bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A new two‐phase heuristic for a problem of food distribution with compartmentalized trucks and trailers
Authors: Davila‐Pena Laura , R. Penas David , Casas‐Méndez Balbina 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThis paper presents a new formulation for the routing problem in which the available fleet consists of trucks and trailers divided into compartments. Solving the model for large instances is computationally expensive. Therefore, we introduce and implemented a two‐phase heuristic algorithm. In the first phase, an initial solution is generated through a constructive heuristic algorithm based on concepts from the classic Clarke–Wright algorithm. In the second phase, the initial solution is improved by an iterated tabu search metaheuristic. Our algorithm was tested on 21 instances that were converted from the classic truck and trailer routing problem. The results of our computational study prove the effectiveness of our proposal; the algorithm always finds a feasible solution, which in small‐sized problems it is proven to be of good quality. In addition, the algorithm outperforms previous approaches for some truck and trailer routing problem instances. Furthermore, an application of the proposed model and heuristic is demonstrated in the field of agricultural logistics by comparing the obtained results.
LncRNA PTPRG‐AS1 facilitates glycolysis and stemness properties of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells through miR‐599/PDK1 axis
Authors: Wu Kaiming , Wang Ziao , Huang Yunlong , Yao Long , Kang Ningning , Ge Wei , Zhang Renquan , He Wei 
Published: October 2021

AbstractBackground and AimEsophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the most significant subtype of esophageal cancer featured with high occurrence. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been proved to modulate the biological properties of cancer cells, including cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis. LncRNA protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type G‐antisense RNA 1 (PTPRG‐AS1) has been reported to play as an oncogene in diverse cancers. However, the detailed function PTPRG‐AS1 may exert in ESCC is unclear.MethodsPTPRG‐AS1 expression in ESCC cells was investigated via quantitative reverse transcription real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR). The effects of PTPRG‐AS1 on ESCC cell proliferation, migration, glycolysis, and stemness were verified through functional assays. Mechanism assays including RIP assay, RNA pull down assay, and luciferase reporter assays were performed to verify the molecular mechanism of PTPRG‐AS1.ResultsPTPRG‐AS1 silencing hindered the proliferation, migration, glycolysis and stemness of ESCC cells. PTPRG‐AS1 regulated pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1) expression via sponging miR‐599. The PTPRG‐AS1/miR‐599/PDK1 axis was further verified to aggravate the progression of ESCC cells.ConclusionPTPRG‐AS1 sponged miR‐599 to up‐regulate PDK1 expression, thereby promoting the proliferation and migration as well as glycolysis and stemness properties of ESCC cells.
TRAF proteins as key regulators of plant development and stress responses
Authors: Qi Hua , Xia Fan‐Nv , Xiao Shi , Li Juan 
Published: October 2021

AbstractTumor necrosis factor receptor‐associated factor (TRAF) proteins are conserved in higher eukaryotes and play key roles in transducing cellular signals across different organelles. They are characterized by their C‐terminal region (TRAF‐C domain) containing seven to eight anti‐parallel β‐sheets, also known as the meprin and TRAF‐C homology (MATH) domain. Over the past few decades, significant progress has been made toward understanding the diverse roles of TRAF proteins in mammals and plants. Compared to other eukaryotic species, the Arabidopsis thaliana and rice (Oryza sativa) genomes encode many more TRAF/MATH domain‐containing proteins; these plant proteins cluster into five classes: TRAF/MATH‐only, MATH‐BPM, MATH‐UBP (ubiquitin protease), Seven in absentia (SINA), and MATH‐Filament and MATH‐PEARLI‐4 proteins, suggesting parallel evolution of TRAF proteins in plants. Increasing evidence now indicates that plant TRAF proteins form central signaling networks essential for multiple biological processes, such as vegetative and reproductive development, autophagosome formation, plant immunity, symbiosis, phytohormone signaling, and abiotic stress responses. Here, we summarize recent advances and highlight future prospects for understanding on the molecular mechanisms by which TRAF proteins act in plant development and stress responses.
Long‐term prognosis of patients with alcohol‐related liver disease or non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease according to metabolic syndrome or alcohol use
Authors: Decraecker Marie , Dutartre Dan , Hiriart Jean‐Baptiste , Irles‐Depé Marie , Marraud des Grottes Hortense , Chermak Faiza , Foucher Juliette , Delamarre Adèle , de Ledinghen Victor 
Published: October 2021

AbstractBackground & AimsThe boundary between non‐alcoholic (NAFLD) and alcohol‐related liver disease (ALD) is based on alcohol consumption. However, metabolic syndrome and alcohol use frequently co‐exist. The aim of this study was to determine prognostic factors of long‐term morbidity and mortality in patients with NAFLD or ALD.MethodsFrom 2003 to 2016, all consecutive NAFLD or ALD patients were prospectively included in this cohort study. We evaluated overall survival, specific cause of mortality and occurrence of any complication. The primary endpoint was analysed by the Kaplan Meier method, secondary endpoints were estimated by Gray test method or logistic regressions. Factors independently associated with overall mortality and morbidity were identified by a multivariate Cox model.ResultsA total of 3365 patients (1667 with ALD and 1698 with NAFLD) were included. Median follow‐up was 54 months (range: 30‐86) and 563 subjects died.In the overall population, overall mortality was higher in patients with ALD (HR: 10.1 [7.57‐13.3]), and with weekly alcohol consumption >7 units (HR:1.66 [1.41‐1.96]). Liver‐related mortality was higher in patients with ALD (HR: 11 [7.27‐16.5]). In the NAFLD group, weekly alcohol consumption >1 unit was associated with higher overall mortality (HR: 1.9 [1.1‐3.4]), and weekly alcohol consumption >7 units was associated with higher overall morbidity (OR: 1.89 [1.61‐2.21]). In the ALD group, the presence of metabolic syndrome was associated with higher overall (HR:1.27 [1.02‐1.57]), and liver (HR: 1.47 [1.1‐1.96]) mortalities, and overall (OR: 1.46 [1.14‐1.88]), liver (OR: 1.46 [1.14‐1.88]) morbidities.ConclusionIn fatty liver diseases, light alcohol consumption and metabolic syndrome are prognosis cofactors.
Deep reinforcement learning for automated design of reinforced concrete structures
Authors: Jeong Jong‐Hyun , Jo Hongki 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThis study proposes a novel concept of reinforcement learning (RL) framework to facilitate automated structural design, with a particular focus on reinforced concrete (RC) beam design as case studies. We trained an RL agent called deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) with a convolutional neural network function approximators. The RL agent was successfully trained to design RC beams subject to American Concrete Institute (318) provisions without any hand‐labeled dataset. A python‐based RC beam design environment was developed and used to simulate RC beam designs with customized reward functions that encouraged the agent to minimize material cost by maximizing reward. The DDPG agent self‐learned cost‐effective RC beam design through 100,000 randomly generated design cases during the training procedure. The trained agent was able to design an RC beam in a cost‐effective way while taking both flexural and shear reinforcement arrangements into consideration. The trained agent generated near‐optimal design parameters without the need for unnecessary iterations over various design conditions. The performance of the agent was validated with 100 design cases and comparative studies, showing a great promise for automated RC beam design.
A qualitative exploration of care homes workers’ views and training needs in relation to the use of socially assistive humanoid robots in their workplace
Authors: Papadopoulos Irena , Ali Sheila , Papadopoulos Chris , Castro Nina , Faulkes Nicholas , Koulouglioti Christina 
Published: October 2021

AbstractAimThe study aimed to explore the views and attitudes of care home workers about the socially assistive robot that was trialled in their workplace, in order to identify training needs in relation to the hypothetical future use of these robots in their workplace.BackgroundCare home workers face challenging workload conditions which may require the exploration of new solutions such as the use of socially assistive robots (SARs).MethodsThis is a qualitative descriptive study which used semi‐structured interviews. Care home workers (n = 23) in the UK participated in the study, and data collection took place between October 2019 and January 2020. NVivo software was used for data management, and a thematic inductive analysis was conducted.ResultsFindings indicated that many participants were open to the use of robots and valued the potential usefulness of SARs in the care setting. However, some participants showed resistance to the use of robots and did not feel comfortable with the idea of working alongside them. Participants wished to receive technical training that would enable them to be competent in using SARs. Participants took seriously their duty of care to the older people and thus wanted to ensure that the use of the SAR would not negatively impact on the care being provided. Robots were viewed as having potential to be supplementary to human carers, such as sharing the workload and improving upon the care already being provided.ConclusionsCare home workers express both positive and negative views in relation to the hypothetical future deployment of socially assistive humanoid robots in their workplace.Implications for practiceThe findings highlighted the importance of values around person‐centred care which should be taken into account when planning for the implementation of robots in social care settings and training care home workers in how to work with robots.
Vagus nerve stimulation activates nucleus of solitary tract neurons via supramedullary pathways
Authors: Cooper Coty M. , Farrand Ariana Q. , Andresen Michael C. , Beaumont Eric 
Published: October 2021

AbstractVagus nerve stimulation (VNS) treats patients with drug‐resistant epilepsy, depression and heart failure, but the mechanisms responsible are uncertain. The mild stimulus intensities used in chronic VNS suggest activation of myelinated primary visceral afferents projecting to the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS). Here, we monitored the activity of second and higher order NTS neurons in response to peripheral vagal activation using therapeutic VNS criteria. A bipolar stimulating electrode activated the left cervical vagus nerve, and stereotaxically placed single tungsten electrodes recorded unit activity from the left caudomedial NTS of chloralose‐anaesthetized rats. High‐intensity single electrical stimuli established vagal afferent conduction velocity (myelinated A‐type or unmyelinated C‐type) as well as synaptic order (secondvs. higher order using paired electrical stimuli) for inputs to single NTS neurons. Then, VNS treatment was applied. A mid‐collicular knife cut (KC) divided the brainstem from all supramedullary regions to determine their contribution to NTS activity. Our chief findings indicate that the KC reduced basal spontaneous activity of second‐order NTS neurons receiving myelinated vagal input by 85%. In these neurons, acute VNS increased activity similarly in Control and KC animals. Interestingly, the KC interrupted VNS activation of higher order NTS neurons and second‐order NTS neurons receiving unmyelinated vagal input, indicating that supramedullary descending projections to NTS are needed to amplify the peripheral neuronal signal from VNS. The present study begins to define the pathways activated during VNS and will help to better identify the central nervous system contributions to the therapeutic benefits of VNS therapy.imageKey pointsVagus nerve stimulation is routinely used in the clinic to treat epilepsy and depression, despite our uncertainty about how this treatment works.For this study, the connections between the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) and the higher brain regions were severed to learn more about their contribution to activity of these neurons during stimulation.Severing these brain connections reduced baseline activity as well as reducing stimulation‐induced activation for NTS neurons receiving myelinated vagal input.Higher brain regions play a significant role in maintaining both normal activity in NTS and indirect mechanisms of enhancing NTS neuronal activity during vagus nerve stimulation.
The Postbuckling Behavior of Compressed Elastica Inside a Flexible Tube: Experimental and Numerical Investigation
Authors: Dayan Yosef , Durban David , Givli Sefi 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
The postbuckling behavior of an elastic fiber subjected to lateral constraints is of practical importance in a wide range of medical and engineering applications. The vast majority of existing studies have adopted the assumption that the lateral constrains are fixed in space and rigid. This assumption is often far from the reality of the physical complexity of the abovementioned systems. In this paper, we study analytically, numerically, and experimentally the behavior of an elastic fiber that is subjected to compressive force and constrained by a flexible tube. The latter marks a point of departure from available research. Our experiments provide quantitative information related to the overall behavior of the system, like force-shortening relation and deflection of the flexible tube. That information is complemented by finite-element simulations that enable in-depth analysis of the deformation of the fiber as well as contact characteristics between the fiber and the inner wall of the flexible tube. Finally, a simple mathematical model, aimed at providing analytical insights, is presented. Overall, the theoretical, numerical, and experimental results are in very good agreement. They highlight the fact that the behavior of a compressed fiber that is constrained by a deformable tube significantly deviates from that of a fiber constrained inside a rigid cylinder. Moreover, it is shown that the overall behavior as well as the evolution of contact between the fiber and the cylinder heavily depends on the ratio between the stiffness of the fiber and the lateral stiffness of the tube.
Folding Responses of Origami-Inspired Structures Connected by Groove Compliant Joints
Authors: Zhang Qian , Li Yuanyuan , Kueh Ahmad BH , Qian Zelun , Cai Jianguo 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
The compliant mechanism can effectively reduce friction and eliminate the joint gap during the motion. The performances of compliant joints directly determine the overall behavior of mechanisms. In this paper, a new type of compliant joint is designed based on weakened creases and elastic–plastic materials. Parametric analysis is carried out to investigate the influence of compliant joint details on its structural performances by combining finite element methods and experiments. The compliant joints are evaluated and optimized regarding the rotational stiffness and plastic strain magnitude of the slot region. In addition, the optimized compliant joint is introduced to the Miura unit. The configuration analysis is performed for the folding, unfolding, and releasing processes, which are further extended to the discussion on the cyclic performance of the compliant joint. It can be found that the origami-inspired structures can maintain a high residual stiffness after the release process. Finally, the methodology is applied to the Miura origami array embedded with the designed compliant joint. The results of dimensional errors and stress distributions can show that the design of the compliant joints can effectively control the configuration of the Miura origami array. The principle in this paper can open a new avenue to design and utilize the compliant in the deployable or morphing structures.
Design of a Four-Bar Latch Mechanism and a Shear-Based Rotary Viscous Damper for Single-Axis Prosthetic Knees
Authors: Arelekatti V. N. Murthy , Petelina Nina T. , Johnson W. Brett , Major Matthew J. , Winter V Amos G. 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
With over 30 million people worldwide requiring assistive devices, there is a great need for low-cost and high-performance prosthetic technologies that can enable kinematics close to able-bodied gait. Low-income users of prosthetic knees in the developing world repeatedly report the need for n inconspicuous gait to mitigate the severe socioeconomic discrimination associated with disability. However, passive prosthetic knees designed for these users have primarily focused on stability and affordability, often at the cost of the high biomechanical performance that is required to replicate able-bodied kinematics. In this study, we present the design and preliminary testing of two distinct mechanism modules that are novel for passive prosthetic knee applications: the stability module and the damping module. These mechanisms are designed to enable users of single-axis, passive prosthetic knees to walk with close to able-bodied kinematics on level-ground, specifically during the transition from the stance phase to the swing phase of the gait cycle. The stability module was implemented with a latch mounted on a virtual axis of a four-bar linkage, which can be engaged during early stance for stability and disengaged during late stance to initiate knee flexion. The damping module was implemented with a concentric stack of stationary and rotating pairs of plates that shear thin films of high-viscosity silicone oil. The goal of the resulting first-order damping torque was to achieve smooth flexion of the prosthetic knee within the able-bodied gait range (64 ± 6 deg). For preliminary user-centric validation, a prototype prosthetic knee with the stability module and two different dampers (with varying damping coefficients) was tested on a single subject with above-knee amputation in India. The stability module enabled smooth transition from stance to swing with timely initiation of knee flexion. The dampers also performed satisfactorily, as the increase in the damping coefficient was found to decrease the peak knee flexion angle during swing. The applications of the mechanisms presented in this article could significantly improve the kinematic performance of low-cost, passive prosthetic knees.
Advances in the Theory of Planar Curve Cognates
Authors: Sherman Samantha N. , Hauenstein Jonathan D. , Wampler Charles W. 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Cognate linkages provide the useful property in mechanism design of having the same motion. This paper describes an approach for determining all coupler curve cognates for planar linkages with rotational joints. Although a prior compilation of six-bar cognates due to Dijksman purported to be a complete list, that analysis assumed, without proof, that cognates only arise by permuting link rotations. Our approach eliminates that assumption using arguments concerning the singular foci of the coupler curve to constrain a cognate search and then completing the analysis by solving a precision point problem. This analysis confirms that Dijksman’s list for six-bars is comprehensive. As we further demonstrate on an eight-bar and a ten-bar example, the method greatly constrains the set of permutations of link rotations that can possibly lead to cognates, thereby facilitating the discovery of all cognates that arise in that manner. However, for these higher order linkages, the further step of using a precision point test to eliminate the possibility of any other cognates is still beyond our computational capabilities.
Facing Nuclear Reality
Authors: Miller George H. , Brown Paul S. , Nordyke Milo D. 
Published: October 2021

Nuclear weapons that are safe and secure, reliable, survivable, and effective will be a critical element of this nation's deterrent for the foreseeable future. The existence of these weapons reflects the tension that exists between the United States and the Soviet Union. Nuclear test bans will not reduce or eliminate nuclear weapons or this tension. Imprudent nuclear test bans, however, could impair the viability of this vital element of U.S. security.
New, more restrictive test limitations would not enhance our national security. They do not address the two most important issues—namely, major reductions in strategic and conventional forces of both the Soviet Union and the United States, and a widespread lessening of tension between our two countries. In fact, it is conceivable that the diversion of political attention from arms reduction efforts and the distrust generated by test-ban verification problems could actually increase tensions between the two countries.
We believe that more restrictive test limitations or a nuclear test ban should be considered only as part of an integrated and comprehensive approach to arms control. We must reduce the numbers of the most destabilizing weapons and the overall size of the strategic arsenals through negotiations. A restrictive test ban may be a proper last step in our quest for nuclear arms control and a stable peace, but it would, in our opinion, be an imprudent first step. Further test limitations will be consistent with increased stability and decreased tension between the United States and the Soviet Union only if they are instituted after major stabilizing reductions are made in the strategic nuclear and conventional forces of both countries.
Cost-effectiveness of household contact investigation for detection of tuberculosis in Pakistan
Authors: Hussain Hamidah , Malik Amyn , Ahmed Junaid F , Siddiqui Sara , Amanullah Farhana , Creswell Jacob , Tylleskär Thorkild , Robberstad Bjarne 
Published: October 2021

ObjectivesDespite WHO guidelines recommending household contact investigation, and studies showing the impact of active screening, most tuberculosis (TB) programmes in resource-limited settings only carry out passive contact investigation. The cost of such strategies is often cited as barriers to their implementation. However, little data are available for the additional costs required to implement this strategy. We aimed to estimate the cost and cost-effectiveness of active contact investigation as compared with passive contact investigation in urban Pakistan.MethodsWe estimated the cost-effectiveness of ‘enhanced’ (passive with follow-up) and ‘active’ (household visit) contact investigations compared with standard ‘passive’ contact investigation from providers and the programme’s perspective using a simple decision tree. Costs were collected in Pakistan from a TB clinic performing passive contact investigation and from studies of active contact tracing interventions conducted. The effectiveness was based on the number of patients with TB identified among household contacts screened.ResultsThe addition of enhanced contact investigation to the existing passive mode detected 3.8 times more cases of TB per index patient compared with passive contact investigation alone. The incremental cost was US$30 per index patient, which yielded an incremental cost of US$120 per incremental patient identified with TB. The active contact investigation was 1.5 times more effective than enhanced contact investigation with an incremental cost of US$238 per incremental patient with TB identified.ConclusionOur results show that enhanced and active approaches to contact investigation effectively identify additional patients with TB among household contacts at a relatively modest cost. These strategies can be added to the passive contact investigation in a high burden setting to find the people with TB who are missed and meet the End TB strategy goals.