bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Analysis for Elements of Affecting the Establishment and Promotion of Micro-business Trust in C2C Model under WeChat Circumstance
Authors: Wang Ailing , Sun Jie , Li Leiming
Published: July 2020

The core of micro-business and consumer transactions is trust. Based on the Theory of Reasoned Action and Technology Acceptance Model, this article discusses the factors of the establishment and promotion of micro-business trust from the trust orientation of consumer, the trust of WeChat businesses, and the trust of WeChat platform. Data were obtained by questionnaire, and SPSS software was used for data reliability and multiple regression analysis. It is concluded that all three levels have a significant positive impact on the establishment and promotion of C2C mode micro-business trust. The trust of WeChat businesses and the trust of WeChat platform have a greater influence on the establishment of micro-business trust. The trust orientation of consumer and the trust of WeChat businesses have a greater impact on the promotion of micro-business trust. Among them, the WeChat business trust level is the most important factor.
Attribute-based Encryption for Cloud Computing Access Control
Authors: Zhang Yinghui , Deng Robert H. , Xu Shengmin , Sun Jianfei , Li Qi , Zheng Dong
Published: July 2020

Attribute-based encryption (ABE) for cloud computing access control is reviewed in this article. A taxonomy and comprehensive assessment criteria of ABE are first proposed. In the taxonomy, ABE schemes are assorted into key-policy ABE (KP-ABE) schemes, ciphertext-policy ABE (CP-ABE) schemes, anti-quantum ABE schemes, and generic constructions. In accordance with cryptographically functional features, CP-ABE is further divided into nine subcategories with regard to basic functionality, revocation, accountability, policy hiding, policy updating, multi-authority, hierarchy, offline computation, and outsourced computation. In addition, a systematical methodology for discussing and comparing existing ABE schemes is proposed. For KP-ABE and each type of CP-ABE, the corresponding access control scenario is presented and explained by concrete examples. Specifically, the syntax of ABE is given followed by the adversarial model and security goals. ABE schemes are discussed according to the design strategies and special features and are compared in the light of the proposed assessment criteria with respect to security and performance. Compared to related state-of-the-art survey papers, this article not only provides a broader 12 categories of ABE schemes, but also makes a more comprehensive and holistic comparison. Finally, a number of open research challenges in ABE are pointed out.
MNFTL
Authors: Ma Chenlin , Wang Yi , Shen Zhaoyan , Chen Renhai , Wang Zhu , Shao Zili
Published: July 2020

The write constraints of Multi-Level Cell (MLC) NAND flash memory make most of the existing flash translation layer (FTL) schemes inefficient or inapplicable. In this article, we solve several fundamental problems in the design of MLC flash translation layer. The objective is to reduce the garbage collection overhead to reduce the average system response time. We make the key observation that the valid pages copy is the essential garbage collection overhead. Based on this observation, we propose two approaches, namely, concentrated mapping and postponed reclamation, to effectively reduce the valid pages copy. Besides, we propose a progressive garbage collection that can well utilize the system idle time to reclaim more spaces. We conduct a series of experiments on an embedded developing board with a set of benchmarks. The experimental results show that our scheme can achieve a significant reduction in the average system response time compared with the previous work.
Machine Learning in Mental Health
Authors: Thieme Anja , Belgrave Danielle , Doherty Gavin
Published: July 2020

High prevalence of mental illness and the need for effective mental health care, combined with recent advances in AI, has led to an increase in explorations of how the field of machine learning (ML) can assist in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of mental health problems. ML techniques can potentially offer new routes for learning patterns of human behavior; identifying mental health symptoms and risk factors; developing predictions about disease progression; and personalizing and optimizing therapies. Despite the potential opportunities for using ML within mental health, this is an emerging research area, and the development of effective ML-enabled applications that are implementable in practice is bound up with an array of complex, interwoven challenges. Aiming to guide future research and identify new directions for advancing development in this important domain, this article presents an introduction to, and a systematic review of, current ML work regarding psycho-socially based mental health conditions from the computing and HCI literature. A quantitative synthesis and qualitative narrative review of 54 papers that were included in the analysis surfaced common trends, gaps, and challenges in this space. Discussing our findings, we (i) reflect on the current state-of-the-art of ML work for mental health, (ii) provide concrete suggestions for a stronger integration of human-centered and multi-disciplinary approaches in research and development, and (iii) invite more consideration of the potentially far-reaching personal, social, and ethical implications that ML models and interventions can have, if they are to find widespread, successful adoption in real-world mental health contexts.
Towards Smarter Diagnosis
Authors: Huang Qicheng , Fang Chenlei , Mittal Soumya , Blanton R. D. (Shawn)
Published: July 2020

Given the inherent perturbations during the fabrication process of integrated circuits that lead to yield loss, diagnosis of failing chips is a mitigating method employed during both yield ramping and high-volume manufacturing for yield learning. However, various uncertainties in the fabrication process bring a number of challenges, resulting in diagnosis with undesirable outcomes or low efficiency, including, for example, diagnosis failure, bad resolution, and extremely long runtime. It would therefore be very beneficial to have a comprehensive preview of diagnostic outcomes beforehand, which allows fail logs to be prioritized in a more reasonable way for smarter allocation of diagnosis resources. In this work, we propose a learning-based previewer, which is able to predict five aspects of diagnostic outcomes for a failing IC, including diagnosis success, defect count, failure type, resolution, and runtime magnitude. The previewer consists of three classification models and one regression model, where Random Forest classification and regression are used. Experiments on a 28 nm test chip and a high-volume 90 nm part demonstrate that the predictors can provide accurate prediction results, and in a virtual application scenario the overall previewer can bring up to 9× speed-up for the test chip and 6× for the high-volume part.
Adaptive Multi-Task Dual-Structured Learning with Its Application on Alzheimer’s Disease Study
Authors: Hao Shijie , Chen Tao , Wang Yang , Guo Yanrong , Wang Meng ,   For the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: July 2020

Multi-task learning has been widely applied to Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) studies due to its capability of simultaneously rating the disease severity (classification) and predicting corresponding clinical scores (regression). In this article, we propose a novel technique of Adaptive Multi-task Dual-Structured Learning, named AMDSL, by mutually exploring the dual manifold structure for the label and regression score of the disease data under joint classification and regression tasks, while learning an adaptive shared similarity measure and corresponding feature mapping among these two tasks. We encode both the reconstructed label representation and regression score adaptive to the ideal similarity measure on disease data to achieve the ideal performance on these two joint tasks. The alternating algorithm is proposed to optimize the above objective. We theoretically prove the convergence of the optimization algorithm. The superiority of AMDSL is experimentally validated under joint classification and regression as per various evaluation metrics against the most authoritative Alzheimer’s disease data.
Astronomers Engaging with the Education Ecosystem: A Best-Evidence Synthesis
Authors: Pompea Stephen M. , Russo Pedro
Published: July 2020

Astronomers have played many roles in their engagement with the larger astronomy education ecosystem. Their activities have served both the formal and informal education communities worldwide, with levels of involvement from the occasional participant to the full-time professional. We discuss these many diverse roles, giving background, context, and perspective on their value in encouraging and improving astronomy education. This review covers the large amounts of new research on best practices for diverse learning environments. This evidence-based perspective can support astronomers in contributing to the broad astronomy education ecosystem in more productive and efficient ways and in identifying new niches and approaches for developing the science capital necessary for a science literate society and for greater involvement of underrepresented groups in the science enterprise. Current research emphasizes the importance of ▪  The formation of science ideas in children and the development of their science identity ▪  The design of professional development programs for educators ▪  Museums and other informal learning institutions and settings ▪  The use of astronomical data and immersion experiences ▪  Shifting the astronomy education paradigm using new approaches with diverse audiences
Pediatric Allergic Diseases, Food Allergy, and Oral Tolerance
Authors: Logan Kirsty , Du Toit George , Giovannini Mattia , Turcanu Victor , Lack Gideon
Published: July 2020

Pediatric allergic disease is a significant health concern worldwide, and the prevalence of childhood eczema, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and food allergy continues to increase. Evidence to support specific interventions for the prevention of eczema, asthma, and allergic rhinitis is limited, and no consensus on prevention strategies has been reached. Randomized controlled trials investigating the prevention of food allergy via oral tolerance induction and the early introduction of allergenic foods have been successful in reducing peanut and egg allergy prevalence. Infant weaning guidelines in the United Sates were recently amended to actively encourage the introduction of peanut for prevention of peanut allergy.
Leonardo da Vinci and Fluid Mechanics
Authors: Marusic Ivan , Broomhall Susan
Published: July 2020

This review focuses on Leonardo da Vinci's work and thought related to fluid mechanics as it is presented in a lifetime of notebooks, letters, and artwork. It shows how Leonardo's remaining works offer a complicated picture of unfinished, scattered, and frequently revisited hypotheses and conclusions. It argues that experimentation formed an important mechanism for Leonardo's thought about natural fluid flows, which was an innovation to the scientific thinking of his day, but which did not always lead him to the conclusions of modern fluid mechanics. It highlights the multiple and ambiguous meanings of turbulence in his works. It examines his thinking suggestive of modern concepts such as the no-slip condition, hydraulic jump, cardiovascular vortices, conservation of volume, and the distinctive path of ascending bubbles we now term Leonardo's paradox, among others. It demonstrates how Leonardo thought through analogies, building-block flow patterns, and synthesis, leading both to successes—especially in the management of water—and to failures, perhaps most obviously in his pursuit of human flight.
Nutritional Aspects of Spermidine
Authors: Madeo Frank , Hofer Sebastian J. , Pendl Tobias , Bauer Maria A. , Eisenberg Tobias , Carmona-Gutierrez Didac , Kroemer Guido
Published: July 2020

Natural polyamines (spermidine and spermine) are small, positively charged molecules that are ubiquitously found within organisms and cells. They exert numerous (intra)cellular functions and have been implicated to protect against several age-related diseases. Although polyamine levels decline in a complex age-dependent, tissue-, and cell type–specific manner, they are maintained in healthy nonagenarians and centenarians. Increased polyamine levels, including through enhanced dietary intake, have been consistently linked to improved health and reduced overall mortality. In preclinical models, dietary supplementation with spermidine prolongs life span and health span. In this review, we highlight salient aspects of nutritional polyamine intake and summarize the current knowledge of organismal and cellular uptake and distribution of dietary (and gastrointestinal) polyamines and their impact on human health. We further summarize clinical and epidemiological studies of dietary polyamines.
The Effectiveness of Forest Conservation Policies and Programs
Authors: Börner Jan , Schulz Dario , Wunder Sven , Pfaff Alexander
Published: July 2020

The world's forests provide valuable contributions to people but continue to be threatened by agricultural expansion and other land uses. Counterfactual-based methods are increasingly used to evaluate forest conservation initiatives. This review synthesizes recent studies quantifying the impacts of such policies and programs. Extending past reviews focused on instrument choice, design, and implementation, our theory of change explicitly acknowledges context. Screening over 60,000 abstracts yielded 136 comparable normalized effect sizes (Cohen's d). Comparing across instrument categories, evaluation methods, and contexts suggests not only a lack of “silver bullets” in the conservation toolbox, but that effectiveness is also moderate on average. Yet context is critical. Many interventions in our sample were implemented in “bullet-proof” contexts of low pressure on natural resources. This greatly limits their potential impacts and suggests the need to invest further not only in understanding but also in better aligning conservation with local and global development goals.
The Evolution of Integrated Assessment: Developing the Next Generation of Use-Inspired Integrated Assessment Tools
Authors: Fisher-Vanden Karen , Weyant John
Published: July 2020

In this review, we attempt to describe the evolution of integrated assessment modeling research since the pioneering work of William Nordhaus in 1994, highlighting a number of challenges and suggestions for moving the field forward. The field has evolved from global aggregate models focused on cost-benefit analysis to detailed process models used to generate emissions scenarios and to coupled model frameworks for impact analyses. The increased demand for higher sectoral, temporal, and spatial resolution to conduct impact analyses has led to a number of challenges both computationally and conceptually. Overcoming these challenges and moving the field forward will require not only greater efforts in model coupling software and translational tools, the incorporation of empirical findings into integrated assessment models, and intermethod comparisons but also the expansion and better coordination of multidisciplinary researchers in this field through better training of the next generation of integrated assessment scholars and expanding the community of practice.
Lithium-Gold Reference Electrode for Potential Stability During In Situ Electron Microscopy Studies of Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Hou Jing , Girod Robin , Nianias Nikolaos , Shen Tzu-Hsien , Fan Jialiang , Tileli Vasiliki
Published: July 2020

Electrochemical liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is showing excellent promise in fundamental studies of energy-related processes including lithium-ion battery (LIB) cycling. A key requirement to accurately interpret the measurements and acquire quantitative information is the implementation of a reliable reference electrode. Quasi-reference electrodes (QRE) remain commonly used due to microfabrication constraints of the electrochemical cell, however, they typically yield dramatic potential drifts making the electrochemical results inconclusive. Here, we present a method of producing a stable and readily interpretable lithium-gold alloy micro-reference electrode, which exhibits a reference potential of 0.1 V vs Li/Li+. We first examine the feasibility of electrochemically alloying a pristine gold electrode, patterned on a chip for in situ TEM, using a benchtop setup, and investigate various sources to support the lithiation. We confirm the presence of the Li-Au alloy using chronopotentiometry (CP) and open circuit voltage (OCV) measurements, and by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and high-resolution (HR) TEM. Finally, we apply this methodology in situ and use LiFePO4 as a model cathode material to demonstrate the merit of the Li-Au alloy reference electrode for obtaining reproducible cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements on a liquid cell microelectrode system.
Catalyst Free MnO2 Nanoflakes for Electrochemical Capacitor
Authors: Kumar Ashwani , Adalati Ravikant , Kaushik Meenakshi , Kumar Yogesh , Chandra Ramesh
Published: July 2020

This paper reports an efficient method for growing MnO2 nanoflakes by reactive magnetron sputtering for supercapacitor applications. The physical vapor deposition technique presented in this work is simple, unique, without much chemical usage, direct and economically viable route for growing nanoflakes as per the requirement for different applications. Here, MnO2 nanoflakes were directly deposited on the steel cold finger substrate at liquid nitrogen temperature. The MnO2 nanoflakes electrode based supercapacitor cell in three electrode configuration delivers good specific capacitance value ∼374 F g−1 at current density of 1.1 Ag−1 in 1M sodium sulphate (Na2SO4) aqueous electrolyte solution. The symmetric two electrode supercapacitor cell delivers a high capacitance value ∼64 Fg−1 at 1.17 Ag−1, good cycling ability, 85.59% of capacitance retention after 1500 cycles along with good energy and power density, 7.2 Wh kg−1 and 607 Wkg−1 respectively. This work opens a new avenue towards efficient designing of catalyst-free MnO2 nanoflakes.
Unravelling the Contribution of Kinetics and Mass Transport Phenomena to Impedance Spectra in Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries: Development and Validation of a 1D Physics-Based Analytical Model
Authors: Vivona Daniele , Messaggi Mirko , Baricci Andrea , Casalegno Andrea , Zago Matteo
Published: July 2020

Vanadium redox flow battery technology can support the spread of energy storage in stationary applications and allow higher penetration of renewables in the electric grid. Currently, its market competitiveness is hindered by low power density, which stems from complex interplay between kinetic and mass transport losses. The quantitative interpretation of experimental observations should rely on physics-based models, which allow a consistent comparison of different operative conditions. In this work, a fast analytical physics-based 1D model of the impedance of vanadium flow battery is presented and validated with respect to experimental data. The model, made available online at http://mrtfuelcell.polimi.it, employs a macro-homogeneous approach and considers losses due to kinetics, reactant distribution within the electrode (Sigracet® SGL 39 AA carbon paper), convection in flow channel and vanadium transport to electrode surface. Additionally, analytical expressions of contributions to impedance of single physical phenomena are derived through an asymptotical analysis. The results show that, at negative electrode, transport of ions to active surface is the limiting phenomenon at lower flow rates, while at higher flow rates depletion of reactants within electrode becomes critical together with charge transfer processes. At positive electrode, the main contribution to performance loss is the vanadium transport to electrode surface.
A Comprehensive Review of Cutaneous Manifestations Associated with COVID‐19
Authors: Rahimi Hoda , Tehranchinia Zohreh
Published: July 2020

The novel coronavirus (SARS‐CoV‐2), the cause of coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID‐19) pandemic, is associated with some cutaneous manifestations. Although the cutaneous presentations of COVID‐19 are infrequent, it is of great importance for all clinicians to be aware of these manifestations, as it may contribute to sooner and better diagnosis and management of the disease, even in asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic patients. The reported cutaneous manifestations of COVID‐19 are various, dispersed, and sometimes confusing. In this article, all reported cases to date were collected and classified under 6 major groups: maculopapular rash, urticaria, chilblain, vesicular lesions, livedo reticularis, and petechiae. Different characteristics of each group were discussed in detail as well.
Weighted Composition Operators from Besov Zygmund-Type Spaces into Zygmund-Type Spaces
Authors: Zhu Xiangling , Hu Nanhui
Published: July 2020

The boundedness, compactness, and essential norm of weighted composition operators from Besov Zygmund-type spaces into Zygmund-type spaces are investigated in this paper.
Physicochemical and Functional Potential of Hydrocolloids Extracted from Some Solanaceae Plants
Authors: Aftab Kiran , Hameed Shabana , Umbreen Huma , Ali Shafaqat , Rizwan Muhammad , Alkahtani Saad , Abdel-Daim Mohamed M.
Published: July 2020

Three different plants (Solanum indicum, Solanum surattense, and Solanum nigrum) of Solanaceae family were explored to extract and characterize hydrocolloids in aqueous solution. S. indicum fruit fractions bring in maximum hydrocolloid yield of 21.39 ± 0.42% based on % dry weight of the sample. The observed order of extracting hydrocolloid yield amongst investigating aerial parts of S. surattense, S. nigrum, and S. indicum (% dry weight) is fruits > stem > leaves. Maximum protein (22%) and starch (0.85%) contents were observed in fruit fractions of S. nigrum and S. indicum, respectively. Among the functional characteristics, the fruit fraction of S. indicum has higher water-holding capacity (24.80%), oil-holding capacity (2.96%), emulsifying activity (90%), emulsion stability (70%), foaming capacity (65%), and foaming stability (90%). Monosaccharide profiling results showed the presence of glucose, galacturonic acid, galactose, glucuronic acid, arabinose, and xylose in extracted fractions. The findings propose that hydrocolloids (extracted with water) are cost-effective and would be potential candidate as a substitute for pectin added into foamy and frothy food products and frothy beverages.
Current Status and Prospects of Spontaneous Peritonitis in Patients with Cirrhosis
Authors: Li Yong-Tao , Huang Jian-Rong , Peng Mei-Lian
Published: July 2020

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a common cirrhotic ascites complication which exacerbates the patient’s condition. SBP is caused by gram‐negative bacilli and, to a lesser extent, gram‐positive cocci. Hospital‐acquired infections show higher levels of drug‐resistant bacteria. Geographical location influences pathogenic bacteria distribution; therefore, different hospitals in the same country record different bacteria strains. Intestinal changes and a weak immune system in patients with liver cirrhosis lead to bacterial translocation thus causing SBP. Early diagnosis and timely treatment are important in SBP management. When the treatment effect is not effective, other rare pathogens should be explored.
The Analysis of Time‐Space Effect of Surrounding Rock Deformation of TBM Tunnels in Deep Composite Stratum with or without Support
Authors: Sun Xiaoming , Ren Chao , Yuan Junchao , Du Jianming , Liu Jinshan , Guo Bo
Published: July 2020

In view of difficult problems such as excavation, segment simulation, deformation, and force measurement in the small‐scale model testing of deep composite stratum TBM tunnel, the TBM simulation experimental device, the model segment ring prefabrication device, and the digital photogrammetry technology were comprehensively adopted. Also, the calculation methods were proposed. The analysis of the deformation characteristics as well as rupture of surrounding rock revealed those space‐time effects: (1) When no support existed, the space‐time effect of the surrounding rock deformation was concentrated in the following case: with the development of time, the deformation of surrounding rock starts from the sides of the arch waist at the junction of the composite stratum, while four arcs were derived and shear sliding occurred, resulting in overall collapse and destruction. (2) Following the support application, the space‐time effect of the surrounding rock deformation was concentrated on the three stages of the interaction between the surrounding rock and the support, namely, the preliminary stage, the equilibrium process, and the instability state. The spatial effect was concentrated in the area where the surrounding rock was deformed and destroyed. The most severe area was the shallow surrounding rock, while the sub‐violent area was the corner of the sidewall.
Demand Analysis and Distribution of Single-Trip Ticket Cards for Urban Rail Transit
Authors: Wang Zi-jia , Li Jing-qi , Wu Jiang-yue , Yang Zhi-gang
Published: July 2020

In the current urban rail transit systems, nearly 15% of passengers are noncommuter travelers who use single-trip ticket cards (ticket cards). Accordingly, the effective management of ticket cards is of great importance. This article suggests a time series model for use in predicting ticket card storage based on the characteristics of ticket cards collected by an automatic fare collection (AFC) system. The distribution cycle, station types, and distribution volume of each station are also determined. Then, drawing on small package transportation feasibility theory, an unbalanced distribution model between production and demand (unbalanced distribution model), as well as a hybrid distribution model of loading and unloading (hybrid distribution model), is established. Application of these models to the Beijing Subway system is used to verify the efficiency and feasibility of such a hybrid distribution model. The analysis and results offer insights into usage patterns of urban rail transit ticket cards, providing solid evidence for a relative decision-making process.
Persistent Tachycardia in a Patient on Clozapine
Authors: Adeyemo Samuel , Jegede Oluwole , Rabel Peterson , Ahmed Saad , Tumenta Terence , Oladeji Oluwatoyin , Taher Khanderker
Published: July 2020

Tachycardia emergent from clozapine treatment is usually transient, often missed, unreported, and therefore frequently goes untreated resulting in possible premature discontinuation of an otherwise effective treatment. Clozapine-induced tachycardia results from direct effects on the sympathetic nervous system including the blockade of cardiac muscarinic M2 receptors, presynaptic α2 adrenoceptors, and indirect activation of the β adrenoceptors. Unfortunately, there are no clear guidelines for monitoring or treating tachycardia induced by clozapine. We present a case of a 55-year-old man with treatment-resistant schizophrenia initiated on clozapine who developed persistent tachycardia and right bundle branch block in the course of treatment. Tachycardia persisted despite treatment with metoprolol and necessitated a transfer to the intensive care unit. A reduction in clozapine dose with the addition of adjunctive antipsychotic(lurasidone) stabilized the patient’s heart rate. This case highlights the need for consistent physical examination and a multidisciplinary-based treatment approach for patients on clozapine. The case also suggests that clozapine dose reduction and combination antipsychotic treatments may preclude the need to discontinue clozapine in patients with persistent tachycardia.
Smart Edge Broker for Location-Based Transfer between Services and Distributed Data in IoT Smart Services
Authors: Ahn Junguk , Lee Byung Mun
Published: July 2020

Various kinds of smart sensors are being developed and released with the growth of sensor technology and Internet of Things (IoT) technology. IoT smart service can provide convenience in our daily lives with these smart sensors. However, the increasing number of mobile sensors and amount of data may increase latency. It may cause network congestion on a particular network. Therefore, we propose a Smart Edge Broker (SEB) to intelligently transmit data traffic generated by a smart city in this paper. SEB can prevent the traffic congestion from being transmitted or bypassed to a location where traffic is not necessary. In addition, SEB can prevent overload in a specific area between services through a location-based transfer. Plus, SEB is suitable to operate it as a fog computing model by placing it at the edge of a smart city network. We conducted a latency measurement experiment and load measurement experiment to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed Smart Edge Broker. As a result, we found that the latency was reduced by 72%, and the CPU usage was reduced by 63% compared to when the Smart Edge Broker was not used.
Pharmacokinetic Effects of l‐Tetrahydropalmatine on Ketamine in Rat Plasma by Ultraperformance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Du Yan , Su Hongliang , Cao Jie , Wei Zhiwen , Wang Yujin , Yun Keming
Published: July 2020

Male Sprague‐Dawley rats (n = 18) were randomly divided into three groups: a saline group (20 mL/kg by gavage), a ketamine (KET) group (100 mg/kg by gavage), and a KET (the same routes and doses) combined with levo‐tetrahydropalmatine (l‐THP; 40 mg/kg by gavage) group (n = 6). Blood samples were acquired at different time points after drug administration. A simple and sensitive ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐MS/MS) method was established to determine the concentrations of KET and its metabolite, norketamine (NK), in rat plasma. Chromatographic separation was achieved using a BEH C18 column (2.1 mm × 50 mm, 1.7 μm) with chlorpheniramine maleate (Chlor‐Trimeton) as an internal standard (IS). The initial mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile–water with 0.1% methanoic acid (80 : 20, v/v). The multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) modes of m/z 238.1→m/z 179.1 for KET, m/z 224.1→m/z 207.1 for NK, and m/z 275→m/z 230 for Chlor‐Trimeton (IS) were utilized to conduct a quantitative analysis. Calibration curves of KET and NK in rat plasma demonstrated good linearity in the range of 2.5–500 ng/mL (r > 0.9994), and the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 2.5 ng/mL for both. Moreover, the intra‐ and interday precision relative standard deviation (RSD) of KET and NK were less than 4.31% and 6.53%, respectively. The accuracies (relative error) of KET and NK were below ‐1.41% and ‐6.07%, respectively. The extraction recoveries of KET and NK were more than 81.23 ± 3.45% and 80.42 ± 4.57%, respectively. This sensitive, rapid, and selective UPLC‐MS/MS method was successfully applied to study the pharmacokinetic effects of l-THP on KET after gastric gavage. The results demonstrated that l-THP could increase the bioavailability of KET and promote the metabolism of KET. The results showed that l-THP has pharmacokinetics effects on KET in rat plasma.
SPH Simulation of Structures Impacted by Tailing Debris Flow and Its Application to the Buffering Effect Analysis of Debris Checking Dams
Authors: Zeng Qing-Yun , Pan Jian-Ping , Sun Han-Zheng
Published: July 2020

Since the tailing dam fails catastrophically with substantial instantaneous deformation, it is difficult to measure the migration of debris flow caused by the failure of the tailings dam. A simulation model of tailing debris flow based on Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) theory of elastic-plastic constitutive equation has been established by considering the viscoplasticity of mud and the elastic-plastic characteristics of tailing sand to investigate the impact effect of tailing flow on the downstream structures. By comparing the experimental and two different simulation results obtained, it can be concluded that SPH elastic-plastic constitutive model can effectively simulate the accumulation and migration processes of the tailing debris flow, which indicates that the SPH model has good applicability to solve geotechnical large deformation problems of similar tailings flow slide. Then, the verified simulation model developed based on a series of simulations of tailing debris flow propagations was used to determine the momentum reduction on the downstream structure resulting from the presence of a simple checking dam perpendicular to the direction of propagation and to determine the characteristics of stresses applied to this structure in terms of peak impact force and evolution over time to the main flow direction.
Serum miR‐1228‐3p and miR‐181a‐5p as Noninvasive Biomarkers for Non‐Small Cell Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Prognosis
Authors: Xue Wei-Xiao , Zhang Meng-Yu , Rui Li  , Liu Xiao , Yin Yun-Hong , Qu Yi-Qing
Published: July 2020

Background. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer‐related mortality worldwide, and non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for over 80% of all lung cancers. Serum microRNAs (miRNAs), due to their high stability, have the potential to become valuable noninvasive biomarkers. This present study was aimed to identify the serum miRNAs expression signatures for the diagnosis and prognosis of NSCLC using bioinformatics analysis. Methods. A total of 12 miRNAs profiling studies have been identified in Pubmed, Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and ArreyExpress databases. Differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were analyzed according to GEO2R online tool and RRA method from R. Then, prediction of DEmiRNAs’ target genes from TargetScan, PicTar, miRDB, Tarbase, and miRanda database. Furthermore, we using reverse transcription– quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) to evaluate the expression levels of DEmiRNAs in serum samples obtained from NSCLC patients and healthy controls. Subsequently, the clinical significance of the tested miRNAs was determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and Cox regression analysis. Results. A total of 27 DEmiRNAs were identified and 5 of them (miR‐1228‐3p, miR‐1228‐5p, miR‐133a‐3p, miR‐1273f, miR‐545‐3p) were significantly up‐regulated and 4 of them (miR‐181a‐5p, miR‐266‐5p, miR‐361‐5p, miR‐130a‐3p) were significantly down‐regulated in NSCLC patients compared with healthy controls. RT‐qPCR validated that miR‐1228‐3p (P =0.006) and miR‐181a‐5p (P =0.030) were significantly differentially expressed in the serum of NSCLC patients and healthy controls. ROC analysis on miR‐1228‐3p and miR‐181a‐5p revealed the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.685 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.563–0.806; P =0.006) and 0.647 (95% CI, 0.506–0.758; P =0.049). ROC analysis on miR‐1228‐3p combined miR‐181a‐5p revealed the AUC of 0.711 (95% CI, 0.593–0.828; P =0.002). Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that the high serum miR‐1228‐3p level was an independent factor for the poor prognosis of NSCLC patients. Conclusions. Serum miR‐1228‐3p and miR‐181a‐5p are potential noninvasive biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of NSCLC patients.
BCOR Binding to MLL-AF9 Is Essential for Leukemia via Altered EYA1, SIX, and MYC Activity
Authors: Schmidt Charles R. , Achille Nicholas J. , Kuntimaddi Aravinda , Boulton Adam M. , Leach Benjamin I. , Zhang Shubin , Zeleznik-Le Nancy J. , Bushweller John H.
Published: July 2020

MLL is a target of chromosomal translocations in acute leukemias with poor prognosis. The common MLL fusion partner AF9 (MLLT3) can directly bind to AF4, DOT1L, BCOR, and CBX8. To delineate the relevance of BCOR and CBX8 binding to MLL-AF9 for leukemogenesis, here we determine protein structures of AF9 complexes with CBX8 and BCOR, and show that binding of all four partners to AF9 is mutually exclusive. Using the structural analyses, we identify point mutations that selectively disrupt AF9 interactions with BCOR and CBX8. In bone marrow stem/progenitor cells expressing point mutant CBX8 or point mutant MLL-AF9, we show that disruption of direct CBX8/MLL-AF9 binding does not impact in vitro cell proliferation, whereas loss of direct BCOR/MLL-AF9 binding causes partial differentiation and increased proliferation. Strikingly, loss of MLL-AF9/BCOR binding abrogated its leukemogenic potential in a mouse model. The MLL-AF9 mutant deficient for BCOR binding reduces the expression of the EYA1 phosphatase and the protein level of c-Myc. Reduction in BCOR binding to MLL-AF9 alters a MYC-driven gene expression program, as well as altering expression of SIX-regulated genes, likely contributing to the observed reduction in the leukemia-initiating cell population.

Significance:

Direct recruitment of BCOR to MLL-AF9 is essential for leukemia via EYA1 phosphatase regulation, altering MYC and SIX gene expression programs. Specific partner binding (AF4, DOT1L, and BCOR) contributes in distinct ways to MLL leukemia. This may provide a rationale for combination DOT1L and EYA1 inhibition for MLL fusion leukemia treatment.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 127
Galactosialidosis Type IIb with Bilateral Macular Cherry-Red Spots but Mild Dysfunction
Authors: Fukuyo Hanon , Inoue Yuji , Takahashi Hidenori , Hatano Yu , Shibuya Toko , Sakai Norio , Kawashima Hidetoshi
Published: July 2020

Galactosialidosis is a rare metabolic disorder resulting from mutations in the CTSA gene. Few studies have reported on the ocular findings of galactosialidosis type IIb in detail. We report on a case of galactosialidosis, the diagnosis of which was suggested by bilateral macular cherry-red spots, which is an indication of lysosomal storage disease. In this case, retinal and systemic dysfunctions were mild. Genetic studies revealed an abnormality of relevant protective proteins, and thus a definitive diagnosis was made. The patient was a 35-year-old man who had blurred vision from young age, but he did not seek any therapy due to good visual acuity. He visited a local clinic after the blurred vision in the left eye worsened and was referred to us for bilateral macular cherry-red spots. He had no family history of note. We observed fine grayish-white deposits in the corneal stroma and fine opacity of the lens. Optical coherence tomography showed a hyperreflective region and a thick bilateral retinal ganglion cell layer. Goldmann perimetry showed focal loss of sensitivity. There was almost no functional decline noted on multifocal electroretinography. Lysosomal storage disease was suspected due to corneal clouding and macular cherry-red spots, and so further evaluation was performed. Though neurological abnormality was mild, we made a diagnosis of galactosialidosis because of decreased activity of β-galactosidase and sialidase. Genetic studies revealed an abnormality of relevant protective proteins. Since the onset was later in life and clinical symptoms were mild, we expect that the ophthalmological findings will remain stable. Long-term observation is necessary for this case.
Primary Melanoma of the Lung Treated with Surgery, Dabrafenib and Trametinib
Authors: Landgraf Layla G. , Malias Mark A. , Patterson Stephen J.
Published: July 2020

This is a case report on a 69-year-old woman who was diagnosed with malignant melanoma presenting in the lung. A complete staging workup was performed by her oncologist, with no skin lesion identified as a primary. CT-guided needle biopsy of the lung nodule was completed, with pathology revealing atypical cells consistent with malignant melanoma. Following full body examination by the cutaneous oncologist, a robotic wedge resection and lymph node dissection accompanied by bronchoscopy were performed. Molecular testing (Caris Life Sciences) of the surgical tumor specimen revealed pathological BRAF DNA mutation in exon 15/p.V600K. The patient was initially treated with nivolumab, then treated with a combination of dabrafenib and trametinib at recurrence.
Assessing the Association of Surface-Intermediate-Base Margin Score with Perioperative Outcomes and Parenchymal Volume Preserved during Partial Nephrectomy
Authors: Citamak Burak , Haberal Hakan Bahadir , Akdogan Bulent
Published: July 2020

Introduction: The present study aimed to compare the assessment of volume preservation and perioperative outcomes during partial nephrectomy (PN), according to the surface-intermediate-base (SIB) score. Methods: This prospective study included 80 patients diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma who underwent PN for a renal mass from 2014 to 2017. SIB score was macroscopically evaluated immediately after the surgery. Preoperative assessment of volume preservation (PAVP), surgeon assessment of volume preservation (SAVP), duration of ischemia, perioperative complications, pathological data, and the values of preoperative and postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were recorded. Results: A strong correlation was determined between PAVP and SAVP (R = 0.82, R2 = 0.68, p < 0.0001) and between vGFR-PAVP and vGFR-SAVP calculated using the adapted eGFR (preop eGFR × [PAVP or SAVP]) (R = 0.97, R2 = 0.95, p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, preoperative tumor size, SIB score (1–2 vs. 3–5), and vGFR (PAVP and SAVP model) were significant predictors of postoperative eGFR. A low base score was associated with surgical margin positivity, and a high SIB score (≥3) was associated with perioperative complications (p = 0.017; p = 0.028). Conclusion: The SIB score can be considered a reliable surrogate for volume preservation after PN because it is strongly associated with both PAVP and SAVP. SIB score is useful in predicting functional outcomes, complications, and surgical margin positivity.
Examining the Safety and Efficacy of Low-Level Laser Therapy for Male and Female Pattern Hair Loss: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Egger Andjela , Resnik Sydney R. , Aickara Divya , Maranda Eric , Kaiser Michael , Wikramanayake Tongyu C. , Jimenez Joaquin J.
Published: July 2020

Purpose: Pattern hair loss is the most common type of alopecia. Standard of care involves long-term use of topical medications with limited effectiveness. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has become a popular alternative treatment. Here, we examine published clinical trials to establish whether the breadth of evidence supports LLLT for pattern hair loss. Methods: A literature search was conducted within the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Trials databases to identify original articles evaluating hair regrowth following LLLT. Articles were selected based on use of 600–1,100 nm wavelengths, treatment time ≥16 weeks, and objective evaluation for hair regrowth. Results: Ten randomized controlled trials were included, of which 8 compared LLLT to sham device and 1 to no treatment. The study populations varied, with 3 studies evaluating only women. All sham-device controlled studies demonstrated statistically significant increase in hair diameter or density (p < 0.01) following LLLT. Discussion: Based on our review of the literature, LLLT appears to be effective for treating pattern hair loss in both men and women. These laser devices have good safety profiles, with only minor adverse effects reported. However, physicians should be cautious when drawing conclusions as some studies included have a relationship with industry.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Associated Belgian Governmental Measures on Cancer Screening, Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology
Authors: de Pelsemaeker Marie-Caroline , Guiot Yves , Vanderveken Jonathan , Galant Christine , Van Bockstal Mieke Rosalie
Published: July 2020

Introduction: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 caused a pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Unprecedented public health actions were introduced, including social distancing, travel restrictions and quarantine. The Belgian government announced a national emergency plan, thereby postponing all non-urgent medical consultations and operations. This report analyses the impact of these measures on cancer screening, through assessment of the workload of a laboratory for histopathology and cytopathology. Methods: Data on monthly numbers of histological and cytological samples, immunohistochemistry and molecular tests were extracted from the laboratory information management system. Results: The global histopathological and cytological workload was substantially reduced. The impact on oncology-related surgical procedures was rather limited. The anti-COVID-19 measures significantly diminished all screening-related samples, such as colon biopsies, breast biopsies and cervical cytology, and strongly reduced the number of samples related to “functional” pathology, such as thyroidectomies and gastric biopsies. Conclusions: Since many health care interventions are reflected in the workload of a pathology laboratory, this study enabled us to identify areas for “deconfinement” health care actions. Our findings indicate that various areas in medicine were affected, but the impact seemed largest for cancer screening. Health care professionals should assure that consultations related to cancer screening are postponed instead of cancelled.
Electrocardiogram Standards for Children and Young Adults Using
Z
-Scores
Authors: Bratincsák András , Kimata Chieko , Limm-Chan Blair N. , Vincent Kevin P. , Williams Matthew R. , Perry James C.
Published: July 2020

Background:

Normative ECG values for children are based on relatively few subjects and are not standardized, resulting in interpersonal variability of interpretation. Recent advances in digital technology allow a more quantitative, reproducible assessment of ECG variables. Our objective was to create the foundation of normative ECG standards in the young utilizing
Z
-scores.

Methods:

One hundred two ECG variables were collected from a retrospective cohort of 27 085 study subjects with no known heart condition, ages 0 to 39 years. The cohort was divided into 16 age groups by sex. Median, interquartile range, and range were calculated for each variable adjusted to body surface area.

Results:

Normative standards were developed for all 102 ECG variables including heart rate; P, R, and T axis; R-T axis deviation; PR interval, QRS duration, QT, and QTc interval; P, Q, R, S, and T amplitudes in 12 leads; as well as QRS and T wave integrals. Incremental
Z
-score values between –2.5 and 2.5 were calculated to establish upper and lower limits of normal. Historical ECG interpretative concepts were reassessed and new concepts observed.

Conclusions:

Electronically acquired ECG values based on the largest pediatric and young adult cohort ever compiled provide the first detailed, standardized, quantitative foundation of traditional and novel ECG variables. Expression of ECG variables by
Z
-scores lends an objective and reproducible evaluation without interpreter bias that can lead to more confident establishment of ECG-disease correlations and improved automated ECG readings in high-volume cardiac screening efforts in the young.

Graphic Abstract:

A
graphic abstract
is available for this article.