bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Selective Region-based Photo Color Adjustment for Graphic Designs
Authors: Zhao Nanxuan , Zheng Quanlong , Liao Jing , Cao Ying , Pfister Hanspeter , Lau Rynson W. H.
Published: April 2021

When adding a photo onto a graphic design, professional graphic designers often adjust its colors based on some target colors obtained from the brand or product to make the entire design more memorable to audiences and establish a consistent brand identity. However, adjusting the colors of a photo in the context of a graphic design is a difficult task, with two major challenges: (1) Locality: The color is often adjusted locally to preserve the semantics and atmosphere of the original image; and (2) Naturalness: The modified region needs to be carefully chosen and recolored to obtain a semantically valid and visually natural result. To address these challenges, we propose a learning-based approach to photo color adjustment for graphic designs, which maps an input photo along with the target colors to a recolored result. Our method decomposes the color adjustment process into two successive stages: modifiable region selection and target color propagation. The first stage aims to solve the core, challenging problem of which local image region(s) should be adjusted, which requires not only a common sense of colors appearing in our visual world but also understanding of subtle visual design heuristics. To this end, we capitalize on both natural photos and graphic designs to train a region selection network, which detects the most likely regions to be adjusted to the target colors. The second stage trains a recoloring network to naturally propagate the target colors in the detected regions. Through extensive experiments and a user study, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our selective region-based photo recoloring framework.
Mitochondrial Metabolism Regulation of T Cell–Mediated Immunity
Authors: Steinert Elizabeth M. , Vasan Karthik , Chandel Navdeep S.
Published: April 2021

Recent evidence supports the notion that mitochondrial metabolism is necessary for T cell activation, proliferation, and function. Mitochondrial metabolism supports T cell anabolism by providing key metabolites for macromolecule synthesis and generating metabolites for T cell function. In this review, we focus on how mitochondrial metabolism controls conventional and regulatory T cell fates and function.
An Electrochemical Study on NH4VOPO4: Can Ion-Exchange Improve Side Reactions?
Authors: Buyuker Isiksu , Hidalgo Marc Francis V. , Zuba Mateusz , Diamint Jake , Zhou Hui , Chernova Natasha A. , Piper Louis J. , Whittingham M. Stanley
Published: April 2021

Increasing demands for higher energy density batteries have inspired multi-electron cathodes which can double the energy density per transition metal cation. In Li-ion batteries, vanadyl phosphates have been shown to intercalate 2 Li+ per V center by activating V4+/5+ and V3+/4+ redox couples, resulting in a gravimetric capacity of 305 mAh g−1. In order to employ the VOPO4 structure in earth abundant and cheaper alkali-ion batteries, channels must be expanded to allow the diffusion of larger cations. This can be achieved by pillaring the VOPO4 framework with large cations. KVOPO4 has been shown to be a high capacity cathode in Na-ion batteries, however not all of the K could be removed from the structure, limiting the accessible capacity. NH4VOPO4 is similar to KVOPO4 where the KTP-type VOPO4 framework is enlarged and distorted due to the presence of large cations. In this study, we investigate the electrochemical performance of NH4VOPO4. While the pristine material suffers greatly from parasitic reactions, we show that electrochemistry and thermal stability can be improved by exchanging some of the NH4
+ with Na+.
Photothermal Study of ZnO Nanoparticle-Bi2O3-Mn2O3 Ceramics Doped with Different Compositions from Al2O3 at Various Sintering Temperatures
Authors: Khalid Sendi Rabab
Published: April 2021

In this work, the optical absorption behavior of ZnO nanoparticle–Bi2O3–Mn2O3 doped with different compositions of Al2O3 at various sintering temperatures was investigated using photopyroelectric spectroscopy (PPE). Different Al2O3 concentration and sintering temperatures affect significantly the varistor characteristics, predominantly promoting ZnO growth at a lower amount of Al2O3. However, the addition of larger amounts of Al2O3 inhibits the grain growth by the increasing amount of spinel phase. The large surface properties of the nanoparticles enhanced the surface interactions even at minimal sintering temperatures. The density is increased depending on increasing the Al2O3 amounts and sintering temperature. X-ray diffraction measurements provided that Al2O3 additive to ceramics leads to construction of the pyrochlore and spinel phase during the sintering process at various temperatures. The energy band gap (Eg) of nanoparticle powder added with 0.0 mol% to 3.0 mol% Al2O3 and sintered through different temperature is obtained by PPE. Optical energy band gap (Eg) was constant at approximately 2.51 eV for 950 °C sintering temperature during all dopant compositions. The energy of band gap reduces in varistors doped with 0.5 mol% Al2O3 doping amount and sintered at 1050 and 1200 °C temperatures. With further increase in Al2O3 up to 1.0 mol%, the value of Eg was 2.15 and 2.21 eV for 1200 °C and 1050 °C, respectively. The superior nonlinearity value (α) is approximately 58 for 950 °C sintered temperature at various adding concentrations. However, at higher sintering temperatures, α value decreases with of the increase in Al2O3 doping concentrations; the value becomes constant beyond 1.0 mol%. The slope of exponential optical absorption is distinguished by steepness factors “σ
A” and “σ
B,” which are investigated to determine the difference in the energy band gap.
Adiponectin Synthesis, Secretion and Extravasation from Circulation to Interstitial Space
Authors: da Silva Rosa Simone C. , Liu Meilian , Sweeney Gary
Published: April 2021

Adiponectin, an adipokine that circulates as multiple multimeric complexes at high levels in serum, has antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antiatherogenic, and cardioprotective properties. Understanding the mechanisms regulating adiponectin’s physiological effects is likely to provide critical insight into the development of adiponectin-based therapeutics to treat various metabolic-related diseases. In this review, we summarize our current understanding on adiponectin action in its various target tissues and in cellular models. We also focus on recent advances in two particular regulatory aspects; namely, the regulation of adiponectin gene expression, multimerization, and secretion, as well as extravasation of circulating adiponectin to the interstitial space and its degradation. Finally, we discuss some potential therapeutic approaches using adiponectin as a target and the current challenges facing adiponectin-based therapeutic interventions.
Angiotensin Receptor Blockers Are Not Just for Hypertension Anymore
Authors: Saavedra Juan M.
Published: April 2021

Beyond blood pressure control, angiotensin receptor blockers reduce common injury mechanisms, decreasing excessive inflammation and protecting endothelial and mitochondrial function, insulin sensitivity, the coagulation cascade, immune responses, cerebrovascular flow, and cognition, properties useful to treat inflammatory, age-related, neurodegenerative, and metabolic disorders of many organs including brain and lung.
Surviving in a Frozen Forest: the Physiology of Eastern Spruce Budworm Overwintering
Authors: Marshall Katie E. , Roe Amanda D.
Published: April 2021

The eastern spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana, is one of North America’s most destructive forest insects. It survives the harsh winters by deploying both a sophisticated diapause program and a complex suite of cryoprotective molecules. The spruce budworm’s cryoprotective biochemistry could revolutionize organ storage and transplants. Here we review the latest in C. fumiferana overwintering physiology and identify emerging theoretical and practical questions that are open for exploration.
More on
D
α
-Closed Sets in Topological Spaces
Authors: Gao Xiao-Yan , Khalil Ahmed Mostafa
Published: April 2021

The aim of this paper is to present and study topological properties of

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-derived,

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-border,

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-frontier, and

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-exterior of a set based on the concept of

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-open sets. Then, we introduce new separation axioms (i.e.,

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−

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and

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) by using the notions of

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-open set and

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(resp.,

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) is strictly between the spaces of

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(resp.,

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) and

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(resp.,

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). Further, we present the notions of

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α

-kernel and

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-convergent to a point and discuss the characterizations of interesting properties between

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α

-closure and

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-kernel. Finally, several properties of weakly

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−

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space are investigated.
The Diagnostic Method for Open-Circuit Faults in Inverters Based on Extended State Observer
Authors: Chen Chaobo , Yang Ying , Zhang Binbin , Gao Song
Published: April 2021

To reduce the influence of unknown disturbance on open-circuit fault diagnosis of inverters in the motor drive system, an open-circuit fault diagnosis method, which is based on extended state observer, is proposed for inverters. A mixed logic dynamic model of the inverters is established by analyzing the current flow path when the system works normally and there are open-circuit faults. A voltage extended state observer is designed for the mixed logic dynamic model. The open-circuit faults are detected according to the phase voltage residual between the observed voltage and the actual voltage. The position of the faulty switches is determined by querying the voltage residual information table. Finally, the simulation results show that the method can effectively reduce the influence of the unknown interference on the inverter faults diagnosis, improve the fault diagnosis rate, and verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the method.
Pasting and Dough Rheological Properties of Ackee (Blighia sapida) Aril Flour: A Contribution to the Search for Wheat Flour Substitutes
Authors: Torres-Gallo Ramiro , Durán Ricardo , García-Camargo José , Morales Oswaldo , Acevedo Diofanor , Tirado Diego F.
Published: April 2021

Wheat is one of the most widely used cereals in the world. However, studies consider wheat flour doughs to be of low nutritional quality, as there is now greater public awareness of celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Therefore, consumers are demanding healthier and more varied food products. Consequently, wheat flour is being replaced fully or partially by flours from other sources with higher quality. Hence, the main objective of this work was to report the effect of blending wheat flour with ackee aril flour, until the total replacement of wheat flour, on pasting and dough rheological properties. Five different levels of blending were analyzed: wheat to ackee aril flour mass ratios of 100 : 0, 75 : 25, 50 : 50, 25 : 75, and 0 : 100. Pasting properties (pasting temperature, peak viscosity, ease of cooking, swelling power, final viscosity at 50  °C, and thixotropy) were analyzed; and steady-state shear measurements were used to obtain consistency coefficients (

K

) and flow behavior indexes (

n

) after data was fitted to the Power Law and Herschel-Bulkley models. The gradual addition of the ackee aril flour fraction produced an increase in ash, fat, protein, and fiber content; while water and carbohydrate content showed the opposite behavior in the obtained composite flour. Consequently, the partial or full replacement of wheat flour changed the rheological properties of the produced doughs, as well as the quality of the final product. These changes were mostly related to the protein and carbohydrate content of the ackee aril flour fraction. In general, doughs showed a pseudoplastic behavior with thixotropy whose viscosity decreased as the addition of ackee aril flour was increased. Pasting properties of blends involving 25 %-75 % ackee aril flour demonstrate the feasibility of including these flours in products subjected to high processing temperatures such as canned products or even to produce chips and pasta.
Pharmacological Evaluation of the Bronchorelaxant Effect of Waltheria indica L. (Malvaceae) Extracts on Rat Trachea
Authors: Boly Rainatou , Yabre Zakaline , Nitiema Mathieu , Yaro Boubacar , Yoda Jules , Belemnaba Lazare , Ilboudo Sylvain , Youl Noëla Hoho Estelle , Guissou Innocent Pierre , Ouedraogo Sylvin
Published: April 2021

Waltheria indica L. (Malvaceae) is a plant used in Burkina Faso for the treatment of various ailments including asthma. The aim of the study was to evaluate the pharmacological relaxant effect of the leafy stem extracts of Waltheria indica and thereby verify claim of use in treating asthma. Aqueous decoction and hydroalcoholic extracts obtained from the powdered leafy stems were screened for the presence of some phytoconstituents. The in vitro relaxant effect of the two extracts was evaluated on acetylcholine- (ACh 10−5 M) and potassium chloride- (KCl 6 × 10−2 M) induced contractions on rat-isolated tracheal preparations. To examine whether the potassium (K+) channels are involved in the relaxant effect, glibenclamide, an ATP-sensitive potassium channel inhibitor, was used. Moreover, to assess the safety of the extracts, acute oral toxicity was carried out on mice. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, triterpenoids, tannins, and coumarins in the hydroalcoholic extract. Tannins, steroids, triterpenoids, and coumarins were not detected in the aqueous decoction. With respective EC50 values of 1.517 ± 0.002 mg/mL and 1.433 ± 0.001 mg/mL on ACh-and KCl-provoked contractions, the hydroalcoholic extract was found more potent in relaxing the isolated rat tracheal preparations compared to the aqueous decoction. In the presence of glibenclamide, the relaxant effect of the hydroalcoholic extract (EC50 = 0.191 ± 0.002 mg/mL) increased and was higher than that of the aqueous decoction. At dose of 5000 mg/kg of body weight, the extracts did not produce deaths or any significant changes in the general behavior of mice. The results suggest that different mechanisms including modulation of calcium and potassium channels, particularly the ATP-sensitive K+ channels, could be involved in the relaxation effect. These findings could justify the traditional use of W. indica in the management of asthma.
Design for Manufacturing and Assembly: A BIM‐Enabled Generative Framework for Building Panelization Design
Authors: Liu Hexu , Zhang Yuxuan , Lei Zhen , Li Hong Xian , Han SangHyeok
Published: April 2021

Offsite construction (OSC) is attracting increasing attention from both industry and academia due to its benefits, such as improved productivity and quality, as well as reduced waste. However, the current building panelization design in OSC is a time‐consuming and experience‐based manual process, and the generated panelization design may result in unbalanced manufacturing processes. One reason is that the prefabrication of building components involves a highly variable product mix and there is a lack of a computational framework to evaluate panelization design. The objective of this research is, thus, to propose a BIM‐based generative framework that automatically generates the design of production components with the aim of improving production productivity. This framework consists of a building information extraction module, a generative design algorithm, and a simulation‐based performance evaluation model. The building information extraction module is designed to extract building component information from a BIM model and classify building components into different production groups in accordance with functionalities and materials. The generative design algorithm is then developed to formulate panelization design alternatives in consideration of the structural, production, and logistics constraints. On this basis, the generated panelization designs are quantitatively assessed by a simulation‐based evaluation model in terms of productivity. A case study was used to verify and validate the framework. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by a computational framework of building panelization design, which leverages the generative design algorithm and BIM‐simulation integration for optimized panelization design.
Test Method for the Solubility Model of Physical Blowing Agent of Self-Expanding Polymer
Authors: Jia Heyang , Li Xiaolong , Hao Meimei , Li Yang , Zhong Yanhui , Zhang Bei
Published: April 2021

This paper aims to present a solubility model of physical blowing agent (PBA) for a kind of commonly used self-expanding polymer on engineering. The self-expanding polymer contains Component A (isocyanate) and Component B (polyhydric alcohol, PBA, water, and catalyst). Component B grout of the polymer, which contains PBA, was heated to measure its temperature and volume variations. Based on the principle of mass conservation and Clapeyron equation, the solubility curve of PBA with respect to temperature was calculated. The solubility curve was then applied to simulate the foaming process. A two-component polymer grout foaming experiment was then carried out to verify the applicability of the measured solubility curve. The simulated changes of temperature and density with respect to time of polymer grout were analyzed and compared with experimental results. The error of both sets of curves is within 5%, which shows a good agreement among them and proves the feasibility of the solubility model. This study provides a relatively complete test and verification process for the solubility model of PBA, which lays a theoretical foundation for both the polymer grouting diffusion mechanism and engineering application.
[Retracted] Status of Bioinformatics Education in South Asia: Past and Present
Authors: Ali Muhammad Muddassir , Hamid Muhammad , Saleem Muhammad , Malik Saadia , Mian Natash Ali , Ihsan Muhammad Ahmed , Tabassum Nadia , Mehmood Khalid , Awan Furqan
Published: April 2021

Bioinformatics education has been a hot topic in South Asia, and the interest in this education peaks with the start of the 21st century. The governments of South Asian countries had a systematic effort for bioinformatics. They developed the infrastructures to provide maximum facility to the scientific community to gain maximum output in this field. This article renders bioinformatics, measures, and its importance of implementation in South Asia with proper ways of improving bioinformatics education flaws. It also addresses the problems faced in South Asia and proposes some recommendations regarding bioinformatics education. The information regarding bioinformatics education and institutes was collected from different existing research papers, databases, and surveys. The information was then confirmed by visiting each institution’s website, while problems and solutions displayed in the article are mostly in line with South Asian bioinformatics conferences and institutions’ objectives. Among South Asian countries, India and Pakistan have developed infrastructure and education regarding bioinformatics rapidly as compared to other countries, whereas Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal are still in a progressing phase in this field. To advance in a different sector, the bioinformatics industry has to be revolutionized, and it will contribute to strengthening the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and molecular sectors in South Asia. To advance in bioinformatics, universities’ infrastructure needs to be on a par with the current international standards, which will produce well‐trained professionals with skills in multiple fields like biotechnology, mathematics, statistics, and computer science. The bioinformatics industry has revolutionized and strengthened the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and molecular sectors in South Asia, and it will serve as the standard of education increases in the South Asian countries. A framework for developing a centralized database is suggested after the literature review to collect and store the information on the current status of South Asian bioinformatics education. This will be named as the South Asian Bioinformatics Education Database (SABE). This will provide comprehensive information regarding the bioinformatics in South Asian countries by the country name, the experts of this field, and the university name to explore the top‐ranked outputs relevant to queries.
Irisin Has a Protective Role against Osteoporosis in Ovariectomized Rats
Authors: Morgan Enas N. , Alsharidah Ashwag Saleh , Mousa Ayman M. , Edrees Husam M.
Published: April 2021

The reduction in estrogen levels results in a decrease in bone density at menopause. Irisin is a myokine that modulates the benefits of exercise, which may include bone health. This study was planned to examine irisin’s impact in preventing osteoporosis after ovariectomy. 4 groups of female albino rats (10 rats/group): control, sham‐operated, ovariectomized (OVX‐control), and OVX‐irisin‐treated. Serum levels of bone markers [osteocalcin (OC), bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), calcium (Ca++), phosphorus (P)], glucose, and insulin were being measured. Body mass index, Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA‐IR), dry and ash femur weight, and bone contents of Ca++ and P were investigated. The femur was examined histopathologically. The OVX‐control group showed an increase in serum levels of OC, BALP, TRAP, calcium, phosphorus, BMI, glucose, insulin, and HOMA‐IR (P < 0.05) and a reduction in dry and ash weight of the femur, the concentration of calcium and phosphorus content in bone ash (P < 0.05). The OVX‐irisin‐treated group exhibited a decrease in serum levels of OC, BALP and TRAP, calcium, phosphorus, BMI, glucose, insulin, HOMA‐IR (P < 0.05), and a rise in dry and ash weight of the femur, the concentration of calcium and phosphorus in bone ash (P < 0.05). Histological examination of the distal femur diaphysis of the OVX‐irisin‐treated group exhibited proper bone architecture and density compared with that of the OVX‐control group. It is concluded that irisin treatment in the OVX rats safeguarded the regular bone architecture and normal levels of serum bone biomarkers. Irisin may be a possible novel target in the prohibition of postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Coordination Mechanisms for the Two‐Echelon Newsvendor Model with Rapidly Responsive and Strategic Consumers
Authors: Dai Dai , Gou Xinyu , Wei Qiang
Published: April 2021

Aiming at the two‐echelon newsvendor problem in which the market demand of commodities is random both in normal sales period and in liquidation period, this paper studies the pricing and ordering decision of retailers by using rational expectation equilibrium under the condition of considering consumersʼ strategic behavior and rapid response mechanism. Then, the decision‐making problem under retailersʼ initial order quantity commitment is discussed, as well as the effect of commitment mechanism on supply chain performance. On this basis, both the two‐part pricing contract and revenue‐sharing contract are introduced to achieve supply chain coordination aiming at the profit maximization under the initial order quantity commitment mechanism. The results show that the rapid response mechanism can reduce the negative impact of consumers’ strategic behavior, and the initial order quantity commitment can further reduce the impact and improve the retailers’ profit. Both the two‐part pricing contract and revenue‐sharing contract can coordinate the whole supply chain in which the two‐part pricing contract can distribute profit arbitrarily between manufacturers and retailers while the revenue‐sharing contract can share risks among members of the supply chain.
Increase in Free Hepatic Venous Pressure Response to Beta‐Blockers Predicts Variceal Bleeding in Cirrhotic Patients
Authors: Guo Huiwen , Xiao Jiangqiang , Wang Yi , Zhang Ming , Zhuge Yuzheng , Zhang Feng
Published: April 2021

Background and Aims. Nonselective beta‐blockers (NSBBs) are the main drug to prevent portal hypertension. It could alter free hepatic venous pressure (FHVP); however, the significance is unknown. This prospective study was to explore the change of FHVP after use of NSBBs and its predictive value for gastroesophageal varices (GOV) bleeding in cirrhotic patients. Patients and Methods. Cirrhotic patients with medium‐large GOV between September 2014 and January 2019 were enrolled. After initial hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) measurement, patients received oral NSBBs. Seven days later, the secondary HVPG was examined to evaluate the FHVP alteration and hemodynamic response. The variceal bleeding between patients with FHVP increased and decreased/unchanged was compared. Results. A total of 74 patients were enrolled, and 62 patients completed the secondary HVPG measurement and was followed up. The cumulative bleeding rate was significantly higher in patients with FHVP increased ≥ 1.75 mmHg than those with FHVP decreased/unchanged (54.5% vs. 22.5%, p = 0.021), while there was no significant difference in bleeding between HVPG responders and nonresponders (32.6% vs. 37.5%, p = 0.520). For HVPG responders, variceal bleeding in patients with FHVP increased ≥ 1.75 mmHg was significantly more than that in patients with FHVP decreased/unchanged (57.9% vs. 28.6%, p = 0.041). Cox regression analysis showed that change of FHVP was an independent predictor of variceal bleeding. Conclusion. Increase ≥ 1.75 mmHg in FHVP responding to beta‐blockers in cirrhotic patients with GOV indicates high risk of variceal bleeding. Besides HVPG response, change of FHVP should also be valued in hemodynamic evaluation to beta‐blockers. This trial is registered with Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR-IPR-17012836.
Pruning Multilayered ELM Using Cholesky Factorization and Givens Rotation Transformation
Authors: Liu Jingyi , Liu Xinxin , Liu Chongmin , Le Ba Tuan , Xiao Dong
Published: April 2021

Extreme learning machine is originally proposed for the learning of the single hidden layer feedforward neural network to overcome the challenges faced by the backpropagation (BP) learning algorithm and its variants. Recent studies show that ELM can be extended to the multilayered feedforward neural network in which the hidden node could be a subnetwork of nodes or a combination of other hidden nodes. Although the ELM algorithm with multiple hidden layers shows stronger nonlinear expression ability and stability in both theoretical and experimental results than the ELM algorithm with the single hidden layer, with the deepening of the network structure, the problem of parameter optimization is also highlighted, which usually requires more time for model selection and increases the computational complexity. This paper uses Cholesky factorization strategy and Givens rotation transformation to choose the hidden nodes of MELM and obtains the number of nodes more suitable for the network. First, the initial network has a large number of hidden nodes and then uses the idea of ridge regression to prune the nodes. Finally, a complete neural network can be obtained. Therefore, the ELM algorithm eliminates the need to manually set nodes and achieves complete automation. By using information from the previous generation’s connection weight matrix, it can be evitable to re-calculate the weight matrix in the network simplification process. As in the matrix factorization methods, the Cholesky factorization factor is calculated by Givens rotation transform to achieve the fast decreasing update of the current connection weight matrix, thus ensuring the numerical stability and high efficiency of the pruning process. Empirical studies on several commonly used classification benchmark problems and the real datasets collected from coal industry show that compared with the traditional ELM algorithm, the pruning multilayered ELM algorithm proposed in this paper can find the optimal number of hidden nodes automatically and has better generalization performance.
An Enhanced Version of Second‐Order Synchrosqueezing Transform Combined with Time‐Frequency Image Texture Features to Detect Faults in Bearings
Authors: Cheng Xiaohan , Wang Aiming , Li Zongwu , Yuan Long , Xiao Yajing
Published: April 2021

Signals with multiple components and fast‐varying instantaneous frequencies reduce the readability of the time‐frequency representations obtained by traditional synchrosqueezing transforms due to time‐frequency blurring. We discussed a vertical synchrosqueezing transform, which is a second‐order synchrosqueezing transform based on the short‐time Fourier transform and compared it to the traditional short‐time Fourier transform, synchrosqueezing transform, and another form of the second‐order synchrosqueezing transform, the oblique synchrosqueezing transform. The quality of the time‐frequency representation and the accuracy of mode reconstruction were compared through simulations and experiments. Results reveal that the second‐order frequency estimator of the vertical synchrosqueezing transform could obtain accurate estimates of the instantaneous frequency and achieve highly energy‐concentrated time‐frequency representations for multicomponent and fast‐varying signals. We also explored the application of statistical feature parameters of time‐frequency image textures for the early fault diagnosis of roller bearings under fast‐varying working conditions, both with and without noise. Experiments showed that there was no direct positive correlation between the resolution of the time‐frequency images and the accuracy of fault diagnosis. However, the early fault diagnosis of roller bearings based on statistical texture features of high‐resolution images obtained by the vertical synchrosqueezing transform was shown to have high accuracy and strong robustness to noise, thus meeting the demand for intelligent fault diagnosis.
Convergence of Blockchain and IoT for Secure Transportation Systems in Smart Cities
Authors: Abbas Khizar , Tawalbeh Lo’Ai A. , Rafiq Ahsan , Muthanna Ammar , Elgendy Ibrahim A. , Abd El-Latif Ahmed A.
Published: April 2021

Smart cities provide citizens with smart and advanced services to improve their quality of life. However, it has been observed that the collection, storage, processing, and analysis of heterogeneous data that are usually borne by citizens will bear certain difficulties. The development of the Internet of Things, cloud computing, social media, and other Industry 4.0 influencers pushed technology into a smart society’s framework, bringing potential vulnerabilities to sensor data, services, and smart city applications. These vulnerabilities lead to data security problems. We propose a decentralized data management system for smart and secure transportation that uses blockchain and the Internet of Things in a sustainable smart city environment to solve the data vulnerability problem. A smart transportation mobility system demands creating an interconnected transit system to ensure flexibility and efficiency. This article introduces prior knowledge and then provides a Hyperledger Fabric-based data architecture that supports a secure, trusted, smart transportation system. The simulation results show the balance between the blockchain mining time and the number of blocks created. We also use the average transaction delay evaluation model to evaluate the model and to test the proposed system’s performance. The system will address residents’ and authorities’ security challenges of the transportation system in smart, sustainable cities and lead to better governance.
Aperiodic Sampled‐Data Control for Chaotic System Based on Takagi–Sugeno Fuzzy Model
Authors: Zheng Minjie , Yang Shenhua , Li Lina
Published: April 2021

This paper investigates the aperiodic sampled‐data control for a chaotic system. Firstly, Takagi–Sugeno (T‐S) fuzzy models for the chaotic systems are established. The lower and upper bounds of the sampling period are taken into consideration. Then, the criteria for mean square exponential stability analysis and aperiodic sampled‐data controller synthesis are provided by means of linear matrix inequalities. And the real sampling patterns can be fully captured by constructing suitable Lyapunov functions. Finally, an illustrative example shows that the proposed method is effective to guarantee that the system’s states are stable with aperiodic sampled data.
The Natural History and Reperfusion Therapy Outcomes of Acute Ischemic Stroke due to Isolated M2 Occlusions
Authors: Gong Hongmin , Zhao Libo , Tang Ge , Chen Yu , Yang Deyu , Liu Shudong
Published: April 2021

Objective. Currently, the standard treatment modality for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) presenting with isolated M2 occlusions is not specific. We therefore assessed the difference in treatment outcomes for patients with isolated M2 occlusions. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients with AIS presenting with isolated M2 occlusions from October 1, 2018, to June 30, 2020. Patients were divided into 3 groups based on the treatments they received: no reperfusion therapy (NRT), intravenous thrombolysis treatment (IVT), and endovascular intervention (EVT), which comprised IVT in conjunction with EVT or EVT alone. The primary outcomes were improvements in modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at 90 days and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores at 24 hours after treatment compared with the baseline. The secondary efficacy outcome comprised a good outcome rate defined as a 90 − day mRS score ≤ 2, final infarct volume (FIV), 90‐day mortality rate, and successful recanalization rate, which was defined as a modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction score ≥ 2b. Safety outcomes included symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage and procedure‐related complications. Results. Seventy patients were enrolled and divided into 3 groups: the NRT group (n = 25), IVT group (n = 27), and EVT group (n = 18). Twenty‐four‐hour posttreatment NIHSS scores were substantially decreased by EVT compared with NRT (adjusted β ‐4.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] ‐6.60 to ‐1.43; P = 0.003) or IVT (adjusted β, ‐3.61 [95% CI, ‐6.45 to ‐0.77]; P = 0.013). Compared with the outcomes observed after NRT, patients who received EVT were more likely to achieve lower 90‐day mRS scores (adjusted β, ‐1.42 [95% CI, ‐2.66 to ‐0.63]; P = 0.007), higher good outcome rates (adjusted odds ratio, 8.73 [95% CI, 1.43‐53.24]; P = 0.019), and smaller FIVs (adjusted β, ‐29.66 [95% CI, ‐59.73 to 0.42]; P = 0.048). The recanalization rate of EVT was high (88.89%), and procedure‐related complications were rare (5.56%). Conclusions. For acute, isolated M2 occlusions, EVT could dramatically and rapidly improve neurological deficits with high safety and effectiveness. These changes were observed at 24 hours after treatment and were maintained over the long term.
Deep Learning Approach for Ascaris lumbricoides Parasite Egg Classification
Authors: Butploy Narut , Kanarkard Wanida , Maleewong Intapan Pewpan
Published: April 2021

A. lumbricoides infection affects up to 1/3 of the world population (approximately 1.4 billion people worldwide). It has been estimated that 1.5 billion cases of infection globally and 65,000 deaths occur due to A. lumbricoides. Generally, allied health classifies parasite egg type by using on microscopy-based methods that are laborious, are limited by low sensitivity, and require high expertise. However, misclassification may occur due to their heterogeneous experience. For their reason, computer technology is considered to aid humans. With the benefit of speed and ability of computer technology, image recognition is adopted to recognize images much more quickly and precisely than human beings. This research proposes deep learning for A. lumbricoides’s egg image recognition to be used as a prototype tool for parasite egg detection in medical diagnosis. The challenge is to recognize 3 types of eggs of A. lumbricoides with the optimal architecture of deep learning. The results showed that the classification accuracy of the parasite eggs is up to 93.33%. This great effectiveness of the proposed model could help reduce the time-consuming image classification of parasite egg.
miRNA‐mRNA Regulatory Network Reveals miRNAs in HCT116 in Response to Folic Acid Deficiency via Regulating Vital Genes of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Pathway
Authors: Lu Lin , Zhao Hongbo , Liu Jianjun , Zhang Yuwen , Wang Xu
Published: April 2021

Moderate folic acid (FA) intake is an effective strategy that slows colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. However, high consumption of FA may trigger the transition of precancerous tissue towards malignancy. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are considered to be potential biomarkers of CRC. Thus, identification of miRNAs of dysregulated genes in CRC cells by detailed analysis of mRNA and miRNA expression profile in the context of FA deficiency could substantially increase our understanding of its oncogenesis. mRNA‐seq and miRNA‐seq analyses were utilized to investigate the expression of miRNAs in FA‐deficient CRC cell line–HCT116 through massive parallel sequencing technology. A total of 38 mRNAs and 168 miRNAs were identified to be differentially expressed between CRC groups with or without FA deficiency. We constructed an miRNA‐mRNA network for the vital regulatory miRNAs altered in FA‐deficient CRC cells. The mRNAs and miRNAs validated by Western blotting and RT‐qPCR were consistent with the sequencing results. Results showed that FA deficiency upregulated some miRNAs thereby inhibiting the expression of critical genes in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway. Dysregulated miRNAs in our miRNA‐mRNA network could contribute to CRC cell in response to deficient FA. This work reveals novel molecular targets that are likely to provide therapeutic interventions for CRC.
Preliminary Study on the Clinical Significance and Methods of Using Carbon Nanoparticles in Endoscopic Papillary Thyroid Cancer Surgery
Authors: Rao Shangrui , Wang Zhonglin , Pan Congtao , Wang Yi , Lin Zhe , Pan Zhongliang , Yu Jian
Published: April 2021

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to find the clinical significance and methods of using CN in endoscopic treatment for PTC. Materials and Methods. A total of 108 cases were randomly enrolled and divided into two groups, with 50 cases in the CN injection group who were injected with CN and 58 cases in the control group with no CN injection. All cases were analyzed with the size of carcinoma, the number of lymph node, and parathyroid gland injury. Results. All operations were successfully completed. The lymph node dissection number was 274 for the control group and 322 (the rate of black stained was 87%) for the CN injection group. The average number of lymph nodes in the CN injection group was 6.44 ± 2.08, which was significantly higher than that in the control group (4.72 ± 1.89). The control group had a relatively higher incidence of incidental parathyroidectomy, compared to the CN injection group (27.6% in the control group vs. 12% in the CN injection group,

P
=
0.045

). However, the incidence of hypoparathyroidism failed to show the significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion. Using CN in endoscopic PTC surgery could increase the detection rate of lymph nodes and reduce the injury of parathyroid glands to a certain extent.
A Methodology to Determine the Subset of Heuristics for Hyperheuristics through Metalearning for Solving Graph Coloring and Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problems
Authors: Ortiz-Aguilar Lucero , Carpio Martín , Rojas-Domínguez Alfonso , Ornelas-Rodriguez Manuel , Puga-Soberanes H. J. , Soria-Alcaraz Jorge A.
Published: April 2021

In this work, we focus on the problem of selecting low‐level heuristics in a hyperheuristic approach with offline learning, for the solution of instances of different problem domains. The objective is to improve the performance of the offline hyperheuristic approach, identifying equivalence classes in a set of instances of different problems and selecting the best performing heuristics in each of them. A methodology is proposed as the first step of a set of instances of all problems, and the generic characteristics of each instance and the performance of the heuristics in each one of them are considered to define the vectors of characteristics and make a grouping of classes. Metalearning with statistical tests is used to select the heuristics for each class. Finally, we used the Naive Bayes to test the set instances with k‐fold cross‐validation, and we compared all results statistically with the best‐known values. In this research, the methodology was tested by applying it to the problems of capacitated vehicle routing (CVRP) and graph coloring (GCP). The experimental results show that the proposed methodology can improve the performance of the offline hyperheuristic approach, correctly identifying the classes of instances and applying the appropriate heuristics in each case. This is based on the statistical comparison of the results obtained with those of the state of the art of each instance.
Dynamic Behavior of Coal Pillar under Different Load Percentage by Numerical Simulation
Authors: Dong Guo-Wei , Liu Hai-Yang , Zhu Guang-an
Published: April 2021

The stability and dynamic response of coal pillar is of great importance in underground coal mining. In this paper, a series of uniaxial compressive experiments were first carried out to investigate the mechanical properties of coal. Subsequently, a statistical constitutive damage model for coal was proposed and applied to the numerical simulation. The proposed strain damage softening function showed almost the same goodness‐of‐fit on the experimental curve. According to this investigation, a numerical model FLAC3Dwas created to investigate the dynamic behavior of the coal pillar under different load percentage (LP). Modelling suggests that the incident and transmitted wave stress evolution observes similar rule and its process can be divided into three stages, namely, static preload, dynamic disturbance, and stabilized stages. The effects of dynamic disturbance intensity are also studied at 10 MPa, 20 MPa, and 30 MPa of peak stress, respectively. The results indicate that under the same load percentage, the peak incident and transmitted wave stress increase with the increase of dynamic disturbance intensity. On the contrary, the attenuation decreases. It is also observed that the failure zone interior the coal can be predicted by the wave propagation.
Lower-Limb-Assisting Robotic Exoskeleton Reduces Energy Consumption in Healthy Young Persons during Stair Climbing
Authors: Woo Hanseung , Kong Kyoungchul , Rha Dong-wook
Published: April 2021

Many robotic exoskeletons for lower limb assistance aid walking by reducing energy costs. However, investigations examining stair-climbing assistance have remained limited, generally evaluating reduced activation of related muscles. This study sought to investigate how climbing assistance by a robotic exoskeleton affects energy consumption. Ten healthy young participants wearing a robotic exoskeleton that assists flexion and extension of hip and knee joints walked up nine flights of stairs twice at a self-selected speed with and without stair-climbing assistance. Metabolic cost was assessed by measuring oxygen consumption, heart rate, and the time to climb each flight of stairs. Net oxygen cost (NOC) and total heart beats (THB) were used as measures of metabolic cost, accounting for different climbing speeds. Stair-climbing assistance reduced NOC and THB by 9.3% (

P
<
0.001

) and 6.9% (

P
=
0.003

), respectively, without affecting climbing speed. Despite lack of individual optimization, assistive joint torque applied to the hip and knee joints reduced metabolic cost and cardiovascular burden of stair climbing in healthy young males. These results may be used to improve methods for stair ascent assistance.
The Effect of Crank Length Changes from Cycling Rehabilitation on Muscle Behaviors
Authors: Zongxing Lu , Shengxian You , Xiangwen Wei , Xiaohui Chen , Chao Jia
Published: April 2021

Background. Many sports and physical activities can result in lower limb injures. Pedaling is an effective exercise for lower extremity rehabilitation, but incorrect technique may cause further damage. To some extent, previous experiments have been susceptible to bias in the sample recruited for the study. Alternatively, methods used to simulation activities can enable parametric studies without the influence of noise. In addition, models can facilitate the study of all muscles in the absence of the effects of fatigue. This study investigated the effects of crank length on muscle behavior during pedaling. Methods. Six muscles (soleus, tibialis anterior, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius, and rectus femoris), divided into three groups (ankle muscle group, knee muscle group, and biarticular muscle group), were examined under three cycling crank lengths (100 mm, 125 mm, and 150 mm) in the present study. In addition, the relationship between crank length and muscle biological force was analyzed with the AnyBody Modeling System™, a human simulation modeling software based on the Hill-type model. Findings. Based on inverse kinematic analysis, the results indicate that muscle activity and muscle force decrease in varying degrees with increases in crank length. The maximum and minimum muscular forces were attained in the tibialis anterior and vastus lateralis, respectively. Interpretation. Studying the relationship between muscle and joint behavior with crank length can help rehabilitation and treating joint disorders. This study provides the pedal length distribution areas for patients in the early stages of rehabilitation.
A Study of Hexagon Star Network with Vertex‐Edge‐Based Topological Descriptors
Authors: Refaee Eshrag A. , Ahmad Ali
Published: April 2021

There are many network topology designs that have emerged to fulfill the growing need for networks to provide a robust platform for a wide range of applications like running businesses and managing emergencies. Amongst the most famous network topology designs are star network, mesh network, hexagonal network, honeycomb network, etc. In a star network, a central computer is linked with various terminals and other computers over point‐to‐point lines. The other computers and terminals are directly connected to the central computer but not to one another. As such, any failure in the central computer will result in a failure of the entire network and computers in star network will not be able to communicate. The star topology design can be represented by a graph where vertices represent the computer nodes and edges represent the links between the computer nodes. In this paper, we study the vertex‐edge‐based topological descriptor for a newly designed hexagon star network.
A Newton Linearized Crank-Nicolson Method for the Nonlinear Space Fractional Sobolev Equation
Authors: Qin Yifan , Yang Xiaocheng , Ren Yunzhu , Xu Yinghong , Niazi Wahidullah
Published: April 2021

In this paper, one class of finite difference scheme is proposed to solve nonlinear space fractional Sobolev equation based on the Crank-Nicolson (CN) method. Firstly, a fractional centered finite difference method in space and the CN method in time are utilized to discretize the original equation. Next, the existence, uniqueness, stability, and convergence of the numerical method are analyzed at length, and the convergence orders are proved to be

O

τ

2

+

h

2

in the sense of

l

2

-norm,

H

α
/
2

-norm, and

l

∞

-norm. Finally, the extensive numerical examples are carried out to verify our theoretical results and show the effectiveness of our algorithm in simulating spatial fractional Sobolev equation.