bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Flexible‐Rigid Wheelset Introduced Dynamic Effects due to Wheel Tread Flat
Authors: Momhur Awel , Zhao Y. X. , Li Wen-Quan , Sun Ya-Zhou , Zou Xiao-Long
Published: September 2021

The widespread faults that occur in railway wheels and can cause a massive dynamic impact are the wheel tread flat. The current work considered changes in vehicle speed or wheel radius deviation and studied the dynamic impact load. The modal technique for the impact evaluation induced by the wheel flat was proposed via the finite element analysis (FEA) software package ANSYS, integrated into a multibody dynamics model of the high‐speed train CRH2A (EMU) through SIMPACK. The irregularity track line has developed and depends on the selected simulation data points. Additionally, a statistical approach is designed to analyze the dynamic impact load response and effect and consider different wheel flat lengths and vehicle speeds. The train speed influence on the flat size of the vertical wheel‐rail impact response and the statistical approach are discussed based on flexible, rigid wheelsets. The results show that the rigid wheel flat has the highest vertical wheel impact load and is more significant than the flexible wheel flat force. The consequences suggest that the wheelset flexibility can significantly improve vertical acceleration comparably to the rigid wheel flats. In addition, the rendering of the statistical approach shows that the hazard rate, PDF, and CDF influence increase when the flat wheel length increases.
Interfacial Bond Properties between Normal Strength Concrete and Epoxy Resin Concrete
Authors: Sun Nannan , Song Yifan , Hou Wei , Zhang Hanhao , Wu Datong , Li Yuan , Gong Yuan
Published: September 2021

It is necessary to pay attention to the bonding strength of the interface between precast normal strength concrete (NSC) and cast‐in‐place epoxy resin concrete (EMR) when using EMR as a repair or filling material or an overlay in bridges’ rehabilitation. However, the performances of epoxy concrete are different due to differential mix ratios; thus, the bonding properties between various epoxy resin concrete and cement concrete are not completely the same. This article investigated the interfacial bond properties between NSC and ERC by direct tensile, push‐out, and slant shear test with specimens of special size and structure and observed the interfacial bond strength and corresponding failure modes. The minimum bond strength under direct tension was 0.72 MPa, while the minimum bond strength was 1.71 MPa and 3.19 MPa for the push‐out test and slant shear test, respectively. Results indicated that the slant shear test specimens with an inclination angle of 45° are not suitable for the slant shear test due to higher compressive stress. Furthermore, the cohesion and friction coefficient of interface bond strength were calculated inversely in accordance with the results obtained from the corresponding direct tensile and slant shear tests. The minimum cohesion value was 1.71 MPa, and the minimum friction coefficient value was 0.46.
Facial Expression Recognition Method Combined with Attention Mechanism
Authors: Chen Ming , Cheng Junqiang , Zhang Zhifeng , Li Yuhua , Zhang Yi
Published: September 2021

Aiming at the slow speed and low accuracy of traditional facial expression recognition, a new method combining the attention mechanism is proposed. Firstly, group convolution is used to reduce network parameters. The channels of traditional convolution are grouped to cut off redundant connections so that the number of parameters decreases significantly. Secondly, the ERFNet network model was improved by combining the asymmetric residual module and the weak bottleneck module to improve the running speed and reduce the loss of accuracy. Finally, the attention mechanism was added into the feature extraction network to improve the recognition precision. The experiment shows that compared with traditional face recognition methods, the proposed method can improve the recognition precision and recall significantly; in CK+, Jaffe, and Fer2013 datasets, the recognition precision can reach 88.81%, 82.16%, and 79.33%, respectively.
Damage Detection in Different Types of 3D Asymmetric Buildings Using Vibration Characteristics
Authors: Wang Yi , Xiang Ziru , Gu Zhenyuan , Zhu Chenhui , Qian Wangping
Published: September 2021

This paper treats the vibration characteristics of three different types of asymmetric buildings and investigates the feasibility of applying an innovative vibration‐based multicriteria approach‐based damage index (MCA‐DI) technique to detect the damage. This technique combines a modified form of the traditional modal strain energy method (MSEM) developed by decomposing the mode shapes into lateral and vertical components together with a modified form of the modal flexibility method to define a new damage indicator. Lastly, the dynamic behavior of three asymmetric building instances, including a 10‐storey L‐shaped structure, a 10‐storey setback structure, and a 6‐storey reinforced concrete structure with an unsymmetrical distribution of columns, was studied under five different damage scenarios. The results showed that despite different vibration characteristics of these three asymmetric buildings, the proposed method was able to accurately and effectively locate all damages and eliminate the confusion when more than one index is simultaneously used by using only the first a few modes.
Study of the Effect of Nutrient Environment on the Biological Characteristics of Fusarium solani Clinical Corneal Isolates
Authors: Jing Dalan , Li Yingyu , Liu Ziyuan , Huang Chen , Zhang Pei , Wang Wei
Published: September 2021

Purpose. The biological characteristics of Fusarium solani clinical corneal isolates growing in different nutritional conditions in vitro were studied in order to find out the key point of pathogenicity. Methods. Five kinds of media with different glucose and nitrogen concentrations were prepared as the liquid and solid forms. The clinical isolates were as follows: 2 Fusarium solani strains. The clinical corneal isolates and the standard strains were inoculated in the solid and liquid media. They were all incubated at 296 for 96 h and observed at defined time points. The optical density was recorded to generate the growth curves in liquid media. Morphologic changes of colonies in the solid media were determined under the light microscope. Results. The clinical isolates of Fusarium solani showed stronger reproductive capacity in the abominable nutritional condition. Besides, when the glucose concentration in the medium was consistent with the glucose concentration of aqueous in diabetic patients, the clinical isolates would show the biological features of quicker growth rate and stronger reproductive capacity. Conclusions. Nitrogen source is essential for fungus reproduction. The clinical isolates showed stronger environmental adaptability under different nutritional conditions and more sensitive to environmental changes.
The Quasi-Optimal Radial Basis Function Collocation Method: A Technical Note
Authors: Zhang Juan , Sun Mei , Hou Enran , Ma Zhaoxing
Published: September 2021

The traditional radial basis function parameter controls the flatness of these functions and influences the precision and stability of approximation solution. The coupled radial basis function, which is based on the infinitely smooth radial basis functions and the conical spline, achieves an accurate and stable numerical solution, while the shape parameter values are almost independent. In this paper, we give a quasi-optimal conical spline which can improve the numerical results. Besides, we consider the collocation points in the Chebyshev-type which improves solution accuracy of the method with no additional computational cost.
Sports Training Teaching Device Based on Big Data and Cloud Computing
Authors: Chao Gexin , Gang Wu
Published: September 2021

With the advent of the era of big data (BD), people have higher requirements for information, knowledge, and technology. Taking the Internet as the carrier, the use of cloud computing technology for distance education has become a trend. Our country’s physical training teaching has also begun to change from traditional mode to modern mode. In order to improve the overall quality of our country’s national sports, this paper studies the teaching device of sports training based on BD and cloud computing. This article mainly uses the questionnaire survey method, the experimental analysis method, the data analysis method, and the data statistics method to have an in-depth understanding of the research theme and uses swimming as an example to design the sports training device. 52% of people think that water in the ears and itching during swimming are more serious problems. After further understanding, an experimental design was carried out. Experimental studies have shown that the combination of BD and cloud computing can effectively solve the problems existing in the traditional teaching model, so as to achieve the goal of efficient and rapid development.
Design of the Exercise Load Data Monitoring System for Exercise Training Based on the Neural Network
Authors: Qin Panlong , Feng Wei
Published: September 2021

In order to monitor the sports load data of athletes in sports training, this paper studies the methods and systems of sports load monitoring and fatigue warning based on neural network technology. In this paper, the neural network parallel optimization algorithm based on big data is used to accurately estimate the motion load and intensity according to the determined motion mode and acceleration data, so as to realize the real-time monitoring of the exercise training. The results show that the value of η is usually small to ensure that the weight correction can truly follow the direction of the gradient descent. In this paper, 176 samples were extracted from the monitoring data collected by the “National Tennis Team Information Platform,” 160 of which were selected as training samples and the other 16 as test samples. Ant colony size M = 20. The minimum value Wmin of the weight interval is −2, and the maximum value Wmax is 2. The maximum number of iterations is set to 200. σ = 1; that is, only one optimal solution is retained. The domain is divided into 60 parts evenly; that is, r = 60. Generally, η can be taken as any number [28] between [10-3, 10], but the value is usually small to ensure that the weight correction can truly follow the direction of the gradient descent. In this paper, the value is 0.003. In the early warning stage of exercise fatigue, reasonable measurement units of exercise fatigue time were divided according to the characteristics of different exercise items. It is proved that the Bayesian classification algorithm can effectively avoid the sports injury caused by overtraining by warning the fatigue and preventing the sports injury caused by overtraining.
Effects and Mechanism of Zishen Jiangtang Pill on Diabetic Osteoporosis Rats Based on Proteomic Analysis
Authors: Chu Shufang , Liu Deliang , Zhao Hengxia , Shao Mumin , Liu Xuemei , Qu Xin , Li Zengying , Li Jinhua , Li Huilin
Published: September 2021

Context. Zishen Jiangtang Pill (ZJP) is a Chinese herbal compound, which has a positive therapeutic effect on diabetic osteoporosis (DOP) by regulating glucose metabolism and bone metabolism. However, its regulatory role and mechanism are still unclear. Objective. To explore the effect and mechanism of ZJP on DOP rats by proteomic analysis. Materials and Methods. After the establishment of diabetes model by Streptozocin (STZ, 60 mg/kg), 40 Wistar rats were equally divided into normal group, model group (diabetic rats), high-dose group (3.0 g/kg/d ZJP), and low-dose group (1.5 g/kg/d ZJP) and received treatment for 3 months. Histological changes in bone and pancreas tissues were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining, electron microscopy, and immunofluorescence. Proteomic and bioinformatic analyses were performed to identify the differentially expressed proteins. The fingerprint and active ingredients of ZJP were identified via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results. Compared with the model group, ZJP could rescue the weight, fasting blood glucose, and fasting insulin of rats in both high-dose and low-dose group. ZJP could also improve the microstructures of pancreatic islet cells, bone mass, and trabecular and marrow cavities in DOP rats. Bioinformatic analysis suggested that ZJP might influence DOP via multiple pathways, mainly including ribosomes, vitamin digestion and absorption, and fat digestion and absorption. The primary active ingredients, including notoginsenoside R1, ginsenoside Rg1, ginsenoside Re, icariin, and ginsenoside Rb1, were detected. Conclusion. ZJP could significantly improve the histomorphology and ultrastructure of bone and islets tissues and might serve as an effective alternative medicine for the treatment of DOP.
Efficient Reinforcement Learning from Demonstration via Bayesian Network‐Based Knowledge Extraction
Authors: Zhang Yichuan , Lan Yixing , Fang Qiang , Xu Xin , Li Junxiang , Zeng Yujun
Published: September 2021

Reinforcement learning from demonstration (RLfD) is considered to be a promising approach to improve reinforcement learning (RL) by leveraging expert demonstrations as the additional decision‐making guidance. However, most existing RLfD methods only regard demonstrations as low‐level knowledge instances under a certain task. Demonstrations are generally used to either provide additional rewards or pretrain the neural network‐based RL policy in a supervised manner, usually resulting in poor generalization capability and weak robustness performance. Considering that human knowledge is not only interpretable but also suitable for generalization, we propose to exploit the potential of demonstrations by extracting knowledge from them via Bayesian networks and develop a novel RLfD method called Reinforcement Learning from demonstration via Bayesian Network‐based Knowledge (RLBNK). The proposed RLBNK method takes advantage of node influence with the Wasserstein distance metric (NIW) algorithm to obtain abstract concepts from demonstrations and then a Bayesian network conducts knowledge learning and inference based on the abstract data set, which will yield the coarse policy with corresponding confidence. Once the coarse policy’s confidence is low, another RL‐based refine module will further optimize and fine‐tune the policy to form a (near) optimal hybrid policy. Experimental results show that the proposed RLBNK method improves the learning efficiency of corresponding baseline RL algorithms under both normal and sparse reward settings. Furthermore, we demonstrate that our RLBNK method delivers better generalization capability and robustness than baseline methods.
Study on Field Test and Seismic Performance of MJS Joint Microdisturbance Reinforcement on Existing Tunnel
Authors: Luo Zhanyou , Deng Yongheng , Zou Baoping , Zhu Jianfeng , Jiang Mingyao , Xie Kuangqin
Published: September 2021

Metro Jet System (MJS) joint microdisturbance reinforcement is often adopted to strengthen and remediate existing tunnels that are severely deformed by under‐construction peripheral works, but analysis related to the reinforcement system of tunnel under consideration of seismic effects is insufficient at present. In this work, a field test of MJS joint microdisturbance reinforcement system of existing tunnels was conducted on the basis of a subway tunnel deformation reinforcement project. Then, a numerical simulation study of the seismic dynamic response of reinforcement system was performed in combination with seismic wave direction and intensity. Results show that the MJS joint microdisturbance reinforcement measures can effectively reduce the settlement and horizontal radial convergence deformation of the tunnel. The seismic longitudinal wave significantly affects the vertical displacement of the tunnel, and the seismic‐induced vertical displacement of the tunnel increases with the rise in seismic intensity. The seismic transverse wave significantly affects the horizontal radial convergence deformation of the tunnel, and the seismic‐induced horizontal radial convergence deformation of the tunnel increases with the rise in seismic intensity. The antiseismic property of MJS joint microdisturbance reinforcement measures on the existing tunnel is not obvious.
Application of an Intelligent Hybrid Metaheuristic Algorithm for Multiobjective Redundancy Allocation Problem with Sustainable Maintenance
Authors: Tjahjono Tri , Mavaluru Dinesh , Fathima Dowlath , Thiyagarajan Akila , Suksatan Wanich , Salikhovich Tuguz Nalbiy , Melnikova Lyubov A. , Husein Ismail , Thangavelu Lakshmi , Abilmazhinov Yermek , Habib Mamun
Published: September 2021

The present study aimed to optimize the redundancy allocation problem based on sustainable maintenance. For this purpose, the goal is to design a complex system based on redundancy allocation by considering the weight and reliability criteria of the system and the maintenance and repair costs through the sustainability approach. In this regard, a mathematical model has been developed. This model minimizes system reliability and system weight simultaneously. There are also budget constraints on repair costs, environmental costs, purchase of spare parts, and energy risk costs. In order to optimize this model, a hybrid algorithm based on Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA), Genetic Algorithm (GA), and Simulated Annealing (SA) is proposed. Accordingly, 81 test problems are provided and optimized by the proposed algorithm. The obtained numerical results indicate that, with increasing failure time of each component, the system’s reliability increases and the weight of the whole system increases. Moreover, changing the Weibull distribution parameters directly affects the total amount of system reliability, but does not have a definite and accurate effect on the total weight of the system. Moreover, increasing the budget for maintenance leads to finding solutions with more reliability and less weight.
Cloud Platform for Enterprise Financial Budget Management Based on Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Qin Jing , Qin Qun
Published: September 2021

Financial budget, as an important content of management accounting, is also an important way of business management. Budget basis comes from the financial accounting module, and the execution data source of the budget module is the financial accounting module’s vouchers, accounts, and other data. They all exist on the UFIDA cloud platform. In recent years, artificial intelligence has made good progress in the field of science and technology and has a substantial effect on the development of real life. In addition, through the integration of other applications such as bank‐enterprise direct connection, the company’s economic business activities are directly converted into financial vouchers, and the budget module is managed and controlled when economic business occurs, so that these two systems work together to provide corporate management boost. Many data calculations are used in the financial budget. Many of these calculations are completed in the storage process, reduce network traffic, and improve system performance. The AI intelligent decision‐making module uses advanced BI technology (machine learning, data mining, artificial intelligence) to integrate with the accounting activities and accounting functions between enterprises. The sales and management expenses have been effectively controlled, from an excess of 13.82% to not exceeding the budget. This research will help improve the company’s overall budget management level.
Effects of Combined Epidural Anesthesia and General Anesthesia on Cognitive Function and Stress Responses of Elderly Patients Undergoing Liver Cancer Surgery
Authors: Meng Zhixiu , Gao Cao , Li Xin , Shen Jiang , Hong Tao , He Xiaofeng , Zhu Leijun
Published: September 2021

This study aimed at exploring the effects of combined epidural anesthesia and general anesthesia on the cognitive function and stress responses of elderly patients undergoing liver cancer surgery. One hundred and fifteen elderly patients were enrolled as research subjects. They were admitted to our hospital and underwent liver cancer surgery from August 2017 to May 2019. Fifty five cases were treated with general anesthesia (GA) (GA group), while the other sixty cases were treated with combined epidural anesthesia and general anesthesia (joint group). Scoring standards of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were used to evaluate the patients before and after operation. Their operating time, total fluid input (TFI), spontaneous breathing recovery time (SBRT), preoperative and postoperative indices of stress responses (epinephrine (EPI), cortisol (Cor), and norepinephrine (NE)), and postoperative adverse reactions were observed. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups with respect to anesthesia time, TFI, postoperative SBRT, and postoperative directional recovery time (DRT) (c

P
<
0.05

). There was no difference in operating time, total fluid loss (TFL), and hospitalization time (

P
>
0.05

). After operation, patients in both groups experienced a cognitive decline of different degrees and the MMSE scores decreased. There was no significant difference in the score between the two groups before operation and 3 days and 7 days after operation (

P
>
0.05

). The score was significantly better in the joint group than that in the GA group at 6 hours and 1 day after operation (

P
<
0.05

). There were no significant differences in levels of EPI, Cor, and NE between the two groups before operation (

P
>
0.05

), but there were significant differences after operation. The total incidence of postoperative adverse reactions was 11.67% in the joint group and 25.45% in the GA group. In conclusion, combined epidural anesthesia and general anesthesia can significantly reduce postoperative cognitive dysfunction and inhibit postoperative stress responses in elderly patients undergoing liver cancer surgery. It has good application value in clinical practice.
Coalbed Methane Potential Evaluation and Development Sweet Spot Prediction Based on the Analysis of Development Geological Conditions in Yangjiapo Block, Eastern Ordos Basin, China
Authors: Fu Xinyu , Meng Yanjun , Li Zhongcheng , Kong Peng , Chang Suoliang , Yan Taotao , Liu Yanfei
Published: September 2021

The evaluation and prediction of favorable coalbed methane (CBM) sweet spot play an important role in well location deployment and recovery prediction in CBM blocks. This work investigates the CBM geology and accumulation characteristics of No. (

8
+
9

) coal in the Carboniferous Taiyuan Formation in Yangjiapo block based on data from 14 CBM wells. The desorption index is proposed to be used to study the CBM desorption potential in Yangjiapo block, and the parameter of reduced water level is adopted to study the CBM hydrodynamics of the block. Furthermore, the analytical hierarchy fuzzy evaluation method is used to evaluate and prediction the CBM development sweet spot in Yangjiapo block. The results show that the buried depth of the No. (

8
+
9

) coal seam in Yangjiapo block varies from 693.20 to 1213.20 m, the coal thickness is from 5.40 to 13.10 m, the gas content is from 5.89 to 10.55 m3/t, and the minimum horizontal principal stress is from 9.80 to 20.82 MPa. The desorption potential is better in the southeastern and central-western part of the block. It is found that there is a positive relationship between CBM content and hydrodynamics and indicated that CBM easily concentrates in the lower reduced water level area. The CBM favorable development sweet spot is forecasted to be located in the southeastern part, central-western region, and northeastern part of Yangjiapo block.
Study on Dynamic Response Characteristics and Damage Mechanism of Tunnel Lining at Entrance of Shallow Bias Tunnel
Authors: Li Lin , Guo Xiaodan , Zou Zuyin , Zhu Zhanyuan , Guo Zihong , Xiao Weimin , Guo Deping
Published: September 2021

The structural damage of the lining structure at the entrance of a tunnel is the most common instability problem. The instability problem may cause dynamic effects such as earthquakes and blasting. Based on the seismic damage data collected from previous major earthquakes at the entrance of shallow‐buried tunnel, the shaking table test and numerical simulation are used to analyze dynamic response characteristics and damage evolution characteristics of the tunnel in the shallow‐buried hole at 30°. The study revealed the stress characteristics of tunnel lining and the mechanism of structural damage under earthquake excitation. The research results show that the biased tunnel (30°) is susceptible to damage on the unsymmetrical loading side, the biased ground surface leads to acceleration, and high speed also significantly increases the effect. The biased side leg of the tunnel lining cross section is a location with a large internal force distribution. The biased tunnel has a relatively unfavorable internal force value distribution and a larger peak, and the peak at the larger bias side has the largest peak value. The skewback and spandrel portion of the biased tunnel lining load are more likely to be damaged.
Efficacy and Safety of Stem Cell Combination Therapy for Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Li Junqiao , Su Peng , Li Jian , Chen Gang , Xiong Yan
Published: September 2021

Background. The treatment results of core decompression (CD) and biomechanical support are not always satisfactory in osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). Stem cell therapy has been incorporated into traditional treatment in order to promote bone regeneration. The efficacy and safety of stem cell therapy combined with CD or biomechanical support on advanced and long-term patients with ONFH were unknown. The aim of this study was to assess whether stem cell combination therapy is superior to single CD or porous tantalum rod implantation treatment in ONFH. Methods. A systematic search of the literature was performed to evaluate all included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on stem cell combination therapy for patients with ONFH in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase sites. We assessed the quality and risk of bias for the included studies. And the outcomes of Harris hip score (HHS), visual analogue scale (VAS), and adverse events were statistically analyzed. Results. We included 10 randomized controlled trials, containing a total of 498 patients with 719 hips. Stem cell therapy combined with CD versus CD alone for HHS of ONFH was different (MD = 8.87, 95% CI = [5.53, 12.22],

P
<
0.00001

). The combination of stem cell therapy and CD can effectively improve HHS. Similarly, the VAS of the stem cell combination therapy group also differed compared with the control group (MD = −14.07, 95% CI = [−18.32, −9.82],

P
<
0.00001

). The result showed that stem cell combination therapy can relieve the pain of patients with ONFH. There was no significant difference in adverse response outcome events between the combination therapy group and the control group (RR = 1.57, 95% CI = [0.62, 3.97],

P
=
0.34

). Conclusions. Stem cell therapy combined with core decompression is an effective and feasible method with few complications in the clinical treatment of early-stage ONFH. Even in the combination of porous tantalum rod implantation and peripheral blood stem cells, stem cell combination therapy is superior to single biomechanical support treatment. But high-quality, large-sample, multicenter, and long-term follow-up RCTs are still needed to corroborate the efficacy and safety of stem cell combination therapy in ONFH treatment.
Research on the Impact of University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education on University Students’ Entrepreneurship Willingness Based on Virtual Reality Technology
Authors: Dong Pengzhong , Tu Chia-Ching
Published: September 2021

The increasing competition in today’s market is becoming more and more intense, and the rapid process of developing a knowledge-based economy is making a start-up extremely effective for the future building of the nation. As an innovative economy, it strongly promotes social and economic development and it is more conducive and beneficial to building an innovative country. Therefore, it is of practical significance to study the impact of university innovation and entrepreneurship education (UIAEE) based on virtual reality (VR) technology on college students’ entrepreneurial willingness. In the process of researching the impact of UIAEE based on VR on college students’ entrepreneurial willingness, the present study collects and consults a large number of documents to obtain knowledge that is helpful for research. This research work is based on the premise of UIAEE based on VR, researching its influence on the entrepreneurial willingness of students who have received this education. It is guided by the theory of planned behavior and takes 400 students from our school as the research object. Testing the results of the impact of innovation and entrepreneurship education (IAEE) on college students’ entrepreneurial willingness was carried out through the establishment of models. The research results show that the impact of UIAEE based on VR activities on college students’ entrepreneurial willingness is answered in the affirmative. It can be better to sort out the relationship through the results, and the results are basically consistent with the assumptions of the theoretical model.
Hybsync: Nanosecond Wireless Position and Clock Synchronization Based on UWB Communication with Multisensors
Authors: Lei Pengyu , Li Zhitian , Xue Bo , Zhang Haifeng , Zou Xudong
Published: September 2021

PNT (positioning, navigation, and timing) is the core functional part of kinds of wireless sensor network, which can provide high‐precision timing and positioning services for cooperative work systems. Unfortunately, the mature wireless PNT schemes are generally based on GNSS and other auxiliary sources to complete the high accuracy synchronization process, which cannot be applied to GNSS degraded and denied environments such as mines, underground application. In order to solve the application problem of high‐precision wireless PNT, Hybsync—a novel non‐GNSS‐aided wireless PNT architecture, is proposed in this paper, which integrates the information from the UWB communication, inertial sensor, and camera to achieve great PNT performance. Hybsync improves the accuracy of time deviation measurement by collecting and recording timestamps in hardware layer, and with the coarse/fine synchronization two‐phase calibration, Hybsync greatly improves the accuracy of time deviation adjustment, thus providing accurate time information for the whole system. Besides, Hybsync uses the VINS framework to further integrate the real‐time information of IMU and camera to complete the multinode positioning service. Under the premise that the cost is much lower than existing solutions, Hybsync can provide nanosecond‐level clock synchronization and centimeter‐level positioning. Experiments prove that Hybsync supports high‐precision clock synchronization and positioning of more than 10 nodes; the maximum clock synchronization error is 3 ns, and the positioning error is 7 cm. It can provide accurate time and position services for cooperative work systems under complex and GNSS‐denied conditions.
Forecasting Passenger Flow Distribution on Holidays for Urban Rail Transit Based on Destination Choice Behavior Analysis
Authors: Yao Enjian , Hong Junyi , Pan Long , Li Binbin , Yang Yang , Guo Dongbo
Published: September 2021

Passenger travel flows of urban rail transit during holidays usually show distinct characteristics different from normal days. To ensure efficient operation management, it is essential to accurately predict the distribution of holiday passenger flow. Based on Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) data, this paper explores the passengers’ destination choice differences between normal days and holidays, as well as one-way tickets and public transportation cards, which provides support for variable selection in modeling. Then, a forecasting model of holiday travel distribution is proposed, in which the destination choice model is established for representing local and nonlocal passengers. Meanwhile, explanatory variables such as land matching degree, scenic spot dummy, and level of service variables are introduced to deal with the particularity of holiday passengers’ travel behavior. The parameters calibrated by the improved weighted exogenous sampling maximum likelihood (WESML) method are applied to predict passenger flow distribution in different holiday cases with annual changes in the metro network, using the data collected from Guangzhou Metro, China. The results show that the proposed model is valid and performs better than the other comparable models in terms of forecasting accuracy. The proposed model has the capability to provide a more universal and accurate passenger flow distribution prediction method for urban rail transit in different holiday scenarios with network changes.
Guidance Law with Desired Impact Time and FOV Constrained for Antiship Missiles Based on Equivalent Sliding Mode Control
Authors: Liu Shuangxi , Yan Binbin , Zhang Tong , Dai Pei , Yan Jie
Published: September 2021

Impact time control guidance (ITCG) is an important approach to achieve saturation attack on targets. With the increasing complexity of warfare requirements for missiles, an ITCG with field-of-view (FOV) constrained for antiship missiles is proposed based on equivalent sliding mode control. Firstly, in view of the accuracy of the calculation of remaining impact time for guidance law, the large initial lead angle is taken into consideration in the estimation of remaining flying time in which there is no need for the assumption of small angle approximation. Besides, for the sake of promoting the practical application value of the proposed guidance law, FOV is considered so that it can satisfy the actual working performance of the seeker. Then, combined with the concept of predicted interception point (PIP), the proposed guidance law is applied to attack a moving target. Numerical analysis is carried out for different initial lead angles, various impact time, different methods of estimating remaining flying time, and cooperative attack conditions. Compared with proportion navigation guidance (PNG), the feasibility and effectiveness of the guidance law are verified. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed guidance law can guarantee the constraints of both impact time and FOV effectively.
Where Did the Pericardial Effusion Go? A Case of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Acting as Treatment for Pericardial Tamponade
Authors: Gonuguntla Varun tej , Soni Parita , Dalsania Nishil , Patti Ravi Karan , Navjot Somal , Chanaka Seneviratne , Kupfer Yizhak
Published: September 2021

Pericardial tamponade results in multiple organ dysfunction and can lead to cardiac arrest. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), a life-saving measure performed on patients in cardiac arrest, can lead to thoracic organ damage. However, CPR rarely acts as a therapeutic treatment for pericardial tamponade. Our case describes a patient admitted with pericardial tamponade in whom CPR provided therapeutic treatment with pericardial rupture and resolution of the tamponade.
Identifying PIF1 as a Potential Target of Wenxia Changfu Formula in Promoting Lung Cancer Cell Apoptosis: Bioinformatics Analysis and Biological Evidence
Authors: Yin Xiangjun , Kan Dongfang , Ruan Jiazhao , Wang Delong , Chai Yi , Huang Shengqi , Zhang Beiying , Wang Jixin , Ji Xuming
Published: September 2021

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a valuable resource of active natural products and plays an important role in cancer treatment with the advantages of high efficiency and safety. Wenxia Changfu formula (WCF) is modified from Dahuang Fuzi decoction from Han Dynasty and has been used for treating lung cancer in China. Our previous research showed that WCF had an antitumor effect in vivo and in vitro, while the mechanism has not been well illustrated. In this study, the effect of WCF on the proliferative ability in three lung cancer cells and one noncancerous human cell line was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. WCF suppressed A549, H460, and PC-9 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, with no inhibition of noncancerous MRC-5 cells after 48 h treatment with WCF (0–50 mg/mL). Furthermore, we screened for genes in A549 cells using four WCF-treated samples and four control samples on a gene expression profile microarray. 21 genes were significantly downregulated by WCF, which may potentially play an important role in the proliferation of A549 cells. High-content screening evaluated whether silencing the 21 genes affected A549 cell growth. The results showed that PIF1 knockdown exhibited the most potent inhibition of cell proliferation compared with the other genes. Downregulation of PIF1 increased A549 cell apoptosis and the activity of caspase 3/7. Besides, RT-PCR showed that the expression levels of PIF1 mRNA decreased significantly in A549, H460, and PC-9 cells after WCF treatment. In conclusion, the present observations indicate that WCF may inhibit lung cancer cell proliferation by promoting apoptosis via regulating the expression of PIF1.
Comparison of General and Liver-Specific Prognostic Scores in Their Ability to Predict Mortality in Cirrhotic Patients Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Costa e Silva Pedro Paulo , Codes Liana , Rios Fernanda Ferreira , Esteve Carolina Pedreira , Valverde Filho Murilo Tavares , Lima Douglas Oliveira Carmo , de Almeida Filho Geraldo Fernandes , Morais Maria Clara Alves , Lima Bruno Calazans , Chagas Paulo Bravo de Oliveira , Boa-Sorte Ney , Bittencourt Paulo Lisboa
Published: September 2021

Introduction. Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and III and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) are prognostic scores commonly used in the intensive care unit (ICU). Their accuracy in predicting mortality has not been adequately evaluated in comparison to prognostic scores commonly used in critically ill cirrhotic patients with acute decompensation (AD) or acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Aims. This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of prognostic scores, including APACHE II, SOFA, Chronic Liver Failure Consortium (CLIF-C) SOFA, Child–Turcotte–Pugh (CPS), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD), MELD-Na, MELD to serum sodium ratio (MESO) index, CLIF-C organ failure (CLIF-C OF), CLIF-C ACLF, and CLIF-C AD scores, in predicting mortality of cirrhotic patients admitted to the ICU. Patients and Methods. A total of 382 patients (280 males, mean age 67.3 ± 10.6 years) with cirrhosis were retrospectively evaluated. All prognostic scores were calculated in the first 24 hours of ICU admission. Their ability to predict mortality was measured using the analysis of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results. Mortality was observed in 31% of the patients. Analysis of AUC revealed that CLIF-C OF (0.807) and CLIF-SOFA (0.776) had the best ability to predict mortality in all patients, but CLIF-C OF (0.749) had higher prognostic accuracy in patients with ACLF. CLIF-SOFA, SOFA, and CLIF-C AD had the highest AUC values in patients with AD, with no statistical difference (

p
=
0.971

). Conclusions. When compared to other general or liver-specific prognostic scores, CLIF-C OF, CLIF-SOFA, SOFA, and CLIF-C AD have good accuracy to predict mortality in critically ill patients with cirrhosis and patients with AD. According to the clinical scenario, different scores should be used to provide prognosis to patients with cirrhosis in the ICU.
Power Optimization for Aerial Intelligent Reflecting Surface-Aided Cell-Free Massive MIMO-Based Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Zhou Tao , Xu Kui , Li Chunguo , Shen Zhexian
Published: September 2021

Intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRSs) have significant advantages in enhancing the coverage and reducing the deployment cost of wireless networks. This paper studies an aerial IRS- (AIRS-) enhanced cell-free massive multiple-input multiple-output- (MIMO-) based wireless sensor network (WSN) in which multiple access points (APs) serve several sensor users (SUs). Direct links between the APs and SUs are blocked due to occlusion by tall buildings. Hence, we deploy an AIRS to improve the communication quality of the SUs. Our goal is to minimize the total transmit power of all APs under a given minimum signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) requirement. We propose a joint iterative optimization algorithm by designing an active beamforming mechanism at each AP and a passive beamforming mechanism at the AIRS to solve this problem. Simulation results illustrate the good performance of the proposed method.
Choroidal Thickness in Relation to Bone Mineral Density with Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography
Authors: Jiang Lin , Qian Yiwen , Li Qingjian , Jiang Jing , Zhang Yu , Che Xin , Wang Zhiliang
Published: September 2021

Purpose. To assess whether bone mineral density, indicated by the lumbar X-ray scan, is related to changes in choroid thickness in normal subjects. Methods. This study included 355 patients with decreased bone mineral density and 355 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. Lumbar BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Choroidal thickness was measured using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). Blood pressure (BP), cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were recorded on the same day. Results. There was a significant difference in average choroidal thickness between low BMD subjects and normal subjects

p
=
0.003

. The BP, cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, and LDL showed no significant difference between the two groups. The correlations showed that average choroidal thicknesses were associated with BMD in the entire population (r = 0.125,

p
=
0.001

). Conclusion. The choroidal thickness is thinner in low BMD populations compared with normal individuals. There is a strong positive correlation of choroidal thickness with BMD, regardless of age, sex, and other demographic and clinical factors.
The Effect of Adiposity on Cardiovascular Function and Myocardial Fibrosis in Patients With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Authors: Henson Sarah E. , Lang Sean M. , Khoury Philip R. , Tian Cuixia , Rutter Meilan M. , Urbina Elaine M. , Ryan Thomas D. , Taylor Michael D. , Alsaied Tarek
Published: September 2021

Background

Patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) develop cardiomyopathy because of a dystrophin deficiency causing fibrofatty replacement of the myocardium. Corticosteroid use and mobility limitations place these patients at risk for increased adiposity. We sought to determine the association of adiposity with cardiovascular dysfunction in patients with DMD.

Methods and Results

This was a retrospective review of patients with DMD who underwent both cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry within 1 year. The cardiac magnetic resonance imaging parameters included left ventricular ejection fraction and the presence of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE positive [LGE+]). The adiposity indices, measured by dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry, included percentage of body fat, whole body fat mass indexed to height, and body mass index. A total of 324 patients were identified. Fifty‐two percent had LGE+, and 36% had cardiac dysfunction (left ventricular ejection fraction <55%). Patients with cardiac dysfunction had higher whole body fat mass indexed to height and body mass index on univariate analysis (mean difference between patients with and without cardiac dysfunction: +2.9 kg/m,
P
=0.001; and +1.5 kg/m
2
,
P
=0.03, respectively). whole body fat mass indexed to height remained independently associated with cardiac dysfunction on multivariable analysis after adjusting for age, LGE+, and corticosteroid duration. High whole body fat mass indexed to height and percentage of body fat were associated with LGE+ on univariate analysis (mean difference between patients with and without LGE+: +2.0 kg/m,
P
=0.02; and +2.4%,
P
=0.02, respectively). Using multivariable analysis, including age and cardiac dysfunction, high percentage of body fat remained independently associated with LGE+.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates an independent association of adiposity with cardiac dysfunction and LGE+ in patients with DMD. Preventing adiposity may mitigate the later development of ventricular dysfunction in DMD.
Endomyocardial Biopsy: The Forgotten Piece in the Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy Puzzle
Authors: Casella Michela , Bergonti Marco , Dello Russo Antonio , Maragna Riccardo , Gasperetti Alessio , Compagnucci Paolo , Catto Valentina , Trombara Filippo , Frappampina Antonio , Conte Edoardo , Fogante Marco , Sommariva Elena , Rizzo Stefania , De Gaspari Monica , Giovagnoni Andrea , Andreini Daniele , Pompilio Giulio , Di Biase Luigi , Natale Andrea , Basso Cristina , Tondo Claudio
Published: September 2021

Background

Endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) is part of 2010 Task Force Criteria (TFC) for arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). However, its usage has been curtailed because of its low presumed diagnostic yield, and it is now a poorly used tool. This study aims to analyze the contribution of EMB to the final diagnosis of ARVC.

Methods and Results

We included 104 consecutive patients evaluated for a suspicion of ARVC, who were referred for EMB. Patients with suspected left dominant pattern were excluded from the primary analysis. Subjects were initially stratified according to TFC without considering EMB. After EMB, patients were reclassified accordingly, and the reclassification rate was calculated. EMB yielded a diagnostic finding in 92 patients (85.5%). After including EMB evaluation, 20 (43%) more patients “at risk” received a definite diagnosis of ARVC. Overall, 59 patients received a definite diagnosis of ARVC, 34% only after EMB. EMB appeared to be the better‐performing exam with respect to the final diagnosis (β, 2.2; area uder the curve, 0.73;
P
<0.05). The reclassification improvement after EMB measured 28%. TFC score increased from 3.5±1.3 to 4.3±1.4 (
P
<0.001). Notably, active inflammation was present in 6 (10%) patients. Minor complications were reported in only 2% of the cohort. In patients with suspected left‐dominant disease, conventional TFC performed poorly.

Conclusions

Electroanatomic voltage mapping–guided EMB was safe and yielded an optimal diagnostic yield. It allowed upgrading of the diagnosis of nearly one‐third of the patients considered “at risk.” Classical TFC without EMB performed poorly in patients with the left dominant form of ARVC.