bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non-collagen pathogenic variants resulting in the osteogenesis imperfecta phenotype in children: a single-country observational cohort study
Authors: Thornley Patrick , Bishop Nicholas , Baker Duncan , Brock Joanna , Arundel Paul , Burren Christine , Smithson Sarah , DeVile Catherine , Crowe Belinda , Allgrove Jeremy , Saraff Vrinda , Shaw Nick , Balasubramanian Meena
Published: November 2021

Background/Objectives

In England, children (0–18 years) with severe, complex and atypical osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) are managed by four centres (Birmingham, Bristol, London, Sheffield) in a ‘Highly Specialised Service’ (HSS OI); affected children with a genetic origin for their disease that is not in COL1A1 or COL1A2 form the majority of the ‘atypical’ group, which has set criteria for entry into the service. We have used the data from the service to assess the range and frequency of non-collagen pathogenic variants resulting in OI in a single country.

Methods

Children with atypical OI were identified through the HSS OI service database. All genetic testing for children with OI in the service were undertaken at the Sheffield Diagnostic Genetics Service. Variant data were extracted and matched to individual patients. This study was done as part of a service evaluation project registered with the Sheffield Children’s Hospital Clinical Governance Department.

Results

One hundred of 337 children in the HSS met the ‘atypical’ criteria. Eighty have had genetic testing undertaken; 72 had genetic changes detected, 67 in 13 genes known to be causative for OI. The most frequently affected genes were IFITM5 (22), P3H1 (12), SERPINF1 (8) and BMP1 (6).

Conclusion

Among children with more severe forms of OI (approximately one-third of all children with OI), around 20% have pathogenic variants in non-collagen genes. IFITM5 was the most commonly affected gene, followed by genes within the P3H1 complex. These data provide additional information regarding the likelihood of different genetic origins of the disease in children with OI, which may influence clinical care.
OCT-based biomarkers for predicting treatment response in eyes with centre-involved diabetic macular oedema treated with anti-VEGF injections: a real-life retina clinic-based study
Authors: Szeto Simon KH , Hui Vivian W. K. , Tang Fang Yao , Yang Dawei , Sun Zi han , Mohamed Shaheeda , Chan Carmen K M , Lai Timothy Y Y , Cheung Carol
Published: November 2021

Background/aims

To determine whether a combination of baseline and change in spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT)-based biomarkers can predict visual outcomes in eyes with diabetic macular oedema (DMO) treated with antivascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) injections.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study conducted in Hong Kong, China. 196 eyes with centre-involving DMO, who received anti-VEGF injections between 1 January 2011 and 30 June 2018 were recruited. Medical records of the participants were retrieved retrospectively, visual acuity (VA) at baseline, 6, 12 and 24 months and SD-OCT before initiation and after completion of anti-VEGF treatment were obtained. The SD-OCT images were evaluated for the morphology of DMO, vitreomacular status, presence of disorganisation of retinal inner layers (DRIL), sizes of intraretinal cysts, visibility of external limiting membrane (ELM), ellipsoid zone (EZ) and cone outer segment tip (COST) and the presence of hyper-reflective foci in retina or the choroid.

Results

The presence of baseline DRIL, hyper-reflective foci in retina and disruption of ELM/EZ and COST were associated with worse baseline and subsequent VA up to 24 months after treatment. Improvement in DRIL (p=0.048), ELM/EZ (p=0.001) and COST (p=0.002) disruption after treatment was associated with greater improvement in VA at 12 months. Eyes with cystoid macular oedema (p=0.003, OR=8.18) and serous retinal detachment (p=0.011, OR=4.84) morphology were more likely to achieve at least 20% reduction in central subfield thickness.

Conclusion and relevance

Baseline SD-OCT biomarkers and their subsequent change predict VA and improvement in vision in eyes with DMO treated with anti-VEGF injections. We proposed an SD-OCT-based system that can be readily used in real-life eye clinics to improve decision making in the management of DMO.
Genome analysis identifies differences in the transcriptional targets of duodenal versus pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours
Authors: Rico Karen , Duan Suzann , Pandey Ritu L , Chen Yuliang , Chakrabarti Jayati T , Starr Julie , Zavros Yana , Else Tobias , Katona Bryson W , Metz David C , Merchant Juanita L
Published: November 2021

Objective

Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP-NETs) encompass a diverse group of neoplasms that vary in their secretory products and in their location within the gastrointestinal tract. Their prevalence in the USA is increasing among all adult age groups.

Aim

To identify the possible derivation of GEP-NETs using genome-wide analyses to distinguish small intestinal neuroendocrine tumours, specifically duodenal gastrinomas (DGASTs), from pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours.

Design

Whole exome sequencing and RNA-sequencing were performed on surgically resected GEP-NETs (discovery cohort). RNA transcript profiles available in the Gene Expression Omnibus were analysed using R integrated software (validation cohort). Digital spatial profiling (DSP) was used to analyse paraffin-embedded GEP-NETs. Human duodenal organoids were treated with 5 or 10 ng/mL of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) prior to qPCR and western blot analysis of neuroendocrine cell specification genes.

Results

Both the discovery and validation cohorts of small intestinal neuroendocrine tumours induced expression of mesenchymal and calcium signalling pathways coincident with a decrease in intestine-specific genes. In particular, calcium-related, smooth muscle and cytoskeletal genes increased in DGASTs, but did not correlate with MEN1 mutation status. Interleukin 17 (IL-17) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) signalling pathways were elevated in the DGAST RNA-sequencing. However, DSP analysis confirmed a paucity of immune cells in DGASTs compared with the adjacent tumour-associated Brunner’s glands. Immunofluorescent analysis showed production of these proinflammatory cytokines and phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (pSTAT3) by the tumours and stroma. Human duodenal organoids treated with TNFα induced neuroendocrine tumour genes, SYP, CHGA and NKX6.3.

Conclusions

Stromal–epithelial interactions induce proinflammatory cytokines that promote Brunner’s gland reprogramming.
General hospital specialists’ attitudes toward psychiatry: a cross-sectional survey in seven countries
Authors: Wimalaratne Inoka Koshali , McCarthy Jane , Broekman Birit F P , Nauta Klaas , Kathriarachchi Samudra , Wickramasinghe Anuprabha , Merkin Alexander , Kursakov Alexander , Gross Raz , Amsalem Doron , Wang Xiaoping , Wang Jun , de Rosalmeida Dantas Clarissa , de Carvalho Pereira Victoria , Menkes David
Published: November 2021

Objective

Psychiatric comorbidities are common in physical illness and significantly affect health outcomes. Attitudes of general hospital doctors toward psychiatry are important as they influence referral patterns and quality of care. Little is known about these attitudes and their cultural correlates. The aim of this study was to identify attitudes toward psychiatry among general hospital specialists in relation to culture of the practice setting and other clinician factors (gender, age, seniority and specialty).

Methods

A cross-sectional, descriptive study was carried out in seven countries (New Zealand, China, Sri Lanka, Russia, Israel, Brazil, the Netherlands). Data were collected from senior medical staff of various disciplines using an updated version of Mayou and Smith’s (1986) self-administered questionnaire.

Results

A total of 889 hospital doctors participated. While favourable attitudes toward both psychiatric consultation and management were endorsed by a majority, significant differences were also observed between countries. Subgroup differences were mostly confined to gender, acuity of practice setting and specialty. For example, female doctors in Russia (χ2=7.7, p=0.0056), China (χ2=9.2, p=0.0025) and the Netherlands (χ2=5.7, p=0.0174) endorsed more positive attitudes compared with their male counterparts, but this gender effect was not replicated in the total sample. Chronic care specialists were overall more inclined to manage patients’ emotional problems compared with those working in acute care (χ2=70.8, p (adjusted)<0.0001), a significant finding seen also in individual countries (China, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Russia). Physicians were more favourably disposed toward psychiatry compared with other specialists, especially surgeons, in all countries except Israel.

Conclusions

This study adds to evidence for the association of medical attitudes with individual clinician factors and demonstrates that the influence of these factors varies by country. Understanding these issues may help to overcome barriers and improve quality of care provided to general hospital patients.
Prospective characterisation of SARS-CoV-2 infections among children presenting to tertiary paediatric hospitals across Australia in 2020: a national cohort study
Authors: Wurzel Danielle , McMinn Alissa , Hoq Monsurul , Blyth Christopher C , Burgner David , Tosif Shidan , Buttery Jim , Carr Jeremy , Clark Julia E , Cheng Allen C , Dinsmore Nicole , Francis Joshua Reginald , Kynaston Anne , Lucas Ryan , Marshall Helen , McMullan Brendan , Singh-Grewal Davinder , Wood Nicholas , Macartney Kristine , Britton Philip N , Crawford Nigel W
Published: November 2021

Objective

To present Australia-wide data on paediatric COVID-19 and multisystem inflammatory syndromes to inform health service provision and vaccination prioritisation.

Design

Prospective, multicentre cohort study.

Setting

Eight tertiary paediatric hospitals across six Australian states and territories in an established research surveillance network—Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease (PAEDS).

Participants

All children aged <19 years with SARS-CoV-2 infection including COVID-19, Paediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome Temporally Associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS) and Kawasaki-like disease TS infection (KD-TS) treated at a PAEDS site from 24 March 2020 to 31 December 2020.

Intervention

Laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Main outcome

Incidence of severe disease among children with COVID-19, PIMS-TS and KD-TS. We also compared KD epidemiology before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results

Among 386 children with SARS-CoV-2 infection, 381 (98.7%) had COVID-19 (median 6.3 years (IQR 2.1–12.8),53.3% male) and 5 (1.3%) had multisystem inflammatory syndromes (PIMS-TS, n=4; KD-TS, n=1) (median 7.9 years (IQR 7.8–9.8)). Most children with COVID-19 (n=278; 73%) were Australian-born from jurisdictions with highest community transmission. Comorbidities were present in 72 (18.9%); cardiac and respiratory comorbidities were most common (n=32/72;44%). 37 (9.7%) children with COVID-19 were hospitalised, and two (0.5%) required intensive care. Postinfective inflammatory syndromes (PIMS-TS/KD-TS) were uncommon (n=5; 1.3%), all were hospitalised and three (3/5; 60%) required intensive care management. All children recovered and there were no deaths. KD incidence remained stable during the pandemic compared with prepandemic.

Conclusions

Most children with COVID-19 had mild disease. Severe disease was less frequent than reported in high prevalence settings. Preventative strategies, such as vaccination, including children and adolescents, could reduce both the acute and postinfective manifestations of the disease.
Early cisternal fibrinolysis is more effective than rescue spasmolysis for the prevention of delayed infarction after subarachnoid haemorrhage
Authors: Roelz Roland , Scheiwe Christian , Grauvogel Jürgen , Csok Istvan , Coenen Volker Arnd , Beck Jürgen , Reinacher Peter C
Published: November 2021

Background

To compare the efficacy of two different concepts of cisternal therapy—PREVENTIVE fibrinolysis plus on-demand spasmolysis versus RESCUE spasmolysis—for the prevention of cerebral vasospasm (CVS) and delayed cerebral infarction (DCI) in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH).

Methods

Retrospective analysis of 84 aSAH patients selected for cisternal therapy for DCI prevention. 66 high-risk patients received PREVENTIVE cisternal therapy to enhance blood clearance. Either stereotactic catheter ventriculocisternostomy (STX-VCS) or intraoperative placement of a cisterno-ventriculostomy catheter (CVC), followed by fibrinolytic cisternal lavage using urokinase was performed. In case of vasospasm, nimodipine was applied intrathecally. 22 low-risk patients who developed CVS against expectations were selected for STX-VCS as RESCUE intervention for cisternal spasmolysis with nimodipine. Rates of DCI and mean flow velocities of daily transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonographies were evaluated.

Results

Despite a higher prespecified DCI risk, patients selected for PREVENTIVE intervention primarily aiming at blood clearance had a lower DCI rate compared with patients selected for intrathecal spasmolysis as a RESCUE therapy (11.3% vs 18.2%). After intrathecal treatment onset, CVS (TCD>160 cm/s) occurred in 45% of patients with PREVENTIVE and 77% of patients with RESCUE therapy (p=0.013). A stronger response of CVS to intrathecal nimodipine was observed in patients with PREVENTIVE intervention as the mean CVS duration after start of intrathecal nimodipine was 3.2 days compared with 5.8 days in patients with RESCUE therapy (p=0.026).

Conclusions

PREVENTIVE cisternal therapy directed at blood clearance is more effective for the prevention of CVS and delayed infarction compared with cisternal RESCUE spasmolysis.

Trial registration number

DRKS00016532.
Fundamental energy scale of the thick brane in mimetic gravity
Authors: Sui Tao-Tao , Zhang Yu-Peng , Gu Bao-Min , Liu Yu-Xiao
Published: November 2021

In this paper, thick branes generated by the mimetic scalar field with Lagrange multiplier formulation are investigated. We give three typical thick brane background solutions with different asymptotic behaviors and show that all the solutions are stable under tensor perturbations. The effective potentials of the tensor perturbations exhibit as volcano potential, Poöschl–Teller potential, and harmonic oscillator potential for the three background solutions, respectively. All the tensor zero modes (massless gravitons) of the three cases can be localized on the brane. We also calculate the corrections to the four-dimensional Newtonian potential. On a large scale, the corrections to the four-dimensional Newtonian potential can be ignored. While on a small scale, the correction from the volcano-like potential is more pronounced than the other two cases. Combining the specific corrections to the four-dimensional Newtonian potential of these three cases and the latest results of short-range gravity experiments, we get the constraint on the scale parameter as $$k > rsim 10^{-4}$$

k
≳

10

-
4

eV, and constraint on the corresponding five-dimensional fundamental scale as $$M_* > rsim 10^5$$

M

∗

≳

10
5

TeV.
Thick branes in the scalar–tensor representation of f(R, T) gravity
Authors: Rosa João Luís , Marques Matheus A. , Bazeia Dionisio , Lobo Francisco S. N.
Published: November 2021

Braneworld scenarios consider our observable universe as a brane embedded in a five-dimensional bulk. In this work, we consider thick braneworld systems in the recently proposed dynamically equivalent scalar–tensor representation of f(R, T) gravity, where R is the Ricci scalar and T the trace of the stress–energy tensor. In the general $$f\left( R,T\right) $$

f

R
,
T

case we consider two different models: a brane model without matter fields where the geometry is supported solely by the gravitational fields, and a second model where matter is described by a scalar field with a potential. The particular cases for which the function $$f\left( R,T\right) $$

f

R
,
T

is separable in the forms $$F\left( R\right) +T$$

F

R

+
T

and $$R+G\left( T\right) $$

R
+
G

T

, which give rise to scalar–tensor representations with a single auxiliary scalar field, are studied separately. The stability of the gravitational sector is investigated and the models are shown to be stable against small perturbations of the metric. Furthermore, we show that in the $$f\left( R,T\right) $$

f

R
,
T

model in the presence of an extra matter field, the shape of the graviton zero-mode develops internal structure under appropriate choices of the parameters of the model.
On Ordinary Words of Standard Reed–Solomon Codes over Finite Fields
Authors: Xu Xiaofan , Hong Shaofang
Published: November 2021

Reed–Solomon codes are widely used to establish a reliable channel to transmit information in digital communication which has a strong error correction capability and a variety of efficient decoding algorithm. Usually we use the maximum likelihood decoding (MLD) algorithm in the decoding process of Reed–Solomon codes. MLD algorithm relies on determining the error distance of received word. Dür, Guruswami, Wan, Li, Hong, Wu, Yue and Zhu et al. got some results on the error distance. For the Reed–Solomon code [Formula: see text], the received word [Formula: see text] is called an ordinary word of [Formula: see text] if the error distance [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] being the Lagrange interpolation polynomial of [Formula: see text]. We introduce a new method of studying the ordinary words. In fact, we make use of the result obtained by Y.C. Xu and S.F. Hong on the decomposition of certain polynomials over the finite field to determine all the ordinary words of the standard Reed–Solomon codes over the finite field of [Formula: see text] elements. This completely answers an open problem raised by Li and Wan in [On the subset sum problem over finite fields, Finite Fields Appl. 14 (2008) 911–929].
Gorenstein n-X -Injective and n - X-Flat Modules with Respect to a Special Finitely Presented Module
Authors: Amini Mostafa , Benkhadra Arij , Bennis Driss
Published: November 2021

Let [Formula: see text] be a ring, [Formula: see text] a class of [Formula: see text]-modules and [Formula: see text] an integer. We introduce the concepts of Gorenstein [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-injective and [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-flat modules via special finitely presented modules. Besides, we obtain some equivalent properties of these modules on [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-coherent rings. Then we investigate the relations among Gorenstein [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-injective, [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-flat, injective and flat modules on [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-rings (i.e., self [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-injective and [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-coherent rings). Several known results are generalized to this new context.
Highly Sensitive Detection Analytical Performance of 2-Nitrophenol Pollution in Various Water samples via Polyaniline/Sulfation CarboxymethylCellulose/Multi Carbon Nanotubes Nanocomposite-Based Electrochemical Sensor
Authors: Althomali Raed H. , Alamry Khalid A. , Hussein Mahmoud A. , Guedes R. M.
Published: November 2021

This study outlines a straightforward method for preparing polyaniline/sulfation carboxymethyl cellulose/multi carbon nanotubes PANI/S-CMC/MWCNTs nanocomposite that is both cost-effective and environmentally beneficial. Using as-prepared PANI/S-CMC/MWCNTs nanocomposites, a modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE/ PANI/S-CMC/MWCNTs) was produced to accomplish very sensitive electrochemical detection of 2-nitrophenol (2-NP). To investigate the morphology and structure of the nanocomposite, researchers used X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, showing that the nanocomposite has excellent electrochemical performance. In the case of 2-NP, the differential pulse voltammetry experiment found that in the range of 2 to 80μM (R2= 0.934), there is a linear association between peak currents and concentrations. For 2-NP, the computed detection limit (S/N = 3) is 0.33 M, and the limit of quantification for 2-NP is1.1μM Furthermore, after correctly determining the target analytes in several water samples, the new sensor manifested a remarkable high recovery rate.
Using Hetro-Structure Window in Nano Scale Junctionless SOI MOSFET for High Electrical Performance
Authors: Mehrad Mahsa , Zareiee Meysam
Published: November 2021

A new junctionless MOS transistor is proposed in this paper using hetro-structure technology. A T-shape SiGe is applied under the source and channel region to extend the depletion region in the device. The Si(1−x)Gex region with a mole fraction of x = 0.3 for the germanium, changes the surface potential of the device due to the different band gap than silicon. Off-current in the proposed SiGe region in buried oxide of Junctionless SOI-MOSFET (SG-JLMOS) reduces significantly as it is compared to the Conventional Junctionless SOI-MOSFET (C-JLMOS). Also, using a window with higher thermal capability than silicon dioxide reduces maximum lattice temperature in the active region. In this situation, the reliability of the device increases and the better performance of the transistor is achieved in high temperature. Our simulation with 2D ATLAS simulator shows that DIBL and subthreshold swing have lower values in the proposed SG-JLMOS. So, short channel effects which are the vital parameters in the nano scale device are controlled, considerably.
Divergent serum metabolomic, skeletal muscle signaling, transcriptomic, and performance adaptations to fasted versus whey protein-fed sprint interval training
Authors: Aird Tom P. , Farquharson Andrew J. , Bermingham Kate M. , O’Sulllivan Aifric , Drew Janice E. , Carson Brian P.
Published: November 2021

These are the first data to show the influence of preexercise protein on serum and skeletal muscle metabolic adaptations to acute and short-term sprint interval training (SIT). Preexercise whey protein concentrate (WPC) or hydrolysate (WPH) feeding acutely affected the serum metabolome, which differentially influenced acute and chronic changes in mitochondrial gene expression, intracellular signaling (acetylation and PARylation) resulting in either similar or enhanced performance outcomes when compared with fasted training.
The Immune Infiltration in HNSCC and Its Clinical Value: A Comprehensive Study Based on the TCGA and GEO Databases
Authors: Sun Xizhe , Zhang Lijia , Liu Songjiang
Published: November 2021

Background. Being potential field of research for tumor immunological therapy, the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of most discussed types of tumor. Recently, some clinical trials have also used immunological therapy and demonstrated a subset of HNSCC patients who have shown a clear longer survival time. Objective. To conduct further studies and deeper research in the immunological oncology of HNSCC, a more detailed description and comprehending of the complicated landscape of immune infiltrative may be required. Methods. Firstly, we have described the fraction of different infiltrating immune cells in the HNSCC tumor and then compared it to the normal tissue, and secondly, we have explored the clinical implications of various infiltrated immune cell fractions meticulously. The gene expression profiles of HNSCC tissue were obtained from databases of TCGA and GEO and utilized the deconvolution algorithm (CIBERSORT) to presume the fractions of 22 several immune sensitive cells. Results. Our results indicated that the immune infiltrating cell fractions were considerably different between HNSCC tumor tissue and paired normal tissue, but at the same time, we found a potential internal correlation among the immune cells and also showed the association between immune infiltrating cells and their clinical characteristics. It is worth noting that the resting dendritic cells and M1 macrophages were linked with a favorable prognosis, while the CD4+ T cells with a poorer outcome. Conclusion. Fractions of immune cell percentage were also associated with tumors’ pathological grade, age, and TNM stage.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Segmentation on the Basis of Boundary Tracking Algorithm in Lung Cancer Surgery
Authors: Liu Chengmin , Ye Fulin , Hu Yikai , Gao Shengxin , Lu Yu , Guo Yilong
Published: November 2021

This work was to study the guiding value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based on the target region boundary tracking algorithm in lung cancer surgery. In this study, the traditional boundary tracking algorithm was optimized, and the target neighborhood point boundary tracking method was proposed. The iterative method was used to binarize the lung MRI image, which was applied to the MRI images of 50 lung cancer patients in hospital. The patients were divided into two groups as the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of surgical treatment group (experimental group, n = 25) and nonsurgical treatment group (control group, n = 25). The experimental group received surgical resection, while the control group received systemic chemotherapy. The results showed that the traditional boundary tracking algorithm needed to manually rejudge whether the concave and convex parts of the image were missing. The target boundary tracking algorithm can effectively avoid the leakage of concave and convex parts and accurately locate the target image contour, fast operation, without manual intervention. The PFS time of the experimental group (325 days) was significantly higher than that of the control group (186 days)

P
<
0.05

. The OS time of the experimental group (697 days) was significantly higher than that of the control group (428 days)

P
<
0.05

. Fisher exact probability method was used to test the total survival time of patients in the two groups, and the tumor classification and treatment group had significant influence on the OS time

P
<
0.05

. The target boundary tracking algorithm in this study can effectively locate the contour of the target image, and the operation speed was fast. Surgical resection of lung cancer can improve the PFS and OS of patients.
Customer Behavior Analysis in Ticket Windows at Scenic Spots from Game-Theoretic Perspective
Authors: Li Peng , Jiang Tao , Liu Lu , Ammar Sherif I.
Published: November 2021

In service industries, especially in some ticket windows at scenic spots, affected by congestion, some customers often find excuses or ask the acquaintances in the queue so as to jump the queue and complete their corresponding service as early as possible. In this paper, we model the queueing phenomenon in the ticket windows at scenic spots as a special queue, namely, the so-called “team queue.” Although this phenomenon often happens in daily life, it is less well known to people. In a team queue, an arriving customer first searches the queue from the top to bottom to see if some of his teammates are already in the queue. If yes, he would join the queue and be served with his teammates; otherwise, he would join the queue at the tail. To this end, arising from the customers’ perspective, the strategic behavior of queueing customers in the ticket windows at scenic spots is analyzed. On the basis of considering the waiting cost and reward, the individual strategies and social optimal strategies of queueing customers are derived, regarding the joining or balking dilemma and for the observable and unobservable cases. Finally, to demonstrate how various parameters affect the joining strategies, some numerical examples are provided.
Electroacupuncture Preconditioning Reduces Oxidative Stress in the Acute Phase of Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion in Rats by Regulating Iron Metabolism Pathways
Authors: Liang Runyu , Tang Qiang , Song Wenjing , Zhang Mei , Teng Lili , Kang Yuying , Zhu Luwen
Published: November 2021

Background. Oxidative stress is an important mechanism of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Ferroptosis caused by iron overload after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion is considered a common cause of oxidative stress. Many recent studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) can regulate the expression of inflammatory factors, and the use of electroacupuncture preconditioning can produce a protective effect, which can reduce injury after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. We aimed to assess whether EA could be used to reduce oxidative stress. Methods. The oxidative stress level of rats during the acute phase of cerebral ischemia and reperfusion was assessed with and without preconditioning with EA. Molecular biology methods were used to detect iron metabolism and oxidative stress-related proteins. Results. Rats that had EA preconditioning had lower infarct volumes than rats in the control group. Furthermore, western blot analysis showed that the expression of iron metabolism-related protein FPN-1 was higher in the intervention group than in the model group after reperfusion. In this regard, further investigation also demonstrated higher expression of glutathione and glutathione peroxidase-4, and lower reactive oxygen species values in the brain tissue of the EA group were compared with those of the control group rats. Conclusions. Electroacupuncture preconditioning can reduce oxidative stress after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion by regulating iron overload.
Effectiveness of Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review
Authors: Amsallem Florent , Sanchez Stéphane , Armoiry Xavier , Mion François
Published: November 2021

Introduction. Given the complexity of the therapeutic management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), alternative non-pharmacological therapies are frequently offered to patients. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review in order to establish the current evidence base for non-pharmacological interventions (body-directed and mind-body therapies) in the management of IBS. Materials and Methods. The literature was searched in several electronic databases (PubMed (including Medline), Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics), Scopus (Elsevier), ScienceDirect (Elsevier), Cochrane Library (Wiley), and Wiley Online Library (Wiley)) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in the English language from 1990 to 2020. Effectiveness outcomes were examined through the change in overall IBS symptoms or abdominal pain up to 12 months after treatment. Results. 11 studies (parallel-group RCTs) were identified that enrolled 1590 participants in total. Body-directed therapies (acupuncture and osteopathic medicine) showed a beneficial effect compared with standard medical treatment for overall IBS symptoms at 6 months follow-up, while no study found any difference between body-directed and sham therapies for abdominal pain or overall IBS symptoms. It was not possible to conclude whether hypnotherapy was superior to standard medical treatment or supportive therapy for overall IBS symptoms or abdominal pain due to discordant results. Conclusions. Although body-directed therapies such as acupuncture and osteopathic medicine may be beneficial for overall IBS symptoms, higher-quality RCTs are needed to establish the clinical benefit of non-pharmacological interventions for IBS. An important challenge will be the definition of the optimal control groups to be used in non-pharmacological trials.
[Retracted] Establishing and Validating an Aging‐Related Prognostic Four‐Gene Signature in Colon Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zheng Lian , Yang Yang , Cui Xiaorong
Published: November 2021

Background. Aging is a process that biological changes accumulate with time and lead to increasing susceptibility to diseases like cancer. This study is aimed at establishing an aging‐related prognostic signature in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD). Methods. The transcriptome data and clinical variables of COAD patients were downloaded from TCGA database. The genes in GOBP_AGING gene set was used for prognostic evaluation by the univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. The model was presented by a nomogram and assessed by the Kaplan‐Meier curves and calibration curves. The drug response and gene mutation were also performed to implicate the clinical significance. The GO and KEGG analyses were employed to unravel the potential functional mechanism. Results. The Gene Set Enrichment Analysis result indicates that GOBP_AGING pathway is significantly enriched in COAD samples. Four aging‐related genes are finally used to construct the aging‐related prognostic signature: FOXM1, PTH1R, KL, and CGAS. The COAD patients with high risk score have much shorter overall survival in both train cohort and test cohort. The nomogram is then assembled to predict 1‐year, 3‐year, and 5‐year survival. Patients with high risk score have elevated infiltrating B cell naïve and attenuated cisplatin sensitivity. The mutation landscape shows that the TTN, FAT4, ZFHX4, APC, and OBSCN gene mutation are different between high risk score patients and low risk score patients. The differentially expressed genes between patients with high score and low score are enriched in B cell receptor signaling pathway. Conclusion. We constructed an aging‐related signature in COAD patients, which can predict oncological outcome and optimize therapeutic strategy.
Exploiting Serialized Fine-Grained Action Recognition Using WiFi Sensing
Authors: Tong Weiyuan , Li Rong , Gong Xiaoqing , Zhai Shuangjiao , Zheng Xia , Ye Guixin
Published: November 2021

Gestures serve an important role in enabling natural interactions with computing devices, and they form an important part of everyday nonverbal communication. In increasingly many application scenarios of gesture interaction, such as gesture-based authentication, calligraphy, sketching, and even artistic expression, not only are the underlying gestures complex and consist of multiple strokes but also the correctness of the gestures depends on the order at which the strokes are performed. In this paper, we present WiCG, an innovative and novel WiFi sensing approach for capturing and providing feedback on stroke order. Our approach tracks the user’s hand movement during writing and exploits this information in combination with statistical methods and machine learning techniques to infer what characters have been written and at which stroke order. We consider Chinese calligraphy as our use case as the resulting gestures are highly complex, and their assessment depends on the correct stroke order. We develop a set of analyses and algorithms to overcome many issues of this challenging task. We have conducted extensive experiments and user studies to evaluate our approach. Experimental results show that our approach is highly effective in identifying the written characters and their written stroke order. We show that our approach can adapt to different deployment environments and user patterns.
Analysis of the Rotor Magnetomotive Force of Built-In Radial Permanent Magnet Generator for Vehicle
Authors: Geng Huihui , Zhang Xueyi , Si Tao , Tong Lanian , Ma Qingzhi , Xu Mingjun
Published: November 2021

Permanent magnet generator (PMG) for vehicles has attracted more and more attention because of its high efficiency, high power density, and high reliability. However, the weak main air-gap magnetic field can affect the output performance and the normal use of electrical equipment. Aiming at the problem, this paper took the rotor magnetomotive force (MMF), the direct influencing parameter of the main air-gap magnetic field, as the research object, deduced the analytical expression of rotor MMF of the built-in radial PMG in detail, and analyzed its main influencing factors in analytical expression, including the permanent magnet steel (PMS) material, the thickness of PMS in magnetizing direction, the vertical length of the inner side of PMS, and the effective calculation length of PMS. Based on this, the rotor parameters were optimized to obtain the best values. After that, the finite element simulation and prototype test of the optimized generator were carried out. The comparative analysis results showed that the optimized rotor parameters could effectively improve the rotor MMF and optimize the output performance of the generator.
Cohen Positive Strongly
p
-Summing and
p
-Dominated m-Homogeneous Polynomials
Authors: Hamdi Halima , García-Hernández Samuel , Belacel Amar , Ouchenane Djamel , Zubair Sulima Ahmed
Published: November 2021

We introduce the concepts of Cohen positive strongly

p

-summing and positive

p

-dominated m-homogeneous polynomials. The version of Pietsch’s domination theorem for the first class among other results and a Bu-type theorem is proved, as well as some inclusions with other known spaces. Moreover, we present a characterization of these classes in tensor terms.
Breast Cancer Diagnosis by Convolutional Neural Network and Advanced Thermal Exchange Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Cai Xiuzhen , Li Xia , Razmjooy Navid , Ghadimi Noradin
Published: November 2021

A common gynecological disease in the world is breast cancer that early diagnosis of this disease can be very effective in its treatment. The use of image processing methods and pattern recognition techniques in automatic breast detection from mammographic images decreases human errors and increments the rapidity of diagnosis. In this paper, mammographic images are analyzed using image processing techniques and a pipeline structure for the diagnosis of the cancerous masses. In the first stage, the quality of mammogram images and the contrast of abnormal areas in the image are improved by using image contrast improvement and a noise decline. A method based on color space is then used for image segmentation that is followed by mathematical morphology. Then, for feature image extraction, a combined gray-level cooccurrence matrix (GLCM) and discrete wavelet transform (DWT) method is used. At last, a new optimized version of convolutional neural network (CNN) and a new improved metaheuristic, called Advanced Thermal Exchange Optimizer, are used for the classification of the features. A comparison of the simulations of the proposed technique with three different techniques from the literature applied on the MIAS mammogram database is performed to show its superiority. Results show that the accuracy of diagnosing cancer cases for the proposed method and applied on the MIAS database is 93.79%, and sensitivity and specificity are obtained 96.89% and 67.7%, respectively.
Preparation of Luminescent Glass Aggregates from Soda-Lime Waste Glass
Authors: Loryuenyong Vorrada , Buasri Achanai
Published: November 2021

This research studied the preparation of luminescent glass aggregates prepared from soda-lime waste glass and strontium aluminate-based phosphors. The properties of the samples were determined by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Archimedes’ method, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. It was found that the pore characteristics, density, and formation of crystallite phases in the glassy matrix depended on the phosphor content. The addition of fine phosphor powder tended to inhibit the glass crystallization and to reduce the apparent porosity of the aggregates. In general, the disadvantage of phosphors is their luminescent degradation under thermal attacks, which limits their use in applications involving high-temperature annealing. The phosphors, however, still had good luminescent properties and long-term stability with the sintering temperature as high as 750°C. The results indicated that the phosphors could be composited with glasses at high processing temperatures, enabling their widespread application.
Research on Higher Education Evaluation and Decision-Making Based on Data Mining
Authors: Feng Liu
Published: November 2021

Educational data mining is concerned with developing methods to explore the data from educational environments which provides insights that help in understanding the learning process and improving the educational outcomes. The evaluation and decision-making methods of higher education resources ignore the number of specific basic systems of resource evaluation and decision-making, resulting in the low accuracy of evaluation and decision-making. Therefore, a research on higher education evaluation and decision-making based on data mining is proposed. We analyze the application of big data in the field of higher education and design its optimal curriculum design model. We calculate the phased teaching task objectives of higher education curriculum, form its curriculum teaching guidance according to the influence degree between learners’ learning progress and learners’ thinking limitations, and obtain the learning effect produced by the optimal selection of curriculum teaching content. Then the probability of learners completing the structured teaching goal is calculated, so as to establish the optimal curriculum design model of higher education. Finally, we obtain the quantitative values of different experiences, extract the main influencing factors of resource evaluation and decision-making, and carry out higher education resource evaluation and decision-making analysis on this basis. The experimental results show that the research method improves the flexibility and universal applicability of higher education evaluation and decision-making, achieving an evaluation accuracy of above 90% and with below 7% error rate.
Interleukin 2-Based Fusion Proteins for the Treatment of Cancer
Authors: MacDonald Alana , Wu T.-C. , Hung Chien-Fu
Published: November 2021

Interleukin 2 (IL-2) plays a fundamental role in both immune activation and tolerance and has revolutionized the field of cancer immunotherapy since its discovery. The ability of IL-2 to mediate tumor regression in preclinical and clinical settings led to FDA approval for its use in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma and metastatic melanoma in the 1990s. Although modest success is observed in the clinic, cancer patients receiving IL-2 therapy experience a wide array of side effects ranging from flu-like symptoms to life-threatening conditions such as vascular leak syndrome. Over the past three decades, efforts have focused on circumventing IL-2-related toxicities by engineering methods to localize IL-2 to the tumor or secondary lymphoid tissue, preferentially activate CD8+ T cells and NK cells, and alter pharmacokinetic properties to increase bioavailability. This review summarizes the various IL-2-based strategies that have emerged, with a focus on chimeric fusion methods.
Building Structure Simulation System Based on BIM and Computer Model
Authors: Zhu Bao , Feng Huan
Published: November 2021

This paper does some research and discussion on the finite element analysis of a building structure, especially the computer graphics simulation method in building structure simulation. Moreover, with the support of BIM technology and computer finite element simulation technology, this paper constructs a building structure simulation system and analyzes the building structure simulation system based on actual conditions such as building structure and stress load. In addition, this paper improves the traditional structural analysis algorithm and designs experiments to evaluate the effect of the method proposed in this paper and analyze the data in the form of simulation to compare the validity of the test results. Finally, an experiment is designed to evaluate the data processing capability of the test system in this paper. The experimental analysis results verify the effectiveness of the method in this paper, which can provide relevant theoretical references for subsequent building structure simulation.
Exploration and Research on the Propagation Law of Seepage Risk Network in Tailings Storage Facility
Authors: Zhen Zhixin , Ma Xuewei , Ma Bo
Published: November 2021

The seepage accident of a tailings pond poses a serious threat to the stability of tailings dams and the surrounding environment. To reduce the occurrence of seepage accidents, this paper studies the identification of seepage hazards, the propagation law of seepage risk, the importance of hazards, and the priority of hazard treatment. To overcome the subjectivity and omission of hazard identification, according to the complexity and dynamics of tailings seepage, this paper proposes the evidence-based identification method of three-dimensional seepage hazards (EIMTSH) to identify the hazards of the tailings seepage system and the relationship between hazards. Then, on the basis of identifying the hazards of the tailings seepage system, the propagation network of seepage risk in tailing ponds (PNSRTP) is constructed based on the complex network theory. By analyzing the characteristics of the PNSRTP, it can be found that the propagation of seepage risk is scale-free and small-world. Through the node deletion method, this paper finds that the nodes with a higher degree value can reduce the network efficiency more quickly and should be governed first. By giving priority to the treatment of hazards with higher degree, the propagation of seepage risk can be reduced more quickly and the risk management level of tailings ponds can be improved, which is helpful to realize the sustainable development of mining production.
Two-Stage Channel Adaptive Algorithm for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Localization with Cellular Networks
Authors: Zeng Chenxi , Deng Zhongliang , Ma Jiyang , Yang Shengsong
Published: November 2021

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is regarded as a powerful tool to expand the existing ground wireless network into aerial space. Since high mobility is an essential characteristic for UAV, it is important to carry out an accurate, real-time, and high-precision localization in terms of safe operation and communication link maintenance. The cellular network-based localization technology has provided UAV a solution with both high coverage and seamless connection. However, the complex channel environment between the UAV and terrestrial base station (BS) would have weakened the localization performance. To solve this problem, a two-stage channel adaptive algorithm for cellular-connected UAV has been proposed. The first stage of the algorithm is to revise the observation error introduced by the complex channel environment using the model of DDPG. The second stage is to locate the UAV position with TDOA algorithm using the revised observation values. Simulation results have demonstrated that the proposed algorithm can achieve the channel adaptive effect by revising the observation errors and improve location performance greatly, especially for UAVs at a relative lower altitude.
A Cantilever Beam Problem with Small Deflections and Perturbed Boundary Data
Authors: Khanfer Ammar , Bougoffa Lazhar
Published: November 2021

The boundary value problem of a fourth-order beam equation

u

4

=
λ
f

x
,
u
,

u

′

,

u

″

,

u

′
′
′

,
0
≤
x
≤
1

is investigated. We formulate a nonclassical cantilever beam problem with perturbed ends. By determining appropriate values of

λ

and estimates for perturbation measurements on the boundary data, we establish an existence theorem for the problem under integral boundary conditions

u

0

=

u

′

0

=

∫

0

1

p

x

u

x

d
x
,

u

″

1

=

u

′
′
′

1

=

∫

0

1

q

x

u

″

x

d
x
,

where

p
,
q
∈

L

1

0
,
1

,

and

f

is continuous on

0
,
1

×

0
,

∞

×

0
,

∞

×

−

∞

,
0

×

−

∞

,
0

.