclear power plant sitting on multilayered soil is simulated numerically. The paper describes a numerical modeling technique for the simulation of complex seismic soil-pile-structure interaction phenomena. It was observed that the total shear force on top of the piles and the rocking of the raft are reduced after optimization, whereas the displacement of the superstructure is nearly unaffected. The findings of this study can help engineers select a correct pile arrangement when considering the seismic performance of a building sitting on soft soil.
A Deep Convolutional Neural Network Model for Intelligent Discrimination between Coal and Rocks in Coal Mining Face
Authors: Si Lei , Xiong Xiangxiang , Wang Zhongbin , Tan Chao
Published: March 2020

Accurate identification of the distribution of coal seam is a prerequisite for realizing intelligent mining of shearer. This paper presents a novel method for identifying coal and rock based on a deep convolutional neural network (CNN). Three regularization methods are introduced in this paper to solve the overfitting problem of CNN and speed up the convergence: dropout, weight regularization, and batch normalization. Then the coal-rock image information is enriched by means of data augmentation, which significantly improves the performance. The shearer cutting coal-rock experiment system is designed to collect more real coal-rock images, and some experiments are provided. The experiment results indicate that the network we designed has better performance in identifying the coal-rock images.
On a Partial Boundary Value Condition of a Porous Medium Equation with Exponent Variable
Authors: Zhan Huashui
Published: March 2020

The initial-boundary value problem of a porous medium equation with a variable exponent is considered. Both the diffusion coefficient ax,t and the variable exponent px,t depend on the time variable t, and this makes the partial boundary value condition not be expressed as the usual Dirichlet boundary value condition. In other words, the partial boundary value condition matching up with the equation is based on a submanifold of ∂Ω×0,T. By this innovation, the stability of weak solutions is proved.
Acceleration Harmonic Estimation for Hydraulic Servo Shaking Table Based on Multi-Innovation Stochastic Gradient Algorithm
Authors: Wang Xiancheng , Li Wei , Yao Jianjun , Wan Zhenshuai
Published: March 2020

As one of the critical test equipment, hydraulic servo shaking table is widely used in shaking environment simulation of structural components and systems. However, inherent nonlinear factors of a hydraulic servo shaking table can cause amplitude attenuation and phase lag when corresponding to a sinusoidal acceleration signal, which leads to serious harmonic distortion. In order to improve waveform reproduction performance of sinusoidal signals, the amplitude and phase of harmonic should be estimated accurately. In this paper, the multi-innovation stochastic gradient (MISG) algorithm is presented for dynamically estimating the harmonic information. Simulation and experiment results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has high estimation precision and good convergence performance.
Molecular and Cellular Pathways Contributing to Joint Damage in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Fang Qinghua , Zhou Chun , Nandakumar Kutty Selva
Published: March 2020

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune syndrome associated with several genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors affecting the articular joints contributing to cartilage and bone damage. Although etiology of this disease is not clear, several immune pathways, involving immune (T cells, B cells, dendritic cells, macrophages, and neutrophils) and nonimmune (fibroblasts and chondrocytes) cells, participate in the secretion of many proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, proteases (MMPs, ADAMTS), and other matrix lysing enzymes that could disturb the immune balance leading to cartilage and bone damage. The presence of autoantibodies preceding the clinical onset of arthritis and the induction of bone erosion early in the disease course clearly suggest that initiation events damaging the cartilage and bone start very early during the autoimmune phase of the arthritis development. During this process, several signaling molecules (RANKL-RANK, NF-κB, MAPK, NFATc1, and Src kinase) are activated in the osteoclasts, cells responsible for bone resorption. Hence, comprehensive knowledge on pathogenesis is a prerequisite for prevention and development of targeted clinical treatment for RA patients that can restore the immune balance improving clinical therapy.
A CFD-Compatible Amplification Factor Transport Equation for Oblique Tollmien-Schlichting Waves in Supersonic Boundary Layers
Authors: Xu JiaKuan , Qiao Lei , Bai Junqiang
Published: March 2020

Boundary layer transition is a hot research topic in fluid mechanics and aerospace engineering. In low-speed flows, two-dimensional Tollmien-Schlichting (T-S) waves always dominate the flow instability, which has been modeled by Coder and Maughmer from 2013. However, in supersonic flows, three-dimensional oblique Tollmien-Schlichting waves become dominant in flow instability. Inspired by Coder and Maughmer’s NTS amplification factor transport equation for two-dimensional Tollmien-Schlichting waves in low-speed flows and Kroo and Sturdza’s linear stability theory (LST) analysis results for oblique Tollmien-Schlichting waves in supersonic flows, a new amplification factor transport equation for oblique Tollmien-Schlichting waves has been developed based on LST. The compressible Falkner-Skan similarity equations are introduced to build the relationships between nonlocal variables and local variables so that all the variables used in the present model can be calculated using local variables. Applications of this new transport equation to the flows over supersonic flat plate, 3% thick biconvex airfoil, and one modified supersonic laminar airfoil show promising results compared with the standard LST analysis results.
Elevated Soluble Galectin-3 as a Marker of Chemotherapy Efficacy in Breast Cancer Patients: A Prospective Study
Authors: Shafiq Arooj , Moore January , Suleman Aliya , Faiz Sabeen , Farooq Omar , Arshad Adnan , Tehseen Mohammad , Zafar Ammarah , Ali Syed Haider , Din Nasir Ud , Loya Asif , Siddiqui Neelam , Rehman Fatima K.
Published: March 2020

Purpose. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a glycan-binding lectin with a debated role in cancer progression due to its various functions and patterns of expression. The current study investigates the relationship between breast cancer prognosis and secreted Gal-3. Methods. Breast cancer patients with first time cancer diagnosis and no prior treatment (n=88) were placed in either adjuvant or neoadjuvant setting based on their treatment modality. Stromal and plasma Gal-3 levels were measured in each patient at the time of diagnosis and then throughout treatment using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and ELISA, respectively. Healthy women (>18 years of age, n=63) were used to establish baseline levels of plasma Gal-3. Patients were followed for 84 months for disease-free survival analysis. Results. Enhanced levels of plasma (adjuvant) and stromal (neoadjuvant) Gal-3 were found to be markers of chemotherapy efficacy. The patients with chemotherapy-induced increase in extracellular Gal-3 had longer disease-free interval and significantly lower rate of recurrence during 84-month follow-up compared to patients with unchanged or decreased secretion. Conclusion. The findings support the use of plasma Gal-3 as a marker for chemotherapy efficacy when no residual tumor is visible through imaging. Furthermore, stromal levels in any remaining tumors postchemotherapy can also be used to predict long-term prognosis in patients.
Performance Analysis of Cooperative NOMA Systems with Incremental Relaying
Authors: Wang Zhenling , Peng Zhangyou , Pei Yongsheng , Wang Haojia
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we investigate the performance of the non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) system with incremental relaying, where the relay is employed with amplify-and-forward (AF) or decode-and-forward (DF) protocols. To characterize the outage behaviors of the incremental cooperative NOMA (ICN) system, new closed-form expressions of both exact and asymptotic outage probability for two users are derived. In addition, the performance of the conventional cooperative NOMA (CCN) system is analyzed as a benchmark for the the purpose of comparison. We confirm that the outage performance of the distant user is enhanced when ICN system is employed. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate that (1) the near user of the ICN system achieves better outage behavior than that of the CCN system in the low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) region; (2) the outage performance of distant user for the DF-based ICN system is superior to that of the AF-based ICN system when the system works in cooperative NOMA transmission mode; and (3) in the low SNR, the throughput of the ICN system is higher than that of the CCN system.
An Improved Swarm Intelligence Algorithm for Multi-Item Joint Ordering Strategy of Cruise Ship Supply
Authors: Huang Liling , Yang Jiaqi
Published: March 2020

From the perspective of the global value chain of the cruise industry, the output value of cruise operation accounts for 50%, with the highest added value, and cruise ship supply is the crucial link in cruise operation management, with substantial economic benefits. Therefore, optimizing the purchasing process can not only save costs for cruise companies but also improve cruise level service. Aiming at the purchasing characteristics and modes of cruise ship supply, an optimization model of multi-item joint ordering is constructed under global cruise ship supply chain, considering different order cycles, integrated operation of purchase, delivery, and inventory based on a cruise distribution center. And an improved swarm intelligence algorithm, called fireworks algorithm with inertia weight (WFWA), is proposed for global optimization of the objective function. By comparing the optimization results with fireworks algorithm (FWA), genetic algorithm (GA), and particle swarm optimization (PSO) through experimental tests, it demonstrates that WFWA has higher optimization accuracy and better global convergence.
Pathological Mechanistic Studies of Osimertinib Resistance in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells Using an Integrative Metabolomics-Proteomics Analysis
Authors: Ma Qing , Wang Jing , Ren Yaoyao , Meng Fanlu , Zeng Lili
Published: March 2020

Background. Osimertinib is the first-line therapeutic option for the T790M-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer and the acquired resistance obstructs its application. It is an urgent challenge to identify the potential mechanisms of osimertinib resistance for uncovering some novel therapeutic approaches. Methods. In the current study, the cell metabolomics based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with linear ion trap-Orbitrap mass spectrometry and the qualitative and tandem mass tags quantitative proteomics were performed. Results. 54 differential metabolites and 195 differentially expressed proteins were, respectively, identified. The amino acids metabolisms were significantly altered. HIF-1 signaling pathway modulating P-glycoproteins expression, PI3K-Akt pathway regulating survivin expression, and oxidative phosphorylation were upregulated, while arginine and proline metabolism regulating NO production and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis were downregulated during osimertinib resistance. Conclusion. The regulation of HIF-1 and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, energy supply process, and amino acids metabolism are the promising therapeutic tactics for osimertinib resistance.
Increased Expression of Myeloid‐Derived Suppressor Cells in Patients with HBV‐Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Li Tianyu , Zhang Xinyu , Lv Zhuo , Gao Li , Yan Huimin
Published: March 2020

Background and Aim. Myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) have attracted attention due to their important role in tumor immune escape. Several studies have investigated the involvement of MDSCs into hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, due to the difference of MDSC phenotype, patient types, and sample source among the studies, the results were inconsistent and controversial. The present study aimed to confirm the expression and clinical significance of MDSCs in HBV‐related HCC patients. Methods. The percentages of MDSCs, IFN‐γ‐producing CD4 and CD8 T cells in the peripheral blood of HCC patients, chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, and healthy controls (HC) were determined by flow cytometry. The serum concentrations of IL‐10 and TNF‐α were determined by ELISA. The association of the percentages of MDSCs with tumor burden, liver function parameters, systemic inflammation‐related indexes, and IFN‐γ‐producing T cells was assessed. Results. The percentages of MDSCs and PMN‐MDSCs were significantly higher in HCC patients than those in CHB patients and HC. The level of MDSCs was correlated with indirect bilirubin and prealbumin, as well as systemic inflammation response index, monocyte/lymphocyte ratio, and monocyte counts. The frequency of IFN‐γ‐producing CD8 T cells of HCC patients was lower than that of HC. However, there was no relationship between MDSCs and IFN‐γ‐producing CD8 T cells. The level of IL‐10 in HCC patients was significantly higher than that in CHB patients. Conclusion. MDSCs seem to play an important role in the process leading from chronic HBV infection to HCC. Early inhibiting these cells could affect tumor progression.
A Dual-Polarized Printed Antenna Based on a Tapered Slot SICL Balun for Airborne Radar Application
Authors: Liu Xiaochun , Wang Li , Zhang Mingxi , Liu Shaobin , Du Guiqiang
Published: March 2020

The substrate-integrated coaxial line (SICL) is a potential transmission line due to its good characteristics of high efficiency, nondispersive, and single operational mode. A tapered slot SICL balun is proposed, which can realize the impedance transformation from the microstrip line to the coplanar strip line (CPS). At the same time, the proposed balun can transform the quasi-TEM mode of the microstrip line to the TEM mode of CPS. A printed dipole radiator is designed and is fed by the proposed SICL balun to achieve the impedance matching. The dual-polarized radiation mode is realized by employing two orthogonal printed dipoles. For each polarization radiator, the CPS is bended to avoided the occlusion of two polarization ports and realize the direct assembling of two orthogonal printed circuits. What is more, the assembling method is advantageous to improve the port isolation degree and decrease the cross polarization level. To improve the ratio of front to back (F/B) of the radiation pattern, a cylindrical metal cavity is adopted. According to the results of simulation and experiments, the VSWR of each port is lower than 2, the isolation degree between two polarization ports is higher than 20 dB, and the cross polarization level at the boresight is lower than −20 dB at the operational frequency. The patterns of two ports are almost symmetric, and high radiation efficiency is obtained. The experimental results of the principle prototype verify the design schemes of the balun and the dual-polarized antenna. The proposed dual-polarized antenna fed by the tapered slot SICL balun is suitable for the airborne radar application.
A Novel Botanical Combination Attenuates Light-Induced Retinal Damage through Antioxidant and Prosurvival Mechanisms
Authors: Kan Juntao , Cheng Junrui , Guo Jun , Chen Liang , Zhang Xue , Du Jun
Published: March 2020

The prevalence of light-induced eye fatigue is increasing globally. Efficient regimen for mitigating light-induced retinal damage is becoming a compelling need for modern society. We investigated the effects of a novel combination of lutein ester, zeaxanthin, chrysanthemum, goji berry, and black currant extracts against retinal damage. In the current work, both in vitro and in vivo light-induced retinal damage models were employed. Animal study showed that under strong light exposure (15000 lx for 2 hours), the a-wave and b-wave from electroretinogram were significantly decreased. Treatment with the combination significantly restored the decrease for b-wave under high- and low-stimulus intensity. Histological analysis reported a substantial decrease in the outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness in the model group, while the supplementation with the combination significantly improved the ONL thickness. To further explore the underlying mechanism of the protective effects, we utilized ARPE-19 retinal pigment epithelial cell line and found that strong light stimulation (2900 lx for 30 minutes) significantly increased phosphorylation of p38 and JNK and decreased HIF expression. Intriguingly, chrysanthemum, black currant extracts, lutein ester, and zeaxanthin significantly decreased the phosphorylation of p38 and JNK, while chrysanthemum, goji berry, black currant extracts, and lutein ester restored HIF expression. The botanical combination can alleviate light-induced retina damage, potentially through antioxidant and prosurvival mechanisms.
Effect of Maternal Preeclampsia on Hematological Profile of Newborns in Qatar
Authors: Bayoumi Mohammad A. A. , Ali Abir A. H. , Hamad Sara G. , Ali Alaa A. M. , Elmalik Einas E. , Elkalaf Mohamed M. I. R. , Moustafa Bassem A. A. , Shaltout Deena A. D. A. , Chandra Prem , Langtree Lisa J. , Olayiwola Noimot O.
Published: March 2020

Background. Preeclampsia is a major cause of pregnancy‐related maternal, fetal, and neonatal morbidities and mortalities. We aimed to review the effect of maternal preeclampsia on the hematological profile of newborns in the Qatari population. Methods. In this case‐control study, we reviewed data and complete blood count results of neonates born to Qatari women diagnosed of preeclampsia in 2017 in comparison with data of a control group. Statistical analysis was done using unpaired t‐test, chi‐square test, and logistic regression analysis. Results. A total of 108 neonates of women with preeclampsia and 103 neonates of healthy normotensive women were recruited. The mean weight, length, head circumference, placental weight, and gestational age were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in neonates born to women with preeclampsia. Only 13% of babies born to women with preeclampsia developed neonatal thrombocytopenia which is significantly higher compared to only 2% in the control group (chi‐square χ2 = 9.14; P = 0.003). No significant difference (P > 0.05) was noted between the two groups regarding the white blood cells (WBC) or the absolute neutrophilic count (ANC). Multivariate logistic regression showed that the gestational age, birth weight, length, and ANC had significant association with preeclampsia (P < 0.05). Conclusions. We found that there was a positive association between preeclampsia and neonatal thrombocytopenia in the Qatari population. Prematurity, placenta insufficiency, fetal growth restriction, and need for neonatal resuscitation were significantly higher in babies born to women with preeclampsia. We recommend that hematological parameters of neonates of those women should be properly monitored to reduce the chances of developing complications.
Effects of Daily Activities and Position on Kinematics and Contact Mechanics of Dual Mobility Hip Implant
Authors: Gao Yongchang , Zhao Xin , Chen Shibin , Zhang Jing , Chen Zhenxian , Jin Zhongmin
Published: March 2020

Dual mobility hip implants have been widely introduced to overcome dislocation in recent years. However, the potential influence of different gaits on kinematics and contact mechanics for dual mobility hip implants is still unclear. Furthermore, a large range of motion coupling with the implant position, especially high inclination or anteversion angle, may result in poor kinematics and contact mechanics. A previously developed dynamic finite element method was adopted in this study to examine the kinematics and corresponding stability of dual mobility hip implants under different gaits coupling with different inclinations or anteversion angles. The results showed only inner relative sliding under knee-bending for dual mobility hip implants under moderate inclination and anteversion angles, whereas an anteversion angle of 25° induced both impingement and consequent relative sliding of the outer articulation. However, the impingement (between the stem neck and the liner inner rim) indeed happened under stair-climbing and sitting-down/stand-up as well as combined movements when inclination and anteversion angles were set as 45° and 0°, respectively, and this finally led to relative sliding at the outer articulation. A high inclination angle did not worsen both the impingement and related outer sliding compared to modest inclination and anteversion angles of the liner, but a high anteversion angle prolonged the period of both the impingement and the outer relative sliding. The extreme motions and high anteversion angles are hardly inevitable, and they indeed lead to motions at both articulations for dual mobility hip implants.
Corrigendum to “Effects of Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics on Hypercholesterolemia: A Review”
Authors: Anandharaj Marimuthu , Sivasankari Balayogan , Rani Rizwana Parveen
Published: March 2020

Cholesterol is important for both humans and animals to maintain their normal health. However, increased serum cholesterol level can cause several cardiovascular diseases. Higher cholesterol in the blood will develop a plaque in the walls of artery. Numerous pharmacological and nonpharmacological methods have been used to decrease the blood cholesterol. Various drugs have been developed to treat hypercholesterolemia, and the most common drugs include atorvastatin and rosuvastatin (statin drugs). However, prolonged usage of these drugs causes severe side effects. During the past decades, various scientists reported that the ingestion of several fermented products with probiotic bacteria decreases the serum cholesterol level. Probiotics are viable microorganisms that promote various health benefits upon consumption, while prebiotics are nondigestible food ingredients, which promote the growth of probiotic microorganisms in the human gut. The cholesterol reduction mechanism of probiotic bacteria is not well understood; however, most of the probiotic bacteria reduce the serum cholesterol level by using the bile salt deconjugation method. Herein, we review the cholesterol-reducing capability of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics and use them as an alternative for cholesterol-reducing drugs which is used for hypercholesterolemia.
Identification of Core Prognosis‐Related Candidate Genes in Cervical Cancer via Integrated Bioinformatical Analysis
Authors: Wei Jianxia , Wang Yang , Shi Kejian , Wang Ying
Published: March 2020

Purposes. Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the highest frequently occurred malignant gynecological tumors with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Here, we aimed to identify significant genes associated with poor outcome. Materials and methods. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between CC tissues and normal cervical tissues were picked out by GEO2R tool and Venn diagram software. Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) was performed to analyze gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome (KEGG) pathway. The protein‐protein interactions (PPIs) of these DEGs were visualized by Cytoscape with Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING). Afterwards, Kaplan‐Meier analysis was applied to analyze the overall survival among these genes. The Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) was applied for further validation of the expression level of these genes. Results. The mRNA expression profile datasets of GSE63514, GSE27678, and GSE6791 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO). In total, 76 CC tissues and 35 normal tissues were collected in the three profile datasets. There were totally 73 consistently expressed genes in the three datasets, including 65 up‐regulated genes and 8 down‐regulated genes. Of PPI network analyzed by Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE) plug‐in, all 65 up‐regulated genes and 4 down‐regulated genes were selected. The results of the Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis showed that 3 of the 65 up‐regulated genes had a significantly worse prognosis, while 3 of the 4 down‐regulated genes had a significantly better outcome. For validation in GEPIA, 4 of 6 genes (PLOD2, ANLN, AURKA, and AR) were confirmed to be significantly deregulated in CC tissues compared to normal tissues. Conclusion. We have identified three up‐regulated (PLOD2, ANLN, and AURKA) and a down‐regulated DEGs (AR) with poor prognosis in CC on the basis of integrated bioinformatical methods, which could be regarded as potential therapeutic targets for CC patients.
Effect Modification of Sex and Age for the Hospital Volume‐Outcome Relationship in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Treatment: Secondary Data Analysis of the Nationwide German Diagnosis Related Groups Statistics From 2005 to 2014
Authors: Trenner Matthias , Salvermoser Michael , Busch Albert , Reutersberg Benedikt , Eckstein Hans‐Henning , Kuehnl Andreas
Published: March 2020

Background

Trials and registries associated female sex and high age with unfavorable outcomes in abdominal aortic aneurysm treatment. Many studies showed an inverse correlation between annual hospital volume and in‐hospital mortality. The volume‐outcome relationship has not been investigated separately for women and men or across the age range. The aim was to analyze whether sex and age are effect modifiers or confounders of the volume‐outcome association.

Methods and Results

In a nationwide setting, all in‐hospital cases from 2005 to 2014 with a diagnosis of intact abdominal aortic aneurysm and procedure codes for endovascular or open aortic repair were included. Primary outcome was in‐hospital mortality. Using a multilevel multivariable regression model, hospital volume was modeled as a continuous variable. Separate analyses were performed for women and men and for predefined age groups. A total of 94 966 cases were included (12% women; median age, 72 years). Mortality was 4.9% in women and 3.0% in men (3.2% overall). Mortality increased with age. Although there was no significant volume‐outcome association in women (
P
=0.57), there was in men (
P
=0.02). The strongest volume‐outcome association was found in younger men. The younger female subpopulation was found to show a trend for an inverse volume‐outcome relationship, whereas an opposite association was found for the women aged >79 years.

Conclusions

Women have a higher mortality risk after elective abdominal aortic aneurysm treatment. Sex and age are modifiers of the volume‐outcome relationship. Unlike in male patients, in women there is no consistent effect of hospital volume on outcome.
Hidden diversity within the broadly distributed Amazonian giant monkey frog (Phyllomedusa bicolor: Phyllomedusidae)
Authors: Mota Edvaldo Pereira , Kaefer Igor Luis , Nunes Mario da Silva , Lima Albertina Pimentel , Farias Izeni Pires
Published: March 2020

Phyllomedusa bicolor is a large-sized nocturnal tree frog found in tropical rainforests throughout much of the Amazonian region of Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Venezuela, and the Guianas. Very little is known about P. bicolor genetic diversity and genealogical history of its natural populations. Here, using a sampling design that included populations covering most of its distributional range, we investigated the spatial distribution of genetic variability of this species, and we tested the hypothesis that P. bicolor is composed of deeply structured genetic groups, constituting more than one lineage across the Brazilian Amazonia. The results suggested two main lineages in two geographic mega-regions: Western and Eastern Amazonia, the latter consisting of three population groups distributed in the Guiana and Brazilian Shields. The present findings have implications to taxonomy, to understanding the processes that lead to diversification, and to defining strategies of conservation and medicinal use of the species.
An Analysis of Murābaḥah and Ijārah Muntahiyah bi-t-tamlīk: How Do Islamic Banks Choose Which Product to Utilise?
Authors: Alkhan Ahmed Mansoor
Published: March 2020

Contrary to its conventional counterpart, which uses interest-based methods of financing, Islamic banks commonly use sale, lease, or partnership modes of financing. The murābaḥah (cost-plus sale) and ijārah muntahiyah bi-t-tamlīk (lease-to-own) products achieve similar end-results, where both products are used as Islamic financial mechanisms for Islamic banks to achieve profits on financed assets, and where the client benefits from the financed asset—leading the client to ultimately own the asset at the end of the financing tenor without limitations (whether releasing the asset as a collateral for a murābaḥah or transferring the title deed to the client at the end of an ‘ijārah muntahiyah bi-t-tamlīk’ contract). Using a qualitative methodology, this article investigates how Islamic banks choose between using murābaḥah or ijārah muntahiyah bi-t-tamlīk when financing a customer. This article includes empirical work by analysing primary and secondary data pertaining to three Islamic banks in the Kingdom of Bahrain.