bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unintentional Retinal Displacement in Eyes Treated for Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Complicated by Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy with Pars Plana Vitrectomy and Silicone Oil
Authors: Filippelli Mariaelena , Napolitano Pasquale , Costagliola Ciro , Rinaldi Michele , Chiosi Flavia , dell’Omo Roberto
Published: May 2021

Purpose. To examine the clinical characteristics, outcomes, and rate of unintentional displacement in eyes treated for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) with pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and silicone oil (SO). Methods. This retrospective observational study examined 50 eyes of 50 patients who underwent surgical repair for primary RRD complicated by proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) by PPV and 1000-centistoke SO injection at a single institutional centre. The patients assumed a face-down posture immediately after surgery. Blue-fundus autofluorescence (B-FAF) pictures were obtained at 1 month after surgical procedures using a Spectralis HRA + OCT (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). Results. The primary success rate was obtained in 44 eyes (88%), on which the final analysis was conducted. Preoperative PVR was grade A in 7 eyes (15.9%), grade B in 28 eyes (63.6%), and grade C in 9 eyes (20.5%). The fovea was off and the detachment involved both the superior and inferior hemispheres of the retina in all cases. Breaks were located in the upper quadrants in 19 eyes (43.2%), in the lower quadrants in 12 eyes (27.3%), and in both upper and lower quadrants in 13 eyes (29.5%). The mean number of breaks was 3.4 ± 1.9. Intraoperative PFCL was used in 30 eyes (68.2%). Peeling of the epiretinal membrane/internal limiting membrane in the macula area was performed in 13 eyes (29.5%) during the first operation and carried out in all other eyes in occasion of SO removal. Preoperative BCVA was 2.1 ± 1.0 logMAR and improved to 0.8 ± 0.7 logMAR at the last follow-up (

P
<
0.0001

). An upward unintentional retinal displacement was observed in 2 cases (4.5%). Conclusion. PPV and SO tamponade for complicated RRD are associated with good anatomical and functional outcomes and a very low rate of unintentional retinal displacement. Of the factors potentially implicated in favouring displacement that were studied, none were found significant.
The Considerations and Controversies in Using High-Flow Nasal Oxygen with Self-Prone Positioning in SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 Disease
Authors: Nunn Kieran P. , Blackstock Murray J. , Ellis Ryan , Sheikh Gauhar , Morgan Alastair , Rhodes Jonathan K. J.
Published: May 2021

Evidence exists for the use of high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) in the general critical care population for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. There is discord between guidelines for hypoxemia management in COVID-19. Both noninvasive management and intubation present risk to patients and staff and potentially overwhelm hospital mechanical ventilator capacity. The use of HFNO has been particularly controversial in the UK, with oxygen infrastructure failure. We discuss our experience of managing COVID-19 with HFNO and awake self-prone positioning. We focus upon the less-usual case of an eighteen-year-old female to illustrate the type of patient where HFNO may be used when perhaps earlier intubation once was. It is important to consider the wider implications of intubation. We have used HFNO as a bridge to intubation or as definitive management. As we await clinical trial evidence, HFNO with self-prone positioning has a role in COVID-19 for certain patients. Response parameters must be set and reviewed, oxygen infrastructure considered, and potential staff droplet exposure minimised.
On the Training Algorithms for Artificial Neural Network in Predicting the Shear Strength of Deep Beams
Authors: Nguyen Thuy-Anh , Ly Hai-Bang , Mai Hai-Van Thi , Tran Van Quan
Published: May 2021

This study aims to predict the shear strength of reinforced concrete (RC) deep beams based on artificial neural network (ANN) using four training algorithms, namely, Levenberg–Marquardt (ANN‐LM), quasi‐Newton method (ANN‐QN), conjugate gradient (ANN‐CG), and gradient descent (ANN‐GD). A database containing 106 results of RC deep beam shear strength tests is collected and used to investigate the performance of the four proposed algorithms. The ANN training phase uses 70% of data, randomly taken from the collected dataset, whereas the remaining 30% of data are used for the algorithms’ evaluation process. The ANN structure consists of an input layer with 9 neurons corresponding to 9 input parameters, a hidden layer of 10 neurons, and an output layer with 1 neuron representing the shear strength of RC deep beams. The performance evaluation of the models is performed using statistical criteria, including the correlation coefficient (R), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE). The results show that the ANN‐CG model has the best prediction performance with R = 0.992, RMSE = 14.02, MAE = 14.24, and MAPE = 6.84. The results of this study show that the ANN‐CG model can accurately predict the shear strength of RC deep beams, representing a promising and useful alternative design solution for structural engineers.
Simultaneous Pickup and Delivery Traveling Salesman Problem considering the Express Lockers Using Attention Route Planning Network
Authors: Du Yu , Fu Shaochuan , Lu Changxiang , Zhou Qiang , Li Chunfang
Published: May 2021

This paper presents a simultaneous pickup and delivery route designing model, which considers the use of express lockers. Unlike the traditional traveling salesman problem (TSP), this model analyzes the scenario that a courier serves a neighborhood with multiple trips. Considering the locker and vehicle capacity, the total cost is constituted of back order, lost sale, and traveling time. We aim to minimize the total cost when satisfying all requests. A modified deep Q‐learning network is designed to get the optimal results from our model, leveraging masked multi‐head attention to select the courier paths. Our algorithm outperforms other stochastic optimization methods with better optimal solutions and O(n) computational time in evaluation processes. The experiment has shown that reinforcement learning is a better choice than traditional stochastic optimization methods, consuming less power and time during evaluation processes, which indicates that this approach fits better for large‐scale data and broad deployment.
Reactivation of Ancient Landslide Deposits: Geological Characteristics and Deformation Mechanism
Authors: Wang Rubin , Zhang Kun , Ning Yu , Xu Weiya , Wang Wenyuan , Qin Jianfu
Published: May 2021

The ancient Zhenggang landslide (47.5 million m3) represents a potential threat to the construction and safe operation of the proposed Gushui Hydropower Project and to the people living downstream. The landslide was caused by continuous rainfall from October 20 to November 5, 2008, indicating that groundwater aggravated sliding and deformation, and it can be divided into two distinct zones: zone I and zone II. Investigations of the Zhenggang landslide deposits have been conducted for 10 years, but the evolution of the landslide deformation is yet to be revealed. Geological surveys and stability analysis have revealed that the Zhenggang landslide is currently relatively stable and is not sliding. The deformational data for the deep soil layers show that subslide zone I is a translational slide, while subslide zone II is an uplift slide, and zone II is slightly more stable than zone I. Obvious interior deformational failure occurred and was observed in the exploratory adits. The numerical results show that rainfall infiltration is the main factor to induce the revival of ancient landslide, and it is necessary to strengthen the landslide risk assessment and reliability of Zhenggang landslide under the condition of rainfall infiltration. Finally, in order to reduce landslide risks, the local residents living near the landslide mass should be relocated, and measures should be taken to increase slope stability.
Fine-Grained Attribute-Based Multikeyword Search for Shared Multiowner in Internet of Things
Authors: Zhou Yunhong , Nan Jiehui , Wang Licheng
Published: May 2021

At present, with the popularity of Internet of things (IoT), a huge number of datasets generated by IoT devices are being uploaded to the cloud storage in remote data management service, but a series of security and privacy defects also arises, where one of the best ways for preventing data disclosure is encryption. Among them, searchable encryption (SE) is considered to be a very attractive cryptographic technology, since it allows users to search records in an encrypted form and to protect user’s data on an untrusted server. For the sake of enhancing search permission, attribute-based keyword search (ABKS) is an efficient method to provide secure search queries and fine-grained access authentications over ciphertexts. However, most existing ABKS schemes concentrate on single keyword search, which usually returns redundant and irrelevant results, so it would cost some unnecessary computation and communication resources. Furthermore, existing work in the literature mostly only supports unshared multiowner where a specific data owner owns each file, which is not able to satisfy more desired expressive search. In this work, we propose a novel attribute-based multikeyword search for shared multiowner (ABMKS-SM) primitive in IoT to achieve enhanced access control for users; meanwhile, it can support multikeyword search over ciphertexts and give a formal security analysis in the adaptive against chosen keyword attack (IND-CKA) model. Finally, we have also implemented this prototype to show efficiency when compared with some previous schemes.
Spatial Association and Explanation of China’s Digital Financial Inclusion Development Based on the Network Analysis Method
Authors: Liu Xiaojie , Zhu Jiannan , Guo Jianfeng , Cui Changnan
Published: May 2021

As an essential direction for developing inclusive finance, digital financial inclusion breaks through the time and space constraints of inclusive finance development and has extensive connections between different regions. However, no research has modelled the network connections and the role and position of different digital financial inclusion development regions. This study constructed the spatial association network of China’s digital financial inclusion development and used the network analysis method and the quadratic assignment procedure (QAP) method to study the structural and locational properties and the influencing factors of the network. We found that (1) although the network had a relatively low density, its connectivity and stability were excellent, and the network structure is not hierarchical; (2) the centrality of some rapidly developing central and western provinces was greater than that of some developed eastern provinces; (3) developed eastern provinces played a net spillover role, driving the development of digital financial inclusion in central and western provinces; and (4) the spatial association was affected by the development level of the PC Internet and economy, the industrial structure, and the spatial adjacency. This study enriches the research on digital financial inclusion and provides a scientific basis for the formulation and implementation of policies to promote the further development of digital financial inclusion.
Sentiment Analysis Method of Network Text Based on Improved AT-BiGRU Model
Authors: Lu Xinxin , Zhang Hong
Published: May 2021

In order to solve the problems existing in the current method of emotional analysis of network text, such as long training time, complex calculation, and large space cost, this paper proposes an Internet text sentiment analysis method based on the improved AT-BiGRU model. Firstly, the textblob package is imported to correct spelling errors before text preprocessing. Secondly, pad_sequences are used to fill in the input layer with a fixed length, the two-way gated recurrent network is used to extract information, and the attention mechanism is used to highlight the key information of the word vector. Finally, the GNU memory unit is transformed, and an improved BiGRU that can adapt to the recursive network structure is constructed. The proposed model is experimentally demonstrated on the SemEval-2014 Task 4 and SemEval-2017 Task 4 datasets. Experimental results show that the proposed model can effectively avoid the text sentiment analysis bias caused by spelling errors and prove the effectiveness of the improved AT-BiGRU model in terms of accuracy, loss rate, and iteration time.
Analysis of the Efficacy and Mechanism of Action of Xuebijing Injection on ARDS Using Meta‐Analysis and Network Pharmacology
Authors: Zhang Yun , Wang Jie , Liu Yong-Mei , Yang Hui , Wu Guang-Jun , He Xuan-Hui
Published: May 2021

Objective. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is defined as the acute onset of noncardiogenic edema and subsequent gas‐exchange impairment due to a severe inflammatory process known as cytokine storm. Xuebijing injection (hereinafter referred to as Xuebijing) is a patent drug that was used to treat ARDS or severe pneumonia (SP) in China. However, its efficacy and mechanism of actions remain unclear. In this study, we used meta‐analysis and network pharmacology to assess these traits of Xuebijing. Methods. We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated Xuebijing therapy for ARDS or SP. The outcomes were total mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) stay time, and TNF‐α and IL‐6 levels. We performed a meta‐analysis using RevMan 5.3 software. The putative targets, top 10 proteins, and possible pathway of Xuebinjing on ARDS were analyzed by network pharmacology. TNF‐α and IL‐6 were further docked with the six main active components of Xuebinjing using AutoDock 4.2.6 and PyMol 1.5.0.3 software. Results. Fifteen RCTs involving 2778 patients (13 ARDS and 2 SP) were included. Compared with the control, Xuebijing treatment significantly reduced the mortality rate (risk ratio, 0.64 (95% credible interval (CrI), 0.54–0.77)), reduced the ICU stay time (mean difference (MD), ‐4.51 (95% CrI, ‐4.97–‐4.06)), reduced the TNF‐α ((MD), ‐1.23 (95% CrI, ‐1.38–‐1.08)) and IL‐6 ((MD), ‐1.15 (95% CrI, ‐1.52–‐0.78)) levels. The 56 putative targets, top 10 proteins (MAPK1 (mitogen‐activated protein kinase 1), MAPK8 (mitogen‐activated protein kinase 8), RELA (transcription factor p65), NFKB1 (nuclear factor NF‐kappa‐B p105 subunit), JUN (transcription factor AP‐1), SRC (proto‐oncogene tyrosine‐protein kinase), TNF (tumor necrosis factor), HRAS (GTPase HRas), IL6 (interleukin‐6), and APP (amyloid‐beta A4 protein)), and possible pathways (Ret tyrosine kinase, IL2‐mediated signaling events, CD4+/CD8+ T cell‐related TCR signaling, p75(NTR)‐mediated signaling, CXCR4‐mediated signaling events, LPA receptor‐mediated events, IL12‐mediated signaling events, FAS (CD95) signaling pathway, and immune system) of Xuebinjing’s action on ARDS were obtained. The molecular docking results showed that all the six components of Xuebinjing docked with TNF‐α, and two components docked with IL‐6 got the binding energies lower than ‐5. Conclusion. Our results recommended Xuebijing treatment for patients with ARDS. Xuebijing has therapeutic effects on ARDS patients partly by regulating the immune cell/cytokine pathways and thus inhibiting the cytokine storm. TNF‐α is the cytokine both directly and indirectly inhibited by Xuebijing, and IL‐6 is the cytokine mainly indirectly inhibited by Xuebijing.
Efficacy Evaluation of 3D Navigational Template for Salter Osteotomy of DDH in Children
Authors: Yu Jie , Shi Qiang
Published: May 2021

Background. The aim of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy of 3D navigational template for Salter osteotomy of DDH in children. Methods. Thirty‐two consecutive patients with DDH who underwent Salter osteotomy were evaluated between July 2014 and August 2017, and they were divided into the conventional group (n = 16) and navigation template group (n = 16) according to different surgical methods. The corrective acetabular degrees, radiation exposure, and operation time were compared between the two groups. Results. No nerve palsy or redislocation was reported in the navigation template group. Compared with the conventional group, the navigation template group had the advantages of more accurate acetabular degrees, less radiation exposure, and shorter operation time (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the navigation template group achieved a better surgical outcome than the conventional group (McKay, P = 0.0293; Severin, P = 0.0949). Conclusions. The 3D navigational template for Salter osteotomy of DDH is simple and effective, which could be an alternative approach to improve the Salter osteotomy accuracy and optimize the efficacy.
Research on Adaptive Friction Compensation of Digital Hydraulic Cylinder Based on LuGre Friction Model
Authors: Jiang Shouling , Zhang Kun , Wang Hui , Zhong Donghu , Su Jinpeng , Liu Zengkai
Published: May 2021

This paper aims to eliminate nonlinear friction from the performance of the digital hydraulic cylinder to enable it to have good adaptive ability. First, a mathematical model of a digital hydraulic cylinder based on the LuGre friction model was established, and then a dual‐observer structure was designed to estimate the unobservable state variables in the friction model. The Lyapunov method is used to prove the global asymptotic stability of the closed‐loop system using the adaptive friction compensation method. Finally, Simulink is used to simulate the system performance. The simulation results indicate that the addition of adaptive friction compensation control can effectively reduce system static error, suppress system limit loop oscillation, “position decapitation,” “speed dead zone,” and low‐speed creep phenomena, and improve the overall performance of the digital hydraulic cylinder. The control method has practical application value for improving the performance index of the digital hydraulic cylinder.
Voltage‐Gated Sodium Channel (Vgsc) Mutation‐Based Pyrethroid Resistance in Aedes aegypti Populations of Three Endemic Dengue Risk Areas of Sri Lanka
Authors: Ranathunge Tharaka , Udayanga Lahiru , Sarasija Sumudu , Karunathilaka Samudra , Nawarathne Shavindhya , Rathnarajah Haruthra , Dulficar Fathima Fazla , Shafi Fathima Nafla , Dassanayake Ranil S. , Gunawardene Y. I. Nilmini Silva
Published: May 2021

Background. Pyrethroid insecticides are widely used in many countries for chemical‐based control of Ae. aegypti. Regardless of their efficacy, the constant use of insecticides has induced insecticide resistance mechanisms, such as knockdown resistance (kdr) in mosquitoes. Sri Lankan Vector Controlling Entities (VCE) have been using a variety of pyrethroid insecticides as the primary approach for dengue control. However, development of any resistance among the Aedes mosquitoes has been limitedly studied in the country. Therefore, the current study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of F1534C, V1016G, and S989P mutations among Ae. aegypti mosquito populations in three dengue endemic high‐risk regions of Sri Lanka. Methodology. Immature (both pupae and larvae) stages of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were collected from Colombo, Gampaha, and Kandy districts of Sri Lanka from February 2018 to December 2019. Polymerase Chain Reaction‐ (PCR‐) based assay for molecular genotyping of mutations was performed to identify the prevalence of kdr mutations in collected Ae. aegypti populations, separately. The frequencies of the resistant and susceptible kdr alleles were determined by using the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. Results. The Ae. aegypti populations from Colombo, Gampaha, and Kandy districts showed 46%, 42%, and 22% of F1534C mutation allele frequencies, along with 15%, 12%, and 6% of V1016G mutation allele frequencies, respectively. The mutation allele frequencies of S989 in Colombo, Gampaha, and Kandy districts were 9.5%, 8.5%, and 4.5%, respectively. The wild‐type (PP) genotype remained predominant within all the three districts, whereas the homogenous (QQ) mutation genotype occurred only in minority. The abundance of Q allele frequency in Ae. aegypti mosquitoes was relatively higher for all the three mutations in Colombo. Conclusions. The findings clearly indicate that long‐term insecticide applications and multiple use of pyrethroids have led to the acquisition of kdr mutations, leading to the development of insecticide resistance among local Ae. aegypti populations, especially in the Colombo and Gampaha districts. Therefore, evaluation of the prevalence levels of these kdr mutations highlights the necessity for shifting towards novel vector control strategies.
Real-Time Evaluation Algorithm of Human Body Movement in Football Training Robot
Authors: Hu Ning , Lin Shuhua , Cai Jiayi
Published: May 2021

As one of the most challenging topics in the field of artificial intelligence, soccer robots are currently an important platform for humanoid robotics research. Its fields cover a wide range of fields, including robotics, artificial intelligence, and automatic control. Kinematics analysis and action planning are the key technologies in the research of humanoid soccer robots and are the basis for realizing basic actions such as walking. This article mainly introduces the real-time evaluation algorithm of human motion in the football training robot. The football robot action evaluation algorithm proposed here designs the angle and wheel speed of the football robot movement through the evaluation of the angular velocity and linear velocity of the center of mass of the robot. The overall system of the imitation human football robot is studied, including the mechanical system design. The design of the leg structure, the decision-making system based on the finite state machine, the robot vision system, and the image segmentation technology are introduced. The experimental results in this article show that the action of the football training robot model is very stable, the static rotation movement time is about 220 ms, and the fixed-point movement error is less than 1 cm, which fully meets the accuracy requirements of the large-space football robot.
Grouting Reinforcement Mechanism and Multimodel Simulation Analysis of Longwall Goaf
Authors: Li Xueliang , Guo Xiaoli , Sun Guang
Published: May 2021

Grouting reinforcement is one of the most effective methods to enhance the stability of the goaf, and its scheme selection, hole location, and parameter determination directly affect the success or failure of goaf treatment. On the basis of discussion of the deformation mechanism and evolution law of the longwall goaf, this article comprehensively analyzed the grouting reinforcement mechanism of the goaf combined with filling theory, permeability theory, and fracturing theory and studied the physical and chemical reaction principles of two commonly used filling materials, cement-fly ash slurry and cement-clay slurry. Three grouting models have been established: whole grouting, local grouting in fracture zone, and strip grouting, and then simulated the grouting effect of the two more common methods of whole grouting and strip grouting by numerical simulation software (FLAC3D, tecplot, Surfer). Simulation analysis is carried out from the perspectives of settlement deformation, horizontal movement, vertical stress, and horizontal stress. Finally, the feasibility of grouting treatment in the goaf is verified by engineering example. The results show that a reasonable grouting scheme can effectively reduce the residual deformation of the goaf and its overlying rock and improve the poor stress state, so as to achieve the purpose of effective grouting.
Trends of Antibacterial Resistance at the National Reference Laboratory in Cameroon: Comparison of the Situation between 2010 and 2017
Authors: Massongo M. , Ngando L. , Pefura Yone E. W. , NZouankeu Ariane , Mbanzouen W. , Fonkoua M. C. , Ngandjio A. , Tchatchueng J. , Barger D. , Tejiokem M. C.
Published: May 2021

Introduction. Antimicrobial resistance represents a growing public health threat. One of the World Health Organization’s strategic objectives is “strengthening knowledge through surveillance and research.” Sub‐Saharan African countries are still far from achieving this objective. We aimed to estimate and compare the prevalence of antibacterial resistance in 2010 and 2017 in Cameroon. Methods. We conducted a retrospective study on all clinical specimens cultured in Centre Pasteur du Cameroun (CPC) in 2010 and 2017. Data were extracted from the CPC’s laboratory data information system software and then managed and analyzed using R. Bacterial resistance rates were calculated in each year and compared using chi‐square or Fisher’s tests, and relative changes were calculated. Outcomes included acquired resistance (AR), WHO priority resistant pathogens, some specific resistances of clinical interest, and resistance patterns (multi, extensively, and pan drug resistances) for five selected pathogens. Results. A total of 10,218 isolates were analyzed. The overall AR rate was 96.0% (95% CI: 95.4–96.6). Most of WHO priority bacterial resistance rates increased from 2010 to 2017. The most marked increases expressed as relative changes concerned imipenem‐resistant Acinetobacter (6.2% vs. 21.6%, +248.4%, p = 0.02), imipenem‐resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13.5% vs. 23.5%, +74.1%, p < 0.01), 3rd generation‐resistant Enterobacteriaceae (23.8% vs. 40.4%, +65.8%, p < 10−15), methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (27.3% vs. 46.0%, +68.6%, p < 0.002), fluoroquinolone‐resistant Salmonella (3.9% vs. 9.5%, +142.9%, p = 0.03), and fluoroquinolone‐resistant Enterobacteriaceae (32.6% vs. 54.0%, +65.8%, p < 10−15). For selected pathogens, global multidrug resistance was high in 2010 and 2017 (74.9% vs. 78.0% +4.1%, p = 0.01), intensively drug resistance rate was 5.8% (7.0% vs. 4.7%; p = 0.07), and no pan drug resistance has been identified. Conclusion. Bacterial resistance to antibiotics of clinical relevance in Cameroon was high and appeared to increase between 2010 and 2017. There is a need for regular surveillance of antibacterial resistance to inform public health strategies and empirically inform prescription practices.
Quantitative Detection of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle in Environmental Water by Cloud Point Extraction Combined ICP-MS
Authors: Yang Yuan , Liu Xin , Luo Lin , Wei Wenjing , Wang Qiang , Zhang Jiachao
Published: May 2021

The increasing usage of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) inevitably leads to their release into the environment. To understand their fate and toxicity in water systems, a reliable method for the quantitative analysis of ZnONPs in environmental waters is urgently needed to be established. In this study, a quantitative analytical method of ZnONPs in environmental waters was developed by cloud point extraction (CPE) combined inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). To obtain high recoveries of ZnONPs, the CPE parameters including pH, surfactant concentration, salt concentration, bath temperature, and time were optimized. The results demonstrated that the addition of β-mercaptoethylamine could significantly reduce the interference of Zn2+ on the extraction of ZnONPs, while the CPE approach was not affected significantly by the typical environmental inorganic ion and ENMs (such as Au, TiO2, and Al2O3). The extraction method of ZnONPs with different diameters was also assessed, and satisfactory extraction efficiency was obtained. The results of ZnONP concentration in collected environmental water were in the range of [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]  μg/L. And the recoveries of ZnONPs in different environmental waters were [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text] at low concentration spiked levels (12.57-54.68  μg/L), demonstrating that it is efficient to extract trace ZnONPs from real environmental waters. This established method offered a reliable method for the quantitative determination of ZnONPs in environmental waters, which could further promote the study of the environmental behavior, fate, and toxicity of ZnONPs in an aqueous environment.
Evaluation of Large-Scale Sports Project Based on Analytic Hierarchy Process
Authors: Yang Jiewei
Published: May 2021

When the evaluation system of regular sports events is applied to evaluating large-scale sports events, there is a shortage of the coverage rate of events evaluation and the low calculation precision of events economic evaluation index. This paper proposed the evaluation system of large-scale sports events based on the analytic hierarchy process. Firstly, we construct the evaluation system of large-scale events. Secondly, we determined the evaluation principles and evaluation procedures of events. The proposed model implies a fuzzy standard form system to get an optimal network structure, eliminate conflict rules, and trim nodes and links. The economic indicators of events are evaluated according to the content of events, such as financial cash flow, net present value, and profit margin of events. We also analyzed the evaluation of the content of social benefit and calculated the social impact assessment index to realize the evaluation of large sports events based on the analytic hierarchy process. According to the test data, the evaluation system’s performance is better than the traditional evaluation system, and the coverage is increased by 47.85%. The accuracy of the events economic evaluation index is improved by 32.45%. It is more applicable to the evaluation of large-scale sports events.
[Retracted] Isovitexin Suppresses Stemness of Lung Cancer Stem‐Like Cells through Blockage of MnSOD/CaMKII/AMPK Signaling and Glycolysis Inhibition
Authors: Liu Fei , Yuan Qing , Cao Xiaocheng , Zhang Jinlin , Cao Jianguo , Zhang Jiansong , Xia Liqiu
Published: May 2021

Background. Manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) has been reported to promote stemness of lung cancer stem‐like cells (LCSLCs) which had higher glycolytic rates compared with non‐CSLCs. Isovitexin exhibited an inhibitory effect on the stemness of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. However, whether isovitexin could inhibit the promotion of stemness of LCSLCs mediated by MnSOD through glycolysis remains unclear. Objective. Our study was aimed at investigating whether isovitexin inhibits lung cancer stem‐like cells (LCSLCs) through MnSOD signaling blockage and glycolysis suppression. Methods. Sphere formation and soft agar assays were conducted to determine self‐renewal ability. The migration and invasion of LCSLCs were determined by wound healing and transwell assay. The glycolytic activity was assessed by determination of L‐lactate metabolism rate. The influences of isovitexin on MnSOD, CaMKII, and AMPK activations as well as the metabolic shift to glycolysis were determined by manipulating MnSOD expression. Results. It was found that MnSOD and glycolysis enhanced simultaneously in LCSLCs compared with parental H460 cells. Overexpression of MnSOD activated CaMKII/AMPK signaling and glycolysis in LCSLCs with increased self‐renewal, migration, invasion, and expression of stemness‐associated markers in vitro and elevated carcinogenicity in vivo. Knockdown of MnSOD induced an inverse effect in LCSLCs. Isovitexin blocked MnSOD/CaMKII/AMPK signaling axis and suppressed glycolysis in LCSLCs, resulting in inhibition of stemness features in LCSLCs. The knockdown of MnSOD significantly augmented isovitexin‐associated inhibition of CaMKII/AMPK signaling, glycolysis, and stemness in LCSLCs. However, the overexpression of MnSOD could attenuate the inhibition of isovitexin on LCSLCs. Importantly, isovitexin notably suppressed tumor growth in nude mice bearing LCSLCs by downregulation of MnSOD expression. Conclusion. MnSOD promotion of stemness of LCSLCs derived from H460 cell line is involved in the activation of the CaMKII/AMPK pathway and induction of glycolysis. Isovitexin‐associated inhibition of stemness in LCSLCs is partly dependent on blockage of the MnSOD/CaMKII/AMPK signaling axis and glycolysis suppression.
The Hotspots of Sports Science and the Effects of Knowledge Network on Scientific Performance Based on Bibliometrics and Social Network Analysis
Authors: Ma Linxiao , Wang Yuzhu , Wang Yue , Li Ning , Fung Sai-Fu , Zhang Lu , Zheng Qian
Published: May 2021

In this study, we sorted out the research hotspots in sports science by bibliometric method and also used social network analysis to explore the relationship between knowledge networks and their scientific performance. We found 38 high‐frequency keywords with obvious curricular nature or classical direction of sports science research and 4 high‐frequency research groups. The topics of hotspots covered the secondary disciplines of sports science: physical education and training, national traditional sports, sports human science, and sports humanities and sociology. However, sports human science research is less; therefore, accelerating the research of sports human science is the focus of future research. Meanwhile, we use social network structure analysis (i.e., centrality, clustering coefficient, PageRank, and structural holes) to study the relationship between knowledge elements in knowledge networks and their scientific performance. In addition to betweenness centrality, the closeness centrality, clustering coefficient, and structural holes of knowledge elements are significantly and positively related to their influence. In the relationship between knowledge elements and productivity, betweenness centrality and closeness centrality show significant positive correlations, and clustering coefficient and structural hole show significant negative correlations. Therefore, knowledge networks can be used to predict the scientific performance of knowledge elements.
Ice Multiplication by Fragmentation during Quasi-Spherical Freezing of Raindrops: A Theoretical Investigation
Authors: Phillips Vaughan T. J.
Published: May 2021

Ice multiplication by fragmentation during collision–freezing of supercooled rain or drizzle is investigated. A zero-dimensional dynamical system describes the time evolution of number densities of supercooled drops and ice crystals in a mixed-phase cloud. The characteristic time scale for this collision–freezing ice fragmentation is controlled by the collision efficiency, the number of ice fragments per freezing event, and the available number concentration of supercooled drops. The rate of the process is proportional to the number of supercooled drops available. Thus, ice may multiply extensively, even when the fragmentation number per freezing event is relatively small. The ratio of total numbers of ice particles to those from the first ice, namely, the “ice-enhancement factor,” is controlled both by the number of fragments per freezing event and by the available number concentration of supercooled drops in a similar manner. Especially, when ice fragmentation by freezing of supercooled drops is considered in isolation, the number of originally existing supercooled drops multiplied by the fragmentation number per freezing event yields the eventual number of ice crystals. When supercooled drops are continuously generated by coalescence, ice crystals from freezing fragmentation also continuously increase asymptotically at a rate equal to the generation rate of supercooled drops multiplied by the fragmentation number per freezing event. All these results are expressed by simple analytical forms, thanks to the simplicity of the theoretical model. These parameters can practically be used as a means for characterizing observed mixed-phase clouds.
Suicide methods in South Asia over two decades (2001–2020)
Authors: Arafat S M Yasir , Ali Syeda Ayat-e-Zainab , Menon Vikas , Hussain Fahad , Ansari Daniyal Shabbir , Baminiwatta Anuradha , Saleem Tamkeen , Singh Rakesh , Varadharajan Natarajan , Biyyala Deepika , Kar Sujita Kumar , Khan Murad M
Published: May 2021

Background:

Suicide is a global preventable public health problem. About a quarter of all suicides in the world occur in South Asia. As means restriction is an important suicide prevention strategy, gaining knowledge of the common suicide methods and their changing trends in each country and region is crucial.

Aims:

We aimed to assess the suicide methods in South Asian countries over the last two decades.

Methods:

A search was performed in PubMed, PubMed Central, Scopus, and Google Scholar with the search terms. Original articles of quantitative studies, published in the English language, from 2001 to 2020, with full-accessible text, that rank different methods of suicide in eight South Asian countries, were included.

Results:

A total of 68 studies were found eligible for review. The Maximum number of studies were found from India ( n = 38), followed by Bangladesh ( n = 12), Pakistan ( n = 9), Sri Lanka ( n = 6), and Nepal ( n = 3). Hanging ( n = 40, 55.8%) and poisoning ( n = 24, 35.3%) were the two most common suicide methods reported, in that order. Hanging followed by poisoning were the commonest suicide methods in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan while in Sri Lanka, poisoning was the preferred method to hanging. There is a decline in suicide by poisoning and an increase in suicide by hanging in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and India. Although hanging is still the commonest method in Pakistan, the use of firearms is growing in recent years (2011–2020).

Conclusions:

There is a steady decline in the incidence of suicides by poisoning following pesticide regulations in South Asian countries. However, there is heterogeneity of study methods, probable under-reporting of suicide, and lack of robust suicide data.
Window of the World: Sino–African Encounters through Copies and Simulations
Authors: Braun Lesley Nicole
Published: May 2021

Located in the manufacturing hub of Shenzhen is Window of the World: a Chinese theme park that features miniature copies of heritage sites from around the world. The individuals living within this constructed simulation are imported from diverse countries. They come to work as performers, animating the different cultural pavilions. As such, the transnationalism made possible by this park provides a window through which we can observe cultural interactivity, as well as the ways in which culture is constructed and re-presented. This article examines some of the processes of cultural encounters through copies of commodified cultural heritage. It also sheds light on the ways in which Kung Fu movies circulating in Africa have inspired the imaginations of young people, revealing cultural feedback loops that provide openings for new contact. Grounded in ethnographic research, the findings here are based on interviews with Kenyan and South African contract workers at this theme park. This article explores young people’s pursuits of new opportunities of identity-formation and self-representation, as well as economic stability and forward mobility.
Strategies for Developing Soft Skills Among Higher Engineering Courses
Authors: Almeida Fernando , Morais José
Published: May 2021

This study aims to explore how higher education institutions respond to the challenge of incorporating soft skills into their curricula. It employs a mixed-methods approach in which the quantitative analysis of the disciplines addressing this issue is complemented by a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted with four higher education institutions in Portugal. The findings indicate that although the number of subjects specifically addressing soft skills is small, there is a growing concern to incorporate soft skills in pedagogical and evaluation methodologies in each course. Several challenges, good practices, and future perspectives are also explored in this work.
Are Teachers Happy? Illuminating Insights Into Teachers’ Instructional Practices
Authors: Yurtseven Nihal
Published: May 2021

Teachers’ instructional practices are among the most crucial components of a successful educational setting to equip students with essential knowledge and skills apart from increasing the effectiveness of instruction. The purpose of this study is to examine teachers’ views and contentment about their instructional practices regarding the quality of instruction. The study was carried out through basic qualitative research design. Qualitative research is conducted with an aim to uncover facts about individuals’ experiences, perceptions, and perspectives toward a particular phenomenon. The participants of the study were 201 teachers, working in different grades and majors. Of the participants, 58% ( n = 116) were female and 42% ( n = 85) were male. The data collection tools included an electronic opinion form and focus group interview. The collected data were analyzed through content analysis. Findings of the study indicated that professional development activities and innovative implementations made teachers happy regarding their instructional practices. Second, teachers felt unhappy when they disregarded students’ individual differences. Third, teachers’ instructional goals were related to improving their content knowledge and technological competencies. They needed administrative support and time to achieve their instructional goals. In the light of the findings of the study, it is significant that observable and measurable professional development activities should be defined to increase the quality of teaching and student learning, as well as ensuring the implementation of new teaching skills.
Application of Conceive, Design, Implement and Operate (CDIO) Strategy for the Development of Engineering Education in Indian Perspective
Authors: Lenin N. , Siva Kumar M. , Selvakumar G.
Published: May 2021

Indian education system has faced many reforms and changes right from Gurukula education system in Vedic age to the present outcome-based education system. There lies a wide gap between industries and institutions in India due to the lagging of quality graduates. To bridge the gap, the outcome-based education system has been implemented widely in India. Still, an effective approach that reforms the education system is needed to fulfill the needs of industries. Worldwide, large numbers of universities have adopted Conception, Design, Implementation, and Operation (CDIO) approach in view to produce quality graduates. At this juncture, it is required to analyze and evolve the fruitful strategies in implementation of CDIO approach in Indian engineering education scenario. In the present work, the need of CDIO implementation has been critically analyzed and presented. Furthermore, the present Indian engineering education system has been analyzed on various levels. The implementation strategies have been proposed in two categories as macro and micro levels that are required by the government bodies. The requirements for implementing CDIO are briefed based on institution, faculty and students levels. In addition, the bottlenecks in implementation of CDIO are studied, and the tactics to overcome the same are also discussed elaborately.
Simple Metacognitive Prompts for Enhancing Student Learning: An Interdisciplinary Study
Authors: Domokos Sophia , Huey Melissa
Published: May 2021

Short metacognitive prompts—like “minute papers”—are simple enough to be widely adopted by instructors. But do they work? We investigate how they affect college students’ performance in quantitative (Physics) and qualitative (Psychology) courses, comparing classes which received metacognitive prompts to those that did not. We find significant improvement in performance in Psychology and borderline significant improvement in Physics. While the interventions did not raise students’ confidence, interviews with students revealed that the prompts helped them process course material and study for exams. This is one of few studies to directly compare the effectiveness of metacognitive prompts across disciplines.
Parental Involvement in Orientation and Mobility Within the Expanded Core Curriculum for Visually Impaired Learners in Pakistan: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Malik Shazia
Published: May 2021

Parental involvement, as one of the most widely researched and discussed issues. It has been characterized by a variety of meanings, definitions and frameworks. Such notions and definitions provide a foundation for solving parental involvement challenges in the education of the visually impaired learners. This study provides a literature review on a quite number of related theories and models in regard to this study. However, Epstien parental involvement theory, Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler parental involvement model, Turnbull, Summers, and Brotherson parental involvement model, and Rieser social model of disability are discussed. These theories are connected significantly and linked closely to the main focus of this study. Hence, the current study finds the relevance of employing the four perspectives of the theories with the conviction that the involvement of parents can be deeply examined and explained if the four interrelated theoretical perspectives will be jointly employed for better understanding and representation of the phenomenon.
Comparing Technology-Based Reading Intervention Programs in Rural Settings
Authors: Stein Brit’ny , Solomon Benjamin G. , Kitterman Chase , Enos Debbie , Banks Elizabeth , Villanueva Sierra
Published: May 2021

An ever-growing call for the use of evidence-based practice has come up against the logistical hurdles of a lack of resources and expertise, particularly in rural schools that work with historically underserved students. Although integrated learning systems (ILSs)—stable and likely requiring fewer resources than personnel—do not offer a complete solution to this problem, they may serve as a useful resource, particularly for milder literacy deficits. And yet, there is a surprising lack of empirical research on their effectiveness, particularly for contemporary programs. This study examines the effectiveness and efficiency of two popular ILSs, Lexia and iStation, both of which use a blended model of computer and traditionally delivered instruction, and compares them against business-as-usual (BAU) conditions across a variety of outcomes. Results suggest both programs resulted in meaningful growth across an academic year of implementation, although generally no more so than that observed in the BAU condition. However, Lexia yielded the highest level of instructional efficiency. That is, despite comparable growth across conditions, Lexia required less staff time to implement per student participant.
Can filled pauses be represented as linguistic items? Investigating the effect of exposure on the perception and production of um
Authors: Kirjavainen Minna , Crible Ludivine , Beeching Kate
Published: May 2021

The current paper presents three studies that investigated the effect of exposure on the mental representations of filled pauses ( um/uh). In Study 1, a corpus analysis identified the frequency of co-occurrence of filled pauses with words located immediately before or after them in naturalistic spoken adult British English (BNC2014). Based on the collocations identified in Study 1, in Study 2, 22 native British English-speaking adults heard sentences in which the location of filled pauses and the co-occurring words were manipulated and the participants were asked to judge the acceptability of the sentences heard. Study 3 was a sentence recall experiment in which we asked 29 native British English adults to repeat a similar set of sentences as used in Study 2. We found that frequency-based distributional patterns of filled pauses (Study 1) affected the sentence judgments (Study 2) and repetition accuracy (Study 3), in particular when the filled pause followed its collocate. Thus, the current study provides converging evidence for the account maintaining that filled pauses are linguistic items. In addition, we suggest filled pauses in certain locations could be considered as grammatical items, such as suffixes.