bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aerodynamic performance investigation of sweptback wings with bio-inspired leading-edge tubercles
Authors: Gopinathan V. T. , Rose J. Bruce Ralphin
Published: October 2021

The aerodynamic behavior of sweptback wing configurations with bio-inspired humpback whale (HW) leading-edge (LE) tubercles has been investigated through computational and experimental techniques. Specifically, the aerodynamic performance of tubercled wings with symmetric (NACA 0015) and cambered (NACA 4415) airfoils is validated against the baseline model at various angles of attack ([Formula: see text]. The [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ratio of the HW flipper is strategically reduced to 0.15 for ascertaining the flow control potential of the bio-inspired wings with sweptback configuration. It is a novel effort to quantify the effect of the leading-edge protuberances on stall delay, flow separation control and distribution of streamline vortices at unique [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] ratio outside the thickness range of HW flipper morphology. Four tapered sweptback wing models (Baseline A, Baseline B, HUMP 0015, HUMP 4415) are used with the amplitude-to-wavelength ([Formula: see text] ratio of 0.24 and Reynolds number about [Formula: see text]. The chordwise pressure distributions are recorded at the peak, mid and trough regions of the tubercled wings through a detailed wind tunnel testing and validated with numerical analysis. Additionally, the flow characteristics over the bio-inspired surfaces have been qualitatively analyzed through the laser flow visualization (LFV) technique to reveal the influence of laminar separation bubbles (LSBs). The essential aerodynamic characteristics such as boundary layer trip delay, vortex mixing, stall delay, and flow control at different AoA are addressed through consistent experimental data. As the sweptback configuration is a primary choice for airplane wings, the improved aerodynamic characteristics of the tubercled wings can be effectively utilized for the design of novel lifting surfaces, hydroplanes and wind turbines in the near future.
Minimizing Ancilla Inputs and Garbage Outputs of Reversible BCD Multiplier
Authors: Thabah Sheba Diamond , Saha Prabir
Published: October 2021

Over the last decades, designing reversible arithmetic circuits is one of the interesting research areas because of its ability to reduce power consumption in the circuits. This paper proposes two new design approaches of reversible binary-coded decimal (BCD) multiplier. The realization of such BCD multiplier has been achieved through binary multipliers, multiplexers, and a binary-to-BCD converter. Four types of multiplications, viz. [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] multiplications, have been utilized for such binary multiplication and are implemented parallelly as a combined multiplier to reduce ancilla inputs (AIs) and garbage outputs (GOs). We also propose a novel reversible BCD adder for a reversible binary-to-BCD converter with reducing AIs and GOs. The first design of the reversible BCD multiplier is integrated with the proposed BCD adder in the binary-to-BCD converter. Furthermore, the proposed reversible BCD adder is modified to reduce the AIs and the GOs, which is then integrated into the second design of the reversible BCD multiplier. The results offer appreciable reductions of AIs and GOs by at least [Formula: see text]16% and [Formula: see text]43%, respectively, compared to the existing designs found in the literature.
High-Performance Multi-Stage CMOS OTA Design Using Differential Block as Compensation Network
Authors: Daryan Behnam Babazadeh , Khalesi Hassan , Ghods Vahid
Published: October 2021

This work presents an effective and straightforward frequency compensation scheme in CMOS three-stage amplifiers. Using a differential block in the compensation network, the proposed circuit shows independent and large first dominant pole regarding the DC gain path. The presented three-stage architecture is frequency-compensated just by a single Miller capacitor. Mathematical analysis is presented along with ample simulations that are performed using TSMC 0.18-[Formula: see text]m CMOS technology. According to the results, the proposed circuit shows DC gain equal to 118[Formula: see text]dB, GBW equal to 466[Formula: see text]MHz, PM equal to 74.3∘ and 1.2[Formula: see text]mW as power consumption, respectively. The high values of DC gain and GBW make the proposed amplifier appropriate for more speedy operations such as high-speed modulators and data converters.
EFFECT OF ABRASIVE TYPE ON THE SURFACE ROUGHNESS AND MRR IN MAF OF AISI 304 STEEL
Authors: ÇELIK MAHMUT , GÜRÜN HAKAN , ÇAYDAŞ ULAŞ
Published: October 2021

In this study, the effects of experimental parameters on average surface roughness and material removal rate (MRR) were experimentally investigated by machining of AISI 304 stainless steel plates by magnetic abrasive finishing (MAF) method. In the study in which three different abrasive types were used (Al2O3, B4C, SiC), the abrasive grain size was changed in two different levels (50 and 80[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m), while the machining time was changed in three different levels (30, 45, 60[Formula: see text]min). Surface roughness values of finished surfaces were measured by using three-dimensional (3D) optical surface profilometer and surface topographies were created. MRRs were measured with the help of precision scales. The abrasive particles’ condition before and after the MAF process was examined and compared using a scanning electron microscope. As a result of the study, the surface roughness values of plates were reduced from 0.106[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m to 0.028[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m. It was determined that the best parameters in terms of average surface roughness were 60[Formula: see text]min machining time with 50[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m B4C abrasives, while the best result in terms of MRR was taken in 30[Formula: see text]min with 50[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m SiC abrasives.
Flutter Analysis of Long-Span Suspension Bridges Considering Yaw Wind and Aerostatic Effects
Authors: Zhang Xin-Jun , Ying Fu-Bin , Sun Lei-Lei
Published: October 2021

Based on the aerostatic and self-excited aerodynamic force models, a computational approach of three-dimensional (3D) refined flutter analysis for long-span bridges under skew winds is established, in which the structural nonlinearity, aerostatic effect and full-mode coupling effect, etc., are fully considered, and the computational procedure ([Formula: see text] flutter-sw) is developed accordingly. By taking the Runyang Suspension Bridge over the Yangtze river as an example, under the wind attack with initial angles of 0∘ and [Formula: see text] and yaw angles between 0∘ and 25∘, the flutter stability of the bridge in completion under skew winds is analyzed, and the influences of skew wind and aerostatic effect on the flutter stability of suspension bridges are assessed. The results show that the aerostatic effect has a significant influence on the flutter stability of long-span suspension bridge, and it may worsen its flutter stability, with an average decrease of 6.0%. However, it does not change the evolution of flutter stability of suspension bridge with increasing wind yaw angle. The critical flutter wind speed fluctuates with the increase of wind yaw angle, and it reaches the lowest value mostly under the skew wind, with an average reduction of 8.0%. The combined influence of the aerostatic effect and skew wind further reduces the flutter critical wind speed by 11.5% on average, and therefore, the aerostatic effect, skew wind effect and their adverse influences need to be comprehensively considered in the flutter analysis of long-span suspension bridges.
Seismic Damage Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Grain Silos
Authors: Benkhellat Sonia , Kada Ouassila , Seghir Abdelghani , Kadri Mohammed
Published: October 2021

This paper deals with seismic performance and damage assessment of concrete grain silos. An existing large silo is taken as a case study to conduct the numerical analyses. A global damage index based on target displacement is proposed to quantify numerically different damage states of the structure. To this aim, the classical N2 method is extended to adaptive multimodal to evaluate seismic performance of the structure for increasing pic ground acceleration levels with taking into account degradation of stiffness and modification of modal characteristics. The seismic capacity of the silo is evaluated, as an averaged curve, by conducting pushover and several incremental dynamic analyses using artificial and recorded accelerograms. The seismic demand is derived from the design spectrum of the Algerian seismic code (RPA 2003). The target displacement is determined by taking into account both the participation of the dominant modes, and the degradation of the structure’s modal characteristics. The nonlinear behavior of the structure’s walls is modeled by using nonlinear multilayered shell elements. The effect of the stored granular material is included through distributed equivalent masses. It is found that when the structure modal characteristics are updated as its stiffness is degraded, the target displacement is correctly computed. Whereas, it wrongly grows indefinitely, with increasing PGA, when constant modal characteristics of the intact structure are assumed, as usually done. The proposed global damage index is compared to three existing reliable indices. It better reflects the different damage states of studied silo.
Data Ownership and Secure Medical Data Transmission using Optimal Multiple Key-Based Homomorphic Encryption with Hyperledger Blockchain
Authors: Sammeta Naresh , Parthiban Latha
Published: October 2021

Recent healthcare systems are defined as highly complex and expensive. But it can be decreased with enhanced electronic health records (EHR) management, using blockchain technology. The healthcare sector in today’s world needs to address two major issues, namely data ownership and data security. Therefore, blockchain technology is employed to access and distribute the EHRs. With this motivation, this paper presents novel data ownership and secure medical data transmission model using optimal multiple key-based homomorphic encryption (MHE) with Hyperledger blockchain (OMHE-HBC). The presented OMHE-HBC model enables the patients to access their own data, provide permission to hospital authorities, revoke permission from hospital authorities, and permit emergency contacts. The proposed model involves the MHE technique to securely transmit the data to the cloud and prevent unauthorized access to it. Besides, the optimal key generation process in the MHE technique takes place using a hosted cuckoo optimization (HCO) algorithm. In addition, the proposed model enables sharing of EHRs by the use of multi-channel HBC, which makes use of one blockchain to save patient visits and another one for the medical institutions in recoding links that point to EHRs stored in external systems. A complete set of experiments were carried out in order to validate the performance of the suggested model, and the results were analyzed under many aspects. A comprehensive comparison of results analysis reveals that the suggested model outperforms the other techniques.
Dynamic Shadow Detection and Removal for Vehicle Tracking System
Authors: Jadav Kalpesh R. , Yadav Arvind R.
Published: October 2021

Shadow leads to failure of moving target positioning, segmentation, tracking, and classification in the video surveillance system thus shadow detection and removal is essential for further computer vision process. The existing state-of-the-art methods for dynamic shadow detection have produced a high discrimination rate but a poor detection rate (foreground pixels are classified as shadow pixels). This paper proposes an effective method for dynamic shadow detection and removal based on intensity ratio along with frame difference, gamma correction, and morphology operations. The performance of the proposed method has been tested on two outdoor ATON datasets, namely, highway-I and highway-III for vehicle tracking systems. The proposed method has produced a discrimination rate of 89.07% and a detection rate of 80.79% for highway-I video sequences. Similarly, for a highway-III video sequence, the discrimination rate of 85.60% and detection rate of 84.05% have been obtained. Investigational outcomes show that the proposed method is the simple, steadiest, and robust for dynamic shadow detection on the dataset used in this work.
Unit group structure of the quotient ring of a quadratic ring
Authors: Wei Yangjiang , Su Huadong , Liang Linhua
Published: October 2021

Let [Formula: see text] be the rational filed. For a square-free integer [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text], we denote by [Formula: see text] the quadratic field. Let [Formula: see text] be the ring of algebraic integers of [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we completely determine the unit group of the quotient ring [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] for an arbitrary prime [Formula: see text] in [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] has the unique factorization property, and [Formula: see text] is a rational integer.
1D U-NET++: AN EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR BALLISTOCARDIOGRAM J-PEAK DETECTION
Authors: ZHOU TENGDA , MEN SHAOYANG , LIANG JINGXIAN , YU BAOXIAN , ZHANG HAN , LUO XIAOMU
Published: October 2021

Heart rate measurement through Ballistocardiogram (BCG) signal is an efficient method for long-term cardiac activity monitoring in real-time, especially for patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. In this study, we propose a one-dimensional (1D) U-net++ to identify the position of J-peak in BCG signals automatically. The proposed 1D U-net++ is based on a 1D convolution neural network through dense skip connection backward transfer data features. The low-level and high-level data features of the BCG signals are combined with the last layer features of 1D U-net++ to shorten the semantic gap when the encoder and decoder feature skip connection. The BCG signals of eight healthy subjects were collected for experimental verification, and the accuracy and precision of J-peak detection reached 99.4% and 99.3%, respectively. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method can effectively identify J-peak in BCG signal.
Phase transition of an open quantum walk
Authors: Machida Takuya
Published: October 2021

It has been discovered that open quantum walks diffusively distribute in space, since they were introduced in 2012. Indeed, some limit distributions have been demonstrated and most of them are described by Gaussian distributions. We operate an open quantum walk on [Formula: see text] with parameterized operations in this paper, and study its 1st and 2nd moments so that we find its standard deviation. The standard deviation tells us whether the open quantum walker shows diffusive or ballistic behavior, which results in a phase transition of the walker.
The pseudo-null geometric phase along optical fiber
Authors: Gürbüz Nevin Ertuğ
Published: October 2021

In this study, a pseudo-null space curve in Minkowski 3-space is used to describe an optical fiber that is injected into monochromatic linear polarized light. The direction of the electric field vector with respect to the Frenet frame of a pseudo-null curve determines the state polarization of a monochromatic linearly polarized light wave traveling along an optical fiber. For the Frenet frame of a pseudo-null curve in Minkowski 3-space, the polarization vector [Formula: see text] is assumed to be perpendicular to the tangent vector [Formula: see text] with respect to anholonomic coordinates.

Anholonomic coordinates for the Frenet frame of a pseudo-null curve are used to describe pseudo-null electromagnetic curves in the normal and binormal directions along an optical fiber. For the Frenet frame of the pseudo-null curve, Lorentz force equations in the normal and binormal directions along the optical fiber are presented. Pseudo-normal and binormal Rytov parallel transport laws for electric fields in the normal and binormal directions along with the optical fiber for the Frenet frame of the pseudo-null curve via anholonomic coordinates are presented. For anholonomic coordinates in Minkowski 3-space, rotations of the polarization planes of a light wave traveling in the normal and binormal directions along with the optical fiber with respect to the Frenet frame of the pseudo-null curve are obtained. Finally, a pseudo-null curve’s Maxwellian evolution is determined.
Cuprous Oxide Films Deposition by Mid-Frequency Magnetron Sputtering and Their Photocatalytic Activity under Visible Light
Authors: Mu Z. X. , Li H. , Deng X. N.
Published: October 2021

Cuprous oxide (Cu2O) has attracted much attention as a photocatalytic material. In this paper, the mid-frequency reactive magnetron sputtering method was used to prepare Cu2O films on glass slides, and the effects of oxygen flow and deposition time on the structures, morphologies and photocatalytic properties of the films were studied. The results show that the films prepared by this method have smooth surfaces and good absorptivity in the visible region. As the oxygen flow increases, the films transit from the mixed-phase of Cu and Cu2O to the single-phase of Cu2O. When the oxygen flow continues to increase, the films change to a mixed-phase of Cu4O3 and Cu2O. The photocatalytic decolorization of methyl orange under visible light irradiation conditions was used to assess the photocatalytic properties of the prepared films. When the oxygen flow is 6[Formula: see text]sccm and the deposition time is 15[Formula: see text]min, the film exhibits the best photocatalytic activity. Finally, the Mulliken electronegativity theory was used to explain the photocatalytic mechanism of Cu2O. This study confirmed the feasibility of preparing Cu2O photocatalytic films by magnetron sputtering, and provided the experimental basis for the subsequent study of Cu2O photocatalytic films.
Normal subgroups of SimpHAtic groups
Authors: Osajda Damian
Published: October 2021

A group is SimpHAtic if it acts geometrically on a simply connected simplicially hereditarily aspherical (SimpHAtic) complex. We show that finitely presented normal subgroups of the SimpHAtic groups are either:

finite, or of finite index, or virtually free.

This result applies, in particular, to normal subgroups of systolic groups. We prove similar strong restrictions on group extensions for other classes of asymptotically aspherical groups.

The proof relies on studying homotopy types at infinity of groups in question.

We also show that non-uniform lattices in SimpHAtic complexes (and in more general complexes) are not finitely presentable and that finitely presented groups acting properly on such complexes act geometrically on SimpHAtic complexes. In Appendix we present the topological two-dimensional quasi-Helly property of systolic complexes.
Recent progress in the function of redox mediators on the electrode/electrolyte interfaces of lithium–oxygen batteries
Authors: Zhang Xiao-Ping , Li Chu-Yue , Fu Xian-Zhu , Chen Wei-Rong
Published: October 2021

The nonaqueous lithium–oxygen batteries have attracted considerable interest because of the ultrahigh theoretical capacity. However, the overpotential and cyclability issue of lithium–oxygen battery caused by interfacial issue limits its commercialization. To overcome these challenges, redox mediators, which are capable of charge transport on the electrode/electrolyte interfaces, are introduced to lithium–oxygen batteries to reduce overpotential. This review provides a detailed summary of the interfacial reaction mechanism and the influence of redox mediators on the electrode/electrolyte interfaces. Researches on suppressing redox mediators’ shuttle effect are also beneficial to enhance the electrochemical performance of lithium–oxygen batteries.
Lost Chances for Emotional Reconciliation between China and Japan
Authors: AOYAMA Rumi
Published: October 2021

China and Japan are haunted by the Second Sino-Japanese War that ended more than 70 years ago. The rise of nationalism in China fuelled by the massive patriotic education campaigns seems to suggest that the two sides hardly have any opportunity to reconcile. However, this article argues that there are two lost chances for emotional reconciliation in the past seven decades. The “we-ness” consciousness and representation of humanity can open the door to reconciliation.
Mitochondria and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Toward a Stratified Therapeutic Intervention
Authors: Ho Gwo-tzer , Theiss Arianne L.
Published: October 2021

Mitochondria serve numerous critical cellular functions, rapidly responding to extracellular stimuli and cellular demands while dynamically communicating with other organelles. Mitochondrial function in the gastrointestinal epithelium plays a critical role in maintaining intestinal health. Emerging studies implicate the involvement of mitochondrial dysfunction in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This review presents mitochondrial metabolism, function, and quality control that converge in intestinal epithelial stemness, differentiation programs, barrier integrity, and innate immunity to influence intestinal inflammation. Intestinal and disease characteristics that set the stage for mitochondrial dysfunction being a key factor in IBD and, in turn, pathogenic mitochondrial mechanisms influencing and potentiating the development of IBD, are discussed. These findings establish the basis for potential mitochondrial-targeted interventions for IBD therapy.
Intelligent Algorithm-Based CT Imaging for Evaluation of Efficacy of Docetaxel Combined with Fluorouracil on Patients with Gastric Cancer
Authors: Chen Qianqian , Wang Xiaohong , Ding Rong , Wang Ziyao
Published: October 2021

The study focused on the dual-source computed tomography (CT) images segmented by the decision tree algorithm, to explore the efficacy of docetaxel combined with fluorouracil therapy on gastric patients undergoing chemotherapy. In this study, 98 patients with gastric cancer who were treated in the hospital were selected as the research subjects. The decision tree algorithm was applied to segment dual-source CT images of gastric cancer patients. The decision tree is established according to the feature ring and the segmentation position. The machine inductively learns from the decision tree to extract the features of the CT image to obtain the optimal segmentation boundary. The observation group was treated with docetaxel combined with fluorouracil, and the control group was treated with docetaxel combined with tegafur gimeracil oteracil potassium capsules. The general data of the two groups of patients were comparable and not statistically significant (

P
>
0.05

). The two groups were compared for clinical efficacy, physical status, KPS score, improvement rate, and adverse drug reactions after treatment. The results showed that the improvement rate of physical fitness in the observation group was 38.78%, and the improvement rate in the control group was 18.37%. The total effective rate in the observation group was 42.85%, and the total effective rate in the control group was 36.73%. Obviously, the curative effect and improvement rate of physical fitness in the observation group were significantly better than those in the control group (

P
<
0.05

). In conclusion, the decision tree algorithm proposed in this study demonstrates superb capabilities in feature extraction of CT images. The machine inductively learns from the decision tree to extract the features of the CT image to obtain the optimal segmentation boundary. The effect of docetaxel combined with fluorouracil is better than that of docetaxel combined with tegafur gimeracil oteracil potassium capsules.
Targeting Ferroptosis for Lung Diseases: Exploring Novel Strategies in Ferroptosis‐Associated Mechanisms
Authors: Ma Tian-Liang , Zhou Yong , Wang Ci , Wang Lu , Chen Jing-Xian , Yang Hui-Hui , Zhang Chen-Yu , Zhou Yong , Guan Cha-Xiang
Published: October 2021

Ferroptosis is an iron‐dependent regulated necrosis characterized by the peroxidation damage of lipid molecular containing unsaturated fatty acid long chain on the cell membrane or organelle membrane after cellular deactivation restitution system, resulting in the cell membrane rupture. Ferroptosis is biochemically and morphologically distinct and disparate from other forms of regulated cell death. Recently, mounting studies have investigated the mechanism of ferroptosis, and numerous proteins play vital roles in regulating ferroptosis. With detailed studies, emerging evidence indicates that ferroptosis is found in multiple lung diseases, demonstrating that ferroptosis appears to be particularly important for lung diseases. The mounting interest in ferroptosis drugs specifically targeting the ferroptosis mechanism holds substantial therapeutic promise in lung diseases. The present review emphatically summarizes the functions and integrated molecular mechanisms of ferroptosis in various lung diseases, proposing that multiangle regulation of ferroptosis might be a promising strategy for the clinical treatment of lung diseases.
Impacts of Double V-Rings in the Heat Exchanger Duct on Heat Transfer and Flow Behaviors: A Numerical Study
Authors: Boonloi Amnart , Jedsadaratanachai Withada
Published: October 2021

The impacts of the double V-rings (DVR) in the heat exchanger duct (HED) on heat transfer and flow structures are numerically analyzed. The general configuration of the DVR is called “type I,” while the discrete DVR can be split into two structures, which are called “types II and III.” The influences of the DVR sizes, DVR types and flow directions on heat transfer rate, friction loss, and thermohydraulic performance are considered. The Reynolds numbers in the range around 100–2000 (laminar regime at the entrance condition) are selected for the present investigation. The numerical problem of the HED installed with the DVR is solved with the finite volume method (a commercial code). The flow structure, heat transfer mechanism, and performance analysis in the HED that fitted the DVR are reported. The flow and heat transfer profiles in the HED fitted with the DVR are an important knowledge to develop the thermohydraulic performance of compact heat exchangers. As the numerical results, it is seen that the heat transfer ability of the tested duct improves around 1.05–16.62 times upper than the smooth duct. Additionally, the greatest value of the thermal enhancement factor in the HED fitted with the DVR is seen to be around 4.17 at a/H = 0.025, b/H = 0.10, Re = 2000, and V-upstream direction for the type I.
Synergistic Antiproliferative Effects of All‐Trans Retinoic Acid and Paclitaxel on Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Epithelial Cells
Authors: Nguyen Que Thanh Thanh , Hoang Thi Xoan , Ryu Hyunjin , Oh Kook-Hwan , Kim Jae Young
Published: October 2021

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a genetic disorder characterized by uncontrollable epithelial cell growth, cyst formation, and kidney malfunction. In the present study, we investigated the antiproliferative effects of the treatment with the combination of paclitaxel (PAC) and all‐trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on ADPKD epithelial cells. Our results show that the combined treatment with 1 nM PAC and 10 nM ATRA significantly suppressed ADPKD cell proliferation (20%), while the treatment with ATRA or PAC alone had no such effect. Treatment with PAC and ATRA induced cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and apoptosis by upregulating p53 and caspase‐8 expression and increased the intracellular calcium (Ca2+) level possibly by enhancing Ca2+ uptake via plasma membrane channels. In addition, this treatment suppressed extracellular signal‐regulated kinase signaling possibly through mitogen‐activated protein kinase phosphatase‐1 activation. Thus, the combination of PAC and ATRA can be explored as a potential treatment regimen for ADPKD.
Chemo-Profiling of Illicit Amphetamine Tablets Seized from Jazan, Saudi Arabia, Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Chemometric Techniques
Authors: Alhazmi Hassan A. , Ahsan Waquar , Al Bratty Mohammed , Khalid Asaad , Sultana Shahnaz , Najmi Asim , Makeen Hafiz A. , Attafi Ibraheem M. , Abualsail Farid M. , Arishy Mohammed A. , Khardali Ibrahim A.
Published: October 2021

A number of illegal drug tablets with unknown constituents are supplied to countries around the world, most of which are habit forming. Amphetamine constitutes the majority of illegal tablets supplied to Saudi Arabia. In this study, we investigated illicit amphetamine tablets seized from Jazan region located in the southwest of Saudi Arabia to identify the insidious additives present in them and their health-related risks. Tablets were analyzed for the presence of amphetamine and other additives using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) technique. Amphetamine was detected in good to high area % values in all analyzed tablets in the range of 16.29–41.23%. Interestingly, a number of other additives were also detected with amphetamine in most of the tested samples including caffeine, lidocaine, diphenhydramine, and 8-chlorotheophylline in considerable area %. Caffeine may have been added to enhance the psychotic effect of amphetamine, whereas lidocaine was added to prevent the cardiovascular side effects of amphetamine. Diphenhydramine was probably added to prevent other undesirable side effects of amphetamine such as insomnia and tremors. Chemometric hierarchical cluster analysis was carried out to make samples clusters which have similar characteristics. It resulted into a dendrogram tree showing eight clusters signifying different sources of tablet samples. Owing to the toxic effects of amphetamine and other psychoactive constituents in the tested tablets, the illegal trafficking of these tablets should be prevented by all means and public awareness should be increased.
Postoperative Management Strategy of Surgical Site Infection following Lumbar Dynesys Dynamic Internal Fixation
Authors: Liu Liehua , Luo Lei , Zhao Chen , Zhou Qiang
Published: October 2021

Aim. To research the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) following lumbar Dynesys dynamic internal fixation and its management strategy. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed all cases of lumbar Dynesys dynamic internal fixation performed from January 2010 to December 2019, and the data from patients with SSI were collected. The observational indicators included the incidence of SSI, general information of the patients, surgical details, inflammatory indicators, pathogenic bacteria, and treatment. SSI was defined as both early infection and delayed infection, and the cases were divided into Groups A and B, respectively. The relevant indicators and treatment were compared between the two groups. Results. A total of 1125 cases of lumbar Dynesys dynamic internal fixation were followed up. Twenty-five cases of SSI occurred, and the incidence of SSI was 2.22% (25/1125). There were 14 cases of early infection (1.24%) and 11 cases of delayed infection (0.98%). Fourteen cases of early infection occurred 12.3 ± 8.3 days postoperatively (3–30), and 11 cases of delayed infection occurred 33.3 ± 18.9 months postoperatively (3–62). The inflammatory indicators of Group A were significantly higher than those of Group B (all

P
<
0.05

), except for procalcitonin. The main infection site in Group A was located on the skin and subcutaneous tissue and around the internal instrument, while the main infection site in Group B was around the internal instrument. The main treatment for Group A was debridement and implant replacement, and the main treatment for Group B was implant removal. Summary. The incidence of SSI following lumbar Dynesys dynamic internal fixation was 2.22%, the incidence of early SSI was 1.24%, and the incidence of delayed SSI was 0.98%. If the main infection site of early infection is in the incision, debridement should be the main treatment method; if the infection site is around the internal fixation, implant replacement is recommended on the basis of debridement. Once delayed infection is diagnosed, implant removal is suggested.
The Clinical Application and Prospect of Smart Prenatal Care and Postpartum Recovery
Authors: Shu Chang , Han Shumei , Li Linli , Xu Peng , Bai Yule
Published: October 2021

Scientific and technological advancement has increased the requirement for modern medical systems, leading to smartphone-based intelligent prenatal care and postpartum recovery. This kind of prenatal care and postpartum recovery including a remote monitoring system for fetal heart monitoring, blood glucose, and weight overcomes the restrictions of time and space and provides all-round, convenient, rapid, and accurate services to the medical systems, doctors, and pregnant women. This paper reviews the current research on intelligent medical services for pregnant women, particularly for prenatal care and postpartum recovery.
Effect of Paroxetine Combined with Probiotics in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Complicated with Gastrointestinal Dysfunction and Liver Cancer
Authors: Peng Yi , Yang Xingxia , Wang Yeju
Published: October 2021

Background. To explore the effect of paroxetine combined with probiotics in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with gastrointestinal dysfunction and liver cancer and its effect on nutritional status. Materials and Methods. 96 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus combined with gastrointestinal dysfunction and liver cancer were selected as subjects from March 2018 to March 2021. They were randomly divided into control group and observation group, with 48 cases in each group. The control group was treated with probiotics, and the observation group was combined with paroxetine on the basis of the control group. After 4 weeks of treatment, the gastrointestinal mucosal function, nutritional status, Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) score, and the safety were compared between the two groups. Results. The levels of D-lactic acid, PCT, and endotoxin in the observation group were (1.75 ± 0.38), (4.39 ± 0.79), and (0.20 ± 0.06), respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the control group (2.69 ± 0.46), (7.84 ± 1.32), and (0.29 ± 0.08) (

P
<
0.05

). Moreover, the nutritional status TP, ALB, Hb, PA, and TLC levels of the observation group were higher than those of the control group (

P
<
0.05

). The HAMA and HAMD scores in the observation group were (5.76 ± 1.06) and (8.94 ± 1.26), respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the control group (10.69 ± 2.21) and (13.42 ± 2.34) (

P
<
0.05

). However, there was no statistical significance in the incidence of nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, chest arthralgia, palpitation, anaesthesia, dizziness, and drowsiness between the two groups (

P
>
0.05

). Conclusions. Paroxetine combined with probiotics could help to improve the gastrointestinal mucosal function of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated with gastrointestinal dysfunction and liver cancer, improve the nutritional status of patients, and reduce anxiety and depression, and the drug was safe and worthy of promotion and application.
Stability of SDE-LJN System in the Internet to Mitigate Constant-Rate DDoS Attacks
Authors: Huang Kaijiao , Tan Liansheng , Peng Gang
Published: October 2021

The Internet is nowadays suffering dramatically serious attacks, with the distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks being the representative and dominant ones. It is seen that, to stabilize the buffer queue length around a given target under DDoS attacks in the relevant routes is vitally important and helpful to mitigate the attacks and to improve the quality of service (QoS) for normal users. In the current paper, a stochastic queue dynamic model with

L

e
´

vy

jump noise, which is affected by the continuous Brownian motion and the discontinuous Poisson process, is worked out to develop a novel and accurate mathematical framework for the stability of a route queue that deals with constant-rate DDoS attacks. This article proposes a security defensive mechanism in the network for solving the network collapse that can possibly be caused by DDoS attacks, otherwise. Particularly, based on the formulation of a stochastic queue dynamic with

L

e
´

vy

jump noise, the mechanism that characterizes the behavior of the queue at routers is presented for stabilizing the queue length under constant-rate DDoS attacks. By applying the stochastic control theory into analyzing the performance of queue dynamic under constant-rate DDoS attacks, some explicit conditions are established under which the instantaneous queue length converges to any given target in a route. Simulation results demonstrate the satisfaction of the proposed defense mechanism with sharp contrast to the state of the art active queue management (AQM) schemes.
Study on Temporal and Spatial Characteristics of Overlying Strata in the Deep Coal Mining Process
Authors: Zhang Bang’an , Yang Yushun , Zhang Dongming
Published: October 2021

This study adopts the stress relief method to test the in situ stress in the field to obtain the in situ stress distribution characteristics of no. 2 + 3# coal seam. A three‐dimensional model was established with the no. S3012 working face as the engineering background, and the measured in situ stress values were applied to the three‐dimensional model, and the spatial‐temporal evolution characteristics of coal and rock mass around the stope during coal seam mining were studied. The specific conclusions are as follows: the three‐dimensional stress distribution map in front of, behind, and on both sides of the working face in the process of coal mining are obtained. As the working face goes on, the maximum value of the supporting stress formed in front of, behind, and on both sides of the working face shifts to the corner, presenting a “hump‐like” distribution. The stress concentration coefficient of front, back, and both sides of stope increases linearly with the increase of the mining size. Under the same mining size, the stress concentration coefficient in front of stope is the smallest, and the stress concentration coefficient on both sides is the largest. The three‐dimensional displacement field distribution nephogram of overlying strata in the process of coal mining is obtained. With the continuous advance of the working face, the roof strata of coal seam undergo the continuous dynamic subsidence process, and the roof subsidence increases continuously, showing the shape of “bowl” with sharp bottom. In the process of working face mining, the roof displacement of coal seam showed an “O” shape evolution characteristic. The three‐dimensional distribution cloud map of the plastic zone of coal and rock mass in the process of the working face mining was obtained, and the failure volume of the plastic zone gradually increases with the continuous progress of the working face.
Retrospective Analysis of the Efficacy of Da Vinci Robot-Assisted Pyeloplasty in the Treatment of Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction in Children
Authors: Liu Yimeng , Wu Moudong , Wang Wei , Zhan Xiong , Peng Jinpu , An Nini
Published: October 2021

Ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) is one of the common causes of hydronephrosis in children, and the purpose of this study was to observe the application effect of da Vinci robot-assisted laparoscopic treatment of UPJO and to investigate the safety, feasibility, and advantages of da Vinci robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery. 13 patients who underwent robot-assisted pyeloplasty (RAP) for UPJO admitted from May 2020 to March 2021 were retrospectively analyzed in our study. The clinical data among them revealed the intraoperative and postoperative indicators and complications as follows. UPJO was found on the left side in 9 patients and on the right side in 4 patients. The average operative time, blood loss, and hospital stay were 227.3 (175–310) min, 9.2 (5–30) mL, and 9.2 (6–14) days, respectively. Two cases of gross hematuria and two cases of minor urinary tract infection occurred after surgery, and the rest had no perioperative complications. The clinical treatment efficiency at postoperative follow-up was 100%. Our initial analysis showed that da Vinci robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery is a highly effective and safe option for the treatment of UPJO in children.
New Methods of Reconstruction for Old Challenges: The Use of the Integra Graft in Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections of the Male Genitalia
Authors: Mitchell Katharina , Crigger Chad , Morley Chad , Barnard John , Dumasius Vidas
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we describe two cases of Fournier’s gangrene (FG) in which Integra grafting was used for reconstruction. FG is a progressive necrotizing infection occurring in the perineal region and on the external genitalia. Reconstructive options using local tissue are limited due to the destruction this infection imposes on the soft tissue. Integra graft is a bilaminate artificial dermis made of shark chondroitin 6-sulfate and bovine collagen. It is applied to the wound bed after debridement and establishment of a healthy, well-vascularized wound base. The patients in this case series had large defects which could not be closed primarily with tissue beds and would not have been appropriate for skin grafting. Therefore, an Integra graft was placed. In both patients, the wound beds were appropriate for skin grafting after three weeks. Without the Integra graft, both of our patients would have needed to wait a considerable amount of time prior to reconstruction. Our case series further illustrates and supports the use of Integra grafts in such a scenario following Fournier’s gangrene which has only previously been published on three occasions, all of which demonstrated successful outcomes.
Resolvent Positive Operators and Positive Fractional Resolvent Families
Authors: Li Nan-Ding , Liu Ru , Li Miao
Published: October 2021

This paper is concerned with positive

α

-times resolvent families on an ordered Banach space

E

(with normal and generating cone), where

0
<
α
≤
2

. We show that a closed and densely defined operator

A

on

E

generates a positive exponentially bounded

α

-times resolvent family for some

0
<
α
<
1

if and only if, for some

ω
∈
ℝ

, when

λ
>
ω
,
λ
∈
ρ

A

,

R

λ
,
A

≥
0

and

sup

λ
R

λ
,
A

:
λ
≥
ω

<
∞

. Moreover, we obtain that when

0
<
α
<
1

, a positive exponentially bounded

α

-times resolvent family is always analytic. While

A

generates a positive

α

-times resolvent family for some

1
<
α
≤
2

if and only if the operator

λ

α
−
1

λ

α

−
A

−
1

is completely monotonic. By using such characterizations of positivity, we investigate the positivity-preserving of positive fractional resolvent family under positive perturbations. Some examples of positive solutions to fractional differential equations are presented to illustrate our results.
Responsiveness Index versus the RASS-Based Method for Adjusting Sedation in Critically Ill Patients
Authors: Wennervirta Johanna E. , Särkelä Mika O. K. , Kaila Markus M. , Pettilä Ville
Published: October 2021

Background. Sedation of intensive care patients is needed for patient safety, but deep sedation is associated with adverse outcomes. Frontal electromyogram-based Responsiveness Index (RI) aims to quantify the level of sedation and is scaled 0–100 (low index indicates deep sedation). We compared RI-based sedation to Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale- (RASS-) based sedation. Our hypothesis was that RI-controlled sedation would be associated with increased total time alive without mechanical ventilation at 30 days without an increased number of adverse events. Methods. 32 critically ill adult patients with mechanical ventilation and administration of sedation were randomized to either RI- or RASS-guided sedation. Patients received propofol and oxycodone, if possible. The following standardized sedation protocol was utilized in both groups to achieve the predetermined target sedation level: either RI 40–80 (RI group) or RASS −3 to 0 (RASS group). RI measurement was blinded in the RASS group, and the RI group was blinded to RASS assessments. State Entropy (SE) values were registered in both groups. Results. RI and RASS groups did not differ in total time alive in 30 days without mechanical ventilation (

p
=
0.72

). The incidence of at least one sedation-related adverse event did not differ between the groups. Hypertension was more common in the RI group (

p
=
0.01

). RI group patients were in the target RI level 22% of the time and RASS group patients had 57% of scores within the target RASS level. The RI group spent significantly more time in their target sedation level than the RASS group spent in the corresponding RI level (

p
=
0.03

). No difference was observed between the groups (

p
=
0.13

) in the corresponding analysis for RASS. Propofol and oxycodone were administered at higher RI and SE values and lower RASS values in the RI group than in the RASS group. Conclusion. Further studies with a larger sample size are warranted to scrutinize the optimal RI level during different phases of critical illness.
Research on Restoration Algorithm of Tomb Murals Based on Sequential Similarity Detection
Authors: Liu Wang , Li Xiao , Wu Fengjiao
Published: October 2021

Considering the problems of fuzzy repair and low pixel similarity matching in the repair of existing tomb murals, we propose a novel tomb mural repair algorithm based on sequential similarity detection in this paper. First, we determine the gradient value of tomb mural through second-order Gaussian Laplace operator in LOG edge detection and then reduce the noise in the edge of tomb mural to process a smooth edge of tomb mural. Further, we set the mathematical model to obtain the edge features of tomb murals. To calculate the average gray level of foreground and background under a specific threshold, we use the maximum interclass variance method, which considers the influence of small cracks on the edge of tomb murals and separates the cracks through a connected domain labelling algorithm and open and close operations to complete the edge threshold segmentation. In addition, we use the priority calculation function to determine the damaged tomb mural area, calculate the gradient factor of edge information, obtain the information entropy of different angles, determine the priority of tomb mural image repair, detect the similarity of tomb mural repair pixels with the help of sequential similarity, and complete the tomb mural repair. Experimental results show that our model can effectively repair the edges of the tomb murals and can achieve a high pixel similarity matching degree.
Citrus Lemon Juice Mediated Preparation of AgNPs/Chitosan-Based Bionanocomposites and Its Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Rajeshkumar S.
Published: October 2021

Nanoparticles are important advanced materials with numerous uses in a variety of fields. Novel antibacterial nanocomposites with synergistic capabilities can be created by combining metal nanoparticles with biopolymers of various functionalities. This research evaluates an antimicrobial and antioxidant-rich chitosan-based silver nanocomposite synthesized by using citrus lemon extract as a reducing and capping agent. UV-vis spectrophotometer, scanning electron microscope, elemental dispersive analysis, X-ray diffraction assay, atomic force microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV-near infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the chitosan-based silver nanocomposite (CS-Ag nanocomposite). The nanocomposite synthesized is used to demonstrate antioxidant and antimicrobial activity against fungal pathogens.