PGA: An Efficient Adaptive Traffic Signal Timing Optimization Scheme Using Actor-Critic Reinforcement Learning Algorithm

( Si Shen ),( Guojiang Shen ),( Yang Shen ),( Duanyang Liu ),( Xi Yang ),( Xiangjie Kong ) 한국인터넷정보학회 2020 KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Syst Vol.14 No.11

Advanced traffic signal timing method plays very important role in reducing road congestion and air pollution. Reinforcement learning is considered as superior approach to build traffic light timing scheme by many recent studies. It fulfills real adaptive control by the means of taking real-time traffic information as state, and adjusting traffic light scheme as action. However, existing works behave inefficient in complex intersections and they are lack of feasibility because most of them adopt traffic light scheme whose phase sequence is flexible. To address these issues, a novel adaptive traffic signal timing scheme is proposed. It's based on actor-critic reinforcement learning algorithm, and advanced techniques proximal policy optimization and generalized advantage estimation are integrated. In particular, a new kind of reward function and a simplified form of state representation are carefully defined, and they facilitate to improve the learning efficiency and reduce the computational complexity, respectively. Meanwhile, a fixed phase sequence signal scheme is derived, and constraint on the variations of successive phase durations is introduced, which enhances its feasibility and robustness in field applications. The proposed scheme is verified through field-data-based experiments in both medium and high traffic density scenarios. Simulation results exhibit remarkable improvement in traffic performance as well as the learning efficiency comparing with the existing reinforcement learning-based methods such as 3DQN and DDQN.

Hyperglycemia-Associated Hemichorea-Hemiballismus with Predominant Ipsilateral Putaminal Abnormality on Neuroimaging

Si Lei Fong,Ai Huey Tan,Kar Foo Lau,Norlisah Ramli,Shen-Yang LIM 대한파킨슨병및이상운동질환학회 2019 Journal Of Movement Disorders Vol.12 No.3

Hemichorea-hemiballismus is characterized by unilateral, brief, unpredictable involuntary movements of one side of the body (upper and lower limbs and sometimes also affecting the face). The most common causes for this condition are strokes, hyperglycemia-associated hemichorea-hemiballismus, and other focal lesions affecting the basal ganglia

Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Persistent Apogeotropic and Persistent Geotropic Direction-Changing Positional Nystagmus

Si Lihong,Shen Bo,Li Yuanzhe,Ling Xia,Li Kangzhi,Yang Xu 대한신경과학회 2021 Journal of Clinical Neurology Vol.17 No.3

Background and Purpose This study aimed to determine the clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with persistent geotropic (pG) and persistent apogeotropic (pAG) direction-changing positional nystagmus (DCPN). Methods This retrospective study included 30 patients with pG-DCPN and 44 patients with pAG-DCPN. All patients underwent neurological and neurotological examinations, including an evaluation of gaze-evoked nystagmus, eye-movement tests, and assessments of limb ataxia and balance, as well as magnetic resonance imaging to exclude central causes. The characteristics of positional nystagmus were detected using the supine roll test (SRT) and bow-andlean test (BLT). The null point (NP) at which the nystagmus disappeared was determined. All patients were treated with the barbecue maneuver, and treatment efficacy was evaluated immediately, 1 week, and 1 month after treatment. Results The history of diseases associated with atherosclerosis, peripheral vestibular disorders, otological disease, and migraine differed significantly between patients with pG-DCPN and pAG-DCPN. The affected sides of persistent horizontal DCPN can be determined using the SRT and the BLT, while determining the second NP and vestibular function as well as performing an audiological evaluation can be used to assist in identifying the affected side. The efficacy rates immediately and 1 week after treatment with the barbecue maneuver were higher in patients with pAG-DCPN than in patients with pG-DCPN. Conclusions pAG-DCPN was more compatible with the characteristics of cupulolithiasis, and pG-DCPN was more likely to be associated with a light cupula rather than canalolithiasis. pAG-DCPN was more likely to be accompanied by a disease associated with atherosclerosis, while pG-DCPN was often accompanied by autoimmune-related diseases and a history of migraine. The associations between pAG-DCPN, pG-DCPN, and the above-mentioned diseases need to be clarified further. The canalith-repositioning maneuver was effective in patients with pAG-DCPN and ineffective in patients with pG-DCPN, but most cases of pGDCPN are self-limiting.

Effectiveness of acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy for lung cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Shen, Lei,Gwak, Si Ra,Joo, Jong Cheon,Park, Soo Jung Korean Association of Traditional Oncology 2020 大韓癌韓醫學會誌 Vol.25 No.1

Objectives : Lung cancer is one of the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the role of acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy for lung cancer. Methods : We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the role of acupuncture therapy in lung cancer treatment by electronic and manual searching in ninedatabases, including PubMed, Cochrane library, Embase, Korean databases, and Chinese medical databases. Results : A total of 21 trials were included in the meta-analysis. The study results showed that acupuncture therapy had significant efficacy in immuneregulation, including CD3 andCD4. Further analysis revealed that acupuncture therapy significant improvements in quality of life, including Karnofsky performance status(KPS)score, functional assessment of cancer therapy-lung cancer subscale (FACT-L) and European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). In addition, the pooled studies also showed that acupuncture therapy reduced cancer pain and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Conclusions : Our study provides moderate evidence of the efficacy of the acupuncture therapy in the treatment of lung cancer.

Delineation of the Role of Glycosylation in the Cytotoxic Properties of Quercetin using Novel Assays in Living Vertebrates

Park, Si-Hwan,Kim, Hyun Jung,Yim, Soon-Ho,Kim, Ah-Ra,Tyagi, Nisha,Shen, Haihong,Kim, Kyung Keun,Shin, Boo Ahn,Jung, Da-Woon,Williams, Darren R. American Chemical Society and American Society of 2014 Journal of natural products Vol.77 No.11

<P>Quercetin is a plant-derived flavonoid and its cytotoxic properties have been widely reported. However, in nature, quercetin predominantly occurs as various glycosides. Thus far the cytotoxic activity of these glycosides has not been investigated to the same extent as quercetin, especially in animal models. In this study, the cytotoxic properties of quercetin (<B>1</B>), hyperoside (quercetin 3<I>-O-</I>galactoside, <B>2</B>), isoquercitrin (quercetin 3<I>-O-</I>glucoside, <B>3</B>), quercitrin (quercetin 3<I>-O-</I>rhamnoside, <B>4</B>), and spiraeoside (quercetin 4′<I>-O-</I>glucoside, <B>5</B>) were directly compared in vitro using assays of cancer cell viability. To further characterize the influence of glycosylation in vivo, a novel zebrafish-based assay was developed that allows the rapid and experimentally convenient visualization of glycoside cleavage in the digestive tract. This assay was correlated with a novel human tumor xenograft assay in the same animal model. The results showed that <B>3</B> is as effective as <B>1</B> at inhibiting cancer cell proliferation in vivo. Moreover, it was observed that <B>3</B> can be effectively deglycosylated in the digestive tract. Collectively, these results indicate that <B>3</B> is a very promising drug candidate for cancer therapy, because glycosylation confers advantageous pharmacological changes compared with the aglycone, <B>1</B>. Importantly, the development of a novel and convenient fluorescence-based assay for monitoring deglycosylation in living vertebrates provides a valuable platform for determining the metabolic fate of naturally occurring glycosides.</P><P><B>Graphic Abstract</B> <IMG SRC='http://pubs.acs.org/appl/literatum/publisher/achs/journals/content/jnprdf/2014/jnprdf.2014.77.issue-11/np500231g/production/images/medium/np-2014-00231g_0007.gif'></P><P><A href='http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/np500231g'>ACS Electronic Supporting Info</A></P>

Vibration behavior of functionally graded sandwich beam with porous core and nanocomposite layers

Hua Si,Daoming Shen,Jinhong Xia,Vahid Tahouneh 국제구조공학회 2020 Steel and Composite Structures, An International J Vol.36 No.1

This paper presents the influence of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) waviness, aspect ratio, internal pores and graphene platelets (GPLs) on the vibrational behavior of functionally graded nanocomposite sandwich beams resting on two-parameter elastic foundations. The distributions of CNTs are considered functionally graded (FG) or uniform along the thickness of upper and bottom layers of the sandwich beam and their mechanical properties are estimated by an extended rule of mixture. In this study, the classical theory concerning the mechanical efficiency of a matrix embedding finite length fibers has been modified by introducing the tube-to-tube random contact, which explicitly accounts for the progressive reduction of the tubes’ effective aspect ratio as the filler content increases. The core of structure is porous and the internal pores and graphene platelets (GPLs) are distributed in the matrix of core either uniformly or non-uniformly according to three different patterns. The elastic properties of the nanocomposite are obtained by employing Halpin-Tsai micromechanics model. The equations of motion are derived based on Timoshenko beam theory and employing Hamilton’s principle. The problem is modeled using a semi-analytical approach composed of generalized differential quadrature method (GDQM) and series solution adopted to solve the equations of motion. Detailed parametric studies are carried out to investigate carbon nanotubes (CNTs) waviness, CNT aspect ratio, porosity coefficient, porosity distribution, graphene platelets (GPLs) distribution, Winkler foundation modulus, shear elastic foundation modulus and geometrical conditions on the vibrational behavior of the sandwich structure.

Use of Clozapine for the Treatment of Schizophrenia: Findings of the 2006 Research on the China Psychotropic Prescription Studies

Tian-Mei Si,Yun-shu Zhang,Liang Shu,Ke-Qing Li,Xie-He Liu,Qi-Yi Mei,Gao-Hua Wang,Pei-Shen Bai,Li-Ping Ji,Xian-Sheng Cheng,Cui Ma,Jian-Guo Shi,Hong-Yan Zhang,Hong Ma,Xin Yu 대한정신약물학회 2012 CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE Vol.10 No.2

Objective: Clozapine is one of the most commonly used antipsychotic drugs in China. To date, few studies have investigated the patterns the prescription of clozapine nationwide. The present study examined these patterns in China in 2006 and identified the demographic and clinical characteristics associated with the use of clozapine. Methods: Using a standardized protocol and data collection procedure, we surveyed 5,898 patients with schizophrenia in 10provinces with differing levels of economic development. Results: Overall, clozapine had been prescribed for 31.9% (n=1,883) of the patients; however we found considerable variation among the 10 provinces. The frequency of clozapine use was highest in Sichuan (39.3%) and lowest in Beijing (17.3%). The mean daily dose of clozapine was 210.36±128.72 mg/day, and 25.1% of the patients were treated with clozapine in combination with other antipsychotics. Compared with the group not receiving clozapine, clozapine-user had been treated for longer durations and had experienced a greater number of relapses and hospitalizations. Furthermore, those in the clozapine-user had lower family incomes, were less able to seek psychiatric services, and more likely to be male and have a positive family history of schizophrenia. A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that age, sex, professional help-seeking behaviors, duration of illness, economic status, educational level, and clinical manifestations were associated with the use of clozapine. Conclusion: Clozapine use is common in China. However, use of the antipsychotic varies among provinces, and demographic and clinical factors play important roles in the prescription of clozapine.

Factors that Influence the Presciption of Antipsychotics for Patients with Schizophrenia in China

Tian-Mei Si,Liang Shu,Ke-Qing Li,Xie-He Liu,Qi-Yi Mei,Gao-Hua Wang,Pei-Shen Bai,Li-Ping Ji,Xian-Sheng Chen,Cui Ma,Jian-Guo Shi,Hong-Yan Zhang,Hong Ma,Xin Yu 대한정신약물학회 2011 CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE Vol.9 No.3

Objective: To investigate the patterns of antipsychotic use in China and to analyze the factors that influence antipsychotic prescriptions. Methods: A standardized survey was conducted from May 20 to 24 2002 in five different regions of China with varying economic levels. The patterns of antipsychotic medication use were analyzed in a sample of 4,779 patients with schizophrenia. The survey gathered information on demographic characteristics, clinical profiles, and antipsychotic medications prescribed. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze factors related to patterns of antipsychotic medication use. Results: A plurality of patients with schizophrenia was treated with clozapine (39%); this was followed by risperidone, sulpride,chlorpromazine, perphenazine, and haloperidol. More than 56.3% of patients were treated with only one atypical antipsychotic. The mean daily dose of chlorpromazine was 365±253 mg (mean±standard deviation), and 6.5% of patients were treated with depot injections of typical antipsychotic medications. A total of 73.7% (n=3,523) of patients with schizophrenia received monotherapy,24.8% (n=1,183) received two antipsychotics, 1.1% (n=52) received three antipsychotics, and one received four different antipsychotics. Patients often simultaneously received other classes of medications including anticholinergic agents, benzodiazepines,β-blockers, antidepressants, and mood stabilizers. Economic status and clinical symptoms were the main factors that contributed to the patterns of antipsychotic prescription. Conclusion: The present study suggests that atypical antipsychotic medications, especially clozapine, are the primary psychiatric treatments of choice in the management of schizophrenia in China. Moreover, the economic status and clinical profile of the patient are the major factors affecting the prescription of antipsychotic medication.

The role of Jacalin-related lectin gene AOL_s00083g511 in the development and pathogenicity of the nematophagous fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora

Dong Xinyuan,Si Jiali,Zhang Guanghui,Shen Zhen,Zhang Li,Sheng Kangliang,Wang Jingmin,Kong Xiaowei,Zha Xiangdong,Wang Yongzhong 한국미생물학회 2021 The journal of microbiology Vol.59 No.8

Arthrobotrys oligospora is a model species of nematophagous fungi and has great potential for the biological control of nematode diseases. Lectin is a protein that binds to carbohydrates and their complexes with high specificity, which mediates recognition events in various physiological and pathological processes. This study aimed to investigate the role of the Jacalin-related lectin (JRL) gene, AOL_s00083g511, in A. oligospora development. Through a homology recombination approach, we obtained the AOL_s00083g511 knockout mutant strain (Δg511). Next, the biological characteristics of the Δg511 mutant strain, including growth rate, conidia germination rate, adaptation to environmental stresses, and nematocidal activity, were compared with those of the wild-type (WT) strain. The results showed that the JRL gene AOL_ s00083g511 did not affect fungal growth, conidia germination, 3D-trap formation, and the ability of A. oligospora to prey on nematodes significantly. We speculate that this phenomenon may be caused by a loss of the key β1–β2 loops in the AOL_ s00083g511-encoded JRL domain and an intrinsic genetic compensation of AOL_s00083g511 in this fungus. The growth rates of both strains on high salt or surfactant media were similar; however, in the strong oxidation medium, the growth rate of the Δg511 mutant was significantly lower than that of the WT strain, indicating that AOL_s00083g511 might play a role in oxidative stress resistance. These findings provide a basis for further analysis of the related functions of the JRL gene in A. oligospora and their potential roles in the biological control of nematodes in the future.

Experimental Investigation on Seismic Resistance of RC Shear Walls with CFRP Bars in Boundary Elements

Jun Zhao,Fuqiang Shen,Chenzhe Si,Yuping Sun,Lu Yin 한국콘크리트학회 2020 International Journal of Concrete Structures and M Vol.14 No.1

Experimental investigation on seismic performance of RC shear walls reinforced with CFRP bars in boundary elements to enhance the resilience was presented which is expected for stable resistance capacity and small residual deformation. Six RC shear walls reinforced with CFRP bars as longitudinal tensile materials in boundary elements were tested under reversed cyclic lateral loading while subjected to constant axial compression with different axial load ratios of 0.17, 0.26 and 0.33, respectively. Two forms of stirrups were used for each axial load ratio, which were rectangular and circular stirrups in boundary elements. A reference specimen, ordinary RC shear walls, was also introduced to certify the excellence of CFRP bars. The test results indicated that the walls utilizing CFRP bars had small residual deformations and residual crack widths. Lower crack propagation height and larger concrete crushing region, bearing capacity and equivalent viscous damping coefficient (EVDC) could be observed with the increase of axial load ratios. The effects of stirrup forms on experimental results had a relation to the axial load ratio. When the axial load ratio was small, the shear walls with circular stirrups had better energy dissipation than that with rectangular stirrups at a given drift level, while the cumulative energy dissipation (CED) were similar. With the increase of axial load ratio, the walls exhibited similar energy dissipation at the same drift level, however, the shear walls with rectangular stirrups had larger CED.