bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tumor Immune Microenvironment Characterization of Primary Lung Adenocarcinoma and Lymph Node Metastases
Authors: Zhou Yuan , Shi Xinying , Chen Huan , Mao Beibei , Song Xue , Gao Lingling , Zhang Jiao , Yang Ying , Zhang Henghui , Wang Guo , Zhuang Wei
Published: July 2021

Background. The essential roles of the tumor microenvironment (TME) have been recognized during the initiation and progression of primary lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). The aim of the present study was to delineate the immune landscape in both primary cancer and matched lymph node metastasis from a cohort of locally advanced stage LUAD patients with distinct outcomes. Methods. Formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded samples were collected from 36 locally advanced LUAD patients. Transcriptome data of the tumor immune microenvironment were resolved using an immune oncology panel RNA sequencing platform. Bioinformatics approaches were used to determine the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), dysregulated pathways, and immune cell fraction between patients with early recurrence (ER) and late recurrence (LR). Results. Here, we showed that in primary cancer tissues, 23 DEGs were obtained between patients with ER and LR. Functional analysis revealed that the LR in LUAD patients may be associated with enriched gene sets belonging to the antigen presentation and MHC protein complex, innate immune response, and IFN‐γ signaling pathways. Next, the transcriptome data were adopted to quantify immune cell fractions, indicating that high infiltration of mast cells and neutrophils was correlated with ER. Interestingly, similar findings were observed in metastatic lymph nodes from patients suffering from ER or LR. By analyzing the shared immune features of primary cancers and lymphatic metastases, we unraveled the prognostic value and joint utility of two DEGs, CORO1A and S100A8. Conclusions. In LUAD, the enrichment in antigen presentation, MHC protein complex, and IFN‐γ signaling, and low infiltration of neutrophils in primary or metastatic nodules may be indications for a favorable prognosis. Integrated with bioinformatics approaches, transcriptome data of immune‐related genes from formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) samples can effectively profile the landscape of the tumor immune microenvironment and help predict clinical outcomes.
Electroacupuncture in the Contralesional Hemisphere Improves Neurological Function Involving GABA in Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury Rats
Authors: Liu Chung-Hsiang , Liao Wen-Ling , Su Shan-Yu , Chen Wei-Liang , Hsieh Ching-Liang
Published: July 2021

This study investigated the effect and mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) on the contralesional hemisphere in rats with ischemic stroke. EA of 2 Hz was applied on the contralesionally Luoque (BL8) and Tongtian (BL7) acupoints of the scalp to investigate the neurological status and mechanism in ischemia–reperfusion injury rats. The differences in the neurological deficit score and Rotarod test time between days 3 and 15 after reperfusion were significantly lower in the sham group (0.00 (−1.00, 0.00) and 3.53 (−0.39, 7.48) second, respectively) than in the EA group (−4.00 (−4.00, −3.00) and 44.80 (41.69, 54.13) second, respectively, both

p
<
0.001

). The ratio of infarction volume was 0.19 ± 0.04 in the sham group greater than 0.07 ± 0.04 in the EA group (

p
<
0.001

). On day 15, in the cerebral cortex of the lesioned hemisphere, the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-A/actin ratio in the normal group (1.11 ± 0.36) was higher than that in the sham group (0.38 ± 0.07,

p
<
0.05

) and similar to that in the EA group (0.69 ± 0.18,

p
>
0.05

); the difference between the EA and sham groups was significant (

p
<
0.05

). EA of 2 Hz on the BL8 and BL7 acupoints on the contralesional scalp can improve motor function and also can reduce infarction volume, and this effect of EA, and that GABA-A, plays at least a partial role in ischemia–reperfusion injury rats.
Lactococcus garvieae: An Uncommon Human Pathogen Causing Infective Endocarditis in a Valve-in-Valve Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
Authors: González-Bravo Diego H. , Alegre-Boschetti Sergio , Silva-Cantillo Richard , Mercado-Maldonado Joshua , Ramos-Márquez Reyshley , Torres-Rivera Gabriel , Cortés Carlos , Mercado-Crespo Josue
Published: July 2021

Lactococcus garvieae is a fish pathogen and an uncommon cause of human infections. There is a growing body of evidence showing its potential for causing endocarditis especially in those with prior valve surgery. In this case report, we present what we believe is the first case of endocarditis by L. garvieae affecting a valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement that was successfully treated. Specific guidelines for the management of these patients are lacking. Our experience can contribute to the current knowledge regarding this life-threatening infection as well as to the future care of these patients. We aim to emphasize that despite not being recognized as a typical endocarditis microorganism by the Duke Criteria, the possibility of endocarditis needs to be highly entertained in patients with L. garvieae bacteremia, especially when prosthetic valves are present. Consequently, clinicians should pursue further this diagnosis with transesophageal echocardiogram and/or alternative imaging modalities (e.g., PET-CT scan and MRI) regardless of an initial negative transthoracic echocardiogram. Reaching a diagnosis of L. garvieae endocarditis led us to the decision of prolonging the antibiotic course for 6 weeks with successful results. Ultimately, surgery was not required owing to the absence of prosthetic aortic valve dysfunction and paravalvular extension of the infection.
Derivation and Verification of the Relationship between Ablation Index and Baseline Impedance
Authors: Cai Zheng , Li Sainan , Zhang Qi , Wang Chenyuan , Jin Zhen , Fu Ming , Zhang Shuai , Liang Ming , Wang Zulu , Han Yaling
Published: July 2021

Objective. To explore the quantitative adjustment of ablation index (AI) under different baseline impedance to achieve similar lesion dimensions. Methods. (1) Keeping the AIs relatively constant, the lesion dimensions in different baseline impedances were studied. (2) According to Joule's law, Q = I2RT, keeping the current (I) unchanged, the powers corresponding to different baseline impedances can be obtained. Under different baseline impedances and corresponding powers, the swine hearts were ablated for 30 s in simulated human circumstances. The baseline impedances, the lesion dimensions, and AIs were recorded. And the derivation of empirical formula was achieved according to the AIs and baseline impedance values in similar lesions dimension. (3) Basic AI and baseline impedance (AI0/R0) were set as 400/120 Ω in the common AI groups and 550/120 Ω in the high AI groups, AI values in different baseline impedances were calculated using the empirical formula, and the corresponding lesion dimensions were measured to verify this formula. Results. (1) Higher baseline impedances were related to smaller lesion dimensions at similar AIs. (2) The lesion dimensions were roughly the same after modulating the baseline impedance and power to keep the electric current relatively constant. The relationship between AI and R fitted with experimental data is AI = 1.9933R + 203.61 (r = 0.9649), and the formula derived is ΔAI = (AI0 − 203)/R0 × ΔR. (3) Under the guidance of the empirical formula, there was no significant difference in lesion dimensions between the standard group and the formula guiding groups when AI0 = 400, but there was a shrinking tendence when AI > 700. Conclusion. The lesion depths are negatively correlated with baseline impedance at a certain AI. The relationship between baseline impedance and AI is “ΔAI = (AI0 − 203)/R0 × ΔR”. It is verified that when the AI is not too high, the empirical formula can be used to guide the quantitative adjustment of AIs at different baseline impedance, and the lesion depths achieved are roughly the same.
Scolymus hispanicus (Golden Thistle) Ameliorates Hepatic Steatosis and Metabolic Syndrome by Reducing Lipid Accumulation, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation in Rats under Hyperfatty Diet
Authors: Berdja Sihem , Boudarene Lynda , Smail Leila , Neggazi Samia , Boumaza Saliha , Sahraoui Abdelhamid , Haffaf El-mehdi , Kacimi Ghouti , Aouichat Bouguerra Souhila
Published: July 2021

Background. Lipotoxicity is characterized by a metabolic disturbance leading to the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Some medicinal plant extracts exert hepatoprotective activity by modulating oxidative stress, inflammation, and metabolic disorders. Scolymus hispanicus or the golden thistle can be considered an important natural source of antioxidants. In traditional medicine, the consumption of this plant is recommended for diseases of the liver and intestines. Objective. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of Scolymus hispanicus on a hyperfatty diet- (HFD-) induced metabolic disorders, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Materials and Methods. Our experiment focused on the administration of an HFD (40%) in Rattus norvegicus for 2 months and treatment with the aqueous extract of Scolymus hispanicus at a rate of 100 mg/kg during the last eight days of experimentation. In this context, several aspects were studied: the evaluation of blood biochemical parameters, liver function such as lipids and glycogen, markers of oxidative stress (TBARS, carbonyl proteins, advanced oxidation proteins, catalase, and SOD) and inflammation (NO and NFkB), morphological study of hepatocytes in primary culture, and histological study of the liver. Results. Lipotoxicity induced metabolic disorders, both serum and tissue. HFD induced an increase in the total lipids and a decrease in glycogen reserve and an alteration in the oxidant-antioxidant balance. HFD induced an increase in markers of liver damage, which resulted in NAFLD, confirmed by histological study and hepatocytes cell culture. Scolymus appears to have lipid-lowering, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It improved glucose tolerance and the condition of fatty liver disease. Conclusion. Golden thistle improves glucose tolerance and hyperlipidemia and ameliorates hepatic steatosis by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and lipid accumulation. Its incorporation into a dietary program or as an aliment supplement would prevent hepatic complications associated with an HFD.
3D Processing Maps of Cast Mg‐9Gd‐3Y Alloy and Numerical‐Experimental Verification
Authors: Li Pan , Luo Jianguo
Published: July 2021

The hot compression behavior of Mg‐9Gd‐3Y (GW93) alloy was investigated by carrying out isothermal compression tests at the deformation temperature range of 300–450°C and strain rate range of 0.001–1s−1. Considering the influence of the strain on the formability of the GW93 alloy, three‐dimensional (3D) processing maps were established based on the dynamic material model. The 3D processing maps indicate that the formability of the material improved with the decrease of the strain rate and the increase of the heating temperature, and the material at lower heating temperature mostly underwent flow instability. The formable processing region of the hot deformation of the GW93 alloy was concentrated within the temperature range of 380–450°C and the strain rate range of 0.001–0.01 s−1. Subsequently, the 3D processing maps were embedded into the finite element (FE) software DEFORM‐3D by means of user subroutines, and the formability of GW93 alloy during the isothermal plane strain forging process was predicted. The FE simulation results revealed that the formability of the material at low strain rate improved compared with that at high strain rate under the same temperature. Finally, an isothermal plane strain forging technological experiment was carried out, and the microstructure of the formed sample was analyzed. The experimental result is in good agreement with that of the numerical simulation. Combined with microstructural observation, the accuracy of the simulation results and the 3D processing maps of the GW93 alloy was verified.
A Comparative Study on the Wind Deflection of Railway Overhead Contact Line Based on Empirical Formula and Finite Element Approach
Authors: Chu Wenping , Song Yang , Liu Zhigang
Published: July 2021

The assessment of wind deflection of the railway overhead contact line (OCL) is of great importance to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the electrified railway. This paper performs a comparative study of the railway OCL wind deflection based on the traditional empirical formula and finite element method (FEM). Considering the geometrical nonlinearity, a nonlinear finite element approach is adopted to model the OCL. The crosswind load is applied to the OCL through an iterative procedure. The comparative study indicates that the maximum wind deflection estimated by the empirical formula is generally the same as the FEM result when the turbulence intensity is 10%. However, with more than 10% of the turbulence intensity, the empirical formula may give a risky result. Then, some coefficients are introduced to modify the empirical formula according to the FEM results. The numerical examples are presented with different OCL tension classes to verify the validation of the modified empirical formula.
Research on Prediction Model of Hotels’ Development Scale Based on BP Artificial Neural Network Algorithm
Authors: Zhao Nan , Tsai Sang-Bing
Published: July 2021

Due to the lack of macro and systematic data, the target cost of high-star hotel project cannot meet the characteristics and needs of the hotel project itself. Therefore, the establishment of star hotel development scale prediction is urgent. In the scale development strategy, based on the previous studies, combined with the development characteristics of regional high-star hotels in a city, this paper constructs the index system of influencing factors of the development scale of high-star hotels and extracts the main influencing factors of hotel development scale by principal component analysis and partial relationship analysis, which are mainly urban development, economic development, tourism development, tourism development exhibition industry development, business development, and transportation development. The BP artificial neural network prediction method is used to establish a prediction model for the development scale of high-star hotels, by adopting the above key extraction factors as input of BP neural network. Through the input and output of the scale influence index data, the development scale of star hotels is accurately predicted. The simulation results verify the effectiveness and reliability of the star hotel development scale prediction strategy based on BP neural network, in terms of accuracy and model superiority.
Assessment of Ecological Risk of Heavy Metals Using Probabilistic Risk Assessment Model (AQUARISK) in Surface Sediments from Wami Estuary, Tanzania
Authors: Sawe Shovi Furaeli , Shilla Daniel Abel , Machiwa John Ferdinand
Published: July 2021

Total concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn in sediment samples obtained from Wami Estuary in Tanzania were used to generate contaminant probability density distributions and species sensitivity distributions using the AQUARISK model. Results of tier 1 assessment showed that As, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Zn were not of concern as their measured values and the 99th percentile of the fitted distributions were lower than the SQG low‐trigger values. However, Cu was identified as of concern in this estuary. According to the Bur III distributional analysis of the exotoxicological data, the estimated percentage of species likely to be affected is 3.4, 79.4, 79.8, 99.9, 98.4, and 98.0 for As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn, respectively. Lowering of the current median concentrations of metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn) is recommended as they exceeded modeled median target sediment concentration to achieve 95% or higher for species protection. With the ongoing increase in anthropogenic activities in the Wami River catchment, the environmental regulatory bodies may use the findings of the present study and augmented with AQUARISK to set discharge standards for various contaminants in order to minimize impacts to the receiving ecosystems.
L. Cucurbita pepo Alleviates Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress via Modulation of Apoptosis, Neurogenesis, and Gliosis in Rat Hippocampus
Authors: Ayuob Nasra , Shaker Soad Ali , Hawuit Etedal , Al-Abbas Nouf saeed , Shaer Nehad A. , Al Jaouni Soad , Mahdi Mohamed R.
Published: July 2021

Pumpkin has received significant attention due to its nutritional compounds that have antioxidant, antifatigue, and anti‐inflammatory effects. This study is aimed at assessing the antidepressant‐like effect of L. Cucurbita pepo, sweet pumpkin, in an animal model of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) and investigating its effect on the histological structure of hippocampus compared to fluoxetine. Forty male albino rats assigned into the negative control, positive control (CUMS), and Flu‐treated and pumpkin‐treated groups (n = 10) were utilized in this study. Exposing rats to CUMS continued for 28 days, and treatments used were applied during the last 14 days of exposure. Behavioral, biochemical, and histopathological changes were assessed after 28 days. In this study, pumpkin significantly reduced the immobility time (p = 0.02), corticosterone (p < 0.001), TNF‐α, IL‐6 (p < 0.001), and malondialdehyde (p = 0.003), whereas it significantly increased the level of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in the serum of rats exposed to CUMS. Pumpkin markedly relieved the degenerative and atrophic changes observed in the CA3 region and the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. It significantly reduced caspase‐3 and increased glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoexpression in the CA3 and DG. In conclusion, administration of pumpkin extract improved the behavioral, biochemical, and hippocampal pathological alternations induced in rats after exposure to CUMS in a comparable pattern to fluoxetine. This study highlighted the potential efficacy of pumpkin in alleviating depression disorder either alone or in conjugation with conventional antidepressant therapy.
Predicting Spread Probability of Learning‐Effect Computer Virus
Authors: Yeh Wei-Chang , Lin Edward , Huang Chia-Ling
Published: July 2021

With the rapid development of network technology, computer viruses have developed at a fast pace. The threat of computer viruses persists because of the constant demand for computers and networks. When a computer virus infects a facility, the virus seeks to invade other facilities in the network by exploiting the convenience of the network protocol and the high connectivity of the network. Hence, there is an increasing need for accurate calculation of the probability of computer‐virus‐infected areas for developing corresponding strategies, for example, based on the possible virus‐infected areas, to interrupt the relevant connections between the uninfected and infected computers in time. The spread of the computer virus forms a scale‐free network whose node degree follows the power rule. A novel algorithm based on the binary‐addition tree algorithm (BAT) is proposed to effectively predict the spread of computer viruses. The proposed BAT utilizes the probability derived from PageRank from the scale‐free network together with the consideration of state vectors with both the temporal and learning effects. The performance of the proposed algorithm was verified via numerous experiments.
Construction of Immune‐Associated Nomogram for Predicting the Recurrence Survival Risk of Stage I Cervical Cancer
Authors: Wang Yajuan , Zhang Lejing , Wang Bin , Cheng Yuanfang
Published: July 2021

Background. Various studies reported that the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer (CC) was significantly associated with immunity, whereas limited studies have explored whether immune‐associated genes could be classifiers for recurrence‐free survival (RFS) of stage I CC. Thus, an improved immune‐related gene signature for stage I CC patients’ prognosis is urgently required. Materials and Methods. We retrospectively analyzed the gene expression profiles of stage I CC patients in the GSE44001 set from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The stage I CC patients were randomly divided into the training group and the internal validation group. The training patients were adopted to develop a prognostic immune gene‐based signature; meanwhile, the internal validation patients were used to validate the power of the selected immune gene‐related signature using univariate Cox proportional hazard analysis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and multivariate Cox regression analysis. The accuracy and reliability of the immune gene‐related signature were evaluated based on Kaplan‐Meier analysis and time‐dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results. High power of the 8‐immune gene signature was found on the basis of ROC analysis (AUC at 1, 3, and 5 years were exhibited in the internal validation group (0.702, 0.715, and 0.728, respectively), external validation group (0.702, 0.825, and 0.842, respectively), and entire GEO dataset (0.840, 0.894, and 0.852, respectively)). Besides, C‐index, ROC, calibration plots, and decision curve analysis (DCA) also acted well in our nomogram, suggestive of a high ability of the nomogram to elevate the prognostic prediction of stage I CC patients. Conclusions. In this study, we successfully constructed an integrated 8‐immune gene‐based signature which could accurately identify patients with low prognostic risk from those with high prognostic risk. In addition, we developed an immune‐related nomogram which can elevate the prognostic prediction of stage I CC patients.
EAWNet: An Edge Attention‐Wise Objector for Real‐Time Visual Internet of Things
Authors: Zhang Zhichao , Chen Hui , Yin Xiaoqing , Deng Jinsheng
Published: July 2021

With the upgrading of the high‐performance image processing platform and visual internet of things sensors, VIOT is widely used in intelligent transportation, autopilot, military reconnaissance, public safety, and other fields. However, the outdoor visual internet of things system is very sensitive to the weather and unbalanced scale of latent object. The performance of supervised learning is often limited by the disturbance of abnormal data. It is difficult to collect all classes from limited historical instances. Therefore, in terms of the anomaly detection images, fast and accurate artificial intelligence‐based object detection technology has become a research hot spot in the field of intelligent vision internet of things. To this end, we propose an efficient and accurate deep learning framework for real‐time and dense object detection in VIOT named the Edge Attention‐wise Convolutional Neural Network (EAWNet) with three main features. First, it can identify remote aerial and daily scenery objects fast and accurately in terms of an unbalanced category. Second, edge prior and rotated anchor are adopted to enhance the efficiency of detection in edge computing internet. Third, our EAWNet network uses an edge sensing object structure, makes full use of an attention mechanism to dynamically screen different kinds of objects, and performs target recognition on multiple scales. The edge recovery effect and target detection performance for long‐distance aerial objects were significantly improved. We explore the efficiency of various architectures and fine tune the training process using various backbone and data enhancement strategies to increase the variety of the training data and overcome the size limitation of input images. Extensive experiments and comprehensive evaluation on COCO and large‐scale DOTA datasets proved the effectiveness of this framework that achieved the most advanced performance in real‐time VIOT object detection.
Dynamic Characteristics of Fault Structure and Its Controlling Impact on Rock Burst in Mines
Authors: Lan Tianwei , Sun Jiawei , Batugin А. S. , Zhao Wenqi , Zhang Mancang , Jia Weidong , Zhang Zhijia
Published: July 2021

As one of the most serious shock dynamic disasters in coal mining, rock burst only occurs under the certain geodynamic environment. Geodynamic is the necessary requirement for the occurrence of rock burst, and the disturbance of mining engineering is the sufficient requirement. In terms of the fault structure, the method of geodynamic zoning is used to classify fault structure forms of rock burst in mines, and a model of geological structure is established to reveal the connection between fault structure and mine engineering. Besides, the influence of fault structure on rock burst is analyzed, and the controlling mechanism of the fault structure on the tectonic evolution of the mine area and the occurrence of rock burst is revealed. This research provides a treatment plan for the prediction and prevention of rock burst and guides the safe production in the coal mining engineering.
Cost-Effective Optimization for Blockchain-Enabled NOMA-Based MEC Networks
Authors: Du Jianbo , Sun Yan , Sun Aijing , Lu Guangyue , Chang Zhixian , Cao Haotong , Feng Jie
Published: July 2021

Blockchain technology has been widely used in many fields. However, the proof of work (PoW) problem in the mining process of mobile devices requires a large amount of computing resources and energy consumption, which brings huge challenges to mobile devices. Mobile edge computing (MEC) can effectively solve the above problems, allowing mobile devices to offload tasks to edge servers to relieve the pressure of limited computing resources on mobile devices. Nonorthogonal multiple access (NOMA) is good at improving spectrum efficiency, so that the system can accommodate more users. In this paper, we propose a new NOMA-based MEC-enabled blockchain framework. Under the conditions of a given task execution deadline, the decision of offloading, local computing resource allocation, user clustering and admission control, and transmit power control is jointly optimized to minimize the total cost of the system. Since the problem is hard to solve, we decouple it into subproblems for low-complexity solutions. First, we propose two heuristic algorithms to obtain the binary offloading decision and user association, and then closed-form solutions of local resource allocation and transmit power control are obtained under the required delay constraints. Simulation results show that our proposed algorithms perform good in cost reduction compared with other baseline algorithms.
Private Parking Space Sharing Intention in China: An Empirical Study Based on the MIMIC Model
Authors: Wang Ange , Guan Hongzhi , Han Yan , Cao Yangliu
Published: July 2021

The shared parking scheme improves the utilization rate of existing parking resources and contributes to the sustainable development of cities, but many private parking spaces that are not included in the shared parking scheme have a low utilization rate in China. In order to better promote the shared parking scheme, it is necessary to study the intention of the owners of private parking spaces to share their parking spaces. Therefore, this paper used the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Benefit-Risk Analysis Model (BRA) as the combined theoretical framework (C-UTAUT-BRA). Hypothesis testing using the Multiple Indicators and Multiple Causes (MIMIC) model was performed using an empirical assessment of the shared parking scheme in China. The results show that (1) the sharing behavioral intention (BI) is directly affected by perceived benefit (PB), perceived risk (PR), social influence (SI), and facilitating condition (FC) and indirectly affected by effort expectancy (EE), of which the total effect of PB is the largest; (2) exogenous variables have an indirect effect on BI through other psychological latent variables; among them, different sociodemographic and economic characteristics have a significant influence on different latent variables, while the built environment has no significant effect on latent variables. This research contributes to theory building in shared parking participation intention and informs business and government leaders on how to promote the shared parking scheme through the action mechanism of influencing factors on BI.
Experimental Study on the Durability of Alkali‐Activated Slag Concrete after Freeze‐Thaw Cycle
Authors: Chen Bin , Wang Jun
Published: July 2021

A freeze‐thaw resistance is an important indicator of the durability of alkali‐activated slag concrete, which causes structural failure when the performance is low, especially in severely cold areas. In this study, solid sodium aluminate and sodium silicate were used as composite alkaline activators, while slag was used as the raw material to prepare alkali‐activated slag concrete, whose freeze‐thaw resistance, as well as that of ordinary cement concrete, was experimentally studied by varying the freeze‐thaw cycles. The effects of the mass, compressive strength, and dynamic elastic modulus of the sample were investigated by considering the influence of different water‐to‐slag ratios and slag contents, while the damage variables and model were also analyzed. The results showed that alkali‐activated slag concrete had an excellent freeze‐thaw resistance, which was significantly affected by the water‐to‐slag ratio and compressive strength; specifically, the higher the water‐to‐slag ratio, the lower the freeze‐thaw resistance, and the higher the compressive strength, the better the freeze‐thaw resistance. The freeze‐thaw durability, microstructure, and damage mechanism were studied via microscopic analysis. When analyzed via the microstructure test, crack pores and microcracks with narrow spaces and large surface areas were generated under freeze‐thaw damage conditions, but the dense hydration structure and high‐bonding‐strength hydration products led to a better freeze‐thaw resistance. The damage model was established using compressive strength and relative dynamic elastic modulus as damage variables, and the attenuation exponential and accumulative damage power function model had a high accuracy, which could better reflect the freeze‐thaw damage law and damage degree and predict the lifetime of alkali‐activated slag concrete.
Theoretical Study on Synchronization of the Counter‐Rotating Exciter in the Compound Vibrating Field
Authors: Sun Yisen , Su Ming , Huang Xu , Zhao Rongchen , Li Rong , Xie Zhiping
Published: July 2021

Aiming at the impact of the complex vibration environment generated by the integrated vibration equipment on the vibration testing equipment, this paper proposes a new method to solve the vibratory synchronization problem in the compound vibration environment. A new concept of the compound vibrating field is proposed, and a new simple vibrating system with a single counter‐rotating exciter in a compound vibrating field is established. The motion differential equation of the system is established by the integral mean method with small parameters, and then the periodic coefficient differential equation is obtained through linearization. Based on the relevant theory of the second‐order differential equation with periodic coefficient, the synchronization criterion and stability criterion of the vibrating system are derived. According to the theoretical criteria, the coupling characteristics of the exciter and the vibrating field are numerically simulated and analyzed, which supports the theoretical results. The proposed compound vibrating field provides a new way for studying vibratory synchronization.
Deep Learning-Based Dynamic Stable Cluster Head Selection in VANET
Authors: Saleem Muhammad Asim , Shijie Zhou , Sarwar Muhammad Umer , Ahmad Tanveer , Maqbool Amarah , Shivachi Casper Shikali , Tariq Maham
Published: July 2021

VANET is the spontaneous evolving creation of a wireless network, and clustering in these networks is a challenging task due to rapidly changing topology and frequent disconnection in networks. The cluster head (CH) stability plays a prominent role in robustness and scalability in the network. The stable CH ensures minimum intra- and intercluster communication, thereby reducing the overhead. These challenges lead the authors to search for a CH selection method based on a weighted amalgamation of four metrics: befit factor, community neighborhood, eccentricity, and trust. The stability of CH depends on the vehicle’s speed, distance, velocity, and change in acceleration. These all are included in the befit factor. Also, the accurate location of the vehicle in changing the model is very vital. Thus, the predicted location with the Kalman filter’s help is used to evaluate CH stability. The results have shown better performance than the existing state of the art for the befit factor. The change in dynamics and frequent disconnection in communication links due to the vehicle’s high speed are inevitable. To comprehend this problem, a graphing approach is used to evaluate the eccentricity and the community neighborhood. The link reliability is calculated using the eigengap heuristic. The last metric is trust; this is one of the concepts that has not been included in the weighted approach to date as per the literature. An adaptive spectrum sensing is designed for evaluating the trust values specifically for the primary users. A deep recurrent learning network, commonly known as long short-term memory (LSTM), is trained for the probability of detection with various signals and noise conditions. The false rate has drastically reduced with the usage of LSTM. The proposed scheme is tested on the real map of Chengdu, southwestern China’s Sichuan province, with different vehicular mobilities. The comparative study with the individual and weighted metric has shown significant improvement in the cluster head stability during high vehicular density. Also, there is a considerable increase in network performance in energy, packet delay, packet delay ratio, and throughput.
AEMF: An Attention‐Based Efficient and Multifeature Fast Text Detector
Authors: Ma Wanqi , Yang Chaoyu , Yang Jie , Wu Jian
Published: July 2021

The label from industrial commodity packaging usually contains important data, such as production date, manufacturer, and other commodity‐related information. As such, those labels are essential for consumers to purchase goods, help commodity supervision, and reveal potential product safety problems. Consequently, packaging label detection, as the prerequisite for product label identification, becomes a very useful application, which has achieved promising results in the past decades. Yet, in complex industrial scenarios, traditional detection methods are often unable to meet the requirements, which suffer from many problems of low accuracy and efficiency. In this paper, we propose a multifeature fast and attention‐based algorithm using a combination of area suggestion and semantic segmentation. This algorithm is an attention‐based efficient and multifeature fast text detector (termed AEMF). The proposed approach is formed by fusing segmentation branches and detection branches with each other. Based on the original algorithm that can only detect text in any direction, it is possible to detect different shapes with a better accuracy. Meanwhile, the algorithm also works better on long‐text detection. The algorithm was evaluated using ICDAR2015, CTW1500, and MSRA‐TD500 public datasets. The experimental results show that the proposed multifeature fusion with self‐attention module makes the algorithm more accurate and efficient than existing algorithms. On the MSRA‐TD500 dataset, the AEMF algorithm has an F‐measure of 72.3% and a frame per second (FPS) of 8. On the CTW1500 dataset, the AEMF algorithm has an F‐measure of 62.3% and an FPS of 23. In particular, the AEMF algorithm has achieved an F‐measure of 79.3% and an FPS of 16 on the ICDAR2015 dataset, demonstrating the excellent performance in detecting label text on industrial packaging.
Antioxidant and Signal‐Modulating Effects of Brown Seaweed‐Derived Compounds against Oxidative Stress‐Associated Pathology
Authors: Begum Rahima , Howlader Saurav , Mamun-Or-Rashid A. N. M. , Rafiquzzaman S. M. , Ashraf Ghulam Md , Albadrani Ghadeer M. , Sayed Amany A. , Peluso Ilaria , Abdel-Daim Mohamed M. , Uddin Md. Sahab
Published: July 2021

The biological and therapeutic properties of seaweeds have already been well known. Several studies showed that among the various natural marine sources of antioxidants, seaweeds have become a potential source of antioxidants because of their bioactive compounds. Most of the metabolic diseases are caused by oxidative stress. It is very well known that antioxidants have a pivotal role in the treatment of those diseases. Recent researches have revealed the potential activity of seaweeds as complementary medicine, which have therapeutic properties for health and disease management. Among the seaweeds, brown seaweeds (Phaeophyta) and their derived bioactive substances showed excellent antioxidant properties than other seaweeds. This review focuses on brown seaweeds and their derived major bioactive compounds such as sulfated polysaccharide, polyphenol, carotenoid, and sterol antioxidant effects and molecular mechanisms in the case of the oxidative stress‐originated disease. Antioxidants have a potential role in the modification of stress‐induced signaling pathways along with the activation of the oxidative defensive pathways. This review would help to provide the basis for further studies to researchers on the potential antioxidant role in the field of medical health care and future drug development.
Synergistic Antioxidant Effects of Araloside A and L‐Ascorbic Acid on H2O2‐Induced HEK293 Cells: Regulation of Cellular Antioxidant Status
Authors: Tian Yaqin , Zhang Xiuling , Du Meiling , Li Fengfeng , Xiao Manyu , Zhang Wentao
Published: July 2021

Araloside A is a pentacyclic triterpenoid saponin, and L‐ascorbic acid is a globally recognized antioxidant. In this study, coadministered araloside A and L‐ascorbic acid were found to have a strong synergistic antioxidant effect, and correlations between cellular antioxidant indexes and free radical scavenging ability were found. Individual and combined pretreatment with araloside A and L‐ascorbic acid increased both cell viability and antioxidant enzyme activity and inhibited the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH); the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA), lipid peroxidation (LPO) products, and H2O2; and the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), protein carbonyls, and 8‐hydroxy‐2‐deoxy guanosine (8‐OHdG). Free radical scavenging ability was positively correlated with superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity, the glutathione (GSH)/oxidized glutathione (GSSG) ratio, and total antioxidant capacity (T‐AOC). Our study is the first investigation of araloside A and L‐ascorbic acid coadministration for the treatment of diseases caused by oxidative stress. The synergistic antioxidant effects of araloside A and L‐ascorbic acid support their potential as functional food ingredients for the elimination of oxidative stress‐induced adverse reactions.
First-in-Human Study of the Biodistribution and Pharmacokinetics of 89Zr-CX-072, a Novel Immunopet Tracer Based on an Anti–PD-L1 Probody
Authors: Kist de Ruijter Laura , Hooiveld-Noeken Jahlisa S. , Giesen Danique , Lub-de Hooge Marjolijn N. , Kok Iris C. , Brouwers Adrienne H. , Elias Sjoerd G. , Nguyen Margaret T.L. , Lu Hong , Gietema Jourik A. , Jalving Mathilde , de Groot Derk J.A. , Vasiljeva Olga , de Vries Elisabeth G.E.
Published: July 2021

Purpose:

CX-072, a PD-L1–targeting Probody therapeutic, is engineered to be activated by tumor proteases that remove a masking peptide. To study effects on biodistribution and pharmacokinetics, we performed 89Zr-CX-072 positron emission tomography (PET) imaging.

Experimental Design:

Patients received ∼1 mg, 37 MBq 89Zr-CX-072 plus 0, 4, or 9 mg unlabeled CX-072 and PET scans at days 2, 4, and 7. After that, treatment comprised 10 mg/kg CX-072 q2 weeks (n = 7) + 3 mg/kg ipilimumab q3w 4× (n = 1). Normal organ tracer uptake was expressed as standardized uptake value (SUV)mean and tumor uptake as SUVmax. PD-L1 expression was measured immunohistochemically in archival tumor tissue.

Results:

Three of the eight patients included received 10-mg protein dose resulting in a blood pool mean SUVmean ± SD of 4.27 ± 0.45 on day 4, indicating sufficient available tracer. Tumor uptake was highest at day 7, with a geometric mean SUVmax 5.89 (n = 113) and present in all patients. The median follow-up was 12 weeks (4–76+). One patient experienced stable disease and two patients a partial response. PD-L1 tumor expression was 90% in one patient and ≤1% in the other patients. Mean SUVmean ± SD day 4 at 10 mg in the spleen was 8.56 ± 1.04, bone marrow 2.21 ± 0.46, and liver 4.97 ± 0.97. Four patients out of seven showed uptake in normal lymph nodes and Waldeyer's ring. The tracer was intact in the serum or plasma.

Conclusions:

89Zr-CX-072 showed tumor uptake, even in lesions with ≤1% PD-L1 expression, and modest uptake in normal lymphoid organs, with no unexpected uptake in other healthy tissues.
Protein Phosphatase 2A as a Therapeutic Target in Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Mirzapoiazova Tamara , Xiao Gang , Mambetsariev Bolot , Nasser Mohd W. , Miaou Emily , Singhal Sharad S. , Srivastava Saumya , Mambetsariev Isa , Nelson Michael S. , Nam Arin , Behal Amita , Atri Pranita , Muschen Markus , Tissot François L.H. , Miser James , Kovach John S. , Sattler Martin , Batra Surinder K. , Kulkarni Prakash , Salgia Ravi
Published: July 2021

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), a serine/threonine phosphatase involved in the regulation of apoptosis, proliferation, and DNA-damage response, is overexpressed in many cancers, including small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Here we report that LB100, a small molecule inhibitor of PP2A, when combined with platinum-based chemotherapy, synergistically elicited an antitumor response both in vitro and in vivo with no apparent toxicity. Using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, we determined quantitatively that sensitization via LB100 was mediated by increased uptake of carboplatin in SCLC cells. Treatment with LB100 alone or in combination resulted in inhibition of cell viability in two-dimensional culture and three-dimensional spheroid models of SCLC, reduced glucose uptake, and attenuated mitochondrial and glycolytic ATP production. Combining LB100 with atezolizumab increased the capacity of T cells to infiltrate and kill tumor spheroids, and combining LB100 with carboplatin caused hyperphosphorylation of the DNA repair marker γH2AX and enhanced apoptosis while attenuating MET signaling and invasion through an endothelial cell monolayer. Taken together, these data highlight the translational potential of inhibiting PP2A with LB100 in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy and immunotherapy in SCLC.
Preventive Anti-inflammatory Diet to Reduce Gastrointestinal Inflammation in Familial Adenomatous Polyposis Patients: A Prospective Pilot Study
Authors: Belfiore Antonino , Ciniselli Chiara Maura , Signoroni Stefano , Gariboldi Manuela , Mancini Andrea , Rivoltini Licia , Morelli Daniele , Masci Enzo , Bruno Eleonora , Macciotta Alessandra , Ricci Maria Teresa , Daveri Elena , Cattaneo Laura , Gargano Giuliana , Apolone Giovanni , Milione Massimo , Verderio Paolo , Pasanisi Patrizia , Vitellaro Marco
Published: July 2021

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an autosomal-dominant hereditary condition associated with germline mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli gene. Patient management involves prophylactic surgery and intensive life-long endoscopic surveillance. Diet is a major concern for patients with FAP, who are generally free of symptoms before surgery but tend to have issues related to bowel function postoperatively. We hypothesized that a low-inflammatory diet based on the principles and recipes of the Mediterranean diet would reduce markers of local and systemic inflammation. Twenty-eight patients with FAP over 18 years of age who underwent rectum-sparing prophylactic colectomy and were included in our surveillance program participated in a pilot dietary intervention study. Blood and stool samples at baseline (T0), at the end of the dietary intervention (T1, three months), and at the end of the study (T2, six months after T0) were collected. Gastrointestinal inflammation markers including fecal calprotectin, cyclooxygenase-2, and 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase were evaluated. Serum calprotectin, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1, C-reactive protein, and glycated hemoglobin were also assessed. Significant changes in serum calprotectin, insulin, and insulin-like growth factor-1 levels occurred over time. Borderline significant changes were observed in the neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio. These changes were noticeable immediately at the end of the 3-month active dietary intervention (T1). A significant increase in 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase expression in the normal crypts of matched samples was also observed between T0 and T2. This pilot study supports the hypothesis that a low-inflammatory diet can modulate gastrointestinal markers of inflammation in individuals with FAP.

Prevention Relevance:

Cancer is known to be related to inflammatory conditions. This study suggests that anti-inflammatory dietary intervention may potentially prevent adenomas and cancer in FAP patients by reducing systemic and tissue inflammatory indices.
Ramucirumab for Patients with Intermediate-Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Elevated Alpha-Fetoprotein: Pooled Results from Two Phase 3 Studies (REACH and REACH-2)
Authors: Kudo Masatoshi , Finn Richard S. , Morimoto Manabu , Rau Kun-Ming , Ikeda Masafumi , Yen Chia-Jui , Galle Peter R. , Llovet Josep M. , Daniele Bruno , Lim Ho Yeong , McIlwain David W. , Yoshikawa Reigetsu , Nakamura Kenichi , Liang Kun , Wang Chunxiao , Abada Paolo , Widau Ryan C. , Zhu Andrew X.
Published: July 2021

Background: Intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as defined by Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B, is heterogeneous in terms of liver function and tumor burden. REACH and REACH-2 investigated ramucirumab in patients with HCC after prior sorafenib, with REACH-2 enrolling only patients with baseline α-fetoprotein (AFP) ≥400 ng/mL. An exploratory analysis of outcomes by BCLC stage was performed. Methods: A pooled meta-analysis of independent patient data (stratified by study) from REACH (AFP ≥ 400 ng/mL) and REACH-2 was performed. All patients had Child-Pugh A, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0–1, prior sorafenib treatment, and either HCC BCLC stage B (refractory/not amenable to locoregional therapy) or BCLC stage C. Patients were randomized to ramucirumab 8 mg/kg or placebo every 2 weeks. Median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Treatment effects in BCLC stage B and C were evaluated by Cox proportional-hazards model; prognosis of BCLC staging for OS was evaluated by multivariate Cox proportional-hazards model. Tumor responses were evaluated according to Response Evaluation in Solid Tumors v1.1. Liver function was assessed with albumin-bilirubin score. Results: Baseline characteristics were generally balanced between treatment arms in each BCLC stage. BCLC staging trended as an independent prognostic factor for OS (B vs. C; hazard ratio [HR] 0.756 [95% CI 0.546–1.046]). Consistent treatment benefit was observed for ramucirumab versus placebo across BCLC stages. Median OS for ramucirumab versus placebo was 13.7 versus 8.2 months; HR (95%): 0.43 (0.23–0.83) and 7.7 versus 4.8 months; HR (95%): 0.72 (0.59–0.89) for BCLC stage B and C, respectively. Adverse events (AEs) were consistent with observations from both studies; hypertension was the most frequent grade ≥3 AE. Liver function was preserved throughout the study and similar between treatment arms in both BCLC stages. Conclusions: Ramucirumab provided a better survival benefit irrespective of BCLC stage and was well tolerated without compromising liver function during treatment.