bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The State and Digital Society in China: Big Brother Xi is Watching You!
Authors: CABESTAN JEAN-PIERRE
Published: March 2020

There is no question that China is ahead of many developed countries in the digitalization of both its society and surveillance systems. It is also clear that the new technologies made possible by this digitalization — the widespread use of smart ID cards, the Great Firewall, the accumulation of Big Data, the social credit system (SCS) and facial recognition — have enhanced the capacity of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to rule China, maintain control over society and stay in power indefinitely. While these are not the only systems in place to manage and control Chinese citizens and this is not their sole purpose, these developments have been rightly seen as part of an ambitious Orwellian project to micromanage and microcontrol every aspect of Chinese society. To better comprehend the significance of this new phenomenon, this paper employs Michel Foucault’s “Panopticon” metaphor, the perfect mean of surveillance and discipline as well as an “apparatus of power.” Yet, these new technologies have their own limits. In real life there is no perfect Panopticon as no society, even the most controlled one, is a sealed prison. Censorship on the Web is erratic and the full implementation of the SCS is likely to be postponed beyond 2020 for both technical and political reasons, as more Chinese citizens have raised concerns about unchecked data collection and privacy breaches. As a result, China is probably heading toward a somewhat fragmented digitalized society and surveillance system that is more repressive in some localities and more flexible in others, as is the case with the Chinese bureaucracy in general.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND HAPPINESS: DOES NATIONAL CULTURE MATTER?
Authors: TEIXEIRA AURORA AC , VASQUE RAYANNE
Published: March 2020

Considerable research has been conducted in the field of entrepreneurship. However, very few studies have explored the impact of entrepreneurship on the life satisfaction/happiness of individuals. Furthermore, they have yet to analyze the extent to which the impact of entrepreneurship is mediated by national cultures. The present study explores the effect of entrepreneurship on the life satisfaction/happiness of individuals and analyzes the extent to which such impact is mediated by ‘national cultures.’ Resorting to fixed effect panel data techniques, this study was conducted using the 2016 World Values Survey dataset, encompassing 90350 individuals from 60 countries over the 2010–2013 period, combined with information provided by the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) Framework on cultural measures. We found that being an entrepreneur increases the chances of happiness across the entire set of countries analyzed. Culture does matter in such relation as the impact of entrepreneurship on happiness varies across the sample, being positive for sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe and negative for the Middle East culture cluster. Governments should implement active policies to foster the emergence of new businesses because new ventures enable countries not only to increase their output per capita, but also to achieve economic development by stimulating well-being and happiness. Nevertheless, this study highlights the danger of ‘blind’ recipes/formulas to promote entrepreneurship without considering the ‘entrepreneurship ecosystem’ and, at a more general level, the countries’ culture.
ASEAN and the Belt and Road Initiative: Trust-building in Trade and Investment
Authors: Hsu Locknie
Published: March 2020

This article examines a number of trade and investment areas in which trust-building needs to occur between China and its ASEAN Belt and Road Initiative partners in order to better realize the economic benefits promised by the initiative. A number of economic goals of ASEAN converge with those of the BRI, such as those relating to building physical, regulatory and digital connectivity, and this convergence provides potential for joint economic growth and cooperation. Some of ASEAN’s urgent infrastructure needs, for instance, could be met through ASEAN-BRI collaboration. However, a number of issues which have arisen in BRI-related projects within and outside ASEAN need to be addressed in a convincing way, if ASEAN and China are to better achieve such economic goals. These include building trust by fostering confidence that the BRI brings domestic trade and investment benefits, good governance and financial and environmental sustainability, and in the newer field of digital connectivity, by ensuring meaningful dialogs and actions on the use of existing and emerging technology in the BRI.
Determining Equivalent Resistance and Nodal Potentials of a Resistive Circuit Using a Reduced Transition Matrix
Authors: Choi Je-Young
Published: March 2020

Several methods have been developed in order to solve electrical circuits consisting of resistors and an ideal voltage source. A correspondence with random walks avoids difficulties caused by choosing directions of currents and signs in potential differences. Starting from the random-walk method, we introduce a reduced transition matrix of the associated Markov chain whose dominant eigenvector alone determines the electric potentials at all nodes of the circuit and the equivalent resistance between the nodes connected to the terminals of the voltage source. Various means to find the eigenvector are developed from its definition. A few example circuits are solved in order to show the usefulness of the present approach.
Uncovering the Wealth of Physics Examples from Videos on the Internet for Use in Physics Lessons
Authors: Ho Shen Yong
Published: March 2020

It is well known among educators that carefully planned Physics demonstrations incorporated into lessons can enhance the teaching and learning of Physics. However, there are also everyday life events, such as car crashes and lightning strikes that also aptly demonstrate concepts in Physics but cannot be easily recreated in class. Today, many of these events are captured on video and are easily available on the internet. To facilitate teachers to find what they need, we classify online videos useful for Physics teaching into six broad categories. Some of these videos can be more useful than traditional lecture demonstrations in providing relevant contexts for introducing Physics concepts. We will also discuss some principles for designing class activities to help students make sense of the underlying Physics in the videos.
Internet backbones in space
Authors: Giuliari Giacomo , Klenze Tobias , Legner Markus , Basin David , Perrig Adrian , Singla Ankit
Published: March 2020

Several "NewSpace" companies have launched the first of thousands of planned satellites for providing global broadband Internet service. The resulting low-Earth-orbit (LEO) constellations will not only bridge the digital divide by providing service to remote areas, but they also promise much lower latency than terrestrial fiber for long-distance routes. We show that unlocking this potential is non-trivial: such constellations provide inherently variable connectivity, which today's Internet is ill-suited to accommodate. We therefore study cost-performance tradeoffs in the design space for Internet routing that incorporates satellite connectivity examining four solutions ranging from naively using BGP to an ideal, clean-slate design. We find that the optimal solution is provided by a path-aware networking architecture in which end-hosts obtain information and control over network paths. However, a pragmatic and more deployable approach inspired by the design of content distribution networks can also achieve stable and close-to-optimal performance.
Gigabit broadband measurement workshop report
Authors: Bauer Steve , Clark David , Lehr William
Published: March 2020

On July 24-25, 2018, MIT hosted an invitation-only workshop for network researchers from academia, industry, and the policy community engaged in the design and operation of test schemes to measure broadband access, in order to address the measurement challenges associated with highspeed (gigabit) broadband Internet access services. The focus of the workshop was on assessing the current state-of-the-art in gigabit broadband measurement tools and practices, the technical and policy challenges that arise, and possible strategies for addressing these challenges. A goal of this initial workshop was to provide a level-setting and networking opportunity among representatives of many of the leading research and operational efforts within academia, industry, and the government to collect, analyze, and make use of broadband and Internet performance measurement data and in the design of the measurement methods and tools.
Fermentable fibers induce rapid macro- and micronutrient depletion in Toll-like receptor 5-deficient mice
Authors: Golonka Rachel M. , San Yeoh Beng , Li Yaqi , Saha Piu , Abokor Ahmed A. , Cheng Xi , Xiao Xia , Chandrashekar Darshan Shimoga , Varambally Sooryanarayana , Gonzalez David J. , Ross A. Catharine , Vijay-Kumar Matam
Published: March 2020

Feeding a dietary, fermentable fiber diet to a subset of Toll-like receptor 5 deficient (T5KO) mice induces early onset hyperbilirubinemia and cholemia that later manifests to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our study highlights that fermentable fiber-induced cholestasis is characterized with modest macro- and micronutrient deficiencies that may further contribute to hepatic biliary disease. Compared with chemical induction, immunization, surgery, or genetic manipulation, these findings provide a novel approach to study the cholestatic subtype of HCC.
Dual blockade of protease-activated receptor 1 and 2 additively ameliorates diabetic kidney disease
Authors: Mitsui Shohei , Oe Yuji , Sekimoto Akiyo , Sato Emiko , Hashizume Yamato , Yamakage Shu , Kumakura Satoshi , Sato Hiroshi , Ito Sadayoshi , Takahashi Nobuyuki
Published: March 2020

Protease-activated receptors (PARs) are coagulation protease targets, and they increase expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in various diseases. Of all PARs, previous reports have shown that PAR1 or PAR2 inhibition is protective against diabetic glomerular injury. However, how PAR1 and PAR2 cooperatively contribute to diabetic kidney disease (DKD) pathogenesis and whether dual blockade of PARs is more effective in DKD remain elusive. To address this issue, male type I diabetic Akita mice heterozygous for endothelial nitric oxide synthase were used as a model of DKD. Mice (4 mo old) were divided into four treatment groups and administered vehicle, PAR1 antagonist (E5555, 60 mg·kg−1·day−1), PAR2 antagonist (FSLLRY, 3 mg·kg−1·day−1), or E5555 + FSLLRY for 4 wk. The results showed that the urinary albumin creatinine ratio was significantly reduced when both PAR1 and PAR2 were blocked with E5555 + FSLLRY compared with the vehicle-treated group. Dual blockade of PAR1 and PAR2 by E5555 + FSLLRY additively ameliorated histological injury, including mesangial expansion, glomerular macrophage infiltration, and collagen type IV deposition. Marked reduction of inflammation- and fibrosis-related gene expression in the kidney was also observed. In vitro, PAR1 and PAR2 agonists additively increased mRNA expression of macrophage chemoattractant protein 1 or plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in human endothelial cells. Changes induced by the PAR1 agonist were blocked by a NF-κB inhibitor, whereas those of the PAR2 agonist were blocked by MAPK and/or NF-κB inhibitors. These findings suggest that PAR1 and PAR2 additively contribute to DKD pathogenesis and that dual blockade of both could be a novel therapeutic option for treatment of patients with DKD.
A Comparative Study of Clinical vs. Digital Exophthalmometry Measurement Methods
Authors: Pereira Tháıs de Sous , Kuniyoshi Cristina Hiromi , Leite Cristiane de Almeida , Gebrim Eloisa M. M. S. , Monteiro Mário L. R. , Pieroni Gonçalves Allan C.
Published: March 2020

Background. A number of orbital diseases may be evaluated based on the degree of exophthalmos, but there is still no gold standard method for the measurement of this parameter. In this study we compare two exophthalmometry measurement methods (digital photography and clinical) with regard to reproducibility and the level of correlation and agreement with measurements obtained with Computerized Tomography (CT) measurements. Methods. Seventeen patients with bilateral proptosis and 15 patients with normal orbits diseases were enrolled. Patients underwent orbital CT, Hertel exophthalmometry (HE) and standardized frontal and side facial photographs by a single trained photographer. Exophthalmometry measurements with HE, the digital photographs and axial CT scans were obtained twice by the same examiner and once by another examiner. Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) was used to assess correlations between methods. Validity between methods was assessed by mean differences, interintraclass correlation coefficients (ICC’s), and Bland–Altman plots. Results. Mean values were significantly higher in the proptosis group (34 orbits) than in the normal group (30 orbits), regardless of the method. Within each group, mean digital exophthalmometry measurements (24.32 ± 5.17 mm and 18.62 ± 3.87 mm) were significantly greater than HE measurements (20.87 ± 2.53 mm and 17.52 ± 2.67 mm) with broader range of standard deviation. Inter-/intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.95/0.93 for clinical, 0.92/0.74 for digital, and 0.91/0.95 for CT measurements. Correlation coefficients between HE and CT scan measurements in both groups of subjects (r = 0.84 and r = 0.91, p<0.05) were greater than those between digital and CT scan measurements (r = 0.61 and r = 0.75, p<0.05). On the Bland–Altman plots, HE showed better agreement to CT measurements compared to the digital photograph method in both groups studied. Conclusions. Although photographic digital exophthalmometry showed strong correlation and agreement with CT scan measurements, it still performs worse than and is not as accurate as clinical Hertel exophthalmometry. This trail is registered with NCT01999790.
Portfolio Optimization with Asset-Liability Ratio Regulation Constraints
Authors: Sheng De-Lei , Shen Peilong
Published: March 2020

This paper considers both a top regulation bound and a bottom regulation bound imposed on the asset-liability ratio at the regulatory time T to reduce risks of abnormal high-speed growth of asset price within a short period of time (or high investment leverage), and to mitigate risks of low assets’ return (or a sharp fall). Applying the stochastic optimal control technique, a Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation is derived. Then, the effective investment strategy and the minimum variance are obtained explicitly by using the Lagrange duality method. Moreover, some numerical examples are provided to verify the effectiveness of our results.
Optimized Cylindrical Diffuser Powers for Interstitial PDT Breast Cancer Treatment Planning: A Simulation Study
Authors: Ismael Fatimah S. , Amasha Hani , Bachir Wesam
Published: March 2020

Purpose. It is well known that interstitial photodynamic therapy (iPDT) of large tumors requires effective planning to ensure efficient delivery of therapeutic dose to the target tumors. This should be achieved in parallel with minimal damage to the nearby intact tissues. To that end, clinical iPDT can be attained using cylindrical diffusing optical fibers (CDFs) as light sources. In this work, we optimize output CDF powers in order to deliver a prescribed light dose to a spherical volume such as a tumor node. Methods. Four CDFs are placed vertically inside the tumor node. The fluence rate is calculated using the diffusion equation. Therapeutic target dose is (20‐50) J·cm-2. The optical properties (μa = 0.085 cm−1, ) of a breast tumor and the treatment time of 150 sec are used to calculate the fluence rate. Results. For four CDFs, the therapeutic target dose (20‐50) J·cm-2 is delivered to more than 90%. This is the ratio of the total points that receive the target dose in proportion to the total points in the volume of the node of 3 cm in diameter, whereas, in larger nodes, the ratio is decreased to approximately 67%. Five CDFs are required to improve this ratio by more than 10%. Conclusion. Optimizing delivered powers enables the distribution of the therapeutic dose uniformly in the medium. In addition, this simulation study represents an essential part of a development dosimetry system for measuring and controlling the optical dose in the breast tumors.
Resveratrol Plays Protective Roles on Kidney of Uremic Rats via Activating HSP70 Expression
Authors: Feng Shandan , Wang Jianjie , Teng Jian , Fang Zhan , Lin Chongting
Published: March 2020

Objective. To investigate the protective effects of resveratrol on kidney of uremic rats and to explore whether the mechanism is associated with heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) expression. Methods. Sixty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly separated into 5 groups, including sham group, uremic model group, and different doses of resveratrol group (5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, and 20 mg/kg). The serum creatinine (Cr) and urea nitrogen (BUN) levels were detected by Automatic Biochemical Analyzer (ABA). The pathological changes of renal tissues and the renal interstitial fibrosis were analyzed by hematoxylin‐eosin (HE) and Masson, respectively. The expression of HSP70 protein in renal tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. The expression of HSP70 and NF‐κB pathway‐related proteins were detected by Western blot. To further validate the protective role of resveratrol through activating HSP70 in uremic rats, HSP70 activator (17‐AAG) and HSP70 inhibitor group (MKT‐077) were used. Results. In the model group, the levels of Cr and BUN in serum were significantly increased, and the renal interstitial collagen deposition was also obviously increased (p < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the levels of Cr and BUN in different doses of resveratrol groups were remarkably declined, and the renal interstitial collagen deposition was declined (p < 0.05). Resveratrol also significantly improved the renal tissue lesions when compared with the model group. In renal tissues, different doses of resveratrol treatment remarkably raised HSP70 and p‐IκBα expression and also remarkably declined the level of p‐P65 protein (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the effect of 17‐AAG was similar to 20 mg/kg resveratrol on NF‐κB pathway‐related proteins expression. After the added MKT‐077 in the resveratrol treatment group, the levels of HSP70 and p‐IκBα in the renal tissue were remarkably declined; however, the levels of p‐P65 protein was remarkably raised (p < 0.05). Conclusion. Resveratrol played a protective role on the kidney of uremic rats through activating HSP70 expression.
Change Detection in Multitemporal High Spatial Resolution Remote-Sensing Images Based on Saliency Detection and Spatial Intuitionistic Fuzzy C-Means Clustering
Authors: Huang Liang , Peng Qiuzhi , Yu Xueqin
Published: March 2020

In order to improve the change detection accuracy of multitemporal high spatial resolution remote-sensing (HSRRS) images, a change detection method of multitemporal remote-sensing images based on saliency detection and spatial intuitionistic fuzzy C-means (SIFCM) clustering is proposed. Firstly, the cluster-based saliency cue method is used to obtain the saliency maps of two temporal remote-sensing images; then, the saliency difference is obtained by subtracting the saliency maps of two temporal remote-sensing images; finally, the SIFCM clustering algorithm is used to classify the saliency difference image to obtain the change regions and unchange regions. Two data sets of multitemporal high spatial resolution remote-sensing images are selected as the experimental data. The detection accuracy of the proposed method is 96.17% and 97.89%. The results show that the proposed method is a feasible and better performance multitemporal remote-sensing image change detection method.
Investigation on Electrochemical Performance of New Flexible Nanocomposite Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride-co-Hexafluoropropylene) Polymer Electrolytes
Authors: Vijayakumar G. , Maruthadurai A. , Paramasivam R. , Tamilavan V.
Published: March 2020

This research paper as an article investigates electrochemical performance of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-co-HFP) flexible nanocomposite polymer electrolytes which have been prepared successfully with incorporation of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanofiller. First, nanofillers are incorporated in a polymer matrix to form the flexible nanocomposite PVdF-co-HFP polymer membranes (PI-CMPM), and it is obtained by phase inversion technique. Contact angles of PI-CMPM have achieved a maximum of 136°. After this procedure, it has been activated by using a 1.0 M LiClO4 containing of DMC/EC (1 : 1 v/v ratio) electrolyte solution to get flexible nanocomposite polymer electrolytes (PI-CMPE). The optimized PI-CMPM has increased the electrolyte uptake by 150%. It reaches the maximum ionic conductivity value of 2.47×10−3 S cm−1 at room temperature. Optimized PI-CMPE achieved a maximum transference number of 0.61, which may be further evidence for the ability to fabricate high-performance lithium ion polymer batteries.
Mitigation Method of Rockfall Hazard on Rock Slope Using Large‐Scale Field Tests and Numerical Simulations
Authors: Yoon Jinam , Ban Hoki , Hwang Youngcheol , Park Duhee
Published: March 2020

This paper presents the mitigation of rockfall hazard on the large‐scale rock slope using the field tests with numerical simulation. To this end, field tests including the pendulum test and real rock falling tests were performed to investigate the rock movements such as rotation, repulsion, and speed. In the simulation, the validation of the developed model followed by calibration processes was made on the field tests. In this study, a simple and new method was proposed to mitigate the rockfall hazard using the so‐called sand pool made by ditching and then filling sand where the rock should be stopped or arrested. The results showed that the sand pool method was very effective and economical.
Active Vision Therapy for Anisometropic Amblyopia in Children: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hernández-Rodríguez Carlos J. , Piñero David P.
Published: March 2020

Purpose. The aim of the study was evaluation of the scientific evidence about the efficacy of vision therapy in children and teenagers with anisometropic amblyopia by performing a systematic literature review. Methods. A search was performed using 3 searching strategies in 4 different databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and PruQuest). The quality of the included articles was evaluated using two tools for the risk of bias assessment, ROBINS-I for nonrandomized studies of intervention (NRSI), and ROB 2.0 for randomized clinical trials. Results. The search showed 1274 references, but only 8 of them passed the inclusion criteria after the complete text review. The articles that were finally included comprised 2 randomized control trials and 6 nonrandomized studies of intervention. These articles provided evidence supporting the efficacy of vision therapy for the treatment of anisometropic amblyopia in children and teenagers. Assessment of the risk of bias showed an appropriate risk of bias for the randomized control trials, but a high risk of bias for nonrandomized studies of intervention (NRSI). A main source of risk of bias for NRSI was the domain related to the measurements of the outcomes, due to a lack of double-blind studies. Conclusion. Vision therapy is a promising option for the treatment of anisometropic amblyopia in children and teenagers. However, the level of scientific evidence provided by the studies revised is still limited, and further randomized clinical trials are necessary to confirm the results provided to date and to optimize the vision therapy techniques by knowing the specific neural mechanisms involved.
Edible Coating Based on Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffaL.) Mucilage Applied to Soursop Fruits in Postharvest Storage
Authors: De los Santos-Santos Miguel Angel , Balois-Morales Rosendo , Jiménez-Zurita José Orlando , Alia-Tejacal Irán , López-Guzmán Graciela Guadalupe , Palomino-Hermosillo Yolotzin Apatzingan , Berumen-Varela Guillermo , García-Paredes Juan Diego
Published: March 2020

The soursop fruit (Annona muricataL.) is a crop of significant economic value for Nayarit, which is characterized by having a bittersweet taste, making it attractive to the consumer. However, the soursop has rapid maturation which causes a short shelf life. Several postharvest management techniques have been applied to reduce its metabolic processes, such as refrigeration, use of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), and controlled and modified atmospheres. In recent years, polysaccharide-based coatings have been applied to fruits. Therefore, the objective of this investigation was to evaluate the physicochemical and biochemical changes, as well as the antioxidant activity of soursop fruits with a mucilage-based coating (2%), stored at 22°C and 15°C with a 90% RH. Weight loss, firmness, color, soluble solids, acidity, pH, phenols, flavonoids, vitamin C, and antioxidant activity were evaluated. The results obtained in the coated fruits stored at 15°C showed lower weight loss (6.4%), lower firmness (29.7 N), higher TSS concentration (10.4°Bx), and lower acidity (0.38%) compared with the uncoated fruits. The total phenolic content decreased in coated fruits stored at 22°C (54.3 mg EGA/100 g FW). The highest antioxidant activity (DPPH method) was recorded in fruits coated and stored at 15°C with an average value of 257.9 mg EAA/100 g FW. Moreover, a high concentration of vitamin C was observed in fruits coated and stored at 15°C and 22°C (20.5 and 17.5 mg EAA/100 g FW), concluding that the coating based on roselle mucilage (2%) in combination with a temperature of 15°C prevents weight loss, decreases titratable acidity, and increases the content of phenols and vitamin C. Furthermore, an increase in the shelf life up to eight days and in the antioxidant activity at the maturity of consumption was observed in the fruits coated with 2% roselle mucilage stored at 15°C.
Intercomparison and Validation of MIRS, MSPPS, and IMS Snow Cover Products
Authors: Chiu Jessica , Paredes-Mesa Stephany , Lakhankar Tarendra , Romanov Peter , Krakauer Nir , Khanbilvardi Reza , Ferraro Ralph
Published: March 2020

We evaluate the agreement between automated snow products generated from satellite observations in the microwave bands within NESDIS Microwave Integrated Retrieval System (MIRS) and Microwave Surface and Precipitation Products System (MSPPS), on the one hand, and snow cover maps produced with manual input by the NOAA’s Interactive Multisensor Snow and Ice Mapping System (IMS), on the other. MIRS uses physically based retrievals of atmospheric and surface state parameters to provide daily global maps of snow cover and snow water equivalent at 50 km resolution. The older MSPPS delivers daily global maps at the spatial resolution of 45 km and utilizes mostly simple empirical algorithms to retrieve information. IMS daily maps of snow and sea ice cover for the Northern Hemisphere are produced interactively through the analysis of satellite imagery in the visible, infrared, and microwave spectral bands. We compare the performances of these products across the Northern Hemisphere for 2014–2017, using IMS as the standard. In this intercomparison, the daily overall agreement of the automated snow products with IMS ranges between 88% and 99% for MIRS and 87% and 99% for MSPPS. However, daily snow sensitivity is lower, ranging between 36% and 90% for MIRS and 26% and 91% for MSPPS. We analyze this disagreement rate as a function of terrain and land cover type, finding that, relative to IMS, MIRS shows fewer false positives but more false negatives than MSPPS over high elevation and grassland areas.
Elliptic Flow of Hadrons via Quark Coalescence Mechanism Using the Boltzmann Transport Equation for Pb+Pb Collision at sNN=2.76 TeV
Authors: Younus Mohammed , Tripathy Sushanta , Tiwari Swatantra Kumar , Sahoo Raghunath
Published: March 2020

Elliptic flow of hadrons observed at relativistic heavy ion collision experiments at relativistic heavy ion collider (RHIC) and large hadron collider (LHC) provides us an important signature of possible deconfinement transition from the hadronic phase to partonic phase. However, hadronization processes of deconfined partons back into final hadrons are found to play a vital role in the observed hadronic flow. In the present work, we use a coalescence mechanism also known as recombination (ReCo) to combine quarks into hadrons. To get there, we have used the Boltzmann transport equation in relaxation time approximation to transport the quarks into equilibration and finally to freeze-out the surface, before coalescence takes place. A Boltzmann-Gibbs blast wave (BGBW) function is taken as an equilibrium function to get the final distribution and a power-like function to describe the initial distributions of partons produced in heavy ion collisions. In the present work, we try to estimate the elliptic flow of identified hadrons such as π, K, and p, produced in Pb+Pb collisions at sNN=2.76 TeV at the LHC for different centralities. The elliptic flow (v2) of identified hadrons seems to be described quite well in the available pT range. After the evolution of quarks until freeze-out time has been calculated using BTE-RTA, the approach used in this paper consists of combining two or more quarks to explain the produced hadrons at intermediate momenta regions. The formalism is found to describe the elliptic flow of hadrons produced in Pb+Pb collisions to a large extent.
Comparing Medium-Term Clinical Outcomes following XEN® 45 and XEN® 63 Device Implantation
Authors: Fernández-García Aitor , Zhou Ying , García-Alonso Mercedes , Andrango Henry D. , Poyales Francisco , Garzón Nuria
Published: March 2020

Purpose. To evaluate medium-term clinical outcomes with XEN® 45 or XEN® 63 Gel Stent (Allergan, Dublin, Ireland) for treatment of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). Materials and Methods. Retrospective, descriptive, and observational study involving 40 patients implanted with a XEN® 45 Gel Stent and 34 implanted with a XEN® 63 Gel Stent who had undergone POAG surgery and had been followed up and controlled between 12 and 36 months. Results. IOP dropped from 18.02 ± 5.23 mmHg preop to 13.81 ± 1.88, 14.80 ± 2.23, and 14.62 ± 1.90 at 1, 2, and 3 years after surgery (p<0.001) consecutively with XEN® 45 and from 19.00 ± 6.11 mmHg preop to 15.47 ± 2.45, 14.66 ± 2.45, and 15.46 ± 2.48 at 1, 2, and 3 years after surgery (p<0.001) with XEN® 63. The number of drugs used by patients to treat their glaucoma decreased after undergoing surgery in both groups. Within the XEN® 45 group, mean changes at 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years amounted to 70%, 74.3%, and 37.5%, respectively, whereas within the XEN® 63 group, the mean reduction was 75%, 79.8%, and 71.9%. When comparing the outcomes for two groups, the differences did not prove to be statistically significant. More than 90% of the procedures included in the study (using either gel-stent device) were completed without any noteworthy complications. Conclusion. POAG surgical procedures with either XEN® 45 or XEN® 63 Gel Stent implantation could be a safe and effective treatment approach.
Identification of Circulating MicroRNAs as a Promising Diagnostic Biomarker for Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Early Cancer: A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Jiang Yao , Hu Zuohong , Zuo Zhihua , Li Yiqin , Pu Fei , Wang Biqiong , Tang Yan , Guo Yongcan , Tao Hualin
Published: March 2020

Background. Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the most common female malignant tumors. And cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) is the precancerous lesion of CC, which can progress to invasive CC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been found to be potential diagnostic biomarkers for CIN or CC. However, recently, the lack of sufficient studies about the diagnostic value of miRNAs for CIN made it challenging to separately investigate the diagnostic efficacy of miRNAs for CIN. Likewise, the conclusions among those studies were discordant. Therefore, we conducted this meta‐analysis, aimed at evaluating the diagnostic efficacy of miRNAs for CIN and CC patients. Methods. Literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and other diagnostic parameters were calculated through Stata 14.0 software. Furthermore, subgroup analyses and metaregression analysis were conducted to explore the main sources of heterogeneity. Results. Ten articles covering 50 studies were eligible, which included 5,908 patients and 4,819 healthy individuals. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the curve (AUC) were 0.81 (95% CI, 0.77‐0.85), 0.86 (95% CI, 0.83‐0.89), 5.9 (95% CI, 4.5‐7.7), 0.22 (95% CI, 0.17‐0.28), 27 (95% CI, 17‐44), and 0.91 (95% CI, 0.88‐0.93), respectively. Additionally, the ethnicity and internal reference were the main sources of heterogeneity. Conclusions. Circulating miRNAs can be a promising noninvasive diagnostic biomarker for CIN and early CC, especially miR‐9 and miR‐205, which need to be verified by large‐scale studies.
Family Support and Its Association with Glycemic Control in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Authors: AlHaidar Adwa M. , AlShehri Norah A. , AlHussaini Munira A.
Published: March 2020

The prevalence of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) among children in Saudi Arabia is increasing with unfavorable outcomes. Therefore, in addition to pharmacotherapy, other measures should be studied regarding psychological aspects mainly among adolescents. The family, which acts as the primary caregiver at this age, may play a major role in disease management. Thus, this study is aimed at assessing the perception of adolescents about the behaviors of their families initially and at investigating the correlation between these behaviors and glycemic control. Up to our knowledge, there was no study in Saudi Arabia that addressed this issue previously. This cross-sectional observational study assessed adolescents aged 10–19 years diagnosed with T1DM on insulin and receiving follow-up care at the King Saud University Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected via telephone interview and the verified “Modified Diabetes Social Support Questionnaire-Family version”. Glycemic control was then assessed using the most recent hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level recorded in their electronic files. Fifty-six adolescents participated in this study with an equal sex distribution (each n=28). Almost all participants were Saudis, and the majority were living in Riyadh (n=41). The mean age was 16.1±2.41 years with a mean of 6.1±4.14 years history of diabetes. The mean HbA1c level was 9.6±2.12%. Participants perceived all behaviors as supportive with “support in critical situations” being the highest (77.3%) and the only factor significantly related to HbA1c (p=0.017). Age was significantly related to all factors (p>0.05). Family plays a major role in the management of diabetes. Their supportive behaviors are perceived by their family members diagnosed with T1DM, but there has been no optimal association with disease control. However, the involvement of the family can aid in decreasing possible complications of the disease by intervening in critical situations.
Inversion of the Attenuated X-Ray Transforms: Method of Riesz Potentials
Authors: Yufeng Yu
Published: March 2020

The attenuated X-ray transform arises from the image reconstruction in single-photon emission computed tomography. The theory of attenuated X-ray transforms is so far incomplete, and many questions remain open. This paper is devoted to the inversion of the attenuated X-ray transforms with nonnegative varying attenuation functions μ, integrable on any straight line of the plane. By constructing the symmetric attenuated X-ray transform Aμ on the plane and using the method of Riesz potentials, we obtain the inversion formula of the attenuated X-ray transforms on Lpℝ21≤p<2 space, with nonnegative attenuation functions μ, integrable on any straight line in ℝ2. These results are succinct and may be used in the type of computerized tomography with attenuation.
A Distribution Model for Shared Parking in Residential Zones that Considers the Utilization Rate and the Walking Distance
Authors: Zhang Wenhui , Gao Fan , Sun Shurui , Yu Qiuying , Tang Jinjun , Liu Bohang
Published: March 2020

Efficient parking tends to be challenging in most large cities in China. Drivers often spend substantial amounts of time looking for parking lots while driving at low speeds, thereby resulting in interference with road traffic. This paper focuses on efficiently allocating parking spaces to the demanders. A double-objective model is proposed that considers both the utilizing rate and the walking distance. First, managers want to utilize parking resources fully. Therefore, they tend to prioritize the efficient distribution of parking spaces in response to parking demands. However, demanders typically choose parking spaces according to convenience. The second objective is the acceptable walking distance from the parking space to the destination. The particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is used to solve this model. We collected parking demand and supply data in a central business district (CBD) of Harbin in China and evaluated the feasibility of the model. The results demonstrate that the proposed model increases the occupying rates of parking lots in residential zones while decreasing the walking distance. The shared use of parking spaces maximizes the utility and alleviates the shortage of parking spaces in downtown.
High STRN Expression Promotes HCC Invasion and Migration but Not Cell Proliferation or Apoptosis through Facilitating Epithelial‐Mesenchymal Transition
Authors: Du Qian-yu , Yao Jing-hao , Zhou Yong-chun , Xu Ling-jie , Zhao Fu-you , Yang Yan
Published: March 2020

A STRN-ALK fusion protein has been recently identified as a potential therapeutic target in multiple cancers; however, the role of STRN alone in regulating the biological function of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. In this study, we firstly detected an overexpression of STRN in HCC tissues compared to that in adjacent nontumour (ANT) tissues through IHC analysis, and the expression level of this protein was positively correlated with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage. In vitro, high expression of STRN was also confirmed in different HCC cell lines, and regulation of STRN expression in Huh7 cells did not significantly affect tumour cell proliferation or apoptosis but was positively correlated with tumour cell invasion and migration capacities. Moreover, both the knockdown and overexpression of STRN in Huh7 cells can lead to cell morphological changes that are accompanied with an alteration of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) molecular markers E‐cadherin and Vimentin. Finally, STRN was further proved to be negatively related to E‐cadherin expression but positively related to Vimentin expression in human HCC tissue samples. Taken together, STRN is upregulated in HCC and acts as a tumour promoter regulating cell invasion and migration through facilitating the EMT process.
HSV-1 Encephalitis in an Elderly Man Receiving Ibrutinib for Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia
Authors: Wallace Mark R.
Published: March 2020

Ibrutinib is a major new addition to the therapeutic armamentarium for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, mantle cell lymphoma, Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia, and chronic graft versus host disease. Though ibrutinib has proven to be a revolutionary new small molecule agent, and has relatively minimal toxicity as compared to traditional chemotherapy, infections have emerged as a major complication of therapy. While fungal infections have been the most problematic (including CNS aspergillosis), zoster, hepatitis B reactivation, and chronic hepatitis E have been reported in association with ibrutinib therapy. This report describes a case of herpes encephalitis in an 86-year-old Waldenstrom’s patient receiving ibrutinib and speculates as to whether this late life encephalitis may have been related to ibrutinib.
Multimodal Imaging Features of Schnyder Corneal Dystrophy
Authors: Ghazal Wassim , Georgeon Cristina , Grieve Kate , Bouheraoua Nacim , Borderie Vincent
Published: March 2020

Objective. To describe the multimodal imaging of Schnyder corneal dystrophy. Methods. Seven eyes of seven patients (5 female and 2 male patients) aged 52 to 92 years were included in this prospective observational study. Diagnosis of SCD was confirmed by histology after keratoplasty. In vivo multimodal imaging consisted of spectral domain-optical coherence tomography with cross sections, en face scans, corneal pachymetry, and epithelial mapping, and in vivo confocal microscopy was recorded. Ex vivo full-field optical coherence tomography scans of two corneal buttons were analyzed. The seven corneal buttons obtained during penetrating or deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty were processed for light microscopy. Results. Slit-lamp examination showed central stromal opacities, arcus lipoides, and midperipheral haze. Corneal crystals were found in 2 out of 7 eyes. SD-OCT cross sections and en face scans showed diffuse hyperreflectivity of the anterior, mid, and posterior stroma with a maximum in the anterior stroma, hyporeflective stromal striae, and epithelial hyperreflectivity. Central corneal thickness ranged from 507 to 635 μm. IVCM revealed hyperreflective deposits in the epithelium and throughout the stroma, thin subepithelial nerves, and needle-shaped and rectangular crystals. Keratocyte nuclei were rare or undetectable. FF-OCT scans confirmed the presence of small round and needle-shaped hyperreflective deposits in the epithelium and stroma. Histology revealed vacuolization of the basal epithelial cells and empty interlamellar stromal vacuoles. Conclusion. High-resolution multimodal imaging demonstrates the characteristic features of SCD which involve both the corneal epithelium and stroma, and it provides diagnosis confirmation even in eyes with no visible corneal crystals at slit-lamp examination.
Mesenteric Lymph Node Recurrence of a Primary Colorectal Leiomyosarcoma
Authors: Beauchamp Amélie , Hajjar Roy , Khullar Sharmila , Latour Mathieu , Schwenter Frank , Sebajang Herawaty
Published: March 2020

Primary colorectal leiomyosarcoma is an excessively rare entity. It is associated with an aggressive behavior and typically favor hematogenous spread. The current standard of care is surgical resection. A 49-year-old patient presented with a 2-month history of fever. A PET-scan revealed a hypermetabolic mass in the transverse colon, and colonoscopy confirmed a tumor. A right hemicolectomy was performed. Histopathological diagnosis was of a leiomyosarcoma. Fourteen months after the surgery, a follow-up abdominal scan revealed a 2 cm mesenteric lymph node that was hypermetabolic on PET-scan. The mesenteric lymph node was resected and histopathology confirmed a leiomyosarcoma metastasis. This case opens the controversy on the management of rare lymph node recurrences in colorectal leiomyosarcoma.
Factors Predetermining Increased Aqueous Humour Flare in Long-Term Glaucoma Treatment
Authors: Pakuliene G. , Kuzmiene L. , Januleviciene I.
Published: March 2020

Glaucoma patients often require long-term or even lifelong medical antiglaucomatous treatment. Benzalkonium chloride (BAK) is the most frequently used preservative in medical glaucoma treatment. Laser flare photometry is the noninvasive quantitative measurement of anterior chamber protein level and helps tracking intraocular inflammation. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the ocular aqueous humour flare in glaucoma patients, scheduled for cataract surgery without any other ocular diseases, and the association with pseudoexfoliation (PEX) syndrome, number of medications used, and BAK. A prospective case-control age- and gender-matched study, including open-angle glaucoma patients (>2 years of treatment) with cataract, matched with cataract patients with no other ocular pathology (control group). We found that the aqueous humour flare was higher in the glaucoma group than in the control group. PEX syndrome increased the aqueous humour flare independently from glaucoma diagnosis. The number of used antiglaucomatous medications correlated moderately with the aqueous humour flare. The BAK index showed weak positive correlation with aqueous humour flare. A variety of factors can affect aqueous humour flare increase, including PEX syndrome, medical substance used to treat glaucoma, number of different medications, and presence of BAK. The combination of these factors is of key importance to long-term glaucoma treatment.
Assessment of Visual Quality in Eyes with Forme Fruste Keratoconus and Mild and Moderate Keratoconus Based on Optical Quality Analysis System II Parameters
Authors: Ren Zhonghao , Xu Liyan , Fan Qi , Yang Kaili , Ren Shengwei , Zhao Dongqing
Published: March 2020

Purpose. The study aimed to evaluate the visual quality of forme fruste keratoconus (FFK) and mild and moderate keratoconus by using an optical quality analysis system II (OQAS-II) and to explore the correlation between optical quality parameters and the disease progression. Methods. Twenty-one normal eyes, twenty-one FFK eyes, twenty-one mild keratoconus eyes, and twenty-one moderate keratoconus eyes were included in this prospective study. The optical quality parameters, such as object scatter index (OSI), modulation transfer function cutoff (MTF cutoff), strehl ratio (SR), and OQAS-II values at contrasts of 100% (OV-100), 20% (OV-20), and 9% (OV-9), were measured by OQAS-II. The repeatability of these parameters was analyzed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), repeatability coefficient (RC), and coefficient of variation (CVw). Correlations between optical quality parameters and mean central keratometry readings (Kmean) were evaluated. The sensitivity and specificity of the parameters were analyzed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC). Results. All the optical quality parameters among four groups showed good repeatability (all ICC≥0.75). The MTF cutoff, SR, OV-100, OV-20, OV-9 in FFK, mild and moderate keratoconus eyes were significantly lower than those in the normal group (all P<0.05). The ROC analyses of the MTF cutoff, SR, OV-100, OV-20, and OV-9 showed significant area under the curve (AUC) in discriminating FFK form normal, mild keratoconus from FFK, and moderate keratoconus from mild keratoconus (all P<0.05). The OSI in mild and moderate keratoconus eyes were significantly higher than that in FFK and normal group (all P<0.05), while the OSI showed no significant difference between the FFK group and normal group (P>0.05). The ROC analyses of the OSI showed significant AUC in discriminating mild keratoconus from FFK and moderate keratoconus from mild keratoconus (all P<0.05). In addition, the MTF cutoff was closely correlated to Kmean in keratoconus eyes (r = −0.710, P<0.001). Conclusion. The repeatability of OQAS-II is good in measuring visual quality of normal as well as FFK, mild, and moderate keratoconus. The visual quality of the FFK, mild, and moderate keratoconus is worse than that in normal eyes. The OQAS-II has the potential value in screening FFK from normal eyes and might be a useful tool for evaluating the progression of keratoconus.