bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Photothermoelastic Interactions in Silicon Microbeams Resting on Linear Pasternak Foundation Based on DPL Model
Authors: Zakaria Kadry , Sirwah Magdy A. , Abouelregal Ahmed E. , Rashid Ali F.
Published: September 2021

In this work, the photothermal interactions in semiconductor microbeams during the photo-thermo-elastic process have been investigated using the generalized photothermal theory. The proposed mathematical model is constructed based on the Euler–Bernoulli model, the heat equation with two-phase lag and coupled plasma wave equation that indicates the prediction of thermal, elastic and photovoltaic effects in the microbeam resonators. Based on the introduced model, the dynamic influence of thermoelastic photovoltaic microbeam resting on an elastic foundation medium with two parameters has been studied. The Winkler foundation parameter is one of these parameters while the second is the shear foundation parameter. In the field of Laplace transform, the governing equations have been solved while the inverse transforms are found numerically using a tried-and-true approximation technique based on Fourier transform series. The numerical calculations of thermophysical field variables have been discussed and graphically presented. The effects of the magnetic field, Winkler and shear foundation parameters, and lifetime of photogenerated electron have been investigated and studied in detail. Comparisons have been made between the proposed model and previous models that have been derived as special cases from the presented results.
Modeling Mixed Lubrication in Point and Line Contact by Non-Normalized Discretization
Authors: He Dong , Dong Qingbing , Zhao Guman
Published: September 2021

This study aims to investigate the numerical behaviors of the mixed lubrication model in point contact and three-dimensional (3D) line contact based on the non-normalized discretization, in which the dimensional Reynolds equation is discretized according to the full analysis of the pressure balance. The solution is iteratively obtained from an initial value by the analysis of the dry contact and the model is capable of both the steady-state and the time-dependent lubrication in a large range of entrainment velocity. The transient solutions of the startup and shutdown processes in point contacts are compared with those experimentally measured and good consistency is achieved, and effects of the time intervals on lubrication evolution are numerically investigated. The algorithm developed in this study enables its application for the elliptical lubrication without ellipticity parameters specified. The contact of a roller with a flat surface is presented to demonstrate the generality of the point-contact model and the effects of roughness orientation are also revealed. The numerical errors of the 3D-line lubrication brought by the formulation of the solution matrix are then discussed in detail, comparing with the solutions of the two-dimensional (2D) lubrication model. It is concluded that the hydrodynamic effect along the extending direction plays an important role in the lubrication when surfaces with transversely oriented roughness are concerned and the 3D model may provide a more reasonable solution. The 2D lubrication model, nevertheless, may provide a relatively accurate solution along a specified line for the longitudinal roughness while consuming less computational time.
Dynamic Analysis of Vibration Reduction and Energy Harvesting Using a Composite Cantilever Beam with Galfenol and a Nonlinear Energy Sink
Authors: Zhang Ye-Wei , Gao Chuan-Qi , Zhang Zhen , Zang Jian
Published: September 2021

This paper explores a new method for vibration control and energy harvesting by coupling a nonlinear energy sink (NES) with a cantilever beam containing giant magnetostrictive material. A mathematical model of the principal linear system under the action of an external harmonic force is established, and the dynamic equation of the system is derived using Newton’s second law, Hamilton’s principle, and nonlinear boundary conditions. The displacement responses of the system as functions of time and of frequency are obtained by using the Runge–Kutta method and harmonic balance method. The analytic results are found to be consistent with the numerical solution, confirming the accuracy and reliability of the calculated results. The frequency response and time response of the system with and without NES coupling, and with other parameters unchanged, were compared. The results show that the proposed structure can achieve excellent vibration suppression. The energy harvesting effect of the system as a function of time is also analyzed by the Runge–Kutta method, comparing results for different values of parameters such as NES mass, nonlinear spring stiffness, and damping coefficient. The results indicate that the proposed structure can achieve the desired effects of vibration reduction and energy harvesting, and that results can be optimized by adjusting the relevant parameters.
A Novel Inverse Procedure Via Creating TubeNet with Constraint Autoencoder for Feature-Space Dimension-Reduction
Authors: Duan Shuyong , Hou Zhiping , Han Xu , Liu Guirong
Published: September 2021

TubeNet has the simplest possible tubular configuration with the uniform number of neurons in all layers and enables explicit inversion. To create a TubeNet, dimension-reduction is a prerequisite for the inverse problems so that the numbers of neurons in the input and output layerscan be made the same. This study introduces a novel procedure to construct inverse TubeNets. The proposed procedure has three major sequential steps. (1) An autoencoder will be used to extract the necessary number of features from a large number of features in a high-dimensional space; (2) Constraints will be imposed to the autoencoder guided by the concepts of the principal component analysis (PCA), so that the extracted features possess the important orthogonality; (3) An L2 regularizer is proposed to adequately impose these constraints on the off-diagonal entries in the weight matrix of the autoencoder, ensuring quality orthogonality. The benchmark problems of inverse identification of material constants of composite laminated plates are used to evaluate the effect of the present TubeNet procedure with the constraint autoencoder, standard autoencoder and PCA, implemented in TubeNet. The study shows that the present constrained autoencoder can effectively overcome the shortcomings of PCA and standard autoencoder, and offers an effective way for dimension-reduction for inverse TubeNet.
Forces of RBC interaction with single endothelial cells in stationary conditions: Measurements with laser tweezers
Authors: Kapkov Arseniy A. , Semenov Alexey N. , Ermolinskiy Petr B. , Lugovtsov Andrei E. , Priezzhev Alexander V.
Published: September 2021

Red blood cells (RBCs) are able to interact and communicate with endothelial cells (ECs). Under some pathological or even normal conditions, the adhesion of RBCs to the endothelium can be observed. Presently, the mechanisms and many aspects of the interaction between RBCs and ECs are not fully understood. In this work, we considered the interaction of single RBCs with single ECs in vitro aiming to quantitatively determine the force of this interaction using laser tweezers. Measurements were performed under different concentrations of proaggregant macromolecules and in the presence or absence of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-[Formula: see text]) activating the ECs. We have shown that the strength of interaction depends on the concentration of fibrinogen or dextran proaggregant macromolecules in the environment. A nonlinear increase in the force of cells interaction (from 0.4 pN to 21 pN) was observed along with an increase in the fibrinogen concentration (from 3[Formula: see text]mg/mL to 9[Formula: see text]mg/mL) in blood plasma, as well as with the addition of dextran macromolecules (from 10[Formula: see text]mg/mL to 60[Formula: see text]mg/mL). Dextran with a higher molecular mass (500[Formula: see text]kDa) enhances the adhesion of RBCs to ECs greater compared to the dextran with a lower molecular mass (70[Formula: see text]kDa). With the preliminary activation of ECs with TNF-[Formula: see text], the force of interaction increases. Also, the adhesion of echinocytes to EC compared to discocytes is significantly higher. These results may help to better understand the process of interaction between RBCs and ECs.
Catalan transform of the incomplete Jacobsthal numbers and incomplete generalized Jacobsthal polynomials
Authors: Özkan Engi̇n , Uysal Mi̇ne , Kuloğlu Bahar
Published: September 2021

We introduce the Catalan transform of the Incomplete Jacobsthal numbers. We apply the Hankel transform to the Catalan transforms of these numbers. We calculate determinants of matrixes formed with [Formula: see text]by using Hankel transform. Then we define the incomplete h(x)-Jacobsthal polynomials. Then we examine the recurrence relation and some properties of these polynomials.
Water Scarcity and Conflict Between Upstream and Downstream Riparian Countries
Authors: Yousef Sahar Farid
Published: September 2021

More than one-quarter of the world’s population lives in water-scarce areas, while most countries share at least one transboundary river. If water scarcity is this prevalent, should we expect riparian countries to fight over the water allocation of shared rivers? To answer this question, I develop a modified one-shot three-stage river-sharing game where countries can resort to force to solve their water allocation problem. Using backward induction, I solve for the probability of the downstream country initiating conflict against the upstream country and the likelihood of the latter responding with force to the former’s hostile actions. I test the model empirically using a set of all upstream–downstream riparian dyads with available data from AQUASTAT and the Correlates of War Project for the years 1960–2010. The main contribution of this paper is that it demonstrates how upstream and downstream riparian countries differ in their decision to use force against the other country when experiencing water scarcity. I find that water scarcity increases the likelihood of the downstream country initiating the conflict, but it has no effect on the upstream country’s likelihood of responding with force. If history is a predictor of the future, then the results imply that as more riparian countries become water-scarce, militarized conflicts between upstream and downstream countries are likely to increase, especially if there is heterogeneity in water availability between the riparian dyad.
α1-Antitrypsin A treatment attenuates neutrophil elastase accumulation and enhances insulin sensitivity in adipose tissue of mice fed a high-fat diet
Authors: D’Souza Randall F. , Masson Stewart W. C. , Woodhead Jonathan S. T. , James Samuel L. , MacRae Caitlin , Hedges Christopher P. , Merry Troy L.
Published: September 2021

Neutrophils accumulate in peripheral tissues during obesity and are critical coordinators of tissue inflammatory responses. Here, we provide evidence that inhibition of the primary neutrophil protease, neutrophil elastase, with α1-antitrypsin A (A1AT) can improve insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis of mice fed a high-fat diet. This was attributed to improved insulin-induced IRS-1 phosphorylation in white adipose tissue and provides further support for a role of neutrophils in mediating diet-induced peripheral tissue insulin resistance.
Central Retinal Artery Occlusion Associated with Sildenafil Overdose
Authors: Abrishami Mojtaba , Hosseini Seyedeh Maryam , Mohseni Hamid , Razavi Majid , Ghaffarian Mashhadi Nejad Amir , Baghi Yazdi Mohammad , Zamani Ghodsieh
Published: September 2021

Background. To report a patient with central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) associated with sildenafil overdose. Case Presentation. A forty-two-year-old male presented three hours after sudden painless visual loss in the right eye. BCVA was counting finger in two meters, and relative afferent pupillary defect was positive. Fundus examination revealed retinal whiteness except in a limited area of papillomacular bundle and cherry red spot. He consumed two 100 mg film-coated sildenafil tablet (Vizarsin, Krka, d.d., Novo mesto, Slovenia) twelve hours apart, and the last one was six hours before visual loss. He was diagnosed with CRAO with cilioretinal artery sparing. Although we did not find any emboli, anterior chamber paracentesis was done. Four weeks later, BCVA improved to 20/80, with resolving of retinal edema. Cardiovascular, carotid arteries, and neurologic evaluations were negative for any predisposing factor. Conclusion. CRAO is a vision threatening condition that might be associated with the overdose of sildenafil.
Optimization of 110 m Aperture Fully Steerable Radio Telescope Prestressed Back Frame Structure Based on a Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Gao Ge , Zhang Kai , Sun Shiru
Published: September 2021

Radio telescopes play an important role in lunar exploration projects, manned space flight projects, and navigation systems. China is constructing a giant 110 m aperture ground‐based fully steerable radio telescope in Qitai County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. In this paper, a 110 m aperture fully steerable radio telescope prestressed back frame structure is proposed and optimized to improve the reflector accuracy and to reduce the weight of the telescope. First, prestressed cables are introduced into the back frame structure, and three innovative cable layout schemes are presented. Second, for stress state analysis, the wind pressure distribution on the main reflector is explored using wind tunnel experiments. Third, some improvements in genetic algorithms for addressing computational complexity are explained. Finally, the effects of prestressed cables on the weight reduction and reflector accuracy improvement are analysed. Additionally, in order to evaluate the safety of the prestressed back frame structure, its strength has been checked, and the internal force and displacement under static conditions and in earthquakes are interpreted in detail.
Progressive Damage Process and Failure Characteristics of Coal under Uniaxial Compression with Different Loading Rates
Authors: Zhu Chuanqi , Li Shaobo , Luo Yong , Guo Biao
Published: September 2021

To study the effect of loading rate on the progressive damage and failure characteristics of coal, an ultrasonic detector and a camera were used to measure the P‐wave velocity and record the failure process of cuboid coal samples in uniaxial compression tests with five loading rates. The mechanical properties, damage process, and failure characteristics of the samples were analysed, and the mechanism of the advancing velocity of the working face in coal failure was discussed. The results show that, as the loading rate increases, the peak strength of the sample generally shows an increasing trend, but the elastic modulus changes irregularly. The sample is more prone to local failure before the peak strength. An increase in the loading rate rapidly promotes damage in the sample and accelerates the transition from internal damage to macroscopic failure, with no obvious effect on the ratio of damage threshold to corresponding peak strength. At low loading rates, the samples mainly experienced static failure; the failure form was spalling, and the failure range was wide. At high loading rates, the samples were prone to dynamic failure in the local area, manifested as the ejection of slabs and debris. A greater loading rate produced smaller and thinner slabs and a greater ejection velocity. Properly increasing the advancing velocity of the working face is conducive to reducing spalling to prevent large‐area roof fall, but it may increase the possibility of coal burst in local areas. The results of this study provide a reference for roof control and coal burst disaster prevention on the working face in deep coal mining.
Flaxseed Oil Supplementation Augments Antioxidant Capacity and Alleviates Oxidative Stress: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Musazadeh Vali , Jafarzadeh Jaber , Keramati Majid , Zarezadeh Meysam , Ahmadi Mahshid , Farrokhian Zohreh , Ostadrahimi Alireza
Published: September 2021

Objective. Studies have reported controversial findings regarding the flaxseed oil effect on antioxidant status biomarkers. The present meta-analysis aimed to determine the impact of flaxseed oil on the serum level of biomarkers of oxidative stress. Methods. A systematic search was conducted up to November 2020 on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Central Library. Random-effects model was employed to perform meta-analysis. Subgroup analysis was carried out to determine the effect across different ranges of dosages and durations. Results. Eight trials were included with a total sample size of 429 individuals with a mean age range of 25 to 70 years. The results indicated that flaxseed oil supplementation led to a significant decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (SMD: −0.52 μmol/L; 95% CI: −0.89, −0.15;

P
=
0.006

, I2 = 71.3,

P
<
0.001

) and increase in total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels (WMD: 82.84 mmol/L; 95% CI: 19.80, 145.87;

P
=
0.006

, I2 = 92.7,

P
<
0.001

). No significant effect was observed on glutathione (GSH). Conclusion. Our findings revealed that flaxseed oil supplementation might play a beneficial role in the reinforcement of the antioxidant defense system and amelioration of oxidative stress in adults.
Cost-Efficient LEO Navigation Augmentation Constellation Design under a Constrained Deployment Approach
Authors: Ren Jing , Sun Dan , Pan Deng , Li Mingtao , Zheng Jianhua
Published: September 2021

The advantages of the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite include low-latency communications, shorter positioning time, higher positioning accuracy, and lower launching, building, and maintenance costs. Thus, the introduction of LEO satellite constellation as a regional navigation augmentation system for the current navigation constellations is studied in this paper. To achieve the navigation performance requirement with the least system cost, a synthetic approach is presented to design and deploy a cost-efficient LEO navigation augmentation constellation over 108 key cities. To achieve lower construction costs, the constellation is designed to be deployed by constrained piggyback launches, which brings additional complexity to the constellation design. Two optimization models with discrete and continuous performance indices are established. They are solved by the genetic algorithm and differential evolution algorithm, and both Walker and Flower constellations are adopted. Results for 77 and 70 satellites are obtained. During the construction phase, a synthesis procedure containing five impulses is proposed by utilizing natural drift under

J

2

perturbation. This work presents a method for designing the optimal LEO navigation constellation under a constraint deployment approach with the lowest construction cost and a strategy to deploy the constellation economically.
Evolutionary Game Analysis of Online Shopping Quality Control: The Roles of Risk Attitude and Government Supervision
Authors: Wen Decheng , Yan Dongwei , Sun Xiaojing , Chen Xiao
Published: September 2021

The product quality issues of online shopping have not been effectively solved with the rapid development of electronic commerce in China. Faced with the quality issues of online shopping, the main entities, such as online platforms and online sellers, should cooperate to control and assure compliant quality. The adverse selection of buyers caused by information asymmetry and the moral hazard of sellers aggravated by bilateral markets make the quality management of online shopping have a high degree of uncertainty and complexity. This study constructs an evolutionary game model to discuss the dynamic process of the quality behaviours of members and analyse the key triggers of the evolutionary directions in online shopping. By using numerical simulation analysis, the influences of government supervision intensities on the evolution trend of members’ quality behaviours are analysed with various risk attitude combinations in various cases. The current research finds that (1) the decrease of the quality control cost and the increase of the government’s benchmark fine are conducive to increasing the platform’s controlling probability; (2) the decrease of the proportion of rent and the increase of sellers’ fraud cost and the government’s benchmark fines are conducive to increasing the seller’s compliance probability; (3) when both the platform and seller are unwilling to make efforts for quality assurance, risk‐seeking members make the seller gradually choose to provide compliant products; and (4) when the members are all risk‐seeking, strengthening government supervision will help promote the transition of members’ behavioural choices in a benign direction. This paper enriches the theoretical research studies on both online product quality control and government‐led social governance system of quality. Suggestions for government supervision and e‐commerce entities are also provided for quality assurance and improvement.
SAPHO Syndrome Mimicking Infectious Spondylodiscitis and Bone Metastasis
Authors: Biuden S. , Maatallah K. , Riahi H. , Ferjani H. , Kaffel M. D. , Hamdi W.
Published: September 2021

The acronym SAPHO (synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis) includes diseases with similar osteoarticular manifestations and skin conditions. Making this diagnosis is not always obvious, especially when the clinical presentation does not fit the typical pattern of the disease or it occurs in a particular field. We described three cases where the diagnosis was difficult. A 46 year-old woman presented with cervical pain. The cervical X-ray showed the aspect of an ivory C5 vertebra. The patient had, however, preserved general condition, no signs of underlying neoplasia, nor other joint complaints. Blood analysis was normal. Tomography did not find any suspect lesion but showed sclerosis and hyperostosis of the manubrium. Scintigraphy showed the characteristic “bullhead” appearance. A 61-year-old woman had thoracic and lumbar pain. MRI showed spondylodiscitis in D3-D4, D4-D5, D5-D6, D6-D7, and L1-L2 with paraspinal soft tissue involvement, simulating infectious spondylodiscitis. Infectious investigations and discovertebral biopsy performed twice were negative. SAPHO syndrome was then suspected. Bone scintigraphy showed uptake in the chondrosternal articulations and D4 to D7 vertebrae. The diagnosis of SAPHO was established. The third case was a 46-year-old man with a lung adenocarcinoma. Staging for metastatic disease, a TAP tomography was performed and showed osteosclerosis of D8 to D12 and intra-articular bridges in the sacroiliac joints. MRI and scintigraphy eliminated malignancy and confirmed the diagnosis of SAPHO. In our cases, imaging findings could facilitate differentiating SAPHO syndrome from other diseases.
Effect of Acupuncture on Gut-Brain Axis Parameters in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: A Study Protocol for a Randomized, Participant- and Assessor-Blind, Sham-Controlled Trial
Authors: Kim Jundong , Kwon Soon-Kyeong , Lee In-Seon , Yeom Mijung , Hahm Dae-Hyun , Park Hi-Joon , Kim Kyuseok
Published: September 2021

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a relapsing and remitting chronic inflammatory skin disease for which a variety of etiological factors are involved. Treatment strategies should be multifaceted and have few side effects. In this respect, acupuncture has become increasingly popular as a safe, consistently effective, and drug-free therapy that treats multiple AD symptoms. We aim to not only verify the effectiveness of acupuncture but also suggest patient-specific response determinants and a new underlying mechanism implicating the gut-brain axis. We have designed a randomized, participant-blinded, sham-controlled clinical trial for 60 mild to moderate AD patients. In a previous study, we observed that the clinical skin symptoms of AD were closely associated with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. From these findings, we developed an intervention with six acupuncture points: three for AD symptoms and three for GI symptoms. Also, since high responders and low responders to the acupuncture treatment could be identified in the previous study, we now aim to explore response-determining factors, with a particular focus on GI symptoms. Therefore, we will precisely evaluate not only AD symptoms using the SCORAD, EASI, and DLQI tools, but also GI symptoms using the GSRS, TDS, BSFS, and AR tools and abdominal examination. AD develops in association with complicated pathophysiological factors, such as skin barrier function, genetic susceptibility, and immunological factors. Moreover, the underlying mechanism by which acupuncture treatment works has not been clearly elucidated. We, therefore, will conduct a simultaneous cross-sectional study with a sample of 40 healthy individuals, wherein potential indicators, such as fMRI, gut microbiota, and serum TARC and ATX, will be investigated to determine the gut-brain axis-associated mechanism of acupuncture. We expect that the results of this study could provide important clinical evidence for the effects of acupuncture and help elucidate the therapeutic mechanisms that underlie acupuncture’s efficacy in AD treatment. This trial is registered with https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/KCT0005422 (Trial registration: Korean Clinical Trial Registry (http://cris.nih.go.kr; registration number: KCT0005422); date of registration: September 23, 2020).
A First-Price Sealed-Bid Asymmetric Auction When Two Bidders Have Respective CRRA and General Utility Functions
Authors: Gong Mingming , Liu Shulin
Published: September 2021

We study a first-price auction with two bidders where one bidder is characterized by a constant relative risk aversion utility function (i.e., a concave power function) while the other has a general concave utility function. We establish the existence and uniqueness of the optimal strategic markups and analyze the effects of one bidder’s risk aversion level on the optimal strategic markups of him and his opponent’s, the allocative efficiency of the auction, and the seller’s expected revenue, respectively.
Determinants of Higher-Risk Sexual Behavior in Some Selected African Countries
Authors: Puplampu Adikwor Ewoenam , Afagbedzi Seth , Dery Samuel , Puplampu Dzifa Adimle , Guure Chris
Published: September 2021

Background. Although higher-risk sexual behavior (H-RSB) is a major contributor to the rapid rising rate of new HIV infections, there exists paucity of comprehensive evidence across the sub-Saharan African region. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of H-RSB and its determinants across sub-Saharan Africa to inform policy. Method. Data were obtained from the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) of ten sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries with their three most current DHS surveys from 2000 to 2016. Only participants who ever had sexual encounters in their lifetime were included in the study. Weighted adjusted Cox regression with robust variance and constant time was used to investigate disparities of H-RSB among the ten SSA countries. Relationships between sociodemographic, socioeconomic, knowledge, mass media, and H-RSB were investigated. Results. The trend and prevalence of higher-risk sexual behavior show that Lesotho experienced a decreasing trend of the prevalence of H-RSB from 8.92 in period one to 6.42 in period three. Ghana experienced a marginal increase from 6.22 in period one to 6.76 in period two and then to 6.43 in the third period. However, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe obtained a marginal increasing trend in the prevalence of H-RSB from period one to three: 2.75 to 3.74, 4.33 to 6.24, and 6.11 to 7.99, respectively. Meanwhile, the prevalence of H-RSB in Namibia and Uganda decreased in period two to 1.84 and 5.76 but increased in period three to 2.01 and 6.83, respectively. Generally, determinants of H-RSB among the countries include age, sex, religious affiliation, marital status, educational level, employment status, economic status, age at first sex, and status of circumcision. Conclusion. Trend of relatively high prevalence of H-RSB has been found across majority of the countries with key sociodemographic factors influencing H-RSB. Therefore, different targeted interventional approaches are needed in all the countries to help reduce H-RSB and the overall HIV incidence. If issues regarding sexual behavior and sexual health are not addressed adequately, H-RSB can negate all the appreciable efforts aimed at ending the HIV pandemic by 2030.
H∞ Robust Control for Chaotic Motion of the Fractional-Order D-PMSG via the PDC Approach
Authors: Yang Li , Shen Zijie , Sheng Weitao , Huang Tianmin
Published: September 2021

The stability analysis and controller design problems for the fractional-order (FO) direct-drive permanent magnet synchronous generator (FOD-PMSG) wind turbine with parameter uncertainties and external disturbance are addressed. Takagi–Sugeno (T-S) model is used to approximate nonlinearities, and the parallel distributed compensation (PDC) technique is employed to construct the fuzzy state feedback controller. In order to suppress the external disturbance more effectively, the global Mittag-Leffler stability definition satisfying the H∞ performance index is proposed for the first time. Using the FO Lyapunov direct method, applying the Cauchy matrix inequality (CMI), and combining with the Schur complement lemma, the sufficient conditions of Mittag-Leffler stability meeting the H∞ performance index are given in the form of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Simulation results clearly show that the proposed control scheme can make the system get rid of the chaotic state quickly and have strong robustness under parameter uncertainties and external disturbance varying randomly.
Deep Learning Based Coronary Angiography in Diagnosis of Myocardial Ischemia
Authors: Shu Yiwen , Wu Xiwen
Published: September 2021

Objective. This study was to explore the diagnostic effect of the coronary angiography (CAG) based on the fully convolutional neural network (FCNN) algorithm for patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and suspected (not diagnosed) myocardial ischemia. Methods. In this study, 150 patients with undiagnosed CHD with myocardial ischemia in hospital were selected as the research objects. They were divided into an observation group and a control group by random number method. The patients in observation group were examined with CAG with the assistance of convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithm, while patients in the control group received conventional CAG. Results. The Dice coefficient of the segmentation effect evaluation index was 0.89, which showed that the image processing effect of the algorithm was good. There was no statistical difference in positive rates of single/double-vessel lesions between the two groups (

P
>
0.05

), and the positive rates of multivessel lesions and total lesions in the observation group were higher than those in the control group, showing statistically obvious difference (

P
<
0.05

). The examination sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and Kappa value of the observation group were −90.9%, −60%, −82.7%, and −0.72, which were all higher in contrast to those of the control group. The proportion of positive myocardial ischemia and coronary artery stenosis (CAS) (82%) was higher than other cases (18%), and the comparison was statistically significant (

P
<
0.05

). Conclusion. CAG based on the deep learning algorithm showed a good detection effect and can better display the coronary lesions and reflect the good development prospects of deep learning technology in medical imaging.
Semantic Extraction of Basketball Game Video Combining Domain Knowledge and In-Depth Features
Authors: Du Yufeng , Zhao Quan , Lu Xiaochun
Published: September 2021

The team sports game video features complex background, fast target movement, and mutual occlusion between targets, which poses great challenges to multiperson collaborative video analysis. This paper proposes a video semantic extraction method that integrates domain knowledge and in-depth features, which can be applied to the analysis of a multiperson collaborative basketball game video, where the semantic event is modeled as an adversarial relationship between two teams of players. We first designed a scheme that combines a dual-stream network and learnable spatiotemporal feature aggregation, which can be used for end-to-end training of video semantic extraction to bridge the gap between low-level features and high-level semantic events. Then, an algorithm based on the knowledge from different video sources is proposed to extract the action semantics. The algorithm gathers local convolutional features in the entire space-time range, which can be used to track the ball/shooter/hoop to realize automatic semantic extraction of basketball game videos. Experiments show that the scheme proposed in this paper can effectively identify the four categories of short, medium, long, free throw, and scoring events and the semantics of athletes’ actions based on the video footage of the basketball game.
Medicinal Plant Extracts Evaluated In Vitro and In Vivo for Antidiabetic Activities in Ethiopia: Bases for Future Clinical Trials and Related Investigations
Authors: Yikna Berhan Begashaw , Yehualashet Awgichew Shewasinad
Published: September 2021

Background. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by a persistent rise in the blood glucose level resulting from defects in cellular insulin function, secretion, or both, which affects millions of people every year. Several drawbacks have been stated with the use of marketed antidiabetic medicines such as drug resistance, adverse effects, toxicities, and even costs. Due to these several limitations, searching for novel antidiabetic medicines from medicinal plants (MPs) is becoming an active area of research. Therefore, MPs are exemplary sources of medicines with many accessible agents being obtained from them because numerous active constituents are isolated from them for direct use as pharmacological medicines or act as lead compounds. This paper was aimed to synthesize a concluding remark using in vitro and in vivo evaluations of extracts and fractions for antidiabetic potentials in Ethiopia, which can be used to direct future clinical trials and related investigations. Method. So as to get data on the different investigations, publications related to experimental evaluations on animal diabetic models in Ethiopia were searched from databases, such as Google Scholar, Web of Science, Medline, PubMed, and Scopus using English key terms. Results. In this paper, about 37 research findings based on data from various areas of Ethiopia published until the end of November 2020 were included. A total of 37 MP species extracts and fractions belonging to 19 families have been revealed in vitro or in vivo for potential antidiabetic activities. Crude extracts were carried out mostly by hydromethanolic whereas fractions were done mostly by chloroform. Leaves were the most commonly experimentally investigated plant part. Among the MP species experimentally studied, the most frequently used to treat DM in Ethiopia were Thymus schimperi Ronniger (Lamiaceae), Moringa stenopetala (Baker f.; Moringaceae), Ajuga remota Benth (Lamiaceae), and Datura stramonium Linn. (Solanaceae). Conclusion. This paper gives aggregate evidences on the potential antidiabetic activities of MPs in Ethiopia. Antidiabetic MPs used in Ethiopia represent crucial input for the future development of novel antidiabetic drugs. To this end, more pharmacological and toxicological investigations need to be considered to prove the safety of constituents obtained from these MPs. Finally, we recommend upcoming research to ensure future success in the clinical study and development of novel medicines for DM treatment from these frequently evaluated MPs.
Stochastic Fracture Analysis Using Scaled Boundary Finite Element Methods Accelerated by Proper Orthogonal Decomposition and Radial Basis Functions
Authors: Shen Xiaowei , Hu Haowen , Wang Zhongwang , Chen Xiuyun , Du Chengbin
Published: September 2021

This paper presents a stochastic analysis method for linear elastic fracture mechanics using the Monte Carlo simulations (MCs) and the scaled boundary finite element method (SBFEM) based on proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) and radial basis functions (RBF). The semianalytical solutions obtained by the SBFEM enable us to capture the stress intensity factors (SIFs) easily and accurately. The adoption of POD and RBF significantly reduces the model order and increases computation efficiency, while maintaining the versatility and accuracy of MCs. Numerical examples of cracks in homogeneous and bimaterial plates are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed method, where the crack inclination angles are set as uncertain variables. It is also found that the larger the scale of the problem, the more advantageous the proposed method is.
Determination of Six Eugenol Residues in Aquatic Products by Gas Chromatography-Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Huang Yunxia , Li Qiang , Zhang Yali , Meng Zhijuan , Yuan Xiaoxuan , Fan Sufang , Zhang Yan
Published: September 2021

Eugenol compounds are widely used in the circulation and transportation of fresh aquatic products because of their good anesthetic effects. However, some studies have shown that eugenol compounds are potential carcinogens. Therefore, in order to ensure the edible safety of aquatic products, eugenol compounds in aquatic products need to be screened quickly. A method for determination of six eugenol residues in aquatic products was established by multiplug filtration cleanup (m-PFC), combined with gas chromatography-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (Orbitrap GC-MS). Samples were ultrasonically extracted with acetonitrile, and the extracts were frozen at −18°C for 1 h, then purified with the m-PFC column, and detected by Orbitrap GC-MS in full scan mode. The results showed the linear relationships for six eugenols were good in the range of 0.001–0.1 μg/mL, and the correlation coefficients (R2) were above 0.9950. The limits of detection (LODs) were 2–10 μg/kg, and the limits of quantitation (LOQs) were 5–20 μg/kg. The average recoveries at the spiked levels of 5–200 μg/kg were in the range of 76.4%–105.1%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 1.2%–7.5%. Eighty aquatic products were detected by this method, of which only eugenol was detected in 12 samples, and eugenol and isoeugenol were detected in two samples at the same time. The other eugenol compounds were not detected in any sample. The detection rate of positive samples was 17.5%. The method is simple, accurate, and suitable for the rapid screening of eugenol compounds in aquatic products.
Potential Interaction of Fresh Garlic with Metformin during Ischemia-Reperfusion Induced Cardiac Injury in Diabetic Rats
Authors: Asdaq Syed Mohammed Basheeruddin , Lokaraja S. , Alamri Abdulhakeem S. , Alsanie Walaa F. , Alhomrani Majid , Almutiri Abdulrahman Hadi , Nagaraja Sreeharsha , Imran Mohd
Published: September 2021

Background and objectives. Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic illness related to numerous organ damage, dysfunctions, and renal malfunction. In diabetes, oxidative stress plays a crucial part in the biochemical and pathological alterations linked to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). In this study, an effort was made to evaluate the possible interaction of garlic (Allium sativum) (250 mg/kg) with the biguanide derivative, metformin (MET) (70 mg/kg), on IRI induced myocardial dysfunction in the isolated rat heart. Methods. The study was undertaken on both normoglycemic and alloxan (90 mg/kg) induced diabetic Sprague Dawley rats weighing 150–250 g. At the completion of the treatment phase (30 days for garlic, 250 mg/kg, oral; 10 days for MET, 70 mg/kg, oral), rats were anesthetized and mounted on the modified Langendorff’s apparatus. IRI was produced by myocardial no-flow global ischemia. Developed tension (DT) and heart rate (HR) were recorded both before and after ischemia. The perfusate was collected to estimate the leakage of cardiac biomarkers (Creatine Kinase-MB: CK-MB and Lactate dehydrogenase: LDH). Hearts were removed from the setup and utilized to prepare heart tissue homogenate (HTH) and histological slides. The endogenous antioxidants, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), in addition to oxidative thiobarbituric acid substances (TBS), were estimated in HTH. Results. The hemodynamic parameters, including percentage recovery in HR and DT, were found significantly higher in animals pretreated with garlic and MET in diabetic rats (DR). Both SOD and CAT enzyme activities increased significantly while TBS levels were reduced in the HTH of animals treated with garlic and MET. The cardiac markers CK-MB and LDH levels also increased in HTH with a corresponding decrease in the perfusate. The histopathological changes in the heart and pancreas demonstrated noticeable protection of the tissues due to pretreatment with garlic and MET. Taken together, these findings advocate that reactive oxygen species derived from hyperglycemia execute an important function in myocardial global IRI; the therapy of garlic homogenate was found to be effective in alleviating these toxic effects. Conclusion. The combined therapy of MET and garlic provided synergistic cardioprotection, implying that garlic seems to possess promise in lowering toxic parameters by protecting diabetic induced myocardial injury.
Novel Robust Control of Stochastic Nonlinear Switched Fuzzy Systems
Authors: Yang Hong , Zhang Yu , Zhang Le
Published: September 2021

This paper addresses the problem of designing novel switching control for a class of stochastic nonlinear switched fuzzy systems with time delay. Firstly, a stochastic nonlinear switched fuzzy system can precisely describe continuous and discrete dynamics as well as their interactions in the complex real-world systems. Next, novel control algorithm and switching law design of the state-dependent form are developed such that the stability is guaranteed. Since convex combination techniques are used to derive the delay independent criteria, some subsystems are allowed to be unstable. Finally, various comparisons of the elaborated examples are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control design approach. All results illustrate good control performances as desired.
Lateralized Readiness Potentials Recorded with Near-Threshold Auditory Stimuli in Subjects Simulating Hearing Loss
Authors: Morris David Jackson , Agirrezabal Manex , Brännström Jonas Karl , Gade Pernille Aaby
Published: September 2021

Introduction: Preparatory motor cortical responses like the lateralized readiness potential (LRP) may be useful in revealing persistent attempts to feign hearing loss. Previous studies suggest only a marginal effect of stimulus intensity on the amplitude of the LRP. However, this has not been investigated using low-intensity auditory stimuli to cue NoGo trials. We address this in an experiment where subjects were instructed not to give a manual response to low-instensity stimuli, a situation that is akin to simulating hearing loss. Methods: The LRP was recorded from normal hearing listeners (N = 10) with 500 and 4,000-Hz pure tones and trains of 4,000 Hz (2-1-2) tonebursts. Electrophysiologic data underwent processing to (i) analyze the effect of the stimulus type on the LRP, (ii) classify results according to manual response with both logistic regression and linear support vector machine (SVM) models, and (iii) derive auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) from the tonebursts. Results: The amplitude of the LRP did not differ between the 3 stimuli used to elicit the response. Single-trial electrode data from Go and NoGo trials were submitted to supervised binary classification, and the logistic regression model gave a mean accuracy of close to 0.7. The Jewett wave V latencies of the resultant ABRs from some subjects were found to increase between the high (Go) and low (NoGo) intensity tonebursts. Conclusion: This study shows that auditory stimulus type does not affect the amplitude of the LRP and that the response can be recorded with stimuli that are near the auditory threshold. It can also be recorded with transient stimuli, and this allows for the possibility of simultaneously recording other confirmatory measurements, like ABR.
Gastric Neuroendocrine Tumor Mimicking Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor: A Case Report
Authors: Lee Jin , Oh Sung Jin
Published: September 2021

Gastric neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare lesions that arise from enterochromaffin-like cells of the gastric mucosa. Gastric NETs are classified into 3 types of NETs and poorly differentiated neuroendocrine cancers. Most gastric NETs usually present as hemispherical, yellowish, polypoid lesions with a central depression and often as subepithelial tumors (SETs) because they are confined within the submucosal layer. Here, we report a case of gastric NET presenting as SET mimicking a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Endoscopy revealed a 2.3-cm-sized SET with intact surface mucosa, and endoscopic ultrasonography showed a homogeneous hypoechoic lesion with a well-circumscribed margin. Typical features of gastric NET, such as yellowish mucosal changes or central ulceration, were not observed. GIST was suspected, and a laparoscopic wedge resection was performed. The final diagnosis was gastric NET with grade 2 differentiation.
Chronic Eosinophilic Leukaemia Associated with JAK2 Exon 13 Insertion/Deletion Mutations
Authors: Lafferty Nicholas , Salmon Matthew , Cross Nicholas C.P. , Singer Iain , Cooney Aaron , Jayaprakash Ram
Published: September 2021

Chronic eosinophilic leukaemia, not otherwise specified (CEL, NOS), is a diagnosis of exclusion made in cases in which there is clonal eosinophilia but an absence of genetic aberrations that define other disease subtypes. There is a need for further characterization of these cases in order to inform risk stratification and management. The importance of JAK2 mutations in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) as a whole is well established, although their role specifically in eosinophilic disorders is less clear, with only a minority of cases demonstrating JAK2 abnormalities. Here, we report 2 cases with an exon 13 insertion-deletion (indel) mutation in JAK2: one with CEL-NOS and the second with an unspecified eosinophilic disorder. JAK2 indels were not detected in a screen of suspected MPN cases (n = 592) without eosinophilia that tested negative for common MPN driver mutations. Our findings thus provide further evidence for a specific association between this rare mutation and clonal eosinophilic disorders.
Palliative Radiotherapy Provided Good Pain Relief for Painful Adrenal Metastasis
Authors: Endo Masashi , Fukuda Yukiko , Ogawa Kazunari , Takahashi Satoru , Nakamura Michiko , Kawahara Masahiro , Akahane Keiko , Yamanouchi Yoshitaka , Hagiwara Koichi , Mori Harushi , Shirai Katsuyuki
Published: September 2021

Adrenal metastases often occur in patients with metastasized lung cancer, but symptoms rarely develop. A 45-year-old man presented with right abdominal pain requiring strong opioids due to large right adrenal metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma. The tumor was 7.3 × 5.6 × 8.4 cm in size. He was treated with palliative radiotherapy (RT) up to 39 Gy in 13 fractions for this lesion without severe adverse effects. After RT, he had good pain relief, and opioids were no longer needed. Palliative RT for a large adrenal tumor can provide a good analgesic effect without relevant toxicity.