bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The relatively young and rural population may limit the spread and severity of COVID-19 in Africa: a modelling study
Authors: Diop Binta Zahra , Ngom Marieme , Pougué Biyong Clémence , Pougué Biyong John N
Published: May 2020

Introduction

A novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread to all regions of the world. There is great uncertainty regarding how countries’ characteristics will affect the spread of the epidemic; to date, there are few studies that attempt to predict the spread of the epidemic in African countries. In this paper, we investigate the role of demographic patterns, urbanisation and comorbidities on the possible trajectories of COVID-19 in Ghana, Kenya and Senegal.

Methods

We use an augmented deterministic Susceptible-Infected-Recovered model to predict the true spread of the disease, under the containment measures taken so far. We disaggregate the infected compartment into asymptomatic, mildly symptomatic and severely symptomatic to match observed clinical development of COVID-19. We also account for age structures, urbanisation and comorbidities (HIV, tuberculosis, anaemia).

Results

In our baseline model, we project that the peak of active cases will occur in July, subject to the effectiveness of policy measures. When accounting for the urbanisation, and factoring in comorbidities, the peak may occur between 2 June and 17 June (Ghana), 22 July and 29 August (Kenya) and, finally, 28 May and 15 June (Senegal). Successful containment policies could lead to lower rates of severe infections. While most cases will be mild, we project in the absence of policies further containing the spread, that between 0.78% and 1.03%, 0.61% and 1.22%, and 0.60% and 0.84% of individuals in Ghana, Kenya and Senegal, respectively, may develop severe symptoms at the time of the peak of the epidemic.

Conclusion

Compared with Europe, Africa’s younger and rural population may modify the severity of the epidemic. The large youth population may lead to more infections but most of these infections will be asymptomatic or mild, and will probably go undetected. The higher prevalence of underlying conditions must be considered.
Early palliative care: the surprise question and the palliative care screening tool—better together
Authors: Yen Yung-Feng , Lee Ya-Ling , Hu Hsiao-Yun , Sun Wen-Jung , Ko Ming-Chung , Chen Chu-Chieh , Wong Weng Kee , Morisky Donald E , Huang Sheng-Jean , Chu Dachen
Published: May 2020

Objective

The ‘surprise question’ (SQ) and the palliative care screening tool (PCST) are the common assessment tools in the early identification of patients requiring palliative care. However, the comparison of their prognostic accuracies has not been extensively studied. This study aimed to compare the prognostic accuracy of SQ and PCST in terms of recognising patients nearing end of life (EOL) and those appropriate for palliative care.

Methods

This prospective study used both the SQ and PCST to predict patients’ 12-month mortality and identified those appropriate for palliative care. All adult patients admitted to Taipei City Hospital in 2015 were included in this cohort study. The c-statistic value was calculated to indicate the predictive accuracies of the SQ and PCST.

Results

Out of 21 109 patients, with a mean age of 62.8 years, 12.4% and 11.1% had a SQ response of ‘no’ and a PCST score of ≥4, respectively. After controlling for other covariates, an SQ response of ‘no’ and a PCST score of ≥4 were the independent predictors of 12-month mortality. The c-statistic values of the SQ and PCST at recognising patients in their last year of life were 0.680 and 0.689, respectively. When using a combination of both SQ and PCST in predicting patients’ 12-month mortality risk, the predictive value of the c-statistic increased to 0.739 and was significantly higher than either one in isolation (p<0.001).

Conclusion

A combination of the SQ with PCST has better prognostic accuracy than either one in isolation.
High-protein compared with standard parenteral nutrition in palliative cancer care
Authors: Goodrose-Flores Charlotte , Schedin Anna , Nelander Johan , Almerud Agneta , Trolle-Lagerros Ylva , Bonn Stephanie , Björkhem-Bergman Linda
Published: May 2020

Objectives

High-protein parenteral nutrition (PN) has been developed to counteract muscle loss in patients with cancer treated with PN. Nevertheless, it is not clear if high-protein PN is as safe as standard PN in patients with palliative cancer. Our primary aim was to compare the proportion of patients with elevated liver enzymes between high-protein and standard PN in patients with palliative cancer enrolled to Medical Home Care. Our secondary aim was to compare the two treatments with regard to weight and albumin levels during treatment.

Methods

Medical records from 2016 to 2018 were retrospectively reviewed to identify palliative cancer patients that had received PN for more than 3 weeks. Data on weight, height, albumin, liver enzymes, socioeconomic factors and dietitian consultations were collected at baseline and after 3–8 weeks of PN treatment. The odds of having elevated liver enzymes or having a maintained weight and/or stable albumin levels were calculated using logistic regression.

Results

20 patients treated with high-protein PN were compared with 104 patients treated with standard PN. Patients treated with high-protein PN had a significantly higher weight at follow-up compared with patients treated with standard PN (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the proportion of patients with elevated liver enzymes (OR 0.20; 95% CI 0.02 to 1.86), or maintained weight and/or albumin levels (OR 1.62; 95% CI 0.46 to 5.76) between high-protein and standard PN.

Conclusion

High-protein PN was as safe, and at least as effective, as standard PN to patients with palliative cancer.
Is withdrawing treatment really more problematic than withholding treatment?
Authors: Cameron James , Savulescu Julian , Wilkinson Dominic
Published: May 2020

There is a concern that as a result of COVID-19 there will be a shortage of ventilators for patients requiring respiratory support. This concern has resulted in significant debate about whether it is appropriate to withdraw ventilation from one patient in order to provide it to another patient who may benefit more. The current advice available to doctors appears to be inconsistent, with some suggesting withdrawal of treatment is more serious than withholding, while others suggest that this distinction should not be made. We argue that there is no ethically relevant difference between withdrawing and withholding treatment and that suggesting otherwise may have problematic consequences. If doctors are discouraged from withdrawing treatment, concern about a future shortage may make them reluctant to provide ventilation to patients who are unlikely to have a successful outcome. This may result in underutilisation of available resources. A national policy is urgently required to provide doctors with guidance about how patients should be prioritised to ensure the maximum benefit is derived from limited resources.
Climate and competition influence sockeye salmon population dynamics across the Northeast Pacific Ocean
Authors: Connors Brendan , Malick Michael J. , Ruggerone Gregory T. , Rand Pete , Adkison Milo , Irvine James R. , Campbell Robert , Gorman Kristen
Published: May 2020

Pacific salmon productivity is influenced by ocean conditions and interspecific interactions, yet their combined effects are poorly understood. Using data from 47 North American sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) populations, we present evidence that the magnitude and direction of climate and competition effects vary over large spatial scales. In the south, a warm ocean and abundant salmon competitors combined to strongly reduce sockeye productivity, whereas in the north, a warm ocean substantially increased productivity and offset the negative effects of competition at sea. From 2005 to 2015, the approximately 82 million adult pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) produced annually from hatcheries were estimated to have reduced the productivity of southern sockeye salmon by ∼15%, on average. In contrast, for sockeye at the northwestern end of their range, the same level of hatchery production was predicted to have reduced the positive effects of a warming ocean by ∼50% (from a ∼10% to a ∼5% increase in productivity, on average). These findings reveal spatially dependent effects of climate and competition on sockeye productivity and highlight the need for international discussions about large-scale hatchery production.
Improving the description of multiple interactions in Herwig
Authors: Bellm Johannes , Gieseke Stefan , Kirchgaeßer Patrick
Published: May 2020

The modeling of multiple parton interactions in Monte Carlo event generators is a crucial part not only for the dressing of signal processes but also to describe data with a minimum bias on the event selection. Much work has and will be put into the theoretical framework and the numerical implementation of these models. In this contribution, we document various improvements of the multiple parton interaction model of Herwig 7 (Bellm et al. in Eur Phys J C76(4):196, 2016), that lead to an improved description of minimum bias and underlying event data.
$$tZ'$$ production at hadron colliders
Authors: Guzzi Marco , Kidonakis Nikolaos
Published: May 2020

We study the production of a single top quark in association with a heavy extra $$Z'$$Z′ at hadron colliders in new physics models with and without flavor-changing neutral-current (FCNC) couplings. We use QCD soft-gluon resummation and threshold expansions to calculate higher-order corrections for the total cross section and transverse-momentum distributions for $$t Z'$$tZ′ production. The impact of the uncertainties due to the structure of the proton and scale dependence is also analyzed.
Sum rule improved double parton distributions in position space
Authors: Diehl M. , Gaunt J. R. , Lang D. M. , Plößl P. , Schäfer A.
Published: May 2020

Models for double parton distributions that are realistic and consistent with theoretical constraints are crucial for a reliable description of double parton scattering. We show how an ansatz that has the correct behaviour in the limit of small transverse distance between the partons can be improved step by step, such as to fulfil the sum rules for double parton distributions with an accuracy around 10%.
A constrained fit of the valence transversity distributions from dihadron production
Authors: Benel J. , Courtoy A. , Ferro-Hernandez R.
Published: May 2020

We present a constrained analysis of the valence transversity Parton Distribution Functions from dihadron production in semi-inclusive DIS. While usual extractions of the transversity distributions rely explicitly on the fulfillment of the Soffer bound, the present analysis releases that restriction to implement further constraints through the method of Lagrange multipliers. The results are quantitatively comparable to previous analyses in the kinematical range of data; the qualitative impact translates into an increased flexibility in the functional form.
Multi-mass synergetic coupling perforated bi-layer plate-type acoustic metamaterials for sound insulation
Authors: Huang Weikang , Chen Tianning , Jiang Quanyuan , Song Xinpei , Yu Wuzhou , Zhu Jian
Published: May 2020

Thin plate-type acoustic metamaterials have the advantages of lightweight, high rigidity and adjustable parameters, showing great practical application values in sound wave control. In this paper, a type of perforated bi-layer plate-type acoustic metamaterials (PBPAM) is designed for low-frequency noise control. The sound insulation peaks can be increased by combining the perforated plate and synergetic masses, making the sound insulation performance close to the mass law at the resonant frequency. Compared to the results predicted by the mass law, a better performance of sound insulation is achieved based on the PBPAM. The effects of the structural parameters are investigated in this study. Based on the impedance tube experiments, the measured results have a good agreement with the simulated ones. This work can provide a reference for low-frequency and broadband sound insulation based on plate-type acoustic metamaterials in practical engineering.
Development and transition of target waves in the network of Hindmarsh–Rose neurons under electromagnetic radiation
Authors: Luo Haibo , Ma Jile
Published: May 2020

The pattern transition of target waves in Hindmarsh–Rose neuron network exposed to fixed and periodic electromagnetic radiation is reported in this paper. Our numerical results confirm that local periodical excitation can induce stable propagating target waves from the network. It is found that fixed electromagnetic radiation has great effect on the propagating target waves, and that these target waves can be obviously blocked by increasing the intensity of fixed electromagnetic radiation. We find that the periodic electromagnetic radiation with appropriate amplitude and frequency can break the target waves and induce spatiotemporal turbulence and spiral waves from the broken target waves. Our numerical simulations show that the influence of periodic electromagnetic radiation on the dynamics of target waves is complex, and that although both increasing the amplitude and decreasing the frequency can break the target waves and induce spiral waves and chaos from the network, extensive numerical results find that lower frequency is more easy to terminate the target waves and generate spiral waves and spatiotemporal chaos. The numerical simulations also show that fixed and periodic electromagnetic radiation have influence on the pattern transition of the target waves in the network, but periodic electromagnetic radiation is more helpful to develop spiral waves and turbulence from the network.
Method to enhance traffic capacity for multilayer networks
Authors: Zhang Yongqiang , Li Yaming , Li Min , Ma Jinlong
Published: May 2020

The network structure acquires great influence on the traffic capacity for complex network. Since the nodes with high degree usually bear large load in the process of packet transmission, we propose a new multilayer network model which can balance the load of low-speed and high-speed layers. The simulation results show that compared with the randomly select nodes multilayer network model, the new network model makes the multilayer network load more balanced, thereby enhancing traffic capacity of the network and reducing the possibility of congestion. This network model gives full play to the transmission advantages of the high-speed layer of the multilayer network, and can reduce the consumption of resources while achieving the same transmission effect, which is of guiding significance for the planning of network lines.
Evidence for tetrahedral structure of Calcium-40
Authors: Manton N. S.
Published: May 2020

More than 100 excited states of the Calcium-40 nucleus, with isospin 0, are classified into rotational–vibrational bands of an intrinsic tetrahedral structure. Almost all observed states below 8[Formula: see text]MeV can be accommodated, as well as many high-spin states above 8[Formula: see text]MeV. The bands have some similarity to those classifying states of Oxygen-16, but the A-mode vibrational frequency is lower relative to the E-mode and F-mode frequencies than in Oxygen-16. Previously identified rotational bands up to spin 16 and energy above 20[Formula: see text]MeV are unified here into a smaller number of tetrahedral bands.
SET-VALUED DYNAMIC RISK MEASURES FOR BOUNDED DISCRETE-TIME PROCESSES
Authors: CHEN YANHONG , HU YIJUN
Published: May 2020

In this paper, we study how to evaluate the risk of a financial portfolio, whose components may be dependent and come from different markets or involve more than one kind of currencies, while we also take into consideration the uncertainty about the time value of money. Namely, we introduce a new class of risk measures, named set-valued dynamic risk measures for bounded discrete-time processes that are adapted to a given filtration. The time horizon can be finite or infinite. We investigate the representation results for them by making full use of Legendre–Fenchel conjugation theory for set-valued functions. Finally, some examples such as the set-valued dynamic average value at risk and the entropic risk measure for bounded discrete-time processes are also given.
On Fault Tolerance, Locality, and Optimality in Locally Repairable Codes
Authors: Kolosov Oleg , Yadgar Gala , Liram Matan , Tamo Itzhak , Barg Alexander
Published: May 2020

Erasure codes in large-scale storage systems allow recovery of data from a failed node. A recently developed class of codes, locally repairable codes (LRCs), offers tradeoffs between storage overhead and repair cost. LRCs facilitate efficient recovery scenarios by adding parity blocks to the system. However, these additional blocks may eventually increase the number of blocks that must be reconstructed. Existing LRCs differ in their use of the parity blocks, in their locality semantics, and in their parameter space. Thus, existing theoretical models cannot directly compare different LRCs to determine which code offers the best recovery performance, and at what cost.

We perform the first systematic comparison of existing LRC approaches. We analyze Xorbas, Azure’s LRCs, and Optimal-LRCs in light of two new metrics: average degraded read cost and normalized repair cost. We show the tradeoff between these costs and the code’s fault tolerance, and that different approaches offer different choices in this tradeoff. Our experimental evaluation on a Ceph cluster further demonstrates the different effects of realistic system bottlenecks on the benefit from each LRC approach. Despite these differences, the normalized repair cost metric can reliably identify the LRC approach that would achieve the lowest repair cost in each setup.
A Principled Approach to Selective Context Sensitivity for Pointer Analysis
Authors: Li Yue , Tan Tian , Møller Anders , Smaragdakis Yannis
Published: May 2020

Context sensitivity is an essential technique for ensuring high precision in static analyses. It has been observed that applying context sensitivity partially, only on a select subset of the methods, can improve the balance between analysis precision and speed. However, existing techniques are based on heuristics that do not provide much insight into what characterizes this method subset. In this work, we present a more principled approach for identifying precision-critical methods, based on general patterns of value flows that explain where most of the imprecision arises in context-insensitive pointer analysis. Using this theoretical foundation, we present an efficient algorithm, Z
IPPER
, to recognize these flow patterns in a given program and employ context sensitivity accordingly. We also present a variant, Z
IPPER

e

, that additionally takes into account which methods are disproportionally costly to analyze with context sensitivity.

Our experimental results on standard benchmark and real-world Java programs show that Z
IPPER
preserves effectively all of the precision (98.8%) of a highly precise conventional context-sensitive pointer analysis (2-object-sensitive with a context-sensitive heap, 2obj for short), with a substantial speedup (on average, 3.4× and up to 9.4×), and that Z
IPPER

e

preserves 94.7% of the precision of 2obj, with an order-of-magnitude speedup (on average, 25.5× and up to 88×). In addition, for 10 programs that cannot be analyzed by 2obj within a three-hour time limit, on average Z
IPPER

e

can guide 2obj to finish analyzing them in less than 11 minutes with high precision compared to context-insensitive and introspective context-sensitive analyses.
A Case for Feedforward Control with Feedback Trim to Mitigate Time Transfer Attacks
Authors: Anwar Fatima M. , Srivastava Mani
Published: May 2020

We propose a new clock synchronization architecture for systems under time transfer attacks. Facilitated by a
feedforward control with feedback trim
--based clock adjustment, coupled with
packet filtering
and
frequency shaping
techniques, our proposed architecture bounds the clock errors in the presence of a powerful network attacker capable of attacking packets between a master and a client. A key advantage is consistent measurements, timely coordination, and synchronized actuation in distributed systems. In contrast, current time synchronization architectures behave poorly under attacks due to assumptions that the network is benign and delays are symmetric. The usage of feedback controllers aggravates poor performance. We provide an architecture that is indifferent to delays and eases the integration to traditional protocols. We implement a delay attack--resistant precision time protocol and validate the results on a hardware-supported testbed.
Reliable and Secure Design-Space-Exploration for Cyber-Physical Systems
Authors: Ghosh Saurav Kumar , R C Jaffer Sheriff , Jain Vibhor , Dey Soumyajit
Published: May 2020

Given the widespread deployment of cyber-physical systems and their safety-critical nature, reliability and security guarantees offered by such systems are of paramount importance. While the security of such systems against sensor attacks have garnered significant attention from researchers in recent times, improving the reliability of a control software implementation against transient environmental disturbances need to be investigated further. Scalable formal methods for verification of actual control performance guarantee offered by software implementations of control laws in the face of sensory faults have been explored in recent work [20]. However, the formal verification of the improvement of system reliability by incorporating sensor fault mitigation techniques like Kalman filtering [29] and sensor fusion [18, 52] remains to be explored. Moreover, system designers face complex tradeoff choices for deciding upon the usage of fault and attack mitigation techniques and scheduling them on available system resources as they incur extra computation load.

In the present work, our contributions are threefold. We formally analyze the actual performance guarantee of control software implementations enabled with additional fault mitigation techniques. We consider task-level models of such implementations enabled with security and fault tolerance primitives and construct a timed automata-based model which checks for schedulability on heterogeneous multi-core platforms. We leverage these methodologies in the context of a novel Design-Space-Exploration (DSE) framework that considers target reliability and security guarantees for a control system and computes schedulable design options while considering well-known platform-level security improvement and fault mitigation techniques. We validate our contributions over several case studies from the automotive domain.
How to get the most from your word processor
Authors: Yaffe Philip
Published: May 2020

Each "Communication Corner" essay is self-contained; however, they build on each other. For best results, before reading this essay and doing the exercise, go to the first essay "How an Ugly Duckling Became a Swan," then read each succeeding essay.

The personal computer has revolutionized how we work, and that's all because of software development. One of the most important of which is word processing. Since the 1970s word processing has created efficiencies in writing and editing. This article explains how word processors can make you a better thinker.
FEAST
Authors: Natarajan Aravind , Ramachandran Arunmoezhi , Mittal Neeraj
Published: May 2020

We present a
lock-free
algorithm for concurrent manipulation of a binary search tree (BST) in an asynchronous shared memory system that supports search, insert, and delete operations. In addition to read and write instructions, our algorithm uses (single-word) compare-and-swap (CAS) and bit-test-and-set (BTS) read-modify-write (RMW) instructions, both of which are commonly supported by many modern processors including Intel 64 and AMD64. In contrast to most of the existing concurrent algorithms for a binary search tree, our algorithm is edge-based rather than node-based. When compared to other concurrent algorithms for a binary search tree, modify (insert and delete) operations in our algorithm (a) work on a smaller section of the tree, (b) execute fewer RMW instructions, or (c) use fewer dynamically allocated objects. In our experiments, our lock-free algorithm significantly outperformed all other algorithms for a concurrent binary search tree especially when the contention was high.

We also describe modifications to our basic lock-free algorithm so that the amortized complexity of any operation in the modified algorithm can be bounded by the
sum
of the tree height and the point contention to within a constant factor while preserving the other desirable features of our algorithm.
Generating Massive Scale-free Networks
Authors: Alam Maksudul , Khan Maleq , Perumalla Kalyan S. , Marathe Madhav
Published: May 2020

Recently, there has been substantial interest in the study of various random networks as mathematical models of complex systems. As real-life complex systems grow larger, the ability to generate progressively large random networks becomes all the more important. This motivates the need for efficient parallel algorithms for generating such networks. Naïve parallelization of sequential algorithms for generating random networks is inefficient due to inherent dependencies among the edges and the possibility of creating duplicate (parallel) edges. In this article, we present message passing interface-based distributed memory parallel algorithms for generating random scale-free networks using the preferential-attachment model. Our algorithms are experimentally verified to scale very well to a large number of processing elements (PEs), providing near-linear speedups. The algorithms have been exercised with regard to scale and speed to generate scale-free networks with one trillion edges in 6 minutes using 1,000 PEs.
CoREC
Authors: Duan Shaohua , Subedi Pradeep , Davis Philip , Teranishi Keita , Kolla Hemanth , Gamell Marc , Parashar Manish
Published: May 2020

The dramatic increase in the scale of current and planned high-end HPC systems is leading new challenges, such as the growing costs of data movement and IO, and the reduced mean time between failures (MTBF) of system components. In-situ workflows, i.e., executing the entire application workflows on the HPC system, have emerged as an attractive approach to address data-related challenges by moving computations closer to the data, and staging-based frameworks have been effectively used to support in-situ workflows at scale. However, the resilience of these staging-based solutions has not been addressed, and they remain susceptible to expensive data failures. Furthermore, naive use of data resilience techniques such as n-way replication and erasure codes can impact latency and/or result in significant storage overheads. In this article, we present CoREC, a scalable and resilient in-memory data staging runtime for large-scale in-situ workflows. CoREC uses a novel hybrid approach that combines dynamic replication with erasure coding based on data access patterns. It also leverages multiple levels of replications and erasure coding to support diverse data resiliency requirements. Furthermore, the article presents optimizations for load balancing and conflict-avoiding encoding, and a low overhead, lazy data recovery scheme. We have implemented the CoREC runtime and have deployed with the DataSpaces staging service on leadership class computing machines and present an experimental evaluation in the article. The experiments demonstrate that CoREC can tolerate in-memory data failures while maintaining low latency and sustaining high overall storage efficiency at large scales.
The April 2020 issue
Authors: Uhlig Steve
Published: May 2020

Presentation of the April 2020 issue of CCR.
U-Model-Based Active Disturbance Rejection Control for the Dissolved Oxygen in a Wastewater Treatment Process
Authors: Wei Wei , Chen Nan , Zhang Zhiyuan , Liu Zaiwen , Zuo Min
Published: May 2020

Dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration is a key variable in wastewater treatment process (WWTP). It directly influences effluent quality of a wastewater treatment. However, due to the great changes of the influent flow rate and the large uncertainties of the wastewater in composition, concentration, and temperature, most control approaches become powerless on DO regulation. To improve the robustness of a DO control, and reduce the phase delay between the control input and the system output, a U-model-based active disturbance rejection control (UADRC) is proposed. The U-model control (UC) reduces the phase delay between the control input and the system output. The active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) enhances the robustness of the closed-loop system. Also, ADRC converts the system dynamics to be integrators connected in series, which helps the realization of UC. By changing the system dynamics to be an approximate unit, a controller based on desired closed-loop system dynamics can be designed and the DO concentration is guaranteed. UADRC combines advantages of both UC and ADRC, and a commonly accepted benchmark simulation model no.1 (BSM1) is taken to verify the proposed UADRC. Numerical results show that, with similar energy consumption, the UADRC is able to achieve much better tracking performance than ADRC, SMC, and PI with suggested parameters.
Identification of Active Compounds of Mahuang Fuzi Xixin Decoction and Their Mechanisms of Action by LC‐MS/MS and Network Pharmacology
Authors: Liang Xiao , Liu Chang-Shun , Xia Ting , Tang Qing-Fa , Tan Xiao-Mei
Published: May 2020

The decoction is an important dosage form of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) administration. The Mahuang Fuzi Xixin decoction (MFXD) is widely used to treat allergic rhinitis (AR) in China. However, its active compounds and therapeutic mechanisms are unclear. The aim of this study was to establish an integrative method to identify the bioactive compounds and reveal the mechanisms of action of MFXD. LC‐MS/MS was used to identify the compounds in MFXD, followed by screening for oral bioavailability. TCMSP, BindingDB, STRING, DAVID, and KEGG databases and algorithms were used to gather information. Cytoscape was used to visualize the networks. Twenty‐four bioactive compounds were identified, and thirty‐seven predicted targets of these compounds were associated with AR. DAVID analysis suggested that these compounds exert their therapeutic effects by modulating the Fc epsilon RI, B‐cell receptor, Toll‐like receptor, TNF, NF‐κB, and T‐cell receptor signaling pathways. The PI3K/AKT and cAMP signaling pathways were also implicated. Ten of the identified compounds, quercetin, pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, β‐asarone, methylephedrine, α‐linolenic acid, cathine, ferulic acid, nardosinone, and higenamine, seemed to account for most of the beneficial effects of MFXD in AR. This study showed that LC‐MS/MS followed by network pharmacology analysis is useful to elucidate the complex mechanisms of action of TCM formulas.
An Improved Method of Particle Swarm Optimization for Path Planning of Mobile Robot
Authors: Li Xun , Wu Dandan , He Jingjing , Bashir Muhammad , Liping Ma
Published: May 2020

The existing particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm has the disadvantages of application limitations and slow convergence speed when solving the problem of mobile robot path planning. This paper proposes an improved PSO integration scheme based on improved details, which integrates uniform distribution, exponential attenuation inertia weight, cubic spline interpolation function, and learning factor of enhanced control. Compared with other standard functions, our improved PSO (IPSO) can achieve better optimal results with less number of iteration steps than the different four path planning algorithms developed in the existing literature. IPSO makes the optimal path length with less than 20 iteration steps and reduces the path length and simulation time by 2.8% and 1.1 seconds, respectively.
A Novel Generalization of Trigonometric Bézier Curve and Surface with Shape Parameters and Its Applications
Authors: Maqsood Sidra , Abbas Muhammad , Hu Gang , Ramli Ahmad Lutfi Amri , Miura Kenjiro T.
Published: May 2020

Adopting a recurrence technique, generalized trigonometric basis (or GT-basis, for short) functions along with two shape parameters are formulated in this paper. These basis functions carry a lot of geometric features of classical Bernstein basis functions and maintain the shape of the curve and surface as well. The generalized trigonometric Bézier (or GT-Bézier, for short) curves and surfaces are defined on these basis functions and also analyze their geometric properties which are analogous to classical Bézier curves and surfaces. This analysis shows that the existence of shape parameters brings a convenience to adjust the shape of the curve and surface by simply modifying their values. These GT-Bézier curves meet the conditions required for parametric continuity (C0, C1, C2, and C3) as well as for geometric continuity (G0, G1, and G2). Furthermore, some curve and surface design applications have been discussed. The demonstrating examples clarify that the new curves and surfaces provide a flexible approach and mathematical sketch of Bézier curves and surfaces which make them a treasured way for the project of curve and surface modeling.
Application of Anchoring Technique in Unilateral Percutaneous Vertebroplasty for Neurologically Intact Kümmell’s Disease
Authors: Qin Rongqing , Zhang Xing , Liu Hongpeng , Zhou Bing , Zhou Pin , Hu Chuanliang
Published: May 2020

Purpose. We aimed to present our experience in anchoring technique and evaluate the efficacy and safety of unilateral percutaneous vertebroplasty in patients with neurologically intact Kümmell’s disease. Methods. From January 2014 to December 2017, 29 patients (17 males and 12 females) with neurologically intact Kümmell’s disease were operated on using anchoring technique in unilateral percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP). Ages of the enrolled patients ranged from 67 to 81 years (mean 73.8 years). Clinical efficacy was evaluated by back pain visual analogue scale (BP-VAS) score, Oswestry disability index (ODI) score, as well as the height of anterior border and the kyphotic angle of the involved vertebral body on a standing lateral radiograph. The safety of PVP was assessed by surgical-related complications, including bone cement leakage and neurological deficit. Results. All 29 patients underwent the PVP procedure successfully. The mean operation time was 35 ± 12 min. And all patients were able to walk/ambulate with a thoracolumbar brace after 12 to 24 hours, staying in bed postoperatively. Significantly statistical differences were observed in both BP-VAS and ODI scores at each time point of follow-up when compared with the preoperative condition (P<0.05). Besides, statistically significant improvement in radiographic measurements such as kyphotic angle and the height of the anterior border of the involved vertebral body between the preoperative and postoperative assessments was also observed (P<0.05) and asymptomatic leakage of cement occurred in 7 of 29 cases (24.1%). Conclusions. We considered that the anchoring technique in unilateral PVP could provide an effective and safe alternative for neurologically intact Kümmell’s disease.
Analysis and Water Quality Control of Alternative Sources in Bangolan, Northwest Cameroon
Authors: Festus Biosengazeh Nchofua , Estella Buleng Tamungang Njoyim , Nelson Alakeh Mofor , Antoine david Mvondo-ze
Published: May 2020

This research focused on the quality of domestic water in Bangolan, Northwest Cameroon, in order to ascertain its potability based on World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines. Inhabitants of this locality, as well as others in rural areas, consume water from these sources without any prior treatment which can lead to contamination and infections. Sampling was conducted, and physicochemical and bacteriological properties of ten water sources were examined in November 2017 and January, April, and July 2018 using standard methods. The results showed that the sampled water sources were moderately acidic to weakly basic falling within the WHO specification. The values of electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids were low, suggesting low mineralised waters which could lead to a shortage of essential mineral elements in humans. Water turbidity was high in July, attributable to the rains. Major ions analysed fell within the WHO guideline values except iron and aluminium, whose values fell above guideline values in both seasons due to the nature of the soils. Faecal coliforms were found in all the sources, and specific bacteria identified were Escherichia coli, Enterobacteria, Streptococcus, Salmonella, and Shigella spp., suggesting recent contamination by faecal matter due to poor hygienic conditions, and hence, treatment was recommended. Statistical analyses revealed significant influence of heavy rains on most water parameters (p<0.05). Health data in the locality revealed 1389 cases of water-borne diseases, namely, typhoid, diarrhoea, and dysentery between 2016 and 2017 necessitating control.
Geochemical Characteristics and Productivity Response of Produced Water from Coalbed Methane Wells in the Yuwang Block, Eastern Yunnan, China
Authors: Du Mingyang , Yao Xiaojuan , Zhang Shasha , Zhou He , Wu Caifang , Zhao Junlong
Published: May 2020

Coalbed methane (CBM) well-produced water contains abundant geochemical information that can guide productivity predictions of CBM wells. The geochemical characteristics and productivity responses of water produced from six CBM wells in the Yuwang block, eastern Yunnan, were analyzed using data of conventional ions, hydrogen and oxygen isotopes, and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). The results showed that the produced water type of well L-3 is mainly Na-HCO3, while those from the other five wells are Na-Cl-HCO3. The isotope characteristics of produced water are affected greatly by water-rock interaction. Combined with the enrichment mechanisms of isotopes D and 18O, we found that the water samples exhibit an obvious D drift trend relative to the local meteoric water line. The 13C enrichment of DIC in the water samples suggests that DIC is mainly produced by the dissolution of carbonate minerals in coal seams. The concentration of HCO3-, D drift trend, and enrichment of 13CDIC in produced water are positively correlated with CBM production, which can be verified by wells L-4 and L-6.
Natural Regeneration of Indigenous Tree Species in Broussonetia papyrifera Invaded Sites in Pra -Anum Forest Reserve
Authors: Yalley Moses Kwesi , Adusu Daniel , Bunyamin Abdul-Rahman , Okyere Isaac , Asare Austin
Published: May 2020

Broussonetia papyrifera invasion poses a serious threat to indigenous tree species in Ghana. Many conservation scientists therefore emphasize the need to control, manage, and possibly eradicate the species. However, attempts at control and management require adequate knowledge of its ecology and impact on invaded ecosystems. Employing a complete randomized design with twenty-four (24) 20 m × 20 m plots, 12 each on invaded and uninvaded sites, this study assesses the indigenous species regeneration potential under Broussonetia papyrifera-invaded sites in the Pra-Anum forest reserve. The study provides evidence of the negative impact of Broussonetia on the regenerative capacity of the reserve, as 335 seedlings per 4800 m2 distributed over 43 species were recorded on the uninvaded site compared to 156 seedlings per 4800 m2 distributed over 31 species on the invaded site. The study, however, observed some level of resilience of species belonging to the Ulmaceae and Lecythidaceae families, as they appeared fairly represented on the invaded site. Floristic diversity was also observed to be negatively impacted by Broussonetia invasion as mean Shannon and Simpson index values of 2.39 ± 0.71 and 0.89 ± 0.08 and 1.39 ± 0.24 and 0.64 ± 0.08 were recorded on the uninvaded and invaded sites, respectively. Furthermore, the Broussonetia invasion compromised the productivity of the forest ecosystem as 4.9 ± 1.61 mean economic tree species per 400 m2 plot were recorded on the invaded site compared to 13.8 ± 1.28 per 400 m2 plot on the uninvaded site. The study, therefore, concludes that Broussonetia invasion poses a serious threat to the integrity and productivity of the Pra-Anum forest reserve. Consequently, the study recommends the control of the spread of the species to protect the integrity of the Pra-Anum forest reserve. Also, restoration efforts in invaded areas of the reserve could consider the use of native species belonging to the Ulmaceae and Lecythidaceae families as they appear to be resilient to Broussonetia invasion.
Mahuang Fuzi Xixin Decoction Ameliorates Allergic Rhinitis in Rats by Regulating the Gut Microbiota and Th17/Treg Balance
Authors: Liang Xiao , Liu Chang-Shun , Wei Xiao-Han , Xia Ting , Chen Fei-Long , Tang Qing-Fa , Ren Meng-Yue , Tan Xiao-Mei
Published: May 2020

Mahuang Fuzi Xixin Decoction (MFXD), a Chinese traditional herbal formulation, has been used to treat allergic rhinitis (AR) in China for centuries. However, the mechanism underlying its effect on AR is unclear. This study investigated the mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of MFXD on AR. Ovalbumin-induced AR rat models were established, which were then treated with MFXD for 14 days. Symptom scores of AR were calculated. The structure of the gut microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and qPCR. Short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content in rat stool and serum was determined by GC-MS. Inflammatory and immunological responses were assessed by histopathology, ELISA, flow cytometry, and western blotting. Our study demonstrated that MFXD reduced the symptom scores of AR and serum IgE and histamine levels. MFXD treatment restored the diversity of the gut microbiota: it increased the abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes and decreased the abundance of Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria. MFXD treatment also increased SCFA content, including that of acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Additionally, MFXD administration downregulated the number of Th17 cells and the levels of the Th17-related cytokines IL-17 and RORγt. By contrast, there was an increase in the number of Treg cells and the levels of the Treg-related cytokines IL-10 and Foxp3. MFXD and butyrate increased the levels of ZO-1 in the colon. This study indicated MFXD exerts therapeutic effects against AR, possibly by regulating the gut microbial composition and Th17/Treg balance.
The Role of Th17 Cells and IL-17 in Th2 Immune Responses of Allergic Conjunctivitis
Authors: Meng Xiang-Tian , Shi Yun-Yue , Zhang Hong , Zhou Hong-Yan
Published: May 2020

Allergic conjunctivitis (AC) is a common allergic disease that is often associated with the onset of rhinitis or asthma. The incidence of AC has increased significantly in recent years possibly due to air pollution and climate warming. AC seriously affects patients’ quality of life and work efficiency. Th (T-helper) 2 immune responses and type I hypersensitivity reactions are generally considered the basis of occurrence of AC. It has been found that new subpopulations of T-helper cells, Th17 cells that produce interleukin-17 (IL-17), play an important role in the Th2-mediated pathogenesis of conjunctivitis. Studies have shown that Th17 cells are involved in a variety of immune inflammation, including psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, and asthma. However, the role of Th17 and IL-17 in AC is unclear. This paper will focus on how T-helper 17 cells and interleukin-17 are activated in the Th2 immune response of allergic conjunctivitis and how they promote the Th2 immune response of AC.
Method for Determining Longitudinal Stiffness of Combined Double Thin‐Walled Pier Based on Train‐Track‐Bridge Interaction
Authors: Fang Hui , Chen Zhaowei
Published: May 2020

Combined double thin‐walled pier is a new kind of pier adopted in the urban transit system in China, whose longitudinal stiffness cannot be determined by adopting traditional methods. Aiming at this practical issue, this work proposed an alternative method for determining the longitudinal stiffness of the combined double thin‐walled pier based on the train‐track‐bridge interaction. Primarily, the relationship between longitudinal stiffness of the pier and rail stress is underlined, based on which the proposed methodology is described in detail. Finally, a case study is conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Results show that the train‐track‐bridge dynamic interaction theory is effective in determining the longitudinal stiffness of the newly designed and special pier. Rail stress and longitudinal displacement of pier top exceed their limit values with the change of pier longitudinal stiffness. The dynamic stress and thermal stress of rail are the two most important indicators in determining pier longitudinal stiffness, which should be paid attention to in practical engineering.
The Research Progress of Vascular Macrophages and Atherosclerosis
Authors: Tong Yeqing , Cai Li , Yang Shiyu , Liu Shuang , Wang Zhihong , Cheng Jinquan
Published: May 2020

Background/Aims. Vascular macrophages may affect the immune regulation of atherosclerosis (AS). In recent years, there are lots of researches on the association of vascular macrophages and AS which has attracted increasing attention, and the in-depth study of its mechanism is gradually clear. Materials. We made a minireview on the association of vascular macrophages with AS based on recent research studies systematically, from the mechanisms of macrophages accumulating in the walls of blood vessels, and the role of macrophages in AS as well as microenvironmental determinants of macrophage function in AS. The discovery of these mechanisms could reveal the pathogenesis of AS comprehensively and is crucial to provide scientific evidence for formulating the related measures of prevention and treatment for AS. Discussion. Vascular macrophages play important roles in the development of AS, and the vascular macrophages may become new targets for the prevention and treatment of AS. Effective regulation of host genes may help prevent or even treat AS. Conclusion. This minireview focuses on the association of vascular macrophages with the development of AS, which may supply some clues for future therapies and novel drug targets for AS.
Camel Bite Associated with Depressed Skull Fracture with Rapidly Spreading Subgaleal Cellulitis
Authors: Al-Umran Shaymaa , Abdulfattah Ahmad , Alabbas Faisal , Al-Jehani Hosam
Published: May 2020

Camel bite represents a minimal proportion, and most of them are from the Middle East countries. Their infectious potential is poorly understood, and the guidelines for antimicrobial treatment are not well developed. We describe a 40-year-old male, who works as a camel herder and was bitten by a camel while he was tying it down which led to a unilateral depressed skull fracture and multiple bilateral teeth-puncture wounds in the scalp. He arrived to our emergency department 3 hours after injury. All the wounds were dry and the skin around them was healthy looking with no subcutaneous collections. CT scan of the head showed depressed skull fracture on the left temporal region. Within 12 hours, the patient developed spreading cellulitis in the scalp. This necessitated an urgent surgical intervention. The added challenge is the presence of a dural breach. Our patient presented a challenge at several levels. He presented early with clean puncture wounds that were treated according to the most agreed upon guidelines. But our novel finding of rapidly spreading cellulitis requires alteration of recommendation towards more aggressive therapeutic attitude including early surgical intervention, especially for those patients suspected of a dural tear with the depressed skull fracture, even if treated with appropriate antibiotics.