bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving turnaround times for HLA-B*27 and HLA-B*57:01 gene testing: a Barts Health NHS Trust quality improvement project
Authors: White Emma , Proudlove Nathan , Kallon Delordson
Published: September 2021

Among other tests, Barts Health NHS Trust clinical transplantation laboratory conducts two important gene-detection tests: human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-B*27 (‘B27’, associated with the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis) and HLA-B*57:01 (‘B57’, associated with prediction of abacavir hypersensitivity disorder). The turnaround time (TaT) from sample receipt to return of results is important to clinicians and their patients but was not monitored. Furthermore, we anticipated an imminent increase in demand from a forthcoming pathology service merger, together with long-term increases with the rise of personalised genetic medicine.

In this quality improvement project, we identified current TaT performance and sources of delay. Over three plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles, we tested three change ideas, two involving using IT to remove manual administrative steps and alert us to samples needing progressing; both were retained. The other change involved separating out the targeted tests; we judged this not worthwhile with current demand levels, although something to be re-examined when volumes increase. During the project, we reduced mean TaT from 3.8 to 3.3 days and increased the proportion within our 5-day target from 78% to 100%. These have been sustained (at 3.4 days and 97%) for the 3 months following our PDSA cycles and illustrate that reducing variation can be as impactful as reducing the mean.

We conducted this project during the COVID-19 disruption, which reduced demand substantially. We took advantage of this to allow staff to spend time on these improvement activities. Another interesting feature of the work is that during the project, we compared changes in performance on our targeted B27/B57 tests with that on another comparable test as a control, to consider the impact of the general increased attention (the Hawthorne effect). We found that performance on this control also increased comparably, but then fell away after our project finished, while it did not for B27/B57.
Specialist palliative care services response to ethnic minority groups with COVID-19: equal but inequitable—an observational study
Authors: Bajwah Sabrina , Koffman Jonathan , Hussain Jamilla , Bradshaw Andy , Hocaoglu Mevhibe B , Fraser Lorna K , Oluyase Adejoke , Allwin Caitlin , Dunleavy Lesley , Preston Nancy , Cripps Rachel , Maddocks Matthew , Sleeman Katherine E , Higginson Irene J , Walshe Catherine , Murtagh Fliss E M
Published: September 2021

Objectives

To develop insights into response of palliative care services caring for people from ethnic minority groups during COVID-19.

Methods

Cross-sectional online survey of UK palliative care services response to COVID-19. Quantitative data were summarised descriptively and χ2tests used to explore relationships between categorical variables. Free text comments were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

277 UK services responded. 168 included hospice teams (76% of all UK hospice teams). Services supporting those from ethnic minority groups were more likely to include hospital (p<0.001) and less likely to include hospice (p<0.001) or home care teams (p=0.008). 34% (93/277) of services had cared for patients with COVID-19 or families from ethnic minority groups. 66% (61/93) of these services stated no difference in how they supported or reached these groups during the pandemic.

Three themes demonstrated impact of policy introduced during the pandemic, including: disproportionate adverse impact of restricted visiting, compounded communication challenges and unmet religious and faith needs. One theme demonstrated mistrust of services by ethnic minority groups, and the final theme demonstrated a focus on equal and individualised care.

Conclusions

Policies introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic may have adversely impacted those from ethnic minority groups making these at-risk populations even more vulnerable. The palliative care response may have been equal but inequitable. During the para-COVID-19 period, systemic steps, including equality impact assessments, are urgently needed.
Palliative care integration indicators: an European regional analysis
Authors: Sánchez-Cárdenas Miguel Antonio , Garralda Eduardo , Arias-Casais Natalia Sofia , Benitez Sastoque Edgar Ricardo , Van Steijn Danny , Moine Sébastien , Murray Scott A , Centeno Carlos
Published: September 2021

Objective

To estimate the capacity of European countries to integrate palliative care (PC) into their health systems through PC service provision for patients of all ages, with different care needs and diseases, in various settings and by a range of providers.

Methods

Secondary analysis of survey data from 51 countries with 22 indicators explored the integration of available PC resources for children, for patients of all ages, at the primary care level, for oncology and cardiac patients, and in long-term care facilities. We also measured volunteer participation. Results were quantified, converted into weighted subscores by area and combined into a single ‘Integration Capacity Score (ICS)’ for each country.

Results

Thirty-eight countries reported 543 specialised paediatric PC services. One-third of all surveyed countries reported 20% or more of patients with PC needs at the primary care level. Twenty-four countries have a total of 155 designated centres that integrate oncology and PC. Eight countries were pioneering cardiology services that integrate PC. Eight reported a volunteer workforce of over 1000 and 12 had policies regulating PC provision and interventions in long-term care facilities. Across all indicators, 39 countries (76%) score from low to very low integration capacity, 8 (16%) score at an intermediate level, and 4 (8%; the Netherlands, UK, Germany and Switzerland) report a high-level integration of PC into their health systems.

Conclusion

Variable progress according to these indicators shows that most European countries are still in the process of integrating PC into their health systems.
Early impact of the DREAMS partnership on young women’s knowledge of their HIV status: causal analysis of population-based surveys in Kenya and South Africa
Authors: Birdthistle Isolde , Carter Daniel J , Mthiyane Nondumiso T , Orindi Benedict O , Muuo Sheru , Chimbindi Natsayi , Ziraba Abdhalah , Shahmanesh Maryam , Baisley Kathy , Floyd Sian
Published: September 2021

Background

Knowledge of one’s HIV status is the gateway to treatment and prevention, but remains low among young people. We investigated the early impact (2016–2017) of Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS), a multisectoral HIV prevention package, on knowledge of HIV status among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW).

Methods

In 2017, randomly selected AGYW were enrolled into surveys, N=1081 aged 15–22 years in Nairobi slum settlements, and N=2174 aged 13–22 years in rural KwaZulu-Natal. We estimated the causal effect of being a DREAMS beneficiary on knowledge of HIV status (those who self-reported as HIV-positive or tested HIV-negative in the past year), accounting for an AGYW’s propensity to be a DREAMS beneficiary.

Results

In Nairobi, knowledge of HIV status was higher among DREAMS beneficiaries compared with non-beneficiaries (92% vs 69%, adjusted OR=8.7; 95% CI 5.8 to 12.9), with DREAMS predicted to increase the outcome by 28%, from 65% if none were a DREAMS beneficiary to 93% if all were beneficiaries. The increase attributable to DREAMS was larger among younger participants: 32% and 23% among those aged 15–17 and 18–22 years, respectively. In KwaZulu-Natal, knowledge of status was higher among DREAMS beneficiaries aged 13–17 years (37% vs 26% among non-beneficiaries), with a 9% difference due to DREAMS (95% CI 4.8% to 14.4%), and no evidence of effect among 18–22 years (−2.8%; 95% CI −11.1% to 5.7%).

Conclusion

DREAMS substantially increased knowledge of HIV status among AGYW in Nairobi, and among younger but not older AGYW in KwaZulu-Natal. Adolescent girls can be reached early (before age 18) with community-based HIV testing programmes in diverse high-prevalence settings, with a large impact on the proportion who know their HIV status.
Exploring the Appropriate Dose of Nebulized Hypertonic Saline for Bronchiolitis: A Dose–Response Meta-Analysis
Authors: Lin Jilei , Zhang Yin , Song Anchao , Ying Linyan , Dai Jihong
Published: September 2021

Nebulized hypertonic saline (HS) has gathered increasing attention in bronchiolitis. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between the dose of nebulized HS and the effects on bronchiolitis. Five electronic databases—PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov, and ISRCTN—were searched until May 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the effect of HS on bronchiolitis were included. A total of 35 RCTs met the eligibility criteria. HS nebulization may shorten the length of stay (LOS) in hospital (mean difference −0.47, 95% CI −0.71 to –0.23) and improve the 24-hour, 48-hour, and 72-hour Clinical Severe Score (CSS) in children with bronchiolitis. The results showed that there was no significant difference between 3% HS and the higher doses (>3%) of HS in LOS and 24-hour CSS. Although the dose–response meta-analysis found that there may be a linear relationship between different doses and effects, the slope of the linear model changed with different included studies. Besides, HS nebulization could reduce the rate of hospitalization of children with bronchiolitis (risk ratio 0.88, 95% CI 0.78 to 0.98), while the trial sequential analysis indicated the evidence may be insufficient and potentially false positive. This study showed that nebulized HS is an effective and safe therapy for bronchiolitis. More studies are necessary to be conducted to evaluate the effects of different doses of HS on bronchiolitis.
Energy cost of walking and body composition changes during a 9-month multidisciplinary weight reduction program and 4-month follow-up in adolescents with obesity
Authors: D’Alleva Mattia , Gonnelli Federica , Vaccari Filippo , Boirie Yves , Montaurier Christophe , Thivel David , Isacco Laurie , Vermorel Michel , Lazzer Stefano
Published: September 2021

The purpose of the present study was to investigate changes in the energy cost of locomotion during walking (Cw) related to changes in body mass (BM, kg) and body composition in adolescents with obesity. Twenty-six (12 boys and 14 girls) obese adolescents (mean: body mass index, 33.6 ± 3.7 kg·m–2; 42.7 ± 4.5% fat mass (FM)) followed a 9-month multidisciplinary inpatient weight-reduction program consisting of lifestyle education, moderate energy restriction, and regular physical activity in a specialised institution. At baseline (M0), the end of the 9-month program (M9), and after the 4-month follow-up (M13), oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production of the standardised activity program were assessed by whole-body indirect calorimetry over 24 hours, and body composition was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. At M9, adolescents showed an 18% reduction in BM (p < 0.001) and 40% in total FM, while fat-free mass (kg) remained stable in boys but decreased by ∼6% in girls (p = 0.001). Similarly, the mean Cw decreased by 20% (p < 0.001). At M13, BM, FM, and Cw were slightly higher compared with at M9. In conclusion, moderate energy restriction and regular moderate physical activities improved walking economy, improved exercise tolerance, and induced beneficial changes in the body composition of adolescents with obesity.

Novelty: Reduction of FM in the trunk region, and consequently reducing the work carried out by respiratory muscles, contributes to reducing Cw in adolescents with obesity. A lower walking cost can be effective in improving exercise tolerance and quality of life in obese adolescents.
Effect of pelleting on nutrients and energy digestibility in growing pigs fed corn-soybean meal-based diet or diet containing corn distillers dried grains with solubles (cDDGS), wheat middlings, and bakery meal
Authors: Chassé Élisabeth , Guay Frédéric , Létourneau-Montminy Marie-Pierre
Published: September 2021

This study was conducted to determine the effect of pelleting and diet type on the apparent ileal (AID) and total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients and energy in growing pigs. Six pigs were cannulated at the ileum and were assigned to treatments following a crossover design. One diet was a control diet based on corn and soybean meal (CT). Part of it was replaced by corn distillers dried grains with solubles (cDDGS), wheat middlings, and bakery meal in the second diet (ByP). Diets were in mash (CT-MH and ByP-MH) or pelleted (CT-PT and ByP-PT) form. Results showed that pelleting increased digestibility in all diets with a distinct effect on the CT diet (interaction diet × pelleting, P < 0.05). Pelleting improved the AID of dry matter, crude protein, and energy by 17%, 27%, and 17% in the CT diet and by 10%, 9%, and 17% in the ByP diet (P < 0.01). The AID of amino acids followed the effect observed on crude protein (P < 0.01). Pelleting increased AID of total non-starch polysaccharides for the CT diet by 63% and 42% for the ByP diet (P < 0.01). The pelleting conditions improved the degradability of the compounds in the diets during digestion in pigs.
Investigating implementation level of phase-based strategies in transportation infrastructure projects
Authors: Safapour Elnaz , Kermanshachi Sharareh , Jafari Amirhosein
Published: September 2021

This research performed phase-based studies to determine effective project management tasks, strategies, and outsourcing activities for transportation infrastructure projects. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to discover phase-based project management strategies, tasks, and activities that can be adopted or outsourced by state transportation agencies (STAs), then a survey was designed and distributed nationally through an online platform to STAs. The results of the 96 survey responses were analyzed and demonstrated that team qualifications and environmental planning are the project management strategies that STAs adopt most often. The outcomes of this study will help decision-makers and project managers assess the effects of adopting effective strategies and outsourcing some activities on delivering transportation infrastructure projects on time, within budget, and with the desired level of quality.
Evidence that nano-TiO2 induces acute cytotoxicity to the agronomically beneficial nitrogen-fixing bacteria Sinorhizobium meliloti
Authors: Wang Jieping , Jia Yu , Whalen Joann K. , McShane Heather , Driscoll Brian T. , Sunahara Geoffrey I.
Published: September 2021

When nano-sized titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2) absorbs ultra-violet (UV-A) radiation, it produces reactive oxygen species that can be toxic to bacteria. We used the agronomically beneficial nitrogen-fixing bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti strain 1021 as a model microorganism to detect nano-TiO2 toxicity. Sinorhizobium meliloti was exposed to aqueous dispersions of micrometer-sized TiO2 (micron-TiO2, 44 μm) or nanometer-sized TiO2 (nano-TiO2, 21 nm) at nominal concentrations of 0, 100, 300, 600, 900, and 1800 mg TiO2/L. There were fewer viable S. meliloti cells after exposure to nano-TiO2 under dark and UV-A light conditions. Nano-TiO2 was more toxic to S. meliloti with UV-A irradiation (100% mortality at 100 mg TiO2/L) than under dark conditions (100% mortality at 900 mg TiO2/L). Micron-TiO2 concentrations less than 300 mg TiO2/L had no effect on S. meliloti viability under dark or UV-A light conditions. Exposure to 600 mg/L or more of micron-TiO2 under UV-A light could also photo-kill S. meliloti cells (100% mortality). Further studies are needed to ascertain whether nano-TiO2 interferes with the growth of N2-fixing microorganisms in realistic agricultural environments.
CO477, CO478, CO479, and CO480 inbred lines
Authors: Kebede A.Z. , Reid L.M. , Voloaca C. , De Schiffart R. , Wu J. , Woldemariam T. , Jindal K.K. , Zhu X. , Morrison M.J.
Published: September 2021

CO477, CO478, CO479, and CO480 are mid- to late-season [75–81 d to flowering, crop heat units (CHU) = 1720–1855] corn (Zea mays L.) inbred lines with high stalk sugar levels. The level of sugar in the stalks are very high especially when grown as inbred lines. On average, the inbred lines yield three times more sugar than their testcrosses. These inbred lines are the first to be developed and released for biofuel production, from the corn breeding program of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Additionally, these inbred lines can be used for sugar and (or) silage production. They have moderate to intermediate resistance to common rust, eyespot, northern corn leaf blight and fusarium stalk rot but are susceptible to gibberella ear rot.
Canadian spring hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars exhibit broad adaptation to ultra-early wheat planting systems
Authors: Collier Graham R.S. , Spaner Dean M. , Graf Robert J. , Gampe Cindy A. , Beres Brian L.
Published: September 2021

Ultra-early wheat growing systems based on soil temperature triggers for planting instead of arbitrary calendar dates can increase grain yield and overall growing system stability of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on the northern Great Plains. We conducted field trials at three sites in western Canada from 2017 to 2019 to evaluate the suitability of Canadian spring hexaploid wheat cultivars and market classes for use within ultra-early spring wheat growing systems. All cultivars and classes exhibited improved grain yield stability (lower adjusted coefficient of variation values) and optimal grain yield when planted ultra-early at 2 °C soil temperature rather than delaying planting to 8 °C.
Flow of nanofluid towards a Riga surface with heat and mass transfer under the effects of activation energy and thermal radiation
Authors: Al-Zubaidi A. , Nazeer Mubbashar , Saleem S. , Hussain Farooq , Ahmad Fayyaz
Published: September 2021

This paper numerically simulates the nanofluid flow over a thermally expanding Riga plate. Buongiorno model for nanofluid is employed to investigate the contribution of Brownian motion and thermophoretic force on the nanoflow. Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) of viscous nanofluid through a porous medium is characterized with the help of Darcy–Forchheimer’s model. In addition, the simultaneous effects of activation energy and chemical reaction have been incorporated. Moreover, highly nonlinear coupled differential equations are formulated which highlight the influence of viscous dissipation and heat generation. A numerical solution is achieved with the help of the Range–Kutta fourth-order (RK4) method combined with the shooting technique. Finally, the role of emerging parameters is studied via performing the numerical simulation which reveals that the momentum boundary layer of nanofluid shrinks due to the porous medium. Whereas, thermal boundary layer expands for all variables, except for the Prandtl number. Finally, mass transfer rated suffers due to Schmidt number.
Modified nonlinear Schrödinger models, 𝒞𝒫s𝒯d invariant N-bright solitons and infinite towers of anomalous charges
Authors: Blas H. , Cerna Maguiña M. , dos Santos L. F.
Published: September 2021

Modifications of the nonlinear Schrödinger (MNLS) model [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], are considered. We show that the MNLS models possess infinite towers of quasi-conservation laws for soliton-type configurations with a special complex conjugation, shifted parity and delayed time reversion ([Formula: see text]) symmetry. Infinite towers of anomalous charges appear even in the standard NLS model for [Formula: see text] invariant [Formula: see text]-bright solitons. The true conserved charges emerge through some kind of anomaly cancellation mechanism. Our analytical results are supported by numerical simulations of two-bright-soliton scatterings with potential [Formula: see text]. Our numerical simulations show the elastic scattering of bright solitons for a wide range of values of the set [Formula: see text] and a variety of amplitudes and relative velocities. The MNLS-type systems are quite ubiquitous, and so, our results may find potential applications in several areas of nonlinear physics, such as Bose–Einstein condensation, superconductivity, soliton turbulence and the triality among gauge theories, integrable models and gravity theories.
The visibility and stability of GaSe nanoflakes of about 50 layers on SiO2/Si wafers
Authors: Redkin Ruslan A. , Kobtsev Daniil A. , Kolesnikova Irina I. , Bereznaya Svetlana , Sarkisov Yury , Voevodin Vladimir , Novikov Vadim , Mihaylov Timofei , Sarkisov Sergey Yu.
Published: September 2021

GaSe nanoflakes on silicon substrates covered by SiO2 films are prepared by mechanical exfoliation from the bulk Bridgman-grown GaSe crystals using a scotch tape. The thickness of SiO2 films on Si substrates providing the highest optical contrast for observation of GaSe flakes is estimated by taking into account the spectral sensitivity of a commercial CMOS camera and broadband visible light illumination. According to our estimations, the optimal SiO2 thickness is [Formula: see text]126 nm for the visualization of GaSe flakes of 1–3 layers and [Formula: see text]100 nm for the flakes of 40–70 layers. The obtained nanoflakes are investigated by optical and atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The observed spectral positions of the Raman peaks are in agreement with the positions of the peaks known for bulk and nanolayered GaSe samples. It is found that the 50 nm thick flakes are stable but are covered by oxide structures with lateral size about 100 nm and height [Formula: see text]5 nm after [Formula: see text]9 months exposure to ambient atmosphere.
An Extension of the Gamma Test Statistics to Binary Variables and Some Applications
Authors: Maria Selvitella Alessandro , Valdés Julio J.
Published: September 2021

In this paper, we discuss the problem of estimating the minimum error reachable by a regression model given a dataset, prior to learning. More specifically, we extend the Gamma Test estimates of the variance of the noise from the continuous case to the binary case. We give some heuristics for further possible extensions of the theory in the continuous case with the [Formula: see text]-norm and conclude with some applications and simulations. From the point of view of machine learning, the result is relevant because it gives conditions under which there is no need to learn the model in order to predict the best possible performance.
Free Vibration Behavior of Angle-Ply Laminated Composite Stiffened Plates
Authors: Sinha Leena , Tripathy Amaresh , Nayak Amar N. , Sahu Shishir K.
Published: September 2021

This paper reports for the first time the experimental investigation on the free vibration characteristics of angle-ply laminated composite stiffened plates along with the numerical investigation. The natural frequencies of these plates are computed experimentally using an FFT analyzer and numerically by employing the finite element method with combination of isoparametric nine nodded plate and three nodded beam elements. Angle-ply laminated stiffened plates are fabricated using woven glass fiber fabrics and epoxy by hand layup technique. The effects of various support conditions; number, orientation and types of stiffeners; aspect ratios of plates and different fiber orientations on the fundamental frequencies of the angle-ply laminated stiffened plates are investigated. These parameters significantly influence the natural frequencies. It is found that there is a very good agreement observed between the fundamental frequencies obtained from both experimental and numerical investigation. Mode shapes are also presented for angle-ply laminated square stiffened plates with three different support conditions to justify the trend of increasing/decreasing of the modal frequency with the addition of stiffeners. It is observed that the enhancement of the frequencies of the angle-ply plates due to addition of stiffeners is influenced significantly by the position of stiffeners and consequently mode shapes. As the research on the free vibration behavior of angle-ply stiffened plates with experimental analysis is very rare, this study can be considered as the benchmark for future research.
Change of Bandgap Energy in Quantum System of Nanolayer on Silicon
Authors: Huang Wei-Qi , Wang Zi-Lin , Chen Cui-Fen , Wang Ke , Peng Hong-Yan , Huang Zhong-Mei , Li Xin , Wang An-Chen , Liu Shi-Rong
Published: September 2021

In the quantum system of nanolayer (NL) on silicon, the bandgap energy obviously increases with the decrease of NL thickness, where the quantum confinement (QC) effect plays the main role as the thickness of Si NL changes along with (100), (110) and (111) directions, respectively. And the simulation result demonstrated that the direct bandgap can be obtained as the NL with (001) direction is thinner than 10 nm on Si surface. However, it is discovered in the simulated calculation that the QC effect disappears as the NL thickness arrives at the size of the monoatomic layer, in which its bandgap sharply decreases, where the abrupt change effect in bandgap energy occurs near-ideal 2D-layer. In the experiment, we fabricated the Si NL structure by using electron beam irradiation and laser deposition methods, in which a novel way was used to control the NL thickness by modulating irradiation time of the electron beam. The new effect should have a good application on a photonic-electronic chip of silicon.
N,S Co-Doped Graphene Quantum Dots for Detection of Riboflavin and Cell Imaging
Authors: Zhang Mengting , Li Xiaorong , Xiao Hong , Zhao Bin , Bian Wei
Published: September 2021

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have been extensively used in biosensors and bioimaging. Heteroatom-doped GQDs can regulate material properties and endow them to improve structural and physicochemical properties. In this work, N,S-GQDs were prepared through a high-temperature pyrolysis method using L-cysteine and citric acid as the precursors. The morphology and structure of nanocomposites were identified by TEM, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS), and FTIR. The as-prepared N,S-GQDs show bright blue fluorescence with satisfactory fluorescence quantum yield. N,S-GQDs display significant response to riboflavin, achieving a low detection limit of 27[Formula: see text]nM. The reaction of N,S-GQDs to riboflavin is mainly governed by static quenching. The detection of riboflavin in real samples has been performed to demonstrate its practical application. The obtained N,S-GQDs have low cytotoxicity and have been applied successfully in cell imaging.
On generalized Fibonacci difference sequence spaces and compact operators
Authors: Yaying Taja , Hazarika Bipan , Et Mikail
Published: September 2021

In this paper, we introduce Fibonacci backward difference operator [Formula: see text] of fractional order l by the composition of Fibonacci band matrix [Formula: see text] and difference operator [Formula: see text] of fractional order l, defined by [Formula: see text] and introduce sequence spaces [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] We present some topological properties, obtain Schauder basis and determine [Formula: see text]-, [Formula: see text]- and [Formula: see text]-duals of the spaces [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] We characterize certain classes of matrix mappings from the spaces [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] to any of the space [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text] Finally we compute necessary and sufficient conditions for a matrix operator to be compact on the spaces [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]
Progress in fabrication and characterization of mullite whiskers
Authors: Xiao Zhuohao , Wang Wenqiang , Li Xiuying , Zhang Ling , Zhang Tianshu , Gao Ming , Kong Ling Bing , Zhou Kun , Liu Yin
Published: September 2021

Mullite has an orthorhombic crystal structure, with various advantages, such as high mechanical strength, and stable chemical and physical properties. Especially, mullite whiskers have been widely acknowledged to be potential candidates as reinforcing elements in the fabrication of ceramic-matrix composites. Various strategies have been developed to synthesize mullite whiskers, such as catalytic methods, liquid-phase reaction, molten salt reaction, solid-state reaction and high-energy ball milling process. In different synthesis methods, the underlying mechanisms governing the anisotropic grain growth of mullite grains vary. This paper aims to offer an overview on the progress in fabrication of mullite whiskers with different methods, and the perspectives on these special materials are briefly discussed.
A Novel Hybrid Cache Coherence with Global Snooping for Many-core Architectures
Authors: Gade Sri Harsha , Deb Sujay
Published: September 2021

Cache coherence ensures correctness of cached data in multi-core processors. Traditional implementations of existing protocols make them unscalable for many core architectures. While snoopy coherence requires unscalable ordered networks, directory coherence is weighed down by high area and energy overheads. In this work, we propose Wireless-enabled Share-aware Hybrid (WiSH) to provide scalable coherence in many core processors. WiSH implements a novel Snoopy over Directory protocol using on-chip wireless links and hierarchical, clustered Network-on-Chip to achieve low-overhead and highly efficient coherence. A local directory protocol maintains coherence within a cluster of cores, while coherence among such clusters is achieved through global snoopy protocol. The ordered network for global snooping is provided through low-latency and low-energy broadcast wireless links. The overheads are further reduced through share-aware cache segmentation to eliminate coherence for private blocks. Evaluations show that WiSH reduces traffic by

and runtime by

, while requiring

smaller storage and

lower energy as compared to existing hierarchical and hybrid coherence protocols. Owing to its modularity, WiSH provides highly efficient and scalable coherence for many core processors.
An Efficient Execution Framework of Two-Part Execution Scenario Analysis
Authors: Han Ding , Li Guohui , Zhou Quan , Li Jianjun , Yang Yong , Hu Xiaofei
Published: September 2021

Response Time Analysis
(
RTA
) is an important and promising technique for analyzing the schedulability of real-time tasks under both
Global Fixed-Priority
(
G-FP
) scheduling and
Global Earliest Deadline First
(
G-EDF
) scheduling. Most existing RTA methods for tasks under global scheduling are dominated by partitioned scheduling, due to the pessimism of the

-based interference calculation where

is the number of processors. Two-part execution scenario is an effective technique that addresses this pessimism at the cost of efficiency. The major idea of two-part execution scenario is to calculate a more accurate upper bound of the interference by dividing the execution of the target job into two parts and calculating the interference on the target job in each part. This article proposes a novel RTA execution framework that improves two-part execution scenario by reducing some unnecessary calculation, without sacrificing accuracy of the schedulability test. The key observation is that, after the division of the execution of the target job, two-part execution scenario enumerates all possible execution time of the target job in the first part for calculating the final
Worst-Case Response Time
(
WCRT
). However, only some special execution time can cause the final result. A set of experiments is conducted to test the performance of the proposed execution framework and the result shows that the proposed execution framework can improve the efficiency of two-part execution scenario analysis by up to

in terms of the execution time.
Demand-Driven Multi-Target Sample Preparation on Resource-Constrained Digital Microfluidic Biochips
Authors: Poddar Sudip , Bhattacharjee Sukanta , Fang Shao-Yun , Ho Tsung-Yi , Bhattacharya B. B.
Published: September 2021

Microfluidic lab-on-chips offer promising technology for the automation of various biochemical laboratory protocols on a minuscule chip. Sample preparation (SP) is an essential part of any biochemical experiments, which aims to produce dilution of a sample or a mixture of multiple reagents in a certain ratio. One major objective in this area is to prepare dilutions of a given fluid with different concentration factors, each with certain volume, which is referred to as the demand-driven multiple-target (DDMT) generation problem. SP with microfluidic biochips requires proper sequencing of mix-split steps on fluid volumes and needs storage units to save intermediate fluids while producing the desired target ratio. The performance of SP depends on the underlying mixing algorithm and the availability of on-chip storage, and the latter is often limited by the constraints imposed during physical design. Since DDMT involves several target ratios, solving it under storage constraints becomes even harder. Furthermore, reduction of mix-split steps is desirable from the viewpoint of accuracy of SP, as every such step is a potential source of volumetric split error. In this article, we propose a storage-aware DDMT algorithm that reduces the number of mix-split operations on a digital microfluidic lab-on-chip. We also present the layout of the biochip with

-storage cells and their allocation technique for

. Simulation results reveal the superiority of the proposed method compared to the state-of-the-art multi-target SP algorithms.
Noncanonical Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 Signaling in Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Abd-Elrahman Khaled S. , Ferguson Stephen S.G.
Published: September 2021

Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) is ubiquitously expressed in brain regions responsible for memory and learning. It plays a key role in modulating rapid changes in synaptic transmission and plasticity. mGluR5 supports long-term changes in synaptic strength by regulating the transcription and translation of essential synaptic proteins. β-Amyloid 42 (Aβ42) oligomers interact with a mGluR5/cellular prion protein (PrPC) complex to disrupt physiological mGluR5 signal transduction. Aberrant mGluR5 signaling and associated synaptic failure are considered an emerging pathophysiological mechanism of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Therefore, mGluR5 represents an attractive therapeutic target for AD, and recent studies continue to validate the efficacy of various mGluR5 allosteric modulators in improving memory deficits and mitigating disease pathology. However, sex-specific differences in the pharmacology of mGluR5 and activation of noncanonical signaling downstream of the receptor suggest that its utility as a therapeutic target in female AD patients needs to be reconsidered.
Fuel-Optimal Ascent Trajectory Problem for Launch Vehicle via Theory of Functional Connections
Authors: Li Shiyao , Yan Yushen , Zhang Kun , Li Xinguo
Published: September 2021

In this study, we develop a method based on the Theory of Functional Connections (TFC) to solve the fuel-optimal problem in the ascending phase of the launch vehicle. The problem is first transformed into a nonlinear two-point boundary value problem (TPBVP) using the indirect method. Then, using the function interpolation technique called the TFC, the problem’s constraints are analytically embedded into a functional, and the TPBVP is transformed into an unconstrained optimization problem that includes orthogonal polynomials with unknown coefficients. This process effectively reduces the search space of the solution because the original constrained problem transformed into an unconstrained problem, and thus, the unknown coefficients of the unconstrained expression can be solved using simple numerical methods. Finally, the proposed algorithm is validated by comparing to a general nonlinear optimal control software GPOPS-II and the traditional indirect numerical method. The results demonstrated that the proposed algorithm is robust to poor initial values, and solutions can be solved in less than 300 ms within the MATLAB implementation. Consequently, the proposed method has the potential to generate optimal trajectories on-board in real time.
Research of Contextual Semantic Reasoning Model Based on Domain Ontology
Authors: Li Jinhai , Ma Yunlei , Zhan Xiang , Pei Jiaming
Published: September 2021

With the development of mobile network technology and the popularization of mobile terminals, traditional information recommendation systems are gradually changing in the direction of real-time and mobile information recommendation. Information recommendation brings the problem of user contextual sensitivity within the mobile environment. For this problem, first, this paper constructs a domain ontology, which is applicable to the contextual semantic reasoning model. Second, based on the “5W + 1H” method, this paper constructs a context pedigree of the mobile environment using a model framework of a domain ontology. The contextual factors of the mobile environment are divided into six categories: the What-object context, the Where-place context, the When-time context, the Who-subject context, the Why-reason context, and the How-effect context. Then, considering the degree of influence of each contextual factor from the mobile context pedigree to the user is different, this paper uses contextual conditional entropy to calculate the contextual weight of each contextual attribute in the recommendation process. Based on this, a contextual semantic reasoning model based on a domain ontology is constructed. Finally, based on the open dataset provided by GroupLens, this paper verifies the validity and efficiency of the model through a simulation experiment.
Nasopharyngeal Coil Dislocation of an Embolized Internal Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurysm
Authors: Ay Nazli , Todt Ingo , Sudhoff Holger
Published: September 2021

Objective. Severe epistaxis caused by ruptured intracranial pseudoaneurysms can be effectively treated by coil embolization. This is generally an efficient and safe procedure and provides sufficient protection recurrent epistaxis. However, complications such as aneurysm rupture, arterial dissection, bleeding, and emboli can occur. A dislocation of a nasopharyngeal coil is an extremely rare event. Patient. We present a case of a 61-year-old patient with a recurrent undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with severe epistaxis. Initially, epistaxis was successfully controlled by a nasal packing. Recurrent bleeding despite packing required a neuroradiological intervention. An intracranially ruptured pseudoaneurysm was detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT), originating from the internal carotid artery at the junction of the petrous part to the cavernous part. Coiling and endovascular plug embolization was performed for the treatment of aneurysm. Ten months later, the patient removed a foreign body out of his left nose. It was dislocated coil material due to radionecrosis. MRI confirmed sufficient embolization of the internal carotid artery. Conclusions. This case report highlights the possibility of a nasopharyngeal coil dislocation of an embolized internal carotid artery aneurysm emerging as a nasal foreign body.
Rapid Glomerulotubular Nephritis as an Initial Presentation of a Lethal Diquat Ingestion
Authors: Guck Daniel , Hernandez Reynaldo , Moore Steven , Van de Louw Andry , Haouzi Philippe
Published: September 2021

Introduction. Diquat is an herbicide that can lead to rapid multiorgan system failure upon toxic ingestion. Although Diquat shares a similar chemical structure with paraquat, diquat is still readily available to the general population, and in contrast to paraquat, it is not regulated. We present a case of an intentional diquat poisoning which emphasizes the necessity of the early recognition due to atypical symptoms within the first 24 hours and certainly enhanced regulatory restrictions on this very toxic compound. Case. A 60-year-old male with a history of severe depression presented to the emergency department after intentional ingestion of a commercial herbicide containing diquat dibromide 2.30%. The earliest manifestations of this acute diquat intoxication comprised a glomerulonephritis and proximal tubular dysfunction. Progressive multiorgan system failure then developed with a significant delay (24–38 hours) including acute renal, liver failure, and then respiratory failure with refractory hypoxemia. Despite maximal supportive care, the end organ failure was lethal. Discussion. Diquat intoxication should be suspected in patient presenting an acute glomerulonephritis with coma. Diquat should undergo the same regulatory restrictions as paraquat-containing compounds.
Research on Torque Distribution of Four-Wheel Independent Drive Off-Road Vehicle Based on PRLS Road Slope Estimation
Authors: Ling Hongwei , Huang Bin
Published: September 2021

In view of the high difficulty in coupling of various electric vehicle parameters, intractable parameter estimation, and unreasonable distribution of vehicle driving torque, the four-wheel hub motor is applied to drive electric vehicles, which can instantly obtain the torque and speed of the hub motor and achieve precise control of the torque of each wheel. According to the vehicle longitudinal dynamics model, a progressive RLS (PRLS) algorithm for real-time estimation of vehicle mass and road gradient is proposed. Meanwhile, by means of taking the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle and the road gradient obtained from the estimation algorithm as the parameter of the torque distribution at the front and rear axles, a dynamic compensation and distribution control strategy of the front and rear axle torques is designed. Moreover, based on hardware-in-the-loop real-time simulation and real-vehicle tests, the effectiveness of the proposed estimation algorithm and the rationality of the real-time distribution control strategy of driving torque are verified.
A New Classification Method in Ultrasound Images of Benign and Malignant Thyroid Nodules Based on Transfer Learning and Deep Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Chen Weibin , Gu Zhiyang , Liu Zhimin , Fu Yaoyao , Ye Zhipeng , Zhang Xin , Xiao Lei
Published: September 2021

Thyroid nodule is a clinical disorder with a high incidence rate, with large number of cases being detected every year globally. Early analysis of a benign or malignant thyroid nodule using ultrasound imaging is of great importance in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer. Although the b‐mode ultrasound can be used to find the presence of a nodule in the thyroid, there is no existing method for an accurate and automatic diagnosis of the ultrasound image. In this pursuit, the present study envisaged the development of an ultrasound diagnosis method for the accurate and efficient identification of thyroid nodules, based on transfer learning and deep convolutional neural network. Initially, the Total Variation‐ (TV‐) based self‐adaptive image restoration method was adopted to preprocess the thyroid ultrasound image and remove the boarder and marks. With data augmentation as a training set, transfer learning with the trained GoogLeNet convolutional neural network was performed to extract image features. Finally, joint training and secondary transfer learning were performed to improve the classification accuracy, based on the thyroid images from open source data sets and the thyroid images collected from local hospitals. The GoogLeNet model was established for the experiments on thyroid ultrasound image data sets. Compared with the network established with LeNet5, VGG16, GoogLeNet, and GoogLeNet (Improved), the results showed that using GoogLeNet (Improved) model enhanced the accuracy for the nodule classification. The joint training of different data sets and the secondary transfer learning further improved its accuracy. The results of experiments on the medical image data sets of various types of diseased and normal thyroids showed that the accuracy rate of classification and diagnosis of this method was 96.04%, with a significant clinical application value.
Exploring the Molecular Mechanism of Liuwei Dihuang Pills for Treating Diabetic Nephropathy by Combined Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking
Authors: Wang Gaoxiang , Zeng Lin , Huang Qian , Lu Zhaoqi , Sui Ruiqing , Liu Deliang , Zeng Hua , Liu Xuemei , Chu Shufang , Kou Xinhui , Li Huilin
Published: September 2021

Background. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common and serious complication of diabetes, but without a satisfactory treatment strategy till now. Liuwei Dihuang pills (LDP), an effective Chinese medicinal formula, has been used to treat DN for more than 1000 years. However, its underlying mechanism of action is still vague. Methods. Active compounds and corresponding targets of LDP were predicted from the TCMSP database. DN disease targets were extracted from the OMIM, GeneCards, TTD, DisGeNET, and DrugBank databases. Subsequently, the “herbal-compound-target” network and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were constructed and analyzed via the STRING web platform and Cytoscape software. GO functional and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were carried out on the Metascape web platform. Molecular docking utilized AutoDock Vina and PyMOL software. Results. 41 active components and 186 corresponding targets of LDP were screened out. 131 common targets of LDP and DN were acquired. Quercetin, kaempferol, beta-sitosterol, diosgenin, and stigmasterol could be defined as five crucial compounds. JUN, MAPK8, AKT1, EGF, TP53, VEGFA, MMP9, MAPK1, and TNF might be the nine key targets. The enrichment analysis showed that common targets were mainly associated with inflammation reaction, oxidative stress, immune regulation, and cell apoptosis. AGE-RAGE and IL-17 were the suggested two significant signal pathways. Molecular docking revealed that the nine key targets could closely bind to their corresponding active compounds. Conclusion. The present study fully reveals the multicompound’s and multitarget’s characteristics of LDP in DN treatment. Furthermore, this study provides valuable evidence for further scientific research of the pharmacological mechanisms and broader clinical application.