bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling a Virtual Bare-Hand Interface System Using a Robust Hand Detection Approach for HCI
Authors: Misra Songhita , Sridevi G. , Laskar R. H.
Published: October 2020

A practically deployable gesture recognition system is developed using a robust hand detection method implemented using a motion-based image segmentation process and a two-level bare hand classification model, which is integrated with a gesture classification system of 58 gestures using new robust features. Since detection of bare hand is affected by nonideal conditions, multiple color-texture features are analyzed in this study. In the second stage of the system, 18 new ASCII characters are introduced and analyzed along with the existing 40 characters (alphabets, numbers, and arithmetic operators). New 15 dimensional features are introduced along with the existing features to enhance the classification accuracy of the gestures. Significance of features statistically tested using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Kruskal–Wallis and Friedman test, which are sequentially ranked and evaluated using incremental feature selection (IFS) method. Performance of the proposed hand detection system is observed to be 12.5% higher than the existing hand detection system under clean conditions, while 46.4% higher under the nonideal conditions. Performance of 58 gestures classification model has improved by 12.08% (Naïve Bayes), 8.86% (ELM), 10.83% (SVM), 8.02% ([Formula: see text]NN), and 6.61% (ANN) after using the new features. Majority voting-based classifier fusion method further improves the performance of the gesture recognition system by 3.88%, which is validated by Turkey’s HSD test.
Design and Analysis of Integrated Wilkinson Power Divider-Fed Conformal High-Gain UWB Array Antenna with Band Rejection Characteristics for WLAN Applications
Authors: Lakrit Soufian , Medkour Hicham , Das Sudipta , Madhav B. T. P. , Ali Wael A. E. , Dwivedi R. P.
Published: October 2020

Flexible ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna arrays with band notching characteristics are proposed in this work. A new wideband and high-isolation Wilkinson power divider (WPD) is designed to construct the feed systems of the UWB antenna arrays. The proposed WPD is achieved by introducing a significant modification to the conventional WPD and the new one is composed of four isolation stages. Multiple stages helped to achieve wideband from 2[Formula: see text]GHz to more than 12[Formula: see text]GHz with high isolation characteristics of more than 20[Formula: see text]dB and insertion losses around 3.3[Formula: see text]dB. The designed WPD is then applied to feed two UWB monopole antenna arrays which offer a notched band centered at 5.5[Formula: see text]GHz to reject interference from wireless local area network (WLAN) system and can be integrated with curved surfaces. To verify the performance of the proposed structure, two array configurations are practically fabricated and measured. The results show that both the arrays have UWB operational bandwidth (3.5–11.8[Formula: see text]GHz for [Formula: see text] array and 3.6–12[Formula: see text]GHz for [Formula: see text] array) that includes the UWB spectrum. Attractive agreement between simulation and measurement results is obtained. Furthermore, the bending test is carried out on the [Formula: see text] array showing the good performance of the proposed system when installed on curved surfaces for different bent angles.
Neutrino-pair interactions in astrophysical systems
Authors: Colombi María Paula , Civitarese Osvaldo , Penacchioni Ana V.
Published: October 2020

We study the effects produced by interactions among neutrinos upon extra-galactic neutrino-fluxes. We have assumed a separable type of pair interactions and performed a transformation to a quasi-particle mean field followed by a Tamm–Damcoff diagonalization. In doing so, we have adopted techniques originated in the quantum many-body problem, and adapted them to this specific case. The solutions of the associated eigenvalue problem provide us with energies and amplitudes which are then used to construct the neutrino response functions at finite density and temperature. The formalism is applied to the description of neutrinos produced in a SN environment.
An Optimal Design of the Synthetic Coefficient of Variation Chart Based on the Median Run Length
Authors: Yeong Wai Chung , Lim Sok Li , Khoo Michael Boon Chong , Khaw Khai Wah , Ng Peh Sang
Published: October 2020

The synthetic coefficient of variation (CV) chart is currently evaluated based only on the average run length (ARL), but this paper evaluates the chart based on different percentiles of the run length, which shows that false alarms frequently happen earlier than that shown by the in-control ARL (ARL[Formula: see text], and for small sample sizes and shift sizes, the out-of-control condition is frequently detected before what is shown by the out-of-control ARL (ARL[Formula: see text]. Furthermore, the run lengths show large variations. Hence, the chart’s performance could not be interpreted only in terms of the ARL. This paper proposes the median run length (MRL)-based design for the synthetic CV chart, which is not available in the literature. The MRL-based design shows larger MRL0and ARL0, smaller MRL1and ARL1, and less variation in the out-of-control run lengths compared to existing ARL-based designs. However, the in-control run lengths show more variation. Comparisons show that the synthetic chart outperforms the VSS and Shewhart charts, while comparison with the Exponentially Weighted Moving Average (EWMA) chart shows that although it outperforms the synthetic chart based on the ARL for small shift sizes, the synthetic chart shows better performance in terms of the MRL. The MRL-based synthetic chart is then implemented on an industrial example.
An intermediate local–nonlocal eigenvalue elliptic problem
Authors: Delgado Manuel , Santos Júnior Joao R. , Suárez Antonio
Published: October 2020

This paper deals with a nonlocal diffusion elliptic eigenvalue problem. Specifically, the diffusion of the unknown variable at a point of the domain depends on its value in a neighborhood of the point. We apply bifurcation arguments and appropriate approximation to obtain our results. Some applications to the population dynamics will be given.
Spreading under shifting climate by a free boundary model: Invasion of deteriorated environment
Authors: Hu Yuanyang , Hao Xinan , Du Yihong
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we consider a free boundary model in one space dimension which describes the spreading of a species subject to climate change, where favorable environment is shifting away with a constant speed [Formula: see text] and replaced by a deteriorated yet still favorable environment. We obtain two threshold speeds [Formula: see text] and a complete classification of the long-time dynamics of the model, which reveals significant differences between the cases [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. For example, when [Formula: see text], for a suitably parameterized family of initial functions [Formula: see text] increasing continuously in [Formula: see text], we show that there exists [Formula: see text] such that the species vanishes eventually when [Formula: see text], it spreads with asymptotic speed [Formula: see text] when [Formula: see text], it spreads with forced speed [Formula: see text] when [Formula: see text], and it spreads with speed [Formula: see text] when [Formula: see text]. Moreover, in the last case, while the spreading front propagates with asymptotic speed [Formula: see text], the profile of the population density function [Formula: see text] approaches a propagating pair consisting of a traveling wave with speed [Formula: see text] and a semi-wave with speed [Formula: see text].
Nonlinear elliptic equations on the upper half space
Authors: Tang Sufang , Wang Lei , Zhu Meijun
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we shall classify all positive solutions of [Formula: see text] on the upper half space [Formula: see text] with nonlinear boundary condition [Formula: see text] on [Formula: see text] for parameters [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. We will prove that for [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] (and [Formula: see text]) all positive solutions are functions of last variable; for [Formula: see text] (and [Formula: see text]) positive solutions must be either some functions depending only on last variable, or radially symmetric functions.
One-generated nilpotent assosymmetric algebras
Authors: Mashurov Farukh , Kaygorodov Ivan
Published: October 2020

We give the classification of [Formula: see text]- and [Formula: see text]-dimensional complex one-generated nilpotent assosymmetric algebras.
Partial actions and cyclic kummer’s theory
Authors: Marín Víctor , Cañas Andrés , Pinedo Héctor
Published: October 2020

We introduce a theory of cyclic Kummer extensions of commutative rings for partial Galois extensions of finite groups, extending some of the well-known results of the theory of Kummer extensions of commutative rings developed by Borevich. In particular, we provide necessary and sufficient conditions to determine when a partial [Formula: see text]-Kummerian extension is equivalent to either a radical or an [Formula: see text]-radical extension, for some subgroup [Formula: see text] of the cyclic group [Formula: see text].
Anisotropic strange quintessence stars in f(R,G) gravity
Authors: Shamir M. Farasat , Mustafa G. , Javed Mahroz
Published: October 2020

This paper is devoted to formulate a new model of quintessence anisotropic compact stars in the modified [Formula: see text] gravity. Dynamical equations in modified theory consisting of anisotropic fluid along with quintessence field have been evaluated by adopting analytical solution of Krori–Barua. In order to determine the unknown constraints of Krori–Barua metric observational data of different stars, [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text] has been taken into account. To solve the dynamical equations Starobinsky-like model, [Formula: see text] of modified gravity has been used. The outcome of the results depicts that all the examined celestial bodies are free from central singularity and are physically stable. Different physical parameters, such as energy density, energy conditions, evolution of quintessence and compactness factor, have been reviewed in detail.
Overexposure-Aware Influence Maximization
Authors: Loukides Grigorios , Gwadera Robert , Chang Shing-Wan
Published: October 2020

Viral marketing campaigns are often negatively affected by overexposure. Overexposure occurs when users become less likely to favor a promoted product after receiving information about the product from too large a fraction of their friends. Yet, existing influence diffusion models do not take overexposure into account, effectively overestimating the number of users who favor the product and diffuse information about it. In this work, we propose the first influence diffusion model that captures overexposure. In our model, Latency Aware Independent Cascade Model with Overexposure (LAICO), the activation probability of a node representing a user is multiplied (discounted) by an overexposure score, which is calculated based on the ratio between the estimated and the maximum possible number of attempts performed to activate the node. We also study the influence maximization problem under LAICO. Since the spread function in LAICO is non-submodular, algorithms for submodular maximization are not appropriate to address the problem. Therefore, we develop an approximation algorithm that exploits monotone submodular upper and lower bound functions of spread, and a heuristic that aims to maximize a proxy function of spread iteratively. Our experiments show the effectiveness and efficiency of our algorithms.
Synthetic Developmental Biology: Understanding Through Reconstitution
Authors: Schlissel Gavin , Li Pulin
Published: October 2020

Reconstitution is an experimental strategy that seeks to recapitulate biological events outside their natural contexts using a reduced set of components. Classically, biochemical reconstitution has been extensively applied to identify the minimal set of molecules sufficient for recreating the basic chemistry of life. By analogy, reconstitution approaches to developmental biology recapitulate aspects of developmental events outside an embryo, with the goal of revealing the basic genetic circuits or physical cues sufficient for recreating developmental decisions. The rapidly growing repertoire of genetic, molecular, microscopic, and bioengineering tools is expanding the complexity and precision of reconstitution experiments. We review the emerging field of synthetic developmental biology, with a focus on the ways in which reconstitution strategies and new biological tools have enhanced our modern understanding of fundamental questions in developmental biology.
Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Quality of Life of Patients with Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Guo Dengjun , Han Bing , Lu Yuqiang , Lv Chenling , Fang Xiaoling , Zhang Zhenzhong , Liu Zhenguo , Wang Xiaoping
Published: October 2020

Introduction. This study investigated the influence of lockdown during the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on the quality of life of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods. We conducted a questionnaire survey involving 113 patients with PD from Xihu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang. During the epidemic prevention and control period (February 1 to March 31, 2020), patients enrolled were asked to fill out questionnaires, including the “COVID-19 Questionnaire for PD Patients during the Period of Epidemic Prevention and Control” and “39-item Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39).” During the phase of gradual release of epidemic prevention and control (April 1 to April 30, 2020), all patients were followed up again, and PDQ-39 questionnaires were completed. Results. The quality of life for patients during the period of epidemic prevention and control was worse than that after epidemic prevention and control (

P

 < 0.001). The biggest problem that they faced was that they could not receive their doctor’s advice or guidance regularly. The quality of life of patients who had difficulty getting doctors’ guidance or those who changed their routine medication due to lockdown was even worse. Telemedicine was quite effective and efficient for patients to get doctors’ guidance during lockdown. Conclusions. The inconvenient treatment during the pandemic directly caused the aggravation of patients’ symptoms and the decline in their quality of life. It is suggested that social media (such as WeChat or Tencent QQ) are used for regular interactions and follow-up appointments for patients with inconvenient medical treatment.
Identification of Key Genes Involved in Acute Myocardial Infarction by Comparative Transcriptome Analysis
Authors: Sheng Xiaodong , Fan Tao , Jin Xiaoqi
Published: October 2020

Background. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is regarded as an urgent clinical entity, and identification of differentially expressed genes, lncRNAs, and altered pathways shall provide new insight into the molecular mechanisms behind AMI. Materials and Methods. Microarray data was collected to identify key genes and lncRNAs involved in AMI pathogenesis. The differential expression analysis and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were employed to identify the upregulated and downregulated genes and pathways in AMI. The protein‐protein interaction network and protein‐RNA interaction analysis were utilized to reveal key long noncoding RNAs. Results. In the present study, we utilized gene expression profiles of circulating endothelial cells (CEC) from 49 patients of AMI and 50 controls and identified a total of 552 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Based on these DEGs, we also observed that inflammatory response‐related genes and pathways were highly upregulated in AMI. Mapping the DEGs to the protein‐protein interaction (PPI) network and identifying the subnetworks, we found that OMD and WDFY3 were the hub nodes of two subnetworks with the highest connectivity, which were found to be involved in circadian rhythm and organ‐ or tissue‐specific immune response. Furthermore, 23 lncRNAs were differentially expressed between AMI and control groups. Specifically, we identified some functional lncRNAs, including XIST and its antisense RNA, TSIX, and three lncRNAs (LINC00528, LINC00936, and LINC01001), which were predicted to be interacting with TLR2 and participate in Toll‐like receptor signaling pathway. In addition, we also employed the MMPC algorithm to identify six gene signatures for AMI diagnosis. Particularly, the multivariable SVM model based on the six genes has achieved a satisfying performance (AUC = 0.97). Conclusion. In conclusion, we have identified key regulatory lncRNAs implicated in AMI, which not only deepens our understanding of the lncRNA‐related molecular mechanism of AMI but also provides computationally predicted regulatory lncRNAs for AMI researchers.
Disease-Specific Autoantibodies Induce Trained Immunity in RA Synovial Tissues and Its Gene Signature Correlates with the Response to Clinical Therapy
Authors: Dai Xiaoli , Dai Xiaoqiu , Gong Zheng , Yang Chen , Zeng Keqin , Gong Fang-Yuan , Zhong Qiao , Gao Xiao-Ming
Published: October 2020

Much evidence suggests that trained immunity is inappropriately activated in the synovial tissue in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we describe how RA-specific autoantibody deposits can train human monocytes to exert the hyperactive inflammatory response, particularly via the exacerbated release of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα). Comparative transcriptomic analysis by plate-bound human IgG (cIgG) or β-glucan indicated that metabolic shift towards glycolysis is a crucial mechanism for trained immunity. Moreover, the cIgG-trained gene signatures were enriched in synovial tissues from patients with ACPA- (anticitrullinated protein antibody-) positive arthralgia and undifferentiated arthritis, and early RA and established RA bore a great resemblance to the myeloid pathotype, suggesting a historical priming event in vivo. Additionally, the expression of the cIgG-trained signatures is higher in the female, older, and ACPA-positive populations, with a predictive role in the clinical response to infliximab. We conclude that RA-specific autoantibodies can train monocytes in the inflamed lesion as early as the asymptomatic stage, which may not merely improve understanding of disease progression but may also suggest therapeutic and/or preventive strategies for autoimmune diseases.
Optimization of the Production of ε‐Poly‐L‐Lysine by Novel Producer Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Traditional Dairy Products
Authors: Samadlouie Hamid Reza , Gharanjik Shahrokh , Tabatabaie Zohreh Beygom
Published: October 2020

New strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from different traditional dairy products. Six new strains named Lactobacillus delbrueckii strain A01, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strain D01, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strain E01, Lactococcus lactis strain G01, Lactobacillus delbrueckii strain C01, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strain F01 were identified using 16S rDNA sequencing, morphological and biochemical traits. All strains have been registered in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) with accession numbers MN611241.1, MN611300.1, MN611301.1, MN611303.1, MN611241.1, and MN611299.1, respectively. Having found ε‐Poly‐L‐Lysine (ε‐PL) in all strains isolated, Lactobacillus delbrueckii strain A01 was identified as an active producer of ε‐Poly‐L‐Lysine (ε‐PL). The one‐factor‐at‐a‐time method and central composite design were applied to optimize ε‐Poly‐L‐Lysine (ε‐PL). A predicted 200 ppm of ε‐PL was obtained in the medium containing the lowest level of glucose, 25 g/l, and yeast extract, 6 g/l.
An Entropy-Based Formulation for the Support of Sustainable Mass Customization 4.0
Authors: Martínez-Olvera César
Published: October 2020

Industry 4.0, an information and communication umbrella of terms that includes the Internet of Things (IoT) and cyber-physical systems, aims to ensure the future of the manufacturing industry competing in a proper environment of mass customization: demand for short delivery time, high quality, and small-lot products. Within this context of an Industry 4.0 mass customization environment, success depends on its sustainability, where the latter can only be achieved by the manufacturing efficiency of the smart factory-based Industry 4.0 transforming processes. Even though Industry 4.0 is associated with an optimal resource and energy productivity/efficiency, it becomes necessary to answer if the integration of Industry 4.0 elements (like CPS) has a favorable sustainability payoff. This requires performing energy consumption what-if analyses. The original contribution of this paper is the use of the entropy-based formulation as an alternative way of performing the initial steps of the energy consumption what-if analyses. The usefulness of the proposed approach is demonstrated by comparing the results of a discrete-event simulation model of mass customization 4.0 environment and the values obtained by using the entropy-based formulation. The obtained results suggest that the entropy-based formulation acts as a fairly good trend indicator of the system’s performance parameters increase/decrease. The managerial implications of these findings are presented at the end of this document.
Ethnicity‐Stratified Analysis of the Association between TNF‐α Genetic Polymorphisms and Acute Kidney Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Chen Guanzhong , Liu Bowen , Li Huanqiang , Mai Ziling , Zhang Liyao , Li Min , Liu Liwei , Chen Shiqun , Chen Jiyan , Liu Yong
Published: October 2020

Background. Several studies have reported conflicting findings regarding the association between tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) genetic polymorphisms and acute kidney injury (AKI). Therefore, we performed this meta‐analysis to further investigate whether TNF‐α variants are related to AKI susceptibility. Methods. A comprehensive search of observational studies on the association of TNF‐α polymorphism with AKI susceptibility was conducted in the PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases through February 10, 2020. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% corresponding confidence intervals (95% CIs) were analyzed to evaluate the strength of the relationship. Results. A total of 8 studies involving 6694 patients (2559 cases and 4135 controls) were included. Pooled analysis showed a trend of increased risk between the TNF‐α rs1800629 variant and AKI (A vs. G: OR [95%CI] = 1.33 [0.98‐1.81]) among the overall population. Ethnicity‐stratified analysis indicated that the TNF‐α rs1800629 variant was a risk factor for Asians (OR [95%CI] = 1.93 [1.59‐2.35]) while it is not for Caucasians (OR [95%CI] = 1.04 [0.91‐1.20]). Additionally, we also found that TNF‐α rs1799964 polymorphism was observed to have a significant relationship with AKI risk in Asian patients (C vs. T, OR [95%CI] = 1.26 [1.11‐1.43]). Conclusions. The TNF rs1800629 polymorphism exhibited a trend toward AKI susceptibility with ethnic differences. The relationship was found to be significant among the Asian population, but not among those of Caucasian origin. Additionally, the TNF‐α rs1799964 polymorphism was also related to a significantly increased risk of AKI in Asians.
Identification and Expression Pattern of EZH2 in Pig Developing Fetuses
Authors: Tan Baohua , Hong Linjun , Qiao Jiaxin , Zhou Jian , Xing Pingping , Yan Guanhao , Zheng Enqin , Cai Gengyuan , Huang Sixiu , Wu Zhenfang , Gu Ting
Published: October 2020

The proper methylation status of histones is essential for appropriate cell lineage and organogenesis. EZH2, a methyltransferase catalyzing H3K27me3, has been abundantly studied in human and mouse embryonic development. The pig is an increasing important animal model for molecular study and pharmaceutical research. However, the transcript variant and temporal expression pattern of EZH2 in the middle and late porcine fetus are still unknown. Here, we identified the coding sequence of the EZH2 gene and characterized its expression pattern in fetal tissues of Duroc pigs at 65‐ and 90‐day postcoitus (dpc). Our results showed that the coding sequence of EZH2 was 2241 bp, encoding 746 amino acids. There were 9 amino acid insertions and an amino acid substitution in this transcript compared with the validated reference sequence in NCBI. EZH2 was ubiquitously expressed in the fetal tissues of two time points with different expression levels. These results validated a different transcript in pigs and characterized its expression profile in fetal tissues of different gestation stages, which indicated that EZH2 played important roles during porcine embryonic development.
Understanding the Role of Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) in HIV Prevention in Nantong, China
Authors: Xu Zhengcheng , Ma Ping , Chu Minjie , Chen Yujia , Miao Junyan , Xia Hongli , Zhuang Xun
Published: October 2020

Voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) service plays an essential part in the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of participants and analyze the major factors of HIV infection in VCT in Nantong, China. This study was conducted between January 2010 and December 2015, based on the responses to questionnaires and blood test results retrieved from the Chinese National HIV/AIDS Comprehensive Control Information System (CNHCCIS). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors related to HIV infection. Differences between first‐time testers and repeat testers were assessed using the chi‐squared or Fisher test. Over six years, a total of 11,560 VCT participants were included, and 420 cases were confirmed to be HIV‐positive. Overall, the annual number of participants was relatively stable with a mean of 1927, while there was a rapid increase in the HIV detection rate (from 1.03% in 2010 to 7.52% in 2015). In multivariate analysis, referral counseling and having a HIV‐positive spouse/fixed sex partners were found to be significantly associated with HIV infection among all participants, while being unmarried or divorced, having commercial heterosexual behaviors, and male‐male sexual behaviors are additional HIV‐related factors for males. Compared to first‐time testers, repeat testers were more willing to engage in high‐risk sexual behaviors and had higher HIV detection rates (P < 0.001). In conclusion, the HIV epidemic in Nantong is still not controlled. Therefore, in the future, it is critical to expand VCT services to increase the detection rate of HIV, which can prevent the transmission of HIV effectively.
Inhibitory Effects of Apigenin on Tumor Carcinogenesis by Altering the Gut Microbiota
Authors: Bian Shichang , Wan Hongjuan , Liao Xinyan , Wang Weisheng
Published: October 2020

The flavonoid apigenin is common to many plants. Although the responsible mechanisms have yet to be elucidated, apigenin demonstrates tumor suppression in vitro and in vivo. This study uses an azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sodium sulfate- (DSS-) induced colon cancer mouse model to investigate apigenin’s potential mechanism of action exerted through its effects upon gut microbiota. The size and quantity of tumors were reduced significantly in the apigenin treatment group. Using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing of fecal samples, the composition of gut microbiota was significantly affected by apigenin. Further experiments in which gut microbiota were reduced and feces were transplanted provided further evidence of apigenin-modulated gut microbiota exerting antitumor effects. Apigenin was unable to reduce the number or size of tumors when gut microbiota were depleted. Moreover, tumor inhibition effects were initiated following the transplant of feces from mice treated with apigenin. Our findings suggest that the effect of apigenin on the composition of gut microbiota can suppress tumors.
Understanding Ecosystem Complexity via Application of a Process-Based State Space rather than a Potential Surface
Authors: Gaucherel C. , Pommereau F. , Hély C.
Published: October 2020

Ecosystems are complex objects, simultaneously combining biotic, abiotic, and human components and processes. Ecologists still struggle to understand ecosystems, and one main method for achieving an understanding consists in computing potential surfaces based on physical dynamical systems. We argue in this conceptual paper that the foundations of this analogy between physical and ecological systems are inappropriate and aim to propose a new method that better reflects the properties of ecosystems, especially complex, historical nonergodic systems, to which physical concepts are not well suited. As an alternative proposition, we have developed rigorous possibilistic, process-based models inspired by the discrete-event systems found in computer science and produced a panel of outputs and tools to analyze the system dynamics under examination. The state space computed by these kinds of discrete ecosystem models provides a relevant concept for a holistic understanding of the dynamics of an ecosystem and its abovementioned properties. Taking as a specific example an ecosystem simplified to its process interaction network, we show here how to proceed and why a state space is more appropriate than a corresponding potential surface.
A Comprehensive Review of Natural Products against Liver Fibrosis: Flavonoids, Quinones, Lignans, Phenols, and Acids
Authors: Pan Xiaoqi , Ma Xiao , Jiang Yinxiao , Wen Jianxia , Yang Lian , Chen Dayi , Cao Xiaoyu , Peng Cheng
Published: October 2020

Liver fibrosis resulting from continuous long‐term hepatic damage represents a heavy burden worldwide. Liver fibrosis is recognized as a complicated pathogenic mechanism with extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation and hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation. A series of drugs demonstrate significant antifibrotic activity in vitro and in vivo. No specific agents with ideally clinical efficacy for liver fibrosis treatment have been developed. In this review, we summarized the antifibrotic effects and molecular mechanisms of 29 kinds of common natural products. The mechanism of these compounds is correlated with anti‐inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and antifibrotic activities. Moreover, parenchymal hepatic cell survival, HSC deactivation, and ECM degradation by interfering with multiple targets and signaling pathways are also involved in the antifibrotic effects of these compounds. However, there remain two bottlenecks for clinical breakthroughs. The low bioavailability of natural products should be improved, and the combined application of two or more compounds should be investigated for more prominent pharmacological effects. In summary, exploration on natural products against liver fibrosis is becoming increasingly extensive. Therefore, natural products are potential resources for the development of agents to treat liver fibrosis.
Research on Tuning Fork Dimension Optimization and Density Calculation Model Based on Viscosity Compensation for Tuning Fork Density Sensor
Authors: Yang Hai , Rao Yue , Li Li , Liang Haibo , Luo Tao , Xin Gaifang
Published: October 2020

At present, real-time online measurement of fluid density is of great significance to improve the automation level of petrochemical and food industries. The tuning fork density sensor is widely used because of its characteristics of real-time online measurement, high measurement accuracy, simple structure, and convenient use. The traditional tuning fork density sensor in the market has the disadvantage of low resolution and being susceptible to liquid viscosity, which makes the sensor’s measurement accuracy low and not suitable for the measurement of high-viscosity liquid density. The measurement resolution and antiviscosity interference capability of the tuning fork density sensor are two major indexes to measure the measurement performance of the sensor, among the antiviscosity interference capability refers to the degree to which the measurement results of the sensor are affected by viscosity properties. However, the structural design of the tuning fork density sensor results in the conflict between the measurement resolution and the antiviscosity interference capability of the sensor, and the improvement of one performance is bound to affect the performance of the other. Aiming at the problem of how to balance the measuring performance of the tuning fork sensor, a density calculation model based on viscosity compensation is proposed in this paper. By studying the working principle and structure design of the tuning fork, the vibration characteristics of tuning fork in liquid with different viscosities and densities are modelled and simulated. From the results of simulation analysis, the better set of dimensions with balanced measuring performance is selected. Not only does the structure of the tuning fork have the characteristics of high resonance frequency, but also the measured results are less affected by the viscosity of the liquid. To solve the problem that density measurement is still affected by high-viscosity liquid after tuning fork dimension optimization, in this paper, the partial least square model is used to fit the experimental data of the frequency-density characteristics; then, the density calculation model based on the viscosity compensation is obtained by combining the frequency-viscosity characteristic experiment. Finally, through the performance test experiment comparing with the traditional tuning fork density sensor, the measurement resolution of the improved tuning fork density sensor is as high as 0.0001 g/cm3; within the viscosity range of 180 MPa·s, the accuracy reached ±0.001 g/cm3, and within 480 MPa·s, the measurement accuracy reached ±0.002 g/cm3. When the liquid viscosity reaches more than 10 MPa·s, the improved tuning fork density sensor has better overall measurement performance than the traditional tuning fork density sensor, and both of its measurement resolution and antiviscosity interference capability have been greatly improved.
Micro-Doppler-Based Space Target Recognition with a One-Dimensional Parallel Network
Authors: Han Lixun , Feng Cunqian
Published: October 2020

Space target identification is key to missile defense. Micromotion, as an inherent attribute of the target, can be used as the theoretical basis for target recognition. Meanwhile, time-varying micro-Doppler (m-D) frequency shifts induce frequency modulations on the target echo, which can be referred to as the m-D effect. m-D features are widely used in space target recognition as it can reflect the physical attributes of the space targets. However, the traditional recognition method requires human participation, which often leads to misjudgment. In this paper, an intelligent recognition method for space target micromotion is proposed. First, accurate and suitable models of warhead and decoy are derived, and then the m-D formulae are offered. Moreover, we present a deep-learning (DL) model composed of a one-dimensional parallel structure and long short-term memory (LSTM). Then, we utilize this DL model to recognize time-frequency distribution (TFD) of different targets. Finally, simulations are performed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Effects of Deep Cervical Flexor Training on Forward Head Posture, Neck Pain, and Functional Status in Adolescents Using Computer Regularly
Authors: Sikka Isha , Chawla Chandan , Seth Shveta , Alghadir Ahmad H. , Khan Masood
Published: October 2020

In contemporary societies, computer use by children is a necessity and thus highly prevalent. Using computers for long hours is related to a higher risk of computer‐related muscular disorders like forward head posture (FHP) and neck pain (NP). Deep cervical flexor (DCF) muscles are important head‐on‐neck posture stabilizers; thus, their training may lead to an improvement in FHP and NP. The aim of this study was to determine if 4 weeks of DCF training is effective in alleviating NP, improving FHP, and functional status in adolescent children using computers regularly, a pretest‐posttest experimental group design was used. Subjects were randomly assigned into the experimental group (receiving DCF training and postural education) and the control group (receiving postural education only). 30 subjects with a mean age of 15.7 ± 1.725 years with NP and FHP using computers regularly participated in the study. Dependent variables were measured on day 1 (at baseline) and after 4 weeks of training. Photographic analysis was used for measuring FHP, visual analog scale for NP intensity, and neck disability index for functional status. Data analysis showed that in both groups, no significant improvement occurred in FHP. In both groups, there was a significant improvement in functional status and NP. There was no significant difference between both groups for FHP and NP. There was a significant improvement in functional status in the experimental group in comparison to the control group. Four weeks of DCF training does not cause a significant improvement in FHP in 13 to 18 years old adolescent children using computers regularly.
Prospects of Artificial Kefir Grains Prepared by Cheese and Encapsulated Vectors to Mimic Natural Kefir Grains
Authors: Han Xue , Yi Huaxi , Zhao Sainan , Sun Jialei , Wang Yu
Published: October 2020

Kefir is a natural fermented dairy beverage obtained by fermenting milk with kefir starter grains. However, up to now, there is still no efficient approach to producing stable kefir grains by using the pure or cultural mixture of strains isolated from the original kefir grains. Therefore, new techniques need to be taken to promote the kefir grain production. To this purpose, an encapsulated vector produced by entrapment of the dominant strains isolated from kefir grain and the cheese vector which was produced by a traditional manufacturing method was used to mimic kefir grain forming, respectively. Then, the composition, microstructure, and microflora of the two vectors were investigated and were compared with the natural kefir grains. Results indicated that the protein and polysaccharide content of cheese vector were much higher than encapsulated vector; the distribution of microorganisms inside the cheese vector was more similar to that inside the natural kefirs. It indicated that the cheese vector would be more suitable to mimic kefir grain production. Results of the present investigations reveal the potential of the cheese vector for kefir grains production at the industrial level.
Efficacy of Curcumin Gel on Zinc, Magnesium, Copper, IL‐1β, and TNF‐α in Chronic Periodontitis Patients
Authors: Mohammad Chenar Anwar
Published: October 2020

Curcumin exhibits antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti‐inflammatory effects and has been suggested as a treatment for inflammatory diseases. The study is aimed at evaluating the effect of curcumin gel on serum levels of micronutrients (zinc, copper, and magnesium) and proinflammatory cytokines (IL‐1β and TNF‐α) in chronic periodontitis patients. Ninety subjects with an age of 25‐54 were included in this study. From the total number, 30 subjects with healthy periodontium (control group) (mean age = 37.30 ± 7.08) were employed for the sole purpose of obtaining the normal mean values of clinical, chemical, and immunological parameters, and 60 with chronic periodontitis (mean age = 36.73 ± 6.22) were divided randomly into 2 groups, of which each group included 30 subjects. Group A received scaling and root planing SRP and curcumin gel injection covered by Coe pack for 7 days, and group B received SRP alone covered by Coe pack. Clinical parameters (plaque index, gingival index, bleeding on probing, pocket depth, and clinical attachment loss measurements) and blood samples were collected before and after 1 month of treatment to measure serum levels of zinc, copper, magnesium, IL‐1β, and TNF‐α. The results showed significant micronutrient alteration and increase of proinflammatory cytokines in the chronic periodontitis group as compared to healthy control (P ≤ 0.05), and curcumin gel had a significant effect on the reduction of IL‐1β, TNF‐α, copper, and clinical parameters (P ≤ 0.05) and increase of zinc and magnesium levels after 1 month as compared to baseline (P ≤ 0.05), nearly the same pattern for group B but with nonsignificant differences for Zn (P > 0.05). In conclusion, curcumin gel resulted in a more significant reduction in clinical parameters, inflammatory mediators, and copper and increase of zinc and magnesium levels as compared to SRP alone.
An Unconcealed Reservoir: Case Report of Erosion of Inflatable Penile Implant Reservoir through the Anus
Authors: Arthur Mark , Canete Jonathan , Welliver Charles
Published: October 2020

Inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) involves placement of the fluid reservoir into an abdominal or pelvic location. While the space of Retzius (SOR) was the preferred site for many years, the change from open to robotic prostatectomy made this space less desirable due to the violation of the peritoneum with the robotic approach. Other factors like previous abdominal or pelvic surgeries (particularly inguinal hernia repair with mesh) may also require a change in location of the reservoir during IPP placement. In this report, we discuss a previously undescribed result of alternative reservoir placement (ARP) with erosion of the reservoir through the colon and out of the anus in a man with multiple previous abdominal surgeries. Management of this clinical problem is also discussed.
Recurrent Oral Mucocele Management with Diode Laser
Authors: Besbes Amira , Elelmi Yamina , Khanfir Faten , Belgacem Raja , Ghedira Hichem
Published: October 2020

Background. Mucocele is the most common minor salivary glands disease. Its management may present a challenge for dental professionals. The aim of the present clinical case was to describe mucocele treatment with diode laser and its benefits. Case Report. A case of lower lip mucocele in a 10-year-old female patient is reported. A conventional excision surgery was performed. Two months later, the patient reported discomfort and swelling at the same operative site. The lesion had recurred. Thus, mucocele was removed using a diode laser with wavelength of 980 nm, an initiated fiberoptic tip of 300 μm, in continuous mode, and a power setting of 2 Watts. The procedure was rapidly completed with no bleeding. The patient was followed-up after 2 weeks and 6 months. The wound healed without complications: no postoperative discomfort or pain and no infection. There was no recurrence. Conclusion. Diode laser is an effective, easy, bloodless, and well-accepted procedure to treat mucocele in pediatric patients.
Unusual Cardiac Presentation of COVID-19 and Use of Convalescent Plasma
Authors: Hartman William R. , Hess Aaron S. , Connor Joseph P.
Published: October 2020

COVID-19 infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been associated with cardiac abnormalities, including conduction abnormalities. Convalescent plasma is emerging as a potentially safe and effective treatment option for patients severely or critically ill with COVID-19. Here, we describe a case of a COVID-19 patient with new-onset cardiac ectopy who had near resolution of his cardiac sequelae following convalescent plasma transfusion.
Correlation Analysis of Refractive and Visual Quality after Wavefront-Optimized Laser In Situ Keratomileusis for 50% and 100% Angle Kappa Compensation
Authors: Ru Xin-Yu , Li Zheng-Ri , Li Cheng-Lin , Cui Hong , Deng Wen-Qing , Lin Shu-Hua , Jia Yu-Jie , Li Ying-Jun
Published: October 2020

Purpose. To analyze the distribution of the offset between the pupil center and the coaxially sighted corneal light reflex (P-Dist), the effects of 50% and 100% angle kappa adjustments on refractive and visual quality in patients with moderate myopia were investigated. Methods. A randomly selected 254 patients (254 eyes) with moderate myopia who underwent femtosecond laser-combined LASIK were examined. During the operation, the P-Dist of the patients was recorded by the x- and y-axis eyeball-tracking adjustment program of the WaveLight Eagle Vision EX500 excimer laser system. Preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively, the WaveLight® ALLEGRO Topolyzer was used to measure the pupil size and center position, and the wavefront sensor was used to measure the wavefront aberrations. The visual function tester (OPTEC 6500) measured contrast sensitivity. Results. The average P-Dist was 0.220 ± 0.102 mm. When the P-Dist >0.220 mm, the postoperative residual cylinder was 0.29 ± 0.34 D in the group with the 50% adjustment and 0.40 ± 0.32 D in the 100% group, which was significantly higher than the 50% group

P
=
0.036

. The coma was 0.21 ± 0.17 μm in the 50% adjusted group and 0.34 ± 0.25 μm in the 100% group, which was significantly higher than that in the 50% group

P
=
0.021

. At the 1.5 c/d spatial frequency, contrast sensitivity in the adjusted 100% group was significantly lower than that in the 50% group under visual glare conditions

P
=
0.039

. Conclusion. The postoperative visual acuity and spherical equivalent were not affected in the two groups. However, when P-Dist >0.220 mm, the residual astigmatism and coma were lower in the 50% group. Individualized operations for those with moderate myopia and large-angle kappa in which 100% adjustment is chosen may not result in a better visual quality effect than 50%.
Stromal SNAI2 Is Required for ERBB2 Breast Cancer Progression
Authors: Blanco-Gómez Adrián , Hontecillas-Prieto Lourdes , Corchado-Cobos Roberto , García-Sancha Natalia , Salvador Nélida , Castellanos-Martín Andrés , Sáez-Freire María del Mar , Mendiburu-Eliçabe Marina , Alonso-López Diego , De Las Rivas Javier , Lorente Mar , García-Casas Ana , Del Carmen Sofía , Abad-Hernández María del Mar , Cruz-Hernández Juan Jesús , Rodríguez-Sánchez César Augusto , Claros-Ampuero Juncal , García-Cenador Begoña , García-Criado Javier , Orimo Akira , Gridley Thomas , Pérez-Losada Jesús , Castillo-Lluva Sonia
Published: October 2020

SNAI2 overexpression appears to be associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer, yet it remains unclear in which breast cancer subtypes this occurs. Here we show that excess SNAI2 is associated with a poor prognosis of luminal B HER2+/ERBB2+ breast cancers in which SNAI2 expression in the stroma but not the epithelium correlates with tumor proliferation. To determine how stromal SNAI2 might influence HER2+ tumor behavior, Snai2-deficient mice were crossed with a mouse line carrying the ErbB2/Neu protooncogene to generate HER2+/ERBB2+ breast cancer. Tumors generated in this model expressed SNAI2 in the stroma but not the epithelium, allowing for the role of stromal SNAI2 to be studied without interference from the epithelial compartment. The absence of SNAI2 in the stroma of HER2+/ERBB2+ tumors is associated with: (i) lower levels of cyclin D1 (CCND1) and reduced tumor epithelium proliferation; (ii) higher levels of AKT and a lower incidence of metastasis; (iii) lower levels of angiopoietin-2 (ANGPT2), and more necrosis. Together, these results indicate that the loss of SNAI2 in cancer-associated fibroblasts limits the production of some cytokines, which influences AKT/ERK tumor signaling and subsequent proliferative and metastatic capacity of ERBB2+ breast cancer cells. Accordingly, SNAI2 expression in the stroma enhanced the tumorigenicity of luminal B HER2+/ERBB2+ breast cancers. This work emphasizes the importance of stromal SNAI2 in breast cancer progression and patients' prognosis.

Significance:

Stromal SNAI2 expression enhances the tumorigenicity of luminal B HER2+ breast cancers and can identify a subset of patients with poor prognosis, making SNAI2 a potential therapeutic target for this disease.