bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Absence of inspiratory premotor potentials during quiet breathing in cervical spinal cord injury
Authors: Nguyen David A. T. , Boswell-Ruys Claire L. , McCaughey Euan James , Gandevia Simon C. , Hudson Anna L. , Butler Jane E.
Published: February 2020

A premotor potential, or Bereitschaftspotential (BP), is a low-amplitude negativity in the electroencephalographic activity (EEG) of the sensorimotor cortex. It begins ~1 s prior to the onset of inspiration in the averaged EEG. Although normally absent during quiet breathing in healthy, younger people, inspiration-related BPs are present in people with respiratory disease and healthy, older people, indicating a cortical contribution to quiet breathing. People with tetraplegia have weak respiratory muscles and increased neural drive during quiet breathing, indicated by increased inspiratory muscle activity. Therefore, we hypothesized that BPs would be present during quiet breathing in people with tetraplegia. EEG was recorded in 17 people with chronic tetraplegia (14M, 3 female; 22–51 yr; C3–C7, American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale A–D; >1 yr postinjury). They had reduced lung function and respiratory muscle weakness [FEV1: 54 ± 19% predicted, FVC: 59 ± 22% predicted and MIP: 56 ± 24% predicted (mean ± SD)]. Participants performed quiet breathing and voluntary self-paced sniffs (positive control condition). A minimum of 250 EEG epochs during quiet breathing and 60 epochs during sniffs, time-locked to the onset of inspiration, were averaged to determine the presence of BPs at Cz, FCz, C3, and C4. Fifteen participants (88%) had a BP for the sniffs. Of these 15 participants, only one (7%) had a BP in quiet breathing, a rate similar to that reported during quiet breathing in young able-bodied participants (12%). The findings suggest that, as in young able-bodied people, a cortical contribution to quiet breathing is absent in people with tetraplegia despite higher neural drive.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY People with tetraplegia have weak respiratory muscles, increased neural drive during quiet breathing, and a high incidence of sleep-disordered breathing. Using electroencephalographic recordings, we show that inspiratory premotor potentials are absent in people with chronic tetraplegia during quiet breathing. This suggests that cortical activity is not present during resting ventilation in people with tetraplegia who are awake and breathing independently.
Urolithiasis, Independent of Uric Acid, Increased Risk of Coronary Artery and Carotid Atherosclerosis: A Meta‐Analysis of Observational Studies
Authors: Luo Wei , Zhou Yao , Gao Chenlin , Yan Pijun , Xu Ling
Published: February 2020

Background and Aims. Recent epidemiological evidence indicates an association between urolithiasis and atherosclerosis; however, results are incongruous. Our aim is to summarize the association between urolithiasis and arteriosclerosis risk through a detailed meta‐analysis. Methods. Relevant studies published before April 2019 were identified by searching OVID, EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science database, and Cochrane Library. The relationship between urolithiasis and the risk of atherosclerosis was assessed by using odds ratio (OR) values and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and the selection of fixed‐ or random‐effects model based on heterogeneity. Results. The meta‐analysis includes 8 observational studies that contained 70,716 samples. Pooled results showed that urolithiasis was associated with an increased adjusted and unadjusted risk estimated for atherosclerosis (P = 0.017 and P = 0.014, respectively), especially in coronary artery and carotid atherosclerosis, which was associated with the outcome of CV disease. Interestingly, when we merged the data from the vast majority of these samples (n = 65,751/70,716) with serum uric acid levels less than 6.0 mg/dl, it still showed that urolithiasis was associated with a higher risk of atherosclerosis (P < 0.001) and with no evidence of heterogeneity (I2 = 0.0%, P = 0.697). Furthermore, we also found that renal calculi would increase the risk of moderate or severe atherosclerosis (P < 0.001) and recurrent renal calculi were associated with the incidence of atherosclerosis (P = 0.007). Conclusions. Urolithiasis is associated with an increased risk for atherosclerosis, especially in coronary artery and carotid atherosclerosis. Urolithiasis may be another potential risk factor of atherosclerosis, which is independent of serum uric acid levels.
Two-Dimensional Multiple-Snapshot Grid-Free Compressive Beamforming Using Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers
Authors: Yang Yang , Chu Zhigang
Published: February 2020

Compressive beamforming with planar microphone arrays is capable of estimating the two-dimensional direction-of-arrivals (DOAs) and quantifying the strengths of acoustic sources effectively. The multiple-snapshot grid-free method has recently been concerned due to the advantages that it can circumvent the basis mismatch conundrum of the conventional grid-based method and improve the performance of the single-snapshot grid-free method. The existing atomic norm minimization based strategy uses an off-the-peg interior point method (IPM) based solver to solve the positive semidefinite programming equivalent to the atomic norm minimization. We present an alternative algorithm based on alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) in this paper. Both simulations and experiments demonstrate that whether a standard uniform rectangular array or a non-uniform array constituted by a small number of microphones is employed, the two-dimensional multiple-snapshot grid-free compressive beamforming using our ADMM based algorithm can estimate the DOAs and quantify the strengths of acoustic sources well, and reaching the same or even better DOA estimation accuracy as the one using the IPM based solver, our ADMM based algorithm is distinctly faster.
The Effects of Obesity on Outcome in Preclinical Animal Models of Infection and Sepsis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Xu Wanying , Pepper Dominique , Sun Junfeng , Welsh Judith , Cui Xizhong , Eichacker Peter Q.
Published: February 2020

Background. Clinical studies suggest obesity paradoxically increases survival during bacterial infection and sepsis but decreases it with influenza, but these studies are observational. By contrast, animal studies of obesity in infection can prospectively compare obese versus nonobese controls. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of animal investigations to further examine obesity’s survival effect in infection and sepsis. Methods. Databases were searched for studies comparing survival in obese versus nonobese animals following bacteria, lipopolysaccharide, or influenza virus challenges. Results. Twenty-one studies (761 obese and 603 control animals) met the inclusion criteria. Obesity reduced survival in 19 studies (11 significantly) and the odds ratio (95% CI) of survival (0.21(0.13, 0.35); I2 = 64%, p<0.01p < 0.01) but with high heterogeneity. Obesity reduced survival (1) consistently in both single-strain bacteria- and lipopolysaccharide-challenged studies (n = 6 studies, 0.21(0.13, 0.34); I2 = 31%, p=0.20 and n = 5, 0.22(0.13, 0.36); I2 = 0%, p=0.59, respectively), (2) not significantly with cecal ligation and puncture (n = 4, 0.72(0.08, 6.23); I2 = 75%, p<0.01), and (3) significantly with influenza but with high heterogeneity (n = 6, 0.12(0.04, 0.34); I2 = 73%, p<0.01). Obesity’s survival effects did not differ significantly comparing the four challenge types (p=0.49). Animal models did not include antimicrobials or glycemic control and study quality was low. Conclusions. Preclinical and clinical studies together emphasize the need for prospective studies in patients accurately assessing obesity’s impact on survival during severe infection.
Analytical Insights into a Generalized Semidiscrete System with Time-Varying Coefficients: Derivation, Exact Solutions, and Nonlinear Soliton Dynamics
Authors: Zhang Sheng , Zhao Sen , Xu Bo
Published: February 2020

In this paper, a new generalized semidiscrete integrable system with time-varying coefficients is analytically studied. Firstly, the generalized semidiscrete system is derived from a semidiscrete matrix spectral problem by embedding finite time-varying coefficient functions. Secondly, exact and explicit N-soliton solutions of the semidiscrete system are obtained by using the inverse scattering analysis. Finally, three special cases when N=1,2,3 of the obtained N-soliton solutions are simulated by selecting some appropriate coefficient functions. It is shown that the time-varying coefficient functions affect the spatiotemporal structures and the propagation velocities of the obtained semidiscrete one-soliton solutions, two-soliton solutions, and three-soliton solutions.
A New High-Order and Efficient Family of Iterative Techniques for Nonlinear Models
Authors: Behl Ramandeep , Martínez Eulalia
Published: February 2020

In this paper, we want to construct a new high-order and efficient iterative technique for solving a system of nonlinear equations. For this purpose, we extend the earlier scalar scheme [16] to a system of nonlinear equations preserving the same convergence order. Moreover, by adding one more additional step, we obtain minimum 5th-order convergence for every value of a free parameter, θ∈ℝ, and for θ=−1, the method reaches maximum 6-order convergence. We present an extensive convergence analysis of our scheme. The analytical discussion of the work is upheld by performing numerical experiments on some applied science problems and a large system of nonlinear equations. Furthermore, numerical results demonstrate the validity and reliability of the suggested methods.
Terahertz Spectroscopy and Imaging Detection of Defects in Civil Aircraft Composites
Authors: Zhong Mian , Liu Bingwei , Li Chen , Wang Zhiqi , Wei Dongshan , Zhou Bin , Dai Xin , Xu Yajun
Published: February 2020

Composite materials have increasingly become a high proportion of the structural weight of aircraft due to their excellent performances. Different types of damages may occur in the aircraft service period, which will bring potential safety risks to aircrafts. To investigate the defect damage detection and its spectral characteristics and imaging of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer composite laminates, defects from the low-velocity impact damage in composites were measured by the THz time-domain reflection imaging system. Results show that there exists obvious THz spectral differences between the impact damaged defects and nondefect. The effective detection frequency band for the low-speed impact damaged defect is 0.12–2.0 THz. In the time domain, there are attenuations and delays in the spectra of defects relative to those of nondefects. In the frequency domain, with the increase of frequency, the power spectral density of the defect first increases and then decreases, and the absorption coefficient increases slowly. In general, the imaging results in time-domain imaging are better than those from the frequency-domain imaging, which not only is suitable for the qualitative detection of defects but also has great potential and application prospects in quantitative detection. This work shows an important guide for the application of THz technology to detect the composite material defects in civil aircraft.
Bredemolic Acid Ameliorates Selected Liver Function Biomarkers in a Diet-Induced Prediabetic Rat Model
Authors: Akinnuga Akinjide Moses , Siboto Angezwa , Khumalo Bongiwe , Sibiya Ntethelelo Hopewell , Ngubane Phikelelani , Khathi Andile
Published: February 2020

Background. Prediabetes is an intermediary hyperglycaemic state that precedes type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in which abnormal metabolism of glucose and lipids occurs in organs such as the liver. Evidence has shown that, about 70% of T2DM patients develop hepatic dysfunction which is found to begin during the prediabetic stage. Bredemolic acid, a pentacyclic triterpene, has been found to improve insulin sensitivity in diet-induced prediabetic rats. The effects of this compound on liver function, however, are unknown. This study was therefore designed to investigate the effects of BA on liver function in high fat-high carbohydrate (HFHC) diet-induced prediabetic rats. Methods. Thirty-six (36) male rats that weigh 150 g–180 g were divided into two groups, the non-prediabetic (n = 6) and the prediabetic groups (n = 30) that were fed normal diet (ND) and HFHC diet, respectively. The prediabetic rats were further subdivided into five groups (n = 6) and treated with either BA (80 mg/kg) or metformin (MET, 500 mg/kg) every third day for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, blood samples and the liver were collected for biochemical analysis. Results. The induction of prediabetes resulted in increased release of liver enzymes (AST and ALT), increased liver glycogen and triglyceride, lipid peroxidation, and decreased sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP1c) and antioxidant enzymes. However, the administration of BA decreased liver enzyme concentrations, decreased hepatic oxidative stress, and improved antioxidant enzymes such as SOD and GPx. Conclusion. BA administration improved liver function in diet-induced prediabetic rats in the presence or absence of dietary intervention.
Employing a Machine Learning Approach to Detect Combined Internet of Things Attacks against Two Objective Functions Using a Novel Dataset
Authors: Foley John , Moradpoor Naghmeh , Ochenyi Henry
Published: February 2020

One of the important features of routing protocol for low-power and lossy networks (RPLs) is objective function (OF). OF influences an IoT network in terms of routing strategies and network topology. On the contrary, detecting a combination of attacks against OFs is a cutting-edge technology that will become a necessity as next generation low-power wireless networks continue to be exploited as they grow rapidly. However, current literature lacks study on vulnerability analysis of OFs particularly in terms of combined attacks. Furthermore, machine learning is a promising solution for the global networks of IoT devices in terms of analysing their ever-growing generated data and predicting cyberattacks against such devices. Therefore, in this paper, we study the vulnerability analysis of two popular OFs of RPL to detect combined attacks against them using machine learning algorithms through different simulated scenarios. For this, we created a novel IoT dataset based on power and network metrics, which is deployed as part of an RPL IDS/IPS solution to enhance information security. Addressing the captured results, our machine learning approach is successful in detecting combined attacks against two popular OFs of RPL based on the power and network metrics in which MLP and RF algorithms are the most successful classifier deployment for single and ensemble models.
Analysis of the MHD Boundary Layer Flow over a Nonlinear Stretching Sheet in a Porous Medium Using Semianalytical Approaches
Authors: Jabeen K. , Mushtaq M. , Akram R. M.
Published: February 2020

The purpose of the research is to inquire the outcomes of viscous and ohmic dissipation on the MHD flow in porous media in the region of suction and injection. A flow model of nonlinear ODEs with assisting boundary conditions is tackled with the help of computational software by using various standard techniques. The effects of relevant parameters on the concentration, thermal, and velocity distribution are illustrated graphically; also, the skin friction coefficient and flow rates of heat and mass transfer are calculated and shown in a tabular way. An analysis of the consequences proves that the flow field is effectively appreciable by injection and suction. Comparison with the already published work is made and found to be in good agreement.
LNG Tank Sloshing Simulation of Multidegree Motions Based on Modified 3D MPS Method
Authors: Wang Chunhui , Guo Chunyu , Han Fenglei
Published: February 2020

Modified 3D Moving Particle Semi-Implicit (MPS) method is used to complete the numerical simulation of the fluid sloshing in LNG tank under multidegree excitation motion, which is compared with the results of experiments and 2D calculations obtained by other scholars to verify the reliability. The cubic spline kernel functions used in Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method are adopted to reduce the deviation caused by consecutive two times weighted average calculations; the boundary conditions and the determination of free surface particles are modified to improve the computational stability and accuracy of 3D calculation. The tank is under forced multidegree excitation motion to simulate the real conditions of LNG ships, the pressures and the free surfaces at different times are given to verify the accuracy of 3D simulation, and the free surface and the splashed particles can be simulated more exactly.
A Flexible Reduced Logarithmic-X Family of Distributions with Biomedical Analysis
Authors: Liu Yinglin , Ilyas Muhammad , Khosa Saima K. , Muhmoudi Eisa , Ahmad Zubair , Khan Dost Muhammad , Hamedani G. G
Published: February 2020

Statistical distributions play a prominent role in applied sciences, particularly in biomedical sciences. The medical data sets are generally skewed to the right, and skewed distributions can be used quite effectively to model such data sets. In the present study, therefore, we propose a new family of distributions to model right skewed medical data sets. The proposed family may be named as a flexible reduced logarithmic-X family. The proposed family can be obtained via reparameterizing the exponentiated Kumaraswamy G-logarithmic family and the alpha logarithmic family of distributions. A special submodel of the proposed family called, a flexible reduced logarithmic-Weibull distribution, is discussed in detail. Some mathematical properties of the proposed family and certain related characterization results are presented. The maximum likelihood estimators of the model parameters are obtained. A brief Monte Carlo simulation study is done to evaluate the performance of these estimators. Finally, for the illustrative purposes, three applications from biomedical sciences are analyzed and the goodness of fit of the proposed distribution is compared to some well-known competitors.
Cover Crop and Fertility Effects on Escherichia coli Abundance in a Composted Poultry Litter-Amended Silt Loam Soil
Authors: Sarr Sait , Coyne Mark , Gebremedhin Maheteme , Topè Avinash , Patel Shreya
Published: February 2020

Soil conservation practices such as cover crops can improve crop production, soil quality, and water quality. Cover crops can also influence soil microbial growth and activity. Cover cropped and manured soils can potentially store and transmit fecal bacteria (e.g., E. coli) to surface water if runoff and subsurface seepage occur. While many studies have shown the soil health benefits of cover crops, fewer studies have evaluated the extent to which cover crops influence the abundance of potential waste-borne pathogens. A two-year study (2015–2017) was conducted on a limited-resource farm in Logan County, Kentucky, USA, to quantify the abundance of the fecal indicator Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria (as a proxy for fecal coliforms) in treatments with and without cover crops or composted poultry litter. The cover crop consisted of a cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), Austrian winter pea (Pisum sativum L.), and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) mix. Summer crops consisted of a no-till maize (Zea mays L.)—soybean (Glycine max L.) rotation. Soil samples were taken before and after each summer crop season and assessed to detect and enumerate E. coli. At the end of the study period, no significant treatment differences in the E. coli abundance in soil were detected (ca. 104 CFU·g−1) (p>0.05). However, season/time was a significant factor (p<0.05). We conclude that the background E. coli already present in soil was sufficiently high, inhibiting the detection of the influence of added composted litter. These indigenous E. coli were unaffected by cover crop and nutrient management but did fluctuate on a seasonal basis.
The Wind Loading Characteristics of MAN Type Dry Gas Storage Tank
Authors: Liu Xinpeng , Yan Zhitao , Li Zhengliang , Chen Junfan , Liu Jingbo
Published: February 2020

The effects of Reynolds number (Re) and surface roughness on the wind pressure coefficient on a MAN type dry gas tank were analyzed in detail by wind tunnel tests. A wind load calculation model was then established, which is suitable for the wind resistant design of the gas tanks. The test results revealed that in the range of 7 × 105 < Re < 1.0 × 106 (supercritical regimes), the drag coefficient (Cd) and wind pressure coefficient remained constant, consistent with 2D cylinders in a uniform flow. However, in common with 2D cylinder flows, the surface roughness with the spacing ratio (λ) greater than 0.9 had a significant effect on the wind pressures coefficient. The minimum pressure coefficient (Cpmin) sharply increased from −2.3 to −0.65 with increasing surface roughness. The corresponding angle for the minimum pressure coefficient θmin was in between 140°and 90°, which was in a gradual decreasing trend with the increase in surface roughness of the model. The calculation method of the wind pressure coefficient with vary surface roughness was proposed, based on which, the calculation results were in good agreement with the test data.
A Systematic Review of Real-Time Medical Simulations with Soft-Tissue Deformation: Computational Approaches, Interaction Devices, System Architectures, and Clinical Validations
Authors: Nguyen Tan-Nhu , Ho Ba Tho Marie-Christine , Dao Tien-Tuan
Published: February 2020

Simulating deformations of soft tissues is a complex engineering task, and it is even more difficult when facing the constraint between computation speed and system accuracy. However, literature lacks of a holistic review of all necessary aspects (computational approaches, interaction devices, system architectures, and clinical validations) for developing an effective system of soft-tissue simulations. This paper summarizes and analyses recent achievements of resolving these issues to estimate general trends and weakness for future developments. A systematic review process was conducted using the PRISMA protocol with three reliable scientific search engines (ScienceDirect, PubMed, and IEEE). Fifty-five relevant papers were finally selected and included into the review process, and a quality assessment procedure was also performed on them. The computational approaches were categorized into mesh, meshfree, and hybrid approaches. The interaction devices concerned about combination between virtual surgical instruments and force-feedback devices, 3D scanners, biomechanical sensors, human interface devices, 3D viewers, and 2D/3D optical cameras. System architectures were analysed based on the concepts of system execution schemes and system frameworks. In particular, system execution schemes included distribution-based, multithread-based, and multimodel-based executions. System frameworks are grouped into the input and output interaction frameworks, the graphic interaction frameworks, the modelling frameworks, and the hybrid frameworks. Clinical validation procedures are ordered as three levels: geometrical validation, model behavior validation, and user acceptability/safety validation. The present review paper provides useful information to characterize how real-time medical simulation systems with soft-tissue deformations have been developed. By clearly analysing advantages and drawbacks in each system development aspect, this review can be used as a reference guideline for developing systems of soft-tissue simulations.
Multi/Many-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm Based on Competition Mechanism
Authors: Yang Wusi , Chen Li , Wang Yi , Zhang Maosheng
Published: February 2020

The recently proposed multiobjective particle swarm optimization algorithm based on competition mechanism algorithm cannot effectively deal with many-objective optimization problems, which is characterized by relatively poor convergence and diversity, and long computing runtime. In this paper, a novel multi/many-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm based on competition mechanism is proposed, which maintains population diversity by the maximum and minimum angle between ordinary and extreme individuals. And the recently proposed θ-dominance is adopted to further enhance the performance of the algorithm. The proposed algorithm is evaluated on the standard benchmark problems DTLZ, WFG, and UF1-9 and compared with the four recently proposed multiobjective particle swarm optimization algorithms and four state-of-the-art many-objective evolutionary optimization algorithms. The experimental results indicate that the proposed algorithm has better convergence and diversity, and its performance is superior to other comparative algorithms on most test instances.
Functional Autonomy Affects Elderly Spatial Perception in Body-Centered Coordinates
Authors: Committeri Giorgia , Sebastiani Valentina , de Pasquale Francesco , Stocchi Massimiliano , Fini Chiara
Published: February 2020

According to the action-specific theory of perception, a person’s dynamic ability to act in the environment affects her/his spatial perception. Empirical evidence shows that the elderly perceive distances as farther compared with younger adults and that the harder the ground surface to walk, the farther the perceived distance. Such results suggest a general perceptual readaptation promoted by the aging process that is fine-tuned with the decline of the motor resources. However, it is still unknown whether the elderly space perception is affected by interindividual differences in their functional autonomy (FA) and whether the decline of motor resources affects spatial categorization only when distances are judged with reference to the observer’s own body or also when they are judged with reference to the body of another agent present in the scene. To this aim, a sample of elderly adults with preserved cognitive functions but different levels of FA, measured through the Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL) scale, were enrolled and tested on the extrapersonal space categorization task. This task requires judging the position of a target as “Near” or “Far” with respect to different reference frames (RFs): centered on the observer’s body (Self RF) or centered on external elements, like another body (Other RF) or an object (Object RF). Results indicated that the higher the level of FA, the wider the space categorized as “Near” when adopting as reference frame our own body or the body of another agent in the scene, but not a static object. In conclusion, the individual functional autonomy of elderly individuals, which is strongly influenced by motor resources and efficiency, modulates how the surrounding space is represented, but only when the distance judgment implies an agent body, thus providing new relevant data for recent embodied cognition models of aging.
A Velocity Dealiasing Scheme Based on Minimization of Velocity Differences between Regions
Authors: Yuan Yue , Wang Ping , Wang Di , Shi Junzhi
Published: February 2020

The velocity dealiasing is an essential work of automatic weather phenomenon identification, nowcasting, and disaster monitoring based on radial velocity data. The noise data, strong wind shear, and isolated echo region in the Doppler radar radial velocity data severely interfere with the velocity dealiasing algorithm. This paper proposes a two-step velocity dealiasing algorithm based on the minimization of velocity differences between regions to solve this problem. The first step is to correct aliased velocities by minimizing the sum of gradients in every region to eliminate abnormal velocity gradients between points. The interference of noise data and strong wind shear can be reduced by minimizing the whole gradients in a region. The second step is to dealiase velocities by the velocity differences between different isolated regions. The velocity of an unknown isolated region is determined by the velocities of all known regions. This step improves the dealiasing results of isolated regions. In this paper, 604 volume scan samples, including typhoons, squall lines, and heavy precipitation, were used to test the algorithm. The statistical results and analysis show that the proposed algorithm can dealiase the velocity field with a high probability of detection and a low false alarm rate.
System Availability Modelling and Optimization considering Multigeneral Quality Characteristics
Authors: Li Junliang , Chen Yueliang , Zhang Yong
Published: February 2020

This paper analyzes the necessity that multigeneral quality characteristic parameters should be considered in availability modelling and optimization and then constructs an availability model including the indicators of reliability, maintainability, supportability, testability, and environmental factor. In the research process, it is assumed that the system has soft and hard failure mode, adopting mixed maintenance strategies, system delay time, and repair time, and test time are independent. On the basis of this, the single parameter, binary parameters, and multiparameters optimization were carried out with the maximum availability as the optimization function. Especially, the multiparameters availability optimization model in time dimension was designed based on particle swarm optimization. The design method was proved feasible through a numerical example, which can provide method support for the design and evaluation of general quality characteristic thresholds in the life cycle of a repairable system.
A Systematic Analysis Revealed the Potential Gene Regulatory Processes of ATRA‐Triggered Neuroblastoma Differentiation and Identified a Novel RA Response Sequence in the NTRK2 Gene
Authors: Guo Liyuan , Lin Wei , Zhang Yidan , Wang Jing
Published: February 2020

Retinoic acid‐ (RA‐) triggered neuroblastoma cell lines are widely used cell modules of neuronal differentiation in neurodegenerative disease studies, but the gene regulatory mechanism underlying differentiation is unclear now. In this study, system biological analysis was performed on public microarray data from three neuroblastoma cell lines (SK‐N‐SH, SH‐SY5Y‐A, and SH‐SY5Y‐E) to explore the potential molecular processes of all‐trans retinoic acid‐ (ATRA‐) triggered differentiation. RT‐qPCR, functional genomics analysis, western blotting, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and homologous sequence analysis were further performed to validate the gene regulation processes and identify the RA response element in a specific gene. The potential disturbed biological pathways (111 functional GO terms in 14 interactive functional groups) and gene regulatory network (10 regulators and 71 regulated genes) in neuroblastoma differentiation were obtained. 15 of the 71 regulated genes are neuronal projection‐related. Among them, NTRK2 is the only one that was dramatically upregulated in the RT‐qPCR test that we performed on ATRA‐treated SH‐SY5Y‐A cells. We further found that the overexpression of the NTRK2 gene can trigger differentiation‐like changes in SH‐SY5Y‐A cells. Functional genomic analysis and western blotting assay suggested that, in neuroblastoma cells, ATRA may directly regulate the NTRK2 gene by activating the RA receptor (RAR) that binds in its promoter region. A novel RA response DNA element in the NTRK2 gene was then identified by bioinformatics analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. The novel element is sequence conservation and position variation among different species. Our study systematically provided the potential regulatory information of ATRA‐triggered neuroblastoma differentiation, and in the NTRK2 gene, we identified a novel RA response DNA element, which may contribute to the differentiation in a human‐specific manner.
S100A9 Increases IL‐6 and RANKL Expressions through MAPKs and STAT3 Signaling Pathways in Osteocyte‐Like Cells
Authors: Takagi Ryosuke , Sakamoto Eijiro , Kido Jun-ichi , Inagaki Yuji , Hiroshima Yuka , Naruishi Koji , Yumoto Hiromichi
Published: February 2020

Objective. Calprotectin is a heterocomplex of S100A8 and S100A9 and is mainly secreted from neutrophils, monocytes, and chondrocytes in inflammatory condition. Calprotectin binds to RAGE and TLR4 and induces the expression of proinflammatory chemokines and cytokines in various cells. Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that leads to gingival inflammation and alveolar bone resorption. Calprotectin levels in gingival crevicular fluid of periodontitis patients are higher than healthy patients. In the present study, the effects of S100A8 and S100A9 on the expressions of proinflammatory cytokines and bone metabolism‐related factors in mouse osteocyte‐like cells (MLO‐Y4‐A2) were investigated. Design. MLO‐Y4‐A2 cells were treated with S100A8 and S100A9, and the expressions of RAGE, TLR4, RANKL, and several inflammatory cytokines were analyzed by PCR and Western blotting or ELISA methods. To investigate the intracellular signaling pathways, phosphorylation of MAPK and STAT3 was determined by Western blotting, and chemical specific inhibitors and siRNAs were used. Results. Expressions of IL‐6 and RANKL were increased by treatment with S100A9 but not S100A8. However, both S100A8 and S100A9 did not change expression of IL‐1β, IL‐8, and TNF‐α. Although RAGE and TLR4 expressions were not upregulated by S100A9 treatment, transfection of siRNA for RAGE and TLR4 significantly decreased IL‐6 and RANKL expressions. In addition, S100A9 activated p38, ERK, and STAT3 signaling pathways, and inhibitors for these factors significantly decreased S100A9‐induced IL‐6 and RANKL expressions. Conclusions. These results indicated that S100A9 induces IL‐6 and RANKL production via engagement with RAGE and TLR4 signalings in osteocytes and suggested that S100A9 may play important roles in the periodontal alveolar bone destruction.
Formal Verification of Hardware Components in Critical Systems
Authors: Khan Wilayat , Kamran Muhammad , Naqvi Syed Rameez , Khan Farrukh Aslam , Alghamdi Ahmed S. , Alsolami Eesa
Published: February 2020

Hardware components, such as memory and arithmetic units, are integral part of every computer-controlled system, for example, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The fundamental requirement of these hardware components is that they must behave as desired; otherwise, the whole system built upon them may fail. To determine whether or not a component is behaving adequately, the desired behaviour of the component is often specified in the Boolean algebra. Boolean algebra is one of the most widely used mathematical tools to analyse hardware components represented at gate level using Boolean functions. To ensure reliable computer-controlled system design, simulation and testing methods are commonly used to detect faults; however, such methods do not ensure absence of faults. In critical systems’ design, such as UAVs, the simulation-based techniques are often augmented with mathematical tools and techniques to prove stronger properties, for example, absence of faults, in the early stages of the system design. In this paper, we define a lightweight mathematical framework in computer-based theorem prover Coq for describing and reasoning about Boolean algebra and hardware components (logic circuits) modelled as Boolean functions. To demonstrate the usefulness of the framework, we (1) define and prove the correctness of principle of duality mechanically using a computer tool and all basic theorems of Boolean algebra, (2) formally define the algebraic manipulation (step-by-step procedure of proving functional equivalence of functions) used in Boolean function simplification, and (3) verify functional correctness and reliability properties of two hardware components. The major advantage of using mechanical theorem provers is that the correctness of all definitions and proofs can be checked mechanically using the type checker and proof checker facilities of the proof assistant Coq.
Identification of Three lncRNAs as Potential Predictive Biomarkers of Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Jin Donghui , Song Yuxuan , Chen Yuan , Zhang Peng
Published: February 2020

Background. Lung cancer is the most common cancer and the most common cause of cancer‐related death worldwide. However, the molecular mechanism of its development is unclear. It is imperative to identify more novel biomarkers. Methods. Two datasets (GSE70880 and GSE113852) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between lung cancer tissues and normal tissues. Then, we constructed a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network and a protein‐protein interaction (PPI) network and performed gene ontology (GO) analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, and survival analyses to identify potential biomarkers that are related to the diagnosis and prognosis of lung cancer. Results. A total of 41 lncRNAs and 805 mRNAs were differentially expressed in lung cancer. The ceRNA network contained four lncRNAs (CLDN10‐AS1, SFTA1P, SRGAP3‐AS2, and ADAMTS9‐AS2), 21 miRNAs, and 48 mRNAs. Functional analyses revealed that the genes in the ceRNA network were mainly enriched in cell migration, transmembrane receptor, and protein kinase activity. mRNAs DLGAP5, E2F7, MCM7, RACGAP1, and RRM2 had the highest connectivity in the PPI network. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) demonstrated that mRNAs DLGAP5, MCM7, RACGAP1, and RRM2 were upregulated in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Survival analyses showed that lncRNAs CLDN10‐AS1, SFTA1P, and ADAMTS9‐AS2 were associated with the prognosis of LUAD. Conclusion. lncRNAs CLDN10‐AS1, SFTA1P, and ADAMTS9‐AS2 might be the biomarkers of LUAD. For the first time, we confirmed the important role of lncRNA CLDN10‐AS1 in LUAD.
Successful Kidney Transplantation in a Recipient Coinfected with Hepatitis C Genotype 2 and HIV from a Donor Infected with Hepatitis C Genotype 1 in the Direct-Acting Antiviral Era
Authors: Farmakiotis Dimitrios , Weiss Zoe , Brotherton Amy L. , Morrissey Paul , Gohh Reginald , Vieira Kendra , Taylor Lynn E. , Garland Joseph M.
Published: February 2020

Despite significant advances in transplantation of HIV-infected individuals, little is known about HIV coinfected patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes other than genotype 1, especially when receiving HCV-infected organs with a different genotype. We describe the first case of kidney transplantation in a man coinfected with hepatitis C and HIV in our state. To our knowledge, this is also the first report of an HIV/HCV/HBV tri-infected patient with non-1 (2a) HCV genotype who received an HCV-infected kidney graft with the discordant genotype (1a), to which he converted after transplant. Our case study highlights the following: (1) transplant centers need to monitor wait times for an HCV-infected organ and regularly assess the risk of delaying HCV antiviral treatment for HCV-infected transplant candidates in anticipation of the transplant from an HCV-infected donor; (2) closer monitoring of tacrolimus levels during the early phases of anti-HCV protease inhibitor introduction and discontinuation may be indicated; (3) donor genotype transmission can occur; (4) HIV/HCV coinfected transplant candidates require a holistic approach with emphasis on the cardiovascular risk profile and low threshold for cardiac catheterization as part of their pretransplant evaluation.
Effects of Oblique Incidence of SV Waves on Nonlinear Seismic Response of a Lined Arched Tunnel
Authors: Lyu Dunyu , Ma Sha , Yu Chu , Liu Congcong , Wang Xiaowei , Yang Buyun , Xiao Ming
Published: February 2020

The incident direction of earthquake motion is an important factor affecting the seismic response of underground structures. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) oblique incidence method of SV waves is proposed and the effects of incident angles of SV waves on the seismic response of a lined arched tunnel are evaluated. Based on wave field decomposition principle and equivalent node force method and together with viscous-spring artificial boundary, the oblique incidence method of SV waves is implemented by transforming seismic wave field into the equivalent nodal forces acting on the artificial boundaries. By deriving the distance of the incident waves and the reflected wave on free surface to artificial boundaries, this method can comprehensively consider the phase difference of the seismic wave propagation and the influence of the damping effect of the rock medium on the seismic wave propagation. The method is programed into a dynamic finite element program and its effectiveness is examined by a numerical example. Consequently, the oblique incidence method is applied to evaluate the seismic behaviors of the tunnel. The numerical results reveal that (1) the oblique incidence of the seismic wave results in a larger seismic response; (2) the response amplitudes of the stress and displacement increase with the increase of incident angles and reaching the maximum in the case of 30° incident angle; (3) the damage extent increases with an increase in the incident angles, and the oblique incidence of the seismic wave is believed to increase the spatial difference of damage distribution.
Long-Term Outcome of Thrombolytic Therapy for Massive Pulmonary Embolism in Pregnancy
Authors: Van Hoang Sy , Vo Anh Tuan , Nguyen Kha Minh
Published: February 2020

A 25-year-old pregnant woman presented at 12 weeks of gestation with syncope and shortness of breath caused by massive pulmonary embolism. Due to persistent shock, fibrinolytic therapy with rtPA was administered. After fibrinolysis, clinical and hemodynamic response was excellent. No bleeding and fetal complications were recorded.
The Effect of Sodium Gluconate on Pastes’ Performance and Hydration Behavior of Ordinary Portland Cement
Authors: Lv Xingdong , Li Jiazheng , Lu Chao , Liu Zhanao , Tan Yaosheng , Liu Chunfeng , Li Beixing , Wang Rongkai
Published: February 2020

The goal of this paper provides better understanding of the effect of sodium gluconate (SG) on ordinary Portland cement (OPC) hydration behavior. Pastes’ performances of ordinary Portland cement, including setting time at 20°C and 35°C curing temperature, mechanical strength, fluidity, and zeta potential are studied. Furthermore, the effects of SG on cement hydration behaviors are investigated by the means of isothermal calorimetry measurements, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results show that SG is difficult to maintain significant retarding effect at the temperature of 35°C compared to that at the temperature of 20°C. SG is able to reduce the cement cumulative hydration heat and delay the occurrence time of heat evolution peak in a certain extent, but it has little impact on reducing the cement evolution rate peak. The effects of SG on mechanical properties and dispersion properties of cement depend on its dosages. Specifically, the positive effect occurs when the addition dosage is less than 0.15% (i.e., by cement weight), but the negative effect emerges if the addition dosages exceed this limitation. Similarly, SG plays different roles on cement hydration at different hydration periods. It inhibits the hydration of C3S and the formation of portlandite (CH) at the early hydration period. On the contrary, it promotes the C3S hydration when hydration time is beyond 1 d. Meanwhile, SG also plays different roles on cement hydration at different dosage additions. Specifically, SG promotes ettringite (AFt) formation at the dosage less than 0.06%, but it inhibits AFt formation at the dosage more than 0.06%.
Detection of PIK3R1 (L449S) Mutation in a Patient with Ovarian Cancer: A Case Report
Authors: Moussa Salim , Saleh Fatima , El Shamieh Said , Assi Tarek , Othman Ahmad , Farhat Fadi
Published: February 2020

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most dangerous gynecological diseases and greatly increases the death risk worldwide. The heterogeneity of the ovarian tumors among patients and the lack of sufficient therapies for these tumors make the selection of the appropriate treatment a hard challenge. Understanding the mechanisms leading to OC becomes an urgent need in order to find out better therapeutic strategies. In this study, we have identified a point mutation (L449S) in the regulatory subunit of PI3K in an OC Lebanese patient. This genomic alteration had not been previously reported in OC and could plausibly enhance the PIK3CA amplification effect in strengthening AKT/mTOR pathway activity and leading to tumorigenesis.
Can Reflux Symptom Index and Reflux Finding Score Be Used to Guide the Treatment of Secretory Otitis Media in Adults?
Authors: Pang Kaiyun , Di Yuanzhi , Li Guodong , Li Jianfeng , Li Xin , Sun Lu
Published: February 2020

Background:At present more attention is paid to the treatment of secretory otitis media in children, but there is also a high incidence of adult patients. The etiology of secretory otitis media in adults is complex and related to many factors. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the Reflux Symptom Index (RSI)/Reflux Finding Score (RFS) and secretory otitis media in adults, and to explore further treatment methods. Material and Methods:Taking outpatients in the otology department from January 2017 to May 2019 as the object of study, acoustic immittance tests were performed and the results analyzed. Patients with secretory otitis media received tympanocentesis or tympanotomy and the related components were analyzed.The patients were followed up and the curative effects of different treatment schemes were compared. Results: There were 67 patients with secretory otitis media. The prevalence of secretory otitis media in patients with RSI >13 was significantly higher than that in patients with RSI <13. The prevalence of secretory otitis media in patients with RFS >7 was significantly higher than that in patients with RFS <7 (p < 0 05). The RSI/RFS score of B tympanogram was significantly higher than that of A and C maps (p < 0.05). Among the patients with type B, the serous type was higher in those with an RSI score <13, and the mucus was higher in those with an RSI score >13 (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the proportion of glue patients (p > 0.05). In type B patients, the detection rate of pepsin in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05), and the scores of RSI/RFS in the pepsin-positive group were significantly higher than those in the negative group (p < 0.05). Treatment with acid-suppressive drugs in patients with abnormal RSI/RFS achieved better results (p < 0.05). Conclusions: RSI/RFS may be related to the development of secretory otitis media in adults, and could play a guiding role in its treatment.