bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A NOVEL MODEL FOR EFFECTIVE THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF TREE-LIKE BRANCHING NETWORK WITH FRACTAL ROUGHENED SURFACES
Authors: LIU YONGHUI , LI ZIHAO , XIAO BOQI , CHEN HANXIN , LONG GONGBO
Published: May 2021

The tree-like branching network shows prominent advantages in heat and mass transfer, which has been studied for a long time. In this paper, a novel model for the effective thermal conductivity is proposed for the tree-like branching network with fractal roughened surfaces. The proposed model is a function of structure parameters of the tree-like branching network with fractal roughened surfaces, including the relative roughness ([Formula: see text], the length ratio ([Formula: see text], the diameter ratio ([Formula: see text], the total number of branching levels ([Formula: see text] and the branching number ([Formula: see text]. The influence of structure parameters on the effective thermal conductivity is discussed individually based on the systematic data analysis. It is found that the relative roughness has a clear effect on the thermal conductivity. Furthermore, the effective thermal conductivity decreases with an increase in the relative roughness. It is also seen that the effective thermal conductivity decreases with an increase in the length ratio. In addition, there is an interesting phenomenon that the effective thermal conductivity increases initially and decreases afterwards with an increase in the diameter ratio. The determined dimensionless effective thermal conductivity of the whole tree-like branching network with roughened surfaces is in good agreement with existing model reported in the literature. The proposed model does not include any empirical constant and every parameter has physical meaning, which can better reveal the mechanism of heat transfer in the tree-like branching network.
GROUP ANALYSIS OF THE TIME FRACTIONAL (3 + 1)-DIMENSIONAL KDV-TYPE EQUATION
Authors: LIU JIAN-GEN , YANG XIAO-JUN , GENG LU-LU , FAN YU-RONG
Published: May 2021

Under investigations into this paper is a higher-dimensional model, namely the time fractional [Formula: see text]-dimensional Korteweg–de Vries (KdV)-type equation, which can be usually used to express shallow water wave phenomena. At the beginning, the symmetry of the time fractional [Formula: see text]-dimensional KdV-type equation via the group analysis scheme is obtained. The definition of the fractional derivative in the sense of the Riemann–Liouville is considered. Then, the one-parameter Lie group and invariant solutions of this considered equation are constructed. Subsequently, we applied a direct method to construct the optimal system of one-dimensional of this considered equation. Next, this considered higher-dimensional model can be reduced into the lower-dimensional fractional differential equations (FDEs) with the help of the three-parameter and two-parameter Erdélyi–Kober fractional differential operators (FDOs). Lastly, conservation laws of this discussed equation by using a new conservation theorem are also found. A series of results of the above obtained can provide strong support for us to reveal the mysterious veil of this viewed equation.
The Quality of Mandatory Non-Financial (Risk) Disclosures: The Moderating Role of Audit Firm and Partner Characteristics
Authors: Bozzolan Saverio , Miihkinen Antti
Published: May 2021

Risk disclosures are among the most important types of non-financial information valued by the investors. Risk disclosures are mostly narrative and proprietary in nature; consequently, their accuracy and assurance are highly important to prevent disclosures from becoming boilerplate and losing their relevance. By exploiting the unique features of a setting where risk disclosure is mandatory and under a positive assurance requirement, we investigate whether the quality of audited risk disclosures is associated with the type of audit firm (Big-4 versus non-Big-4), the characteristics of the audit firm, and the attributes of the audit partner. Our results show an association between risk disclosure quality and auditors, but not in the expected ways. After the enforcement of a regulation requiring a detailed description of risks in the Operating and Financial Review (OFR) and a positive assurance of external audit over these disclosures, we do not document any significant Big-4 effect. The quality of risk disclosures is associated with the attributes of the audit partner, namely, familiarity with different client risk disclosures, industry expertise, and gender, independently of an affiliation with a Big-4 audit firm. Along these lines, we extend recent evidence on the audit partner effects in the assurance of non-financial narrative information.
Synthesis of Novel g-C3N4/NH2-MIL-88B(Fe) Composite Photocatalysis for Efficient Ciprofloxacin Degradation Under Simulated Sunlight Irradiation
Authors: Yi Jungang , Wu Kun , Wu Huadong , Guo Jia , Zhang Linfeng , Li Hao , Li Jianding
Published: May 2021

The presence of the antibiotics in the wastewater has posed a huge risk to aquatic life and human health. It is a great significance to develop an effective technology to treat the antibiotics-containing wastewater. In this study, a series of g-C3N4/NH2-MIL-88B(Fe) composite photocatalysts are synthesized through a simple one-step method. The structure and optical properties of prepared photocatalysts are detected by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–Vis absorption spectra (UV–Vis DRS), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and transient photocurrent techniques, respectively. FESEM and TEM show that MOF is uniformly dispersed in petaloid g-C3N4. The uniform dispersion of Fe-MOFs in the heterojunction composites increases the specific surface area ([Formula: see text] of g-C3N4, which results in a great adsorption property for the nanocomposite. The capture experiment shows that [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are the main active substances in ciprofloxacin (CIP) degradation. These prepared composite photocatalysts exhibit excellent CIP photodegradation activity under visibly light irradiation with an apparent rate constant of 0.0127[Formula: see text][Formula: see text] (3.74 times as the rate of single component). The remarkable catalytic performance can be ascribed to the fact that the g-C3N4/NH2-MIL-88B(Fe) heterojunction inhibits the recombination of photoinduced electron–hole pairs and improved the visible light absorption.
A Novel Mini Jet Engine Powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle: Modeling and Control
Authors: Altuğ Erdinç , Türkmen Abdullah
Published: May 2021

Significant progress has been made in recent years on personal air vehicles (PAVs), which offer independent and autonomous urban transportation. On-demand parcel delivery drones and heavy-lift drones are gaining serious attention. Although various designs for these systems have been put forward, they still have not reached sufficient maturity. The current systems provide somehow satisfactory operation, but many of these systems are limited in payload capacity and flight duration, and not suitable for future operations. In this paper, we propose a novel thrust system that uses multiple mini jet engines. Unlike electric motors, the jet engine thrust cannot vary rapidly. This led us to design and develop a thrust vectoring system for each jet engine. This proposed system has the potential to enable drones to carry more payload and achieve longer flight times. This paper discusses the design and modeling of the system as well as the stabilization algorithms that satisfactorily stabilize the proposed system. We presented that due to motor lag, thrust variations cannot stabilize the vehicle. We showed that the use of a thrust vectoring mechanism with LQR-based controller can overcome the effects of motor lag and stabilize the vehicle, successfully.
The success of AdaBoost and its application in portfolio management
Authors: Chuan Yijian , Zhao Chaoyi , He Zhenrui , Wu Lan
Published: May 2021

We develop a novel approach to explain why AdaBoost is a successful classifier. By introducing a measure of the influence of the noise points (ION) in the training data for the binary classification problem, we prove that there is a strong connection between the ION and the test error. We further identify that the ION of AdaBoost decreases as the iteration number or the complexity of the base learners increases. We confirm that it is impossible to obtain a consistent classifier without deep trees as the base learners of AdaBoost in some complicated situations. We apply AdaBoost in portfolio management via empirical studies in the Chinese market, which corroborates our theoretical propositions.
Dynamic financial distress prediction based on class-imbalanced data batches
Authors: Sun Jie , Liu Xin , Ai Wenguo , Tian Qianyuan
Published: May 2021

This study proposes two approaches for dynamic financial distress prediction (FDP) based on class-imbalanced data batches by considering both concept drift and class imbalance. One is based on sliding time window and synthetic minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE) and the other is based on sliding time window and majority class partition. Support vector machine, multiple discriminant analysis (MDA) and logistic regression are used as base classifiers in the experiments on a real-world dataset. The results indicate that the two approaches perform better than the pure dynamic FDP (DFDP) models without class imbalance processing and the static FDP models either with or without class imbalance processing.
Reasoning about Petri Nets: A Calculus Based on Resolution and Dynamic Logic
Authors: Lopes Bruno , Nalon Cláudia , Haeusler Edward Hermann
Published: May 2021

Petri Nets are a widely used formalism to deal with concurrent systems. Dynamic Logics (DLs) are a family of modal logics where each modality corresponds to a program. Petri-PDL is a logical language that combines these two approaches: it is a dynamic logic where programs are replaced by Petri Nets. In this work we present a clausal resolution-based calculus for Petri-PDL. Given a Petri-PDL formula, we show how to obtain its translation into a normal form to which a set of resolution-based inference rules are applied. We show that the resulting calculus is sound, complete, and terminating. Some examples of the application of the method are also given.
[Retracted] Optimization of Multidimensional Clinical Information System for Schizophrenia
Authors: Jiang Yu , Yu Hang , Jiang Jun
Published: May 2021

Schizophrenia is a serious mental disease whose pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated. Its clinical evaluation and diagnosis still highly depend on the clinical experience of doctors. It is of great scientific value and clinical significance to study the inducing factors and neuropathological mechanism of schizophrenia. Based on the four research problems of schizophrenia, this paper analyzes the data types that need to be stored in clinical trials and scientific research, including basic information, case report data, neuropsychological and cognitive function evaluation, magnetic resonance data, electroencephalogram (EEG) data, and intestinal flora data. Through the demand analysis of the system, including the data management part, data analysis part, the functional demand of the system management part, and the overall nonfunctional demand of the system, the overall architecture design, functional module division, and database table structure design of the system are completed. Adopting Browser/Server (B/S) architecture and front‐end and back‐end separation mode and applying Java and Python programming language, based on spring framework and database, a multidimensional information management system for schizophrenia is designed and implemented, which includes four modules: data analysis, data management, system management, and security control. In addition, each functional module of the system is designed and implemented in detail, and the software operation flow of each module is illustrated with the sequence diagram. Finally, the multidimensional data of schizophrenia collected in our laboratory were used for system test to verify whether the system can meet the needs of clinical big data management of schizophrenia and the multidimensional information management system of schizophrenia can meet the needs of clinical big data management. The information management system helps schizophrenic researchers to carry out data management and data analysis. It also has advantages that are easy to use, safe, and efficient and has strong scalability in data management, data analysis, and scalability. It reflects the innovation of the system and provides a good platform for the management, research, and analysis of clinical big data of schizophrenia.
The Role of Platelet‐Rich Fibrin (PRF) in the Prevention of Medication‐Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (MRONJ)
Authors: Miranda Michele , Gianfreda Francesco , Raffone Carlo , Antonacci Donato , Pistilli Valeria , Bollero Patrizio
Published: May 2021

Dentoalveolar surgery is probably the major risk factor for MRONJ and for other complications following a tooth extraction, especially in patients affected by systemic diseases. The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate whether a PRF plug inserted in the post extraction socket can prevent the onset of MRONJ. The patients were divided into two groups according to the surgical protocol that included the insertion or not of the PRF following the extraction and all the anamnestic, and clinical data were analyzed. In the control group, 5 patients developed MRONJ (19.23%) while in the study group, any case of MRONJ was reported. In the control group, patients who developed MRONJ had a CTX with less than 100 pg/mL (5 high‐risk patients, Spearman’s rank r = .547, p < .001). The use of platelet concentrates in patients with high risk of MRONJ is a user‐friendly technique with an excellent cost‐benefit ratio in oral surgery.
Isogeometric Analysis for Active Control of Piezoelectric Functionally Graded Plates in Thermal Environment
Authors: Liu Tao , Jiang Yafen , Li Shujun , Liu Qingyun , Wang Chao
Published: May 2021

An isogeometric analysis (IGA) method is proposed for investigating the active shape and vibration control of functionally graded plates (FGPs) with surface‐bonded piezoelectric materials in a thermal environment. A simple first‐order shear deformation theory (S‐FSDT) with four variables is used to describe the displacement field of the plates. To ensure the investigation of smart piezoelectric structure in the thermal environment closer to the actual situation, a modified piezoelectric constitutive equation with consideration of the temperature effect of dielectric and piezoelectric strain coefficients is implemented to replace the traditional linear piezoelectric constitutive equation. Meanwhile, the neutral surface is adopted to avoid the stretching‐bending coupling. The accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed S‐FSDT‐based IGA method are verified by comparing with several existing numerical examples. Then, the static bending and open‐loop control of the plates under mechanical and thermal loads are further studied. Finally, the active control including static bending control and vibration control of piezoelectric functionally graded plates (PFGPs) is also investigated by using a displacement‐velocity feedback control law.
The Immunomodulatory Effect of the Gut Microbiota in Kidney Disease
Authors: Chi Mingxuan , Ma Kuai , Wang Jing , Ding Zhaolun , Li Yunlong , Zhu Shaomi , Liang Xin , Zhang Qinxiu , Song Linjiang , Liu Chi
Published: May 2021

The human gut microbiota is a complex cluster composed of 100 trillion microorganisms, which holds a symbiotic relationship with the host under normal circumstances. Intestinal flora can facilitate the treatment of human metabolic dysfunctions and interact with the intestinal tract, which could influence intestinal tolerance, immunity, and sensitivity to inflammation. In recent years, significant interests have evolved on the association of intestinal microbiota and kidney diseases within the academic circle. Abnormal changes in intestinal microbiota, known as dysbiosis, can affect the integrity of the intestinal barrier, resulting in the bacterial translocation, production, and accumulation of dysbiotic gut-derived metabolites, such as urea, indoxyl sulfate (IS), and p-cresyl sulfate (PCS). These processes lead to the abnormal activation of immune cells; overproduction of antibodies, immune complexes, and inflammatory factors; and inflammatory cell infiltration that can directly or indirectly cause damage to the renal parenchyma. The aim of this review is to summarize the role of intestinal flora in the development and progression of several renal diseases, such as lupus nephritis, chronic kidney disease, diabetic nephropathy, and renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Further research on these mechanisms should provide insights into the therapeutic potential of regulating intestinal flora and intervening related molecular targets for the abovementioned nephropathy.
The Hermite–Hadamard–Jensen–Mercer Type Inequalities for Riemann–Liouville Fractional Integral
Authors: Wang Hua , Khan Jamroz , Adil Khan Muhammad , Khalid Sadia , Khan Rewayat
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we give Hermite–Hadamard type inequalities of the Jensen–Mercer type for Riemann–Liouville fractional integrals. We prove integral identities, and with the help of these identities and some other eminent inequalities, such as Jensen, Hölder, and power mean inequalities, we obtain bounds for the difference of the newly obtained inequalities.
An Improved Approach for Robust MPC Tuning Based on Machine Learning
Authors: He Ning , Zhang Mengrui , Li Ruoxia
Published: May 2021

A robust tuning method based on an artificial neural network for model predictive control (MPC) of industrial systems with parametric uncertainties is put forward in this work. Firstly, an efficient approach to characterize the mapping relationship between the controller parameters and the robust performance indices is established. As there are normally multiple conflicted robust performance indices to be considered in MPC tuning, the neural network is further used to fuse the indices to produce a simple label representing the acceptable level of the robust performance. Finally, an automated algorithm is proposed to tune the MPC parameters for the considered uncertain system to achieve the desired robust performance. In addition, the regulation of the pH value of the sewage treatment system is used to verify the effectiveness of the robust tuning algorithm which is described in this paper.
Prediction Model for Spontaneous Combustion of Coal around Boreholes Using Bedding Gas Drainage
Authors: Zhao Youxin , Qi Qingjie , Jia Xinlei
Published: May 2021

To accurately and reliably predict the time of spontaneous combustion of fractured coal around a borehole induced by gas drainage along the seam, this study performed an orthogonal test taking the No. 10 Coal Mine of Pingdingshan as the research object, in terms of the suction negative pressure and coal seam buried depth. COMSOL Multiphysics was used to model the orthogonal test results, and a multielement statistical analysis of four factors and their relationships with the spontaneous combustion of coal around the borehole and a single‐factor analysis in line with the site conditions were performed on the modeling results through multiple regression. The results showed a nonlinear regression relationship between the sealing hole length, sealing hole depth, negative pressure, and coal seam depth and the spontaneous combustion of the coal around the gas drainage borehole; the prediction regression model is significant. Taking the field gas drainage in the No. 10 Coal Mine of Pingdingshan as an example, the relationship between the time of spontaneous combustion of gas drainage and the drainage pressure follows a power of two. When the drainage negative pressure is less than 45 kPa, the coal around the borehole is more likely to undergo spontaneous combustion with increasing pressure, and the sealing hole length has a positive linear correlation with the time of spontaneous combustion of the coal around the borehole. When the sealing hole length is 23 m, the time of spontaneous combustion of the coal around the gas drainage hole is >500 days, and the coal around the borehole does not easily undergo spontaneous combustion. When the sealing depth is 15 m, the time of spontaneous combustion of the coal around the gas drainage hole is 76 days, which is most likely to cause spontaneous combustion.
Optimal Economic Modelling of Hybrid Combined Cooling, Heating, and Energy Storage System Based on Gravitational Search Algorithm‐Random Forest Regression
Authors: Nazir Muhammad Shahzad , Din Sami ud , Shah Wahab Ali , Ali Majid , Kharal Ali Yousaf , Abdalla Ahmad N. , Sanjeevikumar Padmanaban
Published: May 2021

The hybridization of two or more energy sources into a single power station is one of the widely discussed solutions to address the demand and supply havoc generated by renewable production (wind‐solar/photovoltaic (PV), heating power, and cooling power) and its energy storage issues. Hybrid energy sources work based on the complementary existence of renewable sources. The combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) is one of the significant systems and shows a profit from its low environmental impact, high energy efficiency, low economic investment, and sustainability in the industry. This paper presents an economic model of a microgrid (MG) system containing the CCHP system and energy storage considering the energy coupling and conversion characteristics, the effective characteristics of each microsource, and energy storage unit is proposed. The random forest regression (RFR) model was optimized by the gravitational search algorithm (GSA). The test results show that the GSA‐RFR model improves prediction accuracy and reduces the generalization error. The detail of the MG network and the energy storage architecture connected to the other renewable energy sources is discussed. The mathematical formulation of energy coupling and energy flow of the MG network including wind turbines, photovoltaic (PV), CCHP system, fuel cell, and energy storage devices (batteries, cold storage, hot water tanks, and so on) are presented. The testing system has been analysed under load peak cutting and valley filling of energy utilization index, energy utilization rate, the heat pump, the natural gas consumption of the microgas turbine, and the energy storage unit. The energy efficiency costs were observed as 88.2% and 86.9% with heat pump and energy storage operation comparing with GSA‐RFR‐based operation costs as 93.2% and 93% in summer and winter season, respectively. The simulation results extended the rationality and economy of the proposed model.
The Accuracy of 16S rRNA Polymerase Chain Reaction for the Diagnosis of Neonatal Sepsis: A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Wang Ying , Zhao Jingyi , Yao Yinhui , Yang Lan , Zhao Dan , Liu Shiquan
Published: May 2021

Objective. To determine the accuracy of 16S rRNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis through a systematic review and meta‐analysis. Methods. Studies involving 16S rRNA PCR tests for the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis were searched in the PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. The methodological quality of the identified studies was evaluated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies‐2 (QUADAS‐2), and the sensitivity, the specificity, the positive likelihood ratio (PLR), the negative likelihood ratio (NLR), the diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and the area under the curve (AUC) of operator characteristic (SROC) curves were determined. Heterogeneity between studies was analyzed by metaregression. Stata 14.0 and Meta‐disc 1.4 software were used for the analyses. Results. This meta‐analysis included 19 related studies. The analysis found a sensitivity of 0.98 (95% CI: 0.85‐1), specificity of 0.94 (95% CI: 0.87‐0.97), PLR of 16.0 (95% CI: 7.6‐33.9), NLR of 0.02 (95% CI: 0.00‐0.18), DOR of 674 (95% CI: 89‐5100), and AUC of 0.99 (95% CI: 0.97‐0.99). Metaregression analysis identified Asian countries, arterial blood in blood samples, and sample size > 200 as the main sources of heterogeneity. This meta‐analysis did not uncover publication bias. Sensitivity analysis showed that the study was robust. Fagan’s nomogram results showed clinical usability. Conclusions. The results from this meta‐analysis indicate that 16S rRNA PCR testing is effective for the rapid diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.
Rewiring Strategy Based on Directed Betweenness to Mitigate Disruptions of Large-Scale Supply Chain Networks
Authors: Xia Hui
Published: May 2021

In current large-scale supply chain networks, unexpected disruptions degrade the supply availability and network connectivity for modern enterprises. How to improve the robustness of supply chain networks is very important for modern enterprises. In this paper, we explore how to improve the robustness of supply chain networks from a topological perspective. Firstly, through the empirical data-driven study, we show that the directed betweenness metric is more suitable than the other topological metrics in evaluating the robustness of supply chain networks. Then, we propose a rewiring algorithm based on directed betweenness to improve network robustness under the impact of disruptions. The experimental results in the large-scale supply chain network show that the rewiring algorithm based on directed betweenness effectively improves the network robustness.
Investigation of the Spectral Properties of a Non-Self-Adjoint Elliptic Differential Operator
Authors: Ghaedrahmati Arezoo , Sameripour Ali
Published: May 2021

Non-self-adjoint operators have many applications, including quantum and heat equations. On the other hand, the study of these types of operators is more difficult than that of self-adjoint operators. In this paper, our aim is to study the resolvent and the spectral properties of a class of non-self-adjoint differential operators. So we consider a special non-self-adjoint elliptic differential operator (Au)(x) acting on Hilbert space and first investigate the spectral properties of space

H

1

=

L

2

Ω

1

. Then, as the application of this new result, the resolvent of the considered operator in

ℓ

-dimensional space Hilbert

H

ℓ

=

L

2

Ω

ℓ

is obtained utilizing some analytic techniques and diagonalizable way.
Gentiopicroside Produces Endothelium‐Independent Vasodilation by Deactivating the PI3K/Akt/Rho‐Kinase Pathway in Isolated Rat Thoracic Aorta
Authors: Xing Shangping , Nong Feifei , Qin Jialiang , Huang Huicai , Zhan Ruoting , Chen Weiwen
Published: May 2021

Gentiopicroside (GPS), a main active secoiridoid glucoside derived from the roots of perennial herbs in the Gentianaceae family, has antispasmodic and relaxant effects. However, the vasorelaxant effects of GPS on aortic rings and the molecular mechanisms involved in these effects are not yet clear. Therefore, we investigated whether GPS inhibits phenylephrine‐ (PE‐) or KCl‐induced contractions in isolated rat thoracic aortic rings. The present study found that GPS produced a dose‐dependent relaxation in aortic rings precontracted with PE or KCl and significantly reduced CaCl2‐, narciclasine‐ (Rho‐kinase activator‐), and phorbol‐12,13‐diacetate‐ (PKC activator‐) induced vasocontractions. Pretreatment with NG‐Nitroarginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L‐NAME, NOS inhibitor), methylene blue (sGC inhibitor), indomethacin (COX inhibitor), 4‐aminopyridine (KV channel inhibitor), and glibenclamide (KATP channel inhibitor) had no influence on the vasorelaxant effect of GPS, while BaCl2 (Kir channel inhibitor), tetraethylammonium chloride (KCa channel inhibitor), ruthenium red (RYR inhibitor), and heparin (IP3R inhibitor) significantly reduced GPS‐induced vasorelaxation. Moreover, GPS pretreatment remarkably inhibited the influx of Ca2+ in vascular smooth muscle cells stimulated using KCl or PE‐containing CaCl2 solution. Western blot analysis confirmed that GPS treatment inhibited PE‐induced increases in the protein levels of p‐Akt, p‐myosin light chain (MLC), and p‐myosin‐binding subunit of myosin phosphatase 1 (MYPT1) in the aortic rings. Additionally, the vasorelaxation activity of GPS was attenuated upon pretreatment with LY294002 (PI3K/Akt inhibitor), Y27632 (Rho‐kinase inhibitor), and verapamil (L‐type Ca2+ channel inhibitor). These findings demonstrate that GPS exhibits endothelium‐independent vasorelaxant effects through inhibition of voltage‐dependent, receptor‐operated, and inositol triphosphate receptor (IP3R)/ryanodine receptor‐ (RYR‐) mediated Ca2+ channels as well as the PI3K/Akt/Rho‐kinase signaling pathway.
Nutritional Composition, Antinutritional Factors, and Utilization Trends of Ethiopian Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)
Authors: Yegrem Lamesgen
Published: May 2021

Chickpeas are a very important legume crop and have an abundant amount of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, fibers, and mineral contents. Most of the time, breeders were focused on the yield and the disease resistance criteria parameters for releasing new varieties, but not that much attention is given to the nutritional quality and quantity aspect. So the objective of this review mainly focuses on giving some hints for breeders and nutritionists on nutritional profiles and effects of traditional processing of different Ethiopian chickpea varieties which may be used for variety selection for the new variety trial and new product development, respectively. Chickpeas have many bioactive compounds, important vitamins, and minerals. Besides having nutritional benefits, the consumption of chickpeas always requires some processing as they have many antinutritional factors. Various traditional processes such as soaking, cooking or boiling, germination, roasting, fermentation, and dehulling have their own effects on the availability of nutrients. Chickpeas are used to make many Ethiopian traditional chickpea-based food products such as nifro, kollo, shiro, dabo, mitad shiro, ashuk, boklet, kita, genfo, injera, and shimbra-asa by using different processing methods. Chickpeas have several potential health beneficial effects on some of the important human diseases like cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, digestive diseases, and cancers. This review summarized that different Ethiopian chickpea varieties have significant differences in the nutritional composition profiles between different varieties grown in Ethiopia and are an excellent source of micronutrients and macronutrients.
Strategies to Locate Lost Persons with Dementia: A Case Study of Ontario First Responders
Authors: Neubauer N. A. , Miguel-Cruz A. , Liu L.
Published: May 2021

Information on strategies and practices in the search of missing persons with dementia is inconsistent which creates challenges for first responders, such as police, when they choose appropriate search and rescue approaches. The purpose of this study was to describe current strategies among police services in Ontario. Telephone interviews with police were conducted. Questions included what strategies were used for locating missing persons living with dementia, and what gaps exist in search practices. Participants described they used high- and low-tech solutions in search and rescue. They identified gaps in education and awareness, proactive strategies, resources, and funding. Information collected from the interviews was used to develop a practice guideline for police in partnership with the Alzheimer Society of Ontario.
Corrosion Evaluation of Pure Mg Coated by Fluorination in 0.1 M Fluoride Electrolyte
Authors: Dai Chun Yu , Gao Xinzhe , Zhai ChuanYao , Jia Qi , Zhao Bing Cheng , Shi HaoYu , Gao Qingting , Cai HongXin , Lee Eui-Seok , Jiang Heng Bo
Published: May 2021

In the ongoing research on the application of biodegradable materials, surface treatment of is considered to be a relatively effective solution to the excessive degradation rates of Mg alloys. In this study, to further optimize the proven effective surface coatings of fluoride, a low-voltage preparation fluorination method was used to achieve coating effectiveness under safer conditions. Optical observation, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and potential dynamic polarization (PDP) experiments were used for the analysis and evaluation. The coating characteristics of the MgF2 coatings treated in the 10–90 V voltage range, including the structure, chemical conformation, and electrochemical corrosion assessment, were fully defined. The anodic fluoridation results showed that a pore structure of 1–14 μm thickness was formed on the Mg alloy substrate, and the coating was composed of Mg fluoride. The results of immersion corrosion and electrochemical corrosion experiments showed that compared with pure Mg, anodic fluorinated samples below 40 V exhibited better corrosion resistance, the prepared MgF2 coating was more uniform, and the surface mostly exhibited point corrosion. When the voltage reached or exceeded 60 V, the prepared coating exhibited poor corrosion resistance, fracture, and protrusions. After corrosion, it mostly exhibited surface corrosion. The results indicate that idealized coatings can be obtained at relatively low and safe voltage ranges. This finding may enable more economical, environmentally friendly, and safe preparation of coatings.
Centrifuge Model Tests of the Effect of the Ground Motion Coherence Function on the Amplification of a Saturated Soil–Water Site
Authors: Song Xijun , Liu Juan , Lan Jingyan , Wang Ting
Published: May 2021

Two sets of dynamic centrifugal model tests were designed and implemented in this study: the overlying waterless surface and the water-covered surface. Based on the use of the El Centro waves with different intensities as the base input, the seismic time history at the surface of two sets of free site models was obtained. According to the results of the site response at two sets of the free site surface obtained with a traditional spectral ratio, the coherence functions at the surface and the base were used to modify the traditional spectral ratio for analysis and to evaluate the effect of the ground motion coherence function for site amplification. The modal characteristics and the amplification effect of a typical saturated soil water free site were summarized at the same time. The results showed that the ground response results of the two groups of typical free site centrifugal models were greatly influenced by the coherence function. In the low frequency phase, the coherence function of the amplification spectrum of the site response decreased significantly, while in the high frequency phase, the decrease trend decreased. The coherence function had a significant effect on the first-order mode of the free site. The first-order mode frequency and the amplification factor of a typical free site could be identified effectively. Compared with the saturated land free site model, the saturated soil water free site model had higher-order modes due to the overlying water. It was shown that the overlying water, as part of a complex medium system, could be ignored in the site response and basic cycle estimation.
Experimental Study on the Shear Performance of Steel‐Truss‐Reinforced Concrete Beam‐Column Joints
Authors: Cao Dafu , Liu Jiaqi , Ge Wenjie , Qian Rui
Published: May 2021

In order to study the influence of the axial compression ratio and steel ratio on the shear‐carrying capacity of steel‐truss‐reinforced beam‐column joints, five shear failure interior joint specimens were designed. The effect of different coaxial pressure ratios (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3) and steel contents on the strain, ultimate bearing capacity, seismic performance, and failure pattern of cross‐inclined ventral and chord bars in the joint core area was investigated. The experimental results show that the load‐displacement hysteretic curves of all test specimens exhibit a bond‐slip phenomenon. With the increase of the axial compression ratio, the ultimate bearing capacity of the joint core increases by 3.4% and 5.9%, respectively. While the ductility decreases by 10.3% and 13.1%, and the energy consumption capacity decreases by 3.2% and 5.8%, respectively. The shear capacity and ductility of the member with cross diagonal ventral steel angle in the joint core are increased by 12.9% and 13.4%, respectively. The shear capacity and ductility of the joint can be significantly improved by increasing the amount of steel in the core area. The expression of shear capacity suitable for this type of joint is obtained by fitting analysis, which can be used as a reference for engineering design.
SDN Controller Deployment for QoS Guarantees in Tactical Ad Hoc Networks
Authors: Yan Xin , Hu Xiaodong , Liu Wen
Published: May 2021

Tactical ad hoc networks (TANET) accomplish the corresponding tasks via a hopeful device‐to‐device connection mechanism for data transmission and resource management without a centralized foundation. Software‐defined networking (SDN) provides an evolution from the previous networks by decoupling the network control from data forwarding and providing a novel paradigm for network handling. Nevertheless, a SDN‐based strategy in TANET leads to various novel problems since the primary construction cannot be employed in mobile ad hoc networks anymore. In this paper, a new SDN‐based structure is constructed for TANET. Then, both delay and energy consumption (EC) are utilized to model the controller deployment and data‐plane assignment problems, by which quality‐of‐service (QoS) guarantees are realized. Afterwards, mixed‐integer programming (MIP) is adopted to solve the mentioned model. Finally, according to the experimental outcomes, it can be observed that the presented approach ensures the data‐plane delay and optimizes the EC.
Stimulation of AMPK Prevents Diabetes‐Induced Photoreceptor Cell Degeneration
Authors: Song Shiyu , Bao Shuyin , Zhang Chenghong , Zhang Jinwei , Lv Jiajun , Li Xiaoyu , Chudhary Maryam , Ren Xiang , Kong Li
Published: May 2021

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a kind of severe retinal neurodegeneration. The advanced glycation end products (AGEs) affect autophagy, and mitochondrial function is involved in DR. Adenosine‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an important metabolic sensor that can regulate energy homeostasis in cells. However, the effect of AMPK in DR is still not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of AMPK on diabetes‐induced photoreceptor cell degeneration. In vivo, a diabetic mouse model was established by streptozotocin (STZ) injection. Haematoxylin‐eosin (HE) staining was used to observe retinal morphology and measure the thicknesses of different layers in the retina. Electroretinogram (ERG) was used to evaluate retinal function. In vitro, 661w cells were treated with AGEs with/without an AMPK agonist (metformin) or AMPK inhibitor (compound C). Flow cytometry and CCK‐8 assays were used to analyse apoptosis. Mitochondrial membrane potential was analysed by JC‐1. Western blotting and qRT‐PCR were used to examine the expression of related proteins and genes, respectively. The wave amplitude and the thickness of the outer nuclear layer were decreased in diabetic mice. The expression of rhodopsin and opsin was also decreased in diabetic mice. In vitro, the percentage of apoptotic cells was increased, the expression of the apoptosis‐related protein Bax was increased, and Bcl‐2 was decreased after AGE treatment in 661w cells. The expression of the autophagy‐related protein LC3 was decreased, and p62 was increased. The mitochondrial‐related gene expression and membrane potential were decreased, and mitochondrial morphology was abnormal, as observed by TEM. However, AMPK stimulation ameliorated this effect. These results indicate that AMPK stimulation can delay diabetes‐induced photoreceptor degeneration by regulating autophagy and mitochondrial function.
Surface Functionalization of Graphene Oxide with Polymer Brushes for Improving Thermal Properties of the Polymer Matrix
Authors: Wang Shuangshuang , Chi Houfang , Chen Lin , Li Wei , Li Yuchao , Li Guang , Ge Xiangcai
Published: May 2021

In this work, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) with controlled structures would be grafted on graphene material. The hybrid materials were prepared by coating graphene oxide (GO) with polydopamine (PDA) as a reactive underlayer and reducing agent, subsequently, surface-initiated polymerization of monomers (methyl methacrylate, styrene) based on the activators regenerated electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET-ATRP) technique. The polymer brush-modified graphene materials were then incorporated into the PMMA or PS matrix to get polymer nanocomposites with better thermal properties. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrated that PMMA and PS chains were successfully anchored on the surfaces of functionalized GO sheets. The influence of the grafted polymer brush-modified GO on thermal stability of PMMA and PS was investigated by a simultaneous thermal analyzer. Thermal conductivity of the polymer nanocomposite was determined by a conductive calorimeter. The results showed that thermal stability, glass transition temperature (

T

g

), and thermal conductivity of the polymer nanocomposites were obviously improved compared with pure PMMA or PS.
[Retracted] A Detailed Research on Human Health Monitoring System Based on Internet of Things
Authors: Ru Lei , Zhang Bin , Duan Jing , Ru Guo , Sharma Ashutosh , Dhiman Gaurav , Gaba Gurjot Singh , Jaha Emad Sami , Masud Mehedi
Published: May 2021

The technological advent in smart sensing devices and the Internet has provided practical solutions in various sectors of networking, public and private sector industries, and government organizations worldwide. This study intends to combine the Internet of Things (IoT) technology with health monitoring to make it personalized and timely through allowing the interconnection between the devices. This work is aimed at exploring various wearable health monitoring modules that people wear to monitor heart rate, blood pressure, pulse, body temperature, and physiological information. The information is acquired using the wireless sensor to create a health monitoring system. The data is integrated using the Internet of Things for processing, connecting, and computing to achieve real‐time monitoring. The temperature of three people measured by the temperature thermometer is 36.4, 36.7, and 36.5 (°C), respectively, and the average acquired by the monitoring system of the three people is 36.5, 36.4, and 36.5 (°C), respectively, indicating that the system demonstrated relatively accurate and stable testability. The user’s ECG is displayed clearly and conveniently using the ECG acquisition system. The pulse rate of the three people tested by the system is 78, 78, and 79 (times/min), respectively, similar to the medical pulse meter results. The physiological information acquired using the semantic recognition, matching system, and character matching system is relatively accurate. It concludes that the human health monitoring system based on the Internet of Things can provide people with daily health management, instrumental in heightening health service quality and level.
Distinct Murine Pancreatic Transcriptomic Signatures during Chronic Pancreatitis Recovery
Authors: Zhang Yinjie , Yang Baibing , Davis Joy M. , Drake Madeline M. , Younes Mamoun , Shen Qiang , Zhao Zhongming , Cao Yanna , Ko Tien C.
Published: May 2021

We have previously demonstrated that the pancreas can recover from chronic pancreatitis (CP) lesions in the cerulein-induced mouse model. To explore how pancreatic recovery is achieved at the molecular level, we used RNA-sequencing (seq) and profiled transcriptomes during CP transition to recovery. CP was induced by intraperitoneally injecting cerulein in C57BL/6 mice. Time-matched controls (CON) were given normal saline. Pancreata were harvested from mice 4 days after the final injections (designated as CP and CON) or 4 weeks after the final injections (designated as CP recovery (CPR) and control recovery (CONR)). Pancreatic RNAs were extracted for RNA-seq and quantitative (q) PCR validation. Using RNA-seq, we identified a total of 3,600 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in CP versus CON and 166 DEGs in CPR versus CONR. There are 132 DEGs overlapped between CP and CPR and 34 DEGs unique to CPR. A number of selected pancreatic fibrosis-relevant DEGs were validated by qPCR. The top 20 gene sets enriched from DEGs shared between CP and CPR are relevant to extracellular matrix and cancer biology, whereas the top 10 gene sets enriched from DEGs specific to CPR are pertinent to DNA methylation and specific signaling pathways. In conclusion, we identified a distinct set of DEGs in association with extracellular matrix and cancer cell activities to contrast CP and CPR. Once during ongoing CP recovery, DEGs relevant to DNA methylation and specific signaling pathways were induced to express. The DEGs shared between CP and CPR and the DEGs specific to CPR may serve as the unique transcriptomic signatures and biomarkers for determining CP recovery and monitoring potential therapeutic responses at the molecular level to reflect pancreatic histological resolution.