bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
OSPG-MAC: An OFDMA-Based Subcarrier Pregrouping MAC Protocol for Underwater Acoustic Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Su Yishan , Zuo Yongpeng , Jin Zhigang , Fu Xiaomei
Published: June 2019

In underwater acoustic wireless sensor networks (UAWSNs), designing media access control (MAC) protocols is highly challenging because of their significant influence on network performance. It is a great challenge to design suitable MAC protocols for UAWSNs because of the specific characteristics of underwater acoustic channels, such as low communication rates, large propagation delays, and limited available bandwidth. Orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) is a special case of OFDM-based multicarrier modulation in which multiple user symbols are transmitted simultaneously using different subcarriers with overlapping orthogonal frequency bands. In this paper, we propose an OFDMA-based subcarrier pregrouping MAC protocol for UAWSNs, termed OSPG-MAC. To make it easier to allocate subcarriers and avoid conflict, we group all the subcarriers into fixed subchannels in advance and allocate them in terms of these subchannels. To maximize the total throughput on each subchannel, a bit and power allocation algorithm for the protocol is proposed, termed the OSPG-MAC algorithm. Simulation results show that the performance of OSPG-MAC is better than that of classic underwater MAC protocols, including SFAMA and T-Lohi.
Molecular Simulations of Adsorption and Thermal Energy Storage of Mixed R1234ze/UIO-66 Nanoparticle Nanofluid
Authors: Wang Qiang , Tang Shengli , Tian Sen , Wei Xiaojian , Peng Tiefeng
Published: June 2019

In the process of adsorption and separation of fluid molecules on the solid surface of porous nanomaterials, the mutual transformation of thermal energy and surface energy can improve the heat absorption and energy utilization efficiency of circulating working medium. In this study, the adsorption, thermal energy storage, and mean square displacement of the minimum energy adsorption configuration of R1234ze in UIO-66 were studied by molecular simulations, including molecular dynamics (MD) and grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations. The results show that the thermal energy storage density of R1234ze/UIO-66 mixed working medium is significantly higher than that of pure working medium in the temperature range of 20 K-140 K. However, the increase rate of thermal energy storage density decreases significantly as temperature rises, and the mean square displacement and diffusion coefficient increase with increasing temperature.
A Clustering Approach for Multiband Neighbor Discovery on 60 GHz WLAN
Authors: Brilhante Davi da S. , Rezende José F. de
Published: June 2019

The 60 GHz mmWave unlicensed band has a very large spectrum available, divided into four orthogonal channels, which allows up to 7 Gbps data rate. On the other side, the propagation in the 60 GHz band is subject to severe path loss attenuation, which can be mitigated using highly directional antennas. This high directionality brings a new challenge to neighbor discovery; the devices now need to know the exact neighbors’ physical location to successfully communicate with them. In order to expedite the neighbor discovery process, multiband protocols have been proposed in the literature in which a separate band is used for the exchange of control messages in an omnidirectional mode. Nonetheless, these proposals suffer from the control channel bottleneck problem due to the numerous messages that need to be exchanged in this channel. In this work, we propose a scheme that divides the network nodes in clusters and for each cluster we allocate one separate control channel and also a separate mmWave channel for beamforming only. The former separation allows decreasing the number of control messages exchanged in each control channel, and the latter allows the simultaneously execution of multiple beamforming. In conjunction to this clustering scheme, we propose a multiband protocol in which only the cluster leader performs beamforming and uses the control channel to propagate the information obtained during this process. We compare the existing protocols with our proposed clustering protocol in terms of average transmission time, overhead, and accuracy of neighbor discovery information.
Enhancing the Usability of Brain-Computer Interface Systems
Authors: Baek Hyun Jae , Chang Min Hye , Heo Jeong , Park Kwang Suk
Published: June 2019

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) aim to enable people to interact with the external world through an alternative, nonmuscular communication channel that uses brain signal responses to complete specific cognitive tasks. BCIs have been growing rapidly during the past few years, with most of the BCI research focusing on system performance, such as improving accuracy or information transfer rate. Despite these advances, BCI research and development is still in its infancy and requires further consideration to significantly affect human experience in most real-world environments. This paper reviews the most recent studies and findings about ergonomic issues in BCIs. We review dry electrodes that can be used to detect brain signals with high enough quality to apply in BCIs and discuss their advantages, disadvantages, and performance. Also, an overview is provided of the wide range of recent efforts to create new interface designs that do not induce fatigue or discomfort during everyday, long-term use. The basic principles of each technique are described, along with examples of current applications in BCI research. Finally, we demonstrate a user-friendly interface paradigm that uses dry capacitive electrodes that do not require any preparation procedure for EEG signal acquisition. We explore the capacitively measured steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) response to an amplitude-modulated visual stimulus and the auditory steady-state response (ASSR) to an auditory stimulus modulated by familiar natural sounds to verify their availability for BCI. We report the first results of an online demonstration that adopted this ergonomic approach to evaluating BCI applications. We expect BCI to become a routine clinical, assistive, and commercial tool through advanced EEG monitoring techniques and innovative interface designs.
Modelling of Oblique Wire Cutting and Experimental Application on Soft Solid Foods for the Investigation of Friction Behaviour
Authors: Witt Tilman , Holländer Yannic , Tietze Sven , Majschak Jens-Peter
Published: June 2019

The sales value of ready-made foods is determined to a large extent by the appearance of the individual pieces or slices. Breakouts or deformations are perceived negatively and should be avoided. The quality of the cut surface is derived as an evaluation criterion from the evaluation of the cutting force curve. This study examines the influence of friction during cutting. The method developed for this purpose deals with the problem of separating friction from breaking and deforming when cutting with wire. To test the theoretical approach, cutting experiments with thin wires are carried out on various foodstuffs. When cutting with obliquely oriented wire, force value curves are recorded in the feed direction and perpendicular to the feed direction. The cutting force curves are reduced to two characteristic values for the active unit depending on the cross-section geometry. In connection with the result values, an explanatory model is proposed with which a quantified statement on the proportion of friction during the cut is possible. The enhanced model elucidation by oblique cutting will be helpful for the comparison of cutting tools and for the verification of computer simulations.
A Modal‐Based Kalman Filter Approach and OSP Method for Structural Response Reconstruction
Authors: Peng Zhenrui , Dong Kangli , Yin Hong
Published: June 2019

The objective of the work is experimental validation and optimal experimental design for structural response reconstruction. A modal‐based Kalman filter approach based on excitation identification Kalman filter is proposed for response reconstruction and excitation estimation of structures by using noisy acceleration and strain measurements. Firstly, different filters are introduced and discussed. Secondly, to avoid single type sensors, a displacement reconstruction based on modal method is introduced into the proposed approach. Thirdly, the backward sequential algorithm is given to obtain the optimal sensor locations. It is shown that the proposed method can avoid the divergency in the estimated process of excitation and displacements as a result of incomplete measurements. Reasonable estimates of strains, displacements, velocities, accelerations, and excitations of structures can be accomplished with few acceleration sensors and strain gauges.
Adaptive Neural Control for Nonaffine Pure‐Feedback System Based on Extreme Learning Machine
Authors: Xu Chenyang , Lei Humin , Li Jiong , Ye Jikun , Zhang Dongyang
Published: June 2019

For nonaffine pure‐feedback systems, an adaptive neural control method based on extreme learning machine (ELM) is proposed in this paper. Different from the existing methods, this scheme firstly converts the original system into a nonaffine system containing only one unknown term by equivalent transformation, thus avoiding the cumbersome and complex indirect design process of traditional backstepping methods. Secondly, a high‐performance finite‐time‐convergence‐differentiator (FD) is designed, through which the system state variables and their derivatives are accurately estimated to ensure the control effect. Thirdly, based on the implicit function theorem, the ELM neural network is introduced to approximate the uncertain items of the system, which simplifies the repeated adjustment process of the network training parameters. Meanwhile, the minimum learning parameter algorithm (MLP) is adopted to design the adaptive law for the norm of the network weight vector, which significantly reduces calculations. And it is theoretically proved that the closed‐loop control system is stable and the tracking error is bounded. Finally, the effectiveness of the designed controller is verified by simulation.
Electroacupuncture on ST36 and GB39 Acupoints Inhibits Synovial Angiogenesis via Downregulating HIF-1α/VEGF Expression in a Rat Model of Adjuvant Arthritis
Authors: Zhu Jun , Su Chengguo , Chen Yuzhou , Hao Xinyu , Jiang Jianzhen
Published: June 2019

Introduction. The hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) play a key role in synovial angiogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Therefore, this study aimed to test the hypothesis that electroacupuncture (EA) may inhibit RA synovial angiogenesis via HIF-1α/VEGF expression. Methods. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly distributed to 4 groups: control, adjuvant arthritis (AA), AA+electroacupuncture (AA+EA), and AA+sham EA groups. AA model was induced by injection of Freund's complete adjuvant in bilateral hind footpad. 3 days after injection, EA was delivered to the acupoints Zusanli (ST 36) and Xuanzhong (GB 39) once every two days for a total of 8 times in the AA+EA group, while sham EA treatment was applied in the AA+sham EA group. The arthritis score, paw volume, and H&E staining for each animal were measured. CD34 expression in synovial tissue of ankle joint was observed by immunohistochemistry. HIF-1α and VEGF mRNA and protein levels in synovial tissue were determined by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot, respectively. Results. Compared with rats in AA group, EA stimulation significantly decreased arthritis scores, paw volume, and pathological damage of synovial tissues. Moreover, EA markedly suppressed the synovial angiogenesis of AA rats, as evidenced by reduced CD34 positive expression. Furthermore, EA significantly reduced HIF-1α and VEGF mRNA and protein levels in synovial of AA rats. Finally, the CD34 expression in synovial tissue was positively correlated with HIF-1α and VEGF protein levels. Conclusion. EA on ST36 and GB39 acupoints can effectively inhibit synovial angiogenesis in the AA rat model via downregulating HIF-1α/VEGF expression.
Coverage of China New Generation Weather Radar Network
Authors: Min Chao , Chen Sheng , Gourley Jonathan J. , Chen Haonan , Zhang Asi , Huang Yong , Huang Chaoying
Published: June 2019

The China Meteorological Administration has deployed the China New Generation Weather Radar (CINRAD) network for severe weather detection and to improve initial conditions for numerical weather prediction models. The CINRAD network consists of 217 radars comprising 123 S-band and 94 C-band radars over mainland China. In this paper, a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) and beam propagation simulations are used to compute radar beam blockage and evaluate the effective radar coverage over China. Results show that the radar coverage at a height of 1 km above ground level (AGL) is restricted in complex terrain regions. The effective coverage maps at heights of 2 km and 3 km AGL indicate that the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and North China Plain have more overlapping radar coverage than other regions in China. Over eastern China, almost all areas can be sampled by more than 2 radars within 5 km above mean sea level (MSL), but the radars operating in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau still suffer from serious beam blockage caused by intervening terrain. Overall, the radars installed in western China suffer from much more severe beam blockage than those deployed in eastern China. Maps generated in this study will inform users of the CINRAD data of their limitations for use in precipitation estimation, as inputs to other weather and hydrological models, and for satellite validation studies.
Clinicopathological Findings of Retinoblastoma: A 10-Year Experience from a Tertiary Hospital in Kampala, Uganda
Authors: Yahaya James Joseph , Rugwizangoga Belson , Mremi Alex , Munema Asafu
Published: June 2019

Background. Retinoblastoma (RB) is one of the most common cancers occurring in young children in sub-Saharan Africa. The incidence rate reported in the literature is 9,000 new cases per year, which corresponds to 1 in 15,000 births. This study aimed at analyzing the clinicopathological findings in children with RB in Uganda.Purpose. The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the clinicopathological findings in the patients with RB.Design. This was a cross-sectional analytical study involving 234 eyeball surgical specimens from 214 patients with RB diagnosed between January 2006 and December 2015.Results. The mean age of the patients was 27.8 months (SD = 21.413, range: 1–132 months). More than half of the cases, 50.9%, presented with leucokoria. Invasion of choroid, sclera, anterior chamber, and optic nerve was found in 26.5% (n = 58), 51.2% (n = 88), 26.2% (n = 45), and 29.2% (n = 49), respectively. Twenty-six percent (n = 56) of the cases with intraocular tumour were at stage I and all patients with metastasis 4.7% (n = 11) had stage IV. The correlation between postlaminar optic nerve invasion and massive choroidal invasion was statistically significant (P=0.002). Also, there was a statistical significance difference between metastasis and postlaminar invasion (P=0.004).Conclusion. The majority of children with RB in Uganda present clinically with leucokoria, and their parents or guardians seek medical intervention at a later stage. Moreover, there was a noticeably significant lag period for the patients to begin treatment after the diagnosis was done.
Option Pricing by Probability Distortion Operator Based on the Quantile Function
Authors: Yao Luogen , Yang Gang
Published: June 2019

A new class of distortion operators based on quantile function is proposed for pricing options. It is shown that option prices obtained with our distortion operators are just the prices under mean correcting martingale measure in exponential Lévy models. In particular, Black‐Scholes formula can be recuperated by our distortion operator. Simulation analysis shows that our distortion operator is superior to normal distortion operator and NIG distortion operator.
Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of a Viral Infection Model with Two Nonlocal Effects
Authors: Wang Xiaoyan , Chen Yuming , Yang Junyuan
Published: June 2019

We propose and study a viral infection model with two nonlocal effects and a general incidence rate. First, the semigroup theory and the classical renewal process are adopted to compute the basic reproduction number as the spectral radius of the next‐generation operator. It is shown that equals the principal eigenvalue of a linear operator associated with a positive eigenfunction. Then we obtain the existence of endemic steady states by Shauder fixed point theorem. A threshold dynamics is established by the approach of Lyapunov functionals. Roughly speaking, if , then the virus‐free steady state is globally asymptotically stable; if , then the endemic steady state is globally attractive under some additional conditions on the incidence rate. Finally, the theoretical results are illustrated by numerical simulations based on a backward Euler method.
Volatile Composition, Sensory Profile, and Consumers’ Acceptance of Fondillón
Authors: Issa-Issa Hanán , Noguera-Artiaga Luis , Sendra Esther , Pérez-López Antonio J. , Burló Francisco , Carbonell-Barrachina Ángel A. , López-Lluch David
Published: June 2019

No scientific information exists on quality attributes of Fondillón, a special naturally sweet wine produced from overripe Monastrell grapes and one of the only six wines that can use its own name according to European Union Regulations. The aim of this study was to analyze the composition (physicochemical and volatile profile) and sensory quality of this special wine. A specific lexicon to describe wines under the Alicante PDO was developed, using 28 attributes (11 flavor notes, 3 visual, 2 global, and 12 defects). Forty volatile compounds were isolated, and esters were the main chemical family of volatile compounds of Fondillón (∼70%), followed by alcohols (∼20%). Furthermore, two volatile compounds (TDN and vitispirane) were positively correlated with the age of the Fondillón samples, under the specific working conditions used in this study. According to a sensory study, this wine was appreciated by Spanish consumers as having intense fruity notes, high alcohol content, and some bitter and balsamic notes; however, further research is needed to identify the proper profile of Fondillón consumers and their buying and acceptance drivers.
Far-Field Analysis on Reflecting Colors of Dielectric Nanosphere Metasurface
Authors: Hong Seokhyeon , Lee Young Jin , Moon Kihwan , Kim Youngsoo , Shin Eunso , Kwon Soon-Hong
Published: June 2019

Photonic resonances in nanostructures have been exploited in reflective or transmission color filters, which can provide vivid colors. Metallic nanostructures have been widely studied to demonstrate a variety of color filters based on strong light interaction due to plasmonic resonances. However, because of the severe absorption loss of metal in visible light, dielectric nanoparticles having Mie resonances are a popular study focus in recent years to achieve vivid colors. In contrast to the behaviors of point-like electric dipole in metallic nanoparticle, the interplay of the electric and magnetic Mie resonances in dielectric nanoparticle enables a large degree of freedom in manipulating the directivity of light scattering, reflecting/transmitting color, and spontaneous emission rates. Here, we propose a color reflector based on an array of silicon nanoparticles that shows reflectance greater than 70% and vivid colors over the entire visible spectrum range, which covers sRGB color area. Viewing angle dependencies of the color and brightness are also investigated by calculating color-resolved far-field patterns, while exhibiting maintenance of the color and high reflectance over a broad viewing angle.
Tongxinluo Attenuates Myocardiac Fibrosis after Acute Myocardial Infarction in Rats via Inhibition of Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
Authors: Yin Yujie , Zhang Qian , Zhao Qifei , Ding Guoyuan , Wei Cong , Chang Liping , Li Hongrong , Bei Hongying , Wang Hongtao , Liang Junqing , Jia Zhenhua
Published: June 2019

Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is an essential mechanism in myocardial fibrosis (MF). Tongxinluo (TXL) has been confirmed to protect the endothelium against reperfusion injury after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, whether TXL can inhibit MF after AMI via inhibiting EndMT remained unknown. This study aims to identify the role of EndMT in MF after AMI as well as the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of TXL on MF. The AMI model was established in rats by ligating left anterior descending coronary artery. Then, rats were administered with high- (0.8 g·kg−1·d−1), mid- (0.4 g·kg−1·d−1), and low- (0.2 g·kg−1·d−1) dose Tongxinluo and benazepril for 4 weeks, respectively. Cardiac function, infarct size, MF, and related indicators of EndMT were measured. In vitro, human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (HCMECs) were pretreated with TXL for 4 h and then incubated in hypoxia conditions for 3 days to induce EndMT. Under this hypoxic condition, neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) siRNA were further applied to silence NRG-1 expression. Immunofluorescence microscopy was used to assess expression of endothelial marker of vWF and fibrotic marker of Vimentin. Related factors of EndMT were determined by Western blot analysis. TXL treatment significantly improved cardiac function, ameliorated MF, reduced collagen of fibrosis area (types I and III collagen) and limited excessive extracellular matrix deposition (mmp2 and mmp9). In addition, TXL inhibited EndMT in cardiac tissue and hypoxia-induced HCMECs. In hypoxia-induced HCMECs, TXL increased the expression of endothelial markers, whereas decreasing the expression of fibrotic markers, partially through enhanced expressions of NRG-1, phosphorylation of ErbB2, ErbB4, AKT, and downregulated expressions of hypoxia inducible factor-1a and transcription factor snail. After NRG-1 knockdown, the protective effect of TXL on HCMEC was partially abolished. In conclusion, TXL attenuates MF after AMI by inhibiting EndMT and through activating the NRG-1/ErbB- PI3K/AKT signalling cascade.
Dynamic Linear Predictive Optimization of Flexible Robot Profiling MFA Model
Authors: Hu FengJun , Lin JianWei , Gu HanJie
Published: June 2019

As the airbag of a flexible robot is affected by external environmental factors during the profiling process, there are many uncertainties in the process of deformation of the airbag. For this reason, the general nonlinear control strategy cannot obtain an accurate data model. In this paper, a flexible robot profiling MFA (Model-Free Adaptive) model based on adaptive predictive dynamic linear optimization is proposed. Firstly, the real-time thickness of the airbag is obtained through edge detection by using the image processing algorithm. Secondly, the airbag aerodynamic model is constructed by visual servo control strategy. Then, a nonlinear control system based on model-free adaptive control is established. Thirdly, the weighting factor is used to limit the variation range of the input quantity, and the deviation of the actual value and the expected value is corrected by the adaptive prediction mechanism. Finally, the servo control the airbag is completed. The experimental results show that the improved model proposed in this paper solves the overshoot phenomenon of the standard control model with less control error and higher robustness.
WSNs Compressed Sensing Signal Reconstruction Based on Improved Kernel Fuzzy Clustering and Discrete Differential Evolution Algorithm
Authors: Liu Zhou-zhou , Li Shi-ning
Published: June 2019

To reconstruct compressed sensing (CS) signal fast and accurately, this paper proposes an improved discrete differential evolution (IDDE) algorithm based on fuzzy clustering for CS reconstruction. Aiming to overcome the shortcomings of traditional CS reconstruction algorithm, such as heavy dependence on sparsity and low precision of reconstruction, a discrete differential evolution (DDE) algorithm based on improved kernel fuzzy clustering is designed. In this algorithm, fuzzy clustering algorithm is used to analyze the evolutionary population, which improves the pertinence and scientificity of population learning evolution while realizing effective clustering. The differential evolutionary particle coding method and evolutionary mechanism are redefined. And the improved fuzzy clustering discrete differential evolution algorithm is applied to CS reconstruction algorithm, in which signal with unknown sparsity is considered as particle coding. Then the wireless sensor networks (WSNs) sparse signal is accurately reconstructed through the iterative evolution of population. Finally, simulations are carried out in the WSNs data acquisition environment. Results show that compared with traditional reconstruction algorithms such as StOMP, the reconstruction accuracy of the algorithm proposed in this paper is improved by 36.4-51.9%, and the reconstruction time is reduced by 15.1-31.3%.
A Case of Severe Symptomatic Central Nervous System Sarcoidosis Secondary to Treatment with Adalimumab
Authors: Nnodum Benedicta Nneoma , Hariri Lida P. , Mavrommati Despoina , Dudley Lauren
Published: June 2019

Antitumor necrosis factor-α therapy has been used effectively in treatment of many inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and inflammatory bowel disease. There are increasing number of paradoxical reactions associated with this therapy that are being reported. We present the case of a 63-year-old male with psoriatic arthritis maintained on adalimumab and methotrexate (previous treatment trials of prednisone and leflunomide) who developed severe symptomatic sarcoidosis in the brain, liver, and lung. Upon discontinuation of adalimumab, the symptoms resolved but the imaging findings persisted. Although the development of sarcoidosis (usually in the lung, skin, and eyes) while on antitumor necrosis factor-α therapy is increasingly reported, the brain and liver are less commonly involved but should be borne in mind by physicians when extensive granulomatous lesions develop.
Building an Effective Intrusion Detection System by Using Hybrid Data Optimization Based on Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Ren Jiadong , Guo Jiawei , Qian Wang , Yuan Huang , Hao Xiaobing , Jingjing Hu
Published: June 2019

Intrusion detection system (IDS) can effectively identify anomaly behaviors in the network; however, it still has low detection rate and high false alarm rate especially for anomalies with fewer records. In this paper, we propose an effective IDS by using hybrid data optimization which consists of two parts: data sampling and feature selection, called DO_IDS. In data sampling, the Isolation Forest (iForest) is used to eliminate outliers, genetic algorithm (GA) to optimize the sampling ratio, and the Random Forest (RF) classifier as the evaluation criteria to obtain the optimal training dataset. In feature selection, GA and RF are used again to obtain the optimal feature subset. Finally, an intrusion detection system based on RF is built using the optimal training dataset obtained by data sampling and the features selected by feature selection. The experiment will be carried out on the UNSW-NB15 dataset. Compared with other algorithms, the model has obvious advantages in detecting rare anomaly behaviors.
Low‐Complexity Adaptive Saturated Control of a Class of Nonlinear Systems with Its Application
Authors: Zhang Gang , Cheng Deqiang , Kou Qiqi
Published: June 2019

This paper investigates a low‐complexity saturated control law for a class of nonlinear systems with consideration of the time‐varying output constraint, control constraint, and external disturbance. First, a dead‐zone model is employed to transform the control saturation nonlinearity into a linear one with respect to the real input signal. Then, the original system with time‐varying output constraint is transformed into a constraint‐free one, based on which a novel adaptive saturated control law is devised along the filtered error manifold. By employing minimum learning parameter technique and virtual error concept, only two adaptive parameters are needed to update online, which reduces the computational burdens dramatically. Finally, the applications to Duffing‐Holmes chaotic system are organized to validate the effectiveness of the proposed control law.
Role of the PERK-eIF2α-CHOP Signaling Pathway in the Effect of Needle Knife Therapy on Knee Joint Chondrocyte Apoptosis
Authors: Yang Yong-hui , Liu Tian-hao , Zhang Li-da , Chen Zhu-yue , Huang Xiao-shuang
Published: June 2019

Needle knife therapy, a form of acupuncture and moxibustion, has been widely used in the clinical treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). However, the mechanism is not clear. Therefore, we studied the mechanisms of action of needle knife intervention on KOA in rabbits, with the PERK-eIF2α-CHOP pathway as a starting point, in order to determine the mechanism underlying knee joint chondrocyte apoptosis. Apoptosis and ultrastructural changes in the articular cartilage were examined by pathological study and transmission electron microscopy, and PERK, eIF2α, and CHOP mRNA and protein levels were detected by qRT-PCR and western blot, respectively. PERK, eIF2α, and CHOP protein levels were significantly higher in the model group than in the normal group (P< 0.01) and were considerably downregulated in the needle knife and the medicine groups compared to the model group (P< 0.01). The eIF2α, p-eIF2α, and CHOP protein levels were not significantly different between the needle knife and medicine groups. The PERK, eIF2α, and CHOP mRNA levels in the drug group were higher than those in the needle knife group (P< 0.01). Needle knife therapy can regulate PERK-eIF2α-CHOP signaling pathway, which could be one of the mechanisms by which it affects chondrocyte apoptosis in KOA rabbits.
Mitochondrial Dysfunctions: A Thread Sewing Together Alzheimer’s Disease, Diabetes, and Obesity
Authors: Rigotto Giulia , Basso Emy
Published: June 2019

Metabolic disorders are severe and chronic impairments of the health of many people and represent a challenge for the society as a whole that has to deal with an ever-increasing number of affected individuals. Among common metabolic disorders are Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. These disorders do not have a univocal genetic cause but rather can result from the interaction of multiple genes, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Mitochondrial alterations have emerged as a feature common to all these disorders, underlining perhaps an impaired coordination between cellular needs and mitochondrial responses that could contribute to their development and/or progression.
Blockade of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 4 Enhances Antioxidation after Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion
Authors: Wu Qiongfeng , Lu Kai , Zhao Zhaoyang , Wang Binbin , Liu Huixia , Zhang Shaoshao , Liao Jie , Zeng Yu , Dong Qian , Zhao Ning , Han Bing , Du Yimei
Published: June 2019

Antioxidative stress provides a cardioprotective effect during myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Previous research has demonstrated that the blockade of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) attenuates myocardial I/R injury. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The current study is aimed at investigating the antioxidative activity of TRPV4 inhibition and elucidating the underlying mechanisms in vitro and ex vivo. We found that the inhibiting TRPV4 by the selective TRPV4 blocker HC-067047 or specific TRPV4-siRNA significantly reduces reactive oxygen species (ROS) and methane dicarboxylic aldehyde (MDA) levels in H9C2 cells exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R). Meanwhile, the activity of antioxidative enzymes, particularly superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), is enhanced. Furthermore, after H/R, HC-067047 treatment increases the expression of P-Akt and the translocation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and related antioxidant response element (ARE) mainly including SOD, GSH-Px, and catalase (CAT). LY294002, an Akt inhibitor, suppresses HC-067047 and specific TRPV4-siRNA-induced Nrf2 expression and its nuclear accumulation. Nrf2 siRNA attenuates HC-067047 and specific TRPV4-siRNA-induced ARE expression. In addition, treatment with LY294002 or Nrf2 siRNA significantly attenuates the antioxidant and anti-injury effects of HC-067047 in vitro. Finally, in experiments on isolated rat hearts, we confirmed the antioxidative stress roles of TRPV4 inhibition during myocardial I/R and the application of exogenous H2O2. In conclusion, the inhibition of TRPV4 exerts cardioprotective effects through enhancing antioxidative enzyme activity and expressions via the Akt/Nrf2/ARE pathway.
Application of a Recurrent Neural Network and Simplified Semianalytical Method for Continuous Strain Histories Estimation
Authors: Luo Huan , Huang Miaohua , Xiong Wei
Published: June 2019

The durability and reliability of structural components are usually assessed based on fatigue loading under operating conditions. To obtain accurate fatigue loading in the form of continuous strain histories, a novel approach is proposed based on the combination of a recurrent neural network and simplified semianalytical method. The recurrent neural network named nonlinear autoregressive model with exogenous inputs (NLARX) is applied to determine the relationship between external loads and corresponding fatigue loading. Owing to the generalization ability of NLARX, semianalytical method, which is used to obtain sample database for NLARX model training and testing, is implemented with simplified multibody model. Durability tests of a torsion beam rear suspension are introduced to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The experimental results show that our proposed approach is able to achieve better estimation results, when compared with the conventional semianalytical method.
Postsurgical Ultrasound Evaluation of Patients with Prosthesis in Acellular Dermal Matrix: Results from Monocentric Experience
Authors: Ballesio Laura , Casinelli Alice , Gigli Silvia , Boldrini Cristiana , Giuseppe Di Taranto , Albano Antonio , Onesti Maria Giuseppina
Published: June 2019

Mastectomy and breast prosthetic reconstruction is the most common surgical treatment for women diagnosed with breast cancer. In the last few years, breast prosthetic augmentation in acellular dermal matrix (ADM) has been introduced. The aim of this study is to present our single-center experience in evaluating the outcome of patients who underwent breast reconstruction in ADM, using ultrasound (US) examination. US follow-up allows evaluating both normal postoperative findings and changes and potential local complications, demonstrating that ADM is a safe option for women candidates for mastectomy.
Analysis of the Effect of Substitution Rate on the Mechanical Properties of Recycled Concrete Hollow Block
Authors: Yang Lijun , Li Shanqing
Published: June 2019

In this paper, to study the compressive and flexural properties of recycled concrete hollow blocks, the quality substitution rate of recycled fine aggregates is taken as a variable parameter, and four kinds of substitution rates are designed, which are 0%, 30%, 60%, and 100%. At the same time, one kind of recycled coarse and fine aggregates is designed, and the quality substitution rate is 100%. 110 specimens of MU10 and MU7.5 strength grades are tested for compressive and flexural strength. The failure process and morphology of the specimens are observed to obtain compressive and flexural strength. Based on the test data, the relationship between compressive and flexural strength of recycled fine aggregates with different replacement ratios is analyzed in detail. The main findings are that experiment results show the compressive and flexural strength decrease with the increase of substitution rate of recycled fine aggregates under the same other conditions. The work of the paper is a new reform for the source of raw materials for wall materials, and it is a new way for the reuse of concrete garbage and has important environmental protection significance and engineering practical significance for building energy saving.
Experimental Investigation of an Existing RCP Rehabilitated with a Grouted Corrugated Steel Pipe
Authors: Li Bai-jian , Zhu Liang-sheng , Li Yong , Fu Xin-sha
Published: June 2019

Although slip‐lining is the most common rehabilitation technique, few research studies have been conducted on the behavior of rehabilitated reinforced concrete pipes (RCPs). Experiments were conducted on a RCP rehabilitated with a grouted corrugated steel pipe (CSP). The RCP rehabilitated by the CSP showed an increase in both load‐carrying capacity and stiffness. The grout played an important role in distributing the loads when the RCP was deteriorated, whereas the load shared by the CSP represented only a small part. When the CSP was closely fitted to the RCP at the invert, the load was shared between the PCP and CSP and the CSP carried most of the load when the RCP was fully deteriorated. The slip‐lined pipe acted as a “pipe within a pipe” system. A load‐sharing theory was proposed in this study and provides estimates of the load‐carrying capacity of the slip‐lined pipes.
Intention to Extend Working Life among Thai Registered Nurses in Ministry of Public Health: A National Survey
Authors: Sirisub Pooncharat , Suwannapong Nawarat , Tipayamongkholgul Mathuros , Howteerakul Nopporn , Noree Thinakorn
Published: June 2019

The serious shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in Thailand has made the Thai government tentatively propose a policy to extend the working life of Ministry of Public Health nurses. This study aimed to estimate the proportion of those RNs who intend to extend their working life and analyzed the associations between general characteristics, quality of work life, and job characteristics of the RNs and their intention to work past retirement age. This cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2016 to April 2017. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed nationally to 3,629 RNs in the age group 55-59 years and working for the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), Thailand. The response rate was 85.0% (3,092 RNs). Due to the small number of male participants (n=74), males were excluded from the study. The analysis was limited to the 3,018 participants who returned the questionnaire and met the inclusion criteria. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression were used for data analysis. Of the 3,018 participants, the proportion of RNs intending to extend their working life from 60 to 65 years was 30.5%. In the Service Department, the factors significantly associated with intention to extend working life were perceived good or very good health status, no shift work, monthly income more than 50,000 THB (1,595 USD), and having moderate or good working resources (p<0.01). In the four Academic Departments, perceived good or very good health status, monthly income more than 50,000 THB, family members not against the working life extension, and moderate or good working resources were the factors affecting intention to extend working life (p<0.01). This study indicated that understanding the various factors related to the intention to extend working life among RNs could lead to the design of appropriate programs to encourage them to continue working after the current retirement age.
Efficacy and Safety of a Stimulator Using Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Combined with Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation in Patients with Painful Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Kim Eu-Deum , Won Yu Hui , Park Sung-Hee , Seo Jeon-Hwan , Kim Da-Sol , Ko Myoung-Hwan , Kim Gi-Wook
Published: June 2019

Objective. Studies regarding the combination of ultrasound and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) are rarely reported. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the efficacy and safety of a stimulator using low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) combined with TENS in patients with painful knee osteoarthritis (OA). We evaluated the effectiveness of this therapy against pain, physical function, and cartilage regeneration. Moreover, we aim to prove the superiority of the effects of LIPUS combined with TENS therapy compared with only TENS therapy.Methods. Of the 40 included patients, aged 45–85 years with painful knee OA, 20 patients received only TENS therapy and 20 patients received LIPUS combined with TENS therapy for 8 weeks (a total of more than 80 treatment sessions). We evaluated visual analogue scale (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index, MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and femoral articular cartilage (FAC) thickness. The evaluation was performed at three visits: visit 1 (V1, pretreatment, within 28 days after screening), visit 2 (V2, posttreatment period 1, ±3 days after treatment), and visit 3 (V3, posttreatment period 2, 21 ± 3 days after treatment).Results. We expected that LIPUS combined with TENS therapy would be superior to only TENS therapy. However, there was no significant difference between the two therapies. In the within-group comparison, both treatments (only TENS therapy and LIPUS with TENS therapy) demonstrated statistical differences from baseline values for pain and physical function outcomes. FAC thickness showed no significant differences after treatment in both groups.Conclusion. The effects of a stimulator using LIPUS with TENS on pain relief and functional improvement were not superior to the only TENS therapy. Cartilage regeneration, which was expected as an additional benefit of LIPUS, was also not significantly evident. Therefore, further investigation is warranted to determine whether the combination therapy is beneficial. This trial is registered withKCT0003883.
Use of Nanofluids in Solar PV/Thermal Systems
Authors: Ahmed Asmaa , Baig Hasan , Sundaram Senthilarasu , Mallick Tapas K.
Published: June 2019

The continuous growth in the energy demand across the globe due to the booming population, in addition to the harmful effects of the fossil fuels on the environment, has made it essential to harness renewable energy via different technologies and convert it to electricity. The potential of solar energy still remains untapped although it has several advantages particularly that it is a clean source to generate both electricity and heat. Concentrating sunlight is an effective way to generate higher throughput per unit area of the absorber material used. The heat extraction mechanisms and the fluids used in solar thermal systems are key towards unlocking higher efficiencies of solar thermal systems. Nanofluids can play a crucial role in the development of these technologies. This review is aimed at presenting the recent studies dealing with cooling the photovoltaic thermal (PVT), concentrated photovoltaic thermal (CPVT), and other solar systems using nanofluids. In addition, the article considers the definition of nanofluids, nanoparticle types, nanofluid preparation methods, and thermophysical properties of the most common nanoparticles and base fluids. Moreover, the major factors which affect the nanofluid’s thermal conductivity according to the literature will be reviewed.
Association of Cystatin C with Metabolic Syndrome and Its Prognostic Performance in Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome with Preserved Renal Function
Authors: Mao Qi , Zhao Ning , Wang Yuqing , Li Youmei , Xiang Chaojun , Li Lufeng , Zheng Wei , Xu Shangcheng , Zhao Xiao-Hui
Published: June 2019

Objective.The underlying mechanisms by which cystatin C affects cardiovascular disease (CVD) are not very clear. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of risk factors that increase the risk of CVD. Here, we aimed to investigate the association of cystatin C with metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular outcomes in non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) with preserved renal function.Methods.In total, 422 NSTE-ACS patients with preserved renal function were enrolled to examine the association of cystatin C with MetS. MetS was defined based on the NCEP-ATP-III guidelines. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) were also evaluated, which included cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), target vessel revascularization (TVR), heart failure, and nonfatal stroke. All patients underwent a 12-month follow-up for MACEs after admission.Results.Cystatin C was significantly correlated with metabolic risk factors and inflammation markers. The prevalence of MetS and MACEs correlated with cystatin C levels. Cystatin C showed a strong diagnostic performance for cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes in ROC analysis. After adjustment for multiple risk factors, cystatin C level was independently associated with MetS (OR 2.299, 95% CI 1.251–4.225, and P = 0.007). During a 12-month follow-up, the patients with high cystatin C level and MetS had higher incidence of MACEs (Log-rank = 24.586, P < 0.001) and cardiac death (Log-rank = 9.890, P = 0.020) compared to the others. Multivariate Cox analysis indicated that cystatin C level was an independent predictor of MACEs (HR 2.609, 95% CI 1.295–5.257, and P = 0.007).Conclusion.Cystatin C may be an independent predictor of metabolic syndrome and therefore valuable for management of NSTE-ACS patients. Further multicenter, large-scale studies are required to assess the implication of these results.
Deep‐Learning‐Based Bughole Detection for Concrete Surface Image
Authors: Yao Gang , Wei Fujia , Yang Yang , Sun Yujia
Published: June 2019

Bugholes are surface imperfections that appear as small pits and craters on concrete surface after the casting process. The traditional measurement methods are carried out by in situ manual inspection, and the detection process is time‐consuming and difficult. This paper proposed a deep‐learning‐based method to detect bugholes on concrete surface images. A deep convolutional neural network for detecting bugholes on concrete surfaces was developed, by adding the inception modules into the traditional convolution network structure to solve the problem of the relatively small size of input image (28 × 28 pixels) and the limited number of labeled examples in training set (less than 10 K). The effects of noise such as illumination, shadows, and combinations of several different surface imperfections in real‐world environments were considered. From the results of image test, the proposed DCNN had an excellent bughole detection performance and the recognition accuracy reached 96.43%. By the comparative study with the Laplacian of Gaussian (LoG) algorithm and the Otsu method, the proposed DCNN had good robustness which can avoid the interference of cracks, color‐differences, and nonuniform illumination on the concrete surface.
Vertically Dynamic Response of an End‐Bearing Pile Embedded in a Frozen Saturated Porous Medium under Impact Loading
Authors: Cao Lu , Zhou Bin , Li Qiang , Duan Weiwei , Shu Wenli
Published: June 2019

A frozen soil is a multiphase medium composed of solid particles, ice, and water, and the cementation between the solid particles and ice strengthens with a decrease in temperature. Based on the theory of a composite solid‐state saturated porous medium, a uniform solution for the vertical vibration of an end‐bearing pile in a frozen soil is derived analytically. The axial displacements under impact loading in the time domain are calculated by using the numerical inverse transformation technique. The solution can degenerate into an end‐bearing pile in a saturated soil layer as the temperature approaches the freezing point. If the cementation between the solid particles and ice is ignored, the amplitude of the displacement will be overestimated. The numerical results show that temperature has a significant impact on the dynamic responses of the pile due to variation of the ice content and, consequently, of the cementation between solid particles and ice.