bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nasal Carriage by Staphylococcus aureus among Healthcare Workers and Students Attending a University Hospital in Southern Brazil: Prevalence, Phenotypic, and Molecular Characteristics
Authors: Danelli Tiago , Duarte Felipe Crepaldi , Oliveira Thilara Alessandra de , Silva Raquel Soares da , Frizon Alfieri Daniela , Gonçalves Guilherme Bartolomeu , Oliveira Caio Ferreira de , Tavares Eliandro Reis , Yamauchi Lucy Megumi , Perugini Marcia Regina Eches , Yamada-Ogatta Sueli Fumie
Published: December 2020

Background. Staphylococcus aureus can asymptomatically colonize the human anterior nares and skin, and nasal colonization by this bacterium represents a potential risk for development of invasive infections. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of S. aureus nasal carriage among healthcare workers and students attending a university hospital and to characterize the isolates phenotypically and molecularly. Methods. A cross-sectional study was performed with 324 volunteers. Cultures from nasal samples were obtained and S. aureus isolates were characterized according to their antimicrobial susceptibility profile and four virulence factors-encoding genes. MRSA isolates were characterized regarding their oxacillin/cefoxitin susceptibility, SCCmec, and REP-PCR types. Potential risks for S. aureus and MRSA carriage were analyzed. Results. Of 324 nasal samples, 42.9% were identified as S. aureus, of which 28.8% were MRSA. S. aureus carriers were significantly higher in males and students (OR = 2.898, 95%CI 1.553–5.410); however, no variables were associated with MRSA carriage. All isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and the highest rate of resistance was observed for penicillin (90.6%). All isolates harbored the coa gene, and 97.8%, the icaA gene; 15.8% and 6.5% were positive for tst and lukS-PV/lukF-PV genes, respectively. Among MRSA isolates, 45% carried the mecA gene but were phenotypically susceptible to oxacillin/cefoxitin; two harbored the tst and none had lukS-PV/lukF-PV genes. All MRSAs were distributed into six SCCmec types and type I (62.5%) was the most frequent. REP-PCR typing identified four main clusters among MRSA isolates. Conclusion. High prevalence of healthcare workers and students were identified as nasal carriers of S. aureus exhibiting different antimicrobial resistance profiles, including mecA-positive oxacillin-susceptible S. aureus (OS-MRSA) and the presence of virulence-encoding genes. Both cohorts may represent potential sources for the emergence of a successful S. aureus strain highly adapted to the hospital environment.
Sustainable Supplier Evaluation and Selection of Fresh Agricultural Products Based on IFAHP-TODIM Model
Authors: Du Yupei , Zhang Di , Zou Yue
Published: December 2020

In recent years, increasing pollution of the ecological environment, excessive use of pesticides, and lack of effective management of agricultural product supply chains have made the problem of having a green and safe supply of fresh food increasingly prominent. The sustainability of the fresh agricultural products supply has become an inevitable focus in the development of agricultural enterprises. There are some problems in the supply chain of fresh agricultural products, such as scattered production sites and difficult logistics transportation, which makes it difficult for enterprises to choose reliable suppliers. Supplier selection is a key component of sustainable supply chain management, and the criteria for evaluating the quality of sustainable suppliers are often affected by economic, social, and environmental factors. Therefore, from the perspective of sustainability, based on triple bottom line theory and comprehensively considering the three aspects of society, environment, and economy, this paper proposes a novel evaluation index system for the selection of sustainable suppliers of fresh agricultural products. This paper innovatively integrates the intuition fuzzy analytic hierarchy process and TODIM (an acronym in Portuguese of interactive and multiple attribute decision-making), and these are applied to select sustainable suppliers. Finally, the integration method is applied to the example, and a sensitivity analysis is carried out to verify the validity of the evaluation model.
Determining the Aspect Ratio of Palygorskite by Dynamic Laser Light Scattering and X-Ray Diffraction Analysis Techniques
Authors: Xie Fei , Zhang Jie , Chen Jiyan
Published: December 2020

As a natural two-dimensional nanomaterial, palygorskite has been widely used in the fields of biology, chemical industry, medicine, and agriculture. Recently, more and more researchers point out that the aspect ratio of palygorskite directly affects the properties of its composite materials. Due to the large specific surface area and the tiny width of the palygorskite rod-like particles, it is difficult to obtain the aspect ratio information quickly and accurately by conventional means such as microphotography method and specific surface area method. In this paper, the length and width of the crystal is measured quickly and accurately by using dynamic laser light scattering technique and X-ray diffraction technique, so that the aspect ratio of the crystal can be calculated easily. It is recommended to analyze the crystallite size and microstrain of the diffraction pattern of palygorskite that using Pearson VII function, Caglioti equation, and average (LANGFORD) method, after comparing the three modes of W.-H. method. This feasible method has a good application prospect of the study of rod-like nanomaterials.
IoMT-Based Automated Detection and Classification of Leukemia Using Deep Learning
Authors: Bibi Nighat , Sikandar Misba , Ud Din Ikram , Almogren Ahmad , Ali Sikandar
Published: December 2020

For the last few years, computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) has been increasing rapidly. Numerous machine learning algorithms have been developed to identify different diseases, e.g., leukemia. Leukemia is a white blood cells- (WBC-) related illness affecting the bone marrow and/or blood. A quick, safe, and accurate early-stage diagnosis of leukemia plays a key role in curing and saving patients’ lives. Based on developments, leukemia consists of two primary forms, i.e., acute and chronic leukemia. Each form can be subcategorized as myeloid and lymphoid. There are, therefore, four leukemia subtypes. Various approaches have been developed to identify leukemia with respect to its subtypes. However, in terms of effectiveness, learning process, and performance, these methods require improvements. This study provides an Internet of Medical Things- (IoMT-) based framework to enhance and provide a quick and safe identification of leukemia. In the proposed IoMT system, with the help of cloud computing, clinical gadgets are linked to network resources. The system allows real-time coordination for testing, diagnosis, and treatment of leukemia among patients and healthcare professionals, which may save both time and efforts of patients and clinicians. Moreover, the presented framework is also helpful for resolving the problems of patients with critical condition in pandemics such as COVID-19. The methods used for the identification of leukemia subtypes in the suggested framework are Dense Convolutional Neural Network (DenseNet-121) and Residual Convolutional Neural Network (ResNet-34). Two publicly available datasets for leukemia, i.e., ALL-IDB and ASH image bank, are used in this study. The results demonstrated that the suggested models supersede the other well-known machine learning algorithms used for healthy-versus-leukemia-subtypes identification.
Prediction Model of Asphalt Content of Asphalt Mixture Based on Dielectric Properties
Authors: Zhong Yanhui , Wang Yilong , Zhang Bei , Li Xiaolong , Li Songtao , Zhong Yanmei , Hao Meimei , Gao Yanlong
Published: December 2020

The rapid detection of asphalt content in asphalt mixture is of great significance to the quality evaluation of asphalt pavement. Based on the dielectric properties of an asphalt mixture, the prediction model of asphalt content is deduced theoretically using three types of dielectric models: Lichtenecker‐Rother (L‐R) model, Rayleigh model, and Bottcher equation. Under the condition of laboratory mixing at room temperature (about 20–25°C), a dielectric test of asphalt mixture is conducted to verify the applicability of the model. The test results indicate that the dielectric constant of the asphalt mixture is inversely proportional to the asphalt content and directly proportional to the aggregate size of the mixture. Among the models, the Rayleigh model has a wide range of applications and exhibits a high accuracy, with an average relative error of only 1.86%. The results provide a theoretical basis for the nondestructive testing of asphalt pavements using ground‐penetrating radar.
Pitting Suppression of AISI 316 Stainless Steel Plates in Conditions of Ultrasonic Vibration
Authors: Vasyliev Georgii S. , Kuzmenko Oleg M.
Published: December 2020

Plate heat exchangers are widespread type of equipment that suffers from pitting corrosion in chloride containing solutions. Anodic behaviour of AISI 316 stainless steel was tested in 3.5% NaCl solution in conditions of ultrasound vibration (27 kHz, 10 W). The potentiodynamic sweep, potentiostatic technique, and galvanostatic technique were used coupled with surface morphology investigation after polarization. The pitting potential increased from 0.26 ± 0.02 V/SSCE to 0.42 ± 0.05 V/SSCE, and repassivation potential increased from 0.03 ± 0.01 V/SSCE to 0.18 ± 0.04 V/SSCE when vibration was applied. The anodic current at applied potential in pitting region was two orders of magnitude lower in conditions of ultrasound vibration. A possible mechanism of vibration influence on pitting is proposed, which is the elimination of pit covers from the vibrating surface, vibration-induced electrolyte motion in and out of the pits, and repassivation of active metal inside the pits.
A Specific Diplotype H1j/H2 of the MAPT Gene Could Be Responsible for Parkinson’s Disease with Dementia
Authors: Smaili Imane , Hajjaj Imane , Razine Rachid , Tibar Houyam , Salmi Ayyoub , Bouslam Naima , Moussa Ahmed , Regragui Wafa , Bouhouche Ahmed
Published: December 2020

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer disease. Five to ten percent of patients have monogenic form of the disease, while most of sporadic PD cases are caused by the combination of genetic and environmental factors. Microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) has been appointed as one of the most important risk factors for several neurodegenerative diseases including PD. MAPT is characterized by an inversion in chromosome 17 resulting in two distinct haplotypes H1 and H2. Studies described a significant association of MAPT H1j subhaplotype with PD risk, while H2 haplotype was associated with Parkinsonism, particularly to its bradykinetic component. We report here an isolated case displaying an akinetic-rigid form of PD, with age of onset of 41 years and a good response to levodopa, who developed dementia gradually during the seven years of disease progression. The patient does not carry the LRRK2 G2019S mutation, copy number variations, nor pathogenic and rare variants in known genes associated with PD. MAPT subhaplotype genotyping revealed that the patient has the H1j/H2 diplotype, his mother H1j/H1j, his two healthy brothers H1j/H1v and his deceased father was by deduction H1v/H2. The H1j/H2 diplotype was shown in a total of 3 PD patients among 80, who also did not have known PD-causing mutation and in 1 out of 92 healthy individual controls. The three patients with this diplotype all have a similar clinical phenotype. Our results suggest that haplotypes H1j and H2 are strong risk factor alleles, and their combination could be responsible for early onset of PD with dementia.
The Effect of Palm Oil-Fried Street Kokor on Liver and Kidney Biomarkers of Swiss Albino Mice
Authors: Amsalu Hailemariam , Wondimnew Tesaka , Mateos Tigist , Fekadie Minale , Bogale Gesese
Published: December 2020

Background. Foods fried with oils at streets contain many harmful substances for health. Locally fried foods are consumed commonly in our society, yet their health effect is not studied. Objective. To assess the effect of palm oil-fried street kokor on liver and kidney biomarkers of Swiss Albino mice. Methods. Thirty-two male and female Swiss Albino mice with the age of 10-12 weeks old were divided randomly into four groups of eight members with equal male and female subgroups. The control group (group I) received only a standard pellet, and the experimental groups (group II, group III, and group IV) received 10%, 20%, and 30% kokor of their daily food consumption, respectively. At the end of the 6th week, they were sacrificed by thoracoabdominal incision after anesthetizing by diethyl ether. Blood was taken from each mouse by cardiac puncture and analyzed for liver and kidney function tests. Result. The serum levels of liver damage biomarkers (alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST)) and kidney damage biomarkers (urea and creatinine) of experimental groups were increased significantly relative to the control groups (

P
<
0.05

). Level of biochemical profiles increased as the dose of kokor increased. Conclusions. Palm oil-fried street kokor damaged the liver and kidney of the mice, and the damage was exacerbated as the dose of kokor increased.
Prediction of Highway Tunnel Pavement Performance Based on Digital Twin and Multiple Time Series Stacking
Authors: Yu Gang , Zhang Shuang , Hu Min , Wang Y. Ken
Published: December 2020

The existing pavement performance prediction methods are limited to single‐factor predictions, which often face the challenges of high cost, low efficiency, and poor accuracy. It is difficult to simultaneously solve the temporal, spatial, and exogenous dependencies between pavement performance data and maintenance, the service life of highways, the environment, and other factors. Digital twin technology based on the building information modeling (BIM) model, combined with machine learning, puts forward a new perspective and method for the accurate and timely prediction of pavement performance. In this paper, we propose a highway tunnel pavement performance prediction approach based on a digital twin and multiple time series stacking (MTSS). This paper (1) establishes an MTSS prediction model with heterogeneous stacking of eXtreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), the artificial neural network (ANN), random forest (RF), ridge regression, and support vector regression (SVR) component learners after exploratory data analysis (EDA); (2) proposes a method based on multiple time series feature extraction to accurately predict the pavement performance change trend, using the highway segment as the minimum computing unit and considering multiple factors; (3) uses grid search with the k‐fold cross validation method to optimize hyperparameters to ensure the robustness, stability, and generalization ability of the prediction model; and (4) constructs a digital twin for pavement performance prediction to realize the real‐time dynamic evolution of prediction. The method proposed in this study is applied in the life cycle management of the Dalian highway‐crossing tunnel in Shanghai, China. A dataset covering 2010–2019 is collected for real‐time prediction of the pavement performance. The prediction accuracy evaluation shows that the mean absolute error (MAE) is 0.1314, the root mean squared error (RMSE) is 0.0386, the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) is 5.10%, and the accuracy is 94.90%. Its overall performance is better than a single model. The results verify that the prediction method based on digital twin and MTSS is feasible and effective in the highway tunnel pavement performance prediction.
Experimental Study of Mechanical Characteristics of Tunnel Support System in Hard Cataclastic Rock with High Geostress
Authors: Sun Minglei , Zhu Yongquan , Li Xinzhi , Zhu Zhengguo , He Benguo
Published: December 2020

In hard cataclastic surrounding rock with high geostress, the rock monomer strength is high and the rock is broken, and tunnel excavation in it is apt to cause large deformation, collapsing, and breaking, causing initial support crack and even intruding of the initial support deformation. The characteristics of the support system under different support parameters and shapes are analyzed, and the reasonable support section shape and support parameters are determined. The results showed that (1) under the condition of high geostress and hard cataclastic surrounding rock, the initial support deformation is large, the horizontal convergence is much larger than the settlement of arch, and the deformation duration is relatively short; (2) the distribution of pressure and stress in initial support are very uneven on the cross-section and greatly affected by the construction process; (3) in the case of large horizontal tectonic stress, the use of large curvature side wall support is beneficial to improve the quality of support and control the deformation of the structure, especially to improve the stress of concrete; (4) the closure time of the supporting system greatly influences the stress state and deformation, so it is necessary to shorten the length of the lower bench and the distance of the invert as possible so as to close the support as early as possible; (5) different location of the tunnel surrounding rock stress distribution is very uneven, the measured value is much larger than calculated value in level III based on the specification of surrounding rock; (6) under high strength and ground stress, the initial supporting stress of steel frame increases rapidly, and the measured stress is larger. This indicates that the steel frame structure bears heavy early load. Therefore, the stiffness of the steel frame should be as large as possible to meet the loading requirements.
Joint Radar-Communication Relying on Spread Spectrum: A Hybrid Chaotic Sequence Design
Authors: Ma Hao , Wang Jun , Sun Xin , Hou TianWei , Jin WenXin
Published: December 2020

This paper investigates a novel design for joint radar-communication (JRC) waveform, which is capable of improving the network’s performance by solving the phase shift mutation of the Chirp-BPSK waveform. We aim for jointly designing chirp waveform and improving Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK), as well as the hybrid chaotic spread spectrum code (CSSC). As a benefit, the JRC waveform can be successfully decoded, and the accumulation of phase shift can be suppressed by hybrid CSSC. The detailed deduction on the short-time Fourier transform (STFT) of the JRC waveform is adopted to analyse the complicated AF characters. Our analytical results demonstrate that the proposed JRC signal has superior spectrum performance, ambiguity function (AF), and transmission rate than conventional Chirp and Chirp-BPSK waveform. Numerical results are provided to confirm that (i) the proposed waveform is capable of providing better communication and radar performance; (ii) the performance of AF is not affected by the transmission rate for the proposed waveform.
Mechanism of Drag Reduction in Floating Plate of Paddy Field Based on CFD
Authors: Yu Xiaoze , Zhang Baofeng , You Jiahan
Published: December 2020

In order to study drag reduction mechanism in mud parts’ operation of surface machine tools for paddy field, this paper takes floating plate, the main working part of laminating mechanism, as the research object and systematically analyzes the mechanism of action of elevation angle, curved angle, penetrating angle, and local microstructure of floating plate on working resistance and local fluid flow characteristics of the laminating structure based on VOF model in Fluent. Using ship mechanics theory and fluid lubrication theory, the drag reduction mechanism under different structural parameters of the floating plate is analyzed. The results show that, compared with the ordinary floating plate, the pressure difference resistance can be reduced by increasing the elevation angle by 60°, curved angle by 20°, and mud separation angle by 20°. The increase of the concave nonsmooth bottom surface structure can reduce viscous frictional resistance, and the total working resistance after structural optimization is comparatively reduced by 48.3%, with lowered hilling height in the forward direction and improved lubrication condition of the bottom surface, forming liquid lubrication effect. This study can provide theoretical references for the optimization design of muddy soil mud parts, mud-machine interaction research, and the development of paddy field laminating mechanism.
Controlling Chaos through Period-Doubling Bifurcations in Attitude Dynamics for Power Systems
Authors: Chang Shun-Chang
Published: December 2020

This paper addresses the complex nonlinear dynamics involved in controlling chaos in power systems using bifurcation diagrams, time responses, phase portraits, Poincaré maps, and frequency spectra. Our results revealed that nonlinearities in power systems produce period-doubling bifurcations, which can lead to chaotic motion. Analysis based on the Lyapunov exponent and Lyapunov dimension was used to identify the onset of chaotic behavior. We also developed a continuous feedback control method based on synchronization characteristics for suppressing of chaotic oscillations. The results of our simulation support the feasibility of using the proposed method. The robustness of parametric perturbations on a power system with synchronization control was analyzed using bifurcation diagrams and Lyapunov stability theory.
Effects of Reputation on Daily Deal Promotions: Evidence from Groupon
Authors: Ren Junqiushi
Published: December 2020

Daily deals are nowadays very popular. As a new form of marketing, they allow local small businesses to sell vouchers at substantial price discounts for a very limited period of time. However, it is unclear whether and to what extent a seller’s online reputation affects the outcomes of its daily deal promotions. This paper presents an analysis of 4060 daily deals scraped from Groupon. The empirical results suggest that (1) business reputation, measured by displayed average rating, is positively associated with the sales of vouchers; (2) business reputation has no significant relationship with voucher discount depth; (3) business reputation is positively associated with the increase of customer traffic following a daily deal promotion; and (4) ratings displayed on daily deal sites are more influential than ratings displayed on third-party review sites. These findings extend our understanding of daily deals and provide concrete guidance to merchants regarding how to attract more purchases and traffic through online deals as well as to platform owners by pointing out the value of reputation in moderating consumers’ and merchants’ behaviors.
Exposure to Volatile Essential Oils of Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) Leaves for Improving the Postharvest Storability of Fresh Loquat Fruits
Authors: Bahadırlı Nadire Pelin , Kahramanoğlu İbrahim , Wan Chunpeng
Published: December 2020

Fresh loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) fruits easily lose their marketability because of fungal spoilage, browning, and weight loss after harvest. The use of essential oils as postharvest treatment is a talented alternative to fungicides mainly because of their ability to reduce respiration and transpiration of the fresh fruits during storage. However, the postharvest studies with the volatiles of essential oils are limited. The present study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of volatile essential oils of myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) leaves for preserving the postharvest storability of loquat fruits. Test fruits of the present study were exposed to 5 different treatments, which are (i) water vapor (2 min), (ii) myrtle leaves (3% w/w), (iii) myrtle leaf vapor (2 min), (iv) myrtle leaf vapor (10 min), and (v) untreated control. A total of 30 compounds were isolated from the essential oil, and the three highest amounts of compounds were determined as eucalyptol (39.38%), α-pinene (24.98%), and linalool (8.18%). Exposure to myrtle leaves (3% w/w) and myrtle leaf vapor (2 min) was also noted to provide higher efficacy for reducing the weight loss, decay incidence, and browning index.
A Compound Controller of an Aerial Manipulator Based on Maxout Fuzzy Neural Network
Authors: Qi Xinchen , Wu Jianwei , Pan Jiansheng
Published: December 2020

The aerial manipulator is a complex system with high coupling and instability. The motion of the robotic arm will affect the self-stabilizing accuracy of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). To enhance the stability of the aerial manipulator, a composite controller combining conventional proportion integration differentiation (PID) control, fuzzy theory, and neural network algorithm is proposed. By blurring the attitude error signal of UAV as the input of the neural network, the anti-interference ability and stability of UAV is improved. At the same time, a neural network model identifier based on Maxout activation function is built to realize accurate recognition of the controlled model. The simulation results show that, compared with the conventional PID controller, the composite controller combined with fuzzy neural network can improve the anti-interference ability and stability of UAV greatly.
Signal Parameters Estimation and Optimization Using Mobile Navigation Data
Authors: Dong Luxi , Liu Xiaoming , Jia Meijie , Tan Jiyuan , Wei Xiangda
Published: December 2020

In the management and evaluation of traffic network, signal parameters are important for monitoring and evaluating the operation state and the traffic capacity of intersection. However, a wide range of real-time signal timing schemes lacks a clear and effective method. In this paper, we propose the signal parameter calculation method based on mobile navigation data. Then, the possibility of crossing intersection passing time of the stop line is studied. The time differences between passing times of different cycles are distributed periodically that several peaks appear cycle by cycle. The relationship between sampling rate and relative error is discussed. Combined with the distribution peak normality test, the appropriate distribution peak is selected through the actual case. The cycle lengths and effective red time parameters are calculated and compared with the known signal parameters. The result demonstrates the proposed method has high accuracy and provides data support for the research of the traffic management.
The Development of Leisure Participation Assessment Tool for the Elderly
Authors: Jeong Eun-Hwa , Yoo Eun-Young , Kim Jong-Bae , Kim Jung-Ran , Han Dae-Sung , Park Ji-Hyuk
Published: December 2020

Objectives. This study is aimed at developing multidimensional leisure participation assessment tool for the elderly to achieve quantitative and qualitative assessment of leisure participation and leisure exploration. Methods. This study collected preliminary items through literature review, statistical office data, and survey of the elderly’s leisure activities and considered the list of leisure activities as assessment items by conducting a Delphi survey. Reliability was verified through internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The assessment tool was finally confirmed using content validity and discriminant validity. Results. A total of 81 leisure items classified into 8 categories and 22 subcategories were obtained through data collection and Delphi survey. Cronbach’sαvalue was 0.939, and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient was 0.941. A content validity test was confirmed by validating that I-CVI was 0.78 or more and the S-CVI was 0.95. According to the result of discriminant validity, there was a difference in the number of participating leisure activities and leisure activities with participation intention by age. Conclusion. The leisure participation assessment tool for the elderly developed in this study can obtain information on the overall view of the leisure of the elderly by measuring leisure exploration, leisure participation, and interference factor affecting leisure participation.
Angiographic Anatomy of Major Aortopulmonary Collateral Arteries and Association With Early Surgical Outcomes in Tetralogy of Fallot
Authors: Adamson Gregory T. , McElhinney Doff B. , Zhang Yulin , Feinstein Jeffrey A. , Peng Lynn F. , Ma Michael , Algaze Claudia A. , Hanley Frank L. , Perry Stanton B.
Published: December 2020

Background

Due in part to the heterogeneity of the pulmonary circulation in patients with tetralogy of Fallot and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCAs), research on this condition has focused on relatively basic anatomic characteristics. We aimed to detail pulmonary artery (PA) and MAPCA anatomy in a large group of infants, assess relationships between anatomy and early surgical outcomes, and consider systems for classifying MAPCAs.

Methods and Results

All infants ( <1 year of age) undergoing first cardiac surgery for tetralogy of Fallot/MAPCAs from 2001 to 2019 at Stanford University were identified. Preoperative angiograms delineating supply to all 18 pulmonary segments were reviewed for details of each MAPCA and the arborization and size of central PAs. We studied 276 patients with 1068 MAPCAs and the following PA patterns: 152 (55%) incompletely arborizing PAs, 48 (17%) normally arborizing PAs, 45 (16%) absent PAs, and 31 (11%) unilateral MAPCAs. There was extensive anatomic variability, but no difference in early outcomes according to PA arborization or the predominance of PAs or MAPCAs. Patients with low total MAPCA and/or PA cross‐sectional area were less likely to undergo complete repair.

Conclusions

MAPCA anatomy is highly variable and essentially unique for each patient. Though each pulmonary segment can be supplied by a MAPCA, central PA, or both, all anatomic combinations are similarly conducive to a good repair. Total cross‐sectional area of central PA and MAPCA material is an important driver of outcome. We elucidate a number of novel associations between anatomic features, but the extreme variability of the pulmonary circulation makes a granular tetralogy of Fallot/MAPCA classification system unrealistic.
Periadventitial Delivery of Simvastatin‐Loaded Microparticles Attenuate Venous Neointimal Hyperplasia Associated With Arteriovenous Fistula
Authors: Zhao Chenglei , Zuckerman Sean T. , Cai Chuanqi , Kilari Sreenivasulu , Singh Avishek , Simeon Michael , von Recum Horst A. , Korley Julius N. , Misra Sanjay
Published: December 2020

Background

Venous neointimal hyperplasia and venous stenosis (VS) formation can result in a decrease in arteriovenous fistula (AVF) patency in patients with end‐stage renal disease. There are limited therapies that prevent VNH/VS. Systemic delivery of simvastatin has been shown to reduce VNH/VS but local delivery may help decrease the side effects associated with statin use. We determined if microparticles (MP) composed of cyclodextrins loaded with simvastatin (MP‐SV) could reduce VS/VNH using a murine arteriovenous fistula model with chronic kidney disease.

Methods and Results

Male C57BL/6J mice underwent nephrectomy to induce chronic kidney disease. Four weeks later, an arteriovenous fistula was placed and animals were randomized to 3 groups: 20 μL of PBS or 20 μL of PBS with 16.6 mg/mL of either MP or MP‐SV. Animals were euthanized 3 days later and the outflow veins were harvested for quantitative reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction analysis and 28 days later for immunohistochemistical staining with morphometric analysis. Doppler ultrasound was performed weekly. Gene expression of vascular endothelial growth factor‐A (
Vegf‐A
), matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (
Mmp‐9
), transforming growth factor beta 1 (
Tgf‐β1
), and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (
Mcp‐1
) were significantly decreased in MP‐SV treated vessels compared with controls. There was a significant decrease in the neointimal area, cell proliferation, inflammation, and fibrosis, with an increase in apoptosis and peak velocity in MP‐SV treated outflow veins. MP‐SV treated fibroblasts when exposed to hypoxic injury had decreased gene expression of
Vegf‐A
and
Mmp‐9
.

Conclusions

In experimental arteriovenous fistulas, periadventitial delivery of MP‐SV decreased gene expression of
Vegf‐A
,
Mmp‐9
,
Tgf‐β1
and
Mcp‐1,
VNH/VS, inflammation, and fibrosis.
Socrates’ Apology and the Philosophical Art of Divination: the Delphic Oracle
Authors: Vlad Marilena
Published: December 2020

This paper focuses on Socrates’ intention of examining (ἐλέγχειν) the Delphic oracle that concerns him. I argue that Socrates does not start out by refuting an apparent meaning of the oracle, as it has been suggested, but rather reacts to the perplexing posture in which the divine message places him. In this sense, the message—which becomes a lifetime mission for Socrates—has a performative sense, even though it does not have an explicit, prescriptive form. I try to show that Socrates’ philosophical life can be understood as a constant attempt to examine, as well as to prove the oracle, and that Socrates’ defense is a final examination and proof of the oracle.
The Invisible Hand of the Temple (Manager)
Authors: Tischer Jacob Friedemann
Published: December 2020

Religious institutions continue to provide important stages on which politicians participate in public rituals in secular democratic Taiwan. In particular, the annual Mazu pilgrimages bring together tens of thousands of people from all over the island, including candidates in presidential elections. I interpret temple ritual as a public arena in which the community of worshipers creates a reservoir of symbolic capital. Political and economic elites seek to gain access to this resource and appeal to the mass of worshipers by conducting what has essentially become a nation-defining ritual. At the same time, relying on temples as institutions of cultural authority raises the profile of their managing elites, who may themselves become influential powerbrokers. I explore these dynamics by referring to the case of Zhenlangong, the temple organizing Taiwan’s largest Mazu pilgrimage, and its longtime manager, a former Mafia boss who uses the temple to legitimate and expand his political activities.
Religion and the Digital Arts
Authors: Elwell J. Sage
Published: December 2020

This slim volume offers a thematic exploration of religion and the digital arts. Over the course of six brief sections, this extended essay examines identity and community, authority and authenticity, word and image, ritual and practice, body and space, and myth and faith. Each of these paired sets is explored in concert with technologically inflected correlates. For instance, identity and community are paired with avatars and networks. These twin concepts provide the thematic anchor of each section. Each section looks at four works of digital art with each work employing digital technology in a unique way. The works include virtual and augmented reality pieces, 3D printed sculptures, digital photography, and digitally enabled performance pieces and installations and span the late 1990s to the present. This essay is an introduction to religion and the digital arts and, while no single conclusion can be drawn from such an expansive and diverse field, the reassertion of the religious and theological importance of the body and emotions in the face of digital technology emerges as a recurrent theme.
Nanocellulose in Food Packaging—A Short Review
Authors: Gao Qian , Lei Min , Zhou Kemeng , Liu Xinliang , Wang Shuangfei
Published: December 2020

Nanocellulose has wide application prospects due to its abundant availability, low price, and biodegradability. In addition, it can address a number of environmental issues. For example, nanocellulose can be used as an alternative to petroleum to reduce environmental pollution. Moreover,
nanocellulose has been used as a reinforcing material for food packaging. Improved barrier properties can be obtained when nanocellulose is combined with biopolymers and synthetic polymers. This review briefly introduces three types of nanocellulose and presents the recent advances in barrier
property improvement using these three kinds of nanocellulose and their application in food packaging.
Phytoremediation of Multi-Metal Contaminated Soil in Iron-Steel Industrial Area with Solanum nigrum L. and Optimized Amendments
Authors: Feng Xiuwei , Cui Xiaowei , Li Xinxin , Yang Xiaoyong , Ni Shouqing , Si Hongyu , Cui Zhaojie
Published: December 2020

The soils in abandoned iron-steel industries contained high concentrations of heavy metals, which adversely affected the environmental quality. In this study, a greenhouse orthogonal (L16) experiment was conducted to investigate the optimal ratio of organic fertilizer, biochar,
Maifan stone, attapulgite and phosphate fertilizer assisted with S. nigrum L., aimed to reach the maximum phytoremediation effects. T17 (organic fertilizer:biochar:Maifan stone:attapulgite:phosphate fertilizer = 2:2:2:1:2) was recommended as the optimum chemical proportions of the amendments.
The results showed that after the application of amendments, the length and fresh weight of plants increased significantly, the accumulation of heavy metals in plant roots increased, and the transfer to the shoots decreased. The effective fractions of Pb, Zn and Cd were immobilized. The removal
rates of heavy metals were the highest after adding the soil amendments in T17, and by the following of Zn (44.0%) > Cd (39.5%) > Pb (36.7%). In conclusion, it was shown that the results of metal phytostabilization can be significantly improved by the synergistic effect of S. nigrum
L. and amendments, especially in T17 treatment.
Biological and Molecular Evidences for the Antitumor and Antioxidant Potential of Quercetin In Vitro
Authors: Zhou Jia , Xu Yan , Lin He , Lv Guangfu , Chen Ying , Ren Jixiang , Lin Zhe , Wang Yuchen , Huang Xiaowei
Published: December 2020

To investigate the protective mechanisms of quercetin in promoting HeLa cell apoptosis and protecting human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) from oxidative damage, in this study, MTT test was preformed to observe the inhibition rate of quercetin on HeLa cell proliferation (50.0,
75.0 and 100.0 mol/L), and the apoptosis rate was measured with flow cytometry. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression levels in signaling pathways in quercetin-treated HeLa cells and HUVECs. MTT assay results showed that quercetin could inhibit (P < 0.001) the
proliferation of HeLa cells in a time-concentration dependent manner. Apoptosis results showed that quercetin can increase the early and late apoptosis rate (P < 0.001). Western blotting revealed that quercetin can down-regulate BCL-2 expression level (P < 0.05), up-regulate
BAX and CASPASE-3 expression level (P < 0.05) in HeLa cells. Flow detection results showed that the number of HUVECs labeled with CD105/CD62E and CD31/CD34 in the oxidation group decreased significantly (P < 0.01), increased significantly (P < 0.001) in the drug
group. Quercetin can decrease the expression levels of p16, p53 and p21 significantly (P < 0.05). In conclusion, quercetin can promote the apoptosis of HeLa cell by regulating the expression level of CASPASE-3, BCL-2 and BAX; and protect HUVECs against oxidative damage and inhibit
the apoptosis by down-regulating p16, p53 and p21.
Effects of Rhamnolipids on Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Bamboo Biomass and Mechanism
Authors: Sha Ruyi , Yu Zhan , Wang Zhenzhen , Gbor Edwin Menledy , Jiang Ligang , Bi Yongxian , Fang Sheng , Meng Qin , Mao Jianwei
Published: December 2020

The lignin present in lignocellulose seriously affects the efficiency of cellulose enzymatic hydrolysis. In addition, lignin adsorbs high-cost cellulase, causing greater economic losses. Lignin can also disturb the site of action of cellulase and reduce the efficiency of hydrolysis.
Therefore, if lignin is removed or surface modified before cellulose enzymatic hydrolysis, the enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency of lignocellulosic biomass will be greatly improved. In this paper, the cellulose enzymatic properties of bamboo biomass being treated with dilute acid and alkaline
under the intervention of biosurfactant rhamnolipid were evaluated. The effects of rhamnolipids on the adsorption characterization of cellulose on pretreated bamboo were studied. Besides, the inter-communication between rhamnolipids and cellulose was investigated by fluorescence probe. The
results showed that rhamnolipids could have a positive effect on the enzymatic hydrolysis of bamboo biomass by reducing the non-productive adsorption of cellulase on the surface of lignocellulose. The outcome illustrated that cellulase could be combined with rhamnolipids micelles, participating
in the formation of rhamnolipids micelles, thereby increasing the internal hydrophobicity of the micelles, but could not change the properties of rhamnolipids micelles higher than one CMC (Critical Micelle Concentration). It can be seen that the interaction between rhamnolipids and cellulase
is beneficial to enhance the stability and enzymatic activity of cellulase, thereby improving the enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency of cellulose in biomass. Based on these results, a theoretical knowledge about the mechanism of enhancing the enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency of lignocellulose
by biosurfactants rhamnolipids is provided.
Direct Reduction Ironmaking by Co-Pyrolysis of Biomass Tar Model Compounds and Iron Ore Fines
Authors: Luo Siyi , Ma Chen , Liu Lin , Wang Junzhi , Zuo Zongliang , Xiang Lan
Published: December 2020

The low carbon metallurgy technology based on the high-value utilization of biomass is considered as the key development orientation of green ironmaking. In this paper, a pyrolysis coupling technology of biomass tar and iron ore powder is proposed for the reduction of iron ore. Tar
is degraded efficiently due to the synergy effects respectively through oxidation of iron oxides and the catalytic action of reduced iron, and simultaneously the reduction of iron oxide to metallic iron. Representative tar components including vanillin, naphthalene, and catechol were selected
as tar model compounds. The various reaction conditions on the reduction degree of iron ores was investigated, which include the type of tar component, the pyrolysis temperature, and the ratio of reactants. According to the results, the optimal relationship between tar degradation and reduction
of iron ore was identified. It can be found that under the catalytic effects of iron ore fines, the degradation efficiency of the three model compounds followed the following order: naphthalene > vanillin > catechol. Naphthalene owned the better reduction ability. The highest reduction
degree of the product reached to 78.5% at 800 °C for 30 min.
Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for suspected vertebral artery stump syndrome
Authors: Oda Kazunori , Noda Masayuki , Ishibashi Toshihiro , Kogiku Minoru , Abe Katsutoshi , Kishi Hirohisa , Morita Akio
Published: December 2020

Vertebral artery stump syndrome is a rare disease associated with a posterior circulation stroke after vertebral artery origin occlusion. However, few reports have addressed its management. We herein present a case involving a patient with vertebral artery stump syndrome who underwent successful intravascular intervention. We also present a literature review of previous cases of this rare disease. The present case involved a 91-year-old man with acute onset of vertigo and disturbance of consciousness. Diffusion-weighted imaging showed an acute ischaemic stroke in the bilateral cerebellar hemispheres. Magnetic resonance angiography revealed left vertebral artery origin occlusion. Angiography detected a nearly occluded left vertebral artery site, with distal antegrade collateral flow via the deep cervical artery at the C6 level. We observed intravascular stasis at the proximal end of the left vertebral artery via the collateral flow. We performed percutaneous transluminal angioplasty towards the occluded left vertebral artery site. The flow from the left vertebral artery was significantly improved. This is the first report of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty performed for vertebral artery stump syndrome. Although vertebral artery stump syndrome has a high risk of recurrence and a poor prognosis, endovascular intervention showed a better outcome than pharmacotherapy in our patient. However, such cases are rare and further investigations are needed.
Impact of obesity on disease activity and disease outcome in inflammatory bowel disease: Results from the Swiss inflammatory bowel disease cohort
Authors: Greuter Thomas , Porchet Frédéric , Braga‐Neto Manuel B , Rossel Jean‐Benoit , Biedermann Luc , Schreiner Philipp , Scharl Michael , Schoepfer Alain M , Safroneeva Ekaterina , Straumann Alex , Rogler Gerhard , Vavricka Stephan R
Published: December 2020

Objective

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of obesity on disease activity and disease outcome in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Patients and methods

The impact of obesity on inflammatory bowel disease disease activity and outcome was retrospectively assessed in 3075 patients enrolled in the prospective nation‐wide Swiss inflammatory bowel disease cohort between July 2006 and September 2018. Baseline characteristics, disease activity and disease course in 325 obese inflammatory bowel disease patients (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2) were compared to 1725 normal weight inflammatory bowel disease individuals (body mass index 18.5‐24.9).

Results

Among 3075 patients in the prospective Swiss inflammatory bowel disease cohort, 325 patients (10.6%) were obese, namely, 194 Crohn’s disease patients, 131 ulcerative colitis, and inflammatory bowel disease‐unclassified patients. Disease activity scores were elevated in obese Crohn’s disease (Crohn’s Disease Activity Index 33 vs 20, p  = 0.001), but not ulcerative colitis patients. Obese Crohn’s disease, but not ulcerative colitis patients were less likely to be in remission based on a Crohn’s Disease Activity Index less than 100 and a calprotectin less than 100 ug/g. In a multivariate regression model, obesity was negatively associated with disease remission in Crohn’s disease (odds ratio 0.610, 95% confidence interval 0.402–0.926, p  = 0.020), but not ulcerative colitis. Increased soft stool frequency was observed in both obese Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis patients. Adjusted Cox regression models revealed increased risk of complicated disease course in obese Crohn’s disease patients (hazard ratio 1.197, 95% confidence interval 1.046–1.370, p  = 0.009). No association between obesity and disease progression, index treatment failure was seen neither in Crohn’s disease nor ulcerative colitis.

Conclusion

Obesity is associated with decreased rates of disease remission and increased risk of complicated disease course in Crohn’s disease over a six‐year follow‐up period. No effects were seen on disease progression and index treatment failure neither in Crohn’s disease nor ulcerative colitis.