bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Results of food challenge in dogs with cutaneous adverse food reactions
Authors: Shimakura Hidekatsu , Kawano Koji
Published: April 2021

Background

Elimination diet trials and food challenge tests remain the gold standard for diagnosing cutaneous adverse food reaction (CAFR) in dogs. However, food challenge tests are difficult to perform owing to a lack of definite information on expected clinical signs and the time frame within which they develop after challenge.

Objectives

To report the results of the food challenge test carried out in client‐owned dogs under observation.

Methods and materials

A retrospective evaluation of the medical records of dogs presenting with pruritus was performed. Skin infections and/or parasites were treated before inclusion in the study. Dogs that underwent an elimination diet with clinical improvement and relapse with food challenge tests were included in this study. A pruritus Visual Analog scale score was recorded as an index of pruritus before and at the end of the elimination diet trial before challenge. The onset of time to relapse of clinical signs and the body sites affected after food challenge testing were recorded by the owners.

Results

We examined the medical records of 310 dogs with pruritus. Of these, 46 dogs with a diagnosis of CAFR were enrolled in this study. Significant clinical improvement was observed after the elimination diet trial (P < 0.0001). All dogs exhibited pruritus, and none exhibited anaphylaxis after food challenge testing. Among these dogs, 60.9% developed pruritus within 12 h of food challenge. Notably, 23.9% of the dogs developed pruritus within 3–6 h. The limbs exhibited the highest frequency of pruritus (56.5%), followed by the face (26.1%).

Conclusions and clinical relevance

This study is the first to report details of the time to onset of clinical signs and body site affected after food challenge testing in dogs. These results will assist veterinarians and dog owners in the decision‐making process regarding food challenge testing.
Proximity resonances of water-entrained air bubbles near acoustically reflecting boundaries
Authors: van 't Wout Elwin , Feuillade Christopher
Published: April 2021

The acoustic resonances of radiatively damped air bubbles in water near reflecting boundaries are investigated by representing the bubble and its image by two bubbles in a full space, ensonified by two incident fields. Results obtained using an analytic monopole theory are compared with those of a coupled spherical harmonic technique and a boundary element method. Near a rigid boundary, the resonance frequency is reduced, and the response characteristics are determined by the predominant monopolar character of the individual bubble motion, with small changes in peak amplitude and Q. Near a sound-soft boundary, a higher frequency proximity resonance is observed. The monopole field is cancelled out, and the response is determined by higher-order scattering modes, giving very high values of Q. While the individual bubble scattering level increases significantly, the overall scattering is less than for two uncoupled bubbles. For bubble separations of 8–28 radii, all three approaches predict essentially identical results for both boundary types. For bubble separations less than one radius, the monopole theory, which does not include higher-order scattering modes, diverges from the boundary element and coupled spherical harmonic methods, whose high-accuracy determinations of resonance frequencies and amplitudes agree to within 0.1%.
Sequential Activity Patterns and Outcome-Specific, Real-Time, and Target Group-Specific Feedback: The SPORT Algorithm
Authors: Berninger Nathalie , ten Hoor Gill , Plasqui Guy , Crutzen Rik
Published: April 2021

Purpose:Physical activity (PA) is crucial for health, but there is insufficient evidence about PA patterns and their operationalization. The authors developed two algorithms (SPORTconstantand SPORTlinear) to quantify PA patterns and check whether pattern information yields additional explained variance (compared with a compositional data approach [CoDA]).Methods:To measure PA, 397 (218 females) adolescents with a mean age of 12.4 (SD = 0.6) years wore an ActiGraph on their lower back for 1 week. The SPORT algorithms are based on a running value, each day starting with 0 and minutely adapting depending on the behavior being performed. The authors used linear regression models with a behavior-dependent constant (SPORTconstant) and a function of time-in-bout (SPORTlinear) as predictors and body mass indexzscores (BMIz) and fat mass percentages (%FM) as exemplary outcomes. For generalizability, the models were validated using five-fold cross-validation where data were split up in five groups, and each of them was a test data set in one of five iterations.Results:The CoDA and the SPORTconstantmodels explained low variance in BMIz(2% and 1%) and low to moderate variance in %FM (both 5%). The variance being explained by the SPORTlinearmodels was 6% (BMIz) and 9% (%FM), which was significantly more than the CoDA models (p < .001) according to likelihood ratio tests.Conclusion:Among this group of adolescents, SPORTlinearexplained more variance of BMIzand %FM than CoDA. These results suggest a way to enable research about PA patterns. Future research should apply the SPORTlinearalgorithm in other target groups and with other health outcomes.
Do Consumer Perceptions of Tanking Impact Attendance at National Basketball Association Games? A Sentiment Analysis Approach
Authors: Gong Hua , Watanabe Nicholas M. , Soebbing Brian P. , Brown Matthew T. , Nagel Mark S.
Published: April 2021

The use of big data in sport and sport management research is increasing in popularity. Prior research generally includes one of the many characteristics of big data, such as volume or velocity. The present study presents big data in a multidimensional lens by considering the use of sentiment analysis. Specifically focusing on the phenomenon of tanking, the purposeful underperformance in sport competitions, the present study considers the impact that consumers’ sentiment regarding tanking has on game attendance in the National Basketball Association. Collecting social media posts for each National Basketball Association team, the authors create an algorithm to measure the volume and sentiment of consumer discussions related to tanking. These measures are included in a predictive model for National Basketball Association home game attendance between the 2013–2014 and 2017–2018 seasons. Our results find that the volume of discussions for the home team and sentiment toward tanking by the away team impact game attendance.
The Absence of Osmoregulated Periplasmic Glucan Confers Antimicrobial Resistance and Increases Virulence in Escherichia coli
Authors: Murakami Kanade , Nasu Haruka , Fujiwara Takumi , Takatsu Nao , Yoshida Naoki , Furuta Kazuyuki , Kaito Chikara
Published: April 2021

The gene mutation types that increase the bacterial virulence of
Escherichia coli
remain unclear, in part due to the limited number of methods available for isolating bacterial mutants with increased virulence. We utilized a bacterial evolution method in the silkworm infection model, in which silkworms were infected with mutagenized bacteria and highly virulent bacterial mutants were isolated from dead silkworms.
Transmission and Protection against Reinfection in the Ferret Model with the SARS-CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020 Reference Isolate
Authors: Patel Devanshi R. , Field Cassandra J. , Septer Kayla M. , Sim Derek G. , Jones Matthew J. , Heinly Talia A. , Vanderford Thomas H. , McGraw Elizabeth A. , Sutton Troy C.
Published: April 2021

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) USA-WA1/2020 strain is a CDC reference strain used by multiple research laboratories. Here, we show that the predominant mode of transmission of this isolate in ferrets is by direct contact.
Evidence for 40–41 km of dextral slip on the southern Death Valley fault: Implications for the Eastern California shear zone and extensional tectonics
Authors: Pavlis Terry L. , Trullenque Ghislain
Published: April 2021

Recognition of a pair of pre-Neogene markers together with analysis of published data indicate ∼40 km of dextral slip across the southern Death Valley fault zone, California, USA. Stratigraphic overlaps on fault rocks indicate much of the dextral slip predates the late Miocene, placing a significant fraction of the dextral slip in the same time window as regional extension and challenging interpretations that the modern strike-slip system became active post–6–3 Ma. However, these results are consistent with regional evidence that dextral transtension began by ca. 12 Ma.
Supplemental Material: Nonlinear fault damage zone scaling revealed through analog modeling
Authors: Mayolle Sylvain , al. et
Published: April 2021

(1) Movie and description of displacement gradient field evolution; (2) movie of strain fields evolution; (3) cummulative displacement field; (4) displacement gradient profiles through faults; (5) volumetric strain profiles through faults; (6) mechanical properties of the frictional layer; (7) images and parametric data of all the models; (8) a graph of all the measured D-T data; and additional information on the method and scaling to nature.
Supplemental Material: Diapiric relamination of the Orocopia Schist (southwestern U.S.) during low-angle subduction
Authors: Chapman James B.
Published: April 2021

Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous material (RSCM) results and details of numerical models.
Fifteen-minute consultation: The child with obesity
Authors: Low Allison , Parry-Okeden Sophie , Ferguson Elspeth Clare , Wright Neil , Elder Charlotte Jane
Published: April 2021

Obesity is common among children and young people, with potential for significant clinical consequences. The physical and psychological comorbidities associated with childhood obesity persist into adult life, but many children do not have access to tailored obesity services. We present a framework for the identification, assessment and management of childhood obesity by the non-specialist. We also offer strategies to initiate discussions about weight and to communicate effectively with patients living with obesity.
People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and their caregivers: what matters most?
Authors: Brunori Paola , Celani Maria Grazia , Bignamini Angelo Alberto , Carlini Marzia , Papetti Rossella , Ercolani Maria Vittoria , Baiocco Luisa , Armato Gaetano , Cantisani Teresa Anna
Published: April 2021

Objectives

The aim of this study is to collect the perspectives and values of people affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and their carers to offer clinicians, researchers and policymakers aspects which are precious in prioritising future research questions and reshaping care service organisations in a participatory approach.

Design and setting

Cohort study using ALS Umbria, the electronic database in Italy.

Participants

Eleven patients and 33 carers who agreed to participate in the study were divided into six focus groups by ‘status’ (patient or carer) and by four severity levels of ‘burden of disease’.

Methods

A semiquantitative analysis was undertaken. Each recorded group discussion was transcribed into text file and independently read by two psychologists and two ALS specialists to blindly identify needs, emotions and medical issues, which are the key semantic meanings expressed. Any disagreement in interpretation was resolved through consultation among authors.

Results

Carers pronounced significantly more words related to patient’s disease burden they cared. 40% of subjects expressed the need for ‘assistance’, regardless of the disease burden. ‘Anger’ alone represented more than 1/4 of all expressed emotions and was more common in patients than in carers (73% vs 36%, p=0.077). The most frequent medical issue expressed by 1/3 of participants was ‘difficulty in communication’.

Conclusion

This study has given voice to the expectations of those affected by the burden of ALS. ‘Welfare assistance’, ‘anger management’ and resolution of ‘difficulties in communication’ represent issues that need to be analysed in a common prioritised research agenda with sensible and shared outcome measures to implement patient-centred medicine.
Endoscopic management of intentional foreign body ingestion: experience from a UK centre
Authors: Yadollahi Sina , Buchannan Ryan , Tehami Nadeem , Stacey Bernard , Rahman Imbadhur , Boger Philip , Wright Mark
Published: April 2021

Objective

We report on the increasing incidence and outcomes from intentional foreign body ingestion (iFoBI) presenting to our hospital over a 5-year period. The aim was to assess the impact on services and to identify ways to safely mitigate against this clinical challenge.

Design/method

We performed a retrospective observational study of all patients presenting to a university hospital between January 2015 and April 2020 with iFoBI with a focus on objects swallowed, timing of endoscopy and clinical outcomes.

Results

239 episodes of iFoBI in 51 individuals were recorded with a significant increase in incidence throughout the study period (Welch (5, 17.3)=15.1, p<0.001), imposing a high burden on staff and resources. Items lodged in the oesophagus were more likely to lead to mucosal injury (p=0.009) compared with elsewhere. Ingested item type and timing of endoscopy were not related to complications (p=0.78) or length of stay (p=0.8). In 12% of cases, no objects were seen at endoscopy.

Conclusion

In all except those patients with oesophageal impaction of the object on radiograph, there is no need to perform endoscopic extraction out of hours. A subset of cases can avoid endoscopy with an X-ray immediately prior to the procedure as a significant proportion have passed already. We discuss more holistic approaches to deal with recurrent attendances.
Comparison of programmed death-ligand 1 protein expression between primary and metastatic lesions in patients with lung cancer
Authors: Moutafi Myrto K , Tao Weiwei , Huang Richard , Haberberger James , Alexander Brian , Ramkissoon Shakti , Ross Jeffrey S , Syrigos Konstantinos , Wei Wei , Pusztai Lajos , Rimm David L , Vathiotis Ioannis A
Published: April 2021

Assessment of programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) is the definite diagnostic test to guide treatment for patients with advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer. Intratumoral heterogeneity and discrepancy of PD-L1 expression between primary and metastatic lesions may increase the risk of tumor misclassification. We performed a retrospective study of the Foundation Medicine, Inc clinical database on lung cancer cases that were evaluated for PD-L1 expression by IHC in the context of routine care. All cases were assessed with the Food and Drug Administration-approved 22C3 pharmDx assay and scoring system. 15,028 lung cancer cases, including 8285 primary tumors and 6743 unmatched metastatic lesions were analyzed. Metastatic lesions (mets) were more frequently high positive (tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥50%) for PD-L1 expression than primary lesions (33.8% vs 28.4%; OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.19 to 1.37; p<0.001). Higher levels in mets than primaries were seen in samples from lymph nodes, pleural fluid, soft tissue and adrenal gland but not in those from liver, brain and bone. Metastatic lesions of patients with non-squamous histology were more likely to have TPS ≥50% in comparison with primary (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.27 to 1.49; p<0.001), but this was not the case for patients with squamous histology (OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.74 to 1.06; p=0.197). PD-L1 expression varies with respect to histologic subtype, sampling site and gender, but is generally higher in metastatic sites. This observation may affect future patient management and trial design.
Mortality and high risk of major adverse events in patients with COVID-19 and history of cardiovascular disease
Authors: Tessitore Elena , Carballo David , Poncet Antoine , Perrin Nils , Follonier Cedric , Assouline Benjamin , Carballo Sebastian , Girardin François , Mach Francois
Published: April 2021

Objective

History of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) may influence the prognosis of patients hospitalised for COVID-19. We investigated whether patients with previous CVD have increased risk of death and major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) when hospitalised for COVID-19.

Methods

We included 839 patients with COVID-19 hospitalised at the University Hospitals of Geneva. Demographic characteristics, medical history, laboratory values, ECG at admission and medications at admission were collected based on electronic medical records. The primary outcome was a composite of in-hospital mortality or MACE.

Results

Median age was 67 years, 453 (54%) were males and 277 (33%) had history of CVD. In total, 152 (18%) died and 687 (82%) were discharged, including 72 (9%) who survived a MACE. Patients with previous CVD were more at risk of composite outcomes 141/277 (51%) compared with those without CVD 83/562 (15%) (OR=6.0 (95% CI 4.3 to 8.4), p<0.001). Multivariate analyses showed that history of CVD remained an independent risk factor of in-hospital death or MACE (OR=2.4; (95% CI 1.6 to 3.5)), as did age (OR for a 10-year increase=2.2 (95% CI 1.9 to 2.6)), male gender (OR=1.6 (95% CI 1.1 to 2.3)), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR=2.1 (95% CI 1.0 to 4.2)) and lung infiltration associated with COVID-19 at CT scan (OR=1.9 (95% CI 1.2 to 3.0)). History of CVD (OR=2.9 (95% CI 1.7 to 5)), age (OR=2.5 (95% CI 2.0 to 3.2)), male gender (OR=1.6 (95% CI 0.98 to 2.6)) and elevated C reactive protein (CRP) levels on admission (OR for a 10 mg/L increase=1.1 (95% CI 1.1 to 1.2)) were independent risk factors for mortality.

Conclusion

History of CVD is associated with higher in-hospital mortality and MACE in hospitalised patients with COVID-19. Other factors associated with higher in-hospital mortality are older age, male sex and elevated CRP on admission.
Neonatal and early childhood outcomes following maternal anesthesia for cesarean section: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Kearns Rachel Joyce , Shaw Martin , Gromski Piotr S , Iliodromiti Stamatina , Pell Jill P , Lawlor Deborah A , Nelson Scott M
Published: April 2021

Background

The fetus is vulnerable to maternal drug exposure. We determined associations of exposure to spinal, epidural, or general anesthesia on neonatal and childhood development outcomes during the first 1000 days of life.

Methods

Population-based study of all singleton, cesarean livebirths of 24+0 to 43+6 weeks gestation between January 2007 and December 2016 in Scotland, stratified by urgency with follow-up to age 2 years. Models were adjusted for: maternal age, weight, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, smoking, drug-use, induction, parity, previous cesarean or abortion, pre-eclampsia, gestation, birth weight, and sex.

Results

140 866 mothers underwent cesarean section (41.2% (57,971/140,866) elective, 58.8% (82,895/140,866) emergency) with general anesthesia used in 3.2% (1877/57,971) elective and 9.8% (8158/82,895) of emergency cases. In elective cases, general anesthesia versus spinal was associated with: neonatal resuscitation (crude event rate 16.2% vs 1.9% (adjusted RR 8.20, 95% CI 7.20 to 9.33), Apgar <7 at 5 min (4.6% vs 0.4% (adjRR 11.44, 95% CI 8.88 to 14.75)), and neonatal admission (8.6% vs 4.9% (adjRR 1.65, 95% CI 1.40 to 1.94)). Associations were similar in emergencies; resuscitation (32.2% vs 12.3% (adjRR 2.40, 95% CI 2.30 to 2.50)), Apgar <7 (12.6% vs 2.8% (adjRR 3.87, 95% CI 3.56 to 4.20), and admission (31.6% vs 19.9% (adjRR 1.20, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.25). There was a weak association between general anesthesia in emergency cases and having ≥1 concern noted in developmental assessment at 2 years (21.0% vs 16.5% (adjRR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.16)).

Conclusions

General anesthesia for cesarean section, irrespective of urgency, is associated with neonatal resuscitation, low Apgar, and neonatal unit admission. Associations were strongest in non-urgent cases and at term. Further evaluation of long-term outcomes is warranted.
Interactive effects of acute exercise and carbohydrate-energy replacement on insulin sensitivity in healthy adults
Authors: Johnson-Bonson Drusus A. , Narang Benjamin J. , Davies Russell G. , Hengist Aaron , Smith Harry A. , Watkins Jonathan D. , Taylor Harry , Walhin Jean-Philippe , Gonzalez Javier T. , Betts James A.
Published: April 2021

This study investigated whether carbohydrate-energy replacement immediately after prolonged endurance exercise attenuates insulin sensitivity the following morning, and whether exercise improves insulin sensitivity the following morning independent of an exercise-induced carbohydrate deficit. Oral glucose tolerance and whole-body insulin sensitivity were compared the morning after 3 evening conditions, involving (1) treadmill exercise followed by a carbohydrate replacement drink (200 or 150 g maltodextrin for males and females, respectively; CHO-replace); (2) treadmill exercise followed by a non-caloric, taste-matched placebo (CHO-deficit); or (3) seated rest with no drink provided (Rest). Treadmill exercise involved 90 minutes at ∼80% age-predicted maximum heart rate. Seven males and 2 females (aged 23 ± 1 years; body mass index 24.0 ± 2.7 kg·m−2) completed all conditions in a randomised order. Matsuda index improved by 22% (2.2 [0.3, 4.0] au, p = 0.03) and HOMA2-IR improved by 10% (–0.04 [–0.08, 0.00] au, p = 0.04) in CHO-deficit versus CHO-replace, without corresponding changes in postprandial glycaemia. Outcomes were similar between Rest and other conditions. These data suggest that improvements to insulin sensitivity in healthy populations following acute moderate/vigorous intensity endurance exercise may be dependent on the presence of a carbohydrate-energy deficit.

Novelty: Restoration of carbohydrate balance following acute endurance exercise attenuated whole-body insulin sensitivity. Exercise per se failed to enhance whole-body insulin sensitivity. Maximising or prolonging the post-exercise carbohydrate deficit may enhance acute benefits to insulin sensitivity.
Light-induced manipulation of passive and active microparticles
Authors: Arya Pooja , Umlandt Maren , Jelken Joachim , Feldmann David , Lomadze Nino , Asmolov Evgeny S. , Vinogradova Olga I. , Santer Svetlana
Published: April 2021

We consider sedimented at a solid wall particles that are immersed in water containing small additives of photosensitive ionic surfactants. It is shown that illumination with an appropriate wavelength, a beam intensity profile, shape and size could lead to a variety of dynamic, both unsteady and steady state, configurations of particles. These dynamic, well-controlled and switchable particle patterns at the wall are due to an emerging diffusio-osmotic flow that takes its origin in the adjacent to the wall electrostatic diffuse layer, where the concentration gradients of surfactant are induced by light. The conventional nonporous particles are passive and can move only with already generated flow. However, porous colloids actively participate themselves in the flow generation mechanism at the wall, which also sets their interactions that can be very long ranged. This light-induced diffusio-osmosis opens novel avenues to manipulate colloidal particles and assemble them to various patterns. We show in particular how to create and split optically the confined regions of particles of tunable size and shape, where well-controlled flow-induced forces on the colloids could result in their crystalline packing, formation of dilute lattices of well-separated particles, and other states.

Graphic Abstract
Baryon–Baryon interaction effects on neutrino emission from direct URCA processes of baryons and modified URCA processes of nucleons in neutron star matter
Authors: Xu Y. , Huang X. L. , Wang Y. B. , Liu C. Z. , Han J. L.
Published: April 2021

In the framework of the relativistic mean field theory, the neutrino emission from the baryonic direct URCA processes and nucleonic modified URCA processes in neutron star (NS) matter is investigated. We discuss particularly the influence of the extension of the SU(6) spin-flavor symmetry to the SU(3) flavor symmetry on the sizes of the neutrino energy losses, baryonic density and mass ranges of the above neutrino emission processes. In the nucleonic direct URCA processes, the neutrino energy losses in NS matter consisted of npe[Formula: see text] are observably higher than these in NS matter involving hyperons. For NS matter involving hyperons, the neutrino energy losses with the SU(3) flavor symmetry are slightly lower than those with the SU(6) spin-flavor symmetry. In the hyperonic direct URCA processes, the neutrino energy losses for the reactions of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] with the SU(3) flavor symmetry are obviously smaller than these with the SU(6) spin-flavor symmetry. However, the neutrino energy loss of the reaction of [Formula: see text] with the SU(3) flavor symmetry is observably higher than that with the SU(6) spin-flavor symmetry. Moreover, the threshold densities of processes for [Formula: see text] with the SU(3) flavor and SU(6) spin-flavor symmetries are 0.868[Formula: see text]fm[Formula: see text] and 0.806[Formula: see text]fm[Formula: see text] (corresponding to 2.118[Formula: see text][Formula: see text] and 1.838[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]), respectively, which mean that it only happens in the interior of the massive NSs. For the neutron and proton branch modified URCA processes, the neutrino emission rates with the SU(3) flavor symmetry are also less than those with the SU(6) spin-flavor symmetry.
Charged black hole solutions with Toroidal horizons in f(R)-gravity surrounded by quintessence and cloud of strings: Effective potential barrier, quasinormal modes
Authors: Younesizadeh Younes , Gholami Ehsan , Lashkami Zahra Mohammaddoust
Published: April 2021

We construct a new class of [Formula: see text]-dimensional black hole solutions with Toroidal horizons in [Formula: see text] gravity framework which is surrounded by quintessence and string cloud configuration, whose asymptotic structures are determined by the quintessential state parameter [Formula: see text] and dimension’s parameter [Formula: see text]. We point out that the asymptotic behavior of the obtained solutions is neither asymptotically flat nor (A)dS when we have [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. Regarding the cosmological constant as a thermodynamic pressure and its conjugate quantity as a thermodynamic volume, we investigate the critical behavior of our black hole solutions. In [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], the P–V diagrams are more complex than that of the standard Van der Waals. These diagrams behave like the Born–Infeld-AdS P–V diagrams. When [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], the P–V diagrams behave like the standard Van der Waals system (In this work [S. Gunasekaran, D. Kubiznaak and R. B. Mann, Extended phase space thermodynamics for charged and rotating black holes and Born–Infeld vacuum polarization, J. High Energy Phys. (2012).] [S. Gunasekaran, D. Kubiznaak and R.B. Mann, Extended phase space thermodynamics for charged and rotating black holes and Born–Infeld vacuum polarization, J. High Energy Phys. (2012)], the authors believe that the BTZ black holes, contrary to the higher-dimensional case, do not show any critical behavior. In this work, we have showed that the three-dimensional (3D) black holes can also have critical behavior and coincide with those of the Van der Waals system). Besides, we have analyzed the concept of effective potential barrier by transforming the radial equation of motion into standard Schrodinger form. We figure out the effect of the coupling constant [Formula: see text], the string parameter b, and the quintessential state parameter [Formula: see text] on the height of the potential barrier and the other thermodynamical quantities like temperature and heat capacity. Then, we study the quasinormal modes (QNMs) of 3D black holes in the [Formula: see text] context. For this purpose, we use the WKB approximation method upto third-order corrections. We have shown the perturbation’s decay in corresponding diagrams when the string parameter b changes.
Synthesis and photolysis of new BODIPY derivatives with chelated boron centre
Authors: Ragab Sherif S.
Published: April 2021

New borondipyromethene (BODIPY) derivatives chelated at the boron centre with different catecholate and salicylate ligands were synthesized via substituting the fluoride atoms with the aid of aluminum chloride that activates the boron-fluoride bond for substitution. The photophysical properties of the novel BODIPYs were investigated by normalized UV-vis absorption as well as the fluorescence emission spectra. Moreover, the fluorescence quantum yields of the chelated BODIPYs were also calculated and the ultraviolet irradiation of the salicylate derivatives was studied.
Environment-Friendly Design of Lithium Batteries Starting from Biopolymer-Based Electrolyte
Authors: Shi Jiayuan , Shi Bin
Published: April 2021

The nondegradable nature and toxicity of organic liquid electrolytes reveal the design deficiency of lithium batteries in environmental protection. Biopolymers can be extracted from biomass under mild conditions, thus they are usually low cost and renewable. The unique characteristics of biopolymers such as water solubility, film-forming capability and adhesive property are of importance for lithium battery. The studies on the biopolymer materials for lithium batteries have been reviewed in this work. Although a lot of work on the biopolymer-based battery materials has been reported, it is still a challenge in the design of lithium battery with zero pollution and zero waste.
Mixed covering arrays on graphs of small treewidth
Authors: Maity Soumen , Colbourn Charles J.
Published: April 2021

Covering arrays are combinatorial objects that have been successfully applied in design of test suites for testing systems such as software, hardware, and networks where failures can be caused by the interaction between their parameters. Let [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] be positive integers with [Formula: see text]. Two vectors [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are qualitatively independent if for any ordered pair [Formula: see text], there exists an index [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text]. Let [Formula: see text] be a graph with [Formula: see text] vertices [Formula: see text] with respective vertex weights [Formula: see text]. A mixed covering array on[Formula: see text] , denoted by [Formula: see text], is a [Formula: see text] array such that row [Formula: see text] corresponds to vertex [Formula: see text], entries in row [Formula: see text] are from [Formula: see text]; and if [Formula: see text] is an edge in [Formula: see text], then the rows [Formula: see text] are qualitatively independent. The parameter [Formula: see text] is the size of the array. Given a weighted graph [Formula: see text], a mixed covering array on [Formula: see text] with minimum size is optimal. In this paper, we introduce some basic graph operations to provide constructions for optimal mixed covering arrays on the family of graphs with treewidth at most three.
Analyzing the degree of conflict between bodies of evidence based on a new distance in data fusion
Authors: Jong Myongnam , Paek Yunhyok , Kim Hyonil , Yu Cholsok
Published: April 2021

Dempster’s combination rule may produce some unreasonable results when dealing with a combination of the conflicting evidence in evidence theory of Dempster–Shafer. Therefore, analyzing the degree of conflict between the bodies of evidence is essential to evaluate the applicability of Dempster’s rule. A new probability function, which is called a supporting probability function, is proposed to describe the correlation between evidences, and its distance is proposed to measure the distance between bodies of evidence. Combining this distance with classical conflict coefficient, a new method of evaluating the applicability of classical Dempster’s combination rule is presented. A weighted average approach to combine the conflicting evidences based on a supporting probability distance between the bodies of evidence is proposed. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the interest of the proposed approach.
Topic-aware Neural Linguistic Steganography Based on Knowledge Graphs
Authors: Li Yamin , Zhang Jun , Yang Zhongliang , Zhang Ru
Published: April 2021

The core challenge of steganography is always how to improve the hidden capacity and the concealment. Most current generation-based linguistic steganography methods only consider the probability distribution between text characters, and the emotion and topic of the generated steganographic text are uncontrollable. Especially for long texts, generating several sentences related to a topic and displaying overall coherence and discourse-relatedness can ensure better concealment. In this article, we address the problem of generating coherent multi-sentence texts for better concealment, and a topic-aware neural linguistic steganography method that can generate a steganographic paragraph with a specific topic is present. We achieve a topic-controllable steganographic long text generation by encoding the related entities and their relationships from Knowledge Graphs. Experimental results illustrate that the proposed method can guarantee both the quality of the generated steganographic text and its relevance to a specific topic. The proposed model can be widely used in covert communication, privacy protection, and many other areas of information security.
Deep Hash-based Relevance-aware Data Quality Assessment for Image Dark Data
Authors: Liu Yu , Wang Yangtao , Gao Lianli , Guo Chan , Xie Yanzhao , Xiao Zhili
Published: April 2021

Data mining can hardly solve but always faces a problem that there is little meaningful information within the dataset serving a given requirement. Faced with multiple unknown datasets, to allocate data mining resources to acquire more desired data, it is necessary to establish a data quality assessment framework based on the relevance between the dataset and requirements. This framework can help the user to judge the potential benefits in advance, so as to optimize the resource allocation to those candidates. However, the unstructured data (e.g., image data) often presents dark data states, which makes it tricky for the user to understand the relevance based on content of the dataset in real time. Even if all data have label descriptions, how to measure the relevance between data efficiently under semantic propagation remains an urgent problem. Based on this, we propose a Deep Hash-based Relevance-aware Data Quality Assessment framework, which contains off-line learning and relevance mining parts as well as an on-line assessing part. In the off-line part, we first design a Graph Convolution Network (GCN)-AutoEncoder hash (GAH) algorithm to recognize the data (i.e., lighten the dark data), then construct a graph with restricted Hamming distance, and finally design a Cluster PageRank (CPR) algorithm to calculate the importance score for each node (image) so as to obtain the relevance representation based on semantic propagation. In the on-line part, we first retrieve the importance score by hash codes and then quickly get the assessment conclusion in the importance list. On the one hand, the introduction of GCN and co-occurrence probability in the GAH promotes the perception ability for dark data. On the other hand, the design of CPR utilizes hash collision to reduce the scale of graph and iteration matrix, which greatly decreases the consumption of space and computing resources. We conduct extensive experiments on both single-label and multi-label datasets to assess the relevance between data and requirements as well as test the resources allocation. Experimental results show our framework can gain the most desired data with the same mining resources. Besides, the test results on Tencent1M dataset demonstrate the framework can complete the assessment with a stability for given different requirements.
Ionic Liquids of Widely Variable Proton Activity in Relation to BH Hydrogen Storage Technologies and Novel Low-Vapor-Pressure Superacids
Authors: Tucker T. Greg , Ansari Younes , Angell C. Austen
Published: April 2021

A common method of storing hydrogen gas for use in fuel cell applications is based on the solubility and stability of sodium borohydride in strongly basic (3 M NaOH) aqueous solutions. The release of hydrogen is accomplished by acidification of the solutions in the presence of catalysts or elevated temperatures. The importance of basicity control leads us to seek quantification of the basicity of the components important to these processes. We use available thermodynamic data to rank borohydrides relative to pure hydrides, and describe new alkali metal and ionic liquid compounds that could substitute for sodium hydroxide in the hydrogen storage technology. We then turn to the opposite, high proton activity, end of the basicity/acidity spectrum, and briefly review processes that produce protic ionic liquids of low vapor pressure but exceptional acidity. The total range of proton activities under discussion exceeds 50 orders of magnitude. Some consideration is given to possible electrochemical devices that exploit this domain in which the electrochemically generated voltage differences could exceed 3.5 V.
The dynamic adjustment of mean arterial pressure during exercise: a potential tool for discerning cardiovascular health status
Authors: Craig Jesse C. , Broxterman Ryan M. , Cerbie James F. , La Salle D. Taylor , Roundy Caleb S. , Jarrett Catherine L. , Richardson Russell S. , Trinity Joel D.
Published: April 2021

Kinetics analysis of physiological variables following workload transitions provides important information, but this has not been performed on mean arterial pressure (MAP), despite the clear clinical importance of this variable. This investigation reveals that kinetic modeling of MAP following unloaded-to-loaded knee-extensor exercise is practical and repeatable. Additional preliminary findings in hypertensive and, age-matched, normotensive subjects suggest that MAP kinetics may provide insight into cardiovascular health and the effect of aging.
Case Studies in Physiology: Physiological and clinical effects of temporary diaphragm pacing in two patients with ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction
Authors: Keough-Delgado Elena , López-Rodríguez Lucía , de Olaiz Beatríz , Bertomeu-García Agustín , Peñuelas Óscar , Jiménez-Fernández Marta , Gato-Díaz Pedro , Pérez-Domínguez Helene , Pérez-Vizcaíno Francisco , Schultz Marcus J. , Lorente José A.
Published: April 2021

Diaphragmatic electrode implantation and temporary diaphragm pacing has not been previously used in ICU patients with VIDD. Patients were monitored using a multi-modal monitoring approach including ultrasound of the diaphragm, measurement of maximum inspiratory pressure and EMG signal analysis. Our results suggest that diaphragm pacing may improve diaphragmatic function, with the potential to prevent and treat VIDD in critically ill patients. Safety and efficacy of this intervention is yet to be proven in larger studies.
Exercise under heat stress: thermoregulation, hydration, performance implications, and mitigation strategies
Authors: Périard Julien D. , Eijsvogels Thijs M. H. , Daanen Hein A. M.
Published: April 2021

A rise in body core temperature and loss of body water via sweating are natural consequences of prolonged exercise in the heat. This review provides a comprehensive and integrative overview of how the human body responds to exercise under heat stress and the countermeasures that can be adopted to enhance aerobic performance under such environmental conditions. The fundamental concepts and physiological processes associated with thermoregulation and fluid balance are initially described, followed by a summary of methods to determine thermal strain and hydration status. An outline is provided on how exercise-heat stress disrupts these homeostatic processes, leading to hyperthermia, hypohydration, sodium disturbances, and in some cases exertional heat illness. The impact of heat stress on human performance is also examined, including the underlying physiological mechanisms that mediate the impairment of exercise performance. Similarly, the influence of hydration status on performance in the heat and how systemic and peripheral hemodynamic adjustments contribute to fatigue development is elucidated. This review also discusses strategies to mitigate the effects of hyperthermia and hypohydration on exercise performance in the heat by examining the benefits of heat acclimation, cooling strategies, and hyperhydration. Finally, contemporary controversies are summarized and future research directions are provided.
Prognostic Significance of CD56 Antigen Expression in Patients with De Novo Non‐M3 Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Sun Yanni , Wan Jia , Song Qiuyue , Luo Chengxin , Li Xi , Luo Yanrong , Huang Xiangtao , Ding Ruiheng , Li Hui , Hou Yu , Huang Yongxiu , Xie Mingling , Huang Zhen , Zhang Yali , Ma Yanni , Wu Guixian , Xu Shuangnian , Chen Jieping
Published: April 2021

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous group of disorders with distinct characteristics and prognoses. Although cytogenetic changes and gene mutations are associated with AML prognosis, there is a need to identify further factors. CD56 is considered a prognostic factor for AML, which is abnormally expressed in leukemia cells. However, a clear consensus for this surface molecule is lacking, which has prompted us to investigate its prognostic significance. Bone marrow samples of de novo non‐M3 AML were collected to detect CD56 expression using multiparameter flow cytometry (FCM). As a result, the CD56 expression in de novo non‐M3 AML was found to be significantly higher than that in acute lymphoma leukemia (ALL, P = 0.017) and healthy controls (P = 0.02). The X‐Tile program produced a CD56 cutoff point at a relative expression level of 24.62%. Based on this cutoff point, high CD56 expression was observed in 29.21% of de novo non‐M3 AML patients. CD56-high patients had a poor overall survival (OS, P = 0.015) compared to CD56-low patients. Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) improved OS (P = 0.004), but a poor genetic risk was associated with an inferior OS (P = 0.002). Compared with CD56-low patients, CD56-high patients had lower peripheral blood platelet (PLT) counts (P = 0.010). Our research confirmed that high CD56 expression is associated with adverse clinical outcomes in de novo non‐M3 AML patients, indicating that CD56 could be used as a prognostic marker for a more precise stratification of de novo non‐M3 AML patients.
Enterprise Performance Optimization Management Decision-Making and Coordination Mechanism Based on Multiobjective Optimization
Authors: Zou Tao , Bai Sijun
Published: April 2021

Today’s society is a society of the knowledge economy, and the competition of enterprises is the competition of talents. The rapid development of science and technology and the fierce development of market competition have made the importance of performance management increasingly prominent in corporate management. The purpose of performance management is to explore and deal with some of the effects of various factors on employee performance and to tap the potential of employees, improve employee performance, and also bring a qualitative leap to the performance of the organization. The improvement of the employee performance management level has laid a solid foundation for the improvement of the organizational performance management level. However, there are still some difficulties in the implementation of performance management in my country at this stage, and the management effect is not obvious. Therefore, building a scientific, reasonable, and complete multiobjective optimization-based corporate performance optimization management decision-making and coordination mechanism is the primary task of today’s enterprises. This article will give a brief theoretical overview of the combination of system management theory and behavior management theory, MBO target management, and KPI indicators, build a multiobjective optimization model on an effective theoretical basis, and use genetic algorithms to obtain a weak Pareto effective solution that can optimize the enterprise with consideration of performance appraisal indicators. It also builds an agency model and an analysis of employee incentive plans, which clearly shows the relationship between the company and the management and employees, conducts a cross analysis of the needs of the company’s management and employees, and puts forward the best corporate performance considering the needs of employees; among them, the multiobjective optimization of corporate performance increased by 14% under the optimal management decision.
Covering Fuzzy Rough Sets via Variable Precision
Authors: Atef Mohammed , Azzam A. A.
Published: April 2021

Lately, covering fuzzy rough sets via variable precision according to a fuzzy

γ

-neighborhood were established by Zhan et al. model. Also, Ma et al. gave the definition of complementary fuzzy

γ

-neighborhood with reflexivity. In a related context, we used the concepts by Ma et al. to construct three new kinds of covering-based variable precision fuzzy rough sets. Furthermore, we establish the relevant characteristics. Also, we study the relationships between Zhan’s model and our three models. Finally, we introduce a MADM approach to make a decision on a real problem.
A Model Study of Building Seismic Damage Information Extraction and Analysis on Ground‐Based LiDAR Data
Authors: Yang Fan , Wen Xintao , Wang Xiaoshan , Li Xiaoli , Li Zhiqiang
Published: April 2021

Earthquake disasters can have a serious impact on people’s lives and property, with damage to buildings being one of the main causes of death and injury. A rapid assessment of the extent of building damage is essential for emergency response management, rescue operations, and reconstruction. Terrestrial laser scanning technology can obtain high precision light detection and ranging (LiDAR) point cloud data of the target. The technology is widely used in various fields; however, the quantitative analysis of building seismic information is the focus and difficulty of ground‐based LiDAR data analysis processing. This paper takes full advantage of the high‐precision characteristics of ground‐based LiDAR data. A triangular network vector model (TIN‐shaped model) was created in conjunction with the alpha shapes algorithm, solving the problem of small, nonvisually identifiable postearthquake building damage feature extraction bias. The model measures the length, width, and depth of building cracks, extracts the amount of wall tilt deformation, and labels the deformation zone. The creation of this model can provide scientific basis and technical support for postearthquake emergency relief, assessment of damage to buildings, extraction of deformation characteristics of other structures (bridges, tunnels, dams, etc.), and seismic reinforcement of buildings. The research data in this paper were collected by the author’s research team in the first time after the 2013 Lushan earthquake and is one of the few sets of foundation of LiDAR data covering the full range of postearthquake building types in the region, with the data information mainly including different damage levels of different structural types of buildings. The modeling analysis of this data provides a scientific basis for establishing the earthquake damage matrix of buildings in the region.
Majorization Results for Certain Subfamilies of Analytic Functions
Authors: Arif Muhammad , Ul-Haq Miraj , Barukab Omar , Khan Sher Afzal , Abullah Saleem
Published: April 2021

Let

h

1

z

and

h

2

z

be two nonvanishing holomorphic functions in the open unit disc with

h

1

0

=

h

2

0

=
1

. For some holomorphic function

q

z

,

we consider the class consisting of normalized holomorphic functions

f

whose ratios

f

z

/
z
q

z

and

q

z

are subordinate to

h

1

z

and

h

2

z

, respectively. The majorization results are obtained for this class when

h

1

z

is chosen either

h

1

z

=
cos
z

or

h

1

z

=
1
+
sin
z

or

h

1

z

=

1
+
z

and

h

2

z

=
1
+
sin
z
.