bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Enhance the Tolerance and Remediation Potential of Bacillus spp. against Heavy Metal Stress
Authors: Akhtar Nazneen , Khan Sehresh , Rehman Shafiq Ur , Rehman Zia Ur , Mashwani Zia Ur Rehman , Rha Eui Shik , Jamil Muhammad
Published: September 2021

Nanoparticles and bacteria have received a great attention worldwide due to their ability to remove heavy metals (HMs) from wastewater. The current study is aimed at finding the interaction of HMs-resistance strains ( Bacillus cereus and Lysinibacillus macroides) with different concentrations (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 mg/L) of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and how they would cope with HM stress (Pb, Cd, Cr, and Cu). The growth rate and tolerance potential of bacteria were increased at lowered concentrations (5 and 10 mg/L) of ZnO NPs against HMs while it was unaffected at higher concentrations of ZnO NPs. These findings were confirmed by minimum inhibition zone and higher zinc solubilization at lower concentrations of ZnO NPs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that higher concentrations of ZnO NP increased HM accumulation in bacteria cells which had a significant impact on bacterial morphology and caused pores in bacterial membrane while in the case of lower concentrations, the cell remained unaffected. These results were further supported by the less production of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, and CAT), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) contents at lower concentrations of ZnO NPs against heavy metal stress. This study suggested that synergistic treatment of Bacillus spp. with lower concentrations of ZnO NPs enhances the tolerance potential and significantly reduces the HM toxicity.
Increased Risk of Stillbirth among Women whose Partner Has Tuberculosis
Authors: Sun Qi , Zhang Hongguang , Zhang Ya , Peng Zuoqi , Lu Jianbo , Ma Xu
Published: September 2021

Background. The relationship between tuberculosis (TB) and adverse pregnancy outcomes remains unclear. The aim of our study was to investigate whether TB is a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes including premature birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth. Method. We conducted a population‐based retrospective cohort study in mainland China. A total of 3,668,004 Chinese women, along with their partners, were included in this study, within the National Free Pre‐Pregnancy Checkups Project, during 2015–2018. Propensity score matching was used to balance the two groups (cases: women or partners with TB; controls: women and partners without TB). Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results. Multivariate logistic regression showed that the OR of stillbirth for cases was 1.89 (95% CI: 1.09–3.16), in comparison with the control group. In the subgroup analysis, women whose partner had TB had a higher risk of stillbirth (OR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.10–3.86) than women whose partner did not have TB. There was no significant difference in adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth, between women with and without TB. Conclusions. Women whose partner had TB were more likely to have stillbirth than women whose partners did not have TB.
Energy Auditing for Efficient Planning and Implementation in Commercial and Residential Buildings
Authors: Sendrayaperumal Angalaeswari , Mahapatra Somyak , Parida Sabuja Sanket , Surana Komal , Balamurugan Parandhaman , Natrayan L. , Paramasivam Prabhu
Published: September 2021

The ideology of ensuring energy‐efficient design and construction of buildings by providing minimum requirements is the core objective of this work. Energy audit was conducted to improve the design of the building with incremental requirements to further enhance the energy efficiency. The Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) has been modified extensively over the years, starting from its initial deployment in the year 2011 to its latest modifications in the year 2019. The energy conservation standards in ECBC apply to building envelope, heating ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, service water heating, and electric power distribution. It should also be ensured that all‐electric systems, transformers, energy‐efficient motors, and diesel generators must meet the regulated set of mandatory requirements. From among the various software types that have been approved for ECBC design and application, this study has employed Energy Plus software to simulate the design based on the given input and the selected location. The location that has been chosen for this study was Bhubaneshwar, India. All necessary details ranging from latitude, longitude, weather, time zone, elevation, building area, lighting, heating, cooling, and much more have been covered in the simulation. Utilizing ECBC regulated standards for an energy‐efficient building design has resulted in an increase in the energy savings by 27.4%, and thus, the building qualifies to be regarded as an ECBC compliant building.
Effective Removal of Malachite Green from Aqueous Solutions Using Magnetic Nanocomposite: Synthesis, Characterization, and Equilibrium Study
Authors: Alorabi Ali Q.
Published: September 2021

In this work, magnetized activated Juniperus procera leaves (Fe3O4@AJPL) were successfully prepared via chemical activation of JPL and in situ coprecipitation with Fe3O4. A Fe3O4@AJPL nanocomposite was successfully applied for the elimination of malachite green (MG) dye from aqueous media. The prepared Fe3O4@AJPL adsorbent was characterized by SEM, EDX, TEM, XRD, FTIR, TGA, and BET surface area analyses. The BET surface area and pore size of the Fe3O4@AJPL nanocomposite were found to be 38.44 m2/g and 10.6 nm, respectively. The XRD and FTIR results indicated the formation of a Fe3O4@AJPL nanocomposite. Different parameters, such as pH of the solution (3–8), adsorbent dosage (10–100 mg), temperature (25–45°C), contact time (5-240 min), and initial MG concentrations (20–350 mg/L), for the elimination of the MG dye using Fe3O4@AJPL were optimized and found to be 7, 50 mg, 45°C, 120 min, and 150 mg/L, respectively. The nonlinear isotherm and kinetic studies exhibited a better fitting to second-order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm models, with a maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 318.3 mg/g at 45°C, which was highly superior to the previously reported magnetic nanocomposite adsorbents. EDX analyses confirmed the presence of nitrogen on the Fe3O4@AJPL surface after MG adsorption. The calculated thermodynamic factors indicated endothermic and spontaneous processes. The desorption of MG dye from Fe3O4@AJPL was performed using a solution of 90% ethanol. Finally, it could be concluded that the designed Fe3O4@AJPL magnetic nanocomposite will be a cost-effective and promising adsorbent for the elimination of MG from aqueous media.
Improving the Lung Cancer Clinical Trial Development by Incorporating Competing Risk Factors
Authors: Wenbo Zhu , Qing Zhao , Li Wang , Hangju Zhu , Junying Zhang , Jing Han , Rong Qing , Jifeng Feng , Meiqi Shi
Published: September 2021

Introduction. Distinct from other diseases, as cancer progresses, both the symptoms and treatments evolve, resulting in a complex, time‐dependent relationship. Many competing risk factors influence the outcome of cancer. An improved method was used to evaluate the data from 6 non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) clinical trials combined in our center since 2016 to deal with the bias caused by competing risk factors. Material and Methods. Data of 118 lung cancer patients were collected from 2016 to 2020. Fine and Gray’s model for competing risk was used to evaluate survival of different treatment group compares with the classic survival analysis model. Results. Immunotherapy had better progression‐free survival than chemotherapy. (HR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.41‐0.95, p = 0.0260). However, there were no significant differences in patients who withdrew due to treatment‐related adverse events from different groups. (Z = 0.0508, p = 0.8217). The PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors in our study did not significantly improve overall survival compared with chemotherapy (HR:0.77, 95% CI:0.48‐1.24, p = 0.2812), estimated 1‐year overall survival rates were 55% and 46%, and 3‐year overall survival rates were 17% and 10%, respectively. Conclusion. When the outcome caused by competing risk exists, the corresponding competing risk model method should be adopted to eliminate the bias caused by the classic survival analysis.
Effect of Electroacupuncture Combined with Guizhi Gegen Decoction on Cervical Vertigo and Its Influence on TCD of Vertebrobasilar Artery, Blood Rheology Indexes, and Quality of Life
Authors: Li Bo , Chen Li , Wang Dongqiang
Published: September 2021

Cervical vertigo is a common clinical disease. In this study, we investigated the clinical efficacy of adding the treatment protocol of Gui Zhi Ge Gen Tang and electroacupuncture to the Western medical treatment in cervical vertigo. The results showed that the total effective rate of the study group was higher than that of the control group

P
<
0.05

. After treatment, the vertigo, headache, neck and shoulder pain, daily life and work, and psychological and social adjustment scores were higher in the study group than in the control group

P
<
0.05

. LVA, RVA, and VB were higher in the study group than in the control group after treatment

P
<
0.05

. The whole blood viscosity high cut, whole blood viscosity low cut, and plasma viscosity levels were lower in the study group than in the control group after treatment

P

<

0.05

. After treatment, PF, RF, RE, BP, GH, VT, SF, MH, and HT were higher in the study group than those before treatment

P
<
0.05

. The incidence of adverse reactions was not statistically significant in the study group compared with the control group

P
>
0.05

. This means that electroacupuncture combined with Gui Zhi Ge Gen Tang can effectively increase the blood flow velocity of the vertebrobasilar artery in patients with cervical vertigo and improve their blood rheology and quality of life with definite efficacy and high safety.
Convolutional Neural Network-Processed MRI Images in the Diagnosis of Plastic Bronchitis in Children
Authors: Chen Xiaoqun , Lu Rong , Zhao Feng
Published: September 2021

Objective. The study focused on the features of the convolutional neural networks- (CNN-) processed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images for plastic bronchitis (PB) in children. Methods. 30 PB children were selected as subjects, including 19 boys and 11 girls. They all received the MRI examination for the chest. Then, a CNN-based algorithm was constructed and compared with Active Appearance Model (AAM) algorithm for segmentation effects of MRI images in 30 PB children, factoring into occurring simultaneously than (OST), Dice, and Jaccard coefficient. Results. The maximum Dice coefficient of CNN algorithm reached 0.946, while that of active AAM was 0.843, and the Jaccard coefficient of CNN algorithm was also higher (0.894 vs. 0.758,

P
<
0.05

). The MRI images showed pulmonary inflammation in all subjects. Of 30 patients, 14 (46.66%) had complicated pulmonary atelectasis, 9 (30%) had the complicated pleural effusion, 3 (10%) had pneumothorax, 2 (6.67%) had complicated mediastinal emphysema, and 2 (6.67%) had complicated pneumopericardium. Also, of 30 patients, 19 (63.33%) had lung consolidation and atelectasis in a single lung lobe and 11 (36.67%) in both two lung lobes. Conclusion. The algorithm based on CNN can significantly improve the segmentation accuracy of MRI images for plastic bronchitis in children. The pleural effusion was a dangerous factor for the occurrence and development of PB.
Research on the Correlation between Breeding Environment and Activity of Yellow Feather Broilers Based on the Multichromatic Aberration Model
Authors: Zhao Zhonghao , Zou Xiuguo , Yin Zhengling , Cao Zhibin , Zhang Jie , Wang Chenyang , Liu Wenchao , Bai Yungang
Published: September 2021

Broiler behavior is closely related to the breeding environment. Therefore, studying broiler behavior helps breeding farm workers to better carry out welfare breeding. In the breeding environment of yellow feather broilers, temperature, humidity, and ammonia concentration are the main factors that affect the behavior of the broilers. This study used a multichromatic aberration model to process the color images of yellow feather broilers to extract the activity feature of the broilers at different periods, utilized the Cb component of YCbCr color model and the b component of Lab color model to remove background litter in images, and employed the Q component of YIQ color model to remove the feeders and the drinkers from the image. The segmented images were constructed into an accumulator to generate a heat map of yellow feather broilers’ activity. Then, the correlation between the activity and the temperature and humidity index (THI) and the correlation between the activity and ammonia concentration were explored. The experiment found that the activity of the broilers was significantly positively correlated with ammonia concentration (P < 0.05), indicating that the activity of yellow feather broilers increased with ammonia concentration ascending. Besides, the THI in the broiler chamber had a significant positive correlation with the ammonia data (P < 0.01), indicating that when the THI in the broiler chamber increases, the ammonia concentration rises. The research provides a direction for exploring the impact of THI and ammonia concentration on the performance of yellow feather broilers. At the same time, it provides a theoretical basis for the early warning and judgment of broiler breeding by farm workers in the future.
Immediate Implant Placement and Provisionalization in the Esthetic Zone: A 6.5-Year Follow-Up and Literature Review
Authors: Meng Hsiu-Wan , Chien Esther Yun , Chien Hua-Hong
Published: September 2021

The success of dental implant therapy in the esthetic zone requires not only functional osseointegration but also a satisfactory esthetic outcome. To establish harmony, balance, and continuity of gingival architecture between an implant restoration and the adjacent natural dentition is challenging. Immediate implant placement and provisionalization following tooth extraction have been documented as a predictable treatment modality, with fewer surgical interventions needed, to replace a missing tooth in the esthetic zone. This case report illustrates immediate implant placement and provisionalization to replace a failing maxillary right central incisor while maintaining optimal gingival esthetics. The maxillary right central incisor was extracted without flap elevation to minimize soft and hard tissue trauma. Immediately afterwards, the implant was installed using a surgical stent and restored with a provisional crown that had no occlusal contacts. During healing, no significant adverse effects were observed clinically or radiographically. This proposed treatment modality provided the patient with immediate esthetics, function, and comfort without any complications during a follow-up period of 6.5 years.
Clinical Study on Effect of Solution Focused Approach on the Complications, Pain, Sleep, and Quality of Life in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Undergoing TACE
Authors: Ma Chunjie , Ma Yuexian , Lu Sidi , Li Dan , Wang Yan , Xu Yingxuan , Zhang Tianyu , Du Youli , Wang Lulu
Published: September 2021

Objective. The objective of this study is to explore the effect of solution focused approach (SFA) on the complications, pain, sleep, and quality of life in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). Methods. Total of 106 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent TACE in our hospital from July 2019 to June 2020 were selected. According to the admission time, they were divided into the control group (n = 53) and the observation group (n = 53). The control group implemented routine nursing intervention, and the observation group implemented SFA on the basis of the control group. The clinical data, complications, pain, sleep status, and quality of life scores were compared between the two groups. Results. The total incidence of complications in the observation group (16.98%) was lower than that in the control group (33.96%) (

P
<
0.05

). There was no significant difference in the score of pain perception between the two groups (

P
>
0.05

). The scores of sleep status in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (

P
<
0.05

). The quality of life scores in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (

P
<
0.05

). Conclusion. SFA can effectively reduce the complications, relieve pain, improve sleep status, and improve the quality of life in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing TACE.
A σ-Convergence Model for Analyzing the Balance of Insurance Industry in China
Authors: Yang Zeyun , Xiao Wendong , Fu Qiaoling
Published: September 2021

There are significant regional differences in the development of China’s insurance industry. An important question is that such regional differences are expanding or shrinking? Based on Barrow’s economic growth convergence model, this paper uses the σ convergence model to analyze the differences in the development of China’s insurance industry and its trends. It draws on the statistics data from 1990 to 2020. The empirical results show that the convergence of China’s insurance development is not obvious before 2006, but it shows a significant convergence after 2006. And, there are some differences between the Eastern, the Central, and the Western. Furthermore, when considering the spatial correlation, the convergence of insurance development among provinces in China is more obvious. This shows that the flowing of capital, technology, and labor force between regions may be beneficial to the balanced development of insurance among the regions.
NK Cell Subpopulation Is Altered and the Expression of TLR1 and TLR9 Is Decreased in Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Sánchez-Herrera David , Contreras-Ramos Alejandra , Jiménez-Hernández Elva , Medina-Sansón Aurora , Giono-Cerezo Silvia , Maldonado-Bernal Carmen
Published: September 2021

NK cells represent a heterogeneous subpopulation of lymphocytes of the innate immune system, which possess powerful antitumor activity. NK cells exhibit their function through a complex collection of receptors that act synergistically to recognize, regulate, or amplify the immune response. TLRs allow cells to detect PAMPs, MAMPs, or DAMPs, which are essential for the initiation of the immune response. Studies on the different subpopulations of NK cells and their expression profile of innate immune receptors in hematological cancers are limited. In this study, the specific subpopulations of NK cells in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and the repertoire and level of expression of TLRs in cytotoxic NK cells were assessed. The results suggested that pediatric patients with ALL exhibited a significant decrease in NK cells in peripheral blood and bone marrow, in addition to alterations in the distribution of the subpopulations of cells. Regulatory and cytotoxic NK cells were diminished, whereas dysfunctional phenotype was considerably increased. Cytotoxic NK cells from children with ALL expressed all 10 TLRs, and expression of TLR1 and TLR9 was decreased compared with the controls. Interestingly, cytotoxic NK cells exhibited a higher expression of TLR1 in the bone marrow than in the peripheral blood of patients with ALL. The present study is the first to show that TLR10 was expressed in the cytotoxic NK cells and the first to assess the profile and levels of the 10 known TLRs in cytotoxic NK cells from patients with ALL. The alterations in expression levels and cellular distribution may be involved in the immune response.
Internet of Things Security: Challenges and Key Issues
Authors: Azrour Mourade , Mabrouki Jamal , Guezzaz Azidine , Kanwal Ambrina
Published: September 2021

Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a vast network that provides an interconnection between various objects and intelligent devices. The three important components of IoT are sensing, processing, and transmission of data. Nowadays, the new IoT technology is used in many different sectors, including the domestic, healthcare, telecommunications, environment, industry, construction, water management, and energy. IoT technology, involving the usage of embedded devices, differs from computers, laptops, and mobile devices. Due to exchanging personal data generated by sensors and the possibility of combining both real and virtual worlds, security is becoming crucial for IoT systems. Furthermore, IoT requires lightweight encryption techniques. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to identify the security challenges and key issues that are likely to arise in the IoT environment in order to guide authentication techniques to achieve a secure IoT service.
Local Drug Delivery Systems for Vital Pulp Therapy: A New Hope
Authors: Parhizkar Ardavan , Asgary Saeed
Published: September 2021

Vital pulp therapy (VPT) is deliberated as an ultraconservative/minimally invasive approach for the conservation of vital pulpal tissues, preservation of dental structure, and maintenance of tooth function in the oral cavity. In VPT, following the exposure of the dental pulp, the environment is prepared for the possible healing and probable refunctionalisation of pulpal connective tissue. However, to succeed in VPT, specific biomaterials are used to cover and/or dress the exposed pulp, lower the inflammation, heal the dental pulp, provoke the remaining odontoblastic cells, and induce the formation of a hard tissue, i.e., the dentinal bridge. It can be assumed that if the employed biomaterial is transferred to the target site using a specially designed micro-/nanosized local drug delivery system (LDDS), the biomaterial would be placed in closer proximity to the connective tissue, may be released in a controlled and sustained pattern, could properly conserve the remaining dental pulp and might appropriately enhance hard-tissue formation. Furthermore, the loaded LDDS could help VPT modalities to be more ultraconservative and may minimise the manipulation of the tooth structure as well as pulpal tissue, which could, in turn, result in better VPT outcomes.
Microencapsulation of Fe2+ in Spray-Dried Lactose for Improved Bioavailability
Authors: Li Nan , Li Xu , Yang Ping , Liu Hongbin , Kong Lingyu , Yu Xiaomeng
Published: September 2021

The development of spray drying technology has been widely used for drying and preservation of food products. Though infant milk powder iron fortification is necessary for infants and children, iron fortification is accompanied by some limitations that reduce its quality and oxidation of Fe2+ into Fe3+, causing sensory problems and even a decrease in iron absorption, which does not meet the normal requirements of infant and child body development. To overcome this adverse effect and to improve the bioavailability of iron, a spray drying method was used to simulate the milk powder production process by codrying a mixture of ascorbic acid and ferrous sulfate, where ascorbic acid was uniformly coated on the outer layer of ferrous sulfate. It was demonstrated that ascorbic acid had a very obvious inhibitory effect on the oxidation of ferrous iron and could maintain the stability of ferrous iron in solid and solution for a long time, thus improving the bioavailability of iron.
Earth Pressure of Three‐Dimensional Stress States under Different Strength Criteria and Its Application
Authors: Zhang Yu , Liu Jin , Fan Te-Jia , Xu Chen-Yang , Meng Tian-Yi , Zhao Yang , Su An
Published: September 2021

To solve the Earth pressure problems in practical engineering, such as retaining walls and foundation pits, we derive active and passive Earth pressure formulas in accordance with the relationship between intermediate principal stress and excavation under three‐dimensional stress states. The formulas are derived on the basis of the Mohr–Coulomb, spatially mobilized plane (SMP), SMP, Lade–Duncan, axisymmetric compression‐ (AC‐) SMP strength, and generalized Mises (Gen‐Mises) criteria and then extended to clay. We also compare the calculated Earth pressure with the measured data. Results indicate that the Earth pressure considering medium principal stress contribution under a three‐dimensional stress state is consistent with the actual engineering. The calculated active Earth pressure in the Mohr–Coulomb strength criterion is larger, and the passive Earth pressure is smaller than the practical one because the intermediate principal stress effect is not considered. The calculated results of the SMP, SMP, Lade–Duncan, AC‐SMP strength, and Gen‐Mises criteria are close to the measured data, among which the result of the Gen‐Mises criterion is closer. The Earth pressure calculated using the Lade–Duncan criterion is no longer appropriate to describe the Earth pressure under medium principal stress condition in this study. The results of this study have theoretical significance for retaining structure design under a three‐dimensional stress state.
Multitarget Vehicle Tracking and Motion State Estimation Using a Novel Driving Environment Perception System of Intelligent Vehicles
Authors: Chen Yuren , Xie Xinyi , Yu Bo , Li Yi , Lin Kunhui
Published: September 2021

The multitarget vehicle tracking and motion state estimation are crucial for controlling the host vehicle accurately and preventing collisions. However, current multitarget tracking methods are inconvenient to deal with multivehicle issues due to the dynamically complex driving environment. Driving environment perception systems, as an indispensable component of intelligent vehicles, have the potential to solve this problem from the perspective of image processing. Thus, this study proposes a novel driving environment perception system of intelligent vehicles by using deep learning methods to track multitarget vehicles and estimate their motion states. Firstly, a panoramic segmentation neural network that supports end-to-end training is designed and implemented, which is composed of semantic segmentation and instance segmentation. A depth calculation model of the driving environment is established by adding a depth estimation branch to the feature extraction and fusion module of the panoramic segmentation network. These deep neural networks are trained and tested in the Mapillary Vistas Dataset and the Cityscapes Dataset, and the results showed that these methods performed well with high recognition accuracy. Then, Kalman filtering and Hungarian algorithm are used for the multitarget vehicle tracking and motion state estimation. The effectiveness of this method is tested by a simulation experiment, and results showed that the relative relation (i.e., relative speed and distance) between multiple vehicles can be estimated accurately. The findings of this study can contribute to the development of intelligent vehicles to alert drivers to possible danger, assist drivers’ decision-making, and improve traffic safety.
Comparison of Multiple Surface Ocean Wind Products with Buoy Data over Blue Amazon (Brazilian Continental Margin)
Authors: Paiva Vitor , Kampel Milton , Camayo Rosio
Published: September 2021

Remote sensing data for space-time characterization of wind fields in extensive oceanic areas have been shown to be increasingly useful. Orbital sensors, such as radar scatterometers, provide data on ocean surface wind speed and direction with spatial and temporal resolutions suitable for multiple applications and air-sea studies. Even considering the relevant role of orbital scatterometers to estimate ocean surface wind vectors on a regional and global scale, the products must be validated regionally. Six different ocean surface wind datasets, including advanced scatterometer (ASCAT-A and ASCAT-B products) estimates, numerical modelling simulations (BRAMS), reanalysis (ERA5), and a blended product (CCMP), were compared statistically with in situ measurements obtained by anemometers installed in fifteen moored buoys in the Brazilian margin (8 buoys in oceanic and 7 in shelf waters) to analyze which dataset best represents the wind field in this region. The operational ASCAT wind products presented the lowest differences in wind speed and direction from the in situ data (0.77 ms−1 < RMSEspd < 1.59 ms−1, 0.75 < Rspd < 0.96, −0.68 ms−1 < biasspd < 0.38 ms−1, and 12.7° < RMSEdir < 46.8°). CCMP and ERA5 products also performed well in the statistical comparison with the in situ data (0.81 ms−1 < RMSEspd < 1.87 ms−1, 0.76 < Rspd < 0.91, −1.21 ms−1 < biasspd < 0.19 ms−1, and 13.7° < RMSEdir < 46.3°). The BRAMS model was the one with the worst performance (RMSEspd > 1.04 m·s−1, Rspd < 0.87). For regions with a higher wind variability, as in the southern Brazilian continental margin, wind direction estimation by the wind products is more susceptible to errors (RMSEdir > 42.4°). The results here presented can be used for climatological studies and for the estimation of the potential wind power generation in the Brazilian margin, especially considering the lack of availability or representativeness of regional data for this type of application.
Spectrum Handoff Aware AODV Routing Protocol for Cognitive Radio Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks
Authors: Sangi Abdur Rashid , Alkatheiri Mohammed S , Anamalamudi Satish , Alqarni Mohammed A. , Memon Muhammad Hammad , Yang Wanan
Published: September 2021

End‐to‐end application performance and throughput of vehicular cognitive transport control protocol depend on how efficiently the segments (TCP header) are being transmitted from source to destination. One way to enhance the performance of vehicular cognitive TCP protocol is by reducing the packet drops in between the source and destination. In general, packet drops occur in between the source and destination of Cognitive Radio Vehicular Ad Hoc Network (CR‐VANET) because of spectrum handoff or cognitive node handoff, or network congestion. In this paper, we focus on enhancing the performance of cognitive TCP protocol through “cognitive AODV routing protocol with the spectrum handoff mechanism.” In the proposed work, channel‐route control messages of cognitive AODV routing protocol are updated with the support of spectrum handoff which helps to provide the backup opportunistic channel during PU active and helps to reduce the end‐to‐end spectrum handoff packet drops. Simulation results reveal that the overall performance of the vehicular cognitive TCP protocol with the proposed spectrum handoff aware cognitive AODV routing protocol is enhanced as compared to the existing cognitive TCP protocol.
Aircraft Detection for Remote Sensing Image Based on Bidirectional and Dense Feature Fusion
Authors: Zhou Liming , Yan Haoxin , Zheng Chang , Rao Xiaohan , Li Yahui , Yang Wencheng , Tian Junfeng , Fan Minghu , Zuo Xianyu
Published: September 2021

Aircraft, as one of the indispensable transport tools, plays an important role in military activities. Therefore, it is a significant task to locate the aircrafts in the remote sensing images. However, the current object detection methods cause a series of problems when applied to the aircraft detection for the remote sensing image, for instance, the problems of low rate of detection accuracy and high rate of missed detection. To address the problems of low rate of detection accuracy and high rate of missed detection, an object detection method for remote sensing image based on bidirectional and dense feature fusion is proposed to detect aircraft targets in sophisticated environments. On the fundamental of the YOLOv3 detection framework, this method adds a feature fusion module to enrich the details of the feature map by mixing the shallow features with the deep features together. Experimental results on the RSOD‐DataSet and NWPU‐DataSet indicate that the new method raised in the article is capable of improving the problems of low rate of detection accuracy and high rate of missed detection. Meanwhile, the AP for the aircraft increases by 1.57% compared with YOLOv3.
Dynamic Evaluation of Water Utilization Efficiency in Large Coal Mining Area Based on Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment Theory
Authors: Yang Junyao , Guo Liangliang
Published: September 2021

Coal mining enterprises have a variety of water sources, complex drainage structures, long production chain, and many links, which lead to uncoordinated water utilization and low water efficiency. Taking a large coal mining area of China as an example, a dynamic model was established to evaluate the water utilization efficiency based on the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) theory. In the model, the influence of five aspects (including resources, economy, technology, society, and environment) and 19 factors was considered. The game theory method was adopted to calculate the fusion weights of the 19 factors according to the analytic hierarchy process and CRITIC method. The CW-VIKOR method was used to explain the dynamic evaluation results of water efficiency in the coal mining area. The results show that the environmental impacts of the mining system mainly come from three aspects: regional drainage, domestic sludge landfill and disposal, and water system electricity consumption. Electricity consumption in water systems has the greatest environmental impact, accounting for about 73%, regional drainage for about 26%, and domestic sludge landfill and disposal for about 1%.The CW-VIKOR approach can harmonize the interrelationships among resources, economy, technology, society, and environment. It is an effective method for LCSA of water resource in the coal mining area. The reliability of the evaluation results is high and close to the actual situation. The dynamic model established in this paper is also applicable to other coal mine areas, and only the factor weights need to be modified according to the specific characteristics of each coal mine. The model can provide guidance for optimal exploitation and allocation of coal mine water resources.
Evaluation of Seismic Performance and Soil‐Structure Interaction (SSI) for Piloti‐Type Buildings considering Korean Geotechnical Conditions
Authors: Kim Seung Dae , Yoon Jaeyong , Cho Wanjei , Lee Jungwhee
Published: September 2021

Piloti‐type structure is a popular architectural style consisting of only columns or minimum number of shear‐resisting walls on the first floor. The large difference in lateral stiffness between the first and the upper floors makes the structure very vulnerable to earthquakes. Through the recent earthquakes in Gyeongju (2016) and Pohang (2017), due to such structural disadvantages, many damage cases have been reported, especially in low‐rise piloti‐type buildings with five stories or less. In this study, seismic soil‐structure interaction (SSI) analysis is conducted on low‐rise piloti‐type buildings considering Korean geotechnical characteristics, and the effect is analytically evaluated. To achieve this goal, seismic SSI analysis applying the measured Gyeongju earthquake and design response spectrum (DRM) based on the architectural design codes are conducted by constructing three‐dimensional structural analysis models with a five‐story piloti‐type building and four different soil properties: fill (FI), alluvial soil (AS), weathered soil (WS), and weathered rock (WR). From the analysis results, it is found that WS soil is largely affected by the seismic SSI, and the influence of the seismic SSI is different for each soil type regardless of the type of earthquake. Through the parameter study, simple and reasonable estimates are proposed to consider the SSI effect on the base shear in low‐rise piloti‐type buildings.
Three‐Dimensional Nonlinear Seismic Response of Shield Tunnel Spatial End Structure
Authors: Lu Yijing , Song Yongsheng , Wang Yanzhen , Yuan Jiale
Published: September 2021

The stiffness mutation of shield tunnel‐shaft junction makes the tunnel structure affected by the differential displacement and forms a complex spatial effect. Taking the subsea shield tunnel crossing under the Shantou Gulf, China, as a case study, a three‐dimensional finite element global model and a refined local spatial end submodel are established. The nonlinear dynamic behaviors of the seabed soil and concrete, the simulation of the bolt joints between ring segments by using cohesive models and the SMA shape memory alloy flexible joints, and the input ground motions produced by scaling from the high‐level earthquake records are considered in detail. The results show that the shield tunnel spatial end structure increases nonlinearly in response to the increase of seismic motion intensity. The opening width and the deformation between ring segments at the vault and the outside spandrel are larger, and serious seismic damage and stress concentration exist at the conjugate 45° directions of shaft. The seismic responses of the tunnel‐shaft junction subjected to the seismic motions with rich low‐frequency components are much stronger than those of seismic motions with rich high‐frequency components. Adding SMA flexible joints, the structural deformation caused by seismic motion propagation can be induced to the preset flexible joint, and the structural damage and stress concentration can be effectively reduced. The seismic response characteristics of shield tunnel spatial end structure calculated by the global model are consistent with those calculated by the submodel, while the seismic response of the submodel is greater than that of the global model.
Correlates of Delayed Initial Contact to Emergency Services among Patients with Suspected ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Lawani Osayi , Gorman Nicholas , Gorman Fiona , Ganim Jiries , Sdringola-Maranga Stefano
Published: September 2021

Background. Early diagnosis and treatment of a patient displaying symptoms of myocardial ischemia is paramount in preventing detrimental tissue damage, arrhythmias, and death. Patient-related hospital delay is the greatest considerable cause of total delay in treatment for acute myocardial infarction. Objective. To identify patient characteristics contributing to prehospital delay and ultimately developing health interventions to prevent future delay and improve health outcomes. Methods. A retrospective chart review of 287 patients diagnosed with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) was evaluated to examine correlates of patient-related delays to care. Results. Stepwise logistic regression modeling with forward selection (likelihood ratio) was performed to identify predictors of first medical contact (FMC) within 120 minutes of symptom onset and door-to-balloon (DTB) time within 90 minutes. Distance from the hospital, being unmarried, self-medicating, disability, and hemodynamic stability emerged as variables that were found to be predictive of FMC within the first 120 minutes after symptom onset. Similarly, patient characteristics of gender and disability and having an initial nondiagnostic electrocardiogram emerged as significant predictors of DTB within 90 minutes. Conclusions. Individual attention to high-risk patients and public education campaigns using printed materials, public lectures, and entertainment mediums are likely needed to disseminate information to improve prevention strategies. Future research should focus on identifying the strengths of prehospital predictors and finding other variables that can be established as forecasters of delay. Interventions to enhance survival in acute STEMI should continue as to provide substantial advances in overall health outcomes.
Utilization of Mangifera indica as Substrate to Bioremediate the Toxic Metals and Generate the Bioenergy through a Single-Chamber Microbial Fuel Cell
Authors: Yaqoob Sundas Bahar , Bhawani Showkat Ahmad , Ismail Abdulrahman Rokhsana Mohammed
Published: September 2021

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a sustainable approach for the remediation of metals and the simultaneous production of energy. This paper highlighted the usage of mango extract to produce electricity as an organic source for bacteria and reduce metal ions from wastewater. The observed results were 51 mV in 15 days with 500 Ω of external resistance. The whole operation was carried out at room temperature. The observed current and power density were 28.947 mA/m2 and 0.972 mW/m2, respectively. The internal resistance was 150 Ω, which is lower than external resistance. The remediation performance varied with the metal ions as follows: Pb (II) shows 75%, Cd (II) shows 74.11%, and Cr (III) shows 80.50%. Finally, the detailed working mechanism of the present study, MFC challenges, and future research directions are covered in this paper.
The Effect of Deep Learning-Based QSM Magnetic Resonance Imaging on the Subthalamic Nucleus
Authors: Liu Yuanqin , Zhang Qinglu , Liu Lingchong , Li Cuiling , Zhang Rongwei , Liu Guangcun
Published: September 2021

In order to study the influence of quantitative magnetic susceptibility mapping (QSM) on them. A 2.5D Attention U-Net Network based on multiple input and multiple output, a method for segmenting RN, SN, and STN regions in high-resolution QSM images is proposed, and deep learning realizes accurate segmentation of deep nuclei in brain QSM images. Experimental results show data first cuts each layer of 0 100 case data, based on the image center, from 384 × 288 to the size of 128 × 128. Image combination: each layer of the image in the layer direction combines with two adjacent images into a 2.5D image, i.e., (It − m It; It + i), where It represents the layer i image. At this time, the size of the image changes from 128 × 128 to 128 × 128 × 3, in which 3 represents three consecutive layers of images. The SNR of SWP I to STN is twice that of SWI. The small deep gray matter nuclei (RN, SN, and STN) in QSM images of the brain and the pancreas with irregular shape and large individual differences in abdominal CT images can be automatically segmented.
Pretreatment for Tunnel Karst Cave during Excavation: A Case Study of Guangxi, China
Authors: Li Junjie , Chen Qiunan , Huang Xiaocheng , Zou Gen , Deng Jiazheng
Published: September 2021

Karst landscape is a general term for earth surfaces and underground patterns that have been formed by the dissolution of soluble rock. Karst landscapes are widely distributed throughout China—particularly in the Guangxi and Guangdong provinces. The main features of karst landscapes are typically reflected in karst caverns, sinkholes, and other geographical phenomena. During tunnel construction in karst areas, various forms of karst caverns may appear on the construction route, and they can cause hazards—such as water inrush and collapse—during tunnel construction. These hazards affect the tunnel construction process. As such, it is necessary to propose a treatment for karst caverns. In this work, a case study of the tunnels on the Hechi‐Baise expressway is presented. A comprehensive pretreatment method suitable for this tunnel is proposed. On the premise of prioritizing the safety and timeline of construction, an optimized treatment scheme for the karst caverns of Hebai tunnel is followed. The optimized treatment scheme primarily includes calculation of safe thickness of tunnel face, strengthening the initial support and increasing the thickness of the second lining, increasing the reserved deformation, and grouting. The proposed scheme achieved favorable results in the treatment of a karst cavern in the Hebai tunnels.
Salivary Lactate Dehydrogenase in Relationship to the Severity of Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy among Newborn Infants
Authors: Elmoursi Hend , Abdalla Mohamed , Mesbah Bader Eldin , Khashana Abdelmoneim
Published: September 2021

Introduction. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is defined as a neurological complication that results from perinatal asphyxia. Previous studies had investigated various markers to early detect HIE; however, these markers appeared to have several drawbacks, especially in resource-limited settings. Aim. This study aimed at evaluating the predictive value of the salivary lactate dehydrogenase level as a potential predictor of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy for newborns. Materials and Methods. We included 30 neonates with HIE due to perinatal asphyxia and 30 healthy newborns that serve as controls, admitted at the intensive care unit for neonates and maternity ward at Ismailia area Clinics and Hospitals. We measured the LDH levels by using saliva samples that were collected for neonates maximum by 12 h after birth. Results. It was found that patients with HIE had a statistically significant higher salivary LDH level (1927 ± 390.3 IU/L) than patients without HIE (523.6 ± 142.8 IU/L) (

p
<
0.001

). Moreover, salivary LDH showed a good discriminative ability where the AUC was 0.966 regarding salivary LDH (95% CI: 0.917–1.0) (

p
<
0.001

). The best cutoff value was 1420 IU/L or more which showed the best results in predicting the occurrence of HIE with 98.3% and 97.6% sensitivity and specificity, respectively. Conclusion. Salivary LDH can be considered as a useful noninvasive laboratory marker that can accurately predict HIE incidence among neonates with asphyxia within 12 hours from birth. The cases in the HIE group were assigned into three stages according to the Sarnat and Sarnat staging system: stage I: mild (irritable, normal, or hypertonia and poor feeding); stage II: moderate (lethargy, hypotonia, and frequent seizure); stage III: severe (coma, flaccid, absent reflexes, and frequent seizure). There is a positive association between LDH levels and the severity of HIE.
Role of Epigenetics in the Pathogenesis, Treatment, Prediction, and Cellular Transformation of Asthma
Authors: Wasti Binaya , Liu Shao-kun , Xiang Xu-Dong
Published: September 2021

Asthma is a mysterious disease with heterogeneity in etiology, pathogenesis, and clinical phenotypes. Although ongoing studies have provided a better understanding of asthma, its natural history, progression, pathogenesis, diversified phenotypes, and even the exact epigenetic linkage between childhood asthma and adult-onset/old age asthma remain elusive in many aspects. Asthma heritability has been established through genetic studies, but genetics is not the only influencing factor in asthma. The increasing incidence and some unsolved queries suggest that there may be other elements related to asthma heredity. Epigenetic mechanisms link genetic and environmental factors with developmental trajectories in asthma. This review provides an overview of asthma epigenetics and its components, including several epigenetic studies on asthma, and discusses the epigenetic linkage between childhood asthma and adult-onset/old age asthma. Studies involving asthma epigenetics present valuable novel approaches to solve issues related to asthma. Asthma epigenetic research guides us towards gene therapy and personalized T cell therapy, directs the discovery of new therapeutic agents, predicts long-term outcomes in severe cases, and is also involved in the cellular transformation of childhood asthma to adult-onset/old age asthma.