bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep Understanding of Technical Documents: Part I. Diagrams Structural-functional Modeling
Authors: Bourbakis N. G. , Rematska G. , Mertoguno S.
Published: May 2021

The automatic deep understanding of technical documents is a privilege only to humans so far, since it requires knowledge coming from many different modalities, like text, diagrams, formulas, tables, graphics, pictures, etc. Thus, in response to this very large and complex challenge, this paper investigates the synergistic association of only two modalities, the diagrams as main modality and natural language text as an assistive one in an effort to combine them together for deeper understanding of technical documents. In particular, it presents the formal modelling of a hybrid methodology capable to automatically extract the structural and functional behavior of a system described in a technical document without the use of original code. By system here we mean the block diagram(s) of a system. The methodology presented here is based on a formal language, called Synergy, to efficiently represent and synthesize the structural features of the system, and convert them into a Stochastic Petri-nets (SPN) model as for expressing the functional behavior of the understudy system. The overall methodology will contribute to an automatic deep understanding of technical documents (TD) without the main involvement of human users.
Deep Understanding of Technical Documents: Part II. Automatic Extraction of Pseudocode
Authors: Bourbakis N. G. , Rematska G. , Mertoguno S.
Published: May 2021

Humans have the privilege to automatically have a deep understanding of technical documents, since they have the ability to deal with complex concepts coming from many different modalities, like diagrams, text, tables, formulas, graphics, pictures, etc. For many years researchers are working to transfer such potential to AI based machines. This paper takes the advantage of the synergistic and interactive enrichment of two TD modalities, the block diagrams and the associated natural language text, obtained to automatically generate pseudocode that describes the functionality of the system under study. The methodology for generating the code is mainly based on the mapping of the TD modalities into Stochastic Petri-nets (SPN) that enriches the system diagrams, from which the pseudocode is generated. The overall methodology will contribute to an automatic deep understanding of technical documents (TD) without the main involvement of humans. Two illustrative examples are also provided for describing the methodology.
Study of the enhancement factor and electron potential in the D (3He, p)4He reaction using deuterated metal targets TiD and ZrD
Authors: Bystritsky V. M. , Chumakov D. K. , Dudkin G. N. , Filipowicz M. , Nechaev B. A. , Nurkin A. , Padalko V. N. , Pen’kov F. M. , Philippov A. V. , Tuleushev Yu. Zh. , Varlachev V. A. , Zhakanbaev E. A.
Published: May 2021

The study of thermonuclear reactions such as D(d, p)3H, D(d, n)3He, T(d, n)3He, 3He(d, p)4He, and D(3He, p)4He is of great interest in the field of astrophysics, as it affects the primordial nucleosynthesis, as well as issues of stellar dynamics. These reactions are also of interest in thermonuclear power engineering, in connection with the increased interest in the possibility of practical application of thermonuclear fusion. In this work, the analysis of the results obtained in the course of studying the reaction D(3He, p)4He was carried out. The results were obtained by us in previous works on deuterated metal targets ZrD and TiD with Miller indices [111] and [100]. There is a need to more precise study of the effects accompanying thermonuclear reactions at low astrophysical energies. The purpose of this work is to study the behavior of the screening potential [Formula: see text] and the reaction enhancement factor [Formula: see text], depending on the crystal structure of targets and the interaction energy. The studies were carried out on a Hall accelerator (Tomsk, TPU) in the energy range [Formula: see text]([Formula: see text][Formula: see text]keV in lab reference frame with a step of 2[Formula: see text]keV. Experiments have shown that in reactions using metal deuterated targets a similar effect as in reactions using gas targets was observed. Specifically, an electron screening effect was observed, which leads to an increase in the reaction cross-section with decreasing energy, and in case of metal target this effect becomes stronger.
Fragmentation of carbon on elemental targets at 290AMeV
Authors: Duan Hai-Rui , Wu Jing-Ya , Ma Tian-Li , Li Jun-Sheng , Li Hui-Ling , Xu Ming-Ming , Yang Rui-Xia , Zhang Dong-Hai , Zhang Zhi , Wang Qi , Kodaira S.
Published: May 2021

The total charge-changing cross-sections and the partial cross-sections for projectile fragments (PFs) production for the fragmentation of 12C on C, Al, Cu, Pb and CH2 targets at the highest energy of 290[Formula: see text]A[Formula: see text]MeV were studied. It was found that the total charge-changing reaction cross-sections and the partial reaction cross-sections of PFs production were independent of the beam energy, and increased with increase of mass of target for the same beam energy. The total charge-changing reaction cross-section was the same as the prediction of Bradt–Peters semi-empirical formula, PHITS and NUCFRG2 simulation models. The partial cross-section of PFs production increased with the increase of the mass of target, and it was the same as the prediction of NUCFRG2 models. The mean scattering angle of projectile particle was smaller than the average emission angle of PF, and the width of scattering angle distribution of projectile particle was smaller than that of emission angle distribution of PFs. The mean emission angle of PFs does not obviously depend on the target mass and beam energy in our studied beam energy regions.
On the vibrational model of 92Pd and comparison with 48Cr
Authors: Robinson Shadow J. Q. , Fan Castaly , Harper Matthew , Zamick Larry
Published: May 2021

It was found experimentally that the yrast [Formula: see text] 2+, 4+ and 6+ states of 92Pd are almost equally spaced suggesting a vibrational band. We consider to what extent this should be considered as an evidence of maximum J-pairing for this nucleus.
α-MnO2 Nanowires and Amino-Modified Reduced Graphene Oxide Hybrid Films for Constructing the Flexible High-Performance Symmetrical Supercapacitors
Authors: Wang De-Yuan , Liu Jia-Qin , Chen Xing , Yan Jian , Wu Yu-Cheng
Published: May 2021

Graphene or its derivates are used as an electrode material for the fabrication of supercapacitors (SCs). However, graphene or its composites readily agglomerate or stack in water, which seriously imparts SC energy efficiency. Presently, we used a new composite using [Formula: see text]-MnO2 nanowires and nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide ([Formula: see text]-MnO2/NRGO) for the fabrication of electrodes required in symmetric SCs. Hydrothermally synthesized [Formula: see text]-MnO2 nanowires have a smooth surface, good dispersion, and a high length-to-width ratio. The formation of stable and densely networked structures and the synergy between NRGO and [Formula: see text]-MnO2 nanowires enable the [Formula: see text]-MnO2/NRGO film electrode to show a large area-specific capacitance (386.8[Formula: see text]mF[Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text]) at 1[Formula: see text]mA[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text] current density; the capacity retention is 62.4% when the current density increases from 1[Formula: see text]mA[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text] to 10[Formula: see text]mA[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text]. The flexible and symmetrical [Formula: see text]-MnO2/NRGO SC was assembled using [Formula: see text]-MnO2/NRGO film electrodes in 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte with a cellulose paper separator, has good capacitance retention (94%), excellent Coulombic efficiency (99%) after 3000 cycles, and high energy density (28.22[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]Wh[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text]) at 0.8[Formula: see text]mW[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text] power density. The [Formula: see text]-MnO2 nanowires/NRGO hybrid film flexible and symmetrical SCs are characterized by high energy storage, good cycle life and Columbic efficiency, which offer promising applications in the portable and wearable electronics industry.
Plasmonic nanoparticles and nucleic acids hybrids for targeted gene delivery, bioimaging, and molecular recognition
Authors: Pylaev Timofey , Avdeeva Elena , Khlebtsov Nikolai
Published: May 2021

Promising biomedical applications of hybrid materials composed of gold nanoparticles and nucleic acids have attracted strong interest from the nanobiotechnological community. The particular interest is owing to the robust and easy-to-make synthetic approaches, to the versatile optical and catalytic properties of gold nanoparticles combined with the molecular recognition and programmable properties of nucleic acids. The significant progress is made in the development of DNA–gold nanostructures and their applications, such as molecular recognition, cell and tissue bioimaging, targeted delivery of therapeutic agents, etc. This review is focused on the critical discussion of the recent applications of the gold nanoparticles–nucleic acids hybrids. The effect of particle size, surface, charge and thermal properties on the interactions with functional nucleic acids is discussed. For each of the above topics, the basic principles, recent advances, and current challenges are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the systematization of data over the theranostic systems on the basis of the gold nanoparticles–nucleic acids hybrids. Specifically, we start our discussion with observation of the recent data on interaction of various gold nanoparticles with nucleic acids. Further we describe existing gene delivery systems, nucleic acids detection, and bioimaging technologies. Finally, we describe the phenomenon of the polymerase chain reaction improvement by gold nanoparticle additives and its potential underlying mechanisms. Lastly, we provide a short summary of reported data and outline the challenges and perspectives.
The Impacts and Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Global Response to Climate Change
Authors: CHEN Ying , SHEN Weiping
Published: May 2021

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has posed the most severe impact on the global economy and society since World War II. The pandemic has brought into focus how climate change is related with virus transmission and health, and has made the global transition toward low-carbon development more difficult and challenged the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Although the pandemic has significantly reduced carbon emissions and improved the environmental quality in the short term, it is still an unwanted event in the process of pursuing sustainable development; although objectively the pandemic has weakened countries’ efforts in terms of policies and actions to address climate change, the restructuring of global value chains in the post-COVID era has also brought new opportunities for a transition toward green and low-carbon development; although the pandemic has warned people of how important resilient governance and international cooperation is to addressing the crisis, the global climate governance process has come to a complete standstill since the outbreak of COVID-19, attenuating the mutual trust among countries and disabling the leadership in climate governance. The pandemic is a preview of the climate crisis, and it is important to learn from it for a better response. China quickly contained the pandemic within the country, actively resumed work and production, and gained a first-mover advantage in economic recovery. China should maintain strategic focus when pursuing ecological development, enhance the resilience of the socio-economic system, seize the opportunity of transitioning toward low-carbon development by turning the crisis into opportunities, and promote high-quality development within the country while fully engaging in global climate governance to seek ecological progress with other countries.
Ifetroban reduces coronary artery dysfunction in a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: Mitchell R. , Frederick N. E. , Holzman E. R. , Agobe F. , Allaway H. C. M , Bagher P.
Published: May 2021

This investigation revealed 1) impaired acetylcholine-mediated vasodilation, 2) increased U-46619-mediated vasoconstriction, and 3) reversal of the increase in U-46619-mediated vasoconstriction by the thromboxane A2/prostanoid receptor (TPr) antagonist ifetroban in left anterior descending coronary arteries isolated from young mdx mice, a model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Ifetroban has been used in preclinical studies to demonstrate improved cardiac function in mouse models of muscular dystrophy and is currently being investigated in a phase 2 clinical trial in patients with DMD. The current study supports the role of ifetroban in improving coronary artery function in preclinical DMD models, which may contribute to improved cardiovascular health.
A Study on Regional Financial Risks Based on CoCVaR Model
Authors: Li Mingxin , Tang Jun
Published: May 2021

For the purpose of accurate measurement of regional systemic financial risks and prevention of regional economic turmoil, this paper proposes a new measure called the CoCVaR model, based on the tail mean loss, which is applied to measure the impact of stock returns of each listed company on the overall stock returns in Guangdong Province, China, from January 2010 to December 2020. It is found that there are significant CoVaR and CoCVaR for real estate, finance, utilities, and energy companies, while the risk spillover to the real economy market in Guangdong Province is more significant when companies in these industries are in extreme situations. There are insignificant CoCVaR for daily consumption, information technology, and health care. The risk spillover to the real economy market in Guangdong Province is smaller when companies in these industries are in crisis.
Fractional-Order Derivative Model of Rift Valley Fever in Urban Peridomestic Cycle
Authors: Mpeshe Saul C.
Published: May 2021

Rift Valley fever is a zoonotic disease which is mainly transmitted by mosquitoes and has potential to affect humans and animals. To gain some understanding on its dynamics in an urban peridomestic cycle, a fractional-order derivative model is formulated and analysed. The basic reproduction number

ℛ

0

is computed and used in analysing the stability of disease when an outbreak occurs. Numerical simulations are performed in order to the variation of each population at order

α
=
1,0.75
,
0.5

, and 0.25. Results from simulations show that there is an increase in susceptible and exposed population in both human and mosquitoes as the value of

α

decreases. The infected population decreases with a decrease in the value of

α

. However, a rapid increase in susceptible mosquitoes is observed just after the first 30 days and a rapid decrease in infected human and mosquitoes after the first 30 days for

α
=
1

. Hence, fractional-order derivative also plays a significant role in providing insight on disease transmission and dynamics.
Ameliorative Effect of Thymoquinone‐Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles on Chronic Lung Injury Induced by Repetitive Intratracheal Instillation of Lipopolysaccharide in Rats
Authors: Saghir Sultan A. M. , Al-Gabri Naif A. , Ali Abdelmoniem A. , Al-Attar Al-Sayed R. , Al-Sobarry Mosa’d , Al-shargi Omar Y. A. , Alotaibi Amal , Al-zharani Mohammed , Nasr Fahd A. , Al-Balagi Nader , Abdulghani Mahfoudh A. M. , Alnaimat Sulaiman M. , Althunibat Osama Y. , Mahmoud Ayman M.
Published: May 2021

Thymoquinone (TQ), the active constituent of Nigella sativa, possesses several benefits in traditional and modern medicines. This study examined the effect of a single dose of Nano‐TQ on chronic lung injury induced by repetitive intratracheal installation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Rats received LPS twice weekly for 8 weeks via intratracheal installation and a single dose of TQ‐PLGA NPs on the day after the last dose of LPS. Six rats from each group were sacrificed after 8 and 10 weeks, and samples were collected for analysis. Repetitive intratracheal installation of LPS caused histopathological alterations, including partial or complete obstruction of the alveoli, interstitial edema, mild fibroblastic proliferation, fibrous strands besides lymphocytes and plasma infiltrations, suffered fetalization, bronchiectasis, hypertrophied arterioles, and others. Investigation of the ultrastructure revealed prominent necrotic pneumocytes with destructed chromatin and remnant of necrotic debris in the narrowing alveolar lumen in LPS‐induced rats. TQ‐PLGA NPs effectively ameliorated LPS‐induced histopathological and ultrastructural alterations in the lung of rats. In addition, TQ‐PLGA NPs significantly alleviated serum levels of IL‐10 and TGF‐β1 in LPS‐induced rats. In conclusion, TQ‐PLGA NPs prevented inflammation and tissue injury in the lungs of rats challenged with repetitive intratracheal installation of LPS. Therefore, TQ‐PLGA NPs represent a promising candidate for the prevention of lung injury induced by LPS, pending further studies to determine its safety and exact protective mechanism.
The Effects of Trends in Osteoporosis Treatment on the Incidence of Fractures
Authors: Horikawa Akira , Miyakoshi Naohisa , Hongo Michio , Kasukawa Yuji , Shimada Yoichi , Kodama Hiroyuki , Sano Akihisa
Published: May 2021

Summary. We analyzed the data about the preferences of medication and incidence of fractures between osteoporosis patients from 2012 to 2016. Our results suggested that the number of patients treated with intravenous and subcutaneous injections increased and the incidence of fracture was lower in intravenous and subcutaneous injections than oral medications. Objective. This study focused on the trends in antiosteoporosis drug preferences and compared the incidence of fractures between patients treated orally and those who were exposed to an awareness campaign and assigned to intravenous/subcutaneous treatment. Methods. Our hospital registry included 1,716 osteoporotic women who were over 65 years of age without preexisting vertebral and nonvertebral fractures over 1 year before this study, with bone mineral density (BMD) < −2.5 standard deviation (SD) and fracture assessment tool (FRAX) score > 20%, who were given 1,337 oral and 379 intravenous/subcutaneous prescriptions to treat their osteoporosis. Self-administered surveys (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016) collected data on trends of preferences among nine drugs and fracture prevention using relative risk reduction (RRR). Results. The number of patients taking oral prescriptions decreased gradually from 2012 to 2016, while the number of patients treated with intravenous and subcutaneous injections increased. The incidence of fracture was lower in patients receiving intravenous and subcutaneous injections than in patients taking oral medications. Conclusion. These findings indicate a decrease in oral prescriptions for osteoporosis treatment and that treatment for osteoporosis using intravenous or subcutaneous injections of antiosteoporosis drugs is more effective for preventing fractures.
Q Fever Endocarditis in Northeast Iran
Authors: Heydari Ali Akbar , Mostafavi Ehsan , Heidari Masoumeh , Latifian Mina , Esmaeili Saber
Published: May 2021

This report presents a case of chronic Q fever endocarditis. A 60-year-old male farmer and rancher was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of weight loss, fever, severe sweating, weakness, and anorexia. PCR was negative for C. burnetii in the blood sample, but phase I and II IgG antibodies against C. burnetii were positive (1 : 16384 and 1 : 2048, respectively) by the indirect immunofluorescent assay (IFA). According to the adjusted Duke criteria, Q fever endocarditis was confirmed, and the patient was successfully treated with doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine.
Silencing Cardiac Troponin I‐Interacting Kinase Reduces Lipopolysaccharide‐Induced Sepsis‐Induced Myocardial Dysfunction in Rat by Regulating Apoptosis‐Related Proteins
Authors: Yang Dong , Jiang Yanzhou , Qian Haixia , Liu Xiaomin , Mi Liguo
Published: May 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cardiac troponin I‐interacting kinase (TNNI3K) on sepsis‐induced myocardial dysfunction (SIMD) and further explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this study, a lipopolysaccharide‐ (LPS‐) induced myocardial injury model was used. qRT‐PCR was performed to detect the mRNA expression of TNNI3K. Western blot was conducted to quantitatively detect the expression of TNNI3K and apoptosis‐related proteins (Bcl‐2, Bax, and caspase‐3). ELISA was performed to detect the content of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK). TUNEL assay was used to detect the apoptosis of H9C2 cells. In LPS‐induced H9C2 cells, TNNI3K was up regulated. Besides, the CK activity, the content of LDH, and the apoptosis of H9C2 cells were significantly increased after treatment with LPS. Silencing TNNI3K decreased the LDH release activity and CK activity and inhibited apoptosis of H9C2 cell. Further research illustrated that si‐TNNI3K promoted the protein expression of Bcl‐2 and decreased the protein expression of Bax and cleaved caspase‐3. The study concluded that TNNI3K was upregulated in LPS‐induced H9C2 cells. Importantly, functional research findings indicated that silencing TNNI3K alleviated LPS‐induced H9C2 cell injury by regulating apoptosis‐related proteins.
Outlier Detection of Light Buoy Telemetry and Telecontrol Data Based on Improved Adaptive ε Neighborhood DBSCAN Clustering
Authors: Xu Liangkun , Jin Yongxing , Xue Han , Zhou Shibo
Published: May 2021

In this paper, according to the water area of light buoy, the migration rule of light buoy in main channel is counted, and the frequency of light buoy passing through a certain position point in the process of migration is calculated, and the model is verified by buoy position data. An anomaly detection algorithm based on improved adaptive DBSCAN clustering is designed. The size of the ε neighborhood is adaptive according to the wind speed, wave height, and drift distance span of the water area where the light buoy is located. The experimental results show that the improved adaptive DBSCAN clustering algorithm can solve the problem that the common DBSCAN clustering algorithm takes the “hot” water area of the light buoy position or the most likely area in the light buoy migration process as the noise point.
Suggestive Diagnostic Process in a Case of Multiple Myeloma with Gastrointestinal Immunoglobulin Light-Chain Amyloidosis Accompanied by Protein-Losing Enteropathy
Authors: Endo Katsuya , Ito Takehito , Nomura Jun , Murakami Keigo , Kondo Shiho , Satoh Tomonori , Fukushi Daisuke , Yoshino Yuki , Sasaki Yoshiteru , Takasu Atsuko , Kogure Takayuki , Hirota Morihisa , Meguro Takayoshi , Murakami Kazuhiro , Kameoka Junichi , Satoh Kennichi
Published: May 2021

Multiple myeloma is a type of plasma cell neoplasm that produces monoclonal immunoglobulin. Multiple myeloma is known to cause immunoglobulin light-chain (AL) amyloidosis, which frequently involves the kidney and heart. Bone pain or fractures caused by osteolytic lesions and physical disorders related to renal or cardiac AL amyloidosis are major initial symptoms in multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma diagnosed from the gastrointestinal symptoms is rare. We report a case of an 80-year-old man with multiple myeloma accompanied by gastrointestinal AL amyloidosis and secondary protein-losing enteropathy. The diagnostic process was suggestive, in that diarrhea and refractory leg edema related to protein-losing enteropathy were the primary symptoms and the trigger for making a sequential diagnosis of gastrointestinal AL amyloidosis and underlying multiple myeloma. This case is highly suggestive, in that multiple myeloma with gastrointestinal AL amyloidosis should be considered one of the background diseases of protein-losing enteropathy.
Automatic Recognition and Classification System of Thyroid Nodules in CT Images Based on CNN
Authors: Li Wenjun , Cheng Siyi , Qian Kai , Yue Keqiang , Liu Hao
Published: May 2021

Thyroid nodule lesions are one of the most common lesions of the thyroid; the incidence rate has been the highest in the past thirty years. X‐ray computed tomography (CT) plays an increasingly important role in the diagnosis of thyroid diseases. Nonetheless, as a result of the artifact and high complexity of thyroid CT image, the traditional machine learning method cannot be applied to CT image processing. In this paper, an end‐to‐end thyroid nodule automatic recognition and classification system is designed based on CNN. An improved Eff‐Unet segmentation network is used to segment thyroid nodules as ROI. The image processing algorithm optimizes the ROI region and divides the nodules. A low‐level and high‐level feature fusion classification network CNN‐F is proposed to classify the benign and malignant nodules. After each module is connected in series with the algorithm, the automatic classification of each nodule can be realized. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed end‐to‐end thyroid nodule automatic recognition and classification system has excellent performance in diagnosing thyroid diseases. In the test set, the segmentation IOU reaches 0.855, and the classification output accuracy reaches 85.92%.
Optimal Operation of the Campus Microgrid considering the Resource Uncertainty and Demand Response Schemes
Authors: Abd ul Muqeet Hafiz , Munir Hafiz Mudassir , Ahmad Aftab , Sajjad Intisar Ali , Jiang Guang-Jun , Chen Hong-Xia
Published: May 2021

Present power systems face problems such as rising energy charges and greenhouse gas (GHG) releases. These problems may be assuaged by participating distributed generators (DGs) and demand response (DR) policies in the distribution system (DS). The main focus of this paper is to propose an energy management system (EMS) approach for campus microgrid (µG). For this purpose, a Pakistani university has been investigated and an optimal solution has been proposed. Conventionally, it contains electricity from the national grid only as a supply to fulfil the energy demand. Under the proposed setup, it contains campus owned nondispatchable DGs such as solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and microturbines (MTs) as dispatchable sources. To overcome the random nature of solar irradiance, station battery has been integrated as energy storage. The subsequent nonlinear mathematical problem has been scheduled by mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) in MATLAB for saving energy cost and battery aging cost. The framework has been validated under deterministic and stochastic environments. Among random parameters, solar irradiance and load have been taken into consideration. Case studies have been carried out considering the demand response strategies to analyze the proposed model. The obtained results show that optimal management and scheduling of storage in the presence of DGs mutually benefit by minimizing consumption cost (customer) and grid load (utility) which show the efficacy of the proposed model. The results obtained are compared to the existing literature and a significant cost reduction is found.
Brain Connectivity Studies on Structure‐Function Relationships: A Short Survey with an Emphasis on Machine Learning
Authors: Wein Simon , Deco Gustavo , Tomé Ana Maria , Goldhacker Markus , Malloni Wilhelm M. , Greenlee Mark W. , Lang Elmar W.
Published: May 2021

This short survey reviews the recent literature on the relationship between the brain structure and its functional dynamics. Imaging techniques such as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) make it possible to reconstruct axonal fiber tracks and describe the structural connectivity (SC) between brain regions. By measuring fluctuations in neuronal activity, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provides insights into the dynamics within this structural network. One key for a better understanding of brain mechanisms is to investigate how these fast dynamics emerge on a relatively stable structural backbone. So far, computational simulations and methods from graph theory have been mainly used for modeling this relationship. Machine learning techniques have already been established in neuroimaging for identifying functionally independent brain networks and classifying pathological brain states. This survey focuses on methods from machine learning, which contribute to our understanding of functional interactions between brain regions and their relation to the underlying anatomical substrate.
Innovative Method for Ship Navigation Safety Risk Response in Landslide‐Induced Wave
Authors: Yuan Peiyin , Wang Pingyi , Zhao Yu
Published: May 2021

When the bank of a reservoir slope slides along a weak structural plane at a high speed, “landslide slamming” will occur in the nearby water. The formation of landslide‐induced waves is a serious threat to the safety of wharfs, shore marks, buildings in the water, and vessels navigating in reservoir areas. To ensure the safety of navigating ships, this study proposes a landslide‐induced wave water ship navigation safety risk response technology. The propagation characteristics of landslide‐induced waves are analysed based on a physical model experiment, and the characteristics of a ship′s motion response and mooring cable tensions are studied under conditions of bow and stern mooring and multipoint mooring. The influences of the landslide‐induced wave direction and ship navigation position on the ship rolling motion characteristics are discussed. The results of this study can further improve the navigation safety of ships in landslide‐induced wave waters.
Protective Effect of Joa-Gui Em through the Improvement of the NLRP3 and TLR4/NF-κb Signaling by Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Acute Renal Failure Rats
Authors: Na Se Won , Jang Youn Jae , Hong Mi Hyeon , Yoon Jung Joo , Lee Ho Sub , Kim Hye Yoom , Kang Dae Gill
Published: May 2021

Joa-gui em (左歸飮, JGE) is known to be effective for treating kidney-yin deficient syndrome. However, there is a lack of objective pharmacological research on improving kidney function. This study was designed to evaluate whether JGE improves renal function and related mechanisms in rats with acute renal injury induced by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). The acute renal failure (ARF) group was subjected to reperfusion after inserting a clip into the renal artery for 45 min. The ARF + JGE (100 or 200 mg/kg/day) groups were orally administered for four days after their I/R surgery, respectively. JGE treatment suppressed the increase in kidney size in the ARF animal model and alleviated the polyuria symptoms. In addition, to confirm the effect of improving the kidney function of JGE, lactate dehydrogenase levels, blood urea nitrogen/creatinine ratio, and creatinine clearance were measured. As a result, it decreased in the ARF group but significantly improved in the JGE group. Also, as a result of examining the morphological aspects of renal tissue, it was shown that JGE improved renal fibrosis caused by ARF. Meanwhile, it was confirmed that JGE reduced inflammation through the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor pyrin domain containing-3 (NLRP3) and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways, which are the major causes of acute ischemic kidney injury, thereby improving renal function disorder. The JGE has a protective effect by improving the NLRP3 and TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway in rats with acute renal dysfunction induced by I/R injury.
Application of Adaptive Image Restoration Algorithm Based on Sparsity of Block Structure in Environmental Art Design
Authors: Liang Bo , Jia Xin-xin , Lu Yuan
Published: May 2021

Image restoration is a research hotspot in computer vision and computer graphics. It uses the effective information in the image to fill in the information of the designated damaged area. This has high application value in environmental design, film and television special effects production, old photo restoration, and removal of text or obstacles in images. In traditional sparse representation image restoration algorithms, the size of dictionary atoms is often fixed. When repairing the texture area, the dictionary atom will be too large to cause blurring. When repairing a smooth area, the dictionary atom is too small to cause the extension of the area, which affects the image repair effect. In this paper, the structural sparsity of the block to be repaired is used to adjust the repair priority. By analyzing the structure information of the repair block located in different regions such as texture, edge, and smoothing, the size of the dictionary atom is adaptively determined. This paper proposes a color image restoration method that adaptively determines the size of dictionary atoms and discusses a model based on the partial differential equation restoration method. Through simulation experiments combined with subjective and objective standards, the repair results are evaluated and analyzed. The simulation results show that the algorithm can effectively overcome the shortcomings of blurred details and region extension in fixed dictionary restoration, and the restoration effect has been significantly improved. Compared with the results of several other classic algorithms, it shows the effectiveness of the algorithm in this paper.
Evolutionary Optimization of Multirendezvous Impulsive Trajectories
Authors: Federici Lorenzo , Zavoli Alessandro , Colasurdo Guido
Published: May 2021

This paper investigates the use of evolutionary algorithms for the optimization of time-constrained impulsive multirendezvous missions. The aim is to find the minimum-

Δ
V

trajectory that allows a chaser spacecraft to perform, in a prescribed mission time, a complete tour of a set of targets, such as space debris or artificial satellites, which move on the same orbital plane at slightly different altitudes. For this purpose, a two-level design approach is pursued. First, an outer-level combinatorial problem is defined, dealing with the simultaneous optimization of the sequence of targets and the rendezvous epochs. The suggested approach is first tested by assuming that all transfer legs last exactly the same amount of time; then, the time domain is discretized over a finer grid, allowing a more appropriate sizing of the time window allocated for each leg. The outer-level problem is solved by an in-house genetic algorithm, which features an effective permutation-preserving solution encoding. A simple, but fairly accurate, heuristic, based on a suboptimal four-impulse analytic solution of the single-target rendezvous problem, is used when solving the combinatorial problem for a fast guess at the transfer cost, given the departure and arrival epochs. The outer-level problem solution is used to define an inner-level NLP problem, concerning the optimization of each body-to-body transfer leg. In this phase, the encounter times are further refined. The inner-level problem is tackled through an in-house multipopulation self-adaptive differential evolution algorithm. Numerical results for case studies including up to 20 targets with different time grids are presented.
Numerical Simulation Investigation on Well Performance Integrated Stress Sensitivity and Sand Production
Authors: Cao Chong , Cheng Linsong , Zhang Xiangyang , Shi Junjie
Published: May 2021

For unconsolidated sanding wells, the interaction between sanding and pressure-dependent permeability as oil is produced from the bottom of the well puts higher challenges on the evaluation and prediction of well performance. Therefore, it is essential to assess the oil well performance considering the synthetic effect of stress-sensitive and produced sand particles. In this paper, a new stress-sensitive factor is proposed to describe the relationship between stress and permeability in the numerical model. Also, based on the rectangular plastic region by the sand migration near the perforation, a quantitative expression of the sanding area for numerical model calculation was established. Combined with a quantitative description of these two key parameters, a sand-producing horizontal well model is established to evaluate production performance. In this model, the area of sand production near the wellbore is considered as the inner area with increased permeability while the outer zone remains the original reservoir. Besides, the model was verified by the production data from the sand-producing horizontal well in the oilfield. Furthermore, sensitivity parameters (such as stress sensitivity, the size of sanding zone, well location, and reservoir boundaries) are used to make the analysis of well productivity, which provides a theoretical basis for petroleum engineers to adjust the development plan for horizontal wells in the weakly consolidated sandstone reservoir.
Vagal Nerve Stimulation-Modulation of the Anti-Inflammatory Response and Clinical Outcome in Psoriatic Arthritis or Ankylosing Spondylitis
Authors: Brock C. , Rasmussen S. E. , Drewes A. M. , Møller H. J. , Brock B. , Deleuran B. , Farmer A. D. , Pfeiffer-Jensen M.
Published: May 2021

Objectives. The vagal nerve exerts an essential pathway in controlling the cholinergic anti-inflammatory reflex. Thus, the study is aimed at investigating the acute effect of a noninvasive transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation on clinical disease activity and systemic levels of inflammation in patients with psoriatic arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis. Methods. Twenty patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and 20 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) were included and stimulated bilaterally with a handheld vagal nerve stimulator for 120 seconds 3 times a day for 5 consecutive days. All patients were in remission. Cardiac vagal tone, clinical scores, CRP, and cytokine levels were assessed. Results. In PsA and AS, decreased heart rate was observed, confirming compliance. Furthermore, in PsA, a clear reduction of clinical disease activity associated with a 20% reduction in CRP was shown. In AS, a reduction in interferon-γ, interleukin- (IL-) 8, and 10 was shown. No side effects were described. Conclusion. This open-label study provides support for an anti-inflammatory effect of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation in patients with psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. The modulated immune response and reduced disease activity and CRP-levels raise the fascinating possibility of using neuromodulation as an add-on to existing pharmacological treatments.
Partial Dictionary Based Off‐Grid DOA Estimation Using Combined Coprime and Nested Array
Authors: Li Jianfeng , Xu Xiong , Li Ping , Zhang Qiting
Published: May 2021

A partial dictionary based direction of arrival (DOA) estimation method which addresses the off‐grid problem and exploits combined coprime and nested array (CCNA) is proposed. Compared to general coprime array, CCNA yields two sparse coprime subarrays in the coarray domain by adding a third subarray in the physical‐array domain. To ensure the DOA estimation performance, the subarray with larger aperture is chosen, and the cyclic phase ambiguity caused by the sparse subarray allows partial dictionary covering arbitrary cycle to represent the whole atoms, and then, the off‐grid sparse reconstruction method is developed to amend the grid mismatch. After the sparse recovery and off‐grid compensation, ambiguous DOA estimations can be eliminated by substituting the estimations into the whole virtual array. Multiple simulations verify that the proposed algorithm outperforms the other state‐of‐the‐art methods in terms of DOA estimation accuracy and angular resolution.
Volleyball Data Analysis System and Method Based on Machine Learning
Authors: Dai Xianyan , Li Shangbin
Published: May 2021

After the reform and the opening up, the economy of my country has grown rapidly and people’s lives have become better and better. As a result, there is a lot of time to pay attention to their health, which has promoted the rapid development of my country’s sports industry. Since the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the successful hosting of the Beijing Olympics has been further strengthened. With the rise of the development of sports in our country, the use of machine learning in a large amount of information can process this data and analyze it well. Based on this, this article is aimed at making volleyball players and coaches better understand the technical structure of hiking and the technique of hiking. The paper understands the characteristics of muscle activity over time and uses machine learning methods to analyze a large number of volleyball sports data. In this experiment, 12 volleyball players from a college of physical education were selected. According to the actual situation of the students’ physical fitness and skills, it is more reasonable to divide them into two arms with preswing technology (A type) group and two‐arms without preswing technology (B type) group. Mainly study the volleyball spiking action, select the representative front‐row 4th position strong attack and the back‐row 6th position for comparison and analysis, and analyze the process from the take‐off stage to the aerial shot stage in the four stages of the smash through the kinematics, dynamics, and surface electromyography parameters. Experiments have shown that for type A, the left gluteus maximus integral EMG sum value is significantly different between the front and rear rows (P < 0.05). The discharge volume of the left gluteus maximus during the front‐row spiking process is greater than that of the back‐row spiking. This difference is mainly reflected in the kicking stage and the air attack stage. It shows that volleyball data analysis has a very broad prospect of exploration and application, which can create huge social and economic benefits. How to analyze kinematics is also a very demanding research project and is also part of the future analysis of sports data. Academic value and broad practical significance are important.
Lysosome Depletion-Triggered Autophagy Impairment in Progressive Kidney Injury
Authors: Chen Xiao-cui , Li Zhi-hang , Yang Chen , Tang Ji-xin , Lan Hui-yao , Liu Hua-feng
Published: May 2021

Background: Macroautophagy (autophagy) is a cellular recycling process involving the destruction of damaged organelles and proteins in intracellular lysosomes for efficient nutrient reuse. Summary: Impairment of the autophagy-lysosome pathway is tightly associated with multiple kidney diseases, such as diabetic nephropathy, proteinuric kidney disease, acute kidney injury, crystalline nephropathy, and drug- and heavy metal-induced renal injury. The impairment in the process of autophagic clearance may induce injury in renal intrinsic cells by activating the inflammasome, inducing cell cycle arrest, and cell death. The lysosome depletion may be a key mechanism triggering this process. In this review, we discuss this pathway and summarize the protective mechanisms for restoration of lysosome function and autophagic flux via the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) machinery, lysophagy, and transcription factor EB-mediated lysosome biogenesis. Key Message: Further exploring mechanisms of ESCRT, lysophagy, and lysosome biogenesis may provide novel therapy strategies for the management of kidney diseases.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa Specialty Clinics in the USA
Authors: Seivright Justine R. , Thompson Alyssa , Hamzavi Iltefat , Lowes Michelle A. , Porter Martina , Shi Vivian Y. , Hsiao Jennifer L.
Published: May 2021

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a complex disease that is optimally managed with specialized care. Data on HS specialty clinics (HSSCs) are lacking. Methods: HSSCs in the USA were identified on the HS Foundation website and analyzed for geographic location and clinic director demographics. Results: We identified 29 HSSCs in 16 states, an increase from 22 in 2019. Thirty-four states currently lack a HSSC; the Mountain West and East South Central regions of the USA are particularly affected. Among HSSC directors, the majority (93.3%) are dermatologists, with slightly more women (53.3%) than men (46.7%). Most (86.7%) have an academic affiliation, and the majority (60%) graduated from residency <10 years ago. All directors are involved in research, and over half of HSSCs serve as HS clinical trial sites. Conclusions: The number of HSSCs in the USA has been growing, yet there remains a dearth in certain regions. Given that HS is a disease with high unmet need and a rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape, we encourage the establishment of more HSSCs to improve access to specialized care.
Value of Early Post-Operative Growth Hormone Testing in Predicting Long-Term Remission and Residual Disease after Transsphenoidal Surgery for Acromegaly
Authors: Wang Yi Yuen , Waqar Mueez , Abou-Zeid Ahmed , Kearney Tara , Caputo Carmela , Davis Julian , Trainer Peter , Higham Claire , Roncaroli Federico , Gnanalingham Kanna K.
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Surgical remission for acromegaly is dependent on a number of factors including tumour size, invasiveness, and surgical expertise. We studied the value of early post-operative growth hormone (GH) level as a predictor of outcome and to guide early surgical re-exploration for residual disease in patients with acromegaly. Methods: Patients with acromegaly undergoing first-time endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery between 2005 and 2015, in 2 regional neurosurgical centres, were studied. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), basal GH (i.e., sample before oral glucose), and GH nadir on oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were tested at various time points, including 2–5 days post-operatively. Definition of disease remission was according to the 2010 consensus statement (i.e., GH nadir <0.4 μg/L during an OGTT and normalized population-matched IGF-1). Forward stepwise logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with remission. Results: We investigated 81 consecutive patients with acromegaly, 67 (83%) of which had macroadenomas and 22 (27%) were noted to be invasive at surgery. Mean follow-up was 44 ± 25 months. Overall, surgical remission was achieved in 55 (68%) patients at final follow-up. On univariate analysis, the remission rates at the end of the study period for patients with early post-operative GH nadir on OGTT of <0.4 (N = 43), between 0.4 and 1 (N = 28), and >1 μg/L (N = 8) were 88, 54, and 20%, respectively. Similar results were seen with basal GH on early post-operative OGTT. On multivariate regression analysis, pre-operative IGF-1 (odds ratio of 13.1) and early post-operative basal GH (odds ratio of 5.0) and GH nadir on OGTT (odds ratio of 6.8) were significant predictors of residual disease. Based on a raised early GH nadir and post-operative MR findings, 10 patients underwent early surgical re-exploration. There was reduction in post-operative GH levels in 9 cases, of which 5 (50%) achieved long-term remission. There was an increased risk of new pituitary hormone deficiencies in patients having surgical re-exploration compared to those having a single operation (60 vs. 14%). Conclusions: An early post-operative basal GH and GH nadir on OGTT are reliable predictors of long-term disease remission. It can be used to guide patients for early surgical re-exploration for residual disease, although there is increased risk of hypopituitarism.