bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pembrolizumab with or without radiation therapy for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: a randomized phase I/II trial
Authors: Welsh James , Menon Hari , Chen Dawei , Verma Vivek , Tang Chad , Altan Mehmet , Hess Kenneth , de Groot Patricia , Nguyen Quynh-Nhu , Varghese Rejani , Comeaux Nathan I , Simon George , Skoulidis Ferdinandos , Chang Joe Y , Papdimitrakopoulou Vasiliki , Lin Steven H , Heymach John V
Published: October 2020

Background

In this phase I/II trial, we evaluated the safety and effectiveness of pembrolizumab, with or without concurrent radiotherapy (RT), for lung and liver lesions from metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC).

Methods

Patients with lung or liver lesions amenable to RT plus at least one additional non-contiguous lesion were included regardless of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) status. Pembrolizumab was given at 200 mg every 3 weeks for up to 32 cycles with or without concurrent RT. Metastatic lesions were treated with stereotactic body RT (SBRT; 50 Gy in 4 fractions) if clinically feasible or with traditionally fractionated RT (45 Gy in 15 fractions) if not. The primary end point was the best out-of-field lesion response, and a key secondary end point was progression-free survival (PFS).

Results

The median follow-up time was 20.4 months. One hundred patients (20 phase I, 80 phase II) were evaluable for toxicity, and 72 phase II patients were evaluable for treatment response. No patients in the phase I group experienced grade 4–5 events; in the phase II group, two had grade 4 events and nine had grade 3 events. The ORR in the combined-modality cohort (irrespective of RT schema) was 22%, vs 25% in the pembrolizumab group (irrespective of receipt of salvage RT) (p=0.99). In the concurrent pembrolizumab+RT groups, the out-of-field ORRs were 38% in the pembrolizumab+SBRT group and 10% in the pembrolizumab+traditional RT group. When examining the pembrolizumab-alone patients, the out-of-field ORRs were 33% in those designated to receive salvage SBRT (if required) and 17% for salvage traditional RT. In all patients, the median PFS for pembrolizumab alone was 5.1 months (95% CI 3.4 to 12.7 months), and pembrolizumab/RT (regardless of schema) was 9.1 months (95% CI 3.6 to 18.4 months) (p=0.52). An exploratory analysis revealed that for patients with low PD-L1 expression, the median PFS was 4.6 vs 20.8 months for pembrolizumab with and without RT, respectively (p=0.004).

Conclusions

Concurrent immunoradiotherapy for mNSCLC is safe, although larger trials are required to address which patients benefit most from RT.

Trial registration number

NCT02444741.
Comparative analysis of long-term organ damage in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus using belimumab versus standard therapy: a post hoc longitudinal study
Authors: Urowitz Murray B , Ohsfeldt Robert L , Wielage Ronald C , Dever John J , Zakerifar Mehdi , Asukai Yumi , Ramachandran Sulabha , Joshi Ashish V
Published: October 2020

Objective

Long-term extension (LTE) studies of belimumab in SLE do not include a comparator arm, preventing comparisons between belimumab plus standard therapy and standard therapy alone for organ damage accrual. Propensity score matching can be used to match belimumab-treated patients from LTE studies with standard therapy–treated patients from observational cohort studies. This analysis was designed to compare organ damage progression between treatment groups (belimumab plus standard therapy vs standard therapy alone) in patients with SLE with ≥5 years of follow-up, reproducing our previous study with more generalisable data.

Methods

This exploratory post hoc analysis used a heterogeneous population of US and non-US patients receiving monthly intravenous belimumab from pooled BLISS LTE trials (BEL112234/NCT00712933) and standard therapy–treated patients from the Toronto Lupus Cohort. Sixteen clinical variables were selected to calculate the propensity score.

Results

The 592 LTE and 381 Toronto Lupus Cohort patients were highly dissimilar across the 16 variables; an adequately balanced sample of 181 LTE and 181 matched Toronto Lupus Cohort patients (mean bias=3.7%) was created using propensity score matching. Belimumab treatment was associated with a smaller increase in Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI) over 5 years than standard therapy alone (mean treatment difference=–0.453 (95% CI –0.646 to –0.260); p<0.001). Patients treated with belimumab were 60% less likely to progress to a higher SDI score over any given year of follow-up, compared with standard therapy alone (HR (95% CI) 0.397 (0.275 to 0.572); p<0.001).

Conclusion

Using propensity score matching, this highly heterogeneous sample was sufficiently matched to the Toronto Lupus Cohort, suggesting that patients treated with intravenous belimumab may have reduced organ damage progression versus standard therapy alone. This analysis of a large and diverse pooled SLE population was consistent with our previously published US-focused study.
Uncertainty quantification of wall thickness of onshore gas transmission pipelines
Authors: Zhou W. , Bao J.
Published: October 2020

The present study quantifies probabilistic characteristics of the wall thickness of welded pipe joints in onshore gas transmission pipelines based on about 5900 field-measured wall thicknesses collected from a pipeline system in Canada. The collected data cover a wide range of pipe nominal wall thicknesses, from 3.18 to 16.67 mm. By considering the measurement error involved in the collected wall thickness data, statistical analyses indicate that the actual-over-nominal wall thickness ratio (AONR) follows a normal distribution with a mean of 1.01 and a coefficient of variation (COV) ranging from 1.6% to 2.2% depending on the nominal pipe wall thickness. The implications of the developed AONR statistics for the reliability analysis of corroded pipe joints are investigated. This study provides key input to the reliability-based design and assessment of pipelines with respect to various threats, such as metal-loss corrosion and stress corrosion cracking.
Uniformly Connected Graphs — A Survey
Authors: Chartrand Gary , Zhang Ping
Published: October 2020

A graph [Formula: see text] of order [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text]-uniformly connected for an integer [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] if for every pair [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] of distinct vertices of [Formula: see text], there is a [Formula: see text] path of length [Formula: see text]. A number of results, conjectures, and problems are presented concerning [Formula: see text]-uniformly connected graphs for various integers [Formula: see text]. These include the special cases where [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. Graphs are discussed that are [Formula: see text]-uniformly connected for a particular integer [Formula: see text] but are not [Formula: see text]-uniformly connected for every integer [Formula: see text]. Also, graphs are considered in which there is a unique [Formula: see text] path of length [Formula: see text] for a particular value of [Formula: see text]. Sets [Formula: see text] of positive integers are considered for which there exists a graph [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text]-uniformly connected if and only if [Formula: see text].
Seismic characterization and origin of clinoforms in lacustrine depositional environments: a case study from the Cretaceous of the South Atlantic
Authors: Barnett Andrew J. , Fu Lucy , Rapasi Tolu , Scotellaro Cinzia , Guha Jaydip , Cabolova Anastasija , Domingues Ana Licia
Published: October 2020

The lacustrine Itapema Formation in the Santos Basin locally comprises 10
2
m thick clinoforms identified seismically and corroborated by several well penetrations. Individual clinoforms, as proven by well penetrations, are composed of 10
2
m thick successions of basinward-dipping molluscan grainstones and rudstones. Manual dip picking of borehole images shows upward-increasing dips consistent with seismic geometries and a predominance of longshore sediment transport. Clinoforms are bound at their top and base by strata with significantly lower dips recognizable on both seismic and borehole images. Elevated gamma-ray log responses together with sidewall core samples indicate that these intervals correspond to more argillaceous facies which are interpreted as lake flooding events. While the existence of bona fide clinoforms is demonstrated by a range of subsurface data, their precise origin remains enigmatic. The majority of the bivalve genera that make up the grain-supported carbonates appear to be infaunal or semi-infaunal. As such the clinoforms represent large bars produced through the re-working of bivalves from lower-energy depositional environments by shore-parallel currents.
Attention Mechanism for Uyghur Personal Pronouns Resolution
Authors: Yang Qimeng , Yu Long , Tian Shengwei , Song Jinmiao
Published: October 2020

Deep neural network models for Uyghur personal pronoun resolution learn semantic information for personal pronoun and antecedents, but tend to be short-sighted—they ignore the importance of each feature. In this article, we propose a Uyghur personal pronoun resolution model based on Attention mechanism, Convolutional neural networks and Gated recurrent unit (ATCG). Our model studies the grammatical structure and semantic features of Uyghur, and extracts 11 key features for Uyghur resolution task. Attention mechanism can focus on the importance of words in sentences. Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) is applied in this model to achieve the interdependent features with long distance. The ATCG model effectively makes up for the shortcomings of relying only on the features of the content level and achieves better classification performance. Experimental results on Uyghur resolution dataset show that our model surpasses the state-of-the-art models.
Learning in Infancy Is Active, Endogenously Motivated, and Depends on the Prefrontal Cortices
Authors: Raz Gal , Saxe Rebecca
Published: October 2020

A common view of learning in infancy emphasizes the role of incidental sensory experiences from which increasingly abstract statistical regularities are extracted. In this view, infant brains initially support basic sensory and motor functions, followed by maturation of higher-level association cortex. Here, we critique this view and posit that, by contrast and more like adults, infants are active, endogenously motivated learners who structure their own learning through flexible selection of attentional targets and active interventions on their environment. We further argue that the infant brain, and particularly the prefrontal cortex (PFC), is well equipped to support these learning behaviors. We review recent progress in characterizing the function of the infant PFC, which suggests that, as in adults, the PFC is functionally specialized and highly connected. Together, we present an integrative account of infant minds and brains, in which the infant PFC represents multiple intrinsic motivations, which are leveraged for active learning.
Gun Studies and the Politics of Evidence
Authors: Carlson Jennifer
Published: October 2020

This review is about scholarly contributions to a hotly debated issue—gun policy. Teasing apart the politics of evidence within gun politics, it examines both how research agendas shape gun policy and politics as well as how gun policy and politics shape research agendas. To do so, the article maps out two waves of gun research, Gun Studies 1.0 and Gun Studies 2.0. Gun Studies 1.0 emphasizes scientific evidence as a foundation for generating consensus about public policy, and it includes criminological studies aimed at addressing guns as criminogenic tools, public health work aimed at addressing guns as public health problems, and jurisprudential scholarship aimed at adjudicating guns as legal objects. Reviewing how these approaches incited popular debates and public policies that, in turn, shaped subsequent conditions of gun scholarship, the article then turns to Gun Studies 2.0. Instead of taking evidence as self-evident, this body of scholarship tends to prioritize the meaning-making processes that make meaningful—or not—evidence surrounding gun policy. Accordingly, Gun Studies 2.0 unravels the political and cultural conditions of the contemporary US gun debate and broadens inquiries into gun harm and gun security. In addition to discussing areas for future study, this study concludes by encouraging gun researchers to attend to the politics of evidence as they mobilize scholarship not just to inform the gun debate but also to transform it.
Improved Hydrogen Sensitivity and Selectivity in PdO with Metal-Organic Framework Membrane
Authors: Gardner David W. , Xia Yong , Fahad Hossain M. , Javey Ali , Carraro Carlo , Maboudian Roya
Published: October 2020

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are highly designable porous materials and are recognized for their exceptional selectivity as chemical sensors. However, they are not always suitable for incorporation with existing sensing platforms, especially sensing modes that rely on electronic changes in the sensing material (e.g., work-function response or conductometric response). One way that MOFs can be utilized is by growing them as a porous membrane on a sensing layer and using the MOF to affect the electronic structure of the sensing layer. In this paper, a proof-of-concept for electronic modulation with MOFs is demonstrated. A PdO nanoparticle sensing layer on a chemical-sensitive field-effect-transistor is made more sensitive to a reducing gas, hydrogen, and less sensitive to oxidizng molecules, like H2S and NO2, by growing a layer of the MOF “ZIF-8” over the nanoparticles. The proposed mechanism is supported by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showing that the ZIF-8 membrane partially reduces the PdO sensing layer.
Finding the Cause of Psychosis: A Challenging Case of Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis
Authors: Sabbula Bhanu R. , Yemmanur Shravya , Sanivarapu Raghavendra , Kagolanu Deepthi , Shadab Ahmed
Published: October 2020

An autoimmune response causing inflammation in the brain tissue is called autoimmune encephalitis. Autoantibodies directed against N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors cause a type of autoimmune encephalitis resulting in memory loss, confusion, and psychosis. A 28-year-old male with a history of schizophrenia, seizure disorder, and stroke presented with a 2-day history of bizarre behavior, restlessness, insomnia, agitation, and hallucinations. He was initially managed for acute psychosis without any improvement. Further workup for organic causes revealed positive NMDAR antibodies in both the cerebrospinal fluid and serum, confirming a diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis. His condition later improved with steroids and intravenous immunoglobulins. This case signifies the importance of ruling out organic causes in patients with unexplained neuropsychiatric symptoms. NMDA encephalitis is more common in young females with underlying malignancies, especially ovarian teratomas. This case is unique, given the extremely rare occurrence of NMDA encephalitis in male patients without any malignancies.
Preoperatively Grading Rectal Cancer with the Combination of Intravoxel Incoherent Motions Imaging and Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging
Authors: Geng Zhijun , Zhang Yunfei , Yin Shaohan , Lian Shanshan , He Haoqiang , Li Hui , Xie Chuanmiao , Dai Yongming
Published: October 2020

Purpose. To combine Intravoxel Incoherent Motions (IVIM) imaging and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) which can aid in the quantification of different biological inspirations including cellularity, vascularity, and microstructural heterogeneity to preoperatively grade rectal cancer. Methods. A total of 58 rectal patients were included into this prospective study. MRI was performed with a 3T scanner. Different combinations of IVIM-derived and DKI-derived parameters were performed to grade rectal cancer. Pearson correlation coefficients were applied to evaluate the correlations. Binary logistic regression models were established via integrating different DWI parameters for screening the most sensitive parameter. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed for evaluating the diagnostic performance. Results. For individual DWI-derived parameters, all parameters except the pseudodiffusion coefficient displayed the capability of grading rectal cancer (

p
<
0.05

). The better discrimination between high- and low-grade rectal cancer was achieved with the combination of different DWI-derived parameters. Similarly, ROC analysis suggested the combination of D (true diffusion coefficient), f (perfusion fraction), and Kapp (apparent kurtosis coefficient) yielded the best diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.953,

p
<
0.001

). According to the result of binary logistic analysis, cellularity-related D was the most sensitive predictor (odds ratio: 9.350 ± 2.239) for grading rectal cancer. Conclusion. The combination of IVIM and DKI holds great potential in accurately grading rectal cancer as IVIM and DKI can provide the quantification of different biological inspirations including cellularity, vascularity, and microstructural heterogeneity.
Dynamic Stability Analysis of Slope Subjected to Surcharge Load considering Tensile Strength Cut-Off
Authors: Lv Guangdong , He Yi , Wei Bingsi
Published: October 2020

Surcharge slopes are more vulnerable to instability under the effects of earthquake ground shaking, especially considering the tensile stress. In order to account for the adverse factors of seismic forces and tensile stress, the theory of soil with tensile strength cut-off is deduced and analyzed using the upper bound limit analysis method in this paper. Combined with the quasistatic analysis, the equation of critical acceleration expression for surcharge slope subjected to the dynamic conditions has been evaluated. By using the improved Newmark method, permanent displacements have been analyzed in the case of the classical earthquake ground motions. In addition, optimization algorithm has been undertaken, in which several influencing factors such as slope inclination, internal friction angle, surcharge factor, seismic load, and tension cut-off coefficient have been taken into account, and some results are verified with the classical solutions and FEM results. The results concluded the following: (1) The outcomes of verification results are accurate. (2) The critical acceleration of the slope is significantly affected by tension cut-off with the increasing of surcharge factor and seismic effects. (3) The permanent displacements of surcharge slope considering the tensile strength cut-off can be even 2 times of the traditional analysis; meanwhile, with more reduction of tensile strength, the cumulative displacements increase rapidly. Therefore, considering the influence of tensile strength cut-off is fundamental to the dynamic stability design of surcharge conditions.
Miniature Dual-Band Substrate Integrated Waveguide Slotted Antenna Array for Millimeter-Wave 5G Applications
Authors: Lai Fei-Peng , Chang Lu-Wu , Chen Yen-Sheng
Published: October 2020

A compact substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) antenna array that operates at 28 GHz and 38 GHz is proposed for fifth generation (5G) applications. The proposed array consists of four SIW cavities fabricated on one single layer of substrate. Each cavity implements a rhombic slot and a triangular-split-ring slot, resonating on TE101 and TE102 modes at 28 GHz and 38 GHz, respectively. In comparison with dual-band SIW antennas in the literature, the proposed configuration depicts a miniature footprint (28.7 × 30.8 mm2) without stacking substrates. To excite the four cavities with equal power, a broadband power divider that supports the propagation of TE10 mode is designed. Accordingly, the impedance bandwidths are 26.6–28.3 GHz and 36.8–38.9 GHz. The measured realized peak gain over the lower and higher bands is 9.3–10.9 dBi and 8.7–12.1 dBi, respectively. The measured half-power beam widths (HPBWs) at 28 GHz and 38 GHz are 20.7° and 15.0°, respectively. Considering these characteristics, including dual bands, high gain, narrow beam widths, miniaturization, and single layer, the proposed antenna array is a suitable candidate for millimeter-wave 5G communication systems with the flexibility in switching operating frequency bands against channel quality variations.
Protective Effect of Polydatin on Jejunal Mucosal Integrity, Redox Status, Inflammatory Response, and Mitochondrial Function in Intrauterine Growth-Retarded Weanling Piglets
Authors: Zhang Hao , Chen Yanan , Li Yue , Wang Tian
Published: October 2020

Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) delays the gut development of neonates, but effective treatment strategies are still limited. This study used newborn piglets as a model to evaluate the protective effect of polydatin (PD) against IUGR-induced intestinal injury. In total, 36 IUGR piglets and an equal number of normal birth weight (NBW) littermates were fed either a basal diet or a PD-supplemented diet from 21 to 35 days of age. Compared with NBW, IUGR induced jejunal damage and barrier dysfunction of piglets, as indicated by observable bacterial translocation, enhanced apoptosis, oxidative and immunological damage, and mitochondrial dysfunction. PD treatment decreased bacterial translocation and inhibited the IUGR-induced increases in circulating diamine oxidase activity (

P
=
0.039

) and D-lactate content (

P
=
0.004

). The apoptotic rate (

P
=
0.024

) was reduced by 35.2% in the PD-treated piglets, along with increases in villus height (

P
=
0.033

) and in ratio of villus height to crypt depth (

P
=
0.049

). PD treatment promoted superoxide dismutase (

P
=
0.026

) and glutathione S-transferase activities (

P
=
0.006

) and reduced malondialdehyde (

P
=
0.015

) and 8-hydroxy-2

′

-deoxyguanosine accumulation (

P
=
0.034

) in the jejunum. The PD-treated IUGR piglets showed decreased jejunal myeloperoxidase activity (

P
=
0.029

) and tumor necrosis factor alpha content (

P
=
0.035

) than those received a basal diet. PD stimulated nuclear sirtuin 1 (

P
=
0.028

) and mitochondrial citrate synthase activities (

P
=
0.020

) and facilitated adenosine triphosphate production (

P
=
0.009

) in the jejunum of piglets. Furthermore, PD reversed the IUGR-induced declines in mitochondrial DNA content (

P
=
0.048

), the phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase alpha (

P
=
0.027

), and proliferation-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha expression (

P
=
0.033

). Altogether, the results indicate that PD may improve jejunal integrity, mitigate mucosal oxidative and immunological damage, and facilitate mitochondrial function in IUGR piglets.
Experience of Snakebite Envenomation by a Desert Viper in Qatar
Authors: Elmoheen Amr , Salem Waleed Awad , Haddad Mahmoud , Bashir Khalid , Thomas Stephen H
Published: October 2020

Crotaline and elapid snakebites are reported all over the world as well as in the Middle East and other countries around this region. However, data regarding snakebites and their treatment in Qatar are limited. This review paper is going to investigate the presentation and treatment of snakebite in Qatar. A good assessment helps to decide on the management of the snakebites envenomation. Antivenom and conservative management are the mainstays of treatment for crotaline snakebite. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has been suggested to do early diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue problems, such as edema and compartment syndrome, after a snakebite. The supporting data are not sufficient regarding the efficiency of POCUS in diagnosing the extent and severity of tissue involvement and its ultimate effect on the outcome. Further research is suggested in this case. Systemic complications, such as bleeding diathesis, can be managed by administering clotting factors and platelets.
Determination of Methomyl Residue in Tobacco Samples by Heart-Cutting Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Shen Shihao , Chen Min , Wang Tiannan , Fei Ting , Yang Dianhai , Cao Miaoling , Wu Da
Published: October 2020

A novel heart-cutting two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (2D-LC-MS/MS) was developed for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of methomyl residue in tobacco. Compared to traditional methodologies, fairly high sensitivity and stability were achieved, and the sample procedure was simplified in the two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) method. Although methomyl had poor retention performance in most of the reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) columns, an effective RP/RP strategy was successfully facilitated. An XB-Phenyl column was employed in the first dimension to effectively remove thousands of interference compounds in the matrix. In the second dimension, an ADME column was applied for further separation. After optimization of the separation conditions, a six-way valve was utilized for direct transformation of the target fraction from the 1st column to the 2nd column. A dynamic range of 2.5 ng/mL to 500 ng/mL was achieved with correlation coefficient (r2) greater than 0.9995. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were determined to be 0.69 and 2.30 ng/mL, respectively. The 2D-LC method shows high sensitivity, good reproducibility, and recovery for methomyl in tobacco samples. Therefore, the new method was quite suitable for routine analysis.
Multistage Fault Feature Extraction of Consistent Optimization for Rolling Bearings Based on Correlated Kurtosis
Authors: Zhang Long , Cai Binghuan , Xiong Guoliang , Zhou Jianmin , Tu Wenbin , Yu Yinquan
Published: October 2020

Fault diagnosis of rolling bearings is not a trivial task because fault-induced periodic transient impulses are always submerged in environmental noise as well as large accidental impulses and attenuated by transmission path. In most hybrid diagnostic methods available for rolling bearings, the problems lie in twofolds. First, most optimization indices used in the individual signal processing stage do not take the periodical characteristic of fault transient impulses into consideration. Second, the individual stages make use of different optimization indices resulting in inconsistent optimization directions and possibly an unsatisfied diagnosis. To solve these problems, a multistage fault feature extraction method of consistent optimization for rolling bearings based on correlated kurtosis (CK) is proposed where maximum correlated kurtosis deconvolution (MCKD) is employed to attenuate the influence of transmission path followed by tunable Q factor wavelet transform (TQWT) to further enhance fault features by decomposing the preprocessed signals into multiple subbands under different Q values. The major contribution of the proposed approach is to consistently use CK as an optimization index of both MCKD and TQWT. The subband signal with the maximum CK which is an index being able to measure the periodical transient impulses in vibration signal yields an envelope spectrum, from which fault diagnosis is implemented. Simulated and experimental signals verified the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed method.
Preliminary Discussion on Comprehensive Research Method for Rock Burst in Coal Mine Based on Newton’s Second Law
Authors: Zuo Jianping , Song Hongqiang , Jiang Yunqian , Zhao Shankun , Yu Meilu , Li Liyun
Published: October 2020

Rock burst is one of the major dynamic disasters that directly threaten production safety in coal mines. According to the current research, the occurrence of rock burst can be described by the generalized Newton’s second law with three elements which are research object, force condition, and motion state. These three elements refer to the coal and rock mass in the mining area, concentrated static and dynamic loads, and dynamic instability of surrounding rock, respectively. On this basis, a comprehensive rock burst research method involving the three elements of Newton’s second law was proposed, which especially focuses on the investigation into geological conditions of mining areas. The research procedure of this method specifically includes the detailed exploration of engineering geological bodies, the classification and stability evaluation of surrounding rock, the measurement and inversion of in situ stress, the evolution analysis of mining-induced stress field, energy field, and fracture field, the study of multiscale failure mechanism of coal and rock mass, the establishment of theoretical failure model of coal and rock mass, the real-time monitoring and warning in potentially dangerous areas, and the reasonable prevention and control in key risk zones. As a preliminary discussion, the significant research progress in each aspect mentioned above has been reviewed and the feasible research directions of rock burst are presented in this paper.
Defect Image Recognition and Classification for Eddy Current Testing of Titanium Plate Based on Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Deng Weiquan , Bao Jun , Ye Bo
Published: October 2020

In the actual production environment, the eddy current imaging inspection of titanium plate defects is prone to scan shift, scale distortion, and noise interference in varying degrees, which leads to the defect false detection and even missed inspection. In view of this problem, a novel image recognition and classification method based on convolutional neural network (CNN) for eddy current detection of titanium plate defects is proposed. By constructing a variety of experimental conditions and collecting defect signals, the characteristics of eddy current testing (ECT) signals for titanium plate defects are analyzed, and then the convolution structure and learning parameters are set. The structural characteristics of local connectivity and shared weights of CNN have better feature learning and characterization capabilities for titanium plate defect images under scan shift, scale distortion, and strong noise interference. The results prove that, compared with other deep learning and classical machine learning methods, the CNN has a higher recognition and classification accuracy for the defect eddy current image of the titanium plate in the complex detection environment.
A Structural Configuration with Separate Substructures towards Reducing the Seismic Damage of Spatial Structures with Rectangular Plan
Authors: Yang Dabin , Sun Litai , Wang Hao , Liu Lei , Li Mingjin , Sun Xiangyi
Published: October 2020

Seismic damage of spatial structures of rectangular plan with RC substructures was observed in several earthquakes, especially in the RC substructures. In order to reduce the seismic damage potential, a new structural configuration of spatial structure of rectangular plan is proposed, the substructures of which are composed of the steel substructure and the RC substructure. The latter only bears the vertical load of roof by the arrangement of horizontal sliding bearings between the roof and the RC substructure. The pushover analyses are performed on a steel braced frame and an RC frame with similar lateral stiffness, and the results show that the lateral capacity of the steel structure is much larger than those of the RC structures. A spatial structure of rectangular plan with two different substructures is designed according to Chinese structural designing codes. Seismic time history analyses are carried out for the spatial structure under five ground motions. The results show that the damage mainly concentrates on the substructures, and the seismic performance of the structure with steel and RC substructures is much better than that of the structure with RC substructures.
Air Curtain Dust Removal Device Design and Dust Prevention Strategy in Heading Face
Authors: Huang Xu
Published: October 2020

Dust protection is a safety guarantee of heading face. The previous model of air curtain research was ideal, and the dust removal effect was rarely studied in the actual dust‐producing face. This paper presents a method of air curtain dust removal (ACDR) in the actual heading face. The author designed an air curtain dust removal device (ACDRD). The law of total dust concentration, respiratory dust concentration, and respiratory dust ratio is obtained. The minimum outlet airflow velocity is analyzed using the flat‐plane injection theory. The effect of the exhaust fan placement on the dust removal effectiveness is examined. Research indicates the following: The airflow speed at the upper, left, and right sides of the ∩‐shaped slot is 17.39 m/s, 12.04 m/s, and 13.66 m/s, respectively. The minimum dust removal speed of the air curtain is 5.48 m/s. The total dust concentration is the highest in the spot of roadheader operator, and the concentration of respiratory dust decreases sharply within 20 m. When the indentation air duct is 2.1 m away from the base plate, the dust‐proof effect is better. The results can provide theoretical bases and methods for air curtain analysis of the heading face.
A Mathematical Model to Investigate the Transmission of COVID-19 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alshammari Fehaid Salem
Published: October 2020

Since the first confirmed case of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (COVID-19) on March 02, 2020, Saudi Arabia has not reported quite a rapid COVD-19 spread as seen in America and many European countries. Possible causes include the spread of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases. To characterize the transmission of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia, a susceptible, exposed, symptomatic, asymptomatic, hospitalized, and recovered dynamical model was formulated, and a basic analysis of the model is presented including model positivity, boundedness, and stability around the disease-free equilibrium. It is found that the model is locally and globally stable around the disease-free equilibrium when

R

0

<
1

. The model parameterized from COVID-19 confirmed cases reported by the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia (MOH) from March 02 till April 14, while some parameters are estimated from the literature. The numerical simulation showed that the model predicted infected curve is in good agreement with the real data of COVID-19-infected cases. An analytical expression of the basic reproduction number

R

0

is obtained, and the numerical value is estimated as

R

0

≈
2.7

.
B7-H3: An Attractive Target for Antibody-based Immunotherapy
Authors: Kontos Filippos , Michelakos Theodoros , Kurokawa Tomohiro , Sadagopan Ananthan , Schwab Joseph H. , Ferrone Cristina R. , Ferrone Soldano
Published: October 2020

The recent impressive clinical responses to antibody-based immunotherapy have prompted the identification of clinically relevant tumor antigens that can serve as targets in solid tumors. Among them, B7-H3, a member of the B7 ligand family, represents an attractive target for antibody-based immunotherapy, it is overexpressed on differentiated malignant cells and cancer-initiating cells, with limited heterogeneity, and high frequency (60% of 25,000 tumor samples) in many different cancer types, but has a limited expression at low level in normal tissues. In nonmalignant tissues, B7-H3 has a predominantly inhibitory role in adaptive immunity, suppressing T-cell activation and proliferation. In malignant tissues, B7-H3 inhibits tumor antigen–specific immune responses, leading to a protumorigenic effect. B7-H3 also has nonimmunologic protumorigenic functions, such as promoting migration and invasion, angiogenesis, chemoresistance, and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition, as well as affecting tumor cell metabolism. As a result, B7-H3 expression in tumors is associated with poor prognosis. Although experimental B7-H3 silencing reduces cancer cell malignant potential, there has been limited emphasis on the development of B7-H3–blocking antibodies, most likely because the B7-H3 receptor remains unknown. Instead, many antibody-based strategies utilizing distinct effector mechanisms to target B7-H3–expressing cancer cells have been developed. These strategies have demonstrated potent antitumor activity and acceptable safety profiles in preclinical models. Ongoing clinical trials are assessing their safety and efficacy in patients. Identification of the B7-H3 receptor will improve our understanding of its role in tumor immunity, and will suggest rational strategies to develop blocking antibodies, which may enhance the therapeutic efficacy of tumor immunity.
Collective Psychology and Behavioral Characteristics of Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Single Cohort Study
Authors: Morimoto Ai , Ito Hiroaki
Published: October 2020

Background: We previously treated patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) using color therapy as part of projective psychotherapy and found differences in preferred colors selected in an imagined stressful situation between patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and those with Crohn’s disease (CD). In this study, we investigated differences in color selection among UC patients, CD patients, and healthy volunteers (HVs). More precisely, formal analysis using a projective technique was performed to evaluate their emotional characteristics when coping with stress, and egogram analysis was performed to investigate their collective psychological characteristics and behavioral characteristics as social selves. Methods: Eighty-three HVs, 70 UC patients, and 71 CD patients were shown a sheet displaying images of bottles each containing 2 horizontally separated compartments filled in the same color or different colors. The preferred colors selected under imagined psychological stress (loneliness) were analyzed using a projection approach to investigate the emotional characteristics of the inner self. The Tokyo University Egogram New Version II (TEG®II) was then used to analyze collective psychological characteristics and behavioral characteristics as social selves in the HV, UC, and CD groups. Results: Comparison of all 3 groups with the χ2 test showed that more participants chose calm colors in the CD group than in the HV and UC groups, while more participants chose stimulating colors in the UC group than in the CD group (p < 0.01). Analysis of TEG®II results with one-way analysis of variance and then with the Tukey-Kramer multiple comparison test revealed differences in collective psychological characteristics and behavioral characteristics in all 3 groups. Comparing scores for 5 types of ego states (Critical Parent, Nurturing Parent, Adult, Free Child, and Adapted Child) revealed that more participants in the CD group had a low Critical Parent score than in the HV group (p < 0.05). More participants in the IBD group had a low Nurturing Parent score than in the HV group (CD vs. HV, p < 0.01; UC vs. HV, p < 0.05). Significantly more participants in the UC group had a higher Adult score than in the HV or CD group (each p < 0.01). Conclusions: The psychological characteristics of patients with IBD differ depending on the type of disease (i.e., CD vs. UC). Management based on such differences should be provided for patients with each disease type.
Bilateral Exudative Retinal Detachments Associated with Nivolumab Immunotherapy
Authors: Ajlan Radwan S. , Luvisi Joey , Brass Connor
Published: October 2020

A 58-year-old Caucasian female presented to the retina service with a 2-week history of bilateral decrease in vision. She had stage 4 renal cell carcinoma with osseous metastasis and choroidal metastasis for which she has been treated with Nivolumab immunotherapy. Her exudative retinal detachments resolved after cessation of Nivolumab in association with subtenon steroids (STK) and intravitreal bevacizumab injections. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature describing the resolution of Nivolumab-related exudative retinal detachment after early local therapy using STK injections (10 mg), bevacizumab intravitreal injections, and cessation of Nivolumab. We hope by sharing this report to provide new insight into the management of similar patients.
Liver Regeneration and Recanalization Time Course following Repeated Reversible Portal Vein Embolization in Swine
Authors: Gaillard Martin , Hornez Emmanuel , Lecuelle Benoit , Lilin Thomas , Dubart-Kupperschmitt Anne , Dagher Ibrahim , Tranchart Hadrien
Published: October 2020

Introduction: Portal vein embolization (PVE) is an accepted technique to preoperatively increase the volume of the future remnant liver before major hepatectomy. A permanent material is usually preferred since its superiority to induce liver hypertrophy over absorbable material has been demonstrated. Nevertheless, the use of an absorbable material generates a reversible PVE (RPVE) capable of inducing significant liver hypertrophy. In small animal models, the possibility to proceed to a repeated RPVE (RRPVE) has shown to boost liver hypertrophy further. The aim of this preliminary study was to assess the feasibility and the tolerance of RRPVE in a large animal model, in comparison with permanent PVE (PPVE) and single RPVE. Methods: Six swine (2 per group) were assigned either to single RPVE group (using powdered gelatin sponge), RRPVE group (2 RPVEs separated by 14 days) or PPVE group (using N-butyl-cyanoacrylate). The feasibility and tolerance of the procedures were evaluated using portography, liver function tests and histological analysis. Evolution of liver volumes was assessed with volumetric imaging by computed tomography. Results: Embolization of portal branches corresponding to 75% of total liver volume was performed successfully in all animals. Procedures were well tolerated, inducing moderate changes in portal pressure and transient aminotransferase increase. None of the animals developed portal vein thrombosis. After RPVE, complete recanalization occurred at day 11. RRPVE showed a trend for higher hypertrophy, the non-embolized liver to total liver ratio reaching 5.2 ± 1.0% in the RPVE group, 6.8 ± 0.1% in the RRPVE group and 5.0 ± 0.3% in the PPVE group. Discussion/Conclusion: In this preliminary comparative study, RRPVE was as feasible and as well tolerated as the other procedures, and resulted in higher liver hypertrophy.
Development of Aplastic Anemia during Treatment of Anaplastic Astrocytoma with Temozolomide
Authors: Khaddour Karam , Harrison Nigel , Govindan Ashwin , Campian Jian L.
Published: October 2020

Temozolomide (TMZ) is an oral alkylating agent that is considered the standard therapy in primary intracranial malignancies. The medication is well tolerated with a most common side effect of bone marrow suppression that is encountered in a small proportion of patients, often reversible with medication discontinuation and supportive treatment. Rarely, aplastic anemia can develop during treatment with TMZ. Here, we present a case of a patient who developed aplastic anemia following treatment with TMZ. We offer a review of the existing literature to have a better understanding of the causative effect and to examine the characteristics and outcomes when aplastic anemia develops during treatment with TMZ.
High Expression of microRNA-371a-3p in Cystic Fluid of Post-Chemotherapy Teratoma with Concurrent Normal Serum Levels in Patients with Non-Seminomatous Testicular Germ Cell Tumours
Authors: Dieckmann Klaus-Peter , Hennig Finja , Anheuser Petra , Gehrckens Ralf , Viehweger Florian , Wülfing Christian , Belge Gazanfer
Published: October 2020

Background: MicroRNA-371a-3p (miR-371), the novel serum biomarker of testicular germ cell tumours (GCTs), is produced by undifferentiated subtypes of GCTs but not by teratoma. Cystic teratoma developing from retroperitoneal metastases of GCT subsequent to chemotherapy had been shown to contain high levels of classical serum tumour markers of GCT in the presence of normal marker levels in serum. To date, no information is available regarding the presence of miR-371 in the cystic fluid of residual teratoma after chemotherapy. Methods: Four patients (age 18–26 years) undergoing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) for cystic residual masses resulting from chemotherapy of bulky retroperitoneal GCT had measurements of miR-371 in both serum and cystic fluid aspirated from surgical specimens. Measurement of the miR was performed with quantitative real-time PCR using miR-30b-5p as reference. Results were tabulated and analysed in a descriptive manner. Results: Histologically, all of the surgical specimens involved teratoma only with no evidence of vital undifferentiated GCT tissue. All patients were cured. Prior to RPLND, miR-371 serum levels were not measurable or close to zero in all of the patients. Cystic fluid revealed elevated levels of miR-371 in 3 patients and traces of miR in one. Conclusions: The detection of miR-371 in the cystic fluid of teratoma is somewhat enigmatic since this GCT subtype usually does not express the miR. Two hypotheses may explain the finding: First, miR-371 molecules were released into the cystic fluid by active GCT tissue prior to chemotherapy. High levels were kept after regression of vital GCT tissue because the cystic lumen is without a specific drainage system. Second, teratoma cells lining the interior cyst wall may shed small amounts of miR-371 into the lumen. Because of the lacking drainage system, even small levels may accumulate. The present finding adds to the understanding of the biology of the novel biomarker of GCT.
Polypharmacy in Older Adults Hospitalized for Heart Failure
Authors: Unlu Ozan , Levitan Emily B. , Reshetnyak Evgeniya , Kneifati-Hayek Jerard , Diaz Ivan , Archambault Alexi , Chen Ligong , Hanlon Joseph T. , Maurer Mathew S. , Safford Monika M. , Lachs Mark S. , Goyal Parag
Published: October 2020

Background:

Despite potential harm that can result from polypharmacy, real-world data on polypharmacy in the setting of heart failure (HF) are limited. We sought to address this knowledge gap by studying older adults hospitalized for HF derived from the REGARDS study (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke).

Methods:

We examined 558 older adults aged ≥65 years with adjudicated HF hospitalizations from 380 hospitals across the United States. We collected and examined data from the REGARDS baseline assessment, medical charts from HF-adjudicated hospitalizations, the American Hospital Association annual survey database, and Medicare’s Hospital Compare website. We counted the number of medications taken at hospital admission and discharge; and classified each medication as HF-related, non-HF cardiovascular-related, or noncardiovascular-related.

Results:

The vast majority of participants (84% at admission and 95% at discharge) took ≥5 medications; and 42% at admission and 55% at discharge took ≥10 medications. The prevalence of taking ≥10 medications (polypharmacy) increased over the study period. As the number of total medications increased, the number of noncardiovascular medications increased more rapidly than the number of HF-related or non-HF cardiovascular medications.

Conclusions:

Defining polypharmacy as taking ≥10 medications might be more ideal in the HF population as most patients already take ≥5 medications. Polypharmacy is common both at admission and hospital discharge, and its prevalence is rising over time. The majority of medications taken by older adults with HF are noncardiovascular medications. There is a need to develop strategies that can mitigate the negative effects of polypharmacy among older adults with HF.
Eudaimonia as Fundamentally Good
Authors: LeBar Mark
Published: October 2020

In the ethical theories of the ancient Greeks, eudaimonia provided a grounding for the value of all other goods. But a puzzle for such views is that some things are good for us irrespective of the intervention of eudaimonia and its requirement of virtuous activity. In this article, the author considers challenges to the eudaimonist account of value on those grounds pressed by Nicholas Wolterstorff and Sophie Grace Chappell. The aim is ethical-theoretical, rather than historical. The author defends the thesis that a form of eudaimonism that is largely Aristotelian in form and content can meet these challenges.