bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Child alcohol use disorder in Eastern Uganda: screening, diagnostics, risk factors and management of children drinking alcohol in Uganda (TREAT C-AUD): a mixed-methods research protocol
Authors: Skylstad Vilde , Aber Harriet , Bakken Victoria , Dierkes Jutta , Iversen Silje Akselberg , Kisaakye Esther , Kühl Melf-Jakob , Nalugya Joyce Sserunjogi , Rayamajhi Divya , Sebuwufu Deogratious , Skar Ane-Marthe Solheim , Skokauskas Norbert , Valeckaite Neda , Wamani Henry , S. Engebretsen Ingunn Marie , Babirye Juliet Ndimwibo
Published: July 2021

Background

Following a finding of alcohol use among children aged 5–8 years old in Mbale, Uganda, this project investigates the magnitude of alcohol and substance use among children ged 6–13 years old and related household, community, school, health system and clinical factors.

Methods

The project includes four larger work packages (WPs). WP1 comprises management, WP2 and 3 include the scientific components and WP4 includes integration of results, dissemination, policy and implementation advice. This protocol presents the planned research work in WP 2 and 3. WP2 comprises the adaptation and validation of the alcohol use screening tool Car-Relax-Alone-Forget-Family and Friends-Trouble (CRAFFT) to the age group and setting. WP3 comprises four substudies (SS). SS1 is a cross-sectional community household survey with an estimated sample size of 3500 children aged 6–13 years and their caregivers. We apply cluster sampling and systematic sampling within the clusters. Data collection includes a structured questionnaire for caregiver and child, measuring social and demographic factors, mental health status, alcohol and substance use, nutrition history and anthropometry. Urine samples from children will be collected to measure ethyl glucuronide (EtG), a biological marker of alcohol intake. Further, facilitators, barriers and response mechanisms in the health system (SS2) and the school system (SS3) is explored with surveys and qualitative assessments. SS4 includes qualitative interviews with children. Analysis will apply descriptive statistics for the primary outcome of establishing the magnitude of alcohol drinking and substance use, and associated factors will be assessed using appropriate regression models. The substudies will be analysed independently, as well as inform each other through mixed methods strategies at the stages of design, analysis, and dissemination.

Ethics and dissemination

Data protection and ethical approvals have been obtained in Uganda and Norway, and referral procedures developed. Dissemination comprises peer-reviewed, open access research papers, policy recommendations and intersectoral dialogues.

Trial registration number

Clinicaltrials.gov 29.10.2020 (#NCT04743024).
Unannotated small RNA clusters associated with circulating extracellular vesicles detect early stage liver cancer
Authors: von Felden Johann , Garcia-Lezana Teresa , Dogra Navneet , Gonzalez-Kozlova Edgar , Ahsen Mehmet Eren , Craig Amanda , Gifford Stacey , Wunsch Benjamin , Smith Joshua T , Kim Sungcheol , Diaz Jennifer E L , Chen Xintong , Labgaa Ismail , Haber Philipp , Olsen Reena , Han Dan , Restrepo Paula , D'Avola Delia , Hernandez-Meza Gabriela , Allette Kimaada , Sebra Robert , Saberi Behnam , Tabrizian Parissa , Asgharpour Amon , Dieterich Douglas , Llovet Josep M. , Cordon-Cardo Carlos , Tewari Ash , Schwartz Myron , Stolovitzky Gustavo , Losic Bojan , Villanueva Augusto
Published: July 2021

Objective

Surveillance tools for early cancer detection are suboptimal, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and biomarkers are urgently needed. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have gained increasing scientific interest due to their involvement in tumour initiation and metastasis; however, most extracellular RNA (exRNA) blood-based biomarker studies are limited to annotated genomic regions.

Design

EVs were isolated with differential ultracentrifugation and integrated nanoscale deterministic lateral displacement arrays (nanoDLD) and quality assessed by electron microscopy, immunoblotting, nanoparticle tracking and deconvolution analysis. Genome-wide sequencing of the largely unexplored small exRNA landscape, including unannotated transcripts, identified and reproducibly quantified small RNA clusters (smRCs). Their key genomic features were delineated across biospecimens and EV isolation techniques in prostate cancer and HCC. Three independent exRNA cancer datasets with a total of 479 samples from 375 patients, including longitudinal samples, were used for this study.

Results

ExRNA smRCs were dominated by uncharacterised, unannotated small RNA with a consensus sequence of 20 nt. An unannotated 3-smRC signature was significantly overexpressed in plasma exRNA of patients with HCC (p<0.01, n=157). An independent validation in a phase 2 biomarker case–control study revealed 86% sensitivity and 91% specificity for the detection of early HCC from controls at risk (n=209) (area under the receiver operating curve (AUC): 0.87). The 3-smRC signature was independent of alpha-fetoprotein (p<0.0001) and a composite model yielded an increased AUC of 0.93.

Conclusion

These findings directly lead to the prospect of a minimally invasive, blood-only, operator-independent clinical tool for HCC surveillance, thus highlighting the potential of unannotated smRCs for biomarker research in cancer.
Ethics of fetal reduction: a reply to my critics
Authors: Räsänen Joona
Published: July 2021

In the article, Twin pregnancy, fetal reduction and the ‘all or nothing problem’, I argued that there is a moral problem in multifetal pregnancy reduction from a twin to a singleton pregnancy (2-to-1 MFPR). Drawing on Horton’s original version of the ‘all or nothing problem’, I argued that there are two intuitively plausible claims in 2-to-1 MFPR: (1) aborting both fetuses is morally permissible, (2) aborting only one of the twin fetuses is morally wrong. Yet, with the assumption that one should select permissible choice over impermissible choice, the two claims lead to a counter-intuitive conclusion: the woman ought to abort both fetuses rather than only one. It would be odd to promote such a pro-death view. Begovićet aldiscuss my article and offer insightful criticism, claiming, that there is no ‘all or nothing problem’ present in 2-to-1 MFPR. In this short reply, I respond to some of their criticism.
Sex-based outcomes in contemporary antiplatelet therapy trials
Authors: Alasnag Mirvat , Jones Tara L , Hanfi Yasmin , Ryan Nicola
Published: July 2021

Balancing ischaemic and bleeding risks in high-risk populations undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions has become an everyday dilemma for clinicians. It is particularly difficult to make decisions concerning combinations and duration of antiplatelet regimens in women given the poor representation of women in trials that have shaped current practice. Several contemporary landmark trials have recently been presented at the American College of Cardiology. The trials included the Harmonising Optimal Strategy for Treatment of coronary artery diseases-EXtended Antiplatelet Monotherapy, Ticagrelor With Aspirin or Alone in High-Risk Patients After Coronary Intervention and the TicAgrelor versus CLOpidogrel in Stabilised Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction. In this article, we summarise the main findings of these trials and include the The Polymer-free Drug-Coated Coronary Stents in Patients at High Bleeding Risk (LEADERS FREE) in search for evidence based best practices for women patients. Although some of these trials had prespecified a subanalysis of sex differences, women constituted only 17%–30% of participants making sex-specific analyses challenging. Data suggest that women benefit from de-escalation to both ticagrelor and clopidogrel monotherapy. However, given the increased bleeding risks observed in women further randomised controlled trials are necessary to determine the most appropriate combination and duration of dual antiplatelet therapy as well as maintenance single antiplatelet therapy.
Mixture density network estimation of continuous variable maximum likelihood using discrete training samples
Authors: Burton Charles , Stubbs Spencer , Onyisi Peter
Published: July 2021

Mixture density networks (MDNs) can be used to generate posterior density functions of model parameters $$\varvec{\theta }$$

θ

given a set of observables $${\mathbf {x}}$$
x
. In some applications, training data are available only for discrete values of a continuous parameter $$\varvec{\theta }$$

θ

. In such situations, a number of performance-limiting issues arise which can result in biased estimates. We demonstrate the usage of MDNs for parameter estimation, discuss the origins of the biases, and propose a corrective method for each issue.
Derivation of the robustness from the concurrence
Authors: Krynytskyi Yu. S. , Kuzmak A. R.
Published: July 2021

Adding the maximally mixed state with some weight to the entanglement system leads to disentanglement of the latter. For each predefined entangled state there exists a minimal value of this weight for which the system loses its entanglement properties. These values were proposed to be used as a quantitative measure of entanglement called robustness [G. Vidal and R. Tarrach, Phys. Rev. A 59, 141 (1999)]. Using the concurrence, we propose the derivation of this measure for the system of two-qubit. Namely, for a two-qubit pure state, an exact expression of robustness is obtained. Finally, in the same way, the robustness of special cases of mixed two-qubit states is calculated.
Progress on CEPC 650 MHz klystron
Authors: Zhou Z. S. , Chen Y. , Chi Y. L. , Dong D. , Fukuda S. , Gan N. , He X. , Iqbal M. , Kong X. C. , Liu J. D. , Lu Z. J. , Ma X. P. , Meng C. , Pei G. X. , Shu G. , Xiao O. Z. , Wang J. L. , Wang S. C. , Zaib U. N. , Zhou N. C.
Published: July 2021

The beam power of the CEPC Collider is about 60 MW, so an efficiency of an RF power source is very important for cost of project implementation. The most popular source for an accelerator is a klystron, which has the advantage that it can be operated at high power with a reasonable high efficiency. IHEP is developing 650 MHz klystron with 800 kW CW output power and 80% efficiency. To reach this goal, a couple of klystron prototypes will be manufactured in the near future. The first prototype is completely manufactured by Institute of Electronics (IE) and GLVAC Company and the first step of high-power conditioning and commissioning is also completed in IHEP. The design schemes of high-efficiency klystron are also in progress.
Green Creativity and New Product Performance from Taiwanese High-Tech Sectors: The Moderating Role of Family Involvement
Authors: Hung Yi-Chun , Ding Hung-Bin
Published: July 2021

This study examines the influence of green creativity to the green new product performances. Creativity is a key source of organization’s competitive advantage (Barney, 1991) and increases the likelihood of new product success by providing effective product differentiation (Song, 2018). Building on the thesis of Natural Resource-based view (Hart, 1995), we study the impact of green creativity on the performances of green new products. This study also shows that family involvement plays a role in the green performances of family businesses. We pay particular attention to family firms because of two reasons. First, family businesses represent a significant proportion of the corporate sector in both developed and developing countries (Faccio and Lang 2002). Second, family firms have different behavioral patterns when reacting to stakeholders’ pressures (Huaang, Ding, and Kao, 2009; Sharma and Sharma, 2011) for better environmental management practices. This study surveyed 134 family-owned, high-tech manufacturers in Taiwan. The findings show that the green creativity is positively and significantly related to green new product performances. Our analytical results also show that family involvement moderates the relationship between green creativity and green new product performances.
High-Quality Development and Institutionalization of the BRI
Authors: Li Xiangyang
Published: July 2021

After the BRI enters a new stage, high-quality development is becoming its main goal, but there is no consensus among Chinese academic circles on how to achieve high-quality development. Based on the assumption that the BRI is a development-oriented regional economic cooperation mechanism, the author proposes that the connotation of its high-quality development lies in sustainability, and the path to achieve sustainability lies in its institutionalization. The development orientation of the BRI determines that it does not set rules as a threshold during its initial stage, thus providing opportunities for developing countries to participate in international economic cooperation. However, this does not mean that the BRI does not need rules and institutionalization. Institutionalization is an endogenous requirement for deepening the BRI cooperation, an inevitable choice for addressing exogenous challenges, and a prerequisite for docking with the existing global governance system. It should be pointed that the institutionalization cannot duplicate the existing institutionalization model of regional integration, but needs to follow the principles of mutual consultation, gradualism and the Viewpoint of Righteousness and Benefit. Therefore, high-quality development of the BRI requires the establishment of a sustainable cooperation system, a benefit distribution system and a support system.
ASEAN’s Cognition of China–US Gaming and Its Role in Regional Cooperation
Authors: Cao Yunhua
Published: July 2021

China–US relations will stagnate in a strategic game for some time to come and even for a long historical period. ASEAN will find itself confronted with a new problem and a new challenge as it has to navigate through this situation and cope with inter-state relations and international affairs under this context. As the largest neighbor of China and a main partner to the US in Asia, ASEAN insists on “not choosing any side” and sticks to the “balance of power”. The intensified China–US game has some potential impact on China-ASEAN relations. Securing the centrality of ASEAN in regional cooperation not only helps maintain lasting peace, stability and prosperity in Southeast Asia, but also is in line with the long-term strategic interests of China and the US in the region. China will continue to support the centrality of ASEAN in regional cooperation, promote deep integration of the “Belt and Road” initiative with different institutional arrangements that ASEAN makes for regional integration, and give positive considerations to building production bases in Southeast Asia to improve its global industrial chain.
The impact of heterogeneous mixed siliciclastic–carbonate systems on CO
2
geological storage
Authors: Pourmalek Azadeh , Newell Andrew J. , Shariatipour Seyed M. , Wood Adrian M.
Published: July 2021

Three different outcrops are selected in this study, each representing a shallow-marine system with varying heterogeneity provided by siliciclastic–carbonate mixing that may form a small or large stratigraphic trap. The impact of these styles of mixed facies on CO
2
storage is relatively poorly known. This study demonstrates the significance of these systems for safe CO
2
geological storage, as stratigraphic traps are likely to be a significant feature of many future storage sites. The three 3D models are based on: (1) the Grayburg Formation (USA), which displays spatial permeability linked to variations in the mixture of siliciclastic–carbonate sediments; (2) the Lorca Basin outcrop (Spain), which demonstrates the interfingering of clastic and carbonate facies; and (3) the Bridport Sand Formation outcrop (UK), which is an example of a layered reservoir and has thin carbonate-cemented horizons. This study demonstrates that facies interplay and associated sediment heterogeneity have a varying effect on fluid flow, storage capacity and security. In the Grayburg Formation, storage security and capacity are not controlled by heterogeneity alone but are influenced mainly by the permeability of each facies (i.e. permeability contrast), the degree of heterogeneity and the relative permeability characteristic of the system. In the case of the Lorca Basin, heterogeneity through interfingering of the carbonate and clastic facies improved the storage security regardless of their permeability. For the Bridport Sand Formation, the existence of extended sheets of cemented carbonate contributed to storage security but not storage capacity, which depends on the continuity of the sheets. These mixed systems especially minimize the large buoyancy forces that act on the top seal and reduce the reliance of the storage security on the overlying cap rock. They also increase the contact area between the injected CO
2
and brine, thereby promoting the CO
2
dissolution processes. Overall, reservoir systems with mixed carbonate–siliciclastic facies contribute to improving the safe and effective storage of CO
2
.

Thematic collection:
This article is part of the Geoscience for CO
2
storage collection available at:
https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/geoscience-for-co2-storage
Concrete domains in logics
Authors: Demri Stéphane , Quaas Karin
Published: July 2021

In this short survey, we present logical formalisms in which reasoning about concrete domains is embedded in formulae at the atomic level. These include temporal logics with concrete domains, description logics with concrete domains as well as variant formalisms. We discuss several proof techniques to solve logical decision problems for such formalisms, including those based on constrained automata or on translation into decidable second-order logics. We also present recent results mainly related to decidability and complexity as well as a selection of open problems.
Role of Alloying Elements in Passive and Transpassive Behavior of Ni–Cr-Based Alloys in Borate Buffer Solution
Authors: Zhang Zhiheng , Ter-Ovanessian Benoît , Marcelin Sabrina , Galipaud Jules , Normand Bernard
Published: July 2021

The role of the alloy composition of binary Ni–xCr alloys (x = 16, 20, 24, 28 wt.%) and ternary Ni–xCr–8Fe alloys (x = 14, 22, 30 wt.%) in borate buffer solution on the passive and transpassive behavior was investigated using successive electrochemical impedance measurements. These measurements supplement conventional polarization curves by enabling monitoring of the evolution of the electrochemical parameters extracted from impedance diagrams (thickness, resistivity at interfaces, etc) during the polarization. The polarization curves and evolution of the impedance parameters revealed that the Cr content and addition of Fe did not significantly affect the behavior of the alloys within the passive potential domain but directly affected the transpassivation process at higher potentials. For the Ni–xCr alloys, a higher Cr content resulted in a higher current-density peak for the transpassivation–second passivation processes. Conversely, the addition of Fe reduced or even prevented the appearance of this current-density peak. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis provided complementary information to help explain the role of alloying elements in the passivation (and secondary oxidation) mechanisms of Ni-based alloys in borate buffer solution.
Paramyxovirus replication induces the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway and mesenchymal transition via the IRE1α-XBP1s arm of the unfolded protein response
Authors: Qiao Dianhua , Skibba Melissa , Xu Xiaofang , Garofalo Roberto P. , Zhao Yingxin , Brasier Allan R.
Published: July 2021

The paramyxoviridae, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and murine respirovirus are enveloped, negative-sense RNA viruses that are the etiological agents of vertebrate lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). We observed that RSV infection in human small airway epithelial cells induced accumulation of glycosylated proteins within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), increased glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate transaminases (GFPT1/2) and accumulation of uridine diphosphate (UDP)- N-acetylglucosamine, indicating activation of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP). RSV infection induces rapid formation of spliced X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1s) and processing of activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6). Using pathway selective inhibitors and shRNA silencing, we find that the inositol-requiring enzyme (IRE1α)-XBP1 arm of the unfolded protein response (UPR) is required not only for activation of the HBP, but also for expression of mesenchymal transition (EMT) through the Snail family transcriptional repressor 1 (SNAI1), extracellular matrix (ECM)-remodeling proteins fibronectin (FN1), and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9). Probing RSV-induced open chromatin domains by ChIP, we find XBP1 binds and recruits RNA polymerase II to the IL6, SNAI1, and MMP9 promoters and the intragenic superenhancer of glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate transaminase 2 (GFPT2). The UPR is sustained through RSV by an autoregulatory loop where XBP1 enhances Pol II binding to its own promoter. Similarly, we investigated the effects of murine respirovirus infection on its natural host (mouse). Murine respirovirus induces mucosal growth factor response, EMT, and the indicators of ECM remodeling in an IRE1α-dependent manner, which persists after viral clearance. These data suggest that IRE1α-XBP1s arm of the UPR pathway is responsible for paramyxovirus-induced metabolic adaptation and mucosal remodeling via EMT and ECM secretion.
Acyloxyacyl hydrolase is a host determinant of gut microbiome-mediated pelvic pain
Authors: Rahman-Enyart Afrida , Yang Wenbin , Yaggie Ryan E. , White Bryan A. , Welge Michael , Auvil Loretta , Berry Matthew , Bushell Colleen , Rosen John M. , Rudick Charles N. , Schaeffer Anthony J. , Klumpp David J.
Published: July 2021

Dysbiosis of gut microbiota is associated with many pathologies, yet host factors modulating microbiota remain unclear. Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a debilitating condition of chronic pelvic pain often with comorbid urinary dysfunction and anxiety/depression, and recent studies find fecal dysbiosis in patients with IC/BPS. We identified the locus encoding acyloxyacyl hydrolase, Aoah, as a modulator of pelvic pain severity in a murine IC/BPS model. AOAH-deficient mice spontaneously develop rodent correlates of pelvic pain, increased responses to induced pelvic pain models, voiding dysfunction, and anxious/depressive behaviors. Here, we report that AOAH-deficient mice exhibit dysbiosis of gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota. AOAH-deficient mice exhibit an enlarged cecum, a phenotype long associated with germ-free rodents, and a “leaky gut” phenotype. AOAH-deficient ceca showed altered gene expression consistent with inflammation, Wnt signaling, and urologic disease. 16S sequencing of stool revealed altered microbiota in AOAH-deficient mice, and GC-MS identified altered metabolomes. Cohousing AOAH-deficient mice with wild-type mice resulted in converged microbiota and altered predicted metagenomes. Cohousing also abrogated the pelvic pain phenotype of AOAH-deficient mice, which was corroborated by oral gavage of AOAH-deficient mice with stool slurry of wild-type mice. Converged microbiota also alleviated comorbid anxiety-like behavior in AOAH-deficient mice. Oral gavage of AOAH-deficient mice with anaerobes cultured from IC/BPS stool resulted in exacerbation of pelvic allodynia. Together, these data indicate that AOAH is a host determinant of normal gut microbiota, and dysbiosis associated with AOAH deficiency contributes to pelvic pain. These findings suggest that the gut microbiome is a potential therapeutic target for IC/BPS.
Peripheral nerve adaptations to 10 days of horizontal bed rest in healthy young adult males
Authors: Manganotti Paolo , Buoite Stella Alex , Ajcevic Milos , di Girolamo Filippo Giorgio , Biolo Gianni , Franchi Martino V. , Monti Elena , Sirago Giuseppe , Marusic Uros , Simunic Bostjan , Narici Marco V. , Pisot Rado
Published: July 2021

Space analogs, such as bed rest, are used to reproduce microgravity-induced morphological and physiological changes and can be used as clinical models of prolonged inactivity. Nevertheless, nonuniform decreases in muscle mass and function have been frequently reported, and peripheral nerve adaptations have been poorly studied, although some of these mechanisms may be explained. Ten young healthy males (18–33 yr) underwent 10 days of horizontal bed rest. Peripheral neurophysiological assessments were performed bilaterally for the dominant (DL) and nondominant upper and lower limbs (N-DL) on the 1st and 10th day of bed rest, including ultrasound of the median, deep peroneal nerve (DPN), and common fibular nerve (CFN) , as well as a complete nerve conduction study (NCS) of the upper and lower limbs. Consistently, reduced F waves, suggesting peripheral nerve dysfunction, of both the peroneal (DL: P = 0.005, N-DL: P = 0.013) and tibial nerves (DL: P = 0.037, N-DL: P = 0.005) were found bilaterally, whereas no changes were observed in nerve ultrasound or other parameters of the NCS of both the upper and lower limbs. In these young healthy males, only the F waves, known to respond to postural changes, were significantly affected by short-term bed rest. These preliminary results suggest that during simulated microgravity, most changes occur at the muscle or central nervous system level. Since the assessment of F waves is common in clinical neurophysiological examinations, caution should be used when testing individuals after prolonged immobility.
Autogenous Bone and Bioactive Glass around Implants Placed Simultaneously with Ridge Splitting for the Treatment of Horizontal Bony Defects: A Randomised Clinical Trial
Authors: Elamrousy Walid , Osama Mohamed , Issa Dalia Rasheed
Published: July 2021

Objective. To compare using autogenous bone with or without bioactive glass in ridge splitting of horizontal bone defects combined with simultaneous implant placement. Materials and Methods. In control group, bone expansion was performed and autogenous bone was used to augment the intercortical bone defect. In study group, autogenous bone was mixed with bioactive glass (1 : 1 in volume). In both groups, the implants were inserted simultaneously with ridge splitting. Six months following implant insertion, bone width and height were evaluated. Statistical analysis utilizing paired Student’s t-test was used for comparing results within the same group, whereas independent samples t-test was used for intergroup variables comparison. Results. The mean bone width and labial and mesiodistal crestal bone height values were increased significantly in both groups from baseline to 6 months postoperatively. Comparing the two groups showed nonstatistical significant difference regarding the labial crestal bone loss, while the ridge width gain values were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group. The mesiodistal bone loss was significantly higher in control group than in study group. Conclusion. Autogenous bone was mixed with bioactive glass (1 : 1 in volume) to fill intercortical defect created after ridge splitting to decrease peri-implant bone resorption associated with autogenous bone alone. This trial is registered with clinical trial registration: NCT04814160.
A Self-Representation-Based Fuzzy SVM Model for Predicting Vascular Calcification of Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Liu Xiaobin , Zhang Xiran , Guo Xiaoyi , Ding Yijie , Shan Weiwei , Wang Liang , Zhou Wei , Shi Hua
Published: July 2021

In end-stage renal disease (ESRD), vascular calcification risk factors are essential for the survival of hemodialysis patients. To effectively assess the level of vascular calcification, the machine learning algorithm can be used to predict the vascular calcification risk in ESRD patients. As the amount of collected data is unbalanced under different risk levels, it has an influence on the classification task. So, an effective fuzzy support vector machine based on self-representation (FSVM-SR) is proposed to predict vascular calcification risk in this work. In addition, our method is also compared with other conventional machine learning methods, and the results show that our method can better complete the classification task of the vascular calcification risk.
Comprehensive Evaluation of Urban Economic Development in Yangtze River Delta Based on Cluster‐Principal Component Analysis
Authors: Xie Quan , Dong Xin-Yue , Yu Ke , Zhang Ling-Yu , Xu Yun-Hua
Published: July 2021

The study of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration provides a reference for regional construction. We set up a suitable cluster model and a comprehensive evaluation model to evaluate the urban economic development and provide the basis for the government to formulate and adjust the economic measures. We use the heat map of correlation coefficient to eliminate the economic indicators that are less correlated with per capita GDP and use grey correlation analysis to detect the degree of correlation of economic indicators. The optimal method is determined by comparing the results of K‐means clustering and fuzzy C‐means clustering. In addition, we use principal component analysis to rank the status of urban economic development. The results show that the relationship between the added value of primary industry, the added value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery, and per capita GDP is close to 0. Regional development level is not balanced. Chizhou, Xuancheng, Bengbu, and other cities lag behind in the economic rankings. Finally, it is suggested to reform the laggard cities and try to improve their economic strength from various economic indicators.
miR663 Prevents Epo Inhibition Caused by TNF-Alpha in Normoxia and Hypoxia
Authors: Ozkurt Mete , Hellwig-Bürgel Thomas , Depping Reinhard , Kadabere Selda , Ozyurt Rumeysa , Karadag Abdullah , Erkasap Nilüfer
Published: July 2021

Objective. In chronic inflammatory diseases, proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α are present in high amounts in the circulation and are associated with anemia in most cases. Experimental studies have shown that TNF-α inhibits the synthesis of erythropoietin (Epo), the main stimulant of hematopoiesis. Our aim was to figure out which microRNAs are involved in the Epo repression by TNF-α. Methods. First, we determined the dose of TNF-α in HepG2 cells that has no cytotoxic effect by using MTT assays and that inhibits Epo synthesis by qRT-PCR and ELISA. Then, we performed the microRNA array study with TNF-α (20 ng/ml)-treated cells, and the array results were confirmed by qRT-PCR. We transfected the miR663 group with the mimic-miR663 (30 pmol) for 24 hrs; other groups were treated with a transfection reagent followed by treatment of TNF-α for 24 hrs; miR663 groups were treated with TNF-α for 24 hrs; and the control group was incubated with normal medium. We analyzed Epo mRNA levels by qRT-PCR. If mimic-miR663 prevents the Epo repression by TNF-α, more Epo-dependent UT-7 cells would survive. Therefore, we cocultured HepG2 cells with UT-7 cells. The percentage of apoptotic UT-7 cells was determined by TUNEL assays. Results. According to our array study, TNF-α significantly decreases miR663 expression. After transfection of miR663 mimics into HepG2 cells, TNF-alpha was unable to decrease Epo mRNA amounts. Furthermore, mimic-miR663 transfection resulted in a lower apoptosis rate of UT-7 cells in coculture experiments. Conclusions. miR663 is involved in Epo mRNA production and that is able to prevent or reverse the inhibitory effect of TNF-α. In our coculture study, transfecting HepG2 cells with miR663 mimics decreased the apoptosis of UT-7 cells.
Optimization of Spectrophotometric and Fluorometric Assays Using Alternative Substrates for the High-Throughput Screening of Lipase Activity
Authors: Park Jun-Young , Ha Jisu , Choi Yoonseok , Chang Pahn-Shick , Park Kyung-Min
Published: July 2021

The effects of reaction conditions on the spectrophotometric and fluorometric assays using alternative substrates (p-nitrophenyl palmitate and 4-methylumbelliferyl oleate) were investigated to optimize them for the high-throughput screening of lipase activity from agricultural products. Four model lipases from Chromobacterium viscosum, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Sus scrofa pancreas, and wheat germ (Triticum aestivum) were allowed to hydrolyze the alternative substrates at different substrate concentrations (1–5 mM), operating pH (5.0–8.0), and operating temperatures (25–55°C). The results show that both the spectrophotometric and fluorometric assays worked well at the standard reaction conditions (pH 7.0 and 30°C) for finding a typical lipase, although pH conditions should be considered to detect the catalytic activity of lipases, which are applicable to more acidic or alkaline pH circumstances. To validate the optimized conditions, the high-throughput screening of lipase activity was conducted using 17 domestic agricultural products. A pileus of Pleurotus eryngii showed the highest activity in both the spectrophotometric (633.42 μU/mg) and fluorometric (101.77 μU/mg) assays. The results of this research provide practical information for the high-throughput screening of lipases using alternative substrates on microplates.
Evaluate the Consumer Acceptance of AIoT-Based Unmanned Convenience Stores Based on Perceived Risks and Technological Acceptance Models
Authors: Wang I-Chi , Liao Chin-Wen , Lin Kuo-Ping , Wang Ching-Hsin , Tsai Cheng-Lin
Published: July 2021

As the Artificial Intelligence Internet of Things (AIoT)-based unmanned convenience stores stand out in an increasingly challenging market, the consumer experience is more important than ever (CustomerThink, 2018). By employing new technologies, 7-Eleven, a leading chain convenience store in Taiwan, launched X-Store in 2018. While AIoT-based unmanned technology can help solve the problem of manpower shortages in the future, a question arises: will people accept this new technology for shopping? In view of this and based on the technology acceptance model (TAM), this study adds perceived risk as another variable to explore the impact of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and attitudes toward using unmanned technology etc. factors on the purchase intentions of consumers in unattended convenience stores. The study further employs SPSS software for reliability and validity analyses, descriptive statistics, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), and structural equation modeling (SEM) in order to explore the causal relationship among the variables herein. The main empirical findings show that consumers’ perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness positively affect consumers’ attitudes toward making purchases in X-Store, and via the moderating effect, perceived usefulness and attitudes toward X-Store consumption impact consumers’ behavioral intention of purchasing products in X-Store. In addition, perceived risk has a significant moderating effect on attitudes toward using X-Store and behavioral intentions. The empirical results also reveal that male consumers have significantly greater perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitudes toward using, and behavioral intentions in comparison with female consumers. Finally, this study presents conclusions and recommendations based on the research results as reference for unattended convenience store operators and follow-up researchers.
Criterial Based Opinion Leader’s Selection for Decision-Making Using Ant Colony Optimization
Authors: Qiang Xu , Huiqi Zhao , Ali Farhad , Nazir Shah
Published: July 2021

The Internet has already become a medium for people to access information, express their views, and connect with one another through various media and tools as a result of its rapid global development. Web 2.0 has become increasingly important in people’s daily lives. With the passing of time, many online communities, such as blogs, forums, and websites, are becoming more interactive. Individuals can easily express their opinions publicly and see what others say about their opinions. In a social network, an opinion leader is a powerful individual who is an expert in a particular field and has a large number of people who follow his or her comments or ideas. Companies and governments may contact the most powerful people after discovering them in order to influence sales or guide public opinion, respectively. In heterogeneous communication networks, opinion leaders serve as an influencer for the acceptance and dissemination of new products and users in marketing. Others’ drives, values, perceptions, motivations, and actions can be influenced by opinion leaders. These influences have a major effect on other customers’ policymaking processes. Opinion leaders come in a variety of demographic shapes; in general, they are committed, ambitious, and dynamic individuals with excellent academic and social edifications who persuade customers through their expert knowledge. Opinions and values are the most important variables in human experiences in social phenomena. The method of assessing opinions is extremely difficult since people often change their minds when speaking with others. The study of the evolution and formation of opinions in a social group is known as opinion dynamics, and it is based on collective decision-making. The bounded confidence rule is one of the intrinsic interaction principles in the dynamics of human actions. Many models have been created to date to explore the dynamics of leaders’ decision-making. Due to the social network’s high complexity and the randomness and contingency of their behavior, identifying opinion leaders in the network is difficult. Organizations and entrepreneurs must choose which opinion leaders to partner with to gain a deeper understanding of how to communicate with them to promote various goods and services. For the opinion leader’s selection optimization, the proposed framework feature-based opinion leader selection is utilized using the ant colony optimization technique that selects the best opinion leader based on their unique features. The proposed method will address the opinion leader selection problem.
The Identification of Childhood Asthma Progression-Related lncRNAs and mRNAs Suitable as Biomarkers Using Weighted Gene Coexpression Network Analysis
Authors: Hao Min , Zan Jinling
Published: July 2021

Background. Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease in children, seriously affecting children’s health and growth. This bioinformatics study aimed to identify potential RNA candidates closely associated with childhood asthma development within current gene databases. Methods. GSE65204 and GSE19187 datasets were screened and downloaded from the NCBI GEO database. Differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs (DE-lncRNAs) and mRNAs (DE-mRNAs) were identified using the Bioconductor limma package in R, and these DE-mRNAs were used to perform biological process (BP) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses. Thereafter, weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was utilized to screen the modules directly related to childhood asthma, and a coexpression network of DE-lncRNAs and DE-mRNAs was built. Finally, principal component analysis (PCA) was performed. Results. In total, 7 DE-lncRNAs and 1060 DE-mRNAs, as well as 7 DE-lncRNAs and 1027 DE-mRNAs, were identified in GSE65204 and GSE19187, respectively. After comparison, 336 overlapping genes had the same trend of expression, including 2 overlapped DE-lncRNAs and 334 overlapped DE-mRNAs. These overlapped DE-mRNAs were enriched in 28 BP and 12 KEGG pathways. Eleven modules were obtained in GSE65204, and it was found that the purple, black, and yellow modules were significantly positively correlated with asthma development. Subsequently, a coexpression network including 63 DE-mRNAs and 2 DE-lncRNAs was built, and five KEGG pathways, containing 8 genes, were found to be directly associated with childhood asthma. The PCA further verified these results. Conclusion. LncRNAs LINC01559 and SNHG8 and mRNAs VWF, LAMB3, LAMA4, CAV1, ALDH1A3, SMOX, GNG4, and PPARG were identified as biomarkers associated with the progression of childhood asthma.
Influence Maximization Algorithm Based on Reverse Reachable Set
Authors: Sun Gengxin , Chen Chih-Cheng
Published: July 2021

Most of the existing influence maximization algorithms are not suitable for large-scale social networks due to their high time complexity or limited influence propagation range. Therefore, a D-RIS (dynamic-reverse reachable set) influence maximization algorithm is proposed based on the independent cascade model and combined with the reverse reachable set sampling. Under the premise that the influence propagation function satisfies monotonicity and submodularity, the D-RIS algorithm uses an automatic debugging method to determine the critical value of the number of reverse reachable sets, which not only obtains a better influence propagation range but also greatly reduces the time complexity. The experimental results on the two real datasets of Slashdot and Epinions show that D-RIS algorithm is close to the CELF (cost-effective lazy-forward) algorithm and higher than RIS algorithm, HighDegree algorithm, LIR algorithm, and pBmH (population-based metaheuristics) algorithm in influence propagation range. At the same time, it is significantly better than the CELF algorithm and RIS algorithm in running time, which indicates that D-RIS algorithm is more suitable for large-scale social network.
Malignant Priapism as a Result of Metastatic Thyroid Cancer: A Hard Reality
Authors: Vargo Ethan , Cook Bryson , Lane Jason , Speakman Eric , Parekh Neel
Published: July 2021

Metastasis to the penis is an extremely rare entity. Malignant priapism is defined as a persistent, nonsexual erection that is refractory to pharmacologic treatment, corporal aspiration, and surgical shunts. Furthermore, it is typically a hallmark of an advanced cancer that has metastasized, most commonly from regional organs like the prostate or bladder. We report an unusual case of malignant priapism in the setting of metastatic follicular thyroid carcinoma. To date, this is the second reported case of penile metastasis due to thyroid carcinoma and the first incidence of priapism secondary to follicular thyroid carcinoma metastasis.
Electromagnetic Simulation of Signal Distribution of Various RF Endoluminal Loop Geometries with Coil Orientation: Towards a Reconfigurable Design
Authors: Raki Hamza , Tse Ve Koon Kevin , Souchay Henri , Robb Fraser , Beuf Olivier
Published: July 2021

With the objective of improving MR endoluminal imaging of the colonic wall, electromagnetic simulations of different configurations of single-layer and double-layer, and double-turn endoluminal coil geometries were run. Indeed, during colon navigation, variations in coil orientation with respect to B0 are bound to occur, leading to impaired image acquisition due to a loss of signal uniformity. In this work, three typical coil orientations encountered during navigation were chosen and the resulting signal uniformity of the different geometries was investigated through the simulatedB1x,y/IRtvalues. Sampling this quantity over a circle of radius r enabled us to calculate the coefficient of variation (= standard deviation/mean) for this given distance. This procedure was repeated forr∈5;15  mm, which represents the region of interest in the colon. Our results show that single-loop and double-layer geometries could provide complementary solutions for improved signal uniformity. Finally, using four microelectromechanical system switches, we proposed the design of a reconfigurable endoluminal coil able to switch between those two geometries while also ensuring the active decoupling of the endoluminal coil during the RF transmission of an MR experiment.
Optimization of a Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assay as a Point-of-Care Tool for the Detection of Wuchereria bancrofti in Human Blood in Tana River Delta, Kenya
Authors: Nancy Kinyatta , Lillian Wambua , Wilkinson Mutahi , Claire Mugasa , Luna Kamau , Dorcas Wachira , Rosemary Githae , Japheth Lusweti , Christine Ichugu , Emily Waigi , Jim Kagai
Published: July 2021

Introduction. Accurate detection of filarial parasites in humans and vectors is essential for the implementation and evaluation of Global and National Programs to eliminate lymphatic filariasis. Immunological methods to detect infection are available; however, cross-reactivity issues have been reported in most of them. Nucleic acid-based molecular assays offer high levels of specificity and sensitivity and can be used to detect the infections. Methods. In this study, we evaluated loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) tests to amplify Wuchereria bancrofti DNA in patients’ blood. The amplicons were tested by both pH-sensitive dyes for enhanced visual detection and agarose gel electrophoresis. A closed-tube LAMP assay was also evaluated. Cohen’s Kappa statistics was used for statistical analysis of the assays. 125 patients consented for blood sampling which were used for clinical analysis of LAMP assays with the PCR method used as the “gold standard.” Results. The sensitivity of the evaluated Wuchereria bancrofti LAMP was 92.3%, with a specificity of 97.3% and kappa statistics value of 0.84, which is in a strong agreement. Conclusion. In this study, LAMP assays coupled with fluorescence dye detection have been found to be suitable for diagnosis and monitoring of Wuchereria bancrofti infections in the Kenyan population.
Evaluation of the Prognostic Value of Red Cell Distribution Width to Total Serum Calcium Ratio in Patients with Acute Pancreatitis
Authors: Han Tian-Yong , Cheng Tao , Liu Bo-Fu , He Ya-Rong , Pan Pan , Yang Wen-Tao , Qiang-Lai  , Cao Yu
Published: July 2021

Introduction. Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a sudden inflammatory process in the pancreas with variable involvement of nearby organs or other organ systems, and it is a common cause for hospitalization of gastrointestinal origin. Early prediction of the prognosis of patients with AP is important to help physicians triage the patients and decrease mortality. Red cell distribution width (RDW) and total serum calcium (TSC) have been reported to be useful predictors of the severity of AP, but if these parameters are associated with the prognosis of AP is unknown. The objective of the study was to evaluate whether RDW/TSC can be used to predict the prognosis of patients with AP at an early stage. Methods. We retrospectively enrolled AP patients admitted to the emergency department of West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 1, 2016, to June 30, 2016. According to the prognosis, AP patients were divided into ICU group and non-ICU group, surgery group and nonsurgery group, and hospital survival group and hospital death group. Demographic information and clinical and laboratory parameters of all enrolled patients after being admitted to ED were compared between the groups. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the prognostic values of RDW, TSC, and RDW/TSC in patients with AP. Results. A total of 666 AP patients were enrolled in this study, with an average age of

47.99
±
14.11

years, including 633 patients who survived to discharge and 33 patients who died during hospitalization. The areas under the curve (AUC) of RDW and RDW/TSC predict that patients need to be admitted to ICU (0.773 vs. 0.824 vs. 0.723), patients need surgery treatment (0.744 vs. 0.768 vs. 0.690), and patients survived to hospital discharge (0.809 vs. 0.855 vs. 0.780) were greater than that of TSC, with RDW/TSC being the greatest. Conclusions. RDW/TSC may be a new method to identify the AP patients who need to be transferred to the ICU, accompanying complications which need surgery treatment, or may be died in hospital at an early stage, and we should pay more attention to RDW/TSC in patients with AP, for they may have a worse prognosis.