bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Next generation sequencing for detection ofEGFRalterations in NSCLC: is more better?
Authors: Batra Ullas , Nathany Shrinidhi , Sharma Mansi , Jain Parveen , Mehta Anurag
Published: December 2020

Aims

The emergence of sophisticated next generation sequencing (NGS) based technologies in routine molecular diagnostics has paved the way for robust and accurate detection of variants which may otherwise be missed on single gene testing. This study aims at highlighting the same premise in EGFR mutated non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).

Methods

1350 cases of NSCLC were screened, of which 490 EGFR mutated cases were taken. The clinical records and molecular features were evaluated retrospectively to determine those cases which were missed on single gene testing.

Results

Among these 490 cases, there were 11 (2.2%) cases which tested negative on single gene testing using polymerase chain reaction (therascreen). These were then subjected to NGS based testing and were positive for 13 differentEGFRmutations. Five out of the 11 cases receivedEGFRtyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) based on the NGS test outcome. Four cases with exon 20 insertion mutations were not offered TKI as these mutations are known to be intrinsically resistant to TKI therapy. The five patients who have been treated with TKI have shown fair response and have not progressed to date.

Conclusions

We demonstrated a potentially preferable way to profile treatment-naïve patients with NSCLC by NGS and from our early experience inEGFRmutant cases, the advantages of NGS over single gene testing is clearly evident.
Brainstem and cerebellar involvement in MOG-IgG-associated disorder versus aquaporin-4-IgG and MS
Authors: Banks Samantha A , Morris Padraig P , Chen John J , Pittock Sean J , Sechi Elia , Kunchok Amy , Tillema Jan-Mendelt , Fryer James P , Weinshenker Brian G , Krecke Karl N , Lopez-Chiriboga A Sebastian , Nguyen Adam , Greenwood Tammy M , Lucchinetti Claudia F , Zalewski Nicholas L , Messina Steven A , Flanagan Eoin P
Published: December 2020

Objective

To determine the frequency and characteristics of brainstem or cerebellar involvement in myelin-oligodendrocyte-glycoprotein-antibody-associated-disorder (MOGAD) versus aquaporin-4-IgG-seropositive-neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (AQP4-IgG-NMOSD) and multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods

In this observational study, we retrospectively identified 185 Mayo Clinic MOGAD patients with: (1) characteristic MOGAD phenotype, (2) MOG-IgG seropositivity by live cell-based assay and (3) MRI lesion(s) of brainstem, cerebellum or both. We compared the symptomatic attacks to AQP4-IgG-NMOSD (n=30) and MS (n=30).

Results

Brainstem or cerebellar involvement occurred in 62/185 (34%) MOGAD patients of which 39/62 (63%) were symptomatic. Ataxia (45%) and diplopia (26%) were common manifestations. The median age in years (range) in MOGAD of 24 (2–65) was younger than MS at 36 (16–65; p=0.046) and AQP4-IgG-NMOSD at 45 (6–72; p=0.006). Isolated attacks involving the brainstem, cerebellum or both were less frequent in MOGAD (9/39 (23%)) than MS (22/30 (73%); p<0.001) but not significantly different from AQP4-IgG-NMOSD (14/30 (47%); p=0.07). Diffuse middle cerebellar peduncle MRI-lesions favoured MOGAD (17/37 (46%)) over MS (3/30 (10%); p=0.001) and AQP4-IgG-NMOSD (3/30 (10%); p=0.001). Diffuse medulla, pons or midbrain MRI lesions occasionally occurred in MOGAD and AQP4-IgG-NMOSD but never in MS. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) oligoclonal bands were rare in MOGAD (5/30 (17%)) and AQP4-IgG-NMOSD (2/22 (9%); p=0.68) but common in MS (18/22 (82%); p<0.001). Disability at nadir or recovery did not differ between the groups.

Conclusion

Involvement of the brainstem, cerebellum or both is common in MOGAD but usually occurs as a component of a multifocal central nervous system attack rather than in isolation. We identified clinical, CSF and MRI attributes that can help discriminate MOGAD from AQP4-IgG-NMOSD and MS.
Sterile neutrinos with altered dispersion relations as an explanation for neutrino anomalies
Authors: Döring Dominik , Päs Heinrich , Sicking Philipp , Weiler Thomas J.
Published: December 2020

Recently the MiniBooNE Collaboration has confirmed its anomalous excess in $$\overset{\scriptscriptstyle (-)}{\nu }_\mu \rightarrow \overset{\scriptscriptstyle (-)}{\nu }_e$$

ν

(
-
)

μ

→

ν

(
-
)

e

neutrino oscillation data. Combined with long-standing results from the LSND experiment this amounts to a $$6.1\,\sigma $$

6.1

σ

evidence for new physics beyond the Standard Model. In this paper we develop a framework with 3 active and 3 sterile neutrinos with altered dispersion relations that provides a mechanism to explain these anomalies without being in conflict with the absence of anomalous neutrino disappearance in other neutrino oscillation experiments.
Gravitational Landau damping for massive scalar modes
Authors: Moretti Fabio , Bombacigno Flavio , Montani Giovanni
Published: December 2020

We establish the possibility of Landau damping for gravitational scalar waves which propagate in a non-collisional gas of particles. In particular, under the hypothesis of homogeneity and isotropy, we describe the medium at the equilibrium with a Jüttner–Maxwell distribution, and we analytically determine the damping rate from the Vlasov equation. We find that damping occurs only if the phase velocity of the wave is subluminal throughout the propagation within the medium. Finally, we investigate relativistic media in cosmological settings by adopting numerical techniques.
Cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors require an arcuate-to-paraventricular hypothalamus melanocortin circuit to treat diet-induced obesity
Authors: Iqbal Niloy Jafar , Schwartz Gary J. , Zhao Hongling , Zhu Liang , Chua Streamson
Published: December 2020

We have defined some of the necessary components to prevent high-fat diet-induced obesity at the molecular and cellular level. Within POMC neurons, the retinoblastoma protein must remain active and prevented from phosphoinactivation by cyclin-dependent kinases. The downstream neurons within the PVH must also properly express MC4R for the circuit to appropriately regulate feeding behavior.
LRP1 regulates food intake and energy balance in GABAergic neurons independently of leptin action
Authors: Kang Min-Cheol , Seo Ji A , Lee Hyon , Uner Aykut , Yang Won-Mo , Cruz Rodrigues Kellen Cristina da , Kim Hyun Jeong , Li Wendy , Campbell John N. , Dagon Yossi , Kim Young-Bum
Published: December 2020

Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) is a member of LDL receptor family that plays a key role in systemic glucose and lipid homeostasis. LRP1 also regulates energy balance in the hypothalamus by mediating leptin’s anorexigenic action, although the underlying neurocircuitry involved is still unclear. Because GABAergic neurons are a major mediator of hypothalamic leptin action, we studied the role of GABAergic LRP1 in energy balance and leptin action using mice lacking LRP1 in Vgat- or AgRP-expressing neurons (Vgat-Cre; LRP1 loxP/loxP or AgRP-Cre; LRP1 loxP/loxP). Here, we show that LRP1 deficiency in GABAergic neurons results in severe obesity in male and female mice fed a normal-chow diet. This effect is most likely due to increased food intake and decreased energy expenditure and locomotor activity. Increased adiposity in GABAergic neuron-specific LRP1-deficient mice is accompanied by hyperleptinemia and hyperinsulinemia. Insulin resistance and glucose intolerance in these mice are occurred without change in body weight. Importantly, LRP1 in GABAergic neurons is not required for leptin action, as evidenced by normal leptin’s anorexigenic action and leptin-induced hypothalamic Stat3 phosphorylation. In contrast, LRP1 deficiency in AgRP neurons has no effect on adiposity and caloric intake. In conclusion, our data identify GABAergic neurons as a key neurocircuitry that underpins LRP1-dependent regulation of systemic energy balance and body-weight homeostasis. We further find that the GABAergic LRP1 signaling pathway modulates food intake and energy expenditure independently of leptin signaling and AgRP neurons.
The potential role of Na-K-ATPase and its signaling in the development of anemia in chronic kidney disease
Authors: Maxwell Kyle D. , Chuang Justin , Chaudhry Muhammad , Nie Ying , Bai Fang , Sodhi Komal , Liu Jiang , Shapiro Joseph I.
Published: December 2020

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most prominent diseases affecting our population today. According to the Factsheet published by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it effects approximately 15% of the total population in the United States in some way, shape, or form. Within the myriad of symptomatology associated with CKD, one of the most prevalent factors in terms of affecting quality of life is anemia. Anemia of CKD cannot be completely attributed to one mechanism or cause, but rather has a multifactorial origin in the pathophysiology of CKD. While briefly summarizing well-documented risk factors, this review, as a hypothesis, aims to explore the possible role of Na-K-ATPase and its signaling function [especially recent identified reactive oxygen species (ROS) amplification function] in the interwoven mechanisms of development of the anemia of CKD.
High salt intake induces collecting duct HDAC1-dependent NO signaling
Authors: Sedaka Randee , Hyndman Kelly A. , Mironova Elena , Stockand James D. , Pollock Jennifer S.
Published: December 2020

We reported that high salt (HS) intake stimulates renal collecting duct (CD) endothelin (ET) type B receptor (ETBR)/nitric oxide (NO) synthase 1β (NOS1β)-dependent NO production inhibiting the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) promoting natriuresis. However, the mechanism underlying the HS-induced increase of NO production is unclear. Histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) responds to increased fluid flow, as can occur in the CD during HS intake. The renal inner medulla (IM), in particular the IMCD, has the highest NOS1 activity within the kidney. Hence, we hypothesized that HS intake provokes HDAC1 activation of NO production in the IM. HS intake for 1 wk significantly increased HDAC1 abundance in the IM. Ex vivo treatment of dissociated IM from HS-fed mice with a selective HDAC1 inhibitor (MS-275) decreased NO production with no change in ET-1 peptide or mRNA levels. We further investigated the role of the ET-1/ETBR/NOS1β signaling pathway with chronic ETBR blockade (A-192621). Although NO was decreased and ET-1 levels were elevated in the dissociated IM from HS-fed mice treated with A-192621, ex vivo MS-275 did not further change NO or ET-1 levels suggesting that HDAC1-mediated NO production is regulated at the level or downstream of ETBR activation. In split-open CDs from HS-fed mice, patch clamp analysis revealed significantly higher ENaC activity after MS-275 pretreatment, which was abrogated by an exogenous NO donor. Moreover, flow-induced increases in mIMCD-3 cell NO production were blunted by HDAC1 or calcium inhibition. Taken together, these findings indicate that HS intake induces HDAC1-dependent activation of the ETBR/NO pathway contributing to the natriuretic response.
The Vanderbilt O’Brien Kidney Center
Authors: Pozzi Ambra , Harris Raymond C.
Published: December 2020

The Vanderbilt O’Brien Kidney Center (VOKC) is one of the eight National Institutes of Health P30-funded centers in the United States. The mission of these core-based centers is to provide technical and conceptual support to enhance and facilitate research in the field of kidney diseases. The goal of the VOKC is to provide support to understand mechanisms and identify potential therapies for acute and chronic kidney disease. The services provided by the VOKC are meant to help the scientific community to have the right support and tools as well as to select the right animal model, statistical analysis, and clinical study design to perform innovative research and translate discoveries into personalized care to prevent, diagnose, and cure kidney disease. To achieve these goals, the VOKC has in place a program to foster collaborative investigation into critical questions of kidney disease, to personalize diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease, and to disseminate information about kidney disease and the benefits of VOKC services and research. The VOKC is complemented by state-of-the-art cores and an education and outreach program whose goals are to provide an educational platform to enhance the study of kidney disease, to publicize information about services available through the VOKC, and to provide information about kidney disease to patients and other interested members of the community. In this review, we highlight the major services and contributions of the VOKC.
Unravelling Structure, Localization, and Genetic Crosstalk of KLF3 in Human Breast Cancer
Authors: Khan Khushbukhat , Safi Sadia , Abbas Asma , Badshah Yasmin , Dilshad Erum , Rafiq Mehak , Zahra Kainat , Shabbir Maria
Published: December 2020

Breast cancer is the most prevailing disease among women. It actually develops from breast tissue and has heterogeneous and complex nature that constitutes multiple tumor quiddities. These features are associated with different histological forms, distinctive biological characteristics, and clinical patterns. The predisposition of breast cancer has been attributed to a number of genetic factors, associated with the worst outcomes. Unfortunately, their behavior with relevance to clinical significance remained poorly understood. So, there is a need to further explore the nature of the disease at the transcriptome level. The focus of this study was to explore the influence of Krüppel‐like factor 3 (KLF3), tumor protein D52 (TPD52), microRNA 124 (miR‐124), and protein kinase C epsilon (PKCε) expression on breast cancer. Moreover, this study was also aimed at predicting the tertiary structure of KLF3 protein. Expression of genes was analyzed through real‐time PCR using the delta cycle threshold method, and statistical significance was calculated by two‐way ANOVA in Graphpad Prism. For the construction of a 3D model, various bioinformatics software programs, Swiss Model and UCSF Chimera, were employed. The expression of KLF3, miR‐124, and PKCε genes was decreased (fold change: 0.076443, 0.06969, and 0.011597, respectively). However, there was 2‐fold increased expression of TPD52 with p value < 0.001 relative to control. Tertiary structure of KLF3 exhibited 80.72% structure conservation with its template KLF4 and was 95.06% structurally favored by a Ramachandran plot. These genes might be predictors of stage, metastasis, receptor, and treatment status and used as new biomarkers for breast cancer diagnosis. However, extensive investigations at the tissue level and in in vivo are required to further strengthen their role as a potential biomarker for prognosis of breast cancer.
On Zero-Inflated Hierarchical Poisson Models with Application to Maternal Mortality Data
Authors: Tawiah Kassim , Iddi Samuel , Lotsi Anani
Published: December 2020

Count outcomes are commonly encountered in health sector data. The occurrence of count outcomes that exhibit many zeros has necessitated the extension of the ubiquitous Poisson regression model to accommodate the zero inflation and overdispersion as a result of the extra dispersion. We explored different extensions of the Poisson model including mixed models within the generalized linear mixed model framework to account for the repeated measurement of outcomes. These models are applied to maternal mortality data from fifty-six health facilities in four regions of Ghana. The objective is to identify factors associated with maternal mortality. The best-fitting model, the zero-inflated Poisson generalized linear mixed model, revealed that maternal mortality in hospital facilities is influenced by the number of referrals (into and out) of the hospital facility, number of antenatal visits exceeding four, number of midwives, and number of medical doctors at the facility. To be able to achieve targeted results in reducing maternal mortality and achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 3, the government, together with the ministry of health, should provide adequate maternal health services, especially at the district and community level. Additionally, there is a need for increased investment in Community Health Planning Services and related healthcare infrastructure and systems within the context of the Ouagadougou Declaration, that is, improve the training of skilled birth workers (midwives and doctors) and employ them at clinics to deal with labour complications without referring them to major hospitals. Furthermore, a well-structured awareness campaign is needed with importance given to avoiding adolescent pregnancy and improving antenatal care attendance to, at least, four, the gold standard, before delivery. Also, we recommend quality assessment form an essential part of all services that are directed towards improving maternal health and that more emphasis is needed to be given on research with multiple allied partners.
Solvability of Fractional Differential Inclusion with a Generalized Caputo Derivative
Authors: Nabil Tamer
Published: December 2020

This paper is devoted to the investigation of a kind of generalized Caputo semilinear fractional differential inclusions with deviated-advanced nonlocal conditions. Solvability of the problem is established by means of the Leray-Schauder’s alternative approach with the help of the Lagrange mean-value classical theorem. Finally, some examples are given to delineate the efficient of theoretical results.
Dynamic Behavior of Externally Prestressed Continuous Beam considering Second-Order Effect
Authors: Fang De-Ping
Published: December 2020

Considering precisely the second-order deformation of external tendon, the analytical solution of natural frequencies of 2-span externally prestressed continuous beam was obtained by the energy method. The effect of external prestress compression softening is between the zero effect of unbonded prestress compression and the effect of axial outside compression and is determined by the influence coefficient ranging within 0∼1. The influence coefficient is mainly related to the number of deviators and slightly related to tendon layout. Without deviator, the influence coefficient is 1, and the effect of external prestress compression softening is the same as the effect of axial outside compression. As the number of deviators increases, the influence coefficient gradually decreases from 1 to near 0, and the effect of external prestress compression softening is close to zero effect of unbonded prestress compression. With one or more deviators, the effect of external prestress compression softening is negligible. As the eccentricity and area of tendon increase, only the first symmetric frequency increases obviously, and other frequencies almost remain unchanged. The influence of tendon layout linear transformation on the frequency is negligible.
Distributed Integrated Sliding Mode-Based Nonlinear Vehicle Platoon Control with Quadratic Spacing Policy
Authors: Zuo Lei , Zhang Ye , Yan Maode , Ma Wenrui
Published: December 2020

This paper investigates the nonlinear vehicle platoon control problems with external disturbances. The quadratic spacing policy (QSP) is applied into the platoon control, in which the desired intervehicle distance is a quadratic function in terms of the vehicle’s velocities. Comparing with the general constant time headway policy (CTHP), the QSP is more suitable to the human driving behaviors (HDB) and can improve the traffic capacity. Then, a novel platoon control scheme is proposed based on the distributed integrated sliding mode (DISM). Since the external disturbances are taken into consideration, the sliding mode method is employed to handle the disturbances. Moreover, the stability and string stability of the proposed platoon control system are strictly analyzed. In final, numerical simulations are provided to verify the proposed approaches.
Biodegradable Polymer/TiO2 Nanotubes Loaded Roxithromycin as Nanoarray Capsules for Long-Lasting Antibacterial Properties of Titanium Implant
Authors: Ouyang Jianglin , Huang Haochao , Chen Xianshuai , Chen Jianyu
Published: December 2020

Bacterial infection is one of the main reasons for the clinical failure of oral titanium restorations. In this study, biodegradable polymer/TiO2 nanotube nanoarray capsules were constructed on a titanium substrate surface to locally deliver drugs for long-lasting antibacterial properties. Anodization was applied to prepreparation TiO2 nanotube array film on titanium substrate, and then, the upward opening TiO2 nanotubes were sealed with biodegradable polymer (chitosan and polyethylene glycol) through electrochemical deposition. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to analyze the characterization of this system. The drug release characteristics and the antibacterial activity demonstrated that the polymer coating significantly reduced burst release and enhanced lasting antibacterial properties. The nanoarray capsules still preserved integrity with a little degradation after 2 days. The strategy described herein provides a versatile route for designing targeted drug delivery systems in orthopaedical and other biomedical fields.
A Control Chart for Exponentially Distributed Characteristics Using Modified Multiple Dependent State Sampling
Authors: Albazli Ahmad O. , Aslam Muhammad , Dobbah Saeed A.
Published: December 2020

In this paper, a t-control chart based on modified multiple dependent state sampling is proposed for monitoring processes that assume time between events following exponential distribution. The chart has double control limits and employs information from a previous sample and the current sample. The control chart coefficient “constants” are estimated by considering different values of the in-control average run lengths. The detection ability of the proposed control chart is found to be better than that of control charts based on multiple dependent state sampling in terms of average run lengths and the standard deviation of run lengths and better than generalized multiple dependent state sampling in terms of average run lengths. Case studies with real data are included as illustrative examples for the implementation of the proposed chart.
Mechanical Parameter Identification of Hydraulic Engineering with the Improved Deep Q-Network Algorithm
Authors: Ji Wei , Liu Xiaoqing , Qi Huijun , Liu Xunnan , Lin Chaoning , Li Tongchun
Published: December 2020

During the long-term operating period, the mechanical parameters of hydraulic structures and foundation deteriorated gradually because of the environmental factors. In order to evaluate the overall safety and durability, these parameters should be calculated by some accurate analysis methods, which are hindered by slow computational efficiency and optimization performance. The improved deep Q-network (DQN) algorithm combined with the deep neural network (DNN) surrogate model was proposed in this paper to ameliorate the above problems. Through the study cases of different zoning in the dam body and the actual engineering foundation, it is shown that the improved DQN algorithm has a good application effect on inversion analysis of material mechanical parameters in this paper.
Comparison between Tonifying Kidney Yang and Yin in Treating Segmental Bone Defects Based on the Induced Membrane Technique: An Experimental Study in a Rat Model
Authors: Shen Zhen , Chen Zehua , Shi Xiaodong , Wang Tao , Huang Minling , Chen Guoqian , Ye Xiangling , Hou Chengzhi , Liu Wengang , Dong Wei , Guo Ying
Published: December 2020

Tonifying kidney therapy consisting of tonifying kidney yang and yin is the basic principle of Chinese medicine in treating segmental bone defects (SBDs). Previous studies have demonstrated the presence of the differences between tonifying kidney yang and yin in bone metabolism of osteoporosis and distraction osteogenesis models. However, whether the difference between the two tonifying kidney methods in bone repair for the induced membrane (IM) technique occurs or what is the difference remain unclear. Angiogeneic‐osteogenic coupling plays an important role in bone repair and the induced membrane couples angiogenesis with the later osteogenesis during the IM process. This study aimed at investigating the effects of tonifying kidney yang (total flavonoids of Rhizoma Drynariae, TFRD) and yin (plastrum testudinis extract, PTE) on angiogenesis and osteogenesis in the IM‐treated SBDs. Rats of 6 mm tibia bone defect model treated with IM were divided into five groups: the control group, the model group, the tonifying kidney yang group (TFRD‐treated group), the tonifying kidney yin group (PTE‐treated group), and the western medicine group. At 4 weeks after insertion of the polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), three caudal vertebrae from the tail in each rat were implanted into the 6 mm defect gap. Radiographical, histological, immunohistochemical, and immunofluorescent analyses were performed to assess bone and vessel formation at 4 or 12 weeks after insertion of the PMMA, respectively. Our results revealed that TFRD and PTE were beneficial to both angiogenesis and osteogenesis. TFRD exerted a better effect on angiogenesis than PTE and achieved a better result in stage 1 rather than in stage 2 of IM, whereas PTE was superior to TFRD in osteogenesis and achieved a better result in stage 2 instead of stage 1. Collectively, these findings elucidated the beneficial effects of tonifying kidney yang and yin on angiogenesis and osteogenesis of SBD repair during the IM process, as well as the difference that tonifying kidney yang surpasses tonifying kidney yin in angiogenesis while tonifying kidney yin outperforms tonifying kidney yang in osteogenesis, which suggests that the combination between the application of tonifying kidney yang method in stage 1 of IM and tonifying kidney yin method in stage 2 may achieve better repair efficiency.
Efficacy of Low-Pressure Inflation of Oversized Drug-Coated Balloon for Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Ueno Katsumi , Morita Norihiko , Kojima Yoshinobu , Kondo Hiroki , Takahashi Hiroshi , Minatoguchi Shingo , Higuchi Sho , Ando Yu , Esaki Masayasu
Published: December 2020

Objectives. This study sought to assess the efficacy of oversized drug-coated balloon (DCB) inflation at low pressure for the prevention of acute dissections and late restenosis. Background. The major limitation of DCB coronary angioplasty is the occurrence of severe dissection after inflation of DCB. Methods. Between 2014 and 2018, 273 consecutive patients were retrospectively studied. 191 lesions (154 patients) treated by oversized DCB inflation at low pressure (<4 atm, 2.4 ± 1.2 atm, DCB/artery ratio 1.14 ± 0.22; LP group) were compared with 135 lesions (119 patients) treated by the standard DCB technique (7.1 ± 2.2 atm, DCB/artery ratio 1.03 ± 0.16; SP group). Results. Although the lesions in the LP group were more complex than those in the SP group (smaller reference diameter (2.38 mm vs. 2.57 mm,

P
=
0.011

), longer lesions (11.7 mm vs. 10.5 mm,

P
=
0.10

), and more frequent use of rotational atherectomy (45.0% vs. 28.1%,

P
=
0.003

), there was no significant difference in the NHLBI type of dissections between the two groups (11.5%, 12.0%, 5.2% vs. 12.6%, 12.6%, 2.2% in type A, B, and C,

P
=
0.61

), and no bailout stenting was required. In 125 well-matched lesion pairs after propensity score analysis, the cumulative incidence of target lesion revascularization at 3 years was 4.5% vs. 7.0%, respectively (

P
=
0.60

). Late lumen loss (−0.00 mm vs. −0.01 mm,

P
=
0.94

) and restenosis rates (7.4% vs. 7.1%,

P
=
1.0

) were similar in both of the groups. Conclusion. The application of oversized DCB at low pressure is effective and feasible for preventing late restenosis comparative to the standard technique of DCB.
Course Recommendations in Online Education Based on Collaborative Filtering Recommendation Algorithm
Authors: Li Jing , Ye Zhou
Published: December 2020

In this paper, a personalized online education platform based on a collaborative filtering algorithm is designed by applying the recommendation algorithm in the recommendation system to the online education platform using a cross-platform compatible HTML5 and high-performance framework hybrid programming approach. The server-side development adopts a mature B/S architecture and the popular development model, while the mobile terminal uses HTML5 and framework to implement the function of recommending personalized courses for users using collaborative filtering and recommendation algorithms. By improving the traditional recommendation algorithm based on collaborative filtering, the course recommendation results are more in line with users' interests, which greatly improves the accuracy and efficiency of the recommendation. On this basis, online teaching on this platform is divided into two modes: one mode is the original teacher uploads recorded teaching videos and students can learn by purchasing online or offline download; the other mode is interactive online live teaching. Each course is a separate online classroom; the teacher will publish online class information in advance, and students can purchase to get classroom number and password information online.
Rolling Bearing Fault Diagnosis Based on Stacked Autoencoder Network with Dynamic Learning Rate
Authors: Pan Hong , Tang Wei , Xu Jin-Jun , Binama Maxime
Published: December 2020

Fault diagnosis is of great significance for ensuring the safety and reliable operation of rolling bearing in industries. Stack autoencoder (SAE) networks have been widely applied in this field. However, the model parameters such as learning rate are always fixed, which have an adverse effect on the convergence speed and accuracy of fault classification. Thus, this paper proposes a dynamic learning rate adjustment approach for the stacked autoencoder network. First, the input data is normalized and enhanced. Second, the structure of the SAE network is selected. According to the positive and negative value of the training error gradient, a learning rate reducing strategy is designed in order to be consistent with the current operation of the network. Finally, the fault diagnosis models with different learning rate adjustment are conducted in order to validate the better performance of the proposed approach. In addition, the influence of quantities of labeled sample data on the process of backpropagation is analyzed. The results show that the proposed method can effectively increase the convergence speed and improve classification accuracy. Moreover, it can reduce the labeled sample size and make the network more stable under the same classification accuracy.
Oxidative and/or Inflammatory Thrust Induced by Silver Nanoparticles in Rabbits: Effect of Vitamin E or NSAID Administration on Semen Parameters
Authors: Giulia Collodel , Simona Mattioli , Elena Moretti , Daniela Cerretani , Lucia Micheli , Anna Ida Fiaschi , Laura Menchetti , Gabriele Brecchia , Cesare Castellini
Published: December 2020

The aim of this research was to evaluate the inflammatory and/or oxidative damage related to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), which are responsible for negative effects on sperm physiology and metabolism. Thirty New Zealand White rabbit bucks were divided into 5 experimental groups (6 animals/group): Control, treated with 0.9% NaCl; AgNP, treated with a 5 mM AgNP solution; LPS, treated with 50 g/kg b.w. E. coli LPS; AgNPs + NSAID, treated with an anti-inflammatory drug at 0.2 mg/kg b.w. and 5 mM AgNPs; and AgNPs + Vit E, treated with 0.18 mg/kg b.w. vitamin E and 5 mM AgNPs. Sperm quality and oxidative and inflammatory status were assessed at different times (0-60 days). Two statistical models were built: the first evaluated the effects of AgNPs and LPS (vs. Control), whereas the second evaluated the protective effect of an NSAID and vitamin E against AgNP-induced damage. Three principal component analyses were performed: sperm traits (motility, volume), oxidative status (antioxidants, oxidative metabolites, and redox reactions), and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-6). A negative effect on reproductive traits resulted after NP administration. In particular, an inflammatory/oxidative response took place in the reproductive tract during the first 2-3 wks of AgNP administration (cytokine and oxidative metabolite generation); the inflammatory/oxidative thrust impaired the status of rabbit tissues (seminal plasma, sperm, and blood), inducing a response (increased antioxidant enzymes and redox reactions) at 4-7 wks; oxidative stress, if not totally counteracted, likely induced toxicity in the late phases of AgNP administration (8-9 wks). In conclusion, exposure to silver nanoparticles produced a similar but more persistent effect than that of LPS on rabbit reproductive tissues: AgNP administration triggered a proinflammatory response linked to oxidative thrust, worsening many sperm parameters. However, only anti-inflammatory treatment counteracted the negative effects of AgNPs, whereas vitamin E seemed to act as an adjuvant, attenuating the oxidative cascade.
Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) Protects Hepatocytes against Alcohol‐Induced Damage through Nrf2 Activation
Authors: Hong Sungwha , Kim Younghwa , Sung Jeehye , Lee Hana , Heo Huijin , Jeong Heon Sang , Lee Junsoo
Published: December 2020

This study aimed at evaluating the cytoprotective activity of jujube water extract (JWE) against alcohol‐induced oxidative stress via the activation of the Nrf2 pathway in HepG2 cells. JWE had various phenolic compounds, and the vanillic acid content was the highest in the extract. To determine the cytoprotective effect of JWE against alcohol‐induced damage, hepatocytes were treated with JWE and 3% ethanol. JWE (100 μg/mL) markedly increased cell viability by approximately 100% in a dose‐dependent manner. Moreover, JWE attenuated the production of malondialdehyde, reactive oxygen species, aspartate, and alanine aminotransferase and the depletion of glutathione. Moreover, JWE enhanced the expression of antioxidant defense enzymes including heme oxygenase‐1, NADPH quinone oxidoreductase 1, and γ‐glutamate‐cysteine ligase catalytic against alcohol‐induced oxidative damage in hepatocytes via the activation of Nrf2. Taken together, JWE possesses the protective effect against alcohol‐induced oxidative injury in hepatocytes through the upregulation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway. Therefore, jujube fruit might have the potential to improve alcohol‐related liver problems.
Influence of Three-Dimensional Stress Field Variation on Fracture Evolution Characteristics of a Roof
Authors: Shi Xuyang , Li Zhaolin , Cai Qingxiang , Zhou Wei , Li Wenshuai
Published: December 2020

Excavation disturbance on the dynamic variation of the three-dimensional stress field is the main cause for the dynamic disasters of the surrounding rock mass of the roof. The stress condition in the surrounding rock mass of the roof during entry excavation and its impact on entry stability are systemically studied in this study. It is found that the surrounding rock mass of the roof is mainly influenced by the combined effect of the stress unloading and stress transference induced by entry excavation. A servo-controlled true triaxial material testing system is used to conduct the true triaxial loading and unloading experiments of rocks under different stress paths. The influence of different stress paths, especially the variation of the principal stress direction, on the mechanical characteristics and fracture characteristics of rocks is investigated. The results indicate that the variation of the principal stress direction has a significant impact on the macroscopic fracture characteristics of the rock. The main macroscopic fracture plane of the rock highly depends on the intermediate principal stress. The fracture evolution of the roof rock mass during entry excavation is analyzed. The results show that the change of the three-dimensional stress field induces the formation of complex fracture networks in the surrounding rock mass of the roof. The roof is likely to dislocate horizontally and collapse. The corners of the entry are seriously damaged. Based on the above findings, a support scheme is proposed to maintain the stability of a gob-side entry. The field experience suggests that the support scheme can achieve good results.
Performance Evaluation of Strengthening Recycled Coarse Aggregate in Cement Stabilized Mixture Base Layer of Pavement
Authors: Zhang Junhui , Li Cheng , Ding Le , Zhao Henggang
Published: December 2020

This paper attempts to study the effect of different strengthening methods on recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) reprocessed from construction and demolition (C&D) waste. And it aims to obtain the optimal RCA content in cement stabilized recycled mixture (CSRM) applied in the base layer of pavement. Firstly, three strengthening methods were used to strengthen the RCA. It was revealed that the sodium silicate solution is the best method in a strengthening concentration of 8% and strengthening for five hours. Then, the mechanical experiments under two cement dosages, including unconfined compressive strength, splitting strength, and compressive rebound modulus tests, were carried out. In each cement dosage, five different RCA contents (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) were considered. It was found that, at 5% of cement dosage, the strength of CSRM satisfied the requirements of the base layer of the expressway under heavy traffic load. In the case of 4% of cement dosage, the strength of CSRM which was beyond 50% of RCA content was failed to meet specification requirements. For the failed cases, by strengthening RCA in the best method obtained before, 7 d unconfined strength and crushing value of the CSRM with 50% RCA content could meet the requirements of the subbase of expressways and first‐class highways in China; the 75% of the mixture meets the requirements of the second‐class highways and below.
Oral Health‐Related Quality of Life in Chronic Liver Failure Patients Measured by OHIP‐14 and GOHAI
Authors: Zahed Maryam , Ranjbar Mohammad Ali , Azad Azita
Published: December 2020

Background. Oro‐dental diseases are prevalent in chronic liver failure (CLF) patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life associated with oral health in candidates for liver transplant surgery. Materials and Methods. The demographic information of 105 end‐stage liver cirrhotic patients was collected. All patients were ordered a panoramic view for pretransplant dental evaluation. The DMFT (decayed‐missing‐filled tooth) index was calculated for dental examination. The model for end‐stage liver disease (MELD) was used for the severity of liver disease. The OHIP‐14 (Oral Health Impact Profile) questionnaire and GOHAI (Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index) questionnaire were applied to evaluate the impact of oral disease on the quality of life. Results. A total of 79 patients thoroughly completed the questionnaires; 79.7% were male, 32.9% were over 50, and 25.3% were less than 30 years old. Further, 12.7% smoked, 2.5% were illiterate, 64.6% had not finished school, and 10.1% had university degrees. Almost half of the cirrhotic patients were suffering from the disease for more than 3 years. Most complaints reported by the patients as “very often” were becoming self‐conscious (13.9%) and being uncomfortable when eating any foods (13.9%) followed by feeling tense (12.8%). There was no significant difference between gender, smoking, age, and MELD score based on quality of life (OHIP and GOHAI) (P > 0.05). The level of education (P = 0.020), duration of disease (P = 0.017), and DMFT index (P = 0.039) had a significant impact on oral health‐related quality of life in CLF patients. An inverse relationship was seen between the DMFT index and the quality of life. Conclusion. Oral health has a high impact on the quality of life of cirrhotic patients. The psychological dimension of oral health is the most debilitating factor affecting the quality of life. This shows the importance of professional oral care, oral health, and self‐care education in this group of patients.
Application of BIM and 3D Laser Scanning for Quantity Management in Construction Projects
Authors: Nguyen Thu Anh , Nguyen Phong Thanh , Do Sy Tien
Published: December 2020

The construction industry has played an essential role in the process of modernization and industrialization and it has also been a major factor in determining the development of the infrastructure for other economic sectors. Construction companies consider the measurement of work progress, which often wastes time and has a low resolution, to be one of the most challenging problems faced by project management. Therefore, this research aimed to propose practical solutions by applying recent technological achievements of the 4.0 industrial revolution to improve the efficiency of the quantity management process. By utilizing the advantages and features of a BIM model and 3D laser scanning, this paper proposes that adopting a BIM model and 3D laser scanning has the potential to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the quantity management process. The case study demonstrated some typical tasks to evaluate accuracy and efficiency as well as to showcase the research proposal.
RELAP5 Foresight Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis of Hypothesis Passive Safety Injection System under LOCA for an Existing NPP in China
Authors: Sun Lin , Wang Xuesong , Wang Jun , Liu Meiru , Xia Genglei
Published: December 2020

Qinshan nuclear power plant is the first large Chinese-designed nuclear power station based on pressurized water reactor, and the second generation main stream active safety injection system is adopted for Qinshan nuclear power plant. In this paper, a novel passive safety injection system (PSIS) has been proposed for ocean-based Qinshan Phase One nuclear power plant to replace the original active one. The PSIS contains high-pressure, medium-pressure, and lower-pressure safety injection systems, and a two-stage automatic depressurization system. To evaluate the system performance, small-break LOCA has been investigated using RELAP5. Various break sizes and locations including 2-inch, 10-inch cold leg break, and double-ended direct vessel injection line break were analyzed. Key safety parameters such as safe injection mass flow rates, coolant level of the core, system pressure, and fuel cladding temperature were monitored during the accident process. The results illustrate that the performance of the safety injection system can guarantee the effective core cooling and submerged under different LOCA even with only half of the safety injection system, which can fulfill the single failure criteria. The thermal-hydraulic analysis for the Qinshan passive safety injection system is significant to master the related technologies for Chinese engineer and develop the Chinese-designed third-generation nuclear power plants, and the PSIS can guarantee the reactor submerged under LOCA even plus the station block out accident.
Beam Pattern Optimization Method for Subarray-Based Hybrid Beamforming Systems
Authors: Eisenbeis Joerg , Pfaff Jonas , Karg Christian , Kowalewski Jerzy , Li Yueheng , Pauli Mario , Zwick Thomas
Published: December 2020

Massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems operating at millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequencies promise to satisfy the demand for higher data rates in mobile communication networks. A practical challenge that arises is the calibration in amplitude and phase of these massive MIMO systems, as the antenna elements are too densely packed to provide a separate calibration branch for measuring them independently. Over-the-air (OTA) calibration methods are viable solutions to this problem. In contrast to previous works, the here presented OTA calibration method is investigated and optimized for subarray-based hybrid beamforming (SBHB) systems. SBHB systems represent an efficient architectural solution to realize massive MIMO systems. Moreover, based on OTA scattering parameter measurements, the ambiguities of the phase shifters are exploited and two criteria to optimize the beam pattern are formulated. Finally, the optimization criteria are examined in measurements utilizing a novel SBHB receiver system operating at 27.8 GHz.
Purification of Urban Sewage River Using a Biological Aerated Filter with Sponge Iron and Ceramsite Mixed Fillers
Authors: Wu Yi , Dai Jun , Wan Qiong , Tian Guobin , Wei Dongyang
Published: December 2020

Filler plays an important role in biological sewage treatment technology. In the purification of urban sewage river, the single sponge iron filler is easy to harden. The combination of sponge iron and ceramsite can hinder the hardening and improve the removal efficiency. In this paper, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize the fillers. The removal efficiency experiments were carried out through the self‐designed biological aerated filter (BAF) reactor with sponge iron and ceramsite mixed fillers, and the microorganisms attached to the surface of the biological fillers were qualitatively and quantitatively identified through 16S rDNA. The results indicate that the presence of Fe3O4, Fe2O3, Fe3C, and Fe2CO3 in sponge iron determines that sponge iron has strong reducibility and provides electrons for efficient denitrification. NaAlSi3O8 in ceramsite filler plays a significant role in phosphorus adsorption. In #3, #4, and #5 reactors (the mass ratios of sponge iron and ceramsite were 1 : 1, 3 : 1, and 1 : 3, resp.), the removal efficiencies of mixed fillers are good on chemical oxygen demand (COD), total phosphorus (TP), and nitrogen (N), and the more the ceramsite fillers in the reactors are, the higher the microbial abundance and diversity are. The mixture of sponge iron and ceramsite can be used to purify urban sewage river. A scientific basis to purify the polluted water body of urban rivers in situ is thus provided.
Evaluation of the Performance Degradation of Hybrid Steel‐Polypropylene Fiber Reinforced Concrete under Freezing‐Thawing Conditions
Authors: Luo Daming , Wang Yan , Niu Ditao
Published: December 2020

The reasonable inclusion of hybrid fibers can leverage the advantages of each kind of fiber and enhance the frost resistance and flexural toughness of concrete. Previous studies on hybrid steel‐polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete (HSPFRC) focused primarily on its mechanics instead of its frost resistance. In this work, the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, mass loss rate, relative dynamic elastic modulus (RDEM), and flexural toughness of HSPFRC after freezing‐thawing (F‐T) are studied, and the relative importance of each factor affecting the frost resistance of HSPFRC is quantified by using fuzzy rough set theory. The results show that the inclusion of hybrid fibers has a noticeable effect on the frost resistance of HSPFRC after hundreds of F‐T cycles and that the effect on the splitting tensile strength is greater than that on the compressive strength. After 500 F‐T cycles, as the steel fiber (SF) content increases, the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength increase by factors of approximately 5 and 4, respectively, the flexural toughness is strengthened, and the mass loss rate is reduced by more than 90%. The addition of polypropylene fibers (PFs) has a relatively small effect on the strength of HSPFRC but reduces the mass loss of HSPFRC by almost 80%. However, the suitability of the RDEM for evaluating the frost resistance of HSPFRC remains uncertain. Quantified by fuzzy rough set theory, the weights of the factors affecting the frost resistance of HSPFRC are 0.50 (number of F‐T cycles) > 0.35 (SF content) > 0.15 (PF content), verifying the experimental results.