bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of a Prognosis-Related Risk Signature for Bladder Cancer to Predict Survival and Immune Landscapes
Authors: Wang Linhui , Wang Yutao , Wang Jianfeng , Li Luanfeng , Bi Jianbin
Published: October 2021

Background. Bladder cancer is the tenth most common cancer worldwide. Valuable biomarkers in the field of diagnostic bladder cancer are urgently required. Method. Here, the gene expression matrix and clinical data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), GSE13507, GSE32894, and Mariathasan et al. Five prognostic genes were identified by the univariate, robust, and multivariate Cox’s regression and were used to develop a prognosis-related model. The Kaplan–Meier survival curves and receiver operating characteristics were used to evaluate the model’s effectiveness. The potential biological functions of the selected genes were analyzed using CIBERSORT and ESTIMATE algorithms. Cancer Therapeutics Response Portal (CTRP) and PRISM datasets were used to identify drugs with high sensitivity. Subsequently, using the bladder cancer (BLCA) cell lines, the role of TNFRSF14 was determined by Western blotting, cell proliferation assay, and 5-ethynyl-20-deoxyuridine assay. Results. GSDMB, CLEC2D, APOL2, TNFRSF14, and GBP2 were selected as prognostic genes in bladder cancer patients. The model’s irreplaceable reliability was validated by the training and validation cohorts. CD8+ T cells were highly infiltrated in the high-TNFRSF14-expression group, and M2 macrophages were the opposite. Higher expression of TNFRSF14 was associated with higher expression levels of LCK, interferon, MHC-I, and MHC-II, while risk score was the opposite. Many compounds with higher sensitivity for treating bladder cancer patients in the low-TNFRSF14-expression group were identified, with obatoclax being a potential drug most likely to treat patients in the low-TNFRSF14-expression group. Finally, the proliferation of BLCA cell lines was increased in the TNFRSF14-reduced group, and the differential expression was identified. TNFRSF14 plays a role in bladder cancer progression through the Wnt/β-catenin-dependent pathway. TNFRSF14 is a potential protective biomarker involved in cell proliferation in BLCA. Conclusion. We conducted a study to establish a 5-gene score model, providing reliable prediction for the outcome of bladder cancer patients and therapeutic drugs to individualize therapy. Our findings provide a signature that might help determine the optimal treatment for individual patients with bladder cancer.
Continuous Lumbar Plexus Block under the Guidance of the “Shamrock Method” Ultrasound: Analgesic Effects and Hemodynamic Effects after Total Knee Arthroplasty in Elderly Patients
Authors: Xue Jinpei , Fu Xiang , Hu Zurong
Published: October 2021

Objective. To explore the effect of continuous lumbar plexus block guided by the “Shamrock method” on postoperative analgesia and hemodynamics in elderly patients after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods. From January 2020 to December 2020 in our hospital, 98 patients who underwent TKA were selected. Using the random number table method, the patients were divided into two groups: a continuous lumbar plexus block group (group L), with 49 patients, and a continuous femoral nerve block group (group F), with 49 patients. The onset time and maintenance time of motor and sensory nerve blocks in patients were recorded. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was applied to assess the pain severity at 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after the operation. The VAS score (FVAS) was applied to evaluate the pain severity of the patients during 24 and 48 h after the operation and knee joint functional exercise. The levels of hemodynamic indexes such as heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and oxyhemoglobin saturation and the levels of hemorheological indexes such as plasma viscosity, high and low whole blood shear viscosity, fibrinogen, and hematocrit were detected and compared between the two groups immediately after the operation and at 12 h and 48 h after the operation, respectively. The incidence of adverse reactions induced by anesthesia was counted. Results. The onset time of motor and sensory nerve blocks in group L was lower than that in group F, and the maintenance time was higher than that in group F (

P
<
0.05

). The VAS scores of 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after operation in group L were significantly lower than those in group F (

P
<
0.05

). The FVAS scores of group L at 24 and 48 h after operation were significantly lower than those of group F (

P
<
0.05

). The heart rates of the patients in the two groups were higher at 12 h and 48 h after operation than those immediately after operation (

P
<
0.05

). The heart rates at 12 h and 48 h after operation in group L were lower than those in group F (

P
<
0.05

). The plasma viscosity, high whole blood shear viscosity, and low whole blood shear viscosity in the group L at 12 h and 48 h after operation were lower than those in group F (

P
<
0.05

). There was no significant difference in the incidence of local anesthetic poisoning, nausea, vomiting, urinary retention, pruritus, and other adverse reactions between the two groups (

P
>
0.05

). Conclusion. The “Shamrock method” ultrasound-guided continuous lumbar plexus block in elderly patients after TKA has good analgesic effect, stable hemodynamics, little influence on hemorheology, and good safety. It is of great value to enhance the surgical effect and promote postoperative rehabilitation.
Paclitaxel: Application in Modern Oncology and Nanomedicine‐Based Cancer Therapy
Authors: Sharifi-Rad Javad , Quispe Cristina , Patra Jayanta Kumar , Singh Yengkhom Disco , Panda Manasa Kumar , Das Gitishree , Adetunji Charles Oluwaseun , Michael Olugbenga Samuel , Sytar Oksana , Polito Letizia , Živković Jelena , Cruz-Martins Natália , Klimek-Szczykutowicz Marta , Ekiert Halina , Choudhary Muhammad Iqbal , Ayatollahi Seyed Abdulmajid , Tynybekov Bekzat , Kobarfard Farzad , Muntean Ana Covilca , Grozea Ioana , Daştan Sevgi Durna , Butnariu Monica , Szopa Agnieszka , Calina Daniela
Published: October 2021

Paclitaxel is a broad‐spectrum anticancer compound, which was derived mainly from a medicinal plant, in particular, from the bark of the yew tree Taxus brevifolia Nutt. It is a representative of a class of diterpene taxanes, which are nowadays used as the most common chemotherapeutic agent against many forms of cancer. It possesses scientifically proven anticancer activity against, e.g., ovarian, lung, and breast cancers. The application of this compound is difficult because of limited solubility, recrystalization upon dilution, and cosolvent‐induced toxicity. In these cases, nanotechnology and nanoparticles provide certain advantages such as increased drug half‐life, lowered toxicity, and specific and selective delivery over free drugs. Nanodrugs possess the capability to buildup in the tissue which might be linked to enhanced permeability and retention as well as enhanced antitumour influence possessing minimal toxicity in normal tissues. This article presents information about paclitaxel, its chemical structure, formulations, mechanism of action, and toxicity. Attention is drawn on nanotechnology, the usefulness of nanoparticles containing paclitaxel, its opportunities, and also future perspective. This review article is aimed at summarizing the current state of continuous pharmaceutical development and employment of nanotechnology in the enhancement of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic features of paclitaxel as a chemotherapeutic agent.
Research on the Blended Teaching Mode Reform of University Physical Education Curriculum Based on the Integration of 5G Cloud Computing and Multimedia
Authors: Zhu Wenbing
Published: October 2021

With the advent of the Internet+ era, the fifth generation of mobile communication technology (5G) will bring about new opportunities for the development of sports wisdom teaching and promote the new direction of sports wisdom teaching from offline teaching to multimedia integration of online and offline teaching. Students are more enthusiastic about multimedia than the course. Therefore, while catering to students’ interests and needs, we proposed a mixed teaching reform experiment of multimedia integration based on 5G cloud computing communication technology to observe the differences in students’ physical exercise behavior and body composition before and after the teaching reform. The methods of literature, questionnaire, teaching experiment, measurement, and quantitative statistics were adopted. The results show that the experimental results of multimedia fusion and mixed teaching reform based on 5G cloud computing communication technology show that the teaching reform experiment can effectively increase the number of college students’ sports population and promote the change of students’ body composition. The experimental results of mixed teaching reform with multimedia integration show that the experiment of teaching reform can effectively increase the number of college students’ sports population and promote the change of students’ body composition. The conclusions show that the increase in the sports population chiefly mirrors the stability of students’ physical exercise behavior and the betterment of sports participation, which effectively promotes the formation of students’ physical exercise habits. The changes of body composition showed significant changes in the basal metabolism (BM), body mass index (BMI), body fat mass (BFM), visceral fat index (VFI), and other components, which indicated that the reform of teaching experiment could effectively promote students’ participation in sports, promote students to shape a healthy body, and promote students’ good physical health. At the same time, the experiment showed the difference between male and female. The muscle of male students began to increase significantly, while that of female students was still in the stage of decreasing water content and not increasing muscle significantly. It shows that girls need more time to exercise to bolster their body composition and achieve the effect of promoting physical health level effectively. China has entered a new era of 5G cloud computing, college students are relatively quick to accept new things, and the traditional teaching mode cannot fully stimulate students’ interest in physical exercise. Therefore, the multimedia integrated teaching mode based on 5G cloud computing communication technology is an inevitable trend of PE curriculum reform. It can not only deeply promote students’ physical exercise habits but also promote students’ physical health to a certain extent. Thereby, it boosts Chinese great strategy of health as well.
Forming Quality and Fatigue Behavior of Self‐Piercing Riveted Joints of DP590 and AA6061 Plates
Authors: Jia Yinglian , Huang Zhichao , Zhang Yongchao , Zhang Fan
Published: October 2021

Two kinds of self‐piercing riveted (SPR) joints were prepared with DP590 and AA6061 plates. The forming qualities of the joints were studied using the finite element method. The relationships between the fatigue life and failure forms of the joints with different upper plates were discussed. Finally, the failure mechanisms of the joints were analyzed. The results show that the maximum static tension of DA32 joints (with an upper plate of DP590) is significantly greater than that of the other kind, and the fatigue life of DA32 joints is always longer than that of AA40 joints when with a 2.0 mm thick AA6061 aluminum alloy upper plate under the same fatigue load. The failure mode of SPR joints changes obviously due to different upper plates, and the fatigue life of the joints can be effectively improved by reducing the microvibration wear.
Real‐Time Prediction of the Trend of Ground Motion Intensity Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Liu Tao , Dai Zhijun
Published: October 2021

In order to predict the intensity of earthquake damage in advance and improve the effectiveness of earthquake emergency measures, this paper proposes a deep learning model for real‐time prediction of the trend of ground motion intensity. The input sample is the real‐time monitoring recordings of the current received ground motion acceleration. According to the different sampling frequencies, the neural network is constructed by several subnetworks, and the output of each subnetwork is combined into one. After the training and verification of the model, the results show that the model has an accuracy rate of 75% on the testing set, which is effective on real‐time prediction of the ground motion intensity. Moreover, the correlation between the Arias intensity and structural damage is stronger than the correlation between peak acceleration and structural damage, so the model is useful for determining real‐time response measures on earthquake disaster prevention and mitigation compared with the current more common antiseismic measures based on predictive PGA.
Dissecting the Molecular Mechanism of Wang-Bi Capsule in the Treatment of Experimental Rheumatoid Arthritis Based on Synovial Tissue Proteomic Analysis
Authors: Shu Haiyang , Shi Yingjie , Li Li , Zhao Ning , Lu Cheng , Lu Aiping , He Xiaojuan
Published: October 2021

Wang-Bi capsule (WB) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula and has been applied for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment for many years. However, its underlying molecular mechanisms still remain unclear. In this study, collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats were used to observe the therapeutic effect of WB used at different time points, and the proteomic analysis of synovial tissue was applied to reveal its basic molecular mechanisms. The results demonstrated that WB not only effectively ameliorated the symptoms and synovitis, but also downregulated the serum levels of inflammatory cytokines/chemokines in CIA rats. Furthermore, the proteomic analysis of synovial tissue showed that WB could regulate several signaling pathways associated with inflammation or cell migration, such as “IL-1 signaling,” “IL-8 signaling,” and “CXCR4 signaling.” The expression levels of proteins including matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3), MMP19, lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), serine/threonine kinase interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 4 (IRAK4), and actin-related protein 2/3 complex subunit 5 (ARPC5) in these pathways were downregulated significantly by WB when compared with the model group. In sum, this study indicated that WB had obvious inhibitory effects on synovitis of CIA rats, and the mechanisms of which may be involved in downregulating the expression levels of several key proteins including MMP3, MMP19, LBP, IRAK4, and ARPC5.
Signs of Central Hypersensitivity, Stress, and Anxiety following Treatment for Breast Cancer: A Case Control Study
Authors: Ribeiro Ivana Leao , González Ximena Gálvez , Torres Diego Lara , Lorca Luz Alejandra , Dixit Snehil , Benavides Nicolás Yáñez , Gonzalez Francisco Ortega
Published: October 2021

Background. With treatment for breast cancer, women treated may present significant sensory abnormalities in the upper extremity. However, there are no conclusive studies that have evaluated pressure pain thresholds (PPT) in the shoulder of postoperated women for breast cancer. The aim of this study was to compare PPT in the shoulder, stress, anxiety, depression symptoms, and quality of sleep among postoperated women for breast cancer (PO group) and asymptomatic women of shoulder pain (control group). Methods. 40 women participated (n=20, PO group, age:average±standard deviation,49.2±8.3years; body mass index (BMI):27.5±3.0 kg/cm2; surgery time:22.2±34.4months;n=20, control group,46.9±8.1years; BMI:26.8±3.5 kg/cm2). The PPT was evaluated with a digital algometer at 32 points in the shoulder region and one control point in the tibialis anterior. Stress, anxiety, and depression were evaluated with the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21) and the quality of sleep by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Results. Significant differences were observed over 1.5 kgf/cm2 in 33 points evaluated (p<0.01) with a small to high effect size (Cliff’s deltarange=0.16; 0.92) and higher levels of anxiety and stress in the PO group (anxiety: median [first; third quartile], 5[3; 12.5]; stress:9.7±4.7(7.8; 11.8)) in comparison with the control group (anxiety: 2.5[1; 4.8]; stress:6.7±3.31(5.2; 8.3), (p<0.05)). No significant differences were found between the groups in depression and sleep quality (p>0.05). Conclusion. Postoperated women for breast cancer present hyperalgesia in the shoulder anterior and posterior region, low PPT in the tibialis anterior, and higher levels of stress and anxiety compared to the control group.
Phytochemical Profile and Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Activity of Sedum dendroideum on Pterygium Fibroblasts
Authors: López-Montemayor Paloma , Zavala Judith , Montalvo-Parra María Dolores , Guerrero-Ramírez Guillermo Isaac , Mayolo-Deloisa Karla , Enriquez-Ochoa Daniela , Martínez-García Bernardo , Loya-García Denise , Guerrero-Martínez Alba Miriam , Valdez-García Jorge Eugenio
Published: October 2021

Background. Sedum dendroideum has antioxidant effects that are beneficial for different diseases. We aimed to analyze the antiproliferative activity of S. dendroideum in human pterygium fibroblasts (HPFs). Methods. HPFs were treated for 24 h with 0–1000 μg/mL of S. dendroideum lyophilized to analyze its effect on cell viability using the CellTiter assay. RNA from HPF treated with 250 μg/mL of S. dendroideum lyophilized was isolated, and the expression of VEGF and CTGF genes was evaluated by qPCR. A dermal fibroblast cell line (HDFa) was used as a healthy control. The total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and chemical profile of S. dendroideum lyophilized were determined. Results. Viability of HPF decreased after 24 h treatment of S. dendroideum in a dose-dependent manner. The expression of VEGF and CTGF significantly decreased (

P
<
0.01

) in HPF treated with 250 μg/mL of S. dendroideum when compared with untreated HPF. The total phenolic concentration in the S. dendroideum lyophilized was 33.67 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g. Antioxidant activity was 384.49 mM Trolox equivalents/mL. The main phenolic compounds identified by HPLC analysis were the kaempferol-3-O-glycoside, kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside, kaempferol-3-O-neohesperidoside-7-O-α-rhamnopyranoside, and kaempferol-3-O-glycoside-7-O-rhamnoside. Conclusions. S. dendroideum decreases the proliferation of HPF and the expression of VEGF and CTGF. The phenolic compound concentration, antioxidant activity, and phytochemical profile may play a role in these effects.
Deep Learning Algorithms for Detection and Classification of Gastrointestinal Diseases
Authors: Hmoud Al-Adhaileh Mosleh , Mohammed Senan Ebrahim , Alsaade Fawaz Waselallah , Aldhyani Theyazn H. H , Alsharif Nizar , Abdullah Alqarni Ahmed , Uddin M. Irfan , Alzahrani Mohammed Y. , Alzain Elham D. , Jadhav Mukti E.
Published: October 2021

Currently, nearly two million patients die of gastrointestinal diseases worldwide. Video endoscopy is one of the latest technologies in the medical imaging field for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases, such as stomach ulcers, bleeding, and polyps. Medical video endoscopy generates many images, so doctors need considerable time to follow up all the images. This creates a challenge for manual diagnosis and has encouraged investigations into computer‐aided techniques to diagnose all the generated images in a short period and with high accuracy. The novelty of the proposed methodology lies in developing a system for diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases. This paper introduces three networks, GoogleNet, ResNet‐50, and AlexNet, which are based on deep learning and evaluates them for their potential in diagnosing a dataset of lower gastrointestinal diseases. All images are enhanced, and the noise is removed before they are inputted into the deep learning networks. The Kvasir dataset contains 5,000 images divided equally into five types of lower gastrointestinal diseases (dyed‐lifted polyps, normal cecum, normal pylorus, polyps, and ulcerative colitis). In the classification stage, pretrained convolutional neural network (CNN) models are tuned by transferring learning to perform new tasks. The softmax activation function receives the deep feature vector and classifies the input images into five classes. All CNN models achieved superior results. AlexNet achieved an accuracy of 97%, sensitivity of 96.8%, specificity of 99.20%, and AUC of 99.98%.
[Retracted] Performance Analysis and Development of a Semiconductor Junction Rectifier with Multicolor Coding for Indoor Farm Applications
Authors: Kanmani Ruby E. D. , Umadevi M. , Kanmani Pappa C. , Edwin Santhkumar W. , Janani P. , Shanmugasundaram P.
Published: October 2021

This paper aims to build a smart lighting system with applications such as remote for controlling power supply and optimizing heat management in the metal body of the semiconductor diode and with a printed circuit board for agriculture. The semiconductor diode strips with multiple colors are lined up and configured as a LED lamp with proper casing and heat sink. It has a driver circuit with required power regulation that is able to control the intensity of light for photosynthesis and plant growth requirements. The system uses hydroponics to plant the water, thus decreasing the usage of fertilizers. The entire system is controlled remotely using necessary communication interface application.
Numerical Analysis of Reflective Cracking of Continuous Reinforced Composite Pavement under Multifactor Coupling
Authors: Luo Yuhu , Tian Bo , Niu Kaimin
Published: October 2021

The occurrence and expansion of reflective cracking is a typical problem associated with the composite pavement that has a proven impact on the life of the continuous reinforced composite pavement. The current research studies a 3D finite element model to preset cracks at the top of the continuously reinforced concrete (CRC) layer’s transverse crack and at the bottom of the asphalt concrete (AC) layer based on the theory of linear elastic fracture mechanics in order to explore the factors responsible for the reflective cracking formation mechanism and expansion law. Considering the main stress parameters that affect the formation of reflective cracking (layer bottom tensile stress and vertical shear stress), the most unfavorable load position and the most unfavorable point of the corresponding stress parameter are determined that are then used to calculate the stress intensity factor of the crack tip under the coupling effect of multiple factors based upon the position and point above the crack, by using the confinement integral. The variance analysis of the stress intensity factor of the crack tip under the multifactor coupling effect is conducted via an orthogonal test in order to determine the main factors affecting the formation and development of reflective cracking. Meanwhile, the analysis of single-factor sensitivity is carried out on all these factors, which reveal the real contribution in the formation and expansion of reflective cracking in the continuous reinforced composite pavement. The results show that the most unfavorable load position for reflective cracking is when the load is on the side of the CRC layer’s lateral crack, while the most unfavorable point of the stress parameter is concentrated within the range of the wheel track. At the same time, analysis of multifactor variance and that of single-factor sensitivity show that the cracking mode of reflective cracking in the continuous reinforced composite pavement is a mixed one, dominated by K2 (slip type), supplemented by K1 (open type), and participated by K3 (tear type), whereas the AC layer’s preset-crack depth ratio, instantaneous temperature drop, and CRC-transverse-crack load transfer capacity are the main factors that affect the formation and development of the reflective cracking. Moreover, a better bonding state between the AC layer and the CRC layer improves the stress intensity factor of the preset crack tip on the bottom of the AC layer.
Equivalent Conditions of Complete
p
th Moment Convergence for Weighted Sums of I. I. D. Random Variables under Sublinear Expectations
Authors: Xu Mingzhou , Cheng Kun
Published: October 2021

We investigate the complete

p

th moment convergence for weighted sums of independent, identically distributed random variables under sublinear expectations space. Using moment inequality and truncation methods, we prove the equivalent conditions of complete

p

th moment convergence of weighted sums of independent, identically distributed random variables under sublinear expectations space, which complement the corresponding results obtained in Guo and Shan (2020).
Feeding Preference and Habitat Association of Defassa Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus defassa) in Nechisar National Park, Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Deng Gatriay Tut , Demisse Birtukan Tsegaye
Published: October 2021

This study investigated feeding preference and habitat association of waterbucks in Nechisar National Park from November 2016 to August 2017 by total count and direct observation methods. From this survey, 20 plant species were observed to be the food items consumed by waterbucks. Waterbucks were mostly grazers than browser. The plant species consumed by waterbucks was highly significant between seasons (χ2 = 121.34, df = 1,

p
<
0.05

). Out of 20 total plant species consumed, annual grass (11.5%), Leersia virginica (8.4%), and Cynodon dactylon (8.4%) were the most frequently consumed food items, but Tamarindus indica (2.9%), Balanites aegyptica (3.3%), and Acacia polycantha (2.36%) were the least consumed food items. There was significant difference between plant species consumed during both seasons (χ2 = 177.67, df = 19,

p
<
0.05

). The Shannon–Wiener diversity index result revealed that there were different varieties of food items for waterbucks in dry season (H’ = 2.9) than in wet season (H’ = 2.6). Young leaves comprised the largest proportion of plant parts consumed by waterbucks compared to others. There was a highly significant difference in feeding plant parts in both seasons (χ2 = 88.5, df = 7,

p
<
0.05

). Waterbucks spent more time on feeding in the morning and late afternoon during both seasons. The total number of waterbucks in each habitat varied due to food availability in different seasons. Different conservation measures should be taken against waterbuck reduction and create appropriate environment for waterbuck.
Hybrid Encryption Scheme for Hospital Financial Data Based on Noekeon Algorithm
Authors: Yao Fei
Published: October 2021

The previous encryption methods of hospital financial data have the problem of overburden. Therefore, a research study on hybrid encryption of hospital financial data based on Noekeon algorithm is proposed. From the basic principles of the Noekeon algorithm and the application and implementation of the Noekeon algorithm, a hybrid encryption scheme for hospital financial data based on the Noekeon algorithm is designed. In order to improve the security of the encryption system, the RSA algorithm is used to encrypt the encrypted content twice. The hybrid algorithm realizes the hybrid encryption of the hospital's financial data. Finally, a hybrid encryption system for hospital financial data based on Noekeon algorithm is designed. Experimental results show that this method has a higher success rate and better comprehensive performance. It not only improves the encryption efficiency of hospital financial data but also enhances the security of hospital financial data, which has greater application value.
Circulating Tumor Cell Is a Clinical Indicator of Pretransplant Radiofrequency Ablation for Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Chen Zhitao , Wang Tielong , Chen Chuanbao , Hong Xitao , Yu Jia , Ma Yihao , Guo Yiwen , Huang Changjun , He Xiaoshun , Ju Weiqiang , Chen Maogen
Published: October 2021

Introduction. It is of great significance to confirm reliable indicators for the guidance of pretransplant radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we aim to investigate whether circulating tumor cell (CTC) status is a clinical indicator for RFA before liver transplantation (LT) in HCC patients. Method. CTC analyses were measured in 79 HCC patients. Clinical outcomes including progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared and analyzed between patients with and without pretransplant RFA. Result. Forty-two patients were detected as CTC-positive and 18 patients received pretransplant RFA. Recurrence was correlated with CTC count (

P
=
0.024

), tumor number (

P
=
0.035

), liver cirrhosis (

P
=
0.001

), Milan criteria (

P
=
0.003

), and University of California San Francisco (UCSF) criteria (

P
=
0.001

). Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that patients with CTC-positive had a lower PFS rate (

P
=
0.0257

). For CTC-positive patients, the PFS rate of the pretransplant RFA group was significantly higher than the non-pretransplant RFA group (100% vs. 46.7%,

P
=
0.0236

). For CTC-negative patients, both PFS rate and OS rate were similar and without significant differences. In multivariate analysis, pretransplant RFA was the independent factor for PFS (

P
=
0.025

). Conclusion. Pretransplant CTC status can guide the administration of pretransplant RFA in HCC patients which can improve PFS in CTC-positive HCC patients.
An Intelligent Caching and Replacement Strategy Based on Cache Profit Model for Space-Ground Integrated Network
Authors: Yang Li , Chi Cheng , Pan Chengsheng , Qi Yaowen
Published: October 2021

Compared with the stable states of the ground networks, the space-ground integrated networks (SGIN) have limited resources, high transmission delay, and vulnerable topology, which make traditional caching strategies unable to adapt to the complex space network environment. An intelligent and efficient caching strategy is required to improve the edge service capabilities of satellites. Therefore, we investigate these problems in this paper and make the following contributions. First, the content value evaluation model based on classification and regression tree is proposed to solve the problem of “what to cache” by describing the cache value of content, which considers the multidimensional content characteristics. Second, we propose a cache decision strategy based on the node caching cost model to answer “where to cache.” This strategy modified the genetic algorithm to adapt the 0-1 knapsack problem under SDN architecture, which greatly improved the cache hit rate and the network service quality. Finally, we propose a cache replacement strategy by establishing an effective service time model between the satellite and ground transmission link, which solves the problem of “when to replace.” Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed strategy in SGIN can improve the nodes’ cache hit rate and reduce the network transmission delay and transmission hops.
Liposome Extract of Stachys pilifera Benth Effectively Improved Liver Damage due to Bile Duct Ligation Rats
Authors: Moslemi Zahra , Bardania Hassan , Gheitasi Izadpanah , Barmoudeh Zahra , Omidifar Navid , Parvin Hamidreza , Khalvati Bahman , Fouani Mohamad Hassan , Alipour Mohsen , Doustimotlagh Amir Hossein
Published: October 2021

Herbal medicines harbor essential therapeutic agents for the treatment of cholestasis. In this study, we have assessed the anticholestatic potential of Stachys pilifera Benth’s (SPB’s) hydroalcoholic extract encapsulated into liposomes using bile duct ligation‐ (BDL‐) induced hepatic cholestasis in rats. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), malondialdehyde (MDA), total thiol (T‐SH) content, protein carbonyl (PCO), total bilirubin (TBIL), albumin (ALB), and nitric oxide (NO) metabolite levels were measured in either liver tissue or plasma to assess liver damage. Moreover, expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL‐1β and TNF‐α) and liver fibrosis markers (TGF‐β and SM‐α) which are driving forces of many liver disorders was also determined. The activity of AST, ALT, and ALP was significantly enhanced in the BDL group in comparison to the control group; however, treatment with liposomal (SPB) hydroalcoholic extract significantly reduced AST and ALT’s activity. Increases in MDA, TBIL, and NO levels and T‐SH content due to BDL were restored to control levels by liposomal (SPB) hydroalcoholic extract treatment. Similarly, hepatic and plasma oxidative marker MDA levels, significantly enhanced by BDL, were significantly decreased by liposomal (SPB) hydroalcoholic extract treatment. Moreover, histopathological findings further demonstrated a significant decrease in hepatic damage in the liposomal (SPB) hydroalcoholic extract‐treated BDL group. In addition, liposomal (SPB) hydroalcoholic extract treatment decreased the liver expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL‐1β, TNF‐α) and liver fibrosis markers (TGF‐β and SM‐α). Since liposomal (SPB) hydroalcoholic extract treatment alleviated the BDL‐induced injury of the liver and improved the hepatic structure and function more efficiently in comparison to free SPB hydroalcoholic extract, probable liposomal (SPB) hydroalcoholic extract exhibits required potential therapeutic value in protecting the liver against BDL‐caused oxidative injury.
Correlation between Serum LP-PLA2 and sST2 Levels and the Condition of Patients with Acute Heart Failure and Their Prognostic Value
Authors: Zhu Junguo , Ruan Zhongbao , Zhu Li
Published: October 2021

Acute heart failure (AHF) occurs mostly in the elderly, which is a syndrome that occurs in the later stages of the development of cardiovascular disease. Due to the sharp decline in the patient’s heart function, the patient has a high mortality rate and a poor prognosis, which seriously threaten the life safety of the elderly. Therefore, early diagnosis of AHF and timely treatment are extremely important. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (LP-PLA2) is a newly discovered cardiovascular-specific inflammatory marker, which is closely related to the formation and progression of atherosclerotic plaque and the occurrence and development of coronary heart disease. Soluble growth stimulation expression gene 2 (sST2) protein is a protein produced under the induction of mechanical stress in cardiomyocytes. It can act as a decoy receptor to mediate the interleukin-33 (IL-33)/ST2 signaling pathway to bind to IL-33, thereby reducing the myocardial protective effect and leading to myocardial remodeling. The purpose of this study was to explore the serum LP-PLA2 and sST2 levels in AHF patients and to analyze their correlation with the disease and their prognostic value. The results showed that the levels of serum LP-PLA2 and sST2 were increased in AHF patients, and the levels of serum LP-PLA2 and sST2 in patients with adverse prognostic events were higher than those in patients without adverse prognostic events. The levels of serum LP-PLA2 and sST2 are closely related to the degree of patients’ illness, among which the combined prediction of AHF patients with LP-PLA2 and sST2 has the highest value, which is worthy of promotion.
COVID-19 and Cancer: Discovery of Difference in Clinical Immune Indexes
Authors: Zeng Xiaojiao , Jiang Xianghu , Yang Liu , Pan Yunbao , Li Yirong
Published: October 2021

Objective. This study explored the consistency and differences in the immune cells and cytokines between patients with COVID-19 or cancer. We further analyzed the correlations between the acute inflammation and cancer-related immune disorder. Methods. This retrospective study involved 167 COVID-19 patients and 218 cancer patients. COVID-19 and cancer were each further divided into two subgroups. Quantitative and qualitative variables were measured by one-way ANOVA and chi-square test, respectively. Herein, we carried out a correlation analysis between immune cells and cytokines and used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to discover the optimal diagnostic index. Results. COVID-19 and cancers were associated with lymphopenia and high levels of monocytes, neutrophils, IL-6, and IL-10. IL-2 was the optimal indicator to differentiate the two diseases. Compared with respiratory cancer patients, COVID-19 patients had lower levels of IL-2 and higher levels of CD3+CD4+ T cells and CD19+ B cells. In the subgroup analysis, IL-6 was the optimal differential diagnostic parameter that had the ability to identify if COVID-19 patients would be severely affected, and severe COVID-19 patients had lower levels of lymphocyte subsets (CD3+ T cells, CD3+CD4+ T cells, CD3+CD8+T cells, and CD19+ B cells) and CD16+CD56+ NK cells and higher level of neutrophils. There were significant differences in the levels of CD3+CD4+ T cells and CD19+ B cells between T1-2 and T3-4 stages as well as IL-2 and CD19+ B cells between N0-1 and N2-3 stages while no significant differences between the metastatic and nonmetastatic cancer patients. Additionally, there were higher correlations between IL-2 and IL-4, TNF-α and IL-2, TNF-α and IL-4, TNF-α and IFN-γ, and CD16+CD56+NK cells and various subsets of T cells in COVID-19 patients. There was a higher correlation between CD3+CD4+ T cells and CD19+ B cells in cancer patients. Conclusion. Inflammation associated with COVID-19 or cancer had effects on patients’ outcomes. Accompanied by changes in immune cells and cytokines, there were consistencies, differences, and satisfactory correlations between patients with COVID-19 and those with cancers.
Effects of Self-Management Intervention Programs Based on the Health Belief Model and Planned Behavior Theory on Self-Management Behavior and Quality of Life in Middle-Aged Stroke Patients
Authors: Li Yaoyao , Zhang Shanshan , Song Jie , Tuo Miao , Sun Chengmei , Yang Fuguo
Published: October 2021

Objectives. To study the effect of self-management intervention programs based on the health belief model and planned behavior theory on self-management behavior and quality of life in middle-aged stroke patients. Most of the intervention studies on the self-management of middle-aged stroke patients focus on traditional Chinese medicine nursing and continuous nursing, lacking theoretical support. In particular, there is a lack of interventions based on the integration of two or more theories. Method. The middle-aged stroke patients were divided into the control group and the intervention group according to the disease area. A total of 70 patients were included, and 35 patients were included in the control group and the intervention group, respectively. The control group received routine neurological treatment and health education during hospitalization and continued to receive routine health education for 3 months after discharge. On this basis, the intervention group received an intervention program based on an integrated model of health beliefs and planned behavior theory, including 3 health education sessions during hospitalization and 3 months of postdischarge health education. A self-administered stroke general information questionnaire was used to collect basic information on patients’ age, gender, and comorbidities. The Stroke Self-Management Behavior Rating Scale and Stroke-Specific Quality-of-Life Scale (SS-QOL) were used to evaluate the management behavior and quality of life of the patients in both groups before and after the intervention. Results. Before the intervention, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of self-management score, quality of life total score, and scores of each dimension

P
>
0.05

. At different periods after the intervention, the total score of self-management, total score of quality of life, and scores of each dimension were significantly higher in both groups than before the intervention

P
<
0.05

. In particular, the self-management and quality of life scores of the intervention group were higher than those of the control group at 1 and 3 months after the intervention

P
<
0.05

. Conclusion. The self-management intervention scheme based on the integrated model of health belief and planned behavior theory is beneficial to improve the self-management ability and quality of life of stroke patients. It provides basis for clinical nurses to further improve the self-management ability and quality of life of stroke patients. Our findings may also serve as a reference for caregivers in other countries to improve the self-management and quality of life of stroke patients.
Experimental Study on the Novel Interface Bond Behavior between Fiber‐Reinforced Concrete and Common Concrete through 3D‐DIC
Authors: Yuan Yujie , Li Ming , Alquraishi Abduqader S. S. , Sun Hongye
Published: October 2021

A novel method was proposed to improve the bond behavior of new‐to‐old concrete interface, which was beneficial to introduce the fiber‐reinforced concrete only at the old concrete interface. This study investigated the effect of the fiber addition, strength grade of new concrete, interfacial angle, and surface treatment types on the bond behavior in terms of the new‐to‐old concrete through the axial tensile tests. The three‐dimensional digital image correlation technique (3D‐DIC) and scanning electron microscope were adopted to evaluate the variation of specimen surface strain distributions and microstructure of fiber‐reinforced concrete and bond interface between new‐to‐old concrete. The experimental results indicated that interfacial angle and surface treatment type were significantly promoted bond behaviors, while the specimen cooperating with steel fibers had the highest bond strength. Besides, the maximum strain locations obtained from 3D‐DIC method were the same as the location of the specimen failure, which indicated the 3D‐DIC method can be adopted to forecast the structural failure. The microcrack strain located in the major crack was decreased with the development of the major crack. Ample crystals and Ca(OH)2 were generated in the interface between the new‐to‐old concrete to weaken the bond strength. Moreover, this paper provided the mechanics‐driven and machine learning method to predict the bond strength. This study provides a new interface bonding method for the fabricated and large span structure to effectively avoid cracking of new‐to‐old concrete.
Analysing a Novel RNA-Binding-Protein-Related Prognostic Signature Highly Expressed in Breast Cancer
Authors: Lan Yunyun , Su Juan , Xue Yaxin , Zeng Lulu , Cheng Xun , Zeng Liyi
Published: October 2021

Background. Breast cancer (BRCA) is one of the most common cancers and the leading cause of cancer-related death in women. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play an important role in the emergence and pathogenesis of tumors. The target RNAs of RBPs are very diverse; in addition to binding to mRNA, RBPs also bind to noncoding RNA. Noncoding RNA can cause secondary structures that can bind to RBPs and regulate multiple processes such as splicing, RNA modification, protein localization, and chromosomes remodeling, which can lead to tumor initiation, progression, and invasion. Methods. (1) BRCA data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) databases and were used as training and testing datasets, respectively. (2) The prognostic RBPs-related genes were screened according to the overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from the TCGA database. (3) Univariate Cox proportional hazard regression was performed to identify the genes with significant prognostic value. (4) Further, we used the LASSO regression to construct a prognostic signature and validated the signature in the TCGA and ICGC cohort. (5) Besides, we also performed prognostic analysis, expression level verification, immune cell correlation analysis, and drug correlation analysis of the genes in the model. Results. Four genes (MRPL13, IGF2BP1, BRCA1, and MAEL) were identified as prognostic gene signatures. The prognostic model has been validated in the TCGA and ICGC cohorts. The risk score calculated with four genes signatures could largely predict overall survival for 1, 3, and 5 years in patients with BRCA. The calibration plot demonstrated outstanding consistency between the prediction and actual observation. The findings of online database verification revealed that these four genes were significantly highly expressed in tumors. Also, we observed their significant correlations with some immune cells and also potential correlations with some drugs. Conclusion. We constructed a 4-RBPs-based prognostic signature to predict the prognosis of BRCA patients, and it has the potential for treating and diagnosing BRCA.
Mine Waste‐Based Next Generation Bricks: A Case Study of Iron Ore Tailings, Red Mudand GGBS Utilization in Bricks
Authors: Beulah M. , Sudhir M. R. , Mohan Mothi Krishna , Gayathri G. , Jain Deekshith
Published: October 2021

Utilization of mine wastes as a building material in the construction industry surmises to environmental and sustainable concepts in civil engineering.The potential environmental threat posed by mining wastes, as well as a growing societal awareness of the need to effectively treat mining wastes, has elevated the subject importance.The present research proposes a method of producing bricks that is both cost effective and environmentally benign. The research is based on the geopolymerization, known to save energy by obviating high‐temperature kiln firing and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. The methodology encompasses the mixing of red mud and iron ore tailings in the range of 90% to 50% with a decrement of 10% with GGBS in the range of 10% to 50% with an increment of 10%. The raw materials and the developed composites have been tested as per Indian and ASTM standards.In addition to tests pertaining to the physical and mechanical properties, XRF, XRD, and SEM tests have been performed for examining various related issues. Based on the result analysis, the compressive strength values showed noticeable differences in case of IOT and red mud bricks with IOT‐based bricks showing better compressive strengths.
The Role of Interaction between Mitochondria and the Extracellular Matrix in the Development of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Authors: Siekacz Kamil , Piotrowski Wojciech J. , Iwański Mikołaj A. , Górski Paweł , Białas Adam J.
Published: October 2021

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a condition which affects mainly older adults, that suggests mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, which follow cells senescence, and might contribute to the disease onset. We have assumed pathogenesis associated with crosstalk between the extracellular matrix (ECM) and mitochondria, mainly based on mitochondrial equilibrium impairment consisting of (1) tyrosine kinases and serine‐threonine kinase (TKs and ST‐Ks) activation via cytokines, (2) mitochondrial electron transport chain dysfunction and in consequence electrons leak with lower ATP synthesis, (3) the activation of latent TGF‐β via αVβ6 integrin, (4) tensions transduction via α2β1 integrin, (5) inefficient mitophagy, and (6) stress inhibited biogenesis. Mitochondria dysfunction influences ECM composition and vice versa. Damaged mitochondria release mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) and the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to the microenvironment. Therefore, airway epithelial cells (AECs) undergo transition and secrete cytokines. Described factors initiate an inflammatory process with immunological enhancement. In consequence, local fibroblasts exposed to harmful conditions transform into myofibroblasts, produce ECM, and induce progression of fibrosis. In our review, we summarize numerous aspects of mitochondrial pathobiology, which seem to be involved in the pathogenesis of lung fibrosis. In addition, an increasing body of evidence suggests considering crosstalk between the ECM and mitochondria in this context. Moreover, mitochondria and ECM seem to be important players in the antifibrotic treatment of IPF.