bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Reduced Collatz Dynamics Maps to a Residue Class, and Its Count of x/2 over the Count of 3∗x+1 Is Larger than ln3/ln2
Authors: Ren Wei
Published: August 2020

We propose reduced Collatz conjecture and prove that it is equivalent to Collatz conjecture but more primitive due to reduced dynamics. We study reduced dynamics (that consists of occurred computations from any starting integer to the first integer less than it) because it is the component of original dynamics (from any starting integer to 1). Reduced dynamics is denoted as a sequence of “I” that represents (3∗x+1)/2 and “O” that represents x/2. Here, 3∗x+1 and x/2 are combined together because 3∗x+1 is always even and thus followed by x/2. We discover and prove two key properties on reduced dynamics: (1) Reduced dynamics is invertible. That is, given reduced dynamics, a residue class that presents such reduced dynamics can be computed directly by our derived formula. (2) Reduced dynamics can be constructed algorithmically, instead of by computing concrete 3∗x+1 and x/2 step by step. We discover the sufficient and necessary condition that guarantees a sequence consisting of “I” and “O” to be a reduced dynamics. Counting from the beginning of a sequence, if and only if the count of x/2 over the count of 3∗x+1 is larger than ln3/ln2, reduced dynamics will be obtained (i.e., current integer will be less than starting integer).
A Velocity-Combined Local Best Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm for Nonlinear Equations
Authors: Lian Zhigang , Wang Songhua , Chen Yangquan
Published: August 2020

Many people use traditional methods such as quasi-Newton method and Gauss–Newton-based BFGS to solve nonlinear equations. In this paper, we present an improved particle swarm optimization algorithm to solve nonlinear equations. The novel algorithm introduces the historical and local optimum information of particles to update a particle’s velocity. Five sets of typical nonlinear equations are employed to test the quality and reliability of the novel algorithm search comparing with the PSO algorithm. Numerical results show that the proposed method is effective for the given test problems. The new algorithm can be used as a new tool to solve nonlinear equations, continuous function optimization, etc., and the combinatorial optimization problem. The global convergence of the given method is established.
A Game Mechanism of Individual Value Decision-Making Based on SVO Differences
Authors: Shi Xu , Qiu Lu-yun , Fang Zhi-geng , Liu Xia-qing , Du Yang-yang
Published: August 2020

As the externalized carrier of intrinsic value, value decision-making is an important factor affecting the social value system. As an old Chinese saying goes, “A friend in need is a friend indeed,” crisis environment provides the background for the conflicts of multiple values, while individual social value orientation (SVO) determines the ranking of the value states. This paper defined the SVO types by means of Slider Measure method on the basis of environment description, constructed a decision-making game model in accordance with SVO differences, and finally analysed the mechanism of people’s decision-making. Taking the epidemic situation as the background, this paper conducted an empirical analysis with the sample of college students. The results showed that the most SVO types of college students were prosocial orientation, followed by individualistic orientation, altruistic orientation, and competitive orientation. In the crisis environment, individual SVO type and decision-making constituted a mapping relationship. There was an equilibrium point in the decision of prosocial orientation, and the dominant decision of altruistic orientation or individualistic orientation is relatively stable.
Comprehensive Characterization of Prognostic Long Noncoding RNAs in Osteosarcoma
Authors: Gao Hua , Guo Yuanyuan , Zhang Miaomiao , Yi Zuqiang
Published: August 2020

The molecular mechanism of osteosarcoma (OS) based on protein‐coding genes has largely been studied in the past decades. However, much remains to be explored when it comes to the role that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play in the pathogenesis and progression of OS and how they are associated with OS metastasis. In the present study, we collected RNA‐seq‐based gene expression data of 82 OS samples from the Therapeutically Applicable Research To Generate Effective Treatments (TARGET) database, along with their clinical information. We found that 50 lncRNAs were significantly associated with patients’ survival by univariable Cox regression model. Moreover, we built multivariable Cox regression model based on 7 lncRNAs and successfully stratified patients into two risk groups, which exhibited significantly different prognostic outcomes. Significantly enriched Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways detected by differential expression analysis on DEGs between the two groups with different prognostic outcomes were both immune‐related, indicating that such GO terms and pathways are critical for OS survival. Among the seven lncRNA signatures, AC011442.1 was predicted to act as an oncogenic driver in OS by correlation analysis of copy number alteration (CNA) and lncRNA expression, and it was predicted to regulate AMPK and hedgehog signaling pathways. In summary, the identification of novel prognostic lncRNAs in OS could not only improved our understanding of the lncRNAs involved in OS tumorigenesis or progression but also assist the diagnosis and development of molecularly targeted therapies for OS, which in turn benefit patients’ survival.
Piquiá Shells (Caryocar villosum): A Fruit by-Product with Antioxidant and Antiaging Properties in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Roxo Mariana , Peixoto Herbenya , Wetterauer Pille , Lima Emerson , Wink Michael
Published: August 2020

In a context of rising demand for sustainable antiaging interventions, fruit processing by-products are a promising source of bioactive compounds for the production of antiaging dietary supplements. Piquiá (Caryocar villosum) is a native Amazonian fruit consisting of 65% nonedible shells. In the present study, the phytochemical profile of a hydroalcoholic extract of piquiá shells (CV) was characterized by LC-MS/MS analysis. Its antioxidant and antiaging activities were investigated using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as an in vivo model. CV is mainly composed by hydrolysable tannins and triterpenoid saponins. The extract enhanced stress resistance of wild-type and mutant worms by reducing the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and by increasing their survival against a lethal dose of the prooxidant juglone. These effects involved the upregulation of sod-3 and downregulation of gst-4 and hsp-16.2, studied through the GFP fluorescent reporter intensity and at the transcriptional level by qRT-PCR analysis. CV extended the lifespan of wild-type worms in a DAF-16/FoxO- and SKN-1/Nrf-dependent manner. Taken together, our findings indicate piquiá shells as potential candidates for nutraceutical applications. Further studies are needed to validate the relevance of our findings to antiaging interventions in humans.
Angiosarcoma of the Scalp and Face: A Dosimetric Comparison of HDR Surface Applicator Brachytherapy and VMAT
Authors: Mitra Devarati , Pei Yaguang , Buzurovic Ivan , Devlin Phillip M. , Thornton Katherine , Raut Chandrajit P. , Baldini Elizabeth H. , Lam Miranda B.
Published: August 2020

Purpose. Angiosarcoma of the face and scalp is a rare disease with high rates of recurrence. The optimal treatment approach is not well defined. This study presents a dosimetric comparison of high-dose-rate surface applicator (HDR-SA) brachytherapy to volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT). Methods. Between 2011 and 2018, 12 patients with primary or recurrent angiosarcoma of the face or scalp were treated with HDR-SA brachytherapy using CT-based planning at our institution. For comparison, deliverable VMAT plans for each patient were generated, and dose distribution was compared to the delivered HDR-SA brachytherapy plans. Results. Both VMAT and HDR-SA brachytherapy plans delivered good coverage of the clinical target. However, the dose distribution of VMAT was significantly different from HDR-SA brachytherapy across a variety of parameters. Mean doses to the lacrimal gland, orbit, lens, and cochlea were significantly higher with HDR-SA brachytherapy vs. VMAT. Brain Dmax, V80%, and V50% were also significantly higher with HDR-SA brachytherapy. Conclusions. There may be dosimetric advantages to VMAT over HDR-SA brachytherapy for many patients. However, individual tumor location, patient anatomy, and treatment reproducibility may result in HDR-SA brachytherapy being the preferred technique in a subset of patients. Ultimately, a personalized approach is likely to be the optimal treatment plan.
Risk Situation Assessment Model Based on Interdomain Interaction in Cloud Computing Environment
Authors: Wang Gaocai , Yu Ning
Published: August 2020

With the widespread application of cloud computing sharing technology, the demand for cross-domain interaction is also increasing. However, due to the uncertainty of interaction behaviour and the difference of network service quality, the risk of cross-domain interaction cannot be accurately evaluated. Therefore, this paper proposes a risk situation evaluation model based on interdomain interactions. The model collects interactive credentials such as the frequency, credibility, and time-effectiveness of the user-submitted evaluations. At the same time, it collects the evaluation of quality of service provided by the network security domain. Then, we set up a risk evaluation equation based on the interaction credentials to implement the risk evaluation of cross-domain interaction behaviour. Finally, we apply MATLAB platform to simulate the evolution process of evaluation. The experimental results show that, compared with other models, the evaluation method proposed in this paper improves the accuracy of the evaluation results and meets the security requirements of multidomain interaction.
Application of Deep Learning for Early Screening of Colorectal Precancerous Lesions under White Light Endoscopy
Authors: Gao Junbo , Guo Yuanhao , Sun Yingxue , Qu Guoqiang
Published: August 2020

Background and Objective. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common gastrointestinal tumour with high morbidity and mortality. Endoscopic examination is an effective method for early detection of digestive system tumours. However, due to various reasons, missed diagnoses and misdiagnoses are common occurrences. Our goal is to use deep learning methods to establish colorectal lesion detection, positioning, and classification models based on white light endoscopic images and to design a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system to help physicians reduce the rate of missed diagnosis and improve the accuracy of the detection rate. Methods. We collected and sorted out the white light endoscopic images of some patients undergoing colonoscopy. The convolutional neural network model is used to detect whether the image contains lesions: CRC, colorectal adenoma (CRA), and colorectal polyps. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity rates are used as indicators to evaluate the model. Then, the instance segmentation model is used to locate and classify the lesions on the images containing lesions, and mAP (mean average precision), AP50, and AP75 are used to evaluate the performance of an instance segmentation model. Results. In the process of detecting whether the image contains lesions, we compared ResNet50 with the other four models, that is, AlexNet, VGG19, ResNet18, and GoogLeNet. The result is that ResNet50 performs better than several other models. It scored an accuracy of 93.0%, a sensitivity of 94.3%, and a specificity of 90.6%. In the process of localization and classification of the lesion in images containing lesions by Mask R-CNN, its mAP, AP50, and AP75 were 0.676, 0.903, and 0.833, respectively. Conclusion. We developed and compared five models for the detection of lesions in white light endoscopic images. ResNet50 showed the optimal performance, and Mask R-CNN model could be used to locate and classify lesions in images containing lesions.
TRIM33 Overexpression Inhibits the Progression of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma In Vivo and In Vitro
Authors: Xu Yingkun , Wu Guangzhen , Zhang Jiayao , Li Jianyi , Ruan Ningke , Zhang Jianfeng , Zhang Zhiyu , Chen Yougen , Zhang Qi , Xia Qinghua
Published: August 2020

Purpose. To evaluate the expression of tripartite motif‐containing 33 (TRIM33) in ccRCC tissues and explore the biological effect of TRIM33 on the progress of ccRCC. Method. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to examine the mRNA expression levels of TRIM33 in ccRCC tissues and its clinical relevance. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to evaluate its expression in ccRCC tissues obtained from our hospital. The correlation between TRIM33 expression and clinicopathological features of the patients was also investigated. The effects of TRIM33 on the proliferation of ccRCC cells were examined using the CCK‐8 and colony formation assays. The effects of TRIM33 on the migration and invasion of ccRCC cells were explored through wound healing and transwell assays, along with the use of Wnt signaling pathway agonists in rescue experiments. Western blotting was used to explore the potential mechanism of TRIM33 in renal cancer cells. A xenograft model was used to explore the effect of TRIM33 on tumor growth. Result. Bioinformatics analysis showed that TRIM33 mRNA expression in ccRCC tissues was downregulated, and low TRIM33 expression was related to poor prognosis in ccRCC patients. In agreement with this, low TRIM33 expression was detected in human ccRCC tissues. TRIM33 expression levels were correlated with clinical characteristics, including tumor size and Furman’s grade. Furthermore, TRIM33 overexpression inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion of 786‐O and ACHN cell lines. The rescue experiment showed that the originally inhibited migration and invasion capabilities were restored. TRIM33 overexpression reduced the expression levels of β‐catenin, cyclin D1, and c‐myc, and inhibited tumor growth in ccRCC cells in vivo. Conclusion. TRIM33 exhibits an abnormally low expression in human ccRCC tissues. TRIM33 may serve as a potential therapeutic target and prognostic marker for ccRCC.
Research on Balanced Content of Magnesium Oxide in Roller Compacted Concrete
Authors: Chen Changli , Chen Rongfei , Zhao Peng , Yang Dongsheng
Published: August 2020

In order to accelerate the application of magnesium oxide (MgO) expanding admixture in roller compacted concrete (RCC), aiming at common three‐grading RCC used in water conservancy and hydropower engineering, the autoclave expansion of mortar specimens and the compressive strength of the autoclaved mortar specimens were studied by means of autoclave test and compressive strength test. Results showed that the balanced MgO content in RCC, which cannot be determined by the MgO content corresponding to 0.5% autoclave expansion rate of mortar specimens or the inflection point of the curve of autoclave expansion changing with MgO content like normal concrete, should be determined by the MgO content corresponding to the inflection point of the curve that compressive strength of autoclaved mortar specimens changes with MgO content to ensure long‐term safe operation of RCC dams.
Research on Discriminative Skeleton-Based Action Recognition in Spatiotemporal Fusion and Human-Robot Interaction
Authors: Zhong Qiubo , Zheng Caiming , Zhang Haoxiang
Published: August 2020

A novel posture motion-based spatiotemporal fused graph convolutional network (PM-STGCN) is presented for skeleton-based action recognition. Existing methods on skeleton-based action recognition focus on independently calculating the joint information in single frame and motion information of joints between adjacent frames from the human body skeleton structure and then combine the classification results. However, that does not take into consideration of the complicated temporal and spatial relationship of the human body action sequence, so they are not very efficient in distinguishing similar actions. In this work, we enhance the ability of distinguishing similar actions by focusing on spatiotemporal fusion and adaptive feature extraction for high discrimination information. Firstly, the local posture motion-based attention (LPM-TAM) module is proposed for the purpose of suppressing the skeleton sequence data with a low amount of motion in the temporal domain, and the representation of motion posture features is concentrated. Besides, the local posture motion-based channel attention module (LPM-CAM) is introduced to make use of the strongly discriminative representation between different action classes of similarity. Finally, the posture motion-based spatiotemporal fusion (PM-STF) module is constructed which fuses the spatiotemporal skeleton data by filtering out the low-information sequence and enhances the posture motion features adaptively with high discrimination. Extensive experiments have been conducted, and the results demonstrate that the proposed model is superior to the commonly used action recognition methods. The designed human-robot interaction system based on action recognition has competitive performance compared with the speech interaction system.
Electric Vehicle Routing Problems with Stochastic Demands and Dynamic Remedial Measures
Authors: Ge Xianlong , Zhu Ziqiang , Jin Yuanzhi
Published: August 2020

With the rapid development of e-commerce, logistic enterprises must better predict customer demand to improve distribution efficiency, so as to deliver goods in advance, which makes logistics stochastic and dynamic. In order to deal with this challenge and respond to the concept of “green logistics,” an electric vehicle routing problem with stochastic demands (EVRPSD) and proactive remedial measures is investigated, and an EVRPSD model with probability constraints is established. At the same time, a hybrid heuristic algorithm, combining a saving method and an improved Tabu search algorithm, is proposed to solve the model. Moreover, two insertion strategies with the greedy algorithm for charging stations and dynamic nodes are introduced. Finally, a large number of experimental data show that the heuristic algorithm proposed in this paper is feasible and effective.
A Case of Parathyroid Adenocarcinoma and Hyperparathyroidism, When “CRAB” Symptoms Are Not due to a Plasma Cell Myeloma
Authors: Moshref Razavi Habib , Alaghehbandan Reza
Published: August 2020

A previously well 49-year-old patient presented to our hospital with symptomatic hypercalcaemia complaining of polyuria and polydipsia, as well as abdominal and lower back pain (serum/ionized calcium at 3.66 milli mole/l and 1.90 milli moles/l). At admission, he had a normocytic anemia (Hb, 99 g/L) and acute kidney injury (creatinine at 161 μM). His parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were at 67.6 pico moles/l. A plain X-ray of the lumbar spine showed the presence of a lytic lesion in the L4 vertebrae. CT and MRI confirmed this to be a destructive lesion. A subsequent pan CT scan showed a 2.8 cm complex nodule in the left lobe of the thyroid posteriorly. Excisional biopsy of the resected mass was associated with an infiltrative cellular parathyroid neoplasm with solid and nested architectural growth pattern admixed with hemorrhage and focal calcifications. The tumor showed lymphovascular and perineural invasion. At the time of workup and despite the absence of a positive SPEP/UPEP, a bone marrow biopsy was requested to rule out multiple myeloma. His normocellular bone marrow biopsy showed marked paratrabecular fibrosis and extensive bony remodelling but no metastatic invasion. The diagnosis of a metastatic parathyroid carcinoma was made. He is subsequently considered for palliative radiotherapy to the primary tumor bed and the lumbar spine. In addition, a role for immunotherapy with ipilimumab and nivolumab in context of clinical trials is envisioned and he is being considered for enrollment.
Extensive Bone Marrow Necrosis: A Rare Presentation of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia
Authors: Ranathunga I. , Muthumala N. R. , Kulathilake H. W. C. K. , Weerasinghe S. , Shyamali N. L. A.
Published: August 2020

Background. Bone marrow necrosis (BMN) is a rare entity which presents with bone pain, fever, and peripheral cytopenia. Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is characterized by malignant proliferation of immature lymphocytes, and patients usually present with fatigue and bleeding manifestations. Presentation with BMN is an extremely rare finding and only few cases had been reported in the literature. Case Presentation. A 22-year-old male presented with nocturnal lower back ache, pleuritic central chest pain, and fever for two weeks. He was extensively investigated for a cause. His investigations revealed pancytopenia with severe neutropenia. Initial bone marrow aspiration and biopsy did not provide a positive result due to extensive necrosis. However, immunohistochemical analysis of few immature lymphoid cells on repeated BM biopsy showed evidence of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Conclusions. ALL usually presents with fatigue and bleeding manifestations. Presentation with BMN is extremely rare. The diagnosis was extremely challenging as this patient had only occasional atypical cells in the peripheral blood film and the repeat bone marrow (BM) biopsy showed extensive necrosis.
A Rare Case of Coexisting Breast Cancer and Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Ballotta L. , Trisolini S. M. , Iori A. P. , La Rocca U. , Micozzi A. , Gentile G. , De Giacomo T. , Guarini A. , Foà R. , Capria S.
Published: August 2020

The occurrence of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) within six months from a diagnosis of breast cancer (BC) is rarely reported in the literature, and it is associated with a poor prognosis. We report herein the case of a 40-year-old woman referred to our centre affected by BC and simultaneous AML. The patient proved refractory to first line therapy and achieved complete remission (CR) with a clofarabine-based regimen followed by allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Both during salvage chemotherapy and after ASCT, the patient presented severe infectious complications ( acute cholecistytis and Nocardia pneumonia, respectively) treated with surgery, and currently she is alive in CR for both diseases after 29 months of follow-up. The case highlights the importance of a diagnostic assessment of any unexplained cytopenia in association with solid neoplasia under treatment, underlining the feasibility and priority of a timely treatment of the haematological neoplasm in order to achieve long-term survival.
A Simplified Two-Stepwise Electrocardiographic Algorithm to Distinguish Left from Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Tachycardia Origin
Authors: Yu Miao , Li Xiaofeng , Zhang Hao , Xia Yu , Liu Jun , Fang Pihua
Published: August 2020

Background: There are several electrocardiographic algorithms to predict the origin of idiopathic outflow tract ventricular arrhythmias (OT-VAs). This study aimed to develop a more accurate and efficient stepwise electrocardiographic algorithm to discriminate left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) from right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) origin. Methods and Results: We analyzed 12-lead electrocardiographic characteristics of 173 consecutive OT-VAs patients who underwent successful radiofrequency catheter ablation in the RVOT (n = 124) or LVOT (n = 49). Based on the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves, the combination of transitional zone (TZ) index <0 and V2S/V3R index ≤1.5 exhibited 93.5% sensitivity, 85.9% specificity, and 87.3% accuracy. A further analysis was performed in the 71 OT-VAs with a V3-lead precordial transition. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the integration of V2S/V3R index ≤1.5 and R-wave deflection interval in lead V3 >80 ms were 91.7, 83.1, and 85.9%, respectively. In the prospective evaluation, the combination of TZ index and V2S/V3R index could identify the correct origin sites with 91.2% accuracy in the overall analysis, and the integration of V2S/V3R index ≤1.5 and R-wave deflection interval in lead V3 >80 ms exhibited 94% accuracy in V3-lead precordial transition. Conclusions: The combination of TZ index <0 and V2S/V3R index ≤1.5 is a simple and efficient stepwise electrocardiographic algorithm for predicting LVOT origin. For the OT-VAs with a V3-lead precordial transition, the integration of V2S/V3R index ≤1.5 and R-wave deflection interval in lead V3 >80 ms would be a better choice.
Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Severe Pneumonia Caused by the SARS-CoV-2 in Wuhan, China
Authors: Wang Yafei , Zhou Ying , Yang Zhen , Xia Dongping , Hu Yi , Geng Shuang
Published: August 2020

Background: A new virus broke out in Wuhan, Hubei, China, that was later named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The clinical characteristics of severe pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2 are still not clear. Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the clinical characteristics and risk factors of severe pneumonia caused by the SARS-CoV-2 in Wuhan, China. Methods: The study included patients hospitalized at the Central Hospital of Wuhan who were diagnosed with COVID-19. Clinical features, chronic comorbidities, demographic data, laboratory examinations, and chest computed tomography (CT) scans were reviewed through electronic medical records. SPSS was used for data analysis to explore the clinical characteristics and risk factors of patients with severe pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2. Results: A total of 110 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were included in the study, including 38 with severe pneumonia and 72 with nonsevere pneumonia. Statistical analysis showed that advanced age, increased D-Dimer, and decreased lymphocytes were characteristics of the patients with severe pneumonia. Moreover, in the early stage of the disease, chest CT scans of patients with severe pneumonia showed that the illness can progress rapidly. Conclusions: Advanced age, decreased lymphocytes, and D-Dimer elevation are important characteristics of patients with severe COVID-19. Clinicians should focus on these characteristics to identify high-risk patients at an early stage.
Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease-Related Morbidity and Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wu Rong , Wang Tingting , Gu Runhui , Xing Dexiu , Ye Changxiang , Chen Yan , Liu Xiaoling , Chen Lizhang
Published: August 2020

Introduction: Several studies have demonstrated that there is a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women with a history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). However, effect sizes varied greatly between these studies, and a complete overview of the existing data in the literature is lacking. We aimed to evaluate the association between HDP and the risk of CVD-related morbidity and mortality. Methods: Systematic literature searches were conducted in several electronic databases from inception to July 2019. Exposure of interest was any type of HDP. Outcomes of interest included any CVD, CVD-related mortality, and hypertension. Results: Sixty-six cohort and 7 case-control studies involving >13 million women were included. The overall combined relative risks (RRs) for women with a history of HDP compared with the reference group were 1.80 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.67–1.94) for any CVD, 1.66 (1.49–1.84) for coronary artery heart disease, 2.87 (2.14–3.85) for heart failure, 1.60 (1.29–2.00) for peripheral vascular disease, 1.72 (1.50–1.97) for stroke, 1.78 (1.58–2.00) for CVD-related mortality, and 3.16 (2.74–3.64) for hypertension. Significant heterogeneity was partially explained by all or part of the variables including type of exposure, follow-up time, geographic region, and sample source. Conclusions: Women with a history of HDP are at an increased risk of future CVD-related morbidity and mortality. Our study highlights the importance of life-long monitoring of cardiovascular risk factors in women with a history of HDP.
Intravitreal Melphalan for Retinoblastoma: The Impact of Toxicity on Recurrence and Ultimate Globe Salvage
Authors: Berry Jesse L. , Kim Mary E. , Pefkianaki Maria , Reid Mark , Shah Rachana , Jubran Rima , Kim Jonathan W.
Published: August 2020

Introduction: Intravitreal melphalan (IVM) has emerged as an efficacious treatment for vitreous seeding in retinoblastoma. Although rarely severe, IVM-related toxicity may be treatment limiting. There is paucity of data on the impact of IVM toxicity on new tumor formation and ultimate globe salvage. Objectives: To investigate whether the grade of retinal toxicity post-IVM impacts retinal and seeding tumor recurrence, as well as the overall ability to salvage the eye. Methods: A single-institution retrospective chart review was performed on 47 eyes of 42 patients who received systemic intravenous chemotherapy followed by IVM as salvage treatment for persistent or recurrent vitreous seeding. Chorioretinal toxicity was graded from 0 to 5. Results: Toxicity grade was inversely associated with the risk of recurrence, where a one-unit increase in toxicity grade correlated with nearly a 54% reduction in the odds of tumor recurrence (OR 0.46 [0.25–0.84], p = 0.01). Similarly, toxicity grade was related to enucleation, where a one-unit increase in toxicity grade was associated with a 31% reduction in the odds of undergoing enucleation (OR 0.69 [0.40–1.18], p = 0.17). Conclusions: While retinoblastoma therapy aims to limit toxicity, especially visually significant toxicity, eyes with higher grades of post-IVM toxicity are less likely to have retinal and seeding tumor recurrence.
Artery of Percheron Infarct: A Rare Presentation of Acute Ischemic Stroke in a High-Risk Antiphospholipid Syndrome Patient
Authors: Sasi Sreethish , Ahmed Ashraf , Yousuf Wajiha , Vattoth Surjith
Published: August 2020

Artery of Percheron (AOP) is an abnormal variant of the arterial supply of the thalamus. AOP occlusion can lead to bilateral thalamic and rostral midbrain infarct presenting as memory loss, fluctuating levels of consciousness, and altered mental status. A 43-year-old woman with a history of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), managed on dabigatran, presented with acute confusion and drowsiness. She had slurred and slowed speech, disorientation in time and place, left-sided facial droop, decreased power of the left side (4/5), and was unable to walk due to generalized weakness. Labs showed a prolonged prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time, positive lupus anticoagulant, anti-cardiolipin, beta-2 glycoprotein, anti-nuclear and anti-dsDNA antibodies. Contrast-enhanced CT perfusion showed ischemic changes in the bilateral thalami, suggesting infarct along the AOP territory. AOP infarcts are scarce and the presenting complaints are unusual of cerebrovascular accidents. It requires a high index of suspicion to detect. There are no other reports in the literature of patients with APS presenting with an AOP infarct. Considering the lack of evidence, we recommend against the use of newer oral anticoagulants (NOACs) for secondary prevention of vascular events in patients with triple-positive APS.
Elimination of Benign Ventricular Premature Beats or Ventricular Tachycardia with Catheter Ablation versus Two Different Optimal Antiarrhythmic Drug Treatment Regimens (Sotalol or Verapamil/Flecainide)
Authors: Haanschoten Danielle M. , Vernooy Kevin , Beukema Rypko J. , Szili-Torok Tamas , ter Bekke Rachel M.A. , Khan Muchtiar , de Jong Jonas S.S.G. , Otten Amber M. , Adiyaman Ahmet , Smit Jaap Jan J. , Delnoy Peter Paul H. M. , Ramdat Misier Anand R. , Elvan Arif
Published: August 2020

Background: Symptomatic idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias (VA), including premature beats (VPB) and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) are commonly encountered arrhythmias. Although these VA are usually benign, their treatment can be a challenge to primary and secondary health care providers. Mainstay treatment is comprised of antiarrhythmic drugs (AAD) and, in case of drug intolerance or failure, patients are referred for catheter ablation to tertiary health care centers. These patients require extensive medical attention and drug regimens usually have disappointing results. A direct comparison between the efficacy of the most potent AAD and primary catheter ablation in these patients is lacking. The ECTOPIA trial will evaluate the efficacy of 2 pharmacological strategies and 1 interventional approach to: suppress the VA burden, improve the quality of life (QoL), and safety. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that flecainide/verapamil combination and catheter ablation are both superior to sotalol in suppressing VA in patients with symptomatic idiopathic VA. Study Design: The Elimination of Ventricular Premature Beats with Catheter Ablation versus Optimal Antiarrhythmic Drug Treatment (ECTOPIA) trial is a randomized, multicenter, prospective clinical trial to compare the efficacy of catheter ablation versus optimal AAD treatment with sotalol or flecainide/verapamil. One hundred eighty patients with frequent symptomatic VA in the absence of structural heart disease or underlying cardiac ischemia who are eligible for catheter ablation with an identifiable monomorphic VA origin with a burden ≥5% on 24-h ambulatory rhythm monitoring will be included. Patients will be randomized in a 1:1:1 fashion. The primary endpoint is defined as >80% reduction of the VA burden on 24-h ambulatory Holter monitoring. After reaching the primary endpoint, patients randomized to one of the 2 AAD arms will undergo a cross-over to the other AAD treatment arm to explore differences in drug efficacy and QoL in individual patients. Due to the use of different AAD (with and without β-blocking characteristics) we will be able to explore the influence of alterations in sympathetic tone on VA burden reduction in different subgroups. Finally, this study will assess the safety of treatment with 2 different AAD and ablation of VA.
Repeated Lusutrombopag Treatment for Thrombocytopenia in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease
Authors: Sano Yusuke , Morimoto Manabu , Kobayashi Satoshi , Ueno Makoto , Fukushima Taito , Asama Hiroyuki , Kawano Kuniyuki , Nagashima Shuhei , Tanaka Satoshi , Ohkawa Shinichi , Maeda Shin
Published: August 2020

Background/Aims: Lusutrombopag, a small-molecule thrombopoietin receptor agonist, is used to treat thrombocytopenia based on the results of a phase 3 trial, including data for single-use administration in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) undergoing invasive procedures. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of repeated lusutrombopag use. Methods: Lusutrombopag was administered repeatedly in patients undergoing multi-cycle invasive procedures at intervals >1 month. Results: Data from 8 patients (median platelet count at baseline, 44.0 [range, 35–49] × 109/L) and 25 cycles of invasive procedures, including 2 cycles in 3 patients, 3 cycles in 4 patients, and 7 cycles in 1 patient, were retrospectively evaluated. The procedures included 18 transarterial chemoembolizations, 5 radiofrequency ablations, and 2 liver needle biopsies. Platelet counts increased significantly compared with baseline, and median changes in platelet counts were 46.0 × 109/L (p = 0.012) in cycle 1, 44.0 × 109/L (p = 0.012) in cycle 2, and 42.0 × 109/L (p = 0.008) in cycles 3–7. No severe adverse events, including portal vein thrombus or bleeding, were observed. Conclusions: Repeated use of lusutrombopag might be safe and effective against thrombocytopenia in patients with CLD undergoing multi-cycle invasive procedures, although long-term data from more patients are required.
The Sense of Stigmatization in Patients with Plaque Psoriasis
Authors: Jankowiak Barbara , Kowalewska Beata , Krajewska-Kułak Elżbieta , Kowalczuk Krystyna , Khvorik Dzmitry F.
Published: August 2020

Background: Psoriasis is a systemic inflammatory disease capable of creating stigmatization in the form of social exclusion and decrement of psychological conditions. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the level of stigmatization in patients with plaque psoriasis. Methods: The study included 166 patients with plaque psoriasis (55.6% women and 44.3% men) with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index scores ≤10. The age of the study patients ranged between 18 and 72 years (arithmetic mean = 37.4; median = 38; standard deviation [SD] = 11.0). The mean age at the diagnosis of psoriasis was 21.5 years (median = 20; SD = 9.1) and disease duration varied from 2 to 59 years (arithmetic mean = 15.8; median = 15; SD = 11.3). The study patients completed the Polish version of the 6-item Stigmatization Scale and the 33-item Feelings of Stigmatization Questionnaire and a survey developed by the authors of this study, containing questions about the participants’ sociodemographic characteristics (sex, age, place of residence, marital status, education, employment status) and information about their disease (location of psoriatic lesions, time elapsed since the diagnosis of psoriasis). Results: The mean score for the 6-item Stigmatization Scale for the whole study group was 7.6 out of 18 points (median = 7; SD = 3.8; minimum = 0; maximum = 17). The average score for the 33-item Stigma Feelings Questionnaire in our series was 84.5 out of 165 points (median = 88; SD = 20.9; minimum = 30; maximum = 136). A statistically significant sex-related difference was observed in the 6-item Stigmatization Scale scores, with higher stigmatization levels found in men than in women (p = 0.0082). Moreover, significantly higher levels of stigmatization were observed in countryside dwellers (p = 0.0311) and unmarried persons (p = 0.0321). Patients with a longer history of the disease (≥15 years) scored significantly higher on the 6-item Stigmatization Scale (p = 0.0217) than those in whom psoriasis lasted less long, and presented with higher, at the threshold of statistical significance, scores for the 33-item Feelings of Stigmatization Questionnaire. Conclusions: Stigmatization awareness should be promoted among physicians and psoriatic patients to improve psoriasis management.
Chronisch pulmonale Erkrankungen bei Kindern: Chancen von E-Health zur Verbesserung der Therapiesteuerung nutzen
Authors: Jorczyk Maximilian
Published: August 2020

The Coronavirus pandemic stresses the importance of eHealth techniques to monitor patients at home. Home monitoring of lung function in asthma and cystic fibrosis (CF) may help to detect deterioration of lung function at an early stage, but the reliability is unclear. We investigated whether lung function measurements at home were comparable to measurements during clinical visits. We analysed prospectively collected data of two one-year observational cohort studies in 117 children (36 with CF and 81 with asthma). All patients performed forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) measurements with a monitor at home. Paired FEV1 measurements were included if the measurement on the home monitor was performed on the same day as the FEV1 measurement on the pneumotachometer during a two monthly clinical visit. Bland-Altman plots and linear mixed model analysis were used. The mean difference (home measurement was subtracted from clinical measurement) in FEV1 was 0.18 L in CF (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.08–0.27 L; p < 0.001) and 0.12 L in asthma (95%CI 0.05–0.19 L; p < 0.001). FEV1 measurements at home were significantly lower than clinically obtained FEV1 measurements, which has implications for the application of this technique in the daily clinical situation.
Flying object tracking and classification of military versus nonmilitary aircraft
Authors: Akbari Sekehravani Ehsan , Babulak Eduard , Masoodi Mehdi
Published: August 2020

Tracking of moving objects in a sequence of images is one of the important and functional branches of machine vision technology. Detection and tracking of a flying object with unknown features are important issues in detecting and tracking objects. This paper consists of two basic parts. The first part involves tracking multiple flying objects. At first, flying objects are detected and tracked, using the particle filter algorithm. The second part is to classify tracked objects (military or nonmilitary), based on four criteria; Size (center of mass) of objects, object speed vector, the direction of motion of objects, and thermal imagery identifies the type of tracked flying objects. To demonstrate the efficiency and the strength of the algorithm and the above system, several scenarios in different videos have been investigated that include challenges such as the number of objects (aircraft), different paths, the diverse directions of motion, different speeds and various objects. One of the most important challenges is the speed of processing and the angle of imaging.
Machinery signal separation using non-negative matrix factorization with real mixing
Authors: Vinaya Anindita Adikaputri , Yulianto Sefri , Okta Arifianti Qurrotin A’yunina Maulida , Arifianto Dhany , Aisjah Aulia Siti
Published: August 2020

A big challenge in detecting damage occurs when the sound of a machine mixes with the sound of another machine. This paper proposes the separation of mixed acoustic signals using Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) method for fault diagnosis. The NMF method is an effective solution for finding hidden parameters when the number of observations obtained by the sensor is less than the number of sources. The real mixing process is done by placing two microphones in front of the machine. Two microphones will be used as sensors to capture a mixture of four machinery signals. Performance testing of signal separation is done by comparing baseline signals with estimated signals through the mean log spectral distance (LSD) and the mean square error (MSE). The smallest spectral distance between the estimated signal and the baseline signal is found in Ŝ2 with an average LSD of 1.26. The estimated signal Ŝ2 is the closest to the baseline signal with MSE of 1.15 x 10-2. The pattern of bearing damage in the male screw compressor can be identified from the spectrum of estimated signal through harmonic frequencies as in the estimated signal Ŝ3 which is seen at 11x fundamental frequency, 12x fundamental frequency, 15x fundamental frequency, and 16x fundamental frequency.
Stabilized controller of a two wheels robot
Authors: Fahmi Ahmad , Sulaiman Marizan , Siradjuddin Indrazno , Wirawan I Made , Mohamad Jaya Abdul Syukor , Jiono Mahfud , Amalia Zakiyah
Published: August 2020

The Segway Human Transport (HT) robot, it is dynamical self-balancing robot type. The stability control is an important thing for the Segway robot. It is an indisputable fact that Segway robot is a natural instability framework robot. The case study of the Segway robot focuses on running balance control systems. The roll, pitch, and yaw balance of this robot are obtained by estimating the Kalman Filter with a combination of the pole placement and the Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) control method. In our system configuration, the mathematical model of the robot will be proved by Matlab Simulink by modelling of the stabilizing control system of all state variable input. Furthermore, the implementation of this system modelled to the real-time test of the Segway robot. The expected result is by substitute the known parameters from Gyro, Accelero and both rotary encoder to initial stabilize control function, the system will respond to the zero input curve. The coordinate units of displacement response and inclination response pictures are the same. As our expected, the response of the system can reach the zero point position.
Multi-wavelet level comparison on compressive sensing for MRI image reconstruction
Authors: Irawati Indrarini Dyah , Hadiyoso Sugondo , Hariyani Yuli Sun
Published: August 2020

In this study, we proposed compressive sampling for MRI reconstruction based on sparse representation using multi-wavelet transformation. Comparing the performance of wavelet decomposition level, which are Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, and Level 4. We used gaussian random process to generate measurement matrix. The algorithm used to reconstruct the image is . The experimental results showed that the use of wavelet multi-level can generate higher compression ratio but requires a longer processing time. MRI reconstruction results based on the parameters of the peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity index measure (SSIM) show that the higher the level of decomposition in wavelets, the value of both decreases.
Fruit sorting robot based on color and size for an agricultural product packaging system
Authors: Dewi Tresna , Risma Pola , Oktarina Yurni
Published: August 2020

Indonesia's location in the equator gives an ideal condition for agriculture. However, agriculture suffers the issue of old farming due to a lack of youth interest working in this sector. This problem can be overcome by applying digital farming methods, in which one of them is by employing robots. Robotics technology is suitable for handling the harvested product, such as a sorting robot. This paper presents the application of a 4DOF fruit sorting robot based on color and size in a packaging system. The sorting is made possible by image processing where color is recognized by HSV analysis, and the diameter is known in the grayscale image and setting the thresholding. The fruit to be sorted is red and green tomatoes and red and green grapes. The experiments were conducted to show the effectiveness of the proposed method. The time requires for the robot to accomplish the task is 11.91s for red tomatoes, 11.76s for green tomatoes, 12.56s for red grapes, and 12.92s for green grapes. The time difference is due to the position of the boxes for the sorted fruit. The experimental results show that the arm robot manipulator is applicable for a sorting robot using the proposed method.
Batik pattern recognition using convolutional neural network
Authors: Rasyidi Mohammad Arif , Bariyah Taufiqotul
Published: August 2020

Batik is one of Indonesia's cultures that is well-known worldwide. Batik is a fabric that is painted using canting and liquid wax so that it forms patterns of high artistic value. In this study, we applied the convolutional neural network (CNN) to identify six batik patterns, namely Banji, Ceplok, Kawung, Mega Mendung, Parang, and Sekar Jagad. 994 images from the 6 categories were collected and then divided into training and test data with a ratio of 8:2. Image augmentation was also done to provide variations in training data as well as to prevent overfitting. Experimental results on the test data showed that CNN produced an excellent performance as indicated by accuracy of 94% and top-2 accuracy of 99% which was obtained using the DenseNet network architecture.
Linear and nonlinear controllers of a solar photovoltaic water pumping system
Authors: Madark M. , Ba-razzouk A. , Malah M. El
Published: August 2020

This paper provided a comparative study between linear and nonlinear controllers of a solar photovoltaic (PV) water pumping system using an induction motor and a centrifugal pump. For linear controller, classical Perturb and Observe was selected to ensure the operation of the PV system at the maximum power point (MPP) and is combined with Indirect Rotor Field Oriented Control (IRFOC) based on a conventional proportional integral speed regulator chosen to control and to optimize the rotor speed. In second and third controllers, Backstepping and first order sliding mode controls were proposed for controlling the whole system. To regulate and optimize rotor speed in the nonlinear controller, all considered control techniques were combined with IRFOC in order to establish easy control laws. In addition, MPP was tracked by acting on the DC-DC converter and using its mathematical model for developing control laws. Maximum delivered power was used as reference signal for optimizing actual rotor speed. The controlled system is operated without mechanical sensors. Estimators of rotor speed and load torque were proposed based on the mathematical model of induction motor and centrifugal pump and using only available output measurements.. Simulation results were investigated and the effectiveness of the nonlinear proposed strategies.