bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Curcumin Relieves Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress-Induced Depression-Like Behavior through the PGC-1α/FNDC5/BDNF Pathway
Authors: Wu Yanqin , Sun Fusheng , Guo Yujin , Zhang Yumao , Li Li , Dang Ruili , Jiang Pei
Published: December 2021

Background and Aim. Increasing evidence suggests that the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α)/fibronectin type III domain-containing 5 (FNDC5)/brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) pathway might be critical for neuroprotection. Our present study is aimed at investigating the antidepressant-like effects of curcumin (CUR) in a chronic unpredictable mild stress- (CUMS-) induced depression rat model and explore whether the PGC-1α/FNDC5/BDNF pathway is the major driving force behind the therapeutic effects of CUR. Methods. All rats were randomly divided into four groups, namely, control, CUMS,

CUMS
+
CUR

, and

CUMS
+
CUR
+
SR
18292

(PGC-1α inhibitor). Behavioral tests were conducted to assess the antidepressant-like effects of CUR. The expressions of PGC-1α, estrogen-related receptor alpha (ERRα), FNDC5, and BDNF were determined to investigate the regulatory effects of CUR on the PGC-1α/FNDC5/BDNF pathway. The PGC-1α inhibitor SR18292 was used to explore the role of PGC-1α in the induction of BDNF by CUR. Results. Daily gavage of 100 mg/kg CUR successfully attenuated the abnormal behaviors induced by CUMS and effectively prevented CUMS-induced reduction of PGC-1α, ERRα, FNDC5, and BDNF expressions. CUR also enhanced PGC-1α and ERRα translocation from cytoplasm to nucleus. Furthermore, we found that CUR supplementation effectively promoted neurocyte proliferation and suppressed neuronal apoptosis induced by CUMS. Of note, the PGC-1α inhibitor SR18292 remarkably reversed the beneficial effects of CUR on depressed rats, indicating an important role of PGC-1α in the antidepressant-like effects of CUR. Conclusion. Collectively, our data evaluating the neuroprotective action of CUR in the CUMS rats highlights the involvement of the PGC-1α/FNDC5/BDNF pathway in the antidepressant-like effects of CUR.
Continuous Infusion of Angiotensin IV Protects against Acute Myocardial Infarction via the Inhibition of Inflammation and Autophagy
Authors: Bai Wen-wu , Wang Hao , Gao Chun-hua , Liu Ke-yin , Guo Bing-xiu , Jiang Fan , Zhang Ming-xiang , Li Chen , Qin Wei-dong
Published: December 2021

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Angiotensin (Ang) IV possesses many biological properties that are not yet completely understood. Therefore, we investigated the function and mechanism of Ang IV in AMI in in vivo and in vitro conditions. AMI was performed by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) in male C57 mice. Ang IV was continuously infused by a minipump 3 d before AMI for 33 d. The neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVCs) were stimulated with Ang IV and cultured under hypoxic conditions. In vivo, Ang IV infusion significantly reduced the mortality after AMI. By the 7th day after AMI, compared with the AMI group, Ang IV reduced the inflammatory cytokine expression. Moreover, terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase‐ (TDT‐) mediated dUTP nick‐end labeling (TUNEL) assay showed that Ang IV infusion reduced AMI‐induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Compared with AMI, Ang IV reduced autophagosomes in cardiomyocytes and improved mitochondrial swelling and disarrangement, as assessed by transmission electron microscopy. By 30th day after AMI, Ang IV significantly reduced the ratio of heart weight to body weight. Echocardiography showed that Ang IV improved impaired cardiac function. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson staining showed that Ang IV infusion reduced the infarction size and myocardial fibrosis. In vitro, dihydroethidium (DHE) staining and comet assay showed that, compared with the hypoxia group, Ang IV reduced oxidative stress and DNA damage. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) showed that Ang IV reduced hypoxia‐induced secretion of the tumor necrosis factor‐ (TNF‐) ɑ and interleukin‐ (IL‐) 1β. In addition, compared with the hypoxia group, Ang IV reduced the transformation of light chain 3‐ (LC3‐) I to LC3‐II but increased p62 expression and decreased cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Overall, the present study showed that Ang IV reduced the inflammatory response, autophagy, and fibrosis after AMI, leading to reduced infarction size and improved cardiac function. Therefore, administration of Ang IV may be a feasible strategy for the treatment of AMI.
miR-138 Reduces the Dysfunction of T Follicular Helper Cells in Osteosarcoma via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway by Targeting PDK1
Authors: Jiang Baoen , Kang Xiuqin , Zhao Gang , Lu Jianshu , Wang Zhitao
Published: December 2021

Objective. To study the effect of miR-138 on the function of osteosarcoma (OS) T follicular helper cells (Tfh cells) and its mechanism. Methods. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from patients with osteosarcoma (OS group) and healthy volunteers (control group). CD4+CXCR5+ Tfh cells and CD9+ B cells were sorted by flow cytometry. qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of miR-138 and PDK1 in the peripheral blood and CD4+CXCR5+ Tfh cells. Flow cytometry was employed to detect the proportion of CD4+CXCR5+ Tfh cells in CD4+ T cells, the level of CD40L in CD4+CXCR5+ Tfh cells, and the expression of CD27 and CD38 in B cells. Western blot was used to determine the protein expression of PDK1, PI3K, p-Akt, Akt, p-mTOR, and mTOR. In addition, dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to verify the relationship between miR-138 and PDK1. ELISA method was used to determine the levels of IgM, IgG, IL-10, and IL-21. Results. Compared with that of the control group, the expression of miR-138 in PBMC and CD4+CXCR5+ Tfh cells of the OS group was lower; overexpression of miR-138 could promote the maturation of Tfh cells and immature B cells. The results of the dual-luciferase report experiment showed that miR-138 can target and negatively regulate PDK1, and PDK1 can reverse the effect of miR-138 on the function of Tfh cells and immature B cells. Conclusion. miR-138 inhibits the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway by targeting and negatively regulating PDK1 to alleviate the dysfunction of T follicular helper cells in OS.
Evaluation of the Impact of Different Doses of Curcuma longa L. on Antioxidant Capacity: A Randomized, Double‐Blind, Crossover Pilot Trial
Authors: Gomes Tatyanne Letícia N. , Zenha Renata Santos S. , Antunes Alisson H. , Faria Flávia R. , Rezende Kênnia R. , de Souza Evandro L. , Mota João F.
Published: December 2021

Curcumin is a bioactive compound derived from Curcuma longa L. root, extensively studied due to its antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties. This study evaluates the effects of different doses of powdered C. longa root on antioxidant capacity in healthy men. In a pilot randomized, double‐blinded, crossover experiment, we acutely administered a low dose (1.5 g, LCG), moderate dose (3.0 g, MCG), and high dose (6.0 g, HCG) of C. longa to nine healthy men. There were no differences in plasma curcumin levels (p = 0.593) and antioxidant capacity (p = 0.473) for time × group interactions. Plasma curcumin levels increased in all groups after 20 and 90 min of C. longa intake (p < 0.05). HCG had a lower postprandial incremental area under the antioxidant capacity curve than LCG or MCG (p < 0.01). A low dose of C. longa increased the antioxidant capacity in healthy men. However, plasma curcumin levels were not dose dependently affected.
A Convolutional Neural Network for Automatic Tooth Numbering in Panoramic Images
Authors: Prados-Privado María , García Villalón Javier , Blázquez Torres Antonio , Martínez-Martínez Carlos Hugo , Ivorra Carlos
Published: December 2021

Analysis of dental radiographs and images is an important and common part of the diagnostic process in daily clinical practice. During the diagnostic process, the dentist must interpret, among others, tooth numbering. This study is aimed at proposing a convolutional neural network (CNN) that performs this task automatically for panoramic radiographs. A total of 8,000 panoramic images were categorized by two experts with more than three years of experience in general dentistry. The neural network consists of two main layers: object detection and classification, which is the support of the previous one and a transfer learning to improve computing time and precision. A Matterport Mask RCNN was employed in the object detection. A ResNet101 was employed in the classification layer. The neural model achieved a total loss of 6.17% (accuracy of 93.83%). The architecture of the model achieved an accuracy of 99.24% in tooth detection and 93.83% in numbering teeth with different oral health conditions.
Exploring the Food Pairing Hypothesis in Saudi Cuisine Using Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Al-Razgan Muna , Tallab Shahad , Alfakih Taha
Published: December 2021

Computational gastronomy has emerged as one of the recent hot research topics in the field of food science. It is a field that studies food in the era of data. One of the current research topics in this field is the food pairing hypothesis, which states that food with common flavor compounds tastes good when consumed together. The hypothesis has been studied in Western and European gastronomic societies. However, there are no reported studies conducted in Arab counterparts. In this study, we used genetic algorithms (GAs) to validate this hypothesis in Saudi cuisine. We developed a quantitative model and applied it to a dataset consisting of ingredients compounds found in Saudi cuisine recipes. Our research revealed that the pattern of ingredients occurring in Saudi dishes showed positive food pairing results like western cuisine. Moreover, our research directs the light to new dimensions where GA can be applied to explore the field of food science and computational gastronomy.
Circulating MicroRNA Expression, Vitamin D, and Hypercortisolism as Predictors of Osteoporosis in Elderly Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Al-Rawaf Hadeel A. , Alghadir Ahmad H. , Gabr Sami A.
Published: December 2021

Background. MicroRNAs (miRNA) identified as critical molecular regulators for bone development, function, and modeling/remodeling process and could be predictable for osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal elderly women. Aim. The potential diagnostic role of circulating miRNAs, miR-148a and miR-122-5p, in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis and its association with bone markers, hypercortisolism, and vitamin D deficiency were explored in postmenopausal elderly women with osteoporosis. Methods. A total of 120 elderly women aged 50–80 years old were recruited in this study, of which only 100 eligible women with amenorrhea of at least 12 consecutive months or surgical menopause participated in this study. Based upon bone mineral density (BMD) measurements, the participants were classified according into two groups: normal (n=45;Tscore of ≥-1.0) and osteoporosis (n=55;Tscore: ≤-2.5). Circulating miRNAs, miR-148a and miR-122-5p, were estimated by real-time RT-PCR analysis. In addition, bone markers, hypercortisolism, and vitamin D deficiency were colorimetrically and ELISA immune assay estimated. The potential role of miR-148a, miR-122-5p, cortisol, and vitamin D in the diagnosis of osteoporosis was predicted using the analysis of the respective area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC). Results. The expressed level of miR-148a significantly increased and miR-122-5p significantly decreased in the serum of osteoporotic patients compared to healthy controls. In addition, a significant increase in the levels of cortisol, s-BAP, and CTx and significant decrease in the levels of T-BMD, the levels of OC, and s-Ca were also identified. All parameters significantly correlated with fracture risk parameters; BMD, andTscore lumbar spine (L2-L4). Thus, the data showed AUC cut off values (miR-148a; 0.876, miR-122-5p; 0.761) were best evaluated for clinical diagnosis of patients with osteoporosis and that AUC cut off values of 0.748 for cortisol and 0.635 for vitamin D were the best cut off values, respectively, reported for the prediction of osteoporosis clinical diagnosis. Conclusion. In this study, expressed miRNAs miR-148a and miR-122-5p and changes in the levels of both cortisol and vitamin D status are significantly associated with bone loss or osteoporosis. Thus, circulation miRNAs alone or in combination with cortisol and vitamin D status might be considered predictable biomarkers in the diagnosis or the pathogenesis of osteoporosis in elderly postmenopausal women; however, more studies are recommended.
The Efficacy of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis: Transcriptome and Gut Microbiota Profiling
Authors: Wang Sanwang , Chen Hongliang , Wen Xin , Mu Jingjing , Sun Mingyue , Song Xiaowen , Liu Bin , Chen Jinbo , Fan Xueli
Published: December 2021

Objective. To study the protective effect of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and reveal its potential intestinal microflora-dependent mechanism through analyses of the intestinal microbiota and spinal cord transcriptome in mice. Method. We measured the severity of disease by clinical EAE scores and H&E staining. Gut microbiota alteration in the gut and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the spinal cord were analyzed through 16S rRNA and transcriptome sequencing. Finally, we analyzed associations between the relative abundance of intestinal microbiota constituents and DEGs. Results. We observed that clinical EAE scores were lower in the EAE+FMT group than in the EAE group. Meanwhile, mice in the EAE+FMT group also had a lower number of infiltrating cells. The results of 16S rRNA sequence analysis showed that FMT increased the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria and reduced the abundance of Bacteroides and Actinobacteria. Meanwhile, FMT could modulate gut microbiota balance, especially via increasing the relative abundance of g_Adlercreutzia, g_Sutterella, g_Prevotella_9, and g_Tyzzerella_3 and decreasing the relative abundance of g_Turicibacter. Next, we analyzed the transcriptome of mouse spinal cord tissue and found that 1476 genes were differentially expressed between the EAE and FMT groups. The analysis of these genes showed that FMT mainly participated in the inflammatory response. Correlation analysis between gut microbes and transcriptome revealed that the relative abundance of Adlercreutzia was correlated with the expression of inflammation-related genes negatively, including Casp6, IL1RL2 (IL-36R), IL-17RA, TNF, CCL3, CCR5, and CCL8, and correlated with the expression of neuroprotection-related genes positively, including Snap25, Edil3, Nrn1, Cpeb3, and Gpr37. Conclusion. Altogether, FMT may selectively regulate gene expression to improve inflammation and maintain the stability of the intestinal environment in a gut microbiota-dependent manner.
Evaluation for Retinal Therapy for RPE65 Variation Assessed in hiPSC Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells
Authors: Nash Benjamin M. , Loi To Ha , Fernando Milan , Sabri Amin , Robinson James , Cheng Anson , Eamegdool Steven S. , Farnsworth Elizabeth , Bennetts Bruce , Grigg John R. , Chung Seo-Kyung , Gonzalez-Cordero Anai , Jamieson Robyn V.
Published: December 2021

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) generated from patients and the derivative retinal cells enable the investigation of pathological and novel variants in relevant cell populations. Biallelic pathogenic variants in RPE65 cause early-onset severe retinal dystrophy (EOSRD) or Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). Increasingly, regulatory-approved in vivo RPE65 retinal gene replacement therapy is available for patients with these clinical features, but only if they have biallelic pathological variants and sufficient viable retinal cells. In our cohort of patients, we identified siblings with early-onset severe retinal degeneration where genomic studies revealed compound heterozygous variants in RPE65, one a known pathogenic missense variant and the other a novel synonymous variant of uncertain significance. The synonymous variant was suspected to affect RNA splicing. Since RPE65 is very poorly expressed in all tissues except the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), we generated hiPSC-derived RPE cells from the parental carrier of the synonymous variant. Sequencing of RNA obtained from hiPSC-RPE cells demonstrated heterozygous skipping of RPE65 exon 2 and the introduction of a premature stop codon in the mRNA. Minigene studies confirmed the splicing aberration. Results from this study led to reclassification of the synonymous variant to a pathogenic variant, providing the affected patients with access to RPE65 gene replacement therapy.
Lump and Interaction Solutions to the (
3
+
1
)-Dimensional Variable-Coefficient Nonlinear Wave Equation with Multidimensional Binary Bell Polynomials
Authors: Zhou Xuejun , Ilhan Onur Alp , Zhou Fangyuan , Sutarto Sutarto , Manafian Jalil , Abotaleb Mostafa
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we study the (

3
+
1

)-dimensional variable-coefficient nonlinear wave equation which is taken in soliton theory and generated by utilizing the Hirota bilinear technique. We obtain some new exact analytical solutions, containing interaction between a lump-two kink solitons, interaction between two lumps, and interaction between two lumps-soliton, lump-periodic, and lump-three kink solutions for the generalized (

3
+
1

)-dimensional nonlinear wave equation in liquid with gas bubbles by the Maple symbolic package. Making use of Hirota’s bilinear scheme, we obtain its general soliton solutions in terms of bilinear form equation to the considered model which can be obtained by multidimensional binary Bell polynomials. Furthermore, we analyze typical dynamics of the high-order soliton solutions to show the regularity of solutions and also illustrate their behavior graphically.
Pharmacological Actions, Molecular Mechanisms, Pharmacokinetic Progressions, and Clinical Applications of Hydroxysafflor Yellow A in Antidiabetic Research
Authors: Zhang Xilan , Shen Dayue , Feng Yating , Li Yuanping , Liao Hui
Published: December 2021

Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), a nutraceutical compound derived from safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), has been shown as an effective therapeutic agent in cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes. Our previous study showed that the effect of HSYA on high-glucose-induced podocyte injury is related to its anti-inflammatory activities via macrophage polarization. Based on the information provided on PubMed, Scopus and Wanfang database, we currently aim to provide an updated overview of the role of HSYA in antidiabetic research from the following points: pharmacological actions, molecular mechanisms, pharmacokinetic progressions, and clinical applications. The pharmacokinetic research of HSYA has laid foundations for the clinical applications of HSYA injection in diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic neuropathy. The application of HSYA as an antidiabetic oral medicament has been investigated based on its recent oral delivery system research. In vivo and in vitro pharmacological research indicated that the antidiabetic activities of HSYA were based mainly on its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms via JNK/c-jun pathway, NOX4 pathway, and macrophage differentiation. Further anti-inflammatory exploration related to NF-κB signaling, MAPK pathway, and PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway might deserve attention in the future. The anti-inflammatory activities of HSYA related to diabetes and diabetic complications will be a highlight in our following research.
Input-Output Example-Guided Data Deobfuscation on Binary
Authors: Zhao Yujie , Tang Zhanyong , Ye Guixin , Gong Xiaoqing , Fang Dingyi
Published: December 2021

Data obfuscation is usually used by malicious software to avoid detection and reverse analysis. When analyzing the malware, such obfuscations have to be removed to restore the program into an easier understandable form (deobfuscation). The deobfuscation based on program synthesis provides a good solution for treating the target program as a black box. Thus, deobfuscation becomes a problem of finding the shortest instruction sequence to synthesize a program with the same input-output behavior as the target program. Existing work has two limitations: assuming that obfuscated code snippets in the target program are known and using a stochastic search algorithm resulting in low efficiency. In this paper, we propose fine-grained obfuscation detection for locating obfuscated code snippets by machine learning. Besides, we also combine the program synthesis and a heuristic search algorithm of Nested Monte Carlo Search. We have applied a prototype implementation of our ideas to data obfuscation in different tools, including OLLVM and Tigress. Our experimental results suggest that this approach is highly effective in locating and deobfuscating the binaries with data obfuscation, with an accuracy of at least 90.34%. Compared with the state-of-the-art deobfuscation technique, our approach’s efficiency has increased by 75%, with the success rate increasing by 5%.
Evaluation of the Response of HOS and Saos‐2 Osteosarcoma Cell Lines When Exposed to Different Sizes and Concentrations of Silver Nanoparticles
Authors: Michalakis Konstantinos , Bakopoulou Athina , Papachristou Eleni , Vasilaki Dimitra , Tsouknidas Alexandros , Michailidis Nikolaos , Johnstone Elaine
Published: December 2021

Osteosarcoma is considered to be a highly malignant tumor affecting primarily long bones. It metastasizes widely, primarily to the lungs, resulting in poor survival rates of between 19 and 30%. Standard treatment consists of surgical removal of the affected site, with neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy commonly used, with the usual side effects and complications. There is a need for new treatments in this area, and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are one potential avenue for exploration. AgNPs have been found to possess antitumor and cytotoxic activity in vitro, by demonstrating decreased viability of cancer cells through cell cycle arrest and subsequent apoptosis. Integral to these pathways is tumor protein p53, a tumor suppressor which plays a critical role in maintaining genome stability by regulating cell division, after DNA damage. The purpose of this study was to determine if p53 mediates any difference in the response of the osteosarcoma cells in vitro when different sizes and concentrations of AgNPs are administered. Two cell lines were studied: p53‐expressing HOS cells and p53‐deficient Saos‐2 cells. The results of this study suggest that the presence of protein p53 significantly affects the efficacy of AgNPs on osteosarcoma cells.
CrowdBox: Crowdsourced Network‐in‐Box Recruitment for Edge Computing‐Enabled Industrial Internet of Things
Authors: Wang Pengfei , Lin Chi , Yu Zhen , Yang Leyou , Zhang Qiang
Published: December 2021

The rapidly increasing number of smart devices deployed in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) environment has been witnessed. To improve communication efficiency, edge computing‐enabled Industrial Internet of Things (E‐IIoT) has gained attention recently. Nevertheless, E‐IIoT still cannot conquer the rapidly increasing communication demands when hundreds of millions of IIoT devices are connected at the same time. Considering the future 6G environment where smart network‐in‐box (NIB) nodes are everywhere (e.g., deployed in vehicles, buses, backpacks, etc.), we propose a crowdsourcing‐based recruitment framework, leveraging the power of the crowd to provide extra communication resources and enhance the communication capabilities. We creatively treat NIB nodes as edge layer devices, and CrowdBox is devised using a Stackelberg game where the E‐IIoT system is the leader, and the NIB nodes are the followers. CrowdBox can calculate the optimal reward to reach the unique Stackelberg equilibrium where the utility of E‐IIoT can be maximized while none of the NIB nodes can improve its utility by deviating from its strategy. Finally, we evaluate the performance of CrowdBox with extensive simulations with various settings, and it shows that CrowdBox outperforms the compared algorithms in improving system utility and attracting more NIB nodes.
Research on the Impact of Regional Economy on Industrial Development from the Perspective of Big Data
Authors: Zhang Lu , Zhao Dong , Li Siheng , Xiao Han , Bu Jianjun , White Marvin
Published: December 2021

In order to study the driving force of China’s rapid economic development in the past ten years, the study takes Guizhou, Yunnan, and Guangxi as a case study, focusing on the big data assets exchange (GBDEx) and Beibu Gulf Economic Zone, and discusses the impact of Internet plus economic and government data and the big data system on regional economy. Finally, it is believed that the Internet and big data fully avoid the disadvantages of traffic distance between the western region and the eastern region, make full and efficient cooperation between enterprises and institutions in the central and western regions and Chinese and foreign economic entities, and strengthen the control of economic behavior from the big data level with the support of the service-oriented government. The information entropy output from the Internet big data system has led to a significant entropy reduction process in China’s economic environment and a more orderly economic system, which is also an important reason for the rapid development of China’s economy.
Study of the Prevalence of Obesity and Its Association with Maternal and Neonatal Characteristics and Morbidity Profile in a Population of Moroccan Pregnant Women
Authors: Taoudi Fatima , Laamiri Fatima Zahra , Barich Fatima , Hasswane Nadia , Aguenaou Hassan , Barkat Amina
Published: December 2021

Obesity is a real public health problem whose prevalence continues to increase throughout the world. It affects all age groups and does not spare pregnant women. This work aims to determine the prevalence of obesity and to study its association with maternal and neonatal characteristics and the morbidity profile of pregnancy. This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study carried out in the maternity ward of the prefectural hospital center called “Sidi Lahcen” in Témara, Morocco, over a 12-month period. Maternal and neonatal data are collected through a preestablished questionnaire, and anthropometric parameters were recorded. 390 participants, aged between 18 and 43 years, were included in this study, with a prevalence of overweight and obesity of 34.9% and 41%, respectively. Correlation results revealed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity was significantly elevated in women over 25 years

p
<
0.001

. The rate of caesarean section was four times higher in obese women compared to women of normal weight (53.8% versus 12.8%;

p
=
0.018

). The over-term was significantly high in the obese group compared to the nonobese group (33.8% versus 20.2%;

p
=
0.013

). A statistically significant positive correlation was found between gestational body mass index and newborn birth weight (r = 0.29;

p
<
0.001

) as well as a high prevalence of macrosomia in newborns of comparatively obese women compared to newborns of nonobese women (17.6% versus 9.6%;

p
=
0.041

). The correlation analysis with the morbidity profile showed a significantly high preponderance of gestational diabetes, anemia, and toxemia of pregnancy in the obese group compared to the normal group

p
<
0.001

. This study clearly demonstrated that obesity during pregnancy is associated with higher risks of maternal and neonatal complications, the management of which places a burden on the health system as well as families. These data reinforce the need to improve antenatal care for the prevention of obesity and its preventable complications.
[Retracted] Dietary Quercetin Supplementation Attenuates Diarrhea and Intestinal Damage by Regulating Gut Microbiota in Weanling Piglets
Authors: Xu Baoyang , Qin Wenxia , Xu Yunzheng , Yang Wenbo , Chen Yuwen , Huang Juncheng , Zhao Jianan , Ma Libao
Published: December 2021

Antioxidant polyphenols from plants are potential dietary supplementation to alleviate early weaning‐induced intestinal disorders in piglets. Recent evidences showed polyphenol quercetin could reshape gut microbiota when it functioned as anti‐inflammation or antioxidation agents in rodent models. However, the effect of dietary quercetin supplementation on intestinal disorders and gut microbiota of weanling piglets, along with the role of gut microbiota in this effect, both remain unclear. Here, we determined the quercetin’s effect on attenuating diarrhea, intestinal damage, and redox imbalance, as well as the role of gut microbiota by transferring the quercetin‐treated fecal microbiota to the recipient piglets. The results showed that dietary quercetin supplementation decreased piglets’ fecal scores improved intestinal damage by increasing tight junction protein occludin, villus height, and villus height/crypt depth ratio but decreased crypt depth and intestinal epithelial apoptosis (TUNEL staining). Quercetin also increased antioxidant capacity indices, including total antioxidant capacity, catalase, and glutathione/oxidized glutathione disulfide but decreased oxidative metabolite malondialdehyde in the jejunum tissue. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from quercetin‐treated piglets had comparable effects on improving intestinal damage and antioxidative capacity than dietary quercetin supplementation. Further analysis of gut microbiota using 16S rDNA sequencing showed that dietary quercetin supplementation or FMT shifted the structure and increased the diversity of gut microbiota. Especially, anaerobic trait and carbohydrate metabolism functions of gut microbiota were enriched after dietary quercetin supplementation and FMT, which may owe to the increased antioxidative capacity of intestine. Quercetin increased the relative abundances of Fibrobacteres, Akkermansia muciniphila, Clostridium butyricum, Clostridium celatum, and Prevotella copri but decreased the relative abundances of Proteobacteria, Lactobacillus coleohominis, and Ruminococcus bromii. Besides, quercetin‐shifted bacteria and carbohydrate metabolites short chain fatty acids were significantly related to the indices of antioxidant capacity and intestinal integrity. Overall, dietary quercetin supplementation attenuated diarrhea and intestinal damage by enhancing the antioxidant capacity and regulating gut microbial structure and metabolism in piglets.
A Novel Video Copyright Protection Scheme Based on Blockchain and Double Watermarking
Authors: Zheng Jingjing , Teng Shuhua , Li Peirong , Ou Wei , Zhou Donghao , Ye Jun
Published: December 2021

With the continuous development of multimedia, more and more digital works such as videos are spread, stored, and used in the network. In recent years, digital copyright infringement disputes have occurred frequently. The traditional copyright protection system has some problems, such as difficulty confirming copyright, monitoring infringement, and obtaining evidence for rights protection. To this end, we have designed and implemented a novel video copyright protection scheme based on the blockchain and double watermarking technology. We use the image correlation coefficient method to extract video keyframes. And we combine with Contourlet Transform domain, QR decomposition, and SIFT algorithm to improve the robustness of watermark against geometric attacks on the premise of invisibility. After that, we use Arnold Transformation (Cat Map) based on the Maximum Entropy Threshold Segmentation to encrypt the robust watermark and strengthen the security. Moreover, based on the characteristics of the fragile watermarking, we accurately locate the attacked video’s tamper position and complete the integrity authentication of the watermarked video. In addition, the hash digest of the video watermark and the user ID of the copyright owner is signed by SM2 and uploaded to the blockchain. The user can register the copyright after passing the identity authentication. We conduct tests and security analysis on the blockchain performance of the system, the performance of the commercial cryptography algorithm, and the security of the watermarking system. The experimental results show that the blockchain used in this system conforms to the industry standard, the performance of SM2 and SM3 is better than ECC-256 and SHA-256, and the system security is well guaranteed.
Role of Sex Hormones at Different Physiobiological Conditions and Therapeutic Potential in MBD2 Mediated Severe Asthma
Authors: Wasti Binaya , Chen Zhifeng , He Yi , Duan Wen Tao , Liu Shao-Kun , Xiang Xu-Dong
Published: December 2021

Sex hormone has become a “hot topic” to evaluate the hormonal therapeutic potential in severe asthma. Th17 cell is one of the main influencing factors involved in the pathogenesis of severe asthma, hence also called as kernel of severe asthma, and Th17 subtype of non‐T2 asthma is less responsive (resistance) to inhaled corticosteroid (ICS), so severe in nature. Methyl‐CpG binding domain protein 2 (MBD2) is overexpressed and regulates the Th17 differentiation, showing the possibility of therapeutic target in treating Th17 mediated severe asthma. Sex hormone fluctuates at the different physiobiological conditions of the human body and affects the asthma pathobiology showing its role in asthma prevalence, severity, remission, and therapy. This review briefly overviews the sex hormones, their influence in asthma at the different physiobiological conditions of human body, and MBD2 severe asthma connection with the possible therapeutic potential of sex steroids in MBD2 mediated Th17 predominant severe asthma. Male sex hormone tends to show a beneficial effect and possibly downregulates the expression of Th17 cells via regulating MBD2 through a mechanism distinct from corticosteroid treatment and guides us towards discovery of new therapeutic agent, reduces the asthma‐related complications, and promotes long‐term survival by lowering the risk of therapy‐resistant issues of old age severe asthma.
Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Distribution Characteristics of Land Desertification Based on GIS and Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Cui Li
Published: December 2021

Due to the complex geographical situation in China, in this paper, the area of land desertification is 98.5% of the total land desertification area in China. Based on the measured data of GIS and remote sensing images, we will discuss the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of land desertification in China by calculating standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) and normalized vegetation index and establishing the CA model. The results show the following. (1) The trend of desertification in China has decreased as a whole, and the percentage of nondesertification has increased from 36.91% in 1991 to 44.46% in 2020, an increase of 7.55%. Extremely severe desertification increased from 21.72% to 24.25%, an increase of 2.53%. (2) The drought situation in the study area gradually improved, and the change trend of SPEI decreased by 74%. (3) In recent ten years (2011–2020), the vegetation grew well gradually, and it was in the best state in 2018. The NDVI index value increased by 5.9% compared with the average value in this decade. (4) The model designed by us works very well, and the results of simulating and testing the Three Rivers Source region are very little different from the actual situation, which meets our research requirements.
Management of Oroantral Fistulae and Communications: Our Recommendations for Routine Practice
Authors: Konate Mahamadou , Sarfi Dounia , El Bouhairi Mounia , Benyahya Ihsane
Published: December 2021

Oroantral communication (OAC) is one of the main complications of extracting antral or sinus teeth. OAC is a gap between the maxillary sinus and the oral cavity. When left untreated, it causes maxillary sinusitis and dramatically impairs the patient’s quality of life. Numerous surgical treatment techniques have been described, from mucosal techniques to using bone substitutes or very conservative alternative means. Many cases of recurrence after treatment have been reported, and the choice of the method adapted to the clinical situation remains challenging. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a correct diagnosis and choose the surgical technique best adapted to the case. This work is aimed at reviewing several techniques for the treatment of OAC and at describing our recommendations for use in daily practice for each of them through four clinical cases.
Neutrophils Promote Larynx Squamous Cell Carcinoma Progression via Activating the IL-17/JAK/STAT3 Pathway
Authors: Liu Tianyi , Zong Shimin , Jiang Yang , Zhao Rui , Wang Jie , Hua Qingquan
Published: December 2021

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is the main type of laryngeal cancer with poor prognosis. Incidence of LSCC increases every year, posing a great threat to human health. The underlying mechanism needs further study. Neutrophils are the most prevalent type of immune cells, which play vital roles in crosstalk between the microenvironment and cancer cells. In our study, we aim to figure out the complex regulation between neutrophils and LSCC. Our experiments showed that LSCC cells could promote the activation and mobility of neutrophils. And, in return, neutrophils enhanced the proliferation, migration, and invasion of LSCC. The subsequent results showed that IL-17 was highly expressed in neutrophil conditioned medium. Block of IL-17 could effectively inhibit the progression of LSCC induced by neutrophils. What is more, the results showed that IL-17 activated the JAK/STAT3 pathway in LSCC. Inhibition of the JAK/STAT3 pathway could significantly block neutrophil-induced LSCC progression. Our research reveals the complex interaction between neutrophils and LSCC cells, providing new ideas for the treatment of LSCC.
VOLN27B: A New Head-Tailed Halovirus Isolated from an Underground Salt Crystal and Infecting Halorubrum
Authors: Chen Shaoxing , Dai Yongpei , Liu Jingwen , Zhang Shimin , Chen Feilong , Jin Fanjie , Ruan Peiyao , Li Lu , Chen Xiangdong
Published: December 2021

A novel halovirus, VOLN27B, was isolated from a drill core sample taken at a depth of approximately 430 m, from a layer formed during the Cretaceous period (Anhui, China). VOLN27B infects the halophilic archaeon Halorubrum sp. LN27 and has a head-tailed morphotype with a contractile tail, typical of myoviruses. The average head diameter is

64
±
2.0

 nm, and uncontracted tails are

15
±
1.0
×
65
±
2.0

 nm. The latent period is about 10 h. The maturing time of VOLN27B in cells of Halorubrum sp. LN27 was nearly 8 h. The adsorption time of VOLN27B on cells of Halorubrum sp. LN27 was less than 1 min. Virus particles are unstable at pH values less than 5 or when the NaCl concentration is below 12% (

w
/
v

). VOLN27B and Halorubrum sp. LN27 were recovered from the same hypersaline environment and provide a new virus-host system in haloarchaea.
In‐Body Electromagnetic Sensor Combined with AI‐Enhanced Electrocardiography for Pacemaker Working Status Telemonitoring
Authors: Lu Wu , Ding Ranran , Wu Bingjie , Zhao Wenbin , Huang Dong , Zhang Xue
Published: December 2021

This paper describes the design and implementation of an in‐body electromagnetic sensor for patients with implanted pacemakers. The sensor can either be mounted on myocardial tissue and monitor the electrocardiography (ECG) with contact electrodes or implanted under the skin and monitor the ECG with coaxial leads. A 16‐bit high‐resolution analog front‐end (AFE) and an energy‐efficient 32‐bit CPU are used for instantaneous ECG recording. Wireless data transmission between the sensor and clinician’s computer is achieved by an embedded low‐power Bluetooth transmitter. In order to automatically recognize the working status of the pacemaker and alarm the episodes of arrhythmias caused by pacemaker malfunctions, pacing mode classification and fault diagnosis on the recorded ECG were achieved based on an AI algorithm, i.e., a resource allocation network (RAN). A prototype of the sensor was implemented on a human torso, and the in vitro test results prove that the sensor can work properly for the 1‐4‐meter transmission range.
Evaluation of Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Properties of Iranian Sea Salts: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Motallaei Mohammad Nima , Yazdanian Mohsen , Tebyaniyan Hamid , Tahmasebi Elahe , Alam Mostafa , Abbasi Kamyar , Ranjbar Reza , Yazdanian Alireza , Moghaddam Mehrdad Moosazadeh , Sedighian Hamid
Published: December 2021

Background. Dental caries is known as a multimicrobial disease. Caries are very prevalent in numerous countries, and the incidence is higher in underdeveloped countries than in developed countries. Dental caries is a major public health problem, and it is the most prevalent health problem across the world, affecting 2.4 billion people. Natural mouthwashes can be beneficial in the prevention of dental caries and oral infections without the side effects of synthetic mouthwashes. Aim. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antibacterial, antifungal, and cytotoxicity properties of sea salt from different areas of Iran. Methods and Materials. Sea salts from different areas (Urmia, Qom, and Jarquyeh) of Iran were collected. In order to define the elemental and mineralogical features of different salt samples, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) was employed. Different concentrations (0.19–50 mg/mL) of sea salt were used in the antimicrobial and antibiofilm tests. The antimicrobial (MIC, MBC, MFC, and DAD tests) and antibiofilm (formation and degradation tests) effects were evaluated against L. acidophilus, S. aureus, E. coli, S. mitis, S. mutans, S. salivarius, and C. albicans. The cytotoxic effect of salts was evaluated on human gingival fibroblasts by the MTT test. Results. The range of MIC values in mg ml−1 was as follows: S. salivarius (50), S. mutans (50), S. mitis (50), L. acidophilus (12.5 to >50), C. albicans (50), E. coli (12.5 to 25), and S. aureus (12.5 to 25), while MBC values were, S. mutans (>50), S. salivarius (>50), S. mitis (>50), L. acidophilus (50 to >50), C. albicans (>50), E. coli (50), and S. aureus (50). MTT results showed that more than 50% of cell viability depends on decreasing the salt concentration (<1.56 mg/ml). Conclusion. Sea salts had significant antimicrobial effects on cariogenic bacteria and C. albicans. Therefore, sea salts can be a suitable candidate for mouthwash.
Decision Support System in a Memristor-Based Mobile CIM Architecture Applied on Big Data Computation and Storage
Authors: Li Wei , Deng Zhao
Published: December 2021

Data computation and storage are essential parts of developing big data applications. The memristor device technology could remove the speed and energy efficiency bottleneck in the existing data processing. The present experimental work investigates the decision support system in a new architecture, computation-in-memory (CIM) architecture, which can be utilized to store and process big data in the same physical location at a faster rate. The decision support system is used for data computation and storage, with the aims of helping memory units read, write, and erase data and supporting their decisions under big data communication ambiguities. Data communication is realized within the crossbar by the support of peripheral controller blocks. The feasibility of the CIM architecture, adaptive read, write, and erase methods, and memory accuracy were investigated. The integrated circuit emphasis (SPICE) simulation results show that the proposed CIM architecture has the potential of improving the computing efficiency, energy consumption, and performance area by at least two orders of magnitude. CIM architecture may be used to mitigate big data processing limits caused by the conventional computer architecture and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) transistor process technologies.
Order‐Preserving and Order‐Reversing Mappings between Consumption Bundles and Utilities
Authors: Jin Chunhua
Published: December 2021

Economics and management believe that income and price play decisive roles in consumer demand for commodities. However, there is no analysis of the order‐preserving or order‐reversing mapping between consumer demand and utility when income and price are not constrained. Customer utility is always determined by the amount of commodities in real life. This research analyzes the mapping relationship between the amount of commodities and utility. The set which consists of consumption bundles with a binary relation is a poset. The set of utility values with the binary relation is a chain. Furthermore, the relationship between consumption bundles and utilities is illustrated by figures. If the increasing directions of utility and the amount of commodities are consistent, the utility function is order‐preserving. If they are opposite, the utility function is order‐reversing. Finally, examples are included to illustrate the mapping relationship between consumption bundles and utilities.
Objective Response Predicts Survival in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Systemic Therapies
Authors: Kudo Masatoshi , Montal Robert , Finn Richard S. , Castet Florian , Ueshima Kazuomi , Nishida Naoshi , Haber Philipp K. , Hu Youyou , Chiba Yasutaka , Schwartz Myron , Meyer Tim , Lencioni Riccardo , Llovet Josep M.
Published: December 2021

Purpose:

Because of the increased number of sequential treatments used for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), there is a need for surrogate endpoints of overall survival (OS). We analyze whether objective response (OR) is an independent predictor and surrogate endpoint of OS.

Patients and Methods:

A systematic review of randomized clinical trials (RCT) in advanced HCC published between 2010 and 2020 was conducted to explore OS surrogacy of OR by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) and modified RECIST (mRECIST). In parallel, RCTs exploring the impact of OR on OS in a time-dependent multivariate analysis were integrated in a meta-analysis.

Results:

Of 65 RCTs identified in advanced HCC, we analyzed 34 studies including 14,056 patients that reported OS and OR by either RECIST (n = 23), mRECIST (n = 5), or both (n = 6). When exploring surrogacy, the trial-level correlation between OR odds ratio and OS HR was R = 0.677 by mRECIST and R = 0.532 by RECIST. Meta-analysis of five RCTs assessing predictors of survival in multivariate analysis found that patients with OR by mRECIST presented a pooled HR for OS of 0.44 (95% confidence interval, 0.27–0.70; P < 0.001) compared with nonresponders. Responses to atezolizumab-bevacizumab had a greater impact on OS than tyrosine kinase inhibitor responses.

Conclusions:

OR-mRECIST is an independent predictor of OS in patients with advanced HCC. Although correlation of OR-mRECIST and OS is better than with OR-RECIST, the level of surrogacy is modest. Thus, it can be used as endpoint in proof-of-concept phase II trials, but the data do not support its use as a primary endpoint of phase III investigations assessing systemic therapies.