bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Schwinger’s picture of quantum mechanics IV: Composition and independence
Authors: Ciaglia F. M. , Di Cosmo F. , Ibort A. , Marmo G.
Published: February 2020

The groupoid description of Schwinger’s picture of quantum mechanics is continued by discussing the closely related notions of composition of systems, subsystems, and their independence. Physical subsystems have a neat algebraic description as subgroupoids of the Schwinger’s groupoid of the system. The groupoid picture offers two natural notions of composition of systems: Direct and free products of groupoids, that will be analyzed in depth as well as their universal character. Finally, the notion of independence of subsystems will be reviewed, finding that the usual notion of independence, as well as the notion of free independence, find a natural realm in the groupoid formalism. The ideas described in this paper will be illustrated by using the EPRB experiment. It will be observed that, in addition to the notion of the non-separability provided by the entangled state of the system, there is an intrinsic “non-separability” associated to the impossibility of identifying the entangled particles as subsystems of the total system.
Nanoindentation and Scratch Resistance Characteristics of AZ31–WC Nanocomposites
Authors: Banerjee Sudip , Poria Suswagata , Sutradhar Goutam , Sahoo Prasanta
Published: February 2020

This work examines the effects of WC nanoparticles on nanohardness, elastic modulus and scratch-induced wear behavior of Mg-based metal matrix nanocomposites. Ultrasonic vibrator-equipped stir casting furnace is used to fabricate Mg–WC nanocomposites. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) are employed to conduct the characterizations of base alloy and Mg–WC nanocomposites. Vickers microhardness tester is used to obtain the microhardness values of the fabricated materials. Nanoindentation tests are performed to find the effect of wt.% of WC on the mechanical properties, i.e., nanohardness and elastic modulus. Nanohardness and elastic modulus present nearly 122% and 169.37% increments, respectively, compared to the base alloy when only 2[Formula: see text]wt.% of WC is present as reinforcement. Scratch tests are performed to find the effects of wt.% of WC and applied load on the scratch-induced wear and coefficient of friction (CoF) of the base alloy and Mg–WC nanocomposites. Wear volume also decreases continuously with increase in the weight percentage of WC in magnesium alloy. The COFs of nanocomposites are almost constant but they are inclined to increase with the increase in wt.% of WC. Finally, SEM micrographs of scratch grooves are analyzed to find the wear mechanisms. Abrasive wear mechanism is found to be the dominant one regarding the scratch of Mg–WC nanocomposites.
Characterization of the tectonic origins of historical and modern seismic events and their societal impact on the Azores Archipelago, Portugal
Authors: Silva R. , Carmo R. , Marques R.
Published: February 2020

The Azores archipelago is located in the North Atlantic Ocean and consists of nine volcanic islands distributed along a general WNW–ESE trend, crossing the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) in the zone where three lithospheric plates (Eurasian, Nubian and North American) come across. To the west of the MAR, at the North American plate, the Corvo and Flores islands emerge from a present-day, relatively stable geological setting, while the other islands are located in an important seismically and volcanically active zone, corresponding to the boundary between the Eurasian and Nubian tectonic plates. Since the settlement of the Azores archipelago, in the mid-fifteenth century, several destructive earthquakes, such as the 1522 earthquake that severely affected São Miguel Island, and seismic crises with a significant destructive impact, have affected the region with intensities up to X (European Macroseismic Scale of 98 – EMS-98). The location of such events, either inland or offshore, is mainly related to the WNW–ESE structural system, which extends from the MAR to the Gloria Fault (GF). The instrumental seismic activity registered since 1997 has allowed improvements to the characterization of the present-day boundary between the Eurasian and Nubian plates.
An Enhanced Neural Network Approach to Person-Job Fit in Talent Recruitment
Authors: Qin Chuan , Zhu Hengshu , Xu Tong , Zhu Chen , Ma Chao , Chen Enhong , Xiong Hui
Published: February 2020

The widespread use of online recruitment services has led to an information explosion in the job market. As a result, recruiters have to seek intelligent ways for Person-Job Fit, which is the bridge for adapting the right candidates to the right positions. Existing studies on Person-Job Fit usually focus on measuring the matching degree between talent qualification and job requirements mainly based on the manual inspection of human resource experts, which could be easily misguided by the subjective, incomplete, and inefficient nature of human judgment. To that end, in this article, we propose a novel end-to-end
T
opic-based
A
bility-aware
P
erson-
J
ob
F
it
N
eural
N
etwork (TAPJFNN) framework, which has a goal of reducing the dependence on manual labor and can provide better interpretability about the fitting results. The key idea is to exploit the rich information available in abundant historical job application data. Specifically, we propose a word-level semantic representation for both job requirements and job seekers’ experiences based on Recurrent Neural Network (RNN). Along this line, two hierarchical topic-based ability-aware attention strategies are designed to measure the different importance of job requirements for semantic representation, as well as measure the different contribution of each job experience to a specific ability requirement. In addition, we design a refinement strategy for Person-Job Fit prediction based on historical recruitment records. Furthermore, we introduce how to exploit our TAPJFNN framework for enabling two specific applications in talent recruitment: talent sourcing and job recommendation. Particularly, in the application of job recommendation, a novel training mechanism is designed for addressing the challenge of biased negative labels. Finally, extensive experiments on a large-scale real-world dataset clearly validate the effectiveness and interpretability of the TAPJFNN and its variants compared with several baselines.
Cardiac Fibroblast Diversity
Authors: Tallquist Michelle D.
Published: February 2020

Cardiac fibrosis is a pathological condition that occurs after injury and during aging. Currently, there are limited means to effectively reduce or reverse fibrosis. Key to identifying methods for curbing excess deposition of extracellular matrix is a better understanding of the cardiac fibroblast, the cell responsible for collagen production. In recent years, the diversity and functions of these enigmatic cells have been gradually revealed. In this review, I outline current approaches for identifying and classifying cardiac fibroblasts. An emphasis is placed on new insights into the heterogeneity of these cells as determined by lineage tracing and single-cell sequencing in development, adult, and disease states. These recent advances in our understanding of the fibroblast provide a platform for future development of novel therapeutics to combat cardiac fibrosis.
Review—Electrochemical Approaches and Advances towards the Detection of Drug Resistance
Authors: Islam Rafiqul , Luu Huy Tran Le , Kuss Sabine
Published: February 2020

Drug resistance in bacteria and cancer is a growing problem that decreases drug treatment effectiveness and increases the severity of bacterial infections as well as cancer mortality. Due to their high sensitivity, low cost, and rapid analysis time, electrochemical methods have been increasingly employed to tackle this challenge throughout the last decade. This review covers literature on the electrochemical characterization of antibiotics and chemotherapeutic drugs, as well as advances in analyzing interactions between drug compounds and biological cells. Recent developments towards the quantitative detection of drug resistance in bacteria and cancer by electrochemistry are discussed, and the use of specialized electrochemical instrumentation, such as scanning electrochemical microscopy, is highlighted.
Chronic arsenic exposure impairs adaptive thermogenesis in male C57BL/6J mice
Authors: Castriota Felicia , Zushin Peter-James H. , Sanchez Sylvia S. , Phillips Rachael V. , Hubbard Alan , Stahl Andreas , Smith Martyn T. , Wang Jen-Chywan , La Merrill Michele A.
Published: February 2020

The global prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) has doubled since 1980. Human epidemiological studies support arsenic exposure as a risk factor for T2D, although the precise mechanism is unclear. We hypothesized that chronic arsenic ingestion alters glucose homeostasis by impairing adaptive thermogenesis, i.e., body heat production in cold environments. Arsenic is a pervasive environmental contaminant, with more than 200 million people worldwide currently exposed to arsenic-contaminated drinking water. Male C57BL/6J mice exposed to sodium arsenite in drinking water at 300 μg/L for 9 wk experienced significantly decreased metabolic heat production when acclimated to chronic cold tolerance testing, as evidenced by indirect calorimetry, despite no change in physical activity. Arsenic exposure increased total fat mass and subcutaneous inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) mass. RNA sequencing analysis of iWAT indicated that arsenic dysregulated mitochondrial processes, including fatty acid metabolism. Western blotting in WAT confirmed that arsenic significantly decreased TOMM20, a correlate of mitochondrial abundance; PGC1A, a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis; and, CPT1B, the rate-limiting step of fatty acid oxidation (FAO). Our findings show that chronic arsenic exposure impacts the mitochondrial proteins of thermogenic tissues involved in energy expenditure and substrate regulation, providing novel mechanistic evidence for arsenic’s role in T2D development.
Prediction Model for Information Dissemination in Social Network Media Based on Triangle Ring Attractor
Authors: Zheng Zhe , Zhou Chunliang , Meng Xiangpei , Wang Le , Xu Ying
Published: February 2020

In order to solve the information transfer of social network media, a new information transfer prediction method is presented by a triangle ring attractor. At first, the description method of social media information is given in this model, and the evaluation indexes such as information recall rate, matching degree, and recall rate are emphatically expounded. At the same time, the characteristics of media information are analyzed with a triangular ring attractor, and an information transfer prediction model is established. Finally, through the simulation experiment, the key factors influencing the method are deeply analyzed. Experimental results show that compared with other algorithms, this method has good adaptability in the degree of information attenuation and information checking rate.
Study of the Compressive Strength of Mortars as a Function of Material Composition, Workability, and Specimen Geometry
Authors: Marvila M. T. , Azevedo A. R. G. , Alexandre J. , Vieira C. M. F. , Zanelato E. B. , Delaqua G. C. G. , Xavier G. C. , Monteiro S. N.
Published: February 2020

In the present work, the statistical dispersion of the mortar compressive strength as a function of the geometric parameters of the specimens as well as the effect of the mortar workability difference on the compressive strength was investigated. For this purpose, specimens were prepared for six types of mortars: two conventional mortars in the proportions of 1 : 1 : 6 and 1 : 2 : 9 of cement, hydrated lime, and sand, respectively, two with clay replacing lime, and two with marble waste in place of lime. The results confirm the difference between the results found for the two geometries due to the differences in the heights of the molding layers and show that the workability of the mortar modifies the resistance properties, especially in the cylindrical mold where the molding of the specimens is more complex. By comparing the differences between the destructive test results and those defined by the Finite Element Modeling (FEM) for conventional mortars, it was clear that the effect of excess material in the sample during the compression tests did not change the strength properties studied. This facilitates the performance of the assay as specimens may be used excessively on the side without the need for sample rectification.
A Facile Microwave-Assisted Hydrothermal Synthesis of Graphene Quantum Dots for Organic Solar Cell Efficiency Improvement
Authors: Hoang Thi Thu , Pham Hoai Phuong , Tran Quang Trung
Published: February 2020

Carbon-based nanomaterials have successively remained at the forefront of different research fields and applications for years. Understanding of low-dimension carbon material family (CNT, fullerenes, graphene, and graphene quantum dots) has arrived at a certain extension. In this report, graphene quantum dots were synthesized from graphene oxide with a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. Compared with conventional time-consuming hydrothermal routes, this novel method requires a much shorter time, around ten minutes. Successful formation of quantum dots derived from graphene sheets was verified with microscopic and spectroscopic characterization. Nanoparticles present a diameter of about 2-8 nm, blue emission under ultraviolet excitation, and good dispersion in polar solvents and can be collected in powder form. The synthesized graphene quantum dots were utilized as a hole transport layer in organic solar cells to enhance the cell quantum efficiency. Such quantum dots possess energy levels (Ec and Ev) relevant to HOMO and LUMO levels of conductive polymers. Mixing P3HT:PCBM polymer and graphene quantum dots of sufficient extent notably helps reduce potential difference at interfaces of the two materials. Overall efficiency consequently advances to 1.43%, an increase of more than 44% compared with pristine cells (0.99%).
Evaluation of Novel Stereotactic Cannula for Stem Cell Transplantation against Central Nervous System Disease
Authors: Kawabori Masahito , Tanimori Aki , Kitta Shinri , Shichinohe Hideo , Houkin Kiyohiro
Published: February 2020

Cell therapy for central nervous system (CNS) disorders is beginning to prove its safety and efficiency. Intraparenchymal transplantation can be an option for cell delivery; however, one concern regarding this method is that the transplantation cannula may cause additional brain injuries. These include vessel damage, which results in brain hemorrhage, and clogging of the cannula by brain debris and/or cell clusters, which requires replacement of the cannula or forced injection causing jet flow of the cell suspension. We compared cannulas for cell delivery used in clinical trials, the Pittsburg and Mizuho cannulas, to a newly designed one, MK01, to assess their usability. MK01 has a spherical-shaped tip with a fan-like open orifice on the side of the cannula, which prevents vessel damage, clogging of brain debris, and jet flow phenomenon. We compared the extent of rat cervical and abdominal arterial damage with the cannula, the amount of debris in the cannula, the force needed to cause jet flow, and cell viability. While the viability of cells passed through the cannulas was almost the same among cannulas (approximately 95%), the Pittsburg cannula caused cervical arterial injury and subsequent hemorrhage, as it required a significantly smaller force to penetrate the arterial wall. Moreover, the Pittsburg cannula, but not the Mizuho and MK01 cannulas, showed high frequency of brain debris in the needle tip (approximately 80%) after brain puncture. While jet flow of the injection liquid was observed even when using smaller forces in the Pittsburg and Mizuho cannulas, MK01 constantly showed low jet flow occurrence. Thus, MK01 seems to be safer than the previously reported cannulas, although further investigation is necessary to validate its safety for clinical use.
Association of rs944289, rs965513, and rs1443434 in TITF1/TITF2 with Risks of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma and with Nodular Goiter in Northern Chinese Han Populations
Authors: Zhang Xin , Gu Yulu , Li Yong , Cui Heran , Liu Xiaoli , Sun Hui , Yu Qiong , Yu Yaqin , Liu Yawen , Zhan Siyan , Cheng Yi
Published: February 2020

Objective. In this study, we aimed to investigate the associations of three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on TITF1/TITF2 (rs944289, rs965513, and rs1443434) with susceptibility to papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and with nodular goiter (NG) in northern Chinese Han populations. Methods. We performed a case-control study comprising 861 PTC patients, 562 NG patients, and 896 normal controls (NCs). One TITF1 SNP (rs944289) and two TITF2 SNPs (rs965513 and rs1443434) were genotyped. Departures from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) in the control group were evaluated using chi-square test. Associations of the SNPs with PTC and with NG were assessed by unconditional logistic regression using the online SNPStats program. Bonferroni correction was performed for multiple tests in genotype analyses. Data analysis was performed by SPSS24.0 unless otherwise specified. Results. For rs944289, T allele was associated with increased risks for both PTC (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.08–1.41, P=0.002) and NG (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.10–1.50, P=0.002), and TT genotype significantly increased NG risk (recessive model, OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.22–2.10, P=0.001). For rs965513, no association was observed after Bonferroni correction. For rs1443434, G allele was associated with increased PTC risk (OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.10–1.61, P=0.003). Moreover, PTC risk increased with the number of total risk alleles of the three SNPs (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.13–1.37, P<0.001). After stratified by gender, the risk effect of rs944289 T allele on PTC was only observed in females (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.10–1.50, P=0.001). Individuals carrying rs944289-rs965513-rs1443434 haplotypes T-G-G and T-G-T had increased risks of PTC (OR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.25–2.64, P=0.002) and NG (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.06–1.54, P=0.011), respectively. Conclusions. There are associations of rs944289 and rs1443434 polymorphisms with PTC risk and association of rs944289 polymorphism with NG risk. Haplotypes T-G-G and T-G-T are risk haplotypes of PTC and NG, respectively.
Application of RSSD-OCYCBD Strategy in Enhanced Fault Detection of Rolling Bearing
Authors: Wang Xiaolong , Tang Guiji , He Yuling
Published: February 2020

The defect characteristics of rolling bearing are difficult to excavate at the incipient injury phase; in order to effectively solve this issue, an original strategy fusing recursive singular spectrum decomposition (RSSD) with optimized cyclostationary blind deconvolution (OCYCBD) is put forward to achieve fault characteristic enhanced detection. In this diagnosis strategy, the data-driven RSSD method without predetermined component number is proposed. In addition, a new morphological difference operation entropy (MDOE) indicator, which takes advantage of morphological transformation and Shannon entropy, is developed for confirming the influencing parameters of cyclostationary blind deconvolution (CYCBD). During the process of fault detection, RSSD is firstly adopted to preprocess the original signal, and the most sensitive singular spectrum component (SSC) is selected by the envelope spectrum peak (ESP) indicator. Then, the grid search algorithm is adopted to precisely confirm the optimal parameters and OCYCBD is further performed as a postprocessing technology on the most sensitive component to suppress the residual interferences and amplify the fault signatures. Finally, the enhanced fault detection of rolling bearing is able to achieve by analyzing the envelope spectrum of deconvolution signal. The feasibility of the proposed strategy is verified by the simulated and the measured signals, respectively, and its superiority is also demonstrated through several comparison methods. The results manifest this novel strategy has praisable advantages on weak characteristic extraction and intensification.
Incidence of Calf Morbidity and Its Predictors in North Shewa, Amhara, Ethiopia
Authors: Mohammed Rahma , Kefyalew Hailemariam , Kassaye Dawit
Published: February 2020

Calf morbidity is an important productivity factor that results in huge economic losses in the success of livestock production in Ethiopia. However, there is no robust information on its rate and its predictors in the mixed crop livestock production system as most studies are targeted to intensive dairy farms. A longitudinal study design was conducted from December 2018 to April 2019 in Siyadeber and Wayu districts of Amhara region, Ethiopia. A total of 135 apparently healthy calves were enrolled from randomly selected fifty-fifty households in three Kebeles of the district, namely, Gash-amba, Siyadeber, and Wale-deneba. A pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect data about the potential risk factors upon the face-to-face interview made with the owners. Calves were monitored for the incidence of morbidity in a weekly visit basis, and any clinical abnormalities were recorded on registries. The chi-square and Fisher’s exact test followed by Generalized Linear Models for binomial family extensions for risk estimate were run, and a p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. In this study, the overall incidence rate of calf morbidity among under six months of age was 388 calves per 100,000 days of follow-up, with a cumulative incidence of 34.1% (95% CI: 26.1–42.7). Calf diarrhea, pneumonia, septicemia, dehydration, and navel ill were the encountered health problems consecutively. Among the potential risk factors, calves from Siyadeber Kebele (RR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.13–3.94), calves housed with other livestock (RR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.10–3.80), housed with their dam (RR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.20–3.05), without bedding (RR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.20–2.94), and calves whose dam age ranges from 5 to 8 years (RR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.05–3.35) were found to be predictors of calf morbidity. In general, the high calf morbidity rates established in this study together with the alarming predictors of calf morbidity entail attention by the concerning bodies on proper management and improved health care so as to reduce the calf morbidity.
Coupled Static‐Dynamic Tensile Mechanical Properties and Energy Dissipation Characteristic of Limestone Specimen in SHPB Tests
Authors: Ping Qi , Fang Zhaohui , Ma Dongdong , Zhang Hao
Published: February 2020

To investigate the dynamic splitting tensile mechanical property of limestone under coupled static and dynamic state, the dynamic split tensile tests of limestone under one‐dimensional coupled static and dynamic load with different strain rates were performed with the help of modified split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) equipment. The dynamic splitting tensile mechanical property and energy dissipation characteristic under two stress states were also compared in this research. Test results indicated that the dynamic tensile strength of the limestone specimen increased with the increase of average strain rate, exhibiting an obvious strain rate effect. In addition, dynamic tensile strength under uniaxial state was higher than that under one‐dimensional coupled static and dynamic load state under the same test condition. Moreover, the deformation modulus increased with increasing average strain rate under uniaxial state, while it decreased with increasing average strain rate under coupled static and dynamic state. Both the reflected energy and absorbed energy linearly increased with increasing incident energy. The preload in the radial direction could increase the reflected energy and decrease the absorbed energy. Moreover, the transmitted energy with preload state was slightly lower than that under uniaxial state. Finally, the dynamic tensile strength of limestone specimen increased as a power function with increasing absorbed energy.
Fuzzy Nonbalanced Hedonic Scale (F-NBHS): A New Method for Treatments of Food Preference Data Collected with Hedonic Scales of Points
Authors: Micene Katieli Tives , Arezes Pedro Miguel Ferreira Martins , Andrade Fernanda Gomes de , Reyes Bengie Omar Vazquez , Spak Marcia Danieli Szeremeta , Kist Airton , Colmenero João Carlos
Published: February 2020

Hedonic point scales are widely used in food preference studies. However, in this type of scale, the symmetrical distribution of categories and inaccuracy of the responses may interfere with the results of the research. This paper proposes the fuzzy nonbalanced hedonic scale (F-NBHS) as a new method for treatments of food preference data collected with hedonic scales of 9 points and can be generalized to scales with a different number of points. Data analysis from F-NBHS aims to improve the limitations presented by a traditional treatment, especially regarding the distribution of numerical values between the categories and the inaccuracy of the responses. The validation of the proposed scale was carried out through a food preference research done within a Portuguese university. A set of 64 foods, divided into 8 food groups, was evaluated by 119 students in two experiments. The frequency and variability of the data were studied according to the categories in different areas of the scale. Findings showed that the structure of the proposed scale is observed in the behavior of experimental data and intermediate areas, which indicated the intensity of perception and variability of different responses from other areas of the scale. The data used with F-NBHS were more satisfactory in relation to standard deviations and consensus index measurements compared with a traditional treatment. Thus, it is concluded that the F-NBHS scale is a more efficient and robust method for the treatment of dietary preference information compared to a traditional treatment.
Research on Home-Auxiliary Robot System Based on Characteristics of Human Physiological and Motion Signals
Authors: Wang Fuwang , Zhang Xiaolei , Fu Rongrong
Published: February 2020

A home-auxiliary robot system based on characteristics of the electrooculogram (EOG) and tongue signal is developed in the current study, which can provide daily life assistance for people with physical mobility disabilities. It relies on five simple actions (blinking twice in a row, tongue extension, upward tongue rolling, and left and right eye movements) of the human head itself to complete the motions (moving up/down/left/right and double-click) of a mouse in the system screen. In this paper, the brain network and BP neural network algorithms are used to identify these five types of actions. The result shows that, for all subjects, their average recognition rates of eye blinks and tongue movements (tongue extension and upward tongue rolling) were 90.17%, 88.00%, and 89.83%, respectively, and after training, the subjects can complete the five types of movements in sequence within 12 seconds. It means that people with physical disabilities can use the system to quickly and accurately complete life self-help, which brings great convenience to their lives.
New Approach for Vibration Suppression through Restrictors on Towering Steel Columns with Supporting Frame
Authors: Tan Wei , Fan Xiantao , Xu Le , Wang Yang
Published: February 2020

Towering steel column with supporting frame is a typical equipment in chemical process engineering. Here, displacement restrictors are proposed to restrict the displacement of the towering and slender equipment while making the column to be structurally nonlinear and statically indeterminate. This study investigated on along-wind and cross-wind vibration characteristics of such equipment with the restrictors experimentally and numerically. A field test is carried out to measure the natural frequency and damping ratio of the 42.5-meter-high equipment vibrating in the wind, which is the prototype of the experimental model. A noncontact excitation system was applied on the experimental model to simulate the wind loads. The displacements and strains of the experimental model are collected under different frame types by changing the heights of displacement restrictors. The numerical simulation and experimental results showed that the height of displacement restrictors has a great influence on the vibration intensity of the equipment. An optimum location, recommended as about 40% of the height, could decrease the vibration intensity and enhance the safety of the equipment. Based on the results, a simplified formula in which the natural frequency and the damping ratio dominate the dynamic behavior of along-wind and cross-wind vibration, respectively, is derived from multi-degrees-of-freedom system. It could be furtherly utilized to predict the amplitude ratio of two structures and select a better design featuring an efficient vibration suppression performance. This work presents an important design guide to the frame-supporting towering process equipment and is of great significance to an economical and safety design.
Numerical Simulation of the Effect of Different Number Leading Edge Winglets on the Fan-Wing Aerodynamic Characteristics
Authors: Siliang Du , Qijun Zhao , Zhengfei Tang
Published: February 2020

The generation of lift and thrust mainly depends on the formation of low-pressure vortices above the arc groove on the leading edge of the Fan-wing, which makes the lift and thrust have a strong coupling relationship. How to decouple and control the lift and thrust is the key to further engineering application of the Fan-wing. Normally, the geometric parameters of the Fan-wing airfoil were determined; the leading edge opening angle has the greatest influence on the aerodynamic performance. Therefore, the method of installing leading edge winglets on the leading edge of a base Fan-wing airfoil was considered to change the opening angle of the leading edge of the Fan-wing. Through numerical simulation, the effects of single, double, and triple leading edge winglets on lift and thrust of the Fan-wing at different installation angles, inflow velocities, and angles of attack were compared and analyzed. The results show that by controlling the angle of the leading edge winglet, not only the lift and thrust of the fan can be improved but also the strength and position of the low-pressure vortices can be controlled, so as to meet the active control requirements of the aerodynamic moment of the Fan-wing, and then the attitude of the Fan-wing aircraft can be controlled.
Experimental Study of Aircraft Achieving Dutch Roll Mode Stability without Weathercock Stability
Authors: Fu Jingcheng , Huang Jun , Song Lei , Yang Daqing
Published: February 2020

Weathercock stability is usually considered essential to achieve normal flight, while the Dutch roll mode stability can still be achieved without weathercock stability which has been algebraically proved. This paper proposed a flight experiment to investigate the characteristics of an airplane with Dutch roll mode stability but no weathercock stability. Firstly, the algebraic analysis based on a standard lateral-directional mode approximation was made to demonstrate the effect of yawing stability derivative Cnβ on the Dutch roll mode characteristics. The flight experiment was organized after that using a model glider which was modified to have zero Cnβ but with marginal change on Cyβ. The convergence of Dutch roll mode in flight meets the algebraic and numerical analysis as expected. However, the difference of handling characteristics between the original and modified configurations indicates some other roles the weathercock stability plays in flight as well as some limitations of utilizing mode criterion in flight quality analysis.
Repeat Keratoplasty for Failed Therapeutic Keratoplasty for Microbial Keratitis: An Analysis of Characteristics and Risk Factors
Authors: Wan Jifeng , Lin Jing , Hu Yin , Wei Menghuan , Zou Yingshi , Yuan Zhaohui
Published: February 2020

Purpose. To report the ratio of repeat-to-initial keratoplasty among patients who had underwent therapeutic keratoplasty for microbial keratitis in Southern China and to investigate the characteristics and risk factors of repeat keratoplasty. Methods. A retrospective and inclusive review of the clinical records of patients who had received therapeutic keratoplasty for microbial keratitis, at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center during December 2012 to January 2018, was performed. Patients who suffered coexistent endophthalmitis or underwent keratoplasty combined with other surgeries were excluded. Data on clinical characteristics of all eligible patients were collected. Results. A total of 447 patients were identified. Their mean age was 48.7 ± 15.5 years, and 290 (64.9%) were male. Out of the 447 patients, 18 (4.0%) received repeat keratoplasty. Their mean age was 45.9 ± 11.3 years, and 14 (77.8%) were male. The most common indication of repeat keratoplasty (12/18) was refractory infectious keratitis. Most of the patients (15/18, 83.3%) received the second keratoplasty within 12 months after the initial keratoplasty. Factors, including age, gender, initial causative organism, presence of initial corneal perforation, ocular comorbidities, and surgical procedures were not found statistically significantly different between patients who received and not received repeat keratoplasty. Conclusion. The ratio of repeat-to-initial keratoplasty for therapeutic keratoplasty is low, compared to a failure rate of the initial grafts of over 50% reported in previous studies. The low ratio and the most common indication of repeat keratoplasty, refractory infectious keratitis, reflect caution for performing regrafts in such patients.
A Comparative Study of the Effect of Sutureless Versus Multiple Sutures Technique on Complications following Third Molar Surgery in Nepalese Subpopulation
Authors: Mahat Arun Kr. , Yadav Ram , Yadav Anjani Kr. , Acharya Pradeep , Dongol Ashok , Sagtani Alok , Jaisani Mehul R.
Published: February 2020

Objective. To compare the effect of sutureless versus multiple sutures technique on postoperative variables such as pain, swelling, and trismus after surgical removal of the third molar in Nepalese subpopulation. Materials and Methods. Forty-eight patients were equally grouped into multiple sutures (group 1) and sutureless (group 2) groups using a computer-generated random table. The same operator performed all the surgical procedures. Postoperative variables such as pain, swelling, and trismus were measured by a single concealed observer using a 10 cm Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), flexible plastic measuring tape, and vernier caliper preoperatively and on 1st, 2nd, and 7th postoperative days. Results. This study showed significantly more swelling measured from the gonion to lateral canthus in group 1 than in group 2 on all postoperative periods (P<0.05). The mean NRS score was significantly higher in group 1 on the 1st postoperative day (P=0.01). Though mean duration of surgery, swelling as measured from tragus to commissure, trismus, NRS score except on the 1st postoperative day, total number of analgesics consumed, and complications were noted more in the multiple sutures group, the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion. Our results support the use of sutureless technique after third molar surgery to minimize postoperative morbidity and the overall operative time and reduce the cost within the Nepalese subpopulation.
The Green Photovoltaic Industry Installed Capacity Forecast in China: Based on Grey Relation Analysis, Improved Signal Decomposition Method, and Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm
Authors: Liu Hang , Zeng Ming , Pan Ting , Chen Weicheng , Zhang Xiaochun , Huo Xianxu , Zhang Zhigang
Published: February 2020

Despite photovoltaics being a new type of green energy technology, the output of the photovoltaic industry has been declining year by year since 2018. Thus, China’s photovoltaic industry must adapt to transformations from original extensive growth to the pursuit of high-quality energy. In order to accurately predict the installed capacity of photovoltaics in China, based on an extensive literature review and expert consultation, this paper is the first to construct a set of influencing factors that affect the photovoltaic industry, and we selected the main influencing factors as the predictive model’s input through the grey correlation analysis method. Then, we provide a novel grid investment forecast named the CEEMD-ABC-LSSVM predictive model (a least squares support vector machine algorithm based on complete total empirical mode decomposition and an artificial bee colony algorithm). This algorithm is based on the traditional LSSVM algorithm. The ABC algorithm is used to optimize the parameters, while CEEMD decomposes the original time series to obtain multiple components. While maintaining the data information, the data are expanded and the training is fully carried out. Next, in the empirical analysis, by comparing the prediction results of LSSVM, ABC-LSSVM, and the EMD-ABC-LSSVM algorithm, we demonstrate that the CEEMD-ABC-LSSVM model has strong generalization capabilities and achieves good Chinese PV growth based on the predicted effects of the installed capacity. Finally, the CEEMD-ABC-LSSVM model was used to predict the installed PV capacity in China from 2019 to 2035. We find that China’s installed PV capacity will surpass 4000 GW around 2035. As this installed capacity will increase year by year, China’s PV industry development will maintain steady overall growth.
ETV4 Is Necessary for Estrogen Signaling and Growth in Endometrial Cancer Cells
Authors: Rodriguez Adriana C. , Vahrenkamp Jeffery M. , Berrett Kristofer C. , Clark Kathleen A. , Guillen Katrin P. , Scherer Sandra D. , Yang Chieh-Hsiang , Welm Bryan E. , Janát-Amsbury Margit M. , Graves Barbara J. , Gertz Jason
Published: February 2020

Estrogen signaling through estrogen receptor alpha (ER) plays a major role in endometrial cancer risk and progression, however, the molecular mechanisms underlying ER's regulatory role in endometrial cancer are poorly understood. In breast cancer cells, ER genomic binding is enabled by FOXA1 and GATA3, but the transcription factors that control ER genomic binding in endometrial cancer cells remain unknown. We previously identified ETV4 as a candidate factor controlling ER genomic binding in endometrial cancer cells, and here we explore the functional importance of ETV4. Homozygous deletion of ETV4, using CRISPR/Cas9, led to greatly reduced ER binding at the majority of loci normally bound by ER. Consistent with the dramatic loss of ER binding, the gene expression response to estradiol was dampened for most genes. ETV4 contributes to estrogen signaling in two distinct ways. ETV4 loss affects chromatin accessibility at some ER bound loci and impairs ER nuclear translocation. The diminished estrogen signaling upon ETV4 deletion led to decreased growth, particularly in 3D culture, where hollow organoids were formed and in vivo in the context of estrogen-dependent growth. These results show that ETV4 plays an important role in estrogen signaling in endometrial cancer cells.

Significance:

Estrogen receptor alpha (ER) is a key oncogene in endometrial cancer. This study uncovers ETV4 as an important factor in controlling the activity of ER and the growth of endometrial cancer cells.
BRAF-Mutant Transcriptional Subtypes Predict Outcome of Combined BRAF, MEK, and EGFR Blockade with Dabrafenib, Trametinib, and Panitumumab in Patients with Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Middleton Gary , Yang Yiqun , Campbell Catarina D. , André Thierry , Atreya Chloe E. , Schellens Jan H.M. , Yoshino Takayuki , Bendell Johanna C. , Hollebecque Antoine , McRee Autumn J. , Siena Salvatore , Gordon Michael S. , Tabernero Josep , Yaeger Rona , O'Dwyer Peter J. , De Vos Filip , Van Cutsem Eric , Millholland John M. , Brase Jan C. , Rangwala Fatima , Gasal Eduard , Corcoran Ryan B.
Published: February 2020

Purpose:

The influence of the transcriptional and immunologic context of mutations on therapeutic outcomes with targeted therapy in cancer has not been well defined. BRAF V600E–mutant (BM) colorectal cancer comprises two main transcriptional subtypes, BM1 and BM2. We sought to determine the impact of BM subtype, as well as distinct biological features of those subtypes, on response to BRAF/MEK/EGFR inhibition in patients with colorectal cancer.

Patients and Methods:

Paired fresh tumor biopsies were acquired at baseline and on day 15 of treatment from all consenting patients with BM colorectal cancer enrolled in a phase II clinical trial of dabrafenib, trametinib, and panitumumab. For each sample, BM subtype, cell cycle, and immune gene signature expression were determined using RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), and a Cox proportional hazards model was applied to determine association with progression-free survival (PFS).

Results:

Confirmed response rates, median PFS, and median overall survival (OS) were higher in BM1 subtype patients compared with BM2 subtype patients. Evaluation of immune contexture identified greater immune reactivity in BM1, whereas cell-cycle signatures were more highly expressed in BM2. A multivariate model of PFS incorporating BM subtype plus immune and cell-cycle signatures revealed that BM subtype encompasses the majority of the effect.

Conclusions:

BM subtype is significantly associated with the outcome of combination dabrafenib, trametinib, and panitumumab therapy and may serve as a standalone predictive biomarker beyond mutational status. Our findings support a more nuanced approach to targeted therapeutic decisions that incorporates assessment of transcriptional context.
Prediction of Fetal Anemia in Subsequent Transfusions: Is There a Need to Change the Threshold of the Peak Systolic Velocity of the Middle Cerebral Artery?
Authors: Radhakrishnan Prathima , Venkataravanappa Shailaja , Acharya Veena , Sahana Reeth , Shettikeri Anitha
Published: February 2020

Introduction: Peak systolic velocity (PSV) of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) shows 100% sensitivity for predicting fetal anemia before the first intrauterine transfusion (IUT). However, its ability to predict subsequent transfusions has remained mostly controversial. Objectives: To assess if there is a need to change the threshold of MCA-PSV from 1.5 to 1.69 multiples of the median (MoM) to predict fetal anemia and the need for subsequent IUT. Methods: This is a retrospective audit, wherein case records of mothers who underwent IUT at the Bangalore Fetal Medicine Centre between April 2008 and May 2017 were reviewed; 86 cases were included, and the data were analyzed using MS Excel. The MCA-PSV and pretransfusion Hb were converted into MoM. 40 fetuses that had more than 1 IUT were included in the analysis. ­Results: 31/40 fetuses that had >1 IUT had an MCA-PSV >1.5 MoM, of which 29 were anemic according to the post-IUT Hb MoM. 20/29 (69%) had an MCA-PSV >1.69, whereas 9/29 (31%) had an MCA-PSV between 1.5 and 1.69 MoM. Our study shows that changing the MCA-PSV threshold from 1.5 to 1.69 MoM will reduce the detection of fetal anemia and hence the need for repeat IUT by 31%. Conclusions: Increasing the fetal MCA-PSV threshold from 1.5 to 1.69 will miss out one-third of the fetuses that will require a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th IUT. This is more relevant in geographical areas where the parents must travel long distances for IUTs, which are performed in tertiary fetal care centers.
miR-96-5p Regulates Proliferation, Migration, and Apoptosis of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Induced by Angiotensin II via Targeting NFAT5
Authors: Tian Long , Cai Dinghua , Zhuang Derong , Wang Wenyuan , Wang Xuan , Bian Xiaoli , Xu Rui , Wu Guanji
Published: February 2020

Background: Aberrant proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are major pathological phenomenon in hypertension. MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) serve crucial roles in the progression of hypertension. We aimed to determine the role of miR-96-5p in the proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of VSMCs and its underlying mechanisms. Methods: Angiotensin II (Ang II) was employed to treat VSMCs, and the expression of miR-96-5p was detected by RT-qPCR. Then, miR-96-5p mimic was transfected into VSMCs. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, flow cytometry, transwell assay, and wound healing assay were applied to measure proliferation, cell cycle, and migration of VSMCs. The expression of proteins associated with proliferation, migration, and apoptosis was assessed. A luciferase reporter assay was applied to confirm the target binding between miR-96-5p and nuclear factors of activated T-cells 5 (NFAT5). Subsequently, siRNA was used to silence NFAT5, and cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis were assessed. Results: The results revealed that the expression of miR-96-5p was downregulated in Ang II-induced VSMCs. MiR-96-5p overexpression inhibited cell proliferation and migration but promoted cell apoptosis, enhanced the percentages of cells in the G1 and G2 phases, and reduced those in the S phase, accompanied by changes in the expression associated proteins. NFAT5 was confirmed as a direct target of miR-96-5p. NFAT5 silencing had the same results with miR-96-5p overexpression on VSMC proliferation, migration, and apoptosis, whereas miR-96-5p inhibitor reversed these effects. Conclusions: Our findings concluded that miR-96-5p could regulate proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of VSMCs induced by Ang II via targeting NFAT5.
Polyp Detection Rate as a Surrogate for Adenoma and Sessile Serrated Adenoma/Polyp Detection Rates
Authors: Zorron Cheng Tao Pu Leonardo , Singh Gurfarmaan , Rana Khizar , Nakamura Masanao , Yamamura Takeshi , Krishnamurthi Sudarshan , Ovenden Amanda , Edwards Suzanne , Ruszkiewicz Andrew , Hirooka Yoshiki , Fujishiro Mitsuhiro , Burt Alastair D. , Singh Rajvinder
Published: February 2020

Introduction: Quality measures for colonoscopy such as adenoma detection rate (ADR) have been proposed to be surveilled for ensuring minimum standards. However, its direct measurement is time consuming and often neglected. Extrapolating ADR and other quality measures from polyp detection rate (PDR) can be a pragmatic alternative. Objective: To determine quotients for estimating ADR and sessile serrated adenoma/polyp detection rate (SSA/P-DR) from PDR in an Australian cohort. Methods: Consecutive adult patient colonoscopies during a 1-year period were retrospectively assessed in a single Australian tertiary endoscopy center. Adenoma detection quotient (ADQ) and SSA/P detection quotient (SSA/P-DQ) were defined as the division of ADR and SSA/P-DR by PDR, respectively. The primary outcome was the number of procedures to achieve a stable cumulative ADQ and SSA/P-DQ. Secondary outcomes included evaluation of ADQ and SSA/P-DQ in different subsets. Results: In total, 2,657 colonoscopies were performed by 15 endoscopists in 2016. The ADR, SSA/P-DR, and PDR found were 32.2, 6.7, and 47.3%, respectively. The ADQ and SSA/P-DQ values found were 0.68 and 0.14, respectively. After approximately 500 procedures, both ADQ and SSA/P-DQ became stable. Interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the prediction of ADR from ADQ was excellent for all endoscopists that performed >177 procedures in that year (ICC 0.84). Conclusions: ADQ and SSA/P-DQ values were consistent when over 500 procedures were analyzed. ADQ had an excellent correlation with ADR when >177 procedures per endoscopist were evaluated.