bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measuring quality of life of patients with axial spondyloarthritis for economic evaluation
Authors: Hernandez Alava Monica , Wailoo Allan , Chrysanthou Georgios , Barcelos Filipe , van Gaalen Floris A , Santos Helena , Fagerli Karen Minde , Gago Laura , Margarida Cunha Maria , van de Sande Marleen , Couto Maura C , Bernardes Miguel , Ramonda Roberta , Exarchou Sofia , Carvalho Pedro D , van der Heijde Desirée , Machado Pedro M
Published: February 2022

Objectives

To estimate the relationship between EQ5D (three levels, UK version) and the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) for use in the economic evaluation of health technologies for people with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). To compare against the relationship with the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI).

Methods

An electronic, prospective, Portuguese, nationwide, rheumatic disease register (Reuma.pt) provided data on 1140 patients (5483 observations) with a confirmed diagnosis of axSpA. We estimated models of EQ5D as a function of ASDAS, alone or in combination with measures of functional impairment, using bespoke mixture models which reflect the complex distributional features of EQ5D. The SPondyloArthritis Caught Early cohort provided data from 344 patients (1405 observations) in four European countries and was used for validation. A previously published model of BASDAI/Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) was also used to generate predicted EQ5D scores and model performance compared.

Results

A non-linear relationship exists between EQ5D from ASDAS. The final model included ASDAS, ASDAS squared, age and age squared and demonstrated close fit in both datasets except where data were sparse for patients with very high levels of disease activity (ASDAS >4). This finding held in the validation dataset. Models that included BASFI improved model fit. The ASDAS based models fit the data marginally less well than models using BASDAI.

Conclusions

Mapping models linking ASDAS to EQ5D allow results from clinical studies to be used in economic evaluation of health technologies with confidence. There is some loss of information compared with BASDAI but this has only a marginal impact.
Impact of synovial biopsy procedures and disease-specific aspects on synovial tissue outcome: a systematic literature review informing the EULAR points to consider for the minimal reporting requirements in synovial tissue research in rheumatology
Authors: Najm Aurélie , Costantino Félicie , Weill Catherine , Filer Andrew , D'Agostino Maria Antonieta
Published: February 2022

Background

The aim of this work was to summarise the literature evaluating the impact of biopsy procedures, tissue handling, tissue quality and disease-specific aspects including joint biopsied and disease stage, on synovial tissue outcome.

Methods

Two reviewers independently identified eligible studies according to the Patients, Intervention, Comparator and Outcome framework obtained for five research questions formulated during the first EULAR task force meeting to produce points to consider (PtC) for minimal reporting requirements in synovial tissue studies. The databases explored were Medline, Embase, CENTRAL and Cinhal. The risk of bias of each study was evaluated using an adapted version of the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for analytical cross-sectional studies.

Results

Of the 7654 records yielded, 75 full texts were assessed, leading to the inclusion of 26 manuscripts in the systematic literature review (SLR). Two papers assessed the impact of biopsy procedures on the quality and quantity of tissue retrieved alongside patient tolerability; six papers focused on synovial tissue variability. Four papers studied the impact of sample handling or randomisation and 14 assessed the impact of disease stage and state, namely early or established active rheumatoid arthritis and remission on histopathological and transcriptomic results.

Conclusions

This SLR informs the EULAR PtC for minimal reporting requirements in synovial tissue research in rheumatology. Characteristics related to the study design, population, sample handling, randomisation and analysis can affect the final synovial tissue outcome in the studies reviewed. Thus, accurate reporting of these factors is required in order to ensure the scientific validity of manuscripts describing synovial tissue outcomes.
Amplicon-based and metagenomic approaches provide insights into toxigenic potential in understudied Atlantic Canadian lakes
Authors: Valadez-Cano Cecilio , Hawkes Kristen , Calvaruso Rossella , Reyes-Prieto Adrian , Lawrence Janice
Published: February 2022

Cyanobacterial blooms and their toxigenic potential threaten freshwater resources worldwide. In Atlantic Canada, despite an increase of cyanobacterial blooms in the last decade, little is known about the toxigenic potential and the taxonomic affiliation of bloom-forming cyanobacteria. In this study, we employed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and metagenomic approaches to assess the potential for cyanotoxin and other bioactive metabolite production in Harvey Lake (oligotrophic) and Washademoak Lake (mesotrophic) in New Brunswick, Canada, during summer and early fall months. The PCR survey detected the potential for microcystin (hepatotoxin) and anatoxin-a (neurotoxin) production in both lakes, despite a cyanobacterial bloom only being visible in Washademoak. Genus-specific PCR associated microcystin production potential with the presence of Microcystis in both lakes. The metagenomic strategy provided insight into temporal variations in the microbial communities of both lakes. It also permitted the recovery of a near-complete Microcystis aeruginosa genome with the genetic complement to produce microcystin and other bioactive metabolites such as piricyclamide, micropeptin/cyanopeptolin, and aeruginosin. Our approaches demonstrate the potential for production of a diverse complement of bioactive compounds and establish important baseline data for future studies of understudied lakes, which are frequently affected by cyanobacterial blooms.
The white dwarf binary merger model of GRB 170817A
Authors: Rueda J. A. , Ruffini R. , Li Liang , Moradi R. , Sahakyan N. , Wang Y.
Published: February 2022

Following the GRB 170817A prompt emission lasting a fraction of a second, [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]s of data in the X-rays, optical, and radio wavelengths have been acquired. We here present a model that fits the spectra, flux, and time variability of all these emissions, based on the thermal and synchrotron cooling of the expanding matter ejected in a binary white dwarf merger. The [Formula: see text] of ejecta, expanding at velocities of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text]s[Formula: see text], are powered by the newborn massive, fast rotating, magnetized white dwarf with a mass of [Formula: see text], a rotation period of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]s, and a dipole magnetic field [Formula: see text] G, born in the merger of a [Formula: see text] white dwarf binary. Therefore, the long-lasting mystery of the GRB 170817A nature is solved by the merger of a white dwarf binary that also explains the prompt emission energetics.
CONSTRUCTION OF A CLASS OF WEIGHTED BIVARIATE FRACTAL INTERPOLATION FUNCTIONS
Authors: DAI ZHONG , WANG HONG-YONG
Published: February 2022

A new type of iterated function systems is constructed based on different weights, and it is proved that this type of iterated function systems generates a class of bivariate continuous functions whose graphs are the fractal interpolation surfaces passing through the given interpolation points. Considering the influences of the fractal interpolation functions on different weights and basic functions, we give the corresponding error estimation formula. Finally, the calculation formula for the integral moments of this class of bivariate fractal interpolation functions is given.
EFFECT OF WC–Cu COMPOSITE ELECTRODES ON MATERIAL DEPOSITION RATE, MICROHARDNESS AND MICROSTRUCTURE OF ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE COATED MAGNESIUM ALLOY
Authors: ANANTHI N. , ELAIYARASAN U. , SATHEESHKUMAR V. , SENTHILKUMAR C. , SATHIYAMURTHY S.
Published: February 2022

Nowadays, coated surfaces have been used in the diverse of applications, such as automobile, aerospace and biomedicals. Different surface modification techniques have been used to improve the surface properties. Electrical discharge deposition (EDD) is an electro-thermal process widely used to deposit the hard composite coating on the workpiece with powder metallurgy electrode. To increase the deposition rate, powder composite electrode plays important role in this EDD process. In this work, tungsten carbide–copper composite coating is developed on ZE41A magnesium alloy surface using EDD. Process parameters used in the study are compaction load, current and pulse-on time, and the responses are material deposition rate (MDR) and microhardness (MH). The effects of process parameters on MDR and MH are studied. MDR and MH increased with increasing current and pulse-on time at low compaction loaded WC70-Cu30 electrode. Compaction load was found as the dominating parameter in the study followed by current and pulse-on time. Layer thicknesses of WC70-Cu30 and WC50-Cu50 electrodes are 92.12 and 72.88[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m, respectively. MH decreased for the low compaction loaded electrode for both types of electrodes. This could be due to the minimum deposition of the tungsten particles. Uniform depositions with large spherical globules were observed at the surface deposited using WC70-Cu30 electrode. Larger craters were observed at WC50-Cu50 electrode. At the intermediate pulse-on time of WC70-Cu30 electrode, voids were formed which diminished the hardness of the surface.
Analysis of Symmetrical and Unsymmetrical Faults Using the EEMD and Scale-Dependent Intrinsic Entropies
Authors: Hsu Wei-Tai , Huang Chia-Wei
Published: February 2022

The rapid and accurate diagnosis of power grid faults plays a vital role in speeding up the process of accident handling and system recovery and ensuring the safe operation of the power system. This paper proposes to apply the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) method and scale-related intrinsic entropy to diagnose the type of fault for the transmission line. First, the electrical data collected by the power system is decomposed by using the EEMD method. Then by eliminating some intrinsic mode functions, the signal is reconstructed by inspecting the correlation coefficient. Finally, the complexity of the reconstructed signal is calculated by using the scale-dependent intrinsic entropy. Since the scale-dependent intrinsic entropy reflects the complexity of one-dimensional time series, it is susceptible to signal changes. The complexity is helpful in the power system for fault signal analysis. The results show the combined method’s effectiveness and practicability through failure analysis using the IEEE 14-bus system as the simulation model.
Modulated illumination localization microscopy-enabled sub-10 nm resolution
Authors: Sun Yile , Yin Lu , Cai Mingxuan , Wu Hanmeng , Hao Xiang , Kuang Cuifang , Liu Xu
Published: February 2022

Optical microscopy is an essential tool for exploring the structures and activities of cells and tissues. To break the limit of resolution caused by diffraction, researchers have made continuous advances and innovations to improve the resolution of optical microscopy since the 1990s. These contributions, however, still make sub-10[Formula: see text]nm imaging an obstacle. Here, we name a series of technologies as modulated illumination localization microscopy (MILM), which makes ultra-high-resolution imaging practical. Besides, we review the recent progress since 2017 when MINFLUX was proposed and became the inspiration and foundation for the follow-up development of MILM. This review divides MILM into two types: point-scanning and wide-field. The schematics, principles and future research directions of MILM are discussed elaborately.
Enhanced piezoelectric properties in low-temperature sintering PZN-PZT ceramics by adjusting Zr/Ti ratio
Authors: Luo Yaxia , Pu Tao , Fan Shibo , Liu Hong , Zhu Jianguo
Published: February 2022

[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]([Formula: see text]Ti)[Formula: see text]([Formula: see text][Formula: see text]O3 (PZN–PZT) piezoceramics with various Zr/Ti ratios and Li2CO3 sintering aid were sintered at 900∘C by the solid-state reaction route. The samples with different Zr/Ti ratios were compared according to microstructure, phase structure, piezoelectricity, ferroelectricity, and dielectric relaxation. The Zr/Ti ratio in the PZN–PZT ceramics greatly affects the electrical properties. The Zr/Ti ratio affects the proportion between the rhombohedral and tetragonal phases and also affects the grain size. The PZN–PZT ceramics with the Zr/Ti ratio of 53:47 have the largest grain size and have optimized piezoelectric properties ([Formula: see text] = 0.58, [Formula: see text] = 540 pC/N, and [Formula: see text] = 250∘C). The larger the grain size, the lesser the grain boundary, the easier the domain wall motion, and the better the piezoelectric properties. The PZT ceramic with Zr/Ti ratio of 53:47 locates the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) region which is one of the key factors for the high piezoelectric properties of the PZT.
Volar Wrist Ganglion Originating at the Dorsal Scapholunate Ligament – A Report of Two Patients
Authors: KAEMPF DE OLIVEIRA Ricardo , FARINA BRUNELLI João Pedro , AITA Márcio Aurelio , MANTOVANI RUGGIERO Gustavo
Published: February 2022

Ganglion cysts are common wrist lesions and, in about 20% of patients, they appear on a volar and radial location. Volar ganglions typically arise from the volar radiocarpal joint in the interval between the radioscaphocapitate (RSC) and the long radiolunate (LRL) ligaments. We report two patients with volar and radial ganglion cysts that originated at the dorsum of the scapholunate (SL) ligament. This may lead to inadequate treatment with a risk of recurrence.

Level of Evidence: Level V (Therapeutic)
Intergranular corrosion behaviour of FeCoCrNi high-entropy alloy fabricated by selective laser melting
Authors: Zhang Yankun , Lin Danyang , Han Yongdian , Jing Hongyang , Zhao Lei , Xu Lianyong
Published: February 2022

Recently, high-entropy alloys (HEAs) show a wide application prospect in the marine field to achieve excellent corrosion resistance. In this paper, the intergranular corrosion (IGC) behaviour of FeCoCrNi high-entropy alloy fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM) at different laser powers (140, 170, 200, 230, and 260 W) was studied by microstructure analysis and double-loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation. All specimens show high IGC resistance, and the degree of sensitisation of SLMed FeCoCrNi HEAs increased with the increase of laser power. Interestingly, no chromium carbides precipitation was found at the grain boundary, which indicates the intergranular corrosion mechanism of SLMed FeCoCrNi HEAs is totally different from that of most alloys caused by Cr depletion. It is found that the superior IGC resistance in SLMed FeCoCrNi HEAs produced by low laser power can be attributed to larger grain size, a higher fraction of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] 3), and low-[Formula: see text] coincidence site lattice boundaries. This work provides a strong insight into the application of additive-manufactured HEAs in harsh corrosion environments.
Poor People's Survival Strategies: Two Decades of Research in the Americas
Authors: Deckard Faith M. , Auyero Javier
Published: February 2022

Nearly a half-century ago, two scholars north and south of the US border called attention to the role played by reciprocity networks in poor peoples’ survival strategies. This article provides a synthetic picture of the qualitative research on those strategies, focusing not only on mutual aid networks but also on clientelist politics and popular protest. These are, we argue, oftentimes complementary ways of everyday problem-solving. Furthermore, most research on survival strategies has overlooked state and street violence as literal threats to poor people's daily survival. Our review systematically describes the individual and collective strategies poor residents use to navigate daily dangers. We advocate for the incorporation of personal safety into the study of poor people's survival strategies and identify as a promising research endeavor a simultaneous attention to ways of making ends meet and coping with interpersonal and state violence.
In asthma positive phase III slopes can result from structural heterogeneity of the bronchial tree
Authors: Verbanck Sylvia A. B. , Foy Brody H.
Published: February 2022

Conceptually, the simplest way to obtain a sloping phase III during a washout exhalation is when there is convective flow sequencing between two lung units, such that the better ventilated unit contributes relatively more to exhaled flow at the beginning of phase III in the exhalation. Here, we show how compliance heterogeneity across the serial and parallel arrangement of branch points in bronchial trees of patients with asthma leads to flow sequencing, and thus phase III slopes of positive sign at the patient’s mouth.
A Pyroptosis-Related Gene Signature to Predict Patients’ Prognosis and Immune Landscape in Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Wang Jiakun , Huang Zhihao , Lu Hongcheng , Zhang Rongguiyi , Feng Qian , He Aoxiao
Published: February 2022

Background. Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) is a malignance with high incidence and recurrence. Pyroptosis is a programed cell death pattern which both activates the effective immune response and causes cell damage. However, their potential applications of pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) in the prognostic evaluation and immunotherapy of LIHC are still rarely discussed. Methods. Comprehensive bioinformatics analyses based on TCGA-LIHC dataset were performed in the current study. Results. A total of 33 PRGs were selected to perform the current study. Of these 33 PRGs, 26 PRGs with upregulation or downregulation in LIHC tissues were identified. We also summarized the related genetic mutation variation landscape. GO and KEGG pathway analysis demonstrated that these 26 PRGs were primarily associated with pyroptosis, positive regulation of interleukin-1 beta production, and NOD-like receptor signaling pathway. An unfavorable OS appeared in LIHC patients with high CASP3, CASP4, CASP6, CASP8, GPX4, GSDMA, GSDME, NLRP3, NLRP7, NOD1, NOD2, PLCG1, and SCAF11 expression and low NLRP6 expression. A prognostic signature constructed by the above 14 prognostic PRGs had moderate to high accuracy to predict LIHC patients’ prognosis. And risk score was correlated with the expression of CASP6, CASP8, GPX4, GSDMA, GSDME, NLRP6, and NOD2. Of these 7 genes, CASP8 was identified as the core gene in PPI network. Moreover, lncRNA MIR17HG/hsa-miRNA-130b-3p/CASP8 regulatory axis in LIHC was also detected. Conclusions. The current study indicated the crucial role of PRGs in the prognostic evaluation of LIHC patients and their correlations with tumor microenvironment in LIHC.
An Innovative Approach to Investigate the Effects of Artificial Intelligence Based on Complex Bipolar Picture Fuzzy Information
Authors: Jan Naeem , Akram Bushra , Nasir Abdul , Alhilal Mohsin S. , Alabrah Amerah , Al-Aidroos Naziha
Published: February 2022

Artificial intelligence (AI) has made the life more efficient and powered many programs and services. AI is progressing rapidly, and the future is arriving faster than the predictions. Soon, AI will be more proficient as compared to humans in all aspects. Many industries are using AI for the analysis of data to find the best methods for investments. In this article, we developed the impacts of AI on different industries through the new concepts of complex bipolar picture fuzzy set (CBPFS) proposed in the current study. The CBPFS has an extensive structure that includes membership, abstinence, and nonmembership degrees with the ability to deal with multivariable problems. These degrees are fuzzy numbers between 0 and 1 inclusive; 0 being the lowest and 1 being the highest value for each degree, which reflect different meaning for membership, nonmembership, and abstinence. Furthermore, the paper explains the Cartesian product between CBPFSs and complex bipolar picture fuzzy relation (CBPFR) and its types with suitable example. Furthermore, through a comparison test with preexisting fuzzy set frameworks, some benefits of CBPFS are presented in this article.
Implications of Venture Capital on Companies’ M&A Goodwill Bubbles: Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies
Authors: Wang Congcong , Lan Juntao , Zhang Zhiqiang
Published: February 2022

The problem of goodwill bubbles is an important issue concerned by the current capital market. It is of great significance to explore the influencing factors of goodwill bubbles for effectively inhibiting goodwill bubbles and preventing and resolving financial risks. Taking A‐share companies listed from 2014 to 2018 in China as samples, this study empirically tests the impact of venture capital institutions on M&A goodwill bubbles. We find that, compared with nonventure capital shareholding companies, the scale of M&A excess goodwill of venture capital shareholding companies is lower. That is, venture capital institutions can effectively inhibit M&A goodwill bubbles. The research on the impact mechanism shows that the inhibition of venture capital institutions on the M&A goodwill bubbles is mainly realized by reducing information asymmetry and easing agency conflict. Further research shows that, from the perspective of the participation of venture capital institutions, the higher the shareholding of venture capital institutions and the greater the number of venture capital institutions investing in the same company, the more they can inhibit M&A goodwill bubbles. From the perspective of internal and external governance environment, venture capital institutions are more able to inhibit M&A goodwill bubbles in enterprises with poor quality of internal control and marketization level.
Early Recognition of Skin Malignancy in Images Based on Convolutional Networks by Using Dynamic System Model
Authors: Ramesh V. , Hamad Abdulsattar Abdullah , Jwaid Mohanad Fadhil , Sathyabama M. , Abdulridha Mustafa Mahdi , Kadhim Noor Mohammed , Belay Assaye
Published: February 2022

Because of the high mortality rate, increased medical costs, and ongoing global growth in the incidence of this malignancy, early detection has become a top priority. Early detection and treatment of melanoma are critically important; the likelihood of a positive outcome rises dramatically. To address this issue, academic researchers plan to develop a prototype image analysis system based on deep learning to determine whether a lesion is malignant or benign based on dermatoscopy image databases. Pretrained convolutional networks with simple architectures were employed in this study to grasp their design better and to train the given dataset more quickly. Using convolutional neural networks as the basis, this research seeks to develop a deep learning system capable of classifying images. To train our model with the pretrained AlexNet, VGG, and ResNet networks, we will use the learning transfer methodology (or transfer learning), whose architecture we will outline so that it may subsequently be adjusted to our data. In this research work, fairly basic pretrained convolutional networks have been used to understand their architecture and efficiently train the given dataset. However, other networks have much more complex structures or even the same networks used, but with many more layers. For possible future work, it is proposed to use, for example, ResNet‐152, Vgg‐19, or other different networks such as DenseNet or Inception.
+HOXA10-AS Promotes Malignant Phenotypes of Gastric Cancer via Upregulating HOXA10
Authors: Cao Fengyu , Zheng Yongbin , Yang Chao , Huang Suoyang , He Xiaobo , Tong Shilun
Published: February 2022

Objective. To study the role of long noncoding RNA HOXA10-AS in gastric cancer (GC) and its underlying mechanism which is one of the most common and fetal malignancies. Long noncoding RNA HOXA10-AS is highly expressed and acts in an oncogenic role in cancers. However, its roles in GC are still unknown. Methods. The expression of HOXA10-AS and HOXA10 in GC tissues from the TCGA database was analyzed. Western blot and qRT-PCR assays were applied to examine the expression of HOXA10-AS and HOXA10. Cell proliferation was evaluated with CCK-8 and EdU incorporation assays. Cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. Migratory and invasive capacities were evaluated with wound healing and transwell assays. Results. HOXA10-AS and HOXA10 were upregulated in GC, and their expressions were positively correlated. Knockdown of HOXA10-AS inhibited HOXA10 expression in GC cells. Furthermore, knockdown of HOXA10-AS restrained GC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion but promoted apoptosis. In addition, overexpression of HOXA10-AS promoted malignant phenotypes of GC cells, but all these effects could be reversed by knockdown of HOXA10. Conclusion. HOXA10-AS promoted GC cell proliferation, migration and invasion and enhanced apoptosis via upregulating HOXA10. Our study implies a novel regulatory mechanism of malignant phenotypes and provides potential therapeutic targets for GC.
Effect of Mineral Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilizers on the Productivity of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) in Acidic Soils of Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Tsige Bekalu Abebe , Dechassa Nigussie , Tana Tamado , Laekemariam Fanuel , Alemayehu Yibekal
Published: February 2022

Poor soil fertility is among the major factors that limit faba bean production in Wolaita Zone in southern Ethiopia. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted in the Kokate Marachare subdistrict of Sodo Zuria District of the zone during the 2019 and 2020 cropping seasons to determine the response of faba bean to different rates of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilizers under lime-treated soil conditions by using Tumsa faba bean variety. The treatments consisted of three rates of nitrogen fertilizer (0, 23, and 46 kg N ha−1), three rates of phosphorus fertilizer (0, 46, and 92 kg P2O5 ha−1), and three rates of potassium fertilizer (0, 30, and 60 kg K2O ha−1) that were laid out as RCBD and replicated three times per treatment. The results indicated that the N, P, and K fertilizer combination at 23:92:60 kg ha−1 increased plant height, the number of branches per plant, and stem girth by 18%, 62.6%, and 55.6%, respectively, compared with the control treatment. A significantly high aboveground dry biomass (11.8 t ha−1), number of pods per plant (17 pods), number of seeds per pod (4 pods), stover yield (6.83 t ha−1), and hundred seed weight (88 g) were obtained from the N, P, and K fertilizer combination at 23:92:60 kg ha–1. The highest grain yield (4.97 t ha−1) was obtained from the N, P, and K combination at 23:92:60 kg ha−1, which was 360% higher than the yield obtained from the control treatment. Moreover, the highest mean net benefit (USD 4,109.33 ha−1) with an acceptable marginal rate of return of 1,340% was obtained from the N, P, and K fertilizer combination at 23 kg N, 92 kg P2O5, and 60 kg K2O ha–1, respectively. Thus, these rates are suggested for faba bean production in the acidic soils of the Wolaita Zone.
miR-146a Inhibited Pancreatic Cancer Cell Proliferation by Targeting SOX7
Authors: Sulidankazha Chouman , Han Wei , He Tieying , Lin Hai , Cheng Kun , Nie Xiaohan , Chen Qilong
Published: February 2022

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) act as a kind of small and noncoding RNA, which have been implicated in the regulation of various pathobiological processes in cancer, including progression in pancreatic cancer and in other human cancers. Previous reports demonstrate that pancreatic cancer has been reported as one of the leading causes of cancer-related death, and some factors including oncogenic genes and environments are involved in tumorigenesis. In our study, we found microRNA-146a (miR-146a) was evidently downregulated in pancreatic cancer tissues and cells. Overexpression of miR-146a obviously reduced cell proliferation and tumorigenesis in vitro, as determined by MTT analysis, colony formation analysis, EdU analysis, and cell cycle experiments. Here, we found tumor suppressor sex-determining region Y-box 7 (SOX7) was the direct target of miR-146a. Overexpression of miR-146a decidedly inhibited SOX7 expression, which promotes cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. Knockdown of miR-146a increased SOX7 expression. Depression of miR-146a and SOX7 promoted cell proliferation and tumorigenesis in vitro, confirming miR-146a regulated pancreatic cancer cell proliferation by inhibiting SOX7. In summary, we found miR-146a reduced the cell proliferation of pancreatic cancer through targeting SOX7. In the present study, we demonstrated the function of miR-146a in pancreatic cancer and might provide a new target in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Effect of Nursing Method of Psychological Intervention Combined with Health Education on Lung Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy
Authors: Yu Jing , Huang Ting , Xu Jing , Xiao Jing , Chen Qing , Zhang Lixia
Published: February 2022

At present, lung cancer has become clinically the malignant tumor with the highest incidence and mortality rate in China. Smoking, environmental pollution, infection, etc., are closely related to lung cancer. To investigate the effect of the nursing method of psychological intervention combined with health education on lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, 70 lung cancer patients who received chemotherapy in our hospital from June 2017 to June 2020 were selected and randomly divided into a routine intervention group (n = 35) and a combined intervention group (n = 35). Patients in the two groups had the same chemotherapy method and medication. The routine intervention group received the routine nursing intervention, while on this basis, the combined intervention group received psychological intervention combined with health education. After 6-week nursing, self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) score, self-rating depression scale (SDS) score, cancer pain score before and after nursing, improvement of respiratory function before and after nursing, sleep quality score, quality of life score, and nursing satisfaction were analyzed. Through nursing intervention, the quality of life indexes such as physiological, physical, social, emotional, and other indexes in the combined intervention group were significantly better than those in the routine intervention group, with statistical differences

P
<
0.01

. The nursing satisfaction in the combined intervention group was significantly better than that in the routine intervention group, with statistical significance (χ2 = 8.9342,

P
<
0.05

). The psychological intervention combined with health education for lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy can effectively alleviate anxiety and depression, increase confidence in treatment, reduce pain and significantly improve sleep quality, respiratory function, quality of life, and nursing satisfaction.
On the Behavior of Newly Synthesized Functionalized Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids for Highly Efficient Extraction and Separation of Pirimicarb from Orchard Real Wastewater
Authors: Zulfiqar Sana , Rafique Uzaira , Akhtar M. Javed , Hamad Hesham
Published: February 2022

The presence of pirimicarb compounds as pollutants in orchard wastewater has sparked rising worries about their detrimental impacts on the ecosystem and human health, and their removal is critical for Pakistan’s aquatic environment. It not only contaminates fruit, but it also leaches into the soil and contaminates groundwater. However, there is little data on the effective removal of pirimicarb from orchard wastewater. The main purpose of this study is to create a novel family of functionalized imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) using a simple chemical process, which will be utilized for the first time to extract pirimicarb from orchard wastewater in an efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally acceptable manner. FTIR, SEM, XRD, TGA, BET, and 1H NMR spectroscopy were used to characterize the functionalized samples. The impact of the IL substituent on the separation capacity was studied. In addition, the extraction and separation of pirimicarb from orchard wastewater were investigated under a variety of conditions (time, concentration, and temperature) in order to better understand the adsorption behaviors of distinct ILs in an aqueous solution. The adsorption equilibrium was reached in 30 minutes, and the maximum removal of pirimicarb was achieved utilizing the synthesized [C2im][C3H6NH2]Br-, according to the data. The pseudo-first-order model and the Langmuir model both suit well with the adsorption mechanism of pirimicarb with very good adsorptive capacities. Thermodynamic analyses indicated spontaneous, endothermic, and entropy-driven adsorption processes. The synthesized imidazolium-based ILs have good regeneration capability and recycling at least for six adsorption-desorption runs and have also been used to successfully detect pirimicarb orchard wastewater samples. The superior safety of the proposed method nominates it as a promising future strategy for pollution prevention. Consequently, this work has proven that the pirimicarb adsorption to various imidazolium-based ILs was dependent on the structures of the produced imidazolium-based ILs, which specifies its potential for practical applications in water pollutant removal and environmental remediation.
Sensor Selection Scheme considering Uncertainty Disturbance
Authors: Wentao Shi , Dong Chen , Lin Zhou , Ke Bai , Yong Jin
Published: February 2022

In multisensor cooperative detection network, some random disturbances, energy carried by sensor, distance between target and sensor node, and so on all affect the sensor selection scheme. To effectively select some sensors for detecting the target, a novel sensor selection method considering uncertainty disturbance is proposed under constraints of estimation accuracy and energy consumption. Firstly, the sensor selection problem is modeled as a binary form optimization problem with a penalty term to minimize the number of sensors. Secondly, some factors (precision, energy, and distance, etc.) affecting the sensor selection scheme are analyzed and quantified, and energy consumption matrix and estimation precision threshold are given by matrix tra‘nsformation. Finally, the problem of minimizing sensor number after relaxation is solved by convex optimization method, obtaining sensor selection scheme by discretization and legitimization of the suboptimal solution after convex relaxation. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can ensure the minimum number of sensors, improving accuracy of state estimation and saving network energy.
Deep Reinforcement Learning-Based Dynamic Offloading Management in UAV-Assisted MEC System
Authors: Tian Kang , Liu Yameng , Chai Haojun , Liu Boyang
Published: February 2022

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been envisioned as a promising technique to provide relaying and mobile edge computing (MEC) services for ground user equipment (UE). In this paper, we propose a UAV-assisted MEC architecture in dynamic environment, where a UAV flies with a fixed trajectory and may act as a MEC server to process the tasks offloaded from the UE or act as a relay to help the UE to offload their tasks to the ground base station (BS). The objective of this work is to maximize the long-term number of completed tasks of the UE. An optimization problem is formulated to optimize the task offloading decisions of the UE. Considering the random demands of the UE, a deep reinforcement learning- (DRL-) based algorithm is proposed to solve the formulated nonconvex optimization problem. Simulation results verify the effectiveness and correctness of the proposed algorithm.
Microbial Quality and Safety of Raw Vegetables of Fiche Town, Oromia, Ethiopia
Authors: Degaga Birhanu , Sebsibe Israel , Belete Tolosa , Asmamaw Adugna
Published: February 2022

Vegetables contain vital ingredients such as minerals, phytochemicals, vitamins, and fibers, which play significant roles in human health. Consumption of fresh vegetables causes human infections and outbreaks while serving as a reservoir of several pathogens. The study evaluated the microbiological quality of raw vegetables consumed in and around Fiche town, Central Ethiopia. For the experimental study, a total of 100 samples of 5 different raw vegetables from two local markets were selected based on their commonalities for overall microbial quality in terms of aerobic mesophilic count, total coliform count, Enterobacteriaceae count, Staphylococci count, and yeast and mold levels. The highest count was aerobic mesophilic bacteria (5.7 log CFU/g) followed by Enterobacteriaceae (4.7 log CFU/g), while yeasts and molds count the least. The maximal count for aerobic mesophilic bacteria was enumerated in cabbage (6.4 log CFU/g) while the minimum was in green pepper samples (4.7 log CFU/g). Among 100 vegetable samples analyzed, 11% were contaminated by S. aureus which is highly prevalent in cabbage (20%), followed by lettuce (15%). In the present study, 15.0% of vegetable samples were positive for Salmonella and detected in all vegetable types.
An Evaluation of Replacing Fish Meal with Fermented Soybean Meal in Diet of Hybrid Snakehead (Channa argus × Channa maculata): Growth, Nutrient Utilization, Serum Biochemical Indices, Intestinal Histology, and Microbial Community
Authors: Duan Zhipeng , Zhang Chunyan , Huang Lingling , Lan Qing , Hu Jie , Li Xiaoqin , Leng Xiangjun
Published: February 2022

The present study investigated the effect of fish meal (FM) replacement with fermented soybean meal (FSM) on growth performance, nutrient utilization, serum biochemical indices, intestinal histology, and microbial community of hybrid snakehead. Five isonitrogenous diets were formulated with FSM inclusion to decrease dietary FM from 350 g/kg (the control diet) to 300, 250, 200, and 150 g/kg, referring to CON, FM-30, FM-25, FM-20, and FM-15, respectively, and then fed to hybrid snakehead with initial body weight of

6.49
±
0.03
 
g

for 60 days. The control group showed the best growth with a weight gain rate (WGR) of 417.0% and a feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 0.84, but the WGR in FM-25, FM-20, and FM-15 groups was decreased by 26.25%, 40.60%, and 42.23% and FCR was increased by 0.24, 0.45, and 0.45, respectively, when compared to those in the CON group (

P
<
0.05

). The apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter and crude protein, the protein efficiency and retention, the serum total cholesterol content, and the intestinal muscle thickness in FM-20 and FM-15 groups and the villus height in all FSM groups were significantly lower than those in the CON group (

P
<
0.05

). Intestinal microbiota analysis indicated that the main microorganisms included Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. At the genus level, Plesiomonas was the dominant genus with the highest relative abundance in the FM-20 group. In summary, in a diet containing 350 g/kg FM, FSM can successfully replace 50 g/kg dietary FM without negative effects on growth performance, nutrient utilization, serum biochemical indices, and intestinal health of hybrid snakehead juvenile.
Long-Term Changes in Sarcopenia and Body Composition in Diabetes Patients with and without Charcot Osteoarthropathy
Authors: Sørensen Michael Zaucha , Jansen Rasmus Bo , Christensen Tomas Møller , Holstein Per E. , Svendsen Ole Lander
Published: February 2022

Background. Charcot osteoarthropathy of the foot (COA) can currently only be treated using prolonged periods of immobilization of the affected extremity. Therefore, the hypothesis is that COA leads to altered body composition and increased sarcopenia. Objective. To investigate the changes over several years in sarcopenia, body composition, and fat distribution in diabetes patients with previous COA compared to diabetes patients without previous COA. Methods. Prospective observational clinical study. Twenty-one subjects were included and had two DXA scans done with mean 8.6-year intervals to compare changes in lean mass and fat distribution. The lean mass of limbs was used as an estimate of appendicular lean mass (aLM). Fat mass and aLM were then used to detect sarcopenic individuals using different methods. Results and Conclusions. As compared to baseline, both groups had significant loss of lean mass, and diabetics without COA had significant gain of total fat percentage. No statistically different prevalence of sarcopenia between the groups could be established. Likewise, no difference was found in total lean and fat mass changes. None of the groups had statistically significant changes of android fat distribution. As compared with published data on sarcopenia, people with diabetes might be more prone to sarcopenia than healthy individuals.
Enhanced CO2 Adsorption and Selectivity of CO2/N2 on Amine@ZIF-8 Materials
Authors: Zhang Zhijuan , Li Pengwei , Zhao Ting , Xia Yuanhan
Published: February 2022

The ZIF-8 crystals were successfully postsynthetically modified using methylamine (MA), ethylenediamine (ED), and N, N [Formula: see text]-dimethylethylenediamine (MMEN) to improve their adsorption performance toward CO2. Results showed that, compared with the original ZIF-8, the BET specific surface area of MA-ZIF-8, MMEN-ZIF-8, and ED-ZIF-8 has increased by 118.2%, 92.0%, and 29.8%, respectively. In addition, their total pore volume increased separately by 130.8%, 100%, and 48.7%. The adsorption capacities of CO2 on the amine-modified ZIF-8 samples followed the order [Formula: see text]. The CO2 adsorption capacities at 298 K on MA-ZIF-8, MMEN-ZIF-8, and ED-ZIF-8 were increased by 118.2%, 90.2%, and 29.8%, respectively. What is more, the CO2/N2 selectivities calculated using an IAST model of the amine@ZIF-8 samples at 0.01 bar and 298 K were also significantly improved and followed the order [Formula: see text], which increased by 173.0%, 121.4%, and 22.6%, respectively. The isosteric heat of CO2 adsorption ([Formula: see text]) on the MA-ZIF-8, MMEN-ZIF-8, and ED-ZIF-8 all becomes higher, while [Formula: see text] of N2 on these samples was slightly lower in comparison with that on the ZIF-8. Furthermore, after six recycle runs of gravimetric CO2 adsorption-desorption on MA-ZIF-8, the adsorption performance of CO2 is still very good, indicating that the MA-ZIF-8 sample has good regeneration performance and can be applied into industrial CO2 adsorption and separation.
Effect of Freeze-Drying on Apple Pomace and Pomegranate Peel Powders Used as a Source of Bioactive Ingredients for the Development of Functional Yogurt
Authors: Ahmed Munir , Ali Anwar , Sarfraz Aleena , Hong Qin , Boran Hu
Published: February 2022

Agro-industrial by-products of fruits have turned into an essential source of bioactive products. This study examined the effect of freeze-drying on apple pomace powder (APP) and pomegranate peel powder (PPP) and their utilization in functional yogurt development at different concentrations. Freeze-dried powders in functional yogurt were investigated by chemical profile and bioactive characterization of total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activity. The highest concentration of TPC (4.64) mg GAE/g, TFC (1.73 ± 0.00) CE mg/g, and antioxidant activity (83.87 ± 0.02) % was investigated in the yogurt sample T6, having the maximum amount of PPP in it, which was significantly higher compared to the treatments having APP. Yogurt samples were analyzed for their sensory attributes, which showed a decline with the increase in both APP and PPP concentrations in contrast by introducing the optimum levels of APP and PPP (3% or 6%); hence, no significant loss in sensory profile was found as compared to the control samples. The results were found to be significant at the level (

p
<
0.05

). In terms of the freeze-dried APP and PPP results, the APP samples had the most complete chemical composition, with the exception of fiber and ash concentration. Treatments of functional yogurt were prepared for their physicochemical profile, which demonstrated a straight proportionate relationship between the proportions of both powders in the meantime. Protein and fat levels were likely to decrease as both dry powder levels increased. Hence, apple pomace and pomegranate peel can be used after freeze-drying as a rich source of bioactive compounds in functional yogurt in the food industry.
Ultrasound Calibration for Dual-Armed Surgical Navigation System
Authors: Wang Kuan-Ju , Chen Chieh-Hsiao , Lo Chun-Yi , Lin Hung-Hsin , Jason Chen Jia-Jin
Published: February 2022

Ultrasound (US) imaging system is widely used in robotic systems for precision positioning in clinical applications. The US calibration is critical to minimize the difference of spatial coordinates between instruments, for minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in navigation systems. In this study, we propose a dual robotic arm system that combines US imaging with one arm for path planning and monitoring and accurate positioning with the other arm for instrument placement via the preplanning procedures. A phantom with N-wire and N-wedge was designed for US calibration. The US calibration showed a mean error of 0.76 mm; the mean dual-arm calibration error is 0.31 mm. The positioning error of the system was verified with a mean error of 1.48 mm. In addition, we used two abdominal phantoms with computed tomography scan validation, with an averaged position error of 1.867 ± 0.436 mm and an orientation error of 2.190 ± 0.764°. The proposed system is aimed to perform clinical operations, such as abdominal MIS, with real-time image monitoring of the organ tissues and instrument positions, which meet the requirements for medical application.
The Design of Emoticon-Generating Device Based on Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Liu Zheng
Published: February 2022

Along with the rapid development of the new internet media, people’s lives are becoming increasingly digital, information is diversified, and communication methods have undergone significant changes. “Emoticon pack,” as a kind of visual symbol that was generated and developed in the context of the internet, can use nonverbal symbols such as words, images, symbols, and other nonverbal symbols to simulate expressions, posture, and movements and a new expression and cultural phenomenon. In this study, the principle of neural network optimization is analyzed by applying the particle swarm algorithm, incorporating the harmonic search algorithm to neural network optimization, and the principle of neural network optimization is analyzed. This study is aimed at college students, investigating the consumption status of emoticon packs and the consumption amount of emoticon packs for men and women; among them, people who only use free emoji packs and those who only use emoji packs under 10 yuan account for the highest proportion, accounting for 73.07% and 22.41% of the surveyed people. Among the people who buy emoticons, boys are more likely to have large consumption behaviors than girls. In the consumption segment below ten yuan and above 150 yuan, the ratio of men to women is the same; in the consumption range of 11–50 yuan, the number of girls exceeds than that of boys, accounting for 70% of the number; however, in the consumption range of 51 yuan to 150 yuan, the proportion of boys surpassed than that of girls and the number of consumers accounted for more than 60%.