Number Of Nodes Research Articles

Nanocarbon tracer applied to explore the relationship between the number of exposed parathyroid glands and parathyroid function

After nanocarbon tracer was applied to thyroidectomy, we aimed to investigate the risk factors of hypoparathyroidism and the relationship between the number of exposed parathyroid glands and parathyroid function. This study retrospectively collected clinical data of patients who underwent thyroidectomy at Haining People’s Hospital from January 2019 to December 2022. Levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and blood calcium were observed before surgery, 1 day after surgery, and one month after surgery to assess the occurrence of postoperative parathyroid hypofunction. Patients were grouped based on their postoperative PTH levels. Furthermore, basic patient data and surgical data were collected to analyze the risk factors associated with hypoparathyroidism after thyroidectomy using single factor analysis. ANOVA analysis was used to compare the correlation between intraoperative parathyroid exposure and postoperative PTH and blood calcium levels. This study involved 80 patients. On the first day after surgery, the serum PTH and blood calcium levels of patients decreased, and 59 patients (73.75%) had normal serum PTH level after surgery, which was the normal group. Twenty-one patients (26.25%) developed hypoparathyroidism after operation and were divided into hypoparathyroidism group. Single factor analysis showed that the main risk factors of postoperative hypoparathyroidism were lesion location, lymph node dissection, nano carbon, number of lymph node metastasis, intraoperative parathyroid exposure, and inaccurate parathyroidectomy. ANOVA analysis showed that the more parathyroid exposure during operation was accompanied by the more decrease of serum PTH and blood calcium levels after operation. Therefore, the location of thyroid lesions, lymph node dissection, nano-carbon, number of lymph node metastases, intraoperative parathyroid exposure, and parathyroidectomy are risk factors for transient hypoparathyroidism after thyroid surgery. Moreover, intraoperative parathyroid exposure significantly affected serum PTH and blood calcium levels. Performing more accurate thyroidectomy and reducing parathyroid exposure help reduce the occurrence of postoperative hypoparathyroidism and hypocalcemia.

Enhancement of Harris Hawks optimization applied in path planning for an indoor navigation mobile application

The research focuses on the enhancement of Harris Hawks Optimization (HHO) algorithm in achieving an efficient path planning, specifically in indoor environments. It solves problems encountered in HHO; firstly, the exploration operator of HHO is modified to incorporate the survival of the fittest principle, this ensures a controlled diversity by using an Exponential Ranking selection method. The method aims to guide the algorithm to find a more optimal solution while allowing it to search for alternative paths. Secondly, Linear Path Strategy is used to reduce the number of nodes in the paths, therefore minimizing its length and simplifying trajectories. In addition, Linear Path Strategy aims to create smoother paths and avoid obstacles, improving the overall performance of the algorithm. Lastly, general multi-objective formula is defined to evaluate path length and travel time. Considering these factors established a balanced evaluation metric, which provided a detailed assessment of path quality for scenarios like indoor navigation. Comparative analysis was done, and results highlighted the effectiveness of EHHO in generating better paths, in comparison with Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO), and with the current HHO algorithm. It outperformed the algorithms compared in terms of path length, travel time, and efficiency of the execution, especially in a complex environment. In conclusion, EHHO algorithm showed promising results in providing shorter, faster, and more efficient routes, with potential applications across different domains that requires optimal path planning solutions.

Comprehensive assessment of salt-alkali tolerance of different soybean varieties at the maturation stage

Soil salinization is a significant global challenge impacting food security and arable land safety. Biological amelioration for the development and utilization of salt-alkali land has gained attention in recent years but the breeding and selection of salt-alkali-tolerant crop varieties remain a challenge. Cultivated soybeans are moderately salt-tolerant crops; however, a precise threshold for salt-alkali conditions has not been determined and varies by genotype. Therefore, this study evaluated the salt-alkali tolerance of 15 different soybean varieties using correlation, principal component, membership function, and cluster analyses. The average soybean indices decreased with increasing salt-alkali stress concentrations. Under severe salt-alkali stress, the coefficients of variation for grain yield and biomass were significantly higher than those under mild salt-alkali stress. Plant height and node number were significantly positively correlated, whereas bottom pod height was significantly negatively correlated with branch number, effective pod number, and grain number per plant. Node and grain numbers per plant were significantly positively correlated. Branch number, effective pod number, grain number per plant, and hundred-grain weight were significantly and positively correlated. Effective pod number was significantly positively correlated with grain number per plant, biomass, and yield. Grain number per plant exhibited a significant negative correlation with hundred-grain weight. Biomass and yield were significantly positively correlated. The salt-alkali tolerance of 15 soybean varieties ranged from strong weak as follows: Cangdou 1438, 0734, 1426, 1418, 1453, 1327, 1846, 1412, 1817, 1301, 1821, 1819, 1815, 1814, and 1850. Salt-alkali-sensitive and salt-alkali-tolerant varieties were successfully identified.

Network structure indicators predict ecological robustness in food webs

AbstractFood web robustness is a critical aspect of ecosystem stability and has been extensively studied in ecology. However, the potential of machine learning techniques in predicting food web robustness and the identification of key network structure indicators have not been fully explored. We compared the suitability of different machine learning methods and assessed the relative importance of network structure indicators for predicting the robustness of food webs. We utilized a variety of food web datasets spanning different ecosystems to calculate network structure indicators, which include average distance (AD), betweenness centrality (BC), directional connectivity (C), closeness centrality (CC), diameter (D), degree centrality (DC), edge betweenness centrality (EBC), number of links (L), linkage density (LD), and number of nodes (N). We then compared the performance of machine learning methods, including artificial neural network (ANN), random forest (RF), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and decision tree (DT), and evaluated the relative importance of network structure indicators on robustness predictions. The results demonstrate that the RF model has the best performance (MAE = 0.0178, RMSE = 0.0263, R2 = 0.9063). Meanwhile, the CC indicator has a significant impact in predicting robustness of food webs. It is suggested that both the RF model and the CC indicator should be considered seriously in predicting food web robustness. This research elucidates the differential outcomes when various machine learning methodologies and indicators are employed to predict the robustness of food webs. It significantly enhances our understanding by demonstrating the precise capability of machine learning models in forecasting the robustness of food webs.

Feasibility analysis of the application of programmed process endoscopic lateral neck dissection via chest-breast approach in papillary thyroid carcinoma surgery

Objective: To explore the feasibility of endoscopic lymph node dissection(LND) with programmed breast approach for the treatment of papillary thyroid cancer. Methods: A case series study. The clinical data of 39 patients with papillary thyroid cancer who underwent endoscopic LND treatment with programmed breast approach in Shenzhen People's Hospital from January to November 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 10 males and 29 females, aged (35.95±10.17) years. LND time, total surgical time, intraoperative bleeding volume, postoperative drainage volume, postoperative hospital stay and postoperative complications were analyzed. Results: Among 39 patients, there were 18 cases of unilateral thyroid cancer, 21 cases of bilateral thyroid cancer, 35 cases of unilateral LND, and 4 cases of bilateral LND. The maximum diameter of thyroid cancer lesions was (1.48±0.69) cm, and the maximum diameter of lymph node metastases was (1.63±0.58)cm. The operative time of unilateral neck dissection was (124.11±19.92) min (102-170 min), and the total operative time was (226.42±55.68) min (110-390 min). The number of lymph nodes cleaned was (32.40±10.44)(12-54), the number of metastasis and detection was 207/1 393. The postoperative drainage volume was (174.64±82.33) ml(41-350 ml). There were no neck hematomas, no skin burns or no shrugging disorders in the postoperative period. There were 7 cases of numbness and discomfort in neck skin sensation, which gradually relieved after half a year. Postoperative discharge time (4.77±1.94) d(3-15 d). Conclusion: It is safe and feasible to treat papillary thyroid cancer with endoscopic LND with programmed breast approach, which can improve surgical efficiency and clinical application value.

Status of Axillary Staging in Patients with Breast Cancer and Its Impact on the Management of Patients

Background: Breast cancer is most common in women, and symptoms and treatment depend on ethnicity, screening, and drug availability. The current standard for breast surgery is breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). However, performing axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) and the number of lymph nodes examined to determine the N stage has been insufficient in many patients, with a maximum of 10 lymph nodes assessed in patients undergoing ALND. This limitation leads to inadequate estimation and ultimately affects treatment choices. Objectives: This study examined the status of axillary staging in patients with breast cancer and its impact on management. Methods: This retrospective longitudinal cohort study included 272 breast cancer patients at Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran, from 2015 to 2019. Data regarding laterality, mass location, histology, grade, in situ status, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, necrosis, and AJCC TNM staging were collected. Results: Most patients were at stage two (54.1%), and the median size of the primary breast tumor was 1.3 cm (range 1 - 14 cm, mean 3.7 ± 2.1 cm). The median number of dissected lymph nodes was 8 (range 1 - 37, mean 8.3 ± 5.8); however, no lymph nodes were examined pathologically in 23% (n = 63) of patients despite undergoing ALND. Additionally, in 38.2% of patients undergoing ALND, less than 10 lymph nodes were examined, which is considered inadequate for accurate axillary staging. Conclusions: The rates of inadequate lymph node staging were considerable in our patients, resulting in overtreatment.

Seed tuber production of potato from stem cuttings, planting densities, and paclobutrazol concentrations

Rapid multiplication of potato seed using cuttings is a pivotal strategy for ensuring seed availability. This study aimed to elucidate the interactive effects of node number, paclobutrazol concentration, and planting density on seed potato and cutting productions. The study consisted of two experiments. The first experiment evaluated two genotypes (Granola and PKHT-6) with one or two nodes per cutting. The second experiment investigated planting density (one, three, or five plants per polybag) and paclobutrazol concentration (0, 15, 30, and 45 mg L-1). Notably, node number did not significantly influence cutting success, despite genotype-specific and interactive effects on vegetative parameters like plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, and root length. Planting density had no statistically significant impact on all vegetative parameters but demonstrably affected all production parameters. Conversely, paclobutrazol concentration significantly affected all vegetative parameters and influenced all production parameters except tuber weight per plant. From the results of this research, the use of single cutting is more recommended because it will obtain more plant material compared to two-node cuttings. Thus, in a more global context of potato development, this has the potential to increase the production of potato seeds from cuttings twice as much as the current seed production. The use of three plants/polybags is more recommended since it will produce more tuber but not different with five plants, and the use of paclobutrazol 15 mg L-1 is also recommended to increase the number of tubers. In this way, the production costs of G0 potato seeds can be reduced so that the availability of G0 potato seeds will be more guaranteed and affordable. Keywords: Granola; PKHT-6; rapid multiplication; tuber production

Robustness of consensus in double‐layer degree positive and negative correlation ring networks

The robustness of consensus in multilayer networks is affected by the network structure, especially the interlayer coupling approach. The article investigates the impact of two interlayer coupling approaches on the robustness of consensus in double‐layer ring networks, where the interlayer relationships are denoted as degree positive correlation (PC) and degree negative correlation (NC), respectively. The robustness of network consensus can be derived from network coherence. Two types of network coherence are first described using the Kirchhoff index and the number of spanning trees, providing a new calculation method for network coherence. The number of network nodes and the coupling strength have been shown to impact the coherence of the two types of networks. Combined with numerical simulation experiments, the NC model shows better consensus than the PC model under the same parameter set. In particular, the parameter values when the network consensus is optimal are obtained.

A Review on Energy and Latency Efficient Routing Protocol Design for Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have been utilized by various industries, such as disaster management, the chemical and heavy industries, marine research, and space exploration. One of the primary challenges faced by wireless sensor networks is their limited network lifetime. Several techniques have been devised to extend the duration of network operation. This proposed method introduces a threshold-based algorithm to minimize the amount of data that needs to be transferred. In this approach, the selection of cluster heads and their sizes is not fixed. Instead, they are dynamically determined at the beginning of each iteration. The design of routing algorithms for wireless sensor networks faces three main challenges: lowering the rate at which the average node energy declines, minimizing the number of dead nodes, and eventually prolonging the network's lifetime. This paper provides a thorough examination of efficient routing protocols for wireless sensor networks with the goal of improving network longevity. Keywords: Efficient Routing, WSN Clustering, Network Latency, Network Lifetime.

Clustered DTN routing based on sensing node relationship strength

AbstractDelay tolerant networks (DTNs) is a network evolved from mobile networks. Differing from the traditional network, which has a stable end‐to‐end transmission path, DTNs are sparse and intermittently connected mobile ad hoc network, which are widely used in harsh environments, such as battlefields, seabed, space communication networks, and so on. In DTNs, intermittent connectivity, partitioned network, long delays and node mobility characteristics make the network fail to communicate frequently, therefore, how to successfully forward the message is of extreme importance. Up to now, almost all the traditional models in DTNs use the store‐carry‐forward method. This paper proposes a novel clustered DTN routing model based on sensing node relationship strength. The routing mechanism takes advantage of the number of other nodes encountered by the nodes in the process of movement and the changes in the number of nodes to calculate the strength of the relationship between nodes, and clusters DTN routing according to the strength of the relationship between nodes. Moreover, the relationship between nodes in a cluster and other clusters is used to transmit messages between clusters, and messages are transmitted within clusters according to the strength of the relationship between nodes. Simulation results show that the routing mechanism not only increases the success rate of message transmission, but also reduces the transmission delay of messages and improves network performance.

Vehicle Route Planning for Relief Item Distribution under Flood Uncertainty

Flooding, a pervasive and severe natural disaster, significantly damages environments and infrastructure and endangers human lives. In affected regions, disruptions to transportation networks often lead to critical shortages of essential supplies, such as food and water. The swift and adaptable delivery of relief goods via vehicle is vital to sustain life and facilitate community recovery. This paper introduces a novel model, the Vehicle Routing Problem for Relief Item Distribution under Flood Uncertainty (VRP-RIDFU), which focuses on optimizing the speed of route generation and minimizing waiting times for aid delivery in flood conditions. The Genetic Algorithm (GA) is employed because it effectively handles the uncertainties typical of NP-Hard problems. This model features a dual-population strategy: random and enhanced populations, with the latter specifically designed to manage uncertainties through anticipated route performance evaluations, incorporating factors like waiting times and flood risks. The Population Sizing Module (PSM) is implemented to dynamically adjust the population size based on the dispersion of affected nodes, using standard deviation assessments. Introducing the Complete Subtour Order Crossover (CSOX) method improves solution quality and accelerates convergence. The model’s efficacy is validated through simulated flood scenarios that emulate various degrees of uncertainty in road conditions, affirming its practicality for real-life rescue operations. Focusing on prioritizing waiting times over travel times in routing decisions has proven effective. The model has been tested using standard CVRP problems with 20 distinct sets, each with varying node numbers and patterns, demonstrating superior performance and efficiency in generating vehicle routing plans compared to the shortest routes, which serve as the benchmark for optimal solutions. The results highlight the model’s capability to deliver high-quality solutions more rapidly across all tested scenarios.

Sentinel lymphatic biopsy nodes during surgical staging of cancer endometrium

Radicality of surgical operations, high filled at an early stage of endometrial cancer, significantly exceeds the required volume. Taking this into account, identifying sentinel lymphomas number of nodes during surgery today is one of the most pressing issues for correct diagnosis and long-term planning the best treatment. Use of ICG displays shows that the identification of sentinel lymphatic small nodes using the fluorescent method considered a safe and effective method diagnostics

Study On The Growth, Yield And Yield Attributes Of Eight Varieties Of Bitter Gourd (Momordica Charantia L.)

Seeds of eight varieties of bitter gourd (V1, V2, V4, V5, V6, V7, V9 and V10) were sown in the experimental field and their growth, yield and yield attributes were studied. The length, number of nodes and leaves and number of branches per plant were highest in V1. The number of female flowers, number of fruits and yield per plant were found maximum in V4. Chlorophyll a and total pigment contents of leaves were highest in V2. Total NPK and Vitamin C contents of fruits were found highest in V6. The Chittagong Univ. J. B. Sci.,Vol. 7(1 &2):167-174 , 2012

Energy-Efficient and Highly Reliable Geographic Routing Based on Link Detection and Node Collaborative Scheduling in WSN

Energy efficiency and data reliability are important indicators to measure network performance in wireless sensor networks. In existing research schemes of routing protocols, the impact of node coverage on the network is often ignored, and the possibility that multiple sensor nodes may sense the same spatial point is not taken into account, which results in a waste of network resources, especially in large-scale networks. Apart from that, the blindness of geographic routing in data transmission has been troubling researchers, which means that the nodes are unable to determine the validity of data transmission. In order to solve the above problems, this paper innovatively combines the routing protocol with the coverage control technique and proposes the node collaborative scheduling algorithm, which fully considers the correlation characteristics between sensor nodes to reduce the number of active working nodes and the number of packets generated, to further reduce energy consumption and network delay and improve packet delivery rate. In order to solve the problem of unreliability of geographic routing, a highly reliable link detection and repair scheme is proposed to check the communication link status and repair the invalid link, which can greatly improve the packet delivery rate and throughput of the network, and has good robustness. A large number of experiments demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of our proposed scheme and algorithm.

Laparoscopic versus open abdominal lymph node dissection for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a propensity score matching analysis.

To compare the short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic and open abdominal lymph node dissection using propensity score matching (PSM) analysis. The subjects of this retrospective analysis were 459 patients who underwent curative resection for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) between May, 2005 and December, 2019, at our hospital. Patients were divided into two groups: the Laparoscopic (Lap group) and the Open (Open group). Post-PSM, 139 patients from each group were selected for the analysis to compare the short- and long-term outcomes between the groups. The Lap group experienced fewer Clavien-Dindo (CD) Grade ≥ 2 complications (28.1% vs. 40.3%, P = 0.04) and lower rates of abdominal surgical site infections (SSI) (2.9% vs. 7.9%, P = 0.02) than the Open group. The number of lymph nodes harvested was similar in the Lap and Open groups (14.8 ± 7.5 vs. 15.7 ± 8.6, P = 0.34). There was no significant difference in 3-year overall survival rates (81.2% vs. 69.5%, P = 0.12) or relapse-free survival rates (61.1% vs. 58.2%, P = 0.54) between the groups. Laparoscopic abdominal lymph node dissection for ESCC can be performed safely and appears to be beneficial.

The number of resected lymph nodes from the upper mediastinal area predicts long-term outcomes of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after minimally invasive esophagectomy.

The total number of resected lymph nodes (LNs) is an important determinant of longer survival after esophagectomy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the resected LN counts from areas that affect long-term outcomes remain unclear. This study included 406 patients who underwent minimally invasive esophagectomies (MIEs) at Kobe University Hospital. Resected LN counts were evaluated in the following areas: upper mediastinal (UM), middle mediastinal (MM), lower mediastinal (LM), and abdominal (Abd). Cut-off values for LN counts from each area were determined using receiver operating characteristics analysis of the survival status. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors. The cut-off values for large or small numbers of resected LN counts in the UM, MM, LM, and Abd areas were 4, 8, 5, and 18, respectively, in patients with upper and middle thoracic (Ut/Mt) ESCC and 7, 6, 5, and 24, respectively, in patients with lower thoracic (Lt) ESCC. Multivariate analysis in patients with Ut/Mt ESCC revealed that tumor invasion depth, LN metastasis, and the resected LN count from the UM area were independent risk factors for overall survival [hazard ratio (HR), 7.04; 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.47-11.1; HR, 4.01; 95% CI 1.96-8.21; HR, 2.18; 95% CI 1.24-3.82, respectively]. In patients with Lt ESCC, tumor invasion depth, LN metastasis, and pulmonary complications were independent risk factors for overall survival (HR, 4.23; 95% CI 2.14-8.35; HR, 3.83; 95% CI 1.75-8.38; HR, 2.80; 95% CI 1.38-5.65, respectively). Resected LN counts from no areas were prognostic factors. The number of resected LNs from the UM area influenced the survival outcomes of patients with Ut/Mt ESCC after MIE.

Consideration of Age for Quantitative Measurements in Ecological Studies

The physiological age of a plant or its parts is important for quantitative studies in Ecology. It is demonstrated by measurements of leaf size that the number of nodes from the apex in individuals is a good indicator of the physiological age among natural populations. Hence, it is suggested that for measurements of leaf and internode of individuals in a heterogenous population a definite size range for the uppermost or the first visible leaf or internode be fixed for counting downwards. The plastochron index be, however, used for other quantitative estimations in ecological studies.

Majority opinion diffusion: when tie-breaking rule matters

Consider a graph G, which represents a social network, and assume that initially each node is either blue or white (corresponding to its opinion on a certain topic). In each round, all nodes simultaneously update their color to the most frequent color in their neighborhood. This is called the Majority Model (MM) if a node keeps its color in case of a tie and the Random Majority Model (RMM) if it chooses blue with probability 1/2 and white otherwise. We study the convergence properties of the above models, including stabilization time, periodicity, and the number of stable configurations. In particular, we prove that the stabilization time in RMM can be exponential in the size of the graph, which is in contrast with the previously known polynomial bound on the stabilization time of MM. We provide some bounds on the minimum size of a winning set, which is a set of nodes whose agreement on a color in the initial coloring enforces the process to end in a coloring where all nodes share that color. Furthermore, we calculate the expected final number of blue nodes for a random initial coloring, where each node is colored blue independently with some fixed probability, on cycle graphs. Finally, we conduct some experiments which complement our theoretical findings and also let us investigate other aspects of the models.

The use of indocyanine green for lateral lymph node dissection in rectal cancer—preliminary data from an emerging procedure: a systematic review of the literature

IntroductionLateral lymph node dissection (LLND) for rectal cancer is still not a widely established technique owing to the existing controversy between Eastern and Western countries and the lack of well-designed studies. The risk of complications and the paucity of long-term oncological results are significant drawbacks for further applying this technique. The use of indocyanine green (ICG) near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence for LLND appears as a promising technique for enhancing postoperative and oncological outcomes. This review aims to evaluate the emerging role of ICG during LLND and present the benefits of its application.Materials and methodsSystematic electronic research was conducted in PubMed and Google Scholar using a combination of medical subject headings (MeSH). Studies presenting the use of ICG during LLND, especially in terms of harvested lymph nodes, were included and reviewed. Studies comparing LLND with ICG (LLND + ICG) or without ICG (LLND-alone) were further analyzed for the number of lymph nodes and postoperative outcomes.ResultsIn total, 13 studies were found eligible and analyzed for different parameters. LLND + ICG is associated with significantly increased number of harvested lateral lymph nodes (p < 0.05), minor blood loss, decreased operative time, and probably decreased urinary retention postoperatively compared with LLND-alone.ConclusionsThe use of ICG fluorescence during LLND is a safe and feasible technique for balancing postoperative outcomes and the number of harvested lymph nodes. Well-designed studies with long-term results are required to elucidate the oncological benefits and establish this promising technique.

Multi-agent reinforcement learning based algorithm detection of malware-infected nodes in IoT networks

Abstract The Internet of Things (IoT) is a fast-growing technology that connects everyday devices to the Internet, enabling wireless, low-consumption and low-cost communication and data exchange. IoT has revolutionized the way devices interact with each other and the internet. The more devices become connected, the greater the risk of security breaches. There is currently a need for new approaches to algorithms that can detect malware regardless of the size of the network and that can adapt to dynamic changes in the network. Through the use of a multi-agent reinforcement learning algorithm, this paper proposes a novel algorithm for malware detection in IoT devices. The proposed algorithm is not strongly dependent on the size of the IoT network due to the that its training is adapted using time differences if the IoT network size is small or Monte Carlo otherwise. To validate the proposed algorithm in an environment as close to reality as possible, we proposed a scenario based on a real IoT network, where we tested different malware propagation models. Different simulations varying the number of agents and nodes in the IoT network have been developed. The result of these simulations proves the efficiency and adaptability of the proposed algorithm in detecting malware, regardless of the malware propagation model.