bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cross sections for 2-to-1 meson–meson scattering
Authors: Li Wan-Xia , Xu Xiao-Ming , Weber H. J.
Published: March 2021

We study the processes $$K{\bar{K}} \rightarrow \phi $$

K

K

¯

→
ϕ

, $$\pi D \rightarrow D^*$$

π
D
→

D
∗

, $$\pi {\bar{D}} \rightarrow {\bar{D}}^*$$

π

D

¯

→

D

¯

∗

, and the production of $$\psi (3770)$$

ψ
(
3770
)

, $$\psi (4040)$$

ψ
(
4040
)

, $$\psi (4160)$$

ψ
(
4160
)

, and $$\psi (4415)$$

ψ
(
4415
)

mesons in collisions of charmed mesons or charmed strange mesons. The process of 2-to-1 meson–meson scattering involves a quark and an antiquark from the two initial mesons annihilating into a gluon and subsequently the gluon being absorbed by the spectator quark or antiquark. Transition amplitudes for the scattering process derive from the transition potential in conjunction with mesonic quark–antiquark wave functions and the relative-motion wave function of the two initial mesons. We derive these transition amplitudes in the partial wave expansion of the relative-motion wave function of the two initial mesons so that parity and total-angular-momentum conservation are maintained. We calculate flavor and spin matrix elements in accordance with the transition potential and unpolarized cross sections for the reactions using the transition amplitudes. Cross sections for the production of $$\psi (4040)$$

ψ
(
4040
)

, $$\psi (4160)$$

ψ
(
4160
)

, and $$\psi (4415)$$

ψ
(
4415
)

relate to nodes in their radial wave functions. We suggest the production of $$\psi (4040)$$

ψ
(
4040
)

, $$\psi (4160)$$

ψ
(
4160
)

, and $$\psi (4415)$$

ψ
(
4415
)

as probes of hadronic matter that results from the quark–gluon plasma created in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions.
A bi-directional approach to comparing the modular structure of networks
Authors: Straulino Daniel , Landman Mattie , O’Clery Neave
Published: March 2021

Here we propose a new method to compare the modular structure of a pair of node-aligned networks. The majority of current methods, such as normalized mutual information, compare two node partitions derived from a community detection algorithm yet ignore the respective underlying network topologies. Addressing this gap, our method deploys a community detection quality function to assess the fit of each node partition with respect to the other network’s connectivity structure. Specifically, for two networks A and B, we project the node partition of B onto the connectivity structure of A. By evaluating the fit of B’s partition relative to A’s own partition on network A (using a standard quality function), we quantify how well network A describes the modular structure of B. Repeating this in the other direction, we obtain a two-dimensional distance measure, the bi-directional (BiDir) distance. The advantages of our methodology are three-fold. First, it is adaptable to a wide class of community detection algorithms that seek to optimize an objective function. Second, it takes into account the network structure, specifically the strength of the connections within and between communities, and can thus capture differences between networks with similar partitions but where one of them might have a more defined or robust community structure. Third, it can also identify cases in which dissimilar optimal partitions hide the fact that the underlying community structure of both networks is relatively similar. We illustrate our method for a variety of community detection algorithms, including multi-resolution approaches, and a range of both simulated and real world networks.
Does Religion Nudge People to Donate? Evidence from Ramadan
Authors: Ugur Zeynep B.
Published: March 2021

This paper examines whether religious practices nudge people to donate. We carried out our study by focusing on the month of Ramadan, which is considered a sacred month by Muslims around the world. The results show that Ramadan has a significant effect on the amount of donations. Moreover, those who observe Ramadan have significantly increased their probability of donating and the amount of donation in Ramadan.
Local Impact of Stone-Wales Defect on a Bilayer Graphene Nanoribbon FET
Authors: Owlia Hadi , Nayeri Maryam
Published: March 2021

Bilayer graphene (BLG) is a well-known allotrope of carbon atoms and nominated to be used as an appropriate transistor channel. In spite of advances for preparing defect-free and crystalline BLGs, unwanted defects are emerged during immature fabrication process. This paper investigates I–V curves of bilayer graphene nanoribbon FET (BLGNRFET) in the presence of one of the most possible defect called Stone-Wales (SW) defect. These defects are located at three positions along and across the channel. Simulation approach is performed by fully quantum-mechanical numerical calculations using Non-Equilibrium Green’s Function (NEGF) formalism. The role of the defect position is studied for both OFF and ON states. Furthermore, the effect of the defect position is included on several digital and analog metrics such as delay, power delay product and cut-off frequency.
Negative Capacitance, Negative Resistance in CNT/TiO2/SiO2/p-Si Heterostructure for Light-Emitting Diode Applications
Authors: Ashery A. , Gad S. A. , Turky G. M. , Gaballah A. E. H.
Published: March 2021

The novel in this article is the appearance of negative capacitance at low frequency in this structure carbon nanotube/TiO2/SiO2/p-Si, which has not been studied yet in terms of its structural, electrical, and dielectric properties. The CNT/TiO2/SiO2/p-Si was synthesized as a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) structure. The structural, electrical, dielectric, and capacitance were investigated by XRD, I-V, and C-V measurements. Besides the electrical properties, we present here a comprehensive study of capacitance and its variation with frequency, voltage, and temperature. Through this study, we can control and tune the capacitance in terms of its value as well as its signal polarity as positive or negative values the tunneling behavior and negative resistance were realized in I-V measurements. The capacitance vs temperature, voltage, and frequency was explored, it takes positive values reaching its maximum of about 2.12 × 10−9–2.4 × 10−7 F at high frequencies from 2 × 107–103 Hz, but at low frequency from 103–10 Hz, it takes high positive and negative values to reach 4 × 10−3–5 × 10−3 F respectively.
Tailoring the Structural, Magnetic, Mechanical, and Thermal Properties of CoFe2O4 by Varying Annealing Temperature for High-Density Storage Devices
Authors: Nitika  , Rana Anu , Kumar Vinod
Published: March 2021

Nano-size particles of CoFe2O4were synthesized by chemical co-preciptation method. Developed nano-particles were annealed at temperatures 300 °C, 500 °C, and 700 °C for 2 h to study the effect of annealing temperature on structural, mechanical, thermal, and magnetic properties of CoFe2O4nanoparticles. For crystalline properties synthesized particles were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique which confirms the formation of single-phase spherically shaped nanoparticles with crystallite size in the range from 13 to 32 nm. The micro-strain and dislocation-density decreased with increasing annealing temperature. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) absorption peaks experienced a blue shift with annealing temperature. The two-step decomposition process has been identified by the variation observed in thermal behavior. The saturation magnetization increased from 35.55 emu g−1to 75.85 emu g−1as we increase the annealing temperature from 300 °C to 700 °C. High coercivity and thermally stability of annealed CoFe2O4nanoparticles make them suitable for high-density magnetic storage applications.
Improved Switching Performance of Nanoscale p-i-n Carbon Nanotube Tunneling Field-Effect Transistors Using Metal-Ferroelectric-Metal Gating Approach
Authors: Tamersit Khalil
Published: March 2021

In this paper, the metal-ferroelectric-metal (MFM) gating design is used to boost the switching performance of the nanoscale p-i-n carbon nanotube (CNT) tunneling field-effect transistors (TFET). The modeling investigation is based on a rigorous computational approach that combines a self-consistent quantum simulation with the one dimensional Landau–Khalatnikov equation while considering ballistic transport conditions. The numerical results have revealed that the ferroelectric-induced amplified internal gate voltage is efficient in improving the switching performance of the p-i-n CNT tunneling FET. Particularly, the negative capacitance (NC) CNT tunneling FET has exhibited higher on-current, higher current ratio, steeper subthreshold swing, higher I60 factor, and faster intrinsic delay than those provided by the conventional design. In addition, the impact of the ferroelectric (FE) layer thickness on the switching figures of merit has also been assessed, where TFETs with thicker FE layers have exhibited more improved switching performance than those with thinner FE layers. The obtained results indicate that the MFM-based gating design can be an alternative improvement technique for ultrascaled p-i-n CNT tunneling FETs.
Feasibility Study of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Jet-Patterned Perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane-Coated Paper for Biochemical Diagnosis
Authors: Chen I-Hsuan , You Ming-Wei , Tsai Jui-Hsuan , Chang Jung-Hsien , Cheng I-Chun , Hsu Cheng-Che , Luo Shyh-Chyang , Chen Chien-Fu , Chen Jian-Zhang
Published: March 2021

A helium (He) atmospheric-pressure dielectric barrier discharge jet (DBDjet) is used to pattern 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane (PFDTS)-coated cellulose paper with a shadow mask. DBDjet processing under appropriate conditions can be used to form hydrophilic patterns. The properties of the DBDjet-patterned PFDTS-coated paper are investigated through water contact angle measurement, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the results indicate the successful deposition and removal of PFDTS before/after DBDjet treatment. The successful routing and mixing of liquid in the hydrophilic stripes are demonstrated, and a glucose concentration colorimetric test is demonstrated using this DBDjet-patterned PFDTS-coated paper.
Inhibition of P110α and P110δ catalytic subunits of PI3 kinase reverses impaired arterial healing after injury in hypercholesterolemic male mice
Authors: Chaudhuri Pinaki , Smith Andrew H. , Graham Linda M. , Rosenbaum Michael A.
Published: March 2021

Endothelial cell (EC) migration is critical for healing arterial injuries, such as those that occur with angioplasty. Impaired re-endothelialization following arterial injury contributes to vessel thrombogenicity, intimal hyperplasia, and restenosis. Oxidized lipid products, including lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC), induce canonical transient receptor potential 6 (TRPC6) externalization leading to increased [Ca2+]i, activation of calpains, and alterations of the EC cytoskeletal structure that inhibit migration. The p110α and p110δ catalytic subunit isoforms of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) regulate lysoPC-induced TRPC6 externalization in vitro. The goal of this study was to assess the in vivo relevance of those in vitro findings to arterial healing following a denuding injury in hypercholesterolemic mice treated with pharmacologic inhibitors of the p110α and p110δ isoforms of PI3K and a general PI3K inhibitor. Pharmacologic inhibition of the p110α or the p110δ isoform of PI3K partially preserves healing in hypercholesterolemic male mice, similar to a general PI3K inhibitor. Interestingly, the p110α, p110δ, and the general PI3K inhibitor do not improve arterial healing after injury in hypercholesterolemic female mice. These results indicate a potential new role for isoform-specific PI3K inhibitors in male patients following arterial injury/intervention. The results also identify significant sex differences in the response to PI3K inhibition in the cardiovascular system, where female sex generally has a cardioprotective effect. This study provides a foundation to investigate the mechanism for the sex differences in response to PI3K inhibition to develop a more generally applicable treatment option.
The intersection of metformin and inflammation
Authors: Bharath Leena P. , Nikolajczyk Barbara S.
Published: March 2021

The biguanide metformin is the most commonly used antidiabetic drug. Recent studies show that metformin not only improves chronic inflammation by improving metabolic parameters but also has a direct anti-inflammatory effect. In light of these findings, it is essential to identify the inflammatory pathways targeted by metformin to develop a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of action of this drug. Commonly accepted mechanisms of metformin action include AMPK activation and inhibition of mTOR pathways, which are evaluated in multiple diseases. Additionally, metformin’s action on mitochondrial function and cellular homeostasis processes such as autophagy is of particular interest because of the importance of these mechanisms in maintaining cellular health. Both dysregulated mitochondria and failure of the autophagy pathways, the latter of which impair clearance of dysfunctional, damaged, or excess organelles, affect cellular health drastically and can trigger the onset of metabolic and age-related diseases. Immune cells are the fundamental cell types that govern the health of an organism. Thus, dysregulation of autophagy or mitochondrial function in immune cells has a remarkable effect on susceptibility to infections, response to vaccination, tumor onset, and the development of inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. In this study, we summarize the latest research on metformin’s regulation of immune cell mitochondrial function and autophagy as evidence that new clinical trials on metformin with primary outcomes related to the immune system should be considered to treat immune-mediated diseases over the near term.
A primate-specific RNA-binding protein (RBMXL3) is involved in glucocorticoid regulation of human pulmonary surfactant protein B (SP-B) mRNA stability
Authors: Liu Lidan , Liu Xiangli , Bi Weizhen , Alcorn Joseph L.
Published: March 2021

The ability of pulmonary surfactant to reduce alveolar surface tension requires adequate levels of surfactant protein B (SP-B). Dexamethasone (DEX) increases human SP-B expression, in part, through increased SP-B mRNA stability. A 30-nt-long hairpin element (RBE) in the 3′-untranslated region of human SP-B mRNA mediates both DEX-induced and intrinsic mRNA stabilities, but the mechanism is unknown. Proteomic analysis of RBE-interacting proteins identified a primate-specific protein, RNA-binding motif X-linked-like-3 (RBMXL3). siRNA directed against RBMXL3 reduces DEX-induced SP-B mRNA expression in human bronchoalveolar cells. Human SP-B mRNA stability, measured by our dual cistronic plasmid assay, is unaffected by DEX in mouse lung epithelial cells lacking RBMXL3, but DEX increases human SP-B mRNA stability when RBMXL3 is expressed and requires the RBE. In the absence of DEX, RBE interacts with cellular proteins, reducing intrinsic SP-B mRNA stability in human and mouse lung epithelial cells. RBMXL3 specifically binds the RBE in vitro, whereas RNA immunoprecipitation and affinity chromatography analyses indicate that binding is enhanced in the presence of DEX. These results describe a model where intrinsic stability of human SP-B mRNA is reduced through binding of cellular mRNA decay factors to RBE, which is then relieved through DEX-enhanced binding of primate-specific RBMXL3.
Androgen receptor activation alleviates airway hyperresponsiveness, inflammation, and remodeling in a murine model of asthma
Authors: Kalidhindi Rama Satyanarayana Raju , Ambhore Nilesh Sudhakar , Balraj Premanand , Schmidt Taylor , Khan M. Nadeem , Sathish Venkatachalem
Published: March 2021

Epidemiological studies demonstrate an apparent sex-based difference in the prevalence of asthma, with a higher risk in boys than girls, which is reversed postpuberty, where women become more prone to asthma than men, suggesting a plausible beneficial role for male hormones, especially androgens as a regulator of pathophysiology in asthmatic lungs. Using a murine model of asthma developed with mixed allergen (MA) challenge, we report a significant change in airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), as demonstrated by increased thickness of epithelial and airway smooth muscle layers and collagen deposition, as well as Th2/Th17-biased inflammation in the airways of non-gonadectomized (non-GDX) and gonadectomized (GDX) male mice. Here, compared with non-GDX mice, MA-induced AHR and inflammatory changes were more prominent in GDX mice. Activation of androgen receptor (AR) using 5α-dihydrotestosterone (5α-DHT, AR agonist) resulted in decreased Th2/Th17 inflammation and remodeling-associated changes, resulting in improved lung function compared with MA alone challenged mice, especially in GDX mice. These changes were not observed with Flutamide (Flut, AR antagonist). Overall, we show that AR exerts a significant and beneficial role in asthma by regulating AHR and inflammation.
Effects of Ih and TASK-like shunting current on dendritic impedance in layer 5 pyramidal-tract neurons
Authors: Kelley Craig , Dura-Bernal Salvador , Neymotin Samuel A. , Antic Srdjan D. , Carnevale Nicholas T. , Migliore Michele , Lytton William W.
Published: March 2021

We simulated chirp current stimulation in the apical dendrites of 5 biophysically detailed multicompartment models of neocortical pyramidal tract neurons and found that a combination of HCN channels and TASK-like channels produced the best fit to experimental measurements of dendritic impedance. We then explored how HCN and TASK-like channels can shape the dendritic impedance as well as the voltage response to synaptic currents.
Functional analysis of information rates conveyed by rat whisker-related trigeminal nuclei neurons
Authors: Laturnus Sophie , Hoffmann Adrian , Chakrabarti Shubhodeep , Schwarz Cornelius
Published: March 2021

We studied two trigeminal nuclei containing the second neuron on the tactile pathway of whisker-related tactile information in rats. We found that the subnuclei, traditionally assumed to give rise to functional tactile channels, nevertheless transfer primary afferent information with quite similar properties in terms of integration time and kinematic profile. We discuss whether such commonality may be due the requirement to adapt to physical constraints of frictional whisker contact.
Spinal stretch reflexes support efficient control of reaching
Authors: Weiler Jeffrey , Gribble Paul L. , Pruszynski J. Andrew
Published: March 2021

We have previously shown that spinal circuits can rapidly generate reflex responses that efficiently engage multiple joints to support postural hand control of the upper limb. Here, we show that spinal circuits can also rapidly generate such efficient responses during reaching actions.
Neurophysiology of embedded response plans: age effects in action execution but not in feature integration from preadolescence to adulthood
Authors: Dilcher Roxane , Jamous Roula , Takacs Adam , Tóth-Fáber Eszter , Münchau Alexander , Li Shu-Chen , Beste Christian
Published: March 2021

Different aspects of an action need to be integrated to allow smooth unfolding of behavior. We examine developmental effects in these processes and show that mechanisms of action execution and speed, but not those of action feature binding, are subject to age-related changes between the age of 10 and 30 yr.
Regulation of Superoxide by BAP31 through Its Effect on p22phox and Keap1/Nrf2/HO‐1 Signaling Pathway in Microglia
Authors: Liu Xia , Yuan Qing , Li Guo-xun , Jia Cong-cong , Liu Jing-yu , Yang Yan-qiu , Wang Xiao-yu , Hou Yue , Wang Bing
Published: March 2021

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by activation of microglia is considered to be a major cause of neuronal dysfunction, which can lead to damage and death through direct oxidative damage to neuronal macromolecules or derangement of neuronal redox signaling circuits. BAP31, an integral ER membrane protein, has been defined as a regulatory molecule in the CNS. Our latest studies have found that BAP31 deficiency leads to activation of microglia. In this study, we discovered that BAP31 deficiency upregulated LPS‐induced superoxide anion production in BV2 cells and mice by upregulating the expression level of p22phox and by inhibiting the activation of Nrf2‐HO‐1 signaling. Knockdown of p22phox/keap1 or use of an NADPH oxidase inhibitor (apocynin) reversed the production of superoxide anion and inflammatory cytokines, which then reduced neuronal damage and death in vitro and in vivo. These results suggest that BAP31 deficiency contributes to microglia‐related superoxide anion production and neuroinflammation through p22phox and keap1. Furthermore, the excess superoxide anion cooperated with inflammatory cytokines to induce the damage and death of neurons. Thus, we determined that BAP31 is an important regulator in superoxide anion production and neuroinflammation, and the downstream regulators or agonists of BAP31 could therefore be considered as potential therapeutic targets in microglial‐related superoxide anion production and neuroinflammation.
Evaluating the Rail-Based Multimodal Freight Transportation after HSR Entry in Yangtze River Delta Economics Zone
Authors: He Junliang , Wei Minghui , Yu Hang , Yuan Jun , Chen Yanbing
Published: March 2021

In recent years, China keeps working on restructuring the country’s multimodal transport and highly develops the high-speed rail (HSR) infrastructure to improve transport efficiency. As the economic engine of China, the Yangtze River Delta region keeps leading the HSR development and the transporting modal transformation within the whole country. The fast development of HSR on the one hand highly improves passengers’ travel efficiency and, on the other hand, releases the capacity of conventional rail infrastructures to support regional multimodal freight transport. This study applies a three-level AHP structure and constructs a comprehensive index to evaluate the development of a rail-based multimodal freight transport network including railway, rail-water, and rail-road. The comprehensive index contains 14 quantitative and 8 qualitative indexes, covering the rail-based infrastructures, multimodal transport capability, freight transport performance, and transport sustainability. The comprehensive index is then applied to analyze the rail-based multimodal freight transport for the Yangtze River Delta region. The operational data of 59 freight stations and more than 200 railway links of the Yangtze River Delta were recorded. About 172 valid questionnaires were collected to score the qualitative indexes, and all the quantitative indexes are scored based on the real-life freight data. The results reveal the impacts of HSR development on rail freight transportation and show that Zhejiang has led rail freight transportation while Shanghai mainly leads the waterway freight transportation. Meanwhile, Anhui performs very well on road-rail transportation and Jiangsu has made a great improvement on water-rail transportation.
A Note on Cube-Full Numbers in Arithmetic Progression
Authors: Zhong Mingxuan , Ma Yuankui
Published: March 2021

We obtain an asymptotic formula for the cube-full numbers in an arithmetic progression

n
≡
l

mod
 
q

, where

q
,
l

=
1

. By extending the construction derived from Dirichlet’s hyperbola method and relying on Kloosterman-type exponential sum method, we improve the very recent error term with

x

118

/

4029

<
q

.
Severe Oral Mucosal Ulceration Associated with Oral Bisphosphonate Use: The Importance of Imparting Proper Instructions on Medication Administration and Intake
Authors: Chandran Manju , Zeng Wanling
Published: March 2021

Oral bisphosphonates are approved for the treatment of bone loss associated with several conditions including postmenopausal osteoporosis. Although generally well tolerated, adverse effects such as gastroesophageal reflux and oesophageal and peptic ulceration may occur. Oral mucositis and ulceration are lesser-known side effects. Proper counselling and rigorous adherence to the administration instructions are crucial. We describe a case of bisphosphonate-induced severe oral mucosal ulceration in an elderly woman that was caused by incorrect instructions and/or incorrect understanding of instructions for oral alendronate intake.
Social Circus for People with Disabilities: A Video Analysis through the Lens of the MOHO
Authors: Thompson Bianca A. D. , Broome Kieran
Published: March 2021

Background. Social circus is a branch of circus that primarily focuses on personal and community development, rather than an elite level of professional artistry required of traditional circus. Social circus engages participants in circus activities such as juggling and acrobatics with therapeutic aims such as building confidence or developing life skills. While there is a growing body of literature around social circus, there is currently limited literature exploring the interface between social circus and occupational therapy theory. Objective. This study is aimed at examining existing examples of social circus for people with disability (via YouTube videos) through the lens of the Model of Human Occupation (MOHO) to consider the link between social circus and contemporary occupational therapy practice. Methods. The study utilised video analysis as the guiding methodology. A two-part qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on transcripts of YouTube video audio and on-screen text, as well as visual analysis of the corresponding imagery. Results. Social circus provides people with disabilities opportunities to actively participate and experience dignity of risk, independence, and autonomy, in a safe and inclusive environment amongst others. As a highly flexible activity (in structure, timing, tasks, outcomes, and environments), social circus accommodated differences in capacities and provided opportunity for the development of skills, both circus-specific and generalisable to everyday life. Social circus allowed people with disability to shape new identities as performers, friends, and members of a community. Conclusion. Social circus offers a unique means for successfully attaining and achieving a wide range of occupational outcomes for people with and without disability across a diverse range of settings. Utilising an occupational therapy lens led to insights around the social circus environments, development of identity and transference of circus skills to everyday tasks and occupations, that were not previously acknowledged in the social circus literature. Our findings support social circus implementation and collaboration within contemporary occupational therapy practice.
Pathophysiology and Therapeutic Potential of NADPH Oxidases in Ischemic Stroke‐Induced Oxidative Stress
Authors: Duan Jinnan , Gao Shiqi , Tu Sheng , Lenahan Cameron , Shao Anwen , Sheng Jifang
Published: March 2021

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in humans. The excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is an important contributor to oxidative stress and secondary brain damage after stroke. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, an enzyme complex consisting of membrane subunits and cytoplasmic subunits, regulates neuronal maturation and cerebrovascular homeostasis. However, NADPH oxidase overproduction contributes to neurotoxicity and cerebrovascular disease. NADPH oxidase has been implicated as the principal source of ROS in the brain, and numerous studies have shown that the knockout of NADPH exerts a protective effect in the model of ischemic stroke. In this review, we summarize the mechanism of activation of the NADPH oxidase family members, the pathophysiological effects of NADPH oxidase isoforms in ischemic stroke, and the studies of NADPH oxidase inhibitors to explore potential clinical applications.
Design and Implementation of a Heating Treatment System for Vitiligo Skin Disease Based on Medical Ultrasound
Authors: Gao Juanjuan , Tian Fei , Lyu Chong , Qiao Xianhua
Published: March 2021

Vitiligo is relatively common clinically. It is an acquired and persistent skin and mucosal pigment depigmentation disease. As a noninvasive and nonradioactive treatment, high-energy ultrasound has been applied to skin diseases of vitiligo. Treatment achieved good clinical results. This article analyzes the structure of the original medical ultrasound system for vitiligo and finds the deficiencies and missing components of the system. On the basis of the original design scheme, a new structural scheme was designed, which solved the shortcomings of the original system and added missing parts. Subsequently, according to actual application requirements and specific component performance, the schematic design, including audio and video input, output and storage, DDR3, Ethernet, and the design of key circuits, such as power supply modules, are specifically introduced. Later, in the PCB design, the contents including stacking, layout, routing, and simulation of key signals were introduced in detail. The design includes a probe excitation signal generation module, excitation signal parameter control module, high voltage and temperature monitoring module, and corresponding power conversion module. This paper is mainly to develop a vitiligo skin disease heating treatment array system based on the principle of both cost and performance. This paper is based on the nonrigid registration algorithm of the FFD model and HPV interpolation and the nonrigid registration algorithm combining shape information and SIFT method. In the focused ultrasound treatment system, the image-guided positioning and monitoring functions are realized. Studies have shown that when the peak voltage of the transmitter circuit is 55 V, the sound power is 0.28 W. It can be seen that the transmitting circuit system designed in this article is a relatively stable and reliable system, which is suitable for the ultrasound treatment of vitiligo skin diseases.
Influence of Retrogression and Reaging Treatment on Microstructure and Microhardness of the 3A21/7075 Aluminum Alloy Cladding Material
Authors: Hu Ming , Ren Xiaoxue , Sun Jianbo , Zhang Yunlong
Published: March 2021

The 7075 aluminum alloy was an important structural material in the field of aeronautics and astronautics. With the development of this field, the requirements for its comprehensive properties were increasing. A novel casting method, the impact jet solid-liquid compound casting, was adopted to fabricate the 3A21/7075 aluminum alloy cladding material. Retrogression and reaging (RRA) treatment was further applied to the 3A21/7075 aluminum alloy cladding material in order to investigate the influence of RRA on microstructure and microhardness of the 3A21/7075 aluminum alloy cladding material. Then, the electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) technique and the transmission electron microscope (TEM) together with the energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and the hardness test were utilized to analyze the influence of RRA treatment on microstructure and hardness of the 3A21/7075 aluminum alloy cladding material. The research results showed the 3A21/7075 aluminum alloy cladding material had better deformability. The amount of fine and dispersed phases precipitated in grains was in favor of improving the comprehensive mechanical properties of the 3A21/7075 aluminum alloy cladding material. This research might provide data and a theoretical approach for the engineering application of the 3A21/7075 aluminum alloy cladding material.
Implementation of a Novel MPPT Tactic for PV System Applications on MATLAB/Simulink and Proteus-Based Arduino Board Environments
Authors: Chellakhi Abdelkhalek , El Beid Said , Abouelmahjoub Younes
Published: March 2021

This paper is aimed at harvesting the photovoltaic systems extracting power under difficult irradiance and load conditions, by proposing a novel maximum power point tracking (MPPT). This proposed MPPT tactic has been examined under various climatic and load conditions using two powerful and accurate simulation environments for PV systems, MATLAB/Simulink and Proteus. The first implementation using the MATLAB/Simulink software was carried out to examine the performance of the novel MPPT tactic under sudden insolation and load change, where the second implementation using the Proteus software was carried out in order to prove that the novel MPPT tactic can be easily implemented using low-cost components, Arduino board, and LCD display. The simulation results prove that the novel MPPT tactic has a high convergence speed to locate the MPP, especially at fast solar irradiation and load variation with zero oscillation under steady-state operation, which takes less than 9.6 milliseconds (ms) under the MATLAB/Simulink software and 0.24 microseconds (μs) under Proteus environment. That means it is about six times faster than P&O and five times faster than INC MPPT methods, and its tracking efficiency is between 99.40% and 99.86%. Furthermore, the novel MPPT tactic shows the best tracking accuracy and better ability to mitigate power losses under overall simulation scenarios compared with other traditional MPPT methods.
Study on the Mechanism of Periplaneta americana Extract to Accelerate Wound Healing after Diabetic Anal Fistula Operation Based on Network Pharmacology
Authors: Wang Fengfei , Li Shuai , Ma Le , Geng Yuefei , Shen Yongmei , Zeng Juanni
Published: March 2021

Objective. Using network pharmacology research methods to explore the healing mechanism of American cockroach extract to accelerate wound healing after diabetic anal fistula surgery. Method. The main chemical constituents of extracts from Periplaneta americana were collected by literature retrieval. Chemical composition and targets related to diabetic anal fistula wound could be predicted based on PubChem, Swiss Target Prediction, OMIM, and GeneCards databases, and the putative targets of Periplaneta americana extraction (PAE) for diabetic anal fistula wound were obtained by Venn diagram. These common targets were predicted using the String database for protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and then screening key genes through Cytohubba. Meanwhile, the above targets were analyzed using the DAVID database for gene ontology (GO) enrichment analyses and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) path enrichment analyses. Results. A total of 12 chemical components of PAE were obtained by literature retrieval, and 61 therapeutic targets that may accelerate the healing of diabetic anal fistula wounds were predicted by the database. According to PPI network analysis, PAE accelerates wound healing after diabetic anal fistula surgery which may be related to proteins such as AKT1, VEGFA, EGFR, CASP3, STAT3, MAPK1, TNF, JUN, ESR1, and MMP9. GO analysis results show that targets of PAE to promote wound healing were mainly involved in biological processes such as cell proliferation, macrophage differentiation, angiogenesis, and response to hypoxia. KEGG analysis showed that the target genes were mainly concentrated in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, and estrogen signaling pathway. Conclusion. Periplaneta americana extract regulates multiple targets and multiple pathways to promote wound healing after diabetic anal fistula surgery. PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, and sex hormone signaling pathway may be key pathways in the process of Periplaneta americana extract promoting wound healing.
Self-Interacting Proteins Prediction from PSSM Based on Evolutionary Information
Authors: Wang Zheng , Li Yang , Li Li-Ping , You Zhu-Hong , Huang Wen-Zhun
Published: March 2021

Self-interacting proteins (SIPs) play an influential role in regulating cell structure and function. Thus, it is critically important to identify whether proteins themselves interact with each other. Although there are some existing experimental methods for self-interaction recognition, the limitations of these methods are both expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, it is very necessary to develop an efficient and stable computational method for predicting SIPs. In this study, we develop an effective computational method for predicting SIPs based on rotation forest (RF) classifier, combined with histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) and synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE). When performing SIPs prediction on yeast and human datasets, the proposed method achieves superior accuracies of 97.28% and 89.41%, respectively. In addition, the proposed approach was compared with the state-of-the-art support vector machine (SVM) classifiers and other different methods on the same datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that our method has good robustness and effectiveness and can be regarded as a useful tool for SIPs prediction.
Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio Associated with Prolonged Hospital Length of Stay Postpeptic Ulcer Perforation Repair: An Observational Descriptive Analysis
Authors: Al-Yahri Omer , Saafan Tamer , Abdelrahman Husham , Aleter Ammar , Toffaha Ali , Hajjar Mustafa , Aljohary Hesham , Alfkey Rashad , Zarour Ahmad , Al-Mudares Saif , El-Menyar Ayman
Published: March 2021

Background. The predictive role of platelet to lymphocyte ratio (P/LR) in patients with perforated peptic ulcer (PPU) is not well‐studied. We aimed to investigate the association between the P/LR ratio and the hospital length of stay (HLOS) for surgically treated PPU. Method. This is a retrospective observational study for surgically treated adult cases of PPU at Hamad Medical Corporation during the period from January 2012 to August 2017. Patients were categorized into two groups based on their HLOS (I week). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to determine the cutoff value for lymphocyte count, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, and P/LR ratio for predicting the prolonged hospitalization. Results. One hundred and fifty‐two patients were included in the study. The majority were young males. The mean age was 38.3 ± 12.7 years. Perforated duodenal ulcer (139 patients) exceeded perforated gastric ulcer (13 patients). The HLOS > 1 week was observed in 14.5% of cases. Older age (p = 0.01), higher preoperative WBC (p = 0.03), lower lymphocyte count (p = 0.01), and higher P/LR ratio (p = 0.005) were evident in the HLOS > 1 week group. The optimal cutoff value of P/LR was 311.2 with AUC 0.702 and negative predictive value of 93% for the prediction of prolonged hospitalization. Two patients died with a mean P/LR ratio of 640.8 ± 135.5 vs. 336.6 ± 258.9 in the survivors. Conclusion. High preoperative P/LR value predicts prolonged HLOS in patients with repaired perforated peptic ulcer. Further larger multicenter studies are needed to support the study findings.
Zi Shen Decoction Inhibits Growth and Metastasis of Lung Cancer via Regulating the AKT/GSK‐3β/β‐Catenin Pathway
Authors: Ma Yanxia , Liu Yu , Teng Linxin , Luo En , Liu Dekang , Zhou Fuqiong , Wang Kaiyuan , Chen Weiping , Bi Lei
Published: March 2021

Lung cancer has become the leading cause of cancer‐related death worldwide. Oxidative stress plays important roles in the pathogenesis of lung cancer. Many natural products show antioxidative activities in cancer treatment. Zi Shen decoction (ZSD) is a classic prescription for the treatment of lung disease. However, its effect on lung cancer lacks evidence‐based efficacy. In this study, we investigated the anticancer effects of ZSD on lung cancer in vivo and in vitro. Our results showed that oral administration of ZSD suppressed the Lewis lung cancer (LLC) growth in a subcutaneous allograft model and promoted necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration in the tumor tissues. Furthermore, ZSD not only inhibited tumor cell proliferation and migration but also induced cell apoptosis in lung cancer cells. PI3K/AKT signaling is well characterized in response to oxidative stress. The bioinformatics analysis and western blot assays suggested that ZSD decreased the enzyme activity of PI3K and AKT in vivo and in vitro. We also found that the AKT/GSK‐3β/β‐catenin pathway medicated anticancer effect of ZSD in lung cancer cells. In conclusion, we demonstrate for the first time that ZSD possesses antitumor properties, highlighting its potential use as an alternative strategy or adjuvant treatment for lung cancer therapy.
Application of Third-Order Schemes to Improve the Convergence of the Hardy Cross Method in Pipe Network Analysis
Authors: Niazkar Majid , Eryılmaz Türkkan Gökçen
Published: March 2021

In this study, twenty-two new mathematical schemes with third-order of convergence are gathered from the literature and applied to pipe network analysis. The presented methods were classified into one-step, two-step, and three-step schemes based on the number of hypothetical discharges utilized in solving pipe networks. The performances of these new methods and Hardy Cross method were compared by solving a sample pipe network considering four different scenarios (92 cases). The results show that the one-step methods improve the rate of convergence of the Hardy Cross method in 10 out of 24 cases (41%), while this improvement was found to be 39 out of 56 cases (69.64%) and 5 out of 8 cases (62.5%) for the two-step and three-step methods, respectively. This obviously indicates that the modified schemes, particularly the three-step methods, improve the performance of the original loop corrector method by taking lower number of iterations with the compensation of relatively more computational efforts.
Fixed Point of Orthogonal F-Suzuki Contraction Mapping on O-Complete b-Metric Spaces with Applications
Authors: Beg Ismat , Mani Gunaseelan , Gnanaprakasam Arul Joseph
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we introduce the concept of generalized orthogonal

F

-Suzuki contraction mapping and prove some fixed point theorems on orthogonal

b

-metric spaces. Our results generalize and extend some of the well-known results in the existing literature. As an application of our results, we show the existence of a unique solution of the first-order ordinary differential equation.
Sensation Seeking, Peer Influence, and Risk-Taking Behavior in Adolescents
Authors: Siraj R. , Najam B. , Ghazal S.
Published: March 2021

This research was conducted to explore the relationship between sensation seeking, peer influence, and risk-taking behavior in adolescents and moderating role of peer influence for sensation seeking and risk-taking behavior. A sample comprised 200 adolescents with age range 10–18 years (M = 17.57, SD = 0.98). Assessment measures included Resistance to Peer Influence Scale (Steinberg and Silverberg (1986)), Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (Prinstein et al. (2003)), and Stimulating and Instrumental Risk questionnaire (Ravert et al. (2009)) and a demographic information sheet. Findings of Pearson product moment analysis revealed that there was a significant positive relationship between sensation seeking and risk-taking behavior in adolescents and there was a significant positive relationship between peer influences and risk-taking behavior in adolescents. Gender differences were observed; male participants scored higher on sensation seeking and risk-taking behavior than female participants, but on peer influence, females scored higher than males. Moderation analysis through hierarchical regression was conducted and findings of this analysis revealed that sensation seeking positively predicted risk-taking behavior and peer influences also positively predicted risk-taking behavior in adolescents but no interaction effect was observed between sensation seeking and peer influence in predicting risk-taking behavior. Moreover, subscales of sensation seeking, i.e., adventure seeking and disinhibition, predicted risk-taking behavior. Results are discussed in terms of their implications.
Fairness Perception, Trust Perception, and Relationship Quality in Agricultural Supply Chains
Authors: Sun Yuling , Zhu Zeyu , Yang Hui
Published: March 2021

Suppliers are important members of the agricultural supply chain. Moreover, their behavior decisions may affect the sustainable development of the agricultural supply chain. Considering agricultural supplier trust, this study examines the direct impact of trust perception on relationship quality and the indirect impact of supplier fairness perception on relationship quality. Based on the survey data of agricultural product suppliers, this study uses the structural equation model method for empirical analysis. The analysis results show that both fairness perception and trust perception have a significant positive impact on the relationship quality of the agricultural supply chain. Trust perception particularly has a positive direct impact on the relationship quality of the agricultural supply chain, while fairness perception has an indirect influence on the relationship quality of the agricultural supply chain through trust perception. In addition, information sharing, price satisfaction, income level, and environmental certainty have a significant positive impact on suppliers’ fairness perception. Therefore, retailers comprehensively consider both fairness perception and trust perception of suppliers, which will help improve the relationship quality of the supply chain.
A Ten-Year Trend of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis at University of Gondar Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: 2009-2018
Authors: Zeleke Ayalew Jejaw , Derso Adane , Yeshanew Arega , Mohammed Rezika , Fikre Helina
Published: March 2021

Background. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), which is one form of leishmaniasis, may show variations over years across regions, and epidemiological studies are crucial to estimate the cases of the disease status over a long time. This study is aimed at determining the trend of CL among patients at the University of Gondar Leishmaniasis Research and Treatment Center, northwest Ethiopia between 2009 and 2018 years. Methods. A ten-year data were extracted retrospectively. We included all patients who were visiting the center for CL diagnosis during the last ten years. Giemsa-stained skin slit microscopy was used to diagnose the disease. A chi-square test was used to compare the proportions of patients infected across years, seasons, months, sex, and age groups. Result. During the 10 years, a total of 1079 samples were requested for the diagnosis of CL. The cumulative average annual prevalence was found to be 55.4% (598/1079). The highest and lowest proportions of CL cases were recorded in 2014 (69.5%) and 2018 (35.4%), respectively. However, the percentage of CL cases did not show any significant differences over the study period. The number of suspected patients was significantly increased over the years (being lowest in 2009 and highest in 2017). The proportion of CL cases showed a remarkable difference across months but not seasons. CL was the highest within 15-49 years of age and males. Conclusion. The prevalence of CL did not show any significant differences over the last ten years. However, a remarkable increase of CL suspected cases was observed across the years. The disease showed significant association with age, sex, and months, but not seasons.