bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Complexity Analysis of Generalized and Fractional Hypertree Decompositions
Authors: Gottlob Georg , Lanzinger Matthias , Pichler Reinhard , Razgon Igor
Published: September 2021

Hypertree decompositions (HDs), as well as the more powerful generalized hypertree decompositions (GHDs), and the yet more general fractional hypertree decompositions (FHDs) are hypergraph decomposition methods successfully used for answering conjunctive queries and for solving constraint satisfaction problems. Every hypergraph
H
has a width relative to each of these methods: its hypertree width
hw(H)
, its generalized hypertree width
ghw(H)
, and its fractional hypertree width
fhw(H)
, respectively. It is known that
hw(H)≤ k
can be checked in polynomial time for fixed
k
, while checking
ghw(H)≤ k
is NP-complete for
k ≥ 3
. The complexity of checking
fhw(H)≤ k
for a fixed
k
has been open for over a decade.

We settle this open problem by showing that checking
fhw(H)≤ k
is NP-complete, even for
k=2
. The same construction allows us to prove also the NP-completeness of checking
ghw(H)≤ k
for
k=2
. After that, we identify meaningful restrictions that make checking for bounded
ghw
or
fhw
tractable or allow for an efficient approximation of the
fhw
.
A Native SPICE Implementation of Memristor Models for Simulation of Neuromorphic Analog Signal Processing Circuits
Authors: Li Bo , Shi Guoyong
Published: September 2021

Since the memristor emerged as a programmable analog storage device, it has stimulated research on the design of analog/mixed-signal circuits with the memristor as the enabler of in-memory computation. Due to the difficulty in evaluating the circuit-level nonidealities of both memristors and CMOS devices, SPICE-accuracy simulation tools are necessary for perfecting the art of neuromorphic analog/mixed-signal circuit design. This article is dedicated to a native SPICE implementation of the memristor device models published in the open literature and develops case studies of applying such a circuit simulation with MOSFET models to study how device-level imperfections can make adversarial effects on the analog circuits that implement neuromorphic analog signal processing. Methods on memristor stamping in the framework of modified nodal analysis formulation are presented, and implementation results are reported. Furthermore, functional simulations on neuromorphic signal processing circuits including memristors and CMOS devices are carried out to validate the effectiveness of the native SPICE implementation of memristor models from the perspectives of simulation accuracy, efficiency, and convergence for large-scale simulation tasks.
The Challenge of Using an Antigen Test as a Screening Tool for SARS‐CoV‐2 Infection in an Emergency Department: Experience of a Tertiary Care Hospital in Southern Italy
Authors: Loconsole Daniela , Centrone Francesca , Morcavallo Caterina , Campanella Silvia , Sallustio Anna , Casulli Daniele , Accogli Marisa , Chironna Maria
Published: September 2021

Background. In emergency hospital settings, rapid diagnosis and isolation of SARS‐CoV‐2 patients are required. The aim of the study was to evaluate the performance of an antigen chemiluminescence enzymatic immunoassay (CLEIA) and compare it with that of Real‐time Reverse transcription‐Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT‐qPCR), the gold standard assay, to assess its suitability as a rapid diagnostic method for managing patients in the emergency department (ED). Methods. Consecutive patients with no previous history of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection attending the ED of the Policlinico Hospital of Bari between 23rd October and 4th November 2020 were enrolled. Clinical and demographic data were collected for all patients. Nasopharyngeal swabs collected on admission were subjected both to molecular (RT‐qPCR) and antigen (CLEIA) tests for SARS‐CoV‐2. The performance of the CLEIA antigen test was analyzed using R Studio software and Microsoft Excel. Receiver operating characteristics were also performed. Results. A total of 911 patients were enrolled, of whom 469 (51.5%) were male. Of the whole cohort, 23.7% tested positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 by RT‐qPCR and 24.5% by CLEIA. The overall concordance rate was 96.8%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the antigen test were 94.9% (95% CI, 91.9–97.0), 97.4% (95% CI, 96.5–98.1), 91.9% (95% CI, 89.0–94.0), and 98.4% (95% CI, 97.4–99.1), respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.99. The kappa coefficient was 0.91. The overall positive and negative likelihood ratios were 37 (95% CI 23‐58) and 0.05 (95% CI, 0.03–0.09), respectively. Conclusions. Data analysis demonstrated that the antigen test showed very good accuracy for discriminating SARS‐CoV‐2‐infected patients from negative participants. The CLEIA is suitable for rapid clinical diagnosis of patients in hospital settings, particularly in EDs with a high prevalence of symptomatic patients and where a rapid turnaround time is critical. Timely and accurate testing for SARS‐CoV‐2 plays a crucial role in limiting the spread of the virus.
Numerical Simulation on Selection of Optimal Delay Time for Precise Delay Blasting
Authors: Ma Jun , Li Xianglong , Wang Jianguo , Li Qiang , Zuo Ting , Wu Xiao , Hou Meng
Published: September 2021

In the traditional presplitting blasting, the presplit holes are generally uniformly initiated, which causes local damage to the retained rock mass while forming the damping ditch. In order to determine the optimal delay time of the precise delay initiation hole by hole, the finite element software ANSYS/LS‐DYNA is used to build a blasting model of the concrete, which includes concrete, explosive, and air to simulate the crack forming process of the presplitting hole under various initiation modes. Four kinds of initiation modes for blasting, namely, simultaneous initiation with 0 ms, 9 ms, 12 ms, and 15 ms of delay between adjacent holes, are set up to determine the exact delay time of the best presplitting effect. The simulation results show that when the prehole detonates simultaneously, the inner hole crack penetrates the fastest, but the peak stress around the hole is up to 147.9 MPa. When interhole delayed initiation is used, although the time of interhole crack penetration is prolonged, the stress coupling is generated around the precrack and the maximum stress is obviously reduced. The maximum stress generated under the three delayed initiation conditions is only 76.8 MPa. Considering the requirement of damage control of surrounding rock mass and the rapid formation of precrack, 9 ms delay time is determined as the precise delay time of this test.
Plastic Gasket Defect Detection Based on Transfer Learning
Authors: Chen Xieyi , Wang Dongyun , Shao Jinjun , Fan Jun
Published: September 2021

To automatically detect plastic gasket defects, a set of plastic gasket defect visual detection devices based on GoogLeNet Inception-V2 transfer learning was designed and established in this study. The GoogLeNet Inception-V2 deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) was adopted to extract and classify the defect features of plastic gaskets to solve the problem of their numerous surface defects and difficulty in extracting and classifying the features. Deep learning applications require a large amount of training data to avoid model overfitting, but there are few datasets of plastic gasket defects. To address this issue, data augmentation was applied to our dataset. Finally, the performance of the three convolutional neural networks was comprehensively compared. The results showed that the GoogLeNet Inception-V2 transfer learning model had a better performance in less time. It means it had higher accuracy, reliability, and efficiency on the dataset used in this paper.
Effect of Acupuncture on Cognitive Function of Insomnia Patients Compared with Drugs: A Protocol for Meta-analysis and Systematic Review
Authors: Qin Shan , Jiang Jing , Wu Wen-Zhong , Wang Xiao-Qiu , Xi Han-Qing , Fang Qin-Qin , Xu Bin , Liu Cheng-Yong
Published: September 2021

Insomnia, one of the most common sleep disorders, is thought to have an adverse effect on cognitive function. At the same time, people with cognitive dysfunction are more prone to insomnia. At present, pharmacotherapy is the main treatment for insomnia, but there are some shortcomings such as poor long-term efficacy and potential dependence. There is some evidence that acupuncture has some advantages in alleviating insomnia and improving cognitive function. This study is aimed at investigating the effects of acupuncture and drugs on cognitive function in patients with insomnia and evaluating the efficacy and safety of these two interventions, providing strong evidence for clinical decision-making. The study will retrieve eight major databases: China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, SinoMed, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library. Dissertations, conference papers, and ongoing experiments will also be retrieved for supplement. Literature screening and data extraction will be completed by two authors independently (JJ and X-QW). If there were any disagreements, they would be discussed or referred to a third person for adjudication (W-ZW). Authors will use Cochrane risk of bias tool to assess the included studies. The Review Manager Statistical (RevMan) software is used to conduct the statistical process of meta-analysis, and funnel plot is used to evaluate reporting biases. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation (GRADE) Profiler can be used to be aware of the quality of evidence.
Bradykinin Protects Human Endothelial Progenitor Cells from High-Glucose-Induced Senescence through B2 Receptor-Mediated Activation of the Akt/eNOS Signalling Pathway
Authors: Wu Yuehuan , Fu Cong , Li Bing , Liu Chang , He Zhi , Li Xing-Er , Wang Ailing , Ma Genshan , Yao Yuyu
Published: September 2021

Background. Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play important roles in vascular repair. However, the mechanisms of high-glucose- (HG-) induced cord blood EPC senescence and the role of B2 receptor (B2R) remain unknown. Methods. Cord blood samples from 26 patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and samples from 26 healthy controls were collected. B2R expression on circulating CD34+ cells of cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMCs) was detected using flow cytometry. The plasma concentrations of 8-isoprostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α) and nitric oxide (NO) were measured. EPCs were treated with HG (40 mM) alone or with bradykinin (BK) (1 nM). The B2R and eNOS small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and the PI3K antagonist LY294002 were added to block B2R, eNOS, and PI3K separately. To determine the number of senescent cells, senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining was performed. The level of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) in EPCs was assessed by Mito-Sox staining. Cell viability was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number and the relative length of telomeres were detected by real time-PCR. The distribution of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) in the nucleus, cytosol, and mitochondria of EPCs was detected by immunofluorescence. The expression of B2R, p16, p21, p53, P-Ser473AKT, T-AKT, eNOS, and hTERT was demonstrated by Western blot. Results. B2R expression on circulating CD34+ cells of CBMCs was significantly reduced in patients with GDM compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, B2R expression on circulating CD34+ cells of CBMCs was inversely correlated with plasma 8-iso-PGF2α concentrations and positively correlated with plasma NO levels. BK treatment decreased EPC senescence and ROS generation. Furthermore, BK treatment of HG-exposed cells led to elevated P-Ser473AKT and eNOS protein expression compared with HG treatment alone. BK reduced hTERT translocation in HG-induced senescent EPCs. B2R siRNA, eNOS siRNA, and antagonist of the PI3K signalling pathway blocked the protective effects of BK. Conclusion. BK, acting through PI3K-AKT-eNOS signalling pathways, reduced hTERT translocation, increased the relative length of telomeres while reducing mtDNA copy number, and finally protected against EPC senescence induced by HG.
Analysis of Sedimentary Environment Conditions for Lacustrine Fine-Grained Sedimentary Rocks and Its Control of Lithofacies Development: A Case Study of the Lower Submember of Member 3 of Shahejie Formation in FY-1 Well, Dongying Sag, Bohai Bay Basin, China
Authors: Peng Jun , Yu Ledan , Xu Tianyu , Wang Yubin , Han Haodong
Published: September 2021

In recent years, the studies on fine-grained sedimentation mainly focus on the rock type, sedimentary environment, sedimentation, and sequence stratigraphy, while those on the relationship between sedimentary environment and lithofacies development are rare. However, a clear understanding on the relationship is of great significance to the muddy shale oil and gas exploration. This paper studied the muddy shale of semideep and deep lacustrine facies in the lower submember of Member 3 of Shahejie Formation in FY-1 Well, Dongying Sag, Bohai Bay Basin, East China. Based on geochemical data, the sedimentary environment media conditions and vertical changes of this submember were analyzed by means of core description, thin section authentication, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and other technologies, and the relationship between sedimentary environment and lithofacies development was discussed. The results show that this environment underwent three stages and is featured by cyclicity. From the bottom up, it experienced the semideep, deep, and deep/semideep waters under the relatively dry-cold/relatively warm-wet, warm-wet, and warm-wet/relatively warm-wet paleoclimates, respectively. Correspondingly, the paleoredox transited three stages from reducibility to high reducibility to high reducibility/reducibility; the paleosalinity changed from saline water to brackish water to brackish/saline water. Paleoproductivity was low/relatively high at the beginning, then became high, and finally relatively high. In this submember, the lithofacies primarily includes organic-rich mudstone, organic-rich lime mudstone, organic-rich lime-bearing mudstone, and organic-contained argillaceous limestone/lime mudstone. The sedimentary environment controls the mineral composition and content in the lithofacies and thus determines the lithofacies types. Meanwhile, the cyclicity of environmental change not only leads to that of the lithofacies development but also affects the positions of the lithofacies and its assemblages in sequence stratigraphic framework.
Care Burden and Coping Strategies among Caregivers of Paediatric HIV/AIDS in Northern Uganda: A Cross-Sectional Mixed-Method Study
Authors: Mujjuzi Ibrahim , Mutegeki Paul , Nabuwufu Sarah , Wosukira Ashim , Namata Fazirah , Alayo Patience , Amanya Sharon Bright , Nyeko Richard
Published: September 2021

Background. Family caregivers provide the bulk of care to children living with HIV. This places an enormous demand and care burden on the caregivers who often struggle to cope in various ways, some of which may be maladaptive. This may adversely affect their quality of care. Very little literature exists in resource-limited contexts on the burden of care experienced by caregivers on whom children living with HIV/AIDS depend for their long-term care. We assessed care burden and coping strategies among the caregivers of paediatric HIV/AIDS patients in Lira district, northern Uganda. Methods. A mixed-method cross-sectional study was conducted among 113 caregivers of paediatric HIV patients attending the ART clinic at a tertiary healthcare facility in Lira district, northern Uganda. A consecutive sampling method was used to select participants for the quantitative study, while 15 respondents were purposively sampled for the qualitative data. Quantitative data were collected using standard interviewer-administered questionnaires, while in-depth interview guides were used to collect qualitative data. Data were entered, cleaned, and analysed using SPSS version 23. Qualitative data were analysed thematically. Results. The majority of the caregivers, 65.5% (74), experienced mild-to-moderate burden. The mean burden scores significantly differed by caregivers’ age (P=0.017), marital status (P=0.017), average monthly income (P=0.035), and child’s school attendance (P=0.039). Accepting social support, seeking spiritual support, and reframing were the three most commonly used strategies for coping. Marital status and occupation were, respectively, positively and negatively correlated with information-seeking as a coping strategy, while monthly income was positively correlated with psychosocial support as a strategy. Seeking community support was negatively correlated with the duration of the child’s care. Conclusions. Our findings show that care burden is a common problem among the caregivers of children living with HIV in the study context.
Scrutinizing the Vulnerability of Ephemeral Diffie–Hellman over COSE (EDHOC) for IoT Environment Using Formal Approaches
Authors: Kim Jiyoon , Duguma Daniel Gerbi , Lee Sangmin , Kim Bonam , Lim JaeDeok , You Ilsun
Published: September 2021

Most existing conventional security mechanisms are insufficient, mainly attributable to their requirements for heavy processing capacity, large protocol message size, and longer round trips, for resource-intensive devices operating in an Internet of Things (IoT) context. These devices necessitate efficient communication and security protocols that are cognizant of the severe resource restrictions regarding energy, computation, communication, and storage. To realize this, the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) is currently working towards standardizing an ephemeral key-based lightweight and authenticated key exchange protocol called EDHOC (Ephemeral Diffie–Hellman over COSE). The protocol’s primary purpose is to build an OSCORE (Object Security for Constrained RESTful Environments) security environment by supplying crucial security properties such as secure key exchange, mutual authentication, perfect forward secrecy, and identity protection. EDHOC will most likely dominate IoT security once it becomes a standard. It is, therefore, imperative to inspect the protocol for any security flaw. In this regard, two previous studies have shown different security vulnerabilities of the protocol using formal security verification methods. Yet, both missed the vital security flaws we found in this paper: resource exhaustion and privacy attacks. In finding these vulnerabilities, we leveraged BAN-Logic and AVISPA to formally verify both EDHOC protocol variants. Consequently, we described these security flaws together with the results of the related studies and put forward recommended solutions as part of our future work.
Lipoproteins as Markers for Monitoring Cancer Progression
Authors: Maran Logeswaran , Hamid Auni , Hamid Shahrul Bariyah Sahul
Published: September 2021

Lipoproteins are among the contributors of energy for the survival of cancer cells. Studies indicate there are complex functions and metabolism of lipoproteins in cancer. The current review is aimed at providing updates from studies related to the monitoring of lipoproteins in different types of cancer. This had led to numerous clinical and experimental studies. The review covers the major lipoproteins such as LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), oxidized low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (oxLDL-C), very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). This is mainly due to increasing evidence from clinical and experimental studies that relate association of lipoproteins with cancer. Generally, a significant association exists between LDL-C with carcinogenesis and high oxLDL with metastasis. This warrants further investigations to include Mendelian randomization design and to be conducted in a larger population to confirm the significance of LDL-C and its oxidized form as prognostic markers of cancer.
Immune Thrombocytopenia Associated with Hepatitis B Virus and Autoimmune Hepatitis and Recovery of Platelet Count following Liver Transplantation
Authors: Nobuhara Chloe , Cardona Diana M. , Arcasoy Murat O. , Berg Carl L. , Barbas Andrew S.
Published: September 2021

Immune thrombocytopenia is a consumptive coagulopathy that can be either idiopathic or associated with infectious or autoimmune etiologies. Here, we present a case of immune thrombocytopenia in the setting of acute liver failure due to coexisting diagnoses of hepatitis B virus and autoimmune hepatitis. Our patient underwent orthotopic liver transplantation and recovered hemostatic platelet counts after treatment with romiplostim, a thrombopoietin receptor agonist, 51 days after transplantation. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of immune thrombocytopenia secondary to both hepatitis B virus and autoimmune hepatitis in a patient with acute liver failure.
Clinical Evaluation of FOXO1 as a Tumor Suppressor in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Yang Ning , Wu Jiawen , Zhang Tiancheng , Yang Fan , Shao Jinyan , He Chang , Qin Liang
Published: September 2021

Objective. Prostate cancer (PCa) is considered the most serious cancer in the world. Nevertheless, the accuracy of current biomarkers, such as pathological staging, Gleason’s score, and serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, is limited. FOXO1 is a key downstream effector of PTEN and a tumor suppressor in PCA, which has been reported extensively. However, the clinical relevance of FOXO1 in PCa remains unclear. Methods. In this study, we first detected its expression in four public databases to explore the clinical role of FOXO1. Verification of the knockdown effect of FOXO1 siRNA was performed by real-time PCR analysis. Changes in cell viability were assessed using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assays. In addition, we verified the effect of FOXO1 on the PCa cell cycle using a cell cycle assay. Results. Herein, we found that FOXO1 was significantly downregulated in PCa tissues and was significantly associated with Gleason’s score, age, biochemical recurrence (BCR), and lymph node (LN) status, while FOXO1 expression was independent of pathological staging and preoperative PSA levels. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that PCA patients with high FOXO1 expression were less likely to develop BCR compared with patients with low FOXO1 expression. In terms of function, FOXO1 inhibition significantly promoted the proliferation and cell cycle progression of PCa cells. Conclusions. In summary, our study suggests that FOXO1 may be one of the prognostic factors that describe the risk of PCa for BCR. These results suggest that FOXO1 may be a therapeutic target for PCa.
[Retracted] 3D Virtual Reality Implementation of Tourist Attractions Based on the Deep Belief Neural Network
Authors: Song Fuli
Published: September 2021

In today’s society, information technology is widely used, and virtual reality technology, as one of the emerging frontier technologies, has entered a stage of rapid development. Virtual reality is the use of computer technology to simulate the real‐life environment into a virtual simulation environment, with the help of special equipment to realize the natural interaction between users and technical environment, in which the tourism industry is the most widely used. In order to realize 3D virtual reality of tourist attractions and improve users’ immersive experience in the process of interaction, the deep belief neural network is introduced to realize the target recognition and reconstruction in virtual reality. The results show that the algorithm has excellent performance in target recognition and target reconstruction, and deep belief networks improve the accuracy by 0.57% and 0.81% and the accuracy by 0.21% and 2.06%, respectively, compared with the current optimal algorithm in target recognition of 12 and 20 view regular projection images. Compared with the current optimal algorithm, deep belief networks are reduced by 0.2%, 3.7%, and 0.6%, respectively. The accuracy index was increased by 2%, 0.1%, and 0.1%, respectively. The above results show that the proposed algorithm based on the deep belief neural network can realize 3D virtual reality of complex scenes such as tourist attractions according to its excellent performance.
A Data Aggregation Privacy Protection Algorithm Based on Fat Tree in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Li Cheng , Zhang Guoyin , Mao Yan , Zhao Xin
Published: September 2021

Wireless sensor network is the momentous part of the Internet of Things. Data aggregation technology is the most practical method to reduce the amount of communication among nodes. Adding a privacy protection mechanism to data aggregation is one of the important means for privacy protection and security in wireless sensor networks. Aiming at certain performance defects of the existing SMART (Slice-Mix-AggRegaTe) privacy protection algorithms, a fat tree-based data aggregation privacy protection algorithm is proposed in this paper, which is referred to as the FTSMART (Fat Tree Slice-Mix-AggRegaTe) algorithm. Concerning the innovative algorithm, the fat tree (FT) is introduced, the fat tree structure is adopted to optimize the data slicing scheme and the aggregation tree generation scheme, and the allocation of fixed time intervals is employed for nodes to reduce the transmission collision in the data aggregation process and to guarantee the completion of the data transmission. The simulation experiment results demonstrate that the FTSMART algorithm has presented the favorable performance in terms of the privacy protection, the network communication overhead, and the data aggregation accuracy.
WNT as a Driver and Dependency in Cancer
Authors: Parsons Marie J. , Tammela Tuomas , Dow Lukas E.
Published: September 2021

The WNT signaling pathway is a critical regulator of development and adult tissue homeostasis and becomes dysregulated in many cancer types. Although hyperactivation of WNT signaling is common, the type and frequency of genetic WNT pathway alterations can vary dramatically between different cancers, highlighting possible cancer-specific mechanisms for WNT-driven disease. In this review, we discuss how WNT pathway disruption contributes to tumorigenesis in different organs and how WNT affects the tumor cell and immune microenvironment. Finally, we describe recent and ongoing efforts to target oncogenic WNT signaling as a therapeutic strategy.

Significance:

WNT signaling is a fundamental regulator of tissue homeostasis and oncogenic driver in many cancer types. In this review, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of WNT signaling in cancer, particularly the complexities of WNT activation in distinct cancer types, its role in immune evasion, and the challenge of targeting the WNT pathway as a therapeutic strategy.
Transient Angle Obstruction Detected by Anterior-Segment Optical Coherence Tomography and Intraocular Pressure Elevation after Hemodialysis
Authors: Mochiji Mihoko , Tsutsui Aika , Manabe Kaoru , Tanito Masaki
Published: September 2021

An 80-year-old Japanese man presented with decreased vision in his right eye (OD) after every hemodialysis (HD) session beginning several months previously. His local ophthalmologist prescribed antiglaucoma medications because of high intraocular pressure (IOP) (38 mm Hg) OD 4 months previously; with treatment, the IOP fluctuated between 6 and 34 mm Hg OD. When hospitalized, the IOP was measured, and the anterior chamber was observed by anterior-segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) before and after HD. Before HD, the IOP levels were 7 mm Hg OD and 8 mm Hg in the left eye (OS). AS-OCT showed marked anterior iris bowing due to circumferential posterior synechia OD. The scan showed irido-trabecular contact (ITC) in the nasal angle and not the temporal angle OD. Immediately after HD, the IOP levels were 28 mm Hg OD and 12 mm Hg OS; AS-OCT showed ITC in the nasal and temporal angles OD. Since the iris bombe and HD-induced increase in the ITC were expected to have caused the IOP spike and blurred vision, posterior synechialysis and goniosynechialysis were performed OD. Postoperatively, the iris plane flattened; no IOP spike was recorded, and the blurred vision after HD resolved. At 22 months postoperatively, the IOP was 7 mm Hg in both eyes (OU). No deterioration of visual acuity and visual field was recorded during the follow-up period OU. IOP spikes can occur during and after HD because of transient anterior chamber angle obstruction in cases with narrow angles. AS-OCT is useful for detecting minor morphologic changes in the anterior chamber angle during HD.
First Report of Erythema Multiforme Minor Caused by Raloxifene Hydrochloride
Authors: Norimatsu Yurie , Norimatsu Yuta
Published: September 2021

Raloxifene is a drug used in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Although hot flashes are known side effects of raloxifene, to the best of our knowledge, erythema multiforme (EM) minor has not been previously reported. Herein, we report about a 74-year-old woman who developed EM minor after the drug alfacalcidol was changed to raloxifene to treat osteoporosis. Skin biopsy revealed a suspicious eczematous drug reaction. The drug-induced lymphocyte stimulation test showed a positive result. The stimulation index was 2.2, and there were no other suspected drugs. Based on these results, we diagnosed the condition as EM minor caused by raloxifene. The patient’s symptoms disappeared after the use of antihistamine drugs and topical steroids. In conclusion, raloxifene can cause EM minor in rare cases.
Central Serous Chorioretinopathy: Morphological and Functional Outcome after Subthreshold Thermal Laser Coagulation with a Frequency-Doubled Nd:YAG Continuous-Wave Laser
Authors: Enders Christian , Lang Gabriele E. , Mayer Benjamin , Werner Jens Ulrich
Published: September 2021

Purpose: Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) presents itself as a serous detachment of the central neurosensory retina (NR), which may be accompanied by focal detachment of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and changes in the RPE itself. It is often self-limiting; however, if the macular region is affected, visual impairment can be serious. If spontaneous remission does not occur, data on the effectiveness of further treatment options are sparse. We therefore decided to examine the effectiveness of subthreshold laser photocoagulation (ST-LP) on best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and subretinal fluid (SRF) resorption. We conducted a retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent ST-LP based on the diagnosis of CSCR in a German university eye hospital from 2009 to 2014. Methods: The diagnosis of CSCR was based on the following criteria: detachment of the NR and possibly the RPE visible on ophthalmoscopy, evidence of SRF on optical coherence tomography (OCT), visualization of one or more source points typical for CSCR in fluorescein angiography, and exclusion of differential diagnoses. The time between the anamnestic onset of symptomatic complaints and ST-LP was determined as well as BCVA and OCT before ST-LP. ST-LP was performed as a subthreshold thermal laser coagulation with a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG continuous-wave laser. Follow-up examinations were scheduled at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after ST-LP. Results: Fifty-four eyes of 49 patients were included in the study. The median age of patients was 47 years. Eighty-nine percent of the included patients were male. Twenty percent of patients had a first manifestation of CSCR, 69% had a recurrence, and 11% had persistent SRF for >6 months. The median visual acuity rose from 0.30 at baseline (BL) to 0.10 at 4 weeks and 0.00 at 8 weeks, before dropping slightly to 0.05 at 12 weeks. Changes of visual acuity in comparison to BL were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The initial median retinal thickness of 397 μm at BL decreased to 264 μm at 4 weeks, to 236 μm at 8 weeks, and to 239 μm at 12 weeks (decreases to BL all statistically significant p < 0.05). Conclusion: In our cohort, we were able to achieve substantial and significant clinical benefit through ST-LP measured by improvement in BCVA. Furthermore, we were also able to demonstrate measurable, significant morphological improvements as decreased retinal thickness and increased resorption of SRF as probable mechanisms explaining clinical improvement of CSCR with ST-LP. The advantage of ST-LP over other methods is the low risk of adverse events and its high availability. Controlled, randomized studies are necessary to confirm the data and demonstrate the effect over a longer period of time.
Survey on: A variety of AQM algorithm schemas and intelligent techniques developed for congestion control
Authors: Mahawish Amar A. , Hassan Hassan J.
Published: September 2021

The congestion on the internet is the main issue that affects the performance of transition data over the network. An algorithm for congestion control is required to keep any network efficient and reliable for transfer traffic data of the users. Many Algorithms had been suggested over the years to improve the control of congestion that occurs in the network such as drop tail packets. Recently there are many algorithms have been developed to overcome the drawback of the drop tail procedure. One of the important algorithms developed is active queue management (AQM) that provides efficient congestion control by reducing drop packets, this technique considered as a base for many other congestion control algorithms schema. It works at the network core (router) for controlling the drop and marking of packets in the router's buffer before the congestion inception. In this study, a comprehensive survey is done on the AQM Algorithm schemas that proposed and modification these algorithms to achieve the best performance, the classification of AQM algorithms based on queue length, queue delay, or both. The advantages and limitations of each algorithm have been discussed. Also, debate the intelligent techniques procedure with AQM algorithm to achieve optimization in performance of algorithm operation. Finally, the comparison has been discussed among algorithms to find the weakness and powerful of each one based on different metrics.
Novel deep learning model for vehicle and pothole detection
Authors: K. Gayathri , S. Thangavelu
Published: September 2021

The most important aspect of automatic driving and traffic surveillance is vehicle detection. In addition, poor road conditions caused by potholes are the cause of traffic accidents and vehicle damage. The proposed work uses deep learning models. The proposed method can detect vehicles and potholes using images. The faster region-based convolutional neural network (CNN) and the inception network V2 model are used to implement the model. The proposed work compares the performance, accuracy numbers, detection time, and advantages and disadvantages of the faster region-based convolution neural network (Faster R-CNN) with single shot detector (SSD) and you only look once (YOLO) algorithms. The proposed method shows good progress than the existing methods such as SSD and YOLO. The measure of performance evaluation is Accuracy. The proposed method shows an improvement of 5% once compared with the previous methods such as SSD and YOLO.
The solution to improve information security for IoT networks by combining lightweight encryption protocols
Authors: Tanh Nguyen Van , Tri Ngo Quang , Trung Mai Manh
Published: September 2021

With the strong development of Internet platforms today, many new technologies are applied in most areas of human social life. The development of the internet of things (IoT) has brought to the networking world many innovations with new protocols. Along with that is the complexity of security issues that greatly affect personal data, and limited resources in information technology development and applications. Many security solutions have been researched but none of them is completely effective for the IoT network because of the characteristics of energy, limited resources, processing capacity as well as operating costs. Therefore, we propose an effective solution for comprehensive protection of IoT systems against attacks to network security with improved security protocols. By combining security solutions on the layers of the IoT and code improvement, algorithmic enhancement positively contributes to this important task. In the article, we propose to improve and combine the DTLS Protocol and the overhearing mechanism and then have some experiments to prove the effectiveness, feasibility, economical and appropriate on popular IoT network models.
Thalictrum panzhihuaense (Ranunculaceae) is placed in synonymy with T. glandulosissimum, with reduction of T. tsaii to T. glandulosissimum var. tsaii
Authors: ZENG YOU-PAI , YUAN QIONG , YANG QIN-ER
Published: September 2021

Based on critical observations on herbarium specimens (including type material) and living plants in the wild, we demonstrate that Thalictrum panzhihuaense (Ranunculaceae), described from Panzhihua city in southwestern Sichuan province, China, is conspecific with T. glandulosissimum and that T. tsaii, described from Weixi county in northwestern Yunnan province, China, is extremely close to T. glandulosissimum. We therefore place T. panzhihuaense in synonymy with T. glandulosissimum and treat T. tsaii as a variety of T. glandulosissimum, i.e. T. glandulosissimum var. tsaii. The identity of T. glandulosissimum var. chaotungense is also discussed. Lectotypification is proposed for T. glandulosissimum.
Threat patterns and conservation status of endemic vascular flora in Argentina: a quantitative perspective
Authors: SALARIATO DIEGO L. , ZANOTTI CHRISTIAN , ZULOAGA FERNANDO O.
Published: September 2021

Global warming, coupled with habitat destruction and human activity, are accelerating the rates of species extinction worldwide. Species-extinction risk assessment, using the IUCN Red List categories, together with the study of the spatial patterns of biodiversity, are fundamental approaches to identify conservation priorities and targeting government decisions to mitigate impacts on biodiversity. Here, we analyzed threat levels of endemic species for the entire Argentinean vascular flora. Accordingly, we classified species following the IUCN threat categories and analyze threat levels on the different families, plant life-forms, and biogeographic regions of the country. We also analyzed spatial patterns of threat by means of macroecological modeling techniques, and explored the effectiveness of current protected areas in relation to the threatened endemics they actually included. The results showed that of the 1683 Argentinean endemic taxa, 800 species were here categorized under threat (VU, EN, or CR) (~47%). Families with the highest number of threatened species were also those with the highest number of endemics; herbs and climbing plants presented significantly higher threat levels, and among biogeographic provinces, the most affected in terms of threat proportion were the Altoandina, Yungas, and Paranaense. In addition, different hotspots of threatened endemism were detected, mainly associated with mountainous areas with high altitudinal heterogeneity; of these, only nearly half are included, at least partially, within a protected area. An up-to-date species list of Argentinean endemics, including their proposed conservation status, is also provided. This work seeks to contribute to the knowledge on geographical patterns of the Argentinean flora and its conservation, complementing the information published in the Flora of Argentina.
Additions to Distoseptispora (Distoseptisporaceae) associated with submerged decaying wood in China
Authors: LI WEN-LI , LIU ZUO-PENG , ZHANG TIAN , DISSANAYAKE ASHA J. , LUO ZONG-LONG , SU HONG-YAN , LIU JIAN-KUI
Published: September 2021

In this study, five aquatic hyphomycetous taxa were collected and isolated from submerged wood in Lancang River located in the northwestern Yunnan Province of China. Phylogenetic analyses based on combined LSU, ITS, tef1α and rpb2 sequence matrix indicated that those five taxa belonging to Distoseptispora (Distoseptisporaceae), and they can be recognized as four species which two are introduced as new species (Distoseptispora euseptatensis and D. yunnanensis) and two are identified as D. aquatica and D. tectonae. Two isolates of the new species Distoseptispora euseptatensis formed a distinct clade among Distoseptispora species (basal to D. suoluoensis and D. bambusae) with good support (ML 100%, MP 100%, BI 1.00 PP). Distoseptispora yunnanensis clustered together with D. euseptatensis, but they are difference in the size of conidiophore and conidia. Corresponding illustrations, descriptions and phylogenetic evidences are provided to justify the placement of our newly collected Distoseptispora taxa.
Three’s Company: discovery of a third syntype of Stegonotus lividus, a species of colubrid snake from Pulau Semau, Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia, with comments on an unpublished 19th Century manuscript by the naturalist Salomon Müller
Authors: KAISER HINRICH , MECKE SVEN , KAISER CHRISTINE M. , O’SHEA MARK
Published: September 2021

We report on the discovery of a third, male specimen of Stegonotus lividus in the collection of the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris, France, and demonstrate that it is not only a member of the original type series but the only one of the three syntypes, whose morphology was detailed in the original description. We herein identify it as a paralectotype. In their description of S. lividus, Duméril et al. (1854) attributed authorship of the name to the German zoologist Salomon Müller, whose work was never published. By the rules of zoological nomenclature, author attribution solely via an unpublished manuscript is inadmissible, and the species is therefore properly listed as Stegonotus lividus (Duméril et al., 1854). The recent discovery of Müller’s handwritten manuscript, along with an unpublished drawing of one of these snakes by the Dutch artist Pieter van Oort, allows a better assessment of color and pattern for a species that remains known from only three preserved vouchers, as well as improved differentiation from other taxa occurring in the Lesser Sundas and Moluccas.
New species and new record of Neotropical Metatrichia Coquillett (Diptera: Scenopinidae)
Authors: ALE-ROCHA ROSALY , LIMEIRA-DE-OLIVEIRA FRANCISCO
Published: September 2021

Two species of the genus Metatrichia Coquillett, from South America, are described as new to science: Metatrichia barbata sp. nov. and Metatrichia brunneipennis sp. nov. Their relationships with related species are discussed. Metatrichia bulbosa (Osten Sacken, 1877) is registered to Brazil for the first time. A key to New World species of Metatrichia is presented.
Distributed sensing of wind direction using fiber-optic cables
Authors: Freundorfer Anita , Lapo Karl , Schneider Johann , Thomas Christoph K.
Published: September 2021

In the atmospheric boundary layer, phenomena exist with challenging properties such as spatial heterogeneity, particularly during stable weak wind situations. Studying spatially heterogeneous features requires spatially distributed measurements on fine spatial and temporal scales. Fiber-Optic Distributed Sensing (FODS) can provide spatially distributed measurements, simultaneously offering a spatial resolution on the order of decimeters and a temporal resolution on the order of seconds. While FODS has already been deployed to study various variables, FODS wind direction sensing has only been demonstrated in idealized wind tunnel experiments. We present the first distributed observations of FODS wind directions from field data. The wind direction sensing is accomplished by using pairs of actively heated fiber optic cables with cone-shaped microstructures attached to them. Here we present three different methods of calculating wind directions from the FODS measurements, two based on using combined wind speed and direction information and one deriving wind direction independently from FODS wind speed. For each approach, the effective temporal and spatial resolution is quantified using spectral coherence. With each method of calculating wind directions, temporal resolutions on the order of tens of seconds can be achieved. The accuracy of FODS wind directions was evaluated against a sonic anemometer, showing deviations of less than 15° most of the time. The applicability of FODS for wind direction measurements in different environmental conditions is tested by analysing the dependence of FODS wind direction accuracy and observable scales on environmental factors. Finally, we demonstrate the potential of this technique by presenting a period that displays spatial and temporal structures in the wind direction.
Ultrasonographic Tissue Perfusion in Peri-implant Health and Disease
Authors: Barootchi S. , Tavelli L. , Majzoub J. , Chan H.L. , Wang H.L. , Kripfgans O.D.
Published: September 2021

Color flow ultrasonography has played a crucial role in medicine for its ability to assess dynamic tissue perfusion and blood flow variations as an indicator of a pathologic condition. While this feature of ultrasound is routinely employed in various medical fields, its intraoral application for the assessment of tissue perfusion at diseased versus healthy dental implants has never been explored. We tested the hypothesis that quantified tissue perfusion of power Doppler ultrasonography correlates with the clinically assessed inflammation of dental implants. Specifically, we designed a discordant-matched case-control study in which patients with nonadjacent dental implants with different clinical diagnoses (healthy, peri-implant mucositis, or peri-implantitis) were scanned and analyzed with real-time ultrasonography. Forty-two posterior implants in 21 patients were included. Ultrasound scans were obtained at the implant regions of midbuccal, mesial/distal (averaged as interproximal), and transverse to compute the velocity- and power-weighted color pixel density from color velocity (CV) and color power (CP), respectively. Linear mixed effect models were then used to assess the relationship between the clinical diagnoses and ultrasound CV and CP. Overall, the results strongly suggested that ultrasound’s quantified CV and CP directly correlate with the clinical diagnosis of dental implants at health, peri-implant mucositis, and peri-implantitis. This study showed for the first time that ultrasound color flow can be applicable in the diagnosis of peri-implant disease and can act as a valuable tool for evaluating the degree of clinical inflammation at implant sites.
Importance sampling for Markovian tandem queues using subsolutions: exploring the possibilities
Authors: Buijsrogge Anne , de Boer Pieter-Tjerk , Scheinhardt Werner R W
Published: September 2021

We consider importance sampling simulation for estimating the probability of reaching large total number of customers in an [Formula: see text] tandem queue, during a busy cycle of the system. Our main result is a procedure for obtaining a family of asymptotically efficient changes of measure based on subsolutions. We explicitly show these families for two-node tandem queues and we find that there exist more asymptotically efficient changes of measure based on subsolutions than currently available in literature.
From Me to You: Time Together and Subjective Well-Being in the UK
Authors: Vagni Giacomo
Published: September 2021

Time together as a family is a crucial dimension of family life. However, its impact on personal happiness is not well understood. I use the United Kingdom Time Use Survey 2014–2015 to study how time spent with partners and children affects daily subjective well-being. Overall, I find that family time, couple time, and time alone with children contributes significantly to mothers’ and fathers’ well-being. I show that the activities that families share together mediate an important part of the enjoyment of time together but do not entirely explain this association. This suggests that beyond what families do together, families enjoy being together. I find that fathers enjoy family time more than mothers do. I demonstrate that the unequal division of labour during family time explains this discrepancy. I conclude by discussing the recent transformations of intimate relationships.