A Globally and Quadratically Convergent Algorithm for Solving Multilinear Systems with M-tensors

We consider multilinear systems of equations whose coefficient tensors are (Formula presented.)-tensors. Multilinear systems of equations have many applications in engineering and scientific computing, such as data mining and numerical partial differential equations. In this paper, we show that solving multilinear systems with (Formula presented.)-tensors is equivalent to solving nonlinear systems of equations where the involving functions are P-functions. Based on this result, we propose a Newton-type method to solve multilinear systems with (Formula presented.)-tensors. For a multilinear system with a nonsingular (Formula presented.)-tensor and a positive right side vector, we prove that the sequence generated by the proposed method converges to the unique solution of the multilinear system and the convergence rate is quadratic. Numerical results are reported to show that the proposed method is promising

Adverse Events Associated With Anti-IL-23 Agents: Clinical Evidence and Possible Mechanisms

BackgroundAnti-interleukin (IL)-23 agents are widely used for autoimmune disease treatment; however, the safety and risks of specific symptoms have not been systematically assessed.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to summarize the characteristics and mechanisms of occurrence of five immunological and non-immunological adverse events caused by different anti-IL-23 agents.MethodsThe Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science databases were searched for eligible randomized clinical trials published from inception through May 1, 2020. Randomized clinical trials that reported at least one type of adverse event after treatment were included, regardless of sex, age, ethnicity, and diagnosis. Two investigators independently screened and extracted the characteristics of the studies, participants, drugs, and adverse event types. The Cochrane Handbook was used to assess the methodological quality of the included randomized clinical trials. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic. Meta-regression was applied to determine the sources of heterogeneity, and subgroup analysis was used to identify the factors contributing to adverse events.ResultsForty-eight studies were included in the meta-analysis, comprising 25,624 patients treated with anti-IL-23 agents. Serious immunological or non-immunological adverse events were rare. Anti-IL-12/23-p40 agents appeared to cause adverse events more easily than anti-IL-23-p19 agents. The incidence of cancer did not appear to be related to anti-IL-23 agent treatment, and long-term medication could lead to mental diseases. The prevention of complications should be carefully monitored when administered for over approximately 40 weeks to avoid further adverse reactions, and the incidence of infection was the highest among general immunological adverse events.ConclusionsThe application of anti-IL-23 agents induced a series of immunological and non-immunological adverse events, but these agents tend to be well-tolerated with good safety profiles

Human Activity Recognition and Location Based on Temporal Analysis

Current methods of human activity recognition face many challenges, such as the need for multiple sensors, poor implementation, unreliable real-time performance, and lack of temporal location. In this research, we developed a method for recognizing and locating human activities based on temporal action recognition. For this work, we used a multilayer convolutional neural network (CNN) to extract features. In addition, we used refined actionness grouping to generate precise region proposals. Then, we classified the candidate regions by employing an activity classifier based on a structured segmented network and a cascade design for end-to-end training. Compared with previous methods of action classification, the proposed method adds the time boundary and effectively improves the detection accuracy. To test this method empirically, we conducted experiments utilizing surveillance video of an offshore oil production plant. Three activities were recognized and located in the untrimmed long video: standing, walking, and falling. The accuracy of the results proved the effectiveness and real-time performance of the proposed method, demonstrating that this approach has great potential for practical application

Thermal Stability of Self-Assembled 3-Aminopropyltrimethoxysilane Diffusion Barrier Terminated by Carboxyl Groups

The carboxyl-terminated 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) self-assembled monolayer (SAM) diffusion barrier was prepared onto a Si substrate via molecular self-assembly and graft modification technology. The SAM was afterward coated with a copper film via radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. In order to study the thermal stability of the diffusion barrier, the sample was subsequently annealed for 60 min in an Ar environment at the temperatures of 350 °C, 400 °C, 450 °C, 500 °C, and 550 °C. The results revealed that carboxyl modification enabled one to increase the barrier breakdown temperature of the APTMS diffusion barrier layer by about 100 °C, which was sufficient to effectively inhibit the copper diffusion at 500 °C

Selaginella wuyishanensis (sect. Tetragonostachyae, Selaginellaceae), a new species from East China and its phylogenetic position based on molecular data

A new spikemoss species, Selaginella wuyishanensis, is described and illustrated based on materials collected from Fujian Province, East China. The new species can be distinguished from S. lutchuensis Koidzumi and S. albociliata P. S. Wang by its leaves with extremely long cilia (up to 8 mm) and distinctly white margins, ovate ventral sporophylls, and sporophyll-pteryx completely inverted on dorsal sporophylls. In the present work, a molecular phylogeny, taxonomic description, distribution information, line drawing, and photographs of this new species are presented. A morphological comparison is also given to distinguish it from morphologically similar species in Selaginella sect. Tetragonostachyae (Hook. & Grev.) Hieron. & Sadeb

Effects of Gardeniae Fructus Extract and Geniposide on Promoting Ligament Cell Proliferation and Collagen Synthesis

Korean Government; Korea Research Foundation [KRF-2007-211-E00002]; Korean Government (MOEHRRD) [KRF-2008-331-E00451]Gardeniae Fructus is a traditional medicine used for the treatment of contusion such as ankle sprain. Geniposide is one of the main components of Gardeniae Fructus with diverse biological activities. In order to gain further insight into the therapeutic action of Gardeniae Fructus extract (GFE) and geniposide on ligament injuries, a new in vitro model was developed in the present study. Rat hind ankle ligament fibroblasts (RHALFs) derived from Sprague-Dawley rats were cultured, and the cell proliferation and collagen content were examined by MTT and a Sirius Red-based colorimetric assay after stimulating with each drug. The cell growth of RHALFs was promoted by culturing with 37.5-150 mu g/mL of GFE and 25-200 mu M of geniposide. The content of collagen in the RHALFs was significantly increased up to 131.4% and 124.2% of the control value by culturing with the GFE and geniposide, respectively. By contrast, both cell growth and collagen content were impaired by adding 25-200 mu M of diclofenac, one of the common medications for ligament injuries. The findings suggest that GFE and geniposide may ameliorate the treatment of ligament injuries by proliferating ligament fibroblasts and promoting the synthesis of collagen. However, the use of diclofenac to treat acute ligament injuries should be reassessed although it possesses a potential effect on relieving symptoms. Copyright (C) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd