bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
[Retracted] Mobile Internet of Things Dynamic Grid QoS Service Matching Mechanism and Simulation Analysis
Authors: Fan Xuemei
Published: June 2021

With the development of the mobile Internet of Things, people have higher and higher requirements for services, and how to provide high‐quality services that meet the needs of users has also become a hot issue of current research. This article is also in the context of the mobile Internet of Things, researching the solution to the service matching problem. In order to provide high‐quality grid services, the grid system needs the support of quality of service (QoS). Based on the existing QoS matching strategy, a service matching strategy based on dynamic grid QoS is proposed. This paper combines semantic information, considers service quality QoS and user preferences, and improves the success rate of service matching through hierarchical matching, so as to provide users with high‐quality services. At the same time, the classic Max‐Min algorithm in grid task scheduling is analysed, and on this basis, the impact of QoS on task scheduling is fully considered, and combined with the concept of execution cost, a grid task based on QoS constraints (MOS) is proposed. Through simulation verification and analysis, the strategy in this paper not only achieved higher matching performance, but also improved the success rate of task execution, and the effect of system load balancing was also significantly improved.
Synthesis and Toxicity of Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles: A Literature Review of In Vitro and In Vivo Studies
Authors: Rhazouani Asmaa , Gamrani Halima , El Achaby Mounir , Aziz Khalid , Gebrati Lhoucine , Uddin Md Sahab , AZIZ Faissal
Published: June 2021

Nanomaterials have been widely used in many fields in the last decades, including electronics, biomedicine, cosmetics, food processing, buildings, and aeronautics. The application of these nanomaterials in the medical field could improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention techniques. Graphene oxide (GO), an oxidized derivative of graphene, is currently used in biotechnology and medicine for cancer treatment, drug delivery, and cellular imaging. Also, GO is characterized by various physicochemical properties, including nanoscale size, high surface area, and electrical charge. However, the toxic effect of GO on living cells and organs is a limiting factor that limits its use in the medical field. Recently, numerous studies have evaluated the biocompatibility and toxicity of GO in vivo and in vitro. In general, the severity of this nanomaterial’s toxic effects varies according to the administration route, the dose to be administered, the method of GO synthesis, and its physicochemical properties. This review brings together studies on the method of synthesis and structure of GO, characterization techniques, and physicochemical properties. Also, we rely on the toxicity of GO in cellular models and biological systems. Moreover, we mention the general mechanism of its toxicity.
Fractional Operators Associated with the
ք
-Extended Mathieu Series by Using Laplace Transform
Authors: Kahsay Hafte Amsalu , Khan Adnan , Khan Sajjad , Wubneh Kahsay Godifey
Published: June 2021

In this paper, our leading objective is to relate the fractional integral operator known as

P

δ

-transform with the

ք

-extended Mathieu series. We show that the

P

δ

-transform turns to the classical Laplace transform; then, we get the integral relating the Laplace transform stated in corollaries. As corollaries and consequences, many interesting outcomes are exposed to follow from our main results. Also, in this paper, we have converted the

P

δ

-transform into a classical Laplace transform by changing the variable

ln

δ
−
1

s
+
1

/

δ
−
1

⟶
s

; then, we get the integral involving the Laplace transform.
Risk of Death and Heart Failure among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Treated by Metformin and Nonmetformin Monotherapy: A Real-World Study
Authors: He Siyao , Qian Xin , Chen Yanyan , Shen Xiaoxia , Zhang Bo , Chen Xiaoping , Xu Xiangjin , Li Guangwei
Published: June 2021

Background. To assess the association of metformin monotherapy with the risk of all-cause deaths and cardiovascular deaths and events in type 2 diabetes patients in real clinical practice. Methods. This retrospective, observational study comprised patients with type 2 diabetes initially treated with metformin or nonmetformin monotherapy over 2011-2016. Data were extracted from the National Healthcare Big Data database in Fuzhou, China. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed, matching each patient on metformin to one on nonmetformin in terms of a set of covariates. The primary endpoint was all-cause death, and secondary endpoints were cardiovascular death, heart failure, and heart failure hospitalization. Covariate-adjusted associations of metformin use with all the endpoints were assessed by Cox proportional hazards models. Results. Among 24,099 patients, 5491 were initially treated with metformin and 18,608 with nonmetformin. PSM yielded 5482 patients in each cohort. During a median follow-up of 2.02 years, we observed 110 and 211 deaths in the metformin and nonmetformin groups, respectively. Metformin was significantly associated with reduced risk of all-cause death (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 0.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.39-0.69), cardiovascular death (aHR 0.63, 95% CI 0.43-0.91), and heart failure (aHR 0.61, 95% CI 0.52-0.73), whereas the reduced risk in heart failure hospitalization was not statistically significant (aHR 0.70, 95% CI 0.47-1.02). Conclusions. In this analysis of electronic health record data from a large database in China, metformin as first-line monotherapy greatly reduced the risk of all-cause death, cardiovascular death, and heart failure in diabetes patients as compared with nonmetformin medications.
Privacy Data Security Policy of Medical Cloud Platform Based on Lightweight Algorithm Model
Authors: Liu JiMin , Zhao HuiQi , Liu Chen , Jia QuanQiu
Published: June 2021

The deterioration of aging population has seriously hindered the development of society. Medical cloud platform has been widely used to alleviate the pressure of aging population on social economy. Most of them collect the user’s sign information through the edge node and complete the disease prediction and diagnosis function combined with the cloud platform. However, the limited resources prevent the edge node from deploying the corresponding security policy after completing the data collection, storage, and calculation, which makes the edge data easy to be stolen. This paper proposes a security architecture of medical cloud platform based on lightweight algorithm model, which not only satisfies the needs of medical cloud platform to complete disease prediction and diagnosis accurately, but also creates a more secure edge node environment combined with other security strategies and hardware design. Finally, the prediction of cerebrovascular disease is used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm model.
Investigating the Anticonvulsant Properties of Aqueous Ethanolic Extracts of the Leaves, Roots, and Fruits of Jatropha gossypifolia L. (Euphorbiaceae)
Authors: Drafor Gideon , Duah Emmanuel , Ankamah Nelson A. , Kpene Godsway E. , Mante Priscilla K.
Published: June 2021

Convulsion is a typical symptom associated with epilepsy. Jatropha gossypifolia, a common plant in Ghana, has been used traditionally for the management of epilepsy. This study was carried out to ascertain the scientific basis for the traditional utility of Jatropha gossypifolia for various convulsive disorders and also determine the part of the plant with the most anticonvulsant activity. The anticonvulsant activity of the leaf, root, and fruit extracts in doses of 30–300 mg/kg was assessed using the picrotoxin-induced seizure models in mice. The drugs and chemical preparations used included diazepam, picrotoxin, ethanol (70%), and normal saline. GraphPad Prism 6 was used for all statistical analysis and plotting of graphs. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, followed by Bonferroni’s multiple comparison test. The leaf extract significantly and dose-independently reduced the frequency of myoclonic jerks (

P
=
0.0001

) and decreased the duration of clonic convulsions (

P
=
0.019

). The root extract also significantly and dose-dependently reduced the frequency of myoclonic jerks (

P
=
0.001

) but only decreased the frequency of tonic convulsions at 100 mg/kg (

P
=
0.006

). It also significantly decreased the duration of tonic convulsions (

P
=
0.0001

). The fruit extract only significantly and dose-independently reduced the frequency of myoclonic jerks (

P
=
0.0001

). It, however, showed an increase in the duration of both clonic and tonic convulsions. The study shows that the leaves and roots of Jatropha gossypifolia produce anticonvulsant activity which may be through enhancement of GABAergic transmission or activation of GABA receptors which support the traditional use of the plant to treat epileptic fits.
Zinc Oxide Phytonanoparticles’ Effects on Yield and Mineral Contents in Fruits of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Cherry) under Field Conditions
Authors: Gutiérrez-Miceli Federico Antonio , Oliva-Llaven María Ángela , Luján-Hidalgo María Celina , Velázquez-Gamboa María Concepción , González-Mendoza Daniel , Sánchez-Roque Yazmin
Published: June 2021

The use of phytonanoparticles in agriculture could decrease the use of fertilizers and therefore decrease soil contamination, due to their size being better assimilated in plants. It is important to mention that the nanofertilizer is slow-releasing and improves plant physiological properties and various nutritional parameters. The influence of soil and foliar applications of phytonanoparticles of ZnO with the Moringa oleifera extract under three concentrations (25, 50, and 100 ppm) was evaluated on the cherry tomato crop (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Synthesis of the phytonanoparticles was analyzed with ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) and infrared transmission spectroscopy with Fourier transform (FT-IR), as well as the analysis with the dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique. The morphometric parameters were evaluated before and after the application of the nanoparticles. The minerals’ content of fruits was done 95 days after planting. Results showed that soil application was better at a concentration of 25 ppm of phytonanoparticles since it allowed the greatest number of flowers and fruits on the plant; however, it was demonstrated that when performing a foliar application, the fruit showed the highest concentrations for the elements Mg, Ca, and Na at concentrations of 511, 4589, and 223 mg kg−1, respectively.
Efficient Visualization Method and Implementation of Reservoir Model Based on WPF
Authors: Liu Shanshan , Wang Xiaoqiu , Feng Yueli , Cai Xianlu , Yan Pengyin , Li Binwang
Published: June 2021

In view of the slow speed and poor effect of real-time rendering of large-scale reservoir geological grid model, a new grid model hidden algorithm is proposed by analyzing the Eclipse reservoir grid model storage format, grid model representation, and cell sorting rule, which optimizes the original grid data and improves the rendering speed of reservoir grid model. The algorithm in this paper eliminates hidden points and faces according to the topological relationship of the grid, and finally, only the visible point and face data are extracted as the final visual input data. Through the realization of 3D visualization software of reservoir geological model and well trajectory, the correctness and efficiency of the hidden algorithm are verified. In the software, firstly, the number of display grids is effectively reduced by preprocessing, and the 3D graphics technology of WPF and helix is adopted to realize the high-efficiency display of reservoir grids. The comparison test of different scale reservoir models shows that the method can reduce the point and surface data by more than 85% and shows that the speed optimization effect is significant. The 3D display function realizes the interactive functions such as roaming, zooming, and viewpoint switching of the reservoir model, truly reveals again the geological environment and borehole information of underground drilling, which is helpful for drilling interpretation and decision-making, provides a reasonable drilling tracking geological target drilling scheme for the drilling process, and realizes the seamless connection of geological engineering integration.
Development and Performance Evaluation of Thin‐Layer Color Antiwearing Paving Materials
Authors: Liu Zhaohui , Deng Xiangming , Guo Hao , Zhang Yingchun , Wei Di , Zhang Dongmei
Published: June 2021

To develop a color antiwearing wear layer based on epoxy resin adhesives, the effect of single formula composition on the properties of adhesives was analyzed through drawing strength tests, shear strength tests, and bending strength tests. It was found that when the mass ratio of the epoxy resin curing agent and the dosage of the toughening agent increased, the bonding performance and toughness of the adhesive firstly increased and then decreased. With the increase of the mass ratio of phenolic aldehyde amine to polyamide, the bonding performance and toughness of the adhesive were improved, but the effect was significantly reduced when the ratio was more than 2. With the increase of diluent content, the bonding performance and toughness of the adhesive were reduced. Based on response surface optimization, the optimum formulation was recommended. The content of the mass ratio of the epoxy resin to the curing agent and mass ratio of curing agent phenolic amine to polyamide, toughening agent content, and diluent content was determined to be 2.971%, 1.887%, 2.455%, and 1.000%, respectively. And, the dosage of each material was consistent with the effect of the dosage of a single formula on the properties of adhesives. The performance of the color antiwearing thin layer was tested by the adhesion test and antiwearing durability test. It was found that temperature had a significant effect on the adhesion, the adhesion of the thin layer was significantly reduced at low temperature, and the sensitivity to impact load was enhanced, while the adhesion and sensitivity to impact load were effectively improved at more than 20°C. At the same time, the antiwearing of the thin layer decreased rapidly at the initial stage under the reciprocating load but tended to be stable when the load exceeds 500 times.
[Retracted] Deep Learning‐Based Multitarget Motion Shadow Rejection and Accurate Tracking for Sports Video
Authors: Duan Chunxia
Published: June 2021

The effect is tested in various specific scenes of sports videos to complete the multitarget motion multitarget tracking detection application applicable to various specific scenes within sports videos. In this paper, deep neural networks are applied to sports video multitarget motion shadow suppression and accurate tracking to improve tracking performance. After the target frame selection is determined, the tracker uses an optical flow method to estimate the limits of the target sports video multitarget motion based on the sports video multitarget motion of the target object between frames. The detector first scans each sports video image frame one by one, observing the previously discovered and learned image frame subregions one by one until the current moment that is highly like the target to be tracked. The preprocessed remote sensing images are converted into grayscale images, the histogram is normalized, and the appropriate height threshold is selected in combination with the regional growth function to realize the rejection of sports video multitarget motion shadow and establish the sports video multitarget network model. The distance and direction of the precise target displacement are determined by frequency‐domain vectors and null domain vectors, and the target action judgment mechanism is formed by decision learning. Finally, comparing with other shadow rejection and precision tracking algorithms, the proposed algorithm achieves greater advantages in terms of accuracy and time consumption.
Urban Road Network Emergency: An Integrative Vulnerability Identification Method
Authors: Xiang Huaikun
Published: June 2021

The vulnerability of an urban road network is affected by many factors, such as internal road network layout, network structure strength, and external destructive events, which have great uncertainty and complexity. Thus, there is still no unified and definite vulnerability analysis scheme available to cities. This paper proposes an integrative vulnerability identification method for urban road networks, which mainly relates to the vulnerability connotation and characteristics analysis of urban road networks during emergency, and vulnerability comprehensive evaluation indices design based on urban road network connectivity, traffic efficiency and performance, and an empirical study on a vulnerability identification method of an urban road network. In the empirical case, a real road network and traffic operation data were used from Science and Technology Park of Shenzhen City, China. In the context of one certain emergency scenario, the stated preference survey method and maximum likelihood method are used to solve the road users’ random travel choice behavior parameters; subsequently, based on the traffic equilibrium distribution prediction, the traffic vulnerability identification methods of the road network in this region were verified before and after the emergency. The method presented here not only considers the impact of network topology changes on road network traffic function during emergency but also considers the impact of dynamic changes in road network traffic demand on vulnerability; therefore, it is closer to the actual distribution of urban road network traffic vulnerability.
Presumed Retinal Metastasis from Lung Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Özcan Gökçen , Gündüz Ahmet Kaan , Mirzayev Ibadulla , Sağlik Ayhan
Published: June 2021

A 63-year-old Caucasian man with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma undergoing chemotherapy and external radiotherapy was referred for routine eye examination. Although he was asymptomatic, ocular examination revealed a relatively well-circumscribed whitish retinal lesion measuring0.5×0.5×0.5 mm located along the inferotemporal vascular arcade in the right eye. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed a hyperreflective dome-shaped lesion occupying the inner retinal layers with few hyperreflective dots overlying the retina in the posterior vitreous consistent with tumor cells. Fluorescein angiography revealed early hyperfluorescence and late staining without leakage at the lesion site. A diagnosis of presumed retinal metastasis from lung adenocarcinoma was made. At 2 months follow-up after completion of chemotherapy, the retinal lesion was found to have regressed completely leaving minor irregularities in the inner retinal layers on OCT. To date, there have been only 41 cases of carcinoma metastasis to the retina reported in the literature including the current case. Despite its rarity, retinal metastasis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a white-yellow retinal mass with/without overlying vitreous cells especially in patients with a history of systemic cancer.
Promoting Nrf2/Sirt3‐Dependent Mitophagy Suppresses Apoptosis in Nucleus Pulposus Cells and Protects against Intervertebral Disc Degeneration
Authors: Hu Sunli , Zhang Chenxi , Qian Tianchen , Bai Yue , Chen Liang , Chen Jiaoxiang , Huang Chongan , Xie Chenglong , Wang Xiangyang , Jin Haiming
Published: June 2021

One of the causes of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is nucleus pulposus cell (NPC) death, possibly apoptosis. In this study, we explored the role of the Nrf2/Sirt3 pathway and tert‐butylhydroquinone (t‐BHQ) in IVDD and elucidated the potential working mechanism. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay kits and malondialdehyde (MDA) assay kits were used to assess oxidative stress. Western blot and TUNEL staining were used to examine apoptosis. After siRNA against Nrf2 or lentivirus against Sirt3 was transfected into NPCs, the mechanism of the effect of the Nrf2/Sirt3 pathway on NPCs was assessed. The interaction between t‐BHQ and its potential interacting protein NRF2 was further investigated through protein docking analysis. ChIP examined the binding affinity between Nrf2 and Sirt3 promoter. In vivo experiments, X‐ray, hematoxylin‐eosin (HE) staining, Safranin O staining, and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate IVDD grades. The results demonstrated that activation of the Nrf2/Sirt3 pathway inhibited tert‐butyl hydroperoxide‐ (TBHP‐) induced apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction in vitro. In addition to apoptosis, upregulation of the Nrf2/Sirt3 pathway induced by t‐BHQ restored TBHP‐induced autophagic flux disturbances. However, its protective effect was reversed by chloroquine and Si‐ATG5. Furthermore, t‐BHQ ameliorated IVDD development in a rat model. In conclusion, our findings indicate that the Nrf2/Sirt3 pathway and its agonist represent a potential candidate for treating IVDD.
A New Circumscribed Self‐Excited Spherical Strange Attractor
Authors: Ramamoorthy Ramesh , Jamal Sajjad Shaukat , Hussain Iqtadar , Mehrabbeik Mahtab , Jafari Sajad , Rajagopal Karthikeyan
Published: June 2021

Studying new chaotic flows with specific characteristics has been an open‐ended field of exploring nonlinear dynamics. Investigation of chaotic flows is an area of research that has been taken into consideration for many years; thus, it helps in a better understanding of the chaotic systems. In this paper, an original chaotic 3D system, which has not been investigated yet, is presented in spherical coordinates. A unique feature of the proposed system is that its velocity becomes zero for a specific value of the radius variable. Hence, the system’s attractor is expected to be stuck on one side of a plane in spherical coordinates and inside or outside a sphere in the corresponding Cartesian coordinates. It means that the attractor cannot pass through the sphere or even touch it. The introduced system owns two unstable equilibria and a self‐excited strange attractor. The 1D and 2D system’s bifurcation diagrams concerning the alteration of two bifurcation parameters are plotted to investigate the system’s dynamical properties. Moreover, the system’s Lyapunov exponents in the corresponding period of bifurcation parameters are calculated. Then, two 2D basins of attraction for two different third dimension values are explored. Based on the basin of attraction, it can be found that the sphere has attraction itself, partially, and some initial conditions are led to the sphere, not to the strange attractor. Ultimately, the connecting curves of the proposed system are explored to find an informative 1D set in addition to the system’s equilibria.
Visual Function and Patient Satisfaction with Multifocal Intraocular Lenses in Patients with Glaucoma and Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Sánchez-Sánchez Carmen , Rementería-Capelo Laureano A. , Puerto Beatriz , López-Caballero Cristina , Morán Aida , Sánchez-Pina José María , Contreras Inés
Published: June 2021

Purpose. To report visual function and self-reported satisfaction of patients with glaucoma and dry age-related macular degeneration (dAMD) implanted with multifocal intraocular lenses (MIOL). Methods. Patients with glaucoma or dAMD as well as healthy individuals implanted with MIOL were invited to participate. Explorations performed were uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity (UDVA and CDVA), low-contrast visual acuity (LCVA), binocular contrast sensitivity, and defocus curves. Patients completed the Catquest-9 questionnaire and reported on the presence of dysphotopsias and the need for spectacles. Results. 38 subjects were included: 11 in the healthy/control group and 9 each in the preperimetric glaucoma, perimetric glaucoma, and dAMD groups. Controls had statistically better monocular UDVA, CDVA, and LCVA than patients with glaucoma and dAMD, as well as better binocular acuity in the defocus curves between −2.00 D and +0.50 D. Differences between controls and patients with preperimetric glaucoma were not statistically significant. Between −3.0 D and +0.5 D, all groups except dAMD achieved acuities better than 0.2 logMAR. Patients with dAMD had worse contrast sensitivity than all others for 3 cycles per degree (cpd), and patients with glaucoma had worse values than all others for 12 cpd; other differences did not reach statistical significance. Healthy subjects and patients with preperimetric glaucoma perceived halos more often than patients with glaucoma or dAMD, while suffering less from glare. Patients with glaucoma and dAMD found more difficulties when driving at night and required spectacles for near more often than the other subjects. Patients with dAMD were less satisfied with their vision. Conclusions. MIOLs may be implanted in patients with preperimetric glaucoma with little fear of patient dissatisfaction. In glaucoma and dAMD, MIOLs might be considered with caution, after explaining the increased risk of glare and the higher need for spectacle correction for reading.
From the Urinary Catheter to the Prevalence of Three Classes of Integrons, β‐Lactamase Genes, and Differences in Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Proteus mirabilis and Clonal Relatedness with Rep‐PCR
Authors: Mirzaei Arezoo , Nasr Esfahani Bahram , Raz Abbasali , Ghanadian Mustafa , Moghim Sharareh
Published: June 2021

Introduction. Proteus mirabilis is a biofilm‐forming agent that quickly settles on the urinary catheters and causing catheter‐associated urinary tract infections. Thus, the spread of multidrug‐resistant P. mirabilis isolates, with the ability to form a biofilm that carries integron, extended‐spectrum β‐lactamases (ESBLs), and plasmid‐mediated colistin resistance genes (mcr), represents a severe threat to managing nosocomial infectious diseases. This study is aimed at surveying the prevalence of ESBL, integrase, and mcr genes of P. mirabilis, isolated from the catheter, to assess the differences in their antimicrobial susceptibility and clonal dissemination. Method. Microtiter plate assay was adopted to measure biofilm formation. The antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed by the disk diffusion method. Antimicrobial resistance genes (intI1, intI2, intI3, blaTEM, blaCTX-M, blaSHV, mcr1, and mcr2) were detected by PCR. All of the isolates were characterized by repetitive sequence‐based PCR. Result. From 385 collected catheters in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), 40 P. mirabilis were isolated. All of the isolates could form a biofilm. Proteus spp. had intrinsic resistance to tetracycline (95%) and nitrofurantoin (92.5%), which explains the high resistance prevalence. The most widely resistant antibiotic was trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole (75%). Thirty‐three (82.5%) isolates were classified as multidrug resistance (MDR). The prevalence of intI1 and intI2 genes was 60% and 25%, respectively. In 6 (15%) isolates, both genes were detected. The most frequent ESBL gene detected in all of the isolates was blaTEM. Also, no detection for mcr1 and mcr2 antibiotic resistance genes was reported. Rep‐PCR identified 39(GTG)5 types (G1–G39) of 40 isolates that 38 isolates had unique patterns. Conclusion. In this study, 82.5% of isolates were MDR with high antibiotic resistance to trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole. The intI1 and blaTEM were the most prevalent genes in the integrase and ESBL gene family. High diversity was seen in the isolates with Rep‐PCR. The increasing rate of MDR isolates with a high prevalence of resistance genes could be alarming and demonstrate the need for hygienic procedures to prevent the increased antibiotic resistance rate in the future.
An Improved Maximum Power Point Approach for Temperature Variation in PV System Applications
Authors: Chellakhi Abdelkhalek , El Beid Said , Abouelmahjoub Younes
Published: June 2021

This paper develops and discusses an improved MPPT approach for temperature variation with fast-tracking speed and reduced steady-state oscillation. This MPPT approach can be added to numerous existing MPPT algorithms in order to enhance their tracking accuracy and response time and to reduce the power loss. The improved MPPT method is fast and accurate to follow the maximum power point under critical temperature conditions without increasing the implementation complexity. The simulation results under different scenarios of temperature and insolation were presented to validate the advantages of the proposed method in terms of tracking efficiency and reduction of power loss at dynamic and steady-state conditions. The simulation results obtained when the proposed MPPT technique was added to different MPPT techniques, namely, perturb and observe (P&O), incremental conductance (INC), and modified MPP-Locus method, show significant enhancements of the MPP tracking performances, where the average efficiency of the conventional P&O, INC, and modified MPP-Locus MPPT methods under all scenarios is presented, respectively, as 98.85%, 98.80%, and 98.81%, whereas the average efficiency of the improved P&O, INC, and modified MPP-Locus MPPT methods is 99.18%, 99.06%, and 99.12%, respectively. Furthermore, the convergence time enhancement of the improved approaches over the conventional P&O, INC, and modified MPP-Locus methods is 2.06, 5.25, and 2.57 milliseconds, respectively; besides, the steady-state power oscillations of the conventional P&O, INC, and modified MPP-Locus MPPT methods are 2, 1, and 0.6 watts, but it is neglected in the case of using the improved approaches. In this study, the MATLAB/Simulink software package was selected for the implementation of the whole PV system.
Consistency Fuzzy Sets and a Cosine Similarity Measure in Fuzzy Multiset Setting and Application to Medical Diagnosis
Authors: Türkarslan Ezgi , Ye Jun , Ünver Mehmet , Olgun Murat
Published: June 2021

The main purpose of this study is to construct a base for a new fuzzy set concept that is called consistency fuzzy set (CFS) which expresses the multidimensional uncertain data quite successfully. Our motive is to reduce the complexity and difficulty caused by the information contained in the truth sequence in a fuzzy multiset (FMS) and to present the data of the truth sequence in a more understandable and compact manner. Therefore, this paper introduces the concept of CFS that is characterized with a truth function defined on a universal set

0,1

2

. The first component of the truth pair of a CFS is the average value of the truth sequence of a FMS and the second component is the consistency degree, that is, the fuzzy complement of the standard deviation of the truth sequence of the same FMS. The main contribution of a CFS is the reflection of both the level of the average of the data that can be expressed with the different sequence lengths and the degree of the reasonable information in data via consistency degree. To develop this new concept, this paper also presents a correlation coefficient and a cosine similarity measure between CFSs. Furthermore, the proposed correlation coefficient and cosine similarity measure are applied to a multiperiod medical diagnosis problem. Finally, a comparison analysis is given between the obtained results and the existing results in literature to show the efficiency and rationality of the proposed correlation coefficient and cosine similarity measure.
Multiple Roles of IL6 in Hepatic Injury, Steatosis, and Senescence Aggregate to Suppress Tumorigenesis
Authors: Shriki Anat , Lanton Tali , Sonnenblick Amir , Levkovitch-Siany Orr , Eidelshtein Dana , Abramovitch Rinat , Rosenberg Nofar , Pappo Orit , Elgavish Sharona , Nevo Yuval , Safadi Rifaat , Peled Amnon , Rose-John Stefan , Galun Eithan , Axelrod Jonathan H.
Published: June 2021

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) typically develops on a background of chronic hepatitis for which the proinflammatory cytokine IL6 is conventionally considered a crucial driving factor. Paradoxically, IL6 also acts as a hepatoprotective factor in chronic liver injury. Here we used the multidrug-resistant gene 2 knockout (Mdr2−/−) mouse model to elucidate potential roles of IL6 in chronic hepatitis–associated liver cancer. Long-term analysis of three separate IL6/Stat3 signaling–deficient Mdr2−/− strains revealed aggravated liver injury with increased dysplastic nodule formation and significantly accelerated tumorigenesis in all strains. Tumorigenesis in the IL6/Stat3-perturbed models was strongly associated with enhanced macrophage accumulation and hepatosteatosis, phenotypes of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), as well as with significant reductions in senescence and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) accompanied by increased hepatocyte proliferation. These findings reveal a crucial suppressive role for IL6/Stat3 signaling in chronic hepatitis–associated hepatocarcinogenesis by impeding protumorigenic NASH-associated phenotypes and by reinforcing the antitumorigenic effects of the SASP.

Significance:

These findings describe a context-dependent role of IL6 signaling in hepatocarcinogenesis and predict that increased IL6-neutralizing sgp130 levels in some patients with NASH may herald early HCC development.

See related commentary by Huynh and Ernst, p. 4671
Subgroup Analyses in Oncology Trials: Regulatory Considerations and Case Examples
Authors: Amatya Anup K. , Fiero Mallorie H. , Bloomquist Erik W. , Sinha Arup K. , Lemery Steven J. , Singh Harpreet , Ibrahim Amna , Donoghue Martha , Fashoyin-Aje Lola A. , de Claro R. Angelo , Gormley Nicole J. , Amiri-Kordestani Laleh , Sridhara Rajeshwari , Theoret Marc R. , Kluetz Paul G. , Pazdur Richard , Beaver Julia A. , Tang Shenghui
Published: June 2021

Subgroup analyses are assessments of treatment effects based on certain patient characteristics out of the total study population and are important for interpretation of pivotal oncology trials. However, appropriate use of subgroup analyses results for regulatory decision-making and product labeling is challenging. Typically, drugs approved by the FDA are indicated for use in the total patient population studied; however, there are examples of restriction to a subgroup of patients despite positive study results in the entire study population and also extension of an indication to the entire study population despite positive results appearing primarily in one or more subgroups. In this article, we summarize key issues related to subgroup analyses in the benefit–risk assessment of cancer drugs and provide case examples to illustrate approaches that the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence has taken when considering the appropriate patient population for cancer drug approval. In general, if a subgroup is of interest, the subgroup analysis should be hypothesis-driven and have adequate sample size to demonstrate evidence of a treatment effect. In addition to statistical efficacy considerations, the decision on what subgroups to include in labeling relies on the pathophysiology of the disease, mechanistic justification, safety data, and external information available. The oncology drug review takes the totality of the data into consideration during the decision-making process to ensure the indication granted and product labeling appropriately reflect the scientific evidence to support patient population for whom the drug is safe and effective.
Clinical and Functional Characterization of AtypicalKRAS/NRASMutations in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Loree Jonathan M. , Wang Yucai , Syed Muddassir A. , Sorokin Alexey V. , Coker Oluwadara , Xiu Joanne , Weinberg Benjamin A. , Vanderwalde Ari M. , Tesfaye Anteneh , Raymond Victoria M. , Miron Benjamin , Tarcic Gabi , Zelichov Ori , Broaddus Russell R. , Ng Patrick Kwok Shing , Jeong Kang Jin , Tsang Yiu Huen , Mills Gordon B. , Overman Michael J. , Grothey Axel , Marshall John L. , Kopetz Scott
Published: June 2021

Purpose:

Mutations in KRAS/NRAS (RAS) predict lack of anti-EGFR efficacy in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, it is unclear if all RAS mutations have similar impact, and atypical mutations beyond those in standard guidelines exist.

Experimental Design:

We reviewed 7 tissue and 1 cell-free DNA cohorts of 9,485 patients to characterize atypical RAS variants. Using an in vitro cell-based assay (functional annotation for cancer treatment), Ba/F3 transformation, and in vivo xenograft models of transduced isogenic clones, we assessed signaling changes across mutations.

Results:

KRAS exon 2, extended RAS, and atypical RAS mutations were noted in 37.8%, 9.5%, and 1.2% of patients, respectively. Among atypical variants, KRAS L19F, Q22K, and D33E occurred at prevalence ≥0.1%, whereas no NRAS codon 117/146 and only one NRAS codon 59 mutation was noted. Atypical RAS mutations had worse overall survival than RAS/BRAF wild-type mCRC (HR, 2.90; 95% confidence interval, 1.24–6.80; P = 0.014). We functionally characterized 114 variants with the FACT assay. All KRAS exon 2 and extended RAS mutations appeared activating. Of 57 atypical RAS variants characterized, 18 (31.6%) had signaling below wild-type, 23 (40.4%) had signaling between wild-type and activating control, and 16 (28.1%) were hyperactive beyond the activating control. Ba/F3 transformation (17/18 variants) and xenograft model (7/8 variants) validation was highly concordant with FACT results, and activating atypical variants were those that occurred at highest prevalence in clinical cohorts.

Conclusions:

We provide best available evidence to guide treatment when atypical RAS variants are identified. KRAS L19F, Q22K, D33E, and T50I are more prevalent than many guideline-included RAS variants and functionally relevant.
Clinical Implications of the New Equation to Estimate Glomerular Filtration Rate
Authors: Giavarina Davide , Husain-Syed Faeq , Ronco Claudio
Published: June 2021

Recently, a new full-age spectrum equation was proposed by the European Kidney Function Consortium (EKFC) to overcome the difficulty of using multiple glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimation equations and problems of implausible changes in GFR during the transition from adolescence to adulthood and address GFR overestimation in young adults and in the older adults. To verify the impact on patient classifications, we applied the new equation to data of 38,188 adult patients, comparing GFR estimation using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) and EKFC equations. As expected, our data indicate that a significant proportion of patients will be reclassified downward by the EKFC compared to the CKD-EPI equation with a particular reference between CKD stages 1–2 and 2–3 and age categories of 18–30 and ≥61 years, respectively. Clinicians should be aware that any replacement for the EKFC equation will entail a period of different results in estimated GFR during the transition from the previous to the new equation.
Expression of the α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Is Critically Required for the Antifibrotic Effect of PHA-543613 on Skin Fibrosis
Authors: Stegemann Agatha , Raker Verena , del Rey Adriana , Steinbrink Kerstin , Böhm Markus
Published: June 2021

Introduction: Targeting the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) has recently been suggested as a potential new treatment for fibrotic skin diseases. Here, we performed a genetic and pharmacologic approach to clarify the role of this receptor in the bleomycin (BLM) mouse model of skin fibrosis using α7nAChR KO mice. Methods: We analyzed the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) components in murine skin using quantitative RT-PCR, pepsin digestion/SDS-PAGE of proteins and performed hydroxyproline assays as well as histological/immunohistochemical staining of skin sections. To identity the target cells of the α7nAChR agonist PHA-543613, we used murine dermal fibroblasts (MDF). We tested their response to the profibrotic cytokine transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and utilized gene silencing to elucidate the role of the α7nAChR. Results: We confirmed our previous findings on C3H/HeJ mice and detected a suppressive effect of PHA-543613 on BLM-induced skin fibrosis in the mouse strain C57BL/6J. This antifibrotic effect of PHA-543613 was abrogated in α7nAChR-KO mice. Interestingly, α7nAChR-KO animals exhibited a basal profibrotic signature by higher RNA expression of ECM genes and hydroxyproline content than WT mice. In WT MDF, PHA-543613 suppressed ECM gene expression induced by TGF-β1. Gene silencing of α7nAChR by small interfering RNA neutralized the effects of PHA-543613 on TGF-β1-mediated ECM gene expression. Conclusion: In summary, we have identified the α7nAChR as the essential mediator of the antifibrotic effect of PHA-543613. MDF are directly targeted by PHA-543613 to suppress collagen synthesis. Our findings emphasize therapeutic exploitation of α7nAChR receptor agonists in fibrotic skin diseases.
ВИКОРИСТАННЯ РЕЗУЛЬТАТІВ СУЧАСНИХ ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ З ІСТОРІЇ МЕДИЦИНИ ДЛЯ ЕФЕКТИВНОГО РЕФОРМУВАННЯ ГАЛУЗІ ОХОРОНИ ЗДОРОВ'Я В УКРАЇНІ
Authors: Necheglod L. M.
Published: June 2021

У статті міститься аналіз останніх досліджень з історії охорони здоров'я. Автор виокремлює практичні рекомендації дослідників та обґрунтовує їх доцільність в реформуванні медичної сфери.
Dataísmo, a religião do século XXI e sua manifestação do sagrado no filme I Am Mother (2019)
Authors: Hashimoto Caroline Cavilha Cavilha dos Santos
Published: June 2021

O artigo demonstra em que momentos do filme I Am Mother é possível perceber a inteligência artificial como sendo um ente sagrado. Isso pelo fato da obra narrar a história de um robô chamado Mãe que tem o poder de manipular a criação da vida humana logo após sua extinção. A obra permite ainda observar uma narrativa mitológica adaptada ao contexto tecnológico e inteligente do século XXI. Passível de ser estruturado a partir da temática da religião dataísta. Um conceito atual que foi aprimorado pelo historiador Yuval Noah Harari. O preceito básico do dataísmo é a cultuação dos dados ao invés de deuses ou do homem. Desse modo, o robô Mãe é venerado como um ente sagrado por se encarregar de dar vida aos embriões selecionados e de julgar quem é digno de permanecer vivo para dar continuidade à espécie humana. Para conseguir suas metas, o robô age de maneira estratégica e planejada. Agindo pela força caso seja necessário. A abordagem fílmica se baseia sobretudo no mito da criação e recriação do mundo, da Arca de Noé, do fruto proibido, de Adão e Eva, da Mãe Terra, do sacrifício humano. Há também alguns elementos históricos e simbólicos que são esclarecidos no decorrer do texto. Como exemplo, a simbologia do fogo que é usado na película para incinerar o que o robô entende como desnecessário. Por fim, o texto também tem a intenção de provocar no leitor uma reflexão sobre o impacto dos avanços tecnológicos para o futuro da religião.
As Legislações Brasileiras São Instrumentos que Garantem a Autoestima do Idoso?
Authors: Feitosa Elza Alves
Published: June 2021

Este artigo tem por objetivo estimular a reflexão sobre o processo de envelhecimento e as  políticas públicas que visam proteger a população idosa no Brasil. Menciona as Assembléias Mundiais sobre o Envelhecimento, realizadas em Viena e Madri, nos anos 1982 e 2002, as quais chamaram a atenção dos países quanto à necessidade de proteger os direitos das pessoas idosas. No Brasil houve criação de leis de amparo à velhice, mas pouco tem sido feito para viabilizar o exercício dos direitos assegurados. É imprescindível que o Estado desenvolva políticas públicas para garantir uma melhor qualidade de vida para essa parcela da população. A autoestima é um fator que norteia o processo de envelhecimento, ela pode contribuir para a saúde da pessoa idosa e consequentemente poderá determinar a qualidade de vida. As projeções populacionais impõem ações de prevenção e cuidado direcionados às necessidades das pessoas idosas. É necessário reconhecer os seus direitos para que sejam desenvolvidas e garantidas ações políticas específicas e integradas, que reconheçam suas características e especificidades.
A e-Participação como Resposta aos Vazios Institucionais: uma visão multidimensional
Authors: Senandes Joanna Carolo
Published: June 2021

O objetivo deste estudo foi realizar um levantamento bibliográfico das publicações científicas sobre teoria institucional, e-Participação e “vazios institucionais”. O segundo passo foi relacionar a e-Participação com os “vazios institucionais” tendo a seguinte questão de pesquisa: se a e-Participação pode preencher os “vazios institucionais” e qual o seu potencial? Com o surgimento e a ampliação das plataformas eletrônicas, os coletivos/ações sociais ganharam força na sociedade promovendo inovação e participação social. Vivemos em uma rede de fluxos, a distância geográfica deixou de ser uma barreira social. Com os sistemas de trabalho e a integração social em redes, o tempo se tornou mais flexível, os lugares se tornaram singulares à medida que as pessoas circulam entre eles em um padrão cada vez mais móvel. A metodologia adotada foi a realização de pesquisas em bancos de dados Web of Science e Scielo. Através das análises dos artigos, foi possível identificar que a e-Participação preenche os vazios institucionais por meio de ações e coletivos culturais, sociais e políticos e possuem potencial para preencher os “vazios institucionais”.
Licitações Públicas: um estudo o uso da dispensa e inexigibilidade de licitações no município de Bela Vista de Goiás, Go, Brasil.
Authors: Albernaz Lucas
Published: June 2021

Este artigo tem por objetivo analisar se a administração pública do município de Bela Vista de Goiás utilizou de forma correta a dispensa e inexigibilidade de licitação nos anos de 2019 e 2020, atendendo os requisitos legais dos dispositivos que autorizam a contratação direta. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de natureza aplicada, de abordagem quali-quantitativa, classificada quanto aos objetivos como uma pesquisa exploratória. Em relação aos procedimentos técnicos adotou-se a pesquisa bibliográfica e documental. Para compreensão do assunto utilizou-se como referencial teórico os estudos de: Bittencourt (1998), Di Pietro (2003) e Oliveira (2009). Para o levantamento das informações utilizou-se a extração de informações no portal da transparência, bem como acesso a pareceres disponibilizados pela prefeitura. Os resultados da pesquisa demonstraram que a secretaria que mais utilizou da dispensa de licitação foi a Secretaria de Saúde, concentrando a maior parte das dispensas para aquisição de insumos para o enfrentamento da COVID-19, seguindo o art. 24, mais especificamente os incisos I e II da Lei Federal nº 8.666/1993. Não foi possível identificar nenhum processo em que o munícipio tenha utilizado da inexigibilidade de licitação no período estudado. A pesquisa forneceu resposta à problemática proposta, vez que se verificou que a administração pública do município utilizou a dispensa de licitação atendendo a legislação em vigor, porém com algumas ressalvas, conforme serão explanadas.
Two new species of the genus Areopraon Mackauer, 1959 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) from the Russian Far East
Authors: DAVIDIAN ELENA M. , BELOKOBYLSKIJ SERGEY A.
Published: June 2021

Two new species of the aphid parasitoid genus Areopraon Mackauer, 1959, A. tricolor Davidian, sp. nov. and A. vladivostoki Davidian, sp. nov., are described and illustrated from the fauna of the Russian Far East.
Review of the Paraplea Esaki & China (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Nepomorpha: Pleidae) of Australia, with description of a new species
Authors: COOK JERRY L.
Published: June 2021

The family Pleidae is represented in Australia only by members of the genus Paraplea. Paraplea brunni (Kirkaldy, 1898) has a widespread distribution in Australia and is also known from New Guinea. Paraplea halei (Lundblad, 1933) appears to be an endemic species occurring only in the southeastern part of Australia. The widespread species P. liturata (Fieber, 1844) occurs in Australia but only in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. The description of P. bifurcata n. sp. documents a fourth pleid species, being known only from the Northern Territory. Paraplea bifurcata n. sp. is easily differentiated from other species of Paraplea by having a bifurcated abdominal keel. An identification key and discussion of morphological characters of the four species of Paraplea from Australia is given.