bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Digital Archaeological Data in the Wild West: the challenge of practising responsible digital data archiving and access in the United States
Authors: Nicholson Christopher , Fernandez Rachel , Irwin Jessica
Published: June 2021

Archaeology in the United States is conducted by a number of different sorts of entities under a variety of legal mandates that lack uniform standards for data archiving. The difficulty of accessing data from projects in which one was not directly involved indicates an apparent reluctance to archive raw data and supplemental information with digital repositories to be reused in the future. There is hope that additional legislation, guidelines from professional organisations, and educational efforts will change these practices.
Three new species of subfamily Phyllocoptinae (Acari: Eriophyidae) from Vietnam and China
Authors: Qin Fengping , Mo Yuping , Yao Gang , Wang Guoquan
Published: June 2021

Three new species of eriophyoid mites in the subfamily Phyllocoptinae Nalepa from Vietnam and China are described and illustrated: Acaricalus cinnamoma sp. nov. infesting Cinnamomum burmanni (Nees & T. Nees) Blume. (Lauraceae), Neoshevtchenkella maesa sp. nov. infesting Maesa perlaria (Lour.) Merr. (Myrsinaceae) and Shevtchenkella meizhouica sp. nov. infesting Vitex negundo L. (Lamiaceae). All three new species are vagrant on the leaves of their host plant respectively causing no visible damage.
Characterization of GeO2 films formed on Ge substrate using high pressure oxidation
Authors: Bae Juhyun , Chung Ilsub
Published: June 2021

We investigate germanium oxidation in the GeO2 film fabricated using high pressure oxidation with the goal of improving the electrical properties of the resulting material by suppressing GeO formation. The pressures used during film fabrication were 1, 10, 30, and 50 atm, while the temperatures used were 450, 500, and 550 °C. Au/GeO2/p-Ge and Au/GeO2/n-Ge capacitors were then fabricated using the oxidized GeO2 films. The capacitors were characterized by measuring their capacitance-voltage (C–V). We found that the capacitors are more sensitive to temperature than to pressure in terms of how these process parameters affect the C–V curves of the resulting devices. At constant pressure, the fixed charge (QF) decreases as the temperature increases. The interface trapped charge (QIT) is at its minimum when the film is formed at 500 °C, indicating that higher temperatures cause GeO volatilization. It was also found that using pressure during fabrication is an effective way to suppress GeO formation. The thicknesses of the oxidized GeO2 films were obtained from cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiles were quantitatively analyzed to determine the amount of oxygen in the GeO2 films.
Fuzzy clustering as a tool to differentiate between discrete and graded call types
Authors: Cusano Dana A. , Noad Michael J. , Dunlop Rebecca A.
Published: June 2021

Animals may communicate potential information to conspecifics using stereotyped “discrete” calls and variable “graded” calls. However, animal vocal research often centers on identifying the number of call types in a repertoire rather than quantifying the amount of gradation. Here, fuzzy clustering was applied to the social call repertoire of a species with a complex communication system, the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). Of 26 call types, 6 were classified as discrete, 7 as graded, and 13 as intermediate. These results indicate that humpback whales have a graded call repertoire, and fuzzy clustering may be a useful approach to investigate this variability.
Regiospecific and stereoselective hydroxylation of 1-indanone and 2-indanone by naphthalene dioxygenase and toluene dioxygenase
Authors: Resnick S M , Torok D S , Lee K , Brand J M , Gibson D T
Published: June 2021

Volume 60, no. 9, p. 3327, Table 2: footnote b should read "Determined by the intensities of the m/z at (M(sup+) + 2)/[M(sup+) + (M(sup+) + 2)] x 100." [This corrects the article on p. 3323 in vol. 60.].
Factors Which Affect the Frequency of Sporulation and Tetrad Formation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Baker's Yeasts
Authors: Codon A C , Gasent-Ramirez J M , Benitez T
Published: June 2021

Vol. 61, no. 2, p. 635, legend to Fig. 3, line 1: "VS ( )" should read "VS ((symbl))." Legend to Fig. 4, line 3: "DS81-D ( )" should read "DS81-D ((symbl))." [This corrects the article on p. 630 in vol. 61.].
Time-Optimal Interception of a Moving Target by a Dubins Car
Authors: Buzikov M. E. , Galyaev A. A.
Published: June 2021

The problem of intercepting a target moving along a prescribed trajectory by a Dubins car
is stated and formalized as a time-optimal control problem with an arbitrary car velocity direction
at the interception. The conditions available in the literature under which the optimal trajectory
is a geodesic line drawn from the initial position of the car to the interception point are refined.
Algebraic equations for calculating the optimal interception time are obtained. The optimal
control is synthesized based on these equations. A software module is developed for constructing
the optimal car trajectories for various target trajectories.
Relationship of Depression, Anxiety, and Rumination Scores with EEG Connectivity of Resting State Networks
Authors: Bocharov A. V. , Knyazev G. G. , Savostyanov A. N. , Saprygin A. E. , Proshina E. A. , Tamozhnikov S. S.
Published: June 2021

The aim of the research was to study the effect of depression, anxiety, and rumination scores on the balance of activity of the default mode network and attention networks revealed in the resting state EEG records. Forty-five healthy volunteers (24 men aged from 18 to 25 years) participated in the resting state EEG recording. The participants filled in the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI II), Ruminative Responses Scale, and Eysenck Personality Profiler. The connectivity measures of resting state networks were calculated in EEG data. The networks were detected by the “seed” method. The effects of depressive symptoms, anxiety, and rumination on the connectivity of the networks were analyzed by the regression method. The depressive symptom scores and the rumination scores were correlated with the dominance of the default mode network over attention networks in the right temporal cortex. The depression scores and the anxiety scores were correlated with the dominance of attention networks over the default mode network in the anterior cingulate cortex. It could be suggested that rumination processes are specific for depressive symptoms and are reflected in the dominance of the default mode network in brain structures associated with the processing of emotional introspection. Common to depressive and anxious symptoms is a state of alertness, which is reflected in the dominance of attention networks in brain structures associated with decision-making.
Poly-symplectic geometry and the AKSZ formalism
Authors: Contreras Ivan , Martínez Alba Nicolás
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we extend the AKSZ formulation of the Poisson sigma model to more general target spaces, and we develop the general theory of graded geometry for poly-symplectic and poly-Poisson structures. In particular, we prove a Schwarz-type theorem and transgression for graded poly-symplectic structures, recovering the action functional and the poly-symplectic structure of the reduced phase space of the poly-Poisson sigma model, from the AKSZ construction.
Vector-Boson scattering at the LHC: Unraveling the electroweak sector
Authors: Covarelli Roberto , Pellen Mathieu , Zaro Marco
Published: June 2021

Vector-boson scattering (VBS) processes probe the innermost structure of electroweak (EW) interactions in the Standard Model (SM), and provide a unique sensitivity for new physics phenomena affecting the gauge sector. In this review, we report on the salient aspects of this class of processes, both from the theory and experimental point of view. We start by discussing recent achievements relevant for their theoretical description, some of which have set important milestones in improving the precision and accuracy of the corresponding simulations. We continue by covering the development of experimental techniques aimed at detecting these rare processes and improving the signal sensitivity over large backgrounds. We then summarize the details of the most relevant VBS signatures and review the related measurements available to date, along with their comparison with SM predictions. We conclude by discussing the perspective at the upcoming Large Hadron Collider runs and at future hadron facilities.
A diagrammatic approach for determining the braid index of alternating links
Authors: Diao Yuanan , Ernst Claus , Hetyei Gabor , Liu Pengyu
Published: June 2021

This paper concerns the braid index of an alternating link. It is well known that the braid index of any link equals the minimum number of Seifert circles among all link diagrams representing it. For an alternating link represented by a reduced alternating diagram [Formula: see text], it is known that [Formula: see text], the number of Seifert circles in [Formula: see text], equals the braid index [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] if [Formula: see text] contains no lone crossings, where a crossing in [Formula: see text] is called a lone crossing if it is the only crossing between two Seifert circles in [Formula: see text]. If [Formula: see text] contains lone crossings, then one can reduce the number of Seifert circles in [Formula: see text] using link-type preserving moves such as the Murasugi–Przytycki operation. Let [Formula: see text] be the maximum number of Seifert circles in [Formula: see text] that can be reduced, then we have [Formula: see text]. On the other hand, if the [Formula: see text]-span of the HOMFLY polynomial of [Formula: see text] satisfies the equality [Formula: see text]-span[Formula: see text], then the Morton–Frank–Williams (MFW) inequality [Formula: see text]-span[Formula: see text] leads us to the simple braid index formula [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we derive explicit formulas for many alternating links based on minimum projections of these links by establishing the equality [Formula: see text]-span[Formula: see text]. Our methods depend on the structures of the link diagrams under consideration and our results lead to explicit braid index formulas that are applicable to a very large class of links, a proper subset of which contains all two bridge links, all alternating pretzel links, and more generally all alternating Montesinos links. The derived braid index formula for an alternating Montesinos link is a function whose inputs are the signs of the crossings in the rational tangles of the Montesinos link. Finally, by applying the now proven Jones Conjecture on the writhe of minimum braids of a link, our results also allow us to obtain explicit formulas of the writhe of minimum braids for the links discussed in this paper from the minimum projections of these links.
A MODEL ON BACTERIAL RESISTANCE CONSIDERING A GENERALIZED LAW OF MASS ACTION FOR PLASMID REPLICATION
Authors: IBARGÜEN-MONDRAGÓN EDUARDO , PRIETO KERNEL , HIDALGO-BONILLA SANDRA PATRICIA
Published: June 2021

Bacterial plasmids play a fundamental role in antibiotic resistance. However, a lack of knowledge about their biology is an obstacle in fully understanding the mechanisms and properties of plasmid-mediated resistance. This has motivated investigations of real systems in vitro to analyze the transfer and replication of plasmids. In this work, we address this issue with mathematical modeling. We formulate and perform a qualitative analysis of a nonlinear system of ordinary differential equations describing the competition dynamics between plasmids and sensitive and resistant bacteria. In addition, we estimated parameter values from empirical data. Our model predicts scenarios consistent with biological phenomena. The elimination or spread of infection depends on factors associated with bacterial reproduction and the transfer and replication of plasmids. From the estimated parameters, three bacterial growth experiments were analyzed in vitro. We determined the experiment with the highest bacterial growth rate and the highest rate of plasmid transfer. Moreover, numerical simulations were performed to predict bacterial growth.
OPTIMIZING RELIABILITY OF LINEAR FRACTIONAL DIFFERENCE SYSTEMS UNDER UNCERTAINTY AND RANDOMNESS
Authors: XU QINQIN , ZHU YUANGUO , LU QINYUN
Published: June 2021

Some complex systems may suffer from failure processes arising from soft failures and hard failures. The existing researches have shown that the reliability of a dynamic system is not constant under uncertain random environments. First, two types of uncertain random optimization models are proposed where reliability index is quantified by chance measure based on whether soft and hard failures are independent or not. It is considered that internal degradation is driven by left Caputo fractional linear difference equation, while shocks are defined as discrete i.i.d. random variables. The shocks may generate additional uncertain degradation shifts when considering the competing dependent failure processes. Then, two proposed optimization reliability problems may be transformed into their equivalent deterministic forms on the basis of [Formula: see text]-path, and improved gradient descent method is applied to obtain optimal solutions. Finally, the numerical example of a micro-engine indicates that the optimization models are beneficial to the reliability of engineering systems.
ON DYNAMIC BEHAVIOR OF A DISCRETE FRACTIONAL-ORDER NONLINEAR PREY–PREDATOR MODEL
Authors: ALDURAYHIM A. , ELSADANY A. A. , ELSONBATY A.
Published: June 2021

This work is devoted to explore the dynamics of the proposed discrete fractional-order prey–predator model. The model is the generalization of the conventional discrete prey–predator model to its corresponding fractional-order counterpart. The fixed points of the proposed model are first found and their stability analyses are carried out. Then, the nonlinear dynamical behaviors of the model, including quasi-periodicity and chaotic behaviors, are investigated. The influences of fractional order and different parameters in the model are examined using several techniques such as Lyapunov exponents, bifurcation diagrams, phase portraits and [Formula: see text] complexity. The feedback control method is suggested to suppress the chaotic dynamics of the model and stabilize any selected unstable fixed point of the system.
Applying the Chebyshev–Tau Spectral Method to Solve the Parabolic Equation Model of Wide-Angle Rational Approximation in Ocean Acoustics
Authors: Tu Houwang , Wang Yongxian , Ma Xian , Zhu Xunjiang
Published: June 2021

Solving an acoustic wave equation using a parabolic approximation is a popular approach for many existing ocean acoustic models. Commonly used parabolic equation (PE) model programs, such as the range-dependent acoustic model (RAM), are discretized by the finite difference method (FDM). Considering the idea and theory of the wide-angle rational approximation, a discrete PE model using the Chebyshev spectral method (CSM) is derived, and the code is developed. This method is currently suitable only for range-independent waveguides. Taking three ideal fluid waveguides as examples, the correctness of using the CSM discrete PE model in solving the underwater acoustic propagation problem is verified. The test results show that compared with the RAM, the method proposed in this paper can achieve higher accuracy in computational underwater acoustics and requires fewer discrete grid points. After optimization, this method is more advantageous than the FDM in terms of speed. Thus, the CSM provides high-precision reference standards for benchmark examples of the range-independent PE model.
Transgressing Time: Archaeological Evidence in/of the Anthropocene
Authors: Edgeworth Matt
Published: June 2021

Archaeological evidence of human-influenced transformations of physical strata and the Earth system provides strong support to the broad concept of the Anthropocene, yet it also presents a powerful material challenge to some of its most entrenched assumptions. This substantial and growing body of time-transgressive evidence has the potential to radically alter the concept from the ground up and to provide a literal ground on which interdisciplinary collaboration among the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities can take place.
Transformational Adaptation in the Context of Coastal Cities
Authors: Kuhl Laura , Rahman M. Feisal , McCraine Samantha , Krause Dunja , Hossain Md Fahad , Bahadur Aditya Vansh , Huq Saleemul
Published: June 2021

Coastal settlements, home to more than three billion people and growing rapidly, are highly vulnerable to climate change. Increasingly, there are calls for climate adaptation that goes beyond business-as-usual approaches, transforms socioeconomic systems, and addresses underlying drivers of vulnerability. Although calls for transformational adaptation are growing, greater clarity is needed on what transformation means in context in order to bridge the gap between theory and practice. This article reviews the theoretical literature on transformational adaptation, as well as practitioner frameworks and case studies of urban coastal adaptation. The article discusses specific challenges for transformational adaptation and its governance in coastal cities. In doing so, this review contributes to the growing debate about operationalizing the concept of transformational adaptation in the context of coastal cities and offers insights to ensure that transformation processes are inclusive and equitable.
Extraction of Pregabalin in Urine Samples Using a Sulfonated Poly(ether ether ketone) Membrane
Authors: Basheer Chanbasha
Published: June 2021

In this work, a simple polymer-assisted microextraction technique was developed to determine pregabalin (an anticonvulsant drug) in the urine sample. A sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) membrane was used as a sorbent for pregabalin extraction, and the extraction performance was compared with that of the conventional polydimethylsiloxane membrane. The extraction device is free moving and tumbles continuously throughout the stirred sample solution during extraction to enhance the extraction efficiency. The electrostatic interactions between the sulfonic-acid-functionalized polymeric membrane and the amine group in the pregabalin molecule facilitate higher preconcentration factor at a shorter extraction time. Optimizing conditions of the extraction method were investigated to obtain higher extraction efficiency. The developed method exhibited good linearity in the range of 0.05 to 2 µg/mL with a correlation of determination (r2) 0.9998, acceptable limits of detection, limits of quantification, and preconcentration factor of 105-fold. The within-day and between-day precisions of pregabalin were lower than 7% relative standard deviations. Pregabalin was extracted from urine samples with recoveries of >92%, and no significant matrix effects were observed.
Estimation of the Motor Threshold for Near‐Rectangular Stimuli Using the Hodgkin–Huxley Model
Authors: Memarian Sorkhabi Majid , Wendt Karen , Wilson Marcus T. , Denison Timothy
Published: June 2021

The motor threshold measurement is a standard in preintervention probing in TMS experiments. We aim to predict the motor threshold for near‐rectangular stimuli to efficiently determine the motor threshold size before any experiments take place. Estimating the behavior of large‐scale networks requires dynamically accurate and efficient modeling. We utilized a Hodgkin–Huxley (HH) type model to evaluate motor threshold values and computationally validated its function with known true threshold data from 50 participants trials from state‐of‐the‐art published datasets. For monophasic, bidirectional, and unidirectional rectangular stimuli in posterior‐anterior or anterior‐posterior directions as generated by the cTMS device, computational modeling of the HH model captured the experimentally measured population‐averaged motor threshold values at high precision (maximum error ≤ 8%). The convergence of our biophysically based modeling study with experimental data in humans reveals that the effect of the stimulus shape is strongly correlated with the activation kinetics of the voltage‐gated ion channels. The proposed method can reliably predict motor threshold size using the conductance‐based neuronal models and could therefore be embedded in new generation neurostimulators. Advancements in neural modeling will make it possible to enhance treatment procedures by reducing the number of delivered magnetic stimuli to participants.
On Some New Fixed Point Results with Applications to Matrix Difference Equations
Authors: Kutbi Marwan Amin , Ahmad Jamshaid , Shahzad Muhammad Imran
Published: June 2021

The aim of this article is to discuss the convergence of iterative sequences of the Prešić type involving new classes of operators satisfying Prešić type

Θ

-contractive condition in the context of metric spaces. Some examples are also provided to show the significance of the investigation of finding fixed points. Some convergence results for a class of matrix difference equations will be derived as application.
Sour Cherry (Cerasus vulgaris Miller) Kernel Oil as the Novel Functional Edible Oil: Sensory Evaluation and Antioxidant and Physicochemical Properties
Authors: Kazempour-Samak Maryam , Rashidi Ladan , Ghavami Mehrdad , Sharifan Anoosheh , Hosseini Fakhrisadat
Published: June 2021

This study aims to extract oil from fresh sour cherry kernel (Cerasus vulgaris Miller) using the cold press method. The oil content and moisture were obtained as 31.89% and 4%, respectively. The organoleptic assessment of the oil was acceptable and the free fatty acid value was obtained as 1.36 (mg KOH/g oil). In addition, peroxide value and anisidine index of sour cherry kernel oil were obtained as 0.99 meqO2/kg oil and 0.15, respectively. The predominant fatty acids were linoleic acid (42.34%), oleic acid (35.45%), α-eleostearic acid (9.34%), and palmitic acid (6.54%), respectively. The kernel oil contained nine major triacylglycerols consisting of OLL (20.44%), OOL (16.99%), LLL (8.20%), LLEl (7.28%), PLO (7.24%), OElO (5.03%), OOO (4.70%), ElLO (4.54%), PLL (4.35%), and POO (3%), respectively. The most abundant sterol compounds were β-sitosterol (83.55%), ∆5-avenasterol (6.8%), sitostanol (4.8%), campesterol (3.5%), and stigmasterol (0.53%), respectively. Also, antioxidant activity, total phenol content (TPC), total anthocyanin content (TAC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total tannin content (TTC), and total tocopherol content were obtained as 73.22%, 33.44 mg GA/g dry matter, 177.84 mg/L, 46.37 mg/g dry matter, and 1.21 mg GA/g dry matter, 832.5 mg/kg oil, respectively. The amount of amygdalin in the oil sample was not detectable.
The Relationship between Fetal Abdominal Wall Thickness and Intrapartum Complications amongst Mothers with Pregestational Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Isabey E. Paige , Pylypjuk Christy L.
Published: June 2021

Objectives. To evaluate the utility of fetal abdominal wall thickness (AWT) for predicting intrapartum complications amongst mothers with pregestational type 2 diabetes. Methods. This was a historical cohort study of pregnant mothers with pregestational type 2 diabetes delivering at a Canadian tertiary-care center between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2018. Delivery records were reviewed to collect information about demographics and peripartum complications. Stored fetal ultrasound images from 36 weeks’ gestation were reviewed to collect fetal biometry and postprocessing measurement of AWT performed in a standardized fashion by 2 blinded and independent observers. The relationship between fetal AWT was then correlated with risk of intrapartum complications including emergency Caesarean section (CS) and shoulder dystocia. Results. 216 pregnant women with type 2 diabetes had planned vaginal deliveries and were eligible for inclusion. Mean maternal age was 31.3 years, and almost all were overweight or obese at the time of delivery (96.8%). Overall, the incidence of shoulder dystocia and emergency intrapartum CS was 7.4% and 17.6%, respectively. There was no difference in mean fetal AWT between those having a spontaneous vaginal delivery (8.2 mm (95% CI 7.9-8.5)) and those needing emergency intrapartum CS (8.1 mm (95% CI 7.4-8.8);

p
=
0.71

) or shoulder dystocia (8.7 mm (95% CI 7.9-9.5);

p
=
0.23

). There was strong interobserver correlation of AWT measurements (

r
=
0.838

;

p
<
0.00001

). The strongest association with intrapartum complications was birthweight (

p
=
0.003

): with

birthweight
>
4000

grams, the relative risk of shoulder dystocia or CS is 2.75 (95% CI 1.74-4.36;

p
<
0.001

). Conclusions. There was no obvious benefit of AWT measurement at 36 weeks for predicting shoulder dystocia or intrapartum CS amongst women with type 2 diabetes in our population. The strongest predictor of intrapartum complications remained birthweight, and so studies for improving estimation of fetal weight and evaluating the role of intrapartum ultrasound for predicting risk of delivery complications are still needed.
Early Rumor Detection Based on Deep Recurrent Q-Learning
Authors: Wang Wei , Qiu Yuchen , Xuan Shichang , Yang Wu
Published: June 2021

Online social networks provide convenient conditions for the spread of rumors, and false rumors bring great harm to social life. Rumor dissemination is a process, and effective identification of rumors in the early stage of their appearance will reduce the negative impact of false rumors. This paper proposes a novel early rumor detection (ERD) model based on reinforcement learning. In the rumor detection part, a dual-engine rumor detection model based on deep learning is proposed to realize the differential feature extraction of original tweets and their replies. A double self-attention (DSA) mechanism is proposed, which can eliminate data redundancy in sentences and words at the same time. In the reinforcement learning part, an ERD model based on Deep Recurrent Q-Learning Network (DRQN) is proposed, which uses LSTM to learn the state sequence features, and the optimization strategy of the reward function is to take into account the timeliness and accuracy of rumor detection. Experiments show that, compared with existing methods, the ERD model proposed in this paper has a greater improvement in the timeliness and detection rate of rumor detection.
[Retracted] Multimode Intelligent Control Based on Multidata Fusion Filtering in High‐Speed Train Traffic Signal and Control
Authors: Huang Bin , Huang Ying
Published: June 2021

As the speed of high‐speed trains continues to increase, the intelligent monitoring of high‐speed trains has become a concern of people. This research mainly discusses the application of multimode intelligent control of multidata fusion filtering in high‐speed train traffic signal and control. In multimodal intelligent control, BangBang, PI control, adaptive fuzzy PID control, and expert monitoring control under special circumstances can be used, respectively, according to the error and the rate of change of the error, which can achieve the best control effect under safe conditions. Take the allowable speed of ATP as the target speed of the control system, and combine the operation process, operation requirements, traction characteristics, braking characteristics of high‐speed trains, and meet the two conditions for improving the operating efficiency of high‐speed trains. According to the dynamic expected speed value of high‐speed trains, dynamically adjust the switching threshold. This study uses a pulse signal generator to simulate the speed data of the vehicle speed sensor (all pulse data), and then read the speed (pulse) signal data through the pulse signal acquisition card, and display the simulated speed data under the Kingview software. The monitoring computer is used to collect train speed information, display speed information, manage speed information, and output speed information. Then, through OPC technology, the simulation speed data is transmitted to MATLAB software for multidata fusion filtering processing and multimodal control simulation. In the simulation process, the train adopts a multimodal intelligent control response scheme, with a total time of 2183.7 s, which is shortened by 214.5 s and improved by nearly 10%. The multimode intelligent control scheme of multidata fusion filtering proposed in this study can better meet the control of high‐speed train traffic signals.
Blood Biomarkers Predict Cardiac Workload Using Machine Learning
Authors: Shou Lan , Huang Wendy Wenyu , Barszczyk Andrew , Wu Si Jia , Han Helen , Waese-Perlman Alex , Chen Lulu , Wei Jing , Luo Hong , Lee Kang
Published: June 2021

Introduction. Rate pressure product (the product of heart rate and systolic blood pressure) is a measure of cardiac workload. Resting rate pressure product (rRPP) varies from one individual to the next, but its biochemical/cellular phenotype remains unknown. This study determined the degree to which an individual’s biochemical/cellular profile as characterized by a standard blood panel is predictive of rRPP, as well the importance of each blood biomarker in this prediction. Methods. We included data from 55,730 participants in this study with complete rRPP measurements and concurrently collected blood panel information from the Health Management Centre at the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University. We used the XGBoost machine learning algorithm to train a tree‐based model and then assessed its accuracy on an independent portion of the dataset and then compared its performance against a standard linear regression technique. We further determined the predictive importance of each feature in the blood panel. Results. We found a fair positive correlation (Pearson r) of 0.377 (95% CI: 0.375‐0.378) between observed rRPP and rRPP predicted from blood biomarkers. By comparison, the performance for standard linear regression was 0.352 (95% CI: 0.351‐0.354). The top three predictors in this model were glucose concentration, total protein concentration, and neutrophil count. Discussion/Conclusion. Blood biomarkers predict resting RPP when modeled in combination with one another; such models are valuable for studying the complex interrelations between resting cardiac workload and one’s biochemical/cellular phenotype.
A New Closed Set in Topological Spaces
Authors: Azzam A. A.
Published: June 2021

Our purpose of this work is to implement a class of

s

g
^

-closed sets, which is property placed among the classes of semiclosed sets and

g
s

-closed sets. The relations with other concepts directly or indirectly joined with generalized closed sets are inspected. In addition, as an application, using the notion of

s

g
^

-closed sets, we give a brief expansion of a new space named

T

s

g
^

-space.
Quantitative Evaluation of Leaf Morphology with Different Rice Genotypes Based on Image Processing
Authors: Hua Shan , Xu Minjie , Xu Zhifu , Ye Hongbao
Published: June 2021

Prostrate growth 1 (PROG1) gene is vital in controlling the prostrate growth habit of rice. Studying the effect of PROG1 gene on rice canopy structure is crucial in elucidating the molecular mechanism of rice plant type evolution. Herein, the morphological characteristics of different rice genotypes were collected at different growth stages and leaf nodes using image processing techniques. The morphological characteristics included leaf length, leaf width, and leaf area. The image processing techniques involved boundary mean oscillation (BMO) filtering and minimum bounding rectangle extraction of the target image. On this basis, the effect of the PROG1 gene on rice leaf morphology was quantitatively assessed. Also, the feasibility of image processing techniques in detecting the morphological characteristics of rice leaves was discussed. Under the influence of the PROG1 gene, the length, width, and area of rice leaves decreased by 45.1%, 12.7%, and 44.8%, respectively, at the booting stage. Similarly, the length, width, and area of flag leaves decreased by 15.8%, 32.0%, and 33.7% at the heading stage and by 25.4%, 16.2%, and 19.7% at the filling stage, respectively, and that of secondary leaf reduced by 23.2%, 13.6%, and 54.2% at heading stage and by 24.1%, 17.3%, and 37.0% at filling stage, respectively. Furthermore, the length, width, and area of other leaves reduced by 32.3%, 9.8%, and 51.6% at the heading stage and by 28.6%, 7.3%, and 36.7% at the filling stage, respectively. The leaves in the rice canopy were shorter, narrower, and smaller in leaf area. Notably, no significant differences were found between image processing technology and manual measurement methods regarding the values of leaf morphological characteristics obtained (

P
<
0.05

). Thus, these results show that image processing technology is effective in studying the morphological characteristics of rice leaves. This study provides a reliable foundation for molecular breeding studies and will guide the application of the PROG1 gene in molecular breeding.
Spatial-Channel Attention-Based Class Activation Mapping for Interpreting CNN-Based Image Classification Models
Authors: Si Nianwen , Zhang Wenlin , Qu Dan , Luo Xiangyang , Chang Heyu , Niu Tong
Published: June 2021

Convolutional neural network (CNN) has been applied widely in various fields. However, it is always hindered by the unexplainable characteristics. Users cannot know why a CNN-based model produces certain recognition results, which is a vulnerability of CNN from the security perspective. To alleviate this problem, in this study, the three existing feature visualization methods of CNN are analyzed in detail firstly, and a unified visualization framework for interpreting the recognition results of CNN is presented. Here, class activation weight (CAW) is considered as the most important factor in the framework. Then, the different types of CAWs are further analyzed, and it is concluded that a linear correlation exists between them. Finally, on this basis, a spatial-channel attention-based class activation mapping (SCA-CAM) method is proposed. This method uses different types of CAWs as attention weights and combines spatial and channel attentions to generate class activation maps, which is capable of using richer features for interpreting the results of CNN. Experiments on four different networks are conducted. The results verify the linear correlation between different CAWs. In addition, compared with the existing methods, the proposed method SCA-CAM can effectively improve the visualization effect of the class activation map with higher flexibility on network structure.
Pulmonary Alveolar Microlithiasis and Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Hafiz Waleed , Alahmed Ahmedhusam , Alahmadi Mohammed , Alotaibi Rakan , Alsharif Abdullah , Alim Safwan , Mokhtar Mohammed , Al-Maabdi Kholoud , Badr Omaima
Published: June 2021

Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis is a rare autosomal recessive condition that is characterized by the formation of excessive calcium phosphate microliths in the alveoli. Most patients are diagnosed in adulthood due to the slow progression of the disease. Children with this disease are asymptomatic, and changes in the lung parenchyma are usually discovered incidentally. The diagnosis is made by the combination of a positive chest imaging and histological examination. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic seropositive symmetrical inflammatory polyarthritis with numerous extra-articular manifestations. It targets the lining of the synovial membranes, frequently affects females more than males, and is treated with the disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). If left untreated, it leads to increased morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic burdens. In this case, we report a 19-year-old young man who presented with clinical and radiographic features of PAM associated with RA.
Effect of Camel Milk on the Physicochemical, Rheological, and Sensory Qualities of Bread
Authors: Almoraie Noha M. , Shatwan Israa M.
Published: June 2021

An increase in bread production has been achieved to meet the increasing demand of the growing population. During the manufacturing process, refined wheat flour, the main ingredient for bread making, loses its nutritional qualities. Hence, it is necessary to use additional nutritional sources to maintain nutritional value. In this study, the rheological, physicochemical, and sensory qualities of bread, prepared using camel milk and water, were evaluated. The increase in the camel milk content resulted in the significant increase in the protein, oil, and ash contents of bread and a decrease in the carbohydrate content. The protein content was increased from 11.95% (100% water) to 14.01% (100% camel milk). The use of camel milk resulted in the progressive increase in the content of two essential fatty acids, α-linolenic acid and linoleic acid (

P
<
0.05

; maximum increase: 1.65% and 20.9%, resp.). The rheological properties of bread (peak viscosity, gelatinisation temperature, and water absorption capacity) could be improved using camel milk. However, reduced dough stability and peak viscosity–temperature were also observed. The increase in the water absorption capacity from 61% to 67% indicated that the supplemented dough was more suitable than the original dough for preparing bread. The physical properties of bread prepared using camel milk (30%) and water (70%) were better than the properties of the control bread sample. Improved sensory attributes were observed under these formulation conditions. Bread containing ≥70% camel milk received lower sensory scores. The results indicated that the use of the formulation consisting of camel milk (30%) and water (70%) could enhance the nutritional value of bread without significantly affecting the acceptability. The results can provide a platform for extending the application of camel milk, primarily used to produce fermented milk, in the food industry. It could be potentially used to address the global problem of acute malnutrition.
Reserve Estimation from Early Time Production Data in Geopressured Gas Reservoir: Gas Production of Cumulative Unit Pressure Drop Method
Authors: Wang Hongfeng , Li Xiaoping , Sun Hedong , Meng Guangren , Cao Wen , Zhu Songbai
Published: June 2021

There is high uncertainty in reserve estimation during the early development of deep ultrahigh pressure gas reservoirs, largely because it remains challenging in accurately determining the formation compressibility. To overcome this, starting from the definition of compressibility, a novel gas production of cumulative unit pressure drop analysis method was established, of which the effectiveness was proven by applications in calculating the reserves of three gas reservoirs. It has been found that, in the limiting case, i.e., when the formation pressure dropped to the normal atmospheric pressure, the dimensionless gas production of the cumulative unit pressure drop was the reciprocal of the initial formation pressure. Besides, the relationship curve of the dimensionless gas production of the cumulative unit pressure drop and pressure drop was a straight line in the medium term, extending the straight line and intersecting the vertical line passing through the original formation pressure point, and the reserves can be determined according to the intersection point and the initial formation pressure. However, due to the influence of natural gas properties, the value needs further correction, and the correction coefficient depends on the pseudocritical temperature of natural gas. Specifically, when the pseudocritical temperature is given, the correction coefficient would be close to the minimum value of the natural gas deviation factor. When the pseudocritical temperature is more than 1.9 and less than 3.0, the minimum deviation factor would be between 0.90 and 1.0, and the higher the pseudocritical temperature, the closer the ratio is to 1.0.
Decreased Nucleus Accumbens Connectivity at Rest in Medication-Free Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Authors: Chen Yunhui , Ou Yangpan , Lv Dan , Ma Jidong , Zhan Chuang , Yang Ru , Jia Cuicui , Shang Tinghuizi , Sun Lei , Wang Yuhua , Sun Zhenghai , Zhang Guangfeng , Wang Xiaoping , Guo Wenbin , Li Ping
Published: June 2021

Background. Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) experience deficiencies in reward processing. The investigation of the reward circuit and its essential connectivity may further clarify the pathogenesis of OCD. Methods. The current research was designed to analyze the nucleus accumbens (NAc) functional connectivity at rest in medicine-free patients with OCD. Forty medication-free patients and 38 gender-, education-, and age-matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited for resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Seed-based functional connectivity (FC) was used to analyze the data. LIBSVM (library for support vector machines) was designed to identify whether altered FC could be applied to differentiate OCD. Results. Patients with OCD showed remarkably decreased FC values between the left NAc and the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and bilateral medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and between the right NAc and the left OFC at rest in the reward circuit. Moreover, decreased left NAc-bilateral MPFC connectivity can be deemed as a potential biomarker to differentiate OCD from HCs with a sensitivity of 80.00% and a specificity of 76.32%. Conclusion. The current results emphasize the importance of the reward circuit in the pathogenesis of OCD.
ST8Sia6 Promotes Tumor Growth in Mice by Inhibiting Immune Responses
Authors: Friedman David J. , Crotts Sydney B. , Shapiro Michael J. , Rajcula Matthew , McCue Shaylene , Liu Xin , Khazaie Khashayarsha , Dong Haidong , Shapiro Virginia Smith
Published: June 2021

Many tumors exhibit increased incorporation of sialic acids into cell-surface glycans, which impact the tumor microenvironment. Sialic acid immunoglobulin-like lectins (Siglec) are receptors that recognize sialic acids and modulate immune responses, including responses to tumors. However, the roles of individual sialyltransferases in tumorigenesis and tumor growth are not well understood. Here, we examined the sialyltransferase ST8Sia6, which generated α2,8-linked disialic acids that bind to murine Siglec-E and human Siglec-7 and -9. Increased ST8Sia6 expression was found on many human tumors and associated with decreased survival in several cancers, including colon cancer. Because of this, we engineered MC38 and B16-F10 tumor lines to express ST8Sia6. ST8Sia6-expressing MC38 and B16-F10 tumors exhibited faster growth and led to decreased survival, which required host Siglec-E. ST8Sia6 expression on tumors also altered macrophage polarization toward M2, including upregulation of the immune modulator arginase, which also required Siglec-E. ST8Sia6 also accelerated tumorigenesis in a genetically engineered, spontaneous murine model of colon cancer, decreasing survival from approximately 6 months to 67 days. Thus, ST8Sia6 expression on tumors inhibits antitumor immune responses to accelerate tumor growth.
Putting Fine Particulate Matter and Dementia in the Wider Context of Noncommunicable Disease: Where are We Now and What Should We Do Next: A Systematic Review
Authors: Peters Ruth , Mudway Ian , Booth Andrew , Peters Jean , Anstey Kaarin J.
Published: June 2021

Introduction: A significant proportion of the global population regularly experience air quality poorer than that recommended by the World Health Organization. Air pollution, especially fine particulate matter (PM2.5), is a risk factor for various noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and is emerging as a risk factor for dementia. To begin to understand the full impact of PM2.5, we review the longitudinal epidemiological evidence linking PM2.5 to both dementia and to other leading NCDs and highlight the evidence gaps. Our objective was to systematically review the current epidemiological evidence for PM2.5 as a risk factor for cognitive decline and incident dementia and to put this in context with a systematic overview of PM2.5 as a potential risk factor in other leading NCDs. Methods: We performed 2 systematic reviews. A high-level review of reviews examining the relationship between PM2.5 and leading NCDs and an in-depth review of the longitudinal epidemiological data examining relationships between PM2.5 incident dementia and cognitive decline. Results: There were robust associations between PM2.5 and NCDs although in some cases the evidence was concentrated on short rather than longer term exposure. For those articles reporting on incident dementia, all reported on longer term exposure and 5 of the 7 eligible articles found PM2.5 to be associated with increased risk. Conclusion: The evidence base for PM2.5 as a risk factor for dementia is growing. It is not yet as strong as that for other NCDs. However, varied measurement/methodology hampers clarity across the field. We propose next steps.
Successful Cord Blood Transplantation for Idiopathic CD4+ Lymphocytopenia
Authors: Yamamoto Keita , Najima Yuho , Iizuka Hiroko , Harada Yuka , Sadato Daichi , Kanai Akinori , Matsui Hirotaka , Inamoto Kyoko , Mukae Junichi , Shingai Naoki , Toya Takashi , Igarashi Aiko , Shimizu Hiroaki , Kobayashi Takeshi , Kakihana Kazuhiko , Sakamaki Hisashi , Ohashi Kazuteru , Harada Hironori , Doki Noriko
Published: June 2021

Idiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia (ICL) is the depletion of CD4+ lymphocytes to <300 cells/mm3 without human immunodeficiency virus infection or other causes of lymphocytopenia. ICL causes fatal infections; its etiology remains unclear and it lacks consensus regarding therapeutic options. We report the first patient with ICL who had a successful clinical course following a cord blood transplant (CBT). A 45-year-old woman was diagnosed with ICL and underwent partial hepatectomy for an abscess caused by the Mycobacterium avium complex. No specific gene alterations were detected through next generation sequencing-based evaluation. Following a reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimen consisting of fludarabine, busulfan, and 4 Gy total body irradiation, a single-unit CBT was performed. Neutrophils were engrafted on day +14. CD4+ lymphocyte counts increased to over 300 cells/mm3 on day +436. After 75 months, she was alive without any sequelae. CBT with an RIC regimen could be a curable treatment option for ICL.