bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of magnetized CNT-based hybrid nanofluid subjected to convective phenomenon
Authors: Hayat T. , Khan W. A. , Aqsa  , Waqas M. , Abbas S. Z. , Malik M. Y. , Alqahtani A. S.
Published: October 2021

Hybrid nanofluid gains attention of scientists due to its dynamic properties in various fields, and thus, hybrid nanofluids can be taken as an innovative form of nanofluids. Even though analysts acquire tremendous results in the field of hybrid nanofluids but yet no study has been carried out to predict magnetohydrodynamic effects in such fluid models. In this present analysis, influence of MHD has been investigated for the micro hybrid nanofluid over a stretched surface under convective conditions. Combine boundary layer equations for the flow have been altered into a suitable form via boundary layer approximations. Further, complete nonlinear system of equations has been numerically solved via BVP-4C method. Interesting results have been demonstrated for an exponentially stretched surface and expressed in the form of shear stress and rate of heat transfer. Results have also been visualized in the form of streamlines and isotherms. This study reveals after observing the numeric values of skin friction and Nusselt number that micropolar hybrid nanofluid models have greater heat transfer rate as compared to nanofluids.
Robustness of network coherence in asymmetric unicyclic graphs
Authors: Chen Jing , Jing Ting , Sun Weigang
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we propose a family of unicyclic graphs to study robustness of network coherence quantified by the Laplacian spectrum, which measures the extent of consensus under the noise. We adjust the network parameters to change the structural asymmetries with an aim of studying their effects on the coherence. Using the graph’s structures and matrix theories, we obtain closed-form solutions of the network coherence regarding network parameters and network size. We further show that the coherence of the asymmetric graph is higher than the corresponding symmetric graph and also compare the consensus behaviors for the graphs with different asymmetric structures. It displays that the coherence of the unicyclic graph with one hub is better than the graph with two hubs. Finally, we investigate the effect of degree of hub nodes on the coherence and find that bigger difference of degrees leads to better coherence.
Association Loss and Self-Discovery Cross-Camera Anchors Detection for Unsupervised Video-Based Person Re-Identification
Authors: Yuan Xiuhuan , Han Hua , Huang Li
Published: October 2021

With the continuous improvement and development of cameras network, surveillance video has become the data source of the column stream, which greatly promotes the development of cross-camera person re-identification (Re-ID). However, supervised learning requires a lot of effort to manually label cross-cameras pairwise training data, which is lack of scalability and practical in actual video surveillance because there is a lack of well-labeled pairs of positive and negative samples under each camera. For addressing these negative effects, we set judgment conditions by using the association ranking method to self-discover positive and negative track-lets pairs of anchors with none of the pairwise ID labels, thereby defining a triplet loss. In order to optimize association loss for learning effective discriminative feature, the triplet loss adds adaptive weights according to the degree of easy-hard samples to generate an Adaptive Weighted Conditional Triplet Loss. Besides, for increasing the accuracy of self-discovering cross-camera anchors independently, which means successfully mine mutually best-matched track-lets and merge them under cross-camera, we use the top-rank from the intra-camera ranking list as a self-matched query sample which can double verify the matched-degree between top-rank. And eventually, we establish a new Association Loss and Self-Discovery Learning (ALSL) model with a complete end-to-end manner. We use three standard datasets, PRID2011, iLIDS-VID and MARS, to train the model and the experimental results prove that ALSL rank-1 is better than some superior video-based unsupervised person Re-ID methods.
Designing of Low-Power High-Speed Noise Immune CNTFET 1-Trit Unbalanced Ternary Subtractor
Authors: Shrivastava Yogesh , Gupta Tarun Kumar
Published: October 2021

Ternary logic has been demonstrated as a superior contrasting option to binary logic. This paper presents a ternary subtractor circuit in which the input signal is converted into binary. The proposed design is implemented using Carbon Nanotube Field Effect Transistor (CNTFET), a forefront innovation. A correlation has been made in the proposed design on parameters like Power-Delay Product (PDP), Energy Delay Product (EDP), average power consumption, delay and static noise margin. Every one of these parameters is obtained by simulating the circuits on the HSPICE simulator. The proposed design indicates an improvement of 60.14%, 59.34%, 74.98% and 84.28%, respectively, in power consumption, delay, PDP and EDP individually in correlation with recent designs. The increased carbon nanotubes least affect the proposed subtractor design. In noise analysis, the proposed design outperformed all the existing designs.
Investigations on Three-Pole Microstrip Low-Pass Filters Incorporated with DGS and Fractals for Selectivity Improvement
Authors: Krishna Ch. Murali , Das Sudipta , Koley Chaitali , Madhav B. T. P.
Published: October 2021

In this paper, an investigation on compact microstrip low-pass filters (MLPFs) with extremely perfect low-pass characteristics and improved out-band suppression has been carried out for the improvement of the selectivity parameter ([Formula: see text]). For this purpose, two different defected ground structures (DGSs) based on Moore fractals and Meander line have been designed and experimentally validated. The proposed third-order low-pass filter (LPF) configurations are designed and simulated using the High-Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS). To validate the simulation models, the prototypes of the suggested low-pass filters are fabricated using Teflon (TM) substrate having a relative permittivity of 2.65 and a loss tangent of 0.001, and measured using the Vector Network Analyzer. The simulation and measurement results are in good agreement. The proposed filters occupy a compact size of [Formula: see text]. The selectivity parameter values for the proposed Moore fractals- and Meander line-modeled DGS-based LPFs are 425[Formula: see text]dB/GHz and 850[Formula: see text]dB/GHz, respectively. The proposed microstrip low-pass filters offer a significant improvement in the selectivity parameter, offering a maximum value of 850[Formula: see text]dB/GHz. The proposed filters exhibit a very high figure of merit (FOM), reporting 71,335 for Moore fractals-based LPF and 118,354 for the Meander line-based LPF. These proposed filters are suitable for advanced mobile phone services, [Formula: see text]-band radar, Global Positioning System, mobile, paging services, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and wireless LAN.
Asymptotic analysis for a Vlasov–Fokker–Planck/Navier–Stokes system in a bounded domain
Authors: Choi Young-Pil , Jung Jinwook
Published: October 2021

We study an asymptotic analysis of a coupled system of kinetic and fluid equations. More precisely, we deal with the nonlinear Vlasov–Fokker–Planck equation coupled with the compressible isentropic Navier–Stokes system through a drag force in a bounded domain with the specular reflection boundary condition for the kinetic equation and homogeneous Dirichlet boundary condition for the fluid system. We establish a rigorous hydrodynamic limit corresponding to strong noise and local alignment force. The limiting system is a type of two-phase fluid model consisting of the isothermal Euler system and the compressible Navier–Stokes system. Our main strategy relies on the relative entropy argument based on the weak–strong uniqueness principle. For this, we provide a global-in-time existence of weak solutions for the coupled kinetic-fluid system. We also show the existence and uniqueness of strong solutions to the limiting system in a bounded domain with the kinematic boundary condition for the Euler system and Dirichlet boundary condition for the Navier–Stokes system.
Truly two-dimensional black holes under dimensional transitions of spacetime
Authors: Tan Wanpeng
Published: October 2021

A sufficiently massive star in the end of its life will inevitably collapse into a black hole as more deconfined degrees of freedom make the core ever softer. One possible way to avoid the singularity in the end is by dimensional phase transition of spacetime. Indeed, the black hole interior, two-dimensional (2D) in nature, can be described well as a perfect fluid of free massless Majorana fermions and gauge bosons under a 2D supersymmetric mirror model with new understanding of emergent gravity from dimensional evolution of spacetime. In particular, the 2D conformal invariance of the black hole gives rise to desired consistent results for the interior microphysics and structures including its temperature, density and entropy.
A brief note on the limit ω →∞ in Weyl geometrical scalar–tensor theory
Authors: Barros A. , Romero C.
Published: October 2021

We obtain vacuum solutions in the presence of a cosmological constant in the context of the Weyl geometrical scalar–tensor theory. We investigate the limit when [Formula: see text] goes to infinity and show by working out the solutions that in this limit there are some cases in which the scalar field tends to a constant (with the implicit consequence of the geometry becoming Riemannian), although the solutions do not reduce to the corresponding Einstein solutions. We have also extended a previous result, known in the literature, by showing that in the case of vacuum with cosmological constant the field equations of the Weyl geometrical scalar–tensor theory are formally identical to Brans–Dicke field equations, even though these theories are not physically equivalent.
DYNAMIC PROBABILISTIC FORECASTING WITH UNCERTAINTY
Authors: BENTH FRED ESPEN , KUTROLLI GLEDA , STEFANI SILVANA
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we introduce a dynamical model for the time evolution of probability density functions incorporating uncertainty in the parameters. The uncertainty follows stochastic processes, thereby defining a new class of stochastic processes with values in the space of probability densities. The purpose is to quantify uncertainty that can be used for probabilistic forecasting. Starting from a set of traded prices of equity indices, we do some empirical studies. We apply our dynamic probabilistic forecasting to option pricing, where our proposed notion of model uncertainty reduces to uncertainty on future volatility. A distribution of option prices follows, reflecting the uncertainty on the distribution of the underlying prices. We associate measures of model uncertainty of prices in the sense of Cont.
DOES CEMENT CURING CAUSE CONCERNING INCREASE OF THE TEMPERATURE WHEN DELIVERED IN THE HUMAN HUMERUS?
Authors: RUSPI MARIA LUISA , MARRAS DANIELE , CRISTOFOLINI LUCA
Published: October 2021

For the treatment of humeral fractures, numerous strategies exist to improve the clinical outcome of the reconstruction and to reduce the incidence of fixation failure. Injection of acrylic-based cements to reinforce the bone and/or augment the screws is one option. The heat generated during cement polymerization raises some concerns, as it could cause tissue damage. The first aim of this study was to measure the temperature over time during polymerization when acrylic cements are delivered inside the bone to treat fracture. The second aim was to assess if the ISO-5833:2002 standard can predict what happens in a real bone. Different tests were performed using two acrylic-based cements (Mendec and Cal-Cemex): (i) the ISO-5833:2002 standard (Annex C); (ii) tests on human bones (humeral diaphysis and humeral head) injected with cement to simulate fracture treatment. In the humeri, the highest temperature was measured in the diaphysis (68.6∘C for Mendec, 62.7∘C for Cal-Cemex). These values are comparable with the temperature reached in other consolidated applications (vertebroplasty). Exposure to high temperature was shorter for the diaphysis than for the head. For both cements, in both the diaphysis and the head, temperatures exceeded 48∘C for less than 10[Formula: see text]min. This is within the threshold for tissue necrosis. The ISO-5833:2002 yielded significantly different results in terms of maximum temperature (difference exceeding 15∘C) and exposure to temperature above 48∘C and 45∘C. This discrepancy is probably due to a combination of factors affecting the amount of heat produced and dissipated (e.g., amount and shape of the cement, thermal conductivity).
STATISTICAL PROPERTIES OF RANKINGS IN SPORTS AND GAMES
Authors: MORALES JOSÉ ANTONIO , FLORES JORGE , GERSHENSON CARLOS , PINEDA CARLOS
Published: October 2021

Any collection can be ranked. Sports and games are common examples of ranked systems: players and teams are constantly ranked using different methods. The statistical properties of rankings have been studied for almost a century in a variety of fields. More recently, data availability has allowed us to study rank dynamics: how elements of a ranking change in time. Here, we study the rank distributions and rank dynamics of 12 datasets from different sports and games. To study rank dynamics, we consider measures that we have defined previously: rank diversity, change probability, rank entropy, and rank complexity. We also introduce a new measure that we call “system closure” that reflects how many elements enter or leave the rankings in time. We use a random walk model to reproduce the observed rank dynamics, showing that a simple mechanism can generate similar statistical properties as the ones observed in the datasets. Our results show that while rank distributions vary considerably for different rankings, rank dynamics have similar behaviors, independently of the nature and competitiveness of the sport or game and its ranking method. Our results also suggest that our measures of rank dynamics are general and applicable for complex systems of different natures.
On the number of semismooth integers
Authors: Suzuki Koji
Published: October 2021

Let [Formula: see text] be a fixed positive number. Define [Formula: see text] as the number of positive integers [Formula: see text] having no prime factors [Formula: see text], and define [Formula: see text] as the number of positive integers [Formula: see text] having [Formula: see text] prime factors [Formula: see text], with all the other prime factors [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we give an asymptotic estimate for the ratio [Formula: see text], provided that [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] as [Formula: see text]. Also, combining this estimate with conventional ones for [Formula: see text], we provide sharp estimates for [Formula: see text].
Investigations on Electrochemical Performance of Hausmannite Manganese Oxide Nanoparticles in KOH and Na2SO4 Electrolytes for Energy Storage Applications
Authors: Vignesh G. , Ranjithkumar R. , Devendran P. , Nallamuthu N. , Lakshmanan P. , Sudhahar S. , Kumar M. Krishna
Published: October 2021

The hausmannite phase manganese oxide nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by a simple chemical reflux method. Powder X-ray diffraction shows the well-crystalline structure of Mn3O4 spinel. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy study exhibited the Mn–O functional group vibrations in the hausmannite NPs. UV–visible spectroscopy study reveals that the optical bandgap energy of the manganese oxide nanoparticles is about 3.1[Formula: see text]eV. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis shows that the surface morphologies of the manganese oxide nanoparticles are wrinkle structures. Cyclic voltammetry studies were carried out to the electrode of Mn3O4 NPs in KOH and Na2SO4. The charge–discharge analysis and impedance spectroscopy method analysis were made on Mn3O4 NPs to understand the electrochemical performance. The ability of synthesized Mn3O4 NPs electrodes was analyzed and compared with the existing materials for the supercapacitor applications.
Some properties of subgroup complementary addition Cayley graphs on abelian groups
Authors: Palanivel Naveen , Velu Chithra A.
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we introduce subgroup complementary addition Cayley graph [Formula: see text] and compute its graph invariants. Also, we prove that [Formula: see text] if and only if [Formula: see text] for all [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text].
A stochastic SIR model for analysis of testosterone suppression of CRH-stimulated cortisol in men
Authors: Manickam A. , Kumar Pushpendra , Dasunaidu K. , Govindaraj V. , Joshi Dheeraj Kumar
Published: October 2021

A stochastic SIR influenza vertical transmission model is examined in this paper where vaccination and an incidence rate that is not linear are considered. To determine whether testosterone regulates lower sintering HPA axis function in males, we used a stochastic SIR epidemic procedure with divergent influences on ACTH and cortisol. The suppressive effects on cortisol can be attributed to a peripheral (adrenal) locus. Following that, we came to the conclusion that experimental solutions have been discovered and the requisite statistical findings have been examined. Finally, we deduce that the given mathematical model and the results are relevant to medical research. In the future, this research can be further extended to simulate more results in the medical field.
Partial isometries, duality, and determinantal point processes
Authors: Katori Makoto , Shirai Tomoyuki
Published: October 2021

A determinantal point process (DPP) is an ensemble of random nonnegative-integer-valued Radon measures [Formula: see text] on a space S with measure [Formula: see text], whose correlation functions are all given by determinants specified by an integral kernel K called the correlation kernel. We consider a pair of Hilbert spaces, [Formula: see text], which are assumed to be realized as [Formula: see text]-spaces, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and introduce a bounded linear operator [Formula: see text] and its adjoint [Formula: see text]. We show that if [Formula: see text] is a partial isometry of locally Hilbert–Schmidt class, then we have a unique DPP [Formula: see text] associated with [Formula: see text]. In addition, if [Formula: see text] is also of locally Hilbert–Schmidt class, then we have a unique pair of DPPs, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]. We also give a practical framework which makes [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] satisfy the above conditions. Our framework to construct pairs of DPPs implies useful duality relations between DPPs making pairs. For a correlation kernel of a given DPP our formula can provide plural different expressions, which reveal different aspects of the DPP. In order to demonstrate these advantages of our framework as well as to show that the class of DPPs obtained by this method is large enough to study universal structures in a variety of DPPs, we report plenty of examples of DPPs in one-, two- and higher-dimensional spaces S, where several types of weak convergence from finite DPPs to infinite DPPs are given. One-parameter ([Formula: see text]) series of infinite DPPs on [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are discussed, which we call the Euclidean and the Heisenberg families of DPPs, respectively, following the terminologies of Zelditch.
Automating App Review Response Generation Based on Contextual Knowledge
Authors: Gao Cuiyun , Zhou Wenjie , Xia Xin , Lo David , Xie Qi , Lyu Michael R.
Published: October 2021

User experience of mobile apps is an essential ingredient that can influence the user base and app revenue. To ensure good user experience and assist app development, several prior studies resort to analysis of app reviews, a type of repository that directly reflects user opinions about the apps. Accurately responding to the app reviews is one of the ways to relieve user concerns and thus improve user experience. However, the response quality of the existing method relies on the pre-extracted features from other tools, including manually labelled keywords and predicted review sentiment, which may hinder the generalizability and flexibility of the method. In this article, we propose a novel neural network approach, named CoRe, with the contextual knowledge naturally incorporated and without involving external tools. Specifically, CoRe integrates two types of contextual knowledge in the training corpus, including official app descriptions from app store and responses of the retrieved semantically similar reviews, for enhancing the relevance and accuracy of the generated review responses. Experiments on practical review data show that CoRe can outperform the state-of-the-art method by 12.36% in terms of BLEU-4, an accuracy metric that is widely used to evaluate text generation systems.
Nonlinear Dynamics of a Blade Rotor with Coupled Rubbing of Labyrinth Seal and Tip Seal
Authors: Zhang Huabiao , Li Xinye , Wang Dongai , Liu Tingting
Published: October 2021

The dynamic response and its stability of a blade rotor with coupled rubbing in the labyrinth seal and tip seal are investigated. The dynamic equations are established based on the Hertz contact rubbing force at the labyrinth seal and the tip rubbing force considering both the contact deformation of the tip seal and the bending deformation of the blade. Numerical simulations show that the coupled rubbing response includes periodic motions, almost periodic motions, and chaotic motions. Compared with the single rubbing fault, coupled rubbing increases the range of rotation velocity of contact. A new continuation shooting method is used in the solution and stability analysis of the periodic response to give the bifurcation diagrams. The paths of the system for entering and exiting chaos are analyzed.
Bioinformatic Evidence Reveals that Cell Cycle Correlated Genes Drive the Communication between Tumor Cells and the Tumor Microenvironment and Impact the Outcomes of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Chen Dongdong , Feng Zhijun , Zhou Mingzhen , Ren Zhijian , Zhang Fan , Li Yumin
Published: October 2021

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive cancer type with poor prognosis; thus, there is especially necessary and urgent to screen potential prognostic biomarkers for early diagnosis and novel therapeutic targets. In this study, we downloaded target data sets from the GEO database, and obtained codifferentially expressed genes using the limma R package and identified key genes through the protein–protein interaction network and molecular modules, and performed GO and KEGG pathway analyses for key genes via the clusterProfiler package and further determined their correlations with clinicopathological features using the Oncomine database. Survival analysis was completed in the GEPIA and the Kaplan–Meier plotter database. Finally, correlations between key genes, cell types infiltrated in the tumor microenvironment (TME), and hypoxic signatures were explored based on the TIMER database. From the results, 11 key genes related to the cell cycle were determined, and high levels of these key genes’ expression were focused on advanced and higher grade status HCC patients, as well as in samples of TP53 mutation and vascular invasion. Besides, the 11 key genes were significantly associated with poor prognosis of HCC and also were positively related to the infiltration level of MDSCs in the TME and the HIF1A and VEGFA of hypoxic signatures, but a negative correlation was found with endothelial cells (ECs) and hematopoietic stem cells. The result determined that 11 key genes (RRM2, NDC80, ECT2, CCNB1, ASPM, CDK1, PRC1, KIF20A, DTL, TOP2A, and PBK) could play a vital role in the pathogenesis of HCC, drive the communication between tumor cells and the TME, and act as probably promising diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic biomarkers in HCC patients.
Prevalence of Three-Rooted Deciduous Mandibular Molars in the Children of Northwestern Iran
Authors: Khosrozadeh Maryam , Mostafavi Maryam , Hamrah Mohammad Hassan , Niknejad Elham
Published: October 2021

Introduction. Although primary teeth have a determinative role in development of normal occlusion, few studies about anomalies related to deciduous dentition have been conducted so far. Regarding recent improvements in common knowledge and the importance of maintaining primary teeth until eruption of succedaneous teeth, identifying the morphology of primary teeth and probable variations is of great importance to achieve optimal therapeutic outcome. This study aims to determine the prevalence of three-rooted mandibular primary molars in a population of northwestern Iran. Materials and Methods. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, periapical radiographs of patients attending private oral and maxillofacial radiology offices in the northwestern region of Iran from 2017 to 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of

300

cases in the 3–

10

-year age range having bilateral periapical radiographs from mandibular primary molars were screened. First and second primary molars were observed meticulously. Gender, side of the mandible (right or left), symmetry, overall prevalence, and prevalence considering the type of molar (D or E) were recorded and analyzed. Results. Overall prevalence of three-rooted mandibular primary molars was

9.33
%

(

 
28
/
300

),

92.9
%

of which were unilateral. The prevalence of teeth showing supernumerary roots among all teeth examined was

2.5
%

(

30
/
1200

). Considering symmetry and gender, the occurrence of these three-rooted primary molars did not differ significantly (respectively,

p
=
0.832

and

p
=
0.541

). However, there was a significant relationship between the occurrence of supernumerary roots and left side for three-rooted first molars and right side for three-rooted second molars (

p
=
0.021

). Conclusion. Obtained data show that three-rooted mandibular primary molars in children of northwest region of Iran have a prevalence of approximately

10
 

% which urges some specific considerations in exodontic and endodontic procedures.
Double Laplace Decomposition Method and Finite Difference Method of Time-fractional Schrödinger Pseudoparabolic Partial Differential Equation with Caputo Derivative
Authors: Modanli Mahmut , Bajjah Bushra
Published: October 2021

In this paper, an initial-boundary value problem for a one-dimensional linear time-dependent fractional Schrödinger pseudoparabolic partial differential equation with Caputo derivative of order

α
∈

0,1

is being considered. Two strong numerical methods are employed to acquire the solutions to the problem. The first method used is the double Laplace decomposition method where closed-form solutions are obtained for any

α
∈

0,1

. As the second method, the implicit finite difference scheme is applied to obtain the approximate solutions. To clarify the performance of these two methods, numerical results are presented. The stability of the problem is also investigated.
Preventive Effect of Egg Membrane Protein Supplementation on Dragon Boat Sports Injury under the Monitoring of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data
Authors: Shao Xianfang , Ye Wenping
Published: October 2021

Dragon boat is an excellent traditional national sport in China, with excellent fitness results. Based on the country’s strong support for traditional national sports, the dragon boat has developed into a traditional national sport with specific influence and popularity among the masses. Eggshell membrane (ESM) has the effect of relieving arthritis, joint pain, and joint stiffness. The supplementary ESM’s preventive effect on sports injuries has attracted people’s attention. Based on this, this article builds a sports injury prediction model under artificial intelligence and big data monitoring to accurately predict the injuries suffered by athletes, provide help to reduce athletes’ injuries during training, and promote the development of dragon boat sports. This article selects 20 members of a dragon boat team from a university and randomly divides them into a control group (supplement of equal amounts of whey protein), a normal group, an ESM low-dose group (26 mg/kg bw/d), and an ESM high-dose group (52 mg/kg bw/d), with 5 people in each group. The subjects were subjected to downhill exercise and immune stimulation experiments. Among them, the subjects in the control group performed downhill exercise for 12 hours, and they were tested for lactic acid (LAC), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), urea, malondialdehyde (MDA), hemoglobin (Hb), blood creatinine (CRE), and other related physical and chemical indicators. The other three groups of subjects did not take low-dose and high-dose ESM for 7 consecutive days and were injected with lipopolysaccharide on the 8th day for immune stimulation and tested for interferon (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukins (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10), and other related cytokines. The results show that oral egg membrane protein (ESM) can reduce subjects’ serum LAC, LDH, urea, MDA, Hb, and CRE concentration. In addition, the ESM can reduce the expression of proinflammatory factors IL-1β and TNF-α, while increasing the expression of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10, which provides clinical data for the clinical use of ESM as a supplement for sports injury or for relieving arthritis symptoms. The study shows that egg membrane protein has a protective effect against sports injury and may be regulated by inflammatory factors.
Predictors of postoperative hospital length of stay after total knee arthroplasty
Authors: Tornese Davide , Robustelli Alessandro , Ricci Gabriele , Rancoita Paola Maria Vittoria , Maffulli Nicola , Peretti Giuseppe Michele
Published: October 2021

Introduction:

We aimed to collect and analyse clinical and functional variables of patients undergoing rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), to identify the variables that influence the postoperative hospital length of stay (LOS).

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of 1,082 consecutive patients (746 females and 336 males) who underwent primary TKA and rehabilitation in our orthopaedic institute between January 2013 and July 2017. Clinical and anthropometric data were analysed using a multivariate linear regression model.

Results:

The average LOS was 5.08 ± 2.52 days in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and 12.67 ± 5.54 days in the Sports Rehabilitation Unit. Factors such as age, female sex and the presence of comorbidities were predictive of a longer stay. The presence of caregiver assistance at home was associated with shorter LOS. There was no evidence of a statistically significant positive association between body mass index and LOS.

Conclusion:

An in-depth and early knowledge of factors that influence LOS may enable the multidisciplinary team to plan a patient-tailored rehabilitation path and better allocate resources to maximise patients’ functional recovery, while reducing LOS and the overall cost of the procedure.
Time to intubation with McGrath™ videolaryngoscope versus direct laryngoscope in powered air-purifying respirator: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Goh Qing Yuan , Lie Sui An , Tan Zihui , Tan Pei Yi Brenda , Ng Shin Yi , Abdullah Hairil Rizal
Published: October 2021

Introduction:

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, multiple guidelines have recommended videolaryngoscope (VL) for tracheal intubation. However, there is no evidence that VL reduces time to tracheal intubation, and this is important for COVID-19 patients with respiratory failure.

Methods:

To simulate intubation of COVID-19 patients, we randomly assigned 28 elective surgical patients to be intubated with either McGrath™ MAC VL or direct laryngoscope (DL) by specialist anaesthetists who donned 3M™ Jupiter™ powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR) and N95 masks. The primary outcome was time to intubation.

Results:

The median time to intubation was 61 s (interquartile range [IQR] 37–63 s) and 41.5 s (IQR 37–56 s) in the VL and DL groups, respectively (P = 0.35). The closest mean distance between the anaesthetist and patient during intubation was 21.6 ± 4.8 cm and 17.6 ± 5.3 cm in the VL and DL groups, respectively (P = 0.045). There were no significant differences in the median intubation difficulty scale scores, proportion of successful intubations at the first laryngoscopic attempt and proportion of intubations requiring adjuncts. All the patients underwent successful intubation with no adverse event.

Conclusion:

There was no significant difference in the time to intubation of elective surgical patients with either McGrath™ VL or DL by specialist anaesthetists who donned PAPR and N95 masks. The distance between the anaesthetist and patient was significantly greater with VL. When resources are limited or disrupted during a pandemic, DL could be a viable alternative to VL for specialist anaesthetists.
Image quality, contrast enhancement and radiation dose of electrocardiograph- versus non-electrocardiograph-triggered computed tomography angiography of the aorta
Authors: Wong Ying Mei , Ong Ching Ching , Liang Chong Ri , Tan Choon Ann , Teo Lynette Li San
Published: October 2021

Introduction:

Computed tomography angiography of the aorta (CTAA) is the modality of choice for investigating aortic disease. Our aim was to evaluate the image quality, contrast enhancement and radiation dose of electrocardiograph (ECG)-triggered and non-ECG-triggered CTAA on a 256-slice single-source CT scanner. This allows the requesting clinician and the radiologist to balance radiation risk and image quality.

Methods:

We retrospectively assessed the data of 126 patients who had undergone CTAA on a single-source CT scanner using ECG-triggered (group 1, n = 77) or non-ECG-triggered (group 2, n = 49) protocols. Radiation doses were compared. Qualitative (4-point scale) and quantitative image quality assessments were performed.

Results:

The mean volume CT dose index, dose length product and effective dose in group 1 were 12.4 ± 1.9 mGy, 765.8 ± 112.4 mGy cm and 13.0 ± 1.9 mSv, respectively. These were significantly higher compared to group 2 values (9.1 ± 2.6 mGy, 624.1 ± 174.8 mGy cm and 10.6 ± 3.0 mSv, respectively) (P < 0.001). Qualitative assessment showed the image quality at the aortic root–proximal ascending aorta was significantly higher in group 1 (median 3) than in group 2 (median 2, P < 0.001). Quantitative assessment showed significantly better mean arterial attenuation, signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio in ECG-triggered CTAA compared to non-ECG-triggered CTAA.

Conclusion:

ECG-triggered CTAA in a single-source scanner has superior image quality and vessel attenuation of aortic root/ascending aorta, but a higher radiation dose of approximately 23%. Its use should be considered specifically when assessing aortic root/ascending aorta pathology.
Islam Is Not a “Religion” – Global Religious History and Early Twentieth-Century Debates in British Malaya
Authors: Maltese Giovanni
Published: October 2021

Lately, Islamicists have called to discard “religion” as a conceptual tool and/or to use the “Qurʾānic term” dīn instead, arguing that “religion” entails Eurocentric bias. Analyzing how Fazl-ur-Rahman Ansari conceptualized Islam and religion in the late 1930s and early 1940s, this article presents a threefold argument. Firstly, I argue that a global history approach which examines in a poststructuralist framework how “Islam” and “religion” are used in concrete contexts is better suited to address the problem of Eurocentrism in both Religious Studies and Islamic Studies. Secondly, I challenge the scholarly thesis that twentieth-century Southeast Asian intellectual debates which referred to Islam as religion were mere emulators of debates conducted in the “West.” Instead of assuming isolated histories and ignoring Southeast Asian debates, I contend that the current use of and debates about conceptualizations of Islam as/and religion are the product of one and the same discourse – a result of global negotiation processes in which Europeans were as involved as Southeast Asia-based non-Europeans, even if they did not speak from the same position of power. Finally, I submit that the approach of global religious history opens new perspectives on contemporary Malaysian politics.
The nomenclatural status of the amphibian and reptile nomina introduced by  La Cepède in his Histoire Naturelle des Quadrupèdes Ovipares et des Serpens, with comments on various questions of zoological nomenclature
Authors: DUBOIS ALAIN , FRÉTEY THIERRY , LORVELEC OLIVIER , OHLER ANNEMARIE
Published: October 2021

The ‘suppression’ (invalidation) for nomenclatural purposes by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature of the work Histoire Naturelle des Quadrupèdes Ovipares et des Serpens first published by La Cepède from 1788 to 1790 brought no benefit of any kind to zoological taxonomy and nomenclature but generated several nomenclatural problems. Here we review the history of the many discussions and proposals, as well as the successive and contradictory decisions of the Commission, regarding this work and the new nomina it contains, and we make new proposals to solve some of the problems created by these decisions. We suggest the Commission should take the initiative to restore nomenclatural availability to 18 nomina of La Cepède invalidated or of unclear status following its previous actions. More generally, we think that the use of the Plenary Power by the Commission should be more strictly regulated and made less easy and straightforward, and that the whole invalidation of complete works that have been considered as nomenclaturally available for a very long time in many works (e.g., 100 works in the 100 immediately preceding years) should be forbidden, and that the Commission should rather concentrate its attention and action on nomina rather than on works. Besides, we show that the snake nomen Coluber trigonocephalus Donndorff, 1798, currently considered valid, is invalid, and should be replaced by the nomen Coluber capitetriangulatus Bonnaterre, 1790.
Reconstructing Nanohydroxyapatite Prosthesis Based on CT-Scanning Data and Its Application in Spinal Injury
Authors: Wang Jian , Li Ying , Xu Ting , Zhao Jie , Yuan Cuihua , Wen Baojun
Published: October 2021

This study investigated the nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) prosthesis application effect based on CT-scanning data in spinal injury. This study chose 26 spinal injury patients treated in our hospital from September 2017 to September 2018, who were randomly divided into two groups. nHA prosthesis
based on CT-scanning data was implanted in the nHA group, whereas titanium mesh was implanted in the titanium mesh group. Consequently, osteoblasts were cultured to test the biological activity of nHA and titanium alloy. In cell tests, we found osteoblasts could better adhere to nHA, and proliferation
and activity were higher when planted on nHA material. After surgical treatment, all patients’ spinal symptoms (VAS score, JOA score, and Cobb angle) had improved and did not cause obvious inflammatory foreign body reactions. During a two-year follow-up, the fusion time and support settlement
in the nHA group was lower, and the vertebral fusion rate and ASIA score were higher than those in the titanium mesh group. Thus, CT-scanning data could further improve the vertebral fusion rate in the nHA group. Consequentially, nHA prosthesis based on CT-scanning data is a better choice
for spinal injury therapy.
Chitosan Nanoparticles Loaded with TGF-β1 Inhibit Cervical Cancer Cell Progression Through Down-Regulation of MicroRNA-155 and Activation of Tim-3 Pathway
Authors: Yan Meiling , Zhang Yali , Chang Shanshan
Published: October 2021

Chemically modified chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) are capable of releasing their own substances to target cells or tissues, improving microenvironment and promoting wound healing. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanism underlying chitosan NPs loaded with TGF-β1
participating in cervical cancer (CC) progression. TGF-β1-loaded-chitosan NPs were prepared and particle size distribution, zeta potential and encapsulation efficiency of NPs were determined. MTT assay assessed the toxicity of NPs to macrophages. CC cells were co-cultured with
TGF-β1-loaded chitosan NPs (experimental group) or pure chitosan NPs (control group) and cells were cultured alone to produce control group. After treatment, flow cytometry was conducted to detect apoptosis and cycle. Cancer cell migration was evaluated by Transwell assay, and
miR-155 and Tim-3 expression was determined. At a ratio of 2:1 chitosan and TGF-β1, the particle size was102.65±11.98 nm, which was smallest, with high encapsulation rate of 81.26%, and low potential of 1.46±1.71. NP toxicity increased as concentration rose and relative
cell proliferation rate was >80%, indicated as non-toxic. CC tissues had positive expression of CD163 and TGF-β1 (95%) (p < 0.05). Treatment with TGF-β1-loaded chitosan NPs induced increased apoptosis rate of 9.13±2.15%, reduced migration (67.65±9.91)
and invaded cells (19.98±3.41), causing cell accumulation in the S phase when compared to the blank and control groups (p < 0.05). Besides, experimental group exhibited lower expression of miR-155 (0.39±0.59) and higher expression of Tim-3 (2.87± 0.51), which
was higher than the blank group and control group. The optimal concentration ratio for producing TGF-β1-loaded chitosan NPs was 2:1, with less toxicity. The composite NPs suppressed malignant characteristics of CC cells through down-regulation of miR-155 and activation of Tim-3
signal pathway on the surface of macrophages, promoting secretion of macrophage inflammatory factors.
Nanobead-Based Screening Method for Antibody Pairing of Dengue Virus Nonstructural Protein-1
Authors: Chen Zhixin , He Shuzhen , Xu Ruixian , Han Qinqin , Xia Xueshan , Song Yuzhu , Zhang Jinyang
Published: October 2021

Dengue fever is a classic mosquito viral disease. Dengue virus non-structural protein-1 as a membrane-associated homologous dimer anchored to the surface of infected cells and also secreted into the blood. The nonstructural protein-1 levels are related to disease severity, and the presence of nonstructural protein-1 secreted from cells to the serum of people infected with the dengue virus is an early marker of infection. Paired antibodies are key in the establishment of rapid detection technology. In this study, the prepared recombinant nonstructural protein-1 protein of dengue virus serotype 3 was purified by the prokaryotic expression, and prepared monoclonal antibodies by cell fusion. A method for paired antibody screening was established based on the N-hydroxy succinimide-nanobeads and the prepared monoclonal antibodies. A simple and rapid point-of-care system integrating the paired antibodies and lateral flow assay was established to verify the screened antibody pairs. The results confirmed that the antibody pair screening method based on N-hydroxy succinimide-nanobeads is feasible.
Multifunctional Zinc Oxide/Silver Bimetallic Nanomaterial-Loaded Nanofibers for Enhanced Tissue Regeneration and Wound Healing
Authors: Li Mao , Hu Min , Zeng Honglian , Yang Bo , Zhang Yi , Li Ziwei , Lu Laichun , Ming Yue
Published: October 2021

Native skin repair requires wound care products that not only protect the wound from bacterial infection, but also accelerate wound closure and minimize scarring. Nanomaterials have been widely applied for wound healing due to their multifunctional properties. In a previous study, we
prepared and characterized electrospinning zinc oxide/silver/polyvinylpyrrolidone/polycaprolactone (ZnO/Ag/PVP/PCL) nanofibers using ZnO and Ag nanoparticles, and evaluated their antibacterial effect in vitro. In this work, further characterization studies were performed, which confirmed
that the ZnO/Ag nanoparticles were physically embedded and evenly distributed in the ZnO/Ag/PVP/PCL nanofibers, enabling the sustained release of Ag and Zn. In addition, the bimetallic nanofibers showed satisfactory fluid handling and flexibility. In vivo wound healing and histology
studies showed that the ZnO/Ag/PVP/PCL nanofibers had a better anti-inflammatory, skin tissue regeneration, and wound healing effect than monometallic nanofibers or a commercially available wound plaster (Yunnan Baiyao). Therefore, ZnO/Ag/PVP/PCL bimetallic nanofibers may be a safe, efficient
biomedical dressing for wound healing.
Atorvastatin (ATV)-Loaded Lipid Bilayer-Coated Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Enhance the Therapeutic Efficacy of Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Zhao Guanjie , Li Na , Yin Min , Xu Mingzhu
Published: October 2021

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) increases the risk of chronic kidney disease. Atorvastatin (ATV)-loaded lipid bilayer-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (L-AMSNs) were synthesized, and their physicochemical parameters were characterized. L-AMSNs exhibited excellent
stability; it did not increase in size over time, indicating that the lipid membrane coating prohibited mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) coalescence. Results: The rate of drug release differed significantly between AMSNs and L-AMSNs at all tested time points. A remarkable improvement
in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) viability was observed after treatment with L-AMSNs; the malondialdehyde (MDA) level was significantly reduced compared to control cells. The extent of apoptosis was only 15% that of control
H2O2-treated cells. L-AMSNs induced a remarkable decrease in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α and interleukin [IL]-6), showing the therapeutic potential of nanocarrier-based ATV. L-AMSNs significantly increased the superoxide
dismutase level and decreased the MDA level, indicating superior anti-inflammatory activity under conditions of oxidative stress. The L-AMSN showed a remarkable improvement in the outer stripe of outer medulla (OSOM) region and maintained the tubular structure of the kidney tissue. Besides,
kidney injury score of L-AMSN is significantly lower compared to that of LPS-AKI and ATV indicating the excellent therapeutic efficacy of nanoparticulate system based L-AMSN. Conclusions: Nanoparticles system-based L-AMSNs maintained the tubular structure of kidney tissue, indicating
excellent therapeutic efficacy. After clinical translation, L-AMSNs could serve as a promising treatment for AKI.