bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Finite time synchronization diffusion of uncertain networks with the switching topology
Authors: Zou Chengye , Wang Xingyuan , Li Haifeng
Published: January 2021

The finite time synchronization diffusion of uncertain networks with the switching topology is investigated in this paper. Spatiotemporal chaotic systems as nodes to construct the network, and the topology of network can jump from one construction to another to meet the actual demand. It is not like ordinary synchronization of network, our method can realize synchronization diffusion originated from boundary conditions, and the diffusion step can be determined by Taylor expand. The parameters are identified through proposed scheme against parameter uncertainties of system in practice. Numerical simulations are utilized to demonstrate the correctness and effectiveness of the finite time synchronization diffusion criteria. In the section of analysis and discussion, we have analyzed the impact of synchronization diffusion step and controller on the synchronization diffusion time.
Tracking of Wearable IoT Devices Through WAP Using Intelligent Rule-Based Location Aware Approach
Authors: Sai Ramesh L. , Sundar S. Shyam , Selvakumar K. , Sabena S.
Published: January 2021

Usage of the internet is increasing in the daily life of humans due to the need for speedy task completion for their daily services. Most of the living time is spent in some indoor environment which provides WiFi which is the basic need of internet connectivity using Wireless Access Points (WAP). Nowadays, most of the devices are IoT-based ones, which connect with the outer world through the access points in the existing environment. The wearable IoT devices may be misplaced somewhere and we need a specific scenario which helps to identify the misplaced mobile devices based on access points where they are connected by their unique identity such as MAC address. Most of the time, unrestricted WiFi access provided in the public environment is used by the end-user. In that scenario, the tracking of misplaced mobile devices is creating an issue when the WiFi is in switch-off mode. This paper proposes a technique for tracking a mobile device by using a location-aware approach with KNN and intelligent rules by tracking the channel accessed by the user to find the misplaced path by examining the device connected WAP positions.
Hypersurfaces in a conformally flat space
Authors: Eyasmin Sabina
Published: January 2021

The hypersurface of a space is one of the most important objects in a space. Many authors studied the various geometric aspects of hypersurfaces in a space form. The notion of conformal flatness is one of the most primitive concepts in differential geometry. Again, conformally flat space is a proper generalization of a space form. In this paper, we study the geometry of hypersurfaces in a conformally flat manifold. Then we have investigated some sufficient conditions imposed on the shape operator for which the hypersurface satisfies various pseudosymmetric-type conditions imposed on its conformal curvature tensor.
如何转危为机
Authors: 王 思萌 , 陈 柙兵 , 雷 丹宇
Published: January 2021

本文以法国华商为例，在回顾其形成与发展百年历史的基础上，阐述新冠疫情对法国华商商业形态的影响及其经营模式的重组，以及这些来自不同社会历史背景、不同行业的法国华商如何一步步面对“封城”、“解封”、“复工”等新形势并化解危机，以实现企业及商业模式的转型。笔者针对五个不同行业的法国华商（进出口、食品超市、餐饮业、酒店业、烟草业）进行了结合定性与定量方法的实证研究。研究结果和个案分析表明，新冠疫情加快了法国华商从传统走向现代，从边缘经济转向融入主流经济的转型。部分法国华商早在疫情来临前已经做到或部分做到“线上与线下共营”、“雇工多元化”、“关注并巧妙抓住住在国政策导向”的商业转型，这帮助他们较大程度上降低了疫情的冲击。与此同时，新冠疫情也为华商带来了两个前所未有的新机遇：“本地生产”和“寻求低风险行业”或将成为未来华商经济的新趋势。在疫情和后疫情时代，需要跳出纯经济理性的框架，在住在国华人移民的新趋势以及他们跨文化、跨体制、跨思维和跨界的社会参与框架中去考察华商的商业转型。
新冠疫情与海外华人身份认同的重构
Authors: 范 昕
Published: January 2021

2019新冠疫情对世界各国的经济、政治和社会产生重要影响。新加坡是高度外向型经济体，面对疫情冲击，新加坡政府采取“强计划性和控制性”抗疫策略，以“外松内紧”的防控体系来应对疫情并保护经济和巩固新加坡人劳动力队伍。作为除中国外唯一一个以华族为主的国家，新加坡华人的身份认同呈现出多元、复杂和变化的特征。政府通过保护公民权益和促进就业的措施增强国民的认同感，对研究后疫情时代海外华人身份认同的变迁，新加坡的个案具有参考价值。
Load balancing in cloud environs: Optimal task scheduling via hybrid algorithm
Authors: Deshmukh Shashikant Raghunathrao , Yadav S. K. , Kyatanvar D. N.
Published: January 2021

In cloud computing, a lot of challenges like the server failures, loss of confidentiality, improper workloads, etc. are still bounding the efficiency of cloud systems in real-world scenarios. For this reason, many research works are being performed to overcome the shortcoming of existing systems. Among them, load balancing seems to be the most critical issue that worsen the performance of the cloud sector, and hence there necessitates the optimal load balancing with optimal task scheduling. With the intention of accomplishing optimal load balancing by effectual task deployment, this paper plans to develop an advanced load balancing model with the assistance acquired from the metaheuristic algorithms. Usually, handling of tasks in cloud system is an NP-hard problem and moreover, nonpreemptive independent tasks are crucial in cloud computing. This paper goes with the introduction of a new optimal load balancing model by considering three major objectives: minimum makespan, priority, and load balancing, respectively. Moreover, a new single-objective function is also defined that incorporates all the three objectives mentioned above. Furthermore, the deployment of tasks must be optimal and for this a new hybrid optimization algorithm referred as Firefly Movement insisted WOA (FM-WOA) is introduced. This FM-WOA is the conceptual amalgamation of standard Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) and Firefly (FF) algorithm. Finally, the performances of the proposed FM-WOA model is compared over the conventional models with the intention of proving its efficiency in terms of makespan, task completion (priority), and degree of imbalance as well.
Enabling User-centered Privacy Controls for Mobile Applications
Authors: Sharma Tanusree , Dyer Hunter A. , Bashir Masooda.
Published: January 2021

Mobile apps have transformed many aspects of clinical practice and are becoming a commonplace in healthcare settings. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has provided the opportunity for such apps to play an important role in reducing the spread of the virus. Several types of COVID-19 apps have enabled healthcare professionals and governments to communicate with the public regarding the pandemic spread, coronavirus awareness, and self-quarantine measures. While these apps provide immense benefits for the containment of the spread, privacy and security of these digital tracing apps are at the center of public debate. To address this gap, we conducted an online survey of a midwestern region in the United State to assess people’s attitudes toward such apps and to examine their privacy and security concerns and preferences. Survey results from 1,550 participants indicate that privacy/security protections and trust play a vital role in people’s adoption of such apps. Furthermore, results reflect users’ preferences wanting to have control over their personal information and transparency on how their data is handled. In addition, personal data protection priorities selected by the participants were surprising and yet revealing of the disconnect between technologists and users. In this article, we present our detailed survey results as well as design guidelines for app developers to develop innovative human-centered technologies that are not only functional but also respectful of social norms and protections of civil liberties. Our study examines users’ preferences for COVID-19 apps and integrates important factors of trust, willingness, and preferences in the context of app development. Through our research findings, we suggest mechanisms for designing inclusive apps’ privacy and security measures that can be put into practice for healthcare-related apps, so that timely adoption is made possible.
How Breathing Exercises Influence on Respiratory Muscles and Quality of Life among Patients with COPD? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Yun Ruisheng , Bai Yiwen , Lu Yan , Wu Xubo , Lee Shin-Da
Published: January 2021

Aim. This systematic review aimed to investigate the effect of different breathing exercises on respiratory muscle function, 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and quality of life (QoL) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods. We searched online databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Ovid for randomized controlled trials that assessed the efficacy of breathing exercises on patients with COPD. Patient outcome parameters included changes in respiratory muscle function, 6MWT, and QoL. The Cochrane Collaboration tool was used to assess the risk of bias for each included study. Subgroup analyses concerning different interventions and outcome measurements were conducted as necessary. PROSPERO registration number is CRD42018118367. Results. A total of 17 studies were included for final analysis. Meta-analysis based on the relevant studies showed that breathing exercises had a significant total effect on pulmonary function PImax (mean difference (MD) = 8.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.13–14.16,

P
=
0.002

), as well as 6MWT (MD = 27.70, 95% CI 5.45–49.94,

P
=
0.01

) in patients with COPD. Conclusions. This systematic review summarized the use of breathing exercises for treating patients with COPD. Breathing exercises were found to be an effective tool for treating patients with COPD by improving inspiratory muscle strength and 6MWT. However, breathing exercises showed no significant improvements on the QoL of patients with COPD.
Psychometric Properties of the Thai Version Psychological Well-Being Scale and the Factors Related to among Thai Patients with Major Depressive Disorder
Authors: Sakunpong Nanchatsan , Ritkumrop Kwanjai
Published: January 2021

Background. The assessment to provide care and support to patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) currently focuses on the recovery from the disease, but it is still lacking in measuring and developing psychological well-being among Thai patients with MDD. Therefore, this research is aimed at studying the psychometric properties of the Thai version psychological well-being scale and study factors related to among patients with MDD. Materials and Methods. The Thai version psychological well-being scale, an 8-point Likert-type scale, was translated by our research team and used to examine psychometric properties as well as to identify the factors related to psychological well-being in a cross-sectional study among samples of 111 patients diagnosed with MDD from Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Medical Center in Nakhon Nayok Province, Thailand. Results. Cronbach’s alpha for the Thai version psychological well-being scale was .91, unidimensionality was examined with exploratory factor analysis, and the structural validity was assessed with confirmatory factor analysis. The convergent validity was found using the correlation coefficients of the Thai version psychological well-being scale with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6). However, none of the social factors were significantly correlated with Thai patients’ psychological well-being with MDD. Conclusion. The Thai version psychological well-being scale is a brief and concise scale with high reliability to evaluate Thai patients with MDD which can support and improve their well-being.
Analysis and Optimization Study of Piston in Diesel Engine Based on ABC-OED-FE Method
Authors: Jing Qi , Dong Yi , Liu Jianmin , Li Huaying , Liu Yanbin , Zhang Shaoliang
Published: January 2021

In order to increase the reliability and service life of piston in a heavy-duty diesel engine, the geometric structure of piston was optimized based on its maximum temperature and maximum coupling stress. To begin with, the boundary conditions of thermal and stress fields are calculated, which include the heat produced by the combustion in cylinder, the friction-induced heat, and the heat transferred to cooling system. Then, the finite element model was established to calculate and analyse the temperature and thermal-mechanical coupling stress fields of the piston. By combining this simulation model with orthogonal experimental design methods, computations and analyses were performed to determine how the five geometric parameters (depth of intake and exhaust valve grooves, radius of valve grooves transition, radius of top of valve grooves, height of first piston ring groove, and depth of piston ring groove) influence the two evaluation indicators (maximum temperature and maximum stress of piston). Subsequently, using the proposed ABC-OED- FE (artificial bee colony, orthogonal experiment design, and fitting equations) method, the fitting equations between the geometric parameters and evaluation indicators were determined. Taking the minimum values of two evaluation indicators of piston as optimization objectives, artificial bee colony method was run to determine the values of parameters. At last, the two evaluation indicators of the optimized piston were computed. The results indicate that, after optimization, the maximum temperature of piston decreases to be 16.05 K and the maximum stress decreases to be 13.54 MPa. Both temperature and stress conditions of the optimized piston had been improved, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the optimization and the validity of the algorithm.
Predictive Value of the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) in the Outcome of the Acute Ischemic Stroke and Its Correlation with Stroke Subtypes, NIHSS, and Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Esmael Ahmed , Elsherief Mohammed , Eltoukhy Khaled
Published: January 2021

Objectives. This study is aimed at correlating ASPECTS with mortality and morbidity in patients with acute middle cerebral artery territory infarction and at determining the cutoff value of ASPECTS that may predict the outcome. Methods. 150 patients diagnosed with acute middle cerebral artery territory infarction were involved in this study. Risk factors, initial NIHSS, and GCS were determined. An initial or follow-up noncontrast CT brain was done and assessed by ASPECTS. Outcomes were determined by mRS during the follow-up of cases after 3 months. Correlations of ASPECTS and outcome variables were done by Spearman correlation. Logistic regression analysis and ROC curve were done to detect the cutoff value of ASPECTS that predicts unfavorable outcomes. Results. The most common subtypes of ischemic strokes were lacunar stroke in 66 patients (44%), cardioembolic stroke in 39 patients (26%), and LAA stroke in 30 cases (20%). The cardioembolic stroke had a statistically significant lower ASPECT score than other types of ischemic strokes (

P
<
0.05

). Spearman correlation showed that lower ASPECTS values (worse outcome) were more in older patients and associated with lower initial GCS. ASPECTS values were inversely correlated with initial NIHSS, inpatient stay, inpatient complications, mortality, and mRS. The ASPECTS cutoff value determined for the prediction of unfavorable outcomes was equal to ≤7. The binary logistic regression analysis detected that patients with

ASPECTS
≤
7

were significantly associated with about fourfold increased risk of poor outcomes (OR 3.95, 95% CI 2.09–11.38, and

P
<
0.01

). Conclusions. ASPECTS is a valuable and appropriate technique for the evaluation of the prognosis in acute ischemic stroke. Patients with high ASPECTS values are more likely to attain favorable outcomes, and the cutoff value of ASPECTS is a strong predictor for unfavorable outcomes. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04235920.
Virtual Polar Region Method Based on the Earth’s Transverse Ellipsoid Model
Authors: Wu Feng , Shao Tianyi , Gu Cong , Fu Qiangwen , Xu Yafen
Published: January 2021

Experimental verification is very important for the research of inertial navigation and integrated navigation technology, but most researchers do not have the opportunity to conduct experiments directly in the polar regions. In order to solve the problem of inertial navigation verification in high latitude areas, a virtual polar region method based on transverse ellipsoid model is proposed. The method converts the reference information, initial state, and inertial sensor data into polar regions based on the transverse geographic coordinate system and can ensure that the attitude, velocity, and altitude information relative to the local-level frame remain unchanged. Therefore, the actual test data in the middle and low latitudes can be reconstructed accurately in the polar region without singularities, trajectory deformation, and principle errors. Simulation and vehicle tests show that the proposed method can achieve the same verification effect as the actual polar experiment.
Optimal Sensor Placement for Underground Tunnel Monitoring via Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Li Yonggang , He Bin , Wang Youming
Published: January 2021

In replace of human labor, wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are increasingly being utilized to perform structural health monitoring of underground tunnel. Due to its complex environment, the deployment of sensor nodes poses a big challenge to related staff. How to use the optimal number of sensor nodes deployed in the underground tunnel to obtain a satisfactory monitoring is our main consideration. In this paper, we propose a deployment strategy based on the optimal index to provide guidelines for sensor node placement. The objective of the strategy is to put sensor nodes in a proper site to gain maximum sensing information, thus eliminating redundant sensor nodes as well as saving costs.
Study on Soil‐Water Characteristics of Expansive Soil under the Dry‐Wet Cycle and Freeze‐Thaw Cycle considering Volumetric Strain
Authors: Niu Lisi , Zhang Aijun , Zhao Jiamin , Ren Wenyuan , Wang Yuguo , Liang Zhichao
Published: January 2021

This paper targets the expansive soils in Heilongjiang and Ankang to explore the influence of initial dry density, dry‐wet cycle, and freeze‐thaw cycle on the soil‐water characteristics. The centrifuge method was used to obtain the soil‐water characteristic curves (SWCCs) with different conditions. The volumetric strain of SWCC was modified based on the shrinkage test, and the corresponding fitting equations considering different factors were established. The results show that the volumetric water content is modified to consider the volume shrinkage effect of expansive soil, and the modification is more obvious in the high matric suction range. The smaller the initial dry density is, the worse the water‐holding capacity of the sample is, and the smaller the air intake value is. The greater the time of the dry‐wet cycle is, the greater the saturated volumetric water content of the sample is, and the corresponding water‐holding capacity is significantly reduced. When the dry‐wet cycle increases to a certain extent, the structure becomes stable. With the increase of the freeze‐thaw cycle, the saturated volumetric water content first decreases and then increases. Similarly, after several times of the freeze‐thaw cycle, the structure is basically stable. The fitted Gardner model equations under different conditions were proved to be able to describe the SWCCs of the two targeted expansive soils.
Risk Assessment of Trace Element Contamination in Drinking Water and Agricultural Soil: A Study in Selected Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology (CKDu) Endemic Areas in Sri Lanka
Authors: Perera W. P. R. T. , Dayananda M. D. N. R. , Dissanayake D. M. U. C. , Rathnasekara R. A. S. D. , Botheju W. S. M. , Liyanage J. A. , Weragoda S. K. , Kularathne K. A. M.
Published: January 2021

Unexplained or unclear etiology of chronic kidney disease (CKDu) has been reported in Sri Lanka’s North Central Province (NCP) for more than two decades. Meanwhile, high exposure to heavy metals/metalloids and their accumulation are recognized as the origin of many acute and chronic diseases in certain vulnerable human tissues including kidneys. This study evaluates the contamination status of heavy metals/metalloids of the drinking water and agricultural soil in two CKDu endemic areas compared with a reference area in Sri Lanka based on common indexes and attribute of the commonly used fertilizers evaluated to identify the basic sources of toxic metals in the agricultural soil. Mean concentrations of heavy metals/metalloids such as Mn, Co, As, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Fe in drinking water of CKDu endemic areas were far below Sri Lankan water quality standards (permissible limits). In addition, all sampling locations dropped below the medium range of the heavy metal pollution index of water (HPI 15–40). Geoaccumulation indexes (Igeo) of soil reveal that paddy soil in CKDu endemic areas is being moderately polluted with toxic metals/metalloids such as As, Pb, Cu, Ni, Cr, Zn, and Cd. On the other hand, the application of fertilizers, which contained a high dose of toxic metals, could be the driving force for agricultural soil pollution, and limitless application of low-quality fertilizer would lead to more soil contamination with heavy metals. Hence, hazardous metals can be incorporated into the food chains via contaminated paddy soil.
Multidomain Feature Fusion for Varying Speed Bearing Diagnosis Using Broad Learning System
Authors: Wu Tingting , Zhuang Yufen , Fan Bi , Guo Hainan , Fan Wei , Yi Cai , Xu Kangkang
Published: January 2021

Bearing is one of the most critical mechanical components in rotating machinery. To identify the running status of bearing effectively, a variety of possible fault vibration signals are recorded under multiple speeds. However, the acquired vibration signals have different characteristics under different speeds and environment interference, which may lead to different diagnosis results. In order to improve the fault diagnosis reliability, a multidomain feature fusion for varying speed bearing diagnosis using broad learning system is proposed. First, a multidomain feature fusion is adopted to realize the unified form of vibration characteristics at different speeds. Time‐domain and frequency‐domain features are extracted from the different speeds vibration signals. Then, the broad learning system is employed with the fused features for classification. Our experimental results suggest that, compared with other machine learning models, the proposed broad learning system model, which makes full use of the fused feature, can improve the diagnosis performance significantly in terms of both accuracy and robustness analysis.
Networking of Smart Meters Based on Time‐Varying Feature of Low‐Voltage Power Line Channel in Microgrid
Authors: Huang Ya-Xin , Zhang Xiao-Di , Yu Fei , Wei Yong-Qing , Zhang Hai-Long
Published: January 2021

In order to manage the electricity consumption information of microgrid users, the reliability of electricity information collection is studied in this paper. The normal communication between the acquisition terminal and the smart meter is a key factor affecting the accurate collection of power information; it is the basis for ensuring the operation of the microgrid as well. In order to improve the reliability of the low power line communication between the acquisition terminal and smart meters, this article first uses the static networking method to layer the smart meters and select relays from them and then select the optimal communication path based on integrating communication quality and relay forwarding number dynamically, which could avoid the signal conflict problem caused by simultaneous communication. Finally, by analyzing the influence of the time‐varying power line channel on the smart meter communication, a method based on the integrated communication quality and the relay number to consider the time variability of low power line communication is proposed. Choosing the optimal path of the smart meters when the communication path is abnormal can not only establish a new communication path for communication in time, but also avoid communication failures caused by the time‐varying channel. Through MATLAB simulation, the time‐varying dynamic network of the power line channel is introduced in this paper, which improves the reliability of the smart meter communication and has certain guiding significance for the actual smart meter network construction in microgrid.
Overall Stability Analysis of Xiluodu High Arch Dam Based on Fine Three‐Dimension Numerical Modeling
Authors: Ma Tianhui , Feng Zhiqiang , Tang Chun′an , Lin Peng , Yadav Kedar Prasad
Published: January 2021

The RFPA3D is used to establish a fine finite element model of 6.63 million elements, which realizes the fine simulation of the stability of the Xiluodu arch dam under layered, overall, multiworking conditions and multistress fields, and the cracking and failure process under overload. The structural design scheme of the arch dam and the corresponding foundation treatment design are evaluated. The model fully reflects the measures of dam shape structure design, angle fitting structure design, and foundation concrete replacement in the Xiluodu arch dam technical design stage. The RFPA3D adopts the mesoelement elastic damage model, which considers the Mohr–Coulomb criterion of shear fracture and the maximum tensile failure criterion, and assumes that the mechanical properties of the element satisfy Weibull distribution to consider its heterogeneity. The simulation results show that, under normal load conditions, the dam foundation surface after comprehensive reinforcement has better overall stability, the stress and deformation of the dam body have good symmetry, and the overload factor of crack initiation under overload calculation K1 = 2P0 (P0 is normal water load), the nonlinear deformation overload factor K2 = 3.5–4P0, and the limit load factor K3 = 7.5–8.0P0, dam safety can be satisfied. The RFPA3D is used to establish a superlarge fine model to study the overall stability of the high arch dam, which provides an effective method for analysis and research of other large hydraulic projects in the world.
PB: A Product-Bitmatrix Construction to Reduce the Complexity of XOR Operations of PM-MSR and PM-MBR Codes over
GF

2

w
Authors: Xiao Chuqiao , Gong Xueqing , Xia Yefeng , Zhang Qian
Published: January 2021

Edge computing, as an emerging computing paradigm, aims to reduce network bandwidth transmission overhead while storing and processing data on edge nodes. However, the storage strategies required for edge nodes are different from those for existing data centers. Erasure code (EC) strategies have been applied in some decentralized storage systems to ensure the privacy and security of data storage. Product-matrix (PM) regenerating codes (RGCs) as a state-of-the-art EC family are designed to minimize the repair bandwidth overhead or minimize the storage overhead. Nevertheless, the high complexity of the PM framework contains more finite-domain multiplication operations than classical ECs, which heavily consumes computational resources at the edge nodes. In this paper, a theoretical derivation of each step of the PM minimum storage regeneration (PM-MSR) and PM minimum bandwidth regeneration (PM-MBR) codes is performed and the XOR complexity over finite fields is analyzed. On this basis, a new construct called product bitmatrix (PB) is designed to reduce the complexity of XOR operations in the PM framework, and two heuristics are used to further reduce the XOR numbers of the PB-MSR and PB-MBR codes, respectively. The evaluation results show that the PB construction significantly reduces the XOR number compared to the PM-MSR, PM-MBR, Reed–Solomon (RS), and Cauchy RS codes while retaining optimal performance and reliability.
Survival Rates of Microbial Communities from Livestock Waste to Soils: A Comparison between Compost and Digestate
Authors: Akari Maiko , Uchida Yoshitaka
Published: January 2021

Livestock waste-based products, such as composted manure, are often used in crop production systems. The products’ microbial characteristics differ depending on animal waste treatment methods used (e.g., biogas production/composting). The question remains whether different livestock waste-based products differently impact soil microbiota. A pot experiment with five treatments (control, chemical fertilizer, digestate + chemical fertilizer, wheat straw compost + chemical fertilizer, and woodchip compost + chemical fertilizer) was conducted to compare the survival rates of microbial communities from digestate and composted manure, after their application to agricultural soil. Potatoes were planted in each pot. The changes in soil pH, the concentration of ammonium and nitrate, and the microbial community properties were monitored after 1, 6, 10, and 14 weeks of the application of livestock waste-based products. The application of composted manure, especially woodchip compost, showed a relatively more extensive impact on the soil microbial community structure than the other treatments. Woodchip compost contained a relatively more abundant and diverse bacterial community than digestate, and its family-level bacterial community structure was similar to that of the soil. These characteristics might determine the extent of the impact of livestock waste-based products on soil microbial communities. Digestate markedly influenced the inorganic nitrogen concentrations in soils but did not affect the soil microbial community. In conclusion, the survival rate of microbes of livestock waste-based products varies depending on the product type. Further investigation is needed to fully understand their impact on soils’ microbial functions.
Protective Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Stachys pilifera on Oxidant-Antioxidant Status in Renal Ischemia/Reperfusion Injuries in Male Rats
Authors: Moslemi Zahra , Gheitasi Izadpanah , Doustimotlagh Amir Hossein
Published: January 2021

Background. Renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) has a pivotal role in the progression of acute renal failure. Reactive oxygen species are considered the major constituents involved in the biochemical and pathophysiological changes that were shown during kidney I/R. The purpose of this study was to examine the renoprotective effects of Stachys pilifera ethanolic extract on oxidant-antioxidant status in renal I/R-injuries in male rats. Material and methods. Twenty-one male Wistar rats were arbitrarily distributed into 3 groups: sham control (SC), I/R, and I/R + Stachys pilifera ethanolic extract (500 mg/kg). The artery and vein of the right kidney were completely blocked, and the right kidney was completely removed in all groups. Then, the left kidney artery was blocked with suture thread for 30 minutes in only I/R and I/R + SP extract groups. Kidney function indices, oxidative stress markers, and hematoxylin and eosin staining were investigated in the plasma and kidney tissues. Results. It was shown that the urine Na and K, fractional excretion of Na and K, and protein carbonyl content markedly increased in the merely I/R group as compared to SC rats, while the administration of SP extract markedly reduced these indices (

P
<
0.05

). Also, glomerular filtration rate and total thiol meaningfully reduced in the I/R rats in contrast to the SC group, while the treatment with SP extract markedly augmented these indices (

P
<
0.05

). However, in agreement with renal function tests, SP extract had no significant effects on histopathological examinations. Conclusion. It seems that SP extract employs renoprotective effects on renal damage induced by I/R, possibly by improving of oxidant-antioxidant status in favor of the antioxidant system.
Microseismic Signals in Heading Face of Tengdong Coal Mine and Their Application for Rock Burst Monitoring
Authors: Ren JianJu , Zhang Wenlong , Wu Zheng , Li Ji , Shen Ying
Published: January 2021

Microseismic (MS) monitoring is an important and commonly used geophysical method in coal mines to predict rock burst which has great influence on safety production. MS monitoring technology and analysis method of the whole mine or working face have been matured, but its use in heading faces of coal mine is not mature due to small disturbances and narrow layout spaces. To carry out MS monitoring and early warning in the heading face, signal recognition must be adequately performed first, and monitoring objects and indicators must be obtained. Through field tests of MS systems at the 117 track gateway of Tengdong coal mine, interference signals of equipment operation and effective signals of coal vibration are accurately collected. After analysis, the waveform characteristics, spectrum, and propagation distance of the interference signals and coal vibration signal are different. Some effective signals with small energy (one‐channel triggering) cannot be used as early warning indicators because they are concealed by interference signals. Through trial operation, it is found that large energy (three‐channel and four‐channel triggering) coal vibration events successfully predicted a rock burst. The MS system of 117 track gateway of Tengdong coal mine should be able to remove the interference signals in real time through the algorithm and take the number of large energy coal vibration signal rather than all coal vibration events as the predictor for rock burst risk monitoring.
Communication‐Based Book Recommendation in Computational Social Systems
Authors: Zuo Long , Xiong Shuo , Qi Xin , Wen Zheng , Tang Yiwen
Published: January 2021

This paper considers current personalized recommendation approaches based on computational social systems and then discusses their advantages and application environments. The most widely used recommendation algorithm, personalized advice based on collaborative filtering, is selected as the primary research focus. Some improvements in its application performance are analyzed. First, for the calculation of user similarity, the introduction of computational social system attributes can help to determine users’ neighbors more accurately. Second, computational social system strategies can be adopted to penalize popular items. Third, the network community, identity, and trust can be combined as there is a close relationship. Therefore, this paper proposes a new method that uses a computational social system, including a trust model based on community relationships, to improve the user similarity calculation accuracy to enhance personalized recommendation. Finally, the improved algorithm in this paper is tested on the online reading website dataset. The experimental results show that the enhanced collaborative filtering algorithm performs better than the traditional algorithm.
Effects of Various Curing Conditions on Volume Stability of Magnesium Phosphate Cement
Authors: Wu Jie , Lai Zhenyu , Deng Qiubai , Liu Mengliang
Published: January 2021

Magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) is an excellent repair material for civil and road engineering, but its volume stability under various environmental conditions significantly influences these applications. In this study, the volume stability of MPC under different curing conditions (e.g., air, standard, and water curing) is investigated. Moreover, the phases, weight loss, microstructure, and pore structure of the samples have been determined by X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and Brunnauer–Emmet–Teller method. The results show that MPC will shrink by 8 × 10−4 under air‐curing conditions. At the same time, MPC will expand by 9 × 10−4 under water‐curing and standard curing conditions, which means that curing conditions influence the volume stability of MPC. Not only that, compared with air‐curing conditions, the compressive strength of MPC under standard curing and water‐curing conditions will decrease by 30% and 60%, respectively, which implies that greater humidity will reduce the mechanical properties of the repair material. Therefore, air curing is the best curing condition for MPC. To get a better repair effect, the environment should be avoided as much as possible in a humid state. The microscopic analysis results show that the volume expansion of MPC is related to hydration products, and the volume shrinkage occurs owing to drying shrinkage caused by internal moisture evaporation.
Protective Effects of Shenfuyixin Granule on H2O2-Induced Apoptosis in Neonatal Rat Cardiomyocytes
Authors: Wang Xinlu , Hao Xuanxuan , Wang Youping , Li Bin , Cui Lin , Xie Shiyang , Wang Yongxia , Zhu Mingjun
Published: January 2021

Shenfuyixin granule (SFYXG, i.e., Xinshuaikang granule) is a prescription, commonly used in the clinical experience, which plays a significant role in the treatment of heart failure. The purpose of this present research was to investigate the protective effect of SFYXG, and the mechanism about anti-H2O2-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in the neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Myocardial cells, as is well known, were divided into 4 groups: normal, model, SFYXG, and coenzyme Q10 group, respectively. Cells viability was determined by MTT assay. Flow cytometry and AO/EB staining were implemented to test the apoptosis rate and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. Mitochondrion membrane potential (MMP) was evaluated by JC-1 fluorescence probe method. The myocardial ultrastructure of mitochondrion was measured by electron microscope. The related mRNA expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2, Caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9 were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Also, the expression levels of Bax and Bcl-2 protein were detected by Western blot, and the expression levels of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9 protein were tested by caspase-Glo®3 Assay, caspase-Glo®8 Assay, and caspase-Glo®9 Assay, respectively. GAPDH was used as the internal reference gene/protein. The results revealed that SFYXG (0.5 mg/ml) raised the viability of myocardial cell, weakened the apoptosis rate and ROS level, corrected the mitochondrion membrane potential stability, and improved cell morphology and ultrastructure of myocardial mitochondrion. Furthermore, SFYXG upregulated the antiapoptosis gene of Bcl-2, but downregulated the proapoptosis genes of Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-9. In conclusion, SFYXG could appear to attenuate myocardial injury by its antioxidative and antiapoptosis effect.
TOPSIS Method Based on the Correlation Coefficient of Interval-Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy Soft Sets and Aggregation Operators with Their Application in Decision-Making
Authors: Zulqarnain Rana Muhammad , Xin Xiao Long , Saqlain Muhammad , Khan Waseem Asghar
Published: January 2021

The correlation coefficient between the two parameters plays a significant part in statistics. Furthermore, the exactness of the assessment of correlation depends upon information from the set of discourses. The data collected for various statistical studies are full of ambiguities. The idea of interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets is an extension of intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets that is used to express insufficient evaluation, uncertainty, and anxiety in decision-making. Intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets consider two different types of information, such as membership degree and nonmembership degree. In this paper, the concepts and properties of the correlation coefficient and the weighted correlation coefficient of interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets are proposed. A prioritization technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution based on interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets of correlation coefficients and the weighted correlation coefficient is introduced. We also proposed interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy soft weighted average and interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy soft weighted geometric operators and developed decision-making techniques based on the proposed operators. By using the developed techniques, a method for solving decision-making problems is proposed. To ensure the applicability of the proposed methods, an illustrative example is given. Finally, we present a comparison of some existing methods with our proposed techniques.
Neutrosophic Clustering Algorithm Based on Sparse Regular Term Constraint
Authors: Zhang Dan , Ma Yingcang , Zhao Hu , Yang Xiaofei
Published: January 2021

Clustering algorithm is one of the important research topics in the field of machine learning. Neutrosophic clustering is the generalization of fuzzy clustering and has been applied to many fields. This paper presents a new neutrosophic clustering algorithm with the help of regularization. Firstly, the regularization term is introduced into the FC‐PFS algorithm to generate sparsity, which can reduce the complexity of the algorithm on large data sets. Secondly, we propose a method to simplify the process of determining regularization parameters. Finally, experiments show that the clustering results of this algorithm on artificial data sets and real data sets are mostly better than other clustering algorithms. Our clustering algorithm is effective in most cases.
MTM- and SIW-Inspired Bowtie Antenna Loaded with AMC for 5G mm-Wave Applications
Authors: Althuwayb Ayman A.
Published: January 2021

This paper investigates a feasible configuration of slotted bowtie antenna based on MTM and SIW properties for 5G millimeter-wave applications. To realize the proposed slotted bowtie antenna in a compact dimension with high performances, the MTM and SIW concepts are implemented by applying the trapezoidal slots on the top surface of the antenna and metallic via holes through the substrate layer connecting the top surface to the ground plane. The antenna has been fed with a simple microstip-line which is connected to a waveguide-port. It is shown that the slotted bowtie antenna with a small dimension of 30

 
×
 

16

 
×
 

0.8 mm3 operates over a measured wideband of 32–34.6 GHz with the fractional bandwidth, average gain, and radiation efficiency of 7.8%, 3.2 dBi, and 50%, respectively. To improve the antenna's performance, the artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) properties have been employed on the ground plane by loading vertical and linear slots with various lengths. The AMC slots are aligned under the trapezoidal slots on the top surface to transfer the maximum electromagnetic signals to them for optimum radiation. The proposed method enlarges the antenna’s effective aperture area, keeping constant its physical dimensions. The proposed AMC-loaded antenna covers wider frequency range of 30–37 GHz in measurement, which corresponds to 21% fractional bandwidth. The average experimental gain and radiation efficiency have been increased to 5.5 dBi and 66.5%, respectively, which illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed AMC-loaded antenna. The results confirm that the proposed slotted bowtie antenna with advantages of compact dimension, wide bandwidth, high gain and efficiency, low profile, being cost-effective, simple design, and easy fabrication process, which makes it applicable for mass production, can be a good candidate for 5G millimeter-wave applications.
Terahertz Radiation from a Plasma Cylinder with External Radial Electric and Axial Magnetic Fields
Authors: Cao L. H. , Yu Wei , Yu M. Y. , Yu C. Y.
Published: January 2021

Terahertz (THz) radiation from a plasma cylinder with embedded radial electric and axial magnetic fields is investigated. The plasma density and the electric and magnetic fields are such that the electron plasma frequency is near the electron cyclotron frequency and in the THz regime. Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations show that the plasma electrons oscillate not only in the azimuthal direction but also in the radial direction. Spectral analysis shows that the resulting oscillating current pattern has a clearly defined characteristic frequency near the electron cyclotron frequency, suggesting resonance between the cyclotron and plasma oscillations. The resulting far-field THz radiation in the axial direction is also discussed.
Analytical Solution of Three‐Dimensional Heaving Displacement of Ground Surface during Tunnel Freezing Construction Based on Stochastic Medium Theory
Authors: Cai Hai-bing , Li Meng-kai , Li Xiao-fang , Li Sheng , Hong Rong-bao
Published: January 2021

Many studies indicate that the heaving displacement during tunnel freezing construction can be regarded as a plane strain problem. However, due to the fact that many of the frozen pipes are placed obliquely in practical engineering, it should be a three‐dimensional problem. Therefore, considering stochastic medium theory, the analytical solution of three‐dimensional heaving displacement of ground surface during tunnel freezing construction is established, and the analytical solution is applied to the project case in Beijing. The calculation results show that, considering the inclination angle between the freezing pipe and the center axis of the tunnel, the maximum heaving displacement of the ground surface occurs at the tunnel center. When the inclination angle is equal to 0°, the analytical solution of three‐dimensional ground surface heaving displacement is in good agreement with that of the two‐dimensional prediction model, which further verified the reliability of the established analytical solution of the three‐dimensional frost heave prediction model.
Eif2s3y Promotes the Proliferation of Spermatogonial Stem Cells by Activating ERK Signaling
Authors: Zhang Mengfei , Li Na , Liu Wenqing , Du Xiaomin , Wei Yudong , Yang Donghui , Zhou Zhe , Ma Fanglin , Peng Sha , Zhang Shiqiang , He Xin , Bai Chunling , Li Guangpeng , Hua Jinlian
Published: January 2021

The future fertility of males with cancer may be irreversibly compromised by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Spermatogonial stem cell transplantation is believed to be a way to restore fertility in men. However, the survival efficiency of transplanted cells is still low. Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit 3 and structural gene Y-linked (Eif2s3y) located on the Y chromosome of male animals is a coding gene of eIF2γ which mainly functions in translation initiation. Recently, the emerging role of Eif2s3y in spermatogenesis has been emphasized in several studies. However, the underlying mechanism is still unclear. In addition, how Eif2s3y functions in large animals remains largely unknown. In this study, we obtained the CDS sequence of the Eif2s3y gene from the testis of dairy goats and found that this gene was highly expressed in the testis and was evolutionarily conserved among different species. Interestingly, overexpression of Eif2s3y promoted the proliferation of spermatogonial stem cells of dairy goats by activating the ERK signaling pathway. In animal experiments, overexpressing Eif2s3y promoted transplanted goat spermatogonial stem cells and produced more colonies after microinjection into the seminiferous tubules of infertile mice. In conclusion, our study highlights an undiscovered role of Eif2s3y in dairy goat reproduction. This finding may provide an important basis for future works regarding male spermatogenic cell restoration and represent a major advance toward surrogate sires becoming a tool for disseminating and regenerating germplasm in all mammals.
Dynamic Cross-Correlations Analysis on Economic Policy Uncertainty and US Dollar Exchange Rate: AMF-DCCA Perspective
Authors: Zhao Ruwei , Cui Yian
Published: January 2021

In this paper, we employ the multifractal detrended cross-correlation analysis (MF-DCCA) as the measurement instrument for the dynamic cross-correlation inspection between US economic policy uncertainty (EPU) index and US dollar exchange rate return (Ret). By calculating the cross-correlation statistics, we find mild acceptance of cross-correlation between EPU and Ret qualitatively. With further application of MF-DCCA methodology, we find strong power law cross-correlation existence within all scaling orders. Also, apparent persistence of cross-correlation has been discovered with significant Hurst exponents of all orders. Besides, we find that long-term cross-correlation demonstrates more persistence and higher degree of multifractality than those in the short term. Finally, we utilize the rolling window and binominal measurement analysis as revisits of the model. The results are consistent with model statements.