bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel approach to quantum gravity in the presence of matter without the problem of time
Authors: Pavšič Matej
Published: February 2020

An approach to the quantization of gravity in the presence of matter is examined which starts from the classical Einstein–Hilbert action and matter approximated by “point” particles minimally coupled to the metric. Upon quantization, the Hamilton constraint assumes the form of the Schrödinger equation: it contains the usual Wheeler–DeWitt term and the term with the time derivative of the wave function. In addition, the wave function also satisfies the Klein–Gordon equation, which arises as the quantum counterpart of the constraint among particles’ momenta. Comparison of the novel approach with the usual one in which matter is represented by scalar fields is performed, and shown that those approaches do not exclude, but complement each other. In final discussion it is pointed out that the classical matter could consist of superparticles or spinning particles, described by the commuting and anticommuting Grassmann coordinates, in which case spinor fields would occur after quantization.
Investigation on Mo-doped SnO2 for potential use in magnetoelectronic applications: The DFT framework
Authors: Ziat Younes , Hammi Maryama , Zarhri Zakaryaa , Laghlimi Charaf , Bouachraoui Rachid , El Rhazouani Omar , Cruz Argüello Julio Cesar
Published: February 2020

The goal of this paper is to study the effect of the small amount of molybdenum-doped [Formula: see text] on the magnetism behavior of that system. We utilized the density functional theory (DFT): DFT framework within MACHIKANEYAMA2002V09 package based on Coherent Potential Approximation (CPA). Inducing the magnetism in the diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS) with a low dopant concentration at adequate room-temperature is a challenge, so, we restricted the Mo impurity at 2%. In addition, the small amount of Mo-doped [Formula: see text] is found optimal in many studies related to other fields.

The ferromagnetic stability is observed in [Formula: see text] system, since the [Formula: see text] state of Mo element is found around the Fermi level and is 100% spin polarized, the half-metallic characteristic is useful in magnetoelectronic applications. Within the mean-field approximation (MFA) we predict the Curie temperature, as an obtained value, the [Formula: see text] K, consequently, the present system showed potential promise for real applications.
Computation of electroconductive gyrotactic bioconvection under nonuniform magnetic field: Simulation of smart bio-nanopolymer coatings for solar energy
Authors: Aneja Madhu , Sharma Sapna , Kuharat Sireetorn , Anwar Beg O.
Published: February 2020

The water-based bioconvection of a nanofluid containing motile gyrotactic micro-organisms (moves under the effects of gravity) over a nonlinear inclined stretching sheet in the presence of a nonuniform magnetic field has been investigated. This regime is encountered in the bio-nanomaterial electroconductive polymeric processing systems currently being considered for third-generation organic solar coatings, anti-fouling marine coatings, etc. Oberbeck–Boussinesq approximation along with ohmic dissipation (Joule heating) is considered in the problem. The governing equations of the flow are nonlinear partial differential equations and are converted into ordinary differential equations via similarity transformations. These equations are then solved by the Finite Element Method. The effect of various important parameters on nondimensional velocity, temperature distribution, nanoparticle concentration, the density of motile micro-organisms is analyzed graphically in detail. It is observed from the obtained results that the flow velocity decreases with rising angle of inclination [Formula: see text] while temperature, nanoparticle’s concentration and density of motile micro-organisms increase. The local skin friction coefficient, Nusselt number, Sherwood number, motile micro-organism’s density number are calculated. It is noticed that increasing the Brownian motion and thermophoresis parameter leads to an increase in temperature of fluid which results in a reduction in Nusselt number. On the contrary, the Sherwood number rises with an increase in Brownian motion and thermophoresis parameter. Also, interesting features of the flow dynamics are elaborated and new future pathways for extension of the study identified in bio-magneto-nano polymers (BMNPs) for solar coatings.
Mortal random walks on a family of treelike regular fractals with a deep trap
Authors: Wu Zikai , Xu Guangyao
Published: February 2020

Due to the ubiquitous occurrence of evanescence in many physical, chemical and biological scenarios, mortal random walks that incorporate evanescence explicitly have drawn more and more attention. It has been a hot topic to study mortal random walks on distinct network models. In this paper, we study mortal random walks on T fractal and a family of treelike regular fractals with a trap located at central node (i.e., innermost node). First, with self-similar setting composed of T fractal, initial position of the walker and location of trap, the total trapping probability of the mortal walker reduces to a function of walker’s single-step survival parameter [Formula: see text]. In more detail, the total trapping probability is expressed by the [Formula: see text]th iteration of map (scaling function) of [Formula: see text]. Based on the map, the analytical expression of total trapping probability’s dominant behavior, the mean time to trapping (MFPT) and temporal factor are obtained, which are related to random walk dimension. Last, we extend the analysis to a family of treelike regular fractals. On them, the total trapping probability is still expressed as the [Formula: see text]th iteration of the map scaling [Formula: see text]. Accordingly, dominant behavior of total trapping probability, MFPT and temporal factor are determined analytically. Both analytical results obtained on T fractal and more general treelike regular fractals show that the mean time to trapping and desired random walk dimension can be obtained by tuning the survival probability parameter [Formula: see text]. In summary, the work advances the understanding of mortal random walks on more general deterministic networks.
Disease named entity recognition using long–short dependencies
Authors: Derbel Houssemeddine , Chaibi Anja Habacha , Ben Ghezala Henda Hajjami
Published: February 2020

The automatic extraction of disease named entity is a challenging research problem that has attracted attention from the biomedical text mining community. Handcrafted feature methods were employed for this task given a little success since they are limited by the scope of the expert. Lately, deep learning-based methods have been employed to solve this issue. However, most architectures used for this task take into consideration long dependencies only. The proposed method is a two-stage deep neural network model. We start by discovering local dependencies and creating high-level features from word embedding inputs using a deep convolutional neural network. Then we identify long dependencies using a bi-directional recurrent neural network. To solve the problem of unbalanced dataset given by the BMEWO tagging schema and to enforce sequence modeling, we developed a new POS-based tagging schema that subdivides the dominant class into smaller more balanced units. The proposed system was trained and tested on NCBI and achieved an [Formula: see text]-score of 85.59 outperforming the current state-of-the-art methods. Our research results show the effectiveness of using both long and short dependencies. The results also illustrate the benefits of combining different word embedding techniques and the incorporation of morphological features in this task.
Emerging micro and nanotechnologies in neuroscience: Devices, fabrication methods, and implementation in monitoring of neural activity and drug delivery
Authors: Hasan Muhammad Noman , Radwan A. N. , Kim Myeongseop , Kucukal Erdem , Maji Debnath , Pashaei Vida , Chung Chen-Yuan , Kakkar Abhishek , Gurkan Umut A.
Published: February 2020

Neural activity that occur during motor movement, speech, thought, and various other events can be observed in the form of brainwaves composed of synchronized electrical pulses emitted from adjoining communicative neurons. Observations of these brainwaves have been made possible through neurodevices, which can detect changes in electrical and/or mechanical parameters. For decades, the field of neuroscience has been enriched by the utilization of neurotechnologies at the microscale, which has begun to gain further enhancement with the introduction of nanotechnology. For example, microelectrodes were initially used for only extracellular measurements, but over the past decade, developments have been made to also record intracellular signals. Likewise, nanoknives, which gained popularity due to their versatility, can now be used for both fabricating bio-Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) and also as a neurosurgery tool. Thus, considerable efforts have been made over the years to make micro- and nanosystems reliable, accurate, and sensitive to neural activity. In the late 20th century, several sophisticated technologies, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring have been integrated with MEMS. Furthermore, existing biotechnologies are being miniaturized at both the system and component level. For example, there is a remarkable interest in the field of neuroscience to utilize microfluidic technology as a diagnostic tool using specimens such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Microfluidic devices are also employed as biocompatible drug delivery systems to target cells, tissues, and organs. This paper summarizes the recent developments in micro- and nano-scale neurotechnologies, including devices, fabrication processes, detection methods, their implementation challenges, in neural stimulation, monitoring, and drug delivery.

This review discusses recent developments in micro and nanotechnologies, fabrication methods, and their implementation in neuroimaging, neurostimulation, monitoring of neural activities, and neural drug delivery.
Interpretation of buried basement in the southwestern Athabasca Basin, Canada, from integrated geophysical and geological datasets
Authors: Tschirhart Victoria , Pehrsson Sally , Card Colin , Potter Eric G. , Powell Jeremy , Pană Dinu
Published: February 2020

Recent discoveries of basement-hosted uranium deposits in the Patterson Lake corridor in the southwestern Athabasca Basin of Canada have brought vigorous exploration interest to the region. New lithostratigraphic constraints, geochronology and airborne geophysical surveys have dramatically improved the understanding of the host basement geology, warranting a re-examination of the remote predictive mapping and geophysical responses of the buried basement rocks. This study took a two-step approach to examine the regional basement geology and architecture. First, a mosaic of the long-wavelength response of potential field (gravity and magnetic) datasets was examined to divide the basement into regional domains based on bulk physical property variations. The interpretive geological model was then refined using textural and lineament analysis of new airborne gravity and magnetic datasets, geological drill hole logs and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The new basement map identifies and updates major features including a crustal-scale structure that separates the southern Tantato Domain from the newly defined eastern Taltson Domain. This structure may have played a role in localizing fluid flow in the Patterson Lake corridor, defining the spatial extents of structurally controlled buried felsic intrusions, and redefines the boundaries of the Taltson, Clearwater and Tantato Domains. In addition, the potential field enhancements delineated significant regional faults that controlled the geometry of Paleoproterozoic cover sequences and have implications for understanding the crustal architecture of the southern Rae Province. These new interpretations shed light on the tectonic history of the region to support on-going exploration activities and delineate regionally prospective areas in this understudied area of the Canadian Shield.

Thematic collection:
This article is part of the Uranium Fluid Pathways collection available at:
https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/uranium-fluid-pathways
Pivot tracing
Authors: Mace Jonathan , Roelke Ryan , Fonseca Rodrigo
Published: February 2020

Monitoring and troubleshooting distributed systems are notoriously difficult; potential problems are complex, varied, and unpredictable. The monitoring and diagnosis tools commonly used today---logs, counters, and metrics---have two important limitations: what gets recorded is defined a priori, and the information is recorded in a component- or machine-centric way, making it extremely hard to correlate events that cross these boundaries. This paper presents Pivot Tracing, a monitoring framework for distributed systems that addresses both limitations by combining dynamic instrumentation with a novel relational operator: the happened-before join. Pivot Tracing gives users, at runtime, the ability to define arbitrary metrics at one point of the system, while being able to select, filter, and group by events meaningful at other parts of the system, even when crossing component or machine boundaries. Pivot Tracing does not correlate cross-component events using expensive global aggregations, nor does it perform offline analysis. Instead, Pivot Tracing directly correlates events as they happen by piggybacking metadata alongside requests as they execute. This gives Pivot Tracing low runtime overhead---less than 1% for many cross-component monitoring queries.
Light Microscopy of Mitochondria at the Nanoscale
Authors: Jakobs Stefan , Stephan Till , Ilgen Peter , Brüser Christian
Published: February 2020

Mitochondria are essential for eukaryotic life. These double-membrane organelles often form highly dynamic tubular networks interacting with many cellular structures. Their highly convoluted contiguous inner membrane compartmentalizes the organelle, which is crucial for mitochondrial function. Since the diameter of the mitochondrial tubules is generally close to the diffraction limit of light microscopy, it is often challenging, if not impossible, to visualize submitochondrial structures or protein distributions using conventional light microscopy. This renders super-resolution microscopy particularly valuable, and attractive, for studying mitochondria. Super-resolution microscopy encompasses a diverse set of approaches that extend resolution, as well as nanoscopy techniques that can even overcome the diffraction limit. In this review, we provide an overview of recent studies using super-resolution microscopy to investigate mitochondria, discuss the strengths and opportunities of the various methods in addressing specific questions in mitochondrial biology, and highlight potential future developments.
Resilience to Online Censorship
Authors: Roberts Margaret E.
Published: February 2020

To what extent are Internet users resilient to online censorship? When does censorship influence consumption of information and when does it create backlash? Drawing on a growing literature on Internet users’ reactions to censorship, I posit that awareness of censorship, incentives to seek out information, and resources to circumvent censorship are essential to resilience to censorship. I describe how authoritarian regimes have adapted their strategies of censorship to reduce both awareness of censorship and demand for uncensored information.
Editors’ Choice—Critical Review—A Critical Review of Solid State Gas Sensors
Authors: Hunter Gary W. , Akbar Sheikh , Bhansali Shekhar , Daniele Michael , Erb Patrick D. , Johnson Kevin , Liu Chung-Chiun , Miller Derek , Oralkan Omer , Hesketh Peter J. , Manickam Pandiaraj , Vander Wal Randy L.
Published: February 2020

Solid state gas sensors are a core enabling technology to a range of measurement applications including industrial, safety, and environmental monitoring. The technology associated with solid-state gas sensors has evolved in recent years with advances in materials, and improvements in processing and miniaturization. In this review, we examine the state-of-the-art of solid state gas sensors with the goal of understanding the core technology and approaches, various sensor design methods to provide targeted functionality, and future prospects in the field. The structure, detection mechanism, and sensing properties of several types of solid state gas sensors will be discussed. In particular, electrochemical cells (solid and liquid), impedance/resistance based sensors (metal oxide, polymer, and carbon based structures), and mechanical sensing structures (resonators, cantilevers, and acoustic wave devices) as well as sensor arrays and supporting technologies, are described. Development areas for this field includes increased control of material properties for improved sensor response and durability, increased integration and miniaturization, and new material systems, including nano-materials and nano-structures, to address shortcomings of existing solid state gas sensors.
SEI Composition on Hard Carbon in Na-Ion Batteries After Long Cycling: Influence of Salts (NaPF6, NaTFSI) and Additives (FEC, DMCF)
Authors: Fondard J. , Irisarri E. , Courrèges C. , Palacin M. R. , Ponrouch A. , Dedryvère R.
Published: February 2020

A study of the Solid Electrolyte Interphase (SEI) on hard-carbon (HC) electrodes in sodium half-cells is presented. Electrochemical performances over > 100 cycles were compared with two different salts (NaPF6, NaTFSI) and two different electrolyte additives (FEC, DMCF) in a mixture of EC and DMC solvents. The best electrochemical performances were observed with NaPF6 salt in conjunction with 3% FEC. The DMCF additive had a detrimental effect in all electrolyte combinations. The chemical characterization of the SEI was carried out by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and showed that the best electrochemical behavior was related to an SEI composition based on sodium ethylene dicarbonate and NaF, whereas poorer electrochemical performances were associated to either low NaF or high Na2CO3 content. The results reported herein provide an insight on the SEI chemistry on hard carbon electrodes in sodium cells after long-term cycling, as a complement to previous studies dealing with the first cycles.
Laxative Effects of Yangyin Tongmi Capsule on a Model of Diphenoxylate‐Induced Constipation in Mice
Authors: Liu Shan , Sui Dayun , Fu Wenwen , Yu Xiaofeng , Li Yuangeng , Wu Xueji , Hou Yiping , Guo Minyu , Xu Huali
Published: February 2020

Constipation is characterized by reduced number of bowel movements, dry stools, and difficult defecation. Yangyin Tongmi capsule (YTC), a traditional Chinese formula, is used in the treatment of constipation, while the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Herein, this work attempted to prove the effects of YTC on constipation treatment and its possible mechanisms. KM mice were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10/group) and treated with double distilled water (Control), diphenoxylate (Model: 10 mg/kg), or diphenoxylate plus low‐dose YTC (L‐YTC: 0.6 g/kg) or high‐dose YTC (H‐YTC: 1.2 g/kg). The data indicated that YTC can significantly shorten the discharge time of the first black stool, improve intestinal propulsion rate, and increase the water content and quantity of feces in mice. ELISA suggested that YTC regulate the content of intestinal hormones and neurotransmitters, such as motilin (MTL), gastrin (GT), somatostatin (SST), substance P (SP), acetylcholine (Ach), and nitric oxide (NO). The expression levels of aquaporin 3 (AQP3) and aquaporin 8 (AQP8) in the colon were examined by immunohistochemistry. In the meantime, the expression levels of P2X2, C‐kit, and stem cell factor (SCF) in the colon were examined by western blot analysis. The results of this study suggest that YTC has mitigative effects on diphenoxylate‐induced constipation by regulating the content of intestinal hormones and neurotransmitters and regulating the expression of related proteins in the colon.
Modelling Ambient Vibration Responses Induced by Operation of Metro Train on Curved Rail Segment with Small Curvature Radius
Authors: Pan Bo , Zhang Wei , Zheng Shuai , Zhou Ming-liang , Zhao Chun-fa , Spencer Billie F.
Published: February 2020

The torsional effect of the tracks on curved segment intensifies the ambient vibration response induced by Metro operation. This paper studies the ambient vibration responses induced by the operation of the Metro train on curved rail segments. By taking the curved segment of Hangzhou Metro Line 1 of China as an example, the wheel-rail model employing the multibody dynamics is demonstrated; the dynamic wheel-rail force of a B-type vehicle passing through a 350 m radius curved segment is also calculated. A finite element method model of the track-tunnel-soil-building is developed and verified by comparing the measured results with the simulated ones. Then, we analyzed the ambient vibration responses induced by the Metro operation. The results show that the horizontal vibration induced by the Metro train, on curved segments, cannot be ignored. When propagating on the ground, the variation trend of the horizontal vibration acceleration is greater than that of the vertical vibration. The horizontal vibration attenuates faster than the vertical vibration. The secondary vibration along the horizontal direction yields a significant amplifying effect upon the building. The vibration level increases with the height of the building, along the horizontal direction, but the vertical vibration level changes negligibly. The insight exhibits the influence level of the horizontal action of the Metro train wheels to the tracks, which can be referred by the practitioners for the planning and operation.
The GPR120 Agonist TUG‐891 Inhibits the Motility and Phagocytosis of Mouse Alveolar Macrophages
Authors: Su Xing-Li , Liu Ying-Guang , Shi Man , Zhao Yan-Yan , Liang Xiang-Yan , Zhang Li-Jun , Wei Lan-Lan , Zhao Yu-Feng
Published: February 2020

Movement and phagocytosis characterize the fundamental actions of macrophages. Although it is known that the free fatty acid receptor GPR120 is expressed in macrophages and regulates cytokine expression to exert anti‐inflammatory activities, the effects of GPR120 activation on the motility and phagocytosis of macrophages are not clear. In this study, mouse alveolar macrophages (AM) were stimulated with the GPR120 agonist TUG‐891, and the changes in cell motility, intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), and the ability of phagocytosis were measured. Mouse AM in controls exhibited active movement in vitro, and TUG‐891 significantly restrained AM movement. Meanwhile, TUG‐891 stimulated a quick increase in [Ca2+]i in AM, which was blocked separately by the Gq protein inhibitor YM‐254890, the phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor U73122, or depletion of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ store by thapsigargin. The inhibition of AM movement by TUG‐891 was eliminated by YM‐254890, U73122, thapsigargin, and chelation of cytosolic Ca2+ by BAPTA. Moreover, TUG‐891 inhibited AM phagocytosis of fluorescent microspheres, which was also blocked by YM‐254890, U73122, thapsigargin, and BAPTA. In conclusion, GPR120 activation in mouse AM increases [Ca2+]i but inhibits the motility and phagocytosis via Gq protein/PLC‐mediated Ca2+ release from ER Ca2+ store.
Modified Crossed-Wire Antennas Radiating a Circularly Polarized Conical Beam
Authors: Hirose Kazuhide , Hata Kazuhiko , Nakano Hisamatsu
Published: February 2020

Two types of modified crossed-wire antennas are investigated to enhance a circularly polarized (CP) wave bandwidth. The wire length of each antenna is increased twice as long as that of the original antenna. First, a bent-type antenna is analyzed using the method of moments. It is found that the CP wave bandwidth for a 3 dB axial ratio criterion is twice as wide as that of the original antenna. Next, a spiral-type antenna is analyzed. It is revealed that the antenna shows a CP wave bandwidth of 28%, which is wider than that of the original antenna by a factor of 3.5. The analysis results are validated by experimental work.
Clonorchiasis in Patients with Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases: Diagnosis and Risk Factors
Authors: Liao Guolin , Ruan Huaqiang , Peng Peng , Liu Shiquan , Qin Jianfu , Liang Zhihai , Tang Guodu , Qin Mengbin , Huang Jie’an
Published: February 2020

Background. Many epidemiological studies have investigated the risk factors for clonorchiasis, but endoscopic findings of this disease in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) have not been well characterized. In this study, we evaluated clonorchiasis in ERCP in patients with biliary and pancreatic diseases. Methods. This was a retrospective two‐center study in hospitalized patients who received ERCP between January 2012 and October 2018. All patients were divided into clonorchiasis and nonclonorchiasis groups. Data were analyzed using univariate analysis and multivariate analyses. Results. A total of 1119 patients were included, and clonorchiasis was diagnosed in 19.2% patients. Detection of Clonorchis sinensis eggs in bile samples was higher than that in fecal samples (85.9% vs. 58.7%; P = 0.001). In multivariate analysis, male patients (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.945–4.249, P = 0.0001), age ≤ 60 years old (95% CI: 1.212–2.474, P = 0.003), patients with papilla fistula (95% CI: 0.081–0.900, P = 0.033), and patients with a common bile duct (CBD) diameter < 12 mm (95% CI: 1.093–2.130, P = 0.013) were associated with clonorchiasis incidence. Nonclonorchiasis endoscopic diagnosis did not significantly correlate with clonorchiasis incidence (P > 0.05). Conclusions. The detection of C. sinensis eggs was significantly higher in bile than in fecal samples; thus, bile samples represent a preferable sample for the diagnosis of clonorchiasis in patients with biliary obstruction. We found that male, age ≤ 60 years old, and CBD diameter < 12 mm were independent risk factors for clonorchiasis, while papilla fistula was a protective factor.
PCA-Aided Linear Precoding in Massive MIMO Systems with Imperfect CSI
Authors: Dinh Van-Khoi , Le Minh-Tuan , Ngo Vu-Duc , Ta Chi-Hieu
Published: February 2020

In this paper, a low-complexity linear precoding algorithm based on the principal component analysis technique in combination with the conventional linear precoders, called Principal Component Analysis Linear Precoder (PCA-LP), is proposed for massive MIMO systems. The proposed precoder consists of two components: the first one minimizes the interferences among neighboring users and the second one improves the system performance by utilizing the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) technique. Numerical and simulation results show that the proposed precoder has remarkably lower computational complexity than its low-complexity lattice reduction-aided regularized block diagonalization using zero forcing precoding (LC-RBD-LR-ZF) and lower computational complexity than the PCA-aided Minimum Mean Square Error combination with Block Diagonalization (PCA-MMSE-BD) counterparts while its bit error rate (BER) performance is comparable to those of the LC-RBD-LR-ZF and PCA-MMSE-BD ones.
Korean Traditional Medicine in Treating Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Multicenter Prospective Observational Case Series
Authors: Choi Yujin , Kim Young-Eun , Jerng Ui Min , Kim Hwan , Lee Sung Ik , Kim Ga-Na , Cho Seung-Hun , Kang Hyung Won , Jung In Chul , Han Kyungsun , Lee Jun-Hwan
Published: February 2020

In Korea, patients with mild cognitive impairment can choose to receive treatment of Korean medicine, and Korean medicine hospitals provide specialized medical care for the prevention and management of cognitive disorders. The aim of the study is to explore the role of Korean medicine therapy for patients with mild cognitive impairment in a real clinical setting. Fifteen patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment were enrolled in this prospective observational study in three Korean medicine hospitals. Korean medicine treatments were delivered by experienced professionals and not restricted to standardized treatment. Outcome measures were prospectively planned to examine the Korean‐Montreal Cognitive Assessment (K‐MoCA), Korean‐Mini Mental State Examination (K‐MMSE), and other detailed neuropsychological assessment at the baseline and after 12 and 24 weeks of treatment. Korean medicine treatment for MCI treatment in the real‐world clinical setting included herbal medicine and acupuncture. The most frequently used herbs in herbal decoctions were Acori Graminei Rhizoma, Polygalae Radix, and Poria Sclerotium Cum Pini Radix. The herbal medicine formulae used in this study were classified into three categories: tonifying Qi (33.3%), tonifying kidney (46.7%), and calming liver (20%) formulae. In the cognitive ability assessment, the K‐MoCA score significantly improved after treatment (mean difference 2.6; 95% CI: 1.3 to 3.9, p = 0.001). The K‐MMSE score slightly increased after treatment; however, the improvement was not statistically significant (mean difference 0.8; 95% CI: −0.5 to 2.0, p = 0.195). In detailed neuropsychological assessment, the cognitive domains of executive functions and memory after the treatment were distinctively improved. In this prospective observational case series, we could see the real clinical environments of treating patients with mild cognitive impairment in Korean medicine hospitals. Patients treated with Korean medicine showed improved results in the neuropsychological assessment after 12 and 24 weeks.
Development of a Pulsed Xenon Ultraviolet Disinfection Device for Real-Time Air Disinfection in Ambulances
Authors: Song Li , Li Wei , He Jian’an , Li Lang , Li Tao , Gu Dayong , Tang Huanwen
Published: February 2020

Objectives. We have developed a pulsed xenon ultraviolet light-based real-time air disinfection system with rapid and effective disinfection by using high-intensity pulse germicidal UV. Disinfection of the ambulance’s environment is critical in the prevention of infectious cross contamination. Methods. In this study, a pulsed xenon ultraviolet light-based air disinfection system was established for real-time air disinfection in ambulances. In this system, a pulsed xenon ultraviolet (PX-UV) was used to generate broad-spectrum (200–320 nm), high-intensity ultraviolet light to deactivate and kill bacteria and viruses. The results showed that the use of PX-UV could be effective in reducing E. coli, Staphylococcus albus, and environmental pathogens level in ambulances (≥90% reduction in 30 mins). Results. This device was relatively simple and easy to use and does not leave chemical residues or risk exposing patients and workers to toxic chemicals. Conclusions. This appears to be a practical alternative technology to achieve automated air disinfection in ambulances.
Functional MRI Investigation of Ultrasound Stimulation at ST 36
Authors: Wei Yarui , Mei Ling , Long Xiaojing , Wang Xiaoxiao , Diao Yanjun , Nguchu Benedictor A. , Hu Sheng , Wang Yanming , Yu Haibo , Qiu Bensheng
Published: February 2020

Background. Clinical and experimental data suggest that ultrasound stimulation (US) at acupoints can produce similar effective treatment compared to manual acupuncture (MA). Although the brain activation to MA at acupoints is investigated by numerous studies, the brain activation to US at acupoints remains unclear. Methods. In the present work, we employed task state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to explore the human brain’s activation to US and MA at ST 36 (Zusanli) which is one of the most commonly used acupoints in acupuncture‐related studies. 16 healthy subjects underwent US and MA procedures in an interval of more than one week. On‐off block design stimulation was used for the recording of fMRI‐related brain patterns. Results. Both US and MA at ST 36 produced activations in somatosensory and limbic/paralimbic regions (postcentral gyrus, insula, middle prefrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex). Only US at ST 36 produced a significant signal increase in the inferior parietal lobule and decrease in the posterior cingulate cortex, whereas MA at ST 36 produced a significant signal increase in the lentiform nucleus and cerebellum. Conclusions. Our results indicate that US may be a possible noninvasive alternative method to MA due to its similar activation patterns.
The Effects of Yuan‐Zhi Decoction and Its Active Ingredients in Both In Vivo and In Vitro Models of Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion by Regulating the Levels of Aβ and Autophagy
Authors: Liu Yan , Huang Xiaobo , Chen Wenqiang , Chen Yujing , Wang Ningqun , Wu Xiling
Published: February 2020

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) is closely related to the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in the elderly. CCH can induce overactivation of autophagy, which increases the deposition of amyloid‐β (Aβ) plaques in the brain, eventually impairing the cognitive function. Yuan‐Zhi decoction (YZD) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulation that is used to treat cognitive dysfunction in the elderly, but the specific mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we simulated CCH in a rat model through bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) and treated the animals with YZD. Standard neurological tests indicated that YZD significantly restored the impaired cognitive function after BCCAO in a dose‐dependent manner. Furthermore, YZD also decreased the levels of Aβ aggregates and the autophagy‐related proteins ATG5 and ATG12 in their hippocampus. An in vitro model of CCH was also established by exposing primary rat hippocampal neurons to hypoxia and hypoglycemia (H‐H). YZD and its active ingredients increased the survival of these neurons and decreased the levels of Aβ1‐40 and Aβ1‐42, autophagy‐related proteins Beclin‐1 and LC3‐II, and the APP secretases BACE1 and PS‐1. Finally, both Aβ aggregates showed a positive statistical correlation with the expression levels of the above proteins. Taken together, YZD targets Aβ, autophagy, and APP‐related secretases to protect the neurons from hypoxic‐ischemic injury and restore cognitive function.
Pedicle Morphometry Variations in Individuals with Degenerative Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Authors: Abbas Janan , Peled Natan , Hershkovitz Israel , Hamoud Kamal
Published: February 2020

The aim of this study was to compare pedicle dimensions in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS) with those in the general population. A retrospective computerized tomography (CT) study for lumbar vertebrae (L1 to L5) from two sample populations was used. The first included 165 participants with symptomatic DLSS (age range: 40‐88 years, sex ratio: 80 M/85 F), and the second had 180 individuals from the general population (age range: 40‐99 years, sex ratio: 90 M/90 F). Both males and females in the stenosis group manifested significantly greater pedicle width than the control group at all lumbar levels (P < 0.05). In addition, pedicle heights for stenosis females were remarkably smaller on L4 and L5 levels compared to their counterparts in the control group (P < 0.001). Males have larger pedicles than females for all lumbar levels (P < 0.001). Age and BMI did not demonstrate significant association with pedicle dimensions. Our outcomes indicate that individuals with DLSS have larger pedicle widths than the control group. More so, pedicle dimensions are gender‐dependent but independent of age and BMI.
Hemorrhagic Stroke in Relapsing Polychondritis: A Rare Complication of a Rare Disease
Authors: Chaucer Benjamin , Demanes Augustus , Stone Abriella , Kakollu Venkat
Published: February 2020

Background. Relapsing Polychondritis is a rare rheumatologic condition with multisystem involvement. Common presenting symptoms are auricular and nasal chondritis. Common complications include hearing loss and cardiac involvement. An extremely rare complication is neurological involvement.Case report. We present a case of relapsing polychondritis resulting in stroke and discuss the current literature on this condition.Conclusion. To our knowledge, only 6 previous documented cases of stroke secondary to relapsing polychondritis exist in the current literature. This case represents a rare but important complication of relapsing polychondritis.
A New Simple Epidemic Discrete-Time Model Describing the Dissemination of Information with Optimal Control Strategy
Authors: Boutayeb Hamza , Bidah Sara , Zakary Omar , Rachik Mostafa
Published: February 2020

In this paper, we consider a new discrete-time model that describes the spread of information by sharing in some kind of online environments such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter. The impact of sharing on the information amount is investigated, which is incorporated in the considered model as a supplement compartment. We consider the possible interactions between individuals and information on the Internet, such as posts, images, and videos. The theory of control is used to show the effectiveness of our optimal control strategy in reducing the information amount and sharers and then decreases the dissemination of false information that can lead to annoying situations and unstable state in the society. Numerical simulations are performed to investigate several scenarios before and after the use of our strategy of control. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis of the information amount on parameters is simulated and discussed.
Evaluating the Resistance Performance of the VAEPC and the PAFRC Composites against a Low‐Velocity Impact in Varying Temperature
Authors: Heo Gwang-Hee , Park Jong-Gun , Kim Chung-Gil
Published: February 2020

This paper aims to evaluate the resistance performance of the vinyl acetate ethylene polymer cement (VAEPC) composite and the polyvinyl alcohol fiber‐reinforced cement (PAFRC) composite against a low‐velocity impact in varying temperature. Their impact resistance performances are analyzed and compared with plain mortar after 28 days of age. Low‐velocity impact tests were carried out under the various room temperatures of −70°C, 70°C, and 140°C. Also, an INSTRON CEAST 9350 drop‐tower system has been used to get the impact load, fracture energy, and displacement of the specimens while loading low‐velocity impacts. From these tests, the failure pattern, shape, and strength of each test specimen were evaluated for the VAEPC, the PAFRC composite, and the plain mortar. Those test results showed that the flexural strength of both the VAEPC and the PAFRC composites has increased compared to that of the plain mortar. However, the compressive strength of the PAFRC composite decreased slightly after 28 days, while its flexural strength increased by 24.4% compared to that of the plain mortar. In addition, the drop test results show that PAFRC composite specimens have the highest impact fracture energy compared to other specimens at −70°C, 70°C, and 140°C, whereas plain mortar specimens have their lowest. This is because the PVA fiber included in the PAFRC acts as a bridge to suppress crack propagation and to improve energy absorption performance, which helps it resist relatively better against impact. It is also known that while the VAEPC composite and the plain mortar were destroyed in a form of being perforated, the specimens of PAFRC composite were observed to some extent to suppress the perforation failures. Therefore, under a load of low‐velocity impact, the resistance performance of the VAEPC composite and the plain mortar was proven to show brittle fracture behavior, while the PAFRC showed ductile fracture behavior in virtue of PVA fiber reinforcement which improved its flexural performance. According to the SEM observation which followed the tests, the PAFRC composite as a fiber‐reinforced material of the hydrophilic material was found to show the most excellent interfacial bond adhesion compared to the other composite and the plain mortar. The PAFRC composite manufactured in the study has been proven to be very useful as a reinforcement material in both high and low temperature environments.
Emotional Video to Audio Transformation Using Deep Recurrent Neural Networks and a Neuro-Fuzzy System
Authors: Cunha Sergio Gwenaelle , Lee Minho
Published: February 2020

Generating music with emotion similar to that of an input video is a very relevant issue nowadays. Video content creators and automatic movie directors benefit from maintaining their viewers engaged, which can be facilitated by producing novel material eliciting stronger emotions in them. Moreover, there is currently a demand for more empathetic computers to aid humans in applications such as augmenting the perception ability of visually- and/or hearing-impaired people. Current approaches overlook the video’s emotional characteristics in the music generation step, only consider static images instead of videos, are unable to generate novel music, and require a high level of human effort and skills. In this study, we propose a novel hybrid deep neural network that uses an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System to predict a video’s emotion from its visual features and a deep Long Short-Term Memory Recurrent Neural Network to generate its corresponding audio signals with similar emotional inkling. The former is able to appropriately model emotions due to its fuzzy properties, and the latter is able to model data with dynamic time properties well due to the availability of the previous hidden state information. The novelty of our proposed method lies in the extraction of visual emotional features in order to transform them into audio signals with corresponding emotional aspects for users. Quantitative experiments show low mean absolute errors of 0.217 and 0.255 in the Lindsey and DEAP datasets, respectively, and similar global features in the spectrograms. This indicates that our model is able to appropriately perform domain transformation between visual and audio features. Based on experimental results, our model can effectively generate an audio that matches the scene eliciting a similar emotion from the viewer in both datasets, and music generated by our model is also chosen more often (code available online at https://github.com/gcunhase/Emotional-Video-to-Audio-with-ANFIS-DeepRNN).
Aberrant Expression and Subcellular Localization of PER2 Promote the Progression of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Guo Fengyuan , Tang Qingming , Chen Guangjin , Sun Jiwei , Zhu Junyi , Jia Yulin , Zhang Wenfeng
Published: February 2020

Oral squamous cell carcinoma, one of the most prevalent cancer types in the world, has been confirmed under the influence of a key circadian gene, PER2, whose role has been identified in the development of some other types of cancers. However, the mechanism through which PER2 regulates the progress of OSCC remains largely unknown. In this study, we showed that besides the abnormal expression and subcellular localization of PER2 observed in OSCC tissues and cells as expected, these anomalous changes also existed in the adjacent noncancerous tissues, which was a novel finding in our research. The phase of PER2 rhythmic expression pattern in OSCC cells was later than that in oral keratinocytes in the protein level. In addition, we demonstrated that PER2 played as a resistant factor in the development of OSCC by upregulating TP53 and inhibiting epithelial‐mesenchymal transition in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, our results identified that the development of OSCC is closely associated with PER2, the aberrant expression and subcellular localization of which facilitates the malignant progress.
Awareness of Salt Intake among Community-Dwelling Elderly at Coastal Area: The Role of Public Health Access Program
Authors: Farapti Farapti , Fatimah Aprilia Devi , Astutik Erni , Hidajah Atik Choirul , Rochmah Thinni Nurul
Published: February 2020

A geographical location such as coastal area is known as risk factor hypertension relating to high exposure of salty foods. Public health access had significant effect on reducing salt intake at the community level. This study assesses salt intake in older women resident at urban coastal in Indonesia participating in the public health program. This was a cross-sectional study involving older women (56.98 ± 5.7 years) resident at urban coastal in Kenjeran, Surabaya, Indonesia. Salt intake was calculated and estimated based on 24-h urinary sodium. The mean daily salt intake was 6.16 ± 3.48 g/d; only 11.8% of subjects consumed salt intake <3 g/day. However, majority of subjects (62.8%) consume salt <6 g/d. Awareness and participation were associated significantly with low salt intake. A significant association between participation, awareness, and salt intake may suggest that participating regularly in the public health program might cause our subjects controlled excessive salt intake by limiting their salt consumption. Since daily salt intake is still significant high and hypertension is still prevalence, comprehensive strategies to reduce salt should be considered in development of sodium-reduction initiatives in this region.
Identification of Long Noncoding RNA Associated ceRNA Networks in Rosacea
Authors: Wang Lian , Lu Ruifeng , Wang Yujia , Wang Xiaoyun , Hao Dan , Wen Xiang , Li Yanmei , Zeng Minghui , Jiang Xian
Published: February 2020

Rosacea is a chronic and relapsing inflammatory cutaneous disorder with highly variable prevalence worldwide that adversely affects the health of patients and their quality of life. However, the molecular characterization of each rosacea subtype is still unclear. Furthermore, little is known about the role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the pathogenesis or regulatory processes of this disorder. In the current study, we established lncRNA‐mRNA coexpression networks for three rosacea subtypes (erythematotelangiectatic, papulopustular, and phymatous) and performed their functional enrichment analyses using Gene Onotology, KEGG, GSEA, and WGCNA. Compared to the control group, 13 differentially expressed lncRNAs and 525 differentially expressed mRNAs were identified in the three rosacea subtypes. The differentially expressed genes identified were enriched in four signaling pathways and the GO terms found were associated with leukocyte migration. In addition, we found nine differentially expressed lncRNAs in all three rosacea subtype‐related networks, including NEAT1 and HOTAIR, which may play important roles in the pathology of rosacea. Our study provided novel insights into lncRNA‐mRNA coexpression networks to discover the molecular mechanisms involved in rosacea development that can be used as future targets of rosacea diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.