bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gut-focused hypnotherapy for children and adolescents with irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Vasant Dipesh H , Hasan Syed S , Cruickshanks Pamela , Whorwell Peter J
Published: November 2020

Objective

Severe irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in school children and adolescents often leads to stigmatisation, social withdrawal, disrupted education and psychological distress. While there are few effective treatment options for IBS in this age group, gut-focused hypnotherapy (GFH) has shown promise in several trials. Unfortunately, GFH is not widely available, and clinical data outside of trials are scarce. Here, we evaluated outcomes from GFH in patients with IBS, aged ≤18 years, from a tertiary referral centre.

Design/Method

Consecutive patients aged ≤18 years with severe IBS received 12 sessions of GFH, at weekly intervals, using the Manchester Protocol. Clinical outcomes data, including IBS Symptom Severity Score (IBS-SSS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Non-colonic Symptom Score and Quality-of-Life (QoL) score, were collected prospectively, and compared pre-GFH and post-GFH. Clinical response was defined as ≥50 point reduction in IBS-SSS.

Results

32 young patients fulfilling Rome III diagnostic criteria for IBS (median age 16 (range 8–18) years, n=23/32 (72%) female individuals) completed GFH. At baseline, the mean duration of IBS was 5.9±0.9 years, and the mean IBS-SSS was 313±14. After GFH, 28/32 (88%) responded, with a mean overall reduction in IBS-SSS −159±16 (p<0.0001), and 24/32 (75%) achieved ≥30% reduction in abdominal pain scores. GFH also improved: non-colonic symptoms (p<0.0001), HADS-anxiety (p<0.0001), HADS-depression (p=0.0002) and QoL Scores (p<0.0001).

Conclusion

GFH is highly effective in children and adolescents with IBS. Early intervention with GFH in childhood IBS may reduce the subsequent burden of this problem in adults.
Bariatric surgery and the endoscopist
Authors: Temperley Laura , Sullivan Andrew , Ruban Aruchuna
Published: November 2020

Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for obesity and its metabolic related disorders. With the numbers of bariatric procedures being performed rising annually endoscopists are now more likely than ever to encounter this patient cohort on routine diagnostic lists. Endoscopy plays a vital role in both the pre and postoperative periods to diagnose and treat certain complications associated with bariatric surgery. Preoperative endoscopy may be useful in identifying pathologies that then influence the type of bariatric surgery being proposed. Postoperative endoscopy has an established role in identifying and managing complications such as anastomotic leaks and gastrointestinal bleeding. As endoscopic techniques develop, these complications may be managed without the need for surgical intervention or revision. Increased knowledge and awareness of the indications for endoscopy, together with the altered anatomy and common complications of bariatric surgery, is paramount in managing these patients effectively.
Prognostic value of HLA-I homozygosity in patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with single agent immunotherapy
Authors: Abed Afaf , Calapre Leslie , Lo Johnny , Correia Suzana , Bowyer Samantha , Chopra Abha , Watson Mark , Khattak Muhammad Adnan , Millward Michael , Gray Elin Solomonovna
Published: November 2020

Background

We aimed to assess the impact of genomic human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-I/II homozygosity on the survival benefit of patients with unresectable locally advanced, metastatic non-small lung cancer treated by single-agent programmed cell death protein-1/programmed death ligand 1 (PD1/PDL1) inhibitors.

Methods

We collected blood from 170 patients with advanced lung cancer treated with immunotherapy at two major oncology centers in Western Australia. Genomic DNA was extracted from white blood cells and used for HLA-I/II high-resolution typing. HLA-I/II homozygosity was tested for association with survival outcomes. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression models were constructed to determine whether HLA homozygosity was an independent prognostic factor affecting Overall Survival (OS) and Progression Free Survival (PFS). We also investigated the association between individual HLA-A and -B supertypes with OS.

Results

Homozygosity at HLA-I loci, but not HLA-II, was significantly associated with shorter OS (HR=2.17, 95% CI 1.13 to 4.17, p=0.02) in both univariable and multivariable analysis. The effect of HLA-I homozygosity in OS was particularly relevant for patients with tumors expressing PDL1 ≥50% (HR=3.93, 95% CI 1.30 to 11.85, p<0.001). The adverse effect of HLA-I homozygosity on PFS was only apparent after controlling for interactions between PDL1 status and HLA-I genotype (HR=2.21, 95% CI 1.04 to 4.70, p=0.038). The presence of HLA-A02 supertype was the only HLA-I supertype to be associated with improved OS (HR=0.56, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.93, p=0.023).

Conclusion

Our results suggest that homozygosity at ≥1 HLA-I loci is associated with short OS and PFS in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer with PDL1 ≥50% treated with single-agent immunotherapy. Carriers of HLA-A02 supertype reported better survival outcomes in this cohort of patients.
Metabolic brain changes across different levels of cognitive impairment in ALS: a18F-FDG-PET study
Authors: Canosa Antonio , Moglia Cristina , Manera Umberto , Vasta Rosario , Torrieri Maria Claudia , Arena Vincenzo , D'Ovidio Fabrizio , Palumbo Francesca , Zucchetti Jean Pierre , Iazzolino Barbara , Peotta Laura , Calvo Andrea , Pagani Marco , Chiò Adriano
Published: November 2020

Objective

To identify the metabolic changes related to the various levels of cognitive deficits in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) using18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) imaging.

Methods

274 ALS patients underwent neuropsychological assessment and brain18F-FDG-PET at diagnosis. According to the criteria published in 2017, cognitive status was classified as ALS with normal cognition (ALS-Cn, n=132), ALS with behavioural impairment (ALS-Bi, n=66), ALS with cognitive impairment (ALS-Ci, n=30), ALS with cognitive and behavioural impairment (ALS-Cbi, n=26), ALS with frontotemporal dementia (ALS–FTD, n=20). We compared each group displaying some degree of cognitive and/or behavioural impairment to ALS-Cn patients, including age at PET, sex and ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised as covariates.

Results

We identified frontal lobe relative hypometabolism in cognitively impaired patients that resulted more extensive and significant across the continuum from ALS-Ci, through ALS-Cbi, to ALS–FTD. ALS–FTD patients also showed cerebellar relative hypermetabolism. ALS-Bi patients did not show any difference compared with ALS-Cn.

Conclusions

These data support the concept that patients with cognitive impairment have a more widespread neurodegenerative process compared with patients with a pure motor disease: the more severe the cognitive impairment, the more diffuse the metabolic changes. Otherwise, metabolic changes related to pure behavioural impairment need further characterisation.
Correlation between intracranial vertebral artery stenosis diameter measured by digital subtraction angiography and cross-sectional area measured by optical coherence tomography
Authors: Feng Yao , Wu Tingxia , Wang Tao , Li Yingying , Li Mengyue , Li Long , Yang Bin , Bai Xuesong , Zhang Xiao , Wang Yabing , Gao Peng , Chen Yanfei , Ma Yan , Jiao Liqun
Published: November 2020

Background

Intracranial vertebral artery (V4 segment) stenosis quantification traditionally uses the narrowest stenosis diameter. However, the stenotic V4 lumen is commonly irregularly shaped. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) allows a more precise calculation of V4 geometry. We compared the narrowest diameter stenosis (DS), measured by digital subtraction angiography (DSA), with the area stenosis (AS), measured by OCT. We hypothesized that DS is the gold standard for measuring the degree of stenosis.

Methods

Five neuroradiologists evaluated 49 stenosed V4 segments in a blinded protocol. V4 stenosis was measured in millimeters on DSA at its narrowest diameter. OCT was used to estimate the cross-sectional luminal area. We also used automated software to measure DS. Three different angles (anterior, lateral, and oblique views) were used for calculations, and the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET) and Warfarin–Aspirin Symptomatic Intracranial Disease (WASID) methods were used in all measurements. Spearman’s R values were calculated. Non-linear regression analysis was performed between the DS and AS, with statistically different correlations.

Results

A high correlation was observed between the WASID and NASCET methods to measure DS with observer measurement and automated software. A good correlation was found between DS measured by observers and AS measured by OCT. Non-linear regression analysis showed that only observer measurement using the oblique view and the WASID method could attain statistically significant differences, but it was weak (r=0.389).

Conclusion

Measurement of the narrowest diameter was not a reliable predictor of the cross-sectional area of V4 stenosis. Larger studies are therefore needed to develop a new evaluation system based on V4 stenosis.
A physicist’s guide to explicit summation formulas involving zeros of Bessel functions and related spectral sums
Authors: Grebenkov Denis S.
Published: November 2020

In this pedagogical review, we summarize the mathematical basis and practical hints for the explicit analytical computation of spectral sums that involve the eigenvalues of the Laplace operator in simple domains such as [Formula: see text]-dimensional balls (with [Formula: see text]), an annulus, a spherical shell, right circular cylinders, rectangles and rectangular cuboids. Such sums appear as spectral expansions of heat kernels, survival probabilities, first-passage time densities, and reaction rates in many diffusion-oriented applications. As the eigenvalues are determined by zeros of an appropriate linear combination of a Bessel function and its derivative, there are powerful analytical tools for computing such spectral sums. We discuss three main strategies: representations of meromorphic functions as sums of partial fractions, Fourier–Bessel and Dini series, and direct evaluation of the Laplace-transformed heat kernels. The major emphasis is put on a pedagogic introduction, the practical aspects of these strategies, their advantages and limitations. The review gathers many summation formulas for spectral sums that are dispersed in the literature.
Grand unification models from SO(32) heterotic string
Authors: Kim Jihn E.
Published: November 2020

Grand unification groups (GUTs) are constructed from SO(32) heterotic string via [Formula: see text] orbifold compactification. So far, most phenomenological studies from string compactification relied on [Formula: see text] heterotic string, and this invites the SO(32) heterotic string very useful for future phenomenological studies. Here, spontaneous symmetry breaking is achieved by Higgsing of the antisymmetric tensor representations of SU[Formula: see text]. The anti-SU[Formula: see text] presented in this paper is a completely different class from the flipped-SU[Formula: see text]’s from the spinor representations of SO[Formula: see text]. Here, we realize chiral representations: [Formula: see text] for a SU(9) GUT and [Formula: see text] for a SU(5)[Formula: see text] GUT. In particular, we confirm that the non-Abelian anomalies of SU(9) gauge group vanish and hence our compactification scheme achieves the key requirement. We also present the Yukawa couplings, in particular for the heaviest fermion, [Formula: see text], and lightest fermions, neutrinos. In the supersymmetric version, we present a scenario how supersymmetry can be broken dynamically via the confining gauge group SU(9). Three families in the visible sector are interpreted as the chiral spectra of SU[Formula: see text] GUT.
Convolutions on the complex torus
Authors: Leitner Marianne
Published: November 2020

“Quasi-elliptic” functions can be given a ring structure in two different ways, using either ordinary multiplication, or convolution. The map between the corresponding standard bases is calculated. A related structure has appeared recently in the computation of Feynman integrals. The two approaches are related by a sequence of polynomials closely tied to the Eulerian polynomials.
On Petersson’s partition limit formula
Authors: Castaño-Bernard Carlos , Luca Florian
Published: November 2020

For each prime [Formula: see text] consider the Legendre character [Formula: see text]. Let [Formula: see text] be the number of partitions of [Formula: see text] into parts [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text]. Petersson proved a beautiful limit formula for the ratio of [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text] as [Formula: see text] expressed in terms of important invariants of the real quadratic field [Formula: see text]. But his proof is not illuminating and Grosswald conjectured a more natural proof using a Tauberian converse of the Stolz–Cesàro theorem. In this paper, we suggest an approach to address Grosswald’s conjecture. We discuss a monotonicity conjecture which looks quite natural in the context of the monotonicity theorems of Bateman–Erdős.
Planning for Extreme Heat: A Review
Authors: Keith Ladd , Meerow Sara , Wagner Tess
Published: November 2020

Extreme heat is a growing concern for cities, with both climate change and the urban heat island (UHI) effect increasingly impacting public health, economies, urban infrastructure, and urban ecology. To better understand the current state of planning for extreme heat, we conducted a systematic literature review. We found that most of the research focuses on UHI mapping and modeling, while few studies delve into extreme heat planning and governance processes. An in-depth review of this literature reveals common institutional, policy, and informational barriers and strategies for overcoming them. Identified challenges include siloed heat governance and research that limit cross-governmental and interdisciplinary collaboration; complex, context-specific, and diverse heat resilience strategies; the need to combine extreme heat “risk management” strategies (focused on preparing and responding to extreme heat events) and “design of the built environment” strategies (spatial planning and design interventions that intentionally reduce urban temperatures); and the need for extensive, multidisciplinary data and tools that are often not readily available. These challenges point to several avenues for future heat planning research. Ultimately, we argue that planners have an important role to play in building heat resilience and conclude by identifying areas where scholars and practitioners can work together to advance our understanding of extreme heat planning.
Poverty Reduction Effect of Adaptation to Climate Change: Empirical Evidence from China’s Loess Plateau and Qinba Mountains
Authors: LIU Jie , LIU Changyi
Published: November 2020

Based on the micro-survey data of rural households in China’s Loess Plateau and Qinba Mountains, this paper empirically examines the poverty reduction effect and mechanism of adaptation to climate change. The research conclusions show that the adaptation actions can significantly reduce the poverty vulnerability of farmers, especially the future incidence of poverty in agricultural or poor households to a greater extent, which is characterized by a “pro-poor” effect. Adaptation actions can reduce poverty from two aspects: decreasing the expected income volatility (loss mitigation effect) and increasing the expected income level (opportunity effect), and the former is stronger than the latter. In the post-2020 period, China should enhance policy support in rural areas to adapt to climate change, improve the resilience of farmers’ livelihoods and climate change resilience of rural areas, and promote sustainable poverty reduction.
A conversation with Ella Peltonen
Authors: Anjum Bushra
Published: November 2020

In this interview, Ubiquity's senior editor Dr. Bushra Anjum chats with Dr. Ella Peltonen, a research scientist with the Center for Ubiquitous Computing, University of Oulu, Finland, about the traditional divide between theoretical machine learning and the more applied fields of distributed systems. They then discuss the need for environments and opportunities where researchers from both theory and application areas can discuss, share their latest findings, and understand each other.
Influence of the Seed Layer and Electrolyte on the Epitaxial Electrodeposition of Co(0001) for the Fabrication of Single Crystal Interconnects
Authors: Gusley Ryan , Ezzat Sameer , Coffey Kevin R. , West Alan C. , Barmak Katayun
Published: November 2020

Co electrodeposition was performed onto single crystal Ru(0001) and polycrystalline Ru films to study the influence of such seed layers on the growth of epitaxial Co(0001). The effect of misfit strain on the electrodeposited Co(0001) films was studied using 60 and 10 nm-thick Ru(0001) seed layers, where the misfit strains of the Co layer on the two Ru(0001) seed layers are 7.9% and 9.6%, respectively. Despite a large misfit strain of 7.9%, the planar growth of Co(0001) was achieved up to a thickness of 42 nm before a transition to island growth was observed. Epitaxial Co films electrodeposited onto 10 nm Ru(0001) showed increased roughness when compared with Co electrodeposited onto the 60 nm seed layer. Co electrodeposition onto polycrystalline Ru resulted in a rough, polycrystalline film with faceted growth. Electrochemical experiments and simulations were used to study the influence of [Co2+] and solution pH on the throughput of the electrodeposition process. By increasing [Co2+] from 1 to 20 mM, the deposition rate of Co(0001) increased from 0.23 nm min−1 to 0.88 nm min−1 at an applied current density of −80 μA cm−2.
Interpretation of the 1/C2 Curvature and Discontinuity in Electrochemical Capacitance Voltage Profiling of Heavily Ga Implanted SiGe Followed by Melt Laser Annealing
Authors: Sermage B. , Tabata T. , Ren J. , Priante G. , Gao Y.
Published: November 2020

Electrochemical Capacitance Voltage Profiling (ECVP) is one of the most widely used characterization methods in semiconductor industry to measure the activation of dopants in doped semiconductor materials owing to its low-cost and easy-to-use features. Today, there are some specific industrial needs, for instance reduction of the contact resistance in advanced transistors, for which heavily-doped semiconductor materials must be implemented. A clear challenge addressed to ECVP here is that the interpretation of measured data becomes much more complex in such materials because of the appearance of curvatures and discontinuity on the curve given by the inverse of the square of the capacitance within the space charge zone as a function of the applied polarisation voltage. In this paper, we present a case of silicon-germanium doped by heavy gallium ion-implantation and annealed by melt laser annealing, where a metastable dopant activation can be expected. We develop a fitting model with different deep levels, highlighting their possibly different time constants to provide a more reliable interpretation on the measurements.
Another look at the core concepts of physiology: revisions and resources
Authors: Michael Joel , McFarland Jenny
Published: November 2020

In 2011, we published a description of 15 core concepts of physiology, and in 2017 we described how core concepts could be used to teach physiology. On the basis of publications and conference presentations, it is clear that the core concepts, conceptual frameworks, and the homeostasis concept inventory have been used by faculty in many ways to improve and assess student learning and align instruction and programs. A growing number of colleagues focus their teaching on physiology core concepts, and some core concepts have been used as explicit themes or organizing principles in physiology or anatomy and physiology textbooks. The core concepts published in 2011 were derived from inputs from a diverse group of physiology instructors and articulated what this group of instructors expressed a decade ago. On the basis of current feedback from the physiology teaching community as a consequence of the use of core concepts in teaching and learning, we have revisited these concepts and made revisions to address issues that have emerged. In this article, we offer revised definitions and explanations of the core concepts, propose an additional core concept (“physical properties of matter” which combines two previous concepts), and describe three broad categories for the revised core concepts. Finally, we catalog published resources for each of the core concepts that provide instructors tools to focus facilitation of student learning on goals (learning outcomes), activities and assessments to enable students to develop and apply their understanding of the core concepts of physiology.
Optimizing the Intensive Care Treatment of Severe and Complicated Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in Nonimmune Patients
Authors: Chentsov V. B. , Tokmalaev A. K. , Kozhevnikova G. M. , Baranova A. M. , Vdovina E. T. , Emerole K. C.
Published: November 2020

This study analyses the intensive care treatment of 48 patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital No. 2, Moscow, Russia, between 2007 and 2019, with a severe and complicated form of P. falciparum malaria (B50.8 ICD 10). Objective. The aim of this study was to improve the intensive care treatment for severe and complicated P. falciparum malaria. The treatment strategy implemented was aimed at preventing ischaemia-reperfusion injury to organs, as well as haemorrhagic complications. The ICU Case Management Protocol set up indications for transferring patients to the ICU which provide preventive (prior to the development of renal failure) application of extracorporeal hemocorrection methods (continuous venous-venous hemodiafiltration and plasmapheresis in a plasma exchange mode) and mechanical ventilation under a medically induced coma, given impaired consciousness as the initial symptom of patients. Results. Successful treatment outcome in a majority of the patients (93.8%), shorter ICU length of stay (6.67 ± 1.9 days as compared to 94 ± 1.6 before introduction of the protocol), a median parasite clearance time of 37.50 hours (95% CI 36.21–38.18), and a reduced mortality rate from 29.1% to 6.25% support the efficacy of the ICU protocol in managing severe and complicated P. falciparum malaria.
Clinical Analysis of Castleman’s Disease of the Lacrimal Gland
Authors: Li Dongping , Tang Dongrun , Sun Fengyuan
Published: November 2020

Objective. To explore the clinical manifestations, imaging characteristics, and pathological characteristics of Castleman’s disease of the lacrimal gland, enhance the knowledge of the disease, and improve the level of its diagnosis and treatment. Methods. In the retrospective study, the data of 5 patients diagnosed with Castleman’s disease of the lacrimal gland in Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital from 2014 to 2018 were analyzed, and the relevant literature was reviewed. Results. All the 5 patients were confirmed by pathological examination. Clinical manifestations were characterized by mass occupying lesions in the lacrimal gland area, without obvious pain, accompanied by eyelid swelling and ptosis, as well as space-occupying symptoms. Imaging examination showed that there was a soft tissue mass in the enlarged lacrimal gland area, and the mass was rich in blood flows while showing no obvious specificity, which could invade the surrounding muscles. All patients underwent surgical resection. Pathological results showed that 1 case was of the hyaline-vascular type, 3 cases were of the plasma cell type, and 1 case showed malignant transformation to plasma cell tumor. Conclusion. Castleman’s disease of the lacrimal gland is a rare orbital lymphoproliferative disease lacking specificity in clinical manifestations and imaging examination. As there are difficulties in differentiating the disease from orbital inflammatory pseudotumor and orbital lymphoma, its diagnosis still depends on pathological examination. The disease is mainly treated with surgical resection, and the pathological type is determined postoperatively.
Acceleration Frequency Characteristics of the Freight-Train-Induced Vibration of the Beijing-Harbin Railway Subgrade
Authors: Zhao Yingying , Ling Xianzhang , Wang Ziyu , Gong Weiming , Li Guoyu
Published: November 2020

The vibration acceleration during a freezing period was monitored in the Beijing-Harbin railway subgrade, and its frequency characteristics were studied. The results show the following. (1) The vibration acceleration frequency of the railway subgrade was divided into three main bands: the first frequency band is caused by the vehicle wheelbase, the second frequency band is caused by the sleeper spacing, and the third frequency band is mainly affected by the track irregularity spectrum and site structure. (2) The fitted dominant frequency, as can be seen from the monitored results, is in good agreement with the calculated value from the vibration frequency calculation formulas. (3) From the monitoring, it can be seen that train type, traveling speed, and train formation have a significant influence on the dominant frequencies of the first and second bands. Train formation, load, and distance from the track have a great influence on the amplitude of each frequency band.
Investigation for Influences of Seepage on Mechanical Properties of Rocks Using Acoustic Emission Technique
Authors: Wu Saisai , Zhang Xiaohan , Li Junping , Wang Zhao
Published: November 2020

The behavior of rock mass is governed by the properties of both the rock material and discontinuities in the rock mass. Surrounding environments including the existence of water also have a great influence on the behavior and mechanical properties of rocks. In this study, a novel-designed compression and seepage testing system, associated with an acoustic emission system, was designed and constructed. The changes in the specimens resulting from the uniaxial compression were monitored by an acoustic emission technique. The characteristics of the acoustic emission parameters at different stages including compaction and crack initiation, crack propagation, and catastrophic failure were analyzed. The existence of seepage had direct influences on the mechanical properties and failure patterns of the specimens. The specimens tested in pure compression conditions demonstrated strong burst proneness and ruptured into separate pieces, while for the specimens with seepage, no burst proneness was observed and the specimens tended to fail along a macroscopic shear failure plane. The highest average energy of the acoustic signal occurred at the stage of initial rupture of rock specimens, rather than at the stage of widespread rupture. The studies explored the possibilities of using the acoustic emission technique to investigate the problems associated with the seepage in geotechnical and rock engineering and provided meaningful results for further research in this field.
An Advanced Hybrid Forecasting System for Wind Speed Point Forecasting and Interval Forecasting
Authors: Zhang Haipeng , Luo Hua
Published: November 2020

Ultra-short-term wind speed prediction can assist the operation and scheduling of wind turbines in the short term and further reduce the adverse effects of wind power integration. However, as wind is irregular, nonlinear, and nonstationary, to accurately predict wind speed is a difficult task. To this end, researchers have made many attempts; however, they often use only point forecasting or interval forecasting, resulting in imperfect prediction results. Therefore, in this paper, we developed a prediction system integrating an advanced data preprocessing strategy, a novel optimization model, and multiple prediction algorithms. This combined forecasting system can overcome the inherent disadvantages of the traditional forecasting methods and further improve the prediction performance. To test the effectiveness of the forecasting system, the 10-min and one-hour wind speed sequences from the Sotavento wind farm in Spain were applied for conducting comparison experiments. The results of both the interval forecasting and point forecasting indicated that, in terms of the forecasting capability and stability, the proposed system was better than the compared models. Therefore, because of the minimum prediction error and excellent generalization ability, we consider this forecasting system to be an effective tool to assist smart grid programming.
Analysis of Seasonal Daytime Urban Thermal Environment Dynamics in a Tropical Coastal City Based on the Spatiotemporal Fusion Model
Authors: Yao Yuan , Lu Yiling , Zhang Fang , Liu Lulu , Liao Min
Published: November 2020

This study investigated the seasonal variations of daytime urban thermal environment (UTE) based on land surface temperature (LST) in Shenzhen of 2015. The spatial and temporal adaptive reflectance fusion model (STARFM) was used for retrieving seasonal daytime LST at high spatiotemporal resolution by combining MODIS and HJ-1B LST data. Next, the relationship between the land cover and daytime in each season was examined. Finally, daytime LST patterns were classified, and the effects of seasonal variations of high-grade daytime LSTs were analyzed with landscape metrics. The results showed that (1) the STARFM is capable of generating seasonal daytime LST data at high spatiotemporal resolution. (2) Daytime LSTs were generally higher in the western parts of Shenzhen in spring and summer. (3) Daytime LST in each land cover type showed an increasing trend form winter to summer and decreased from summer to autumn. The highest and lowest daytime LSTs in each season were observed in ISAs and water bodies. (4) Landscape metrics provided a quantitative method for describing seasonal variations in daytime LSTs, and it was found that seasons influenced the intensity and extent of daytime LSTs in Shenzhen. These findings may be helpful for urban planners developing regional urban strategies to improve daytime urban thermal comfort conditions.
Clinicopathological and Molecular Characteristics of Pleomorphic Invasive Lobular Carcinoma
Authors: Segar Jennifer M. , Pandey Ritu , Farr Kiah J. , Nagle Raymond , LeBeau Lauren , Gonzalez Victor J. , Chalasani Pavani
Published: November 2020

Pleomorphic invasive lobular carcinoma (PILC) is a distinct morphological and biologically aggressive variant of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). We hypothesized that was due to de novo activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in PILC resulting in higher proliferation rate and markers of cell cycle activation. We identified PILC and ILC tumors and tested for PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway activation by immunohistochemistry (PTEN and pS6K1) and gene expression analysis (by Nanostring nCounter system). Proliferation index (Ki67) was elevated in 85% of PILCs compared to 20% of ILCs (

p
<
0.007

). PTEN expression was high in all while pS6K1 was high in 8/9 PILCs compared to 3/9 ILCs (

p
<
0.007

). Gene expression analysis shows that PILCs have overexpression of genes involved in cell cycle proliferation, cellular proliferation, DNA damage, and repair genes but no difference in PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway genes. PILCs are a biologically distinct group of ILC, and clinicopathological characteristics suggest they would have a more clinically aggressive behavior. In addition, our results indicate that PI3k/Akt/mTOR pathway and cell cycle proliferation are activated in majority of these tumors. Further studies are needed to investigate these mechanisms as there are approved therapies available that may benefit PILCs.
[Retracted] MicroRNA‐346‐5p Regulates Differentiation of Bone Marrow‐Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Inhibiting Transmembrane Protein 9
Authors: Zhang Yicai , Sun Yi , Liu Jinlong , Han Yu , Yan Jinglong
Published: November 2020

The molecular mechanisms how bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) differentiate into osteoblast need to be investigated. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) contribute to the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. However, the effect of miR‐346‐5p on osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs is not clear. This study is aimed at elucidating the underlying mechanism by which miR‐346‐5p regulates osteogenic differentiation of human BMSCs. Results of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and Alizarin Red S (ARS) staining indicated that upregulation of miR‐346‐5p suppressed osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, whereas downregulation of miR‐346‐5p enhanced this process. The protein levels of the osteoblastic markers Osterix and Runt‐related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) were decreased in cells treated with miR‐346‐5p mimic at day 7 and day 14 after being differentiated. By contrast, downregulation of miR‐346‐5p elevated the protein levels of Osterix and Runx2. Moreover, a dual‐luciferase reporter assay revealed that Transmembrane Protein 9 (TMEM9) was a target of miR‐346‐5p. In addition, the Western Blot results demonstrated that the TMEM9 protein level was significantly reduced by the miR‐346‐5p mimic whereas downregulation of miR‐346‐5p improved the protein level of TMEM9. These results together demonstrated that miR‐346‐5p served a key role in BMSC osteogenic differentiation of through targeting TMEM9, which may provide a novel target for clinical treatments of bone injury.
The Immediate Effects of Lavender Aromatherapy Massage versus Massage in Work Stress, Burnout, and HRV Parameters: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Wu Chiu-Yen , Lee Hsiu-Fang , Chang C. W. , Chiang Hui-Chu , Tsai Yu-Hsia , Liu Hsueh-Erh
Published: November 2020

Background. Occupational stress is a common issue faced by workers in every discipline. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, such as aromatherapy massage or massage, have antistress effects in the literature. The purpose of this randomized clinical trial with triple blinds is to evaluate the immediate effects of lavender aromatherapy massage for improving work stress, burnout, and HRV parameters of female employees in a university. Methods. A total of 53 subjects in experimental group whereas 57 subjects in control group completed interventions and measurement and led to power of 0.98. Inferential statistics, as independent t‐test, paired t‐test, and Chi‐Square test, were performed to verify the expected relationships. Results. The present study found that subjects in experimental group reported a lower role stress and less inclined to type A personality trait after aromatherapy massage with lavender. For control group, only less inclined to type A personality trait was reported after receiving massage. For burnout, a significant lower personal burnout and work‐related burnout were reported after aromatherapy massage whereas only increased client‐related burnout was reported in control group. For HRV, both the experimental and control groups reported higher SDNN and RMSSD in time domain after intervention. Contradictory HRT and PSI in time domain were significantly lower after intervention. In frequency domain of HRV, both groups reported significantly higher value in VLF and HF. In addition, the experimental group reported significantly higher value in TP and LF after intervention. Conclusions. Both the lavender aromatherapy massage and massage did show immediate effect on different dimensions of work stress, burnout, and HRV. These two interventions can be applied as routine leisure activities by personal preference to reduce stresses occurring in work environment.
Analysis of Electric Vehicle Charging Behavior Patterns with Function Principal Component Analysis Approach
Authors: Chen Chenxi , Song Yang , Hu Xianbiao , Guardiola Ivan G.
Published: November 2020

This manuscript focused on analyzing electric vehicles’ (EV) charging behavior patterns with a functional data analysis (FDA) approach, with the goal of providing theoretical support to the EV infrastructure planning and regulation, as well as the power grid load management. 5-year real-world charging log data from a total of 455 charging stations in Kansas City, Missouri, was used. The focuses were placed on analyzing the daily usage occupancy variability, daily energy consumption variability, and station-level usage variability. Compared with the traditional discrete-based analysis models, the proposed FDA modeling approach had unique advantages in preserving the smooth function behavior of the data, bringing more flexibility in the modeling process with little required assumptions or background knowledge on independent variables, as well as the capability of handling time series data with different lengths or sizes. In addition to the patterns revealed in the EV charging station’s occupancy and energy consumption, the differences between EV driver’s charging time and parking time were analyzed and called for the needs for parking regulation and enforcement. The different usage patterns observed at charging stations located on different land-use types were also analyzed.
Privacy-Preserving Graph Operations for Mobile Authentication
Authors: Li Peng , Zhou Fucai , Xu Zifeng , Li Yuxi , Xu Jian
Published: November 2020

Along with the fast development of wireless technologies, smart devices have become an integral part of our daily life. Authentication is one of the most common and effective methods for these smart devices to prevent unauthorized access. Moreover, smart devices tend to have limited computing power, and they may possess sensitive data. In this paper, we investigate performing graph operations in a privacy-preserving manner, which can be used for anonymous authentication for smart devices. We propose two protocols that allow two parties to jointly compute the intersection and union of their private graphs. Our protocols utilize homomorphic encryption to prevent information leakage during the process, and we provide security proofs of the protocols in the semihonest setting. At last, we implement and evaluate the efficiency of our protocols through experiments on real-world graph data.
From Uncertainty to Anxiety: How Uncertainty Fuels Anxiety in a Process Mediated by Intolerance of Uncertainty
Authors: Gu Yuanyuan , Gu Simeng , Lei Yi , Li Hong
Published: November 2020

Uncertainty about future events may lead to worry, anxiety, even inability to function. The highly related concept—intolerance of uncertainty (IU)—emerged in the early 1990s, which is further developed into a transdiagnostic risk factor in multiple forms of anxiety disorders. Interests in uncertainty and intolerance of uncertainty have rapidly increased in recent years; little is known about the construct and phenomenology of uncertainty and IU and the association between them. In an attempt to reveal the nature of two concepts, we reviewed broad literature surrounding uncertainty and intolerance of uncertainty (IU). We followed the process in which the whole IU theory developed and extended, including two aspects: (1) from uncertainty to intolerance of uncertainty and (2) definition of uncertainty and intolerance of uncertainty, and further concluded uncertainty fuels to negative emotions, biased expectancy, and inflexible response. Secondly, this paper summarized the experimental research concerning uncertainty and IU, consisted of three parts: (1) uncertainty-based research, (2) measurements of IU, and (3) domain-specific IU. Lastly, we pointed out what remains unknown and needed to be investigated in future research. This result provides a comprehensive overview in this domain, enhancing our understanding of uncertainty and IU and contributing to further theoretical and empirical explorations.
Biodegradable Food Packaging Materials and Prospects of the Fourth Industrial Revolution for Tomato Fruit and Product Handling
Authors: Chisenga S. M. , Tolesa G. N. , Workneh T. S.
Published: November 2020

The environment and food safety are major areas of concern influencing the development of biodegradable packaging for partial replacement of petrochemical-based polymers. This review is aimed at updating the recent advances in biodegradable packaging material and the role of virtual technology and nanotechnology in the tomato supply chain. Some of the common biodegradable materials are gelatin, starch, chitosan, cellulose, and polylactic acid. The tensile strength, tear resistance, permeability, degradability, and solubility are some of the properties defining the selection and utilization of food packaging materials. Biodegradable films can be degraded in soil by microbial enzymatic actions and bioassimilation. Nanoparticles are incorporated into blended films to improve the performance of packaging materials. The prospects of the fourth industrial revolution can be realized with the use of virtual platforms such as sensor systems in authentification and traceability of food and packaging products. There is a research gap on the development of a hybrid sensor system unit that can integrate sampling headspace (SHS), detection unit, and data processing of big data for heterogeneous tomato-derived volatiles. Principal component analysis (PCA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and artificial neutral network (ANN) are some of the common mathematical models for data interpretation of sensor systems.
FAM225B Is a Prognostic lncRNA for Patients with Recurrent Glioblastoma
Authors: Li Junsheng , Zhang Qian , Ge Peicong , Zeng Chaofan , Lin Fa , Wang Wen , Zhao Jizong
Published: November 2020

Objective. The overall survival of patients with recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM) is quite different, so clinical outcome prediction is necessary to guide personalized clinical treatment for patients with rGBM. The expression level of lncRNA FAM225B was analyzed to determine its prognostic value in rGBMs. Methods. We collected 109 samples of Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) RNA sequencing dataset and divided into training set and validation set. Then, we analyzed the expression of FAM225B, clinical characteristics, and overall survival (OS) information. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to estimate the OS distributions. The prognostic value of FAM225B in rGBMs was tested by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Moreover, we analyzed the biological processes and signaling pathways of FAM225B. Results. We found that FAM225B was upregulated in rGBMs (

P
=
0.0009

). The expression of FAM225B increased with the grades of gliomas (

P
<
0.0001

). The OS of rGBMs in the low-expression group was significantly longer than that in the high-expression group (

P
=
0.0041

). Similar result was found in the training set (

P
=
0.0340

) and verified in the validation set (

P
=
0.0292

). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, FAM225B was identified to be an independent prognostic factor for rGBMs (

P
=
0.003

). Biological process and KEGG pathway analyses implied FAM225B mainly played a functional role on transcription, regulation of transcription, cell migration, focal adhesion, etc. Conclusions. FAM225B is expected to be as a new prognostic biomarker for the identification of rGBM patients with poor outcome. And our study provided a potential therapeutic target for rGBMs.
Acupuncture for Adults with Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Functional Diarrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Guo Jianbo , Xing Xiaoxiao , Wu Jiani , Zhang Hui , Yun Yongen , Qin Zongshi , He Qingyong
Published: November 2020

Objective. To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of acupuncture therapy in the treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) or functional diarrhea (FD) in adults. Method. Five electronic databases—PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang—were searched, respectively, until June 8, 2020. The literature of clinical randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for the treatment of IBS-D or FD in adults were collected. Meta-analysis was conducted by Using Stata 16.0 software, the quality of the included studies was assessed by the RevMan ROB summary and graph, and the results were graded by GRADE. Result. Thirty-one studies with 3234 patients were included. Most of the studies were evaluated as low risk of bias related to selection bias, attrition bias, and reporting bias. Nevertheless, seven studies showed the high risk of bias due to incomplete outcome data. GRADE’s assessments were either moderate certainty or low certainty. Compared with loperamide, acupuncture showed more effectiveness in weekly defecation (

SMD
=
−
0.29

, 95% CI [-0.49, -0.08]), but no significant improvement in the result of the Bristol stool form (

SMD
=
−
0.28

, 95% CI [-0.68, 0.12]). In terms of the drop-off rate, although the acupuncture group was higher than the bacillus licheniformis plus beanxit group (

RR
=
2.57

, 95% CI [0.24, 27.65]), loperamide group (

RR
=
1.11

, 95% CI [0.57, 2.15]), and trimebutine maleate group (

RR
=
1.19

, 95% CI [0.31, 4.53]), respectively, it was lower than the dicetel group (

RR
=
0.83

, 95% CI [0.56, 1.23]) and affected the overall trend (

RR
=
0.93

, 95% CI [0.67, 1.29]). Besides, acupuncture produced more significant effect than dicetel related to the total symptom score (

SMD
=
−
1.17

, 95% CI [-1.42, -0.93]), IBS quality of life (

SMD
=
2.37

, 95% CI [1.94, 2.80]), recurrence rate (

RR
=
0.43

, 95% CI [0.28, 0.66]), and IBS Symptom Severity Scale (

SMD
=
−
0.75

, 95% CI [-1.04, -0.47]). Compared to dicetel (

RR
=
1.25

, 95% CI [1.18, 1.32]) and trimebutine maleate (

RR
=
1.35

, 95% CI [1.13, 1.61]), acupuncture also showed more effective at total efficiency. The more adverse effect occurred in the acupuncture group when comparing with the dicetel group (

RR
=
11.86

, 95% CI [1.58, 89.07]) and loperamide group (

RR
=
4.42

, 95% CI [0.57, 33.97]), but most of the adverse reactions were mild hypodermic hemorrhage. Conclusion. Acupuncture treatment can improve the clinical effectiveness of IBS-D or FD, with great safety, but the above conclusions need to be further verified through the higher quality of evidence.