bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kochiae Fructus, the Fruit of Common Potherb Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad: A Review on Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology, Quality Control, and Pharmacokinetics
Authors: Zou Wei , Tang Zhong , Long Yao , Xiao Zuoqi , Ouyang Bo , Liu Menghua
Published: January 2021

Kochiae Fructus (KF) is the fruit of an annual potherb Kochia scoparia (Linn.) Schrad and has been traditionally used for the treatment of diseases in the skin, eyes, and urinary tract for thousands of years in China. Recent studies have showed its anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiallergic, and antipruritogenic effects to clarify the mechanisms of these actions. Meanwhile, its other effects, such as anticancer, hypoglycemic, and hepatoprotective effects, also have been reported. The achievement of these therapeutic effects is contributed by its chemical constituents. A total of 153 compounds have been identified in KF, mainly including triterpenoids, flavonoids, carbohydrates, amino acids, organic acids, and essential oils. Momordin Ic is the representative triterpene glycoside compound, which is used as a phytochemical marker for the quality control of Kochiae Fructus. The research on toxicity is insufficient, and only one article reported that the LD50 was 7.15 ± 0.03 g/kg for water extract of KF after oral administration in KM mice. In addition, the pharmacokinetic study was carried out on momordin Ic with linear pharmacokinetic characteristics. Above all, this review provides comprehensive information about Kochiae Fructus and may provide the theoretic foundation of its clinical application and further development.
Mathematical Modeling on Rotational Magneto‐Thermoelastic Phenomenon under Gravity and Laser Pulse considering Four Theories
Authors: Alotaibi Hammad , Abo-Dahab S. M. , Khalil E. M. , Abdel-Khalek S. , Mahmoud Emad E. , Higazy M.
Published: January 2021

The aim of this investigation is making mathematical model for the variation in laser pulse, rotational gravity, and magnetic fields on the generalized thermoelastic homogeneous isotropic half‐space. The governing dynamical system equations have been formulated considering the four thermoelastic models: coupled (CT) model, Lord and Shulman (LS) model, Green and Lindsay (GL) theory, and Green and Naghdi (GN III) model. Normal mode analysis technique is used to obtain the analytical expressions for the displacement components, temperature, and mechanical and Maxwell’s stresses distribution. The effect of laser pulse, gravity, and magnetic field is studied by numerical examples and displayed graphically. A comparison has been made between the theories as well as the present results and agreement with it as a special case from this study. The results predict the strong effect of magnetic field, laser pulse, and gravity field on the wave propagation phenomenon.
Learning Air Traffic as Images: A Deep Convolutional Neural Network for Airspace Operation Complexity Evaluation
Authors: Xie Hua , Zhang Minghua , Ge Jiaming , Dong Xinfang , Chen Haiyan
Published: January 2021

A sector is a basic unit of airspace whose operation is managed by air traffic controllers. The operation complexity of a sector plays an important role in air traffic management system, such as airspace reconfiguration, air traffic flow management, and allocation of air traffic controller resources. Therefore, accurate evaluation of the sector operation complexity (SOC) is crucial. Considering there are numerous factors that can influence SOC, researchers have proposed several machine learning methods recently to evaluate SOC by mining the relationship between factors and complexity. However, existing studies rely on hand‐crafted factors, which are computationally difficult, specialized background required, and may limit the evaluation performance of the model. To overcome these problems, this paper for the first time proposes an end‐to‐end SOC learning framework based on deep convolutional neural network (CNN) specifically for free of hand‐crafted factors environment. A new data representation, i.e., multichannel traffic scenario image (MTSI), is proposed to represent the overall air traffic scenario. A MTSI is generated by splitting the airspace into a two‐dimension grid map and filled with navigation information. Motivated by the applications of deep learning network, the specific CNN model is introduced to automatically extract high‐level traffic features from MTSIs and learn the SOC pattern. Thus, the model input is determined by combining multiple image channels composed of air traffic information, which are used to describe the traffic scenario. The model output is SOC levels for the target sector. The experimental results using a real dataset from the Guangzhou airspace sector in China show that our model can effectively extract traffic complexity information from MTSIs and achieve promising performance than traditional machine learning methods. In practice, our work can be flexibly and conveniently applied to SOC evaluation without the additional calculation of hand‐crafted factors.
[Retracted] Cluster Coordination between High‐speed Rail Transportation Hub Construction and Regional Economy Based on Big Data
Authors: Zhao Liang , Jia Yuanhua
Published: January 2021

As people’s lives get better and better, more and more people choose to travel and with that comes the demand for more transportation. For now, traditional transportation hubs can temporarily meet people’s travel needs. If driven by big data concepts and methods, the various capabilities of high‐speed rail transportation hubs will be sublimated, and the regional economy will be in line with the prosperity of this place. Proportionally, railway hubs are extremely attractive to the rapid growth of the regional economy. This paper takes the high‐speed railway hub construction model under big data as the research object and verifies the reliability of the research model and the development of economic regions based on the high‐speed railway data in recent years as reference parameters. This article selects the panel data of railway transportation and regional economy in China’s provinces for 10 consecutive years from 2011 to 2020. Among them, seven indicators were selected for railway transportation: passenger volume, freight volume, passenger turnover, cargo turnover, number of railway employees, railway transportation industry fixed asset investment and construction scale, and per capita railway network density. In terms of regional economy, six indicators were selected: regional GDP, per capita GDP, per capita investment in fixed assets, per capita total retail sales of consumer goods, per capita investment in imports and exports, and the proportion of the added value of the tertiary industry in GDP. The experimental results prove that each sample is tested in pairs, the standard error level of the mean is 0.002, which is less than 0.05, and high‐speed railway construction can finally achieve economic integration. By improving the development of high‐speed railways, continuously shortening the distance between time and space, breaking regional trade barriers, and reducing the cost of commodity circulation, industrial interaction and coordinated development between different regions can be effectively promoted.
Heterotopic Pancreas in the Gallbladder: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Aborajooh Emad , Ghayada Ibrahim Khalil Khairi , Lafi Yasser Mustafa Issa
Published: January 2021

Introduction. Heterotopic pancreas (HP) is the congenital presence of pancreatic tissue outside its normal location in the absence of vascular and anatomical connection with the main pancreas. HP can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, and it is mostly encountered in the stomach. The gallbladder is a rare site of HP, and our literature review revealed that only 38 cases were reported. We present a case of HP in the gallbladder that was presented with a picture of acute cholecystitis. After the case presentation, we will discuss HP in the gallbladder by reviewing the literature. Case Presentation. A 49-year-old male presented to the emergency department complaining of progressively worsening right upper abdominal pain for the last 24 hours. After thorough history and physical examination, a provisional diagnosis of acute cholecystitis was made. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a rim of edema surrounding the gallbladder wall with two stones impacted at the gallbladder neck. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed with an uneventful postoperative course, and the patient was discharged the next day. Microscopic examination of the gallbladder showed that a heterotopic pancreatic tissue, composed of a large number of pancreatic acini and few ducts with the absence of islets of Langerhans, was found around the cystic duct. The patient was asymptomatic at the regular follow-up six months postoperatively. Conclusion. HP in the gallbladder is an extremely rare finding. Its clinical presentation is not different from other cholecystopathic diseases. Most cases were accompanied by cholelithiasis. Preoperative laboratory and imaging modalities are usually not helpful in the diagnosis of HP in the gallbladder. The definitive diagnosis is made by histological examination of the gallbladder specimen. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is sufficing treatment.
Congenital Coronary Artery Anomalies: Three Cases and Brief Review of the Literature
Authors: Ioakeimidis Nikolaos S. , Valasiadis Dimitrios , Markou Andreas , Zaglavara Theodora
Published: January 2021

Coronary artery anomalies (CAAs) are congenital vascular defects which can remain hidden and asymptomatic over the complete life course of an individual. They are defined as deviations from the normal coronary anatomy regarding the arterial origin, course, or both. Their incidence varies from 1.3% to 5.64% in coronary angiography cohorts, and they can be detected as incidental findings. In certain cases, CAAs can be hemodynamically significant and unfortunately can be proven lethal. Their link with sudden cardiac death, especially in otherwise healthy competitive athletes, is well established, but their prognostic significance, range of symptoms, and pathophysiology remain to be further elucidated. Here, along with a brief review of related literature, we present a series of three cases: one case of an anomalous origin of the right coronary artery (RCA) from the left coronary sinus, one case of a split RCA originating from the left coronary sinus, and one case of a dual left anterior descending (LAD) artery system.
Novel Refinements via
n
–Polynomial Harmonically
s
–Type Convex Functions and Application in Special Functions
Authors: Butt Saad Ihsan , Rashid Saima , Tariq Muhammad , Wang Miao-Kun
Published: January 2021

In this work, we introduce the idea of

n

–polynomial harmonically

s

–type convex function. We elaborate the new introduced idea by examples and some interesting algebraic properties. As a result, new Hermite–Hadamard, some refinements of Hermite–Hadamard and Ostrowski type integral inequalities are established, which are the generalized variants of the previously known results for harmonically convex functions. Finally, we illustrate the applicability of this new investigation in special functions (hypergeometric function and special mean of real numbers).
Theory and Realization of Secondary Task Assignment for Multi‐UAV Pickup Based on Green Scheduling
Authors: Liu Shunqi , Fang Xi , Guo Yi , Liu Chenwei , Yang Jian
Published: January 2021

The development of artificial intelligence technology has brought changes to various industries. Under the concept of green sustainable development, how to use the progress of science and technology to implement low‐carbon strategies is a problem that every enterprise should consider. Aiming at the problem of picking up goods in logistics industry, this paper proposed a secondary task assignment theory for multiple unmanned aerial vehicle (Multi‐UAV) based on green scheduling. The theory greatly improves the utilization rate of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and reduces the energy consumption. We analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of local optimal algorithm and global optimal algorithm in time and energy consumption. Through repeated experiments in different ranges, we have well verified the high efficiency and general applicability of this theory, which can provide theoretical and practical implications for logistics enterprises using UAV to achieve low‐carbon sustainable development in the future.
Common Fixed Point Theorems for Contractive Mappings of Integral Type in
G
-Metric Spaces and Applications
Authors: Zhang Fengrong , Zhang Xiangshuai , Hao Yan
Published: January 2021

Two common fixed point theorems for weakly compatible mappings satisfying contractive conditions of integral type in

G

-metric spaces are demonstrated. The results obtained in this paper generalize and differ from a few results in the literature and are used to prove the existence and uniqueness of common bounded and continuous solutions for certain functional equations and nonlinear Volterra integral equations. A nontrivial example is included.
CDCA3 Is a Novel Prognostic Biomarker Associated with Immune Infiltration in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Wang Zhihuai , Chen Shuai , Wang Gaochao , Li Sun , Qin Xihu
Published: January 2021

Cell division cycle‐associated protein‐3 (CDCA3) contributes to the regulation of the cell cycle. CDCA3 plays an important role in the carcinogenesis of various cancers; however, the association between CDCA3 expression, prognosis of patients, and immune infiltration in the tumor microenvironment is still unknown. Here, we demonstrated that CDCA3 was differentially expressed between the tumor tissues and corresponding normal tissues using in silico analysis in the ONCOMINE and Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) databases. We analyzed the relationship between the expression of CDCA3 and prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using the Kaplan–Meier plotter database and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA). Furthermore, we determined the prognostic value of CDCA3 expression using univariate and multivariate analyses. We observed that CDCA3 expression closely correlated with immune infiltration and gene markers of infiltrating immune cells in the TIMER database. CDCA3 was highly expressed in the tumor tissues than in the adjacent normal tissues in various cancers, including HCC. Increased expression of CDCA3 was accompanied by poorer overall survival (OS), relapse‐free survival (RFS), progression‐free survival (PFS), and disease‐specific survival (DSS). The correlation between CDCA3 expression and OS and disease‐free survival (DFS) was also studied using GEPIA. CDCA3 expression was associated with the levels of immune cell infiltration and was positively correlated with tumor purity. Moreover, CDCA3 expression was associated with gene markers such as PD-1, CTLA4, LAG3, and TIM-3 from exhausted T cells, CD3D, CD3E, and CD2 from T cells, and TGFB1 and CCR8 located on the surface of Tregs. Thus, we demonstrated that CDCA3 may be a potential target and biomarker for the management and diagnosis of HCC.
Guiding Maxillary Left Central Incisor to Occlusion and Late Formation of a Supernumerary Tooth in the Upper Left Premolar Region
Authors: Alnaqbi I. A. , Mageet A. O.
Published: January 2021

Hyperdontia or supernumerary teeth are the erupted or impacted teeth, which develop in addition to the regular dental series and might cause many occlusal problems. This article sheds light on a case of impacted maxillary left central incisor (21) due to a mesiodens supernumerary tooth and a late development of another supernumerary tooth in the upper left premolar area at the end of orthodontic treatment. O.A. is an 11-year, eight-month-old male, African patient presented to the orthodontic clinic with a chief complaint “My upper front tooth did not erupt although the dentist attached a wire to pull it with the help of a neighbouring tooth.” Clinically, he is medically fit and healthy, presented with class II division I malocclusion on skeletal II base; mild space discrepancy in the upper and lower dental arches; impacted 21; increased overjet; reduced overbite; localized bilateral posterior crossbite in relation to tooth number 16, 15, 25, and 26; and lower centreline shift to the left. Radiographically, lateral cephalometric radiograph confirms the skeletal relationship, whereas dental panoramic tomography (DPT) shows impacted 21 and the presence of all permanent teeth. The treatment plan consists of comprehensive orthodontic treatment using preadjusted edgewise metallic bracket, Roth prescription

0.022

″

×

0.028

″

slot and an active transpalatal arch (TPA) with palatal arms. Retention regimen comprises of upper and lower bonded retainers from canine to canine and vacuum-formed retainers (VFRs) for both dental arches.
A Mathematical Model to Simulate Static Characteristics of T-Beam Bridge with Wide Flange
Authors: Zang Xiaomeng , Wang Genhui , Li Jianchang , Hou Rongcheng , Gan Yanan , Wang Junjie , Zhang Wei
Published: January 2021

This study considers various factors, such as shear lag effect and shear deformation, and introduces the self-stress equilibrium for shear lag warping stress conditions to analyze the static characteristics of T-beam bridges accurately. In the mechanical analysis, three generalized displacement functions are applied, and the governing differential equations and natural boundary conditions of the static characteristics of T-beams are established on the basis of the energy variational principle. In the example, the influences of the shear lag effect, different load forms, and span ratio on the mechanical properties of T-beam bridges are analyzed. Therefore, the method of this study enriches and develops the theoretical analysis of T-beams, and it plays a certain guiding role in designing such a structure.
Biopreservation and Quality Enhancement of Fish Surimi Using Colorant Plant Extracts
Authors: Tayel Ahmed A. , Bahnasy Amira G. , Mazrou Khaled E. , Alasmari Abdulrahman , El Rabey Haddad A. , Elboghashy Shrifa A. , Diab Amany M.
Published: January 2021

The biopreservation, flavoring, and coloration of foodstuffs, e.g., seafoods, with natural plant derivatives are major demands for consumers and overseers. Different colored plant parts, i.e., Hibiscus sabdariffa calyces, Curcuma longa rhizomes, and Rhus coriaria fruits, were extracted and evaluated as biopreservatives, antimicrobial and colorant agents for fish surimi from Oreochromis niloticus. All colorant plant extracts (CPEs) exhibited strong antibacterial activities against screened pathogens, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. H. sabdariffa extract (HCE) was the most effectual antimicrobial CPEs. S. aureus was the most sensitive strain to CPEs, whereas S. typhimurium and P. aeruginosa were the most resistant strains. The exterior coloration of tilapia surimi with CPEs resulted in great bacterial count reduction in colored products; stored CPEs-colored surimi had enhanced sensorial attributes. HCE-exposed S. aureus indicated bacterial cell lyses in time-dependent manner. CPEs application as colorants and antibacterial and quality enhancing agents is recommended for seafoods’ biopreservation.
Big Data Insights and Comprehensions in Industrial Healthcare: An Overview
Authors: He Weiwei , Nazir Shah , Hussain Zahid
Published: January 2021

Big data are the data which need to be shaped for their volume, size, and shape in order to extract meaningful information for an explicit purpose. Data are ever playing a significant role in organization and industry for their daily activities to functional smoothly. The volume of healthcare data is increasing with the rising of technology and passage of time. This rise in volume of data can be a challenging task toward analysing the big data for industry and Internet of things (IoT). Numerous approaches, techniques, and tools exist in the literature for supporting, to handle, and manage processing of data. A review of the literature is needed in order to collect existing evidence from the literature to show which method or tool works for which particular situation. Therefore, the current study presents a review of the existing techniques of big data insights and scientific programming in the industry of healthcare. The report presents the summary of the literature. The study collects evidences from the existing literature and organizes it through the process of literature review with some derivations. This review will benefit practitioners to identify the right techniques for their specific purpose of research.
Protective Role of Sulodexide on Renal Injury Induced by Limb Ischemia-Reperfusion
Authors: Yuan Tao , Yang Ni , Bi Wei , Zhang Jinwen , Li Xueyan , Shi Long , Liu Yang , Gao Xiang
Published: January 2021

Background. Though widely known as a potent antithrombin agent with protective effects on the kidney and other remote organs, it is currently ambiguous when it comes to sulodexide’s function on ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. With this research, we pursued to further explore how sulodexide exerts its influence on limb I/R injury, in which deleterious effects on the kidney were what we primarily focused on. Methods. We randomized twenty-four C57BL/6 male rats into three groups, namely, sham operation group (control group), I/R group, and sulodexide pretreatment group. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was applied for discovery of renal histological changes. Serum creatinine (Cr) and serum urea nitrogen (BUN) were measured. Apoptotic parameters were detected by the TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling method. To what extent and levels that antiapoptotic and proapoptotic proteins were expressed could be sensitively revealed by immunohistochemistry assay. Lipid peroxidation product propylene glycol and inflammatory factors were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Additionally, an extracorporeal hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) model of human renal proximal tubule epithelial HK2 cells was established. Our targets lay in cell proliferation and apoptosis, and we used western blotting to reflect apoptosis-related gene expression. Results. The levels of serum BUN, Cr, and inflammatory factors in sulodexide-intervened rats manifested significant reduction when compared with the I/R group. Also, sulodexide could protect the kidney from histological changes and could effectively inhibit intraparenchymal apoptosis. Furthermore, adding 2 μl/mL or 5 μl/mL of sulodexide to H/R model cells in vitro gave rise to significant restoration of the degenerative proliferation capacity of the HK2 cells following H/R injury and late cellular apoptosis experienced dramatic reduction versus the H/R group. When treated with 5 μl/mL of sulodexide at a dose of 10 mg/kg, the levels of the antiapoptotic proteins were increased, while the proapoptotic proteins showed opposite trends. Notable escalation on antiapoptotic protein expression level, in contrast with the opposite trends exhibited in proapoptotic proteins, was observed with 5 μl/mL sulodexide pretreatment with the dosage being 10 mg/kg. Conclusion. Sulodexide can protect against kidney damage caused by I/R injury of the lower limbs by enhancing cell proliferation, inhibiting apoptosis, reducing inflammatory reactions, and scavenging oxygen free radicals.
Big Data, Extracting Insights, Comprehension, and Analytics in Cardiology: An Overview
Authors: Xiao Hui , Ali Sikandar , Zhang Zhen , Sarfraz Muhammad Shahzad , Zhang Fang , Faisal Mohammad
Published: January 2021

Healthcare system facilitates the treatment of patients with the support of wearable, smart, and handheld devices, as well as many other devices. These devices are producing a huge bulk of data that need to be moulded for extracting meaningful insights from them for the useful use of researchers and practitioners. Various approaches, methods, and tools are in use for doing so and to extract meaningful information in the field of healthcare. This information is being used as evidence to further analyze the data for the early care of patient and to devise treatment. Early care and treatment can facilitate healthcare and the treatment of the patient and can have immense potentiality of dropping the care cost and quality refining of care and can decrease waste and chances of error. To facilitate healthcare in general and cardiology in specific, the proposed study presents an overview of the available literature associated with big data, its insights, and analytics. The presented report will help practitioners and researchers to devise new solutions for early care in healthcare and in cardiology.
Shear Characteristics and Strength Criterion of Frozen Joints under Different Opening Degrees
Authors: Shen Shiwei , Gan Lin , Liu Chang , Dai Shulin
Published: January 2021

Samples of rock coupling joints were collected from the Jiangluling Tunnel of the G214 line in Qinghai province. Models with surface topographies similar to these joints were manually created. Freezing shear tests under different normal stress conditions were conducted to study the shear mechanical properties of these models. On this basis, the integral form of the peak shear strength criterion of frozen joints was proposed. Results show that the shear process of the ice layer can be divided into four stages, namely, initial deformation, continuously increasing shear stress, ice shearing, and residual shear. During the continuously increasing shear stress stage, the stress‐strain curve is concave, and elastic deformation is not evident. Furthermore, the increase rate of shear stress generally rises as normal stress intensifies. In the ice shearing stage, shear stress does not decrease instantaneously, but plastic deformation is now detectable. When the opening degree is greater than the undulation difference of the joint surface under the action of all levels of normal stress, the shear stress in the ice sharply increases and drops due to local failure and reicing. Then, evident difference between the shear processes under freezing and normal temperature conditions was then obtained. On this basis, the failure forms of joint surfaces, theory of ice adhesion strength under different opening degrees and morphologies, and the shear failure forms of frozen joints under different conditions were considered. The integral form of the peak shear strength criterion of frozen joints was proposed. These results can lay a theoretical foundation for the stability analysis of rock mass engineering in permafrost areas.
Crack Prediction Based on Wavelet Correlation Analysis Least Squares Support Vector Machine for Stone Cultural Relics
Authors: Liu Bao , Ye Fei , Mu Kun , Wang Jingting , Zhang Jinyu
Published: January 2021

Preventive protection of cultural relics is to make use of all the science and technology beneficial to the research and protection of archaeological heritage to predict the disease of cultural relics. The existing preventive cultural relics protection system has made some achievements in environmental monitoring, but the analysis and utilization of large data of cultural relics are still insufficient. In this paper, under the idea of multisource information fusion, a least squares support vector machine regression method based on multivariate time series wavelet correlation analysis is proposed to achieve accurate crack prediction of stone cultural relics. Firstly, the correlation of multivariate time series of stone cultural relics are quantitatively analyzed and the validity of characteristic variables of the crack is discriminated by wavelet correlation analysis; then, a least squares support vector machine prediction model is constructed based on the correlation obtained from the analysis; finally, the good performance of the method is verified by using the environmental monitoring data of the rock mass fracture in the North Qianfo Cliff of Dafo Temple in Binzhou City of Shaanxi Province. The experimental results show that the proposed method is more effective than the traditional backpropagation neural network, support vector machine, and relevance vector machine regression methods. This method is universal and easy to implement for multisource data prediction of nonmovable cultural relics diseases. It provides a scientific theoretical reference for the preventive protection of cultural relics.
A Low Dose of Naloxone Added to Ropivacaine Prolongs Femoral Nerve Blockade: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Lee Seung Cheol , Kim Jeong Ho , Choi So Ron , Park Sang Yoong
Published: January 2021

Femoral nerve blocks (FNBs) are used as safe and useful procedures to control severe postoperative pain from total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Various adjuvants have been used to prolong the duration of the local anesthetic blockade. This study evaluated whether a low dose of naloxone administered with local anesthetics prolongs the duration of FNB. A prospective, randomized double-blind controlled study was conducted with 74 patients undergoing unilateral TKA. Through a single-bolus administration guided by ultrasound, the control group (group C) received 20 mL of 0.375% ropivacaine, while the naloxone group (group N) received 20 mL of 0.375% ropivacaine with 100 ng of naloxone. The time elapsed before the first analgesia request, the total amount of opioids consumed at 24 h postoperatively, the onset time of the sensory blockade, the visual analog pain scale (VAS) scores after arriving at the recovery room, after 6, 12, 18, and 24 h at rest and after 12, 18, and 24 h of activity, the quadricep strength before the FNB procedure and at 12 and 24 h postoperatively, the quality of sleep on the first night after surgery, the satisfaction score, and the incidence of postoperative complications were recorded. The time elapsed before the first analgesia request was significantly longer in group N (735.5 ± 187.2 min) than that in group C (602.6 ± 210.4 min) (

P
=
0.003

). The total dose of supplementary opioids consumed at 24 h postoperatively was significantly lower in group N (312.4 ± 141.7 μg) than that in group C (456.5 ± 279.5 μg) (

P
=
0.007

). Lower VAS scores were recorded in group N than that in group C at rest and during knee activity (rest, 12 h,

P
=
0.001

, 18 h,

P
=
0.043

; activity, 12 h,

P
=
0.001

). The addition of a low dose of naloxone to ropivacaine for FNB significantly delayed the first request for rescue analgesia and decreased the opioid consumption within 24 h, without significant complications.
Tensile Performance of SHCC Road‐Bridge Link Slabs in Fully Jointless Bridges
Authors: Zhan Xuefang , Liu Kaile , Zhao Yi-Bin , Yan Hengli
Published: January 2021

Deformation of the main girder is absorbed by a continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) with microcracks in fully jointless bridges. The conventional fully jointless bridge has been challenged by durability and reliability issues because the CRCP is vulnerable to crack and hard to control the crack width when it suffers temperature variation. In this paper, a new type of fully jointless bridge with the road‐bridge link slabs using strain‐hardening cementitious composite (SHCC) material is investigated. First, an experiment was carried out to study the material properties of SHCC material for a preliminary assessment of road‐bridge link slab performance using this material. Results found that SHCC is adequate for link slabs for its high tensile ductility and fine cracks development. Second, an SHCC slab model tensile test was carried out to study the absorptive capacity and the crack distribution of the SHCC slab. Results verified the high absorptive deformation capacity of the SHCC slabs. When the longitudinal deformation reaches 10 mm, the surface cracks in the SHCC slab are fine and dense, the crack width is kept in 80 μm, and the internal force is small. Third, by comparing the tensile test results with a conventional CRCP slab with same length, it is found that an SHCC slab has higher absorption capacity, better crack distribution, and smaller internal force than a CRCP slab. Finally, through ABAQUS finite element modelling, the stress performance of SHCC road‐bridge link slabs is simulated using a trilinear constitutive model. The calculated results are consistent with the experimental results.
Virtual Reconstruction-Based Robust Adaptive Beamforming for Distributed Digital Subarray Antennas
Authors: Lu Jian , Yang Jian , Hou Bo , Zhu Fengchao , Yu Zhiyong , Liu Guangbin
Published: January 2021

For the distributed digital subarray antennas (DDSA), the conventional beamforming may give rise to grating lobes, high sidelobes, and other problems. In this paper, the gaps between the subarrays are filled with virtual array elements, and then the DDSA can form a virtual contiguous array. More concretely, based on the direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation of the signal sources, the interference components of the virtual elements and the interference-plus-noise covariance matrix (INCM) of the virtual contiguous array can be reconstructed. At low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the DOA estimation of the desired signal is implemented by subarray adaptive beamforming. Finally, with the steering vector of the desired signal and reconstructed INCM, the weight vector of the proposed beamformer can be obtained, which must be applied to the rearranged data matrix received by the actual and virtual elements. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Chlamydia trachomatis Mimicking COVID-19 Chronic Follicular Conjunctivitis
Authors: Kaur Sukhmandeep , Teibel Zachary Raphael , Farhat Nada , Atoot Adam , Bielory Brett
Published: January 2021

Purpose. To characterize the clinical presentation and report lab findings of Chlamydia trachomatis follicular conjunctivitis in two patients with a positive history of active COVID-19 infection. Participants. Two patients with follicular conjunctivitis with a recent history of COVID-19 infection. Design. Retrospective, noncomparative, case report. Methods. Demographic data including age, gender, and place of residence were recorded. A full exam with an emphasis on inflammatory characteristics and systematic workup. Sample follicles were surgically excised in selected cases, and molecular and histopathological analyses were performed. Results. Both patients were initially treated for viral conjunctivitis. After symptoms failed to resolve, biopsy results indicated that both patients were positive for chlamydia conjunctivitis and treated accordingly. Conclusions. These cases illustrate the role of biopsy as an investigative tool in chronic conjunctivitis and the importance of having a broad differential when treating patients with acute conjunctivitis.
Investigating the Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Curcumin-Loaded Silica-Containing Redox Nanoparticles
Authors: Le Khoa Minh , Trinh Nhu-Thuy , Nguyen Vinh Dinh-Xuan , Van Nguyen Tien-Dat , Thi Nguyen Thu-Ha , Van Vo Toi , Tran Tuan Quoc , Ngo Dai-Nghiep , Vong Long Binh
Published: January 2021

Chronic inflammation is considered as one of the challenging diseases, and overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is strongly related to the onset of chronic inflammation. Therefore, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory approaches are particularly becoming suitable treatment and prevention of inflammation. Curcumin (CUR), a main component of turmeric extract, is well known as an effective agent in both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities; however, there are still some limitations of its use including poor water solubility, low bioavailability, and oxidation by ROS. Nanotechnology has been used as a drug delivery system, which is a promising approach in overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks of CUR; hence, it improves the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of conventional medications. In this research, silica-containing redox nanoparticles (siRNP) were designed with the size of several tens of nanometers, prepared by self-assembly of an amphiphilic block copolymer consisting of drug absorptive silica moiety and ROS-scavenging nitroxide radical moiety in the hydrophobic segment. CUR was simply encapsulated into siRNP through the dialysis method, creating CUR-loaded siRNP (CUR@siRNP), which significantly improved the water solubility of CUR. The efficient antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory effect of CUR@siRNP in vitro were also improved via 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay and lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophage cell line activation, respectively. Oral administration of CUR@siRNP showed improvement in pharmacokinetic profile in vivo including AUC and Cmax values as compared to free CUR. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory effect of nanoformulation was investigated in the colitis mouse model induced by dextran sodium sulfate.
On Peculiarities of Betatron Oscillations of Accelerated Electron Bunches in Capillary Waveguides
Authors: Veysman Mikhail
Published: January 2021

It is shown that the dynamics of electrons accelerated in narrow capillary waveguides is significantly influenced by the parametric excitation of their betatron oscillations. On the one hand, this excitation can irreversibly spoil the emittance of an accelerated electron bunch that limits the possibilities of their practical use. On the other hand, controlled parametric excitation of betatron oscillations can be used to generate short-pulse sources of synchrotron radiation. The article analyzes the regions of parametric instabilities, their dependence on the parameters of accelerated electron bunches and guiding structures, and their influence on the dynamics of accelerated electrons. The parameters of the generated synchrotron radiation are also estimated. Measurements of the spectral parameters of synchrotron radiation can serve as a tool for diagnostics of betatron oscillations and their excitation in the case of parametric resonances.
Economic Policy Uncertainty Linkages among Asian Countries: Evidence from Threshold Cointegration Approach
Authors: Osei Prince Mensah , Djimatey Reginald , Adam Anokye M.
Published: January 2021

This paper employs the threshold cointegration methodology to assess the long- and short-run dynamics of asymmetric adjustment between economic policy uncertainty (EPU) of China-India, China-Japan, China-Korea, India-Japan, India-Korea, and Japan-Korea pairs using monthly EPU data ranging from January 1997 to April 2020. The relationship between the EPU pairs is examined in terms of Engle-Granger and threshold cointegrations. The findings provide evidence of long-run threshold cointegration and that the adjustments towards the long-run equilibrium position are asymmetric in the short run for the China-India and India-Japan EPU pairs in M-TAR specification with nonzero threshold values. Also, the results suggest a unidirectional causal relationship between China-India, China-Japan, and India-Korea EPU pairs in the long and short run using the spectral frequency domain causality approach. However, a bidirectional causal relationship between China-Korea, India-Japan, and Japan-Korea pairs exists in the long and short run. Therefore, the findings provide some clues to economic policymakers within the Asian subregion for possible policy uncertainty synergies and spillovers among the Asian countries.
Optimization Design of a Riser-Drill String Coupling System Based on CAE Techniques
Authors: Qin Shiyao , Wang Ruiming , Fu Deyi , Wang Gaowei
Published: January 2021

In a riser-drill string coupling system, the drill string extends from platform to downhole, and its exterior tube is divided by mud line into two parts: riser for upside and borehole for downside. Due to such a pipe-in-pipe structure, an improved dynamic model is proposed to take the multipoint interactions between the inner and outer pipes into consideration. The dynamic responses of this system are analyzed by Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) techniques; specifically, it is numerically simulated in Abaqus; then, both the parametric sensitivity analysis and the main effect analysis are carried out in Isight to determine the optimization parameters and the optimization strategy. Moreover, six-sigma algorithm in Isight is applied to simultaneously drive the neighborhood cultivation genetic algorithm (NCGA) to conduct multiobjective optimization and drive the Monte Carlo method to analyze the stability of the obtained optimal solution. Based on the above investigations, a software package is developed via the secondary developments of both Abaqus and Isight. By this way, the optimization design of the riser-drill string coupling system based on dynamic analysis can be conducted effectively and efficiently.
On the Suitability of Almond Shells for the Manufacture of a Natural Low-Cost Bioadsorbent to Remove Brilliant Green: Kinetics and Equilibrium Isotherms Study
Authors: Melhaoui R. , Miyah Y. , Kodad S. , Houmy N. , Addi M. , Abid M. , Mihamou A. , Serghini-Caid H. , Lairini S. , Tijani N. , Hano C. , Elamrani A.
Published: January 2021

Almond production generates a large number of coproducts, but the farmer’s interest mainly focuses on the nutritional and commercial aspects of the kernel for getting the best return from their harvests. Thus, almond coproducts such as almond shells that represent more than 70% of biomass remain underexplored. In this work, the suitability of almond shell powder (ASP) as a natural low-cost adsorbent was evaluated in the adsorption of brilliant green dye (BG), which is known as a chemical pollutant. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method, for the determination of specific surface area, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques were performed to characterize the ASP adsorbent. The batch adsorption kinetic study for the removal of BG dye was carried out by varying pH, temperature, initial concentration of the dye, bioadsorbent dose, and contact time. It was found that 98% of BG dye is removed under the following optimal experimental conditions: ASP bioadsorbent dose of 1 g/L at T = 25°C, pH = 6.8, and C0 = 1 g/L, which proves that ASP can be used as an excellent low-cost bioadsorbent for the removal of BG dye from wastewater. The experimental isotherm data were analyzed using Freundlich and Langmuir models. The results show the best correlation with single-layer adsorption, and the adsorption kinetics seems to follow a pseudo-second-order model.
Reliability Analysis of a Complex Multistate System Based on a Cloud Bayesian Network
Authors: Jia Jin-Zhang , Li Zhuang , Jia Peng , Yang Zhi-Guo
Published: January 2021

This study focused on mixed uncertainty of the state information in each unit caused by a lack of data, complex structures, and insufficient understanding in a complex multistate system as well as common‐cause failure between units. This study combined a cloud model, Bayesian network, and common‐cause failure theory to expand a Bayesian network by incorporating cloud model theory. The cloud model and Bayesian network were combined to form a reliable cloud Bayesian network analysis method. First, the qualitative language for each unit state performance level in the multistate system was converted into quantitative values through the cloud, and cloud theory was then used to express the uncertainty of the probability of each state of the root node. Then, the β‐factor method was used to analyze reliability digital characteristic values when there was common‐cause failure between the system units and when each unit failed independently. The accuracy and feasibility of the method are demonstrated using an example of the steering hydraulic system of a pipelayer. This study solves the reliability analysis problem of mixed uncertainty in the state probability information of each unit in a multistate system under the condition of common‐cause failure. The multistate system, mixed uncertainty of the state probability information of each unit, and common‐cause failure between the units were integrated to provide new ideas and methods for reliability analysis to avoid large errors in engineering and provide guidance for actual engineering projects.
Repeat and Relapsing Peritonitis Microbiological Trends and Outcomes: A 21-Year Single-Center Experience
Authors: Reis Marina , Ribeiro Catarina , Gomes Ana Marta , Santos Clara , Lopes Daniela , Fernandes João Carlos
Published: January 2021

Peritonitis is a major peritoneal dialysis complication. Despite a high cure rate, relapsing and repeat peritonitis is associated with Tenckhoff catheter biofilm and multiple episodes of peritoneal damage. In relapsing peritonitis, prompt catheter removal is mandatory; otherwise, in repeat peritonitis, there is not a clear indication for catheter removal. It is questionable if the approach to removal should be different. There are few recent data on repeat and relapsing peritonitis microbiology and clinical outcomes since most studies are from the past decade. This study evaluates the microbiology, clinical outcomes, and impact of relapsing and repeat peritonitis on technique survival and the impact of catheter removal in development of further peritonitis episodes by the same microorganism. We developed a single-center retrospective study from 1998 to 2019 that compared repeat and relapsing peritonitis with a control group in terms of causative microorganisms, cure rate, catheter removal, and permanent and temporary transfer to hemodialysis. We also compared repeat and relapsing peritonitis clinical outcomes when Tenckhoff catheter was not removed. Comparing to the control group, the repeat/relapsing group had a higher cure rate (80.4% versus 74.5%,

p
=
0.01

) and lower rate of hospitalization (10.9% versus 27.7%,

p
=
0.01

). Technique survival was superior in the repeat/relapsing group (log rank = 4.5,

p
=
0.03

). Gram-positive peritonitis was more common in the repeat/relapsing group especially Streptococci viridans (43.5% versus 21.3%,

p
=
0.01

) and Gram-negatives in the control group (26.6% vs 9.0%,

p
=
0.02

). When the Tenckhoff catheter was not removed after a repeat episode, 58.6% developed a new repeat/relapsing episode versus 60.0% in the relapsing group. Although repeat and relapsing peritonitis have a higher cure rate, it leads to further episodes of peritonitis and consequent morbidity. When Tenckhoff catheter was not removed, the probability of another peritonitis episode by the same microorganism is similar in repeat and relapsing peritonitis.
The Analysis of Opinion Evolution and Control Based on the Prisoner’s Dilemma Game in Social Networks
Authors: Li Xianyong , Zhu Jian , Du Yajun , Zhang Qian
Published: January 2021

In a social network, a user is greatly influenced by their neighbors’ opinions, and the user’s opinion updating can be regarded as the prisoner’s dilemma game. In view of such considerations, this paper proposes an opinion evolution and control model based on the prisoner’s dilemma game and gives the corresponding opinion evolution and control algorithm. Under different initial positive opinion proportions, different opinion control levels, and the same control threshold value and under different initial positive opinion proportions, different opinion control levels, and different opinion control threshold values in a scale‐free network, the experiments illustrate the opinion evolution trends and control strategies according to the measures of changing the opinion control levels and opinion control threshold values for network regulators. The experiments show that the lower the initial positive opinion proportion is and the smaller (resp., larger) the control opinion threshold value chosen by the network regulators is, the lower (resp., higher) the opinion control level is; the larger the initial positive opinion proportion is and the larger the control opinion threshold value chosen by the network regulators is, the lower the opinion control level is.