bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting need for hospital admission in patients with traumatic brain injury or skull fractures identified on CT imaging: a machine learning approach
Authors: Marincowitz Carl , Paton Lewis , Lecky Fiona , Tiffin Paul
Published: April 2021

Background

Patients with mild traumatic brain injury on CT scan are routinely admitted for inpatient observation. Only a small proportion of patients require clinical intervention. We recently developed a decision rule using traditional statistical techniques that found neurologically intact patients with isolated simple skull fractures or single bleeds <5 mm with no preinjury antiplatelet or anticoagulant use may be safely discharged from the emergency department. The decision rule achieved a sensitivity of 99.5% (95% CI 98.1% to 99.9%) and specificity of 7.4% (95% CI 6.0% to 9.1%) to clinical deterioration. We aimed to transparently report a machine learning approach to assess if predictive accuracy could be improved.

Methods

We used data from the same retrospective cohort of 1699 initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) 13–15 patients with injuries identified by CT who presented to three English Major Trauma Centres between 2010 and 2017 as in our original study. We assessed the ability of machine learning to predict the same composite outcome measure of deterioration (indicating need for hospital admission). Predictive models were built using gradient boosted decision trees which consisted of an ensemble of decision trees to optimise model performance.

Results

The final algorithm reported a mean positive predictive value of 29%, mean negative predictive value of 94%, mean area under the curve (C-statistic) of 0.75, mean sensitivity of 99% and mean specificity of 7%. As with logistic regression, GCS, severity and number of brain injuries were found to be important predictors of deterioration.

Conclusion

We found no clear advantages over the traditional prediction methods, although the models were, effectively, developed using a smaller data set, due to the need to divide it into training, calibration and validation sets. Future research should focus on developing models that provide clear advantages over existing classical techniques in predicting outcomes in this population.
Evaluation of the impact of the voluntary safety standard for liquid laundry packets on the rate of child exposures reported to Poison Control Centers in the US
Authors: Rodgers Gregory B
Published: April 2021

Objective

To evaluate the impact of the voluntary safety standard for liquid laundry packets on the rate of child exposures reported to Poison Control Centers in the US.

Methods

The analysis was based on an interrupted time series design. The voluntary safety standard for laundry packets was published at the end of 2015. Data on reported liquid laundry packet exposures involving children under age 6 years were collected for the July 2012 through December 2017 study period. A negative binomial multiple regression model for rate data was used to quantify the impact of the voluntary standard on (1) the rate of total reported exposures and (2) the rate of reported exposures that were medically treated. The analysis controlled for laundry packet sales, time trends and seasonal variations in reported exposures.

Results

The voluntary safety standard was associated with a 28.6% reduction in the rate of total reported exposures and a 36.8% reduction in the rate of medically treated exposures. The analysis also provides some evidence that these estimated reductions may underestimate overall reductions in the rate of reported exposures if pre-standard packaging improvements and possible caregiver behavioural responses to laundry packet hazard warnings are considered.

Conclusions

The analysis suggests that the requirements of the voluntary standard have effectively reduced the rate of injury involving liquid laundry packets.
Utility of Serum Neuropilin-1 and Angiopoietin-2 as Markers of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Abdel Ghafar Muhammad Tarek , Elkhouly Reham A , Elnaggar Mohammed H , Mabrouk Mohamed M , Darwish Sara A , Younis Reham L , Elkholy Rasha A
Published: April 2021

This study aimed to assess the diagnostic value of two serum angiogenetic markers neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) and angiopoietin-2 (ANG-2) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and their relation to tumor characteristics. 149 subjects were recruited and divided into 50 patients with recently diagnosed HCC, 49 patients with cirrhosis on top of hepatitis C virus infection, and 50 healthy subjects. Serum NRP-1 and ANG-2 were estimated by ELISA. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were measured using fluorescence immunoassay. Serum NRP-1 and ANG-2 levels were significantly higher in patients with HCC (2221.8±1056.6 pg/mL and 3018.5±841.4 pg/mL) than healthy subjects (219.3±61.8 pg/mL and 2007.7±904.8 pg/mL) and patients with cirrhosis (1108.9±526.6 pg/mL and 2179.1±599.2 pg/mL), respectively. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, NRP-1 and AFP were the only independent factors of HCC development and correlated positively with each other (r=0.781, p<0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of NRP-1 was higher than that of ANG-2 in discriminating HCC from patients with cirrhosis (0.801 vs 0.748, p=0.250) and healthy subjects (0.992 vs 0.809, p<0.001). The AUC of NRP-1 was detected to be increased (0.994) when combined estimation with AFP was performed. Elevated serum NRP-1 and ANG-2 levels were detected in patients with HCC with tumor numbers >3, tumor size ≥5 cm, tumor stages B/C according to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system, vascular invasion, and distant metastasis. In conclusion, NRP-1 is a potential serological marker for HCC diagnosis and is better than ANG-2. It is feasible to be estimated in combination with AFP to enhance its diagnostic power. High serum NRP-1 and ANG-2 levels are associated with advanced HCC tumor characteristics.
Time from image acquisition to endovascular team notification: a new target for enhancing acute stroke workflow
Authors: Yaeger Kurt A , Rossitto Christina P , Marayati Naoum Fares , Lara-Reyna Jacques , Ladner Travis , Hardigan Trevor , Shoirah Hazem , Mocco J , Fifi Johanna T
Published: April 2021

Objective

To quantify the time between initial image acquisition (CT angiography (CTA)) and notification of the neuroendovascular surgery (NES) team, a potentially high yield time window to target for optimization of endovascular thrombectomy (ET) treatment times.

Methods

We reviewed our multihospital database for all patients with a stroke with emergent large vessel occlusion treated with ET between January 1, 2017 and August 5, 2020. We dichotomized patients into rapid (≤20 min) and delayed (>20 min) notification times and analyzed treatment characteristics and outcomes.

Results

Of 367 patients with ELVO undergoing ET for whom notification data were available, the median time from CTA to NES team notification was 24 min (IQR 12–47). The median total treatment time was 180 min (IQR 129–252). The median times from CTA to NES team notification for rapid (n=163) and delayed (n=204) cohorts were 11 (IQR 6–15) and 43 (IQR 30–80) min, respectively (p<0.001). The median overall times to reperfusion were 134 min (IQR 103–179) and 213 min (IQR 172–291), respectively (p<0.001). The delayed patients had a significantly lower National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score on presentation (15 (IQR 9–20) vs 16 (IQR 11–22), p=0.03), were younger (70 (IQR 60–79) vs 77 (IQR 64–85), p<0.001), and more often presented with posterior circulation occlusion (16.7% vs 7.4%, p<0.01). The group with rapid notification time had a statistically larger median improvement in NIHSS score from admission to discharge (6 (IQR 0.5–14) vs 5 (IQR 0.5–10), p=0.04).

Conclusions

Time delays from initial CTA acquisition to NES team notification can prevent expedient treatment with ET. Process improvements and automated stroke detection on imaging with automated notification of the NES team may ultimately improve time to reperfusion.
Sexual consent and chemsex: a quantitative study on sexualised drug use and non-consensual sex among men who have sex with men in Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Authors: Drückler Susanne , Speulman Jilke , van Rooijen Martijn , De Vries Henry J C
Published: April 2021

Background

Chemsex (drug use to enhance sex) has emerged among men who have sex with men (MSM). Non-consensual sex (NCS) is hypothesised to occur frequently under the influence of chemsex, however data are scarce. In this cross-sectional study, it was aimed to assess whether NCS is associated with chemsex.

Methods

We offered a survey about chemsex in the past 6 months (crystal methamphetamine, mephedrone and/or gamma-hydroxybutyrate/gamma-butyrolacton use) and NCS (sexual experiences beyond one’s limits or unpleasant sexual experiences) in the past 5 years to Amsterdam-located gay dating platform users. Associations were assessed using χ² test, Fisher’s exact test and multivariable logistic regression.

Results

Of 891 participants, 30.6% (273 of 891) engaged in chemsex; 21.2% engaging and 16.7% not engaging in chemsex reported any NCS experiences (p=0.109).

Among MSM who reported any NCS experiences, chemsex engagers reported being touched against one’s will less often compared with non-engagers (22.4% vs 39.8%; p=0.036). Yet, chemsex engagers reported passing out and not remembering what happened during drug use more often (41.4% vs 8.7%; p<0.001). The level of suffering from NCS experiences did not differ between chemsex engagers and non-engagers (p=0.539); and was rated by most participants with no suffering at all or low suffering (77.1%). In the multivariable regression analyses, chemsex engagement in the past 6 months was associated with NCS (adjusted OR 1.46; 95% CI 1.01 to 2.11).

Conclusions

A substantial proportion of MSM (regardless of chemsex engagement) reported NCS in the past 5 years. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, chemsex engagement was associated with an NCS experience. Among participants who reported NCS, suffering related to NCS however, did not differ between chemsex engagers and non-engagers. Sexual healthcare professionals need to address chemsex and NCS during consultations involving MSM and refer men for specialised help if deemed necessary.
Exploring the current challenges and emerging approaches in whole building life cycle assessment
Authors: Feng H. , Sadiq R. , Hewage K.
Published: April 2021

The environmental impacts of building stock have received significant attention as buildings release one-third of the total greenhouse gas emissions. Whole-building life cycle assessment (WBLCA) has become a trend to address this limitation by ensuring the best environmental performance of a building. However, the current WBLCA development faces many challenges, which makes it difficult to create reliable and comparable results. This study aims to conduct a critical literature review to summarize the current challenges in WBLCA applications and the emerging approaches that might address these challenges. Three main challenges are listed: variances in goal and scope definition, building structure complexity, and varieties in the LCA database and methods. Emerging approaches are also presented to address these challenges, including the integration of building information modeling into WBLCA and environmental product declaration applications in impact assessments. The findings of this study could support researchers and decision-makers with the most popular approaches to conduct WBLCA and achieve reliable outputs.
Effects of mulching with crushed wheat straw padding and plastic film on sunflower emergence, yield, and yield components under different irrigation intensity in the northwest arid regions, China
Authors: Zhang Jinxia , Zhang Fu , Xing Zisheng , Guo Xiaolong , Hui Shijia , Du Liangliang , Ding Lin
Published: April 2021

Crops in the northwest arid region of China frequently suffer from low emergence and poor yield due to high water deficit. Mulching is an important approach to reduce irrigation amount while increasing productivity but faces the challenge of ecological adaptability in this region. A field experiment was carried out in the three growing seasons from 2011 to 2013 to study the effects of mulching with crushed wheat straw padding and plastic film on sunflower seed emergence and yield under different irrigation intensities. A two-factor (mulching and irrigation intensity) completely randomized block design was applied, resulting in a total of 12 treatments repeated three times. Mulching treatments include zero mulch (N), straw mulching at the beginning of the experiment (S), plastic film mulching when sowing (F; a commonly used mulching by local farmers), and double mulching with plastic film on the crushed wheat straw layer (SF). Irrigation intensity includes high (H = 900 m3·ha−1), medium (M = 750 m3·ha−1), and low (L = 600 m3·ha−1). Results showed that all mulching treatments promoted the early emergence of seedlings compared with N, with SF and F performing better than the rest. SF was the best-performing mulching approach in this study, and it had significantly improved sunflower yield and yield components compared with other treatments. In SF, medium irrigation level had significantly increased sunflower 100-seed weight. Therefore, SF with M irrigation level showed the most positive effect on sunflower production, and it is now the recommended agronomic solution for sunflower production in the northwest arid regions and, potentially, other irrigated areas with similar ecological conditions.
Effects of induced water deficit and biofertilization on growth dynamics and bulb yield of onion (Allium cepaL.) in a neotropical semi-arid environment
Authors: Blanco Erika Lorena , Rada Fermín , Paolini Jorge , Guerrero José Argenis
Published: April 2021

In a scenario of world population increase and climate change, an efficient use of water is key for agricultural production. Onion is one of the most profitable crops and can adapt to particular conditions of water stress. The objective of this research was to determine growing degree-days and accumulated radiation under non-stress conditions and yield of an F1 2000 hybrid of onion (Allium cepa L.) under water deficit (WD) and biofertilization in a semi-arid environment. An established nutrient requirement of 247 kg N, 240 kg P2O5(105 kg P), 240 kg K2O (199 kg K), and two irrigation factors were applied: normal irrigation with a daily and WD with a 3 d interval irrigation frequencies. The effect of biofertilization was evaluated through the inoculation of a microbial consortium (MC) in combination with four NPK fertilizer treatments. The crop accumulated 1334 degree-days and 1188 MJ m−2·d−1at the time of harvest at 71 d after transplanting. The yield was 36 t·ha−1, similar under both irrigation conditions; and the WD treatment resulted in a 35% water savings, a 47% and 65% increase in water use efficiency and modulus of elasticity, respectively. The MC resulted in a 50% NPK savings under non-limiting water conditions and produced a similar yield compared with the 100% NPK non-inoculated control. The lower irrigation frequency together with the 100% NPK fertilization dose without the MC and the use of the microorganisms and the 50% NPK treatment without water stress are recommended as agrosustainable practices for onion production.
A model-independent test of the evolution of gas depletion factor for SPT-SZ and Planck ESZ clusters
Authors: Bora Kamal , Desai Shantanu
Published: April 2021

The gas mass fraction in galaxy clusters has been widely used to determine cosmological parameters. This method assumes that the ratio of the cluster gas mass fraction to the cosmic baryon fraction ($$\gamma (z)$$

γ
(
z
)

) is constant as a function of redshift. In this work, we look for a time evolution of $$\gamma (z)$$

γ
(
z
)

at $$R_{500}$$

R
500

by using both the SPT-SZ and Planck Early SZ (ESZ) cluster data, in a model-independent fashion without any explicit dependence on the underlying cosmology. For this calculation, we use a non-parametric functional form for the Hubble parameter obtained from Gaussian Process regression using cosmic chronometers. We parameterize $$\gamma (z)$$

γ
(
z
)

as: $$\gamma (z)= \gamma _0(1+\gamma _1 z)$$

γ

(
z
)

=

γ
0

(
1
+

γ
1

z
)

to constrain the redshift evolution. We find contradictory results between both the samples. For SPT-SZ, $$\gamma (z)$$

γ
(
z
)

decreases as a function of redshift (at more than 5$$\sigma $$
σ
), whereas a positive trend with redshift is found for Planck ESZ data (at more than 4$$\sigma $$
σ
). We however find that the $$\gamma _1$$

γ
1

values for a subset of SPT-SZ and Planck ESZ clusters between the same redshift interval agree to within $$1\sigma $$

1
σ

. When we allow for a dependence on the halo mass in the evolution of the gas depletion factor, the $$4-5\sigma $$

4
-
5
σ

discrepancy reduces to $$2\sigma $$

2
σ

.
Lagrangian mechanics of active systems
Authors: Solovev Anton , Friedrich Benjamin M.
Published: April 2021

We present a multi-scale modeling and simulation framework for low-Reynolds number hydrodynamics of shape-changing immersed objects, e.g., biological microswimmers and active surfaces. The key idea is to consider principal shape changes as generalized coordinates and define conjugate generalized hydrodynamic friction forces. Conveniently, the corresponding generalized friction coefficients can be pre-computed and subsequently reused to solve dynamic equations of motion fast. This framework extends Lagrangian mechanics of dissipative systems to active surfaces and active microswimmers, whose shape dynamics is driven by internal forces. As an application case, we predict in-phase and anti-phase synchronization in pairs of cilia for an experimentally measured cilia beat pattern.

Graphic Abstract
On alternating closed braids
Authors: de los Angeles Guevara-Hernández María , Kawauchi Akio
Published: April 2021

We introduce a numerical invariant called the braid alternation number that measures how far a link is from being an alternating closed braid. This invariant resembles the alternation number, which was previously introduced by the second author. However, these invariants are not equal, even for alternating links.

We study the relation of this invariant with others and calculate this invariant for some infinite knot families. In particular, we show arbitrarily large gaps between the braid alternation number and the alternation and unknotting numbers. Furthermore, we estimate the braid alternation number for prime knots with nine crossings or less.
Cosmological perturbations in f(G) gravity
Authors: Munyeshyaka Albert , Ntahompagaze Joseph , Mutabazi Tom
Published: April 2021

We explore cosmological perturbations in a modified Gauss–Bonnet [Formula: see text] gravity, using a [Formula: see text] covariant formalism. In such a formalism, we define gradient variables to get perturbed linear evolution equations. We transform these linear evolution equations into ordinary differential equations using a spherical harmonic decomposition method. The obtained ordinary differential equations are time-dependent and then transformed into redshift-dependent. After these transformations, we analyze energy-density perturbations for two fluid systems, namely, for a Gauss–Bonnet field-dust system and for a Gauss–Bonnet field-radiation system for three different pedagogical [Formula: see text] models: trigonometric, exponential and logarithmic. For the Gauss–Bonnet field-dust system, energy-density perturbations decay with increase in redshift for all the three models. For the Gauss–Bonnet field-radiation system, the energy-density perturbations decay with increase in redshift for all of the three [Formula: see text] models for long wavelength modes whereas for short wavelength modes, the energy-density perturbations decay with increasing redshift for the logarithmic and exponential [Formula: see text] models and oscillate with decreasing amplitude for the trigonometric [Formula: see text] model.
Comparison theorems on large-margin learning
Authors: Benabid Amina , Fan Jun , Xiang Dao-Hong
Published: April 2021

This paper studies the binary classification problem associated with a family of Lipschitz convex loss functions called large-margin unified machines (LUMs), which offers a natural bridge between distribution-based likelihood approaches and margin-based approaches. LUMs can overcome the so-called data piling issue of support vector machine in the high-dimension and low-sample size setting, while their theoretical analysis from the perspective of learning theory is still lacking. In this paper, we establish some new comparison theorems for all LUM loss functions which play a key role in the error analysis of large-margin learning algorithms. Based on the obtained comparison theorems, we further derive learning rates for regularized LUMs schemes associated with varying Gaussian kernels, which maybe of independent interest.
Matrix factorization with dual-network collaborative embedding for social recommendation
Authors: Wei Maosheng , Wu Jun , Yang Lina , Tang Yuanyan
Published: April 2021

Combining Matrix Factorization (MF) with Network Embedding (NE) has been a promising solution to social recommender systems. However, in most of the current combined schemes, the user-specific linking proportions learned by NE are fed to the downstream MF, but not reverse, which is sub-optimal as the rating information is not utilized to discover the linking features for users. Furthermore, the existing combined models mainly focus on enhancing the representation learning for users by exploiting user–user network, yet ignore the representation improvement for items. In this paper, we propose a novel social recommendation scheme, called MF with dual-network collaborative embedding (MF-decoding), which jointly optimizes an integrated objective function of MF and NE, in which both MF and NE tasks can be mutually reinforced in a unified learning process. In particular, the explicit user–user network and the implicit item–item network are collaboratively used by MF-decoding to enhance the representation learning for users and items simultaneously. Our encouraging experimental results on three benchmarks validate the superiority of the proposed MF-decoding model over state-of-the-art social recommendation methods.
Raychaudhuri equation in scalar–tensor theory
Authors: Choudhury Shibendu Gupta , Dasgupta Ananda , Banerjee Narayan
Published: April 2021

Implications of the Raychaudhuri equation in focusing of geodesic congruences are studied in the framework of scalar–tensor theory of gravity. Specifically, we investigate the Brans–Dicke theory and Bekenstein’s scalar field theory. In both of these theories, we deal with a static spherically symmetric distribution and a spatially homogeneous and isotropic cosmological model as specific examples. We find that it is possible to violate the convergence condition under reasonable physical assumptions. This leads to the possibility of avoiding a singularity.
Bicategory-Theoretic Approach to Minimal Fuzzy Realization for Fuzzy Behavior
Authors: Yadav Swati , Tiwari S. P. , Kumari Mausam , Yadav Vijay K.
Published: April 2021

This work applies the bicategory-theoretic concepts in formation of minimal fuzzy realization for a given fuzzy behavior. The concept of derivative of fuzzy behavior is used for such construction.
OnionMHC: A deep learning model for peptide — HLA-A*02:01 binding predictions using both structure and sequence feature sets
Authors: Saxena Shikhar , Animesh Sambhavi , Fullwood Melissa J. , Mu Yuguang
Published: April 2021

The peptide binding to Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) proteins is an important step in the antigen-presentation pathway. Thus, predicting the binding potential of peptides with MHC is essential for the design of peptide-based therapeutics. Most of the available machine learning-based models predict the peptide-MHC binding based on the sequence of amino acids alone. Given the importance of structural information in determining the stability of the complex, here we have utilized both the complex structure and the peptide sequence features to predict the binding affinity of peptides to human receptor HLA-A*02:01. To our knowledge, no such model has been developed for the human HLA receptor before that incorporates both structure and sequence-based features.

Results:

We have applied machine learning techniques through the natural language processing (NLP) and convolutional neural network to design a model that performs comparably with the existing state-of-the-art models. Our model shows that the information from both sequence and structure domains results in enhanced performance in the binding prediction compared to the information from one domain alone. The testing results in 18 weekly benchmark datasets provided by the Immune Epitope Database (IEDB) as well as experimentally validated peptides from the whole-exome sequencing analysis of the breast cancer patients indicate that our model has achieved state-of-the-art performance.

Conclusion:

We have developed a deep-learning model (OnionMHC) that incorporates both structure as well as sequence-based features to predict the binding affinity of peptides with human receptor HLA-A*02:01. The model demonstrates state-of-the-art performance on the IEDB benchmark dataset as well as the experimentally validated peptides. The model can be used in the screening of potential neo-epitopes for the development of cancer vaccines or designing peptides for peptide-based therapeutics. OnionMHC is freely available at https://github.com/shikhar249/OnionMHC .
Bearing capacity and geotechnical properties of sandy soil substrate contaminated with oil derivatives (diesel fuel and kerosene)
Authors: Fazeli Gholamreza , Lotfollahi Sina , Bakhtiari Parham , Farrokhi Farhang
Published: April 2021

This research investigated the bearing capacity and geotechnical properties of a sandy soil substrate contaminated with the oil derivatives diesel fuel and kerosene. For this purpose, a site with a clayey sandy soil substrate was considered to evaluate the effects of contamination on the geotechnical properties and bearing capacity of the substrate in both clean and contaminated states. Then, the substrate of the site was artificially contaminated with diesel fuel and kerosene and underwent field and laboratory tests. The experiments, including the Atterberg limits, standard Proctor compaction, uniaxial compressive strength, strength and freeze–thaw durability tests, were performed on prepared samples. Also, to determine the bearing capacity of the contaminated and intact substrates, a plate load test was conducted at the site. The results indicate that contamination by oil derivatives reduces the strength and increases the settlement and displacement of the contaminated substrate, where the effects of diesel fuel are more significant than those of kerosene. The results of this research are compared with those of previous studies. The literature shows that most research in this area was carried out in the laboratory, and there is a lack of
in situ
studies. This study showed that the presence of oil contaminations caused a 3.5% reduction in the soil Atterberg limits. The contaminations also reduced the dry density and uniaxial compressive strength of the soil by 2.5% and 20%, respectively. The results presented were consistent with those of other researchers. However, some studies have suggested an increase in the Atterberg limits owing to oil contaminants in the soil.
Fabrication of S,N-Doped Carbon-Coated SnS2/SnS Heterostructures Supported by Hollow Carbon Microspheres for Sodium-Ion Storage
Authors: Gao Suning , Liu Zaichun , Yang Liangtao , Shao Jie , Qu Qunting , Wu Yuping , Adelhelm Philipp , Holze Rudolf
Published: April 2021

Developing novel anode materials containing electroactive heterostructures which boost ion and charge transfer kinetics in a carbon matrix is still a great challenge. Here we report on a new smartly designed material: SnS2/SnS p-n heterostructures embedded in S,N-doped carbon layer supported by hollow carbon spheres (C@SnSx@C) by a facile method and applied as negative electrode material in sodium ion batteries. The C@SnSx@C2 (at optimized carbon ratio) negative electrode can deliver an initial reversible capacity of 636.5 mAh·g−1 at 0.1 A·g−1, superior rate capability (265.1 mAh·g−1 at rate of 10.0 A·g−1) and long cycle life (capacity retention of 96.3 % at 1.0 A·g−1 after 150 cycles). The SnS2/SnS p-n heterojunctions provide a lower sodium ion diffusion energy barrier (0.38 eV), higher Na+ adsorption energy (−4.66 eV) and higher electronic conductivity due to an internal electric field according to density functional theory calculations compared to plain SnS. Moreover, S,N-doped carbon facilitates electronic conductivity and buffers the volume changes during the conversion reaction-based SnSx upon sodium insertion and extraction process. Porous hollow carbon spheres contribute to prevent the agglomeration of SnS2/SnS nanosheets and keep the structural integrity. Our findings on this unique material might be extended to other ion battery technologies.
Zero-Inflated Poisson Distribution of Sedimented Cells in Multi-Layered Microwell Arrays
Authors: Romanuik Sean F. , Gray Bonnie L.
Published: April 2021

Open arrays of micro-scale wells (microwells; MW) are a popular platform for trapping biological cells, as they are gentler than other methods and their openness circumvents several problems associated with enclosed alternatives. This paper presents a dual-layered polymeric film featuring an imprinted MW array (MWA) and various complimentary shallower features that streamline both optical microscopy and alignment with an immunobiosensing (IBS) slide. The dual-layered MWA design presented in this paper represents a substantial improvement over our previous designs. The most substantial contribution of this paper lies with its statistical analysis of the trapped cell count datasets obtained from experiments using this refined MWA design. This analysis confirms experimentally that the distribution of cells into a MWA following sedimentation is indeed naturally Poisson distributed. Moreover, this analysis also shows that a zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) distribution provides a superior fit, by incorporating an additional variable quantifying dataset sparsity. Furthermore, it is shown that maximum likelihood estimators (MLEs) for the parameters of these Poisson fits are superior to method of moments-based alternatives. This paper should prove useful for those seeking to develop a MWA with which to trap cells via sedimentation, and to mathematically describe this trapping process.
Interfacial Effects on Transport Coefficient Measurements in Li-ion Battery Electrolytes
Authors: Bergstrom Helen K , Fong Kara D. , McCloskey Bryan D.
Published: April 2021

Development of Li+-containing electrolytes with improved transport properties requires reliable, reproducible, and ideally low volume techniques to rigorously understand ion-transport with varying composition. Precisely measuring the complete set of transport coefficients in liquid electrolytes under battery-relevant operating conditions is difficult and the reliability of these methods are sparsely described in electrolyte transport literature. In this work, we apply the Balsara-Newman transport characterization approach typically used for polymer electrolytes to liquid electrolyte systems in an attempt to fully measure all transport coefficients (conductivity, total salt diffusion coefficient, thermodynamic factor and transference number) for the model system of LiPF6 in an ethylene carbonate - ethyl methyl carbonate (EC:EMC) mixture. Using systematic timescale and statistical analyses, we find that transport coefficients measured using potentiostatic polarization of Li-Li symmetric cells exhibit strong correlation to Li electrode interfacial resistance, indicating that such methods are probing both bulk and interfacial phenomena. This reveals a major roadblock in characterizing electrolyte systems where the interfacial resistance is significantly larger than ohmic electrolyte resistance. As a result, we find that methods that rely on potentiostatic Li metal stripping/plating do not readily result in reliable liquid electrolyte transport coefficients, unlike similar methods for solid polymer electrolytes, where interfacial resistances are typically smaller than electrolyte resistances at the elevated temperatures typically of interest for such electrolytes.
Flow-mediated dilation analysis coupled with nitric oxide transport to enhance the assessment of endothelial function
Authors: Ma Tianxiang , Liu Xiao , Ren Quan , Zhang Zhexi , Sun Xiaoning , Zheng Yuehong , Deng Xiaoyan , Yu Xiaojun , Fan Yubo
Published: April 2021

FMD% is affected by various factors, which limits its ability to assess the endothelial function. We developed an analytical model of FMD process coupled with nitric oxide based on the mathematical modeling and physiological measurements. Two model-derived indicators (FFMD% and ϵ) were introduced based on the modeling. Our results indicated that FFMD% and ϵ may have the potential to distinguish the endothelial function between the young- and middle age groups.
On Subtree Number Index of Generalized Book Graphs, Fan Graphs, and Wheel Graphs
Authors: Sun Daoqiang , Zhao Zhengying , Li Xiaoxiao , Cao Jiayi , Yang Yu
Published: April 2021

With generating function and structural analysis, this paper presents the subtree generating functions and the subtree number index of generalized book graphs, generalized fan graphs, and generalized wheel graphs, respectively. As an application, this paper also briefly studies the subtree number index and the asymptotic properties of the subtree densities in regular book graphs, regular fan graphs, and regular wheel graphs. The results provide the basis for studying novel structural properties of the graphs generated by generalized book graphs, fan graphs, and wheel graphs from the perspective of the subtree number index.
Optimization of Arabian‐Shield‐Based Natural Pozzolan and Silica Fume for High‐Performance Concrete Using Statistical Design of Experiments
Authors: Abbas Yassir M. , Khan M. Iqbal
Published: April 2021

In this study, the optimum dosages of silica fume (SF) and natural pozzolan (NP) were experimentally and statistically assessed for the best strength and durability properties of high‐performance concrete (HPC). SF and NP were used as partial replacement Portland cement (PC) by up to 12 and 25 wt.%, respectively. Additionally, the prediction models based on second‐level factorial (SLF) and response surface design (RSD) were formulated to estimate the HPC properties and their validation. The SLF‐based model was further employed to investigate the significance and interactions of the PC, SF, and NP blends. The 28‐day strength of the blended‐cement HPC with a water‐to‐binder ratio (w/b) of 0.25 was generally higher than that of the control concrete. The positive synergy of PC–NP–SF was also observed in the HPC permeability. The paired t‐test of the mean square error (MSE) of the SLF‐ and RSD‐based models revealed that the MSE of the former was notably less than that of the latter. These results established the superiority of the SLF‐based model over the RSD‐based model. Therefore, the SLF‐based model was further employed to investigate the importance of various binders.
The Use of Radial Artery for CABG: An Update
Authors: Nappi Francesco , Bellomo Francesca , Nappi Pierluigi , Chello Camilla , Iervolino Adelaide , Chello Massimo , Acar Christophe
Published: April 2021

We used the radial artery as a second target conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting since 1971. However, randomized clinical studies have demonstrated differences in clinical outcomes between the radial artery and other grafts because these trials are underpowered. As we proceed toward 50 years of experience with radial artery grafting, we examined the literature to define the best second‐best target vessel for coronary artery bypass grafting. The literature was reviewed with emphasis, and a large number of randomized controlled trials, propensity‐matched observational series, and meta‐analyses were identified with a large patient population who received arterial conduit and saphenous vein grafts. The radial artery has been shown to be effective and safe when used as a second target conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting. Results and patency rates were superior to those for saphenous vein grafting. It has also been shown that the radial artery is a safe and effective graft as a third conduit into the territory of the artery right coronary artery. However, there is little evidence based on a few comparable series limiting the use of the gastroepiploic artery. In its fifth decade of use, we can finally deduced that the aorto‐to‐coronary radial bypass graft is the conduit of choice for coronary operations after the left internal thoracic artery to the left anterior descending artery.
Quantitative Evaluation of Top Coal Caving Methods at the Working Face of Extra‐Thick Coal Seams Based on the Random Medium Theory
Authors: Jiulin Shi , Quntao Zhang , Xiaojin Gao , Jisheng Xue
Published: April 2021

Adopting an effective top coal caving method is the key to enhancing coal recovery and reducing gangue content for the fully mechanized top coal caving working face with extra‐thick coal seams. In this study, the movement of coal particles generated during top coal caving is considered to follow a normal distribution. Then, the caving body and coal‐rock settlement along the working face during the caving process are studied based on both the random media theory and probability theory. Accordingly, the optimal caving interval and caving sequences are determined, and a novel interval symmetrical coal caving method is proposed. The proposed method is systematically verified with results from physical similarity tests, and different caving methods are assessed by field tests. The results show the following: (1) The coal‐rock settlement and the caving body demonstrate clear axial symmetrical features along the working face; the size of the caving body increases as the caving height grows and its shape turns progressively from semicircular to semielliptical with a lower foot of the coal‐rock settlement. (2) The caving interval is derived using the sum of the radii of the coal‐rock settlement curves formed by the two largest caving bodies. (3) The symmetrical caving approach provides a symmetrical space for the subsequent movement of the broken top coal, which enables a uniform development of the caving body. (4) Compared with the traditional sequential coal caving method with the same number of supports, the interval symmetrical caving method results in a 21.7% of coal production increase, 17% caving rate promotion, and a shortened caving time by 23.4%. (5) The interval symmetrical caving method is found to improve the controllability of the caving process at the fully mechanized top coal caving working face. In general, this work presents a theoretical approach to select the optimal caving methods for the fully mechanized caving working face in extra‐thick coal seams for an improved production efficiency of the work face. The results of this study can also provide theoretical significance and referencing value for quantitative analyses of the coal caving methods for work faces with similar geological conditions.
EEWMP: An IoT-Based Energy-Efficient Water Management Platform for Smart Irrigation
Authors: Ullah Rafi , Abbas Arbab Waseem , Ullah Mohib , Khan Rafi Ullah , Khan Irfan Ullah , Aslam Nida , Aljameel Sumayh S.
Published: April 2021

Precision agriculture is now essential in today’s world, especially for countries with limited water resources, fertile land, and enormous population. Smart irrigation systems can help countries efficiently utilize fresh water and use the excess water for barren lands. Smart water management platform (SWAMP) is an IoT-based smart irrigation project designed for efficient freshwater utilization in agriculture. The primary aim of SWAMP is to auto manage water reserves, distribution, and consumption of various levels, avoid over-irrigation and under-irrigation problems, and auto manage time to maximize production. This research proposed an energy-efficient water management platform (EEWMP), an improved version of SWAMP. EEWMP is an IoT-based smart irrigation system that uses field-deployed sensors, sinks, fusion centres, and open-source clouds. Both models’ performance is evaluated in energy consumption, network stability period, packet sent to destination, and packet delivery ratio. The experimental results show that EEWMP consumes 30% less energy and increases network stability twice than SWAMP. EEWMP can be used in different irrigation models such as drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, surface irrigation, and lateral move irrigation with subtle alterations. Moreover, it can also be used in small farms of third-world countries with their existing communication infrastructures such as 2G or 3G.
Effect of DLBS1033 on Functional Outcomes for Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Pinzon Rizaldy Taslim , Tjandrawinata Raymond R. , Wijaya Vincent Ongko , Veronica Vanessa
Published: April 2021

Background. There are still some unmet needs for stroke management and safety. DLBS1033 is a protein fraction extracted from the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus that has shown fibrinolytic and fibrinogenolytic activities, reduces blood viscosity, and inhibits platelet aggregation that it can be considered an add-on therapy and potential medical breakthrough in acute ischemic stroke management. Objective. This study is aimed at measuring the benefit of DLBS1033 in acute ischemic stroke management. Methods. This was a randomized, open-label trial at a referral stroke center from November 2019 to December 2020. Subjects who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into a control group and an experimental group. The control group received standard therapy consisting of aspirin 100 mg once daily, atorvastatin 20 mg once daily, and vitamin B12 100 mg three times daily. The experimental group received standard therapy and DLBS1033 three times daily. The functional outcomes were measured using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Barthel Index (BI), and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at baseline, hospital discharge, and day 30. Results. Collected data from 180 subjects was analyzed. The NIHSS scores’ improvements were significantly greater in the experimental group compared to the control group at both hospital discharge (−5.57±2.16vs.−3.64±2.65;p<0.001) and day 30 (−6.62±2.64vs.−5.14±2.41;p=0.001). Compared with the control group, the improvements in the BI scores were significantly better in the experimental group, at both hospital discharge (10.69±5.36vs.6.64±5.04;p<0.001) and day 30 (10.9±8.19vs.8.56±7.45;p=0.003). The distribution of mRS scores was improved in both groups during 30 days of follow-up and was more favorable in the experimental group. In both groups, a favorable outcome (mRS<2) was achieved better at day 30 (86.7% vs. 80%;p=0.302) than at baseline (0% vs. 6.7%;p=0.028) and at hospital discharge (58.9% vs. 43.3%;p=0.085). There was no clinically significant adverse event related to the study product. Conclusions. DLBS1033 in addition to the standard care was more effective in improving functional status compared to standard care alone in acute ischemic stroke patients with a similar safety profile.
Experimental Study on Sand Inrush Hazard of Water-Sand Two-Phase Flow in Broken Rock Mass
Authors: Xu Junce , Pu Hai , Chen Jiarui , Sha Ziheng
Published: April 2021

In the western region of China, coal mining activities are prone to induce water and sand inrush disasters, which seriously threaten the safe production of the coal resources. In this paper, an experimental device was designed to simulate the process of water and sand inrush, and then, the control factors of the disasters in the broken rock mass in the goaf were investigated. Also, the seepage fracture channels in the broken rock mass were simplified by using the 3D printing technology, and the effects of fracture aperture and angle on the seepage characteristics of water-sand mixtures were analyzed. The experimental results showed that the porosity and skeleton structure of the broken rock mass were the key factors to control the water and sand inrush disasters. The smaller the initial porosity of the broken rock mass, the weaker its permeability, and the less probable to form a dominant channel for the water and sand inrush disasters. Conversely, the broken rock mass structure with larger size gradation was more likely to form the permeable channels, and the quality of the sand inrush was greater. In addition, it was also found that the angle of the fractures within the broken rock mass affected the seepage characteristics of water-sand mixture, and the permeability showed an exponential relationship with the fracture angle. Meanwhile, as the fracture aperture increased, the fracture angle generated greater influence on the permeability. Finally, we proposed the water and sand inrush prevention and control technology based on the experiment results. The results of this study can provide a reference for the control of water and sand inrush disasters in western China.
The Construct Validity of Vallerand’s Academic Motivation Scale (AMS)
Authors: Algharaibeh Salem Ali Salem
Published: April 2021

It seems that the academic motivation structure is affected by cultural factors. Many studies have examined the factorial structure of the academic motivation scale (AMS), and the results showed different factorial structures of AMS (e.g., Taghipour Ali Hosein et al. (EL-yazidi and Louzani, 2017) concluded that the scale consists of two dimensions; Natalya and Purwanto (2018) concluded that it consists of three dimensions; Alruaili (2020) concluded that it consists of four dimensions; Abu Awad (2009) concluded that the scale consists of six dimensions). The AMS is one of the most widely used academic motivation measures across the world. It was built on the basis of the self-determination theory. The current study aimed at investigating the factorial structure of the AMS using the exploratory factor analysis (PCA) and the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The AMS was applied to a sample of 401 university students. The results of PCA suggested a three-factor solution (intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and Amotivation), and CFA was conducted for three competing structures (three factors, five factors, and seven factors); the results confirmed the three-factor solution for the AMS. The results also showed that the AMS dimensions had good alpha coefficient values which were greater than the acceptable cut-off value of 0.7. In conclusion, the Jordanian version of the AMS is a valid scale that consists of 24 items loaded on three factors (intrinsic, extrinsic, and Amotivation) for measuring academic motivation.