bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Body mass index mediates the effect of the DASH diet on hypertension: Common metabolites underlying the association
Authors: Louca Panayiotis , Nogal Ana , Mompeo Olatz , Christofidou Paraskevi , Gibson Rachel , Spector Tim D. , Berry Sarah E. , Valdes Ana M. , Mangino Massimo , Menni Cristina
Published: October 2021

Background

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is beneficial in reducing blood pressure; however, this may be a consequence of concurrent weight reduction. In the present study, we investigated whether body mass index (BMI) mediates the association between the DASH diet and hypertension and investigate common metabolic pathways.

Methods

We included 2424 females from the cross‐sectional TwinsUK cohort, with blood pressure, BMI and dietary intake measured within 1.01 (SD = 0.68) years and serum metabolomics profiling (591 metabolites). We constructed a mediation model to test the mediation effects of BMI on the total effect of the DASH diet on hypertension. To identify a metabolite panel associated with the DASH diet and BMI, we built random forest models for each trait, and selected the common metabolic contributors using five‐fold cross‐validation error.

Results

We found that BMI fully mediates the association between the DASH diet and hypertension, explaining 39.1% of the variance in hypertension. We then identified a panel of six common metabolites predicting both the DASH diet and BMI with opposing effects. Interestingly, at the univariate level, the metabolites were also associated with hypertension in the same direction as BMI. The strongest feature, 1‐nonadecanoyl‐GPC (19:0), was positively associated with the DASH diet (β [SE] = 0.65 [0.12]) and negatively with BMI (β [SE] = −1.34 [0.12]) and hypertension (odds ratio = 0.71, 95% confidence interval = 0.6–0.84).

Conclusions

We highlight the role of BMI in the mechanisms by which the DASH diet influences hypertension and also highlight common metabolic pathways. Further studies should investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms to increase our understanding of the beneficial ways of treating hypertension.
Zinc induces reactive astrogliosis through ERK‐dependent activation of Stat3 and promotes synaptic degeneration
Authors: Huiliang Zhang , Mengzhe Yang , Xiaochuan Wang , Hui Wei , Min Du , Mengqi Wang , Jianzhi Wang , Zhongshan Chen , Caixia Peng , Rong Liu
Published: October 2021

Reactive astrogliosis is an early event in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain and plays a key role in synaptic degeneration in AD development. Zinc accumulates in extracellular fraction and synaptosomes in AD human brains with its effect on reactive astrocytes remaining unknown. Through Western blotting, Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and immunofluorescence detection on primary astrocytes treated by zinc and/or zinc chelator, we revealed that zinc induced harmful A1‐type reactive astrogliosis in cultured primary astrocytes; the latter, promoted synaptic degeneration in primary neurons. The mechanism investigation showed that zinc induced activation of extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK) and Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), which phosphorylated signal transduction and transcription activator 3 (Stat3) at serine 727 (S727‐Stat3) and tyrosine 705 (Y705‐Stat3), respectively, resulting in activation of Stat3. Stat3 phosphorylation at S727 by ERK plays a key role in zinc‐induced astrogliosis. These data imply a new molecular mechanism of reactive astrogliosis in AD, in which excessive zinc activates Stat3 through up‐regulating ERK signaling pathway.

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Proficiency Reporting Practices in Research on Second Language Acquisition: Have We Made any Progress?
Authors: Park Hae In , Solon Megan , Dehghan‐Chaleshtori Marzieh , Ghanbar Hessameddin
Published: October 2021

Given that 10 years have passed since the publication of the most recent synthesis of proficiency assessment standards, the present review revisits proficiency assessment practices in research on second language acquisition (SLA), with the goal of examining whether the way in which scholars measure and report proficiency has changed. Our sample included 500 studies from five major SLA‐related journals published between 2012 and 2019. The findings indicate that whereas over 90% of the studies assessed and reported second language proficiency in some way, only 42% of them did so with an independent measure. In line with previous surveys, the most popular assessment technique was institutional status, suggesting that relatively little change has taken place over time. Use or not of an independent measure of proficiency was also found to differ by certain study characteristics (e.g., learner population, research context), providing insight into areas of focus for future improvement.
Inverse scattering transform for the complex coupled short‐pulse equation
Authors: Gkogkou Aikaterini , Prinari Barbara , Feng Bao‐Feng , Trubatch A. David
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we develop the Riemann–Hilbert approach to the inverse scattering transform (IST) for the complex coupled short‐pulse equation on the line with zero boundary conditions at space infinity, which is a generalization of recent work on the scalar real short‐pulse equation (SPE) and complex short‐pulse equation (cSPE). As a byproduct of the IST, soliton solutions are also obtained. As is often the case, the zoology of soliton solutions for the coupled system is richer than in the scalar case, and it includes both fundamental solitons (the natural, vector generalization of the scalar case), and fundamental breathers (a superposition of orthogonally polarized fundamental solitons, with the same amplitude and velocity but having different carrier frequencies), as well as composite breathers, which still correspond to a minimal set of discrete eigenvalues but cannot be reduced to a simple superposition of fundamental solitons. Moreover, it is found that the same constraint on the discrete eigenvalues which leads to regular, smooth one‐soliton solutions in the complex SPE, also holds in the coupled case, for both a single fundamental soliton and a single fundamental breather, but not, in general, in the case of a composite breather.
A retrospective evaluation of the steroid sparing effects of oral mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) as an adjunct immunosuppressant for the treatment of canine pemphigus foliaceus
Authors: Putra Andhika , Austel Michaela , Banovic Frane
Published: October 2021

Background

Oral mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) currently is considered a low‐risk steroid‐sparing therapeutic option for the management of canine pemphigus foliaceus (PF).

Objectives

This retrospective study evaluates the therapeutic outcomes of dogs with PF treated with the combination of oral MMF and glucocorticoid (GC). Clinical outcomes and adverse side effects are reported.

Animals

Eleven dogs diagnosed with PF.

Materials and methods

Retrospective review of medical records from dogs presented with PF to the dermatology service of a veterinary teaching hospital between 2015 and 2020.

Results

Eleven dogs were identified which had received concurrent GCs and MMF. The MMF dose range was 19.8–45 mg/kg/day. Only two dogs (two of 11) treated with a mean MMF dosage of 39 mg/kg/day along with oral prednisone or dexamethasone achieved complete remission (CR). Partial remission (PR) was achieved in four of 11 dogs who received either prednisone, prednisolone or dexamethasone along with MMF (mean dosage 26 mg/kg/day). Four dogs (four of 11) showed poor response to MMF given at 28.5 mg/kg/day along with prednisone or dexamethasone. In one dog (one of 11) MMF was discontinued due to severe GI upset; transient vomiting and diarrhea was observed in four of 11 dogs. The median duration of MMF therapy in conjunction with GC for all groups was 70.5 days. Tapering of oral GCs while continuing MMF administration at the same dosage and frequency led to recurrence of lesions in all PF patients.

Conclusion

Oral MMF combined with GC achieved CR in two of 11 PF dogs included in this study. Further research of MMF efficacy in PF may need to be performed.
Modeling College Admission as a Signaling Game
Authors: Rekus Joseph , Jiang Yixiao
Published: October 2021

This paper models the college admission process as a signaling game between the admissions office and a pool of heterogeneous applicants characterized by academic abilities and demonstrated interest. In the screening and selection process, applicants attempt to signal their private information through their performance on a standardized test (for academic abilities) and interview (for demonstrated interest).  We show, under general conditions, that a separating equilibrium exists in which it is incentive-compatible for applicants to reveal their characteristics truthfully, and thus the admissions office does not fall victim to the problem of information asymmetry. Furthermore, we delineate how this equilibrium can be induced by setting appropriate “scoring” thresholds associated with standardized tests and interviews.
Effectiveness of reduced- versus standard-dose radiotherapy on survival and radiation-associated toxicity in patients with human papillomavirus–associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Lee Timothy J. , Krishnan Giri , Ooi Eng H. , Barker Timothy H.
Published: October 2021

Objective:

The objective of this review is to investigate overall survival in patients with human papillomavirus positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV+ OPSCC) comparing standard- versus reduced-dose radiotherapy.

Introduction:

The improved survival of patients with HPV+ compared to HPV-negative OPSCC has raised the question of reducing the total radiation treatment dose delivered to patients with HPV+ OPSCC. A de-escalated radiotherapy protocol may provide equal oncological benefit, with reduced adverse events/toxicity.

Inclusion criteria:

We will include any adult patients aged 18years or older who have undergone curative intent treatment for HPV+ OPSCC. These patients can be at any stage at the time treatment is initiated. Exclusion criteria are as follows: pre-clinical or animal studies, patients with non-squamous cell carcinoma lesions of the oropharynx, patients with primary lesions in other head and neck sites, or patients receiving palliative treatment.

Methods:

A three-step search strategy will be used to identify relevant articles for inclusion through MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and gray literature sources. These articles will be assessed against our inclusion and exclusion criteria at the title and abstract level as well as at full-text level. Remaining studies will be critically appraised based on their trial design. Data extraction will occur for all studies and, where possible, will be pooled with statistical meta-analysis.

Systematic review registration number:

PROSPERO CRD42021252161
Biological activities of Annona montana Macfad extracts
Authors: Giraldo Rivera Ana Isabel , Guerrero-Álvarez Gloria Edith
Published: October 2021

Annona montana Macfad is a fruit species of the Annonaceae family. In this study, the phytochemical potential of A. montana seeds was investigated. Ethanol and hexane extracts from seeds were evaluated for cytotoxicity and insecticidal activity, phenolic content, and antioxidant capacity. The latter being related to free radical scavenging activity assay (DPPH) and ferric reducing power (FRAP). Exposing Artemia salina to both seed extract types reveled their high toxicity with a median lethal concentration (LC50) of < 10 μg mL-1. Further A. montana seed insecticidal activity was evaluated against Thrips tabaci L., revealing that the most promising treatments were observed for a concentration of 100 mg L-1 in both extracts. The ethanol extract resulted in a mortality of 67.5 % and the hexane extract in a 53.3 % mortality. The ethanolic extract of A. montana seeds showed the highest total phenolic content: 297.38 mg GAE/100 g of dried extract and 192.66 mg TE/100 g, and 385.46 mg TE/100 g for DPPH and FRAP, respectively. The chemical characterization of both extracts by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed the presence of acetogenins. The results obtained idicate that the A. montana extracts are a promising source of compounds with insecticidal activity.
Morphological characterization of dermal denticles of the Broadnose Sevengill Shark Notorynchus cepedianus (Elasmobranchii: Hexanchidae)
Authors: Kanagusuku Keny , Dufflocq Pablo , Sánchez-Rea Angie , Huamantinco Ana A , Ramírez-Amaro Sergio
Published: October 2021

Shark skin is covered by small structures called dermal denticles whose functions are diverse, such as protection, bioluminescence, hydrodynamics, among other functions. These structures have a great variety of shapes and sizes, which can be a useful approach for specimen identification as diagnostic characters between species. The present study aims to describe the dermal denticles morphology of the broadnose seven-gill shark Notorynchus cepedianus, evaluating differences among life-stage (neonate, juvenile and adult), sex and body region (dorsal and ventral). For achieving it, 39 specimens were collected at six landing points along the Peruvian coast. The dermal denticles from two body regions(dorsal and ventral) were photographed, measured (length, width, angle and density), and described using a stereoscope. Dermal denticles measures showed significant morphological differences between body regions as well as stages of development, but not between sexes. The differences are: (1) Crown shape: as the individual grows, it can be seen that the cross shape is losing, (2) Crown cusps: cusps length varied according to the stage of each individual, it was also observed that the lateral cusps are larger in dorsal than ventral region, and (3) Union peduncle - crown: adult specimens and both body regions, the observed union was very dimly and it did not have a defined shape. On the whole, these reported variations in measured traits could be useful as diagnostic characters to identify the stage of development at which the landed and marketed specimens are found.
Two-Body Abrasive Wear Behavior and Its Correlation With Mechanical Properties of Aged AA6063 Alloy
Authors: Sekhar Aluru Praveen , Das Debdulal
Published: October 2021

This study aims to correlate the abrasive wear performance with mechanical properties, considering AA6063 Al–Mg–Si alloy as the model material. The selected alloy specimens are subjected to artificial ageing at 150 °C for an ageing duration ranging from 1 to 672 h, covering severely under-aged (SUA) to peak-aged (PA) to severely over-aged (SOA) states. Apart from the hardness and tensile properties, two-body abrasive wear properties are also evaluated for differently aged alloys in terms of wear-rate, coefficient of friction, and roughness of the abraded surfaces. Furthermore, the generated wear debris, surface, and subsurface of the abraded specimens are critically examined to reveal the micro-mechanisms of abrasion. The lowest amount of wear-rate is observed for a PA alloy with maximum hardness, while the OA alloy exhibits a slightly lower wear-rate than the UA alloy at a similar level of hardness. Statistical analyses of wear-rate and various mechanical properties of all heat-treated alloys establish a strong negative linear correlation between the wear-rate and hardness, yield strength, tensile strength, and strength coefficient, whereas a positive linear correlation with the strain hardening exponent. Relationships between wear-rate and different roughness parameters are also discussed. Under the investigated wear condition, the aged alloys endure significant plastic deformation; micro-plowing, micro-cutting, and delamination are found to be the predominant mechanisms during abrasion.
Restoring Global Gene Regulation through Experimental Evolution Uncovers a NAP (Nucleoid-Associated Protein)-Like Behavior of Crp/Cap
Authors: Heyde Sophia A. H. , Frendorf Pernille O. , Lauritsen Ida , Nørholm Morten H. H.
Published: October 2021

Here we report that mutations in the
topA
gene compensate for loss of cAMP, showing that the interplay between Crp and the supercoiling status of promoters is key to global stress response. Furthermore, we observed an effect of apoCrp on gene expression in the absence of its effector cAMP. This provides support for the proposed NAP-like role for Crp, suggesting that it represents an intermediate point in the evolution of a ligand-controlled TF from a NAP.
Discrimination of Bacterial Community Structures among Healthy, Gingivitis, and Periodontitis Statuses through Integrated Metatranscriptomic and Network Analyses
Authors: Nemoto Takashi , Shiba Takahiko , Komatsu Keiji , Watanabe Takayasu , Shimogishi Masahiro , Shibasaki Masaki , Koyanagi Tatsuro , Nagai Takahiko , Katagiri Sayaka , Takeuchi Yasuo , Iwata Takanori
Published: October 2021

The characteristics of the periodontal microbiome influence clinical periodontal status. Gingivitis involves reversible gingival inflammation without alveolar bone resorption.
Self-reported cataract surgery and 10-year all-cause and cause-specific mortality: findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Authors: Chen Yifan , Wang Wei , Liao Huan , Shi Danli , Tan Zachary , Shang Xianwen , Zhang Xueli , Huang Yu , Deng Qingrong , Yu Honghua , Yang Xiaohong , He Mingguang , Zhu Zhuoting
Published: October 2021

Purpose

To investigate the association of self-reported cataract surgery with all-cause and cause-specific mortality using a large-scale population-based sample.

Methods

Data from the 1999–2008 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. A self-reported history of cataract surgery was considered a surrogate for the presence of clinically significant cataract surgery. Mortality data were ascertained from National Death Index records. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for survival were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models.

Results

A total of 14 918 participants were included in the analysis. During a median follow-up of 10.8 (Interquartile range, IQR, 8.25–13.7) years, 3966 (19.1%) participants died. Participants with self-reported cataract surgery were more likely to die from all causes and specific causes (vascular disease, cancer, accident, Alzheimer’s disease, respiratory disease, renal disease and others) compared with those without (all Ps <0.05). The association between self-reported cataract surgery and all-cause mortality remained significant after multiple adjustments (HR=1.13; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.26). For cause-specific mortality, multivariable Cox models showed that self-reported cataract surgery predicted a 36% higher risk of vascular-related mortality (HR=1.36; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.82). The association with other specific causes of mortality did not reach statistical significance after multiple adjustments.

Conclusions

This study found significant associations of self-reported cataract surgery with all-cause and vascular mortalities. Our findings provide potential insights into the pathogenic pathways underlying cataract.
Adversity during military service: the impact of military sexual trauma, emotional bullying and physical assault on the mental health and well-being of women veterans
Authors: Hendrikx Laura Josephine , Williamson V , Murphy D
Published: October 2021

Introduction

Despite making up about 11% of the UK military, there remains limited investigation on the impact of adversity women experience during their service in the UK military. Military adversity can result in a range of well-being difficulties that may persist following transition out of military. The present study therefore examined the prevalence and correlates of different types of military adversity (defined as sexual harassment, sexual assault, emotional bullying and physical assault) within a community sample of UK women veterans.

Methods

Participants were recruited from a UK charity supporting women veterans. 750 women veterans completed an online survey collecting information on sociodemographic and military factors, military adversity, as well as mental health and well-being difficulties. Associations between variables were explored using multivariate logistic regressions.

Results

The findings indicate a high prevalence of military adversity (22.5% sexual harassment, 5.1% sexual assault, 22.7% emotional bullying and 3.3% physical assault). Younger women, those who held an officer rank during service and those who reported having a combat or combat support role during service were most at risk of military adversity. All types of adversity were significantly associated with probable post-traumatic stress disorder. Sexual harassment was additionally significantly associated with physical somatisation; sexual assault with alcohol difficulties; and emotional bullying with common mental health difficulties, low social support and loneliness.

Conclusions

This study indicates that UK women veterans are at risk of a range of adverse experiences during military service and provides evidence of the impact of such adversities on mental health and well-being. Further research is required to better understand these relationships.
Why the term ‘persistent therapy’ is not worse than the term ‘medical futility’
Authors: Ferdynus Marcin Paweł
Published: October 2021

The discussion around the use of the term ‘medical futility’ began in the late 1980s. The Polish Working Group on End-of-Life Ethics (PWG) joined this discussion in 2008. They offered their own approach to the issues regarding medical futility based on the category of persistent therapy. According to the PWG, ‘persistent therapy is the use of medical procedures to maintain the life function of the terminally ill in a way that prolongs their dying, introducing excessive suffering or violating their dignity’. In this paper I attempt to show that the term ‘persistent therapy’ is neither worse nor better than the term ‘medical futility’, but it captures different aspects and nuances. Additionally, the Polish social and religious background plays a significant role in shaping the category of persistent therapy.
Cross section of D-mesons production via the c-quark fragmentation process at next-to-leading order accuracy in pp collisions at the 7TeV LHC
Authors: Dadfar S. , Zarrin S.
Published: October 2021

In this paper, the differential cross section of charmed mesons production ($$D_{s}^{\pm }$$Ds±,$$D^{0}$$D0,$$D^{*}$$D∗and$$D^{*\pm }$$D∗±and$$D^{\pm }$$D±) are computed as a function of transverse momentum$$p_{T}$$pTand the total cross sections. The hadronization mechanism is considered via a fragmentation process of acheavy quark to a light-heavy meson according to Suzuki’s model. The two-cutoff phase-space slicing method has been applied to calculate the phase-space integral of two- and three-body subprocess cross sections and fragmentation function (FF) at next-to-leading order (NLO) accuracy. By using Monte Carlo (MC) techniques, we try to properly estimate the ratio of neutral to chargedD-meson production$$R_{u/d}$$Ru/dand the strangeness-suppression factor$$\gamma _{s}$$γs. Our numerical results show that the NLO corrections of the FF have significant effect onD-mesons production and enhance the cross section ratio at NLO respect to leading order (LO) about$$50\%$$50%. A comparison indicates that our cross section results are in agreement (within uncertainties) with available data from ATLAS and ALICE and theoretical predictions of the fixed-order next-to-leading-logarithm (FONLL) approach and NLO parton-shower MC simulation (MC@NLO) in high-energy proton–proton (pp) collisions at$$\sqrt{s}=7TeV$$s=7TeV.
Bound and scattering states solutions of the Klein–Gordon equation with the attractive radial potential in higher dimensions
Authors: Okorie U. S. , Ikot A. N. , Onate C. A. , Onyeaju M. C. , Rampho G. J.
Published: October 2021

In this study, the Klein–Gordon equation (KGE) is solved with the attractive radial potential using the Nikiforov–Uvarov-functional-analysis (NUFA) method in higher dimensions. By employing the Greene–Aldrich approximation scheme, the approximate bound state energy equations as well as the corresponding radial wave function are obtained in closed form. Also, the expression for the scattering phase shift is obtained in D-dimensions. The effects of the screening parameter and the total angular momentum quantum number on the bound state energy and the scattering states’ phase shift are also studied numerically and graphically at different dimensions. An interesting result of this study is the inter-dimensional degeneracy symmetry for scattering phase shift. Hence, this concept is applicable in the areas of nuclear and particle physics.
Design of evolutionary cubic spline intelligent solver for nonlinear Painlevé-I transcendent
Authors: Ali Sharafat , Ahmad Iftikhar , Raja Muhammad Asif Zahoor , Ahmad Siraj ul Islam , Shoaib Muhammad
Published: October 2021

In this research paper, an innovative bio-inspired algorithm based on evolutionary cubic splines method (CSM) has been utilized to estimate the numerical results of nonlinear ordinary differential equation Painlevé-I. The computational mechanism is used to support the proposed technique CSM and optimize the obtained results with global search technique genetic algorithms (GAs) hybridized with sequential quadratic programming (SQP) for quick refinement. Painlevé-I is solved by the proposed technique CSM-GASQP. In this process, variation of splines is implemented for various scenarios. The CSM-GASQP produces an interpolated function that is continuous upto its second derivative. Also, splines proved to be stable than a single polynomial fitted to all points, and reduce wiggles between the tabulated points. This method provides a reliable and excellent procedure for adaptation of unknown coefficients of splines by searching globally exploiting the performance of GA-SQP algorithms. The convergence, exactness and accuracy of the proposed scheme are examined through the statistical analysis for the several independent runs.
IMPACT OF THE SAME DEGENERATE ADDITIVE NOISE ON A COUPLED SYSTEM OF FRACTIONAL SPACE DIFFUSION EQUATIONS
Authors: MOHAMMED WAEL W. , IQBAL NAVEED
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we present a class of stochastic system of fractional space diffusion equations forced by additive noise. Our goal here is to approximate the solutions of this system via a system of ordinary differential equations. Moreover, we study the influence of the same degenerate additive noise on the stability of the solutions of the stochastic system of fractional diffusion equations. We are interested in the systems that have nonlinear polynomial and give applications as Lotka–Volterra system from biology and the Brusselator model for the Belousov–Zhabotinsky chemical reaction from chemistry to illustrate our results.
Firefly Algorithm Optimized Functional Link Artificial Neural Network for ISA-Radar Image Recognition
Authors: Elyounsi Asma , Tlijani Hatem , Bouhlel Mohamed Salim
Published: October 2021

Traditional neural networks are very diverse and have been used during the last decades in the fields of data classification. These networks like MLP, back propagation neural networks (BPNN) and feed forward network have shown inability to scale with problem size and with the slow convergence rate. So in order to overcome these numbers of drawbacks, the use of higher order neural networks (HONNs) becomes the solution by adding input units along with a stronger functioning of other neural units in the network and transforms easily these input units to hidden layers. In this paper, a new metaheuristic method, Firefly (FFA), is applied to calculate the optimal weights of the Functional Link Artificial Neural Network (FLANN) by using the flashing behavior of fireflies in order to classify ISA-Radar target. The average classification result of FLANN-FFA which reached 96% shows the efficiency of the process compared to other tested methods.
Electrochemical Determination of Hydrogen Peroxide Based on the Synergistic Effect of Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon/Carbon Nanohybrid Aerogel
Authors: Zhu Yanfei , Wang Baichen , Li Wei , Gao Yu
Published: October 2021

In this paper, a new hydrogen peroxide electrochemical sensor based on the synergistic modification of nitrogen-doped porous carbon (NPC) and carbon nanohybrid aerogel (CNA) is proposed. NPC has been successfully synthesized from porous polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor by pre-oxidation to obtain adequate pyridinic-N, which contributes to enhance the electrocatalytic activity. Simultaneously, CNA has been also prepared by self-assembly in a hydrothermal environment without any interference followed by vacuum freeze drying. The final products were characterized by diversiform techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). The results showed that the NPC with 23.18% pyridinic-N exhibited well-defined and interconnected three-dimensional (3D) porous microstructure and CNA which encapsulates [Formula: see text]-Fe2O3 particles was obtained. The sensor fabricated by NPC and CNA delivered a wide linear range from 60[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M to 1680[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M ([Formula: see text]) and 1680[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M to 3335[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M ([Formula: see text]) with sensitivities of 3.98[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]A mM[Formula: see text] and 5.56[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]A mM[Formula: see text], respectively. Furthermore, the obtained sensor showed low detection limit (4.478[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M, [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text]), good selectivity and repeatability, rapid response and satisfying practicability.
Differentiated influence of the double porosity of the chalk on solute and heat transport
Authors: Hoffmann Richard , Goderniaux Pascal , Jamin Pierre , Orban Philippe , Brouyère Serge , Dassargues Alain
Published: October 2021

Chalk porosity plays a decisive role in the transport of solutes and heat in saturated chalk. From a geological point of view, there are at least two types of porosity: the porosity of pores corresponding to the micro-spaces between the fossil coccoliths that form the chalk matrix and the porosity owing to the micro- and macro-fractures (i.e. secondary porosity). For groundwater flow, the fracture porosity is a determining factor at the macroscopic scale. The multiscale heterogeneity of the porous/fractured chalk induces different effects on solute and heat transport. For solute transport considered at the macroscopic scale, tracer tests have shown that the ‘effective transport porosity’ is substantially lower than the ‘effective drainable porosity’. Moreover, breakthrough curves of tracer tests show an important influence of diffusion in a large portion of the ‘immobile water’ (‘matrix diffusion’) together with rapid preferential advection through the fractures. For heat transport, the matrix diffusion in the ‘immobile water’ of the chalk is hard to distinguish from conduction within the saturated chalk.
Doctor's Dilemma: Evaluating an Explainable Subtractive Spatial Lightweight Convolutional Neural Network for Brain Tumor Diagnosis
Authors: Kumar Ambeshwar , Manikandan Ramachandran , Kose Utku , Gupta Deepak , Satapathy Suresh C.
Published: October 2021

In Medicine Deep Learning has become an essential tool to achieve outstanding diagnosis on image data. However, one critical problem is that Deep Learning comes with complicated, black-box models so it is not possible to analyze their trust level directly. So, Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) methods are used to build additional interfaces for explaining how the model has reached the outputs by moving from the input data. Of course, that's again another competitive problem to analyze if such methods are successful according to the human view. So, this paper comes with two important research efforts: (1) to build an explainable deep learning model targeting medical image analysis, and (2) to evaluate the trust level of this model via several evaluation works including human contribution. The target problem was selected as the brain tumor classification, which is a remarkable, competitive medical image-based problem for Deep Learning. In the study, MR-based pre-processed brain images were received by the Subtractive Spatial Lightweight Convolutional Neural Network (SSLW-CNN) model, which includes additional operators to reduce the complexity of classification. In order to ensure the explainable background, the model also included Class Activation Mapping (CAM). It is important to evaluate the trust level of a successful model. So, numerical success rates of the SSLW-CNN were evaluated based on the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), computational time, computational overhead, and brain tumor classification accuracy. The objective of the proposed SSLW-CNN model is to obtain faster and good tumor classification with lesser time. The results illustrate that the SSLW-CNN model provides better performance of PSNR which is enhanced by 8%, classification accuracy is improved by 33%, computation time is reduced by 19%, computation overhead is decreased by 23%, and classification time is minimized by 13%, as compared to state-of-the-art works. Because the model provided good numerical results, it was then evaluated in terms of XAI perspective by including doctor-model based evaluations such as feedback CAM visualizations, usability, expert surveys, comparisons of CAM with other XAI methods, and manual diagnosis comparison. The results show that the SSLW-CNN provides good performance on brain tumor diagnosis and ensures a trustworthy solution for the doctors.
Bug Localization in Model-Based Systems in the Wild
Authors: Arcega Lorena , Font Jaime , Haugen Øystein , Cetina Carlos
Published: October 2021

The companies that have adopted the Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) paradigm have the advantage of working at a high level of abstraction. Nevertheless, they have the disadvantage of the lack of tools available to perform bug localization at the model level. In addition, in an MDE context, a bug can be related to different MDE artefacts, such as design-time models, model transformations, or run-time models. Starting the bug localization in the wrong place or with the wrong tool can lead to a result that is unsatisfactory. We evaluate how to apply the existing model-based approaches in order to mitigate the effect of starting the localization in the wrong place. We also take into account that software engineers can refine the results at different stages. In our evaluation, we compare different combinations of the application of bug localization approaches and human refinement. The combination of our approaches plus manual refinement obtains the best results. We performed a statistical analysis to provide evidence of the significance of the results. The conclusions obtained from this evaluation are: humans have to be involved at the right time in the process (or results can even get worse), and artefact-independence can be achieved without worsening the results.
Hypomimia Recognition in Parkinson’s Disease With Semantic Features
Authors: Su Ge , Lin Bo , Luo Wei , Yin Jianwei , Deng Shuiguang , Gao Honghao , Xu Renjun
Published: October 2021

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, commonly affecting elderly people over the age of 65. As the cardinal manifestation, hypomimia, referred to as impairments in normal facial expressions, stays covert. Even some experienced doctors may miss these subtle changes, especially in a mild stage of this disease. The existing methods for hypomimia recognition are mainly dominated by statistical variable-based methods with the help of traditional machine learning algorithms. Despite the success of recognizing hypomimia, they show a limited accuracy and lack the capability of performing semantic analysis. Therefore, developing a computer-aided diagnostic method for semantically recognizing hypomimia is appealing. In this article, we propose a
Semantic Feature based Hypomimia Recognition network
, named
SFHR-NET
, to recognize hypomimia based on facial videos. First, a
Semantic Feature Classifier (SF-C)
is proposed to adaptively adjust feature maps salient to hypomimia, which leads the encoder and classifier to focus more on areas of hypomimia-interest. In SF-C, the
progressive confidence strategy (PCS)
ensures more reliable semantic features. Then, a two-stream framework is introduced to fuse the spatial data stream and temporal optical stream, which allows the encoder to semantically and progressively characterize the rigid process of hypomimia. Finally, to improve the interpretability of the model,
Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM)
is integrated to generate attention maps that cast our engineered features into hypomimia-interest regions. These highlighted regions provide visual explanations for decisions of our network. Experimental results based on real-world data demonstrate the effectiveness of our method in detecting hypomimia.
Bayesian Surface Warping Approach for Rectifying Geological Boundaries Using Displacement Likelihood and Evidence from Geochemical Assays
Authors: Leung Raymond , Lowe Alexander , Chlingaryan Anna , Melkumyan Arman , Zigman John
Published: October 2021

This article presents a Bayesian framework for manipulating mesh surfaces with the aim of improving the positional integrity of the geological boundaries that they seek to represent. The assumption is that these surfaces, created initially using sparse data, capture the global trend and provide a reasonable approximation of the stratigraphic, mineralization, and other types of boundaries for mining exploration, but they are locally inaccurate at scales typically required for grade estimation. The proposed methodology makes local spatial corrections automatically to maximize the agreement between the modeled surfaces and observed samples. Where possible, vertices on a mesh surface are moved to provide a clear delineation, for instance, between ore and waste material across the boundary based on spatial and compositional analysis using assay measurements collected from densely spaced, geo-registered blast holes. The maximum a posteriori (MAP) solution ultimately considers the chemistry observation likelihood in a given domain. Furthermore, it is guided by an a priori spatial structure that embeds geological domain knowledge and determines the likelihood of a displacement estimate. The results demonstrate that increasing surface fidelity can significantly improve grade estimation performance based on large-scale model validation.
Insects as an Alternative Protein Source
Authors: Liceaga Andrea M. , Aguilar-Toalá José Eleazar , Vallejo-Cordoba Belinda , González-Córdova Aarón F. , Hernández-Mendoza Adrián
Published: October 2021

The recent COVID-19 pandemic drastically affected food supply chains worldwide, showing the vulnerability of food security. Efforts to develop alternative protein sources that are sustainable and can help alleviate global food shortage problems should be prioritized. Insects have been part of our diet for thousands of years and still are today, and market trends show a global increase in the number of food-grade insect producers. The global market for edible insects has been forecasted to reach US$8 billion by the year 2030. Insects are highly nutritious and have bioactive peptides with potential therapeutic effects. This review provides an overview of the consumption of insects from ancient to modern times, discusses the rationale for using insects as alternative protein sources, and presents a summary of the major insects consumed worldwide as well as a brief description of the traditional and novel technologies currently used to process insects and/or extract their nutritional components.
Mechanical Responses of a Deeply Buried Granite Exposed to Multilevel Uniaxial and Triaxial Cyclic Stresses: Insights into Deformation Behavior, Energy Dissipation, and Hysteresis
Authors: Song Zhengyang , Wu Yunfeng , Yang Zhen , Cai Xin , Jia Yunzhong , Zhang Min
Published: October 2021

This article presents the results for cyclic uni/triaxial tests on the deeply seated granite samples drilled from a −915 m deep tunnel in Sanshandao (SSD) gold mine. The monotonic and cyclic tests were carried out to observe the mechanical responses of the granite samples under different loading regimes. The disparities concerning the strain evolution and compressive strength of granite samples considering monotonic and cyclic uniaxial and triaxial loading are presented. Deformation behaviour, dissipated energy, and hysteresis are documented and evaluated. Quantitative correlations between strain evolution and cyclic stress levels are revealed. The amount of energy transformation during uniaxial and triaxial cyclic loading is determined. The impacts of confining pressure level on ultimate strain, energy dissipation, and stress‐strain phase shift are presented. The mechanical responses of the granite samples subjected to different stress paths and loading strategies are summarised, and corresponding interpretations are given to clarify the differences of mechanical behaviour encountered in distinct loading methods.
Intra-Articular Injection of PRP in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis Using Big Data
Authors: Lin Zhijin , He Ling
Published: October 2021

Observing data on the characteristics of intra-articular injection of sodium citrate for knee osteoarthritis is an important reference value for human safety and evacuation design. To address the problems of slow data collection and poor accuracy of results of knee osteoarthritis behavior, under intensive conditions of intra-articular injection for knee osteoarthritis, this paper designs a data mining-based feature extraction system for intra-articular injection of sodium citrate for knee osteoarthritis. Using the Hadoop architecture, we extract the basic data of human behavior in the two-dimensional plane by storing and stitching the collected continuous data and discriminate the behavioral categories of knee osteoarthritis. We collected a real dataset from 84 patients with knee osteoarthritis treated in our hospital from October 2019 to October 2020. The dataset was divided into 42 patients in the tretinoin group and 42 patients in the sodium glutamate group according to the randomized number table method. The trimethoprim group was treated with intra-articular injection of trimethoprim, and the sodium citrate group was treated with intra-articular injection of sodium citrate. The clinical efficacy, joint mobility, intra-articular fluid volume, Lysholm score of knee joint, numerical pain intensity scale (NRS) score, and adverse effects of the two groups were compared before and after treatment. In our experiments, we observed that, compared with triamcinolone acetonide intra-articular injection, sodium hyaluronate intra-articular injection is more effective in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. It can effectively improve knee function and reduce pain and adverse reactions.
The Association between the Serum Uric Acid Level and Hypertension in Middle-Aged and Elderly Adults
Authors: Xu Xianpeng , Huang Jinke , Wu Simin , Ji Qingjie , Guo Xuguang , Huang Yong
Published: October 2021

Background. Studies on serum uric acid (sUA) levels and hypertension (HTN) are controversial. To investigate the association between the sUA level and the incident of HTN in middle-aged and elderly adults, we performed this study. Methods. 6399 participants aged ≥40 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were included. Weighted multiple logistic regression analysis was carried out to evaluate the relationship between the sUA level and the incident of HTN, exploring the potential nonlinear relationship using the fitted smoothing curves. If nonlinearity was observed, the inflection point was further calculated by a recursive algorithm. Results. A positive relationship between the sUA level and the incident of HTN was found. However, it may differ in different race groups, nor between male and female. Moreover, the association between the sUA level and the incident of HTN followed a U-shaped curve in male (turning point: sUA 4.1 mg/dL) and Whites (turning point: sUA 7.9 mg/dL). Conclusions. The results revealed that the sUA level is positively correlated with the incident of HTN, in middle-aged and elderly adults. However, it followed a U-shaped curve in males and Whites.
Redundancy Removal Adversarial Active Learning Based on Norm Online Uncertainty Indicator
Authors: Guo Jifeng , Pang Zhiqi , Sun Wenbo , Li Shi , Chen Yu
Published: October 2021

Active learning aims to select the most valuable unlabelled samples for annotation. In this paper, we propose a redundancy removal adversarial active learning (RRAAL) method based on norm online uncertainty indicator, which selects samples based on their distribution, uncertainty, and redundancy. RRAAL includes a representation generator, state discriminator, and redundancy removal module (RRM). The purpose of the representation generator is to learn the feature representation of a sample, and the state discriminator predicts the state of the feature vector after concatenation. We added a sample discriminator to the representation generator to improve the representation learning ability of the generator and designed a norm online uncertainty indicator (Norm‐OUI) to provide a more accurate uncertainty score for the state discriminator. In addition, we designed an RRM based on a greedy algorithm to reduce the number of redundant samples in the labelled pool. The experimental results on four datasets show that the state discriminator, Norm‐OUI, and RRM can improve the performance of RRAAL, and RRAAL outperforms the previous state‐of‐the‐art active learning methods.
Effect of a Care Bundle Combined with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure in the Postanesthesia Care Unit on Rapid Recovery after Pulmonary Tumor Resection
Authors: Yan Yongxiang , Luo Jianwei , Pei Liuming , Zeng Jianfeng , Yan Wenchan , Xu Dongni , Lin Shaoman , Wu Xiangbo , Zhao Haixuan , Liang Sihua
Published: October 2021

Objective. To study the effect of a care bundle combined with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) on rapid recovery after pulmonary tumor resection. Methods. A total of 135 patients requiring anesthesia resuscitation after pulmonary tumor resection in our hospital from June 2020 to February 2021 were selected. They were randomly divided into three groups: the PACU experimental group, PACU control group, and operating room resuscitation (OR) group. Subsequently, their intraoperative clinical symptoms, parameters in monitoring postoperative respiratory status, and follow-up results were compared among the three groups. Results. The PACU experimental group had the highest number of right lesions, while the OR group had the highest intraoperative blood transfusion volume, urine volume, intraoperative colloid volume, intrapulmonary shunt, and intraoperative physician handover rate (

P
<
0.05

). Before surgery, serum potassium (K) in the PACU experimental group was significantly higher than that in the OR group but lower than that in the PACU control group (

P
<
0.01

). During the time in the PACU, blood partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) and oxygen index (OI) levels in the PACU experimental group were significantly higher than those in the other groups (

P
<
0.01

). After surgery, total PACU stay time, time from PACU to extubation, and stay after extubation were markedly reduced in the PACU experimental group (

P
<
0.05

). The highest number of patients with drainage was found in the PACU experimental group, while the highest number of patients without drainage was found in the PACU control group. Conclusion. A care bundle combined with CPAP in the PACU can improve the monitoring time of respiratory status and improve blood gas parameters, thus accelerating the postoperative rehabilitation process of patients undergoing pulmonary tumor resection.