bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lightweight Single Image Super-resolution with Dense Connection Distillation Network
Authors: Li Yanchun , Cao Jianglian , Li Zhetao , Oh Sangyoon , Komuro Nobuyoshi
Published: April 2021

Single image super-resolution attempts to reconstruct a high-resolution (HR) image from its corresponding low-resolution (LR) image, which has been a research hotspot in computer vision and image processing for decades. To improve the accuracy of super-resolution images, many works adopt very deep networks to model the translation from LR to HR, resulting in memory and computation consumption. In this article, we design a lightweight dense connection distillation network by combining the feature fusion units and dense connection distillation blocks (DCDB) that include selective cascading and dense distillation components. The dense connections are used between and within the distillation block, which can provide rich information for image reconstruction by fusing shallow and deep features. In each DCDB, the dense distillation module concatenates the remaining feature maps of all previous layers to extract useful information, the selected features are then assessed by the proposed layer contrast-aware channel attention mechanism, and finally the cascade module aggregates the features. The distillation mechanism helps to reduce training parameters and improve training efficiency, and the layer contrast-aware channel attention further improves the performance of model. The quality and quantity experimental results on several benchmark datasets show the proposed method performs better tradeoff in term of accuracy and efficiency.
hIPPYlib
Authors: Villa Umberto , Petra Noemi , Ghattas Omar
Published: April 2021

We present an extensible software framework, hIPPYlib, for solution of large-scale deterministic and Bayesian inverse problems governed by partial differential equations (PDEs) with (possibly) infinite-dimensional parameter fields (which are high-dimensional after discretization). hIPPYlib overcomes the prohibitively expensive nature of Bayesian inversion for this class of problems by implementing state-of-the-art scalable algorithms for PDE-based inverse problems that exploit the structure of the underlying operators, notably the Hessian of the log-posterior. The key property of the algorithms implemented in hIPPYlib is that the solution of the inverse problem is computed at a cost, measured in linearized forward PDE solves, that is independent of the parameter dimension. The mean of the posterior is approximated by the MAP point, which is found by minimizing the negative log-posterior with an inexact matrix-free Newton-CG method. The posterior covariance is approximated by the inverse of the Hessian of the negative log posterior evaluated at the MAP point. The construction of the posterior covariance is made tractable by invoking a low-rank approximation of the Hessian of the log-likelihood. Scalable tools for sample generation are also discussed. hIPPYlib makes all of these advanced algorithms easily accessible to domain scientists and provides an environment that expedites the development of new algorithms.
Alignment Enhancement Network for Fine-grained Visual Categorization
Authors: Hu Yutao , Liu Xuhui , Zhang Baochang , Han Jungong , Cao Xianbin
Published: April 2021

Fine-grained visual categorization (FGVC) aims to automatically recognize objects from different sub-ordinate categories. Despite attracting considerable attention from both academia and industry, it remains a challenging task due to subtle visual differences among different classes. Cross-layer feature aggregation and cross-image pairwise learning become prevailing in improving the performance of FGVC by extracting discriminative class-specific features. However, they are still inefficient to fully use the cross-layer information based on the simple aggregation strategy, while existing pairwise learning methods also fail to explore long-range interactions between different images. To address these problems, we propose a novel Alignment Enhancement Network (AENet), including two-level alignments, Cross-layer Alignment (CLA) and Cross-image Alignment (CIA). The CLA module exploits the cross-layer relationship between low-level spatial information and high-level semantic information, which contributes to cross-layer feature aggregation to improve the capacity of feature representation for input images. The new CIA module is further introduced to produce the aligned feature map, which can enhance the relevant information as well as suppress the irrelevant information across the whole spatial region. Our method is based on an underlying assumption that the aligned feature map should be closer to the inputs of CIA when they belong to the same category. Accordingly, we establish Semantic Affinity Loss to supervise the feature alignment within each CIA block. Experimental results on four challenging datasets show that the proposed AENet achieves the state-of-the-art results over prior arts.
Wikipedia Engagement Can Enhance eLearning
Authors: Perry Shannon A.B.
Published: April 2021

With so much formal learning now taking place online, eLearning educators have the opportunity to incorporate Wikipedia as a multifaceted pedagogical resource. I argue that doing so facilitates the cultivation of 21st century skills and empowers learners to participate in creating positive social change. The article concludes with various ways educators may incorporate Wikipedia into teaching practice, appropriate Wikipedia assignments for students.
Using Self-Aligned Si Barrier to Enhance the Contrast Ratio and Performance of Pixelated Light Emitting Diode for Vehicle Headlamp
Authors: Lee Sang-Youl , Kim Doyub , Kang Kiman , Lee Eunduk , Jo Yoomin , Jung Se-Yeon , Oh Jeong Tak , Jeong Hwan-Hee , Seong Tae-Yeon
Published: April 2021

We investigate the effects of pixel distance and light emitting diode (LED) thickness on the luminance distribution and contrast ratio of a 16 × 16 blue and white LED array for vehicle headlamp application. With increasing pixel distance from 10 to 20 μm, the contrast ratio increased from 33:1 to 51:1 for white LEDs and from 37:1 to 48:1 for blue LEDs. As the LED thickness decreased from 4.5 to 2.0 μm, the contrast ratio increased from 37:1 to 62:1 for blue LEDs and from 33:1 to 97:1 for white LEDs. The blue LEDs fabricated with ultrathin-GaN and self-aligned Si barrier showed the contrast ratio of 48:1 and 39:1, respectively, while the white LEDs with ultrathin-GaN and self-aligned Si barrier yielded the contrast ratio of and 89:1 and 99:1. Further, LEDs with the self-aligned Si barrier had better luminance uniformity than those with the ultrathin-GaN. LED array with the self-aligned Si barrier exhibited narrower dark space than that with the ultrathin-GaN. At 60 mA, the LED with the self-aligned Si barrier gave 6% higher light output than that with the ultrathin-GaN. A headlamp unit using 16 × 16 LED array was demonstrated with the Si self-aligned barrier.
A High Antibacterial Weakly Alkaline Barrier Slurry with the Tunable Selectivity
Authors: Luan Xiaodong , Xu Ke , Gao Chao , Zhang Zhen , Zhang Ruoyu , Liu Yuling
Published: April 2021

Barrier chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) is a critical process in the manufacturing of integrated circuits (ICs). Bacterial infestation, the material removal rate (MRR) selectivity and slurry aging are important factors in the evaluation of barrier CMP slurry. In this paper, H2O2 concentration in a lower level was used to adjust the rate selectivity and enhance removal rate on copper to ensure the trench copper thickness reaches the target value. The effects of dodecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (DDBAC) and 1,2-Benzisothiazol-3-one (BIT) on bacteria growth were investigated. The total organic carbon analysis and the after-cleaning defect map of the patterned wafer proved the DDBAC and BIT contained in the barrier slurry could prevent bacteria formation within four weeks. The effect of aging on the performance was investigated systematically for the slurry contained containing H2O2, DDBAC and BIT. Aging has been shown to have a small effect on zeta potential, particle size and viscosity of the slurry. The polishing rate and pH decrease with time due to chemical degradation of a part of H2O2. Luckily, the rate selectivity still remains at a high value over time and the barrier slurry after 30d has an effective performance in topography modification.
Moderate whole body heating attenuates the exercise pressor reflex responses in older humans
Authors: Cui Jian , Gao Zhaohui , Blaha Cheryl , Luck Jonathan Carter , Brandt Kristen , Sinoway Lawrence I.
Published: April 2021

Prior reports show that whole body heat stress attenuates the pressor response to exercise in young healthy subjects. The effects of moderate whole body heating (WBH; e.g., increase in internal temperature Tcore of ∼0.4°C–0.5°C) or limb heating on sympathetic and cardiovascular responses to exercise in older healthy humans remain unclear. We examined the muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), and heart rate (HR) in 14 older (62 ± 2 yr) healthy subjects during fatiguing isometric handgrip exercise and postexercise circulatory occlusion (PECO). The protocol was performed under normothermic, moderate WBH, and local limb (i.e., forearm) heating conditions during three visits. During the mild WBH stage (increase in Tcore of <0.3°C), HR increased, whereas BP and MSNA decreased from baseline. Under the moderate WBH condition (increase in Tcore of ∼0.4°C), BP decreased, HR increased, and MSNA was unchanged from baseline. Compared with the normothermic trial, the absolute MAP during fatiguing exercise and PECO was lower during the WBH trial. Moreover, MSNA and MAP responses (i.e., changes) to fatiguing exercise were also less than those seen during the normothermic trial. Limb heating induced a similar increase in forearm muscle temperature to that seen in the WBH trial (∼0.7°C–1.5°C). Limb heating did not alter resting MAP, HR, or MSNA. The MSNA and hemodynamic responses to exercise in the limb heating trial were not different from those in the normothermic trial. These data suggest that moderate WBH attenuates MSNA and BP responses to exercise in older healthy humans.
Heat therapy: mechanistic underpinnings and applications to cardiovascular health
Authors: Brunt Vienna E. , Minson Christopher T.
Published: April 2021

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide, and novel therapies are drastically needed to prevent or delay the onset of CVD to reduce the societal and healthcare burdens associated with these chronic diseases. One such therapy is “heat therapy,” or chronic, repeated use of hot baths or saunas. Although using heat exposure to improve health is not a new concept, it has received renewed attention in recent years as a growing number of studies have demonstrated robust and widespread beneficial effects of heat therapy on cardiovascular health. Here, we review the existing literature, with particular focus on the molecular mechanisms that underscore the cardiovascular benefits of this practice.
Cooperative Spectrum Sensing Algorithm to Overcome Noise Fluctuations Based on Energy Detection in Sensing Systems
Authors: Yu Guicai , Wang Han , Du Wencai
Published: April 2021

In sensing systems, nodes must be able to rapidly detect whether a signal from a primary transmitter is present in a certain spectrum. However, traditional energy‐detection algorithms are poorly adapted to treating noisy signals. In this paper, we investigate how rapid energy detection and detection sensitivity are related to detection duration and average power fluctuation in noise. The results indicate that detection performance and detection sensitivity decrease quickly with increasing average power fluctuation in noise and are worse in situations with low signal‐to‐noise ratio. First, we present a dynamic threshold algorithm based on energy detection to suppress the influence of noise fluctuation and improve the sensing sensitivity. Then, we present a new energy‐detection algorithm based on cooperation between nodes. Simulations show that the proposed scheme improves the resistance to average power fluctuation in noise for short detection timescales and provides sensitive detection that improves with increasing numbers of cooperative detectors. In other words, the proposed scheme enhances the ability to overcome noise and improves spectrum sensing performance.
The Use of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Relieving EGFR-TKI-Associated Diarrhea Based on Network Pharmacology and Data Mining
Authors: Hu Shuaihang , Dan Wenchao , Liu Jinlei , Ha Peng , Zhou Tong , Guo Xinyuan , Hou Wei
Published: April 2021

In this study, the role of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in relieving epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor- (EGFR-TKI-) associated diarrhea was discussed by network pharmacology and data mining. Prediction of drug targets by introducing the EGFR-TKI molecular structures into the SwissTargetPrediction platform and diarrhea-related targets in the DrugBank, GeneCards, DisGeNET, and OMIM databases were obtained. Compounds in the drug-disease target intersection were screened by absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion parameters and Lipinski’s rule in Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology. TCM-containing compounds were selected, and information on the property, taste, and meridian tropism of these TCMs was summarized and analyzed. A target-compound-TCM network diagram was constructed, and core targets, compounds, and TCMs were selected. The core targets and components were docked by AutoDock Vina (Version 1.1.2) to explore the target combinations of related compounds and evaluate the docking activity of related targets and compounds. Twenty-three potential therapeutic TCM targets for the treatment of EGFR-TKI-related diarrhea were obtained. There were 339 compounds acting on potential therapeutic targets, involving a total of 402 TCMs. The results of molecular docking showed good binding between the core targets and compounds, and the binding between the core targets and compounds was similar to that of the core target and the recommended drug loperamide. TCMs have multitarget characteristics and are present in a variety of compounds used for relieving EGFR-TKI-associated diarrhea. Antitumor activity and the efficacy of alleviating diarrhea are the pharmacological basis of combining TCMs with EGFR-TKI in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer. The core targets, compounds, and TCMs can provide data to support experimental and clinical studies on the relief of EGFR-TKI-associated diarrhea in the future.
Application of an Improved Seeds Local Averaging Algorithm in X-ray Spectrum
Authors: Tang Lin , Zhang Jianwei , Shi Kaibo , Liu Bingqi , Liu Xingyue , Zhao Yongxin , Li Yuepeng , Liao Xianli , Liu Ze , Yu Songke , Zhao Weidong
Published: April 2021

As an element content analysis technology, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry can be used for quantitative or semiquantitative analysis of the element content in the sample, which is of great significance for mineral census and spent fuel reprocessing. Due to the limitation of the inherent energy resolution of the detector itself, the accuracy of X-ray fluorescence analysis is difficult to be greatly improved. In some applications, even if the semiconductor detector with the best energy resolution is used, the characteristic peaks of different elements cannot be completely separated. Therefore, greatly improving the energy resolution of the detection system is a hot issue in the existing research field. To solve these problems, this paper analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of the traditional MCA (multichannel analyzer) and SLA (seeds local averaging) algorithm and proposes an ISLA (improved seeds local averaging) algorithm based on mathematical statistics. In the section of theoretical derivation, the principle of ISLA algorithm is described, whose theoretical characteristics and spectral results with different parameters are derived and simulated. In the application effect evaluation, the spectrum obtained by each method is analyzed in detail. Simulation and experimental results show that the spectrum obtained by SLA algorithm has a smaller full width at half maximum than that obtained by MCA, but the seed average process in SLA algorithm also reduces its counting rate. The optimized ISLA algorithm can not only effectively reduce the full width at half maximum of the spectral line and sharpen the spectrum peak but also compensate for the loss of the count rate of SLA algorithm.
An Empirical Investigation of the Challenges of Cloud-Based ERP Adoption in Pakistani SMEs
Authors: Awan Mujtaba , Ullah Niamat , Ali Sikandar , Abbasi Irshad Ahmed , Hassan Muhammad Shabbir , Khattak Hizbullah , Huang Jiwei
Published: April 2021

Cloud-based ERP solutions offer many benefits to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and help them to integrate their activities, such as improve communications and reduce operational and maintenance costs. Primarily, it was only adopted by large organizations, but now SMEs are also keen on adoption. However, the motivation regarding the adoption of these systems in SMEs is relatively low in developing countries. This fact urges us to investigate the challenges faced by Pakistani SMEs. A qualitative research approach along with unstructured interviews was conducted by means of face to face. Interview methods are used to extract understanding, opinions, and challenges faced by SMEs on their way to adopt the cloud-based ERP system. The data were collected from eight well-reputed organizations, directly involved in the adoption. The study found ten (10) themes that are reluctant to adopt cloud ERP among Pakistani SMEs. The main benefit of these themes is to provide results that can be easily accessible to enterprises who want to adopt a cloud-based ERP. This can also contribute to the lack of the literature of cloud ERP and delivers insight for future study by practitioners and researchers.
Coword and Cluster Analysis for the Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Authors: Fan Chao , Li Yu
Published: April 2021

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms (RTK) is a classical Chinese historical novel by Luo Guanzhong. This paper establishes a research framework of analyzing the novel by utilizing coword and cluster analysis technology. At the beginning, we segment the full text of the novel, extracting the names of historical figures in the RTK novel. Based on the coword analysis, a social network of historical figures is constructed. We calculate several network features and enforce the cluster analysis. In addition, a modified clustering method using edge betweenness is proposed to improve the effect of clustering. Finally, both quantified and visualized results are displayed to confirm our approach.
Application of Blockchain Technology in Supply Chain Finance of Beibu Gulf Region
Authors: Wang RenLan , Wu Yanhong
Published: April 2021

Blockchain technology is a database that is operated by multiple parts and forms a chain structure through hash index. The blockchain uses multiple nodes and distributes multiple accesses to data, thereby reducing the dependence on the central Internet server and avoiding the possibility of damage to the central server point due to data and data loss. Encryption technology is used to ensure its integrity and ensure that the data files stored in the blockchain are not tampered with or deleted maliciously. Blockchain technology has inherent advantages in supply chain finance with its technical attributes such as nontampering, distributed ledger, and traceability and has great potential to build trust to solve the main problems of supply chain finance, which is conducive to promoting financial development in the Beibu Gulf region. This article mainly introduces the application research of blockchain technology in supply chain finance in the Beibu Gulf region and intends to provide some ideas for the development of supply chain finance in the Beibu Gulf region combined with blockchain technology. This article proposes the application research methods of blockchain technology in supply chain finance in the Beibu Gulf region, including blockchain technology, supply chain financial risk evaluation on the blockchain, and supply chain finance game for relevant experiments. The experimental results of this article show that the average processing time of the algorithm of the designed blockchain supply chain financial system is 4.10 seconds, the algorithm processing efficiency is faster, and the relevant risks can be better assessed.
General Higher-Order Lipschitz Mappings
Authors: Gordon Joseph Frank
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we introduce a new class of mappings and investigate their fixed point property. In the first direction, we prove a fixed point theorem for general higher-order contraction mappings in a given metric space and finally prove an approximate fixed point property for general higher-order nonexpansive mappings in a Banach space.
A New Method for Reconstructing Data on a Single Failure Node in the Distributed Storage System Based on the MSR Code
Authors: Ye Miao , Wei Ruoyu , Guo Wei , Jiang Qiuxiang , Qiu Hongbing , Wang Yong
Published: April 2021

As a storage method for a distributed storage system, an erasure code can save storage space and repair the data of failed nodes. However, most studies that discuss the repair of fault nodes in the erasure code mode only focus on the condition that the bandwidth of heterogeneous links restricts the repair rate but ignore the condition that the storage node is heterogeneous, the cost of repair traffic in the repair process, and the influence of the failure of secondary nodes on the repair process. An optimal repair strategy based on the minimum storage regenerative (MSR) code and a hybrid genetic algorithm is proposed for single‐node fault scenarios to solve the above problems. In this work, the single‐node data repair problem is modeled as an optimization problem of an optimal Steiner tree with constraints considering heterogeneous link bandwidth and heterogeneous node processing capacity and takes repair traffic and repair delay as optimization objectives. After that, a hybrid genetic algorithm is designed to solve the problem. The experimental results show that under the same scales used in the MSR code cases, our approach has good robustness and its repair delay decreases by 10% and 55% compared with the conventional tree repair topology and star repair topology, respectively; the repair flow increases by 10% compared with the star topology, and the flow rate of the conventional tree repair topology decreases by 40%.
Employing Deep Learning and Time Series Analysis to Tackle the Accuracy and Robustness of the Forecasting Problem
Authors: Tariq Haseeb , Hanif Muhammad Kashif , Sarwar Muhammad Umer , Bari Sabeen , Sarfraz Muhammad Shahzad , Oskouei Rozita Jamili
Published: April 2021

Crime is a bone of contention that can create a societal disturbance. Crime forecasting using time series is an efficient statistical tool for predicting rates of crime in many countries around the world. Crime data can be useful to determine the efficacy of crime prevention steps and the safety of cities and societies. However, it is a difficult task to predict the crime accurately because the number of crimes is increasing day by day. The objective of this study is to apply time series to predict the crime rate to facilitate practical crime prevention solutions. Machine learning can play an important role to better understand and analyze the future trend of violations. Different time-series forecasting models have been used to predict the crime. These forecasting models are trained to predict future violent crimes. The proposed approach outperforms other forecasting techniques for daily and monthly forecast.
Frame Duplication Forgery Detection and Localization Algorithm Based on the Improved Levenshtein Distance
Authors: Ren Honge , Atwa Walid , Zhang Haosu , Muhammad Shafiq , Emam Mahmoud
Published: April 2021

In this digital era of technology and software development tools, low-cost digital cameras and powerful video editing software (such as Adobe Premiere, Microsoft Movie Maker, and Magix Vegas) have become available for any common user. Through these softwares, editing the contents of digital videos became very easy. Frame duplication is a common video forgery attack which can be done by copying and pasting a sequence of frames within the same video in order to hide or replicate some events from the video. Many algorithms have been proposed in the literature to detect such forgeries from the video sequences through analyzing the spatial and temporal correlations. However, most of them are suffering from low efficiency and accuracy rates and high computational complexity. In this paper, we are proposing an efficient and robust frame duplication detection algorithm to detect duplicated frames from the video sequence based on the improved Levenshtein distance. Extensive experiments were performed on some selected video sequences captured by stationary and moving cameras. In the experimental results, the proposed algorithm showed efficacy compared with the state-of-the-art techniques.
Monopulse Feature Extraction and Fault Diagnosis Method of Rolling Bearing under Low‐Speed and Heavy‐Load Conditions
Authors: Liu Chang , Cheng Gang , Chen Xihui , Li Yong
Published: April 2021

According to the rolling bearing local fault vibration mechanism, a monopulse feature extraction and fault diagnosis method of rolling bearing under low‐speed and heavy‐load conditions based on phase scan and CNN is proposed. The synchronous collected speed signal is used to calculate bearing phase function and divide fault monopulse periods. The monopulse waveforms of multiple fault periods are scanned and ensemble averaged to suppress noise interference and detail feature loss at the same time of feature extraction. By iteratively calibrating phase function, the feature matrix containing bearing fault information can be obtained. Finally, CNN is used to recognize and classify different bearing states. The experimental and analysis results show that bearing fault diagnosis can be achieved. The total recognition rates of constant and variable speed samples are 99.67% and 99.89%, respectively. The trained network has fast convergence speed and good generalization ability for different fault sizes and working conditions. Further experiments show that the method can also accurately identify different bearing degradation states. The total recognition rates of constant and variable speed samples are 96.67% and 95.56%, respectively. The limited errors are concentrated between the degradation states with the same type weak fault. The experimental results using Case Western Reserve University bearing data show that feature extraction and network training are better, and the recognition rates of 5 bearing states are all 100%. Therefore, the proposed method is an effective rolling bearing feature extraction and fault diagnosis technology.
Gear Mapping Technology Based on Differential Envelope Principle
Authors: Liu Yangpeng , Guo Jingyang , Ding Jianjun , Duan Duanzhi , Jiang Yuerong , Li Changsheng , Zhao Wei , Jiang Zhuangde
Published: April 2021

It is proposed that the complex molding process and the scanning process should be unified through the differential envelope principle. After scanning the surface of the part with the contact sensor, the contour coordinates of the measured surface are calculated by the trajectory of the center of the ball, and the contour data of the complex linear surface is extracted. Then, the intelligent analysis and calculation of precision generating surface parameters and quantitative adjustment are carried out, and the exact reverse method of the special line parts with characteristic parameters is studied. There is only micron scale difference between the reverse result and the nominal value. This technology is applied to the closed-loop manufacturing process of gear parts, which reduces the dependence on the artificial experience when the machining parameters of the cylindrical gear processing equipment is adjusted and provides an effective solution for the digital and intelligent manufacturing of the parts.
Difference in Moxibustion-Induced Microcirculatory Responses between the Heart and Lung Meridians Assessed by Laser Doppler Flowmetry
Authors: Jiang Yongliang , Hu Hantong , Li Xiaoyu , Lou Jiali , Zhang Yajun , He Xiaofen , Wu Yuanyuan , Shao Xiaomei , Fang Jianqiao
Published: April 2021

Objective. By comparing the differences in microcirculatory responses of the heart and lung meridians induced by moxibustion on these two meridians, respectively, this study aimed to investigate the specificity for site-to-site association on body surface between different meridians. Methods. Eighty healthy adults were enrolled and divided into the lung meridian intervention group and heart meridian intervention group in a ratio of 1 : 1. Three-channel laser Doppler flowmetry was used to monitor microcirculatory responses for the heart and lung meridians. Primary outcome was change of blood perfusion units (PU) of three measurement sites along the two meridians. Results. In the lung meridian intervention group, following moxibustion performed at LU5 of the lung meridian, PU in the distal site of the lung meridian increased significantly. By contrast, the PU of HT3 in the heart meridian, which was nearest to the moxibustion site, did not change significantly. PU in the distal site of the heart meridian declined. Meanwhile, significant difference in PU change was detected between the distal site of the lung meridian and the other two control sites of the heart meridians during moxibustion and postmoxibustion. Alternatively, similar to the results of the lung meridian intervention group, the specificity of microcirculatory response between the heart and lung meridians was observed in the heart meridian intervention group. Conclusions. For the heart and lung meridians, the effect of moxibustion-induced microcirculatory response may be more related to meridian routes than the specific distance between two sites located at different meridians, thereby supporting possible specificity for site-to-site association on the body surface between these two meridians. Nevertheless, given that only two meridians and limited measurement sites were compared, all current findings are not sufficiently robust. Further research should be conducted to investigate more meridians and measurement sites.
Thin Strut CoCr Biodegradable Polymer Biolimus A9-Eluting Stents versus Thicker Strut Stainless Steel Biodegradable Polymer Biolimus A9-Eluting Stents: Two-Year Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Menown Ian B. A. , Mamas Mamas A. , Cotton James M. , Hildick-Smith David , Eberli Franz R. , Leibundgut Gregor , Tresukosol Damras , Macaya Carlos , Copt Samuel , Slama Sara Sadozai , Oldroyd Keith G.
Published: April 2021

Background. While thinner struts are associated with improved clinical outcomes in bare-metal stents (BMS), reducing strut thickness may affect drug delivery from drug-eluting stents (DES) and there are limited data comparing otherwise similar thin and thick strut DES. We assessed 2-year outcomes of patients treated with a thin strut (84–88um) cobalt-chromium, biodegradable polymer, Biolimus A9-eluting stent (CoCr-BP-BES) and compared these to patients treated with a stainless steel, biodegradable polymer, Biolimus A9-eluting stent (SS-BP-BES). Methods. In total, 1257 patients were studied: 400 patients from 12 centres receiving ≥1 CoCr-BP-BES in the prospective Biomatrix Alpha registry underwent prespecified comparison with 857 patients who received ≥1 Biomatrix Flex SS-BP-BES in the LEADERS study (historical control). The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac events (MACE)—cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), or clinically driven target vessel revascularization (cd-TVR). Propensity analysis was used to adjust for differences in baseline variables and a landmark analysis at day-3 to account for differences in periprocedural MI definitions. Results. MACE at 2 years occurred in 6.65% CoCr-BP-BES versus 13.23% SS-BP-BES groups (unadjusted HR 0.48 [0.31–0.73];

P
=
0.0005

). Following propensity analysis, 2-year adjusted MACE rates were 7.4% versus 13.3% (HR 0.53 [0.35–0.79];

P
=
0.004

). Definite or probable stent thrombosis, adjudicated using identical criteria in both studies, occurred less frequently with CoCr-BP-BES (1.12% vs. 3.22%; adjusted HR 0.32 [0.11–0.9];

P
=
0.034

). In day-3 landmark analysis, the difference in 2-year MACE was no longer significant but there was a lower patient-orientated composite endpoint (11.7% vs. 18.4%; HR 0.6 [0.43–0.83];

P
=
0.006

) and a trend to lower target vessel failure (5.8% vs. 9.1%; HR 0.63 [0.4–1.00];

P
=
0.078

). Conclusion. At 2-year follow-up, propensity-adjusted analysis showed the thin strut (84–88um) Biomatrix Alpha CoCr-BP-BES was associated with improved clinical outcomes compared with the thicker strut (114–120um) Biomatrix Flex SS-BP-BES.
On Strongly Generalized Preinvex Fuzzy Mappings
Authors: Liu Peide , Bilal Khan Muhammad , Noor Muhammad Aslam , Noor Khalida Inayat
Published: April 2021

In this article, we introduce a new notion of generalized convex fuzzy mapping known as strongly generalized preinvex fuzzy mapping on the invex set. Firstly, we have investigated some properties of strongly generalized preinvex fuzzy mapping. In particular, we establish the equivalence among the strongly generalized preinvex fuzzy mapping, strongly generalized invex fuzzy mapping, and strongly generalized monotonicity. We also prove that the optimality conditions for the sum of G-differentiable preinvex fuzzy mappings and non-G-differentiable strongly generalized preinvex fuzzy mappings can be characterized by strongly generalized fuzzy mixed variational-like inequalities, which can be viewed as a novel and innovative application. Several special cases are discussed. Results obtained in this paper can be viewed as improvement and refinement of previously known results.
Averaged Soft Actor‐Critic for Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Ding Feng , Ma Guanfeng , Chen Zhikui , Gao Jing , Li Peng
Published: April 2021

With the advent of the era of artificial intelligence, deep reinforcement learning (DRL) has achieved unprecedented success in high‐dimensional and large‐scale artificial intelligence tasks. However, the insecurity and instability of the DRL algorithm have an important impact on its performance. The Soft Actor‐Critic (SAC) algorithm uses advanced functions to update the policy and value network to alleviate some of these problems. However, SAC still has some problems. In order to reduce the error caused by the overestimation of SAC, we propose a new SAC algorithm called Averaged‐SAC. By averaging the previously learned action‐state estimates, it reduces the overestimation problem of soft Q‐learning, thereby contributing to a more stable training process and improving performance. We evaluate the performance of Averaged‐SAC through some games in the MuJoCo environment. The experimental results show that the Averaged‐SAC algorithm effectively improves the performance of the SAC algorithm and the stability of the training process.
Redox Enzymes of the Thioredoxin Family as Potential and Novel Markers in Pemphigus
Authors: Sliwiak P. , Folwarczny E. , Didona D. , Fink S. , Wiegand C. , Hanschmann E. M. , Hertl M. , Hudemann C.
Published: April 2021

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a severe autoimmune blistering disease affecting both skin and mucous membranes. Its pathogenesis is related to IgG autoantibodies primarily targeting the cellular adhesion protein desmoglein (Dsg) 3, one of the major desmosome components. Impaired redox regulation is considered a major player in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases such as pemphigus by enhancing inflammation and breakdown of immunological tolerance by structural protein modifications. Despite many recent advances, local and systemic redox profiles that characterize the immune response in pemphigus are virtually unknown but potentially crucial in further advancing our understanding of redox‐dependent modifications that eventually lead to clinical manifestation. Here, we have analyzed the individual expression pattern of four major redox enzymes that are members of the thioredoxin (Trx) fold superfamily (peroxiredoxins (Prxs) 1 and 4, glutaredoxin (Grx) 2, and Trx1) in serum and PBMCs as well as their distribution in the skin of pemphigus patients compared to healthy controls. We show that in groups of five pemphigus patients, Prx1 is upregulated in both serum and PBMCs, while its epithelial distribution remains within the spinous epithelial layer. Expression of Grx2 and Prx4 is both reduced in serum and PBMCs, while their distinct and similar expression in the skin changes from an even distribution throughout the basal layer (healthy) to ubiquitous nuclear localization in pemphigus patients. In PV patients, Trx1 is secreted into serum, and cellular distribution appears membrane‐bound and cytosolic compared to healthy controls. We furthermore showed that a 3D ex vivo human skin model can indeed be used to reproduce similar changes in the protein levels and distribution of redox enzymes by application of cold atmospheric plasma. Deciphering the relationship between redox enzyme expression and autoimmunity in the context of pemphigus could be critical in elucidating key pathogenic mechanisms and developing novel interventions for clinical management.
DFT Calculations and Molecular Docking Studies on a Chromene Derivative
Authors: Dlala Najet Aouled , Bouazizi Younes , Ghalla Houcine , Hamdi Naceur
Published: April 2021

Chromenes and their derivatives have been considered as an important class of oxygen-containing heterocycles. There has been an increasing interest in the study of chromenes due to their biological activity. Herein, the structural, electronic, and vibrational properties of a chromene derivative, entitled 2‐amino‐5‐oxo‐4‐phenyl‐4,5‐dihydropyrano[3,2‐c]chromene‐3‐carbonitrile and abbreviated as Chrom-D, have been reported. The FT-IR, UV-vis, and 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR chemical shifts’ measurements were recorded. The molecular geometry and the vibrational frequencies are computed in the frame of density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. The noncovalent interactions in the crystal lattice which are responsible to the 3D crystal structure of Chrom-D are investigated based on Hirshfeld surfaces and topological reduced density gradient (RDG) analysis. Molecular electrostatic potential surface, Mulliken charges, and Fukui functions are computed in order to find out the electrophilic and nucleophilic sites. The electronic properties of the title compound have been studied based on the TD-DFT calculations. Finally, Chrom-D has been evaluated as a multifunctional agent against Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Hydrogeologic Property Estimation in Plate Boundary Observatory Boreholes Using Tidal Response Analysis
Authors: Simon Jacob B. , Fulton Patrick M. , Xue Lian
Published: April 2021

Because of the influence pore pressures have on effective stress, understanding hydrogeologic properties that control fluid flow and pressure distribution is important in characterizing earthquake and deformation processes. Here, we utilize borehole pressure changes in response to earth tides to determine hydrogeologic properties and their time variations for 17 boreholes within the NSF Earthscope’s Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO) network along the San Andreas fault and Cascadia subduction zone. Our analysis considers solutions for both confined and unconfined aquiares. Resulting permeability and hydraulic diffusivity values range from6.4×10−16–8.4×10−14 m2 and1×10−4–9×10−1 m2s−1, respectively, whereas specific storage values are generally~1×10−6 m−1. The values are fairly consistent through time, reasonable given lithology, and are comparable to other regional studies. For one borehole, values are also comparable to those determined with traditional aquifer test data. In contrast with previous determinations of the high-frequency poroelastic response to seismic waves, no obvious spatial trends in hydrogeologic properties determined from long-wavelength tidal perturbations are observed. Within the recurring time-series estimates, only one borehole exhibits clear permeability enhancement by earthquakes, whereas nearby boreholes with similar lithology and hydrogeologic property values do not. This highlights the variable susceptibility of rocks to permeability enhancement. Together, these results provide quantitative constraints useful for models of large-scale groundwater flow around large fault systems and the potential hydrologic influence on deformation and fault slip behavior.
Spatial Spillover Effects of Economic Growth Based on High‐Speed Railways in Northeast China
Authors: Guan Haoming , Li Qiao
Published: April 2021

This paper examines the spatial spillover effects of public transportation infrastructure on regional economy in Northeast China, the “rust belt” region in China. The dataset consists of socioeconomic data from 47 cities in the area during the period of year 2005 through 2015. Accessibility is used as an explanatory variable to reflect the influence of infrastructure on economic development. In order to avoid the endogenous, queen contiguity matrix is used to define the spatial weight matrix. In the paper, the dynamic panel data model is also used to explore the effects of high‐speed railways in the whole study area and attempted to confirm the spatial differences among Heilongjiang Province, Jilin Province, and Liaoning Province. The results show that the high‐speed railways increase the cities’ connection in terms of accessibility, and a significant positive spillover effect exists after the construction of high‐speed railways (HSR), indicating the extensive economic benefits of HSR construction, despite of the overall economic difficulty experienced by this region.
Chronic Kidney Disease Progression and Transition Probabilities in a Large Preventive Cohort in Colombia
Authors: Vesga Jasmin I. , Cepeda Edilberto , Pardo Campo E. , Paez Sergio , Sanchez Ricardo , Sanabria Rafael M.
Published: April 2021

Background. Variability in chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression is a well-known phenomenon that underlines the importance of characterizing the said outcome in specific populations. Our objectives were to evaluate changes in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) over time and determine the frequency of dialysis admission and factors associated with this outcome, to estimate the rate of program’s loss-to-follow-up and the probability of transition between CKD stages over time. Methods. The study type was an observational analytic retrospective cohort in patients treated in a CKD prevention program in Bogota, Colombia, between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2013, with follow-up until December 31, 2018. Adult participants of 18 years of age or older with diagnosed CKD stages G3 or G4 were enrolled into a prevention program. For each patient, the rate of progression of CKD in ml/min/1.73 m2/year was estimated using the ordinary least-squares method. Dialysis initiation and program’s loss-to-follow-up rates were calculated. Heat maps were used to present probabilities of transitioning between various CKD stages over time. Survival model with competing risks was used to evaluate factors associated with dialysis initiation. Results. A total of 2752 patients met inclusion criteria and contributed with 14133 patient-years of follow-up and 200 dialysis initiation events, which represents a rate of 1.4 events per 100 patient-years (95% CI 1.2 to 1.6). The median change of the eGFR for the entire cohort was −0.47 ml/min/1.73 m2 per year, and in the diabetic population, it was −1.55 ml/min/1.73 m2 per year. The program’s loss-to-follow-up rate was 2.6 events per 100 patient-years (95% CI 2.3 to 2.9). Probabilities of CKD stage transitions are presented in heat maps. Female sex, older age, baseline eGFR, and serum albumin were associated with lower risk of dialysis initiation while CKD etiology diabetes, cardiovascular disease history, systolic blood pressure, blood urea nitrogen, and LDL cholesterol were associated with a higher likelihood of dialysis initiation. Conclusions. A CKD secondary prevention program’s key indicator is reported here, such as dialysis initiation, progression rate, and program drop-out; CKD progression appears to be correlated with diabetic status and timing of referral into the preventive program.
Fractional Crank-Nicolson-Galerkin Finite Element Methods for Nonlinear Time Fractional Parabolic Problems with Time Delay
Authors: Li Lili , She Mianfu , Niu Yuanling
Published: April 2021

A linearized numerical scheme is proposed to solve the nonlinear time-fractional parabolic problems with time delay. The scheme is based on the standard Galerkin finite element method in the spatial direction, the fractional Crank-Nicolson method, and extrapolation methods in the temporal direction. A novel discrete fractional Grönwall inequality is established. Thanks to the inequality, the error estimate of a fully discrete scheme is obtained. Several numerical examples are provided to verify the effectiveness of the fully discrete numerical method.
Mesothelin-Specific CAR T Cells Target Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Schoutrop Esther , El-Serafi Ibrahim , Poiret Thomas , Zhao Ying , Gultekin Okan , He Rui , Moyano-Galceran Lidia , Carlson Joseph W. , Lehti Kaisa , Hassan Moustapha , Magalhaes Isabelle , Mattsson Jonas
Published: April 2021

New therapeutic options for patients with ovarian cancer are urgently needed. Therefore, we evaluated the efficacy of two second-generation mesothelin (MSLN)-directed CAR T cells in orthotopic mouse models of ovarian cancer. Treatment with CAR T cells expressing an MSLN CAR construct including the CD28 domain (M28z) significantly prolonged survival, but no persistent tumor control was observed. Despite lower response rates, MSLN-4–1BB (MBBz) CAR T cells induced long-term remission in some SKOV3–bearing mice. Tumor-infiltrating M28z and MBBz CAR T cells upregulated PD-1 and LAG3 in an antigen-dependent manner while MSLN+ tumor cells expressed the corresponding ligands (PD-L1 and HLA-DR), demonstrating that coinhibitory pathways impede CAR T-cell persistence in the ovarian tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, profiling plasma soluble factors identified a cluster of M28z- and MBBz-treated mice characterized by elevated T-cell secreted factors that had increased survival, higher CD8+ T-cell tumor infiltration, less exhausted CAR T-cell phenotypes, and increased HLA-DR expression by tumor cells. Altogether, our study demonstrates the therapeutic potential of MSLN-CAR T cells to treat ovarian cancer.

Significance:

These findings demonstrate that MSLN-directed CAR T cells can provide antitumor immunity against ovarian cancer.