bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ROBUST MATHEMATICAL FORMULATION AND PROBABILISTIC DESCRIPTION OF AGENT-BASED COMPUTATIONAL ECONOMIC MARKET MODELS
Authors: BEIKIRCH MAXIMILIAN , CRAMER SIMON , FRANK MARTIN , OTTE PHILIPP , PABICH EMMA , TRIMBORN TORSTEN
Published: April 2021

In science and especially in economics, agent-based modeling has become a widely used modeling approach. These models are often formulated as a large system of difference equations. In this study, we discuss two aspects, numerical modeling and the probabilistic description for two agent-based computational economic market models: the Levy–Levy–Solomon model and the Franke–Westerhoff model. We derive time-continuous formulations of both models, and in particular, we discuss the impact of the time-scaling on the model behavior for the Levy–Levy–Solomon model. For the Franke–Westerhoff model, we proof that a constraint required in the original model is not necessary for stability of the time-continuous model. It is shown that a semi-implicit discretization of the time-continuous system preserves this unconditional stability. In addition, this semi-implicit discretization can be computed at cost comparable to the original model. Furthermore, we discuss possible probabilistic descriptions of time-continuous agent-based computational economic market models. Especially, we present the potential advantages of kinetic theory in order to derive mesoscopic descriptions of agent-based models. Exemplified, we show two probabilistic descriptions of the Levy–Levy–Solomon and Franke–Westerhoff model.
Drastic Fluctuation Prediction of the Number of Comments on Social Media by Attributes of Comments
Authors: Wang Yuan , Fang Guan-Shen , Kamei Sayaka
Published: April 2021

Online social media has an exponential level of communication speed in terms of message dissemination. Users can publish comments freely to various web content on a characteristic network of communicators and viewers. Many of these comments contain emotions or opinions of users, which may cause sympathy and influence others’ comments. Moreover, such comments may raise social responses, i.e. they may cause drastic fluctuations in the number of comments. In this study, using the content of textual comments, we propose two structural approaches (PDFCPL and PDFCML) to predict the future drastic fluctuation in the number of comments based on Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM). To quantify each textual comment, we define two attributes: (1) relevance to its relevant topic based on cosine similarity and (2) importance of its content which is calculated by TF-IDF. The predictions are made by these attributes and the number of previously observed comments as well. To evaluate the performance of our approaches, we conduct comparing experiments with other methods on real data of Twitter. The results present that the proposed method PDFCPL has better performance than existing methods to predict the occurrence of drastic fluctuation in the number of comments.
FoT-Rules: A Semantic Rule-based Approach for Smart Spaces Through Fog of Things
Authors: Santana Cleber , Batista Ernando , Mello Brenno , Prazeres Cassio
Published: April 2021

Through the Internet of Things (IoT), Smart Spaces will enable environments to adapt according to users’ needs by using smart and connected objects. However, to turn the IoT view into a reality, the users should know about technical details of such objects, which is not a trivial task for most ordinary users. Therefore, this paper presents FoT-Rules, an approach for the construction of semantic rules aiming to create Smart Spaces through Fog of Things, which is a paradigm for Fog Computing in the IoT. FoT-Rules is designed to enable ordinary users to create and execute semantic rules in the Event-Condition-Action standard (ECA) and to take actions at the edge of the network. In this work, we present a scenario where the user can create semantic rules in the ECA standard and, in order to execute these rules at the network edge, FoT-Rules provides the following functionalities: creation of semantic rules; obtaining of the semantic models that contains information related to IoT devices; execution of a semantic reasoner over the semantic model according to the rule created by the user; a semantic observer that is responsible for observing changes in IoT devices; and in case the rule created by the user is activated, an action is taken for an IoT device. Finally, we performed four types of evaluations on our FoT-Rules approach: reliability, efficiency, scalability and usability.
HCMSL: Hybrid Cross-modal Similarity Learning for Cross-modal Retrieval
Authors: Zhang Chengyuan , Song Jiayu , Zhu Xiaofeng , Zhu Lei , Zhang Shichao
Published: April 2021

The purpose of cross-modal retrieval is to find the relationship between different modal samples and to retrieve other modal samples with similar semantics by using a certain modal sample. As the data of different modalities presents heterogeneous low-level feature and semantic-related high-level features, the main problem of cross-modal retrieval is how to measure the similarity between different modalities. In this article, we present a novel cross-modal retrieval method, named Hybrid Cross-Modal Similarity Learning model (HCMSL for short). It aims to capture sufficient semantic information from both labeled and unlabeled cross-modal pairs and intra-modal pairs with same classification label. Specifically, a coupled deep fully connected networks are used to map cross-modal feature representations into a common subspace. Weight-sharing strategy is utilized between two branches of networks to diminish cross-modal heterogeneity. Furthermore, two Siamese CNN models are employed to learn intra-modal similarity from samples of same modality. Comprehensive experiments on real datasets clearly demonstrate that our proposed technique achieves substantial improvements over the state-of-the-art cross-modal retrieval techniques.
Influence of the Drying Temperature on the Performance and Binder Distribution of Sulfurized Poly(acrylonitrile) Cathodes
Authors: Niesen Stefan , Kappler Julian , Trück Janina , Veith Lothar , Weil Tanja , Soczka-Guth Thomas , Buchmeiser Michael R.
Published: April 2021

The drying of electrodes during the manufacturing process strongly affects both the cell performance and production costs of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. Herein, we present a detailed study on the effect of temperature during the drying process on the performance and binder distribution of sulfurized poly(acrylonitrile) (SPAN) based electrodes using poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVdF) or poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) as the binder. The electrochemical performance of the PVdF- and PAA-based cathode coatings, which were dried at three different temperatures (30 °C, 60 °C and 90 °C), is analyzed by cycling against lithium metal and utilizing reference-assisted impedance spectroscopy. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF SIMS) is applied on both the surface and the cross-section of the electrodes to determine the binder distribution. Contrary to the PAA-based cathodes, PVdF-based electrodes exhibit binder migration to the electrode surface at elevated coating drying temperatures. The enrichment of PVdF on the surface leads to an increase in the charge transfer resistance and thereby reduces the rate capability.
Cryptochromes in Mammals and Birds: Clock or Magnetic Compass?
Authors: Kavet Robert , Brain Joseph
Published: April 2021

Species throughout the animal kingdom use the Earth’s magnetic field (MF) to navigate using either or both of two mechanisms. The first relies on magnetite crystals in tissue where their magnetic moments align with the MF to transduce a signal transmitted to the central nervous system. The second and the subject of this paper involves cryptochrome (CRY) proteins located in cone photoreceptors distributed across the retina, studied most extensively in birds. According to the “Radical Pair Mechanism” (RPM), blue/UV light excites CRY’s flavin cofactor (FAD) to generate radical pairs whose singlet-to-triplet interconversion rate is modulated by an external MF. The signaling product of the RPM produces an impression of the field across the retinal surface. In birds, the resulting signal on the optic nerve is transmitted along the thalamofugal pathway to the primary visual cortex, which projects to brain regions concerned with image processing, memory, and executive function. The net result is a bird’s orientation to the MF’s inclination: its vector angle relative to the Earth’s surface. The quality of ambient light (e.g., polarization) provides additional input to the compass. In birds, the Type IV CRY isoform appears pivotal to the compass, given its positioning within retinal cones; a cytosolic location therein indicating no role in the circadian clock; relatively steady diurnal levels (unlike Type II CRY’s cycling); and a full complement of FAD (essential for photosensitivity). The evidence indicates that mammalian Type II CRY isoforms play a light-independent role in the cellular molecular clock without a photoreceptive function.
Low Back Pain and Associated Factors among Hairdressers in Northern Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Solomon Tsegay Gebrerufael , Fisseha Gebremeskel Berihu , Desalegn Gezahegn Selam , Massa Teklemichael Desalegn
Published: April 2021

Low back pain is one of the major occupational health problems ranked the highest in terms of years lived with disability, and it has an economic burden on individuals and society in general. Hairdressers are high-risk professionals, but they are usually getting less attention in research and policy actions. The objective of this study is to assess the magnitude and associated factors of low back pain among hairdressers working in female beauty salons of Mekelle, Northern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was employed from January up to March 2018. A simple random sampling was applied to select 344 participants. Interviewer-administered, pretested, and structured questionnaire was used. Bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS version 23. Apvalue of <0.05 was used to declare statistical significance. A total of 314 hairdressers participated, with a 91.3% response rate. The study found that the prevalence of low back pain was 47.5% with 95% CI (41.8–53.1). Marital status (AOR: 0.40, 95% CI (0.23–0.71)), awkward posture (AOR: 2.59, 95%CI (1.45–4.63)), working greater than 4 days in a week (AOR: 5.12, 95% CI (1.94–13.70)), the task of washing the client’s hair (AOR: 4.45, 95% CI (1.93–10.26)), having adjustable washing basin (AOR: 0.35, 95% CI (0.18–0.69)), job stress (AOR: 0.45, 95% CI (0.27–0.77)), and job satisfaction (AOR: 0.58, 95% CI (0.34–0.98)) were factors that show a statistically significant association with low back pain. This study found that low back pain is a major health problem among hairdressers. Marital status, awkward postures, working days per week, the task of washing the client’s hair, adjustable washing basin, job stress, and job satisfaction show a strong association with low back pain. The result suggests that effective intervention strategies for low back pain need to include ergonomic improvements and psychosocial and behavioral aspects of the participants.
CT Image Changes of Severe Acute Pancreatitis Based on Smart Electronic Medical Augmented Reality in Nursing Practice
Authors: Zhang Defen , Mao Shifang , Lan Siyou , Zhou Chengli , Liu Xiaoyan
Published: April 2021

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is traditionally treated with chemical analysis. Faced with the increasing maturity of CT imaging technology, it is necessary to use more advantageous CT imaging to treat SAP. In this article, 72 SAP patients admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University were selected for study, of which 62 were severely ill, 8 were exacerbated, and 2 changed from severe to mild. This article combines the patient’s case records and related CT images during treatment from the perspective of nursing and conducts nursing research on the application of CT image changes in severe acute pancreatitis in nursing practice. CT image processing uses CT imaging system workstation (DICOM). The results of the study showed that, in the care of patients, 21 cases had recurrence after internal drainage, and the cure rate was 91.1%. Internal drainage is an effective way to treat SAP. The higher the incidence of pancreatitis, the more likely it is to relapse after SAP internal drainage, which may be related to repeated episodes of pancreatitis and repeated inflammation of the pancreas and pancreatic duct damage. 4 of the relapsed cases in this article are postchronic pancreatitis SAP, and the relapsed cases account for 50% of the chronic pancreatic cases. This may be due to chronic fibrosis of the branched and main pancreatic ducts, continuous abnormal pancreatic juice drainage. Therefore, it is necessary to further explore the prognosis of different causes of SAP. In terms of complication care, the overall complication rate was 16.6%. One patient died of postoperative hemorrhage. Analysis of the causes of cyst recurrence and complications may be closely related to the mechanism of the occurrence and development of SAP. The initiating factor of SAP is that the pancreatic tissue is damaged due to inflammation, trauma, or microcirculation disorder, and then the pancreatic juice leaks out of the pancreas, wrapping the pancreatic juice; it takes a certain time for the capsule of fibrous knot tissue to form and strengthen.
Environmental Estimation of Radiation Equivalent Dose Rates in Soils and Waters of Northern Calabria (Italy)
Authors: Guagliardi Ilaria , Caloiero Tommaso , Infusino Ernesto , Callegari Giovanni , Ricca Nicola
Published: April 2021

In this study, the equivalent dose rate of natural radionuclides (

H

T

) in 99 spring water and surface soil samples was determined using an alpha, beta, and gamma high sensitivity detector up within a Geiger-Muller tube and with an external probe NaI (Tl). The samples were collected in the Crati basin (southern Italy), and during sample collection, water quality parameters were detected in situ and at the University of Calabria laboratories. A Pearson correlation coefficient analysis was applied to identify and clarify the relationships between water physical-chemical properties and soil and water radioactivity. Results show that the mean

H

T

for spring waters is 97.07 μSv/h. Furthermore, the mean

H

T

for surface soils is 97.92 μSv/h, thus evidencing higher mean

H

T

values than worldwide ones reported in a previous literature. Low correlation coefficients were detected between water

H

T

and conductivity and pH. On the contrary, a reasonable correlation was found between

H

T

in spring water and in soil. This relationship is associated with some rocks of the Sila Massif and of Coastal Chain, i.e., plutonic and metamorphic crystalline rocks. Finally, the estimation of the health risk was calculated: results did not evidence serious dangers for people living in the studied environment. The results from this survey for the

H

T

evaluation provide an extensive assessment of the background exposure levels in the investigated area.
Generalizing Certain Analytic Functions Correlative to the n-th Coefficient of Certain Class of Bi-Univalent Functions
Authors: Rehman Hameed Ur , Darus Maslina , Salah Jamal
Published: April 2021

In the present paper, the authors implement the two analytic functions with its positive real part in the open unit disk. New types of polynomials are introduced, and by using these polynomials with the Faber polynomial expansion, a formula is structured to solve certain coefficient problems. This formula is applied to a certain class of bi-univalent functions and solve the

n

-th term of its coefficient problems. In the last section of the article, several well-known classes are also extended to its

n

-th term.
Vibration Characteristics and Simulation Verification of the Dual‐Rotor System for Aeroengines with Rub‐Impact Coupling Faults
Authors: Ma Pingping , Shan Mingxin , Zhai Jingyu , Zhang Hao , Han Qingkai
Published: April 2021

To study the rub‐impact fault between the dynamic and static parts of the rotor system of aeroengines, the dual‐rotor system of a typical aeroengine is introduced and taken as the research object. The analytical kinetic model is established based on the Lagrange equation considering the structural characteristics of the dual‐rotor system, the coupling effect of the intermediate bearing, and the rub‐impact fault between the high‐pressure turbine disc and the casing. The dynamic characteristics of the dual‐rotor system under the rub‐impact fault are analyzed, and the change rule of the rub‐impact shape is obtained. The vibration coupling and transfer among the high‐pressure rotor and the low‐pressure rotor are revealed. The influence of the unbalanced position and the speed of high and low rotors on the vibration response of the dual rotor is obtained. The sensitivity of the vibration response of the dual rotor at different test points to rub‐impact stiffness, clearance, and friction coefficient is compared. The simulation model is established based on the rigid‐flexible coupling multibody dynamic simulation platform. The analytical results and simulation results are compared, which have a good consistency. The theoretical research can deepen the understanding of the nature and law of aeroengine rotor operation, expose the possible faults and design defects, greatly improve the development efficiency and quality, reduce repeated physical tests, reduce the development risk and cost, and accelerate the development process. This study can provide a theoretical basis for the monitoring and diagnosis of engine rub‐impact faults and provide theoretical and practical reference for the establishment of the vibration fault test and analysis method system.
A Novel Methodology for Production Decline Analysis in Tight Gas Reservoirs: A Case Study from Sulige Tight Gas Field
Authors: Li Xiaofeng , Liu Lili , Liu Jiaojiao , Li Zhichao , Zhao Xiaoliang
Published: April 2021

Study shows that decline exponents of gas wells in Sulige Tight Gas Field vary during their life cycle. However, decline analysis methods with variable decline exponent have not been developed so far. To address this problem, a simple-yet-effective method is proposed. In this method, the fracture linear flow regime and the channel linear flow regime, which appear two straight lines on the coordinate axis (

1
/
q

vs.

t

), respectively, are used to carry out the decline analysis. Each regime has a different slope and intercept (in the form of

1
/
q

vs.

t

), which leads to a useful graphical technique for predicting gas rate. The graphical technique is verified by matching actual gas rate and predicting future gas rate trend. Theoretically, the influence of the two slopes and intercepts in the graphical technique on the rate decline is also studied. Aiming at decline analysis for tight gas wells with variable decline exponents, this paper proposes a novel method using linear flow characteristics, which ingeniously avoids the establishment of an empirical method to deal with variable decline exponent. The method in this study can help for better understanding of decline analysis of tight gas wells in a theoretical manner.
Pore Structure and Fractal Characteristics of Shale under the Control of Bedding and Size: A Case Study of Shale from the Longmaxi Formation in China
Authors: Cheng Yao , Xie Yifeng , Ma Yulin , Zhao Yanlin
Published: April 2021

In this study, the pore structure and fractal characteristics of shale samples with different bedding directions and sizes from the Longmaxi Formation of the Changning block in the Sichuan Basin were investigated by using CT imaging and low‐temperature nitrogen adsorption experiments. The pore morphology, pore structure characteristics, relationships between the fractal dimensions and pore parameters, and effect of the size and bedding direction on pore morphology and various pore parameters were explored. In terms of pore structure characteristics, we found that the pores of shale samples were well developed and connected, forming a large number of pore clusters. The pores were mainly open pores and mesopores, which contributed the most to the specific surface area of the pores. Two fractal dimensions D1 and D2 were calculated from nitrogen adsorption data at relative pressures of 0–0.45 and 0.45–1, using the FHH method. These fractal dimensions characterized the pore surface and pore structure complexity, respectively. D1 ranged from 2.773 to 2.923, with a mean value of 2.821, and D2 varied from 2.853 to 2.899, with a mean value of 2.874. These variations indicated that there were irregular pore surfaces and sophisticated pore structures in the shale. The sample size and bedding direction had a significant impact on pore morphology and various pore parameters. Several pore characteristics of the vertical samples were superior to those of the horizontal samples. With an increase in size, the pore distribution became more uniform, the number of pore clusters increased, and the connectivity between pore clusters was enhanced. There was a good positive correlation between the fractal dimension D2 and specific surface area and moderate positive correlation between D2 and porosity and between D2 and pore volume. However, the fractal dimension D1 had a weak negative correlation with porosity and specific surface area and moderate negative correlation with pore volume. Moreover, both D1 and D2 tended to decrease with increasing average pore diameter.
Cost-Effectiveness and Budget Impact Analyses of Pneumococcal Vaccination in Indonesia
Authors: Suwantika Auliya A. , Zakiyah Neily , Abdulah Rizky , Sitohang Vensya , Tandy Gertrudis , Anartati Atiek , Hidayatullah Tetrawindu , Herliana Putri , Hadinegoro Sri R.
Published: April 2021

As a country with the high number of deaths due to pneumococcal disease, Indonesia has not yet included pneumococcal vaccination into the routine program. This study aimed to analyse the cost-effectiveness and the budget impact of pneumococcal vaccination in Indonesia by developing an age-structured cohort model. In a comparison with no vaccination, the use of two vaccines (PCV10 and PCV13) within two pricing scenarios (UNICEF and government contract price) was taken into account. To estimate the cost-effectiveness value, a 5-year time horizon was applied by extrapolating the outcome of the individual in the modelled cohort until 5 years of age with a 1-month analytical cycle. To estimate the affordability value, a 6-year period (2019–2024) was applied by considering the government’s strategic plan on pneumococcal vaccination. In a comparison with no vaccination, the results showed that vaccination would reduce pneumococcal disease by 1,702,548 and 2,268,411 cases when using PCV10 and PCV13, respectively. Vaccination could potentially reduce the highest treatment cost from the payer perspective at $53.6 million and $71.4 million for PCV10 and PCV13, respectively. Applying the UNICEF price, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) from the healthcare perspective would be $218 and $162 per QALY-gained for PCV10 and PCV13, respectively. Applying the government contract price, the ICER would be $987 and $747 per QALY-gained for PCV10 and PCV13, respectively. The result confirmed that PCV13 was more cost-effective than PCV10 with both prices. In particular, introduction cost per child was estimated to be $0.91 and vaccination cost of PCV13 per child (3 doses) was estimated to be $16.61 and $59.54 with UNICEF and government contract prices, respectively. Implementation of nationwide vaccination would require approximately $73.3–$75.0 million (13–14% of routine immunization budget) and $257.4-$263.5 million (45–50% of routine immunization budget) with UNICEF and government contract prices, respectively. Sensitivity analysis showed that vaccine efficacy, mortality rate, and vaccine price were the most influential parameters affecting the ICER. In conclusion, pneumococcal vaccination would be a highly cost-effective intervention to be implemented in Indonesia. Yet, applying PCV13 with UNICEF price would give the best cost-effectiveness and affordability values on the routine immunization budget.
Effect of a Multistage Educational Skill-Based Program on Nurse’s Stress and Anxiety in the Intensive Care Setting: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Saffari Mohsen , Bashar Farshid Rahimi , Vahedian-Azimi Amir , Pourhoseingholi Mohamad Amin , Karimi Leila , Shamsizadeh Morteza , Gohari-moghadam Keivan , Sahebkar Amirhossein
Published: April 2021

Background. Psychological problems such as stress and anxiety are prevalent among working nurses in the intensive care units (ICUs). This study was aimed at investigating the effects of three skill-based educational programs on stress and anxiety among critical care nurses. Methods. Using a randomized controlled trial, 160 nurses were assigned to four groups including one control and three intervention groups. A standard skill-based educational program was delivered to three intervention groups using booklet, booklet+oral presentation, and booklet+oral presentation+clinical teaching over a period of one month to reduce different types of stress and anxiety. The control group received routine education only. Perceived stress, state anxiety, trait anxiety, and work-related stress were assessed at baseline and three times after the intervention (15 days, 3 months, and 21 months). Repeated-measure analysis of variance was used for data analysis. Results. There was no significant change in the control group in terms of study variables during follow-up assessments, whereas measures of stress and anxiety were reduced after intervention in the trial groups except trait anxiety. Nurses in the mixed-method group (booklet+oral presentation+clinical teaching) showed less stress and anxiety during follow-ups. Although the stress and anxiety scores decreased in the first and second follow-ups, there was no significant reduction in the third follow-up. Conclusions. To improve the mental health and performance of the intensive care unit nurses, knowledge-based and skill-based training programs seem useful. Continuous training may help to maintain the effectiveness of these programs over time.
Analysis of Dynamic Characteristics of the Multistage Planetary Gear Transmission System with Friction Force
Authors: Xiao Zhengming , Chen Fu , Zhang Kongliang
Published: April 2021

Multistage planetary gear transmission system has been widely utilized in engineering practice due to the salient characteristics, such as high bearing load and large speed ratio. This paper addresses a two‐stage planetary gearbox and establishes a system coupling torsional dynamical model which considers the time‐varying mesh stiffness, friction forces, and interstage coupling factors. Meanwhile, the friction and lubrication states are classified to comprehensively analyze the calculation of friction coefficients under different conditions. Considering the time‐varying influence of friction on the tooth surface under the condition of fluid lubrication, the vibration response under parametric excitation is solved by a numerical method. A multistage planetary transmission test bench is built in the back‐to‐back form so as to test the vibration of the two‐stage planetary gearbox. It shows that the simulation results of the dynamical model are consistent with the test data. Consideration of the calculation of friction on the tooth surface and the friction coefficients is helpful for the establishment of the more accurate dynamical model and lays the foundation for the structural design, fault diagnosis, and dynamic optimization of the multistage planetary gear transmission system.
Integrated Workflow of Geomechanics, Hydraulic Fracturing, and Reservoir Simulation for Production Estimation of a Shale Gas Reservoir
Authors: Lee Taeyeob , Jeong Daein , So Youngseok , Park Daejin , Baek Munseok , Choe Jonggeun
Published: April 2021

In this research, an integrated workflow from geomechanics to reservoir simulation is suggested to accurately estimate performances of a shale gas reservoir. Rather than manipulating values of hydraulic fracturing such as fracture geometry and transmissibility, the workflow tries to update model parameters to derive reliable hydraulic fracturing results. A mechanical earth model (MEM) is built from seismic attribute and drilling and diagnostic fracture injection test results. Then, the MEM is calibrated with microseismic measurements obtained in a field. Leakoff coefficient and horizontal stress anisotropy are sensitive parameters of the MEM that influence the propagation of the fracture network and gas productions. Various combinations of calibration parameters from a single-well simulation are evaluated. Then, an appropriate combination is chosen from the whole simulation results of a pad to reduce the uncertainty. Finally, production estimations of the four wells which have slightly different fracture design are compared with seven-year production history. Their results are reasonably matched with actual data having 8% of global error due to successful development of the reservoir model with geomechanical parameters.
Remote Attestation on Behavioral Traces for Crowd Quality Control Based on Trusted Platform Module
Authors: Fu Donglai , Liu Yanhua
Published: April 2021

Behavioral traces of workers have emerged as a new evidence to check the quality of their produced outputs in crowd computing. Whether the evidence is trustworthy or not is a key problem during the process. Challenges will be encountered in addressing this issue, because the evidence comes from unknown or adversarial workers. In this study, we proposed an alternative approach to ensure trustworthy evidence through a hardware-based remote attestation to bridge the gap. The integrity of the evidence was used as the trustworthy criterion. Trusted Platform Module (TPM) was considered the trusted anchor inspired by trusted computing to avoid unreliable or malicious workers. The module carefully recorded and stored many workers’ behavioral traces in the storage measurement log (SML). Each item in the log was extended to a platform configuration register (PCR) by the occurrence sequence of each event. The PCR was a tamper-proof storage inside the TPM. The value of the PCR was also considered evidence together with the SML. The evidence was sent to the crowdsourcing platform with the TPM signature. The platform checked the integrity of the evidence by a series of operations, such as validating the signature and recomputing the SML hash. This process was designed as a remote attestation protocol. The effectiveness, efficiency, and security of the protocol were verified theoretically and through experiments based on the open dataset, WebCrowd25K, and custom dataset. Results show that the proposed method is an alternative solution for ensuring the integrity of behavioral traces.
Pattern Synthesis for Dual-Polarized Conformal Arrays via Iterative Convex Optimization
Authors: Liu Chao , Li Chuan , Yang Bo
Published: April 2021

An iterative convex optimization (ICO) algorithm is proposed to solve pattern synthesis problem under the framework of dual-polarized conformal arrays in this paper. The subproblems of shaping main lobe, optimizing side lobe, and suppressing cross-polarization component are summarized as a joint optimization problem. To solve this problem, the nonconvex constraint about main lobe is rewritten as a convex constraint, which will bring error. And an auxiliary phase function is introduced to correct this error alternatively. Due to the deviation between auxiliary phase and real phase of pattern function, a method minimizing the peak of the synthesis error over observation angles is effectively applied to further improve the performance of the method. Numerical examples show good pattern synthesis ability and convergence performance of the ICO method.
Fast High-Order Difference Scheme for the Modified Anomalous Subdiffusion Equation Based on Fast Discrete Sine Transform
Authors: Nong Lijuan , Chen An
Published: April 2021

The modified anomalous subdiffusion equation plays an important role in the modeling of the processes that become less anomalous as time evolves. In this paper, we consider the efficient difference scheme for solving such time-fractional equation in two space dimensions. By using the modified L1 method and the compact difference operator with fast discrete sine transform technique, we develop a fast Crank-Nicolson compact difference scheme which is proved to be stable with the accuracy of

O

τ

min

1
+
α
,
1
+
β

+

h

4

. Here,

α

and

β

are the fractional orders which both range from 0 to 1, and

τ

and

h

are, respectively, the temporal and spatial stepsizes. We also consider the method of adding correction terms to efficiently deal with the nonsmooth problems. Numerical examples are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Deep Learning Image Feature Recognition Algorithm for Judgment on the Rationality of Landscape Planning and Design
Authors: Hu Bin
Published: April 2021

This paper uses an improved deep learning algorithm to judge the rationality of the design of landscape image feature recognition. The preprocessing of the image is proposed to enhance the data. The deficiencies in landscape feature extraction are further addressed based on the new model. Then, the two‐stage training method of the model is used to solve the problems of long training time and convergence difficulties in deep learning. Innovative methods for zoning and segmentation training of landscape pattern features are proposed, which makes model training faster and generates more creative landscape patterns. Because of the impact of too many types of landscape elements in landscape images, traditional convolutional neural networks can no longer effectively solve this problem. On this basis, a fully convolutional neural network model is designed to perform semantic segmentation of landscape elements in landscape images. Through the method of deconvolution, the pixel‐level semantic segmentation is realized. Compared with the 65% accuracy rate of the convolutional neural network, the fully convolutional neural network has an accuracy rate of 90.3% for the recognition of landscape elements. The method is effective, accurate, and intelligent for the classification of landscape element design, which better improves the accuracy of classification, greatly reduces the cost of landscape element design classification, and ensures that the technical method is feasible. This paper classifies landscape behavior based on this model for full convolutional neural network landscape images and demonstrates the effectiveness of using the model. In terms of landscape image processing, the image evaluation provides a certain basis.
Valency‐Based Topological Properties of Linear Hexagonal Chain and Hammer‐Like Benzenoid
Authors: Li Yi-Xia , Rauf Abdul , Naeem Muhammad , Binyamin Muhammad Ahsan , Aslam Adnan
Published: April 2021

Topological indices are quantitative measurements that describe a molecule’s topology and are quantified from the molecule’s graphical representation. The significance of topological indices is linked to their use in QSPR/QSAR modelling as descriptors. Mathematical associations between a particular molecular or biological activity and one or several biochemical and/or molecular structural features are QSPRs (quantitative structure‐property relationships) and QSARs (quantitative structure‐activity relationships). In this paper, we give explicit expressions of two recently defined novel ev‐degree‐ and ve‐degree‐based topological indices of two classes of benzenoid, namely, linear hexagonal chain and hammer‐like benzenoid.
Decision-Making Optimization of Risk-Seeking Retailer Managed Inventory Model in a Water Supply Chain
Authors: Yu Wenfang , Hou Guisheng , Xin Baogui
Published: April 2021

Water retailer managed inventory is a classical and inevitable inventory management mode in present economic society. Stochastic models can more clearly explain demand uncertainty and are closely related to water supply chains. Risk preferences are widely valued in behavioral operation management. Related to the risk preferences in inventory management, the research on risk aversion is dominant, while risk-seeking is insufficient. Based on the model assumptions, the risk-seeking retailer’s optimal decision-making inventory model with stochastic demand in a water supply chain is studied. The risk-seeking retailer’s optimal inventory quantity, optimal inventory cost, supplier profit, retailer profit, and the profit of the entire water supply chain are derived. The validity of the equations is proved. The sensitivity analysis of the risk-seeking retailer’s optimal inventory decision-making is carried out. The risk level effects on the five dimensions, the retail price, wholesale price, unit shortage cost, unit inventory cost, and unit residual value, are displayed through numerical simulation. The optimal inventory quantity and optimal inventory cost of the risk-seeking retailer are obtained.
Moving Object Detection Technology of Line Dancing Based on Machine Vision
Authors: Liu Liyun
Published: April 2021

In this paper, line dancing's moving object detection technology based on machine vision is studied to improve object detection. For this purpose, the improved frame difference for the background modeling technique is combined with the target detection algorithm. The moving target is extracted, and the postmorphological processing is carried out to make the target detection more accurate. Based on this, the tracking target is determined on the time axis of the moving target tracking stage, the position of the target in each frame is found, and the most similar target is found in each frame of the video sequence. The association relationship is established to determine a moving object template or feature. Through certain measurement criteria, the mean-shift algorithm is used to search the optimal candidate target in the image frame and carry out the corresponding matching to realize moving objects' tracking. This method can detect the moving targets of line dancing in various areas through the experimental analysis, which will not be affected by the position or distance, and always has a more accurate detection effect.
Host IL11 Signaling Suppresses CD4+ T cell–Mediated Antitumor Responses to Colon Cancer in Mice
Authors: Huynh Jennifer , Baloyan David , Chisanga David , Shi Wei , O'Brien Megan , Afshar-Sterle Shoukat , Alorro Mariah , Pang Lokman , Williams David S. , Parslow Adam C. , Thilakasiri Pathum , Eissmann Moritz F. , Boon Louis , Masson Frederick , Chand Ashwini L. , Ernst Matthias
Published: April 2021

IL11 is a member of the IL6 family of cytokines and signals through its cognate receptor subunits, IL11RA and glycoprotein 130 (GP130), to elicit biological responses via the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. IL11 contributes to cancer progression by promoting the survival and proliferation of cancer cells, but the potential immunomodulatory properties of IL11 signaling during tumor development have thus far remained unexplored. Here, we have characterized a role for IL11 in regulating CD4+ T cell–mediated antitumor responses. Absence of IL11 signaling impaired tumor growth in a sporadic mouse model of colon cancer and syngeneic allograft models of colon cancer. Adoptive bone marrow transfer experiments and in vivo depletion studies demonstrated that the tumor-promoting activity of IL11 was mediated through its suppressive effect on host CD4+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment. Indeed, when compared with Il11ra-proficient CD4+ T cells associated with MC38 tumors, their Il11ra-deficient counterparts displayed elevated expression of mRNA encoding the antitumor mediators IFNγ and TNFα. Likewise, IL11 potently suppressed the production of proinflammatory cytokines (IFNγ, TNFα, IL6, and IL12p70) by CD4+ T cells in vitro, which we corroborated by RNAscope analysis of human colorectal cancers, where IL11RAhigh tumors showed less IFNG and CD4 expression than IL11RAlow tumors. Therefore, our results ascribe a tumor cell–extrinsic immunomodulatory role to IL11 during colon cancer development that could be amenable to an anticytokine-based therapy.

See related Spotlight by van der Burg, p. 724.
The Chemokine CX3CL1 Improves Trastuzumab Efficacy in HER2 Low–Expressing CancerIn VitroandIn Vivo
Authors: Dreyer Tobias F. , Kuhn Sabine , Stange Christoph , Heithorst Nadine , Schilling Daniela , Jelsma Jil , Sievert Wolfgang , Seitz Stefanie , Stangl Stefan , Hapfelmeier Alexander , Noske Aurelia , Wege Anja K. , Weichert Wilko , Ruland Jürgen , Schmitt Manfred , Dorn Julia , Kiechle Marion , Reuning Ute , Magdolen Viktor , Multhoff Gabriele , Bronger Holger
Published: April 2021

A crucial mode of action of trastuzumab is the labeling of HER2-positive (HER2+) tumor cells for the eradication by natural killer (NK) cells, a process called antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). However, despite widespread HER2 expression among cancer entities, only a fraction, with robust HER2 overexpression, benefits from trastuzumab therapy. ADCC requires both sufficient lymphocytic infiltration and close binding of the immune cells to the antibody-tagged tumor cells. We hypothesized that the chemokine CX3CL1 could improve both processes, as it is synthesized as a membrane-bound, adhesive form that is eventually cleaved into a soluble, chemotactic protein. Here, we show that CX3CL1 overexpression is a positive prognostic marker in breast cancer. CX3CL1 overexpression attracted tumor-suppressive lymphocytes, including NK cells, and inhibited tumor growth and lung metastasis in the syngeneic 4T1 breast cancer mouse model. In HER2+ SKBR3, MDA-MB-453, and HT-29 tumor cells, CX3CL1 overexpression increased NK cell–mediated cytotoxicity in vitro and acted synergistically with trastuzumab. Even though CX3CL1 did not further improve trastuzumab efficacy in vivo in the trastuzumab-sensitive MDA-MB-453 model, it compensated for NK-cell depletion and prolonged survival. In the HER2 low–expressing HT-29 model, however, CX3CL1 overexpression not only prolonged survival time but also overcame trastuzumab resistance in a partly NK cell–dependent manner. Taken together, these findings identify CX3CL1 as a feasible pharmacologic target to enable trastuzumab therapy in HER2 low–expressing cancers and render it a potential predictive biomarker to determine therapy responders.
Comparison of Outcomes between Obese and Nonobese Patients in Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy: A Cohort Study
Authors: Rodríguez-Hermosa José Ignacio , Planellas-Giné Pere , Cornejo Lídia , Gironès Jordi , Recasens Mònica , Ortega Francisco José , Moreno-Navarrete José María , Latorre Jèssica , Fernandez-Real José Manuel , Codina-Cazador Antoni
Published: April 2021

Introduction: Obesity is usually considered a risk factor for surgical complications. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy has replaced open adrenalectomy as the standard operation for adrenal tumors. Objective: To compare the safety of laparoscopic adrenalectomy to treat adrenal tumors in obese versus nonobese patients. Methods: This observational cohort study analyzed consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy with a lateral transperitoneal approach at a single center (2003–2020). Data and outcomes of obese (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2) and nonobese patients were compared. To analyze the association between operative time and other variables, we used simple and multivariate linear regression. Results: N = 160 (90 obese/70 nonobese) patients underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy. Cushing syndrome and pheochromocytoma were the most frequent indications. Obese patients were older (58 vs. 52 years, p < 0.001). A greater proportion of obese patients were ASA grade III + IV (71.1 vs. 48.6%, p = 0.004). Obesity was associated with a longer operative time (72.5 vs. 60 min, p < 0.001) and greater blood loss (40 vs. 20 mL, p = 0.022). There were no differences in conversion, morbidity, or hospital stay. After adjustment for confounding factors, operative time was positively correlated with BMI ≥30 kg/m2, learning curve, estimated blood loss, 2D laparoscopy, and specimen size. Conclusion: Lateral transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy is safe in patients with a BMI 30–35 kg/m2, so these patients also benefit from this minimally invasive surgery.
Megalobulimus dryades, a new species from the Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil, and redescription of Megalobulimus gummatus (Gastropoda: Strophocheilidae)
Authors: Fontenelle José Heitzmann , Simone Luiz Ricardo Lopes de , Cavallari Daniel Caracanhas
Published: April 2021

Megalobulimus dryades sp. nov. is described from the Atlantic Forest in the Vale do Ribeira region, in the states of Paraná and São Paulo, S-SE Brazil, based on morphology. Representatives of the new species with white peristome and glossy periostracum have been misidentified as Megalobulimus gummatus (Hidalgo, 1870) since the 19th Century. The true M. gummatus is revised and redescribed, and its distribution is here restricted to Rio de Janeiro state. Externally, the new species differs from M. gummatus in having distinct protoconch color and sculpture, teleoconch sculpture marked by strong anastomosing rugosities and malleations, and lighter colored white-greyish head-foot. Internally, it presents distinct jaw and radular features, a talon, and a long convoluted penis bearing two flagella. Additional comparisons with other Brazilian congeneric species are also provided.
reality of the donkey’s exploitation for the hide trade in Brazil: disease outbreaks and animal welfare compromised in rescued donkeys
Authors: Fonseca Lucas Santana da , Silva Aline Rocha , Rodrigues Frederico Augusto Mazzocca Lopes , Sakamoto Sidnei Miyoshi , Nunes Vania de Fátima Plaza , Zanella Adroaldo José , Oliveira Chiara Albano de Araujo , Escodro Pierre Barnabé
Published: April 2021

About 800 donkeys that were confined in a restrictive area used in a manner comparable to a warehouse for receiving donkeys for slaughter were abandoned. After receiving reports of mistreatment, civilians acted to save the animals. A task force was organized that planned veterinary and zootechnical actions and activities for daily health management, feeding, and clinical care to attend to the abandoned donkeys. Positive cases were diagnosed for glanders, equine infectious anemia, equine herpesvirus, and equine babesiosis. The objective of this communication is to bring to the attention of the scientific community the interventions in the area of animal health and welfare, to address the episode of northeast donkeys that were victims of international trade. It is fundamental to change the approach related to the management of donkeys in Brazil, and appeal to the necessity to identify ethical and sustainable ways to incorporate donkeys in Brazil in the 21st century.
Brazilian donkey slaughter and exports from 2002 to 2019
Authors: Gameiro Mariana Bombo Perozzi , Rezende Vanessa Theodoro , Zanella Adroaldo José
Published: April 2021

The international demand for donkeys has increased sharply in recent years, motivated by China’s growing interest in producing ejiao (a traditional medicine made from donkey skin) and, in a smaller proportion, donkey meat. Since the Chinese donkey population dropped by 75.4% in the past 25 years, the country has searched for supply in the international market, mainly in Africa and South America. Aiming to understand the participation of Brazil in this scenario, this paper presents and discusses official data on donkey slaughter and donkey meat and skin exports in Brazil from 2002 to 2019. After the recent news reports of donkey trade-related mistreatment in the Brazilian Northeast, the issue has attracted attention from public authorities, the media, and civil society, but it lacked a quantitative description that could give a tangible dimension to the situation. The interpretation of these data is made with the collaboration of qualitative research methods, emphasizing some aspects of human-animal relations.