bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Site-Specific Hypermethylation of SST 1stExon as a Biomarker for Predicting the Risk of Gastrointestinal Tract Cancers
Authors: Dai Xiantong , Sun Xin , Wu Ying , Lv Zhi , Yu Zhanwu , Yuan Yuan , Sun Liping
Published: February 2022

Background. DNA methylation is an important epigenetic modification in tumorigenesis, and similar epigenetic regulation mechanisms have been found in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) cancers. Somatostatin (SST) has been confirmed to be expressed throughout the GIT. This study aimed to simultaneously explore the relationships between the SST methylation and the risks of three GIT cancers (esophageal cancer (EC), gastric cancer (GC), and colorectal cancer (CRC)) and to evaluate its diagnostic value. Methods. Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) of the SST gene, including TSS200, 1stExon, and the gene body, were identified in GIT cancers by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database analysis. Further analyses were conducted in tissue samples of EC (

n
=
50

), GC (

n
=
99

), and CRC (

n
=
80

). The SST methylation was detected by bisulfite-sequencing PCR (BSP), and the SST expression was detected by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results. In GIT cancers, DMR-related CpG islands were mainly located in the 1stExon. The methylation status of the SST 1stExon in the tumor tissues was significantly higher than that in the adjacent noncancerous tissues, and the methylation rates of the specific CpG sites were correlated with clinical phenotypes. The average methylation rate (AMR) of the SST 1stExon was negatively correlated with the SST gene expression in GC and CRC (both

P
<
0.001

). For the diagnosis of GIT cancers, the combined detection of methylation at CpG sites +18 and +129 showed the highest area under the curve (AUC 0.698), with a sensitivity of 59.3% and a specificity of 72.8%. Conclusions. The site-specific hypermethylation of the SST 1stExon increases the risk of GIT cancers and might be a potential predictive marker for pan-GIT cancers.
Application of Emotional Factors of Ink Symbols Evaluated by Network Model in Modern Visual Image Design
Authors: Yang Xiaoyan , Fan Le , Wang Weiwei , Yang Xiaojie
Published: February 2022

Accurate and fast recognition of ink symbols can enhance the perception ability of intelligent ink symbols in the environment, provide information input for the operation of intelligent ink symbols, and improve the perfection of ink painting. This paper proposes an end-to-end deep neural network model based on YOLOv3 for overall and individual recognition of ink symbols from a computer vision perspective. Ink symbol images generated by the simulation software are used for learning the overall and individual ink symbol detection models. Experiments demonstrate that the YOLOv3 detection algorithm has a good detection effect on ink symbolic targets, and the recognition of individual ink symbols has higher accuracy and flexibility, which provides a preliminary solution idea to solve the ink symbol information perception problem.
Development and Research Status of Heavy Oil Enhanced Oil Recovery
Authors: Xue Liang , Liu Pengcheng , Zhang Yun
Published: February 2022

Heavy oil is an important part of petroleum hydrocarbon energy. With the depletion of conventional crude oil reserves, successful and efficient exploitation of heavy oil resources is becoming increasingly important. This article focuses on the nine relatively mature heavy oil development technologies from the perspectives of the level of understanding of the mechanism and the scale of the mining field: steam huff and puff, steam flooding, steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), in situ combustion, thermochemical combined flooding, multicomponent thermal fluid, polymer flooding, chemical viscosity reduction development, and microbial oil recovery, which are divided into two technical categories: thermal recovery and cold recovery development. The basic development principles are explained, and application examples of the two categories of techniques are provided. It is pointed out that thermal compounding, cold mining development, and nanomaterial applications will be the three development trends in heavy oil development.
Mechanism of Synsepalum dulcificum Daniell. Inhibiting Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Chen Qi , Liu Tingting , Bai Tuya , Zhang Mengdi , Hu Yuxia , Li Jun , Chang Fuhou
Published: February 2022

Objective: Synsepalum dulcificum Daniell. (SD) is a natural plant fruit and is famous for containing miraculin. It has been reported that SD can be used as an adjuvant treatment to correct patients’ loss of taste during the antitumor process, but the effect of SD itself as an antitumor is not clear. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of action of SD on lung adenocarcinoma using network pharmacology. Materials and Methods. The components of SD were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and then the compounds that affect tumor immunity of SD were screened and the related targets were predicted by TCMIO database. At the same time, the results were associated with lung adenocarcinoma targets included in the MalaCards and CTD databases, so as to construct a compound-target action network diagram and explore the mechanism of SD in the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma. In in vitro experiments, cell viability was determined and western blotting was used to detect the related expression of action targets to determine the therapeutic effect of SD. Results. In this experiment, 335 chemical components were identified in SD, and 107 components were related to tumor immunity. After screening by ADME, it was found that 11 compounds might be inhaled into the human body and affect the growth of lung adenocarcinoma. In vitro experiments showed that SD could inhibit the growth of lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. SD could reduce the expression of PCNA (

P
<
0.05

) and significantly increase the expression of Caspase-3 (

P
<
0.05

). The results of further experiments showed that SD could significantly reduce the phosphorylation of EGFR (

P
<
0.05

), and SD could also effectively inhibit the expression of JAK and STAT3 phosphorylation (

P
<
0.01

) and inhibit the expression of PI3K and AKT phosphorylation (

P
<
0.01

). Conclusion. SD can inhibit the growth of lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells and the potential mechanism was found to be the inhibition of EGFR/JAK/STAT3 and EGFR/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and the substance basis for SD to exert antitumor effect may be catechin, taxifolin, betaine, epigallocatechin gallate, erucamide, guanosine, kaempferol, lanosterol, morin, oleanolic acid, and quercetin.
New-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus after mRNA SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination
Authors: Báez-Negrón Laisha , Vilá Luis M.
Published: February 2022

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease resulting from the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. In addition, some antiviral vaccines have been associated with the onset of SLE. Few cases of SLE occurring after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA have been reported. Herein, we report the case of a 27-year-old woman with type I diabetes mellitus and family history of SLE who presented with symmetric inflammatory polyarthritis of the proximal interphalangeal joints, metacarpophalangeal joints, wrists, knees, and ankles two weeks after receiving the second dose of the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-1273 vaccine. Laboratory results revealed positive antinuclear, anti-dsDNA, anti-Ro, and anti-La/SSB antibodies and low C4 levels. She was initially treated with low-dose prednisone and hydroxychloroquine. Hydroxychloroquine was discontinued after she developed an urticarial rash. Subsequently, mycophenolate mofetil was added after she developed proteinuria. This case highlights the importance of considering the diagnosis of SLE in patients who present with inflammatory polyarthritis after COVID-19 vaccination.
EGR1 Enhances Lymphangiogenesis via SOX18-Mediated Activation of JAK2/STAT3 Pathway
Authors: Yang Yi , Li Yu , Li Xu-bo , Li Tian-xiao , Qi Jian , Zhou Xiang , Li Ping
Published: February 2022

Background. Lymphangiogenesis is a process involved in the pathogenesis of many diseases. Identifying key molecules and pathway targeting this process is critical for lymphatic regeneration-associated disorders. EGR1 is a transcription factor, but its function in lymphangiogenesis is not yet known. This study is aimed at exploring the functional activity and molecular mechanism of EGR1 implicated in lymphangiogenesis. Methods. The CCK-8 method, transwell migration assay, and tube formation assay were used to detect the cell viability, motility, and tube formation of HDLEC cells, respectively. The luciferase reporter assay was applied to detect the impact of EGR1 on SOX18 promoter activity. CHIP assay was used to analyze the direct binding of EGR1 to the SOX18 promoter. qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis were performed to investigate molecules and pathway involved in lymphangiogenesis. Results. The EGR1 ectopic expression markedly increased the cell growth, mobility, tube formation, and the expression of lymphangiogenesis-associated markers (LYVE-1 and PROX1) in HDLEC cells. EGR1 interacted with the SXO18 gene promoter and transcriptionally regulated the SXO18 expression in HDLEC cells. Silencing of SOX18 abrogated the promotional activities of EGR1 on the cell viability, mobility, tube formation, and LYVE-1/PROX1 expression in HDLEC cells. SOX18 overexpression activated JAK/STAT signaling, which resulted in an increase in lymphangiogenesis in HDLEC cells. Conclusions. ERG1 can promote lymphangiogenesis, which is mediated by activating the SOX18/JAK/STAT3 cascade. ERG1 may serve as a promising target for the therapy of lymphatic vessel-related disorders.
Residual Gauge Invariance in a Massive Lorentz-Violating Extension of QED
Authors: Marques B. Alves , Scarpelli A. P. Baêta , Felipe J. C. C. , Brito L. C. T.
Published: February 2022

We reassess an alternative CPT-odd electrodynamics obtained from a Palatini-like procedure. Starting from a more general situation, we analyze the physical consistency of the model for different values of the parameter introduced in the mass tensor. We show that there is a residual gauge invariance in the model if the local transformation is taken to vary only in the direction of the Lorentz-breaking vector. This residual gauge invariance can be extended to all models whose only source of gauge symmetry breaking is such a mass term.
Synthesis and Characterizations of CH3NH3PbI3 : ZnS Microrods for Optoelectronic Applications
Authors: Ahmed Mohammad Tanvir , Islam Shariful , Bashar Muhammad Shahriar , Hossain Md. Abul , Ahmed Farid
Published: February 2022

Organometallic perovskite is one of the potential materials in the various optoelectronic research fields. This study demonstrates the synthesis of CH3NH3PbI3 : ZnS microrods via one-step spin coating for optoelectronic applications. Incorporation of ZnS in the perovskite material caused bandgap variation in the visible wavelength range. Structural and chemical properties have been observed using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The optical and electrical properties were studied via UV-Vis spectroscopy and impedance analyzer. The addition of ZnS caused to increase the optical absorption coefficient from ∼104 cm−1 to ∼105 cm−1. The bandgaps of the thin films were calculated using the Tauc relation and electrical method, obtained in the range 1.51 eV–1.64 eV, suitable for various optoelectronic applications.
Evidence-Based Care Can Improve Treatment Compliance and Quality of Life of Patients with Acute Pancreatitis
Authors: Zheng Qiu , Cao Li , Ma Huanhuan , Jin Yangyang , Gao Yufei , Nie Jiating , Guo Qingfeng
Published: February 2022

Acute pancreatitis represents a disease characterized by acute necro-inflammatory changes in the pancreas, which is histologically characterized by destruction of alveolar cells. We aim to explore whether evidence-based care can improve treatment compliance and quality of life of patients with acute pancreatitis. The changes of hemoglobin (HGB), serum pre-albumin (PAB), and serum albumin (ALB) before and after care were observed, as well as the incidence of complications after care, total effective rate after care, disease severity (bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis, BISAP) before and after care, and psychological scores of the two groups before and after care were observed. Patients’ compliance after care, self-management scores after care, and quality of life after care were compared between the two groups. After care, HGB, PAB, and ALB increased significantly in both groups (

p
<
0.05

) and were higher in OG than CG. Compared with CG, OG had significantly lower incidence of complications (

p
=
0.009

), significantly higher total effective rate (

p
=
0.011

), significantly lower disease severity (

p
<
0.05

), significantly better psychological condition scores (

p
<
0.05

), significantly higher compliance scores (

p
<
0.05

), higher self-management scores (

p
<
0.05

), and significantly higher quality of life (

p
<
0.001

). Evidence-based care can improve treatment compliance of patients with acute pancreatitis and can effectively improve their quality of life.
Research on Marketing Strategy of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Art Based on Wireless Communication Network Resources
Authors: Zhong Tian
Published: February 2022

China has a thousand years of cultural heritage, and its famous paintings and calligraphy works are all representatives of the works of art. Calligraphy and painting have changed from works of art to commodities. This is undoubtedly caused by the changes of the times and society. Calligraphy and painting have gradually formed in this process. The most basic feature that distinguishes the market from other markets is the difference in marketing strategies. Aiming at the current problems in the online marketing of Chinese paintings and calligraphy works, a marketing strategy for Chinese paintings and calligraphy works based on wireless communication network resources is proposed. In view of the lack of accurate analysis of the current Chinese painting and calligraphy and artwork marketing and the uneven quality of the artwork, the above-mentioned problems can be improved through the allocation of wireless communication network resources. The experimental results show that the scope of dissemination of Chinese paintings and calligraphy works using this marketing strategy is wider, and the marketing transaction rate and profit are greater.
Comprehensive Analysis of a Novel Lipid Metabolism-Related Gene Signature for Predicting the Prognosis and Immune Landscape in Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma
Authors: Tan Xiaofang , Liu Shuang , Yao Liangyu , Cui Guoliang , Liu Jinhui , Ding Jiayi
Published: February 2022

Lipid metabolism is important in various cancers. However, the association between lipid metabolism and uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC) is still unclear. In this study, we collected clinicopathologic parameters and the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes (LMRGs) from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). A lipid metabolism-related risk model was built and verified. The risk score was developed based on 11 selected LMRGs. The expression of 11 LMRGs was confirmed by qRT-PCR in clinical samples. We found that the model was an independent prediction factor of UCEC in terms of multivariate analysis. The overall survival (OS) of low-risk group was higher than that in the high-risk group. GSEA revealed that MAPK signaling pathway, ERBB signaling pathway, ECM receptor interaction, WNT pathway, and TGF-β signaling pathway were enriched in the high-risk group. Low-risk group was characterized by high tumor mutation burden (TMB) and showed sensitive response to immunotherapy and chemotherapy. In brief, we built a lipid metabolism gene expression-based risk signature which can reflect the prognosis of UCEC patients and their response to chemotherapeutics and immune therapy.
ALBLP: Adaptive Load-Balancing Architecture Based on Link-State Prediction in Software-Defined Networking
Authors: Chen Junyan , Wang Yong , Huang Xuefeng , Xie Xiaolan , Zhang Hongmei , Lu Xiaoye
Published: February 2022

Load-balancing optimization in software-defined networking (SDN) has been researched for a long time. Researchers have proposed many solutions to the load-balancing problem but have rarely considered the impact of transmission delay between controllers and switches under high-load network conditions. In this paper, we propose an adaptive load-balancing architecture based on link-state prediction (ALBLP) in SDN that can solve the influence of transmission delay between controllers and switches on network load balancing. ALBLP constructs the prediction model of the network link status, adopts the long-term and short-term memory neural network (LSTM) algorithm to predict the network link-state value, and then uses the predicted value as the Dijkstra weight to calculate the optimal path between network hosts. The proposed architecture can adaptively optimize network load balancing and avoid the empty window period, in which the switch flow table does not exist by actively issuing the flow table. Under the network architecture, we collect the data set of the network link-state by simulating the GÉANT network, and we verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. The experiment results show that the ALBLP proposed in this paper can optimize load balancing in SDN and solve the problem of transmission delay between controllers and switches. It has a maximum load-balancing improvement of 23.7% and 11.7% in comparison with the traditional Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) algorithm and the reinforcement learning method based on Q-Learning.
Targets and Potential Mechanism of Scutellaria baicalensis in Treatment of Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based on Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Liu Defu , Wang Zhengjun , Zhong Li , Xie Caoyu , Huang Xiaonan , Zhi Yaofeng , Zhang Yuzhuo , Liang Jiaying , Shi Zhenni , Huang Jin , Zhang Shuhe , Zhang Jin , Ding Fuping
Published: February 2022

Objective. To analyze the target and potential mechanism of Scutellaria baicalensis (SB) in the treatment of HCC based on bioinformatics, so as to provide suggestions for the diagnosis, treatment, and drug development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods. The regulated gene targets of SB were screened by gene expression pattern clustering and differential analysis of gene expression data of HepG2 cells treated with SB at 0 h, 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h. The module genes related to HCC were identified by the weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA). KEGG and GO enrichment were used to analyze the molecular function and structure of the module, and GSEA was used to evaluate the different functional pathways between normal people and patients with HCC. Then, the module gene was used for univariate Cox proportional hazard analysis and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis to build a prognostic model. The protein-protein interaction network (PPI) was used to analyze the core genes regulated by SB (CGRSB) of the module, and the survival curve revealed the CGRSB impact on patient survival. The CIBERSORT algorithm combined with correlation analysis to explore the relationship between CGRSB and immune infiltration. Finally, the single-cell sequencing technique was used to analyze the distribution of CGRSB at the cellular level. Results. SB could regulate 903 genes, of which 234 were related to the occurrence of HCC. The prognosis model constructed by these genes has a good effect in evaluating the survival of patients. KEGG and GO enrichment analysis showed that the regulation of SB on HCC mainly focused on some cell proliferation, apoptosis, and immune-related functions. GSEA enrichment analysis showed that these functions are related to the occurrence of HCC. A total of 24 CGRSB were obtained after screening, of which 13 were significantly related to survival, and most of them were unfavorable factors for patient survival. The correlation analysis of gene expression showed that most of CGRSB was significantly correlated with T cells, macrophages, and other functions. The results of single-cell analysis showed that the distribution of CGRSB in macrophages was the most. Conclusion. SB has high credibility in the treatment of HCC, such as CDK2, AURKB, RRM2, CENPE, ESR1, and PRIM2. These targets can be used as potential biomarkers for clinical diagnosis. The research also shows that the p53 signal pathway, MAPK signal pathway, apoptosis pathway, T cell receptor pathway, and macrophage-mediated tumor immunity play the most important role in the mechanism of SB in treating HCC.
Bilateral Leydig Cell Hyperplasia: A Rare Cause of Postmenopausal Hirsutism
Authors: Pathmanathan S. , De Silva S. D. N. , Sumanatilleke M. , Lokuhetty D. , Ranathunga U. V. V.
Published: February 2022

Background. Postmenopausal hirsutism could be due to a myriad of causes, including ovarian and adrenal tumours, ovarian hyperthecosis, exogenous androgens, and Cushing’s syndrome. We report a patient who was found to have a rare cause of postmenopausal hirsutism. Case Presentation. A 64-year-old postmenopausal woman with a history of hypertension, thyrotoxicosis, and poorly controlled diabetes on multiple oral hypoglycaemic agents presented with gradual onset progressive excessive hair growth without any virilizing features. On examination, she did not have Cushingnoid features or clitoromegaly. Her hirsutism was quantified with Ferriman–Gallwey score which was 9. Her biochemical evaluation showed elevated testosterone levels with normal DHEAS, ODST, 17-OHP, and prolactin. Low-dose dexamethasone suppression test did not suppress testosterone more than 40%. Contrast-enhanced CT of the adrenal and pelvis did not show any adrenal or ovarian mass lesions. Transvaginal ultrasound scan showed bilateral prominent ovaries only. Combined adrenal and ovarian venous sampling was carried out to localize the source of excess androgen, but only the left adrenal vein was successfully cannulated which showed suppressed testosterone level compared to periphery. The patient underwent total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salphingo oophorectomy, and her testosterone level normalized postoperatively. Her glycaemic control improved. Histology showed evidence of bilateral diffuse ovarian Leydig cell hyperplasia. Conclusion. Evaluation of postmenopausal hirsutism needs careful history and examination followed by biochemical evaluation and imaging. While adrenal and ovarian venous sampling can help to arrive at a diagnosis, it is a technically demanding procedure with low success rates even at centers of excellence. Therefore, in such situations, bilateral oophorectomy may be the best course of action which will give the histological confirmation of the diagnosis. Successful treatment of hyperandrogenism can result in improvement of glycaemic control. Bilateral diffuse Leydig cell hyperplasia is a rare but important cause of postmenopausal hirsutism.
A Practical Approach for Predicting Power in a Small-Scale Off-Grid Photovoltaic System using Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Patel Aadyasha , Swathika O. V. Gnana , Subramaniam Umashankar , Babu T. Sudhakar , Tripathi Alok , Nag Samriddha , Karthick Alagar , Muhibbullah M.
Published: February 2022

Climate change and the energy crisis substantially motivated the use and development of renewable energy resources. Solar power generation is being identified as the most promising and abundant source for bulk power generation. However, solar photovoltaic panel is heavily dependent on meteorological data of the installation site and weather fluctuations. To overcome these issues, collecting performance data at the remotely installed photovoltaic panel and predicting future power generation is important. The key objective of this paper is to develop a scaled-down prototype of an IoT-enabled datalogger for photovoltaic system that is installed in a remote location where human intervention is not possible due to harsh weather conditions or other circumstances. An Internet of Things platform is used to store and visualize the captured data from a standalone photovoltaic system. The collected data from the datalogger is used as a training set for machine learning algorithms. The estimation of power generation is done by a linear regression algorithm. The results are been compared with results obtained by another machine learning algorithm such as polynomial regression and case-based reasoning. Further, a website is developed wherein the user can key in the date and time. The output of that transaction is predicted temperature, humidity, and forecasted power generation of the specific standalone photovoltaic system. The presented results and obtained characteristics confirm the superiority of the proposed techniques in predicting power generation.
Research on Teaching Evaluation System Based on Machine Learning
Authors: Yang Aijun , Yu Shuyan
Published: February 2022

Teaching evaluation, as a written measure of teachers’ teaching work achievements, can motivate teachers to teach rigorously and work hard. However, the existing teaching evaluation system in China lacks sound standards and approaches. On the one hand, scientific research projects, funding, papers, etc. have become the criteria for measuring a teacher’s performance, and this situation has contributed to the culture of quick success; on the other hand, the current teaching evaluation system is based on indicators of teaching quality achievements or subjective judgments of experts and subject groups, and these evaluation methods can only respond to some teaching quality from a one-sided perspective and cannot make a comprehensive, systematic, and scientific. The analysis and judgment of teachers’ work cannot be made comprehensively, systematically, and scientifically. A good teaching evaluation system can not only help teachers distinguish the shortcomings of the current course teaching but also motivate them to make further efforts and devote themselves to the teaching tasks. In this paper, we hope to find a reasonable way to evaluate teachers’ teaching work based on the proportion of different indicators and different influencing factors from machine learning, in view of the current unscientific evaluation methods that differentiate teachers’ performance of various work indicators. Through experiments, it can be found that using gradient descent methods, we can obtain such a scientific model that can make a positive contribution to teaching evaluation.
Effects of Hemodialysis on Intraocular Pressure and Ocular Biological Parameters in Different Angle Structures
Authors: Wang Fenglei , Wang Ling , Yu Zhiying , Chen Nan , Wang Dabo
Published: February 2022

Purpose. This study is aimed at evaluating the effects of hemodialysis on intraocular pressure (IOP) and exploring the possible factors affecting IOP. Methods. Fifty-two patients with hemodialysis (HD) that were diagnosed with chronic renal failure by nephrology were divided into four groups: wide angle, narrow angle, extremely narrow angle, and closed angle. IOP, central anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), angle opening distance (AOD), trabecular-iris angle (TIA), iris thickness (IT), and ciliary body thickness (CBT) were recorded before and after HD. The Pearson coefficient test was used to determine correlations among changes in IOP and AOD, ACD, TIA, IT, CBT, and LT. Results. The IOP in the extremely narrow angle group had significant difference compared with that in the wide angle group and narrow angle group (

P
<
0.05

,

P
<
0.01

). In the narrow angle group, change in LT was positively correlated with change in IOP (

P
<
0.05

). In the extremely narrow angle group, change in LT was positively correlated with change in IOP (P<0.01), whereas changes in AOD and TIA were negatively correlated with change in IOP (

P
<
0.01

;

P
<
0.05

). Conclusion. The effect of HD on IOP varies with the structure of the anterior chamber. The increasing of IOP in the extremely narrow-angle group is related with the changes of structure of anterior chamber.
lncRNA FGD5-AS1 Regulates Bone Marrow Stem Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis by Affecting miR-296-5p/STAT3 Axis in Steroid-Induced Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head
Authors: Wu Yadi , Fang Lun , Gao Yong , Zhao Zhiqiu , Zhou Lu , Zhang Gang
Published: February 2022

Background. Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a common hip joint disease, which is more harmful and seriously affects the lives of patients. This study aims to clarify the regulatory mechanism of lncRNA FGD5-AS1 in ONFH. Methods. The expression of the protein and mRNA was detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot assay. The regulatory mechanism of lncRNA FGD5-AS1 was detected by the dual-luciferase reporter assay, CCK-8 assay, and flow cytometry assay. Results. Dex can inhibit cell proliferation and differentiation and induce apoptosis in hBMSCs in a dose-dependent manner. Overexpression of lncRNA FGD5-AS1 promoted cell proliferation and restrained apoptosis in Dex-treated hBMSCs. In addition, lncRNA FGD5-AS1 acts as a sponge for miR-296-5p. Also, miR-296-5p directly targets STAT3. More importantly, miR-296-5p and STAT3 can affect the function of lncRNA FGD5-AS1 in Dex-treated hBMSCs. Conclusion. lncRNA FGD5-AS1 promotes cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis in steroid-induced ONFH through acting as a sponge for miR-296-5p and upregulation of STAT3.
Comparative Investigation on Two Synthesizing Methods of Zeolites for Removal of Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solution
Authors: Asefa Misikir Tamiru , Feyisa Gebisa Bekele
Published: February 2022

Organic dyes discharged from industries have significant effect on ecosystem and health of human being because of their toxicity and appearing colour in the wastewater. Absorption method is a more preferable method than other wastewater treatment methods due to its characteristics of being eco-friendly, simple, and efficient. Zeolites are among the porous materials often used as absorbent of organic dye from wastewater. However, wide use of zeolite has been limited due to its expensive precursors and synthesized methods (i.e., hydrothermal method which needs expensive autoclave). In this work, cheap and widely available precursors aluminum from waste food packaging aluminum foil and low cost silica from sugar cane bagasse ash were used to synthesized zeolite without hydrothermal method (Z-B), where hydrothermally synthesized zeolite (Z-A) was used as a reference. The XRD patterns revealed that Z-B was sodalite octahydrate zeolite and Z-A was zeolite Linde Type A (LTA). The morphology and type of bond in both zeolites were investigated by SEM and FTIR. The synthesized zeolites were used as absorbents for absorbing methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. The MB removal efficiency of the synthesized zeolites was evaluated by using UV-Visible spectroscopy. The results indicate that the absorption capacities of Z-B and Z-A were 3.5 mg/g and 3.9 mg/g at 40 mg/L, respectively. Optimum removal efficiencies of both zeolites were observed at PH of 7 and adsorbent dosage of 0.005 mg/L. The stabilities of both zeolites were tested three times. The absorption isotherms of sodalite octahydrate zeolite and zeolite LTA were effectively fitted with the Freundlich and Langmuir modes. Moreover, the absorption kinetics of both zeolites follow pseudo-second-order kinetics. Therefore, nonhydrothermally synthesized zeolite is alternative absorbent for dye removal due to its safety, cheap cost, using low cost and widely available precursors, and using easy and safe synthesizing method.
Retrospective Analysis of Factors Associated with Fracture in 714 Patients with Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Authors: Ark Rajiv , Talash Khojasta , Bukhari Marwan
Published: February 2022

Introduction. Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a disease of the elderly, associated with increased fracture risk due to glucocorticosteroid (GC) treatment with the additional possible influence of chronic inflammation. Risk factors for fracture in PMR have not been extensively studied. Hip structure analysis (HSA) is a way to measure bone morphology in the hip using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). It has been used as a predictor of fracture in epidemiological settings. HSA has not been studied in PMR before. Objectives. The object of this retrospective study was to determine if fracture risk in PMR was associated with densitometry data and to determine the influence, if any, of HSA on that association. Methods. 714 patients with PMR referred for a bone density estimate at a district general hospital from June 2004 to October 2010 were studied. Demographic data, GC use, alcohol consumption, smoking status, secondary osteoporosis, and fracture history were recorded. Bone mineral density (BMD),

Z

score,

T

score, body composition data, and HSA measurements were collected. These were geometric measurements taken from 2-dimensional DEXA images of the hip. Fracture was modelled as an outcome variable using logistic regression models, adjusted for age and sex. And the fit of the model was assessed by comparing the area under the curve (AUC). Results. 714 patients were studied, 532 (75%) were female, and mean age was 70.5 with SD of 8.8. 703 (98%) had been treated with GCs. Lumbar and femoral BMD models were significantly associated with fracture. Right femur OR 0.062 (0.014-0.285), left femur OR 0.098 (0.023-0.412), right femoral neck 0.078 (0.014-0.43), left femoral neck 0.104 (0.022-0.492), L1 0.192 (0.066-0.56), L2 OR 0.138 (0.053-0.358), L3 0.192 (0.079-0.463), and L4 0.243 (0.108-0.544). Cross-sectional area was the only HSA parameter that was associated with fracture OR 0.988 (0.980–0.997). Conclusion. L2 association models were strongest. Prospective studies are needed to elucidate whether these factors predict future fracture. GC data were binary, not reflecting dose and duration.
Computational Study of Metal-Free Magnetism and Spin-Dependent Seebeck Effect in Silicene Nanoribbons with Zigzag and Klein Edges
Authors: Tan Xingyi , Xu Gang , Jiang Youchang , Ren Dahua
Published: February 2022

Nanoribbons based on low-dimensional materials are potential candidates for nanoscale spintronics devices. Here, some ferromagnetic silicene nanoribbons with zigzag and Klein edges (N-ZKSiNRs) are constructed. It is demonstrated that the N-ZKSiNRs with various widths (N) are placed in various spin-resolved electronic situations. With the increase of the width parameter N from 4 to 19, the N-ZKSiNRs pass from the indirect-gap bipolar magnetic semiconducting state (BMS) to the bipolar spin-gapless semiconductor (BSGS) and eventually to half-metallicity (HM). Moreover, applying a temperature gradient through the nanoribbons leads to spin-dependent current with the opposite flowing and spin orientations, demonstrating the spin-dependent Seebeck effect (SDSE). Besides, it was found that the BSGS phase is superior to the BMS and HM for generating SDSE. These findings confirm that the ZKSiNRs are promising choices for spin caloritronics devices.
Effect of Expanded Graphite on Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Polyamide 6/Glass Fibre Composites
Authors: Japić Dajana , Kulovec Simon , Kalin Mitjan , Slapnik Janez , Nardin Blaž , Huskić Miroslav
Published: February 2022

The quality of plastic gears, especially their durability, is becoming increasingly important due to advances in electric mobility. Therefore, new materials are being developed that must have better mechanical properties, high thermal conductivity for heat dissipation, and tribological properties. The composites of expanded graphite (EG) and glass fibre-reinforced polyamide 6 (PA6/GF) were prepared, and the effect of EG particle size (~5 μm (EG5) and ~1000 μm (EG1000)) on these properties was investigated. Composites with different contents (2-10 wt%) of EG in PA6/GF were prepared using a laboratory twin-screw extruder and then injection moulded in the form of rods and discs required for thermal, thermomechanical, and tribological tests. EG acted as a nucleating agent but hindered the crystallization rate at higher concentrations, which was more pronounced when EG5 was added. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed that the storage modulus increased with the addition of both types of EG. However, the addition of EG5 increased the storage modulus more than EG1000. The lowest coefficient of friction was obtained by the addition of 10 wt% EG5. The wear increased with the addition of both types of EG, only slightly with the addition of EG1000. The thermal conductivity of the composites with EG increased from 0.42 W/mK to 1 W/mK. The results show that the use of EG with smaller particle size is much more beneficial than with a larger one.
Racial Disparity in Mechanical Thrombectomy Utilization: Multicenter Registry Results From 2016 to 2020
Authors: Wallace Adam N. , Gibson Daniel P. , Asif Kaiz S. , Sahlein Daniel H. , Warach Steven J. , Malisch Timothy , Lamonte Marian P.
Published: February 2022

Background

Previous studies on racial disparity in mechanical thrombectomy (MT) treatment of acute large vessel occlusion stroke lack individual patient data that influence treatment decision‐making. We assessed patient‐level data in a large US health care system from 2016 to 2020 for racial disparities in MT utilization and eligibility.

Methods and Results

A retrospective study was performed of 34 596 patients admitted to 43 hospitals from January 2016 to September 2020. Data included patient age, sex, race, residential zip code median income and population density, presenting hospital stroke certification, baseline ambulation, and National Institutes of Health stroke scale. The cohort included 26 640 White, non‐Hispanic (77.0%), and 7956 African American/Black (23.0%) patients. In multivariable logistic regression, Black patients were less likely to undergo MT (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.65; 95% CI, 0.54–0.76), arrive within 5 hours of “last known well” (adjusted OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.69–0.78), and have documented anterior circulation large vessel occlusion (adjusted OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.64–0.96). Race was not associated with MT rate among patients arriving within 5 hours of last known well with documented acute large vessel occlusion.

Conclusions

Black patients with stroke underwent MT less frequently than White patients, likely in part because of longer times from last known well to hospital arrival and a lower rate of documented acute large vessel occlusion. Further studies are needed to assess whether extending the MT time window and more aggressive large vessel occlusion screening protocols mitigate this disparity.
Institutional Variation in 30‐Day Complications Following Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Ngo Linh , Ali Anna , Ganesan Anand , Woodman Richard , Krumholz Harlan M. , Adams Robert , Ranasinghe Isuru
Published: February 2022

Background

Complications are a measure of procedural quality, yet variation in complication rates following catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) among hospitals has not been systematically examined. We examined institutional variation in the risk‐standardized 30‐day complication rates (RSCRs) following AF ablation which may suggest variation in care quality.

Methods and Results

This cohort study included all patients >18 years old undergoing AF ablations from 2012 to 2017 in Australia and New Zealand. The primary outcome was procedure‐related complications occurring during the hospital stay and within 30 days of hospital discharge. We estimated the hospital‐specific risk‐standardized complication rates using a hierarchical generalized linear model. A total of 25 237 patients (mean age, 62.5±11.4 years; 30.2% women; median length of stay 1 day [interquartile range, 1–2 days]) were included. Overall, a complication occurred in 1400 (5.55%) patients (4.34% in hospital, 1.46% following discharge, and 0.25% experienced both). Bleeding (3.31%), pericardial effusion (0.74%), and infection (0.44%) were the most common complications while stroke/transient ischemic attack (0.24%), cardiorespiratory failure and shock (0.19%), and death (0.08%) occurred less frequently. Among 46 hospitals that performed ≥25 ablations during the study period, the crude complication rate varied from 0.00% to 21.43% (median, 5.74%). After adjustment for differences in patient and procedural characteristics, the median risk‐standardized complication rate was 5.50% (range, 2.89%–10.31%), with 10 hospitals being significantly different from the national average.

Conclusions

Procedure‐related complications occur in 5.55% of patients undergoing AF ablations, although the risk of complications varies 3‐fold among hospitals, which suggests potential disparities in care quality and the need for efforts to standardize AF ablation practices among hospitals.
Impact of Right Ventricular‐Pulmonary Circulation Coupling on Mortality in SARS‐CoV‐2 Infection
Authors: Bursi Francesca , Santangelo Gloria , Barbieri Andrea , Vella Anna Maria , Toriello Filippo , Valli Federica , Sansalone Dario , Carugo Stefano , Guazzi Marco
Published: February 2022

Background

The COVID‐19–related pulmonary effects may negatively impact pulmonary hemodynamics and right ventricular function. We examined the prognostic relevance of right ventricular function and right ventricular‐to‐pulmonary circulation coupling assessed by bedside echocardiography in patients hospitalized with COVID‐19 pneumonia and a large spectrum of disease independently of indices of pneumonia severity and left ventricular function.

Methods and Results

Consecutive COVID‐19 subjects who underwent full cardiac echocardiographic evaluation along with gas analyses and computed tomography scans were included in the study. Measurements were performed offline, and quantitative analyses were obtained by an operator blinded to the clinical data. We analyzed 133 patients (mean age 69±12 years, 57% men). During a mean hospital stay of 26±16 days, 35 patients (26%) died. The mean tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion/pulmonary artery systolic pressure (TAPSE/PASP) ratio was 0.48±0.18 mm/Hg in nonsurvivors and 0.72±0.32 mm/Hg in survivors (
P
=0.002). For each 0.1 mm/mm Hg increase in TAPSE/PASP, there was a 27% lower risk of in‐hospital death (hazard ratio [HR], 0.73 [95% CI, 0.59–0.89];
P
=0.003). At multivariable analysis, TAPSE/PASP ratio remained a predictor of in‐hospital death after adjustments for age, oxygen partial pressure at arterial gas analysis/fraction of inspired oxygen, left ventricular ejection fraction, and computed tomography lung score. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to identify the cutoff value of the TAPSE/PASP ratio, which best specified high‐risk from lower‐risk patients. The best cutoff for predicting in‐hospital mortality was TAPSE/PASP <0.57 mm/mm Hg (75% sensitivity and 70% specificity) and was associated with a >4‐fold increased risk of in‐hospital death (HR, 4.8 [95% CI, 1.7–13.1];
P
=0.007).

Conclusions

In patients hospitalized with COVID‐19 pneumonia, the assessment of right ventricular to pulmonary circulation coupling appears central to disease evolution and prediction of events. TAPSE/PASP ratio plays a mainstay role as prognostic determinant beyond markers of lung injury.
HMGB1‐Promoted Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Contribute to Cardiac Diastolic Dysfunction in Mice
Authors: Zhang Xin‐Lin , Wang Ting‐Yu , Chen Zheng , Wang Hong‐Wei , Yin Yong , Wang Lian , Wang Yong , Xu Biao , Xu Wei
Published: February 2022

Background

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remains an increasing public health problem with substantial morbidity and mortality but with few effective treatments. A novel inflammatory mechanism has been proposed, but the inflammatory signals promoting the development of HFpEF remain greatly unknown.

Methods and Results

Serum of patients with HFpEF was collected for measurement of circulating neutrophils and markers of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). To induce HFpEF phenotype, male C57BL/6 mice underwent uninephrectomy, received a continuous infusion of d‐aldosterone for 4 weeks, and maintained on 1.0% sodium chloride drinking water. Heart tissues were harvested, immune cell types determined by flow cytometry, NETs formation by immunofluorescence, and western blotting. Differentiated neutrophils were cultured to investigate the effect of HMGB1 (high mobility group protein B1) and SGLT2 (sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2) inhibitor on NETs formation in vitro. Circulating neutrophils and NETs markers are elevated in patients with HFpEF, as are cardiac neutrophils and NETs formation in HFpEF mice. NETs inhibition with deoxyribonuclease 1 in experimental HFpEF mice reduces heart macrophages infiltration and inflammation and ameliorates cardiac fibrosis and diastolic function. Damage‐associated molecular pattern HMGB1 expression is elevated in cardiac tissue of HFpEF mice, and HMGB1 inhibition reduces heart neutrophil infiltration and NETs formation and ameliorates diastolic function. Lastly, SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin down‐regulates heart HMGB1 expression, attenuates NETs formation and cardiac fibrosis, and improves diastolic function in HFpEF mice.

Conclusions

NETs contribute to the pathogenesis of HFpEF, which can be ameliorated by HMGB1 inhibition and SGLT2 inhibitors. Thus, HMGB1 and NETs may represent novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of HFpEF.
Influence of Upright Versus Supine Position on Resting and Exercise Hemodynamics in Patients Assessed for Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Berlier Charlotte , Saxer Stéphanie , Lichtblau Mona , Schneider Simon R. , Schwarz Esther I. , Furian Michael , Bloch Konrad E. , Carta Arcangelo F. , Ulrich Silvia
Published: February 2022

Background

The aim of the present work was to study the influence of body position on resting and exercise pulmonary hemodynamics in patients assessed for pulmonary hypertension (PH).

Methods and Results

Data from 483 patients with suspected PH undergoing right heart catheterization for clinical indications (62% women, age 61±15 years, 246 precapillary PH, 48 postcapillary PH, 106 exercise PH, 83 no PH) were analyzed; 213 patients (main cohort, years 2016–2018) were examined at rest in upright (45°) and supine position, such as under upright exercise. Upright exercise hemodynamics were compared with 270 patients (historical cohort) undergoing supine exercise with the same protocol. Upright versus supine resting data revealed a lower mean pulmonary artery pressure 31±14 versus 32±13 mm Hg, pulmonary artery wedge pressure 11±4 versus 12±5 mm Hg, and cardiac index 2.9±0.7 versus 3.1±0.8 L/min per m
2
, and higher pulmonary vascular resistance 4.1±3.1 versus 3.9±2.8 Wood
P
<0.001. Exercise data upright versus supine revealed higher work rates (53±26 versus 33±22 watt), and adjusting for differences in work rate and baseline values, higher end‐exercise mean pulmonary artery pressure (52±19 versus 45±16 mm Hg,
P
=0.001), similar pulmonary artery wedge pressure and cardiac index, higher pulmonary vascular resistance (5.4±3.7 versus 4.5±3.4 Wood units,
P
=0.002), and higher mean pulmonary artery pressure/cardiac output (7.9±4.7 versus 7.1±4.1 Wood units,
P
=0.001).

Conclusions

Body position significantly affects resting and exercise pulmonary hemodynamics with a higher pulmonary vascular resistance of about 10% in upright versus supine position at rest and end‐exercise, and should be considered and reported when assessing PH.