bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inhaled Water and Salt Suppress Respiratory Droplet Generation and COVID-19 Incidence and Death on US Coastlines
Authors: Field Rachel D. , Moelis Nathan , Salzman Jonathan , Bax Adriaan , Ausiello Dennis , Woodward Sophie M. , Wu Xiao , Dominici Francesca , Edwards David A.
Published: August 2021

Dry air alters salt and water balance in the upper airways and increases the risks of COVID-19 among other respiratory diseases. We explored whether such upper airway variations in salt and water balance might alter respiratory droplet generation and potentially contribute to observed impacts of airway hydration on respiratory disease. In a randomized 4-arm study of 21 healthy human subjects we found that the breathing of humid air, the wearing of cotton masks, and the delivery of (sodium, calcium, and magnesium chloride) salt droplets sized to deposit in the nose, trachea, and main bronchi similarly reduce the exhalation of respiratory droplets by approximately 50% ([Formula: see text] < 0.05) within 10 minutes following hydration. Respiratory droplet generation returns to relatively high baseline levels within 60–90 minutes on return to dry air in all cases other than on exposure to divalent (calcium and magnesium) salts, where suppression continues for 4–5 hours. We also found via a preliminary ecological regression analysis of COVID-19 cases in the United States between January 2020 and March 2021 that exposure to elevated airborne salt on (Gulf and Pacific) US coastlines appears to suppress by approximately 25%–30% ([Formula: see text] < 0.05) COVID-19 incidence and deaths per capita relative to inland counties — accounting for ten potential confounding environmental, physiological, and behavioral variables including humidity. We conclude that the hydration of the upper airways by exposure to humidity, the wearing of masks, or the breathing of airborne salts that deposit in the upper airways diminish respiratory droplet generation and may reduce the risks of COVID-19 incidence and symptoms.
Impact of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Phenotypes on in Vitro Fertilization Outcomes in Vietnamese Women: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Ho Vu N.A. , Pham Toan D. , Hoang Hieu L.T. , Vuong Lan N.
Published: August 2021

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is diagnosed when [Formula: see text]2 of the following symptoms are present: ovulation disorder (OD), hyperandrogenism (HA), and polycystic ovary morphology (PCO). Clinical features of PCOS are heterogeneous and there are four clinical phenotypes: A (OD + HA + PCO); B (HA + OD); C (HA + PCO); and D (OD + PCO). Women with a PCOS phenotype that includes severe HA are at increased risk for pregnancy complications. There are currently no data on impact of PCOS phenotypes on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes in Vietnamese women. This study investigated the association between PCOS phenotypes and IVF outcomes.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial conducted in patients with PCOS undergoing IVF at IVFMD, My Duc Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam between January 2018 and April 2019. The primary outcome was live birth rate.

Results: A total of 192 patients were included, of whom 33 patients had phenotype A (17.2%) and 159 had phenotype D (82.8%); no patients had phenotype B or C. Body mass index was significantly higher in patients with phenotype A than D (25.36 ± 4.78 versus 22.08 ± 3.21, [Formula: see text] = 0.001). There were no differences in laboratory and pregnancy outcomes between patients with phenotypes A and D. The live birth rate was lower in patients with phenotype A versus D, but the between-group difference did not reach statistical significance (33.3% vs. 42.8%, [Formula: see text] = 0.419).

Conclusions: The common PCOS phenotypes in Vietnamese women with infertility were A and D. No impact of PCOS phenotypes on IVF treatment outcomes was detected in this secondary analysis; larger studies are needed
Viktor Leis Speaks Out on Concurrency and Parallelism on Multicore CPUs
Authors: Winslett Marianne , Braganholo Vanessa
Published: August 2021

Welcome to ACM SIGMOD Record's series of interviews with distinguished members of the database community. I'm Marianne Winslett, and today I have here with me Viktor Leis who won the 2018 ACM SIGMOD Jim Gray Dissertation Award for his thesis entitled Query Processing and Optimization in Modern Database Systems. Viktor is now at the University of University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and his Ph.D. is from the Technical University of Munich, where he worked with Thomas Neumann and Alfons Kemper. So, Viktor, welcome.
Evolution in Cities
Authors: Diamond Sarah E. , Martin Ryan A.
Published: August 2021

Although research performed in cities will not uncover new evolutionary mechanisms, it could provide unprecedented opportunities to examine the interplay of evolutionary forces in new ways and new avenues to address classic questions. However, while the variation within and among cities affords many opportunities to advance evolutionary biology research, careful alignment between how cities are used and the research questions being asked is necessary to maximize the insights that can be gained. In this review, we develop a framework to help guide alignment between urban evolution research approaches and questions. Using this framework, we highlight what has been accomplished to date in the field of urban evolution and identify several up-and-coming research directions for further expansion. We conclude that urban environments can be used as evolutionary test beds to tackle both new and long-standing questions in evolutionary biology.
Hypoplastic Interface Model considering Plane Strain Condition and Surface Roughness
Authors: Jong Yong-Gwang , Liu Yang , Chen Zixuan , Mabe Fogang Pieride
Published: August 2021

The soil‐structure interface problem is an important part of soil‐structure interaction research. These problems are mostly three‐dimensional space problems, which is more complex to solve. In this paper, reduced stress and strain rate vectors are incorporated into the explicitly granular hypoplastic model by considering the plane strain state precisely. In addition, considering the important influence of roughness on the mechanical properties of contact surface, an improved hypoplastic model is established by incorporating the influence of roughness into the hypoplastic model, and the applicability of the new improved model is validated by comparing with the simulation results of the Mohr–Coulomb model, the explicitly granular hypoplastic models, and the experimental data. The results indicate that the improved model can be utilized to reflect the nonlinearity of the mechanical properties of the contact surface, which is in good agreement with the experimental data.
Central Obesity and Associated Factors among Adult Patients on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) in Armed Force Comprehensive and Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Authors: Kemal Adnan , Ahmed Mohammed , Sinaga Teshome Melese , Abate Kalkidan Hassen
Published: August 2021

Background. Similar to the general population, the prevalence of central obesity is increasing among HIV-infected persons. There are little data on the burden of abdominal obesity using the waist-to-hip ratio measurement in HIV-infected patients in resource-limited settings, including Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of central obesity among HIV patients taking ART in an armed force comprehensive and specialized hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to April 2018. A systematic sampling method was used to select 353 study participants. Pretested World Health Organization stepwise questionnaire, document review, and anthropometric and biochemical measurements were used to collect data on different variables under the study. The collected data were entered into EpiData version 3 and analyzed by SPSS version 21. An adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI was considered to declare a statistically significant association. Results. The prevalence of central obesity in this study was 71.7% (95% CI: 67%–76.4%). Besides, the odds of central obesity were associated with being female (AOR: 85.6; 95% CI: 20.09, 364.6), among merchants (AOR: 18.8; 95% CI: 1.39, 255.7), CD4 count <200 cells/mm3 (AOR: 0.03; 95% CI: 0.007, 0.160), among respondents taking AZT + 3TC + EFV-based ART regimen (AOR: 8.73; 95% CI: 1.33, 57.17), ABC + 3TC + ATV/r-based regimen (AOR: 0.18; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.94), increased BMI (AOR: 3.50; 95% CI: 1.36, 3.89), and abnormal blood pressure (AOR: 2.53; 95%: 1.13, 5.67). Conclusion. It is possible to conclude that central obesity is a huge public health problem among the HIV-infected population in the study area. Being female, increased BMI, low CD4 count, AZT + 3TC + EFV, ABC + 3TC + ATV/r-based regimen, and abnormal blood pressure were associated with central obesity. Therefore, adequate attention must be paid to primary and secondary control of these factors to reduce the prevalence of abdominal obesity among HIV-infected patients.
An Analysis of the Impact of Deviatoric Stress and Spherical Stress on the Stability of Surrounding Rocks in Roadway
Authors: Rui Liu , Quanjie Zhu
Published: August 2021

In this study, a detailed analysis was conducted to evaluate the impacts of the deviatoric stress component and spherical stress component on the stability of surrounding rocks in the roadway via the theoretical analysis and calculation and numerical simulation. Based on the analysis, the distribution laws guiding the main stress differences, plastic zone, convergence of surrounding rocks, and third invariant of stress under various conditions (such as equal spherical stress and unequal deviatoric stress and equal deviatoric stress and unequal spherical stress) were developed, providing an optimization scheme for roadway support misunderstanding under the conditions of high spherical stress field and high deviator stress field. The study further reveals that under the circumstance of the constant spherical stress, the greater the deviatoric stress, the plastic zone range of the surrounding rock of the roadway, the range of tensile deformation of the surrounding rock, the amount of convergence of the surrounding rock, the probability of separation of the roof and floor of the roadway, and the principal stress difference and the main stress, the greater the concentration range of the maximum stress difference is, and the maximum principal stress difference is mainly concentrated in the roof and floor rocks of the roadway, and the greater the deviatoric stress, the greater the probability that the roof and floor rocks of the roadway will be separated, and the maximum principal stress difference is mainly concentrated in the roof and floor rocks of the roadway, the greater the deviator stress, the greater the concentration range of the maximum value of the principal stress difference and the principal stress difference; when the deviator stress is constant, the range of the plastic zone and the maximum principal stress difference concentration range of the surrounding rock of the roadway decrease with the increase of the ball stress, and the principal stress difference, the amount of convergence of the surrounding rock, and the range of tensile deformation increase with the increase of the ball stress. The maximum principal stress difference is mainly concentrated in the roof and floor rocks of the roadway. The principal stress difference increases with the increase of the spherical stress, and the maximum concentration range of the principal stress difference decreases with the increase of the spherical stress. After the method proposed in this paper optimizes the actual roadway support on site, the surrounding rock deformation of the roadway is small and the control is relatively ideal, which basically meets the engineering needs.
Acute Pain Burden and Opioid Dose Requirements after Cesarean Delivery in Parturients with Preexisting Chronic Back Pain and Migraine
Authors: Komatsu Ryu , Nash Michael G. , Ruth Kenneth C. , Harbour William , Ziga Taylor M. , Mandalia Shane , Dinges Emily M. , Singh Davin , El-Omrani Hani , Reno Joseph , Carvalho Brendan , Bollag Laurent A.
Published: August 2021

Introduction. Preexisting chronic pain has been reported to be a consistent risk factor for severe acute postoperative pain. However, each specific chronic pain condition has unique pathophysiology, and it is possible that the effect of each condition on postoperative pain is different. Methods. This is a retrospective cohort study of pregnant women with preexisting chronic pain conditions (i.e., migraine, chronic back pain, and the combination of migraine + chronic back pain), who underwent cesarean delivery. The effects of the three chronic pain conditions on time-weighted average (TWA) pain score (primary outcome) and opioid dose requirements in morphine milligram equivalents (MME) during postoperative 48 hours were compared. Results. The TWA pain score was similar in preexisting migraine and chronic back pain. Chronic back pain was associated with significantly greater opioid dose requirements than migraine (12.92 MME, 95% CI: 0.41 to 25.43,

P
=
0.041

). Preoperative opioid use (

P
<
0.001

) was associated with a greater TWA pain score. Preoperative opioid use (

P
<
0.001

), smoking (

P
=
0.004

), and lower postoperative ibuprofen dose (

P
=
0.002

) were associated with greater opioid dose requirements. Conclusions. Findings suggest women with chronic back pain and migraine do not report different postpartum pain intensities; however, women with preexisting chronic back pain required 13 MME greater opioid dose than those with migraine during 48 hours after cesarean delivery.
Classification of Electrocardiogram of Congenital Heart Disease Patients by Neural Network Algorithms
Authors: Yuan Yongjie , Zhang Yongjun , Wang Junyuan , Fang Ping
Published: August 2021

The study intended to explore the effect of different neural network algorithms in the electrocardiogram (ECG) classification of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). Based on the single convolutional neural network (CNN) ECG algorithm and the recurrent neural network (RNN) ECG algorithm, a multimodal neural network (MNN) ECG algorithm was constructed utilizing the MIT-BIH database as training set and test set. Furthermore, the MNN ECG algorithm was optimized to establish an improved MNN (IMNN) algorithm, which was applied to the diagnosis of CHD patients. The CHD patients admitted between August 2016 and August 2019 were selected for analysis to compare the classification effect and accuracy rate of IMNN, MNN, CNN ECG, and RNN ECG algorithms. It was found that the RNN ECG algorithm had higher classification sensitivity and true positive rate in terms of normal or bundle (NB) branch block beat, supraventricular abnormal (SA) rhythm, abnormal ventricular (AV) beat, and fusion beat (FB) than the CNN ECG algorithm (

P
<
0.05

), and the classification sensitivity and true positive rate of IMNN algorithm in the four aspects were significantly higher than those of MNN algorithm (

P
<
0.05

). The classification accuracy of CNN ECG algorithm and RNN ECG algorithm was above 98%, while that of MNN algorithm and IMNN algorithm was better than that of CNN ECG algorithm and RNN ECG algorithm, and the accuracy rate can reach 98.5% or more. Moreover, the accuracy rate of the IMNN algorithm can reach more than 98%. In conclusion, IMNN not only has a good classification ability in the simulated environment but also performs well in the actual environment, which is worthy of clinical promotion.
Pain Experience after Dental Implant Placement Compared to Tooth Extraction
Authors: AlQutub Alaa W.
Published: August 2021

Background. A patients’ main concern when visiting the dentist is the pain experience during the procedure and postoperatively. Patients who are undergoing dental surgical procedures in particular may experience more concerns and higher level of anxiety and stress that can affect their psychology and decision-making ability. A thorough discussion with the patients about the planned surgical procedure and the expected postsurgical pain and discomfort level is crucial to reduce their fear and stress. Despite increasing popularity of dental implants, limited data are available on pain experience related to surgical implant placement. This review is to discuss and compare postoperative pain and discomfort level after dental implant placement procedure and tooth extraction. The review has a clinical significance as it can be used as a reference when explaining to the patients about the anticipated pain and discomfort level after implant placement. Conclusion. Informing patients about implant placement surgical procedure and the anticipated postsurgical pain can reduce their anxiety level and affect postsurgical pain and discomfort. Implant placement surgical procedure is less unpleasant than tooth extraction, with less postsurgical pain and limitation of daily activities.
Near-Field Measurements of Water-Entry Sound of Low-Speed Metal Balls in a Non-Anechoic Tank
Authors: Li Qi , Yang Yihan , Shang Dajing , Tang Rui , Deng Fangzhou
Published: August 2021

As one of the target characteristics, water-entry sound characteristics are of great significance to study, and its research has certain reference value for the detection of sea target. The water-entry sound of an underwater target is a transient sound signal, and it is mainly measured in open water such as the sea and lakes. However, due to the short duration of the acoustic signal and the modulation effect of the measuring environment, it is difficult to measure water-entry sound. To deal with this problem, in this work, the water-entry sound of a metal ball was measured in a water tank in a laboratory. The measurements were made in the direct acoustic control area 0.45 m away from the drop point of the ball to eliminate the influence of reflection. Through a time-domain integration, the power of the transient signal of the water-entry sound of the metal ball was obtained. The energy of the initial impact sound and the pulsating-bubble sound was investigated, as was the impact of ball size, entry velocity, and other factors on the characteristics of the water-entry sound. The results show that by combining the virtual-source method with the time-domain integral in the near field, the energy of the incoming sound can be obtained accurately. The results are consistent with closed-space measurements. The water-entry sound includes the initial impact sound and the pulsating-bubble sound. The energy of the pulsating-bubble sound is 3–5 orders of magnitude larger than that of the initial impact sound. The average power level of the water-entry sound is proportional to the ball size and the 2/3 power of the slamming velocity. The relation between the average power level and the 1/3 power of the kinetic energy is an exponential function with base 10. Based on the kinetic energy variety of metal balls entering the water, an acoustic model of this system is established. The results can be used for reference to other transient sound measurements.
Application of Image Reconstruction Based on Inverse Radon Transform in CT System Parameter Calibration and Imaging
Authors: Wang Chun-li , Zhang Hao-chi , Zeng Ze-yu , Yu Jun-hui , Wang Yang
Published: August 2021

According to the requirements of CT system parameter calibration and imaging, using OpenCV and MATLAB software, the reverse Radon transform and the Canny edge detection algorithm in the projection edge methods can determine the position and geometry of two different media in the square tray based on given data. Besides, it can apply and analyze the shape and the absorption rate of the specified point, the accuracy, and stability of the template calibration parameters by this way, which enables designing a new template and calibrating the new parameters.
Protective Effects of Anthocleista djalonensis Extracts against Pentylenetetrazole-Induced Epileptic Seizures and Neuronal Cell Loss: Role of Antioxidant Defense System
Authors: Taiwe Germain Sotoing , Ndieudieu Kouamou Arielle Larissa , Dabole Bernard , Ambassa Armelle Rosalie Mbang , Mambou Hart Mann Alain Youbi , Bila Raymond Bess , Tchoya Thierry Bang , Menanga Joseph Renaud , Djomeni Dzeufiet Paul Desire , Ngo Bum Elisabeth
Published: August 2021

Oxidative stress and neurodegeneration are involved in the initiation of epileptogenesis and progression of epileptic seizures. This study was aimed at investigating the anticonvulsant, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties of active fractions isolated from Anthocleista djalonensis root barks in pentylenetetrazole mouse models of epileptic seizures. Bioactive-guided fractionation of Anthocleista djalonensis (AFAD) extracts using acute pentylenetetrazole (90 mg/kg) induced generalised tonic-clonic seizures, which afforded a potent anticonvulsant fraction (FPool 5). Further fractionation of AFAD was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography, which yielded fifteen subfractions, which were chemically characterised. In addition, AFAD was tested against convulsions or spontaneous kindled seizures induced, respectively, by acute (50 mg/kg) or subchronic (30 mg/kg) injection of pentylenetetrazole. Finally, oxidative stress markers, brain GABA content, and neuronal cell loss were evaluated in AFAD-treated pentylenetetrazole-kindled mice. Administration of AFAD significantly protected mice against acute pentylenetetrazole (90 mg/kg)-induced convulsions. In acute pentylenetetrazole (50 mg/kg)-induced hippocampal and cortical paroxysmal discharges, AFAD significantly decreased the number of crisis, the cumulative duration of crisis, and the mean duration of crisis. Additionally, AFAD significantly decreased the number of myoclonic jerks and improved the seizure score in subchronic pentylenetetrazole-induced kindled seizures. The pentylenetetrazole-induced alteration of oxidant-antioxidant balance, GABA concentration, and neuronal cells in the brain were attenuated by AFAD treatment. This study showed that AFAD protected mice against pentylenetetrazole-induced epileptic seizures possibly through the enhancement of antioxidant defence and GABAergic signalling. These events might be correlated with the amelioration of neuronal cell loss; hence, AFAD could be a potential candidate for the treatment of epilepsy.
Quantification of Oil Fractions of Deep-Fried Wheat Dough and Batter Enriched with Oat and Wheat Bran
Authors: Onipe Oluwatoyin O. , Beswa Daniso , Jideani Afam I.O.
Published: August 2021

This study investigated oil distribution in two types of deep-fried dough products with two moisture levels (65 and 100 wt. %), two bran types (oat and wheat bran), and five bran concentrations (5–20%). The total oil content of fried products was categorised as surface oil (SO), penetrated surface oil (PSO), and structural oil (STO) using a spectrophotometric method. Moisture loss reduced (

p
<
0.05

) from 23.35% in the control to 15.19% fried batter (FB) and to 20% oat bran (OB), while a reverse trend was observed in the fried dough. Reduction of total oil from 0.43 g/g in the control to 0.38 g/g at 20% OB and 8% wheat bran (WB) was observed. At 15% OB and 20% WB, total fat reduced from 0.41 g/g in the control to 0.26 g/g of fried dough (FD). The trend STO < SO < PSO was observed in FD, while FB followed a SO < STO < PSO trend. This investigation indicated that oil uptake reduction in fried dough products is achievable through ingredient modifications. The method of oil distribution measurement used herein can be applied to other thick deep-fried food systems in the assessment of product quality.
Local Gaussian Distribution Fitting Boundary Image Segmentation Algorithm for Ultrasound Images in Avoiding Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injury during Thyroid Nodules Treatment
Authors: Xuan Zhidong , Wu Na , Li Chao , Liu Yongrong
Published: August 2021

This work aimed to analyze the effect of the boundary segmentation algorithm in thyroid nodules image segmentation and the influence of its adoption in avoiding recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury during treatment of thyroid nodules. The nodule boundary was extracted aided by the local Gaussian distribution fitting energy (LGDF) segmentation algorithm, which was compared with the normalized cut (Ncut) algorithm and the Canny algorithm. Then, 51 patients treated with microwave ablation for thyroid nodules were taken as a test group, and 51 patients treated with surgical resection were taken as a control group. The incidence of RLN injury and the levels of free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroid hormone (FT4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. The results showed that the true positive fraction (TPF) of the LGDF segmentation algorithm was 69.45%, the TPF of the Ncut algorithm and the Canny algorithm were 58.65% and 52.37%, respectively. The TPF of LGDF algorithm was higher than that of the Ncut algorithm and Canny algorithm, with notable differences (

P
<
0.05

). In the control group, there were 10 cases of temporary and permanent damage to the RLN after operation, and the total incidence was 19.61%. In the test group, there were 3 cases of temporary and permanent damage to the RLN after operation, and the total incidence was 5.88%, which was lower than that of the control group (

P
<
0.05

). No evident differences were shown in the levels of FT3, FT4, and TSH between the two groups before treatment (

P
>
0.05

). However, after treatment, the TSH level of the test group (4.58 ± 0.79) was higher than that of the control group (3.19 ± 0.17), and the levels of FT3 and FT4 in the test group were lower than those in the control group, and the differences were remarkable (

P
<
0.05

). In short, the LGDF algorithm had more ideal segmentation effect. In addition, ultrasound-guided microwave ablation was effective in treating benign thyroid nodules, which could reduce damage to the RLN and maintain normal thyroid function.
The Effect of Long-Term Duration Renal Replacement Therapy on Outcomes of Critically Ill Patients with Acute Kidney Injury: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Yang Mengmeng , Li Yun , Li Peiyao , Fan Yong , Zhang Yu , Yuan Rui , Wang Lu , Zhao Yan , Liu Xiaoli , Zhang Zhengbo , Kang Hongjun
Published: August 2021

Background. Renal replacement therapy (RRT), as a cornerstone of supportive treatment, has long been performed in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). However, the majority of studies may have neglected the effect of the duration of RRT  on the outcome of AKI patients. This paper is aiming to explore the effect of the long duration of RRT  on the outcome of critically ill patients with AKI. Methods. This retrospective study was conducted by using the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care II (MIMIC-II) database. The primary outcome measure of this study was the mortality at 28 days, 60 days, and 90 days in the long-duration RRT group and the non-long-duration RRT group. The secondary outcomes assessed the difference in clinical outcome in these two groups. Lastly, the effect of the duration of RRT on mortality in AKI patients was determined as the third outcome. Results. We selected 1,020 patients in total who received RRT according to the MIMIC-II database. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we finally selected 506 patients with AKI: 286 AKI patients in the non-long-duration RRT group and 220 in the long-duration RRT group. After 28 days, there was a significant difference in all-cause mortality between the long-duration RRT group and the non-long-duration RRT group (

P
=
0.001

). However, the difference disappeared after 60 days and 90 days (

P
=
0.803

and

P
=
0.925

, respectively). The length of ICU stay, length of hospital stay, and duration of mechanical ventilation were significantly longer in the long-duration RRT group than those in the non-long-duration RRT group. Considering 28-day mortality, the longer duration of RRT was shown to be a protective factor (HR = 0.995, 95% CI 0.993–0.997,

P
<
0.0001

), while 60-day and 90-day mortality were not correlated with improved protection. Conclusions. The long duration of RRT can improve the short-term prognosis of AKI patients, but it does not affect the long-term prognosis of these patients. Prognosis is determined by the severity of the illness itself. This suggests that RRT can protect AKI patients through the most critical time; however, the final outcome cannot be altered.
Fischer Type Log-Majorization of Singular Values on Partitioned Positive Semidefinite Matrices
Authors: Wang Benju , Zhang Yun
Published: August 2021

In this paper, we establish a Fischer type log-majorization of singular values on partitioned positive semidefinite matrices, which generalizes the classical Fischer's inequality. Meanwhile, some related and new inequalities are also obtained.
Numerical Investigation on Turbulent Flow and Heat Transfer of Helium-Xenon Gas Mixture in a Circular Tube
Authors: Zhou Biao , Zhang Han , Ji Yu , Sun Jun , Sun Yuliang
Published: August 2021

Gas-cooled space nuclear reactor system usually utilizes the helium-xenon gas mixture as the working fluid. Since the typical helium-xenon mixture has the Prandtl number of about 0.2, which is lower than that of water and air, the turbulent flow and heat transfer features need to be further investigated among the helium-xenon mixture and other fluids. In the current paper, numerical investigations by ANSYS Fluent are performed on helium-xenon mixture flow (HeXe40, M = 40.0 g/mol, Pr = 0.21), airflow (Pr = 0.71), and water flow (Pr = 6.99) in the circular tube. Direct numerical simulation results of liquid metal flow (Pr = 0.01) are also adopted for comparison. Results show that the dimensionless velocity profile and shear stress in the boundary layer of HeXe40 are close to those of other fluids. The empirical correlations from other fluids can also predict well the friction factor of helium-xenon mixtures. Due to the discrepancy in turbulent heat diffusivity ratio, the dimensionless radial temperature profile and turbulent heat conduction of HeXe40 significantly differ from those of other fluids. The molecular conduction region of HeXe40 develops up to y+ ≈ 30 and extends to the logarithmic region of the flow boundary layer. Moreover, the available experimental Nusselt numbers of helium-xenon mixtures are compared with several convective heat transfer correlations, in which Kays correlation is better.
Hierarchical Social Recommendation Model Based on a Graph Neural Network
Authors: Bi Zhongqin , Jing Lina , Shan Meijing , Dou Shuming , Wang Shiyang
Published: August 2021

With the continuous accumulation of social network data, social recommendation has become a widely used recommendation method. Based on the theory of social relationship propagation, mining user relationships in social networks can alleviate the problems of data sparsity and the cold start of recommendation systems. Therefore, integrating social information into recommendation systems is of profound importance. We present an efficient network model for social recommendation. The model is based on the graph neural network. It unifies the attention mechanism and bidirectional LSTM into the same framework and uses a multilayer perceptron. In addition, an embedded propagation method is added to learn the neighbor influences of different depths and extract useful neighbor information for social relationship modeling. We use this method to solve the problem that the current research methods of social recommendation only extract the superficial level of social networks but ignore the importance of the relationship strength of the users at different levels in the recommendation. This model integrates social relationships into user and project interactions, not only capturing the weight of the relationship between different users but also considering the influence of neighbors at different levels on user preferences. Experiments on two public datasets demonstrate that the proposed model is superior to other benchmark methods with respect to mean absolute error and root mean square error and can effectively improve the quality of recommendations.
Probability Integral Method Parameter Determination by SBAS‐InSAR Technology and GWO Algorithm
Authors: Liu Tieming , Zhang Tongkang , Chen Lichuan , Liao Weiming , Shi Yun , Xu Danchao
Published: August 2021

This paper proposed a method based on the SBAS‐InSAR and gray wolf optimization algorithm aiming at the time‐consuming and laborious defects of the traditional method used to obtain the expected parameters of the probability integral method and the shortcomings of the InSAR technology in the field of large gradient deformation detection in the mining area. The fitness function of the algorithm was established based on the geometric relationship between the radar side imaging and the three‐dimensional model of the probability integral method. The stable sinking point of the settlement boundary obtained by SBAS‐InSAR was used as the input value for the calculation of the predicted parameters of the probability integral method. Firstly, the simulation experiment was employed for the simulation of the direction of the InSAR line of sight combined with the geological mining conditions of the assumed working face, thereby obtaining the probability integral prediction parameters of the working face. Consequently, the maximum relative error of q, b, tanβ, and θ0 does not exceed 8%, and that of S1, S2, S3, and S4 does not exceed 35.5% (low parameter sensitivity). The error of the LOS‐direction deformation fitting is 0.076 m, which meets the tolerance requirements, and the result is trustworthy. At last, the parameter finding method is applied to the engineering example, that is, the 112201 working face of Xiaobaodang Coal Mine in the northern Shaanxi mining area. The settlement value of the stable boundary point is obtained based on the SBAS‐InSAR results, which is substituted into the fitness function. And the GWO optimization algorithm is used for optimization and parameter finding; the probability integral expected parameters of the working face are calculated as q = 0.63, b = 0.37, tanβ = 2.76, θ0 = 83.94, S1 = −36.34 m, S2 = 26.69 m, S3 = −45.64 m, and S4 = 39.62 m. Substitute the obtained parameters into the probability integral model for the prediction of the vertical and horizontal displacements of the working face, and verify its accuracy with the GPS measured data. The results showed that the maximum absolute error of vertical displacement reached 116 mm, the median error was 63 mm, and the maximum absolute error of north‐south horizontal movement reached 56 mm; meanwhile, the median error was 23 mm, the maximum absolute error of east‐west horizontal movement reached 61 mm, and the median error was 29 mm; all the above parameters are within the tolerance range, indicating that the method for the calculation of probability integral parameters proposed in this paper is applicable in actual engineering.
L-Moments and Calibration-Based Estimators for Variance Parameter
Authors: Anas Malik Muhammad , Ali Muhammad , Shafqat Ambreen , Shahzad Faisal , Abbass Kashif , Alilah David Anekeya
Published: August 2021

The subject of variance estimation is one of the most important topics in statistics. It has been clarified by many different research studies due to its various applications in the human and natural sciences. Different variance estimators are built based on traditional moments that are especially influenced by the existence of extreme values. In this paper, with the presence of extreme values, we proposed some new calibration estimators for variance based on L-moments under double-stratified random sampling. A simulation study with COVID-19 data is performed to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed estimators. All results indicate that the proposed estimators are often superior and highly efficient compared to the existing traditional estimator.
The Indication of Poor Prognosis by High Expression of ENO1 in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lung
Authors: Huang Wan-Ying , Chen Gang , Chen Shang-Wei , Dang Yi-Wu , Deng Yun , Zhou Hua-Fu , Kong Jin-Liang , Zhang Yu , Mo Jun-Xian , Li Chang-Bo , He Juan
Published: August 2021

The purpose of this study is to investigate the significance of alpha-enolase (ENO1) expression in squamous cell carcinoma of the lung (LUSC), its prognostic value, and prospective molecular mechanism. Using multiplatforms data, including in-house immunohistochemistry, in-house real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), in-house microarray, and public high-throughput data, the expression significance and prognostic role of ENO1 in LUSC tissues were analyzed comprehensively. With the combination of all eligible cases, compared with 941 non-LUSC lung tissues, ENO1 was significantly overexpressed in 1163 cases of LUSC (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 1.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.76–1.70,

P

 < 0.001). ENO1 also displayed a great ability to differentiate LUSC tissues from non-LUSC lung tissues (AUC = 0.8705) with the comprehensive sensitivity being 0.88 [0.83–0.92], and comprehensive specificity being 0.89 [0.84–0.94]). Moreover, in 1860 cases of LUSC with survival information, patients with higher expression of ENO1 had poorer prognosis (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.01–1.43,

P

 = 0.043). ENO1 and its related genes mainly participated in the pathways of cell division and proliferation. In conclusion, the upregulation of ENO1 could affect the carcinogenesis and unfavorable outcome of LUSC.
Activation of the M3AChR and Notch1/HSF1 Signaling Pathway by Choline Alleviates Angiotensin II‐Induced Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis
Authors: Xu Man , Bi Xue-Yuan , Xue Xiao-Rong , Lu Xing-Zhu , Li Qiong-Ge , Jian Qiang , Sun Jian-Yong
Published: August 2021

Angiotensin II‐ (Ang II‐) induced cardiac hypertrophy and apoptosis are major characteristics of early‐stage heart failure. Choline exerts cardioprotective effects; however, its effects on Ang II‐induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis are unclear. In this study, the role and underlying mechanism of choline in regulating Ang II‐induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis were investigated using a model of cardiomyocyte apoptosis, which was induced by exposing neonatal rat cardiomyocytes to Ang II (10−6 M, 48 h). Choline promoted heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) nuclear translocation and the intracellular domain of Notch1 (NICD) expression. Consequently, choline attenuated Ang II‐induced increases in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) and promotion of proapoptotic protein release from mitochondria, including cytochrome c, Omi/high‐temperature requirement protein A2, and second mitochondrial activator of caspases/direct inhibitor of apoptosis‐binding protein with low P. The reversion of these events attenuated Ang II‐induced increases in cardiomyocyte size and numbers of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling‐positive cells, presumably via type 3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M3AChR). Indeed, downregulation of M3AChR or Notch1 blocked choline‐mediated upregulation of NICD and nuclear HSF1 expression, as well as inhibited mitochondrial apoptosis pathway and cardiomyocyte apoptosis, indicating that M3AChR and Notch1/HSF1 activation confer the protective effects of choline. In vivo studies were performed in parallel, in which rats were infused with Ang II for 4 weeks to induce cardiac apoptosis. The results showed that choline alleviated cardiac remodeling and apoptosis of Ang II‐infused rats in a manner related to activation of the Notch1/HSF1 pathway, consistent with the in vitro findings. Taken together, our results reveal that choline impedes oxidative damage and cardiomyocyte apoptosis by activating M3AChR and Notch1/HSF1 antioxidant signaling, and suggest a novel role for the Notch1/HSF1 signaling pathway in the modulation of cardiomyocyte apoptosis.
Safety and Antitumor Activity of α-PD-L1 Antibody as Monotherapy or in Combination with α-TIM-3 Antibody in Patients with Microsatellite Instability–High/Mismatch Repair–Deficient Tumors
Authors: Hollebecque Antoine , Chung Hyun C. , de Miguel Maria J. , Italiano Antoine , Machiels Jean-Pascal , Lin Chia-Chi , Dhani Neesha C. , Peeters Marc , Moreno Victor , Su Wu-Chou , Chow Kay Hoong , Galvao Violeta R. , Carlsen Michelle , Yu Danni , Szpurka Anna M. , Zhao Yumin , Schmidt Shelly L. , Gandhi Leena , Xu Xiaojian , Bang Yung-Jue
Published: August 2021

Purpose:

Immune checkpoint inhibitors show high response rates and durable clinical benefit in microsatellite instability–high/mismatch repair–deficient (MSI-H/dMMR) tumors. However, 50%–60% do not respond to single-agent anti–programmed death-1/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) antibodies, and approximately 50% of responders relapse within 6–12 months. This phase Ib trial evaluated safety and antitumor activity of anti–PD-L1 antibody LY3300054 monotherapy or in combination with anti–TIM-3 antibody LY3321367 in patients with MSI-H/dMMR advanced solid tumors.

Patients and Methods:

Eligible patients ≥18 years without prior anti–PD-1/PD-L1 therapy received LY3300054 monotherapy (N = 40) or combination (N = 20); patients with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor–resistant/refractory tumors received the combination (N = 22). LY3300054 (700 mg) and anti–TIM-3 antibody (cycles 1–2: 1,200 mg, cycle 3 onward: 600 mg) were administered intravenously every 2 weeks. Primary endpoints were safety and tolerability.

Results:

Eighty-two patients were enrolled. Most had colorectal (n = 39, 47.6%) or endometrial (n = 14, 17.1%) tumors. More than 70% of patients in the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor–resistant/refractory combination cohort had received ≥3 treatment lines. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAE) occurred in 22 patients (55.0%) receiving monotherapy, 13 (65.0%) in the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor–naïve combination cohort, and 6 (27.3%) in the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor–resistant/refractory combination cohort. A total of 2 patients (5.0%) receiving monotherapy and 3 (7.1%) receiving the combination experienced grade ≥3 TRAEs. Objective responses occurred in 13 patients (32.5%) with monotherapy, 9 (45.0%) in the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor–naïve combination cohort, and 1 patient (4.5%) in the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor–resistant/refractory combination cohort.

Conclusions:

LY3300054 monotherapy and combined LY3300054/anti–TIM-3 had manageable safety profiles. Both regimens showed promising clinical activity against PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor–naïve MSI-H/dMMR tumors. The combination had limited clinical benefit in patients with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor–resistant/refractory MSI-H/dMMR tumors.
Alpha-smooth Muscle Actin Expression in the Stroma Predicts Resistance to Trastuzumab in Patients with Early-stage HER2-positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Vathiotis Ioannis A. , Moutafi Myrto K. , Divakar Prajan , Aung Thazin Nwe , Qing Tao , Fernandez Aileen , Yaghoobi Vesal , El-Abed Sarra , Wang Yingbo , Guillaume Sebastien , Nuciforo Paolo , Huober Jens , Di Cosimo Serena , Kim Sung-Bae , Harbeck Nadia , Gomez Henry , Shafi Saba , Syrigos Konstantinos N. , Fountzilas George , Sotiriou Christos , Pusztai Lajos , Warren Sarah , Rimm David L.
Published: August 2021

Purpose:

The companion diagnostic test for trastuzumab has not changed much in the last 25 years. We used high-plex digital spatial profiling to identify biomarkers besides HER2 that can help predict response to trastuzumab in HER2-positive breast cancer.

Experimental Design:

Fifty-eight protein targets were measured in three different molecularly defined compartments by the NanoString GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP) in a tissue microarray containing 151 patients with breast cancer that received adjuvant trastuzumab as part of the Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group 10/05 clinical trial. Promising candidate biomarkers were orthogonally validated with quantitative immunofluorescence (QIF). RNA-sequencing data from the Neoadjuvant Lapatinib and/or Trastuzumab Treatment Optimisation Study (NeoALTTO) were accessed to provide independent cohort validation. Disease-free survival (DFS) was the main outcome assessed. Statistical analyses were performed using a two-sided test (α = 0.05) and multiple testing correction (Benjamini–Hochberg method, FDR < 0.1).

Results:

By DSP, high expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), both in the leukocyte and stromal compartments, was associated with shorter DFS in univariate analysis (P = 0.002 and P = 0.023, respectively). High α-SMA expression in the stroma was validated by QIF after controlling for estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status [HR, 3.12; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.12–8.68; P = 0.029] showing recurrence on trastuzumab in the same cohort. In the NeoALTTO cohort, elevated levels of ACTA2 were predictive for shorter DFS in the multivariate analysis (HR, 3.21; 95% CI, 1.14–9.05; P = 0.027).

Conclusions:

This work identifies α-SMA as a novel, easy-to-implement biomarker of resistance to trastuzumab that may be valuable in settings where trastuzumab is combined with other therapies.
Opposing Effects of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor on the Initiation and Progression of Breast Cancer Bone Metastases
Authors: Hiraga Toru , Ito Susumu , Mizoguchi Toshihide
Published: August 2021

Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), an essential cytokine regulating granulopoiesis, is expressed in a substantial proportion of breast cancers, and it has been implicated in cancer progression. Here, we examined effects of G-CSF on the development of bone metastases of breast cancer using immunocompetent mouse models. The expression of CXC chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) in bone marrow stromal cells, which plays a critical role in the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells and also in cancer cell homing to bone, was markedly decreased in mice treated with G-CSF. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that pretreatment of mice with G-CSF reduced the number of bone-homing cancer cells. G-CSF also increased the population of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in bone marrow. Depletion of MDSCs using anti–Gr-1 antibody treatment significantly decreased the metastatic tumor burden in bone. The overall effects of G-CSF on bone metastases were finally examined using two different treatment protocols. When mice were treated with G-CSF prior to the tumor cell inoculation, G-CSF did not change bone metastatic-tumor burden. In contrast, when G-CSF treatment was started after the tumor cells had homed to bone, G-CSF significantly accelerated bone metastases formation. These results suggest that G-CSF suppressed cancer cell homing to bone by downregulating CXCL12 expression in bone marrow stromal cells, whereas G-CSF stimulated the progression of bone metastases at least in part by MDSC-mediated mechanisms.

Implications:

G-CSF had opposing effects on the initiation and progression of bone metastases of breast cancer and the balance may regulate the metastatic tumor burden.