bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic Accuracy of Procalcitonin, Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio, and C-Reactive Protein in Detection of Bacterial Infections and Prediction of Outcome in Nonneutropenic Febrile Patients with Lung Malignancy
Authors: Ding Shanshan , Ma Jun , Song Xingguo , Dong Xiaohan , Xie Li , Song Xianrang , Liu Lisheng
Published: August 2020

Background. Procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) have emerged as important markers of inflammation, and these markers, especially PCT and CRP, have been studied in patients with neutropenia. This study was designed to evaluate their value in differentiating infectious fever from tumor fever (TF) and to investigate their role in assessing outcomes in nonneutropenic lung cancer patients (NNLCPs).Methods. This retrospective clinical study included 588 febrile NNLCPs between January 2019 and December 2019. The levels of PCT, CRP, and conventional inflammatory markers, including white blood cells (WBC) and neutrophils (NEU), were measured. NLR was defined as the ratio of the absolute neutrophil count to the absolute lymphocyte count. Patients’ clinical and bacteriological data were recorded.Results. This study included 311 NNLCPs with bacterial infections and 277 with TF. Inflammatory markers such as PCT, CRP, WBC, and NEU levels and NLR were significantly higher in patients with bacterial infections than in those with TF (p < 0.0001). However, PCT level was the best predictor of bacterial infections, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.874, followed by CRP level (AUC = 0.855) and NLR (AUC = 0.792) (p < 0.0001). Additionally, PCT level was significantly elevated in patients with bacterial infections with progressive disease after radiotherapy and chemotherapy (p < 0.01).Conclusions. The present study demonstrated the superiority of PCT over CRP and NLR in the diagnosis of febrile patients with bacterial infections. Additionally, PCT can be used to assess the clinical outcomes and cancer progression in NNLCPs.
Wound Healing Activity of Crassocephalum crepidioides (Benth.) S. Moore. Leaf Hydroethanolic Extract
Authors: Can Nguyen Minh , Thao Dang Thi Phuong
Published: August 2020

Crassocephalum crepidioides (Benth.) S. Moore. has been used to treat small wounds by minority people in Lam Dong, Vietnam. However, there has been no scientific evidences about its wound healing activity. This study is aimed at evaluating the wound healing activity of Crassocephalum crepidioides hydroethanolic extract via its antioxidant and anti-inflammation activities and healing capability on a mouse excision wound model. Crassocephalum crepidioides hydroethanolic extract (CCLE) at a dose of 50 mg/kg/day reduced the wound closure time about 3.5 days, compared to vehicle treatment. The granulation tissue on day 7 after surgery from the treated group showed a 2.8-fold decrease in the density of inflammatory cells, 1.9-fold increase in the fibroblast density, and a higher number of blood vessels. Real-time PCR analysis indicated that the mRNA expression level of NF-κB1 and TNF-α mRNA in CCLE-treated wounds decreased by 4.6 and 3.3 times, respectively, while TGF-β1 and VEGF were found to increase by 3.3 and 2.4 times, respectively. Our experimental data provided proofs of Crassocephalum crepidioides leaf wound healing activity due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammation, fibroblast proliferation, wound contraction, and angiogenesis effects.
Resveratrol Inhibits Ischemia-Induced Myocardial Senescence Signals and NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation
Authors: Feng Hong , Mou Shan-qi , Li Wen-jing , Zhang Nan , Zhou Zi-ying , Ding Wen , Bian Zhou-Yan , Liao Hai-han
Published: August 2020

Aims. The aim of this study was to investigate whether resveratrol (RSV) could ameliorate ischemia- and hypoxia-associated cardiomyocyte apoptosis and injury via inhibiting senescence signaling and inflammasome activation. Materials and Methods. Mice were treated with RSV by gastric tube (320 mg/kg/day) or vehicle one week before left coronary artery ligation or sham surgery until the end of the experiments. After pressure–volume loop analysis, mouse hearts were harvested for histopathological (including PSR, TTC, TUNEL staining, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence) and molecular analysis by western blotting and RT-PCR. In addition, neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs), cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), and macrophages were isolated for in vitro experiments. Key Findings. RSV treatment decreased mortality and improved cardiac hemodynamics. RSV inhibited the expression of senescence markers (p53, p16, and p19), inflammasome markers (NLRP3 and Cas1 p20), and nuclear translocation of NF-κB, hence alleviating infarction area, fibrosis, and cell apoptosis. RSV also inhibited expression of interleukin- (IL-) 1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-18 in vivo. In in vitro experiment, RSV prevented hypoxia-induced NRCM senescence and apoptosis. After inhibition of sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) by EX27, RSV failed to inhibit p53 acetylation and expression. Moreover, RSV could inhibit expression of NLRP3 and caspase 1 p20 in NRCMs, CFs, and macrophages, respectively, in in vitro experiments. Significance. Our findings revealed that RSV protected against ischemia-induced mouse heart injury in vivo and hypoxia-induced NRCM injury in vitro via regulating Sirt1/p53-mediated cell senescence and inhibiting NLRP3-mediated inflammasome activation.
Prevalence of Undiagnosed Diabetes and Prediabetes in the Dental Setting: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chinnasamy Alagesan , Moodie Marjory
Published: August 2020

Background. With the close link between diabetes mellitus (DM) and periodontal disease (PD), dentists have an unrealized opportunity to make a chance discovery of a patient’s medical condition. Unlike in the medical setting, information on the point of care (PoC) and opportunistic screening for DM in the dental setting is limited. To make a reliable estimate on the prevalence of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and prediabetes among dental patients in the dental setting and to assist healthcare planners in making an informed decision, information on the disease frequency and strategies employed to address this issue is of paramount importance. Objectives. To summarize the data on the prevalence of undiagnosed T2DM and prediabetes amongst dental patients and further explore the effectiveness of the PoC screening and its implication for use in the dental setting. Methods. A MEDLINE-PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library search was conducted with no time specification. Information on study characteristics and diagnostic parameters was retrieved for meta-analysis. All the studies were assessed for methodological quality using the QUADAS-2 tool. Proportions were presented in tables and forest plots. All statistical analysis was performed using the MedCalc software. Results. Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. The proportion of dental patients identified to be at a risk of hyperglycaemia with the PoC screening using random blood glucose (RBG) and HbA1 was 32.47% and 40.10%, whilst the estimated proportion with undiagnosed T2DM and prediabetes was identified as 11.23% and 47.38%. Conclusion. A significant proportion of dental patients can be identified as undiagnosed T2DM and prediabetes. Targeted opportunistic screening is a feasible approach and can help reduce the prevalence of undiagnosed T2DM and prediabetes.
Plant‐Produced Monoclonal Antibody as Immunotherapy for Cancer
Authors: Nessa Meher Un , Rahman Md. Atiar , Kabir Yearul
Published: August 2020

Plant‐based products have expanded to include cancer immunotherapy, which has made great strides over recent years. Plants are considered inexpensive and facile production platforms for recombinant monoclonal antibody (mAb) due to the latest advancements and diversification of transgenic techniques. Current human biologics, including those based on mAbs produced by fermentation technologies using primarily mammalian cell cultures, have been replaced by plant‐produced mAbs, which are cost effective, more scalable, speedy, versatile, and safer. Moreover, the use of animals for antibody production is always a question of ethical unambiguity, and the suitability of animal models for predicting the immunogenicity of therapeutic mAbs in humans and transposition of the immunogenic potential of therapeutic antibodies in animals to the human situation has no scientific rationale. Quite a few plant‐based mAbs are approved for the treatment of cancer, ranging from tumors to hematological malignancies. This review focuses on the cutting‐edge approaches for using plant‐derived mAbs to suppress or prevent cancers. It also discusses the avenues taken to prevent infection by oncogenic viruses, solid tumors, lymphomas, and other cancerous conditions using mAbs. The review emphasizes the use of a plant‐derived monoclonal antibody as a premier platform to combat cancer.
The Defense of Adversarial Example with Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks
Authors: Yu Fangchao , Wang Li , Fang Xianjin , Zhang Youwen
Published: August 2020

Deep neural network approaches have made remarkable progress in many machine learning tasks. However, the latest research indicates that they are vulnerable to adversarial perturbations. An adversary can easily mislead the network models by adding well-designed perturbations to the input. The cause of the adversarial examples is unclear. Therefore, it is challenging to build a defense mechanism. In this paper, we propose an image-to-image translation model to defend against adversarial examples. The proposed model is based on a conditional generative adversarial network, which consists of a generator and a discriminator. The generator is used to eliminate adversarial perturbations in the input. The discriminator is used to distinguish generated data from original clean data to improve the training process. In other words, our approach can map the adversarial images to the clean images, which are then fed to the target deep learning model. The defense mechanism is independent of the target model, and the structure of the framework is universal. A series of experiments conducted on MNIST and CIFAR10 show that the proposed method can defend against multiple types of attacks while maintaining good performance.
Transient Study on the HTR-PM with TINTE-vPower Coupling Code Package
Authors: Sun Jun , Sun Ximing , Zheng Yanhua
Published: August 2020

The high-temperature gas-cooled reactor pebble-bed module (HTR-PM) nuclear power plant consists of two nuclear steam supply system modules, each of which drives the steam turbine by the superheated steam flow and is fed by the heated-up water flow. The shared steam/water system induces mutual effects on normal operation conditions and transients of the nuclear power plant, which is worthy of safety concerns and intensive study. In this paper, a coupling code package was developed with the TINTE and vPower codes to understand how the HTR-PM operated. The TINTE code was used to analyze the reactor core and primary circuit, while the vPower code simulated the steam/water flow in the conventional island. Two TINTE models were built and coupled to one vPower model through the data exchange in the steam generator models. Using this code package, two typical transients were simulated by decreasing the primary flow rate or introducing the negative reactivity of one module. Important parameters, including the reactor power, the fuel temperature, and the reactor inlet and outlet helium temperatures of two modules, had been studied. The calculation results preliminarily proved that this code package can be further used to evaluate working performance of the HTR-PM.
SAMA: A Fast Self‐Adaptive Memetic Algorithm for Detecting SNP‐SNP Interactions Associated with Disease
Authors: Yin Ying , Guan Boxin , Zhao Yuhai , Li Yuan
Published: August 2020

Detecting SNP‐SNP interactions associated with disease is significant in genome‐wide association study (GWAS). Owing to intensive computational burden and diversity of disease models, existing methods have drawbacks on low detection power and long running time. To tackle these drawbacks, a fast self‐adaptive memetic algorithm (SAMA) is proposed in this paper. In this method, the crossover, mutation, and selection of standard memetic algorithm are improved to make SAMA adapt to the detection of SNP‐SNP interactions associated with disease. Furthermore, a self‐adaptive local search algorithm is introduced to enhance the detecting power of the proposed method. SAMA is evaluated on a variety of simulated datasets and a real‐world biological dataset, and a comparative study between it and the other four methods (FHSA‐SED, AntEpiSeeker, IEACO, and DESeeker) that have been developed recently based on evolutionary algorithms is performed. The results of extensive experiments show that SAMA outperforms the other four compared methods in terms of detection power and running time.
Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Intestinal Parasites among Schoolchildren from Two Primary Schools in Rama Town, Northern Ethiopia
Authors: Yeshitila Yordanos Gizachew , Zewde Hagos , Mekene Tesfahun , Manilal Aseer , Lakew Serawit , Teshome Abinet
Published: August 2020

Introduction. Worldwide, about 3.5 billion people are affected by intestinal parasitic infections, and the majority of them are children. A perusal of the literature indicates that in Ethiopia, nearly one-third of schoolchildren are found to be infected by some sort of intestinal parasites. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites among schoolchildren in Rama town in Northern Ethiopia. Methods. A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted among primary school children from two schools in Rama town during June 2017. A structured questionnaire was used to identify environmental, sociodemographic, and behavioral factors while stool specimens were collected and examined for parasites using direct wet smear with saline preparation. Data analysis was completed using the Statistical Program for Social Sciences version 24 statistical software. Results. A total of 312 school children with a mean age of 11.3 years were included. Among them, 24.4% (76) were found to be positive for at least one of the parasites. The overall infection rate was the highest among the 10–14 age groups (26.7%). Females were predominantly infected (26.7%). Altogether, eight species of intestinal parasites were identified. The most predominant protozoan and helminths were E. histolytica/dispar (10.9%) and Schistosoma mansoni (7.4%), respectively, and infections were mostly mono-parasitic. Coinfections with two and three intestinal parasites were identified among 13 (4.2%, [13/302]) and 2 (0.6%, [2/302]) cases, respectively. Prevalence of intestinal parasites was higher among children who did not wash their hands regularly before meals (AOR: 2.30, CI: 1.32, 4.0, p < 0.001) and those who frequently swam in streams (AOR: 3.12, CI: 1.07, 9.08, p < 0.021). Conclusions. The study revealed a high prevalence of parasitic infection and inadequate personal hygiene practices like poor handwashing and also the habit of swimming by schoolchildren in contaminated water bodies, especially the study area. To minimize the burden caused by parasitic infection, periodic deworming programs and health education should be provided to enhance the awareness of concerned participants are also warranted.
Distributed Monitoring Based on P-Time Petri Nets and Chronicle Recognition of the Tunisian Railway Network
Authors: M’halla Anis , Lefebvre Dimitri , Gaied Mouhaned
Published: August 2020

This paper falls under the problems of the monitoring of a Discrete Event System (DES) with time constraints. Among the various techniques used for online and distributed monitoring, we are interested in the chronicle recognition. Chronicles are temporal patterns that represent the system’s possible evolutions. The proposed models are based on P-time Petri nets that are suitable to represent with accuracy and modularity the Tunisian railway network. These models are scalable and may be used to represent a large variety of railway networks. Then, monitoring is based on the generation of chronicles that are suitable to detect and isolate traffic incidents in a distributed setting. Consequently, the proposed approach is tractable for large networks. Finally, to demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the approach, an application to the case study of the Tunisian railway network is outlined.
Extracts or Active Components from Acorus gramineus Aiton for Cognitive Function Impairment: Preclinical Evidence and Possible Mechanisms
Authors: Li Yan , Zhang Xi-Le , Huang Yan-Ran , Zheng Yan-Yan , Zheng Guo-Qing , Zhang Li-Ping
Published: August 2020

Extracts or active components from Acorus gramineus Aiton (EAAGA) have been clinically used for cognition impairment more than hundreds of years and are still used in modern times in China and elsewhere worldwide. Previous studies reported that EAAGA improves cognition impairment in animal models. Here, we conducted a preclinical systematic review to assess the current evidence of EAAGA for cognition impairment. We searched 7 databases up until June 2019. Methodological quality for each included studies was accessed according to the CAMARADES 10-item checklist. The primary outcome measures were neurobehavioral function scores evaluated by the Morris water maze test, electrical Y-maze test, step-down test, radial eight-arm maze test, and step-through test. The secondary outcome measures were mechanisms of EAAGA for cognition function. Finally, 34 studies involving 1431 animals were identified. The quality score of studies range from 1 to 6, and the median was 3.32. Compared with controls, the results of the meta-analysis indicated EAAGA exerted a significant effect in decreasing the escape latency and error times and in increasing the length of time spent in the platform quadrant and the number of platform crossings representing learning ability and memory function (all P<0.01). The possible mechanisms of EAAGA are largely through anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiapoptosis activities, inhibition of neurotoxicity, regulating synaptic plasticity, protecting cerebrovascular, stimulating cholinergic system, and suppressing astrocyte activation. In conclusion, EAAGA exert potential neuroprotective effects in experimental cognition impairment, and EAAGA could be a candidate for cognition impairment treatment and further clinical trials.
A Prediction Method Based on Monte Carlo Simulations for Finite Element Analysis of Soil Medium considering Spatial Variability in Soil Parameters
Authors: Tang Kedong , Wang Jialiang , Li Lielie
Published: August 2020

With the Stochastic Finite Element Method (SFEM), the spatial variability of soil properties can be incorporated into the analysis of geotechnical structures. Although this method is significantly superior in principle to the homogeneous analysis of soil parameters, generalizing the method in engineering practice is difficult due to its computational inefficiency. In this paper, we propose a new method for the fast calculation of convergence results. The proposed method introduces a distance space to the Monte Carlo Method (MCM) random field instances and, considering the importance of a safety margin in structures, uses selected spatial interpolation to predict the MCM instances to be solved. Two case study simulations are presented. The results show that compared to the full Monte Carlo Simulation, the fast calculation method proposed in this paper can achieve very accurate convergence results while substantially reducing the computational cost, and the simulation errors for the structure are on the safer side.
Hydrological Characteristics of Ordovician Karst Top in a Deep Region and Evaluation of Its Threat to Coal Mining: A Case Study for the Weibei Coalfield in Shaanxi Province, China
Authors: Li Tao , Zhang Jiarui , Gao Ying , Cao Xinqi , Liu Hongyang , Zhang Peng , Yang Junwei
Published: August 2020

Widely distributed in North China, Ordovician karst is characterized by having high thickness, nonuniform aquosity, and significant water pressure-bearing properties. Deep mining in North China is threatened by associated water hazards; hence, research on the hydrogeological characteristics of deep Ordovician karst is needed. In this study, the Weibei coalfield in Shaanxi Province, China, was selected as the study area, especially mines in the Hancheng and Chenghe mining areas. In situ experiments, including water pumping, water drainage, water injecting and water pressure, and laboratory experiments, were conducted to study the hydrogeological characteristics of the Ordovician karst top in the study area. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on controlling factors for the development of the Ordovician karst top in the study area, and a method for evaluating the water inrush risk in coal mining areas based on karst hydrogeological characteristics was proposed. The research results indicated that the Ordovician karst top in the study area was characterized by heterogeneity, vertical zonation, and partially filled properties, which were mainly controlled by two factors: sedimentation and tectonism. The hydrogeological conditions of the Ordovician karst could be divided into three types: nonfilled and nonsignificant tectonism, filled and nonsignificant tectonism, and significant tectonism. Among them, the filled and nonsignificant tectonism type Ordovician karst top type had a filling thickness of 20 m. Based on karst hydrogeological characteristics, the methods were proposed to evaluate the water inrush risk in the coal mining floor. The practical tests verified the methods.
Assessing the Uncertainty Associated with Flood Features due to Variability of Rainfall and Hydrological Parameters
Authors: Sharafati Ahmad , Khazaei Mohammad Reza , Nashwan Mohamed Salem , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Yaseen Zaher Mundher , Shahid Shamsuddin
Published: August 2020

An assessment of uncertainty in flood hydrograph features, e.g., peak discharge and flood volume due to variability in the rainfall‐runoff model (HEC‐HMS) parameters and rainfall characteristics, e.g., depth and duration, is conducted. Flood hydrographs are generated using a rain pattern generator (RPG) and HEC‐HMS models through Monte Carlo simulation considering uncertainty in stochastic variables. The uncertainties in HEC‐HMS parameters (e.g., loss, base flow, and unit hydrograph) are estimated using their probability distribution functions. The flood events are obtained by simulating runoff for rainfall events using the generated model parameters. The uncertainties due to rainfall and model parameters on generated flood hydrographs are evaluated using the relative coefficient of variation (RCV). The results reveal a higher RCV index for flood volume (RCV = 153) than peak discharge (RCV = 116) for a 12‐hr rainfall duration. The average relative RCV (ARRCV) index computed for hydrological component (e.g., base flow, loss, or unit hydrograph) indicates the highest impact of rainfall depth on flood volume and peak. The results indicate that rainfall depth is the main source of uncertainty of flood peak and volume.
Biophysical Insight into the Interaction of Human Lysozyme with Anticancer Drug Anastrozole: A Multitechnique Approach
Authors: Almutairi Fahad M. , Ajmal Mohammad Rehan , Alawy Adel Ibrahim Al , Khan Rizwan Hasan , Abdelhameed Ali Saber
Published: August 2020

In the present study, we employ fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and molecular docking methods. Binding of anticancer drug anastrozole with human lysozyme (HL) is studied. Binding of anastrozole to HL is moderate but spontaneous. There is anastrozole persuaded hydrodynamic change in HL, leading to molecular compaction. Binding of anastrozole to HL also decreased in vitro lytic activity of HL. Molecular docking results suggest the electrostatic interactions and van der Waals forces played key role in binding interaction of anastrozole near the catalytic site. Binding interaction of anastrozole to proteins other than major transport proteins in blood can significantly affect pharmacokinetics of this molecule. Hence, rationalizing drug dosage is important. This study also points to unrelated effects that small molecules bring in the body that are considerable and need thorough investigation.
Alteration of Intestinal Microbiota in 3‐Deoxyglucosone‐Induced Prediabetic Rats
Authors: Cai Jin , Zhou Liang , Song Xiudao , Yin Meiqi , Liang Guoqiang , Xu Heng , Zhang Lurong , Jiang Guorong , Huang Fei
Published: August 2020

Our previous research suggests that 3‐deoxyglucosone (3DG), formed in the caramelization course and Maillard reactions in food, is an independent factor for the development of prediabetes. Since the relationship between type 2 diabetes (T2D) and intestinal microbiota is moving from correlation to causality, we investigated the alterations in the composition and function of the intestinal microbiota in 3DG‐induced prediabetic rats. Rats were given 50 mg/kg 3DG by intragastric administration for two weeks. Microbial profiling in faeces samples was determined through the 16S rRNA gene sequence. The glucagon‐like peptide 2 (GLP‐2) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels in plasma and intestinal tissues were measured by ELISA and Limulus test, respectively. 3DG treatment did not significantly change the richness and evenness but affected the composition of intestinal microbiota. At the phylum level, 3DG treatment increased the abundance of nondominant bacteria Proteobacteria but did not cause the change of the dominant bacteria. Meanwhile, the abundance of the Prevotellaceae family and Parasutterela genus and the Alcaligencaeae family and Burkholderiales order and its attachment to the Betaproteobacteria class were overrepresented in the 3DG group. The bacteria of Candidatus Soleaferrea genus, Gelria genus, and Thermoanaerobacteraceae family and its attachment to Thermoanaerobacterales order were apparently more abundant in the control group. In addition, 45 KEGG pathways were altered after two‐week intragastric administration of 3DG. Among these KEGG pathways, 13 KEGG pathways were involved in host metabolic function related to amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, and metabolism of terpenoids and polyketides. Moreover, the increased LPS levels and the decreased GLP‐2 concentration in plasma and intestinal tissues were observed in 3DG‐treated rats, together with the impaired fasting glucose and oral glucose tolerance. The alterations in composition and function of the intestinal microbiota were observed in 3DG‐treated rats, which provides a possible mechanism linking exogenous 3DG intake to the development of prediabetes.
In Vitro Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of Roasted and Green Coffee Beans Originating from Different Regions of Ethiopia
Authors: Tasew Tsedale , Mekonnen Yalemtsehay , Gelana Tegenu , Redi-Abshiro Mesfin , Chandravanshi Bhagwan Singh , Ele Estifanos , Mohammed Ahmed Mustefa , Mamo Hassen
Published: August 2020

Coffee is among the most traded commodities and consumed beverages worldwide primarily for its stimulating effects. Moreover, coffee is known to contain various bioactive compounds with significant health benefits including antibacterial and antioxidant activities. However, Ethiopia as the origin of coffee and producer and exporter of varieties of Coffea arabica has made little study on the health aspects of this beverage. The aim of this study was to examine the antibacterial and antioxidant activities and content of coffee samples from different localities of Yorgacheffe and Jimma; and roasted, ground, and packed samples purchased from a coffee shop in Addis Ababa. Medium-roasted-boiled and lyophilized coffee extracts were tested on eight gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial strains. The agar-well diffusion method was used to test the extracts determining the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations. For coffee antioxidant activity and content, light-roasted (both field and shop samples) and green coffee bean extracts were tested using the free radical 2.2-diphenyl-l-pict1hydrazyl (DPPH) IC50 percent inhibition protocol. The samples showed strong antibacterial and antioxidant activity and substantial antioxidant content. Significant variation was noted in the antibacterial activities of the different coffee samples. Moreover, the growth-inhibitory strength of each coffee sample was variable for different test bacteria. A coffee sample with the best antibacterial activity had also the highest antioxidant activity/content. The shop coffee had the lowest bioactivity. The observed variations in the antibacterial and antioxidant activities among the samples probably indicate the diversity of the Ethiopian coffee related, among other factors, to the coffee plant genetics and agroecology.
Potent In Vitro α‐Glucosidase and β‐Secretase Inhibition of Amyrin‐Type Triterpenoid Isolated from Datura metel Linnaeus (Angel’s Trumpet) Fruits
Authors: Bawazeer Saud , Rauf Abdur , Bawazeer Sami
Published: August 2020

This study deals with α‐glucosidase and β‐secretase inhibitory screening of extract/fractions and isolated daturaolone (1), namely, 3‐oxo‐6‐β‐hydroxy‐β‐amyrin (daturaolone) from chloroform fraction of Datura metel L. Among entire fractions, the chloroform soluble fraction showed excellent activity against α‐glucosidase with % inhibition 90.8 with IC50160.2 ± 1.85 μg and daturaolone (1) with 98.7% inhibition with IC50840.4 ± 1.74 μM, respectively. Similarly, extract and daturaolone (1) also exhibited significant activity against the β‐secretase enzyme (BACE1) with % activities 88.27 and 95.19 and with IC50 values 304.21 ± 2.98 μg and 260.70 ± 1.87 μM, respectively, as compared to the standard inhibitor (Ans670, Sta671, Val672)‐amyloid‐β/A4 precursor protein 770 fragments 662‐675) with % activity 94.21 and IC50 value 289.24 ± 1.60 μM. This finding encourages and opens a new window for further detail phytochemical investigation on D. metel in order to isolate novel compounds with promising enzyme inhibitory potential.
Natural Gas Accumulation Characteristics in the Linxing Area, Ordos Basin, NW China: Revealed from the Integrated Study of Fluid Inclusions and Basin Modeling
Authors: Shu Yong , Sang Shuxun , Lin Yuxiang , Zheng Huiming
Published: August 2020

The Linxing area is located in the north of the eastern margin of the Ordos Basin, which has great resource potential for tight gas. In this paper, fluid inclusion analysis and basin modeling are the main means to clarify the gas accumulation mechanism of the Upper Paleozoic in the Linxing area. Petrographic analysis shows that fluid inclusions can be classified into 5 types: aqueous inclusions, hydrocarbon-bearing aqueous inclusions, hydrocarbon inclusions, crystal-bearing aqueous inclusions, and aqueous-carbonic inclusions. According to the statistical analysis of homogenization temperature and salinity of fluid inclusions, combined with the burial-thermal evolution, the study area was divided into 3 areas: the inner-magma baking area, the middle-anomal thermal area, and the outer-normal thermal area. The gas accumulation characteristics are differences among the 3 areas, the closer to Zijinshan magmatic pluton, the earlier gas accumulation period; and the vertical gas accumulation in the inner-magma baking area and the middle-anomal thermal area was not a slow and gradual process from bottom to top. The period from the Middle Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous is the key period for rapid pressure accumulation in the Upper Paleozoic reservoirs, which is consistent with the period of natural gas accumulation. The area near the Zijinshan magmatic pluton was the high fluid potential area during the gas accumulation period, which indicates that natural gas and other fluids migrated from Zijinshan magmatic pluton to the surrounding area. It is concluded that in the Linxing area, the Zijinshan magmatic pluton had a significant impact on natural gas accumulation, and the natural gas accumulation model under the control of magmatic thermal-tectonic effect was proposed.
Improved Dark Channel Defogging Algorithm for Defect Detection in Underwater Structures
Authors: Bao Longsheng , Zhao Chunyan , Xue Xingwei , Yu Ling
Published: August 2020

Underwater structures are crucial for national economic and social development. However, because of their complex environment, they are susceptible to damage during service. This damage should be prevented to minimize casualties and economic loss. Therefore, this study investigates the problems of disease identification and area statistics of underwater structures. To this end, the Dark‐Retinex (DR) algorithm that can enhance the image of underwater structure defects is proposed. The algorithm consists of a combination of a dark channel algorithm and the Retinex algorithm. This study analyzes the current research status of underwater image processing technology, designs the overall framework of the DR algorithm, and uses the underwater structure disease image to verify the algorithm. Comparing the effect of the image with only the dark channel defogging and DR algorithm processing, the DR algorithm is observed to achieve “defogging” processing of underwater structural disease images to achieve better enhancement effects. Moreover, for accurate disease area statistics, the binary morphology and optimal threshold segmentation theories are combined to perform disease edge screening and remove interference information. Finally, accurate statistics of the proportion of diseased pixels are achieved, as well as the quantitative detection of surface diseases of underwater structures. After actual operational verification, the improved image dehazing and parallel boundary screening algorithms can achieve better application results to detect underwater structure defects and disease statistics. The objective evaluation shows that the DR algorithm facilitates image processing, can obtain relatively high‐quality target images, and can solve the problems of time‐consuming and labor‐intensive detection of underwater structures, with significant risks and limitations. This helps pave the way for (1) the actual engineering of surface structure detection of underwater structures, (2) future storage in the database and assessment of hazard levels, and (3) a guide for engineering technicians to take corresponding maintenance measures.
Prediction of Fracture Evolution and Groundwater Inrush from Karst Collapse Pillars in Coal Seam Floors: A Micromechanics-Based Stress-Seepage-Damage Coupled Modeling Approach
Authors: Lu Yinlong , Wu Bingzhen , He Mengqi , Wang Lianguo , Ma Dan , Huang Zhen
Published: August 2020

Karst collapse pillars (KCPs) frequently cause severe groundwater inrush disasters in coal mining above a confined aquifer. An accurate understanding of the damage and fracture evolution, permeability enhancement, and seepage changes in KCPs under the combined action of mining-induced stress and confined hydraulic pressure is of great significance for the early prediction and prevention of groundwater inrush from KCPs in coal seam floors. In this study, a micromechanics-based coupled stress-seepage-damage (SSD) modeling approach, in which the macroscopic mechanical and hydraulic properties of the rock are explicitly related to the microcrack kinetics, is proposed to simulate the fracture evolution and the associated groundwater flow in KCPs. An in situ high-precision microseismic monitoring technology is used to verify the micromechanical modeling results, which indicate that the numerical model successfully reproduces the damage and fracture evolution in a coal seam floor with a KCP during the mining process. The presented model also provides a visual representation of the complex process of KCP activation and groundwater inrush channel formation. A numerical study shows that the damage and activation of a KCP start from the edge of the KCP, gradually develop toward the interior of the KCP, and eventually connect with the damage fracture zone of the floor, forming a primary water-conducting channel in the KCP, causing the confined groundwater to flow into the working face. Groundwater inrush from a KCP is a gradual process instead of a mutation process. A reduction in the distance between the working face and a KCP and increases in the confined hydraulic pressure and the initial water-conducting height of the KCP can significantly increase the risk of groundwater inrush from the KCP.
COVID-19 Barriers to Care for Pregnant Patients in Prolonged Isolation
Authors: Burgoyne Mary E. , Elsamadicy Emad A. , Cojocaru Liviu , Desai Andrea
Published: August 2020

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the agent responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), continues to have a devastating impact on healthcare systems worldwide, and many questions remain unanswered. The effect of COVID-19 on the pregnant population is widely debated, and the unique risks in pregnancy have not yet been elucidated. What has been established, however, is the recommendation for healthcare workers to use personal protective equipment (PPE) for both contact and airborne precautions to prevent transmission of the pathogen—adding another barrier to care for vulnerable populations. We report a case of a young woman from Haiti during her first pregnancy, who was admitted to the antepartum service at 22 weeks of gestation with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) and remained admitted in isolation, though asymptomatic, for over six weeks due to persistent positive SARS-CoV-2 testing. Our case highlights the unique barriers to care that COVID-19 poses to antepartum patients, particularly in the setting of pregnant women with persistent positive testing.
SPCTR: Sealed Auction-Based Procurement for Closest Pre-Tender with Range Validation
Authors: Li Li , Liu Jiayong , Jia Peng
Published: August 2020

Over the past decades, there have existed extensive research works on the designs of the closest pre-tender procurement bidding. However, most solutions for the closest pre-tender only target at economic benefits while omitting the problem of bid privacy leakage. Moreover, existing works fail to provide approaches with adequate security and high efficiency. In this paper, for the first time, we propose SPCTR, a sealed-price auction-based procurement bidding system for the closest pre-tender with range validation. SPCTR allows a range validation for a supplier’s bid without leaking the secret bid. Besides, SPCTR achieves a sealed-price comparison with the pre-tender to find the closest pre-tender bid. Compared with previous works, SPCTR provides strong privacy protection for the bids of suppliers without sacrificing high efficiency. SPCTR is constructed based on carefully designed cryptographic tools with generality and simplicity which enable various operations on the encrypted values, and these tools can be easily applied to other contexts. We not only formally prove that SPCTR is secure against semihonest adversaries but also comprehensively analyze the efficiency. Experimental results validate that SPCTR achieves procurement bidding with light computation time and communication cost in practice.
Design of a Tuned Mass Damper Inerter (TMDI) Based on an Exhaustive Search Optimization for Structural Control of Buildings under Seismic Excitations
Authors: Lara-Valencia Luis Augusto , Farbiarz-Farbiarz Yosef , Valencia-González Yamile
Published: August 2020

A tuned mass damper inerter (TMDI) is a new class of passive control device based on the inclusion of an inerter mechanism into a conventional tuned mass damper (TMD). The inerter device provides inertial resisting forces to the controlled system, through relatively small masses, converting it in a mechanism with the potential to enhance the performance of passive energy dissipating systems. This work presents a study of an optimal TMDI design through an exhaustive search process. TMDI device design using the cited parameter selection methodology consists in the determination of the damper critical damping ratio,ζTMDI, and frequency ratio,υTMDI, which result in the minimum structural response of a multidegree of freedom structural system, considering predefined values for mass ratio (µ) and inertance ratio (β). The used optimization process examines all possible damping device design parameter combinations to select the set of values that results in the best device performance to reduce response parameters in a structure. Four different optimization processes are performed by independently minimizing four performance indices:J1associated to the reduction of the structure’s maximum peak displacement,J2calculates the minimal RMS value for the structure’s peak displacement,J3seeks by the minimal peak interstorey drift, andJPdetermines the lowest value for a linear weighted combination of the abovementioned three indices. A numerical example is developed with the purpose of validating the proposed optimization procedure and to evaluate the benefits of using TMDI as controlling devices for structures under seismic excitation, by carrying out a comparative analysis to contrast the performance of the optimization alternatives developed, running up to 1968192 cases. The obtained results show that devices designed based on exhaustive search optimization produce peak displacement reductions of up to 35% and peak structure displacementRMSreductions of up to 30%.
Neural Network and Performance Analysis for a Novel Reconfigurable Parallel Manipulator Based on the Spatial Multiloop Overconstrained Mechanism
Authors: Huang Guanyu , Zhang Dan , Zou Qi
Published: August 2020

To meet the different requirements in the industrial area, a novel reconfigurable parallel mechanism is proposed based on the spatial multiloop overconstrained mechanism. The configurations can be changed by driving the low-DOF (degree-of-freedom) overconstrained mechanism. The mobility of this mechanism is investigated. And the kinematic model and Jacobian matrix are both established. Based on the Jacobian matrix, the workspace, stiffness, and conditional number are all analyzed. To focus on the application in the industrial area, this paper proposes a method to establish the relationship between the performance and the structural parameters by using the modified BP neural network. Based on this method, the structural parameters can be chosen by the requirements of the special task in the industrial area. Finally, some numerical examples are presented to verify the method.
A Rare Case of Intraductal Papilloma Arising from Minor Salivary Gland in the Floor of the Mouth
Authors: Assao Agnes , de Freitas Filho Silas Antonio Juvencio , Simonetti Júnior Luiz Antônio , Oliveira Denise Tostes
Published: August 2020

A 77-year-old woman with a rare oral intraductal papilloma arising from the minor salivary gland located on the floor of the mouth and causing the mucus retention is reported. Microscopically, the lesion was characterized by unicystic cavity exhibiting the lumen partially filled by papillary projections of the ductal epithelium with varying degree of oncocytic metaplasia. Based on the histopathological analysis, the differential diagnosis of oral intraductal papillomas and other ductal neoplasms of salivary origin are discussed.
Structural Controls on Shallow Cenozoic Fluid Flow in the Otago Schist, New Zealand
Authors: Holbek Simon C. , Frank Madison , Scott James M. , Smith Steven A. F. , le Roux Petrus J. , Waight Tod E. , Van Hale Robert , Reid Malcolm R. , Stirling Claudine H.
Published: August 2020

The Otago Schist in the South Island of New Zealand represents an exhumed Mesozoic accretionary prism. Two coastal areas (Akatore Creek and Bruce Rocks) south of Dunedin preserve structural and geochemical evidence for the development of postmetamorphic hydrothermal systems that involved widespread fluid-rock reaction at shallow crustal depths. The Jurassic to Triassic pumpellyite-actinolite (Akatore Creek) to upper greenschist facies (Bruce Rocks) metamorphic fabrics were crosscut by sets of regionally extensive Cretaceous exhumation joints. Many of the joints were subsequently reactivated to form networks of small-displacement (<metres) strike-slip faults containing cemented fault breccias and veins composed of hydrothermal calcite, siderite, and ankerite. Paleostress analysis performed on infrequent fault slickenlines indicates an overall strike-slip paleostress regime and a paleo-σ1 orientation (azimuth 094°) similar to the contemporary σ1 orientation in Otago and Canterbury (azimuth c. 110°-120°). High δ18O values in vein calcite (δ18OVPDB=21 to 28‰), together with the predominance of Type I calcite twins, suggest that vein formation occurred at low temperatures (<200°C) in the shallow crust and was associated with strongly channelized fluid flow along the joint and fault networks. Mass-balance calculations performed on samples from carbonate alteration zones show that significant mobilisation of elements occurred during fluid flow and fluid-rock reaction. Whole-rock and in situ carbonate 87Sr/86Sr data indicate varying degrees of interaction between the hydrothermal fluids and the host rock schists. Fluids were likely derived from the breakdown of metamorphic Ca-rich mineral phases with low 87Rb in the host schists (e.g., epidote or calcite), as well as more radiogenic components such as mica. Overall, the field and geochemical data suggest that shallow fluid flow in the field areas was channelized along foliation surfaces, exhumation joints, and networks of brittle faults, and that these structures controlled the distribution of fluid-rock reactions and hydrothermal veins. The brittle fault networks and associated hydrothermal systems are interpreted to have formed after the onset of Early Miocene compression in the South Island and may represent the manifestation of fracturing and fluid flow associated with reverse reactivation of regional-scale faults such as the nearby Akatore Fault.
The Expression and Potential Role of Tubulin Alpha 1b in Wilms’ Tumor
Authors: Xu Qiong-Qian , Qin Li-Ting , Liang Song-Wu , Chen Peng , Gu Jin-Han , Huang Zhi-Guang , Yang Xia , Gao Li , Wang Shi-Shuo , Luo Yi-Ge , Liu Lin-Le-Yi , Wang Jun , Lin Jin-Yan , Chen Gang , Chen Jia-Bo
Published: August 2020

We explored the difference in expression of tubulin alpha 1b (TUBA1B) between Wilms’ tumor (WT) and normal tissues (NT) from in‐house patients and databases, to determine TUBA1B expression in WT and the predictive pathways of coexpressed genes. In‐house RNA‐sequencing data were performed with WT and NT from three patients from our institute. Other four RNA‐sequencing and microarray data were also downloaded from multiple public databases. The TUBA1B expression between WT and NT was analyzed by Student’s t‐test and meta‐analysis. The correlation between the expression of TUBA1B and other genes in each study was analyzed. Genes with p < 0.05 and r > 0.5 were considered as the coexpressing genes of TUBA1B. Overlapping the coexpressed genes of the five studies, including three in‐house patients (3 WT vs. 3 NT), GTEx‐TARGET (126 WT vs. 51 NT), GSE2172 (18 WT vs. 3 NT), GSE11024 (27 WT vs. 12 NT), and GSE73209 (32 WT vs. 6 NT), were performed with limma and VennDiagram packages in R software. The website of WEB‐based GEne SeT AnaLysis toolkit were used to analyze the gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional annotations for the overlapped genes. The results showed that the relative expression of TUBA1B in WT tissues from in‐house three patients was 280.0086, 141.7589, and 303.8292 and that in NT was 16.5836, 104.8141, and 12.79 (3 WT vs. 3 NT, p = 0.0285, ROC = 100%, SMD = 2.74). Student’s t‐test and meta‐analysis in all studies revealed that the expression of TUBA1B was upregulated in WT tissues compared to that in NT (p < 0.05, SMD = 2.89, sROC = 0.98). Finally, the research identified the expression of TUBA1B in WT tissues was significantly upregulated than that in NT. The coexpressed genes of TUBA1B were enriched in the pathway of DNA replication, mismatch repair, cell cycle, pathogenic Escherichia coli infection, and spliceosome.