bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sarcopenia in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and all‐cause and cause‐specific mortality in the United States
Authors: Kim Donghee , Wijarnpreecha Karn , Sandhu Keeryth K. , Cholankeril George , Ahmed Aijaz
Published: February 2021

Background & Aims

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been associated with sarcopenia. However, mortality in the setting of NAFLD‐related sarcopenia remains undefined. We aim to determine the all‐cause and cause‐specific mortality from sarcopenia among adults with NAFLD in the USA.

Methods

11 065 individuals in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were studied and linked mortality through 2015 was analysed. NAFLD was diagnosed based on presence of ultrasonographic hepatic steatosis without other known liver diseases. Sarcopenia was defined as skeletal muscle index determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess all‐cause mortality and cause‐specific mortality, and hazard ratio (HR) adjusted for known risk factors.

Results

During a median follow‐up of 23 years or more, sarcopenia was associated with increased all‐cause mortality (HR 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11‐1.44). Only in individuals with NAFLD, sarcopenia was associated with a higher risk for all‐cause mortality, while this association was absent in those without NAFLD. Individuals with both sarcopenia and NAFLD had a higher risk for all‐cause mortality (HR 1.28 95% CI 1.06‐1.55) compared with those without sarcopenia and NAFLD. Furthermore, sarcopenia was associated with a higher risk for cancer‐ and diabetes‐related mortality among those with NAFLD. This association was not noted in those without NAFLD.

Conclusion

In this nationally representative sample of US adults, sarcopenia was associated with a higher risk for all‐cause, cancer‐ and diabetes‐related mortality in individuals with NAFLD.
Analysis of the transcriptomic, metabolomic, and gene regulatory responses to Puccinia sorghi in maize
Authors: Kim Saet‐Byul , Van den Broeck Lisa , Karre Shailesh , Choi Hoseong , Christensen Shawn A. , Wang Guan‐Feng , Jo Yeonhwa , Cho Won Kyong , Balint‐Kurti Peter
Published: February 2021

Common rust, caused by Puccinia sorghi, is a widespread and destructive disease of maize. The Rp1‐D gene confers resistance to the P. sorghi IN2 isolate, mediating a hypersensitive cell death response (HR). To identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and metabolites associated with the compatible (susceptible) interaction and with Rp1‐D‐mediated resistance in maize, we performed transcriptomics and targeted metabolome analyses of P. sorghi IN2‐infected leaves from the near‐isogenic lines H95 and H95:Rp1‐D, which differed for the presence of Rp1‐D. We observed up‐regulation of genes involved in the defence response and secondary metabolism, including the phenylpropanoid, flavonoid, and terpenoid pathways. Metabolome analyses confirmed that intermediates from several transcriptionally up‐regulated pathways accumulated during the defence response. We identified a common response in H95:Rp1‐D and H95 with an additional H95:Rp1‐D‐specific resistance response observed at early time points at both transcriptional and metabolic levels. To better understand the mechanisms underlying Rp1‐D‐mediated resistance, we inferred gene regulatory networks occurring in response to P. sorghi infection. A number of transcription factors including WRKY53, BHLH124, NKD1, BZIP84, and MYB100 were identified as potentially important signalling hubs in the resistance‐specific response. Overall, this study provides a novel and multifaceted understanding of the maize susceptible and resistance‐specific responses to P. sorghi.
The Absence of Divine Ideas in theSumma Contra Gentiles
Authors: Vater Carl A.
Published: February 2021

In the 20thcentury, some prominent Thomists questioned whether St. Thomas Aquinas is really committed to a theory of divine ideas. There is no doubt that Aquinas articulates such a theory in hisSentences Commentary,Disputed Questions on Truth, andSumma theologiae. Still, he seems to omit an account of divine ideas in theSumma Contra Gentiles. If St. Thomas thinks divine ideas are necessary for understanding God's knowledge, why would he skip discussing them in thisex professowork? This paper will argue two points. First, St. Thomas does articulate a theory of divine ideas in theSumma Contra Gentiles, even though he changes his terminology. His account of divine reasons (rationes) is equivalent to a theory of divine ideas. Second, Aquinas changes his vocabulary because of the more apologetic aim of the work. Use of the term ‘ideas’ would be less effective in dialogue with his Muslim and pagan interlocutors.
Gianotti‐crosti syndrome in the setting of recent coronavirus disease‐19 infection
Authors: Swali Ritu N. , Lee Erica B. , Adams Jennifer L.
Published: February 2021

Since the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic, the growing body of literature has largely focused on the adult population. Reported symptoms among children appear to be consistent with those in adults, including fever, respiratory symptoms, and gastrointestinal symptoms, though children may experience an overall milder disease course. Viral exanthems with possible association to COVID‐19 have been reported in pediatric patients. We describe a 10‐month‐old boy with Gianotti‐Crosti syndrome in the setting of recent SARS‐CoV‐2 RT‐PCR positive testing to increase physician awareness and add to the collection of cutaneous manifestations of COVID‐19.
Comparative Public Administration in a Globalized World: Moving Beyond Standard Assumptions Toward Increased Understanding
Authors: van der Wal Zeger , van den Berg Caspar , Haque M. Shamsul
Published: February 2021

Today's globalized world calls for a deeper understanding of how and why administrative practices differ across regions and what that means for theory and practice. However, empirical comparative studies in public administration incorporating local and regional particularities in their design, constructs, and interpretation of results are scarce, with the exception of studies on specific constructs such as public service motivation, professional values, and emerging approaches to non‐Western public administration. Consistently, scholars engaged in comparative studies highlight theoretical, methodological, and empirical difficulties in comparing public agencies, employees, and practices as the research instruments and assumptions used often originate from Western countries. Thus, there is a serious need today for adopting more context‐sensitive and balanced approaches to advance our scholarly understanding of systems and practices in different regions. This symposium aims to advance comparative public administration by bringing together novel empirical comparative contributions from scholars from different parts of the world.
CMV presenting as a skin growth in renal transplant patient
Authors: Bhandari Gaurav , Tiwari Vaibhav , Gupta Anurag , Jain Sunila , Gupta Pallav , Bhargava Vinant , Malik Manish , Gupta Ashwani , Bhalla Anil Kumar , Rana Devender Singh
Published: February 2021

CMV infection is one of the most common opportunistic infection in kidney transplant patients. If not treated, it is associated with increased mortality and graft loss. It can present as viremia or CMV disease in the form of CMV syndrome or tissue invasive CMV disease. The cutaneous presentation of CMV disease is a rare finding. Its identification is vital as cutaneous CMV infection can signal systemic infection and poor prognosis. In our case, 46‐year‐old male who was a post renal allograft recipient (RAR) presented as a protuberant growth over the medial side of the left ankle. On skin biopsy, nucleomegaly and inclusion bodies were seen in the epithelial cells. Immunohistochemistry was positive for CMV infection. Patient was treated with Ganciclovir, however, he succumbed to death because of severe sepsis due to secondary bacterial infection. Thus, CMV disease should always be kept in mind in immunocompromised patients like post RAR patients who present with cutaneous features like ulcerative lesions or fungating growth.
PREPARATION OF SPRAY DRIED COAMORPHOUS SOLIDS TO IMPROVE THE SOLUBILITY AND DISSOLUTION RATE OF ATORVASTATIN CALCIUM
Authors: Wicaksono Yudi , Rosidi Viddy Agustian , Saragih Sri Yessika , Fauziah Lyta Septi , Setyawan Dwi
Published: February 2021

Atorvastatin calcium (AC) is a statin drug used to lower cholesterol. Its crystalline form is usually found in the market with low solubility properties. The amorphization of crystalline AC is a technique used to increase its solubility however; the amorphous form has less thermodynamic stability. Therefore, to increase the solubility properties of its crystalline form, an AC coamorphous solid was prepared. This coamorphous solid was prepared using spray drying techniques, and coformers such as isonicotinamide (INA) and maleic acid (MA). Furthermore, characterization was carried out using powder X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, while the solubility properties test was conducted using the shake-flask and paddle method. The results showed that the spray-dried solids were coamorphous with single-phase homogeneous systems. Furthermore, the coamorphous solids, AC-INA and AC-MA were found to have a higher Tg than the melting points of other components, and formed intermolecular interactions between them. The higher Tg and presence of intermolecular interactions indicate that coamorphous solids are more stable than the amorphous form. Therefore, the results of the solubility and dissolution test showed that the coamorphous solid of AC-INA and AC-MA have better solubility properties compared to the AC crystalline form.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE HIGH POTENTIAL INCIDENT IN ANDALS OIL OF INDONESIA
Authors: Wicaksono Fermi Dwi , Ciptomulyono Udisubakti , Artana Ketut Buda , Irawan Mohammad Isa
Published: February 2021

The oil and gas industry involves latent risks which are considered as one of the most severe consequences. This circumstance mainly due to the existence of intrinsic hazards involved. As part of process safety management, past incidents analysis should be performed to eliminate the potential of significant accident occurrence. It is crucial to identify the root cause of the incidents. This research discloses the degree of importance of causal factors in contributing to an incident. The methodology based on regression analysis and path analysis is performed to identify the degree of importance of incident causes. A case study is performed at Andals Oil of Indonesia to demonstrate the most significant factor leading to an incident. As the baseline for this research, incident data are gathered from Andals Oil's database during 2006 – 2018. The statistics describe the most frequent type of incident that occurs during the oil and gas field operations. Three major root causes in the oil and gas industry are evaluated: 1. Organizational system factor; 2. Job factor leading to unsafe working conditions; 3. Human-behavioral factor. Based on the regression analysis and path analysis, it is concluded that the number of High potential incidents is directly affected by Job factor leading to unsafe condition and Human-behavioral factor. Although the Organizational system factor may not significantly affect the number of High potential incidents, this factor still directly engenders unsafe working condition by affecting variable Job factors.
PRODUCTION OF LIPID AND CARBOHYDRATE IN Tetradesmus obliquus UPSI-JRM02 UNDER NITROGEN STRESS CONDITION
Authors: Md Nadzir Syafiqah , Yusof Norjan , Nordin Norazela , Kamari Azlan , Mohd Yusoff Mohd Zulkhairi
Published: February 2021

Nitrogen stress condition is believed to increase the production of lipid in microalgae, but the synthesis of both lipid and carbohydrate is less known. Therefore, the effect of nitrogen stress condition on the synthesis of lipid and carbohydrate of Tetradesmus obliquus UPSI-JRM02 was studied in a 2 L bioreactor system. The highest lipid and carbohydrate yields achieved under nitrogen stress condition were 37% and 23%, respectively. Nitrogen stress condition induced the accumulation of carbohydrate at early stage but started to reduce on day 4 when the carbon shifted towards lipid production.  The fatty acid profile produced under nitrogen stress condition was composed of 54% polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), 43% saturated fatty acid (SFA) and 3% monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA). The biofuel properties of T. obliquus obtained under the nitrogen stress condition was within the range of biodiesel standard and is most suitable for the usage in cold country.
Radiation effect on free convection flow between oscillating parallel plates with mass diffusion
Authors: Zulkiflee Fasihah , Shafie Sharidan , Mohamad Ahmad Qushairi
Published: February 2021

This study investigates radiation effect on unsteady oscillatory free convection between two parallel plates with mass diffusion. Appropriate non-dimensional variables are used to reduce the dimensional governing equations to dimensionless equation along with imposed initial and boundary conditions. The solutions for velocity, temperature, and concentration profiles are obtained by using Laplace transform method. To illustrate the behavior of the fluid flow, graphical results are presented with influenced of Schmidt number, Prandtl number, radiation parameter, oscillating parameter, Grashof, and mass Grashof number. The corresponding expressions for skin friction, Nusselt number, and Sherwood number are also calculated. It is observed that increasing radiation parameter, Prandtl, and Schmidt number will increase the Nusselt number but the skin friction will be reduced.
Darcy-Benard double diffusive Marangoni convection in a composite layer system with constant heat source along with non uniform temperature gradients
Authors: Manjunatha N , Sumithra R , Vanishree R K
Published: February 2021

The problem of Benard double diffusive Marangoni convection is investigated in a horizontally infinite composite layer system enclosed by adiabatic boundaries for Darcy model. This composite layer is subjected to three temperature gradients with constant heat sources in both the layers. The lower boundary of the porous region is rigid and upper boundary of the fluid region is free with Marangoni effects. The Eigenvalue problem of a system of ordinary differential equations is solved in closed form for the Thermal Marangoni number, which happens to be the Eigen value. The three different temperature profiles considered are linear, parabolic and inverted parabolic profiles with the corresponding thermal Marangoni numbers are obtained. The impact of the porous parameter, modified internal Rayleigh number, solute Marangoni number, solute diffusivity ratio and the diffusivity ratio on Darcy-Benard double diffusive Marangoni convection are investigated in detail.
Microwave-assisted extraction of pectin from pineapple peel
Authors: Zakaria Noorzetty Akhtar , Rahman Roshanida A. , Abang Zaidel Dayang Norulfairuz , Dailin Daniel Joe , Jusoh Mazura
Published: February 2021

Pineapple peel has the potential to become one of the sources for pectin production due to the high content of pectin in its dietary fibre composition. Pectin is used as food thickener, emulsifier, stabiliser and gelling agent in food industry. The conventional extraction process with long operating hours at high temperature has been identified to cause thermal degradation of pectin molecules. Microwave technology application in pectin extraction has shown high potential to expedite the extraction process and produce higher yield. Therefore, this research was intended to investigate the effect of various factors (irradiation time, pH, temperature, microwave power and solid-to-solvent (S/S) ratio) of microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) on the pineapple peel pectin (PPP) yield. Pectin extracted was then analysed for its dry weight yield percentage and degree of esterification (DE). It was shown that the pectin yield was significantly affected by pH, S/S ratio and microwave power. From this study, no significant effect of irradiation time was observed from 2.5 min until 20 min to the yield of pectin, thus longer time of extraction is not necessary in MAE. The highest yield of PPP obtained was in the range of 2.27 to 2.79% w/w at pH 2.0 and S/S ratio of 1:20. The result of DE (63.93 ± 0.30%) indicated that PPP is categorized in high methoxyl pectin (HMP) pectin type because the DE values were greater than 50%. This study showed that MAE is highly potential for extraction of high yield of PPP.
Baicalein-rich fraction of Oroxylum indicum triggers mitochondrialmediated apoptosis pathway through MAPK transduction in cervical cancer cells
Authors: Wahab Nurul Hidayah , Che Mat Nor Fazila
Published: February 2021

Baicalein was proved to have an apoptotic effect on a wide range of cancer cells in numerous studies. In this study, the apoptotic effect of baicalein-rich fraction from Oroxylum indicum leaves on human cervical cancer cells (SiHa and HeLa) were investigated. In this case, BRF-induced cell death was regulated by the activation of JNK/p38 and deactivation of ERK. Apart from that, BRF was able to trigger mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis pathway by downregulating Bcl-2 as well as upregulating Bax, caspase-9 and caspase-3. Indeed, MAPK transduction was found to be involved in BRF action in modulating mitochondrial Bcl-2 family, Bcl-2 and Bax. In SiHa cells, ERK and p38 pathway regulated BRF stimulation on mitochondrial-mediated pathway. Yet, BRF-induced this apoptosis pathway in ERK/JNK/p38-dependent manner in HeLa cells. Therefore, BRF induced and augmented the cell death of human cervical cancer cells through MAPK transduction.
Effect of extraction solvents on the phytochemical content and bioactivity of Momordica charantia Linn. fruits
Authors: Abdul Rahim Nurul Dalila , Yaakob Harisun , Hasham @ Hisam Rosnani , Sarmidi Mohamad Roji , Cheng Kian-Kai
Published: February 2021

Momordica charantia (M. charantia) is a herbaceous climber commonly found in Southeast Asia with therapeutic importance for various illnesses. This study focused on the effect of extraction solvents on saponins-containing compounds from M. charantia and their bioactivities. Different organic solvents including water, ethanol, ethyl acetate, a mixture of methanol-water and methanol-n-butanol were used in the extraction process. The total saponin content, total flavonoid and phenolic content for each extract were examined. In addition, the antioxidant capacity of these extracts were evaluated using both 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) Free Radical Scavenging Activity and 2,2’-azino-bis-3- ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) assay. Furthermore, a-amylase and lipase inhibition assay were carried out using an in vitro model. The result showed that methanol-n-butanol extracts exhibited the highest total saponin, flavonoid, phenolic content, and ABTS antioxidant activity compared to the other extracts. The a-amylase inhibition assay revealed that water extract and methanol-n-butanol extract from M. charantia contained potent a-amylase inhibitor. On the other hand, the ethyl acetate extract was found to have the most antioxidant capacities based on DPPH radical scavenging assay. The ethyl acetate extract also exhibited the highest inhibition of lipase activities. In conclusion, the methanol-n-butanol solvent was found to be the most effective in extracting saponin from M. charantia. The M. charantia extracts showed inhibition of a-amylase and lipase activities which may suggest the therapeutic potential of M. charantia for obesity and diabetes.
A Multiswarm Intelligence Algorithm for Expensive Bound Constrained Optimization Problems
Authors: Mashwani Wali Khan , Haider Ruqayya , Brahim Belhaouari Samir
Published: February 2021

Constrained optimization plays an important role in many decision‐making problems and various real‐world applications. In the last two decades, various evolutionary algorithms (EAs) were developed and still are developing under the umbrella of evolutionary computation. In general, EAs are mainly categorized into nature‐inspired and swarm‐intelligence‐ (SI‐) based paradigms. All these developed algorithms have some merits and also demerits. Particle swarm optimization (PSO), firefly algorithm, ant colony optimization (ACO), and bat algorithm (BA) have gained much popularity and they have successfully tackled various test suites of benchmark functions and real‐world problems. These SI‐based algorithms follow the social and interactive principles to perform their search process while approximating solution for the given problems. In this paper, a multiswarm‐intelligence‐based algorithm (MSIA) is developed to cope with bound constrained functions. The suggested algorithm integrates the SI‐based algorithms to evolve population and handle exploration versus exploitation issues. Thirty bound constrained benchmark functions are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm. The test suite of benchmark function is recently designed for the special session of EAs competition in IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation (IEEE‐CEC′13). The suggested algorithm has approximated promising solutions with good convergence and diversity maintenance for most of the used bound constrained single optimization problems.
Study on Instability Mechanism of Extraction Structure under Undercut Space Based on Thin Plate Theory in Block Caving Method
Authors: Xia Zhi-Yuan , Tan Zhuo-Ying
Published: February 2021

The instability of extraction structure under the undercut space in the block caving stope presents specific characteristics: rib spalling and floor heave in ore‐loading roadway and collapse of major apexes. In order to study the stress and displacement evolution law of extraction structure under undercut space and reveal the instability mechanism of extraction structure, the numerical simulation model of block caving stope was established using the finite difference software FLAC3D. According to the postundercutting strategy in Tongkuangyu Mine in China, extraction structure was formed first in the simulation process, and then the undercut level was divided into eight units for excavation step by step. The stress and displacement of extraction structure after each step of undercutting were monitored and analyzed. Based on the thin plate theory, the mechanism of stress change and deflection deformation of extraction structure was revealed. The research results show that, under the action of high horizontal tectonic stress and vertical stress, the extraction structure under undercut space produces vertical upward bending deformation after undercutting during the block caving. The tension stress concentration gradually appears in the side wall of the ore‐loading roadway and the tip of the major apexes; with the increase of the undercutting area, the degree of tensile stress concentration gradually becomes strong; when the tensile strength of the rock mass in extraction structure is exceeded, extraction structure presents instability. It is necessary to make the overlying ore collapse on extraction structure as soon as possible after undercutting, which is beneficial to release the tension stress in the extraction structure under undercutting space.
Effect of Planting Density on the Agronomic Performance and Fruit Quality of Three Pineapple Cultivars (Ananas comosus L. Merr.)
Authors: Neri Juan C. , Meléndez Mori Jegnes Benjamín , Vilca Valqui Nuri Carito , Huaman Huaman Eyner , Collazos Silva Roicer , Oliva Manuel
Published: February 2021

Pineapple is a crop of great importance for the economic stability of a large number of Peruvians; however, in areas experiencing low degrees of technological intervention, farmers generally adopt low planting densities. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of three plantation densities (35700, 47600, and 55500 plants ha−1) on the agronomic performance and fruit quality of three pineapple cultivars (“Golden,” “Smooth Cayenne,” and “Santa Rosa” ecotype). The experiment was performed under a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in a factorial arrangement, and the data were subjected to analysis of variance and the Tukey test (p<0.05). The results show significant differences in terms of plant height and D-leaf length, with “Golden” being the cultivar that achieved the best performance at the three planting densities. The diameter (11.77–13.29 cm) and weight of the fruit without a crown (1.48–1.85 kg) were not affected by the treatments; in contrast, the length and weight of the fruit with a crown did exhibit significant variations, highlighting the “Smooth Cayenne” cultivar and “Santa Rosa” ecotype at a density of 55500 plants ha−1, respectively. The highest estimated yield (>100 t ha−1) for the three pineapple cultivars was recorded at a density of 55500 plants ha−1. The content of total soluble solids was higher in the “Golden” cultivar, but in general, all the fruits exceeded the established standards. Based on the results, it is recommended that farmers in the area and those with similar conditions establish a planting density of 55500 plants ha−1 because it improves the yield without damaging the quality of the fruit of the pineapple cultivars evaluated.
Metaheuristic and Machine Learning-Based Smart Engine for Renting and Sharing of Agriculture Equipment
Authors: Rakhra Manik , Singh Ramandeep , Lohani Tarun Kumar , Shabaz Mohammad
Published: February 2021

Recently, many companies have substituted human labor with robotics. Some farmers are sharing different perspectives on the incorporation of technology into farming techniques. Some are willing to accept the technology, some are hesitant and bemused to adapt modern technology, and others are uncertain and are worried about the potential of technology to cause havoc and decrease yields. The third group prevails the most in the developed world, for lack of know-how, including translation of utility and, most significantly, the expense involved. A special Smart Tillage platform is established to solve the above issues. A smart-engine-based decision has been developed, which further uses classification and regression trees to shift towards decision-making. The decision is focused entirely on different input factors, such as type of crop, time/month of harvest, type of plant required for the crop, type of harvest, and authorised rental budget. Sitting on top of this would be a recommendation engine that is powered by deep learning network to suggest the escalation of a farmer from lower to higher category, namely, small to medium to large. A metaheuristic is one of the best computing techniques that help for solving a problem without the exhaustive application of a procedure. Recommendations will be cost-effective and suitable for an escalating update depending on the use of sufficient amends, practices, and services. We carried out a study of 562 agriculturists. Owing to the failure to buy modern equipment, growers are flooded by debt. We question if customers will be able to rent and exchange appliances. The farmers would be able to use e-marketplace to develop their activities.
Remarks of Fixed Point for (ψ,φ)-Weakly Contractive Mappings
Authors: Xue Zhiqun , Lv Guiwen
Published: February 2021

In this paper, we obtain a new fixed point theorem for weak contraction mappings on complete generalized metric spaces. Our result is different from that of (ψ,φ)-weakly contractive mappings which had been obtained by Lakzian–Samet’s [Appl. Math. Lett. 25 (2012) 902–906]. Moreover, an example is given to illustrate the usability of the obtained result.
LC‐MS/MS‐Based Quantitative Proteomics Analysis of Different Stages of Non‐Small‐Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Zhou Murong , Kong Yi , Wang Xiaobin , Li Wen , Chen Si , Wang Li , Wang Chengbin , Zhang Qian
Published: February 2021

Lung cancer has a higher incidence rate and mortality rate than all other cancers. Early diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer remain a major challenge, and the 5‐year survival rate of its patients is only 15%. Basic and clinical research, especially the discovery of biomarkers, is crucial for improving the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer patients. To identify novel biomarkers for lung cancer, we used the iTRAQ8‐plex labeling technology combined with liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) to analyze the serum and urine of patients with different stages of lung adenocarcinoma and healthy individuals. A total of 441 proteins were identified in the serum, and 1,161 proteins were identified in the urine. The levels of elongation factor 1‐alpha 2, proteasome subunit alpha type, and spermatogenesis‐associated protein increased significantly in the serum of patients with lung cancer compared with those in healthy controls. The levels of transmembrane protein 143, cadherin 5, fibronectin 1, and collectin‐11 decreased significantly in the serum of patients with metastases compared with those of nonmetastatic lung cancer patients. In the urine of stage III and IV lung cancer patients, the prostate‐specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase decreased significantly, whereas neutrophil defensin 1 increased significantly. The results of LC‐MS/MS were confirmed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for transmembrane protein 143, cadherin 5, fibronectin 1, and collectin‐11 in the serum. These proteins may be a potential early diagnosis and metastasis biomarkers for lung adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, the relative content of these markers in the serum and urine could be used to determine the progression of lung adenocarcinoma and achieve accurate staging and diagnosis.
Extraction and Visualization of Ocular Blood Vessels in 3D Medical Images Based on Geometric Transformation Algorithm
Authors: Zhang Zhike , Zhang Shuixin , Feng Hongyu
Published: February 2021

Data extraction and visualization of 3D medical images of ocular blood vessels are performed by geometric transformation algorithm, which first performs random resonance response in a global sense to achieve detection of high-contrast coarse blood vessels and then redefines the input signal as a local image shielding the global detection result to achieve enhanced detection of low-contrast microfine vessels and complete multilevel random resonance segmentation detection. Finally, a random resonance detection method for fundus vessels based on scale decomposition is proposed, in which the images are scale decomposed, the high-frequency signals containing detailed information are randomly resonantly enhanced to achieve microfine vessel segmentation detection, and the final vessel segmentation detection results are obtained after fusing the low-frequency image signals. The optimal stochastic resonance response of the nonlinear model of neurons in the global sense is obtained to detect the high-grade intensity signal; then, the input signal is defined as a local image with high-contrast blood vessels removed, and the parameters are optimized before the detection of the low-grade intensity signal. Finally, the multilevel random resonance response is fused to obtain the segmentation results of the fundus retinal vessels. The sensitivity of the multilevel segmentation method proposed in this paper is significantly improved compared with the global random resonance results, indicating that the method proposed in this paper has obvious advantages in the segmentation of vessels with low-intensity levels. The image library was tested, and the experimental results showed that the new method has a better segmentation effect on low-contrast microscopic blood vessels. The new method not only makes full use of the noise for weak signal detection and segmentation but also provides a new idea of how to achieve multilevel segmentation and recognition of medical images.
Factors Influencing Viral Clearance in Mild COVID‐19 and Clinical Characteristics of Asymptomatic Patients
Authors: Shu Hong-mei , He Shi , Sun Yong , Lin Chang-qing , Lu Yu-fang , Liu Jing , Wu Ting , Li Li , Ding Guo-zheng , Shi Wei , Liu Zhen-jun
Published: February 2021

Background. The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) has become a global public health emergency. Objective. To evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with COVID‐19 in Anhui and to identify predictors of viral clearance. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed the data collected from discharged patients with laboratory‐confirmed SARS‐CoV‐2 infections. We compared clinical features between viral clearance and viral persistence, and evaluated factors associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 shedding using multiple linear regression. Results. Among the 83 patients involved in the study, the median age was 43 years, while 60.2% were male, 35.4% had comorbidities, and the mortality was zero. The median time from illness onset to admission was 5 days (interquartile range (IQR), 2‐7 days), and the median time from the illness onset to SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA detection was 16 days (IQR, 13‐18 days). The factors influencing viral clearance were as follows: (1) delayed admission (beta 1.057, 95% CI 0.810‐1.304; p ≤ 0.001) and (2) underlying comorbidities (beta 1.907, 95% CI 0.198‐3.616; p = 0.029). No significant differences were observed in the length of stay (p = 0.246) and pneumonia between asymptomatic and symptomatic patients based on computed tomography (CT) (p = 0.124). Conclusions. Delayed admission and underlying comorbidities may effectively predict SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA clearance. For those infected with SARS‐CoV‐2, even asymptomatic patients without any clinical symptoms should be traced and isolated. This practice may reduce the spread of SARS‐CoV‐2 and slow the COVID‐19 pandemic caused by the virus. Clinical Trial Registration Number: This trial is registered with 2020‐051.
Serum CD4 Is Associated with the Infiltration of CD4+T Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment of Gastric Cancer
Authors: You Qi , Fang Tianyi , Yin Xin , Wang Yimin , Yang Yongheng , Zhang Lei , Xue Yingwei
Published: February 2021

Serum CD4, CD8, and CD19 are markers of systemic inflammation. However, there is little evidence on the influence of inflammation on the tumor microenvironment and the prognostic indicators of gastric cancer (GC). In this study, two hundred and eight patients who underwent radical gastrectomy for GC were included. Preoperative peripheral blood samples were used to analyze Serum CD4, CD8, and CD19. The optimal cutoff levels for CD4, CD8, and CD19 were defined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis (

CD
4
=
38.85

%,

CD
8
=
14.35

%, and

CD
19
=
7.40

%). The areas with specific CD4+T cells, CD8+T cells, and CD19+B cells within the tumor microenvironment were measured in paraffin sections by immunohistochemistry and analyzed by Image-Pro Plus. 94 patients had low CD4, and 124 patients had high CD4 levels. 31 patients had low CD8, and 187 patients had high CD8 levels. 64 patients had low CD19, and 154 patients had high CD19 levels. Infiltration of CD4+T cells was associated with serum CD4 (

P
<
0.001

). Serum CD4 and CD19 and the infiltration of CD4+T cells, CD8+T cells, and CD19+B cells were significant in predicting the prognosis of GC. Low CD4 level, infiltration of CD8+T cells, and high infiltration of CD4+T cells and CD19+B cells were correlated with worse overall survival in multivariate analysis. Collectively, our results provide evidence that serum CD4 is associated with the infiltration of CD4+T cells in the tumor microenvironment, which indicates the prognostic value of systemic inflammation in GC.
An Intelligent PI Controller-Based Hybrid Series Active Power Filter for Power Quality Improvement
Authors: Baliyan Arjun , Jamil Majid , Rizwan M. , Alsaidan Ibrahim , Alaraj Muhannad
Published: February 2021

The quality of power that is degrading day by day is an important issue for all the consumers. The important factor for this is harmonics in the voltage and current waveforms which can be resolved by the use of hybrid series active power filter. The combination consists of a series active power filter and a shunt passive filter connected in parallel to the load. The method used in this paper is for the purpose of achieving good harmonic compensation and reduced total harmonic distortion for various types of nonlinear loads as per the standards of IEEE 519. The proposed HSAPF technique uses the synchronous reference frame method for generating the compensating signal with an intelligent PI controller that uses particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique to obtain the required gain values needed to improve the steady state response of the system. The concept of vigorous HSAPF has been authenticated through MATLAB simulation analysis, and the results obtained validate the accuracy of the method for the different load conditions.
Discussion on the Waterproof and Drainage System of the Coastal Tunnel and Analysis of Water Pressure Law outside Lining: A Case Study of the Gongbei Tunnel
Authors: Zhao Jinpeng , Tan Zhongsheng , Zhou Zhenliang
Published: February 2021

With the orderly promotion of the infrastructure construction in China, the number of coastal tunnels is increasing, but the coastal environment is accompanied by a large amount of groundwater and the designs of the waterproof and drainage system of coastal tunnels have always been a hot topic in the industry. If the waterproof and drainage system designs of the coastal tunnels are improper, the tunnel structure will easily be damaged and the stability and service life of the whole project will be affected. Based on the Gongbei tunnel project of the Hong Kong‐Zhuhai‐Macao Bridge, this paper discusses the designs of the waterproof and drainage system, and the waterproof detail structures of the Gongbei tunnel. Indoor similarity tests were carried out to study the law of the free water discharge of the tunnel under variable water heads, the relationship between the water pressure outside the lining and the water discharge, the relationship between the water pressure outside the pipe roof and the water discharge, and the distribution of water pressure around the tunnel. The reliability of the indoor similarity test was verified by the field test. The results show that the whole waterproof system should be adopted in the Gongbei tunnel, that is, grouting ring + pipe roof freezing ring + initial lining + waterproof board + tertiary lining. In a certain range, the greater the water head, the greater the free water discharge of the tunnel. When the water head is large, the free drainage tends to a fixed value. When the tunnel is completely plugged, the water pressure outside the tunnel is distributed from the hydrostatic pressure. When the tunnel adopts drainage measures, the water pressure outside the lining will be reduced to a certain extent even the water discharge is very small. The above research can provide a reference for the design of the waterproof and drainage system similar to the coastal tunnel in the future.
Classification of Upper Bound Sequences of Local Fractional Metric Dimension of Rotationally Symmetric Hexagonal Planar Networks
Authors: Ali Shahbaz , Mahmood Muhammad Khalid , Tchier Fairouz , Tawfiq F. M. O.
Published: February 2021

The term metric or distance of a graph plays a vital role in the study to check the structural properties of the networks such as complexity, modularity, centrality, accessibility, connectivity, robustness, clustering, and vulnerability. In particular, various metrics or distance-based dimensions of different kinds of networks are used to resolve the problems in different strata such as in security to find a suitable place for fixing sensors for security purposes. In the field of computer science, metric dimensions are most useful in aspects such as image processing, navigation, pattern recognition, and integer programming problem. Also, metric dimensions play a vital role in the field of chemical engineering, for example, the problem of drug discovery and the formation of different chemical compounds are resolved by means of some suitable metric dimension algorithm. In this paper, we take rotationally symmetric and hexagonal planar networks with all possible faces. We find the sequences of the local fractional metric dimensions of proposed rotationally symmetric and planar networks. Also, we discuss the boundedness of sequences of local fractional metric dimensions. Moreover, we summarize the sequences of local fractional metric dimension by means of their graphs.
Comprehensive Management and Coordination Mechanism of Marine Economy
Authors: Tian Jinzhao , Xia Qiqi , Wang Peinan
Published: February 2021

With the rapid development of economy and society and the continuous progress of science and technology, the public demand for marine products and services is increasing, and the marine economic and social benefits are rising. It is very important to improve the management level of marine economy. The purpose of this study is to analyze the comprehensive management and coordination mechanism of China’s marine economy. This study selects Lianyungang City as the research object and takes the marine economic data from 2010 to 2019 as the research data. This study establishes three evaluation index systems of marine economic development. Then, according to the influence of the marine industry development, social development, population, marine resources and environment, regional scientific and technological innovation ability, government comprehensive management, and other factors on the regional marine economic management, this paper puts forward a set of marine economy comprehensive coordination management system and method and evaluates the current situation of marine economic development in Lianyungang City. The results show that, in the 10 years from 2010 to 2019, the comprehensive management evaluation value of China’s marine economy has increased from 0.20 to 0.33, with an average annual increase of 6.57 percentage points. The system level has been upgraded from the initial “poor” to “average,” achieving rapid growth. It is concluded that the index system evaluation of this study well reflects the change of the management level of China’s marine economy and has a promoting effect on the development of China’s marine economy, making contributions to China’s economic management.
Diabetic Macular Edema Treatment with Bevacizumab Does Not Depend on the Retinal Nonperfusion Presence
Authors: Sędziak-Marcinek Bogumiła , Teper Sławomir , Chełmecka Elżbieta , Wylęgała Adam , Marcinek Mateusz , Bas Mateusz , Wylęgała Edward
Published: February 2021

This study evaluated the relationship between the retinal nonperfusion area (NPA) presence and the effectiveness of bevacizumab treatment (IVB) in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). It also tested the prognostic usefulness of ultra-wide-field fluorescein angiography (UWFFA) and OptosAdvance software for diabetic retinopathy monitoring. Eighty-nine patients with DME with a macular

central
 
subfield
 
thickness
 

CST

≥
250
 
μ
m

, with (

N
=
49

eyes) and without (

N
=
49

eyes) retinal NPA, underwent nine bevacizumab injections over 12 months. NPA distribution, leakage area distribution, microaneurysm (MA) count, macular CST, diabetic retinopathy severity, and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were assessed. The results show that bevacizumab reduced the macular CST from 420 to 280 μm (

p
<
0.001

) and improved BCVA (

p
<
0.001

) by about 10 ETDRS letters in both groups of patients. Additionally, the therapy reduced total retinal NPA from 29 (14-36) mm2 to 12 (4-18) mm2 (Me (Q1-Q3);

p
<
0.001

) in patients with diagnosed nonperfusion. The effect of the therapy measured with vascular leakage, MA count, BCVArelative, and CSTrelative strongly depended on the zone of the retina and the NPA distribution. We conclude that the bevacizumab treatment had a positive effect on DME and BCVA in both study groups and on the size of retinal NPA in patients with retinal nonperfusion.
A New Iterative Method for Suzuki Mappings in Banach Spaces
Authors: Ahmad Junaid , Ullah Kifayat , Arshad Muhammad , Ma Zhenhua
Published: February 2021

In this paper, an efficient new iterative method for approximating the fixed point of Suzuki mappings is proposed. Some important weak and strong convergence results of the proposed iterative method are established in the setting of Banach space. An example illustrates the theoretical outcome.
Study on Settlement and Deformation of Urban Viaduct Caused by Subway Station Construction under Complicated Conditions
Authors: Luo Cong-shuang , Cheng Yi-hong , Bai Zhe , Shen Tong , Wu Xu-Yang , Wang Qing-guo
Published: February 2021

With the rapid development of urbanization, the speed of constructing urban underground space and ground foundation engineering is accelerated. With the shortage of land resources, the distance between underground engineering and surface engineering is getting closer and closer, and the contradictions and problems between projects are becoming more and more serious. Based on the new subway station, this paper passes the existing urban viaduct in a short distance. The settlement and deformation of pile foundation and buildings caused by the excavation of the subway station is studied by using ROCSCIENCE software and site monitoring method. The potential risk sources around the station are pile foundations 18.5 m away, residential buildings 15 m away, storm water pipes 7.3 m away, and high‐pressure gas pipes at 5.6 m. According to the construction requirements of pile foundation settlement deformation during metro station excavation, we set up construction standards. The settlement of the buildings and pipelines around the metro station should not exceed 3 mm, and the horizontal displacement should not exceed 2 mm. The diaphragm wall is adopted to surround the subway station, and the ground is reinforced by advanced grouting. The results show that, during the excavation of the foundation pit of the metro station, the ground and the building will have obvious settlement deformation and the depth of deformation can reach 9 mm, which is more than the allowable value. The settlement deformation of the ground and the surrounding buildings can be controlled within 3 mm by strengthening the foundation pit support and ground advance‐grouting reinforcement. The control of construction deformation can meet the construction requirements.
Analysis of Fission Products’ Release in Pebble-Bed High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor Fuel Elements Using a Modified FRESCO II Numerical Model
Authors: Fang Chao , Li Chuan , Cao Jianzhu , Liu Ke , Fang Sheng
Published: February 2021

The radiation safety design and emergency analysis of an advanced nuclear system highly depends on the source term analysis results. In modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs), the release rates of fission products (FPs) from fuel elements are the key issue of source term analysis. The FRESCO-II code has been established as a useful tool to simulate the accumulation and transport behaviors of FPs for many years. However, it has been found that the mathematical method of this code is not comprehensive, resulting in large errors for short-lived nuclides and large time step during calculations. In this study, we used the original model of TRISO particles and spherical fuel elements and provided a new method to amend the FRESCO-II code. The results show that, for long-lived radionuclides (Cs-137), the two methods are perfectly consistent with each other, while in the case of short-lived radionuclides (Cs-138), the difference can be more than 1%. Furthermore, the matrix method is used to solve the final release rates of FPs from fuel elements. The improved analysis code can also be applied to the source term analysis of other HTGRs.