bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk factors of flare in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus after glucocorticoids withdrawal. A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Ji Lanlan , Xie Wenhui , Fasano Serena , Zhang Zhuoli
Published: January 2022

Objective

Glucocorticoids (GC) withdrawal is part of the targets in current recommendations for SLE, but relapse is the most worrying issue. We aimed to investigate the predictors for flare in patients with SLE after GC withdrawal.

Methods

We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library as well as Scopus databases up to 9 July 2021 for studies concerning predictive factors of relapses in patients with SLE after GC cessation. Pooled OR and 95% CI were combined using a random-effects or fixed-effects model.

Results

635 patients with SLE with GC discontinuation in 9 publications were eligible for the final analysis. Of them, 99.5% patients were in clinical remission before GC withdrawal. Serologically active yet clinically quiescent (SACQ) was associated with an increased risk of flare after GC withdrawal (OR 1.78, 95% CI (1.00 to 3.15)). Older age and concomitant use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) trended towards decreased risk of flare (weighted mean difference (WMD) −2.04, 95% CI (−4.15 to 0.06) for age and OR 0.50, 95% CI (0.23 to 1.07) for HCQ), yet not statistically significant. No significant association was observed regarding gender (pooled OR 1.75; 95% CI (0.59 to 5.20)), disease duration (WMD −11.91, 95% CI (−27.73 to 3.91)), remission duration (WMD −8.55, 95% CI (−33.33 to 16.23)), GC treatment duration (WMD −10.10, 95% CI (−64.09 to 43.88)), concomitant use of immunosuppressant (OR 0.86, 95% CI (0.48 to 1.53)).

Conclusion

Younger age and SACQ were potential risk factors of SLE flare among patients who discontinued GC. HCQ, but not immunosuppressant might prevent flare. GC withdrawal should be done with caution in this subgroup of patients.
Novel approach for pericapsular radiofrequency ablation of sacrococcygeal junction for patients with coccydynia
Authors: Feigin Guy , Wang Ning Nan , Di Grazia Vitaliano , Peng Philip
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Coccydynia is a multifactorial complex clinical challenge. A multimodal approach with both conservative measures and procedural interventions is often recommended. We described a novel approach of radiofrequency (RF) ablation for the management of coccydynia.

Methods

Three patients with known history of coccydynia refractory to conservative therapy were referred to our clinic. All received different types of RF ablation before: one with anterior bipolar lesion with no analgesia benefit, one with posterior stripped lesion with good benefit but only after 8 weeks of pain flare and one received anterior monopolar lesion with 50% pain reduction for 2–3 months. All subjects underwent a novel RF ablation to the anterior surface of the sacrococcygeal and intercoccygeal joints with two bipolar lesions using multi-tined needles under fluoroscopy guidance. One bipolar lesion was between two needles: one in the sacrococcygeal and another in the intercoccygeal (between first and second coccyx) joints. Another bipolar lesion was between needles on both side of the sacrococcygeal joint.

Results

All experienced at least 65% pain relief for 6 months. The sitting endurance increased from less than 5 min to an average of 70 min. No adverse effect was observed in two and in the patient who used to have pain flare after lesioning, the pain flare lasted only for 2 weeks.

Discussion

The configuration of the two bipolar lesions with multi-tined needles in this case series stimulates the thinking of new approach for the ablation technique for pain from coccyx. Further prospective large case cohort study is needed.
Effect of long-term cropping systems on soil hydrophobicity of a clay loam soil under dryland conditions in southern Alberta
Authors: Miller J.J. , Owen M.L. , Ellert B.H. , Yang X.M. , Drury C.F. , Chanasyk D.S.
Published: January 2022

The objective was to quantify the effect of crop rotations, crop type, life cycle, nitrogen fertilizer, manure application, and fallow on soil hydrophobicity (SH). The SH was measured for a long-term (16 yr) dryland field experiment on a Dark Brown clay loam soil in southern Alberta, Canada. Mean SH was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) greater in rotations with grass, perennial crops, manure application, and continuous cropping; whereas cereal–legume rotations and N fertilizer effects were undetectable. A strong, positive correlation occurred between SH and soil organic carbon concentration (r = 0.73). Soil water repellency should be measured on these plots using water-based methods.
Power Consumption Model of Permanent-Magnet Direct-Drive Belt Conveyor System Based on GACO–BP
Authors: Han Xuyang , Wang Guimei , Liu Jiehui , Yang Lijie , Zhang Pingge
Published: January 2022

Permanent-magnet direct-drive belt conveyors (PMDDBCs) rotate at high speed most of the time, resulting in a large number of invalid energy consumption. To realize the speed regulation of PMDDBC, it is necessary to clarify the relationship between the belt speed, coal quantity of the conveyor and total power of the system. Based on the BP neural network, this paper establishes the power consumption model of PMDDBC, which is related to coal quantity, belt speed and total power. Furthermore, an improved hybrid algorithm (GACO) that combines the advantages of genetic algorithm (GA) and ant colony optimization (ACO) is proposed to optimize the BP power consumption model. The GACO–BP power consumption model is obtained. The original power consumption model is compared with the GACO–BP power consumption model through experiments. Results demonstrate that the GACO–BP power consumption model reduces various prediction errors, while the optimization ability, prediction accuracy and convergence speed are significantly enhanced. It provides a reliable speed regulation basis for the permanent-magnet direct-drive belt conveyor system and also provides a theoretical reference for energy savings and consumption reduction in the coal industry.
The security analysis of the BB84 protocol in the case of Calderbank–Shor–Steane code leakage
Authors: Fang Ming , Li Ya-Ping , Fei Li
Published: January 2022

Quantum key distribution (QKD) allows authenticated parties to share secure keys. Its security comes from quantum physics rather than computational complexity. The previous work has been able to demonstrate the security of the BB84 protocol based on the uncertainty principle, entanglement purification and information theory. In the security proof method based on entanglement purification, it is assumed that the information of Calderbank–Shor–Steane (CSS) error correction code cannot be leaked, otherwise, it is insecure. However, there is no quantitative analysis of the relationship between the parameter of CSS code and the amount of information leaked. In the attack and defense strategy of the actual quantum key distribution system, especially in the application of the device that is easy to lose or out of control, it is necessary to assess the impact of the parameter leakage. In this paper, we derive the relationship between the leaked parameter of CSS code and the amount of the final key leakage based on the BB84 protocol. Based on this formula, we simulated the impact of different CSS code parameter leaks on the final key amount. Through the analysis of simulation results, the security of the BB84 protocol is inversely proportional to the value of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] in the case of the CSS code leak.
THE SPILLOVER, RISK AND LEVERAGE EFFECTS OF SMART BETA MANAGEMENT EXCHANGE-TRADED FUND (ETF)
Authors: CHEN JO-HUI , EDWARDS NICHOLAS
Published: January 2022

This research uses two different GARCH models to measure spillover, risk, and leverage effects of active, passive, and smart beta management Exchange-traded Funds (ETFs). The increase in popularity of ETFs and new categories within them, specifically the growth of smart beta management, means asset managers and investors have new metrics to account for when determining portfolio exposure following the Adaptive Investment Approach (AIA). The results show significant relationships among all groups regarding the spillover. A trend of positive multi-lateral spillover of returns among the three management types including passive, active and small beta is observed with smart beta showing the highest percentage of a bi-lateral positive effect. The strongest spillover of volatility effects is among the actively managed ETFs. The testing of risk results is insignificant, but the leverage effect results are consistent with the past studies showing the significant negative bi-lateral effect.
LGBTQ Persons’ Use of Online Spaces to Navigate Conception, Pregnancy, and Pregnancy Loss: An Intersectional Approach
Authors: Andalibi Nazanin , Lacombe-Duncan Ashley , Roosevelt Lee , Wojciechowski Kylie , Giniel Cameron
Published: January 2022

Navigating conception, pregnancy, and loss is challenging for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people, who experience stigma due to LGBTQ identity, other identities (e.g., loss), and intersections thereof. We conducted interviews with 17 LGBTQ people with recent pregnancy loss experiences. Taking LGBTQ identity and loss as a starting point, we used an intracategorical intersectional lens to uncover the benefits and challenges of LGBTQ-specific and non-LGBTQ-specific pregnancy and loss-related online spaces. Participants used LGBTQ-specific online spaces to enact individual, interpersonal, and collective resilience. However, those with multiple marginalized identities (e.g., people of color and non-partnered individuals), faced barriers in finding support within LGBTQ-specific spaces compared to those holding privileged identities (e.g., White and married). Non-LGBTQ spaces were beneficial for some informational needs, but not community and emotional needs due to pervasive heteronormativity, cisnormativity, and a perceived need to educate. We conceptualize experiences of exclusion as symbolic annihilation and intersectional invisibility, and discuss clinical implications and design directions.
Self-Adaptive Feature Transformation Networks for Object Detection in low luminance Images
Authors: Huang Shih-Chia , Hoang Quoc-Viet , Jaw Da-Wei
Published: January 2022

Despite the recent improvement of object detection techniques, many of them fail to detect objects in low-luminance images. The blurry and dimmed nature of low-luminance images results in the extraction of vague features and failure to detect objects. In addition, many existing object detection methods are based on models trained on both sufficient- and low-luminance images, which also negatively affect the feature extraction process and detection results. In this article, we propose a framework called Self-adaptive Feature Transformation Network (SFT-Net) to effectively detect objects in low-luminance conditions. The proposed SFT-Net consists of the following three modules: (1) feature transformation module, (2) self-adaptive module, and (3) object detection module. The purpose of the feature transformation module is to enhance the extracted feature through unsupervisely learning a feature domain projection procedure. The self-adaptive module is utilized as a probabilistic module producing appropriate features either from the transformed or the original features to further boost the performance and generalization ability of the proposed framework. Finally, the object detection module is designed to accurately detect objects in both low- and sufficient- luminance images by using the appropriate features produced by the self-adaptive module. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed SFT-Net framework significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art object detection techniques, achieving an average precision (AP) of up to 6.35 and 11.89 higher on the sufficient- and low- luminance domain, respectively.
Twitter, COVID-19, and disability
Authors: Valencia Stephanie , Kirabo Lynn
Published: January 2022

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, people looked to scientists and other leaders to understand the rate at which the virus spread. Much of this information, however, was not accessible to everyone.
Live coding during lockdown
Authors: Wolf Christine T. , Cullen Amanda L. L.
Published: January 2022

An inside look at developer advocacy during the COVID-19 pandemic---from creating authenticity to keeping the social life around code alive while the world stayed home.
Review—A Review on the Anode and Cathode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries with Improved Subzero Temperature Performance
Authors: Selinis Petros , Farmakis Filippos
Published: January 2022

Lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) have been widely used in a variety of applications, however they still suffer from low capacity retention, large capacity fade ratio or inability to charge efficiently at low temperatures, especially below −20 °C. The reasons behind these drawbacks originate from the nature of active materials such as the anode and the cathode, along with the composition of electrolyte solutions. In particular, from the perspective of active materials, it has been reported that the most common problems arise from the dramatic increase in the resistances, especially charge transfer resistance, and the decrease of lithium-ion diffusivity, by more than one order of magnitude. In this report, we review the most recent strategies in the development of anode and cathode materials and composites, focusing on enhanced electronic and ionic conductivities for improved low-temperature electrochemical performance. Our overview aims to provide a comprehensive comparative study of the proposed methods to overcome the low-temperature challenges in order to develop high energy-density LiBs with enhanced capacity retention, cycling stability and high-rate capability under extreme conditions.
Fabrication of Co, N-Doping Hierarchical Porous Graphene from Metal Organic Framework for Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Microbial Fuel Cell
Authors: Wang Wenyi , Wang Xueqin , Wang Yuanyuan , Jiang Bolong , Song Hua
Published: January 2022

Graphene is a very attractive 2D carbon material, while the synthesis route of functional graphene is complex and complicated. The purpose of this study is to develop Co/N co-doped grapheme catalyst for ORR.Herein, a facile and universal pyrolysis method to explore the preparation of Co-N co-doped graphene through thermal exfoliation of 3D Co0.5Zn0.5-ZIF metal-organic framework by dimension reduction, and study the specific changes during process of dimensionality reduction, aiming at contributing to the transformation mode of 3D materials into 2D materials. The results showed that LiCl and KCl play different roles, namely the building carbon layer, pore-creating and exfoliation and acted simultaneously when they are added. A unique ultrathin 2D morphology of Co/N co-doped graphene, pores formed with the volatilization of zinc ions, and the appearance of abundant Co-N
x
active sites, which endow efficient catalytic activity of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in the alkaline electrolyte. Co/N-Go-Li/K-800 possesses the superior ORR activity among Co/N-Go-Li/K-T with an onset potential (0.15 V vs Ag/AgCl) and higher limiting current density(J@−0.8 V vs Ag/AgCl) (−5.20 mA·cm−2) closer to Pt/C (0.17 V vs Ag/AgCl and −5.86 mA·cm−2).
High-Efficiency Chemical Mechanical Polishing of Ti-6Al-4V Alloy via the Synergistic Action of H2O2 and K+ Under Alkaline Conditions
Authors: Deng Changbang , Jiang Liang , Qian Linmao
Published: January 2022

Ti-6Al-4V (TC4) alloy has been widely used for implants, and excellent surface quality is required for satisfactory performance. In this study, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) was introduced to process TC4 alloy. H2O2 and K+ were used to enhance the CMP efficiency. It is revealed that, at pH 10, the material removal rate (MRR) of TC4 alloy increases with the increasing H2O2. A synergistic action between H2O2 and K+ exists under alkaline conditions. With H2O2 and at pH 10, as the K+ concentration increases, the MRR of TC4 alloy first increases and then levels off. The anions have little influence on the CMP performance. After polishing, the surface is smooth without scratches, and the substrate underneath the surface film has no processing damage. For the synergistic action, K+ ions are adsorbed on the Stern layer of the TC4 alloy surface and the silica particles, screening the surface negative charge. Firstly, OOH− produced from H2O2 and OH− can approach the TC4 alloy surface easily, promoting the corrosion. Secondly, more silica particles come into contact with the TC4 alloy surface, enhancing the interactions. Therefore, the MRR increases. The research work brings about a promising high-efficiency CMP process for titanium alloys.
Acid-base effects of combined renal deletion of NBCe1-A and NBCe1-B
Authors: Lee Hyun-Wook , Verlander Jill W. , Shull Gary E. , Harris Autumn N. , Weiner I. David
Published: January 2022

The results of the present study show that combined deletion of both A and B splice variants of electrogenic Na+-bicarbonate cotransporter 1 from the proximal tubule impairs acid-base homeostasis and completely blocks changes in ammonia excretion in response to acidosis, indicating that both proteins are critical to acid-base homeostasis.
KV7.1 channel blockade inhibits neonatal renal autoregulation triggered by a step decrease in arterial pressure
Authors: Peixoto-Neves Dieniffer , Kanthakumar Praghalathan , Afolabi Jeremiah M. , Soni Hitesh , Buddington Randal K. , Adebiyi Adebowale
Published: January 2022

KV7.1 is present in fetal pig kidneys as early as day 50 of gestation, and the level of expression remains the same up to postnatal day 21. KV7.1 is functionally expressed in neonatal pig renal vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). A decrease in arterial pressure up to 20 mmHg induces renal autoregulation in neonatal pigs. Although SMC KV7.1 does not control basal renal vascular resistance, its inhibition blunts neonatal renal autoregulation engendered by a step decrease in arterial pressure.
Getting Fit to Counteract Cognitive Aging: Evidence and Future Directions
Authors: Voss Michelle W. , Jain Shivangi
Published: January 2022

Physical activity has shown tremendous promise for counteracting cognitive aging, but also tremendous variability in cognitive benefits. We describe evidence for how exercise affects cognitive and brain aging, and whether cardiorespiratory fitness is a key factor. We highlight a brain network framework as a valuable paradigm for the mechanistic insight needed to tailor physical activity for cognitive benefits.
Physiology and pathophysiology of human airway mucus
Authors: Hill David B. , Button Brian , Rubinstein Michael , Boucher Richard C.
Published: January 2022

The mucus clearance system is the dominant mechanical host defense system of the human lung. Mucus is cleared from the lung by cilia and airflow, including both two-phase gas-liquid pumping and cough-dependent mechanisms, and mucus transport rates are heavily dependent on mucus concentration. Importantly, mucus transport rates are accurately predicted by the gel-on-brush model of the mucociliary apparatus from the relative osmotic moduli of the mucus and periciliary-glycocalyceal (PCL-G) layers. The fluid available to hydrate mucus is generated by transepithelial fluid transport. Feedback interactions between mucus concentrations and cilia beating, via purinergic signaling, coordinate Na+absorptive vs Cl−secretory rates to maintain mucus hydration in health. In disease, mucus becomes hyperconcentrated (dehydrated). Multiple mechanisms derange the ion transport pathways that normally hydrate mucus in muco-obstructive lung diseases, e.g., cystic fibrosis (CF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), non-CF bronchiectasis (NCFB), and primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). A key step in muco-obstructive disease pathogenesis is the osmotic compression of the mucus layer onto the airway surface with the formation of adherent mucus plaques and plugs, particularly in distal airways. Mucus plaques create locally hypoxic conditions and produce airflow obstruction, inflammation, infection, and, ultimately, airway wall damage. Therapies to clear adherent mucus with hydrating and mucolytic agents are rational, and strategies to develop these agents are reviewed.
An Elastic Collision Seeker Optimization Algorithm for Optimization Constrained Engineering Problems
Authors: Duan Shaomi , Luo Huilong , Liu Haipeng
Published: January 2022

To improve the seeker optimization algorithm (SOA), an elastic collision seeker optimization algorithm (ECSOA) was proposed. The ECSOA evolves some individuals in three situations: completely elastic collision, completely inelastic collision, and non-completely elastic collision. These strategies enhance the individuals’ diversity and avert falling into the local optimum. The ECSOA is compared with the particle swarm optimization (PSO), the simulated annealing and genetic algorithm (SA_GA), the gravitational search algorithm (GSA), the sine cosine algorithm (SCA), the multiverse optimizer (MVO), and the seeker optimization algorithm (SOA); then, fifteen benchmark functions, four PID control parameter models, and six constrained engineering optimization problems were selected for the experiment. According to the experimental results, the ECSOA can be used in the benchmark functions, the PID control parameter optimization, and the optimization constrained engineering problems. The optimization ability and robustness of ECSOA are better.
Decision-Making Taxonomy of DevOps Success Factors Using Preference Ranking Organization Method of Enrichment Evaluation
Authors: Rafi Saima , Akbar Muhammad Azeem , AlSanad Abeer Abdulaziz , AlSuwaidan Lulwah , Abdulaziz AL-ALShaikh Halah , AlSagri Hatoon S
Published: January 2022

Due to multitudes factors like rapid change in technology, customer needs, and business trends, the software organizations are facing pressure to deliver quality software on time. To address this concern, the software industry is continually looking the solution to improve processing timeline. Thus, the Development and Operations (DevOps) has gained a wide popularity in recent era, and several organizations are adopting it, to leverage its perceived benefits. However, companies are facing several problems while executing the DevOps practices. The objective of this work is to identify the DevOps success factors that will help in DevOps process improvement. To accomplish this research firstly, a systematic literature review is conducted to identify the factors having positive influence on DevOps. Secondly, success factors were mapped with DevOps principles, i.e., culture, automation, measurement, and sharing. Thirdly, the identified success factors and their mapping were further verified with industry experts via questionnaire survey. In the last step, the PROMETHEE-II method has been adopted to prioritize and investigate logical relationship of success factors concerning their criticality for DevOps process. This study’s outcomes portray the taxonomy of the success factors, which help the experts design the new strategies that are effective for DevOps process improvement.
Estimation of Underreported Cases of Infections and Deaths from COVID‐19 for Countries with Limited and Scarce Data: Examples from Nepal
Authors: Devkota Jyoti U.
Published: January 2022

COVID‐19 pandemic has overburdened the public healthcare system around the world. Further, lockdown imposed to curb the spread of pandemic has shown to have an adverse effect on economic and health status of an individual. It has also compelled us to switch from the physical world to virtual world, thus depriving us of benefits of person‐to‐person direct contact. People from developing countries are specially affected. An average person here lacks basic skills needed to survive in the digital world. Due to limited COVID‐19 testing capacities in such countries, there is also less testing. Less testing means less contact tracing, underreported cases, and rapid spread of disease. In this paper, the underreported cases of daily infections and daily deaths are predicted using mathematical models. This is based on daily data published by the Government of Nepal. Here, Kathmandu valley is taken as a model area for estimation of underreporting. The behavior of probability of infection, probability of recovery, and probability of deaths is also mathematically analyzed. A time‐dependent susceptible infected and recovered model is also proposed. Here, the second wave of COVID‐19 is analyzed in detail from 1 Feb 2021 to 1 June 2021. The effect of lockdown on the psychology of people is also modeled with principal components analysis. The inherent and latent factors affecting the people in lockdown are identified. This is based on detailed primary data collected from a survey of 277 households.
Effect of Mobile Internet on Attitude and Self-Efficacy of Patients with Coronary Heart Disease Diagnosed by 12-Lead Holter ECG
Authors: Sun Haitao , Li Jing , Wang Yue , Ma Xiaoke
Published: January 2022

Objective. To explore the effect of mobile Internet on attitude and self-efficacy of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) diagnosed by 12-lead Holter ECG. Methods. The clinical data of 62 patients with CHD who underwent routine ECG examination (control group I) and 12-lead dynamic electrocardiogram (control group II) in our hospital (June 2017–December 2020) were retrospectively analyzed, and the clinical data of another 62 patients with CHD who received 12-lead Holter ECG examination combined with mobile Internet in our hospital at the same time (study group) were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical observation indexes of the three groups were compared. Results. No obvious difference in general data among groups (

P
>
0.05

). Compared with the control group I, the positive detection rate (PDR) of the study group and the control group II was obviously higher (

P
<
0.05

), and the PDR of the study group was obviously higher than that of the control group II, without remarkable difference between both groups (

P
>
0.05

). Compared with the control group, the scores of CAS-R of the study group were obviously higher (

P
<
0.05

), and self-efficacy of daily life, health behaviors, medication compliance, and compliance behavior of the study group was obviously better (

P
<
0.05

). The diagnostic efficacy was derived by ROC curve analysis, 12-lead Holter ECG combined with mobile Internet + routine ECG > 12-lead Holter ECG combined with mobile Internet > 12-lead Holter ECG > routine ECG. Conclusion. Compared with the routine ECG, the sensitivity of 12-lead Holter ECG in the diagnosis of CHD is conspicuously higher. Meanwhile, 12-lead Holter ECG combined with mobile Internet can enhance the diagnostic efficiency and improve patients’ perceived control attitude and self-efficacy.
Integrated Network Pharmacology and Mice Model to Investigate Qing Zao Fang for Treating Sjögren’s Syndrome
Authors: Zeng Ping , Liu Wei , Zhang Shumin , Du Shaopeng , Fan Yihua , Zhao Longmei , Wang Aihua
Published: January 2022

Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease, and its conventional treatment has exhibited limited therapeutic efficacy. Qing Zao Fang (QZF), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, is used in the treatment of Sjögren’s syndrome, but its chemical composition is complex, and its pharmacological mechanism is not clear. Therefore, this study aims to explore the potential mechanism of QZF in the treatment of Sjögren’s syndrome based on network pharmacology and SS mouse model. The main active components and predicted targets of QZF were analyzed by network pharmacology. The SS mouse model was constructed and divided into 6 groups: control, SS, SS + hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)-treated, SS + low-dose QZF-treated, SS + medium-dose QZF-treated, and SS + high-dose QZF-treated group. Immunohistochemical, ELISA, and qRT-PCR assays were performed to detect the expressions of targets associated with SS. TUNEL staining was used to detect apoptosis. Cumulatively, 230 active compounds and 1883 targets of QZF were identified. There were 227 common targets for QZF and SS. The effective active ingredients were stigmasterol, neocryptotanshinone II, neotanshinone C, miltionone I, and beta-pinene. It mainly acts on biological processes such as inflammatory response, chemokine metabolic process, and immune response as well as pathways such as FoxO signaling pathway, Yersinia infection, HIF-1 signaling pathway, and TNF signaling pathway. In SS mice, levels of AKT1, HIF-1α, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-17A were increased, while decreased after QZF treatment. In contrast, IL-10 levels were decreased in SS mice and increased in QZF-treated mice. In addition, QZF reduced apoptosis in the submandibular gland tissue compared to SS mice. It can be concluded that the QZF in treatment of SS is the result of the combined action of multiple components, multiple targets, and multiple pathways. This study improves the understanding of the link between QZF and SS on molecular mechanisms.
Cirsium japonicum var. Maackii Improves Cognitive Impairment under Amyloid Beta25-35‐Induced Alzheimer’s Disease Model
Authors: Pang Qi Qi , Kim Ji-Hyun , Choi Ji Myung , Song Jia-Le , Lee Sanghyun , Cho Eun Ju
Published: January 2022

Abnormal production and degradation of amyloid beta (Aβ) in the brain lead to oxidative stress and cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Cirsium japonicum var. maackii (CJM) is widely used as an herbal medicine and has antibacterial and anti‐inflammatory properties. This study focused on the protective effect of the ethyl acetate fraction from CJM (ECJM) on Aβ25-35‐induced control mice. In the T‐maze and novel object recognition test, ECJM provided higher spatial memory and object recognition compared to Aβ25-35 treatment alone. In the Morris water maze test, ECJM‐administered mice showed greater learning and memory abilities than Aβ25-35‐induced control mice. Additionally, ECJM‐administered mice experienced inhibited lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide production in a dose‐dependent manner. The present study indicates that ECJM improves cognitive impairment by inhibiting oxidative stress in Aβ25-35‐induced mice. Therefore, CJM may be useful for the treatment of AD and may be a potential material for functional foods.
Modelling Road User Perceptions towards Safety, Comfort, and Chaos at Shared Space: The via Maqueda Case Study, Italy
Authors: Akgün-Tanbay Nurten , Campisi Tiziana , Tanbay Tayfun , Tesoriere Giovanni , Dissanayake Dilum
Published: January 2022

This study aims to investigate the impacts of perception of infrastructure, sociodemographic characteristics, frequency of road use, and road user perception on safety, comfort, and chaos with respect to shared spaces. The case study area was the Via Maqueda, a shared street in Palermo, Italy. A face-to-face survey was conducted and the answers of 200 of the participants, who use three active travel modes, namely, walking, cycling, and micromobility, were analysed. The results obtained from the ordered logit models suggest that one-unit higher perception of infrastructure will increase safety and comfort perceptions for both walking and cycling. Females feel less safe while walking and less comfortable while cycling at shared spaces compared to males. Increasing the age group by one unit will decrease the safety and comfort perceptions for walking. The participants who use the shared spaces more frequently perceive that they feel more comfortable with cycling. Participants, particularly males, find the shared spaces less chaotic for walking when the perception of infrastructure is higher. Regarding the micromobility use at shared spaces, females feel less comfortable compared to males while using micromobility.
Effect of Combined Etomidate-Ketamine Anesthesia on Perioperative Electrocardiogram and Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction of Elderly Patients with Rheumatic Heart Valve Disease Undergoing Heart Valve Replacement
Authors: Yang Ling , Xie Jingyang , Hou Dan
Published: January 2022

Objective. To explore the effect of combined etomidate-ketamine anesthesia on perioperative electrocardiogram (ECG) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) of elderly patients with rheumatic heart valve disease (RHVD) undergoing heart valve replacement. Methods. The data of 100 elderly RHVD patients treated in our hospital from May 2019 to May 2020 were selected for the retrospective analysis, and by adopting the double-blind method, the patients were divided into the ketamine group (n = 50) and the combined group (n = 50) according to the anesthesia methods. During the induction of anesthesia, the patients of the two groups were given a small dose of ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) at 5 μg/kg/min continuously via pump injection until the end of surgery, and on this basis, with the same anesthesia measures, those in the combined group were given etomidate (0.3 mg/kg) additionally. The patients’ perioperative ECG indicators, POCD scores, and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) scores were compared between the two groups. Results. Compared with the ketamine group, the combined group presented significantly lower incidence of ST-T wave changes after anesthesia induction and at the time of intubation and skin incision (

P
<
0.05

), significantly lower average magnitude of ST-segment depression after anesthesia induction (

P
<
0.001

), significantly lower average magnitude of ST-segment elevation after anesthesia induction and extubation (

P
<
0.001

), significantly lower POCD incidence (6.%,

P
<
0.05

), and significantly better NRS score after surgery (

P
<
0.001

). Conclusion. Combined etomidate-ketamine anesthesia can stabilize the perioperative ECG indicators of elderly RHVD patients undergoing heart valve replacement, improve their postoperative cognitive function, and reduce their pain sensation, which should be promoted and applied in practice.
Experimental Investigation of Seepage Mechanism on Oil-Water Two-Phase Displacement in Fractured Tight Reservoir
Authors: Zhang Xuyang , Zhang Jianming , Xiao Cong
Published: January 2022

As a type of unconventional oil and gas resources, tight sandstone reservoir has low permeability and porosity properties and thus is commonly necessary to develop through hydraulic fracturing treatment. Due to the coexistence of natural fractures and induced hydraulic fractures, the heterogeneity of reservoir permeability becomes severe and therefore results in complicated fluid seepage mechanism. It is of significance to investigate the oil-water two-phase seepage mechanics before and after the hydraulic fracturing stimulation with the aim of supporting the actual production and development of oilfield. This paper experimentally investigated the influences of fracture system on seepage characteristics of two-phase displacement in sample cores of fractured tight sandstones. In details, the changes of injection rate, cumulative production rate, recovery ratio, and water content were analyzed before and after the hydraulic fracturing treatments. To further analyze the displacement characteristics of the sample core, the displacement indices of four rock samples in different displacement stages were investigated. The sensitivity of sample core displacement indices to many key factors, including injection time, oil production rate, oil recovery factor and injection multiple factor, and moisture (i.e., water content was 95%, 98%, and 99.5%, respectively), before and after the hydraulic fracturing treatments were obtained synthetically. Besides, the relationship between recovery difference and contribution of fracture to permeability was explored at different water contents. The experimental results reveal that the fracture system shortens the water-free production period and hence reduces the recovery rate. The greater the contribution of fractures to permeability, the lower the recovery of water during this period.
High Expression of CXCL10/CXCR3 in Ventilator‐Induced Lung Injury Caused by High Mechanical Power
Authors: Xie Yongpeng , Zheng Hui , Mou Zhifang , Wang Yanli , Li Xiaomin
Published: January 2022

Background. The energy delivered by a ventilator to the respiratory system in one minute is defined as mechanical power (MP). However, the effect of ventilator‐induced lung injury (VILI) in patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is still unknown. Our previous studies revealed that CXCL10 may be a potential biomarker of lung injury in ARDS. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the lung injury of rats and patients under different MP conditions to explore the involvement of CXCL10 and its receptor CXCR3 in VILI. Methods. Patients were divided into the high mechanical power group (HMPp group) and low mechanical power group (LMPp group), while rats were assigned to the high mechanical power group (HMPr group), medium mechanical power group (MMPr group), and low mechanical power group (LMPr group). CXCL10 and CXCR3 plasma content in ARDS patients and rats under ventilation at different MP was measured, as well as their protein and mRNA expression in rat lungs. Results. CXCL10 and CXCR3 content in the plasma of ARDS patients in the HMPp was significantly higher than that in the LMPp. The increase of MP during mechanical ventilation in the rats gradually increased lung damage, and CXCL10 and CXCR3 levels in rat plasma gradually increased with the increase of MP. CXCL10 and CXCR3 protein and mRNA expression in the HMPr group and MMPr group was significantly higher than that in the LMPr group (P < 0.05). More mast cells were present in the trachea, bronchus, blood vessels, and lymphatic system in the rat lungs of the HMPr group, and the number of mast cells in the HMPr group (13.32 ± 3.27) was significantly higher than that in the LMPr group (3.25 ± 0.29) (P < 0.05). Conclusion. The higher the MP, the more severe the lung injury, and the higher the CXCL10/CXCR3 expression. Therefore, CXCL10/CXCR3 might participate in VILI by mediating mast cell chemotaxis.
Logic Design and Power Optimization of Floating-Point Multipliers
Authors: Bai Na , Li Hang , Lv Jiming , Yang Shuai , Xu Yaohua
Published: January 2022

Under IEEE-754 standard, for the current situation of excessive time and power consumption of multiplication operations in single-precision floating-point operations, the expanded boothwallace algorithm is used, and the partial product caused by booth coding is rounded and predicted with the symbolic expansion idea, and the partial product caused by single-precision floating-point multiplication and the accumulation of partial products are optimized, and the flowing water is used to improve the throughput. Based on this, a series of verification and synthesis simulations are performed using the SMIC-7 nm standard cell process. It is verified that the new single-precision floating-point multiplier can achieve a smaller power share compared to the conventional single-precision floating-point multiplier.
Evaluation of Performance of Chlorinated Polyethylene Using Wireless Network and Artificial Intelligence Technology
Authors: Zhang Haifeng , Zhou Lianzhu
Published: January 2022

Chemical enterprises are presently confronted with several difficult issues, including high power consumption, dangerous risk evaluation, and environmental regulation, all of which push industrial and academic institutions to develop new technologies, catalysts, and materials. Chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) is a polymer made by replacing H2 molecules in high density-(C2H4)n with chloride ions. CPE elastomers are made from a high density-(C2H4) backbone, and it was chlorinated using a free radical aqueous slurry technique. However, such fundamental polymer characteristics are insufficient to explain the performance characteristics of chlorinated polyethylene elastomers. Artificial intelligence (AI) has had a massive effect on all sections of the chemical sector, with tremendous potential that has revolutionized value supply chains, enhanced efficiency, and opened up new ways to the marketplace. As a result, in this research, we offer a methodology for the performance characterization of chlorinated polyethylene based on artificial intelligence (AI) and wireless network technology. The AI tools can search through enormous databases of known compounds and their attributes, leveraging the data to generate new possibilities. The dataset is first gathered. The chemical characterization is classified using the

K

-nearest neighbor (KNN) technique. This program was created to examine molecule structures and forecast the outcomes of new chemical reactions. Bayesian optimization is used to improve characterization performance. The proposed method will contribute to the future usage of AI in the chemical sector.
Smart City Public Art Planning and Design in a Multimedia Internet of Things Environment Integrating Scene Elements
Authors: Tang Congcong , Zhao Lei
Published: January 2022

Public art planning and design in the context of smart cities need to keep pace with the times, but the integrity of the original scene needs to be maintained in the process of public art design. Therefore, this paper combines the elements of the scene and integrates the Internet of Things smart city to conduct public art planning and design research. Moreover, based on the multimedia Internet of Things environment, this paper analyzes the effects of virtual reality technology in urban public art planning and design and gives the overall optimization ideas for the organization and rendering of VR scene data. Then, this paper studies the organization and rendering optimization methods of the terrain scene model and the scene model, respectively. The experimental research results show that the smart city public art planning and design system under the multimedia Internet of Things environment designed in this paper has a good smart city public art planning and design effect.
Ilmenite Inclusion: A Solution towards Solid Sagging for Hematite-Based Invert Emulsion Mud
Authors: Basfar Salem , Ahmed Ashraf , Elkatatny Salaheldin
Published: January 2022

The sagging tendency of hematite in drilling mud is a common challenge occurring at high-pressure and high-temperature (HP/HT) applications. This work studies the performance of hematite-based invert emulsion mud for HP/HT conditions and provides a solution to prevent the hematite settlement using a combination of ilmenite with hematite. Practical mud formulation was utilized over a range of ilmenite/hematite ratios (0/100, 20/80, 40/60, and 50/50%) to study sagging behaviour. From the sag tests, the optimum combination proportion was determined. Thereafter, the density, emulsion stability, rheological and viscoelastic properties, and filtration conduct for the formulated mud were evaluated. The experiments were conditioned as per the standards of the American Petroleum Institute. The obtained results of sagging experiments indicated that including 50% of ilmenite mitigated the hematite settling and reduced the sag tendency towards the safe range. A slight drop (4%) in mud weight was noticed upon adding the ilmenite, whereas the emulsion stability was enhanced from 551 to 574 volts with the 50% ilmenite content. The rheology and viscoelasticity measurements showed that 50/50% combination improved the yield point (YP) by 50% with a trivial 1 cP increment on plastic viscosity (PV), hence enhancing the YP/PV ratio by 46%. Also, the gelling strength was enhanced resulting in flat rheology and better gel structure. The filtration behaviour of 50% ilmenite mud was improved compared to blank hematite as it resulted in 21, 15, and 17% reduction on the filtrated volume, filter cake weight, and thickness, respectively. This study provides a solution for hematite sagging issue at HP/HT using combined weighting agents, which contributes to enhancing the mud stability and avoiding several well control issues and related operational and technical challenges that eventually will economize the drilling cost and time.
A Recent Overview of 1,2,3-Triazole-Containing Hybrids as Novel Antifungal Agents: Focusing on Synthesis, Mechanism of Action, and Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR)
Authors: Marzi Mahrokh , Farjam Mojtaba , Kazeminejad Zahra , Shiroudi Abolfazl , Kouhpayeh Amin , Zarenezhad Elham
Published: January 2022

A pharmacophore system has been found as 1,2,3-triazole, a five-membered heterocycle ring with nitrogen heteroatoms. These heterocyclic compounds can be produced using azide-alkyne cycloaddition processes catalyzed by ruthenium or copper. The bioactive compounds demonstrated antitubercular, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, antiviral, and antidiabetic properties. This heterocycle molecule, in particular, with one or more 1,2,3-triazole cores has been found to have the most powerful antifungal effects. The goal of this review is to highlight recent developments in the synthesis and structure-activity relationship (SAR) investigation of this prospective fungicidal chemical. Also there have been explained drugs and mechanism of action of a triazole compound with antifungal activity. This review will be useful in a variety of fields, including medicinal chemistry, organic chemistry, mycology, and pharmacology.
Analysis of Brain Activity Changes in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease Based on Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Shen Juan , Xu Chao
Published: January 2022

This paper uses resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to observe the changes in local consistency of brain activity in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Both healthy volunteers and Parkinson’s disease patients were scanned for resting brain functional imaging, and the collected raw data were processed using resting functional magnetic resonance data processing toolkit software. This study adopted the use of Regional Homogeneity (ReHo). The postprocessing method of RS-fMRI is to study the spontaneous brain activity changes of patients with Parkinson’s disease and cognitive impairment and to explore the changes in the function of their brain regions in the hope of providing help for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease cognitive impairment. The results showed that, compared with the normal control group, the brain regions with increased ReHo values in the PD group were the right central anterior gyrus, the right lingual gyrus, the left middle occipital gyrus, and the bilateral anterior cuneiform lobes. The results show that PD patients have abnormal brain nerve activities in the resting state, and these abnormal brain nerve activities may be related to PD cognitive and behavioral dysfunction.
Artificial Intelligence in the Protection and Inheritance of Cultural Landscape Heritage in Traditional Village
Authors: Wang Xin
Published: January 2022

To continue to protect and inherit the cultural landscape heritage of traditional villages, starting from the perspective of artificial intelligence (AI), literature review methods are used, and related theories are collected. Then, Wuyuan County in Jiangxi Province in the traditional villages is taken as the research object. By analyzing the tourism income of this place from 2016 to 2020, the overall income of this county is relatively good. In fact, due to the weak protection of traditional villages in Wuyuan County, the lack of supervision awareness, the implementation of the “immigrant and relocation” policy, and the backward thinking of residents, the cultural landscape of traditional villages has collapsed and destroyed. Up to now, there are 113 ancient ancestral temples, 28 ancient mansion houses, 36 ancient private houses, 187 ancient bridges, and only 12 ancient villages. Finally, AI technology is applied to the cultural landscape of traditional villages. Through image restoration technology, traditional villages can be restored to a certain extent. Intelligent positioning and radio frequency (RF) technology can also realize real-time monitoring of traditional villages from the perspective of weather and service life to achieve the purpose of protecting cultural landscape heritage. Therefore, AI technology is applied in the protection and inheritance of traditional village cultural landscape heritage, which has great reference significance for the management of various historical and cultural heritage.