bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical Manifestations and Management of Terbinafine‐Induced Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis
Authors: Wu Tian , He Yang , Fan Zhiqiang , Sun Wei , Li Zuojun , Wang Chunjiang
Published: February 2023

Background. Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is a rare and serious adverse reaction of terbinafine. Understanding AGEP and terbinafine is primarily based on case reports. The purpose is to explore the clinical characteristics of terbinafine‐induced AGEP, and to provide reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods. Case reports and original studies of terbinafine‐induced AGEP were retrieved by searching Chinese and English databases from January, 1991, to May 31, 2022. Results. The median age of the 32 patients (17 males and 15 females) was 55 years (range: 6–84). The median time to onset of AGEP is 8 days (range: 1–77) and is usually accompanied by fever (>38°C) and elevated neutrophil levels (>8000/mm3). Four patients (12.5%) had oral mucosal involvement, and 10 patients (31.3%) developed postpustular desquamation. The lesions were mainly distributed in the trunk (43.8%), the whole body (34.4%), and the extremities (53.1%). Skin biopsy revealed subcorneal pustules (65.6%), intraepidermal cavernous pustules (43.8%), necrotic keratinocytes (15.6%), spongy hyperplasia (25.0%), neutrophil exocytosis (34.4%), and papillary dermal edema (40.6%). AGEP resolved completely in all patients at a median time of 12 days (range: 2–90) after discontinuation of terbinafine and symptomatic therapy. Conclusion. Clinicians should be aware that terbinafine‐induced AGEP is a rare cutaneous adverse reaction. AGEP usually occurs within 2 weeks after administration and has a good prognosis after discontinuation.
Effect of Sr Substitution on the Novel La1-xSrxCo0.5Ni0.5O3-δ Perovskite-Type Catalysts for Hydrogen Production in Ethanol Steam Reforming
Authors: Shao Zicheng , Li Shian , Jiang Yuhang , Cai Zhongwen , Shen Qiuwan , Yang Guogang , Sunden Bengt
Published: February 2023

La1-xSrxCo0.5Ni0.5O3-δ perovskites with different substitution of La by Sr have been firstly synthesized and applied as catalysts for ethanol steam reforming (ESR). The effect of partial Sr substitution on the performance and stability of La1-xSrxCo0.5Ni0.5O3-δ for ESR was investigated. The synthesized samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, BET, and EDS techniques. The results show that with the increase of substitution of La by Sr, the pore size and surface area of La1-xSrxCo0.5Ni0.5O3-δ perovskite increase. The doping of Sr causes changes in the specific surface area, pore volume, and pore size of the catalyst, which in turn causes changes in its catalytic activity. Meanwhile, La0.1Sr0.9Co0.5Ni0.5O3-δ with a highest SBET presents the highest ethanol conversion rate among all the samples. The modifications of catalyst characteristics caused by the Sr substitution in La1-xSrxCo0.5Ni0.5O3-δ directly affect its catalytic performance in the ESR. What is more, the influences of operating parameters on the catalytic activity of La0.1Sr0.9Co0.5Ni0.5O3-δ were studied in detail, and the optimum conditions were determined and applied for stability experiments. When the temperature is lower than 500°C, the selectivity of gas products is most likely affected by the dehydrogenation of ethanol and the decomposition of acetaldehyde. Meanwhile, the improving hydrogen selectivity and reducing the formation of by-products can be achieved by increasing the reaction temperature. The best catalytic performance for hydrogen production was achieved with La0.1Sr0.9Co0.5Ni0.5O3-δ which presented the highest ethanol conversion (98.7%) under the optimal reaction conditions. La0.1Sr0.9Co0.5Ni0.5O3-δ perovskites with higher strontium degree of substitution exhibited an excellent activity and stability of the catalysts derived.
Experimental Study of Complex Resistivity Characteristics of a Sandstone Reservoir under Different Measurement Conditions
Authors: Wang Xinghao , Xiang Kui , Luo Yuanyuan , Tan Gongxian , Ruan Jiaju
Published: February 2023

Due to the variability of fluid properties and saturation of reservoirs, large differences in formation temperature and pressure, and the diversity of rock and mineral compositions, the petrophysical response of reservoirs is often complex. This study explored a new method of reservoir fluid identification and evaluation based on the complex resistivity response characteristics of sandstone reservoirs under different measurement conditions. The complex resistivity of the five sandstone samples was measured under normal temperature and pressure and variable pressure, temperature, and formation conditions and under different oil saturations. Furthermore, the reservoir was comprehensively analyzed and evaluated based on the mineral composition, porosity, and permeability parameters. The results show that the resistivity of the sandstone increases logarithmically with pressure and oil saturation but decreases logarithmically with temperature and depth. The polarizability decreases slightly with increasing pressure and increases slightly with increasing temperature. With increasing depth, the polarizability decreases obviously, and with increasing oil saturation, the polarizability decreases moderately. Under different measurement conditions, the complex resistivity data for the sandstone reservoir and the IP parameters extracted through inversion are regular. The results of this study provide a new method for the identification and evaluation of complex reservoir fluids and have important reference value.
Metabolomics Profiling of Age-Associated Metabolites in Malay Population
Authors: Tan Jen Kit , Zakaria Siti Nor Asyikin , Gunasekaran Geetha , Abdul Sani Nur Fathiah , Nasaruddin Muhammad Luqman , Jaafar Faizul , Abu Bakar Zulzikry Hafiz , Amir Hamzah Ahmad Imran Zaydi , Nor Aripin Khairun Nain , Mohd Rani Mohd Dzulkhairi , Noh Nor Azila , Damanhuri Hanafi Ahmad , Mazlan Musalmah , Makpol Suzana , Wan Ngah Wan Zurinah
Published: February 2023

Aging is a complex process characterized by progressive loss of functional abilities due to the accumulation of molecular damages. Metabolomics could offer novel insights into the predictors and mechanisms of aging. This cross-sectional study is aimed at identifying age-associated plasma metabolome in a Malay population. A total of 146 (90 females) healthy participants aged 28–69 were selected for the study. Untargeted metabolomics profiling was performed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Association analysis was based on the general linear model. Gender-associated metabolites were adjusted for age, while age-associated metabolites were adjusted for gender or analyzed in a gender-stratified manner. Gender-associated metabolites such as 4-hydroxyphenyllactic acid, carnitine, cortisol, and testosterone sulfate showed higher levels in males than females. Deoxycholic acid and hippuric acid were among the metabolites with a positive association with age after being adjusted for gender, while 9(E),11(E)-conjugated linoleic acid, cortisol, and nicotinamide were negatively associated with age. In gender-stratified analysis, glutamine was one of the common metabolites that showed a direct association with age in both genders, while metabolites such as 11-deoxy prostaglandin F2β, guanosine monophosphate, and testosterone sulfate were inversely associated with age in males and females. This study reveals several age-associated metabolites in Malays that could reflect the changes in metabolisms during aging and may be used to discern the risk of geriatric syndromes and disorders later. Further studies are required to determine the interplay between these metabolites and environmental factors on the functional outcomes during aging.
The Impact of Marine Economic Development on Energy Efficiency: The Case of Zhoushan Archipelago New Area in China
Authors: Cheng Fei , Wei Cong , Tang Tian , Kong Jiayang
Published: February 2023

In recent years, the Chinese Central Government has put great emphasis on the marine economy, since it has been a new driving force of the national economic development. Yet, the relationship between marine economic development and energy efficiency remains unknown. In this paper, we investigate whether marine economic development affected energy efficiency. We focused on the Zhoushan Archipelago, the first National New Area for marine economic development in China. We applied panel data approach to construct the counterfactual of Zhoushan Archipelago. We compared Zhoushan and its counterfactual, the synthetic Zhoushan, and viewed the difference between them, after the Zhoushan Archipelago New Area, as the impact of marine economic development on energy efficiency. We found that compared with its counterfactual, the real Zhoushan had a more substantial improvement in energy efficiency after the National New Area construction. We estimated that the construction of the National New Area for Marine Economy increased energy efficiency by about 10 percentage points. We also applied the bootstrapping technique to illustrate the significance of the estimated results. The results suggest that the Zhoushan Archipelago New Area construction had a statistically significant impact on energy efficiency. In addition, we conducted two tests, including leave-one-out tests and permutation tests, to check the robustness of estimated results, which also serve as an illustration of significance of the estimated results from an alternative empirical perspective. The results from these two tests are similar to each other, both indicating that the Zhoushan Archipelago New Area construction had a statistically significant positive impact on energy efficiency. Overall, our results suggest that marine economic development had a sizable improvement in energy efficiency.
The Lived Experience of Caregiving and Perception of Service Provision among Family-Caregivers of People with Late-Stage Parkinson’s: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Read Joy , Cable Sarah , Bartl Gergely , Löfqvist Charlotte , Iwarsson Susanne , Schrag Anette
Published: February 2023

Background. The complex nature of late-stage Parkinson’s requires multiagency support and leads to an increased burden on family members who assume a multiplicity of responsibilities. The aim of this study is to further understand the lived experiences of family-caregivers and their perception of, and satisfaction with, service provision. Methods. This qualitative substudy was a part of the European multicentre Care of Late-Stage Parkinsonism (CLaSP) project. Purposive sampling resulted in a sample of eleven family-caregivers of people with late-stage Parkinson’s, who were interviewed using semistructured open-ended questions. Thematic analysis followed. Findings. Three overarching themes were developed from the data: ensuring continuous support is vital to providing care at home, perceiving unmet service provision needs, and advocating and co-ordinating all aspects of care take their toll. These themes include not only experience of services that caregivers find supportive in order to deliver care but also of disjointed care between multiple agencies, a perceived lack of Parkinson’s expertise, and there was a lack of anticipatory future planning. The constancy and scope of the family-caregiver role is described, including the need to project manage multiple aspects of care with multiple agencies, to be an advocate, and to assume new roles such as managing finances. Multiple losses were reported, which in part was mitigated by gaining expertise through information and support from professionals and organised and informal support. Conclusion. The intricacies and consequences of the family-caregivers’ role and their experience of service provision indicate the need to acknowledge and consider their role and needs, fully involve them in consultations and provide information and joined-up support to improve their well-being, and ensure their continuous significant contribution to the ongoing care of the person with Parkinson’s.
Synthesis, Spectral Characterization, and Biological Activities of Some Metal Complexes Bearing an Unsymmetrical Salen-Type Ligand, (Z)-1-(((2-((E)-(2-Hydroxy-6-methoxybenzylidene)amino)phenyl)amino) methylene) Naphthalen-2(1H)-one
Authors: Nguyen Quang Trung , Pham Thi Phuong Nam , Bui Quang Do , Nguyen Van Tuyen
Published: February 2023

An unsymmetrical salen-type Schiff base ligand, (Z)-1-(((2-((E)-(2-hydroxy-6-methoxybenzylidene)amino)phenyl)amino)methylene)naphthalen-2(1H)-one, and its Zn(II), Cu(II), Co(II), Mn(II), and Fe(III) complexes were synthesized and characterized by mass (MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infrared (IR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectra, and effective magnetic moments. The thermal analyses of the obtained ligand and metal complexes were conducted by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Antimicrobial activity of the unsymmetrical Schiff base ligand and its metal complexes were examined for Staphylococcus aureus as Gram-positive bacteria and Escherichia coli as Gram-negative bacteria. In vitro anticancer property of synthetic compounds was estimated against human cancer cell lines, a subline of Hela tumor cell line (KB), and a human liver cancer cell line (HepG-2) as well.
Identification of Prognostic Markers of DNA Damage and Oxidative Stress in Diagnosing Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma Based on High-Throughput Bioinformatics Screening
Authors: Li Le , Liu XuKai , Wen Yong , Liu Pan , Sun Ting
Published: February 2023

Purpose. Papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) is the second most common histological subtype of adult kidney tumors, with a poor prognosis due to limited understanding of the disease mechanism. Herein, we have performed high-throughput bioinformatic screening to explore and identify potential biomarkers of DNA damage and oxidative stress for pRCC. Methods. RNA sequencing data related to pRCC were downloaded from the TCGA database, and differentially expressed genes (DEG) were identified by a wide variety of clustering and classification algorithms, including self-organized maps (SOM), artificial neural networks (ANN), support vector machines (SVM), fuzzy logic, and hyphenated techniques such as neuro-fuzzy networks. Then DAVID and STRING online biological information tools were used to analyze functional enrichment of the regulatory networks of DEG and construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and then the Cytoscape software was used to identify hub genes. The importance of key genes was assessed by the analysis of the Kaplan–Meier survival curves using the R software. Lastly, we have analyzed the expression of hub genes of DNA damage and oxidative stress (BDKRB1, NMUR2, PMCH, and SAA1) in pRCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues, as well as the relationship between the expression of hub genes in pRCC tissues and pathological characteristics and prognosis of pRCC patients. Results. A total of 1,992 DEGs for pRCC were identified, with 1,142 upregulated ones and 850 downregulated ones. The DEGs were significantly enriched in activities including DNA damage and oxidative stress, chemical synaptic transmission, an integral component of the membrane, calcium ion binding, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction. cytoHubba in the Cytoscape software was used to determine the top 10 hub genes in the PPI network as BDKRB2, NMUR2, NMU, BDKRB1, LPAR5, KNG1, LPAR3, SAA1, MCHR1, PMCH, and NCAPH. Furthermore, the expression level of hub genes BDKRB1, NMUR2, PMCH, and SAA1 in pRCC tissues was significantly higher than that in the adjacent normal tissues. Meanwhile, the expression level of hub genes BDKRB1, NMUR2, PMCH, and SAA1 in pRCC tissues was significantly positively correlated with tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, and the histopathology grade of pRCC. In addition, high expression levels of hub genes BDKRB1, NMUR2, PMCH, and SAA1 were associated with a poor prognosis for patients with pRCC. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the expression of hub genes BDKRB1, NMUR2, PMCH, and SAA1 were independent risk factors for the prognosis of patients with pRCC. Conclusion. The results of this analysis suggested that BDKRB1, NMUR2, PMCH, and SAA1 might be potential prognostic biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for pRCC.
Thermal and Electrical Performance of Uncooled, Nature-Cooled, and Photovoltaic Thermal Module
Authors: Dwivedi Pushpendu , Ganesh Sujay Ashwinraj , Sudhakar Kumarasamy , Soni Archana , Priya S. Shanmuga
Published: February 2023

The experimental study is aimed at analyzing photovoltaic module’s thermal and electrical performance (PV) with back surface cooling under Malaysian tropical climate conditions. The performance of a passively cooled PV module integrated with biomaterial (moist coconut fiber) was compared with a photovoltaic thermal (PVT) system with water circulation at the rate of 0.02 kg s-1 and a reference PV module. The study observed that the passively cooled PV module succeeded in reducing the module surface temperature by more than 20%. However, the PVT system reduced the temperature only by less than 17%. The electrical energy efficiency was improved remarkably in the passively cooled PV module by almost 11%, but the PVT system managed to increase the electrical efficiency by 9%, approximately. It can be concluded that nature-inspired coconut fiber-based cooling can be one of the potential alternatives to active cooling methods.
Sediment Properties and Benthic Fauna Associated with Stock Enhancement and Farming of Marine Bivalve Populations in Xiangshan Bay, China
Authors: Ping Xianyin , Zhang Hui , Jiang Yazhou , Ling Jianzhong , Sun Peng , Tang Baojun
Published: February 2023

This study was designed to examine the impacts of ark shell Scapharca subcrenata enhancement and suspended oyster Crassostrea sikamea farming on sediment properties and fauna communities in the benthic zone of Xiangshan Bay, China. Ark shell enhancement took place over 319 days, after which sediment samples were collected from each of the three treatment sites: the enhancement area, an oyster farm, and a control area. Sediments from the oyster farming area had significantly higher moisture and acid volatile sulfide content, and the highest Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd concentrations in all three treatment areas. The ark shell enhancement area has the lowest total organic carbon. No significant difference was found between the mean grain size in each of the three areas. Benthic fauna communities in the ark shell enhancement area were similar to those in the control area. Among the 16 faunal taxa identified, Ruditapes philippinarum was the most abundant species, followed by Glycera onomichiensis and Musculus senhousia. Suspension feeders were not found in the sediment beneath the oyster rafts. Cluster analysis showed a distinct separation between the benthic fauna communities in the oyster farming area and the other two treatment areas. Ark shell enhancement was thus shown to have minimal impact on the benthic environment, while the raft-farmed oysters had significant effects on the sediment structure and the benthic fauna after more than ten years of farming. The differences between the impacts of ark shell enhancement and oyster farming could be attributed to the slowing of water flow caused by oyster rafts.
Obtaining the Soliton Type Solutions of the Conformable Time-Fractional Complex Ginzburg–Landau Equation with Kerr Law Nonlinearity by Using Two Kinds of Kudryashov Methods
Authors: Akbulut Arzu
Published: February 2023

The main idea of this study is to obtain the soliton-type solutions of the conformable time-fractional complex Ginzburg–Landau equation with Kerr law nonlinearity. For this aim, the generalized and modified Kudryashov methods are applied to the given model. The reason for using a conformable derivative is that the chain rule can be applied to this derivative. Thus, using the suitable wave transform, the given equation is converted into an ordinary differential equation. Then, the proposed methods are applied to the reduced equation. According to our results, both of the used methods are effective and powerful. Finally, 3D and contour plots are given for some results with suitable variables. Our findings in this paper are critical for explaining a wide range of scientific and physical applications. According to our knowledge, our results are new in the literature.
A Fractional-Order Eco-Epidemiological Leslie–Gower Model with Double Allee Effect and Disease in Predator
Authors: Rahmi Emli , Darti Isnani , Suryanto Agus , Trisilowati Trisilowati
Published: February 2023

In this paper, a fractional order of a modified Leslie–Gower predator-prey model with disease and the double Allee effect in predator population is proposed. Then, we analyze the important mathematical features of the proposed model such as the existence and uniqueness as well as the non-negativity and boundedness of solutions to the fractional-order system. Moreover, the local and global asymptotic stability conditions of all possible equilibrium points are investigated using Matignon’s condition and by constructing a suitable Lyapunov function, respectively. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to verify the theoretical results. We show numerically the occurrence of two limit cycles simultaneously driven by the order of the derivative, the bistability phenomenon for both the weak and strong Allee effect cases, and more dynamic behaviors such as the forward, backward, and saddle-node bifurcations which are driven by the transmission rate. We have found that the risk of extinction for the predator with a strong Allee effect is much higher when the spread of disease is relatively high.
Prophylactic ECMO Support during Elective Coronary Percutaneous Interventions in High-Risk Patients: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Ungureanu Claudiu , Blaimont Marc , Trine Hugues , Henin Pierre , Courcelle Romain , Laurent Yves , Van Ruyssevelt Patrick , Lepièce Caroline , Huberlant Vincent
Published: February 2023

Introduction. Evidence regarding the impact of prophylactic implantation of venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) for elective high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is limited. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the outcome during index hospitalization and 3 years after interventions. Methods. This is an observational retrospective study including all patients undergoing elective, high-risk PCI and receiving VA-ECMO for cardiopulmonary support. Primary endpoints were in-hospital and 3- year major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) rates. Secondary endpoints were vascular complications, bleeding, and procedural success. Results. Nine patients were included in total. All patients were considered inoperable by the local heart team, and 1 patient had a previous coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). All patients were hospitalized for an acute heart failure episode 30 days before the index procedure. Severe left ventricular dysfunction was present in 8 patients. The main target vessel was the left main coronary artery in 5 cases. Complex PCI techniques were used: bifurcations with 2 stents in 8 patients, rotational atherectomy was performed in 3, and coronary lithoplasty in 1 case. PCI was successful in all of the patients with revascularization of all target and additional lesions. Eight of the 9 patients survived for at least 30 days after the procedure, and 7 patients survived for 3 years after the procedure. Regarding the complication rate, 2 patients suffered from limb ischemia and were treated by an antegrade perfusion, 1 patient had a femoral perforation that needed surgical repair, 6 patients had a hematoma, 5 patients had a significant drop in hemoglobin of more than 2 g/dl and received blood transfusions, 2 patients were treated for septicemia, and 2 patients needed hemodialysis. Conclusions. Prophylactic use of VA-ECMO in elective patients is an acceptable strategy for revascularization by high-risk coronary percutaneous interventions with good long-term outcomes for patients considered inoperable when a clear clinical benefit is expected. Regarding the potential risk of complications due to a VA-ECMO system, the selection of candidates in our series was based on a multiparameter analysis. The two main triggers in favor of prophylactic VA-ECMO in our studies were the presence of a recent heart failure episode and the high probability of periprocedural prolonged impairment of the coronary flow through the major epicardial artery.
Improving the Stability of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells via Atomic Layer-Deposited Cerium Oxide
Authors: Kim Dong Joon , Jeong Heon Jun , Shim Jung Woo , Choi Yun Sung , Lim Jin Hyuk , Seo Beum Geun , Shim Joon Hyung
Published: February 2023

In this study, to enhance the stability of the cathode platinum (Pt) catalyst in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, cerium oxide (CeOx) was deposited by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process on the Pt catalyst sputtered on the cathode. A change in the peak power density loss after an accelerated stress test (AST) during I-V measurement of the membrane-electrode assembly according to the number of cycles was observed, which confirmed stability improvement. In polymer electrode membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), free radicals lead to degradation of the performance and stability of catalysts; we used CeOx to prevent these problems. CeOx acts as a free radical scavenger through the redox reaction of Ce3+/4+ ions in the cell test and prevents oxidative hydroxyl and hydroperoxyl radical attack created in the reaction between hydrogen peroxide and released cations. By preventing oxidation, the stability was improved without decreasing the performance. Therefore, the improvement of stability through plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition CeOx encapsulation can be considered a promising strategy for PEMFC catalysts.
Detection of Low RCS Unmanned Air Systems Using K-Band Continuous Wave Doppler Radar
Authors: Kyritsis Alexandros , Makri Rodoula , Uzunoglu Nikolaos
Published: February 2023

UASs (Unmanned Air Systems) are universally used in many activities, spanning from leisure-commercial to military applications. Accordingly, as the number of UASs operating in the sky increases, so does the need to detect and identify them, in order to ensure their legitimate use. This paper introduces a continuous wave (CW) Doppler radar implementation that can be used to provide early warning for flying-by small UASs. By applying Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to the returned signal’s Doppler frequency, estimations can be made regarding the presence of aerial bodies inside an Area of Interest (AoI). Achieving reliable detection with a low false alarm rate (FAR) while keeping the size and power demands of the system to minimum was a challenge that was successfully met. The proposed system was extensively tested in outdoor environments; measurement results are presented and parameters such as radar power, antenna gain, and noise are discussed.
Sensitivity Analysis on the Parameters of Lithium-Ion Battery DC Pulse Preheating under Low Temperature
Authors: Luo Chengwei , Liu Furong , Chen Pan , Luo Wenguang , Ye Hongtao , Liu Shu , Xie Changjun
Published: February 2023

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) require to be preheated under cold weather to restore performance, while DC pulse discharging is often considered a promising approach. Applying a larger pulse current can shorten the heating time, but it may lead to battery decay and demand additional cost. To keep the current lower in preheating, it is necessary to explore the effects of pulse current on the cell temperature rise and make full use of the battery’s heat-generating potential. This paper experimentally compared the effects of DC pulse, average (AVG) current, root mean square (RMS) current, pulse frequency, and state of charge (SOC) of the LIBs on its temperature rise rate, respectively. It is found that within the frequency of 1 kHz~10 kHz, the heat generation is affected by all factors above, among which the frequency has less impact while AVG current has the highest impact. During DC pulse discharging, it is shown that there is more entropy heat produced than the Joule heat in some SOC ranges. Therefore, entropy heat cannot be overlooked in the heat generation model. Moreover, as the thermal coefficient of entropy varies greatly with the SOC, the battery temperature rise rate will be inconsistent during the DC pulse discharging, which might cause an inconsistent warm-up time.
Influence of Hydrogen on Vintage Polyethylene Pipes: Slow Crack Growth Performance and Material Properties
Authors: Byrne Nolene , Ghanei Sadeghi , Espinosa Sebastian Manjarres , Neave Michael
Published: February 2023

The distribution of hydrogen and how this can be widely achieved plays a significant role in the transition from fossil fuels to clean fuel. Using the existing natural gas pipeline network can be a suitable option for countries with extensive pipeline infrastructure. This study is aimed at investigating the compatibility of the existing polyethylene (PE) distribution pipe network with hydrogen. This paper utilises the cyclic pennsylvania edge notch test (CPENT) method together with material property measurements including melting point, crystallinity, and oxidative induction time (OIT) to understand the impact of exposing two different PE pipe resins to hydrogen at different exposure times. It was found that exposure to hydrogen has a noticeable impact time to failure, while the bulk crystallinity, OIT, and melting point showed little change. A change in crystal orientation was observed, and this likely accounts for the difference in time to failure when exposed to hydrogen.
On Multiple Positive Solutions for Singular Fractional Boundary Value Problems with Riemann-Stieltjes Integrals
Authors: Gu Lufeng , Zhong Qiuyan , Shao Zhuyan
Published: February 2023

In this paper, the existence result of at least two positive solutions is obtained for a nonlinear Riemann-Liouville fractional differential equation subject to nonlocal boundary conditions, where fractional derivatives and Riemann-Stieltjes integrals are involved. The nonlinearity possesses singularities on both its time and space variables. The discussion is based on the fixed point index theory on cones.
A Hybrid Gravitational Emulation Local Search‐Based Algorithm for Task Scheduling in Cloud Computing
Authors: Praveen S. Phani , Ghasempoor Hesam , Shahabi Negar , Izanloo Fatemeh
Published: February 2023

The flexibility of cloud computing to provide a dynamic and adaptable infrastructure in the context of information technology and service quality has made it one of the most challenging issues in the computer industry. Task scheduling is a major challenge in cloud computing. Scheduling tasks so that they may be processed by the most effective cloud network resources has been identified as a critical challenge for maximizing cloud computing’s performance. Due to the complexity of the issue and the size of the search space, random search techniques are often used to find a solution. Several algorithms have been offered as possible solutions to this issue. In this study, we employ a combination of the genetic algorithm (GA) and the gravitational emulation local search (GELS) algorithm to overcome the task scheduling issue in cloud computing. GA and the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithms are compared to the suggested algorithm to demonstrate its efficacy. The suggested algorithm outperforms the GA and PSO, as shown by the experiments.
Robust Core–Shell Carbon-Coated Silicon-Based Composite Anode with Electrically Interconnected Spherical Framework for Lithium-Ion Battery
Authors: Jo A Hae , Kim So Yeun , Kim Ji Hoon , Kim Yoong Ahm , Yang Cheol-Min
Published: February 2023

Carbon-coated Si/carbon nanotube/graphene oxide (C-Si/CNT/GO) microspheres with a robust core–shell composite structure were successfully fabricated by efficient and scalable spray-drying and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for application as a lithium-ion battery (LIB) anode. The amphiphilic GO nanoparticles facilitated the uniform dispersion of Si nanoparticles by suppressing the CNT aggregation in the Si/CNT/GO microspheres, efficiently forming a robust Si/CNT/GO microsphere composite structure. The surface of the Si/CNT/GO microsphere composite was coated with carbon using CH4 via CVD to enhance its cycling performance. The four building block components, namely, Si nanoparticles, CNTs, and GO nanoparticles as the core and the carbon-coating layers as the shell, provided high electrochemical capacity, excellent electrical conductivity, efficient buffer space for the volume expansion of the Si nanoparticles, and high structural stability during lithiation/delithiation. The C-Si/CNT/GO composite anode also exhibited excellent electrochemical performance with high specific capacity (2921 mAh g–1 at 100 mA g–1), long cycle life (1542 mAh g–1 at 200 mA g–1 after 100 cycles), and high charge/discharge rate (1506 mAh g–1 at 6 A g–1). This approach for fabricating core–shell structured Si-based composite anodes with excellent electrochemical performance will provide a significant breakthrough for developing next-generation LIBs.
Bioinformatic Analysis of PTTG Family and Prognosis and Immune Cell Infiltration in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Li Xiao , Tai Yanghao , Liu Shuying , Gao Yating , Zhang Kaining , Yin Jierong , Zhang Huijuan , Wang Xia , Li Xiaofei , Zhang Dongfeng
Published: February 2023

Gastric cancer is the sixth highest incidence rate in the world. Although treatment has made progress, the prospect of gastric cancer patients is bleak. Difficulties and future prospects of immunotherapy in cancer treatment. Adaptive cell therapy, cancer vaccines, gene therapy, and monoclonal antibody therapy have all been used in gastric cancer with some initial success. PTTGs (pituitary tumor-transforming genes) have been proven to be closely related to the prognosis of many malignant tumors. However, the prognosis and immune cell infiltration of gastric adenocarcinoma (STAD) remain unclear. We retrieved multiple databases to understand the possible activity of PTTGs and their expression in gastric cancer, as well as their relationship with clinical data, overall survival rate, first progression, and survival rate after progression. PTTGs are overexpressed in STAD tumor tissues. Many clinical variables are closely related to PTTGs. In addition, PTTG was associated with overall survival independent of disease. In addition, the expression of PTTG1/2 was positively correlated with the molecular status of the immune checkpoint and negatively correlated with the infiltration of various immune cells. Data research shows that PTTG and STAD are closely related. This paved the way for future research, revealed the complex pathophysiology of gastric cancer, and introduced an effective new treatment.
Triple Homogeneously Weighted Moving Average Charts for Monitoring Process Dispersion
Authors: Khan Majid , Rasheed Zahid , Anwar Syed Masroor , Joseph Namangale Jimmy
Published: February 2023

Homogeneously weighted moving average (HWMA) charts have recently achieved popularity for monitoring small changes in process parameters (location and/or dispersion). Furthermore, the DHWMA (double HWMA) and THWMA (triple HWMA) are the advanced versions of the HWMA charts. The HWMA chart for the process dispersion is designed to detect only the upward (one‐sided) shift (i.e., process deterioration). Employing a two‐sided chart for concurrently detecting both process improvement and process deterioration is an important aspect of statistical process monitoring. By taking this point as motivation, one and two‐sided THWMA charts (symbolized as the THWMAV) are proposed for monitoring the process dispersion. The Monte Carlo simulations are performed to investigate the performance behavior of the THWMAV charts in terms of certain performance indicators, including ARL, SDRL, EQL, RARL, and PCI. The comparison among the THWMAV versus existing charts (DHWMAV, HWMAV, TEWMAV, DEWMAV, and EWMAV) indicates that the THWMAV charts outperform the existing charts. Finally, a dataset is also analyzed to illustrate the implementation of the THWMAV charts.
Ability Grouping of Elderly Individuals Based on an Improved K‐Prototypes Algorithm
Authors: Gao Yanfang , Hu Yanxue , Chu Yuying
Published: February 2023

Elderly individuals with similar abilities are likely to have similar care needs. Abilities are the basis for analysing the need patterns of elderly individuals. Abilities of elderly individuals are both numerical and categorical; therefore, an improved K‐prototypes cluster algorithm for mixed attributes was proposed to group elderly individuals based on abilities. In this algorithm, the dissimilarity measure of categorical attributes is designed to consider not only the difference between the object to be allocated and the prototype of the cluster but also the differ6ence between the object to be allocated and other objects in the cluster and can measure the difference in sequential values of ordinal categorical attributes. Experimental results show that the improved K‐prototypes algorithm performs well for clustering datasets containing mixed attributes. Taking the CHARLS dataset as an example, distinct groups of elderly individuals based on the improved K‐prototypes algorithm showed significant ability differences.
Efficacy Evaluation of the Mahuang‐Fuzi‐Xixin Decoction in Combination with Shenmai Injection for Bradyarrhythmia Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Zhang Zhang , Li Yuxin , Yu Tingting , Yan Meihui , Li Sen
Published: February 2023

Background. Bradyarrhythmia treatment is often not timely enough, posing a potential threat to health. It is necessary to find a strategy with stable curative effects and high safety. Mahuang‐Fuzi‐Xixin (MFX) decoction and Shenmai injection (SMI) are compound Chinese Patent Medicines. Recent evidence has shown that the combined use of these two drugs can effectively treat bradyarrhythmia. Purpose. To evaluate the effect of MFX decoction combined with SMI on bradyarrhythmia. Methods. PRISMA was followed as the guideline for this systematic review. RevMan 5.4 software was applied for meta‐analysis. Results. Eight studies were included in the analysis, with a total of 340 patients in the intervention and control groups. The results of the meta‐analysis showed that the effective rate of MFX combined with SMI treatment was higher than that of SMI alone (OR = 3.27, 95% CI (2.18, 4.89), P < 0.01); after treatment, MFX combined with SMI treatment and SMI alone had no significant difference in heart rate. In the subgroup of patients with an age less than 60, the effect of MFX combined with SMI treatment on the 24‐hour mean heart rate was better than that of SMI alone (MD = 3.68, 95% CI (3.14, 4.22), P < 0.01), as did the 24‐hour minimal heart rate (MD = 3.48, 95% CI (3.03, 3.93), P < 0.01). In addition, the effect of MFX combined with SMI treatment on the Traditional Chinese Medicine syndrome score (TCMSS) was significantly better than that of SMI alone (MD = −2.69, 95% CI (−3.10, −2.28), P < 0.01). In terms of safety, two adverse events were reported in the SMI combined with MFX group compared to 12 in the SMI alone group. Conclusions. MFX combined with SMI treatment is effective in treating bradyarrhythmia. However, the results were heterogeneous. The safety of MFX combined with SMI treatment should be verified and treated with caution.
Artesunate Alleviates Hyperoxia‐Induced Lung Injury in Neonatal Mice by Inhibiting NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation
Authors: Xie Bin , Li Shouye , Bai Wuxia , Li Zheming , Lou Feifeng
Published: February 2023

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic respiratory disease in preterm infants that may cause persistent lung injury. Artesunate exhibits excellent anti‐inflammatory in lung injury caused by various factors. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the artesunate on hyperoxia‐induced lung injury in neonatal mice and its mechanism. A BPD model of hyperoxic lung injury in neonatal mice was established after hyperoxia (75% oxygen) exposure for 14 days, and part of the mice received intraperitoneal injections of the artesunate. H&E staining was used to observe the pathology of lung tissue, and the degree of oxidative stress in the lung tissue was determined by commercial kits. The levels of inflammatory cytokines in the serum and lung tissues of neonatal mice were detected by an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Immunohistochemical experiments were performed to further evaluate the expression of IL‐1β. The real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the mRNA level of the NLRP3 inflammasome. The western blot assay was used to measure the levels of NLRP3 inflammasome and NF‐κB pathway‐related proteins. Artesunate ameliorated weight loss and lung tissue injury in neonatal mice induced by hyperoxia. The level of malondialdehyde was decreased, while the activity of superoxide dismutase and the level of glutathione increased after artesunate treatment. Artesunate reduced the level of inflammation cytokines TNF‐α, IL‐6, and IL‐1β in the serum and lung. Moreover, artesunate inhibited the mRNA expression and protein levels of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase‐1, as well as the phosphorylation of the NF‐κB and IκBα. Our findings suggest that artesunate treatment can attenuate hyperoxia‐induced lung injury in BPD neonatal mice by inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and the phosphorylation of the NF‐κB pathway.
An Efficient Model for Lungs Nodule Classification Using Supervised Learning Technique
Authors: Eid Alazemi Fayez , Jehangir Babar , Imran Muhammad , Song Oh-Young , Karamat Tehmina
Published: February 2023

Lung cancer has the highest death rate of any other cancer in the world. Detecting lung cancer early can increase a patient’s survival rate. The corresponding work presents the method for improving the computer-aided detection (CAD) of nodules present in the lung area in computed tomography (CT) images. The main aim was to get an overview of the latest tools and technologies used: acquisition, storage, segmentation, classification, processing, and analysis of biomedical data. After the analysis, a model is proposed consisting of three main steps. In the first step, threshold values and component labeling of 3D components were used to segment the lung volume. In the second step, candidate nodules are identified and segmented with an optimal threshold value and rule-based trimming. It also selects 2D and 3D features from the candidate segmented node. In the final step, the selected features are used to train the SVM and classify the nodes and classify the non-nodes. To assess the performance of the proposed framework, experiments were performed on the LIDC data set. As a result, it was observed that the number of false positives in the nodule candidate was reduced to 4 FP per scan with a sensitivity of 95%.
Human Activity Recognition Based on a Modified Capsule Network
Authors: Zhu Shanying , Chen Wei , Liu Fulong , Zhang Xiaotao , Han Xiupeng
Published: February 2023

Human activity recognition (HAR) has attracted considerable research attention in the past decade with the development of wearable sensor technology and deep learning algorithms. However, most of the existing HAR methods ignored the spatial relationship of features, which may lead to recognition errors. In this paper, a novel model based on a modified capsule network (MCN) is proposed to accurately recognize various human activities. This novel model is composed of a convolution block and a capsule block, which can achieve end-to-end intelligent recognition. In the meantime, the spatial information among features is preserved through a dynamic routing process. To validate the effectiveness of the model, a human activity dataset is constructed by placing an inertial measurement unit (IMU) on the calf of the volunteers to collect their activity data in daily life, including walking, jogging, upstairs, downstairs, up-ramps, and down-ramps. The recognition accuracy of this novel approach can reach 96.08%, which performs better than the convolutional neural network (CNN) with an accuracy of 91.62%. In addition, it is evaluated on two public datasets named WISDM and UCI-HAR, and the accuracies achieve 98.21% and 95.28%, respectively, which presents higher accuracy than the reported results obtained from benchmark algorithms like CNN. The experimental results show that the proposed model has better activity detection capability and achieves outstanding performance for HAR.
Alleviating Energy Poverty through Renewable Energy Technology: An Investigation Using a Best-Worst Method-Based Quality Function Deployment Approach with Interval-Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy Numbers
Authors: Lu Shengfang , Zhou Jianzhao , Ren Jingzheng
Published: February 2023

Renewable energy technology is suitable for reducing energy consumption and emissions, and the corresponding impact on energy poverty has aroused tremendous attention. This paper proposed the best-worst method- (BWM-) based quality function deployment (QFD) approach within interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy number (IVIFN) to select the appropriate renewable energy technology for energy poverty alleviation. QFD is firstly used to explore the relationship between energy poverty reduction requirements (CRs), renewable energy technology selection criteria (TRs), and correlation among TRs. Interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy (IVIF) BWM is then applied for obtaining the correlation among CRs. After that, the IVIF-QFD method is used to attain the weight of TRs, which are then used to evaluate the renewable energy technology alternatives through IVIF-VIKOR approach. The six representative renewable energy technologies, including wind energy, solar energy, biomass (direct combustion, combined heat and power, and gasification), and hydropower have been selected in the decision model, and the result shows that the large-scale hydropower could be selected as the best choice to reduce the energy poverty issues, whose interval numbers is [0, 0.2925]. Except for prioritization of the selected technologies, findings of this paper could also contribute to developing sustainable renewable energy policies and energy roadmaps.
[Retracted] Storage Method for Medical and Health Big Data Based on Distributed Sensor Network
Authors: Chen Hui , Song Zhao , Yang Feng
Published: February 2023

Monitoring and collecting medical data using embedded medical diagnostic devices with multiple sensors and sending these actual measured data to the corresponding health monitoring centers using multipurpose wireless networks to take necessary measures to coordinate with family medical service centers and regional medical service departments is a popular medical big data architecture. However, healthcare big data is characterized by large data volume, fast growth, multimodality, high value and privacy, etc. How to organize and manage it in a unified and efficient way is an important research direction at present. In response to the problems of low balance and poor security in the storage of data collected by distributed sensor networks in healthcare systems, we propose a distributed storage algorithm for big data in healthcare systems. The platform adopts Hadoop distributed file system and distributed file storage framework as the healthcare big data storage solution, and implements data integration, multidimensional data query and analysis mining components based on Spark‐SQL data query tool, Spark machine learning algorithm library and its mining and analysis pipeline development, respectively. The distributed storage model of big data and three data storage levels are constructed using cloud storage architecture, and the data storage intensity as well as levels are calculated by high data access in the upper level, data connection in the middle level, and data archiving in the lower level according to the set known data granularity, odds, and elasticity to realize big data storage. It is experimentally verified that the above algorithm has high distribution balance and low load balance in the storage process.