bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Choice of damping coefficient in Langevin dynamics
Authors: Skeel Robert D. , Hartmann Carsten
Published: September 2021

This article considers the application of Langevin dynamics to sampling and investigates how to choose the damping parameter in Langevin dynamics for the purpose of maximizing thoroughness of sampling. Also, it considers the computation of measures of sampling thoroughness.

Graphic abstract
Analysis of Gut Microbiota Composition in Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients with TCM Qi-Yin Deficiency
Authors: Chen Jiabin , Wang Sheng , Shen Jianfei , Hu Qinqin , Zhang Yongjun , Ma Dehua , Chai Kequn
Published: September 2021

In Lung adenocarcinoma (ADC), Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome (QY) is the most common Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome. This study aimed to investigate the diversity and composition of gut microbiota in ADC patients with QY syndrome. 90 stool samples, including 30 healthy individuals (H), 30 ADC patients with QY syndrome, and 30 ADC patients with another syndrome (O) were collected. Then, 16s-RNA sequencing was used to analyze stool samples to clarify the structure of gut microbiota, and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) was applied to identify biomarkers for ADC with QY syndrome. Logistic regression analysis was performed to establish a diagnostic model for the diagnosis of QY syndrome in ADC patients, which was assessed with the AUC. Finally, 20 fecal samples (QY: 10; O: 10) were analyzed with Metagenomics to validate the diagnostic model. The [Formula: see text] diversity and [Formula: see text] diversity demonstrated that the structure of gut microbiota in the QY group was different from that of the H group and O group. In the QY group, the top 3 taxonomies at phylum level were Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria, and at genus level were Faecalibacterium, Prevotella_9, and Bifidobacterium. LEfSe identified Prevotella_9 and Streptococcus might be the biomarkers for QY syndrome. A diagnostic model was constructed using those 2 genera with the AUC = 0.801, similar to the AUC based on Metagenomics (0.842). The structure of gut microbiota in ADC patients with QY syndrome was investigated, and a diagnostic model was developed for the diagnosis of QY syndrome in ADC patients, which provides a novel idea for the understanding and diagnosis of TCM syndrome.
Puerarin Inhibits the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4-CHOP Pathway through Inactivating JAK2/STAT3 Signal in Pancreatic beta-Cells
Authors: Hu Xiaobo , Duan Tingting , Wu Zhuan , Tang Cifei , Cao Zhaohui
Published: September 2021

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease with excessive loss of pancreatic islet [Formula: see text]-cells. Accumulating evidence indicated that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress played a critical role in [Formula: see text]-cells loss, leading to T1D. Therefore, promoting the survival of pancreatic [Formula: see text]cells would be beneficial for patients with T1D. Puerarin is a natural isoflavone that has been demonstrated to be able to decrease blood glucose in patients with T1D. However, it remains unknown whether puerarin improves ER stress to prevent [Formula: see text]-cells from apoptosis. Here, we sought to investigate the role of puerarin in ER stress-associated apoptosis and explore its underlying mechanism in the mouse insulinoma cell line (MIN6). Flow cytometry and cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) experiments showed that puerarin caused a significant increase in the viability of MIN6 cells injured by H2O2. Furthermore, the protein kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK) signal pathway, a critical branch of ER stress response, was found to be involved in this process. Puerarin inhibited the phosphorylation of PERK, subsequently suppressed the phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2[Formula: see text] (eIF2[Formula: see text], then decreased the activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) expression, ultimately attenuating ER stress to prevent MIN6 cells from apoptosis. In addition, puerarin inhibited the activation of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3), which suppressed the PERK signal cascade with decreased ATF4 and CHOP levels. Taken together, our results firstly demonstrated that puerarin could prevent MIN6 cells from apoptosis at least in part by inhibiting the PERK-eIF2[Formula: see text]-ATF4-CHOP axis under ER stress conditions, which might be mediated by inactivation of the JAK2/STAT3 signal pathway. Therefore, investigating the mechanism underlying the effects of puerarin might highlight the potential roles of puerarin developing into an antidiabetic drug.
An exploration of the black hole entropy in Gauss–Bonnet gravity via the Weyl tensor
Authors: Malik Taha A. , Lopez-Mobilia Rafael
Published: September 2021

Various proposals for gravitational entropy densities have been constructed from the Weyl tensor. In almost all cases, though, these studies have been restricted to general relativity, and little has been done in modified theories of gravity. However, in this paper, we investigate the simplest proposal for an entropy density constructed from the Weyl tensor in five-dimensional Gauss–Bonnet gravity and find that it fails to reproduce the expected entropy of a black hole.
Dying AdS Schwarzschild black hole
Authors: Sinha Aloke Kumar
Published: September 2021

The criteria for thermal stability of a most general quantum black hole derived by us appeared in the form of a series of inequalities connecting second-order derivatives of black hole mass with respect to its parameters, which determine the mass of the black hole. These nullify the concept of positivity of specific heat as the sole criteria for thermal stability. Using this most general stability criterion, we prove here that AdS Schwarzschild black holes are no longer stable anywhere in their parameter space if cosmological constant is allowed to vary. We also calculate the fluctuations of both horizon area and cosmological constant of this black hole. We calculate specific heat of it and compare this with Hawking’s prediction.
Structural properties of nuclei with semi-magic number N(Z) = 40
Authors: Sharma R. , Jain A. , Kaushik M. , Jain S. K. , Saxena G.
Published: September 2021

In this paper, various ground state properties are explored for full isotonic(isotopic) chain of neutron number N [Formula: see text]proton number [Formula: see text] using different families of Relativistic Mean-Field theory. Several properties, such as nucleon separation energies, pairing energies, deformation, radii and nucleon density distributions, are evaluated and compared with the experimental data as well as those from other microscopic and macroscopic models. [Formula: see text] isotonic chain presents ample of support for the neutron magicity and articulates double magicity in recently discovered [Formula: see text]Ca and [Formula: see text]Ni. Our results are in close conformity with the recently measured value of charge radius of [Formula: see text]Ni [S. Kaufmann et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 124 (2020) 132502] which supports the [Formula: see text] magicity. Contrarily, Zr isotopes ([Formula: see text]) display variety of shapes leading to the phenomenon of shape transitions and shape co-existence. The role of 3s[Formula: see text] state, which leads to central depletion if unoccupied, is also investigated. [Formula: see text]S and [Formula: see text]Zr are found to be doubly bubble nuclei.
On the global existence and time-decay rates for a parabolic–hyperbolic model arising from chemotaxis
Authors: Xu Fuyi , Li Xinliang
Published: September 2021

In this paper, we are concerned with the study of the Cauchy problem for a parabolic–hyperbolic model arising from chemotaxis in any dimension [Formula: see text]. We first prove the global existence of the model in [Formula: see text] critical regularity framework with respect to the scaling of the associated equations. Furthermore, under a mild additional decay assumption involving only the low frequencies of the data, we also establish the time-decay rates for the constructed global solutions. Our analyses mainly rely on Fourier frequency localization technology and on a refined time-weighted energy inequalities in different frequency regimes.
Lithological controls on the expansion of unbound aggregates in Dublin, eastern Ireland: two contrasting cases
Authors: Strogen Peter
Published: September 2021

Pyrite-bearing unbound fills, widely used in eastern Ireland have heaved, causing serious structural damage to thousands of buildings. This study compares calcareous mudstones that degenerated rapidly, causing severe structural damage, with argillaceous limestones that did not. Framboidal pyrite in the mudstones is widely dispersed – every aggregate particle contains abundant framboidal pyrite. Oxidation of this produced sulfuric acid that reacted with calcite producing supersaturated solutions of CaSO
4
and CO
2
gas. It is suggested that the latter exerted pressures approaching 5 MPa within rock particles, creating micro-fractures into which gypsum crystallized. Antitaxial growth of gypsum continued expansion, a process analogous to the formation of mineral veins in rocks. Heave of the fill took place since all the load-bearing particles expanded. The limestones have a lower pyrite content, which occurs mainly in the shaly seams and is concentrated in the fines; limestones suffered similar oxidation, but the coarser aggregate remains unaltered, and gypsum is mainly pore-filling; little expansive force was generated. It is concluded that the actual amount of pyrite present is a less important factor controlling expansion of unbound fills than its crystal size, and its distribution throughout the aggregate.
MicroRNA Dysregulation in the Hippocampus of Rats with Noise‐Induced Hearing Loss
Authors: Ha Seungmin , Kim Kyung Woon , Lee So Min , Lee Chang Ho , Kim So Young
Published: September 2021

Although hippocampal changes due to noise‐induced hearing loss have been suggested, little is known about the miRNA levels due to these hippocampal changes. Three‐week‐old Sprague‐Dawley rats were divided into noise and control groups (n = 20 per group). The noise group rats were exposed to white Gaussian noise (115 dB SPL, 4 hours per day) for three days. One day after noise exposure, the hippocampi of rats were harvested and miRNA expressions were analyzed using the Affymetrix miRNA 4.0 microarray (n = 6 per group). The predicted target genes of each miRNA were retrieved, and the pathways related to the predicted target genes were analyzed. miR‐758‐5p, miR‐210‐5p, miR‐370‐5p, miR‐652‐5p, miR‐3544, miR‐128‐1‐5p, miR‐665, miR‐188‐5p, and miR‐874‐5p expression increased in the hippocampal tissue of the noise group compared to that in the control group. The overlapping predicted target genes included Bend4, Creb1, Adcy6, Creb5, Kcnj9, and Pten. The pathways related to these genes were the estrogen signaling pathway, vasopressin‐regulated water reabsorption, thyroid hormone synthesis, aldosterone synthesis and secretion, insulin secretion, circadian entrainment, insulin resistance, cholinergic synapse, dopaminergic synapse, cGMP‐PKG signaling pathway, cAMP signaling pathway, PI3K‐Akt signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, and AMPK signaling pathway. miR‐448‐3p, miR204‐5p, and miR‐204‐3p expression decreased in the hippocampal tissue of the noise group compared to that in the control group. The overlapping predicted target genes of these three miRNAs were Rps6kas, Nfactc3, Rictor, Spred1, Cdh4, Cdh6, Dvl3, and Rcyt1b. Pathway analysis suggested that the Wnt signaling pathway is related to Dvl3 and Nfactc3. Noise‐induced hearing loss dysregulates miR‐758‐5p, miR210‐5p, miR370‐5p, miR‐652‐5p, miR‐3544, miR‐128‐1‐5p, miR‐665, miR‐188‐5p, miR‐874‐5p, miR‐448‐3p, miR‐204‐5p, miR‐204‐3p, and miR‐140‐5p expression in the hippocampus. These miRNAs have been predicted to be associated with hormonal, inflammatory, and synaptic pathways.
The Effect of Medical Cannabis on Pain Level and Quality of Sleep among Rheumatology Clinic Outpatients
Authors: Habib George , Khazin Fadi , Artul Suheil
Published: September 2021

Introduction. Medical cannabis (MC) is becoming increasingly popular for the treatment of chronic pain conditions. In this study, we evaluated the effect of MC treatment on pain level and quality of sleep of patients with different medical conditions at the rheumatology clinic. Methods. Patients licensed for the use of MC at the rheumatology clinics at different settings were located and contacted. Their demographic and clinical parameters were documented, including type of medical cannabis consumed, way of consumption, and current monthly consumed amount. These patients were contacted by phone and asked about the effect on pain level and quality of sleep. Results. A total of 351 patients were located, and 319 completed the questionnaire. Mean age was 46 ± 12 years, 76% were female, 82% had fibromyalgia, ∼9% had mechanical problems, ∼4% had inflammatory problems, ∼4% had neurological problems, and ∼1% had other problems. The average monthly consumed dose of MC was 31, 35, 36, and 32 g, with mean pain level reduction of 77%, 82%, 83%, and 57%, and mean sleep quality improvement of 78%, 71%, 87%, and 76% among patients with fibromyalgia, mechanical, neuropathic, and inflammatory problems, respectively. Mean THC and CBD contents were 18.38% ± 4.96 and 2.62% ± 4.87, respectively. The THC concentration, duration of MC consumption, and MC consumption dose had independent significant correlations with pain reduction while only the duration of MC consumption had an independent significant correlation with sleep quality improvement. Conclusions. MC had a favorable effect on pain level and quality of sleep among all spectrums of problems at the rheumatology clinic.
Fit Accuracy of Removable Partial Denture Frameworks Fabricated with CAD/CAM, Rapid Prototyping, and Conventional Techniques: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ahmed Naseer , Abbasi Maria Shakoor , Haider Sara , Ahmed Nimra , Habib Syed Rashid , Altamash Sara , Zafar Muhammad Sohail , Alam Mohammad Khursheed
Published: September 2021

Objective. Analyzing and comparing the fit and accuracy of removable partial denture (RPDs) frameworks fabricated with CAD/CAM and rapid prototyping methods with conventional techniques. Materials and Methods. The present systematic review was carried out according to PRISMA guidelines. The search was carried out on PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane collaboration, Science direct, and Scopus scientific engines using selected MeSH keywords. The articles fulfilling the predefined selection criteria based on the fit and accuracy of removable partial denture (RPD) frameworks constructed from digital workflow (CAD/CAM; rapid prototyping) and conventional techniques were included. Results. Nine full‐text articles comprising 6 in vitro and 3 in vivo studies were included in this review. The digital RPDs were fabricated in all articles by CAD/CAM selective laser sintering and selective laser melting techniques. The articles that have used CAD/CAM and rapid prototyping technique demonstrated better fit and accuracy as compared to the RPDs fabricated through conventional techniques. The least gaps between the framework and cast (41.677 ± 15.546 μm) were found in RPDs constructed through digital CAD/CAM systems. Conclusion. A better accuracy was achieved using CAD/CAM and rapid prototyping techniques. The RPD frameworks fabricated by CAD/CAM and rapid prototyping techniques had clinically acceptable fit, superior precision, and better accuracy than conventionally fabricated RPD frameworks.
Analysis of Japanese Expressions and Semantics Based on Link Sequence Classification
Authors: Shi Yanyan , Liang Yuting
Published: September 2021

Based on locness corpus, this paper uses Wordsmith 6.0, SPSS 24, and other software to explore the use of temporal connectives in Japanese writing by Chinese Japanese learners. This paper proposes a method of tense classification based on the Japanese dependency structure. This method analyzes the results of the syntactic analysis of Japanese dependence and combines the tense characteristics of the target language to extract tense‐related information and construct a maximum entropy tense classification model. The model can effectively identify the tense, and its classification accuracy shows the effectiveness of the classification method. This paper proposes a temporal feature extraction algorithm oriented to the hierarchical phrase expression model. The end‐to‐end speech recognition system has become the development trend of large‐scale continuous speech recognition because of its simplicity and efficiency. In this paper, the end‐to‐end technology based on link timing classification is applied to Japanese speech recognition. Taking into account the characteristics of Japanese hiragana, katakana, and Japanese kanji writing forms, through experiments on the Japanese data set, different suggestions are explored. The final effect is better than mainstream speech recognition systems based on hidden Markov models and two‐way long and short‐term memory networks. This algorithm can extract the temporal characteristics of rules that meet certain conditions while extracting expression rules. These tense characteristics can guide the selection of rules in the expression process, make the expression results more in line with linguistic knowledge, and ensure the choice of relevant vocabulary and the structural ordering of the language. Through the analysis of time series and static information, we combine the time and space dimensions of the network structure. Using connectionist temporal classification (CTC) technology, an end‐to‐end speech recognition method for pronunciation error detection and diagnosis tasks is established. This method does not require phonemic information nor does it require forced alignment. The extended initials and finals are the error primitives, and 64 types of errors are designed. The experimental results show that the method can effectively detect the wrong pronunciation, the detection accuracy rate is 87.07%, the false rejection rate is 7.83%, and the error rate is 87.07%. The acceptance rate is 25.97%. This method uses network information more comprehensively than traditional methods, and the model is more effective. After detailed experiments, this article evaluates the prediction effect of this method and previous methods on the data set. This method improves the prediction accuracy by about 15% and achieves the expected goal of the work in this paper.
Brno University of Technology Smartphone PPG Database (BUT PPG): Annotated Dataset for PPG Quality Assessment and Heart Rate Estimation
Authors: Nemcova Andrea , Vargova Enikö , Smisek Radovan , Marsanova Lucie , Smital Lukas , Vitek Martin
Published: September 2021

To the best of our knowledge, there is no annotated database of PPG signals recorded by smartphone publicly available. This article introduces Brno University of Technology Smartphone PPG Database (BUT PPG) which is an original database created by the cardiology team at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, for the purpose of evaluating photoplethysmographic (PPG) signal quality and estimation of heart rate (HR). The data comprises 48 10‐second recordings of PPGs and associated electrocardiographic (ECG) signals used for determination of reference HR. The data were collected from 12 subjects (6 female, 6 male) aged between 21 and 61. PPG data were collected by smartphone Xiaomi Mi9 with sampling frequency of 30 Hz. Reference ECG signals were recorded using a mobile ECG recorder (Bittium Faros 360) with a sampling frequency of 1,000 Hz. Each PPG signal includes annotation of quality created manually by biomedical experts and reference HR. PPG signal quality is indicated binary: 1 indicates good quality for HR estimation, 0 indicates signals where HR cannot be detected reliably, and thus, these signals are unsuitable for further analysis. As the only available database containing PPG signals recorded by smartphone, BUT PPG is a unique tool for the development of smart, user‐friendly, cheap, on‐the‐spot, self‐home‐monitoring of heart rate with the potential of widespread using.
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Improves Neuropathy and Oxidative Stress Levels in Rats with Experimental Cerebral Infarction through the Nrf2 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Liang Hui , Xu Congjie , Hu Shijun , Wen Gang , Lin Jie , Liu Tao , Xu Jiyi
Published: September 2021

Ischemic stroke poses a serious threat to human health. Its high morbidity, disability, and lethality rates have led to it being a research hotspot. Cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury is a difficult point in the treatment of ischemic stroke. In recent years, studies have shown that repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can enhance cerebral ischemic tolerance and have a significant protective effect on reperfusion injury after ischemia, but its specific mechanism is unknown. The Nrf2/pathway plays a vital role in ischemia-reperfusion injury in the body environment. Therefore, in this experiment, the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) reperfusion model of SD rats was made to simulate the occurrence of experimental cerebral infarction by the suture method. After treatment with rTMS, it was studied whether it can regulate the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1, affect the content of MDA and SOD activity, and then activate the Nrf2 pathway to exert its brain protection. The results showed that after MCAO reperfusion, the neurological deficit score of rats increased, and the time to remove the bilateral stickers and the time to cross the balance beam increased, suggesting the successful establishment of the experimental cerebral infarction model. Detecting the brain tissue of experimental cerebral infarction rats found that the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 decreased, the content of MDA increased, and the activity of SOD decreased. After rTMS treatment, the neuromotor function of experimental cerebral infarction rats improved, the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in the brain tissue gradually increased, the content of MDA decreased, and the activity of SOD increased. It indicates that the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in experimental cerebral infarction rats is reduced. After treatment with rTMS, it can improve the neuromotor function damage of the rats and reduce the level of oxidative stress. The mechanism may be through promoting the activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway, acting on the expression of antioxidant proteins, such as HO-1 and SOD1, reducing oxidative stress damage, and playing a protective effect on brain tissue.
MiR-200b Suppresses Gastric Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion by Inhibiting NRG1 through ERBB2/ERBB3 Signaling
Authors: Xu Tonglei , Xie Fangliang , Xu Dazhou , Xu Weidong , Ge Xuming , Lv Shengxiang , Li Shouying
Published: September 2021

Purpose. Accumulating evidence indicates that miRNAs (miRs) play crucial roles in the modulation of tumors development. However, the accurately mechanisms have not been entirely clarified. In this study, we aimed to explore the role of miR-200b in the development of gastric cancer (GC). Methods. Western blot and RT-PCR were applied to detect epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker expression and mRNA expression. Transwell assay was used for measuring the metastasis and invasiveness of GC cells. TargetScan system, luciferase reporter assay, and rescue experiments were applied for validating the direct target of miR-200b. Results. MiR-200b was prominently decreased in GC tissues and cells, and its downregulation was an indicator of poor prognosis of GC patients. Reexpression of miR-200b suppressed EMT along with GC cell migration and invasion. Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) was validated as the target of miR-200b, and it rescued miR-200b inhibitory effect on GC progression. In GC tissues, the correlation of miR-200b with NRG1 was inverse. Conclusion. MiR-200b suppressed EMT-related migration and invasion of GC through the ERBB2/ERBB3 signaling pathway via targeting NRG1.
Tomatidine Improves Pulmonary Inflammation in Mice with Acute Lung Injury
Authors: Huang Wen-Chung , Wu Shu-Ju , Chen Ya-Ling , Lin Chwan-Fwu , Liou Chian-Jiun
Published: September 2021

Tomatidine, which is isolated from green tomato, can ameliorate inflammation and oxidative stress in cells and animal experiments and has been shown to improve airway inflammation in a murine model of asthma. Here, we investigated whether tomatidine can ameliorate acute lung injury in mice. Mice were given tomatidine by intraperitoneal injection for 7 consecutive days, and then, lung injury was induced via intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Tomatidine reduced inflammatory cytokine expressions in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), attenuated neutrophil infiltration in the BALF and lung tissue, increased superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione levels, and alleviated myeloperoxidase expression in the lung tissue of mice with lung injury. Tomatidine also decreased inflammatory cytokine and chemokine gene expression in inflammatory lungs and attenuated the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor kappa B. Furthermore, tomatidine enhanced the production of heme oxygenase-1, decreased the secretion of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in LPS-stimulated lung epithelial cells, and attenuated THP-1 monocyte adhesion. Our findings suggest that tomatidine attenuates oxidative stress and inflammation, improving acute lung injury in mice.
Identifying Major Research Areas and Minor Research Themes of Android Malware Analysis and Detection Field Using LSA
Authors: Thakur Deepak , Singh Jaiteg , Dhiman Gaurav , Shabaz Mohammad , Gera Tanya
Published: September 2021

Contemporary technologies have ensured the availability of high‐quality research data shared over the Internet. This has resulted in a tremendous availability of research literature, which keeps evolving itself. Thus, identification of core research areas and trends in such ever‐evolving literature is not only challenging but interesting too. An empirical overview of contemporary machine learning methods, which have the potential to expedite evidence synthesis within research literature, has been explained. This manuscript proposes Simulating Expert comprehension for Analyzing Research trends (SEAR) framework, which can perform subjective and quantitative investigation over enormous literature. TRENDMINER is the use case designed exclusively for the SEAR framework. TRENDMINER uncovered the intellectual structure of a corpus of 444 abstracts of research articles (published during 2010–2019) on Android malware analysis and detection. The study concludes with the identification of three core research areas, twenty‐seven research trends. The study also suggests the potential future research directions.
Irrigation Rationalization Boosts Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Yield and Reduces Rust Incidence under Arid Conditions
Authors: Alghawry Adnan , Yazar Attila , Unlu Mustafa , Çolak Yeşim Bozkurt , Iqbal Muhammad Aamir , Barutcular Celaleddin , El-Ballat Enas M. , Batiha Gaber El-Saber , Rauf Abdur , El-Demerdash Fatma M. , Elshafee Mohamad , Sorour Sobhy , Erman Murat , El-Esawi Mohamed A. , Sabagh Ayman EL
Published: September 2021

Under changing climate, water scarcity and frequent incidence of diseases like stripe rust pose the biggest threat to sustainable crop production which jeopardizes nutritional security. A study was executed to rationalize crop water requirement and evaluate wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Bohoth 3) yield losses by stripe rust infection under irrigated conditions. Seven water treatments included three irrigations in three stages/season (S3), four irrigations (S4), and five irrigations (S5) at the different sensitive growth stages, full (F), and two deficit irrigation levels including D1 = 80% of field capacity (FC) and D2 = 70% (FC) along with farmers’ practice of irrigation as control (C). Results revealed that F and D1 boosted grain yield by 31 and 14%. Overall, F irrigation regime resulted in the highest grain production (2.93 ton/ha) as well as biomass yield (13.2 ton/ha). However, D2 had the highest value of grain protein (15.9%) and achieved the highest application efficiency (AE) at midseason (54.6%) and end season (59.6%), and the lowest AE was under S3. Also, halting irrigation at the milky stage (S5) led to a significant decrease in irrigation water use efficiency as compared to D1. However, cutting irrigation at the end of seedling, heading, and milky stages (S3) caused a significant reduction in Ea, crop water use (ETa), and 1000 grain weight in comparison with all other treatments. Regarding yellow rust, S3 irrigation regime resulted in the lowest incidence of yellow rust infection. The highest irrigation and water use efficiency values were recorded under D1 (0.79 and 0.59 kg/m3), and the lowest values were obtained for control. Hence, the deficit irrigation treatment D1 could be recommended as the best appropriate strategy to save more water and to improve the water productivity under Yemeni agroclimatic conditions.
Terahertz Absorption Characteristics of the Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose Colloid Based on Microfluidic Technology
Authors: Ding Chenxin , Su Bo , Wang Guoyang , Meng Qinghao , Wang Jiahui , Zhang Cunlin
Published: September 2021

Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is a type of macromolecular chemical substance that is widely used in the industry for food thickening. In this study, terahertz and microfluidic technologies were combined, and a microfluidic chip with a channel depth of 50 μm was fabricated to carry samples. The terahertz characteristics of the sodium carboxymethyl cellulose colloid were studied at different concentrations and applied electric fields. The obtained results showed that different concentrations of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose have different time-domain spectra; with an increase in concentration, the terahertz transmittance of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose decreased. Under the applied electric field treatment, the longer the electric field acting time is, the higher the terahertz transmission intensity is. This approach is a safe and reliable new method for the determination of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose concentration, which provides technical support for the in-depth study of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.
Effect of Pravastatin as an Adjunctive Therapeutic for Mitral Insufficiency with Hyperlipidemia in a Dog
Authors: Sahashi Yu , Sahashi Miwako , Hikasa Yoshiaki
Published: September 2021

Pravastatin (PS) has been found to increase left ventricle (LV) expansion capacity and decrease LV constriction and left atrial pressure in healthy dogs. To date, there are no available reports on the effects of PS in dogs with hypercholesterolemia with chronic heart failure (CHF). This case report demonstrates a successful long-term treatment plan using PS in a dog suffering from mitral insufficiency with hyperlipidemia. A 12-year-old, castrated male Chihuahua dog had mitral insufficiency with hyperlipidemia. The dog presented with symptoms of chronic coughing. PS was orally administered (1 mg/kg, SID) in addition to general treatment for mitral insufficiency. The follow-up period was 375 days. PS administration decreased the heart rate (HR), vertebral heart size (VHS), and N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentration of the dog. In addition, PS administration also improved chronic cardiac failure induced by mitral insufficiency and hyperlipidemia. This report suggests that PS can be useful as an adjunctive therapeutic for dogs with hypercholesterolemia with mitral insufficiency.
A Hybrid SSA and SMA with Mutation Opposition‐Based Learning for Constrained Engineering Problems
Authors: Wang Shuang , Liu Qingxin , Liu Yuxiang , Jia Heming , Abualigah Laith , Zheng Rong , Wu Di
Published: September 2021

Based on Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA) and Slime Mould Algorithm (SMA), a novel hybrid optimization algorithm, named Hybrid Slime Mould Salp Swarm Algorithm (HSMSSA), is proposed to solve constrained engineering problems. SSA can obtain good results in solving some optimization problems. However, it is easy to suffer from local minima and lower density of population. SMA specializes in global exploration and good robustness, but its convergence rate is too slow to find satisfactory solutions efficiently. Thus, in this paper, considering the characteristics and advantages of both the above optimization algorithms, SMA is integrated into the leader position updating equations of SSA, which can share helpful information so that the proposed algorithm can utilize these two algorithms’ advantages to enhance global optimization performance. Furthermore, Levy flight is utilized to enhance the exploration ability. It is worth noting that a novel strategy called mutation opposition‐based learning is proposed to enhance the performance of the hybrid optimization algorithm on premature convergence avoidance, balance between exploration and exploitation phases, and finding satisfactory global optimum. To evaluate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm, HSMSSA is applied to 23 different benchmark functions of the unimodal and multimodal types. Additionally, five classical constrained engineering problems are utilized to evaluate the proposed technique’s practicable abilities. The simulation results show that the HSMSSA method is more competitive and presents more engineering effectiveness for real‐world constrained problems than SMA, SSA, and other comparative algorithms. In the end, we also provide some potential areas for future studies such as feature selection and multilevel threshold image segmentation.
Imaging Features of Artificial Intelligence Algorithm in the Analysis of Cerebral Protective Effect of Craniotomy Hematoma Removal under Propofol Anesthesia in Patients with Chronic Subdural Hematoma
Authors: Bai Manyun , Li Yufang , Zhao Qian , Guo Renzhong
Published: September 2021

Objective. The aim of this work was to study the cerebral protective effect of craniotomy hematoma removal under propofol anesthesia based on the artificial intelligence algorithm analysis of the changes in imaging characteristics of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) patients. Methods. A total of 60 CSDH patients who were treated in hospital were recruited and were randomly rolled into an experimental group and a control group, with 30 people in each group. Patients in the experimental group were treated with propofol anesthesia + craniotomy hematoma removal, while those in the control group were treated with conventional anesthesia + craniotomy hematoma removal. Head CT examinations were performed on the next day, one week, one month, three months, and six months after the operation. A two-dimensional empirical mode decomposition (BEMD) algorithm was used for edge detection and denoising of brain CT images of CSDH patients. Then, the amount of hematoma was calculated, and the Markwalder grading was performed to evaluate the neurological function. The number of recurrence and reoperation cases within six months of follow-up was collected. Results. 1. The quality of CT images was remarkably improved after processing with artificial intelligence algorithms. 2. The amount of hematoma in the experimental group was remarkably lower than that in the control group at January, March, and June after surgery (12.89 ± 2.12 VS 20.32 ± 16.41; 7.55 ± 4.13 VS 15.88 ± 14.22; 3.39 ± 3.79 VS 6.55 ± 3.69,

P
<
0.05

). 3. The experimental group was remarkably better than the control group in Markwalder grading three months and six months after the operation (

P
<
0.05

). Conclusion. Artificial intelligence algorithm had good effect on the brain CT image processing of CSDH patients, and craniotomy hematoma removal under propofol anesthesia had an ideal brain protection effect.
Promotion Strategy of Policy against Food Waste (PAFW): The Perspective on Evolutionary Game between Local Government and Large Supermarkets
Authors: Luo Xichun , Zhao Honghao
Published: September 2021

The implementation of PAFW is an important way to reduce food waste. Discussing how to more successfully implement PAFW to reduce food waste is of great significance in achieving sustainable development. Different from the previous literature, this paper uses evolutionary game theory to establish a strategic interaction income matrix between local governments and large supermarkets and analyzes the strategic interaction between local governments and large supermarkets by copying dynamic equations, revealing the strategic choice between the two parties evolution process. A simulation‐based approach is used to validate the theoretical results and analyze the influence of key parameters on the evolutionary trajectory. The study found the following: (1) to promote the system to an optimal evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS), it is necessary to strengthen policy publicity, increase the willingness of large supermarkets to implement the PAFW, and increase the enthusiasm of the public or third‐party organizations to monitor system; (2) stakeholders’ initial willingness will influence the evolutionary trajectory; and (3) it is important to strengthen the institutional development of local government regulators, improve the local government’s achievements, reduce the local government’s regulatory costs, improve policies to support large supermarkets’ implementation of the PAFW, and reduce the cost of implementing the PAFW for large supermarkets.
A Monte Carlo Parametric Sensitivity Analysis of Automobile Handling, Comfort, and Stability
Authors: Hassan Mohamed A. , Abdelkareem Mohamed AA , Tan Gangfeng , Moheyeldein M.M
Published: September 2021

This paper investigates the bandwidth sensitivity of automobile handling, comfort, and stability based on Monte Carlo sensitivity simulations. Performed bandwidth sensitivity simulations include the effects of vehicle geometry and suspension parameters on lateral acceleration, roll angle, front/rear sideslip angles, and yaw rate angle, including both time‐ and frequency‐domain sensitivity analyses. To replicate actual automobile responses, a full‐vehicle roll‐oriented suspension seven‐degree‐of‐freedom (7‐DOF) model was developed and implemented considering a 2‐DOF planar two‐track model with a nonlinear Pacejka tire model. During the Monte Carlo simulations, 10 mm and 20 mm amplitude sine‐wave excitations were used for the left and right sides, respectively, and the frequency was uniformly sampled over the range of 0–30 Hz. Simultaneously, each investigated vehicle parameter varied by ±25% relative to the reference model parameters. These simulations illustrate the sensitivity of the lateral acceleration, roll angle, yaw angle, and sideslip angles to their parameter variations. The results confirm that the road excitation frequency, tire properties, vehicle geometry, and suspension parameters significantly influence the vehicular lateral and roll stabilities when considering the lower and higher peaks and the frequency bandwidths of the lateral and roll stabilities. Interestingly, the longitudinal location of the center of gravity and the tire properties can achieve more significant peak lateral stability responses, as represented by the front and rear sideslip angles and the frequency bandwidth, compared to the other vehicle parameters at high frequencies. Choosing the correct tire properties and vehicle geometry, as well as suspension characteristics, plays an essential role in increasing the vehicular lateral stability and the rollover threshold. Variations in the studied parameters allow for higher vehicular stability when a vehicle is driven on random road surfaces.
Experimental Investigation on Influencing Factors of Rock Fragmentation Induced by Carbon Dioxide Phase Transition Fracturing
Authors: Gao Bo , Yang Youjiang , Xue Weilong , Guo Anhui , Luo Xuedong
Published: September 2021

Carbon dioxide phase transition fracturing is a novel physical blasting technique, which is gradually used in mining and underground space engineering. The improvement of its rock breaking efficiency is the key concern in the application. In this paper, field experiments of CO2 phase transition fracturing were conducted. Based on the strain monitoring and fracturing crater volume measuring, the variation of CO2 filling amount and shear sheet thickness on rock fragmentation of CO2 phase transition fracturing was investigated. The experimental results indicated that the fracturing crater is shaped as an elliptical cone that is longer in the jet direction and shorter in the vertical jet direction. With the increase of the CO2 filling amount, the excavated crater volume gradually increases, but the growth rate gradually decreases. The powder factor is constant within a certain charge amount, and after exceeding this charge amount, the powder factor of CO2 increases significantly. As the shear sheet thickness increases, although the consultant peak stress gradually increases, its growth rate is still unchanged. The crater volume and its growth rate gradually increase in the same situation. Moreover, with the shear sheet thickness increase, the CO2 powder factor decreases continuously, and the decline rate remains unchanged.
Comparison of Efficacy and Safety of Recombinant Human Prourokinase and Alteplase in the Treatment of STEMI and Analysis of Influencing Factors of Efficacy
Authors: Liu Yizhou , Yang Yulin , Li Ying , Peng Xiaoqing
Published: September 2021

Objective. To compare the efficacy and safety of recombinant human prourokinase (rhPro-UK) and alteplase for thrombolytic therapy in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and to analyze the related factors affecting efficacy. Methods. From January 2017 to December 2019, 100 patients diagnosed with STEMI were selected and randomly divided into the control group (n = 50) and the observation group (n = 50). Based on conventional treatments, the control group was treated with alteplase, and the observation group was treated with rhPro-UK, and both were treated for 7 days. After treatment, the vascular recanalization, left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were compared. The bleeding and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were recorded in both groups. According to the patient’s vascular recanalization, it was divided into two subgroups: recanalization group and occlusion group. Multiple logistic regression models were used to analyze the related factors that affect the efficacy. Results. The recanalization rate of the observation group (96.00%) was higher than that of the control group (84.00%) (

P
<
0.05

). After treatment, LVDs and LVEDD in both groups were lower than those before treatment, and LVEF was higher than that before treatment. The LVDs and LVEDD in the observation group were lower than those in the control group, and the LVEF was higher than that in the control group (

P
<
0.05

). The incidence of bleeding in the observation group (2.00%) was lower than that in the control group (12.00%), and the incidence of MACE (4.00%) was lower than that in the control group (16.00%) (

P
<
0.05

). Univariate analysis showed that age, smoking history, diabetes history, myocardial infarction history, infarct location, and intravenous thrombolysis time were related to the efficacy after treatment (

P
<
0.05

). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that age, history of diabetes, vascular infarction site, and venous thrombolysis time were independent influencing factors after treatment (

P
<
0.05

). Conclusion. Both rhPro-UK and alteplase thrombolytic therapy can effectively recanalize blood vessels and improve the cardiac function of patients with STEMI. However, rhPro-UK has better effect than alteplase and is safer and worth promoting. The curative effect is related to age, diabetes history, vascular infarction site, and venous thrombolysis time.
Targeting Endothelin in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Promising Therapeutic Approach
Authors: Sharma Shiwali , Behl Tapan , Kumar Anoop , Sehgal Aayush , Singh Sukhbir , Sharma Neelam , Bhatia Saurabh , Al-Harrasi Ahmed , Bungau Simona
Published: September 2021

Endothelin is a chemical mediator that helps in maintaining balance within the blood‐brain barrier by regulating the levels of toxicants and molecules which pass through the brain, suggesting that a rise in its production determines Alzheimer’s disease. The inequity in the amyloid β occurs due to a problem in its clearance from the brain initiating the production of reactive oxygen species and superoxide that activates a cascade wherein the release of inflammatory mediators and various enzymes like endothelin‐converting enzymes take place. Furthermore, the cascade increases the levels of endothelin in the brain from endothelial cells. Endothelin levels are upregulated, which can be regulated by modulating the action of endothelin‐converting enzymes and endothelin receptors. Hence, endothelin paves a pathway in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. In this article, we have covered various mechanisms and preclinical studies that support and direct endothelin involvement in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by using various search tools such as PubMed, Science Direct, and Medline. Conclusive outcome data were extracted that all together defy contrivance pathways, potential drugs, endothelin receptors, and endothelin enzymes in our article giving profound importance to target endothelin for prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Preprocedural Hypertension Is Not a Risk Factor for Postoperative Bleeding following Image-Guided Core Needle Breast Biopsy
Authors: Salastekar Ninad , Saunders Alexis , Patel Kushal , Willer Katherine
Published: September 2021

Objective. To evaluate the association between preprocedural hypertension and the risk of prolonged bleeding following image-guided core needle breast biopsy in nonpregnant/nonlactating women. Methods. A single institution-based, retrospective cohort study of 400 women who underwent image-guided core needle breast biopsy was conducted. Males and pregnant and lactating women were excluded. Preprocedural systolic or diastolic blood pressure greater than 140 or 90 mm of Hg, respectively, was defined as hypertension. Prolonged bleeding was defined >15 minutes of local, manual pressure required to achieve hemostasis following the biopsy. Severe bleeding complications defined as clinical significant hematoma formation, prolonged bleeding requiring an ER visit, hospitalization, or surgical intervention were also recorded. Results. The difference in the mean time for which manual pressure was held after biopsy for patients with and without preprocedural hypertension was not statistically significant (13 ± 7 vs. 13 ± 8 minutes, respectively,

P

 = 0.856). There was no difference in the number of patients requiring manual postoperative pressure >15 minutes between those with preprocedural hypertension and the normotensive patients (13% vs. 12%, respectively,

P

 = 0.765). Bivariate analysis demonstrated statistically significant association between prolonged bleeding and current antithrombotic or antiplatelet medication use (

P

 = 0.010), the use of stereotactic guidance (

P

 = 0.019), and a tethered vacuum-assisted device (

P

 = 0.045). The use of a tethered vacuum-assisted biopsy device was the only variable associated with prolonged bleeding in the multivariate model (

P

 = 0.044). Conclusion. Preprocedural hypertension is not a risk factor for prolonged bleeding following image-guided core needle breast biopsies in nonpregnant/nonlactating women.