bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Control of surface oxide formation in plasma-enhanced quasiatomic layer etching of tantalum nitride
Authors: Marchack Nathan , Innocent-Dolor Jon-l , Hopstaken Marinus , Engelmann Sebastian
Published: February 2020

Surface oxide formation inhibiting the etch of a tantalum nitride (TaN) film was controlled through step pressure modulation and H2 addition in a Cl2/Ar based plasma-assisted cyclic etch process. Sources contributing to the oxidation of the film included the mask materials, specifically the silicon-containing antireflective coating, as measured by optical emission spectroscopy. Surface analysis of etched films by secondary ion mass spectroscopy showed the presence of a modified surface layer ∼2 nm thick with localized oxygen concentrations 0.02 and 0.003 that of the control sample (without and with H2 addition, respectively). Reduced Ta–O bonding observed via x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy as a result of H2 addition was found to enhance etch rate uniformity of both blanket and patterned films. Minimization of redeposited oxidized TaN on the mask sidewalls of patterned samples was achieved using this etch process and by controlling the lithographic stack composition.
Optic disc haemorrhage and primary open-angle glaucoma: a clinical review
Authors: Jasty Uma , Harris Alon , Siesky Brent , Rowe Lucas W , Verticchio Vercellin Alice C , Mathew Sunu , Pasquale Louis R
Published: February 2020

Studies have confirmed that optic disc haemorrhage (ODH) is a significant risk factor for the development and progression of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Various populations have differing risk factors for developing POAG. As such, a literature review was conducted examining seven studies published in India, China, Japan, Australia, Korea and the USA. The goal of this review was to better identify ODH risk factors and their relationship to development and progression of POAG. Ultimately, patients with ODH have a greater risk for developing POAG across all populations analysed in this review. However, some populations demonstrated additional risk factors for ODH, such as increasing age and female gender. Paradoxically, data from several studies show that people of African descent have a reduced risk of ODH despite having increased risk of open-angle glaucoma than their Caucasian counterparts. By parsing out the complex relations between ODH and open-angle glaucoma stratified by age, gender and race, we may gain a broader understanding of glaucoma pathogenesis and derive individualised treatment strategies.
Measuring multimorbidity beyond counting diseases: systematic review of community and population studies and guide to index choice
Authors: Stirland Lucy E , González-Saavedra Laura , Mullin Donncha S , Ritchie Craig W , Muniz-Terrera Graciela , Russ Tom C
Published: February 2020

Objectives

To identify and summarise existing indices for measuring multimorbidity beyond disease counts, to establish which indices include mental health comorbidities or outcomes, and to develop recommendations based on applicability, performance, and usage.

Design

Systematic review.

Data sources

Seven medical research databases (Medline, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane Library, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus, and CINAHL Plus) from inception to October 2018 and bibliographies and citations of relevant papers. Searches were limited to English language publications.

Eligibility criteria for study selection

Original articles describing a new multimorbidity index including more information than disease counts and not focusing on comorbidity associated with one specific disease. Studies were of adults based in the community or at population level.

Results

Among 7128 search results, 5560 unique titles were identified. After screening against eligibility criteria the review finally included 35 papers. As index components, 25 indices used conditions (weighted or in combination with other parameters), five used diagnostic categories, four used drug use, and one used physiological measures. Predicted outcomes included mortality (18 indices), healthcare use or costs (13), hospital admission (13), and health related quality of life (7). 29 indices considered some aspect of mental health, with most including it as a comorbidity. 12 indices are recommended for use.

Conclusions

35 multimorbidity indices are available, with differing components and outcomes. Researchers and clinicians should examine existing indices for suitability before creating new ones.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO CRD42017074211.
Relationship between a uterine fibroid diagnosis and the risk of adverse obstetrical outcomes: a cohort study
Authors: karlsen kamilla , Schiøler Kesmodel Ulrik , Mogensen Ole , Humaidan Peter , Ravn Pernille
Published: February 2020

Objective

The aim was to investigate the association between clinically significant uterine fibroids and preterm birth, caesarean section (CS), postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), placental abruption, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and uterine rupture.

Methods, participants and setting

A historical cohort study based on data from the Danish National Birth Cohort, the Danish National Patient Registry and the Danish National Birth Registry (DNBR). The final study population consisted of 92 696 pregnancies and was divided into four groups for comparison. Group 1: pregnancies of women without a fibroid diagnosis code or fibroid operation code; group 2: pregnancies of women with a fibroid diagnosis code before pregnancy, during pregnancy or up to 1 year after delivery, and no fibroid operation code before pregnancy; group 3: pregnancies of women with a fibroid diagnosis code given more than 1 year after delivery; and group 4: pregnancies of women with a fibroid operation code given before pregnancy.

Results

A diagnosis of fibroids before pregnancy yielded an increased risk of preterm birth (gestational age (GA) ≤37 weeks) (OR 2.27 (1.30─3.96)) and extreme preterm birth (GA 22+0─27+6 weeks, OR 20.09 (8.04─50.22)). The risk of CS was increased (OR 1.83 (1.23─2.72)) for women with a fibroid diagnosis code given before pregnancy; significantly increased risk of elective CS (OR 1.92 (1.11─3.32)), but not acute CS (OR 1.54 (0.94─2.52)). The risks of PPH, placental abruption or IUGR were not increased in any of the groups.

Conclusion

We found a strong association between clinically significant uterine fibroids and preterm birth, and an association between clinically significant uterine fibroids and CS. In contrast, no association between clinically significant uterine fibroids and PPH, placental abruption or IUGR was seen.
Effect of salt reduction interventions in lowering blood pressure in Chinese populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Jin Aoming , Xie Wuxiang , Wu Yangfeng
Published: February 2020

Rationale and objective

Salt reduction remains a global challenge and different salt reduction strategies have been studied in China. This study is to systematically evaluate evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCT) in China and inform the effective salt reduction strategies.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data sources

MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Wanfang Data and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases through October 2019.

Eligibility criteria

RCTs conducted in China with at least 4 weeks’ duration of study and blood pressure (BP) reported.

Data extraction and synthesis

Data were screened, extracted and appraised by two independent reviewers. The quality of study was assessed using a modified Cochrane Collaboration’s risk of bias tool. The primary outcome was the difference in BP change from baseline to the end of study between interventions and control. The effects were pooled using a random effects model and associated factors were explored by a meta-regression.

Results

We identified 24 studies involving 10 448 participants, including 8 studies on health education (4583 participants), 2 studies on salt restriction diet (162 participants), 1 study on salt restriction spoon (50 participants) and 13 studies on salt substitute (5653 participants). Six studies on salt substitute and three studies on health education were identified with high quality. Pooled results from the six studies showed that salt substitutes significantly reduced systolic BP (−5.7 mm Hg; 95% CI −8.5 to −2.8) and diastolic BP (−2.0 mm Hg; 95% CI −3.5 to −0.4). The School-EduSalt study showed that the school-based health education significantly reduced systolic BP among parents (−2.3 mm Hg; 95% CI −4.5 to −0.04).

Conclusions

Among four salt reduction strategies studied in China with RCT design, only salt substitute was proved effective in lowering BP by the pooled effect from multiple studies with high quality. More well-designed studies are warranted for other strategies.
Malnutrition and morbidity trends in Somalia between 2007 and 2016: results from 291 cross-sectional surveys
Authors: Martin-Canavate Rocio , Custodio Estefania , Yusuf Abukar , Molla Daniel , Fasbender Dominique , Kayitakire Francois
Published: February 2020

Background

More than two decades of conflict and natural disasters in Somalia have resulted in one of the longest running humanitarian crises in the world. Nutrition data have been collected over the years despite challenges to inform programmatic action. This paper explores malnutrition and morbidity trends in Somalia during the last decade, disaggregated by geographical zone and livelihood system.

Methods

We used data from 291 cross-sectional surveys conducted in children aged 6–59 months between 2007 and 2016 in Somalia. Wasting, morbidity and stunting prevalences over time were analysed by geographic area, livelihood system and season. Logistic regressions were used to test trends.

Results

The wasting trends show a striking peak in 2011, more marked in southern and central Somalia and coinciding with the famine declaration. The trend declines slightly thereafter although not consistently across all zones and livelihoods, and it raises again in 2016 especially among internally displaced persons (IDPs). Stunting declined for all groups and in all zones but with more consistent patterns in northern Somalia.

Morbidity also showed a declining trend, although with multiple peaks depicting disease outbreaks.

Pastoralist showed the lowest stunting estimates overall, while agrarian populations showed the lowest prevalence of wasting and morbidity. IDPs were the most affected by all outcomes. Seasonality affected the three outcomes differently by livelihood system. Stunting rates increased after the 2011 famine for all age groups within children under 5 years.

Conclusions

Despite the continuous complex situation in Somalia, there has been a sustained decline in stunting and morbidity in the last decade. Wasting trends have remained at very high levels especially in north-east and the south zones of Somalia. The findings support the importance of performing trend analyses disaggregated by zone and livelihood groups within countries to better identify priorities for programme intervention.
Stimulation of the tibial nerve: a protocol for a multicentred randomised controlled trial for urinary problems associated with Parkinson’s disease—STARTUP
Authors: McClurg Doreen , Panicker Jalesh , Walker Richard W , Cunnington AnneLouise , Deane Katherine H O , Harari Danielle , Elders Andrew , Booth Jo , Hagen Suzanne , Mason Helen , Stratton Susan
Published: February 2020

Introduction

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common chronic neurodegenerative condition with bladder dysfunction affecting up to 71%. Symptoms affect quality of life and include urgency, frequency, hesitancy, nocturia and incontinence. Addressing urinary dysfunction is one of the top 10 priority research areas identified by the James Lind Alliance and Parkinson’s UK.

Objectives

Conduct a randomised controlled trial (RCT) targeting people with Parkinson’s disease (PwP) who have self-reported problematic lower urinary tract symptoms, investigating the effectiveness of transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS) compared with sham TTNS. Implement a standardised training approach and package for the correct application of TTNS. Conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of TTNS compared with sham TTNS.

Methods and analysis

An RCT of 6 weeks with twice weekly TTNS or sham TTNS. Participants will be recruited in 12 National Health Service neurology/movement disorder services, using a web-based randomisation system, and will be shown how to apply TTNS or sham TTNS. Participants will receive a weekly telephone call from the researchers during the intervention period. The trial has two coprimary outcome measures: International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form and the International Prostate Symptom Score. Secondary outcomes include a 3-day bladder diary, quality of life, acceptability and fidelity and health economic evaluation. Outcomes will be measured at 0, 6 and 12 weeks.

A sample size of 208 randomised in equal numbers to the two arms will provide 90% power to detect a clinically important difference of 2.52 points on the Internatioanl Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Short Form (ICIQ-SF) and of 3 points in the International Prostate Symptom Score total score at 12 weeks at 5% significance level, based on an SD of 4.7 in each arm and 20% attrition at 6 weeks. Analysis will be by intention to treat and pre defined in a statistical analysis plan

Ethics and dissemination

East of Scotland Research Ethics Service (EoSRES), 18/ES00042, obtained on 10 May 2018. The trial will allow us to determine effectiveness, safety, cost and acceptability of TTNS for bladder dysfunction in PWP. Results will be published in open access journals; lay reports will be posted to all participants and presented at conferences.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN12437878; Pre-results.
Challenges for funders in monitoring compliance with policies on clinical trials registration and reporting: analysis of funding and registry data in the UK
Authors: Knowles Rachel L , Ha Kam Pou , Mueller Julia , Rawle Frances , Parker Rosa
Published: February 2020

Objectives

To evaluate compliance by researchers with funder requirements on clinical trial transparency, including identifying key areas for improvement; to assess the completeness, accuracy and suitability for annual compliance monitoring of the data routinely collected by a research funding body.

Design

Descriptive analysis of clinical trials funded between February 2011 and January 2017 against funder policy requirements.

Setting

Public medical research funding body in the UK.

Data sources

Relevant clinical trials were identified from grant application details, post-award grant monitoring systems and the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) registry.

Main outcome measure

The proportion of all Medical Research Council (MRC)-funded clinical trials that were (a) registered in a clinical trial registry and (b) publicly reported summary results within 2 years of completion.

Results

There were 175 grants awarded that included a clinical trial and all trials were registered in a public trials registry. Of 62 trials completed for over 24 months, 42 (68%) had publicly reported the main findings by 24 months after trial completion; 18 of these achieved this within 12 months of completion. 11 (18%) trials took >24 months to report and 9 (15%) completed trials had not yet reported findings. Five datasets were shared with other researchers.

Conclusions

Compliance with the funder policy requirements on trial registration was excellent. Reporting of the main findings was achieved for most trials within 24 months of completion; however, the number of unreported trials remains a concern and should be a focus for future funder policy initiatives. Identifying trials from grant management and grant monitoring systems was challenging therefore funders should ensure investigators reliably provide trial registries with information and regularly update entries with details of trial publications and protocols.
Transverse Shubnikov–de Haas effect and the manifestation of quantum diffraction
Authors: Berezhnoy Yu. A. , Molev A. S.
Published: February 2020

A quantum diffraction interpretation of the transverse Shubnikov–de Haas effect is presented. Within the framework of the conventional theory of this effect, we show that the matrix element for the electron transition from an initial state to a final state used in calculating the transverse electrical conductivity can be represented as a diffraction-type amplitude distribution. The squared modulus of this matrix element under certain conditions exhibits the Fraunhofer diffraction pattern. It is shown that the oscillating part of the transverse conductivity has the same form as the amplitude for Fraunhofer diffraction by an annular aperture.
A PROGNOSTIC IMMUNOTHERAPY MODEL FOR 4T1 BREAST CANCER WITH COMBINED CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE AND TLR AGONIST
Authors: HE DANHUA , XU WEINAN , LI XUEFANG , XU JIAN-XIN
Published: February 2020

Based on experimental results of a mouse model provided in the literature, we develop a mathematical model by using system biology approach, aiming to investigate immunotherapy for 4T1 breast cancer. It is worth to mention that only 4 types of cells (tumor cells, CD8[Formula: see text] T cells, regular T cells (Tregs), and tumoricidal myeloid CD11b[Formula: see text]Gr1dim cells) are quantitatively measured in experiments, which make the immunotherapy modelling more difficult since only limited system knowledge is available. To overcome the difficulty, the mathematical model is proposed by employing Evolutionary Computation to optimize the system parameters. Furthermore, with the mathematical model, analysis can be conducted to capture the inherent properties of the model, such as the number and stability of equilibria, and parameter sensitivity analysis, which disclose the nature of 4T1 breast cancer from a system biological perspective. Not limited to replication of experimental results, we further show that the mathematical model is in fact a prognostic immunotherapy model that can predict treatment outcomes of various cases; for instance, different combinations of drug delivery schedules. By virtue of computational convenience, it is relatively easy to intensively investigate most of the treatments that are impossible for animal models or clinical trials. In other words, a mathematical model based on system biology can provide meaningful reference when exploiting more effective treatment protocols.
Amino acid adsorption on tetraphenyl porphyrin films
Authors: Rivera Jesus M. , Rivera Margarita
Published: February 2020

In this work, metal free, zinc and copper tetraphenyl porphyrin thin films were employed as substrates to study their interaction with glycine, serine, glutamate, lysine and argynine amino acids in order to investigate the effect of the metallic center and the amino acid characteristics in the adsorption phenomena. The amount of amino acid adsorbed on the films was quantified by using the Ruhemann method. Adsorption isotherms were obtained and analyzed in order to predict the adsorption mechanism for each case. In addition, the morphology of the films was investigated before and after the amino acid immersion by using scanning electron and atomic force microscopies. On the other hand, dynamic contact angle measurements were performed to monitor the spreading phenomena and changes in the hydrophobic nature of the surfaces after the amino acid interaction. From the results, it was observed that the largest deposited amino acid on all three surfaces corresponded to the positively charged compounds, while serine was the lowest adsorbed amino acid in all cases. These results can be attributed to electronic interactions between the amino acids’ lateral chains and the electronic [Formula: see text] distribution of the porphyrin macrocycle ring, and they provide important information regarding the amino acid selectivity of adsorption on tetraphenyl porphyrin films.
Quantum Coherences as a Thermodynamic Potential
Authors: Rodríguez-Rosario César A. , Frauenheim Thomas , Aspuru-Guzik Alán
Published: February 2020

Here we demonstrate how the interplay between quantum coherences and a decoherence bath, such as one given by continuos quantum measurements, lead to new kinds of thermodynamic potentials and flows. We show how a mathematical extension of thermodynamics includes decoherence baths leading to a more general sense of the zeroth and first law. We also show how decoherence adds contributions to the change in entropy production in the second law. We derive a thermodynamic potential that depends only on the interplay between quantum coherences and a decoherence thermodynamic bath. This leads to novel thermodynamic effects, such as Onsager relationships that depend on quantum coherences. This provides a thermodynamics interpretation of the role of decoherence on quantum transport in very general systems.
Learning or Forgetting? A Dynamic Approach for Tracking the Knowledge Proficiency of Students
Authors: Huang Zhenya , Liu Qi , Chen Yuying , Wu Le , Xiao Keli , Chen Enhong , Ma Haiping , Hu Guoping
Published: February 2020

The rapid development of the technologies for online learning provides students with extensive resources for self-learning and brings new opportunities for data-driven research on educational management. An important issue of online learning is to diagnose the knowledge proficiency (i.e., the mastery level of a certain knowledge concept) of each student. Considering that it is a common case that students inevitably learn and forget knowledge from time to time, it is necessary to track the change of their knowledge proficiency during the learning process. Existing approaches either relied on static scenarios or ignored the interpretability of diagnosis results. To address these problems, in this article, we present a focused study on diagnosing the knowledge proficiency of students, where the goal is to
track
and
explain
their evolutions simultaneously. Specifically, we first devise an explanatory probabilistic matrix factorization model,
Knowledge Proficiency Tracing
(KPT), by leveraging educational priors. KPT model first associates each exercise with a knowledge vector in which each element represents a specific knowledge concept with the help of
Q
-matrix. Correspondingly, at each time, each student can be represented as a proficiency vector in the same knowledge space. Then, our KPT model jointly applies two classical educational theories (i.e.,
learning curve
and
forgetting curve
) to capture the change of students’ proficiency level on concepts over time. Furthermore, for improving the predictive performance, we develop an improved version of KPT, named
Exercise-correlated Knowledge Proficiency Tracing
(EKPT), by considering the connectivity among exercises with the same knowledge concepts. Finally, we apply our KPT and EKPT models to three important diagnostic tasks, including knowledge estimation, score prediction, and diagnosis result visualization. Extensive experiments on four real-world datasets demonstrate that both of our models could track the knowledge proficiency of students effectively and interpretatively.
Trehalose attenuates renal ischemia-reperfusion injury by enhancing autophagy and inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammation
Authors: Liu Suwen , Yang Yunwen , Gao Huiping , Zhou Ning , Wang Peipei , Zhang Yue , Zhang Aihua , Jia Zhanjun , Huang Songming
Published: February 2020

Renal ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is one of the most common acute kidney injuries, but there is still a lack of effective treatment in the clinical setting. Trehalose (Tre), a natural disaccharide, has been demonstrated to protect against oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. However, whether it could protect against IR-induced renal injury needs to be investigated. In an in vivo experiment, C57BL/6J mice were pretreated with or without Tre (2 g/kg) through a daily single intraperitoneal injection from 3 days before renal IR surgery. Renal function, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation were analyzed to evaluate kidney injury. In an in vitro experiment, mouse proximal tubular cells were treated with or without Tre under a hypoxia/reoxygenation condition. Western blot analysis, autophagy flux detection, and apoptosis assay were performed to evaluate the level of autophagy and antiapoptotic effect of Tre. The in vivo results showed that the renal damage induced by IR was ameliorated by Tre treatment, as renal histology and renal function were improved and the enhanced protein levels of kidney injury molecule-1 and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin were blocked. Moreover, autophagy was activated by Tre pretreatment along with inhibition of the IR injury-induced apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation. The in vitro results showed that Tre treatment activated autophagy and protected against hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced tubular cell apoptosis and oxidative stress. Our results demonstrated that Tre protects against IR-induced renal injury, possibly by enhancing autophagy and blocking oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, suggesting its potential use for the clinical treatment of renal IR injury.
Mature Ovarian Teratoma: Atypical Imaging
Authors: Wakrim S. , EL Jdid M.
Published: February 2020

The incidence of a mature ovarian teratoma ranged from 20% to 30% of pediatric ovarian tumors (Sabaa et al., 2009), which is composed of well-differentiated tissues that derive from all three germ cell layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm); it is one of the most common benign ovarian neoplasms. In this case report, we discuss a 9-year-old female patient who presented with abdominal pain and distended abdomen, for which she had an abdominal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. The histopathological exam, after a laparotomy, showed a mature ovarian teratoma.
Understanding Regional Mobility Patterns Using Car-Hailing Order Data and Points of Interest Data
Authors: Zhang Zheng , Chen Yanyan , Xiong Jie , Liang Tianwen
Published: February 2020

Car hailing is undergoing rapid global development, thereby providing new opportunities and challenges to operators and transport engineers due to uneven or irregular demand in certain areas. To date, only a limited number of studies have analyzed regional mobility patterns or anomaly detection. This study therefore proposes a methodology for recognizing regional mobility patterns using car-hailing order datasets and point of interest datasets. More specifically, we detect regional mobility patterns by incorporating regional intrinsic properties to a hierarchical mixture model termed latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA). This model can simulate the process of generating car-hailing order data and yield regional mobility patterns from spatial, temporal, and spatiotemporal perspectives. Moreover, by combining the trained results with future mobility records, we can measure similarities between areas and detect anomalous areas by calculating the perplexity. We also implement our workflow on a real-word car-hailing order dataset and reveal that it is possible to identify areas with similar or anomaly mobility patterns. This research will contribute to the design of regional transportation policies and customized bus services.
Analysis of Reactive Injection Compression Molding by Numerical Simulations and Experiments
Authors: Ramorino Giorgio , Agnelli Silvia , Guindani Matteo
Published: February 2020

Injection compression molding is an injection molding process with the addition of a compression stage after the injection. This process is useful for the injection molding of precision parts. A stable and controlled manufacturing process is needed to guarantee reliability of complex products, and usually process optimization is achieved by experimental and time consuming approaches. However, for being competitive a minimal market time is a very important requirement and computer simulations can help to optimize the process at the only expense of computational time. This paper reports and discusses for the first time the results of a 3D finite element simulation of reactive injection compression molding (RICM) by commercial software for the production of rubber diaphragms. In particular, the stages of mold filling dynamics and material curing are analyzed and the results verified with experimental tests. To get an accurate representation of the process, the rheological behavior, thermal properties, and kinetic behavior during curing of the real rubber compound were described by mathematical models. A differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and a capillary rheometer are employed to characterize the rubber material in order to achieve an appropriate curing reaction and viscosity models, respectively. The computations are found to be in good agreement with the experimental results, indicating that reliable information on material viscosity and curing kinetics can play a key role in making well-founded predictions and avoiding trial and error methods.
Shortest-Path Optimization of Ship Diesel Engine Disassembly and Assembly Based on AND/OR Network
Authors: Chen Deng-Zhi , Wei Chen , Jia Guo-Ling , Hu Zhi-Hua
Published: February 2020

Ship diesel engine disassembly and assembly (SDEDA) is essential for ship inspection and maintenance and navigation safety. The SDEDA consists of various machinery parts and operations. It is crucial to develop a system of SDEDA operations to improve the efficiency of disassembly and assembly (D&A). Considering the “AND” and “OR” relations (modeled as links) among the D&A operations (modeled as nodes), an “AND/OR” network is developed to extend a specialized graph model for the D&A sequencing problem in the context of education and training. Then, we devised a mixed-integer linear program (MILP) to optimize the SDEDA sequence based on the AND/OR network. Considering the flow balance in the AND/OR network, we developed exact algorithms and random search algorithms using breadth-first, branch cut and depth-first strategies to minimize the cost of the shortest path that represents an optimal sequence of D&A operations. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first try to formulate the D&A operations by an extended network model. Numerical experiments show that the proposed algorithms are practical for solving large-scale instances with more than 2000 D&A operations. The breadth-first shortest-path algorithm outperforms the MILP solver from the perspective of solution quality and computing time, and all developed algorithms are competitive in terms of computing time.
A New Local Descriptor Based on Strings for Face Recognition
Authors: Zaaraoui Hicham , Saaidi Abderrahim , El Alami Rachid , Abarkan Mustapha
Published: February 2020

This paper proposes the use of strings as a new local descriptor for face recognition. The face image is first divided into nonoverlapping subregions from which the strings (words) are extracted using the principle of chain code algorithm and assigned into the nearest words in a dictionary of visual words (DoVW) with the Levenshtein distance (LD) by applying the bag of visual words (BoVW) paradigm. As a result, each region is represented by a histogram of dictionary words. The histograms are then assembled as a face descriptor. Our methodology depends on the path pursued from a starting pixel and do not require a model as the other approaches from the literature. Therefore, the information of the local and global properties of an object is obtained. The recognition is performed by using the nearest neighbor classifier with the Hellinger distance (HD) as a comparison between feature vectors. The experimental results on the ORL and Yale databases demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed approach in terms of preserving information and recognition rate compared to the existing face recognition methods.
Urinary Fractional Clearance of Sodium in 8 Healthy Beagle Dogs Fed Normal, Low, or Ultralow Sodium Diets
Authors: Lobetti R. G.
Published: February 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate in healthy adult dogs if there was a daily fluctuation in the FCNa, the role that dietary sodium intake played on the FCNa, and the role that feeding played on the obtained value for FCNa. Three different diets were used in a group of 8 healthy beagle dogs in a crossover design. The sodium content of the diets was normal (0.26%), low (0.18%), and ultralow (0.06%). Spot urine and blood samples were collected from which the urine and serum sodium and creatinine concentration were determined, and the FCNawas calculated. The median FCNafor the normal, low, and ultralow sodium diets was 0.5, 0.77, and 0.15, respectively. Individual dogs showed a daily variation in FCNa,and samples which were collected shortly after eating showed the greatest variation. This study showed that in a group of healthy beagle dogs without obvious renal disease, the FCNacould exceed 1 and that there was both an individual and daily variation in the FCNa. The greatest variation was seen whilst the dogs were fed the low and ultralow sodium diets and when the samples were collected shortly after eating. This study concluded that an FCNa > 1% may not be indicative of acute tubular dysfunction in young dogs, and use of the FCNafor assessing renal function in clinical cases should take into account the animal’s diet, as well as the time the samples were taken in relation to feeding.
Minimal Diagnosis and Diagnosability of Discrete-Event Systems Modeled by Automata
Authors: Zhao Xiangfu , Lamperti Gianfranco , Ouyang Dantong , Tong Xiangrong
Published: February 2020

In the last several decades, the model-based diagnosis of discrete-event systems (DESs) has increasingly become an active research topic in both control engineering and artificial intelligence. However, in contrast with the widely applied minimal diagnosis of static systems, in most approaches to the diagnosis of DESs, all possible candidate diagnoses are computed, including nonminimal candidates, which may cause intractable complexity when the number of nonminimal diagnoses is very large. According to the principle of parsimony and the principle of joint-probability distribution, generally, the minimal diagnosis of DESs is preferable to a nonminimal diagnosis. To generate more likely diagnoses, the notion of the minimal diagnosis of DESs is presented, which is supported by a minimal diagnoser for the generation of minimal diagnoses. Moreover, to either strongly or weakly decide whether a minimal set of faulty events has definitely occurred or not, two notions of minimal diagnosability are proposed. Necessary and sufficient conditions for determining the minimal diagnosability of DESs are proven. The relationships between the two types of minimal diagnosability and the classical diagnosability are analysed in depth.
FIR to FIR Model Reduction with Linear Group Delay in Passband by SDP Optimization
Authors: Hu Haijiang , Song Shaojing , Zhang Fengdeng
Published: February 2020

Filter model reduction is an important optimization method in digital signal processing. A method of FIR to FIR model reduction using SDP optimization is proposed in this paper. At first, we use SDP to design an original FIR filter. Then we name a general K-order FIR digital filter H1z−1 with coefficient values equal to the first K + 1 filter coefficient values of H0z−1. Finally, we design a new general K-order FIR digital filter H2z−1 connected in parallel with H1z−1 using SDP optimization. The experiment results show this method has good performance on the magnitude error and the linear phase in passband. Therefore, this method can be used in the field of digital signal processing.
Synthesis of Diazepam-Imprinted Polymers with Two Functional Monomers in Chloroform Using a Bulk Polymerization Method
Authors: Hasanah Aliya Nur , Soni Dang , Pratiwi Rimadani , Rahayu Driyanti , Megantara Sandra , Mutakin
Published: February 2020

Diazepam is a benzodiazepine that has the potency to be misused because it is effective, easily obtained, and inexpensive. The misuse of diazepam is to replace illegal drugs and be a sedative. Separation of diazepam is needed to detect possible drug abuse and to monitor drug levels in blood to ensure the effectiveness of the drug. This study was conducted to obtain a molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MI-SPE) sorbent to separate diazepam from serum samples. This work started at the synthesis stage with the bulk polymerization method, using methyl methacrylate and acrylamide as functional monomers, diazepam as a template, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a crosslinker. The polymer obtained was identified by its adsorption capacity and packaged into a solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridge, and the extraction conditions were optimized. The optimization results were then used to extract diazepam from the serum sample. The test results showed that the adsorption ability of the molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) with the functional monomer, methyl methacrylate, was 63.98 ± 0.1%, which is higher than that of the acrylamide MIP monomer, with a value of 43.27 ± 0.1%. The MIP sorbent of methyl methacrylate was applied to the SPE with 200 mg of polymer in a 3 mL cartridge. Diazepam added to serum samples were then passed through the MIP-SPE producing a percent recovery value of 95.31 ± 1.1% for MIP and 60.83 ± 0.3% for nonimprinted polymer (NIP). The results showed that the MI-SPE sorbent made from the monomer methyl methacrylate gave higher extraction recovery results than acrylamide, and it could be used for extracting diazepam from serum samples with or without other substances.
Approximation of an Additive ϱ1,ϱ2-Random Operator Inequality
Authors: Jang Sun Young , Saadati Reza
Published: February 2020

We solve the additive ϱ1,ϱ2-random operator inequality ξtTω,u+v−Tω,u−Tω,v≥κMξtϱ1Tω,u+v+Tω,u−v−2Tω,u,ξtϱ22Tω,u+v/2−Tω,u−Tω,v, in which ϱ1,ϱ2∈ℂ are fixed and max2ϱ1,ϱ2<1. Finally, we get an approximation of the mentioned additive ϱ1,ϱ2-random operator inequality by direct technique.
Long-Term Effect of Half-Fluence Photodynamic Therapy on Fundus Autofluorescence in Acute Central Serous Chorioretinopathy
Authors: Stattin Martin , Hagen Stefan , Ahmed Daniel , Smretschnig Eva , Frommlet Florian , Krepler Katharina , Ansari-Shahrezaei Siamak
Published: February 2020

Purpose. To evaluate normalized short-wavelength fundus autofluorescence (SW-FAF) imaging changes over time as a predictive parameter for the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) function in eyes compromised by acute central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) after indocyanine green angiography-guided verteporfin (Visudyne®, Novartis Pharma, Basel, Switzerland) photodynamic therapy (PDT) with a half-fluence rate (25 J/cm2). Methods. Quantitative data of SW-FAF grey values (SW-FAF GV) from a 350 μm (SW-350) and 1200 μm (SW-1200) diameter circle centered on the fovea and normalized with the level of SW-FAF GV in a 30° image of 20 eyes in 11 patients initially treated for unilateral acute symptomatic CSCR were collected and retrospectively analyzed after 7 years. A 2-sided t-test was calculated to explore the differences of SW-350 and SW-1200 between one month and the long-term follow-up. Results. Mean differences (95% CI) in SW-FAF GV between 1 month and 7 years after half-fluence PDT were 0.07 ± 0.11 for SW-350 ([95% CI: −0.002; 0.14], p=0.06) and 0.11 ± 0.15 for SW-1200 ([95% CI: 0.01; 0.21], p=0.03). Mean differences in SW-FAF GV of the contralateral untreated eye were 0.06 ± 0.14 for SW-350 ([95% CI: −0.04; 0.17], p=0.22) and 0.05 ± 0.13 for SW-1200 ([95% CI: −0.04; 0.15], p=0.22). Conclusion. After 7 years, normalized SW-FAF GV were significantly lower in eyes with resolved acute CSCR treated with reduced-fluence PDT compared to the follow-up after 1 month without correlation to explicit pattern changes or structural damages. Half-fluence PDT remains a safe and considerable treatment option in acute CSCR.
Effects of Shikonin on the Functions of Myeloid Dendritic Cells in a Mouse Model of Severe Aplastic Anemia
Authors: Zheng Mengying , Liu Bingnan , Shao Yuanyuan , Hua Luogang , Fu Rong , Wang Huaquan , Wang Ting , Qi Weiwei , Shao Zonghong , Liu Chunyan
Published: February 2020

This study is aimed at investigating the effects of shikonin, a pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) inhibitor, on the functions of myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) in a mouse model of severe aplastic anemia (AA) generated by total body irradiation and lymphocyte infusion. Flow cytometry and qPCR were used to determine the proportions of PKM2+ mDCs and other immune indicators in the AA mice. Glucose consumption level, pyruvate generation level, and ATP content were used to determine the level of glycolytic metabolism in the mDCs. The survival rates of AA mice were evaluated after the administration of shikonin or the immunosuppressive agent cyclosporin A. The AA mice displayed pancytopenia, decreased CD4+/CD8+ cell ratio, increased perforin and granzyme levels in CD8+ cells, increased costimulatory CD80 and CD86 expressions, and inadequate regulatory T cell number. In vivo animal experiments showed that the shikonin-mediated inhibition of the PKM2 expression in mice was associated with high survival rates. In addition, the administration of cyclosporin A or shikonin decreased the expression of cytotoxic molecules and costimulatory CD80 and CD86 on CD8+ cells. Taken together, the results of this study indicated that shikonin could inhibit the activation and proliferation of mDCs as well as the activation of downstream cytotoxic T cells by reducing the PKM2 level in mDCs.
Antimalarial Activity of Aqueous and 80% Methanol Crude Seed Extracts and Solvent Fractions of Schinus molle Linnaeus (Anacardiaceae) in Plasmodium berghei-Infected Mice
Authors: Habte Getu , Nedi Teshome , Assefa Solomon
Published: February 2020

Background. Malaria is among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity. Moreover, the emergence of resistance to antimalarial drugs is a major problem in controlling the disease. This makes the development of novel antimalarial drugs a necessity. Medicinal plants are important sources in discovering antimalarial drugs. Schinus molle is claimed for its antimalarial effect in Ethiopian folkloric medicine and endowed with in vitro antiplasmodial activity. In the present study, the in vivo antimalarial activity of the plant was investigated. Methods. Acute toxicity was carried out using a standard procedure. To screen the in vivo antimalarial potential of the S. molle against Plasmodium berghei (ANKA), a 4-day suppressive test was employed. The extracts and fractions were given to infected mice by oral gavage at 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg/day for four consecutive days. Parameters such as parasitemia were then evaluated. Results. Any sign of toxicity was not observed in the oral acute toxicity test. The crude extracts and solvent fractions exerted a significant (p<0.05) inhibition of parasite load compared to the negative control. The highest inhibition (66.91%) was exhibited by the 400 mg/kg/day dose of 80% methanolic crude extract. Among the fractions, chloroform fraction demonstrated maximal chemosuppressive effect (55.60%). Moreover, crude extracts and solvent fractions prevented body weight loss, reduction in temperature, and anemia compared to the negative control. Except the aqueous fraction, the tested plant extracts were able to significantly prolong the survival time of infected mice. Conclusion. The findings of the present study confirmed the safety and a promising in vivo antimalarial activity of S. molle, thus supporting the traditional claim and in vitro efficacy. In-depth investigations on the plant, however, are highly recommended.
Experimental Testing and Numerical Modelling of Mechanical Behaviors of Silty Clay under Freezing-Thawing Cycles
Authors: Hu Tianfei , Liu Dawei , Wu Hui
Published: February 2020

Seasonal freezing-thawing cycle is one of the most common physical weathering processes in cold regions, which can significantly affect the mechanical behaviors of soil. In this paper, a series of freezing-thawing (F-T) cycle and consolidated drained triaxial tests have been carried out on silty clay samples collected from Tibetan Plateau. To do so, a modified numerical model was developed taking into F-T effect. Test results showed that the stress-strain curves of original soil specimens presented strain hardening characteristics, accompanied with shear shrinkage. In F-T experienced specimens, volumetric strain in triaxial loading stage was gradually increased, while failure strength was decreased. Elliptic and parabolic functions were selected in numerical modelling to describe volume and shear yield surfaces on ap-qplane, respectively. Moreover, a double-yield surface constitutive model was developed to describe relationships among deviatoric stress, axial strain, and volumetric strain. Furthermore, equations for model parameters with the number of F-T cycles as variable were derived based on the triaxial test results which were then substituted into the established model to take into account the effects of F-T cycles. Finally, numerical results were validated with experimental findings.
Predictive Functional Control-Based Zenith Pass Controller Design for Roll-Pitch Seeker
Authors: Wang Xinchun , Mo Bo , Li Xuan , Su Shangen
Published: February 2020

A roll-pitch seeker has a wide field of view but suffers from a singularity as the sightline coincides with the outer gimbal (OG) axis. In the vicinity of the singularity, the tracking effectiveness is often degraded or even lost due to the high actuation demand on OG, which is known as the zenith pass problem. To solve this problem, this paper first proposes a novel motion model of sightline to predict the singularity in a receding horizon, where the model parameters are identified using a modified recursive least square estimator. And with the singularity predictions as set points, a predictive functional controller is then designed for the OG position control to minimize the tracking error. This novel combination control scheme is validated in MATLAB/Simulink. Simulation results have confirmed that the proposed scheme can significantly mitigate the zenith pass problem and be applied to the real-time tracking process.
Detection of Molecular Signatures of Homologous Recombination Deficiency in Prostate Cancer with or without BRCA1/2 Mutations
Authors: Sztupinszki Zsofia , Diossy Miklos , Krzystanek Marcin , Borcsok Judit , Pomerantz Mark M. , Tisza Viktoria , Spisak Sandor , Rusz Orsolya , Csabai István , Freedman Matthew L. , Szallasi Zoltan
Published: February 2020

Purpose:

Prostate cancers with mutations in genes involved in homologous recombination (HR), most commonly BRCA2, respond favorably to PARP inhibition and platinum-based chemotherapy. We investigated whether other prostate tumors that do not harbor deleterious mutations in these particular genes can similarly be deficient in HR, likely rendering those sensitive to HR-directed therapies.

Experimental Design:

Homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) levels can be estimated using various mutational signatures derived from next-generation sequencing data. We used this approach on whole-genome sequencing (WGS; n = 311) and whole-exome sequencing (WES) data (n = 498) of both primary and metastatic prostate adenocarcinomas to determine whether prostate cancer cases display clear signs of HRD in somatic tumor biopsies.

Results:

Known BRCA-deficient samples showed all previously described HRD-associated mutational signatures in the WGS data. HRD-associated mutational signatures were also detected in a subset of patients who did not harbor germline or somatic mutations in BRCA1/2 or other HR-related genes. Similar results, albeit with lower sensitivity and accuracy, were also obtained from WES data.

Conclusions:

These findings may expand the number of cases likely to respond to PARP inhibitor treatment. On the basis of the HR-associated mutational signatures, 5% to 8% of localized prostate cancer cases may be good candidates for PARP-inhibitor treatment (including those with BRCA1/2 mutations).