bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The HLA‐B*35:01:64 allele identified in a volunteer donor for hematopoietic stem cell transplant
Authors: Baek In‐Cheol , Choi Eun‐Jeong , Shin Dong‐Hwan , Kim Hyoung‐Jae , Kim Tai‐Gyu
Published: October 2020

HLA‐B*35:01:64 differs from HLA‐B*35:01:01:01 in codon 58 in exon 2.
Organelle movement and apical accumulation of secretory vesicles in pollen tubes ofArabidopsis thalianadepend on class XI myosins
Authors: Wang Xingjuan , Sheng Xiaojing , Tian Xiulin , Zhang Yu , Li Yan
Published: October 2020

F‐actin and myosin XI play important roles in plant organelle movement. A fewmyosin XIgenes in the genome of Arabidopsis are mainly expressed in mature pollen, which suggests that they may play a crucial role in pollen germination and pollen tube tip growth. In this study, a genetic complementation assay was conducted in amyosin xi‐c(myo11c1) myosin xi‐e(myo11c2) double mutant, and fluorescence labeling combined with microscopic observation was applied. We found that myosin XI‐E (Myo11C2)‐green fluorescent protein (GFP) restored the slow pollen tube growth and seed deficiency phenotypes of themyo11c1 myo11c2double mutant and Myo11C2‐GFP partially colocalized with mitochondria, peroxisomes and Golgi stacks. Furthermore, decreased mitochondrial movement and subapical accumulation were detected inmyo11c1 myo11c2double mutant pollen tubes. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching experiments showed that the fluorescence recoveries of GFP‐RabA4d and AtPRK1‐GFP at the pollen tube tip of themyo11c1 myo11c2double mutant were lower than those of the wild type were after photobleaching. These results suggest that Myo11C2 may be associated with mitochondria, peroxisomes and Golgi stacks, and play a crucial role in organelle movement and apical accumulation of secretory vesicles in pollen tubes ofArabidopsis thaliana.
Inflation comovements in advanced economies: Facts and drivers*
Authors: Álvarez Luis J. , Gadea Maria Dolores , Gómez‐Loscos Ana
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we analyse inflation comovements and their macroeconomic drivers across a wide set of advanced economies. We find a high degree of inflation interdependence, which is highest for euro area countries, which show strong trade links and share a common monetary policy. In contrast, core inflation interdependence is very limited. We also find that inflation interconnectedness is a medium‐ to long‐run phenomenon. Inflation comovements across countries are well explained by an open economy new Keynesian Phillips curve.
Canine lymphoma and vector‐borne diseases: Molecular and serological evaluation of a possible complicity
Authors: Henriques Joaquim , Felisberto Ricardo , Almeida Bruno , Ramos Joana , Constantino‐Casas Fernando , Dobson Jane , Matos Raquel , Santos Ana , de Sousa Rita , Alves Margarida
Published: October 2020

Lymphoma is the most common haematological malignancy in dogs and its aetiology is largely unknown. The presence of canine vector‐borne agents (CVBD) in lymphoma tissues has been described and its causative effects questioned. We intended to evaluate the presence and extent of Leishmania infantum, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Bartonella henselae infection in dogs with lymphoma. Sixty‐one dogs, living in the Lisbon metropolitan area, with a diagnosis of lymphoma were enrolled. Immunofluorescence assays were used to detect serum IgG's. The presence of DNA from CVBD agents in tumour tissue was assessed by PCR. All dogs tested negative for B. henselae, A. phagocytophilum and E. canis by both serology and PCR. Regarding L. infantum, 8.2% (n = 5) of the dogs had a positive serologic result. L. infantum DNA was detected in two samples of diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL). These results show an increased, but not significant, seropositivity (8.2% vs 7.9%) and molecular detection (3.3% vs 1.2%) for L. infantum in dogs with lymphoma, when compared to the reported canine population in the same geographical area. We could not identify an association between lymphoma and E. canis, A. phagocytophilum, B. henselae or Leishmania infantum infection in the studied population. Nevertheless, further studies, following dogs trough their CVBD disease evolution, are worthwhile and may help clarify a possible role of CVBD agents in lymphomagenesis.
Lymphaticovenous anastomosis of the caudal thoracic duct to an intercostal vein: A canine cadaver study
Authors: Shriwise Georgia B. , Loeber Samantha J. , Hardie Robert J.
Published: October 2020

Objective

To describe a technique for anastomosis of the thoracic duct (TD) to the 11th or 12th intercostal vein (ICV) using a microvascular anastomotic coupler (MAC) in the dog.

Study design

Cadaveric study.

Animals

Eight beagles.

Methods

A right paracostal laparotomy and 10th intercostal thoracotomy were performed in each dog. Mesenteric contrast lymphography was used to identify the TD and its branches on fluoroscopy. The TD and adjacent 11th or 12th ICV were isolated, double ligated, and divided using a surgical microscope. The caudal TD and proximal ICV were anastomosed in an end‐to‐end fashion using a 1.5 mm or 2 mm MAC. Mesenteric lymphography was repeated to document patency of the anastomosis.

Results

The TD was identified via lymphography in all dogs; five dogs had a single duct, and three dogs had additional branches. The anastomosis was successful in all eight dogs, and flow into the azygos vein without leakage was confirmed via lymphography.

Conclusion

End‐to‐end anastomosis of the TD to an ICV using a MAC was technically feasible in the canine cadaver.

Clinical significance

Lymphaticovenous anastomosis combined with TD ligation may have application as a treatment for idiopathic chylothorax. By maintaining the flow of chyle from the abdominal lymphatics to the systemic circulation, this procedure may reduce the stimulus for collateral circulation and persistent flow to the cranial mediastinal lymphatics.
Cortical dynamics of movement‐evoked pain in chronic low back pain
Authors: Wang Wei‐en , Ho Rachel L. M. , Gatto Bryan , van der Veen Susanne M. , Underation Matthew K. , Thomas James S. , Antony Ajay B. , Coombes Stephen A.
Published: October 2020

Key points

Cortical activity underlying movement‐evoked pain is not well understood, despite being a key symptom of chronic musculoskeletal pain.

We combined high‐density electroencephalography with a full‐body reaching protocol in a virtual reality environment to assess cortical activity during movement‐evoked pain in chronic low back pain.

Movement‐evoked pain in individuals with chronic low back pain was associated with longer reaction times, delayed peak velocity and greater movement variability.

Movement‐evoked pain was associated with attenuated disinhibition in prefrontal motor areas, as evidenced by an attenuated reduction in beta power in the premotor cortex and supplementary motor area.

Although experimental pain alters neural activity in the cortex, evidence of changes in neural activity in individuals with chronic low back pain (cLBP) remains scarce and results are inconsistent. One of the challenges in studying cLBP is that the clinical pain fluctuates over time and often changes during movement. The goal of the present study was to address this challenge by recording high‐density electroencephalography (HD‐EEG) data during a full‐body reaching task to understand neural activity during movement‐evoked pain. HD‐EEG data were analysed using independent component analyses, source localization and measure projection analyses to compare neural oscillations between individuals with cLBP who experienced movement‐evoked pain and pain‐free controls. We report two novel findings. First, movement‐evoked pain in individuals with cLBP was associated with longer reaction times, delayed peak velocity and greater movement variability. Second, movement‐evoked pain was associated with an attenuated reduction in beta power in the premotor cortex and supplementary motor area. Our observations move the field forward by revealing attenuated disinhibition in prefrontal motor areas during movement‐evoked pain in cLBP.
The Adjoint Method for Time-Optimal Control Problems
Authors: Eichmeir Philipp , Lauß Thomas , Oberpeilsteiner Stefan , Nachbagauer Karin , Steiner Wolfgang
Published: October 2020

In this article, we discuss a special class of time-optimal control problems for dynamic systems, where the final state of a system lies on a hyper-surface. In time domain, this endpoint constraint may be given by a scalar equation, which we call transversality condition. It is well known that such problems can be transformed to a two-point boundary value problem, which is usually hard to solve, and requires an initial guess close to the optimal solution. Hence, we propose a new gradient-based iterative solution strategy instead, where the gradient of the cost functional, i.e., of the final time, is computed with the adjoint method. Two formulations of the adjoint method are presented in order to solve such control problems. First, we consider a hybrid approach, where the state equations and the adjoint equations are formulated in time domain but the controls and the gradient formula are transformed to a spatial variable with fixed boundaries. Second, we introduce an alternative approach, in which we carry out a complete elimination of the time coordinate and utilize a formulation in the space domain. Both approaches are robust with respect to poor initial controls and yield a shorter final time and, hence, an improved control after every iteration. The presented method is tested with two classical examples from satellite and vehicle dynamics. However, it can also be extended to more complex systems, which are used in industrial applications.
Semi-empirical formula for pair production cross-section of gamma in nuclear and electric field
Authors: Manjunatha H. C. , Seenappa L. , Sowmya N. , Sridhar K. N. , Chandrika B. M.
Published: October 2020

We have proposed the semi-empirical formula for pair production cross-section in nuclear and electric field of atoms with atomic number [Formula: see text] in the energy range of [Formula: see text]. To validate the present formula, the values produced by the proposed formula are compared with the available experiments. The percentage of deviation of present formula pair production was found to be less than [Formula: see text]. The present formula is useful in the fields of radiation, particle and Nuclear Physics.
Mechanical stability of a class of regular thin-shell wormholes
Authors: Javed Faisal , Sharif M.
Published: October 2020

This paper explores the stable configuration of thin-shell wormholes constructed from two regular black holes (modified Hayward and four parametric) by using Visser cut and paste approach. The components of stress-energy tensor are evaluated through the Lanczos equations. We analyze the stability of thin-shell by using radial perturbation preserving its symmetries about equilibrium static solution. It is found that modified Hayward wormholes are more stable than the Hayward wormholes. Further, the stable regions of four parametric regular wormholes are larger than the Schwarzschild, Reissner–Nordström and Ayón–Beato–García wormholes. We conclude that stable region decreases for highly charged thin-shell wormholes.
Study of the branching ratio and CP asymmetries in Bs0¯ → ωϕ decay within QCD factorization
Authors: Raslan E. H. , Khan H. R.
Published: October 2020

We study analytically the Branching Ratio (BR) and Charge-Parity (CP) asymmetries of the [Formula: see text] decay mode within QCDF approach. We find the [Formula: see text]. We also find the values of CP asymmetries are [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. The reported results are consistent with the recent theoretical predictions and can be used as a reference values in the forthcoming experiments.
Study of giant dipole resonances for neodymium isotopes with an exciton model
Authors: Lattoofi Nabeel F. , Alzubadi Ali A.
Published: October 2020

The partial photonuclear [Formula: see text], pn) and [Formula: see text] and the total photonuclear cross-sections (the giant dipole resonance (GDR)) have been investigated theoretically for neodymium isotopes, namely [Formula: see text]Nd, using framework of the EMPIRE 3.2.2 code. The energy, width and cross-section parameters of the GDR used in our calculations have been investigated in this paper depending on the deformation parameters of nuclei. The calculated results have been compared with the experimental data and with those calculated using Lorentzian fitting parameters. Our calculations show a good agreement for all isotopes under study and give better results than the results calculated with Lorentzian parameters. Furthermore, the neutron number dependence of the total and partial photonuclear cross-sections has also been discussed. The results appear that the EMPIRE code used is a perfect tool for reproducing the splitting in the GDR for deformed [Formula: see text]Nd isotope in two distinct dipole modes which are perfectly consistent with the experimental results. It has also been shown that the present parameters are suitable parameters for reproducing the GDR for spherical, or nearly spherical, and the deformed ([Formula: see text]Nd) neodymium isotopes. The parameters have been indicating the small deformation in [Formula: see text]Nd, which cannot be shown by the Lorentzian fitting parameters.
Examination of α-decay half-lives of undetected transfermium isotopes
Authors: Le Nguyen Nhu , Duy Nguyen Ngoc
Published: October 2020

This study reports the [Formula: see text]-decay half-lives of 39 transfermium isotopes with [Formula: see text], most of which have not been observed. The half-lives were calculated using micro–macroscopic approaches and semi-empirical formulae, applying current [Formula: see text]-decay Q-values from the latest mass database, AME2016. These results were compared to predicted values in previous works to evaluate the efficiency of and difference between various calculation methods. We found that the [Formula: see text]-resonance approach used in a previous study is not appropriate to predict though most other approaches are mutually consistent. An uncertainty of 70% was observed in the present theoretical calculations, similar to that observed in measurements. A Q-value uncertainty of 10% can lead to a large variation of 3 orders of magnitude in predicted [Formula: see text]-decay half-life. We also found that the dominance of either [Formula: see text] decay or spontaneous fission is unclear for the isotopes with [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text], whereas most of the nuclei of [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] can be clearly identified as [Formula: see text] emitters. Finally, we provide the updated [Formula: see text]-decay half-lives for the isotopes of interest, including their uncertainties and corresponding decay modes.
APPROXIMATING THE GROWTH OPTIMAL PORTFOLIO AND STOCK PRICE BUBBLES
Authors: PLATEN ECKHARD , RENDEK RENATA
Published: October 2020

In practice, optimal portfolio construction for large stock markets has never been conclusively resolved because estimating the required means of returns with sufficient accuracy is a highly intractable task. By avoiding estimation, this paper approximates closely the growth optimal portfolio (GP) for the stocks of developed markets with a well-diversified, hierarchically weighted index (HWI). For stocks denominated in units of the HWI, their current value turns out to be strictly greater than their future expected values, which indicates the existence of stock price bubbles that could be systematically exploited for long-term asset management. It is shown that the HWI does not leave much room for significant performance improvements as proxy for the GP.
Adaptive Trimmed Median Filter for Impulse Noise Detection and Removal with an Application to Mammogram Images
Authors: Bania Rubul Kumar , Halder Anindya
Published: October 2020

Mammography imaging is one of the most widely used techniques for breast cancer screening and analysis of abnormalities. However, due to some technical difficulties during the time of acquisition and digital storage of mammogram images, impulse noise may be present. Therefore, detection and removals of impulse noise from the mammogram images are very essential for early detection and further diagnosis of breast cancer. In this paper, a novel adaptive trimmed median filter (ATMF) is proposed for impulse noise (salt & pepper (SNP)) detection and removal with an application to mammogram image denoising. Automatic switching mechanism for updating the Window of Interest (WoI) size from ([Formula: see text]) to ([Formula: see text]) or ([Formula: see text]) is performed. The proposed method is applied on publicly available mammogram images corrupted with varying SNP noise densities in the range 5%–90%. The performance of the proposed method is measured by various quantitative indices like peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR), mean square error (MSE), image enhancement factor (IEF) and structural similarity index measure (SSIM). The comparative analysis of the proposed method is done with respect to other state-of-the-art noise removal methods viz., standard median filter (SMF), decision based median filter (DMF), decision based unsymmetric trimmed median filter (DUTMF), modified decision based unsymmetric trimmed median filter (MDUTMF) and decision based unsymmetric trimmed winsorized mean filter (DUTWMF). The superiority of the proposed method over other compared methods is well evident from the experimental results in terms of the quantitative indices (viz., PSNR, IEF and SSIM) and also from the visual quality of the denoised images. Paired t-test confirms the statistical significance of the higher PSNR values achieved by the proposed method as compared to the other counterpart techniques. The proposed method turned out to be very effective in denoising both high and low density noises present in (mammogram) images.
Classifying tilting modules over the Auslander algebras of radical square zero Nakayama algebras
Authors: Zhang Xiaojin
Published: October 2020

Let [Formula: see text] be a radical square zero Nakayama algebra with [Formula: see text] simple modules and let [Formula: see text] be the Auslander algebra of [Formula: see text]. Then every indecomposable direct summand of a tilting [Formula: see text]-module is either simple or projective. Moreover, if [Formula: see text] is self-injective, then the number of tilting [Formula: see text]-modules is [Formula: see text]; otherwise, the number of tilting [Formula: see text]-modules is [Formula: see text].
The Influences of Aqueous Dispersion Media on the Cytotoxic Effect of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Tang Kim San , Tan Jey Sern
Published: October 2020

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are widely utilized in many applications due to distinct physical and chemical characteristics. There are growing concerns that abundant use of ZnO-NPs can cause harm to humans and the environment. There is a substantial problem with reproducibility in nanotoxicology research due to the inherent properties of nanoparticles. Dispersion media are used for the preparation of nanoparticles. However, the physical and biological behaviors of ZnO-NPs in aqueous dispersion media are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of ZnO-NPs on the viability of SH-SY5Y cells. Our results showed that ZnO-NPs diluted from water-dispersed stock solution caused significant cell death at a much lower dose compared to their counterpart diluted from the phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-dispersed stock solution. Electron microscopic data indicated that ZnO-NPs from the PBS-dispersed stock solution form much larger agglomerates compared to the one from the water-dispersed stock solution. From these data, we can conclude that the types of media used for particle dispersion impact the change in the physical property and cytotoxicity of ZnO-NPs.
Hybrid model-based image transmission for maximizing network lifetime in wireless multimedia sensor networks
Authors: Wankhade Mahesh P. , Jondhale K. C.
Published: October 2020

This paper intends to increase the network lifetime of Wireless Multimedia Sensor Network (WMSN) by reducing the energy consumption for multimedia data transmission. To accomplish this, the optimal transmission radius of the transmitting sensor nodes and appropriate selection of optimal Cluster Head (CH) at every round are integrated with the energy consumption model to act as the cost model. Subsequently, we develop a new hybrid optimization model, termed as NC-GSO, that hybridizes the Glowworm Swarm Optimization (GSO) and Dragonfly (DA) Optimization. The proposed algorithm is used to minimize the cost function so that the optimal transmission radius and the CHs are determined. The performance of the proposed methodology is investigated in a simulated WMSN environment in which the enhanced network lifetime and the residual energy of the sensors are compared against the state-of-the-art algorithms. To ensure a fair comparison, statistical analysis is also conducted. The obtained results demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithm in enhancing the lifetime of WMSN.
Timelike sweeping surfaces and singularities
Authors: Fouad Naghi Monia , Abdel-Baky Rashad A.
Published: October 2020

We consider a timelike sweeping surface with rotation minimizing frames in Minkowski 3-Space [Formula: see text]. We introduce a new geometric “invariant”, which demonstrates the geometric properties and local singularities of the surface. Subsequently, we give the sufficient and necessary conditions for this surface to be a developable ruled surface. Finally, the singularities of these ruled surfaces are investigated.
SERVICE-ORIENTED BUSINESS MODELS IN MANUFACTURING IN THE DIGITAL ERA: TOWARD A NEW TAXONOMY
Authors: AAS TOR HELGE , BREUNIG KARL JOACHIM , HELLSTRÖM MAGNUS MIKAEL , HYDLE KATJA MARIA
Published: October 2020

A stream of servitisation research has focused on the construction of taxonomies and typologies of product–service system business models (BMs). However, their relevance in the context of increased utilisation of digital technologies may be questioned. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to empirically revisit the existing product–service system BM taxonomies to explore the following research question: How can the BMs of servitised manufacturing firms be categorised in the digital era? The question is addressed through an embedded case study of five servitised firms. We found that the firms’ BMs varied with regard to the degree of the suppliers’ ownership of delivered products, degree of smartness of the services provided and degree of performance orientation of contracts. Based on these findings, we derived a new product–service system BM taxonomy with eight categories, presented in a 2 × 2 × 2 matrix, that significantly extends earlier taxonomies.
DETERMINANTS AND RISK-TAKING BEHAVIOUR OF OUTSOURCING INNOVATION DECISION AND INTENSITY IN VIETNAM: MAKE, PURE OR HYBRID?
Authors: HA LE THANH , THANG DOAN NGOC , DUNG HOANG PHUONG , THANH TO TRUNG , DUNG LE DUC , HUYEN NGUYEN THI THANH
Published: October 2020

This study investigates determinants and risk-taking behaviour of outsourcing innovation decision as well as the intensity in Vietnam. Outsourcing decision consists of an exclusive make (Make), buy (Pure) or a combination of both internal and external knowledge acquisition (Hybrid) in the innovation strategies. We also define outsourcing innovation intensity as the proportion of costs used for outsourcing innovation. We distinguish these outsourcing strategies in relation to product and process innovation. Based on the unique survey data in Vietnam available in 2016, we highlight the importance of the firm-specific factors such as R&D intensity, exporting status, and share of qualified employees dedicated to R&D activities; the firms’ obstacles and objectives for innovation; and the information sources of innovation on the outsourcing innovation decision and intensity. The other striking finding is that outsourcing innovation is risk-taking behaviour, but outsourcing product innovation strategy is a less risky option as compared to the outsourcing process innovation in the case of Vietnamese enterprises.
Energy-Efficient Multiferroic Spin-Devices and Spin-Circuits
Authors: Roy Kuntal
Published: October 2020

Spin-devices are switched by flipping spins without moving charge in space and this can lead to ultra-low-energy switching replacing traditional transistors in beyond Moore’s law era. In particular, the electric field-induced magnetization switching has emerged to be an energy-efficient paradigm. Here, we review the recent developments on ultra-low-energy, area-efficient, and fast spin-devices using multiferroic magnetoelectric composites. It is shown that both digital logic gates and analog computing with transistor-like high-gain region in the input-output characteristics of multiferroic composites are feasible. We also review the equivalent spin-circuit representation of spin-devices by considering spin potential and spin current similar to the charge-based counterparts using Kirchhoff’s voltage/current laws, which is necessary for the development of large-scale circuits. We review the spin-circuit representation of spin pumping, which happens anyway when there is a material adjacent to a rotating magnetization and therefore it is particularly necessary to be incorporated in device modeling. Such representation is also useful for understanding and proposing experiments. In spin-circuit representation, spin diffusion length is an important parameter and it is shown that a thickness-dependent spin diffusion length reflecting Elliott–Yafet spin relaxation mechanism in platinum is necessary to match the experimental results.
First Principle Study on the Electronic, Magnetic and Phase Stability of the Full-Heusler Compound Fe2CuSi
Authors: Gu Qijia , Ji Jiaying , Guo Fayang , Chen Haitao , Yang Tie , Tan Xingwen
Published: October 2020

In this study, we have presented a systematic theoretical study about the electronic, magnetic and structural properties of the full-Heusler compound Fe2CuSi based on first principles calculations. The L21-type structure with ferromagnetic configuration is determined to be the ground state. The calculated electronic band structures show metallic behavior for both spin direction and the obtained total magnetic moment of [Formula: see text]B is mostly contributed from the two Fe atoms, which exhibit strong spin splitting effect as revealed from the partial densities of states. Moreover, both mechanical and dynamic stabilities have been accessed and confirmed for Fe2CuSi under its equilibrium ground-state structure. Besides, multiple mechanical parameters have been calculated and they can provide valuable reference for its practical applications. Lastly, we also evaluate the tetragonal phase by introducing tetragonal strain of [Formula: see text] ratio and results show that the cubic phase maintains the lowest total energy throughout the whole studied strain range, even with [Formula: see text] cell volume variations.
Assessing Peristalsis at the Endometrial–Myometrial Junctional Zone: A Reproducible Ultrasound Technique?
Authors: Hunt Sarah , Low Xin , Dunn Michelle , Costa Fabricio Da Silva , Vollenhoven Beverley , Mol Ben W. , Rombauts Luk
Published: October 2020

Background: Uterine peristalsis occurs in the endometrial–myometrial junctional zone. It is involved in sperm transport and embryo implantation in spontaneous and in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. We investigated the reproducibility of transvaginal assessment of peristalsis and endometrial combined thickness (ECT) as a surrogate marker for contraction frequency and directionality.

Methods: We studied 74 women undergoing IVF between 2015 and 2018. On day 9 of stimulation, participants had a transvaginal ultrasound to assess follicular development and ECT. Women proceeding to fresh embryo transfer had an ultrasound preprocedure. A videoclip was analyzed for frequency (total contractions per minute) and directionality of contractions (cervical to fundal [CF] and fundal to cervical [FC]). Anonymized images were reviewed on three separate occasions by a single observer. Intraclass correlation (ICC with 95% CI) and Bland–Altman plots were constructed to assess intraobserver agreement. Secondary analysis was performed to assess peristalsis with ECT and pregnancy rates.

Results: Between the first and second observations, there was suboptimal correlation between visual assessment of contraction frequency and directionality (ICC–total 0.67 (0.43–0.80) p < 0.001, ICC–CF 0.62 (0.35–0.78), p < 0.001, ICC–FC 0.74 (0.55–0.85), p < 0.001. Correlation for both frequency and directionality significantly improved between second and third viewing (ICC–total 0.97 (0.95–0.98), p < 0.001, ICC–CF 0.84 (0.73–0.91), p < 0.001, ICC–FC 0.89 (0.81–0.94), p < 0.001). Good agreement was seen on Bland–Altman plots with narrower limits of agreement on second and third viewing. Median ECT was 10 mm (interquartile range [IQR] 8–12 mm). Women with ECT [Formula: see text] 10 mm versus <10 mm demonstrated more contractions per minute (2.2 ± 0.7 vs. 1.7 ± 0.6, p = 0.02). The clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates were 33% (20/60) and 22% (13/60), respectively. There was no association between pregnancy and peristalsis frequency or directionality.

Conclusion: Uterine peristalsis is a reproducible observation displaying a learning curve to achieve excellent agreement. Endometrial thickness [Formula: see text]10 mm was associated with increased contraction frequency. There was no association between contraction frequency and/or directionality and clinical pregnancy rates.
“CodePlus”—Measuring Short-Term Efficacy in a Non-Formal, All-Female CS Outreach Programme
Authors: Lawlor Grace , Byrne Philip , Tangney Brendan
Published: October 2020

The provision of all-female computer science outreach programmes is a common strategy used to foster greater interest in the subject for high school aged girls. Based on key factors that affect girls’ interest in computer science (CS), outreach programmes often share much in their approach. Nonetheless, there is criticism from a research perspective concerning how programmes evaluate their efficacy, and how the role of pedagogy is under-explored. This article describes the design of CodePlus, a non-formal CS outreach programme based in an Irish University, Trinity College Dublin, and the methods by which the programme is evaluated. This article aims to contribute to this area by reporting on a social constructivist pedagogical model for all-female CS outreach activities, evaluated with a structured research approach. The results from the large sample size (
n
=856) are positive, with participants showing statistically significant changes in key attitudinal and intentional variables concerning girls’ interest in studying computer science.
A Unified Translation of Linear Temporal Logic to ω-Automata
Authors: Esparza Javier , Křetínský Jan , Sickert Salomon
Published: October 2020

We present a unified translation of linear temporal logic (LTL) formulas into deterministic Rabin automata (DRA), limit-deterministic Büchi automata (LDBA), and nondeterministic Büchi automata (NBA). The translations yield automata of asymptotically optimal size (double or single exponential, respectively). All three translations are derived from one single Master Theorem of purely logical nature. The Master Theorem decomposes the language of a formula into a positive Boolean combination of languages that can be translated into ω-automata by elementary means. In particular, Safra’s, ranking, and breakpoint constructions used in other translations are not needed. We further give evidence that this theoretical clean and compositional approach does not lead to large automata per se and in fact in the case of DRAs yields significantly smaller automata compared to the previously known approach using determinisation of NBAs.
Does Economic Growth Driving Force Convert? Evidence from China
Authors: Li Zejun , Huang Zimei , Li Tinghui
Published: October 2020

The conversion from conventional to new driving forces and their time-varying characteristics are of great importance to China’s economic transformation. In this paper, we attempt to investigate the economic growth driving force conversion in China and the time-varying characteristics of driving forces by constructing a time-varying coefficient panel data model during the period of 1998–2015. The empirical results indicate that China’s economy has undergone driving force conversion. Specifically, China’s economic growth driving forces have been transformed from traditional ones (human capital and gross fixed capital formation) to new ones (innovation capacity and structural transformation). Furthermore, we find that the characteristics of the driving forces are time-varying and heterogeneous. Innovation capacity and structural transformation have a more crucial impact on economic growth. Finally, based on the conclusions of the quantitative analysis, some important policy implications can be pursued to foster economic growth. Chinese government ought to enact various policies that are conducive to enhancing innovation capacity and accelerating structural transformation.
The Role of Exosomal microRNAs and Oxidative Stress in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Wang Xiaoyu , Zhou Yunxiang , Gao Qiannan , Ping Dongnan , Wang Yali , Wu Wei , Lin Xu , Fang Yuanjian , Zhang Jianmin , Shao Anwen
Published: October 2020

Neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease are aging-associated diseases with irreversible damage of brain tissue. Oxidative stress is commonly detected in neurodegenerative diseases and related to neuronal injury and pathological progress. Exosome, one of the extracellular vesicles, is demonstrated to carry microRNAs (miRNAs) and build up a cell-cell communication in neurons. Recent research has found that exosomal miRNAs regulate the activity of multiple physiological pathways, including the oxidative stress response, in neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we review the role of exosomal miRNAs and oxidative stress in neurodegenerative diseases. Firstly, we explore the relationship between oxidative stress and neurodegenerative diseases. Secondly, we introduce the characteristics of exosomes and roles of exosome-related miRNAs. Thirdly, we summarized the crosstalk between exosomal miRNAs and oxidative stress in neurodegenerative diseases. Fourthly, we discuss the potential of exosomes to be a biomarker in neurodegenerative diseases. Finally, we summarize the advantages of exosome-based delivery and present situation of research on exosome-based delivery of therapeutic miRNA. Our work is aimed at probing and reinforcing the recognition of the pathomechanism of neurodegenerative diseases and providing the basis for novel strategies of clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Under Industry 4.0, the Current Status of Development and Trend Sports Industry Combining with Cloud Technology
Authors: Yu Jo-Hung , Lin Hsiao-Hsien , Huang Jen-Min , Wu Chien-Hung , Tseng Kuan-Chieh
Published: October 2020

The goal is to explore the impact of motivation of participation, involvement, and satisfaction rate of sports App on physical and mental health and analyze the current status of development and trend of sports App. Six hundred and eighty valid questionnaires were analyzed using test statistic, descriptive statistics, and Pearson Product-Moment correlation followed by semistructured interviews to gather the views of the interviewees. Finally, information is integrated, using induction, organization, and analysis in order to explore in a multiple ways of examining. The result discovered that sports App has the characteristics of customization, being topical, having less interference, and able to increase professionalism, fortify skills, promote interaction, enhance confidence, improve mood, and reduce stress. There are also problems of low interactivity, low stimulation, attenuated fun, fatigue accumulation, and increased pressure. If the motivation, involvement, and degree of satisfaction of the participant can be satisfied, the mental feel will be enhanced.
Incentive and Supervisory Contract between Special Committees and CEO Based on the Evolutionary Game Model
Authors: Zhang Chuanbo , Lin Kangkang , Wang Lei
Published: October 2020

The process of CEO incentive and supervision, in which the special committee plays an important role, has always been a hard problem to solve in modern corporate governance. Considering the conflicts of interest between the compensation committee, audit committee, and the CEO, this paper constructed a game model of incentive and supervision within the board of directors and analysed the strategic choices of all three and the influencing mechanisms in different contexts. The results show that there is no totally stable strategy point in the system and that there are different strategy choices in different situations; the CEO’s strategy choice is influenced by both the compensation committee and the audit committee, the incentive strategy of the compensation committee will promote the CEO’s self-interested behaviour, and the supervision strategy of the audit committee is inhibitive. The function of the special committee is dependent on its initial intention and the intensity of action. In the situation of excessive incentive by the compensation committee, the strategy choice of audit committee has periodicity, and the CEO and audit committee have periodic discretionary choice game. This study provides insight into the internal governance of the board of directors, particularly special committees, which create the incentive and supervisory contracts.
A Simulation Study on the Risk Assessment of the Modernization of Traditional Sports Culture Based on a Cellular Automaton Model
Authors: Liu Minhang , Li Gang , Zhang Qianhui , Xu Xiaoyi , Liu Ruijie
Published: October 2020

Based on the cellular automaton model, the risk of modernization of traditional sports culture is evaluated and measured by using the methods of documentary, interview, and simulation experiments. The results of simulation experiment show that, in the complex system of the modernization of traditional sports culture, the mutation factors will lead to the sudden decline of the survival suitability of traditional sports culture and the risk of being unable to evolve; in the process of the modernization of traditional sports culture, there are two kinds of risks: self-extinction of dying out and self-extinction of homogenization; risk of dislocation failure lies in the government’s support policies; risk of imbalance between fitness and scale allocation lies in modernity of derivative traditional sports culture. Countermeasures. The government should measure the environmental carrying capacity of the development of traditional sports culture in the region according to the regional resource situation; on this basis, heterogeneous sports activities are selectively introduced, the vitality of local traditional sports culture is enhanced, and the policy support and intervention time are reasonably controlled, to promote the balanced allocation of the suitability and scale of the derivative traditional sports culture.
Celiac Disease and Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Dalfrà Maria Grazia , Del Vescovo Gloria Giovanna , Burlina Silvia , Baldan Ilaria , Pastrolin Silvia , Lapolla Annunziata
Published: October 2020

Aim. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and celiac disease, if not diagnosed and properly treated, are associated with adverse outcomes of pregnancy. The aim of our study was to examine pregnancies complicated by GDM in celiac and nonceliac women in terms of their metabolic parameters and maternal and fetal outcomes. Methods. The study involved 60 women with GDM, 20 with and 40 without celiac disease. Maternal clinical and metabolic parameters (glucose and insulin levels in the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile, prepregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain, and chronic diseases), pregnancy outcomes (gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, time, and mode of delivery), and fetal parameters (weight and length at birth, and neonatal complications) were recorded. Results. The two groups did not differ significantly in maternal parameters other than blood glucose levels at 120′ in the diagnostic OGTT (141.2 ± 35.2 vs 161.2 ± 35.4, mg/dl,

p
=
0.047

), prepartum cLDL (127.2 ± 43.5 vs 179.6 ± 31.7 mg/dl,

p
≤
0.001

), and total cholesterol (229.0 ± 45.9 vs 292.5 ± 42.1 mg/dl,

p
≤
0.001

), which were significantly lower in celiac women than in nonceliac controls. Children born from celiac women had a significantly higher birth weight (3458.1 ± 409.8 vs 3209.0 ± 432.7 g,

p
=
0.044

) and ponderal index (2.89 ± 0.32 vs 2.66 ± 0.25 g/cm3,

p
=
0.006

) and were more likely to be large for gestational age (27.8% vs 2.5%,

p
=
0.012

). Analyzing the composition of the celiac and nonceliac women’s diet showed that, for the same amount of kilocalories, the gluten-free diet was associated with a slight increase in the amount of carbohydrates (49.75% vs 48.54%) and a reduction in the amount of protein (21.10% vs 23.31%) and especially of fiber (9.84% vs 12.71%). Conclusions. Celiac women with GDM have much the same pregnancy outcomes as nonceliac women with GDM, except for fetal overgrowth. Gluten-free food, being richer in carbohydrates and less rich in fiber and protein, could have a role in fetal growth in celiac women.
A Bibliometric Analysis of Global Scientific Research on Scrub Typhus
Authors: Musa Taha Hussein , Ahmad Tauseef , Li Wei , Kawuki Joseph , Wana Mohammed Nasiru , Musa Hassan Hussein , Wei Pingmin
Published: October 2020

Objective. The rise of zoonotic diseases has become a global health issue around the world. The present study is aimed at assessing the global status and the trends in scrub typhus (ST) research. Methods. Publications related to ST studies from 1945 to 21st July 2020 were retrieved from the Scopus database. The search for the ST literature was conducted using the entry terms of the MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) database. Full research articles and reviews were included in the analysis, and no limitation to the language was specified. Key bibliometric indicator analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel, Bibliometrix (an R package), GraphPad Prism 5, and VOSviewer (version 1.6.6). Results. A total of 1567 publications were retrieved. The results revealed a significant increase in the number of ST publications over time. The documents received an average of 11.22 citations per document. Mahidol University in Thailand (258, 16.46%) was the most productive institution, while the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene published the most ST articles (88, 5.62%). Korea (195, 12.44%) was the most productive country, followed by India (178, 11.36%) and China (106, 6.76%). Richards AL was the most productive author with 36 articles. Conclusions. The study findings provide useful insights into the global efforts and works related to the progress of ST research, which can be used to identify future research areas, such as vaccine development.
Multiscale Meets Spatial Awareness: An Efficient Attention Guidance Network for Human Parsing
Authors: Zhou Fan , Huang Enbo , Su Zhuo , Wang Ruomei
Published: October 2020

Human parsing, which aims at resolving human body and clothes into semantic part regions from an human image, is a fundamental task in human-centric analysis. Recently, the approaches for human parsing based on deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) have made significant progress. However, hierarchically exploiting multiscale and spatial contexts as convolutional features is still a hurdle to overcome. In order to boost the scale and spatial awareness of a DCNN, we propose two effective structures, named “Attention SPP and Attention RefineNet,” to form a Mutual Attention operation, to exploit multiscale and spatial semantics different from the existing approaches. Moreover, we propose a novel Attention Guidance Network (AG-Net), a simple yet effective architecture without using bells and whistles (such as human pose and edge information), to address human parsing tasks. Comprehensive evaluations on two public datasets well demonstrate that the AG-Net outperforms the state-of-the-art networks.
Nucleonic Direct Urca Processes and Cooling of the Massive Neutron Star by Antikaon Condensations
Authors: Xu Yan , Ding Wen Bo , Liu Cheng Zhi , Han J. L.
Published: October 2020

Nucleonic direct Urca processes and cooling of the massive neutron stars are studied by considering antikaon condensations. Calculations are performed in the relativistic mean field and isothermal interior approximations. Neutrino energy losses of the nucleonic direct Urca processes are reduced when the optical potential of antikaons changes from

−
80

to

−
130

 MeV. If the center density of the massive neutron stars is a constant, the masses taper off with the optical potential of antikaons, and neutrino luminosities of the nucleonic direct Urca processes decrease for

ρ

CN

=
0.5
 

fm

−
3

but first increase and then decrease for larger

ρ

CN

. Large optical potential of antikaons results in warming of the nonsuperfluid massive neutron stars. Massive neutron stars turn warmer with the protonic

S

0

1

superfluids. However, the decline of the critical temperatures of the protonic

S

0

1

superfluids for the large optical potential of antikaons can speed up the cooling of the massive neutron stars.
Ameliorating Effect of Klotho Protein on Rat Heart during I/R Injury
Authors: Olejnik Agnieszka , Krzywonos-Zawadzka Anna , Banaszkiewicz Marta , Bil-Lula Iwona
Published: October 2020

An essential procedure for the treatment of myocardial infarction is restoration of blood flow in the obstructed infarct artery, which may cause ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Heart I/R injury manifests in oxidative stress, metabolic and morphological disorders, or cardiac contractile dysfunction. Klotho protein was found to be produced in the heart tissue and participate in antioxidation or ion homeostasis. The aim of this study was to examine an influence of Klotho protein on the heart subjected to I/R injury. Wistar rats served as a surrogate heart model ex vivo. Rat hearts perfused using the Langendorff method were subjected to global no-flow ischaemia, and isolated rat cardiomyocytes underwent chemical I/R in vitro, with or without recombinant Klotho protein administration. Haemodynamic parameters of heart function, cell contractility, markers of I/R injury and oxidative stress, and the level of contractile proteins such as myosin light chain 1 (MLC1) and troponin I (TnI) were measured. The treatment of hearts subjected to I/R injury with Klotho protein resulted in a recovery of heart mechanical function and ameliorated myocyte contractility. This improvement was associated with decreased tissue injury, enhanced antioxidant capacity, and reduced release of MLC1 and TnI. The present research showed the contribution of Klotho to cardioprevention during I/R. Thus, Klotho protein may support the protection from I/R injury and prevention of contractile dysfunction in the rat heart.