bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhanced epithelial sodium channel activity in neonatal Scnn1b mouse lung attenuates high oxygen-induced lung injury
Authors: Grant Garett J. , Mimche Patrice N. , Paine Robert , Liou Theodore G. , Qian Wei-Jun , Helms My N.
Published: May 2021

Prolonged oxygen therapy leads to oxidative stress, epithelial dysfunction, and acute lung injury in preterm infants and adults. Heterozygous Scnn1b mice, which overexpress lung epithelial sodium channels (ENaC), and their wild-type (WT) C57Bl6 littermates were utilized to study the pathogenesis of high fraction inspired oxygen ([Formula: see text])-induced lung injury. Exposure to high [Formula: see text] from birth to postnatal ( PN) day 11 was used to model oxidative stress. Chronic exposure of newborn pups to 85% O2 increased glutathione disulfide (GSSG) and elevated the GSH/GSSG redox potential ( Eh) of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Longitudinal X-ray imaging and Evans blue-labeled-albumin assays showed that chronic 85% O2 and acute GSSG (400 µM) exposures decreased alveolar fluid clearance (AFC) in the WT lung. Morphometric analysis of WT pups insufflated with GSSG (400 µM) or amiloride (1 µM) showed a reduction in alveologenesis and increased lung injury compared with age-matched control pups. The Scnn1b mouse lung phenotype was not further aggravated by chronic 85% O2 exposure. These outcomes support the hypothesis that exposure to hyperoxia increases GSSG, resulting in reduced lung fluid reabsorption due to inhibition of amiloride-sensitive ENaC. Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FADH2; 10 µM) was effective in recycling GSSG in vivo and promoted alveologenesis, but did not impact AFC nor attenuate fibrosis following high [Formula: see text] exposure. In conclusion, the data indicate that FADH2 may be pivotal for normal lung development, and show that ENaC is a key factor in promoting alveologenesis, sustaining AFC, and attenuating fibrotic lung injury caused by prolonged oxygen therapy in WT mice.
Adaptation of pointing and visual localization in depth around the natural grasping distance
Authors: Wiesing Michael , Kartashova Tatiana , Zimmermann Eckart
Published: May 2021

Which information guides pointing in 3D space? Inaccuracies of vision in depth generate the need for the sensorimotor system to rely on other information sources to optimally plan movement trajectories. Here, we implemented pointing adaptation experiments that could dissociate if the generalization of adaptation follows visual distortions or if it is informed by a “natural grasping distance” prior. Adaptation was strongest for movements toward the natural grasping distance, suggesting the latter hypothesis to be true.
Resolution of subcomponents of synaptic release from postsynaptic currents in rat hair-cell/auditory-nerve fiber synapses
Authors: Young Eric D. , Wu (武靜靜) Jingjing Sherry , Niwa Mamiko , Glowatzki Elisabeth
Published: May 2021

How do monophasic and multiphasic waveshapes arise in auditory-nerve dendrites; mainly are they uniquantal, arising from release of a single vesicle, or multiquantal, requiring several vesicles? The charge injected by excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) is the same for monophasic or multiphasic EPSCs, supporting uniquantal release. Serial adaptation of responses to sequential EPSCs favors a multiquantal model. Finally, neurotransmitter partitioning into similar sized release boluses occurs at the first bolus in the EPSC, not easily explained with either model.
The roles of calcium and ATP in the physiology and pathology of the exocrine pancreas
Authors: Petersen Ole H. , Gerasimenko Julia V. , Gerasimenko Oleg V. , Gryshchenko Oleksiy , Peng Shuang
Published: May 2021

This review deals with the roles of calcium ions and ATP in the control of the normal functions of the different cell types in the exocrine pancreas as well as the roles of these molecules in the pathophysiology of acute pancreatitis. Repetitive rises in the local cytosolic calcium ion concentration in the apical part of the acinar cells not only activate exocytosis but also, via an increase in the intramitochondrial calcium ion concentration, stimulate the ATP formation that is needed to fuel the energy-requiring secretion process. However, intracellular calcium overload, resulting in a global sustained elevation of the cytosolic calcium ion concentration, has the opposite effect of decreasing mitochondrial ATP production, and this initiates processes that lead to necrosis. In the last few years it has become possible to image calcium signaling events simultaneously in acinar, stellate, and immune cells in intact lobules of the exocrine pancreas. This has disclosed processes by which these cells interact with each other, particularly in relation to the initiation and development of acute pancreatitis. By unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying this disease, several promising therapeutic intervention sites have been identified. This provides hope that we may soon be able to effectively treat this often fatal disease.
Fluid transport in the brain
Authors: Rasmussen Martin Kaag , Mestre Humberto , Nedergaard Maiken
Published: May 2021

The brain harbors a unique ability to, figuratively speaking, shift its gears. During wakefulness, the brain is geared fully toward processing information and behaving, while homeostatic functions predominate during sleep. The blood-brain barrier establishes a stable environment that is optimal for neuronal function, yet the barrier imposes a physiological problem; transcapillary filtration that forms extracellular fluid in other organs is reduced to a minimum in brain. Consequently, the brain depends on a special fluid [the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)] that is flushed into brain along the unique perivascular spaces created by astrocytic vascular endfeet. We describe this pathway, coined the term glymphatic system, based on its dependency on astrocytic vascular endfeet and their adluminal expression of aquaporin-4 water channels facing toward CSF-filled perivascular spaces. Glymphatic clearance of potentially harmful metabolic or protein waste products, such as amyloid-β, is primarily active during sleep, when its physiological drivers, the cardiac cycle, respiration, and slow vasomotion, together efficiently propel CSF inflow along periarterial spaces. The brain’s extracellular space contains an abundance of proteoglycans and hyaluronan, which provide a low-resistance hydraulic conduit that rapidly can expand and shrink during the sleep-wake cycle. We describe this unique fluid system of the brain, which meets the brain’s requisites to maintain homeostasis similar to peripheral organs, considering the blood-brain-barrier and the paths for formation and egress of the CSF.
Bound State Solution Schrödinger Equation for Extended Cornell Potential at Finite Temperature
Authors: Ahmadov A. I. , Abasova K. H. , Orucova M. Sh.
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we study the finite temperature-dependent Schrödinger equation by using the Nikiforov-Uvarov method. We consider the sum of the Cornell, inverse quadratic, and harmonic-type potentials as the potential part of the radial Schrödinger equation. Analytical expressions for the energy eigenvalues and the radial wave function are presented. Application of the results for the heavy quarkonia and

B

c

meson masses are in good agreement with the current experimental data except for zero angular momentum quantum numbers. Numerical results for the temperature dependence indicates a different behaviour for different quantum numbers. Temperature-dependent results are in agreement with some QCD sum rule results from the ground states.
Trajectory Mining‐Based City‐Level Mobility Model for 5G NB‐IoT Networks
Authors: Zhang Runzhou , Zhong Han , Zheng Tongyi , Ning Lei
Published: May 2021

Due to the large coverage of 5G NB‐IoT networks, a more realistic mobility model for a macroscopic scene will greatly facilitate the development of optimal radio resource management algorithms. However, models devised for a random motion scene are no longer applicable in circumstances. Therefore, in this paper, a city‐level mobility model is proposed based on the feature mining of the real trajectory of vehicles in the city of Shenzhen. The proposed model is separately designed in the motion trajectory to reduce the mutual influence between the time and spatial sequence. Simulation results show that it can better present specific node motions with the physical constraints of the city layout, which are motivated with a high degree of fit in terms of self‐similarity, hotspots, and long‐tail features.
Study on the Properties of an Ecotype Mortar with Rice Husks and Sisal Fibers
Authors: Liu Xiaofan , Li Jixiang , Li Fengyun , Wang Junguang , Lu Haijun
Published: May 2021

Adding plant fibers such as rice husks or sisals to the mortar is one of the main methods to reuse the agricultural wastes and reduce the energy consumption of building industry. However, recent research showed some limitation of the mortar mixed with plant fibers. In this paper, sisal fibers and rice husks were added together into cement mortar to investigate its mechanical properties and the optimum mixture ratio of sisal fiber and rice husk by mix ratio test and orthogonal test. The microstructure of the sisal fiber was observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to understand how the properties of the mortar were affected. Results showed that adding sisal fiber and rice husk into cement mortar significantly improved the mechanic property, anticrack performance, and impermeability of the mortar. The highest compressive strength and flexural strength can reach 17.1 MPa and 3.3 MPa. The area of early cracks was reduced by 100%, and the maximum seepage pressure was 0.36 MPa. The microstructure analysis also indicated that adding rice husk and sisal fiber have a positive effect on the mortar. These results support that adding 0.1% volume admixture of 16 mm length sisal fiber with 35% rice husk into mortar is helpful for engineering application.
Remimazolam Anesthesia for MitraClip Implantation in a Patient with Advanced Heart Failure
Authors: Satoh Tomoe , Nishihara Noriaki , Sawashita Yasuaki , Ohno Sho , Hirata Naoyuki , Yamakage Michiaki
Published: May 2021

Remimazolam, a novel and ultrashort-acting benzodiazepine, has been available for general anesthesia in Japan. The administration of remimazolam does not induce injection pain, has been reported to have less cardiovascular depressant effects during general anesthesia, and flumazenil can antagonize the effects of remimazolam. However, in clinical trials, no patient who is complicated with severe heart failure or undergoes cardiac surgery was included. We present anesthetic management with remimazolam for MitraClip® implantation in a patient with severe mitral regurgitation and advanced heart failure. Remimazolam was administered both in anesthetic induction and maintenance with less cardiovascular depressant effects. After surgical procedures were completed, the patient smoothly recovered from anesthesia and the tracheal was extubated just after administration of flumazenil. Remimazolam may be able to achieve appropriate anesthetic management in patients complicated with severe cardiovascular diseases.
In‐Plane Vibration Analysis of Square Plate with Multiple Cutouts
Authors: Shi Shuangxia , Qi Yinlang , Zhang Changqing , Meng Qingtai , Liu Yinbei , Jin Guoyong , Xiao Bin
Published: May 2021

A theoretical solution method for the in‐plane vibration characteristics of the plate with cutouts is proposed in this paper. The energy principle in conjunction with the Rayleigh–Ritz solution technique is adopted for the theoretical modeling of the in‐plane vibration of the structure. The energy functions for the plate with cutouts are established by subtracting the energies of the cutout domains from the total energies of the whole plate. To ensure continuity over the entire solution domain, the in‐plane displacements are composed of two‐dimensional standard Fourier series and supplementary functions. The in‐plane eigenmodes of the plates with different square cutouts are compared with the results obtained from the finite element method (FEM), with good agreements. The influences of the cutouts on the in‐plane vibration characteristics of the plates with cutouts are investigated by varying the number, size, and position of the cutouts.
Prediction of Heavy Oil Steam Stimulation Based on Data-Driven and Mechanism Model
Authors: Zhao Chaochao , Min Chao , Wang Chuanfei , Lin Yanfeng , Long Mengshu
Published: May 2021

In the middle and late stages of heavy oil development, formulating a scientific and reasonable mining plan is the key to improving oilfield efficiency. At present, steam stimulation is still the main development method of heavy oil. The determination of its production is not only limited by boiler conditions, surface pipelines, and wellbore conditions but also by the steam absorption capacity of the formation. Therefore, local analysis cannot achieve the best effect in the whole process of steam stimulation. The mechanism model is the most commonly used method to predict heavy oil production, but too many idealized assumptions make the prediction results quite different from the actual production situation. With the rapid development of machine learning, people can achieve rapid prediction of production through field data. However, when the range of the actual parameter is small, the generalization ability of the model is weak and overfitting occurs. Based on the above background, this paper conducts a coupling study on surface steam pipeline flow, steam injection wellbore flow, and formation flow from the perspective of data-driven. Firstly, based on the correlation coefficient and the feature selection of Random Forest, the importance of the characteristics affecting liquid production and water content was ranked. Secondly, through the comparison of five typical machine learning algorithms, we select the optimal prediction model and optimal characteristics suitable for the sample of this paper. Finally, because of the poor generalization ability of the prediction model, we sampled the mechanism model and increased the diversity of steam dryness samples. We find that the accuracy of the optimal prediction model is improved and the generalization ability of the model is improved after the training of new samples. This paper provides a new idea for the production prediction of heavy oil steam stimulation reservoirs, which is helpful for the efficient development of heavy oil reservoirs.
Analysis of the Three‐Dimensional Dynamic Problems by Using a New Numerical Method
Authors: Rong Yao , Sun Yang , Zhu LiQing , Xiao Xiao
Published: May 2021

The problems of the consolidation of saturated soil under dynamic loading are very complex. At present, numerical methods are widely used in the research. However, some traditional methods, such as the finite element method, involve more degrees of freedom, resulting in low computational efficiency. In this paper, the scaled boundary element method (SBFEM) is used to analyze the displacement and pore pressure response of saturated soil due to consolidation under dynamic load. The partial differential equations of linear problems are transformed into ordinary differential equations and solved along the radial direction. The coefficients in the equations are determined by approximate finite elements on the circumference. As a semianalytical method, the application of scaled boundary element method in soil‐structure interaction is extended. Dealing with complex structures and structural nonlinearity, it can simulate two‐phase saturated soil‐structure dynamic interaction in infinite and finite domain, which has an important engineering practical value. Through the research, some conclusions are obtained. The dimension of the analytical problem can be reduced by one dimension if only the boundary surface is discretized. The SBFEM can automatically satisfy the radiation conditions at infinite distances. The 3D scaled boundary finite element equation for dynamic consolidation of saturated soils is not only accurate in finite element sense but also convenient in mathematical processing.
Yixintongmai Inhibits Proliferation and Migration and Promotes Apoptosis of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Cultured with High Glucose
Authors: Guo Jingjing , Zhao Di , Dong Pingshuan
Published: May 2021

Objective. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of yixintongmai on proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) cultured with high glucose. Methods. VSMCs of the thoracic aorta from 5- to 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were cultured with normal (4.5 mM) or high (25 mM) glucose, respectively. The concentration of yixintongmai powder at 360 μg/ml was chosen according to pre-experimental results. Results. Yixintongmai inhibited the proliferation of VSMCs (CCK-8 assay: 0.75 ± 0.04 versus 0.98 ± 0.09 OD,

P
<
0.001

; cell counting: 37533 ± 1861 versus 56009 ± 3779 cells/well,

P
<
0.001

) and the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (0.74 ± 0.08 fold,

P
<
0.001

) as compared with high glucose (HG). Yixintongmai inhibited the migration of VSMCs (transwell assay: 146 ± 16 versus 265 ± 62 cells;

P
<
0.001

), scratch wound assay (0.17 ± 0.01 fold,

P
<
0.001

), and the expression of matrix metalloproteinases-9 (0.87 ± 0.03 fold,

P
<
0.001

) as compared with HG. Yixintongmai decreased mitochondrial membrane potentials (0.36 ± 0.12 fold,

P
<
0.001

) and promoted early (2.11 ± 0.20 fold,

P
<
0.01

) and late (2.11 ± 0.28 fold,

P
<
0.01

) apoptosis of VSMCs as compared with HG. Yixintongmai inhibited the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (0.83 ± 0.07 fold,

P
<
0.01

) and stimulated the activity of cleaved-capase-3/caspase-3 (2.00 ± 0.12 fold,

P
<
0.05

) as compared with HG. Yixintongmai inhibited reactive oxygen species generation (0.46 ± 0.03 fold,

P
<
0.01

) and the expression of NADPH oxidase-1 (0.84 ± 0.04 fold,

P
<
0.001

), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 (0.71 ± 0.07 fold,

P
<
0.001

), phosphorylated NF-κB p65 (0.39 ± 0.02 fold, P < 0.0001), and inhibited nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 (0.87 ± 0.03 fold,

P
<
0.001

) in VSMCs as compared with HG. Conclusions. Yixintongmai inhibits the proliferation and migration and promotes the apoptosis of VSMCs cultured with HG, which suggests the potential anti-atherosclerotic effects of this traditional Chinese medicine.
Effect of Anchote (Coccinia abyssinica) and Potato Starch Addition on Colloidal Stability of Pineapple Juice
Authors: Tiruneh Abebaw Teshome , Negatu Abebaw Ayele , Satheesh Neela
Published: May 2021

Starch is one of the most important value-added food ingredients used as a thickener in many foods and industrial applications. This research investigated the effect of different concentrations of starch (anchote and potato) addition on the colloidal stability of pineapple juice. The experiment was carried out on a two-factor factorial design arranged in CRD. The first factor (starch type with two levels (anchote and potato)) and the second factor (starch concentration with three levels (1%, 3%, and 5%)) were considered. The starch-added juice samples were preserved for 15 days at room temperature. The physicochemical properties, colloidal stability, microbial counts, and sensory analysis were conducted in a 7-day interval including the first day. The results revealed that different starch concentrations showed a significant effect (

P
≤
0.05

) on the cloud stability, most of the physicochemical properties and microbial count of pineapple juice as compared to the control. The turbidity and viscosity of the juice samples were increased significantly (

P
≤
0.05

) by the starch addition; in contrast, pulp sedimentation and microbial counts were decreased. As storage duration increased, turbidity, viscosity, TSS, pH, and vitamin C content of juice decreased, whereas sedimentation, TA, and microbial count increased. The results revealed that the total bacterial and fungal counts of pineapple juice samples were rising as storage durations increased. The maximum cloud retention was observed in juice added with 5% anchote starch. Finally, it is confirmed that starch (anchote and potato) addition positively affected the colloidal stability of pineapple juice and also possessed high potential to extend the shelf life.
A Multifeatures Spatial-Temporal-Based Neural Network Model for Truck Flow Prediction
Authors: Wang Shengyou , Shao Chunfu , Zhai Yajiao , Xue Song , Zheng Yan
Published: May 2021

The majority of studies on road traffic flow prediction have focused on the flow of passenger cars or the flow of traffic as a whole, which ignore the significant impact of trucks with different sizes and operational characteristics on traffic flow efficiency. Therefore, in this paper, we focus on truck traffic flow and propose a Multifeatures Spatial-Temporal-Based Neural Network model (M-BiCNNGRU) to improve its prediction. The proposed model not only comprises conventional temporal characteristics and spatial relationships but also includes a range of multifeatures. These multifeatures include policy limit, optimal time delay, road resistance, and traffic congestion state. The impacts of upstream and downstream road sections are considered on the spatial relationship by using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). A Bidirectional Gated Recurrent Unit (Bi-GRU) is employed to account for the temporal characteristics. To evaluate the proposed model, traffic flow data were collected from a major expressway in Beijing and the results were compared with those derived from existing models. The results show that the prediction accuracy of the BiCNNGRU model, with spatial-temporal characteristics, and the M-BiGRU model, with multifeatures and temporal, is, respectively, 4.13% and 2.15% greater than that of the Bi-GRU model, with temporal characteristics. The prediction accuracy of the proposed M-BiCNNGRU model is 92.86%, which is 7.12% greater than that of the Bi-GRU model and 13.83% greater than that of the Support Vector Regression (SVR) model. In general, therefore, the proposed M-BiCNNGRU model, which combines multifeatures, temporal characteristics, and spatial relationships, can significantly improve accuracy in predicting truck traffic flow.
Bench Testing and Modeling Analysis of Optimum Shifting Point of HMCVT
Authors: Qian Yu , Cheng Zhun , Lu Zhixiong
Published: May 2021

The unreasonable shift point will cause a large shift impact, which will affect the engine fuel economy and the service life of the wet clutch. To decrease shift impact on agricultural tractors with HMCVT (Hydromechanical Continuously Variable Transmission) and find the best working point, the following methods are proposed in this paper: firstly, conducting all‐factor method and response surface method (RSM) to design and carry out bench test of shift impact; secondly, using the basic linear fitting, RSM, and stepwise regression analysis to establish comprehensive mathematical models and selecting models with high prediction accuracy; thirdly, putting forward the method of determining the weight of variance to match parameters of three quality evaluation indexes with inconsistent correlation; finally, establishing the total shift quality evaluation index and obtaining the optimal shift working point. It is found that oil filling pressure has a significant effect on speed drop, while the engine speed has a significance on the dynamic load and sliding friction. To make the transmission section of the best quality, the oil pressure at this time is 1 MPa and the engine speed is 1040 r/min. The results show that the proposed method can determine the optimal shift point and provide a reference for developing the control strategy.
Confinement of Fermions in Tachyon Matter at Finite Temperature
Authors: Issifu Adamu , Rocha Julio C. M. , Brito Francisco A.
Published: May 2021

We study a phenomenological model that mimics the characteristics of QCD theory at finite temperature. The model involves fermions coupled with a modified Abelian gauge field in a tachyon matter. It reproduces some important QCD features such as confinement, deconfinement, chiral symmetry, and quark-gluon-plasma (QGP) phase transitions. The study may shed light on both light and heavy quark potentials and their string tensions. Flux tube and Cornell potentials are developed depending on the regime under consideration. Other confining properties such as scalar glueball mass, gluon mass, glueball-meson mixing states, and gluon and chiral condensates are exploited as well. The study is focused on two possible regimes, the ultraviolet (UV) and the infrared (IR) regimes.
Metabolomic Biomarkers Differentiate Soy Sauce Freshness under Conditions of Accelerated Storage
Authors: Reddy Thiruchelvi R. , Overmyer Katherine A. , Coon Joshua J. , Drake MaryAnne , Horiba Taro , Rankin Scott A.
Published: May 2021

Naturally fermented soy sauce is one of the few globally valued food condiments. It is complex in its substrate, manufacturing processes, and chemical profile of salts and organic compounds, resulting from spontaneous, enzymatic and biochemical reactions. The overall chemical character of soy sauce has a few rivals relative to its chemical and bioactive complexity. Resulting from this complexity are unique sensory attributes contributing to the characteristic soy sauce flavor as well as potentiating other sensory sensations. Soy sauce is susceptible to deterioration after bottling during storage. This work examined soy sauces over an eight-month period using descriptive sensory methods and the discovery of metabolomic biomarkers with high resolution mass spectrometry, wherein samples were derivatized to enable volatility and identification of polar analytes. While several thousand metabolites were detected, only organic acids, amino acids, and various glycosylated metabolites were statistically defensible biomarkers of storage time. The relationships between sensory and metabolomic data were assessed using Kendall rank-based correlations to generate Kendall Tau correlation coefficients. A second approach filtered the data based on correlation significance and grouped molecules based on hierarchical clustering. Mass spectrometry analyses discovered several thousand unique analyte peaks with relevant changes denoted as significant relative to the fresh samples using volcano depictions of

p

values versus changes in compound abundances. We present a metabolomic approach for the analysis of complex food systems capable of differentiating a quantifiable extrinsic variable, which is, in this case, storage time with a correlation coefficient of 0.99. We further demonstrate that changes in soy sauce resulting from storage are characterized by sensory decreases in fruity/grape and nutty/sesame aroma and increases in methional/potato aroma and astringent attributes with concomitant changes in the concentrations of several key biomarkers.
Experimental Study on the Pile-Soil Synergistic Mechanism of Composite Foundation with Rigid Long and Short Piles
Authors: Guo Yuancheng , Lv Chenyu , Hou Siqiang , Liu Yunlong
Published: May 2021

The rigid long-short-pile composite foundation has been increasingly used as an effective and low-cost reinforcement method. The pile-soil interaction in this foundation type is more complicated than that in the equal-length pile composite foundation. In this study, several physical model tests were conducted to investigate the pile-soil synergistic mechanism of the rigid long-short-pile composite foundation. A comparative analysis was conducted of the static load test data of single-pile and long-short pile composite foundations to assess the load-bearing characteristics and stiffness evolution of the composite foundation and pile-soil unit. The result indicated a positive correlation between the pile length and the overall bearing capacity of the single-pile composite foundation. The overall stiffness of the four-pile composite foundation was lower than that of the single-pile composite foundation due to an increase in the areas of the soil stress and the pull-down effect caused by multiple piles. The long pile exerted a greater influence on the overall settlement than the short pile. In addition, the correction coefficients were obtained to determine the pile-soil stiffness of the four-pile composite foundation based on that of the single-pile composite foundation, providing a theoretical reference for the optimal design of composite foundations.
Prognostic Value of ctDNA Mutation in Melanoma: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zheng Yang , Sun Hongyan , Cong Lele , Liu Chenlu , Sun Qian , Wu Nan , Cong Xianling
Published: May 2021

Purpose. Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a diagnostic and prognostic marker of melanoma. However, whether ctDNA mutations can independently predict survival remains controversial. This meta-analysis assessed the prognostic value of the presence or change in ctDNA mutations in melanoma patients. Methods. We identified studies from the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. We estimated the combined hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) using either fixed-effect or random-effect models based on heterogeneity. Results. Sixteen studies including 1,781 patients were included. Both baseline and posttreatment detectable ctDNA were associated with poor OS (baseline detectable vs. undetectable, pooled HR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.64–2.36,

P
<
0.00001

; baseline undetectable vs. detectable, pooled HR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.11–0.36,

P
<
0.00001

; posttreatment detectable vs. undetectable, pooled HR = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.30–4.28,

P
=
0.005

). For PFS, baseline detectable ctDNA may be associated with adverse PFS (baseline detectable vs. undetectable, pooled HR = 1.41, 95% CI = 0.84–2.37,

P
=
0.19

; baseline undetectable vs. detectable, pooled HR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.19–0.95,

P
=
0.04

) and baseline high ctDNA and increased ctDNA were significantly associated with adverse PFS (baseline high vs. low/undetectable, pooled HR = 3.29, 95% CI = 1.73–6.25,

P
=
0.0003

; increase vs. decrease, pooled HR = 4.48, 95% CI = 2.45–8.17,

P
<
0.00001

). The baseline BRAFV600 ctDNA mutation-positive group was significantly associated with adverse OS compared with the baseline ctDNA-negative group (pooled HR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.58–2.29,

P
<
0.00001

). There were no significant differences in PFS between the baseline BRAFV600 ctDNA mutation-detectable group and the undetectable group (pooled HR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.72–1.44,

P
=
0.92

). Conclusion. The presence or elevation of ctDNA mutation or BRAFV600 ctDNA mutation was significantly associated with worse prognosis in melanoma patients.
A Web Service Clustering Method Based on Semantic Similarity and Multidimensional Scaling Analysis
Authors: Shan Chuang , Du Yugen
Published: May 2021

Clustering web services is an effective method to solving service computing problems. The key insight behind it is to extract the vectors based on the service description documents. However, the brevity of natural language service description documents typically complicates the vector construction process. To circumvent the difficulty, we propose a novel web service clustering method to vectorize documents based on the semantic similarity, which can be calculated via WordNet and multidimensional scaling (WMS) analysis. We utilize the dataset from the ProgrammableWeb to conduct extensive experiments and achieve prominent advances in precision, recall, and F-measure.
Fully Constant-Size CP-ABE with Privacy-Preserving Outsourced Decryption for Lightweight Devices in Cloud-Assisted IoT
Authors: Zhang Zhishuo , Zhang Wei , Qin Zhiguang
Published: May 2021

In recent years, ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption (CP-ABE) has been recognized as a solution to the challenge of the information privacy and data confidentiality in cloud-assisted Internet-of-Things (IoT). Since the devices in cloud-assisted IoT are generally resource-constrained, the lightweight CP-ABE is more suitable for the cloud-assisted IoT. So how to construct the lightweight CP-ABE for the cloud-assisted IoT to achieve the fine-grained access control and ensure the privacy and confidentiality simultaneously is a prominent challenge. Thus, in this paper, we propose a constant-size CP-ABE scheme with outsourced decryption for the cloud-assisted IoT. In our scheme, the ciphertexts and the attribute-based private keys for users are both of constant size, which can alleviate the transmission overhead and reduce the occupied storage space. Our outsourced decryption algorithm is privacy-protective, which means the proxy server cannot know anything about the access policy of the ciphertext and the attributes set of the user during performing the online partial decryption algorithm. This will prevent the privacy from leaking out to the proxy server. And we rigorously prove that our scheme is selectively indistinguishably secure under the chosen ciphertext attacks (IND-CCA) in the random oracle model (ROM). Finally, by evaluating and implementing our scheme as well as other CP-ABE schemes, we can observe that our scheme is more suitable and applicable for cloud-assisted IoT.
Space‐Time Evolution Laws of Zonal Disintegration in Deep Underground Caves Based on Coordination Deformation between the Bolt Body and Surrounding Rock
Authors: Yu Yuan-xiang , Xie Zhi-xun , Chen Bao-ping
Published: May 2021

Zonal disintegration refers to the special phenomenon whereby fractured zones and intact zones appear alternately in deep‐buried surrounding rocks under high stress conditions, which are different from that of the shallow rock mass. Because the divisional rupture law in engineering practice is closely related to the force characteristics of the bolt body, this paper analyzed stress distribution rules of the same bolt body at different times and that of different bolt bodies at the same time in the case of zonal disintegration based on coordination deformation between the bolt body and surrounding rock. The nonlinear rheological mechanics model of rock mass on the elastic‐plastic interface under the maximum support pressure was established. It puts forward the theoretical calculation formula about the mechanics criterion and breakdown moment of the zonal disintegration. Using the mechanics model of interaction between a bolt and the surrounding rock, the distribution locations along the bolt body of the anchor neutral points and its maximum axial forces were discussed with the multiple theoretical neutral points. Furthermore, the location and width of each fracture zone were back analyzed. The results show that the rock mass on the elastic‐plastic interface of the surrounding rock has a significant creep effect after the excavation of the deep underground cave. While maximum deviator stress of the rock mass is more than its long‐term strength, the rock mass will fracture along a radial direction and come into the fractured zone. The multiple redistribution of the surrounding rock stress will generate alternate distribution phenomena of the fractured zone and intact zone. Meanwhile, the distribution regularity of the peaks and troughs interval of the displacement of surrounding rock leads to multiple neutral points along the anchor length direction. The computed results of zonal disintegration through the back analysis can reflect the actual space‐time evolution laws of zonal disintegration in deep underground caves.
Microbial Surface Treatment of Sand with Sporosarcina pasteurii to Improve the Wind Erosion Resistance in Urmia Lake
Authors: Katebi Hooshang , Fahmi Ahmad , Ouria Ahad , Babaeian Amini Alireza , Kafil Hossein Samadi
Published: May 2021

Background. In this research, the potential of the microbially induced carbonate precipitation method for the surface treatment of sand samples of Jabal Kandi dunes, located in the adjacency of Urmia Lake in the northwest of Iran, was considered. Methods. Sporosarcina pasteurii was used as ureolytic bacteria for the preparation of the microbial solution. Corn steep liquor containing urea was used as an inexpensive growth media. The effects of the concentration of cementation solution and the number of treatment cycles were considered. Because of the presence of some hydrolyzed urea in the prepared microbial suspension, two methods of treatment, i.e., the mixed and separate addition of microbial solution and cementation solution to the sand surface, were investigated. Penetration and erosion resistance of the microbial treated sand (sand crust) were measured using a handheld penetrometer and a wind tunnel system. Results. The results showed that the penetration and erosion resistance of the treated sand samples via microbial-induced carbonate precipitation method were improved significantly. In the method with the separate addition of microbial and cementation solutions to the sand surface, a stable sand crust was created on top of the sand. Discussion. This study tried to optimize the microbial application of Sporosarcina pasteurii for surface treatment of sand via microbial-induced carbonate precipitation. Significant and results showed that this method can be used on the field scale for the stabilization of sand dunes. The advanced biotechnology application of this bacterium can be used as an environmentally friendly and safe method instead of other methods.
Certain Notions of Picture Fuzzy Information with Applications
Authors: Anjum Rukhshanda , Gumaei Abdu , Ghaffar Abdul
Published: May 2021

In this manuscript, the theory of constant picture fuzzy graphs (CPFG) is developed. A CPFG is a generalization of constant intuitionistic fuzzy graph (CIFG) and a special case of picture fuzzy graph (PFG). Additionally, the article includes some basic definitions of CPFG such as totally constant picture fuzzy graphs (TCPFGs), constant function, bridge of CPFG, and their related results. Also, an application of CPFG in Wi-Fi network system is discussed. Finally, a comparison of CPFG is established with that of the CIFG which exhibits the superiority of the proposed idea over the existing ones is discussed.
Tumor-Associated Stromal Cellular Density as a Predictor of Recurrence and Mortality in Breast Cancer: Results from Ethnically Diverse Study Populations
Authors: Abubakar Mustapha , Zhang Jing , Ahearn Thomas U. , Koka Hela , Guo Changyuan , Lawrence Scott M. , Mutreja Karun , Figueroa Jonine D. , Ying Jianming , Lissowska Jolanta , Lyu Ning , Garcia-Closas Montserrat , Yang Xiaohong Rose
Published: May 2021

Purpose:

Tumor-associated stroma is comprised of fibroblasts, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), macrophages, endothelial cells, and other cells that interactively influence tumor progression through inflammation and wound repair. Although gene-expression signatures reflecting wound repair predict breast cancer survival, it is unclear whether combined density of tumor-associated stromal cells, a morphologic proxy for inflammation and wound repair signatures on routine hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained sections, is of prognostic relevance.

Methods:

By applying machine learning to digitized H&E-stained sections for 2,084 breast cancer patients from China (n = 596; 24–55 years), Poland (n = 810; 31–75 years), and the United States (n = 678; 55–78 years), we characterized tumor-associated stromal cellular density (SCD) as the percentage of tumor–stroma that is occupied by nucleated cells. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations between SCD and clinical outcomes [recurrence (China) and mortality (Poland and the United States)] were estimated using Cox proportional hazard regression, adjusted for clinical variables.

Results:

SCD was independently predictive of poor clinical outcomes in hormone receptor–positive (luminal) tumors from China [multivariable HR (95% CI)fourth(Q4) vs. first(Q1) quartile = 1.86 (1.06–3.26); Ptrend = 0.03], Poland [HR (95% CI)Q4 vs. Q1 = 1.80 (1.12–2.89); Ptrend = 0.01], and the United States [HR (95% CI)Q4 vs. Q1 = 2.42 (1.33–4.42); Ptrend = 0.002]. In general, SCD provided more prognostic information than most classic clinicopathologic factors, including grade, size, PR, HER2, IHC4, and TILs, predicting clinical outcomes irrespective of menopausal or lymph nodal status. SCD was not predictive of outcomes in hormone receptor–negative tumors.

Conclusions:

Our findings support the independent prognostic value of tumor-associated SCD among ethnically diverse luminal breast cancer patients.

Impact:

Assessment of tumor-associated SCD on standard H&E could help refine prognostic assessment and therapeutic decision making in luminal breast cancer.
Efficacy of Selective Vidian Neurectomy for Allergic Rhinitis Combined with Chronic Rhinosinusitis
Authors: Qi Yan , Liu Junqi , Peng Shuya , Hou Siyuan , Zhang Mingxia , Wang Zhenlin
Published: May 2021

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of endoscopic selective vidian neurectomy in the treatment of severe persistent allergic rhinitis (AR) combined with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with nasal polyps (ARwCRSwNP). Methods: One hundred thirty patients with moderate to severe persistent ARwCRSwNP were enrolled at Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, from September 2015 to September 2017. Patients were divided into 2 groups. Sixty-one patients (the control group) underwent conventional surgical treatment for CRS with nasal polyps and received conservative treatment for AR. Sixty-nine patients (the experimental group) received conventional surgical treatment for CRS with nasal polyps plus endoscopic selective vidian neurectomy with amputation of the posterior nasal nerve and pharyngeal branch of the vidian nerve. Clinical parameters, including visual analog scale (VAS) score, Lund-Kennedy endoscopic mucosal morphology score, and Lund-Mackay sinus computed tomography (CT) scan lesion range score, were used to analyze and evaluate the preoperative and postoperative data. Comparisons were based on patient scores, and preoperative and postoperative scores obtained at 6, 12, and 24 months were analyzed. Results: The experimental group had higher therapeutic efficacy in nasal obstruction, nasal itching, rhinorrhea, sneezing, and general symptoms than the control group (p < 0.05). No complications such as tear-secretion disorder or atrophic rhinitis occurred in the experimental group, and no significant difference in complications incidence was observed between the 2 groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Endoscopic selective vidian neurectomy is an effective and safe technique for the management of moderate to severe persistent ARwCRSwNP.
Mus musculus Barrier-To-Autointegration Factor 2 (Banf2) is Not Essential for Spermatogenesis or Fertility
Authors: Niu Chang-Min , Xia Meng-Meng , Zhong Ya-Nan , Zheng Ying
Published: May 2021

The barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF) is widely expressed in most human tissues and plays a critical role in chromatin organization, nuclear envelope assembly, gonadal development, and embryonic stem cell self-renewal. Complete loss of BAF has been shown to lead to embryonic lethality and gonadal defects. The BAF paralog, namely, barrier-to-autointegration factor 2 (BANF2), exhibits a testis-predominant expression pattern in both humans and mice. Unlike BAF, it may cause isolated male infertility. Therefore, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate Banf2-knockout mice to further study its function in spermatogenesis. Unexpectedly, knockout mice did not show any detectable abnormalities in histological structure of the testis, epididymis, ovary, and other tissues, and exhibited normal fertility, indicating that Banf2 is not essential for mouse spermatogenesis and fertility.
Bodily Experience in Depression: Using Focusing as a New Interview Technique
Authors: Lyons Naomi , Michaelsen Maren M. , Graser Johannes , Bundschuh-Müller Karin , Esch Tobias , Michalak Johannes
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Research on body aspects in depression primarily focuses on somatic complaints, while phenomenologists emphasize the pre-reflective bodily experience of depression as relevant for the psychopathology of it. Despite this increasing acknowledgement of the subjective body’s impact on depression, empirically, it remains rarely studied. Methods: Relying on the psychotherapy method of Focusing (Gendlin, 1982), interviews were developed, which enable participants with depression to get in contact with pre-reflective bodily experiences through turning inward, attentively observing all bodily feelings that arise, and finding symbolizations for these feelings. Results: In 501 codings of the conducted interviews, the theme of passivity emerged on a continuum ranging from inhibition of drive to lack of drive. It can be split into 5 components (heaviness, emptiness, paralysis, blockage, and alienation), which were felt in the head or the whole body. Moreover, participants reported active, pressuring feelings in the chest and stomach areas, which were associated with specific emotions in some participants. Discussion: In conclusion, through focusing, participants were able to take note of their pre-reflective bodily feelings and described feelings of passivity, active, pressuring feelings, and an ambivalence between these two parts. Results support the notion that depression is associated with specific pre-reflective bodily experiences and lay a foundation for future research.
Erectile Dysfunction in Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: Predictors of Early Detection and Treatment
Authors: Fan Junhong , Peng Tianwen , Hui Jialiang , Ding Wei , He Binglin , Zhang Haibo , Wei Anyang
Published: May 2021

Purpose: To identify risk factors and potential predictors of erectile dysfunction (ED) in type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients for early detection and treatment. Methods: A retrospective cohort was used to assess the clinical data of 105 diabetic patients with ED from May 2019 to April 2020 age-matched to 105 diabetic patients without ED. Potential risk factors that could contribute to ED were compared between the groups. Erectile function was evaluated using the International Index of Erectile Function-5 questionnaire. Results: There were higher rates of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (p = 0.036) and retinopathy (p < 0.001), longer duration of diabetes (p < 0.001), lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (p = 0.010) values, and higher uric acid (p < 0.001) and C-reactive protein (p = 0.001) levels in the ED group compared to the non-ED group. Multivariate logistic analysis identified uric acid, diabetic retinopathy, and T2DM course as independent predictors of diabetic ED. Diabetics with retinopathy and T2DM for ≥49 months were 3.028 and 3.860 times more likely to have ED, respectively. Uric acid values ≥392.5 μmol/L were associated with 18.638 times greater risk of having ED, though the values were within normal range. Conclusion: In T2DM patients, higher uric acid (≥392.5 μmol/L), longer diabetes duration (≥49 months), and the presence of diabetic retinopathy were important and reliable predictors for diabetic ED. For patients who have high risk factors for developing ED, diligent screening and early treatment are necessary.