bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting the Operability of Damaged Compressors Using Machine Learning
Authors: Taylor J. V. , Conduit B. , Dickens A. , Hall C. , Hillel M. , Miller R. J.
Published: March 2020

The application of machine learning to aerospace problems faces a particular challenge. For successful learning, a large amount of good quality training data is required, typically tens of thousands of cases. However, due to the time and cost of experimental aerospace testing, these data are scarce. This paper shows that successful learning is possible with two novel techniques: The first technique is rapid testing. Over the last 5 years, the Whittle Laboratory has developed a capability where rebuild and test times of a compressor stage now take 15 min instead of weeks. The second technique is to base machine learning on physical parameters, derived from engineering wisdom developed in industry over many decades. The method is applied to the important industry problem of predicting the effect of blade damage on compressor operability. The current approach has high uncertainty, and it is based on human judgement and correlation of a handful of experimental test cases. It is shown using 100 training cases and 25 test cases that the new method is able to predict the operability of damaged compressor stages with an accuracy of 2% in a 95% confidence interval; far better than is possible by even the most experienced compressor designers. Use of the method is also shown to generate new physical understanding, previously unknown by any of the experts involved in this work. Using this method in the future offers an exciting opportunity to generate understanding of previously intractable problems in aerospace.
Ablation of piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride with a 193 nm excimer laser
Authors: Elloian Jeffrey , Sherman Jeffrey , Costa Tiago , Shi Chen , Shepard Kenneth
Published: March 2020

The unique flexible and piezoelectric properties of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) films would allow for new applications for integrated bioelectronic devices. The use of these films has been precluded by the difficulty in machining them into small, discrete features without damaging the properties of the material. The etching of piezoelectric PVDF by means of a 193 nm excimer laser is explored and characterized. Etch rates are shown for common laser fluence values, along with images of the quality of the cuts to provide the reader with an understanding of the compromise between etch rate and edge roughness. The authors describe a novel method for the etching of piezoelectric, β-phase PVDF. While PVDF is flexible, acoustically matched to biological tissue, and has a wide resonance bandwidth, it is often overlooked as a piezoelectric material for micro-electrical-mechanical-system devices because of the difficulty in fabrication. In this paper, the authors characterize the etch rate and quality while using a 193 nm argon fluoride excimer laser for patterning.
Neurophysiological signatures in Alzheimer’s disease are distinctly associated with TAU, amyloid-β accumulation, and cognitive decline
Authors: Ranasinghe Kamalini G. , Cha Jungho , Iaccarino Leonardo , Hinkley Leighton B. , Beagle Alexander J. , Pham Julie , Jagust William J. , Miller Bruce L. , Rankin Katherine P. , Rabinovici Gil D. , Vossel Keith A. , Nagarajan Srikantan S.
Published: March 2020

Alpha and delta-theta brain oscillation deficits depict diverse associations with amyloid and TAU accumulations and with cognitive decline in AD.
Trimming the “fatty” intratumoral T
regs
for cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Shi Lewis Z.
Published: March 2020

Fatty acid receptor CD36 preferentially regulates intratumoral but not peripheral T
regs
.
Accumulation of Major Linezolid Metabolites in Patients with Renal Impairment
Authors: Souza Ernane , Crass Ryan L. , Felton Jeremy , Hanaya Kengo , Pai Manjunath P.
Published: March 2020

In patients with renal impairment (
n
 = 22 of 39), the median serum concentrations of linezolid, PNU-142300, and PNU-142586 were 1.6-, 3.3-, 2.8-fold higher, respectively, than in patients without renal impairment. Metabolite concentrations in paired samples were poorly correlated with linezolid concentrations (
r
2
= 0.26 for PNU-142300 and 0.06 for PNU-142586). Linezolid and its metabolites share potential toxicophores that deserve characterization to mitigate higher myelosuppression risk in patients with renal impairment.
HIV-1-Specific Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells Fail To Recognize and Eliminate the Follicular Dendritic Cell HIV ReservoirIn Vitro
Authors: Ollerton Matthew T. , Berger Edward A. , Connick Elizabeth , Burton Gregory F.
Published: March 2020

Efforts to cure HIV infection have focused primarily on the elimination of latently infected CD4+T cells. Few studies have addressed the unique reservoir of infectious HIV that exists on follicular dendritic cells (FDCs), persistsin vivoduring antiretroviral therapy, and likely contributes to viral rebound upon cessation of antiretroviral therapy. We assessed the efficacy of a novel HIV-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell to target both HIV-infected CD4+T cells and the FDC reservoirin vitro. Although CAR-T cells eliminated CD4+T cells that express HIV, they did not respond to or eliminate FDC bound to HIV. These findings reveal a fundamental limitation to CAR-T cell therapy to eradicate HIV.
Metagenome Analysis of Surface Waters of the Shardara Reservoir, the Largest Artificial Reservoir in Southern Kazakhstan
Authors: Alexyuk Madina S. , Bogoyavlenskiy Andrey P. , Alexyuk Pavel G. , Moldakhanov Yergali S. , Berezin Vladimir E.
Published: March 2020

Here, we present a metagenomic analysis of the microflora of the surface waters of the Shardara reservoir, the largest artificial reservoir in Southern Kazakhstan, created to meet irrigation and hydropower engineering needs. In this case, shotgun metagenomic sequencing of the microbial community DNA was used.
Emergence of Mobile Colistin Resistance (
mcr-8
) in a Highly Successful Klebsiella pneumoniae Sequence Type 15 Clone from Clinical Infections in Bangladesh
Authors: Farzana Refath , Jones Lim S. , Barratt Andrew , Rahman Muhammad Anisur , Sands Kirsty , Portal Edward , Boostrom Ian , Espina Laura , Pervin Monira , Uddin A. K. M. Nasir , Walsh Timothy R.
Published: March 2020

There is a marked paucity in our understanding of the epidemiology of colistin-resistant bacterial pathogens in South Asia. A report by Davies and Walsh (Lancet Infect Dis 18:256–257,
https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(18)30072-0
, 2018) suggests the export of colistin from China to India, Vietnam, and South Korea in 2016 was approximately 1,000 tons and mainly used as a poultry feed additive. A few reports forecast that the prevalence of
mcr
in humans and livestock will increase in South Asia. Given the high prevalence of
bla
CTX-M-15
and
bla
NDM
in India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, colistin has become the invariable option for the management of serious infections, leading to the emergence of
mcr
-like mechanisms in South Asia. Systematic scrutiny of the prevalence and transmission of
mcr
variants in South Asia is vital to understanding the drivers of
mcr
genes and to initiate interventions to overcome colistin resistance.
ZupT Facilitates Clostridioides difficile Resistance to Host-Mediated Nutritional Immunity
Authors: Zackular Joseph P. , Knippel Reece J. , Lopez Christopher A. , Beavers William N. , Maxwell C. Noel , Chazin Walter J. , Skaar Eric P.
Published: March 2020

During infection, pathogenic organisms must acquire essential transition metals from the host environment. Through the process of nutritional immunity, the host employs numerous strategies to restrict these key nutrients from invading pathogens. In this study, we describe a mechanism by which the important human pathogen
Clostridioides difficile
resists transition-metal limitation by the host. We report that
C. difficile
utilizes a zinc transporter, ZupT, to compete with the host protein calprotectin for nutrient zinc. Inactivation of this transporter in
C. difficile
renders this important pathogen sensitive to host-mediated metal restriction and confers a fitness disadvantage during infection. Our study demonstrates that targeting nutrient metal transport proteins in
C. difficile
is a potential avenue for therapeutic development.
Is e-cigarette use in non-smoking young adults associated with later smoking? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Khouja Jasmine N , Suddell Steph F , Peters Sarah E , Taylor Amy E , Munafò Marcus R
Published: March 2020

Objective

The aim of this review was to investigate whether e-cigarette use compared with non-use in young non-smokers is associated with subsequent cigarette smoking.

Data sources

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Wiley Cochrane Library databases, and the 2018 Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco and Society for Behavioural Medicine conference abstracts.

Study selection

All studies of young people (up to age 30 years) with a measure of e-cigarette use prior to smoking and an outcome measure of smoking where an OR could be calculated were included (excluding reviews and animal studies).

Data extraction

Independent extraction was completed by multiple authors using a preprepared extraction form.

Data synthesis

Of 9199 results, 17 studies were included in the meta-analysis. There was strong evidence for an association between e-cigarette use among non-smokers and later smoking (OR: 4.59, 95% CI: 3.60 to 5.85) when the results were meta-analysed in a random-effects model. However, there was high heterogeneity (I2=88%).

Conclusions

Although the association between e-cigarette use among non-smokers and subsequent smoking appears strong, the available evidence is limited by the reliance on self-report measures of smoking history without biochemical verification. None of the studies included negative controls which would provide stronger evidence for whether the association may be causal. Much of the evidence also failed to consider the nicotine content of e-liquids used by non-smokers meaning it is difficult to make conclusions about whether nicotine is the mechanism driving this association.
Steel buried structures: condition of Ontario structures and review of deterioration mechanisms and rehabilitation approaches
Authors: Cichocki Robert , Moore Ian , Williams Kevin
Published: March 2020

Buried steel structures, commonly referred to as buried bridges, culverts, or soil–steel structures are a valuable bridge crossing solution. Owners manage their bridge assets by evaluating their condition and rehabilitating as required. Ontario’s resources for managing and rehabilitating buried steel bridge structures are limited, and an investigation into the maintenance and rehabilitation practice of Ontario’s assets demonstrates a lag in their maintenance and rehabilitation. Knowledge regarding rehabilitation of these structures is dispersed and unconcise, leaving owners challenged to understanding how to best manage and rehabilitate their assets. This paper investigates the age, condition, and rehabilitation of steel buried bridges in Ontario and reviews the commonly encountered deterioration and distress mechanisms along with the state-of-the-art rehabilitation practices. With an understanding of structural behavior, deterioration, and rehabilitation opportunities for structures nearing the end of their service lives, owners will be better equipped to effectively manage their inventory and leverage the economic, social, and environmental value of buried structures.
Emplacement of sharp-walled sulfide veins during the formation and reactivation of impact-related structures at the Broken Hammer Mine, Sudbury, Ontario
Authors: Hall M.F. , Lafrance B. , Gibson H.L.
Published: March 2020

Broken Hammer is a hybrid Cu–Ni–Platinum Group Element (PGE) footwall deposit located in Archean basement rocks below the impact-induced Sudbury Igneous Complex (SIC), Canada. The deposit consists of massive chalcopyrite veins surrounded by thin epidote, actinolite, and quartz selvedges and low-sulfide, high-PGE mineralization consisting of disseminated chalcopyrite (<5%) and platinum group minerals, associated with Ni-bearing chlorite overprinting alteration patches of epidote, actinolite, and quartz. The veins are grouped into five steeply-dipping sets, striking northeast-, southwest-, southeast-, south-, and east–west, which were emplaced along impact-related fractures that were reactivated multiple times during stabilization of the crater floor. Early reactivation of the fractures created pathways for the migration of hydrothermal fluids from which quartz and chlorite precipitated sealing the fractures. Renewed slip shattered the quartz–chlorite veins into fragments that were incorporated in massive sulfide veins that crystallized from fractionated sulfide melts or from high temperature (400–500 °C) hydrothermal fluids, which migrated outward into the basement rocks from a cooling and crystallizing SIC melt sheet. Hydrothermal fluids syn-genetic with the epidote–actinolite–quartz alteration distributed the PGE into the footwall rocks, or late hydrothermal fluids associated with the Ni-bearing chlorite leached Ni and PGMs from the sulfide veins and redistributed them to form low-sulfide, high-PGE zones in the footwall rocks. During post-impact tectonic events, slip at temperatures below the brittle–ductile transition for chalcopyrite (<200 °C to 250 °C) produced striations along the vein margins. The Broken Hammer deposit exemplifies how Cu–Ni–PGE footwall deposits formed by the reactivation of impact-related fractures that provided conduits for the migration of melts and hydrothermal fluids.
Theory and applications of parton pseudodistributions
Authors: Radyushkin A. V.
Published: March 2020

We review the basic theory of the parton pseudodistributions approach and its applications to lattice extractions of parton distribution functions. The crucial idea of the approach is the realization that the correlator [Formula: see text] of the parton fields is a function [Formula: see text] of Lorentz invariants [Formula: see text], the Ioffe time, and the invariant interval [Formula: see text]. This observation allows to extract the Ioffe-time distribution [Formula: see text] from Euclidean separations [Formula: see text] accessible on the lattice. Another basic feature is the use of the ratio [Formula: see text], that allows to eliminate artificial ultraviolet divergence generated by the gauge link for spacelike intervals. The remaining [Formula: see text]-dependence of the reduced Ioffe-time distribution [Formula: see text] corresponds to perturbative evolution, and can be converted into the scale-dependence of parton distributions [Formula: see text] using matching relations. The [Formula: see text]-dependence of [Formula: see text] governs the [Formula: see text]-dependence of parton densities [Formula: see text]. The perturbative evolution was successfully observed in exploratory quenched lattice calculation. The analysis of its precise data provides a framework for extraction of parton densities using the pseudodistributions approach. It was used in the recently performed calculations of the nucleon and pion valence quark distributions. We also discuss matching conditions for the pion distribution amplitude and generalized parton distributions, the lattice studies of which are now in progress.
Dynamics of thin-shell wormholes with rotational effects
Authors: Sharif M. , Mumtaz Saadia , Javed Faisal
Published: March 2020

This paper is devoted to the study of the stability of thin-shell wormholes from Kerr black hole. We employ Israel thin-shell formalism to evaluate surface stresses and study the behavior of energy conditions. The linearized stability of rotating thin-shell wormholes is analyzed by taking two different candidates of dark energy as exotic matter at thin-shell. It is found that generalized phantom model ([Formula: see text] which reduces to phantom equation of state as [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is wormhole throat radius and [Formula: see text] is the proper time) yields more stable wormhole solutions as compared to the barotropic equation of state ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] is the equation of state parameter and [Formula: see text] is the surface density) for particular ranges of equilibrium throat radius and the whole range of [Formula: see text].
The development of a monitoring system for analyzing factors affecting film thickness in a sputtering process
Authors: Chou Cheng-Hsueh , Lin You-Teh , Shinde Swapnil , Huang Ci-En , Wu Tsung-Chien , Lin Keh-Moh , Hsiao Wen-Tse
Published: March 2020

Since semiconductor technology has been progressing, an approach to precise size control of the devices becomes a main challenge. In this work, a programmable logic controller module was used to read the sputtering parameters in real time. Experimental results confirmed that the direct current (DC) bias increased with increasing sputtering power. At the same time, the non-uniformity of the deposited films also increased along with the increasing power. However, the film thickness difference caused by plasma turbulence decreased with increasing deposition time. In addition, it was difficult to evaluate the local uniformity of the film by using the DC bias.
A study on the functional and tensile properties of polyurethane composite film with carbon nanotube fibers
Authors: Cheng K. B. , Lee C. K. , Yu S. T.
Published: March 2020

The purpose of this study is to propose a process of fabricating conductive polyurethane (PU)/CNT composite films that possess electrostatic discharge (ESD), UV cut, and warming characteristics. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK), Isopropanol (IPA) were used as the dispersion agent to facilitate the dispersion of CNT fiber before blending with PU in a planetary stirring defoaming machine for thorough uniform mixing. In this study, various amounts of CNT fibers were added into the solvent-based PU solution to improve the electrical conductivity of the conventional PU product. Based on the test results, the PU with CNT fiber shows better performance than that of conventional PU. This paper successfully prepared the PU/CNT composite film which coat on the fabric to prevent static electricity generation, rapid warming, improve home security and the versatility of outdoor and camouflage military products applications.
Surface hardening characteristics of press die cast iron and plastic mold steel according to laser heat input
Authors: Song Moo-Keun , Kim Jong-Do
Published: March 2020

In this study, the surface heat treatment of mold materials was performed using a high-power laser heat source and surface hardening characteristics were investigated. Laser surface heat treatment is a hardening method in which a surface is heated using high-density energy and self-quenched through rapid cooling. Hence, the heat input during laser heat treatment is important. The heat input for the surface hardening of each material was compared, and it was found that the heat input for each mold material was different. Additionally, die cast iron has higher thermal conductivity compared to mold steel, resulting in a larger heat input during heat treatment.
A scaling limit for the stochastic mSQG equations with multiplicative transport noises
Authors: Luo Dejun , Saal Martin
Published: March 2020

We consider on the 2D torus the modified Surface Quasi-Geostrophic (mSQG) equation with [Formula: see text]-initial data and perturbed by multiplicative transport noise. Under a suitable scaling of the noises, we show that the solutions converge weakly to the unique solution of the dissipative mSQG equation.
MEASURING MONGOLIA’S GAINS FROM TRADE AND INCREASED INTEGRATION IN THE WORLD ECONOMY
Authors: BATTOGTVOR ENKHMAA , PARSONS CRAIG
Published: March 2020

Following the gains from variety literature ( Broda and Weinstein , 2006 ), we estimate the welfare impact of the dramatic increase in imported varieties growth in Mongolia and find it to be considerably larger than that found in previous studies of other transitional economies. Our results show that from 1988 to 2015, the gains from variety were equal to 22 percent of Mongolia’s GDP, or 0.8 percent annually. As such, this paper measures the gains of one of the most profound trade liberalizations in modern history. Also, by calculating Novy measures of trade costs, we find that the tariff-equivalent trade costs between any of its trade partners fell dramatically since the dissolution of and Mongolia’s exit from the Soviet-led CMEA (Council of Mutual Economic Association). Our calculations suggest that the costs between Mongolia and China, now its biggest trading partner, fell from 114% to 63%. For reference, this is twice the decline of the post-NAFTA US-Mexico trade costs. Other bilateral trade cost declines (e.g. with Germany) were even greater.
The Last Glacial Maximum Balearic Abyssal Plain megabed revisited
Authors: Cattaneo Antonio , Badhani Shray , Caradonna Cristina , Bellucci Massimo , Leroux Estelle , Babonneau Nathalie , Garziglia Sébastien , Poort Jeffrey , Akhmanov Grigorii G. , Bayon Germain , Dennielou Bernard , Jouet Gwenäel , Migeon Sébastien , Rabineau Marina , Droz Laurence , Clare Michael
Published: March 2020

Megabeds are thick sedimentary layers extending over thousands of square kilometres in deep-sea basins and are thought to result from large slope failures triggered by major external events. Such deposits have been found in at least three areas of the Mediterranean Sea. Although their discovery dates back to the early 1980s, many questions remain concerning their initiation, source area, extent and the nature of their emplacement. One of the largest previously documented megabeds was emplaced during the Last Glacial Maximum across the Balearic Abyssal Plain, with a thickness of 8–10 m in water depths of up to 2800 m.

New 3.5 kHz sub-bottom profiles and sediment cores provide greater constraints on the lateral variability of the megabed and allow it to be mapped beyond previous estimates, with a revised areal extent of 90 000–100 000 km
2
. The megabed terminations show a gradual pinchout to the west and an abrupt eastward termination against the steep Sardinia margin. The megabed presents, in seismic profiles and sediment cores, a tripartite subdivision, which most likely corresponds to the changes in flow regimes across the basin, with a central area of sandy facies and an erosional base oriented NNE–SSW; this allows renewed discussions about the sources and triggers of the megabed.
Probing the Structure-Performance Relationship of Lithium-Ion Battery Cathodes Using Pore-Networks Extracted from Three-Phase Tomograms
Authors: Khan Zohaib Atiq , Salaberri Pablo Angel Garcia , Heenan Thomas M. M. , Jervis Rhodri , Shearing Paul R. , Brett Dan , Elkamel Ali , Gostick Jeff T.
Published: March 2020

Pore-scale simulations of Li-ion battery electrodes were conducted using both pore-network modeling and direct numerical simulation. Ternary tomographic images of NMC811 cathodes were obtained and used to create the pore-scale computational domains. A novel network extraction method was developed to manage the extraction of N-phase networks which was used to extract all three phases of NMC-811 electrode along with their interconnections Pore network results compared favorably with direct numerical simulations (DNS) in terms of effective transport properties of each phase but were obtained in significantly less time. Simulations were then conducted with combined diffusion-reaction to simulate the limiting current behavior. It was found that when considering only ion and electron transport, the electrode structure could support current densities about 300 times higher than experimentally observed values. Additional case studies were conducted to illustrate the necessity of ternary images which allow separate consideration of carbon binder domain and active material. The results showed a 24.4% decrease in current density when the carbon binder was treated as a separate phase compared to lumping the CBD and active material into a single phase. The impact of nanoporosity in the carbon binder phase was also explored and found to enhance the reaction rate by 16.8% compared to solid binder. In addition, the developed technique used 58 times larger domain volume than DNS which opens up the possibility of modelling much larger tomographic data sets, enabling representative areas of typically inhomogeneous battery electrodes to be modelled accurately, and proposes a solution to the conflicting needs of high-resolution imaging and large volumes for image-based modelling. For the first time, three-phase pore network modelling of battery electrodes has been demonstrated and evaluated, opening the path towards a new modelling framework for lithium ion batteries.
Active vitamin D induces gene-specific hypomethylation in prostate cancer cells developing vitamin D resistance
Authors: Lai Guan-Rong , Lee Yi-Fen , Yan Shian-Jang , Ting Huei-Ju
Published: March 2020

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a leading cause of cancer death in men. Despite the antiproliferative effects of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] on PCa, accumulating evidence indicates that 1,25(OH)2D3 promotes cancer progression by increasing genome plasticity. Our investigation of epigenetic changes associated with vitamin D insensitivity found that 1,25(OH)2D3 treatment reduced the expression levels and activities of DNA methyltransferases 1 and 3B (DNMT1 and DNMT3B, respectively). In silico analysis and reporter assay confirmed that 1,25(OH)2D3 downregulated transcriptional activation of the DNMT3B promoter and upregulated microRNAs targeting the 3′-untranslated regions of DNMT3B. We then profiled DNA methylation in the vitamin D-resistant PC-3 cells and a resistant PCa cell model generated by long-term 1,25(OH)2D3 exposure. Several candidate genes were found to be hypomethylated and overexpressed in vitamin D-resistant PCa cells compared with vitamin D-sensitive cells. Most of the identified genes were associated with mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling activation, which is known to promote cancer progression. Among them, we found that inhibition of ribosomal protein S6 kinase A1 (RPS6KA1) promoted vitamin D sensitivity in PC-3 cells. Furthermore, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) prostate cancer data set demonstrated that midline 1 ( MID1) expression is positively correlated with tumor stage. Overall, our study reveals an inhibitory mechanism of 1,25(OH)2D3 on DNMT3B, which may contribute to vitamin D resistance in PCa.
Increased GABAergic transmission in neuropeptide Y-expressing neurons in the dopamine-depleted murine striatum
Authors: Rubi Lena , Fritschy Jean-Marc
Published: March 2020

As the main input nucleus of the basal ganglia, the striatum plays a central role in planning, control, and execution of movement and motor skill learning. More than 90% of striatal neurons, so-called medium spiny neurons (MSN), are GABAergic projection neurons, innervating primarily the substantia nigra pars reticulata or the globus pallidus internus. The remaining neurons are GABAergic and cholinergic interneurons, synchronizing and controlling striatal output by reciprocal connections with MSN. Besides prominent local cholinergic influence, striatal function is globally regulated by dopamine (DA) from the nigrostriatal pathway. Little is known about whether DA depletion, as occurs in Parkinson’s disease, affects the activity of striatal interneurons. Here we focused on neuropeptide Y (NPY)-expressing interneurons, which are among the major subgroups of GABAergic interneurons in the striatum. We investigated the effects of striatal DA depletion on GABAergic transmission in NPY interneurons by electrophysiologically recording GABAergic spontaneous (s) and miniature (m) inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in identified NPY interneurons in slices from 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)- and vehicle-injected transgenic NPY-humanized Renilla green fluorescent protein (hrGFP) mice with the whole cell patch-clamp technique. We report a significant increase in sIPSC and mIPSC frequency as well as the occurrence of giant synaptic and burst sIPSCs in the 6-OHDA group, suggesting changes in GABAergic circuit activity and synaptic transmission. IPSC kinetics remained unchanged, pointing to mainly presynaptic changes in GABAergic transmission. These results show that chronic DA depletion following 6-OHDA injection causes activity-dependent and -independent increase of synaptic GABAergic inhibition onto striatal NPY interneurons, confirming their involvement in the functional impairments of the DA-depleted striatum.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Neuropeptide Y (NPY) interneurons regulate the function of striatal projection neurons and are upregulated upon dopamine depletion in the striatum. Here we investigated how dopamine depletion affects NPY circuits and show electrophysiologically that it leads to the occurrence of giant synaptic and burst GABAergic spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) and to an activity-independent increase in GABAergic miniature IPSC frequency in NPY neurons. We suggest that degeneration of dopaminergic terminals in the striatum causes functional changes in striatal GABAergic function.
Visual illusions via neural dynamics: Wilson–Cowan-type models and the efficient representation principle
Authors: Bertalmío Marcelo , Calatroni Luca , Franceschi Valentina , Franceschiello Benedetta , Gomez Villa Alexander , Prandi Dario
Published: March 2020

We show that the Wilson–Cowan equations can reproduce a number of brightness and orientation-dependent illusions. Then we formally prove that there cannot be an energy functional that the Wilson–Cowan equations are minimizing, making them suboptimal with respect to the efficient representation principle. We thus propose a slight modification that is consistent with such principle and show that this provides a better reproduction of visual illusions than the original Wilson–Cowan formulation. We also consider the cortical extension of both models to deal with more complex orientation-dependent illusions.
Evidence a shared mechanism mediates ipsi- and contralesional compensatory saccades and gait after unilateral vestibular deafferentation
Authors: Wagner Andrew R. , Schubert Michael C.
Published: March 2020

The study objective was to understand how the contralesional labyrinth contributes to gaze and gait stability after unilateral vestibular deafferentation (UVD). Head impulse testing (vHIT) was completed in 37 individuals [22 women (59%); age 52.13 ± 11.59 yr, mean ± SD] with UVD from vestibular schwannoma resection. Compensatory saccades (CS) and vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain were analyzed for both ipsilesional and contralesional impulses. Gait speed (10-m walk test) and endurance (2-min walk test) were collected for 35 individuals. CS were recruited during contralesional head rotation regardless of VOR gain on either the ipsilesional [ρ = 0.21 (−0.14, 0.57); Spearman rank (95% confidence interval)] or contralesional side [ρ = −0.04 (−0.42, 0.35)]. Additionally, the latency of these CS (151.19 ± 52.41 ms) was similar to that of CS generated during ipsilesional rotation (165.65 ± 21.62 ms; P = 0.159). CS recruited during ipsilesional vHIT were of a higher velocity ( P < 0.001) and greater frequency ( P < 0.001) compared with contralesional CS. VOR gain asymmetry was significantly correlated with gait speed [ρ = −0.37 (−0.73, −0.01)], yet individual VOR gain was not correlated [ipsilesional: ρ = 0.17 (−0.20, 0.55); contralesional: ρ = −0.18 (−0.52, 0.15)]. Our data reveal CS are recruited at similar latencies without correlation to VOR gain or direction of head rotation, and that the central integration of ipsilesional and contralesional vestibular afference correlates with gait. Together, our data suggest the brain considers vestibular afference from both sides when generating related behavioral output after UVD.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY After unilateral vestibular deafferentation, compensatory saccades (CS) have similar latencies regardless of the direction of head rotation, and those CS generated during contralesional head rotation are unrelated to extent of vestibular loss. Additionally, the extent of asymmetry in residual vestibular function, not the extent of vestibular loss, correlates with gait speed. Our data suggest a common mechanism is responsible for the generation of CS and restoration of gait speed in vestibular compensation.
PLANET: Improved Convolutional Neural Networks with Image Enhancement for Image Classification
Authors: Tang Chaohui , Zhu Qingxin , Wu Wenjun , Huang Wenlin , Hong Chaoqun , Niu Xinzheng
Published: March 2020

In the past few years, deep learning has become a research hotspot and has had a profound impact on computer vision. Deep CNN has been proven to be the most important and effective model for image processing, but due to the lack of training samples and huge number of learning parameters, it is easy to tend to overfit. In this work, we propose a new two-stage CNN image classification network, named “Improved Convolutional Neural Networks with Image Enhancement for Image Classification” and PLANET in abbreviation, which uses a new image data enhancement method called InnerMove to enhance images and augment the number of training samples. InnerMove is inspired by the “object movement” scene in computer vision and can improve the generalization ability of deep CNN models for image classification tasks. Sufficient experiment results show that PLANET utilizing InnerMove for image enhancement outperforms the comparative algorithms, and InnerMove has a more significant effect than the comparative data enhancement methods for image classification tasks.
Adjuvant Therapies in Diabetic Retinopathy as an Early Approach to Delay Its Progression: The Importance of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation
Authors: Robles-Rivera Ricardo Raúl , Castellanos-González José Alberto , Olvera-Montaño Cecilia , Flores-Martin Raúl Alonso , López-Contreras Ana Karen , Arevalo-Simental Diana Esperanza , Cardona-Muñoz Ernesto Germán , Roman-Pintos Luis Miguel , Rodríguez-Carrizalez Adolfo Daniel
Published: March 2020

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a progressive disease induced by a sustained state of chronic hyperglycemia that can lead to several complications targeting highly metabolic cells. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a multifactorial microvascular complication of DM, with high prevalence, which can ultimately lead to visual impairment. The genesis of DR involves a complex variety of pathways such as oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, neurodegeneration, angiogenesis, lipid peroxidation, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, each possessing potential therapeutic biomarkers. A specific treatment has yet to be developed for early stages of DR since no management is given other than glycemic control until the proliferative stage develops, offering a poor visual prognosis to the patient. In this narrative review article, we evaluate different dietary regimens, such as the Mediterranean diet, Dietary Pattern to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and their functional foods, and low-calorie diets (LCDs). Nutraceuticals have also been assessed in DR on account of their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiangiogenic properties, which may have an important impact on the physiopathology of DR. These nutraceuticals have shown to lower reactive oxygen species (ROS), important inflammatory factors, cytokines, and endothelial damage biomarkers either as monotherapies or combined therapies or concomitantly with established diabetes management or nonconventional adjuvant drugs like topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Effect of Intestinal Levodopa-Carbidopa Infusion on Pharyngeal Dysphagia: Results from a Retrospective Pilot Study in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Labeit Bendix , Claus Inga , Muhle Paul , Suntrup-Krueger Sonja , Dziewas Rainer , Warnecke Tobias
Published: March 2020

Background. Pharyngeal dysphagia is a common symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD) leading to severe complications. PD-related pharyngeal dysphagia (PDrPD) may significantly improve in up to half of patients following acute oral levodopa challenge. Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) on PDrPD. Methods. Forty-five PD patients under LCIG treatment were available for retrospective analysis. In all patients with PDrPD who underwent flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) in the clinical “on-state” both before and after implementation of LCIG treatment, FEES videos were systematically reassessed. PDrPD was characterized using a PD-specific FEES score evaluating premature bolus spillage, penetration/aspiration, and pharyngeal residue. Further, the duration of white-out was assessed, as a parameter for pharyngeal bradykinesia. Results. Eleven patients with PDrPD (mean age 74.6 ± 4.4 years; mean Hoehn and Yahr stage 3.8 ± 0.6) received FEES both before and after the onset of LCIG treatment. The mean swallowing score improved from 14.9 ± 7.3 to 13.0 ± 6.9 after implementation of LCIG; however, this difference was not significant (p=0.312). Premature bolus spillage decreased significantly (p=0.002) from 5.4 ± 1.1 to 3.6 ± 1.0, and white-out duration decreased significantly (p=0.002) from 984 ± 228 ms to 699 ± 131 ms after implementation of LCIG. Conclusions. LCIG may affect PDrPD and reduce premature bolus spillage and pharyngeal bradykinesia. Future studies with larger sample sizes are required to follow-up on these pilot results and identify which factors predict a good response of PDrPD to LCIG treatment.
Dermatologic Conundrum: A Cardiac Condition Masqueraded as a Dermatologic Distraction
Authors: Degheim George , Hiner Evan , Berry Abeer , Foster Nathan
Published: March 2020

A 38-year-old male presented to the emergency department (ED) complaining of extreme pain and a petechial rash on the left ankle for two weeks associated with generalized fatigue, intermittent fevers, and weight loss. He was discharged home from the ED on pain medications. He returned a few days later with a progressive rash that involved the entire left lower extremity to the level of the knee. He was diagnosed with herpes zoster (shingles) and was prescribed acyclovir and steroids. After several days, the patient presented for the third time to the ED. He developed a right lower extremity discomfort this time. The pain in bilateral lower extremities had become unbearable. His cardiac examination revealed a systolic murmur at the apex and a faint diastolic murmur at the left sternal border. Ultimately, he had an echocardiogram that demonstrated both a bicuspid aortic valve and large vegetation on the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve, and his blood culture grew Streptococcus mitis and Streptococcus oralis. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with subacute bacterial endocarditis thought to be sourced from his poor dentition. The diagnosis of infective endocarditis is often delayed due to its nonspecific clinical presentations. Our case displays an unusual skin manifestation of IE that may be present in the absence of other signs and symptoms of the disease.
Optimal Decisions and Pricing in Mail Service Systems Subject to Virus Attacks
Authors: Zhu Sheng , Wang Jinting
Published: March 2020

We consider an optimal decision problem of the service providers in public mail service systems subject to virus attacks. Two scenarios, i.e., free service systems and payment systems, are investigated in the paper. We first formulate the considered system as a partially observable M/G/1 queue with Bernoulli vacations, and by the supplementary variable method, we obtain some performance measures of the system. In the case of free service systems, the service provider aims to maximize the expected social welfare. Correspondingly, we obtain a joint optimum value of scan rate and scan probability from the viewpoint of social welfare maximization and carry out a sensitivity analysis of the joint optimum value on some input parameters. In the case of payment systems, senders are assumed to be boundedly rational, and we obtain a three-dimensional (3D) optimal strategy by combining the Stackelberg game approach and the logit choice model. Our results provide managerial insight and are helpful for service providers to optimally select parameters of the system and make optimal pricing decisions in various situations.
Application of Optimal Control to Influenza Pneumonia Coinfection with Antiviral Resistance
Authors: Kanyiri Caroline W. , Luboobi Livingstone , Kimathi Mark
Published: March 2020

Influenza and pneumonia independently lead to high morbidity and mortality annually among the human population globally; however, a glaring fact is that influenza pneumonia coinfection is more vicious and it is a threat to public health. Emergence of antiviral resistance is a major impediment in the control of the coinfection. In this paper, a deterministic mathematical model illustrating the transmission dynamics of influenza pneumonia coinfection is formulated having incorporated antiviral resistance. Optimal control theory is then applied to investigate optimal strategies for controlling the coinfection using prevalence reduction and treatment as the system control variables. Pontryagin’s maximum principle is used to characterize the optimal control. The derived optimality system is solved numerically using the Runge–Kutta-based forward-backward sweep method. Simulation results reveal that implementation of prevention measures is sufficient to eradicate influenza pneumonia coinfection from a given population. The prevention measures could be social distancing, vaccination, curbing mutation and reassortment, and curbing interspecies movement of the influenza virus.
Distributed Adaptive Neural Consensus Tracking Control for Multiple Euler-Lagrange Systems with Unknown Control Directions
Authors: Meng Fanfeng , Zhao Lin , Yu Jinpeng
Published: March 2020

This paper investigates the distributed adaptive neural consensus tracking control for multiple Euler-Lagrange systems with parameter uncertainties and unknown control directions. Motivated by the Nussbaum-type function and command-filtered backstepping technique, the error compensations and neural network approximation-based adaptive laws are established, which can not only overcome the computation complexity problem of backstepping but also make the consensus tracking errors reach to the desired region although the control directions and system nonlinear dynamics are both unknown. Numerical example is given to show the proposed algorithm is effective at last.
Optimal Strategies for an Ambiguity-Averse Insurer under a Jump-Diffusion Model and Defaultable Risk
Authors: Li Man , Deng Yingchun , Huang Ya , Ou Hui
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we consider a robust optimal investment-reinsurance problem with a default risk. The ambiguity-averse insurer (AAI) may carry out transactions on a risk-free asset, a stock, and a defaultable corporate bond. The stock’s price is described by a jump-diffusion process, and both the jump intensity and the distribution of jump amplitude are uncertain, i.e., the jump is ambiguous. The AAI’s surplus process is assumed to follow an approximate diffusion process. In particular, the reinsurance premium is calculated according to the generalized mean-variance premium principle, and the reinsurance type has to follow a self-reinsurance function. In performing dynamic programming, both the predefault case and the postdefault case are analyzed, and the optimal strategies and the corresponding value functions are derived under the worst-case scenario. Moreover, we give a detailed proof of the verification theorem and give some special cases and numerical examples to illustrate our theoretical results.
Influence of 3D Printed Topological Structure on Lightweight Mullite Load Bearing Board in Thermal Environment
Authors: Man Yiran , Luo Xudong , Xie Zhipeng , Qu Dianli
Published: March 2020

In order to achieve the purpose of resource and energy saving in the process of producing ceramics products, the hollow lightweight load bearing board in thermal environment with topological structures was made by 3D printing. In this study, the load bearing board manufactured with different topological structures such as vertical grid, oblique square grid, and honeycomb grid was printed by direct ink writing technology using the same raw material of kaolin clay and α‐Al2O3 powder. The three kinds of samples were sintered at 1450°C × 3 h. The effect of printed structures on mechanical property of load bearing board samples was investigated. Moreover, the finite element simulation was used to study the stress distribution of the load bearing board. Comparing with results obtained by three kinds of samples, honeycomb grid supported samples proved to be the most appropriate structure in various directions comprehensively.
Time to Recovery from Severe Acute Malnutrition and Its Predictors among Admitted Children Aged 6-59 Months at the Therapeutic Feeding Center of Pawi General Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: A Retrospective Follow-Up Study
Authors: Wondim Amare , Tigabu Bethelihem , Kelkay Mengistu Mekonnen
Published: March 2020

Background. Ethiopia is one of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa with the highest rates of severe acute malnutrition. Early recovery is a performance indicator for severe acute malnourished children for the therapeutic feeding. Despite the available interventions to tackle nutritional problems, there is scarce information on time to recovery and its determinants among children with SAM in Ethiopia. Objective. The study is aimed at assessing time to recovery from severe acute malnutrition and its predictors among admitted children aged 6-59 months at the therapeutic feeding center of Pawi General Hospital, northwest Ethiopia, from January 2013 to December 2017. Methods. An institution-based retrospective follow-up study was conducted among 398 children aged 6-59 months. The data were collected by using data extraction sheet. The data were cleaned and entered using EpiData version 4.2.0.0 and exported to Stata version 14 statistical software for further analysis. Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to estimate median nutritional recovery time after initiation of inpatient treatment, and log-rank test was used to compare time to recovery between groups. The Cox proportional regression model was used to identify the predictors of recovery time. Adjusted hazard rate with its 95% CI was reported to show strength of relationship. Results. The recovery rate was 5.3 per 100 person-day observations, and the median recovery time was 14 days (95% CI: 13–15). The lower chance of early recovery was found among children who were not fully vaccinated (AHR: 0.73 (95% CI: 0.56, 0.96)), while high chance of recovery was found among children who had no anemia (AHR: 1.66 (95% CI: 1.23, 2.23)), TB (AHR: 2.03 (95% CI: 1.11, 3.71)), and malaria infection (AHR: 1.54 (95% CI: 1.09, 2.17)) at admission. Conclusion and Recommendation. The overall nutritional recovery rate was below the accepted minimum standard. Children not fully vaccinated and children without malaria, anemia, and TB comorbidities at admission had a higher chance of recovering early from severe acute malnutrition. Hence, treating comorbidities is vital for prompt nutritional recovery.
The Potential Role of Radiotherapy in the Management of Hepatoid Carcinomas of the Stomach: A Case Report
Authors: Ilyas Waqas , Jain Prashant , Goody Rebecca , Swinson Daniel , Hingorani Mohan
Published: March 2020

Introduction: Hepatoid adenocarcinoma (AC) of the stomach (HAS) represents a rare variant of conventional gastric AC characterised by poor prognosis. They are usually managed with surgery (localised disease) and chemotherapy. Case Report: We present the first case report of a patient with HAS who presented with weight loss, poor appetite, general clinical deterioration (performance status [PS] = 3), and active gastrointestinal bleeding who was treated with fractionated palliative radiotherapy (RT) using 30 Gy in 10 fractions. The use of RT was associated with excellent symptomatic and radiological response and facilitated surgery secondary to significant improvement in general fitness and PS. Conclusion: RT may have a role in the multimodality management of hepatoid AC of the stomach.