bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic ultrasound imaging of the lung: A simulation approach based on propagation and reverberation in the human body
Authors: Ostras Oleksii , Soulioti Danai Eleni , Pinton Gianmarco
Published: November 2021

Although ultrasound cannot penetrate a tissue/air interface, it images the lung with high diagnostic accuracy. Lung ultrasound imaging relies on the interpretation of “artifacts,” which arise from the complex reverberation physics occurring at the lung surface but appear deep inside the lung. This physics is more complex and less understood than conventional B-mode imaging in which the signal directly reflected by the target is used to generate an image. Here, to establish a more direct relationship between the underlying acoustics and lung imaging, simulations are used. The simulations model ultrasound propagation and reverberation in the human abdomen and at the tissue/air interfaces of the lung in a way that allows for direct measurements of acoustic pressure inside the human body and various anatomical structures, something that is not feasible clinically or experimentally. It is shown that the B-mode images beamformed from these acoustical simulations reproduce primary clinical features that are used in diagnostic lung imaging, i.e., A-lines and B-lines, with a clear relationship to known underlying anatomical structures. Both the oblique and parasagittal views are successfully modeled with the latter producing the characteristic “bat sign,” arising from the ribs and intercostal part of the pleura. These simulations also establish a quantitative link between the percentage of fluid in exudative regions and the appearance of B-lines, suggesting that the B-mode may be used as a quantitative imaging modality.
Organic Acids and Their Salts Potentiate the Activity of Selected Antibiotics against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms Grown in a Synthetic Cystic Fibrosis Sputum Medium
Authors: Bao Xuerui , Bové Mona , Coenye Tom
Published: November 2021

The failure of antibiotic therapy in respiratory tract infections in cystic fibrosis is partly due to the high tolerance observed in
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
biofilms. This tolerance is mediated by changes in bacterial metabolism linked to growth in biofilms, opening up potential avenues for novel treatment approaches based on modulating metabolism.
Enterotoxigenic
Escherichia coli
Degrades the Host MUC2 Mucin Barrier To Facilitate Critical Pathogen-Enterocyte Interactions in Human Small Intestine
Authors: Sheikh Alaullah , Wangdi Tamding , Vickers Tim J. , Aaron Bailey , Palmer Margot , Miller Mark J. , Kim Seonyoung , Herring Cassandra , Simoes Rita , Crainic Jennifer A. , Gildersleeve Jeffrey C. , van der Post Sjoerd , Hansson Gunnar C. , Fleckenstein James M.
Published: November 2021

Enterotoxigenic
Escherichia coli
(ETEC) isolates are genetically diverse pathological variants of
E. coli
defined by the production of heat-labile (LT) and/or heat-stable (ST) toxins. ETEC strains are estimated to cause hundreds of millions of cases of diarrheal illness annually.
Hadean zircon formed due to hydrated ultramafic protocrust melting
Authors: Borisova Anastassia Y. , Nédélec Anne , Zagrtdenov Nail R. , Toplis Michael J. , Bohrson Wendy A. , Safonov Oleg G. , Bindeman Ilya N. , Melnik Oleg E. , Pokrovski Gleb S. , Ceuleneer Georges , Jochum Klaus Peter , Stoll Brigitte , Weis Ulrike , Bychkov Andrew Y. , Gurenko Andrey A.
Published: November 2021

Hadean zircons, from the Jack Hills (Western Australia) and other localities, are currently the only window into the earliest terrestrial felsic crust, the formation of which remains enigmatic. Based upon new experimental results, generation of such early crust has been hypothesized to involve the partial melting of hydrated peridotite interacting with basaltic melt at low pressure (<10 km), but it has yet to be demonstrated that such liquids can indeed crystallize zircons comparable to Jack Hills zircon. We used thermodynamic and geochemical modeling to test this hypothesis. The predicted zircon saturation temperatures of <750 °C, together with the model zircon Th, U, Nb, Hf, Y, and rare earth element (REE) contents at 700 °C, δ18OVSMOW (Vienna standard mean ocean water) signatures, and co-crystallizing mineral assemblage were compared to those of the Jack Hills zircon. This comparison was favorable with respect to crystallization temperature, most trace-element contents, and mineral inclusions in zircon. The discrepancy in δ18OVSMOW signatures may be explained by hotter conditions of Hadean protocrust hydration. Our work supports the idea that felsic magma generation at shallow depths involving a primordial weathered ultramafic protocrust and local basaltic intrusions is indeed a viable mechanism for the formation of felsic crust on early Earth.
Mississippian southern Laurentia tuffs came from a northern Gondwana arc
Authors: Tian Hepeng , Fan Majie , Valencia Victor A. , Chamberlain Kevin , Stern Robert J. , Waite Lowell
Published: November 2021

A Paleozoic arc that formed by southward subduction of the Rheic oceanic plate beneath northern Gondwana has long been inferred, but its history and geochemical signatures remain poorly understood. New U-Pb ages, juvenile εHf signatures, and trace-element composition data of young zircons from tuffs at two southern Laurentia sites indicate their derivation from a continental arc that was active from ca. 328 to ca. 317 Ma and permit correlation of sedimentary sequences 800 km apart in southern Laurentia. These include the Stanley tuffs in the Ouachita Mountains of southeastern Oklahoma and southwestern Arkansas and the newly discovered Barnett tuff in the subsurface of the Midland Basin in west Texas (USA). The Barnett tuff has a zircon chemical abrasion–isotope dilution–thermal ionization mass spectrometry U-Pb date of 327.8 ± 0.8 Ma, similar to the oldest Stanley tuff in the Ouachita Mountains. Zircon Hf isotope depleted mantle model ages further suggest that the source was a continental arc on basement with both Grenville and Pan-African affinities, pointing to northern Gondwana or peri-Gondwana terranes. The new data link the tuffs to granitoids (326 Ma) of the Maya block in southern Mexico, which was part of northern Gondwana. Correlation of the Stanley-Barnett tuffs across southern Laurentia suggests the likely presence of Mississippian tuffs over a broad region in southern Laurentia, and their usefulness for constraining absolute ages of basin fills and characterizing the Gondwanan arc.
Nations must be defended: public health, enmity and immunity in Katherine Mayo’sMother India
Authors: Shetty Sandhya
Published: November 2021

This essay explores repressed hostility and punitive fantasies in the discourse of international health, using Katherine Mayo’sMother India(1927). Multiple tendencies in interwar thinking converge in Mayo’s book, making it a veritable archive of major, minor and emergent forces, including those shaping the phenomenon of ‘international health’ post-Versailles.Mother Indiaprovides a unique opportunity to explore how progressive principles of international public health tend to obscure a ‘minor’ and forgettable yet disturbing truth: the discourse on life and health can ‘safely’ harbour an alternative politics and poetics of enmity. Spotlighting the way international health interventions, centrally shaped by USA, operated across multiple levels of governance, the essay locates the significant detail of Mayo’s representation of India as ‘world-menace’. Propelled by the logic of enmity, her shaming portrait of a dysgenic Hindu India justifying emergency international intervention resonates with a strand of interwar conservatism given theoretical expression in the writings of Mayo’s contemporary, Carl Schmitt. Schmitt’s animosity towards political liberalism helps identifyMother India’s vision of imperial sovereignty as a curious antiliberal, American iteration of the logic of enmity in extra-European spaceandin the ‘humane’ domain of health. Biologising the discourse of juridical-political maturity at a time when Indian nationalism’s organised challenge to Empire could not be gainsaid,Mother Indiaurges a re-imagination of the political field as a battlefield where ‘the enemy’, construed as a problem of health,willkill. Building a case for continued imperial domination in the name of global health and immunity, the book’s humiliating representation of colonial bodily habits, habitations and contagions aimed to undermine liberal imperialism, internationalism and Indian nationalism, all increasingly vocal after World War I.
Decreased eosinophil counts and elevated lactate dehydrogenase predict severe COVID-19 in patients with underlying chronic airway diseases
Authors: Chen Dian , Zhang Shuchen , Feng Yuchen , Wu Wenliang , Chang Chenli , Chen Shengchong , Zhen Guohua , Yi Lingling
Published: November 2021

Background

Several predictors of COVID-19 severity have been reported. However, chronic airway inflammation characterised by accumulated lymphocytes or eosinophils may affect the pathogenesis of COVID-19.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, we reviewed the medical records of all patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 with chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma admitted to the Sino-French New City Branch of Tongji Hospital, a large regional hospital in Wuhan, China, from 26 January to 3 April. The Tongji Hospital Ethics Committee approved this study.

Results

There were 59 patients with chronic bronchitis, COPD and asthma. When compared with non-severe patients, severe patients were more likely to have decreased lymphocyte counts (0.6×10⁹/L vs 1.1×10⁹/L, p<0.001), eosinopaenia (<0.02×10⁹/L; 73% vs 24%, p<0.001), increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (471.0 U/L vs 230.0 U/L, p<0.001) and elevated interleukin 6 level (47.4 pg/mL vs 5.7 pg/mL, p=0.002) on admission. Eosinopaenia and elevated LDH were significantly associated with disease severity in both univariate and multivariate regression models including the above variables. Moreover, eosinophil count and LDH level tended to return to normal range over time in both groups after treatment and severe patients recovered slower than non-severe patients, especially in eosinophil count.

Conclusions

Eosinopaenia and elevated LDH are potential predictors of disease severity in patients with COVID-19 with underlying chronic airway diseases. In addition, they could indicate disease progression and treatment effectiveness.
Assessments of available riverine hydrokinetic energy: a review
Authors: Kirby Katelyn , Ferguson Sean , Rennie Colin , Nistor Ioan , Cousineau Julien
Published: November 2021

Methods of estimating riverine hydrokinetic (HK) power for localized and regional studies are reviewed, evaluated, and compared. It was found that localized HK studies were not entirely consistent, with the most common discrepancies being discharge variability characterization, uncertainty analysis, and the amount of data used to derive the results. The issues associated with localized assessments were amplified for regional assessments. Regional HK assessments were less common, the methods were less consistent across studies, and the amount and type of data available varied widely across regions. New techniques and technologies, developed in Canada and globally, were evaluated for their usefulness to improve regional HK assessments. Emphasis was put on satellite remote sensing methods to estimate discharge and channel dimensions, as well as regionalized curve fitting to estimate channel roughness. The review of new techniques suggests that accuracy of the results is dependent on the amount and quality of the data available.
Detection of Movement Intention in EEG-Based Brain-Computer Interfaces Using Fourier-Based Synchrosqueezing Transform
Authors: Karakullukcu Nedime , Yilmaz Bülent
Published: November 2021

Patients with motor impairments need caregivers’ help to initiate the operation of brain-computer interfaces (BCI). This study aims to identify and characterize movement intention using multichannel electroencephalography (EEG) signals as a means to initiate BCI systems without extra accessories/methodologies. We propose to discriminate the resting and motor imagery (MI) states with high accuracy using Fourier-based synchrosqueezing transform (FSST) as a feature extractor. FSST has been investigated and compared with other popular approaches in 28 healthy subjects for a total of 6657 trials. The accuracy and f-measure values were obtained as 99.8% and 0.99, respectively, when FSST was used as the feature extractor and singular value decomposition (SVD) as the feature selection method and support vector machines as the classifier. Moreover, this study investigated the use of data that contain certain amount of noise without any preprocessing in addition to the clean counterparts. Furthermore, the statistical analysis of EEG channels with the best discrimination (of resting and MI states) characteristics demonstrated that F4-Fz-C3-Cz-C4-Pz channels and several statistical features had statistical significance levels, [Formula: see text], less than 0.05. This study showed that the preparation of the movement can be detected in real-time employing FSST-SVD combination and several channels with minimal pre-processing effort.
Light-cone sum rules for radial excitation of decuplet to octet baryons electromagnetic transition form factors
Authors: Aliev T. M. , Bilmis S. , Savci M.
Published: November 2021

In this paper magnetic dipole moment form factor, [Formula: see text], describing the radial excitation of decuplet baryons to octet baryons electromagnetic transitions as well as the ratios, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are calculated in the framework of light-cone sum rules. We also estimate the degree of the violation of U-spin symmetry.
Similarity solution of second grade fluid flow over a moving cylinder
Authors: Abbas Nadeem , Malik M. Y. , Nadeem Sohail , Hussain Shafiq , El-Shafa A. S.
Published: November 2021

Stagnation point flow of viscoelastic second grade fluid over a stretching cylinder under the thermal slip and magnetic hydrodynamics effects are studied. The mathematical model has been developed under the assumption of non-Newtonian viscoelastic fluid flow over a stretching cylinder by means of the boundary layer approximations. The developed model further reduced through the similarity transformations and constructs the model of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The system of nonlinear differential equations is dimensionless and solved through the numerical technique bvp5c methods. The results of the physical parameters are found and interpreted in the form of tables and graphs. The velocity shows that the graph of curves enhances away from the surface when the values material parameter [Formula: see text] increase, which means the momentum boundary layer increases for enhancing the material parameter [Formula: see text]. The temperature gradient reduced due enhancing the values of material parameter [Formula: see text] because thermal boundary layer reduced for higher values of material parameter [Formula: see text].
Application of doping graphene quantum dots and gold nanoparticles on dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Min Kao-Wei , Yu Ming-Ta , Ho Chi-Ting , Chen Pin-Ru , Tsai Jenn-Kai , Wu Tian-Chiuan , Wu Tung-Lung
Published: November 2021

The doctor blade coating method is used to prepare dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and dope the original titanium dioxide (TiO2, P25) photoanode (PA) with single-layer graphene (G), graphene quantum dots (GQDs), and gold (Au) nanoparticles in this research. The results show that doping PAs with G, GQDS, and Au effectively increases the short-circuit current density ([Formula: see text], conversion efficiency ([Formula: see text]), and decreases the internal structure impedance ([Formula: see text]) of DSSCs. [Formula: see text] increases from 13.62 to 17.02, 15.22, 16.05 mA/cm2, while [Formula: see text] (%) increases from 6.36 to 7.50, 7.08, 7.04% when doping G, GQDs, and Au, respectively. The analysis of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) reveals that the doping decreases [Formula: see text] from 11.28 to 8.36, 8.78, 8.54 [Formula: see text], respectively. Then, the titanium dioxide (TiO[Formula: see text]-doped G-GQDs, G-Au, and QDs-Au on DSSCs influence [Formula: see text] that increases to 5.45, 15.37, and 15.31 mA/cm2, respectively. In this case, the values of [Formula: see text] are found to be 7.21%, 7.35%, and 7.00%, while those of [Formula: see text] are 8.44, 8.63, and 9.18 [Formula: see text]. The values of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are highest but that of [Formula: see text] are lowest when doping with G, which proves that the photoanode of the DSSC effectively activates the photogenerated electrons in the film by doping single-layer graphene and TiO2captures its electrons through graphene. The decreasing electron–hole recombination rate allows the photogenerated electrons to be quickly transferred to the external circuit. As a result, the efficiency of DSSCs is improved.
Effect of crystallization degree on optical characteristics of NB2O5 by sol–gel process
Authors: Xu Zhiyuan , Shen Xingmei , Wu Xingrong , Cao Fabin , Li Liaosha
Published: November 2021

In this study, Nb2O5 was prepared by the sol–gel method. Crystallization process was investigated by thermal analysis (TG–DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis spectra and Raman spectra. TG–DSC results indicated that amorphous Nb2O5 appeared at 460[Formula: see text]C. XRD results indicated that amorphous Nb2O5 transformed into pseudo-hexagonal phase and crystallization degree has an increasing trend with an increase of temperature. UV–vis and Raman spectra results reflected the significant variations of optical property and atomic structure in this process. Nb2O5 atomic arrangement transforms from short-range order to medium-range order, then to long-range order. Atoms transform into long-range ordered structure through connection of structural units with increasing temperature. Additionally, crystallization degree, optical property and atomic arrangement all are mutually connected in the crystallization process.
Bäcklund transformations, Lax pair and solutions of a Sharma-Tasso-Olver-Burgers equation for the nonlinear dispersive waves
Authors: Zhou Tian-Yu , Tian Bo , Chen Su-Su , Wei Cheng-Cheng , Chen Yu-Qi
Published: November 2021

Burgers-type equations are considered as the models of certain phenomena in plasma astrophysics, ocean dynamics, atmospheric science and so on. In this paper, a Sharma-Tasso-Olver-Burgers equation for the nonlinear dispersive waves is studied. Based on the Painlevé-Bäcklund equations, one auto-Bäcklund transformation and two hetero-Bäcklund transformations are derived. Motivated by the Burgers hierarchy, a Lax pair is given. Via two hetero-Bäcklund transformations with different constant seed solutions, we find some multiple-kink solutions, complex periodic solutions, hybrid solutions composed of the lump, periodic and multiple kink waves. Then we discuss the influence of the coefficients of the above equation on such solutions. Via the auto-Bäcklund transformation with the nontrivial seed solutions, we obtain certain lump-type solutions, kink-type solutions and recurrence relation of the above equation.
Laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry of yttrium(III) chloride
Authors: Veljković Filip , Radović I. , Toprek D. , Petrović D. , Stoiljković M. , Mitić V. , Veličković S.
Published: November 2021

Due to the increased use of yttrium in agriculture and industry, there is a growing interest in the impact of yttrium on the environment and human health. Developing novel procedures to detect and quantify species of yttrium represents an important task. In this work, we apply laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) to detect cluster ions of the solution of yttrium(III) chloride (YCl3) at different pH values. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to reveal the energetically most favored structures of the anions and cations chosen from the LDI-MS results. Examination of the positive and negative mode LDI mass spectra of YCl3 showed the presence of the heterogeneous mononuclear and polynuclear clusters, such as [YCl(OH) (H2O)3][Formula: see text], [Y2(H2O)][Formula: see text], [Y4H2(H2O)4][Formula: see text], and [Y5O4H3][Formula: see text] (at pH 2 and 5) and [Y2Cl2(H2O)2][Formula: see text], [Y2O5(HCl)(OH)][Formula: see text], and [Y3OH3(OH)2(H2O)][Formula: see text] (at pH 2, 5, and 10). The variation in the pH solution of YCl3 slightly affects the LDI mass spectrum of these yttrium clusters. It has only been noticed that the [Y4H2(H2O)4][Formula: see text] cluster ions were not detected at pH 10. These results can become a guide in the detection of yttrium chloride by LDI-MS in real samples in different fields (ecological, food, and human).
Theoretical study on photoemission of double-layer AlxGa1−xAs/GaAs nanocone array photocathode
Authors: Sun Yan , Liu Lei , Lv Zhisheng , Zhangyang Xingyue , Lu Feifei , Tian Jian
Published: November 2021

In the design of photocathode, the internal electric field could be formed due to the graded Al compositional [Formula: see text] nanostructure, which can improve the top surface emission probability of carriers. In this paper, [Formula: see text] nanostructure array photocathode composed of two sub-layers is presented. Based on the finite element method, the influence of graded geometrical parameters on their optoelectronic characteristics is investigated. The results show that when the thickness of the sublayer is equal, the difference of the Al composition between the two sublayers of nanostructure is larger, the sub-layers are less, and the quantum efficiency is higher. The light capture ability of the photocathode can be enhanced by increasing the thickness and the array spacing of the first sublayer. Compared with the hexagonal cross-section structure, the light trapping effect and spectral response of the circular cross-section structure are better.
Study of unsteady cavitating flow around Clark-Y hydrofoil using nonlinear PANS model with near-wall correction
Authors: Liu Benqing , Yang Wei , Li Sien , Chen Jie , Huang Biao , Huang Xianbei
Published: November 2021

In this paper, we describe the use of a new nonlinear partially-averaged Navier–Stokes (PANS) model with near-wall correction for simulating the cavitating flow around a Clark-Y hydrofoil. For comparison, the standard [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] PANS model is also used. The results demonstrate that compared to [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] PANS and experiment, the new PANS model shows better performance for cavitation flow, including time-averaged velocity, root mean square (rms) velocity and cavity shedding processing. Through the calculation of the lift and drag coefficient at [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], it can be concluded that the cavitation will decrease the lift and increase the drag of the hydrofoil, resulting in a decrease of the lift-to-drag ratio. From the analysis of different terms in both the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and dissipation rate transport equations of the cloud cavitation, it is found that the production term and the dissipation term are dominant in the turbulent transport, and they are mainly distributed in the vapor–liquid interface and the trailing edge of the hydrofoil.
A high-precision interface for tunneling magnetoresistance sensors with 0.15 nT/√Hz resolution
Authors: Chen Anqi , Li Xiangyu , Li Yan , Di Xinpeng , Liu Xiaowei
Published: November 2021

The tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) with high-resolution digital output is widely used in military and civil fields. In this work we proposed a low-noise read-out circuit and a four-order fully differential sigma-delta modulator for TMR sensors. In the read-out circuit, we used symmetrical cascade for good matching. We used correlated double sampling (CDS) technique to improve the conversion accuracy of the modulator. In switched capacitor circuits we used time-division multiplexing to suppress charge injection and clock feedthrough. The high-precision application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chip was fabricated by a 0.35 [Formula: see text]m CMOS process from Shanghai Huahong foundry. The TMR sensor was placed in an environment of three-layer magnetic shielding for test. The active area of the ASIC is only about [Formula: see text]. At a sampling frequency of 20 kHz, the TMR magnetometer consumes 77 mW from a single 5 V supply; the sigma-delta modulator for TMR can achieve an average noise floor of −141 dBV. The magnetometer works at a full scale (FS) of [Formula: see text], it can achieve a nonlinearity of 0.2% FS and a resolution of 0.15 nT/Hz[Formula: see text] over a signal bandwidth.
Artificial stochastic neural network on the base of double quantum wells
Authors: Pavlovsky O. V. , Dorozhinsky V. I. , Mostovoy S. D.
Published: November 2021

In this paper, we consider a model of an artificial neural network based on quantum-mechanical particles in [Formula: see text] potential. These particles play the role of neurons in our model. To simulate such a quantum-mechanical system, the Monte Carlo integration method is used. A form of the self-potential of a particle as well as two interaction potentials (exciting and inhibiting) are proposed. Examples of simplest logical elements (such as AND, OR and NOT) are shown. Further, we show an implementation of the simplest convolutional network in framework of our model.
O-glycosylation site prediction for Homo sapiens by combining properties and sequence features with support vector machine
Authors: Zhu Yan , Yin Shuwan , Zheng Jia , Shi Yixia , Jia Cangzhi
Published: November 2021

O-glycosylation is a protein posttranslational modification important in regulating almost all cells. It is related to a large number of physiological and pathological phenomena. Recognizing O-glycosylation sites is the key to further investigating the molecular mechanism of protein posttranslational modification. This study aimed to collect a reliable dataset on Homo sapiens and develop an O-glycosylation predictor for Homo sapiens, named Captor, through multiple features. A random undersampling method and a synthetic minority oversampling technique were employed to deal with imbalanced data. In addition, the Kruskal–Wallis (K–W) test was adopted to optimize feature vectors and improve the performance of the model. A support vector machine, due to its optimal performance, was used to train and optimize the final prediction model after a comprehensive comparison of various classifiers in traditional machine learning methods and deep learning. On the independent test set, Captor outperformed the existing O-glycosylation tool, suggesting that Captor could provide more instructive guidance for further experimental research on O-glycosylation. The source code and datasets are available at https://github.com/YanZhu06/Captor/ .
The solution of the absolute value equations using two generalized accelerated overrelaxation methods
Authors: Ali Rashid , Pan Kejia
Published: November 2021

Finding the solution of the absolute value equations (AVEs) has attracted much attention in recent years. In this paper, we propose and analyze two generalized accelerated overrelaxation (AOR) methods for solving AVEs [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is an [Formula: see text]-matrix. Furthermore, we discuss the convergence of the methods under some suitable assumptions. Numerical results are given to verify the effectiveness of our methods.
Some results on ∗-differential identities in prime rings
Authors: Kumar Deepak , Bhushan Bharat , Sandhu Gurninder S.
Published: November 2021

Let [Formula: see text] be a prime ring with involution ∗ of the second kind. An additive mapping [Formula: see text] is called generalized derivation if there exists a unique derivation [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] for all [Formula: see text] In this paper, we investigate the structure of [Formula: see text] and describe the possible forms of generalized derivations of [Formula: see text] that satisfy specific ∗-differential identities. Precisely, we study the following situations:

(i) [Formula: see text] (ii) [Formula: see text] (iii) [Formula: see text] (iv) [Formula: see text] for all [Formula: see text]

Moreover, we construct some examples showing that the restrictions imposed in the hypotheses of our theorems are not redundant.
A flexible thermoelectric film based on Bi2Te3for wearable applications
Authors: Liu Changxin , Zhao Kaiyuan , Fan Yuhang , Gao Yu , Zhou Zhenghui , Li Mengze , Gao Yunfei , Han Zhitao , Xu Minyi , Pan Xinxiang
Published: November 2021

In recent years, with the development of the Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable technology, the research and exploration of thermoelectric materials have been greatly promoted. However, traditional thermoelectric materials are rigid and brittle. Thermoelectric devices made of these materials usually cannot be closely attached to the heat and cold sources that provide temperature differences, thus limiting the application of thermoelectric materials. Therefore, manufacturing new high-performance flexible thermoelectric devices is still a huge challenge. In this work, polyimide/copper (PI/Cu) substrate was deposited by electron deposition technology. The flexible thermoelectric thin film device was fabricated by bonding [Formula: see text]-type and [Formula: see text]-type bismuth telluride (Bi2Te[Formula: see text] slurries onto the PI/Cu substrate. Then, the PDMS film was coated on the device to make the device waterproof and oxidation resistant. The output voltage and maximum power of this device, at the temperature of 80 K, reach 97.5 mV and 60 uW, respectively. After 200 cycles of cyclic bending experiments, 90% high conductivity retention can be maintained. It demonstrates that the new flexible thermoelectric thin film has good flexibility and excellent stability. This work provides a simple method for the preparation of flexible thermoelectric thin films and opens up a new way for its application in the sensing equipment and wearable device of the IoT.
Blockchain and the Evolving Financial Market: A Literature Review
Authors: Gorkhali Anjee , Chowdhury Rajib
Published: November 2021

Blockchain technology has gained widespread utility, particularly in the field of finance due to the popularity of bitcoin. There are other areas such as energy trade and securities market, which have evolved due to blockchain. These fields are new and building regulations and architecture to enhance their functionality. There are studies on blockchain finance and this paper aims to summarize a few of the pathbreaking studies and guide future research in this field. This paper reviews 77 journal publications related to blockchain from 2018 to 2021 available in the Science Citation Index (SCI) and Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) database. The selected papers have been grouped into 10 categories. This overview indicates that research in blockchain finance needs to focus on developing better privacy and security mechanism as well as better regulations regarding financial transactions not only to benefit from “Initial Coin Offerings”, but also to diversify investor’s risk.
Component-based Analysis of Dynamic Search Performance
Authors: Albahem Ameer , Spina Damiano , Scholer Falk , Cavedon Lawrence
Published: November 2021

In many search scenarios, such as exploratory, comparative, or survey-oriented search, users interact with dynamic search systems to satisfy multi-aspect information needs. These systems utilize different dynamic approaches that exploit various user feedback granularity types. Although studies have provided insights about the role of many components of these systems, they used black-box and isolated experimental setups. Therefore, the effects of these components or their interactions are still not well understood. We address this by following a methodology based on Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). We built a Grid Of Points that consists of systems based on different ways to instantiate three components: initial rankers, dynamic rerankers, and user feedback granularity. Using evaluation scores based on the TREC Dynamic Domain collections, we built several ANOVA models to estimate the effects. We found that (i) although all components significantly affect search effectiveness, the initial ranker has the largest effective size, (ii) the effect sizes of these components vary based on the length of the search session and the used effectiveness metric, and (iii) initial rankers and dynamic rerankers have more prominent effects than user feedback granularity. To improve effectiveness, we recommend improving the quality of initial rankers and dynamic rerankers. This does not require eliciting detailed user feedback, which might be expensive or invasive.
Communication—Microfluidic Electrochemical Acetylcholine Detection in the Presence of Chlorpyrifos
Authors: McClain Ethan S. , Miller Dusty R. , Cliffel David E.
Published: November 2021

An amperometric acetylcholine sensor was developed for use in a microfluidic system and characterized with chlorpyrifos and its metabolite, chlorpyrifos oxon. This enzymatic sensor was highly selective for acetylcholine, with a detection limit of 0.2 μM and sensitivity of 1.7 nA μM−1from 1–150 μM. Though chlorpyrifos had no effect on sensor function, chlorpyrifos oxon significantly inhibited response across a range of concentrations (0.5–50 μM). Inhibition was reversed by 2-pyridine aldoxime methyl chloride. This platform can be used to both quantify acetylcholine in the presence of chlorpyrifos and as a biorecognition method for chlorpyrifos oxon.
Conditioning with Lime and Fertilizer Improves Ionic Rare Earth Mine Tailings
Authors: Zhang Qin , Shen Dongmei , Luo Jie , Wan Guanyue , Zhou Caiyun , Zhao Xiaomin
Published: November 2021

To explore rare earth mine tailings improvement technology without soil dressing, we planted Chinese cabbage in pots to determine the effect of different amounts of lime combined with fertilizer on the improvement of ionic rare earth mine tailings, aiming to provide a scientific basis for the reclamation of abandoned ionic rare earth mines. The results showed that the soil substrate of the tested rare earth tailings exhibited four forms of degradation: soil acidification, soil desertification, nutrient depletion, and heavy metal contamination by rare earth elements (REEs). The application of fertilizer alone (CK treatment) did not support Chinese cabbage growth, whereas different amounts of lime combined with fertilizer supported plant growth and significantly reduced the activity of the rare earth heavy metals. The height, fresh weight, and REE content of the Chinese cabbage plants were significantly reduced with an increase in the amount of lime applied. Addition of lime not only significantly improved the soil pore space and reduced soil acidification but also significantly increased the soil nutrient content. Our findings suggest that lime combined with fertilizer can improve ionic rare earth mine tailing soil degradation, thus promoting plant growth and achieving the improvement of ionic rare earth mine tailings without soil dressing.
Electrical Imaging of a Shallow Free-Phase Stray Gas Plume from an Abandoned Exploration Well
Authors: Lagasca Patrick A. , Ryan M. Cathryn , Bentley Laurence R.
Published: November 2021

Geophysical imaging of free-phase gas (FPG) within aquifers is an emerging method for understanding the mechanisms controlling stray gas migration from oil and gas wells. Crystal Geyser is an unsealed and partially cased well that transports stray CO2 gas to the shallow subsurface. Accumulations of subsurface CO2 FPG near Crystal Geyser have been inferred, but the actual location and dimensions remained unclear. Here, the subsurface FPG distribution surrounding Crystal Geyser was characterized by interpreting 2D electrical resistivity images with previous drilling records and field mapping. An approximately 70-metre-wide FPG plume was located laterally between Crystal Geyser’s conduit and the Little Grand Wash Fault. The FPG plume spanned the vertical extent of approximately 20 to 55 metres below the ground surface, located within the Slick Rock Member sandstone with the relatively low permeability Earthy Member silty sandstone acting as a caprock. The FPG plume was identified from an anomalously high resistivity zone within the Slick Rock Member that was not caused by lateral lithofacies changes or fault displacement. The conceptual FPG migration pathways beneath Crystal Geyser are presented, based on the interpreted FPG distribution from the electrical resistivity images combined with previous site characterization and the principles of buoyant FPG migration. FPG accumulates within the Slick Rock Member by buoyant up-dip migration beneath siltstone capillary barriers of the Earthy Member. FPG leaks to the ground surface within high permeability preferential pathways along the Little Grand Wash Fault and the conduit of Crystal Geyser.
Bayesian Uncertainty Identification of Model Parameters for the Jointed Structures with Nonlinearity
Authors: Shen Zhanpeng , Liu Xinen , Zang Chaoping , Hu Shaoquan
Published: November 2021

Jointed structures in engineering naturally perform with some of nonlinearity and uncertainty, which significantly affect the dynamic characteristics of the structural system. In this paper, the method of Bayesian uncertainty identification of model parameters for the jointed structures with local nonlinearity is proposed. Firstly, the nonlinear stiffness and damping of the joints under the random excitation are represented with functions of excitation magnitude in terms of the equivalent linearization. The process of uncertainty identification is separated from the representation of local nonlinearity. In this way, the dynamic behavior of the joints is penetratingly characterized instead of ascribing the nonlinearity to uncertainty. Secondly, a variable‐expanded Bayesian (VEB) method is originally proposed to identify the mixed of aleatory and epistemic uncertainties of model parameters. Different from traditional Bayesian identification, the aleatory uncertainties of model parameters are identified as one of the most important parts rather than only measurement noise of output. Notablely, a series of intermediate variables are introduced to expand the parameter with aleatory uncertainty in order to overcome the difficulty of establishing the likelihood function. Moreover, a 3‐DOF numerical example is illustrated with case studies to verify the proposed method. The influence of observed sample size and prior distribution selection on the identification results is tested. Furthermore, an engineering example of the jointed structure with rubber isolators is performed to show the practicability of the proposed method. It is indicated that the computational model updated with the accurately identified parameters with both nonlinearity and uncertainty has shown the excellent predictive capability.
Construction and Validation of a Potent Epigenetic Modification-Related Prognostic Signature for Osteosarcoma Patients
Authors: Liu Siyu , Wu Bing , Li Xiaomin , Zhao Lulu , Wu Wen , Ai Songtao
Published: November 2021

Background. Increasing evidence has shown that tumorigenesis correlates with aberrant epigenetic factors, such as DNA methylation, histone modification, RNA m6A modification, RNA binding proteins, and transcription factors. However, it is unclear that how epigenetic genes linked with alteration contribute to osteosarcoma’s incidence and clinical prognosis. We developed an epigenetic modification-related prognostic model that may improve the diagnosis and prognosis of osteosarcoma. Methods. We investigated the epigenetic modification-associated genes and their clinical significance in osteosarcoma in this research. Our gene transcriptome data were obtained from the TARGET database and the GEO database. Bioinformatics techniques were used to investigate their functionalities. The diagnostic and prognostic models were constructed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression. In addition, we developed a nomogram indicating the practicability of the prognostic model described above. Results. A risk score model constructed based on four epigenetic modification-related genes (MYC, TERT, EIF4E3, and RBM34) can effectively predict the prognosis of patients with osteosarcoma. Based on the risk score and clinical features, we constructed a nomogram. Conclusion. Epigenetic modification-related genes have been identified as important prognostic markers that may assist in osteosarcoma therapy therapeutic decision-making.
Application Effect of Intelligent Monitoring of Emergency Nursing Process Reengineering in the Thrombolytic Therapy of Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Liu Xueqing , Huang Sufang , Cheng Jing , Zhang Ying
Published: November 2021

The application of emergency nursing process in intravenous thrombolytic therapy for patients with acute myocardial infarction was discussed. 100 patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected for intravenous thrombolysis. 50 patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction were treated from December 2018 to June 2019. The first-aid time and treatment effect of the two groups were compared. The results showed that the first aid time in the optimized process group was less than that in the conventional flow group (

P
<
0.05

); the ECG rate was higher within 10 min than that in the conventional flow group (

P
<
0.05

). It indicates that standardized and meticulous nursing procedures can avoid repetition and omissions and improve work efficiency. The application of the emergency care process in the emergency care of patients with acute myocardial infarction can win more rescue time and then improve the success rate of their rescue.
A Novel Band-Stop Filter with Band-Pass, High-Pass, and Low-Pass Negative Group Delay Characteristics
Authors: Yuan Aixia , Fang Shaojun , Wang Zhongbao , Liu Hongmei , Zhang Hongjun
Published: November 2021

A band-stop filter with three different negative group delay functions in the passband, namely, band pass, high pass and low pass, is proposed, which has small insertion loss. The capacitance, inductance, and resistance meet different conditions, and the circuit can realize three different negative group delay characteristics. The theoretical calculation and equation derivation are given. A band-stop filter with negative group delay function is fabricated, and the measured results are basically consistent with the simulation results. The correctness of the design is verified.
Construction and Application of Recognition Model for Black‐Odorous Water Bodies Based on Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Xu Zhonghua , Dai Changguo , Wang Jing , Liu Lejun , Jiang Lei
Published: November 2021

In the water environment, construction, and civil engineering industries, digital twins have gradually become a popular solution in recent years, and in digital twins, accurate data prediction and category recognition are important parts of it. Artificial neural network (ANN), a widely used data‐driven model, can accurately identify nonlinear relationships in the water environment. In this paper, a recognition model for black‐odorous water bodies based on ANN was established to directly identify the sensory description of water bodies. This study used water quality data and sensory description (color and odor) as samples to train backpropagation (BP) neural networks. The training results show that the accuracy of the color and odor models reaches 86.7% and 85.8%, respectively. It can thus be suggested that the sensory description can be accurately recognized by BP neural network. The application results indicate that all seven rivers had black‐odorous phenomenon within a year. The recognition models have been instrumental in water resource management. Meanwhile, the models provide a reference for the evaluation and early warning of black‐odorous water bodies in other regions.
Cost Control of Treatment for Cerebrovascular Patients Using a Machine Learning Model in Western China
Authors: Zeng Siyu , Luo Li , Fang Yuanchen , He Xiaozhou
Published: November 2021

Background. Cerebrovascular disease has been the leading cause of death in China since 2017, and the control of medical expenses for these diseases is an urgent issue. Diagnosis-related groups (DRG) are increasingly being used to decrease the costs of healthcare worldwide. However, the classification variables and rules used vary from region to region. Of these variables, the question of whether the length of stay (LOS) should be used as a grouping variable is controversial. Aim. To identify the factors influencing inpatient medical expenditure in cerebrovascular disease patients. The performance of two sets of classification rules, and the effects of the extent of control of unreasonable medical treatment, were compared, to investigate whether the classification variables should include LOS. Methods. Data from 45,575 inpatients from a Healthcare Security Administration of a city in western China were used. Kruskal–Wallis H tests were used for single-factor analysis, and multiple linear stepwise regression was used to determine the main factors. A chi-squared automatic interaction detector (CHAID) algorithm was built as a decision tree model for grouping related data. The intensity of oversupply of service was controlled step by step from 10% to 100%, and the performance was calculated for each group. Results. The average hospitalization cost was 1,284 US dollars, and the total was 51.17 million US dollars. Of this, 43.42 million were paid by the government, and 7.75 million were paid by individuals. Factors including gender, age, type of insurance, level of hospital, LOS, surgery, therapeutic outcomes, main concomitant disease, and hypertension significantly influenced inpatient expenditure (

P
<
0.05

). Incorporating LOS, the patients were divided into seven DRG groups, while without LOS, the patients were divided into eight DRG groups. More clinical variables were needed to achieve good results without LOS. Of the two rule sets, smaller coefficient of variation (CV) and a lower upper limit for patient costs were found in the group including LOS. Using this type of economic control, 3.35 million US dollars could be saved in one year.
Experimental Study on Percolation Rate Characteristics of Gas‐Filled Coal Bodies Based on True Triaxial Condition
Authors: Fukun Xiao , Lei Shan , Xufei Zhang , Kai Xie
Published: November 2021

To research the percolation rate of gas‐filled coal based on true triaxial condition, this paper uses the three‐phase coupling true triaxial servo test device to carry out the seepage test of coal, and the percolation rate of coal under different conditions of three factors such as gas pressure was measured by Darcy’s law, and the variation of percolation rate of coal was studied based on the comprehensive consideration of thermal elastic swelling deformation, expansion deformation of adsorbed gas, and compression deformation of interstitial pressure. The results are as follows: (1) When the main stress and temperature maintain unchanged, the percolation rate presents the trend which first decreases and then becomes gentle with the gas pressure; when the gas pressure and main stress maintain unchanged, the percolation rate increases with the decrease of temperature; when the pressure and temperature maintain unchanged, the changes of percolation rate present a shape of “V” with the main stress. (2) The strain curve of gas‐filled coal decreases at first and then increases; that is, the percolation rate decreases gradually when the strain increases at the compression phase and elastic phase, while the percolation rate increases with the increase of strain at the yield phase and failure phase. (3) In the process of increasing volume stress, the percolation rate decreases gradually in the pore compaction stage, the percolation rate increases gradually from crack propagation to peak failure stage, and then, the percolation rate increases significantly after the peak damage. According to the test results, the percolation rate and volume strain show an inverse proportion.