bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Supplemental Material: Short-lived intra-oceanic arc-trench system in the North Qaidam belt (NW China) reveals complex evolution of the Proto-Tethyan Ocean
Authors: Fu Changlei , al. et
Published: September 2021

Table S1: Spinel compositions of serpentinites from the Saibagou ophiolite complex; Table S2: Whole-rock major (wt%) and trace elements (ppm) compositions for the Luofengpo ophiolitic rocks; Table S3: LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb data for various rocks from the ophiolite complex and ocean plate stratigraphy within the North Qaidam belt; Table S4: Zircon Lu-Hf isotopic compositions for various rocks from the ophiolite complex and ocean plate stratigraphy within the North Qaidam belt; Table S5: Whole-rock Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd isotopic compositions for the Luofengpo ophiolitic rocks.
Food Spectrum, Trophic and Length-Weight Characteristics of Nonindigenous Suckermouth Armored Catfishes Pterygoplichthys spp. (Loricariidae) in Vietnam
Authors: Stolbunov I. A. , Gusakov V. A. , Dien Tran Duc , Thanh Nguyen Thi Hai
Published: September 2021

The food spectrum and trophic and length–weight characteristics of an invasive species, South American suckermouth armored catfishes Pterygoplichthys spp. (Loricariidae), from lotic and lentic inland waters of Vietnam have been studied. It is found that the diet of suckermouth armored catfishes consists of plant and animal food, as well as organic detritus. According to the predominant type and pattern of feeding, suckermouth armored catfishes can be classified as detritivore gatherers (janitor). Some specimens of catfish with a high consumption of animal food have been identified. It is noted that invasive suckermouth armored catfishes can be a significant food competitor for aboriginal fish species; detritivores; and, possibly, benthophages in the lotic and lentic inland waters of Vietnam.
Hypercalcaemic encephalopathy as a presenting manifestation of sarcoidosis
Authors: Ray Adrija , Kar Animesh , Ray Biman Kanti , Dubey Souvik
Published: September 2021

A 66-year-old woman presented to us with features of encephalopathy with asterixis, preceded by unsteadiness of gait and behavioural abnormalities. On subsequent investigations, hypercalcaemic crisis and compromised renal function were noted. Stepwise approach to determine the cause behind hypercalcaemia with compromised renal function revealed underlying granulomatous disease (sarcoidosis). Later, development of maculopapular rash and subsequent biopsy from the lesion confirmed the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Her clinical and biochemical parameters improved considerably on initiation of conservative pharmacological therapy.
Pathological findings of hypertrophic pachymeningitis associated with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis
Authors: Shiraishi Wataru , Tsujimoto Yoshitaka , Shiraishi Tomoko
Published: September 2021

The most common neurological manifestation of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), formerly called Churg-Strauss syndrome, is mononeuritis multiplex caused by small-vessel vasculitis. In contrast, central nervous system involvement is rare. Among EGPA-associated central nervous system disorders, there are only a few reported cases of hypertrophic pachymeningitis (HP). Here, we report a patient with EGPA with headache and ophthalmoplegia who presented with HP and had a dural biopsy. The biopsy specimen showed lymphocytic inflammatory cell infiltration without EGPA-specific findings, that is, eosinophilic infiltration, granuloma or angiitis. To the best of our knowledge, there are no previous reports of EGPA-associated HP pathology. Here, we report the first case presentation of a patient with EGPA-associated HP with pathological findings.
Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome: a life-threatening cause of neonatal apnoea
Authors: Castro Carolina , Correia Cláudia , Martins Teresa , Portela Alexandrina
Published: September 2021

Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) is an uncommon genetic disease characterised by an autonomic nervous system dysfunction that affects ventilatory homeostasis. Involvement of other systems is also described, mainly cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and central nervous systems. We describe a rare case of CCHS diagnosed in a term newborn who presented with persistent apnoea in the first hours of life. After an exhaustive aetiological study excluding primary pulmonary, cardiac, metabolic and neurological diseases, this diagnosis was confirmed by a paired-like homeobox 2B gene sequence analysis. During hospitalisation, ventilation was optimised and multidisciplinary follow-up was initiated, including genetic counselling. At 2 months old, the child was discharged under non-invasive ventilation during sleep. This case illustrates the importance of early diagnosis, including genetic study and advances in home ventilation. These factors allow early hospital discharge and timely multidisciplinary intervention, which is crucial for patients’ quality of life and outcome optimisation.
Giant ossifying fibroma of the maxilla: an unusually aggressive presentation in a 21-year-old woman
Authors: Misra Satya Ranjan , Mohanty Neeta , Tripathy Ujjaval Ramanupam
Published: September 2021

We present a rare case of a huge aggressive ossifying fibroma of the maxilla in a 21-year-old female patient with involvement of the maxillary antrum, nasal cavity, orbit and the ethmoid sinus with a unique radiologic appearance for documentation.
Late-onset total anomalous pulmonary venous connection in a 70-year-old woman
Authors: Takagi Sho , Nakasu Akio , Yanagisawa Junji , Goto Yoshihiro
Published: September 2021

Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly. There are a few reports of untreated TAPVC diagnosed in patients older than 60 years. Herein, we report the successful surgical treatment of TAPVC in a 70-year-old woman. A 70-year-old woman with TAPVC presented with symptoms of acute heart failure. We closed an atrial septal defect and performed tricuspid annuloplasty and commissurotomy of the pulmonary valve. Postoperative CT showed no residual shunt, and the pulmonary veins drained into the left atrium. She had an uneventful postoperative course. This report describes the case of the oldest known patient who underwent surgical treatment for TAPVC. Surviving into adulthood with little or no symptoms is uncommon in patients with TAPVC, and cases of late-onset TAPVC, such as our case, are rare. Nevertheless, close vigilance is necessary to prevent misdiagnosis in patients with this clinical presentation.
Under-reporting of non-fatal occupational injuries among precarious and non-precarious workers in Sweden
Authors: Kreshpaj Bertina , Bodin Theo , Wegman David H , Matilla-Santander Nuria , Burstrom Bo , Kjellberg Katarina , Davis Letitia , Hemmingsson Tomas , Jonsson Johanna , Håkansta Carin , Orellana Cecilia
Published: September 2021

Background

Under-reporting of occupational injuries (OIs) among precariously employed workers in Sweden challenges effective surveillance of OIs and targeted preventive measures.

Objective

To estimate the magnitude of under-reporting of OIs among precarious and non-precarious workers in Sweden in 2013.

Methods

Capture–recapture methods were applied using the national OIs register and records from a labour market insurance company. Employed workers 18–65 resident in Sweden in 2013 were included in the study (n=82 949 OIs). Precarious employment was operationalised using the national labour market register, while injury severity was constructed from the National Patient Register. Under-reporting estimates were computed stratifying by OIs severity and by sociodemographic characteristics, occupations and precarious employment.

Results

Under-reporting of OIs followed a dose–response pattern according to the levels of precariousness (the higher the precarious level, the higher the under-reporting) being for the precarious group (22.6%, 95% CI 21.3% to 23.8%), followed by the borderline precarious (17.6%, 95% CI 17.1% to 18.2%) and lastly the non-precarious (15.0%, 95% CI 14.7% to 15.3%). Under-reporting of OIs, decreased as the injury severity increased and was higher with highest level of precariousness in all groups of severity. We also observed higher under-reporting estimates among all occupations in the precarious and borderline precarious groups as compared with the non-precarious ones.

Conclusions

This is the first register-based study to empirically demonstrate in Sweden that under-reporting of OIs is 50% higher among precariously employed workers. OIs under-reporting may represent unrecognised injuries that especially burden precariously employed workers as financial, health and social consequences shift from the employer to the employee.
‘Stay at home …’: exploring the impact of the COVID-19 public health response on sexual behaviour and health service use among men who have sex with men: findings from a large online survey in the UK
Authors: Howarth Alison R , Saunders John , Reid David , Kelly Isabelle , Wayal Sonali , Weatherburn Peter , Hughes Gwenda , Mercer Catherine H
Published: September 2021

Objectives

The first UK national lockdown began on 23 March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and led to reduced STI/HIV service provision in the UK. We investigated sexual behaviour, use and need for sexual healthcare during the pandemic.

Methods

Participants (N=2018), including men (cis/transgender), transwomen and gender-diverse people reporting sex with another man (cis/transgender) or non-binary person assigned male at birth, completed an online cross-sectional survey (23 June 2020–14 July 2020), in response to adverts on social media and dating apps.

Sexual behaviour, service use and unmet need for STI testing (any new male and/or multiple condomless anal sex (CAS) partners without STI testing) in the 3 months since lockdown began were examined and compared using multivariable analyses with an equivalent 3-month period in a 2017 survey (N=1918), conducted by the same research team.

Results

Since lockdown began, 36.7% of participants reported one or more new partners, 17.3% reported CAS with multiple partners, 29.7% HIV testing (among 1815 of unknown/negative status), 24.9% STI testing and 15.4% using pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Since lockdown began, 25.3% of participants had unmet need for STI testing. This was more likely among Asian versus white participants (adjusted OR (aOR)=1.76, (1.14 to 2.72), p=0.01); for participants living in Scotland (aOR=2.02, (1.40 to 2.91), p<0.001) or Northern Ireland (aOR=1.93, (1.02–3.63), p=0.04) versus England; and for those living with HIV (aOR=1.83, (1.32 to 2.53), p<0.001).

Compared to 2017, the equivalent 2020 subsample were less likely to report new male partners (46.8% vs 71.1%, p<0.001), multiple CAS partners (20.3% vs 30.8%, p<0.001) and have unmet need for STI testing (32.8% vs 42.5%, p<0.001) in the past 3 months.

Conclusions

We found potential for ongoing STI/HIV transmission among men who have sex with men during the initial UK lockdown, despite reduced sexual activity, and inequalities in service access. These findings will support public health planning to mitigate health risks during and after the COVID-19 response.
Sexually transmitted infection (STI) research priority-setting: a two-stage study including the perspectives of patients, the public, clinicians and stakeholders
Authors: Browne Hannah Louise , Clarke Emily , Obasi Angela I
Published: September 2021

Objectives

Patient and public involvement (PPI) in research priority-setting remains limited, especially for non-HIV STI. We identify and compare the top 10 patient and public STI research priorities with those of clinicians and STI stakeholders.

Methods

This two-stage study was conducted in May–August 2019. First, STI research priorities were canvassed through qualitative questionnaires issued to all patients attending a large sexual health clinic, all clinicians in region-wide mailing lists, all stakeholders identified through existing networks and the Charity Commission database, and to the Liverpool public. Raw responses were organised by theme into a shortlist of 25. In stage 2, these were ranked through priority-setting activities by telephone with patients and the public (n=8) and some clinicians (n=3), and in two workshops with clinicians (n=26) and stakeholders (n=5), respectively. The top 10 priorities were compared.

Results

Of 373 surveys submitted, 106 were analysed (83 patient and public; 23 clinician and stakeholder). Exclusions included lack of completion and responses out of scope. Among patient and public respondents, 55% (n=46) were aged 18–24 years, 51% (n=42) identified as heterosexual women and 23% (n=19) as men who have sex with men. Clinicians included all cadres; stakeholders were academics, commissioners and third sector representatives. In stage 2, 4 of 10 themes (STI education, targeted services for high-risk groups, antibiotic resistance and counselling for those with STI) were prioritised by all. Remote STI services and rapid diagnostics also ranked highly but the rationale differed between groups.

Conclusion

This is the first non-HIV STI research priority-setting exercise to be reported in the UK. It identifies overlaps and differences between public and provider concerns, highlights gaps in the public understanding of STI research, and shows how PPI can promote research responsive to the concerns of both those who use and deliver services.
HIV testing in termination of pregnancy and colposcopy services: a scoping review
Authors: Filippidis Paraskevas , Francini Katyuska , Jacot-Guillarmod Martine , Mathevet Patrice , Lhopitallier Loïc , Cavassini Matthias , Darling Katharine E.A.
Published: September 2021

Background

Women and girls are relatively under-represented across the HIV treatment cascade. Two conditions unique to women, pregnancy and cervical cancer/dysplasia, share a common acquisition mode with HIV. This scoping review aimed to explore HIV testing practices in voluntary termination of pregnancy (TOP) and colposcopy services.

Methods

The scoping review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. We searched articles published up to 20 December 2020 using three electronic databases (PubMed/Medline, Embase, Google Scholar) and including the keywords “HIV Testing”, “Abortion, Induced”, “Colposcopy”, “HIV screen*” and “termination of pregnancy”.

Results

A total of 1496 articles were identified, of which 55 met the inclusion criteria. We included studies providing background HIV prevalence in addition to prevalence in the study population and studies of women seeking TOP rather than presenting with TOP complications. This limited our review to high-income, low HIV prevalence settings. We observed two study phases: studies pre-antiretroviral therapy (ART) using unlinked anonymous testing data and examining HIV risk factors associated with positive HIV tests and studies post-ART using routine testing data and exploring HIV testing uptake. HIV prevalence was estimated at >0.2% in most TOP settings and >1% (range 1.7%–11.4%) in colposcopy services. Many TOP providers did not have local HIV testing policies and HIV testing was not mentioned in many specialist guidelines. Testing uptake was 49%–96% in TOP and 23%–75% in colposcopy services.

Conclusion

Given the estimated HIV prevalence of >0.1% among women attending TOP and colposcopy services, HIV testing would be economically feasible to perform in high-income settings. Explicit testing policies are frequently lacking in these two settings, both at the local level and in specialist guidelines. Offering HIV testing regardless of risk factors could normalise testing, reduce late HIV presentation and create an opportunity for preventive counselling.
Wigner SU(4) symmetry, clustering, and the spectrum of $$^{12}$$C
Authors: Shen Shihang , Lähde Timo A. , Lee Dean , Meißner Ulf-G.
Published: September 2021

We present lattice calculations of the low-lying spectrum of $$^{12}$$

12

C using a simple nucleon–nucleon interaction that is independent of spin and isospin and therefore invariant under Wigner’s SU(4) symmetry. We find strong signals for all excited states up to $$\sim 15$$

∼
15

 MeV above the ground state, and explore the structure of each state using a large variety of $$\alpha $$
α
cluster and harmonic oscillator trial states, projected onto given irreducible representations of the cubic group. We are able to verify earlier findings for the $$\alpha $$
α
clustering in the Hoyle state and the second $$2^+$$

2
+

state of $$^{12}$$

12

C. The success of these calculations to describe the full low-lying energy spectrum using spin-independent interactions suggest that either the spin-orbit interactions are somewhat weak in the $$^{12}$$

12

C system, or the effects of $$\alpha $$
α
clustering are diminishing their influence. This is in agreement with previous findings from ab initio shell model calculations.
Heavy quark radiation in the quark–gluon plasma in the Moliere theory: angular distribution of the radiation
Authors: Blok B.
Published: September 2021

We study the effects of adding the Coulomb interactions to the harmonic oscillator (HO) approximation of the heavy parton propagating through the quark–gluon plasma (the extension to QCD of the Molliere theory). We explicitly find the expression for the transverse momentum distribution of the gluon radiation of the heavy quark propagating in the quark gluon plasma in the framework of the Moliere theory, taking into account the BDMPSZ radiation in the HO approximation, and the Coulomb logarithms described by the additional logarithmic terms in the effective potential. We show that these Coulomb logarithms significantly influence the HO distribution, derived in the BDMPSZ works, especially for the small transverse momenta, filling the dead cone, and reducing the dead cone suppression of the heavy quark radiation (dead cone effect). In addition we study the effect of the phase space constraints on the heavy quark energy loss, and argue that taking into account of both the phase space constraints and of the Coulomb gluons reduces the dependence of the heavy quark energy loss on its mass in the HO approximation.
The cosmological background and the “external field” in modified gravity (MOG)
Authors: Moffat J. W. , Toth V. T.
Published: September 2021

We investigate the contributions of the Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker metric of the standard cosmology as an asymptotic boundary condition on the first-order approximation of the gravitational field in Moffat’s theory of modified gravity (MOG). We also consider contributions due to the fact that the MOG theory does not satisfy the shell theorem or Birkhoff’s theorem, resulting in what is known as the “external field effect” (EFE). We show that while both these effects add small contributions to the radial acceleration law, the result is orders of magnitude smaller than the radial acceleration in spiral galaxies.
Is two-pole’s $$\varLambda (1405)$$ one state or two?
Authors: Wang Zhong-Yu , Ahmed Hiwa A. , Xiao C. W.
Published: September 2021

To understand the nature of two poles for the$$\varLambda (1405)$$Λ(1405)state, we revisit the interactions of$${\bar{K}}N$$K¯Nand$$\pi \Sigma $$πΣwith their coupled channels, where two-pole structure is found in the second Riemann sheet. We also dynamically generate two poles in the single channel interaction of$${\bar{K}}N$$K¯Nand$$\pi \Sigma $$πΣ, respectively. Moreover, we make a further study of two poles’ properties by evaluating the couplings, the compositeness, the wave functions, and the radii for the interactions of four coupled channels, two coupled channels and the single channel. Our results show that the nature of two poles is unique. The higher-mass pole is a pure$${\bar{K}} N$$K¯Nmolecule, and the lower-mass one is a composite state of mainly$$\pi \Sigma $$πΣwith tiny component$${\bar{K}} N$$K¯N. From our results, one can conclude that the$$\varLambda (1405)$$Λ(1405)state may be overlapped with two different states of the same quantum numbers.
Exploring the Practice of Evaluation in Corporate Venturing
Authors: Cordes Andreas , Guderian Carsten C. , Riar Frederik J.
Published: September 2021

Venturing activities have become a cornerstone of corporates’ innovation strategies but remain subject to high failure rates. Failure reasons comprise especially poor evaluation qualities, resulting in suboptimal resource allocations. In this study, we investigate the practice of evaluation in corporate venturing by analyzing primary data from 21 in-depth interviews with managers of internal corporate venturing (ICV) programs. We find that the evaluation elements (1) evaluation dates, (2) evaluation methodologies, and (3) evaluation bodies are not isolated — as often suggested by prior research — but interdependent by determining each other. By developing a better understanding of the specific relationships among the main evaluation elements in ICV programs, we contribute to the corporate venturing literature and provide guidance for practitioners.
COVID-19: A HEALTH PERSPECTIVE
Authors: WONG SHEENA , EN GOH JING , KOH DAVID
Published: September 2021

A severe pneumonia of an unknown origin was reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019. The disease, now known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has evolved into a public health emergency of international concern and wreaked worldwide havoc. An unprecedented and vigorous scientific response has allowed the accelerated discovery of the virus and reliable diagnostic methods; a rapid characterization of the disease and its impacts so as to better apply precautionary and public health measures; and resulted in remarkable progress in the development of mitigation strategies, including the development of vaccines at breakneck speed. This paper provides a health perspective of the virus and the pandemic it caused, based on available best evidence. Controversies surrounding the origin of the virus, its incubation period and infectivity, presentation and course of the disease, testing, as well as treatments and vaccinations are highlighted. The pandemic response, including infection control measures, and considerations on mental and economic health, alongside physical health is discussed. Moving forward, it is important that the global community is aware and better informed. More resources are needed to strengthen public health systems and healthcare infrastructure and delivery. This virus has the potential to persist and become endemic and seasonal in communities. Thus, non-pharmaceutical interventions (e.g. wearing masks, frequent hand washing, etc.) might become the new normal in a post-pandemic world. The silver lining in the COVID-19 cloud may be the lessons it provides, so that we may be better prepared to respond to an inevitable next pandemic.
A Unified Dialogue Management Strategy for Multi-intent Dialogue Conversations in Multiple Languages
Authors: Saha Tulika , Gupta Dhawal , Saha Sriparna , Bhattacharyya Pushpak
Published: September 2021

Building Virtual Agents capable of carrying out complex queries of the user involving multiple intents of a domain is quite a challenge, because it demands that the agent manages several subtasks simultaneously. This article presents a universal Deep Reinforcement Learning framework that can synthesize dialogue managers capable of working in a task-oriented dialogue system encompassing various intents pertaining to a domain. The conversation between agent and user is broken down into hierarchies, to segregate subtasks pertinent to different intents. The concept of Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning, particularly
options
, is used to learn policies in different hierarchies that operates in distinct time steps to fulfill the user query successfully. The dialogue manager comprises top-level intent meta-policy to select among subtasks or options and a low-level controller policy to pick primitive actions to communicate with the user to complete the subtask provided to it by the top-level policy in varying intents of a domain. The proposed dialogue management module has been trained in a way such that it can be reused for any language for which it has been developed with little to no supervision. The developed system has been demonstrated for “Air Travel” and “Restaurant” domain in
English
and
Hindi
languages. Empirical results determine the robustness and efficacy of the learned dialogue policy as it outperforms several baselines and a state-of-the-art system.
A Multi-Classification Sentiment Analysis Model of Chinese Short Text Based on Gated Linear Units and Attention Mechanism
Authors: Liu Lei , Chen Hao , Sun Yinghong
Published: September 2021

Sentiment analysis of social media texts has become a research hotspot in information processing. Sentiment analysis methods based on the combination of machine learning and sentiment lexicon need to select features. Selected emotional features are often subjective, which can easily lead to overfitted models and poor generalization ability. Sentiment analysis models based on deep learning can automatically extract effective text emotional features, which will greatly improve the accuracy of text sentiment analysis. However, due to the lack of a multi-classification emotional corpus, it cannot accurately express the emotional polarity. Therefore, we propose a multi-classification sentiment analysis model, GLU-RCNN, based on Gated Linear Units and attention mechanism. Our model uses the Gated Linear Units based attention mechanism to integrate the local features extracted by CNN with the semantic features extracted by the LSTM. The local features of short text are extracted and concatenated by using multi-size convolution kernels. At the classification layer, the emotional features extracted by CNN and LSTM are respectively concatenated to express the emotional features of the text. The detailed evaluation on two benchmark datasets shows that the proposed model outperforms state-of-the-art approaches.
Autophagy gene ATG7 regulates albumin transcytosis in renal tubule epithelial cells
Authors: Uchida Yushi , Torisu Kumiko , Ueki Kenji , Tsuruya Kazuhiko , Nakano Toshiaki , Kitazono Takanari
Published: September 2021

Albumin transport in proximal tubule epithelial cells (PTECs) is important to control proteinuria. The neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), a receptor for albumin transcytosis, is partially colocalized with autophagosomes. Recycling of FcRn to the plasma membrane was decreased in autophagy-related 7 ( ATG7) knockdown cells. In addition, albumin transcytosis was decreased in ATG7 or autophagy-related 5 ( ATG5) knockdown PTECs. Finally, release of kidney injury molecule-1 from ATG7 or ATG5 knockdown cells was increased in response to excess albumin.
Pathomorphological sequence of nephron loss in diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Löwen Jana , Gröne Elisabeth F. , Groß-Weißmann Marie-Luise , Bestvater Felix , Gröne Hermann-Josef , Kriz Wilhelm
Published: September 2021

Based on analysis of 819 human biopsies, essential derangement in diabetic nephropathy consists of accumulation of worn-out glomerular basement membrane in the mesangium that may advance to global sclerosis. The most frequent pathway to nephron dropout starts with the penetration of glomerular capillaries into Bowman’s capsule (BC), delivering an exudate into BC that spreads around the entire glomerular circumference and via the glomerulotubular junction onto the tubule, resulting in glomerular sclerosis and chronic tubulointerstitial damage.
Joint Angle, Range of Motion, Force, and Moment Assessment: Responses of the Lower Limb to Ankle Plantarflexion and Dorsiflexion
Authors: Ugbolue Ukadike Chris , Robson Chloe , Donald Emma , Speirs Kerry L. , Dutheil Frédéric , Baker Julien S. , Dias Tilak , Gu Yaodong
Published: September 2021

There is limited research on the biomechanical assessment of the lower limb joints in relation to dynamic movements that occur at the hip, knee, and ankle joints when performing dorsiflexion (DF) and plantarflexion (PF) among males and females. This study investigated the differences in joint angles (including range of motion (ROM)) and forces (including moments) between the left and right limbs at the ankle, knee, and hip joints during dynamic DF and PF movements in both males and females. Using a general linear model employing multivariate analysis in relation to the joint angle, ROM, force, and moment datasets, the results revealed significant main effects for gender, sidedness, phases, and foot position with respect to joint angles. Weak correlations were observed between measured biomechanical variables. These results provide insightful information for clinicians and biomechanists that relate to lower limb exercise interventions and modelling efficacy standpoints.
[Retracted] Sports Training System Based on Convolutional Neural Networks and Data Mining
Authors: Zhang Yuwang , Zhang Yuan
Published: September 2021

In recent years, China’s sports industry has achieved good development, but the efficiency of athletes in the training process is difficult to have scientific guarantee. How to use scientific algorithm and data mining technology to accurately guide the sports training process has become a hot spot. Based on this, this paper studies the gait recognition model of sports training based on convolutional neural network algorithm. First, this paper analyzes the research status of gait recognition in the process of training and optimizes and improves the deficiencies in sports training. Then, the convolutional neural network algorithm and data mining technology are optimized and analyzed in the gait recognition model. Finally, the experimental results show that the convolutional neural network algorithm can realize the recognition and model reconstruction of athletes’ gait in the training process and can make the optimal strategy according to the gait differences of different athletes in the training process, and the recognition accuracy of athletes’ gait can reach more than 97%.
In Vitro Antibacterial and Antifungal Potential of Amyrin‐Type Triterpenoid Isolated from Datura metel Linnaeus
Authors: Bawazeer Sami , Rauf Abdur
Published: September 2021

The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the effect of the combined crude extract, fractions, and compound 1 isolated from the fruits of Datura metel against selected microbial (bacteria and fungi) strains. Results of antibacterial screening indicated marked susceptibility of the extract and its fractions against tested bacterial strains. Among the extract and various fractions, the chloroform fraction exhibited a significant effect against different bacterial strains including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis with an inhibitory zone ranging from 18 to 24 mm. Similarly, results of antifungal activity revealed that the chloroform fraction displays a promising effect against various fungal strains. The chloroform fraction was subjected to repeated chromatography analysis, which yielded compound 1 (daturaolone). Daturaolone exhibited potent activity against selected bacterial strains including Klebsiella pneumoniae, B. subtilis, S. epidermidis, and S. aureus with an inhibitory zone ranging from 12 to 30 mm. In addition, the extracts and daturaolone exhibited significant sensitivity against T. longifusus, C. albicans, A. flavus, M. canis, F. solani, and C. glabrata. Taken all together, it is concluded that our findings validated the traditional use of D. metel to treat various infectious diseases, which is supported by daturaolone.
Changes and Prognostic Value of lncRNA CASC9 in Patients with Advanced Colon Cancer after Chemotherapy
Authors: Jiao Yingwei , Liu Qiang , Zhao Hongbo , Hu Xianzhen , Sun Jinlong , Liu Xiaohong
Published: September 2021

Objective. Colon cancer (CC) shows a gradual increasing incidence in recent years, and chemotherapy is a frequently adopted treatment for patients with middle or advanced colon cancer (ACC), but it lacks prognostic markers after CC. Methods. The changes of lncRNA CASC9 in 58 patients with CC were determined using a real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) assay before and after chemotherapy, and the correlation of serum lncRNA CASC9 with efficacy of FOLFOX4 regimen (oxaliplatin + calcium folinate + fluorouracil) was analyzed. The patients were followed up to understand the association of lncRNA CASC9 with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Results. Patients with CC showed notably higher lncRNA CASC9 expression than controls, and lncRNA CASC9 presented an association with the clinical stage of the patients. In addition, lncRNA CASC9 demonstrated a clinical value in predicting efficacy on patients and acted as one independent prognostic factor for PFS in patients with ACC. Conclusions. With increased expression of serum lncRNA CASC9, patients with ACC suffered an unfavorable chemotherapy effect. In addition, serum lncRNA CASC9 is a promising sensitive indicator for prediction of ACC and is related to the clinical efficacy and prognosis of patients.
StFuzzer: Contribution-Aware Coverage-Guided Fuzzing for Smart Devices
Authors: Yang Jiageng , Zhang Xinguo , Lu Hui , Shafiq Muhammad , Tian Zhihong
Published: September 2021

The root cause of the insecurity for smart devices is the potential vulnerabilities in smart devices. There are many approaches to find the potential bugs in smart devices. Fuzzing is the most effective vulnerability finding technique, especially the coverage-guided fuzzing. The coverage-guided fuzzing identifies the high-quality seeds according to the corresponding code coverage triggered by these seeds. Existing coverage-guided fuzzers consider that the higher the code coverage of seeds, the greater the probability of triggering potential bugs. However, in real-world applications running on smart devices or the operation system of the smart device, the logic of these programs is very complex. Basic blocks of these programs play a different role in the process of application exploration. This observation is ignored by existing seed selection strategies, which reduces the efficiency of bug discovery on smart devices. In this paper, we propose a contribution-aware coverage-guided fuzzing, which estimates the contributions of basic blocks for the process of smart device exploration. According to the control flow of the target on any smart device and the runtime information during the fuzzing process, we propose the static contribution of a basic block and the dynamic contribution built on the execution frequency of each block. The contribution-aware optimization approach does not require any prior knowledge of the target device, which ensures our optimization adapting gray-box fuzzing and white-box fuzzing. We designed and implemented a contribution-aware coverage-guided fuzzer for smart devices, called StFuzzer. We evaluated StFuzzer on four real-world applications that are often applied on smart devices to demonstrate the efficiency of our contribution-aware optimization. The result of our trials shows that the contribution-aware approach significantly improves the capability of bug discovery and obtains better execution speed than state-of-the-art fuzzers.
Antiaging and Antioxidant Bioactivities of Asteraceae Plant Fractions on the Cellular Functions of the Yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe
Authors: Astuti Rika Indri , Prastya Muhammad Eka , Batubara Irmanida , Budiarti Eka , Ilmiyawati Aulia
Published: September 2021

Research on antioxidants has been gaining worldwide attention because of their essential applications for medicinal purposes. In this study, we conducted bioprospecting of six Asteraceae plants as the source of antiaging and antioxidant agents. Water and chloroform fractions from Ageratum conyzoides L., Dichrocephala integrifolia (L.f.) Kuntze, Galinsoga parviflora (Cav.), Mikania micrantha Kunth, Sphagneticola trilobata (L.) Pruski, and Synedrella nodiflora L. were collected and assayed for their in vitro antioxidant activities and potential antiaging properties using the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe as the model organism. Based on the in vitro assay, the water fractions of S. trilobata showed a strong antioxidant activity. Interestingly, all treatment solutions promoted the stress tolerance phenotype of S. pombe to strong H2O2-induced oxidative stress conditions. Moreover, compared with the treatments without plant extract/fraction, all extract and fraction treatments, except the chloroform fractions of A. conyzoides, promoted yeast cell longevity. Strong induction of mitochondria activity was found following the treatments with the extracts and fractions of S. nodiflora, D. integrifolia, and M. micrantha and likely mimicked the calorie restriction-induced lifespan. Interestingly, S. nodiflora water fractions significantly upregulated the mRNA transcripts of the Pap1-mediated core environmental stress response, namely, ctt1 gene in S. pombe. These data indicated that the fractions of Asteraceae plants had potential antioxidant and antiaging activities through various cellular modulations. S. nodiflora water fraction has been shown to have antioxidant and antiaging activities in S. pombe, by modulating stress tolerance response, inducing mitochondrial activity, and increasing the ctt1 gene expression. Compounds analysis identified that S. nodiflora water fraction contained some primarily compounds including oxyphyllacinol, valine, and sugiol.
A Single‐Valued Extended Hesitant Fuzzy Score‐Based Technique for Probabilistic Hesitant Fuzzy Multiple Criteria Decision‐Making
Authors: Farhadinia Bahram , Taghavi Atefeh
Published: September 2021

The probabilistic hesitant fuzzy set (PHFS) is a worthwhile extension of the hesitant fuzzy set (HFS) which allows people to improve their quantitative assessment with the corresponding probability. Recently, in order to address the issue of difficulty in aggregating decision makers’ opinions, a probability splitting algorithm has been developed that drives an efficient probabilistic‐unification process of PHFSs. Adopting such a unification process allows decision makers to disregard the probability part in developing fruitful theories of comparison of PHFSs. By keeping this feature in mind, we try to introduce a class of score functions for the notion of the single‐valued extended hesitant fuzzy set (SVEHFS) as a novel deformation of PHFS. Interestingly, a SVEHFS not only belongs to a less dimensional space compared to that of PHFSs but also the proposed SVEHFS‐based score functions satisfy a number of interesting properties. Eventually, some case studies of multiple criteria decision‐making (MCDM) techniques under the PHFS environment are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of proposed SVEHFS‐based score functions.
Effect of Using Hybrid Nanofluid in Thermal Management of Photovoltaic Panel in Hot Climates
Authors: Komeili Birjandi Amir , Eftekhari Yazdi Mohammad , Dinarvand Saeed , Salehi Gholam Reza , Tehrani Pedram
Published: September 2021

Photovoltaic (PV) cells have been applied for direct conversion of solar radiation into electricity. Their performance is significantly affected by the working temperature. Due to the higher efficiency of the cells in lower temperatures, several thermal management approaches have been applied in recent years. Employing liquids as coolant is one of the efficient approaches in cooling down the PV cells. Using fluids with enhanced heat transfer properties would lead to further improvement in the output of the cells. In this paper, utilization of a hybrid nanofluid, with improved thermophysical characteristics, is numerically investigated by applying Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Results revealed that by employing the low concentration hybrid nanofluid instead of water, higher efficiency and consequently electrical output are achievable. The maximum enhancement in the efficiency of the cell compared with the reference case without cooling is around 35.66% which is obtained in case of using the nanofluid with mass flow rate of 0.0002 kg/s and solar irradiation of 1000 W/m2.
Epidemiological Dynamics of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase- or AmpC β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli Screened in Apparently Healthy Chickens in Uganda
Authors: Kakooza Steven , Munyiirwa Damien , Ssajjakambwe Paul , Kayaga Edrine , Tayebwa Dickson Stuart , Ndoboli Dickson , Basemera Loreen , Nabatta Esther , Tumwebaze Maria Agnes , Kaneene John Baligwamunsi
Published: September 2021

The dynamics of extended-spectrum β-lactamase- (ESBL-) and AmpC β-lactamase-producing bacteria (which are deadly groups of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria) have not been well understood in developing countries. This raises major concerns to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) control. We investigated the prevalence and factors linked to the fecal carriage of ESBL- or AmpC-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-/AmpC-EC) in commercial chickens. Cloacal swabs from 400 birds were sampled and submitted to the Central Diagnostic Laboratory for ESBL-/AmpC-EC screening by culture methods using MacConkey agar supplemented with cefotaxime. Epidemiological data were collected using a structured questionnaire and plausible risk factor analyses prepared by R software using X2 test and logistic regression modeling. Results showed that the prevalence of ESBL-/AmpC-EC was 17.5%. Univariable screening hypothesized that carriage was probably influenced by a type of commercial chicken, geographical location, age group, flock size, and housing system (

p
<
0.05

). Modeling exposed that broiler birds were at a higher risk of being ESBL-/AmpC-EC carriers (COR = 9.82, CI = 3.85–25.07). Birds from Wakiso Town Council (COR = 4.89, CI = 2.04–11.72) and flocks of 700–1200 birds were also at a higher risk of harboring ESBL-/AmpC-EC (COR = 2.41, CI = 1.11–5.23). Birds aged 4 months and below were more susceptible to ESBL-/AmpC-EC carriage compared with those aged 1 month and below being 6.33 times (CI = 1.65–24.35) likely to be carriers. The occurrence of ESBL-/AmpC-EC in flocks suggests possible treatment failures while managing colibacillosis. Consequently, injudicious antimicrobial use should be replaced with an accurate diagnosis by bacterial culture and sensitivity testing so as to circumvent AMR emergence, spread, and associated losses.
Interactive Teaching Mode of College English Based on Internet of Things
Authors: Pu Ting , Liu Xing , Hao Wenjing
Published: September 2021

In terms of English teaching in China, English teaching mode, there are some drawbacks. The interaction between teachers and students is very insufficient, which cannot fully mobilize the enthusiasm of students. The purpose of this study is to explore a new way for English teaching mode, hoping to explore better English teaching methods and improve students’ English performance. This paper focuses on the characteristics of College English (CE) interactive teaching mode based on the Internet of Things technology, discusses the practical application of the Internet of Things technology in College English interactive teaching, and makes a simple research on the interactive teaching mode of College English based on the Internet of Things (IoT). Students from two natural classes in our city were selected as the research objects and divided into an experimental group and control group. The overall English levels of the two classes were similar, and the study lasted for a semester. Research tools include questionnaires, writing tests, and interviews. Statistical software was used to analyze the data in detail. Before and after the experiment, the test results of the experimental class and the control class were tested by independent sample t-test and paired sample t-test. The experimental results show that the College English interactive teaching mode based on the Internet of Things is welcomed by students, and the experimental effect is significant. The overall average score of the experimental group increased by 13.6 points, while that of the control group increased by 4.2 points. The gap between the two groups was very obvious. As far as the scores of each part of the English test paper are concerned, the scores of each part of the experimental group are also higher than those of the control group.
Cluster-Based Immunotherapy for Patients with Recurrent Abortion Caused by Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Authors: Wang Ruifang , Yu Juanjuan , Yan Zhen , Cheng Xiaolin , Chen Jian , Guo Yunhong
Published: September 2021

In order to diagnose patients with pregnancy and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, provide early treatment, and effectively reduce the pregnancy outcome of the abnormal pregnancy, the effect of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) immunotherapy on the incidence of abortion was discussed based on clustering algorithm. We selected 62 cases of APS leading to recurrent miscarriage patients, in the early pregnancy injection of low molecular heparin, intravenous drip proprocyclin, and oral tactics, using B-ultrasound images to observe the pregnancy ending. The results show that the hormone levels in the two groups were different before treatment (

P
>
0.05

); after treatment, the HCG, E2, and P hormone levels in the two groups were significantly improved, and the HCG, E2, and P hormone levels in the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group (

P
<
0.05

); the abortion rate of patients in the observation group was significantly lower than that of the control group (

P
<
0.05

); the antiphosphorus antibody of the study group was significantly higher than that of the control group. For APS patients, immunotherapy is effective. Antiphospholipid syndrome causes remarkable immunotherapy effect in patients with recurrent miscarriage, effectively improves the clinical symptoms of patients, improves antiprochemical antibody rosion, and improves the patient’s pregnancy outcomes, which is worth promoting.
Noncompliance with the WHO’s Recommended Eight Antenatal Care Visits among Pregnant Women in Sub‐Saharan Africa: A Multilevel Analysis
Authors: Odusina Emmanuel Kolawole , Ahinkorah Bright Opoku , Ameyaw Edward Kwabena , Seidu Abdul-Aziz , Budu Eugene , Zegeye Betregiorgis , Yaya Sanni
Published: September 2021

Background. In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) introduced a minimum of eight antenatal care (ANC) visits for positive pregnancy outcomes. This study examined the prevalence of noncompliance with 8+ ANCvisits and its associated factors in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). Methods. We used data from the Demographic and Health Surveys of eight countries in SSA. A pooled sample of 63,266 pregnant women aged 15‐49 years who had given birth to children within 5 years prior to the surveys was included in this study. To examine the factors associated with noncompliance with ANC 8+ visits, multilevel binary logistic regression analysis was conducted, and the results were reported using odds radios at 95% confidence interval (CI). Results. The pooled prevalence of noncompliance with ANC 8+ visits was 92.3% (95% CI: 91.1%‐93.3%) with the highest and lowest prevalence in Zambia (98.7%, 95% CI: 98.3%‐99.1%) and Libya (73.4%, 95% CI: 70.4%‐76.2%), respectively. With the individual level factors, women’s age (44‐49 years‐aOR = 0.33, 9% CI: 0.14‐0.78), health insurance registration, (yes‐aOR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.29‐0.98), and economic status (richest‐aOR = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.05‐0.49) were negatively associated with noncompliance with 8+ ANC visits, while parity (five or more children‐aOR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.12‐2.52) was positively associated with noncompliance with 8+ ANC visit. With the community level factors, community level literacy was negatively associated with noncompliance with 8+ ANC visit (high‐aOR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.32‐0.99). Conclusion. About eight out of ten pregnant women did not comply with the WHO’s recommended minimum of eight ANC visits for positive pregnancy outcomes in SSA. Empowering the economic status of women , enhancing health insurance and education coverage, and giving more attention to young pregnant women and those with more children are crucial for improving the coverage of ANC 8+ visits in the region.