bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on Distributed Feeder Automation Communication Based on XMPP and GOOSE
Authors: Sun Lingyan , Chen Yu , Kong Chuiyue , Wang Jinghua
Published: February 2021

In the application process of distributed feeder automation (FA) that is based on peer-to-peer exchange of measurement and control data between smart terminal units (STUs), there is an urgent need for standardized communication interaction and necessary security protection. This paper proposes an IEC 61850 communication mapping scheme using built-in secure extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP) and the generic object oriented substation event based on the user datagram protocol (GOOSE over UDP) and a security protection scheme based on hash to obtain random subsets (HORS); one-time signature algorithm is used to ensure the communication safety of GOOSE messages. The agent-based distributed FA test system is developed with the STUs. The test results show the scheme can meet the requirements of the quick distributed feeder automation.
Realization of a Secure Visible Light Communication System via Chaos Synchronization
Authors: Liao Teh-Lu , Chen Chih-Yung , Chen Hsin-Chieh , Chen Yung-Yi , Hou Yi-You
Published: February 2021

A novel technique for transmission of information through visible light communication (VLC) is developed in this study. A light-emitting diode is used as the light source at the transmitting side to send the encrypted information. At the receiving side, a light sensor, OPT-101, is used to receive the light signals that carry the encrypted information. The Arduino Due microcontroller board is used for digital signal processing at both the transmitting and receiving sides. Furthermore, to prevent the transmitted message from being intercepted, two chaotic systems, a master and a slave, with a synchronization controller are designed to obtain the transmitted audio signals. The design enables not only a VLC system with the light transmission path as a straight line (so that data cannot be stolen) but also the encryption of the audio signals with the chaotic system (Rössler system) to enhance data transmission security. The effectiveness of this system is then experimentally verified.
Spoofing Speaker Verification System by Adversarial Examples Leveraging the Generalized Speaker Difference
Authors: Luo Hongwei , Shen Yijie , Lin Feng , Xu Guoai
Published: February 2021

Speaker verification system has gained great popularity in recent years, especially with the development of deep neural networks and Internet of Things. However, the security of speaker verification system based on deep neural networks has not been well investigated. In this paper, we propose an attack to spoof the state-of-the-art speaker verification system based on generalized end-to-end (GE2E) loss function for misclassifying illegal users into the authentic user. Specifically, we design a novel loss function to deploy a generator for generating effective adversarial examples with slight perturbation and then spoof the system with these adversarial examples to achieve our goals. The success rate of our attack can reach 82% when cosine similarity is adopted to deploy the deep-learning-based speaker verification system. Beyond that, our experiments also reported the signal-to-noise ratio at 76 dB, which proves that our attack has higher imperceptibility than previous works. In summary, the results show that our attack not only can spoof the state-of-the-art neural-network-based speaker verification system but also more importantly has the ability to hide from human hearing or machine discrimination.
Intermetatarsal Coalition: Case Report, Literature Review, and Imaging Findings of an Underrecognized and Underdiagnosed Cause of Foot Pain
Authors: Lim WanYin , Zadow Steven , Moran Angela , Heysen Jonathan
Published: February 2021

Coalition is defined as abnormal bridging between two bones, and the connection can be osseous or nonosseous. Most coalitions in the foot involve the hindfoot. Intermetatarsal coalition is thought to be much rarer than the more common hindfoot coalitions and has only been reported sporadically in the orthopedic literature. We present two patients with nonosseous intermetatarsal coalition presenting with nonspecific dorsolateral foot pain and describe the imaging findings of intermetatarsal coalition with different modalities. We suspect that whilst rarely described, intermetatarsal coalition is quite likely a more common underrecognized entity than a rare entity. This report is aimed at increasing the awareness of coalition in this location, in the radiology community, particularly the nonosseous ones, given that this condition can be debilitating but treatable.
Production Scheduling Optimization of Prefabricated Building Components Based on DDE Algorithm
Authors: Chang Chunguang , Han Mengyao
Published: February 2021

At present, the prefabricated construction industry is in a situation of increasing types of prefabricated components and generally high production costs. A hybrid optimization model considering continuity and discreteness for the production of fabricated concrete members is established to minimize production costs through the analysis of the production characteristics of precast concrete members. Under the premise of fully considering the staffing constraints, process constraints, construction period constraints, process constraints, and special process time limits for component production, the production arrangement and staffing of the components are rationalized and optimized. A discrete differential evolution (DDE) algorithm is introduced for such NP-hard problems. The double genetic chromosome coding mode and the active scheduling decoding method are adopted. Based on the improved POX (Precedence Operation Crossover) cross-evolution method, the global evolution operation is carried out, and an interchange-based local search method and continuous work penalty mechanism are designed to find the global optimal solution. The experimental results verify the practicality and effectiveness of the optimization model and algorithm.
Deformation Reconstruction and High-Precision Attitude Control of a Launch Vehicle Based on Strain Measurements
Authors: Zhuang Liang , Yulin Zhang
Published: February 2021

The development of launch vehicles has led to higher slenderness ratios and higher structural efficiencies, and the traditional control methods have difficulty in meeting high-quality control requirements. In this paper, an incremental dynamic inversion control method based on deformation reconstruction is proposed to achieve high-precision attitude control of slender launch vehicles. First, the deformation parameters of a flexible rocket are obtained via fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors. The deformation and attitude information is introduced into the incremental dynamic inverse control loop, and an attitude control framework that can alleviate bending vibration and deformation is established. The simulation results showed that the proposed method could accurately reconstruct the shapes of flexible launch vehicles with severe vibration and deformation, which could improve the accuracy and stability of attitude control.
Nlrp3 Deficiency Alleviates Angiotensin II‐Induced Cardiomyopathy by Inhibiting Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Authors: Chen Yu , Zeng Meiying , Zhang Yang , Guo Hui , Ding Wei , Sun Ting
Published: February 2021

Inflammation has been considered a key component in the pathogenesis and progression of angiotensin II‐ (Ang II‐) induced cardiac hypertrophy and related cardiomyopathy. As a vital mediator of inflammation, the role of the Nlrp3 inflammasome in Ang II‐induced cardiomyopathy remains unclear. This study was aimed to determine whether Nlrp3 inflammasome activation and its downstream pathway were involved in Ang II‐induced cardiomyopathy. We established an Ang II infusion model in both wild‐type and Nlrp3-/- mice to determine the contribution of Nlrp3 to cardiac function. Cardiac fibrosis was determined by Masson’s trichrome staining, real‐time PCR, and TUNEL assay; cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography. Nlrp3 inflammasome activation and related downstream cytokines were measured by Western blotting and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays; mitochondrial dysfunction was examined by transmission electron microscopy and real‐time PCR. We found that Ang II‐infused mice showed impaired cardiac function, as evidenced by increased cardiac fibrosis, apoptosis, inflammation, and left ventricular dysfunction. However, these alterations were significantly alleviated in the mice with Nlrp3 gene deletion. Moreover, Ang II‐infused mice showed increased Nlrp3 inflammasome activity relative to that of the cytokines IL‐1β and IL‐18, increased reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial abnormalities, and decreased mtDNA copy number and ATP synthase activity. These molecular and pathological alterations were also attenuated in Nlrp3 deficient mice. In conclusion, Nlrp3 inflammasome‐induced mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in Ang II‐induced cardiomyopathy. Nlrp3 gene deletion attenuated mitochondrial abnormalities, cardiac inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrosis and thus alleviated heart dysfunction and hypertrophy. Targeting the Nlrp3 inflammasome and/or mitochondria may be a therapeutic approach for Ang II‐induced cardiac diseases.
Scaling Laws in the Stellar Mass Distribution and the Transition to Homogeneity
Authors: Gaite José
Published: February 2021

We present a new statistical analysis of the large-scale stellar mass distribution in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (data release 7). A set of volume-limited samples shows that the stellar mass of galaxies is concentrated in a range of galaxy luminosities that is very different from the range selected by the usual analysis of galaxy positions. Nevertheless, the two-point correlation function is a power-law with the usual exponent

γ
=
1.71
−
1.82

, which varies with luminosity. The mass concentration property allows us to make a meaningful analysis of the angular distribution of the full flux-limited sample. With this analysis, after suppressing the shot noise, we extend further the scaling range and thus obtain

γ
=
1.83

and a clustering length

r

0

=
5.8
−
7.0

h

−
1

Mpc

. Fractional statistical moments of the coarse-grained stellar mass density exhibit multifractal scaling. Our results support a multifractal model with a transition to homogeneity at about

10

h

−
1

Mpc

.
Polyethylene Terephthalate-Based Materials for Lithium-Ion Battery Separator Applications: A Review Based on Knowledge Domain Analysis
Authors: Xie Kefeng , Yu Sanchuan , Wang Ping , Chen Peng
Published: February 2021

As the key material of lithium battery, separator plays an important role in isolating electrons, preventing direct contact between anode and cathode, and allowing free passage of lithium ions in the electrolyte. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has excellent mechanical, thermodynamic, and electrical insulation properties. This review aims to identify the research progress and development trends of PET-based material for separator application. We retrieved published papers (2004–2019) from the Scientific Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) database of the WoS with a topic search related to PET-based material for separator application. The research progress and development trends were analyzed based on the CiteSpace software of text mining and visualization.
Reachable Set Estimation for Uncertain Markovian Jump Systems with Time-Varying Delay and Disturbances
Authors: Zhou Shouwei , Gu Jiangliu , Shen Changchun , Jiang Min
Published: February 2021

In this paper, we are concerned with the problem of reachable set estimation for uncertain Markovian jump systems with time-varying delays and disturbances. The main consideration is to find a proper method to obtain the no-ellipsoidal bound of the reachable set of Markovian jump system as small as possible. Based on an augmented Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional, by dividing the time-varying delay into two nonuniform subintervals, more general delay-dependent stability criteria for the existence of a desired ellipsoid are derived. An optimized integral inequality which is based on distinguished Wirtinger integral inequality and reciprocally convex combination inequality is used to deal with the integral terms. Finally, numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.
Impact of IL-1Ra Gene Polymorphism on the Etiology and Fate of Disease in Children with Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura
Authors: Rasheed Bizav Naji , Eissa Adil Abozaid
Published: February 2021

Background. Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is considered to be one of the common childhood autoimmune diseases, and the current study was initiated to study the effect of various factors, particularly interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) gene polymorphism, on the course of the disease. Methods. The current case-control study involved 60 newly diagnosed children presented with ITP (also included 60 age- and sex-matched healthy children). All enrolled individuals had complete blood count and molecular study to determine the polymorphic state of IL-1Ra gene using conventional polymerase chain reaction. Results. Sixty patients with ages 1-14 years and having a male/female ratio of 1 : 1.61 were enrolled in the current study. Forty-five children (75%) recovered within the first year, and 15 (25%) children developed chronic ITP. IL-1Ra

∗

2 variant was found to be significantly associated with control groups (

P
=
0.011

), while IL-1Ra

∗

3 was significantly associated with patients (

P
=
−
0.0163

). Other factors having significant association with the remission rate include a previous history of immunization (

P
<
0.0001

) and the symptoms at presentation (

P
=
0.0009

). Conclusions. The current study revealed a significant correlation of IL-1Ra gene polymorphism to the etiology and the course of the disease.
Immobilization of Candida antarctica Lipase B on Silicone Nanofilaments
Authors: Naef Noah U. , Seeger Stefan
Published: February 2021

Candida antarctica lipase B was immobilized on a series of silicone nanofilament-coated matrices of different porosities. In addition to creating a more open surface, SNF’s hydrophobicity allows for a simple immobilization pathway via adsorption. In order to study the impact of the nanostructure, the performance was compared with control samples lacking SNFs. For all materials, the surface was characterized with BET measurements, and the immobilized enzyme was measured as well as the catalytic activity. Enzyme loads ranged between 3.85%

w
/
w

and 2.53%

w
/
w

and decreased with the decreasing surface area of the carrier material from 200 m2/g to 0.04 m2/g, while the activity per enzyme increases from 824 U to 2040 U. The data suggest that the coating seals off inner surfaces, forcing the enzyme to be immobilized at more accessible positions allowing for higher activity per enzyme. Optimization of the immobilization conditions allowed us to create a thinner enzyme layer which further improved the activity per enzyme to 3129 U. While this activity is comparable to the commercial Novozyme 435 with 3073 U, the SNF-based system performs the catalysis in a thin surface layer of around 13 μm. A favorite area of application is, for example, the creation of enzyme-based detection systems, where the high activity per surface area of up to 89622 U

·

mg/m2 would lead to high signal strength.
Modelling Reachability in Transport Networks: Using Alternative Visual Representations in Interactive Linked‐Views to Gain Valuable Insights
Authors: Ullah Rehmat , Hasan Laiq , Ullah Farman , Khan Ajmal , Cho You-Ze
Published: February 2021

Most people use maps for navigation. Geographic maps visually represent physical distance between locations. These maps sometimes provide a false impression of travel times. Two cities geographically close to each other might be “far apart” in terms of travel time because of slower connections, whereas two cities geographically distant might be “nearby” in terms of travel time because of faster connections. Under such circumstances, visualizing a transport network using time as a distance measure can make the transport network more understandable. This study integrates several (carto)graphic representations—a time line, a distance line, a time prism, a time cartogram, and a geographic map—in an interactive linked-views environment to model reachability in transport networks. A prototype is implemented in a web environment using D3.js. The implementation can be applied to any transport network. In this research, the approach is illustrated with railroad network data for the Dutch province of Overijssel. The solution provides an alternative and insightful perspective for analyzing the data. In addition to complementing a wide variety of methods to visualizing travel times, the approach could be applied in areas such as spatial analysis and transport planning.
Research on BOLD‐fMRI Data Denoising Based on Bayesian Estimation and Adaptive Wavelet Threshold
Authors: Jian Zini , Wang Xianpei , Liu Xueting , Tian Meng , Wang Quande , Xiao Jiangxi
Published: February 2021

The acquisition of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) images of blood oxygen level‐dependent (BOLD) effect and the signals to be analyzed is based on weak changes in the magnetic field caused by small changes in blood oxygen physiological levels, which are weak signals and complex in noise. In order to model and analyze the pathological and hemodynamic parameters of BOLD‐fMRI images effectively, it is urgent to use effective signal analysis techniques to reduce the interference of noise and artifacts. In this paper, the noise characteristics of functional magnetic resonance imaging and the traditional signal denoising methods are analyzed. The Bayesian decision criterion takes into account the probability of the total occurrence of all kinds of references and the loss caused by misjudgment and has strong discriminability. So, an improved adaptive wavelet threshold denoising method based on Bayesian estimation is proposed. By using the correlation characteristics of multiscale wavelet coefficients, the corresponding wavelet components of useful signals and noises are processed differently; while retaining useful frequency information, the noise is weakened to the greatest extent. The new adaptive threshold wavelet denoising method based on Bayesian estimation is applied to the actual experiment, and the results of OEF (oxygen extraction fraction) are optimized. A series of simulation experiments are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Constraints of S–Pb–Sr Isotope Compositions and Rb–Sr Isotopic Age on the Origin of the Laoyingqing Noncarbonate-Hosted Pb–Zn Deposit in the Kunyang Group, SW China
Authors: Gong Hongsheng , Han Runsheng , Wu Peng , Chen Gang , Li Lingjie
Published: February 2021

The Laoyingqing Pb–Zn deposit is located on the southwestern margin of the Yangtze block and on the east side of the Xiaojiang deep fault in the Sichuan–Yunnan–Guizhou Pb–Zn metallogenic triangle area (SYGT). This deposit was first discovered in the silty and carbonaceous slate of the Middle Proterozoic Kunyang Group that is structurally controlled by thrust faults and anticlines. This study is aimed at investigating whether the Laoyingqing deposit has the same ore-forming age and type as other Pb–Zn deposits related to the Pb–Zn metallogenic system and prospecting prediction of the deep and peripheral areas of the deposits in the SYGT. Based on the sphalerite Rb–Sr age dating and S–Sr–Pb isotopic composition analysis of the Laoyingqing Pb–Zn deposit, the following results were obtained. First, the Rb–Sr isochron age of sphalerite is

209.8
±
5.2

million years (Ma), consistent with the ages of most Pb–Zn deposits in the SYGT (approximately 200Ma), thereby potentially indicating that these Pb–Zn deposits may have been formed synchronously during the late Indosinian orogeny. Second, the Pb isotopic compositions of sulfides show a linear trend on the average crustal Pb evolution curve in 207Pb/204Pb vs. 206Pb/204Pb plot. In addition, Pb isotopic ratios were consistent with the age-corrected Pb isotopic ratios of basement rocks, consequently suggesting that the source of mixed crustal Pb is mainly derived from basement rocks. Combined with the initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of sphalerite between the (87Sr/86Sr)200Ma value of the basement rocks and that of the Upper Sinian–Permian carbonates, it can be concluded that the ore-forming metals were mainly derived from basement rocks. Third, sulfur isotopic composition of sphalerite from the Laoyingqing deposits shows δ34SCDT values that range mainly from -2.62‰ to 1.42‰, which is evidently lower than the δ34SCDT values of sulfides (8–20‰) from other Pb–Zn deposits in the SYGT. This can be interpreted as a result of mixing with reduced S that was mainly derived from the thermochemically reduced S in the overlying strata and a small amount of reduced S produced by the pyrolysis of S-containing organic matter. We conclude that the Laoyingqing deposit and most of the Pb–Zn deposits in the SYGT are Mississippi Valley-type deposits, thereby providing new ideas for investigating the deep and peripheral areas of Pb–Zn deposits.
Theoretical and Experimental Studies of Two‐Span Reinforced Concrete Deep Beams and Comparisons with Strut‐and‐Tie Method
Authors: Zargarian Mahsa , Rahai Alireza
Published: February 2021

Regarding the complicated behavior of continuous deep beams, a research program including three parts was conducted. First part: three continuous concrete deep beams with different shear span‐to‐depth ratios (a/h) were tested. The effects of varying a/h ratio on ultimate strength and failure modes were investigated. Second part: the nonlinear finite element (FE) analyses were performed to simulate the experimental specimens and 21 large‐scale continuous deep beams. The main parameters investigated were a/h ratio from 0.33 to 2 and considered 40 MPa, 60 MPa, and 80 MPa. Third part: the strut‐and‐tie modeling of different design codes and indeterminate strut‐tie method were studied for continuous deep beams. Regardless of the a/h ratio, all beam specimens failed in shear mode with main diagonal cracks. Although EC2 load prediction was conservative for all beam models, the ACI and CSA predictions for concrete deep beams with high compressive strength were unsafe. The indeterminate truss model showed closer results to FE analysis in comparison with ACI, EC2, and CSA strut‐and‐tie method.
Histogram Publication over Numerical Values under Local Differential Privacy
Authors: Zheng Xu , Yan Ke , Duan Jingyuan , Tang Wenyi , Tian Ling
Published: February 2021

Local differential privacy has been considered the standard measurement for privacy preservation in distributed data collection. Corresponding mechanisms have been designed for multiple types of tasks, like the frequency estimation for categorical values and the mean value estimation for numerical values. However, the histogram publication of numerical values, containing abundant and crucial clues for the whole dataset, has not been thoroughly considered under this measurement. To simply encode data into different intervals upon each query will soon exhaust the bandwidth and the privacy budgets, which is infeasible for real scenarios. Therefore, this paper proposes a highly efficient framework for differentially private histogram publication of numerical values in a distributed environment. The proposed algorithms can efficiently adopt the correlations among multiple queries and achieve an optimal resource consumption. We also conduct extensive experiments on real‐world data traces, and the results validate the improvement of proposed algorithms.
Resveratrol Suppresses Severe Acute Pancreatitis‐Induced Microcirculation Disturbance through Targeting SIRT1‐FOXO1 Axis
Authors: Rong Yuping , Ren Jun , Song Wei , Xiang Renshen , Ge Yuhang , Lu Wei , Fu Tao
Published: February 2021

Background. Resveratrol (RSV), one of the SIRT1 agonists, has the ability of alleviating severe acute pancreatitis (SAP); however, the concrete protective mechanism remains unknown. It is noteworthy that microcirculation disturbance plays a vital role in SAP, and the SIRT1/FOX1 axis can regulate microcirculation. Therefore, this study is aimed at ascertaining what is the underlying mechanism of the protective effect of RSV on SAP, and whether it is associated with alleviating microcirculation disturbance by regulating the SIRT1/FOX1 axis. Method. The model of SAP was induced by retrograde injection of sodium taurodeoxycholate into the bile duct of the rats. The pancreatic wet/dry weight, ET/NO, and TXB2/6‐keto‐PGF1α ratios; microcirculatory function; and SIRT1 activity were examined. ELISA was used to examine the serum level of lipase, amylase, hemorheology, ET, NO, TXB2, and 6‐keto‐PGF1α and the content of SIRT1, VEGF, Ang I, and Ang II in the pancreas. RT‐PCR was used to examine the mRNA level of VEGF, Ang I, and Ang II. Western blotting was used to detect SIRT1, FOXO1, and acetyl‐FOXO1. Immunoprecipitation was used to examine the interaction of SIRT1 and FOXO1. Results. Resveratrol can significantly decrease the expression of lipase, amylase, acetyl‐FOXO1, VEGF, Ang II, ET, NO, TXB2, and 6‐keto‐PGF1α and the ratio of wet/dry weight, ET/NO, and TXB2/6‐keto‐PGF1α by improving microcirculatory dysfunction and blood viscosity in SAP. Moreover, resveratrol can also promote the interaction of SIRT1 and FOXO1 and increase SIRT1 activity and the expression of SIRT1 and Ang I. The SIRT1 inhibitor, Sirtinol (EX527), obliviously reversed the effects of RSV on SAP. Conclusion. Resveratrol can protect rats against SAP, and its protective mechanism is associated with suppressing microcirculation disturbance through activating SIRT1‐FOXO1 axis.
Impact of Surface Undulation on Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics in an Enclosure Filled with Nanoencapsulated Phase Change Materials (NEPCMs)
Authors: Alhashash A. , Saleh H.
Published: February 2021

The present study investigates the natural convection in a wavy enclosure caused by a thermal difference between a cold wall and a hot undulated wall. The enclosure is filled with hybrid nanofluids. The hybrid nanofluids are formed of a phase change material (PCM) suspended in the water. The PCM utilizes polyurethane as the shell and nonadecane as the core. The core absorbs or releases its energy in the shape of latent heat inside the water and contributes to thermal energy storage and heat transfer. The governing equations are expressed in PDEs and solved by the finite element method (FEM). Parametric studies were used to analyze the solid concentration, fusion temperature, amplitude of corrugation, number of corrugations, and Rayleigh number. It is found that the heat transfer rate enhances by the rise of the latent heat of the NEPCM cores. The global heat transfer can be improved by more than

12
%

by adding

1
%

of NEPCM particles volume fraction. However, the heat transfer tends to decrease by applying the wavy surface.
Risk of Gynecologic Cancer after Atypical Glandular Cells Found on Cervical Cytology: A Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Aitken Clare A. , Jansen Erik E.L. , Siebers Albert G. , van Haaften-de Jong Anne-Marie L.D. , van Kemenade Folkert J. , de Kok Inge M.C.M.
Published: February 2021

Background:

Atypical glandular cells (AGC) are rare abnormalities found on cervical cytology associated with a range of lesions of the female reproductive system. We compared the risk of cervical and other gynecologic cancers following AGC on cervical cytology with the risk following squamous cell abnormalities of comparable severity.

Methods:

We used data from the Dutch Pathology Archive (PALGA) from 2000 to 2015 to categorize cervical cytology tests into groups based on most severe cytologic abnormality and correlated follow-up advice (normal cytology and “no follow-up” advice, squamous-cell–based, AGC-based, and combined AGC/squamous-cell based each with either repeat testing or referral advice). Cancer data were linked from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Cox proportional hazard models were calculated stratified by age [younger (<50 years) and older (50+ years)], adjusted for number of previous primary cytology tests.

Results:

8,537,385 cytology smears and 9,061 cancers were included. When repeat cytology testing was advised, HRs of cervical cancer (younger women: HR, 6.91; 95% CI, 5.48–8.71; older women: HR, 3.98; 95% CI, 2.38–6.66) or other gynecologic cancer diagnosis in younger women (HR, 2.82; 95% CI, 1.39–5.74) were significantly higher after an AGC-based abnormality compared with squamous-based abnormalities. Hazards were also significantly higher for “referral” advice cytology, except for cervical cancer among older women (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.63–1.21).

Conclusions:

AGC indicates an increased risk of gynecologic cancer compared with squamous-based abnormalities of comparable severity.

Impact:

Gynecologists should be alert for cervical and endometrial cancers when examining women referred following AGC.
Early-Life Risk Factors for Breast Cancer – Prospective Follow-up in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966
Authors: Tastula Anniina , Jukkola Arja , Alakokkare Anni-Emilia , Nordström Tanja , Eteläinen Sanna , Karihtala Peeter , Miettunen Jouko
Published: February 2021

Background:

While some risk factors for breast cancer have been confirmed, less is known about the role of early biological and social risk factors for breast cancer in adult life.

Methods:

In a prospective follow-up in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 consisting of 5,308 women, 120 breast cancers were reported via national registers by the end of 2018. Early risk factors were examined with univariate and multivariate analyses using Cox regression analysis. The main results are reported with HRs and their 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results:

In the multivariate-adjusted models, women whose mothers lived in urban areas (HR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.13–2.51) during pregnancy, were low educated (HR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.30–4.45), and had been diagnosed with breast cancer (HR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.09–3.58) had a higher risk for breast cancer in adult life. Lower BMI at the age of 14 associated nonsignificantly with the risk of breast cancer (Mann–Whitney U test, P = 0.087). No association between birth size and breast cancer risk in adult life was found.

Conclusions:

Early-life residence and socioeconomic conditions may have an impact on developing breast cancer in women in adult life. All breast cancer cases of this study were relatively young, and most of them are assumed to be premenopausal.

Impact:

This study is one of a few prospective birth cohort studies to examine early-life socioeconomic factors and breast cancer risk in adult life. This study is limited due to small number of cases.
Impact of Broadening Trial Eligibility Criteria for Patients with Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer: Real-World Analysis of Select ASCO-Friends Recommendations
Authors: Harvey R. Donald , Bruinooge Suanna S. , Chen Li , Garrett-Mayer Elizabeth , Rhodes Whitney , Stepanski Edward , Uldrick Thomas S. , Ison Gwynn , Khozin Sean , Rubinstein Wendy S. , Schenkel Caroline , Miller Robert S. , Komatsoulis George A. , Schilsky Richard L. , Kim Edward S.
Published: February 2021

Purpose:

Cancer clinical trials often accrue slowly or miss enrollment targets. Strict eligibility criteria are a major reason. Restrictive criteria also limit opportunities for patient participation while compromising external validity of trial results. We examined the impact of broadening select eligibility criteria on characteristics and number of patients eligible for trials, using recommendations of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and Friends of Cancer Research.

Experimental Design:

A retrospective, observational analysis used electronic health record data from ASCO’s CancerLinQ Discovery database. Study cohort included patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer treated from 2011 to 2018. Patients were grouped by traditional criteria [no brain metastases, no other malignancies, and creatinine clearance (CrCl) ≥ 60 mL/minute] and broadened criteria (including brain metastases, other malignancies, and CrCl ≥ 30 mL/minute).

Results:

The analysis cohort included 10,500 patients. Median age was 68 years, and 73% of patients were White. Most patients had stage IV disease (65%). A total of 5,005 patients (48%) would be excluded from trial participation using the traditional criteria. The broadened criteria, however, would allow 98% of patients (10,346) to be potential participants. Examination of patients included by traditional criteria (5,495) versus those added (4,851) by broadened criteria showed that the number of women, patients aged 75+ years, and those with stage IV cancer was significantly greater using broadened criteria.

Conclusions:

This analysis of real-world data demonstrated that broadening three common eligibility criteria has the potential to double the eligible patient population and include trial participants who are more representative of those encountered in practice.

See related commentary by Giantonio, p. 2369
Exosomal Delivery of FTO Confers Gefitinib Resistance to Recipient Cells through ABCC10 Regulation in an m6A-dependent Manner
Authors: Xiao Peng , Liu Yu-kang , Han Wei , Hu Yan , Zhang Bo-you , Liu Wen-liang
Published: February 2021

Gefitinib is suitable for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer. However, the development of acquired resistance limits its long-term efficacy in regardless of significant clinical benefit to patients. Therefore, to elucidate the mechanism of gefitinib resistance in addition to target gene mutation may greatly increase its clinical efficacy. It was found first that N6-methyladenosine RNA demethylase FTO was significantly enriched in serum exosomes of gefitinib-resistant (GR) patients compared with that of gefitinib-sensitive (GS) patients through exosomal RNA sequencing. Meanwhile, the average m6A proportion in GR patients was significantly lower when compared with that in GS patients. Besides, GR cell–derived exosome internalization attenuated the total m6A abundance and gefitinib sensitivity of PC9 cells. Not only FTO knockdown enhanced the gefitinib sensitivity of GR cells but also FTO reduction in donor exosomes alleviated the acquired resistance of recipient PC9 cells. GR cell–derived exosomal-FTO promoted ABCC10 of recipient cells in a m6A-dependent manner. FTO/YTHDF2/ABCC10 axis played a role in intercellular transmission of GR cell–derived exosome-mediated gefitinib resistance both in vitro and in vivo. In general, this research showed that m6A modification was involved in the decrease of gefitinib sensitivity. GR cell–derived exosomes could decrease gefitinib sensitivity of recipient cells in exosomal delivery of FTO-dependent manner. FTO/YTHDF2/ABCC10 axis played a role in intercellular transmission of GR cell–derived exosome-mediated gefitinib resistance.

Implications:

Our results elucidated another potential molecular mechanism of gefitinib resistance in non–small cell lung cancer besides secondary EGFR mutations.
Intravenous Thrombolysis Is Associated with Less Disabling Stroke and Lower Mortality in Multiple-Pass Endovascular Thrombectomy
Authors: Blair Christopher , Edwards Leon , Cappelen-Smith Cecilia , Cordato Dennis , Cheung Andrew , Wenderoth Jason , McQuinn Alex , Manning Nathan W.
Published: February 2021

Background and Purpose: The benefit of bridging intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in acute ischaemic stroke patients eligible for endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is unclear. This may be particularly relevant where reperfusion is achieved with multiple thrombectomy passes. We aimed to determine the benefit of bridging IVT in first and multiple-pass patients undergoing EVT ≤6 h from stroke onset to groin puncture. Methods: We compared 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) outcomes in 187 consecutive patients with large vessel occlusions (LVOs) of the anterior cerebral circulation who underwent EVT ≤6 h from symptom onset and who achieved modified thrombolysis in cerebral ischaemia (mTICI) 2c/3 reperfusion with the first pass to those patients who required multiple passes to achieve reperfusion. The effect of bridging IVT on outcomes was examined. Results: Significantly more first-pass patients had favourable (mRS 0–2) 90-day outcomes (68 vs. 42%, p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed an association between first-pass reperfusion and favourable outcomes (OR 2.25; 95% CI 1.08–4.68; p = 0.03). IVT provided no additional benefit in first-pass patients (OR 1.17; CI 0.42–3.20; p = 0.76); however, in multiple-pass patients, it reduced the risk of disabling stroke (mRS ≥4) (OR 0.30; CI 0.10–0.88; p = 0.02) and mortality (OR 0.07; CI 0.01–0.36; p = 0.002) at 90 days. Conclusion: Bridging IVT may benefit patients with anterior circulation stroke with LVO who qualify for EVT and who require multiple passes to achieve reperfusion.
Optimal Contact Concentration of Paclitaxel in the Collagen Gel Droplet-Embedded Culture Drug Sensitivity Test for Human Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Evaluation of Combination with Cetuximab
Authors: Kii Tomoyuki , Sakuma Kaname , Tanaka Akira
Published: February 2021

Objective: A combination of the taxane anticancer drug paclitaxel (PTX) and molecular target drug cetuximab (cMab) is effective for the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, its use is associated with serious side effects, such as neuropathy and myelosuppression. In addition, it is administered regardless of patient sensitivity because biomarkers indicating its efficacy are unavailable. Therefore, we investigated the usefulness of setting the indicated contact concentration of PTX and predicted the antitumor effect of combined contact with cMab using the collagen gel droplet-embedded culture drug sensitivity test (CD-DST). Method: Twelve human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines (i.e., SAS, HSC-2, HSC-3, HSC-4, OSC-19, OSC-20, KON, HO-1-N-1, HO-1-u-1, SAT, SCC-4, and Nialym) were used. Using the CD-DST, we calculated the optimal contact concentration of the cells with PTX based on the clinical response rate of HNSCC and evaluated the combined contact with cMab. Furthermore, nude mice were treated with standalone PTX and PTX + cMab, and the results were compared with those of the CD-DST. Results: Based on the CD-DST, 0.1 μg/mL was the optimal contact concentration of PTX, to which the cells showed dose-dependent sensitivity. Moreover, the CD-DST method was used to evaluate the antitumor effects on OSCC even when PTX was used in combination with cMab. The antitumor effects in the CD-DST and nude mice were correlated (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The CD-DST results suggested that it was possible to predict the clinical effects of single-contact PTX and the enhancing effect of cMab + PTX.
A Comparative Study of 23-Gauge and 27-Gauge Vitrectomy for Puckers or Floaters, Including Evaluation of the Effect of Combined Phaco-Vitrectomy Surgery on Postoperative Outcome
Authors: Stalmans Peter
Published: February 2021

Introduction: A single-center, prospective randomized comparison of postoperative recovery between 23-gauge and 27-gauge surgical approaches in vitrectomy was performed. Methods: A single-center, prospective randomized comparison of postoperative recovery between 23-gauge and 27-gauge surgical approaches to evaluate efficiencies and postoperative outcomes of the two surgical gauges. Eighty patients who were scheduled to undergo pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for floaters or macular surgery were treated with either 27-gauge or 23-gauge techniques and assessed for efficiency of the procedures as well as a variety of postop indicators of pain and inflammation. Results: 27-Gauge vitrectomy took 90 s more time compared to 23-gauge surgery. Wound closure was significantly easier in 27-gauge than 23-gauge. Less postoperative eye reddishness was seen in 27-gauge compared to 23-gauge. A trend towards less inflammation was seen in 27-gauge. Conclusion: Overall, the trial showed that 27-gauge has the better postoperative outcome compared to 23-gauge PPV. Combining vitrectomy with phaco-surgery did not influence the study outcome parameters.
Right Ventricular Dysfunction and Short‐Term Outcomes Following Left‐Sided Valvular Surgery: An Echocardiographic Study
Authors: Towheed Arooge , Sabbagh Ebrahim , Gupta Rajesh , Assiri Salem , Chowdhury Mohammed A. , Moukarbel George V. , Khuder Sadik A. , Schwann Thomas A. , Bonnell Mark R. , Cooper Christopher J. , Khouri Samer
Published: February 2021

Background

The prognostic value of echocardiographic evaluation of right ventricular (RV) function in patients undergoing left‐sided valvular surgery has not been well described. The objective of this study is to determine the role of broad echocardiographic assessment of RV function in predicting short‐term outcomes after valvular surgery.

Methods and Results

Preoperative echocardiographic data, perioperative adverse outcomes, and 30‐day mortality were analyzed in patients who underwent left‐sided valvular surgery from 2006 to 2014. Echocardiographic parameters used to evaluate RV function include RV fractional area change, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, systolic movement of the RV lateral wall using tissue Doppler imaging (S'), RV myocardial performance index, and RV dP/dt. Subjects with at least 3 abnormal parameters out of the 5 aforementioned indices were defined as having significant RV dysfunction. The study included 269 patients with valvular surgery (average age: 67±15, 60.6% male, 148 aortic, and 121 mitral). RV dysfunction was found in 53 (19.7%) patients; 30‐day mortality occurred in 20 patients (7.5%). Compared with normal RV function, patients with RV dysfunction had higher 30‐day mortality (22.6% versus 3.8%;
P
=0.01) and were at risk for developing multisystem failure/shock (13.2% versus 3.2%;
P
=0.01). Multivariate analyses showed that preexisting RV dysfunction was the strongest predictor of increased 30‐day mortality (odds ratio: 3.5; 95% CI, 1.1–11.1;
P
<0.05).

Conclusions

Preoperative RV dysfunction identified by comprehensive echocardiographic assessment is a strong predictor of adverse outcomes following left‐sided valvular surgery.
Effects of High Fat Versus Normal Diet on Extracellular Vesicle–Induced Angiogenesis in a Swine Model of Chronic Myocardial Ischemia
Authors: Aboulgheit Ahmed , Potz Brittany A. , Scrimgeour Laura A. , Karbasiafshar Catherine , Shi Guangbin , Zhang Zhiqi , Machan Jason T. , Schorl Christoph , Brodsky Alexander S. , Braga Karla , Pfeiffer Melissa , Gao May , Cummings Olivia , Sodha Neel R. , Abid M. Ruhul , Sellke Frank W.
Published: February 2021

Background

Mesenchymal stem cell–derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) promote angiogenesis in the ischemic myocardium. This study examines the difference in vascular density, myocardial perfusion, molecular signaling, and gene expression between normal diet (ND) and high fat diet (HFD) groups at baseline and following intramyocardial injection of EVs.

Methods and Results

Intact male Yorkshire swine fed either an ND (n=17) or HFD (n=14) underwent placement of an ameroid constrictor on the left circumflex coronary artery. Subsequently, animals received either intramyocardial injection of vehicle‐saline as controls; (ND‐controls n=7, HFD‐controls, n=6) or EVs; (ND‐EVs n=10, HFD‐EVs n=8) into the ischemic territory. Five weeks later, myocardial function, perfusion, vascular density, cell signaling, and gene expression were examined. EVs improved indices of myocardial contractile function, myocardial perfusion, and arteriogenesis in both dietary cohorts. Interestingly, quantification of alpha smooth muscle actin demonstrated higher basal arteriolar density in HFD swine compared with their ND counterparts; whereas EVs were associated with increased CD31‐labeled endothelial cell density only in the ND tissue, which approached significance. Levels of total endothelial nitric oxide synthase, FOXO1 (forkhead box protein O1) , transforming growth factor‐β, phosphorylated VEGFR2 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2), and phosphorylated MAPK ERK1/ERK2 (mitogen‐activated protein kinase) were higher in ischemic myocardial lysates from ND‐controls compared with HFD‐controls. Conversely, HFD‐control tissue showed increased expression of phosphorylated endothelial nitric oxide synthase, phosphorylated FOXO1, VEGFR2, and MAPK ERK1/ERK2 with respect to ND‐controls. Preliminary gene expression studies indicate differential modulation of transcriptional activity by EVs between the 2 dietary cohorts.

Conclusions

HFD produces a profound metabolic disorder that dysregulates the molecular mechanisms of collateral vessel formation in the ischemic myocardium, which may hinder the therapeutic angiogenic effects of EVs.
Your Pay or Someone Else's? Exploring Salary Dispersion, Position, and Principal Turnover
Authors: Pendola Andrew
Published: February 2021

This study explores ways in which salary can be structured to reduce leadership shortages by investigating how comparative wage dispersion and position alter the relationship of salary to principal turnover. Using a seventeen-year longitudinal dataset covering over sixteen thousand principals in Texas, discrete-time hazard models demonstrate that principals are highly sensitive to salary comparisons over and above basic salary. Higher comparative position is associated with significantly reduced turnover risk, while wider dispersion is associated with a significantly increased turnover risk. Interactions demonstrate that dispersion and position act in tandem to create conditions where principals have particularly high turnover risk. These results have implications for strategies to address turnover through district salary structures, as well as broader notions of how wage tournaments operate in the principal labor market.
Spontaneous eye movements during eyes-open rest reduce
resting-state-network modularity by increasing visual-sensorimotor
connectivity
Authors: Koba Cemal , Notaro Giuseppe , Tamm Sandra , Nilsonne Gustav , Hasson Uri
Published: February 2021

During wakeful rest, individuals make small eye movements during fixation. We examined how these endogenously driven oculomotor patterns impact topography and topology of functional brain networks. We used a dataset consisting of eyes-open resting-state (RS) fMRI data with simultaneous eye tracking. The eye-tracking data indicated minor movements during rest, which correlated modestly with RS BOLD data. However, eye-tracking data correlated well with echo-planar imaging time series sampled from the area of the eye-orbit (EO-EPI), which is a signal previously used to identify eye movements during exogenous saccades and movie viewing. Further analyses showed that EO-EPI data were correlated with activity in an extensive motor and sensorimotor network, including components of the dorsal attention network and the frontal eye fields. Partialling out variance related to EO-EPI from RS data reduced connectivity, primarily between sensorimotor and visual areas. It also produced networks with higher modularity, lower mean connectivity strength, and lower mean clustering coefficient. Our results highlight new aspects of endogenous eye movement control during wakeful rest. They show that oculomotor-related contributions form an important component of RS network topology, and that those should be considered in interpreting differences in network structure between populations or as a function of different experimental conditions.