bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Bicriteria Approach for Saving a Path Maximizing Dynamic Contraflow
Authors: Nath Hari Nandan , Dempe Stephan , Dhamala Tanka Nath
Published: May 2021

The maximum dynamic contraflow problem in transportation networks seeks to maximize the flow from a source to a sink within a given time horizon with a possibility of arc reversals. This may result into blockage of paths of desired length from some node of the network towards the source. In some cases such as the evacuation planning, we may require a path towards the source to move some facilities, for example, emergency vehicles. In this work, we model the problem of saving such a path as a bicriteria optimization problem which minimizes the length of the path and maximizes the dynamic flow with arc reversals. We use the [Formula: see text]-constraint approach to solve the problem and propose a procedure that gives the set of all Pareto optimal solutions in a single-source-single-sink network with integer inputs. We also present computational performance of the algorithm on a road network of Kathmandu city, and on randomly generated networks. The results are of both theoretical and practical importance.
User-Level Ultra-Short-Term Load Forecasting Model Based on Optimal Feature Selection and Bahdanau Attention Mechanism
Authors: Wang Ziyao , Li Huaqiang , Tang Zizhuo , Liu Yang
Published: May 2021

Accurate ultra-short-term load forecasting is of great significance for real-time power generation scheduling and development of power cyber physical systems (Power CPS). However, in order to forecast the future load using the current high-dimensional, diverse and heterogeneous electric power consumption information, new challenges have been raised to the effective feature selection and the accurate load forecasting algorithms. However, very limited existing works consider the feature selection for the electric power consumption information and impacts to the thereafter load forecasting model. In view of this point, features that are critical to the load forecasting are selected using an embedded feature selection algorithm based on LightGBM to form an optimal feature set, with which a sequence to sequence (S2S) and gated recurrent unit (GRU)-based ultra-short-term load forecasting model that incorporates Bahdanau attention (BA) mechanism is presented. The S2S-GRU model is based on an encoding–decoding framework that is compatible to the input and output data series with variable lengths. By introducing the BA mechanism, loss of previous information issue of GRU can be solved. Experimental results show that first the presented feature selection algorithm can help to improve the performance of the load forecasting model. Second, the presented load forecasting model can find a compromise between the forecasting efficiency and accuracy.
A note on absolute-valued algebras satisfying (xx2)x = x(x2x)
Authors: Diaby Kandé , Rochdi Abdellatif
Published: May 2021

We study the absolute-valued algebras [Formula: see text] satisfying the identity [Formula: see text] We show that, if moreover, the norm of [Formula: see text] comes from an inner product and [Formula: see text] contains a nonzero central element then [Formula: see text] is finite dimensional and isomorphic to either [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], or [Formula: see text].
Effect of precursor solution ageing time on the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells
Authors: Su Jian , Zheng Xiaohong , Lang Xianzhong , Han Rui , Cai Hongkun , Ni Jian , Zhang Jianjun , Qiu Jianhua
Published: May 2021

The solution process is currently the most common method for preparing perovskite solar cells; however, their performance, even when prepared by the same procedure, is variable. One contributing factor is neglecting the ageing time of the perovskite precursor ink. In this study, we studied the correlation between the precursor solution ageing time and the subsequent photovoltaic performance of solar cells. We found that both freshly made and excessively aged precursor solutions resulted in poor perovskite films, exhibiting poor absorption and increased recombination sites. An ageing time of 6 h was optimal, which resulted in photovoltaic devices with greater performance, stability and reproducibility.
Implications of the Heat Generation of LMR-NCM on the Thermal Behavior of Large-Format Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Kraft Ludwig , Hoefling Alexander , Zünd Tanja , Kunz Alexander , Steinhardt Marco , Tübke Jens , Jossen Andreas
Published: May 2021

Lithium- and manganese-rich NCM (LMR-NCM) cathode active materials exhibit a pronounced energy inefficiency during charge and discharge that results in a strong heat generation during operation. The implications of such a heat generation are investigated for large-format lithium-ion batteries. Small laboratory cells are generally considered isothermal, but for larger cell formats this heat cannot be neglected. Therefore, the heat generation of LMR-NCM/graphite coin cells and NCA/graphite coin cells as a reference is measured for varying charge/discharge rates in an isothermal heat flow calorimeter and scaled to larger standardized cell formats. With the aid of thermal 3D models, the temperature evolution within these cell formats under different charge/discharge operations and cooling conditions is analyzed. Without an additional heat sink and any active cooling of larger LMR-NCM/graphite cells, discharge C-rates lower than C/2 are advisable to keep the cell temperature below a critical threshold. If the loads are increased, the cooling strategy has to be adapted to the specific cell format, otherwise critical temperatures above 60 °C are easily reached. For the investigated convective surface cooling and base plate cooling scenarios, thick prismatic cell formats with LMR-NCM are generally unfavorable, as the large amount of heat cannot be adequately dissipated.
Arterial load and right ventricular-vascular coupling in pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Oakland Hannah , Joseph Phillip , Naeije Robert , Elassal Ahmed , Cullinan Marjorie , Heerdt Paul M. , Singh Inderjit
Published: May 2021

Pulmonary vascular impedance (PVZ) represents the most comprehensive measure of right ventricle (RV) afterload; however, measurement of this variable is complex. We demonstrate that characteristic impedance ( Zc) and a wave reflection coefficient, λ, can be derived from RV pressure waveform analysis. In addition, RV dysfunction in left heart disease is independent of its afterload. The current study provides a platform for future studies to examine the pharmacotherapeutic effects and prognosis of different measures of RV afterload.
On Some Properties of the New Generalized Fractional Derivative with Non-Singular Kernel
Authors: Hattaf Khalid
Published: May 2021

This paper presents some new formulas and properties of the generalized fractional derivative with non-singular kernel that covers various types of fractional derivatives such as the Caputo–Fabrizio fractional derivative, the Atangana–Baleanu fractional derivative, and the weighted Atangana–Baleanu fractional derivative. These new properties extend many recent results existing in the literature. Furthermore, the paper proposes some interesting inequalities that estimate the generalized fractional derivatives of some specific functions. These inequalities can be used to construct Lyapunov functions with the aim to study the global asymptotic stability of several fractional-order systems arising from diverse fields of science and engineering.
[Retracted] Mangifera indica Extracts as Novel PKM2 Inhibitors for Treatment of Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Rasul Azhar , Riaz Ammara , Wei Wei , Sarfraz Iqra , Hassan Mudassir , Li Jiang , Asif Faryal , Adem Şevki , Bukhari Shazia Anwer , Asrar Muhammad , Li Xiaomeng
Published: May 2021

Pyruvate kinase (PK), a key enzyme that determines glycolytic activity, has been known to support the metabolic phenotype of tumor cells, and specific pyruvate kinase isoform M2 (PKM2) has been reported to fulfill divergent biosynthetic and energetic requirements of cancerous cells. PKM2 is overexpressed in several cancer types and is an emerging drug target for cancer during recent years. Therefore, this study was carried out to identify PKM2 inhibitors from natural products for cancer treatment. Based on the objectives of this study, firstly, plant extract library was established. In order to purify protein for the establishment of enzymatic assay system, pET‐28a‐HmPKM2 plasmid was transformed to E. coli BL21 (DE3) cells for protein expression and purification. After the validation of enzymatic assay system, plant extract library was screened for the identification of inhibitors of PKM2 protein. Out of 51 plant extracts screened, four extracts Mangifera indica (leaf, seed, and bark) and Bombex ceiba bark extracts were found to be inhibitors of PKM2. In the current study, M. indica (leaf, seed, and bark) extracts were further evaluated dose dependently against PKM2. These extracts showed different degrees of concentration‐dependent inhibition against PKM2 at 90‐360 μg/ml concentrations. We have also investigated the anticancer potential of these extracts against MDA‐MB231 cells and generated dose‐response curves for the evaluation of IC50 values. M. indica (bark and seed) extracts significantly halted the growth of MDA‐MB231 cells with IC50 values of 108 μg/ml and 33 μg/ml, respectively. Literature‐based phytochemical analysis of M. indica was carried out, and M. indica‐derived 94 compounds were docked against three binding sites of PKM2 for the identification of PKM2 inhibitors. The results of in silico based screening have unveiled various PKM2 modulators; however, further studies are recommended to validate their PKM2 inhibitory potential via in vitro biochemical assay. The results of this study provide novel findings for possible mechanism of action of M. indica (bark and seed) extracts against TNBC via PKM2 inhibition suggesting that M. indica might be of therapeutic interest for the treatment of TNBC.
Antibiotic Mixtures in Noninstrumental Endodontic Treatment of Primary Teeth with Necrotic Pulps: A Systematic Review
Authors: Chouchene Farah , Masmoudi Fatma , Baaziz Ahlem , Maatouk Fethi , Ghedira Hichem
Published: May 2021

Objective. To compare the effectiveness of topical antibiotic mixtures used in noninstrumental endodontic treatment (NIET) of primary teeth. Methods. Electronic databases including MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and Scopus database were searched. Randomized clinical trials evaluating the clinical and radiological outcomes of topical antibiotics used in NIET were selected. The revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2.0) was used to assess the quality of the methodology of the included articles. Results. Five articles comparing the outcomes of four different drugs combination were included. Three studies conducted to evaluate the success rate of two combinations of antibacterial drugs consisting of ciprofloxacin-minocycline-metronidazole (3 Mix) in one group and ciprofloxacin-minocycline-ornidazole in the other group showed no statistically significant difference between both groups (

P
>
0.05

). The ciprofloxacin-minocycline-ornidazole group showed better results compared with the 3 Mix group. One study conducted to compare the effectiveness of 3 Mix with ciprofloxacin-tinidazole-minocycline reported no significant difference between both groups, and one study that compared 3 Mix and ciprofloxacin-metronidazole-clindamycin mixture concluded that the overall success rates of both groups were 80.96% and 76.20%, respectively, with no statistically significant difference. Conclusion. Based on the overall success rates, the ciprofloxacin-minocycline-ornidazole mixture was considered more effective than the 3 Mix which was more effective than the ciprofloxacin-tinidazole-minocycline and the ciprofloxacin-metronidazole-clindamycin groups. Clinical Relevance. Different antibiotic combinations, showing good clinical and radiographic success in treating necrotic primary teeth, can be used effectively in NIET and this technique can be considered effective for teeth with advanced root resorption and when conventional endodontic treatment is contraindicated.
Synthesis, X-Ray Structure, Hirshfeld Surface Analysis, DFT Calculations, and Molecular Docking Studies of Nickel(II) Complex with Thiosemicarbazone Derivative
Authors: Osman Uwaisulqarni M. , Silvarajoo Sharmili , Noor Hassim Muhamad Fairus , Arshad Suhana , Anizaim Ainizatul Husna , Abdul Razak Fazira Ilyana
Published: May 2021

This article presents both experimental and computational study of a new Ni(II) complex, namely, bis{2-(2-trifluoromethylbenzylidene)hydrazine-1-carbothioamido-κ2N2, S}nickel(II) (abbreviate as NiL2). The complex was synthesized and well characterized using various spectroscopic methods. The single X-ray crystallographic study revealed a distorted square planar geometry around Ni(II) metal ion centre in which the angles deviated from ideal 90° with a maximum value of 6.57° occupied by nitrogen and sulphur donor atoms. The theoretical bond lengths and angles for the NiL2 complex were obtained by using the B3LYP level of density function theory (DFT) with LANL2DZ/6-311G (d, p) basis sets. These results showed very good agreement with the experimental X-ray values. The electrophilicity index (ω = 50.233 eV) shows that the NiL2 complex is a very strong electrophile. In addition, strong F⋯H/H⋯F interactions with 28.5% of the total Hirshfeld surface analyses in NiL2 were obtained indicating that the complex could bind with protein effectively. Furthermore, the new NiL2 complex was docked with plasma retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) (PDB id: 5NU7), which implied that the NiL2 complex bound to Tyrosine 133 and Aspartate 102 amino acids via N-H intermolecular hydrogen bonds.
Early Paleozoic Extension-Compression Transition and Formation of a Paleo-Oil Reservoir System in the NW Sichuan Basin: Implications for Deeply Buried Hydrocarbon Accumulation
Authors: Liang Xiao , Liu Shu-gen , Wu Liang-liang , Deng Bin , Li Jing , Zhang Meng-lin , Tan Xu-hang
Published: May 2021

Owing to multiple tectonic events after the Late Triassic, the northern segment of the western Sichuan depression (NSWSCD) has a complex geological history of significant uplift and deeply buried. With abundant oil and gas play in the NSWSCD, the study of paleo-oil reservoir systems and early hydrocarbon accumulation in this area is of great significance for deep marine hydrocarbon distribution prediction in complex structural settings. Analysis on the northern section of the Mianyang-Changning Intracratonic Sag (MY-CN IS) and the Tianjingshan Paleouplift (TJS PU), the two Early Paleozoic tectonic units are laterally superimposed. Combined the reservoir bitumen of the Sinian Dengying Fm firstly, the biomarker (TT23/tT24, S21/S22, etc.) and Organic δ13C (lighter than 30‰) characteristics indicate that the Sinian-Jurassic paleo-oil system in the TJS PU area is the main source of Lower Cambrian organic-rich black shale. This is closely related to the superimposition and combination effects of the intracratonic sag and paleouplift. Therefore, this study establishes a geological-geochemical accumulation model through a combination of

R

o

and fluid inclusion data. The No. 1 fault is an important zoning fault in the NSWSCD, which significantly controls the division of the oil-gas zone. The process of paleo-oil reservoir destroyed directly only exists in the frontal deformation zone. The deep marine strata of the eastern No. 1 fault demonstrate the four-center hydrocarbon accumulation processes, which include oil generation, gas generation, gas storage, and gas preservation. The superdeep Dengying Fm has long-term exploration potential in the NSWSCD.
Isolation and In Silico Anti-COVID-19 Main Protease (Mpro) Activities of Flavonoids and a Sesquiterpene Lactone from Artemisia sublessingiana
Authors: Jalmakhanbetova Roza I. , Suleimen Yerlan M. , Oyama Masayoshi , Elkaeed Eslam B. , Eissa Ibrahim. H. , Suleimen Raigul N. , Metwaly Ahmed M. , Ishmuratova Margarita Yu.
Published: May 2021

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic declared the huge need of humanity for new and effective antiviral drugs. The reported antimicrobial activities of Artemisia sublessingiana encouraged us to investigate the ethanol extract of its aerial parts which led to the isolation of six flavonoids and a sesquiterpenoid. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by EI-MS, 1D, and 2D NMR spectroscopic methods to be (1) eupatilin, (2) 3′,4′-dimethoxyluteolin, (3) 5,7,3′-trihydroxy-6,4′,5′-trimethoxyflavone, (4) hispidulin, (5) apigenin, (6) velutin, and (7) sesquiterpene lactone 8α,14-dihydroxy-11,13-dihydromelampolide. The isolated compounds were in silico examined against the COVID-19 main protease (Mpro) enzyme. Compounds 1–6 exhibited promising binding modes showing free energies ranging from −6.39 to −6.81 (kcal/mol). The best binding energy was for compound 2. The obtained results give hope of finding a treatment for the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Sentence‐Level Joint Relation Classification Model Based on Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Liu Zhen , Di XiaoQiang , Song Wei , Ren WeiWu
Published: May 2021

Relation classification is an important semantic processing task in the field of natural language processing (NLP). Data sources generally adopt remote monitoring strategies to automatically generate large‐scale training data, which inevitably causes label noise problems. At the same time, another challenge is that important information can appear at any place in the sentence. This paper presents a sentence‐level joint relation classification model. The model has two modules: a reinforcement learning (RL) agent and a joint network model. In particular, we combine bidirectional long short‐term memory (Bi‐LSTM) and attention mechanism as a joint model to process the text features of sentences and classify the relation between two entities. At the same time, we introduce an attention mechanism to discover hidden information in sentences. The joint training of the two modules solves the noise problem in relation extraction, sentence‐level information extraction, and relation classification. Experimental results demonstrate that the model can effectively deal with data noise and achieve better relation classification performance at the sentence level.
Microscopic Traffic Characterization of Light Rail Transit Systems at Level Crossings
Authors: Desta Robel , Tesfaye Daric , Tóth János
Published: May 2021

The movement of the light rail vehicles (LRVs) is highly interrupted at level crossings during peak hour times, especially when the intersections are not regulated by a coordinated signal system. Traffic modelling ensures better understanding and interpretation of complex traffic interactions. This study is aimed at modelling light rail transit (LRT) system operational characteristics at level crossings in Addis Ababa City using VISSIM software. The studied scenarios at Sebategna (All Way Stop Controlled, AWSC) and CMC (Roundabout) level crossings are the baseline without LRT scenario, the actual scenario with collected LRV headways, twice arrival frequency scenario, signalized actual LRV arrival, and signalized twice actual LRV arrival. The relative comparisons among the tested scenarios depicted that significant travel time savings can be achieved in some approaches if more green time is offered to nonconflicting phases during a light rail crossing. Overall, the average additional delays at level crossings increase from the base scenario with increasing light rail crossing frequencies, and delay at the level crossing is the second important variable that contributes to the variability of train travel time at peak hours. If it is a must for an intersection to have a rail road to pass through the median, different options should be verified based on the trade‐off between the operational cost of the level crossing and the cost incurred if it is grade separated.
Design of a Cryptographic System for Communication Security using Chaotic Signals
Authors: Leu Jai-Houng , Sun Jung-Kang , Chen Ho-Sheng , Huang Chong-Lin , Qiao Dong-Kai , Lan Tian-Syung , Chen Yu-Chih , Su Ay
Published: May 2021

Disturbance or corresponding errors of the transmission of information affect the ability of error detection. The chaotic encryption system prevents errors and secures the transmission system safely. The security assures by updating chaotic signals with the parameters of the chaotic circuits which are frequently changed. The data decipher and the encryption by the chaotic signaling system renews and changes the initial condition of a chaotic electric circuit. When most of the decimal portions are less than the threshold, the transmission is accepted, and all the noninteger numbers are rounded to their nearest integers. The criterion allows the error-detection function in the security system that is proposed in this paper. The chaotic encryption system for information is applied to public channels by the authorized individual. Three pictorial examples transmitted in the proposed system successfully demonstrate the security and performance. The new system provides high efficiency in the satellite communication network.
Dual‐Level Attention Based on a Heterogeneous Graph Convolution Network for Aspect‐Based Sentiment Classification
Authors: Yuan Peng , Jiang Lei , Liu Jianxun , Zhou Dong , Li Pei , Gao Yang
Published: May 2021

With the development of 5G, the advancement of basic infrastructure has led to considerable development in related research and technology. It also promotes the development of various smart devices and social platforms. More and more people are now using smart devices to post their reviews right after something happens. In order to keep pace with this trend, we propose a method to analyze users’ sentiment by using their text data. When analyzing users’ text data, it is noted that a user’s review may contain many aspects. Traditional text classification methods used by smart devices, however, usually ignore the importance of multiple aspects of a review. Additionally, most algorithms usually ignore the network structure information between the words in a sentence and the sentence itself. To address these issues, we propose a novel dual‐level attention‐based heterogeneous graph convolutional network for aspect‐based sentiment classification which minds more context information through information propagation along with graphs. Particularly, we first propose a flexible HIN (heterogeneous information network) framework to model the user‐generated reviews. This framework can integrate various types of additional information and capture their relationships to alleviate semantic sparsity of some labeled data. This framework can also leverage the full advantage of the hidden network structure information through information propagation along with graphs. Then, we propose a dual‐level attention‐based heterogeneous graph convolutional network (DAHGCN), which includes node‐level and type‐level attentions. The attention mechanisms can analyze the importance of different adjacent nodes and the importance of different types of nodes for the current node. The experimental results on three real‐world datasets demonstrated the effectiveness and reliability of our model.
Multilinear Discriminative Spatial Patterns for Movement‐Related Cortical Potential Based on EEG Classification with Tensor Representation
Authors: Cai Qian , Yan Jianfeng , Han Hongfang , Gong Weiqiang , Wang Haixian
Published: May 2021

The discriminative spatial patterns (DSP) algorithm is a classical and effective feature extraction technique for decoding of voluntary finger premovements from electroencephalography (EEG). As a purely data‐driven subspace learning algorithm, DSP essentially is a spatial‐domain filter and does not make full use of the information in frequency domain. The paper presents multilinear discriminative spatial patterns (MDSP) to derive multiple interrelated lower dimensional discriminative subspaces of low frequency movement‐related cortical potential (MRCP). Experimental results on two finger movement tasks’ EEG datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed MDSP method.
Research on Geriatric Care for Equalizing the Topological Layout of Health Care Infrastructure Networks
Authors: Liu Rui , Du Miao , Shen Jun , Wang Xiaolan , Jiang Ying
Published: May 2021

In this paper, through the study of elderly care, the method of equalizing the topological layout of the health care infrastructure network is used for in-depth analysis. With the evaluation method of senior care facility fairness as the research base theory, the analysis and evaluation of senior care facilities are carried out from two aspects of supply and demand fairness and spatial fairness, and the problems and shortcomings of senior care facilities in terms of facility scale, spatial layout, service level, and policy management are summarized. This paper analyses the contradictory points of the nonequitable layout of urban senior care facilities, to propose planning suggestions and optimization measures for the planning of the senior care service facility system. It discusses the problems in the spatial layout of senior care facilities from the perspective of social equity, focuses on the needs of urban disadvantaged groups, promotes the equalization of public services, and provides the theoretical basis and technical support for the planning policy of urban public service facilities. The study fully combines the theory of urban planning disciplines with geographic information system technology, mathematical and statistical technology, and network data acquisition technology to establish the evaluation of the spatial layout of senior care facilities based on social equity framework, to contribute to the planning of similar urban public service facilities. It comes to make an integrated consideration of the supply content and scope of basic public service facilities and check the gaps, which is conducive to improving the scientific and intensive nature of public resource input according to local conditions and more speed and provides some reference to the method of public service facility allocation.
The Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasites and Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Captive Ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) in Trinidad, West Indies
Authors: Bally Alissa , Francis-Charles Stacy , Ackbar Tariq , Beharrylal Yadel , Charles Roxanne , Basu Asoke , Suepaul Rod
Published: May 2021

This study was conducted from November 2010 to June 2011 to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites and the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in captive ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) in Trinidad. Faecal samples were collected and analyzed using faecal flotation to identify helminth ova and protozoan cysts and oocysts. Serum samples from captive ocelots were screened for T. gondii using a latex agglutination test kit. Of the 19 ocelots examined, the most prevalent parasites noted were ova of ascarids, strongyles, and Capillaria spp. The serum of three of the 13 (23.1%) ocelots tested was positive for T. gondii antibodies. These ocelots are therefore a potential source of T. gondii infection to both humans and other animals. This is the first documented report of endoparasites in local captive ocelots within Trinidad and provides useful data to support further research of the captive and wild populations.
Rapid Assessment and Classification for Seismic Damage of Mountain Tunnel Based on Concentric Circle Method
Authors: Xu Hua , Xu Jingsong , Sun Runfang , Pu Hefu , Cheng Yin
Published: May 2021

Concentric circle method (CCM), a new method based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and numerical discretization of 40 mountain tunnels damaged by Wenchuan earthquake in China, is proposed to rapidly assess the seismic damage level (SDL) of mountain tunnels. The new method consists of four components. First, according to the type and degree of seismic damage of tunnel, the whole tunnel is divided into a number of successive sections. Second, four factors (i.e., slope and portal damage, lining damage, pavement damage, and earthquake collapse) are selected as the main controlling factor set, and then multilevel factor sets are proposed to establish the assessment system. Third, the discretized assessment indexes and classification criteria are established for the rapid assessment of SDL of mountain tunnel. Finally, based on the comprehensive analysis on the SDL of each section, the SDL of the whole tunnel is calculated in terms of the seismic damage index and synthetic radius. With the assessment results shown on a straightforward concentric circle diagram, the proposed CCM method can rapidly and reliably assess the SDL of mountain tunnel to win over precious time for emergency rescue and provide references for the repair of damaged tunnel. In addition, the accuracy and applicability of the proposed method is verified by using a case study of Longxi tunnel located at the epicenter of the Wenchuan earthquake in China.
Geological Analysis and Model Test of Bedding Rock Cutting Landslide
Authors: Lai Tian-Wen , Ji Zhi-Yang , Wu Hong-Gang , Zhang Shao-Long , Lei Hao , Liang Yu
Published: May 2021

To explore the staged catastrophic evolution mechanism and failure process of bedding rock landslides under construction disturbance and rainfall conditions, we selected water content, displacement, strain, and soil stress as the study objects and carried out a model test. Combining the test phenomena, the following conclusions are drawn: first, bedding rock landslides have experienced three different stages of initial, constant velocity, and accelerated deformation affected by construction and rainfall factors. Then, the mode of bedding rock landslides is both sliding and traction sliding compound sliding mode. Finally, in the initial and constant deformation stages, the stress and strain values in the soil both increase slightly. In the accelerated deformation stage, the horizontal and vertical deformation at the slope foot increases sharply. Meanwhile, the strain value increases greatly, the stress decreases, and the stress in the slope increases significantly. Therefore, stress, strain, and displacement can be used as early warning indicators for staged disasters of bedding rock landslides.
Experimental Study on the Influence of Buried Geothermal Pipes on the Temperature Field of Concrete Roads
Authors: Tan Yan , Song Jun , Chen Zhi , Xiao Henglin
Published: May 2021

Snow removal is a critical security issue for concrete roads, but geothermal methods can be an environmentally friendly and efficient alternative to traditional approaches for snow removal. In order to obtain fully the change rule of the temperature field of the concrete road under geothermal conditions, observe the relationship between temperature rise and time, and better apply the geothermal buried pipe technology to road snow and ice melting, two concrete road models with the dimension of 1 m × 2 m × 0.45 m are made. The model experiments are carried out under the conditions of 0.8 m/s, 0.85 m/s, and 0.9 m/s of pipeline flow velocity, 15 cm and 25 cm of buried pipe depth, and 10 cm and 15 cm of pipe space. The influence of flow velocity, the buried pipe depth, and space on the internal and surface temperature field of concrete road is studied. The results show that, in the flow velocity test, the temperature of the four‐layer measuring points shows an upward trend under different flow velocities. With the increase of initial flow velocity, the temperature rise of the first layer measuring points gradually increases. The temperature rise value of the first layer corresponding to 0.9 m/s is 11.66°C, 4.32°C, and 3.13°C higher than 0.8 m/s and 0.85 m/s, respectively; in the buried depth test, the first layer temperature rise at 15 cm is 1.85°C higher than that at 25 cm; in the space test, when the buried pipe space increases from 10 cm to 15 cm, the temperature rise value of the first layer decreases by 1.2°C. From the above three influencing factors experiments, it can be obtained that the temperature rise stage of the first layer measuring points can be divided into the rapid temperature rise stage within 0–2 hours, the temperature rise one with 2 h–6 h, and stable temperature stage after 6 h. Experimental observation shows that road temperature will be higher than 8°C within 1 h–1.2 h, which can eliminate the road icing temperature conditions to ensure that the road does not freeze. After opening the snow melting system for 6 h, the surface temperature of the road tends to be stable, and there is no significant change. In practical application, open the system 1.5 h in advance so that it can prevent road snow and freezing. After opening the system for 6 h or stopping snowfall and rainfall within 6 h, close the system, and the residual temperature stored in the concrete road is used for deicing and snow melting. Ensuring that the road surface temperature is above 0°C, the heating system is turned on intermittently to save energy. The research provides theoretical support for preventing road snow and freezing.
Contacts with Macrophages Promote an Aggressive Nanomechanical Phenotype of Circulating Tumor Cells in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Osmulski Pawel A. , Cunsolo Alessandra , Chen Meizhen , Qian Yusheng , Lin Chun-Lin , Hung Chia-Nung , Mahalingam Devalingam , Kirma Nameer B. , Chen Chun-Liang , Taverna Josephine A. , Liss Michael A. , Thompson Ian M. , Huang Tim H.-M. , Gaczynska Maria E.
Published: May 2021

Aggressive tumors of epithelial origin shed cells that intravasate and become circulating tumor cells (CTC). The CTCs that are able to survive the stresses encountered in the bloodstream can then seed metastases. We demonstrated previously that CTCs isolated from the blood of prostate cancer patients display specific nanomechanical phenotypes characteristic of cell endurance and invasiveness and patient sensitivity to androgen deprivation therapy. Here we report that patient-isolated CTCs are nanomechanically distinct from cells randomly shed from the tumor, with high adhesion as the most distinguishing biophysical marker. CTCs uniquely coisolated with macrophage-like cells bearing the markers of tumor-associated macrophages (TAM). The presence of these immune cells was indicative of a survival-promoting phenotype of “mechanical fitness” in CTCs based on high softness and high adhesion as determined by atomic force microscopy. Correlations between enumeration of macrophages and mechanical fitness of CTCs were strong in patients before the start of hormonal therapy. Single-cell proteomic analysis and nanomechanical phenotyping of tumor cell–macrophage cocultures revealed that macrophages promoted epithelial–mesenchymal plasticity in prostate cancer cells, manifesting in their mechanical fitness. The resulting softness and adhesiveness of the mechanically fit CTCs confer resistance to shear stress and enable protective cell clustering. These findings suggest that selected tumor cells are coached by TAMs and accompanied by them to acquire intermediate epithelial/mesenchymal status, thereby facilitating survival during the critical early stage leading to metastasis.

Significance:

The interaction between macrophages and circulating tumor cells increases the capacity of tumor cells to initiate metastasis and may constitute a new set of blood-based targets for pharmacologic intervention.
Myeloid Resistance is not Futile: Biomarkers of Immunotherapy in Bladder Cancer
Authors: Drake Charles G.
Published: May 2021

The majority of patients with urothelial cancer do not respond to immune checkpoint blockade directed at the PD-(L)1 axis. Recently, robust profiling data were used to derive predictive biomarker signatures for both protumorigenic immunity and adaptive antitumor immunity; combining these has greater predictive power than either alone. Clinically, these results suggest that myeloid cells may be primary drivers of nonresponsiveness in urothelial cancer.

See related article by Wang et al., p. 4287
Treatment of Fanconi Anemia–Associated Head and Neck Cancer: Opportunities to Improve Outcomes
Authors: Lee Rex H. , Kang Hyunseok , Yom Sue S. , Smogorzewska Agata , Johnson Daniel E. , Grandis Jennifer R.
Published: May 2021

Fanconi anemia, the most frequent genetic cause of bone marrow failure, is characterized by an extreme predilection toward multiple malignancies, including a greater than 500-fold incidence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) relative to the general population. Fanconi anemia–associated HNSCC and esophageal SCC (FA-HNSCC) often present at advanced stages with poor survival. Surgical resection remains the primary treatment for FA-HNSCC, and there is often great reluctance to administer systemic agents and/or radiotherapy to these patients given their susceptibility to DNA damage. The paucity of FA-HNSCC case reports limits evidence-based management, and such cases have not been analyzed collectively in detail. We present a systematic review of FA-HNSCC treatments reported from 1966 to 2020, defining a cohort of 119 patients with FA-HNSCC including 16 esophageal SCCs (131 total primary tumors), who were treated with surgery, radiotherapy, systemic therapy (including cytotoxic agents, EGFR inhibitors, or immune checkpoint inhibitors), or a combination of modalities. We summarize the clinical responses and regimen-associated toxicities by treatment modality. The collective evidence suggests that when possible, surgical resection with curative intent should remain the primary treatment modality for FA-HNSCC. Radiation can be administered with acceptable toxicity in the majority of cases, including patients who have undergone stem cell transplantation. Although there is little justification for cytotoxic chemotherapy, EGFR inhibitors and tyrosine kinase inhibitors may be both safe and effective. Immunotherapy may also be considered. Most oncologists have little personal experience with FA-HNSCC. This review is intended as a comprehensive resource for clinicians.
Harnessing the hERG1/β1 Integrin Complex via a Novel Bispecific Single-chain Antibody: An Effective Strategy against Solid Cancers
Authors: Duranti Claudia , Iorio Jessica , Lottini Tiziano , Lastraioli Elena , Crescioli Silvia , Bagni Giacomo , Lulli Matteo , Capitani Chiara , Bouazzi Rayhana , Stefanini Matteo , Carraresi Laura , Iamele Luisa , De Jonge Hugo , Arcangeli Annarosa
Published: May 2021

mAbs, either mono- or bispecific (bsAb), represent one of the most successful approaches to treat many types of malignancies. However, there are certain limitations to the use of full length mAbs for clinical applications, which can be overcome by engineered antibody fragments. The aim of this study was to develop a small bsAb, in the format of a single-chain diabody (scDb), to efficiently target two proteins, the hERG1 potassium channel and the β1 subunit of integrin receptors, which specifically form a macromolecular complex in cancer cells. We provide evidence that the scDb we produced binds to the hERG1/β1 complex in cancer cells and tissues, but does not bind to the hERG1 channel in nonpathologic tissues, in particular the heart. The scDb-hERG1-β1 (i) downregulates the formation of the hERG1/β1 complex, (ii) inhibits Akt phosphorylation and HIF-1α expression, and (iii) decreases cell survival, proliferation, and migration in vitro. These effects only occur in cancer cells (either colon, pancreatic, or breast), but not in normal cells. In vivo, the scDb-hERG1-β1 shows a good pharmacokinetic profile, with a half-life of 13.5 hours and no general, cardiac, or renal toxicity when injected intravenously up to the dose of 8 mg/kg. The scDb-hERG1-β1 accumulates into subcutaneous xenografted tumors, arising from either colon or pancreatic human cancer cells, and induces a reduction of tumor growth and vascularization. Overall, the scDb-hERG1-β1 represents an innovative single-chain bispecific antibody for therapeutic applications in solid cancers that overexpress the hERG1/β1 integrin signaling complex.
M3258 Is a Selective Inhibitor of the Immunoproteasome Subunit LMP7 (β5i) Delivering Efficacy in Multiple Myeloma Models
Authors: Sanderson Michael P. , Friese-Hamim Manja , Walter-Bausch Gina , Busch Michael , Gaus Stefanie , Musil Djordje , Rohdich Felix , Zanelli Ugo , Downey-Kopyscinski Sondra L. , Mitsiades Constantine S. , Schadt Oliver , Klein Markus , Esdar Christina
Published: May 2021

Large multifunctional peptidase 7 (LMP7/β5i/PSMB8) is a proteolytic subunit of the immunoproteasome, which is predominantly expressed in normal and malignant hematolymphoid cells, including multiple myeloma, and contributes to the degradation of ubiquitinated proteins. Described herein for the first time is the preclinical profile of M3258; an orally bioavailable, potent, reversible and highly selective LMP7 inhibitor. M3258 demonstrated strong antitumor efficacy in multiple myeloma xenograft models, including a novel model of the human bone niche of multiple myeloma. M3258 treatment led to a significant and prolonged suppression of tumor LMP7 activity and ubiquitinated protein turnover and the induction of apoptosis in multiple myeloma cells both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, M3258 showed superior antitumor efficacy in selected multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma xenograft models compared with the approved nonselective proteasome inhibitors bortezomib and ixazomib. The differentiated preclinical profile of M3258 supported the initiation of a phase I study in patients with multiple myeloma (NCT04075721).
Association of Thyroid Hypofunction with Clinical Outcomes after Microvascular Decompression for Hemifacial Spasm
Authors: Lee Jeong-A , Kong Doo-Sik , Lee Seunghoon , Park Sang-Ku , Park Kwan
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Data regarding the association between thyroid dysfunction and hemifacial spasm (HFS) are limited. We conducted a single-center, retrospective study to investigate the predictive value of thyroid dysfunction in patients with HFS after microvascular decompression (MVD). Methods: Between July 2004 and January 2015, 156 patients who were tested for thyroid hormones after MVD for HFS were enrolled in the present study. We assessed their detailed history, clinical manifestations, serum thyroid hormone levels, and surgical outcomes. The patients were classified into low and high groups based on thyroid hormone concentrations, and clinical outcomes were evaluated in each group. Results: In a total of 156 patients with a median follow-up period of 40.9 months, the improvement rate was 87.8%. The patients were classified into low (76, 48.7%) or high (80, 51.3%) groups based on serum thyroxine (T4) levels. There was a difference between the 2 groups in terms of postoperative outcomes following MVD (p = 0.020). There were no differences in the outcomes according to serum tri-iodothyronine (T3) levels as well as other factors associated with the outcomes. Conclusions: We found that decreased serum T4 levels are associated with poor postoperative outcomes among patients with HFS. Further studies are needed to examine the clinical benefit of thyroid hormone replacement therapy for patients with suboptimal T4 concentrations as well as active thyroid hormone screening for patients with HFS.
Increasing burden of osteoarthritis in Brazil from 2000 to 2017-- results from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD), 2017
Authors: Leopoldino Amanda Aparecida Oliveira , Bertolini Fabricio Melo , Mesquita Juliano Vilela Dalia , Cousin Ewerton , Passos Valéria Maria de Azeredo
Published: May 2021

A osteoartrite (OA) é uma das principais causas de doenças osteomusculares e a segunda causa de incapacidade relacionada ao trabalho entre homens adultos. Existem poucos estudos brasileiros de base populacional. Objetivo: Investigar a carga de OA na população brasileira (50+ anos), de 2000 a 2017. Método: Estudo descritivo das estimativas de OA obtidas em colaboração com o estudo Global Burden of Disease 2017. Como a OA não é causa de óbito, descrevemos a prevalência e anos vividos com incapacidade (YLDs), representando a carga da doença (DALYs). Comparamos as métricas do Brasil com país em desenvolvimento da América Latina (Chile) e países desenvolvidos, com ou sem sistema de saúde pública (Inglaterra e Estados Unidos). Resultados: O número de casos no Brasil quase dobrou de 2000 para 2017. Todos os países apresentaram crescente prevalência padronizada por idade. O Brasil apresentou as menores taxas e aumento (9%) no período. A OA foi da 14ª para 12ª causa de incapacidade entre 2000 e 2017, naqueles de 50 a 69 anos e em 2017. As taxas de YLD de 100.000 habitantes aumentaram mais de três vezes, em homens e mulheres, entre aqueles com 50 a 54 anos e em indivíduos acima de 80 anos. O envelhecimento associou-se a claro aumento da incapacidade para ambos os sexos e anos analisados. Conclusão: Essa primeira estimativa do ônus da OA no Brasil destaca a importância dessa causa de incapacidade para os formuladores de políticas de saúde e chama a atenção para a necessidade de mais investimentos em pesquisa.
Análise da velocidade e acurácia de movimentos em indivíduos após acidente vascular encefálico
Authors: Araújo Gabriela , Rossini Nataly , Ferrari Aline Sanchez , Monteiro Carlos Bandeira de Mello , Silva Talita Dias da , Massetti Thais , Fernani Deborah Cristina Gonçalves Luiz , Dantas Maria Tereza Artero Prado
Published: May 2021

The Stroke might cause alterations in movement control due to the sequels of this process. Objective: Analyze the speed-accuracy trade-off of upper limb movement in individuals with sequels of Stroke through a computer software. Method: It is about a cross-sectional study, the sample was composed of 46 individuals divided into two groups: individuals post-stroke, between the ages of 35  and 83 years old, in which 10 were women and 14 were men; and 22 healthy controls aligned by age and sex, in which 8 were women and 14 were men, evaluated through the instruments: Mini mental state examination, Orpington prognostic scale, Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale, dynamometer, box of blocks and throught the software “Fitts Reciprocal Aiming Task v.2.0. (Horizontal)”, that seeks to understand the motor control of the upper limb, verifying the speed and accuracy of movement through a computer task. Results: The individuals with sequels of Stroke showed a loss in the strength of the palmar grip and manual function. Besides, they showed a longer time in movement in all index of difficulty compared to Control group. However, they showed a similar behaviour to the healthy individuals throughout the execution of the index of difficulty. Conclusion: Thus, it can be concluded that the individuals with sequels of Stroke showed a deficit of the motor control of the upper limb, compared to the healthy individuals, however, these showed the same behavior, with a bigger deficit in the accuracy of movement.