bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Forecasting Models Based on Data Analytics for Predicting Rice Price Volatility: A Case Study of the Sri Lankan Rice Market
Authors: Hathurusingha Chanchala , Abdelhamid Neda , Airehrour David
Published: January 2019

Paddy rice is a staple food that is common among the Sri Lankan populace. However, the frequent price variation of rice has negatively impacted the Sri Lankan economy. This is due to the Sri Lankan rice market lacking the mechanisms to evaluate and predict future rice price variations, often leaving domestic traders and consumers affected by sudden price spikes. This study identifies the quantifiable economic factors that affect the sudden rice price variations and presents a viable mechanism for forecasting Domestic Rice Price (DRP). In addition, it establishes three different regression models to emphasise the relationship of DRP in Sri Lanka with three economic factors: International Rice Price (IRP), International Crude Oil Price (ICOP), and USD Exchange Rate. Further, a time series model is formulated to forecast future variations in DRP while advancing factors that have a significant, but negative, correlative impact on the DRP. The results presented in this study show that the models proposed can be used by relevant food authorities to predict sudden hikes and dips in DRP, allowing them to establish a robust price control system.
Classification Spam Email with Elimination of Unsuitable Features with Hybrid of GA-Naive Bayes
Authors: Ebadati O. M. E. , Ahmadzadeh F.
Published: January 2019

Email spam is a security problem that involves different techniques in machine learning to solve this problem. The rise of this security issue makes organisation email service unreliable and has a direct relation with vulnerability of clients through unexpected spam mails, like ransomware. There are several methods to identifying spam emails. Most of these methods focused on feature selection; however, these models decreased the accuracy of the detection. This paper proposed a novel spam detection method that is not only to decrease the accuracy, but eliminates unsuitable features with less processing. The features are in the terms of contents, and the number of features is very big, so it can decrease the memory complexity. We use Hewlett-Packet (HP) laboratory samples text emails. First, GA algorithm is employed to select features without limited number of feature selection with the aid of Bayesian theory as a fitness function and checked with a different number of repetitions. The result improved with GA by increasing number of repetitions, and tested with distinctive selection method, Random selection and Tournament selection. In the second stage, the dataset classifies emails as Spam or Ham by Naive Bayes. The results show that Naive Bayes and hybrid GA-Naive Bayes are almost identical, but GA-Naive Bayes has a better performance.
Content-based image retrieval using local texture features in distributed environment
Authors: Raju U. S. N. , Suresh Kumar K. , Haran Pulkesh , Boppana Ramya Sree , Kumar Niraj
Published: January 2019

In this paper, we propose novel content-based image retrieval (CBIR) algorithms using Local Octa Patterns (LOtP), Local Hexadeca Patterns (LHdP) and Direction Encoded Local Binary Pattern (DELBP). LOtP and LHdP encode the relationship between center pixel and its neighbors based on the pixels’ direction obtained by considering the horizontal, vertical and diagonal pixels for derivative calculations. In DELBP, direction of a referenced pixel is determined by considering every neighboring pixel for derivative calculations which results in 256 directions. For this resultant direction encoded image, we have obtained LBP which is considered as feature vector. The proposed method’s performance is compared to that of Local Tetra Patterns (LTrP) using benchmark image databases viz., Corel 1000 (DB1) and Brodatz textures (DB2). Performance analysis shows that LOtP improves the average precision from 59.31% to 64.36% on DB1, and from 83.24% to 85.95% on DB2, LHdP improves it to 65.82% on DB1 and to 87.49% on DB2 and DELBP improves it to 60.35% on DB1 and to 86.12% on DB2 as compared to that of LTrP. Also, DELBP reduces the feature vector length by 66.62% as compared to that of LTrP. To reduce the retrieval time, the proposed algorithms are implemented on a Hadoop cluster consisting of 116 nodes and tested using Corel 10K (DB3), Mirflickr 100,000 (DB4) and ImageNet 511,380 (DB5) databases.
A new proof of the duality of multiple zeta values and its generalizations
Authors: Seki Shin-ichiro , Yamamoto Shuji
Published: January 2019

We give a new proof of the duality of multiple zeta values, which makes no use of the iterated integrals. The same method is also applicable to Ohno’s relation for ([Formula: see text]-)multiple zeta values.
Positively Charged Magnetic Nanoparticles for Capture of Circulating Tumor Cells from Clinical Blood Samples
Authors: Wu Shengming , Wang Yilong , Shi Donglu
Published: January 2019

Isolation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from cancer patients is of high value for disease monitoring and metastasis diagnosis. Although many new detection methods have emerged in recent years, the detection of CTCs is a current challenge due to lack of specific and sensitive markers. In our previous work, cancer cell surfaces, from over 20 cancer cell lines, have been shown to be negatively-charged regardless of their phenotype by using electrically-charged nanoparticles as a probe. The strong electrostatic interaction between the negative cancer cells and positively charged nanoparticles can well remain in a physiological liquid environment in the presence of serum proteins, enabling effective binding between them. As a result, the cancer cells can be magnetically separated by employing an external magnet. In this technical report, we present preliminary results on the investigation of CTC isolation from both mimetic and clinical blood samples. We show high CTC detection sensitivity by the positively-charged magnetic nanoparticles (PMNs) even at the original concentration of 10 cells per mL mimetic blood sample. The CTCs in the peripheral blood of colorectal cancer patients were isolated and identified by cellular morphology and immunofluorescence staining.
Geochemistry, mineralogy, and acid-generating behaviour of efflorescent sulphate salts in underground mines in Nevada, USA
Authors: Newman Connor P. , McCrea Karl W. , Zimmerman Joshua , Burke George , Anderson Salt
Published: January 2019

Geochemical characterization of metal-bearing sulphate salts from underground mine complexes in Nevada, USA, illustrates a variety of compositional and paragenetic trends. The most common metal species observed were Fe, Al, and Mg; and Al-bearing salts were the most commonly observed minerals. Mineralogical investigation shows that salts have variable grain sizes, are inter-grown, and display relationships that differ from those observed at many sites with similar minerals. Determinations for samples collected from one area show the presence of both paragenetically-early and -late minerals. These complex relationships may be the result of multiple generations of mineral growth. Simple dissolution testing indicates the propensity for each of the six distinct mineral phases observed to rapidly produce acidic solutions. Speciation and mineral equilibrium calculations using two different thermodynamic databases (Pitzer and Minteq.v4) show that different solution properties and mineral solubilities would be predicted depending on the database used. Additionally, some speciation results display unreasonable charge imbalances that would need to be rectified for the results to be utilized in predictive modeling. These results highlight the importance of considering various modeling codes and databases when simulating the environmental impact of concentrated solutions resulting from the oxidation of sulphides and formation of secondary minerals.
Loop Unrolling for Energy Efficiency in Low-Cost Field-Programmable Gate Arrays
Authors: Dumpala Naveen Kumar , Patil Shivukumar B. , Holcomb Daniel , Tessier Russell
Published: January 2019

Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are used for a wide variety of computations in low-cost embedded systems. Although these systems often have modest performance constraints, their energy consumption must typically be limited. Many FPGA applications employ repetitive loops that cannot be straightforwardly split into parallel computations. Performing a loop sequentially generally requires high-speed clocks that consume considerable clock power and sometimes require clock generation using a phase-locked loop (PLL). Loop unrolling addresses the high-speed clock issue, but its use often leads to significant combinational glitch power.

In this work, a computer-aided design (CAD) approach that unrolls loops for designs targeted to low-cost FPGAs is described. Our approach considers latency constraints in an effort to minimize energy consumption for loop-based computation. To reduce glitch power, a glitch-filtering approach is introduced that provides a balance between glitch reduction and design performance. Glitch-filter enable signals are generated and routed to the filters using resources best suited to the target FPGA. Our approach automatically inserts glitch filters and associated control logic into a design prior to processing with FPGA synthesis, place, and route tools. Our energy-saving loop-unrolling approach has been evaluated using five benchmarks often used in low-cost FPGAs. The energy-saving capabilities of the approach have been evaluated for an Intel Cyclone IV and a Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA using board-level power measurement. The use of unrolling and glitch filtering is shown to reduce energy by at least 65% for an Artix-7 device and 50% for a Cyclone IV device while meeting design latency constraints.
Progesterone-induced miR-152 interferes with embryonic implantation by downregulating GLUT3 in endometrial epithelium
Authors: Nie Li , Zhao You-bo , Zhao Dan , Long Yun , Lei Yi , Liu Min , Wang Yi-cheng , Zhang Xue-qin , Zhang Jin-hu , Yuan Dong-zhi , Yue Li-min
Published: January 2019

To investigate the role of progesterone-induced micro-RNA (miR)-152 in early embryonic development and implantation by regulating GLUT3 in endometrial epithelium, qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of miR-152, GLUT1, and GLUT3 in the endometrial epithelial cells of female mice. GLUT1 and GLUT3 proteins were detected by immunohistochemical staining in the mouse endometrial epithelium. Bioinformatics prediction associated with a luciferase assay was performed to determine whether GLUT1 and GLUT3 are target genes of miR-152. Specific miR-152 mimics or inhibitors were transfected into the endometrial epithelial cells to, respectively, overexpress or downregulate miR-152. Next, the glucose concentration of uterine fluid was measured by conducting high-performance liquid chromatography in vivo, and the glucose uptake of the endometrial epithelial cells was observed using a fluorometric assay in vitro. Early embryonic development and implantation were also observed after the miR-152 mimics or inhibitors had been transfected. Embryo transfer was observed after the miR-152 mimic transfection. miR-152 was found to directly target and thereby downregulate GLUT3 expression. The expressions of both miR-152 and GLUT3 in the mouse endometrial epithelium had spatiotemporal characteristics on days 1–4 of pregnancy. miR-152 affected the glucose concentration of uterine fluid and the glucose uptake of endometrial epithelial cells. The transfection of specific miR-152 mimics led to impaired embryonic development and implantation. To conclude, in endometrial epithelial cells, progesterone-induced miR-152 downregulates GLUT3 at the posttranscriptional level to maintain a proper glucose concentration in the uterine fluid, which is necessary for early embryonic development and implantation.
The PERK-EIF2α-ATF4 signaling branch regulates osteoblast differentiation and proliferation by PTH
Authors: Zhang Kefan , Wang Miaomiao , Li Yingjiang , Li Chunping , Tang Shaidi , Qu Xiuxia , Feng Ninghan , Wu Yu
Published: January 2019

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and its related peptide (PTH-related peptide 1–34) are two of the Food and Drug Administration-approved bone-promoting drugs for age-related osteoporosis. Treatment with PTH stimulates bone formation. However, the molecular mechanisms of PTH-mediated osteoblast differentiation and cell proliferation are still not completely understood. In this study, we showed that PTH induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in osteoblasts through the PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK)-eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (EIF2α)-activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4)-signaling pathway. After separately blocking PERK-EIF2α-ATF4 signaling with two different inhibitors [AMG’44 and integrated stress response inhibitor (ISRIB)] or specific small interfering RNA for PERK and ATF4, the following targets were all downregulated: expression of osteoblast differentiation markers [runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), alkaline phosphatase (Alp), type I collagen (Col1a1), and osteocalcin (Ocn)], cell proliferation markers (CyclinE, CyclinD, and CDC2), amino acid import (Glyt1), and metabolism-related genes (Asns). Additionally, Alp-positive staining cells, Alp activity, matrix mineralization, Ocn secretion, and cell proliferation indexes were inhibited. Interestingly, we found that salubrinal enhanced PTH-induced osteoblast differentiation and proliferation by maintenance of phosphorylation of EIF2α. Furthermore, we observed that PTH increased the association between heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) and PERK and maintained PERK protein stabilization in the early stages of PTH-induced ER stress. Treatment of MC3T3-E1 cells with geldanamycin, an HSP90 inhibitor, decreased PERK protein expression and inhibited osteoblast differentiation and cell proliferation upon PTH treatment. Taken together, our data demonstrate that PTH regulates osteoblast differentiation and cell proliferation, partly by activating the HSP90-dependent PERK-EIF2α-ATF4 signaling pathway.
Pioglitazone reversed the fructose-programmed astrocytic glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation of female rat offspring
Authors: Wu Chih-Wei , Hung Chun-Ying , Hirase Hajime , Tain You-Lin , Lee Wei-Chia , Chan Julie Y. H. , Fu Mu-Hui , Chen Lee-Wei , Liu Wen-Chung , Liang Chih-Kuang , Ho Ying-Hao , Kung Yu Chih , Leu Steve , Wu Kay L. H.
Published: January 2019

Excessive maternal high-fructose diet (HFD) during pregnancy and lactation has been reported to cause metabolic disorders in the offspring. Whether the infant’s brain metabolism is disturbed by maternal HFD is largely unknown. Brain energy metabolism is elevated dramatically during fetal and postnatal development, whereby maternal nutrition is a key factor that determines cellular metabolism. Astrocytes, a nonneuronal cell type in the brain, are considered to support the high-energy demands of neurons by supplying lactate. In this study, the effects of maternal HFD on astrocytic glucose metabolism were investigated using hippocampal primary cultures of female infants. We found that glycolytic capacity and mitochondrial respiration and electron transport chain were suppressed by maternal HFD. Mitochondrial DNA copy number and mitochondrial transcription factor A expression were suppressed by maternal HFD. Western blots and immunofluorescent images further indicated that the glucose transporter 1 was downregulated whereas the insulin receptor-α, phospho-insulin receptor substrate-1 (Y612) and the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase were upregulated in the HFD group. Pioglitazone, which is known to increase astrocytic glucose metabolism, effectively reversed the suppressed glycolysis, and lactate release was restored. Moreover, pioglitazone also normalized oxidative phosphorylation with an increase of cytosolic ATP. Together, these results suggest that maternal HFD impairs astrocytic energy metabolic pathways that were reversed by pioglitazone.
Nanocrystalline Hydroxyapatite-Based Scaffold Adsorbs and Gives Sustained Release of Osteoinductive Growth Factor and Facilitates Bone Regeneration in Mice Ectopic Model
Authors: Zhou Miao , Geng Yuan-ming , Li Shu-yi , Yang Xiao-bin , Che Yue-juan , Pathak Janak Lal , Wu Gang
Published: January 2019

Nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (NHA) is a biocompatible, biodegradable, and osteoconductive bone graft material; however, it lacks osteoinductivity. The present study is aimed at investigating the feasibility of nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (NHA) as an osteoinductive growth factor carrier. Bone morphogenic protein 2 (BMP2), an osteoinductive growth factor, was incorporated into NHA (BMP2-NHA) using a simple adsorption method. The growth factor loading and release kinetics were profiled using fluorescein-isothiocyanate-labeled bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA) as a mimic of the osteoinductive growth factor BMP2. The effect of BMP2-NHA on the osteogenic differentiation of C2C12 cells and ectopic bone formation in mice were tested. Confocal laser-scanning microscopy showed that FITC-BSA was diffused throughout the porous structure of NHA. FITC-BSA was efficiently loaded in NHA and sustained release was observed up to 35 days in vitro. BMP2-NHA enhanced the expression of osteogenic markers Runx2, Osterix, Alp, and Col1α1 and ALP activity in C2C12 cells compared to NHA. Similarly, μ-CT and histological examinations showed that BMP2-NHA robustly induced ectopic bone formation in mice. This study suggests that NHA could be used as an effective carrier of osteoinductive growth factors, which ensures osteoinductivity of NHA via sustained release of the growth factor.
Performance Evaluation of the Fiber-Reinforced Cement Composites Blended with Wheat Straw Ash
Authors: Qudoos Abdul , Ullah Zahid , Baloch Zafar
Published: January 2019

Increasing demand for cement in the construction industry is posing a serious threat to the environment. This necessitates the utilization of supplementary cementitious materials such as silica fume, fly ash, rice husk ash, and wheat straw ash as a cement replacement material. Additionally, fiber-reinforced cement composites can be efficiently used in repair and rehabilitation works. In this study, we have investigated the performance of fiber-reinforced cement composites blended with wheat straw ash. Wheat straw ash has been proved to be an effective pozzolanic material. Cement was replaced by 20% (weight) wheat straw ash. Polypropylene fibers were added at a dosage of 0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2% by weight of cement. Mortar specimens were fabricated and investigated for the compressive, flexure, and indirect tensile strengths, ultrasonic pulse velocity, chloride migration resistance, and carbonation resistance. The results demonstrate that the addition of fibers caused a reduction in the compressive strength, pulse velocity, chloride migration resistance, and carbonation resistance; however, flexure and indirect tensile strengths were significantly enhanced. Moreover, the incorporation of fine size wheat straw ash particles compensated the negative effect of fiber inclusion.
Submassive Pulmonary Thromboembolism in a Patient with Thrombocytopenia: Therapeutic Challenge
Authors: Muñoz Tovar Ronni Andrea , Alvarez Perdomo Luis Carlos , Rojas Molina Sandra Milena , Salazar Silvana Jimenez
Published: January 2019

Venous thromboembolic disease is an important cause of mortality worldwide. A widely recognized risk factor is active neoplasia, mainly hematological tumors, in which associated thrombocytopenia can be a frequent complication. We present the case of a patient with submassive pulmonary thromboembolism associated with severe thrombocytopenia with signs of right heart failure and a requirement for systemic thrombolysis and anticoagulation, however with absolute contraindication for them. The case establishes a therapeutic challenge for the treating group, leading us to carry out an extensive search of the literature and propose a management algorithm in this complex situation.
Leiomyosarcoma of the Right Gonadal Vein: Review of the Approach and Prognostic in a Rare Case
Authors: de la Fuente Noa , Rodríguez Blanco Manuel , Cerdán Gemma , Moral Antonio , Artigas Vicenç
Published: January 2019

Background. Venous leiomyosarcoma is a mesenchymal tumour that represents 5-7% of soft tissue sarcomas. It originates in the smooth muscle cells of the vessel wall and is frequently located in the inferior vena cava. Primary leiomyosarcomas of the gonadal vein are rare, with only 10 cases reported in the literature. Case report. We present the case of a 51-year-old woman diagnosed with a right retroperitoneal mass by computed tomography (CT). The differential diagnosis was between a neurogenic tumour and a mesodermic tumour. The tumour was dissected from the vena cava and right ureter by laparoscopy without performing resection en bloc. Histologic examination of the surgical specimen showed a high-grade leiomyosarcoma of the right gonadal vein. The postoperative course was uneventful. Three cycles of chemotherapy with epirubicin-ifosfamide were performed. Discussion and conclusions. Venous leiomyosarcoma is an aggressive tumour, and prognosis is poor due to haematogenous spread. No chemotherapy or radiotherapy has yet proven effective in improving survival, and complete surgical excision is currently considered to offer the best chance of cure. Despite the more conservative treatment approach used in the present case, the patient is alive three years after surgery and has a good quality of life. Although it was not used in this patient, the standard procedure for optimal survival is resection en bloc.
Awareness of Occupational Hazards and Utilization of Safety Measures among Welders in Aksum and Adwa Towns, Tigray Region, Ethiopia, 2013
Authors: Beyene Gebrezgiabher Berhe , Tetemke Desalegn , Yetum Tesfaye
Published: January 2019

Introduction. At present, it is estimated that more than one million workers are employed as welders worldwide with more than three million performing welding as part of their work duties. Objectives. The aim of this study was to assess workers’ level of awareness towards occupational hazards and their adherence to safety measures. Methodology. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February 25 to March 10, 2013 among welding factory workers. The study included 278 workers selected by simple random sampling, and data were collected by using structured and pretested questionnaire. The data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 16 statistical package. Logistic regression analysis was carried out to found the effect of the independent variables on the dependent variables. Result. One hundred thirty-five (51.9%) respondents had knowledge on occupational hazards and 225 (86.5%) workers used personal protective equipments. Variables such as work experience, work type, safety training, work regulation, and guideline had significant association with the knowledge of respondents: (AOR: 0.44 (0.19, 0.99)), (AOR: 0.38 (0.22, 0.65)), (AOR: 0.33 (0.17, 0.63)), and (AOR: 0.31 (0.15, 0.67)), respectively. Educational status, work experience, safety training, and availability of work regulation were found to be associated with PPE use (AOR: 13.20 (10.65, 16.46)), (AOR: 0.03 (0.003, 0.34)), (AOR: 0.02 (0.01, 0.09)), and (AOR: 0.06 (0.02, 0.21)), respectively. Conclusion and Recommendation. Nearly half of respondents had knowledge about occupational hazards and high proportion of study subjects were used personal protective equipments. Safety and health training was the common factor to increase knowledge and personal protective usage practicing habits. Employers and other responsible bodies should encourage training and regular supervision should be made including on workers’ safety and well-being.
Identification of Potential Type II Diabetes in a Chinese Population with a Sensitive Decision Tree Approach
Authors: Pei Dongmei , Zhang Chengpu , Quan Yu , Guo Qiyong
Published: January 2019

Background. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease with a steadfast increase in prevalence. Due to the chronic course of the disease combining with devastating complications, this disorder could easily carry a financial burden. The early diagnosis of diabetes remains as one of the major challenges medical providers are facing, and the satisfactory screening tools or methods are still required, especially a population- or community-based tool. Methods. This is a retrospective cross-sectional study involving 15,323 subjects who underwent the annual check-up in the Department of Family Medicine of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University from January 2017 to June 2017. With a strict data filtration, 10,436 records from the eligible participants were utilized to develop a prediction model using the J48 decision tree algorithm. Nine variables, including age, gender, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, history of cardiovascular disease or stroke, family history of diabetes, physical activity, work-related stress, and salty food preference, were considered. Results. The accuracy, precision, recall, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value for identifying potential diabetes were 94.2%, 94.0%, 94.2%, and 94.8%, respectively. The structure of the decision tree shows that age is the most significant feature. The decision tree demonstrated that among those participants with age≤49, 5497 participants (97%) of the individuals were identified as nondiabetic, while age>49, 771 participants (50%) of the individuals were identified as nondiabetic. In the subgroup where people were 34<age≤49 and BMI≥25, when with positive family history of diabetes, 89 (92%) out of 97 individuals were identified as diabetic and, when without family history of diabetes, 576 (58%) of the individuals were identified as nondiabetic. Work-related stress was identified as being associated with diabetes. In individuals with 34<age≤49 and BMI≥25 and without family history of diabetes, 22 (51%) of the individuals with high work-related stress were identified as nondiabetic while 349 (88%) of the individuals with low or moderate work-related stress were identified as not having diabetes. Conclusions. We proposed a classifier based on a decision tree which used nine features of patients which are easily obtained and noninvasive as predictor variables to identify potential incidents of diabetes. The classifier indicates that a decision tree analysis can be successfully applied to screen diabetes, which will support clinical practitioners for rapid diabetes identification. The model provides a means to target the prevention of diabetes which could reduce the burden on the health system through effective case management.
Multiscale Fine-Grained Heart Rate Variability Analysis for Recognizing the Severity of Hypertension
Authors: Ni Hongbo , Wang Ying , Xu Guoxing , Shao Ziqiang , Zhang Wei , Zhou Xingshe
Published: January 2019

Hypertension is a common and chronic disease and causes severe damage to patients’ health. Blood pressure of a human being is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. Heart rate variability (HRV) is an impact of the autonomic nervous system and an indicator of the balance of the cardiac sympathetic nerve and vagus nerve. HRV is a good method to recognize the severity of hypertension due to the specificity for prediction. In this paper, we proposed a novel fine-grained HRV analysis method to enhance the precision of recognition. In order to analyze the HRV of the patient, we segment the overnight electrocardiogram (ECG) into various scales. 18 HRV multidimensional features in the time, frequency, and nonlinear domain are extracted, and then the temporal pyramid pooling method is designed to reduce feature dimensions. Multifactor analysis of variance (MANOVA) is applied to filter the related features and establish the hypertension recognizing model with relevant features to efficiently recognize the patients’ severity. In this paper, 139 hypertension patients’ real clinical ECG data are applied, and the overall precision is 95.1%. The experimental results validate the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed recognition method in the work.
A Novel Method for Evaluating Dredging Productivity Using a Data Envelopment Analysis‐Based Technique
Authors: Lai Hsin-Hung , Chang Kuei-Hu , Lin Chien-Liang
Published: January 2019

The increase in the frequency of extreme weather has caused the impact of natural disasters to become more extensive. Natural disasters reduce the effective storage capacity of reservoirs and affect their normal function. Reservoir dredging is a key issue in the management of water resources and is a complicated multiple‐attribute decision‐making (MADM) problem. The traditional assessment of dredging productivity has been performed using a labor productivity method to evaluate the related issues of dredging performance. However, the traditional labor productivity method only deals with the single‐input/single‐output evaluation factor for various forms of productivity. The traditional labor productivity method cannot address complicated MADM problems in the assessment of dredging productivity. To resolve the limitations of the traditional labor productivity method, this paper extended data envelopment analysis (DEA) and proposed a novel method for evaluating dredging productivity. The proposed method can handle various combinations of evaluation factors (single‐input, multi‐input, single‐output, and multioutput). Three real cases of reservoir dredging are applied to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. The simulation results show that the proposed method can be applied generally and correctly assesses the related issues of dredging performance.
Mesoscopic Numerical Simulation of Fracture Process and Failure Mechanism of Concrete Based on Convex Aggregate Model
Authors: Peng Yijiang , Chen Xiyun , Ying Liping , Chen Ying , Zhang Lijuan
Published: January 2019

To investigate the fracture process and failure mechanism of concrete subjected to uniaxial compressive loading, a new finite element method—the base force element method (BFEM)—was adopted in the modeling of numerical simulation. At mesoscale, concrete is considered as a three-phase heterogeneous material composed of aggregate particles, cement mortar, and the interfacial transition zones between the two phases. A two-dimensional random convex aggregate model was established using the principle of the area equivalence method. A multistage linear damage constitutive model that can describe nonlinear behavior of concrete under mechanical stress was proposed. The mechanical properties of concrete mesoscopic components are determined. The numerical simulation results indicate that the base force element method can be applied to predict the failure pattern of concrete under compressive loading, which have a good accordance with the available experiment data. The stress contour plots were given and used to analyze the failure mechanism of concrete. The effects of specimen size on the strength of concrete material were studied. It is found that compressive strength of concrete decreases as the specimen size increases. In addition, the influences of aggregate distribution, coarse aggregate content, and end friction on concrete performance are explored.
Experimental Study on Constant-Amplitude Fatigue Performance of Weld Toe in Steel Tube of Welded Hollow Spherical Joints in Grid Structures
Authors: Zhang Jian-li , Lei Hong-gang , Jin Shi-hong
Published: January 2019

The grid structure with welded hollow spherical joints (WHSJs) is widely used in industrial buildings with suspended cranes. Cyclic loadings generated by the suspended cranes could result in the fatigue failure of WHSJs. However, a corresponding fatigue design method has not been established. This paper presents an experimental study on the fatigue performance of the weld toe in the steel tube of WHSJs under axial force. Stress distribution on the joint’s surface was obtained by the static load test. By using the MTS fatigue testing machine, a constant-amplitude fatigue test was performed on the full-scale joint specimens. Twenty effective test data were obtained and fitted to a fatigue S-N curve by the least squares method. The corresponding fatigue design method for allowable stress amplitude was established. The mechanism of fatigue failure at the joint was investigated through microscopic analysis using scanning electron microscopy. The results of this paper can be potentially used as a basis for revising specifications and to promote the practical application of grid structures with WHSJs.
An Iterative Method for Finding Common Solution of the Fixed Point Problem of a Finite Family of Nonexpansive Mappings and a Finite Family of Variational Inequality Problems in Hilbert Space
Authors: Husain Shamshad , Singh Nisha
Published: January 2019

In this paper, a hybrid iterative algorithm is proposed for finding a common element of the set of common fixed points of finite family of nonexpansive mappings and the set of common solutions of the variational inequality for an inverse strongly monotone mapping on the real Hilbert space. We establish the strong convergence of the proposed method for approximating a common element of the above defined sets under some suitable conditions. The results presented in this paper extend and improve some well-known corresponding results in the earlier and recent literature.
Neutrophilic Dermatosis of the Dorsal Hands: Report of a Case and Review of the Literature
Authors: Mobini Narciss , Sadrolashrafi Kaviyon , Michaels Susun
Published: January 2019

Neutrophilic dermatosis of the dorsal hands is an underrecognized entity, which is a distributional variant of Sweet’s syndrome. It is often clinically misdiagnosed as an infectious process in overwhelming majority of the cases and the treatment is therefore delayed. Also, its association with underlying systemic and neoplastic disorders makes the need for an accurate diagnosis more crucial. We present a 45-year-old Caucasian woman who was initially diagnosed as having a hand infection with unsuccessful courses of antibiotic therapy. A later biopsy revealed a diffuse dermal infiltrate of neutrophils with leukocytoclasis, vasculopathic changes, and marked papillary dermal edema. Patient responded rapidly to oral prednisone treatment. By sharing a new case and comprehensive review of available published literature, we intend to raise awareness of this underreported entity and emphasize the role of timely biopsy of the lesions that will not only lead to an accurate diagnosis, but also avoid unnecessary antibiotic treatments, potentially aggressive management strategies such as surgical debridement or amputation, and referrals to wound care centers. More importantly, it will prompt a search to exclude any possible association, particularly hematopoietic malignancies.
Promoting Geospatial Service from Information to Knowledge with Spatiotemporal Semantics
Authors: Geng Jing , Wang Shuliang , Gan Wenxia , Yuan Hanning , Chen Zeqiang , Yuan Ziqiang , Dai Tianru
Published: January 2019

With the development of geoscience, users are eager to obtain preferred service from geospatial information intelligently and automatically. However, the information grows rapidly while the service gets more complicated, which makes it difficult to find out the targeted information for an exact service in geospatial issues. In this paper, a novel method is proposed to promote the geospatial service from information to knowledge with spatiotemporal semantics. Both prompted and professional knowledge are further refined to be published as a service. In terms of an exact task, numerous related services are recombined to a service chain under user requirement. Finally, the proposed method is applied to monitor the environment on the Air Quality Index (AQI) and soil moisture (SM) in the Sensor Web service platform, the results of which indicate geospatial knowledge service (GKS) is more efficient to support spatial decision‐making.
EGFR/Notch Antagonists Enhance the Response to Inhibitors of the PI3K-Akt Pathway by Decreasing Tumor-Initiating Cell Frequency
Authors: Fu Wenyan , Lei Changhai , Yu Yue , Liu Shuowu , Li Tian , Lin Fangxing , Fan Xiaoyan , Shen Yafeng , Ding Min , Tang Ying , Ye Xuting , Yang Yongji , Hu Shi
Published: January 2019

Purpose:

Both EGFR and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways have been used as therapeutically actionable targets, but resistance is frequently reported. In this report, we show that enrichment of the cancer stem cell (CSC) subsets and dysregulation of Notch signaling underlie the challenges to therapy and describe the development of bispecific antibodies targeting both HER and Notch signaling.

Experimental Design:

We utilized cell-based models to study Notch signaling in drug-induced CSC expansion. Both cancer cell line models and patient-derived xenograft tumors were used to evaluate the antitumor effects of bispecific antibodies. Cell assays, flow cytometry, qPCR, and in vivo serial transplantation assays were employed to investigate the mechanisms of action and pharmacodynamic readouts.

Results:

We found that EGFR/Notch targeting bispecific antibodies exhibited a notable antistem cell effect in both in vitro and in vivo assays. Bispecific antibodies delayed the occurrence of acquired resistance to EGFR inhibitors in triple-negative breast cancer cell line–based models and showed efficacy in patient-derived xenografts. Moreover, the EGFR/Notch bispecific antibody PTG12 in combination with GDC-0941 exerted a stronger antitumor effect than the combined therapy of PI3K inhibitor with EGFR inhibitors or tarextumab in a broad spectrum of epithelial tumors. Mechanistically, bispecific antibody treatment inhibits the stem cell–like subpopulation, reduces tumor-initiating cell frequency, and downregulates the mesenchymal gene expression.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that the coblockade of EGFR and Notch signaling has the potential to increase the response to PI3K inhibition, and PTG12 may gain clinical efficacy when combined with PI3K blockage in cancer treatment.
irRECIST for the Evaluation of Candidate Biomarkers of Response to Nivolumab in Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: Analysis of a Phase II Prospective Clinical Trial
Authors: Pignon Jean-Christophe , Jegede Opeyemi , Shukla Sachet A. , Braun David A. , Horak Christine E. , Wind-Rotolo Megan , Ishii Yuko , Catalano Paul J. , Grosha Jonian , Flaifel Abdallah , Novak Jesse S. , Mahoney Kathleen M. , Freeman Gordon J. , Sharpe Arlene H. , Hodi F. Stephen , Motzer Robert J. , Choueiri Toni K. , Wu Catherine J. , Atkins Michael B. , McDermott David F. , Signoretti Sabina
Published: January 2019

Purpose:

Immune-related RECIST (irRECIST) were designed to capture atypical responses seen with immunotherapy. We hypothesized that, in patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mccRCC), candidate biomarkers for nivolumab response would show improved association with clinical endpoints capturing atypical responders (irRECIST) compared with standard clinical endpoints (RECISTv1.1).

Experimental Design:

Endpoints based on RECISTv1.1 [objective response rate (ORR)/progression-free survival (PFS)] or irRECIST [immune-related ORR (irORR)/immune-related PFS (irPFS)] were compared in patients enrolled in the CheckMate-010 trial. Pretreatment tumors were analyzed by PD-L1 and PD-L2 IHC, and by multiplex immunofluorescence for CD8, PD-1, TIM-3, and LAG-3. T-cell activation signatures were assessed by RNA sequencing.

Results:

Median irPFS was significantly longer than median PFS. irORR was not significantly different from ORR, but immune-related progressive disease (irPD) rate was significantly lower than progressive disease (PD) rate. Tumor cell (TC) PD-L1 expression was not associated with PFS or ORR, but patients with TC PD-L1 ≥1% had longer median irPFS and higher irORR. High percentage of CD8+ tumor-infiltrating cells (TIC) that are PD-1+TIM-3−LAG-3− (% CD8+PD-1+TIM-3−LAG-3− TIC) correlated with high levels of T-cell activation and was associated with longer median irPFS and higher irORR. Notably, combination of TC PD-L1 expression with % CD8+PD-1+TIM-3−LAG-3− TIC identified three groups of patients for which irPFS and irORR were significantly different.

Conclusions:

Atypical responders to nivolumab were identified in the CheckMate-010 trial. We observed improved association of candidate biomarkers for nivolumab response with endpoints defined by irRECIST compared with RECISTv1.1. TC PD-L1 expression in combination with PD-1 expression on CD8+ TIC may predict outcome on nivolumab in mccRCC.
Does a Good Quality Breastfeed Improve the Blood Glucose Concentration in Hypoglycaemic Babies?
Authors: Harris Deborah L. , Weston Philip J. , Harding Jane E.
Published: January 2019

Background: Feeding is often used for the initial treatment of hypoglycaemia, but it is not known if pre-feed alertness and observed quality of breastfeeding are related to the subsequent change in blood glucose concentration. Objective: We sought to determine if assessment of pre-feed alertness and the observed quality of the breastfeed were related to the subsequent change in blood glucose concentration in hypoglycaemic babies. Methods: Babies were ≥35 weeks, ≤48 h old, identified as being at-risk for hypoglycaemia (infants of diabetic mothers, small [< 2,500 g or < 10th centile] or large [birthweight > 4,500 g or > 90th centile] birthweight) and hypoglycaemic (< 2.6 mM). Midwives assessed pre-feed alertness and quality of feeding at each hypoglycaemic episode. Change in blood glucose concentration was assessed within 15–90 min. Results: One hundred and thirty-one babies had 163 hypoglycaemic episodes. Babies assessed as alert had a greater increase in blood glucose concentration than sleepy babies (mean [95% CI] awake 0.71 [0.61–0.82] vs. sleepy 0.51 [0.35–0.66] mM, p = 0.04). The change in blood glucose concentration was similar after feeds of different observed quality (offered, 0.50 [0.29–0.72], latched, 0.66 [0.52–0.81], swallowing 0.65 [0.54–0.76] mM, p = 0.13). Conclusions: Observed quality of breastfeeding is not a useful predictor of the change in blood glucose concentration in hypoglycaemic babies.
A Rare Case of Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma in an Adolescent Female Treated with High-Dose Methotrexate and Rituximab-Based Chemoimmunotherapy and Consolidation Whole Brain Radiotherapy
Authors: Biswas Ahitagni , Adhikari Narayan , Bakhshi Sameer , Gopinathan Vikram Raj , Sharma Mehar Chand
Published: January 2019

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare pediatric brain tumor. A 16-year-old female patient presented to the clinic with complaints of multiple episodes of generalized tonic clonic seizures, nystagmus, and weakness on the left side of the body for 3 weeks. She had similar symptoms, waxing and waning for the last 2 years, responding to corticosteroids. Repeat magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showed multiple areas of signal abnormalities involving the left temporal lobe, the basal ganglion, the thalamus, and the right frontal and occipital lobes with contrast enhancement in bitemporal lesions. With a clinico- radiological diagnosis of demyelinating disorder, she underwent an image-guided right frontal lobe biopsy, which revealed sheets of atypical lymphoid cells diffusely immunopositive for CD20 but negative for CD3, CD10, BCL-6, and MUM-1, suggesting diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, germinal center B-cell subtype. The systemic lymphoma workup was essentially normal. She received 5 cycles of chemoimmunotherapy with rituximab, high-dose methotrexate (HDMTX), vincristine, and procarbazine and had a complete radiological response (CR). This was followed by whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) to a dose of 36 Gy in 20 fractions over 4 weeks. Subsequently she received 2 cycles of consolidation chemoimmunotherapy with rituximab and high-dose cytarabine. Serial brain MRI done 1, 4, and 8 months after completion of treatment showed persistence of the CR. At the last follow-up visit, 15 months from the date of diagnosis, she was disease free and asymptomatic. This report underlines the fact that PCNSL in adolescents may be effectively treated with a combination of HDMTX- and rituximab-based chemoimmunotherapy followed by consolidation with WBRT.
РОЗРОБКА СПЕКТРОФОТОМЕТРИЧНОЇ МЕТОДИКИ ВИЗНАЧЕННЯ ФЛАВОНОЇДІВ У ПАГОНАХ ЧОРНИЦІ ЗВИЧАЙНОЇ
Authors: Vronska L. V.
Published: January 2019

Мета роботи. Розробка спектрофотометричної методики визначення флавоноїдів у пагонах чорниці звичайної.

Матеріали і методи. У дослідженнях застосовувались зразки пагонів чорниці, зібрані у Закарпатській, Івано-Франківській, Тернопільській і Волинській областях впродовж 2014-2018 років, і зразки лікарського засобу «Чорниці пагони» (ПрАТ "Ліктрави", Україна). Визначення вмісту флавоноїдів проводили методом абсорбційної спектрофотометрії, вимірюючи абсорбцію комплексу флавоноїдів з алюміній хлоридом. Для вимірювання абсорбції і запису електронних спектрів поглинання застосовували спектрофотометр Cary 50 UV-Vis (Agilent Technologies).

Результати й обговорення. Електронні спектри поглинання, отримані для випробовуваних розчинів і стандартного розчину рутину в умовах комплексоутворення флавоноїдів з алюміній хлоридом, були ідентичними за ходом кривих світлопоглинання і характеризувались положенням максимуму поглинання при 410 ± 2 нм і 412 ± 2 нм відповідно, що дозволило обрати рутин за стандарт для перерахунку вмісту флавоноїдів у досліджуваній сировині. При дослідженні впливу концентрації етанолу на вилучення флавоноїдів, встановлено, що для приготування вихідного розчину проби слід застосовувати 70% (об/об) етанол. Вилучення флавоноїдів з аналітичною метою слід виконувати при нагріванні зі зворотнім холодильником трикратно – почергово з 60, 20 і 15 мл етанолу впродовж 30, 15 і 15 хв відповідно. Важливим моментом методики є підготовка сировини – для аналізу слід застосовувати дрібну фракцію (355) подрібненої сировини, враховуючи її вміст у розрахунковій формулі. Знайдено, що вміст флавоноїдів у досліджуваних дикорослих зразках є в межах 1,14-1,86%, а в промислових серіях (за винятком сировини серії 20614) – в межах 0,7-1,0%.

Висновки. Розроблено спектрофотометричну методику кількісного визначення флавоноїдів у сировині пагонів чорниці звичайної. Здійснено кількісне визначення вмісту флавоноїдів у 17 зразках сировини різного походження. Для оцінки якості пагонів чорниці запропоновано ввести додатковий показник «Вміст флавоноїдів»  з  критерієм – не менше 0,6% флавоноїдів у перерахунку на рутин і суху сировину.