bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lifetime measurements of yrast states in $$^{\mathbf {178}}$$Pt using the charge plunger method with a recoil separator
Authors: Heery J. , Barber L. , Vilhena J. , Singh B. S. Nara , Herzberg R.-D. , Cullen D. M. , Müller-Gatermann C. , Beeton G. , Bowry M. , Dewald A. , Grahn T. , Greenlees P. T. , Illana A. , Julin R. , Juutinen S. , Keatings J. M. , Leino M. , Luoma M. , O’Donnell D. , Ojala J. , Pakarinen J. , Rahkila P. , Ruotsalainen P. , Sandzelius M. , Sarén J. , Sinclair J. , Smith J. F. , Sorri J. , Spagnoletti P. , Tann H. , Uusitalo J. , Zimba G.
Published: April 2021

Lifetime measurements in $$^{178}$$

178

Pt with excited states de-exciting through $$\gamma $$
γ
-ray transitions and internal electron conversions have been performed. Ionic charges were selected by the in-flight mass separator MARA and measured at the focal plane in coincidence with the $$4_1^+\rightarrow 2_1^+$$

4
1
+

→

2
1
+

$$257\,$$

257

keV $$\gamma $$
γ
-ray transition detected using the JUROGAM 3 spectrometer. The resulting charge-state distributions were analysed using the differential decay curve method (DDCM) framework to obtain a lifetime value of 430(20) ps for the $$2_1^+$$

2
1
+

state. This work builds on a method that combines the charge plunger technique with the DDCM analysis. As an alternative analysis, ions were selected in coincidence with the $$^{178}$$

178

Pt alpha decay ($$E_{\mathrm {alpha}} = 5.458(5)$$

E
alpha

=
5.458

(
5
)

MeV) at the focal plane. Lifetime information was obtained by fitting a two-state Bateman equation to the decay curve with the lifetime of individual states defined by a single quadrupole moment. This yielded a lifetime value of 430(50) ps for the $$2_1^+$$

2
1
+

state, and 54(6) ps for the $$4_1^+$$

4
1
+

state. An analysis method based around the Bateman equation will become especially important when using the charge plunger method for the cases where utilising coincidences between prompt $$\gamma $$
γ
rays and recoils is not feasible.
Approximate neutrino oscillations in the vacuum
Authors: Ciuffoli Emilio , Evslin Jarah , Mohammed Hosam
Published: April 2021

It is well known that neutrino oscillations may damp due to decoherence caused by the separation of mass eigenstate wave packets or by a baseline uncertainty of order the oscillation wave length. In this note we show that if the particles created together with the neutrino are not measured and do not interact with the environment, then the first source of decoherence is not present. This demonstration uses the saddle point approximation and also assumes that the experiment lasts longer than a certain threshold. We independently derive this result using the external wave packet model and also using a model in which the fields responsible for neutrino production and detection are treated dynamically. Intuitively this result is a consequence of the fact that the neutrino emission time does not affect the final state and so amplitudes corresponding to distinct emission times must be added coherently. This fact also implies that oscillations resulting from mass eigenstates which are detected simultaneously arise from neutrinos which were not created simultaneously but are nonetheless coherent, realizing the neutrino oscillation paradigm of Kobach, Manohar and McGreevy.
Low-frequency critical current noise in graphene Josephson junctions in the open-circuit gate voltage limit
Authors: Pellegrino Francesco M. D. , Falci Giuseppe , Paladino Elisabetta
Published: April 2021

We investigate critical current noise in short ballistic graphene Josephson junctions in the open-circuit gate-voltage limit within the McWorther model. We find flicker noise in a wide frequency range and discuss the temperature dependence of the noise amplitude as a function of the doping level. At the charge neutrality point we find a singular temperature dependence $$T^{-3}$$

T

-
3

, strikingly different from the linear dependence expected for short ballistic graphene Josephson junctions under fixed gate voltage.
Bi-manual Haptic-based Periodontal Simulation with Finger Support and Vibrotactile Feedback
Authors: Chehabeddine Said , Jamil Muhammad Hassan , Park Wanjoo , Sefo Dianne L. , Loomer Peter M. , Eid Mohamad
Published: April 2021

The rise of virtual reality and haptic technologies has created exciting new applications in medical training and education. In a dental simulation, haptic technology can create the illusion of substances (teeth, gingiva, bone, etc.) by providing interaction forces within a simulated virtual world of the mouth. In this article, a haptic periodontal training simulation system, named Haptodont, is developed and evaluated for simulating periodontal probing. Thirty-two faculty members from New York University College of Dentistry were recruited and divided into three groups to evaluate three fundamental functionalities: Group 1 evaluated bi-manual 3 Degrees of Freedome (DoF) haptic interaction, Group 2 evaluated bi-manual 3 DoF haptic interaction with a finger support mechanism, and Group 3 evaluated bi-manual 3 DoF haptic interaction with finger support mechanism and vibrotactile feedback. The probe and mirror interactions were simulated with the Geomagic Touch haptic device whereas the finger support was implemented using the Novint Falcon device. The three groups conducted two probing tasks: healthy gingiva scenario with no pockets (2- to 3-mm depth) and periodontitis scenario with deep pockets (4- to 8-mm depth). Results demonstrated that experts performed comparably to clinical settings in terms of probing depth error (within 0.3 to 0.6 mm) and probing forces (less than 0.5 N). Furthermore, the finger support mechanism significantly improved the probing accuracy for periodontitis condition in the lingual region. The argument that probing the lingual region is more difficult than the buccal region is supported by quantitative evidence (significantly higher probing depth error and probing force). Further research is planned to improve the usability of the finger support, integrate the Haptodont system into the pre-clinical curriculum, and evaluate the Haptodont system with dental students as a learning tool.
More Style, Less Work: Card-style Data Decrease Risk-limiting Audit Sample Sizes
Authors: Glazer Amanda K. , Spertus Jacob V. , Stark Philip B.
Published: April 2021

U.S. elections rely heavily on computers such as voter registration databases, electronic pollbooks, voting machines, scanners, tabulators, and results reporting websites. These introduce digital threats to election outcomes. Risk-limiting audits (RLAs) mitigate threats to some of these systems by manually inspecting random samples of ballot cards. RLAs have a large chance of correcting wrong outcomes (by conducting a full manual tabulation of a trustworthy record of the votes), but can save labor when reported outcomes are correct. This efficiency is eroded when sampling cannot be targeted to ballot cards that contain the contest(s) under audit. If the sample is drawn from all cast cards, then RLA sample sizes scale like the reciprocal of the fraction of ballot cards that contain the contest(s) under audit. That fraction shrinks as the number of cards per ballot grows (i.e., when elections contain more contests) and as the fraction of ballots that contain the contest decreases (i.e., when a smaller percentage of voters are eligible to vote in the contest). States that conduct RLAs of contests on multi-card ballots or RLAs of small contests can dramatically reduce sample sizes by using information about which ballot cards contain which contests—by keeping track of card-style data (CSD). For instance, CSD reduce the expected number of draws needed to audit a single countywide contest on a 4-card ballot by 75%. Similarly, CSD reduce the expected number of draws by 95% or more for an audit of two contests with the same margin on a 4-card ballot if one contest is on every ballot and the other is on 10% of ballots. In realistic examples, the savings can be several orders of magnitude.
Simulating Organizational Data from Redacted Input for Inference Enterprise Modeling
Authors: Sticha Paul J. , Diaz Tirso E. , Axelrad Elise T. , Vermillion Sean D. , Buede Dennis M.
Published: April 2021

Organizations that use data to assess insider threats, or other workforce outcomes, need to evaluate the quality of their assessment methods. This evaluation relies on an accurate representation of the predictors and criterion variables within the organization's workforce. However, privacy concerns often limit the information that is available for evaluation. For example, the organization might anonymize identifying information of its workforce, or the evaluation might be restricted to use group statistics, such as marginal distributions of predictors and criteria, along with their intercorrelations. In this paper we demonstrate a hybrid approach for simulating workforce data to support inference-enterprise evaluation, including the crowdsourced elicitation of marginal distributions and correlations of predictors and the simulation of a workforce population from the statistical properties of a redacted set of predictor distributions. The methods provide a way to simulate a population that has statistical characteristics of the workforce, in order to assess the performance of the assessment methods. The statistical methods are supplemented by expert judgments for situations where required information is not available. We evaluate these methods using anonymized data from an actual organization.
Investigating Sharing of Cyber Threat Intelligence and Proposing A New Data Model for Enabling Automation in Knowledge Representation and Exchange
Authors: Bromander Siri , Swimmer Morton , Muller Lilly Pijnenburg , Jøsang Audun , Eian Martin , Skjøtskift Geir , Borg Fredrik
Published: April 2021

For a strong, collective defense in the digital domain, we need to produce, consume, analyze, and share cyber threat intelligence. With an increasing amount of available information, we need automation to ensure adequate efficiency. We present the results from a questionnaire investigating the use of standards and standardization and how practitioners share and use cyber threat intelligence (CTI). We propose a strict data model for CTI that enables consumption of all relevant data, data validation, and analysis of consumed content. The main contribution of this article is insight into how CTI is shared and used by practitioners, and the strictness of the data model that enforces input of information and enables automation and deduction of new knowledge.
Editors’ Choice—Quantifying the Impact of Charge Transport Bottlenecks in Composite Cathodes of All-Solid-State Batteries
Authors: Minnmann Philip , Quillman Lars , Burkhardt Simon , Richter Felix H. , Janek Jürgen
Published: April 2021

All-solid-state lithium batteries have the potential to provide increased energy and power density compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries with a liquid electrolyte. The charge transport within solid electrolyte-based composite cathodes determines the C-rate capability and ultimately the overall performance of a solid-state cell, making it one of the key remaining challenges. In this study, the charge transport in composite cathodes composed of Li6PS5Cl and NCM-622 is analyzed and characterized in terms of the effective ionic and electronic partial conductivities. The correlations between these effective conductivities, the microstructure of the composite cathodes, and the all-solid-state cell performance are revealed. By quantifying these correlations, bottlenecks for charge transport in composite cathodes are identified and strategies to optimize the cell performance are developed. The optimization potential of these strategies is demonstrated exemplarily by tuning electronic and ionic charge transport pathways using high active material loadings and an adjusted solid electrolyte particle size, respectively. The results will help to further increase energy and power density of all-solid-state batteries.
Cryogenic Photoluminescence Study on Perovskite MAPbBr3 Single Crystals
Authors: Liu Shuo , Jiao Shujie , Lu Hongliang , Nie Yiyin , Gao Shiyong , Wang Dongbo , Wang Jinzhong , Li Lin , Xu Zhikun
Published: April 2021

We investigated the cryogenic photoluminescence process of MAPbBr3 single crystal from 10 K to 120 K. The PL spectra can be fitted by Gauss functions perfectly, and the free excitons as well as bound excitons emission coexist. During the cryogenic recombination process, the exciton localization effect and the thermal effect both react on the MAPbBr3 single crystal. From 10 K to 55 K, the localization effect is dominant due to the lower temperature, the excitons are inclined to migrate toward lower energy sites and cause the red-shift with narrow widths. Simultaneously, the localization effect tends to weaken with the temperature increasing, and the intensities gradually enhance. From 55 K to 120 K, the thermal effect becomes stronger than the localization effect, and becomes the dominant factor. Due to the thermal quenching effect and multi-broadening mechanism, all emissions present lower intensities and wider profile. Meanwhile, the thermal expansion of crystal lattice contributes to the emission blue-shift. The competition between exciton localization effect and thermal effect determines the PL non-monotonic variation of the MAPbBr3 single crystal in the cryogenic process.
The Smart Skeleton: an open-source, interactive tool for teaching muscle actions and joint movements
Authors: Pattillo John M.
Published: April 2021

This paper describes the design, construction, and use of an open-source hardware and software tool intended to help Anatomy and Physiology students test their knowledge of muscle actions and joint movements. Orientation sensors are attached to a model skeleton to turn the skeleton into an interactive, physical model for teaching limb movements. A detailed description of the construction of the tool is provided, as well as the configuration and use of companion software.
Deficiency in nebulin repeats of sarcomeric nebulette is detrimental for cardiomyocyte tolerance to exercise and biomechanical stress
Authors: Vejandla Ramona M. , Orgil Buyan-Ochir , Alberson Neely R. , Li Ning , Munkhsaikhan Undral , Khuchua Zaza , Martherus Ruben , Azeloglu Evren U. , Xu Fuyi , Lu Lu , Towbin Jeffrey A. , Purevjav Enkhsaikhan
Published: April 2021

We demonstrate that ablation of first nebulin-repeats of sarcomeric nebulette ( Nebl) causes diastolic dysfunction in Neblex3-/ex3- mice. Exercise-induced development of diastolic dysfunction, cardiac hypertrophy and ventricular dilation in knockouts. This was associated with sarcomere disturbance, intercalated disks disruption, and mitochondrial distortion upon stress and altered expression of genes involved in Nebl-based stress network. We demonstrate that G202R and A592 mutations alter actin and desmin expression causing disorganization of desmin filaments upon cyclic strain.
Sildenafil administration improves right ventricular function on 4D flow MRI in young adults born premature
Authors: Corrado Philip A. , Barton Gregory P. , Francois Christopher J. , Wieben Oliver , Goss Kara N.
Published: April 2021

We assessed the effect of right ventricular afterload reduction with sildenafil and heart rate reduction with metoprolol on cardiac hemodynamics and function in young adults born premature using 4D flow MRI. Metoprolol depressed cardiac function, whereas sildenafil improved cardiac function including right ventricular direct flow fraction by 4D flow, consistent with hemodynamic improvement. This suggests that the preterm heart is dependent on heart rate and sensitive to right ventricular afterload changes.

Listen to this article's corresponding podcast at https://ajpheart.podbean.com/e/behind-the-bench-episode-9 .
Vitamin D Deficiency Rickets and COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Liyanage Guwani , de Silva Yashica
Published: April 2021

In a breastfed infant, the main source of vitamin D comes from the mother. Thus, maternal vitamin D deficiency is the key reason for vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and rickets during infancy. As they grow older, inadequate sun exposure, diet and lack of supplements also contribute. Individuals with darker skin require at least three to five times longer exposure to the sun than a person with lighter skin to produce adequate endogenous vitamin D. Not many food items naturally contain vitamin D; most of those are less affordable to the poor. We report an 18-month-old child with vitamin D deficiency rickets during strict self-isolation measures during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Prolonged periods of confining indoors, low dietary intake of vitamin D, economic distress, maternal deficiency, and nonsupplementation could have contributed to vitamin D deficiency rickets in this child. During an unprecedented pandemic of this nature, simple sun exposure and diet advice may suffice for most. This case report highlights the importance of strengthening individuals and communities with information and formulating strong public health policies to prevent vitamin D deficiency.
[Retracted] Prediction and Application of Computer Simulation in Time‐Lagged Financial Risk Systems
Authors: Wang Hui , Liu Runzhe , Zhao Yang , Du Xiaohui
Published: April 2021

Based on the existing financial system risk models, a set of time‐lag financial system risk models is established considering the influence brought by time‐lag factors on the financial risk system, and the dynamical behavior of this system is analyzed by using chaos theory. Through Matlab simulation, the bifurcation diagram and phase diagram of time‐lag risk intensity and control intensity are plotted. The analysis shows that this kind of time‐lag financial system risk model has complex dynamic behavior, different motion states will appear when different parameter values are selected, and the time‐lag risk intensity parameter also has a very strong influence on the system motion. To ensure the operation of the financial system in a stable state, measures with certain delay effects must be taken to control the risk and to choose the appropriate time‐lag control intensity, and too much or too little time‐lag control intensity is not conducive to the benign operation of the system.
Construction and Optimization of Higher Education Management System Based on Internet Video Online Technology
Authors: Liu Jinhua , Wang Caiping , Wu Yanhua
Published: April 2021

With the rapid development of information technology, the integration of multimedia technology and traditional institutional systems is increasing. However, at present, the establishment and construction of the higher education system in China are not proportional, the function is vague, and the communication efficiency is not high. The reason for this phenomenon is that the traditional higher education management system has been unable to meet the needs of information society and information integration and it is unable to meet the increasing demand for higher education. Therefore, based on the above reasons, it is very important and has long-term strategic significance to establish an efficient and convenient higher education management system based on today’s Internet multimedia technology in a timely and reasonable manner. This paper analyzes the current status of the higher education management system and the problems that are arisen and proposes a three-dimensional integrated management system based on the innovation of Internet multimedia technology. At the same time, aiming at the urgent needs of the current lifelong education of higher education, a reasonable system of higher education diversion is established to focus on solving the phenomenon of imbalanced proportions, ambiguous functions, and low communication efficiency. In the final practical part of this paper, the system model of the three-dimensional integrated education system and the corresponding practical solution to the education diversion are given. After discussion, it has practical application value. The results of the research have shown the effectiveness of the proposed study.
Recovery of Pure Silicon and Other Materials from Disposed Solar Cells
Authors: Punathil Lineesh , Mohanasundaram K. , Tamilselavan K. S. , Sathyamurthy Ravishankar , Chamkha Ali J.
Published: April 2021

The disposal of used photovoltaic panels is increasing day by day around the world. Therefore, an efficient method for recycling disposed photovoltaic panel is required to decrease environmental pollution. This work is aimed at efficiently recovering pure silicon and other materials such as aluminium, silver, and lead from disposed solar cells using chemical treatments. Earlier, the pure silicon was recovered by treating the solar cells with hydrofluoric acid or mixture of hydrofluoric acid and other chemicals. The usage of hydrofluoric acid is eliminated in the present work as it is highly toxic and corrosive chemical. The pure silicon (99.9984%) has been recovered by sequentially treating with three different chemicals. Aluminium, silver, and lead are also recovered as aluminium hydroxide, silver chloride, and lead oxide, respectively.
Implementation of Online Teaching in Medical Education: Lessons Learned from Students’ Perspectives during the Health Crisis in Marrakesh, Morocco
Authors: Sebbani Majda , Adarmouch Latifa , Mansouri Adil , Mansoury Ouassim , Michaud Sarah , ElAdib Ahmed Rhassane , Bouskraoui Mohamed , Amine Mohamed
Published: April 2021

Background. On the announcement of the COVID-19 health emergency, the Marrakesh School of Medicine accelerated the digitization and the establishment of courses available to students through the faculty platform. We aimed to describe the students’ perspectives toward the online educational approach implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic and to investigate the factors that might affect the implementation of online teaching in the future. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study among medical students in Marrakesh during June-July 2020. Data collection was based on a self-administered electronic questionnaire distributed via the student platform. We studied the knowledge and previous practices of virtual technologies and students’ appreciation of distance learning during the lockdown. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using SPSS16.0 software. Results. A total of 111 students participated. The female-to-male sex ratio was 2.2 with an average age of 20.6 ± 1.8. The majority of students felt that they had a good knowledge of virtual technologies (on a scale of 1 to 10, 81% ≥ 5/10), and two-thirds reported using them in medical studies. Before the COVID-19 lockdown, 16.2% of the students used the platform and 39.6% did not attend in-person courses (16.0% in 1st cycle versus 49.2% in 2nd cycle,

p
=
0.01

). During the pandemic, 79% of the students appreciated the virtual learning (54.0% in 1st cycle versus 89.0% in 2nd cycle,

p
<
0.001

) and 80.2% thought that the online courses were understandable. Regarding to student’s preferences, 41.4% preferred blended education and 68.5% of the students would recommend continuing distance learning after the pandemic. Regarding satisfaction, previous use of the educational platform (OR = 66.3, CI 95% [1.9; 2.2

∗

103]), improvement of learning during distance learning (OR = 22.6, IC 95% [4.1, 123.7]), and professor support (OR = 7, IC95% [1.3, 38]) seemed to be the most powerful factors in the multivariate analysis. Conclusion. Our results will contribute to the implementation of actions by taking advantage of the experience during the health crisis. The institutionalization of virtual learning with more interaction in addition to the in-person courses is the main recommendation of this study.
Analysis and Design of the Battery Initial Energy Level with Task Scheduling for Energy‐Harvesting Embedded Systems
Authors: Miao Xingyu , Wei Jiayuan , Ge Yongqi
Published: April 2021

When the energy‐harvesting embedded system (EHES) is running, its available energy (harvesting energy and battery storage energy) seems to be sufficient overall. However, in the process of EHES task execution, an energy shortage may occur in the busy period such that system tasks cannot be scheduled. We call this issue the energy deception (ED) of the EHES. Aiming to address the ED issue, we design an appropriate initial energy level of the battery. In this paper, we propose three algorithms to judge the feasibility of the task set and calculate the appropriate initial energy level of the battery. The holistic energy evaluation (HEE) algorithm makes a preliminary judgment of the task set feasibility according to available energy and consumption energy. A worst‐case response time‐based initial energy level of the battery (WCRT‐IELB) algorithm and an accurate cycle‐initial energy level of the battery (AC‐IELB) algorithm can calculate the proper initial battery capacity. We use the YARTISS tool to simulate the above three algorithms. We conducted 250 experiments on As Late As Possible (ALAP) and As Soon As Possible (ASAP) scheduling with the maximum battery capacities of 50, 100, 200, 300, and 400. The experimental results show that setting a reasonable initial energy level of the battery can effectively improve the feasibility of the task set. Among the 250 task sets, the HEE algorithm filtered 2.8% of them as infeasible task sets. When the battery capacity is set to 400, the WCRT‐BIEL algorithm increases the success rates of the ALAP and ASAP by 17.2% and 26.8%, respectively. The AC‐BIEL algorithm increases the success rates of the ALAP and ASAP by 18% and 26.8%, respectively.
Association between Serum Uric Acid Levels and Perinatal Outcome in Women with Preeclampsia
Authors: Ugwuanyi Robinson Uchenna , Chiege Irozuruike Munachiso , Agwu Felix Eke , Eleje George Uchenna , Ifediorah Nonso Martin
Published: April 2021

Objectives. To compare serum uric acid levels with disease severity and perinatal outcome among preeclamptic and normal pregnant women. Materials and Methods. This was a case-control study carried out in Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Nigeria. Consenting pregnant women were consecutively recruited into two groups comprising pregnant women diagnosed with preeclampsia and normotensive nonproteinuric pregnant women. Exclusion criteria included pregnant women who were current smokers, took alcohol, and diagnosed with multiple gestation, diabetes mellitus, or renal failure. Associations between categorical variables such as preeclampsia severity and perinatal outcomes were done using logistic regression while means of continuous variables such as serum uric acid were compared using Student’s t-test. Data were presented using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) and a statistical significance level set atPvalue ˂ 0.05. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22. Results. One hundred and two participants were finally analysed. Fifty-one participants were recruited in each arm. Women with preeclampsia had significantly high serum uric acid level versus controls (6.08 ± 0.49 mg/dL vs. 5.20 ± 0.19;P<0.001). Women with elevated serum uric acid levels (˃6 mg/dL) were found to be 4 times more likely to have severe preeclampsia (P=0.022, OR = 4.00, 95% CI = 1.225–13.056), 66 times more likely to have APGAR score ˂7 in the first minute (P<0.001, OR = 66.00, 95% CI = 6.991–623.128), and 3 times more likely to have lower birth weight (P=0.038, OR = 3.400, 95% CI = 1.073–10.775) than those with normal serum uric acid levels. Conclusions. The mean serum uric acid level in a preeclamptic is higher than that of normal pregnant control, and higher levels are associated with severity of the disease and significantly associated with poorer perinatal outcome.
Pellet Roasting Management System Based on Deep Learning and Internet of Things
Authors: Liu Weixing , Zhang Liyan , Wang Jiahao , Yang Yiming , Li Jie , Zhang Zhijie
Published: April 2021

Pellet is widely used in blast furnace ironmaking. Pellet quality affects the effect of ironmaking, the existing control system of grating‐rotary kiln mainly adopts manual control mode, and the quality of pellet production largely depends on the experience, fatigue, and sense of responsibility of the site operators. The use of the Internet of things (IoT) technology in the integration and improvement of enterprise information level, to achieve fine, intelligent production management, at the same time, is conducive to promoting steel enterprises to reduce costs and increase efficiency, energy conservation and emission reduction, transformation and upgrading, and taking a new road to industrialization. According to the working principle and technological characteristics of the grate‐rotary kiln at all stages, this paper designs the management system of firing pellets based on convolutional neural network (CNN) and IoT technology, so as to realize automatic recognition of image data obtained by the perceptual layer and make an intelligent analysis of it. The system can classify the working conditions of the current equipment, so as to judge whether the production process parameters of the grate‐rotary kiln are up to the standard, thus achieving the goal of controlling the quality of the finished pellet.
Research on Structural Design of an Isolated High-Rise Building with Enlarged Base and Multiple Tower Layer in High-Intensity Area
Authors: Zhang Haotian , Li Fuju , Tai Ji , Zhou Jun
Published: April 2021

In the high intensity areas, the application of interlayer spacing technology can achieve the unity of quality and seismic performance of high-rise buildings with enlarged base and multiple tower layers. Through the comparison and analysis of the structural schemes of an enlarged base multiple tower-layer high-rise building, the ultimate seismic isolation scheme was adopted, and its seismic response and seismic performance were analyzed and studied. The results show that the overall seismic isolation effect of the story isolation technique is good, which can greatly reduce the seismic response, and is an effective means to improve the seismic safety of the structure. Considering the structural characteristics of the project, the improvement of the economy and the quality of the building, the use of story isolation technique in the enlarged base multiple tower-layer structure in the high-intensity region is an optimal scheme. Finally, several key technical issues such as the combined seismic isolation scheme of the enlarged base story isolation technique and the additional bending moment of the isolator and the tensile device of the isolator were discussed, which can provide some references for similar engineering practices.
A Multimode Approach to Geometrically Nonlinear Free and Forced Vibrations of Multistepped Beams
Authors: El Hantati Issam , Adri Ahmed , Fakhreddine Hatim , Rifai Said , Benamar Rhali
Published: April 2021

The scope of this study is to present a contribution to the geometrically nonlinear free and forced vibration of multiple‐stepped beams, based on the theories of Euler–Bernoulli and von Karman, in order to calculate their corresponding amplitude‐dependent modes and frequencies. Discrete expressions of the strain energy and kinetic energies are derived, and Hamilton’s principle is applied to reduce the problem to a solution of a nonlinear algebraic system and then solved by an approximate method. The forced vibration is then studied based on a multimode approach. The effect of nonlinearity on the dynamic behaviour of multistepped beams in the free and forced vibration is demonstrated and discussed. The effect of varying some geometrical parameters of the stepped beams in the free and forced cases is investigated and illustrated, among which is the variation in the level of excitation.
Dynamic Characteristics of a Misaligned Rigid Rotor System with Flexible Supports
Authors: Wang Meiling , Wen Baogang , Han Qingkai , Sun Yibo , Yu Changxin
Published: April 2021

A misaligned rigid rotor system with flexible supports differing from the traditional flexible rotor system, which refers to its practical rotating center line determined by supports offset from the theoretical one, often suffers support structure damage risk. In the present work, the dynamic characteristics of a misaligned rigid rotor system with flexible squirrel cage supports are focused, and the vibrations and the stress of its support structures under different misaligned offsets are investigated with experimental and simulated analysis. The finite element model for a rigid rotor system with flexible supports in a scaled test rig is established, and its strain energy distribution is analyzed to find that the first two modes of the system are referred to rigid‐body modes and the strain energy is mainly distributed on the squirrel cage supports. Based on the analysis results, a rigid‐flexible coupling dynamic model is proposed through a data exchange between ADAMS and ANSYS and validated by measurements. The misaligned conditions are focused on, and the influences of misalignment on the vibrations of the rigid rotor system and the reaction force and stress of its support structures are investigated analytically and experimentally. The results from simulation agree very well with the measurements and reveal that the static stress of squirrel cage increases just about proportionally with misalignment levels, but the vibration displacement amplitudes and stress amplitudes show very little change. The more serious the misaligned condition, the higher the static stress of the squirrel cage. Because misalignment will bring out the additional reaction forces in the misaligned direction, it will further result in higher stress and even more serious damage risk for the flexible supports than other parts in the rigid rotor system.
[Retracted] Application of Algorithms of Constrained Fuzzy Models in Economic Management
Authors: Meng Lingyan , Zhu Dishi
Published: April 2021

Stochasticity and ambiguity are two aspects of uncertainty in economic problems. In the case of investments in risky assets, this uncertainty is manifested in the uncertainty of future returns. On the contrary, the complexity of the economic phenomenon itself and the ambiguity inherent in human thinking and judgment are characterized by indistinct boundaries. For the same problem, research from different perspectives can often provide us with more comprehensive and systematic information. Currently, the expected value of return or the variance representing risk is still used as a rational investment criterion for both single‐stage portfolios and multistage portfolios. However, in general, the greater the expected return of an investor, the greater the risk he should take. Different investors have different requirements for profitability, but regardless of their expected return, they always hope to find a set of portfolios that maximize the probability of achieving the expected rate of return. In this paper, after analyzing the development of portfolio investment theory research, we take fuzzy information processing as the entry point and systematically discuss the theory and methods of fuzzy modeling of portfolio investment decision‐making from the perspective of fuzziness around the portfolio investment decision‐making process. The results of the empirical analysis show that the existence of basis constraints affects investors’ investment strategies as well as their final returns, but there is a limit to the influence of basis constraints on portfolio performance, and investors can obtain optimal investment returns by selecting a reasonable number of securities to form a portfolio based on the characteristics of different securities.
Investigating the Effect of Preimpact Energy Dissipation on Coefficient of Restitution regarding the Slope‐Boulder Interaction
Authors: Bi Ran , Li Shaoying , Liu Gou , Ren Jianxi , Song Yongjun
Published: April 2021

Coefficient of restitution is regarded as a dominating parameter in rockfall research. Generally, small‐scale experiments were developed without considering interactions between boulder and slope. However, preimpact moving statuses are essential to evaluate rockfall behaviors. To reveal the effect of preimpact interactions on coefficient of restitution, energy dissipation considering initial velocity, surface type, and slope angle is executed based on medium‐scale tests. The results show that (1) as the inclination of initial velocity, higher rebound height, and the declining normal coefficient of restitution occur, a determinable linear function could demonstrate relationships among energy dissipation and all coefficient of restitution; when initial velocity exceeds 5 m/s, the recovery ability shows and produces an increasing trend with respect to the variation of kinematic coefficient of restitution and kinetic energy coefficient of restitution. (2) As the surface material varies, slope hardness and rebound ability influence normal coefficient of restitution, and the surface roughness and rotation feature dominate tangential coefficient of restitution; considering preimpact slope and boulder interactions, four types of coefficient of restitution follow declining trend with different material sequence. (3) Slope angle affects normal coefficient of restitution, and tangential coefficient of restitution relatively descends 18% and inclines 10% when the angle ranges from 30° to 75°; regarding preimpact moving status, it differs from bounce times. The correlation between preimpact energy dissipation and four coefficients of restitution can be represented by the same decreasing linear function, when increasing the slope angle.
[Retracted] Using the Ship‐Gram Model for Japanese Keyword Extraction Based on News Reports
Authors: Teng Miao
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we conduct an in‐depth study of Japanese keyword extraction from news reports, train external computer document word sets from text preprocessing into word vectors using the Ship‐gram model in the deep learning tool Word2Vec, and calculate the cosine distance between word vectors. In this paper, the sliding window in TextRank is designed to connect internal document information to improve the in‐text semantic coherence. The main idea is to use not only the statistical and structural features of words but also the semantic features of words extracted through word‐embedding techniques, i.e., multifeature fusion, to obtain the importance weights of words themselves and the attraction weights between words and then iteratively calculate the final weight of each word through the graph model algorithm to determine the extracted keywords. To verify the performance of the algorithm, extensive simulation experimental studies were conducted on three different types of datasets. The experimental results show that the proposed keyword extraction algorithm can improve the performance by a maximum of 6.45% and 20.36% compared with the existing word frequency statistics and graph model methods, respectively; MF‐Rank can achieve a maximum performance improvement of 1.76% compared with PW‐TF.
SLFN11 Inactivation Induces Proteotoxic Stress and Sensitizes Cancer Cells to Ubiquitin Activating Enzyme Inhibitor TAK-243
Authors: Murai Yasuhisa , Jo Ukhyun , Murai Junko , Jenkins Lisa M. , Huang Shar-Yin N. , Chakka Sirisha , Chen Lu , Cheng Ken , Fukuda Shinsaku , Takebe Naoko , Pommier Yves
Published: April 2021

Schlafen11 (SLFN11) inactivation occurs in approximately 50% of cancer cell lines and in a large fraction of patient tumor samples, which leads to chemoresistance. Therefore, new therapeutic approaches are needed to target SLFN11-deficient cancers. To that effect, we conducted a drug screen with the NCATS mechanistic drug library of 1,978 compounds in isogenic SLFN11-knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) leukemia cell lines. Here we report that TAK-243, a first-in-class ubiquitin activating enzyme UBA1 inhibitor in clinical development, causes preferential cytotoxicity in SLFN11-KO cells; this effect is associated with claspin-mediated DNA replication inhibition by CHK1 independently of ATR. Additional analyses showed that SLFN11-KO cells exhibit consistently enhanced global protein ubiquitylation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, unfolded protein response (UPR), and protein aggregation. TAK-243 suppressed global protein ubiquitylation and activated the UPR transducers PERK, phosphorylated eIF2α, phosphorylated IRE1, and ATF6 more effectively in SLFN11-KO cells than in WT cells. Proteomic analysis using biotinylated mass spectrometry and RNAi screening also showed physical and functional interactions of SLFN11 with translation initiation complexes and protein folding machinery. These findings uncover a previously unknown function of SLFN11 as a regulator of protein quality control and attenuator of ER stress and UPR. Moreover, they suggest the potential value of TAK-243 in SLFN11-deficient tumors.

Significance:

This study uncovers that SLFN11 deficiency induces proteotoxic stress and sensitizes cancer cells to TAK-243, suggesting that profiling SLFN11 status can serve as a therapeutic biomarker for cancer therapy.
mTOR Activation Initiates Renal Cell Carcinoma Development by Coordinating ERK and p38MAPK
Authors: Wu Hongguang , He Dan , Biswas Soma , Shafiquzzaman Md , Zhou Xin , Charron Jean , Wang Yibin , Nayak Bijaya K. , Habib Samy L. , Liu Huijuan , Li Baojie
Published: April 2021

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) mainly originates from renal proximal tubules. Intriguingly, disruption of genes frequently mutated in human RCC samples thus far has only generated RCC originated from other renal tubule parts in mouse models. This hampers our understanding of the pathogenesis of RCC. Here we show that mTOR signaling, often activated in RCC samples, initiates RCC development from renal proximal tubules. Ablation of Tsc1, encoding an mTOR suppressor, in proximal tubule cells led to multiple precancerous renal cysts. mTOR activation increased MEK1 expression and ERK activation, and Mek1 ablation or inhibition diminished cyst formation in Tsc1-deficient mice. mTOR activation also increased MKK6 expression and p38MAPK activation, and ablation of the p38α-encoding gene further enhanced cyst formation and led to RCC with clear cell RCC features. Mechanistically, Tsc1 deletion induced p53 and p16 expression in a p38MAPK-dependent manner, and deleting Tsc1 and Trp53 or Cdkn2a (encoding p16) enhanced renal cell carcinogenesis. Thus, mTOR activation in combination with inactivation of the p38MAPK–p53/p16 pathway drives RCC development from renal proximal tubules. Moreover, this study uncovers previously unidentified mechanisms by which mTOR controls cell proliferation and suggests the MEK–ERK axis to be a potential target for treatment of RCC.

Significance:

Mouse modeling studies show that mTOR activation in combination with inactivation of the p38MAPK–p53/p16 axis initiates renal cell carcinoma that mimics human disease, identifying potential therapeutic targets for RCC treatment.
Habitat association and hybridization in woodbrowns (Lethe nicetas, L. sidonis, & L. dakwania) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) in Kedarnath Musk Deer Reserve, western Himalaya
Authors: Singh Arun Pratap , Singh Tribhuwan
Published: April 2021

During the course of surveys carried out in Kedarnath Musk Deer Reserve (KMDR), Uttarakhand in 2006–2019, only three species of the genus Lethe: sub-group woodbrowns, L. nicetas, L. sidonis, & L. dakwania, were recorded.  Amongst these were a few hybrids which were morphologically quite similar to L. nicetas.  The reason for hybridization amongst these species may be overlapping habitat of L. sidonis with that of L. nicetas, in KMDR.
Redescription of the bug Aschistocoris brevicornis (Heteroptera: Coreidae) and first report on its life history from northern Maharashtra, India
Authors: Jadhav Digvijay R. , Khairnar Renuka R. , Sarode Balasaheb V. , Boyane Swapnil S. , Ghate Hemant V.
Published: April 2021

We redescribe Aschistocoris brevicornis (Dallas, 1852) from northern Maharashtra, India, a species belonging to the tribe Homoeocerini (Heteroptera: Coreidae: Coreinae).  Here we have provided detailed, well-illustrated morphology, including the male genitalia, and notes on its bionomics for the first time.
Disersus otongachi a new species of Larainae riffle beetles from Ecuador
(Coleoptera: Elmidae)
Authors: ČIAMPOR Jr FEDOR , KODADA JÁN , BOZÁŇOVÁ JANA , ČIAMPOROVÁ-ZAŤOVIČOVÁ ZUZANA
Published: April 2021

We describe here a new species in the genus Disersus Sharp, 1882 from the Otongachi Reserve in Ecuador. Disersus otongachi sp.nov. is externally similar to other representatives of the genus, however, this species can be clearly distinguished for significantly longer antennae and the unique shape of the male genitalia.
Three new species of Hygrodromicus Tronquet, 1981 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Omaliinae: Anthophagini) from China
Authors: CHENG ZHI-FEI , PAN ZHAO-HUI , LI LI-ZHEN , PENG ZHONG
Published: April 2021

Three new species of the genus Hygrodromicus Tronquet, 1981 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Omaliinae: Anthophagini) from China are described and illustrated: H. carbonarius Cheng, Li & Peng sp. n., H. danlangi Cheng, Li & Peng sp. n. (Xizang), and H. shaanxiensis Cheng, Li & Peng sp. n. (Shaanxi). The genus Hygrodromicus is recorded from China for the first time. A key and distribution map of the Chinese species of Hygrodromicus are provided.
Hospitalization Costs and Outcomes of Open, Laparoscopic, and Robotic Liver Resections
Authors: Aziz Hassan , Hanna Kamil , Lashkari Nassim , Ahmad Noor-Us-Sabah , Genyk Yuri , Sheikh Mohd Raashid
Published: April 2021

Introduction

Most liver resections performed in the United States are open. With the ever-increasing role of robotic surgery, our study's role is to assess national outcomes based on the surgical approach.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of the 2015 National Readmission Database (NRD). We selected patients undergoing open, laparoscopic, and robotic hepatectomy. Propensity score matching was performed to match the three groups in terms of demographics, hospital characteristics, and resection type. Our primary outcome was 6-month readmission rates and associated costs.

Results

3,872 patients were included in the analysis (open = 3,420, laparoscopic = 343, and robotic = 109). Robotic liver resection has lower 6-month readmission rates (18.3%) than the laparoscopic (26.7%) and open (30%) counterparts. The robotic approach was more cost-effective ($127,716.56 ± 12,567.31) than the open ($157,880.82 ± 18,560.2) and laparoscopic approach ($152,060.78 ± 8,890.13) in terms of the total cost which includes cost per readmission.

Conclusions

There is a financial benefit of using robotics in terms of cost, hospital length of stay, and readmission rates in patients undergoing liver resection, cost.
Duodenal Volvulus due to Duodenum Inversum
Authors: Zambito Mario P. , Teicher Erik J.
Published: April 2021

Duodenum inversum, or inverted duodenum, is a rare congenital disorder resulting in an abnormal position of the third and/or fourth portions of the duodenum. Most patients are asymptomatic, but others can experience pain, nausea, vomiting, peptic ulcer disease, pancreatitis, and even intestinal obstruction. In this case, we report a patient who presented with acute abdominal pain and vomiting. He was diagnosed with duodenal volvulus and obstruction due to duodenum inversum. After failing nonoperative management, the patient was successfully treated with surgical resection.