bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two-component versus three-component metasolids
Authors: Favier Elie , Nemati Navid , Perrot Camille
Published: November 2020

Analytic analysis and parametric investigation are employed to study and compare metamaterial properties of two types of composite metasolids. Metasolids are composed of either an elastic inclusion or a rigid core coated by an elastic material, embedded in a stiff matrix. For these types of materials, results related to cylindrical as well as spherical inclusions are presented. Such mono-inclusion two-component and bi-inclusion three-component metasolids have been previously known to exhibit negative mass density near local-resonance frequencies. Through a unified formulation, it is analytically shown how and why adding a rigid mass inside the elastic inclusion to make a bi-inclusion three-component material can dramatically change the homogenized property of the resultant inclusion and increase the tunability of the composite, particularly in terms of local-resonance frequencies and the associated metamaterial-effect frequency bandwidth. In this way, concerning distinctly sound and vibration insulation, a low-frequency metamaterial effect with larger bandwidth can be designed via an inverse problem using a simplified mass-spring model.
Fast online high-order time lacunarity for characterizing active sonar echographs of harbor environment
Authors: Zhao Shuang , Han Yina , Wei Zhuoqun , Liu Qingyu , Song Jun , Huang Haining
Published: November 2020

High-order time lacunarity (HOT-Lac) is an effective feature for characterizing active sonar echographs of harbor environments. However, it involves high computational complexity of loop summations. Motivated by the idea of integral image, this Letter extends an echo-intensity integral sequence, a representation of filtering with time domain recursion, permitting fast and online updates of HOT-Lac in a constant number of operations. Evaluated by a set of real-world harbor data, the proposed method is capable of computing HOT-Lac extremely rapidly while maintaining equivalent area under curve performances to its off-line counterpart, demonstrating its potential for real-time surveillance of the harbor.
Whistles of Atlantic spotted dolphin from a coastal area in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Bittencourt Lis , Barbosa Mariana , Santos-Neto Elitieri B. , Bisi Tatiana L. , Lailson-Brito José , Azevedo Alexandre F.
Published: November 2020

Atlantic spotted dolphins were recorded on the coastal area of Rio de Janeiro with equipment of 192 kHz sampling rate. The animals produced an average of 33 whistles/min. The repertoire was balanced among four contour categories, with the occurrence of a stereotyped whistle. Frequency parameters were measured between 1.3 and 29 kHz, which represents an increase in the frequency range previously reported for this species in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. With the use of a higher sampling rate, the acoustic parameters of S. frontalis whistles have changed significantly and became more similar to those reported for North Atlantic populations.
Retrospective analysis of neonatal deaths secondary to infections in England and Wales, 2013–2015
Authors: Oligbu Godwin , Ahmed Leila , Ferraras-Antolin Laura , Ladhani Shamez
Published: November 2020

Objective

To estimate the overall and infection-related neonatal mortality rate and the pathogens responsible using electronic death registrations.

Design

Retrospective analysis of national electronic death registrations data.

Setting

England and Wales.

Patients

Neonates aged <28 days.

Main outcome measures

Overall and infection-related mortality rate per 1000 live births in term, preterm (28–36 weeks) and extremely preterm (<28 weeks) neonates; the contribution of infections and specific pathogens; comparison with mortality rates in 2003–2005.

Results

The neonatal mortality rate during 2013–2015 (2.4/1000 live births; 5095 deaths) was 31% lower than in 2003–2005 (3.5/1000; 6700 deaths). Infection-related neonatal mortality rate in 2013–2015 (0.32/1000; n=669) was 20% lower compared with 2003–2015 (0.40/1000; n=768), respectively. Infections were responsible for 13.1% (669/5095) of neonatal deaths during 2013–2015 and 11.5% (768/6700) during 2003–2005. Of the infection-related deaths, 44.2% (296/669) were in term, 19.9% (133/669) preterm and 35.9% (240/669) extremely preterm neonates. Compared with term infants (0.15/1000 live births), infection-related mortality rate was 5.9-fold (95% CI 4.7 to 7.2) higher in preterm (0.90/1000) and 188-fold (95% CI 157 to 223) higher in extremely preterm infants (28.7/1000) during 2013–2015. A pathogen was recorded in 448 (67%) registrations: 400 (89.3%) were bacterial, 37 (8.3%) viral and 11 (2.4%) fungal. Group B streptococcus (GBS) was reported in 30.4% (49/161) of records that specified a bacterial infection and 7.3% (49/669) of infection-related deaths.

Conclusions

Overall and infection-related neonatal mortality rates have declined, but the contribution of infection and of specific pathogens has not changed. Further preventive measures, including antenatal GBS vaccine may be required to prevent the single most common cause of infection-related deaths in neonates.
COVID-19: lessons to date from China
Authors: Lu Xiaoxia , Xing Yuhan , Wong Gary Wing-Kin
Published: November 2020

The pandemic due to a novel coronavirus has been sweeping across different regions of the globe since January 2020. Early reports of this infection due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) consisted of mostly adult patients. As the outbreak spreads rapidly beyond the epicentre of Wuhan, it becomes clear that infants and children of all ages are susceptible to this infection. In China, there have been more than 1200 paediatric cases. Most paediatric patients acquire the infection through household contact with infected adults. The disease in children is usually self-limiting and most infected children will recover uneventfully within 7–10 days. Other than symptoms of the respiratory tract, many children may present with gastrointestinal symptoms. Older children are more likely to have asymptomatic infection. Although deaths related to SARS-CoV-2 are rarely reported in the paediatric age group, young children and those with underlying medical conditions are more likely to develop severe illness. Only a small fraction of neonates born to infected mother would acquire the virus by vertical transmission. Because a large proportion of children and adolescents may have asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic infection, children are likely to play an important role in community transmission of this infection. Screening of children who have a definitive contact history will facilitate early diagnosis and isolation of all infected children. This review summarises the lessons learned in China with regard to the current understanding of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the paediatric population.
The role of EP
2
receptors in mediating the ultra-long-lasting intraocular pressure reduction by JV-GL1
Authors: Bertrand Jacques A , Woodward David F , Sherwood Joseph M , Wang Jenny W , Overby Darryl R
Published: November 2020

Background

A single application of JV-GL1 substantially lowers non-human primate intraocular pressure (IOP) for about a week, independent of dose. This highly protracted effect does not correlate with its ocular biodisposition or correlate with the once-daily dosing regimen for other prostanoid EP
2
receptor agonists such as trapenepag or omidenepag. The underlying pharmacological mechanism for the multiday extended activity of JV-GL1 is highly intriguing. The present studies were intended to determine EP
2
receptor involvement in mediating the long-term ocular hypotensive activity of JV-GL1 by using mice genetically deficient in EP
2
receptors.

Methods

The protracted IOP reduction produced by JV-GL1 was investigated in C57BL/6J and EP
2
receptor knock-out mice (B6.129-

Ptger2
tm1Brey

/J; EP
2
KO). Both ocular normotensive and steroid-induced ocular hypertensive (SI-OHT) mice were studied. IOP was measured tonometrically under general anaesthesia. Aqueous humour outflow facility was measured ex vivo using
iPerfusion
in normotensive C57BL/6J mouse eyes perfused with 100 nM de-esterified JV-GL1 and in SI-OHT C57BL/6J mouse eyes that had received topical JV-GL1 (0.01%) 3 days prior.

Results

Both the initial 1-day and the protracted multiday effects of JV-GL1 in the SI-OHT model for glaucoma were abolished by deletion of the gene encoding the EP
2
receptor. Thus, JV-GL1 did not lower IOP in SI-OHT EP
2
KO mice, but in littermate SI-OHT EP
2
WT control mice, JV-GL1 statistically significantly lowered IOP for 4–6 days.

Conclusions

Both the 1-day and the long-term effects of JV-GL1 on IOP are entirely EP
2
receptor dependent.
The availability of global guidance for the promotion of women’s, newborns’, children’s and adolescents’ health and nutrition in conflicts
Authors: Aboubaker Samira , Evers Egmond Samir , Kobeissi Loulou , Francis Lauren , Najjemba Robinah , Miller Nathan P , Wall Steve , Martinez Daniel , Vargas Joseph , Ashorn Per
Published: November 2020

Background

Significant global gains in sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition (SRMNCAH&N) will be difficult unless conflict settings are adequately addressed. We aimed to determine the amount, scope and quality of publically available guidance documents, to characterise the process by which agencies develop their guidance and to identify gaps in guidance on SRMNCAH&N promotion in conflicts.

Methods

We identified guidance documents published between 2008 and 2018 through English-language Internet sites of humanitarian response organisations, reviewed them for their scope and assessed their quality with the AGREE II (Appraisal of Guidelines for REsearch and Evaluation II) tool. Additionally, we interviewed 22 key informants on guidance development, dissemination processes, perceived guidance gaps and applicability.

Findings

We identified 105 conflict-relevant guidance documents from 75 organisations. Of these, nine were specific to conflicts, others were applicable also to other humanitarian settings. Fifteen documents were technical normative guidelines, others were operational guides (67), descriptive documents (21) or advice on legal, human rights or ethics questions (2). Nutrition was the most addressed health topic, followed by communicable diseases and violence. The documents rated high quality in their ‘scope and purpose’ and ‘clarity of presentation’ and low for ‘rigour of development’ and ‘editorial independence’. Key informants reported end user need as the primary driver for guideline development and WHO technical guidelines as their main evidence base. Insufficient local contextualisation, lack of inter-agency coordination and lack of systematic implementation were considered problems in guideline development. Several guidance gaps were noted, including abortion care, newborn care, early child development, mental health, adolescent health beyond sexual and reproductive health and non-communicable diseases.

Interpretation

Organisations are motivated and actively producing guidance for SRMNCAH&N promotion in humanitarian settings, but few documents address conflicts specifically and there are important guidance gaps. Improved inter-organisation collaboration for guidance on SRMNCAH&N promotion in conflicts and other humanitarian settings is needed.
Surface water connectivity affects lake and stream fish species richness and composition
Authors: King Katelyn B.S. , Bremigan Mary Tate , Infante Dana , Cheruvelil Kendra Spence
Published: November 2020

Stream and lake fishes are important economic and recreational resources that respond to alterations in their surrounding watersheds and serve as indicators of ecological stressors on aquatic ecosystems. Research suggests that fish species diversity is largely influenced by surface water connectivity, or the lack thereof; however, few studies consider freshwater connections and their effect on both lake and stream fish communities across broad spatial extents. We used fish data from 559 lakes and 854 streams from the midwestern–northeastern United States to examine the role of surface water connectivity on fish species richness and community composition. We found that although lakes and streams share many species, connectivity had a positive effect on species richness across lakes and streams and helped explain species composition. Taking an integrated approach that includes both lake and stream fish communities and connectivity among freshwaters helps inform scientific understanding of what drives variation in fish species diversity at broad spatial scales and can help managers who are faced with planning for state-, regional-, or national-scale monitoring and restoration.
Influence of water temperature and biotic interactions on the distribution of westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi) in a population stronghold under climate change
Authors: Heinle Kadie B. , Eby Lisa A. , Muhlfeld Clint C. , Steed Amber , Jones Leslie , D’Angelo Vincent , Whiteley Andrew R. , Hebblewhite Mark
Published: November 2020

Climate warming is expected to have substantial impacts on native trout across the Rocky Mountains, but there is little understanding of how these changes affect future distributions of co-occurring native fishes within population strongholds. We used mixed-effects logistic regression to investigate the role of abiotic (e.g., temperature) and biotic factors (bull trout presence, Salvelinus confluentus) on distributions of westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi; WCT) in the North Fork Flathead River, USA and Canada. The probability of WCT presence increased with stream temperature and decreased with channel gradient and bull trout presence, yet the effect of bull trout was reduced with increasing pool densities. Combining this model with spatially explicit stream temperature projections, we predict a 29% increase in suitable habitat under high emissions through 2075, with gains at mid-elevation sites predicted to exceed bull trout thermal tolerances and high-elevation sites expected to become more thermally suitable for WCT. Our study illustrates the importance of considering abiotic and biotic drivers to assess species response to climate change, helping to guide local-scale climate adaptation and management.
Differential Privacy: The Pursuit of Protections by Default
Authors: Guevara Miguel , Desfontaines Damien , Waldo Jim , Coatta Terry
Published: November 2020

First formalized in 2006, differential privacy is an approach based on a mathematically rigorous definition of privacy that allows formalization and proof of the guarantees against re-identification offered by a system. While differential privacy has been accepted by theorists for some time, its implementation has turned out to be subtle and tricky, with practical applications only now starting to become available. To date, differential privacy has been adopted by the U.S. Census Bureau, along with a number of technology companies, but what this means and how these organizations have implemented their systems remains a mystery to many.
Effect of Ultrasonic Treatment during Solidification on Corrosion Behavior of Mg-3Al-1Zn and Mg-4Zn Magnesium Alloys
Authors: Chen Yang , Yan Hong , Ji Kaizhi , Ling Lishibao , Luo Chao , Liu Ruiliang , Hu Zhi , Li Ke , Xin Yong
Published: November 2020

In this work, effect of ultrasonic treatment during solidification on corrosion behavior of Mg-3Al-1Zn and Mg-4Zn alloy was studied by electrochemical, scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy (SKPFM), hydrogen evolution and micro-zone local corrosion simulation tests. Optical microscopy results revealed the second phases were evidently refined as a result of the ultrasonic treatment during solidification. Potentiodynamic polarization measurements showed better corrosion behavior was obtained in ultrasonically treated alloys with refined second phase. Volta potential mapping indicated higher electrochemical nobility of theβ-Mg17Al12and MgZn2phase with respect to theα-Mg matrix. The result of micro-zone local corrosion simulation of Mg-3Al-1Zn alloys showed that the discrete, finerβ-Mg17Al12phase in ultrasonic treated alloy had lower anodic average current density than that of the conventionally cast alloy (about 17.6%).
A Network Selection Strategy Based on Joint Optimization of User Satisfaction and Transmission Efficiency in Internet of Vehicle
Authors: Liu Xinyi , Pang Jilong , Wang Wei , Meng Yun , Hou Jun
Published: November 2020

Network selection in the Internet of Vehicles has become a popular topic of research. Unlike existing algorithms for heterogeneous network environments that rarely consider user satisfaction, in this paper, we propose a network selection strategy that takes into account both user satisfaction and transmission efficiency. We employ the effective capacity concept, which describes the maximum throughput a system can achieve under a speciﬁc statistical Quality-of-Service (QoS) delay violation probability constraint. This strategy first analyzes the influence of different utility function weight coefficients, transmission power, and time delay on each network utility satisfaction function. It is evident that the weight coefficient is proportional to the value of the utility function. Within a constrained transmission power range, the rate of increase of the function gradually slows down until it approaches a fixed value. When the delay factor value is larger, the function value is smaller, which indicates that the pursuit of lower delay will sacrifice other network performance aspects. In order to determine the maximum value of each network utility satisfaction function, a convex optimization theory is introduced for the joint optimization of user satisfaction and transmission efficiency. Finally, simulation experiments carried out under three representative network environments show that the proposed strategy is efficient and reliable.
A Semiconductor Bridge Electrical Explosive Device Online Firing Quality Identification Algorithm
Authors: Zhang Bin-bin , Gao Song , Chen Chao-bo , Li Ji-chao , Bi Xue-qin
Published: November 2020

When qualified explosive devices fire the explosive agent unsuccessfully, on-site testers cannot diagnose fast and accurately whether it is the firing quality problem of the electrical explosive devices or explosive agent by using traditional test methods. And, if the explosive agent is fired unsuccessfully, generally, the only way is to test the explosive device by on-site testers themselves. In order to protect the on-site testers’ safety, this paper proposes an electrical explosive device firing quality identification algorithm based on HHT (Hilbert–Huang transform) of the explosive time series. Obtaining an explosive current time series during the firing process of electrical explosive devices by the explosive equipment, the IMFs (intrinsic mode functions) and a residual function of the explosive current time series are obtained by EMD (empirical mode decomposition), the feature vector, which is the energy characteristic values of the IMFs and residual function by Hilbert transformation, is the input of SVM (support vector machine), and the fired failure explosive device is identified as an excellent performance product or performance failure product by the trained SVM. Finally, semiconductor explosive devices are tested to verify the proposed algorithm, and the results show that the EMD-SVM algorithm can identify effectively the firing quality of firing explosive devices.
Bellidifolin Inhibits Proliferation of A549 Cells by Regulating STAT3/COX-2 Expression and Protein Activity
Authors: Yan Li , Yali Luo , Chenghao Li , Caiqin Feng , Zhongbo Zhu , Weiyu Ren , Yu Ma , Xiaotian Zhou , Biwen Wang , Xiaojie Jin , Yongqi Liu
Published: November 2020

Objectives. Bellidifolin (BEL) is one type of tetraoxygenated xanthone that is particularly found in Swertia and Gentiana (Gentianaceae). Despite its broad range of pharmacological activities, it is still unclear whether BEL could be used for lung cancer treatment. Hence, we presently demonstrate the roles of BEL towards the proliferative inhibition of the prototypical A549 lung cancer cells. Materials and Methods. The antiproliferative activity of BEL was initially verified by cellular experiments. A network pharmacology method was then pursued to assess BEL potential molecular targets from the platform for pharmacological analysis of Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP). Disease enrichment of potential targets and construction of compound-target-disease network maps were performed based on a total of 20 diseases. Two core targets related to the BEL-mediated effect in A549 cells were obtained by importing potential targets into a protein-protein interaction database (STRING) and also analyzing respective data of related targets into this database. Last, these core targets were examined by in vitro analysis and molecular docking. Results. CCK8 assays indicated that treatment with 50–100 μm BEL had an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of human A549 lung cancer cells, whereas this effect was time- and concentration-dependent. As control, treatment with 50–100 μm BEL did not inhibit the proliferation of normal lung epithelial cells (BEAS-2b cell line). H&E staining of BEL-treated A549 cells showed that, upon an increase of drug concentration, nuclear condensation and fragmentation were largely observed. Cell cycle analysis showed that in vitro treatment with 75–100 μm BEL could block A549 cells in S and G2 phases. Western blot analyses showed that after 72 hours of BEL treatment, the level of caspase-8/3 in A549 cells increased, and the level of PARP1 decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Network pharmacology analysis also indicated that lung cancer was the major disease susceptible to BEL treatment. At the same time, STAT3 and COX-2 were identified as two core targets of BEL in lung cancer treatment. Functional analyses further revealed that the cytotoxicity effect of BEL in A549 cells potentially involved the STAT3/COX-2 pathway. Moreover, molecular docking analysis indicated that BEL structure properly matches with COX-2 and STAT3 in space shape, thus illustrating the putative molecular mechanism of BEL’s anticancer effect. Conclusions. Based on a series of in vitro analyses, network pharmacology, and molecular docking, the potential mechanism involving the antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects of BEL in lung cancer cells was investigated. Our study may help providing some theoretical basis for the discovery of novel phytotherapy drugs applicable for the treatment of lung cancer.
Reported Low Uptake of HCV Testing among People Who Inject Drugs in Urban Vietnam
Authors: Thinh Vu Toan , Phuong Do Thi , Hoa Van Dinh , Giang Le Minh
Published: November 2020

Background. HCV testing is an important first step for treatment and prevention, particularly for those who are highly vulnerable to HCV infection such as people who inject drugs (PWID). In settings where direct‐acting antiretroviral medicines are becoming more available, limited information exists about who and where to target to increase the prevalence of HCV testing among PWID. This study is aimed at understanding the prevalence of HCV testing uptake and its determinants of medical services and risk behaviors. Methods. From February 2016 to April 2017, a sample of 509 PWID was interviewed using a structured questionnaire on their history of HCV testing, confirmation, services using in the previous year as well as HCV‐related knowledge, and risk behaviors. Multiple logistic regression identified factors associated with ever being tested for HCV before enrollment in the program. Results. Approximately 33% reported ever testing for HCV. Most cited sources of testing are public hospitals and general clinics (68.9%) and outpatient clinics (18.9%). Having ever tested for HCV was positively associated with accessing health services within the prior 12 months (aOR = 2.25; 95% CI 1.11‐4.58), being currently enrolled in a methadone treatment program (aOR = 2.35; 95% CI 1.34‐4.08), and/or on ART treatment (aOR = 2.30; 95% CI 1.30‐4.08). Those who ever delayed in seeking healthcare services for any reason were less likely to get tested for HCV (aOR = 0.54; 95% CI 0.35‐0.84). Conclusion. HCV testing prevalence is low among PWID in Hanoi despite a very high prevalence of HCV infection. To improve the cascade of HCV testing, it is critical that intervention programs scale up linkages among methadone, outpatient clinics, and HCV services, take steps to reduce stigma and discrimination in both community and, especially, in health care settings, and increase awareness of HCV for PWID by integrating HCV into routine counseling at health care services.
Generalized Darbo-Type
F
-Contraction and
F
-Expansion and Its Applications to a Nonlinear Fractional-Order Differential Equation
Authors: Zada Mian Bahadur , Sarwar Muhammad , Abdeljawad Thabet , Jarad Fahd
Published: November 2020

In this work, we introduce various Darbo-type

F

£

-contractions, and utilizing these contractions, we present some fixed point theorems. Moreover, we introduce a Darbo-type

F

£

-expanding mapping and prove fixed point theorems under the Darbo-type

F

£

-expanding mapping. Employing our results, we check the existence of a solution to the nonlinear fractional-order differential equation under the integral type boundary conditions. For its validity, an appropriate example is given.
Manual Acupuncture or Combination with Vitamin B to Treat Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Jiang Hai lun , Jia Peng , Fan Yi hua , Li Meng dan , Cao Can can , Li Yuan , Du Yu zheng
Published: November 2020

Background and Objective. The efficacy of mecobalamin (vitamin B12) alone in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is often unsatisfactory, while acupuncture treatment is also controversial. This study compares manual acupuncture to vitamin B in DPN treatment. Methods. Randomized controlled trials on manual acupuncture treatment of DPN were retrieved from the Medline, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CNKI, WanFang, and VIP databases. Extracted research data were summarized in the tables, and methodological assessment was performed using the risk‐of‐bias assessment tool of Cochrane. Meta‐analysis was performed by Revman 5.3, Stata 14.0, and TSA 0.9.5.10 Beta software. Results. A total of 18 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were recruited: (1) 11 RCTs were acupuncture alone compared with vitamin B; (2) 7 RCTs were acupuncture combined with vitamin B compared with vitamin B, involving 1200 participants. Acupuncture alone improved clinical efficacy (P < 0.05) and nerve conduction velocity of the four peripheral nerves: peroneal nerve, tibial nerve, median nerve, and ulnar nerve (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the group of acupuncture alone and the group of vitamin B (P = 0.36 > 0.05) in improving median nerve SCV (sensory nerve conduction velocity). Acupuncture combined with vitamin B improved clinical efficacy and nerve conduction velocity of the three peripheral nerves, peroneal nerve, tibial nerve, and median nerve (P < 0.05), and decreased the scores of the Toronto clinical scoring system (TCSS) (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Acupuncture alone and vitamin B combined with acupuncture are more effective in treating DPN compared to vitamin B. However, more high‐quality RCTs on vitamin B combined with acupuncture are required to confirm our results.
The Protective Effect of Shen Qi Wan on Adenine‐Induced Podocyte Injury
Authors: Lin Yiyou , Zhang Jieying , Fu Yunbo , Ji Liting , Lin Luning , Chen Hongshu , Yang Yuanxiao , Li Changyu
Published: November 2020

Podocytes are a special type of differentiated epithelial cells that maintain the glomerular filtration barrier in the kidney. Injury or damages in podocytes can cause kidney‐related disorders, like CKD. The injury or dysfunction of podocytes can occur by different metabolic disorders. Due to the severity and complexity of podocyte injuries, this state is considered as a serious health issue worldwide. Here, we examined and addressed the efficacy of an alternative Chinese medicine, Shen Qi Wan (SQW), on podocyte‐related kidney injury. We evaluated the role and mechanism of action of SQW in podocyte injury. We observed that SQW significantly reduced 24‐hour urinary protein and blood urea nitrogen levels and alleviated the pathological damage caused by adenine. Moreover, SQW significantly decreased the expression of nephrin and increased the expression of WT1 and AQP1 in the kidney of mice treated with adenine. We observed that SQW did not effectively reduce the high level of proteinuria in AQP1−/− mice indicating the prominent role of AQP1 in the SQW‐ameliorating pathway. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images indicated the food processes effacement in AQP1−/− mice were not lessened by SQW. In conclusion, podocyte injury could alter the pathological nature of the kidney, and SQW administration relieves the nature of pathogenesis by activating AQP1.
Sudden Transition from Equilibrium to Hybrid Chaos and Periodic Oscillations of the State-Dependent Round-Trip Delayed Nonsmooth Compound TCP with GRED Congestion Control System via HB-AFT
Authors: Pei Lijun , Zhang Hongyang , Chen Yueli
Published: November 2020

In this paper, the nonsmooth compound transmission control protocol (TCP) with the gentle random early detection (GRED) system with the state-dependent round-trip delay is investigated in detail. Uniqueness of the positive equilibrium is proved firstly. Then, the closed approximate periodic solutions in this state-dependent delayed nonsmooth compound TCP with the GRED model are obtained by employing the harmonic balance and alternating frequency/time domain (HB-AFT) method. Then, we compare the results generated by numerical simulations with those of the closed approximate expressions obtained by HB-AFT. It indicates that HB-AFT is simple, correct, and powerful for state-dependent delayed nonsmooth dynamical systems. Finally, we find the complicated dynamic: chaos. It is a grazing chaos with a hybrid property, i.e., where usually

w

oscillates at a very low frequency and

q

oscillates at a very high frequency. And, the route to chaos is a very rare route, i.e., the instantaneous and local transition of stable equilibrium to chaos. So, to the end of stability and good performance, we should adjust the parameters carefully to avoid the periodic and chaotic oscillations.
Corrosion Behaviors of Microarc Oxidation Coating and Anodic Oxidation on 5083 Aluminum Alloy
Authors: Sun Haiou , Li Liangcai , Wang Zhongyi , Liu Bin , Wang Meng , Yu Yunliang
Published: November 2020

The microarc oxidation (MAO) coating and anodic oxidation coating were prepared on 5083 aluminum alloy. The surface morphology, elemental composition, and electrochemical behavior of the two coatings were analyzed. The results proved that the corrosion resistance of the MAO coating is superior than that of the anodic oxidation coating. The protective ability of the coating deteriorated gradually with the increase in immersion time. The corrosion process is controlled by ion diffusion throughout the coatings.
Multivalued Problems, Orthogonal Mappings, and Fractional Integro-Differential Equation
Authors: Sharma R. K. , Chandok Sumit
Published: November 2020

In this manuscript, we propose some sufficient conditions for the existence of solution for the multivalued orthogonal

ℱ

-contraction mappings in the framework of orthogonal metric spaces. As a consequence of results, we obtain some interesting results. Also as application of the results obtained, we investigate Ulam’s stability of fixed point problem and present a solution for the Caputo-type nonlinear fractional integro-differential equation. An example is also provided to illustrate the usability of the obtained results.
Ground Settlement of High-Permeability Sand Layer Induced by Shield Tunneling: A Case Study under the Guidance of DBN
Authors: Zhou Cong , Gao Wei , Cui Shuang , Zhong Xiaochun , Hu Chengjie , Chen Xin
Published: November 2020

During the shield construction of Harbin Subway Line No. 3 Project, the average ground settlement exceeds the warning value. In order to find the cause of settlement and improve it, this paper establishes a settlement prediction model to analyse the potential influencing factors based on the Deep Belief Network (DBN) and calculated the correlation degree between influencing factors and settlement through sensitivity analysis. It was found that the permeability coefficients of layer and cutter head torque are the main factors affecting settlement. Then, corresponding muck improvement measures were made according to the analysis of the layer conditions, which successfully reduced the permeability and shear strength of the muck, thereby controlling the surface settlement value within the warning range. The research results in this paper illustrate the applicability and robustness of DBN in tunnel engineering, and the related research ideas can be applied to other projects.
Vibration Diagnosis and Treatment for a Scrubber System Connected to a Reciprocating Compressor
Authors: Li Shuangshuang , Yu Guicheng , Tang Ding , Li Ming , Han Huaming
Published: November 2020

Severe vibration was observed at a scrubber system connected to a reciprocating compressor during commissioning stage. Field measurements including vibration, pressure pulsation, and modal experiment were conducted to determine the causes of vibration, which showed that the excessive vibration was caused by pressure pulsation-induced mechanical resonance. Vibration reduction treatment for mechanical resonance avoidance via the installation of support on scrubber was proposed and then validated by resonance analysis and one-way fluid structure interaction (FSI) analysis. Resonance analysis showed both the dominant frequencies of pressure pulsation and rotational frequencies of compressor were beyond resonance regions, and FSI analysis indicated that the vibration levels of the scrubber system at its design conditions were within the allowable limit. Installation of two braces with a band clamp on the scrubber was implemented. The effectiveness of the treatment was verified by comparison of measured data before and after scrubber modification; the peak amplitudes occurring at the dominant excitation frequencies in both vibration and pulsation spectra declined greatly after modification, which guaranteed the long-term stable operation of the scrubber.
Propionic and Methylmalonic Acidemias: Initial Clinical and Biochemical Presentation
Authors: Mobarak Amira , Dawoud Heba , Mokhtar Wesam A. , Sadek Abdelrahim A. , Bebars Gihan Mohamed , Othman Amr Ahmed , Magdy Rofaida M. , Nofal Hanaa , Zoair Amr
Published: November 2020

PA and MAA have numerous nonspecific presentations, potentially leading to delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis. In this paper, we present the clinical and biochemical characteristics of MMA and PA patients at initial presentation. Results. This is a retrospective review of 20 patients with PA (

n
=
10

) and MMA (

n
=
10

). The most observed symptoms were vomiting (85%) and refusing feeding (70%). Ammonia was

108.75
±
9.3

 μmol/l, showing a negative correlation with pH and bicarbonate and positive correlation with lactate and anion gap. Peak ammonia did not correlate with age of onset (

r
=
0.11

and

p
=
0.64

) or age at diagnosis (

r
=
0.39

and

p
=
0.089

), nor did pH (

r
=
0.01

,

p
=
0.96

;

r
=
−
0.25

,

p
=
0.28

) or bicarbonate (

r
=
0.07

,

p
=
0.76

;

r
=
−
0.22

,

p
=
0.34

). There was no correlation between ammonia and C3 : C2 (

r
=
0.1

and

p
=
0.96

) or C3 (

r
=
0.23

and

p
=
0.32

). The glycine was

386
±
167.1

 μmol/l, and it was higher in PA (

p
=
0.003

). There was a positive correlation between glycine and both pH (

r
=
0.56

and

p
=
0.01

) and HCO3 (

r
=
0.49

and

p
=
0.026

). There was no correlation between glycine and ammonia (

r
=
−
0.435

and

p
=
0.055

) or lactate (

r
=
0.32

and

p
=
0.160

). Conclusion. Clinical presentation of PA and MMA is nonspecific, though vomiting and refusing feeding are potential markers of decompensation. Blood gas, lactate, and ammonia levels are also good predictors of decompensation, though increasing levels of glycine may not indicate metabolic instability.
Challenges to the Application of Spatially Explicit Stochastic Simulation Models for Foot-and-Mouth Disease Control in Endemic Settings: A Systematic Review
Authors: Zaheer Muhammad Usman , Salman Mo D. , Steneroden Kay K. , Magzamen Sheryl L. , Weber Stephen E. , Case Shaun , Rao Sangeeta
Published: November 2020

Simulation modeling has become common for estimating the spread of highly contagious animal diseases. Several models have been developed to mimic the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in specific regions or countries, conduct risk assessment, analyze outbreaks using historical data or hypothetical scenarios, assist in policy decisions during epidemics, formulate preparedness plans, and evaluate economic impacts. Majority of the available FMD simulation models were designed for and applied in disease-free countries, while there has been limited use of such models in FMD endemic countries. This paper’s objective was to report the findings from a study conducted to review the existing published original research literature on spatially explicit stochastic simulation (SESS) models of FMD spread, focusing on assessing these models for their potential use in endemic settings. The goal was to identify the specific components of endemic FMD needed to adapt these SESS models for their potential application in FMD endemic settings. This systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines, and three databases were searched, which resulted in 1176 citations. Eighty citations finally met the inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative synthesis, identifying nine unique SESS models. These SESS models were assessed for their potential application in endemic settings. The assessed SESS models can be adapted for use in FMD endemic countries by modifying the underlying code to include multiple cocirculating serotypes, routine prophylactic vaccination (RPV), and livestock population dynamics to more realistically mimic the endemic characteristics of FMD. The application of SESS models in endemic settings will help evaluate strategies for FMD control, which will improve livestock health, provide economic gains for producers, help alleviate poverty and hunger, and will complement efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Novel Node Centrality-Based Efficient Empirical Robustness Assessment for Directed Network
Authors: Deng Xiaolong , Ding Hao , Chen Yong , Chen Cai , Lv Tiejun
Published: November 2020

In recent years, while extensive researches on various networks properties have been proposed and accomplished, little has been proposed and done on network robustness and node vulnerability assessment under cascades in directed large-scale online community networks. In essential, an online directed social network is a group-centered and information spread-dominated online platform which is very different from the traditional undirected social network. Some further research studies have indicated that the online social network has high robustness to random removals of nodes but fails to the intentional attacks, particularly to those attacks based on node betweenness or node directed coefficient. To explore on the robustness of directed social network, in this article, we have proposed two novel node centralities of ITG (information transfer gain-based probability clustering coefficient) and

I

M

p

v

(directed path-based node importance centrality). These two new centrality models are designed to capture this cascading effect in directed online social networks. Furthermore, we also propose a new and highly efficient computing method based on iterations for

I

M

p

v

. Then, with the abundant experiments on the synthetic signed network and real-life networks derived from directed online social media and directed human mobile phone calling network, it has been proved that our ITG and

I

M

p

v

based on directed social network robustness and node vulnerability assessment method is more accurate, efficient, and faster than several traditional centrality methods such as degree and betweenness. And we also have proposed the solid reasoning and proof process of iteration times

k

in computation of

I

M

p

v

. To the best knowledge of us, our research has drawn some new light on the leading edge of robustness on the directed social network.
Modeling and Simulation of Deformation Mechanism of Soft Rock Roadway considering the Mine Water
Authors: Chen Yanlong , Li Qiang , Pu Hai , Wu Peng , Chen Liang , Qian Deyu , Shi Xuyang , Zhang Kai , Mao Xianbiao
Published: November 2020

The existence of coal mine water has an important influence on the instability of soft rock roadway in mining engineering. Considering the effect of mine water, a case study on the fracture mechanism and control technology of soft rock roadway was performed in this paper. The results showed that with the increase of moisture content, the uniaxial compressive strength of mudstone nonlinearly decreased, while the tensile strength, Young’s modulus, cohesion, and friction angle tended to a linear decrease approximately. Meanwhile, with the increase of the weakening coefficient, the axial force of the anchorage body increased gradually, while the maximum shear stress decreased gradually. With the increase of moisture content, the failure zone was further propagated into the deep surrounding rock, resulting in a larger stress relaxation around the roadway, especially in the roof and floor. Finally, the supporting technology of the roadway was proposed, and then its support principle, design process, and parameters were also analyzed in detail. The field monitoring data showed that the support technology can control the surrounding rock deformation effectively and maintain the long-term stability of the roadway.
One-Step Synthesis of the Nitrogen and Sulfur Codoped Carbon Dots for Detection of Lead and Copper Ions in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Gao Hui , Pang Yuqian , Li Lei , Zhu Chun , Ma Chaoqun , Gu Jiao , Wu Yamin , Chen Guoqing
Published: November 2020

Herein, by using the green and cheap L-cysteine as the precursor, nitrogen and sulfur codoped carbon dots (NS-CDs) were synthesized via a facile one-step hydrothermal method. The obtained NS-CDs showed the relatively narrow size distributions (2.1~3.9 nm) with the lattice spacing of 0.29 nm, as well as the excitation-dependent photoluminescence (PL) emission activity with the quantum yield (QY) of 18%. More interestingly, the PL intensity of NS-CDs was quenched by the addition of copper or lead ions (Cu2+ or Pb2+), which was shown in the tradition detection method by PL spectra. The NS-CDs exhibited ultrasensitive colorimetric sensing capability for both Cu2+ and Pb2+ by the color variance using naked eyes without any further treating. Two different coupling ways for detecting Pb2+ and Cu2+ were induced by the analysis of the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). And the as-prepared NS-CDs showed their potential application in the heavy metal ions detection for the wastewater determination.
Geological Core Ground Reorientation Technology Application on In Situ Stress Measurement of an Over‐Kilometer‐Deep Shaft
Authors: Ma Chunde , Li Xibing , Chen Jiangzhan , Zhou Yanan , Gao Sen
Published: November 2020

As mining progresses to depth, engineering activities face the extreme challenge of high in situ stress. To efficiently measure the deep in situ stress before engineering excavation, an innovative deep in situ stress measurement method capable of the geological core ground reorientation technology and acoustic emission (AE) technology was proposed. With this method, nonorientation geological cores collected from the thousand‐meter‐deep borehole were reoriented based on the spatial spherical geometry model and borehole bending measurement principle. The distribution of deep in situ stress of an over‐kilometer‐deep shaft in the Xiangxi gold mine was investigated with real‐time synchronized MTS 815 material testing machine and PCI‐II AE instrument. The results show that the in situ stress changes from being dominated by horizontal stress to being dominated by vertical stress with depth. The horizontal maximum principal stress and vertical stress gradually increase with depth and reach a high‐stress level (greater than 25 MPa) at a depth of 1000 m. The direction of the maximum principal stress is near the north. Meanwhile, to analyze the accuracy of the measured in situ stress comparatively, the stress relief measurements were performed at a depth of 655–958 m in the mine, using the Swedish LUT rock triaxial in situ stress measurement system. The distribution of deep in situ stress obtained by the stress relief method agrees well with that by the AE method, which proves the reliability of the AE in situ stress testing method based on the geological core ground reorientation technology.
Caffeine Effect on Cognitive Function during a Stroop Task: fNIRS Study
Authors: Yuan Yafei , Li Guanghao , Ren Haoran , Chen Wei
Published: November 2020

Acting as a brain stimulant, coffee resulted in heightening alertness, keeping arousal, improving executive speed, maintaining vigilance, and promoting memory, which are associated with attention, mood, and cognitive function. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a noninvasive optical method to monitor brain activity by measuring the absorption of the near-infrared light through the intact skull. This study is aimed at acquiring brain activation during executing task performance. The aim is to explore the effect of coffee on cognitive function by the fNIRS neuroimaging method, particularly on the prefrontal cortex regions. The behavioral experimental results on 31 healthy subjects with a Stroop task indicate that coffee can easily and effectively modulate the execute task performance by feedback information of the response time and accuracy rate. The findings of fNIRS showed that apparent hemodynamic changes were detected in the bilateral VLPFC regions and the brain activation regions varied with different coffee conditions.
Channel Optimization of Marketing Based on Users’ Social Network Information
Authors: Peng Chaolin
Published: November 2020

Marketing in the social network environment integrates current advanced internet and information technologies. This marketing method not only broadens marketing channels and builds a network communication platform but also meets the purchase needs of customers in the entire market and shortens customer purchases. The process is also an inevitable product of the development of the times. However, when companies use social networks for product marketing, they usually face the impact of multiple realistic factors. This article takes the maximization of influence as the main idea to find seed users for product information dissemination and also considers the users’ interest preferences. The target users can influence the product, and the company should control marketing costs to obtain a larger marginal benefit. Based on this, this paper considers factors such as the scale of information diffusion, user interest preferences, and corporate budgets, takes the influence maximization model as a multiobjective optimization problem, and proposes a multiobjective maximization of influence (MOIM) model. To solve the NP-hard problem of maximizing influence, this paper uses Monte Carlo sampling to calculate high-influence users. Next, a seed user selection algorithm based on NSGA-II is proposed to optimize the above three objective functions and find the optimal solution. We use real social network data to verify the performance of models and methods. Experiments show that the proposed model can generate appropriate seed sets and can meet different purposes of information dissemination. Sensitivity analysis proves that our model is robust under different actual conditions.