bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
10H-Pyrazino[2,3-b][1,4]benzotellurazine, a Novel Tellurium-Containing Heterocyclic System
Authors: Smith Diamond S. , Alexis Dallas N. , Fronczek Frank R. , Junk Thomas
Published: January 2020

Condensation of 2,3-dichloropyrazine with 2-aminobenzenetellurole and 2-amino-5-methylbenzenetellurole, generated in situ by reduction of the corresponding ditellurides, resulted in the formation of novel 10H-pyrazino[2,3-b][1,4]benzotellurazine and its 7-methyl derivative. The products were purified via their well-crystallized 5,5-dibromo derivatives. X-ray crystallographic analysis of the title compound indicates that it has a pronounced V-shape and forms hydrogen-bonded dimers. Te, N-containing heterocycles have the potential of offering access to supramolecular assemblies.
Performance of Coal Gangue‐Based Cemented Backfill Material Modified by Water‐Reducing Agents
Authors: Guo Yuxia , Wang Peng , Feng Guorui , Qi Tingye , Liu Guoyan , Ren Ang
Published: January 2020

Coal gangue‐based cemented backfill material (CGCBM) is developed for backfilling the goaf in coal mines. As fresh CGCBM slurry is generally transported into underground openings through a pipeline, and after hardening, it plays the role of supporting the overlying strata. The fluidity, stability, and mechanical (compressive strength) of CGCBM become the most important properties. Adding water‐reducing agents (WRAs) is considered to improve the fluidity, stability, and mechanical properties of CGCBM, but there is a risk of increased bleeding. So, two types of WRA (naphthalene series (WRA1) and poly carboxylic acid (WRA2)) are used at different contents (1.0%‐2% for WRA1, 0.2%–0.6% for WRA2) by mass of binder. Slump, slump flow, yield stress, and plastic viscosity test are used to evaluate the fluidity properties of CGCBM after adding WRA. Bleeding rate test is used to evaluate the stability of CGCBM after adding WRA. Compressive strength is the most important factor in measuring the mechanical properties. SEM and XRD tests are used to analyse the mechanism of strength change. Results show that the slump, slump flow, and plastic viscosity increase after adding WRA, which reduces the yield stress and improves the fluidity. The bleeding rate increases with the increase of WRA content, leading to a decrease in stability. Adding WRA increases the compressive strength, and it increases first and then decreases with the increase of the content at the later stage. Considering the effects of WRA on the fluidity, stability, and compressive strength properties of CGCBM, the reasonable content of WRA1 and WRA2 is 1.5% and 0.4%, respectively. The research results provide guidance for the design and preparation of CGCBM with favourable performance in practical production.
Software-Defined Multilayered Admission Control for Quality of Service Assurance in Mobile Ad-hoc Networks
Authors: Appandairaj Ponraj , Kannan Kathiravan
Published: January 2020

Mobile Ad-hoc Network has emerged as a key technology for next-generation networks. Though its rapid growth inspires numerous applications, it is difficult to assure Quality of Service because of its immense scaling caused due to node’s mobility, fading radio signals, and unreliable nature of the wireless channel. To efficiently utilize network resources and accomplish guaranteed Quality of Service, a novel Software-Defined Multilayered Admission Control model that embeds an intelligent Neurofuzzy Inference-based Admission Control service engine is proposed in this paper. Each node makes use of the Neurofuzzy Inference-based Admission Control service to learn, manage, prioritize, and admit data traffic according to user requirement. The service engine exploits fuzzy inference-based admission control process to assess node’s current status using Quality of Service parameters, namely, bandwidth, queue load, and Received Signal Strength Indicator to evaluate the prediction index. The prediction index not only helps in determining the strongly connected neighbors during reliable path selection process but also solely decides whether the admission control session can be admitted or rejected. Moreover, the Neuro-Multilayered Learning process of the service engine helps to self-organize and make the complete network intelligent for instantaneous decision making. The proposed mechanism not only improves the session admission between nodes but also reduces the packet drops assuring successful session completion. Performance analysis using the simulation model proves that the proposed system shows promising gains with assured throughput and low end-to-end delay and has the potential to be applied in real-world scenarios.
New Vibrational Information on Simple Amides in Solution: A Case Study on GaCl3-Formamide Complexes
Authors: Gomes Anna K. M. S. , Alves Wagner A.
Published: January 2020

IR and Raman measurements were carried out for GaCl3-formamide (FA) solutions, and comparisons with the Al3+ and Fe3+ chemistry are presented. Upshifts of both νCO and νCN modes of FA are observed, and analyses of the corresponding bands suggest different types of solvatocomplexes. The twisting mode (γHNH) of FA at 1190 cm−1, which is IR- and Raman-inactive, is activated only in the former upon coordination to high electrostatic potential ions. The spectral behavior exhibited in this region is shown for the first time in the literature and has helped in the understanding of the coordinated FA structure. The catalytic power of Ga3+ towards amide bond hydrolysis is also predicted for the first time using vibrational spectroscopy and may be useful for biological studies.
Identification of Key Genes and Prognostic Analysis between Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma and Renal Oncocytoma by Bioinformatic Analysis
Authors: Wu Hongwei , Fan Lijing , Liu Haiping , Guan Baozhang , Hu Bo , Liu Fanna , Hocher Berthold , Yin Lianghong
Published: January 2020

The present techniques of clinical and histopathological diagnosis hardly distinguish chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (ChRCC) from renal oncocytoma (RO). To identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) as effective biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of ChRCC and RO, three mRNA microarray datasets (GSE12090, GSE19982, and GSE8271) were downloaded from the GEO database. Functional enrichment analysis of DEGs was performed by DAVID. STRING and Cytoscape were applied to construct the protein‐protein interaction (PPI) network and key modules of DEGs. Visualized plots were conducted by the R language. We downloaded clinical data from the TCGA database and the influence of key genes on the overall survival of ChRCC was performed by Kaplan–Meier and Cox analyses. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was utilized in exploring the function of key genes. A total of 79 DEGs were identified. Enrichment analyses revealed that the DEGs are closely related to tissue invasion and metastasis of cancer. Subsequently, 14 hub genes including ESRP1, AP1M2, CLDN4, and CLDN7 were detected. Kaplan–Meier analysis indicated that the low expression of CLDN7 and GNAS was related to the worse overall survival in patients with ChRCC. Univariate Cox analysis showed that CLDN7 might be a helpful biomarker for ChRCC prognosis. Subgroup analysis revealed that the expression of CLDN7 showed a downtrend with the development of the clinical stage, topography, and distant metastasis of ChRCC. GSEA analysis identified that cell adhesion molecules cams, B cell receptor signaling pathway, T cell receptor signaling pathway, RIG‐I like receptor signaling pathway, Toll‐like receptor signaling pathway, and apoptosis pathway were associated with the expression of CLDN7. In conclusion, ESRP1, AP1M2, CLDN4, PRSS8, and CLDN7 were found to distinguish ChRCC from RO. Besides, the low expression of CLDN7 was closely related to ChRCC progression and could serve as an independent risk factor for the overall survival in patients with ChRCC.
Wealth Status, Health Insurance, and Maternal Health Care Utilization in Africa: Evidence from Gabon
Authors: Sanogo N’doh Ashken , Yaya Sanni
Published: January 2020

Background. To achieve the universal health coverage among other Sustainable Development Goals, African countries have shown the commitment by implementing strategies to improve access and coverage of health care services whose access is still very low. The achievement of universal health care requires the provision and availability of an adequate financing system. This study explored the wealth‐related association of compulsory health insurance on maternal health care utilization in Gabon. Methods. The study used the 6th round of Gabon Demographic and Health Surveys (GDHSs)—2012 data to explore three outcome measures of maternal health care utilization extracted on number of antenatal care (ANC) visits during pregnancy, place of birth delivery, and postnatal health care. The dependent variable was women with health insurance coverage against those without. Logistic regression and propensity scoring matching analysed associations of health insurance coverage on women’s utilization of health care. Results. Mean (+/− SD) age of women respondents of reproductive age was 29 years (9.9). The proportion of at least 4 antenatal care visits was 69.2%, facility‐based delivery was 84.7%, and postnatal care utilization was 67.9%. The analysis of data showed disparities in maternal health care services utilization. The GDHS showed maternal age, and geographical region was significantly associated with maternal health care service utilization. A high proportion of urban dwellers and Christian women used maternal health care services. According to the wealth index, maternal health services utilization was higher in women from wealthy households compared to lower households wealth index (ANC (Conc. Index = 0.117; p ≤ 0.001), facility‐based delivery (Conc. Index = 0.069; p ≤ 0.001), and postnatal care (Conc. Index = 0.075; p ≤ 0.001), respectively). With regard to health care insurance coverage, women with health insurance were more likely to use ANC and facility‐based delivery services than those without (concentration indices for ANC and facility‐based delivery were statistically significant; ANC: z‐stat = 2.69; p = 0.007; Conc. Index: 0.125 vs. 0.096 and facility‐based delivery: z‐stat = 3.38; p = 0.001; Conc. Index: 0.076 vs. 0.053, respectively). Conclusion. Women enrollment in health insurance and improved household’s financial status can improve key maternal health services utilization.
Multi-Factor Taxonomy of Eco-Routing Models and Future Outlook
Authors: Alfaseeh Lama , Farooq Bilal
Published: January 2020

Traditionally, routing decisions have been based on minimizing travel time as the associated cost. Eco-routing considers the environmental aspects (e.g., emissions and fuel) as part of the travel cost to mitigate the undesirable impact of transportation systems on the environment. Unlike the existing eco-routing review papers, this research work is aimed at providing a three-factor taxonomy at a more disaggregated level from the optimization perspective and map eco-routing studies to the proposed taxonomy. Furthermore, the strengths and weaknesses of the presented models are summarized. Our main findings include (a) a majority of studies optimized one objective at a time; (b) the microscopic level of aggregation of the flow and emission/fuel models was rarely employed for large case studies, due to the associated complexity; and (c) all of the reviewed studies were applied in a centralized routing system environment. In the near future, when intelligent vehicles will be on the roads, a multi-objective distributed routing framework can be employed with a microscopic level of aggregation for both traffic and emission models, which is capable of operating on largescale networks in real time. Additionally, short-term spatiotemporal prediction of GHG cost is a crucial aspect to be tackled.
A Full Stage Data Augmentation Method in Deep Convolutional Neural Network for Natural Image Classification
Authors: Zheng Qinghe , Yang Mingqiang , Tian Xinyu , Jiang Nan , Wang Deqiang
Published: January 2020

Nowadays, deep learning has achieved remarkable results in many computer vision related tasks, among which the support of big data is essential. In this paper, we propose a full stage data augmentation framework to improve the accuracy of deep convolutional neural networks, which can also play the role of implicit model ensemble without introducing additional model training costs. Simultaneous data augmentation during training and testing stages can ensure network optimization and enhance its generalization ability. Augmentation in two stages needs to be consistent to ensure the accurate transfer of specific domain information. Furthermore, this framework is universal for any network architecture and data augmentation strategy and therefore can be applied to a variety of deep learning based tasks. Finally, experimental results about image classification on the coarse-grained dataset CIFAR-10 (93.41%) and fine-grained dataset CIFAR-100 (70.22%) demonstrate the effectiveness of the framework by comparing with state-of-the-art results.
Kinetic Models for Glucosamine Production by Acid Hydrolysis of Chitin in Five Mushrooms
Authors: Zhang Pin , Sutheerawattananonda Manote
Published: January 2020

In this paper, glucosamine was produced by acid hydrolysis of five mushrooms. The glucosamine yields were investigated, and the optimum conditions were obtained as follows: acid type, sulfuric acid; acid concentration, 6 M; ratio of raw material to acid volume, 1 : 10; hydrolysis temperature, 100°C; and time, 6 h. Under these conditions, the glucosamine conversion from chitin content reached up to 92%. The results of hydrolysis kinetics indicated that hydrolysis of five mushrooms to glucosamine followed zero-order kinetics. Moreover, the relatively low activation energy for hydrolysis of straw mushroom (18.31 kJ/mol) and the highest glucosamine yield (56.8132 ± 3.5748 mg/g DM, 0.9824 g/g chitin) indicated that hydrolysis of straw mushroom was energy-saving. Thus, sulfuric acid hydrolysis of straw mushroom for glucosamine production should be considered as an efficient process for the future industrial application. However, further study is needed for glucosamine purification.
Investigation on Deicing Property of Steel Wool Fiber‐Reinforced Asphalt Mixture by Induction Heating
Authors: Yang Fa , Li Kehong , Xiong Rui , Guan Bowen , Zhao Hua
Published: January 2020

In order to effectively solve the traffic safety problem caused by snow and ice covering the pavement in winter, steel wool fibers with different length and content were adopted in asphalt mixture to investigate its deicing performance. The deicing principle of steel wool fiber asphalt mixture by induction heating was expounded. Effects of different ice thicknesses, output currents, and ambient temperatures for asphalt mixture deicing performance were studied using an indoor‐simulated induction heating deicing test. The deicing mechanism of steel wool fiber asphalt mixture by induction heating was analyzed. Grey relation entropy analysis between the average melting ice rate and the influencing factors was determined. The results show that the average ice melting rate of the asphalt mixture increases with the increase in steel wool fiber length and content. The steel wool fiber asphalt mixture heated by electromagnetic induction obtains satisfactory result. The average melting ice rate of asphalt mixture containing 6% steel wool fiber with a length of 3 mm can reach 0.50°C·s−1 at an ambient temperature of −5°C. The thinner the ice and the higher the ambient temperature, the higher the average melting ice rate. The output current is positively correlated with the average melting ice rate. The degree of influence of the five influence factors on the average melting ice rate is ranked in order as follows: fiber content, fiber length, output current, ambient temperature, and ice layer thickness.
Essential Oils of Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf) Induces Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest in A549 Lung Cancer Cells
Authors: Trang Duong Thu , Hoang Thi Kim Van , Nguyen Thi Thu Minh , Van Cuong Pham , Dang Nguyen Hai , Dang Hong Duyen , Nguyen Quang Trung , Dat Nguyen Tien
Published: January 2020

Essential oils were extracted from the culm and leaf of Cymbopogon citratus collected from different regions of Vietnam and analyzed using GC/MS. The results showed that citral is the major component accounting for 61.20%–76.46% of the essential oils. The citral content was higher in the essential oil obtained from the leaf than in that from the culm of lemongrass in all regions. In particular, camphene, valerianol, and epi‐α‐muurolol can be used to differentiate essential oils originating from leaves versus culms. The cytotoxic effects of the essential oils on various lung cancer cell lines were evaluated in the present study. All essential oils exhibited cytotoxicity in the tested cells. The Ha Loc leaf essential oil (HLL) exhibited the most potent effects on A549 and H1975 cells, with IC50 values of 1.73 ± 0.37 and 4.01 ± 0.30 μg/mL, respectively. The Hy Cuong leaf essential oil (HCL) showed the strongest effect on H1299 cells, with an IC50 value of 2.45 ± 0.21 μg/mL. The Kim Duc culm (KDC) essential oil exerted the strongest cytotoxic effects against H1650 cells, with an IC50 value of 4.86 ± 0.29 μg/mL. The HLL induced apoptosis and cycle arrest in A549 cells according to flow cytometric analysis and fluorescent nuclear staining assays. The western blot analysis indicated that HLL induced the apoptotic effect by altering the regulating proteins of the apoptosis process such as caspase‐3, Bcl‐2, and Bax. The data strongly suggested that the intrinsic pathway may play an important role in the apoptotic effects of HLL.
Analysis of Spinopelvic Sagittal Balance and Persistent Low Back Pain (PLBP) for Degenerative Spondylolisthesis (DS) following Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (PLIF)
Authors: He Shuangjun , Zhang Yijian , Ji Wei , Liu Hao , He Fan , Chen Angela , Yang Huilin , Pi Bin
Published: January 2020

Objective. To investigate the change of spinopelvic sagittal balance and clinical outcomes after posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS), especially the relationship between sagittal spinopelvic parameters and persistent low back pain (PLBP). Methods. 107 patients who were diagnosed with DS and underwent PLIF in our department were enrolled retrospectively in the present study. Sagittal spinopelvic parameters including lumbar lordosis (LL), segmental lordosis (SL), height of the disc (HOD), sacral slope (SS), pelvic incidence (PI), and pelvic tilt (PT) were recorded pre- and postoperatively. Sagittal balance and clinical outcomes were compared between patients with and without PLBP. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the change of sagittal balance parameters and clinical functions. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the risk factors of PLBP. Results. It showed significant improvements of SL, HOD, and PT postoperatively. Both the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) had significant improvement postoperatively. Change of PT and SL also differed observably between patients with and without PLBP. SL and PT were correlated with NRS and ODI, and insufficient restoration of PT was an independent factor for PLBP. Conclusion. The sagittal balance parameters and clinical outcomes can be improved markedly via PLIF for treating DS. Restoration of SL and PT was correlated with satisfactory outcomes, and adequate improvement of PT may have positive impact on reducing PLBP.
Characterization of Phenolic Constituents from Prunus cerasifera Ldb Leaves
Authors: Liu Wei , Nisar Muhammad Farrukh , Wan Chunpeng
Published: January 2020

To elucidate the chemical compositions of Prunus cerasifera Ldb leaves, the methanol extracts were firstly fractionated by ethyl acetate and n-butanol, respectively. The phenolic acid-rich fractions (ethyl acetate extracts) were further isolated by various chromatographic columns (CC) including MCI macroporous resin, normal-phase silica gel, Sephadex gel LH-20, octadecyl silane (ODS), and preparative HPLC to yield the phenolic compounds. The isolated compounds were analyzed by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), 13C-NMR, and electrospray ionization mass spectral (ESI-MS) spectroscopy. Eleven phenolic acids were identified as p-coumaric acid (1), caffeic acid (2), ferulic acid (3), chlorogenic acid (4), 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid (5), 5-O-coumaroylquinic acid (6), 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid methyl ester (7), chlorogenic acid methyl ester (8), 3-O-caffeoyl-5-O-coumaroylquinic acid or 3-O-coumaroyl-5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (9), gallic acid (10), and protocatechuic acid (11). The current study pioneers to identify and report all the phenolic constituents from P. cerasifera Ldb leaves.
Colorimetric Detection Based on Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Optical Characteristics for Sensing of Mercury Using Green-Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles
Authors: Alzahrani Eman
Published: January 2020

Development of selective colorimetric detectors that can use green-fabricated silver nanoparticles’ (AgNPs) with localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) to rapidly, simply, and selectively detect HgII ions was undertaken in this study. Onion extract was used for synthesising photo-induced green crystalline silver nanoparticles (NPs). The formation of nanoparticles is enhanced when ultrasound irradiation is present; bioligands could serve as stabilizing and reducing agents. Different methods of measurement, including UV-Vis, TEM,SEM/EDAX,FT−IR, and XRD, are effective for characterization of nanoparticles. The spherical nature of green-fabricated AgNPs is confirmed by TEM. High-density, spherical, and uniformly formed silver nanoparticle shapes were found in silver nanoparticle SEM images. The arrangement of AgNPs in the form of face-centered cubic structures was confirmed by XRD patterns. The formation of impurity-free AgNPs was confirmed using the EDAX analysis results. Hg2+ with excellent sensitivity was sensitively and selectively detected by employing green-synthesized silver nanoparticles. The reduction of Ag (1) to Ag (0) was confirmed by a slight increase in Hg (II) concentration and progressive reduction of green-synthesized AgNPs, whose absorbance changed abruptly. The reduction of LSPRs by the phosphate buffer medium enables AgNPs to sensitively and selectively detect Hg2+ ions by providing good environment. Besides, a selective, sensitive, simple, and rapid method that is proposed for detecting Hg (II) ions in samples of water is presented in the study. Harmful mercury ions in real samples of water (tap and ground water) can colorimetrically and selectively be detected using the AgNPs. The results showed an RSD of below 6% and over 92% of good recovery.
Dynamics of Changes in Isometric Strength and Muscle Imbalance in the Treatment of Women with Low back Pain
Authors: Wilczyński Jacek , Kasprzak Alicja
Published: January 2020

The aim of the study was to evaluate the dynamics of isometric changes in strength and muscular lumbar‐pelvic imbalances in the treatment of women with low back pain. Forty‐one women, nineteen in the study group (A) and twenty‐two in the control group (B), participated in the study. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed to assess the degree of degenerative changes in the lumbar spine. The diagnosis of isometric muscle strength and their imbalances was performed with the Tergumed 700 device. After six weeks of therapy in the study group (A), there was a significant improvement in the strength of all the examined muscle groups. However, in the control group (B), significant improvement occurred only in the strength of the lumbar flexor muscles and the flexor muscles on the left side. Furthermore, there was a significant intensification of the imbalance of left flexor muscle strength compared to right flexor strength in group B. Significant differences in favour of the study group (A) concerned the strength of the rotator muscles to the left, the strength of the extensor muscles of the lumbar spine, the strength of the flexors of the lumbar spine to the right, and the balance of the strength of the lumbar spine flexors to the left compared to the strength of the flexor muscles to the right. Therapy with the Tergumed 700 system leads to an increase in the muscle strength of the lumbar and pelvic complex, compensating for its imbalance, bringing beneficial effects in the treatment of low back pain.
Tetrahydroxystilbene Glucoside Ameliorates Infrasound-Induced Central Nervous System (CNS) Injury by Improving Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Capacity
Authors: Zhou Xuanxuan , Yang Qian , Song Fan , Bi Linlin , Yuan Jiani , Guan Shaoyu , Yang Qi , Wang Siwang
Published: January 2020

Background. Infrasound is a major threat to global health by causing injuries of the central nervous system (CNS). However, there remains no effective therapeutic agent for preventing infrasound-caused CNS injury. 2,3,5,4′-Tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glycoside (THSG) exerts protective function against CNS injuries and may have beneficial effects on infrasound-induced CNS impairment.Methods. A mouse model with CNS (oxidative stress-induced inflammation and neuronal apoptosis) injuries was established when the mouse was exposed to the infrasound of 16 Hz at 130 dB for 2 h each day and the duration of treatment was 8 d. The mice were divided into the control (CG, healthy mice), the model (MG, model mice), and the THSG (EG, experimental group, model mice treated with THSG) groups. The learning and memory impairments caused by infrasound were examined using a Morris water maze test. Lipid profiles, antioxidant biomarkers, and inflammatory cytokines in hippocampus tissue were measured by using corresponding ELISA kits. Meanwhile, BCL-2/BAX/caspase-3 signaling pathway was measured in the hippocampi and prefrontal cortex of the mouse brain using real-time qPCR and Western blot. Nissl’s stain was used to measure neuronal necrosis in the hippocampi and prefrontal cortex of the mouse brain.Results. THSG significantly ameliorated the learning and memory impairments caused by infrasound. On the other hand, THSG improved lipid profiles, increased antioxidant properties by affecting the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA), and displayed anti-inflammatory action via the downregulation of IL- (interleukin-) 6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF- (tumor necrosis factor-)α, and hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) in the hippocampal tissues of the mouse model (P<0.05). Additionally, Nissl’s stain showed that THSG inhibited infrasound-induced neuronal necrosis in the hippocampi and prefrontal cortex. Besides, THSG exerted antiapoptosis function by upregulating the level of Bcl-2 and downregulating the levels of BAX and caspase-3 in the hippocampi.Conclusion. THSG may be an effective anti-infrasound drug against CNS injury by improving antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptosis, and antinecrosis capacities. Further research is still needed to confirm the exact molecular mechanism.
Improvement of Nutritional Status among Tuberculosis Patients by Channa striata Supplementation: A True Experimental Study in Indonesia
Authors: Ma’rufi Isa , Ali Khaidar , Jati Sigit Kusuma , Sukmawati Anik , Ardiansyah Kurnia , Ningtyias Farida Wahyu
Published: January 2020

Objective. To analyze the effect of Channa striata supplementation on body mass index among tuberculosis patients, in which their health status is also investigated. Methods. This study employed a true experiment. The study was designed randomized pretest‐posttest with a control group, in which 200 respondents were enrolled. Body mass index (BMI), used as a nutritional status indicator, was measured every week for a month. Chi‐square test was used to analyze the data with a significance level of 5% by STATA 13. Results. The mean BMI of all groups increases during the month, in which rapid alteration occurs in the treatment group. The mean BMI (kg/m2) in the treatment group at weeks 0–4 was reported to be 17.43, 17.65, 17.90, 18.04, and 18.22, respectively. Meanwhile, the mean BMI (kg/m2) at weeks 0–4 in the control group was reported to be 17.20, 17.36, 17.57, 17.71, and 17.96, respectively. Furthermore, the alteration from severe thinness to higher BMI level in the treatment group is the highest. Based on the statistical test, there were no differences in BMI between the treatment and control groups (p > 0.05). However, the alteration of nutritional status in the treatment group is faster than that in the control group. In addition, there is no difference in their health status between the treatment and control groups (p > 0.05), except vomiting (p < 0.05). Conclusion. The BMI among tuberculosis patients with Channa striata supplementation is increasing faster than that in the control group within a month with a minimum potential negative effect.
How Have Intravitreal Anti‐VEGF and Dexamethasone Implant Been Used in Italy? A Multiregional, Population‐Based Study in the Years 2010–2016
Authors: Scondotto Giulia , Sultana Janet , Ientile Valentina , Ingrasciotta Ylenia , Fontana Andrea , Copetti Massimiliano , Mirabelli Eliana , Trombetta Costantino J. , Rapisarda Carlo , Reibaldi Michele , Avitabile Teresio , Longo Antonio , Toro Patricia Ibanez , Vadalà Maria , Cillino Salvatore , Virgili Gianni , Gini Rosa , Leoni Olivia , Pollina Addario Sebastiano Walter , Cananzi Pasquale , La Cavera Claudia , Puzo Maria Rosalia , De Sarro Giovambattista , De Francesco Adele , Trifirò Gianluca
Published: January 2020

Purpose. To describe intravitreal anti‐VEGF drug and dexamethasone use in four Italian regions. Methods. Four regional claims databases were used to measure drug prevalence, compare dosing intervals to those recommended in the summary of product characteristics (SPC), and identify switchers. Bilateral treatment and diabetic macular edema (DME) coding algorithms were validated, linking claims with a sample of prospectively collected ophthalmological data. Results. Overall, 41,836 patients received ≥1 study drug in 2010–2016 (4.8 per 10,000 persons). In 2016, anti‐VEGF drug use ranged from 0.8 (Basilicata) to 5.7 (Lombardy) per 10,000 persons while intravitreal dexamethasone use ranged from 0.2 (Basilicata) to 1.4 (Lombardy) per 10,000 persons. Overall, 40,815 persons were incident users of study drugs. Among incident users with ≥1 year of follow‐up (N = 30,745), 16.0% (N = 4,890) had only one pharmacy claim, especially for ranibizumab (60.9%). Switching occurred in 8.0% of users with ≥2 pharmacy claims (N = 33,637). The algorithms had an accuracy of 83.8 (95% CI: 79.7–87.3) concerning bilateral treatment and 72.3% (95% CI: 67.5–76.8) for DME. Conclusion. Study drug use increased over time in Lombardy, Basilicata, Calabria, and Sicily, despite a large heterogeneity in prevalence of use across regions. Drug treatment appeared to be partly in line with SPC, suggesting that improvement in clinical practice may be needed to maximize drug benefits.
Fluctuation Characteristic Test of Oblique Stress Waves in Infilled Jointed Rock and Study of the Analytic Method
Authors: Yu Jin , Liu Zehan , He Ze , Zhou Xianqi , Ye Jinbi
Published: January 2020

The propagation of stress waves in filled jointed rocks involves two important influencing factors: transmission‐reflection phenomena and energy attenuation. In this paper, the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) test is used to shock the filled rock with joint angles of 0, 30, and 45° and the thickness of 4 mm and 10 mm, respectively, in three different velocities. The wave curves of the incident wave, reflected wave, and transmission are obtained. The effects of the filling angle and joint thickness on wave propagation are analyzed. Based on the propagation characteristics of stress waves in joints, the stress expression of oblique incident stress waves propagating in filling joints is derived, and the energy coefficient of transmission and reflection is calculated. The results show that the propagation of stress wave in filling joints is related to the impact rate. The larger the impact rate is, the larger the maximum voltage amplitude of the three waves is. And the increasing amplitude of the incident and reflected waves is larger than the transmitted wave; the greater the impact velocity is, the smaller the stress‐strain curve gap of the three dip joints is, and the fracture strength of the specimen decreases with the increase of the joint dip angle. The larger the joint dip angle is, the smaller the deformation of the rock‐like specimen is. The change of the transmission coefficient is related to the joint angle, and the larger joint angle weakens the influence of the joint width on the transmission of the transmitted wave; under each impact velocity, the theoretical and experimental stress peaks are approximately the same, and the transmission coefficient maintains a good consistency with the oblique incident angle.
Experimental Study and Damage Model Study of Rock Salt Subjected to Cyclic Loading and Cyclic Creep
Authors: Zhao Baoyun , Huang Tianzhu , Dongyan Liu , Liu Dongsheng , Liu Yang , Wang Xiaoping
Published: January 2020

Due to the gas injection and production of underground salt caves during the operational phase, rock salt is often subjected to a combined stress of cyclic pressure and constant pressure. In order to investigate the damage evolution of rock salt under different combined stresses, the uniaxial cyclic loading test and cyclic creep test were carried out. The stress‐strain curves, energy characteristics, energy dissipation, and damage of rock salt in the two experiments were analyzed and compared. The test results show that the stress‐strain curves of the two tests presented three stages of “sparse”‐“dense”‐“sparse.” As the maximum stress increases, the stage of “dense” will decrease and the rock salt cycle life will decrease. The relationship between cycle life and Δσ (difference between maximum and minimum stress in the tests) is an exponential function under cyclic loading and a linear relationship under cyclic creep. Based on the experimental data, the energy dissipation of rock salt is analyzed. The damage variables were defined from the perspective of energy dissipation, and the damage evolution of rock salt under two tests was obtained. There are three corresponding stages of energy dissipation and damage: initial, constant speed, and acceleration. The damage model is obtained by inverse functioning the s function, and then the correction coefficient is added to the model to obtain the modified damage model. The modified damage model is compared with the experimental data. The results show that the model can accurately describe the three stages of rock salt damage. The significance of parameters in the modifying damage model is also discussed.
Method for Determining the Valid Travel Route of Railways Based on Generalised Cost under the Syncretic Railway Network
Authors: Tian Zhiqiang , Sun Guofeng , Chen Dingjun , Qiu Zhicheng , Ma Yawen
Published: January 2020

Travel route options for passengers can provide data support for railway line planning, passenger flow organisation, and train operation establishment. A critical review of the literature indicates that previous studies mainly focused on choices offered by a single railway network path without much consideration of China’s normal-speed and high-speed integrated railway network and the effect of train timetable on passengers’ travel choice. In this study, a method based on generalised cost is proposed to discover the valid routes of passenger travel in the integrated network of China’s normal-speed and high-speed railways. After quantifying the effects of train fare, travel time, transfer, travel convenience, comfort, and other factors on the generalised expenses of passengers, this study presents a generalised cost determination method when individuals select an option from different seats of different trains of specific railway transport products. Theoretically, the valid routes considering the train schedule is defined, and a valid route search algorithm is designed using the deep traversal idea in a new valid route searching network. Considering the Lanzhou-Beijing passenger travel routes as an example, this study verifies the practicability of the generalised cost calculation method, as well as that of the valid routes search method.
Online Path Generation and Navigation for Swarms of UAVs
Authors: Ashraf Adnan , Majd Amin , Troubitsyna Elena
Published: January 2020

With the growing popularity of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for consumer applications, the number of accidents involving UAVs is also increasing rapidly. Therefore, motion safety of UAVs has become a prime concern for UAV operators. For a swarm of UAVs, a safe operation cannot be guaranteed without preventing the UAVs from colliding with one another and with static and dynamically appearing, moving obstacles in the flying zone. In this paper, we present an online, collision-free path generation and navigation system for swarms of UAVs. The proposed system uses geographical locations of the UAVs and of the successfully detected, static, and moving obstacles to predict and avoid the following: (1) UAV-to-UAV collisions, (2) UAV-to-static-obstacle collisions, and (3) UAV-to-moving-obstacle collisions. Our collision prediction approach leverages efficient runtime monitoring and complex event processing (CEP) to make timely predictions. A distinctive feature of the proposed system is its ability to foresee potential collisions and proactively find best ways to avoid predicted collisions in order to ensure safety of the entire swarm. We also present a simulation-based implementation of the proposed system along with an experimental evaluation involving a series of experiments and compare our results with the results of four existing approaches. The results show that the proposed system successfully predicts and avoids all three kinds of collisions in an online manner. Moreover, it generates safe and efficient UAV routes, efficiently scales to large-sized problem instances, and is suitable for cluttered flying zones and for scenarios involving high risks of UAV collisions.
Preoperative Evaluation of V-Y Flap Design Based on Computer-Aided Analysis
Authors: Yang Zong-Lin , Peng Yu-Hui , Yang Cheng , Cheng Bo , Ji Ming-Kai , Zhao Yan
Published: January 2020

V-Y flap is widely used in plastic surgery as an important technique for reconstructing deformities and improving appearance. In this paper, a geometrical parameter model and finite element analysis were used to study the rationale of the proposed V-Y flap design and the preoperative evaluation of the V-Y flap design. First, a geometric parameter model of the V-Y flap was established to analyze the five key geometric relationships affecting the flap structure and obtain a reasonable plan for the V-Y flap design through the crossing constraint relationship. Second, in order to verify the effectiveness of the V-Y flap design, the suture and release states of the V-Y flap during surgery were evaluated based on a simulation model of the V-Y flap generated by finite element analysis software. The results revealed that the approach proposed in this paper provides a feasible method for clinical V-Y flap design.
Optimized CyberKnife Lung Treatment: Effect of Fractionated Tracking Volume Change on Tracking Results
Authors: Li Guo-quan , Wang Ye , Qiu Meng-jun , Yang Jing , Peng Zhen-jun , Zhang Sheng , Fang Xiefan , Yang Sheng-li
Published: January 2020

Objectives. To explore the impact of volume change in the fractionated tracking of stereotactic radiotherapy on the results of synchronous, respiratory tracking algorithm using CyberKnife. Methods. A total of 38 lung tumor patients receiving stereotactic radiotherapy at our center from March 2018 to October 2019 were counted. Photoshop CS4 image processing software was used to obtain the pixels and the average value of brightness of the tracking volume in the image and calculate the grayscale within the contour of the tracking volume on the real-time X-ray image. At the same time, parameters of the synchronous respiratory tracking algorithm of the fractional CyberKnife were extracted for comparison between the volume of image-guided image tracking and the number of fractions during stereotactic radiotherapy. We also analyzed the relationship between fraction tumor location and characteristics and the calculated results of synchronous respiratory tracking by CyberKnife. Results. There were no significant differences between the first four fractions (p>0.05) for left lung lesions and no significant differences between the first five fractions for right lung lesions (p≥0.05). For peripheral lung cancer, longer fractional treatment led to greater variation in grayscale (G-A: >4 fractions p<0.05), while for central lung cancer, longer fractional treatment led to greater variation in parameters of the synchronous respiratory tracking algorithm (Uncertainty A and Uncertainty B: >4 fractions p<0.05). There was a significant correlation between radiotherapy-graded tumor density and relevant parameters, and the correlation was strong (>0.7, p<0.05). Conclusion. With the increase of treatment fractions, the gray value in the patient tracking volume decreased. Patients of >4 fractions were advised to reevaluate with simulated CT and replan. For tumors with small diameter and low density, the imaging changes of volume should be closely followed during treatment. For left lung and central lung cancer, carefully select the synchronous tracking treatment with 2-view.
Volumetric Properties in the NaAsO2 + H2O System at Temperature from 283.15 to 363.15 K and Atmospheric Pressure
Authors: Hou Hongfang , Cui Wanjing , Chen Jiaojiao , Meng Lingzong , Guo Yafei , Deng Tianlong
Published: January 2020

Densities of sodium arsenite (NaAsO2) aqueous solution with the molality varied from 0.19570 to 1.94236 mol·kg−1 at temperature intervals of 5 K from 283.15 to 363.15 K and 101 ± 5 kPa were measured by a precise Anton Paar Digital vibrating-tube densimeter. Apparent molar volumes (VΦ) and thermal expansion coefficient (α) were obtained on the basis of experimental data. The 3D diagram of apparent molar volume against temperature and molality and the diagram of thermal expansion coefficient against molality were generated. According to the Pitzer ion-interaction equation of the apparent molar volume model, the Pitzer single-salt parameters (βM,X0υ, βM,X1υ, βM,X2υ, and CM,Xυ, MX = NaAsO2) and their temperature-dependent correlation F(i, p, T) = a1 + a2ln (T/298.15) + a3(T − 298.15) + a4/(620 − T) + a5/(T − 227) (where T is temperature in Kelvin and ai are the correlation coefficients) for NaAsO2 were obtained for the first time. The predictive apparent molar volumes agree well with the experimental values, and those results indicated that the single-salt parameters and the temperature-dependent formula are reliable.
Characteristics and Outcome of AKT1E17K-Mutant Breast Cancer Defined through AACR Project GENIE, a Clinicogenomic Registry
Authors: Smyth Lillian M. , Zhou Qin , Nguyen Bastien , Yu Celeste , Lepisto Eva M. , Arnedos Monica , Hasset Michael J. , Lenoue-Newton Michele L. , Blauvelt Natalie , Dogan Semih , Micheel Christine M. , Wathoo Chetna , Horlings Hugo , Hudecek Jan , Gross Benjamin E. , Kundra Ritika , Sweeney Shawn M. , Gao JianJiong , Schultz Nikolaus , Zarski Andrew , Gardos Stuart M. , Lee Jocelyn , Sheffler-Collins Seth , Park Ben H. , Sawyers Charles L. , André Fabrice , Levy Mia , Meric-Bernstam Funda , Bedard Philippe L. , Iasonos Alexia , Schrag Deborah , Hyman David M.
Published: January 2020

AKT inhibitors have promising activity in AKT1E17K-mutant estrogen receptor (ER)–positive metastatic breast cancer, but the natural history of this rare genomic subtype remains unknown. Utilizing AACR Project GENIE, an international clinicogenomic data-sharing consortium, we conducted a comparative analysis of clinical outcomes of patients with matched AKT1E17K-mutant (n = 153) and AKT1–wild-type (n = 302) metastatic breast cancer. AKT1-mutant cases had similar adjusted overall survival (OS) compared with AKT1–wild-type controls (median OS, 24.1 vs. 29.9, respectively; P = 0.98). AKT1-mutant cases enjoyed longer durations on mTOR inhibitor therapy, an observation previously unrecognized in pivotal clinical trials due to the rarity of this alteration. Other baseline clinicopathologic features, as well as durations on other classes of therapy, were broadly similar. In summary, we demonstrate the feasibility of using a novel and publicly accessible clincogenomic registry to define outcomes in a rare genomically defined cancer subtype, an approach with broad applicability to precision oncology.

Significance:

We delineate the natural history of a rare genomically distinct cancer, AKT1E17K-mutant ER-positive breast cancer, using a publicly accessible registry of real-world patient data, thereby illustrating the potential to inform drug registration through synthetic control data.

See related commentary by Castellanos and Baxi, p. 490.
Performance enhancements of DFIG wind turbine using fuzzy-feedback linearization controller augmented by high-gain observer
Authors: Boureguig Kada , Mansouri Abdellah , Chouya Ahmed
Published: January 2020

This paper proposes a feedback linearization control of doubly fed induction generator based wind energy systems for improving decoupled control of the active and reactive powers stator. In order to enhance dynamic performance of the controller studied, the adopted control is reinforced by a fuzzy logic controller. This approach is designed without any model of rotor flux estimation. The difficulty of measuring of rotor flux is overcome by using high gain observer. The stability of the nonlinear observer is proved by the Lyapunov theory. Numerical simulations using MATLAB-SIMULINK shown clearly the robustness of the proposed control, particularly to the disturbance rejection and parametric variations compared with the conventional method.
Design and implementation speed control system of DC Motor based on PID control and matlab simulink
Authors: Hammoodi Salman Jasim , Flayyih Kareem Sayegh , Hamad Ahmed Refaat
Published: January 2020

In this paper, we first write a description of the operation of DC motors taking into account which parameters the speed depends on thereof. The PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) controllers are then briefly described, and then applied to the motor speed control already described , that is, as an electronic controller (PID), which is often referred to as a DC motor. The closed loop speed control of a Brush DC motor is developed applying the well-known PID control algorithm. The objective of this work is to designed and simulate a new control system to keep the speed of the DC motor constant before variations of the load (disturbances), automatically depending to the PID controller. The system was designed and implementation by using MATLAB/SIMULINK and  DC motor.
The fuzzy-PID based-pitch angle controller for small-scale wind turbine
Authors: Ngo Quang-Vi , Yi Chai , Nguyen Trong-Thang
Published: January 2020

This paper aims to design the pitch angle control based on proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller combined with fuzzy logic for small-scale wind turbine systems. In this control system, the pitch angle is controlled by the PID controller with their parameter is tuned by the fuzzy logic controller. This control system can compensate for the nonlinear characteristic of the pitch angle and wind speed. A comparison between the fuzzy-PID-controller with the conventional PID controller is carried out. The effectiveness of the method is determined by the simulation results of a small wind turbine using a permanent magnet generator (PMSG).