bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk Factors in Outpatients with Dermatitis and Eczema in Tertiary Hospitals of China Who Have Clinically Suspected Bacterial Infection
Authors: Li Yan , Xu Wei , Li Linfeng
Published: November 2020

Skin bacterial infections are often observed in eczema patients, but the risk factors are not fully understood. The current study evaluated the prevalence of clinically suspected bacterial infection and its associated risk factors. Moreover, we investigated the practice of skin infection diagnosis in China. A hospital‐based, multicenter, cross‐sectional epidemiologic survey of bacterial infection was performed in a total of 6208 outpatients diagnosed with dermatitis and eczema from 39 tertiary hospitals of 15 provinces and municipalities in China. All patients completed a specific questionnaire regarding their demographic characteristics, disease duration, distribution of lesions, severity of itching, and medical history. Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis were used to evaluate risk factors associated with bacterial infection in patients with different types of eczema. The prevalence of clinically suspected bacterial infection was 47.0% in patients with eczema. Compared to atopic dermatitis, widespread eczema (OR = 1.50, P < 0.001) and other eczema (OR = 1.42, P < 0.001) were more likely to suffer bacterial infection. The itching grade was positively associated with the infection (OR = 2.11, 7.04, and 12.3 in patients with mild, moderate, and severe itching, respectively; P < 0.001). Lesion distribution in the cubital fossa, popliteal fossa, ear, shoulder and back, axillary, foot, and pudendum was positively associated with bacterial infection (all OR > 1.0, P < 0.05). In contrast, the face and abdomen were reversely associated with bacterial infection (OR < 1.0, P < 0.005). History of asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, atopic dermatitis, infantile eczema, and flexion dermatitis was positively associated with bacterial infection (all OR > 1.0, P < 0.005), while the history of dry skin was reversely associated with bacterial infection (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.64‐0.90; P = 0.002). Patients with eczema were easily infected with bacteria. Widespread eczema and other eczema were more likely to have bacterial infection than atopic dermatitis. The high rate of infection may attribute to the lack of corresponding bacterial detection, suggesting the need of guideline development in China to prevent overuse of topical antibiotics.
Methanolic Extract of Distemonanthus benthamianus (Caesalpiniaceae) Stem Bark Suppresses Ethanol/Indomethacin-Induced Chronic Gastric Injury in Rats
Authors: Matah Marte Vanessa Mba , Ateufack Gilbert , Mbiantcha Marius , Atsamo Albert Donatien , Adjouzem Carine Flore , Djuichou Nguemnang Stéphanie Flore , Tsafack Eric Gonzal , Yousseu Nana William , Madjo Kouam Yacine Karelle , Ngoufack Azanze Elvira
Published: November 2020

Distemonanthus benthamianus (Caesalpiniaceae) is a plant from the Cameroon pharmacopoeia very widely used in the treatment of many pathologies among which are gastrointestinal disorders. The main purpose of this study was to assess the healing properties of gastric ulcer from the methanolic extract of Distemonanthus benthamianus and its mechanisms of action. The healing properties of gastric ulcers (chronic ulcer model induced by ethanol and indomethacin) were evaluated in vivo in adult male rats, while the mechanisms of action were evaluated in vitro by anti-inflammatory assay (protein denaturation, cyclooxygenase, and lipoxygenase assays) and immunomodulatory assay (ROS production (using technical chemiluminescence), cytokine (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) production (using ELISA), proliferation of T cells (using liquid scintillation counter), and cytotoxicity (using MTT assay)). The methanolic extract of Distemonanthus benthamianus inhibited protein denaturation (75.63%) and the activities of cyclooxygenase (78.92%) and 5-lipoxygenase (81.54%). The extract also significantly (p<0.001) inhibited intracellular and extracellular ROS production and T cell proliferation and reduced significantly (p<0.01,p<0.001) TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and PGE2 production. At all doses (125, 250, and 500 mg/kg), the extract significantly reduces the ulceration index and the area of ulceration and significantly increases the mass of gastric mucus. In addition, the extract significantly decreases the level of MDA, significantly increases the activities of catalase and glutathione, and then improves the hematological parameters in sick animals. Histological micrographs show that in the presence of the extract, there is advanced reepithelialization with recovery of the ulcerated epithelium. Thus, the extract of Distemonanthus benthamianus has healing properties against gastric ulcers which are associated with its anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant effects.
Stay Home: Role of Physical Exercise Training in Elderly Individuals’ Ability to Face the COVID-19 Infection
Authors: Abdelbasset Walid Kamal
Published: November 2020

Recently, the novel coronavirus epidemic occurred in China and spread worldwide to become a global pandemic. COVID-19 is a fatal viral infection causing death, particularly in aged individuals, due to impaired immunity. To date, no intervention is available to prevent COVID-19 and its manifestations. Physical exercise training generally has health benefits, and it assists in the prevention of several chronic diseases. Therefore, this review is aimed at exploring the role of physical exercise training in the face of COVID-19 in older adults and elderly individuals. From this point of view, this review suggests that physical exercise training plays a key role in promoting immune system regulation, delaying immunity dysfunction, reducing circulatory inflammation markers, and preventing sarcopenia and thus could prevent the risk of acquiring COVID-19 infection and reduce the complications of recommended self-isolation in older adults and elderly individuals. Additionally, immunity biomarkers were optimistically demonstrated in older adults following physical exercise training, thereby reducing mortality and morbidity rates. Finally, in accordance with recommendations to stay home and perform self-isolation to prevent the spread of COVID-19, all populations are strongly recommended to practice regular home exercise training at home to promote immune system functioning.
PKM2 Promotes Breast Cancer Progression by Regulating Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition
Authors: Xiao Hui , Zhang Longxiao , Chen Yuan , Zhou Chengjun , Wang Xiao , Wang Dehai , Liu Zhenzhong
Published: November 2020

Breast cancer is the leading cause of females characterized by high invasive potential. It is necessary to explore the underlying mechanism of breast cancer metastases and to find specific therapeutic targets. PKM2 is considered a new biomarker of cancer with upregulated expression in tumor tissue. PKM2 participates in the cancer-specific Warburg effect to regulate fast glucose intake consumption. Besides, PKM2 also contributes to cancer progression, especially tumor metastasis. In this study, we showed that PKM2 is upregulated in breast cancer tissues and the upregulating of PKM2 in breast cancer correlates with poor prognosis. PKM2 can regulate tumor progression by promoting tumor cell viability and mobility. Furthermore, overexpression of PKM2 can promote EMT to encourage tumor metastasis. These findings indicate PKM2 is a potentially useful diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target in breast cancer.
Improved Quasiuniform Stability for Fractional Order Neural Nets with Mixed Delay
Authors: Naifar Omar , Jmal Assaad , Nagy A. M. , Ben Makhlouf Abdellatif
Published: November 2020

In the present paper, a quasiuniform stability result for fractional order neural networks with mixed delay is developed, based on the generalized Gronwall inequality and the Caputo fractional derivative. Sufficient conditions are derived to ensure the quasiuniform stability of the considered neural nets system. A clarification example is carried out not only to validate the authors’ theoretical results but also to show the superiority of the developed work (in terms of improved stability), compared with other similar works already published in the literature.
Mathematical Optimization Model for Truck Scheduling in a Distribution Center with a Mixed Service-Mode Dock Area
Authors: Correa Issi Gustavo , Linfati Rodrigo , Escobar John Willmer
Published: November 2020

Cross-docking is a logistics strategy in which products arriving at a distribution center are unloaded from inbound trucks and sorted for transfer directly to outbound trucks, reducing costs and storage and product handling times. This paper addresses a cross-docking problem by designing a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model to determine a schedule for inbound and outbound trucks in a mixed service-mode dock area that minimizes the time from when the first inbound truck arrives until the last outbound truck departs (makespan). The model is developed using AMPL software with the CPLEX and Gurobi solvers, which provide results for different instances, most of these with actual shift data from an integrated distribution center of a multinational food company located in Concepción, Chile. The results obtained from the case study are notable and show the effectiveness of the proposed mathematical model.
Load Parameter Identification for Parallel Robot Manipulator Based on Extended Kalman Filter
Authors: Song Shijie , Dai Xiaolin , Huang Zhangchao , Gong Dawei
Published: November 2020

Load is the main external disturbance of a parallel robot manipulator. This disturbance will cause dynamic coupling among different degrees of freedom and make heaps of model-based control methods difficult to apply. In order to compensate this disturbance, it is crucial to obtain an accurate dynamic model of load. However, in practice, the load is always uncertain and its dynamic parameters are arduous to know a priori. To cope with this problem, this paper proposes a novel and simple approach to identify the dynamic parameters of load. Firstly, the dynamic model of the parallel robot manipulator with uncertain load is established and the dynamic coupling caused by load is also analyzed. Then, according to the dynamic model, the excitation signal is designed and a weak nonlinear dynamic model is derived. Furthermore, the identification model is presented and the identification algorithm based on the extended Kalman filter is designed. Lastly, numerical simulation results, obtained using a six-degree-of-freedom Gough–Stewart parallel manipulator, demonstrate the good estimation performance of the proposed method.
A Step Length Estimation Model of Coefficient Self-Determined Based on Peak-Valley Detection
Authors: Lu Wenxia , Wu Fei , Zhu Hai , Zhang Yujin
Published: November 2020

Without any preinstalled infrastructure, pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) is a promising indoor positioning technology for pedestrians carrying portable devices to navigate. Step detection and step length estimation (SLE) are two essential components for the pedestrian navigation based on PDR. To solve the overcounting problem, this study proposes a peak-valley detection method, which can remove the abnormal values effectively. The current step length models mostly depend on individual parameters that need to be predetermined for different users. Based on fuzzy logic (FL), we establish a rule base that can adjust the coefficient in the Weinberg model adaptively for every detected step of various human shapes walking. Specifically, to determine the FL rule base, we collect user acceleration data from 10 volunteers walking under the combination of diverse step length and stride frequency, and each one walks 49 times at all. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method adapts to different kinds of persons walking at various step velocities. Peak-valley detection can achieve an average accuracy of 99.77% during 500 steps of free walking. Besides, the average errors of 5 testers are all less than 4 m per 100 m and the smallest one is 1.74 m per 100 m using our coefficient self-determined step length estimation model.
Modelling the Mimic Defence Technology for Multimedia Cloud Servers
Authors: Feng Feng , Zhou Xiabing , Li Bin , Zhou Qinglei
Published: November 2020

A current research trend is to combine multimedia data with artificial intelligence and process them on cloud servers. In this context, ensuring the security of multimedia cloud servers is critical, and the cyber mimic defence (CMD) technology is a promising approach to this end. CMD, which is an innovative active defence technology developed in China, can be applied in many scenarios. However, although the mathematical model is a key component of CMD, a universally acceptable mathematical model for theoretical CMD has not been established yet. In this work, the attack problems and modelling difficulties were extensively examined, and a comprehensive modelling theory and concepts were clarified. By decoupling the model from the input and output of the specific system scene, the modelling difficulties were effectively avoided, and the mathematical expression of the CMD mechanism was enhanced. Furthermore, the process characteristics of the attack behaviour were identified by using a specific mathematical mapping method. Finally, based on the decomposition problem of large prime factors and convolution operations, an intuitive and exclusive CMD mathematical model was proposed. The proposed model could clearly express the CMD mechanism and transform the problems of attack and defence in the CMD domain into corresponding mathematical problems. These aspects were considered to qualitatively assess the CMD security, and it was noted that a high level of security can be realized. Furthermore, the overhead of CMD was analyzed. Moreover, the proposed model can be directly programmed.
Study on Control Technology for Working Faces Passing through Long-Span Abandoned Roadways
Authors: Liu Zhenghe , Ye Hailong , Yang Lusheng , Wang Shaohua , Zhang Junwen , Zhang Baisheng , Li Zhiqiang
Published: November 2020

The width of an abandoned roadway has a great influence on the roof stability of the working face. According to the coal seam conditions of the 30106 working face in the Sanyuan Shiku mine, the advance of a working face through an abandoned roadway was studied by using theoretical analysis, similar material simulation, numerical simulation, and field testing to determine the law of stope roof fracture migration, the stress distribution characteristics, and the variation in support resistance. Several conclusions are drawn: (1) The roof of the overlying strata is fractured at the edge of the abandoned roadway in front of the coal pillar and rotates downward due to the run-through of the plastic zone between the working face and abandoned roadway. (2) The hydraulic support working resistance gradually increases with decreasing coal pillar width between the working face and abandoned roadway, and the working resistance of the support tends to peak when the plastic zone extends to the coal, resulting in 3~4 times the normal recovery. Leakage occurred in front of the support in the caving zone. (3) The analysis of the relationship between the support and surrounding rock with the mechanical model for calculating the support load allows the derivation of the support working resistance formula for a working face passing through an abandoned roadway. (4) When the working face is excavated to expose the abandoned roadway, the shrinkage of the front column of the hydraulic support is significantly greater than that of the back column, and the stability is greatly reduced. This problem can be effectively solved when the uniaxial compressive strength of the backfill ≥2 MPa. (5) The engineering practice showed that the danger of leakage and roof fracture impact load was eliminated with the mining pressure reduction after reinforcement measures were taken in the abandoned roadway. The working face passed the abandoned roadway safely, providing the theoretical basis and guidance for coal remining under similar conditions.
Failure Mechanism and Kinematics of the Deadly September 28th 2016 Sucun Landslide, Suichang, Zhejiang, China
Authors: Tian Hai , Gan Jianjun , Jiang Hui , Tang Chun , Luo Changtai , Wan Chenghui , Xu Bin , Gui Faliang , Liu Chengyi , Liu Nian
Published: November 2020

The formation and dynamic process analysis of the rockslide avalanche in mountainous areas are one of the consequences of the catastrophic accident. Such loose accumulation in upslope may saturate partially or completely when the stability of their accumulation dam is distributed or affected by rainfall. We present a case study with respect to the southern Wuyi Mountain located in eastern China, where the wet and rainy climate has led to dozens of similar rockslide hazards. The purpose of this paper was to analyse the mechanism and dynamic characteristics of the rockslide influenced by the same geological conditions and to predict the outburst susceptibility of similar landslides in the future. Detail field surveys, 3D laser scanning, and high‐density electrical methods were used to collect the geotechnical information of the complex landslide, to identify the discontinuity between the landslide material and the bedrock, and to investigate the deformation characterization and dynamic process of the rockslide. Based on remote sensing interpretation and field investigation of the deformation process of a landslide in different times and different parts, the background, mechanism, and cause of the landslide were demonstrated. The landslide is controlled by the characteristics of the geological structure, including collapse, circular sliding, plane sliding, and debris flow. In addition, there are rock avalanches on the rear edge of the slope subjected to the combined action of rainfall and gravity. Moreover, there are some resistance anomaly areas of the aquifer and soil between 2 and 50 m where the resistivity is less than 120 ohm‐m, and they were deduced to be full of water, confirming a “bathtub” type structure. The mechanism of the catastrophic landslide was a combination of the upper pushing deformation induced by rainfall line uplift and rotational; due to the ancient landslide reactivation in the transposition area, the velocity of the rockslide reached 40.11 m/s.
Ischemic Stroke in a Young Patient with Nephrotic Syndrome and Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Authors: Neoh K. K. , Tang A. S. N. , Looi I. , Anita B. M.
Published: November 2020

We report a case of a 21-year-old man with underlying nephrotic syndrome (NS) secondary to minimal change disease, who developed an ischemic stroke with left hemiparesis. He received intravenous thrombolysis followed by a mechanical thrombectomy. After mechanical thrombectomy, he developed acute kidney injury which subsequently required haemodialysis. Further workup revealed that he had concomitant antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and NS. He was started on vitamin K antagonist anticoagulant. This case report illustrates the importance of workup in identifying causes of ischemic stroke in a young patient.
Optimization of the Natural Gas Purification Process Based on Exergy Analysis
Authors: Shi Baocheng , Pan Jianpeng , Guo Xiaochi , Zhang Xingkai , Wu Lijuan , Liu Kai , Zhang Yindi
Published: November 2020

This study is aimed at carrying out investigations on a domestic gas field, located in Yanchang, China, with a view to optimize the natural gas purification process. The main objectives of this work are (i) to reduce the natural gas purification system’s energy consumption and (ii) improve the existing purification levels. Process simulations were carried out using Aspen Plus™ software, and a comprehensive technical and economic analysis was carried out. The single-factor sensitivity analysis method was used to determine the parameters of absorption, such as the reflux ratio and number of stages. The heat transfer process was analyzed using the energy-saving method of the energy system, and a modified process was recommended. The optimization results show that the recommended system has better purification performance, the comprehensive energy consumption is effectively reduced, and the energy efficiency is improved by 9%.
An Experimental Study on the Reinforcement of Silt with Permeable Polyurethane by Penetration Grouting
Authors: Wang Chaojie , Liu Qi , Guo Chengchao , Xia Yangyang , Hao Yanjie , Shi Mingsheng , Zhao Peng
Published: November 2020

To meet the demand of antiseepage and reinforcement of soil dams, a kind of permeable polyurethane grouting material was developed. A visual steady‐pressure grouting test device was designed to study the law of polyurethane diffusion and reinforcement in silt under different pressure, and the interaction mechanism of grout and soil body structure was explored microscopically. The results showed that, with the increase in the grouting pressure, the diffusion speed rose, and the diffusion pattern of grout in the soil also changed from permeation diffusion to permeation splitting. Under the effect of grouting pressure, more tiny cracks will occur in the soil structure, leading to the use of more grout, thus increasing the strength of the consolidated soil by more than 10 times. The results of SEM‐EDS and mercury intrusion test proved that the polyurethane had a significant filling effect on the soil structure, which could effectively reduce the porosity of the soil and cement the soil particles through wrapping, complexing, and hydrogen bonding, thereby improving the soil properties. Moreover, the results revealed from a microscopic perspective that the grouting altered the pore structure of the soil structure through the seepage‐erosion‐splitting coupling effect, but when the grouting pressure exceeded 0.4 MPa, the soil particle and grout would be partially remixed and arranged closely, showing a phenomenon of jet grouting. Finally, the material was used in engineering practice, achieving a satisfactory grouting treatment effect.
Early Age Concrete Strength Monitoring Using Power Spectral Density and Wavelet Packet Analysis
Authors: Yang Xia , Yang Wenwei , Li Shuntao , Wu Chang
Published: November 2020

Concrete is a complex building material. Under normal curing conditions, concrete strength shows a nonlinear development process at an early age (1∼28 d). In the first few days after the completion of pouring, the strength of concrete increases slowly. Subsequently, the strength of concrete increases rapidly, reaching about 90% of its age strength. Finally, its strength gradually stabilizes. This paper introduces the experiment of 28‐day concrete age strength monitoring based on embedded piezoelectric smart aggregate (SA). Two piezoelectric SAs were embedded in a concrete‐filled GFRP (glass fiber reinforced polymer) tube column, one of which emitted a sinusoidal sweep signal and the other SA received the signal. With the hydration reaction of concrete, the stress wave would be significantly different when passing through concrete, and the received signal is changing constantly. Through power spectral density and wavelet packet energy analysis, the monitoring signal of concrete age within 28 days was analyzed. The experimental results show that the wavelet packet energy and power spectral density of the sensor monitoring signal show a nonlinear growth trend with time during the concrete target age. It can be divided into three stages, and the fifth day and the fourteenth day are the demarcation point of energy growth. And the trend of energy change corresponds well with the change of actual concrete strength and age. Comparing and analyzing the received signal energy of the sensor and the power spectral density function of the stress wave signal of the concrete specimen, the trend of the amplitude in the natural frequency domain is found to be the same in the three stages.
Bayesian Spatial and Trend Analysis on Ozone Extreme Data in South Korea: 1991–2015
Authors: Kitabo Cheru Atsmegiorgis
Published: November 2020

Background. Extreme events like flooding, extreme temperature, and ozone depletion are happening in every corner of the world. Thus, the need to model such rare events having enormous damage has been getting priorities in most countries of the world. Methods. The dataset contains the ozone data from 29 representative air monitoring sites in South Korea collected from 1991 to 2015. Spatial generalized extreme value (GEV) using maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) and two max-stable and Bayesian kriging models are the statistical models used for analysis. Moreover, predictive performances of these statistical models are compared using measures like root-mean-squared error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), relative bias (rBIAS), and relative mean separation (rMSEP) have been utilized. Results. From the time plot of ozone data, extreme ozone concentration is increasing linearly within the specified period. The return level of ozone concentration after 10, 25, 50, and 100 years have been forecasted and showed that there was an increasing trend in ozone extremes. High spatial variability of ozone extreme was observed, and those areas around the territories were having extreme ozone concentration than the centers. Moreover, Bayesian Kriging brought about relatively the minimum RMSE compared to the other models. Conclusion. The extreme ozone concentration has clearly showed a positive trend and spatial variation. Moreover, among the models considered in the paper, the Bayesian Kriging has been chosen as the better model.
Acute Kidney Injury Caused by Obstructive Nephropathy
Authors: Chávez-Iñiguez Jonathan S , Navarro-Gallardo Goretty J , Medina-González Ramón , Alcantar-Vallin Luz , García-García Guillermo
Published: November 2020

Acute kidney injury secondary to obstructive nephropathy is a frequent event that accounts for 5 to 10% of all acute kidney injury cases and has a great impact on the morbidity and mortality in those affected. The obstruction in the urinary tract has a profound impact on kidney function due to damage produced by ischemic and inflammatory factors that have been associated with intense fibrosis. This pathology is characterized by its effects on the management of fluids, electrolytes, and the acid-base mechanisms by the renal tubule; consequently, metabolic acidosis, hyperkalemia, uremia, and anuria are seen during acute kidney injury due to obstructive nephropathy, and after drainage, polyuria may occur. Acute urine retention is the typical presentation. The diagnosis consists of a complete medical history and should include changes in urinary voiding and urgency and enuresis, history of urinary tract infections, hematuria, renal lithiasis, prior urinary interventions, and constipation. Imaging studies included tomography or ultrasound in which hydronephrosis can be seen. Management includes, in addition to drainage of the obstructed urinary tract system, providing supportive treatment, correcting all the metabolic abnormalities, and initiating renal replacement therapy when required. Although its recovery is in most cases favorable, it seems to be an undervalued event in nephrology and urology. This is because it is mistakenly believed that the resolution and recovery of kidney function is complete once the urinary tract is unobstructed. It can have serious kidney sequelae. In this review, we report the epidemiology, incidence, pathophysiological mechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment of acute kidney injury due to obstructive nephropathy.
Factors Influencing BIM Adoption for Construction Enterprises in China
Authors: Zhang Ruixue , Tang Yuyan , Wang Liang , Wang Zeyu
Published: November 2020

The construction industry is one of the important pillars of the Chinese national economy. BIM, as a new information technology tool, provides an intelligent digital representation of buildings to support diverse activities and brings about a wide range of benefits throughout the life cycle of projects. However, BIM has not been widely adopted in construction enterprises in China. It is necessary to make a comprehensive and systematic analysis of the influencing factors for BIM adoption. This paper sums up 13 influencing factors from four aspects, namely, technology, economy, institution, and environment aspect. The questionnaire survey and statistical analysis were used to collect and process data which is applied to determine the influencing factors. Based on relevant literature, a hypothesis model was established by the structural equation modeling method. SPSS software and AMOS software were used to test the model. Then, the key factors influencing BIM adoption are induced. The results show that the key factors that influence BIM adoption in China include personnel quality, investment in personnel training, BIM standardization, and the influence of senior managers in the organization. Combined with the above conclusion, this paper puts forward some suggestions for promoting BIM adoption and specific measures to realize the wide application of BIM technology in the Chinese construction industry.
SIAT-WEXv2: A Wearable Exoskeleton for Reducing Lumbar Load during Lifting Tasks
Authors: Ji Xinyu , Wang Dashuai , Li Pengfei , Zheng Liangsheng , Sun Jianquan , Wu Xinyu
Published: November 2020

Lumbar Exoskeleton, as an important instance of wearable exoskeleton, has broad application prospects in logistics, construction, and other industries. Specifically, in the working scenarios that require long-term and repeated bending and rising movements, active lumbar exoskeleton (ALE) can provide effective protection and flexible assistance to wear’s waist muscles and bones, which will significantly reduce the risk of lumbar muscle strain. How to improve the human-machine coupling and enhance the assistance performance are the main challenges for ALE’s development. Based on the biomechanical analysis of the movement of lifting heavy objects from bottom up, this paper proposes a lightweight but powerful ALE, named as SIAT-WEXv2, which can output maximum assistive force of 28 N. Additionally, we use robust fuzzy adaptive algorithm to improve SIAT-WEXv2’s antidisturbance ability, so that it can provide continuous and supple assistance for wearer. Electromyography (EMG) signals of the lumbar erector spinae (LES) from ten subjects in two experimental cases (with or without SIAT-WEXv2) were collected to evaluate the effectiveness of our new ALE. The experimental results indicate that the reduction of iEMG signal at LES decreased monotonically from 60% ± 5.5% to 40.5% ± 6.5% as the weight of lifting load increased from 0 to 25 kg.
False-Positive 18F-FDG PET/CT Uptake in Unilateral Lactation
Authors: Yip Joshua Wei Liang , Loh Han , Bui Chuong , Wong Veronica Chi Ken , Mansberg Robert
Published: November 2020

A 31-year-old woman (7 months postpartum and lactating) with multiple sclerotic bone lesions was referred for an 18F-FDG PET/CT scan for characterization. The scan demonstrated unilateral diffuse intense FDG uptake corresponding to dense soft tissue in the right breast, likely related to secretory hyperplasia. On further questioning, it was made apparent that she had only been breastfeeding from the right breast. While the left breast also demonstrated dense soft tissue to a lesser degree, no significant FDG uptake was seen. The sclerotic bone lesions were not FDG avid, likely due to a separate non-FDG avid benign condition or bony metastases from a non-FDG avid primary malignancy. This was reinforced by the fact that subsequent investigations including serial bilateral breast ultrasound and percutaneous biopsy demonstrated no definite evidence of malignancy in the bilateral breasts. The histopathology findings of an open surgical biopsy of sclerotic lesions in the left posterior ilium were also nonspecific, favouring bone dysplasia with no evidence of malignancy.
Adverse Events of the BCG (Bacillus Calmette–Guérin) and Rotavirus Vaccines in a Young Infant with Inborn Error of Immunity
Authors: Al-Hammadi Suleiman , Alkuwaiti Najla S. , Ghatasheh Ghassan A. , Al Dhanhani Huda , Shendi Hiba M. , Elomami Abdulghani S. , Almarzooqi Farida , Souid Abdul-Kader
Published: November 2020

Background. The Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) and rotavirus vaccines are live-attenuated preparations. In the United Arab Emirates, these products are universally administered to the young infants. This unguided practice does not account for the children with immunodeficiency, which frequently manifests after the administration of these vaccines. We present here a young infant with immunodeficiency that developed disseminated tuberculosis infection and severe diarrhea due to these improper immunizations. Case Presentation. This young infant was diagnosed at six months of age with “immunodeficiency type 19” (MIM#615617) due to homozygous nonsense variant, NM_000732.4 (CD3D):c.128G > A, p.Trp43∗ (variation ClinVar#VCV000643120.1; pathogenic). This variant creates premature stop-gain in CD3D (CD3 antigen, delta subunit, autosomal recessive; MIM#186790), resulting in loss-of-function. He also had “X-linked agammaglobulinemia” (MIM#300755) due to hemizygous missense variant, NM_001287344.1 (BTK):c.80G > A, p.Gly27Asp (novel). He had a sibling who passed away in infancy of unknown disease and family members with autoimmune disorders. Despite these clear clues, he was immunized with BCG at birth and rotavirus at 2 and 4 months. He was well in the first four months. He then developed high-fever, lymphadenopathy, and refractory diarrhea. Stool was positive for rotavirus, and lymph node biopsy showed acid-fast bacilli, consistent with tuberculosis lymphadenitis. These infections were serious and markedly complicated his clinical course, which included bone marrow transplantation from a matched sibling. Conclusions. These unfortunate events could have been avoided by compiling the available clinical information. This patient underscores the importance of implementing proper policies for BCG and rotavirus vaccinations. International registries of adverse events of universally administered vaccines are crucial.
Study on Network Pharmacological Analysis and Preliminary Validation to Understand the Mechanisms of Plantaginis Semen in Treatment of Gouty Nephropathy
Authors: Zhao Hong , Gao Qi , Kong Ling-zhou , Tang Wei-wei , Jiao Ying-ying , Wang Yu-liang , Yu Zhang , Feng Yao
Published: November 2020

Plantaginis Semen (PS) has been used to promote diuresis and clear away dampness. Recent reports have shown that PS can be used to treat gouty nephropathy (GN). However, the action and mechanism of PS have not been well defined in treating GN. The present study aimed to define the molecular mechanisms of PS as a potential therapeutic approach to treat GN. A combination of network pharmacology and validation experiments in GN is used to understand the potential mechanism. Information on pharmaceutically active compounds in PS and gene information related to GN was obtained from public databases. The compound target network and protein‐protein interaction network were constructed to study the mechanism of action of PS in the treatment of GN. The mechanism of action of PS in the treatment of GN was analyzed via Gene Ontology (GO) biological process annotation and Kyoto Gene and Genomics Encyclopedia (KEGG) pathway enrichment. Validation experiments were performed to verify the core targets. The GN rat model was prepared by the method of combining yeast and adenine. Hematoxylin‐eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the morphology of renal tissue in rats. ELISA was applied to detect TGF‐β1, TNF‐α, and IL‐1β levels in renal tissue. The expressions of TGF‐β1, TNF‐α, and IL‐1β were determined using immunohistochemistry. Through the results of network pharmacology, we obtained 9 active components, 118 predicted targets, and 149 GN targets from the public database. Based on the protein‐protein interaction (PPI), 26 hub genes for interaction with PS treating for GN were screened, including MMP9, TNF, IL1β, and IL6. The enrichment analysis results showed that the treatment of GN with PS was mainly involved in the TGF‐β1 signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, NF‐κB signaling pathway, and PI3K Akt signaling pathway. Validation experiment results showed that PS could reduce the content of urinary protein and UA and deregulate the expression of TGF‐β1, TNF‐α, and IL‐1β in the treatment of GN. The molecular mechanism of PS in the treatment of GN indicated the synergistic features of multicomponent, multitarget, and multipathway of traditional Chinese medicine, which provided an essential scientific basis for further elucidating the mechanism of PS in the treatment of GN.
Exploration Enhanced RPSO for Collaborative Multitarget Searching of Robotic Swarms
Authors: Yang Jian , Xiong Ruilin , Xiang Xinhao , Shi Yuhui
Published: November 2020

Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is an excellent population-based optimization algorithm. Meanwhile, because of its inspiration source and the velocity update feature, it is also widely used in the collaborative searching tasks for swarm robotics. One of the PSO-based models for robotic swarm searching tasks is Robotic PSO (RPSO). It adds additional items for obstacle avoidance into standard PSO and has been applied to many single-target search tasks. However, due to PSO’s global optimization characteristics, it is easy to converge to a specific position in the search space and lose the ability to explore further. When faced with the problem of multitarget searching, it may become inefficient or even invalid. This paper proposes an Exploration Enhanced Robotic PSO (E2RPSO) method for multitarget searching problems for robotic swarms. The proposed method modifies the third item in the RPSO as an additional attraction term. This item not only enables the robot to avoid collisions but also guides the swarm to search unexplored regions as much as possible. This operation increases the swarm’s task-specific (top-down) diversity, making the system cover a broader search area and avoid falling into local optimums. Besides, the aggregation degree and evolution speed factors are also included in determining the inertia weight of the proposed method, which adjusts the swarm’s internal (bottom-up) diversity dynamically. The comparison results show that this method can balance the relationship between exploration and exploitation well, which has the potential to be applied to multitarget searching scenarios.
Evidence of TCM Theory in Treating the Same Disease with Different Methods: Treatment of Pneumonia with Ephedra sinica and Scutellariae Radix as an Example
Authors: Sun Liping , Wang Dandan , Xu Yan , Qi Wenxiu , Wang Yanbo
Published: November 2020

Pneumonia is a serious global health problem and the leading cause of mortality in children. Antibiotics are the main treatment for bacterial pneumonia, but there are serious drug resistance problems. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used to treat diseases for thousands of years and has a unique theory. This article takes the treatment of pneumonia with Ephedra sinica as a representative hot medicine and Scutellariae Radix as a representative cold medicine as an example. We explore and explain the theory of treating the same disease with different TCM treatments. Using transcriptomics and network pharmacology methods, GO, KEGG enrichment, and PPI network construction were carried out, demonstrating that Ephedra sinica plays a therapeutic role through the NF‐κB and apoptosis signaling pathways targeting PLAU, CD40LG, BLC2L1, CASP7, and CXCL8. The targets of Scutellariae Radix through the IL‐17 signaling pathway are MMP9, CXCL8, and MAPK14. Molecular docking technology was also used to verify the results. In short, our results provide evidence for the theory of treating the same disease with different treatments, and we also discuss future directions for traditional Chinese medicine.
Exploring Cortical Thickness Alteration in Parkinson Disease Patients with Freezing of Gaits
Authors: Li E. , Ruan Xiuhang , Li Yuting , Zhang Guoqin , Li Mengyan , Wei Xinhua
Published: November 2020

Background: Freezing of gait (FoG) is a disabling gait disorder that commonly occurs in advanced stages of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The neuroanatomical mechanisms underlying FoG in PD are still unclear. The present study aims to explore alterations of structural gray matter (GM) in PD patients with FoG. Method: Twenty-four PD patients with FoG (FoG+), 37 PD patients without FoG (FoG-) and 24 healthy controls (HC) were included. All subjects underwent a standardized MRI protocol. The cortical thickness (CTh), segmentation volume without ventricles (BrainSegVolNotVent) and estimated total intracranial volume (eTIV) were analysed using the FreeSurfer pipeline. Results: CTh differences were found in the right middle temporal gyrus (rMTG) generally. Compared to that in HCs, the CTh of the rMTG in both the FoG+ and FoG- groups was smaller, while no significant difference between the FoG+ and FoG- groups. Correlation analyses demonstrated a negative correlation between the CTh of the rMTG and the UPDRS part II score in PD subjects, and a borderline significant correlation between the score of Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (FoGQ) and rMTG CTh. Additionally, receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis revealed a cut-off point of CTh =3.08 mm in the rMTG that could be used to differentiate PD patients and HCs (AUC =0.79, P <0.01). There were no differences in the BrainSegVolNotVent or eTIV among the 3 groups. Conclusions: Our findings currently suggest no significant difference between FoG+ and FoG- patients in terms of structural gray matter changes. However, decreased CTh in the rMTG related to semantic control may be used as a biomarker to differentiate PD patients and HCs.
Reference Intervals of Total Testosterone in Adult Filipino Men
Authors: Buenaluz‐Sedurante Myrna , Co Mark Isaiah K. , Dagang Daryl Jade T. , Bruno Racquel G. , Sarmiento Annie Jane N. , Tee Michael L.
Published: November 2020

Background. The reference range of total testosterone needs to be established locally as ethnic differences in adiposity, insulin sensitivity, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels may affect total testosterone levels. The aim of this study is to establish the reference intervals of total testosterone from healthy, young adult Filipino males. Methods. The study included 110 healthy, Filipino male volunteers aged 21–40, studying or working at the University of the Philippines Manila. Clinical history, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure (BP) were obtained, and blood for total testosterone, SHBG, albumin, insulin, fasting blood sugar (FBS), and total cholesterol was collected. Free testosterone was calculated using Vermeulen’s formula. The 2.5th to 97.5th percentiles of subjects for total testosterone were used as the normative range for Filipino men. Results. The reference range of total testosterone is 7.33–53.01 nmol/L. Conclusion. The present study derived reference ranges of total testosterone using data from apparently healthy, young adult men to support clinical services.
Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials of Xueshuantong Injection in Prevention of Deep Venous Thrombosis of Lower Extremity after Orthopedic Surgery
Authors: Yan Shu-ting , Gao Feng , Dong Tai-wei , Fan Hao , Xi Miao-miao , Miao Feng , Wei Pei-feng
Published: November 2020

Objective. To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of Xueshuantong injection (Panax notoginseng saponins) in preventing deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of lower extremity after orthopedic surgery. Methods. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Xueshuantong injection in prevention of lower extremity DVT after orthopedic surgery were retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang database, VIP, PubMed, and Cochrane Library by August 2020. Revman5.2 was used to analyze the results. Results. A total of 20 articles including 2336 patients were included. The results of meta‐analysis showed that the incidence of DVT in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group; after operation, the D‐dimer (Ddimer), thrombin time (APTT), and prothrombin time (PT) in the experimental group were significantly improved compared with those in the control group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant. Conclusion. Xueshuantong injection can effectively prevent the formation of lower extremity DVT after orthopedic surgery and antagonize the postoperative hypercoagulable state of blood, which has high clinical value.
Investment Priority Analysis of ICS Information Security Resources in Smart Mobile IoT Network Environment Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process
Authors: Shin Jiho , You Ilsun , Seo Jung Taek
Published: November 2020

The industrial control system (ICS) inherits the attributes of the traditional information system, but because it has its own characteristics that availability of triad (CIA) of information security should be a top priority, it needs to be set differently from the traditional information security requirements. In response to the issue, TTAK.KO-12.0307 (Standard for Industrial Control System Information Security Requirements) proposed by the National Security Research Institute (NSRI) and established by the Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA) is being used. However, it is difficult to apply security requirements of TTAK.KO-12.0307 uniformly because of the reason that the characteristics of the ICS in each layer are different. There is also a limit to invest the security resources with equivalent priority for all requirements and ICS layers. It is still unresolved in the previous research studies which are related to information security resources, for example, Choi (2013), Ko et al. (2013), and Nah et al.’s (2016) studies. Therefore, this study tried to focus on what a top priority of information security requirements by the ICS in each layer is, using the analytic hierarchy process. As a result, we derived that the top priority requirement in the operation layer is “Identification Authentication Access Control,” in the control layer is “Event Response,” and in the field device layer is “Physical Interface Protection” with the highest importance. The results of this study can be utilized as a guideline for the security strategy and policy design by determining security requirements that should be prioritized in each layer of the ICS.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: From Pathogenesis to Therapeutic Target
Authors: Li Danni , Tao Fenghua , Jin Lin
Published: November 2020

Mitochondria are cytosolic organelles essential for cellular function and survival. The function of mitochondria is maintained by mitochondrial quality control systems including mitochondrial fission and fusion to adapt the altered environment and mitophagy for removal of damaged mitochondria. Mitochondrial dysfunction is closely involved in aging-related diseases. Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration, an aging-associated process, is the major contributor to low back pain. Growing evidence has suggested that the mitochondrial function in IVD cells is severely compromised during the degenerative process of IVD, and dysfunctional mitochondria along with impaired mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy cause a series of cascade reactions that have been implicated in increased oxidative stress, senescence, matrix catabolism, and apoptosis of IVD cells, thereby contributing to the degeneration of IVD. Accordingly, therapies that target mitochondrial dysfunction and related mechanisms, such as ROS generation, mitophagy, and specific molecules and signaling, hold great promise. The present review summarizes the current state of the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathophysiology of IVD degeneration and potential therapeutic strategies that could be developed.