bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Suspected hepatotoxicity secondary to trazodone therapy in a dog
Authors: Arnold Alexandria , Davis Ashley , Wismer Tina , Lee Justine A.
Published: December 2020

Objective

To describe a case of suspected hepatotoxicity in a dog secondary to administration of trazodone.

Case Summary

A 6‐year‐old, neutered, mixed breed dog was evaluated for a progressive increased liver enzyme activity over a 6‐week period. The patient originally presented for raisin toxicosis, and hence, was having serial blood work monitoring performed. Trazodone was initially started at that time due to severe separation anxiety while hospitalized (consistently 5 out of 7 days of the week, for a 6‐week duration). Due to continued increased liver enzyme activity, extensive workup was performed which included abdominal ultrasound, leptospirosis titers, bile acids, and liver biopsies. Histopathologic findings were consistent with acute hepatotoxicity. In the absence of other toxicants and the close proximity to drug administration, a drug‐induced hepatopathy secondary to trazodone was presumed. Following discontinuation of trazodone therapy, the hepatopathy completely resolved and the patient fully recovered.

New or Unique Information Provided

While acute hepatotoxicity has been reported in human medicine secondary to the administration of trazodone, this is the first reported case of suspected hepatotoxicity in a dog secondary to trazodone therapy. Veterinary professionals should be aware of the rare potential adverse effect that may be seen in canine patients secondary to trazodone therapy. Appropriate clinicopathologic monitoring should occur in patients on chronic trazodone therapy.
A test of model classes accounting for individual differences in the cocktail-party effect
Authors: Lutfi Robert A. , Rodriguez Briana , Lee Jungmee , Pastore Torben
Published: December 2020

Listeners differ widely in the ability to follow the speech of a single talker in a noisy crowd—what is called the cocktail-party effect. Differences may arise for any one or a combination of factors associated with auditory sensitivity, selective attention, working memory, and decision making required for effective listening. The present study attempts to narrow the possibilities by grouping explanations into model classes based on model predictions for the types of errors that distinguish better from poorer performing listeners in a vowel segregation and talker identification task. Two model classes are considered: those for which the errors are predictably tied to the voice variation of talkers (decision weight models) and those for which the errors occur largely independently of this variation (internal noise models). Regression analyses of trial-by-trial responses, for different tasks and task demands, show overwhelmingly that the latter type of error is responsible for the performance differences among listeners. The results are inconsistent with models that attribute the performance differences to differences in the reliance listeners place on relevant voice features in this decision. The results are consistent instead with models for which largely stimulus-independent, stochastic processes cause information loss at different stages of auditory processing.
Estimation of elastic properties of an additively manufactured lattice using resonant ultrasound spectroscopy
Authors: Fisher Karl A.
Published: December 2020

Development of improved approaches in the characterization of additively manufactured structures continues to be a topic of interest for the advanced manufacturing community. This article will investigate an approach using resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS) to determine the effective elastic constants of an orthotropic lattice structure. The evaluation is performed on a cube shaped 316 L stainless steel test specimen, constructed using selective laser melting techniques. The approach uses RUS techniques in conjunction with the assumption that in the frequency regime of interest, the wavelength of the diagnostic ultrasound is greater than the discrete structural features of the unit cell of the lattice; thus, the AM structure can be treated as an anisotropic continuum with effective material properties and symmetry inherited from the unit cell. The RUS analysis estimates the nine elastic coefficients associated with orthotropic sample symmetry, which, in turn, are used to determine the elastic moduli and Poisson ratios. Current results show good agreement between experiments and modeled data. Comparisons to published results are also in good agreement, indicating the potential applicability of this characterization technique for estimating the linear elastic properties of innovative additive manufactured metal lattice structures.
When It HIITs, You Feel No Pain: Psychological and Psychophysiological Effects of Respite–Active Music in High-Intensity Interval Training
Authors: Karageorghis Costas I. , Jones Leighton , Howard Luke W. , Thomas Rhys M. , Moulashis Panayiotis , Santich Sam J.
Published: December 2020

The authors investigated the effects of respite–active music (i.e., music used for active recovery in between high-intensity exercise bouts) on psychological and psychophysiological outcomes. Participants (N = 24) made four laboratory visits for a habituation, medium- and fast-tempo music conditions, and a no-music control. A high-intensity interval-training protocol comprising 8 × 60-s exercise bouts at 100%Wmaxwith 90-s active recovery was administered. Measures were taken at the end of exercise bouts and recovery periods (rating of perceived exertion [RPE], state attention, and core affect) and then upon cessation of the protocol (enjoyment and remembered pleasure). Heart rate was measured throughout. Medium-tempo music enhanced affective valence during exercise and recovery, while both music conditions increased dissociation (only during recovery), enjoyment, and remembered pleasure relative to control. Medium-tempo music lowered RPE relative to control, but the heart rate results were inconclusive. As predicted, medium-tempo music, in particular, had a meaningful effect on a range of psychological outcomes.
Hikurangi Plateau subduction a trigger for Vitiaz arc splitting and Havre Trough opening (southwestern Pacific)
Authors: Hoernle K. , Gill J. , Timm C. , Hauff F. , Werner R. , Garbe-Schönberg D. , Gutjahr M.
Published: December 2020

Splitting of the Vitiaz arc formed the Tonga-Kermadec and Lau-Colville Ridges (southwestern Pacific Ocean), separated by the Lau Basin in the north and Havre Trough in the south. We present new trace element and Sr-Nd-Hf-Pb isotope geochemistry for the Kermadec and Colville Ridges extending ∼900 km north of New Zealand (36°S–28°S) in order to (1) compare the composition of the arc remnants with Quaternary Kermadec arc volcanism, (2) constrain spatial geochemical variations in the arc remnants, (3) evaluate the effect of Hikurangi igneous plateau subduction on the geochemistry of the older arc lavas, and (4) elucidate what may have caused arc splitting. Compared to the Kermadec Ridge, the Colville Ridge has higher more-incompatible to less-incompatible immobile element ratios and largely overlapping isotope ratios, consistent with an origin through lower degrees of melting of more enriched upper mantle in the Vitiaz rear arc. Between ca. 8 and 3 Ma, both halves of the arc (∼36°S–29°S) included a more enriched (EM1-type) composition (with lower 206Pb/204Pb and 207Pb/204Pb and higher Δ8/4 Pb [deviation of the measured 208Pb/204Pb ratio from a Northern Hemisphere basalt regression line] and 87Sr/86Sr) compared to older and younger arc lavas. High-Ti basalts from the Manihiki Plateau, once joined to the Hikurangi Plateau, could serve as the enriched Vitiaz arc end member. We propose that the enriched plateau signature, seen only in the isotope ratios of mobile elements, was transported by hydrous fluids from the western margin of the subducting Hikurangi Plateau or a Hikurangi Plateau fragment into the overlying mantle wedge. Our results are consistent with plateau subduction triggering arc splitting and backarc opening.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of the consequences of female genital mutilation on maternal and perinatal health outcomes in European and African countries
Authors: Sylla Fatoumata , Moreau Caroline , Andro Armelle
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Key knowledge gaps remain to improve reproductive health outcomes for millions of women living with female genital mutilation (FGM). We aimed to update previous reviews and quantify more rigorously maternal and perinatal complications related to FGM across different settings.

Methods

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched 15 electronic databases for studies published between 1 August 1995 and 15 March 2020, reporting on maternal and perinatal complications related to FGM. We included studies comparing women with and without FGM while accounting for confounders. Pooled relative risks (RR) were calculated, using fixed-effects and random-effects models, for a range of maternal and perinatal outcomes, adjusting for individual characteristics and according to delivery settings and study design.

Results

We identified 106 unique references, assessed 72 full-text articles and included 11 studies. We found non-significant elevated risks of instrumental delivery, caesarean delivery, episiotomy, postpartum haemorrhage, perineal laceration, low Apgar score and miscarriage/stillbirth related to FGM. Heterogeneity was present for most outcomes when combining all studies but reduced in subgroup analyses. The risk of caesarean delivery was increased among primiparous women (1.79, 95% CI 1.04 to 3.07) such as the risk of episiotomy in European specialised settings for women with FGM (1.88, 1.14 to 3.09). In Africa, subgroup analyses revealed elevated risks of postpartum haemorrhage (2.59, 1.28 to 5.25). The most common reported type was FGM II. However, few studies provided stratified analyses by type of FGM, which did not allow an assessment of the impact of the severity of typology on studied outcomes.

Conclusion

This review suggests maternal and perinatal morbidity related to FGM vary by study design, context and by subgroup of women. Our study also draws attention to the complications that may extend to the postpartum period. This work contributes to shaping a reference framework for future research and clinical guidelines.
Short-term recovery of physical activity and knee function after an acute knee injury
Authors: Fomin Sanne , Gauffin Håkan , Kvist Joanna
Published: December 2020

Objectives

To describe self-reported knee function, participation in physical activity and the number of knee surgeries at 3 and 6 months following acute knee injury.

Methods

Prospective cohort study. Participants, aged 15–40 years with an acute knee injury sustained no more than 6 weeks prior to inclusion, were recruited. There were 279 participants with ACL injury and 101 participants with other acute knee injuries included. Follow-up questionnaires were sent at 3 and 6 months after injury. Demographic information, activity participation, International Knee Documentation Committee subjective knee form (IKDC-SKF) and the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) score were collected. Additional knee injuries were obtained from self-report and medical charts.

Results

The IKDC-SKF, SANE and physical activity participation were reduced at 3-month and 6-month follow-up. The number of participants who achieved health-promoting physical activity levels was reduced by 50% at 6-month follow-up compared with before injury. Seventeen per cent of participants with ACL injury and 41% of participants with other acute knee injuries had returned to their preinjury physical activity at 6 months. Participants with ACL injury reported worse knee function, lower physical activity participation and had more surgeries (128 surgeries, including 109 ACL-reconstructions) compared with participants with other acute knee injuries (six surgeries).

Conclusion

Acute knee injuries, including ACL injuries, affected self-reported knee function and physical activity participation for at least 6 months after index injury. More research is needed to understand how best to help people with acute knee injuries return to physical activity and achieve satisfactory knee function.
Sex differences in outcomes after arthroscopic bankart repair
Authors: Lowenstein Natalie A , Ostergaard Peter J , Haber Daniel B , Garvey Kirsten D , Matzkin Elizabeth G
Published: December 2020

Objectives

Risk factors for anterior shoulder dislocation include young age, contact activities and male sex. The influence of sex on patient-reported outcomes of arthroscopic Bankart repair (ABR) is unclear, with few studies reporting potential differences. This study’s purpose was to compare patient-reported outcomes of males and females following ABR.

Methods

Prospectively collected data was analysed for 281 patients (males: 206, females: 75) after ABR with preoperative, 1-year and 2-year follow-up responses. The Wilcoxon signed-rank and χ2tests, preoperative, 1 year and 2 year follow-up results were examined to determine differences of scores in males versus females.

Results

No statistically significant sex differences were observed in Simple Shoulder Test (SST), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) or Single Assessment Numerical Evaluation (SANE) Scores at 1-year or 2-year follow-up. Females had lower Veterans RAND 12-item health survey (VR-12) mental health subscores at 2-year follow-up (females: 52.3±9.0, males: 55.8±7.6, p=0.0016). Females were more likely to report that treatment had ‘exceeded expectations’ at 2-year follow-up regarding motion, strength, function and normal sports activities.

Conclusion

Results of study demonstrate that ABR has similar outcomes for both males and females. There were no statistically significant sex-related differences in SST, ASES, VAS or SANE scores following ABR. VR-12 mental health subscores showed a minimal difference at 2-year follow-up, with lower scores in females.

Level of evidence

Retrospective cohort study; level II.
DETERMINANTS OF BANK LIQUIDITY CREATION: A COMPARISON BETWEEN ISLAMIC BANKS AND CONVENTIONAL BANKS IN A DUAL BANKING SYSTEM
Authors: TOH MOAU YONG , JIA DEKUI
Published: December 2020

Using a panel dataset of 45 banks operating in Malaysia’s dual banking system over the period 2001–2017, this paper investigates whether and how the liquidity creation of Islamic banks is determined differently from that of the conventional commercial banks. The preliminary analysis shows that bank capital, size, risk and market power are significant determinants of bank liquidity creation in the dual banking system, whereas macroeconomic factors exert little influence. When banks are differentiated by bank types, the paper finds that bank capital, size and risk are related to more liquidity creation of Islamic banks vis-à-vis conventional banks, particularly in terms of on-balance sheet liquidity creation. Bank market power affects the liquidity creation by Islamic banks negatively, as opposed to the positive effect observed for conventional banks. This paper also finds that the liquidity creation pattern of Islamic banks is pro-cyclical, given that their on-balance sheet liquidity creation is more responsive to changes of economic growth and monetary policy rate. The overall results suggest that the institutional features of Islamic banking and the country’s regulatory support for the industry cause Islamic banks to respond heterogeneously from their conventional counterparts. The results offer numerous key policy implications for countries adopting dual banking systems.
Analysis of Zero-Hopf Bifurcation in Two Rössler Systems Using Normal Form Theory
Authors: Zeng Bing , Yu Pei
Published: December 2020

In recent publications [Llibre, 2014; Llibre & Makhlouf, 2020], time-averaging method was applied to studying periodic orbits bifurcating from zero-Hopf critical points of two Rössler systems. It was shown that the averaging method is successful for a certain type of zero-Hopf critical points, but fails for some type of such critical points. In this paper, we apply normal form theory to reinvestigate the bifurcation and show that the method of normal forms is applicable for all types of zero-Hopf bifurcations, revealing why the time-averaging method fails for some type of zero-Hopf bifurcation.
Impact of Additive Allee Effect on the Dynamics of an Intraguild Predation Model with Specialist Predator
Authors: Kumar Udai , Mandal Partha Sarathi
Published: December 2020

Many important factors in ecological communities are related to the interplay between predation and competition. Intraguild predation or IGP is a mixture of predation and competition which is a very basic three-dimensional system in food webs where two species are related to predator–prey relationship and are also competing for a shared prey. On the other hand, Allee effect is also a very important ecological factor which causes significant changes to the system dynamics. In this work, we consider a intraguild predation model in which predator is specialist, the growth of shared prey population is subjected to additive Allee effect and there is Holling-Type III functional response between IG prey and IG predator. We analyze the impact of Allee effect on the global dynamics of the system with the prior knowledge of the dynamics of the model without Allee effect. Our theoretical and numerical analyses suggest that: (1) Trivial equilibrium point is always locally asymptotically stable and it may be globally stable also. Hence, all the populations may go to extinction depending upon initial conditions; (2) Bistability is observed between unique interior equilibrium point and trivial equilibrium point or between boundary equilibrium point and trivial equilibrium point; (3) Multiple interior equilibrium points exist under certain parameters range. We also provide here a comprehensive study of bifurcation analysis by considering Allee effect as one of the bifurcation parameters. We observed that Allee effect can generate all possible bifurcations such as transcritical bifurcation, saddle-node bifurcation, Hopf bifurcation, Bogdanov–Taken bifurcation and Bautin bifurcation. Finally, we compared our model with the IGP model without Allee effect for better understanding the impact of Allee effect on the system dynamics.
Analysis of Degenerate Chenciner Bifurcation
Authors: Tigan G. , Lugojan S. , Ciurdariu L.
Published: December 2020

Degenerate Chenciner bifurcation in generic discrete-time dynamical systems is studied in this work. While the nondegenerate Chenciner bifurcation can be described by two bifurcation diagrams, the degeneracy we studied in this work gives rise to 32 different bifurcation diagrams.
Bifurcation of a Kind of Piecewise Smooth Generalized Abel Equation via First and Second Order Analyses
Authors: Huang Jianfeng , Peng Zhixiang
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we consider the problem of estimating the number of nontrivial limit cycles for a kind of piecewise trigonometrical smooth generalized Abel equation with the separation line [Formula: see text]. Under the first and second order analyses, we show that the first two order Melnikov functions of the equation share a same structure which can be studied by an ECT-system. Furthermore, let [Formula: see text] be the maximum number of nontrivial limit cycles of the equation bifurcating from the periodic annulus up to [Formula: see text]th order analysis. We prove that [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] (resp., [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) when [Formula: see text] is even (resp., odd).
Period-Doubling and Neimark–Sacker Bifurcations of a Beddington Host-Parasitoid Model with a Host Refuge Effect
Authors: Kalabušić Senada , Drino Džana , Pilav Esmir
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we explore the dynamics of a certain class of Beddington host-parasitoid models, where in each generation a constant portion of hosts is safe from attack by parasitoids, and the Ricker equation governs the host population. Using the intrinsic growth rate of the host population that is not safe from parasitoids as a bifurcation parameter, we prove that the system can either undergo a period-doubling or a Neimark–Sacker bifurcation when the unique interior steady state loses its stability. Then, we apply the new theory to the following well-known cases: May’s model, [Formula: see text]-model, Hassel and Varley (HV)-model, parasitoid-parasitoid (PP) model and [Formula: see text] model. We use numerical simulations to confirm our theoretical results.
Corporate Governance Determinants of Financial Restatements: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Habib Ahsan , Bhuiyan Md. Borhan Uddin , Wu Julia
Published: December 2020

This paper conducts a meta-analysis of 182 published archival accounting and auditing studies on the corporate governance determinants of financial restatements. We aim to provide a focused and systematic examination of various internal and external corporate governance factors that may predict financial restatements. We do so by aggregating results statistically across individual studies and correcting statistical artifacts, thereby we provide findings that are much more precise than those of narrative reviews. We categorize the chosen governance variables into (a) audit firm and audit engagement characteristics; (b) gender, board attributes, and audit committee attributes; (c) CEO related attributes; (d) ownership structure variables; and (e) external corporate governance variables, and thus we generate a total of 37 separate corporate governance variables. Our results reveal that the governance mechanisms of Big N auditor choice, types, and timeliness of audit opinions and board independence are significantly and negatively associated with the occurrence of financial restatements. However, economic bonding between auditors and their clients, insider ownership, and firm complexity all increase the likelihood of restatements significantly. We hope that our findings will make a meaningful contribution to the literature on financial restatements and corporate governance by providing insights for regulators on the governance mechanisms that may require further scrutiny in combating the occurrence of financial restatements.
Factoring polynomials over finite fields
Authors: Ozdemir Enver
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we describe a new polynomial factorization algorithm over finite fields with odd characteristics. The main ingredient of the algorithm is special singular curves. The algorithm relies on the extension of the Mumford representation and Cantor’s algorithm to these special singular curves.
Congruences of local origin and automorphic induction
Authors: Dummigan Neil , Spencer David
Published: December 2020

We explore the possibilities for the Galois representation [Formula: see text] attached to a weight-one newform [Formula: see text] to be residually reducible, i.e. for the Hecke eigenvalues to be congruent to those of a weight-one Eisenstein series. A special role is played by Eisenstein series [Formula: see text] of level [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the quadratic character associated with an imaginary quadratic field [Formula: see text], of discriminant [Formula: see text], with respect to which [Formula: see text] is of dihedral type. We prove congruences, where the modulus divides either the class number [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text] (for a prime [Formula: see text]), and [Formula: see text] is of level [Formula: see text] in the first case, level [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text] (according as [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text] respectively) in the second. We also prove analogous congruences where [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are replaced by a newform [Formula: see text] and its twist by [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] is replaced by a Siegel cusp form of genus [Formula: see text] and paramodular level, induced in some sense from a Hilbert modular form.
Security in Centralized Data Store-based Home Automation Platforms
Authors: Kafle Kaushal , Moran Kevin , Manandhar Sunil , Nadkarni Adwait , Poshyvanyk Denys
Published: December 2020

Home automation platforms enable consumers to conveniently automate various physical aspects of their homes. However, the security flaws in the platforms or integrated third-party products can have serious security and safety implications for the user’s physical environment. This article describes our systematic security evaluation of two popular smart home platforms, Google’s Nest platform and Philips Hue, which implement home automation “routines” (i.e., trigger-action programs involving apps and devices) via manipulation of state variables in a
centralized data store
. Our semi-automated analysis examines, among other things, platform access control enforcement, the rigor of non-system enforcement procedures, and the potential for misuse of routines, and it leads to
11
key findings with serious security implications. We combine several of the vulnerabilities we find to demonstrate the first end-to-end instance of lateral privilege escalation in the smart home, wherein we remotely disable the Nest Security Camera via a compromised light switch app. Finally, we discuss potential defenses, and the impact of the continuous evolution of smart home platforms on the practicality of security analysis. Our findings draw attention to the unique security challenges of smart home platforms and highlight the importance of enforcing security by design.
Extraction of Information Content Exchange in Financial Markets by an Entropy Analysis
Authors: Benedetto Francesco , Mastroeni Loretta , Vellucci Pierluigi
Published: December 2020

Recently, there has been an explosive interest in the literature about modeling and forecasting volatility in financial markets. Many researches have focused on energy markets and oil volatility index (OVX). In this article, we aim first at showing if there is an exchange of information between two stock time series, and then at evaluating what is the direction of this information flow. In particular, we propose an entropy-based approach that exploits two objective metrics, namely Mutual Information (MI) and Transfer Entropy (TE), that does not require a parametric model and is directly applicable on the data. The experimental outcomes, applied on Brent and WTI crude oil prices and their volatility index for the period from May 10, 2007 till July 03, 2018, demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Impact of microsaccades on visual shape processing
Authors: Tan Ken W. S. , Scholes Chris , Roach Neil W. , Haris Elizabeth M. , McGraw Paul V.
Published: December 2020

Microsaccades cause rapid displacement of visual images during fixation and dramatically alter the perception of basic image features. However, their effect on more complex aspects of visual processing is not well understood. Here, we demonstrate a dissociation in the impact of microsaccades on shape perception. Although overall shape discrimination performance is modulated around the time of microsaccades, the pooling efficiency of global mechanisms that combine local form information across space remains unaffected.
Nature-Inspired Metaheuristics for Two-Agent Scheduling with Due Date and Release Time
Authors: Li Hongwei , Gajpal Yuvraj , Surti Chirag , Cai Dongliang , Bhardwaj Amit Kumar
Published: December 2020

This paper delves into a two-agent scheduling problem in which two agents are competing for a single resource. Each agent has a set of jobs to be processed by a single machine. The processing time, release time, weight, and the due dates of each job are known in advance. Both agents have their objectives, which are conflicting in nature. The first agent tries to minimize the total completion time, while the second agent tries to minimize the number of tardy jobs. The two agents’ scheduling problem, an NP-hard problem, has a wide variety of applications ranging from the manufacturing industry to the cloud computing service provider. Due to the wide applicability, each variation of the problem requires a different algorithm, adapted according to the user’s requirements. This paper provides mathematical models, heuristic algorithms, and two nature-based metaheuristic algorithms to solve the problem. The algorithm’s performance was gauged against the optimal solution obtained from the AMPL-CPLEX solver for both solution quality and computational time. The outlined metaheuristics produce a solution that is comparable with a short computational time. The proposed metaheuristics even have a better solution than the CPLEX solver for medium-size problems, whereas the computation times are much less than the CPLEX solvers.
Parameter Estimation and Prediction of COVID-19 Epidemic Turning Point and Ending Time of a Case Study on SIR/SQAIR Epidemic Models
Authors: Amiri Mehra Amir Hossein , Shafieirad Mohsen , Abbasi Zohreh , Zamani Iman
Published: December 2020

In this paper, the SIR epidemiological model for the COVID-19 with unknown parameters is considered in the first strategy. Three curves (

S

,

I

, and

R

) are fitted to the real data of South Korea, based on a detailed analysis of the actual data of South Korea, taken from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). Using the least square method and minimizing the error between the fitted curve and the actual data, unknown parameters, like the transmission rate, recovery rate, and mortality rate, are estimated. The goodness of fit model is investigated with two criteria (SSE and RMSE), and the uncertainty range of the estimated parameters is also presented. Also, using the obtained determined model, the possible ending time and the turning point of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States are predicted. Due to the lack of treatment and vaccine, in the next strategy, a new group called quarantined people is added to the proposed model. Also, a hidden state, including asymptomatic individuals, which is very common in COVID-19, is considered to make the model more realistic and closer to the real world. Then, the SIR model is developed into the SQAIR model. The delay in the recovery of the infected person is also considered as an unknown parameter. Like the previous steps, the possible ending time and the turning point in the United States are predicted. The model obtained in each strategy for South Korea is compared with the actual data from KDCA to prove the accuracy of the estimation of the parameters.
Huoxue Jiedu Huayu Recipe Ameliorates Mesangial Cell Pyroptosis in Contralateral Kidney of UUO Rats
Authors: Zhang Yuxuan , Hao Juan , Ma Xuelian , Zhao Qiyue , Gao Xiaomeng , Wang Xiangting , Xu Qingyou
Published: December 2020

Objectives. To observe the effects of the Huoxue Jiedu Huayu Recipe (HJHR) on pyroptosis of glomerular mesangial cells in the contralateral unobstructed kidney (CK) of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) rats. Methods. Sprague‐Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: sham group, UUO group (10 days of left ureter ligation), UUO treated with eplerenone (EPL) (UUO + EPL) group, and UUO treated with HJHR (UUO + HJHR) group. The CKs of all rats were collected for studies. Results. Cell pyroptosis and macrophage infiltration was found in contralateral glomeruli, and nucleotide‐binding oligomerization domain‐like pyrin domain containing protein 3 (NLRP3) and interleukin (IL)‐1β expression was upregulated in the CK of UUO rats. All of these changes were inhibited by HJHR and eplerenone. To determine how aldosterone (Aldo) activated the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and then induced mesangial cell pyroptosis with NLRP3‐caspase‐1‐IL‐1β pathway, human mesangial cells (HMCs) were treated with HJHR and eplerenone, which were examined to detect the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome‐associated proteins following treatment with Aldo. Conclusion. These results suggest that HJHR and eplerenone suppressed HMC pyroptosis via the MR/NLRP3 pathway.
Comparison of Ordinary Cannulated Compression Screw and Double‐Head Cannulated Compression Screw Fixation in Vertical Femoral Neck Fractures
Authors: Zhang Yuelei , Yan Chao , Zhang Lecheng , Zhang Wei , Wang Gang
Published: December 2020

Background. The treatment of vertical femoral neck fractures in young patients remains a challenge. This study is aimed at comparing ordinary cannulated compression screw (OCCS) and double‐head cannulated compression screw (DhCCS) fixation in vertical femoral neck fractures both clinically and biomechanically. Materials and Methods. Clinically, the radiographs of 81 patients with Pauwel’s III femoral neck fractures, including 54 fractures fixed with three parallel OCCSs and 27 fractures fixed with three parallel DhCCSs, were reviewed retrospectively. Complications consisting of fixation failure (screw loosening, obvious fracture displacement, varus deformity, or femoral neck shortening), bony nonunion, and avascular necrosis (AVN) were determined. Biomechanically, twenty synthetic femur models of vertical femoral fractures with an 80° Pauwel’s angle were divided into two groups and subsequently fixed with three parallel OCCSs or DhCCSs. All specimens were tested for axial stiffness, load to 5 mm displacement, and a maximum load to failure with a loading rate of 2 mm/min. Results. Clinically, 22 fractures in the OCCS group experienced fixation failure, including 19 screw loosening, 18 femoral neck shortening, 14 varus deformities, and 8 obvious fracture displacements, whereas only 4 fractures experienced fixation failure in the DhCCS group, including 3 screw loosening, 3 femoral neck shortening, 3 varus deformities, and 1 obvious fracture displacement. Additionally, 11 fractures in the OCCS group exhibited nonunion, whereas only 3 in the DhCCS group exhibited nonunion. Nine fractures with AVN were noted in the OCCS group, whereas only 1 was observed in the DhCCS group. Biomechanically, the axial stiffness of the DhCCS group was greater than that of the OCCS group (154.9 ± 6.81 vs. 128.1 ± 7.41 N/mm), and the load to 5 mm displacement was also significantly greater in the DhCCS group (646.1 ± 25.87 vs. 475.8 ± 21.46 N). Moreover, the maximum load to failure in the DhCCS group exhibited significant advantages compared with that of the OCCS group (1148 ± 39.47 vs. 795.9 ± 51.39 N). Conclusion. Our results suggested that using three DhCCSs improved the outcome of vertical femoral neck fractures compared to three OCCSs, offering a new choice for the treatment of femoral neck fracture.
Long-Term Effects of Environmental Lead on Erythropoietin Production in Young Adults: A Follow-Up Study of a Prospective Cohort in Kosovo
Authors: Camaj Pashko R. , Graziano Joseph H. , Preteni Emine , Popovac Dusan , Loiacono Nancy , Balac Olgica , Factor-Litvak Pam
Published: December 2020

Background and Aims. Epidemiologic cross-sectional studies examining the relationship between environmental lead (Pb) exposure and erythropoietin (EPO) production have reported contrasting results. It is unknown, however, if exposure to Pb earlier in life has an effect on EPO production later in life. Here, using a prospective study, we evaluate the association between prenatal, early childhood, and concurrent Pb exposure and EPO concentration in young adulthood. Methods. From our prospective birth cohort study in Mitrovica (a mining town) and Pristina (a control town), Kosovo, from 1985 to 1998, we located and assessed blood lead concentration (BPb) and serum EPO in 101 participants (mean age 24.9 years) in 2011. We examined the association between BPb and EPO, stratified by hemoglobin (Hgb), and controlling for potential confounders. Results. These results resemble the findings in the original full cohort at 4.5 and 6.5 years of age, at which time we reported that the maintenance of a normal Hgb required increased EPO production among participants exposed to high levels of environmental Pb. In contrast, when the original cohort was 9.5 and 12 years of age, they were no longer capable of hyper-production of EPO in order to maintain normal levels of Hgb, suggestive of cumulative toxicity to the peritubular cells of the kidney that are responsible for EPO synthesis. Conclusion. Our results, along with previously reported findings on this cohort, suggest that a dramatic reduction of Pb exposure may allow for a reversal of the impact that prolonged Pb exposure may have on EPO production.
Phenotypic Diversity of Doum Palm (Hyphaene compressa), a Semi‐Domesticated Palm in the Arid and Semi‐Arid Regions of Kenya
Authors: Omire Agnes , Budambula Nancy L. M. , Neondo Johnstone , Gituru Robert , Mweu Cecilia
Published: December 2020

Hyphaene compressa is an economically important palm in Africa. Despite its significant role in the livelihoods of rural communities, the diversity of doum palm is poorly documented and studied. In addition, it has no model descriptor that can aid such studies. Ninety H. compressa accessions collected from Northern, Eastern, and Coastal regions of Kenya were examined to determine the morphological variability of the vegetative and fruit traits of H. compressa and to identify its morphotypes for improvement. A total of 19 morphological characters including seven quantitative and 12 qualitative traits of fruit and vegetative traits were selected. Linear mixed-effects models, principal component analysis, and linear discriminant analyses were used to assess the variation in the morphological traits of doum palm based on the regions. Hierarchical clustering was performed to identify the morphotypes of H. compressa. There was variability in H. compressa morphological traits, particularly at the Kenyan Coast. All seven quantitative traits were able to effectively discriminate doum palm phenotypically

p
≤
0.001

. The 90 accessions clustered into five morphotypes designated as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Morphotype 4 was specific only to the Coastal region. Morphotype 5 had the tallest trees with the biggest fruits and included palms from Eastern and Coastal regions making it the best morphotype for fruit traits. This study will inform the domestication, improvement, and conservation of H. compressa by selecting elite accessions.
Calculation Method of Underground Cavern Loosening Pressure Based on Limit Analysis Using Upper-Bound Theory and Its Engineering Application
Authors: Wang Zhiwei , Liu Zhenghao , Ma Weibin , Shi Shaoshuai , Bu Lin
Published: December 2020

From the point of view of the failure mechanism of the disturbed zone, this paper uses the limit analysis upper-bound theory to analyze the calculation formula of the loosening pressure, distinguish the difference between the vertical pressure and the horizontal pressure in the underground cavern, combine the loosening characteristics of the disturbed zone with the open-type disturbed zone and the annular disturbed zone, and construct the multirigidity slider translation and rotation failure mode to discuss the calculation method of surrounding rock loosening pressure of underground caverns in upper soft and hard rock stratum. The relevant calculation examples are given, and the application of the upper-bound theory of limit analysis is demonstrated in detail. Based on the actual engineering background, the calculation results of the calculation method of the loosening pressure of the cavity based on the upper-bound theory of the limit analysis are analyzed and compared for the different depths and different types of caverns. The difference, rationality, and applicability of the calculation results of this method are analyzed and discussed.
An Adaptive Method Based on Multiscale Dilated Convolutional Network for Binaural Speech Source Localization
Authors: Wu Lulu , Liu Hong , Yang Bing , Ding Runwei
Published: December 2020

Most binaural speech source localization models perform poorly in unprecedentedly noisy and reverberant situations. Here, this issue is approached by modelling a multiscale dilated convolutional neural network (CNN). The time-related crosscorrelation function (CCF) and energy-related interaural level differences (ILD) are preprocessed in separate branches of dilated convolutional network. The multiscale dilated CNN can encode discriminative representations for CCF and ILD, respectively. After encoding, the individual interaural representations are fused to map source direction. Furthermore, in order to improve the parameter adaptation, a novel semiadaptive entropy is proposed to train the network under directional constraints. Experimental results show the proposed method can adaptively locate speech sources in simulated noisy and reverberant environments.
Modern Family Planning Utilization and Its Associated Factors among Currently Married Women in Rural Eastern Ethiopia: A Community‐Based Study
Authors: Mulatu Teshale , Sintayehu Yitagesu , Dessie Yadeta , Deressa Merga
Published: December 2020

Background. The use of modern family planning methods among women of reproductive age (15‐49 years) is of public health importance in Ethiopia. Nationally, modern family planning method use remains as low as 35%. Understanding factors associated with the use of modern family planning methods may help to improve maternal and child health. Hence, this study is aimed at assessing modern family planning method use and its determinants among women of reproductive age in the rural districts of Eastern Hararghe zone, Eastern Ethiopia. Methodology. A community‐based, cross‐sectional survey was conducted among 577 randomly selected, currently married, reproductive‐aged women in selected rural districts of Eastern Hararghe, Eastern Ethiopia. Data were collected using a pretested, interviewer‐administered questionnaire about women’s sociodemographic information, knowledge about contraception, reproductive history, contraceptive use and fertility desire, couple’s communication, and decision‐making on family planning. Binary and multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the association between the dependent and independent variables. Result. A total of 555 study participants participated, yielding a 96.2% response rate. The overall modern family planning utilization among the study participants was 18.4%. Knowledge of modern family planning methods (AOR = 16.958, CI: 4.768, 60.316), husband approval (AOR = 3.590, CI: 2.170, 5.936), couple’s discussion (AOR = 2.852, CI: 1.759, 4.623), male involvement in decisions about family planning (AOR = 2.340, CI: 1.531, 3.576), desire for additional child (AOR = 2.295, CI: 1.528, 3.447), and previous use of contraception (AOR = 0.018, CI: 0.005, 0.063) were significantly associated with modern contraceptive utilization. Conclusion. Even though knowledge of modern family planning methods was very high, the overall modern family planning method use in the study area was low. The government should focus on increasing modern family planning method availability. It must also ensure family planning method security and create awareness on modern family planning methods through community‐based education and proper counselling to empower women to make an appropriate choice.
Predictors for High-Risk Carotid Plaque in Asymptomatic Korean Population
Authors: Jang Chae Won , Kim Yong Kyun , Kim Ki-Hong , Chiara Achangwa , Lee Moo-Sik , Bae Jang-Ho
Published: December 2020

Aims. High-risk carotid plaque remains an important risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). We sought to evaluate the characteristics of carotid plaque and to find out the predictors for high-risk carotid plaque in asymptomatic Koreans. Methods. Subjects (

n
=
801

) without a history of ASCVD from 12 university hospitals in Korea underwent carotid ultrasound. The images were standardized at core laboratory. Morphologic characteristics of plaque were analyzed with laboratory and clinical characteristics. High-risk carotid plaque features included the highest quartile of carotid plaque score (cPS), irregular plaque surface, and hypoechoic and ulcerated plaque. Results. The carotid plaque prevalence was 22.1% (177/801 persons, 293 plaques). The plaque was increased with age (

p
<
0.001

) and conventional ASCVD risk estimator (

p
<
0.001

) and the most frequently found in bulb (

n
=
190

, 64.8%). The number of the highest quartile of cPS was 44/177 (24.9%). Irregular plaque was seen in 20.8% out of total plaque (61/293) and was more frequent in the high-risk 10-year ASCVD risk group than in the low-risk group (36.1% vs. 15.8%,

p
=
0.023

). Hypoechoic and ulcerated plaques were seen in 14.3% (42/293) and 2% (6/293), respectively. The independent predictors for high-risk plaque were age (

β
=
0.052

,

p
<
0.001

), HbA1c (

β
=
0.182

,

p
=
0.004

), male (

β
=
0.118

,

p
=
0.006

), hypertension (

β
=
0.090

,

p
=
0.032

), and multiple plaques (OR: 4.810 (two plaques) and 8.621 (three plaques), all

p
<
0.001

). Conclusions. This study suggests that high-risk carotid plaque was seen in 12.4% (99/801). The high-risk plaque was associated with diabetes control status reflected by the HbA1c level as well as traditional risk factors in asymptomatic Korean population.
Collaborative Intelligent Environment Perception and Mission Control of Scientific Researchers in Semantic Knowledge Framework Based on Complex Theory
Authors: Zhao Jingfeng , Li Yan
Published: December 2020

In the traditional scientific research and production activities, due to the lack of sufficient communication and communication between researchers, the phenomenon of waste of scientific research resources occurs from time to time, which hinders the efficiency of scientific research output. Based on the design principle of the semantic knowledge framework, this paper puts forward the definition of ontology and semantic relationship of the collaborative system of scientific researchers. In this paper, a framework of collaborative semantic knowledge among researchers is established through decentralized semantic information exchange architecture. In this article, the simulation is verified by experiments and compared with other exchange architectures. The results of the experiment confirmed the semantic information exchange architecture based on semantic knowledge proposed in this paper is 10.39% faster than the traditional centralized method in terms of data volume; the construction speed under the data node perspective is 12.84% higher than that of the traditional centralized construction method; the subject query speed is 36.84% higher than that of the traditional centralization method; the predicate query speed is 31.58% higher than that of the traditional centralization method. The experimental results confirm that the semantic information exchange architecture based on the semantic knowledge framework is feasible, and it has excellent performance in terms of construction speed and query speed. Under the background that researchers rely more and more on collaborative technology to interact with other members, this paper has a certain reference value and exploration value and proposes a new idea of group collaboration system under the framework of semantic knowledge.
Failure Evolution Law of Reinforced Anchor System under Pullout Load Based on DIC
Authors: Li Yue , Gao Chongming , Li Qian , Wu Qiqi , Meng Wenjun
Published: December 2020

To obtain the failure evolution law, a pullout test model of the anchor system is proposed based on the digital image correlation (DIC) measurements. By the study of the displacement field, the strain field, and the force transfer law of the anchor system under the pulling load, the failure law of the anchor system is revealed. The results show that (1) the failure mode and the ultimate bearing capacity of the anchor system are related to the thickness of the anchor agent; (2) in the anchor system, the pulling force is gradually transferred from the loading end to the free end along the steel bar, and the greater the thickness of the anchoring agent, the deeper the transfer range; (3) during the loading, the deformation of the anchoring system is mainly concentrated at the interface between the anchoring agent and the concrete and expands to the depth along the steel bar; and (4) the failure evolution rate of the anchorage system is related to the loading stage. The failure evolution of the anchor system can be divided into the elastic phase, the plastic phase, and the deformation rebound phase.