bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
JustSpeak: Automated, User-Configurable, Interactive Agents for Speech Tutoring
Authors: Zhang Xinlei , Miyaki Takashi , Rekimoto Jun
Published: May 2021

Conversational agents are widely used in many situations, especially for speech tutoring. However, their contents and functions are often pre-defined and not customizable for people without technical backgrounds, thus significantly limiting their flexibility and usability. Besides, conventional agents often cannot provide feedback in the middle of training sessions because they lack technical approaches to evaluate users' speech dynamically. We propose JustSpeak: automated and interactive speech tutoring agents with various configurable feedback mechanisms, using any speech recordings with its transcription text as the template for speech training. In JustSpeak, we developed an automated procedure to generate customized tutoring agents from user-inputted templates. Moreover, we created a set of methods to dynamically synchronize speech recognizers' behavior with the agent's tutoring progress, making it possible to detect various speech mistakes dynamically such as being stuck, mispronunciation, and rhythm deviations. Furthermore, we identified the design primitives in JustSpeak to create different novel feedback mechanisms, such as adaptive playback, follow-on training, and passive adaptation. They can be combined to create customized tutoring agents, which we demonstrate with an example for language learning. We believe JustSpeak can create more personalized speech learning opportunities by enabling tutoring agents that are customizable, always available, and easy-to-use.
Psychophysiological Modeling of Trust In Technology
Authors: Ajenaghughrure Ighoyota Ben , Sousa Sonia Cláudia Da Costa , Lamas David
Published: May 2021

Trust as a precursor for users' acceptance of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that operate as a conceptual extension of humans (e.g., autonomous vehicles (AVs)) is highly influenced by users' risk perception amongst other factors. Prior studies that investigated the interplay between risk and trust perception recommended the development of real-time tools for monitoring cognitive states (e.g., trust). The primary objective of this study was to investigate a feature selection method that yields feature sets that can help develop a highly optimized and stable ensemble trust classifier model. The secondary objective of this study was to investigate how varying levels of risk perception influence users' trust and overall reliance on technology. A within-subject four-condition experiment was implemented with an AV driving game. This experiment involved 25 participants, and their electroencephalogram, electrodermal activity, and facial electromyogram psychophysiological signals were acquired. We applied wrapper, filter, and hybrid feature selection methods on the 82 features extracted from the psychophysiological signals. We trained and tested five voting-based ensemble trust classifier models using training and testing datasets containing only the features identified by the feature selection methods. The results indicate the superiority of the hybrid feature selection method over other methods in terms of model performance. In addition, the self-reported trust measurement and overall reliance of participants on the technology (AV) measured with joystick movements throughout the game reveals that a reduction in risk results in an increase in trust and overall reliance on technology.
Information Aggregation for Constrained Online Control
Authors: Li Tongxin , Chen Yue , Sun Bo , Wierman Adam , Low Steven H.
Published: June 2021

This paper considers an online control problem involving two controllers. A central controller chooses an action from a feasible set that is determined by time-varying and coupling constraints, which depend on all past actions and states. The central controller's goal is to minimize the cumulative cost; however, the controller has access to neither the feasible set nor the dynamics directly, which are determined by a remote local controller. Instead, the central controller receives only an aggregate summary of the feasibility information from the local controller, which does not know the system costs. We show that it is possible for an online algorithm using feasibility information to nearly match the dynamic regret of an online algorithm using perfect information whenever the feasible sets satisfy a causal invariance criterion and there is a sufficiently large prediction window size. To do so, we use a form of feasibility aggregation based on entropic maximization in combination with a novel online algorithm, named Penalized Predictive Control (PPC) and demonstrate that aggregated information can be efficiently learned using reinforcement learning algorithms. The effectiveness of our approach for closed-loop coordination between central and local controllers is validated via an electric vehicle charging application in power systems.
Enki
Authors: Langford Michael Austin , Cheng Betty H. C.
Published: May 2021

Data-driven Learning-enabled Systems are limited by the quality of available training data, particularly when trained offline. For systems that must operate in real-world environments, the space of possible conditions that can occur is vast and difficult to comprehensively predict at design time. Environmental uncertainty arises when run-time conditions diverge from design-time training conditions. To address this problem, automated methods can generate synthetic data to fill in gaps for training and test data coverage. We propose an evolution-based technique to assist developers with uncovering limitations in existing data when previously unseen environmental phenomena are introduced. This technique explores unique contexts for a given environmental condition, with an emphasis on diversity. Synthetic data generated by this technique may be used for two purposes: (1) to assess the robustness of a system to uncertain environmental factors and (2) to improve the system’s robustness. This technique is demonstrated to outperform random and greedy methods for multiple adverse environmental conditions applied to image-processing Deep Neural Networks.
A Surgical Scene Replay System for Learning Gastroenterological Endoscopic Surgery Skill by Multiple Synchronized-Video and Gaze Representation
Authors: Matsuda Akira , Okuzono Toru , Nakamura Hiromi , Kuzuoka Hideaki , Rekimoto Jun
Published: May 2021

Gastroenterological endoscopic surgery needs complex surgical skills such as a sensation of body movement and manipulation of the endoscope that is hard to be explained verbally. Prior research reported that endoscopic surgery is one of the most challenging surgery to teach. Thus, surgeons need long-term practice to master the skills. To support learning such skills, we developed a surgical scene replay system. First, we surveyed 12 surgeons to reveal the reason for the difficulty and elicited three requirements for our system: (1) provide multiple videos that include an endoscope, a fluoroscopy, and hand manipulation for the endoscope to observe the surgery from multiple aspects; (2) visualize an experts' gaze position to understand experts' intention of hand manipulation, and (3) enlarge the size of the gazed video to inform learners where they should pay attention to. Our user study with the system indicates that participants could understand the experts' intentions and tacit knowledge easier than the existing video materials.
Designers, the Stage Is Yours! Medium-Fidelity Prototyping of Augmented & Virtual Reality Interfaces with 360theater
Authors: Speicher Maximilian , Lewis Katy , Nebeling Michael
Published: May 2021

While augmented and virtual reality technologies are becoming mainstream, it is still technically challenging and time-consuming to create new applications. Many designers draw from traditional low-fidelity prototyping methods that do not lend themselves well to designing in 3D. Developers use high-end programming frameworks such as Unity and Unreal which require significant hardware/software setups and coding skills. We see a gap in the medium-fidelity range where there is an opportunity for new tools to leverage the advantages of 360° content for AR/VR prototyping. Existing tools, however, have only limited support for 3D geometry, spatial and proxemic interactions, puppeteering, and storytelling. We present 360theater, a new method and a tool for rapid prototyping of AR/VR experiences, which takes dioramas into the virtual realm by enhancing 360° video capture with 3D geometry and simulating spatial interactions via Wizard of Oz. Our comparative evaluation of techniques with novice and experienced AR/VR designers shows that 360theater can close the gap and achieve a higher fidelity and more realistic AR/VR prototypes than comparable methods.
Dynamic Task Allocation based on Individual Abilities - Experiences from Developing and Operating an Inclusive Assembly Line for Workers With and Without Disabilities
Authors: Heinz Mario , Büttner Sebastian , Jenderny Sascha , Röcker Carsten
Published: May 2021

Digital assistive systems, enable workers with disabilities to perform complex industrial work. However, the previously presented systems considered only a single workplace and a single user. This paper presents an assembly line that enables a joint processing of complex tasks by multiple workers with and without disabilities. The aim was to investigate the use of interaction technologies such as in-situ projections and hand-tracking to enable the processing of complex assembly tasks by work teams with highly heterogeneous abilities. The developed assembly line assists users and coordinates the joint work by distributing single assembly steps to workers based on the individual workers' abilities. Besides presenting the concept and implementation of the assembly line, we report our findings after six months of operation. Our results indicate that using the assistive assembly line has positive impacts, such as increased satisfaction and independence of the workers combined with a higher productivity.
Engineering Model-Based Software Testing of WIMP Interactive Applications
Authors: Canny Alexandre , Martinie Célia , Navarre David , Palanque Philippe , Barboni Eric , Gris Christine
Published: May 2021

The goal of software testing is to detect defects with the objective of removing them at a later stage in the development process. Interactive software development follows the User Centered Design approach that promotes continuous involvement of users both at design and evaluation phases. This process is meant to produce usable interactive software by gathering functional and non-functional requirements related to both user needs and context of use. However, taking into account these potentially very-complex-to-implement requirements increases the complexity of the software that is likely, without appropriate methods and tools, to encompass a large number of defects. One of the limitations of UCD approaches is that it provides no guidance on the engineering of the interactive application, which thus usually embeds numerous defects resulting in failures at the origin of user frustrations and performance drops. Even though a classification of interactive application defects has been proposed, interactive application testers remain only superficially supported in detecting them. This paper defines a model-based approach to engineer the testing activity for interactive applications. It proposes a process that bridges the gap between UCD artefacts and interactive software implementation by the production of a dedicated formal model exploited for testing purposes only. The application of the process is demonstrated on an interactive cockpit WIMP application. Finally, threats to validity (capability of the approach to detect defects and to ensure an acceptable coverage testing of the interactive application) are addressed by a longitudinal study on 61 variants of a simple application developed by 61 different developers. ?
Responsive and Personalized Web Layouts with Integer Programming
Authors: Laine Markku , Zhang Yu , Santala Simo , Jokinen Jussi P. P. , Oulasvirta Antti
Published: May 2021

Over the past decade, responsive web design (RWD) has become the de facto standard for adapting web pages to a wide range of devices used for browsing. While RWD has improved the usability of web pages, it is not without drawbacks and limitations: designers and developers must manually design the web layouts for multiple screen sizes and implement associated adaptation rules, and its "one responsive design fits all" approach lacks support for personalization. This paper presents a novel approach for automated generation of responsive and personalized web layouts. Given an existing web page design and preferences related to design objectives, our integer programming -based optimizer generates a consistent set of web designs. Where relevant data is available, these can be further automatically personalized for the user and browsing device. The paper includes presentation of techniques for runtime adaptation of the designs generated into a fully responsive grid layout for web browsing. Results from our ratings-based online studies with end users (N = 86) and designers (N = 64) show that the proposed approach can automatically create high-quality responsive web layouts for a variety of real-world websites.
Two Kinds of Discrimination in AI-Based Penal Decision-Making
Authors: Hübner Dietmar
Published: May 2021

The famous COMPAS case has demonstrated the difficulties in identifying and combatting bias and discrimination in AI-based penal decision-making. In this paper, I distinguish two kinds of discrimination that need to be addressed in this context. The first is related to the well-known problem of inevitable trade-offs between incompatible accounts of statistical fairness, while the second refers to the specific standards of discursive fairness that apply when basing human decisions on empirical evidence. I will sketch the essential requirements of non-discriminatory action within the penal sector for each dimension. Concerning the former, we must consider the relevant causes of perceived correlations between race and recidivism in order to assess the moral adequacy of alternative standards of statistical fairness, whereas regarding the latter, we must analyze the specific reasons owed in penal trials in order to establish what types of information must be provided when justifying court decisions through AI evidence. Both positions are defended against alternative views which try to circumvent discussions of statistical fairness or which tend to downplay the demands of discursive fairness, respectively.
Gendering algorithms in social media
Authors: Fosch-Villaronga Eduard , Poulsen Adam , Søraa Roger A. , Custers Bart
Published: May 2021

Social media platforms employ inferential analytics methods to guess user preferences and may include sensitive attributes such as race, gender, sexual orientation, and political opinions. These methods are often opaque, but they can have significant effects such as predicting behaviors for marketing purposes, influencing behavior for profit, serving attention economics, and reinforcing existing biases such as gender stereotyping. Although two international human rights treaties include express obligations relating to harmful and wrongful stereotyping, these stereotypes persist both online and offline, and platforms often appear to fail to understand that gender is not merely a binary of being a 'man' or a 'woman,' but is socially constructed. Our study investigates the impact of algorithmic bias on inadvertent privacy violations and the reinforcement of social prejudices of gender and sexuality through a multidisciplinary perspective including legal, computer science, and queer media viewpoints. We conducted an online survey to understand whether and how Twitter inferred the gender of users. Beyond Twitter's binary understanding of gender and the inevitability of the gender inference as part of Twitter's personalization trade-off, the results show that Twitter misgendered users in nearly 20% of the cases (N=109). Although not apparently correlated, only 8% of the straight male respondents were misgendered, compared to 25% of gay men and 16% of straight women. Our contribution shows how the lack of attention to gender in gender classifiers exacerbates existing biases and affects marginalized communities. With our paper, we hope to promote the online account for privacy, diversity, and inclusion and advocate for the freedom of identity that everyone should have online and offline.
An Empirical Comparison of Bias Reduction Methods on Real-World Problems in High-Stakes Policy Settings
Authors: Lamba Hemank , Rodolfa Kit T. , Ghani Rayid
Published: May 2021

Applications of machine learning (ML) to high-stakes policy settings - such as education, criminal justice, healthcare, and social service delivery - have grown rapidly in recent years, sparking important conversations about how to ensure fair outcomes from these systems. The machine learning research community has responded to this challenge with a wide array of proposed fairness-enhancing strategies for ML models, but despite the large number of methods that have been developed, little empirical work exists evaluating these methods in real-world settings. Here, we seek to fill this research gap by investigating the performance of several methods that operate at different points in the ML pipeline across four real-world public policy and social good problems. Across these problems, we find a wide degree of variability and inconsistency in the ability of many of these methods to improve model fairness, but postprocessing by choosing group-specific score thresholds consistently removes disparities, with important implications for both the ML research community and practitioners deploying machine learning to inform consequential policy decisions.
Application of Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence Technology in Fitness Clubs
Authors: Zhao Changjun
Published: May 2021

With the continuous development and progress of virtual reality technology in recent years, the application of virtual reality technology in all aspects of real life is no longer limited to the military field, medical, or film production fields, but it gradually appears in front of the public, into the lives of ordinary people. The human-computer interaction method in virtual reality and the presentation effect of the virtual scene are the two most important aspects of the virtual reality experience. How to provide a good human-computer interaction method for virtual reality applications and how to improve the final presentation effect of the virtual reality scene is also becoming an important research direction. This paper takes the virtual fitness club experience system as the application background, analyzes the function and performance requirements of the virtual reality experience system in the virtual reality environment, and proposes the use of Kinect as a video acquisition device to extract the user’s somatosensory operation actions through in-depth information to achieve somatosensory control. This article adopts a real human-computer interaction solution, uses Unity 3D game engine to build a virtual reality scene, defines shaders to improve the rendering effect of the scene, and uses Oculus Rift DK2 to complete an immersive 3D scene demonstration. This process greatly reduces resource consumption; it not only enables users to experience unprecedented immersion as users but also helps people create unprecedented scenes and experiences through virtual imagination. The virtual fitness club experience system probably reduces resource consumption by nearly 70%.
On the Control of the 2D Navier–Stokes Equations with Kolmogorov Forcing
Authors: Smaoui Nejib , El-Kadri Alaa , Zribi Mohamed
Published: May 2021

This paper is devoted to the control problem of a nonlinear dynamical system obtained by a truncation of the two‐dimensional (2D) Navier–Stokes (N‐S) equations with periodic boundary conditions and with a sinusoidal external force along the x‐direction. This special case of the 2D N‐S equations is known as the 2D Kolmogorov flow. Firstly, the dynamics of the 2D Kolmogorov flow which is represented by a nonlinear dynamical system of seven ordinary differential equations (ODEs) of a laminar steady state flow regime and a periodic flow regime are analyzed; numerical simulations are given to illustrate the analysis. Secondly, an adaptive controller is designed for the system of seven ODEs representing the approximation of the dynamics of the 2D Kolmogorov flow to control its dynamics either to a steady‐state regime or to a periodic regime; the value of the Reynolds number is determined using an update law. Then, a static sliding mode controller and a dynamic sliding mode controller are designed for the system of seven ODEs representing the approximation of the dynamics of the 2D Kolmogorov flow to control its dynamics either to a steady‐state regime or to a periodic regime. Numerical simulations are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed three control schemes. The simulation results clearly show that the proposed controllers work well.
Simulation of Constant-Volume Removal Rate Machining of Middle-Convex and Varying Ellipse Piston
Authors: Xu Yanwei , Wang Yinhao , Xie Tancheng
Published: May 2021

One kind of constant-volume removal rate machining method of the middle-convex and varying ellipse piston is proposed in this paper. By analyzing the structure and movement relationship of the middle-convex and varying ellipse piston machine, the NC machining model is built. And, the constant-volume removal rate machining model is also built by superposing the variable rotation satisfying the dynamic performance constraints on the uniform rotation of the spindle of the CNC piston lathe. Then, the instantaneous position parameters of each axis of the CNC piston lathe are obtained and turned into NC code. The functional feasibility of the method finally is verified by simulation machining.
Impact of Na+ and Ca2+ Cations on the Adsorption of H2S on Binder-Free LTA Zeolites
Authors: Starke Annika , Pasel Christoph , Bläker Christian , Eckardt Tobias , Zimmermann Jens , Bathen Dieter
Published: May 2021

Hydrogen sulfide is removed from natural gas via adsorption on zeolites. The process operates very effectively, but there is still potential for improvement. Therefore, in this article, the adsorption of hydrogen sulfide was investigated on eight LTA zeolites with different cation compositions. Starting with the zeolite NaA (4 A), which contains only Na+ cations, the Ca2+ cation content was gradually increased by ion exchange. Equilibrium isotherms from cumulative breakthrough curve experiments in a fixed-bed adsorber at 25°C and 85°C at 1.3 bar (abs.) were determined in the trace range up to a concentration of 2000 ppmmol. From a comparison of the isotherms of the different materials, a mechanistic proposal for the adsorption is developed, taking into account the specific positions of the cations in the zeolite lattice when the degree of exchange is increased. The shape of the isotherms indicates two energetically different types of adsorption sites. It is assumed that two mechanisms are superimposed: a chemisorptive mechanism with dissociation of hydrogen sulfide and covalent bonding of the proton and the hydrogen sulfide ion to the zeolite lattice and a physisorptive mechanism by electrostatic interaction with the cations in the lattice. As the degree of exchange increases, the proportion of chemisorption sites seems to decrease. Above an exchange degree of 50%, only evidence of physisorption can be found. It is shown that this finding points to the involvement of weakly bound sodium cations at cation position III in the chemisorption of hydrogen sulfide.
An Extensible Data Enrichment Scheme for Providing Intelligent Services in Internet of Things Environments
Authors: Park Yoosang , Choi Jongsun , Choi Jaeyoung
Published: May 2021

Recent technologies in the Internet of Things (IoT) environment aim to provide intelligent services to users. Intelligent services can be managed and executed by systems that handle context information sets. Handling intelligent services leads to three major considerations: objects in the real world that should be described as metadata, a data enrichment procedure from sensing values for representing states, and controlling functionalities to manage services. In this study, an extensible data-enrichment scheme is proposed. The proposed scheme provides a way to describe profiles, data abstraction procedures, and functionalities that support the building of context information sets derived from raw datasets in the manner of a semantic web stack. Finally, data enrichment will help any system that uses context information by providing improved, understandable, and readable datasets to the service developers or the systems themselves.
A State‐of‐the‐Art Review on Hybrid GFRP‐Concrete Bridge Deck Systems
Authors: Zuo Yize , Cao Yuqi , Zhou Yuqi , Liu Wei Wei
Published: May 2021

The state‐of‐the‐art review of hybrid GFRP‐concrete systems for bridge decks is presented in this study. Previous research on the experimental work, analytical modeling, and field application on hybrid GFRP‐concrete deck systems are presented, along with a variety of deck systems are discussed. Then, seven typical types of connection technology between FRP and concrete are introduced and compared. Besides, the current progress on the performance of shear connections via beam tests, pushout tests, and pullout tests are probed, respectively. Finally, general conclusions are made, identifying the need for future research.
An Efficient Convolution Algorithm for the Non-Markovian Two-Node Cyclic Network
Authors: El-Taha Muhammad , Michaud Thomas
Published: May 2021

Consider a closed cyclic queueing model that consists of two nodes and a total of

M

customers. Each node buffer can accommodate all

M

customers. Node 1 has

N
≤
M

servers, each having an exponential service time with rate

λ

. The second node consists of a single server with a general service time distribution function

B

.

. The well-known machine repair model with spares, where a set of identical machines,

N

, is served by a single repair person, is a key application of this model. This model has several other applications in performance evaluation, manufacturing, computer networks, and in reliability studies as it can be easily used to compute system availability. In this article, we give an efficient algorithm to derive an exact solution for the steady state system size probabilities. Our approach is based on developing an efficient polynomial convolution method to compute the transition probabilities of a birth process over node 2 service times and solving an imbedded Markov chain at node 2 service completion epochs. This is a significant improvement over the exponential algorithm given in an earlier paper. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the performance of our method.
Nonlinear Neural System for Active Noise Controller to Reduce Narrowband Noise
Authors: Huynh Minh-Canh , Chang Cheng-Yuan
Published: May 2021

Noise in a dynamic system is practically unavoidable. Today, such noise is commonly reduced using an active noise control (ANC) system with the filtered-x least mean square (FXLMS) algorithm. However, the performance of the ANC system with FXLMS algorithm is significantly impaired in nonlinear systems. Therefore, this paper develops an efficient nonlinear adaptive feedback neural controller (NAFNC) to eliminate narrowband noise for both linear and nonlinear ANC systems. The proposed controller is implemented to update its coefficients without prior offline training by neural network. Hence, the proposed method has rapid convergence rate as confirmed by simulation results. The proposed work also analyzes the stability and convergence of the proposed algorithm. Simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Application of Hybrid Multiple Attribute Decision-Making Model to Explore the Design Strategies of Children’s Facilities in Neighborhood Open Spaces Based on Sensory Integration Theory
Authors: Wang Ge , Wang Ruo-Ying , Liu Ting-Lan , Zhuo Ying , Shen Kang
Published: May 2021

In recent years, the prevalence of sensory integration disorders in children in urban areas has increased. Most existing sensory integration treatments are located in hospital-based sensory integration units; however, medical resources are extremely limited, making it difficult to guarantee the appropriate treatment time and intervention results for many children. The concept of sensory integration therapy must be disseminated widely and correctly to meet these children’s needs. Although most urban communities have a high number of children’s spaces, these spaces require improvement. This study proposes the incorporation of the concept of sensory integration therapy into neighborhood open spaces for children to positively impact children’s sensory development. The purpose of this study is to determine the effective facility factors of an occupational therapy room, translate them into a community facility design, clarify the categories and relative importance of each design attribute, and explore the design strategies of the children’s facilities in neighborhood open spaces based on the sensory integration theory. This study investigates the importance of the sensory integration treatment level. The facilities in neighborhood open spaces for children can be considered systemic structures consisting of five partitioned units with different levels of importance among the synergistic components within each unit. These structures will enable children to experience sensory stimulation during daily outdoor play and will serve as preventive and therapeutic tools.
A Multiple Power Reachable Sliding Mode Control Approach for Guidance of Miniature Laser Beam Riding Steered Munition
Authors: Fan Jun-Fang , Chen Shi-Wei
Published: May 2021

For a two-stage launch miniature shoulder munition steered with a laser beam riding system, the laser beam points to the target with a limited field radius and approximate straight-line spatial path; thus, the munition could not fly into the laser information field after the powered flight. The miniature munition dynamics are established firstly; then, an adaptive multiple power reachable sliding mode controller is presented and adopted to constrain both the trajectory inclination and pitch angle, which makes the munition enter the field and fly under control in the field with desired attitude angles, respectively. Considering the constraints of the incidence angle and the radius of the laser information field, an arctangent function curve is selected as the expected trajectory, and an adaptive multiple power reachable integral sliding mode guidance law is detailed, which makes the munition trajectory approach and converges to the expected curve fastly with limited acceleration. Therefore, the miniature munition flight trajectory is planned and optimized. Convergence and stability are analyzed based on the Lyapunov method. The numerical simulation against the stationary target is performed to fully demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method.
Huge Lateral Rectus Solitary Plasmacytoma Causing Shunt Extrusion
Authors: Hamzeh Nikoo , Safizadeh Mona , Nozarian Zohreh , Saffar Hiva , Rafizadeh Seyed Mohsen
Published: May 2021

A 54-year-old man with a history of radiotherapy for right maxillary sinus plasmacytoma 3 years previously was referred to an orbital clinic with progressive proptosis in his right eye. His vision had deteriorated after an initial improvement after phacoemulsification 2 years before. He had undergone shunt implantation and later shunt removal following plate extrusion with the diagnosis of neovascular glaucoma following CRVO. His vision remained at no light perception afterwards, despite a controlled IOP with topical medications. In his CT scan, a large orbital mass was seen with lateral rectus involvement. He underwent deep orbitotomy for tumor resection following worsening of symptoms, and his symptoms were improved afterwards. Pathology report was consistent with plasmacytoma with anaplastic features. After tumor resection, he underwent another course of radiotherapy with complete remission of symptoms afterwards.
Inhibition of α‐Synuclein Accumulation Improves Neuronal Apoptosis and Delayed Postoperative Cognitive Recovery in Aged Mice
Authors: Li Yue , Yuan Yi , Li Yitong , Han Dengyang , Liu Taotao , Yang Ning , Mi Xinning , Hong Jingshu , Liu Kaixi , Song Yanan , He Jindan , Zhou Yang , Han Yongzheng , Shi Chengmei , Yu Shun , Zou Peng , Guo Xiangyang , Li Zhengqian
Published: May 2021

Delayed neurocognitive recovery (dNCR) is a major complication after anesthesia and surgery in older adults. Alpha‐synuclein (α‐syn; encoded by the gene, SNCA) has recently been shown to play an important role in hippocampus‐dependent working memory. Aggregated forms of α‐syn are associated with multiple neurotoxic mechanisms, such as mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death. In this study, we found that blocking α‐syn improved both mitochondrial function and mitochondria‐dependent neuronal apoptosis in a mouse model of dNCR. Various forms of α‐syn (including total α‐syn, phosphorylated‐Ser129‐α‐syn, and oligomers) were upregulated in hippocampal tissue and extracted mitochondria after surgical challenge. Clenbuterol is a novel transcription modulator of Scna. Clenbuterol significantly attenuated surgery‐induced progressive accumulation of various toxic α‐syn forms in the hippocampus, as well as mitochondrial damage and memory deficits in aged mice following surgery. We also observed excessive mitochondrial α‐syn accumulation and increased mitochondria‐mediated apoptosis in vitro using nerve growth factor‐differentiated PC12 cells and primary hippocampal neurons exposed to lipopolysaccharide. To further validate the neuroprotective effect of α‐syn inhibition, we used a lentiviral Snca‐shRNA (Lv‐shSnca) to knockdown Snca. Of note, Lv‐shSnca transfection significantly inhibited neuronal apoptosis mediated by the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in neurons exposed to lipopolysaccharide. This α‐syn inhibition improved the disruption to mitochondrial morphology and function, as well as decreased levels of apoptosis. Our results suggest that targeting pathological α‐syn may achieve neuroprotection through regulation of mitochondrial homeostasis and suppression of apoptosis in the aged hippocampus, further strengthening the therapeutic potential of targeting α‐syn for dNCR.
Minimally Invasive Resin-Bonded Inlay-Retained Cantilever Fixed Dental Prosthesis: A Clinical Report
Authors: Bin-Rubayan Albandari , Samran Abdulaziz , Alqerban Ali
Published: May 2021

This clinical report demonstrates the treatment of a healthy adult patient referred for prosthodontic treatment after orthodontic treatment with a resin-bonded inlay-retained cantilever fixed dental prosthesis (IRCFDP). The purpose of this report was to demonstrate the esthetic, functional, and conservative properties of a resin-bonded IRCFDP fabricated from monolithic zirconia which can be placed in posterior area in certain situations. Acceptable esthetics with a conservative and functional result were achieved by using a resin-bonded inlay-retained cantilever fixed dental prosthesis (IRCFDP). All laboratory and clinical procedures of this case report are described.
A Noise‐Immune Boosting Framework for Short‐Term Traffic Flow Forecasting
Authors: Zheng Shiqiang , Zhang Shuangyi , Song Youyi , Lin Zhizhe , Jiang Dazhi , Zhou Teng
Published: May 2021

Accurate short‐term traffic flow modeling is an essential prerequisite to analyze and control traffic flow. Canonical data‐driven methods are a large account of parameters that may be underfitted with limited training samples, yet they cannot adaptively boost their understanding of the spatiotemporal dependencies of the traffic flow. The noisy and unstable traffic flow data also prevent the models from effectively learning the underlying patterns for forecasting future traffic flow. To address these issues, we propose an easy‐to‐implement yet effective boosting model based on extreme gradient boosting and enhance it by wavelet denoising for short‐term traffic flow forecasting. The discrete wavelet denoising is employed to preprocess the noisy traffic flow data. Then, the denoised training datasets are reconstructed to train the extreme gradient boosting model. These two components are integrated seamlessly in a unified framework, and the whole framework can retain the features in the data as much as possible. Our model can precisely capture the hidden spatial dependency in the data. Extensive experiments are conducted on four benchmark datasets compared with frequently used models. The results demonstrate that the proposed model can precisely capture the hidden spatial dependency of the traffic flow data and achieve superior performance.
Identification of MicroRNAs in Taxillus chinensis (DC.) Danser Seeds under Cold Stress
Authors: Fu Jine , Wan Lingyun , Song Lisha , He Lili , Jiang Ni , Long Hairong , Huo Juan , Ji Xiaowen , Wei Ying , Wei Shugen , Pan Limei
Published: May 2021

Taxillus chinensis (DC.) Danser, a parasitic plant that belongs to the Loranthaceae family, has a long history of being used in the Chinese medicine. We observed that the loranthus seeds were sensitive to temperature and could lose viability below 0°C quickly. Thus, we performed small RNA sequencing to study the microRNA (miRNA) regulation in the loranthus seeds under cold stress. In total, we identified 600 miRNAs, for the first time, in the loranthus seeds under cold stress. Then, we detected 224, 229, and 223 miRNAs (TPM > 1) in A0 (control), A1 (cold treatment for 12 h at 0°C), and A2 (cold treatment for 36 h at 0°C), respectively. We next identified 103 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRs) in the loranthus seeds in response to cold. Notably, miR408 was upregulated during the cold treatment, which can regulate genes encoding phytocyanin family proteins and phytophenol oxidases. Some DEmiRs were specific to A1 and may function in early response to cold, such as gma‐miR393b‐3p, miR946, ath‐miR779.2‐3p, miR398, and miR9662. It is interesting that ICE3, IAA13, and multiple transcription factors (e.g., WRKY and CRF4 and TCP4) regulated by the DEmiRs have been reported to respond cold in other plants. We further identified 4, 3, and 4 DEmiRs involved in the pathways “responding to cold,” “responding to abiotic stimulus,” and “seed development/germination,” respectively. qRT‐PCR was used to confirm the expression changes of DEmiRs and their targets in the loranthus seeds during the cold treatment. This is the first time to study cold‐responsive miRNAs in loranthus, and our findings provide a valuable resource for future studies.
Research on the Elastic Properties of Discontinuous Contact Wire Rope for WR‐CVT
Authors: Zhang Wu , Wu Jingliang , Liu Yishan , Sun Shishan , Jia Yanping
Published: May 2021

This study mainly conducts the research on the discontinuous contact elastic properties of wire rope based on WR‐CVT. The geometry model and finite element model of continuous contact and discontinuous contact of 2/3 lay pitch wire rope are established. And the contact stress distribution of the steel wire is analyzed through 5 sections and 5 contact points. The results show that on the C‐C plane, the contact stress of the discontinuous contact model is 229.4 MPa higher than that of the continuous contact, but this difference is not obvious on the D‐D plane. The contact stress nephogram is elliptical, but in the noncontact area, the shape of the contact trace shows a distinct noncomplete ellipse, and the contact trace is distributed along the spiral trajectory of the steel wire. Point 4 due to the reduction in contact area, compared with continuous contact, discontinuous contact shows a higher stress value. The geometric dimensions of the wear scars of continuous contact and discontinuous contact indicate that regardless of the length of the wear scar or the width of the wear scar, the geometric characteristics of steel wire wear mark in discontinuous contact are larger than that in continuous contact, so the discontinuous contact aggravates the surface wear of wire. This research lays a theoretical foundation for the discontinuous contact wear and fatigue of WR‐CVT wire rope and other components.
Long Noncoding RNA RP11‐357H14.17 Plays an Oncogene Role in Gastric Cancer by Activating ATF2 Signaling and Enhancing Treg Cells
Authors: Xiaoli Tang , Wenting Wang , Meixiang Zhang , Chunlei Zuo , Chengxia Hu
Published: May 2021

Background. Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world. The potential functions and mechanisms of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in GC development are still unclear. It is of great significance to explore the prognostic value of LncRNA signatures for GC. Methods. LncRNAs differently expressed in GC and their prognostic value were studied based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The functional regulatory network and immune infiltration of RP11‐357H14.17 were further studied using a variety of bioinformatics tools and databases. Results. We found that the high expression of RP11‐357H14.17 was closely associated with shortened overall survival (OS) and poor prognosis in gastric cancer patients. We also found that its expression was related to clinical features including tumor volume, metastasis, and differentiation. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that RP11‐357H14.17 is closely related to enhanced DNA replication and metabolism; ssGSEA analysis implied the oncogenic roles of RP11‐357H14.17 was related to ATF2 signaling and Treg cell differentiation. Furthermore, we verified such link by using real‐time PCR and IHC staining in human GC samples. Conclusion. We demonstrate that RP11‐357H14.17 may play a crucial role in the occurrence, development, and malignant biological behavior of gastric cancer as a potential prognostic marker for gastric cancer.
Temperature and Stress Effects on the Compressive Creep Behavior of Parallel Strand Bamboo
Authors: Liu Yanyan , Bian Yulin , He Dong , Liu Jiao , Zhou Aiping
Published: June 2021

Parallel strand bamboo (PSB) is an engineered bamboo product fabricated using crushed bamboo fiber bundles. Recently, this product finds applications in the civil engineering field. It is expected that the use of this composite will continue to grow because of its excellent mechanical performance, relatively low variability in material properties, and shape standardization. Modern bamboo structures made from PSB composites may be subjected to temperature variations during service. So far, however, there has been little discussion about the temperature‐dependent creep. In this study, an investigation was carried out on the short‐term behavior of the compressive property of PSB. A stress range of 8 to 64 MPa over a temperature range of 25°C to 75°C was considered in the 24‐hour creep tests. In addition, Burgers model was adopted to describe the short‐term creep behavior of PSB. Temperature and stress effects on the creep compliance of the Burgers model were also discussed.
Pulsed Radiofrequency of the Trigeminal Ganglion for Treating Postherpetic Neuralgia of the Ophthalmic Branch
Authors: Liu Dong-Yang , Chen Jin-Sheng , Fang Ze-Zang , Liu Shao-Yan , Wan Li
Published: May 2021

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a painful, long-lasting condition as a consequence of nerve damage resulting from a herpes zoster infection. Although there are many different treatments available to reduce pain duration and severity, PHN is often refractory to them and no single therapy shows an effective cure for all cases of PHN, especially for those involving the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve. Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) is a minimally invasive procedure for pain treatment that has been practiced over the past decade. However, its clinical efficacy and safety for treating PHN involving the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve have not been evaluated. Objective. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PRF for treating PHN involving the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal ganglion. Study Design. An observational study. Setting. All patients received PRF of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve, pain intensity was assessed by a visual analogue scale (VAS), and complications before and after PRF stimulation were noted. Methods. Thirty-two patients with PHN of the ophthalmic branch were treated by PRF of the ophthalmic branch with controlled temperature at 42°C for 8 min. Pain relief, corneal reflex, sleep quality, and satisfaction were assessed for all patients. Results. Thirty out of 32 patients (93.75%) reported significant pain reduction after PRF treatment. Twenty-eight of them (87.5%) were satisfied with their sleep and obtained a pain score lower than 3 following the procedure. Only two patients had a recurrence of the severe burning pain and returned to the hospital for other medical therapies 2 weeks after the PRF procedure. No patient lost the corneal reflex. Limitations. This study is an observational study and a nonprospective trial with a short-term follow-up period. Conclusion. PRF of the trigeminal ganglion of the ophthalmic branch can significantly reduce pain sensation and improve sleep quality and satisfaction for PHN of the ophthalmic branch.
A Scoring System for Outpatient Orthopedist to Preliminarily Distinguish Spinal Metastasis from Spinal Tuberculosis: A Retrospective Analysis of 141 Patients
Authors: Du Xing , She Yuxiao , Ou Yunsheng , Zhu Yong , Luo Wei , Jiang Dianming
Published: May 2021

Objective. Spinal tuberculosis (TB) misdiagnosed of spinal metastasis was not rarely reported, especially in outpatients department. This study was aimed to establish an outpatient scoring system to preliminarily distinguish spinal metastasis from spinal TB. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed consecutive 141 patients with a pathological diagnosis of spinal metastasis (82 cases) or spinal TB (59 cases) in our hospital from January 2017 to June 2018. The following clinical characteristics which can be obtained by outpatient orthopedist were recorded and analyzed: age, gender, malignant tumor history, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and imaging features including distribution characteristics of vertebral lesions, subligamentous spread, paravertebral or psoas abscess, involved vertebral element, intervertebral disc, and sequestra formation. The prevalence of clinical characteristics in spinal metastasis was evaluated, and the scoring system was established using logistic regression analysis. The performance of the scoring system was also prospectively validated. Results. The outpatient scoring system was based on five clinical characteristics confirmed as significant predictors of spinal metastasis, namely, malignant tumor history, subligamentous spread, posterior element lesions, preserved discs, and no sequestra formation. Spinal metastasis showed a significant higher score than spinal TB (8.17 points vs. 1.97 points,

t
=
18.621

,

P
<
0.001

), and the optimal cut-off value for the scoring system was 5 points. The sensitivity and specificity of the scoring system for predicting spinal metastasis were 97.85% and 88.33%, respectively, in the validation set. Conclusion. Spinal lesions with the score of 5 to 10 would be considered a diagnosis of spinal metastasis, while the score of 0 to 4 may be spinal TB. Because the scoring system is mainly based on the clinical characteristics that can be obtained by an outpatient orthopedist, it is suitable to be used as a diagnostic tool in the outpatient department.