bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decreased energy availability during training overload is associated with non-functional overreaching and suppressed ovarian function in female runners
Authors: Schaal Karine , VanLoan Marta D. , Hausswirth Christophe , Casazza Gretchen A.
Published: March 2021

Low energy availability (EA) suppresses many physiological processes, including ovarian function in female athletes. Low EA could also predispose athletes to develop a state of overreaching. This study compared the changes in ad libitum energy intake (EI), exercise energy expenditure (ExEE), and EA among runners completing a training overload (TO) phase. We tested the hypothesis that runners becoming overreached would show decreased EA, suppressed ovarian function and plasma leptin, compared with well-adapted (WA) runners. After 1 menstrual cycle (baseline), 16 eumenorrheic runners performed 4 weeks of TO followed by a 2-week recovery (131 ± 3% and 63 ± 6% of baseline running volume, respectively). Seven-day ExEE, EI, running performance (RUNperf) and plasma leptin concentration were assessed for each phase. Salivary estradiol concentration was measured daily. Urinary luteinizing hormone concentration tests confirmed ovulation. Nine runners adapted positively to TO (WA, ΔRUNperf: +4 ± 2%); 7 were non-functionally overreached (NFOR; ΔRUNperf: −9 ± 2%) as RUNperfremained suppressed after the recovery period. WA increased EI during TO, maintaining their baseline EA despite a large increase in ExEE (ΔEA = +1.9 ± 1.3 kcal·kg fat free mass (FFM)−1·d−1, P = 0.17). By contrast, NFOR showed no change in EI, leading to decreased EA (ΔEA = −5.6 ± 2.1 kcal·kg FFM−1·d−1, P = 0.04). Plasma leptin concentration mid-cycle and luteal salivary estradiol concentration decreased in NFOR only. Contrasting with WA, NFOR failed to maintain baseline EA during TO, resulting in poor performance outcomes and suppressed ovarian function. ClinicalTrials.gov no. NCT02224976.

Novelty: Runners adapting positively to training overload (TO) increased ad libitum energy intake, maintaining baseline EA and ovarian function through TO. By contrast, NFOR runners failed to increase energy intake, showing suppressed EA and ovarian function during TO.
Effects of dynamic and isometric resistance training protocols on metabolic profile in hemodialysis patients: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Rosa Thiago Santos , Corrêa Hugo Luca , Deus Lysleine Alves , Stone Whitley , Reis Andrea Lucena , Gadelha André Bonadias , de Araújo Thaís Branquinho , Silva Junior Paulo Roberto , Moraes Milton Rocha , Silva José Adeirton Bezerra , Tzanno-Martins Carmen , Simões Herbert Gustavo , Prestes Jonato , Neves Rodrigo Vanerson Passos
Published: March 2021

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of dynamic (DRT) and isometric (IRT) resistance training on glycemic homeostasis, lipid profile, and nitric oxide (NO) in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Patients were randomly distributed into 3 groups: control (n = 65), DRT (n = 65), and IRT (n = 67). Patients assessed before and after the intervention period were tested for fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, oral glucose tolerance test, insulin resistance, lipid profile, leptin, insulin, adiponectin, C-reactive protein, and NO . Patients underwent to strength and body composition assessments. Subjects allocated in both DRT and IRT groups took part in a 24-week resistance training program, 3 times per week. Each training session was approximately 1 hour before dialysis and consisted of 3 sets of 8–12 repetitions at low intensity. Total workload was higher in the DRT as compared with the IRT. This heightened workload related to better glycemic homeostasis in HD patients as measured by regulation of insulin, adiponectin, and leptin, while improveing triglycerides, free-fat mass, and muscle strength. Additionally, NO levels were increased in the DRT group. NO was significantly correlated with glucose intolerance (r = −0.42, p = 0.0155) and workload (r = 0.46, p = 0.0022). The IRT group only improved strength (p < 0.05). Twenty-four weeks of DRT improved glycemic homeostasis, lipid profile, and NO in HD patients. Although IRT seems to play an important role in increasing strength, DRT might be a better choice to promote metabolic adjustments in HD patients. Clinical trial: http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-3gpg5w .

Novelty: DRT might be a better choice for metabolic improvements in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Exercise-training might treat metabolic imbalance in CKD patients.
Seismic performance of concrete walls reinforced by high-strength bars: cyclic loading test and numerical simulation
Authors: Ni Xiangyong , Cao Shuangyin , Aoude Hassan
Published: March 2021

This study examines the influence of cross-section shape on the seismic behaviour of high-strength steel reinforced concrete shear walls (HSS-RC) designed with Grade HRB 600 MPa reinforcement. As part of the study, two flexure-dominant walls with rectangular and T-shaped cross-sections, are tested under reversed cyclic loading. Seismic performance is evaluated by studying the failure characteristics, hysteretic curves, energy dissipation, ductility, and reinforcing bar strains in the two walls. As part of the numerical study, two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) finite element modelling (FEM) are used to predict the seismic response of the rectangular and T-shaped walls, respectively. The test results show that compared to the rectangular wall, the flange in the T-shaped HSS-RC wall increased strength, energy dissipation and stiffness, but decreased ductility. The analytical hysteretic curves calculated using 2D and 3D FEM analyses show good agreement with the experimental test results.
Casimir effect in space-times of rotating wormholes
Authors: Muniz C. R , Bezerra V. B. , Toledo J. M.
Published: March 2021

We investigate the Casimir effect between parallel plates placed along a circular trajectory around the rotating Damour–Solodkhin (D–S) and Teo wormholes. This is made through the calculation of the renormalized quantum vacuum energy density of a massless scalar field obeying the Dirichlet boundary conditions, initially at zero temperature. We use the zero tidal approximation inside the cavity. Then, we compare our results with those ones previously obtained in the literature with respect to the Kerr black hole. We also compare the computed Casimir energy density in a static D–S wormhole spacetime with that one recently found for a static Ellis wormhole. In what follows, we investigate the effect around the rotating Teo wormhole by calculating the Casimir energy density between the plates, and compare it with the same quantities obtained previously. Finally, we investigate the phenomenon at finite temperature, obtaining some Casimir thermodynamic quantities in the rotating D–S wormhole spacetime, comparing them with the ones valid in the Kerr black hole spacetime. With this, the ways as gravito-inertial and frame dragging effects influence the vacuum quantum fluctuations inside the Casimir apparatus allows to distinct among the different types of rotating wormholes and black holes.
Ramsauer–Townsend minimum in electron scattering from CF$$_4$$: modified effective range analysis
Authors: Fedus Kamil , Karwasz Grzegorz P.
Published: March 2021

Elastic cross sections for electron scattering on tetrafluoromethane (CF$$_4$$

4

) from 0 up to 5 eV energy are analyzed using semi-analytical approach to the modified effective range theory (MERT). It is shown that energy and angular variations of differential, integral and momentum transfer cross sections can be parameterized accurately by six MERT coefficients up to the energy region of the resonant scattering. In particular, the model is used to determine the depth and the position of the Ramsauer–Townsend minimum as well as the s-wave scattering length. Moreover, we investigate the influence of the dipole polarizability value on the predictions of present model. To further validate our approach, the elastic data are combined with the Born-dipole cross sections for vibrational excitations as the input data for Monte Carlo simulation of electron swarm coefficients.

Graphic Abstract
Cosmological baryon/lepton asymmetry in terms of Kaluza–Klein extra dimensions
Authors: Nikulin Valery V. , Rubin Sergey G.
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we discuss the mechanism for generating the lepton/baryon number and its subsequent conservation based on extra-dimensional evolution. The internal angular momentum of extra space is related to the lepton/baryon charge. Extra space metric is assumed to be initially asymmetric. Symmetries appear during inflation due to an increase in entropy. Using the multidimensional field toy model, we show that internal angular momentum can accumulate in fermions, which could explain the lepton/baryon asymmetry of the universe.
Thick string-like braneworlds in f(T) gravity
Authors: Moreira A. R. P. , Silva J. E. G. , Veras D. F. S. , Almeida C. A. S.
Published: March 2021

We propose a codimension two warped braneworld model within the teleparallel [Formula: see text] gravity. Asymptotically, the bulk geometry converges to an [Formula: see text] spacetime whose cosmological constant is produced by the torsion parameters. Furthermore, the torsion induces an AdS-dS transition on the exterior region. As the torsion parameters vary, the brane undergoes a phase transition from a thick string-like brane into ring-like structures. The bulk-brane Planck mass ration is modified by the torsion. The analysis of the stress–energy condition reveals a splitting brane process satisfying the weak and strong–energy conditions for some values of the parameters. In addition, we investigate the behavior of the gravitational perturbations in this scenario. It turns out that the gravitational spectrum has a linear behavior for small masses and is independent of the torsion parameters for large masses. In the bulk, the torsion keeps a gapless nonlocalizable and stable tower of massive modes. Inside the brane core, the torsion produces new barriers and potential wells leading to small amplitude massive modes and a massless mode localized around the ring structures.
A Double Shape Memory Alloy Damper for Structural Vibration Control
Authors: Jia Ying-Qi , Wang Chao , Zhang Rui-Fu , Li Ling-Zhi , Lu Zhou-Dao
Published: March 2021

Shape memory alloy (SMA) dampers are widely investigated passive control systems for structural vibration mitigation. However, the damping robustness of conventional austenite SMA dampers may be affected by environmental temperature. In this study, an innovative double SMA damper (DSD) system is presented to improve the temperature robustness of the SMA dampers. In the proposed system, double SMA hysteretic elements with different phase transition temperatures are arranged in parallel, where the SMA element with lower transition temperature behaves as austenite under room temperature, and the other with higher transition temperature behaves as martensite. To study the vibration control effect, both single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) and multiple-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) structures with DSD systems are employed. The thermal and mechanical behaviors of the SMA elements and the working principle of DSD are also introduced. Thereon, the equivalent linearization method for SMA’s output force and the motion-governing equations for SDOF structure with DSD are derived. Moreover, parametric studies are conducted to investigate the performance of the proposed DSD system in both frequency and time domains. Also, numerical analysis for the MDOF structure with DSD systems is carried out to illustrate the trend in response reduction with an increasing number of degrees of freedom. The analytical results show that the DSD can mitigate the structural seismic response more effectively than the conventional one with acceptable residual deformation, and is capable of delaying the degradation of SMA’s energy dissipation capacity. Less SMA material is required for the proposed DSD to fulfill the same mitigation requirement, and it is suitable for general applications for temperature robustness.
A Nonintrusive Parametrized Reduced-Order Model for Periodic Flows Based on Extended Proper Orthogonal Decomposition
Authors: Li Teng , Deng Shiyuan , Zhang Kun , Wei Haibo , Wang Runlong , Fan Jun , Xin Jianqiang , Yao Jianyao
Published: March 2021

The periodic flows, such as vortex shedding and rotating flow in turbomachinery, are very common in both scientific and engineering fields. However, high-fidelity numerical simulations of unsteady flows are usually time-consuming, particularly when varying flow parameters need to be considered. In this paper, a novel nonintrusive parametrized reduced order model (PROM) approach for prediction of periodic flows is presented. The establishment of this ROM is based on two techniques, proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) and discrete Fourier transform (DFT), where the first one can extract the spatial features and the second has the ability to quantify the temporal effects of parameters. A prediction model based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) is used to map the flow parameters with DFT coefficients. Flows past a cylinder and two dimensions turbine flows are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed PROM. It is shown that the proposed POD-DFT-ANN (PDA) ROM are both efficient and accurate for the predictions of periodic flows with varying flow parameters.
A Sophisticated Ranking Method of Fuzzy Numbers Based on the Concept of Exponential Area
Authors: Dutta Palash
Published: March 2021

Uncertainty is an unavoidable components of decision making process. The ranking of fuzzy numbers which deals with such uncertainties play again a significant role in the process. Fuzzy numbers must be ranked in order to take the appropriate action by a decision maker in any real life situation. A few numbers of ranking techniques have been encountered in last few decades. However, existing techniques are situation-dependent which have drawbacks/shortcomings. In this regard, this paper presents a sophisticated ranking method based on the concept of the exponential area of the fuzzy numbers. The outputs obtained from this approach are obtained to be more efficient in comparison to the other ranking methods and outperform in all situations. The novelty and validity have been established through comparison with existing works. Furthermore, the ranking approach has been applied in medical decision making problem and the results obtained by the approach absolutely conform with analytical results and human intuitions as well.
Isothermal Calorimetry Evaluation of Metallurgical Silicon as a Negative Electrode Material for Li-Ion Batteries
Authors: Chevrier V. L. , Yan Zilai , Glazier Stephen L. , Obrovac M. N. , Krause L. J.
Published: March 2021

The structural evolution of Si during lithiation and delithiation is uniquely dependent on the cycling conditions and can show either reversible or path dependent behavior. In this paper, metallurgical Si (large crystalline particles of pure Si) is cycled to exhibit both reversible and path dependent cycling while in-operando calorimetry is performed with a high precision isothermal calorimeter. The enthalpy potential and waste heat are studied in both the reversible and path dependent regimes. The enthalpy of crystallization of Li15Si4 is quantified to be 21 kJ molSi
−1. The parasitics (heat of side reactions) of pure Si are studied, showing a stronger current than time dependence. The voltage dependence of the parasitic power is quantified, showing increasing parasitics below 170 mV. The results of this in depth calorimetric study of metallurgical Si provides valuable insights into the heat production and energy efficiency of Si as a negative electrode material in Li-ion batteries.
Comparative Evaluation of LMR-NCM and NCA Cathode Active Materials in Multilayer Lithium-Ion Pouch Cells: Part I. Production, Electrode Characterization, and Formation
Authors: Schreiner David , Zünd Tanja , Günter Florian J. , Kraft Ludwig , Stumper Benedikt , Linsenmann Fabian , Schüßler Michael , Wilhelm Rebecca , Jossen Andreas , Reinhart Gunther , Gasteiger Hubert A.
Published: March 2021

A lithium- and manganese-rich layered transition metal oxide (LMR-NCM) cathode active material (CAM) is processed on a pilot production line and assembled with graphite anodes to ≈7 Ah multilayer pouch cells. Each production step is outlined in detail and compared to NCA/graphite reference cells. Using laboratory coin cell data for different CAM loadings and cathode porosities, a simple calculation tool to extrapolate and optimize the energy density of multilayer pouch cells is presented and validated. Scanning electron microscopy and mercury porosimetry measurements of the cathodes elucidate the effect of the CAM morphology on the calendering process and explain the difficulty of achieving commonly used cathode porosities with LMR-NCM cathodes. Since LMR-NCMs exhibit strong gassing during the first cycles, a modified formation procedure based on on-line electrochemical mass spectroscopy is developed that allows stable cycling of LMR-NCM in multilayer pouch cells. After formation and degassing, LMR-NCM/graphite pouch cells have a 30% higher CAM-specific capacity and a ≈5%–10% higher cell-level energy density at a rate of C/10 compared to NCA/graphite cells. Rate capability, long-term cycling, and thermal behavior of the pouch cells in comparison with laboratory coin cells are investigated in Part II of this work.
On the Solvation of Redox Mediators and Implications for their Reactivity in Li-Air Batteries
Authors: Jónsson Erlendur , Ellison James H. J. , Wang Evelyna , Kunz Vera , Liu Tao , Temprano Israel , Grey Clare P.
Published: March 2021

Lithium-air batteries are a promising energy storage technology for transport applications, given their exceptionally high energy density. However, their development is significantly hampered by high overpotentials, which lead to poor efficiency and short lifetimes. Redox mediators provide a solution to this problem by shuttling electrons from the electrode to the active species at just above the redox potential of the mediator. Thus, knowing the redox potential and having the ability to tune it are critical to electrochemical performance. We focus on LiI as a model mediator—given its additional role in controlling LiOH vs Li2O2 chemistry—and use cyclic voltammetry (CV), NMR, UV/Vis spectrometry, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to monitor the effects of electrolyte composition on solvation. Li+ and I– solvation in common Li-air solvents, the electrochemical implications, and the applicability of each technique to probe the nature of the solvation shell and its effect on the electrochemical properties are explored. Starting with a simple thermodynamic model, we then used UV/Vis spectrometry to probe I– solvation, 1H NMR spectroscopy to study water solvation and 31P of the probe molecule triethylphosphine oxide (TEPO) to explore Li+ solvation; we find that no single descriptor can provide an accurate description of the solvation environment. Instead, we use all these methods in combination with the MD results to help rationalise the CV data. We find that the I– solvation improves significantly in tetraglyme (G4), with increasing salt and water concentration, but minimal effects on changing salt/water concentrations are seen in DMSO. In contrast, increasing salt concentration increases the Li+ activity in DMSO but not in G4. Furthermore, a simple model considering the equilibria between the different species was used to explain the 1H NMR data.
Highly Porous Cu2O Photocathode via Electrochemical Reconstruction of Dense Thin Films
Authors: Singh Akhilender Jeet , Aggarwal Garima , Das Chandan , Balasubramaniam K. R.
Published: March 2021

Nanostructured light absorbers in PEC devices offer enhanced charge carrier collection and increased active area compared to planar structures. This article describes a simple two-step electrochemical treatment to obtain such nanostructured films of Cu2O absorber layer. A dense Cu2O film is electrodeposited on FTO coated glass substrate at a potential of −0.35 V (vs Ag/AgCl). This precursor film is then subjected to voltage cycling in a potential range of −0.6 V to 0.6 V, resulting in reconstruction of the top 0.5 μm dense film to 10–30 nm thick nano-walled structure. The reason for this reconstruction is a concomitant etching of Cu2O as Cu2+ ions along with oxidation to CuO. A morphology preserving reduction of the porous CuO during the cathodic scan results in a nano-walled Cu2O. From linear sweep voltammetry of pristine Cu2O and CuO films, we find that reduction of Cu2O to Cu is a slow process in this potential range and hence, Cu-impurity is not observed up to 50 cycles. Such an approach offers production of phase pure nanostructured films comprising features as small as 10 nm without following any complex procedure. The reconstructed porous Cu2O shows > 50% enhancement in photocurrent over dense Cu2O.
Kinetic Properties and Electrochemical Separation of Uranium on Liquid Bismuth Electrode in LiCl–KCl Melt
Authors: Yin Taiqi , Liu Yalan , Jiang Shilin , Yan Yongde , Wang Guiling , Chai Zhifang , Shi Weiqun
Published: March 2021

Electrochemical studies of UCl3 and LnCl3 (Ln: La, Ce, Pr, Nd) in LiCl–KCl melt were performed on inert tungsten and reactive bismuth electrodes. Galvanostatic pulse (GP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were carried out to investigate the exchange current density j0 of UCl3/U on liquid Bi electrode at the temperature range of 723–873 K. The impedance data were well fitted with the equivalent circuit. The relationship between j0 and the temperature was determined to model the electrowinning by using liquid Bi electrode. In addition, the electrochemical separation in low concentration uranium from multi-component lanthanide chlorides was demonstrated on liquid Bi electrode. Three electrochemical techniques, including coulometric titration, galvanostatic electrolysis and potentiostatic electrolysis, were applied for the separation of uranium. In which, the coulometric titration showed good separation results. The separation of uranium from lanthanides in terms of mole ratio (U/Ln) was determined, and the different values were discussed in detail. In general, the data from this work can provide theoretical reference for the separation process of various metals by electrochemistry.
Improving ZnO Nanorod Humidity Sensors with Pt Nanoparticle Adsorption
Authors: Chu Yen-Lin , Young Sheng-Joue , Ding Ren-Jie , Chu Tung-Te , Lu Ting-Sung , Ji Liang-Wen
Published: March 2021

In this study, we report the successful fabrication of humidity sensors from zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods (NRs) modified with platinum (Pt) nanoparticles (NPs) on a glass substrate through a hydrothermal method at 90 °C for 6 h. The crystal and optical properties of the pure ZnO and Pt–ZnO NRs were investigated through field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), photoluminescence (PL), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The structures of the humidity sensors demonstrated high photo-to-dark current contrast ratios, and fast response and recovery times for relative humidity (RH) measurement. The Pt NPs-adsorbed ZnO NR RH sensor showed better performance than that of the pure ZnO NR RH sensor. Results indicate that RH-sensing property can effectively be improved by adsorbed Pt NPs.
The Incidence, Intensity, and Risk Factors for Soil Transmissible Helminthes Infections among Waste Handlers in a Large Coastal Periurban Settlement in Southern Ghana
Authors: Kretchy James-Paul , Dzodzomenyo Mawuli , Ayi Irene , Dwomoh Duah , Agyabeng Kofi , Konradsen Flemming , Dalsgaard Anders
Published: March 2021

Soil-transmissible helminthes (STH) infections are among the most common sanitation-related public health problems in poor periurban settlements of tropical regions of low- and middle-income countries. In Ghana, research studies documenting the incidence rate, intensity, and occupational risk factors of STH infections among adults are scanty. A prospective cohort study of 261 waste handlers was conducted to investigate this. Stool samples were collected after 90 and 180 days of treatment with albendazole (400 mg per dose). The geometric mean intensity of STH among waste handlers after 180 days of treatment was 2.8 eggs/gram (light intensity), with an incidence rate of 1.5%. The proportion of waste handlers with light intensity STH infections was 4.8%. The odds of STH infection among female waste handlers were 80% lower when compared with male waste handlers (aOR = 0.2; 95% CI: 0.0–0.8). Waste handlers who used rubber gloves when working were 80% (aOR = 0.2: 95% CI: 0.2–1.9) protected from STH infections compared with those who did not use gloves. Infections with STH among the 261 waste handlers significantly correlated with the type of waste handling activities (LR χ2 = 15.3;

p
=
0.033

) with the highest proportion of infection found among transporters, 2 (40%). Waste handlers should receive periodic antihelminthic treatment, at least once every six months, practice adequate hand hygiene, and use suitable personal protective equipment during work.
Design of Minimizing Expected Energy of Multisource Wireless Cooperative Network Based on Multiobjective Optimization
Authors: Wang Shusheng
Published: March 2021

In order to solve the problems of high average power consumption, low average throughput, high average energy consumption per unit of data, and short network life cycle in traditional multisource wireless cooperation methods, this paper proposes a multisource wireless cooperative network design method based on multiple goals. We analyze the characteristics of heterogeneous deployment of multisource wireless cooperative networks and the energy consumption of nodes and control the energy consumption of network data transmission through distributed opportunistic transmission scheduling methods according to the analysis results. We use the optimal strategy of minimizing expected energy consumption, transform the problem of data transmission energy consumption, establish a mathematical model, and obtain the optimal solution for minimizing expected energy consumption. According to the optimal stop rule, the minimum expected energy consumption threshold is obtained, and then the optimal solution is obtained on the constraint set of the multiobjective optimization problem through the multiobjective optimization method, so as to achieve the goal of minimizing the expected energy of the network. Experimental results show that this method prolongs the network life cycle, reduces the average power consumption of network data transmission, and improves the average network throughput.
Reasonable Arrangement of High‐Level Orientation Extraction Boreholes of Pressure Relief Gas in Overlying Strata under High‐Strength Fully Mechanized Mining in Low‐Gas‐Thick‐Coal Seam
Authors: Gao Han , Gong Xuanping , Cheng Xiaoyu , Yu Rui , Wang Hui
Published: March 2021

In order to solve the problem of pressure relief gas control under high‐strength fully mechanized top‐coal caving in low‐gas‐thick‐coal seams, this paper studies the evolution of overburden structures and the distribution characteristics of fissure fields during the initial and stable period of working face by physical simulation and numerical analysis. The mathematical model of coupling between mining fracture field and pressure relief gas field is established. The results reveal the distribution characteristics of pressure relief gas field that considers mining‐induced fissure field. According to the distribution of mining gas accumulation area, the high directional long boreholes have been put forward to control the pressure relief gas in goafs, and the effect has been tested. The results show that the initial pressure and three periodic pressures occurred from the cutting hole to 135 m in the initial mining period of the working face. The height of collapse zone developed to 22 m, and fracture height developed to 75 m. The development height of caving zone is stable at 25∼27 m, and the development height of fissure zone is stable at 75∼95 m. The process and distribution of pressure relief gas flow in goaf are obtained by solving the numerical model of pressure relief gas flow in mining fissure field. The gas accumulation area is located within 25∼55 m from return laneway and 25∼50 m from the roof of coal seam. After the implementation of high directional long drilling gas drainage technology in the initial mining period and the stable mining period, good results have been obtained in the gas control, where the average concentration of gas extraction is 5.8%, the average gas flow rate is 0.71 m3/min, and the gas concentration in upper corner and return air is less than 0.8%. The results can provide a reference for pressure relief gas control under similar conditions.
Rhodiola rosea L. Attenuates Cigarette Smoke and Lipopolysaccharide-Induced COPD in Rats via Inflammation Inhibition and Antioxidant and Antifibrosis Pathways
Authors: Cui Huanyue , Liu Xueying , Zhang Jin , Zhang Ke , Yao Dahong , Dong Shi , Feng Shushu , Yang Lu , Li Yuyao , Wang Hangyu , Huang Jian , Wang Jinhui
Published: March 2021

The root cause behind the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is cigarette smoke that induces the inflammation of the lung tissue and alveolar destruction. Long-term cigarette smoking can lead to deterioration in lung parenchymal function and cause structural changes in the lung, further resulting in pulmonary fibrosis. Rhodiola rosea L., a traditional medicinal perennial herb, is well known for its numerous pharmacological benefits, including anti-inflammation, antioxidant, antifatigue, antidepressive, and antifibrotic properties. Here, we evaluated the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of the Rhodiola rosea L. (RRL) macroporous resin extract on COPD caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and cigarette smoke (CS) in rats. The RRL significantly improved the pathological structure of the lung tissue. Additionally, RRL decreased the infiltration of inflammatory cells and, subsequently, oxidative stress. Furthermore, the RNAseq assay indicated that RRL attenuated the CS and LPS-induced COPD via anti-inflammatory, antifibrotic, and antiapoptotic activities. Western blot analysis substantiated that the RRL resulted in upregulated levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 as well as downregulated levels of IκBα, NF-κB p65, α-SMA, and TGF-β1. Interestingly, the RRL could protect rats from CS and LPS-induced COPD by inhibiting the ERK1/2 and Smad3 signaling pathways and apoptosis. Thus, the RRL could attenuate CS and LPS-induced COPD through inflammation inhibition and antioxidant and antifibrosis pathways.
ROS-ERK Pathway as Dual Mediators of Cellular Injury and Autophagy-Associated Adaptive Response in Urinary Protein-Irritated Renal Tubular Epithelial Cells
Authors: Deng Jian-kun , Zhang Xueqin , Wu Hong-luan , Gan Yu , Ye Ling , Zheng Huijuan , Zhu Zebing , Liu Wei Jing , Liu Hua-feng
Published: March 2021

ERK, an extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase, is involved in various biological responses, such as cell proliferation and differentiation, cell morphology maintenance, cytoskeletal construction, apoptosis, and canceration of cells. In this study, we focused on ERK pathway on cellular injury and autophagy-associated adaptive response in urinary protein-irritated renal tubular epithelial cells and explored the potential mechanisms underlying it. By using antioxidants N-acetylcysteine and catalase, we found that ERK pathway was activated by a reactive oxygen species- (ROS-) dependent mechanism after exposure to urinary proteins. What is more, ERK inhibitor U0126 could decrease the release of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), and the number of apoptotic cells induced by urinary proteins, indicating the damaging effects of ERK pathway in mediating cellular injury and apoptosis in HK-2 cells. Interestingly, we also found that the increased expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)-II (a key marker of autophagy) and the decreased expression of p62 (autophagic substrate) induced by urinary proteins were reversed by U0126, suggesting autophagy was activated by ERK pathway. Furthermore, rapamycin reduced urinary protein-induced NGAL and KIM-1 secretion and cell growth inhibition, while chloroquine played the opposite effect, indicating that autophagy activation by ERK pathway was an adaptive response in the exposure to urinary proteins. Taken together, our results indicate that activated ROS-ERK pathway can induce cellular injury and in the meantime provide an autophagy-associated adaptive response in urinary protein-irritated renal tubular epithelial cells.
Measurement and Investigation on 1-D Consolidation Permeability of Saturated Clay considering Consolidation Stress Ratio and Stress History
Authors: Zhang Le , Dang Faning , Gao Jun , Ding Jiulong
Published: March 2021

To study the influence of consolidation stress ratio and stress history on 1-D consolidation permeability of saturated clay, one-dimensional consolidation permeability tests were carried out with GDS triaxial device. The results indicated that the permeability coefficient and void ratio of normally and overconsolidated saturated clay decreased with the increase of consolidation stress ratio under different consolidation stress ratios but the same stress history. And the amount of final sample’s compression increased with the increase of the consolidation stress ratio. Under the condition of the same consolidation stress ratio but different stress history, the amount of final compression of the overconsolidated saturated clay was smaller than that of the normally consolidated saturated clay. Besides, the stress difference σdv between consolidation pressure

σ

and gravity stress

σ

c
z

was fitted to the amount of the final sample’s compression, and a good linear relationship between the stress difference

σ

d
v

and the amount of the final sample’s compression under each consolidation pressure was obtained. The results showed that it is necessary to consider the influence of consolidation stress ratio and stress history simultaneously on 1-D consolidation permeability of saturated clay. Meanwhile, it can accurately predict the amount of the final sample’s compression after knowing the gravity stress. Moreover, a model prediction analysis was conducted on the saturated clay and recommended to use the modified Kozeny-Carman’s equation to predict the permeability coefficient of Luochuan saturated clay during one-dimensional consolidation.
Research on Fault Feature Extraction of Hydropower Units Based on Adaptive Stochastic Resonance and Fourier Decomposition Method
Authors: Ren Yan , Huang Jin , Hu Lei-Ming , Chen Hong-Ping , Li Xiao-Kai
Published: March 2021

In order to effectively extract the characteristics of nonstationary vibration signals from hydropower units under noise interference, an adaptive stochastic resonance and Fourier decomposition method (FDM) based on genetic algorithm (GA) are proposed in this paper. Firstly, GA is used to optimize the resonance parameters so that the signal can reach the optimal resonance and the signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) can be improved. Secondly, FDM is used to process the signal and the appropriate frequency band function is selected for reconstruction. Finally, Hilbert envelope demodulation analysis was performed on the reconstructed signal to obtain the fault characteristics from the envelope spectrum. In order to prove the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method, comparative experiments are designed by using the simulated signal and the measured swing signal of a hydropower unit. The results show that this method can effectively remove the noise interference and improve the SNR and extract the characteristic frequency of the signal, which has the extensive engineering application value to the fault diagnosis of hydropower units.
Therapeutic Potential of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) in Ischemia Stroke
Authors: Azami Shakiba , Shahriari Zahra , Asgharzade Samira , Farkhondeh Tahereh , Sadeghi Mahmood , Ahmadi Fatemeh , Vahedi Mohammad Mahdi , Forouzanfar Fatemeh
Published: March 2021

Stroke is the second leading cause of death and a main cause of disability worldwide. The majority (approximately 80%) of strokes are ischemic. Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) has been considered for medicinal purposes since ancient times. Pharmacological effects of saffron are attributed to the presence of crocin, crocetin, picrocrocin, and safranal. In the present review, we summarized the reported neuroprotective effects of saffron and its active constituents against cerebral ischemia stroke. Saffron and its components exert its beneficial effects as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic agent though inhibition of biochemical, inflammatory, and oxidative stress markers. Taken together, this review indicates that saffron and its ingredients could be a potent candidate in the process of new drug production for the treatment of ischemia stroke.
Calculation of the Coseismic Landslide Volume Using DEMs: An Example from the Yingxiu Area, Wenchuan, Sichuan, China
Authors: Chen Xiaoli , Chuan Yijian , Wei Yankun
Published: March 2021

Volume calculation is important for quantifying the erosion driven by coseismic landslides in geomorphology. With the advent of digital elevation models (DEMs), quantifying features of landslide bodies have become possible, permitting to calculate the landslide volume in terms of elevation changes. To further test this approach, this work calculates the volume of landslides near the epicenter of the 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake in the Yingxiu region, Sichuan, China, by comparing pre‐ and postearthquake DEMs. Results suggest that effective application of this method needs to consider the DEM resolution and eliminates background errors of individual landslides. The volume of coseismic landslides calculated by the proposed method may represent a minimum value compared to that from the existing empirical V-A formulas. Considering that it is difficult to quantify the coseismic landslide volume throughout in a broad region, this method can be applied to the preliminary stage of characterizing coseismic landslides quantitatively for some key localities of the affected area of major earthquakes.
Multidimensional Development and π-Type Trend of the Blockchain Research: A Collaborative Network Analysis
Authors: Meng Sun , Chen Yan , Zhou Wei , Yu Dejian
Published: March 2021

With the rapid growth of Internet technology, the blockchain has been developed fast in recent years with the wide expansions in finance, medicine, public welfare, and other fields. At the same time, the blockchain technology has also attracted researchers’ increasing attention, leading to a large number of scientific outputs that made significant contributions to blockchain research. However, few attempts can be found to investigate the development of blockchain based on the literature in this area. Therefore, this paper focuses on blockchain research by introducing bibliometric methods and comprehensively analyzes its status quo, emerging trends, and development path. Based on the above research, this paper draws two main conclusions. First, we made a comprehensive investigation of blockchain research in the past five years and then found that the main research directions in this area are Bitcoin, digital currency, and Fintech. Second, the development of blockchain research generally presents a trend of π-transformation based on the main path analysis. The above studies provide a brief view for beginners who want to learn blockchain research in a direct way and contribute to extend the theoretical foundation of blockchain research by giving a comprehensive bibliometric analysis.
Emotion Monitoring for Preschool Children Based on Face Recognition and Emotion Recognition Algorithms
Authors: Yu Guiping
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we study the face recognition and emotion recognition algorithms to monitor the emotions of preschool children. For previous emotion recognition focusing on faces, we propose to obtain more comprehensive information from faces, gestures, and contexts. Using the deep learning approach, we design a more lightweight network structure to reduce the number of parameters and save computational resources. There are not only innovations in applications, but also algorithmic enhancements. And face annotation is performed on the dataset, while a hierarchical sampling method is designed to alleviate the data imbalance phenomenon that exists in the dataset. A new feature descriptor, called “oriented gradient histogram from three orthogonal planes,” is proposed to characterize facial appearance variations. A new efficient geometric feature is also proposed to capture facial contour variations, and the role of audio methods in emotion recognition is explored. Multifeature fusion can be used to optimally combine different features. The experimental results show that the method is very effective compared to other recent methods in dealing with facial expression recognition problems about videos in both laboratory‐controlled environments and outdoor environments. The method performed experiments on expression detection in a facial expression database. The experimental results are compared with data from previous studies and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed new method.
Evaluation of Eating Habits and Quality of Life in Postbariatric Surgery Patients and Their Family Members: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Ibrahim Carla , Matta Joane , Lurbe i Puerto Kàtia , Sacre Yonna
Published: March 2021

Background. Obesity is a major health problem worldwide. Today, bariatric surgery is considered as the last option and most effective treatment for severe obesity (BMI ≥40 kg/m2 or BMI ≥35 kg/m2 with metabolic conditions). Aims. We aimed to evaluate the medium-term effect (>36 months) of bariatric surgery and assess postbariatric nutritional and lifestyle management among Lebanese patients who underwent bariatric surgeries in Jbeil and Keserwan hospitals. Methods. This study is a quantitative case-control study. The case group includes a couple of patients who have undergone sleeve or bypass surgery 6 months ago and above, along with the main family caregivers. The control group constitutes a couple of obese patients with BMI ≥30 kg/m2 who did not proceed to any surgical intervention with their main caregivers. The final samples consisted of 53 cases and caregivers and 50 controls and caregivers. The assessment was made by an online questionnaire. Results. Compared to obese patients, bariatric patients were less likely to have high energy intake (54% versus 34%,

P

value 0.012). Moreover, 35.8% of the caregivers of bariatric patients had a low physical activity level compared to those of the control group who had a lower level (70%). In addition, cases’ main caregivers (75.5%) had much higher quality of life compared to the cases (56.6%), and also, higher quality of life was seen among the case’s main caregivers (75%) compared to the controls (72%). Conclusion. In Jbeil and Keserwan regions of Lebanon, there is a lack of postbariatric nutritional and lifestyle management leading to less desirable outcomes in the medium to long term. A set of recommendations are developed based on this study.
An Adaptive Fuzzy Chicken Swarm Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Wang Zhenwu , Qin Chao , Wan Benting , Song William Wei , Yang Guoqiang
Published: March 2021

The chicken swarm optimization (CSO) algorithm is a new swarm intelligence optimization (SIO) algorithm and has been widely used in many engineering domains. However, there are two apparent problems with the CSO algorithm, i.e., slow convergence speed and difficult to achieve global optimal solutions. Aiming at attacking these two problems of CSO, in this paper, we propose an adaptive fuzzy chicken swarm optimization (FCSO) algorithm. The proposed FCSO uses the fuzzy system to adaptively adjust the number of chickens and random factors of the CSO algorithm and achieves an optimal balance of exploitation and exploration capabilities of the algorithm. We integrate the cosine function into the FCSO to compute the position update of roosters and improve the convergence speed. We compare the FCSO with eight commonly used, state-of-the-art SIO algorithms in terms of performance in both low- and high-dimensional spaces. We also verify the FCSO algorithm with the nonparametric statistical Friedman test. The results of the experiments on the 30 black-box optimization benchmarking (BBOB) functions demonstrate that our FCSO outperforms the other SIO algorithms in both convergence speed and optimization accuracy. In order to further test the applicability of the FCSO algorithm, we apply it to four typical engineering problems with constraints on the optimization processes. The results show that the FCSO achieves better optimization accuracy over the standard CSO algorithm.
Hepatitis B–Induced IL8 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Venous Metastasis and Intrahepatic Treg Accumulation
Authors: Zhang Changlu , Gao Yanan , Du Chengzhi , Markowitz Geoffrey J. , Fu Jing , Zhang Zhenxing , Liu Chunliang , Qin Wenhao , Wang Hongyang , Wang Fan , Yang Pengyuan
Published: March 2021

Hepatitis B–associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often accompanied by severe vascular invasion and portal vein tumor thrombus, leading to a poor prognosis. However, the underlying mechanism of this disease remains obscure. In this study, we demonstrate that the hepatitis B virus (HBV)–encoded gene HBx induces high IL8 production through MEK–ERK signal activation, leading to enhanced endothelial permeability to facilitate tumor vascular invasion. In a vascular metastatic model using a tail vein injection in a transgenic mouse with selective expression of human CXCR1 in the endothelium, activation of the IL8–CXCR1 cascade by overexpression of IL8 in tumor cells dramatically enhanced liver metastasis. Mechanistically, IL8 selectively induced GARP-latent-TGFβ in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells and subsequently provoked preferential regulatory T-cell polarization to suppress antitumor immunity. Collectively, these findings reveal a hepatitis B–associated IL8–CXCR1 signaling axis that mediates vascular invasion and local microenvironmental immune escape of HCC to induce intrahepatic metastasis, which may serve as potential therapeutic targets for HBV-associated HCC.

Significance:

This study identifies a hepatitis B–induced IL8/CXCR1/TGFβ signaling cascade that suppresses antitumor immunity and enhances metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma, providing new potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
Pediatric Brain Tumors: Descriptive Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Future Directions
Authors: Adel Fahmideh Maral , Scheurer Michael E.
Published: March 2021

Brain tumors are the most common solid tumors in children and remain a significant contributor to death by disease in this population. Pediatric brain tumors (PBT) are broadly classified into two major categories: glial and neuronal tumors. Various factors, including tumor histology, tumor location, and demographics, influence the incidence and prognosis of this heterogeneous group of neoplasms. Numerous epidemiologic studies have been conducted to identify genetic and environmental risk factors for these malignancies. Thus far, the only established risk factors for PBTs are exposure to ionizing radiation and some rare genetic syndromes. However, relatively consistent evidence of positive associations for birth defects, markers of fetal growth, advanced parental age, maternal dietary N-nitroso compounds, and exposure to pesticides have been reported. The genetic variants associated with susceptibility to PBTs were predominantly identified by a candidate-gene approach. The identified genetic variants belong to four main pathways, including xenobiotic detoxification, inflammation, DNA repair, and cell-cycle regulation. Conducting large and multi-institutional studies is warranted to systematically detect genetic and environmental risk factors for different histologic subtypes of PBTs. This, in turn, might lead to a better understanding of etiology of PBTs and eventually developing risk prediction models to prevent these clinically significate malignancies.