bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Compatibilities of Conducting Polymer-Based Electrode Matrices for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Nguyen Van At , Kuss Christian
Published: July 2021

Aqueous electrode processing has been considered an important movement to make the overall battery fabrication process less toxic and more environmental-friendly1. The traditional approach focuses on mixing common aqueous binders such as carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), polyacrylic acid (PAA), and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) with carbon additives to form conductive, water-processable electrode matrices2. This design, however, is unlikely to improve electrode interconnection, where carbon additives still loosely adhere to active materials3. Utilizing a better electrode matrix is believed to enhance both mechanical and electrical connections of electrode architecture, thus improving battery capacity and stability. Our recent work has demonstrated the design concept of conducting polymer composites as self-conductive and water-processable electrode matrices for Li-ion batteries4. By using in situ chemical polymerization method, polypyrrole:carboxymethyl-cellulose (PPy:CMC) composites, as a representative, were synthesized facilely and at low cost. The molecular structure of PPy:CMC composites composes of carboxyl groups from CMC as main anionic dopants for the positively charged PPy polymer chain. Their unique adhesion enables PPy:CMC composites to sufficiently connect active materials electrically and mechanically despite their low intrinsic electrical conductivity. As a result, cathodes with PPy:CMC composites and LiCoO2 or LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 showed promising cycling performance even at a 1-C rate, which is rarely reported for carbon-additive-free electrodes. Also, aqueous electrode casting is feasible for PPy:CMC-based electrodes, thus addressing toxicity and intensive-energy consumption associated with the current NMP-based electrode processing. Furthermore, their compatibility in Li-ion battery chemistry has also been tested employing SEM, EIS and XPS. This work shows initial efforts in designing a new kind of electrode matrix that enables a greener fabrication of Li-ion batteries.

References

J. Zhao, X. Yang, Y. Yao, Y. Gao, Y. Sui, B. Zou, H. Ehrenberg, G. Chen, and F. Du, Adv. Sci., 5, 1700768 (2018).

D. Bresser, D. Buchholz, A. Moretti, A. Varzi, and S. Passerini, Energy Environ. Sci., 11, 3096–3127 (2018).

V. A. Nguyen and C. Kuss, J. Electrochem. Soc., 167, 065501 (2020).

V. A. Nguyen, J. Wang, and C. Kuss, J. Power Sources Adv., 6, 100033 (2020).
Behaviors and Overlying Strata Failure Law for Underground Filling of a Gently Inclined Medium‐Thick Phosphate Deposit
Authors: Li Xiaoshuang , Geng Jiabo , Li Qihang , Tian Weijun , Zhou Tao
Published: July 2021

In this study, the No. 6 pit in the eastern mining area of the Jinning phosphate mine in China was taken as the research background. In order to reduce the cost of filling, an improved pillarless sublevel caving method is proposed. This method greatly improves the ore recovery rate by adding a recovery route. In addition, the combination of similar material simulation experiments and numerical simulations (discrete element and universal distinct element code) revealed the deformation and failure laws of the surrounding roof rock and the characteristics of the surface subsidence. The results indicate the following. (1) The similar simulation experimental results indicate that the deformation of the overlying rock layer originated from the direct roof of the goaf and gradually developed into the deep part of the rock layer. An irregular stepped caving zone formed in the goaf. The maximum surface subsidence was located above the phosphorus orebody, and it gradually decreased toward both sides. As the stope approached propulsion, the location of the maximum subsidence gradually moved toward the propulsion direction. (2) The numerical results revealed that the displacement of the overlying strata was nonlinear, and it decreased with increasing roof height. A support pressure concentration area was formed within a certain range of the stope roof. The numerical simulation results are basically consistent with the similar simulation experimental results.
Simulating the Principal‐Agent Relationship between Enterprise Owners and Professional Managers Using Evolutionary Game Theory and System Dynamics
Authors: Yuan Liang , Tao Xiaorui , Ramsey Thomas Stephen , Degefu Dagmawi Mulugeta
Published: July 2021

The separation of ownership and management is a common operation mode in modern enterprises, which establishes the principal‐agent relationship between modern enterprise owners and professional managers. Due to the information asymmetry and interest conflicts between the principal and agent, the principal‐agent problem will occur and affect the efficiency of enterprise operations. Therefore, it is necessary to propose measures to improve the principal‐agent relationship. This paper analyzed the principal‐agent problem between enterprise owners and professional managers based on system dynamics, evolutionary game, and principal‐agent theory and built a principal‐agent evolutionary game model to analyze the rule of strategic choices and predict the equilibrium outcomes of different scenarios. In addition, the influence of different factors on strategic choices was simulated by the system dynamics model. The results depicted that the basic benefits and costs of cooperation are the key factors of the strategic choices, and the gap between the expected payoffs of different strategies also affects the probability of choosing those cooperative strategies. Proper supervision, standardization of the managerial labor market, and establishment of long‐term incentives are crucial to cooperation between enterprise owners and professional managers.
[Retracted] Influence of Sulfur and Additives on Wear of Exhaust Valve Seat of Cylinder Head
Authors: Zhao Jianping , Zhang Shunli , Dou Zhenhuan , Sun YuBo , Wan Jiangkun , Du Lei
Published: July 2021

In this paper, taking a certain type of high‐power diesel engine exhaust valve abnormal wear phenomenon as an example, we conduct research on the exhaust valve surface micromorphology characteristics, contact surface accumulation products, additive transition layer, and combustion test. These passed diesel sulfur content comparative test, diesel additive composition analysis, and high‐sulfur‐content and low‐sulfur‐content diesel and diesel oil additive action test. At present, there is no authoritative research on the influence of sulfur content in diesel on valve seat wear of high‐power diesel engines, and the protection mechanism of diesel additives on the valve seat is not clear. The sulfur in diesel, like the lead in gasoline, has long been known to resist wear in the valve seats of high‐power diesel engines; just as gasoline additives compensate for the loss of lead, diesel oil additives seem to compensate for the loss of sulfur. Tests show that a uniform carbon deposition layer is formed on the contact surface after the diesel is burned, and the carbon deposition layer is more densely and uniformly adsorbed on the contact surface under the action of diesel additives to form an antiwear layer. Tests also show that the sulfur in diesel has no effect on the wear resistance of the valve seat.
Association of NFE2L2 Gene Polymorphisms with Risk and Clinical Characteristics of Acute Type A Aortic Dissection in Han Chinese Population
Authors: Zhang Yiran , Zheng Qi , Chen Ruoshi , Dai Xiaoyi , Zhu Yimin , Ma Liang
Published: July 2021

The present study is aimed at investigating the association of NFE2L2 gene polymorphisms with risk and clinical characteristics of acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD) in a Han Chinese population. Six SNPs (rs1806649, rs13001694, rs2364723, rs35652124, rs6721961, and rs2706110) in NFE2L2 were genotyped using SNaPshot Multiplex Kit in 94 adult patients diagnosed with AAAD at our hospital, and 208 healthy Han Chinese subjects from the 1000 Genomes Project were served as the control group. The CC genotype of rs2364723 (CC versus (GC+GG), OR = 2.069, 95% CI: 1.222‐3.502, p = 0.006) and CC genotype of rs35652124 (CC versus (CT+TT), OR = 1.889, 95% CI: 1.112‐3.210, p = 0.018) were identified as risk factors for AAAD. Multivariable linear regression analysis revealed that the CC genotype of rs2364723 (β = 5.031, 95% CI: 1.878‐8.183, p = 0.002) and CC genotype of rs35652124 (β = 4.751, 95% CI: 1.544‐7.958, p = 0.004) were associated with increased maximum ascending aorta diameter of AAAD. Patients carrying rs2364723 CC genotype had a higher incidence of coronary artery involvement (31% vs. 12%, p = 0.027), while patients carrying rs35652124 CC genotype had a higher incidence of brain ischemia (9% vs. 0%, p = 0.045). In conclusion, NFE2L2 gene polymorphisms were correlated with risk and severity of AAAD in Han Chinese population.
The Ablation of Envelope Protein Glycosylation Enhances the Neurovirulence of ZIKV and Cell Apoptosis in Newborn Mice
Authors: Guo Yanqing , Bao Linlin , Xu Yanfeng , Li Fengdi , Lv Qi , Fan Feiyue , Qin Chuan
Published: July 2021

Zika virus (ZIKV) has attracted the wide global attention due to its causal link to microcephaly. In this study, two amino acid (aa) mutation (E143K and R3394K) were identified at the fourth generation (named ZKC2P4) during the serial passage of ZIKV-Asian lineage ZKC2/2016 strain in the newborn mouse brain, while another seven aa deletions in envelope (E) protein were detected in ZKC2P6. ZKC2P6 is a novel nonglycosylated E protein Asian ZIKV we first identified and provides the first direct supporting evidence that glycosylation motif could be lost during the passage in neonatal mice. To study the impact of E protein glycosylation ablation, we compared the pathogenicity of ZKC2P6 with that of ZKC2P4. The results showed that the loss of E protein glycosylation accelerated the disease progression, as evidenced by an earlier weight loss and death, a thinner cerebral cortex, and more serious tissue lesions and inflammation/necrosis. Furthermore, ZKC2P6 exhibited a greater ability to replicate and caused severer cell apoptosis than that of ZKC2P4. Therefore, the ablation of E glycosylation generally enhances the neurovirulence of ZIKV and cell apoptosis in newborn mice.
Investigation of the Impact of the Pumping Beam Waist Size and Position on the Efficiency of YVO4/Nd : YVO4/YVO4 Laser Generation
Authors: Mlynczak Jaroslaw , Zyskowski Maciej
Published: July 2021

This article presents the results of the investigation of the generation efficiency for different sizes and positions of the pumping beam waist inside the active medium of the YVO4/Nd : YVO4/YVO4 lasers. The measurements were carried out for a fixed resonator length of 36.1 mm, a constant pumping power of 1.16 W, and four output couplers with different radii of curvature. According to the knowledge of the authors, such an extended experimental approach is presented for the first time.
Kochia scoparia Saponin Momordin Ic Modulates HaCaT Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis via the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway
Authors: Luo Meijunzi , Zeng Bijun , Wang Haizhen , Yang Zhibo , Peng Youhua , Zhang Yujin , Wang Chang
Published: July 2021

Psoriasis is a chronic, recurrent, immunoinflammatory disease. For a long period, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is considered a reliable alternative therapy for patients with psoriasis. Fructus Kochiae (or Kochia scoparia) and its principle saponin, Momordin Ic, have been reported to protect against inflammation. Herein, we demonstrated that Momordin Ic could inhibit HaCaT cell proliferation and enhance cell apoptosis. In the meantime, Momordin Ic alters Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation by affecting β-catenin nuclear distribution. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling activator LiCl partially reversed the effects of Momordin Ic on HaCaT phenotypes and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway factors. Altogether, we demonstrate the inhibitory effects of Momordin Ic, one of the major saponin constituents of Fructus Kochiae, on HaCaT cell proliferation and Momordin Ic-induced alteration within the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Momordin Ic might act on HaCaT cells by modulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.
Successful Low-Dose tPA for Mechanical Mitral Valve Thrombosis in a Patient with Postinfarction Contained Left Ventricular Free Wall Rupture
Authors: Livesay James , Isang Emmanuel , Tahir Hassan , Baljepally Raj
Published: July 2021

Prosthetic valve thrombosis is a potentially life-threatening complication diagnosed by a combination of clinical features and imaging modalities, but the optimal management in high bleeding risk patients remains controversial. Current treatment options for prosthetic valve thrombosis included surgery, thrombolytic therapy, and anticoagulation. We present a very unusual case of a patient with a recent ST-elevation myocardial infarction complicated by contained left ventricle free wall rupture and mechanical mitral valve thrombosis. Deemed a high surgical risk candidate, low-dose tissue plasminogen activator was used despite significant bleeding risk from contained left ventricle free wall rupture, which resulted in resolution of the thrombus. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of successful thrombolytic therapy for prosthetic mechanical mitral valve thrombosis in a patient with recent postmyocardial infarction contained left ventricular free wall rupture.
Analysis of Colorectal Carcinogenesis Paradigm between Cold Constitution and Heat Constitution: Earlier ECM Collagen Deposition
Authors: Nong Feifei , Liang Yuqi , Xing Shangping , Li Huixuan , Lin Xizheng , Qin Jingchun , Hu Fengliang , Wen Bin
Published: July 2021

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant tumor around the world. Studying the unique constitution of CRC patients is conducive to the application of personalized medical treatment for CRC. The most common types of constitution in CRC are cold and heat constitution. A previous study has suggested that the malignant progression in cold and heat constitution CRC are different; however, the mechanism remains unclear. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is likely to vary with each individual constitution, which may affect the tumor growth in different constitutions. The extracellular matrix (ECM), the most important component of TME, plays a critical role in disease progression and outcome in patients with CRC. Moreover, collagen, the major component of the ECM, determines the main functional characteristics of ECM and tissue fibrosis caused by collagen deposition, which is one of the signs of CRC malignant progression. This study aimed to explore the mechanisms leading to different colorectal carcinogenesis paradigms between the cold constitution and heat constitution within the context of ECM collagen deposition. We established the CRC rat models and enrolled 30 CRC patients with cold and heat constitution. The collagen-related parameters were detected by using Sirius red staining combined with polarized light microscope, and expressions of collagen (COL I and COL III) and lysyl oxidase (LOX and LOXL2) were determined using immunohistochemistry, while the mRNA levels of COL1A1, COL3A1, LOX, and LOXL2 were measured by qRT-PCR. We found that a higher degree of collagen deposition in the cold-constitution group. The results suggest cold and heat constitution may affect the colorectal carcinogenesis paradigm by influencing the early collagen deposition in colon tissue. The study may provide an effective idea for clinicians to improve the prognosis of CRC patients with different constitutions.
A Semianalytical Approach to the Solution of Time-Fractional Navier-Stokes Equation
Authors: Ali Zeeshan , Nia Shayan Naseri , Rabiei Faranak , Shah Kamal , Tan Ming Kwang
Published: July 2021

In this manuscript, a semianalytical solution of the time-fractional Navier-Stokes equation under Caputo fractional derivatives using Optimal Homotopy Asymptotic Method (OHAM) is proposed. The above-mentioned technique produces an accurate approximation of the desired solutions and hence is known as the semianalytical approach. The main advantage of OHAM is that it does not require any small perturbations, linearization, or discretization and many reductions of the computations. Here, the proposed approach’s reliability and efficiency are demonstrated by two applications of one-dimensional motion of a viscous fluid in a tube governed by the flow field by converting them to time-fractional Navier-Stokes equations in cylindrical coordinates using fractional derivatives in the sense of Caputo. For the first problem, OHAM provides the exact solution, and for the second problem, it performs a highly accurate numerical approximation of the solution compare with the exact solution. The presented simulation results of OHAM comparison with analytical and numerical approaches reveal that the method is an efficient technique to simulate the solution of time-fractional types of Navier-Stokes equation.
Role of Cytokines and Chemokines in NSCLC Immune Navigation and Proliferation
Authors: Ramachandran Sowmya , Verma Amit K. , Dev Kapil , Goyal Yamini , Bhatt Deepti , Alsahli Mohammed A. , Rahmani Arshad Husain , Almatroudi Ahmad , Almatroodi Saleh A. , Alrumaihi Faris , Khan Naushad Ahmad
Published: July 2021

With over a million deaths every year around the world, lung cancer is found to be the most recurrent cancer among all types. Nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) amounts to about 85% of the entire cases. The other 15% owes it to small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). Despite decades of research, the prognosis for NSCLC patients is poorly understood with treatment options limited. First, this article emphasises on the part that tumour microenvironment (TME) and its constituents play in lung cancer progression. This review also highlights the inflammatory (pro‐ or anti‐) roles of different cytokines (ILs, TGF‐β, and TNF‐α) and chemokine (CC, CXC, C, and CX3C) families in the lung TME, provoking tumour growth and subsequent metastasis. The write‐up also pinpoints recent developments in the field of chemokine biology. Additionally, it covers the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs), as alternate carriers of cytokines and chemokines. This allows the cytokines/chemokines to modulate the EVs for their secretion, trafficking, and aid in cancer proliferation. In the end, this review also stresses on the role of these factors as prognostic biomarkers for lung immunotherapy, apart from focusing on inflammatory actions of these chemoattractants.
Precise Blood Glucose Sensing by Nitrogen‐Doped Graphene Quantum Dots for Tight Control of Diabetes
Authors: Mousavi Seyyed Mojtaba , Hashemi Seyyed Alireza , Gholami Ahmad , Mazraedoost Sargol , Chiang Wei-Hung , Arjmand Omid , Omidifar Navid , Babapoor Aziz
Published: July 2021

Graphene quantum dots (GQD) are novel fluorescent carbon nanomaterials based on a graphite structure. Thanks to extraordinary properties such as high surface area and enhanced prevalent optical properties, they have received more interest for special applications. Glucose sensing is a critical factor for the diagnosis, and treatment of diabetes plays an important role and could contribute to the monitoring of diabetes and other related parameters, which has been effectively underscoring the health society. Detecting glucose has been cultivated through different systems, for example, electrochemical or optical techniques. Novel transducers made with GQD that fluorescent coordinate methods have considered the improvement of cutting‐edge glucose sensors with prevalent affectability and accommodation. Currently, detection of glucose by nitrogen‐doped GQD frameworks concerning the determined objectives has been considerably considered. Here, we explored the properties of fluorescent nitrogen‐doped GQD as an excellent and effective index that significantly could promote nitrogen‐doped GQDs and make them an appropriate candidate for detecting glucose.
A Multicultural Demographic Study to Analyze Antibiotic Prescription Practices and the Need for Continuing Education in Dentistry
Authors: Karobari Mohmed Isaqali , Khijmatgar Shahnawaz , Bhandary Rahul , Krishna Nayak U. S. , Del Fabbro Massimo , Horn Rithvitou , Marya Anand
Published: July 2021

Objectives. The objective of the study was to understand and analyze the prescription patterns of dentists across various demographic locations for managing oral infections and pain with antibiotics and explore the evidence‐based practices by clinicians as well as the need for further education. Materials and methods. This cross‐sectional study was carried out using an online questionnaire framed to explore the knowledge, attitude, and practices among dentists with varying levels of experience and qualifications, regarding antimicrobial prescription. The questions were validated from previous published studies that explored the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) with respect to antimicrobial prescription. In total, N = 300 of dentists from four different countries responded to the online questionnaire out of which 53% were specialists while 47% were general dentists. After data collection, descriptive analysis was carried out along with a one‐sided hypothesis test to depict the power of the sample. Results. It was seen from the results of the study that the first‐choice antibiotics for 67.8% of dentists were found to be the β‐lactam group while sulfonamides and tetracyclines at 20% were the second most prescribed group. Another important finding was that 45.6% of dentists ignored hypersensitivity testing before prescription of antibiotics even though 83.3% of the total dentists interviewed were aware of the increase in antibiotic resistance. Conclusion. In conclusion, the dentists are partially aware of the guidelines but need further training and education on antimicrobial prescription that enables evidence‐based decision‐making for better practices and outcomes.
A New Embedded Estimation Model for Soil Temperature Prediction
Authors: Wang Xuezhi , Li Wenhui , Li Qingliang
Published: July 2021

With the continuous development of Earth science, soil temperature has received more and more attention in Earth system research as an important parameter. The change of soil temperature (Ts) in different regions and related time series is affected by many factors, which bring certain difficulties to the accuracy of soil temperature prediction and the robustness of the algorithm. In this paper, an embedded network prediction model based on the gated recurrent unit (GRU) model is proposed to learn the local and global features of historical temperature for improving the prediction performance of soil temperature. We input different steps into the GRU model, and the output is weighted to obtain the final prediction result. In order to obtain the global characteristics of soil temperature, we connect the previous steps to the output layer directly, and the local characteristics of soil temperature are obtained through the following steps. This paper uses the soil temperature data from two meteorological stations (Laegern and Fluehli) in Switzerland as the input data to predict the soil temperature for different soil depths (5 cm, 10 cm, and 15 cm) at different time points (6 hrs, 12 hrs, and 24 hrs), using RMSE, MAE, MSE, and

R

2

performance indicators as evaluation criteria to verify the accuracy of prediction. As the experimental results show, our method has the best performance compared to the others (artificial neural networks (ANN), extreme learning machine model (ELM), long short-term memory network (LSTM), gated recurrent unit network (GRU)). In particular, we estimated the soil temperature at the soil depth of 10 cm of the Fluehli station in the coming 6 hrs; our method achieved the best performance; and, meanwhile, our model achieved the maximum value of

R

2

(0.9914) and the minimum values of RMSE (0.4668), MAE (0.2585), and MSE (0.2214) compared with the other four models. Therefore, our model can not only predict the soil temperature at different depths but also improve the accuracy.
The Internet of Things in Geriatric Healthcare
Authors: Sahu Deblu , Pradhan Bikash , Khasnobish Anwesha , Verma Sarika , Kim Doman , Pal Kunal
Published: July 2021

There is a significant increase in the geriatric population across the globe. With the increase in the number of geriatric people and their associated health issues, the need for larger healthcare resources is inevitable. Because of this, healthcare service-providing industries are facing a severe challenge. However, technological advancement in recent years has enabled researchers to develop intelligent devices to deal with the scarcity of healthcare resources. In this regard, the Internet of things (IoT) technology has been a boon for healthcare services industries. It not only allows the monitoring of the health parameters of geriatric patients from a remote location but also lets them live an independent life in a cost-efficient way. The current paper provides up-to-date comprehensive knowledge of IoT-based technologies for geriatric healthcare applications. The study also discusses the current trends, issues, challenges, and future scope of research in the area of geriatric healthcare using IoT technology. Information provided in this paper will be helpful to develop futuristic solutions and provide efficient cost-effective healthcare services to the needy.
Predictive Ability of Serum IL-27 Level for Assessing Activity of Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis
Authors: Yoon Taejun , Ahn Sung Soo , Pyo Jung Yoo , Lee Lucy Eunju , Song Jason Jungsik , Park Yong-Beom , Lee Sang-Won
Published: July 2021

Serum interleukin- (IL-) 27 level has been reported to increase in patients with several autoimmune diseases; however, its significance in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody- (ANCA-) associated vasculitis (AAV) is unknown. In this study, we investigated the associations between serum IL-27, laboratory features, and activity of AAV and evaluate the predictive ability of serum IL-27 level for disease activity. This study included 77 AAV patients, and we collected clinical and laboratory data at blood sampling. Inflammation-related variables included white blood cell, neutrophil, lymphocyte and platelet counts, serum albumin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein levels. Serum IL-27 and IL-18 levels were measured from stored sera using Human Magnetic Luminex® assay. High disease activity of AAV was defined as the highest tertile of Birmingham vasculitis activity score (BVAS) (≥11). The mean age of the enrolled patients was 59.9 years, and 38 (49.4%) were diagnosed as microscopic polyangiitis. In the multivariable analysis, serum albumin (

β
=
−
0.419

) and serum IL-27 level (

β
=
0.221

) were significantly associated with BVAS. Furthermore, patients with renal manifestation exhibited higher serum IL-27 (mean 308.7 pg/mL vs. 105.8 pg/mL) and IL-18 levels (mean 376.7 pg/mL vs. 270.4 pg/mL) than those without. On applying the optimal cut-off of serum IL-27 level for predicting high activity, AAV patients with serum

IL
−
27
 
level
≥
300.8

 pg/mL had a significantly higher risk for having high disease activity than those with serum

IL
−
27
 
level
<
300.8

 pg/mL (relative risk 3.380, 95% confidence interval 1.223, 9.345,

P
=
0.016

). These results suggest that serum IL-27 level is associated with the cross-sectional activity and the presence of renal manifestation and could be used to predict high disease activity in patients with AAV.
Histone Acetylation in the Epigenetic Regulation of Bone Metabolism and Related Diseases
Authors: Tian Qinglu , Gao Shiqi , Zhou Xuedong , Zheng Liwei , Zhou Yachuan
Published: July 2021

As the earliest studied epigenetic modification, acetylation has been explored a lot through the years. While bone tissue acts as an indispensable part of body, researches aimed at the relationship between the bone and acetylation became necessary. Some environmental factors like diet may affect the metabolism status that some metabolites especially nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) were found able to regulate intracellular histone acetylation in bone metabolism. This review focuses on representing the interaction among acetylation, metabolism, and the bone. The results showed that acetylation connects a lot with bone metabolism, while the explorations about related metabolites like acetyl-CoA or different environmental exposures are still limited. Some acetylation-related therapy methods of bone diseases based on metabolic regulation or epigenetic enzymes were also reviewed.
Effectiveness and Safety of Chinese Medicine Decoctions for Behcet’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Yan Jingxian , Yan Yi , Young Andrew , Yan Zhiyong , Yan Zhimin
Published: July 2021

Background. Behcet’s disease (BD) is an autoimmune disease of systemic vasculitis with an unclear pathogenesis. Although western medicines remain the mainstay interventions, effectiveness and safety are significant challenges. Complementary and alternative medicine, including herbal medicine, are gaining more attention. Chinese medicine decoctions, which have been used for centuries, are the most common form of traditional therapies. Objective. The purpose of the review was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Chinese medicine decoctions in the treatment of BD. Methods. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for BD treatment with Chinese medicine decoctions were searched in six electronic databases until March 2021. Primary outcomes were total effective rate, recovery rate, and recurrence rate. Secondary outcomes were clinical feature scores (oral ulcers, eye lesions, genital ulcers, skin lesions, arthropathies, fever, and pathergy reactions) and laboratory index levels (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and immunoglobulin A). The risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane Handbook, and a meta-analysis was performed with RevMan 5.4.1. Results. Sixteen RCTs with 924 patients were included in the review. The meta-analysis indicated that Chinese medicine decoctions were effective for BD when compared with control groups for all the primary outcomes and 7/10 of the secondary outcomes. Adverse events were reported in 11 of the 16 RCTs, with the Chinese medicine decoctions possibly having fewer adverse events than western drugs. This review included a range of classical prescriptions. An additional meta-analysis of modified Gancao Xiexin Decoction for BD treatment was conducted. Gancao Xiexin decoction is also discussed as a representative prescription, as well as high-frequency herbs, and warrants further exploration for individualized medicine and pharmacology. Conclusion. Chinese medicine decoctions have the potential to be effective and safe for treating BD. However, additional well-designed RCTs are needed to confirm the findings because of the unsatisfactory quality of the included studies.
Comparison of Essential Oils of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. from Different Processing Methods and Harvest Seasons Based on GC-MS and Chemometric Analysis
Authors: Pan Xue , Li Haiying , Chen Dingfang , Zheng Jinjin , Yin Longhua , Zou Juan , Zhang Yalun , Deng Kaiwen , Xiao Meifeng , Meng Lei , He Fuyuan
Published: July 2021

Houttuyniae Herba (HH) refers to the dried aerial part of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (DHC) or the fresh whole grass of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (FHC), where DHC are harvested in summer and FHC around the year. However, harvest seasons and processing methods (i.e., medicinal parts and drying process) might affect the quality of HH. To compare the essential oils (EOs) of DHC and FHC and their two harvest seasons, GC-MS analysis combined with chemometric analysis was applied. The results showed that the oil yield of FHC (0.076 ± 0.030%) was higher than that of DHC (0.038 ± 0.029%), and oil yield was higher in summer than in autumn (0.044 ± 0.029% for DHC1, 0.036 ± 0.028% for DHC2, 0.084 ± 0.026% for FHC1, and 0.067 ± 0.033% for FHC2, respectively). Moreover, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) successfully distinguished the chemical constituents of DHC and FHC oils. Additionally, according to orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), eleven components were selected as chemical markers for discriminating DHC and FHC, and two and four chemical markers for discriminating two harvest seasons of DHC and FHC, respectively. Among these markers, the average contents of α-pinene, limonene, β-phellandrene, α-terpineol, 4-tridecanone, and ethyl decanoate were higher in FHC oils. In contrast, the average contents of nonanal, 1-nonanol, β-cyclocitral, n-hexadecanoic acid, and octadecanol were higher in DHC oils. Additionally, the contents of 4-tridecanone and ethyl decanoate were both higher in DHC1 oils than in DHC2 oils. Moreover, the contents of β-myrcene and β-phellandrene were higher in FHC1 oils, while the contents of 2,6-octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, acetate, and (z)-phytol were higher in FHC2 oils. For these reasons, this study provides a scientific basis for quality control and clinical medication.
Efficient Authentication for Internet of Things Devices in Information Management Systems
Authors: Wu Xiaofeng , Ren Fangyuan , Li Yiming , Chen Zhenwei , Tao Xiaoling
Published: July 2021

With the rapid development of the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, it has been widely used in various fields. IoT device as an information collection unit can be built into an information management system with an information processing and storage unit composed of multiple servers. However, a large amount of sensitive data contained in IoT devices is transmitted in the system under the actual wireless network environment will cause a series of security issues and will become inefficient in the scenario where a large number of devices are concurrently accessed. If each device is individually authenticated, the authentication overhead is huge, and the network burden is excessive. Aiming at these problems, we propose a protocol that is efficient authentication for Internet of Things devices in information management systems. In the proposed scheme, aggregated certificateless signcryption is used to complete mutual authentication and encrypted transmission of data, and a cloud server is introduced to ensure service continuity and stability. This scheme is suitable for scenarios where large‐scale IoT terminal devices are simultaneously connected to the information management system. It not only reduces the authentication overhead but also ensures the user privacy and data integrity. Through the experimental results and security analysis, it is indicated that the proposed scheme is suitable for information management systems.
Treatment Outcomes and Associated Factors in Tuberculosis Patients at Atwima Nwabiagya District, Ashanti Region, Ghana: A Ten-Year Retrospective Study
Authors: Agyare Sadick Ahmed , Osei Francis Adjei , Odoom Samuel Frimpong , Mensah Nicholas Karikari , Amanor Ernest , Martyn-Dickens Charles , Owusu-Ansah Michael , Mohammed Aliyu , Yeboah Eugene Osei
Published: July 2021

Introduction. Tuberculosis poses a great threat to public health around the globe and affects persons mostly in their productive age, notwithstanding; everyone is susceptible to tuberculosis (TB) infection. To assess the effectiveness and performance of the tuberculosis control program activities, the percentage of cases with treatment success outcome is key. To control tuberculosis, interrupting transmission through effective treatment cannot be overemphasized. The study was conducted to determine factors associated with TB treatment outcome, in the Atwima Nwabiagya District from 2007–2017. Method. A Retrospective review of routine/standard TB registers was carried out in five directly observed therapy short-course (DOTS) centres at the Atwima Nwabiagya District from January 2007 to December 2017. Demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, and treatment outcomes were assessed. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was conducted to determine the predictors of successful treatment outcome. Results. Of the 891 TB client’s data that was assessed in the district, the treatment success rate was 68.46%. Patients,

aged
≤
20

years (adjusted odds ratio

aOR

=
4.74

,

95
%
CI
=
1.75
−
12.83

) and 51-60 years (

aOR
=
1.94

,

95
%
CI
=
1.12
−
3.39

), having a pretreatment weight of 35-45 kg (

aOR
=
2.54

,

95
%
CI
=
1.32
−
4.87

), 46-55 kg (

aOR
=
2.75

,

95
%
CI
=
1.44
−
5.27

) and 56-65 kg (

aOR
=
3.04

,

95
%
CI
=
1.50
−
6.14

) were associated with treatment success. However, retreatment patients (

aOR
=
0.31

,

95
%
CI
=
0.11
−
0.84

) resulted in unsuccessful treatment outcome. Conclusion. Successful treatment outcome among TB patients was about 20.00% and 30.00% lower compared to the national average treatment success rate and WHO target, respectively. Active monitoring, motivation, and counselling of retreatment patients and patients with advanced age are key to treatment success.
Electrospun Nanofibers with High Specific Surface Area to Prepare Modified Electrodes for Electrochemiluminescence Detection of Azithromycin
Authors: Cheng Hao , Li Xuenuan , Li Tianhao , Qin Danfeng , Tang Tingfan , Li Yanqing , Wang Guixiang
Published: July 2021

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and (CH3COO)2Zn were used as raw materials, and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with high specific surface area were successfully prepared by an electrospinning method. A new method of electrochemiluminescence detection of azithromycin was established by modifying the glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Under the optimal conditions, the electrochemical behavior and electrochemiluminescence behavior of the Ru(bpy)32+-AZM system on the modified electrode were investigated. Owing to the large specific area, more active sites, and promotion of electron transfer, the sensor exhibits high electrocatalytic activity, high sensitivity, a good linear relationship ranging from

8.0
×

10

−
8

to

1.0
×

10

−
4

 mol/L, and a low detection limit (

6.52
×

10

−
8

 mol/L). In addition, the good recoveries indicate that the sensor was a promising device for the detection of azithromycin in real samples.
A Novel Behavioral Strategy for RoboCode Platform Based on Deep Q‐Learning
Authors: Kayakoku Hakan , Guzel Mehmet Serdar , Bostanci Erkan , Medeni Ihsan Tolga , Mishra Deepti
Published: July 2021

This paper addresses a new machine learning‐based behavioral strategy using the deep Q‐learning algorithm for the RoboCode simulation platform. According to this strategy, a new model is proposed for the RoboCode platform, providing an environment for simulated robots that can be programmed to battle against other robots. Compared to Atari Games, RoboCode has a fairly wide set of actions and situations. Due to the challenges of training a CNN model for such a continuous action space problem, the inputs obtained from the simulation environment were generated dynamically, and the proposed model was trained by using these inputs. The trained model battled against the predefined rival robots of the environment (standard robots) by cumulatively benefiting from the experience of these robots. The comparison between the proposed model and standard robots of RoboCode Platform was statistically verified. Finally, the performance of the proposed model was compared with machine learning based‐customized robots (community robots). Experimental results reveal that the proposed model is mostly superior to community robots. Therefore, the deep Q‐learning‐based model has proven to be successful in such a complex simulation environment. It should also be noted that this new model facilitates simulation performance in adaptive and partially cluttered environments.
[Retracted] The Early Diagnostic Efficacy of Serum Histone H3 in Rabbit Urosepsis Model
Authors: Zhang Xiaolu , Zhan Xiangcheng , Huang Bisheng , Li Saiyang , Xu Yunfei
Published: July 2021

Objective. We want to explore the changing law of circulating histones in the acute stage of urosepsis and to find more sensitive and specific biomarkers for diagnosing urosepsis as early as possible. Methods. Twenty healthy male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups (N = 5): the control group, sham group, model group of LPS 600 μg/kg, and model group of LPS 1000 μg/kg. Heart rate (HR), respiration rate (RR), rectal temperature (T), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were examined at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours after operation. Besides, peripheral blood cell counts (RBC, WBC, PLT, and Hb) and C reaction protein (CRP) were tested at 1, 3, and 6 hours after operation, while the levels of histone H3, MMP‐9, TIMP‐1, and procalcitonin (PCT) in the serum were tested at 1, 3, and 6 hours after operation by ELISA. The heart, left lung, liver, and left kidney were harvested for HE stain and observed to research the pathological change of these tissues. Results. (1) The general status of rabbits: rabbits in the control and sham groups came out in 2 h after operation and regain to drink and eat in 12‐24 h after operation. State of the rabbits in the control group was better than that in the sham group. Rabbits in the model groups were languid after operation and stopped to drink and eat. (2) Vital signs of rabbits: there was no statistic difference in HR (P = 0.238) and RR (P = 0.813) among all groups. MAP of the model groups decreased at 3 h postoperative, but transient (P < 0.001). The T of the LPS 1000 group decreased at 6 h postoperative (P = 0.003). (3) The change of biomarkers: H3 level of the LPS groups in the serum increased at 1 h postoperative (P < 0.01); MMP‐9 of the LPS 1000 group increased at 1 h postoperative (P < 0.01); WBC of the model groups decreased at 3 h postoperative (P < 0.05); PLT of the LPS 1000 group is significantly increased at 1 h postoperative (P < 0.05); no statistic difference was found in CRP, PCT, and TIMP‐1 among all groups. (4) Pathological sections: no abnormal performance was found in the control and sham groups. Glomerulus of the model groups was out of shape and necrosis with obvious renal tubule expansion. Pulmonary pathology showed alveolar septum diffuse increased and inflammatory infiltrate. Change of the LPS 1000 group was more serious than that of the LPS 600 group. Conclusions. Ligating the ureter after an injection of 1000 μg/kg LPS into the ureter of the rabbit can establish the animal model of urosepsis. Histone H3 increase immediately at 1 h postoperative and are promised to be biomarkers of urosepsis, which are more effective than WBC, CRP, and PCT.
A Novel Adaptive Mutation PSO Optimized SVM Algorithm for sEMG-Based Gesture Recognition
Authors: Cao Le , Zhang Wenyan , Kan Xiu , Yao Wei
Published: July 2021

In the field of noncontact human-computer interaction, it is of crucial importance to distinguish different surface electromyography (sEMG) gestures accurately for intelligent prosthetic control. Gesture recognition based on low sampling frequency sEMG signal can extend the application of wearable low-cost EMG sensor (for example, MYO bracelet) in motion control. In this paper, a combination of sEMG gesture recognition consisting of feature extraction, genetic algorithm (GA), and support vector machine (SVM) model is proposed. Particularly, a novel adaptive mutation particle swarm optimization (AMPSO) algorithm is proposed to optimize the parameters of SVM; moreover, a new calculation method of mutation probability is also defined. The AMPSO-SVM model based on combination processing is successfully applied to MYO bracelet dataset, and four gesture classifications are carried out. Furthermore, AMPSO-SVM is compared with PSO-SVM, GS-SVM, and BP. The sEMG gesture recognition rate of AMPSO-SVM is 0.975, PSO-SVM is 0.9463, GS-SVM is 0.9093, and BP is 0.9019. The experimental results show that AMPSO-SVM is effective for low-frequency sEMG signals of different gestures.
An Online Map Matching Algorithm Based on Second-Order Hidden Markov Model
Authors: Fu Xiao , Zhang Jiaxu , Zhang Yue
Published: July 2021

Map matching is a key preprocess of trajectory data which recently have become a major data source for various transport applications and location-based services. In this paper, an online map matching algorithm based on the second-order hidden Markov model (HMM) is proposed for processing trajectory data in complex urban road networks such as parallel road segments and various road intersections. Several factors such as driver’s travel preference, network topology, road level, and vehicle heading are well considered. An extended Viterbi algorithm and a self-adaptive sliding window mechanism are adopted to solve the map matching problem efficiently. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, a case study is carried out using a massive taxi trajectory dataset in Nanjing, China. Case study results show that the accuracy of the proposed algorithm outperforms the baseline algorithm built on the first-order HMM in various testing experiments.
NECTIN4 Heterogeneity and Molecular Diversity in Bladder Cancers: Deconstructing the Activity of An Antibody–Drug Conjugate
Authors: Teo Min Yuen , Rosenberg Jonathan E.
Published: July 2021

Nectin-4 is the target for enfortumab vedotin, a novel antibody–drug conjugate. NECTIN4 gene expression differs considerably across different molecular subtypes and is shown to be important for enfortumab vedotin efficacy.

See related article by Chu et al., p. 5123
Managing Anemia across the Stages of Kidney Disease in Those Hyporesponsive to Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents
Authors: Weir Matthew R.
Published: July 2021

Background: Patients with CKD frequently have anemia that results from iron-restricted erythropoiesis and inflammation. Anemia of CKD is currently managed with iron supplements and erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) to promote erythropoiesis and with RBC transfusion in severe cases. Hyporesponse to ESAs, or the need for larger than usual doses to attain a given hemoglobin (Hb) level, is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and presents a pressing clinical challenge, particularly for patients on dialysis. This paper reviews ESA hyporesponse and potential new therapeutic options in the management of anemia of CKD. Summary: The most common causes of ESA hyporesponse include iron deficiency and inflammation, and to a lesser degree, secondary hyperparathyroidism, inadequate dialysis, malnutrition, and concomitant medications. Management of ESA hyporesponse is multipronged and involves treating low level infections, ensuring adequate nutrition, and optimizing iron status and dialysis modality, although some patients can remain refractory. Inflammation directly increases production and secretion of hepcidin, contributes to an impaired response to hypoxia, and suppresses proliferation of erythroid progenitors. Coordination of renal and hepatic erythropoietin (EPO) production and iron metabolism is under the control of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF), which are in turn regulated by HIF-prolyl hydroxylases (HIF-PHs). HIF-PHs and hepcidin are therefore attractive potential drug targets particularly in patients with ESA hyporesponse. Several oral HIF-PH inhibitors have been evaluated in patients with anemia of CKD and have been shown to increase Hb and reduce hepcidin regardless of inflammation, iron status, or dialysis modality. These sustained effects are achieved through more modest increases in endogenous EPO compared with ESAs. Key Messages: Treatments that address ESA hyporesponse remain a significant unmet clinical need in patients with anemia of CKD. New therapies such as HIF-PH inhibitors have the potential to address fundamental aspects of ESA hyporesponse and provide a new therapeutic option in these patients.