bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Single Molecule Electronics
Authors: Lindsay S M
Published: March 2021

Most people date modern interest in using molecules as electronic devices to the publication of a classic paper by Aviram and Ratner. Their paper outlined a scheme for a molecular rectifier and drew attention to the concept of using molecules as incredibly small electronic components. Despite thirty years of subsequent research, a central challenge remains: How can molecules be connected between wires to make useful molecular electronic devices?
Carbon-Based Molecular Electronic Junctions
Authors: McCreery Richard
Published: March 2021

A molecular junction is conceptually a combination of classical electron transfer (ET) phenomena with the practical microelectronic structure known as a “two-terminal device.” ET within and between molecules, such as donor-acceptor molecules and biological reaction centers, has been a very active research topic, recognized by the Nobel Prize in 1992 to Rudolph Marcus.
Choice-related activity and neural encoding in primary auditory cortex and lateral belt during feature-selective attention
Authors: Mohn Jennifer L. , Downer Joshua D. , O’Connor Kevin N. , Johnson Jeffrey S. , Sutter Mitchell L.
Published: March 2021

We recorded from primary and secondary auditory cortex while monkeys performed a nonspatial feature attention task. Both areas exhibited rate-based choice-related activity. The manifestation of choice-related activity was attention dependent, suggesting that choice-related activity in auditory cortex does not simply reflect arousal or motor influences but relates to the specific perceptual choice.
Differential neural plasticity of individual fingers revealed by fMRI neurofeedback
Authors: Oblak Ethan , Lewis-Peacock Jarrod , Sulzer James
Published: March 2021

It may be possible to remobilize fingers after neurological injury by altering neural activity patterns. Toward this end, we examined whether finger-related neural activity patterns could be modified in healthy individuals without physical intervention, using fMRI neurofeedback. Our findings show that greater variability of neural patterns at baseline predicted a participant’s ability to successfully shift these patterns. Because neural variability is common in individuals poststroke, this illustrates a potential clinical benefit of this procedure.
Development and Evaluation of Nomograms to Predict the Cancer‐Specific Mortality and Overall Mortality of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Ni Xiaofeng , Li Ding , Dai Shengjie , Pan Hao , Sun Hongwei , Ao Jianyang , Chen Lei , Kong Hongru
Published: March 2021

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type among primary liver cancers (PLC). With its poor prognosis and survival rate, it is necessary for HCC patients to have a long‐term follow‐up. We believe that there are currently no relevant reports or literature about nomograms for predicting the cancer‐specific mortality of HCC patients. Therefore, the primary goal of this study was to develop and evaluate nomograms to predict cancer‐specific mortality and overall mortality. Data of 45,158 cases of HCC patients were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program database between 2004 and 2013, which were then utilized to develop the nomograms. Finally, the performance of the nomograms was evaluated by the concordance index (C‐index) and the area under the time‐dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (td‐AUC). The categories selected to develop a nomogram for predicting cancer‐specific mortality included marriage, insurance, radiotherapy, surgery, distant metastasis, lymphatic metastasis, tumor size, grade, sex, and the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage; while the marriage, radiotherapy, surgery, AJCC stage, grade, race, sex, and age were selected to develop a nomogram for predicting overall mortality. The C‐indices for predicted 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year cancer‐specific mortality were 0.792, 0.776, and 0.774; the AUC values for 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year cancer‐specific mortality were 0.830, 0.830, and 0.830. The C‐indices for predicted 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year overall mortality were 0.770, 0.755, and 0.752; AUC values for predicted 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year overall mortality were 0.820, 0.820, and 0.830. The results showed that the nomograms possessed good agreement compared with the observed outcomes. It could provide clinicians with a personalized predicted risk of death information to evaluate the potential changes of the disease‐specific condition so that clinicians can adjust therapy options when combined with the actual condition of the patient, which is beneficial to patients.
Existence of Solution for a Fractional Langevin System with Nonseparated Integral Boundary Conditions
Authors: Ibnelazyz Lahcen , Guida Karim , Hilal Khalid , Melliani Said
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we investigate the existence and uniqueness of a coupled system of nonlinear fractional Langevin equations with nonseparated type integral boundary conditions. We use Banach’s and Krasnoselskii’s fixed point theorems to obtain the results. Lastly, we give two examples to show the effectiveness of the main results.
Cudrania tricuspidata Root Extract Prevents Methylglyoxal‐Induced Inflammation and Oxidative Stress via Regulation of the PKC‐NOX4 Pathway in Human Kidney Cells
Authors: Kim Donghee , Cheon Jayeon , Yoon Haelim , Jun Hee-Sook
Published: March 2021

Diabetic nephropathy is a microvascular complication induced by diabetes, and methylglyoxal (MGO) is a reactive carbonyl species causing oxidative stress that contributes to the induction of inflammatory response in kidney cells. Cudrania tricuspidata (CT), cultivated in Northeast Asia, has been used as traditional medicine for treating various diseases, including neuritis, liver damage, and cancer. In this study, we determined whether a CT root extract (CTRE) can prevent MGO‐induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and inflammation and assessed underlying mechanisms using a kidney epithelial cell line, HK‐2. We observed that CTRE inhibited MGO‐induced ROS production. Additionally, CTRE ameliorated the activation of MGO‐induced inflammatory signaling pathways such as p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK), extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK), and c‐JUN N‐terminal kinase (JNK). Consistent with these results, expressions of p‐nuclear factor‐kappa B (NFκB) and inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐ (IL‐) 1β, and IL‐6, were decreased when compared with MGO‐only exposed HK‐2 cells. CTRE alleviated the MGO‐induced decrease in nuclear factor (erythroid‐derived 2)‐like 2 (Nrf2) and antioxidant enzyme mRNA expressions. MGO induced the expression of NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4); CTRE pretreatment inhibited this induction. Further studies revealed that the NOX4 expression was inhibited owing to the suppression of MGO‐induced protein kinase C (PKC) activation following CTRE treatment. Collectively, our data suggest that CTRE attenuates MGO‐induced inflammation and oxidative stress via inhibition of PKC activation and NOX4 expression, as well as upregulating the Nrf2‐antioxidant enzyme pathway in HK‐2 cells.
Influences of Cognitive Structure Variables on Miners’ Unsafe Behavior Intentions
Authors: Shi Gonglong , Tan Haisong , Li Hongxia , Wang Qian , Tian Shuicheng
Published: March 2021

In order to study the influence of cognitive structure variables on miners’ unsafe behavior intentions, using TPB as the basic theoretical framework, a hypothesis model of miners’ unsafe behavior intentions was constructed including three cognitive structure variables of risk perception, behavior experience, and safety awareness. The statistical results of 236 valid questionnaires were used to verify the authenticity of the model; the structural equation model was used to investigate and reveal the influence path of cognitive structure variables on miners’ unsafe behavior intentions. This study shows that risk perception, behavior experience, and safety awareness have a significant positive impact on miners’ unsafe behavior intentions. Behavior intentions have a guiding effect on behavioral outcomes. By adopting interventions, miners can be guided to reduce unsafe behaviors to avoid production safety accidents.
Avifauna Diversity in the Gate between Humid Atlas and Saharan Desert: Midelt Province, Morocco
Authors: Mansouri Ismail , Squalli Wafae , El Agy Abdelbari , Ben Hichou Badr , El Hassani Abderahim , El Ghadraoui Lahcen , Dakki Mohamed
Published: March 2021

The analysis of biological diversity at a regional scale is the first step to understand and classify the biological importance of a specific region and therefore the adoption of implementing conservation strategies. We conducted weekly bird counts by using the point count method from January 2015 to December 2017 in Midelt province, Morocco. A total of 130 bird species were observed, among breeding, migrant, and wintering species belonging to 42 families. Accipitridae (15 species), Muscicapidae (9 species), and Alaudidae (9 species) were the most observed families. Order of Passeriformes was the dominant order represented with 16 families and 68 species. Moreover, five species of conservation concern were recorded such as the vulnerable European turtle dove, houbara bustard, and Dupont’s lark; the near threatened ferruginous duck and bearded vulture; and the endangered Egyptian vulture. On the other hand, the results of the diversity analysis (Margalef index, Shannon–Wiener index, and Simpson index) showed the highest diversity in wetlands, forests, steppes, and farmlands, while cliff, landfills, and urban areas were the least diversified habitats. Finally, with its geographic situation between humid Atlas and Sahara desert, as well as the diversity of habitats and avifauna, Midelt region needs advanced analysis in terms of biodiversity and environmental characteristics, in order to provide effective conservation management.
A Chaotic Elite Niche Evolutionary Algorithm for Low‐Power Clustering in Environment Monitoring Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Liu Bao , Yang Rui , Xu Mengying , Zhou Jie
Published: March 2021

In recent years, as people’s demand for environmental quality has increased, it has become inevitable to monitor sensitive parameters such as temperature and oxygen content. Environmental monitoring wireless sensor networks (EMWSNs) have become a research hotspot because of their flexibility and high monitoring accuracy. This paper proposes a chaotic elite niche evolutionary algorithm (CENEA) for low‐power clustering in EMWSNs. To verify the performance of CENEA, simulation experiments are carried out in this paper. Through simulation experiments, CENEA was compared with shuffled frog leaping algorithm (SFLA), differential evolution algorithm (DE), and genetic algorithm (GA) in the same conditional parameters. The results show that CENEA balances node energy and improved node energy usage efficiency. CENEA’s network energy consumption is reduced by 8.3% compared to SFLA, 3.9% lower than DE, and 4.6% lower than GA. Moreover, CENEA improves the precision and minimizes the computation time.
Optimization of Extended Warranty Cost for Multi-Component Products with Failure Interaction
Authors: Wang Rongcai , Dong Enzhi , Cheng Zhonghua , Rong Liqing , Wang Qian
Published: March 2021

In practice, the assumption of failure independence between components is seldom valid, especially for those complex systems with complicated failure mechanism. Users can decide whether to purchase extended warranty (EW) at the end of basic warranty, and there are many factors that influence this decision, such as product reliability and EW price. In order to solve the problem of EW pricing for multi-component systems with failure interaction reasonably, considering the failure interaction characteristics between components of the multi-component systems, under the condition of type II failure interaction, this paper constructed a dependent failure rate model and developed a EW cost model of two-component systems. Thus, after optimizing the preventive maintenance (PM) strategy, this paper obtained the optimal PM interval when EW cost is the lowest, which is a win-win strategy to reduce the EW price for manufacturers and users under the premise of ensuring the manufacturer's profit demand. Finally, the validity of the model was verified by a numerical example and sensitivity analysis for important parameters was presented.
The Perspective of Therapeutic Antibody Marketing in Iran: Trend and Estimation by 2025
Authors: Golpour Monireh , Vatanpour Pouya , Amini Mina , Saeedi Majid , Hafezi Nasim , Rafiei Alireza
Published: March 2021

Background. Monoclonal antibodies with high efficiency and specificity are one of the best strategies to diagnose and treat a variety of diseases such as cancer, autoimmunity, and inflammatory diseases. The market for monoclonal therapeutic antibodies (MTAs) has grown dramatically in the past decade. Objective. Given the importance of these issues, developing countries spend a high cost on importing or producing MTAs annually. This study intends to examine the market of monoclonal therapeutic antibodies in Iran and predict the future growth rate of this market using the obtained data. Methods. Data on the status of MTAs in the country (from 2008 to 2018) were obtained from the Food and Drug Deputy of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. The market status of MTAs was studied based on the dosage forms, application, and price. Then, the market outlook was predicted up to year 2025. Results. The results showed that 58.8% of all MTAs were humanized, and 86% of all antibody-based drugs were used to treat cancer. Sales of MTA-based medications will reach $454 million by 2025 and are projected to grow significantly in the future. Conclusion. Given the increasing technology of the production of MTAs and their use in targeted therapies worldwide, their consumption market in Iran is expected to grow significantly.
RBF Neural Network‐Based Frequency Band Prediction for Future Frequency Hopping Communications
Authors: Zhu Shengyan , Wang Yongjian , Zheng Jianbo , Wang Shupeng
Published: March 2021

On the basis of the chaotic features of the frequency hopping signal, frequency band prediction for frequency hopping signal can enhance the interference effect of the signal greatly. However, poor prediction accuracy often limits its development in the military field. Therefore, for the sake of enhancing the frequency band prediction accuracy of frequency hopping signal, this paper studies the radial basis function (RBF) neural network frequency hopping signal frequency band prediction model based on the gradient descent method and improved the particle swarm optimization algorithm, respectively. The former uses a step‐by‐step algorithm to optimize the center value and weight so that the network can find the most suitable initial state. Then, the clustering selection optimization algorithm is employed to optimize the central value. In addition, it optimizes the weight by using a gradient descent method of the optimal learning rate. The latter optimizes the structure of the RBF neural network through the combination of the subtractive clustering algorithm and improved the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. Simulation results demonstrate that the gradient RBF algorithm model performs better in terms of accuracy, but time efficiency is lower, while the PSO‐RBF algorithm has better time efficiency.
Personal Credit Default Discrimination Model Based on Super Learner Ensemble
Authors: Li Gang , Shen Mengdi , Li Meixuan , Cheng Jingyi
Published: March 2021

Assessing the default of customers is an essential basis for personal credit issuance. This paper considers developing a personal credit default discrimination model based on Super Learner heterogeneous ensemble to improve the accuracy and robustness of default discrimination. First, we select six kinds of single classifiers such as logistic regression, SVM, and three kinds of homogeneous ensemble classifiers such as random forest to build a base classifier candidate library for Super Learner. Then, we use the ten-fold cross-validation method to exercise the base classifier to improve the base classifier’s robustness. We compute the base classifier’s total loss using the difference between the predicted and actual values and establish a base classifier-weighted optimization model to solve for the optimal weight of the base classifier, which minimizes the weighted total loss of all base classifiers. Thus, we obtain the heterogeneous ensembled Super Learner classifier. Finally, we use three real credit datasets in the UCI database regarding Australia, Japanese, and German and the large credit dataset GMSC published by Kaggle platform to test the ensembled Super Learner model’s effectiveness. We also employ four commonly used evaluation indicators, the accuracy rate, type I error rate, type II error rate, and AUC. Compared with the base classifier’s classification results and heterogeneous models such as Stacking and Bstacking, the results show that the ensembled Super Learner model has higher discrimination accuracy and robustness.
Stochastic Linear Quadratic Control Problem on Time Scales
Authors: Zhu Yingjun , Jia Guangyan
Published: March 2021

This paper addresses a version of the stochastic linear quadratic control problem on time scales

S
Δ
LQ

, which includes the discrete time and continuous time as special cases. Riccati equations on time scales are given, and the optimal control can be expressed as a linear state feedback. Furthermore, we present the uniqueness and existence of the solution to the Riccati equation on time scales. Furthermore, we give an example to illustrate the theoretical results.
The Relationship between Hepatic Myeloid‐Derived Suppressor Cells and Clinicopathological Parameters in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease
Authors: Zhou Zhijia , Lai Penghua , Zhang Shaoliang , Wang Yujie , Qu Ning , Lu Dawei , Gao Liangqin , Xu Lingxia , Yang Yanmiao , Zhang Ting , Sun Xue , Zheng Xiaoting , Liu Yaoyu , Liang Huiqing , Chen Shaodong
Published: March 2021

Myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) have attracted attention due to their important role in inflammation. Several studies have investigated the involvement of MDSCs in chronic liver disease. However, due to the difference of MDSC phenotypes, patient types, and sample sources among the studies, the results are inconsistent and controversial. We took advantage of a large well‐defined cohort of 98 (24 patients with CHB, 18 with NAFLD, 13 with HCC, 16 with PBC, and 27 with AIH) patients with liver inflammation and 12 healthy controls to investigate the expression of MDSCs, and the relationships between the expression of hepatic MDSCs and the clinical characteristics were analyzed. We found that the expression of CD11b+CD33+ MDSCs is closely related to chronic liver disease and positively correlated with clinical parameters such as ALT, AST, and globulin. Ultimately, the present study suggests that hepatic CD11b+CD33+ MDSCs are increased in HCC and AIH and positively correlate with the liver stages of hepatitis activity and liver fibrosis stage.
Difference Equation Model-Based

PM

2.5

Prediction considering the Spatiotemporal Propagation: A Case Study of Bohai Rim Region, China
Authors: Lei Ceyu , Han Xiaoling , Gao Chenghua
Published: March 2021

Accurate reporting and prediction of

PM

2.5

concentration are very important for improving public health. In this article, we use a spectral clustering algorithm to cluster 44 cities in the Bohai Rim Region. On this basis, we propose a special difference equation model, especially the use of nonlinear diffusion equations to characterize the temporal and spatial dynamic characteristics of

PM

2.5

propagation between and within clusters for real-time prediction. For example, through the analysis of

PM

2.5

concentration data for 92 consecutive days in the Bohai Rim Region, and according to different accuracy definitions, the average prediction accuracy of the difference equation model in all city clusters is 97% or 90%. The mean absolute error (MAE) of the forecast data for each urban agglomeration is within 7 units

μg
/

m

3

. The experimental results show that the difference equation model can effectively reduce the prediction time, improve the prediction accuracy, and provide decision support for local air pollution early warning and urban comprehensive management.
Evaluation of Thyroid Function in Patients Hospitalized for Acute Heart Failure
Authors: Leite Ana Rita , Neves João Sérgio , Borges-Canha Marta , Vale Catarina , von Hafe Madalena , Carvalho Davide , Leite-Moreira Adelino
Published: March 2021

Background. Thyroid hormones (TH) are crucial for cardiovascular homeostasis. Recent evidence suggests that acute cardiovascular conditions, particularly acute heart failure (AHF), significantly impair the thyroid axis. Our aim was to evaluate the association of thyroid function with cardiovascular parameters and short- and long-term clinical outcomes in AHF patients. Methods. We performed a single-centre retrospective cohort study including patients hospitalized for AHF between January 2012 and December 2017. We used linear, logistic, and Cox proportional hazard regression models to analyse the association of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) with inpatient cardiovascular parameters, in-hospital mortality, short-term adverse clinical outcomes, and long-term mortality. Two models were used: (1) unadjusted, and (2) adjusted for age and sex. Results. Of the 235 patients included, 59% were female, and the mean age was 77.5 (SD 10.4) years. In the adjusted model, diastolic blood pressure was positively associated with TSH [β = 2.68 (0.27 to 5.09);

p
=
0.030

]; left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) was negatively associated with FT4 [β = -24.85 (-47.87 to -1.82);

p
=
0.035

]; and a nonsignificant trend for a positive association was found between 30-day all-cause mortality and FT4 [OR = 3.40 (0.90 to 12.83);

p
=
0.071

]. Among euthyroid participants, higher FT4 levels were significantly associated with a higher odds of 30-day all-cause death [OR = 4.40 (1.06 to 18.16);

p
=
0.041

]. Neither TSH nor FT4 levels were relevant predictors of long-term mortality in the adjusted model. Conclusions. Thyroid function in AHF patients is associated with blood pressure and LVEF during hospitalization. FT4 might be useful as a biomarker of short-term adverse outcomes in these patients.
Synchronization of a Hyperchaotic Finance System
Authors: Chen Huangen , Yu Lu , Wang Yilin , Guo Miaomei
Published: March 2021

In this article, we propose a series of control strategies to synchronize two chaotic financial systems. Due to the characteristics of chaotic systems, the system is very sensitive to its initial values. Thus, the behaviour of two systems with different initial values will be completely different. In order to realize the synchronization of two financial chaotic systems, we designed a series of controls including controllers to realize global asymptotic synchronization and controllers to realize global exponential synchronization to make the two systems fully synchronized. We provide mathematical proofs to show that the designed controls are effective. Numerical methods are used to verify the effectiveness of the controls.
Enhancement of Target‐Oriented Opinion Words Extraction with Multiview‐Trained Machine Reading Comprehension Model
Authors: Zhang Jingyuan , Zhang Zequn , Guo Zhi , Jin Li , Liu Kang , Liu Qing
Published: March 2021

Target‐oriented opinion words extraction (TOWE) seeks to identify opinion expressions oriented to a specific target, and it is a crucial step toward fine‐grained opinion mining. Recent neural networks have achieved significant success in this task by building target‐aware representations. However, there are still two limitations of these methods that hinder the progress of TOWE. Mainstream approaches typically utilize position indicators to mark the given target, which is a naive strategy and lacks task‐specific semantic meaning. Meanwhile, the annotated target‐opinion pairs contain rich latent structural knowledge from multiple perspectives, but existing methods only exploit the TOWE view. To tackle these issues, we formulate the TOWE task as a question answering (QA) problem and leverage a machine reading comprehension (MRC) model trained with a multiview paradigm to extract targeted opinions. Specifically, we introduce a template‐based pseudo‐question generation method and utilize deep attention interaction to build target‐aware context representations and extract related opinion words. To take advantage of latent structural correlations, we further cast the opinion‐target structure into three distinct yet correlated views and leverage meta‐learning to aggregate common knowledge among them to enhance the TOWE task. We evaluate the proposed model on four benchmark datasets, and our method achieves new state‐of‐the‐art results. Extensional experiments have shown that the pipeline method with our approach could surpass existing opinion pair extraction models, including joint methods that are usually believed to work better.
Fecal Scrotal Abscess Secondary to Spontaneous Retroperitoneal Perforation of Ascending Colon
Authors: Bahadur Akshay , Singh Nirmala , Kashmira Mayank , Shukla Ashish , Gupta Vikas , Jain Shashank
Published: March 2021

Introduction. Fecal abscess or enterocutaneous fistulas of the scrotum are rare and are invariably the result of incarcerated bowel loop in inguinal hernia. Spontaneous perforation of the colon (SPC) having no definite cause is also rare. Much rarer is posterior colonic perforations causing an extensively large retroperitoneal abscess. Similarly, spread of retroperitoneal abscess to the thigh or scrotum has rarely been reported. We report a case of spontaneous posterior perforation of ascending colon resulting in large retroperitoneal abscess eventually causing scrotal abscess, which resolved on conservative treatment and drainage of the scrotal fecal abscess. Case Presentation. A 20-year-old male presented with gradually increasing noncolicky pain right side abdomen with nonprojectile vomiting, obstipation, and progressive abdominal distension. Clinically, the abdomen was tender with guarding over the right side with signs of inflammation on the right side back with no associated hernia. On conservative treatment, he was gradually improved but developed right side scrotal abscess a week later. CT abdomen showed a large retroperitoneal collection having multiple internal air lucencies, displacing ascending colon and caecum medically with discontinuity in the posterior wall of ascending colon. The large retroperitoneal collection was extending from right pararenal and posterior perihepatic soft tissue planes to the right iliac fossa and thigh. On drainage of the scrotal abscess, about 350 ml of fecal contents was evacuated. The patient gradually recovered and was discharged on conservative treatment with an uneventful 4-year follow-up. Conclusion. Diagnosis of retroperitoneal perforation of the colon is often delayed due to the absence of peritoneal irritation. An extensively large retroperitoneal abscess may spread the infection to the scrotum and thigh due to extreme pressure, possibly by dissecting away the transversalis fascia through a deep ring along the side of the spermatic cord. Timely performed CT/MRI can avoid delay in the diagnosis of retroperitoneal abscess and further spread of infection.
A Mathematical Model of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Bangkok, Thailand
Authors: Riyapan Pakwan , Shuaib Sherif Eneye , Intarasit Arthit
Published: March 2021

In this study, we propose a new mathematical model and analyze it to understand the transmission dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangkok, Thailand. It is divided into seven compartmental classes, namely, susceptible

S

,

exposed

E

,

symptomatically infected

I

s

,

asymptomatically infected

I

a

,

quarantined

Q

,

recovered

R

,

and death

D

, respectively. The next-generation matrix approach was used to compute the basic reproduction number denoted as

R

cvd
19

of the proposed model. The results show that the disease-free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable if

R

cvd
19

<
1

. On the other hand, the global asymptotic stability of the endemic equilibrium occurs if

R

cvd
19

>
1

. The mathematical analysis of the model is supported using numerical simulations. Moreover, the model’s analysis and numerical results prove that the consistent use of face masks would go on a long way in reducing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Time Series Deformation Monitoring over Large Infrastructures around Dongting Lake Using X‐Band PSI with a Combined Thermal Expansion and Seasonal Model
Authors: Bao Liang , Xing Xuemin , Chen Lifu , Yuan Zhihui , Liu Bin , Xia Qing , Peng Wei
Published: March 2021

The long‐term spatial‐temporal deformation monitoring of densely distributed infrastructures near the lake area is of great significance to understand the urban health status and prevent the potential traffic safety problems. In this paper, the permanent scatterer interferometry (PSI) technology with TerraSAR‐X imagery over the area around Dongting Lake was utilized to generate the long‐term spatial‐temporal deformation. Since the X‐band SAR interferometric phases are highly influenced by the thermal dilation of the observed objects, and the deformation of large infrastructures are highly related to external temperature, a combined deformation model considering the thermal expansion and the seasonal environmental factors was proposed to model the temporal variations of the deformation. The time series deformation and the thermal dilation parameter over the area were obtained, and a comparative study with the traditional linear model was conducted. The Dongting Lake Bridge and the typical feature points distributed around the lake were analyzed in details. In order to compensate for the unavailability of external in situ measurements over the area, phase residuals and the subsidence generated through Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (D‐InSAR) were utilized to verify the accuracy of the obtained deformation time series. Experiment results suggested that the proposed model is suitable and suggested for the selected study site. The root mean square error (RMSE) of the residual phase was estimated as 0.32 rad, and the RMSE compared with D‐InSAR derived deformation was ±1.1 mm.
Complete Penoscrotal Transposition with Other Extragenital Anomalies in a Neonate Delivered at Term
Authors: Ayamba Ali Mahamudu , Maalman Raymond Saa-Eru , Donkor Yaw Otchere , Anyorigiya John Noah
Published: March 2021

A complete penoscrotal transposition (CPST) is a very uncommon congenital maldevelopment that is always associated with other abnormal body variations (malformations). We report a rare case of a term neonate delivered with CPST, which had a flaccid penis and an intact scrotum with unilateral limb and digital deformity, imperforate anus, cardiac malformation a facial deformity. Neonate died two hours after delivery. The foetal abnormality was not detected through routine antenatal services received by the mother.
Comparison of Endoscopic Techniques in the Management of Type I Gastric Neuroendocrine Neoplasia: A Systematic Review
Authors: Panzuto Francesco , Magi Ludovica , Esposito Gianluca , Rinzivillo Maria , Annibale Bruno
Published: March 2021

Background. Endoscopic resection is considered the treatment of choice for type I gastric neuroendocrine neoplasia (gNEN) given its indolent behaviour; however, the favoured endoscopic technique to remove these tumours is not well established. Aims. This systematic review is aimed at investigating the best endoscopic management for type I gNEN. Methods. PubMed Central/Medline and Scopus were systematically searched for records up to August 31, 2020. Results. After screening the 675 retrieved records, 6 studies were selected for the final analysis. The main endoscopic resection techniques described were endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). Overall, 112 gNENs were removed by EMR and 77 by ESD. Both techniques showed similar results for complete and en bloc resection (97.4% and 98.7%; 92.3% and 96.3% with ESD and EMR, respectively). ESD was associated with a higher rate of complications than EMR (11.7% vs. 5.4%), but this difference was not statistically significant (

p
=
0.17

). The rates of recurrence during follow-up were 18.2% and 11.5% for EMR and ESD, respectively. Conclusions. To date, there are no sufficient data showing superiority of a given endoscopic technique over others. Both ESD and EMR seem to be effective in the management of type I gNEN, with a relatively low rate of recurrence.
Dynamic Evolution of Public’s Positive Emotions and Risk Perception for the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Hubei Province of China
Authors: Zhang Yongbao , Gao Jingqi , Luo Xiaowei , Wu Xiang , Bao Haoqi
Published: March 2021

The spread of COVID-19 pandemic and the participation of Internet information are continually changing the public’s positive emotions and risk perception. However, relatively little is known about the underlying mechanism of how the COVID-19 dynamic situation affects the public’s risk perception and emotions. This study uses the social risk amplification framework (SRAF) as the theoretical basis to collect and analyze Hubei Province data from January 20 to April 8, 2020, including the number of newly diagnosed people per day, the proportion of positive emotional posts in Weibo, and the Baidu search index (BSI). The autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMAbased time-series prediction model is used to analyze the dynamic evolution laws and fluctuation trends of Weibo positive emotions and risk perception during the development of the pandemic. The conclusion of the study is that positive emotions are negatively correlated with risk perception, the severity of the pandemic situation is negatively correlated with positive emotions, and the severity of the pandemic situation is positively correlated with risk perception. The public has a keen response to the dynamics of the pandemic situation and the government’s decision-making behavior, which is manifested by the significant changes in positive emotions and risk perception in the corresponding period. The research results can provide a reference for government departments to guide the public to establish an objective risk perception and maintain positive and stable emotions in similar catastrophes.
Lifetime Prediction for a Cell-on-Board (COB) Light Source Based on the Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS)
Authors: Kıyak İsmail , Gökmen Gökhan , Koçyiğit Gökhan
Published: March 2021

Predicting the lifetime of a LED lighting system is important for the implementation of design specifications and comparative analysis of the financial competition of various illuminating systems. Most lifetime information published by LED manufacturers and standardization organizations is limited to certain temperature and current values. However, as a result of different working and ambient conditions throughout the whole operating period, significant differences in lifetimes can be observed. In this article, an advanced method of lifetime prediction is proposed considering the initial task areas and the statistical characteristics of the study values obtained in the accelerated fragmentation test. This study proposes a new method to predict the lifetime of COB LED using an artificial intelligence approach and LM-80 data. Accordingly, a database with 6000 hours of LM-80 data was created using the Neuro-Fuzzy (ANFIS) algorithm, and a highly accurate lifetime prediction method was developed. This method reveals an approximate similarity of 99.8506% with the benchmark lifetime. The proposed methodology may provide a useful guideline to lifetime predictions of LED-related products which can also be adapted to different operating conditions in a shorter time compared to conventional methods. At the same time, this method can be used in the life prediction of nanosensors and can be produced with the 3D technique.
A Revised Grey Relational Analysis Method for Multicriteria Group Decision-Making with Expected Utility Theory for Oil Spill Emergency Management
Authors: Wu Wenshuai
Published: March 2021

The substantial importance and complexity of oil spill emergency management have been confirmed by the massive, disastrous oil spill accidents that have occurred in recent years. The goal of this study is to research and develop an effective new model to accurately respond to oil spill emergencies for the purpose of disaster risk reduction. In this model, firstly, grey relational analysis is used to treat the variable and complex environment of an oil spill. Secondly, a revised grey relational analysis method based on the concept of angle between two vectors is presented to optimize assessment accuracy by measuring the similarity between the reference series and alternative series. Thirdly, by incorporating expected utility theory, a revised grey relational analysis for facilitating consensus is developed for multicriteria group decision-making. Finally, an empirical study on oil spill emergency management is discussed to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed model for oil spill emergency management in a complex environment to reduce disaster risk.
Gyogamdan, a Traditional Medicine Prescription, Ameliorated Dermal Inflammation and Hyperactive Behavior in an Atopic Dermatitis Mouse Model Exposed to Psychological Stress
Authors: Nguyen Ly Thi Huong , Nguyen Uy Thai , Choi Min-Jin , Oh Tae-Woo , Yang In-Jun , Shin Heung-Mook
Published: March 2021

Psychological stress (PS) plays a significant role as an aggravating factor in atopic dermatitis (AD). The traditional medicine prescription, Gyogamdan, has been used to treat chest discomfort and mood disorders caused by PS. This study investigated the effects of an ethanolic extract of Gyogamdan (GGDE) on stress-associated AD models and the underlying mechanisms. 2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene- (DNCB-) treated BALB/c mice were exposed to social isolation (SI) stress. The effects of orally administered GGDE (100 or 500 mg/kg) were evaluated by ELISA, western blotting, and an open field test (OFT). SI stress exaggerated the skin inflammation and induced locomotor hyperactivity in the AD mouse model. GGDE reduced the levels of IgE, TNF-α, IL-13, eotaxin, and VEGF and mast cell/eosinophil infiltration and prevented the decreases in the levels of involucrin and loricrin in the skin. GGDE also suppressed the SI-induced increases in corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and corticosterone (CORT) in socially isolated AD mice. Furthermore, GGDE reduced traveling distances and mean speed significantly in the OFT. The in vitro experiments were performed using HaCaT, HMC-1, PC12, and BV2 cells. In the TNF-α/IFN-γ- (TI-) stimulated HaCaT cells, GGDE decreased the thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) and macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) production significantly by inhibiting p-STAT1 and NF-κB signaling. GGDE also reduced VEGF production in HMC-1 cells stimulated with CRH/substance P (SP) by inhibiting p-ERK signaling pathway. GGDE increased the cell viability significantly and suppressed apoptosis in CORT-stimulated PC12 cells. Moreover, GGDE suppressed the LPS-induced production of NO, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in BV2 cells. These results suggest that GGDE might be useful in patients with AD, which is exacerbated by PS.
TLR4-NLRP3-GSDMD-Mediated Pyroptosis Plays an Important Role in Aggravated Liver Injury of CD38-/- Sepsis Mice
Authors: Zhang Huiqing , Du Yuna , Guo Yujie , Wang Zeyu , Li Hua , Lv Zhe , Zeng Lifeng , Chen Yiguo , Xie Zhengyu , Li Rong
Published: March 2021

Clinically, severe bacterial infection can cause septicemia and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, especially liver injury. CD38 is closely related to many inflammatory pathways, but its role in liver injury caused by bacterial infection remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to discuss the specific role of CD38 in bacterial liver injury. Eight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice (WT, CD38-/- and CD38-/-TLR4mut) were used and stimulated with Escherichia coli (ATCC25922) or PBS, intraperitoneally. After 3 hours of bacterial stimulation, serum was collected to detect ALT and AST concentration, and liver tissue was harvested for hematoxylin and eosin staining and bacterial culture. The mRNA expressions of TLR4, NLRP3, IL-1β, IL-18, and GSDMD were quantitatively determined by RT-qPCR. The expressions of TLR4, MyD88, TRIF, NF-κB p65, NLRP3, GSDMD, and cytokines were detected by Western blot. The expression and localization of ERK1/2 were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The results showed that bacterial stimulation could upregulate the expression of inflammatory cytokines, leading to hepatic dysfunction. Moreover, bacterial stimulation of CD38-deficient mice can aggravate the inflammatory response, the expressions of TLR4, NF-κB, and ERK1/2 were significantly increased, and the biomarkers related to pyroptosis also manifested more obvious pyroptosis. However, TLR4 mutation significantly alleviated inflammation and pyroptosis in the liver caused by bacteria, on the basis of CD38 deficiency. Overall, CD38 knockout exacerbates bacteria-induced liver damage through TLR4-NLRP3-GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis.
Multiobjective Hydraulic Design and Performance Analysis of a Vortex Pump Based on Orthogonal Tests
Authors: Quan Hui , Wu Yongkang , Guo Ying , Song Kai , Li Yanan
Published: March 2021

We design optimization on the overall blade structure of a vortex pump conducted by using the orthogonal test method to clarify the matching relationship of impeller and casing structures and then improve the hydraulic performance of the vortex pump. Based on two different impeller structures of forward‐deflecting (denoted as R1 − F2) and backward‐deflecting (denoted as F1 − R2), key parameters describing the impeller structure are calculated through optimization for the objective function of hydraulic efficiency by means of orthogonal tests and computational fluid dynamic simulations. Optimization computations show that the forward‐deflecting blade impeller is superior to the backward‐deflecting one. Model test of the optimized vortex pump is carried out calculating the error from the comparison of pump efficiencies calculated by model test and numerical simulation is calculated to be less than 6%. The experimental verification shows that the flow simulation has some errors. The weight of structure parameters such as the blade installation angle (α), the blade deflecting angle (β), the position of blade deflecting point (L), the radius (r) of smoothing arc at the deflecting point, the wedge type (W) of blade, to the lift head, the flow rate, and the efficiency of the pump is investigated, through multiparameter optimizations. Visualization observation of flows in the model pump consisted of a back‐placed impeller and a front vaneless chamber is further performed. The characteristic of vortex formation predicted by flow simulation agrees with the result of visualization observation. The above results demonstrate that the optimum impeller type of vortex pump is forward‐deflecting blade impeller. The optimum combination of the key structure parameters is that the deflection angle of the blade inlet (α) equals 30°, the position of blade deflecting point lM = 2/3 L, the chamfering radius (r) at the deflecting point r = 3 mm, and the best wedge type is axial deflecting blade.
Existence and Uniqueness of Positive Solutions for a Class of Nonlinear Fractional Differential Equations with Singular Boundary Value Conditions
Authors: Debao Yan
Published: March 2021

This paper focuses on a singular boundary value (SBV) problem of nonlinear fractional differential (NFD) equation defined as follows:

D

0

+

β

υ

τ

+
f

τ
,
υ

τ

=
0
,
τ
∈

0,1

,

υ

0

=

υ

′

0

=

υ

″

0

=

υ

″

1

=
0

, where

3
<
β
≤
4
,

D

0

+

β

is the standard Riemann–Liouville fractional (RLF) derivative. The nonlinear function

f

τ
,
υ

τ

might be singular on the spatial and temporal variables. This paper proves that a positive solution to the SBV problem exists and is unique, taking advantage of Green’s function through a fixed-point (FP) theory on cones and mixed monotone operators.
Deep Learning‐Based Symbol‐Level Precoding for Large‐Scale Antenna System
Authors: Xie Changxu , Du Huiqin , Liu Xialing
Published: March 2021

In this work, we consider a multiple input multiple‐output system with large‐scale antenna array which creates unintended multiuser interference and increases the power consumption due to the large number of radio frequency (RF) chains. The antenna selective symbol level precoding design is developed by minimizing the symbol error rate (SER) with limits of available RF chains. The ℓ0‐norm constrained nonconvex problem can be approximated as ℓ1‐minimization, which is further solved by alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) approach. The basic ADMM scheme is mapped into iterative construction process where the optimum solution is obtained by taking deep learning network as building block. Moreover, because that the standard ADMM algorithm is sensitive to the selection of hyperparameters, we further introduce the back propagation process to train the parameters. Simulation results show that the proposed deep learning ADMM scheme can achieve significantly low SER performance with small activated subset of transmit antennas.
Actuator Fault Detection for Discrete-Time Descriptor Systems via a Convex Unknown Input Observer with Unknown Scheduling Variables
Authors: Martinez Javier , Aguiar Braulio , Estrada-Manzo Víctor , Bernal Miguel
Published: March 2021

This paper presents actuator fault detection of discrete-time nonlinear descriptor systems by means of nonlinear unknown input observers. The approach is based on the exact factorization of the estimation error in order to overcome the well-known problem of unmeasurable scheduling variables within the observation of convex models, thus avoiding the use of Lipschitz constants, differential mean value theorem, or robust techniques. As a result, the designing conditions are cast in terms of linear matrix inequalities and efficiently solved via commercially available software. Numerical as well as academic setups are provided to illustrate the advantages and performance of the proposal.
Solitary Renal Metastasis Arising from a Pulmonary Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Philippou Prodromos , Michalakis Anastasios , Miliatou Maria , Poullou Christiana , Constantinou Pavlos
Published: March 2021

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a malignancy affecting the salivary glands and rarely involving the lung. Due to its rarity, primary lung ACC remains incompletely understood. We herein report the case of a 57-year-old female patient who was initially diagnosed with primary lung ACC and was treated by lobectomy. Seven years later, an abdominal computed tomography scan performed in the context of surveillance revealed the presence of a solid lesion arising from the lower pole of the left kidney. The patient underwent left partial nephrectomy, and histopathology confirmed a completely excised metastatic ACC.