bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reviewer Acknowledgements
Authors: Smith Robert
Published: April 2021

Journal of Education and Training Studies (JETS) would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether JETS publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issue.Reviewers for Volume 9, Number 4 Anne M. Hornak, Central Michigan University, USAChosang Tendhar, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, USADonna Smith, The Open University, UKFathia Lahwal, Elmergib University, LibyaGianpiero Greco, University of Study of Bari, ItalyIntakhab Khan, King Abdulaziz University, Saudi ArabiaJonathan Chitiyo, University of Pittsburgh Bradford, USAMehmet Inan, Marmara University, TurkeyMustafa Çakır, Marmara University, TurkeyRichard Penny, University of Washington Bothell, USASongtian Zeng, Michigan State University, USAYerlan Seisenbekov, Kazakh National Pedagogical University, Kazakhstan Robert SmithEditorial AssistantOn behalf of,The Editorial Board of Journal of Education and Training StudiesRedfame Publishing9450 SW Gemini Dr. #99416Beaverton, OR 97008, USAE-mail 1: jets@redfame.comE-mail 2: jets@redfame.orgURL: http://jets.redfame.com
Bilateral osteochondral defects of the patellae in an 11-year-old girl
Authors: Rodriguez Ruiz Miguel , Igah Ibidumo , Iranpour Farhad , Patel Akash
Published: April 2021

Osteochondral defect or osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the knee usually affects young, active populations. It is a challenging diagnosis as patients typically present with poorly localised activity-related pain, which is non-specific and covers many differentials. We present an active 11-year-old girl with bilateral osteochondral defects of the patellae: a rare clinical disorder which was affecting her sporting activities. She had a 12-month history of bilateral anterior knee pain before the diagnosis was achieved with appropriate imaging. Her pain significantly improved with activity modification and physiotherapy. Follow-up will require outpatient clinic assessment and imaging to determine if non-operative management continues to be successful or surgery may be required. This case report emphasises the importance of appropriate high index of suspicion when managing patients with non-specific knee pain. It also demonstrates the importance of judicious use of imaging to avoid a missed or delayed diagnosis.
Benzocaine-related methaemoglobinemia after transoesophageal echocardiography: a rare, life-threatening complication
Authors: Wagner John , Cornet Nicole , Goldberg Alan
Published: April 2021

Methaemoglobinemia is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening complication of topical benzocaine use that requires prompt identification in patients who undergo transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE). In this case, a 21-year-old patient who had sustained a stroke with residual right-sided weakness a few days prior to presentation underwent TEE to evaluate for intracardiac shunt. She required intubation as part of her poststroke care with some instrumentation to the posterior oropharynx. Shortly after TEE, the patient experienced sudden onset respiratory distress and hypoxia that did not improve with supplemental oxygen. Chest X-ray did not reveal any acute cardiopulmonary process. Arterial blood gas co-oximetry panel with methaemoglobin level confirmed the diagnosis of methaemoglobinemia. The patient promptly received methylene blue, recovered quickly and did not have any additional episodes of hypoxia.
Modelling climatic impacts on ice-jam floods: a review of current models, modelling capabilities, challenges, and future prospects
Authors: Das Apurba , Lindenschmidt Karl-Erich
Published: April 2021

River ice is an important hydraulic and hydrological component of many rivers in the high northern latitudes of the world. It controls the hydraulic characteristics of streamflow, affects the geomorphology of channels, and can cause flooding due to ice-jam formation during ice-cover freeze-up and breakup periods. In recent decades, climate change has considerably altered ice regimes, affecting the severity of ice-jam flooding. Although many approaches have been developed to model river ice regimes and the severity of ice-jam flooding, appropriate methods that account for the impacts of future climate on ice-jam flooding have not been well established. Therefore, the main goals of this study are to review current knowledge regarding climate change impacts on river ice processes and to assess current modelling capabilities to determine the severity of ice jams under future climatic conditions. Finally, a conceptual river ice-jam modelling approach is presented for incorporating climate change impacts on ice jams.
A NEW MATHEMATICAL MODELING AND SUB-OPTIMAL CHEMOTHERAPY OF CANCER
Authors: DARANDIS N. , NAZARI M.
Published: April 2021

The development of more accurate cancer mathematical models leads to present more realistic treatment protocols, especially in model-based treatment protocol design. Hence, a cancer mathematical model is presented by considering tumor cells, immune cells, interleukins, macrophages polarization, and chemotherapy based on biological concepts. Both local and global sensitivity analyses are done to examine the effect of changing the parameters on the final tumor population. Then, the tumor-free equilibrium points of the system are derived, and their stabilities are studied. The main target of chemotherapy is to eliminate the tumor while limiting drug toxicity. The SDRE method is used to construct a sub-optimal control strategy by using the developed nonlinear cancer model. For simulation, three patients are considered: a young patient, an old patient, and a pregnant patient. These cases have different immune system strengths. Also, three initial tumor sizes are regarded for each case. So, different treatment strategies are suggested. Eradication of tumor cells in a finite duration with a desired amount of chemo-drug is shown in the simulation results. The results confirmed that the immune system’s ability plays an important role in treatment success. It is shown that there are different treatment protocols for different patients, and the SDRE method is more flexible and effective than the others.
Metrology for Measuring Custom Periodicities on Diffraction Gratings
Authors: Zhang Ningxiao , McEntaffer Randall , McCurdy Ross , DeRoo Casey
Published: April 2021

We present a new, inexpensive, bench-top method for measuring groove period over large areas with high mapping resolution and high measurement accuracy, dubbed the grating mapper for accurate period (GMAP). The GMAP has the ability to measure large groove period changes and nonparallel grooves, both of which cannot be measured via optical interferometry. In this paper, we detail the calibration and setup of the GMAP, and employ the instrument to measure three distinct gratings. Two of these measured gratings have customized groove patterns that prevent them from being measured via other traditional methods, such as optical interferometry. Our implementation of this tool achieves a spatial resolution of 0.1[Formula: see text]mm[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]0.1[Formula: see text]mm and a period error of 1.7[Formula: see text]nm for a 3[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m size groove period.
China’s Green Urbanization in the Perspective of Ecological Civilization
Authors: ZHANG Yongsheng
Published: April 2021

This paper proposes a conceptual framework and a strategic idea for China’s green urbanization from the perspective of ecological civilization. The existing urbanization model — whether the activities carried out in the city or the city’s organization form — is largely a product of the traditional industrial era. China must think outside the traditional industrial box and promote green urbanization based on ecological civilization which is the fundamental solution to address the unsustainable development of cities. Green urbanization is more like “building cities in (natural) parks”, rather than “building parks in existing cities”, that is, creating a prosperous economy without destroying but making full use of the natural ecological environment. This means there will be profound changes to the development concept, the activity carried out in the city, the city’s organizational logic, and the implications of the regional economy. China’s green urbanization based on ecological civilization should focus on three basic tasks and two strategies. The three tasks are to reshape the existing cities, urbanize the newly added population in a green way, and redefine the rural areas. The two key strategies are to realize green urbanization of urban clusters that account for more than 90% of the national GDP, 70% of the total population, and 30% of the land area; and to urbanize county-level areas where about 60% of the national population resides.
Kosyu–Rogov Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element, Northwestern Russia
Authors: Sobornov Konstantin
Published: April 2021

The Kosyu–Rogov Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element (CTSE) is one of the last exploration frontiers left in the European part of Russia. A sedimentary section up to 15 km thick comprises several working petroleum systems. Multiphase structural development created various trapping configurations and numerous reservoir–seal pairs. There are several mature source rocks including the world-class Domanik bituminous shale in the area. The past exploration efforts fell short of delivering the expected volumes of oil and gas reserves. This was mainly due to an underestimation of the technical difficulties related to exploration in the complex tectonic settings and an inadequate understanding of the petroleum system development. They were in unfavourable conditions for the presence of a reservoir and hydrocarbon retention. A revision of the tectonostratigraphic framework of the Kosyu–Rogov CTSE shows new high-impact exploration opportunities. The large petroleum potential of the area was confirmed by the discovery of the Nertseta oilfield, the largest oil find in Russia, in 2016.
Theoretically Efficient Parallel Graph Algorithms Can Be Fast and Scalable
Authors: Dhulipala Laxman , Blelloch Guy E. , Shun Julian
Published: April 2021

There has been significant recent interest in parallel graph processing due to the need to quickly analyze the large graphs available today. Many graph codes have been designed for distributed memory or external memory. However, today even the largest publicly-available real-world graph (the Hyperlink Web graph with over 3.5 billion vertices and 128 billion edges) can fit in the memory of a single commodity multicore server. Nevertheless, most experimental work in the literature report results on much smaller graphs, and the ones for the Hyperlink graph use distributed or external memory. Therefore, it is natural to ask whether we can efficiently solve a broad class of graph problems on this graph in memory.

This paper shows that theoretically-efficient parallel graph algorithms can scale to the largest publicly-available graphs using a single machine with a terabyte of RAM, processing them in minutes. We give implementations of theoretically-efficient parallel algorithms for 20 important graph problems. We also present the interfaces, optimizations, and graph processing techniques that we used in our implementations, which were crucial in enabling us to process these large graphs quickly. We show that the running times of our implementations outperform existing state-of-the-art implementations on the largest real-world graphs. For many of the problems that we consider, this is the first time they have been solved on graphs at this scale. We have made the implementations developed in this work publicly-available as the Graph Based Benchmark Suite (GBBS).
Evaluation of Lung Contusion, Associated Injuries, and Outcome in a Major Trauma Center in Shiraz, Southern Iran
Authors: Mardani Parviz , Moayedi Rad Mohammad , Paydar Shahram , Amirian Armin , Shahriarirad Reza , Erfani Amirhossein , Ranjbar Keivan
Published: April 2021

Objective. Blunt chest trauma as one of the most common injuries in trauma cases can cause significant morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical course of traumatic injuries with an initial diagnosis of a pulmonary contusion in patients. Method. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the demographic and clinical features of patients who were referred to a major trauma center in southern Iran. In our study, patients were enrolled with the diagnosis of pulmonary contusion. All included patients were above 16 years of age, with an initial CT scan in favor of pulmonary contusion, while patients not being hospitalized for more than 48 hours were excluded from the study. Results. Among the 434 patients included in our study, 366 (84%) were male and the mean age was 41.17 (SD = 17.89). Among them, the majority (80.4%) had right side lung contusion and 47 patients (10.8%) had right rib fracture. The most common injuries were head and neck injury (56.9%) and limbs (30%). In 25% of cases, pulmonary contusion was associated with pneumothorax and 15.8% with hemothorax. Also, 49.6% of patients were transferred to the ICU. The mortality rate in our study was 15.2% (n = 66). Conclusion. Although recent advances in pulmonary care and ventilator management have been achieved, there is still considerable morbidity and mortality associated with this condition. Therefore, there is a need to provide a national guideline based on native patient information for better management.
The Regulating Effect of Autophagy-Related MiRNAs in Kidney, Bladder, and Prostate Cancer
Authors: Huang Kai , Sun Xiaoxin , Wu Haotian , Zhao Jun , Jian Yuli , Xu Zhongyang , Wang Shujing , Yang Deyong
Published: April 2021

Autophagy is a treatment target for many disorders, including cancer, and its specific role is becoming increasingly well known. In tumors, researchers pay attention to microribonucleic acids (miRNAs) with regulatory effects to develop more effective therapeutic drugs for autophagy and find new therapeutic targets. Various studies have shown that autophagy-related miRNAs play an irreplaceable role in different tumors, such as miR-495, miR-30, and miR-101. These miRNAs are associated with autophagy resistance in gastric cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and cervical cancer. In recent years, autophagy-related miRNAs have also been reported to play a role in autophagy in urinary system tumors. This article reviews the regulatory effects of autophagy-related miRNAs in kidney, bladder, and prostate cancer and provides new ideas for targeted therapy of the three major tumors of the urinary system.
Vitreous Decompression Combined with Phacoemulsification for Medically Unresponsive Acute Angle Closure
Authors: Xiang Xiaoli , Chen Yuan , Wang Jinyu , Huang Zhengru , Gu Zheng
Published: April 2021

The management of acute angle closure combined with an extremely shallow anterior chamber and cataract remains complex. This study evaluated a technique of vitreous needle aspiration combined with phacoemulsification for the treatment of acute angle closure with continuous high intraocular pressure (IOP). We retrospectively reviewed the results of vitreous needle aspiration combined with phacoemulsification in 17 eyes (17 patients) with acute angle closure with continuous high IOP and coexisting visually significant cataracts between September 2018 and April 2020 at the glaucoma unit of the affiliated Changshu Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University. The main outcomes were the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), IOP, anterior chamber depth (ACD), angle open distance 500 (AOD500), number of antiglaucoma medications, and surgery-associated complications. There were no complications during phacoemulsification and a foldable acrylic intraocular lens was implanted in the capsular bag in all 17 patients. For all patients, vitreous needle aspiration was successful at the first attempt. The BCVA improved from 2.02 ± 0.54 logMAR preoperatively to 0.73 ± 0.57 logMAR postoperatively at the final examination (

p
<
0.001

). The mean IOP was 54.47 ± 5.33 mmHg preoperatively and 15.59 ± 2.35 mmHg at the final examination (

p
<
0.001

) without any medication. The ACD was 1.70 ± 0.16 mm preoperatively and 3.35 ± 1.51 mm at the final examination (

p
<
0.001

). The AOD500 was 0.07 ± 0.02 mm preoperatively and 0.51 ± 0.04 mm at the final examination (

p
<
0.001

). Our vitreous needle aspiration technique can be performed safely in phacoemulsification for the management of acute angle closure with continuous high IOP.
A Novel Herbal Medicine for Dyslipidemia: Assessments in Experimental Models
Authors: Ba Tuyen Pham , Huyen Truong Thi , Hang Dinh Thi Thu , Thi Van Anh Pham
Published: April 2021

Dyslipidemia substantially contributes to the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The polyherbal formulation has been a traditional therapeutic strategy used to treat dyslipidemia. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of a novel herbal medicine called “GANMO” on an experimental animal model with endogenous dyslipidemia and exogenous dyslipidemia. In the endogenous hyperlipidemia model, rats were previously treated with GANMO tablets and intraperitoneally injected with poloxamer 407 to induce hyperlipidemia. In the exogenous hyperlipidemia model, rats were given oral administration of oil-cholesterol mixture and GANMO for 4 consecutive weeks. Serum lipid profiles were assessed at all experimental animals. In both models, GANMO at both doses significantly decreased the serum total cholesterol (TC) level and non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level as compared with the model group. HDL cholesterol levels increased in rats with high doses of GANMO compared to those with low doses. GANMO at both doses substantially reduced TG level in the endogenous hyperlipidemia model. In conclusion, GANMO tablets posed a positive effect on serum lipid modulations in dyslipidemia models.
Existence Results for a Nonlocal Coupled System of Sequential Fractional Differential Equations Involving
ψ
-Hilfer Fractional Derivatives
Authors: Wongcharoen Athasit , Ntouyas Sotiris K. , Wongsantisuk Phollakrit , Tariboon Jessada
Published: April 2021

In this article, we discuss the existence and uniqueness of solutions for a new class of coupled system of sequential fractional differential equations involving

ψ

-Hilfer fractional derivatives, supplemented with multipoint boundary conditions. We make use of Banach’s fixed point theorem to obtain the uniqueness result and the Leray-Schauder alternative to obtain the existence result. Examples illustrating the main results are also constructed.
NAFLD and Infection, a Nuanced Relationship
Authors: Adenote Abimbola , Dumic Igor , Madrid Cristian , Barusya Christopher , Nordstrom Charles W. , Rueda Prada Libardo
Published: April 2021

The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has increased significantly over the last few decades mirroring the increase in obesity and type II diabetes mellitus. NAFLD has become one of the most common indications for liver transplantation. The deleterious effects of NAFLD are not isolated to the liver only, for it has been recognized as a systemic disease affecting multiple organs through protracted low-grade inflammation mediated by the metabolic activity of excessive fat tissue. Extrahepatic manifestations of NAFLD such as cardiovascular disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, chronic kidney disease, and hypothyroidism have been well described in the literature. In recent years, it has become evident that patients suffering from NAFLD might be at higher risk of developing various infections. The proposed mechanism for this association includes links through hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, alterations in innate immunity, obesity, and vitamin D deficiency. Additionally, a risk independent of these factors mediated by alterations in gut microbiota might contribute to a higher burden of infections in these individuals. In this narrative review, we synthetize current knowledge on several infections including urinary tract infection, pneumonia, Helicobacter pylori, coronavirus disease 2019, and Clostridioides difficile as they relate to NAFLD. Additionally, we explore NAFLD’s association with hidradenitis suppurativa.
A Novel Passive Circuit Emulator for a Current-Controlled Memristor
Authors: Barboni Leonardo
Published: April 2021

A memristor is an electrical element, which has been conjectured in 1971 to complete the lumped circuit theory. Currently, researchers use memristor emulators through diodes, inductors, and other passive (or active) elements to study circuits with possible attractors, chaos, and ways of implementing nonlinear transformations for low-voltage novel computing paradigms. However, to date, such passive memristor emulators have been voltage-controlled. In this study, a novel circuit realization of a passive current-controlled passive inductorless emulator is established. It overcomes the lack of passive current-controlled memristor commercial devices, and it can be used as part of more sophisticated circuits. Moreover, it covers a gap in the state of the art because, currently, only passive circuit voltage-controlled memristor emulators and active current-controlled emulators have been developed and used. The emulator only uses two diodes, two resistors, and one capacitance and is passive. The formal theory and simulations validate the proposed circuit, and experimental measurements were performed. The parameter conditions of numerical simulations and experiments are consistent. Simulations were performed with an input current amplitude of

15
mA

and frequencies of up to

3
kHz

and measurements were carried out with an input current amplitude of

0.74
mA

and frequency of

1.5
kHz

in order to compare with the state of the art.
Modeling and Simulation of Cascading Failures in Transportation Systems during Hurricane Evacuations
Authors: Zhu Yuan , Ozbay Kaan , Yang Hong , Zuo Fan , Sha Di
Published: April 2021

Effective and timely evacuation is critical in alleviating the impact of hurricanes. As such, evacuation models are often sought to support the preparedness of evacuations. One important task in the modeling process is to evaluate exogenous factors that cause transportation system capacity loss during evacuation. Typical factors include direct damage to the roadway network due to storm surge and cascading impacts because of other facilities failures. For example, power outage can lead to signal failure and subway suspension. This paper aims to develop a macroscopic simulation-based approach to study the capacity loss of the roadway network in evacuation due to signal loss as a consequence of power outage. In particular, to simulate the case in which traffic signals lose power, a capacity-reduction model from signalized intersections to unsignalized (all-way stop control) intersections was developed and calibrated using microscopic model created in SUMO and Synchro. We used the downtown Manhattan as a case study area and created a hypothetical power-grid network in terms of neighborhoods. Six scenarios were built to simulate power loss of different neighborhoods. The simulation results give insights on how cascading failures of power network affect roadway network and evacuation process.
Role of Interfacial Oxide Layer in MoOx/n-Si Heterojunction Solar Cells
Authors: Song X. M. , Huang Z. G. , Gao M. , Chen D. Y. , Fan Z. , Ma Z. Q.
Published: April 2021

Interfacial oxide layer plays a crucial role in a MoOx/

n

-Si heterojunction (MSHJ) solar cell; however, the nature of this interfacial layer is not yet clarified. In this study, based on the experimental results, we theoretically analyzed the role of the interfacial oxide layer in the charge carrier transport of the MSHJ device. The interfacial oxide layer is regarded as two layers: a quasi

p

-type semiconductor interfacial oxide layer (SiOx(Mo))1 in which numerous negatively charged centers existed due to oxygen vacancies and molybdenum–ion-correlated ternary hybrids and a buffer layer (SiOx(Mo))2 in which the quantity of Si-O bonds was dominated by relatively good passivation. The thickness of (SiOx(Mo))1 and the thickness of (SiOx(Mo))2 were about 2.0 nm and 1.5 nm, respectively. The simulation results revealed that the quasi

p

-type layer behaved as a semiconductor material with a wide band gap of 2.30 eV, facilitating the transport of holes for negatively charged centers. Additionally, the buffer layer with an optical band gap of 1.90 eV played a crucial role in passivation in the MoOx/

n

-Si devices. Furthermore, the negative charge centers in the interfacial layer had dual functions in both the field passivation and the tunneling processes. Combined with the experimental results, our model clarifies the interfacial physics and the mechanism of carrier transport for an MSHJ solar cell and provides an effective way to the high efficiency of MSHJ solar cells.
Collapse Behaviour of a Concrete‐Filled Steel Tubular Column Steel Beam Frame under Impact Loading
Authors: Song Lian , Hu Hao , He Jian , Chen Xu , Tu Xi
Published: April 2021

The progressive collapse of a concrete‐filled steel tubular (CFST) frame structure is studied subjected to impact loading of vehicle by the finite‐element software ABAQUS, in the direct simulation method (DS) and alternate path method (AP), respectively. Firstly, a total of 14 reference specimens including 8 hollow steel tubes and 6 CFST specimens were numerically simulated under transverse impact loading for verification of finite‐element models, which were compared with the existing test results, confirming the overall similarity between them. Secondly, a finite‐element analysis (FEA) model is established to predict the impact behaviour of a five‐storey and three‐span composite frame which was composed of CFST columns and steel beams under impact vehicle loading. The failure mode, internal force‐time curve, displacement‐time curve, and mechanical performance of the CFST frame were obtained through analyzing. Finally, it is concluded that the result by the DS method is closer to the actual condition and the collapse process of the structure under impact load can be relatively accurately described; however, the AP method is not.
Ethnic Variations in Healthcare Service Utilization and Access in Vietnamese Mountainous Setting
Authors: Le Anh Tuan , Vu Ngoc Ha , Nguyen Nhu Dua , Truong Thi Mai Anh , Ngo Thi Tam , Nguyen Xuan Bach , Trung Kien Pham , Hoang Nam Hung , Nguyen Thi Hoang Anh , Luong Trung Thanh
Published: April 2021

Evidence of health service use and access across different target groups is essential for policy development, health promotion, and promotion of equity in healthcare. This study aims to look at ethnic variations in health service use and access among residents in mountainous areas of Vietnam. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 321 adults from two mountainous communes in Bac Kan province. Healthcare service use and access were evaluated by using a structured questionnaire. Zero-inflated Poisson regression was used to examine the ethnic variations in the healthcare service use and access. Of 321 mountainous residents, 63.6% used health services in the previous 12 months, of which 24.9% respondents used inpatient services and 47.9% used outpatient services. The number of outpatient medical services used by the Tay participant was higher than that of the Kinh and other ethnic groups (

p
<
0.05

). Multivariate regression results showed that compared to Kinh people, Tay people had a higher number of outpatient service use (Coef. = 0.25,

p
=
0.04

), while people in other ethnicities had a lower number of service use (Coef. = −0.64,

p
=
0.01

). Meanwhile, no difference was found among groups regarding the number of inpatient service use (

p
>
0.05

). This study showed the ethnic differences in outpatient use of health services among communities living in the northern mountainous setting of Vietnam.
MicroRNA-34a Promotes EMT and Liver Fibrosis in Primary Biliary Cholangitis by Regulating TGF-β1/smad Pathway
Authors: Pan Ying , Wang Jing , He Lan , Zhang Fengchun
Published: April 2021

Background and Aims. Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune cholestatic liver disease. We found microRNA-34a (miR-34a), as the downstream gene of p53, was overexpressed in some of fibrogenic diseases. In this study, we sought to explore whether miR-34a plays a role in the fibrosis of PBC. Methods. The peripheral blood of PBC patients and controls was collected to analyze the level of miR-34a. Human intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells (HIBEC) were cultured. The expression of miR-34a was regulated by miR-34a mimics and inhibitor. The biomarkers of epithelium-mesenchymal transition (EMT), fibrogenesis, inflammation, and transforming growth factor- (TGF-) β1/smad pathway were analyzed. Results. We found that miR-34a was overexpressed in the peripheral blood in PBC patients. In vitro, overexpressed miR-34a increased the EMT and fibrogenesis activity of HIBEC. Transforming growth factor-beta type 1 receptor (TβR1), TGF-β1, and p-smad2/3 were upregulated by miR-34a. Inflammatory factors such as IL-6 and IL-17 were also upregulated. Finally, we showed that miR-34a promoted EMT and liver fibrosis in PBC by targeting the TGF-β1/smad pathway antagonist transforming growth factor-beta-induced factor homeobox 2 (TGIF2). Conclusions. Our findings show that miR-34a plays an important role in the EMT and fibrosis of PBC through the TGF-β1/smad pathway by targeting TGIF2. This study suggests that miR-34a may be a new marker of fibrogenesis in PBC. Inhibition of miR-34a may be a promising strategy in treating PBC and improving the prognosis of the disease.
Cardiovascular Organ Damage in Clinical Subtypes of Systemic Sclerosis: Arterial Stiffness and Echocardiography Might Not Be the Ideal Tools for Patient Risk Stratification
Authors: Avenatti Eleonora , Bruno Giulia , Priora Marta , Parisi Simone , Ballini Chiara , Veglio Franco , Milan Alberto , Fusaro Enrico
Published: April 2021

Background. Vascular damage is recognized as a diagnostic landmark in systemic sclerosis (SSc), both in its limited and diffuse subtypes. Early detection at a subclinical stage with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and carotid femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) may be helpful in therapeutic planning and management. Aim of the Study. The aim of the study was to evaluate presence of subclinical cardiovascular damage in patients with limited and diffuse SSc in comparison with a cohort of healthy individuals. Methods. Consecutive patients with limited and diffuse SSc underwent complete TTE and cfPWV and a complete review of clinical data. As controls, 23 healthy subjects with similar hemodynamic profiles were selected. Results. 41 patients (35 female, aged 56.9 years), 21 with diffuse and 20 with limited SSc, were recruited. Past medical history, cardiovascular risk factors, gender distribution, and disease duration were similar in the two groups as well as TTE parameters and hemodynamic indexes—cfPWV (6.5 [6–6.8] vs. 7.0 [6.2–8.5],

p
=
0.24

) and augmentation index (145.6 ± 14.2 vs. 149 ± 20.6,

p
=
0.52

). Patients with limited SSc were 10 years older than patients with diffuse SSc. In the multiple regression analysis, only age (

p
=
0.0154

) and disease duration (

p
=
0.0467

) resulted as the significant determinant of cfPWV. When compared to healthy controls, no significant difference emerged in TTE or hemodynamic indexes. Conclusion. In SSc, cfPWV increases with age, with no additional impact of pathology or subtype. Vascular damage in the SSc population is not accurately reflected in increased arterial stiffness, as evaluated with cfPWV, or classically defined echocardiographic findings of organ damage (i.e., left ventricular concentric remodelling and increased filling pressures).
Optimized Partition Scheme for Prefabricated Underpass with Large Cross Section
Authors: Jin Zhiyi , Qi Taiyue , Liang Xiao , Lei Bo
Published: April 2021

With the acceleration of urbanization in China, more underpasses will be constructed in big cities to alleviate the great traffic pressure. The prefabricated and assembly construction method has been introduced to replace the traditional cast‐in‐place method to achieve quick construction. However, for a fully prefabricated and assembled underground structure (PAUS) with large cross section, the structure must be cut into segments in transverse direction to reduce the size and weight for easy transportation and assembly. Therefore, how to develop an optimal partition scheme is a new problem to be studied. Firstly, three preliminary partition schemes were proposed based on the internal force distribution and completed engineering practices. Then, the three schemes were compared in terms of bending moment, shear force, and axial force. The construction efficiencies were also compared with special emphasis on difference of the build period. Finally, an optimal partition scheme was determined and successfully applied in the real project. Furthermore, the construction period of this partition scheme was 1/3 of the traditional cast‐in‐place method. The results of the current paper can provide some design guidance to large cross‐sectional underpasses and other underground structures in the partition stage.
Total Polyphenol and Flavonoid Content and Antioxidant Capacity of Some Varieties of Persea americana Peels Consumed in Cameroon
Authors: Dibacto Ruth Edwige Kemadjou , Tchuente Boris Ronald Tonou , Nguedjo Maxwell Wandji , Tientcheu Yves Martial Tongue , Nyobe Emilienne Carine , Edoun Ferdinand Lanvin Ebouel , Kamini Melanie Flore Godam , Dibanda Romelle Feumba , Medoua Gabriel Nama
Published: April 2021

Fruit peels are increasingly being used as functional foods nowadays. Peelings of twelve varieties of Persea americana fruits consumed in Cameroon were investigated for their phenolic compounds (polyphenols and flavonoids) using three solvents systems, water, ethanol: water (50 : 50v/v), and ethanol, and antioxidant activity using total antioxidant capacity (TAC), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging methods. Total polyphenol, flavonoids, and antioxidant potential of the peels significantly varied with P. americana variety and also with the extraction solvents in the order ethanol > ethanol: water > water. Total phenolic content varied from 2407 (Fuerte florid) to 673 (Semil) mg GAE/g DM, respectively, while flavonoids varied from 986 to 119 mg QE/g DM for Fuerte florid and Hickson varieties, respectively. TAC, respectively, varied between 132.87 and 126.85 mg AAE/g DM with Hass and Semil varieties, respectively. The highest DPPH scavenging capacity was recorded for the ethanolic extract with Lula (86.33%) and the least for the aqueous extract with the Semil (30.11%) variety. With FRAP, the highest capacity was obtained with hydroethanolic extract of Fuerte florid (0.43 mg AAE/g DM) and the least for aqueous extract with the Semil (0.269 mg AAE/g DM) variety. In conclusion, varieties of avocado peels are a good source of antioxidants. Solvent extraction significantly affected the concentration of bioactive compounds but not the potency of the antioxidants. A weakly positive correlation but not significant between the quantity of polyphenol, flavonoid, and antioxidant capacity of avocado peelings was obtained in this study.
Tumor Grade and Overall Survival Prediction of Gliomas Using Radiomics
Authors: Ye Jianming , Huang He , Jiang Weiwei , Xu Xiaomei , Xie Chun , Lu Bo , Wang Xiangcai , Lai Xiaobo
Published: April 2021

Glioma is one of the most common and deadly malignant brain tumors originating from glial cells. For personalized treatment, an accurate preoperative prognosis for glioma patients is highly desired. Recently, various machine learning-based approaches have been developed to predict the prognosis based on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics, which extract quantitative features from radiographic images. However, major challenges remain for methodologic developments to optimize feature extraction and provide rapid information flow in clinical settings. This study investigates two machine learning-based prognosis prediction tasks using radiomic features extracted from preoperative multimodal MRI brain data: (i) prediction of tumor grade (higher-grade vs. lower-grade gliomas) from preoperative MRI scans and (ii) prediction of patient overall survival (OS) in higher-grade gliomas (<12 months vs. > 12 months) from preoperative MRI scans. Specifically, these two tasks utilize the conventional machine learning-based models built with various classifiers. Moreover, feature selection methods are applied to increase model performance and decrease computational costs. In the experiments, models are evaluated in terms of their predictive performance and stability using a bootstrap approach. Experimental results show that classifier choice and feature selection technique plays a significant role in model performance and stability for both tasks; a variability analysis indicates that classification method choice is the most dominant source of performance variation for both tasks.
Integral Criteria for Weighted Bloch Functions
Authors: El-Sayed Ahmed A. , Bakhit M. A.
Published: April 2021

The present manuscript gives analytic characterizations and interesting technique that involves the study of general

ϖ

-Besov classes of analytic functions by the help of analytic

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-Bloch functions. Certain special functions significant in both

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-Besov-norms and

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-Bloch norms framework and to introduce new important families of analytic classes. Interesting motivation of this concerned paper is to construct some new analytic function classes of general

ϖ

-Besov-type spaces via integrals on concerned functions view points. The introduced analytic

ϖ

-Bloch and

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-Besov type of functions with some interesting properties for these classes of function spaces are established within the constructions of their norms. Using the defined analytic function spaces, various important relations are also derived.
How Accurately does PSMA Inhibitor 18F-DCFPyL-PET-CT Image Prostate Cancer?
Authors: True Lawrence D. , Chen Delphine L.
Published: April 2021

Current techniques for imaging prostate cancer (CT, MRI, and PET agents 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose, 11C-choline, 11C-acetate, and 18F-fluciclovine) are limited in sensitivity and specificity. PSMA PET agent 68Ga-PSMA-11 has recently been approved by the FDA. We comment on the performance of novel PSMA agent 18F-DCFPyL-PET/CT.

See related article by Morris et al., p. 3674
Bortezomib Induces Anti–Multiple Myeloma Immune Response Mediated by cGAS/STING Pathway Activation
Authors: Gulla Annamaria , Morelli Eugenio , Samur Mehmet K. , Botta Cirino , Hideshima Teru , Bianchi Giada , Fulciniti Mariateresa , Malvestiti Stefano , Prabhala Rao H. , Talluri Srikanth , Wen Kenneth , Tai Yu-Tzu , Richardson Paul G. , Chauhan Dharminder , Sewastianik Tomasz , Carrasco Ruben D. , Munshi Nikhil C. , Anderson Kenneth C.
Published: April 2021

The proteasome inhibitor bortezomib induces apoptosis in multiple myeloma cells and has transformed patient outcome. Using in vitro as well as in vivo immunodeficient and immunocompetent murine multiple myeloma models, we here show that bortezomib also triggers immunogenic cell death (ICD), characterized by exposure of calreticulin on dying multiple myeloma cells, phagocytosis of tumor cells by dendritic cells, and induction of multiple myeloma–specific immunity. We identify a bortezomib-triggered specific ICD gene signature associated with better outcome in two independent cohorts of patients with multiple myeloma. Importantly, bortezomib stimulates multiple myeloma cell immunogenicity via activation of the cGAS/STING pathway and production of type I IFNs, and STING agonists significantly potentiate bortezomib-induced ICD. Our study therefore delineates mechanisms whereby bortezomib exerts immunotherapeutic activity and provides the framework for clinical trials of STING agonists with bortezomib to induce potent tumor-specific immunity and improve patient outcome in multiple myeloma.

Significance:

Our study demonstrates that cGAS/STING-dependent immunostimulatory activity mediates bortezomib anti-myeloma activity in experimental models and associates with clinical response to bortezomib in patients with multiple myeloma. These findings provide the rationale for clinical evaluation of STING agonists to further potentiate anti–multiple myeloma immune response.

See related commentary by Zitvogel and Kroemer, p. 405.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 403
Secondary Prevention of Stroke: Study Protocol for a Telehealth-Delivered Physical Activity and Diet Pilot Randomized Trial (ENAbLE-Pilot)
Authors: English Coralie , Attia John R. , Bernhardt Julie , Bonevski Billie , Burke Meredith , Galloway Margaret , Hankey Graeme J. , Janssen Heidi , Kuys Suzanne , Lindley Richard I. , Lynch Elizabeth , Marsden Dianne L. , Nilsson Michael , Ramage Emily R. , Said Catherine M. , Spratt Neil J. , Zacharia Karly , Macdonald-Wicks Lesley , Patterson Amanda
Published: April 2021

Background: Increasing physical activity (PA) and improving diet quality are opportunities to improve secondary stroke prevention, but access to appropriate services is limited. Interventions co-designed with stroke survivors and delivered by telehealth are a potential solution. Aim: The aim of this study is to test the feasibility, safety, and potential efficacy of a 6-month, telehealth-delivered PA and/or dietary (DIET) intervention. Methods: Pilot randomized trial. 80 adults with previous stroke who are living at home with Internet access and able to exercise will be randomized in a 2 × 2 factorial (4-arm) pilot randomized, open-label, blinded outcome assessment trial to receive PA, DIET, PA + DIET, or control interventions via telehealth. The PA intervention aims to support participants to meet the minimum recommended levels of PA (150 min/week moderate exercise), and the DIET intervention aims to support participants to follow the AusMed (Mediterranean-style) diet. The control group receives usual care plus education about PA and healthy eating. The co-primary outcomes are feasibility (proportion and characteristics of eligible participants enrolled and proportion of scheduled intervention sessions attended) and safety (adverse events) at 6 months. The secondary outcomes include recurrent stroke risk factors (blood pressure, physical activity levels, and diet quality), fatigue, mood, and quality of life. Outcomes are measured at 3, 6, and 12 months. Conclusion: This trial will produce evidence for the feasibility, safety, and potential effect of telehealth-delivered PA and DIET interventions for people with stroke. Results will inform development of an appropriately powered trial to test effectiveness to reduce major risk factors for recurrent stroke. Trial registration: ACTRN12620000189921.
Malnutrition in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. What do we know today?
Authors: Katsagoni Christina N. 
Published: April 2021

Growth delay with height and weight impairment is a common feature of pediatric inflammatory bowel diseases (PIBD). Up to 2/3 of Crohn Disease patients have impaired weight at diagnosis, and up to 1/3 have impaired height. Ulcerative colitis usually manifests earlier with less impaired growth, though patients can be affected. Ultimately, growth delay, if not corrected, can reduce final adult height. Weight loss, reduced bone mass, and pubertal delay are also concerns associated with growth delay in newly diagnosed PIBD patients. The mechanisms for growth delay in IBD are multifactorial and include reduced nutrient intake, poor absorption, increased fecal losses, as well as direct effects from inflammation and treatment modalities. Management of growth delay requires optimal disease control. Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN), biologic therapy, and corticosteroids are the primary induction strategies used in PIBD, and both EEN and biologics positively impact growth and bone development. Beyond adequate disease control, growth delay and pubertal delay require a multidisciplinary approach, dependent on diligent monitoring and identification, nutritional rehabilitation, and involvement of endocrinology and psychiatry services as needed. Pitfalls that clinicians may encounter when managing growth delay include refeeding syndrome, obesity (even in the setting of malnutrition), and restrictive diets. Although treatment of PIBD has improved substantially in the last several decades with the era of biologic therapies and EEN, there is still much to be learned about growth delay in PIBD in order to improve outcomes.
Domestic researchers with longer careers generate higher average citation impact but it does not increase over time
Authors: Maflahi Nabeil , Thelwall Mike
Published: April 2021

Information about the relative strengths of scholars is needed for the efficient running of knowledge systems. Because academic research requires many skills, more experienced researchers might produce better research and attract more citations. This article assesses career citation impact changes 2001–2016 for domestic researchers (definition: first and last Scopus journal article in the same country) from the 12 nations with most Scopus documents. Careers are analyzed longitudinally, so that changes are not due to personnel evolution, such as researchers leaving or entering a country. The results show that long-term domestic researchers do not tend to improve their citation impact over time but tend to achieve their average citation impact by their first or second Scopus journal article. In some countries, this citation impact subsequently declines. These longer-term domestic researchers have higher citation impact than the national average in all countries, however, whereas scholars publishing only one journal article have substantially lower citation impact in all countries. The results are consistent with an efficiently functioning researcher selection system but cast slight doubt on the long-term citation impact potential of long-term domestic researchers. Research and funding policies may need to accommodate these patterns when citation impact is a relevant indicator.
La copie de l’hymne à Asclépios d’Apollonia d’Illyrie (SEG 65 397)
Authors: Alonso Déniz Alcorac
Published: April 2021

A lead tablet from Apollonia in Illyria exhibits the last strophe of a paean to Asclepios, that is transmitted in its entirety on inscriptions from four other cities. This article presents some alternative readings of the new fragmentary version and analyses its variants through the prism of the interaction between the local dialect of the Corinthian colony and the literary Doric of traditional choral lyric. Moreover, some linguistic discrepancies between the different versions of the hymn may have been conditioned by specific local characteristics of religious songs.
We, the Unborn: On Derrida’s Geschlecht III
Authors: Krell David Farrell
Published: April 2021

The article pursues the theme of “the unborn” in the poetry of Georg Trakl and in the commentaries on Trakl’s poetry by Heidegger (in Unterwegs zur Sprache) and Derrida (in Geschlecht III). It continues a decades-long conversation with Trakl, Heidegger, and Derrida developed most recently in Phantoms of the Other: Four Generations of Derrida’s Geschlecht (Albany: SUNY Press, 2015) and in “Derrida, Heidegger, and the Magnetism of the Trakl House,” Philosophy Today, 64:2 (Spring 2020), 1–24.