bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IgG4-related tubulointerstitial nephritis
Authors: Momoniat Tasnim , Jacob Deepa , Duhli Neelaveni , Jorna Tom
Published: November 2021

A 67-year-old man was referred to the renal team following an episode of acute kidney injury on a background of chronic kidney disease. He had a 9-year history of steroid-sensitive arthritis, epigastric pain and isolated submandibular gland enlargement. He was noted to have a raised eosinophil count, total serum protein and total immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) level as well as a serum hypocomplementaemia. A renal biopsy showed a tubulointerstitial nephritis with lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates, fibrosis and IgG4-positive plasma cells on immunohistochemistry. A diagnosis of IgG4-related disease was made based on clinical presentation and pathology. Renal function improved with glucocorticoids and the patient was successfully transitioned to azathioprine as a steroid-sparing agent.
Severe ataxia uncovered Hodgkin’s lymphoma: do not forget CT neck when looking for covert malignancy
Authors: Kajtazi Naim Izet , Khalid Ehtesham , Ghamdi Juman Al , Abulaban Ahmad , AlHameed Majed H
Published: November 2021

A 53-year-old woman without medical problems presented with 5-month history of dizziness, difficulty speaking, severe ataxia, which worsened a day before admission to inability to stand unsupported. An extensive workup was initiated to find the cause of ataxia. The laboratory investigations and imaging of the brain and whole spine revealed no lesions. She was found to have autoimmune thyroiditis, positive coeliac disease antibodies without clinical features and vitamin D deficiency. No intravenous steroids or immunosuppressive therapy was given. Cerebrospinal fluid showed lymphocytic pleocytosis. The workup for the cause of severe ataxia revealed an oropharyngeal lesion with cervical lymph nodes, and the biopsy showed classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma of mixed cellularity. She was treated with chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy and made a remarkable recovery, and currently, she is in remission without distant metastases, 5 years after the initial diagnosis. Her neurological status improved, and she remained with mild ataxia.
Percutaneous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty in a pregnant woman with severe pulmonary valve restenosis
Authors: Johny Dilip , Subramanyam Kodangala , Shivanand Sanjana , Rajamony Vishanthika
Published: November 2021

A 34-year-old woman, a known case of valvular heart disease, post balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty done 8 years ago during her first pregnancy, presented with progressive exertional breathlessness with New York Heart Association class III symptoms in her third trimester of pregnancy. On examination, she had features of right heart failure. ECG showed right axis deviation, right ventricular hypertrophy with strain pattern. Transthoracic echocardiography showed severe pulmonary valve stenosis, right ventricular hypertrophy, right ventricular and atrial dilatation with reduced right ventricular function. As the patient was symptomatic, she underwent percutaneous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty. The procedure was successful with a significant reduction in the pulmonary valve gradient and the patient was discharged in stable condition with reduced symptoms. The timely intervention of the valvular stenotic lesion in pregnancy reduces the mortality risk to both the mother and the fetus.
Surgeon effects on cataract refractive outcomes are minimal compared with patient comorbidity and gender: an analysis of 490 987 cases
Authors: Hughes Rachael , Aristodemou Petros , Sparrow John M , Kaye Stephen
Published: November 2021

Aim

To investigate effect of patient age, gender, comorbidities and surgeon on refractive outcomes following cataract surgery.

Methods

Study population: patients on UK national ophthalmic cataract database on cataract operations undertaken between 1 April 2010 and 31 August 2018. Variables examined included gender, age, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, high myopia, inherited retinal disease, optic nerve disease, uveitis, pseudoexfoliation, vitreous opacities, retinal pathology, cataract type, previous surgery and posterior capsular rupture. A multivariate normal cross-classified model was fitted to the refractive outcome using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods with diffuse priors to approximate maximum likelihood estimation. A MCMC chain was generated with a burn-in of 5000 iterations and a monitoring chain of 50 000 iterations.

Results

490 987 cataract operations were performed on 351 864 patients by 2567 surgeons. Myopic and astigmatic errors were associated with posterior capsule rupture (−0.38/+0.04×72), glaucoma (−0.10/+0.05×95), previous vitrectomy (−0.049/+0.03×66) and high myopia (−0.07/+0.03×57). Hyperopic and astigmatic errors were associated with diabetic retinopathy (+0.08/+0.03×104), pseudoexfoliation (+0.07/+0.01×158), male gender (+0.12/+0.05×91) and age (−0.01/+0.06×97 per increasing decade). Inherited retinal disease, optic nerve disease, previous trabeculectomy, uveitis, brunescent/white cataract had no significant impact on the error of the refractive outcome. The effect of patient gender and comorbidity was additive. Surgeons only accounted for 4% of the unexplained variance in refractive outcome.

Conclusion

Patient comorbidities and gender account for small but statistically significant differences in refractive outcome, which are additive. Surgeon effects are very small.
The physiology of singing and implications for ‘Singing for Lung Health’ as a therapy for individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Lewis Adam , Philip Keir Elmslie James , Lound Adam , Cave Phoene , Russell Juliet , Hopkinson Nicholas S
Published: November 2021

Singing is an increasingly popular activity for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Research to date suggests that ‘Singing for Lung Health’ may improve various health measures, including health-related quality-of-life. Singing and breathing are closely linked processes affecting one another. In this narrative review, we explore the physiological rationale for ‘Singing for Lung Health’ as an intervention, focusing on the abnormalities of pulmonary mechanics seen in COPD and how these might be impacted by singing. The potential beneficial physiological mechanisms outlined here require further in-depth evaluation.
Barriers and facilitators to the administration of prehospital tranexamic acid: a paramedic interview study using the theoretical domains framework
Authors: Goodwin Laura , Nicholson Helen , Robinson Maria , Bedson Adam , Black Sarah , Kirby Kim , Taylor Hazel , Voss Sarah , Benger Jonathan
Published: November 2021

Background

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an antifibrinolytic drug used to prevent bleeding. It was introduced as an intervention for post-traumatic haemorrhage across emergency medical services (EMS) in the UK during 2012. However, despite strong evidence of effectiveness, prehospital TXA administration rates are low. This study used the theoretical domains framework (TDF) to identify barriers and facilitators to the administration of TXA to trauma patients by EMS providers (paramedics) in the UK.

Methods

Interviews were completed with 18 UK paramedics from a single EMS provider organisation. A convenience sampling approach was used, and interviews continued until thematic saturation was reached. Semistructured telephone interviews explored paramedics’ experiences of administering TXA to trauma patients, including identifying whether or not patients were at risk of bleeding. Data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis (stage 1). Themes were mapped to the theoretical domains of the TDF to identify behavioural theory-derived barriers and facilitators to the administration of TXA to trauma patients (stage 2). Belief statements were identified and assessed for importance according to prevalence, discordance and evidence base (stage 3).

Results

Barriers and facilitators to paramedics’ administration of TXA to trauma patients were represented by 11 of the 14 domains of the TDF. Important barriers included a lack of knowledge and experience with TXA (Domain: Knowledge and Skills), confusion and restrictions relating to the guidelines for TXA administration (Domain: Social/professional role and identity), a lack of resources (Domain: Environmental context and resources) and difficulty in identifying patients at risk of bleeding (Domain: Memory, attention and decision processes).

Conclusions

This study presents a behavioural theory-based approach to identifying barriers and facilitators to the prehospital administration of TXA to trauma patients in the UK. It identifies multiple influencing factors that may serve as a basis for developing an intervention to increase prehospital administration of TXA.
The case for planetary health prevention
Authors: Benach Joan , Zografos Christos , Cash-Gibson Lucinda , Martínez-Herrera Eliana , Pericàs Juan M
Published: November 2021

The lack of preparedness and the adoption of a reactive approach underlie many mistakes in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. We need a vision with a proactive approach to planetary health prevention, that is suited for addressing the neglected systemic determinants of health which generate disease, inequality and environmental degradation, and capable of anticipating known and unknown risks, and foreseeing possible threatening scenarios. To achieve a healthy, equitable and sustainable future, it is time to make health prevention planetary.
Effects of overstory tree density, site preparation, and ground vegetation on natural Scots pine seedling emergence and survival in northern boreal pine forests
Authors: Kyrö M.J. , Hallikainen V. , Valkonen S. , Hyppönen M. , Puttonen P. , Bergsten U. , Winsa H. , Rautio P.
Published: November 2021

Natural regeneration is a commonly used forest regeneration method in northern Finland. It is not known, however, what would be the optimal overstory density and ground vegetation composition for seedling emergence and survival, and if site preparation is needed to accompany overstory density manipulation. We studied the effects of overstory density (unthinned control and thinning to 50, 150, and 250 trees·ha−1) and ground vegetation removal (mechanical site preparation with disc trenching) on the number of naturally germinated pine seedlings and survival of individual seedlings over a period of 8 to 11 years. Bare mineral soil was a superior seedbed compared to intact vegetation cover, even though the mortality rate was high on mineral soil. Greater cover of lingonberry, crowberry, and slash had a negative effect on seedling number. Seedling mortality was initially high (60% died during the first 2 years) but decreased throughout the first 5 years. The survival rate of seedlings located in the mineral soil of the upper part of the disc trencher track was twice as high as that of seedlings located in the lower part of the track. High coverage of hair mosses (Polytrichum spp.) was associated with poorer seedling survival. An overstory density of 50–150 trees·ha−1 with site preparation seems to be an efficient treatment to promote regeneration under these circumstances.
Wing plastic response to temperature variation in two distantly related NeotropicalDrosophilaspecies (Diptera, Drosophilidae)
Authors: Machida Waira S. , Tidon Rosana , Klaczko Julia
Published: November 2021

Phenotypic plasticity has been described for morphological and life-history traits in many organisms. In Drosophila, temperature drives phenotypic change in several traits, but few Neotropical species have been studied and whether the phenotypic variation associated with plasticity is adaptive remains unclear. Here, we studied the phenotypic response to temperature variation in the distantly related Neotropical species Drosophila mercatorum Patterson and Wheeler, 1942 and Drosophila willistoni Sturtevant, 1916. We evaluate if wing shape variation follows that observed in the Neotropical species Drosophila cardini Sturtevant, 1916: round wings at lower temperatures and narrower wings at higher temperatures. The variation in egg–adult development time and in wing size, shape, and allometry was described using reaction norms and geometric morphometrics. In both species, development time and wing size decreased with increasing temperature and wing allometry showed that size explained ≈10% of the shape variation. Wing shape, however, exhibited contrasting responses. At higher temperatures, D. mercatorum developed slightly slender wings, following the pattern previously found for D. cardini, whereas D. willistoni developed plumper and shorter wings, supporting previous studies on Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, 1830. We conclude that all traits studied here were influenced by temperature, and that wing shape seems also to be influenced by phylogeny.
Polarized image of a Schwarzschild black hole with a thin accretion disk as photon couples to Weyl tensor
Authors: Zhang Zelin , Chen Songbai , Qin Xin , Jing Jiliang
Published: November 2021

We have studied polarized image of a Schwarzschild black hole with an equatorial thin accretion disk as photon couples to Weyl tensor. The birefringence of photon originating from the coupling affect the black hole shadow, the thin disk pattern and its luminosity distribution. We also analyze the observed polarized intensity in the sky plane. The observed polarized intensity in the bright region is stronger than that in the darker region. The stronger effect of the coupling on the observed polarized vector appears only in the bright region close to black hole. These features in the polarized image could help us to understand black hole shadow, the thin accretion disk and the coupling between photon and Weyl tensor.
Quadratic Convex Reformulation for Solving Task Assignment Problem with Continuous Hopfield Network
Authors: Hami Youssef , Loqman Chakir
Published: November 2021

This research is an optimal allocation of tasks to processors in order to minimize the total costs of execution and communication. This problem is called the Task Assignment Problem (TAP) with nonuniform communication costs. To solve the latter, the first step concerns the formulation of the problem by an equivalent zero-one quadratic program with a convex objective function using a convexification technique, based on the smallest eigenvalue. The second step concerns the application of the Continuous Hopfield Network (CHN) to solve the obtained problem. The calculation results are presented for the instances from the literature, compared to solutions obtained both the CPLEX solver and by the heuristic genetic algorithm, and show an improvement in the results obtained by applying only the CHN algorithm. We can see that the proposed approach evaluates the efficiency of the theoretical results and achieves the optimal solutions in a short calculation time.
The genesis and evolution of karstic conduit systems in the Chalk
Authors: Farrant Andrew Roger , Maurice Louise , Ballesteros Daniel , Nehme Carole
Published: November 2021

The Upper Cretaceous Chalk Group is renowned as a major aquifer, but the development of secondary porosity due to karstic conduits is poorly understood. Hydrogeological data and evidence from boreholes, sections, and tracer tests indicate that dissolutional conduits occur throughout the Chalk aquifer. Here, we assess the evidence for Chalk karst, and combine it with theoretical models of dissolution and cave formation to produce a conceptual model for the development of karstic conduits. Dissolution due to the mixing of saturated waters of contrasting chemistry along key lithostratigraphical inception horizons form extensive but isolated conduit networks. These form a significant proportion of the secondary porosity and enhance permeability. They prime the aquifer for the development of more integrated conduit networks formed by focused recharge of unsaturated surface derived water. However, the porous, well-fractured nature of the Chalk means that the time needed to form large integrated cave systems is often longer than timescales of landscape change. Continued landscape evolution and water table lowering halts conduit development before they can enlarge into cave systems except where geological and geomorphological settings are favourable. Groundwater models need to consider the formation of secondary karst permeability as this has a major influence on groundwater flow.
Flexible Electrochemical Sensor Based on NiCu(OOH) for Monitoring Urea in Human Sweat
Authors: Yoon Jaesik , Sim Myeongseok , Oh Tae-Sik , Yoon Young Soo , Kim Dong-Joo
Published: November 2021

Wearable and flexible electrochemical sweat analysis for monitoring health-related urea concentrations with high sensitivity and selectivity is highly required for individual medical care and disease diagnosis. Herein, we report a sensitive and selective sweat sensor based on a flexible NiCu(OOH)/polystyrene (PS) electrode to detect a urea biomarker. The non-enzymatic sensor was fabricated using electrospinning PS containing carbon nanotube as a conductive component and co-sputtering Ni-Cu alloys as a catalyst. The flexible PS provided a porous structure, leading to sufficient active sites, easy access to reactants, and adequate water wettability for effective charge transfer. The sputtered Ni-Cu alloys deposited on the PS were transformed to a Ni-Cu oxyhydroxide form by cyclic voltammetry treatment, managing the detection of the urea molecule in a neutral pH environment. This urea sensor displayed an excellent linear response with a sensitivity of 10.72 μAmM–1cm–2 toward a physiologically appropriate linear range of 2.00–30.00 mM, and negligible interferences from co-existing common species. Furthermore, bending tests demonstrated excellent mechanical tolerance where electrochemical performance was not affected under 200 cycles and 150° bending. The flexible electrochemical urea sensor platform can provide noninvasive monitoring of urea levels in sweat fluids, ensuring clinical diagnosis for biomedical applications.
Review—Sensor Evaluation for Thiamethoxam Detection in Different Matrices
Authors: Ajermoun N. , loudiki A. , Farahi A. , Lahrich S. , Saqrane S. , Bakasse M. , El Mhammedi M. A.
Published: November 2021

Thiamethoxam (3-[(2-chloro-5-thiazolyl)methyl] tetrahydro-5-methyl-N-nitro-4H-1,3,5-oxadiazin-4- imine) is a representative compound of new neonicotinoid insecticides, which can selectively act on the central nervous system of insects and is widely used to control sucking insect pests. Due to its extensive usage, high water solubility, high leaching capability, low soil adsorption, and poor biodegradability, the residues of the thiamethoxam persist in the environment with adverse effects. Therefore, it is necessary to develop analytical tools for the monitoring of thiamethoxam. An electrochemical sensor is suitable for rapid and simple analyses of pesticides, which are likely to persist at a trace level in agro-environments, including agricultural products, soil, and water. Here, the new trends in sensors development and the application for the detection of thiamethoxam in the environmental are described. The fundamental analytical performance of the electrodes is discussed. The application of these sensors for thiamethoxam monitoring in different matrices is reported.
A Fast and Scalable Pre-Lithiation Approach for Practical Large-Capacity Lithium-Ion Capacitors
Authors: Sun Xianzhong , Wang Penglei , An Yabin , Zhang Xiong , Zheng Shuanghao , Wang Kai , Ma Yanwei
Published: November 2021

Lithium-ion capacitors (LICs) bridge the gap between lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and electrical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) owing to their unique energy storage mechanisms. From the viewpoints of electrode materials and cell design, the pre-lithiation process is indispensable for improving the working voltage and energy density of LICs. However, the conventional physical short-circuit (PSC) method is time-consuming, which limits the mass-production of practical large-capacity LIC cells. Three alternative pre-lithiation protocols have been proposed, combining the PSC protocol and electrochemical approaches to shorten the pre-lithiation time. The prototype LIC pre-lithiated by using the open-circuit potential cycling (OPC) protocol has the lowest internal resistance and superior high-rate capability (even at 200C-rate). The 900-F large-capacity laminated LIC cells have been assembled and pre-lithiated to validate the feasibility of this method. The pre-lithiation time has been reduced from 470 h (PSC protocol) to 19 h (OPC protocol). This combined protocol is presumed to counteract the voltage loss and enhance the Li+ ion diffusion between multiple anode electrodes during the pre-lithiation process.
Determination of Kinetic Parameters for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction on Platinum in an AEMFC
Authors: Grimler Henrik , Carlson Annika , Ekström Henrik , Lagergren Carina , Lindström Rakel Wreland , Lindbergh Göran
Published: November 2021

To promote the development of anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFC), an understanding of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics in porous gas diffusion electrodes is essential. In this work, experimental polarisation curves for electrodes with different platinum catalyst loadings and oxygen partial pressures at the cathode are fitted to a physics-based porous electrode model in the voltage range from open circuit voltage (OCV) to 0.7 V. Polarisation curves measured with different anode catalyst loadings, and hydrogen partial pressures, were used to verify the model. The reactions are described using a two-step Tafel-Volmer pathway at the anode and concentration-dependent Butler-Volmer kinetics at the cathode. A good fit to experimental data in the kinetic region is obtained with an exchange current density of

1.0
·

10

−
8

A

cm

−
2

,

a first order dependency on oxygen partial pressure, and a charge transfer coefficient of 0.8 for the ORR. For lower oxygen partial pressure, hydrogen crossover is needed to explain the downward shift of the polarisation curves in the kinetic region. In the experimental data, the polarisation curves show an apparent limiting current density at lower hydrogen partial pressures, explained by the lower rate of the Tafel step at these conditions.
Large Scale and High-Yield Janus Monolayer Mosse with Controllable Composition By Plasma-Assisted Chemical Vapor Reaction
Authors: Sino Paul Albert Labasano , Lee Ling , Wani Sumayah , Chuang Feng-Chuan , Chueh Yu-Lun
Published: November 2021

We report a top-down method for high-yield production of Janus monolayer MoSSe. In particular, we replace the top S atom with Se by controlled plasma-assisted selenization of monolayer MoS2. Based on the Raman Spectroscopy results, all of the characterized monolayer MoS2 triangles are completely transformed to Janus MoSSe. The Janus structure of MoSSe is confirmed directly by means of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dependent X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations are performed to determine the effect of the Se-concentration on the electronic properties of Janus MoSSe. Our method provides an avenue towards high-yield production and full exploration of Janus Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDs).
Taxonomy of Mitochondrial Cytochrome B Proteins of the Same Amino Acid Sequence Length
Authors: Zamyatnin Alexander A. , Belozerskaya Tatiana A. , Zamyatnin Andrey A.
Published: November 2021

Prior to this study, we discovered a protein characterized by many different amino acid sequences with the same number of amino acid residues. This turned out to be a unique cytochrome b, in which 1048 molecules out of 1689 contain 379 amino acid residues. A detailed study of the occurrence of this protein in living organisms at different taxonomic levels (from biological domains to biological orders of animals) has been carried out in the work presented here. We found that the main part of all b cytochromes is present in eukaryotes (99.2%), in biological kingdoms (95.9% in animals), in biological phylums (97.5% in chordates), and in biological classes (79.7% in mammals). Withal, this protein, containing 379 amino acid residues and characterized by many different amino acid sequences, is found only in eukaryotes (100%), only in animals (100%) and mainly in mammals (81.1%). Thus, a representative that has cytochrome b with a corresponding number of amino acid residues has not yet been identified among archaea and prokaryotes, while it is common in representatives of different biological types, classes, and orders of animals. It is believed that the structural diversity of a given protein within the same length and its one function of participation in the process of electron transfer relate to the physicochemical features of the extra- and intramembrane fragments of the polypeptide chain of this protein.
Deep‐Stacking Network Approach by Multisource Data Mining for Hazardous Risk Identification in IoT‐Based Intelligent Food Management Systems
Authors: Kong Jianlei , Yang Chengcai , Wang Jianli , Wang Xiaoyi , Zuo Min , Jin Xuebo , Lin Sen
Published: November 2021

Food quality and safety issues occurred frequently in recent years, which have attracted more and more attention of social and international organizations. Considering the increased quality risk in the food supply chain, many researchers have applied various information technologies to develop real‐time risk identification and traceability systems (RITSs) for preferable food safety guarantee. This paper presents an innovative approach by utilizing the deep‐stacking network method for hazardous risk identification, which relies on massive multisource data monitored by the Internet of Things timely in the whole food supply chain. The aim of the proposed method is to help managers and operators in food enterprises to find accurate risk levels of food security in advance and to provide regulatory authorities and consumers with potential rules for better decision‐making, thereby maintaining the safety and sustainability of food product supply. The verification experiments show that the proposed method has the best performance in terms of prediction accuracy up to 97.62%, meanwhile achieves the appropriate model parameters only up to 211.26 megabytes. Moreover, the case analysis is implemented to illustrate the outperforming performance of the proposed method in risk level identification. It can effectively enhance the RITS ability for assuring food supply chain security and attaining multiple cooperation between regulators, enterprises, and consumers.
Prognostic Value of a Pyroptosis-Related Long Noncoding RNA Signature Associated with Osteosarcoma Microenvironment
Authors: Bu Xinxin , Liu Jiuxiang , Ding Rong , Li Zhi
Published: November 2021

Background. Osteosarcoma is the most prevalent bone cancer that affects young adults and adolescents. It is the most frequent malignancy of the bone. In spite of the fact that complete surgical resection and chemotherapy have increased the overall survival of osteosarcoma patients considerably, the prognosis remains dismal in patients with recurring and/or metastasized osteosarcoma. Thus, finding predictive biomarkers representing osteosarcoma's biological variability may result in more effective treatment for osteosarcoma patients. Methods. In this research, RNA data and clinical information were obtained from TARGET database. The risk score was calculated using a technique that incorporated both univariate and multivariate Cox regression. A variety of statistical methods were employed to assess the risk score's accuracy. These included ROC curves, nomograms, and Kaplan-Meier curves. Following that, bioinformatics studies were carried out in order to investigate the possible biological processes that influence the prognosis of osteosarcoma patients. GSEA was used to investigate the variations in pathway enrichment among the different groups of genes. To examine the disparities in the immune microenvironment, the analytical methods CIBERSORT and ssGSEA were employed. Results. We discovered three differentially expressed lncRNAs (RPARP-AS1, AC009159.3, and AC124312.3) that are linked to osteosarcoma prognosis. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed the presence of a signature of high-risk lncRNAs linked with a poor prognosis for osteosarcoma. Furthermore, the AUC of the lncRNAs signature was 0.773, indicating that they are useful in predicting osteosarcoma prognosis in certain cases. In predicting osteosarcoma prognosis, our risk assessment approach outperformed conventional clinicopathological characteristics. In the high-risk group of people, GSEA showed the presence of tumor-related pathways as well as immune-related pathways. Furthermore, TARGET revealed that immune-related functions such as checkpoint, T-cell coinhibition, and costimulation were significantly different between the high-risk and low-risk groups. LAIR1, LAG3, CD44, and CD22, as well as other immune checkpoints, were shown to be expressed differentially across the two risk groups. Conclusion. This study established that pyroptosis-derived lncRNAs had a significant predictive value for osteosarcoma patients' survival, indicating that they may be a viable target for future therapy.
Impact of DanceSport on General Fitness from the Perspective of Chinese Athletes
Authors: Xu Jiahui , Li Xiaofen
Published: November 2021

Energy metabolism and motion are the essence of dance. Scientific training of athletes involves theoretical guidance in terms of fitness, talent-based selection, and high-performance practice. However, limited research work is carried out on the physiological strain of DanceSport competitions. Therefore, proper channel needs to be established for aerobic-based exercise on participant’s performance and general fitness. Competition simulation is used to collect personal data from real-time experimentations. Database gathers athlete information based on age, gender, and performance. Furthermore, results are obtained from experiment, record, and simulation in comparison to evaluate athlete performance. Main purpose of this article is to discover the characteristics of DanceSport from the perspectives of energetics in 32 domestic elite. Finally, World DanceSport Federation Judging System 2.1 “WFJS2.1” strategy is utilized for international game challenges.
The Influencing Factors of Intellectual Property Pledge Loan Trust: A Social Network Theory-Based Experimental Study
Authors: Yan Hongyan , Wang Jiayi , Cui Jing , Yang Zeyun , Ren Min
Published: November 2021

This paper studies the behavior of intellectual property pledge loan based on a specific social network and uses the method of experimental research to analyze the impact of factors on the comprehensive trust of intellectual property pledge loan. The results show that if direct cooperation records between enterprises and banks are complete, the larger the scale of cooperation, the higher the trust of intellectual property pledge loans, and the nearer the cooperation record to the present time, the greater the credibility of enterprise cooperation. If there is no direct cooperation record between enterprises and banks, or cooperation record is incomplete, in accordance with the trust evaluation of the recommended members on the intellectual property pledge loan enterprise, the smaller the degree of trust at a certain recommendation node, the lower the credibility of enterprises at this node correspondingly, and the lower the perceived risk tolerance of banks, the lower the cooperation satisfaction in the intellectual property pledge loan enterprises.
Pharmacological Mechanism of Danggui‐Sini Formula for Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: A Network Pharmacology Study
Authors: Wang Longjie , Lin Jialiang , Li Weishi
Published: November 2021

Background. Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is the most significant cause of low back pain, the sixth‐largest disease burden globally, and the leading cause of disability. This study is aimed at investigating the molecular biological mechanism of Danggui‐Sini formula (DSF) mediated IVDD treatment. Methods. A potential gene set for DSF treatment of IVDD was identified through TCMSP, UniProt, and five disease gene databases. A protein interaction network of common targets between DSF and IVDD was established by using the STRING database. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed using the R platform to discover the potential mechanism. Moreover, AutoDock Vina was used to verify molecular docking and calculate the binding energy. Results. A total of 119 active ingredients and 136 common genes were identified, including 10 core genes (AKT1, IL6, ALB, TNF, VEGFA, TP53, MAPK3, CASP3, JUN, and EGF). Enrichment analysis results showed that the therapeutic targets of DSF for diseases mainly focused on the AGE‐RAGE signaling pathway involved in diabetic complications, IL‐17 signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, Toll‐like receptor signaling pathway, apoptosis, cellular senescence, PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway, and FoxO signaling pathway. These biological processes are induced mainly in response to oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species and the regulation of apoptotic signaling pathways. Molecular docking showed that there was a stable affinity between the core genes and the key components. Conclusions. The combination of network pharmacology and molecular docking provides a practical way to analyze the molecular biological mechanism of DSF‐mediated IVDD treatment, which confirms the “multicomponent, multitarget and multipathway” characteristics of DSF and provides an essential theoretical basis for clinical practice.
Research on Mechanical Properties and Parameter Identification of Beam‐Column Joint with Gusset Plate Angle Using Experiment and Stochastic Sensitivity Analysis
Authors: Dong Xian , Wang Yadi
Published: November 2021

Based on stochastic sensitivity analysis, a new style of joint structure with greater ductility and higher strength—the beam‐column joint with gusset plate angle (JGA) steel—was proposed. Research on the static and hysteretic behavior of the JGA was performed using finite element analysis and experimental methods. The research results indicated that adding a seat angle could increase the positive and negative initial rotational stiffness and strength and provide a better energy consumption performance of the joint. An improved chaotic particle swarm optimization (ICPSO) neural network algorithm was used to study the stochastic sensitivity. Seven important parameters that influence the bending stiffness and strength of the JGA, namely, the beam height, beam flange width, beam web thickness, gusset plate thickness, connection angle steel thickness, connection angle steel width, and seat angle steel thickness, were investigated by stochastic sensitivity analysis. Moreover, the beam height, connection angle steel, and seat angle steel thickness, which had significant influences on the mechanical properties of the joints, were studied in depth by finite element analysis. Within the range of the parameters of the joint, the higher the beam height was, the larger the connection angle thickness was; the smaller the connection angle width was, the better the joint performance was. A reasonable design of the JGA is proposed: a beam with the SH2 section (250 × 125 × 6 × 9 mm) and a 10 mm thick and 75 mm long angle steel connection.
Household ICT Utilization and Food Security Nexus in Nigeria
Authors: Ejemeyovwi Jeremiah O. , Osabohien Romanus , Adeleye Bosede Ngozi , De Alwis Tyrone
Published: November 2021

The study examines the nexus between household ICT utilization and food security in Nigeria, which supports goal 2 of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that aims to “end hunger, achieve food security, improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.” The study employs the logit regression to wave 4 of Living Standard Measurement Integrated Survey on Agriculture (LSMS) data for the empirical analysis. Based on the analysis, the study finds that for male household, ICT utilization has a statistically significant and positive nexus with food security. In contrast, for the female households, an insignificant and, however, negative nexus is observed with food security in Nigeria. Furthermore, the findings show that for male household users, a 1 percent increase in male household ICT utilization spurs about 0.68 percent increase in food security in Nigeria. The findings imply that among the male and female household ICT users, the male household ICT utilization is significantly contributes to food security in Nigeria. The study recommends that relevant stakeholders take strategic measures to ensure that the potentials of household ICTs be fully maximized to contribute to food security in the nearest future as confirmed by studies in other regions.
Study on Distribution of Wellbore Temperature in Gas Drilling with Gradient Equations
Authors: Zhu Zhongxi , Wang Chaofei , Guan Zhigang , Lei Wanneng
Published: November 2021

Precise calculation of gas temperature profile is the key to gas drilling design. It is traditionally assumed that the gas temperature distribution in the wellbore is equal to the formation temperature, without considering the influence of fluid flow and Joule-Thomson cooling effect. This paper puts forward a gradient equation method for gas temperature distribution in wellbore considering gas flow and Joule-Thomson local cooling of the bit. The method applies pressure, temperature, density, and velocity equations to gas flow in drillstrings and annulus. The solution of the gradient equation is in the form of the fourth-order Runge-Kutta equation. Bottom wellbore temperatures measured at depths of 700 to 2000 m in an actual well are consistent with those predicted by the gradient method. Due to the Joule-Thomson cooling effect at the bit nozzle, the temperature drops by about 30°C. The sensitivity analysis is carried out by gradient method, and the results show that the temperature drop range of different nozzle sizes can reach 60°C due to the Joule-Thomson cooling effect. Stable temperature curves can be established within a few minutes of the gas cycle. Due to the influence of gas flow and Joule-Thomson cooling, the gas temperature in the wellbore deviates significantly from the geothermal temperature in the formation under the flow condition. The temperature of the gas in drillstrings increases as the drill depth increases and then decreases rapidly near the bottom of the hole. As the gas flows upward along the annulus, the gas temperature rises first, surpasses the formation temperature, and then decreases gradually along the geothermal gradient trend.
Moxibustion for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: You Jianyu , Ye Jing , Li Haiyan , Ye Wenguo , Hong Ensi
Published: November 2021

Objective. This review aimed at systematically evaluating the efficacy and safety of moxibustion for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Methods. Relevant trials were searched in seven digital databases up to January 2021. After literature screening, data extraction, and literature quality evaluation, the included studies were meta-analyzed using RevMan 5.4 software. The evidence level was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). Results. Fifteen studies involving 1030 CFS participants were included. Meta-analyses showed a favorable effect of moxibustion on the total effective rate compared with acupuncture (OR = 4.58, 95%CI = [2.85, 7.35],

P
<
0.00001

) and drugs (OR = 6.36, 95%CI = [3.48, 11.59],

P
<
0.00001

). Moxibustion also appeared to significantly reduce fatigue severity measured by fatigue scale-14 (FS-14) (WMD = −2.20, 95% CI = [−3.16, −1.24],

P
<
0.00001

) and fatigue assessment instrument (FAI) (WMD = −16.36, 95% CI = [−26.58, −6.14],

P
=
0.002

) compared with the control group. In addition, among the 15 included studies, only two studies reported adverse events related to moxibustion, and the symptoms were relatively mild. The quality of evidence based on the 15 included trials was assessed as moderate to very low. Conclusions. Based on limited evidence, moxibustion might be an effective and safe complementary therapy for CFS, which can be recommended to manage CFS. Because of the limited level of evidence in this review, further high-quality trials are still needed to confirm these findings.
Prevalence and Genetic Relationship of Predominant Escherichia coli Serotypes Isolated from Poultry, Wild Animals, and Environment in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Lam Thanh , Thuan Nguyen Khanh , Tam Nguyen Thu , Huyen Trang Chau Thi , Khanh Nguyen Phuc , Bich Tran Ngoc , Taniguchi Takahide , Hayashidani Hideki , Lien Khai Ly Thi
Published: November 2021

Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is the main causative agent of avian colibacillosis, which is an important systemic disease of profound economic and clinical consequences for the poultry industry worldwide. In this study, 975 E. coli strains were isolated from 2,169 samples collected from cloacal swabs of chickens, in-farm wild animals (ants, geckos, flies, and rats), and environment. The highest proportion of E. coli isolation was obtained from chicken cloacal swabs with 71.05% (95% confidence interval (CI) 66.69–75.05%) followed by the proportions of 38.15% (95% CI 35.41–40.97%) and 38.11% (95% CI 34.15–42.24%) from wild animals or environment, respectively. Distribution of O-antigen serotypes of the E. coli isolates, including O1, O2, O18, and O78, was determined by PCR. The most predominant serotype was O18 (10.56%) followed by O2 (9.44%), O1 (7.79%), and O78 (6.56%). Of note, serotype O18 was more likely distributed in the examined wild animals, especially in geckos. Polymorphic DNA fingerprints, generated by ERIC-PCR, of representative E. coli strains of each serotype revealed genetic heterogeneity of the examined E. coli, and O18 was more divergent with 63 clusters formed from 66 isolates. Furthermore, several E. coli strains from different sample sources shared high DNA fingerprint relatedness, suggesting that there exists complex transmission of E. coli from chickens to wild animals and environment and vice versa in poultry husbandry settings. Although pathotypes of the examined E. coli were not determined in this study, our results provided important findings of epidemiological and genetic characteristics of E. coli in the Mekong Delta and highlighted the prerequisite of stricter biocontainment to reduce the prevalence and consequences of APEC in poultry production.
Multilabel Video Classification Model of Navigation Mark’s Lights Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Han Xu , Pan Mingyang , Ge Haipeng , Li Shaoxi , Hu Jingfeng , Zhao Lining , Li Yu
Published: November 2021

At night, buoys and other navigation marks disappear to be replaced by fixed or flashing lights. Navigation marks are seen as a set of lights in various colors rather than their familiar outline. Deciphering that the meaning of the lights is a burden to navigators, it is also a new challenging research direction of intelligent sensing of navigation environment. The study studied initiatively the intelligent recognition of lights on navigation marks at night based on multilabel video classification methods. To capture effectively the characteristics of navigation mark’s lights, including both color and flashing phase, three different multilabel classification models based on binary relevance, label power set, and adapted algorithm were investigated and compared. According to the experiment’s results performed on a data set with 8000 minutes video, the model based on binary relevance, named NMLNet, has highest accuracy about 99.23% to classify 9 types of navigation mark’s lights. It also has the fastest computation speed with least network parameters. In the NMLNet, there are two branches for the classifications of color and flashing, respectively, and for the flashing classification, an improved MobileNet‐v2 was used to capture the brightness characteristic of lights in each video frame, and an LSTM is used to capture the temporal dynamics of lights. Aiming to run on mobile devices on vessel, the MobileNet‐v2 was used as backbone, and with the improvement of spatial attention mechanism, it achieved the accuracy near Resnet‐50 while keeping its high speed.
How Does Knowledge Coupling Affect Firm’s Incremental Innovation? The Moderating Effects of Government Support Policies
Authors: Huiping Zhou , Yuxin Yang
Published: November 2021

Acquiring and combining different knowledge elements across organizational boundaries has become an important strategy for firms’ innovation outcomes. Based on the theory of resource orchestration, this paper divides knowledge coupling into two dimensions: complementary knowledge coupling and substitutable knowledge coupling. Then, this study aims to explore the different impacts of knowledge coupling types on firm’s incremental innovation and verify the moderating role of government support policies in this relationship. Based on the survey of 279 high-tech enterprises from China, our analysis results indicate the following. (1) Complementary knowledge coupling has an inverted U-shaped impact on firm’s incremental innovation, while substitutable knowledge coupling has a positive influence on incremental innovation. (2) The fitness between government support policies and knowledge coupling types can promote the result of firm’s incremental innovation: when firms adopt complementary knowledge coupling strategies, finance and taxation support policies are more conducive to firm’s incremental innovation; when enterprises use substitutable knowledge coupling strategies, innovative environment support policies are better for the promotion of firm’s incremental innovation. The research results provide a theoretical basis for firms to select appropriate government support strategies to exert the effects of innovation based on characteristics of internal and external knowledge resources.
A Consensus‐Reaching Approach to the Evaluation of Product Design Alternatives with Multiple Preference Structures
Authors: Hu Yukun , Yu Suihuai , Chu Jianjie , Chen Dengkai , Cheng Fangmin , Chen Chen , Liu Zhuo , Wei Ting
Published: November 2021

With interdisciplinarity being an important characteristic of contemporary product design, the evaluation of design alternatives also involves multiple disciplines, and the evaluator group usually consists of evaluators from different fields and with obvious heterogeneous characteristics. To effectively satisfy the heterogeneous needs of evaluators and improve the credibility of evaluation results, the paper introduces a consensus‐reaching approach that incorporates multiple preferences to the evaluation of product design alternatives. First, in order to obtain individual preference information, each evaluator is asked to evaluate all the design alternatives using a preference structure that he/she is familiar with. Second, we use a transfer function to uniform the evaluation information obtained from various preference structures into a complementary judgment matrix. Then, we use the Hybrid Weighted Averaging (HWA) operator weight determination model to aggregate the preference information and obtain the group preference information. Then, we measure the consensus degree between individual evaluators and the group using a consensus measurement method. After that, we use the feedback mechanism to instruct individual evaluators to modify their preferences until a consensus is achieved. We explain the application steps and the feasibility of this approach through the evaluation of the design alternatives of multichannel fluorescence immunochromatography analyzers (MFIAs).