bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preschoolers’ responses to prosocial opportunities during naturalistic interactions with peers: A cross‐cultural comparison
Authors: Tavassoli Nasim , Dunfield Kristen , Kleis Astrid , Recchia Holly , Conto Laura Pareja
Published: June 2022

The goal of this study was to better understand similarities and differences in preschool children's expression of needs and prosocial responsiveness to peers’ needs across two culturally distinct contexts. Preschoolers were observed in a semi‐naturalistic design across rural Mexico and urban Canada, wherein they were instructed to build a tower with blocks. Three‐ to 6‐year‐olds (N = 306; 48% female) were divided into 64 peer groups. We coded for children's expression of needs (instrumental, material, or emotional), responses to prosocial opportunities (prosociality, denial, or no response), prosociality without an apparent need (spontaneous prosociality), and types of prosocial behavior (helping, sharing, or comforting). While instrumental and material needs were expressed similarly across both samples, Tzotzil Maya children expressed fewer emotional needs than Canadian children. Failing to respond to others’ needs, followed by denial, were the most frequent need‐provoked response in both countries; surprisingly, only 9% of needs received a prosocial response. Though need‐provoked prosociality was rare in both cultural contexts, children engaged in considerable spontaneous prosociality which varied as a function of age, gender, and cultural context. Lastly, Canadian more than Tzotzil Maya children denied emotional and instrumental needs (but not material needs). The findings inform how cultural practices may shape the presentation of needs and prosocial responsiveness in peer interactions.
Analysis of correlation and construction of a predictive model of skin transparency using parameters from digital images of the face
Authors: Marin Quentin , Honda Tatsuya , Nakajima Hiroaki , Okano Yuri , Cherel Marie , Prestat‐Marquis Elodie
Published: June 2022

Background

Skin transparency is a cosmetic asset highly considered by Asian women. Resulting from complex light interactions within the skin, but still not fully understood, there is no simple method to measure it objectively. In this study, skin parameters from digital images were analysed to build a model predicting transparency.

Materials and methods

Initially, 71 Japanese women (between ages 50 and 60 years) were recruited. This group was then extended to 262 women (between ages 21 and 60 years). Pictures of their faces were taken with the Colorface® under diffuse light and different polarisation angles. Experts graded their transparency using pictures. Pictures were also used to compute 958 skin colour and surface parameters from different regions of the face.

Results

In the initial group of 71 subjects, 109 parameters correlated with transparency. Half of them are from the cheek and relate to colour or colour homogeneity. If the cheek presented the largest proportion of correlated parameters, best correlations were usually found in other facial regions. Multiple regressions from some cheek parameters can predict up to 80% of transparency. Stepwise regression on parameters from 262 subjects led to a six‐parameter model, which is highly correlated (R = 84.1%) with transparency. It combines skin texture, colour, colour homogeneity and gloss parameters. If half of them are from the cheek, the others are from the tear trough, the full face and the cheekbone.

Conclusion

Using parameters from digital pictures exclusively, we propose a model that accurately reflects transparency. Including parameters previously shown to relate to transparency, this model should be useful for future dermatology and cosmetic research.
Behaviour based screening questions and potential donation loss using the “for the assessment of individualised risk” screening criteria: A Canadian perspective
Authors: Caffrey Niamh , Goldman Mindy , Lewin Antoine , Osmond Lori , O'Brien Sheila F.
Published: June 2022

Background

To reduce the risk of HIV transmission through transfusion, gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) are deferred from donating blood in many countries for varying lengths of time after having sex with another man. In 2021, screening algorithms to identify high‐risk sexual behaviours using gender‐neutral criteria (i.e., without any question on MSM or time deferral for MSM) were implemented in the United Kingdom based on recommendations in a report from the FAIR (For the Assessment of Individualised Risk) steering group.

Objectives

This study examines the potential donation loss expected with these criteria if implemented in Canada.

Methods

Responses from blood donors regarding engagement in behaviours such as chemsex and anal sex with a new or multiple partners within 3 months of donation were collected using an on‐site paper questionnaire.

Results

Applying the FAIR criteria resulted in donation loss of 1.0% (95% CI: 0.8% – 1.1%). Donation loss would be higher amongst younger donors aged 17–25 (2.0%, 95% CI: 1.6% – 2.3%). Overall, 20% of donors reported feeling uncomfortable answering study questions but only 2.0% said it would stop them from donating.

Conclusion

Donation loss could be compensated by newly eligible gbMSM and with increased recruitment and encouraging donation from infrequent donors.
Critical geographies of smart development
Authors: Faxon Hilary Oliva , Kintzi Kendra
Published: June 2022

The development of smart infrastructures is a political act that intersects, in powerful ways, with ongoing decolonial struggles across the uneven landscapes of the postcolonial world. This paper develops a grounded, relational approach to the critical geographies of smart development that starts from place‐based relations of power to investigate how specific postcolonial dynamics inflect the global articulation of smart development. Drawing on the work of Gillian Hart, our approach situates the development of smart infrastructures within longer, contested histories of geopolitical intervention and capitalist transformation and foregrounds ongoing land, labour and livelihood struggles that transect the urban–rural divide. Using critical ethnography and relational comparison in South East Asia and the Middle East, we show how Myanmar's smart farms and Jordan's smart grid were built and selectively adapted or refused in ways that furthered existing inequalities and ontologies of disconnection, while providing material conduits for the enhancement of ethno‐nationalist projects to define the postcolonial state. This approach reframes the stakes of smart development, providing pathways for generative comparison that centres ongoing equity struggles and historically situated constellations of power to understand how smart development materialises in the postcolonial world.
The association between symmetric dimethylarginine concentrations and various neoplasms in dogs and cats
Authors: Coyne Michael J. , Drake Corie , McCrann Donald J. , Kincaid David
Published: June 2022

Following the introduction of the symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) immunoassay, cases were reported where the SDMA concentration was markedly increased above the reference interval (RI) with neither concurrent increases in serum creatinine (Cr) concentrations nor clinical signs of kidney disease. Many of these animals were also concurrently diagnosed with cancer, most commonly lymphoma. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the association of increased SDMA in dogs and cats with lymphoma and other cancers as compared with age‐ and breed‐matched non‐tumour controls. In this retrospective case–control study, serum chemistry results from 1804 tumour cases, and age‐ and breed‐matched non‐tumour control animals were used. Matched‐pair odds ratios between animals diagnosed with neoplasms and non‐tumour controls for dichotomized SDMA values were determined by tumour type. SDMA concentrations were significantly higher in dogs and cats with lymphoma (p < .0001) compared with non‐tumour controls. The odds ratio for increased SDMA concentrations in dogs with lymphoma was 10.0 (95% CI, 5.98–16.72) and for cats with lymphoma was 3.04 (95% CI 1.95–4.73). A significant number of canine and feline lymphoma cases had an increased SDMA concentration not associated with an increased Cr concentration (p < .001). Canine and feline lymphoma patients have an increased odds of having a SDMA concentration above the RI at diagnosis. Further characterization and evaluation of dogs and cats with lymphoma is required to help understand the mechanism(s) and the clinical significance of these alterations.
DEVELOPMENT OF LANE CHANGE MODELS THROUGH MICROSCOPIC SIMULATION UNDER MIXED TRAFFIC
Authors: Seelam Srikanth , Mehar Arpan
Published: June 2022

The number of motor vehicles and traffic demand is growing in tandem with society's rapid economic development and the quickening process of urbanization. In India, traffic congestion has become the most serious issue. Vehicle's poor lane-changing behaviors have a significant impact on the speed of the traffic system.  The lane change behavior was observed in the study with the traffic flow simulation model VISSIM. The purpose of this investigation is to estimate the number of lane changes by simulating them at different volume levels. The study also shows the capacity estimate and its relationship with the lane change. The maximum traffic flow and lane changes were calculated based on the proportions of each vehicle type in the standard car traffic flow. The maximum number of lane change models for known traffic compositions on 4-lane, 6-lane, and 8-lane divided highways has been developed. According to the results, the number of observed lane changes depends on the volume of traffic and the number of lanes provided for a particular direction of travel. The composition and vehicle types also have a significant influence on lane changes and highway capacity, which involves uncertainties in the analysis of traffic flow properties.
LEAN IMPACT ON MANUFACTURING PRODUCTIVITY: A CASE STUDY OF INDUSTRIALIZED BUILDING SYSTEM (IBS) MANUFACTURING FACTORY
Authors: Zainal Abidin Muhammad Harith , Leman Zulkiflle , Mohd Yusof Zainal Abidin , Khalili Amjad
Published: June 2022

According to a recent study, Lean Manufacturing (LM) adoption in the Malaysian Industrialized Building System (IBS) industry is still low due to a variety of barriers, including misconceptions, the use of modular coordination, a lack of detailed guidelines and the Lean culture is still in its infancy in the field of IBS. This paper examines the impact of Lean Manufacturing approaches towards the manufacturing productivity in Malaysian IBS Manufacturing factory. An integration method of Value Stream Mapping (VSM) and benchmarking for measuring manufacturing plant performance and total productivity is offered. The company was able to improve its performance in each manufacturing department by implementing a lean approach. After improvement, the overall manufacturing plant performance index increased from 0.75 to 0.78, resulting in a 4.00 percent increase in total factor productivity. The proposed improvement features extracted from essential lean methods such as JIT, TPM and CI can be used by practitioners to increase the level of Lean Manufacturing implementation in Malaysian manufacturing firms.
LTNE Effects on Triple-Diffusive Convection in Nanofluids
Authors: Shukla Shushant , Gupta Urvashi
Published: June 2022

Triple-diffusive convection for nanofluids in which differences in density are derived because of triple diffusion process, i.e., with three diffusing components: nanoparticles, solute, and heat, using more realistic two temperature model with separate thermal energy equations for the two phases of the considered nanofluid has been investigated by making use of the method of superposition and one term Galerkin technique. A complex system with local thermal non-equilibrium (LTNE) effects along with the Brownian motions and thermophoresis to account for nanoparticles has been considered. The problem is solved for top-heavy arrangement of nanoparticles leading to stationary mode of convection and numerical computations are carried out by using Mathematica software. An additional solute concentration equation supplements the conservation equations due to the existence of solute, which introduces two additional nondimensional parameters, whereas three additional parameters came into existence due to the consideration of LTNE effects. The critical Rayleigh number remains constant for smaller values of interphase heat transfer parameter, whereas it diminishes for the intermediate range and approaches to constant value for higher ranges of the parameters. What all this means is that only the intermediate range of Nield parameter shows stabilizing/destabilizing effects. Interestingly, the additional parameters Lewis number and solute Rayleigh number enhance the effect of destabilization of considered nanofluid layer.
Energy and Exergy Analyses of Multiple Biodiesel Blended Diesel Engine
Authors: Sayyed Siraj , Das Randip Kumar , Kulkarni Kishor
Published: June 2022

This paper deals with the experimental investigation of direct injection compression ignition (DICI) engine runs with multiple biodiesels–diesel blended and neat diesel fuels along with the energy-exergy analysis to evaluate quantitative and qualitative data for determining energy and exergy efficiencies, losses, and exergy destruction. Second-generation biodiesels are utilized to conduct experiments on engine with constant speed and full throttle condition at a compression ratio of 17.5:1. Energy analysis is based on experimental data, and exergy analysis is performed with the help of derived formula using chemical and molecular structures. Variation in the performance, combustion, and emission parameters for B0, B10, and B20 blends reveals that BTE, AFR, η(mech.), η(vol.), CP, and CO decrease with the increase in BSEC, EGT, MGT, RPR, NHR, CO2, HC, and NOx. Energy-exergy analysis shows that the combustion and exergetic efficiencies are maximum for the B20 blend (+87.73%) and (+52.04%) at 2.5 kW and 3.3 kW BPs. Exergy destructed is observed to be three-fifth of total available exergy. Half of the heat supplied is carried away by cooling water while one-third of heat is converted into brake power, and the remaining heat is lost in exhaust gases and unaccounted losses.
Plant Pigments in Bottom Sediment Cores as Indicators of the Trophic State in Large Shallow Lakes Vozhe and Lacha (Russia)
Authors: Sigareva L. E. , Timofeeva N. A. , Zakonnov V. V.
Published: June 2022

The first data on the content of plant pigments is presented for the cores of bottom sediments sampled in large shallow lakes Vozhe and Lacha located in the upper reaches of the Onega River. In the 1-m core of olive silts, the total concentration of chlorophyll a and pheopigments varied within 35–236 (94.2 ± 3.3) in Lake Vozhe and 58–118 (83.8 ± 1.3) μg/g dry sediment in Lake Lacha. The degree of chlorophyll destruction in the cores from Lake Lacha (98.7 ± 0.2%) was higher than in Lake Vozhe (85.2 ± 0.7%). Considering the average long-term sedimentation rate of 0.2 and 0.4 mm/year in Lakes Vozhe and Lacha, respectively, the annual vertical flux of chlorophyll a and pheopigments is 4.0 and 6.2 mg/(m2 · year) for the last 2500 years, respectively. Nowadays, the average annual rate of pigment accumulation is almost the same in the lakes (5.6 and 5.3 mg/(m2 · year)). Over the period under consideration until now, different patterns of long-term dynamics of pigment accumulation in the studied lakes have been revealed; in particular, there is a positive trend in Lake Vozhe and a negative trend in Lake Lacha.
Severe case of refractory immune thrombocytopenic purpura requiring splenectomy after the COVID-19 vaccine
Authors: Koilpillai Sarina , Dominguez Bianca , Khan Azeem , Carlan Steve
Published: June 2022

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder caused by autoantibodies against platelet antigens resulting in platelet destruction and inhibition of platelet production. Occasionally, an inciting event such as a virus or vaccination can precipitate ITP. Several cases of ITP have been reported after the BTN162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna) SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) vaccines. All reported cases of post-vaccination ITP have resolved with medical therapy until this case.

A man in his mid-20s developed bleeding from ITP 2 weeks after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. All inpatient medical treatment attempts failed. On hospital day 40, a splenectomy was performed and he ultimately recovered and was discharged.

Awareness of potential vaccination side effects is a fundamental element of refining and improving patient safety. This case illustrates that given the right circumstances, serious refractory ITP can develop in response to the second dose of the Pfizer SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.
Extrapulmonary tuberculosis and COVID-19 infection coexisting in concurrent necrotising fasciitis with deep space infection of neck: an unusual presentation
Authors: Agarwal Subham S , Ansari Hafiz Md Nasimuddin , Rao Santhosh , Galhotra Virat
Published: June 2022

Ludwig’s angina is a rapidly spreading, potentially fatal infection of deep fascial spaces of the neck leading to airway oedema and death. This, in recent times when associated with COVID-19 infection, possess treatment challenges making the patient susceptible to opportunistic infections with reduced healing potential. Owing to the multifactorial aetiology in our case and addressing them at the earliest, it is important to achieve favourable outcomes. The space infection that seeded with untreated trivial dental caries progressed to necrotising fasciitis of neck with mycobacterial growth on cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test for tuberculosis testing. The presence ofMycobacteriumorganisms should be speculated in patients with pulmonary signs of tuberculosis (TB) because a suppurative TB lymphadenitis of neck could also have the same presentation. The decisive moment in successful outcome was identification of mycobacteria in COVID-19 infected patient, thereby allowing to initiate the antitubercular therapy along with surgical debridement. Thus, medical management of patient with cohabiting infections is difficult task and needs appropriate addressal.
Prevalence of anaemia and its associated factors among HIV-infected adults at the time of ART initiation at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: a retrospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Aemro Agazhe , Workneh Belayneh Shetie , Mekonen Enyew Getaneh , Wassie Mulugeta , Chekol Basazinew
Published: June 2022

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of anaemia and its associated factors at the time of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation among HIV-infected adults at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital.

Methods

An institution-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among 473 patients’ charts enrolled from 2014 to 2018 at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Patients’ chart numbers were selected from the computer using a simple random sampling technique. Data were entered using Epi Info V.7.2.2.6 and analysed with Stata V.14.0. Anaemia prevalence at the time of ART initiation was computed and described using frequency tables. To identify factors for anaemia, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were fitted. Model fitness was checked using the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test.

Results

From 473 patients’ charts, 468 charts were included in the analysis, and a total of 164 anaemia cases were recorded. The overall prevalence of anaemia among HIV-infected adults at the time of ART initiation was 35.04% (95% CI: 30.84% to 39.49%). After multivariate analysis, an increased risk of anaemia was seen among males (adjusted OR (AOR)=2.45; 95% CI: 1.51 to 3.98); those not attending formal education (AOR=2.38; 95% CI: 1.12 to 5.05); those who had baseline CD4+ T cell count ≤200 cells/mm3(AOR=4.67; 95% CI: 2.78 to 7.85); had body mass index (BMI) <18.5 kg/m2(AOR=2.43; 95% CI: 1.42 to 4.16) and had ambulatory/bedridden baseline functional status (AOR=2.69; 95% CI: 1.41 to 5.12).

Conclusion

The current study showed that a significant proportion of HIV-infected adults developed anaemia at the time of ART initiation. Hence, giving special attention to those who have not attended formal education, were males, had decreased baseline CD4+ T cell count, had lower BMI and patients with ambulatory/bedridden baseline functional status is crucial to reduce the health impact of anaemia. The result will provide insight into the development of new anaemia preventive strategies.
Construction and validation of an autophagy-related long non-coding RNA signature to predict the prognosis of kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma
Authors: Kang Zhen , Yang Junfeng
Published: June 2022

To identify the autophagy-related long non-coding RNAs (ARlncRNAs) associated with the prognosis of kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma (KIRP), thereby establishing a clinical prognostic model. The gene expression matrix and clinical survival information of patients with KIRP were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database, and were divided into the training and testing groups. ARlncRNAs associated with the KIRP prognosis were analyzed by univariate, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO(, and multivariate Cox regression to construct a signature. We combined clinical factors associated with the prognosis with ARlncRNAs to establish a prognostic model of patients with KIRP. A nomogram was established to predict 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival of patients with KIRP. Besides, we built the lncRNA-messenger RNA co-expression network and used Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis to detect the biological functions of ARlncRNAs. LEF1-AS1, CU634019.6, C2orf48, AC027228.2, and AC107464.3 were identified. A prognosis-related ARlncRNAs signature was constructed in the training group and validated in the testing group. Patients with KIRP with a low risk score had significantly longer survival time than those with a high risk score. The risk score significantly affected the prognosis of patients, thereby being used for modeling. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year overall survival were 0.80, 0.78, and 0.84 in the training group, respectively. The signature had high concordance index and good accuracy in predicting the prognosis, which were confirmed by the nomogram. The prognosis-related ARlncRNAs signature we identified had a more accurate prediction for the prognosis of patients with KIRP.
A traffic status evaluation method of expressway merging area based on improved coupling theory
Authors: Wang Ya , Fu Qiang , Wang Xianguang
Published: June 2022

In order to further reveal the law and characteristics of on-ramp traffic flow into the main line of expressway road and make up for the deficiency of traditional inflow model which cannot evaluate the state of merging area, the coupling theory in physics was introduced. First of all, “gap acceptance” model was adopted to describe the operation law of merging area, and the relationship between important parameters such as flow rate and headway was analyzed by using discrete probability function. Second, coupling degree and coupling coordination degree were put forward, after analyzing the characteristic under the premise of the merging area, using a large amount of measured data regression analysis of the traffic, location speed and the headway of parameters in the coupling. The coupling theory was modified, the coupling function evaluation model of confluence area was established, and the interaction and influence between main line and ramp system were quantitatively analyzed and evaluated. Finally, the model is verified by the actual observation data of Shanghai expressway. The results indicate that in the early peak period, the coupling coordination degree is about 0.36 and 0.4, which is in a moderate coordination stage. During the peak flow period, the coupling coordination degree is only 0.28, which is in a low degree of coordination coupling and the system is relatively disordered. In nonpeak hours, the coupling coordination degree is around 0.83, which is in an extremely coordinated state. The error between the flow calculated by the coupling theory and the data observed in the field is generally 4.2%–12.8%, which indicates that the results of the running status evaluation of merging area by using this model are reliable.
Groups with semi-partitions
Authors: Foguel T. , Mahmoudifar A. , Moghaddamfar A. R. , Schmidt J.
Published: June 2022

A group partition is a group cover in which the components have trivial pairwise intersection. Based on an idea of I. M. Isaacs in this paper we define the semi-partition of a group as a group cover in which the intersection of any three components is trivial. We examine some of the properties of groups with semi-partitions, including its relation to the covering number and partition number for groups.
Efficient Mode-Coupling Calculation for Constant Depth Ocean with Range-Dependent Sound–Speed Fluctuation
Authors: Park Jungyong , Yang Haesang
Published: June 2022

In this paper, a criterion for efficient coupled-mode matrix calculation in a constant depth ocean with range-dependent sound–speed fluctuation is proposed. The usual stepwise coupled mode requires high computational power to calculate the mode-coupling matrix at each interface of the range segment. To reduce the computational complexity, the criterion for selecting appropriate mode pairs, which strongly affects the mode-coupling matrix, is derived from perturbation theory. This criterion determines the effective range of the modal beat wavenumber. Numerical examples indicate that compared with the full calculation of the mode-coupling matrix, for the calculation using the proposed criterion, the computational complexity is significantly reduced, while the accuracies of the mode-coupling matrix and acoustic field are maintained.
One bad apple can spoil your IPv6 privacy
Authors: Saidi Said Jawad , Gasser Oliver , Smaragdakis Georgios
Published: June 2022

IPv6 is being more and more adopted, in part to facilitate the millions of smart devices that have already been installed at home. Unfortunately, we find that the privacy of a substantial fraction of end-users is still at risk, despite the efforts by ISPs and electronic vendors to improve end-user security, e.g., by adopting prefix rotation and IPv6 privacy extensions. By analyzing passive data from a large ISP, we find that around 19% of end-users' privacy can be at risk. When we investigate the root causes, we notice that a single device at home that encodes its MAC address into the IPv6 address can be utilized as a tracking identifier for the entire end-user prefix---even if other devices use IPv6 privacy extensions. Our results show that IoT devices contribute the most to this privacy leakage and, to a lesser extent, personal computers and mobile devices. To our surprise, some of the most popular IoT manufacturers have not yet adopted privacy extensions that could otherwise mitigate this privacy risk. Finally, we show that third-party providers, e.g., hypergiants, can track up to 17% of subscriber lines in our study.
Programming socket-independent network functions with nethuns
Authors: Bonelli Nicola , Vigna Fabio Del , Fais Alessandra , Lettieri Giuseppe , Procissi Gregorio
Published: June 2022

Software data planes running on commodity servers are very popular in real deployments. However, to attain top class performance, the software approach requires the adoption of accelerated network I/O frameworks, each of them characterized by its own programming model and API. As a result, network applications are often closely tied to the underlying technology, with obvious issues of portability over different systems. This is especially true in cloud scenarios where different I/O frameworks could be installed depending on the configuration of the physical servers in the infrastructure.

The nethuns library proposes a
unified programming abstraction
to access and manage network operations over different I/O frameworks. The library is freely available to the community under the BSD license and currently supports AF_XDP and netmap for fast packet handling along with the classic AF_PACKET and the pcap library. Network applications based on nethuns need only to be re-compiled to run over a different network API. The experiments prove that the overhead introduced by nethuns is negligible, hence making it a convenient programming platform that eases the coding process while guaranteeing high performance and portability. As proofs of concept, a handy traffic generator as well as the popular Open vSwitch application have been successfully ported and tested over nethuns.
Siglec-15 Silencing Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Promotes Cell Apoptosis by Inhibiting STAT1/STAT3 Signaling in Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: Hou Xiaofeng , Chen Chao , He Xiaodong , Lan Xiabin
Published: June 2022

Thyroid cancer (THCA) represents a frequently seen endocrine cancer, which can be divided as anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC), and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). A total of 362 IDEGs were obtained from TCGA-THCA and IMMPORT databases, which were found to be related to BP, CC, MF, and STAT signaling pathway upon GO functional annotation and KEGG analysis. This work identified 23 survival-related hub genes using WGCNA and uniCOX analysis. In addition, a risk prognosis model was constructed to obtain a signature involving fifteen IDEGs. According to survival and univariate along with multivariate analysis, high-risk patients had markedly dismal prognostic outcome compared with low-risk counterparts. Siglec-15 belongs to one of the fifteen IDEG signature, but the precise biological roles in diverse THCA subtypes are largely unclear. In this work, Siglec-15 expression evidently increased in ATC and FTC samples compared with matched surrounding PTC and THCA samples, which was used as a diagnostic biomarker for THCA. Siglec-15 RNAi significantly inhibited cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis. Meanwhile, Siglec-15 knockout suppressed the expression of STAT1, STAT3, and VEGF and promoted that of cleaved caspase-3. In vivo experiments revealed that transfection with vectors expressing STAT1 and STAT3 inhibited the Siglec-15 RNAi-induced inhibition on tumor growth and the increases in CD4+/CD8+ ratio. In conclusion, Siglec-15 expression increases in ATC and FTC, which promotes THCA occurrence via the STAT1/STAT3 signaling, in particular for FTC and ATC. Therefore, it is the possible marker that can be used to diagnose and treat THCA.
Design of Digital and Intelligent Financial Decision Support System Based on Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Jia Tiejun , Wang Cheng , Tian Zhiqiang , Wang Bingyin , Tian Feng
Published: June 2022

The quality of financial decision-making is very important to the future development of an enterprise, but it is often affected by the completeness of useful information for decision-making and the subjective factors of decision makers, and is often unstable. With the development of computer technology, the financial decision support system came into being, which improved the quality of financial decision to some extent. However, although the existing financial decision support system has achieved dataization to a certain extent, it still faces problems such as artificial leadership, insufficient intelligence, and poor decision-making efficiency, and cannot fully meet the needs of decision-makers. The explosion of artificial intelligence technology in recent years has provided potential improvements to financial decision support systems. In this article, we conduct a detailed analysis of the deficiencies in the current financial decision support system, build the mechanism and implementation path of the financial decision support system under artificial intelligence, and design a digital and intelligent financial decision support system. At the same time, we apply the proposed financial decision support system to the financial practice of X enterprise. Through the questionnaire survey, it is found that through the comprehensive application of artificial intelligence technology, the new system has a higher degree of intelligence than the existing system, and its construction can effectively improve the timeliness and accuracy of financial decision-making, while reducing the cost of financial decision-making. It is conducive to promoting the integration of management accounting and financial accounting.
DJ-1/FGFR-1 Signaling Pathway Contributes to Sorafenib Resistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Chen Xin , Yang Guohua , Guo Xiaohong , Zhang Jing , Sun Wei , Liu Dongbo , Wang Hui , Liu Shunfang
Published: June 2022

Sorafenib is the first-line therapeutic regimen targeting against advanced or metastatic stage of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, HCC patients at these stages will eventually fail sorafenib treatment due to the drug resistance. At present, molecular mechanisms underlying sorafenib resistance are not completely understood. Our past studies have shown that DJ-1 is upregulated in HCC, while DJ-1 knockdown inhibits HCC xenograft-induced tumor growth and regeneration, implying that DJ-1 may be a potential target in for HCC treatment. However, whether DJ-1 plays a regulatory role between tumor cells and vascular endothelial cells and whether DJ-1 contributes to sorafenib resistance in HCC cells are largely unclear. To address these questions, we have performed a series of experiments in the current study, and we found that (1) DJ-1, one of the molecules secreted from HCC cells, promoted angiogenesis and migration of vascular endothelial cells (i.e., ECDHCC-1), by inducing phosphorylation of fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 (FGFR-1), phosphorylation of mTOR, phosphorylation of ERK, and phosphorylation of STAT3; (2) downregulation of FGFR1 inhibited tube formation and migration of ECDHCC-1 cells stimulated by DJ-1; (3) FGFR1 knockdown attenuated the phosphorylation of FGFR1 and impaired the activity of Akt, ERK, and STAT3 signals induced by DJ-1 in ECDHCC-1 cells; (4) knocking down FGFR1 led to the elevated expression of proapoptotic molecules but deceased level of antiapoptotic molecules in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells; and (5) Downregulation of FGFR1 suppressed tumor growth and angiogenesis of sorafenib-resistant HCC cells in vivo. Altogether, our results hinted that DJ-1 plays vital roles in tumor microenvironment in HCC development, and DJ-1/FGFR1 signaling pathway may be a therapeutic target for overcoming sorafenib resistance in treating HCC patients at the late stage.
Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) Elicits Protection against Pulmonary Hypertension via Inhibition of ERK1/2-Mediated Autophagy
Authors: Chang Suchi , Wu Jian , Jin Jifu , Shi Huairui , Gao Rifeng , Li Xiao , Jia Daile , Sun Xiaolei , Ou Tiantong , Yang Ji’e , Sun Aijun , Ge Junbo
Published: June 2022

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is caused by chronic hypoxia that induces the migration and proliferation of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), eventually resulting in right heart failure. PH has been related to aberrant autophagy; however, the hidden mechanisms are still unclear. Approximately 40% East Asians, equivalent to 8% of the universal population, carry a mutation in Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), which leads to the aggregation of noxious reactive aldehydes and increases the propensity of several diseases. Therefore, we explored the potential aspect of ALDH2 in autophagy associated with PH. In vitro mechanistic studies were conducted in human PASMCs (HPASMCs) after lentiviral ALDH2 knockdown and treatment with platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB). PH was induced in wild-type (WT) and ALDH2-knockout (ALDH2-/-) mice using vascular endothelial growth factor receptor inhibitor SU5416 under hypoxic conditions (HySU). Right ventricular function was assessed using echocardiography and invasive hemodynamic monitoring. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses were performed to evaluate pulmonary vascular remodeling. EdU, transwell, and wound healing assays were used to evaluate HPASMC migration and proliferation, and electron microscopy and immunohistochemical and immunoblot assays were performed to assess autophagy. The findings demonstrated that ALDH2 deficiency exacerbated right ventricular pressure, hypertrophy, fibrosis, and right heart failure resulting from HySU-induced PH. ALDH2-/- mice exhibited increased pulmonary artery muscularization and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) levels in lung tissues. ALDH2 knockdown increased PDGF-BB-induced PASMC migration and proliferation and 4-HNE accumulation in vitro. Additionally, ALDH2 deficiency increased the number of autophagosomes and autophagic lysosomes together with autophagic flux and ERK1/2-Beclin-1 activity in lung tissues and PASMCs, indicating enhanced autophagy. In conclusion, the study shows that ALDH2 has a protective role against the migration and proliferation of PASMCs and PH, possibly by regulating autophagy through the ERK1/2-Beclin-1 pathway.
Kidney Cancer Incidence and Mortality Disparities Involving American Indians/Alaska Natives: An Analysis of the Oklahoma Central Cancer Registry (OCCR)
Authors: Gonzalez Victoria , Suflita Michael , Janitz Amanda , Campbell Janis , McIntosh Andrew G. , Stratton Kelly , Cookson Michael S. , Parker Daniel C.
Published: June 2022

Purpose. This cohort study describes the differences in kidney cancer age-adjusted incidence and mortality rates between American Indians/Alaskan Natives (AI/ANs) and Whites in Oklahoma. Additionally, rates for the U.S. are updated to establish an epidemiological comparison between Oklahoma and the rest of the country. Materials and Methods. Kidney cancer age-adjusted incidence and mortality rates for Oklahoma were gathered using the Oklahoma Central Cancer Registry since 1999. National rates were obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research database between 1997 and 2017. Rate ratios were used to compare incidence and mortality rates for AI/ANs and Whites within Oklahoma as well as the entire country. Joinpoint regression models were created to illustrate trends in kidney cancer incidence and mortality. Results. The age-adjusted incidence rate of kidney cancer in Oklahoma for AI/ANs and Whites was 32.3 and 15.8 per 100,000, respectively, for an incidence rate ratio of 2.04. The national incidence rate ratio was 0.89. The age-adjusted mortality rate in Oklahoma for AI/ANs and Whites was 9.78 and 4.98 per 100,000, respectively, for a mortality rate ratio of 1.98. Oklahomans, irrespective of race, fare worse in terms of kidney cancer mortality compared to the rest of the country. Conclusions. In Oklahoma, AI/ANs are more likely than Whites to have a kidney cancer diagnosis. AI/ANs are twice as likely to die from kidney cancer than Whites in Oklahoma. AI/AN populations in certain states may benefit from kidney cancer early screening initiatives.
Research on Forest Conversation Analysis Using Autoregressive Neural Network-Based Model
Authors: Ma Tianhao , She Yuchen , Liu Junang
Published: June 2022

Forest biodiversity is an important component of biological diversity that should not be disregarded. The question of how to evaluate it has sparked scholarly inquiry and discussion. The purpose of this paper is to describe the principles of general linear regression, the selection of model variables in OLS autoregressive modelling, model coefficient testing, analysis of variance of autoregressive models, and model evaluation indicators in order to clarify the suitability of GWR models for solving biomass-related data problems. The GWR 4.0 program was used to create a spatially weighted autoregressive model. Model testing and an accuracy analysis were performed on the model. Following a comparison and study with the general linear regression model, it was discovered that the geographically weighted autoregressive model is better suited to defining spatially correlated data than the general linear regression model.
The Navigation of Mobile Robot in the Indoor Dynamic Unknown Environment Based on Decision Tree Algorithm
Authors: Yan Yupei , Ma Weimin , Li Yangmin , Wong Sengfat , He Ping , Zhu Shaoping , Yin Xuemei
Published: June 2022

This study proposes an optimized algorithm for the navigation of the mobile robot in the indoor and dynamic unknown environment based on the decision tree algorithm. Firstly, the error of the yaw value outputted from IMU sensor fusion module is analyzed in the indoor environment; then, the adaptive FAST SLAM is proposed to optimize the yaw value from the odometer; in the next, a decision tree algorithm is applied which predicts the correct moving direction of the mobile robot through the outputted yaw value from the IMU sensor fusion module and adaptive FAST SLAM of the odometer data in the indoor and dynamic environment; the following is the navigation algorithm proposed for the mobile robot in the dynamic and unknown environment; finally, a real mobile robot is designed to verify the proposed algorithm.The final result shows the proposed algorithms are valid and effective.
Can Obesity Prevalence Explain COVID-19 Indicators (Cases, Mortality, and Recovery)? A Comparative Study in OECD Countries
Authors: Arbel Yuval , Fialkoff Chaim , Kerner Amichai , Kerner Miryam
Published: June 2022

SARS-CoV-2 virus disease (COVID-19) is declared a global pandemic with multiple risk factors. Obesity is considered by several researchers as one of the serious risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 virus complications based on recent empirical studies. Yet, other scholars argue in favor of the existence of an obesity survival paradox and criticize the former group of studies on the grounds that they lack controls for race, socioeconomic status, or quality of care. The objective of the current study is to analyze the potential relationships between different SARS-CoV-2 virus indicators and obesity on a country-wide level based on an OECD report. In an attempt to test the counterintuitive possibility of an obesity survival paradox, the proposed empirical model relaxes the assumption of monotonic change by applying the quadratic design and testing which one of the two competing models (i.e., quadratic or linear) better fits the data. Findings suggest more complex relationships between SARS-CoV-2 virus indices and obesity rates than previously thought. Consequently, ethical guidelines referring to priority in intubation and intensive care treatments—published by the Israeli Ministry of Health in April 2020—should account for these complex relationships between obesity and SARS-CoV-2 virus. Indeed, there is a linear increase in mortality rate from SARS-CoV-2 virus with an elevated prevalence of obesity. Yet, other indicators, such as the number of infected per 10,00,000 persons, rates of severe SARS-CoV-2 virus cases, rates of recovered SARS-CoV-2 virus patients, and SARS-CoV-2 virus, as the cause of death exhibit quadratic, rather than linear, patterns. The reasons for these nonlinear patterns might be explained by several conditions such as increased metabolic reserves, more aggressive treatment, other non-SARS-CoV-2 virus complications for obese persons, and unidentified factors that should be examined in future research.
Assessment of Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 OLI for Small-Scale Inland Water Quality Modeling and Monitoring Based on Handheld Hyperspectral Ground Truthing
Authors: Abdelal Qasem , Assaf Mohammed N. , Al-Rawabdeh Abdulla , Arabasi Sameer , Rawashdeh Nathir A.
Published: June 2022

This study investigates the best available methods for remote monitoring inland small-scale waterbodies, using remote sensing data from both Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 satellites, utilizing a handheld hyperspectral device for ground truthing. Monitoring was conducted to evaluate water quality indicators: chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), and turbidity. Ground truthing was performed to select the most suitable atmospheric correction technique (ACT). Several ACT have been tested: dark spectrum fitting (DSF), dark object subtraction (DOS), atmospheric and topographic correction (ATCOR), and exponential extrapolation (EXP). Classical sampling was conducted first; then, the resulting concentrations were compared to those obtained using remote sensing analysis by the above-mentioned ACT. This research revealed that DOS and DSF achieved the best performance (an advantage ranging between 29% and 47%). Further, we demonstrated the appropriateness of the use of Sentinel-2 red and vegetation red edge reciprocal bands

1
/

B
4
×
B
6

for estimating Chl-a (

R

2

=
0.82

,

RMSE
=
14.52
 
mg
/

m

3

). As for Landsat-8, red to near-infrared ratio (

B
4
/
B
5

) produced the best performing model (

R

2

=
0.71

,

RMSE
=
39.88
 
mg
/

m

3

), but it did not perform as well as Sentinel-2. Regarding turbidity, the best model (

R

2

=
0.85

,

RMSE
=
0.87

NTU) obtained by Sentinel-2 utilized a single band (B4), while the best model (with

R

2

=
0.64

,

RMSE
=
0.90

NTU) using Landsat-8 was performed by applying two bands (

B
1
/
B
3

). Mapping the water quality parameters using the best performance biooptical model showed the significant effect of the adjacent land on the boundary pixels compared to pixels of deeper water.
Development of a Personalized Recommendation System for E-Commerce Products for Distributed Storage Systems
Authors: Gao Shurui , Meng Weidong
Published: June 2022

Because the distributed storage system is based on network technology, it can store data in multiple independent low-cost physical storage devices, and it is also suitable for large-capacity storage, so it has become more and more popular. Today, common applications of distributed storage systems include cloud storage services, data center storage services, and P2P storage services. Typical ones are GFS, HDFS, OceanStore, and Dynamo. Due to regional and economic differences, the development level of global e-commerce (b2c) is very inconsistent. b2c contains the following key tags: buying and selling, which is the core of the website platform. E-commerce provides business users with transparent information and high-quality cheap products. Logistics is the basic guarantee for customers to execute transactions, and it is also a strict indicator of the website platform. There will be many visits during the operation of the e-commerce system, and the number of users in the early stage will increase exponentially. A safe and efficient e-commerce system can provide users with one-stop transaction support and convenient transaction processes. The personalized recommendation system has formulated some rules for certain fields, based on these rules, and defined certain types of knowledge for certain items to meet the needs of certain users and use the defined reasoning rules to generate recommendation results.
Research on Embedded Multifunctional Data Mining Technology Based on Granular Computing
Authors: Li Juan , Tian Xianghong
Published: June 2022

Due to the influence and limitations of the multisourced, heterogeneous, and unbalanced characteristics of embedded multifunctional data, the application effect of the current data mining technology is not good, and the accuracy is low. To solve the above problems, an embedded multifunctional data mining technology based on granular computing was studied. According to the three characteristics of embedded multifunctional data, preprocessing such as data reduction, data standardization, and data balance were implemented. We implemented data granulation for the preprocessed data and calculated the data granulation characteristics, including offset, particle density, and intraparticle interval. Taking granular features as the input content, embedded multifunctional data mining was realized by using a neural network to complete the objectives of data classification, anomaly detection, fault identification, and so on. The experimental results showed that the anomaly mining results of each type of data mining were greater than 0.9, indicating that the accuracy of the mining technology is high.