bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MRI and muscle enzymes do not support the diagnosis of local anesthetic myotoxicity: a descriptive case series
Authors: Mahyar Lauren , Neal Joseph M , Blackmore C Craig , Jackson Dane W , Hanson Neil A , MacDonald Kevin M , Warren Daniel , Verdin Peter J
Published: May 2021

Background

The presence of thigh muscle edema as characterized by increased signal intensity on MRI has been used to support the diagnosis of presumed local anesthetic-induced myotoxicity reported after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with continuous adductor canal block (CACB). However, neither postoperative baseline imaging appearance nor muscle enzyme values have been described in conjunction with this clinical scenario. Thus, the usefulness of MRI or enzymatic biomarkers of muscle injury for supporting the diagnosis of local anesthetic myotoxicity is unknown.

Methods

This descriptive case series documents postoperative MRI appearance of the ipsilateral upper leg, plus preoperative and postoperative creatine phosphokinase and aldolase values in volunteer patients who underwent uncomplicated TKA with CACB.

Results

In 27 volunteer patients with no postsurgical evidence of clinically relevant myotoxicity, anterior thigh muscle edema was universally evident on imaging (n=12) and muscle enzyme values (n=19) were normal or only slightly elevated.

Conclusions

The non-specificity of these findings suggests that MRI and near normal muscle enzyme levels are of limited diagnostic value when there is clinical suspicion of local anesthetic myotoxicity in the setting of TKA with CACB.

Trial registration number

NCT04821245.
Effects of timber harvest on epigeous fungal fruiting patterns and community structure in a northern hardwood ecosystem
Authors: Borgmann-Winter Benjamin W. , Stephens Ryan B. , D’Amato Anthony W. , Frey Serita D. , Rowe Rebecca J.
Published: May 2021

Epigeous fungal fruiting has important impacts on fungal reproduction and ecosystem function. Forest disturbances, such as timber harvest, impact moisture, host availability, and substrate availability, which in turn may drive changes in fungal fruiting patterns and community structure. We surveyed mushrooms in 0.4 ha patch cuts (18 months post-harvest) and adjacent intact hardwood forest in northern New Hampshire, USA, to document the effects of timber harvest on summer fruiting richness, biomass, diversity, and community structure of ectomycorrhizal, parasitic, and saprobic mushroom taxa. Fungal fruiting richness, diversity, and community heterogeneity were greater in intact forests than patch cuts. Among functional groups, ectomycorrhizal fruiting richness, diversity, and biomass were greater in unharvested areas than in the patch cuts, but parasitic and saprobic fruiting did not differ statistically between the two forest conditions. Our findings suggest that timber harvest simplifies fungal fruiting communities shortly after harvest, in particular triggering declines in ectomycorrhizal taxa which are important symbionts facilitating tree establishment and regeneration. Multi-aged silvicultural practices that maintain mature forest conditions adjacent to and throughout harvested areas through deliberate retention of overstory trees and downed woody material may promote fungal fruiting diversity in regenerating stands.
Nanograin ferromagnets from nonmagnetic bulk materials: The case of gold nanoclusters
Authors: Kucska Nóra , Gulácsi Zsolt
Published: June 2021

The ferromagnetism of Au nanograins is analyzed based on a two-dimensional itinerant lattice model with on-site Coulomb repulsion, many-body spin–orbit interactions, and holding two hybridized bands, one correlated and one uncorrelated. Using periodic boundary conditions in both directions, an exact ferromagnetic ground state is deduced for this non-integrable system by applying special techniques based on positive semidefinite operators.
Design and Analysis of a High-Efficiency Two-Phase Interleaved Boost Converter with Modified Conversion Ratio and Low Voltage Stress
Authors: Biswas Mriganka , Majhi Somanath , Nemade Harshal
Published: June 2021

The paper presents a two-phase interleaved boost converter (IBC) providing higher step-up conversion ratio compared to the conventional IBC. The circuit consists of a crossly connected diode-capacitor cell which provides the extra boost up. The two identical capacitors of the cell are charged in parallel and discharged in series providing high voltage gain at considerably low duty ratio. Switching operations, ripple and average currents through inductors are analyzed in continuous conduction mode (CCM). Ripple in input current is also improved. The voltage stress across the semiconductor devices is less in the proposed converter. Also, boundary load condition is derived. Small-signal modeling is carried out and a control circuit is enabled in the voltage mode control framework. Power losses are analyzed and 96.53[Formula: see text] efficiency is achieved. Finally, the proposed converter is designed and implemented, and experimental results are provided.
A generalization of the 𝔾0 dichotomy and a strengthening of the 𝔼0ℕ dichotomy
Authors: Miller Benjamin D.
Published: May 2021

We generalize the [Formula: see text] dichotomy to doubly-indexed sequences of analytic digraphs. Under a mild definability assumption, we use this generalization to characterize the family of Borel actions of tsi Polish groups on Polish spaces that can be decomposed into countably-many Borel actions admitting complete Borel sets that are lacunary with respect to an open neighborhood of the identity. We also show that if the group in question is non-archimedean, then the inexistence of such a decomposition yields a special kind of continuous embedding of [Formula: see text] into the corresponding orbit equivalence relation.
Annihilators of power values of derivations on Lie ideals of prime rings
Authors: Liu Cheng-Kai , Tsai Yuan-Tsung
Published: May 2021

Let [Formula: see text] be a prime ring with the extended centroid [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] a noncentral Lie ideal of [Formula: see text]. Suppose that [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] is a derivation of [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] for all [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] are fixed positive integers. If [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text], then [Formula: see text] unless [Formula: see text], the [Formula: see text] matrix ring over a field [Formula: see text]. This result gives an affirmative answer to the open conjecture recently raised by Huang in [Derivations with annihilator conditions on Lie ideals in prime rings, J. Algebra Appl. 19 (2020) 2050025].
A notion of rank for noncommutative quadratic forms on four generators
Authors: Cain Jessica G. , Frauendienst Leah R. , Veerapen Padmini
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we extend work from [M. Vancliff and P. P. Veerapen, Generalizing the notion of rank to noncommutative quadratic forms, in Noncommutative Birational Geometry, Representations and Combinatorics, eds. A. Berenstein and V. Retakh, Contemporary Mathematics, Vol. 592 (2013), pp. 241–250], where a notion of rank, called [Formula: see text]-rank, was proposed for noncommutative quadratic forms on two and three generators. In particular, we provide a definition of [Formula: see text]-rank one and two for noncommutative quadratic forms on four generators. We apply this definition to determine the number of point modules over certain quadratic AS-regular algebras of global dimension four.
Integral and series representations of q-polynomials and functions: Part III theta, Ramanujan and q-Bessel functions
Authors: Ismail Mourad E. H. , Zhang Ruiming
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we use an identity connecting a modified [Formula: see text]-Bessel function and a [Formula: see text] function to give [Formula: see text]-versions of entries in the Lost Notebook of Ramanujan. We also establish an identity which gives an [Formula: see text]-version of a partition identity. We prove new relations and identities involving theta functions, the Ramanujan function, the Stieltjes–Wigert, [Formula: see text]-Lommel and [Formula: see text]-Bessel polynomials. We introduce and study [Formula: see text]-analogues of the spherical Bessel functions.
Probabilistic solutions to DAEs learning from physical data
Authors: Wu Zongmin , Zhang Ran
Published: June 2021

The nonlinear chaotic differential/algebraic equation (DAE) has been established to simulate the nonuniform oscillations of the motion of a falling sphere in the non-Newtonian fluid. The DAE is obtained only by learning the experimental data with sparse optimization method. However, the deterministic solution will become increasingly inaccurate for long time approximation of the continuous system. In this paper, we introduce two probabilistic solutions to compute the totally DAE, the Random branch selection iteration (RBSI) and Random switching iteration (RSI). The samples are also taken as the reference trajectory to learn random parameter. The proposed probabilistic solutions can be regarded as the discrete analogues of differential inclusion and switching DAEs, respectively. They have been also compared with the deterministic method, i.e. backward differentiation formula (BDF). The deterministic methods only give limited candidates of all the probability solutions, while the RSI can include all the possible trajectories. The numerical results and statistical information criterion show that RSI can successfully reveal the sustaining instabilities of the motion itself and long time chaotic behavior.
Finch–Skea star model in f(R,T) theory of gravity
Authors: Bhar Piyali , Rej Pramit , Siddiqa Aisha , Abbas Ghulam
Published: May 2021

This work discusses about the existence of compact star model in the context of [Formula: see text] gravity with [Formula: see text] as the Ricci scalar and [Formula: see text] as the trace of energy–momentum tensor [Formula: see text]. The model has been developed by considering the spherically symmetric spacetime consisting of isotropic fluid with [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] be the coupling parameter. The corresponding field equations are solved by choosing the well-known Finch–Skea ansatz [M. R. Finch and J. E. F. Skea, A realistic stellar model based on an ansatz of Duorah and Ray, Class. Quantum Gravity 6(4) (1989) 467–476]. For spacetime continuity, we elaborate the boundary conditions by considering the exterior region as Schwarzschild metric. The unknown constants appearing in the solution are evaluated for the compact star PSR J 1614-2230 for different values of coupling constant. The physical properties of the model, e.g. matter density, pressure, stability, etc. have been discussed both analytically and graphically. This analysis showed that the geometry and matter are compatible with each other as well as the model is in stable equilibrium in the context of [Formula: see text] modified gravity.
A note on Clifford bundles and certain Finsler type spaces
Authors: Gallego Torromé Ricardo
Published: May 2021

We study a relation between certain extensions of the Clifford bundle and Finsler type structures that naturally generalize the standard Clifford relation between (pseudo)-Riemannian metric structures and Dirac matrices. We show for flat metrics that there is a triangle map between Finsler structures constructed from a (pseudo)-Riemannian metric and [Formula: see text]-forms on [Formula: see text], the extension of the Clifford bundle and relevant Dirac type operators.
THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ON INNOVATION CAPABILITY AND PERFORMANCE
Authors: KIM KONSHIK
Published: June 2021

This study established the social and economic human resource management (HRM) systems and analysed their respective impacts and interplay on the innovation capability and product innovation. With 1,940 longitudinal samples over five waves, the results show that the effects of the social HRM system on the capability and performance of innovation are much stronger than the effect of the economic HRM system on innovation capability and product innovation. The findings also show that no congruence effects between the social and economic HRM systems on the innovation capability and product innovation were found in that the combined effects of the two HRM systems are not maximised when the levels of the two HRM systems are in agreement. Further, findings suggest that the main effects of the social HRM system can be supplemented with the economic HRM system in that the effects of the social HRM system tend to increase as the level of the economic HRM system increases. This study contributes to the understanding of the HRM system that has traditionally pursued one best bundle of HRM practices regardless of underlying principles and assumptions on human nature and society.
Dynamic Interaction of Two Independent SDOF Oscillators Supported by a Flexible Foundation Embedded in a Half-Space: Closed-Form Analytical Solution for Incident Plane SH-Waves
Authors: Jin Liguo , Du Liting , Wang Haiyan
Published: June 2021

This paper presents a closed-form analytical solution for the dynamic response of two independent SDOF oscillators standing on one flexible foundation embedded in an elastic half-space and excited by plane SH waves. The solution is obtained by the wave function expansion method and is verified by comparison with the results of the special cases of a rigid foundation and the published research result of a flexible foundation. The model is utilized to investigate how the foundation stiffness influences the system response. The results show that there will be a significant interaction between the two independent structures on one flexible foundation and the intensity of the interaction is mainly dependent on foundation stiffness and structural stiffness. For a system with more flexible foundation, strong interaction will exist between the two structures; larger structural stiffness will also lead to a strong interaction between the two structures. When the structural mass and the structural stiffness are all larger, the flexible foundation cannot be treated as a rigid foundation even if the foundation stiffness is many times larger than that of soil. This model may be useful to get insight into the effects of foundation flexibility on the interaction of two independent structures standing on one flexible foundation.
A new three-term spectral conjugate gradient algorithm with higher numerical performance for solving large scale optimization problems based on Quasi-Newton equation
Authors: Guo Jie , Wan Zhong
Published: June 2021

A new spectral three-term conjugate gradient algorithm in virtue of the Quasi-Newton equation is developed for solving large-scale unconstrained optimization problems. It is proved that the search directions in this algorithm always satisfy a sufficiently descent condition independent of any line search. Global convergence is established for general objective functions if the strong Wolfe line search is used. Numerical experiments are employed to show its high numerical performance in solving large-scale optimization problems. Particularly, the developed algorithm is implemented to solve the 100 benchmark test problems from CUTE with different sizes from 1000 to 10,000, in comparison with some similar ones in the literature. The numerical results demonstrate that our algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art ones in terms of less CPU time, less number of iteration or less number of function evaluation.
Prevalence and Associated Factors of Depressive Disorder among Prisoners in Mekelle General Prison Center, Tigray, Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study Design
Authors: Welu Solomon Gidey , Aregawi Desta Hailu , Gebreslassie Hagos Tsegabrhan , Kidanu Kokob Gebru
Published: June 2021

Background. Depression is the most prevalent mental disorder among prisoners and is the second leading cause of disability worldwide. Depression affects more for those who are less educated, female, single, and young prisoners, and worldwide prevalence of depression among prisoners is 10.2% and 14% for male and female prisoners, respectively. However, a study conducted on prevalence of depression and associated factors is scarce in Ethiopia (Tigray) despite there is high magnitude. Methodology. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 414 prisoners in Mekelle General Prison Center. Data were collected from April to May 2019. A structured and standardized data collection tool (PHQ-9) was used. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis was carried out by SPSS version 20. Statistical significance was determined at

P

value < 0.05. Result. In this study, 408 prisoners had participated. The prevalence of depression among prisoners was found to be 228 (55.9%; 95% CI: 51.2%, 61%). Being unemployed and student, lifetime substance use, history of child abuse, weight loss in prison, quality of meal in prison, being not happy inside prison, being sentenced for more than six years, and poor and moderate social support were significantly associated with depression. Conclusion. Prevalence of depression among prisoners was found to be high (55.9%). Prisoners who had lifetime substance use, being unemployed and student, history of childhood abuse, weight loss inside prison, being sentenced for more than six years, not happy inside prison, lack of social support, and poor quality of prison meal were more likely to have depression. Thus, giving training to strengthen social support, giving training on how to cope up with prison environment, giving training to scale up a happy life, and improving quality of prison meal as well as mental health service will help to reduce the problem. Conducting interventional study is relevant.
Development of the Home Fall Hazard Checklist
Authors: Ziebart Christina , Dewan Neha , Tuazon Joshua , MacDermid Joy
Published: June 2021

Objective. Home hazard assessment is particularly important following a fracture as a means of preventing subsequent fractures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate current checklists and evidence on home hazard to develop a usable self-administered checklist that could be used by adults to assess home hazards. Design. Review and observational, prospective study. Setting. Community dwelling. Participants. Nine adults (4 men, 5 women) were asked to review the checklist and provide feedback on whether items were relevant, comprehensive, and easy to understand. Intervention. A search for literature examining the causes of falls that focused on home hazards or behaviours was conducted, and causes were extracted. Using the combined list of home hazards, a draft checklist was created. The participants were asked to pilot the checklist through their home. Primary and Secondary Outcome. An initial iteration of the checklist was modified to reduce redundancy (by grouping certain items together), improve usability (by adding a “not applicable category”), and improve readability (by removing double-barrelled questions or rewriting certain items). Results. This process resulted in 74 items in 10 areas. On average, it took 10 minutes for the participants to complete the home walk-through while filling out the checklist. Conclusion. The fall hazard-home checklist is a new checklist designed to identify home fall hazards with the intended use of being either administered by self-report through memory or supported by a walk-about, and that could potentially be completed by a patient who has incurred a fall, fracture, a family member, or caregiver. Given the expense of home hazard assessments that involve a home visit, the validity of this method of detection warrants further investigation.
Single‐Dose Toxicity Study on ML171, a Selective NOX1 Inhibitor, in Mice
Authors: Oh Se-Hyun , Ahn Ji-Sun , Oh Eun-Joo , Kim You-Jin , Yook Ju-Min , Lim Jeong-Hoon , Jung Hee-Yeon , Choi Ji-Young , Kim Chan-Duck , Park Sun-Hee , Kim Yong-Lim , Cho Jang-Hee
Published: May 2021

Background. ML171 is a potent nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NOX) inhibitor with isoform selectivity only for NOX1. This study is aimed at investigating the safety of ML171 after a single intraperitoneal (IP) injection in mice. Methods. The toxicity of a single dose of ML171 was evaluated in 6‐week‐old Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice in a good laboratory practice (GLP) laboratory. Twenty‐five mice of each sex were assigned to five groups: negative control, vehicle control, and 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg of ML171. All mice were acclimatized for one week before beginning the study. Mice received an IP injection of ML171 or vehicle. The general condition and mortality of the animals were observed. The mice were sacrificed to evaluate histopathology 14 days after the administration of ML171 or vehicle. Results. Bodyweights were not significantly different in any group. Three males and one female died due to ML171 administration in the 500 mg/kg dose group. Autopsies of the surviving mice did not reveal any significant abnormalities after the injection of 125 mg/kg of ML171. However, the anterior lobe edge of the liver was thickened and adhesions between the liver and adjacent organs were observed in mice treated with 250 or 500 mg/kg of ML171. In addition, hypertrophy of centrilobular hepatocytes and inflammatory cell infiltration were observed after injection of 250 and 500 mg/kg of ML171. Conclusion. Our results indicate that the lethal IP injection dose of ML171 is 500 mg/kg for both males and females. Mortality were not observed for lower doses of ML171. The safe dose of single IP ML171 in ICR mice was 250 mg/kg or less. Further studies are needed to confirm the safety of ML171 in the human body.
Salt Used for the National School Nutrition Program (NSNP) in Rural Schools of Limpopo Province, South Africa, has Adequate Levels of Iodine
Authors: Ramugondo Mpho , Mushaphi Lindelani Fhumudzani , Mabapa Ngoako Solomon
Published: June 2021

Background. Salt iodisation is considered the most effective long-term public health intervention for achieving optimal iodine nutrition. Effective salt iodisation is a prerequisite for the sustainable elimination of iodine deficiency disorders. The aim of this study was to determine iodine concentration of salt used for the National School Nutrition Program (NSNP). Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 359 food handlers from Vhembe and Mopani districts of Limpopo Province, South Africa. The questionnaire was administered to solicit data on demographic information, general questions on salt fortification, and iodine nutrition knowledge. After the interviews, two tablespoons of salt used for the NSNP food preparation was collected from 318 schools in small zip-lock plastic bags. The salt samples were coded and stored at room temperature and protected from light and moisture until the time of analysis. Salt iodine concentrations were determined at the North-West University (NWU) in Potchefstroom by means of the iCheck test method. Results. The median iodine concentration of both Mopani (31.65 ppm) and Vhembe (32.56 ppm) districts signified adequate iodine levels. Of 318 salt samples, 113 (71%) samples in Mopani and 104 (65%) in Vhembe had an iodine concentration of 15–64 ppm. A few (6%) food handlers in Mopani and almost half (45.9%) in Vhembe could correctly identify iodated salt as the main source of iodine. Almost half of the food handlers (%) in Mopani and 36.5% in Vhembe did not know which part of body needs iodine for functioning. Conclusion. More than 20 years after the implementation of the USI program, the result of the study shows that the international goal of 90% coverage is still far from being realised.
Outcomes and Prognostic Factors of Posttraumatic Endophthalmitis: A Three-Year Retrospective Study
Authors: Ma Jian , Yu Yinhui , Zhong Yueyang , Mao Xing , Fang Xiaoyun
Published: June 2021

Purpose. To describe the clinical features, management, and outcomes of patients with posttraumatic endophthalmitis (PTE) and to determine risk factors for poor visual prognosis. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 42 consecutive patients presenting with PTE who were treated at our institution between 2017 and 2019. Each patient’s data, including demographic characteristics, ocular injury details, surgical records, patient outcomes, and laboratory results, were collected and analyzed. Multivariate analysis was conducted to determine the factors associated with poor visual outcomes. Results. In our series, male (n = 36, 85.7%) and patients below 60 years of age (20–40 years, 23.8%; 40–60 years, 57.14%) comprised most of the total cohort. On presentation, 39 (92.8%) of the 42 PTE patients presented best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) worse than counting fingers. Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) was performed in all the patients. 59.5% (n = 25) of the patients’ BCVA improved after surgery and 33.3% (n = 14) achieved BCVA of 20/200 or better. The rate of evisceration was 7.1% (n = 3). Of the 42 specimens, the culture was positive in 10 (23.8%) eyes. By univariate analysis, factors including sex, occupation, systemic disease, source of trauma, lens injury, silicone oil tamponade, usage of intravitreal antibiotics, BCVA at presentation, and culture positive for any organism did not affect the final visual outcome. The features associated with poor BCVA (grouped as < 20/200 and ≥ 20/200) included older age (

P
=
0.035

), corneal-sclera wound (versus sclera wound) (

P
=
0.047

), retained intraocular foreign bodies (IOFBs) (

P
=
0.006

), treatment > 3 days (versus < 1 day) (

P
=
0.033

), and more times of surgeries (

P
=
0.033

). Conclusions. PTE is a severe complication of penetrating globe injuries associated with irreversible visual loss. Our results highlighted the importance of conducting early therapeutic PPV and IOFB removal to achieve better visual outcomes.
New Biologics for the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis: Analysis of Efficacy, Safety, and Paradoxical Atopic Dermatitis Acceleration
Authors: Qi Hong-jiao , Li Lin-Feng
Published: May 2021

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease with an eczematous rash and itching. Due to undesired adverse effects of traditional systemic treatment, there is still an unmet need for safe and effective long‐term therapy for refractory AD. As our understanding of the pathogenesis underlying AD grows, novel treatments targeting specific molecules have been developed. Here, we discuss the efficacy and safety profiles of these drugs in recent clinical trials. Among their adverse effects, of particular note is AD acceleration. Although there is still debate about whether certain adverse reactions can be said to be paradoxical adverse events (PAEs), a wide range of PAEs have been reported during biological treatment for chronic immune‐mediated diseases. Close surveillance of novel biologics is crucial to detect new undescribed paradoxical reactions and to shed light on the convoluted pathogenesis of AD.
Spatio-Temporal Segmented Traffic Flow Prediction with ANPRS Data Based on Improved XGBoost
Authors: Sun Bo , Sun Tuo , Jiao Pengpeng
Published: June 2021

Traffic prediction is highly significant for intelligent traffic systems and traffic management. eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), a scalable tree lifting algorithm, is proposed and improved to predict more high-resolution traffic state by utilizing origin-destination (OD) relationship of segment flow data between upstream and downstream on the highway. In order to achieve fine prediction, a generalized extended-segment data acquirement mode is added by incorporating information of Automatic Number Plate Recognition System (ANPRS) from exits and entrances of toll stations and acquired by mathematical OD calculation indirectly without cameras. Abnormal data preprocessing and spatio-temporal relationship matching are conducted to ensure the effectiveness of prediction. Pearson analysis of spatial correlation is performed to find the relevance between adjacent roads, and the relative importance of input modes can be verified by spatial lag input and ordinary input. Two improved models, independent XGBoost (XGBoost-I) with individual adjustment parameters of different sections and static XGBoost (XGBoost-S) with overall adjustment of parameters, are conducted and combined with temporal relevant intervals and spatial staggered sectional lag. The early_stopping_rounds adjustment mechanism (EAM) is introduced to improve the effect of the XGBoost model. The prediction accuracy of XGBoost-I-lag is generally higher than XGBoost-I, XGBoost-S-lag, XGBoost-S, and other baseline methods for short-term and long-term multistep ahead. Additionally, the accuracy of the XGBoost-I-lag is evaluated well in nonrecurrent conditions and missing cases with considerable running time. The experiment results indicate that the proposed framework is convincing, satisfactory, and computationally reasonable.
Study on Acoustic Characteristics of a Flexible Plate Strongly Coupled with Rectangular Cavity
Authors: Liao Jinlong , Zhu Haichao , Hou Jiuxiao , Yuan Suwei
Published: June 2021

This paper presents a method to predict the acoustic characteristics and steady‐state responses of a flexible plate strongly coupled with rectangular cavity based on energy principle theory and Legendre polynomial series. First, the displacement of the plate and the sound pressure in the cavity are constructed in the form of two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional Legendre polynomial series, respectively. The unknown expansion coefficients are obtained using the Rayleigh–Ritz technique based on the energy expressions for the strongly coupled plate‐cavity system. The accuracy, convergence, and efficiency of the present method are verified by comparing with the results available in the FEM and literature. Finally, the effects of the structural boundary conditions, cavity depth, and structural length‐width ratio on the coupling natural frequency and the steady‐state responses under three excitation conditions are analyzed.
Dynamic Assessment of Road Network Vulnerability Based on Cell Transmission Model
Authors: Sun Yu , Xie Binglei , Wang Shan , Wu Dazhuang
Published: June 2021

The road network maintaining stability is critical for guaranteeing urban traffic function. Therefore, the vulnerable links need to be identified accurately. Previous vulnerability research under static condition compared the operating states of the old equilibrium before the event and the new equilibrium after the event to assess vulnerability ignoring the dynamic variation process. Does road network vulnerability change over time? This paper combines the vulnerability assessment with the traffic flow evolution process, exploring the road network vulnerability evaluation from the perspective of time dimension. More accurate identification and evaluation of vulnerable nodes and links can help to strengthen the ability of road network resisting disturbances. A modified dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) model is established for dynamic path selection (reselect the shortest path at the end of each link) based on the dynamic user optimal (DUO) principle. A modified cell transmission model is established to simulate the traffic flow evolution processes. The cumulative and time-varying index of vulnerability assessment is established from the viewpoint of traveler’s time loss. Then the road network vulnerability assessment combined the traffic flow model with the vulnerability index. The road network vulnerability assessment of Bao’an Central District of Shenzhen, China, reveals that road network vulnerability does contain a dynamic process, and vulnerable links in each phase can be exactly identified by the model. Results showed that the road network would have a large vulnerability during the disordered phase when the main road fails. Therefore, prioritizing the smooth flow of main roads can weaken the impact of road network vulnerability exposure.
A New Approach for Forecasting Crude Oil Prices Using Median Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition and Group Method of Data Handling
Authors: Ahmad Waqas , Aamir Muhammad , Khalil Umair , Ishaq Muhammad , Iqbal Nadeem , Khan Mukhtaj
Published: June 2021

The accuracy of time series forecasting is more important and can assist organizations to take up-to-date decisions for better planning and management. Several classical econometrics and computational approaches show promising results for the ordinary time series forecasting tasks, but they are not satisfactory in crude oil price forecasting. Ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) not only resolves the problem of nonlinearity and nonstationarity of time series prediction but also creates some problems (i.e., mood mixing and splitting). In this study, we proposed a new hybrid method that combines the median ensemble empirical mode decomposition and group method of data handling (MEEMD-GMDH) to reduce mood splitting problems and forecast crude oil price. MEEMD is achieved by replacing the mean operator with the median operator during the EEMD process. For testing and validation purposes of the different models, the two-seat stamp benchmarked crude oil price data are used (i.e., Brent and West Texas Intermediate (WTI)). To check the proposed model performance, different evaluation measures are used including Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), and Diebold-Mariano (DM) test. All the forecasting accuracy measures confirmed that our proposed model performs well in crude oil prices forecasting as compared to other hybrid models.
Optimal Homotopy Asymptotic Method for Investigation of Effects of Thermal Radiation, Internal Heat Generation, and Buoyancy on Velocity and Heat Transfer in the Blasius Flow
Authors: Ibrahim Dachas , Daba Mitiku , Bati Solomon
Published: June 2021

In this study, analytical examination of effects of internal heat generation, thermal radiation, and buoyancy force on flow and heat transfer in the Blasius flow over flat plate has been presented. The governing nonlinear partial differential equations of the problem are transformed into a set of coupled nonlinear third-order ordinary differential equations by the similarity variable method and have been systematically solved using the optimal homotopy asymptotic method. The main aim of the present study is to inspect the effects of various physical parameters in the flow model on velocity and heat transfer in steady two-dimensional laminar boundary layer flow with convective boundary conditions. The influences of the Grashof number, internal heat generation, the Biot number, radiation parameter, and the Prandtl number on the skin-friction coefficient, the fluid velocity profile, and temperature distribution have been determined and discussed in detail through several plots. The finding revealed that the fluid velocity and temperature delivery upsurge with snowballing in the values of the Biot number and internal heat generation parameters. The temperature profile of the fluid declines contrary to the value of the Grashof number and the Prandtl number but increases with thermal radiation. Moreover, it is found that the skin-friction coefficient and the rate of heat intensify with the Grashof number, internal heat generation, the Biot number, and thermal radiation parameter. The obtained result is likened with the previously published numerical results in a limited case of the problem and shows an excellent agreement.
Proteomic Analysis and In Vivo Studies Reveal the Potential Gastroprotective Effects of CHCl3 and Aqueous Extracts of Ficus palmata
Authors: Ansari Sameen Fatima , Khan Arif-ullah , Qazi Neelum Gul , Shah Fawad Ali , Naeem Komal
Published: June 2021

Ficus palmata is rich in several phytochemicals such as chromone, isoflavones, terpenes, lignans, coumarins, glycosides, and furanocoumarins and have been traditionally used for the management of different gastrointestinal disorders. This research reveals the effects of Ficus palmata fruit extracts—Ficus palmata chloroform (Fp.CHCl3) and Ficus palmata aqueous (Fp.Aq)—on gut activity through in vivo and in vitro analyses. Antidiarrheal and enteropooling assays were analyzed with castor oil-induced diarrhea and intestinal fluid accumulation. Jejunum tissues of rabbits were isolated (antispasmodic) for in vitro experiments. Antimotility was carried out by charcoal meal for determining transient time, and ethanol-induced ulcer assay was used to measure the ulceration of stomach; molecular pathways were assessed through proteomic approach. Fp.CHCl3 and Fp.Aq extracts attributed dose-dependently protection against diarrhea, and intestinal fluid secretions were inhibited dose dependently. Extracts of Fp.CHCl3 and Fp.Aq produced reduction in spontaneous and K+ (at 80 Mm)-induced contractions in isolated jejunum tissues, along with the decreased length covered by charcoal in charcoal meal transient time activity. The extract exhibited gastroprotective outcome in rats and reduced tumor necrotic factor (TNF-α) levels and IL-18, measured by proteomic approach. Morphological studies’ results showed that ethanol induced significant gastritis, apoptosis, swelling of mucosa, and hydropic degeneration leading to cellular degeneration and necrosis, observed through staining techniques. Furthermore, ethanol activated the inflammation pathway in all gastric zones by elevating the levels of cyclooxygenase-2, TNF-α, and nuclear factor kappa light-chain enhancer of activated B-cells. Overall results expressed the antidiarrheal, antispasmodic, enteropooling, antimotility, and antiulcer activities of Ficus palmata fruit extract.
A Case Series of Severe Dengue with Neurological Presentation in Children from a Colombian Hyperendemic Area
Authors: Castellanos Jaime E. , Esteban Paula , Panqueba-Salgado Juanita , Benavides-del-Castillo Daniela , Pastrana Valentina , Acosta Gladys , Salgado Doris , Narvaez Carlos F. , Camacho-Ortega Sigrid , Calvo Eliana , Velandia-Romero Myriam L.
Published: June 2021

Dengue transmission is sustained in Colombia with increasing prevalence mainly in children. This work aimed to describe a case series of children diagnosed with dengue presenting neurological disease in Huila Province of Colombia. Eleven pediatric febrile patients confirmed for dengue disease and presenting neurological signs were studied in the University Hospital of Neiva, Huila Province. Clinical and laboratory findings, CSF cytochemical analysis, neurology images, and serology and molecular studies were performed. Viral RNA was detected in all patients’ sera by RT-PCR. Nine out of 11 were primary infections. Tonic-clonic seizures (73%), consciousness alterations (27%), irritability (27%), and ataxia (18%) were the most frequent neurological signs. None of the patients had plasma leakage, hypovolemic shock, or liver disease, confirming the encephalitis diagnosis. Diagnostic images did not show abnormal findings, but neither bacterial nor fungal infections were detected in CSF analysis. All patients survived without sequelae except for one patient that presented ataxia for months. In conclusion, we described a group of children with neurological signs during severe dengue disease as the main finding, indicating the importance to including dengue as a differential diagnosis in neurological patients from endemic areas.
Optimal Design of Mega‐Frame Core Wall Structures Equipped with Viscous Damped Outriggers for Human Comfort Performance under Wind Loading
Authors: Yang Yue , Zhao Xin , Shi Weixing , Li Jiayue
Published: June 2021

Megatall and supertall buildings often adopt megastructure systems characterized by secondary structure systems, and the serviceability problem caused by wind‐induced vibrations often becomes the dominant factor in the structural design. Because the deformation of a supertall building usually presents bending characteristics, a viscous damped outrigger can reduce the wind‐induced vibration of a supertall building with the installation of a small number of viscous dampers. However, time history analysis of the prototype model considering the nonlinear characteristics of viscous dampers is time‐consuming, which is not conducive for iterative design optimization. Additionally, the conventional simplified model composed of one cantilever beam cannot be used for the analysis and design of a viscous damped outrigger. In this study, a simplified wind‐induced vibration prediction model is proposed based on the mechanical characteristics of megastructures. This simplified model is a plane model that includes both core walls and frames whose member size can be extracted from the original structure. Parametric analysis shows that the simplified model has high acceleration prediction accuracy. An optimal design method combined with the simplified model, which aims to minimize the damped outrigger system cost, is proposed. A 600‐m supertall building is presented as a case study. The accuracy and effectiveness of the simplified model and the optimal design method proposed in this study are illustrated. Thus, applying this optimal design method in combination with the simplified model can save significant analysis and design time and is conducive to the application of viscous damped outriggers in practical engineering.
Ventral Primary Hernia with Liver Content
Authors: Dufour Inès , Marique Lancelot , Valembois Thomas , Ghilain Arnaud , Beniuga Gabriela , Tinton Nicolas , Urso Sabrina , Colinet Benoît
Published: June 2021

Background. Herniation of the liver through the anterior abdominal wall is an extremely rare phenomenon. Most cases occur within an incisional hernia (mostly upper abdomen surgery or cardiac surgery). Only two reports mentioned liver herniation without previous abdominal incision. Case Presentation. We report the case of a 70-year-old woman presenting an epigastric swelling. Radiological findings showed a liver herniation in a primary ventral hernia. This case is the first to have been described requiring semiurgent hernia repair associated with partial liver resection. Conclusion. This case is, to the best of our knowledge, the first case of primary ventral hernia with liver content necessitating wedge resection of the left liver lobe.
A  Phase IV Study of the Safety and Efficacy of CinnoPar® in Iranian Patients with Osteoporosis
Authors: Jamshidi Ahmadreza , Gharibdoost Farhad , Sedighi Sima , Hajiabbasi Asghar , Salari Amir-Hossein , Khabbazi Alireza , Mottaghi Peyman , Tahammoli Roudsari Ahmad , Aghaei Mehrdad , Shenavar Masooleh Irandokht , Sabzvari Araz , Anjidani Nassim
Published: June 2021

The safety of teriparatide has been studied in various phase III and phase IV trials. However, a postmarketing study of the biosimilar of teriparatide, CinnoPar®, has not been conducted on Iranian patients. This was a phase IV study conducted on osteoporotic patients who received an Iranian teriparatide biosimilar with a dose of 20 μg daily. The primary outcome of this study was to monitor for adverse events (AEs). Effectiveness as the secondary outcome was measured using the EQ-5D quality-of-life questionnaire and back pain Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score. Among 193 analyzed patients between September 2015 and March 2019, the most common AEs were hypercalcemia (4%), nausea, and pain (3%). No deaths, serious AEs, or other significant AEs occurred in this study. The mean EQ-5D scores decreased after the course of the treatment from 2.3 ± 0.66 at the baseline to 2 ± 0.66. The mean back pain VAS scores also decreased from 4.9 ± 3.6 at baseline to 1.8 ± 2.1 at the end of the study. Both changes were statistically significant (

p
<
0.001

). Consistent with the findings of previous studies and the drug monograph, no new safety concern was observed with this biosimilar teriparatide, and the drug was effective based on the VAS score and EQ-5D in osteoporotic patients.
Mapping Population Dynamics at Local Scales Using Spatial Networks
Authors: Balsa-Barreiro José , Morales Alfredo J. , Lois-González Rubén C.
Published: June 2021

Nowadays, around half of the global population lives in urban areas. This rate is expected to increase up to two‐thirds by the year 2050. Most studies analyze urban dynamics in wide geographic ranges, focusing mainly on cities. According to them, the global population is spatially distributed (and polarized) in two extremes: large urban agglomerations and rural deserts. However, this remark is excessively general and imprecise. For this reason, it remains essential to analyze these dynamics at other spatial scales. A close‐up look in thinly populated regions shows how urban dynamics are also noticeable. In this paper, we analyze spatiotemporal patterns of population distribution in a predominantly rural area by applying a local‐scale approach. These patterns are represented by using spatial networks with nodes representing the human settlements and links showing hierarchies between nodes. This case study is conducted in a small municipality located in northwestern Spain. It is a predominantly rural area with a very particular spatial pattern of population distribution.
Dynamic Response of an End‐Supported Pontoon Bridge due to Wave Excitation: Numerical Predictions versus Measurements
Authors: Kvåle Knut Andreas , Øiseth Ole
Published: June 2021

Herein, numerical predictions of the dynamic response of an existing floating pontoon bridge are compared with the measured dynamic response. Hydrodynamic coefficients that describe the fluid‐structure interaction and the wave transfer functions are obtained by applying linear potential theory. The results obtained from the hydrodynamic analysis are combined with a beam model of the bridge in a finite element method (FEM) framework to enable stochastic response prediction through the power spectral density method. The standard deviations of the predicted accelerations are compared with the standard deviations of the measured accelerations, and the overall quality of the prediction model is discussed. Predictions with sea states related to the serviceability limit state (SLS) and ultimate limit state (ULS) conditions used in design of the bridge are emphasized. To investigate the behaviour more in depth, a measurement segment is chosen and predictions of the displacement response power spectral density due to excitation characterized by the recorded sea surface elevation are compared with those obtained from the corresponding response measurements. A decent agreement is obtained for both cases when using the model as it is and with waves as the only excitation source, but significant discrepancies are present, in particular, for the torsional components. By including preliminary contributions from wind action and relying on a model optimized against measured modal parameters, a satisfactory agreement is obtained. The effect on the response of an uncertain structural damping is also quantified and concluded to be significant within realistic damping levels.