bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Precise Measurements of the Decay of Free Neutrons
Authors: Dubbers Dirk , Märkisch Bastian
Published: May 2021

The impact of new and highly precise neutron β decay data is reviewed. We focus on recent results from neutron lifetime, β asymmetry, and electron–neutrino correlation experiments. From these results, weak interaction parameters are extracted with unprecedented precision, which is possible also because of progress in effective field theory and lattice QCD. Limits on New Physics beyond the Standard Model derived from neutron decay data are sharper than those derived from high-energy experiments, except for processes involving right-handed neutrinos.
Genetic Dissection of the Erwinia amylovora Disease Cycle
Authors: Kharadi Roshni R. , Schachterle Jeffrey K. , Yuan Xiaochen , Castiblanco Luisa F. , Peng Jingyu , Slack Suzanne M. , Zeng Quan , Sundin George W.
Published: May 2021

Fire blight, caused by the bacterial phytopathogen Erwinia amylovora, is an economically important and mechanistically complex disease that affects apple and pear production in most geographic production hubs worldwide. We compile, assess, and present a genetic outlook on the progression of an E. amylovora infection in the host. We discuss the key aspects of type III secretion–mediated infection and systemic movement, biofilm formation in xylem, and pathogen dispersal via ooze droplets, a concentrated suspension of bacteria and exopolysaccharide components. We present an overall outlook on the genetic elements contributing to E. amylovora pathogenesis, including an exploration of the impact of floral microbiomes on E. amylovora colonization, and summarize the current knowledge of host responses to an incursion and how this response stimulates further infection and systemic spread. We hope to facilitate the identification of new, unexplored areas of research in this pathosystem that can help identify evolutionarily susceptible genetic targets to ultimately aid in the design of sustainable strategies for fire blight disease mitigation.
Mitigated Start-Up of PEMFC in Real Automotive Conditions: Local Experimental Investigation and Development of a New Accelerated Stress Test Protocol
Authors: Bisello Andrea , Colombo Elena , Baricci Andrea , Rabissi Claudio , Guetaz Laure , Gazdzicki Pawel , Casalegno Andrea
Published: May 2021

This study combines local electrochemical diagnostics with ex situ analysis to investigate degradation mechanism associated to start-up/shut-down (SU/SD) of PEMFC and mitigation strategies adopted in automotive stacks. Local degradation resulting from repeated SU/SD was analyzed with and without mitigation strategies by means of a macro-segmented cell setup provided with Reference Hydrogen Electrodes (RHEs) at both anode and cathode to measure local electrodes potential and current. Accelerated Stress Test (AST) for start-up with and without mitigation strategies are proposed and validated. A ten-fold acceleration of performance loss due to un-mitigated SU/SD has been calculated with respect to AST for catalyst support. Under mitigated SU/SD, instead, a strong degradation was observed as localized at cathode inlet region (i.e. −38% ECSA loss and −22 mV voltage loss after 200 cycles) due to local potentials transient reaching up to 1.5 V vs RHE. These localized stress conditions were additionally reproduced in a zero-gradient and a new AST protocol (named start-up AST) was proposed to mimic the potential profile observed upon SU/SD cycling. Representativeness of the start-up AST for real world degradation was confirmed up to 200 cycles. Platinum dissolution and diffusion/precipitation within the polymer electrolyte was shown to be the dominant mechanism affecting performance loss.
Scanning Electron Microscopy versus Transmission Electron Microscopy for Material Characterization: A Comparative Study on High-Strength Steels
Authors: Brodusch Nicolas , Brahimi Salim V. , Barbosa De Melo Evelin , Song Jun , Yue Stephen , Piché Nicolas , Gauvin Raynald
Published: May 2021

The microstructures of quenched and tempered steels have been traditionally explored by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) rather than scanning electron microscopy (SEM) since TEM offers the high resolution necessary to image the structural details that control the mechanical properties. However, scanning electron microscopes, apart from providing larger area coverage, are commonly available and cheaper to purchase and operate compared to TEM and have evolved considerably in terms of resolution. This work presents detailed comparison of the microstructure characterization of quenched and tempered high-strength steels with TEM and SEM electron channeling contrast techniques. For both techniques, similar conclusions were made in terms of large-scale distribution of martensite lath and plates and nanoscale observation of nanotwins and dislocation structures. These observations were completed with electron backscatter diffraction to assess the martensite size distribution and the retained austenite area fraction. Precipitation was characterized using secondary imaging in the SEM, and a deep learning method was used for image segmentation. In this way, carbide size, shape, and distribution were quantitatively measured down to a few nanometers and compared well with the TEM-based measurements. These encouraging results are intended to help the material science community develop characterization techniques at lower cost and higher statistical significance.
Development of Unified High-Fidelity Flight Dynamic Modeling Technique for Unmanned Compound Aircraft
Authors: Lee Do hyeon , Kim Chang-joo , Lee Seong han
Published: May 2021

This study presents the unified high-fidelity flight dynamic modeling technique for compound aircraft. The existing flight dynamic modeling technique is absolutely depended on the experimental data measured by wind tunnel. It means that the existing flight dynamic model cannot be used for analyzing a new configuration aircraft. The flight dynamic modeling has to be implemented when a performance analysis has to be performed for new type aircraft. This technique is not effective for analyzing the performance of the new configuration aircraft because the shapes of compound aircraft are very various. The unified high-fidelity flight dynamic modeling technique is developed in this study to overcome the limitation of the existing modeling technique. First, the unified rotor and wing models are developed to calculate the aerodynamic forces generated by rotors and wings. The revolutions per minute (RPM) and pitch change with rotation direction are addressed by rotor models. The unified wing model calculates the induced velocity by using the vortex lattice method (VLM) and the Biot–Savart law. The aerodynamic forces and moments for wings and rotors are computed by strip theory in each model. Second, the performance analysis such as propeller performance and trim for compound aircraft is implemented to check the accuracy between the proposed modeling technique and the helicopter trim, linearization, and simulation (HETLAS) program which is validated. It is judged that this study raises the efficiency of aircraft performance analysis and the airworthiness evaluation.
Prediction of Multiple Organ Failure Complicated by Moderately Severe or Severe Acute Pancreatitis Based on Machine Learning: A Multicenter Cohort Study
Authors: Xu Fumin , Chen Xiao , Li Chenwenya , Liu Jing , Qiu Qiu , He Mi , Xiao Jingjing , Liu Zhihui , Ji Bingjun , Chen Dongfeng , Liu Kaijun
Published: May 2021

Background. Multiple organ failure (MOF) may lead to an increased mortality rate of moderately severe (MSAP) or severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). This study is aimed to use machine learning to predict the risk of MOF in the course of disease. Methods. Clinical and laboratory features with significant differences between patients with and without MOF were screened out by univariate analysis. Prediction models were developed for selected features through six machine learning methods. The models were internally validated with a five-fold cross-validation, and a series of optimal feature subsets were generated in corresponding models. A test set was used to evaluate the predictive performance of the six models. Results. 305 (68%) of 455 patients with MSAP or SAP developed MOF. Eighteen features with significant differences between the group with MOF and without it in the training and validation set were used for modeling. Interleukin-6 levels, creatinine levels, and the kinetic time were the three most important features in the optimal feature subsets selected by K-fold cross-validation. The adaptive boosting algorithm (AdaBoost) showed the best predictive performance with the highest AUC value (0.826; 95% confidence interval: 0.740 to 0.888). The sensitivity of AdaBoost (80.49%) and specificity of logistic regression analysis (93.33%) were the best scores among the six models in the test set. Conclusions. A predictive model of MOF complicated by MSAP or SAP was successfully developed based on machine learning. The predictive performance was evaluated by a test set, for which AdaBoost showed a satisfactory predictive performance. The study is registered with the China Clinical Trial Registry (Identifier: ChiCTR1800016079).
Anonymous Authentication and Key Agreement Scheme Combining the Group Key for Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks
Authors: Sun Mei , Guo Yuyan , Zhang Dongbing , Jiang MingMing
Published: May 2021

Vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) is a multihop mobile wireless communication network that can realize many vehicle‐related applications through multitop communication. In the open wireless communication environment, security and privacy protection are important contents of VANET research. The most basic method of VANET privacy protection is anonymous authentication. Even through, there are many existing schemes to provide anonymous authentication for VANETs. Many existing schemes suffer from high computational cost by using bilinear pairing operation or need the assistance of the trust authorities (TAs) during the authentication process or rely on an ideal tamper‐proof device (TPD), which requires very strong security assumption. In this study, an anonymous authentication and key negotiation scheme by using private key and group key is proposed, which is based on pseudonym using the nonsingular elliptic curve. In this scheme, there is no third party trust center to participate in the authentication, there is no need to query the database, and there is no need of the local database to save the identity information of many vehicles, which reduce the storage space and the authentication time compared with other schemes. The proposed scheme only needs realistic TPDs. In the proposed scheme, TPDs do not need to preinstall the system key as many other schemes do; hence, the failure of a single TPD does not affect the security of the entire system. The security of the scheme is proved under the random oracle model. Compared with the related schemes using bilinear pairings, the computational cost and communication cost of the proposed scheme are reduced by 82% and 50%, respectively.
The Opportunities and Challenges regarding Induced Platelets from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
Authors: Xu Meng-Xue , Liu Li-Ping , Li Yu-Mei , Zheng Yun-Wen
Published: May 2021

As a standard clinical treatment, platelet transfusion has been employed to prevent hemorrhage in patients with thrombocytopenia or platelet dysfunctions. Platelets also show therapeutic potential for aiding liver regeneration and bone healing and regeneration and for treating dermatological conditions. However, the supply of platelets rarely meets the rising clinical demand. Other issues, including short shelf life, strict storage temperature, and allogeneic immunity caused by frequent platelet transfusions, have become serious challenges that require the development of high-yielding alternative sources of platelets. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are an unlimited substitution source for regenerative medicine, and patient-derived iPSCs can provide novel research models to explore the pathogenesis of some diseases. Many studies have focused on establishing and modifying protocols for generating functional induced platelets (iPlatelets) from hPSCs. To reach high efficiency production and eliminate the exogenous antigens, media supplements and matrix have been optimized. In addition, the introduction of some critical transgenes, such as c-MYC, BMI1, and BCL-XL, can also significantly increase hPSC-derived platelet production; however, this may pose some safety concerns. Furthermore, many novel culture systems have been developed to scale up the production of iPlatelets, including 2D flow systems, 3D rotary systems, and vertical reciprocal motion liquid culture bioreactors. The development of new gene-editing techniques, such as CRISPR/Cas9, can be used to solve allogeneic immunity of platelet transfusions by knocking out the expression of B2M. Additionally, the functions of iPlatelets were also evaluated from multiple aspects, including but not limited to morphology, structure, cytoskeletal organization, granule content, DNA content, and gene expression. Although the production and functions of iPlatelets are close to meeting clinical application requirements in both quantity and quality, there is still a long way to go for their large-scale production and clinical application. Here, we summarize the diverse methods of platelet production and update the progresses of iPlatelets. Furthermore, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of key transcription factors or molecules that determine the platelet differentiation direction.
Power‐Domain Based Dynamic Millimeter‐Wave Spectrum Access Techniques for In‐Building Small Cells in Multioperator Cognitive Radio Networks toward 6G
Authors: Saha Rony Kumer
Published: May 2021

Power‐domain based dynamic spectrum access (PDSA) techniques are proposed for sharing 28 GHz spectrum of any Mobile Network Operator (MNO) with in‐building small cells (SCs) of the other countrywide. By controlling the transmission power of SCs, PDSA techniques explore the traditional interweave access by operating an SC at the maximum transmission power and the underlay access by allowing to operate an SC at a lowered transmission power separately, as well as jointly. Average capacity, spectral efficiency, energy efficiency, cost efficiency, and throughput per SC user equipment (UE) are derived for an arbitrary number of MNOs in a country. By varying the spectrum reuse factor for the millimeter‐wave spectrum in each building of SCs, extensive numerical and simulation results and analyses for an illustrative scenario of a country consisting of four MNOs are carried out for the interweave and underlay techniques when applying separately, as well as the hybrid interweave‐underlay technique and the static licensed spectrum allocation (SLSA) technique. It is shown that, due to gaining more shared spectra, the hybrid interweave‐underlay technique provides the best, whereas the SLSA provides the worst, performances of all techniques in terms of the average capacity, spectral efficiency, energy efficiency, cost efficiency, and throughput per UE of an SC. Moreover, we show that the hybrid interweave‐underlay technique, the interweave technique, and the underlay technique, respectively, can satisfy the expected requirements of spectral and energy efficiencies for Sixth‐Generation (6G) networks by reusing each MNO’s 28 GHz spectrum to SCs of about 33.33%, 50%, and 50% less number of buildings than that required by the SLSA for a spectrum reuse factor of six per building of small cells.
Understandings on the Performance of Concrete‐Filled Steel Tube with Different Kinds of Concrete Infill
Authors: Manikandan K. B. , Umarani C.
Published: May 2021

In recent years, concrete‐filled steel tube (CFST) has gained attention in the construction sectors due to its unique static and earthquake resistant properties. The steel‐concrete composite member is formed by filling the concrete inside the hollow steel tube of various shapes. The experimental and numerical investigations were carried out for CFST members filled with different types of concrete of the same grade. The types of concrete used for this study are conventional concrete, steel fiber‐reinforced concrete, geopolymer concrete, and expansive concrete, respectively. The concretes were cast in the form of cubes followed by curing underwater and self‐curing conditions. The specimens cured for 7 and 28 days of age were subjected to axial compressive strength testing. The effect of curing conditions on the strength of concrete was evaluated by comparing the obtained results. Self‐curing, the only possible way of curing infilled concrete in the case of CFST columns, was found to have no influence on the strength of concrete, and the same curing method was adopted for the CFST columns tested in this study. A total of 24 CFST specimens were cast by different types of concrete infill, and their load carrying capacity under axial compression and their bond strength were determined through experimental investigations. The characteristic strengths measured for the CFST columns with different types of concrete infill were compared, and the results are presented. The analytical investigations were carried out by using Eurocode‐4 to predict the load‐bearing capacity of CFST columns under axial compression. Finally, the load carrying capacities of CFST columns under axial compression obtained through experimental and simulation studies were compared and the results are presented.
Efficacy of Neoadjuvant Targeted Therapy in Treatment of Patients with Localised Clear-Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Voylenko O. A. , Stakhovsky O. E. , Vitruk I. V. , Kononenko O. A. , Pikul M. V. , Semko S. L. , Stakhovsky E. O.
Published: May 2021

Aim. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of neoadjuvant targeted therapy (TT) in patients with localised clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Materials and Methods. A special randomised trial was planned and conducted by the Research Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Oncology in the National Cancer Institute of Ukraine for testing the clinical efficacy of neoadjuvant TT in the treatment of clear-cell localised RCC, and the primary endpoint was tumour response evaluation after TT. The secondary endpoints included evaluation of dependence between the use of neoadjuvant TT and the probability of partial nephrectomy and the correlation between tumour size, stage, remaining functioning parenchyma volume, and response to systemic therapy. Results. Overall, 118 patients met the inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to receive combined treatment or surgery alone. The percentage of tumour regression ranged from 0% to 60%, and the median was (95% confidence interval) 20.5 ± 14.3 (16.8–24.3%). Most of the patients had a slightly positive response to TT (3%–29% decrease in tumour size); n = 44 (76.9%) cases. Partial response by the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours, version 1.1, was observed in 14 (24.1%) patients and reached a maximum of 60% regression. Tumour reduction in the neoadjuvant TT group allowed kidney preservation in 53 (91.4%) patients. In the control group, the number of organ-sparing procedures was significantly lower (n = 20, 33.3%). The statistical difference was relevant (x2 = 42.1;

p
<
0.001

). Conclusion. The positive results of neoadjuvant TT obtained in our study indicate the clinical validity of combined treatment in patients with localised RCC.
CF Model: A Coarse-to-Fine Model Based on Two-Level Local Search for Image Copy-Move Forgery Detection
Authors: Mei Fang , Gao Tianchang , Lyu Yingda
Published: May 2021

Copy-move forgery is the most predominant forgery technique in the field of digital image forgery. Block-based and interest-based are currently the two mainstream categories for copy-move forgery detection methods. However, block-based algorithm lacks the ability to resist affine transformation attacks, and interest point-based algorithm is limited to accurately locate the tampered region. To tackle these challenges, a coarse-to-fine model (CFM) is proposed. By extracting features, affine transformation matrix and detecting forgery regions, the localization of tampered areas from sparse to precise is realized. Specifically, in order to further exactly extract the forged regions and improve performance of the model, a two-level local search algorithm is designed in the refinement stage. In the first level, the image blocks are used as search units for feature matching, and the second level is to refine the edge of the region at pixel level. The method maintains a good balance between the complexity and effectiveness of forgery detection, and the experimental results show that it has a better detection effect than the traditional interest-based copy and move forgery detection method. In addition, CFM method has high robustness on postprocessing operations, such as scaling, rotation, noise, and JPEG compression.
Effects of Berberine on Circular RNA Expression Profiles in Human Gastric Cancer Cells
Authors: Wang Meng , Sun Letao , Wang Li , Sun Yongning
Published: May 2021

Background. Berberine has been demonstrated to have anticancer effects against gastric cancer (GC), but the mechanism of these actions is unclear. Objectives. To explore the impact of berberine on circular RNA (circRNA) expression profiles in GC and investigate the potential molecular mechanisms associated with circRNAs in GC. Methods. AGS and HGC27 GC cells were treated with various concentrations of berberine. Cell viability was measured using a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Cell proliferation was measured using a cell colony formation assay. Cell apoptosis was measured using flow cytometry. The mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) was determined using a JC-1 probe. RNA-seq was performed to identify circRNA expression profiles in AGS cells after berberine treatment. Selected differentially expressed (DE) circRNAs were verified using RT-qPCR. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to predict target miRNAs and mRNAs and construct a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network. Pathway and process enrichment analyses were performed to explore the potential biological roles of DE circRNAs. Results. Berberine decreased GC cell viability, cell proliferation, and Δψm and induced cell apoptosis. Thirty-one DE circRNAs were identified in the berberine-treated group compared to the control group, among which circRNA2499, hsa_circ_0003423, and hsa_circ_0006702 were validated using RT-qPCR. Enrichment analyses, based on the host genes of these 31 DE circRNAs and putative target mRNAs in the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network of the validated circRNAs, indicated that berberine exerts anti-GC effects in multiple pathways including the Notch, MAPK, and NF-κB signaling pathways via specific circRNAs. Conclusion. This study elucidated the expression profile of circRNAs in human GC cells after berberine treatment. Our results demonstrate that berberine has the potential to influence cancer-related pathways by regulating circRNA expression and their corresponding target genes in GC cells.
Identification of Driver Distraction Based on SHRP2 Naturalistic Driving Study
Authors: Liu Zhiqiang , Ren Shiheng , Peng Mancai
Published: May 2021

Abundant evidence shows that driver distraction is one of the fundamental causes of traffic accidents. Current detected methods of driver distraction are mostly based on intrusive or semi-intrusive. The methods not only interfere with the driving task but also are restricted by various environmental factors, resulting in a high false positive rate. This paper only considers noninvasive vehicle kinematics indicators and proposes a recognition method based on deep learning. Firstly, some car following segments are obtained from the naturalistic driving database, and typical distracted segments are extracted by using situation awareness. Then, distracted recognition indexes’ set is established and only contains vehicle kinematic features. Thirdly, the gradient boosted decision tree recursive feature elimination (GBDT-RFE) and random forest recursive feature elimination (RF-RFE) are used to rank the importance of features. The indexes with higher importance are obtained. Finally, the long short-term memory neural network (LSTM-NN) is utilized to realize the classification and recognition of distracted driving, and the results are compared with SVM and AdaBoost. The results show that the F1-scores of LSTM-NN are 89% and 91% in distracted and normal driving, which are higher than SVM and AdaBoost. The average F1-score of distracted recognition (12% and 7%) is higher than SVM and AdaBoost. The false positive rate of different distracted types is less than 15%. LSTM-NN can effectively learn the information before and after the distracted sequence, which is conducive to accurately estimate the driver’s attention state. The study provides a method for vehicle distraction warning system and driving risk propensity assessment.
Study of Transformer Core Vibration and Noise Generation Mechanism Induced by Magnetostriction of Grain‐Oriented Silicon Steel Sheet
Authors: Qiang He , Jingkai Nie , Songyang Zhang , Weimin Xiao , Shengchang Ji , Xin Chen
Published: May 2021

The problem of vibration and noise in the iron core of power transformers remains quite topical. Insofar as the state‐of‐the‐art iron core and binding production adopt the lamination method and weft‐free adhesive tape, respectively, the transformer core vibration is mainly attributed to the silicon steel sheet (SSS) magnetostriction. In this paper, based on the magnetostriction of grain‐oriented SSS, an in‐depth analysis of the vibration generation mechanism in the transformer core was performed. The SSS microstructure was observed, its magnetostrictive properties at different magnetic flux densities were tested, and a core‐simulating four‐corner iron core model was constructed to analyze the vibration characteristics. Modal, vibration, and noise tests were performed on an actual 110 kV transformer core under no‐load conditions. The results show that the core vibration is related to SSS’s deformation mechanism. The vibration magnitude in different core parts varies due to the magnetostriction anisotropy. The vibration in vertical to the core plane is the largest, and its magnitude in the core center is lower than those at the seams in the same plane. The core vibration and noise exhibit a significant correlation, while modal characteristics strongly influence the core vibration and noise intensity.
Single-Image Super-Resolution Using Panchromatic Gradient Prior and Variational Model
Authors: Xu Yingying , Li Jianhua , Song Haifeng , Du Lei
Published: May 2021

Single-image super-resolution (SISR) is a resolution enhancement technique and is known as an ill-posed problem. Motivated by the idea of pan-sharping, we propose a novel variational model for SISR. The structure tensor of the input low-resolution image is exploited to obtain the gradient of an imaginary panchromatic image. Then, by constraining the gradient consistency, the image edges and details can be better recovered during the procedure of restoration of high-resolution images. Besides, we resort to the nonlocal sparse and low-rank regularization of image patches to further improve the super-resolution performance. The proposed variational model is efficiently solved by ADMM-based algorithm. We do extensive experiments in natural images and remote sensing images with different magnifying factors and compare our method with three classical super-resolution methods. The subjective visual impression and quantitative evaluation indexes both show that our method can obtain higher-quality results.
[Retracted] A Method for Detecting Amplitude‐Phase Joint Characteristic Parameters of Wireless Channel for Generating Key Parameters
Authors: Tan Qiongying , Huang Shuanglin , Liu Sanjun
Published: May 2021

Aiming at the problems of poor adaptability and low secret key generation rate of secret key generation scheme based on single characteristic parameter of wireless channel, a secret key generation method based on joint characteristic parameters of amplitude and phase of wireless channel is proposed. This method is based on the single‐eavesdropping wireless fading channel model; the joint characteristic model of amplitude and phase of wireless fading channel is established; it detects and extracts the joint characteristic parameters of amplitude and phase of channel, and then the proposed characteristics are quantified by using the equal probability joint quantization strategy of amplitude and phase to generate the secret key random parameters. In this paper, the amplitude and phase joint feature parameter detection method of wireless channel can not only improve the generation rate of random secret key parameters but also make the eavesdropping party’s eavesdropping error rate closer to 0.5. The test results show that the proposed scheme can significantly improve the rate, reliability, and security of generating key random parameters.
Artificial Intelligence-Based Joint Movement Estimation Method for Football Players in Sports Training
Authors: Zhang Bin , Lyu Ming , Zhang Lei , Wu Yang
Published: May 2021

Football is a product in the process of human socialization; it can strengthen the body and enhance the ability of teamwork. The introduction of artificial intelligence into football training is an inevitable trend; this trend must be bound to intensify, but how to apply artificial intelligence to solve the problem of the joint movement estimation method for football players in sports training is still the main difficulty now. The basic principle of football training action pattern recognition is to determine the type of football player’s action by processing and analyzing the movement information obtained by the sensor. Due to the complex movements towards football players and the changeable external environment, there are still many problems with action recognition. Focusing on the detailed classification of different sports modes, this article conducts research on the recognition of the joint movement estimation method for football players in sports training. This paper uses the recognition algorithm based on the multilayer decision tree recognizer to identify the joint movement; the experiment shows that the method used in this paper accurately identified joint movement for football players in sports training.
Multiscale Dense Cross-Attention Mechanism with Covariance Pooling for Hyperspectral Image Scene Classification
Authors: Liu Runmin , Ning Xin , Cai Weiwei , Li Guangjun
Published: May 2021

In recent years, learning algorithms based on deep convolution frameworks have gradually become the research hotspots in hyperspectral image classification tasks. However, in the classification process, high-dimensionality problems with large amounts of data and feature redundancy with interspectral correlation of hyperspectral images have not been solved efficiently. Therefore, this paper investigates data dimensionality reduction and feature extraction and proposes a novel multiscale dense cross-attention mechanism algorithm with covariance pooling (MDCA-CP) for hyperspectral image scene classification. The multisize convolution module can detect subtle changes in the hyperspectral images’ spatial and spectral dimensions between the pixels in the local areas and are suitable for extracting hyperspectral data with complex and diverse types of structures. For traditional algorithms that assign attention weights in a one-way manner, thus leading to the loss of feature information, the dense cross-attention mechanism proposed in this study can jointly distribute the attention weights horizontally and vertically to efficiently capture the most representative features. In addition, this study also uses covariance pooling to further extract the features of hyperspectral images from the second order. Experiments have been conducted on three well-known hyperspectral datasets, and the results thus obtained show that the MDCA-CP algorithm is superior compared to the other well-known methods.
Biomarkers of Potential Harm among Adult Cigarette and Smokeless Tobacco Users in the PATH Study Wave 1 (2013–2014): A Cross-sectional Analysis
Authors: Chang Joanne T. , Vivar Juan C. , Tam Jamie , Hammad Hoda T. , Christensen Carol H. , van Bemmel Dana M. , Das Babita , Danilenko Uliana , Chang Cindy M.
Published: May 2021

Background:

While smokeless tobacco (ST) causes oral cancer and is associated with cardiovascular diseases, less is known about how its effects differ from other tobacco use. Biomarkers of potential harm (BOPH) can measure short-term health effects such as inflammation and oxidative stress.

Methods:

We compared BOPH concentrations [IL6, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), and F2-isoprostane] across 3,460 adults in wave 1 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study (2013–2014) by tobacco use groups: primary ST users (current exclusive ST use among never smokers), secondary ST users (current exclusive ST use among former smokers), exclusive cigarette smokers, dual users of ST and cigarettes, former smokers, and never tobacco users. We estimated geometric mean ratios using never tobacco users, cigarette smokers, and former smokers as referents, adjusting for demographic and health conditions, creatinine (for F2-isoprostane), and pack-years in smoker referent models.

Results:

BOPH levels among primary ST users were similar to both never tobacco users and former smokers. Most BOPH levels were lower among ST users compared with current smokers. Compared with never tobacco users, dual users had significantly higher sICAM-1, IL6, and F2-isoprostane. However, compared with smokers, dual users had similar biomarker levels. Former smokers and secondary ST users had similar levels of all five biomarkers.

Conclusions:

ST users have lower levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers than smokers.

Impact:

ST use alone and in combination with smoking may result in different levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress levels.
A Pooled Case-only Analysis of Reproductive Risk Factors and Breast Cancer Subtype Among Black Women in the Southeastern United States
Authors: Sanderson Maureen , Pal Tuya , Beeghly-Fadiel Alicia , Fadden Mary Kay , Dujon Steffie-Ann , Clinton Chrystina , Jimenez Cecilia , Davis Jennifer , Fortune Mieke , Thompson Jasmine , Benson Kiera , Conley Nicholas , Reid Sonya , Tezak Ann , Shu Xiao-Ou , Zheng Wei , Blot William J. , Lipworth Loren
Published: May 2021

Background:

We investigated the association between reproductive risk factors and breast cancer subtype in Black women. On the basis of the previous literature, we hypothesized that the relative prevalence of specific breast cancer subtypes might differ according to reproductive factors.

Methods:

We conducted a pooled analysis of 2,188 (591 premenopausal, 1,597 postmenopausal) Black women with a primary diagnosis of breast cancer from four studies in the southeastern United States. Breast cancers were classified by clinical subtype. Case-only polytomous logistic regression models were used to estimate ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for HER2+ and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) status in relation to estrogen receptor–positive (ER+)/HER2− status (referent) for reproductive risk factors.

Results:

Relative to women who had ER+/HER2− tumors, women who were age 19–24 years at first birth (OR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.22–2.59) were more likely to have TNBC. Parous women were less likely to be diagnosed with HER2+ breast cancer and more likely to be diagnosed with TNBC relative to ER+/HER2− breast cancer. Postmenopausal parous women who breastfed were less likely to have TNBC [OR, 0.65 (95% CI, 0.43–0.99)].

Conclusions:

This large pooled study of Black women with breast cancer revealed etiologic heterogeneity among breast cancer subtypes.

Impact:

Black parous women who do not breastfeed are more likely to be diagnosed with TNBC, which has a worse prognosis, than with ER+/HER2− breast cancer.
Detection of Molecular Signatures of Homologous Recombination Deficiency in Bladder Cancer
Authors: Börcsök Judit , Diossy Miklos , Sztupinszki Zsofia , Prosz Aurel , Tisza Viktoria , Spisak Sandor , Rusz Orsolya , Stormoen Dag R. , Pappot Helle , Csabai Istvan , Brunak Søren , Mouw Kent W. , Szallasi Zoltan
Published: May 2021

Purpose:

Poly (ADP ribose)-polymerase (PARP) inhibitors are approved for use in breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancers, which are the solid tumor types that most frequently have alterations in key homologous recombination (HR) genes, such as BRCA1/2. However, the frequency of HR deficiency (HRD) in other solid tumor types, including bladder cancer, is less well characterized.

Experimental Design:

Specific DNA aberration profiles (mutational signatures) are induced by HRD, and the presence of these “genomic scars” can be used to assess the presence or absence of HRD in a given tumor biopsy even in the absence of an observed alteration of an HR gene. Using whole-exome and whole-genome data, we measured various HRD-associated mutational signatures in bladder cancer.

Results:

We found that a subset of bladder tumors have evidence of HRD. In addition to a small number of tumors with biallelic BRCA1/2 events, approximately 10% of bladder tumors had significant evidence of HRD-associated mutational signatures. Increased levels of HRD signatures were associated with promoter methylation of RBBP8, which encodes CtIP, a key protein involved in HR.

Conclusions:

A subset of bladder tumors have genomic features suggestive of HRD and therefore may be more likely to benefit from therapies such as platinum agents and PARP inhibitors that target tumor HRD.
A Phase I Study of Alpelisib in Combination with Trastuzumab and LJM716 in Patients with PIK3CA-Mutated HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Jhaveri Komal , Drago Joshua Z. , Shah Payal Deepak , Wang Rui , Pareja Fresia , Ratzon Fanni , Iasonos Alexia , Patil Sujata , Rosen Neal , Fornier Monica N. , Sklarin Nancy T. , Chandarlapaty Sarat , Modi Shanu
Published: May 2021

Purpose:

Activating mutations in PIK3CA promote resistance to HER2-targeted therapy in breast cancer; however, inhibition of PI3K alone leads to escape via feedback upregulation of HER3. Combined inhibition of HER2, HER3, and PI3K overcomes this mechanism preclinically.

Patients and Methods:

This phase I study investigated the MTD of alpelisib given in combination with trastuzumab and LJM716 (a HER3-targeted antibody) in patients with PIK3CA-mutant HER2-positive (HER2+) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) using the continual reassessment method. Secondary analyses included efficacy and exploratory correlative studies.

Results:

Ten patients were treated initially with daily alpelisib (arm A). Grade ≥3 adverse events seen in ≥2 patients included diarrhea (n = 6), hypokalemia (n = 3), abnormal liver enzymes (n = 3), hyperglycemia (n = 2), mucositis (n = 2), and elevated lipase (n = 2). The MTD of alpelisib in arm A was 250 mg daily. This prompted the opening of arm B in which 11 patients received intermittently dosed alpelisib. Grade ≥3 adverse events seen in ≥2 patients included diarrhea (n = 5), hypokalemia (n = 3), and hypomagnesemia (n = 2). The MTD of alpelisib in arm B was 350 mg given 4 days on, 3 days off. Among 17 patients assessed, 1 had a partial response, 14 had stable disease, and 2 had disease progression at best response. Five patients had stable disease for >30 weeks. mRNA profiling of pre- and on-treatment tissue demonstrated PIK3CA target engagement by alpelisib via induction of downstream signaling and feedback pathways.

Conclusions:

Combination treatment with alpelisib, trastuzumab, and LJM716 was limited by gastrointestinal toxicity. Further efforts are warranted to target the PI3K pathway in HER2+ MBC.
Comprehensive Molecular and Clinicopathologic Analysis of 200 Pulmonary Invasive Mucinous Adenocarcinomas Identifies Distinct Characteristics of Molecular Subtypes
Authors: Chang Jason C. , Offin Michael , Falcon Christina , Brown David , Houck-Loomis Brian R. , Meng Fanli , Rudneva Vasilisa A. , Won Helen H. , Amir Sharon , Montecalvo Joseph , Desmeules Patrice , Kadota Kyuichi , Adusumilli Prasad S. , Rusch Valerie W. , Teed Sarah , Sabari Joshua K. , Benayed Ryma , Nafa Khedoudja , Borsu Laetitia , Li Bob T. , Schram Alison M. , Arcila Maria E. , Travis William D. , Ladanyi Marc , Drilon Alexander , Rekhtman Natasha
Published: May 2021

Purpose:

Invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (IMA) is a unique subtype of lung adenocarcinoma, characterized genomically by frequent KRAS mutations or specific gene fusions, most commonly involving NRG1. Comprehensive analysis of a large series of IMAs using broad DNA- and RNA-sequencing methods is still lacking, and it remains unclear whether molecular subtypes of IMA differ clinicopathologically.

Experimental Design:

A total of 200 IMAs were analyzed by 410-gene DNA next-generation sequencing (MSK-IMPACT; n = 136) or hotspot 8-oncogene genotyping (n = 64). Driver-negative cases were further analyzed by 62-gene RNA sequencing (MSK-Fusion) and those lacking fusions were further tested by whole-exome sequencing and whole-transcriptome sequencing (WTS).

Results:

Combined MSK-IMPACT and MSK-Fusion testing identified mutually exclusive driver alterations in 96% of IMAs, including KRAS mutations (76%), NRG1 fusions (7%), ERBB2 alterations (6%), and other less common events. In addition, WTS identified a novel NRG2 fusion (F11R–NRG2). Overall, targetable gene fusions were identified in 51% of KRAS wild-type IMAs, leading to durable responses to targeted therapy in some patients. Compared with KRAS-mutant IMAs, NRG1-rearranged tumors exhibited several more aggressive characteristics, including worse recurrence-free survival (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions:

This is the largest molecular study of IMAs to date, where we demonstrate the presence of a major oncogenic driver in nearly all cases. This study is the first to document more aggressive characteristics of NRG1-rearranged IMAs, ERBB2 as the third most common alteration, and a novel NRG2 fusion in these tumors. Comprehensive molecular testing of KRAS wild-type IMAs that includes fusion testing is essential, given the high prevalence of alterations with established and investigational targeted therapies in this subset.
Creativity and Psychopathology: An Interdisciplinary View
Authors: Holm-Hadulla Rainer M. , Hofmann Frank-Hagen , Sperth Michael , Mayer Claude-Hélène
Published: May 2021

Since ancient philosophy, extraordinary creativity is associated with mental disorders, emotional and cognitive destabilization, and melancholia. We here summarize the results of empirical and narrative studies and analyze the most prominent case of a highly creative person who suffered from dysthymia and major depression with suicidality. Hereby, we focus on the interaction of different phases of the creative process with “bipolar” personality traits. Finally, we offer an interdisciplinary interpretation of the creative dialectics between order and chaos. The results show that severe psychopathology inhibits creativity. Mild and moderate disorders can inspire and motivate creative work but are only leading to new and useful solutions when creators succeed in transforming their emotional instability and cognitive incoherence into stable and coherent forms. The cultural idea that creativity emerges in dialectical processes between order and chaos, is also to be found in the psychologic interplay of coherence and incoherence, and in neuro-scientific models of the dynamics between tightening and loosening of neuronal structures. Consequences are drawn for the psychotherapeutic treatment of persons striving for creativity.
Protective Effects of ACEI/ARB on Left Ventricular Function in Anthracycline-Induced Chronic Cardiotoxicity: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Lin Hong , Liang Guoxi , Wu Yanxuan , Chen Liming
Published: May 2021

Purpose: Cardiotoxicity is an important side effect of anthracycline. Cardioprotective drugs for anthracycline remain inconclusive. We attempted to determine the role of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARB) in the prevention of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. Hypothesis: Prophylactic use of ACEI/ARB reduces the clinical or subclinical cardiotoxicity of anthracycline. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of ACEI/ARB in the prevention of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity were obtained by searching Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. 7 studies were finally included. A meta-analysis was performed on the 7 studies. The end points were changes in left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF), early and late diastolic peak velocity ratio (E/A), and occurrence of hypotensive events. Results: Prophylactic use of ACEI/ARB has potential benefits for anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity. LVEF was better preserved in the experimental group than in the control group (weighted mean difference [WMD] −3.16%, 95% confidence interval [CI] [−5.78, −0.54], p = 0.02). Follow-up time, tumor type, drug type, and geographical region did not affect the results. There was no significant benefit of E/A in the experimental group (WMD 0.02, 95% CI [−0.06, 0.11], p = 0.58), and no increase in the incidence of hypotension (risk ratio 3.79, 95% CI [0.44, 32.89], p = 0.23). Conclusions: We found that prophylactic use of ACEI/ARB reduced the clinical or subclinical cardiotoxicity of anthracycline, and the increase in hypotensive events was not significant. Due to the relatively small number of clinical studies and participants, more related studies are necessary to further verify our results.
The Poor Prognosis of Patients with Stage III Gastric Cancer after D2 Dissection Is Mainly due to Lymphatic Metastasis, Especially the Metastasis of No.12a LN: A Nested Case-Control Study
Authors: Huang Xing , Liu Hao , Hu Yanfeng , Yu Jiang , Liao Xiangqi , Li Guoxin
Published: May 2021

Background: The prognosis of stage III gastric cancer (GC) patients based on the 8th edition TNM staging system after D2 dissection was still heterogeneous. We aimed to explore clinicopathological reasons that led to the poor prognosis of these patients, especially from a surgical aspect. Methods: We divided 320 stage III GC patients who underwent distal or total gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy into group 1 and group 2, according to the disease-free survival (DFS), and compared the clinicopathological features between these 2 groups. Then, we divided group 1 into group 1D and group 1T and group 2 into group 2D and group 2T, according to distal or total gastrectomy. Finally, we compared the status of lymph node (LN) metastasis in each group of perigastric LN between the subgroups, respectively. Results: Univariate analyses revealed that patients’ LN metastasis was the only significant difference between group 1 and group 2 (p < 0.05). Compared with group 1D, the percentage of patients who had metastatic LN in all groups of the perigastric LN (included No.1, 3, 4sb, 4d, 5, 6, 7, 8a, 9, 11p and 12a) increased in group 2D. A similar tendency was found in group 2T (included No.1, 2, 3, 4sa, 4sb, 4d, 5, 6, 7, 8a, 9, 10, 11p, 11d and 12a) compared with group 1T. Further multivariate regression analyses revealed that the increases of group No.12a and 5 LN were significant (p < 0.05) in group 2D, the increases of group No.12a, 8a and 6 LN were significant (p < 0.05) in group 2T, respectively. Among these, the increases of group No.12a LNs were the most significant (p < 0.01). Conclusions: The poor prognosis of patients with stage III GC after D2 dissection is mainly due to lymphatic metastasis. The status of LN metastasis in the prognostic value of GC needs to be further enhanced in present staging systems. Maybe the metastasis of No.12a LN is the most significant poor prognostic factor of these patients. It points out that the dissection of No.12a LN should be carefully performed in radical gastrectomy.