bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cohort study of occupational cosmic radiation dose and cancer mortality in German aircrew, 1960–2014
Authors: Dreger Steffen , Wollschläger Daniel , Schafft Thomas , Hammer Gaël P , Blettner Maria , Zeeb Hajo
Published: February 2020

Objectives

To determine cancer mortality compared with the general population and to examine dose-response relationships between cumulative occupational radiation dose and specific cancer outcomes in the German aircrew cohort.

Methods

For a cohort of 26 846 aircrew personnel, standardised mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated. Dose-response analyses were carried out using Poisson regression to assess dose-related cancer risks for the period 1960–2014. Exposure assessment comprises recently available dose register data for all cohort members and newly estimated retrospective cabin crew doses for 1960–2003.

Results

SMR for all-cause, specific cancer groups and most individual cancers were reduced in all aircrew groups. The only increases were seen for brain cancer in pilots (n=23, SMR 2.01, 95% CI 1.15 to 3.28) and for malignant melanoma (n=10, SMR 1.88, 95% CI 0.78 to 3.85). Breast cancer mortality among female cabin crew was similar to the general population (n=71, SMR 1.06, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.44). Overall median cumulative effective dose was 34.2 mSv (max: 116 mSv) for 1960–2014. No dose-response associations were seen in any of the models. For brain cancer, relative risks were elevated across dose categories. An indicative negative trend with increasing dose category was seen for large intestine cancer in female cabin crew (n=23).

Conclusions

There was no evidence for significant dose-response patterns for the considered cancer types. Interpretation of results remains difficult as cumulative dose is closely related to age. Future work should focus on investigating radiation jointly with other risk factors that may contribute to risks for specific cancers among aircrew.
The changing epidemiology of genital ulcer disease in South Africa: has donovanosis been eliminated?
Authors: Muller Etienne E , Kularatne Ranmini
Published: February 2020

Objectives

We used an in-house molecular assay for the detection ofKlebsiella granulomatisin ulcer specimens collected over a 12-year surveillance period in order to determine whether a diagnosis of donovanosis could be ascribed to genital ulcer disease (GUD) of unknown aetiology in our setting.

Methods

Between 2007 and 2018, a total of 974 genital ulcer specimens with no previously identified sexually transmitted (STI) pathogens were selected from STI aetiological surveys conducted in all nine provinces of South Africa. Giemsa-stained ulcer smears from the same participants had previously been routinely analysed for the presence of typical Donovan bodies within large mononuclear cells. AKlebsiellascreening assay targeting thephoE(phosphate porin) gene was used in combination with restriction digest analysis and sequencing to confirm the presence ofK. granulomatis.

Results

TheKlebsiellascreening assay tested positive in 19/974 (2.0%) genital ulcer specimens. Restriction digest analysis and nucleotide sequencing of thephoEgene confirmed that none of these specimens was positive forK. granulomatisDNA. Similarly, Donovan bodies were not identified in the Giemsa stained ulcer smears of these specimens.

Conclusions

This is the first study to assessK. granulomatisas a cause of genital ulceration in South Africa over a 12-year surveillance period using molecular methods. The results demonstrate thatK. granulomatisis no longer a prevalent cause of GUD in our population.
Mistletoes in a changing world: a premonition of a non-analog future?
Authors: Fontúrbel Francisco E.
Published: February 2020

Mistletoes are a group of flowering plants that have developed a parasitic lifeform through complex eco-evolutionary processes. Despite being considered a pest, mistletoes represent a keystone forest resource and are involved in complex plant–plant and plant–animal interactions. Their parasitic lifeform and specialized ecological interactions make mistletoes an ideal model with which to understand the effects of anthropogenic disturbances in a changing world. The accelerated growth of the human population has altered all ecosystems on Earth, leading to biodiversity loss. Land-use changes (involving habitat loss, fragmentation, degradation, and transformation processes) can alter the ecological scenario for mistletoe by altering hosts, mutualists, and nutrient cycling. Those changes may have large consequences at the community level, changing the spatial structure of mistletoes, as well as interaction effectiveness, facilitation process, interaction disruption, and novel interactions with invasive species, leading to non-analog communities in the long run. Furthermore, climate change effects operate on a global scale, enhancing the effects of land-use changes. As temperatures increase, many species would alter their distribution and phenology, potentially causing spatial and temporal mismatches. But more critical is the fact that water stress is likely to disrupt key ecological interactions. Thus, mistletoes can provide valuable insights for what we can expect in the future, as a result of human disturbances.
Quantum stress tensor of massive vector field in the spacetime of a pointlike global monopole
Authors: Piedra Owen Pavel Fernández
Published: February 2020

The components of the renormalized quantum stress tensor for a massive vector field in the spacetime of a pointlike global monopole are determined analytically in the Schwinger–DeWitt approximation. The general results are employed to investigate the pointwise energy conditions for the quantized matter field and it is shown that they are all violated by the massive vector field.
A conservative spectral method for the coupled Schrödinger-KdV equations
Authors: Zhou Hao , Han Danfu , Du Miaoyong , Shi Yao
Published: February 2020

In this work, we present a conservative method to solve the coupled Schrödinger-KdV (CSK) equations. The CSK equations are discretized in space by Fourier spectral collocation method and exponential time differencing with three-layer implicit schemes for time dependence. The scheme is decoupled and conserve semi-discrete three invariants. To demonstrate the accuracy and reliability of the used scheme, we use three invariants, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] error norms. Numerical results manifest better performance of the scheme compared with other numerical schemes.
Statistical mechanism of passenger mobility behaviors for different transportations
Authors: Han Shaoyong , Guo Qiang , Yu Kai , Li Rende , He Bing , Liu Jian-Guo
Published: February 2020

Passengers’ boarding time interval is of great significance for analysis of collective mobility behaviors. In this paper, we empirically investigate the boarding time interval of mobility behaviors based on three large-scale reservation records of passengers traveling by three different types of transportation from a travel agency platform, namely airplane, intercity bus and car rental. The statistical results show that similar properties exist in the passengers’ mobility behaviors, for example, there are similar burstiness [Formula: see text] and memory [Formula: see text] for different time interval distribution, which indicates that the passengers’ mobility behaviors are periodical. Furthermore, we present a probability model to regenerate the empirical results by assuming that the passengers’ next boarding time interval will generate between a short time of 1–7 days with probability [Formula: see text] and a random long time with probability [Formula: see text]. The simulation results show that the presented model can reproduce the burstiness and memory effect of the boarding time interval when [Formula: see text] for three empirical datasets, which suggests the periodical behaviors with the probability [Formula: see text]. This work helps in deeply understanding the regularity of human mobility behaviors.
Bouncing scenario in f(R,T) gravity
Authors: Sahoo Parbati , Bhattacharjee Snehasish , Tripathy S. K. , Sahoo P. K.
Published: February 2020

This paper presents modeling of matter bounce in the framework of [Formula: see text] gravity, where [Formula: see text]. We start by defining a parametrization of scale factor which is non-vanishing. The geometrical parameters such as the Hubble parameter and deceleration parameter are derived, from which expressions of pressure, density and Equation of State (EoS) parameter and a qualitative understanding of the initial conditions of the universe at the bounce are ascertained. We found that the initial conditions of the universe are finite owing to the non-vanishing nature of the scale factor thus eliminates the initial singularity problem. Furthermore, we show the violation of energy conditions near the bouncing region and analyze the stability of our model with respect to linear homogeneous perturbations in Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker (FLRW) spacetime. We found that our model and hence matter bounce scenarios in general are highly unstable at the bounce in the framework of [Formula: see text] gravity but the perturbations decay out rapidly away from the bounce safeguarding its stability at late-times.
A novel entanglement criterion of two-qubit system
Authors: Zhao Chao-Ying , Guo Qi-Zhi , Tan Wei-Han
Published: February 2020

The “separability problem” in quantum information theory is a quite important and well-known hard problem. The low-dimensional system satisfies the PPT criterion. However, the high-dimensional system problem has been shown to be NP-hard problem. In general, it is very difficult to find the analytic solution of the density matrix for the high-dimensional system. Therefore, getting an analytic solution for two-qubit system is an interesting and useful problem. We propose a novel criterion for separability and entanglement-verification of two-qubit system. We expressed the density matrix by a sum of a principal density matrix and six separable density matrices. The necessary and sufficient conditions for the two-qubit system include that if the four involved coefficients [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and the principal density matrix [Formula: see text] are separable, then the two-qubit system is separable, otherwise the two-qubit system is entangled. Finally, our criterion results in a totally different conclusion compared to Horodecki’s criterion. We believe that the new criterion is more stringent than existing PPT methods.
Study on electromagnetic characteristics of plasma model-based on the symplectic multiresolution time-domain scheme
Authors: Ma Zhu , Wei Min , Li Meng , Xu Wenbin
Published: February 2020

A novel numerical computation scheme, which is symplectic multiresolution time-domain (S-MRTD) scheme, for modeling plasma model is proposed. The loss plasma dispersive model is taken into account in S-MRTD scheme, and the detailed formulations of the proposed S-MRTD scheme are also provided. A one-dimensional perfectly matched layers (PML) are used to terminate the computational domain. The analyses of stability and numerical dispersion demonstrate that S-MRTD scheme is more efficient than traditional finite-different time-domain (FDTD) and MRTD methods. The energy conservation characteristics of S-MRTD scheme in electromagnetic simulation are proved by the propagation of pulse in free space for long-term simulation. In the end, the S-MRTD formulations are confirmed by computing the electric field intensity, reflection and the transmission coefficients for the pulse wave through an unmagnetized plasma slab. A favorable agreement between the numerical solutions is demonstrated, and the efficiency of the proposed scheme is verified. Meanwhile, numerical results show that plasma frequency, collision frequency and thickness are important factors affecting reflection and transmission coefficients.
Abundant traveling wave solutions to the resonant nonlinear Schrödinger’s equation with variable coefficients
Authors: Rezazadeh Hadi , Tariq Kalim U. , Sabi’u Jamilu , Bekir Ahmet
Published: February 2020

In this paper, some new traveling wave solutions to the resonant nonlinear Schrödinger’s equation (R-NLSE) with time-dependent coefficients are constructed. The well-known auxiliary equation method is applied to develop numerous interesting classes of nonlinearities, namely the Kerr law and parabolic law. Such approach provides an extensive mathematical tool to develop a family of traveling wave solutions such as bright, dark, singular and optical solutions to the nonlinear evolution model. Moreover, with the aid of symbolic computation the three-dimensional plot and contour plot have been carried out to demonstrate the dynamical behavior of the nonlinear complex model.
Agglomerative community detection on signed networks based on community adjacency list
Authors: Wu Hui-Dong , Cao Haobin , Wang Yutong , Yan Guan
Published: February 2020

With the development of data processing technology, complex network theory has been widely applied in many areas. Meanwhile, as one of the essential parts of network science, community detection is becoming more and more important for analyzing and visualizing the real world. Specially, signed network is a kind of graph which can more truly and efficiently reflect the reality, however, the study of community detection on signed network is still rare. In this paper, we propose a new agglomerative algorithm based on the modularity optimization for community detection on signed networks. The proposed model utilizes a new data structure called community adjacency list in signed (CALS) networks to improve the efficiency. Successive modularity computations make the connections between node changes so that the process time leads to substantial savings. Experiments on both real and artificial networks verify the accuracy and efficiency of this method, which is suitable for the application on large-scale networks.
Tailoring of diversified sound vortices using curved impedance-matched acoustic metasurfaces
Authors: Liu Yuechang , Zhang Xin , Guo Jianhua , Yang Hang , Han Lixiang , Yao Yuanwei , Wu Fugen
Published: February 2020

Acoustic vortex beam, which carries the orbital angular momentum, has attracted great interest in recent years. In this paper, we propose a novel curved impedance-matched metasurface constructed with tunable units, which are filled with mixed gases with different refractive indices. It converts an acoustic point source to vortex beam with nearly unity transmittance in a broad frequency bandwidth. By arranging the units, we demonstrate topological charge modulation and rotated direction shifting for acoustic vortex beams. In addition, combining with phase superposition effect, we introduce double curved metasurfaces model. A vortex beam can transform into another vortex beam with different energy flows conveniently. The proposed methods open up an effective avenue for tailoring acoustic vortex fields and provide possibility for applications such as particles trapping, acoustic communication and biomedical engineering.
Construction of lump-type and interaction solutions to an extended (3+1)-dimensional Jimbo–Miwa-like equation
Authors: Qi Feng-Hua , Ma Wen-Xiu , Wang Pan , Qu Qi-Xing
Published: February 2020

We present lump-type solutions and interaction solutions to an extended (3[Formula: see text]+[Formula: see text]1)-dimensional Jimbo–Miwa-like equation. Three classes of lump-type solutions are obtained by the Hirota bilinear method. Interaction solutions are among lump-type solutions, two kink waves and periodic waves, and between two kink waves and a periodic wave are computed. Dynamical characters of the obtained solutions are graphically exhibited. These wave solutions enrich the dynamical theory of higher-dimensional nonlinear dispersive wave equations.
Effects of restrained degradation on gene expression and regulation
Authors: Feng Y.-L. , Sun J. , Liu Y.-F. , Ren J.-G. , Dong J.-M.
Published: February 2020

The effects of carrying capacity of environment [Formula: see text] for degradation (the [Formula: see text] effect for short) on the constitutive gene expression and a simple genetic regulation system are investigated by employing a stochastic Langevin equation combined with the corresponding Fokker–Planck equation for the two stochastic systems subjected to internal and external noises. This [Formula: see text] effect characterizes the limited degradation ability of the environment for RNA or proteins, such as insufficient catabolic enzymes. The [Formula: see text] effect could significantly change the distribution of mRNA copy-number in constitutive gene expression, and interestingly, it leads to the Fano factor slightly larger than one if only the internal noise exists. Therefore, that the recent experimental measurements suggest the Fano factor deviates from one slightly [D. L. Jones, R. C. Brewster and R. Phillips, Science 346 (2014) 1533], probably originates from the [Formula: see text] effect. The [Formula: see text] effects on the steady and transient properties of genetic regulation system, have been investigated in detail. It could enhance the mean first passage time significantly especially when the noises are weak and reduce the signal-to-noise ratio in stochastic resonance substantially.
Influence of Pile Geometry on Responses of End-Bearing Pile Groups Subjected to Vertical Dynamic Loads
Authors: Luan Lubao , Deng Xin , Deng Weiting , Wang Chenglong , Ding Xuanming
Published: February 2020

An analytical solution is presented for evaluating the dynamic responses of pile groups subjected to vertical harmonic loads. The solution allows us to consider the effects of pile geometry on the pile head impedance of the vertically loaded pile groups by the use of a new dynamic interaction factor. To this end, the stress distributions of the soil surrounding the vertically vibrating pile is first determined for calculating the pile–pile interaction factor, instead of the classical interaction factor based on two-pile displacements in past studies. Accordingly, the impedances of the pile group are derived using the proposed pile–pile interaction factor and the superposition principle. Some selected examples are presented to demonstrate the proposed refined technique for evaluating the dynamic characteristics of the pile group.
THE CRITICAL BEHAVIOR OF THE M. BICEPS FEMORIS FOR THE RISK OF INJURY — A SIMULATION STUDY
Authors: ERTELT THOMAS , GRONWALD THOMAS
Published: February 2020

The behavior of the M. biceps femoris with regard to its enormous vulnerability to injuries in sport remains unclear. Despite prevention programs, the rate of injuries of the hamstring muscles has risen by more than 4% in recent years. To get more insights into its function, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of different muscle insertion characteristics and activation levels using a simulation. We created a multi-segmented muscle model for evaluating the critical behavior of M. biceps femoris during a one-legged stopping maneuver. We analyzed muscle function, movement of the knee angle after initial ground contact, the simulated muscle force and the stop torques in the knee joint. The insertion geometry has an elementary effect on knee joint function and contributes to knee extension. The muscle activity plays a decisive role in elementary muscle function regarding the knee joint and in this regard the internal load of the M. biceps femoris increased without showing any visible effects on the kinematics. The anthropometry and function of this muscle needs to be taken into account to assess its effects on injury risk.
MULTI-OBJECTIVE OPTIMIZATION FOR SURGICAL DRILLING OF HUMAN FEMURS: A METHODOLOGY FOR BETTER PULL-OUT STRENGTH OF FIXATION USING TAGUCHI METHOD BASED ON MEMBERSHIP FUNCTION
Authors: PANDITHEVAN PONNUSAMY , PANDY NATARAJAN VINAYAGA MURUGA
Published: February 2020

Drilling through bone is one of the common cutting processes involved in many of the orthopedic surgeries. In bone drilling, spindle speed, feed rate, diameter of the drill bit, drill bit geometry and method of cooling are the important parameters to influence the in-situ temperature, drill thrust force and quality characteristics of the drilled hole. Because of the selection of inappropriate drilling parameters, uncontrolled large drilling forces, continuous increase in temperature and mechanical damage to the local host bone were observed. As these adverse effects lead to poor bone–implant contact and often a revision surgery, performing a surgical drilling with optimal parameters is essential to succeed in the surgical procedure. It was observed that in addition to the variations in apparent bone density, the orientation of osteons influences the drilling thrust force and temperature in bone drilling. Ten adult cadaveric human femurs from the age group of 32–65 years were considered and drilling experiments were conducted on proximal-diaphysis, mid-diaphysis and distal-diaphysis regions in the longitudinal, radial and circumferential directions. Bone drilling with different spindle speeds (500, 1000 and 1500[Formula: see text]rpm), feed rates (40, 60 and 80[Formula: see text]mm/min), and apparent density in the range of 0.98[Formula: see text]g/cm3 to 1.98[Formula: see text]g/cm3 was investigated in this work using a 3.20[Formula: see text]mm diameter surgical drill-bit. The generation of in-situ temperature as well as thrust force at each target location was measured using [Formula: see text]-type thermocouple and Kistler[Formula: see text] dynamometer, respectively. Taguchi method based on membership function was used to optimize the drilling process. Then the efficacy of the method in reducing the in-situ temperature and thrust force, and quality of the drilled hole in respect of anatomical region and drilling direction was investigated using pull-out strength of the bone screws. Results revealed that the optimal parameters obtained from the Taguchi method based on membership function could simultaneously minimize the temperature as well as thrust force in bone drilling. The proposed method can be adopted to minimize the temperature and thrust force, and choose the best location nearest to the defect site for strong implant fixation by using CT datasets of the patient as the only input.
On Fibonacci spinors
Authors: Eri̇şi̇r Tülay , Güngör Mehmet Ali̇
Published: February 2020

Spinors are used in physics quite extensively. Basically, the forms of use include Dirac four-spinors, Pauli three-spinors and quaternions. Quaternions in mathematics are essentially equivalent to Pauli spin matrices which can be generated by regarding a quaternion matrix as compound. The goal of this study is also the spinor structure lying in the basis of the quaternion algebra. In this paper, first, we have introduced spinors mathematically. Then, we have defined Fibonacci spinors using the Fibonacci quaternions. Later, we have established the structure of algebra for these spinors. Finally, we have proved some important formulas such as Binet and Cassini formulas which are given for some series of numbers in mathematics for Fibonacci spinors.
Influences of trace graphite on the morphology and capacitance of CoOOH/Co(OH)2 nanocomposites
Authors: Liu Shuxia , Tan Xiaoqi , Zhang Huaiping , Zhang Yaodong , Li Baobi , Zhang Jie , Luo Jujie
Published: February 2020

In this study, CoOOH/Co(OH)2 and CoOOH/Co(OH)2/graphite nanocomposites were obtained using a one-step microwave method. The morphologies of nanocomposites changed intensively by adding trace graphite, thereby affecting the electrochemical properties. The optimum capacitance of the electrode material can reach 402[Formula: see text]F[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] at 2[Formula: see text]A[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] and could be increased by 172% (692[Formula: see text]F[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] until 2200 cycles when the graphite content is 10[Formula: see text]mg. An excellent cycling stability of 86.2% capacitance retention of the highest value was attained after 10,000 cycles, which is higher than those of the CoOOH/Co(OH)2 electrode. The proposed provides a simple means to improve the electrochemical properties by changing the morphology of electrode material in supercapacitors.
New Algorithms of Feature Selection and Big Data Assignment for CBR System Integrated by Bayesian Network
Authors: Guo Yuan , Sun Yu , Wu Kai , Jiang Kerong
Published: February 2020

Under big data, the integrated system of case-based reasoning and Bayesian network has exhibited great advantage in implementing the intelligence of engineering application in many domains. To further improve the performance of the hybrid system, this article proposes Probability Change Measurement of Solution Parameters (PCMSP)–Half-Division-Cross (HDC) method, which includes two algorithms, namely PCMSP and HDC algorithm. PCMSP algorithm can select principal problem features according to their effects upon all solution features measured by calculating the weighted relative probability (RP) change of all solution features caused by each problem feature. PCMSP algorithm can perfectly work under big data no matter how complex the data types are and how huge the data size is. HDC algorithm is used to assign the computation task of big data to enhance the efficiency of the integrated system. HDC algorithm assigns big data by grouping all the problem parameters into many small sub-groups and then distributing the data which covers the same sub-group of problem parameters to a slave node. HDC algorithm can guarantee enough efficiency of the integrated system under big data no matter how large the number of problem parameters is. Finally, lots of experiments are executed to validate the proposed method.
Trace Metal Substitution in Marine Phytoplankton
Authors: Morel François M.M. , Lam Phoebe J. , Saito Mak A.
Published: February 2020

The sinking of organic matter to the deep ocean leaves extremely low concentrations of major and trace nutrients for photosynthetic organisms at the sunlit surface. As a result, marine phytoplankton make use of alternative sources of essential elements and have evolved to substitute some elements by others in various biochemical processes. A particularly intriguing example is that of Zn, which is used in many biochemical functions but is often depleted down to picomolar concentrations in surface seawater. Laboratory data show that many phytoplankton species are able to achieve high growth rates by replacing Zn with Cd or Co in cultures. One documented biochemical replacement occurs in some carbonic anhydrases that are used in the acquisition of inorganic carbon for photosynthesis. Field data show the existence of such enzymes in surface seawater and indicate a replacement of Zn by Cd and Co in the surface waters of the eastern tropical South Pacific. Those results point at interesting opportunities for future research. ▪  The dearth of essential elements in surface seawater has caused marine phytoplankton to substitute some trace metals by others in various biochemical processes. ▪  Many species can substitute Cd and/or Co for Zn as a metal center in carbonic anhydrase enzymes that are used in the acquisition of inorganic carbon for photosynthesis. ▪  Field data show the presence of such enzymes in the sea and indicate a replacement of Zn by Cd and Co in the surface upwelling waters of the eastern tropical South Pacific. ▪  New analytical and molecular tools provide opportunities to elucidate the unusual biochemistry of marine phytoplankton.
Typhoon Maria Precipitation Retrieval and Evolution Based on the Infrared Brightness Temperature of the Feng-Yun 4A/Advanced Geosynchronous Radiation Imager
Authors: Wang Gen , Wang Kefu , Han Wei , Wang Dongyong , Qiu Xuexing
Published: February 2020

Recognizing the importance and challenges inherent in the remote sensing of precipitation in typhoon monitoring, a study of the Advanced Geosynchronous Radiation Imager (AGRI) data from Feng-Yun 4A on typhoon precipitation was conducted. First, Typhoon Maria was selected to statistically analyze the AGRI infrared brightness temperature in the “precipitation” and “nonprecipitation” channels of the field of view. When there was precipitation, the brightness temperature of the AGRI channel changed significantly. Second, the shrunken locally linear embedding algorithm (SLLE) was adopted to carry out the retrieval of precipitation based on the brightness temperatures of AGRI infrared channels 8–14. The contribution rate of the brightness temperature at different channels to the objective function of precipitation retrieval model was obtained by the Bayesian model averaging (BMA). Based on the preliminary experimental “quantification” evaluation index, we concluded that the method adopted in this paper can be used to retrieve precipitation in infrared data and to retrieve the spiral cloud rain bands of a typhoon. Finally, based on the AGRI channel brightness temperature of a 10.8-micron window channel, we applied the membership degree information of a typhoon’s dominant cloud system from the fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering method to modify precipitation retrieval results. The results were used to obtain the main morphological structure of typhoon precipitation. By further analyzing the temporal variation of dominant cloud system development using the FCM method, we concluded that the brightness temperature gradient can assist in the analysis of the variation of a typhoon’s intensity. This method can be applied to the continuous retrieval of large-scale precipitation. Precipitation retrieval via the AGRI can yield indicators for typhoon precipitation warnings and forecasts, thus providing a reliable reference tool for disaster prevention and mitigation.
Interleukin-22 Polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum-Infected Malaria Patients
Authors: Aljarba Nada H. , Al-Anazi Mashael R. , Shafeai Mohammed I. , Rudiny Fuad H. , Bin Dajem Saad M. , Alothaid Hani , Darraj Majid , Alkahtani Saad , Alghamdi Jahad , Al-Ahdal Mohammed N. , Al-Qahtani Ahmed A.
Published: February 2020

Background and Objectives. Malaria infection, caused by Plasmodium falciparum, is the most lethal and frequently culminates in severe clinical complications. Interleukin-22 (IL-22) has been implicated in several diseases including malaria. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of IL-22 gene polymorphisms in P. falciparum infection. Material and Methods. Ten single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs976748, rs1179246, rs2046068, rs1182844, rs2227508, rs2227513, rs2227478, rs2227481, rs2227491, and rs2227483, of IL-22 gene were genotyped through PCR-based assays of 250 P. falciparum-infected patients and 200 healthy controls. In addition, a luciferase reporter assay was done to assess the role of the rs2227513 SNP in IL-22 gene promoter activity. Results. We found that the rs2227481 TT genotype (odds ratio 0.254, confidence interval = 0.097-0.663, P=0.002) and the T allele is associated with protection against P. falciparum malaria as well as the rs2227483 AT genotype (odds ratio 0.375, confidence interval = 0.187-0.754, P=0.004). The haplotype A-T-T of rs1179246, rs1182844, and rs976748 was statistically more frequent in the control group (frequency 41%, P=0.034) as well as the haplotype A-G of rs2046068 and rs2227491 (frequency 49.4%, P=0.041). The variant rs2227513 G allele had a statistically higher activity (P<0.0001) with the luciferase reporter assay. Conclusion. The study suggests that IL-22 polymorphisms in rs2227481 and rs2227483 could contribute to protection against P. falciparum malaria. Also, the G allele of rs2227513, located in the promoter region of IL-22 gene, could be essential for higher expression levels of IL-22 cytokine.
Study on Explosion‐Resistance of Biomimetic Layered Honeycomb Structure
Authors: Li Ji , Shi Shaoqing , Luo Weiming , Wang Qifan
Published: February 2020

A new type of explosion‐resistant biomimetic layered honeycomb structure was designed based on the natural mechanism and biological inspiration, which was mainly composed of a sacrificial layer and a bearing layer. The shock tube device was adopted to analyze the dynamic response of the biomimetic layered honeycomb structure under the action of explosion load in order to obtain the deformation modality, deflection data, and strain time‐history curve of the structure. It turns out that the maximum deformation deflection of the back panel of the structure is only 28 mm. Compared with the structure of single‐layer honeycomb, the independent sacrificial layer, and bearing layer, the biomimetic layered honeycomb structure has good explosion‐resistant performance and can repeatedly bear multiple explosion loads. Besides, equivalent homogenization theory was employed to carry out numerical simulation. The results show that the numerical simulation results are perfectly in line with the results of experiments, and the numerical simulation method is proven to be feasible and effective. Under the action of explosion load, the biomimetic layered honeycomb structure absorbs energy mainly by sacrificial layers that are in layered and staggered arrangement. In addition, the sharp rangeability of the kinetic energy of bearing layer structure indicates that it has the feature of large mass, which can be used as the bearing part of the biomimetic layered honeycomb structure.
The Relationship between Prevention and Treatment of Colorectal Cancer and Cancerous Toxin Pathogenesis Theory Basing on Gut Microbiota
Authors: Sang Tianqing , Qiu Wenli , Li Wenting , Zhou Hongli , Chen Haibin , Zhou Hongguang
Published: February 2020

Gut microbiota is a diverse consortium of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses in the gut of all mammals. Gut microbiota remains in steady state under normal conditions. Changes in the internal and external environment may cause gut Microbiota to be out of tune. Malignant tumors are one of the major diseases currently endangering human health. CRC (colorectal cancer) has a significant upward trend in morbidity and mortality in many parts of the world. Technological advances have not yet brought about a breakthrough in the efficacy of CRC. The development of colon cancer is closely related to gut microbiota imbalance. According to more than 60 years of clinical practice, Professor Zhongying Zhou first proposed the pathogenesis theory of “cancerous toxin” in the 1990s and believed that cancerous toxin was a key pathogenesis of tumor development. Under the guidance of the theory of cancerous toxin, combined with clinical practice, Professor Zhou created an effective anticancer Chinese herbal compound, Jiedu Xiaoai Prescription. This paper summarizes recent hotspots related to gut microbiota and the occurrence, development, and prevention of colon cancer at home and abroad. The relationship between gut microbiota and cancerous toxin theory is proposed, and the feasibility of further studying the biological basis of cancerous toxin pathogenesis theory from the perspective of gut microbiota is pointed out.
Experimental Study on the Creep Behaviour of Cemented Sand and Gravel (CSG) and Temperature Stress Prediction of CSG Dam under Seasonal Temperature Change
Authors: Cai Xin , Jiang Minmin , Guo Xingwen , Chen Jiaojiao , Zhao Qian
Published: February 2020

Creep generally showed a great impact on the temperature stress of concrete structure. At present, little research has been done on the creep law of cemented sand and gravel (CSG), and the calculation of creep temperature stress mainly adopts a set of relevant parameters. In this context, experimental compressive creep tests were carried out on the specimens of large‐sized cylinders with different cementing agent contents; the creep temperature stress of CSG was also calculated. The results showed that the creep of CSG increased with the increase of cementing agent content, but the specific creep was not obvious. In addition, the creep model of CSG with high accuracy was also obtained, which could provide a basis for the numerical simulation of CSG dam. Furthermore, the results of numerical simulation showed that creep has a great influence on the stress of CSG dam, and the thermal stress energy was less than 37%. At the same time, it was necessary to determine whether temperature control should be considered according to different cementing agent content and external climate conditions, which cannot be generalized.
Multiagent Reinforcement Learning-Based Taxi Predispatching Model to Balance Taxi Supply and Demand
Authors: Yang Yongjian , Wang Xintao , Xu Yuanbo , Huang Qiuyang
Published: February 2020

With the improvement of people’s living standards, people’s demand of traveling by taxi is increasing, but the taxi service system is not perfect yet; taxi drivers usually rely on their operational experience or cruise randomly to find passengers. Without macroguidance, the role of the taxi system cannot be fully utilized. Many scholars have studied taxi behaviors to find better operational strategies for drivers, but their researches rely on local optimization methods to improve the profit of drivers, which will lead to imbalance between supply and demand in the city. To solve this problem, we propose a Multiagent Reinforcement Learning- (MARL-) based taxi predispatching model through analyzing the running data of 13,000 taxis. Different from other methods of scheduling taxis based on the real-time location of orders, our model first predicts the demand for taxis in different regions in the next period and then dispatches taxis in advance to meet the future requirement; thus, the number of taxis needed and available in different regions can be balanced. Besides, in order to reduce computational complexity, we propose several methods to reduce the state space and action space of reinforcement learning. Finally, we compare our method with another taxi dispatching method, and the results show that the proposed method has a significant improvement in vehicle utilization rate and passenger demand satisfaction rate.
The Differential Expression of Long Noncoding RNAs in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults
Authors: Pengyu Zhang , Yan Yan , Xiying Fu , Maoguang Yang , Mo Li , Yan Cheng , Hong Shen , Lijuan Wang , Xiujuan Zhang , Hanqing Cai
Published: February 2020

Background. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) were previously found to be closely related to the pathogenesis of diabetes. Objectives. To reveal the differentially expressed lncRNAs and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) involved in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) and predict the lncRNA target genes to derive their expression profiles for the diagnosis of T2DM and LADA and their differential diagnosis. Methods. Twelve venous blood samples were collected from T2DM patients, LADA patients, and nondiseased subjects to obtain total RNAs. After removing rRNA from total RNAs to establish the desired library for sequencing, quality control and quantification analyses were carried out. The fragments per kilobase of exon model per million reads mapped (FPKM) of lncRNAs were calculated to construct the gene expression profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs. Fold changes (fold change: 2.0) and p values (p value: 0.05, FPKM ≥ 0.1) were calculated, and then differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs were screened. To obtain the significantly coexpressed lncRNA-mRNA pairs, the lncRNA target genes were deduced according to the association between adjacent sites. Results. Compared to nondiseased controls, 68,763 versus 28,523 lncRNAs and 133 versus 1035 mRNAs were significantly upregulated and significantly downregulated, respectively, in T2DM patients. For LADA patients, 68,748 versus 28,538 lncRNAs and 219 versus 805 mRNAs were significantly upregulated and significantly downregulated, respectively, relative to nondiseased controls. Compared to T2DM patients, 74,207 versus 23,079 lncRNAs and 349 versus 137 mRNAs were significantly upregulated and significantly downregulated, respectively, in LADA patients. Based on the correlation analysis, seven lncRNA-mRNA pairs (BTG2, A2M, HECTD4, MBTPS1, DBH, FLVCR1, and NCBP2) were significantly coexpressed, and two lncRNAs (ENST00000608916 and ENST00000436373) were newly discovered. Conclusion. Significant differences in lncRNA expression were discovered among the three groups. Furthermore, after predicting lncRNA expression profiles, GO/KEGG pathway analysis could deduce the target gene function.
Vitamin K Concentration and Cognitive Status in Elderly Patients on Anticoagulant Therapy: A Pilot Study
Authors: Alisi Ludovico , Cafolla Clodomiro , Gentili Alessandra , Tartaglione Sara , Curini Roberta , Cafolla Arturo
Published: February 2020

Objectives. Recent studies have suggested that vitamin K may exert significant effects on the central nervous system. The present study investigates the relationship between vitamin K plasmatic levels and cognitive functions in elderly patients on oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT). Design. At the Thrombosis Centre of Haematology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 85 patients on OAT, aged between 75 and 92, were randomly enrolled in the study. Patients were on OAT with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). Vitamin K1 concentrations were determined using standardized High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Cognitive functions were assessed using the Milan Overall Dementia Assessment (MODA). Results. MODA scores are positively correlated to vitamin K1 concentration. Patients with vitamin K1 below 0.100 μg/L and between 0.100 and 0.400 μg/L showed a mean MODA score of 79 ± 5 and 82 ± 3, respectively. Patients with vitamin K1 above 0.400 μg/L had a significantly greater MODA score (89 ± 1). After binning the data into bicentiles, MODA scores are shown to be linearly dependent on vitamin K1 concentrations (p<0.001). Even long-term OAT (>10 years) does not affect MODA scores. Education seems to exert a greater role on the cognitive status in comparison with aging. Conclusions. The study shows a positive association between vitamin K1 concentration and cognitive status in elderly patients (≥75 years) on OAT. The relationship between vitamin K1 concentration and MODA scores is described by a linear model. Cognitive status is not influenced by the duration of OAT but by the years of education.
Sleeping Time, BMI, and Body Fat in Chinese Freshmen and Their Interrelation
Authors: Yang Yehong , Miao Qing , Zhu Xiaoming , Qin Lang , Gong Wei , Zhang Shuo , Zhang Qiongyue , Lu Bin , Ye Hongying , Li Yiming
Published: February 2020

Introduction: In the past two decades, urbanization in many Asian countries has led to sedentary lifestyle and overnutrition, which has set the stage for the epidemic of obesity. Those who have obesity during adolescence usually have obesity into adulthood, which causes many medical and psychological issues that can result in premature death. Recent data suggest that short sleep duration may contribute to the risk of obesity, opening a new avenue for potential intervention. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of sleeping time, body mass index (BMI), and fat mass in Chinese freshmen and to indicate the relationship among them. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study consisting of 1,938 freshmen aged from 18 to 24 years, including 684 (35.3%) men and 1,254 (64.7%) women. BMI, sleeping time, and other potential related variables were collected by questionnaire. Obesity and overweight were defined as BMI ≥28.0 and ≥24.0, respectively. All students were divided into three groups according to the tertiles of body fat percentage (Fat%), which were measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Sleeping time was divided into 3 categories based on the duration, <6, 6–8, and >8 h per day. Results: Participants who slept longer had lower BMI and Fat%. Sex, diet control, and maternal obesity were all significantly associated with BMI or Fat% after adjustment. There were significant differences between sleeping time <6 and >8 h in both overweight group and Fat% tertiles independent of adjustment used. The significant difference between sleeping time 6–8 and >8 h only existed in overweight group, while irrelevant relation was observed in both models of obesity group. Conclusion: Longer sleeping time was associated with a lower BMI in Chinese freshmen, even after adjustment for multiple confounders. The overweight stage is a critical period of weight management intervention by changing sleeping time. If adolescents have entered the obesity stage, the effect size of lifestyle intervention might be significantly limited.
Elevated Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin for the Assessment of Structural versus Functional Renal Damage among ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients
Authors: Rozenfeld Keren-Lee , Zahler David , Shtark Moshe , Goldiner Ilana , Keren Gad , Banai Shmuel , Shacham Yacov
Published: February 2020

Background: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is an early marker of renal tubular damage. We investigated the incidence and possible implications of elevated NGAL levels (suggesting renal damage) compared to both functional and damage markers (manifested as serum creatinine [sCr] elevation) and no NGAL/sCr change, among ­ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: We included 131 patients with STEMI treated with PCI. Blood samples for plasma NGAL were drawn 24 h following PCI. We used the terms NGAL(–) or NGAL(+) with levels ≥100 ng/mL suggesting renal tubular damage and the terms. sCr(–) or sCr(+) to consensus diagnostic increases in sCr defining acute kidney injury. Patients were also assessed for in hospital-adverse outcomes. Results: Of the study patients, 56 (42%) were NGAL(–)/sCr(–), 58 (44%) NGAL(+)/sCr(–), and 18 (14%) were both NGAL(+)/sCr(+). According to the 3 study groups, there was a stepwise increase in the proportion of left ventricular ejection fraction ≤45% (43 vs. 60. vs. 72%; p = 0.04), in-hospital adverse outcomes (9 vs. 14 vs. 56%; p < 0.001) and their combination. Specifically, more NGAL(+)/sCr(–) patients developed the composite endpoint when compared to NGAL(–)/sCr(–) patients (64 vs. 46%; OR 2.1, [95% CI 1.1–4.5], p = 0.05). A similar and consistent increase was observed in peak sCr, length of hospital stay, and C-reactive protein levels. Conclusions: Elevated NGAL levels suggesting renal tubular damage, increased inflammation, or both are common among STEMI patients and are associated with adverse outcomes even in the absence of diagnostic increase in sCr.