bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sorting operation method of manipulator based on deep reinforcement learning
Authors: An Qing , Chen Yanhua , Zeng Hui , Wang Junhua
Published: March 2022

Radioactive waste sorting often faces an unstructured and locally radioactive working environment. At present, remote operation sorting has problems such as low sorting efficiency, greater difficulty in operation, longer training periods for personnel, and poor autonomous control capabilities. Based on the premise of improving the adaptability and autonomous operation ability of robots in an unstructured environment, this paper uses the dual deep Q learning algorithm to optimize the classic deep Q learning algorithm to improve training speed and improve sorting efficiency and stability. Secondly, the sorting algorithm model of deep reinforcement learning is used to determine the optimal behavior in this state. Set up multiple sets of simulations and physical experiments to verify the sorting method. The results show that the robotic arm can autonomously complete sorting tasks under complex conditions and can significantly improve work efficiency when pushing and grasping collaborative operations and will preferentially grasp objects with high radioactivity in the radioactive area. The algorithm has migration ability and good generalization.
The January 2022 issue
Authors: Uhlig Steve
Published: March 2022

This January 2022 issue contains three technical papers and four editorial notes.
Important concepts in data communications
Authors: Partridge Craig
Published: March 2022

The data communications field recently marked the 50th anniversary of the start of the ARPANET, which was one of the first and certainly the most influential of the early data communications networks. The anniversary provoked discussions about which concepts or ideas in data communications have proven to be enduring in the evolution of data communications. This paper presents one perspective
Helping students with cerebral palsy program via voice-enabled block-based programming
Authors: Okafor Obianuju
Published: March 2022

Students with motor disabilities like cerebral palsy face challenges when learning how to program. This is because most programming platforms require a certain level of dexterity that students with cerebral palsy do not possess. Block-based programming environments are one of such platforms. These environments are useful when teaching programming concepts to beginners, however, their drag and drop nature makes them inaccessible to students with cerebral palsy. This limitation deprives students with cerebral palsy of experiences that may allow them explore careers in computing. As a solution, I propose the use of speech as an alternative form of input in the Block-based programming environment, Blockly. This voice-enabled version of Blockly will reduce the need for the use of a mouse or keyboard, hence increase accessibility for students with cerebral palsy. As part of my approach, I incorporate a speech recognition API into the Blockly environment, as well as create a custom function that uses voice commands to simulate keyboard and mouse actions. An exploratory study is currently in the works and a usability study and A/B test will be conducted after the prototype has been fully implemented.
Facilitating sharing and re-use of accessibility datasets
Authors: Kamikubo Rie
Published: March 2022

While advances in technologies like artificial intelligence promise a lot of possibilities for the disability community, they are centered around data-driven approaches. Datasets and data sharing play an important role in training and testing machine learning models and helping deployed systems work better in the real world. However, sharing data sourced from people with disabilities or older adults poses ethical and privacy concerns, which significantly limit the availability and re-use of accessibility datasets. Under such tension between making their data accessible and restricting access to protect the people represented in the data, this paper serves as a starting point to call for action in developing guidelines and frameworks for ethical use and sharing of accessibility datasets. The work proposes to take a mixed-method research approach to gain a deep understanding of the need and challenges of shared resources in this field. The insights gained will facilitate discussions on the future of data sharing and ownership in accessibility research contributing to informing the development of inclusive AI applications and assistive technologies.
Electrochemical Sensors in the Determination of Biochemical Oxygen Demand. A Revision of the Last Decade
Authors: Aguilar-Torrejon Jazmin , Balderas Hernández Patricia , Roa-Morales Gabriela , Barrera-Diaz Carlos
Published: March 2022

Biochemical oxygen demand is a widely used technique in order to determine the organic material in water. However, it presents various negative points regarding its use, some of the most important being the time (5 days), as well as the response measurement through Dissolved Oxygen (DO); various authors have tried to increase the sensitivity and at the same time accelerate the response time through the production or modification of electrochemical sensors. This work shows a summary of the modifications that have been brought about in a period of time corresponding to the decade 2010-2020 with a view to presenting a condensed set of analysed information as a guide for future investigations. The most relevant investigations are produced through the modification of sensors and the use of microbial fuel cells using microorganisms, such as biosensitive agents, in order to give an electrochemical response and manage to determine the BOD.
Electrochemical Determination of Pb(II) Using Carbon Paste Electrodes Modified with Ion Imprinted Polymers (IIPs)
Authors: Rebolledo Luz E. , Álvarez Romero Giaan Arturo , Ibarra-Ortega Israel Samuel , Galan-Vidal Carlos Andres , Pérez-Silva Irma
Published: March 2022

An easy, low-cost, and highly selective carbon paste electrode based on an ion-imprinted polymer (IIP) to determine Pb(II) in real samples was developed. The recognition cavities based on a cross-linked polymer selective to Pb(II) were created using vinyl pyridine. The modified CPE was constructed by a composite mixture with the synthesized IIP. A notable difference was observed in the electrochemical response of the electrodes modified with the IIP and a non-imprinted polymer, demonstrating the unique properties of the IIP recognition sites. The parameters related to the current intensity were optimized; the selectivity was also studied considering potential interference ions. The proposed modified electrode demonstrated to be as (or more) selective to Pb(II) compared to others previously reported in the literature. A linear concentration range from 3.3 mg/L to 33 mg/L with a limit detection of 1 mg/L was obtained. The Pb(II) preconcentrated on the electrode surface was successfully quantified in real potable water samples without previous treatment.
Homogeneous Charge Transfer Between Reduced Intermediate of Anthraquinones and Dioxygen in Acetonitrile
Authors: Rocha-Ortiz Gilberto , Tessensohn Malcolm E. , Salas-Reyes Magali , Flores-Moreno Roberto , Webster Richard , Astudillo-Sánchez Pablo D.
Published: March 2022

This work analyzes the electrochemical behavior of anion from anthraquinone,1-amino-4-hidroxy-2-phenoxyanthraquinone, trade name, disperse red 60 (DR60), in the presence of dioxygen and water in acetonitrile solutions. The interaction of the DR60 radical anion with water in the system, verified by digital fitting procedures, affects the first reduction process of DR60. A process of homogeneous charge transfer between the reduced intermediate of the anthraquinone DR60 with dioxygen was identified by cyclic voltammetry and bulk electrolysis. The value of the equilibrium constant of the homogeneous charge transfer was determined (K
eq = 2.013)
Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanowires for Developing a Prismatic Zinc-Silver Oxide Battery
Authors: Segura Humberto , Romero-Ortiz Alejandro , Gonzalez-Gutierrez Ana Gabriela , Casillas Norberto
Published: March 2022

Silver nanowires were synthesized by polyol method to be used on the surface modification of silver cathodes in alkaline zinc-silver oxide batteries with the aim of increasing the electroactive area and improving its energy storage capacity. The morphological and structural characterization was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV absorption. The modified electrodes were evaluated by using cyclic voltammetry and discharge curves of batteries. The energy storage capacity increased about 53.73% when the modified electrodes with silver nanowires were used.
Study of Bimetal Electrocatalysts Supported on Graphene Oxide for the Electroxidation of Formic Acid in Acid Medium
Authors: Medina Víctor Alberto , Montes de Oca Yemha Maria Guadalupe , Romero Romo Mario Alberto , Palomar Pardave Manuel Eduardo , Arce-Estrada E. M.
Published: March 2022

Palladium-based bimetallic electrocatalysts supported on graphene oxide were synthesized by the impregnation method, for evaluation of the formic acid oxidation reaction (FAOR) in an acid medium. The electrocatalysts were evaluated physicochemically by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques, to know the chemical composition, distribution on the support and crystal size. The evaluation of the electrocatalytic activity was carried out using the electrochemical techniques of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA) using the steady state current density (jss) electrochemical parameter.
Electrochemical Study of Metallic Rhenium in Methanol Acidic Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Orozco German , Rivera Jose
Published: March 2022

Cyclic voltammograms were performed in a window potential from -0.4 to 1.6 V, in solutions of a) H2SO4 0.5M, b) CH3OH 2 M + 0.5 M, c) HCl 0.145 M, d) CH3OH 2 M + HCl 0.145 M. In the sweeps towards anodic direction a soluble oxide is formed at potential superior to 1 V, which is electrodeposited in the sweeps towards cathodic direction. The electrodeposited surface is formed by Re(I) and Re(0) and anodic peaks (0.47 V and 0.71 V vs SHE) correspond to the formation of higher oxidation states (Re(I)→Re(II)→Re(VI)). Methanol affects the structure of anodic peaks separately of the presence of ions chlorides or sulfates. In both acids the soluble oxide is formed and also this specie is produced in sulfuric acid solutions with methanol. Contrariwise, in hydrochloric acid solutions with methanol the perrhenate is the predominant specie. We suggest new hydrogen bonding structures in this solution. Furthermore, we propose a new bonding structure when methanol is dissolve in sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid solutions. This specie produces bands at 317 nm or 321 nm in the UV-visible spectra of soluble oxide. The high corrosion of metallic rhenium impedes its use as an anode for methanol electrooxidation
Determination of Nitrofuran Metabolites in Complex Food Matrices Using a Rough, Cheap, Easy-Made Wooden-Tip-Based Solid-Phase Microextraction Probe and LC-MS/MS
Authors: Gong Xiaoming , Li Kai , Xu Wenjuan , Jin Liming , Liu Mengxiao , Hua Mengmeng , Tian Guoning
Published: March 2022

In this study, a rough, cheap, easy-made wooden-tip-based solid-phase microextraction (SPME) probe was first developed for simultaneous determination of 4 nitrofuran metabolite derivatives in complex food matrices via LC-MS/MS. A simple dip-coating method was used to coat wooden tips with biocompatible polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and N-vinylpyrrolidone-co-divinylbenzene, also known as HLB particles, which served as the extractive substrate in the proposed device. Compared with the traditional solid-phase extraction (SPE) method, the proposed device shortens sample clean-up time, reduces solvent consumption, and decreases testing costs. In addition, the main parameters affecting the SPME procedure efficiency were investigated in detail and the optimal conditions were found. The method was validated using three different food matrixes (pork, croaker, and honey) by spiking with the four metabolites at 0.5, 1.0, and 5.0 μg/kg, as well as their internal standards. The average recovery of all nitrofuran metabolite derivatives ranges from 97.4–109.5% (pork), 87.5–112.7% (croaker), and 98.6–109.0% (honey). Relative standard deviations were all <10% for intraday and interday precision. The values of limit of detection and limit of quantification were, respectively, ranging from 0.011 to 0.123 and 0.033 to 0.369 μg/kg (pork), 0.009 to 0.112 and 0.027 to 0.339 μg/kg (croaker), and 0.010 to 0.131 and 0.030 to 0.293 μg/kg (honey). The presented method was applied to the analysis of real positive samples.
Improved Dynamic PPI Network Construction and Application of Data Mining in Computer Artificial Intelligence Systems
Authors: Tang Ruipeng
Published: March 2022

The protein interaction network is a network composed of the interactions between all proteins in living organisms. The use of computational methods to prove the functional modules in the PPI network is an important research topic in bioinformatics. With the development of technologies for detecting protein interactions, the available data on interactions has become more and more extensive, and the PPI networks created have become more and more extensive. At the same time, with the deepening of research, people have found that the real PPI network is constantly changing with time and conditions and this change is closely related to the creation and development of life activities. Therefore, it is also very important and necessary to understand and study the functional modules of the PPI dynamic network. At the same time, it focuses on analyzing the basic attributes of artificial intelligence and computer technology and analyzing the goals that can be achieved by using artificial intelligence in computer technology. The effects and directions that can be further explored can be extracted from a large amount of unrealistic, incomplete, fuzzy, and random actual data. These data are hidden from people who do not know them before , but this is a potentially useful process for obtaining information and knowledge. Applying data mining technology to diagnose computer network problems can improve reliability, stability, flexibility, troubleshooting speed, and proper network management, automatically diagnose, predict, and maintain network failures, and ensure that the network has high-quality services and reliability. Drive AI applications in computer science.
Characteristics and Demographics of Patients Requiring Emergent Air Medical
Authors: Van Tuyl Anna , Quilon Mark , Dudley Trevor , Grant Olivia , Rao Neha , Barbara Paul , Kugler David S. , McLoone-Cepin Kaitlin C. , Greenstein Josh , Hahn Barry
Published: March 2022

Background. As integrated health systems become more common, interfacility patient transfers will increase and air transport programs will be prioritized. Understanding characteristics of patients triaged to air medical transport will assist with resource allocation and needs assessment. The objective of this study was to investigate the demographics and clinical characteristics of patients that presented to the emergency department (ED) and subsequently required emergent air medical interfacility transport. Methods. This was a retrospective, multicenter study conducted at eight hospitals within Northwell Health, the largest academic health system in New York state. The study was conducted between December 1, 2014, and July 31, 2020, and included patients who presented to an ED and subsequently required emergent air medical interfacility transport. Results. Overall, the median age was 37 years (IQR 4–66), and 231 (54%) subjects were males. The majority of subjects (59%) had no reported comorbidities, arrived by ambulance (52%), and were emergency severity index triage 2 (48%). Frequent indications for transfer were nontraumatic neurologic (37%), pulmonary or respiratory (13%), trauma (12%), and cardiovascular (12%). Most patients were not ventilated before transport (71%). The median time to call for transport at the sending institution was 2:42 hours (IQR 1:14–6:54), and the median length of stay was 4:12 (IQR 2:31–8:48). Most patients were subsequently admitted (96%) at the receiving institution to an intensive care unit (72%). Conclusions. This study describes patients’ demographic and clinical characteristics who required emergent air medical transport. Helicopter transport is costly, and data from these patients may further help our understanding of who is transported by air and how important air transport is to the health system.
Propose a New Quality Model for M-Learning Application in Light of COVID-19
Authors: Althunibat Ahmad , Altarawneh Feras , Dawood Raneem , Almaiah Mohammed Amin
Published: March 2022

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) prevented millions of students around the world from receiving their lessons, because of the closure of thousands of schools. The new COVID-19 global epidemic invaded the barriers of time and space. Using mobile phones in education is a new form of the distance learning system. M-learning is characterized by many characteristics, the most important of which are providing an interactive educational environment, flexibility in space and time, better adaptation to individual needs, acquisition of knowledge, interactive effectiveness, and developing self-learning skills for students. The main aim of this paper is to suggest a quality model for M-learning applications for children which contains the most common characteristics of M-learning, which must be taken into account when designing M-learning applications. Through previous studies related to the quality model for M-learning applications, we proposed two quality characteristics, technical and pedagogical. We proposed 8 subcharacteristics with their features following the structure of the IOS/IEC 912 and DeLone and McLean IS model to find the effect of technical and pedagogical factors on user satisfaction with M-learning applications for children. Results show that the proposed model can be useful and effective to ensure the development of high-quality M-learning applications.
An Unusual Case of Eosinophilia with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Mishra Aman , Kuikel Sandip , Rauniyar Robin , Poudel Sagar , Thapa Sital , Pathak Nibesh , Rimal Suman , Pandey Kundan Raj , Jha Saket
Published: March 2022

Eosinophilia can be caused by various conditions, parasitic infection being the most common cause. Here, we present a case of a 17-year male who presented with multisystem involvement and eosinophilia. He was later diagnosed to have systemic lupus erythematosus with eosinophilia which is a rare combination. Despite being a diagnostic challenge, these patients can be well managed with immunosuppressive therapy if recognized in time.
Incidence Trends of Cancer in Morocco: The Tale of the Oncological Center of Marrakech (Morocco) over 8 Years
Authors: Belbaraka Rhizlane , Benhima Nada , Laatabi Ahmed , El Fadli Mohammed , Essâdi Ismail
Published: March 2022

Background. Determining cancer incidence and mortality is a key factor in the implementation of health policies and cancer prevention strategies. This report aims to describe the trends of cancer incidence in a single referral oncology department from the Marrakech region (Morocco). Material and Methods. All new cancer cases of

age
≥
15

years registered at the Medical Oncology department of Mohammed VI University Hospital of Marrakesh between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2019, were included. Central nervous system (CNS) cancers, tumors of hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues, and thyroid cancers for which chemotherapy was not indicated or was managed in other cancer-specialized departments were excluded from the analysis. Manual data collection from printed archived medical records of the study population was performed. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using R software and Joinpoint Regression Program. Results. A total of 15648 new cancer cases were analyzed. Missing data (

n
=
1822

) accounted for 11.64%, and 4.1% (

n
=
652

) were excluded. The final statistical analysis and registration included 13174 cases. The median age at diagnosis is 54 years for females and 61 years for males. Female patients outnumbered males with a ratio of 1.58 among all age groups except those aged ≥75 y. The age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) for all sites was 68,0 per 100.000 person-years, which has increased with an annual percent change (APC) of 10.61%. The five most common malignancies among males are lung, stomach, prostate, colic, and rectal cancers. Among females, the five most frequent cancers are breast, cervix, ovary, colon, and stomach. Conclusion. The higher incidence observed in our results translates into a growing burden on the center and is expected to impact our ability to deliver cancer care. Epidemiological studies to identify risk factors and effective efforts are needed to further invest in cancer control and prevention plans.
Influence of Mechanical Properties of Filling Paste on Overlying Strata Movement and Surface Settlement
Authors: Liu Yu-Fei , Wu Xin-Hua , Zhu Tao , Wang Xian-Jun , Zhang Guo-Yu , Wang Zhi-Gang
Published: March 2022

In order to study the relationship between coal seam buried depth and surface subsidence and select appropriate filling materials, taking Donggou coal mine as the engineering geological prototype, through mechanical test and theoretical analysis, this paper studies the distribution characteristics of in-situ stress and the selection of paste filling materials and their proportion test. The influence of different filling strengths on the overburden movement law and surface settlement law of the working face is analyzed. Based on the experimental research and measured research results, the appropriate filling material is selected. The numerical results show that the material ratio scheme 4 can meet the actual needs of surface subsidence in the process of filling mining. At the same time, the surface subsidence value decreases with the increase of coal seam buried depth.
Stock Trading Strategies Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Li Yawei , Liu Peipei , Wang Ze
Published: March 2022

The purpose of stock market investment is to obtain more profits. In recent years, an increasing number of researchers have tried to implement stock trading based on machine learning. Facing the complex stock market, how to obtain effective information from multisource data and implement dynamic trading strategies is difficult. To solve these problems, this study proposes a new deep reinforcement learning model to implement stock trading, analyzes the stock market through stock data, technical indicators and candlestick charts, and learns dynamic trading strategies. Fusing the features of different data sources extracted by the deep neural network as the state of the stock market, the agent in reinforcement learning makes trading decisions on this basis. Experiments on the Chinese stock market dataset and the S&P 500 stock market dataset show that our trading strategy can obtain higher profits compared with other trading strategies.
Application of Fuzzy Linguistic Rating and Entropy-Based GRA to Address Uncertainty in Safety Performance Index Construction
Authors: Pajković Vladimir , Grdinić-Rakonjac Mirjana , Antić Boris
Published: March 2022

As the need to assess the level of road safety grows, there is a noticeable tendency of experts to use one overall composite index that contains information on a number of safety performance indicators (SPIs). Indicators commonly used in road safety assessment are numerical, and their natural uncertainty and vagueness are often overlooked. However, there are also SPIs that are rather linguistic, such as data on driver behavior, which are most often collected through questionnaires and are considered qualitative, imprecise, and fuzzy. Together with inappropriate selection of weighting and aggregation methods, such data can be a source of uncertainty and can lead to unreliable results and erroneous conclusions. In this regard, the present study provides a systematic and efficient hybrid method that integrates three different procedures to deal with unavoidable uncertainty in each step of index construction. The application of fuzzy linguistic rating grasp insight into the ambiguity that is intrinsic in drivers’ self-assessment. Entropy describes each observed behavior by quantifying the disorder of a system. Grey relational analysis aggregates behavioral indicators into a composite index, doubting their sufficiency and completeness. A case study of Montenegro has been provided to demonstrate the practical applicability of the proposed method in safety assessment under uncertainty. Results abstracted not wearing the seatbelt as the most common negative behavior among drivers in Montenegro, followed by using the telephone while driving, speeding, and driving under the influence of alcohol. In addition, municipalities are ranked according to the level of road safety.
Influence of Underground Tunnel Excavation on Upper‐level Existing Pipelines
Authors: Feng Xingfa , Yang Xian , Li Yongsuo , Ding Xingyu
Published: March 2022

Winkler elastic foundation beam theory is often used to observe the influence of underground engineering construction on pipelines. Excavation under existing pipelines disturbs the lower strata to varying extent, which creates significant differences in the subgrade coefficients. Ignoring these differences can severely impact the accuracy of calculation results. A theoretical model of the effects of underground excavation on upper‐level existing pipelines was developed in this study based on Winkler elastic foundation beam theory and considering the difference of subgrade coefficients under the existing pipeline. Methods for determining the subgrade coefficient under the influence of construction disturbance and other relevant parameters are proposed. The theoretical model can be used to calculate the settlement of an existing pipeline under the influence of underground excavation. The calculated settlement was compared with settlement measurements to find that the subgrade coefficient of the excavation section is the most important parameter in the calculation process. The suitable value range of the excavation subgrade coefficient is relatively large, as it has a relatively minor influence on the calculation result. When the value of subgrade coefficient of each section is appropriate, the calculated settlement curve is in close accordance with the measured settlement curve.
Event‐Triggered Adaptive Dynamic Programming Consensus Tracking Control for Discrete‐Time Multiagent Systems
Authors: Zhao Yuyang , Dai Xiaolin , Gong Dawei , Lv Xinzhi , Liu Yang
Published: March 2022

This paper proposes a novel adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) approach to address the optimal consensus control problem for discrete‐time multiagent systems (MASs). Compared with the traditional optimal control algorithms for MASs, the proposed algorithm is designed on the basis of the event‐triggered scheme which can save the communication and computation resources. First, the consensus tracking problem is transferred into the input‐state stable (ISS) problem. Based on this, the event‐triggered condition for each agent is designed and the event‐triggered ADP is presented. Second, neural networks are introduced to simplify the application of the proposed algorithm. Third, the stability analysis of the MASs under the event‐triggered conditions is provided and the estimate errors of the neural networks’ weights are also proved to be ultimately uniformly bounded. Finally, the simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the event‐triggered ADP consensus control method.
User Identity Recognition Based on Wireless Sensor Network and Internet Finance Development
Authors: Hua Tianxin , Zhang Lingling
Published: March 2022

With the rapid development of computer network technology, the concept of “Internet +” has become more and more popular in recent years. The combination of the Internet and finance has particularly attracted people’s attention, and the operating modes of many industries have also changed. Since the use of Internet technology can achieve data sharing and information exchange, the “Internet + Finance” model has broken the barriers of information asymmetry in the financial sector in the past and has made great contributions to China’s multiple improvements. The financial market is very important to China’s economic development. The identification of the ID function of the wireless sensor network is susceptible to interference and the identification accuracy is reduced. We propose an adaptive identification feature recognition algorithm based on an improved minimum gray tree. After calculating the similarity, the nearest neighbor matching algorithm is directly used to obtain the minimum matching cost corresponding to the wireless sensor network registration that is regarded as the recognized identity so as to realize the identity function adaptive recognition. In this regard, the simulation results show that the proposed algorithm has high recognition accuracy. With the pace of financial innovation, financial institutions have achieved rapid development on the basis of Internet service platforms. At the same time, as the core of preventing money laundering activities, financial institutions are also facing many issues in identifying “customers” in their work. This article analyzes the main content, implementation effects, and difficulty of customer identification in financial institutions and proposes relevant improvement plans.
ERAS vs. Traditional Protocol in Patients Who Had Radical Cystectomy with Ileal Conduit: A Retrospective Comparative Analysis of 182 Cases
Authors: Guleser Ahmet Semih , Basaga Yasar
Published: March 2022

Objective. To examine the effects of ERAS protocol application on hospital stay, postoperative antibiotic use, and gastrointestinal recovery time in radical cystectomy patients with ileal conduit. Materials and Methods. This retrospective study included 182 patients (112 traditional vs. 72 ERAS) who underwent radical cystectomy (RC) with ileal conduit between November 2017 and December 2020. Patients were compared in terms of time to start enteral feeding (SEF), length of hospital stay (LOS), time to first stool, duration of postoperative intravenous antibiotic use, postoperative ileus rate, and serum albumin levels. Results. The traditional and ERAS groups contained 112 and 72 patients, respectively. LOS (14.79 ± 6.44 vs. 10.44 ± 4.64 days,

p
=
0.003

), first stool time (4.43 ± 2.39 vs. 2.89 ± 1.81 days,

p
=
0.011

), and duration of postoperative intravenous antibiotic use (8.79 ± 5.17 vs. 4.61 ± 4.90,

p
=
0.004

) were to be found significantly shorter in the ERAS group. Conclusion. According to the results of this study, the ERAS protocol shortened the length of hospital stay, duration of antibiotic use, and time of first stool in patients who underwent RC with ileal conduit.
Efficacy of Sequential Capecitabine on Adjuvant Chemotherapy of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Xi Xun , Huang Xingwei , Yuan Huozhong , Ni Jun , Yang Fulan
Published: March 2022

This paper aims to evaluate the efficacy of capecitabine as extended adjuvant treatment after anthracycline and paclitaxel combined adjuvant chemotherapy for women with early triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The patients with early TNBC were randomly assigned to capecitabine sequential treatment for 4 cycles and without any sequential treatment in the control group after anthracycline and paclitaxel combined adjuvant chemotherapy. The primary end point was disease-free survival (DFS). The secondary end point was overall survival (OS). One hundred patients were enrolled in this study between June 2013 and February 2015. Median age was 49 years ranging from 25 to 66 years and treatment was well tolerance. The median follow-up time after random allocation was 58 months (range: 11–62 months). There was no significant difference in DFS and OS between the two groups (hazard ratio (HR) of DFS was 0.50; 95% CI, 0.24–1.05;

P
=
0.066

). Our study shows that although the addition of four cycles capecitabine after anthracycline and paclitaxel combining adjuvant chemotherapy does not improve DFS and OS, but the trend of DFS is improved. The possible reason is that the four-cycle treatment of capecitabine is not enough, and another possible reason is that the number of cases is not enough.
Ginkgo biloba: A Treasure of Functional Phytochemicals with Multimedicinal Applications
Authors: Noor-E-Tabassum  , Das Rajib , Lami Mashia Subha , Chakraborty Arka Jyoti , Mitra Saikat , Tallei Trina Ekawati , Idroes Rinaldi , Mohamed Amany Abdel-Rahman , Hossain Md. Jamal , Dhama Kuldeep , Mostafa-Hedeab Gomaa , Emran Talha Bin
Published: March 2022

Ginkgo biloba is an ancient plant species that is thought to provide a variety of health benefits to living organisms and contains plenty of bioactive components, making it a chemically diversified plant. G. biloba has been shown to have a variety of medicinal and pharmacological properties, including anticancer, antidementia, antidiabetic, antiobesity, antilipidemic, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antilipid peroxidation, antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antidepressant, antiaging, immunomodulatory, antihypertensive, and neuroprotective effects and is frequently used to treat neurological, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases, such as tardive dyskinesia. Therefore, this review described the therapeutic applications of G. biloba. In addition to describing the therapeutic potential, this review also evaluates the chemical constituents, toxicity, adverse effect, synergistic effect, and the clinical studies of this plant which have been utilized for therapeutic benefits but have demonstrated other consequences. The capacity of G. biloba components to act as free radical scavengers is critical, and combining its extract with other plant extracts has been shown to synergistically boost antioxidant properties. G. biloba used long-term or at high doses that resulted in some adverse effects. Severe drug interactions have also been reported in both animals and humans when combined with other medications. The available data established from both preclinical and clinical studies confirm the potential of G. biloba plant extract in various diseases. Besides, the safety and efficacy of G. biloba continue to require verification through additional experimentation to guide medicinal use.
Design of Oral English Teaching Based on Embedded Microprocessor
Authors: Yin Xiaojuan
Published: March 2022

Under the background of internationalization, China has put forward the strategy of “one belt and one road”; this puts forward higher requirements for the cultivation of internationalized and compound talents for English majors in China. However, through the investigation of the present situation of College Students’ oral English teaching and their oral competence, it is found that college students’ oral English competence and intercultural communication competence are generally low. The teaching concept is backward, the teaching mode is outdated, there are few opportunities for oral practice, and there is a lack of real communication environment. The level of teachers needs to be improved. The purpose of this paper was to design oral English teaching based on embedded microprocessor, aiming at the empirical research on the cultivation of College Students’ intercultural communicative competence. This paper puts forward a teaching experiment scheme, which is guided by processor-based teaching method and guided by cultural teaching skills. Teaching skills refer to the stable and complex teaching behavior system formed by teachers using the existing teaching theoretical knowledge and practice. It includes both skills based on teaching theory and experience in practical use. In order to improve students’ intercultural communicative competence through oral class and to verify the applicability of processor-based approach in oral English class of College English to improve students’ intercultural communicative competence, this paper conducts a one-semester teaching experiment. Processor-based teaching method and traditional teaching method are used in the experiment. Through these two teaching methods, the standard deviations of test scores are 3.2 and 3.0, respectively. Embedded has become the most common application method for the intelligentization of electronic systems. In addition to setting up separate courses, embedded systems are the most widely used means in many practical aspects involved, such as course design, graduation design, graduate thesis, and other topics.
Full Silicon Tandem Solar Cells Based on Vertically Aligned Nanostructures
Authors: Kudryashov Dmitry A. , Morozov Ivan A. , Gudovskikh Alexander S.
Published: March 2022

A three-dimensional computer simulation of flexible double-junction solar cells (SC) consisting of Si wires and p-i-n a-Si:H structures was carried out. The performance dependence on geometrical and electrical parameters was calculated. With an increase in the height of the Si wires, the open-circuit voltage (

V

OC

) decreases monotonically for both the bottom Si and the top p-i-n a-Si:H junctions. The short-circuit current density (

J

SC

) for the top p-i-n a-Si:H junction increases sharply with Si wire height, and then, it goes into saturation at a wire height of more than 10-15 μm. The absolute value of

J

SC

increases (from 10.2 to 12.7 mA/cm2) with a decrease in the wire diameter (from 2 to 0.5 μm). For the bottom junction based on Si wires, the dependence of

J

SC

on the wire height is determined by the charge carrier lifetime, doping level, and diameter, which can be associated with the effect of complete inversion of the Si wire conductivity type. For tandem SCs, the optimal wire height is 10 μm, at which efficiency of 14% can be achieved for structures based on Si wires with a diameter of 0.5 μm and a charge carrier lifetime of 10 μs. The practical implication of the developed design was experimentally demonstrated.
Altered Phenotype of Circulating Dendritic Cells and Regulatory T Cells from Patients with Acute Myocarditis
Authors: Guerra-de-Blas Paola del Carmen , Cruz-González Daniela , Martínez-Shio Elena B. , González-Amaro Roberto , González-Pacheco Héctor , Layseca-Espinosa Esther , Escobedo-Uribe Carlos D. , Monsiváis-Urenda Adriana E.
Published: March 2022

Dendritic cells (DCs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs) play an essential role in myocarditis. However, a particular DC phenotype in this disease has not been assessed. Herein, we aim to evaluate myeloid (mDCs) and plasmacytoid DC (pDC) phenotype, as well as Treg levels from myocarditis patients and healthy controls. Using multiparametric flow cytometry, we evaluated the levels of myeloid DCs (mDCs), plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), and Tregs in peripheral blood from myocarditis patients (n=16) and healthy volunteers (n=16) and performed correlation analysis with clinical parameters through Sperman test. DCs from myocarditis patients showed a higher expression of costimulatory molecules while a diminished expression of the inhibitory receptors, ILT2 and ILT4. Even more, Treg cells from myocarditis patients displayed higher levels of FOXP3 compared to controls. Clinically, the increased levels of mDCs and their higher expression of costimulatory molecules correlate with a worse myocardial function, higher levels of acute phase reactants, and higher cardiac enzymes. This study shows an activating phenotype of circulating DCs from myocarditis patients. This proinflammatory status may contribute to the pathogenesis and immune deregulation in acute myocarditis.
Correlation between Tumor Microenvironment and Immune Subtypes Based on CD8 T Cells Enhancing Personalized Therapy of Gastric Cancer
Authors: Wu Jianyu , Xiao Yajie , Lu Weiqi , Zhang Zijing , Yang Haigan , Cui Xiaoli , Wu Dongfang , Chen Yuzhong
Published: March 2022

Background. Immunotherapy is a promising therapy for metastatic gastric cancer (GC) patients. However, the component of tumor microenvironment (TME) is a pivotal factor hindering immunotherapy outcome. CD8 T cells suppress tumor progression. This study developed an immune subtyping system and a prognostic model for guiding personalized therapy of GC patients. Methods. Marker genes related to CD8 T cells were identified by weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA). Consensus clustering was used to develop immune subtypes. Univariate Cox regression analysis was performed to screen prognostic genes. Functional analysis (KEGG and GO annotation) and gene set enrichment analysis were applied. Results. Based on marker genes related to CD8 T cells, we identified three immune subtypes (IC1, IC2, and IC3) with distinct prognosis and differential TME. In IC3, CD8 T cell function was impaired by high activation of CXCR4/CXCL12 axis, and impaired T cell function predicted high response to immune checkpoint blockade. IC1 was sensitive to chemotherapeutic drugs but showed low response to immunotherapy. We also developed an 8-gene prognostic signature with robust performance to stratify GC patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. Conclusions. This study identified three immune subtypes and a prognostic signature, and both were effective in direct personalized therapy for GC patients. The correlation between TME and immunotherapy was further characterized from a new perspective.
Chemotherapy or Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation as Salvage Therapy for Patients with Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Multicenter Analysis
Authors: Wang Zhong-yu , Gao Wen-hui , Zhao Hui-jin , Yin Chun-rong , Wang Zi-wei , Tian Liang , Wang Ling , Wang Li-ning , Jiang Jie-ling , Devillier Raynier , Wan Ming , Wang Jian-Ming , Huang Ping-ping , Blaise Didier , Hu Jiong
Published: March 2022

Introduction: The overall outcome of patients with refractory AML (rAML) remains poor. Though allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is considered as the only curative therapy, it is routinely recommended only for patients after remission with salvage chemotherapy. Objective: In this study, we evaluated the impact of salvage chemotherapy or allo-HSCT on the overall outcome in rAML. Methods: We collected the clinical data of 220 patients from 4 medical centers and performed retrospective analysis of prognosis factors, including salvage chemotherapy, intensity of chemotherapy, and allo-HSCT. Results: A total of 29 patients received allo-HSCT directly without salvage chemotherapy, 26 patients achieved complete remission (CR) or complete remission with incomplete hematological recovery (CRi) after transplantation and 4-year leukemia-free survival (LFS) and overall survival (OS) were 45.0 ± 10.7 and 51.0 ± 10.6%, respectively. Another 191 patients received salvage chemotherapy and 81 (42.2%) achieved CR or CRi. Thirty-four patients among them underwent subsequent allo-HSCT with 4-year LFS and OS of 46.0 ± 8.8 and 46.2 ± 9.0%. The 4-year LFS and OS in 26 patients who failed to obtain CR or CRi but received allo-HSCT with active disease were 32.9 ± 10.0 and 36.9 ± 10.8%, respectively. For patients who received salvage chemotherapy but not allo-HSCT, few of them became long-term survivors. In multivariate analysis, salvage chemotherapy and the intensity of chemotherapy failed to have significant impact on both OS and LFS. Allo-HSCT was the only prognostic factor for improved OS and LFS in multivariate analysis. Conclusions: These results indicate the benefit of allo-HSCT in patients with rAML and direct allo-HSCT without salvage chemotherapy could be treatment option.
A Rare Case of Ectopic Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Secretion from Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumour Presenting with Cushing Syndrome
Authors: Lee Soon Liang , Ng Chiun Yann , Sidhu Jasminder , Awang Asmawiza
Published: March 2022

Ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion (EAS) from the pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour (PNET) is rare, aggressive, and challenging to treat. We hereby present a rare case of EAS from PNET presenting with Cushing syndrome diagnosed with endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology. This case highlights the advanced presentation of EAS from PNET with poor clinical correlation of hypercortisolism and the grade of PNET.
Acute Pancreatitis with Colonic Pseudo-obstruction in a Patient with COVID-19
Authors: Van Jeremy , Kramer Jason , Economou Ioannis
Published: March 2022

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor, the receptor used by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (COVID-19) to infect cells, is found not only on respiratory epithelium but also in the small bowel, large bowel, and pancreas. There have been rare reports of acute pancreatitis (AP) in COVID-19 patients without an obvious etiology other than the underlying viral syndrome. We present a patient who was admitted with COVID-19 and developed AP and colonic pseudo-obstruction.
The Next Evolution of HemoDialysis eXpanded: From a Delphi Questionnaire-Based Approach to the Real Life of Italian Dialysis Units
Authors: Dellepiane Sergio , Marengo Marita , D’Arezzo Mario , Donati Gabriele , Fabbrini Paolo , Lacquaniti Antonio , Ronco Claudio , Cantaluppi Vincenzo
Published: March 2022

Introduction: Impact assessment of new technologies in chronic hemodialysis (HD) is challenging due to HD patient frailty, the complexity of HD clinical trials and practice variability among countries. Among the most recent HD innovations, medium cut-off (MCO) dialyzers present an optimized membrane geometry that provides enhanced clearances for middle and large molecular weight uremic toxins (UT). These toxins are poorly cleared by available HD techniques and largely contribute to patient morbidity and mortality. The aim of this paper is to assess the available clinical evidence about MCO membranes and to identify the next steps needed to generate conclusive data on their use in HD. Methods: With this purpose, we first reviewed and compared the current HD technologies aimed to improve the clearance of middle and large UT; subsequently, we used a Delphi questionnaire to identify and discuss the consensus about MCO efficacy within a large sample of the Italian Nephrology community. Results and Conclusions: Our investigation gathered a significant degree of consensus on the beneficial role of MCO membrane and expanded HD. Finally, we used our results to propose future trial designs and clinical investigations aimed to improve evidence quality about the use of these membranes in the present clinical scenario of dialysis units.