bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhanced Segmentation of Inflamed ROI to Improve the Accuracy of Identifying Benign and Malignant Cases in Breast Thermogram
Authors: Venkatachalam Nirmala , Shanmugam Leninisha , Heltin Genitha C. , Govindarajan G. , Sasipriya P.
Published: April 2021

Effective analysis of breast thermography needs an accurate segmentation of the inflamed region in Infrared Breast Thermal Images (IBTI) which helps in the diagnosis of breast cancer. However, IBTI suffers from intensity inhomogeneity, overlapping regions of interest, poor contrast, and low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) due to the imperfect image acquisition process. To mitigate this, this work proposes an enhanced segmentation of the inflamed Region of Interest (ROI) using an active contour method driven by the multiscale local and global fitted image (MLGFI) model. The first phase proposes a bilateral histogram difference-based thresholding (BHDT) method for locating the inflamed ROI. This is then used for automatic initialization of active contours driven by MLGFI to segment the inflamed ROI from IBTI effectively. To prove the effectiveness of this segmentation method, its performance is compared with ground truth image and its accuracy is also evaluated with the state-of-the-art methods (Fuzzy C Means (FCM), Chan-Vese (CV-ACM), and K-means). From the analysis, it is found that the proposed method not only increases the precision and the segmentation accuracy but also reduces the oversegmentation and undersegmentation rate significantly. In the second phase, area-based feature (AF) and average intensity-based feature (AIF) along with the GLCM (gray level cooccurrence matrix) based second-order statistical features are extracted from the inflamed ROI. Based on these features, a system is developed to effectively classify the benign and malignant breast conditions. From the results, it is observed that the proposed model exhibits an improved accuracy of 91.5%, sensitivity of 91%, and specificity of 92% compared to the whole breast thermogram. Hence, it is concluded that the proposed method will improve the efficacy of thermal imaging in the diagnosis of breast cancer.
No Association between Neck Circumference and Free Triiodothyronine in Euthyroid Men
Authors: Jian Chaohui , Xu Yiting , Shen Yun , Wang Yufei , Ma Xiaojing , Bao Yuqian
Published: April 2021

Objective. Neck circumference (NC) is a simple anthropometric index for the assessment of upper body obesity. Thyroid hormones are closely related to obesity, body fat distribution indicators, and metabolic parameters. However, there are currently no reports on the association between NC and thyroid hormones in the Chinese population. This study aimed to explore the relationship between NC and thyroid hormones in men with normal thyroid function. Methods. A total of 737 euthyroid men from Shanghai communities were enrolled. Anthropometric parameters, including NC and waist circumference (WC), were measured. Serum thyroid hormones were measured by electrochemical luminescence immunoassay. Results. NC, WC, and body mass index (BMI) were significantly positively correlated with serum free triiodothyronine (FT3) (all

P
<
0.05

). FT3 levels all presented significant upward trends with the increase in NC, WC, or BMI quartiles (all

P

for trend < 0.05), whereas there were no significant correlations between the three obesity indices and free thyroxine or thyroid-stimulating hormone (both

P
>
0.05

). After adjustment for metabolic confounding factors such as age, blood pressure, blood glucose, lipid profiles, and CRP in multiple linear regression analysis, the correlation between FT3 and NC disappeared (standardized β = −0.015,

P
=
0.705

), and FT3 remained significantly associated with WC (standardized β = 0.103,

P
=
0.012

) and BMI (standardized β = 0.082,

P
=
0.047

). Conclusions. In euthyroid men from Shanghai communities, there was no independent correlation between serum FT3 levels and NC. The trial was registered with ChiCTR1900024011.
Fire Safety Evaluation for Scenic Spots: An Evidential Best-Worst Method
Authors: Chen Dongjun , Xie Hongbin
Published: April 2021

Fire safety plays a vital role in tourism management, which can cause significant loss of life and property. It is necessary to present an efficient fire safety evaluation for scenic spots. However, some key issues are not well addressed in existing methods. For example, how to model experts’ opinions and how to combine them are still open problems. To address these issues, a new evaluation method based on the Dempster–Shafer evidence theory and best-worst method is presented. First, a fire safety evaluation index system is constructed using the domino model. Domain experts can evaluate different factors with linguistic assessments. The best-worst method is used to determine the weights of different factors. Then, these weighted linguistic assessments are efficiently fused by Dempster’s combination rule to obtain the evaluation result. Finally, a case study is illustrated to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method in fire safety evaluation for scenic spots. The main contribution of the proposed method is to represent and handle the uncertainty in experts’ linguistic assessments, so as to decrease the uncertainty and improve decision making. In addition, the weight determination method BWM is easier and more reliable than the existing method AHP.
The Bidirectional Information Fusion Using an Improved LSTM Model
Authors: Zheng Tianwei , Wang Mei , Guo Yuan , Wang Zheng
Published: April 2021

The information fusion technology is of great significance in intelligent systems. At present, the modern coal-fired power plant has the fully functional sensor network. However, many data that are important for the operation of a power plant, such as the coal quality, cannot be directly obtained. Therefore, the information fusion technology needs to be introduced to obtain the implied information of the power plant. As a practical application, the soft measurement of coal quality is taken as the research object. This paper proposes an improved LSTM model combined with the bidirectional deep fusion, alertness mechanism, and parameter self-learning (DFAS-LSTM) to realize online soft computing for the coal quality analyses of industries and elements. First, a latent structure model is established to preprocess the noisy and redundant sensor network data. Second, an alertness mechanism is proposed and the self-learning method of the activation function parameters is used for the data feature extraction. Third, a deeply bidirectional fusion layer is added to the long short-term memory neural network model to solve the problem of the insufficient accuracy and the weak generalization. Using the historical data of the sensor network, the DFAS-LSTM model is established. Then, the online data of the sensor network is input to the DFAS-LSTM model to implement the online coal quality analyses. Experiment shows that the accuracy of the coal quality analyses is increased by 1%–2.42% compared to the traditionally bidirectional LSTM.
Characterization and Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of Oxaliplatin Long‐Circulating Liposomes
Authors: Cheraga Nihad , Ouahab Ammar , Shen Yan , Huang Ning-Ping
Published: April 2021

The clinical efficacy of Oxaliplatin (L‐OHP) is potentially limited by dose‐dependent neurotoxicity and high partitioning to erythrocytes in vivo. Long‐circulating liposomes could improve the pharmacokinetic profile of L‐OHP and thus enhance its therapeutic efficacy and reduce its toxicity. The purpose of this study was to prepare L‐OHP long‐circulating liposomes (L‐OHP PEG lip) by reverse‐phase evaporation method (REV) and investigate their pharmacokinetic behavior based on total platinum in rat plasma using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). A simple and a sensitive AAS method was developed and validated to determine the total platinum originated from L‐OHP liposomes in plasma. Furthermore, long‐circulating liposomes were fully characterized in vitro and showed great stability when stored at 4°C for one month. The results showed that the total platinum in plasma of L‐OHP long‐circulating liposomes displayed a biexponential pharmacokinetic profile with five folds higher bioavailability and longer distribution half‐life compared to L‐OHP solution. Thus, long‐circulating liposomes prolonged L‐OHP circulation time and may present a potential candidate for its tumor delivery. Conclusively, the developed AAS method could serve as a reference to investigate the pharmacokinetic behavior of total platinum in biological matrices for other L‐OHP delivery systems.
From the Role of Microbiota in Gut-Lung Axis to SARS-CoV-2 Pathogenesis
Authors: Ahmadi Badi Sara , Tarashi Samira , Fateh Abolfazl , Rohani Pejman , Masotti Andrea , Siadat Seyed Davar
Published: April 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the outbreak of a new viral respiratory infection. It has been demonstrated that the microbiota has a crucial role in establishing immune responses against respiratory infections, which are controlled by a bidirectional cross-talk, known as the “gut-lung axis.” The effects of microbiota on antiviral immune responses, including dendritic cell (DC) function and lymphocyte homing in the gut-lung axis, have been reported in the recent literature. Additionally, the gut microbiota composition affects (and is affected by) the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), which is the main receptor for SARS-CoV-2 and contributes to regulate inflammation. Several studies demonstrated an altered microbiota composition in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, compared to healthy individuals. Furthermore, it has been shown that vaccine efficacy against viral respiratory infection is influenced by probiotics pretreatment. Therefore, the importance of the gut microbiota composition in the lung immune system and ACE2 expression could be valuable to provide optimal therapeutic approaches for SARS-CoV-2 and to preserve the symbiotic relationship of the microbiota with the host.
Study on Stability Control of Retained Gob‐Side Entry by Blasting Fracturing Roof Technology in Thick Immediate Roof
Authors: Guo Jingang , Li Yaohui , He Fulian , Fu GuangSheng , Gao Sheng
Published: April 2021

A retained gob‐side entry technique is popular in longwall mining coal mines, because the excavation of an entry is reduced for the next panel. However, it is influenced by multiple excavations and mining, so the stability control of the surrounding rock becomes a problem. In view of the above problems, a typical retained gob‐side entry with thick immediate roof was carried out, and a blasting fracturing roof technology was used in it to improve the stress environment, reduce the deformation and damage, and ensure stability and safety. To study the fracturing roof parameters, a global model with thick immediate roof considering strain‐soft and double‐yield constitution was built. It found that the stress, damage range, and deformation of surrounding rock were closely related to the height and angle of fracturing roof, and an optimal case was given out. The simulation result was applied to the field practice, and a good application effect was achieved. The above technique and research method can be used as a reference for the coal mine with similar conditions.
Mas Receptor Blockade Promotes Renal Vascular Response to Ang II after Partial Kidney Ischemia/Reperfusion in a Two-Kidney-One-Clip Hypertensive Rats Model
Authors: Karimi Farzaneh , Nematbakhsh Mehdi
Published: April 2021

Background. Partial kidney ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is the principal cause of acute kidney injury. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and hypertension also may be influenced by renal IR injury. In two models of partial renal IR with and without ischemia preconditioning (IPC) and using Mas receptor (MasR) blockade, A779 or its vehicle, the renal vascular responses to angiotensin II (Ang II) administration in two-kidney-one-clip (2K1C) hypertensive rats were determined. Methods. Thirty-seven 2K1C male Wistar rats with systolic blood pressure ≥150 mmHg were randomly divided into three groups; sham, IR, and IPC + IR. The animals in the sham group underwent surgical procedures except partial IR. The rats in the IR group underwent 45 min partial kidney ischemia, and the animals in the IPC + IR group underwent two 5 min cycles of partial kidney ischemia followed by 10 min reperfusion and partial kidney ischemia for 45 min. The renal vascular responses to graded Ang II (30, 100, 300, and 1000 ng kg−1.min−1) infusion using A779 or its vehicle were measured at constant renal perfusion pressure. Results. Four weeks after 2K1C implementation, the intravenous infusion of graded Ang II resulted in dose-related increases in mean arterial pressure (MAP) (

P

dose < 0.0001) that was not different significantly between the groups. No significant differences were detected between the groups in renal blood flow (RBF) or renal vascular resistance (RVR) responses to Ang II infusion when MasR was not blocked. However, by MasR blockade, these responses were increased in IR and IPC + IR groups that were significantly different from the sham group (

P

 < 0.05). For example, infusion of Ang II at dose 1000 ng kg−1.min−1 resulted in decreased RBF percentage change (RBF%) from the baseline to 17.5 ± 1.9%, 39.7 ± 3.8%, and 31.0 ± 3.4% in sham, IR, and IPC + IR, respectively. Conclusion. These data revealed the important role of MasR after partial kidney IR in the responses of RBF and RVR to Ang II administration in 2K1C hypertensive rats.
Experimental Study and Extended Finite Element Simulation of Fracture of Self‐Compacting Rubberized Concrete
Authors: Wang Xinquan , Diao Hongguo , Cui Yunliang , Qi Changguang , Han Shangyu
Published: April 2021

Self‐compacting rubberized concrete (SCRC) is a high‐performance concrete that can achieve compacting effect by self‐gravity without vibration during pouring. Because of its excellent fluidity, homogeneity, and stability, the application of self‐compacting concrete in engineering can improve work efficiency and reduce project cost. The effects of loading rate on the fracture behavior of self‐compacting concrete were studied in this paper. Three‐point bend (TPB) tests were carried out at five loading rates of 1, 0.1, 0.001, 0.0001, and 0.00001 mm/s. The dimensions of the specimens were 100  mm × 100 mm × 400 mm. A precast crack was set in the middle of the specimen with a notch‐depth ratio of 0.4. The experimental results show that the peak load on the load‐CMOD (crack mouth opening displacement) curve gradually increases with the increase of the loading rate. Although the fracture energy a presented greater dispersion under the loading rate of 1 mm/s, the overall changes were still rising with the increase of the loading rate. Besides studying the softening characteristics of the self‐compacting concrete, the constitutive softening curve of the self‐compacting concrete was obtained using the bilinear model. Finally, curved three‐point bending beams were simulated by using the extended finite element method based on ABAQUS. The fracture process of the self‐compacting concrete under different loading conditions was analyzed more intuitively. The simulation results were compared with the experimental results, and the same conclusions were obtained.
Total Flavonoids of Rhizoma Drynariae Restore the MMP/TIMP Balance in Models of Osteoarthritis by Inhibiting the Activation of the NF-
κ
B
and PI3K/AKT Pathways
Authors: Chen Guang-Yao , Chen Jia-Qi , Liu Xiao-Yu , Xu Yuan , Luo Jing , Wang Yi-Fei , Zhou Tong-Liang , Yan Ze-Ran , Zhou Li , Tao Qing-Wen
Published: April 2021

Total flavonoids of Rhizoma Drynariae (TFRD) have been shown to have beneficial effects on osteoarthritis (OA) clinically, but the mechanisms have not been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effect of TFRD on articular cartilage in an OA rat model established by the Hulth method and in SW1353 chondrocytes induced by the proinflammatory factor interleukin-1β (IL-1β). The results showed that TFRD could alleviate the pathological changes in knee cartilage in OA model rats. In vivo, the qPCR analysis indicated that the mRNA levels of matrix metalloproteinases, MMP-1, MMP-3, and MMP-13, were decreased, while tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases- (TIMP-) 4 was increased in cartilage, and these changes could be partially prevented by TFRD. In vitro experiments showed that IL-1β could significantly increase the expression of MMP-1, MMP-3, and MMP-13 and decrease the expression of TIMP-4 in SW1353 cells at the mRNA and protein levels. TFRD could increase the expression of MMP-3 and MMP-13 and decrease the expression of TIMP-4. Transfection of siRNA and addition of pathway inhibitors were used to clarify that inhibition of NF-

κ
B

and PI3K/AKT pathway decreased MMP-1, MMP-3, and MMP-13 and increased TIMP-4 expression. We also found that in IL-1β-induced SW1353 cells, TFRD pretreatment had a modest inhibitory effect on p-AKT (Ser473) and reversed the increase of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-

κ
B

) p65 in nuclear fraction and the decrease of inhibitor of NF-

κ
B

I
κ
B

-

α

in the cytosolic fraction. Further immunofluorescence confirmed that TFRD can inhibit IL-1β-induced NF-

κ
B

p65 translocation to the nucleus to some extent. In conclusion, TFRD showed chondroprotective effects by restoring the MMP/TIMP balance in OA models by suppressing the activation of the NF-

κ

B

and PI3K/AKT pathways.
A Retrospective Analysis of Patients with Short Stature in Eastern China between 2013 and 2019
Authors: Zhao Qianqian , Zhang Mei , Chu Yuntian , Sun Hailing , Pan Hui , Ban Bo
Published: April 2021

Objective. To identify the aetiology of growth and development diseases and assess the long‐term effectiveness of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy in a real‐life clinical setting and provide better guidance in clinical strategy and decision making. Methods. This retrospective study included 1145 children and adolescents with short stature admitted to the Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, from January 2013 to December 2019, of whom 484 received rhGH treatment. The related anthropometrics and laboratory examinations were assessed in all participants. Results. A total of 1145 children and adolescents with short stature aged 10.5 ± 3.3 years, including 740 boys and 405 girls, were analysed in this study. The number of children and adolescents with short stature gradually increased per year from 2013 to 2019. The mean pretreatment height standard deviation score (SDS) and insulin‐like growth factor‐1 SDS were −2.93 ± 1.05 and ‐1.01 (‐1.83‐‐0.16), respectively. The majority of the children (658, 57.47%) were prepubescent. In total, 484 subjects aged 10.6 ± 3.2 years received rhGH and were followed up, and among them, 292 children were treated for more than one year. As the treatment time increased, the children’s height SDS gradually increased, and most of them attained a height SDS within the normal range. The mean height SDS in children who were treated for more than one year was −3.0 ± 1.0 at baseline and gradually increased to −0.8 ± 0.3 by year 6. The results were consistent across subgroups of different aetiologies of short stature. Conclusions. Increasing attention has been given to the height of children during the period of 2013–2019 in eastern China. The present findings indicate that children with short stature need to be referred to a specialist centre to diagnose the cause of growth failure and that short children receiving rhGH therapy show a significant increase in height over time.
Common Fixed Point Theorems via Inverse

C

k

−
Class Functions in Metric Spaces
Authors: Zhou Mi , Liu Xiao-Lan , Hojat Ansari Arslan , Jain Mukesh Kumar , Deng Jia
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we firstly introduce a new notion of inverse

C

k

−

class functions which extends the notion of inverse

C
−

class functions introduced by Saleem et al., 2018. Secondly, some common fixed point theorems are stated under some compatible conditions such as weak semicompatible of type

A

, weak semicompatibility, and conditional semicompatibility in metric spaces. Moreover, we introduce a new kind of compatibility called

S

τ

−

compatibility which is weaker than

E
.
A
.

property and also present a common fixed point theorem in metric spaces via inverse

C

k

−

class functions. Some examples are provided to support our results.
In Vitro α‐Amylase and α‐Glucosidase Inhibitory and Antioxidant Activities of the Crude Extract and Solvent Fractions of Hagenia abyssinica Leaves
Authors: Kifle Zemene Demelash , Debeb Simachew Gidey , Belayneh Yaschilal Muche
Published: April 2021

Background. The leaves of Hagenia abyssinica have been used in the management of diabetes mellitus in Ethiopian folk medicine. Thus, this study is aimed at investigating the in vitro α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase inhibitory and antioxidant activities of the crude extract and solvent fractions of H. abyssinica leaves. Methods. The in vitro α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase inhibitory and antioxidant activities of the plant extract were assessed using 3,5‐dinitrosalicylic acid (DNSA), p‐nitro‐phenyl‐a‐D glucopyranoside (p‐NPG), and 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays, respectively. Each value of percent inhibition of α‐amylase, α‐glucosidase, and DPPH scavenging effect was presented as means ± SEM (n = 3). Results. The α‐amylase inhibitory activity of the crude extract and solvent fractions was found to be concentration‐dependent. The strongest activity was exhibited by the crude extract at the highest concentration with a percentage inhibition of 74.52% (IC50, 14.52 μg/ml) followed by water fraction 68.24% (IC50, 16.31 μg/ml), ethyl acetate fraction 61.57% (IC50, 18.73 μg/ml), and chloroform fraction 56.87% (IC50, 21.57 μg/ml) of H. abyssinica leaves. In the α‐glucosidase inhibition assay, the maximum activity was exhibited by the aqueous fraction 62.54% (IC50, 11.67 μg/ml) followed by ethyl acetate fraction 54.97% (IC50, 15.89 μg/ml), crude extract 46.79% (IC50, >16.5 μg/ml), and chloroform fraction 36.44% (IC50, >16.5 μg/ml). In the antioxidant assay, the crude extract exhibited the highest antioxidant activity 86.36% (IC50, 10.25 μg/ml) followed by water fraction 78.59% (IC50, 13.86 μg/ml), ethyl acetate fraction 71.58% (IC50, 16.34 μg/ml), and chloroform fraction 63.65% (IC50, 18.83 μg/ml). Conclusion. This study has revealed that H. abyssinica leaves possess noticeable in vitro α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase inhibitory and antioxidant activities.
High Prevalence of Preexisting HBV Polymerase Mutations in Pregnant Women Does Not Limit the Antiviral Therapy Efficacy
Authors: Wang Jing , Liu Jinfeng , Yu Qiang , Jin Li , Yao Naijuan , Yang Yuan , Yan Taotao , Hu Chunhua , He Yingli , Zhao Yingren , Chen Tianyan , Zheng Jie
Published: April 2021

Background. HBV-resistant mutants in treatment-naïve patients may lead to antiviral treatment failure. It is not clear if HBV mutants are present in pregnant women and about the influence of the preexisting mutants on the short-term antiviral therapy during pregnancy. Method. We enrolled 73 pregnant women with high HBV DNA load and telbivudine (TBV) treatment during pregnancy in this retrospective study. The UDPS was used to detect the HBV mutations before and after the TBV treatment. Results. Before TBV treatment, the complexity of HBV quasispecies of all subjects was 0.40 ± 0.09; 41.1% (30/73) and 53.4% (39/73) subjects had rtM204I/V and rtN236 T/A detected, respectively; and 9.6% (7/73) patients had more than 20% frequency mutation of rtM204I/V, which was also similar with high frequency of rtN236 T/A mutation (41.1% vs. 53.4%,P=0.136; frequencies >20%: 9.6% vs. 5.5%,P=0.347). After TBV treatment, 71.2% (52/73) subjects had HBV DNA load ≥ 103 IU/mL at delivery. Among them, 75.0% of patients with rtM204I positive had HBV DNA load ≥103 IU/mL at delivery, which was comparable with the subjects without rtM204I (75.0% vs. 70.8%,P=0.710). No changes were found in the frequencies and the complexity of HBV quasispecies of rtM204I mutation after the TVB treatment. Conclusion. The prevalence of preexisting drug-resistant mutations among pregnant women was high using UPDS. However, the preexisting HBV mutation had limited influence on the efficacy of short-term TBV treatment, and TBV treatment during late pregnancy seemed not to increase the risk of emerging HBV-resistant mutants.
Comparison of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss with Tinnitus and Short-Term Tinnitus
Authors: Qi Fang , Chaoqun Liang , Lin Yan , Jianming Yang
Published: April 2021

Objective. As one of the common symptoms of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSH), tinnitus seriously affects the life and work of SSH patients. The present study is aimed at exploring whether SSH can receive acoustic therapy and the factors that affect the efficacy of SSH acoustic therapy. Methods. A total of 162 patients were outpatients and inpatients, 86 were SSH, and 76 were short-term tinnitus (STT). Both groups received pure tone audiometry, tinnitus matching, and residual inhibition test (RI). The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), visual analog scale with respect to tinnitus loudness (VAS), and RI in each group were evaluated. The effects of age, degree of hearing loss, and tinnitus course on the efficacy of SSH acoustic therapy were also evaluated. Results. In the comparison of RI, THI, and VAS, there was no difference between SSH and STT (P>0.05). SSH patients with mild hearing loss showed better acoustic therapy efficacy compared with SSH patients with severe hearing loss (P<0.05), but there is no statistical difference in age and the course of tinnitus (P>0.05). Conclusion. The present study showed that SSH may improve tinnitus symptom through receiving acoustic therapy and SSH patients with mild hearing loss can get better acoustic therapy effects.
Study on the Dynamic Response of Gravel Soil Low Embankment under a Long‐Time Dynamic Loading Based on Model Test
Authors: Liu Dapeng , Wang Jing , Du Feng
Published: April 2021

The low embankment is an important technique for road development in subgrade engineering due to its small fill height and applicability to the natural landscape in the oasis desert area of Xinjiang, China. A reasonable development of the gravel soil low embankment design requires the study of its dynamic response under a long‐time dynamic loading. In the paper, a 1 : 1 full‐scale low embankment model was established and tests of 100000 loading cycles with 50 kN peak value were carried out, taking into account three kinds of foundation moisture contents: 18%, 23%, and 28%. The test results show that the dynamic stress in the gravel soil low embankment attenuates nonlinearly with the increase in depth. The dynamic stress at each depth is the smallest for the water content value of 28% in the foundation. The stress attenuation rate is inversely proportional to the loading cycles and directly proportional to the water content of the foundation. The dynamic stress and dynamic strain in the gravel soil low embankment show cumulative effects with an increase of the loading cycles. The rate of stress and strain accumulation is faster for low loading cycles. The strain accumulation effect of each structural layer in the foundation is the largest for the water content value of 28%. The strain accumulation rate at the top layer of the foundation reaches 2.648. Based on the model test results, the dynamic stress calculation model for the gravel soil low embankment under dynamic loading is proposed. The calculation model was experimentally verified. The research results are important for the application of gravel soil low embankment in the oasis desert area of Xinjiang, China.
Vinegar/Tetramethylpyrazine Induces Nutritional Preconditioning Protecting the Myocardium Mediated by VDAC1
Authors: He Huan , Wang Liang , Qiao Yang , Zhou Qing , Yang Bin , Yin Lu , Yin Dong , He Ming
Published: April 2021

Vinegar is good for health. Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) is the main component of its flavor, quality, and function. We hypothesized that vinegar/TMP pretreatment could induce myocardial protection of “nutritional preconditioning (NPC)” by low‐dose, long‐term supplementation and alleviate the myocardial injury caused by anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R). To test this hypothesis, TMP content in vinegar was detected by HPLC; A/R injury model was prepared by an isolated mouse heart and rat cardiomyocyte to evaluate the myocardial protection and mechanism of vinegar/TMP pretreatment by many enzymatic or functional, or cellular and molecular biological indexes. Our results showed that vinegar contained TMP, and its content was in direct proportion to storage time. Vinegar/TMP pretreatment could improve hemodynamic parameters, decrease lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine phosphokinase activities, and reduce infarct size and apoptosis in the isolated hearts of mice with A/R injury. Similarly, vinegar/TMP pretreatment could increase cell viability, decrease LDH activity, and decrease apoptosis against A/R injury of cardiomyocytes. Vinegar/TMP pretreatment could also maintain the mitochondrial function of A/R‐injured cardiomyocytes, including improving oxygen consumption rate and extracellular acidification rate, reducing reactive oxygen species generation, mitochondrial membrane potential loss, mitochondrial permeability transition pore openness, and cytochrome c releasing. However, the protective effects of vinegar/TMP pretreatment were accompanied by the downregulation of VDAC1 expression in the myocardium and reversed by pAD/VDAC1, an adenovirus that upregulates VDAC1 expression. In conclusion, this study is the first to demonstrate that vinegar/TMP pretreatment could induce myocardial protection of NPC due to downregulating VDAC1 expression, inhibiting oxidative stress, and preventing mitochondrial dysfunction; that is, VDAC1 is their target, and the mitochondria are their target organelles. TMP is one of the most important myocardial protective substances in vinegar.
On the Exact Solitary Wave Solutions to the New (
2
+
1
) and (
3
+
1
)-Dimensional Extensions of the Benjamin-Ono Equations
Authors: Wu Lan , Zhang Xiao , Manafian Jalil
Published: April 2021

In this paper, the Kudryashov method to construct the new exact solitary wave solutions for the newly developed (

2
+
1

)-dimensional Benjamin-Ono equation is successfully employed. In the same vein, also the new (

2
+
1

)-dimensional Benjamin-Ono equation to (

3
+
1

)-dimensional spaces is extended and then analyzed and investigated. Different forms of exact solitary wave solutions to this new equation were also determined. Graphical illustrations for certain solutions in both equations are provided. We alternatively offer that the determining method is general, impressive, outspoken, and powerful and can be exerted to create exact solutions of various kinds of nonlinear models originated in mathematical physics and engineering.
Characteristics and Origin of Methane Adsorption Capacity of Marine, Transitional, and Lacustrine Shales in Sichuan Basin, China
Authors: Tang Xianglu , Wu Wei , Zhong Guanghai , Jiang Zhenxue , He Shijie , Liu Xiaoxue , Zhu Deyu , Xue Zixin , Zhou Yuru , Yang Jiajing
Published: April 2021

Adsorbed gas is an important component of shale gas. The methane adsorption capacity of shale determines the composition of shale gas. In this study, the methane adsorption capacity of marine, transitional, and lacustrine shales in the Sichuan Basin was analyzed through its isothermal adsorption, mineral composition, water content, etc. The results show that the methane adsorption capacity of marine (Qiongzhusi Formation and Longmaxi Formation), transitional (Longtan Formation), and lacustrine (Xujiahe Formation and Ziliujing Formation) shales is significantly different. The Longtan Formation has the strongest methane adsorption capacity. This is primarily related to its high organic matter and organic matter type III content. The methane adsorption capacity of the lacustrine shale was the weakest. This is primarily related to the low thermal evolution degree and the high content of water-bearing clay minerals. Smectite has the highest methane adsorption capacity of the clay minerals, due to its crystal structure. The water content has a significant effect on methane adsorption largely because water molecules occupy the adsorption site. Additionally, the temperature and pressure in a specific range significantly affect methane adsorption capacity.
Weight of Different Intraocular Lenses: Evaluation of Toricity, Focality, Design, and Material
Authors: López-Vázquez Ángel , Contreras Inés , Martin-Prieto Sergio , López-Castro Ángel
Published: April 2021

Purpose. To evaluate the weight of intraocular lenses (IOLs) depending on their material, dioptric power, toricity, focality, and haptic design. Methods. Twenty-eight different IOL models from nine different medical companies (a total of 38 IOLs) and 1 capsular tension ring (CTR) were evaluated. IOLs were weighed using a precision scale, in hydrated conditions, as an approximation to their intraocular status. Results. Hydrophilic IOLs were heavier than hydrophobic lenses (

p
<
0.001

). Regarding toricity, no statistical differences were found comparing toric to non-toric models (

p
=
0.1

). Likewise, no differences were found between multifocal IOLs and monofocal IOLs (

p
=
0.19

). Dioptric power did not affect IOL weight: IOLs of <15DP had similar weights to those of ≥15D and IOLs of ≥24D had similar weights to those of <24 D (

p
=
0.86

and

p
=
0.59

, respectively). Plate-design IOLs were significantly heavier than 1-piece C-loop (

p
<
0.001

), 3-piece C-loop (

p
<
0.001

), and 4-haptic lenses (

p
=
0.001

). Conclusions. Of the characteristics analyzed that might influence IOL weight, lenses with hydrophilic material and plate-haptic design were found to be heavier. Toricity, focality, and dioptric power had no influence on IOL weight.
Existence and Uniqueness of Weak Solutions for a New Class of Convex Optimization Problems Related to Image Analysis
Authors: Tiarimti Alaoui Anas , Jourhmane Mostafa
Published: April 2021

This paper proposes a new anisotropic diffusion model in image restoration that is understood from a variational optimization of an energy functional. Initially, a family of new diffusion functions based on cubic Hermite spline is provided for optimal image denoising. After that, the existence and uniqueness of weak solutions for the corresponding Euler–Lagrange equation are proven in an appropriate functional space, and a consistent and stable numerical model is also shown. We complement this work by illustrating some experiments on different actual brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans, showing the proposed model’s impressive results.
Comparing Thoracic Extensive Laminoplasty (TELP) and Laminectomy in Treating Severe Thoracic Ligamentum Flavum Ossification: A Proposed Novel Technique and Case‐Control Study
Authors: Ma Jun , Lu Zhengyu , Zhou Xin , Yin Jia , Xu Enjie , Jiang Heng , Ma Xiao , Meng Yichen , Li Zhilin , Gao Rui , Lin Tao , Zhou Xuhui
Published: April 2021

Objective. (1) To propose a novel technique named thoracic extensive laminoplasty (TELP) in curing severe thoracic ligamentum flavum ossification (STOLF) and (2) to compare outcomes between TELP and laminectomy in curing STOLF. Methods. Cases with fused or tuberous STOLF (Sato classification) treated from Jan 2015 to Jan 2017 were reviewed and divided into the TELP group (G1) and laminectomy group (G2) according to their surgical management. Data on demographics, complications, pre‐ and postoperative symptoms, residual spinal canal area (RSCA‐1), residual spinal cord area (RSCA‐2), modified Japanese Orthopedic Association score (mJOA), and health‐related quality of life (HRQOL, based on the SF‐36) were collected. Results. Fifty‐nine G1 and sixty‐two G2 patients were enrolled. No significant differences in demographic data or preoperative data of RSCA‐1, RSCA‐2, mJOA, or HRQOL were observed between the two groups (p > 0.05). Patients in G1 and G2 showed similar postoperative improvements in RSCA‐1 and RSCA‐2 at the final follow‐up (p > 0.05). However, patients in G1 showed higher postoperative improvements in mJOA (OR = 2.706, 95% CI: 1.279~5.727, p = 0.008) at the final follow‐up. Patients in G1 also showed higher postoperative improvements in HRQOL than patients in G2 (p < 0.05) at the final follow‐up, and patients with more severe STOLF presented with better improvements in HRQOL in G1 (p < 0.05). Dural laceration and cerebrospinal fluid leakage were observed in seven G2 patients, and no complications were found in G1 patients after surgery. Conclusion. TELP is a novel, effective, and safer surgical technique in treating STOLF and could be a substitute for traditional laminectomy.
Machine Learning-Based Classification for Crop-Type Mapping Using the Fusion of High-Resolution Satellite Imagery in a Semiarid Area
Authors: Moumni Aicha , Lahrouni Abderrahman
Published: April 2021

The monitoring of cultivated crops and the types of different land covers is a relevant environmental and economic issue for agricultural lands management and crop yield prediction. In this context, this paper aims to use and evaluate the contribution of multisensors classification based on machine learning classifiers to crop-type identification in a semiarid area of Morocco. It is a very heterogeneous zone characterized by mixed crops (tree crops with annual crops, same crop with different phenological states during the same agricultural season, crop rotation, etc.). Therefore, such heterogeneity made the crop-type discrimination more complicated. To overcome these challenges, the present work is the first study in this area which used the fusion of high spatiotemporal resolution Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellite images for land use and land cover mapping. Three machine learning classifier algorithms, artificial neural network (ANN), support vector machine (SVM), and maximum likelihood (ML), were applied to identify and map crop types in irrigated perimeter. In situ observations of the year 2018, for the R3 perimeter of Haouz plain in central Morocco, were used with satellite data of the same year to perform this work. The results showed that combined images acquired in C-band and the optical range improved clearly the crop-type classification performance (overall accuracy = 89%; Kappa = 0.85) compared to the classification results of optical or SAR data alone.
Robust Synchronization of Class Chaotic Systems Using Novel Time‐Varying Gain Disturbance Observer‐Based Sliding Mode Control
Authors: Wang Yang , Wang Zhen , Kong Lingyun
Published: April 2021

For synchronization of a class of chaotic systems in the presence of nonvanishing uncertainties, a novel time‐varying gain observer‐based sliding mode control is proposed. First, a novel time‐varying gain disturbance observer (TVGDO) is developed to estimate the uncertainties. Then, by using the output of TVGDO to modify sliding mode control (SMC), a new TVGDO‐based SMC scheme is developed. Although the observation and control precision of conventional fixed gain disturbance observer‐based control (FGDOC) for chaotic systems can be guaranteed by a high observer gain, the undesirable spike problem may be caused by the high gain if the initial values of estimate and true states are not equal. The most attractive feature of this work is that the newly proposed TVGDO can eliminate the spike problem by developing a time‐varying gain scheme. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by the numerical simulation.
Adsorption of 17α-Ethinyl Estradiol and Bisphenol A to Graphene-Based Materials: Effects of Configuration of Adsorbates and the Presence of Cationic Surfactant
Authors: Wang Fang , Sha Wei , Wang Xin , Shang Yuntao , Hou Lei , Li Yao
Published: April 2021

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have attracted much attention in recent years. Graphene-based materials (GMs) have been deemed as excellent adsorbents for the removal of EDCs. The objective of the present study was to understand how the cationic surfactants (CTAB; cetyltrimethylammonium nitrate) affect the adsorption of EDCs (17 α-ethinyl estradiol (EE2) and bisphenol A (BPA)) on graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxides (RGOs), and the few-layered commercial graphene (CG). It was observed that the presence of CTAB showed different effects on the adsorption of EDCs to different GMs. The adsorption of EDCs on GO was enhanced because of the enhanced hydrophobicity of GMs after the adsorption of CTAB and the newly formed hemimicelles by the adsorbed CTAB, which could serve as the partition phase for EDCs. Moreover, the electron donor-acceptor interaction and cation bridging effect of the –NH4 + group of the adsorbed CTAB between EDCs and GMs could also enhance the adsorption of EDCs to GMs. With the increase of the extent of GM reduction, the adsorption enhancement by the presence of CTAB weakened. This could be attributed to the competition and pore blockage effect caused by the adsorbed CTAB. It is worth noting that the enhancement of CTAB on the adsorption of BPA to GMs was more profound than that of EE2. This is likely because the pore blockage effect plays a less important role in the adsorption of BPA due to its smaller molecular diameter and deformable structure.
A Displacement‐Based Theory for Predicting the Support Force on the Shield Tunneling Surface in Sandy Soil Layers
Authors: Sun Guang , Liu Han , Guo Zhiyuan , Li Ranjie , Li Tao
Published: April 2021

Due to the poor stability of the loose sandy soil layer, if the support force is not properly controlled during the construction process of the shield tunnel using the earth pressure balance method, it is easy to cause the ground to collapse or uplift. Therefore, understanding the support force of the excavation surface of shield tunneling in sandy soil layer is very vital to ensure the stability of the excavation surface. Firstly, it is assumed that the damaged soil is a three‐dimensional wedge and a modified three‐dimensional wedge in the active and passive failure modes, respectively. The shallow soil pressure theory and the soil plastic limit equilibrium theory are derived by analyzing the stress distribution on the damaged soil. The equation for revealing the inner essence between the support force of the shield excavation surface and excavation surface displacement under the condition of sand‐covered soil is used. Secondly, the numerical simulation method analyzes the displacement of the excavation surface when the support force changes under different working conditions, and the relationship curve between the excavation surface support force and the shield tunneling displacement is obtained. The comparison and analysis between the numerical simulation calculation and the theoretical analysis indicate that the deduced calculation equation for the excavation surface support force based on the displacement earth pressure is reasonable.
Acceptability of COVID-19 Vaccination among Health Care Workers in Ghana
Authors: Agyekum Martin Wiredu , Afrifa-Anane Grace Frempong , Kyei-Arthur Frank , Addo Bright
Published: April 2021

Because health care workers are a reliable source of health information, their acceptance or rejection of COVID-19 vaccines can influence the general population's uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. In this study, we sought to determine the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines among health care workers in Ghana. Using a cross-sectional design, we collected data from 234 health care workers through a self-administered online survey from 16 January to 15 February 2021. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were performed using STATA version 15. The findings revealed that 39.3% (n = 92) of health care workers intended to receive the COVID-19 vaccines. Factors such as sex (AOR = 0.451; CI 95% 0.240–0.845;p=0.013), category of health care workers (AOR = 2.851; 95 CI%: 1.097–7.405;p=0.031), relative being diagnosed with COVID-19 (AOR = 0.369; CI 95% 0.145–0.941;p=0.037), and trust in the accuracy of the measures taken by the government in the fight against COVID-19 (AOR = 2.768; CI 95%: 1.365–5.616;p=0.005) proved to be significant predictors of the acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine. Concerns about the safety of vaccines (n = 93, 65.5%) and the adverse side effects of the vaccines (n = 23, 14.8%) were identified as the main reasons why health care workers would decline uptake of COVID-19 vaccines in Ghana. The self-reported low intention of health care workers in Ghana to accept COVID-19 vaccines necessitates an urgent call from the Government of Ghana and other stakeholders to address health care workers' concerns about the safety and adverse side effects of COVID-19 vaccines, as this would increase vaccine uptake. Interventions must also take into consideration sex and the category of health care workers to achieve the desired results.
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation from Overweight or Obese Donors in Cachectic Patients with Advanced Gastroesophageal Cancer: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled, Phase II Study
Authors: de Clercq Nicolien C. , van den Ende Tom , Prodan Andrei , Hemke Robert , Davids Mark , Pedersen Helle K. , Nielsen Henrik B. , Groen A.K. , de Vos Willem M. , van Laarhoven Hanneke W.M. , Nieuwdorp Max
Published: April 2021

Purpose:

Cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome, associated with poor survival in patients with cancer, and is influenced by the gut microbiota. We investigated the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on cachexia and treatment response in patients with advanced gastroesophageal cancer.

Experimental Design:

In a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial performed in the Amsterdam University Medical Center, we assigned 24 cachectic patients with metastatic HER2-negative gastroesophageal cancer to either allogenic FMT (healthy obese donor) or autologous FMT, prior to palliative chemotherapy (capecitabine and oxaliplatin). Primary objective was to assess the effect of allogenic FMT on satiety. Secondary outcomes were other features of cachexia, along with disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and toxicity. Finally, exploratory analyses were performed on the effect of FMT on gut microbiota composition (metagenomic sequencing) and metabolites (untargeted metabolomics).

Results:

Allogenic FMT did not improve any of the cachexia outcomes. Patients in the allogenic group (n = 12) had a higher DCR at 12 weeks (P = 0.035) compared with the autologous group (n = 12), longer median OS of 365 versus 227 days [HR = 0.38; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.14–1.05; P = 0.057] and PFS of 204 versus 93 days (HR = 0.50; 95% CI, 0.21–1.20; P = 0.092). Patients in the allogenic group showed a significant shift in fecal microbiota composition after FMT (P = 0.010) indicating proper engraftment of the donor microbiota.

Conclusions:

FMT from a healthy obese donor prior to first-line chemotherapy did not affect cachexia, but may have improved response and survival in patients with metastatic gastroesophageal cancer. These results provide a rational for larger FMT trials.