bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictive Analysis of Economic Chaotic Time Series Based on Chaotic Genetics Combined with Fuzzy Decision Algorithm
Authors: Tan Xiuge
Published: April 2021

The irreversibility in time, the multicausality on lines, and the uncertainty of feedbacks make economic systems and the predictions of economic chaotic time series possess the characteristics of high dimensionalities, multiconstraints, and complex nonlinearities. Based on genetic algorithm and fuzzy rules, the chaotic genetics combined with fuzzy decision‐making can use simple, fast, and flexible means to complete the goals of automation and intelligence that are difficult to traditional predicting algorithms. Moreover, the new combined method’s ergodicity can perform nonrepetitive searches in a global scope, hence improving the algorithm’s accuracy and efficiency. On the basis of summarizing and analyzing previous research works, this paper expounded the research status and significance of the prediction of economic chaotic time series, elaborated the development background, current status, and future challenges of the combined algorithm of chaotic genetics with fuzzy decision, introduced the basic principles of chaotic genetic algorithm and fuzzy decision algorithm, constructed a prediction model for economic chaotic time series, performed parameter synchronization optimization and moderate function construction, analyzed the prediction processes of economic chaotic time series, conducted phase space reconstruction and correlation dimension calculation, and finally carried out a simulation experiment with its result analysis. The study results show that the algorithm of chaotic genetics combined with fuzzy decision‐making can dynamically adjust chaotic mutation operators and summarize fussy expert experiences. The phase space of its reconstructed chaotic attractor has high‐precision predictability and can find orderly processes from changeable economic results, which in turn can be used to analyze and predict the complex economic chaotic time series. The study results of this paper provide a reference for further research on predictive analysis of economic chaotic time series based on chaotic genetics combined with fuzzy decision algorithm.
miR-139-5p Regulates the Proliferation of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia Cells by Targeting MNT
Authors: Fu Yueyue , Li Limin , Hou Jinxiao , Li Huibo , Lv Chengfang , Yu Hongjuan , Zhang Xiaoqian , Xu Mengyuan , Zhang Mingwen , Meng Hongbin , Liu Jie , Lian Xin , Feng Jiawei , Zhou Jin
Published: April 2021

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) patients with progressive leukocytosis are more likely to have various complications and poor outcomes. However, the regulatory roles of microRNAs in the leukocytosis of APL have not been clarified. Our study aims to evaluate the effects of miRNAs on leukocytosis during induction therapy of APL patients and explore its potential mechanisms. During induction treatment, patients with white blood cell count higher than 10 × 109/L were divided into leukocytosis group and others were nonleukocytosis group. Using microarray assays, we found that miR-139-5p was significantly downregulated in the leukocytosis group. Elevated expression of miR-139-5p inhibited the proliferation of NB4 cells by arresting the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis. We further identified that MNT was a target of miR-139-5p. miR-139-5p significantly inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and migration function of NB4 cells through targeting MNT. Strategies for regulating miR-139-5p or MNT expression might provide new therapeutic approaches for progressive leukocytosis in APL.
Small Network for Lightweight Task in Computer Vision: A Pruning Method Based on Feature Representation
Authors: Ge Yisu , Lu Shufang , Gao Fei
Published: April 2021

Many current convolutional neural networks are hard to meet the practical application requirement because of the enormous network parameters. For accelerating the inference speed of networks, more and more attention has been paid to network compression. Network pruning is one of the most efficient and simplest ways to compress and speed up the networks. In this paper, a pruning algorithm for the lightweight task is proposed, and a pruning strategy based on feature representation is investigated. Different from other pruning approaches, the proposed strategy is guided by the practical task and eliminates the irrelevant filters in the network. After pruning, the network is compacted to a smaller size and is easy to recover accuracy with fine‐tuning. The performance of the proposed pruning algorithm is validated on the acknowledged image datasets, and the experimental results prove that the proposed algorithm is more suitable to prune the irrelevant filters for the fine‐tuning dataset.
Joint Position and Time Allocation Optimization of UAV‐Aided Wireless Powered Relay Communication Systems
Authors: Di Xiaofei , Chen Yang
Published: April 2021

The Internet of things (IoT) has emerged as a platform for connecting massive physical devices to collect and analyze data for decision‐making. Wireless devices in IoT are usually energy‐constrained and thus need to be powered by a stable and reliable energy source in order to maintain a long network lifetime. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as an energy source is a proper and applicable way to supply energy to wireless devices in IoT, due to its flexibility and potential of providing line‐of‐sight (LOS) links for wireless air‐to‐ground channels. In this paper, a UAV‐aided wireless powered relay communication system is presented, where a UAV firstly emits energy to a source and a relay, and then, the source and relay cooperatively transmit information to their destination. To explore the performance limit of the system, a problem is formulated by jointly optimizing the position of the UAV and time allocation to maximize the achievable information rate of the system. By deriving the explicit expressions of the optimal position of UAV and optimal time fraction, the nonconvex optimization problem is efficiently solved. Simulation results show that our proposed method significantly outperforms the benchmark methods.
Research on Grey Relational Clustering Model of Multiobjective Human Resources Based on Time Constraint
Authors: Wang Xiaowen , Mu Yijun
Published: April 2021

The existing grey relational clustering method has limitations in the application of multidimensional sequences and cannot directly calculate the grey correlation degree between unequal-length sequences. In this paper, by introducing the multidimensional dynamic DTW distance into the existing 3D grey relational model, a new grey relational analysis model that can be applied to multidimensional data is proposed, which is based on DTW distance. The model does not require one-to-one correspondence of data points but evaluates the similarity of its geometric curves by calculating the shortest distance between sequences. In addition, since the traditional grey correlation clustering method is implemented, the method first extracts the reference sequence from the observation sequence and then calculates the similarity between the observation objects by calculating the grey correlation degree between each sequence and the reference sequence, so each object only needs to be calculated once. The experimental results show that the multidimensional grey correlation degree based on DTW distance and the grey relational clustering model oriented to multidimensional data are more accurate than other existing methods. Finally, the grey relation clustering method of multidimensional data is used to analyze the multiobjective human resource grey relational clustering model under time constraints, and the validity of the model is verified.
Effects of Doping Glass Fibers on the Early Strength of Sand‐Based Cemented Paste Backfill for Solid Wastes Disposal in a Coal Mine
Authors: Zhu Cunli , Zhang Jixiong , Nan Zhou , Li Meng , He Zhiwei
Published: April 2021

The mechanical strength of cemented paste backfill (CPB), especially the early compressive strength, is crucial for controlling the overlying rock movement. Therefore, improving the early compressive strength of CPB is a critical issue. In this study, the doped glass fibers’ effect on the macroscopic mechanical strength and microstructural features of the sand‐based CPB (SCPB) with different curing ages was analyzed. The macroscopic properties and the microstructure of SCPB were characterized experimentally and analyzed via scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that slump sizes of SCPB specimens without and with doped glass fibers were 269 and 209 mm. Thus, doped glass fibers inhibited the SCPB transportability and significantly improved its early compressive strength. At curing ages of 1 d and 3 d, the compressive strength of SCPB specimens doped with glass fibers was improved by 679 and 278%, respectively, compared to the blank control group. As the curing age increased, the compressive strength improvement of the SCPB doped with glass fibers was gradually saturated. Finally, the correlation between macroscopic and microscopic properties of SCPB specimens was analyzed comparatively. Thus, the mechanism of doped glass fibers’ influencing the early compressive strength of the SCPB was revealed. The research findings provide theoretical guidance for improving the SCPB early compressive strength at the mining site with the CPB mining technique.
A Building‐Material Supply Chain Sustainable Operations under Fairness Concerns and Reference Price Benefits
Authors: Xiao Huimin , Xu Youlei , Li Shiwei
Published: April 2021

This paper incorporates fairness concerns and consumer reference price effects into a two‐echelon building‐material closed‐loop supply chain consisting of a manufacturer and a retailer. By establishing four differential game models, we investigate the sustainable operations and cooperation of this supply chain. The four game models are a Nash noncooperative game, Stackelberg game with cost sharing, Stackelberg game with fairness concerns and cost sharing, and centralized decision model. By using dynamic models and optimal control theory, we obtain the two members’ optimal equilibrium strategies in the supply chain. Analytical results show that the consumer reference price effect has a positive impact on the manufacturer’s effort level, retailer’s publicity level, and product brand goodwill, which can improve the supply chain performance. The retailer’s partial commitment to cost sharing can enhance the production enthusiasm of the manufacturer, improve the brand reputation of the product, and enhance the two members’ individual profitability. The distributional fairness concerns of the manufacturer not only prevent the manufacturer and retailer from achieving Pareto improvement but also lead to the decline of the manufacturer’s effort level and profitability. The research conclusions of this paper can provide some insights into the cooperation and sustainable development of the supply chain.
An Explicit Stabilized Runge–Kutta–Legendre Super Time-Stepping Scheme for the Richards Equation
Authors: Timsina Ramesh Chandra , Khanal Harihar , Uprety Kedar Nath
Published: April 2021

We solve one-dimensional Kirchhof transformed Richards equation numerically using finite difference method with various time-stepping schemes, forward in time central in space (FTCS), backward in time central in space (BTCS), Crank–Nicolson (CN), and a stabilized Runge–Kutta–Legendre super time-stepping (RKL), and compare their performances.
Hepatoprotection and Phytochemistry of the Vietnamese Herbs Cleome chelidonii and Cleome viscosa Stems
Authors: Phan Nhat Minh , Tuoi Do Thi Hong , Tuyen Nguyen Le Thanh , Nguyen Trong Tuan , Ngo Quoc Luan , Tran Trong Duc , Nguyen Quan Hien , Chi Huynh Bui Linh , Ky Nguyen Diep Xuan , Bui Trong Dat , Mai Dinh Tri , Nguyen Tan Phat
Published: April 2021

The study aims to determine the hepatoprotective effect of n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol extracts of the leaves and stems of two Cleome species against carbon tetrachloride- (CCl4-) induced liver toxicity both in vitro using human hepatoma (HepG2) cells and in vivo in rats as well as the hepatoprotective property of all isolated compounds on HepG2. After 72 h of treatment, at the concentrations of 25, 50, and 100 μg/mL, the methanol of C. chelidonii stems (CCSM) ranged from 18.6% to 20.8%, whereas the methanol of C. chelidonii stems (CVSM) increased from 12.3% to 17.2% cell viability. The results show that CCSM and CVSM significantly expressed in vitro hepaprotective activity on HepG2. Therefore, the animals were daily treated with these extracts at the doses of 15, 30, and 45 mg/kg body weight for 5 days, and CCl4 was injected (2 ml/kg body weight, i.p.) on the 2nd and 3rd days. Levels of aspartate aminotransferase (ALT) and alanine aminotransferase (AST) in the blood were measured and compared to the silymarin control. The treatments with CCSM and CVSM (30, and 45 mg/kg) possessed significant hepatoprotection and were comparable with the activity of silymarin. Further, phytochemical studies of these ones were conducted and led to the identification of eight flavonoids: visconoside A (1), visconoside B (2), quercetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside 7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (3), kaempferol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside 7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (4), cleomeside A (5), cleomeside B (6), cleomeside C (7), and quercetin-3-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1⟶2)]-α-L-rhamnopyranoside 7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (8). Two major flavonoids (1 and 4) displayed significant hepatoprotective property (at the concentration of 100 μM, the prevention percentage values were 66.5% and 74.2%, respectively, compared to the quercetin control, with value of 80.3%).
A Mobile Malware Detection Method Based on Malicious Subgraphs Mining
Authors: Du Yao , Cui Mengtian , Cheng Xiaochun
Published: April 2021

As mobile phone is widely used in social network communication, it attracts numerous malicious attacks, which seriously threaten users’ personal privacy and data security. To improve the resilience to attack technologies, structural information analysis has been widely applied in mobile malware detection. However, the rapid improvement of mobile applications has brought an impressive growth of their internal structure in scale and attack technologies. It makes the timely analysis of structural information and malicious feature generation a heavy burden. In this paper, we propose a new Android malware identification approach based on malicious subgraph mining to improve the detection performance of large-scale graph structure analysis. Firstly, function call graphs (FCGs), sensitive permissions, and application programming interfaces (APIs) are generated from the decompiled files of malware. Secondly, two kinds of malicious subgraphs are generated from malware’s decompiled files and put into the feature set. At last, test applications’ safety can be automatically identified and classified into malware families by matching their FCGs with malicious structural features. To evaluate our approach, a dataset of 11,520 malware and benign applications is established. Experimental results indicate that our approach has better performance than three previous works and Androguard.
Waterpipe Smoking among Bladder Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study of Lebanese and Jordanian Populations
Authors: Jabra Elio , Al-Omari Amal , Haddadin Fadi , Alam Walid , Ammar Khawlah , Charafeddine Maya , Alrawashdeh Mohammad , Kasasbeh Nour , Habis Charbel , Mukherji Deborah , Temraz Sally , Shamseddine Ali , Mohamed Haniki
Published: April 2021

Background. Bladder cancer (BC) is the second most reported cancer in Lebanon and the fifth in Jordan. Its risk factors are mainly smoking and occupational exposure to aromatic amines. In these countries where smoking and bladder cancer are highly prevalent, the role of waterpipe smoking (WPS) in bladder cancer is less investigated. We aim to compare two sets of patients between Lebanon and Jordan, focusing on their smoking habits, WP use, occupational exposure, and the grade/invasiveness of their bladder cancer. Methods. This is a cross-sectional study that compares the smoking culture between two sets of populations with bladder cancer, from two different countries. We recruited 274 bladder cancer patients over the 18 years of age at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), and 158 bladder cancer patients over the age of 18 years at the King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC). Results. 7.7% of Lebanese patients had significantly more positive family history of bladder cancer compared to 13.9% of Jordanian patients (p = 0.045). Another significant finding is that the majority of Lebanese patients 70.7% reported being frequently exposed to secondhand smoking, mainly cigarettes, versus only 48.6% of Jordanian patients (p < 0.001). The increasing smoking trend among Lebanese females is remarkably the highest in the region, which contributed to the overall increase in smoking rates in the country. 17.1% of the Lebanese smoking patients are mainly but not exclusively WP smokers of which 6.3% are daily WP smokers, similarly 17.1% of the Jordanian patients of which 3.2% are daily WP smokers. There were 71.5% of Lebanese patients who had a noninvasive BC versus 40% of Jordanian patients (p < 0.001), and more than one-third reported an occupational exposure to one of the risk factors of BC in both groups. Conclusions. Bladder cancer incidence is on the rise in both Jordan and Lebanon along with different smoking types. It is necessary to impose prevention policies to prevent and control the high smoking prevalence. Bladder cancer invasiveness is higher in Jordan compared to universal data.
Coexisting BRAF-Mutated Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis and Primary Myelofibrosis with Shared JAK2 Mutation
Authors: Holst Johanne Marie , Enemark Marie Beck , Plesner Trine Lindhardt , Pedersen Martin Bjerregaard , Ludvigsen Maja , d’Amore Francesco
Published: April 2021

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is an infrequent disease, characterized by oligoclonal proliferation of immature myeloid-derived cells. However, the exact pathogenesis remains unknown. In rare cases, LCH is present in patients with concomitant myeloid proliferative neoplasms. Here, we describe a 69-year-old male, who presented with a maculopapular rash covering truncus, face, and scalp. A cutaneous ulcerating lesion on the right cheek led to a biopsy showing LCH. Lesional cells were BRAFV600E and JAK2V617F mutated. A bone marrow aspirate showed no infiltration of Langerhans cells, but alterations consistent with primary myelofibrosis (PMF) and a polymerase chain reaction test were positive for JAK2V617F. Our case highlights an uncommon condition of two hematological malignancies present in the same patient. The identification of the BRAFV600E mutation supports previous findings of this mutation in LCH. Interestingly, a JAK2V617F mutation was found in both LCH and PMF cells, indicating a possible clonal relationship between the two malignancies.
Intracranial Angioplasty with Enterprise Stent for Intracranial Atherosclerotic Stenosis: A Single‐Center Experience and a Systematic Review
Authors: Sun Bowen , Xu Chao , Wu Pei , Li Man , Xu Shancai , Wang Chunlei , Liu Xiangyu , Ling Yeping , Shi Huaizhang
Published: April 2021

Background. The high rate of periprocedural complications for the endovascular stent procedure in the Stenting Versus Aggressive Medical Management Therapy for Intracranial Arterial Stenosis (SAMMPRIS) trial resulted in it being less recommended than medical therapy to treat intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS). Because Enterprise stent use might reduce the incidence of complications in ICAS treatment compared to other frequently used stents, this paper evaluated the safety and effectiveness of the Enterprise stent for the treatment of ICAS. Methods. We performed a comprehensive literature search for reports on intracranial angioplasty using the Enterprise stent for ICAS treatment from the earliest date available from each database to May 2020 for PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Clinical Trials databases. We also reviewed the single‐center experience of the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University. We extracted information regarding periprocedural complications, procedure‐related morbidity, mortality, immediate angiographic outcome, and long‐term clinical and angiographic outcomes, among others. Event rates were pooled across studies using random‐effects or fixed‐effects models depending on the heterogeneity. Results. Five hundred fifty‐seven patients with 588 lesions from seven studies, including the institutional series, were included in the analysis. The incidence of stroke or death within 30 days was 7.4% (95% confidence interval (CI), 5.5%–10.1%). The incidence of ischemic stroke or TIA in the territory of the qualifying artery beyond 30 days and during follow‐up was 3.2% (95% CI, 1.1%–9.5%). The incidence of in‐stent restenosis was 10.1% (95% CI, 4.6%–22.2%), and the incidence of symptomatic restenosis was 4.1% (95% CI, 1.7%–9.9%). Conclusions. Intracranial angioplasty utilizing the Enterprise stent for ICAS treatment was relatively safe and effective but required further verification using additional sources for evidence.
Weighted‐Attribute Triplet Hashing for Large‐Scale Similar Judicial Case Matching
Authors: Li Jiamin , Liu Xingbo , Nie Xiushan , Ma Lele , Li Peng , Zhang Kai , Yin Yilong
Published: April 2021

Similar judicial case matching aims to enable an accurate selection of a judicial document that is most similar to the target document from multiple candidates. The core of similar judicial case matching is to calculate the similarity between two fact case documents. Owing to similar judicial case matching techniques, legal professionals can promptly find and judge similar cases in a candidate set. These techniques can also benefit the development of judicial systems. However, the document of judicial cases not only is long in length but also has a certain degree of structural complexity. Meanwhile, a variety of judicial cases are also increasing rapidly; thus, it is difficult to find the document most similar to the target document in a large corpus. In this study, we present a novel similar judicial case matching model, which obtains the weight of judicial feature attributes based on hash learning and realizes fast similar matching by using a binary code. The proposed model extracts the judicial feature attributes vector using the bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT) model and subsequently obtains the weighted judicial feature attributes through learning the hash function. We further impose triplet constraints to ensure that the similarity of judicial case data is well preserved when projected into the Hamming space. Comprehensive experimental results on public datasets show that the proposed method is superior in the task of similar judicial case matching and is suitable for large‐scale similar judicial case matching.
Comprehensive Analysis of Common Different Gene Expression Signatures in the Neutrophils of Sepsis
Authors: Liu Zhaojun , Chen Yang , Pan Tingting , Liu Jialin , Tian Rui , Sun Shaoqiong , Qu Hongping , Chen Erzhen
Published: April 2021

The central component of sepsis pathogenesis is inflammatory disorder, which is related to dysfunction of the immune system. However, the specific molecular mechanism of sepsis has not yet been fully elucidated. The aim of our study was to identify genes that are significantly changed during sepsis development, for the identification of potential pathogenic factors. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in 88 control and 214 septic patient samples. Gene ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analyses were performed using David. A protein‐protein interaction (PPI) network was established using STRING and Cytoscape. Further validation was performed using real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). We identified 37 common DEGs. GO and pathway enrichment indicated that enzymes and transcription factors accounted for a large proportion of DEGs; immune system and inflammation signaling demonstrated the most significant changes. Furthermore, eight hub genes were identified via PPI analysis. Interestingly, four of the top five upregulated and all downregulated DEGs were involved in immune and inflammation signaling. In addition, the most intensive hub gene AKT1 and the top DEGs in human clinical samples were validated using RT‐PCR. This study explored the possible molecular mechanisms underpinning the inflammatory, immune, and PI3K/AKT pathways related to sepsis development.
Comparison of Orthodontic Bracket Debonding Force and Bracket Failure Pattern on Different Teeth In Vivo by a Prototype Debonding Device
Authors: Ahmed Tamzid , Rahman Norma Ab , Alam Mohammad Khursheed
Published: April 2021

Objective. To compare the orthodontic bracket debonding force and assess the bracket failure pattern clinically between different teeth by a validated prototype debonding device. Materials and Method. Thirteen (13) patients at the end of comprehensive fixed orthodontic treatment, awaiting for bracket removal, were selected from the list. A total of 260 brackets from the central incisor to the second premolar in both jaws were debonded by a single clinician using a validated prototype debonding device equipped with a force sensitive resistor (FSR). Mean bracket debonding forces were specified to ten (10) groups of teeth. Following debonding, Intraoral microphotographs of the teeth were taken by the same clinician to assess the bracket failure pattern using a 4‐point scale of adhesive remnant index (ARI). Statistical analysis included one‐way ANOVA with post hoc Tukey HSD and independent sample t‐test to compare in vivo bracket debonding force, Cohen’s kappa (κ), and a nonparametric Kruskal‐Wallis test for the reliability and the assessment of ARI scoring. Results. A significant difference (p < 0.001) of mean debonding force was found between different types of teeth in vivo. Clinically, ARI scores were not significantly different (p = 0.921) between different groups, but overall higher scores were predominant. Conclusion. Bracket debonding force should be measured on the same tooth from the same arch as the significant difference of mean debonding force exists between similar teeth of the upper and lower arches. The insignificant bracket failure pattern with higher ARI scores confirms less enamel damage irrespective of tooth types.
Portal Vein Thrombosis after the Consumption of Date Seed Powder: A Case Study
Authors: Zakeri Mohammad Ali , Bagheripour Mohammad Hossein , Iriti Marcello , Dehghan Mahlagha
Published: April 2021

Date seeds can be used as ingredients to enhance the nutritional value of some functional foods for human consumption as well as additives in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. However, there are no reports on the complications of date seeds after oral consumption. We currently report a patient with no history of gastrointestinal disease, who has been admitted to the hospital with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and suffered from complications.
Recognition of Augmented Frontal Face Images Using FFT-PCA/SVD Algorithm
Authors: Ayiah-Mensah Francis , Asiedu Louis , Mettle Felix O. , Minkah Richard
Published: April 2021

In spite of the differences in visual stimulus of human beings such as ageing, changing conditions of a person, and occlusion, recognition can even be done at a glance by the human eye many years after the previous encounter. It has been established that facial differences like the hairstyle changes, growing of one’s beard, wearing of glasses, and other forms of occlusions can hardly hinder the power of the human brain from making a face recognition. However, the same cannot easily be said about automated intelligent systems which have been developed to mimic the skill of the human brain to aid in recognition. There have been growing interests in developing a resilient and efficient recognition system mainly because of its numerous application areas (access control, entertainment/leisure, security system based on biometric data, and user-friendly human-machine interfaces). Although there have been numerous researches on face recognition under varying pose, illumination, expression, and image degradations, problems caused by occlusions are mostly ignored. This study thus focuses on facial occlusions and proposes an enhancement mechanism through face image augmentation to improve the recognition of occluded face images. This study assessed the performance of Principal Component Analysis with Singular Value Decomposition using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT-PCA/SVD) for preprocessing face recognition algorithm on face images with missingness and augmented face image database. It was found that the average recognition rates for the FFT-PCA/SVD algorithm were the same (

90
%

) when face images with missingness and augmented face images were used as test images, respectively. The statistical evaluation revealed that there exists a significant difference in the average recognition distances for the face images with missingness and augmented face images when FFT-PCA/SVD is used for recognition. Augmented face images tend to have a relatively lower average recognition distance when used as test images. This finding is contrary to the equal performance assessment by the adopted numerical technique. The MICE algorithm is therefore recommended as a suitable imputation mechanism for enhancing/improving the performance of the face recognition system.
Pretreatment with Pectoral Nerve Block II Is Effective for Reducing Pain in Patients Undergoing Thoracoscopic Lobectomy: A Randomized, Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled Trial
Authors: Luo Ge , Zhu Jianjun , Ni Huadong , Zhou Qinghe , Lu Yaping , Shen Qihong , Yao Yibing , He Qiuli , Fu Jie , Yao Ming
Published: April 2021

Background. Although video‐assisted thoracoscopy has a smaller incision than traditional surgery, the postoperative pain is still severe. Ultrasound‐guided pectoral nerve block (PECS) II is a new technique that can reduce pain in patients, and it had not been reported in the analgesia after thoracoscopic lobectomy. Methods. 40 patients scheduled for thoracoscopic lobectomy were randomly divided into two groups. Patients in the PECS II group received 0.5% ropivacaine 25 ml before the general anesthesia, while patients in the placebo group received 0.9% saline. Thirty minutes after the block was performed, a pin‐prick test was used to analyze the sense of pain of T2‐T6 segments. The primary endpoint was the total consumption of fentanyl. Data were collected in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) and in the ward within 24 hours after operation. Results. The total consumption of fentanyl and the consumption of fentanyl in the intravenous analgesia pump within 24 hours after the operation were significantly lower in the PECS II group compared to the placebo group (p < 0.05). The implementation rate of rescue analgesia during operation and in PACU in the PECS II group was significantly lower than that in the placebo group (p < 0.05). The numerical rating scale (NRS) in 1 and 4 h after operation was lower in the PECS II group (p < 0.05). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) of the PECS II group at chest entering (T1) were significantly lower than those in the placebo group (p < 0.05). Conclusion. Preconditioning of PECS II can stabilize the intraoperative circulation and significantly reduce pain and the consumption of opioids after operation.
Targeting Triple-Negative Breast Cancer with Combination Therapy of EGFR CAR T Cells and CDK7 Inhibition
Authors: Xia Lin , Zheng Zaozao , Liu Jun-yi , Chen Yu-jie , Ding Jiancheng , Hu Guo-sheng , Hu Ya-hong , Liu Suling , Luo Wen-xin , Xia Ning-shao , Liu Wen
Published: April 2021

EGFR-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells are potent and specific in suppressing the growth of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in vitro and in vivo. However, in this study, a subset of mice soon acquired resistance, which limits the potential use of EGFR CAR T cells. We aimed to find a way to overcome the observed resistance. Transcriptomic analysis results revealed that EGFR CAR T-cell treatment induced a set of immunosuppressive genes, presumably through IFNγ signaling, in EGFR CAR T-cell–resistant TNBC tumors. The EGFR CAR T-cell–induced immunosuppressive genes were associated with EGFR CAR T-cell–activated enhancers and were especially sensitive to THZ1, a CDK7 inhibitor we screened out of a panel of small molecules targeting epigenetic modulators. Accordingly, combination therapy with THZ1 and EGFR CAR T cells suppressed immune resistance, tumor growth, and metastasis in TNBC tumor models, including human MDA-MB-231 cell–derived and TNBC patient–derived xenografts, and mouse EMT6 cell–derived allografts. Taken together, we demonstrated that transcriptional modulation using epigenetic inhibitors could overcome CAR T-cell therapy–induced immune resistance, thus providing a therapeutic avenue for treating TNBC in the clinic.
Quantitative Outcome Assessment of Color Match and the Extent of Repigmentation after Pixel Array Epidermal Grafting for Head and Neck Stable Vitiligo: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Wang Yen-Jen , Chang Liao Nien-Feng , Chang Chang-Cheng , Lin Erh-Ti , Chiang Hsiu-Mei , Lin Bor-Shyh
Published: April 2021

Background: Epidermal grafting with an automatic harvesting system has been reported as a simple and efficacious procedure for stable vitiligo. However, no prospective cohort study has quantitatively evaluated the color matching and extent of repigmentation in the head and neck area by this method. Objective: To evaluate the color matching and extent of repigmentation after pixel array epidermal grafting by image analysis software and physicians’ naked eye. Methods: Ten Asian patients with head and neck vitiligo lesions stable for at least 6 months were treated with pixel array epidermal grafting with an automatic harvesting system and post-grafting phototherapy. The patients were evaluated 1, 3, and 6 months post grafting for the percentage of repigmentation by blinded physicians’ assessment and image analysis software. The color matching index of repigmentation was evaluated by measuring the melanin index in the grafted area and the juxta non-vitiliginous area. Results: The average blister harvest time was 46.3 ± 9.7 min. The area percentile of repigmentation by the image analysis software were 32.3 ± 26.8, 64.6 ± 29.4, and 76.5 ± 25.9 at 1, 3, and 6 months post grafting, respectively. There were no significant differences between the physicians’ assessments and the results from the image analysis software. The change in the area percentile of repigmentation between 3 and 6 months post grafting was only statistically significant using image analysis software. The grafted area achieved a color match of 83.1 ± 13.4% that of the juxta non-vitiliginous area 6 months after grafting. Three patients had repigmentation of leukotrichia. Conclusion: By quantitative measurement, uniform pixel array micrografts provide a very good extent of repigmentation and color match in the head and neck area. Image analysis software revealed a steady increase in repigmentation after POM3 until POM6, which was not detected by subjective assessment.
Two Cases of Cutaneous Adverse Effects Induced by Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Inhibitors
Authors: Masukawa Ena , Matsushima Yoshiaki , Habe Koji , Yamanaka Keiichi
Published: April 2021

Here, we report two cases of cutaneous adverse effects possibly induced by the use of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors. The first case presented alopecia areata (AA) and atopic dermatitis (AD) that developed during the treatment of ulcerative colitis using infliximab; the other case presented urticaria and AD that developed during the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis using etanercept. AA, AD, and urticaria are relatively common skin diseases; however, they are not well known as adverse effects of TNF-α inhibitors. Although immunological studies were not performed, the clinical courses suggested that these skin disorders might have developed as a result of an immune four-way imbalance in T helper 1 (Th1), Th2, Th17, and regulatory T cells by the administration of TNF-α inhibitors.
Characterization of Human Spermatic Subpopulations by ConA-Binding Sites and Tyrosine Phosphorylation during in vitro Capacitation and Acrosome Reaction
Authors: Sáez-Espinosa Paula , López-Huedo Alba , Robles-Gómez Laura , Huerta-Retamal Natalia , Aizpurua Jon , Gómez-Torres María José
Published: April 2021

Spermatozoa capacitation is a time-dependent physiological process essential for acquiring the fertilizing capacity. In this context, reorganization of spermatozoa surface sugars and tyrosine phosphorylation are some of the most important biochemical changes involved in capacitation. However, the relationship between these 2 biomarkers remains poorly defined. By cytofluorescence we simultaneously characterized the head concanavalin A (ConA)-binding sites and the flagellar tyrosine phosphorylation before capacitation, during different capacitation times (1 and 4 h), and after acrosome reaction induction in human spermatozoa. The results showed a strong connection between ConA-label patterns and tyrosine phosphorylation according to the spermatozoa capacitation time and acrosomal status. Specifically, the spermatozoa subpopulation with phosphotyrosine presented proper sugar location (label in acrosomal and postacrosomal region) just after 1 h of capacitation, while cells without phosphotyrosine needed 4 h to do it. Moreover, after induction of spermatozoa acrosome reaction, phosphorylation was significantly correlated (p < 0.05) with the relocation of ConA-binding residues to the equatorial region, regardless of capacitation time. Overall, these observations provide novel insights regarding spermatozoa subpopulations based on essential physiological events like capacitation and acrosome reaction, which could have potential implications in the improvement of spermatozoa selection techniques.
Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum: Report of Two Cases
Authors: Esquivel-Pinto Israel Antonio , Vega-Memije Maria Elisa , Alvarado-Delgadillo Araceli , Campuzano-Garcia Andres Eduardo , Manríquez-Robles Amairani
Published: April 2021

Elastic pseudoxanthoma is a rare disease with autosomal recessive inheritance, also known as Grönblad-Strandberg syndrome, characterized by pathological mineralization of the elastic fibers in the connective tissue, affecting principally the dermis of skin, media, and intima of blood vessels and Bruch’s membrane of the eye. The genetic defect of the disorder is located on chromosome 16p13.1 and disease is caused by the lack of functional ABCC6 protein, which in turn causes extracellular accumulation and deposition of calcium and other minerals in the elastic tissue. In this article we present two cases of this rare disease. We emphasize, in the diagnostic criteria, the importance of its early diagnosis and the current therapeutic approaches.
Novel Hemizygous Missense Variant of Spermine Synthase (SMS) Gene Causes Snyder-Robinson Syndrome in a Four-Year-Old Boy
Authors: Mouskou Stella , Katerelos Adamantios , Doulgeraki Artemis , Leka-Emiri Sofia , Manolakos Emmanouil , Papoulidis Ioannis , Ververi Athina , Vartzelis Georgios , Korona Anastasia , Mastroyanni Sotiria , Voudris Konstantinos
Published: April 2021

Snyder-Robinson syndrome (SRS) is an extremely rare X-linked intellectual disability syndrome (MRXSSR; MIM #309583). The main clinical features of SRS include psychomotor delay, hypotonia, and asthenic-type body habitus – reduced body weight and bone abnormalities (osteoporosis, fractures, kyphoscoliosis). We report a case of SRS with a hemizygous missense variant in the SMS gene,c.334C>G (p.Pro112Ala), in a 4-year-old boy, who initially developed hypotonia, delayed motor skills, and subsequently epilepsy. This variant in SMS was found to be de novo. To the best of our knowledge, this novel SMS gene variant has never been previously reported in disease-related variation databases, such as ClinVar or HGMD.
Castleman’s Disease Arising from the Hepatoduodenal Ligament Mimicking a Duodenal Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor
Authors: Oishi Koichi , Toyota Kazuhiro , Shimomura Manabu , Takahashi Tadateru
Published: April 2021

Castleman’s disease (CD) arising from the hepatoduodenal ligament is extremely rare. A 32-year-old man was referred to a clinic with nausea. He was found to have an abdominal mass by ultrasonography and consulted our hospital for further examination. Computed tomography revealed an equally enhancing mass, 5.2 cm in diameter, adjacent to the duodenum. On magnetic resonance imaging, the mass revealed a slightly iso-intensity signal equal to smooth muscle on T1-weighted imaging, a slightly high-intensity signal on T2-weighted imaging, and a high-intensity signal on diffusion-weighted imaging. Endoscopic ultrasonography showed a well-demarcated hypoechoic mass adjacent to the duodenum. The Doppler echo pattern indicated abundant blood flow. The preoperative diagnosis was a duodenal gastrointestinal stromal tumor. The patient underwent laparotomy and tumor excision. The finding of the intraoperative frozen section was CD. Histologically, the lymph follicles were markedly increased in number throughout the cortex and medulla with vascular proliferation and hyalinization in the intra- or extra-follicles. The germinal centers were atrophic and surrounded by concentrically arranged layers of small lymphocytes. The histological findings were the hyaline vascular variant of CD. If a hypervascular solid mass is detected in the abdomen, CD should be considered in the differential diagnosis.
Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention versus Health Self-Management on Subclinical Anxiety in Older Adults with Subjective Cognitive Decline: The SCD-Well Randomized Superiority Trial
Authors: Marchant Natalie L. , Barnhofer Thorsten , Coueron Roxane , Wirth Miranka , Lutz Antoine , Arenaza-Urquijo Eider M. , Collette Fabienne , Poisnel Géraldine , Demnitz-King Harriet , Schild Ann-Katrin , Coll-Padros Nina , Delphin-Combe Floriane , Whitfield Tim , Schlosser Marco , Gonneaud Julie , Asselineau Julien , Walker Zuzana , Krolak-Salmon Pierre , Molinuevo José Luis , Frison Eric , Chételat Gael , Jessen Frank , Klimecki Olga M. ,   The Medit-Ageing Research Group
Published: April 2021

Introduction: Older adults experiencing subjective cognitive decline (SCD) have a heightened risk of developing dementia and frequently experience subclinical anxiety, which is itself associated with dementia risk. Objective: To understand whether subclinical anxiety symptoms in SCD can be reduced through behavioral interventions. Methods: SCD-Well is a randomized controlled trial designed to determine whether an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention (caring mindfulness-based approach for seniors; CMBAS) is superior to a structurally matched health self-management program (HSMP) in reducing subclinical anxiety. Participants were recruited from memory clinics at 4 European sites. The primary outcome was change in anxiety symptoms (trait subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; trait-STAI) from pre- to postintervention. Secondary outcomes included a change in state anxiety and depression symptoms postintervention and 6 months postrandomization (follow-up). Results: One hundred forty-seven participants (mean [SD] age: 72.7 [6.9] years; 64.6% women; CMBAS, n = 73; HSMP, n = 74) were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. There was no difference in trait-STAI between groups postintervention (adjusted change difference: –1.25 points; 95% CI –4.76 to 2.25) or at follow-up (adjusted change difference: –0.43 points; 95% CI –2.92 to 2.07). Trait-STAI decreased postintervention in both groups (CMBAS: –3.43 points; 95% CI –5.27 to –1.59; HSMP: –2.29 points; 95% CI –4.14 to –0.44) and reductions were maintained at follow-up. No between-group differences were observed for change in state anxiety or depression symptoms. Conclusions: A time-limited mindfulness intervention is not superior to health self-management in reducing subclinical anxiety symptoms in SCD. The sustained reduction observed across both groups suggests that subclinical anxiety symptoms in SCD are modifiable. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03005652.
Anemia as a Problem: GEH Approach
Authors: Tomasević Ratko , Gluvić Zoran , Mijač Dragana , Sokić-Milutinović Aleksandra , Lukić Snežana , Milosavljević Tomica
Published: April 2021

Background: Anemia is present in almost 5% of adults worldwide and accompanies clinical findings in many diseases. Diseases of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and liver are a common cause of anemia, so patients with anemia are often referred to a gastroenterologist. Summary: Anemia could be caused by various factors such as chronic bleeding, malabsorption, or chronic inflammation. In clinical practice, iron deficiency anemia and the combined forms of anemia due to different pathophysiological mechanisms are most common. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, and the small intestine examinations in specific situations play a crucial role in diagnosing anemia. In anemic, GI asymptomatic patients, there are recommendations for bidirectional endoscopy. Although GI malignancies are the most common cause of chronic bleeding, all conditions leading to blood loss, malabsorption, and chronic inflammation should be considered. From a gastroenterologist’s perspective, the clinical spectrum of anemia is vast because many different digestive tract diseases lead to bleeding. Key Messages: The gastroenterological approach in solving anemia’s problem requires an optimal strategy, consideration of the accompanying clinical signs, and the fastest possible diagnosis. Although patients with symptoms of anemia are often referred to gastroenterologists, the diagnostic approach requires further improvement in everyday clinical practice.
Chronic Constipation in Adults: The Primary Care Approach
Authors: Hungin A. Pali
Published: April 2021

Background: Primary care is normally the initial point of presentation and management of patients with chronic constipation (CC). CC has a prevalence of 3–27%, predominantly amongst females and in the older population, and is associated with a reduced quality of life. Effective management can be a challenge without a structured approach. Summary: Whilst conventional teaching defines constipation as the number of stools per week, patients complain mainly of other symptoms such as straining and stool consistency rather than frequency. Symptoms need to be correlated with the likely causes, and ruling out secondary causes and treatment should be symptom driven, distinguishing between functional constipation and irritable bowel syndrome with CC. Treatment can be stepwise or involve combinations of therapies. There is a poor evidence base for most common managements, including lifestyle measures, although stimulant laxatives can be effective. Key Messages: Failure of routine treatment and an early consideration of alternative causes should lead to collaboration with a specialist, especially as many problems, such as pelvic floor disorders, gynaecological problems, and dyssynergic defecation, require secondary care investigations and remedies. In light of our ageing population, CC should be considered thoughtfully and the diagnosis and management tailored to the individual, to maintain good quality of life.