bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation on Stress Response during Intubation and Extubation in Patients Undergoing Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery: A Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Yu Zhiyan , Zhang Yuying , Zhang Huan , Zhao Xue , Wei Hua , He Shuangliang , Liu Jianming , Liu Tiejun
Published: September 2021

Objective. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on the stress response during intubation and extubation in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Methods. 122 patients undergoing VATS lobectomy were randomly divided into two groups: the TEAS group (n = 62) and the control group (n = 60). Patients in the TEAS group underwent electroacupuncture stimulation of bilateral Neiguan (PC6), Hegu (L14), Lieque (LU7), and Chize (LU5) acupoints from 30 min before anesthesia to the end of surgery. The patients in the control group did not undergo stimulation. The primary endpoints were the hemodynamic parameters and plasma concentrations of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol. The secondary endpoints were the consumption of remifentanil and propofol, Ramsay sedation score and arousal time, extubation quality score, and postoperative complications. Results. The hemodynamic variables and plasma concentrations of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol during intubation and extubation were lower in the TEAS group at T1, T3, and T4 compared with the control group. TEAS led to a reduction in the consumption of remifentanil (

P
<
0.01

), as well as a reduction in the incidence of postoperative complications. The extubation quality score was lower (

P
<
0.01

) while the Ramsay sedation score was higher (

P
<
0.01

) in the TEAS group than in the control group. However, the arousal time and consumption of propofol were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion. TEAS can maintain hemodynamic stability, reduce the stress response during intubation and extubation, improve the quality of anesthesia recovery, and decrease the incidence of postoperative complications in patients undergoing VATS.
The Effect of Material Static Mechanical Properties on the Fatigue Crack Initiation Life of Rail Fastening Clips
Authors: Liu Y. , Li Qiutong , Jiang Xiujie , Liu Huan , Yuan Xianpu , Zhu Zhehao
Published: September 2021

This paper aimed to study the effect of material static mechanical properties on the fatigue crack initiation life of ω‐shaped rail fastening clips, in which the Vossloh 300‐1 fastener system was taken as an example. The static mechanical properties of 38Si7 steel (the material of the clip) were first investigated through a series of uniaxial tensile tests. According to the experimental outcomes, a classic assembly system was simulated afterwards using the finite element analysis (FEA) method. On the basis of the Brown–Miller criterion, an in‐depth numerical study regarding the critical plane was realized, which allowed fatigue crack initiation to be successfully reproduced by FEA. Finally, a detailed parametric study was performed with the relevant sensitivity analysis. The results showed that the initiation and progression of fatigue cracks in the fastening clip occur in the plane of the maximum shear strain. The fatigue crack initiation life of the fastening clip was extremely sensitive to the elastic modulus, especially more sensitive to the tensile strength. From an engineering viewpoint, the fatigue resistance of the fastening clip could be boosted by (i) increasing the tensile strength of the material to at least 1450 MPa and (ii) rendering the elastic modulus smaller than 160 GPa.
Curcumin Ameliorates White Matter Injury after Ischemic Stroke by Inhibiting Microglia/Macrophage Pyroptosis through NF‐κB Suppression and NLRP3 Inflammasome Inhibition
Authors: Ran Yuanyuan , Su Wei , Gao Fuhai , Ding Zitong , Yang Shuiqing , Ye Lin , Chen Xuechai , Tian Guiqin , Xi Jianing , Liu Zongjian
Published: September 2021

NLRP3 inflammasome‐mediated pyroptosis is a proinflammatory programmed cell death pathway, which plays a vital role in functional outcomes after stroke. We previously described the beneficial effects of curcumin against stroke‐induced neuronal damage through modulating microglial polarization. However, the impact of curcumin on microglial pyroptosis remains unknown. Here, stroke was modeled in mice by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 60 minutes and treated with curcumin (150 mg/kg) intraperitoneally immediately after reperfusion, followed by daily administrations for 7 days. Curcumin ameliorated white matter (WM) lesions and brain tissue loss 21 days poststroke and improved sensorimotor function 3, 10, and 21 days after stroke. Furthermore, curcumin significantly reduced the number of gasdermin D+ (GSDMD+) Iba1+ and caspase‐1+Iba1+ microglia/macrophage 21 days after stroke. In vitro, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with ATP treatment was used to induce pyroptosis in primary microglia. Western blot revealed a decrease in pyroptosis‐related proteins, e.g., GSDMD‐N, cleaved caspase‐1, NLRP3, IL‐1β, and IL‐18, following in vitro or in vivo curcumin treatment. Mechanistically, both in vivo and in vitro studies confirmed that curcumin inhibited the activation of the NF‐κB pathway. NLRP3 knocked down by siRNA transfection markedly increased the inhibitory effects of curcumin on microglial pyroptosis and proinflammatory responses, both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, stereotaxic microinjection of AAV‐based NLRP3 shRNA significantly improved sensorimotor function and reduced WM lesion following curcumin treatment in MCAO mice. Our study suggested that curcumin reduced stroke‐induced WM damage, improved functional outcomes, and attenuated microglial pyroptosis, at least partially, through suppression of the NF‐κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway, further supporting curcumin as a potential therapeutic drug for stroke.
Identification of Pulpitis-Related Potential Biomarkers Using Bioinformatics Approach
Authors: Xin Bingchang , Lin Yuxiang , Tian He , Song Jia , Zhang Liwei , Lv Jian
Published: September 2021

Inflammatory reaction of pulp tissue plays a role in the pathogen elimination and tissue repair. The evaluation of severity of pulpitis can serve an instructive function in therapeutic scheme. However, there are many limitations in the traditional evaluation methods for the severity of pulpitis. Based on the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, our study discovered 843 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to pulpitis. Afterwards, we constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of DEGs and used MCODE plugin to determine the key functional subset. Meanwhile, genes in the key functional subset were subjected to GO and KEGG enrichment analyses. The result showed that genes were mainly enriched in inflammatory reaction-related functions. Next, we screened out intersections of PPI network nodes and pulpitis-related genes. Then, 20 genes were obtained as seed genes. In the PPI network, 50 genes that had the highest correlation with seed genes were screened out using random walk with restart (RWR). Furthermore, 4 pulpitis-related hub genes were obtained from the intersection of the top 50 genes and genes in the key functional subset. Finally, GeneMANIA was utilized to predict genes coexpressed with hub genes, and expression levels of the 4 hub genes in normal and pulpitis groups were analyzed based on GEO data. The result demonstrated that the 4 hub genes were mainly coexpressed with chemokine-related genes and were remarkably upregulated in the pulpitis group. In short, we eventually determined 4 potential biomarkers of pulpitis.
Accumulation and Distribution of Natural Gas Reservoir in Volcanic Active Area: A Case Study of the Cretaceous Yingcheng Formation in the Dehui Fault Depression, Songliao Basin, NE China
Authors: Zeng Fancheng , Liu Bo , Zhang Changmin , Zhang Guoyi , Gao Jin , Liu Junjie , Ostadhassan Mehdi
Published: September 2021

Tight gas sandstone and volcanic gas reservoirs have received global attention in the energy arena for further exploration and exploitation attempts. Considering the Yingcheng Formation of Dehui fault depression in the Songliao Basin as an example, this study focused on the accumulation and distribution of natural gas reservoirs in volcanic area in a fault depression basin. Volcanic activities occurred in the Yingcheng Formation, which is distributed centrally in the northwest of the study area. During the sedimentation of the Yingcheng Formation, fan-delta, lacustrine, and nearshore subaqueous fan facies were deposited. The source rocks of the Yingcheng Formation have high abundance of organic matter mainly in type III at high-overmature stages, indicating favorable conditions for gas production. The porosity of volcanic reservoir is 3.0%-14.8%, the permeability is 0.0004 mD-2.52 mD, and the pore types are mainly secondary dissolved pores and fractures. Besides, the porosity of the tight sandstone reservoir is 0.5%-11.2%, and the permeability is 0.0008 mD-3.17 mD. The pore types are mainly interparticle pores, with a small proportion of intraparticle pores and microfractures. The intrusion of late volcanic magma provided sufficient heat for the thermal maturity progression of organic matter in Yingcheng Formation and promoted the generation of natural gas in large quantities. Volcanic rocks formed at the early and middle stages of volcanic activities occupied the sedimentary space and hindered the development of sedimentary sand bodies to a certain extent. However, volcanic rocks can become the seal to promote the formation of tight sandstone gas traps. Comparing tight sandstone reservoirs with volcanic ones, the latter are less affected by compaction; thus, their petrophysical properties do not vary much with depth, showing more homogeneous characteristics. The pyroclastic rocks influenced by volcanic activity and the secondary pores formed by dissolution in the later stages also provide reservoir space for gas accumulation. Ultimately, the tight sandstone and volcanic rocks in the study area form a complex gas reservoir system, which can become a reference for exploration and exploitation of natural gas in other petroliferous fault depressions that are affected by volcanisms.
Effectiveness of Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosus on Metabolic Syndrome Components: A Real-World, Observational Study
Authors: Nicolucci Antonio , Rossi Maria Chiara , Petrelli Massimiliano
Published: September 2021

Introduction. Gdue is a nutraceutical obtained from the association of two marine algae, Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosus, in addition to chromium picolinate, which could be useful for the treatment of dysglycemia, overweight, and the other components of the metabolic syndrome. The aim of the study was to assess the real-world effectiveness and safety of Gdue when administered to subjects with one or more components of the metabolic syndrome. Methods. A longitudinal, retrospective, observational study, conducted among primary care physicians, nutritionists, and specialists from various disciplines. The impact of 180 days of administration of Gdue was assessed on body weight, waist circumference, fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile, and blood pressure levels. The likelihood of experiencing a first major cardiovascular event over ten years was estimated using Italian risk charts. General linear models for repeated measures were applied to assess changes in the parameters of interest during the follow-up. Results are expressed as estimated marginal means with their 95% confidence interval. Results. Overall, 505 patients were enrolled by 282 physicians. After 6 months of treatment with Gdue, body weight was reduced on average by 7.3 kg (-8.0; -6.6), waist circumference by 7.5 cm (-8.2; -6.8), fasting blood glucose by 16.3 mg/dL (-17.8; -14.7), HbA1c by 0.55% (-0.62; -0.49), systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 7.1 mmHg (-8.3; -6.0) and 4.2 mmHg (-5.0; -3.5), respectively, LDL cholesterol by 18.2 mg/dL (-21.2; -15.3), and triglycerides by 39 mg/dL (-45; -32). HDL cholesterol was significantly increased by 2.9 mg/dL (0.7; 5.0). The 10-year risk of cardiovascular events significantly decreased by 1.8%, corresponding to a relative risk reduction of 27.7%. Conclusion. Our real-world study shows that 6 months of treatment with Gdue have an impact on all the components of the metabolic syndrome, thus offering the potential for decreasing the cardiovascular risk associated with metabolic syndrome.
The Antimicrobial, Antioxidative, and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Polycaprolactone/Gelatin Scaffolds Containing Chrysin for Regenerative Endodontic Purposes
Authors: Alipour Mahdieh , Pouya Bahareh , Aghazadeh Zahra , SamadiKafil Hossein , Ghorbani Marjan , Alizadeh Sara , Aghazadeh Marziyeh , Dalir Abdolahinia Elaheh
Published: September 2021

The appropriate endodontic material should eliminate the infection and inflammation to provide a situation for regeneration and healing of pulp tissue besides biomineralization. Chrysin is one of the active ingredients of plant flavonoids, which has significant anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. In the present study, this natural substance was evaluated for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and mineralization properties on dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). SEM, FTIR, and TGA tests were used to determine the successful synthesize of chrysin-loaded scaffolds. The antimicrobial effects of the synthesized scaffold against Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis were assessed by the agar diffusion test and live/dead assay. The proliferation of DPSCs on these scaffolds was determined by the MTT assay, DAPI staining, and DNA extraction. Moreover, the antioxidant and anti-inflammation activity of chrysin-loaded scaffolds on inflamed DPSCs was evaluated. Alkaline phosphatase activity and Alizarin Red S Stain tests were done to evaluate the mineralization of DPSCs seeded on these scaffolds. The chrysin-loaded scaffolds reported antimicrobial effects against evaluated bacterial strains. The proliferation of DPSCs seeded on these scaffolds was increased significantly (

p
<
0.05

). The TNF

α

and DCF levels in inflamed DPSCs showed a significant decrease in the presence of chrysin-loaded scaffolds (

p
<
0.05

). The ALP activity and formation of mineralized nodules of DPSCs on these scaffolds were significantly increased compared with the control group (

p
<
0.05

). These results indicated that chrysin as an ancient therapeutic agent can accelerate the healing and regeneration of damaged pulp tissue, and this active ingredient can be a potential natural substance for regenerative endodontic procedures.
A Deep Neural Network-Based Fault Detection Scheme for Aircraft IMU Sensors
Authors: Zhang Yiming , Zhao Hang , Ma Jinyi , Zhao Yunmei , Dong Yiqun , Ai Jianliang
Published: September 2021

A new fault detection scheme for aircraft Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors is developed in this paper. This scheme adopts a deep neural network with a CNN-LSTM-fusion architecture (CNN: convolution neural network; LSTM: long short-term memory). The fault detection network (FDN) developed in this paper is irrelative to aircraft model or flight condition. Flight data is reformed into a 2D format for FDN input and is mapped via the net to fault cases directly. We simulate different aircrafts with various flight conditions and separate them into training and testing sets. Part of the aircrafts and flight conditions appears only in the testing set to validate robustness and scalability of the FDN. Different architectures of FDN are studied, and an optimized architecture is obtained via ablation studies. An average detecting accuracy of 94.5% on 20 different cases is achieved.
Region Matching of SAR Images Using Blocks for Target Recognition
Authors: Shan Chao , Li Minggao , Chen Zihao , Han Lei
Published: September 2021

A synthetic aperture radar (SAR) target recognition method based on image blocking and matching is proposed. The test SAR image is first separated into four blocks, which are analyzed and matched separately. For each block, the monogenic signal is employed to describe its time‐frequency distribution and local details with a feature vector. The sparse representation‐based classification (SRC) is used to classify the four monogenic feature vectors and produce the reconstruction error vectors. Afterwards, a random weight matrix with a rich set of weight vectors is used to linearly fuse the feature vectors and all the results are analyzed in a statistical way. Finally, a decision value is designed based on the statistical analysis to determine the target label. The proposed method is tested on the moving and stationary target acquisition and recognition (MSTAR) dataset and the results confirm the validity of the proposed method.
Dyslipidemia and Associated Risk Factors in the Elderly Population in Asmara, Eritrea: Results from a Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Achila Oliver Okoth , Araya Mathewos , Berhe Arsiema Brhane , Haile Niat Habteab , Tsige Luwam Kahsai , Shifare Bethelihem Yemane , Bitew Tesfalem Abel , Berhe Israel Eyob , Mengistu Samuel Tekle , Yohaness Eyob Garoy
Published: September 2021

Background. The ultimate goal of the study was to approximate the burden and patterns of dyslipidemia in a subset of the elderly population (≥60–85 years) living in Asmara, Eritrea, and to identify modifiable risk drivers. Methods. A total of 319 (145 (45.5%) male vs. 174 (54.5%) female, mean

age
±
SD

(68.06 ± 6.16 years), participants from randomly selected estates within Asmara were enrolled. Demographic and medical information was collected using a standardized questionnaire. Anthropometric, lipid panel, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and blood pressure (BP) measurements were subsequently taken. Results. The prevalence of dyslipidemia was 70.5%. The proportions of dyslipidemias were (in order of decreasing frequency) high TC (51.2%), LDL-C (43.7%), low HDL-C (28.2%), and TG (27.6%). The average (±SD) concentrations in mg/dL of TC, LDL-C, non-HDL-C, TG, HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, and TG/HDL-C were

202.2
±
40.63

,

125.95
±
33.16

,

151.72
±
37.19

,

129
±
57.16

,

50.48
±
10.91

,

4.11
±
0.91

, and

2.72
±
1.49

, respectively. Furthermore, 17.5%, 21.6%, 11.0%, and 5.0% had abnormalities in 1, 2, 3, and 4 lipid disorders with the copresence of TC+LDL-C abnormalities dominating. Regarding National Cholesterol Education Program Third Adult Treatment Panel risk strata, 18.5%, 14.5%, 28.2%, and 12.9% were in high or very high-risk categories for TC, LDL-C, TG, and HDL-C, respectively. The high burden of dyslipidemia coexisted with an equally high burden of abdominal obesity (43.1%),

FPG
≥
100
 
mg
/
dL

(16%), hypertension (28.5%), and physical inactivity. Overall, dyslipidemia was associated with sex (females:

aOR
=
2.6

,

95
%
CI
=
1.1
–
6.1

,

p
=
0.017

) and daily physical activity—higher in individuals undertaking physical activity for <1 hour (

aOR
=
2.6

,

95
%
CI
=
1.1
–
6.1

,

p
=
0.029

), 1-2 hours (

aOR
=
3.2

,

95
%
CI
=
1.24
–
8.5

,

p
=
0.016

), and 2-3 hours (

aOR
=
2.0

,

95
%
CI
=
0.7
–
5.8

,

p
=
0.192

) (Ref: >3 hours). Additional associations included increasing FPG (

aOR
=
1.02

,

95
%
CI
=
1.0
–
1.04

,

p
=
0.039

), and BMI (

aOR
=
1.19

,

95
%
CI
=
1.09
–
1.3

,

p
<
0.001

). These factors, along with waist circumference (WC), consumption of traditional foods, systolic BP, and diastolic BP, were, with some variations, associated with disparate dyslipidemias. Conclusions. The burden of dyslipidemia in the elderly population in Asmara is high. Modifiable risk drivers included FPG, WC, physical inactivity, and low consumption of traditional food. Overall, efforts directed at scaling up early recognition and treatment, including optimal pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapy, at all levels of care, should be instituted.
Distributed Consensus Algorithm for Nonholonomic Wheeled Mobile Robot
Authors: Meng Xianyang , He Ping , Xiong Xingzhong , Mi Haoyang , Li Zuxin , Wu Zhigang
Published: September 2021

This paper focuses on consensus of the nonholonomic wheeled mobile robotic systems whose geometric center and centroid do not coincide. A consensus control algorithm for mobile robots based on the nonstandard chain systems is proposed. Firstly, coordinate transformation is used to transform the nonholonomic robotic systems into the nonstandard chain model. Then, a distributed cooperative control algorithm is designed, and the Lyapunov stability theorem and LaSalle invariance principle are used to prove that each state of the mobile robot is consensus. Finally, the effectiveness of the algorithm is proved through numerical simulation.
AGG: A Novel Intelligent Network Traffic Prediction Method Based on Joint Attention and GCN-GRU
Authors: Shi Huaifeng , Pan Chengsheng , Yang Li , Gu Xiangxiang
Published: September 2021

Timely and accurate network traffic prediction is a necessary means to realize network intelligent management and control. However, this work is still challenging considering the complex temporal and spatial dependence between network traffic. In terms of spatial dimension, links connect different nodes, and the network traffic flowing through different nodes has a specific correlation. In terms of spatial dimension, not only the network traffic at adjacent time points is correlated, but also the importance of distant time points is not necessarily less than the nearest time point. In this paper, we propose a novel intelligent network traffic prediction method based on joint attention and GCN-GRU (AGG). The AGG model uses GCN to capture the spatial features of traffic, GRU to capture the temporal features of traffic, and attention mechanism to capture the importance of different temporal features, so as to realize the comprehensive consideration of the spatial-temporal correlation of network traffic. The experimental results on an actual dataset show that, compared with other baseline models, the AGG model has the best performance in experimental indicators, such as root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), accuracy (ACC), determination coefficient (

R

2

), and explained variance score (EVS), and has the ability of long-term prediction.
Late Deep Infections Complicating Percutaneous Pinning of Supracondylar Humerus Fractures
Authors: Jardaly Achraf H. , LaCoste Ketrick , Gilbert Shawn R. , Conklin Michael J.
Published: September 2021

Objectives. Complications following treatment of supracondylar humerus fractures are typically seen shortly postoperatively. Late complications occurring years after percutaneous pinning are rare but can be indolent and have permanent sequelae. We present cases of children presenting with late deep infections to discuss their diagnosis and treatment. Methods. After institutional review board approval, we retrospectively reviewed records of three children who developed deep infections at least one year after percutaneous pinning of their supracondylar humerus fracture. Patient details and outcomes were analyzed. Radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging were reviewed along with each patient’s clinical course and treatment. Results. We report 3 cases of osteomyelitis and/or septic arthritis presenting at least one year after supracondylar humerus fractures treated with closed reduction and percutaneous pinning. The patients required several irrigation and debridement procedures with placement of antibiotic beads in addition to a prolonged course of antibiotics. Conclusion. Delayed deep infections can occur after closed reduction and percutaneous pinning of supracondylar humerus fractures in children. Vigilance is required to diagnose and treat such occurrences, and prolonged follow-up is needed to monitor for recurrent or intractable infections.
Integrated Design of Graduate Education Information System of Universities in Digital Campus Environment
Authors: Ma Jing , Feng Bo
Published: September 2021

This study takes the digital campus construction planning of the high school as an example and determines the requirements of the postgraduate management information system under the digital campus environment through the analysis of the overall framework and technology of the digital campus. Combining the current situation of computer technology, network technology, and the actual situation of our university, the current mainstream B/S three‐layer architecture is adopted, the web adopts the current popular Java Server Pages technology, and the struts framework connects to the Oracle backend database through the Java Database Connectivity interface to design the browser‐side and server‐side programs. The struts framework connects to the Oracle backend database through the Java Database Connectivity interface to design browser‐side and server‐side programs. The functional model and data flow model of the system were established through a detailed and effective analysis of the entire workflow of postgraduate students’ training management during their school years. Then, the system analysis, design, and drawing of the swim lane diagram and data business flow diagram were carried out. The system was designed in detail in terms of system architecture, development tools, functional modules, and database design, and the core module of training program making in postgraduate training management was highlighted as an example to discuss the principles and methods in the construction of departmental business systems and informatization under the digital campus environment, and a flexible and efficient postgraduate management information system was realized. It standardizes the construction of data standardization in universities; does a good job of standardizing and normalizing information; improves the accuracy, validity, and real‐time production of data collection and the real and safe unified management of historical data; and provides scientific and reasonable data support for the leadership to make relevant decisions.
Recognition Method of Tunnel Lining Defects Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Zhu Anfu , Chen Shuaihao , Lu Fangfang , Ma Congxiao , Zhang Fengrui
Published: September 2021

The defect identification of tunnel lining is a task with a lot of tasks and time‐consuming work, and currently, it mainly relies on manual operation. This paper takes the ground‐penetrating radar image of the internal defects of the lining as the research object, and chooses the popular VGG16, ResNet34 convolutional neural network (CNN) to build the automatic recognition model for comparative study, and proposes an improved ResNet34 defect‐recognition model. In this paper, SGD and Adam training algorithms are used to update network parameters, and the PyTorch depth framework is used to train the network. The test results show that the ResNet34 network has faster convergence speed, higher accuracy rate, and shorter training time than the VGG16 network. The ResNet34 network using the Adam algorithm can achieve 99.08% accuracy. The improved ResNet34 network can achieve an accuracy of 99.25%, and at the same, reduce the parameter amount by 4.22% compared with the ResNet34 network, which can better identify defects in the lining. The research in this paper shows that the deep learning method can provide new ideas for the identification of tunnel lining defects.
The Treatment of Cholecystitis and Cholelithiasis by Tibetan Medicine
Authors: Pan Lin , Gao Jie , Han Yunfeng , Shi Yi , Tang Xi , Pu Lili , Lai Xianrong , Dongzhu Renqing , Zhang Jinkui , Xiangmao Qieni , Pengcuo Jiumei
Published: September 2021

Cholecystitis and cholelithiasis is one of the factors threatening human health. It is very important to find drugs for the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. Tibetan medicine is one of the traditional medical systems in China. It has rich experience in treating various diseases. This paper summarizes the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis through literature review of Tibetan medicine monographs, drug standards, Tibetan medicine, and prescriptions. In the Tibetan medicine system, 170 kinds of Tibetan medicine and 38 kinds of Tibetan prescriptions were found to treat cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. Among them, there are 35 modern researches related to the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. Their names, families, medicinal parts, chemical constituents, and pharmacological activities are introduced in detail. These Tibetan medicines and prescriptions may be a precious gift of ancient Tibetan medicine to the world, and may also become potential drug candidates for the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. Modern phytochemistry, pharmacology, metabonomics, and/or clinical trials can be used to confirm its medicinal value in the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis, identify active compounds, clarify its potential mechanism of action, and clarify its toxicity and side effects. This article provides a new idea and source for the treatment of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis.
Automatic Tracking Method of Basketball Flight Trajectory Based on Data Fusion and Sparse Representation Model
Authors: Cao Cuiping , Yu Hai , Liu Yun
Published: September 2021

The appearance model of flying basketball obtained by the traditional basketball flight trajectory tracking method is not accurate, which leads the anti‐interference performance of trajectory tracking not ideal. Based on data fusion and sparse representation model, a new automatic trajectory tracking method is proposed. Firstly, the relevant technologies of basketball flight trajectory automatic tracking are studied and summarized, and then the method is studied. The specific implementation steps of this method are as follows: the features of flying basketball images were extracted by the target feature extraction algorithm, and the appearance model of flying basketball was built based on sparse representation. Data fusion technology and particle filter algorithm are combined to realize automatic tracking of basketball flight path. Through three axial basketball trajectories of automatic tracking test and noise test and verify the design method under the 3D world coordinate system to achieve the X, Y, and Z axis up more accurate tracking, at the same time, after applying measurement signal to noise, automatic trajectory tracking results affected by some, but still managed to realize the trajectory tracking.
Protective Effect of Nano-Vitamin C on Infertility due to Oxidative Stress Induced by Lead and Arsenic in Male Rats
Authors: Raeeszadeh Mahdieh , Karimfar Behzad , Amiri Ali Akbar , Akbari Abolfazl
Published: September 2021

Occupational and environmental exposure to heavy metals such as arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) by inducing oxidative damage may impair male fertility. However, there is a new view that shows that the nano form of vitamins such as vitamin C, which have antioxidant activity, can be effective in improving this disorder. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of NVC (NVC) on reproductive toxicity caused by the combination of Pb and As on testicular histology, sperm morphology, oxidative stress parameters, and hormonal changes in male rats. In this experimental study, forty-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups: control, NVC (200 mg/kg), As (50 ppm sodium arsenate), Pb (500 ppm Pb acetate), As + NVC, and Pb + NVC. FSH, LH, and testosterone levels were measured in serum. The activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), carbonyl protein, malondialdehyde (MDA), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was measured in testis. Histological examination and sperm parameters were also evaluated. FSH, LH, and testosterone levels and sperm parameters significantly decreased, and levels of protein carbonyl, MDA, and DNA fragmentation increased in the As and Pb groups, while treatment with NVC could improve them. Histological evaluation and sperm parameters in As and Pb groups showed damage in the process of spermatogenesis and sperm parameters. The treatment with NVC could significantly improve these parameters. The activity of GPx, SOD, and CAT in testis decreased in As and Pb groups, while treatment with NVC could enhance them. It can be concluded that NVC by inhibiting oxidative damage and improving serum level of testosterone, LH, and FSH could overcome As- and Pb-induced reproductive dysfunction.
Study of the Possible Alleviated Role of Atorvastatin on Irinotecan‐Induced Lingual Mucosal Damage: Histological and Molecular Study
Authors: Arafat Eetmad A. , El-khair S. M. Abo , Elsamanoudy A. Z. , Shabaan Dalia A.
Published: September 2021

Background. Oral mucositis is the most debilitating and troublesome adverse effect of irinotecan (CPT‐11) treatment. It adversely affects the patient quality of life. The aim of this work was to study the histological, immunohistochemical, and molecular changes in the oral mucosa by CPT‐11 and the possible alleviated role of atorvastatin. Methods. Rats were randomly divided into control, CPT‐11‐treated group, and CPT‐11+ atorvastatin‐treated group. At the end of the experiment, the anterior two‐thirds of the tongue was dissected out and divided into two parts: one part for light microscopic examination and the second for molecular study. Results. CPT‐11‐treated group revealed loss of normal mucosal organization, areas of ulceration and inflammation, and loss of architecture of lingual papillae. A significant decrease in immunohistochemical and molecular gene expression of Ki‐67 and antiapoptotic Bcl‐2 levels was observed. A significant increase in NF‐κB immunohistochemical and mRNA gene expression level and a nonsignificant increase in Nrf2 gene expression were detected. Coadministration of atorvastatin showed remarkable improvement in the histopathological picture with a significant increase in Ki‐67 and Bcl‐2, a significant decrease in NF‐κB protein and gene expression, and a significant increase in Nrf2 gene expression. Conclusion. Atorvastatin substantially attenuates CPT‐11‐induced oral mucositis through the initiation of the antiapoptotic gene, modulation of the inflammatory, and antioxidant gene expression.
Innovative Training of University Students in Cardiac Arrest in Clinical Simulation
Authors: Segura Azuara Nancy de los Angeles , Lopez Cabrera Mildred , Hidalgo Juan Carlos , Salvador Brenda , Vázquez Camacho Elsie , Martín Albo Santiago
Published: September 2021

Introduction: Statistics show nowadays, bystanders provided Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in 40-46% of all out-of-the-hospital cardiac arrests.  Strategies must focus on specialized training for non-medical personnel. Engaging new generations in self-care depends on the development of new approaches to address the issue. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of an innovative training in CPR through the perception of the participants.  Material and methods: This study considered a quantitative approach with a descriptive and correlational design. This study had a convenience sample of 103 participants from undergraduate programs in different disciplines: Engineering, Health, Law, and Design with participated voluntarily in the innovate training. To understand the efficacy of the innovative training data was collected of the participants through a self-assessment rubric. While participants were taken part in the training, an expert assessor was observing the performance and scored the procedure using a similar rubric. Both rubrics use a 5-point Likert scale to assess the level of agreement with each sentence. Results: Self-assessment results show that students excel on identifying if a patient has a pulse (mean=4.47) and if a patient is breathing (mean=4.52). The results of the expert assessment indicate a higher level of performance in hand positioning (mean=4.75) and compression-ventilation coordination (mean=4.77).
 Discussion: These results are encouraging as participants gained confidence on basic procedures, the main challenges are still on skills that rely deeply on practice. Therefore, this training might need to be offered periodically, as any certification offered for health professionals. This study is a first attempt to design an innovative short term and effective training that universities can replicate to prepare their students for these life-saving skills.
Keywords: CPR; educational innovation; clinical simulation; non-health personnel.
Targeting an Inducible SALL4-Mediated Cancer Vulnerability with Sequential Therapy
Authors: Yang Junyu , Gao Chong , Liu Miao , Liu Yao-Chung , Kwon Junsu , Qi Jun , Tian Xi , Stein Alicia , Liu Yanjing V. , Kong Nikki R. , Wu Yue , Yin Shenyi , Xi Jianzhong , Chen Zhiyuan , Kumari Kalpana , Wong Hannan , Luo Hongbo , Silberstein Leslie E. , Thoms Julie A.I. , Unnikrishnan Ashwin , Pimanda John E. , Tenen Daniel G. , Chai Li
Published: September 2021

Oncofetal protein SALL4 is critical for cancer cell survival. Targeting SALL4, however, is only applicable in a fraction of cancer patients who are positive for this gene. To overcome this limitation, we propose to induce a cancer vulnerability by engineering a partial dependency upon SALL4. Following exogenous expression of SALL4, SALL4-negative cancer cells became partially dependent on SALL4. Treatment of SALL4-negative cells with the FDA-approved hypomethylating agent 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (DAC) resulted in transient upregulation of SALL4. DAC pretreatment sensitized SALL4-negative cancer cells to entinostat, which negatively affected SALL4 expression through a microRNA, miRNA-205, both in culture and in vivo. Moreover, SALL4 was essential for the efficiency of sequential treatment of DAC and entinostat. Overall, this proof-of-concept study provides a framework whereby the targeting pathways such as SALL4-centered therapy can be expanded, sensitizing cancer cells to treatment by transient target induction and engineering a dependency.

Significance:

These findings provide a therapeutic approach for patients harboring no suitable target by induction of a SALL4-mediated vulnerability.
LncRNA HIF1A-AS1 Promotes Gemcitabine Resistance of Pancreatic Cancer by Enhancing Glycolysis through Modulating the AKT/YB1/HIF1α Pathway
Authors: Xu Fengyu , Huang Mengqi , Chen Qingyong , Niu Yi , Hu Yuhang , Hu Ping , Chen Ding , He Chi , Huang Kang , Zeng Zhu , Tang Jiang , Wang Fan , Zhao Yong , Wang Chunyou , Zhao Gang
Published: September 2021

Gemcitabine (GEM) resistance is a major challenge for chemotherapy of pancreatic cancer. Previous studies have reported on the role of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in tumorigenesis of pancreatic cancer, however, the involvement of lncRNA in the development of GEM resistance of pancreatic cancer remains unclear. In the present study, we demonstrated that the antisense RNA1 of HIF1α (HIF1A-AS1) was significantly elevated in the GEM-resistant pancreatic cancer cells. Gain- and lost-of-function experiments validated that HIF1A-AS1 promoted GEM resistance of pancreatic cancer cells both in vitro and vivo. We further revealed that HIF1A-AS1 upregulated HIF1α expression and thus promoted glycolysis to enhance GEM resistance of pancreatic cancer cells. Mechanistically, HIF1A-AS1 facilitated the interaction between serine/threonine kinase AKT and Y-box–binding protein 1 (YB1), which promoted phosphorylation of YB1 (pYB1). Meanwhile, HIF1A-AS1 recruited pYB1 to HIF1α mRNA that consequently promoted translation of HIF1α. Furthermore, HIF1α promoted HIF1A-AS1 transcription by directly binding to the HIF1α response element in the promoter area of HIF1A-AS1 to form a positive feedback. Consistently, both HIF1A-AS1 and HIF1α were upregulated in pancreatic cancer tissues and associated with poor overall survival. Together, our results underline a reciprocal loop of HIF1A-AS1 and HIF1α that contributes to GEM resistance of pancreatic cancer and indicate that HIF1A-AS1 might serve as a novel therapeutic target for GEM resistance of pancreatic cancer.

Significance:

These findings show that a reciprocal feedback of HIF1A-AS1 and HIF1α promotes gemcitabine resistance of pancreatic cancer, which provides an applicable therapeutic target.
A Prospective Study Comparing Cancer Detection Rates of Transperineal Prostate Biopsies Performed by Junior Urologists versus a Senior Consultant in a Real-World Setting
Authors: Song Jia-ao , He Bi-ming , Li Hu-sheng , Yu Xiao-wen , Shi Zhen-kai , Ren Guan-yu , Chen Huan , Gao Xu , Wang Lin-hui , Xu Chuan-liang , Zeng Shu-xiong , Wang Hai-feng
Published: September 2021

Introduction: Prostate biopsy (PB) is a typical daily practice method for the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa). This study aimed to compare the PCa detection rates and peri- and postoperative complications of PB among 3 residents and a consultant. Patients and Methods: A total of 343 patients who underwent PB between August 2018 and July 2019 were involved in this study. Residents were systematically trained for 2 weeks by a consultant for performing systematic biopsy (SB) and targeted biopsy (TB). And then, 3 residents and the consultant performed PB independently every quarter due to routine rotation in daily practice. The peri- and postoperative data were collected from a prospectively maintained database (www.pc-follow.cn). The primary outcome and secondary outcome were to compare the PCa detection rates and complications between the residents and consultant, respectively. Results: There was no significant difference between the residents and consultant in terms of overall PCa detection rates of SB and TB or further stratified by prostate-specific antigen value and prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) scores. We found the consultant had more TB cores (175 cores vs. 86–114 cores, p = 0.043) and shorter procedural time (mean 16 min vs. 19.7–20.1 min, p < 0.001) versus the residents. The complication rate for the consultant was 6.7% and 5%–8.2% for the residents, respectively (p = 0.875). Conclusions: The residents could get similar PCa detection and complication rates compared with that of the consultant after a 2-week training. However, the residents still need more cases to shorten the time of the biopsy procedure.
Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis in a Patient with Tuberous Sclerosis-Related Brain Tumor: A Case Report
Authors: Ihl Thomas , Arlt Friederike A. , Machule Marie-Luise , Prüss Harald , Audebert Heinrich J.
Published: September 2021

Anti-NMDA receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis (NMDARE) is an important treatable cause of autoimmune psychosis in all age-groups, which is sometimes associated with tumors, especially ovarian teratomas. Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant inherited neurocutaneous disease predisposing for development of benign tumors. We present a case of a 35-year-old woman with recurrent episodes of schizophrenia-like symptoms. Accidentally, MRI revealed TSC-related brain tumors. NMDAR antibody titers were strongly positive in serum and cerebrospinal fluid. This is the first case describing an overlap of NMDARE and TSC-related brain tumors. A review of brain tumors and NMDARE is given in the supplementary material. Although a causal link seems interesting from a pathophysiological point of view, we are in favor of a coincidence.
Endoscopic Reconstruction of an Oral Feeding Route Using a Rendezvous Approach
Authors: de Campos Sara Teles , Rio-Tinto Ricardo , Fidalgo Paulo , Bispo Miguel , Marques Susana , Devière Jacques
Published: September 2021

Background: The approach to esophageal obstruction or discontinuity remains challenging and often involves complex reconstructive surgeries. The rendezvous endoscopic technique might be interesting in cases of complete esophageal obstruction. Case Presentation: Herein we describe a successful case of endoscopic recanalization of the esophageal lumen in a patient with a long-standing esophageal discontinuity resulting from several surgeries and chemoradiation for a squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx, ending in a major cervical amputation, construction of a neopharynx, and definitive surgical closure of the superior esophagus with a PEG placement. With a rendezvous technique (peroral and through the gastrostomy) and under radiographic guidance, puncture from the neopharynx into the distal esophagus was performed, followed by balloon dilation and covered metal stent placement in order to reconstruct a neoesophagus. Five weeks later, the stent was removed (using a stent-in-stent technique). No complications occurred. The patient has been able to eat soft food and is being kept under regular endoscopic surveillance to control/treat a luminal stenosis of the neoesophagus. Conclusions: This case report illustrates a successful endoscopic treatment of post-surgical complete esophageal obstruction. This approach should be considered in the therapeutic armamentarium of these difficult clinical settings.
Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate-Induced Gastric Pneumatosis: A Rare Side Effect
Authors: Dasu Neethi , Khalid Yaser , Dasu Kirti , Joo Lucy , Blair Brian
Published: September 2021

Kayexalate has been used in the USA since 1975 for the treatment of hyperkalemia. Prior case reports have shown that sorbitol added to kayexalate has been known to cause rare side effects of colonic necrosis. We present a unique case report of gastric pneumatosis as a complication of kayexalate.
Time in Neurogenesis: Conservation of the Developmental Formation of the Cerebellar Circuitry
Authors: Rueda-Alaña Eneritz , García-Moreno Fernando
Published: September 2021

The cerebellum is a conserved structure of vertebrate brains that develops at the most anterior region of the alar rhombencephalon. All vertebrates display a cerebellum, making it one of the most highly conserved structures of the brain. Although it greatly varies at the morphological level, several lines of research point to strong conservation of its internal neural circuitry. To test the conservation of the cerebellar circuit, we compared the developmental history of the neurons comprising this circuit in three amniote species: mouse, chick, and gecko. We specifically researched the developmental time of generation of the main neuronal types of the cerebellar cortex. This developmental trajectory is known for the mammalian cell types but barely understood for sauropsid species. We show that the neurogenesis of the GABAergic lineage proceeds following the same chronological sequence in the three species compared: Purkinje cells are the first ones generated in the cerebellar cortex, followed by Golgi interneurons of the granule cell layer, and lately by the interneurons of the molecular layer. In the cerebellar glutamatergic lineage, we observed the same conservation of neurogenesis throughout amniotes, and the same vastly prolonged neurogenesis of granule cells, extending much further than for any other brain region. Together these data show that the cerebellar circuitry develops following a tightly conserved chronological sequence of neurogenesis, which is responsible for the preservation of the cerebellum and its function. Our data reinforce the developmental perspective of homology, whereby similarities in neurons and circuits are likely due to similarities in developmental sequence.
Adult Abdominal Migraine Improved by OnabotulinumtoxinA Injections
Authors: Hermanowicz Neal
Published: September 2021

Abdominal migraine is often regarded as a childhood disorder and less commonly described in adults. However, gastrointestinal symptoms are known to occur to adult migraine patients, and recognition of adult abdominal migraine may facilitate treatment of the recurrent abdominal symptoms and avoidance of unproductive and sometimes invasive therapies. Here, I describe a patient with chronic migraine headaches and recurrent abdominal pain both of which showed sustained improvement after treatment with onabotulinumtoxinA injections.