bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
NEW MULTI-FUNCTIONAL APPROACH FOR κTH-ORDER DIFFERENTIABILITY GOVERNED BY FRACTIONAL CALCULUS VIA APPROXIMATELY GENERALIZED (ψ, ℏ)-CONVEX FUNCTIONS IN HILBERT SPACE
Authors: WANG MIAO-KUN , RASHID SAIMA , KARACA YELIZ , BALEANU DUMITRU , CHU YU-MING
Published: January 2021

This work addresses several novel classes of convex function involving arbitrary non-negative function, which is known as approximately generalized [Formula: see text]-convex and approximately [Formula: see text]-quasiconvex function, with respect to Raina’s function, which are elaborated in Hilbert space. To ensure the feasibility of the proposed concept and with the discussion of special cases, it is presented that these classes generate other classes of generalized [Formula: see text]-convex functions such as higher-order strongly (HOS) generalized [Formula: see text]-convex functions and HOS generalized [Formula: see text]-quasiconvex function. The core of the proposed method is a newly developed Simpson’s type of identity in the settings of Riemann–Liouville fractional integral operator. Based on the HOS generalized [Formula: see text]-convex function representation, we established several theorems and related novel consequences. The presented results demonstrate better performance for HOS generalized [Formula: see text]-quasiconvex functions where we can generate several other novel classes for convex functions that exist in the relative literature. Accordingly, the assortment in this study aims at presenting a direction in the related fields.
QUALITATIVE PROPERTIES OF SOLUTIONS OF FRACTIONAL DIFFERENTIAL AND DIFFERENCE EQUATIONS ARISING IN PHYSICAL MODELS
Authors: KHAN ZAREEN A. , AHMAD HIJAZ
Published: January 2021

Discrete fractional calculus (DFC) is suggested to interpret neural schemes with memory impacts. This study seeks to formulate some discrete fractional nonlinear inequalities with [Formula: see text] fractional sum operators that are used with some conventional and forthright inequalities. Taking into consideration, we recreate the explicit bounds of Gronwall-type inequalities by observing the principle of DFC for unknown functions here. Such inequalities are of new version relative to the current literature findings so far and can be used as a helpful method to evaluate the numerical solutions of discrete fractional differential equations. We show a few uses of the rewarded inequalities to mirror the advantages of our work. Regarding applications, we can apply the acquainted results to discuss boundedness, uniqueness, and continuous dependency on the initial value problem for the solutions of certain underlying worth problems of fractional difference equations. The leading consequences may be proven by the usage of the analysis process and the methodology of the mean value theorem. These variations can be used as an advantageous device in the subjective examination solutions of discrete fractional difference equations.
MONOTONICITY AND ASYMPTOTIC PROPERTIES OF SOLUTIONS FOR PARABOLIC EQUATIONS VIA A GIVEN INITIAL VALUE CONDITION ON GRAPHS
Authors: WU YITING
Published: January 2021

In this paper, we establish several results involving the minimum and maximum principles and the comparison principles for elliptic equations and parabolic equations on finite graphs. The results are then used to prove the monotonicity and asymptotic properties of solutions for parabolic equations whose initial values are given by the equation [Formula: see text] with Dirichlet boundary conditions. Finally, an illustration with numerical experiments is provided to demonstrate our main results.
The Cloud-edge-based Dynamic Reconfiguration to Service Workflow for Mobile Ecommerce Environments
Authors: Gao Honghao , Huang Wanqiu , Duan Yucong
Published: January 2021

The emergence of mobile service composition meets the current needs for real-time eCommerce. However, the requirements for eCommerce, such as safety and timeliness, are becoming increasingly strict. Thus, the cloud-edge hybrid computing model has been introduced to accelerate information processing, especially in a mobile scenario. However, the mobile environment is characterized by limited resource storage and users who frequently move, and these characteristics strongly affect the reliability of service composition running in this environment. Consequently, applications are likely to fail if inappropriate services are invoked. To ensure that the composite service can operate normally, traditional dynamic reconfiguration methods tend to focus on cloud services scheduling. Unfortunately, most of these approaches cannot support timely responses to dynamic changes. In this article, the cloud-edge based dynamic reconfiguration to service workflow for mobile eCommerce environments is proposed. First, the service quality concept is extended. Specifically, the value and cost attributes of a service are considered. The value attribute is used to assess the stability of the service for some time to come, and the cost attribute is the cost of a service invocation. Second, a long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network is used to predict the stability of services, which is related to the calculation of the value attribute. Then, in view of the limited available equipment resources, a method for calculating the cost of calling a service is introduced. Third, candidate services are selected by considering both service stability and the cost of service invocation, thus yielding a dynamic reconfiguration scheme that is more suitable for the cloud-edge environment. Finally, a series of comparative experiments were carried out, and the experimental results prove that the method proposed in this article offers higher stability, less energy consumption, and more accurate service prediction.
Reliability of SSDs in Enterprise Storage Systems
Authors: Maneas Stathis , Mahdaviani Kaveh , Emami Tim , Schroeder Bianca
Published: January 2021

This article presents the first large-scale field study of NAND-based SSDs in
enterprise
storage systems (in contrast to drives in distributed data center storage systems). The study is based on a very comprehensive set of field data, covering 1.6 million SSDs of a major storage vendor (NetApp). The drives comprise three different manufacturers, 18 different models, 12 different capacities, and all major flash technologies (SLC, cMLC, eMLC, 3D-TLC). The data allows us to study a large number of factors that were not studied in prior works, including the effect of firmware versions, the reliability of TLC NAND, and the correlations between drives within a RAID system. This article presents our analysis, along with a number of practical implications derived from it.
Experience
Authors: Costa Rogério Luís C. , Miranda Enrico , Dias Paulo , Moreira José
Published: January 2021

Spatio-temporal data can be used to study and simulate the movement and behavior of objects and natural phenomena. However, the use of real-world data raises several challenges related to its acquisition, representation, and quality. This article presents a data cleaning process, based on consistency rules and checks, that uses geometric operations to detect and remove outliers or inaccurate data in a spatio-temporal series. The proposal consists of selecting key frames and applying the process iteratively until the data have the desired quality. The case study consists of extracting and cleaning spatio-temporal data from a video tracking the propagation of a controlled fire captured using drones. The source data was generated using segmentation techniques to obtain the regions representing the burned area across time. The main issues concern noisy data (e.g., the height of flames is highly variable) and occlusion due to smoke. The results show that the quality assessment and improvement method proposed in this work can identify and remove inconsistencies from a dataset of more than 22,500 polygons in just a few iterations. The quality of the corrected dataset is verified using metrics and graph analysis.
Uniform, Integral, and Feasible Proofs for the Determinant Identities
Authors: Tzameret Iddo , Cook Stephen A.
Published: January 2021

Aiming to provide weak as possible axiomatic assumptions in which one can develop basic linear algebra, we give a uniform and integral version of the short propositional proofs for the determinant identities demonstrated over
GF
(2) in Hrubeš-Tzameret [15]. Specifically, we show that the multiplicativity of the determinant function and the Cayley-Hamilton theorem over the integers are provable in the bounded arithmetic theory
VNC
2
; the latter is a first-order theory corresponding to the complexity class
NC
2
consisting of problems solvable by uniform families of polynomial-size circuits and
O
(log
2
n
)-depth. This also establishes the existence of uniform polynomial-size propositional proofs operating with
NC
2
-circuits of the basic determinant identities over the integers (previous propositional proofs hold only over the two-element field).
Students from a large Australian university use Twitter to identify difficult course concepts to review during face-to-face lectorial sessions
Authors: Halpin Patricia A. , Johnson Jeremiah , Badoer Emilio
Published: January 2021

Engaging undergraduate students in large classes is a constant challenge for many lecturers, as student participation and engagement can be limited. This is a concern since there is a positive correlation between increased engagement and student success. The lack of student feedback on content delivery prevents lecturers from identifying topics that would benefit students if reviewed. Implementing novel methods to engage the students in course content and create ways by which they can inform the lecturer of the difficult concepts is needed to increase student success. In the present study, we investigated the use of Twitter as a scalable approach to enhance engagement with course content and peer-to-peer interaction in a large course. In this pilot study, students were instructed to tweet the difficult concepts identified from content delivered by videos. A software program automatically collected and parsed the tweets to extract summary statistics on the most common difficult concepts, and the lecturer used the information to prepare face-to-face (F2F) lectorial sessions. The key findings of the study were 1) the uptake of Twitter (i.e., registration on the platform) was similar to the proportion of students who participated in F2F lectorials, 2) students reviewed content soon after delivery to tweet difficult concepts to lecturer, 3) Twitter increased engagement with lecturers, 4) the difficult concepts were similar to previous years, yet the automated gathering of Twitter data was more efficient and time saving for the lecturer, and 5) students found the lectorial review sessions very valuable.
The ocular pulse decreases aqueous humor outflow resistance by stimulating nitric oxide production
Authors: Madekurozwa Michael , Stamer W. Daniel , Reina-Torres Ester , Sherwood Joseph M. , Overby Darryl R.
Published: January 2021

Intraocular pressure (IOP) is not static, but rather oscillates by 2–3 mmHg because of cardiac pulsations in ocular blood volume known as the ocular pulse. The ocular pulse induces pulsatile shear stress in Schlemm’s canal (SC). We hypothesize that the ocular pulse modulates outflow facility by stimulating shear-induced nitric oxide (NO) production by SC cells. We confirmed that living mice exhibit an ocular pulse with a peak-to-peak (pk-pk) amplitude of 0.5 mmHg under anesthesia. Using iPerfusion, we measured outflow facility (flow/pressure) during alternating periods of steady or pulsatile IOP in both eyes of 16 cadaveric C57BL/6J mice (13-14 weeks). Eyes were retained in situ, with an applied mean pressure of 8 mmHg and 1.0 mmHg pk-pk pressure amplitude at 10 Hz to mimic the murine heart rate. One eye of each cadaver was perfused with 100 µM L-NAME to inhibit NO synthase, whereas the contralateral eye was perfused with vehicle. During the pulsatile period in the vehicle-treated eye, outflow facility increased by 16 [12, 20] % ( P < 0.001) relative to the facility measured during the preceding and subsequent steady periods. This effect was partly inhibited by L-NAME, where pressure pulsations increased outflow facility by 8% [4, 12] ( P < 0.001). Thus, the ocular pulse causes an immediate increase in outflow facility in mice, with roughly one-half of the facility increase attributable to NO production. These studies reveal a dynamic component to outflow function that responds instantly to the ocular pulse and may be important for outflow regulation and IOP homeostasis.
Metformin slows liver cyst formation and fibrosis in experimental model of polycystic liver disease
Authors: Sato Yoichi , Qiu Jiahe , Hirose Takuo , Miura Takahiro , Sato Yasunori , Kohzuki Masahiro , Ito Osamu
Published: January 2021

This study indicates that metformin, an indirect AMPK activator slows liver cyst formation and fibrosis in PLD rat model. Metformin attenuates excessive cell proliferation in the liver with the inactivation of mTOR and ERK pathways. Metformin also reduces the expression of proteins responsible for cystic fluid secretion and liver fibrosis. Metformin and AMPK activators may be potent drugs for polycystic liver disease.
Paired-pulse TMS and scalp EEG reveal systematic relationship between inhibitory GABAa signaling in M1 and fronto-central cortical activity during action stopping
Authors: Hynd Megan , Soh Cheol , Rangel Benjamin O. , Wessel Jan R.
Published: January 2021

The neural mechanisms underlying rapid action stopping in humans are subject to intense debate, in part because recordings of neural signals purportedly reflecting inhibitory motor control are hard to directly relate to the true, physiological inhibition of motor cortex. For the first time, the current study combines EEG and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) methods to demonstrate a direct correspondence between fronto-central control-related EEG activity following signals to cancel an action and the physiological inhibition of primary motor cortex.
Burst gap code predictions for tactile frequency are valid across the range of perceived frequencies attributed to two distinct tactile channels
Authors: Ng Kevin K. W. , Snow Ian N. , Birznieks Ingvars , Vickery Richard M.
Published: January 2021

We present evidence for a generalized frequency processing strategy on tactile afferent inputs that is shared across a broad range of frequencies extending beyond the flutter range, supporting the notion that spike timing has an important role in shaping tactile perception.
A Fault Analysis Method for Three‐Phase Induction Motors Based on Spiking Neural P Systems
Authors: Huang Zhu , Wang Tao , Liu Wei , Valencia-Cabrera Luis , Pérez-Jiménez Mario J. , Li Pengpeng
Published: January 2021

The fault prediction and abductive fault diagnosis of three‐phase induction motors are of great importance for improving their working safety, reliability, and economy; however, it is difficult to succeed in solving these issues. This paper proposes a fault analysis method of motors based on modified fuzzy reasoning spiking neural P systems with real numbers (rMFRSNPSs) for fault prediction and abductive fault diagnosis. To achieve this goal, fault fuzzy production rules of three‐phase induction motors are first proposed. Then, the rMFRSNPS is presented to model the rules, which provides an intuitive way for modelling the motors. Moreover, to realize the parallel data computing and information reasoning in the fault prediction and diagnosis process, three reasoning algorithms for the rMFRSNPS are proposed: the pulse value reasoning algorithm, the forward fault prediction reasoning algorithm, and the backward abductive fault diagnosis reasoning algorithm. Finally, some case studies are given, in order to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Comparison of Influence of the Fast Atom Beam and Ion Beam on the Metal Target
Authors: Pushkarev A. , Prima A. , Myshkin V. , Chistyakova N. , Ezhov V.
Published: January 2021

A comparative analysis of a fast atom beam and ion beam effect on a metal target in the binary collision model is performed. Irradiation by fast atoms has been shown to more closely correspond to neutron radiation in a nuclear reactor, in terms of the primary knocked-on atom spectrum and the efficiency and mechanism of the radiation defect formation. It was found that upon irradiation by fast carbon atoms with an energy of 0.2-0.3 MeV, the average number of radiation defects in the displacement cascade of one atom is four to five times higher than the calculated values using the SRIM program for ions with the same energy. It is shown that during penetration in the target, the probability of ionization of atoms with energies less than 0.4 MeV is negligible.
Personnel Scheduling Problem under Hierarchical Management Based on Intelligent Algorithm
Authors: Huang Li , Ye Chunming , Gao Jie , Shih Po-Chou , Mngumi Franley , Mei Xun
Published: January 2021

This paper studies a special scheduling problem under hierarchical management in nurse staff. This is a more complex rostering problem than traditional nurse scheduling. The first is that the rostering requirements of charge nurses and general nurses are different under hierarchical management. The second is that nurses are preferable for relative fair rather than absolute fair under hierarchical management. The model aims at allocating the required workload to meet the operational requirements, weekend rostering preferences, and relative fairness preferences. Two hybrid heuristic algorithms based on multiobjective grey wolf optimizer (MOGWO) and three corresponding single heuristic algorithms are employed to solve this problem. The experimental results based on real cases from the Third People’s Hospital, Panzhihua, China, show that MOGWO does not as good as it does on other engineering optimization. However, the hybrid algorithms based on MOGWO are better than corresponding single algorithms on generational distance (GD) and spacing (SP) of Pareto solutions. Furthermore, for relative fair rostering objective, NSGAII‐MOGWO has more power to find the optimal solution in the dimension of relative fairness.
Target Recognition of SAR Images Based on Complex Bidimensional Empirical Mode Decomposition
Authors: Miao Xinying , Liu Yunlong
Published: January 2021

A target recognition method for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image based on complex bidimensional empirical mode decomposition (C-BEMD) is proposed. C-BEMD is used to decompose the original SAR image to obtain multilevel complex bidimensional intrinsic mode functions (BIMF), which reflect the two-dimensional time-frequency characteristics of the target. In the classification stage, the decomposed multilevel BIMFs are represented using the multitask sparse representation. Finally, the target category of the test sample is determined according to the reconstruction errors related to different training classes. In the experiment, the standard operating condition (SOC) and extended operating conditions (EOC) are designed based on the MSTAR dataset to test and verify the proposed method. The results confirm the effectiveness and robustness of the method.
Balloon Valvuloplasty for Congenital Aortic Stenosis: Experience at a Tertiary Center in a Developing Country
Authors: Charafeddine Fatme A. , Houssein Haytham Bou , Kibbi Nadine B. , El-Rassi Issam M. , Tabbakh Anas M. , Abutaqa Mohammad S. , Bulbul Ziad F. , Younis Nour K. , Arabi Mariam T. , Bitar Fadi F.
Published: January 2021

Background. Aortic valve stenosis accounts for 3–6% of congenital heart disease. Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) is the preferred therapeutic intervention in many centers. However, most of the reported data are from developed countries. Materials and Methods. We performed a retrospective single-center study involving consecutive eligible neonates and infants with congenital aortic stenosis admitted for percutaneous BAV between January 2005 and January 2016 to our tertiary center. We evaluated the short- and mid-term outcomes associated with the use of BAV as a treatment for congenital aortic stenosis (CAS) at a tertiary center in a developing country. Similarly, we compared these outcomes to those reported in developed countries. Results. During the study period, a total of thirty patients, newborns (n = 15) and infants/children (n = 15), underwent BAV. Left ventricular systolic dysfunction was present in 56% of the patients. Isolated AS was present in 19 patients (63%). Associated anomalies were present in 11 patients (37%): seven (21%) had coarctation of the aorta, two (6%) had restrictive ventricular septal defects, one had mild Ebstein anomaly, one had Shone’s syndrome, and one had cleft mitral valve. BAV was not associated with perioperative or immediate postoperative mortality. Immediately following the valvuloplasty, a more than mild aortic regurgitation was noted only in two patients (7%). A none-to-mild aortic regurgitation was noted in the remaining 93%. One patient died three months after the procedure. At a mean follow-up of 7 years, twenty patients (69%) had more than mild aortic regurgitation, and four patients (13%) required surgical intervention. Kaplan–Meier freedom from aortic valve reintervention was 97% at 1 year and 87% at 10 years of follow-up. Conclusion. Based on outcomes encountered at a tertiary center in a developing country, BAV is an effective and safe modality associated with low complication rates comparable to those reported in developed countries.
Displaying the Structure of the Solutions for Some Fifth-Order Systems of Recursive Equations
Authors: Alayachi H. S. , Khan A. Q. , Noorani M. S. M. , Khaliq A.
Published: January 2021

This paper presents the solutions to the following nonlinear systems of rational difference equations:

x

n
+
1

=

x

n
−
3

y

n
−
4

/

y

n

1
+

x

n
−
1

y

n
−
2

x

n
−
3

y

n
−
4

,

y

n
+
1

=

y

n
−
3

x

n
−
4

/

x

n

±
1
±

y

n
−
1

x

n
−
2

y

n
−
3

x

n
−
4

where initial conditions

x

−
δ

,

y

−
δ

δ
=
4,3
,
…
,
0

are nonnegative real numbers. Finally some numerical simulations are presented to verify obtained theoretical results.
Ferroptosis-Related Gene Model to Predict Overall Survival of Ovarian Carcinoma
Authors: Yang Liuqing , Tian Saisai , Chen Yun , Miao Chenyun , Zhao Ying , Wang Ruye , Zhang Qin
Published: January 2021

Background. Ovarian cancer (OC) is the eighth most common cause of cancer death and the second cause of gynecologic cancer death in women around the world. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent regulated cell death, plays a vital role in the development of many cancers. Applying expression of ferroptosis-related gene to forecast the cancer progression is helpful for cancer treatment. However, the relationship between ferroptosis-related genes and OC patient prognosis is still vastly unknown, making it still a challenge for developing ferroptosis therapy for OC. Methods. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data of OC were obtained and the datasets were randomly divided into training and test datasets. A novel ferroptosis-related gene signature associated with overall survival (OS) was constructed according to the training cohort. The test dataset and ICGC dataset were used to validate this signature. Results. We constructed a model containing nine ferroptosis-related genes, namely, LPCAT3, ACSL3, CRYAB, PTGS2, ALOX12, HSBP1, SLC1A5, SLC7A11, and ZEB1, and predicted the OS of OC in TCGA. At a suitable cutoff, patients were divided into low risk and high risk groups. The OS curves of the two groups of patients had significant differences, and the time-dependent receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) were as high as 0.664, respectively. Then, the test dataset and the ICGC dataset were used to evaluate our model, and the ROCs of test dataset were 0.667 and 0.777, respectively. In addition, functional analysis and correlation analysis showed that immune-related pathways were significantly enriched. Meanwhile, we also integrated with other clinical factors and we found the synthesized clinical factors and ferroptosis-related gene signature improved prognostic accuracy relative to the ferroptosis-related gene signature alone. Conclusion. The ferroptosis-related gene signature could predict the OS of OC patients and improve therapeutic decision-making.
Analytical Calculation of Critical Anchoring Length of Steel Bar and GFRP Antifloating Anchors in Rock Foundation
Authors: Yan Nan , Liu Xueying , Zhang Mingyi , Bai Xiaoyu , Kuang Zheng , Huang Yongfeng , Jing Desheng , Yan Jun , Li Cuicui , Wang Zhongsheng
Published: January 2021

Antifloating anchors are widely used during the construction of slab foundations to prevent uplift. However, existing methods for calculating the critical length of these anchors have limited capabilities and therefore require further research. As the mechanisms which govern the displacement and stability of antifloating anchors are closely related to those of piles subject to uplift, a simplified anchor model has been developed based on existing concentric thin-walled cylinder shear transfer models used for pile design. Analytical expressions for the critical length of the steel bar and GFRP (glass fiber reinforced polymer) antifloating anchors in rock are derived accordingly before demonstrating the validity of the method through engineering examples. The research results show that when the length of an antifloating anchor is less than a critical length, shear slip failure occurs between the anchor and surrounding material due to excessive shear stress. When the length of an anchor approaches the critical length, the shear stress gradually decreases to the undisturbed state. If the anchor length is larger than the critical length, the uplift loads are safely transferred to the ground without causing failure. The ratio of elastic modulus between the anchor and rock mass was found to be positively correlated with the critical anchoring length. Because the elastic modulus of GFRP bars is lower than that of steel bars, the critical anchoring length of GFRP bars is greater than that of steel bars under the same anchor-to-rock modulus ratio (Ea/Es). The results show that the proposed calculation method for the critical length of antifloating anchors appears valid and could provide a theoretical basis for the design of antifloating anchors after further refinement.
Power Enhancement under Partial Shading Condition Using a Two-Step Optimal PV Array Reconfiguration
Authors: Nahidan Mohamad Hossien , Niroomand Mehdi , Dehkordi Behzad Mirzaeian
Published: January 2021

Under partial shading conditions, photovoltaic (PV) arrays are subjected to different irradiance levels caused by nonuniform shading. As a result, a mismatch between the modules, a reduction in the power generated, and the hotspot phenomenon will be observed. One method to reduce mismatch losses is to reconfigure the total-cross-tied (TCT) array in dynamic and static forms, where improved performance can be achieved through more efficient shading distribution thanks to increased dimensions. However, the increase in dimensions leads to the complexity of wiring and installation in static reconfiguration and the large number of switches and sensors required in dynamic reconfiguration. To rectify these problems, a two-step method is proposed in this paper. In the first step, the modules inside the PV array are divided into subarrays with wiring in static reconfiguration, rather than being wired as large-scale PV arrays. In the second step, an algorithm is developed for dynamic reconfiguration. The introduced algorithm searches for all possible connections and finally identifies the most optimal solution. As an advantage, this algorithm employs only the short-circuit current values of the subarray rows, which reduces the number of switches and sensors required in comparison to dynamic reconfiguration. Under 8 different partial shading patterns, simulations are conducted and results confirm that the proposed method outperforms the TCT array and statically modified TCT array in terms of power and mismatch losses. Among these, the highest power improvement is obtained with regard to the TCT array and statically modified TCT array under the fourth and eighth shading patterns, respectively.
Sequential Docetaxel in ≥7 Cycles Followed by Cabazitaxel Improves Oncological Outcomes in Patients with Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Authors: Kato Seiichi , Takai Manabu , Iinuma Koji , Fujimoto Shota , Nakano Masahiro , Ishida Takashi , Uno Masahiro , Tamaki Masayoshi , Taniguchi Mitsuhiro , Komeda Hisao , Takahashi Yoshito , Koie Takuya
Published: January 2021

Background. Docetaxel (DOC) was the first regimen that increased the survival and became the standard-of-care in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). However, it is unclear whether switching to second-line chemotherapy or optimal sequencing of cabazitaxel (CBZ) ensures better clinical outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of sequential therapy with DOC and CBZ and the effect of the number of prior DOC cycles on oncological outcomes in patients with mCRPC. Methods. We retrospectively included 46 mCRPC patients who received DOC followed by CBZ at quaternary hospitals in Japan between February 2015 and March 2019. Participants received intravenous DOC (40–75 mg/m2) every 3–4 weeks; CBZ (15–25 mg/m2) was administered every 3–4 weeks. Androgen-deprivation therapy and prednisolone 5 mg (twice daily) were administered throughout both regimens. The primary endpoints were overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). The secondary endpoints were the rates of ≥30% and ≥50% reduction in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels at chemotherapy initiation. Results. Participants were divided into two groups according to DOC cycles (Groups A and B: ≤6 and ≥7 DOC cycles, respectively). The rates of ≥30% and ≥50% reduction in PSA levels were higher in Group B than in Group A, but there were no significant differences in both groups. Median OS in Groups A and B was 12.7 and 71.0 months, respectively

P
<
0.001

; median PFS in Groups A and B was 3 and 12 months, respectively

P
<
0.001

. Conclusions. Administration of ≥7 cycles of DOC followed by CBZ may improve oncological outcomes in patients with mCRPC.
Facial Expression Recognition with LBP and ORB Features
Authors: Niu Ben , Gao Zhenxing , Guo Bingbing
Published: January 2021

Emotion plays an important role in communication. For human–computer interaction, facial expression recognition has become an indispensable part. Recently, deep neural networks (DNNs) are widely used in this field and they overcome the limitations of conventional approaches. However, application of DNNs is very limited due to excessive hardware specifications requirement. Considering low hardware specifications used in real‐life conditions, to gain better results without DNNs, in this paper, we propose an algorithm with the combination of the oriented FAST and rotated BRIEF (ORB) features and Local Binary Patterns (LBP) features extracted from facial expression. First of all, every image is passed through face detection algorithm to extract more effective features. Second, in order to increase computational speed, the ORB and LBP features are extracted from the face region; specifically, region division is innovatively employed in the traditional ORB to avoid the concentration of the features. The features are invariant to scale and grayscale as well as rotation changes. Finally, the combined features are classified by Support Vector Machine (SVM). The proposed method is evaluated on several challenging databases such as Cohn‐Kanade database (CK+), Japanese Female Facial Expressions database (JAFFE), and MMI database; experimental results of seven emotion state (neutral, joy, sadness, surprise, anger, fear, and disgust) show that the proposed framework is effective and accurate.
Long-Term Clinical Outcomes of Unprotected Left Main Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Large Single-Centre Experience
Authors: Gao Lijian , Gao Zhan , Song Ying , Guan Changdong , Xu Bo , Chen Jue , Liu Haibo , Qin Xuewen , Yao Min , Yuan Jinqing , Wu Yongjian , Hu Fenghuan , Qian Jie , Tang Yida , Dou Kefei , Yang Weixian , Qiu Hong , Mu Chaowei , Dai Jun , Qiao Shubin , Chen Jilin , Gao Runlin , Yang Yuejin
Published: January 2021

Aims. This study sought to report the 10-year clinical outcomes of patients who underwent unprotected left main (LM) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a large centre. Methods and Results. A total of 913 consecutive patients who underwent unprotected LM PCI from January 2004 to December 2008 at Fu Wai Hospital were retrospectively analysed; the mean age was 60.0 ± 10.9 years, females accounted for 22% of patients, diabetes was present in 27.7% of patients, and an LM bifurcation lesion occurred in 82.9% of patients. During the median follow-up of 9.7 years, major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) occurred in 25.6% (234) of patients, and the rates of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and stroke were 14.9%, 11.0%, and 7.1%, respectively. Cardiac death occurred in only 7.9% of patients. The estimated event rate was 41.9% for death/myocardial infarction/any revascularization and 45.9% for death/MI/stroke/any revascularization. Definite/probable stent thrombosis occurred in 4.3% (39) of patients. According to the subgroup analysis, IVUS-guided PCI was associated with less long-term MACCEs. Further multivariate analysis identified that age and LVEF<40% were the only independent predictors for 10-year death. Age, LVEF<40%, creatinine clearance, and incomplete revascularization were independent predictors for death/MI, while a two-stent strategy, diabetes, a transradial approach, and the use of bare metal stents (BMSs) or first-generation drug-eluting stents (DESs) were not. Conclusions. Unprotected LM PCI in a large cohort of consecutive patients in a single large centre demonstrated favourable long-term outcomes up to 10 years even with the use of BMSs and first-generation of DESs.
Association between Asthma and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Mechanisms and Impact on Asthma Control—A Literature Review
Authors: Torres Raimeyre Marques , Souza Marcela Dos Santos , Coelho Ana Carla Carvalho , de Mello Luane Marques , Souza-Machado Carolina
Published: January 2021

The study aimed to analyze the scientific production on the association between asthma and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in adults, the mechanisms that explain this association, and its impact on asthma control. A literature review of scientific articles indexed in the MEDLINE/PUBMED, BVS, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases was carried out, considering publications from January 2009 to December 2019, using the following descriptors: “asthma”, “type 2 diabetes”, “adult,” and “association”. Of 962 articles found, 18 were included because they met the eligibility criteria. It is suggested that the association between asthma and T2DM is caused by low-grade systemic inflammation (7 articles) or the use of corticosteroids (7 articles). It is noticed that there is a limited scientific production regarding the consequences of this association for the control of asthma (5 articles). It is concluded that asthma and T2DM are two common chronic conditions of increasing prevalence and that often coexist in the same patient. It is suggested that this coexistence worsens asthma control. Therefore, the study may support public policies and clinical health practices that value the approach of comorbidities associated with asthma such as T2DM, in order to minimize additional health risks and reduce the quality of life.
Phytochemical Analysis and Cholinesterase Inhibitory and Antioxidant Activities of Enhydra fluctuans Relevant in the Management of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Lopa Simin Shabnam , Al-Amin Md. Yusuf , Hasan Md. Kamrul , Ahammed Md. Salim , Islam KM Monirul , Alam A. H. M. Khurshid , Tanaka Toshihisa , Sadik Md. Golam
Published: January 2021

Enhydra fluctuans, a popular vegetable in Bangladesh, is used in folk medicine to treat diseases of the nervous system. The objective of this study was to investigate the phytochemical profile and cholinesterase inhibitory and antioxidant potential of the extracts of E. fluctuans. Among the four tested extracts, the chloroform extract was found to exert the highest inhibition against both the acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase enzymes with the IC50 (concentration required for 50% inhibition) values of 83.90 μg/mL and 48.14 μg/mL, respectively. Likewise, the chloroform extract showed the highest radical scavenging activity and reducing power. In DPPH radical scavenging assay, the IC50 value was found to be 113.27 μg/mL, and in reducing power assay, the absorbance was found to be 1.916 at a concentration of 50 μg/mL. Phytochemical analyses revealed that the chloroform extract contained 19.16 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g extract of phenolics and 41.84 mg catechin equivalent (CE)/g extract of flavonoids, which appeared to be the highest among the extracts. A significant correlation was observed between phenolic content and butyrylcholinesterase inhibition and antioxidant activity, while a moderate correlation was seen between flavonoid content and cholinesterase inhibition and antioxidant activity. These findings suggest that E. fluctuans is a natural source of cholinesterase inhibitors and antioxidants, which could be utilized as functional foods for Alzheimer’s disease management.
Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation Potential Risk Factors in Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization: A Retrospective Research
Authors: Wang Xiaoguang , Yang Xiaodan , Chen Fei , Wu Shaohan , Song Zhengwei , Fei Jianguo
Published: January 2021

Background. To explore the clinical characteristics of reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). The pathological correlation of prognosis and hepatitis B virus reactivation has been given detailed analyses in our research. Methods. A total of 108 related TACE-treated HCC clinical data from January 2008 to January 2016 was gleaned and involved in this retrospective analysis. To lucubrate the nuance of survival rates between HBV reactivated group and HBV nonreactivated group, clinical data of each patient was analyzed in detail and refined the retrospective studies. Results. HBV reactivation occurred in 42 patients with a proportion of 38.9%. The detected HBV DNA level ≥104 in patients showed a reactivation rate of 65.8% (25/38), which was significantly higher than the HBV DNA < 104 cases (24.3%, 17/70). Research data revealed a conspicuous lower cellular immunity (

P
<
0.01

) and better 2-year survival rate (

P
=
0.03

) in the HBV-reactivated group when compared to the nonreactivated group. Conclusion. Some of the patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma possibly had HBV reactivation at post-TACE-therapy. And the predominant risk factors of HBV reactivation are positive HBV test and immunosuppression. Our study suggested that HBV reactivation at post-TACE-therapy is an independent predictor of poor prognosis and low survival rate as well as a crucial reason for poor prognosis and lower survival rate, which indirectly proved that it is urgent to necessitate the antiviral therapy and immune enhancer in improving the curative effect and prognosis of HCC patients.
Colostomy Takedown: Ischemic Complication following Anorectal Malformation Surgery
Authors: Svetanoff Wendy Jo , Sobrino Justin , Mitchell Grace S. , Rentea Rebecca M.
Published: January 2021

Introduction. Anorectal malformations (ARM) are complex disorders that often require staged reconstructions. We present a case and imaging findings of a child who developed issues following colostomy closure due to segmental colonic ischemia. Case Presentation. A 3-year-old female with Currarino syndrome presented with abdominal distention, blood-flecked stools, and prolonged cecostomy flush time. For her anorectal malformation, a colostomy was initially placed. A new colostomy was created at posterior sagittal anorectoplasty (PSARP) to allow the distal rectum to reach the anus without tension. Differentials for her presenting symptoms included a mislocation of the anus, stenosis at the anoplasty site, stricture within the colon, or sacral mass from Currarino syndrome, causing obstructive symptoms. Workup at our hospital included an anorectal exam under anesthesia (EUA), which showed a well-located anus with without stenosis at the anoplasty site, and an antegrade contrast study revealed a featureless descending colon with a 3-4 mm stricture in the distal transverse colon at the site of the previous colostomy, without an obstructing presacral mass. To alleviate this obstruction, the child underwent removal of the chronically ischemic descending colon and a redo-PSARP, where the distal transverse colon was brought down to the anus. She is now able to successfully perform antegrade flushes. Conclusion. Patients who have had prior surgeries for ARM repair are at a higher risk of complications, including strictures or ischemic complications at areas of previous surgery or colostomy placement. A thorough preoperative workup, including contrast studies, can alert the surgeon to these potential pitfalls.
Determination of Total Mercury in Solid Samples by Anodic Stripping Voltammetry
Authors: Nguyen Thuong Thi Kim , Luu Huyen Thu , Vu Loi Duc , Ta Thao Thi , Le Giang Thi Huong
Published: January 2021

The anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) was investigated to determine total mercury in solid samples using a gold electrode. The mercury was deposited on the gold electrode in a preconcentration step. The oxidation peak of mercury was irreversible. The optimal conditions of the procedure were found to be as follows: 0.05 mol L−1 HCl solution, deposition potential −0.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl/KCls, deposition time 40 s, and sweep rate 0.04 V s−1. Under the optimal conditions, the peak current showed a linear dependence on Hg2+ concentration in the range from 0.01 to 0.1 mg l−1. The detection limit and quantification limit were 4.28 µg L−1 and 12.98 µg L−1, respectively. The mean recovery and relative standard deviation were 91.2% and 2.4% (n = 9). The procedure was successfully applied for determining total mercury in samples collected from Hanoi light bulb warehouse—The Rang Dong Light Source and Vacuum Flask JSC. The results were compared with cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS).
Oncogenic N-Ras Mitigates Oxidative Stress–Induced Apoptosis of Hematopoietic Stem Cells
Authors: Ney Gina M. , Yang Kevin B. , Ng Victor , Liu Lu , Zhao Meiling , Kuk Wun , Alaka Lila , Sampang Leilani , Ross Adam , Jones Morgan A. , Jin Xi , McKay Laura M. , Evarts Hadie , Li Qing
Published: January 2021

Leukemic relapse is believed to be driven by transformed hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) that harbor oncogenic mutations or have lost tumor suppressor function. Recent comprehensive sequencing studies have shown that mutations predicted to activate Ras signaling are highly prevalent in hematologic malignancies and, notably, in refractory and relapsed cases. To better understand what drives this clinical phenomenon, we expressed oncogenic NrasG12D within the hematopoietic system in mice and interrogated its effects on HSC survival. N-RasG12D conferred a survival benefit to HSCs and progenitors following metabolic and genotoxic stress. This effect was limited to HSCs and early progenitors and was independent of autophagy and cell proliferation. N-RasG12D–mediated HSC survival was not affected by inhibition of canonical Ras effectors such as MEK and PI3K. However, inhibition of the noncanonical Ras effector pathway protein kinase C (PKC) ameliorated the protective effects of N-RasG12D. Mechanistically, N-RasG12D lowered levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which correlated with reduced mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP levels. Inhibition of PKC restored the levels of ROS to that of control HSCs and abrogated the protective effects granted by N-RasG12D. Thus, N-RasG12D activation within HSCs promotes cell survival through the mitigation of ROS, and targeting this mechanism may represent a viable strategy to induce apoptosis during malignant transformation of HSCs.

Significance:

Targeting oncogenic N-Ras–mediated reduction of ROS in hematopoietic stem cells through inhibition of the noncanonical Ras effector PKC may serve as a novel strategy for treatment of leukemia and other Ras-mutated cancers.
Association between Gene Promoter Methylation and Cervical Cancer Development: Global Distribution and A Meta-analysis
Authors: El Aliani Aissam , El-Abid Hassan , El Mallali Yassine , Attaleb Mohammed , Ennaji Moulay Mustapha , El Mzibri Mohammed
Published: January 2021

DNA methylation is the main epigenetic event for gene silencing and is associated with carcinogenesis. In this meta-analysis, we evaluated the association between the methylation of the promoter regions of APC, CADM1, CCNA1, CDH1, DAPK, FHIT, HIC1, MAL, MGMT, hMLH1, P16, PAX1, RAR-β, and RASSF1 genes and the risk of cervical cancer development and progression. Overall, 194 eligible studies were identified assessing the associations of promoter methylation status of aforementioned genes with low- and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL and HSIL) and cervical cancer development. The majority of studies were conducted on Caucasian and Asian populations, whereas rare studies were available on the African population. Promoter methylation frequencies were shown to be significantly higher in LSIL and HSIL cervical cancer cases as compared to control specimens for CADM1, CCNA1, CDH1, DAPK1, FHIT, MAL, P16, PAX1, RAR-β, and RASSF1 genes. A moderate association was found between HIC promoter methylation, whereas APC, MGMT, and hMLH1 promoter methylation was not correlated with cervical cancer development. Promoter methylation could be considered as a noninvasive biomarker for early cervical lesions, making them highly promising targets for a personalized therapeutic approach.