bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Zinner syndrome: two cases and review of the literature
Authors: Di Paola Valerio , Gigli Riccardo , Totaro Angelo , Manfredi Riccardo
Published: June 2021

Zinner syndrome (ZS) is a rare congenital malformation due to abnormal development of the urogenital tract. It is caused by a growth failure of the distal part of the Müllerian duct in early embryogenesis. It is characterised by the triad of unilateral renal agenesis, ipsilateral seminal vesicle cyst and ipsilateral ejaculatory duct obstruction. Over the years, several cases have been reported in the literature since the initial report by Zinner in 1914. This syndrome is frequently misdiagnosed because it may present different patterns and the symptoms may be not specific. In this paper, we present two patients with two different patterns of presentation of Zinner syndrome.
Integrated health service delivery during COVID-19: a scoping review of published evidence from low-income and lower-middle-income countries
Authors: Hasan Md Zabir , Neill Rachel , Das Priyanka , Venugopal Vasuki , Arora Dinesh , Bishai David , Jain Nishant , Gupta Shivam
Published: June 2021

Background

Integrated health service delivery (IHSD) is a promising approach to improve health system resilience. However, there is a lack of evidence specific to the low/lower-middle-income country (L-LMIC) health systems on how IHSD is used during disease outbreaks. This scoping review aimed to synthesise the emerging evidence on IHSD approaches adopted in L-LMIC during the COVID-19 pandemic and systematically collate their operational features.

Methods

A systematic scoping review of peer-reviewed literature, published in English between 1 December 2019 and 12 June 2020, from seven electronic databases was conducted to explore the evidence of IHSD implemented in L-LMICs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were systematically charted, and key features of IHSD systems were presented according to the postulated research questions of the review.

Results

The literature search retrieved 1487 published articles from which 18 articles met the inclusion criteria and included in this review. Service delivery, health workforce, medicine and technologies were the three most frequently integrated health system building blocks during the COVID-19 pandemic. While responding to COVID-19, the L-LMICs principally implemented the IHSD system via systematic horizontal integration, led by specific policy measures. The government’s stewardship, along with the decentralised decision-making capacity of local institutions and multisectoral collaboration, was the critical facilitator for IHSD. Simultaneously, fragmented service delivery structures, fragile supply chain, inadequate diagnostic capacity and insufficient workforce were key barriers towards integration.

Conclusion

A wide array of context-specific IHSD approaches were operationalised in L-LMICs during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging recommendations emphasise the importance of coordination and integration across building blocks and levels of the health system, supported by a responsive governance structure and stakeholder engagement strategies. Future reviews can revisit this emerging evidence base at subsequent phases of COVID-19 response and recovery in L-LMICs to understand how the approaches highlighted here evolve.
Rapid realist review of the role of community pharmacy in the public health response to COVID-19
Authors: Maidment Ian , Young Emma , MacPhee Maura , Booth Andrew , Zaman Hadar , Breen Juanita , Hilton Andrea , Kelly Tony , Wong Geoff
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Community pharmacists and their teams have remained accessible to the public providing essential services despite immense pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have successfully expanded the influenza vaccination programme and are now supporting the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccination roll-out.

Aim

This rapid realist review aims to understand how community pharmacy can most effectively deliver essential and advanced services, with a focus on vaccination, during the pandemic and in the future.

Method

An embryonic programme theory was generated using four diverse and complementary documents along with the expertise of the project team. Academic databases, preprint services and grey literature were searched and screened for documents meeting our inclusion criteria. The data were extracted from 103 documents to develop and refine a programme theory using a realist logic of analysis. Our analysis generated 13 context-mechanism-outcome configurations explaining when, why and how community pharmacy can support public health vaccination campaigns, maintain essential services during pandemics and capitalise on opportunities for expanded, sustainable public health service roles. The views of stakeholders including pharmacy users, pharmacists, pharmacy teams and other healthcare professionals were sought throughout to refine the 13 explanatory configurations.

Results

The 13 context-mechanism-outcome configurations are organised according to decision makers, community pharmacy teams and community pharmacy users as key actors. Review findings include: supporting a clear role for community pharmacies in public health; clarifying pharmacists’ legal and professional liabilities; involving pharmacy teams in service specification design; providing suitable guidance, adequate compensation and resources; and leveraging accessible, convenient locations of community pharmacy.

Discussion

Community pharmacy has been able to offer key services during the pandemic. Decision makers must endorse, articulate and support a clear public health role for community pharmacy. We provide key recommendations for decision makers to optimise such a role during these unprecedented times and in the future.
Peer advocacy and access to healthcare for people who are homeless in London, UK: a mixed method impact, economic and process evaluation protocol
Authors: Rathod Sujit D , Guise Andrew , Annand PJ , Hosseini Paniz , Williamson Elizabeth , Miners Alec , Bowgett Kate , Burrows Martin , Aldridge Robert W , Luchenski Serena , Menezes Dee , Story Alistair , Hayward Andrew , Platt Lucy
Published: June 2021

Introduction

People who are homeless experience higher morbidity and mortality than the general population. These outcomes are exacerbated by inequitable access to healthcare. Emerging evidence suggests a role for peer advocates—that is, trained volunteers with lived experience—to support people who are homeless to access healthcare.

Methods and analysis

We plan to conduct a mixed methods evaluation to assess the effects (qualitative, cohort and economic studies); processes and contexts (qualitative study); fidelity; and acceptability and reach (process study) of Peer Advocacy on people who are homeless and on peers themselves in London, UK. People with lived experience of homelessness are partners in the design, execution, analysis and dissemination of the evaluation.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval for all study designs has been granted by the National Health Service London—Dulwich Research Ethics Committee (UK) and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine’s Ethics Committee (UK). We plan to disseminate study progress and outputs via a website, conference presentations, community meetings and peer-reviewed journal articles.
Assessing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in international professional golf
Authors: Robinson Patrick G , Murray Andrew , Close Graeme , Kinane Denis F
Published: June 2021

Objectives

There is no published data on the incidence or risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission when playing golf, a sport played outdoors where social distancing is possible. The purpose of this prospective study was to report incidence and transmission regarding SARS-CoV-2, of professional golfers competing on the PGA European Tour across 23 events in 11 countries.

Methods

Daily symptom and temperature checks and weekly reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) screening were performed to determine potential carriage of SARS-CoV-2. Onset and type of symptomology were analysed. Gene expression and cycle thresholds (Cts) were reviewed for all positive cases. Repeat PCR testing was performed on all positive players. RT-PCR analysis included human housekeeping genes and various RNA genes specific for SARS-CoV-2.

Results

During the study period, there were 2900 RT-PCR tests performed on 195 professional golfers competing on the European Tour. Four players tested positive on-site during the study period (0.14% of tests; positive results were declared with Ct <40). Two positive tests were returned as part of routine protocols, while two reported a history of close contact with an individual who had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and were isolated and target tested. All were asymptomatic at time of testing, with three developing symptoms subsequently. None required hospital admission. There was no transmission from player to player.

Conclusion

Golf is an outdoor sport where social distancing is possible, meaning risks can be low if guidance is followed by participants. Risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 can be mitigated by highly accurate RT-PCR testing of participants and by setting up a safe bubble that includes testing players and support staff, as well as all persons coming into contact with them during the course of the tournament, for example, drivers and hotel staff. This report can also provide reassurance for participants and policy makers regarding community golf, which can be encouraged for the health benefits it provides, in a relatively low-risk environment, with minimal risk of transmission by observing sensible viral hygiene protocols.
Nothing about me without me: a scoping review of how illness experiences inform simulated participants’ encounters in health profession education
Authors: Ní Chianáin Linda , Fallis Richard , Johnston Jenny , McNaughton Nancy , Gormley Gerard
Published: June 2021

Background

Person-centred simulation in health professions education requires involvement of the person with illness experience.

Objective

To investigated how real illness experiences inform simulated participants’ (SP) portrayals in simulation education using a scoping review to map literature.

Study selection

Arksey and O’Malley’s framework was used to search, select, chart and analyse data with the assistance of personal and public involvement. MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched. A final consultation exercise was conducted using results.

Findings

37 articles were within scope. Reporting and training of SPs are inconsistent. SPs were actors, volunteers or the person with the illness experience. Real illness experience was commonly drawn on in communication interactions. People with illness experience could be directly involved in various ways, such as through conversation with an SP, or indirectly, such as a recording of heart sounds. The impact on the learner was rarely considered.

Conclusion

Authentic illness experiences help create meaningful person-centred simulation education. Patients and SPs may both require support when sharing or portraying illness experience. Patients’ voices profoundly enrich the educational contributions made by SPs.
Barriers and facilitators of peer support work in a large psychiatric hospital: a thematic analysis
Authors: Kuek Jonathan Han Loong , Chua Hong Choon , Poremski Daniel
Published: June 2021

Background

Peer support workers are an important addition to the mental healthcare profession. However, much of the literature and knowledge of the peer support role is derived from western countries. This concept is relatively new in Asian countries.

Aims

The study sought to improve the understanding of the barriers and facilitators of peer support work in a large psychiatric hospital in Singapore.

Methods

This study used qualitative data from a larger mixed-methods study. Thematic analysis was conducted based on the five steps recommended by Braun and Clarke (2006): (1) familiarisation of data whereby transcripts were read and reread, (2) generating initial codes, (3) searching for themes by gathering relevant codes, (4) reviewing themes and (5) defining and naming themes.

Results

Four subthemes under the broader notion of facilitators (supportive figures, defined role, opportunities for personal growth and identifying personalised coping strategies) and three subthemes under the concept of barriers (unclear role, hostility from non-peer-support-specialist staff and unsupportive working environments) were identified.

Conclusion

Our findings echoed those of previous studies conducted in western countries providing some evidences for the cross-cultural nature of these barriers and facilitators. However, the way their impact can be mitigated or enhanced is likely to be different owing to cultural barriers, such as the general consensus and acceptance of larger personal recovery ideologies. Further research is required in community settings to better understand the boundaries and limitations of our findings. This information will allow us to continue improving peer support worker integration in diverse mental healthcare settings.
Value of imaging detected joint inflammation in explaining fatigue in RA at diagnosis and during the disease course: a large MRI study
Authors: Matthijssen X M E , Wouters Fenne , Sidhu Navkiran , van der Helm - van Mil A H M
Published: June 2021

Objective

Fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is hypothesised to be caused by inflammation. Still ~50% of the variance of fatigue in RA cannot be explained by the Disease Activity Score (DAS), nor by background or psychological factors. Since MRI can detect joint inflammation more sensitively than the clinical joint counts as incorporated in the DAS, we hypothesised that inflammation detected by MRI could aid in explaining fatigue in RA at diagnosis and during the follow-up.

Methods

526 consecutive patients with RA were followed longitudinally. Fatigue was assessed yearly on a Numerical Rating Scale. Hand and foot MRIs were performed at inclusion, after 12 and 24 months in 199 patients and were scored for inflammation (synovitis, tenosynovitis and osteitis combined). We studied whether patients with RA with more MRI-inflammation were more fatigued at diagnosis (linear regression), whether the 2-year course of MRI-inflammation associated with the course of fatigue (linear mixed models) and whether decrease in MRI-inflammation in year 1 associated with subsequent improvement in fatigue in year 2 (cross-lagged models). Similar analyses were done with DAS as inflammation measure.

Results

At diagnosis, higher DAS scores were associated with more severe fatigue (p<0.001). However, patients with more MRI-inflammation were not more fatigued (p=0.94). During 2-year follow-up, DAS decrease associated with improvement in fatigue (p<0.001), but MRI-inflammation decrease did not (p=0.96). DAS decrease in year 1 associated with fatigue improvement in year 2 (p=0.012), as did MRI-inflammation decrease (p=0.039), with similar effect strength.

Conclusion

Sensitive measurements of joint inflammation did not explain fatigue in RA at diagnosis and follow-up. This supports the concept that fatigue in RA is partly uncoupled from inflammation.
Current management of malignant bowel obstructions: a survey of acute care surgeons and surgical oncologists
Authors: Bleicher Josh , Lambert Laura A , Scaife Courtney L , Colonna Alexander
Published: June 2021

Background

Malignant small bowel obstructions (MSBOs) are one of the most challenging problems surgeons encounter, and evidence-based treatment recommendations are lacking. We hypothesized that current opinions on MSBO management differ between acute care surgeons (ACSs) and surgical oncologists (SOs).

Methods

We developed three case scenarios describing patients with previously treated cancer who developed an MSBO. Each case had five to six alternate scenarios, intended to capture the heterogeneity of MSBO presentations. Members of the Society of Surgical Oncology, the American Society of Peritoneal Surface Malignancies, and the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma were asked how likely they would be to offer surgical treatment in each scenario. Responses were analyzed for factors associated with the likelihood surgeons would offer surgical management.

Results

316 surgeons completed the survey: 119 (37.7%) SOs and 197 (62.3%) ACSs. Overall, SOs were nearly twice as likely as ACSs to recommend surgical management. The largest differences between provider groups were seen in patients with an increased metastatic burden. In a patient with MSBO with metastatic colon cancer, both SOs (95.8%) and ACSs (94.4%) were likely or very likely to offer an operation (p=0.587); however, this fell to 91.6% and 77.7%, respectively, when this patient had multiple hepatic metastases (p=0.001). All surgeons were less likely to offer surgery to patients with multiple sites of obstruction, recurrent MSBO, and shorter disease-free intervals.

Discussion

Opinions on MSBO management differ based on surgeon training and experience. Multidisciplinary management of patients with MSBO should be offered when available and increased emphasis placed on determining optimal management guidelines across specialties.

Level of evidence

Level IV Epidemiologic.
Assessing the performance of artificial neural networks to predict ionospheric TEC over Nigeria during different space weather events
Authors: Abe O.E. , Rukera S.S. , Adeyemi B. , Ogunmodimu O. , Emmanuel I. , Oluwadare T.S. , Omole O.V.
Published: June 2021

The ionosphere model is essential to satellite-based systems to accurately correct the ionospheric error encountered by satellite signals en route. The Levenberg–Marquardt backpropagation (LMBP) algorithm in the artificial neural network (ANN) was used in this work to predict the total electron content (TEC) within the trough of equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) over Nigeria. Two sets of data were used over the period of three consecutive years (2011–2013) of high solar activity. The first set was used as an input to the ANN model and the second set of data was used as a target. Seventy percent of the data sets were used to train the network, 15% of the data were used for validation, and 15% used for testing. The performance of the model was assessed during specific quiet and disturbed geomagnetic conditions. The regression analysis of the model output was optimized by minimizing a cost function of the mean square error (MSE). The results of the errors, regression, and comparative analyses have revealed that the ANN model is able to predict accurate and reliable TEC that compares well with the actual experimental data at any geophysical conditions. Hence, this model would be useful to forecast TEC over Nigeria to a reliable threshold.
Transcriptome analysis reveals key genes and pathways associated with piglet fetal mummification
Authors: Wang Shujie , Wu Pingxian , Wang Kai , Ji Xiang , Chen Dong , Jiang Anan , Liu Yihui , Xiao Weihang , Jiang Yanzhi , Zhu Li , Xu Xu , Li Mingzhou , Li Xuewei , Tang Guoqing
Published: June 2021

China has the largest pork consumption worldwide. However, the high incidence of piglet fetal mummification (3%–5%) is an important factor that causes the slow improvement of pig reproductive capacity, and the genetic mechanism is still unclear. This study aimed to identify candidate genes associated with piglet fetal mummification. RNA-seq technology was used to compare transcriptome profiling of blood from healthy and mummified piglets at different stages of pregnancy (35, 56, 77, and 98 days). A total of 137–420 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected at each stage. Seven DEGs were significantly differentially expressed at various stages. IL-9R, TLR8, ABLIM3, FSH-α, ASCC1, PRKCZ, and GCK may play important roles in the course of piglet fetal mummification. The differential genes we identified between the groups were mainly enriched in immune and inflammation regulation, while others were mainly enriched in reproduction. Considering the function of candidate genes, IL-9R and TLR8 were suggested as the most promising candidate genes involved in mummified piglet traits. We speculate that during pregnancy, it may be the combined effects of the above-mentioned inflammation, immune response, and reproduction-related signaling pathways that affect the occurrence of mummified piglets and further affect pig reproduction.
Inhomogeneous charge distribution of simple substances
Authors: Wei Cheng-Dong , Li Wen-Xiang , Ye Wen-Hai , Tang Fu-Ling , Xue Hong-Tao , Liang Ze-Fen , Luo Ya-Qiao , Yao Xiao-Jun
Published: June 2021

Using density function theory calculation method, we investigated the charge distribution in nano- or low-dimension materials and some high pressure three-dimensional solids in many simple substances. It is found that if an atom in simple substances has different atomic environment from the other(s) nearby, they always have spontaneous charge inhomogeneity within local area. Charge inhomogeneity introduced by inequivalent atomic positions is a general phenomenon in simple substances, especially in their nano-materials. Such self-ionization significantly changes elemental matter’s physical and chemical properties. These results can advance the understanding on condensed matters, especially the internal structures and physical or chemical properties of elemental nano-materials, and could be a starting point for experimental investigation of self-ionization in them. The charge inhomogeneity of simple substances means their nonzero oxidation state or nonzero valence.
Modified Flower Pollination-based Segmentation of Medical Images
Authors: Jayaraman Kumaran , Srilakshmi Koganti , Jayaraman Sasikala
Published: June 2021

This paper presents a modified flower pollination-based method for performing multilevel segmentation of medical images. The flower pollination-based optimization (FPO) models the pollination process of flowers. Bees serve a major role in the pollination activity of flowers and they memorize and recognize the best flowers producing large pollens of nectar. Such memorizing ability of bees is adapted in the FPO for improving the exploration ability of the algorithm. Besides, the mechanism of avoiding predators by pollinators is also included in the modified FPO (MFPO) for getting away from sub-optimal traps. The medical image segmentation problem is transformed into an optimization problem and solved using the modified FPO (MFPO). The method explores for optimal thresholds in the problem space of the given medical image. The segmented images are presented for showing the superior performance of the proposed method.
On rings with cyclic almost-injective modules
Authors: Abyzov Adel Nailevich , Quynh Truong Cong
Published: June 2021

It is shown that every finitely generated right [Formula: see text]-module is almost injective if and only if every cyclic right [Formula: see text]-module is almost injective, if and only if [Formula: see text] is a right [Formula: see text]-ring with [Formula: see text] and there is a finite set of orthogonal idempotents [Formula: see text] in [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] is an injective local right [Formula: see text]-module of length two for every [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text].
Thermoelectrics by Computational Design: Progress and Opportunities
Authors: Kozinsky Boris , Singh David J.
Published: June 2021

The performance of thermoelectric materials is determined by their electrical and thermal transport properties that are very sensitive to small modifications of composition and microstructure. Discovery and design of next-generation materials are starting to be accelerated by computational guidance. We review progress and challenges in the development of accurate and efficient first-principles methods for computing transport coefficients and illustrate approaches for both rapid materials screening and focused optimization. Particularly important and challenging are computations of electron and phonon scattering rates that enter the Boltzmann transport equations, and this is where there are many opportunities for improving computational methods. We highlight the first successful examples of computation-driven discoveries of high-performance materials and discuss avenues for tightening the interaction between theoretical and experimental materials discovery and optimization.
Interleukin-6 is higher in naturally menstruating women compared with oral contraceptive pill users during the low-hormone phase
Authors: Eagan Lauren E. , Chesney Catalina A. , Mascone Sara E. , Shenouda Ninette , Ranadive Sushant M.
Published: June 2021

We demonstrate that despite having similar macrovascular function and concentrations of the vasoconstrictive substance endothelin-1 (ET-1) healthy naturally menstruating women display higher concentrations of circulating IL-6 during the lower-hormone phase of their menstrual cycle compared with 1) the higher-hormone phase of their menstrual cycle and 2) the lower-hormone phase of healthy women using oral contraceptive pills.
Study on the TCM Syndromes Evolution and Chinese Herbal Characteristics of Type 2 Diabetes Patients with Different Courses of Disease in TCM “Heat Stage”: A Real-World Study
Authors: Xing Ying , Pi Min , Zhang Runshun , Wen Tiancai
Published: June 2021

Objective. The purpose of this study is to analyze and summarize the syndrome distribution, syndrome evolution, and Chinese herb medicine characteristics of T2D in heat stage. Method. In this study, 228 heat-stage T2D patients were divided into three groups based on the course of disease. Group 1 (the course of disease ≤5 years) included 118 patients. Group 2 (5< the course of disease ≤10 years) had 73 patients. Group 3 (the course of disease >10 years) consisted of 37 patients. The main methods used in our study were complex network community partitioning algorithms and Sankey diagram visualization, based on the clinical electronic medical record data we collected. Result. In the three groups, the nodes with the highest node degree are all “heat syndrome.” Edge weight between “heat” and “dampness,” “qi stagnation,” “phlegm,” “liver,” and “stomach” is the largest. During the whole course of treatment, 60.17%, 63.01%, and 62.16% of the patients’ syndromes in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively, were ascribed to the heat stage all the time. The patients’ syndromes in groups 1 and 2 easily transformed to the syndrome of deficiency of both qi and yin of the spleen and stomach. In group 3, 27% of the patients’ syndromes were easily transformed into kidney yin deficiency and qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome. The largest Chinese herb communities of the patients whose syndromes did not change after treatment in the three groups were all heat-clearing drugs. The proportion of blood-activating drugs in patients with syndrome changes increased significantly after treatment. Conclusion. (1) The basic syndrome of T2D patients in the heat stage is liver-stomach heat syndrome. (2) T2D patients in the heat stage tend to deteriorate towards the direction of qi and yin deficiency syndrome. However, the longer the course of the disease is, the more likely it is to deteriorate to the direction of kidney yin deficiency syndrome and blood stasis syndrome. (3) Drugs that can help T2D patients in the heat stage to maintain their condition stably are heat-clearing drugs represented by Coptis chinensis, which usually need to be combined with warming interior drugs such as Zingiberis Rhizoma and Pinelliae Rhizoma.
Comparison of 304 SS, 2205 SS, and 410 SS Corrosion by Sulfate-Reducing Desulfovibrio ferrophilus
Authors: Wang Junlei , Liu Hongfang , Kijkla Pruch , Kumseranee Sith , Punpruk Suchada , El-Said Mohamed Magdy , Saleh Mazen A. , Gu Tingyue
Published: June 2021

Three types of stainless steel (304 SS, 410 SS, and 2205 SS) were evaluated for their corrosion behaviors in microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) by Desulfovibrio ferrophilus strain IS5, a relatively new and very corrosive sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) strain. The incubation lasted for 7 days in enriched artificial seawater at 28°C and the results showed that 410 SS had a rather large weight loss (6.2 mg/cm2) and a maximum pit depth (118 µm), but 2205 SS and 304 SS did not suffer from significant weight loss or pitting. Electrochemical tests indicated that 2205 SS was slightly more resistant to SRB MIC than 304 SS, while 410 SS was far less resistant.
Mine Consortium Blockchain: The Application Research of Coal Mine Safety Production Based on Blockchain
Authors: Qiang Zilin , Wang Yingsen , Song Kai , Zhao Zijuan
Published: June 2021

To solve the problem that the safety data in the process of coal mine production are easy to be maliciously tampered with and deleted, a mine consortium blockchain data security monitoring system is proposed. The coal mine consortium blockchain includes supervision department, builds favourable centralized and decentralized production mode, and improves PBFT (Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance) consensus mechanism to implement practical coal mine safety production. The evaluation shows that the architecture we proposed is more appropriate and efficient for the mine Internet of Things than the traditional blockchain architecture. The Hyperledger Fabric platform is used to build the mine consortium blockchain system to achieve the sensor data reliability, node consensus, safe operation automation management, and major equipment traceability.
Multi-Session Multicasting for 360-Degree Video Multicast over OFDMA Systems
Authors: Park Jounsup
Published: June 2021

360-degree video content provides a rich and immersive multimedia experience to viewers by allowing viewers to the video from any angle. However, 360-degree videos require much higher bandwidth to be delivered over mobile networks compared to conventional videos. Multicasting of the videos is one of the solutions to efficiently utilize the limited bandwidth since many viewers share the wireless spectrum resource for popular videos, such as sports events or musical concerts. LTE eMBMS assigns the videos to the video sessions, and multiple viewers can subscribe to the same video allocated to the video sessions. Moreover, the tiling of the 360-degree video makes it possible to control the regional quality of the video. The tiles that are likely to be seen by many viewers should have higher quality than other tiles to satisfy more viewers. In this paper, we proposed the Multi-Session Multicast (MSM) system to optimally allocate the wireless resources to tiles with different qualities to maximize the expected user experience. The experimental results show that the proposed MSM system provides higher quality videos to viewers using limited wireless resources.
Perturbation and Stability of Continuous Operator Frames in Hilbert

C

∗

-Modules
Authors: Touri Abdeslam , Labrigui Hatim , Rossafi Mohamed , Kabbaj Samir
Published: June 2021

Frame theory has a great revolution in recent years. This theory has been extended from the Hilbert spaces to Hilbert

C

∗

-modules. In this paper, we consider the stability of continuous operator frame and continuous

K

-operator frames in Hilbert

C

∗

-modules under perturbation, and we establish some properties.
Circular RNA CDR1as Inhibits the Metastasis of Gastric Cancer through Targeting miR-876-5p/GNG7 Axis
Authors: Jiang Jiajia , Li Rong , Wang Junyi , Hou Jie , Qian Hui , Xu Wenrong
Published: June 2021

Circular RNA CDR1as has been demonstrated to participate in various cancer progressions as miRNA sponges. The exact underlying mechanisms of CDR1as on gastric cancer (GC) metastasis remain unknown. Here, we found that CDR1as knockdown facilitated GC cell migration and invasion while its overexpression inhibited the migration and invasion abilities of GC cells in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, epithelial-mesenchymal transition- (EMT-) associated proteins and MMP2 and MMP9 were downregulated by CDR1as. Bioinformatics analysis combined with dual-luciferase reporter gene assays, western blot, RT-qPCR analysis, and functional rescue experiments demonstrated that CDR1as served as a miR-876-5p sponge and upregulated the target gene GNG7 expression to suppress GC metastasis. In summary, our findings indicate that CDR1as suppresses GC metastasis through the CDR1as/miR-876-5p/GNG7 axis.
Improvement of Support Vector Machine Algorithm in Big Data Background
Authors: Gaye Babacar , Zhang Dezheng , Wulamu Aziguli
Published: June 2021

With the rapid development of the Internet and the rapid development of big data analysis technology, data mining has played a positive role in promoting industry and academia. Classification is an important problem in data mining. This paper explores the background and theory of support vector machines (SVM) in data mining classification algorithms and analyzes and summarizes the research status of various improved methods of SVM. According to the scale and characteristics of the data, different solution spaces are selected, and the solution of the dual problem is transformed into the classification surface of the original space to improve the algorithm speed. Research Process. Incorporating fuzzy membership into multicore learning, it is found that the time complexity of the original problem is determined by the dimension, and the time complexity of the dual problem is determined by the quantity, and the dimension and quantity constitute the scale of the data, so it can be based on the scale of the data Features Choose different solution spaces. The algorithm speed can be improved by transforming the solution of the dual problem into the classification surface of the original space. Conclusion. By improving the calculation rate of traditional machine learning algorithms, it is concluded that the accuracy of the fitting prediction between the predicted data and the actual value is as high as 98%, which can make the traditional machine learning algorithm meet the requirements of the big data era. It can be widely used in the context of big data.
An Introduction to Signed Petri Net
Authors: Kansal Sangita , Dabas Payal
Published: June 2021

In this paper, the notion of a signed graph and Petri net (PN) is combined to introduce a new concept of Signed Petri net (SiPN). The balancedness in the signed graph, formulated by Harary and Cartwright, can be used to study and analyze social networks. This notion of balancedness is extended to Petri net via SiPN as such a concept has not been defined for already existing Petri nets. A balanced SiPN has been defined and its characterization is given. An illustrative example is provided which utilizes the newly introduced concept of assignment of sign to places of SiPN to determine whether an online transaction initiated by a bank customer is denied or approved by the bank. Lastly, applications of SiPN in the message transmission system and production unit are discussed. These concepts clearly demonstrate the advantages of the proposed approach of SiPN.
On Groups Whose Irreducible Character Degrees of All Proper Subgroups are All Prime Powers
Authors: Liu Shitian
Published: June 2021

Isaacs, Passman, and Manz have determined the structure of finite groups whose each degree of the irreducible characters is a prime power. In particular, if

G

is a nonsolvable group and every character degree of a group

G

is a prime power, then

G

is isomorphic to

S
×
A

, where

S
∈

A

5

,

PSL

2

8

and

A

is abelian. In this paper, we change the condition, each character degree of a group

G

is a prime power, into the condition, each character degree of the proper subgroups of a group is a prime power, and give the structure of almost simple groups whose character degrees of all proper subgroups are all prime powers.
Application and Research of the Intelligent Management System Based on Internet of Things Technology in the Era of Big Data
Authors: Lv Xiaojing , Li Minghai
Published: June 2021

With the in-depth application of the Internet of Things, many emerging technologies are changing the global industry landscape on an unprecedented scale. At the same time, they also provide an opportunity for the development of intelligent management to break through the bottleneck. The proposal and evolution of the concept of intelligent management makes the development of management technology more advanced. Therefore, the introduction of the Internet of Things technology into intelligent management has very important research significance and value. First, conduct research on the origin and current situation of the Internet of Things technology at home and abroad and understand the relevant theories and cutting-edge technologies of the Internet of Things technology. Second, take the enterprise as an example to study the process flow and existing problems in the logistics link in the factory, combine the management concept of the Internet of Things, and integrate IC card identification technology, RFID radio frequency identification technology, barriers and ground sensing technology, and OPC/PLC. Third, combined with PLC/OPC technology, the design and integration of the software system and hardware system are realized. The experimental results show that the system modules have been tested to provide company information management, employee multifactor predictive analysis, and efficient batch efficiency evaluation, which has a certain value for company data management and data analysis and mining, and improve company efficiency by more than 30%.
Diffusion of CO2 in Magnesite under High Pressure and High Temperature from Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Authors: Liu Lei , Yang Longxing , Zhuang Chunqiang , Yang Guangshu , Yi Li , Liu Hong , Sun Fengxia , Gu Xiaoyu , Wang Hanyu
Published: June 2021

CO2 transports in the Earth’s interior play a crucial role in understanding the deep carbon cycle and the global climate changes. Currently, CO2 transports inside of the Earth under extreme condition of pressure and temperature have not been understood well. In this study, the molecular dynamics (MD) calculations were performed to study CO2 transports under different CO2 pressures in slit-like magnesite pores with different pore sizes at 350~2500 K and 3~50 GPa are presented. Diffusion of CO2 in magnesite was improved as the temperature increases but showed the different features as a function of pressure. The diffusion coefficients of CO2 in magnesite were found in the range of

9
×

10

−
12

 

m

2

 

s

−
1

~
28000
×

10

−
12

 

m

2

 

s

−
1

. Magnesite with the pore size of 20~25 Å corresponds to the highest transports. Anisotropic diffusion of CO2 in magnesite may help to understand the inhomogeneous distribution of carbon in the upper mantle. The time of CO2 diffusion from the mantle to Earth surface was estimated to be around several tens of Ma and has an important effect on deep carbon cycle. The simulation of CO2 transports based on the Earth condition provides new insights to revealing the deep carbon cycle in the Earth’s interiors.
Intraoperative Quantitative Measurements for Bradykinesia Evaluation during Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery Using Leap Motion Controller: A Pilot Study
Authors: Wu Jingchao , Yu Ningbo , Yu Yang , Li Haitao , Wu Fan , Yang Yuchen , Lin Jianeng , Han Jianda , Liang Siquan
Published: June 2021

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has shown a remarkably high effectiveness for Parkinson's disease (PD). In many PD patients during DBS surgery, the therapeutic effects of the stimulation test are estimated by assessing changes in bradykinesia as the stimulation voltage is increased. In this study, we evaluated the potential of the leap motion controller (LMC) to quantify the motor component of bradykinesia in PD during DBS surgery, as this could make the intraoperative assessment of bradykinesia more accurate. Seven participants with idiopathic PD receiving chronic bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy were recruited. The motor tasks of finger tapping (FT), hand opening and closing (OC), and hand pronation and supination (PS) were selected pre- and intraoperatively in accordance with the Movement Disorder Society revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. During the test, participants performed these tasks in sequence while being simultaneously monitored by the LMC and two professional clinicians. Key kinematic parameters differed between the preoperative and intraoperative conditions. We suggest that the average velocity (

V
¯

) and average amplitude (

A
¯

) of PS isolate the bradykinetic feature from that movement to provide a measure of the intraoperative state of the motor system. The LMC achieved promising results in evaluating PD patients’ hand and finger bradykinesia during DBS surgery.
Hepatoprotective Effects of the Cichorium intybus Root Extract against Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury in Experimental Rats
Authors: Kim Jihee , Kim Min-Jeong , Lee Jin-Ho , Woo Keunjung , Kim Minah , Kim Tack-Joong
Published: June 2021

The effects of the Cichorium intybus root extract (Cii) on alcohol-induced liver disease were investigated using Chang liver cells and male Sprague Dawley rats. Silymarin, a liver-protective agent, was used as a positive control. In cell experiments, after 24 h of treatment with the extract, no cytotoxicity was noted, and death by alcohol was avoided. Migration of Chang liver cells increased after exposure to the extract at a concentration of 400 μg/mL. In animal experiments, alcohol was injected into 6-week-old rats for 1, 3, and 50 days. Oral administration of the drug was performed 30 min before alcohol administration. The control was treated with distilled water, and the drug groups were administered EtOH (40% EtOH + 2.5 mL/kg), EtOH + Cii L (low concentration, 2 mg/kg), EtOH + Cii H (high concentration, 10 mg/kg), or EtOH + silymarin (100 mg/kg). Increased liver weight was observed in the alcohol group, as were increased blood-alcohol concentration and liver damage indicators (glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvate transaminase (GPT), and triglycerides (TG)), decreased alcoholysis enzymes (ADH and ALDH), and increased CYP2E1. In the Cii treatment group, liver weight, blood-alcohol concentration, liver damage indicators (GOT, GPT, and TG), and CYP2E1 were decreased, while alcoholysis enzymes (ADH and ALDH) were increased. The degree of histopathological liver damage was compared visually and by staining with hematoxylin and eosin and oil red O. These results indicated that ingestion of Cii inhibited alcohol-induced liver damage, indicating Cii as a useful treatment for alcohol-induced liver injury.
Efficacy of a Trial Oral Appliance in OSAS Management: A New Protocol to Recognize Responder/Nonresponder Patients
Authors: Segù Marzia , Cosi Alessia , Santagostini Antonio , Scribante Andrea
Published: June 2021

Oral appliances (OAs) of various types have shown variable success in the treatment of mild-to-moderate obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). In an OSA sample, this study evaluated the efficacy of a diagnostic trial OA (myTAP™); the efficacy of a definitive custom-fitted mandibular advancement device (MAD) (SomnoDent Flex™); and whether a trial device can be used to distinguish treatment responder from nonresponder patients. Patients underwent overnight home sleep recordings prior to and after fitting of these appliances in order to objectively assess their sleep quality in terms of polysomnographic (PSG) respiratory measures: apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI), oxygen desaturation index (ODI), and minimum oxygen saturation (LowSpO2). 40 patients with symptomatic OSAS were enrolled, 33 males and 7 females, with a mean age of 55.6 ± 12.73 years and an initial (T0) AHI of 26.51 ± 14.79. Trial devices were used in 16 patients (AHI: 29.9 ± 19.97, ODI: 21.06 ± 16.05, and LowSpO2: 82 ± 10.22 at T0) and definitive MADs in 28 (AHI: 23.90 ± 9.19, ODI: 16.27 ± 11.34, and LowSpO2: 82.87 ± 6.04 at T0). Statistically significant decreases in AHI (9.59 ± 8.94,

p
<
0.0023

) and ODI (8.20 ± 9.67,

p
<
0.0129

) were observed after treatment with the trial device. Only 8 of the patients in the trial device group went on to use the definitive device. Treatment with the definitive MAD produced statistically significant decreases in AHI (11.46 ± 9.65,

p
<
0.0001

) and ODI (9.10 ± 8.47,

p
<
0.0016

) and a significant improvement in LowSpO2 (85.09 ± 6.86,

p
<
0.0004

). Thus, both types of device proved effective in improving the PSG parameters. This study showed that introducing an easy-to-make and low-cost trial device into the therapeutic pathway of OSAS patients can circumvent the problem of individual responses to treatment by allowing effective classification of patients: in short, it allows a first distinction to be drawn between responders and nonresponders to treatment.
Identification of Periopathogens in Atheromatous Plaques Obtained from Carotid and Coronary Arteries
Authors: Pavlic Verica , Peric Dejan , Kalezic Ivana Stosovic , Madi Marwa , Bhat Subraya G. , Brkic Zlata , Staletovic Danijela
Published: June 2021

Increasing attention has been paid to the possible link between periodontal disease and atherosclerosis over the past decade. The aim of this study is to investigate the presence of five periopathogens: Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g.), Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A.a.), Tannerella forsythia (T.f.), Treponema denticola (T.d.), and Prevotella intermedia (P.i.) in atheromatous plaques obtained from the carotid and coronary arteries in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery and carotid endarterectomy. Group I (carotid arteries) consisted of 30 patients (mean age: 54.5 ± 14.8), and group II (coronary arteries) consisted of 28 patients (mean age: 63 ± 12.1). Clinical periodontal examinations consisted of plaque index, gingival index, sulcus bleeding index, and periodontal probing depth and were performed on the day of vascular surgery. The presence of periopathogens in periodontal pockets and atherosclerotic vessels was detected using polymerase chain reaction. In both subgingival plaque and atherosclerotic plaque of carotid arteries, P.g., A.a., T.f., T.d., and P.i. were detected in 26.7%, 6.7%, 66.7%, 10.0%, and 20.0%, respectively, while for coronary arteries, P.g. was detected in 39.3%, A.a. in 25%, T.f. in 46.4%, T.d. in 7.1%, and P.i. in 35.7%. The presence of five periopathogens in carotid and coronary atherosclerotic vessels showed correlation in regard to the degree of periodontal inflammation. The present study suggests the relationship between periodontal pathogenic bacteria and atherogenesis. Further studies are necessary in relation to the prevention or treatment of periodontal disease that would result in reduced mortality and morbidity associated with atherosclerosis.