bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bursting Oscillations as well as the Mechanism in a Filippov System with Parametric and External Excitations
Authors: Han Hongfang , Bi Qinsheng
Published: October 2020

The main purpose of this paper is to explore the bursting oscillations as well as the mechanism of a parametric and external excitation Filippov type system (PEEFS), in which different types of bursting oscillations such as fold/nonsmooth fold (NSF)/fold/NSF, fold/NSF/fold and fold/fold bursting oscillations can be observed. By employing the overlap of the transformed phase portrait and the equilibrium branches of the generalized autonomous system, the mechanisms of the bursting oscillations are investigated. Our results show that the fold bifurcation and the boundary equilibrium bifurcation (BEB) can cause the transitions between the quiescent states and repetitive spiking states. The oscillating frequencies of the spiking states can be approximated theoretically by their occurring mechanisms, which agree well with the numerical simulations. Furthermore, some nonsmooth evolutions are investigated by employing differential inclusions theory, which reveals that the positional relationship between the points of the trajectory interacting with the nonsmooth boundary and the related sliding boundary of the nonsmooth system may affect the nonsmooth evolutions.
Measurement of City Clusters’ Economic Growth Effects and Analysis of the Influencing Factors
Authors: HAN Jing , GAO Ming , SUN Yawen
Published: October 2020

Based on the panel data of 202 prefecture-level cities within 14 national-level city clusters in China from 2007 to 2016, we established a dynamic panel model to measure the economic growth effects of city clusters and analyzed the main influencing factors. The results show that: (i) Technology has a significant impact on the economic growth of city clusters; the narrowing development gap between regions can help city clusters produce good economic growth effects; the city clusters, if more agglomerated, can help better utilize factors, and thus promote coordinated regional development. (ii) City clusters with multiple central cities boast a stronger engine of economic growth, and the impacts of factors such as technology and clustering degree on their economic growth are more noticeable. (iii) Geographical factors will also affect city clusters’ economic growth. The economic growth of city clusters in Southern China has been more strongly powered by the factors such as technology, clustering degree and human capital than those in Northern China. From the spatial perspective and by using the threshold panel method, we further explored the mechanisms with which the central cities within a city cluster can influence economic growth depending on their accessibility. The results manifest that the more accessible the central cities within a city cluster are, the stronger role they can play in leading and driving the economic growth of surrounding areas. In the future, it is important to promote the transformation of single-core and dual-core city clusters into multi-core city clusters, and give full play to the role of central cities in leading the development of surrounding areas. It is also necessary to vigorously develop technology and transportation to further facilitate the high-quality growth of city clusters.
Fluids at the Nanoscale: From Continuum to Subcontinuum Transport
Authors: Kavokine Nikita , Netz Roland R. , Bocquet Lydéric
Published: October 2020

Nanofluidics has firmly established itself as a new field in fluid mechanics, as novel properties have been shown to emerge in fluids at the nanometric scale. Thanks to recent developments in fabrication technology, artificial nanofluidic systems are now being designed at the scale of biological nanopores. This ultimate step in scale reduction has pushed the development of new experimental techniques and new theoretical tools, bridging fluid mechanics, statistical mechanics, and condensed matter physics. This review is intended as a toolbox for fluids at the nanometer scale. After presenting the basic equations that govern fluid behavior in the continuum limit, we show how these equations break down and new properties emerge in molecular-scale confinement. A large number of analytical estimates and physical arguments are given to organize the results and different limits.
Bluff Bodies and Wake–Wall Interactions
Authors: Thompson Mark C. , Leweke Thomas , Hourigan Kerry
Published: October 2020

This review surveys the dramatic variations in wake structures and flow transitions, in addition to body forces, that appear as the motion of bluff bodies through a fluid occurs increasingly closer to a solid wall. In particular, we discuss the two cases of bluff bodies translating parallel to solid walls at varying heights and bluff bodies impacting on solid walls. In the former case, we highlight the changes to the wake structures as the flow varies from that of an isolated body to that of a body on or very close to the wall, including the effects when the body is rotating. For the latter case of an impacting body, we review the flow structures following impact and their transition to three-dimensionality. We discuss the issue of whether there is solid–solid contact between the bluff body and a wall and its importance to body motion.
Integrating Models of Self-Regulation
Authors: Inzlicht Michael , Werner Kaitlyn M. , Briskin Julia L. , Roberts Brent W.
Published: October 2020

Self-regulation is a core aspect of human functioning that helps facilitate the successful pursuit of personal goals. There has been a proliferation of theories and models describing different aspects of self-regulation both within and outside of psychology. All of these models provide insights about self-regulation, but sometimes they talk past each other, make only shallow contributions, or make contributions that are underappreciated by scholars working in adjacent areas. The purpose of this article is to integrate across the many different models in order to refine the vast literature on self-regulation. To achieve this objective, we first review some of the more prominent models of self-regulation coming from social psychology, personality psychology, and cognitive neuroscience. We then integrate across these models based on four key elements—level of analysis, conflict, emotion, and cognitive functioning—specifically identifying points of convergence but also points of insufficient emphasis. We close with prescriptions for future research.
The Simultaneous Determination of Ascorbic Acid, Paracetamol, and Caffeine by Voltammetry Method Using Cobalt Schiff Base Complex/SBA-15 Modified Electrode
Authors: Hung Nguyen Xuan , Quang Dao Anh , Toan Tran Thanh Tam , Dung Nguyen Nho
Published: October 2020

In this work, the synthesis of cobalt Schiff base complex embedded SBA-15 and simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid (ASA), paracetamol (PAR), caffeine (CAF) by square anodic stripping voltammetry (SqW-ASV) are performed. The cobalt Schiff base complex has been derived from salicylaldehyde, 3(-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane, and cobalt acetate. Cobalt Schiff base complex embedded SBA-15 materials was synthesized via anchoring cobalt Schiff base complex on mesoporous SBA-15. Due to the synergetic effects from the cobalt Schiff base complex (excellent electrochemical properties) and SBA-15 (stable and large surface area) the oxidation peak currents of ASA, PAR and CAF on the modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) are much higher than those on the Schiff base complex/GCE and bare GCE. The modified electrode exhibited an effective catalytic response to the oxidation of ASA, PAR, and CAF with good reproducibility and stability. The modified GCE has a detection limit of 0.085 μM for ASA, 0.059 μM for PAR and 0.032 μM for CAF. The proposed SqW-ASV method was successfully applied in the simultaneous determination of ASA, PAR and CAF in several pharmaceutical preparations, with results similar to those obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography.
Sprr2f protects against renal injury by decreasing the level of reactive oxygen species in female mice
Authors: Huynh Kieu My , Wong Anny Chuu-Yun , Wu Bo , Horschman Marc , Zhao Hongjuan , Brooks James D.
Published: October 2020

Renal injury leads to chronic kidney disease, with which women are not only more likely to be diagnosed than men but have poorer outcomes as well. We have previously shown that expression of small proline-rich region 2f ( Sprr2f), a member of the small proline-rich region ( Sprr) gene family, is increased several hundredfold after renal injury using a unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mouse model. To better understand the role of Sprr2f in renal injury, we generated a Sprr2f knockout ( Sprr2f-KO) mouse model using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Sprr2f-KO female mice showed greater renal damage after UUO compared with wild-type ( Sprr2f-WT) animals, as evidenced by higher hydroxyproline levels and denser collagen staining, indicating a protective role of Sprr2f during renal injury. Gene expression profiling by RNA sequencing identified 162 genes whose expression levels were significantly different between day 0 and day 5 after UUO in Sprr2f-KO mice. Of the 162 genes, 121 genes were upregulated after UUO and enriched with those involved in oxidation-reduction, a phenomenon not observed in Sprr2f-WT animals, suggesting a protective role of Sprr2f in UUO through defense against oxidative damage. Consistently, bilateral ischemia-reperfusion injury resulted in higher serum blood urea nitrogen levels and higher tissue reactive oxygen species in Sprr2f-KO compared with Sprr2f-WT female mice. Moreover, cultured renal epithelial cells from Sprr2f-KO female mice showed lower viability after oxidative damage induced by menadione compared with Sprr2f-WT cells that could be rescued by supplementation with reduced glutathione, suggesting that Sprr2f induction after renal damage acts as a defense against reactive oxygen species.
A Medical Decision Support System to Assess Risk Factors for Gastric Cancer Based on Fuzzy Cognitive Map
Authors: Mahmoodi Seyed Abbas , Mirzaie Kamal , Mahmoodi Maryam Sadat , Mahmoudi Seyed Mostafa
Published: October 2020

Gastric cancer (GC), one of the most common cancers around the world, is a multifactorial disease and there are many risk factors for this disease. Assessing the risk of GC is essential for choosing an appropriate healthcare strategy. There have been very few studies conducted on the development of risk assessment systems for GC. This study is aimed at providing a medical decision support system based on soft computing using fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs) which will help healthcare professionals to decide on an appropriate individual healthcare strategy based on the risk level of the disease. FCMs are considered as one of the strongest artificial intelligence techniques for complex system modeling. In this system, an FCM based on Nonlinear Hebbian Learning (NHL) algorithm is used. The data used in this study are collected from the medical records of 560 patients referring to Imam Reza Hospital in Tabriz City. 27 effective features in gastric cancer were selected using the opinions of three experts. The prediction accuracy of the proposed method is 95.83%. The results show that the proposed method is more accurate than other decision-making algorithms, such as decision trees, Naïve Bayes, and ANN. From the perspective of healthcare professionals, the proposed medical decision support system is simple, comprehensive, and more effective than previous models for assessing the risk of GC and can help them to predict the risk factors for GC in the clinical setting.
Preliminary Study on Ultrasonic Ageing Zhenjiang Vinegar Mechanism Based on Maillard Simulation System
Authors: Ma Xiaoke , Li Tingting , He Yuanqing , Chen Min , Zhou Jie , Yin Lijing , Ma Haile
Published: October 2020

In this study, ultrasonic technology was used to treat Zhenjiang vinegar, and the effects on the physicochemical characteristics of Zhenjiang vinegar were investigated. The influences of ultrasound time and power on the number of induced hydroxyl radicals and superoxide radicals were also investigated. Besides, the novel simulation system of the Maillard reaction was built to research the effects of different ultrasonic times and power treatment on Zhenjiang vinegar. The results show that, under the conditions of ultrasonic treatment, the changes of Zhenjiang vinegar physiochemical index, such as color, reducing sugar, and amino acid, are consistent with those of natural ageing. In addition, ultrasound can produce a cavitation effect and cracking water molecules to produce hydroxyl radicals and superoxide radicals, so as to achieve the ageing effect of vinegar.
[Retracted] The Relationship between Urinary Stones and Gut Microbiomeby 16S Sequencing
Authors: Zhou Chenhao , Li Kai , Zhao Lun , Li Wei , Guo Zongbao , Xu Jingyao , Qi Xiaofei , Yuan Hexing
Published: October 2020

Objective. To understand the relationship between urinary stones and the gut microbiome and to screen for microbial species that may be involved in stone formation. Methods. Stool samples were collected from patients with urolithiasis and healthy patients between March and December 2017. The samples were analyzed by 16S sequencing to determine differences in the microbiome profiles between the two groups. The mouse model was established and was divided into two groups. Fecal samples were collected from the mice before gavage and three weeks postgavage for microbiome analysis. The microbial population of each group was analyzed to screen for microbial species that may affect the formation of urinary stones. Differences in the number of crystals in the renal tubules of the mice were examined by necropsy. Results. The microbial composition was different between urolithiasis patients and healthy controls. The urolithiasis patients had significantly reduced microbial abundance; however, increased proportions of Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria were detected compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, the abundance of Alistipesindistinctus and Odoribactersplanchnicus was significantly increased in the urolithiasis patients compared to the healthy controls. In addition, the incidence of urolithiasis was much higher in the experimental mouse group (stone solution + urolithiasis patient stool) than in the control mouse group. However, the microbial abundance before gavage was not significantly different from that seen three weeks postgavage. Conclusion. Theurolithiasis patients in this study had a different gut microbiome when compared with that of healthy individuals. The altered microbiome increased the rate of crystal formation in renal tubules and accelerated urinary stone formation in the mouse model of urolithiasis.
Prognostic Role of Serum Amino Acids in Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Cadoni Gabriella , Giraldi Luca , Chiarla Carlo , Gervasoni Jacopo , Persichilli Silvia , Primiano Aniello , Settimi Stefano , Galli Jacopo , Paludetti Gaetano , Arzani Dario , Boccia Stefania , Giovannini Ivo , Almadori Giovanni
Published: October 2020

Introduction. Serum amino acid (AA) profiles represent a valuable tool in the metabolic assessment of cancer patients; still, information on the AA pattern in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients is insufficient. The aim of the study was to assess whether serum AA levels were associated with the stage of neoplastic disease and prognosis in primary HNC patients. Methods. Two hundred and two primary HNC patients were included in the study. Thirty-one AAs and derivatives were measured in serum through an ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). The association between AA concentrations and the stage (advanced versus early) of HNC was estimated using a multivariable logistic regression model. A multivariable Cox regression model was used to evaluate the prognostic significance of each AA. Results. At the multivariable logistic regression analysis, increased levels of alpha-aminobutyric acid, aminoadipic acid, histidine, proline, and tryptophan were associated with a reduced risk of advanced stage HNC, while high levels of beta-alanine, beta-aminobutyric acid, ethanolamine, glycine, isoleucine, 4-hydroxyproline, and phenylalanine were associated with an increased risk of advanced stage HNC. Furthermore, at multivariate analysis, increased levels of alpha-aminobutyric acid were associated with increased overall survival (OS), while high levels of arginine, ethanolamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, 4-hydroxyproline, leucine, lysine, 3-methylhistidine, phenylalanine, and serine were associated with decreased OS. Conclusions. Our study suggests that AA levels are associated with the stage of disease and prognosis in patients with HNC. More study is necessary to evaluate if serum AA levels may be considered a hallmark of HNC and prove to be clinically useful markers of disease status and prognosis in HNC patients.
Comprehensive Analysis of Differentially Expressed Circular RNAs in Patients with Senile Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fracture
Authors: Yao Xiaocong , Liu Minbo , Jin Fang , Zhu Zhongxin
Published: October 2020

Aim. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been found to contribute to the regulation of many diseases and are abundantly expressed in various organisms. The present study is aimed at systematically characterizing the circRNA expression profiles in patients with senile osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) and predicting the potential functions of the regulatory networks correlated with these differentially expressed circRNAs. Methods. The circRNA expression profile in patients with senile OVCF was explored by using RNA sequencing. The prediction of the enriched signaling pathways and circRNA‐miRNA networks was conducted by bioinformatics analysis. Real‐time quantitative PCR was used to validate the selected differentially expressed circRNAs from 20 patients with senile OVCF relative to 20 matched healthy controls. Results. A total of 884 differentially expressed circRNAs were identified, of which 554 were upregulated and 330 were downregulated. The top 15 signaling pathways associated with these differentially expressed circRNAs were predicted. The result of qRT‐PCR of the selected circRNAs was consistent with RNA sequencing. Conclusions. CircRNAs are differentially expressed in patients with senile OVCF, which might contribute to the pathophysiological mechanism of senile osteoporosis.
Penile Glans Amputation following Circumcision: A Case Report of a Rare Complication
Authors: Soltani Salman , Mottaghi Mahdi , Jafarpisheh Amir , Tavakkoli Mahmoud
Published: October 2020

Circumcision is the most prevalent surgery among men. Like any other surgical intervention, it is associated with several complications. A rare shocking complication is glans amputation which is a urologic emergency. Herein, we present a 4-year-old boy with penile glans amputation following circumcision. The reimplantation was performed in less than two hours. We approximated the ends over a size 4 : 0 catheter. The urethral anastomosis was performed via 6 : 0 Vicryl sutures. Then, we sutured amputated glans in place via Vicryl 4 : 0. We immobilized the penis for a week via bandages used in penile reconstruction surgeries. We also used pentoxifylline to treat glans ischemia after surgery. The patient and his parents did not mention any difficulties or abnormalities while voiding, and the cosmetic result was favorable after three months of follow-up.
Morphology-Dependent Ullmann C-O Arylation Using Cu2O Nanocrystals
Authors: Erasmus E.
Published: October 2020

Five different copper-oxide nanocrystals were prepared by colloidal synthesis to form either cubic, octahedral, rhombic dodecahedral, truncated cubic, or fluffy sphere structures. These Cu-oxide nanocrystals were characterised using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV-vis. The SEM images show that the Cu2O nanocrystals are relatively uniform and all the crystals have a particle mean diameter below 1000 nm. The smallest particle mean diameter is 411 nm for the rhombic dodecahedral crystals, while the octahedral crystal displays the largest particle mean diameter of 864 nm. The XPS results indicate that the copper is primarily CuI in Cu2O, but some as CuII are also present. The apparent optical band gap energies could be determined from the optical properties of the five Cu-oxide nanocrystals, using the classical Tauc equation. The apparent optical band gap energies ranged between 2.04 and 2.14 eV. The Ullmann C-O coupling reaction was used to investigate the catalytic performance of the Cu-oxide nanocrystals. The fluffy sphere gave the highest % conversion, while the rhombic dodecahedral showed the lowest conversion.
Pulmonary Artery Intimal Sarcoma: A Diagnostic Challenge Using a Multimodal Approach
Authors: Nakrani Rima , Yeung Ho-Man , Kim Jin Sun , Kamat Bhishak , Kumaran Maruti
Published: October 2020

Pulmonary artery intimal sarcoma (PAIS) is a rare tumor without clear syndromic presentation other than nonspecific symptoms of cough, dyspnea, and weight loss. This diagnosis is difficult due to challenging radiographic interpretations of multiple imaging modalities. We present a case of a 60-year-old male, who presented to his pulmonologist and underwent a CT chest with IV contrast that initially suggested primary lung carcinoma. CT angiogram showed significant vascular filling defects suspicious of an intravascular mass, rather than vascular invasion by lung lesions. The PET/CT scans further suggested a malignant process, but indistinguishable between an extravascular or intravascular etiology. Taking these results together, they suggested an intravascular malignancy, prompting a tissue biopsy, which ultimately led to a diagnosis of PAIS with metastases. Establishing a definitive diagnosis is essential as treatment and prognosis are different for sarcoma compared to carcinoma. There is no standard treatment to date, and management often includes a multidisciplinary approach involving surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. PAIS is a rare entity that cannot be diagnosed clinically and needs a multimodality approach for its diagnosis.
Ocular Emergencies in Children: Demographics, Origin, Symptoms, and Most Frequent Diagnoses
Authors: Henríquez-Recine  , Noval S. , Zafra B. , De Manuel S. , Contreras I.
Published: October 2020

Purpose. To describe the epidemiology of ocular emergencies in children in a hospital-based emergency room (ER). Methods. The medical reports of all children, 14 years of age and younger, who attended La Paz University Hospital (Madrid, Spain) ER from September 2015 to August 2016 were prospectively collected. Demographic data, origin, symptom for consultation, diagnostic tests, final diagnosis, and final referral of patients were recorded. Results. A total of 774 children were attended: 57% boys and 43% girls. Mean age was 5 years (SD 4.10 years, range 0–14 years) without significant differences between sexes. Most children went to the ER because parents or teachers took the decision (75%), 24% were referred from the paediatric ER for evaluation, and 0.78% were referred from another hospital or by an out-clinic ophthalmologist. The reasons for consultation were red eyes (61%), traumatism (17%), referred from the paediatrician to have the fundus explored in children with headache (7%), eyelids problems (7%), and visual loss (7%). The most frequent diagnoses were infectious conjunctivitis (29%), corneal erosion (17%), normal examination (15%), and allergic conjunctivitis (13%). The most severe cases (visual loss, acute strabismus, and leucocoria) were referred by the paediatricians and represented 4.65% of the total patients. Visits occurred more frequently during the third trimester of the year (July–September), with a higher incidence of eye trauma in summer. Conclusions. Infectious conjunctivitis was the most frequent pathology. It is necessary to increase public awareness about the symptoms, the way of transmission, and treatment. Ocular trauma was also a common cause of presentation and the majority were contusional and mild. There is also a need for education of parents, teachers, and coaches regarding the potential for eye injuries. Ophthalmologists and paediatricians must take an active role in educating people about the prophylactic measures to prevent eye injuries in children.
Durability of Concrete Structures with Sugar Cane Bagasse Ash
Authors: Berenguer R. , Lima N. , Valdés A. C. , Medeiros M. H. F. , Lima N. B. D. , Delgado J. M. P. Q. , Silva F. A. N. , Azevedo A. C. , Guimarães A. S. , Rangel B.
Published: October 2020

The environmental impact of cement production increased significantly in the previous years. For each ton of cement produced, approximately a ton of carbon dioxide is emitted in decarbonation (50%), clinker furnace combustion (40%), raw materials transport (5%), and electricity (5%). Green strategies have been advanced to reduce it, adding natural or waste materials to substitute components or reinforce the mortar, like fibers or ashes. Sugar cane bagasse ash is a by‐product generated from sugar boilers and alcohol factories with capacity to be used in concrete production. Composed mainly of silica, it can be used as mortar and concrete mineral admixture, providing great economic and environmental advantages, particularly in regions with sugar culture and industrial transformation like Brazil. In this research, a study of partial substitution of Portland cement by sugar cane bagasse (SCB) is analyzed, in order to reduce clinker in concrete volume, responsible for high emission of CO2 to the atmosphere. An experimental campaign with cementitious pastes was carried out to evaluate the durability properties’ changes due to SCB ash use. Samples containing 15% of sugarcane bagasse ash unveiled good results in terms of durability, indicating that concrete structure with sugar cane ash research is a new and important scientific topic to be highlighted.
Identification of the Sixth Complement Component as Potential Key Genes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Mu Di , Qin Feng , Li Baoshan , Zhou Qian
Published: October 2020

The present study is designed to determine potential target genes involved in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and provide possible underlying mechanisms of action. Several studies (GSE112790, GSE87630, and GSE56140) from the GEO database looking at molecular characteristics in HCC were screened and analyzed by GEO2R, which led to the identification of a total of 93 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). From the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network, we selected 13 key genes with high degree of variability in expression in HCC. Expression of three key genes (NQO1, CYP2C9, and C6) presented with poor overall survival (OS) in HCC patients by UALCAN. C6, which is a complement component, was found by ONCOMINE and TIMER to have low expression in many solid cancers including HCC. Besides, Kaplan‐Meier plotter and UALCAN database analysis to access diseases prognosis suggested that low expression of C6 is significantly related to worse OS in LIHC patients, especially in advanced HCC patients. Finally, the TIMER analysis suggested that the C6 expression showed significant negative correlation with infiltrating levels of six immune cells. The somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs) of C6 were associated with CD4+ T cell infiltration in HCC. Taken together, these results together identified C6 as a potential key gene in the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC.
Remaining Useful Life Prediction and Fault Diagnosis of Rolling Bearings Based on Short-Time Fourier Transform and Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Zhou Shuang , Xiao Maohua , Bartos Petr , Filip Martin , Geng Guosheng
Published: October 2020

Rolling bearings play a pivotal role in rotating machinery. The remaining useful life prediction and fault diagnosis of bearings are crucial to condition-based maintenance. However, traditional data-driven methods usually require manual extraction of features, which needs rich signal processing theory as support and is difficult to control the efficiency. In this study, a bearing remaining life prediction and fault diagnosis method based on short-time Fourier transform (STFT) and convolutional neural network (CNN) has been proposed. First, the STFT was adopted to construct time-frequency maps of the unprocessed original vibration signals that can ensure the true and effective recovery of the fault characteristics in vibration signals. Then, the training time-frequency maps were used as an input of the CNN to train the network model. Finally, the time-frequency maps of testing signals were inputted into the network model to complete the life prediction or fault identification of rolling bearings. The rolling bearing life-cycle datasets from the Intelligent Management System were applied to verify the proposed life prediction method, showing that its accuracy reaches 99.45%, and the prediction effect is good. Multiple sets of validation experiments were conducted to verify the proposed fault diagnosis method with the open datasets from Case Western Reserve University. Results show that the proposed method can effectively identify the fault classification and the accuracy can reach 95.83%. The comparison with the fault diagnosis classification effects of backpropagation (BP) neural network, particle swarm optimization-BP, and genetic algorithm-BP further proves its superiority. The proposed method in this paper is proved to have strong ability of adaptive feature extraction, life prediction, and fault identification.
Laparoscopic Appendectomy: A Safe and Definitive Solution for Suspected Appendicitis
Authors: Heise Joachim Wilfried , Kentrup Heiner , Dietrich Christoph Gerhart , Cosler Ansgar , Hübner Dolores , Krumholz Werner
Published: October 2020

Introduction: Since conservative antibiotic treatment in uncomplicated appendicitis might not solve the clinical problem definitively, it has to compete with the results of today’s laparoscopic appendectomy. Methods: In a county hospital, accommodating also a pediatric department, all cases of appendectomy for suspected appendicitis over 15 years were analyzed retrospectively for the following items: beginning of symptoms, time from admission to surgery, surgical technique as “open,” “laparoscopic” or “converted,” if perforated at operation and histological confirmation of acute inflammation. Surgical morbidity was detected in distinct categories. To evaluate changes over time, 3 time periods of 5 years each were defined. Results: Resulting in a total of 1,956 cases there were 731 in group I, 633 in group II and 592 in group III within the 3 time periods, respectively. The median age was 17 years. The percentage of perforations was 16.8%. Those patients had – with 47 compared to 27 h – a significantly prolonged time from the beginning of symptoms to admission (p = 0.0001). The proportion of laparoscopic surgery rose from 83.3 (group I) to 98.3% (group III; p = 0.0001). The median postoperative hospital stay diminished from 4 to 3 days in nonperforated (p = 0.0001) and from 8 to 7 days in perforated cases (p = 0.0009). Surgical morbidity was reduced from 4.1% in the first to 1.7% in the third observation period (p = 0.0144). There were no surgical site infections during the last 5 years. Conclusions: Timely laparoscopic appendectomy in case of suspected appendicitis can be offered with an extraordinary low morbidity. Taking into account the complete solution of the otherwise pending threat, compared to conservative antibiotic treatment, it is safe and definitive.
Capecitabine-Temozolomide in Advanced Grade 2 and Grade 3 Neuroendocrine Neoplasms: Benefits of Chemotherapy in Neuroendocrine Neoplasms with Significant 18FDG Uptake
Authors: Ostwal Vikas , Basu Sandip , Bhargava Prabhat , Shah Minit , Parghane Rahul Vithalrao , Srinivas Sujay , Chaudhari Vikram , Bhandare Manish S. , Shrikhande Shailesh V. , Ramaswamy Anant
Published: October 2020

Introduction: Capecitabine-temozolomide (CAPTEM) chemotherapy, alone or with concurrent peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT), has activity in advanced WHO grade 2 and grade 3 neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the activity of the CAPTEM in patients with grade 2 and grade 3 NENs and identify prognostic factors. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients with metastatic grade 2 and grade 3 NENs, who were having baseline significant dual uptake on 68Ga-DOTATATE/18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET-CT scan and treated with CAPTEM chemotherapy between January 2014 and December 2019 at Tata Memorial Hospital, was conducted. The clinical variables and survival data were collected. Progression-free survival (PFS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: A total of 68 patients received the CAPTEM regimen, of whom 29 patients (43%) received CAPTEM alone and 39 patients (57%) received concurrent PRRT. The primary sites were pancreas in 32 (47%) and small intestine in 12 (18%) patients. Mean Ki-67 index was 12.6% (range: 3–50). Forty-five patients (65%) were treatment naïve. There were no significant differences in baseline clinical variables between patients treated with CAPTEM alone or with CAPTEM-PRRT. Both regimens were well tolerated. With a median follow-up of 22.1 months, the median PFS for the entire cohort was 27.5 months. There was no statistical difference in the median PFS between patients receiving CAPTEM alone or CAPTEM-PRRT (33.7 vs. 22 months; p = 0.199). A Ki-67 index of >5% predicted for inferior PFS on multivariate analysis (24 versus 73.8 months; p = 0.04; hazard ratio −3.77; 95% confidence interval: 1.07–13.26). Conclusion: CAPTEM, alone or concurrent with PRRT, has a significant activity in grade 2 and grade 3 NENs with dual SSTR and 18FDG expression. A Ki-67 index >5% predicts strongly for inferior outcomes and should be further explored as a prognostic cutoff in grade 2 NENs. Early initiation of CAPTEM should be considered in this group of tumors with significant baseline 18FDG expression.
Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Oral Anticoagulants Across Kidney Function in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Yao Xiaoxi , Inselman Jonathan W. , Ross Joseph S. , Izem Rima , Graham David J. , Martin David B. , Thompson Aliza M. , Ross Southworth Mary , Siontis Konstantinos C. , Ngufor Che G. , Nath Karl A. , Desai Nihar R. , Nallamothu Brahmajee K. , Saran Rajiv , Shah Nilay D. , Noseworthy Peter A.
Published: October 2020

Background:

Patients with atrial fibrillation and severely decreased kidney function were excluded from the pivotal non–vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOAC) trials, thereby raising questions about comparative safety and effectiveness in patients with reduced kidney function. The study aimed to compare oral anticoagulants across the range of kidney function in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Methods and Results:

Using a US administrative claims database with linked laboratory data, 34 569 new users of oral anticoagulants with atrial fibrillation and estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥15 mL/(min·1.73 m
2
) were identified between October 1, 2010 to November 29, 2017. The proportion of patients using NOACs declined with decreasing kidney function—73.5%, 69.6%, 65.4%, 59.5%, and 45.0% of the patients were prescribed a NOAC in estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥90, 60 to 90, 45 to 60, 30 to 45, 15 to 30 mL/min per 1.73 m
2
groups, respectively. Stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to balance 4 treatment groups (apixaban, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and warfarin) on 66 baseline characteristics. In comparison to warfarin, apixaban was associated with a lower risk of stroke (hazard ratio [HR], 0.57 [0.43–0.75];
P
<0.001), major bleeding (HR, 0.51 [0.44–0.61];
P
<0.001), and mortality (HR, 0.68 [0.56–0.83];
P
<0.001); dabigatran was associated with a similar risk of stroke but a lower risk of major bleeding (HR, 0.57 [0.43–0.75];
P
<0.001) and mortality (HR, 0.68 [0.48-0.98];
P
=0.04); rivaroxaban was associated with a lower risk of stroke (HR, 0.69 [0.51–0.94];
P
=0.02), major bleeding (HR, 0.84 [0.72–0.99];
P
=0.04), and mortality (HR, 0.73 [0.58–0.91];
P
=0.006). There was no significant interaction between treatment and estimated glomerular filtration rate categories for any outcome. When comparing one NOAC to another NOAC, there was no significant difference in mortality, but some differences existed for stroke or major bleeding. No relationship between treatments and falsification end points was found, suggesting no evidence for substantial residual confounding.

Conclusions:

Relative to warfarin, NOACs are used less frequently as kidney function declines. However, NOACs appears to have similar or better comparative effectiveness and safety across the range of kidney function.
Forty-Year Shifting Distribution of Systolic Blood Pressure With Population Hypertension Treatment and Control
Authors: Lackland Daniel T. , Howard Virginia J. , Cushman Mary , Oparil Suzanne , Kissela Brett , Safford Monika M. , Kleindorfer Dawn O. , McClure Leslie A. , Howard George
Published: October 2020

Background:

Hypertension awareness, treatment, and control programs were initiated in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s. Whereas blood pressure (BP) control in the population and subsequent reduced hypertension-related disease risks have improved since the implementation of these interventions, it is unclear whether these BP changes can be generalized to diverse and high-risk populations. This report describes the 4-decade change in BP levels for the population in a high disease risk southeastern region of the United States. The objective is to determine the magnitude of the shift in systolic BP (SBP) among Blacks and Whites from the Southeast between 1960 and 2005 with the assessment of the unique population cohorts.

Methods:

A multicohort study design compared BPs from the CHS (Charleston Heart Study) and ECHS (Evans County Heart Study) in 1960 and the REGARDS study (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) 4 decades later. The analyses included participants ≥45 years of age from CHS (n=1323), ECHS (n=1842), and REGARDS (n=6294) with the main outcome of SBP distribution.

Results:

Among Whites 45 to 54 years of age, the median SBP was 18 mm Hg (95% CI, 16–21 mm Hg) lower in 2005 than 1960. The median shift was a 45 mm Hg (95% CI, 37–51 mm Hg) decline for those ≥75 years of age. The shift was larger for Blacks, with median declines of 38 mm Hg (95% CI, 32–40 mm Hg) at 45 to 54 years of age and 50 mm Hg (95% CI, 33–60 mm Hg) for ages ≥75 years. The 95th percentile of SBP decreased 60 mm Hg for Whites and 70 mm Hg for Blacks.

Conclusions:

The results of the current analyses of the unique cohorts in the Southeast confirm the improvements in population SBP levels since 1960. This assessment provides new evidence of improvement in SBP, suggesting that strategies and programs implemented to improve hypertension treatment and control have been extraordinarily successful for both Blacks and Whites residing in a high-risk region of the United States. Severe BP elevations commonly observed in the 1960s have been nearly eliminated, with the current 75th percentile of BP generally less than the 25th percentile of BP in 1960.
Impaired Hedgehog-Gli1 Pathway Activity Underlies the Vascular Phenotype of Polycystic Kidney Disease
Authors: Franchi Federico , Peterson Karen M. , Quandt Katherine , Domnick David , Kline Timothy L. , Olthoff Michaela , Parvizi Mojtaba , Tolosa Ezequiel J. , Torres Vicente E. , Harris Peter C. , Fernandez-Zapico Martin E. , Rodriguez-Porcel Martin G.
Published: October 2020

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) has been linked to abnormal structure/function of ciliary proteins, leading to renal dysfunction. Recently, attention has been focused in the significant vascular abnormalities associated with PKD, but the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain elusive. Here, we seek to define the molecular events regulating the angiogenic imbalance observed in PKD. Using micro computed tomography (n=7) and protein expression analysis (n=5), we assessed the vascular density and the angiogenic profile of noncystic organs in a well-established PKD rat model (Polycystic Kidney-PCK rat). Heart and lungs of PCK rats have reduced vascular density and decreased expression of angiogenic factors compared with wild type. Similarly, PCK-vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs; n=4) exhibited lower levels of vascular markers. Then, using small interfering RNA (n=4), we determined the role of the ciliary protein fibrocystin in wild type-VSMCs, a critical component/regulator of vascular structure and function. Reduction of fibrocystin in wild type-VSMCs (n=4) led to an abnormal angiogenic potential similar to that observed in PCK-VSMCs. Furthermore, we investigated the involvement of the hedgehog signaling, a pathway closely linked to the primary cilium and associated with vascular development, in PKD. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that impairment of the hedgehog signaling mediates, in part, this abnormal angiogenic phenotype. Lastly, overexpression of Gli1 in PCK-VSMCs (n=4) restored the expression levels of proangiogenic molecules. Our data support a critical role of fibrocystin in the abnormal vascular phenotype of PKD and indicate that a dysregulation of hedgehog may be responsible, at least in part, for these vascular deficiencies.
Necrosis-Released HMGB1 (High Mobility Group Box 1) in the Progressive Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Associated With Male Sex
Authors: Zemskova Marina , McClain Nolan , Niihori Maki , Varghese Mathews V. , James Joel , Rafikov Ruslan , Rafikova Olga
Published: October 2020

Damage-associated molecular patterns, such as HMGB1 (high mobility group box 1), play a well-recognized role in the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a progressive fatal disease of the pulmonary vasculature. However, the contribution of the particular type of vascular cells, type of cell death, or the form of released HMGB1 in PAH remains unclear. Moreover, although male patients with PAH show a higher level of circulating HMGB1, its involvement in the severe PAH phenotype reported in males is unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the sources and active forms of HMGB1 released from damaged vascular cells and their contribution to the progressive type of PAH in males. Our results showed that HMGB1 is released by either pulmonary artery human endothelial cells or human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells that underwent necrotic cell death, although only human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells produce HMGB1 during apoptosis. Moreover, only human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell death induced a release of dimeric HMGB1, found to be mitochondrial reactive oxygen species dependent, and TLR4 (toll-like receptor 4) activation. The modified Sugen/Hypoxia rat model replicates the human sexual dimorphism in PAH severity (right ventricle systolic pressure in males versus females 54.7±2.3 versus 44.6±2 mm Hg). By using this model, we confirmed that necroptosis and necrosis are the primary sources of circulating HMGB1 in the male rats, although only necrosis increased circulation of HMGB1 dimers. Attenuation of necrosis but not apoptosis or necroptosis prevented TLR4 activation in males and blunted the sex differences in PAH severity. We conclude that necrosis, through the release of HMGB1 dimers, predisposes males to a progressive form of PAH.
An Ethnographic Study of Cross-Cultural Relations between China and Pakistan under the Umbrella of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
Authors: Niazi Komal , Shoaib Muhammad , Khalid Azeem
Published: October 2020

Cultural exchange between Pakistani and Chinese citizens increased after the launch of CPEC. Cooperation and understanding between the governments extended to collaboration and acceptance among the people. And people-to-people relations between the two sides strengthened. Students, artists, sportspersons, businesspeople, professionals, and workers travelled and developed a rapport with locals. A detailed study of the Sahiwal coal power plant and nearby villages, comprising data collection through fieldwork, shows that despite cultural diversity, managers and workers from both sides accepted the cultural diversity and worked for mutual benefit. People working at the power plant exchanged material and non-material cultures with each other that helped them manage cultural diversity. And they strengthened cross-cultural relations, for their exchanges were rewarding and mutually beneficial.
Applying Syed Hussein Alatas’s Ideas in Contemporary Malaysian Society
Authors: Alatas Sharifah Munirah
Published: October 2020

What do Malaysians understand by the term, “intellectual”? Is the intellectual in the Malaysian context undefined, or insignificant? Do Malaysians see the need for intellectuals? Answers to these questions reflect the extant to which Malaysia has advanced in her post-colonial development. Amidst the race towards IR 4.0 and Society 5.0, Malaysia’s education system lags behind and leaders continue to be embroiled in identity politics. Syed Hussein Alatas, a world-renowned Malaysian intellectual, raised these questions in the 1950s. His writings focus on social change, corruption, and intellectual captivity. Even though his writings are easily accessible, his ideas have not been widely assimilated by Malaysia’s ruling elite, as part of the reform agenda. This article highlights the relevance of Alatas’s ideas in Malaysia’s current socio-political transformation. It concludes that leadership’s failure to identify relevant problems is because they have neglected the vital role of intellectuals, such as the critical ideas of Syed Hussein Alatas.
China’s Footprint in Africa’s Peace and Security: The Contending Views
Authors: Etyang Oita , Oswan Panyako Simon
Published: October 2020

China’s role in the global peace politics has been transformed in the past two decades. Apart from its dominance in the economic realm, China has placed issues of peace and security at the centre of its foreign policy. In Africa, China has actively engaged in Africa’s peace and security agenda from opening a military base in Djibouti to participating and contributing to peace talks in South Sudan. Based on the emerging trends, it would appear that the long-cherished non-interference principle is undergoing a deliberate transformation given the emerging realities in the global geo-politics. It is based on this “paradigmatic shift” that this paper interrogates China’s role in Africa’s peace and security. The paper argues that China’s interest in Africa’s peace and security agenda is driven by economic and geo-political interests. The paper further discusses the role that China has played in military cooperation, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and post conflict reconstruction in Africa using specific country case examples.
Religious Community Responses to the Public Policy of the Indonesian Government Related to the covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: Sukamto Amos , Panca Parulian S.
Published: October 2020

The purpose of this article is to analyze religious responses to the policy of Indonesian government in dealing with the covid-19 pandemic. Article 4 of Government Regulation (PP) No. 21/2020 mentions restrictions on religious activities. The response of the religious community to this government policy was varied. The Council of Indonesian Ulama, Majelis Ulama Indonesia (mui), issued several fatwas containing a ban on worship involving large numbers of people. A small group of fanatic Muslims initially opposed the policy, but eventually followed it. Among Protestants, the mainstream and Pentecostal churches under the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (pgi) are highly coordinated with government regulations. Some Pentecostal churches attempted to continue holding worship together for reasons of holy communion, but eventually they followed government regulations. The Catholic church followed government regulations consistently.