bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fronto-striatal circuits for cognitive flexibility in far from onset Huntington’s disease: evidence from the Young Adult Study
Authors: Langley Christelle , Gregory Sarah , Osborne-Crowley Katie , O'Callaghan Claire , Zeun Paul , Lowe Jessica , Johnson Eileanoir B , Papoutsi Marina , Scahill Rachael I , Rees Geraint , Tabrizi Sarah J , Robbins Trevor W , Sahakian Barbara Jacquelyn
Published: October 2020

Objectives

Cognitive flexibility, which is key for adaptive decision-making, engages prefrontal cortex (PFC)-striatal circuitry and is impaired in both manifest and premanifest Huntington’s disease (pre-HD). The aim of this study was to examine cognitive flexibility in a far from onset pre-HD cohort to determine whether an early impairment exists and if so, whether fronto-striatal circuits were associated with this deficit.

Methods

In the present study, we examined performance of 51 pre-HD participants (mean age=29.22 (SD=5.71) years) from the HD Young Adult Study cohort and 53 controls matched for age, sex and IQ, on the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) Intra-Extra Dimensional Set-Shift (IED) task. This cohort is unique as it is the furthest from disease onset comprehensively studied to date (mean years=23.89 (SD=5.96) years). The IED task measures visual discrimination learning, cognitive flexibility and specifically attentional set-shifting. We used resting-state functional MRI to examine whether the functional connectivity between specific fronto-striatal circuits was dysfunctional in pre-HD, compared with controls, and whether these circuits were associated with performance on the critical extradimensional shift stage.

Results

Our results demonstrated that the CANTAB IED task detects a mild early impairment in cognitive flexibility in a pre-HD group far from onset. Attentional set-shifting was significantly related to functional connectivity between the ventrolateral PFC and ventral striatum in healthy controls and to functional connectivity between the dorsolateral PFC and caudate in pre-HD participants.

Conclusion

We postulate that this incipient impairment of cognitive flexibility may be associated with intrinsically abnormal functional connectivity of fronto-striatal circuitry in pre-HD.
Guidelines for Quality Assurance of Machine Learning-Based Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Fujii Gaku , Hamada Koichi , Ishikawa Fuyuki , Masuda Satoshi , Matsuya Mineo , Myojin Tomoyuki , Nishi Yasuharu , Ogawa Hideto , Toku Takahiro , Tokumoto Susumu , Tsuchiya Kazunori , Ujita Yasuhiro
Published: October 2020

Significant effort is being put into developing industrial applications for artificial intelligence (AI), especially those using machine learning (ML) techniques. Despite the intensive support for building ML applications, there are still challenges when it comes to evaluating, assuring, and improving the quality or dependability. The difficulty stems from the unique nature of ML, namely, system behavior is derived from training data not from logical design by human engineers. This leads to black-box and intrinsically imperfect implementations that invalidate many principles and techniques in traditional software engineering. In light of this situation, the Japanese industry has jointly worked on a set of guidelines for the quality assurance of AI systems (in the Consortium of Quality Assurance for AI-based Products and Services) from the viewpoint of traditional quality-assurance engineers and test engineers. We report on the second version of these guidelines, which cover a list of quality evaluation aspects, catalogue of current state-of-the-art techniques, and domain-specific discussions in five representative domains. The guidelines provide significant insights for engineers in terms of methodologies and designs for tests driven by application-specific requirements.
Region of Interest-Based Coding Technique of Medical Images Using Varying Grading of Compression
Authors: Sharma Urvashi , Sood Meenakshi , Puthooran Emjee
Published: October 2020

A region of interest (ROI)-based compression method for medical image datasets is a requirement to maintain the quality of the diagnostically important region of the image. It is always a better option to compress the diagnostic important region in a lossless manner and the remaining portion of the image with a near-lossless compression method to achieve high compression efficiency without any compromise of quality. The predictive ROI-based compression on volumetric CT medical image is proposed in this paper; resolution-independent gradient edge detection (RIGED) and block adaptive arithmetic encoding (BAAE) are employed to ROI part for prediction and encoding that reduce the interpixel and coding redundancy. For the non-ROI portion, RIGED with an optimal threshold value, quantizer with optimal [Formula: see text]-level and BAAE with optimal block size are utilized for compression. The volumetric 8-bit and 16-bit standard CT image dataset is utilized for the evaluation of the proposed technique, and results are validated on real-time CT images collected from the hospital. Performance of the proposed technique in terms of BPP outperforms existing techniques such as JPEG 2000, M-CALIC, JPEG-LS, CALIC and JP3D by 20.31%, 19.87%, 17.77%, 15.58% and 13.66%, respectively.
Despeckling of SAR Images Using Shrinkage of Two-Dimensional Discrete Orthonormal S-Transform
Authors: Kamath Priya R. , Senapati Kedarnath , Jidesh P.
Published: October 2020

Speckles are inherent to SAR. They hide and undermine several relevant information contained in the SAR images. In this paper, a despeckling algorithm using the shrinkage of two-dimensional discrete orthonormal S-transform (2D-DOST) coefficients in the transform domain along with shock filter is proposed. Also, an attempt has been made as a post-processing step to preserve the edges and other details while removing the speckle. The proposed strategy involves decomposing the SAR image into low and high-frequency components and processing them separately. A shock filter is used to smooth out the small variations in low-frequency components, and the high-frequency components are treated with a shrinkage of 2D-DOST coefficients. The edges, for enhancement, are detected using a ratio-based edge detection algorithm. The proposed method is tested, verified, and compared with some well-known models on C-band and X-band SAR images. A detailed experimental analysis is illustrated.
Multi-Type Classification Comparison of Mammogram Abnormalities
Authors: Sowmyayani S. , Murugan V.
Published: October 2020

Cancer is a life-threatening disease which reduces the lifespan of humans. If the disease is treated early, the lifespan can be extended. This paper provides a useful method for detecting the abnormalities in the mammograms. The proposed method uses four phases such as pre-processing, segmentation, feature extraction and classification. In the pre-processing phase, median filter is utilized to enhance the quality of an image. The pre-processed image is then segmented by fuzzy C means (FCM). Three different features such as Gaussian–Hermite moments (GHM), Jacobi moments and pseudo Zernike moments (PZM) are extracted from the segmented image. Finally, extreme learning machine (ELM) classifier identifies the normal, malignant and benign kinds of cancer. This method is compared with four different classifiers. The proposed method is tested on mammographic image analysis society (MIAS) dataset and the performance is evaluated against several analogous approaches in terms of accuracy, sensitivity and specificity. The proposed approach substantially provides the best result.
Self-Guided Stereo Correspondence Estimation Algorithm
Authors: Mondal Md. Abdul Mannan , Ali Mohammad Haider
Published: October 2020

This paper introduces an innovative algorithm, “Self-guided Stereo Correspondence” (SGSC), that is directed by photometric properties of the candidate pixels. As the photometric properties of reference image (left image) pixel and its neighbor’s pixel are similar in most cases, so the upcoming corresponding pixel exists in the surrounding of the previous matching pixel. Searching performance is greatly improved by utilizing this photometric property of the candidate pixels. The searching performance is further improved by applying the pioneering threshold technique. These two key techniques sufficiently reduced the computational cost with no degradation of accuracy. The achievements of the proposed method are testified on Middlebury standard Stereo Datasets of 2003 and 2006 and the Middlebury latest Optical Flow Dataset. Finally, the proposed method is compared with present state-of-the-art methods and our SGSC outdoes the latest methods in terms of speed, visualization of hidden ground truth, 3D reconstruction and accuracy.
Gray Matter Segmentation of Brain MRI Using Hybrid Enhanced Independent Component Analysis
Authors: Basheera Shaik , Ram M. Satya Sai
Published: October 2020

One of the primary pre-processing tasks of medical image analysis is segmentation; it is used to diagnose the abnormalities in the tissues. As the brain is a complex organ, anatomical segmentation of brain tissues is a challenging task. Segmented gray matter is analyzed for early diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders. In this endeavor, we used enhanced independent component analysis to perform segmentation of gray matter in noise-free and noisy environments. We used modified [Formula: see text]-means, expectation–maximization and hidden Markov random field to provide better spatial relation to overcome inhomogeneity, noise and low contrast. Our objective is achieved using the following two steps: (i) Irrelevant tissues are stripped from the MRI using skull stripping algorithm. In this algorithm, sequence of threshold, morphological operations and active contour are applied to strip the unwanted tissues. (ii) Enhanced independent component analysis is used to perform segmentation of gray matter. The proposed approach is applied on both T1w MRI and T2w MRI images at different noise environments such as salt and pepper noise, speckle noise and Rician noise. We evaluated the performance of the approach using Jaccard index, Dice coefficient and accuracy. The parameters are further compared with existing frameworks. This approach gives better segmentation of gray matter for the diagnosis of atrophy changes in brain MRI.
Classification of Human Metaspread Images Using Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Arora Tanvi
Published: October 2020

Chromosomes are the genetic information carriers. Any modification to the structure or the number of chromosomes results in a medical condition termed as genetic defect. In order to uncover the genetic defects, the chromosomes are imaged during the cell division process. The images thus generated are termed as metaspread images and are used for identifying the genetic defects. It has been observed that the metaspread images generally suffer from intensity inhomogeneity and the chromosomes are also present in varied orientations, and as a result finding genetic defects from such images is a tedious process. Therefore, cytogeneticists manually select the images that can be used for the purpose of uncovering the genetic defects and the generation of the karyotype. In the proposed approach, a novel method is being presented using DenseNet architecture of the convolutional neural networks-based classifier, which classifies the human metaspread images into two distinct categories, namely, analyzable and non-analyzable based on the orientation of the chromosomes present in the metaspread images. This classification process will help to select the most prominent metaspread images for karyotype generation that has least amount of touching and overlapping chromosomes. The proposed method is novel in comparison to the earlier methods as it works on any type of image, be it G band images, MFISH images or the Q-banded images. The proposed method has been trained by using a ground truth of 156 750 metaspread images. The proposed classifier has been able to achieve an error rate of 1.46%.
Is Foreign Capital Smarter? Multifractal Evidence from the Shanghai–Hong Kong Stock Connect Program
Authors: Ruan Qingsong , Wang Zilin , Liu Jing , Lv Dayong
Published: October 2020

This paper investigates whether foreign capital is smarter money using multifractal cross-correlation analysis (MFCCA) and nonlinear Granger Causality test. Using multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA) method, we find that time series of stock returns, foreign-capital inflow from Shanghai–Hong Kong Stock Connect (SHKSC), and domestic-capital flow (proxied by margin-trading activities capital) exhibit strong multifractality. In addition, MFCCA results show that there exists a strong persistent cross-correlation between stock returns and foreign-capital inflow, but anti-persistent cross-correlation between stock returns and domestic-capital flow. Moreover, using nonlinear Granger Causality test, we find that foreign-capital inflow is the granger cause of stock returns. Our findings provide empirical evidence that foreign-capital inflow is positively associated with future stock returns, i.e., foreign capital is smarter money.
Online quantum state tomography of N-qubit via continuous weak measurement and compressed sensing
Authors: Harraz Sajede , Cong Shuang , Li Kezhi
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we propose an online state tomography method for [Formula: see text]-qubit quantum system based on the continuous weak measurement and compressed sensing (CS). The quantum system is described by stochastic master equation. The continuous weak measurement operators for the [Formula: see text]-qubit quantum system, which are indirectly acted on the quantum system, are derived according to the measurement operator results of two-level quantum system. The online time-varying measurement operators are obtained by means of the dynamic evolution equation of the system. The quantum state is online estimated by solving the optimization problem of minimizing the two-norm with the positive definite constraints of density matrix, and we use the nonnegative least squares algorithm to solve the optimization problem. CS theory is used to reduce the number of the measurements in the process of online state estimation. In the numerical experiments, we study the effects of external control field, measurement rate and the different numbers of qubits on the performance in the proposed method. The minimum required numbers of measurements for 2, 3, 4 and 5 qubits are found. The normalized distance and fidelity of our proposed method can achieve satisfying accuracy with small number of measurements.
Caste Primacy of Auditor Choice and Independence
Authors: Dayanandan Ajit , Donker Han , Nofsinger John , Prasad Rashmi
Published: October 2020

We examine the caste affiliation of the auditor selected by the corporate boards of directors of Indian firms. The history of the caste system in India is one of discrimination and inequity. The constitutionally mandated quota system in the public sector has shown improvements, but has not trickled into private sector leadership. We find that nearly 96% of Indian corporate boards are dominated by a single caste. The auditing firms are also dominated by the forward castes. Lastly, we find that when boards are dominated by one caste, they select an auditing firm that is also affiliated with that same caste. We examine the board and auditor relationship because they both play an important monitoring role in corporate governance. However, auditor effectiveness can be undermined when there is a lack of independence between them and the firm. The existence of a strong shared social network like caste affiliation compromises that independence.
RECONCILING COMPETING INSTITUTIONAL LOGICS IN CORPORATE VENTURE CAPITAL UNITS
Authors: AHLFÄNGER MARCEL , KOHUT MAGDALENA , LEKER JENS
Published: October 2020

Prior literature highlights the competing institutional logics corporate venture capital (CVC) units have to face due to their intermediary position between the two environments in which they operate — the VC industry and the corporate firm. By conducting an inductive case study of 20 CVC units, we unravel how novel organisational subunits reconcile the conflicting logics in terms of their organisational structure. We show that, instead of fully aligning with one or the other environment, most units form hybrid organisations incorporating elements of both logics. Our data suggest that CVC units tend to follow the hybridisation strategy of selective coupling rather than apply strategies of compromising or decoupling. The type of structure depends on factors on the intra-, inter-organisational and industry level. We further suggest a specific hybridisation pattern that is especially beneficial in the achievement of a unit’s strategic objectives. Our findings contribute to both institutional theory and CVC literature.
MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF TWO NOVEL RAT MINUTE VIRUSES IN TAIWAN
Authors: Liao Yi-Chun , Chang Yung-Hui , Wang Ming-Hseng , Fang Ber-Hsiang , Wan Cho-Hua
Published: October 2020

Rodent parvovirus infection is one of the common viral problems in laboratory rodent colonies. In this study, two new parvoviruses were identified in naturally-infected rats from two different research colonies in Taiwan. The genomic nucleotide sequences and the predicted amino acid sequences of proteins for these two viruses were compared to the previously characterized rodent parvoviruses. The two newly identified viruses were most closely related to each other, also closely related to two variants of rat minute virus (RMV; RMV-1 and RMV-2), and distinct from but closely related to Kilham rat virus and H-1 virus. These two viruses were significantly different from variants of rat parvovirus (RPV; RPV-1 and RPV-NTU1). Phylogenetic data also supported that these two new viruses are variants of the RMV species. These two newly identified viruses were designated RMV type National Taiwan University 1 (RMV-NTU1) and RMV type National Taiwan University 2 (RMV-NTU2). RMV-NTUs are the first molecularly characterized RMV variants identified in Asia.
Characterization of 2-Path Signed Network
Authors: Sinha Deepa , Sharma Deepakshi
Published: October 2020

A signed network is a network where each edge receives a sign: positive or negative. In this paper, we report our investigation on 2-path signed network of a given signed network

Σ

, which is defined as the signed network whose vertex set is that of

Σ

and two vertices in

Σ

2 are adjacent if there exist a path of length two between them in

Σ

. An edge ab in

Σ

2 receives a negative sign if all the paths of length two between them are negative, otherwise it receives a positive sign. A signed network is said to be if clusterable its vertex set can be partitioned into pairwise disjoint subsets, called clusters, such that every negative edge joins vertices in different clusters and every positive edge joins vertices in the same clusters. A signed network is balanced if it is clusterable with exactly two clusters. A signed network is sign-regular if the number of positive (negative) edges incident to each vertex is the same for all the vertices. We characterize the 2-path signed graphs as balanced, clusterable, and sign-regular along with their respective algorithms. The 2-path network along with these characterizations is used to develop a theoretic model for the study and control of interference of frequency in wireless communication networks.
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Assessment of the Peripapillary Vessel Density and Structure in Patients with Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy: A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Ling Ling , Ji Kaibao , Xie Liping , Gao Feifei , Zhang Qinglin , Xing Yiqiao , Zhou Wentian
Published: October 2020

Background. This meta‐analysis is aimed at assessing the peripapillary vessel density (VD) and structural outcomes using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in patients with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). Methods. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases for literature comparing VD and structural outcomes in patients with NAION and controls was performed. Mean differences (MDs) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for continuous estimates. Review Manager (V5.30) was used for analysis. Results. Fourteen published studies met the requirement. The radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) whole enface VD measured by OCTA was significantly lower in patients with NAION compared to that of the controls (MD = −10.51, P < 0.00001). The RPC inside disc VD was significantly decreased in the NAION group than that in the control group (MD = −8.47, P < 0.00001). For RPC peripapillary VD, there was a statistically significant difference between patients with NAION and the controls (MD = −12.48, P < 0.00001). The peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (p‐RNFL) thickness was significantly lower in patients with NAION in comparison to the controls (MD = −22.18, P = 0.004). The ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness in the macular zone of NAION patients was remarkably reduced compared to that in the controls (MD = −17.18, P = 0.0002). Conclusions. The findings suggested that the peripapillary VD and RNFL thickness were attenuated, and the macular GCC thickness was reduced in patients with NAION. OCTA, in the future, may facilitate the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with NAION.
Experimental Study on Fragmentation Behavior of Specimen with Rockbolts
Authors: Dong Enyuan , Wang Weijun , Zhao Zhiwei , Peng Wenqing , Yuan Chao
Published: October 2020

The effect of rockbolt density on fractured specimens and the distribution law of fragments were studied using the fractal method. The results show that with the increase of rockbolt density, the strength of specimens is improved. Its degree of fragmentation is increased, but the average size of fragments is decreased. The fragmentation and surface fractal dimensions are increased, their difference value is 1 in theory, but the value is slightly less than 1 in practical application due to the uncertain factors such as anisotropy of specimen. There is a positive correlation between the deformation of surrounding rock and its fractal dimension. The surface fractal dimension of surrounding rock can give a quantitative description of its degree of fragmentation and can give a comprehensive reflection to the roof stability. The support mechanism of rockblots can be understood as improving the probability of refragmentation of fragments, making its distribution gradation close to the optimal one with minimum porosity, thus reducing the deformation of surrounding rock.
Efficient Algorithms on Multicommodity Flow over Time Problems with Partial Lane Reversals
Authors: Pyakurel Urmila , Gupta Shiva Prakash , Khanal Durga Prasad , Dhamala Tanka Nath
Published: October 2020

The multicommodity flow problem arises when several different commodities are transshipped from specific supply nodes to the corresponding demand nodes through the arcs of an underlying capacity network. The maximum flow over time problem concerns to maximize the sum of commodity flows in a given time horizon. It becomes the earliest arrival flow problem if it maximizes the flow at each time step. The earliest arrival transshipment problem is the one that satisfies specified supplies and demands. These flow over time problems are computationally hard. By reverting the orientation of lanes towards the demand nodes, the outbound lane capacities can be increased. We introduce a partial lane reversal approach in the class of multicommodity flow problems. Moreover, a polynomial-time algorithm for the maximum static flow problem and pseudopolynomial algorithms for the earliest arrival transshipment and maximum dynamic flow problems are presented. Also, an approximation solution to the latter problem is obtained in polynomial-time.
Numerical Study of Formation of a Series of Bubbles from an Orifice by Applying Dynamic Contact Angle Model
Authors: Chen Nan , Chen Xiyu , Delgado Antonio
Published: October 2020

The dynamic contact angle model is applied in the formation process of a series of bubbles from Period‐I regime to Period‐II regime by using the VOF method on a 2D axisymmetric domain. In the first process of the current research, the dynamic contact angle model is validated by comparing the numerical results to the experimental data. Good agreement in terms of bubble shape and bubble detachment time is observed from a lower flow rate Q = 150.8 cm3/min (Re = 54.77, Period‐I regime) to a higher flow rate Q = 603.2 cm3/min (Re = 219.07, Period‐III regime). The comparison between the dynamic contact angle model and the static contact angle model is also performed. It is observed that the static contact angle model can obtain similar results as the dynamic contact angle model only for smaller gas flow rates (Q ≤ 150.8 cm3/min and Re ≤ 54.77)). For higher gas flow rates, the static contact angle model cannot produce good results as the dynamic contact angle model and has larger relative errors in terms of bubble detachment time and bubble shape.
An Inexact Inventory Theory-Based Water Resources Distribution Model for Yuecheng Reservoir, China
Authors: Suo Meiqin , Du Fuhui , Li Yongping , Kong Tengteng , Zhang Jing
Published: October 2020

In this study, an inexact inventory theory-based water resources distribution (IIWRD) method is advanced and applied for solving the problem of water resources distribution from Yuecheng Reservoir to agricultural activities, in the Zhanghe River Basin, China. In the IIWRD model, the techniques of inventory model, inexact two-stage stochastic programming, and interval-fuzzy mathematics programming are integrated. The water diversion problem of Yuecheng Reservoir is handled under multiple uncertainties. Decision alternatives for water resources allocation under different inflow levels with a maximized system benefit and satisfaction degree are provided for water resources management in Yuecheng Reservoir. The results show that the IIWRD model can afford an effective scheme for solving water distribution problems and facilitate specific water diversion of a reservoir for managers under multiple uncertainties and a series of policy scenarios.
Selecting Rural Development Paths Based on Village Multifunction: A Case of Jingjiang City, China
Authors: He Tianqi , Qiao Weifeng , Jia Kaiyang , Chai Yibei , Hu Yi , Sun Pan , Wang Yahua , Feng Ting
Published: October 2020

The diverse value of rural areas has been gradually highlighted, and promoting the sustainable development of rural areas with the theoretical guidance of rural multifunction is the key to realizing rural revitalization. This study defined the concept of rural multifunction from the perspective of resident’s demands and divided it into five main functions including rural agricultural production, nonagricultural production, living, ecological environment, and social security. By constructing the evaluation index system of rural multifunction, we analysed the spatial distribution characteristics of 160 villages of Jingjiang in Jiangsu Province. And functional combinations were identified to select targeted rural development paths oriented by balanced development of rural multifunction. The results showed the following. (1) The development of various rural functions in Jingjiang city was uneven, and agricultural production function still dominated. (2) The villages with strong agricultural production function were mainly concentrated in the northwest, while the villages with a high level of nonagricultural production function were mostly distributed in the industrial parks or around towns. There is still much room for improvement in social security function, especially in areas dominated by nonagricultural production. Nonagricultural production function had a negative effect on the ecological environment function, which is contrary to the agricultural production function. (3) Balanced development rather than equal development of rural functions should be pursued to achieve multifunctionality. Scientific guidance for the functional growth of villages in Jingjiang city and theoretical support for the microscale evaluation of rural multifunction and its application were provided by the research results.
Asymptotic Behavior of Solutions of Even-Order Advanced Differential Equations
Authors: Bazighifan Omar , Ahmad Hijaz
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we establish the qualitative behavior of the even-order advanced differential equationaυyκ−1υβ′+∑i=1jqiυgyηiυ=0, υ≥υ0. The results obtained are based on the Riccati transformation and the theory of comparison with first- and second-order equations. This new theorem complements and improves a number of results reported in the literature. Two examples are presented to demonstrate the main results.
Inverse Percolation to Quantify Robustness in Multiplex Networks
Authors: Montes-Orozco Edwin , Mora-Gutiérrez Roman-Anselmo , Obregón-Quintana Bibiana , de-los-Cobos-Silva Sergio-G. , Rincón-García Eric A. , Lara-Velázquez Pedro , Gutiérrez-Andrade Miguel A.
Published: October 2020

Inverse percolation is known as the problem of finding the minimum set of nodes whose elimination of their links causes the rupture of the network. Inverse percolation has been widely used in various studies of single-layer networks. However, the use and generalization of multiplex networks have been little considered. In this work, we propose a methodology based on inverse percolation to quantify the robustness of multiplex networks. Specifically, we present a modified version of the mathematical model for the multiplex-vertex separator problem (m-VSP). By solving the m-VSP, we can find nodes that cause the rupture of the mutually connected giant component (MCGC) and the large viable cluster (LVC) when their links are removed from the network. The methodology presented in this work was tested in a set of benchmark networks, and as case study, we present an analysis using a set of multiplex social networks modeled with information about the main characteristics of the best universities in the world and the universities in Mexico. The results show that the methodology presented in this work can work in different models and types of 2- and 3-layer multiplex networks without dividing the entire multiplex network into single-layer as some techniques described in the specific literature. Furthermore, thanks to the fact that the technique does not require the calculation of some structural measure or centrality metric, and it is easy to scale for networks of different sizes.
Hydromechanical Coupling Characteristics of the Fractured Sandstone under Cyclic Loading-Unloading
Authors: Zhang Tong , Liu Yang , Yang Ke , Tang Ming , Yu Xiang , Yu Fei
Published: October 2020

The mechanical and hydraulic properties of rock mass play a crucial role in underground engineering. To study the effect of hydraulic pressure, confining pressure, and axial cyclic loading-unloading on variation of the deformation and permeability in fractured rock mass, the coupling triaxial experiment of sandstone was conducted. The concept of permeability recovery rate (PRR) and permeability enhancement reduction rate (PERR) was proposed to characterize the change in permeability. The results show that the permeability of fractured sandstone quadratically varies with the change of hydraulic pressure and confining stress. In detail, the permeability decreases with the decrease of hydraulic pressure and increases with the decrease of confining stress, respectively. Compared with the single-fracture permeability, the double-fracture permeability is more sensitive to the change of hydraulic pressure. Furthermore, the permeability of fractured sandstone is more dependent on the hydraulic pressure than the confining stress. With the performance of axial cyclic loading-unloading, the permeability spirals down, and both the axial and radial residual strains quadratically evolve. Following the first axial cyclic loading-unloading, an obvious deformation memory phenomenon characterized by a parallelogram shape in axial stress-strain curves was observed for the sandstone. The cumulative PRR of 85%-95% was maintained in double-fracture sandstone. On the contrary, a fluctuation of cumulative PRR characterized by “V shape” was observed for single-fracture sandstone. The enhancement effect of axial cyclic loading on the permeability was characterized by the decrease of PERR for double-fracture sandstone and increase of PERR with a greater gradient for single-fracture sandstone.
Deploying GIS Services into the Edge: A Study from Performance Evaluation and Optimization Viewpoint
Authors: Zhang Jianbing , Ma Bowen , Huang Jiwei
Published: October 2020

Geographic information system (GIS) is an integrated collection of computer software and data used to view and manage information about geographic places, analyze spatial relationships, and model spatial processes. With the growing popularity and wide application of GIS in reality, performance has become a critical requirement, especially for mobile GIS services. To attack this challenge, this paper tries to optimize the performance of GIS services by deploying them into edge computing architecture which is an emerging computational model that enables efficient offloading of service requests to edge servers for reducing the communication latency between end-users and GIS servers deployed in the cloud. Stochastic models for describing the dynamics of GIS services with edge computing architecture are presented, and their corresponding quantitative analyses of performance attributes are provided. Furthermore, an optimization problem is formulated for service deployment in such architecture, and a heuristic approach to obtain the near-optimal performance is designed. Simulation experiments based on real-life GIS performance data are conducted to validate the effectiveness of the approach presented in this paper.
Giant Lipoma Presents from the Buccal Vestibule
Authors: Sakamoto Yuki , Oyama Gohei
Published: October 2020

A lipoma is a benign tumor, where the parenchyma is composed of adipose tissue. Lipomas comprise 0.1%–5% of all benign tumors in the oral cavity. A 43-year-old man, with a known masticatory disorder, visited the Department of Oral Surgery at our hospital because of a facial swelling. The swelling, which had worsened over 15 years, was not painful, but the patient had discomfort while eating and talking. A detailed examination revealed a smooth, elastic, soft, circular, and yellowish pink pedunculated tumor-like lesion, with a diameter of approximately 40 mm, on the right buccal mucosa. An oval-shaped neoplastic lesion with a well-defined border of

40
 
mm
×
20
 
mm

was noted on MRI. Based on these results, the lesion was characterized as being a benign lipoma. The tumor was resected under local anesthesia. The pedunculated tumor was excised with an electric knife, and the wound was sutured. No trismus or paresthesia was noted on the postoperative follow-up.
Key Stratum Structure and Support Working Resistance of Longwall Face with Large Mining Height in the Shallow Coal Seams, China
Authors: Huang Qingxiang , Zhou Jinlong , Cao Jian
Published: October 2020

The fully mechanized mining with large mining height is the main method for high yield and efficient coal mining in China. The key stratum structure (KSS) is the basis of revealing the mechanism of roof weighting and determination of support working resistance of the longwall face with large mining height (LFLMH) in the shallow coal seam. The height of the caving zone at LFLMH is large, the thick immediate roof forms the “short cantilever beam” structure commonly, and the hinge layer of the overlying key stratum will move upward to the higher position. The “high position oblique step voussoir beam” structure of single‐key stratum (SKS) and “oblique step voussoir beam and voussoir beam” structure of double‐key stratum (DKS) in the shallow coal seam were proposed with physical simulation and Universal Distinct Element Code (UDEC). The analysis of the KSS and numerical simulation reveals the mechanism of strong roof weighting at the SKS longwall face and large‐small alternate periodic weighting at the DKS longwall. It is concluded that the large static load caused by the “equivalent immediate roof (EIR)” is the basic load, and the instability load of the KSS is the additional dynamic load of support. Besides, the calculation methods of the reasonable support working resistance at LFLMH were obtained and verified with engineering applications.
Related Rule Study of Subcritical Crack Growth and Threshold Values in Transversely Isotropic Slates
Authors: Ma Gang , Li Jiangteng , Wang Huiwen
Published: October 2020

Elastic parameters and the subcritical crack growth of different bedding angle slate specimens were studied using uniaxial compression testing and the double torsion constant displacement load relaxation method using SANS and MTS Insight machines. To study the relations of the mode-I stress intensity factorKIversus the subcritical crack growth velocityV, the fracture toughnessKIC, the stagnation speed, and the threshold values, the double torsion constant displacement load relaxation method was carried out. The related rules between the bedding angles (β) and the uniaxial compressive strength, fracture toughness, and threshold values were investigated. Experimental results show that the uniaxial compression, the fracture toughness, and the threshold value curves move to the bottom then increase with the increase of the β angle. In addition, its fracture toughness is minimal when the β angle of the slates is 45°, and crack initiation and crack propagation are generated under load, which can lead to the failure of the slate.lgKI-lgVrelations of transversely isotropic slates measured by this method are in accordance with linear rules, which is in good agreement with the Charles theory. The range ofK0/KICfor these different bedding angle slates is from 0.511 to 0.789. The test results would provide the basis for studying seepage and time-dependency of rock engineering stability.
Prevalence and Distribution of the Middle Mesial Canal in Mandibular First Molar Teeth of the Kerman Population: A CBCT Study
Authors: Kuzekanani Maryam , Walsh Laurence J. , Amiri Mousa
Published: October 2020

Purpose. Missed additional canals are one of the most important reasons for RCT failures in molar teeth. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and distribution of middle mesial canals in mandibular first molars of the Kerman population. Materials and Methods. A retrospective study was performed on de-identified cone beam image sets from 3 private radiology centers in Kerman. A total of 100 mandibular first molars from 62 patients (mean age 32 years) were included. Information regarding the patient’s age and gender, the location of teeth, and the presence or absence of a MMC and also a second distal canal in MMC cases was recorded in an Excel table. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (IBM-USA). Results. The overall prevalence of MMCs in the mandibular first molars was 8.1% (10.0% in females and 6.3% in males). More cases of MMCs were seen on the right side (12.2%) than the left side (3.4%). One case of bilateral MMCs combined with bilateral second distal canals in the mandibular first molars was seen in a 26-year-old female. A further case of bilateral MMCs was found in a 32-year-old male but with single-canal distal roots on both sides. Conclusion. The overall prevalence of MMCs in the Kerman population (8.1%) is at the lower end of the reported range of the international literature (0.26% to 53.8%). In the cohort examined in this study, mid mesial canals were more prevalent in females and on the right side. There was no definite relationship between MMCs and second distal canals in the mandibular first molar teeth in the same subject. MMCs may be unilateral or bilateral. Careful exploration of the pulpal floor between canal orifices is essential to prevent missing the MMC, as this would cause undesirable clinical outcomes.
Suitability of Roselle-Hibiscus sabdariffa L. as Raw Material for Soft Drink Production
Authors: Salami Serifat Olatundun , Afolayan Anthony Jide
Published: October 2020

Consumption of conventional soft drinks has been linked with several diseases in man. This has called for the consumption of natural soft drinks such as roselle drink. Roselle-Hibiscus sabdariffa L. is the major raw material for the production of beverage called cranberry (Florida), bissap (Egypt), zobo (Nigeria), and roselle drink generally. The nutritional and phytochemical properties found in roselle make the plant useful in the preparation of some drugs and food. It has been reported that consumption of roselle drink helps to cure diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes. The pharmacological properties of the plant are traceable to activities of flavonoid and anthocyanin which are the major antioxidants in roselle. Good aroma and colour of the drink are among the characteristics displayed by the plant. However, consumers are sometimes exposed to risks when the drink is consumed after 24 hours of preparation due to the proliferation of spoilage microorganisms in the drink. Most of these microbes thrive even at extreme temperatures. Unfortunately, some of these microorganisms are of public health importance causing diseases such as meningitis and dysentery. Researchers have revealed that roselle calyx is the major source of contamination in the drink. This paper reviews the suitability of the plant for soft drink production. It further highlights the nutrition, pharmacology, and limitations of the plant for soft drink production.
Self-Administered Information Sharing Framework Using Bioinspired Mechanisms
Authors: Bi Huibo , Chen Yanyan , Shang Wen-Long , Song Chengcheng , Huang Wenbo
Published: October 2020

The promising potential of distributed and interconnected lightweight devices that can jointly generate superior information-collecting and problem-solving abilities has long fostered various significant and ubiquitous techniques, from wireless sensor networks (WSNs) to Internet of Things (IoT). Although related applications have been widely used in different domains in attempting to collect and harness the ever-growing information flows, one major issue that impedes the further advancement of WSNs or IoT-based applications is the restricted battery power. Previous research mainly focuses on investigating novel protocols to save energy by reducing data traffic with the aid of optimal or heuristic algorithms. However, data packet behaviours and significant parameters involved are mostly preconfigured in a supervised-learning fashion rather than using an unsupervised learning paradigm and therefore may not adapt to uncertain or fast-changing environments. Hence, this paper concentrates on optimising the behaviours of data packets and significant parameters in a widely tested routing protocol, namely, Cognitive Packet Network (CPN), with the aid of several bio-inspired algorithms to increase the efficiency of energy usage and information acquisition. Two novel packet behaviours are introduced, and an on-line parameter calibration scheme is proposed to realise packet time-to-live (TTL) adjustment and rate adaptation. The simulation results show that the introduction of the bioinspired algorithms can improve the efficiency of information sharing and reduce the energy consumption.
The Prevalence of Soil-Transmitted Helminths and Associated Risk Factors among School Children at Sekela Primary School, Western Ethiopia
Authors: Tolera Addisu , Dufera Mebrate
Published: October 2020

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are a major public health problem in tropical and developing countries in relation to poverty, inadequate hygiene, and sanitation. This study was aimed at assessing the status of STH and associated risk factors among school children in the case of Sekela primary school. Cross-sectional descriptive studies were conducted in May 2019 and from 384 children, both males and females of equal proportion were used. A stool sample was collected randomly and examined in the laboratory under a microscope. The quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. The difference was considered statistically significant at

p

value = 0.05. The overall STH infections observed in the study area were about 25.78% and were moderate transmission. The predominant helminth was A. lumbricoides (9.86%) followed by hookworm 6.25%, T. trichiura 5%, H. nana 3.10%, and H. diminuta 1.56%. Infections were generally more in males than females, in which 15.36% males and 10.41% females. In the case of age group, age groups between 7-8 years were more infected (13.28%). Infection rate decreases with increasing ages. Multivariate logistic regression analysis result indicated that wearing shoes, hand washing practice, family member, and residence were found to be associated risk factors for STH infections. Being urban dwellers and having family members with less than 2 children were found to be preventive. Lack of latrine, playing barefoot, untrimmed fingernail, eating raw vegetables, and absence of hand washing were major risk factors. In conclusion, the study showed that there was moderate transmission of infection among the study participants. Community-based health education using media, morbidity control through deworming, and improving sanitation should be strengthened as a measurement to control the transmission rate.
Molybdenum Induces Growth, Yield, and Defence System Mechanisms of the Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L.) under Water Stress Conditions
Authors: Hayyawi Nahlaa Jamal Hussain , Al-Issawi Mohammed H. , Alrajhi Abdullah A. , Al-Shmgani Hanady , Rihan Hail
Published: October 2020

Water stress has a negative impact on the yield and growth of crops worldwide and consequently has a global impact on food security. Many biochemical changes occur in plants as a response to water stress, such as activation of antioxidant systems. Molybdenum (Mo) plays an important part in activating the expression of many enzymes, such as CAT, POD, and SOD, as well as increasing the proline content. Mo therefore supports the defence system in plants and plays an important role in the defence system of mung bean plants growing under water stress conditions. Four concentrations of Mo (0, 15, 30, and 45 mg·L−1) were applied to plants, using two approaches: (a) seed soaking and (b) foliar application. Mung bean plants were subjected to three irrigation intervals (4 days control, 8 days-moderate water stress, and 12 days severe water stress). Irrigation intervals caused a reduction in the growth and production of mung beans, especially when the plants were irrigated every 12 days. It also led to the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in mung bean leaves, and these are considered to be indicators of lipid peroxidation and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) accumulation, respectively. On the other hand, applying Mo enhanced some growth and yield traits and also enhanced the defence system by upregulating antioxidant expressions, such as proline, catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The MDA content did not change under the effect of Mo treatments. However, H2O2 content slightly increased with an increase of Mo concentration of up to 30 mg·L−1 followed by a significant decrease when Mo concentration was increased to 45 mg·L−1. It can be concluded that Mo is a robust tool for the activation of the defence system in mung beans.