bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mental burden and perception of the study situation among undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study and comparison of dental and medical students
Authors: Guse Jennifer , Weegen Annabel Susan , Heinen Ines , Bergelt Corinna
Published: December 2021

Objectives

To investigate levels of distress, depression, anxiety, stress and perception of their current study situation during the COVID-19 pandemic among undergraduate dental and medical students.

Design

Observational, cross-sectional study including two consecutive surveys (May and July 2020).

Setting

A large medical school in Germany.

Participants

All first year dental and medical students were invited. 132 participating first year students (44 dental, 88 medical) from the first survey and 150 students (50 dental, 100 medical) from the second were included in our analyses.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Mental burden (distress thermometer, Patient Health Questionnaire-4, Perceived Stress Scale-4) and self-reported changes in mental health and perception of study situation during the COVID-19 pandemic (self-developed items) were compared. Open-ended questions were analysed by conventional content analyses.

Results

A considerable proportion of students (t1: May 2020: 84.1%; t2: July 2020: 77.3%) reported distress levels above cut-off. In July 2020, dental students reported significantly higher distress scores than medical students (dental: M=7.0, SD=2.3; medical: M=5.7; SD=2.1; p<0.001). More dental than medical students reported mild, moderate and severe levels of anxiety and depression symptoms. The majority stated that their mental health and study motivation had not changed during the pandemic. Logistic regression showed that being a dental student was significantly associated with a higher likelihood for serious worries regarding the study situation during COVID-19 at t1 (OR 4.0; 95% CI 1.1 to 14.2). At t2 higher distress was significantly associated with a higher likelihood for experiencing serious worries (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.3 to 2.5). Regarding current concerns related to the pandemic, students most frequently reported difficulties with self-regulated learning (15.2%), study-related worries and uncertainty (14.4%), missing feedback of students and lecturers (11.4%) and lack of practical training (9.8%).

Conclusion

The results suggest that high mental burden and the lack of practical training among medical and dental students is an increasing problem, with a possibly even higher urgency in dental students. Tailored psychological and educational support offers during and after the COVID-19 pandemic might help them as they progress through (medical and) dental school.
Models for predicting venous thromboembolism in ambulatory patients with lung cancer: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Yan Ann-Rong , Samarawickrema Indira , Naunton Mark , Peterson Gregory M , Yip Desmond , Mortazavi Reza
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication in patients with cancer and has a determining role in the disease prognosis. The risk is significantly increased with certain types of cancer, such as lung cancer. Partly due to difficulties in managing haemorrhage in outpatient settings, anticoagulant prophylaxis is only recommended for ambulatory patients at high risk of VTE. This requires a precise VTE risk assessment in individual patients. Although VTE risk assessment models have been developed and updated in recent years, there are conflicting reports on the effectiveness of such risk prediction models in patient management. The aim of this systematic review is to gain a better understanding of the available VTE risk assessment tools for ambulatory patients with lung cancer and compare their predictive performance.

Methods and analysis

A systematic review will be conducted using MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science databases from inception to 30 September 2021, to identify all reports published in English describing VTE risk prediction models which have included adult ambulatory patients with primary lung cancer for model development and/or validation. Two independent reviewers will conduct article screening, study selection, data extraction and quality assessment of the primary studies. Any disagreements will be referred to a third researcher to resolve. The included studies will be assessed for risk of bias and applicability. The Checklist for Critical Appraisal and Data Extraction for Systematic Reviews of Prediction Modelling Studies will be used for data extraction and appraisal. Data from similar studies will be used for meta-analysis to determine the incidence of VTE and the performance of the risk models.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval is not required. We will disseminate the results in a peer-reviewed journal.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021245907.
Infection control in the home: a qualitative study exploring perceptions and experiences of adhering to protective behaviours in the home during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Morton Katherine , Towler Lauren , Groot Julia , Miller Sascha , Ainsworth Ben , Denison-Day James , Rice Cathy , Bostock Jennifer , Willcox Merlin , Little Paul , Yardley Lucy
Published: December 2021

Objectives

We sought to explore people’s experiences and perceptions of implementing infection control behaviours in the home during the COVID-19 pandemic, guided by an online behavioural intervention.

Design

Inductive qualitative study.

Setting

UK public during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants

Thirteen people took part in telephone interviews, and 124 completed a qualitative open-text survey. All were recruited from the public. Most survey participants were aged over 60 years, while interview participants were more distributed in age. Most reported being at increased risk from COVID-19, and were white British.

Intervention

Online behavioural intervention to support infection control behaviours in the home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data collection

Telephone think-aloud interviews and qualitative survey data.

Data analysis

The think-aloud interview data and qualitative survey data were analysed independently using inductive thematic analysis. The findings were subsequently triangulated.

Results

Thematic analysis of the telephone interviews generated seven themes: perceived risk; belief in the effectiveness of protective behaviours; acceptability of distancing and isolation; having capacity to perform the behaviours; habit forming reduces effort; having the confidence to perform the behaviours; and social norms affect motivation to engage in the behaviours. The themes identified from the survey data mapped well onto the interview analysis. Isolating and social distancing at home were less acceptable than cleaning and handwashing, influenced by the need for intimacy with household members. This was especially true in the absence of symptoms and when perceived risk was low. People felt more empowered when they understood that even small changes, such as spendingsometime apart, were worthwhile to reduce exposure and lessen viral load.

Conclusions

The current study provided valuable insight into the acceptability and feasibility of protective behaviours, and how public health guidance could be incorporated into a behaviour change intervention for the public during a pandemic.
Pain relief with elastic therapeutic taping
Authors: Gupta Ekta , Lee Courtland , Ng Amy , Bruera Eduardo
Published: December 2021

Background and purpose

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) occurs in 19%–85% of patients undergoing cancer treatment. Due to the high symptom burden, specifically pain in the soles of feet, we explore the role of elastic therapeutic (ET) taping for treatment of CIPN.

Case description

We report two cases of patients with CIPN-induced foot pain while admitted to the hospital. Their background information, including chemotherapy history, treatments trialed and effects of ET on their pain, is discussed. Each patient underwent ET using the epidermis, dermis, fascia technique for CIPN. An occupational therapist applied ET to the plantar surface of both feet to the ankle with 0% stretch on the tape for 24–96 hours. We also showed the effect of symptom improvement in their individualized rehabilitation session following application of ET.

Outcomes

Pain score, verbally documented by 10 point numerical pain rating scale, decreased by >50% in both patients within 24 hours of application. This reflects a substantial improvement in pain with the intervention of ET. This allowed for improved tolerance in engaging in functional mobility, with improvement in distances ambulated.

Discussion

ET taping of the distal leg and foot showed pain improvement for these two patients. Our findings suggest that a clinical trial aimed at better characterising the role of ET in these patients is justified.
Influence of renal impairment on clinical outcomes after endovascular recanalization in vertebrobasilar artery occlusions
Authors: Xiao Lulu , Gu Mengmeng , Lu Yijiu , Xu Pengfei , Wang Jinjing , Lan Wenya , Huang Yong , Xu Guoqiang , Zhu Shuanggen , Wang Qizhang , Hu Wei , Zhu Wusheng , Sun Wen , Liu Xinfeng
Published: December 2021

Background

Renal impairment (RI) is associated with worse outcomes in the treatment of intravenous thrombolysis and emergent endovascular treatment (EVT) in anterior circulation stroke. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of RI with short-term and long-term outcomes in patients with vertebrobasilar artery occlusions (VBAO) who received EVT.

Methods

Consecutive patients with VBAO receiving EVT involving 21 stroke centers were retrospectively included. Multivariate regression analyses were used to evaluate the association of RI with mortality and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) during the hospital stay, and also mortality, favorable functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0–3), and functional improvement (shift in mRS score) at 3 months and 1 year follow-up. The association between RI and the risk of recurrent stroke was evaluated with multivariate competing-risk regression analyses.

Results

After adjustment for potential confounders, RI was independently associated with sICH (OR 3.30, 95% CI 1.55 to 7.18), as well as mortality (OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.47 to 4.38; OR 3.07, 95% CI 1.72 to 8.08), favorable functional outcome (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.66; OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.51), and functional improvement (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.74; OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.60) at 3 months and 1 year follow-up, respectively, but RI was not associated with in-hospital mortality. Additionally, there was no significant association between RI and recurrent stroke within 1 year.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that RI is associated with a higher risk of sICH in hospital and a decrease in survival, favorable functional outcome, and functional improvement at 90 days and 1 year follow-up.

Trial registration number

URL:http://www.chictr.org.cn/; Unique identifier: ChiCTR2000033211.
Improvement of the Charge Retention of a Non-Volatile Memory by a Bandgap-Engineered Charge Trap Layer
Authors: Cui Ziyang , Xin Dongxu , Kim Taeyong , Choi Jiwon , Cho Jaewoong , Yi Junsin
Published: December 2021

In recent years, research based on HfO2 as a charge trap memory has become increasingly popular. This material, with its advantages of moderate dielectric constant, good interface thermal stability and high charge trap density, is currently gaining in prominence in the next generation of nonvolatile memory devices. In this study, memory devices based on a-IGZO thin-film transistor (TFT) with HfO2/Al2O3/HfO2 charge trap layer (CTL) were fabricated using atomic layer deposition. The effect of the Al2O3 layer thickness (1, 2, and 3 nm) in the CTL on memory performance was studied. The results show that the device with a 2-nm Al2O3 layer in the CTL has a 2.47 V memory window for 12 V programming voltage. The use of the HfO2/Al2O3/HfO2 structure as a CTL lowered the concentration of electrons near the tunnel layer and the loss of trapped electrons. At room temperature, the memory window is expected to decrease by 0.61 V after 10 years. The large storage window (2.47 V) and good charge retention (75.6% in 10 years) of the device under low-voltage conditions are highly advantageous. The charge retention of the HfO2/Al2O3/HfO2 trap layer affords a feasible method for fabricating memory devices based on a-IGZO TFT.
Subchronic oral exposure of tungsten induces myofibroblast transformation and various markers of kidney fibrosis
Authors: Grant Michael P. , Henley Nathalie , Dubuissez Marion , Chen Nan , Hartmann Ursula , Royal Virginie , Barbier Olivier , Pichette Vincent , Gerarduzzi Casimiro
Published: December 2021

Tungsten is a naturally occurring transition element used in a broad range of applications. As a result of its extensive use, we are increasingly exposed to tungsten from our environment, including potable water, since tungsten can become bioaccessible in ground sources. The kidneys are particularly susceptible to tungsten exposure as this is the main site for tungsten excretion. In this study, we investigated the prolonged effects of tungsten on the kidneys and how this may impact injury and function. When mice were exposed to tungsten in their drinking water for 1 mo, kidney function had not significantly changed. Following 3-mo exposure, mice were presented with deterioration in kidney function as determined by serum and urine creatinine levels. During 3 mo of tungsten exposure, murine kidneys demonstrated significant increases in the myofibroblast marker α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) and extracellular matrix products: fibronectin, collagen, and matricellular proteins. In addition, Masson’s trichrome and hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining revealed an increase in fibrotic tissue and vacuolization of tubular epithelial cells, respectively, from kidneys of tungsten-treated mice, indicative of renal injury. In vitro treatment of kidney fibroblasts with tungsten led to increased proliferation and upregulation of transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1), which was consistent with the appearance of fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition (FMT) markers. Our data suggest that continuous exposure to tungsten impairs kidney function that may lead to the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Paraoxonase 2 is an ER chaperone that regulates the epithelial Na+ channel
Authors: Shi Shujie , Buck Teresa M. , Nickerson Andrew J. , Brodsky Jeffrey L. , Kleyman Thomas R.
Published: December 2021

The mammalian paraoxonases (PONs) have been linked to protection against oxidative stress. However, the physiological roles of members in this family (PON1, PON2, and PON3) are still being characterized. PON2 and PON3 are expressed in the aldosterone-sensitive distal nephron of the kidney and have been shown to negatively regulate expression of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC), a trimeric ion channel that orchestrates salt and water homeostasis. To date, the nature of this phenomenon has not been explored. Therefore, to investigate the mechanism by which PON2 regulates ENaC, we expressed PON2 along with the ENaC subunits in fisher rat thyroid (FRT) cells, a system that is amenable to biochemical analyses of ENaC assembly and trafficking. We found that PON2 primarily resides in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in FRT cells, and its expression reduces the abundance of each ENaC subunit, reflecting enhanced subunit turnover. In contrast, no effect on the levels of mRNAs encoding the ENaC subunits was evident. Inhibition of lysosome function with chloroquine or NH4Cl did not alter the inhibitory effect of PON2 on ENaC expression. In contrast, PON2 accelerates ENaC degradation in a proteasome-dependent manner and acts before ENaC subunit ubiquitination. As a result of enhanced ENaC subunit ubiquitination and degradation, both channel surface expression and ENaC-mediated Na+ transport in FRT cells were reduced by PON2. Together, our data suggest that PON2 functions as an ER chaperone to monitor ENaC biogenesis and redirects the channel for ER-associated degradation.
Aerobic exercise and resistance exercise alleviate skeletal muscle atrophy through IGF-1/IGF-1R-PI3K/Akt pathway in mice with myocardial infarction
Authors: Feng Lili , Li Bowen , Xi Yue , Cai Mengxin , Tian Zhenjun
Published: December 2021

Myocardial infarction (MI)-induced heart failure (HF) is commonly accompanied with profound effects on skeletal muscle. With the process of MI-induced HF, perturbations in skeletal muscle contribute to muscle atrophy. Exercise is viewed as a feasible strategy to prevent muscle atrophy. The aims of this study were to investigate whether exercise could alleviate MI-induced skeletal muscle atrophy via insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) pathway in mice. Male C57/BL6 mice were used to establish the MI model and were divided into three groups: sedentary MI group (MI), MI with aerobic exercise group, and MI with resistance exercise group; sham-operated group was used as control. Exercise-trained animals were subjected to 4 wk of aerobic exercise (AE) or resistance exercise (RE). Cardiac function, muscle weight, myofiber size, levels of IGF-1 signaling and proteins related to myogenesis, protein synthesis, and degradation and apoptosis in gastrocnemius muscle were detected. H2O2-treated C2C12 cells were intervened with recombinant human IGF-1, IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) inhibitor NVP-AEW541, and PI3K inhibitor LY294002 to explore the mechanism. Exercises upregulated the IGF-1/IGF-1R-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling; increased the expressions of Pax7, myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs), and protein synthesis; and reduced protein degradation and cell apoptosis in MI mice. In vitro, IGF-1 upregulated the levels of Pax7, MRFs, mTOR, and P70S6K; reduced MuRF1 and MAFbx; and inhibited cell apoptosis via IGF-1R-PI3K/Akt pathway. AE and RE, safely and effectively, alleviate skeletal muscle atrophy by regulating the levels of myogenesis, protein degradation, and cell apoptosis in mice with MI via activating IGF-1/IGF-1R-PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
Diet-induced obesity in mice impairs host defense against Klebsiella pneumonia in vivo and glucose transport and bactericidal functions in neutrophils in vitro
Authors: Mancuso Peter , Curtis Jeffrey L. , Weitzel Anne M. , Griffin Cameron A. , Bouchard Benjamin , Freeman Christine M. , Bridges Dave , Singer Kanakadurga
Published: December 2021

Obesity impairs host defense against Klebsiella pneumoniae, but responsible mechanisms are incompletely understood. To determine the impact of diet-induced obesity on pulmonary host defense against K. pneumoniae, we fed 6-wk-old male C57BL/6j mice a normal diet (ND) or high-fat diet (HFD) (13% vs. 60% fat, respectively) for 16 wk. Mice were intratracheally infected with Klebsiella, assayed at 24 or 48 h for bacterial colony-forming units, lung cytokines, and leukocytes from alveolar spaces, lung parenchyma, and gonadal adipose tissue were assessed using flow cytometry. Neutrophils from uninfected mice were cultured with and without 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG) and assessed for phagocytosis, killing, reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI), transport of 2-DG, and glucose transporter (GLUT1–4) transcripts, and protein expression of GLUT1 and GLUT3. HFD mice had higher lung and splenic bacterial burdens. In HFD mice, baseline lung homogenate concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17, IFN-γ, CXCL2, and TNF-α were reduced relative to ND mice, but following infection were greater for IL-6, CCL2, CXCL2, and IL-1β (24 h only). Despite equivalent lung homogenate leukocytes, HFD mice had fewer intraalveolar neutrophils. HFD neutrophils exhibited decreased Klebsiella phagocytosis and killing and reduced ROI to heat-killed Klebsiella in vitro. 2-DG transport was lower in HFD neutrophils, with reduced GLUT1 and GLUT3 transcripts and protein (GLUT3 only). Blocking glycolysis with 2-DG impaired bacterial killing and ROI production in neutrophils from mice fed ND but not HFD. Diet-induced obesity impairs pulmonary Klebsiella clearance and augments blood dissemination by reducing neutrophil killing and ROI due to impaired glucose transport.
MDGCN: Multiple Graph Convolutional Network Based on the Differential Calculation for Passenger Flow Forecasting in Urban Rail Transit
Authors: Wang Chenxi , Zhang Huizhen , Yao Shuilin , Yu Wenlong , Ye Ming
Published: December 2021

Passenger flow forecasting plays an important role in urban rail transit (URT) management. However, complex spatial and temporal correlations make this task extremely challenging. Previous work has been done by capturing spatiotemporal correlations of historical data. However, the spatiotemporal relationship between stations not only is limited to geospatial adjacency, but also lacks different perspectives of station correlation analysis. To fully capture the spatiotemporal correlations, we propose a deep learning model based on graph convolutional neural networks called MDGCN. Firstly, we identify the heterogeneity of stations under two spaces by the Multi-graph convolutional layer. Secondly, we designed the Diff-graph convolutional layer to identify the changing trend of heterogeneous features and used the attention mechanism unit with the LSTM unit to achieve adaptive fusion of multiple features and modeling of temporal correlation. We evaluate this model on real datasets. Compared to the best baselines, the root-mean-square errors of MDGCN are improved by 1%–15% for different prediction intervals.
circ_0075943 Dominates the miR-141-3p/AK2 Network to Support the Development of Breast Carcinoma
Authors: Wang Haixia , Zhao Xuechun , Wang Hui
Published: December 2021

Background. Breast cancer (BC) progression is related to the disorder of circular RNAs (circRNAs). This study aims to characterize the role of circ_0075943 in BC. Methods. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (real-time PCR) technology was implemented to investigate circ_0075943, AK2 mRNA, and microRNA-141-3p levels. MTT, colony formation method, Transwell, and flow cytometry technique were adopted to investigate cell function. The connection between miR-141-3p and circ_0075943 or AK2 was confirmed by the dual-luciferase reporter gene or RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP). The influence on circ_0075943 in vivo was confirmed by animal experiments. Results. circ_0075943 was augmented in BC cell lines and tumor specimens. Dwindling of circ_0075943 could dramatically suppress the phenotype of BC cells and induce apoptosis. MiR-141-3p is a target of circ_0075943, and its repression largely reverses the influence of knocking down circ_0075943 on cell behavior. Moreover, AK2, as a target of miR-141-3p, is augmented in BC cells and specimens. AK2 overexpression could restore the phenotype of BC cells blocked by miR-141-3p redevelopment. Moreover, knocking down circ_0075943 could suppress the growth of tumors in vivo. Conclusion. The abnormal regulation of circ_0075943 participates in part of the expansion of BC by dominating the miR-141-3p/AK2 regulatory network.
Ectopic Pregnancy in Tigray, Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Prevalence, Management Outcomes, and Associated Factors
Authors: Berhe Elsa Tesfa , Kiros Kalayu , Hagos Merhawit Gebremeskel , Gesesew Hailay Abrha , Ward Paul R. , Gebremeskel Teferi Gebru
Published: December 2021

Background. Ectopic pregnancy is a neglected and challenging gynecologic problem in developing countries including Ethiopia. Objective. The present study is aimed at assessing the prevalence of ectopic pregnancy, its management outcomes, and factors associated with management outcomes in Tigray, North Ethiopia. Methods. We employed a four-year retrospective cross-sectional study from September 2015 to August 2019. We extracted data about all pregnant mothers who were admitted and managed for EPs in Axum, Tigray. Ectopic pregnancy and its outcomes (favorable and unfavorable) were the dependent variables, and age, residence, ethnicity, religion, parity, history of abortion, history of EP, pelvic infections, history of surgical procedures, and use contraceptives were the independent variables. We employed descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses using SPSS. Ethical clearance was obtained from Axum University, Tigray, Ethiopia. Results. The overall prevalence of ectopic pregnancy was 0.52% of total deliveries, which equates to 1 : 193 deliveries. Surgery for ectopic pregnancy accounts for 7.6% of all gynecological surgeries. Most participants were in the age group 26–30 years and lived in rural areas. Among the different EP implantation sites, most cases (92.4%) occurred in the fallopian tube, followed by 5.1% in the ovary and 2.5% in abdominal EPs. Surgical management (laparotomy) was undertaken for all the 79 women diagnosed with EPs, including laparotomy (100%), salpingo-oophorectomy (17.7%), salpingectomy (73.9%), oophorectomy (3.4%), cornual resection (2.5%), and removal of concepts tissue 2.5. The record reports that intraoperative procedure was correctly managed for 47 (59.5%) women but the condition of EP procedure was ruptured for about two-thirds (63.3%) of the women. Thirty (38%) patients had developed some complications after surgery including anemia (

hemoglobin
<
10.5

)

(
n
=
12

), fever (

n
=
10

), wound infection (

n
=
2

), and pneumonia (

n
=
2

). Women who were from urban (

AOR
=
11.2

, 95% CI: 2.65-47.2) and who had normal hemoglobin at presentation (

AOR
=
9.94

, 95% CI: 2.03-48.7) were associated with favorable maternal outcomes. Conclusions. More than one-third of women with ectopic pregnancies had an unfavorable maternal outcome, which was higher among rural residents and anemic mothers. Women living in rural areas and anemia during pregnancy should seek special attention in the management of EPs. We also recommend improving the data management of hospitals in Ethiopia.
Using the Symptom Patient Similarity Network to Explore the Difference between the Chinese and Western Medicine Pathways of Ischemic Stroke and its Comorbidities
Authors: Zhang Lunzhong , Han Shu , Zhao Manli , Zhang Runshun , Zhang Xuebin , Zhang Jing , Liu Xiaoqing , He Yuyao , He Zhao , Dong Yunfang , Hou Xiaoying , Mou Zijun , He Liyun , Zhou Hong , Yang Jie , Huang Xingyan , Hu Yanjie , Zhang Yuefeng , Zhang Lili , Chen Zhengguang , Li Xiaozhen , Tan Yan , Cao Kegang , Meng Wei , Zhong Liqun
Published: December 2021

Background and Objectives. The development of network medicine provides new opportunities for disease research. Ischemic stroke has a high incidence, disability, and recurrence rate, and one of the reasons is that it is often accompanied by other complex diseases, including risk factors, complications, and comorbidities. Network medicine was used to try to analyze the characteristics of IS-related diseases and find out the differences in genetic pathways between Chinese herbs and Western drugs. Methods. Individualized treatment of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) provides a theoretical basis for the study of the personalized classification of complex diseases. Utilizing the TCM clinical electronic medical records (EMRs) of 7170 in patients with IS, a patient similarity network (PSN) with shared symptoms was constructed. Next, patient subgroups were identified using community detection methods and enrichment analyses were performed. Finally, genetic data of symptoms, herbs, and drugs were used for pathway and GO analysis to explore the characteristics of pathways of subgroups and to compare the similarities and differences in genetic pathways of herbs and drugs from the perspective of molecular pathways of symptoms. Results. We identified 34 patient modules from the PSN, of which 7 modules include 98.48% of the whole cases. The 7 patient subgroups have their own characteristics of risk factors, complications, and comorbidities and the underlying genetic pathways of symptoms, drugs, and herbs. Each subgroup has the largest number of herb pathways. For specific symptom pathways, the number of herb pathways is more than that of drugs. Conclusion. The research of disease classification based on community detection of symptom-shared patient networks is practical; the common molecular pathway of symptoms and herbs reflects the rationality of TCM herbs on symptoms and the wide range of therapeutic targets.
Efficacy of Human Umbilical Cord Blood-Mononuclear Cell Transplantation for MSA Treatment and Its Effects on Changes in T-Cell Subsets in Peripheral Blood and Inflammatory Factors
Authors: Yu Haiyan , Yuan Xiaoling , Zhao Min , Wang Weifei , Gong Dianrong
Published: December 2021

Objective. This study is aimed at examining the efficacy of human umbilical cord blood-mononuclear cell (hUCB-MNCs) transplantation through lateral atlanto-occipital space puncture in multiple system atrophy (MSA) treatment and investigating changes in T-cell subsets in peripheral blood and inflammatory factors in patients before and after treatment. Methods. A total of 20 patients with MSA who underwent hUCB-MNC transplantation through lateral atlanto-occipital space puncture in the Liaocheng People’s Hospital were enrolled. Patients were followed up at 0, 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment, and the Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale (UMSARS) scores, TNF-α in the peripheral blood, IL-6, percentage of CD4, and CD4/CD8 ratio were evaluated and compared for each follow-up point; any adverse effects were recorded. Results. UMSARS Part I scores were

20.55
±
3.80

,

19.20
±
3.78

, and

19.40
±
4.11

, 1, 3, and 6 months, respectively, after treatment and were significantly lower as compared to that before treatment (

23.50
±
4.72

;

P
<
0.05

). Similarly, UMSARS Part II scores 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment were

25.50
±
5.01

,

24.05
±
5.01

, and

24.25
±
5.05

, respectively, significantly lower as compared to that before treatment (

30.15
±
5.63

;

P
<
0.05

). The IL-6 values in the peripheral blood 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment were

5.25
±
2.70
 
pg
/
m

,

2.96
±
1.75
 
pg
/
m

, and

3.31
±
1.62
 
pg
/
m

, respectively, which were significantly lower (

P
<
0.05

) than that before treatment (

8.22
±
4.69

) pg/m. The TNF-α levels at 3 and 6 months after treatment were

13.08
±
6.13
 
pg
/
m

and

12.24
±
4.76
 
pg
/
m

, respectively, which were significantly lower than that before treatment (

22.99
±
13.30

;

P
<
0.01

). The CD4/CD8 ratios in the peripheral blood 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment were

1.09
±
0.25

,

1.30
±
0.24

, and

1.43
±
0.22

, respectively, which were significantly different than that before treatment (

0.81
±
0.24

,

P
<
0.01

). Similarly, the CD4 percentages 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment were

34.09
±
1.79

,

36.05
±
1.50

, and

36.47
±
1.47

, respectively, which were significantly different than that before treatment (

0.81
±
0.24

;

P
<
0.01

). Conclusion. hUCB-MNC transplantation through lateral atlanto-occipital space puncture could significantly improve the symptoms and signs in patients with MSA and delay the disease progression. Thus, hUCB-MNCs may modulate immune activity and reduce the inflammatory response.
Evaluation of Freeze-Thaw Durability of Silica Fume Concrete with Spraying Inorganic Coating Using Ultrasonic Testing
Authors: Yan Wujian , Niu Fuhang , Tian Xinxin
Published: December 2021

To study the antifreezing durability of internal coating silicon fume concrete with different external coatings, fast freeze-thaw (FT) cycle testing was performed for three types of external coatings applied to the internal coatings of silicon fume concrete. Using ultrasonic testing and compressive strength tests, we analysed the relationships between the ultrasonic pulse velocity and the mechanical and physical properties of concrete under freeze-thaw action. The results show that the compressive strength and pulse velocity of the studied concrete changed little before the first 100 FT cycles but varied significantly after being subjected to 100 FT cycles and diminished linearly with increasing FT cycles. The dynamic elastic parameters of the concrete were inferred using pulse velocity calculations, and the dependence on FT cycles was very similar to that of ultrasonic pulse velocity. The concrete strength was strongly and positively correlated with ultrasonic pulse velocity. The linear regression model of between ultrasonic pulse velocity, kinetic coefficient, and compressive strength of concrete was also established. The damage incurred to the external coating material (XT-HPA + XT-SS and XT-HPS) was small, and the good performance of the concrete with the added inorganic coating after freeze-thaw cycles indicates good frost resistance.
Effective Passive Multitarget Localization Using Maximum Likelihood
Authors: Munir Yasir , Aftab Muhammad Umar , Shehzad Danish , Aseere Ali M. , Shah Habib
Published: December 2021

Localization of multiple targets is a challenging task due to immense complexity regarding data fusion received at the sensors. In this context, we propose an algorithm to solve the problem for an unknown number of emitters without prior knowledge to address the data fusion problem. The proposed technique combines the time difference of arrival (TDOA) and frequency difference of arrival (FDOA) measurement data fusion which further uses the maximum likelihood of the measurements received at each sensor of the surveillance region. The measurement grids of the sensors are used to perform data association. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the multipass grid search and further effectively eliminated the ghost targets created due to the fusion of measurements received at each sensor. Moreover, the proposed algorithm reduces the computational complexity compared to other existing algorithms as it does not use repeated steps for convergence or any biological evolutions. Furthermore, the experimental testing of the proposed technique was executed successfully for tracking multiple targets in different scenarios passively.
LRDC: Learning Resource Diffusion Based on Credibility for Computer‐Supported Collaborative Learning
Authors: Li Peng , Cui Yuanru , Liu Qian , Ren Meirui , Guo Longjiang , Liu Hong , Zhang Lichen , Wu Xiaojun , Wang Xiaoming , An Ning , Sun Jinhu
Published: December 2021

Computer‐supported collaborative learning (CSCL) is a learning strategy that gathers students together on campus through mobile application software on intelligent handheld devices to carry out creative exploration learning activities and social interaction learning activities. Learning resource diffusion is a very important constituent part of CSCL mobile software. However, learners will receive or forward a large number of learning resources such that short video, images, or short audio which will increase the energy consumption of forwarding nodes and reduce the message delivery success rate. How to improve the message delivery success rate is an urgent problem to be solved. To solve the aforementioned problem, this paper mainly studies the diffusion of learning resources in campus opportunistic networks based on credibility for CSCL. In campus opportunistic networks, learners who participate in collaborative learning can obtain the desired learning resources through the distribution and sharing of learning resources. Learning resource diffusion depends on the credibility of learners who participate in collaborative learning. However, the existing classical algorithms do not take into account the credibility between learners. Firstly, the concept of credibility in campus opportunistic networks is proposed, and the calculation method of credibility is also presented. Next, the problem of node initialization starvation is solved in this paper. The node initialization starvation phase of collaborative learning is defined and resolved in campus opportunistic networks. Based on the information of familiarity and activity between nodes formed in the process of continuous interaction, a learning resource diffusion mechanism based on node credibility is proposed. Finally, the paper proposes a complete learning resource diffusion algorithm based on credibility for computer‐supported collaborative learning (LRDC for short) to improve the delivery success rate of learning resources on the campus. Extensive simulation results show that the average message diffusion success rate of LDRC is higher than that of classical algorithms such as DirectDeliver, Epidemic, FirstContact, and SprayAndWait under the different transmission speed, buffer size, and initial energy, which is averagely improved by 46.83%, 44.43%, and 45.6%, respectively. The scores of LRDC in other aspects are also significantly better than these classical algorithms.
Key Technologies of Media Data In-Depth Analysis System Based on Artificial Intelligence-Based Big Data
Authors: Zheng Yi
Published: December 2021

At present, big data related technologies are developing rapidly, and major companies provide big data analysis services. However, the big data analysis system formed by the combination method cannot sense each other and lacks cooperation, resulting in a certain amount of waste of resources in the big data analysis system. In order to find the key technology of the data analysis system and conduct in-depth analysis of the media data, this paper proposes a scheduling algorithm based on artificial intelligence (AI) to implement task scheduling and logical data block migration. By analyzing the experimental results, we know that the performance of LAS (Logistic-Block Affinity Scheduler) is improved by 23.97%, 16.11%, and 10.56%, respectively, compared with the other three algorithms. Based on real new media data, this article analyzes the content of media data and user behavior in depth through big data analysis methods. Compared with other methods, the algorithm model in this paper optimizes the accuracy of hot topic extraction, which has important implications for media data mining. In addition, the analysis results of the emotional characteristics, audience characteristics, and hot topic communication characteristics obtained by the research also have practical value. This method improves the recall rate and F value by 5% and 4.7%, respectively, and the overall F value of emotional judgment is about 88.9%.
Indoor Positioning System Based on Standardizing Waveform Tendency
Authors: Li Xiaohua , Yu Ge
Published: December 2021

Estimating the indoor position of users in commercial buildings remains a significant challenge to date. Although the WiFi‐based indoor localization has been widely explored in many works by employing received signal strength (RSS) patterns as the features, they usually lead to inaccurate results as the RSS could be easily affected by the indoor environmental dynamics. Besides, existing methods are computationally intensive, which have a high time consumption that makes them unsuitable for real‐life applications. In order to deal with those issues, we propose to use standardizing waveform tendency (SWT) of RSS for indoor positioning. We show that the proposed SWT is robust to the noise generated by the dynamic environment. We further develop a novel smartphone indoor positioning system by integrating SWT and kernel extreme learning machine (KELM) algorithm. Extensive real‐world positioning experiments are conducted to demonstrate the superiority of our proposed model in terms of both positioning accuracy and robustness to environmental changes when comparing with state‐of‐the‐art baselines.
Truck-Lifting Prevention System Based on Vision Tracking for Container-Lifting Operation
Authors: Huang Qingfeng , Huang Yage , Zhang Zhiwei , Zhang Yujie , Mi Weijian , Mi Chao
Published: December 2021

Truck-lifting accidents are common in container-lifting operations. Previously, the operation sites are needed to arrange workers for observation and guidance. However, with the development of automated equipment in container terminals, an automated accident detection method is required to replace manual workers. Considering the development of vision detection and tracking algorithms, this study designed a vision-based truck-lifting prevention system. This system uses a camera to detect and track the movement of the truck wheel hub during the operation to determine whether the truck chassis is being lifted. The hardware device of this system is easy to install and has good versatility for most container-lifting equipment. The accident detection algorithm combines convolutional neural network detection, traditional image processing, and a multitarget tracking algorithm to calculate the displacement and posture information of the truck during the operation. The experiments show that the measurement accuracy of this system reaches 52 mm, and it can effectively distinguish the trajectories of different wheel hubs, meeting the requirements for detecting lifting accidents.
Human Endogenous Retrovirus Type K Promotes Proliferation and Confers Sensitivity to Antiretroviral Drugs in Merlin-Negative Schwannoma and Meningioma
Authors: Maze Emmanuel A. , Agit Bora , Reeves Shona , Hilton David A. , Parkinson David B. , Laraba Liyam , Ercolano Emanuela , Kurian Kathreena M. , Hanemann C. Oliver , Belshaw Robert D. , Ammoun Sylwia
Published: December 2021

Deficiency of the tumor suppressor Merlin causes development of schwannoma, meningioma, and ependymoma tumors, which can occur spontaneously or in the hereditary disease neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). Merlin mutations are also relevant in a variety of other tumors. Surgery and radiotherapy are current first-line treatments; however, tumors frequently recur with limited treatment options. Here, we use human Merlin-negative schwannoma and meningioma primary cells to investigate the involvement of the endogenous retrovirus HERV-K in tumor development. HERV-K proteins previously implicated in tumorigenesis were overexpressed in schwannoma and all meningioma grades, and disease-associated CRL4DCAF1 and YAP/TEAD pathways were implicated in this overexpression. In normal Schwann cells, ectopic overexpression of HERV-K Env increased proliferation and upregulated expression of c-Jun and pERK1/2, which are key components of known tumorigenic pathways in schwannoma, JNK/c-Jun, and RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK. Furthermore, FDA-approved retroviral protease inhibitors ritonavir, atazanavir, and lopinavir reduced proliferation of schwannoma and grade I meningioma cells. These results identify HERV-K as a critical regulator of progression in Merlin-deficient tumors and offer potential strategies for therapeutic intervention.

Significance:

The endogenous retrovirus HERV-K activates oncogenic signaling pathways and promotes proliferation of Merlin-deficient schwannomas and meningiomas, which can be targeted with antiretroviral drugs and TEAD inhibitors.
Are CRISPR Screens Providing the Next Generation of Therapeutic Targets?
Authors: Vazquez Francisca , Sellers William R.
Published: December 2021

CRISPR screens combined with molecular and genetic profiling of large panels of cell lines are helping to systematically identify cancer vulnerabilities. These large-scale screens, together with focused in vivo and isogenic cell line screens, have identified a growing number of promising targets and led directly to numerous target-specific drug discovery programs, several of which have reached clinical testing. However, systematic loss-of-function studies are still in their early stages. Genetic redundancy, the limitation of cell line models for many cancer types, and the difficulty of conducting complex in vitro and in vivo screens remain opportunities for discovery. We expect that over the next few years, efforts like the Cancer Dependency Map along with more focused screens will play a significant role in the creation of a roadmap of oncology therapeutic targets.
Augmenting Adoptive T-cell Immunotherapy by Targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 Axis
Authors: Lai Junyun , Beavis Paul A. , Li Jasmine , Darcy Phillip K.
Published: December 2021

Cancer immunotherapy utilizing checkpoint blockade antibodies or adoptive cellular therapy (ACT) with tumor-specific T cells has led to unprecedented clinical responses in patients with cancer and has been considered one of the most significant breakthroughs in cancer treatment in the past decade. Nevertheless, many cancers remain refractory to these therapies due to the presence of an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. This has led to the innovative idea of combining ACT with checkpoint inhibition. A landmark 2004 study by Blank and colleagues published in Cancer Research was one of the original demonstrations that adoptive transfer of T cells lacking the negative T-cell regulator, PD-1, was able to restore functional T-cell antitumor activity, resulting in rapid regression of established tumors in a preclinical model. This work was instrumental in not only driving clinical studies utilizing checkpoint inhibition but also a new wave of recent trials involving checkpoint blockade in the setting of ACT.

See related article by Blank and colleagues, Cancer Res 2004;64:1140–1145.
Associations of A Body Shape Index (ABSI) with Cancer Incidence, All-Cause, and at 23 Sites—Findings from the UK Biobank Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Parra-Soto Solange , Malcomson Fiona C. , Ho Frederick K. , Pell Jill P. , Sharp Linda , Mathers John C. , Celis-Morales Carlos
Published: December 2021

Background:

Few studies have explored the emerging adiposity marker A Body Shape Index (ABSI) with cancer risk. This study investigated the associations between ABSI and the incidence of cancer at 23 sites and all cancer combined.

Methods:

Data from 442,610 participants from the UK Biobank prospective study were included in this study. ABSI was used as the exposure. Incidence of cancer at 23 sites was the outcome. Cox proportional hazard models were performed to explore the association of ABSI, and combined ABSI and body mass index (BMI) with cancer risk, after adjusting for multiple testing.

Results:

36,961 individuals developed cancer during the 8.8 years median follow-up. In multivariable analyses, participants in the highest tertile of ABSI had higher risk of lung [HR, 1.58; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.44–1.74], liver (HR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.18–1.77), esophagus (HR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.12–1.57), colorectal (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.10–1.28), and breast (HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.04–1.17) cancers, and all cancers combined (HR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.08–1.14) compared with the lowest tertile. These associations remained significant after adjustment for BMI. When ABSI was combined with BMI, participants in the highest ABSI who also had a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 were at higher risk of uterus, esophagus, liver, stomach, colorectal, and breast cancers, as well as all cancers combined, compared with those in the lowest ABSI tertile with a normal BMI.

Conclusions:

ABSI is associated with an increased risk of five cancers as well as all cancers combined, independently of BMI.

Impact:

ABSI is a useful marker for adiposity. However, cancer risk prediction improves with the combination of BMI.