bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How to Analyze, Preserve, and Communicate Leonardo's Drawing? A Solution to Visualize in RTR Fine Art Graphics Established from “the Best Sense”
Authors: Apollonio Fabrizio Ivan , Foschi Riccardo , Gaiani Marco , Garagnani Simone
Published: July 2021

Original hand drawings by Leonardo are astonishing collections of knowledge, superb representations of the artist's way of working, which proves the technical and cultural peak of the Renaissance era. However, due to their delicate and fragile nature, they are hard to manipulate and compulsory to preserve. To overcome this problem we developed, in a 10-year-long research program, a complete workflow to produce a system able to replace, investigate, describe and communicate ancient fine drawings through what Leonardo calls “
the best sense
” (i.e., the view), the so-called
ISLe
(
InSightLeonardo
). The outcoming visualization app is targeted to a wide audience made of museum visitors and, most importantly, art historians, scholars, conservators, and restorers. This article describes a specific feature of the workflow: the appearance modeling with the aim of an accurate Real-Time Rendering (RTR) visualization. This development is based on the direct observation of five among the most known Leonardo da Vinci's drawings, spanning his entire activity as a draftsman, and it is the result of an accurate analysis of drawing materials used by Leonardo, in which peculiarities of materials are digitally reproduced at the various scales exploiting solutions that favor the accuracy of perceived reproduction instead of the fidelity to the physical model and their ability to be efficiently implemented over a standard GPU-accelerated RTR pipeline. Results of the development are exemplified on five of Leonardo's drawings and multiple evaluations of the results, subjective and objective, are illustrated, aiming to assess potential and critical issues of the application.
Casual Leisure in Rich-Prospect
Authors: Morse Christopher , Niess Jasmin , Lallemand Carine , Wieneke Lars , Koenig Vincent
Published: July 2021

As digital cultural collections become increasingly sophisticated in their scope and functionality, there is a need to build an in-depth understanding concerning the information behaviors of users in this new domain. Research has demonstrated that many digital museum visitors are engaged in casual leisure during exploration of a collection, suggesting that they do not have an inherent information goal but rather seek new experiences or learning opportunities based on personal curiosity and moments of discovery. Consequently, understanding how to translate casual leisure contexts into meaningful interaction design may play a critical role in designing engaging digital collections. Our study reports on the user experience of a largely unexplored user interface design framework called
rich-prospect
, which was originally developed to enhance browsing and discovery for complex visual collections. We performed a mixed-method, within-subjects study (N=30) that simulated a casual leisure approach to information browsing and retrieval across three different rich-prospect interfaces for digital cultural heritage. Our results show that rich-prospect scores well in the hedonic facets of its user experience, whereas pragmatic aspects have room for improvement. Additionally, through our qualitative analysis of participant feedback, we derived salient themes relating to the exploratory browsing experience. We conclude with a series of design implications to better connect interactive elements with casual leisure contexts for digital cultural collections.
We Dare You
Authors: Ioannidis Petros , Eklund Lina , Løvlie Anders Sundnes
Published: July 2021

In this article, we present a lifecycle study of
We Dare You
, a substitutional reality installation that combines visual and tactile stimuli. The installation is set up in a center for architecture, and invites visitors to explore its facade while playing with vertigo, in a visual virtual reality environment that replicates the surrounding physical space of the installation. Drawing on an ethnographic approach, including observations and interviews, we researched the exhibit from its opening, through the initial months plagued by technical problems, its subsequent success as a social and playful installation, on to its closure, due to COVID-19, and its subsequent reopening. Our findings explore the challenges caused by both the hybrid nature of the installation and the visitors’ playful use of the installation which made the experience social and performative—but also caused some problems. We also discuss the problems
We Dare You
faced in light of hygiene demands due to COVID-19. The analysis contrasts the design processes and expectations of stakeholders with the audience’s playful appropriation, which led the stakeholders to see the installation as both a success and a failure. Evaluating the design and redesign through use on behalf of visitors, we argue that an approach that further opens up the post-production experience to a process of continuous redesign based on the user input—what has been termed
design-after-design
—could facilitate the design of similar experiences in the museum and heritage sector, supporting a participatory agenda in the design process, and helping to resolve the tension between stakeholders’ expectations and visitors’ playful appropriations.
Architectural Jewels of Lublin
Authors: Montusiewicz Jerzy , Milosz Marek
Published: July 2021

Lublin is a city located in the eastern part of Poland, which is an important place of cultural heritage, being the venue where the Polish-Lithuanian Union was signed 450 years ago in 2019. This article presents “Architectural Jewels of Lublin,” a computerized serious board game for two players. The aim of the game is to collect points for recognizing models of the city's historic architectural objects and their correct position on the board. They represent the landmarks of the historic Old Town quarter. Another point of the game is to answer questions about the cultural heritage of Lublin. 3D models of historic buildings were initially designed manually and then 3D printed in FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) technology. The correct location of the object on the board is identified by sensors working in the RFID (Radio-Frequency IDentification) technology supported by two microcontrollers of an Arduino platform, which were connected to the software managing the whole game shown on a tablet monitor. The game is used both to promote Lublin at numerous cyclical cultural and science popularization events, and during conferences and seminars organized for circles representing cultural heritage from Poland and abroad. It is aimed at presenting a way to integrate many different contemporary digital technologies that can serve education in the area of cultural heritage. The game, in contrast to popular games using VR and AR technologies, combines in an interesting way physical and digital space using modern computer technologies. The research carried out on the participants of the game has shown its high effectiveness in raising the historical awareness of its participants, as well as the players’ positive attitude toward the game.
The Role of Haptic Feedback and Gamification in Virtual Museum Systems
Authors: Ceccacci Silvia , Generosi Andrea , Leopardi Alma , Mengoni Maura , Mandorli And Ferruccio
Published: July 2021

This article reports the results of a research aimed to evaluate the ability of a haptic interface to improve the user experience (UX) with virtual museum systems. In particular, two user studies have been carried out to (1) compare the experience aroused during the manipulation of a 3D printed replica of an artifact with a pen-like stylus with that aroused during the interaction (visual and tactile) with a 3D rendering application using a haptic interface and PC monitor, and (2) compare the users’ perceived usability and UX among a traditional mouse-based desktop interface, haptic interface, and haptic gamified interface based on the SUS scale and the AttrakDiff2 questionnaire. A total of 65 people were involved. The considered haptic application is based on the haptic device Omega 6 produced by Force Dimension, and it is a permanent attraction of the Museo Archeologico Nazionale delle Marche. Results suggest that the proposed haptic interface is suitable for people who commonly use mouse-based computer interaction, but without previous experience with haptic systems, and provide some insights useful to better understand the role of haptic feedback and gamification in enhancing UX with virtual museums, and to guide the development of other similar applications in the future.
Communication—Current Oscillations in Photoelectrochemical Etching of Monocrystalline 4H Silicon Carbide
Authors: Leitgeb Markus , Pfusterschmied Georg , Schwarz Sabine , Depuydt Ben , Cho Jinyoun , Schmid Ulrich
Published: July 2021

Photoelectrochemical etching of monocrystalline 4H silicon carbide was performed under constant voltage condition. For the first time current oscillations were observed that caused a periodic modulation of the resulting pore diameter in etching direction. The period length of the pore diameter variation could be estimated to be about 20 nm. Additionally, it was observed that the assembly of the pores in a top down view is a Turing pattern.
Respiratory modulation of sympathetic vasomotor outflow during graded leg cycling
Authors: Katayama Keisho , Dominelli Paolo B. , Foster Glen E. , Kipp Shalaya , Leahy Michael G. , Ishida Koji , Sheel Andrew William
Published: July 2021

Within-breath modulation of sympathetic vasomotor outflow to skeletal muscle (muscle sympathetic nerve activity; MSNA) occurs in spontaneously breathing humans at rest. It is unknown if respiratory modulation persists during dynamic whole-body exercise. We found that MSNA burst frequency was lowest at end-inspiration and highest at mid-to-end expiration during rest and graded leg cycling. Respiratory modulation of sympathetic vasomotor outflow remains intact and is amplified during dynamic whole-body exercise.
The superior cervical ganglia modulate ventilatory responses to hypoxia independently of preganglionic drive from the cervical sympathetic chain
Authors: Getsy Paulina M. , Coffee Gregory A. , Hsieh Yee-Hsee , Lewis Stephen J.
Published: July 2021

We present data showing that the ventilatory responses elicited by a hypoxic gas challenge in male C57BL6 mice with bilateral superior cervical ganglionectomy are not equivalent to those reported for mice with bilateral transection of the cervical sympathetic chain. These data suggest that hypoxic gas challenge may directly activate subpopulations of superior cervical ganglion (SCG) cells, including small intensely fluorescent cells and/or principal SCG neurons, independently of preganglionic cervical sympathetic chain drive.
Exaggerated ventilatory drive estimates from epiglottic and esophageal pressure deflections in the presence of airway occlusion
Authors: Gell Laura K. , Stadler Daniel L. , Reynolds Karen J. , Catcheside Peter G.
Published: July 2021

Esophageal and epiglottic pressure deflection measurements are widely used as gold-standard measures of ventilatory effort during sleep without consideration of differential obstruction effects between measurement sites. This study is the first to quantify the effect of airway occlusion on esophageal versus epiglottic pressure recordings during sleep. The findings of substantial acute effects of occlusion itself on esophageal and particularly epiglottic pressure deflections are important to consider in the planning, analysis, and interpretation of studies that rely on pressure deflections for inferences regarding inspiratory effort.
Effect of Doping on the Photoelectric Properties of Borophene
Authors: Zhang Chunhong , Zhang Zhongzheng , Yan Wanjun , Qin Xinmao
Published: July 2021

Borophene is a new type of two-dimensional material with a series of unique and diversified properties. However, most of the research is still in its infancy and has not been studied in depth. Especially in the field of semiconductor optoelectronics, there is no related research on the modulation of photoelectric properties of borophene. In this work, we focus on the effect of doping on the photoelectric properties of borophene by using the first-principles pseudopotential plane wave method. We calculate the geometric structure, electronic structure, Mulliken population analysis, and optical properties of impurity (X = Al, Ga) doped α-sheet borophene. The results show that α-sheet borophene is an indirect band gap semiconductor with 1.396 eV. The band gap becomes wider after Al and Ga doping, and the band gap values are 1.437 eV and 1.422 eV, respectively. Due to the orbital hybridization between a small number of Al-3p electrons and Ga-4p state electrons and a large number of B 2p state electrons near the Fermi level, the band gap of borophene changes and the peak value of the electron density of states reduces after doping. Mulliken population analysis shows that the B0-B bond is mainly covalent bond, but there is also a small amount of ionic bond. However, when the impurity X is doped, the charge transfer between X and B atoms increases significantly, and the population of the corresponding X-B bonds decreases, indicating that the covalent bond strength of the chemical bonds in the doped system is weakened, and the chemical bonds have significant directionality. The calculation of optical properties shows that the static dielectric constant of the borophene material increases, and the appearance of a new dielectric peak indicates that the doping of Al and Ga can enhance the ability of borophene to store electromagnetic energy. After doping, the peak reflectivity decreases and the static refractive index n0 increases, which also fills the gap in the absorption of red light and infrared light by borophene materials. The research results provide a basis for the development of borophene materials in the field of infrared detection devices. The above results indicate that doping can modulate the photoelectric properties of α-sheet borophene.
Scalable and Storage Efficient Dynamic Key Management Scheme for Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Kumar Vipin , Malik Navneet , Dhiman Gaurav , Lohani Tarun Kumar
Published: July 2021

Recently, there have been exploratory growth in the research of wireless sensor network due to wide applications like health monitoring, environment monitoring, and urban traffic management. Sensor network applications have been used in habitat monitoring, border monitoring, health care, and military surveillance. In some applications, the security of these networks is very essential and need robust support. For a network, it is very important that node in the network trust each other and malicious node should be discarded. Cryptography techniques are normally used to secure the networks. Key plays a very important role in network security. Other aspects of security such as integrity, authentication, and confidentiality also depend on keys. In wireless sensor network, it is very difficult to manage the keys as this includes distribution of key, generation of new session key as per requirements, and renewal or revoke the keys in case of attacks. In this paper, we proposed a scalable and storage efficient key management scheme (SSEKMS) for wireless sensor networks that establish the three types of keys for the network: a network key that is shared by all the nodes in the network, a cluster key shared for a cluster, and pairwise key for each pair of nodes. We analysed the resiliency of the scheme (that is the probability of key compromise against the node capture) and compared it with other existing schemes. SSEKMS is a dynamic key management system that also supports the inclusion of the new node and refreshes the keys as per requirements.
Management of Intracanal Separated File Fragment in a Four-Rooted Mandibular Third Molar
Authors: Jacob Benoy , K. Anjaneyulu , Ranganath Aishwarya , Siddique Riluwan
Published: July 2021

The success of endodontic therapy is attributed to complete arbitration of the bound entities concealed within the complexity and absolute disinfection of the root canal system, thus, deeming it mandatory to effectively negotiate and overcome the challenges posed by obstruction, either iatrogenic or anatomic. To achieve this, considerable depth of knowledge and expertise with reference to variations in root canal morphology and clinical mishap management is substantially as important as developing fine observation skills in conjunction with an appropriate armamentarium and a keen sense of determination, thereby enhancing one’s clinical acumen by several folds. In the present case, following rubber dam isolation, the temporary restoration was removed, and the remaining carious dentin was excavated. Endodontic access cavity was refined and explored with a DG-16 probe, following which three separate canal orifices were identified in the pulp chamber floor (mesiobuccal, mesiolingual, and distal). On further observation under a surgical operating microscope and continuous exploration with the DG-16 probe, a fourth canal was found in the mesial aspect of the tooth (middle mesial). With instrumentation, it was confirmed that a fractured object was indeed present at the apical third of the mesiolingual root of tooth 38. Bypassing of the fractured fragment was initiated with a size 10 SS K-file coupled with copious irrigation with 3% sodium hypochlorite. In the present case report, four distinct canals comprising 3 mesial and 1 distal canal were recognized, and the fractured instrument in one of the canals was bypassed successfully.
Production Data Analysis and Practical Applications in the Sulige Tight Gas Reservoir, Ordos Basin, China
Authors: Cheng Minhua , Xue Wen , Zhao Meng , Wang Guoting , Ning Bo , Ji Guang , Cheng Lihua , Tian Yingying
Published: July 2021

Successful exploitation of tight sandstone gas is one of the important means to ensure the “increasing reserves and production” of the oil and gas initiative and also one of the important ways to ensure national energy security. To further improve the accuracy of historical matching of field data such as gas production and bottom-hole pressure during the production process of this type of gas reservoir, in this study, a new expression of wellbore pressure for the uniform flow of vertical fractured wells in Laplace space based on the point sink function model of vertical fractures in tight sandstone gas reservoirs is constructed. This innovation is based on a typical production data analysis plot of the Blasingame type that uses the numerical inversion decoupling mathematical equation. After analyzing the pressure and pressure derivative characteristics of each flow stage in the typical curves, a new technique of type-curve matching was proposed. In order to verify the correctness of the model and the application value of the field, based on the previous production data of Sulige Gas Field in China, a new set of production data diagnostic chart of tight sandstone gas reservoir was formed. A case analysis showed that the application of the production data analysis method and data diagnosis plot in the field accurately evaluated the development effect of the tight sandstone gas reservoirs, clarified the scale of effective sand bodies, and provided technical support for optimizing and improving the well pattern and realizing the efficient development of gas fields.
Design Optimization of a Multistage Axial Flow Compressor Based on Full-Blade Surface Parameterization and Phased Strategy
Authors: Cheng Jinxin , Zhao Shengfeng , Dong Zhaohui , Yang Chengwu
Published: July 2021

A new design optimization method is proposed for the problem of high-precision aerodynamic design of multistage axial compressors. The method mainly contains three aspects: full-blade surface parametrization can significantly reduce the number of control variables per blade row and increase the degrees of freedom of the leading edge blade angle compared with the traditional semiblade parametric method; secondly, the artificial bee colony algorithm improved initialization and food source exploration and exploitation mechanism to enhance the global optimization ability and convergence speed, and a distributed optimization system is built on the supercomputing platform based on this method; finally, a phased optimization strategy based on the “synchronous change in multirow blades” is proposed, and expert experience is introduced to achieve a better balance between exploration and exploitation. The optimization method is applied to the AL-31F four-stage low-pressure compressor. As a result, the adiabatic efficiency is improved by 0.67% and the surge margin is improved by 3.1% under the premise that the total pressure ratio and mass flow rate satisfy the constraints, which verifies the effectiveness and engineering practicality of the proposed optimization method in the field of multistage axial flow compressor aerodynamic optimization.
Silver/Copper Nanoparticle-Modified Polymer Chitosan/PVA Blend Fibers
Authors: More Dikeledi S. , Moloto Makwena J. , Moloto Nosipho , Matabola Kgabo P.
Published: July 2021

In this study, chitosan (CS)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) (CS/PVA) blend nanofibers with varying weight ratios and silver (Ag)/copper (Cu)/CS/PVA composite fibers have been prepared successfully by the electrospinning process. The tip-to-collector distance was kept at 15 cm, and the applied voltage was varied from 15 to 25 kV. The effects of the weight ratios and applied voltage on the morphology and diameter of the fibers were investigated. The resultant fibers were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The SEM results showed that increasing the amount of chitosan in the CS/PVA blend resulted in a decrease in the fiber diameter from 162 to 89 nm while an increase in the voltage from 15 to 25 kV led to a decrease in the fiber diameters. Furthermore, the SEM results indicated that an increase in the fiber diameter from 161 to 257 nm was observed while morphological changes were also observed upon the Ag/Cu addition. The latter changes are perceived to be a result of increased conductivity and higher charge density.
TAB2 Promotes the Stemness and Biological Functions of Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Zhou Yijia , Liao Yuandong , Zhang Chunyu , Liu Junxiu , Wang Wei , Huang Jiaming , Du Qiqiao , Liu Tianyu , Zou Qiaojian , Huang Hua , Liu Pan , Ooi Shiyin , Chen Run , Xia Meng , Jiang Hongye , Xu Manman , Pan Yuwen , Yao Shuzhong
Published: July 2021

Cancer stem cells are a key population participating in the promotion of the cervical cancer progression through interacting with cancer cells. Existing studies have preliminary revealed that cervical cancer stem cells contribute to tumor recurrence and chemotherapy resistance. However, the specific mechanisms involved in regulating cell functions remain largely unknown. Here, we analyzed published data from public databases and our global transcriptome data, thus identifying cancer-related signaling pathways and molecules. According to our findings, upregulated TAB2 was correlated to stem cell-like properties of cervical cancer. Immunohistochemistry staining of TAB2 in normal and cervical cancer tissues was performed. The cell function experiments demonstrated that knockdown of TAB2 reduced the stemness of cervical cancer cells and, importantly, prevented cervical cancer progression. Collectively, the therapeutic scheme targeting TAB2 may provide an option for overcoming tumor relapse and chemoresistance of cervical cancer via obstructing stemness maintenance.
Ligase Pellino3 Regulates Macrophage Action and Survival in Response to VSV Infection in RIG‐I‐Dependent Path
Authors: Reniewicz Patryk , Kula Anna , Makuch Edyta , Ochnik Michał , Lipiński Tomasz , Siednienko Jakub
Published: July 2021

Sensing of viral particles and elements that initiate mechanisms of immune response is an intrinsic ability of mammalian cells. Regulatory cytokines and antiviral mediators are released after triggering of complex signaling cascades in response to interaction of pathogen particles with pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) leading to the production of interferons (IFN) and proinflammatory cytokines. Viral RNA in the cytoplasm constitute a potent danger molecule that recognition is performed by RIG‐I‐like receptors, the most common group of receptors in mammalian cells, capable to recognize a foreign RNA. It is known that the E3 ubiquitin ligase Pellino3 plays an important role in antibacterial and antiviral response, but its involvement in the RLR pathways remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigate the molecular mechanisms of the innate immune response in BMDMs (immortalized macrophages from mouse bone marrow) during VSV infection. Here, we present evidence that the activation of the RIG‐I/Pellino3/ERK1/2 pathway in BMDMs is crucial for the protection against VSV. We demonstrate that during infection, viral particles replicate in Pellino3 knockout BMDMs more effectively than in wild‐type cells. Increased viral replication resulting in cell lysis and death is aid by impaired synthesis of IFN‐I and inflammatory cytokines as a consequence of disturbances in the ERK1/2 pathway regulation.
A Blockchain‐Based Medical Data Sharing Mechanism with Attribute‐Based Access Control and Privacy Protection
Authors: Chen Yingwen , Meng Linghang , Zhou Huan , Xue Guangtao
Published: July 2021

The rapid development of wearable sensors and the 5G network empowers traditional medical treatment with the ability to collect patients’ information remotely for monitoring and diagnosing purposes. Meanwhile, the health‐related mobile apps and devices also generate a large amount of medical data, which is critical for promoting disease research and diagnosis. However, medical data is too sensitive to share, which is also a common issue for IoT (Internet of Things) data. The traditional centralized cloud‐based medical data sharing schemes have to rely on a single trusted third party. Therefore, the schemes suffer from single‐point failure and lack of privacy protection and access control for the data. Blockchain is an emerging technique to provide an approach for managing data in a decentralized manner. Especially, the blockchain‐based smart contract technique enables the programmability for participants to access the data. All the interactions are authenticated and recorded by the other participants of the blockchain network, which is tamper resistant. In this paper, we leverage the K‐anonymity and searchable encryption techniques and propose a blockchain‐based privacy‐preserving scheme for medical data sharing among medical institutions and data users. To be specific, the consortium blockchain, Hyperledger Fabric, is adopted to allow data users to search for encrypted medical data records. The smart contract, i.e., the chaincode, implements the attribute‐based access control mechanisms to guarantee that the data can only be accessed by the user with proper attributes. The K‐anonymity and searchable encryption ensure that the medical data is shared without privacy leaking, i.e., figuring out an individual patient from queries. We implement a prototype system using the chaincode of Hyperledger Fabric. From the functional perspective, security analysis shows that the proposed scheme satisfies security goals and precedes others. From the performance perspective, we conduct experiments by simulating different numbers of medical institutions. The experimental results demonstrate that the scalability and performance of our scheme are practical.
Study of the Mechanism by Which Curcumin Cooperates with Sestrin2 to Inhibit the Growth of Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Fu Haotian , Ni Xiaofeng , Ni Fubiao , Li Ding , Sun Hongwei , Kong Hongru , Shan Yunfeng , Dai Shengjie
Published: July 2021

Background. Pancreatic carcinoma is a malignant tumor with a high fatality rate, and the increased resistance of pancreatic carcinoma to chemotherapy has become a difficult problem in clinical practice. Hence, it is imperative to develop an effective treatment for pancreatic cancer. Sestrins are a class of stress-induced proteins that have antioxidation functions, regulating cell growth and metabolism. Curcumin is a natural pigment isolated from turmeric. Several studies have also suggested that this molecule has multiple pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor effects. However, there are insufficient studies on curcumin cooperating with the sestrin family to inhibit tumors, and the mechanism is still unclear. Our aim was to observe the potential anticancer effects of curcumin combined with the sestrin family on pancreatic carcinoma and probe its possible molecular mechanisms. Methods. Lentiviral infection, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR assays, Cell Counting Kit-8 assays, real-time cell analysis technology, colony formation assays, wound healing assays, Transwell invasion assays, protein extraction, and western blots (WBs) were used to evaluate the effect of curcumin combined with sestrin2 on the proliferation, invasion, and migration of pancreatic carcinoma cells. Results. The results revealed that curcumin cooperated with sestrin2 to significantly suppress pancreatic cancer. In addition, we determined that sestrin2 cooperated with curcumin to inhibit pancreatic cancer by specifically targeting Nrf2/Keap1/HO-1/NQO-1. Conclusion. These findings clarify that curcumin-mediated synergistic targeting of sestrin2 is a potentially valuable treatment for pancreatic cancer.
Certificateless Network Coding Ring Signature Scheme
Authors: Yu Huifang , Wang Weike
Published: July 2021

Traditional certificateless ring signature is not suitable for the network coding environment. In this view, a new certificateless network coding ring signature (CL-NCRS) is devised by using the techniques of multisource network coding and certificateless ring signature. Network coding is a kind of information interaction technology and can improve system robustness and save wireless network resources. CL-NCRS satisfies the unforgeability and unconditional anonymity; moreover, it has relatively higher communication and computational efficiency.
Mobile Information System of English Teaching Ability Based on Big Data Fuzzy K-Means Clustering
Authors: Miao Yanfei
Published: July 2021

The implication of mobile English teaching is that English teachers and students use mobile devices for English teaching and communication at the same time. In order to accurately evaluate language interpretation skills, it is necessary to construct a mobile information system sampling model of the restrictive factors of language interpretation skills. Then, the nonlinear information fusion method is combined with the time series cognition method to make a statistical cognition of language interpretation skills. The parameter of language interpretation skills constraint is a set of nonlinear time series. To this end, this paper studies the language interpretation skills mobile information system, proposes language interpretation skills, and constructs the constraint parameters of the language interpretation skills evaluation and cognition using an indicator cognition model. The quantitative recursive cognition method analyzes the language interpretation ability evaluation model and the entropy feature of language interpretation ability and extracts the constraint feature information. The combination of large-scale data information fusion and K-means clustering algorithms provides indexing and integration of index parameters for language interpreting skills. On this basis, the corresponding allocation scheme of teaching resources is formulated to realize the assessment of language interpretation skills. The experimental results of related big data clustering algorithms show that the English teaching method proposed in this paper is highly effective, and the evaluation accuracy and teaching resource utilization rate have been increased by 5% and 6%, respectively.
Decision-Making on Reuse Modes of Abandoned Coal Mine Industrial Sites in Beijing Based on Environment-Economy-Society Matter-Element Models
Authors: Li Xiao-Dan , Chen Zhi-Ting , Liu Zhen , Yang Hao
Published: July 2021

Redevelopment of abandoned coal mine industrial sites (ACMISs) has been one of the critical research topics in recent years. The ecological system of ACMISs, which involves environmental, economic, and social characteristics, is an environment-economy-society (EES) composite system. Many factors with conflicting effects are involved in the sustainable development of this system. The matter-element analysis method presented in this paper can transform counteracting problems among influencing factors into compatible problems. This analytical approach leads to a reduction of the uncertainty of these influencing factors and provides a suitable research method to solve the complexity when selecting the most suitable reuse mode of the ACMIS. In this study, eight state-owned ACMISs in the suburbs of Beijing were investigated, and a suitability evaluation index system based on the EES conceptual framework was built. Targeting four reuse modes, including the residential area, the park, the scientific research and office campus, and the business district, we established a matter-element decision-making model to evaluate the priority of reuse mode selections scientifically. The results of our calculations show that the optimal reuse mode for the Qianjuntai, Muchengjian, and Huapogen ACMISs is the park; for the Da’anshan and Changgouyu ACMISs is the business district; for the Datai ACMIS is the scientific research and office campus; and for the Wangping ACMIS is the residential area. Since the suitability level of reusing the Anjiatan ACMIS in any of the four reuse modes is relatively low, it is recommended to reserve it for governmental strategically reserved open space. These real cases demonstrate that the research method is feasible and can be applied to reuse mode decisions for similar abandoned coal mines.
DAM-SE: A Blockchain-Based Optimized Solution for the Counterattacks in the Internet of Federated Learning Systems
Authors: Xuan Shichang , Jin Ming , Li Xin , Yao Zhaoyuan , Yang Wu , Man Dapeng
Published: July 2021

The rapid development in network technology has resulted in the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT). This trend has led to a widespread utilization of decentralized data and distributed computing power. While machine learning can benefit from the massive amount of IoT data, privacy concerns and communication costs have caused data silos. Although the adoption of blockchain and federated learning technologies addresses the security issues related to collusion attacks and privacy leakage in data sharing, the “free-rider attacks” and “model poisoning attacks” in the federated learning process require auditing of the training models one by one. However, that increases the communication cost of the entire training process. Hence, to address the problem of increased communication cost due to node security verification in the blockchain-based federated learning process, we propose a communication cost optimization method based on security evaluation. By studying the verification mechanism for useless or malicious nodes, we also introduce a double-layer aggregation model into the federated learning process by combining the competing voting verification methods and aggregation algorithms. The experimental comparisons verify that the proposed model effectively reduces the communication cost of the node security verification in the blockchain-based federated learning process.
Energy-Efficient Relay-Based Void Hole Prevention and Repair in Clustered Multi-AUV Underwater Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Chaaf Amir , Saleh Ali Muthanna Mohammed , Muthanna Ammar , Alhelaly Soha , Elgendy Ibrahim A. , Iliyasu Abdullah M. , Abd El-Latif Ahmed A.
Published: July 2021

Underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) enable various oceanic applications which require effective packet transmission. In this case, sparse node distribution, imbalance in terms of overall energy consumption between the different sensor nodes, dynamic network topology, and inappropriate selection of relay nodes cause void holes. Addressing this problem, we present a relay-based void hole prevention and repair (ReVOHPR) protocol by multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) for UWSN. ReVOHPR is a global solution that implements different phases of operations that act mutually in order to efficiently reduce and identify void holes and trap relay nodes to avoid it. ReVOHPR adopts the following operations as ocean depth (levels)-based equal cluster formation, dynamic sleep scheduling, virtual graph-based routing, and relay-assisted void hole repair. For energy-efficient cluster forming, entropy-based eligibility ranking (E2R) is presented, which elects stable cluster heads (CHs). Then, dynamic sleep scheduling is implemented by the dynamic kernel Kalman filter (DK2F) algorithm in which sleep and active modes are based on the node’s current status. Intercluster routing is performed by maximum matching nodes that are selected by dual criteria, and also the data are transmitted to AUV. Finally, void holes are detected and repaired by the bicriteria mayfly optimization (BiCMO) algorithm. The BiCMO focuses on reducing the number of holes and data packet loss and maximizes the quality of service (QoS) and energy efficiency of the network. This protocol is timely dealing with node failures in packet transmission via multihop routing. Simulation is implemented by the NS3 (AquaSim module) simulator that evaluates the performance in the network according to the following metrics: average energy consumption, delay, packet delivery rate, and throughput. The simulation results of the proposed REVOHPR protocol comparing to the previous protocols allowed to conclude that the REVOHPR has considerable advantages. Due to the development of a new protocol with a set of phases for data transmission, energy consumption minimization, and void hole avoidance and mitigation in UWSN, the number of active nodes rate increases with the improvement in overall QoS.
α1-Acid Glycoprotein Enhances the Immunosuppressive and Protumor Functions of Tumor-Associated Macrophages
Authors: Matsusaka Kotaro , Fujiwara Yukio , Pan Cheng , Esumi Shigeyuki , Saito Yoichi , Bi Jing , Nakamura Yuka , Mukunoki Ayumi , Takeo Toru , Nakagata Naomi , Yoshii Daiki , Fukuda Ryo , Nagasaki Taisei , Tanaka Ryusei , Komori Hisakazu , Maeda Hitoshi , Watanabe Hiroshi , Tamada Koji , Komohara Yoshihiro , Maruyama Toru
Published: July 2021

Blood levels of acute-phase protein α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP, orosmucoid) increase in patients with cancer. Although AGP is produced from hepatocytes following stimulation by immune cell–derived cytokines under conditions of inflammation and tumorigenesis, the functions of AGP in tumorigenesis and tumor progression remain unknown. In the present study, we revealed that AGP contributes directly to tumor development by induction of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and IL6 production in macrophages. Stimulation of AGP induced PD-L1 expression in both human monocyte–derived macrophages through STAT1 activation, whereas AGP had no direct effect on PD-L1 expression in tumor cells. AGP also induced IL6 production from macrophages, which stimulated proliferation in tumor cells by IL6R-mediated activation of STAT3. Furthermore, administration of AGP to AGP KO mice phenocopied effects of tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) on tumor progression. AGP decreased IFNγ secretion from T cells and enhanced STAT3 activation in subcutaneous tumor tissues. In addition, AGP regulated PD-L1 expression and IL6 production in macrophages by binding with CD14, a coreceptor for Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), and inducing TLR4 signaling. These results provide the first evidence that AGP is directly involved in tumorigenesis by interacting with TAMs and that AGP might be a target molecule for anticancer therapy.

Significance:

AGP-mediated suppression of antitumor immunity contributes to tumor progression by inducing PD-L1 expression and IL6 production in TAMs.
Trends in Breast Cancer Survival by Race-Ethnicity in Florida, 1990–2015
Authors: Hines Robert B. , Johnson Asal M. , Lee Eunkyung , Erickson Stephanie , Rahman Saleh M.M.
Published: July 2021

Background:

This study was conducted to evaluate trends in survival, by race-ethnicity, for women diagnosed with breast cancer in Florida over a 26-year period.

Methods:

This was a retrospective cohort study of women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in Florida between 1990 and 2015. Data were obtained from the Florida Cancer Data System. Women in the study were categorized according to race (white/black) and Hispanic ethnicity (yes/no). Cumulative incidence estimates of 5- and 10-year breast cancer–related death with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were obtained by race-ethnicity, according to diagnosis year. Subdistribution hazard models were used to obtain subdistribution HRs (sHR) for the relative rate of breast cancer death accounting for competing causes.

Results:

Breast cancer mortality decreased for all racial-ethnic groups, and racial-ethnic minorities had greater absolute and relative improvement for nearly all metrics compared with non-Hispanic white (NHW) women. However, for the most recent time period (2010–2015), black women still experienced significant survival disparities with non-Hispanic black (NHB) women, having twice the rate of 5-year [sHR = 2.04; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.91–2.19] and 10-year (sHR = 2.02; 95% CI, 1.89–2.16) breast cancer–related death. Adjustment for covariates substantially reduced the excess rate of breast cancer–related death for black women.

Conclusions:

Despite efforts to improve disparities in breast cancer outcomes for underserved women in Florida, black women continue to experience significant survival disparities.

Impact:

These results highlight the need for targeted approaches to eliminate disparities in breast cancer survival for black women.
Sex Hormone and Colorectal Cancer: The Knowns and Unknowns
Authors: Hang Dong , Shen Hongbing
Published: July 2021

Sex hormones have been suggested as a contributor to gender disparity in incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer, but previous observational studies on endogenous sex hormones and colorectal cancer risk have led to contradictory results. Leveraging the large-scale UK biobank resource, Dimou and colleagues performed both observational and Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to investigate the association of serum testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin concentrations with the risk of colorectal cancer. Although the findings provide little evidence for independent roles of the hormones in colorectal cancer, further interrogation of possible mediating effects of sex hormones on the causal pathways of colorectal cancer could deepen our understanding of colorectal cancer etiology and improve tailored prevention. While MR analysis is useful for inferring causality in observational studies, the current null results should be interpreted with caution because of insufficient statistical power and predefined assumptions of linearity. Moreover, given the widespread use of testosterone supplementation in older men to restore age-related decline of endogenous concentrations, large and long-term randomized controlled trials are required to clarify the effect of testosterone on colorectal cancer risk, which would provide critical evidence for health decision making.

See related article by Dimou et al., p. 1336
Deciphering Intratumoral Molecular Heterogeneity in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma with a Radiogenomics Platform
Authors: Udayakumar Durga , Zhang Ze , Xi Yin , Dwivedi Durgesh K. , Fulkerson Michael , Haldeman Sydney , McKenzie Tiffani , Yousuf Qurratulain , Joyce Allison , Hajibeigi Asghar , Notgrass Hollis , de Leon Alberto Diaz , Yuan Qing , Lewis Matthew A. , Madhuranthakam Ananth J. , Sibley Robert C. , Elias Roy , Guo Junyu , Christie Alana , McKay Renée M. , Cadeddu Jeffrey A. , Bagrodia Aditya , Margulis Vitaly , Brugarolas James , Wang Tao , Kapur Payal , Pedrosa Ivan
Published: July 2021

Purpose:

Intratumoral heterogeneity (ITH) challenges the molecular characterization of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and is a confounding factor for therapy selection. Most approaches to evaluate ITH are limited by two-dimensional ex vivo tissue analyses. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) can noninvasively assess the spatial landscape of entire tumors in their natural milieu. To assess the potential of DCE-MRI, we developed a vertically integrated radiogenomics colocalization approach for multi-region tissue acquisition and analyses. We investigated the potential of spatial imaging features to predict molecular subtypes using histopathologic and transcriptome correlatives.

Experimental Design:

We report the results of a prospective study of 49 patients with ccRCC who underwent DCE-MRI prior to nephrectomy. Surgical specimens were sectioned to match the MRI acquisition plane. RNA sequencing data from multi-region tumor sampling (80 samples) were correlated with percent enhancement on DCE-MRI in spatially colocalized regions of the tumor. Independently, we evaluated clinical applicability of our findings in 19 patients with metastatic RCC (39 metastases) treated with first-line antiangiogenic drugs or checkpoint inhibitors.

Results:

DCE-MRI identified tumor features associated with angiogenesis and inflammation, which differed within and across tumors, and likely contribute to the efficacy of antiangiogenic drugs and immunotherapies. Our vertically integrated analyses show that angiogenesis and inflammation frequently coexist and spatially anti-correlate in the same tumor. Furthermore, MRI contrast enhancement identifies phenotypes with better response to antiangiogenic therapy among patients with metastatic RCC.

Conclusions:

These findings have important implications for decision models based on biopsy samples and highlight the potential of more comprehensive imaging-based approaches.