bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with serious psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: a nationwide cross-sectional internet-based study
Authors: Yoshioka Takashi , Okubo Ryo , Tabuchi Takahiro , Odani Satomi , Shinozaki Tomohiro , Tsugawa Yusuke
Published: July 2021

Objective

To investigate the factors associated with serious psychological distress (SPD) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.

Design

Nationwide cross-sectional study using survey data.

Setting

Internet survey using sampling weights for national estimates conducted between 25 August and 30 September 2020 in Japan.

Exposures

Demographics (age, gender), socioeconomic status (income level, employment type, educational attainment, marital status, family composition and caregiving burden); the experience of domestic violence (DV), the state of emergency and fear of and stigma related to COVID-19.

Main outcome measures

Prevalence of SPD, defined as Kessler 6 Scale score ≥13.

Results

Among 25 482 respondents, 10.0% met the criteria of SPD. Overall, women (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.59; 95% CI 1.17 to 2.16; p=0.003), ages 15–29 (aOR 2.35 compared with ages 45–59 years; 95% CI 1.64 to 3.38; p<0.001), low-income level (aOR 1.70 compared with intermediate income; 95% CI 1.16 to 2.49; p=0.007), providing caregiving to family members (aOR 5.48; 95% CI 3.51 to 8.56; p<0.001), experiencing DV (aOR 5.72; 95% CI 3.81 to 8.59; p<0.001) and fear of COVID-19 (aOR 1.96; 95% CI 1.55 to 2.48; p<0.001) were associated with SPD. Among women aged 15–29 years, who have a higher risk of suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, caregiving, DV, fear of COVID-19 and COVID-19-related stigma were associated with SPD.

Conclusions

Economic situation, caregiving burden, DV and fear of COVID-19 were independently associated with SPD during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among young women, similar factors, except economic situation, were associated with SPD. Targeted interventions based on age and gender may be more effective in mitigating the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the population’s mental health.
Chlorhexidine gluconate 0.2% as a treatment for recalcitrant fungal keratitis in Uganda: a pilot study
Authors: Arunga Simon , Mbarak Tumu , Ebong Abel , Mwesigye James , Kuguminkiriza Dan , Mohamed-Ahmed Abeer H A , Hoffman Jeremy John , Leck Astrid , Hu Victor , Burton Matthew
Published: July 2021

Objective

Fungal keratitis is a major ophthalmic public health problem, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries. The options for treating fungal keratitis are limited. Our study aimed to describe the outcomes of using chlorhexidine 0.2% eye-drops as additional treatment in the management of patients with recalcitrant fungal keratitis.

Methods

This study was nested within a large cohort study of people presenting with microbial keratitis in Uganda. We enrolled patients with recalcitrant fungal keratitis not improving with topical natamycin 5% and commenced chlorhexidine 0.2%. Follow-up was scheduled for 3 months and 1 year. The main outcome measures were healing, visual acuity and scar size at final follow-up.

Results

Thirteen patients were followed in this substudy. The patients were aged 27–73 years (median 43 years). Filamentous fungi were identified by microscopy of corneal scrape samples in all cases. Isolated organisms includedAspergillusspp, Fusariumspp, Candidaspp, Bipolarissppand Acremoninumspp. At the final follow-up, nine patients (75%) had healed; three had vision of better than 6/18. Three patients lost their eyes due to infection. In the remaining nine cases, corneal scarring was variable ranging from 4.6 to 9.4 mm (median 6.6 mm, IQR 5.9–8.0 mm); of these five had dense scars, three had moderate scars and one had a mild scar. None of the patients demonstrated signs of chlorhexidine toxicity during the follow-up.

Conclusion

Chlorhexidine 0.2% was found to be a useful sequential adjunctive topical antifungal in cases of fungal keratitis not responding to natamycin 5%, which warrants further evaluation.
Pharmacophore-based screening and modification of amiloride analogs for targeting the NhaP-type cation-proton antiporter in Vibrio cholerae
Authors: Mourin Muntahi , Bhattacharjee Arittra , Wai Alvan , Hausner Georg , O’Neil Joe , Dibrov Pavel
Published: July 2021

The genome of Vibrio cholerae contains three structural genes for the NhaP-type cation-proton antiporter paralogues, Vc-NhaP1, Vc-NhaP2, and Vc-NhaP3, mediating exchange of K+ and or Na+ for protons across the membrane. Based on phenotypic analysis of chromosomal Vc-NhaP1, Vc-NhaP2, and Vc-NhaP3 triple deletion mutants, we suggest that Vc-NhaP paralogues are primarily K+/H+ antiporters and might play a role in the acid tolerance response of V. cholerae as it passes through the gastric acid barrier of the stomach. Comparison of the biochemical properties of Vc-NhaP isoforms revealed that Vc-NhaP2 was the most active among all three paralogues. Therefore, the Vc-NhaP2 antiporter is a plausible therapeutic target for developing novel inhibitors targeting these ion exchangers. Our structural and mutational analysis of Vc-NhaP2 identified a putative cation-binding pocket formed by antiparallel extended regions of two transmembrane segments (TMSs V and XII) along with TMS VI. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that the flexibility of TMSs V and XII is crucial for intramolecular conformational events in Vc-NhaP2. In this study, we developed putative Vc-NhaP2 inhibitors from amiloride analogs. Molecular docking of the modified amiloride analogs revealed promising binding properties. The four selected drugs potentially interacted with functionally important amino acid residues located on the cytoplasmic side of TMS VI, the extended chain region of TMSs V and XII, and the loop region between TMSs VIIII and IX. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that binding of the selected drugs can potentially destabilize Vc-NhaP2 and alter the flexibility of functionally important TMS VI. This work presents the utility of in silico approaches for the rational identification of potential targets and drugs that could target NhaP2 cation proton antiporters to control V. cholerae. The goal was to identify potential drugs that could be validated in future experiments.
String cosmology from fractional action with solitonic NS–NS matter and possibility of an accelerated expanding universe without dark energy
Authors: El-Nabulsi Rami Ahmad
Published: July 2021

In this study, we discuss string cosmology with solitonic NS–NS matter, which arises when dilaton coupled p-brane gas dominates the universe and is subject to a fractional action motivated from viscosity dissipative effects occurring in the universe. Exact solutions are found from the stationary conditions of the fractional action. It was observed that the universe is non-singular, undergoing accelerated expansion in time and may not be dominated by dark energy because it is strongly affected by dissipations through the fractional parameter α. The numerical ranges of α were obtained using H(z) at the 1σ level for two independent cases: a vacuum energy dominated energy and a non-dominant vacuum energy universe. Our results are in agreement with astronomical observational limits and support both string cosmology and the fractional action cosmology.
How to recognize different types of trees from quite a long way away: combining UAV and spaceborne imagery for stand-level tree species identification
Authors: Sprott Adam H. , Piwowar Joseph M.
Published: July 2021

To understand how a forest may respond to environmental changes or develop over time, it is necessary to examine broad, landscape level factors. With the arrival of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the combination of both spaceborne data with high resolution UAV data can provide foresters and biologists with powerful tools to classify canopies to the species level, which we illustrate here. We combine imagery from the Operational Land Imager (OLI) of the Landsat 8 satellite with aerial imagery from a Phantom 4 UAV to map canopy composition of three tree species. We manually delineated dense stands of each tree species in the UAV imagery to extract training samples from an OLI true colour composite image to perform a fuzzy membership analysis and calculate the maximum likelihood that an individual pixel represented a particular species. We verified the accuracy of our analysis finding an overall accuracy of 0.796 and a Kappa statistic of 0.728. We consider these results to be a strong demonstration of the value of using UAV and satellite imagery in tandem to investigate forest-wide effects at an individual tree level.
Bulk entanglement and its shape dependence
Authors: Fan Zhong-Ying
Published: July 2021

We study bulk entanglement entropy in even spacetime dimensions using the heat kernel method, which captures the universal piece of entanglement entropy, a logarithmically divergent term in even dimensions. In four dimensions, we perform explicit calculations for various shapes of boundary subregions. In particular, for a cusp subregion with an arbitrary opening angle, we find that the bulk entanglement entropy always encodes the same universal information about the boundary theories as the leading entanglement entropy in the large N limit, up to a fixed proportional constant. By smoothly deforming a circle in the boundary, we find that to leading order of the deformations, the bulk entanglement entropy shares the same shape dependence as the leading entanglement entropy and hence the same physical information can be extracted from both cases. This establishes an interesting local/nonlocal relation for holographic $$\mathrm {CFT}_3$$

CFT
3

. However, the result does not hold for higher dimensional holographic theories.
Splay states and two-cluster states in ensembles of excitable units
Authors: Ronge Robert , Zaks Michael A.
Published: July 2021

Focusing on systems of sinusoidally coupled active rotators, we study the emergence and stability of periodic collective oscillations for systems of identical excitable units with repulsive all-to-all interaction. Special attention is put on splay states and two-cluster states. Recently, it has been shown that one-parameter families of such systems, containing the parameter values at which the Watanabe–Strogatz integrability takes place, feature an instantaneous non-local exchange of stability between splay and two-cluster states. Here, we illustrate how in the extended families that circumvent the Watanabe–Strogatz dynamics, this abrupt transition is replaced by the “gradual transfer” of stability between the 2-cluster and the splay states, mediated by mixed-type solutions. We conclude our work by recovering the same kind of dynamics and transfer of stability in an ensemble of voltage-coupled Morris–Lecar neurons.
Electroacupuncture Attenuates Chronic Inflammatory Pain and Depression Comorbidity through Transient Receptor Potential V1 in the Brain
Authors: Liao Hsien-Yin , Lin Yi-Wen
Published: July 2021

Chronic pain is one of the highest costs in clinical therapy, often appearing comorbid with depression. They present with overlapping clinical conditions and common pathological pathways especially in neuroinflammation, both of which can be reversed by electroacupuncture (EA). Transient receptor potential V1 receptor (TRPV1) is a Ca[Formula: see text] permeable ion channel that responds to brain inflammation and has a known role in the development of chronic pain and depression. Here, we investigate the role of TRPV1 and its related molecules in a mouse model of inflammation-induced chronic pain and depression using Complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA). We measured inflammatory mediators in plasma and evaluated the TRPV1 signaling pathway in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), hypothalamus, and periaqueductal gray (PAG) of the mouse brain. Mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia as well as depressive-like behaviors were induced using the open field test and forced swimming test. Therapeutic effects were observed in EA and Trpv1[Formula: see text] mice in measures of chronic pain and depression. Inflammatory mediators induced by CFA injection were attenuated by EA and Trpv1 deletion. TRPV1 and downstream molecules were significantly decreased in the mPFC, hypothalamus, and PAG of mice, effects which were reversed by EA and Trpv1 knockout. We provide novel evidence that these inflammatory mediators modulate the TRPV1 signaling pathway and suggest new potential therapeutic targets for chronic pain and depression.
Torque exerting on suspended particles in rotating electric field
Authors: Gu Guo-Qing , Wei En-Bo
Published: July 2021

In this paper, rotation properties of suspended particles under an external rotating electric field (EREF) are investigated. Based on the re-distribution of surface-induced charges on moving particles, the torque exerting on particles by EREF is derived analytically. Furthermore, for the sol suspended in Newtonian fluid, the angular velocity of the rotating particle is formulated by the EREF and the dielectric constants of the particle and matrix. The result shows that the angular velocity of particles depends on the angular velocity of EREF, and is proportional to the square of EREF strength. The maximum angular velocity of rotating particles is reached if the angular velocity of EREF is equal to the reciprocal of the relaxation time of the induced charge.
Influence of optical loss on nonlinear effect in stimulated Raman scattering system
Authors: Wang Zhen , Gu Jilin , Qin Siyu
Published: July 2021

In this paper, based on the ideal stimulated Raman coupling equation, the dynamic output state is investigated. Considering the gain and loss of stimulated Raman scattering in the actual situation, the ideal stimulated Raman coupling equation is modified. Furthermore, the influence of optical loss on the nonlinear effect in the stimulated Raman scattering system has been analyzed. The results show that, considering the gain and loss of the system, the dynamic output of the stimulated Raman coupling equation presents stable periodic oscillation and random oscillation.
FEMORAL NECK FRACTURES AND CLASSIFICATIONS RELIABILITY: ARE WE USING REPRODUCIBLE SYSTEMS?
Authors: Enrietti Emilio , Bechis Marco , Nicolaci Giulia , Messina Domenico , Reboli Michele , Aprato Alessandro , Massè Alessandro
Published: July 2021

Introduction: Classification systems for femoral neck fractures are very helpful for surgeons in order to choose the correct treatment. The purpose of this study was to verify the reliability and reproducibility in the most used classifications for proximal medial femoral fracture: Garden and Pauwels classifications. Materials and methods: Five surgeons independently classified 82 intra-capsular femur fractures treated with 3 cannulated screws using Pauwels and Garden classifications measured on pre- and post-operatively X-Rays. Inter-observer agreement was calculated for both classifications using the multi-rater Fleiss’ kappa; intra-observer agreement from pre-operative to post-operative XRs for Pauwels classification was also calculated with the same method. Results: Only six cases of AVN were registered. The inter-observers agreement based on pre-operative X-rays was moderate for Pauwels classification ([Formula: see text] 0.528) and slightly lower for Garden classification ([Formula: see text] 0.448); but in the simplified Garden classification (type I and II not displaced vs type III and IV displaced) the agreement measured was almost perfect ([Formula: see text] 0.908). The intra-observer agreement for Pauwels classification was moderate ([Formula: see text] 0.456). All the results were statistically significant. Conclusions: This is the first study evaluating the Pauwels angle on both preoperative and postoperative X-rays to assess their reproducibility. Garden classification has a really high reliability and reproducibility in evaluating displaced and not displaced fractures and consequently can be helpful in choosing the correct treatment. Pauwels classification has a lower inter and intra-observer agreement.
THE VALUE OF PERSONAL CREDIT HISTORY IN RISK SCREENING OF ENTREPRENEURS: EVIDENCE FROM MARKETPLACE LENDING
Authors: ANDREEVA GALINA , ALTMAN EDWARD I.
Published: July 2021

We explore the quality of risk assessment for entrepreneurs/small business borrowers as compared to consumers, when the same information on previous credit history is used for both segments in marketplace lending. By building several cross-sectional logistic regression and machine-learning models and applying them separately to small business loans (SBL) and consumers we can measure models’ predictive accuracy for different segments, and thus, make observations about the value of the information used for screening. We find the differences in profiles between SBL and consumers, hence they should be assessed by separate models. Yet separate SBL models do not perform well when applied to a future time period. We attribute this to the relatively low predictive value of personal credit history for entrepreneurs as compared to the consumers. We advocate the use of additional information for risk assessment of entrepreneurs, in order to improve the quality of credit screening. This should lead to improved access of small business borrowers to credit in situations when they have to compete with consumers for funding.
An Enzyme-Based Biosensor for the Detection of Organophosphate Compounds Using Mutant Phosphotriesterase Immobilized onto Reduced Graphene Oxide
Authors: Mohd Razib Muhammad Syafiq , Latip Wahhida , Abdul Rashid Jahwarhar Izuan , Knight Victor Feizal , Wan Yunus Wan Md Zin , Ong Keat Khim , Mohd Kasim Noor Azilah , Mohd Noor Siti Aminah
Published: July 2021

Enzymatic detection of organophosphate (OP) compounds can be tailored using highly sensitive and selective enzymes in the development of biosensors. Previously, mutant (YT) phosphotriesterase (PTE) was reported to efficiently hydrolyze Sp and Rp enantiomers of phosphotriester. This study reports the use of phosphotriesterase mutant YT (YT-PTE) immobilized onto reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and fabricated onto a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) for electrochemical detection of OP compounds. Immobilization of YT-PTE onto rGO was secured using N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) and N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N’-ethylcarbodiimide (EDC) cross-linker, and the resulting immobilized enzyme was able to retain up to 90% of its activity. Electrochemical analysis of the SPCE/rGO/YT-PTE showed detection of paraoxon in a linear range of 1 mM–0.005 μM with its limit of detection as low as 0.11 μM. SPCE/rGO/YT-PTE exhibited high selectivity towards paraoxon and parathion and have good reproducibility. Furthermore, detection of paraoxon was also possible in a real water sample with only minor interferences.
Investigation of Dynamic, Mechanical, and Thermal Properties of Calotropis procera Particle‐Reinforced PLA Biocomposites
Authors: Yoganandam K. , Shanmugam Vigneshwaran , Vasudevan A. , Vinodh D. , Nagaprasad N. , Stalin Balasubramaniam , Karthick Alagar , Malla Chandrabhanu , Bharani Murugesan
Published: July 2021

The thermal behavior of the biodegradable Calotropis procera (CP) particle‐reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) biocomposites was investigated. The injection molding process was used to make the composites, and the CP particle weight percentage was varied during the process (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%). The melt flow index, heat deflection temperature, Vicat softening point, and the thermal properties of the composites were determined using dynamic mechanical testing. The results were analyzed and compared to the thermal properties of the neat PLA. The results revealed the increase in thermal stability of the PLA due to the addition of CP particles. The CP particles aided in the restriction of polymer mobility, which elevated the glass transition temperature of the composite. Incorporating CP particles in the PLA can increase the PLA/CP composite utilization in heat dissipation applications.
Vibration Characteristics and Reduction Analysis of Lifting Pipe under Ocean Current
Authors: Song Qinghui , Jiang Haiyan , Song Qingjun , Xiao Linjing , Zhong PeiSi
Published: July 2021

Effects of vibration absorbers on the lifting pipe in deep‐sea mining have been attracting more and more attention in the recent three decades; however, there are very few reports about the influence of ocean current on the pipe vibration in the literature. Considering the geometrical features of the prototype, this paper establishes the physical model, mathematical model, and simulation model of the lifting subsystem. A comprehensive finite element model for the deep‐sea mining system by the OrcaFlex is developed to explore the influences of buffer mass and sailing velocity on the deflection angle and the axial load and stress of the lifting pipe. Analytical and numerical simulations have been formulated to illustrate variation rule of longitudinal vibration and axial stress at the position of pump and buffer for the lifting subsystem to determine the dynamic vibration absorber parameters. In this paper, MATLAB and Orcaflex software are used to verify the mathematical model. The simulation results show that the attaching DVAs can effectively reduce the axial stress, and longitudinal displacement at certain positions of the lifting pipe.
Red Ginseng Oil Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Offers Protection against Ultraviolet‐Induced Photo Toxicity
Authors: Ullah H. M. Arif , Lee Yuan Yee , Kim Minki , Kim Tae-Wan , Saba Evelyn , Kwak Yi-Seong , Sandhu Mansur Abdullah , Rhee Man Hee
Published: July 2021

Ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) is a well‐known herbal medicine that has been used for a long time in Korea to treat various diseases. This study investigated the in vitro and in vivo protective effects of red ginseng extract (RGE) and red ginseng oil (RGO). Liver injury was produced in BALB/c mice by 400 mg/kg of acetaminophen intraperitoneal injection. The antioxidant effects of RGE and RGO on the free radicals 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picryl‐hydrazyl‐hydrate (DPPH) and 2,2 ′‐azino‐bis‐3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid (ABTS) were measured. In addition, the hepatoprotective activities of RGE and RGO on liver markers, including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and oxidative stress markers, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) enzyme activity, and 8‐hydroxy‐2‐deoxyguanosine (8‐OHdG) in serum and histopathological analysis, were evaluated. The protective effect of RGO on UV‐induced phototoxicity was also evaluated in Balb/c 3T3 mouse fibroblast cell line. RGE and RGO effectively inhibited the radicals DPPH and ABTS compared with ascorbic acid and trolox, respectively. Moreover, RGE and RGO significantly decreased the liver enzyme (ALT and AST) levels, increased the antioxidant enzyme (SOD and CAT) levels, and decreased the DNA oxidation product (8‐OHdG) content in mice serum. RGO also exhibited protective effect against UV irradiation compared with chlorpromazine hydrochloride, a known phototoxic drug, in Balb/c 3T3 cell line. RGE and RGO possess antioxidant and hepatoprotective properties in mice, and RGO exerts nonphototoxic activity in Balb/c 3T3 cells.
The Effects of Dairy Product Label Information on Cognition of Consumers: The Case of the China Choices
Authors: Xu Ce , Liu Can , Cheng Jingmin
Published: July 2021

Food safety issues were a growing concern in most countries; affecting the people’s health, social stability, economic development, and dairy product safety had always been an important topic of concern for consumers. This study is aimed at investigating the concerns of consumers about dairy product label information and its influencing factors. These survey data were reported for 4408 respondents with a total response rate of 96.35%. Findings revealed that consumers’ concern on dairy product label information was relatively high on the whole, and there were significant differences in the level of consumers’ concern on dairy product label information (

P
<
0.05

). Regression results indicated that education significantly influenced consumers’ concern about dairy product label information than age and Engel’s coefficient (

P
<
0.05

). Findings from this study will provide references for the government to disseminate dairy product knowledge to the public effectively.
PPARγ Plays an Important Role in Acute Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury via AMPK/mTOR Pathway
Authors: Wu Liwei , Yu Qiang , Cheng Ping , Guo Chuanyong
Published: July 2021

Background. Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is one of the severe complications associated with liver surgery and leads to liver dysfunction. PPARγ is always linked with various physiologic pathways, and it can alleviate liver damage in IR injury. Aim. In this study, we explored the potential mechanism of PPARγ in the pathogenesis of hepatic IR injury by mice model. Methods. After treated with si-PPARγ or rosiglitazone, mice were subjected to hepatic ischemia-reperfusion. Liver tissue and blood samples were collected to evaluate liver injury and detected relative mRNA and protein expressions. Results. The expression of PPARγ was increased after reperfusion. And the alleviation of PPARγ aggravated the liver damage in IR; at the same time, upregulation of the expression of PPARγ released the liver damage. And these effects of PPARγ in IR were related to the AMPK/mTOR/autophagy signaling pathway. Conclusion. PPARγ plays an important role in hepatic IR injury at least partly via the AMPK/mTOR/autophagy pathway.
Estimate Stress‐Strength Reliability Model Using Rayleigh and Half‐Normal Distribution
Authors: Alamri Osama Abdulaziz , El-Raouf M. M. Abd , Ismail Eman Ahmed , Almaspoor Zahra , Alsaedi Basim S. O. , Khosa Saima Khan , Yusuf M.
Published: July 2021

In the field of life testing, it is very important to study the reliability of any component under testing. One of the most important subjects is the “stress‐strength reliability” term which always refers to the quantity P (X > Y) in any statistical literature. It resamples a system with random strength (X) that is subjected to a random strength (Y) such that a system fails in case the stress exceeds the strength. In this study, we consider stress‐strength reliability where the strength (X) follows Rayleigh‐half‐normal distribution and stress (Y1, Y2, Y3, and Y4) follows Rayleigh‐half‐normal distribution, exponential distribution, Rayleigh distribution, and half‐normal distribution, respectively. This effort comprises determining the general formulations of the reliabilities of a system. Also, the maximum likelihood estimation approach and method of moment (MOM) will be utilized to estimate the parameters. Finally, reliability has been attained utilizing various values of stress and strength parameters.
Field Monitoring and Numerical Analysis of the Reinforced Concrete Foundation of a Large‐Scale Wind Turbine
Authors: Zhou Yanming , Liu Xinxi , Deng Zongwei , Gao Qian-Feng
Published: July 2021

The objective of this study is to examine the performance of the shallow reinforced concrete foundation of a large‐scale wind turbine under the influence of environmental loads. A 2 MW horizontal‐axis onshore wind turbine supported by a shallow concrete foundation was considered. The foundation stresses, foundation settlements, and static and dynamic contact pressures at various positions of the shallow foundation were monitored from the construction phase to the operation phase in the field. Numerical simulations were also performed to further analyze the behavior of the wind turbine foundation in different cases. The results demonstrate that the responses of the reinforced concrete foundation, i.e., foundation stresses, contact pressures, and foundation settlements, were variables closely related to the wind direction and wind speed. The distribution of foundation stresses suggested that a reasonable design of steel reinforcement cages around the foundation steel ring is important. The dynamic contact pressure of the foundation could reach 5 kPa, so the influence of dynamic wind loads on the foundation response could not be always neglected, particularly for the foundations seated on weak soils. The foundation settlement during the operation phase could be characterized by the logistic model, but its distribution was uneven due to the presence of eccentric upper weight and wind load. The findings would provide guidance for the foundation design of onshore wind turbines in hilly areas.
Microbiological Monitoring of the Environment Using the “Association Rules” Approach and Disinfection Procedure Evaluation in a Hospital Center in Morocco
Authors: Flouchi Rachid , Elmniai Abderrahim , El Far Mohamed , Touzani Ibrahim , El Hachlafi Naoufal , Fikri-Benbrahim Kawtar
Published: July 2021

Background. The hospital environment, especially surfaces and medical devices, is a source of contamination for patients. Objective. This study carried out, to the best of our knowledge, for the first time at Taza Hospital in Morocco aimed to assess the microbiological quality of surfaces and medical devices in surgical departments and to evaluate the disinfection procedure in time and space. Methods. Samples were taken by swabbing after cleaning the hospital surface or medical device, to isolate and identify germs which were inoculated on semiselective culture media then identified by standard biochemical and physiological tests, using the analytical profile index (API) galleries. Moreover, the association rules extraction model between sites on the one hand and germs on the other hand was used for sampling. Results. The study showed that 83% of the samples have been contaminated after biocleaning. The most contaminated services have been men’s and women’s surgeries. 62% of isolated germs have been identified as Gram-positive bacteria, 29% as Gram-negative bacteria, and 9% as fungi. Concerning the association rules extraction model, a strong association between some contaminated sites and the presence of germ has been found, such as the association between wall and nightstand and door cuff, meaning that the wall and nightstand contamination is systematically linked to that of the door cuff. The disinfection procedure efficacy evaluation has enabled suggesting renewing it each 4 h. Conclusion. Microbiological monitoring of surfaces is necessary at hospital level through the use of the association rule extraction model, which is very important to optimize the sampling, cleaning, and disinfection site scenarios of the most contaminated ones.
A New Variant of B-Spline for the Solution of Modified Fractional Anomalous Subdiffusion Equation
Authors: Hashmi M. S. , Shehzad Zainab , Ashraf Asifa , Zhang Zhiyue , Lv Yu-Pei , Ghaffar Abdul , Inc Mustafa , Aly Ayman A.
Published: July 2021

The objective of this paper is to present an efficient numerical technique for solving time fractional modified anomalous subdiffusion equation. Anomalous diffusion equation has its role in various branches of biological sciences. B-spline is a piecewise function to draw curves and surfaces, which maintain its degree of smoothness at the connecting points. B-spline provides an active process of approximation to the limit curve. In current attempt, B-spline curve is used to approximate the solution curve of time fractional modified anomalous subdiffusion equation. The process is kept simple involving collocation procedure to the data points. The time fractional derivative is approximated with the discretized form of the Riemann-Liouville derivative. The process results in the form of system of algebraic equations, which is solved using a variant of Thomas algorithm. In order to ensure the convergence of the procedure, a valid method named Von Neumann stability analysis is attempted. The graphical and tabular display of results for the illustrated examples is presented, which stamped the efficiency of the proposed algorithm.
Economic Policy Uncertainty and Local Carbon Emission Trading: A Multifractal Analysis from US and Guangdong
Authors: Zhao Ruwei
Published: July 2021

This paper investigates the long‐term dynamic cross‐correlation evolution between US economic policy uncertainty index (USEPU) and Guangdong carbon emission trading price (GDCP) from the multifractal detrended cross‐correlation analysis (MF‐DCCA) perspective. With the calculation of correlation statistics and fluctuation function, the beginning procedures of MF‐DCCA, we find that the cross‐correlation between USEPU and GDCP is significant and presents power law property. Also, with the Hurst exponent, we find that the long‐horizon correlations between series are persistent. Moreover, we perform Rényi exponent and spectrum singularity check. The empirical findings reveal that the all the correlations are of multifractality and the correlation of GDCP holds the highest degree.
Gene Regulatory Network of Human GM-CSF-Secreting T Helper Cells
Authors: Éliás Szabolcs , Schmidt Angelika , Gomez-Cabrero David , Tegnér Jesper
Published: July 2021

GM-CSF produced by autoreactive CD4-positive T helper cells is involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. However, the molecular regulators that establish and maintain the features of GM-CSF-positive CD4 T cells are unknown. In order to identify these regulators, we isolated human GM-CSF-producing CD4 T cells from human peripheral blood by using a cytokine capture assay. We compared these cells to the corresponding GM-CSF-negative fraction, and furthermore, we studied naïve CD4 T cells, memory CD4 T cells, and bulk CD4 T cells from the same individuals as additional control cell populations. As a result, we provide a rich resource of integrated chromatin accessibility (ATAC-seq) and transcriptome (RNA-seq) data from these primary human CD4 T cell subsets and we show that the identified signatures are associated with human autoimmune diseases, especially multiple sclerosis. By combining information about mRNA expression, DNA accessibility, and predicted transcription factor binding, we reconstructed directed gene regulatory networks connecting transcription factors to their targets, which comprise putative key regulators of human GM-CSF-positive CD4 T cells as well as memory CD4 T cells. Our results suggest potential therapeutic targets to be investigated in the future in human autoimmune disease.
Short-Term Traffic Flow Prediction: A Method of Combined Deep Learnings
Authors: Ren Chuanxiang , Chai Chunxu , Yin Changchang , Ji Haowei , Cheng Xuezhen , Gao Ge , Zhang Heng
Published: July 2021

Short-term traffic flow prediction can provide a basis for traffic management and support for travelers to make decisions. Accurate short-term traffic flow prediction also provides necessary conditions for the sustainable development of the traffic environment. Although the application of deep learning methods for traffic flow prediction has achieved good accuracy, the problem of combining multiple deep learning methods to improve the prediction accuracy of a single method still has a margin for in-depth research. In this article, a combined deep learning prediction (CDLP) model including two paralleled single deep learning models, CNN-LSTM-attention model and CNN-GRU-attention model, is established. In the model, a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1DCNN) is used to extract traffic flow local trend features and RNN variants (LSTM and GRU) with attention mechanism are used to extract long temporal dependencies trend features. Moreover, a dynamic optimal weighted coefficient algorithm (DOWCA) is proposed to calculate the dynamic weights of CNN-LSTM-attention and CNN-GRU-attention with the goal of minimizing the sum of squared errors of the CDLP model. Then, the neuron number, loss function, optimization algorithm, and other parameters of the CDLP model are discussed and set through experiments. Finally, the training set and test set for the CDLP model are established through the processing of traffic flow data collected from the field. The CDLP model is trained and tested, and the prediction results of traffic flow are obtained and analyzed. It indicates that the CDLP model can fit the change trend of traffic flow very well and has better performance. Furthermore, under the same dataset, the results from the CDLP model are compared with baseline models. It is found that the CDLP model has higher prediction accuracy than baseline models.
Metabolic Abnormalities in a Cohort of Overweight and Obese Children in an Urban Setting of Sri Lanka
Authors: Warnakulasuriya Loretta S. , Samaranayake Dulani L. , Adikaram Adikaram V. N. , Fernando Manel M. A. , Rytter Elisabet , Ciba Iris , Bergsten Peter , Forslund Anders H. , Renuka Ruchira Silva K. D. , Wickramasinghe Vithanage Pujitha
Published: July 2021

Childhood obesity-related metabolic derangements are increasing among South Asian populations. Most of these changes persist to adulthood. This study aims to describe the distribution of metabolic abnormalities among 7- to 17-year-old overweight and obese children in the Gampaha District of Sri Lanka. Overweight children (age- and gender-adapted BMI>+1SD, WHO standards) were selected from a community survey carried out in the Negombo Education Zone of Gampaha District. After a 12-hour overnight fast, blood was drawn, and blood glucose (FBG), lipid profile, insulin, and liver transaminases were measured. Two hours after a glucose load, blood was drawn for random blood glucose (RBG) and insulin. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) was diagnosed using modified IDF criteria for children. Anthropometry, fat mass (FM), and blood pressure were measured. Hepatic fat pattern was assessed ultrasonically. The data of 403 children (210 boys) were analysed. Of the study population, 16.4% were overweight (BMI for age +1 to +2SD), 72% were obese (BMI for age >+2 to +3SD), and 11.6% were severely obese (BMI for age >+3SD). Insulin resistance was seen in 46.8%, and prevalence increased with age. Mean postprandial insulin ranged from 368 to 625 pmol/L and was elevated in 35%. Dysglycaemia was seen among 20.8%. MetS was present in 19.8%, and 84% had at least one metabolic abnormality. Different degrees of hepatic steatosis were observed in 32.5%, and elevated ALT/AST ratio was seen in 58% of the population. Overweight and obesity during childhood were associated with multiple metabolic abnormalities including MetS, and they occur from a young age. It is important to screen children for overweight/obesity early in life and intervene to prevent them from developing metabolic complications.
Case Study of the Characteristics and Mechanism of Rock Burst near Fault in Yima Coalfield, China
Authors: Jiao Zhenhua , Yuan Qiupeng , Zou Peng , Shi Benjun
Published: July 2021

Deep mining near faults may easily cause rock bursts, which seriously threaten mining safety. Based on the engineering background of deep mining near fault in Yima coalfield, by collecting the rock burst events that happened near fault during deep mining, the correlation between fault structure and time‐space features of rock burst was analyzed. The results show that the deep rock burst accounts for 84% in Yima coalfield at 600 m and 93% in the mining area within 1000 m from F16 fault. The risk of rock burst is positively correlated with mining depth and negatively correlated with the distance between mining area and F16 fault, and the frequency and intensity of rock burst near F16 fault increase significantly. Rock burst occurs in high stress concentration area, mainly in roadway, releasing energy level of 1.1 × 104 J–3.5 × 108 J, with impact damage range of 60–500 m. The mechanism of rock burst was explained from the view of the distribution of mining stress in surrounding rock. The stress of coal seam in deep mining near fault increases, and the disturbance effect of fault is obvious. Rock burst is easy to be induced under static and dynamic loads. The occurrence and mechanical characteristics of fault have different effects on rock burst and should be considered when evaluating the risk of rock burst.
A Meta-Analysis: Intervention Effect of Mind-Body Exercise on Relieving Cancer-Related Fatigue in Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Liu Cong , Qin Man , Zheng Xinhu , Chen Rao , Zhu Jianghua
Published: July 2021

Objective. This paper aims to systematically evaluate the intervention effect of mind-body exercise on cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients. Methods. Databases including PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and SINOMED were retrieved to collect randomized controlled trials on the effects of mind-body exercise on relieving cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients. The retrieval period started from the founding date of each database to January 6, 2021. Cochrane bias risk assessment tools were used to evaluate the methodological quality assessment of the included literature, and RevMan 5.3 software was used for meta-analyses. Results. 17 pieces of researches in 16 papers were included with a total of 1133 patients. Compared with the control group, mind-body exercise can improve cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients. The combined effect size SMD = 0.59, 95% CI was [0.27, 0.92],

p
<
0.00001

. Doing Tai Chi for over 40 minutes each time with an exercise cycle of ≤6 weeks can improve cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients more significantly. Sensitivity analysis shows that the combined effect results of the meta-analysis were relatively stable. Conclusion. Mind-body exercise can effectively improve cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients.
Alpinetin Attenuates Persistent Inflammation, Immune Suppression, and Catabolism Syndrome in a Septic Mouse Model
Authors: Liu Yukun , Wang Kang , Feng Qaunrui , Zhang Yongsheng , Wang Chuntao , Liu Qinxin , Liu Xinghua , Wang Xiang , Gao Wei , Bai Xiangjun , Li Zhanfei , Wang Yuchang
Published: July 2021

Patients who survive the acute phase of sepsis can progress to persistent inflammation, immunosuppression, and catabolism syndrome (PICS), which usually results in extended recovery periods and multiple complications. Alpinetin is a flavonoid isolated from Alpinia katsumadai Hayata that has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant activities. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the administration of alpinetin could attenuate PICS in a septic mouse model. Mice were randomly divided into four groups: the (1) sham-operated group, (2) sham+alpinetin (1 mg/kg intravenously infused for once per day after sham operation), (3) cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), and (4) CLP+alpinetin (50 mg/kg intravenously infused for once per day after CLP). Eight days after sham operation or CLP surgery, mice were euthanized for subsequent examination. Alpinetin significantly improved the survival of septic mice. Also, it attenuated the CLP-induced persistent inflammation, immunosuppression, and catabolism syndrome. The level of plasma proinflammatory cytokines and apoptosis of T lymphocytes were obviously decreased by alpinetin as well. Moreover, oxidative stress in the organs was compelling lower in the alpinetin-treated CLP mice. In this clinically relevant model of sepsis, alpinetin ameliorates CLP-induced organ dysfunction and improves the likelihood of survival, possibly through suppressing the inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. These findings suggested that alpinetin could be a potential novel therapeutic approach to prevent sepsis-induced PICS.
Platelet-Rich Plasma Suppresses Inflammation Reaction of Rat Articular Chondrocytes via Wingless-Related Integration Site/β-Catenin Axis
Authors: Wang Wei , Ma Weiwei , Li Xu , Huang Yihui , Cao Xinyu
Published: July 2021

Our study aims to elucidate the role of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in rats chondrocytes inflammation and mechanism. PRP was obtained from 8 weeks old rats. Then, the knee joint of bilateral hind limbs was dissected and articular chondrocytes were obtained in super-clean table after
dislocation and identified at the second generation during culture and passage. Chondrocytes were divided into control group 1 (addition of saline), control group 2 (IWP-2, Wnt/β-catenin axis inhibitor) and experimental group (PRP) followed by analysis of mRNA levels of glycogen
synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3β), low-density lipoprotein receptor-associated protein 5 (LRP5), Wnt1 and β-catenin by RT-PCR, IL-1 and TNF-α after 1 week by ELISA. The second generation articular chondrocytes presented polygonal or triangular cell morphology,
positive for collagen II and toluidine blue staining. PRP addition significantly reduced GSK-3β and LRP5 mRNA level, and increased β-catenin and Wnt1 mRNA levels in chondrocytes. Meanwhile, it suppressed IL-1 and TNF-α secretion and Wnt protein production
inhibitor 2. PRP might suppresses inflammatory factors production of rat articular chondrocytes through inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin axis.
Effect of Down-Regulation of miR-23b-3p on the Differentiation of Acute Myeloid Leukemia via Wilms Cancer Gene 1
Authors: Cao Lixia , Zhang Jing , Ren Huijuan , Han Yanqiu
Published: July 2021

miRNA has always been a hot spot research. We assessed the effect of down-regulation of miR-23b-3p on the differentiation of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Human AML cell line U937 was divided into blank group, NC group and miR-23b-3p low expression group (transfected with miR-23b-3p
inhibitor) and miR-23b-3p followed by analysis of WT1 level and relationship between miR-23b-3p and WT1 by dual luciferase reporter assay. All-trans retinoic acid is used to induce differentiation, and then the morphological changes of cells and CD11b level were detected. When miR-23b-3p level
was reduced, WT1 mRNA and protein level was also decreased. Dual luciferase assay showed that miR-23b-3p bound to WT1 3’-UTR. Inhibition of miR-23b-3p significantly decreased cell proliferation. Swiss Giemsa staining showed that most of cells were in the differentiation stage with low
miR-23b-3p expression. The differentiation marker CD11b was significantly higher than other groups, indicating that low miR-23b-3p expression can promote cell differentiation and reduce cell proliferation to a certain extent. Under low miR-23b-3p expression, the positive rate of CD11b was
significantly increased. Down-regulating miR-23b-3p can inhibit WT1 to a certain extent and promote the differentiation of AML, which provides a guidance for the gene-level treatment of AML.
Edaravone Protects Nerve Synapse Damage in Alzheimer’s Disease via Regulating Rho (Ras Homologue)/Rho-Associated Protein Kinase (Rho/ROCK) Pathway
Authors: Zhang Shan-Jing , Ni Jian-Ming , Ding Guo-Rong , Xie Yan-Zhong , Tang Yan-Liang
Published: July 2021

Edaravone regulates Rho/ROCK signaling pathway and its relationship with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) damage repair remains unclear. Our study aims to explore the protective mechanism of edar-avone on Alzheimer Disease nerve synapses. The Alzheimer Disease animal mouse model was established
followed by analysis of hippocampal synaptic damage by Congo red stain and Golgi’s method, Morris water maze assay, levels of postsynaptic density mRNA 95 antibody (PSD95) and synapse-associated mRNA synapsin 1 (SYN1) in the hippocampus. Edaravone can improve the behavior of mice, including
spatial learning and memory, and reduce senile plaques in the cerebral cortex of APP/PS1 mice. Edaravone can upregulate the expression of synapse-related mRNA SYN1 and PSD95 in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice and inhibit Rho and ROCK mRNA level. Edaravone targets the Rho/ROCK pathway to protect
Alzheimer Disease nerve synapse damage, indicating that the Rho/ROCK pathway may be a key link in the effect of edaravone.