bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Helicobacter pyloriinfection disturbs the tumor immune microenvironment and is associated with a discrepant prognosis in gastric de novo diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Authors: Deng Yuwei , Su Wenjia , Zhu Junwen , Ji Hongfei , Zhou Xiaoping , Geng Jingshu , Zhu Jiayu , Zhang Qingyuan
Published: October 2021

Background

Gastric diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (gDLBCL) related toHelicobacter pyloriinfection exhibits a wide spectrum of prognosis, and the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) affects tumor progression. However, there are few studies on the correlation between prognosis and changes of TIME induced byH. pyloriinfection in de novo gDLBCL.

Methods

A retrospective study was performed to determine the prognostic value of TIME related toH. pyloriinfection in de novo gDLBCL. A total of 252 patients were included and have been treated with standard rituximab to cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone chemotherapy or other similar regimens in addition toH. pylorieradication (HPE). All patients were stratified byH. pyloriinfection, HPE efficacy, and preliminary TIME evaluation using conventional criteria. Statistical analyses were conducted. To assess the mechanism, 30 subjects were assessed forH. pyloriinfection. The components and spatial distributions of TIME were analyzed.

Results

The median follow-up of the 252 patients was 66.6 months (range 0.7–119.2), and the 5-year overall survival (OS) was 78.0%. A total of 109H.pylori-positive cases with pathological complete remission and high tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes (cohort 1) had significantly higher 5-year progression-free survival (88.1% vs 70.5%, p<0.001) and OS (89.2% vs 76.6%, p<0.001) than the other 143 patients (cohort 2). Among 30 patients, 19 were cytotoxin-associated gene A-marked as the cohort 1 subset. Compared with cohort 2, cohort 1 exhibited increased inflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon γ, etc) and decreased immunosuppressive components (PD-L1, PD-1, IL-10, etc). There was reduced NF-kB activation. Cancer-promoting immune cells (PD-1hiTim-3+ CTL, Tregs, M2-like macrophages, etc) occupied a minor spatial distribution, while the antitumor subtypes increased, corresponding to favorable survival.

Conclusion

H. pylori-evoked inflammatory responses disturb the TIME, causing a differential prognosis in de novo gDLBCL, which can be used to identify patients who could benefit from HPE and immunochemotherapy.
Emerging role of tumor-derived extracellular vesicles in T cell suppression and dysfunction in the tumor microenvironment
Authors: Ma Feiya , Vayalil Jensen , Lee Grace , Wang Yuqi , Peng Guangyong
Published: October 2021

Immunotherapeutic drugs including immune checkpoint blockade antibodies have been approved to treat patients in many types of cancers. However, some patients have little or no reaction to the immunotherapy drugs. The mechanisms underlying resistance to tumor immunotherapy are complicated and involve multiple aspects, including tumor-intrinsic factors, formation of immunosuppressive microenvironment, and alteration of tumor and stromal cell metabolism in the tumor microenvironment. T cell is critical and participates in every aspect of antitumor response, and T cell dysfunction is a severe barrier for effective immunotherapy for cancer. Emerging evidence indicates that extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by tumor is one of the major factors that can induce T cell dysfunction. Tumor-derived EVs are widely distributed in serum, tissues, and the tumor microenvironment of patients with cancer, which serve as important communication vehicles for cancer cells. In addition, tumor-derived EVs can carry a variety of immune suppressive signals driving T cell dysfunction for tumor immunity. In this review, we explore the potential mechanisms employed by tumor-derived EVs to control T cell development and effector function within the tumor microenvironment. Especially, we focus on current understanding of how tumor-derived EVs molecularly and metabolically reprogram T cell fates and functions for tumor immunity. In addition, we discuss potential translations of targeting tumor-derived EVs to reconstitute suppressive tumor microenvironment or to develop antigen-based vaccines and drug delivery systems for cancer immunotherapy.
Embotrap Extraction & Clot Evaluation & Lesion Evaluation for NeuroThrombectomy (EXCELLENT) Registry design and methods
Authors: Siddiqui Adnan H , Waqas Muhammad , Brinjikji Waleed , De Meyer Simon F , Doyle Karen , Fiehler Jens , Hacke Werner , Hanel Ricardo A , Jovin Tudor G , Liebeskind David S , Yoo Albert J , Zaidat Osama O , Andersson Tommy , Nogueira Raul G
Published: October 2021

Background

Relationships between occlusive clot histopathology, baseline characteristics, imaging findings, revascularization rates, and clinical outcomes of stroke patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) are not well understood. This study will assess the real-world experience on the efficacy and safety of using the EmboTrap device as the first approach in LVO patients and explore the associations between clot histological characteristics, imaging and clinical findings, revascularization rates, and clinical outcomes.

Methods

Prospective, global, multicenter, single-arm, imaging core laboratory, and clot analysis central laboratory observational registry. Adult patients (>18 years) with LVO, treated with EmboTrap as the first attempted device, will be eligible for study participation.

Results

Up to 1000 subjects at 50 international sites may be enrolled. Occlusive clots will be collected from at least 500 subjects. Independent central and imaging core laboratories will perform clot analysis and image adjudication. Statistical analysis will assess the association between imaging and clinical findings, clot characteristics, subject comorbidities, revascularization, and clinical outcomes. Study endpoints are functional independence (modified Rankin Scale score ≤2 at 90 days), expanded Thrombolysis In Cerebral Infarction (eTICI) score ≥2b50 rate, first-pass effect, number of passes, embolization into new territory, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, and 90-day mortality.

Conclusions

The EXCELLENT registry will provide reproducible effectiveness and safety data of EmboTrap for its use for mechanical thrombectomy. Additionally, the study will characterize the blood clots retrieved during mechanical thrombectomy with respect to their composition and histopathological analysis and potential correlations with clinical and imaging findings.

Trial registration number

NCT03685578.
Similar admission NIHSS may represent larger tissue-at-risk in patients with right-sided versus left-sided large vessel occlusion
Authors: Mak Adrian , Matouk Charles , Avery Emily W , Behland Jonas , Frey Dietmar , Madai Vince Istvan , Vajkoczy Peter , Malhotra Ajay , Abou Karam Anthony , Sanelli Pina , Falcone Guido J , Petersen Nils H , Sansing Lauren , Sheth Kevin N , Payabvash Seyedmehdi
Published: October 2021

Background

We investigated the effects of the side of large vessel occlusion (LVO) on post-thrombectomy infarct volume and clinical outcome with regard to admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score.

Methods

We retrospectively identified patients with anterior LVO who received endovascular thrombectomy and follow-up MRI. Applying voxel-wise general linear models and multivariate analysis, we assessed the effects of occlusion side, admission NIHSS, and post-thrombectomy reperfusion (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction, mTICI) on final infarct distribution and volume as well as discharge modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score.

Results

We included 469 patients, 254 with left-sided and 215 with right-sided LVO. Admission NIHSS was higher in those with left-sided LVO (median (IQR) 16 (10–22)) than in those with right-sided LVO (14 (8–16), p>0.001). In voxel-wise analysis, worse post-thrombectomy reperfusion, lower admission NIHSS score, and poor discharge outcome were associated with right-hemispheric infarct lesions. In multivariate analysis, right-sided LVO was an independent predictor of larger final infarct volume (p=0.003). There was a significant three-way interaction between admission stroke severity (based on NIHSS), LVO side, and mTICI with regard to final infarct volume (p=0.041). Specifically, in patients with moderate stroke (NIHSS 6–15), incomplete reperfusion (mTICI 0–2b) was associated with larger final infarct volume (p<0.001) and worse discharge outcome (p=0.02) in right-sided compared with left-sided LVO.

Conclusions

When adjusted for admission NIHSS, worse post-thrombectomy reperfusion is associated with larger infarct volume and worse discharge outcome in right-sided versus left-sided LVO. This may represent larger tissue-at-risk in patients with right-sided LVO when applying admission NIHSS as a clinical biomarker for penumbra.
Intracranial non-occlusive intraluminal thrombus may indicate underlying etiology of large vessel occlusion in patients undergoing endovascular therapy
Authors: Jang Seong Hwa , Park Hyungjong , Yoo Joonsang , Hong Jeong-Ho , Lee Jin Soo , Lee Seong-Joon , Kim Yong-Won , Hong Ji Man , Choi Jin Wook , Kang Dong-Hun , Kim Yong-Sun , Hwang Yang-Ha , Sohn Sung-Il
Published: October 2021

Background

The underlying etiology of intracranial non-occlusive intraluminal thrombus (iNOT) remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate whether the presence of iNOT can indicate the underlying etiology of large vessel occlusion (LVO) in patients undergoing endovascular therapy (EVT).

Methods

Among patients who underwent EVT at three comprehensive stroke centers, we included those with intracranial LVO in the anterior circulation. The presence of iNOT was determined by pretreatment DSA. We investigated the association between iNOT and intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) related LVO.

Results

Of 546 patients, 44 (8.1%) had iNOT. Patients with iNOT were younger, had less hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and a history of antiplatelet use. In addition, the involvement of the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) was more frequent. However, they had a lower National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score on admission and longer onset to recanalization time compared with patients with no iNOT. In a logistic regression model adjusting for age, sex, atrial fibrillation, smoking, prior antiplatelet and anticoagulant use, intravenous tissue plasminogen activator, NIHSS on admission, number of technical trials, intraprocedural re-occlusion, and the location of LVO (p<0.10 in the univariate analysis), the presence of iNOT was significantly associated with ICAS related LVO (adjusted OR 3.04; 95% CI 1.33 to 6.90; p=0.007).

Conclusions

The presence of iNOT may reflect an underlying ICAS related LVO in patients undergoing EVT.
Quantitative angiographic haemodynamic evaluation of bypasses for complex aneurysms: a preliminary study
Authors: Lu Junlin , Xue Chao , Hu Xulin , Zhao Yuanli , Zhang Dong , Chen Xiaolin , Zhao Ji Zong
Published: October 2021

Objective

Open microsurgery, often with bypass techniques, is indispensable for complex aneurysms. To date, it remains unknown whether arterial anatomy or quantitative blood flow measurements can predict insufficient flow-related stroke (IRS). The present study aimed to evaluate the risk factors for IRS in patients treated with open microsurgery with bypass procedures for complex internal carotid artery aneurysms.

Methods

Patients with complex aneurysms undergoing bypass surgery were retrospectively reviewed. The recipient/donor flow index (RDFI) was preoperatively evaluated using colour-coding angiography. RDFI was defined as the ratio of the cerebral blood volume of the recipient and donor arteries. The sizes of the recipient and donor arteries were measured. The recipient/donor diameter index (RDDI) was then calculated. IRS was defined as the presence of new postoperative neurological deficits and infarction on postoperative CT scans. We assessed the association between RDFI and other variables and the IRS.

Results

Twenty patients (38±12 years) were analysed. IRS was observed in 12 patients (60%). Patients with postoperative IRS had a higher RDFI than those without postoperative IRS (p<0.001). RDDI was not significantly different between patients with and without IRS (p=0.905). Patients with RDFI >2.3 were more likely to develop IRS (p<0.001).

Conclusion

Quantitative digital subtraction angiography enables preoperative evaluation of cerebral blood volume. RDFI >2.3, rather than RDDI, was significantly associated with postoperative IRS. This preoperative evaluation allows appropriate decisions regarding the treatment strategy for preventing postoperative IRS.
Novel role of STAT3 in microglia-dependent neuroinflammation after experimental subarachnoid haemorrhage
Authors: Zheng Zhiyuan Vera , Chen Junfan , Lyu Hao , Lam Sin Yu Erica , Lu Gang , Chan Wai Yee , Wong George K C
Published: October 2021

Background and purpose

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) may contribute to the proinflammation in the central nervous system diseases by modulating the microglial responses. Thus, this study was intended to investigate the effect of STAT3 on microglia-dependent neuroinflammation and functional outcome after experimental subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH).

Methods

The SAH model was established by endovascular perforation in the mouse. Real-time PCR (RtPCR) and western blot were used to examine the dynamic STAT3 signalling pathway responses after SAH. To clarify the role of the STAT3 signalling pathway in the microglia-dependent neuroinflammation after SAH, the microglia-specific STAT3 knockout (KO) mice were generated by the Cre-LoxP system. The neurological functions were assessed by Catwalk and Morris water maze tests. Neuronal loss after SAH was determined by immunohistochemistry staining. Microglial polarisation status after STAT3 KO was then examined by RtPCR and immunofluorescence.

Results

The STAT3 and Janus kinase-signal transducer 2 activated immediately with the upregulation and phosphorylation after SAH. Downstream factors and related mediators altered dynamically and accordingly. Microglial STAT3 deletion ameliorated the neurological impairment and alleviated the early neuronal loss after SAH. To investigate the underlying mechanism, we examined the microglial reaction after STAT3 KO. STAT3 deletion reversed the increase of microglia after SAH. Loss of STAT3 triggered the early morphological changes of microglia and primed microglia from M1 to M2 polarisation. Functionally, microglial STAT3 deletion suppressed the SAH-induced proinflammation and promoted the anti-inflammation in the early phase.

Conclusions

STAT3 is closely related to the microglial polarisation transition and modulation of microglia-dependent neuroinflammation. Microglial STAT3 deletion improved neurological function and neuronal survival probably through promoting M2 polarisation and anti-inflammatory responses after SAH. STAT3 may serve as a promising therapeutic target to alleviate early brain injury after SAH.
Numerical study of flow patterns and performance of a coupled cavity–dish system under different focal lengths
Authors: Uzair Muhammad , Siddiqui Mubashir Ali , Allauddin Usman
Published: October 2021

The effectiveness of the parabolic dish system (PDS) is greatly affected by the heat losses associated with high temperatures. The complexity of flow and temperature patterns in and around the cavity receiver makes it a challenging task to determine the convective heat loss from the cavity. Various studies have been carried out to determine the convection heat losses from isolated cavities of different shapes. In the presence of a dish structure, the free stream wind may affect the stability of structure and the heat losses from the PDS. In this study, the effect of focal length on the performance of the coupled cavity–dish system was analyzed using numerical simulations. The loading and the convective heat loss from the cavity were examined with three different cavity positions and different operating conditions in the presence of the dish. The results showed that the shallow dish experienced higher local air velocities near the cavity receiver than in the case of the deep dish. It was concluded that the heat loss is a stronger function of tilt angle rather than focal length, and in essence, the heat losses due to variations in this are negligible.
Efficient Computation of Probabilistic Dominance in Multi-objective Optimization
Authors: Khosravi Faramarz , Rass Alexander , Teich Jürgen
Published: October 2021

Real-world problems typically require the simultaneous optimization of multiple, often conflicting objectives. Many of thesemulti-objective optimization problemsare characterized by wide ranges of uncertainties in their decision variables or objective functions. To cope with such uncertainties,stochasticandrobust optimizationtechniques are widely studied aiming to distinguish candidate solutions with uncertain objectives specified by confidence intervals, probability distributions, sampled data, or uncertainty sets. In this scope, this article first introduces a novel empirical approach for the comparison of candidate solutions with uncertain objectives that can follow arbitrary distributions. The comparison is performed through accurate and efficient calculations of the probability that one solution dominates the other in terms of each uncertain objective. Second, such an operator can be flexibly used and combined with many existing multi-objective optimization frameworks and techniques by just substituting their standard comparison operator, thus easily enabling the Pareto front optimization of problems with multiple uncertain objectives. Third, a new benchmark for evaluating uncertainty-aware optimization techniques is introduced by incorporating different types of uncertainties into a well-known benchmark for multi-objective optimization problems. Fourth, the new comparison operator and benchmark suite are integrated into an existing multi-objective optimization framework that features a selection of multi-objective optimization problems and algorithms. Fifth, the efficiency in terms of performance and execution time of the proposed comparison operator is evaluated on the introduced uncertainty benchmark. Finally, statistical tests are applied giving evidence of the superiority of the new comparison operator in terms of\epsilon-dominance and attainment surfaces in comparison to previously proposed approaches.
A Survey on Recent Progress in the Theory of Evolutionary Algorithms for Discrete Optimization
Authors: Doerr Benjamin , Neumann Frank
Published: October 2021

The theory of evolutionary computation for discrete search spaces has made significant progress since the early 2010s. This survey summarizes some of the most important recent results in this research area. It discusses fine-grained models of runtime analysis of evolutionary algorithms, highlights recent theoretical insights on parameter tuning and parameter control, and summarizes the latest advances for stochastic and dynamic problems. We regard how evolutionary algorithms optimize submodular functions, and we give an overview over the large body of recent results on estimation of distribution algorithms. Finally, we present the state of the art of drift analysis, one of the most powerful analysis technique developed in this field.
Health personalisation
Authors: Berkovsky Shlomo , Coiera Enrico
Published: October 2021

The current agenda in health personalisation research mainly revolves around supporting lifestyle and wellbeing. Personalised recommendations for patients and consumers have been explored for areas like physical activity, food intake, mental support, and health information consumption. Strikingly little attention has been paid to personalised medical applications supporting clinical users. In this paper, we turn the spotlight on such medical use cases and the advantages personalised decision-support can bring. We discuss the differences between patient- and clinician-centric personalisation and highlight touch points, where personalised support might improve clinicians' decision-making.
Organoid Models for Infectious Disease
Authors: Blutt Sarah E. , Estes Mary K.
Published: October 2021

Infectious diseases affect individual health and have widespread societal impacts. New ex vivo models are critical to understand pathogenesis, host response, and features necessary to develop preventive and therapeutic treatments. Pluripotent and tissue stem cell–derived organoids provide new tools for the study of human infections. Organoid models recapitulate many characteristics of in vivo disease and are providing new insights into human respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neuronal host–microbe interactions. Increasing culture complexity by adding the stroma, interorgan communication, and the microbiome will improve the use of organoids as models for infection. Organoid cultures provide a platform with the capability to improve human health related to infectious diseases.
Robust Tracking Control of the Euler–Lagrange System Based on Barrier Lyapunov Function and Self‐Structuring Neural Networks
Authors: Wang Yi , Ma He , Wu Weidong
Published: October 2021

This article studies the robust tracking control problems of Euler–Lagrange (EL) systems with uncertainties. To enhance the robustness of the control systems, an asymmetric tan‐type barrier Lyapunov function (ATBLF) is used to dynamic constraint position tracking errors. To deal with the problems of the system uncertainties, the self‐structuring neural network (SSNN) is developed to estimate the unknown dynamics model and avoid the calculation burden. The robust compensator is designed to estimate and compensate neural network (NN) approximation errors and unknown disturbances. In addition, a relative threshold event‐triggered strategy is introduced, which greatly saves communication resources. Under the proposed robust control scheme, tracking behavior can be implemented with disturbance and unknown dynamics of the EL systems. All signals in the closed‐loop system are proved to be bounded by stability analysis, and the tracking error can converge to the neighborhood near the origin. The numerical simulation results show the effectiveness and the validity of the proposed robust control scheme.
Exploring Passengers’ Dependency Variety on Stations’ Functions in Urban Subway
Authors: Zhao Xia , Jiao Pengpeng , Zhang Yong , Zhou Chenjing
Published: October 2021

Urban subway is taken by people in different frequencies, thus leading them to present different dependency varieties on this mode. Yet, how those passengers who possess low dependency on urban subway travel is less investigated. Under this background, we propose a framework to uncover passengers’ dependency variety on stations’ functions in urban subway. To begin with, nine features regarding travel frequency and time are extracted from 100 million transaction records generated by 11.45 million passengers in a month. Thus, their travel dependency on urban subway is quantified. These features are clustered into 5 distinct levels via the k-means algorithm, before an inference of subway stations’ functions from 236,040 POI data sources via the LDA approach. In this way, passengers’ travel purposes can be identified. How passengers with different dependency levels behave in subway stations in space and time is further explored in a visualization way. The intuitive experimental results, validated by priori user experiences and land-use plan of Beijing, show that among the 5 levels of dependency varieties, passengers in the first two groups present a relatively strong dependency on urban subway. Meanwhile, passengers in the rest three groups possess a low dependency on urban subway and display extreme travel patterns in time and frequency, greatly increasing management difficulties for transit operators. Findings in this research help distinguish passengers with low levels of subway dependency and grasp how those passengers without striking dependency travel by subway and what for so that practitioners can conduct an accurate risk assessment on them.
Pretreatment of Crumb Rubber with a Silane Coupling Agent to Improve Asphalt Rubber Performance
Authors: Liu Li , Liu Zhaohui , Yang Chengcheng
Published: October 2021

There are known problems of dissolution, consistency of performance, segregation, and instability with the crumb rubber currently used in asphalt for road engineering. A silane coupling agent (KH550) solution was therefore used to pretreat the crumb rubber so as to improve its interfacial characteristics. The effects of KH550 on the properties of asphalt rubber were studied using high‐ and low‐temperature performance tests, temperature sensitivity test, and compatibility test. On the basis of these tests, the optimum concentration of KH550 pretreated crumb rubber is 1.0%. The surface properties and micromodifications of the treated crumb rubber were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and an infrared spectrometer. The performance and economic benefit of the modified asphalt rubber was compared to styrene‐butadiene‐styrene (SBS) modified asphalt, and it was found that KH550 pretreated crumb rubber is able to significantly improve the high‐temperature performance of asphalt rubber, thus offering notable potential economic benefits.
Numerical Study on the Effect of Fuel Rich n-Heptane on In-Cylinder Fuel Reforming Characteristics in an HCCI Engine
Authors: Zhou Weijian , Zhou Song , Xi Hongyuan , Shreka Majed , Zhang Zhao
Published: October 2021

The effect of in-cylinder fuel reforming on an n-heptane homogenous charge compression ignition engine has been studied. A dedicated cylinder without a complex control system is proposed for fuel enrichment reforming, which can provide part of the power for the engine. The effects of different reforming species on engine performance and chemical reaction have been simulated by a numerical study. By comparing the combustion characteristics of n-heptane with different equivalence ratios in the reformer cylinder, the optimal n-heptane equivalence ratio has been determined. The enrichment of n-heptane produces sufficient hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO), while the hydrocarbon content of the reforming species was low. It was found that the addition of reforming species retards the combustion phase of n-heptane, thereby providing a means of controlling engine performance. In addition, the laminar flame speed and the adiabatic flame temperature of n-heptane increased by adding H2 and CO. Fuel reforming reduced the emission of ethylene, propyne, allene, propylene, butadiene, and nitrogen oxide, but it increased the emissions of acetylene and CO. Moreover, chemical, dilution, and thermodynamic effects of the reforming gas have been studied. The results showed that the chemical effect of the reforming species was less significant than the dilution and thermodynamic effects. These simulation results showed that in-cylinder fuel reforming can effectively improve engine performance and thereby reduce emissions.
The Normalized Laplacians, Degree-Kirchhoff Index, and the Complexity of Möbius Graph of Linear Octagonal-Quadrilateral Networks
Authors: Liu Jia-Bao , Zheng Qian , Hayat Sakander
Published: October 2021

The normalized Laplacian plays an indispensable role in exploring the structural properties of irregular graphs. Let

L

n

8,4

represent a linear octagonal-quadrilateral network. Then, by identifying the opposite lateral edges of

L

n

8,4

, we get the corresponding Möbius graph

M

Q

n

8,4

. In this paper, starting from the decomposition theorem of polynomials, we infer that the normalized Laplacian spectrum of

M

Q

n

8,4

can be determined by the eigenvalues of two symmetric quasi-triangular matrices

ℒ

A

and

ℒ

S

of order

4
n

. Next, owing to the relationship between the two matrix roots and the coefficients mentioned above, we derive the explicit expressions of the degree-Kirchhoff indices and the complexity of

M

Q

n

8,4

.
Evaluation and Analysis Model of the Length of Added Displaced Left-Turn Lane Based on Entropy Evaluation Method
Authors: Pan Binghong , Ying Jinfeng , Luo Shasha , Shao Yang , Liu Shangru , Li Xiang , Xie Zhenjiang
Published: October 2021

As the number of vehicles continues to grow in China, the problem of urban traffic congestion gets more serious, particularly at intersections. As a new type of unconventional intersection, the displaced left-turn (DLT) intersection has been widely recognized to improve the efficiency of intersections with heavy left-turn traffic flows. Converting an existing intersection into an intersection with additional DLT lanes is a valuable solution. However, the studies on DLT intersections mainly focus on performance, applicability, and safety. The guidelines on the specific engineering design process mostly come from experience, and the study on the considering multifactor design method is still insufficient. Therefore, this paper proposed an evaluation and analysis model of the lengths of added DLT lanes based on the entropy evaluation method, in which VISSIM and Surrogate Safety Assessment Model (SSAM) software were adopted for simulation. A design process for the length of the added DLT lanes was proposed with this model. An urban intersection in Xi’an was taken as a case study, and the application of the model and the design process was studied in detail. After selecting four evaluation indicators, the model was applied to calculate and analyze the optimal length of the added DLT lanes under 45 different traffic volume combinations. The recommended lengths of different situations were within the range recommended in the guidebook published by Federal Highway Administration. The results of the case study proved that the model proposed in this paper was advanced, reasonable, and practical.
An Extended Car-Following Model in Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Environment: Perspective from the Cooperation between Drivers
Authors: Ding Shenzhen , Chen Xumei , Fu Zexin , Peng Fei
Published: October 2021

The development of connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technology has received increasing attention in recent years. Although car-following behavior in mixed traffic with CAVs and human-driven vehicles (HDVs) is a core component of microscopic traffic simulation, intelligent traffic systems, etc., the current study of car-following behavior in mixed traffic has some limitations. Furthermore, actual data do not support its applicability to the Chinese traffic environment. To address this gap, this paper designs and organizes a car-following experiment in mixed traffic in Beijing, extracts the trajectory data of CAVs and HDVs based on video recognition, and reconstructs the extracted trajectory data using the Lagrangian theory and Kalman filter theory to ensure the accuracy of the data. Based on this data set, this paper develops an extended car-following model. The model considers the cooperation between drivers by reformulating the prospect theory (PT). The root mean square percentage error (RMSPE) is selected to calibrate and validate the parameters of the proposed model, and the results show that there is significant heterogeneity between CAVs and HDVs in mixed traffic, and the proposed model captures this heterogeneity well. The model presented in this paper provides theoretical support for microscopic traffic simulation in mixed traffic.
Experimental Study on Stiffness Softening of Soil‐Rock Mixture Backfill under Metro Train Cyclic Load
Authors: Zhong Zuliang , Zou Hong , Hu Xiangxiang , Liu Xinrong
Published: October 2021

Due to the thick soil layer, short backfill time, and low degree of consolidation of the soil‐rock mixture backfill in Chongqing city, metro train tunnels passing through this type of strata are prone to large settlements during operation, which greatly affects the stability of the tunnel and the safety of metro train operations. In response to this problem, the dynamic triaxial test of the soil‐rock mixture backfill under cyclic loading was carried out to study the dynamic characteristics of the soil‐rock mixture backfill under cyclic loading. The effect of initial consolidation degree, effective consolidation confining pressure, and rock content on the stiffness softening of soil‐rock mixture backfill was analyzed. The results show that the initial consolidation degree, effective consolidation confining pressure, and rock content are all important factors affecting the stiffness of soil‐rock mixture backfill under cyclic loading. As the number of cycles increases, the lower the initial consolidation degree and effective consolidation confining pressure, the faster the attenuation of the softening index, and the larger the amplitude. As the rock content increases, the softening index increases and the stiffness of the backfill changes from softening to hardening. Based on the test data, the softening‐hardening model of the soil‐rock mixture is established, which is in good agreement with the field test results. This study can provide a reference for predicting and controlling the postconstruction settlement of the metro tunnel in the soil‐rock mixture backfill.
Utility of the Lactate/Albumin Ratio as a Predictor for Mortality in Necrotizing Fasciitis Patients
Authors: Lau Kiew-Kii , Hsiao Cheng-Ting , Fann Wen-Chih , Chang Chia-Peng
Published: October 2021

Background. The lactate/albumin (L/A) ratio has been proposed as a prognostic marker because the ratio is associated with multiple organ failure and mortality in critically ill patients. We aimed to investigate the clinical utility of the L/A ratio as a good prognostic indicator of mortality in a cohort of necrotizing fasciitis patients. Method. This retrospective study was conducted in two tertiary hospitals in Taiwan between 2015 and 2020. We reviewed adult patients with measured serum lactate and albumin on the emergency department (ED) arrival to evaluate the prognostic performance of the lactate and lactate/albumin (L/A) ratio for outcome prediction. Result. Of the 262 NF patients, 20 (7.63%) died in the hospital. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) value of the L/A ratio (0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.69–0.81,

P
<
0.01

) was higher than lactate alone (0.71, 95% CI 0.65–0.74

P
<
0.01

) for predicting in-hospital mortality. The optimal cutoff of the L/A ratio was 1.61. The AUROC value of the L/A ratio was better than lactate alone regardless of normal lactate level. The cutoff of L/A ratio and hypoalbuminemia showed further discriminative value for in-hospital mortality even in patients with normal lactate levels. Conclusion. The prognostic performance of the L/A ratio was superior to a single measurement of lactate for predicting in-hospital mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) lengths in necrotizing fasciitis patients. Aggressive intervention and intensive care were necessary for high-risk NF patients upon ED arrival.
Regression Analysis of Factors Based on Cluster Analysis of Acute Radiation Pneumonia due to Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer
Authors: Zhang Xiaofeng , Lv Beili , Rui Lijun , Cai Liming , Liu Fenglan
Published: October 2021

We conducted in this paper a regression analysis of factors associated with acute radiation pneumonia due to radiation therapy for lung cancer utilizing cluster analysis to explore the predictive effects of clinical and dosimetry factors on grade ≥2 radiation pneumonia due to radiation therapy for lung cancer and to further refine the effect of the ratio of the volume of the primary foci to the volume of the lung lobes in which they are located on radiation pneumonia, to refine the factors that are clinically effective in predicting the occurrence of grade ≥2 radiation pneumonia. This will provide a basis for better guiding lung cancer radiation therapy, reducing the occurrence of grade ≥2 radiation pneumonia, and improving the safety of radiotherapy. Based on the characteristics of the selected surveillance data, the experimental simulation of the factors of acute radiation pneumonia due to lung cancer radiation therapy was performed based on three signal detection methods using fuzzy mean clustering algorithm with drug names as the target and adverse drug reactions as the characteristics, and the drugs were classified into three categories. The method was then designed and used to determine the classification correctness evaluation function as the best signal detection method. The factor classification and risk feature identification of acute radiation pneumonia due to radiation therapy for lung cancer based on ADR were achieved by using cluster analysis and feature extraction techniques, which provided a referenceable method for establishing the factor classification mechanism of acute radiation pneumonia due to radiation therapy for lung cancer and a new idea for reuse of ADR surveillance report data resources.
The Research of Convolutional Neural Network Based on Integrated Classification in Question Classification
Authors: Zhen Lihua , Sun Xiaoqi
Published: October 2021

As a new generation of search engine, automatic question answering system (QAS) is becoming more and more important and has become one of the hotspots of computer application research and natural language processing (NLP). However, as an indispensable part of the QAS, the role of question classification is an understood thing in the system. In view of this, to further make the performance of question classification much better, both the feature extraction and the classification model were explored. On the study of existing CNN research, an improved CNN model based on Bagging integrated classification (“W2V + B-CNN” for short) is proposed and applied to question classification. Firstly, we combine the characteristics of short texts, use the Word2Vec tool to map the features of the words to a certain dimension, and organize the question sentences into the form of a two-dimensional matrix similar to the image. Then, the trained word vectors are used as the input of the CNN for feature extraction. Finally, the Bagging integrated classification algorithm is used to replace the Softmax classification of the traditional CNN for classification. In other words, the good of W2V + B-CNN model is that it can make use of the advantages of CNN and Bagging integrated classification at the same time. Overall, the new model can not only use the powerful feature extraction capabilities of CNN to extract the potential features of natural language questions but also use the good data classification capabilities of the integrated classification algorithm for feature classification at the same time, which can help improve the accuracy of the W2V + B-CNN in the application of question classification. The comparative experiment results prove that the effect of the W2V + B-CNN is significantly better than that of the CNN and other classification algorithms in question classification.
Task Price Prediction Based on Clustering and DNN in Crowdsensing
Authors: Jia Bing , Luo Xi , Feng Tao , Jia Yan
Published: October 2021

With the popularization of mobile devices and the development of wireless networks, crowdsensing is devoted to providing universal Internet of Things services. A reasonable task pricing mechanism can not only motivate more users to participate in the sensing task but also help the benign development of crowdsensing platform, so it has gradually become a research hotspot in the field of crowdsensing. Aiming at the common problems of insufficient analysis of task pricing rules and large deviations of pricing prediction models, a task price prediction method based on clustering and DNN is proposed. Using the real historical trade price set as the data source, natural grouping and taxonomic description of task price are realized by exploring sensing task pricing law with complex constraint relation using two-step clustering analysis. On the basis of the above, the price interval prediction model based on DNN is implemented. The experimental results show that the predicting accuracy of the pricing mechanism is higher than 82.7%.
A Master‐Slave Binary Grey Wolf Optimizer for Optimal Feature Selection in Biomedical Data Classification
Authors: Momanyi Enock , Segera Davies
Published: October 2021

A new master‐slave binary grey wolf optimizer (MSBGWO) is introduced. A master‐slave learning scheme is introduced to the grey wolf optimizer (GWO) to improve its ability to explore and get better solutions in a search space. Five high‐dimensional biomedical datasets are used to test the ability of MSBGWO in feature selection. The experimental results of MSBGWO are superior in terms of classification accuracy, precision, recall, F‐measure, and number of features selected when compared to those of the binary grey wolf optimizer version 2 (BGWO2), binary genetic algorithm (BGA), binary particle swarm optimization (BPSO), differential evolution (DE) algorithm, and sine‐cosine algorithm (SCA).
Soluble Dietary Fiber Significance against Obesity in a Western China Population
Authors: Tang Qi , Ma Bei , Zhao Yuli , Zhao Li , Zhang Zhenye , Gao Han , Liu Wenjie , Li Linfeng , Chen Yi , Xie Linlin
Published: October 2021

Objectives. This study aimed to investigate whether soluble dietary fibers (SDFs) could protect against obesity by influencing weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat rate (BFR), visceral fat rate (VFR), or waistline. Methods. We examined obese adult patients from western China at 0 and 3 weeks after an SDF diet. Index assessments of obesity including height, weight, BMI, BFR, VFR, and waistline were carried out. We used the Mann–Whitney U test to examine the difference between the usual diet and the SDF group. Results. Weight, BMI, BFR, and waistline were reduced in both the control group and the SDF group (

P
<
0.001

). The reduction of the four indices in the SDF group was significantly higher than in the control group (

P
<
0.001

). Higher intake of various SDFs has significantly reduced the weight, BMI, BFR, and waistline than the usual diet group in obesity. Conclusion. Our results indicated that increased intake of SDFs in the diet of obese patients would protect against obesity in the first 3 weeks.
Hyers–Ulam–Rassias Stability of Additive Mappings in Fuzzy Normed Spaces
Authors: Wu Jianrong , Lu Lingxiao
Published: October 2021

In this paper, the Hyers–Ulam–Rassias stabilities of two functional equations,

f

a
x
+
b
y

=
r
f

x

+
s
f

y

and

f

x
+
y
+
z

=
2
f

x
+
y

/
2

+
f

z

, are investigated in the framework of fuzzy normed spaces.
The Effectiveness of an AI-Enabled Program for Developing Awareness of Citizenship Scientific Values
Authors: Alamodi Halah , Arafat Najah
Published: October 2021

The present study aims to explore the effectiveness of a proposed AI-enabled program for developing preservice teachers’ awareness of citizenship scientific values in light of Saudi Vision 2030. The study utilized the quasi-experimental approach (one-group design) by testing and identifying the effectiveness of the proposed design in developing awareness of citizenship scientific values among preservice teachers at Umm Al-Qura University. An eleven-domain questionnaire was developed and applied to 60 preservice teachers at Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia. The results showed that awareness of citizenship scientific values did not achieve the sufficiency level of 85%. An eleven-session program was designed. The study concluded that there were statistically significant differences in the participants’ mean scores in the pretest and posttest of the scale of the awareness of citizenship scientific values, favoring the posttest. The proposed program proved effective in developing the participants’ awareness of citizenship scientific values.
Study on Serum miR-204 Expression Levels in Patients with Severe Pneumonia and Patients with Primary Bronchial Lung Cancer and Its Diagnostic Value
Authors: Zheng Wenhong , Huang Wei , Yu Xuchao
Published: October 2021

Objective. To analyze the expression and clinical significance of miR-204 in the serum of patients with severe pneumonia (SP) and primary bronchial lung cancer (LC). Methods. 65 SP patients and 43 primary bronchial LC patients who were treated in the hospital from January 2017 to December 2018 were randomly selected as the SP group and LC group. At the same time, healthy patients from the physical examination department of the hospital were selected. 65 cases were the control group. QRT-PCR detected serum miR-204 expression and compared the differences between groups. The pathological data of patients were collected, and the relationship between serum miR-204 and the patient’s pathological data was compared; the area under the ROC curve and Kaplan–Meier curve were used to evaluate the diagnostic value of serum miR-204 for the two conditions and to explore the relationship between serum miR-204 and prognosis. Results. The serum miR-204 of the SP group was (0.43 ± 0.09), the serum miR-204 of the LC group was (0.40 ± 0.10), the serum miR-204 of the control group was (1.00 ± 0.09), and the miR-204 level of was significantly higher than that of the control group, and the difference between the groups was statistically significant (

P

 < 0.05). There was no significant difference in serum miR-204 levels between the SP group and the LC group (

P

 > 0.05). Serum miR-204 levels in SP patients with cumulative organs ≥3 were higher than those with cumulative organs <3, and the difference was statistically significant (

P

 < 0.001). In the LC group, in patients with stage III to IV and low and undifferentiated patients, the level of miR-204 was higher than that of stage I∼II and high and moderately differentiated patients, and the difference was statistically significant (

P

 < 0.001). The level of miR-204 in the two groups of patients (0.89 ± 0.10, 0.83 ± 0.13) who died of illness was significantly higher than that of the surviving patients (1.00 ± 0.11, 1.00 ± 0.10), and the difference was statistically significant (

P

 < 0.05); the survival rate of patients with high expression of miR-204 was higher than that of patients with low expression. The AUC of serum miR-204 level to SP and LC was 0.766 and 0.818, respectively. Conclusion. The level of miR-204 in the serum of SP patients and patients with primary bronchial LC was significantly lower than that of healthy people, and patients who died were lower than those who survived; the miR-204 in serum has a good diagnostic value for SP and LC and is related to the survival and prognosis of patients.
Building a Cross-Border E-Commerce Ecosystem Model Based on Block Chain + Internet of Things
Authors: Du Jie , Yu Zhaoyan
Published: October 2021

With the development of Internet technology, cross-border e-commerce in the form of “Internet + foreign trade” has come into being. However, in recent years, scholars have continuously raised the problem that the cross-border e-commerce ecosystem with cross-border e-commerce platform as the core and the new Internet technology has not been developed sympathetically. Therefore, by establishing a model of cross-border e-commerce ecosystem and new Internet technology (block chain + Internet of Things), this paper analyzes the stable evolution strategy of both for convergence development and proposes countermeasures for the convergence development of new Internet technology and cross-border e-commerce platform ecosystem of RFID technology logistics tracking + block chain authentic product traceability, taking vertical class cross-border e-commerce platform as an example. The simulation experiment results show that the solution proposed in this paper is feasible compared with traditional and has obvious advantages in data theft prevention, multiparty authentication, and saving system overhead to solve the calculation method of e-commerce sharing problem. Reference is provided for solving the e-commerce cyberculture problem. The process takes advantage of block chain decentralization and auditability from the relevant data analysis from the theoretical concept of big data, the current situation of cross-border e-commerce, and how big data can be applied and developed for cross-border e-commerce, in three major dimensions.