bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Improvement of Cardiac and Endothelial Functions of Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu Decoction for Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Chen Shiqi , Wu Xiaoxiao , Li Tong , Cheng Weiting , Han Xiaowan , Li Yang , Wang Baofu , Teng Yu , Zhao Mingjing , Wang Yahong
Published: February 2022

Background. Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu decoction (XFZYD) is a traditional Chinese prescription that has been used to treat patients with blood stasis in China for many years. The present study aimed to evaluate the improvement of cardiac and endothelial functions of XFZYD for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods. Six databases were searched to collect RCTs related to the treatment of XFZYD for ACS. The primary outcomes were cardiac and endothelial functions, including the levels of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD), and left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD) in echocardiography, as well as the changes in the levels of nitric oxide (NO), endothelin-1 (ET-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in the serum. The secondary outcomes were the blood levels of oxidative damage markers (including superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA)), C-reactive protein (CRP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) as well as the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Weighted mean difference (WMD) was estimated for all the outcomes with the random effects model. This type of analysis was conducted in the subgroups of the ACS subtypes, and the methodological quality was assessed using the handbook of Cochrane Collaboration. Results. A total of 1,658 records were identified, and 16 randomized controlled trials (1,171 patients) were included. The primary outcomes suggested that XFZYD combined with routine treatment improved LVEF, reduced LVEDD and LVESD, and also improved the serum levels of NO, and reduced the levels of ET-1 and ICAM-1. XFZYD combination therapy significantly ameliorated the blood levels of SOD, MDA, BNP, CK-MB, and cTnI. However, the results indicated no significant difference between XFZYD plus routine treatment and routine treatment for the levels of VCAM-1 and CRP. Moreover, all the ADRs reported in the included studies were slight and the patients recovered soon. Conclusions. The present study suggested that XFZYD may improve the cardiac and endothelial functions of ACS patients without serious ADRs. However, based on the mediocre methodological quality, the aforementioned conclusion should be confirmed in a multicenter, large-scale, and accurately designed clinical trial.
Calculation Model and Numerical Validation of Horizontal Capacity of Micropiles with Different Section Forms
Authors: Chao Wan-li , Yang Jin , Liu Wen-jie , Pan Shi-qiang , Deng Zong-wei , Jin Yu-xuan , Fu Gui-hai
Published: February 2022

With the popularized application of micropile for slope reinforcement, there are many kinds of pile section form, such as single steel bar, multisteel bar, and tube. In order to obtain the theoretical calculation model of horizontal capacity of micropiles with different types, numerical simulations for two common conditions, namely, soil‐soil and soil‐rock, were carried out to study micropile reinforced slope’s deformation and failure regulation. The dominated indicator for micropile horizontal capacity was acquired. By using the equivalence principle, four kinds of micropiles’ capacity calculation model were deduced. Then, FEM numerical analysis was used for validation. The results show that the flexural capacity of micropile is a critical and dominated indicator which should be considered seriously in slope reinforcement design. When the ultimate flexural capacity is reached, the displacement of micropile reinforced slope will increase rapidly. The primary factor affecting the flexural capacity of micropiles is pile diameter, followed by section reinforcement ratio. The calculation results of the calculation model of flexural capacity proposed in this paper are close to those of numerical ones and are safer. The calculation model can provide reference for micropile selecting and slope reinforcement design, especially for quick design of emergency engineering.
Prediction Method of TBM Tunneling Parameters Based on Bi‐GRU‐ATT Model
Authors: Zhang Qinglong , Yang Boyu , Zhu Yanwen , Guo Chen , Jiao Chong , Cai Anmin
Published: February 2022

With tunnel boring machines (TBMs) widely used in tunnel construction, the adaptable adjustment of TBM operating status has become a research focus. Since the prediction of tunnel geological conditions is still challenging before excavating, the prediction of important TBM operating parameters plays an important role in the research on TBM adaptable adjustment. This paper proposes an intelligent prediction method of TBM tunneling parameters based on bidirectional gate recurrent unit incorporating attention mechanism (Bi‐GRU‐ATT) and selects a complete tunneling cycle to predict the tunneling parameters of the TBM complete tunneling cycle. Relying on the TBM3 bid section of Jilin Water Supply Project, 21 key parameters of the complete tunneling cycle are selected as the input features of the model to realize the prediction of four tunneling parameters in the complete driving cycle section of TBM. Compared with the Bi‐GRU, GRU, and Long Short‐Term Memory (LSTM) models, it can be seen that the Bi‐GRU‐ATT model has a goodness of fit for predicting TBM tunneling parameters above 0.92, and the average absolute percentage error is less than 1.8%. The results show that the prediction method of TBM tunneling parameters based on Bi‐GRU‐ATT model proposed in this paper has stronger learning and prediction capabilities. This prediction method provides a more feasible auxiliary intelligent decision‐making method for TBM aided intelligent construction.
Diagnostic Markers and Molecular Dysregulation Mechanisms in the Retinal Pigmented Epithelium and Retina of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Li Yao , Fu Jing , Liu Jiawen , Feng Huayin , Chen Xueyi
Published: February 2022

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a chronic and progressive macular degeneration disease, which can also lead to serious visual loss. In our research, we aim to efficiently identify biomarkers relevant for AMD diagnosis. We collected the gene expression data of retinal segmented epithelium (RPE) and retina tissues of GSE29801 and GSE135092 and performed differential expression analysis. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to the RPE and retina in the two sets of data were identified and enriched by intersection analysis. A PPI network was constructed for intersection genes, and the top 20 genes with the largest connectivity in the network were selected as candidate genes. The LASSO model was used to identify key genes from candidate genes, and the nomogram and ROC curve were used to evaluate the diagnostic ability of key genes. We identified 464 intersection genes associated with RPE and 509 intersection genes associated with retina. The TGF-beta signaling pathway was enriched by RPE-related DEGs, while oxidative phosphorylation was enriched by retina-related DEGs. Among the candidate genes of RPE, the LASSO model identified 7 key genes. MAPK1 and LUM can predict the clinical diagnosis of AMD. Among the candidate genes of retina, the LASSO model identified four key genes. PTPN11 has the highest predictive diagnostic value. The results suggest that the imbalance mechanism of RPE in AMD may be related to the TGF-beta signaling pathway, and the imbalance mechanism of the retina may be related to oxidative phosphorylation. MAPK1 and LUM are potential diagnostic markers of RPE, and PTPN11 is a potential diagnostic marker of the retina. Also, our results provide a theoretical basis for better understanding the molecular mechanisms of AMD onset and treatment in the future.
The Efficacy of Clinical Tests to Diagnose Evaporative Dry Eye Disease Related to Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
Authors: Paugh Jerry R. , Nguyen Tiffany , Sasai Alan , Chen Elaine , De Jesus Melinda Thomas , Kwan Justin , Nguyen Andrew Loc , Farid Marjan , Garg Sumit , Jester James V.
Published: February 2022

Objectives. To determine the efficacy of widely available subtype clinical tests to characterize evaporative dry eye disease (EDED) related to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) compared to normal and to validate those clinical cut points in an independent sample. Methods. A diagnostic accuracy study (52 subjects), an investigator-masked study, was followed by a larger independent sample (364 subjects) analysis to confirm efficacy in normal and EDED subjects. All subjects were 18 years of age and older and were classified using a battery of clinical tests for dry eye that included symptoms, tear meniscus height, tear stability, ocular staining, evaporative-specific tests, and the Schirmer I test. Results. Normal (nondry eye; n = 26) and EDED (n = 26) subjects completed the efficacy study. The global tests of tear breakup time, staining, and symptoms all produced AUCs ≥ 0.70, representing acceptable discrimination. EDED-specific tests of eyelid marginal signs, gland secretion quality, and gland loss did not demonstrate acceptable test efficacy or differences between normal and EDED subjects. In a larger, independent sample of normal and EDED subjects, gland secretion quality and eyelid marginal score achieved acceptable diagnostic levels: AUCs of 0.789 (CI: 0.734–0.844) and 0.729 (CI: 0.648–0.810), respectively, but not lipid interferometry grade or lower eyelid gland dropout estimated using meiboscopy. Conclusions. Meibomian gland secretion quality is an efficient and useful functional indicator in EDED and should be incorporated into core outcome sets for this dry eye subtype.
Cardiac Autonomic Modulation in Subjects with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) during an Upper Limb Virtual Reality Task: A Prospective Control Trial
Authors: Silveira Ana C. , Moraes Íbis A. P. , Vidigal Giovanna P. , Simcsik Amanda O. , Rosa Renata M. , Favero Francis M. , Fernandes Susi M. S. , Garner David M. , Araújo Luciano V. , Massa Marcelo , Vanderlei Luiz C. M. , Silva Talita D. , Monteiro Carlos B. M.
Published: February 2022

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease. As a result of the rapid progression and severity of the disease, people with ALS experience loss of functionality and independence. Furthermore, it has already been described presence of autonomic dysfunction. Despite the increasing use of virtual reality (VR) in the treatment of different diseases, the use of virtual reality environment as an intervention program for ALS patients is innovative. The benefits and limitations have not yet been proven. Our objective was to evaluate the autonomic function of individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis throughout the virtual reality task. The analysis of autonomic function was completed before, during, and after the virtual reality task using the upper limbs; also, all steps lasted ten minutes in a sitting position. Heart rate variability (HRV) was taken via the Polar® RS800CX cardiofrequencymeter. The following questionnaire was enforced: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale‐Revised (ALSFRS) and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Different types of HRV were revealed for the groups, indicating that the ALS group has reduced HRV, with most of the representative indices of the sympathetic nervous system. Besides, the physiological process of reducing parasympathetic activity from rest to VR activity (vagal withdrawal), with reduction in HF (ms2) and an increase in HR from rest to activity, and a further increase throughout recovery, with withdrawal of sympathetic nervous system, occurs just for the control group (CG), with no alterations between rest, activity, and recovery in individuals with ALS. We could conclude that patients with ALS have the reduction of HRV with the sympathetic predominance when equated to the healthy CG. Besides that, the ALS individuals have no capability to adapt the autonomic nervous system when likened to the CG during therapy based on VR and their recovery.
Intrinsic Decomposition Method Combining Deep Convolutional Neural Network and Probability Graph Model
Authors: Yu Yuanhui
Published: February 2022

With the rapid development of computer vision and artificial intelligence, people are increasingly demanding image decomposition. Many of the current methods do not decompose images well. In order to find the decomposition method with high accuracy and accurate recognition rate, this study combines convolutional neural network and probability map model, and proposes a single-image intrinsic image decomposition method that is on both standard dataset images and natural images. Compared with the existing single-image automatic decomposition algorithm, the visual effect comparable to the user interaction decomposition algorithm is obtained, and the method of this study also obtains the lowest error rate in the quantitative comparison on the standard dataset image. The multi-image collaborative intrinsic image decomposition method proposed in this study obtains the decomposition result of consistent foreground reflectivity on multiple sets of image pairs. In this study, the eigenimage decomposition is applied to the illumination uniformity in the small change detection, and the promising reflectivity layer image obtained by the decomposition helps to improve the accuracy of the cooperative saliency detection. This study proposes an algorithm for the cooperation between CNN and probability graph model, and introduces how to combine the probability graph model with the traditional CNN to accomplish the pixel-level eigendecomposition task. This study also designs a single-image and multi-image intrinsic image decomposition results analysis experiments, then analyzes the probabilistic graphical model coordination intrinsic image decomposition results, and finally analyzes the convolutional neural network coordination intrinsic decomposition performance to draw the conclusion of this study. The effect on the Msrc-v2 dataset was increased by 0.8% over the probability plot model.
Quantitative Analysis of Regional Luxury Brand Marketing Using Logit Model
Authors: Chen Xianfeng
Published: February 2022

The luxury consumer market in my country is developing rapidly. However, due to the differences in the culture and consumer psychology of different regions in my country, the marketing status of luxury goods in my country will be different in different regions. Under the premise of analyzing consumer groups, it deeply analyzes the factors that affect the luxury consumption psychology of Chinese consumers, expounds this psychological state, and then analyzes the problems existing in my country’s luxury goods marketing. Finally, based on consumer psychology, suggestions on luxury marketing related to these issues have been put forward. In addition, quantitative research on marketing and how to psychologically open a new chapter of marketing in the luxury goods industry have always been the core themes that foreign marketing researchers will continue to explore for a long time. The logo model is an excellent analysis in this process. By introducing the principles of the logo model and applying this model to the empirical study of domestic consumers’ choice of a specific luxury brand, it is shown that the logo model can be used to analyze many problems in marketing research. More useful quantitative information is undoubtedly of great benefit to the academic research of marketing and the practice of marketing management.
An Intelligent Music Production Technology Based on Generation Confrontation Mechanism
Authors: Li Yanjing , Liu Xinyuan
Published: February 2022

In recent years, with the development of deep neural network becoming more and more mature, especially after the proposal of generative confrontation mechanism, academia has made many achievements in the research of image, video and text generation. Therefore, scholars began to use similar attempts in the research of music generation. Therefore, based on the existing theoretical technology and research work, this paper studies music production, and then proposes an intelligent music production technology based on generation confrontation mechanism to enrich the research in the field of computer music generation. This paper takes the music generation method based on generation countermeasure mechanism as the research topic, and mainly studies the following: after studying the existing music generation model based on generation countermeasure network, a time structure model for maintaining music coherence is proposed. In music generation, avoid manual input and ensure the interdependence between tracks. At the same time, this paper studies and implements the generation method of discrete music events based on multi track, including multi track correlation model and discrete processing. The lakh MIDI data set is studied. On this basis, the lakh MIDI is pre-processed to obtain the LMD piano roll data set, which is used in the music generation experiment of MCT-GAN. When studying the multi track music generation based on generation countermeasure network, this paper studies and analyzes three models, and puts forward the multi track music generation method based on CT-GAN, which mainly improves the existing music generation model based on GAN. Finally, the generation results of MCT-GAN are compared with those of Muse-GAN, so as to reflect the improvement effect of MCT-GAN. Select 20 auditees to listen to the generated music and real music and distinguish them. Finally, analyze them according to the evaluation results. After evaluation, it is concluded that the research effect of multi track music generation based on CT-GAN is improved.
Forcing Strong Convergence of a Mann‐Based Iteration for Nonexpansive and Monotone Operators in a Hilbert Space
Authors: Lv Songtao
Published: February 2022

Mann iteration is weakly convergent in infinite dimensional spaces. We, in this paper, use the nearest point projection to force the strong convergence of a Mann‐based iteration for nonexpansive and monotone operators. A strong convergence theorem of common elements is obtained in an infinite dimensional Hilbert space. No compact conditions are needed.
The Indices of Instantaneous Pulse Rate Variability Are Indicators for Daily Life Quality Assessment in Patients with COPD
Authors: Huang Po-Hsun , Luo Yi-Fei , Hsiao Tzu-Chien
Published: February 2022

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive respiratory illness. Questionnaires such as modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale and COPD assessment test (CAT) are useful for COPD condition and life quality assessment. These questionnaires reflect how respiratory disorder affects daily life. Breathing and autonomic nervous system (ANS) usually regulate each other. Few studies discussed the ANS activity and daily life quality in patients with COPD. Therefore, this study aimed to find the relationship between daily life quality assessed by mMRC or CAT and ANS assessed by a novel method, instantaneous pulse rate variability (iPRV), a method indicating not only the ANS activity but also the peripheral response. The result showed that the change in mMRC and the change in low frequency power to high frequency power ratio, which usually represents the sympathetic activity in conventional heart rate variability analysis, had significant correlation (r = 0.63;

p
<
0.05

). The change in CAT and the change in high frequency power (regulated by vagal nervous and respiratory system) or very high frequency power (new frequency band can be indicated in iPRV spectrum) had significant negative correlation (r = −0.64 and −0.55, respectively;

p
<
0.05

for both). This study showed the change in iPRV indices when the condition of COPD was improvement or exacerbation. This study presents a possible way to show how cardiovascular activity affects daily life quality in patients with COPD. Increase in LF or decrease in HF and VHF would cause poorer quality of daily life in patients with COPD. The result can also be a reference for patients with COPD to choose the breathing type to adjust rehabilitation and therapy program for ANS regulation to indicate or improve their daily life quality.
A Hybrid Opportunistic IoT Secure Routing Strategy Based on Node Intimacy and Trust Value
Authors: Yu Lin , Xu Gang , Wang ZhiFei , Zhang Na , Wei FengQi
Published: February 2022

Routing strategy is one of the most important researches in Opportunistic Internet of Things (IoT), and it highly influences the efficiency of data transmission. In this paper, a hybrid Opportunistic IoT secure routing strategy based on node intimacy and trust value (HIRouter) is proposed to resolve the problem of unbalanced transmission efficiency and security in the message delivery process. According to the records of node encounter and message forwarding, the strategy proposed in this paper can calculate nodes’ intimacy and trust value. The messages are then forwarded based on the intimacy and trust value between nodes. Experimental results verify that HIRouter algorithm we proposed can improve the message delivery rates and reduce the overhead rate in the Opportunistic IoT with dense nodes and frequent interactions between nodes.
Vasorelaxant and Antioxidant Effects of Aframomum pruinosum Gagnep. (Zingiberaceae) Seed Extracts May Mediate Their Cardioprotective Activity against Isoproterenol-Induced Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Nguelefack-Mbuyo Elvine Pami , Nokam Florence , Tchinda Nidele Lonla , Goumtsa Ariane Falone , Tsabang Nole , Nguelefack Télesphore Benoît
Published: February 2022

Aframomum pruinosum seeds are traditionally used in Cameroon to treat cardiac palpitations. The present work evaluates the cardioprotective effects of the aqueous (AE) and ethanolic (EE) extracts from A. pruinosum seeds against isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction. Male Wistar rats were pretreated for 14 days with AE or EE at doses of 75 and 150 mg/kg/day or propranolol (10 mg/kg/day). On days 15 and 16, they were injected subcutaneously with isoproterenol (85 mg/kg/day). Blood pressure and heart rate were weekly recorded by tail-cuff plethysmography during pretreatment and 24 hours after the second dose of isoproterenol. At the end of the treatment period, serum Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), cardiac nitric oxide (NO), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and oxidative stress parameters (SOD, catalase, MDA, and GSH) were assayed. Sections of left ventricle tissue were subjected to histological analysis. The vasorelaxant effects of cumulative concentrations of AE or EE (3–300 µg/mL) were evaluated on intact or endothelium-denuded isolated aorta rings precontracted with noradrenaline (1 µM). The vasorelaxant effects of the plant extracts were also tested in the presence of Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 100 µM). AE and EE significantly prevented blood pressure decrease and heart rate increase elicited by isoproterenol. Both plant extracts inhibited the increase in ALT, AST, NO, and MPO but did not prevent LDH surge. Oxidative stress parameters were improved following A. pruinosum pretreatment. AE and EE highly reduced cardiomyocyte necrosis and fibrosis but did not prevent leukocyte infiltration. Both extracts induced a concentration-dependent vasorelaxation that was significantly inhibited by the destruction of the endothelium and by L-NAME. Extracts of A. pruinosum exhibited cardioprotective effects, and EE was the most active. The cardioprotective effects of A. pruinosum extracts could be ascribed to their antioxidant, antinecrotic, and endothelium-dependent vasorelaxant effects.
Physical and Mechanical Properties of Bulk-Fill, Conventional, and Flowable Resin Composites Stored Dry and Wet
Authors: Jafarpour Dana , Ferooz Reihaneh , Ferooz Maryam , Bagheri Rafat
Published: February 2022

Surface degradation, margin, and bulk fracture are common reasons that necessitate replacement of resin composite restorations. The purpose of this study was to determine filler weight (FW), fracture toughness (FT), Vickers hardness (VHN), sorption/solubility (S/S), and colour change (ΔE) of four resin composites in dry and wet conditions. Four resin composites of shade A2 were investigated: Aura bulk-fill (AB) (SDI), Tetric Evoceram (TE) (Ivoclar), G-ænial Universal Flo (GUF) (GC), and GC Kalore (GCK) (GC). For FT, VHN, and ΔE, the specimens were prepared, divided into 2 groups, and stored dry or immersed in distilled water. The specimens were subdivided into three subgroups and stored for 1, 7, and 60 days and then subjected to the relevant tests. Six fractured remnants were weighed for each material to measure FW%. To test S/S, ISO 4049 was used. The data were analysed using ANOVA and Tukey’s test. There was an inverse correlation between FW and FT. A significantly higher FT was found for GUF. There were no significant differences between conditions in materials except for AB. The highest VHN was found for GCK and AB. After 1 and 7 days, a significant difference was observed in S/S between all materials with the highest values for GUF. There was a correlation between sorption and solubility. The material, the media, and aging have an influence on the properties of resin composites. It is important to emphasise that each material should be used for a specific clinical need based on their properties.
A 4 × 4 Beamforming Network for Spatial Diversity and Multiplexing Reconfiguration
Authors: Sun Li , Gao Yuan , Zhou Shi-gang , Zhang Guan-xi , Li Gao-ang
Published: February 2022

A simple 4 × 4 beamforming network with spatial diversity and multiplexing reconfiguration is proposed in this paper. By analyzing and decomposing the simplified transmission matrix of the network, it is found that the 4 × 4 butler matrix can achieve spatial diversity and multiplexing reconfiguration by switching the operating modes of the four-port devices. Therefore, by designing a reconfigurable device with three modes among hybrid coupler, crossover, and transmission line, a simple 4 × 4 reconfigurable beamforming network is achieved. The proposed network can achieve orthogonal spatial diversity responses with equal amplitude and progressive phase distribution responses at the four output ports (State 1) and hybrid spatial diversity and multiplexing responses (State 2) with equal amplitude and progressive phase distribution responses at the two adjacent output ports. For the experimental validation, a particular version of the reconfigurable device and network which work at 4.9 GHz, have been designed, fabricated, and tested. Good results indicate the proposed network can be widely used in wireless communication networks for MIMO applications.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Inclisiran: A Small Interfering Ribonucleic Acid Molecule Targeting PCSK9—A Narrative Review
Authors: Merćep Iveta , Friščić Nikolina , Strikić Dominik , Reiner Željko
Published: February 2022

As dyslipidemias remain one of the main risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease, the question of maintaining optimal lipid levels with pharmacotherapy remains a subject of interest worldwide. In contrast to conventional pharmacotherapy, human monoclonal antibodies directed against proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PSCK9) and small interfering RNA- (siRNA-) based drug targeting PCSK9 represent a new strategy for managing lipid disorders and reducing cardiovascular risk. Inclisiran is a long-acting, synthetic siRNA that targets hepatic production of PCSK9 and consequently causes a reduction in LDL-C concentrations by approximately 50% compared to placebo. The structural modification of inclisiran has led to better stability and prolonged biological activity of the drug. The main advantage over conventional pharmacotherapy and anti-PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies is its favorable administration regimen (0–90–180 days), which should lead to much better compliance. Clinical trials conducted so far have confirmed the tolerability and efficacy of inclisiran in long-term PCSK9 and LDL-C level reductions. Moreover, a short-term follow-up on the safety of inclisiran showed a relatively good safety profile of the drug. However, it is still of great importance for ongoing and forthcoming clinical trials to be continued on a larger group of patients in order to assess long-term tolerability, efficacy, and safety of inclisiran.
Reexamining Povarov Reaction’s Scope and Limitation in the Generation of HCV-NS4A Peptidomimetics
Authors: Khayat Maan T. , Omar Abdelsattar M. , Elfaky Mahmoud A. , Muhammad Yosra A. , Felemban Elaf A. , El-Say Khalid M. , El-Araby Moustafa E.
Published: February 2022

Chronic Hepatitis C is a global health threat and a silent killer. Regardless of the profound progress in preventing and treating this disease, research continues to discover new direct antiviral agents (DAAs), especially against novel targets. Our research has been directed to leverage the NS4A binding site to develop peptidomimetic inhibitors of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 protease. In previous reports, we could provide evidence of tunability of this site by peptide and nonpeptide NS3/4A inhibitors. In this report, we used structure-based techniques to design 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1,7-naphthyridine derivative as NS4A core mimics that cover the region between residues Ile-25′ to Arg-28′. The synthetic plan featured the Povarov reaction as an efficient strategy to construct the 1,7-naphthyridine core. Although this reaction has been reported in many literatures, critical assessments for its scope and limitations are scarce. In our work, we found that Povarov was extremely sensitive to alkene and aldehyde reactants. Moreover, using pyridine amines was not as successful as anilines. The most striking results were the lack of stability of compounds during purification and storage. The four compounds that survived the stability problems (1a-1d) did not show significant binding potency with NS3, because their structures were too simple to resemble the originally planned compounds.
Compound W-Net with Fully Accumulative Residual Connections for Liver Segmentation Using CT Images
Authors: Khattab Mahmoud Abdelazim , Liao Iman Yi , Ooi Ean Hin , Chong Siang Yew
Published: February 2022

Computed tomography (CT) is a common modality for liver diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up process. Providing accurate liver segmentation using CT images is a crucial step towards those tasks. In this paper, we propose a stacked 2-U-Nets model with three different types of skip connections. The proposed connections work to recover the loss of high-level features on the convolutional path of the first U-Net due to the pooling and the loss of low-level features during the upsampling path of the first U-Net. The skip connections concatenate all the features that are generated at the same level from the previous paths to the inputs of the convolutional layers in both paths of the second U-Net in a densely connected manner. We implement two versions of the model with different number of filters at each level of each U-Net by maximising the Dice similarity between the predicted liver region and that of the ground truth. The proposed models were trained with 3Dircadb public dataset that were released for Sliver and 3D liver and tumour segmentation challenges during MICCAI 2007-2008 challenge. The experimental results show that the proposed model outperformed the original U-Net and 2-U-Nets variants, and is comparable to the state-of-the-art mU-Net, DC U-Net, and Cascaded UNET.
Swimmer’s Posture Recognition and Correction Method Based on Embedded Depth Image Skeleton Tracking
Authors: Wang Haiyan , Shi Junhua , Luo Xiguang
Published: February 2022

With the continuous emergence of depth image recognition technology, human motion recognition technology has gradually come to life. However, because the current technology of image recognition and skeletal tracking is too backward, people cannot use gesture recognition robots to perform gesture recognition and correction with high accuracy for athletes. In this study, the skeletal tracking depth image is obtained through the Kinect sensor. When using the Kinect sensor to acquire images, the requirements for the environment around the measured object are very low, and it will not be affected by conditions such as light, shadow, and object occlusion, and the pose can be segmented in real time in a complex background. In this study, the depth map feature and the bone information feature are selected for fusion. The HOD feature is difficult to deal with the occlusion problem, and it is not easy to detect the excessive range of the human body gesture or the change of the object direction. Based on this, the HOD feature is improved in many places to form a new 3D-HOD feature and DMM-HOG feature. In this study, the technical research on posture recognition and correction of swimmers in the experiment has realized posture collection, posture segmentation, posture analysis, posture modeling, and posture recognition. In this study, random forests are combined with HOD features to classify pixel-by-pixel points in depth images. The accuracy of training pixel classification is as high as 85%, and the average recognition time of the decision tree for each pose is about 9% higher than that of random forests. The use of Meanshift algorithm to cluster the classified pixels to form skeletal joint points is fast and efficient, and can quickly and accurately find joint points. It has also achieved good experimental effects on human motion recognition and continuous motion recognition, is more suitable for real life, and has commercial practical value.
Lattice-Based Self-Enhancement Authorized Accessible Privacy Authentication for Cyber-Physical Systems
Authors: Liu Jinhui , Yu Yong , Wang Houzhen , Zhang Huanguo
Published: February 2022

Healthcare cyber-physical system significantly facilitates healthcare services and patient treatment effectiveness by analyzing patients’ health information data conveniently. Nevertheless, it also develops the threats to the confidentiality of health information, patients’ privacy, and decidability of medical disputes. And, with the advances of quantum computing technology, most existing anonymous authentication schemes are becoming a growing threat to traditional cryptosystems. To address these problems, for healthcare cyber-physical systems, we propose a new lattice-based self-enhancement authorized accessible privacy authentication scheme by using a strong designated verifier double-authentication-preventing signature technique, called SEAPA. The SEAPA achieves three security and privacy requirements including unforgeability, anonymity for patients’ information, and self-enhancement for patients themselves. A detailed security proof shows our proposal achieves those required security goals. Finally, our construction is demonstrated by parameter analysis and performance evaluation to have reasonable efficiency.
Hypertension and Diabetes in Akatsi South District, Ghana: Modeling and Forecasting
Authors: Asante Dorothy O. , Walker Anita N. , Seidu Theodora A. , Kpogo Senam A. , Zou Jianjun
Published: February 2022

Background. The rising incidence of hypertension and diabetes calls for a global response. Hypertension and diabetes will rise in Ghana as the population ages, urbanization increases, and people lead unhealthy lives. Our goal was to create a time series algorithm that effectively predicts future increases to help preventative medicine and health care intervention strategies by preparing health care practitioners to control health problems. Methods. Data on hypertension and diabetes from January 2016 to December 2020 were obtained from three health facilities. To detect patterns and predict data from a particular time series, three forecasting algorithms (SARIMAX (seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average with exogenous components), ARIMA (autoregressive integrated moving average), and LSTM (long short‐term memory networks)) were implemented. We assessed the model’s ability to perform by calculating the root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), mean square error (MSE), and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE). Results. The RMSE, MSE, MAE, and MAPE for ARIMA (5, 2, 4), SARIMAX (1, 1,  1) × (1, 1, 1,  7), and LSTM was 28, 769.02, 22, and 7%, 67, 4473, 56, and 14%, and 36, 1307, 27, and 8.6%, respectively. We chose ARIMA (5, 2, 4) as a more suitable model due to its lower error metrics when compared to the others. Conclusion. All models had promising predictability and predicted a rise in the number of cases in the future, and this was essential for administrative and management planning. For appropriate and efficient strategic planning and control, the prognosis was useful enough than would have been possible without it.
Stress Dependency of Creep Response for Glass/Epoxy Composite at Nonlinear and Linear Viscoelastic Behavior
Authors: Nosrati N. , Zabett A. , Sahebian S.
Published: February 2022

This research is aimed at comparing the stress dependency of creep viscoelastic behavior for glass/epoxy composite and neat epoxy close to the glass transition temperature and room temperature. Long-term creep performance of quasi-unidirectional composites and quasi-isotropic stacking sequence composites is modeled based on the time-stress superposition principle (TSSP). Linearity and nonlinearity of viscoelastic behavior and stress-dependence correlations were investigated for quasi-isotropic stacking sequence composite at 25°C and 50°C (near the glass transition temperature). Stress dependency of creep stages (primary, secondary, and tertiary) of neat epoxy was evaluated at this range of temperature. The prediction results of composite at room temperature show that the raising of the stress levels leads to the acceleration of viscoelastic strain values, but the creep compliance does not present any dependency. Besides, the reduction of viscoelastic ability is realized by measuring less amount of creep compliance at higher stress level in the glass transition temperature. These observations confirmed the linearity and nonlinearity of viscoelastic behavior at room and glass transition temperature, respectively. Similar results of neat epoxy revealed that the increase in the stress level accelerates the strain values at room temperature and decreases the creep resistance at glass transition temperature. Failure morphologies of epoxy sample fractured at room temperature are included scarp, cusp, and river line; however, close to the glass transition temperature, more expansive mirror zones appeared. Fiber architecture significantly affected the secondary stage regime by providing load-bearing ability. Thereby, creep rate reduction and enhancement of creep lifetime and creep resistance would be reported using unidirectional reinforcing in contrast to those of the multilayer sequence one.
Resolving the Heterogeneous Tumor-Centric Cellular Neighborhood through Multiplexed, Spatial Paracrine Interactions in the Setting of Immune Checkpoint Blockade
Authors: Maus Rachel L.G. , Leontovich Alexey A. , Moore Raymond M. , Becher Laura , Nevala Wendy K. , Flotte Thomas J. , Guo Ruifeng , Schimke Jill M. , Dicke Betty A. , Yan Yiyi , Markovic Svetomir N.
Published: February 2022

Direct interactions between tumor and immune cells mediate the antitumor effect of all modern cancer immunotherapeutic agents. Simultaneously, tumor cells have evolved mechanisms of evasion, including the downregulation of HLA-I, potentially disrupting the mechanism of action employed by many immune checkpoint inhibitors. And yet, the in situ interplay between these cells within the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) remains elusive. Recent advances in histologic multiplex bioimaging platforms have enabled in-depth molecular characterization of single cells within spatially preserved and clinically archived tumor tissues. Herein, we applied multiplex immunofluorescence to excisional lymph node biopsies from 14 patients with metastatic melanoma who experienced clear objective responses to immunotherapy (7 complete response; 7 progressive disease) to determine distinguishing features of the TIME in the pretreatment setting. Distinct regions of the TIME were evaluated using 35 proteins probing tumor, immune, and vasculature components across 323 fields of view. Single-cell compositional analysis confirmed established prognostic immune cell types including increased prevalence of cytotoxic T cells within the tumor core fields of view of responders. Integrating single-cell quantification with the spatial arrangement of cellular neighborhoods surrounding tumor cells revealed novel, spatial immune signatures capable of stratifying TIME based on clinical response. Our analysis revealed dynamic cellular composition of the tumor-centric cellular neighborhood (TCCN) based on anatomic subregion, functional expression of HLA-I by the index tumor cell and ultimately clinical response to immunotherapy. Overall, this study provides an analytic framework to resolve the cellular complexity of the TIME, increasingly relevant to the outcomes of modern cancer immunotherapy.

Significance:

Findings from this work propose a novel approach to resolving clinical heterogeneity of the TIME by objectively quantifying the cellular interactions occurring in metastatic melanoma lymph node tissue utilizing multiplex immunofluorescence. This study provides an analytic and biologically derived unit of measure, the TCCN which is customizable for studying critical paracrine interactions within spatially preserved tissue of various cancers and across the spectrum of multiplex imaging modalities.
Ultrasound-Guided Pudendal Nerve Block versus Ultrasound-Guided Dorsal Penile Nerve Block for Pediatric Distal Hypospadias Surgery
Authors: Ozen Volkan , Ozen Nurten
Published: February 2022

Introduction: The primary aim of the study was to use the duration until the first postoperative analgesic requirement after two different block techniques to compare the analgesic effect. The secondary aims were to compare the two methods for postoperative Children’s Hospital Eastern Ontario Pain Scale (CHEOPS) scores, complications, and parental satisfaction level. Materials and Methods: This prospective, observational study was conducted with male patients aged 1–7 years in the ASA I–II group, who were scheduled for hypospadias surgery between November 2019 and April 2020. Ultrasound (US)-guided pudendal nerve block (PNB) or US-guided dorsal penile nerve block (DPNB) was administered under general anesthesia before the operation. Postoperative analgesic need, postoperative pain, complications, and parental satisfaction were noted. The STROBE checklist was followed for reporting. Results: The study was conducted with 30 patients in total, divided into 15 patients receiving PNB and 15 patients receiving DPNB. The effective minimum block duration was longer in the pudendal group at 22.22 ± 0.61 h than in the DPNB group at 22.19 ± 0.57 h. Additional analgesic was required in 4 subjects in the pudendal group and 5 in the DPNB group. There was no statistically significant difference in terms of the variables between the two groups (p > 0.05). Discussion: US-guided DPNB and PNB were shown to provide successful postoperative analgesia and to have similar effectiveness in pediatric patients undergoing hypospadias surgery in this first prospective study of its kind in the literature. Conclusions: US-guided DPNB and PNB have been demonstrated to provide effective, safe, and long-term postoperative analgesia in pediatric patients who have undergone hypospadias surgery. Parental satisfaction in both groups is positively influenced by the minimum postoperative analgesia requirement, the long-term analgesic effect, and the lack of any complications.
A Case of an Intraorbital Wooden Chip Foreign Body Diagnosed and Removed Several Months after Injury Despite Repeated Imaging Study
Authors: Oki Tetsutaro , Shiotani Nobutaka , Horiguchi Hiroshi , Gunji Hisato , Nakano Tadashi
Published: February 2022

Intraorbital foreign bodies due to trauma are commonly encountered in clinical practice. However, organic foreign bodies, such as wood chips, can sometimes be difficult to diagnose. Here, we report the case of a patient with a wooden chip located intraorbitally that was not detected until spontaneous discharge, despite repeated diagnostic imaging. A 43-year-old intoxicated woman presented to our hospital with a bruised face and eyelid. The patient was diagnosed with conjunctivitis and iritis, but no foreign body was noted in repeated imaging studies since the first visit. Therefore, the patient was observed and managed conservatively. The patient returned to the hospital 114 days after the injury, with no improvement in her conjunctivitis. Examination revealed exposure of a foreign body in the lower eyelid conjunctiva, which was removed during emergency surgery. There are no clear criteria for imaging diagnosis of organic foreign bodies in the body. However, it may be possible to detect them by changing the imaging conditions and examining the computed tomography values in detail. In addition, in case of persistent clinical symptoms, such as inflammation, the image examination should be reviewed. In eyelid trauma, the medical history is sometimes unknown, so it must be remembered that a detailed examination and, in some cases, clinical symptoms are important in making a diagnosis.
Bioprosthetic Total Artificial Heart in Autoregulated Mode Is Biologically Hemocompatible: Insights for Multimers of von Willebrand Factor
Authors: Poitier Bastien , Chocron Richard , Peronino Christophe , Philippe Aurélien , Pya Yuri , Rivet Nadia , Richez Ulysse , Bekbossynova Mahabbat , Gendron Nicolas , Grimmé Marc , Bories Marie Cécile , Brichet Julie , Capel Antoine , Rancic Jeanne , Vedie Benoit , Roussel Jean Christian , Jannot Anne-Sophie , Jansen Piet , Carpentier Alain , Ivak Peter , Latremouille Christian , Netuka Ivan , Smadja David M.
Published: February 2022

Background:

Carmat bioprosthetic total artificial heart (Aeson; A-TAH) is a pulsatile and autoregulated device. The aim of this study is to evaluate level of hemolysis potential acquired von Willebrand syndrome after A-TAH implantation.

Methods:

We examined the presence of hemolysis and acquired von Willebrand syndrome in adult patients receiving A-TAH support (n=10) during their whole clinical follow-up in comparison with control subjects and adult patients receiving Heartmate II or Heartmate III support. We also performed a fluid structure interaction model coupled with computational fluid dynamics simulation to evaluate the A-TAH resulting shear stress and its distribution in the blood volume.

Results:

The cumulative duration of A-TAH support was 2087 days. A-TAH implantation did not affect plasma free hemoglobin over time, and there was no association between plasma free hemoglobin and cardiac output or beat rate. For VWF (von Willebrand factor) evaluation, A-TAH implantation did not modify multimers profile of VWF in contrast to Heartmate II and Heartmate III. Furthermore, fluid structure interaction coupled with computational fluid dynamics showed a gradually increase of blood damage according to increase of cardiac output (
P
<0.01), however, the blood volume fraction that endured significant shear stresses was always inferior to 0.03% of the volume for both ventricles in all regimens tested. An inverse association between cardiac output, beat rate, and high-molecular weight multimers ratio was found.

Conclusions:

We demonstrated that A-TAH does not cause hemolysis or AWVS. However, relationship between HMWM and cardiac output depending flow confirms relevance of VWF as a biological sensor of blood flow, even in normal range.