bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pathogen influence on epidemiology, diagnostic evaluation and management of infective endocarditis
Authors: Talha Khawaja M , DeSimone Daniel C , Sohail M Rizwan , Baddour Larry M
Published: August 2020

Infective endocarditis (IE) is uncommon and has, in the past, been most often caused by viridans group streptococci (VGS). Due to the indolent nature of these organisms, the phrase ‘subacute bacterial endocarditis’, so-called ‘SBE’, was routinely used as it characterised the clinical course of most patients that extended for weeks to months. However, in more recent years, there has been a significant shift in the microbiology of IE with the emergence of staphylococci as the most frequent pathogens, and for IE due to Staphylococcus aureus, the clinical course is acute and can be associated with sepsis. Moreover, increases in IE due to enterococci have occurred and have been characterised by treatment-related complications and worse outcomes. These changes in pathogen distribution have been attributed to a diversification in the target population at risk of IE. While prosthetic valve endocarditis and history of IE remain at highest risk of IE, the rise in prevalence of injection drug use, intracardiac device implantations and other healthcare exposures have heavily contributed to the existing pool of at-risk patients. This review focuses on common IE pathogens and their impact on the clinical profile of IE.
Mirage or long-awaited oasis: reinvigorating T-cell responses in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Ware Michael Brandon , El-Rayes Bassel F , Lesinski Gregory B
Published: August 2020

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is plagued by a dismal 5-year survival rate, early onset of metastasis and limited efficacy of systemic therapies. This scenario highlights the need to fervently pursue novel therapeutic strategies to treat this disease. Recent research has uncovered complicated dynamics within the tumor microenvironment (TME) of PDAC. An abundant stroma provides a framework for interactions between cancer-associated fibroblasts, suppressive myeloid cells and regulatory lymphocytes, which together create an inhospitable environment for adaptive immune responses. This accounts for the poor infiltration and exhausted phenotypes of effector T cells within pancreatic tumors. Innovative studies in genetically engineered mouse models have established that with appropriate pharmacological modulation of suppressive elements in the TME, T cells can be prompted to regress pancreatic tumors. In light of this knowledge, innovative combinatorial strategies involving immunotherapy and targeted therapies working in concert are rapidly emerging. This review will highlight recent advances in the field related to immune suppression in PDAC, emerging preclinical data and rationale for ongoing immunotherapy clinical trials. In particular, we draw attention to foundational findings involving T-cell activity in PDAC and encourage development of novel therapeutics to improve T-cell responses in this challenging disease.
Obstetrical outcome and treatments in seronegative primary APS: data from European retrospective study
Authors: Abisror Noemie , Nguyen Yann , Marozio Luca , Esteve Valverde Enrique , Udry Sebastian , Pleguezuelo Daniel Enrique , Billoir Paul , Mayer-Pickel Karoline , Urbanski Geoffrey , Zigon Polona , De Moreuil Claire , Hoxha Ariela , Bezanahary Holy , Carbillon Lionel , Kayem Gilles , Bornes Marie , Yelnik Cecile , Johanet Cathererine , Nicaise-Roland Pascale , Lambert Marc , Salle Valéry , Latino Omar Jose , Hachulla Eric , Benedetto Chiara , Bourrienne Marie Charlotte , Benhamou Ygal , Alijotas-Reig Jaume , Fain Olivier , Mekinian Arsène ,   On behalf of European Forum on Antiphospholipid Antibodies
Published: August 2020

Objective

To compare characteristics, pregnancies and treatments during pregnancies of seronegative and seropositive antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), to analyse factors associated with obstetrical outcome.

Patients and methods

Inclusion criteria were: (1) thrombotic and/or obstetrical APS (Sydney criteria); (2) absence of conventional antiphospholipid antibodies (APL); (3) at least one persistent non-conventional APL among IgA anticardiolipin antibodies, IgA anti-B2GPI, anti-vimentin G/M, anti-annexin V G/M, anti-phosphatidylethanolamine G/M and anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin G/M antibodies. The exclusion criteria were: (1) systemic lupus erythematosus ( SLE) or SLE-like disease; and (2) other connective tissue disease.

Results

A total of 187 women (mean 33±5 years) with seronegative APS were included from 14 centres in Austria, Spain, Italy, Slovenia and France and compared with 285 patients with seropositive APS. Seronegative APS has more obstetrical rather than thrombotic phenotypes, with only 6% of venous thrombosis in comparison to seropositive APS. Cumulative incidence of adverse obstetrical events was similar in seronegative and seropositive APS patients, although higher rates of intrauterine deaths (15% vs 5%; p=0.03), of preeclampsia (7% vs 16%, p=0.048) and lower live birth term (36±3 vs 38±3 weeks of gestation; p=0.04) were noted in seropositive APS. The cumulative incidence of adverse obstetrical events was significantly improved in treated versus untreated seronegative APS (log rank<0.05), whereas there was no difference between patients who received aspirin or aspirin-low-molecular weighted heparin combination.

Conclusion

Several non-criteria APL can be detected in patients with clinical APS features without any conventional APL, with various rates. The detection of non-criteria APL and thus the diagnosis of seronegative APS could discuss the therapeutic management similar to seropositive APS, but well-designed controlled studies are necessary.
Anti-atherogenic properties of Kgengwe (Citrullus lanatus) seed powder in low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout mice are mediated through beneficial alterations in inflammatory pathways
Authors: Kaur R. , Masisi K. , Molaei M. , Le K. , Fischer G. , Kobue-Lekalake R. , Moghadasian M.H.
Published: August 2020

Kgengwe fruits are commonly consumed in sub-Saharan countries. Recent reports indicated low coronary artery disease rates in those regions. To investigate anti-atherogenic properties and potential mechanisms of action of Kgengwe seed powder (KSP), male low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout (LDL-r-KO) mice were fed with an atherogenic diet supplemented with (treated, n = 10) or without (controls, n = 10) 10% (w/w) KSP for 20 weeks. Proximate analysis revealed that KSP contained 38% fibre and 15% lipids. KSP supplementation was not associated with significant changes in body weight gain rate, food intake, and plasma lipid levels. However, the average atherosclerotic lesion size in the aortic roots in the KSP-treated group was 58% smaller than that in the control group (0.26 vs 0.11 mm2, p < 0.05). This strong anti-atherogenic effect was associated with significant increases in the average plasma levels of certain cytokines such as IL-10 (6 vs 13 pg/mL, p < 0.05), GM-CSF (0.1 vs 0.2 pg/mL, p < 0.05), and EPO (7 vs 16 pg/mL, p < 0.05) along with reductions in the average levels of plasma MCP-1 (19 vs 14 pg/mL, p < 0.05) and MIP-2 (28 vs 13 pg/mL, p < 0.05). Except for relatively high levels of saturated fatty acids, KSP possesses balanced nutrient compositions with strong anti-atherogenic properties, which may be mediated through alterations in inflammatory pathways. Additional studies warrant confirmation and mechanism(s) of action of such effects.

Novelty: Kgengwe seeds prevent atherogenesis in LDL-r-KO mice. Kgengwe seeds increase circulating levels of IL-10 and EPO. No reduction in plasma total cholesterol levels.
Phosphodiesterase 4D7 selectively regulates cAMP-mediated control of human arterial endothelial cell transcriptomic responses to fluid shear stress
Authors: Burke-Kleinman Jonah , Maurice Donald H.
Published: August 2020

Human arterial endothelial cells (HAECs) regulate their phenotype by integrating signals encoded in the frictional forces exerted by flowing blood, fluid shear stress (FSS). High laminar FSS promotes establishment of adaptive HAEC phenotype protective against atherosclerosis, whereas low or disturbed FSS cause HAECs to adopt atheroprone phenotypes. A vascular endothelial cadherin (VE cadherin)-based mechanosensory complex allows HAECs to regulate barrier function, cell morphology,/ and gene expression in response to FSS. Previously, we reported that this mechanosensor integrated exchange protein activated by cAMP (EPAC1) and a PDE4D gene derived cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE), but had not identified the PDE4D variant involved. Our hypothesis here was that only one of the two ∼100 kDa PDE4D variants expressed in HAECs coordinated these responses. Now, we show one unique PDE4D splice variant, PDE4D7, controls transcriptional responses of HAECs to FSS while another, PDE4D5, does not. Adaptive transcriptional responses of HAECs subjected to laminar FSS in vitro were blunted in cells in which PDE4D7 was silenced, but unaffected in cells with silenced PDE4D5. This work identifies a specific therapeutic target for the treatment or prevention of atherosclerosis and improves our understanding of the role of cAMP signaling in modulating mechanosensory signal transduction in the vascular endothelium.
On “success” in applied environmental research — What is it, how can it be achieved, and how does one know when it has been achieved?
Authors: Cooke Steven J. , Rytwinski Trina , Taylor Jessica J. , Nyboer Elizabeth A. , Nguyen Vivian M. , Bennett Joseph R. , Young Nathan , Aitken Susan , Auld Graeme , Lane John-Francis , Prior Kent A. , Smokorowski Karen E. , Smith Paul A. , Jacob Aerin L. , Browne David R. , Blais Jules M. , Kerr Jeremy T. , Ormeci Banu , Alexander Steven M. , Burn Christopher R. , Buxton Rachel T. , Orihel Diane M. , Vermaire Jesse C. , Murray Dennis L. , Simon Patrice , Edwards Kate A. , Clarke John , Xenopoulos Marguerite A. , Gregory-Eaves Irene , Bennett Elena M. , Smol John P.
Published: August 2020

Environmental decision-makers and practitioners need and deserve high-quality environmental evidence for effective decision-making. We collate and share a suite of best practices for applied environmental researchers to support their capacity to inform such decision-making processes. This raises a number of important questions: What does “relevant” and informative evidence look like? How do we know when evidence has been applied? We assembled an experienced team of knowledge generators and users in Canada to identify insights that have emerged from their work and that could serve as guideposts for others who seek to apply environmental research to policy challenges. By reflecting on successes and failures, we define “success” in applied environmental science as respectfully conducted, partner-relevant research that is accessible, understandable, and shared and that can create opportunities for change (e.g., in policy, behaviour, management). Next, we generated a list of best practices for delivering “successful” applied environmental research. Our guidance emphasizes the importance of engaging early and often, in a respectful manner, with partners, generating high-quality, relevant research (which requires flexibility), having a plan for communicating and sharing outputs, and being transparent about uncertainties and limitations. Other important considerations include acknowledging partners for involvement and training early career researchers in applied partnership research. Finally, we generated a list of specific, measurable indicators for evaluating success, including quality and quantity of scientific outputs, the relationship with the partner(s), relevance and connectedness of the research, accessibility and availability of outputs to users, provision of outputs that are digestible and usable by different audiences, training and capacity building, and ultimate outcomes (e.g., including social, environmental, and economic outcomes, as well as partner satisfaction). We encourage those embarking on applied environmental research to consider embracing the strategies, to continuously reflect on progress toward shared research goals, and to be flexible. Doing so will increase the likelihood of delivering research that is “successful” and in doing so contribute to overcoming and addressing environmental issues and problems.
Particle correlations from the initial state
Authors: Altinoluk Tolga , Armesto Néstor
Published: August 2020

The observation in small size collision systems,ppandpA, of strong correlations with long range in rapidity and a characteristic structure in azimuth, the ridge phenomenon, is one of the most interesting results obtained at the large hadron collider. Earlier observations of these correlations in heavy ion collisions at the relativistic heavy ion collider are standardly attributed to collective flow due to strong final state interactions, described in the framework of viscous relativistic hydrodynamics. Even though data for small size systems are well described in this framework, the applicability of hydrodynamics is less well grounded and initial state based mechanisms have been suggested to explain the ridge. In this review, we discuss particle correlations from the initial state point of view, with focus on the most recent theoretical developments.
Eikonal model analysis of elastic proton–proton collisions at 52.8 GeV and 8 TeV
Authors: Procházka Jiří , Kundrát Vojtěch
Published: August 2020

Under the influence of standardly used description of Coulomb-hadronic interference proposed by West and Yennie the protons have been interpreted as transparent objects; elastic events have been interpreted as more central than inelastic ones. It will be shown that using eikonal model the protons may be interpreted in agreement with usual ontological conception; elastic processes being more peripheral than inelastic ones. The corresponding results (differing fundamentally from the suggested hitherto models) will be presented by analyzing the most ample elastic data set measured at the ISR energy of 52.8 GeV and the LHC energy of 8 TeV. Detailed analysis of measured differential cross section will be performed and possibility of peripheral behavior on the basis of eikonal model will be presented. The impact of recently established electromagnetic form factors on determination of quantities specifying hadron interaction determined from the fits of experimental elastic data in the broadest region of momentum transfers will be analyzed.
Inverse-chirp imprint of gravitational wave signals in scalar tensor theory
Authors: Geng Chao-Qiang , Kuan Hao-Jui , Luo Ling-Wei
Published: August 2020

The scalar tensor theory contains a coupling function connecting the quantities in the Jordan and Einstein frames, which is constrained to guarantee a transformation rule between frames. We simulate the supernovae core collapse with different choices of coupling functions defined over the viable region of the parameter space and find that a generic inverse-chirp feature of the gravitational waves in the scalar tensor scenario.
Schwinger pair production and the extended uncertainty principle: can heuristic derivations be trusted?
Authors: Ong Yen Chin
Published: August 2020

The rate of Schwinger pair production due to an external electric field can be derived heuristically from the uncertainty principle. In the presence of a cosmological constant, it has been argued in the literature that the uncertainty principle receives a correction due to the background curvature, which is known as the “extended uncertainty principle” (EUP). We show that EUP does indeed lead to the correct result for Schwinger pair production rate in anti-de Sitter spacetime (the case for de Sitter spacetime is similar), provided that the EUP correction term is negative (positive for the de Sitter case). We compare the results with previous works in the EUP literature, which are not all consistent. Our result further highlights an important issue in the literature of generalizations of the uncertainty principle: how much can heuristic derivations be trusted?
Community Detection Based on Modularized Deep Nonnegative Matrix Factorization
Authors: Huang Jin , Zhang Tinghua , Yu Weihao , Zhu Jia , Cai Ercong
Published: August 2020

Community detection is a well-established problem and nontrivial task in complex network analysis. The goal of community detection is to discover community structures in complex networks. In recent years, many existing works have been proposed to handle this task, particularly nonnegative matrix factorization-based method, e.g. HNMF, BNMF, which is interpretable and can learn latent features of complex data. These methods usually decompose the original matrix into two matrixes, in one matrix, each column corresponds to a representation of community and each column of another matrix indicates the membership between overall pairs of communities and nodes. Then they discover the community by updating the two matrices iteratively and learn the shallow feature of the community. However, these methods either ignore the topological structure characteristics of the community or ignore the microscopic community structure properties. In this paper, we propose a novel model, named Modularized Deep NonNegative Matrix Factorization (MDNMF) for community detection, which preserves both the topology information and the instinct community structure properties of the community. The experimental results show that our proposed models can significantly outperform state-of-the-art approaches on several well-known dataset.
Fully discrete polynomial de Rham sequences of arbitrary degree on polygons and polyhedra
Authors: Di Pietro Daniele A. , Droniou Jérôme , Rapetti Francesca
Published: August 2020

In this work, merging ideas from compatible discretisations and polyhedral methods, we construct novel fully discrete polynomial de Rham sequences of arbitrary degree on polygons and polyhedra. The spaces and operators that appear in these sequences are directly amenable to computer implementation. Besides proving the exactness, we show that the usual three-dimensional sequence of trimmed Finite Element (FE) spaces forms, through appropriate interpolation operators, a commutative diagram with our sequence, which ensures suitable approximation properties. A discussion on reconstructions of potentials and discrete [Formula: see text]-products completes the exposition.
Language Policy Strategies of Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia
Authors: CHU MAI NGOC , LE PHAN THI NGOC
Published: August 2020

This paper emphasizes language policy strategies of Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. These three countries are the three highly successful Southeast Asian countries in language policy. This success, in our opinion, is due to the fact that the governments of these countries have had very clear and methodical strategies on language policy. To gain findings, this study combines the use of multiple research methods at the same time such as theoretical synthesis, analyzing and describing, comparing and contrasting, deductive and inductive scientific thinking, quantitative statistical methods. The results show that the language policy strategies of the above governments focus on five main contents namely proper recognition of national language context, determining and developing national languages, overcoming ethnic conflicts, aiming at international integration, socio-economic development of the country, implementing language policies appropriate to each historical period and overcoming limitations in the policy enforcement process.
On the Security and Usability Implications of Providing Multiple Authentication Choices on Smartphones
Authors: Cho Geumhwan , Huh Jun Ho , Kim Soolin , Cho Junsung , Park Heesung , Lee Yenah , Beznosov Konstantin , Kim Hyoungshick
Published: August 2020

The latest smartphones have started providing multiple authentication options including PINs, patterns, and passwords (knowledge based), as well as face, fingerprint, iris, and voice identification (biometric-based). In this article, we conducted two user studies to investigate how the convenience and security of unlocking phones are influenced by the provision of multiple authentication options. In a task-based user study with 52 participants, we analyze how participants choose an option to unlock their smartphone in daily life. The user study results demonstrate that providing multiple biometric-based authentication choices does not really influence convenience, because fingerprint had monopolistic dominance in the usage of unlock methods (111 of a total of 115 unlock trials that used a biometric-based authentication factor) due to users’ habitual behavior and fastness in unlocking phones. However, convenience was influenced by the provision of both knowledge-based and biometric-based authentication categories, as biometric-based authentication options were used in combination with knowledge-based authentication options—pattern was another frequently used unlock method. Our findings were confirmed and generalized through a follow-up survey with 327 participants. First, knowledge-based and biometric-based authentication options are used interchangeably. Second, providing multiple authentication options for knowledge-based authentication may influence convenience—both PINs (55.7%) and patterns (39.2%) are quite evenly used. Last, in contrast to knowledge-based authentication, providing multiple authentication choices for biometric-based authentication has less influence on choosing unlock options—fingerprint scanner is the most frequently used option (134 of 187 unlock methods used among biometric-based authentication options).
Thermoelectric and Electrical Properties of Metal Intercalated Bilayer Graphene
Authors: Kihara Jumpei , Okigawa Yuki , Ishihara Masatou , Koura Setsuko
Published: August 2020

Most thermoelectric materials that convert waste heat into electric power are inorganic materials, which poses problems in terms of flexibility and environmental load. Graphene is a carbon material with a two-dimensional structure and is expected to be a new thermoelectric material because it has peculiar electrical characteristics while having flexibility. In this study, as a result of investigating the thermoelectric properties of high-quality bilayer graphene synthesized by plasma CVD, the Seebeck coefficient was 70 μV/K and the power factor was 2,960 mW/mK^2. In addition, as a result of an experiment in which potassium was electrochemically intercalated into two-layer graphene, the Seebeck coefficient was improved, but the electrical conductivity was reduced. A slight negative shift of the Dirac point was seen in the measurement of electrical properties.
Rho GTPases and the emerging role of tunneling nanotubes in physiology and disease
Authors: Zhang Suli , Kazanietz Marcelo G. , Cooke Mariana
Published: August 2020

Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) emerged as important specialized actin-rich membrane protrusions for cell-to-cell communication. These structures allow the intercellular exchange of material, such as ions, soluble proteins, receptors, vesicles and organelles, therefore exerting critical roles in normal cell function. Indeed, TNTs participate in a number of physiological processes, including embryogenesis, immune response, and osteoclastogenesis. TNTs have been also shown to contribute to the transmission of retroviruses (e.g., human immunodeficiency virus-1, HIV-1) and coronaviruses. As with other membrane protrusions, the involvement of Rho GTPases in the formation of these elongated structures is undisputable, although the mechanisms involved are not yet fully elucidated. The tight control of Rho GTPase function by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) strongly suggests that localized control of these Rho regulators may contribute to TNT assembly and disassembly. Deciphering the intricacies of the complex signaling mechanisms leading to actin reorganization and TNT development would reveal important information about their involvement in normal cellular physiology as well as unveil potential targets for disease management.
Exercise and intestinal permeability: another form of exercise-induced hormesis?
Authors: Keirns Bryant H. , Koemel Nicholas A. , Sciarrillo Christina M. , Anderson Kendall L. , Emerson Sam R.
Published: August 2020

Regular aerobic exercise has numerous benefits on human physiology, arguably by serving as a hormetic stressor resulting in positive adaptations over time. It has long been known that aerobic exercise at a variety of intensities and durations induces intestinal permeability, which is a feature of many pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and metabolic diseases. Given the health benefits of exercise, it seems unlikely that intestinal permeability induced by exercise outweighs the positive adaptations. In fact, a growing body of evidence suggests adoption of exercise regimens lasting weeks to months improves indicators of intestinal permeability. In this brief review, we summarize factors contributing to acute exercise-induced intestinal permeability and what is known about chronic exercise and the gut barrier. Additionally, we outline known and theoretical adaptations of the gut to chronic exercise that may explain emerging reports that exercise improves markers of gut integrity.
Bipolar transcutaneous spinal stimulation evokes short-latency reflex responses in human lower limbs alike standard unipolar electrode configuration
Authors: Krenn Matthias J. , Vargas Luna Jose L. , Mayr Winfried , Stokic Dobrivoje S.
Published: August 2020

Transcutaneous spinal stimulation with the identified bipolar electrode configuration may offer several advantages for neuromodulation interventions over commonly used unipolar configurations: there are no associated abdominal contractions, which improves the participant’s comfort; additional dermatomes are not stimulated as when the anode is over the abdominal wall or iliac crest, which may have unwanted effects; and, due to a more localized electrical field, the bipolar configuration offers the possibility of targeting cord segments more selectively.
Auditory cortex reflects goal-directed movement but is not necessary for behavioral adaptation in sound-cued reward tracking
Authors: Stoilova Vanya V. , Knauer Beate , Berg Stephanie , Rieber Evelyn , Jäkel Frank , Stüttgen Maik C.
Published: August 2020

Recent evidence suggests that sensory cortex represents nonsensory variables such as reward expectation, but the relevance of these representations for behavior are not well understood. We show that rat auditory cortex (AC) is modulated during movement and reward anticipation in a sound-cued reward tracking task, whereas AC inactivation only impaired discrimination without affecting reward tracking, consistent with a predominantly sensory role of AC.
A Novel Oral Astaxanthin Nanoemulsion from Haematococcus pluvialis Induces Apoptosis in Lung Metastatic Melanoma
Authors: Haung Hsing-Yu , Wang Yi-Chen , Cheng Ying-Chen , Kang Wenyi , Hu Shang-Hsiu , Liu Dengyong , Xiao Chaogeng , Wang Hui-Min David
Published: August 2020

Astaxanthin (AST) is a naturally occurring xanthophyll carotenoid having the potential to be used as an anticancer agent; however, the human body has a low bioavailability of AST due to its poor solubility in the water phase. Therefore, we applied D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) as an emulsifier and natural edible peanut oil to form a steady oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsion loaded with AST (denoted as TAP-nanoemulsion). TAP-nanoemulsions were stable without the droplet coalescence against thermal treatments (30-90°C), pH value changes (over a range of 2.0-8.0), and ionic strength adjustments (at NaCl concentrations of 100-500 mM) measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS). AST within TAP-nanoemulsion was released up to 80% in a simulated intestinal enzymatic fluid in vitro, and the overall recovery rate was fairly consistent in the Caco-2 cellular model. In order to further evaluate in vivo melanoma inhibitory experiments, we injected the fluorescent-stained B16F10 cells into female C57BL/6 mouse tail veins and treated TAP-nanoemulsion in an oral gavage. qRT-PCR and Western blot demonstrated that TAP-nanoemulsion triggered effectively the apoptosis pathway, including enhancements of cleaved caspase-3 and caspase-9, ataxia-telangiectasia mutated kinase (ATM), and p21WAF1/CIP1 (p21) and decreases of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2); cyclins D, D1, and E; mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK); extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK); nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB); and matrix metallopeptidase-1 and metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-1 and MMP-9) in both gene and protein expressions. In conclusion, this study suggests that TAP-nanoemulsion with the oral treatment has a positive chemotherapy effect in melanoma with lung metastases in vivo. As far as we know, this is the first time to demonstrate that an antioxidant in nanoparticle administration cures lung metastatic melanoma.
Efficient Boolean Keywords Search over Encrypted Cloud Data in Public Key Setting
Authors: Zhang Yu , He Wei , Li Yin
Published: August 2020

Searchable public key encryption- (SPE-) supporting keyword search plays an important role in cloud computing for data confidentiality. The current SPE scheme mainly supports conjunctive or disjunctive keywords search which belongs to very basic query operations. In this paper, we propose an efficient and secure SPE scheme that supports Boolean keywords search, which is more advanced than the conjunctive and disjunctive keywords search. We first develop a keyword conversion method, which can change the index and Boolean keywords query into a group of vectors. Then, through applying a technique so-called dual pairing vector space to encrypt the obtained vectors, we propose a concrete scheme proven to be secure under chosen keyword attack. Finally, we put forward a detailed theoretical and experimental analysis to demonstrate the efficiency of our scheme.
Investigation on Calcined Magnesium‐Based Mineral Powder and Its Behavior as Alternative Binder
Authors: Sugila Devi G. , Sudalaimani K.
Published: August 2020

This paper investigates the behavior of calcined powder made of natural magnesite and natural steatite. The magnesite and steatite are made into a powder of ratio 3 : 1 by weight proportion, and the combination is thermally decomposed at a temperature of 1200° Celsius. The calcined powder along with and without Sodium Tripolyphosphate (STPP) salt is tested for its microscopic structural development, consistency, initial setting time, final setting time, and heat of hydration. The powder is made into paste with water/powder ratio as 0.25 and the hardened samples are tested for its compressive strength, drying shrinkage, pH value, SEM analysis, and XRD analysis. The results show that adding phosphate salt increases the hydration process, setting time, and strength aspects. The test samples are found with hydration products such as magnesium hydroxide and struvite. Thus, the present work shows that natural metamorphic magnesite and natural metamorphic steatite can be the potential alternative resource for the production of magnesium‐based binder.
Fault Diagnosis and Identification of Power Capacitor Based on Edge Cloud Computing and Deep Learning
Authors: Zhao Xiangbing , Zhang Xulong , Ren Peihua
Published: August 2020

Nowadays, power electronic technology is widely affecting people’s daily work and life. However, there are still many problems in the current power supply research. When the fault information of power transformer is not complete or there is some ambiguity or even the information is lost, it will largely lead to the conclusion and correct conclusion of fault diagnosis. In this case, the fuzzy theory is applied to the fault diagnosis of shunt capacitor, and the fuzzy fault diagnosis system of shunt capacitor is studied. At the same time, a map-based fault diagnosis system is proposed. In this paper, the cloud computing technology is introduced into the deep learning and compared with SVM and DBN algorithm. The research results of this paper show that the accuracy of fuzzy diagnosis results is 94%, 84%, 90%, 80%, 83%, and 70%, respectively, which shows that the model diagnosis reliability is relatively high. Among the three algorithms, MR-DBN overall detection rate is higher and the time-consuming is lower than the other two methods. The diagnostic accuracy and misjudgment rate of DBN are as follows: 96.33% and 3.90%. The diagnosis accuracy and misjudgment rate of SVM are as follows: 96.40% and 3.83%. The diagnostic accuracy and misjudgment rate of MR-DBN are, respectively, 99.52% and 0.57%. Compared with the other two methods, MR-DBN has the highest diagnostic accuracy and the lowest error rate, which to a large extent indicates that MR-DBN algorithm has higher diagnostic accuracy and has greater advantages and reliability in power supply diagnosis and identification. It not only improves the accuracy of power capacitor fault diagnosis and identification but also provides a new method for the application of power capacitor fault research and development.
Scaling the Need, Benefits, and Risks Associated with COVID-19 Acute and Postacute Care Rehabilitation: A Review
Authors: Shah Sayed Zulfiqar Ali , Nasb Mohammad , Lu Min , Huang Liangjiang , Wang Yizhao , Chen Hong
Published: August 2020

Coronavirus is an RNA virus, which attacks the respiratory system causing complications including severe respiratory distress and pneumonia and many other symptoms. Recently, a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak emerged in Wuhan, which caused a significant number of infections in China and resulted in a global pandemic. The main aim of this study is to review and summarize the evidence regarding the supportive role of physical rehabilitation techniques in managing COVID-19-associated pneumonia. In this review, we also emphasize the use of rehabilitation techniques in the management of pneumonia in COVID-19-infected patients. Based on the evidence presented, we conclude that certain physical rehabilitation techniques and modalities could be of great support in the management of COVID-19-associated pneumonia. The safety of staff and patients when applying rehabilitation intervention requires attention. The combination of physical rehabilitation and medical treatment would result in improved treatment outcomes, faster recovery, and shorter hospital stay. Many rehabilitation techniques are safe and feasible and can be easily incorporated into the management protocol of COVID-19 victims. Decisions of early rehabilitation induction should be based on the patient’s medical condition and tolerability.
Main Girder Deflection Variations in Cable-Stayed Bridge with Temperature over Various Time Scales
Authors: Jin Dian , Liu Xiaoling , Wang Bing , Huang Qiao
Published: August 2020

The cable-stay bridge is a complex hyperstatic structure with large span and slender proportions, making it highly sensitive to temperature, especially in terms of deformation. A cable-stayed bridge with a steel tower and steel box girder was taken as an example in this study to explore the temperature effects on the deflection of the main girder under different time scales. The temperature gradient characteristics of the girder and tower were observed; then, the daily and annual variations of girder deflection were investigated. Finally, the main influencing factors of deflection variations with temperature were verified by finite element simulation. The results show that the girder/pylon temperature gradient under current Chinese code is not applicable to cable-stayed bridges, and the measured values are usually underestimated. In terms of diurnal variations, the deflection is greatly affected by the temperature difference between the cable and beam and the temperature gradient of the girder. The annual variation law of deflection data and temperature at 1 : 00am shows obvious linear characteristics. The daily deflection at 1 : 00am., after removing the temperature effect, can thus be used as an index to evaluate the long-term degradation of bridges. This is a workable approach for efficient and rapid mining of large sets of monitoring data.
An Efficient Parallel Approximate Algorithm for Solving Time Fractional Reaction-Diffusion Equations
Authors: Yang Xiaozhong , Wu Lifei
Published: August 2020

In this paper, we construct pure alternative segment explicit-implicit (PASE-I) and implicit-explicit (PASI-E) difference algorithms for time fractional reaction-diffusion equations (FRDEs). They are a kind of difference schemes with intrinsic parallelism and based on classical explicit scheme and classical implicit scheme combined with alternating segment technology. The existence and uniqueness analysis of solutions of the parallel difference schemes are given. Both the theoretical proof and the numerical experiment show that PASE-I and PASI-E schemes are unconditionally stable and convergent with second-order spatial accuracy and 2−α order time accuracy. Compared with implicit scheme and E-I (I-E) scheme, the computational efficiency of PASE-I and PASI-E schemes is greatly improved. PASE-I and PASI-E schemes have obvious parallel computing properties, which shows that the difference schemes with intrinsic parallelism in this paper are feasible to solve the time FRDEs.
Lipid-Induced Mechanisms of Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Denisenko Yulia K. , Kytikova Oxana Yu , Novgorodtseva Tatyana P. , Antonyuk Marina V. , Gvozdenko Tatyana A. , Kantur Tatyana A.
Published: August 2020

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has a worldwide tendency to increase and depends on many components, which explains the complexity of diagnosis, approaches to the prevention, and treatment of this pathology. Insulin resistance (IR) is the crucial cause of the MetS pathogenesis, which develops against the background of abdominal obesity. In light of recent evidence, it has been shown that lipids, especially fatty acids (FAs), are important signaling molecules that regulate the signaling pathways of insulin and inflammatory mediators. On the one hand, the lack of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the body leads to impaired molecular mechanisms of glucose transport, the formation of unresolved inflammation. On the other hand, excessive formation of free fatty acids (FFAs) underlies the development of oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in MetS. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of the participation of FAs and their metabolites in the pathogenesis of MetS will contribute to the development of new diagnostic methods and targeted therapy for this disease. The purpose of this review is to highlight recent advances in the study of the effect of fatty acids as modulators of insulin response and inflammatory process in the pathogenesis and treatment for MetS.
Preparation of Carbon-Supported Ternary Nanocatalysts Palladium-Vanadium-Cobalt for Alcohol Electrooxidation
Authors: Co Thanh Thien , Pham Thi Thanh Thao , Pham Thi Kieu Chinh , Diep Thi Duyen , Huynh Le Thanh Nguyen , Le Viet Hai
Published: August 2020

Carbon-supported nanocatalysts palladium-vanadium-cobalt (PdVCo) were synthesized via ethylene glycol (EG) reduction reaction and NaBH4-assisted reduction. The electrocatalytic performance for alcohol oxidation in alkaline solutions was investigated. The XRD and EDX results confirmed the incorporation of V and Co with Pd lattice to form the ternary nanocatalysts PdVCo in a single phase. The NaBH4-assisted EG reduction process exhibited highly dispersed nanoparticles with a uniform size, and the electrochemical surface area (ECSA) determined by cyclic voltammetry in 1 M KOH was also superior. In electrocatalysis performance, the cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA) results presented an excellent electrocatalytic activity and stability of the PdVCo-20EG-20NaBH4sample in the alcohol electrooxidation as compared to other synthesized samples with the steady current of 52 mA/cm2and 21.9 mA/cm2in methanol and ethanol, respectively.
Clinicopathological and Prognostic Value of Gastric Carcinoma Highly Expressed Transcript 1 in Cancer: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zhou Xi , Fan Yanghua , He Yu , Mou Anna , Wang Fu , Liu Yong , Wu Zhen
Published: August 2020

Background. Long noncoding RNA gastric cancer highly expressed transcript 1 (lncRNA GHET1) is often reported to be abnormally expressed in multiple cancers, but the situation is different in different cancers. Therefore, a meta-analysis is necessary to clarify the value of lncRNA GHET1 as a prognostic indicator in cancer. Methods. Relevant research studies on lncRNA GHET1 and cancer were retrieved from three electronic literature databases of Web of Science, PubMed, and OVID. Meanwhile, hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to explore the relationship between lncRNA GHET1 expression and survival of cancer patients. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were calculated to assess the association of lncRNA GHET1 expression with pathological parameters of cancer patients. Results. The meta-analysis included a total of 11 studies involving 714 cancer patients. The pooled HR suggests that high lncRNA GHET1 expression is associated with poor overall survival. In addition, high expression of lncRNA GHET1 was found to be associated with larger tumor size, poor histological grade, high tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis. Conclusions. High lncRNA GHET1 expression can predict poor survival and pathological parameters. And lncRNA GHET1 could serve as a new indicator in multiple cancers.
Design of a 3-RPR Flexure System for Optical Switch Assembly
Authors: Kou Guiyue , Lin Mouyou , Chu Changbao
Published: August 2020

In the MEMS optical switch assembly, the collision is likely to happen between the optical fiber and the U-groove of the chip due to the uncontrollable assembly errors. However, these errors can hardly be completely eliminated by the active control using high precision sensors and actuators. It will cause the large acting force and part damage, which further leads to the assembly failure. To solve this question, this paper presents a novel low-cost three-degree-of-freedom (three-DOF) passive flexure system to adaptively eliminate the planar assembly errors. The flexure system adopts three parallel kinematic chains with a novel 3-RPR structure and has a compact size with a diameter of 125 mm and thickness of 12 mm. A novel eddy current damper with the structure of Halbach array permanent magnets (PMs) is utilized to suppress the adverse mechanical vibration of the assembly system from the background disturbances. Analytical models are established to analyze the kinematic, static, and dynamic performances of the system in detail. Finally, finite element analysis is adopted to verify the established models for optimum design. The flexure system can generate a large deformation of 1.02 mm along the two translational directions and 0.02° along the rotational direction below the yield state of the material, and it has much higher natural frequencies than 200 Hz. Moreover, the large damping force means that the designed ECD can suppress the system vibration quickly. The above results indicate the excellent characteristics of the assembly system that will be applied into the optical switch assembly.
Physical Activity and Quality of Sleep in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease on Hemodialysis: A Preliminary Report
Authors: Theodorou Vasiliki , Karetsi Eleni , Daniil Zoe , Gourgoulianis Konstantinos I. , Stavrou Vasileios T.
Published: August 2020

Chronic kidney disease significantly impairs patients’ daily lives and worsens their quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate the physical activity and quality of sleep, during three days (previous day of dialysis, on the day of dialysis and after day of dialysis), in patients with end-stage renal on hemodialysis. 12 hemodialysis patients were included in our study, answered the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire, and for each patient were used a smart bracelet for three days (day-pre- and posthemodialysis and day at hemodialysis) to record daily physical activity (steps, distance) and estimate the quality of sleep. Results showed differences between three days average of steps and distance and PSQI parameters “…engaging in social activity?” (steps, p=0.006, distance, p=0.006) and “…enthusiasm to get things done?” (steps, p=0.029, distance, p=0.030). Our study suggests interrelationship between sleep quality and physical activity.
Intelligent Buses in a Loop Service: Emergence of No-Boarding and Holding Strategies
Authors: Saw Vee-Liem , Vismara Luca , Chew Lock Yue
Published: August 2020

We study how N intelligent buses serving a loop of M bus stops learn a no-boarding strategy and a holding strategy by reinforcement learning. The no-boarding and holding strategies emerge from the actions of stay or leave when a bus is at a bus stop and everyone who wishes to alight has done so. A reward that encourages the buses to strive towards a staggered phase difference amongst them whilst picking up passengers allows the reinforcement learning process to converge to an optimal Q-table within a reasonable amount of simulation time. It is remarkable that this emergent behaviour of intelligent buses turns out to minimise the average waiting time of commuters, in various setups where buses move with the same speed or different speeds, during busy as well as lull periods. Cooperative actions are also observed, e.g., the buses learn to unbunch.
Alopecia and Iron Deficiency: An Interventional Pilot Study in Primary Care to Improve the Request of Ferritin
Authors: Salinas Maria , Leiva-Salinas Maria , Flores Emilio , López-Garrigós Maite , Leiva-Salinas Carlos
Published: August 2020

Background. The aim was to study the demographic and laboratory pattern of primary care patients with alopecia undergoing laboratory testing, more specifically, the request of hemoglobin and ferritin and values showing anemia and iron deficiency, and to evaluate the effects of an intervention involving automatic ferritin registration and measurement when not requested. Methods. Retrospective and prospective observational cross-sectional studies were conducted, as well as an intervention to automatically register and measure ferritin when not requested by the general practitioner. Results. There were 343 and 1032 primary care laboratory requests prompted by alopecia in the retrospective and prospective studies. Hemoglobin was requested in almost every patient and ferritin in 88%. 5% of the cohort had anemia, and 25% had iron deficiency. The intervention registered and measured that 123 ferritin and 24 iron deficiencies were detected in patients with alopecia, all women, at a cost of 10.6€. Conclusion. Primary care patients with alopecia and laboratory tests request were mainly young female. Our intervention added ferritin when not requested, detecting iron deficiency in 27.9% of women, potentially avoiding the adverse effects of iron deficiency on hair loss.