bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Wnt signaling on epithelial to mesenchymal transition in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyp
Authors: Bae Jun-Sang , Ryu Gwanghui , Kim Ji Hye , Kim Eun Hee , Rhee Yun Hee , Chung Young-Jun , Kim Dae Woo , Lim Suha , Chung Phil-Sang , Shin Hyun-Woo , Mo Ji-Hun
Published: October 2020

Background

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is associated with the pathophysiology of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyp (CRSwNP). Wnt signaling is causative for EMT, whereas the mechanism in CRSwNP is not fully understood.

Objective

We sought to evaluate the role of Wnt signaling in EMT of CRSwNP using a murine nasal polyp (NP) model and human tissues.

Methods

Inflammatory markers and EMT-related molecules were evaluated in NP models using adenomatosis polyposis coli (Apc)Min/+ mice with activated Wnt signaling and NP models treated with Wnt signaling inhibitor, indocyanine green-001 (ICG-001). EMT markers and Wnt signaling-associated mediators were analysed using human sinonasal tissues from control subjects and CRSwNP patients.

Results

ApcMin/+ mice-induced NPs exhibited more frequent polypoid lesions and upregulation of Wnt-related molecules, including nuclear β-catenin, WNT3A and cyclin D1. Markers of EMT were significantly overexpressed in the ApcMin/+ NP mice (p<0.001 for E-cadherin and α-smooth muscle actin), and interleukin (IL)-17A+ cells and neutrophilic infiltration were increased in ApcMin/+ NP mice (p<0.001). Inhibition of Wnt signaling via ICG-001 resulted in significantly decreased nasal polypoid lesions (p<0.001), EMT-related markers (p=0.019 for E-cadherin and p=0.002 for vimentin) and the mRNA levels of IL-4 (p<0.001) and IL-17A (p=0.004) compared with the positive control group. Finally, nuclear β-catenin (p=0.042) was significantly increased compared with the control, and the expression levels of Wnt ligands and receptors were upregulated in human NP tissues (p=0.045 for WNT3A and p=0.042 for FZD2), suggesting increased Wnt signaling and EMT in CRSwNP.

Conclusion

Wnt signaling may contribute to the pathogenesis of NPs through EMT. Therefore, inhibition of Wnt signaling may be a potential therapeutic strategy for patients with CRSwNP.
Decision making affecting the diagnosis of hypoxaemia in a pug
Authors: Beeston Thomas James , Blissitt Karen J
Published: October 2020

This report describes the management of an obese pug that became hypoxaemic during anaesthesia. The cause of the hypoxaemia was diagnosed ultimately as endobronchial intubation, which was corrected before recovery. The hypoxaemia was mistakenly attributed to a combination of obesity and aspiration pneumonia. The reasons for the initial misdiagnosis are presented. Although the pug made a full recovery, the sequelae of endobronchial intubation are potentially serious and the condition should be recognised.
Implementation of a targeted mastitis therapy concept using an on‐farm rapid test: antimicrobial consumption, cure rates and compliance
Authors: Schmenger Anne , Leimbach Stefanie , Wente Nicole , Zhang Yanchao , Biggs Andrew Martin , Kroemker Volker
Published: October 2020

Background

Aim of the present study was to investigate the implementation of a targeted therapy (tLCT) concept under real‐life circumstances, taking both pathogen‐related and animal‐related factors into account. The reduction of antibiotics without negative effects on cure rates was evaluated as well as the compliance by the farmers.

Methods

After analysing the existing conventional therapy (CT) concepts of five farms, the tLCT concept and a novel on‐farm test were introduced. Three treatment groups were compared with respect to bacteriological cure (BC), cytological cure (CYC), full cure (FC), new infection rate (NIR), relapse rate and the treatment approach per mastitis case: the CT group, the tLCT group including all clinical mastitis (CM) cases treated according to the concept, and the modified tLCT group (tLCTmod), including the CM cases in which farmers deviated from the concept.

Results

Even so farmers deviated from the treatment concept in 506 out of 909 cases; belonging to one of the three treatment groups had no significant impact on BC, CYC, FC, NIR or relapse rate. The antibiotic usage in the tLCT as well as in the tLCTmod group was significantly lower in comparison to the CT group.

Conclusion

From this, it can be deduced that farmers will reduce antibiotic doses by implementing a tLCT concept.
Study of nuclear properties with muonic atoms
Authors: Knecht A. , Skawran A. , Vogiatzi S. M.
Published: October 2020

Muons are a fascinating probe to study nuclear properties. Muonic atoms can easily be formed by stopping negative muons inside a material. The muon is subsequently captured by the nucleus and, due to its much higher mass compared to the electron, orbits the nucleus at very small distances. During this atomic capture process, the muon emits characteristic X-rays during its cascade down to the ground state. The energies of these X-rays reveal the muonic energy level scheme, from which properties like the nuclear charge radius or its quadrupole moment can be extracted. While almost all stable elements have been examined using muons, probing highly radioactive atoms has so far not been possible. The muX experiment has developed a technique based on transfer reaction inside a high-pressure hydrogen/deuterium gas cell to examine targets available only in microgram quantities.
Minimal chimera states in phase-lag coupled mechanical oscillators
Authors: Ebrahimzadeh P. , Schiek M. , Jaros P. , Kapitaniak T. , van Waasen S. , Maistrenko Y.
Published: October 2020

We obtain experimental chimera states in the minimal network of three identical mechanical oscillators (metronomes), by introducing phase-lagged all-to-all coupling. For this, we have developed a real-time model-in-the-loop coupling mechanism that allows for flexible and online change of coupling topology, strength and phase-lag. The chimera states manifest themselves as a mismatch of average frequency between two synchronous and one desynchronized oscillator. We find this kind of striking “chimeric” behavior is robust in a wide parameter region. At other parameters, however, chimera state can lose stability and the system behavior manifests itself as a heteroclinic switching between three saddle-type chimeras. Our experimental observations are in a qualitative agreement with the model simulation.
Mode transition in a memristive dynamical system and its application in image encryption
Authors: Zhang Yin , Ren Guodong , Hobiny Aatef , Ahmad Bashir , Ma Jun
Published: October 2020

Chaotic systems can be used for secure communication and image encryption by applying a variety of encryption algorithms. While most of the low-dimensional chaotic systems and maps can be estimated by using phase reconstruction and thus the safety in signal processing and propagation is attacked. In this paper, an initial-dependent dynamical system, which is developed from the Rössler system by adding memristive function and disturbance function on the memristive variable [Formula: see text], is presented for realizing image encryption and bifurcation analysis is supplied in detail. Time-varying disturbance from sampled variables is applied to control the memristive variable and the dependence of mode oscillation on initial values is enhanced. As a result, the dynamics of this memristive system is switched between different oscillation modes (e.g., periodical to chaotic, chaotic to chaotic) by activating the initial value, memristive gain and disturbance gain, respectively. From a dynamical viewpoint, the involvement of stochastic adjustment on the memristive variable can reset the initial value and then induce time-varying parameter regulation or switch on certain parameter embedded in the memristive nonlinearity and function, and thus the dynamics dependence on the initial setting is enhanced. Standard bifurcation analysis is carried out on this memristive system and then the sampled time series are used for image encryption, furthermore, the reliability for this scheme is discussed and suggestions for further study are supplied in the end.
Community leader and transition probability based LPA
Authors: Chen Yu Ying , Ye Jimin
Published: October 2020

Many practice problems can be transformed into complex networks, and complex network community discovery has become a hot research topic in various fields. The classic label propagation algorithm (LPA) can give community partition very quickly, but stability of the algorithm is poor due to random label propagation. To solve this problem, community leader principle is built and transition probability is introduced, a label propagation algorithm based on community leader and transition probability (CTLPA) is proposed. CTLPA selects threatened leaders and their communities according to the community leader principle, and uses the transition probability and the degree of the leader to jointly control the order for community merger, so that the threatened leader continuously devours the communities that threaten him, until a preliminary community partition is formed. To further reduce the number of community, in CTLPA, based on the characteristic of the community structure: close relationship within the community and sparse relationship outside the community, the closest communities are merged, until the final community partition is obtained. The CTLPA is compared with other five classic algorithms on LFR artificially generated networks and several real data sets. The experimental results show that CTLPA is robust in community partition, it always gives the same community partition, while the LPA will give different results from multiple independent runs. The number of community partition and the normalized mutual information (NMI) of the CTLPA are the best in most cases.
A resistive device with electrolyte as active electrode
Authors: Kang Tian , Chen Xiaoyu , Zhu Jia , Huang Yun , Chen Zhuojie , Lin Guanzhou , Jin Shengxiao , Wu Wengang
Published: October 2020

Due to the outstanding performance of resistance random access memory (RRAM) in the memory field, the study of resistive switching (RS) phenomena has become extremely noticeable in the recent years. The mechanism of metal conductive filamentary RRAM is already clear, but the conditions of the RS are still unclear. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the conditions for the occurrence of resistive, using a new RS structure called Electrolyte-Oxide-Semiconductor (EOS). This structure is based on the formation of metal conductive filament and exhibits the unipolar switching characteristics. Due to the formation or rupture of the conductive filaments, this device exhibits different resistance states. A series model of electrolyte and conductive filaments is used to explain the IV curve of this device. Compared with the device using a metal active electrode, the active electrode of this device is originally ionized. Therefore, it would be a better tool to explore the mechanism of ion migration and the formation of conductive filaments. Materials screening of metal in RRAM would also be more efficient.
Differential Galois cohomology and parameterized Picard–Vessiot extensions
Authors: Sánchez Omar León , Pillay Anand
Published: October 2020

Assuming that the differential field [Formula: see text] is differentially large, in the sense of [León Sánchez and Tressl, Differentially large fields, preprint (2020); arXiv:2005.00888], and “bounded” as a field, we prove that for any linear differential algebraic group [Formula: see text] over [Formula: see text], the differential Galois (or constrained) cohomology set [Formula: see text] is finite. This applies, among other things, to closed ordered differential fields in the sense of [Singer, The model theory of ordered differential fields, J. Symb. Logic 43(1) (1978) 82–91], and to closed[Formula: see text]-adic differential fields in the sense of [Tressl, The uniform companion for large differential fields of characteristic [Formula: see text], Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 357(10) (2005) 3933–3951]. As an application, we prove a general existence result for parameterized Picard–Vessiot (PPV) extensions within certain families of fields; if [Formula: see text] is a field with two commuting derivations, and [Formula: see text] is a parameterized linear differential equation over [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] is “differentially large” and [Formula: see text] is bounded, and [Formula: see text] is existentially closed in [Formula: see text], then there is a PPV extension [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] for the equation such that [Formula: see text] is existentially closed in [Formula: see text]. For instance, it follows that if the [Formula: see text]-constants of a formally real differential field [Formula: see text] is a closed ordered[Formula: see text]-field, then for any homogeneous linear [Formula: see text]-equation over [Formula: see text] there exists a PPV extension that is formally real. Similar observations apply to [Formula: see text]-adic fields.
On the basis pair graphs of signed-graphic matroids
Authors: Papalamprou Konstantinos
Published: October 2020

There is a long-standing conjecture being open for decades regarding the connectedness of the basis pair graphs of matroids. In this work we provide results for the class of signed-graphic matroids and their duals. Specifically, signed-graphic matroids having no particular matroids as minors are proven to have connected basis pair graphs. The main obstacles in proving the aforementioned connectedness result for the whole class of signed-graphic matroids have been identified and approaches on overcoming them are proposed.
Global Encoding for Long Chinese Text Summarization
Authors: Xi Xuefeng , Pi Zhou , Zhou Guodong
Published: October 2020

Text summarization is one of the significant tasks of natural language processing, which automatically converts text into a summary. Some summarization systems, for short/long English, and short Chinese text, benefit from advances in the neural encoder-decoder model because of the availability of large datasets. However, the long Chinese text summarization research has been limited to datasets of a couple of hundred instances. This article aims to explore the long Chinese text summarization task. To begin with, we construct a first large-scale, long Chinese text summarization corpus, the Long Chinese Summarization of Police Inquiry Record Text (LCSPIRT). Based on this corpus, we propose a sequence-to-sequence (Seq2Seq) model that incorporates a global encoding process with an attention mechanism. Our model achieves a competitive result on the LCSPIRT corpus compared with several benchmark methods.
SMig-RL
Authors: Ren Hongshuai , Wang Yang , Xu Chengzhong , Chen Xi
Published: October 2020

Service migration is an often-used approach in cloud computing to minimize the access cost by moving the service close to most users. Although it is effective in a certain sense, the service migration in existing research still suffers from some deficiencies in its evolutionary abilities in
scalability
,
sensitivity
, and
adaptability
to effectively react to the dynamically changing environments. This article proposes an evolutionary framework based on deep reinforcement learning for virtual service migration in large-scale mobile cloud centers. To enhance the spatio-temporal sensitivity of the algorithm, we design a scalable reward function for virtual service migration, redefine the input state, and add a Recurrent Neural Network (
RNN
) to the learning framework. Additionally, in order to enhance the adaptability of the algorithm, we also decompose the action space and exploit the network cost to adjust the number of virtual machine (VMs). The experimental results show that, compared with the existing results, the migration strategy generated by the algorithm can not only significantly reduce the total service cost and achieve the load balancing at the same time, but also address the burst situations with low cost in dynamic environments.
Personalized Review Recommendation based on Users’ Aspect Sentiment
Authors: Huang Chunli , Jiang Wenjun , Wu Jie , Wang Guojun
Published: October 2020

Product reviews play an important role in guiding users’ purchase decision-making in e-commerce platforms. However, it is challenging for users to find helpful reviews that meet their preferences and experiences among an overwhelming amount of reviews. Some works have been done to recommend helpful reviews to users, either from personalized or non-personalized views. While some existing models recommend similar users’ reviews for a target user, they either neglect the target user’s aspect preferences or the user-product interactions for measuring user similarity. Moreover, those models predict review helpfulness at the review-level (a review is taken as a whole); few of them consider the aspect-level. To address the above issues, we propose an aspect sentiment similarity-based personalized review recommendation model (
A2SPR
), which quantifies review helpfulness and recommends reviews that are customized for each individual. We analyze users’ aspect preferences from reviews and improve user similarity with users’ fine-grained sentiment and product relevance. Furthermore, we redefine the review helpfulness score at the aspect level, which indicates the review’s reference value for users’ purchase decisions. Finally, we recommend the top
k
helpful reviews for individuals based on the review helpfulness score. To validate the performance of the proposed model, eight baselines are developed and compared. Experimental results show that our model performs better than those baselines in both the coverage and precision.
The Fluid Dynamics of Disease Transmission
Authors: Bourouiba Lydia
Published: October 2020

For an infectious disease such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to spread, contact needs to be established between an infected host and a susceptible one. In a range of populations and infectious diseases, peer-to-peer contact modes involve complex interactions of a pathogen with a fluid phase, such as isolated complex fluid droplets or a multiphase cloud of droplets. This is true for exhalations including coughs or sneezes in humans and animals, bursting bubbles leading to micron-sized droplets in a range of indoor and outdoor settings, or impacting raindrops and airborne pathogens in foliar diseases transferring pathogens from water to air via splashes. Our mechanistic understanding of how pathogens actually transfer from one host or reservoir to the next remains woefully limited, with the global consequences that we are all experiencing with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This review discusses the emergent area of the fluid dynamics of disease transmission. It highlights a new frontier and the rich multiscale fluid physics, from interfacial to multiphase and complex flows, that govern contact between an infected source and a susceptible target in a range of diseases.
Electrochemical Investigations of L-Cysteine Interactions with Bismuth Ions
Authors: Cheek G. T. , Peña D.
Published: October 2020

The interaction of L-cysteine with bismuth compounds bismuth(III) salicylate, bismuth(III) citrate, and bismuth(III) nitrate, was studied at pH 1.0 (0.100 M HNO3 and 0.100 M HCl) and pH 7.4 MOPS buffer by cyclic voltammetry at glassy carbon and boron-doped diamond electrodes. pH 1.0, at which bismuth (III) exists as the simple Bi3+ ion, was chosen to approximate the acid strength of stomach contents. pH 7.4, at which bismuth(III) exists as BiO, was used for its similarity to general physiological conditions. The amino acid L-cysteine was chosen because its sulfhydryl group undergoes intense interaction with many metal cations, serving as a model for cysteine-containing proteins in the digestive system. It was determined that Bi(III) and L-cysteine (Cys) form soluble complexes at both pH 1.0 and pH 7.4. UV–vis spectroscopic investigations support interaction of Bi(III) and L-cysteine to form a 1:2 Bi(III): Cys complex in pH 7.4 MOPS buffer. L-cysteine addition to solutions of the pharmaceutical bismuth(III) salicylate was found to alter the voltammetric behavior of the salicylate complex. These results, especially at pH 1.0, are relevant to understanding the interaction of various cysteine-containing proteins in the human digestive system with bismuth pharmaceuticals and may help guide future explorations of bismuth formulations.
Investigating the Influence of Cr and Mo Additions to Commercial Ni-Based Alloys Exposed to Neutral and Acidic Chloride Solutions
Authors: Henderson Jeffrey D. , Almusned Baian , Momeni Mojtaba , Anderson Samantha , Dehnavi Vahid , Zagidulin Dmitrij , Shoesmith David W. , J. Noël James
Published: October 2020

The corrosion behaviour of four commercially available Ni-based alloys is presented for both natural and potential-controlled corrosion in chloride solutions. Electrochemical evidence suggests a balance of Cr and Mo is essential to maintaining passive film stability in chloride solutions, especially those in which acidic conditions may develop. In near-neutral solutions, increased Cr content results in lower corrosion rates and improved passive properties; however, an increase in Cr content above 15 wt.% provided only minor additional benefits. In acidic solutions, Mo content is essential to corrosion resistance and imparts two major benefits: increased film stability and rapid repassivation of breakdown events. Since localized corrosion and the critical chemistry which accompanies these processes are of concern in many chloride-containing applications, a delicate balance of Cr and Mo must be considered; although optimal concentrations have yet to be determined.
Integrative Analyses of Genes Associated with Fulminant Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Ye Xiaofeng , Zeng Tianshu , Kong Wen , Chen Lu-lu
Published: October 2020

Objective. Fulminant type 1 diabetes (FT1D) is a type of type 1 diabetes, which is characterized by rapid onset of disease and severe metabolic disorders. We intend to screen for crucial genes and potential molecular mechanisms in FT1D in this study. Method. We downloaded GSE44314, which includes six healthy controls and five patients with FT1D, from the GEO database. Identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was performed by NetworkAnalyst. The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses of DEGs were screened by an online tool—Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integration Discovery (DAVID). Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and hub genes among DEGs were analyzed by NetworkAnalyst. And we also use NetworkAnalyst to find out the microRNAs (miRNAs) and transcription factors (TFs) which regulate the expression of DEGs. Result. We identified 130 DEGs (60 upregulated and 70 downregulated DEGs) between healthy controls and FT1D patients. GO analysis results revealed that DEGs were mostly enriched in generation of precursor metabolites and energy, neurohypophyseal hormone activity, and mitochondrial inner membrane. KEGG pathway analysis demonstrated that DEGs were mostly involved in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Results indicated that NCOA1, SRF, ERBB3, EST1, TOP1, UBE2S, INO80, COX7C, ITGAV, and COX6C were the top hub genes in the PPI network. Furthermore, we recognized that LDLR, POTEM, IFNAR2, BAZ2A, and SRF were the top hub genes in the miRNA-target gene network, and SRF, TSPAN4, CD59, ETS1, and SLC25A25 were the top hub genes in the TF-target gene network. Conclusion. Our study pinpoints key genes and pathways associated with FT1D by a sequence of bioinformatics analysis on DEGs. These identified genes and pathways provide more detailed molecular mechanisms of FT1D and may provide novel therapeutic targets.
Existence and Stability of Square-Mean S-Asymptotically Periodic Solutions to a Fractional Stochastic Diffusion Equation with Fractional Brownian Motion
Authors: Mu Jia , Nan Jiecuo , Zhou Yong
Published: October 2020

In this paper, a generalized Gronwall inequality is demonstrated, playing an important role in the study of fractional differential equations. In addition, with the fixed-point theorem and the properties of Mittag–Leffler functions, some results of the existence as well as asymptotic stability of square-mean S-asymptotically periodic solutions to a fractional stochastic diffusion equation with fractional Brownian motion are obtained. In the end, an example of numerical simulation is given to illustrate the effectiveness of our theory results.
Ovarian Crohn’s Disease: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Mohammed Hamza , Bokhary Rana , Nassif Mohammed , Mosli Mahmoud
Published: October 2020

We present to you a rare case of Crohn’s disease involving the ovary in a 28-year-old nulligravida Eritrean patient. This is considered a rare manifestation of Crohn’s disease that is believed to be due to fistulization between the ovary and intestines.
miR‐876 Inhibits EMT and Liver Fibrosis via POSTN to Suppress Metastasis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Chen Kai , Li Zhonghu , Zhang Mengyun , Wang Bo , Peng Tao , Shen Yanbing , Zhang Jianxin , Ye Jiaxin , Liu Yu , Tang Di , Peng Minjie , Ma Dandan , Xiao Zhengkang , Zhang Yujun , Jin Weidong , Li Xiaowu
Published: October 2020

Background. The asymptomatic onset, frequent recurrence, and poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prompted us to identify new therapeutic targets or predictive markers of HCC diagnosis or prognosis. Methods. In this study, bioinformatics analysis was used to screen for target miRNAs from the open‐access TCGA database. Transwell assays, Western blotting, and qRT‐PCR analyses were used to detect cellular functions and gene expression in HCC cells and samples. A nude mouse tumorigenesis model was established to facilitate the observation of HCC progression. Other assays included luciferase reporter assays, IHC, and survival analysis. Results. We found that the identified miR‐876 from TCGA was expressed at low levels in HCC cell lines and that low miR‐876 expression was corrected with liver cirrhosis, tumor thrombus, and TNM stage. Further research revealed that miR‐876 regulated cell invasion, EMT, and collagen expression by targeting POSTN expression. miR‐876 and POSTN were inversely correlated in HCC samples and associated with EMT status and liver fibrosis in clinical HCC tissues. miR‐876 inhibited the liver cancer progression in in vivo animal assays. Finally, both miR‐876 and POSTN were risk factors for HCC survival, and HCC patients with combined low miR‐876 and high POSTN expression had worse prognosis. Conclusions. miR‐876 inhibited HCC EMT and fibrosis by targeting POSTN, thus affecting HCC progression and prognosis. miR‐876 and POSTN may be useful therapeutic targets or prognostic markers of HCC.
Lubrication and Fatigue Life Evaluation of High-Speed Cylindrical Roller Bearing under Misalignment
Authors: Duan Hongyu , Song Jiawei , Wang Zhijian
Published: October 2020

This paper developed a coupled model, incorporating the quasistatic model, fatigue life model, and mixed lubrication model, to investigate the effect of misalignment angle on high-speed cylindrical roller bearings. The model is verified by comparing with the published literature results. Then, a parametric analysis is carried out. The results show that as the misalignment increases, the load distribution is basically unchanged, but the fatigue life of the roller bearing decreases due to the variation of contact pressure, and the skewing moment of single roller contact pair increases. Furthermore, the optimal design of roller profile needs to consider the effect of lubrication in order to improve the fatigue life of roller bearings. In general, the optimal crown drop is too small according to the design from the slicing technique.
Clinical Features of COVID‐19 Patients with Different Outcomes in Wuhan: A Retrospective Observational Study
Authors: Wang Zhen , Ye Di , Wang Menglong , Zhao Mengmeng , Li Dan , Ye Jing , Liu Jianfang , Xu Yao , Zhang Jishou , Pan Wei , Liu Menglin , Luo Zhen , Wan Jun
Published: October 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has caused considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide since December 2019. This retrospective study determined the characteristics and prognostic factors of COVID‐19 patients, focusing on inpatients who died or were discharged between 30 December 2019 and 29 February 2020 at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University. Patients’ medical histories, comorbidities, symptoms, signs, laboratory findings, computed tomography (CT) findings, and clinical management were recorded. All 293 patients were divided into the nonsurviving (n = 116) and surviving (n = 177) groups. The median age was older in the nonsurviving group than in the surviving group; most patients were older than 65 years in the nonsurviving group. The incidence rates of lymphopenia, neutrophilia, and leukocytosis were significantly higher in the nonsurviving group than in the surviving group. More patients in the nonsurviving group had increased levels of nonspecific infection markers, abnormal liver and kidney function, cardiac injury, and blood coagulation abnormalities on admission. Immune and inflammatory responses were more severely disturbed in the nonsurviving group than in the surviving group. The incidence rates of complications during hospitalization were higher in the nonsurviving group than in the surviving group. Cox regression results also showed that older age, symptoms of dyspnea, comorbidities, and complications were all predictors of death. Close monitoring and timely treatment are needed for high‐risk COVID‐19 patients.
Research on Green Innovation Efficiency of ListedChinese Energy Companies Based on Triple Bottom Line
Authors: Song Zhimin , Zhang Na
Published: October 2020

This paper, based on the panel data, measures the comprehensive efficiency of green innovation, the economic output efficiency of green innovation, the social output efficiency of green innovation, and the environmental output efficiency of green innovation of listed energy companies in China by means of the window DEA model from the perspective of the triple bottom line. Moreover, the impacts of environmental factors and random factors on the green innovation efficiency are analyzed. It is found that firstly, green innovation efficiency of listed Chinese energy companies shows a V-shaped change trend without excluding environmental factors and random factors. Secondly, environmental factors and random factors are the primary factors to promote the green innovation efficiency of energy listed companies in China. Finally, after removing the interference of environmental factors and random factors, comprehensive efficiency of green innovation of the listed energy companies in China is relatively high and the distribution is relatively concentrated, but there is a downward trend during the research period.
A Novel Hybrid Optimization Algorithm for Scalable Video Coding in an SDN
Authors: Wang Li , Wang Xiaokai
Published: October 2020

Scalable Video Coding (SVC) is a powerful solution to video application over heterogeneous networks and diversified end users. In the recent years, works mostly concentrate on transported layers or path for a single layer in the Software-Defined Network (SDN). This paper proposes the Novel Hybrid Optimization Algorithm for Scalable Video Coding (NHO-SVC) based on Genetic Algorithm to select the layer and path simultaneously. The algorithm uses the 0/1 knapsack programming model to set up the model, predicts the network states by the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average Model (ARIMA), and then, makes decision based on Genetic Algorithm.
Transcatheter Closure of Patent Ductus Arteriosus under Echocardiography Guidance: A Randomized Controlled Noninferiority Trial
Authors: Wang Cheng , Zhang Fengwen , Ouyang Wenbin , Zhao Guangzhi , Lu Wenxin , Zou Mengxuan , Pan Xiangbin
Published: October 2020

Background. Percutaneous occlusion under fluoroscopy guidance has become the preferred method for the treatment of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). To avoid radiation exposure and contrast agent use, PDA occlusion under transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) guidance was conducted. Objectives. We assessed the hypothesis that the success rate of percutaneous PDA occlusion under TTE was noninferior to that under fluoroscopy guidance. Methods. In this single-center trial, 100 patients were randomly assigned in a 1 : 1 ratio to the TTE group (n = 50) or to the fluoroscopy group (n = 50). The primary endpoint was the success rate of occlusion, with the noninferiority margin set at 8% for the between-group difference in intention-to-treat analysis. Secondary endpoints were hospitalization duration, cost, procedure time, and rate of adverse events including occluder migration, hemolysis, peripheral vascular complications, and residual shunt at 1-month and 12-month follow-up. Results. Patient, defect, and device characteristics were similarly distributed between groups. The success rate of occlusion was 98% for the TTE group and 100% for the fluoroscopy group (absolute difference: −2%; 95% confidence interval: −5.9% to 1.9%). Cost and procedure duration were significantly lower in the TTE group, without adverse events in either group at a median of 12.0 months (range, 10.0–15.5 months) of follow-up. Conclusion. Percutaneous PDA occlusion can be performed via TTE guidance safely and effectively, and the success rate of the TTE-guided procedure was noninferior to that under fluoroscopy guidance, with reduced cost and procedure time. The trial is registered with http://www.chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR-ICR-15006334).
Linear Support Vector Machines for Prediction of Student Performance in School-Based Education
Authors: Naicker Nalindren , Adeliyi Timothy , Wing Jeanette
Published: October 2020

Educational Data Mining (EDM) is a rich research field in computer science. Tools and techniques in EDM are useful to predict student performance which gives practitioners useful insights to develop appropriate intervention strategies to improve pass rates and increase retention. The performance of the state-of-the-art machine learning classifiers is very much dependent on the task at hand. Investigating support vector machines has been used extensively in classification problems; however, the extant of literature shows a gap in the application of linear support vector machines as a predictor of student performance. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of linear support vector machines with the performance of the state-of-the-art classical machine learning algorithms in order to determine the algorithm that would improve prediction of student performance. In this quantitative study, an experimental research design was used. Experiments were set up using feature selection on a publicly available dataset of 1000 alpha-numeric student records. Linear support vector machines benchmarked with ten categorical machine learning algorithms showed superior performance in predicting student performance. The results of this research showed that features like race, gender, and lunch influence performance in mathematics whilst access to lunch was the primary factor which influences reading and writing performance.
Architecture and Protocol to Optimize Videoconference in Wireless Networks
Authors: Jimenez Jose M. , García-Navas José Luis , Lloret Jaime , Romero Oscar
Published: October 2020

In the past years, videoconferencing (VC) has become an essential means of communications. VC allows people to communicate face to face regardless of their location, and it can be used for different purposes such as business meetings, medical assistance, commercial meetings, and military operations. There are a lot of factors in real-time video transmission that can affect to the quality of service (QoS) and the quality of experience (QoE). The application that is used (Adobe Connect, Cisco Webex, and Skype), the internet connection, or the network used for the communication can affect to the QoE. Users want communication to be as good as possible in terms of QoE. In this paper, we propose an architecture for videoconferencing that provides better quality of experience than other existing applications such as Adobe Connect, Cisco Webex, and Skype. We will test how these three applications work in terms of bandwidth, packets per second, and delay using WiFi and 3G/4G connections. Finally, these applications are compared to our prototype in the same scenarios as they were tested, and also in an SDN, in order to improve the advantages of the prototype.
A Base on Fuzzy Theory to Supplier Evaluation and Selection Optimization
Authors: Lin Chun-Tsai
Published: October 2020

Supplier evaluation and selection is critical for schools to save costs. Supplier evaluation indexes must be developed before evaluation. In addition, how to select the most appropriate supplier and make the best procurement decision are also important topics. This study selected three most important supplier evaluation and selection criteria and established a supplier evaluation model through fuzzy logic inference using MATLAΒ. This method can overcome the defects in some methodologies and improve organizational capability and competitiveness. This model can also be used to address practical supplier evaluation and selection matters. Modelling took several steps, including fuzzification, fuzzy rule base, fuzzy inference engine, and defuzzification. Then, a supplier evaluation model was established based on the fuzzy rules obtained from the abovementioned operations. This model can provide a basis for school purchasers or managers in executing supplier selection policies in the future.
Numerical Simulations of Air Cavities in Inclined Plunging Jets
Authors: Sun Qian , Yuan Hao , Jiang Lei , Xu Guangxiang , Zhang Xujin
Published: October 2020

The dynamic process of circular water jets plunging into a quiescent pool was analyzed in this study based on the RNG k∼ε turbulence model and VOF method. The effects of jet velocity and inclination angles relative to horizontal on the cavity shapes and sizes were analyzed. The simulation successfully captured the formation, development, pinch-off, and disintegration phenomena of cavities. The shape of the cavity is mainly affected by the impact angle, while the impact velocity mainly affects the size of the cavity. The cavity pinch-off initially appears at a certain point in any direction for vertical jets, while the cavity in the opposite direction of flow pinch-off appears before the cavity in the direction of flow for inclined jets. Before cavity pinch-off, the maximum radial and axial sizes of the cavity generally increase with the impact velocity and the time after impingement. The axial penetration velocity of the cavity tip is approximately half of the impact velocity, which is consistent with previous research. Finally, based on the statistics of the cavity sizes, empirical formulas for predicting the maximum radial and axial sizes of the cavity were established.
A Network Pharmacology Technique to Investigate the Synergistic Mechanisms of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Radix puerariae in Treatment of Cardio‐Cerebral Vascular Diseases
Authors: Ma Yang , Wang Wenjun , Yang Jiani , Zhang Sha , Li Zhe , Li Fei , Huang Shaojie , Lei Lu , Wang Kai , Wen Aidong , Ding Yi
Published: October 2020

Objective. This study is aimed to analyze the active ingredients, drug targets, and related pathways in the combination of Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM) and Radix puerariae (RP) in the treatment of cardio‐cerebral vascular diseases (CCVDs). Method. The ingredients and targets of SM and RP were obtained from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), and the disease targets were obtained from Therapeutic Target Database (TTD), National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) Database. The synergistic mechanisms of the SM and RP were evaluated by gene ontology (GO) enrichment analyses and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) path enrichment analyses. Result. A total of 61 active ingredients and 58 common targets were identified in this study. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis results showed that SM‐ and RP‐regulated pathways were mainly inflammatory processes, immunosuppression, and cardiovascular systems. The component‐target‐pathway network indicated that SM and RP exert a synergistic mechanism for CCVDs through PTGS2 target in PI3k‐Akt, TNF, and Jak‐STAT signaling pathways. Conclusion. In summary, this study clarified the synergistic mechanisms of SM and RP, which can provide a better understanding of effect in the treatment of CCVDs.
Coordinating Manipulation in Real-time Interactive Mechanism of College Admission: Agent-Based Simulations
Authors: Hou Lan , Jia Tao , Wang Xiangbing , Yu Tongkui
Published: October 2020

The matching in college admission is a typical example of applying algorithms in cyberspace to improve the efficiency of the corresponding process in physical space. This paper studies the real-time interactive mechanism (RIM) recently adopted in Inner Mongolia of China, where students can immediately observe the provisional admission results for their applications and are allowed to modify the application before the deadline. Since the universities accept the applications according to the ranking of the scores, RIM is believed to make the competition more transparent. However, students may coordinate to manipulate this mechanism. A high-score student can perform a last-minute change on the university applied, opening a slot for a student with a much lower score. With agent-based simulations, we find that a large portion of students will choose to perform coordinating manipulation, which erodes the welfare and fairness of society. To cope with this issue, we investigate the Multistage RIM (MS-RIM), where students with different ranges of scores are given different deadlines for application modification. We find that the multistage policy reduces the chance of manipulation. However, the incentive to conduct manipulation is increased by a higher success rate of manipulation. Hence, the overall social welfare and fairness are further diminished under MS-RIM with a small number of stages, but are improved if the stage number is large.
Aggregation of Nanochemical Microcrystals in Urine Promotes the Formation of Urinary Calculi
Authors: Lou Yanting , He Wei , Song Zhengyao
Published: October 2020

With the increasing incidence and recurrence rate of urinary calculi, urinary calculi have become a serious health risk, and the research on urinary calculi has become the focus of public attention. At present, the research results on the formation mechanism of urinary calculi are not ideal, and there is no unified conclusion. In order to further study the influencing factors of the formation of urinary calculi and provide new ideas for the prevention and clinical treatment of urinary calculi, the influence of agglomeration of nanochemical microcrystals in urine on urinary calculi was studied in this paper. In this study, fresh morning urine was collected from 10 urological stone patients and 10 healthy controls without urological stone in the urology department of a hospital. After processing the experimental specimens, we first use flame atomic absorption spectrometry and alcian blue colorimetric method to detect the content of Ca2+ and citrate in the urine and then use the nanoparticle size analyzer to detect the microcrystals in the urine. Diameter, distribution, degree of aggregation and potential, and finally HRTEM observation to observe the morphology, chemical composition, and element composition of the nanocrystals. The results showed that the content of Ca2+ and lemon hydrochloric acid in the urine of the experimental group was lower than that of the control group. The particle size of the nanocrystals increased with the increase in the pore size of the membrane. The average particle size of the experimental group increased gradually from 163 ± 31 nm to 3219 ± 863 nm, while the average particle size of the control group increased from 183 ± 65 nm to 997 ± 522 nm. The mean value of the potential decreased with the increase in the pore size of the filter membrane. The change amplitude of the experimental group was 6.57 mV, while the change amplitude of the control group was only 1.75 mV. In the composition of nanocrystals, element O accounts for the most, accounting for 42.54% of all elements. This indicates that the aggregation of nanocrystals in urine will lead to the rapid increase in the size of nanocrystals, which will eventually lead to the formation of stones.
A Node Location Method in Wireless Sensor Networks Based on a Hybrid Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Pan Jeng-Shyang , Fan Fang , Chu Shu-Chuan , Du Zhigang , Zhao Huiqi
Published: October 2020

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) have gradually integrated into the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT) and become one of the key technologies. This paper studies the optimization algorithm in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and effectively solves the problem of node location in WSN. Specifically, we propose a hybrid algorithm WOA-QT based on the whale optimization (WOA) and the quasi-affine transformation evolutionary (QUATRE) algorithm. It skillfully combines the strengths of the two algorithms, not only retaining the WOA’s distinctive framework advantages but also having QUATRE’s excellent coevolution ability. In order to further save optimization time, an auxiliary strategy for dynamically shrinking the search space (DSS) is introduced in the algorithm. To ensure the fairness of the evaluation, this paper selects 30 different types of benchmark functions and conducts experiments from multiple angles. The experiment results demonstrate that the optimization quality and efficiency of WOA-QT are very prominent. We use the proposed algorithm to optimize the weighted centroid location (WCL) algorithm based on received signal strength indication (RSSI) and obtain satisfactory positioning accuracy. This reflects the high value of the algorithm in practical applications.
Three-Dimensional Bone Block Planning for Mandibular Sagittal Bone Defect Reconstruction
Authors: Dominiak M. , Dominiak S. , Targonska S. , Gedrange T.
Published: October 2020

Bone defects seen in severe sagittal discrepancies between the maxilla and mandible do not solely qualify for orthodontic treatment. An interdisciplinary approach with the aid of a surgical, orthodontic, and periodontal team should be implemented in the treatment of such cases. Despite the use of standard treatment methods, the therapy is always planned and carried out individually for each patient. The surgical treatment of bone defects in the area of the jawbones is associated with a number of potential complications. Regenerative medicine, which has already been practiced in reconstructive surgery, is now gradually receiving more attention in the treatment of orthognathic defects. We developed a method for the reconstruction of the alveolar bone in the sagittal dimension using 3D allogenic graft blocks, as a preparing feature in the orthodontic treatment of borderline cases or as a treatment option for complications arising during general orthodontic treatment.