bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A pilot randomised controlled trial on the effectiveness of infant massage on the acceptance, commitment and awareness of influence in parents of babies with Down syndrome
Authors: Pinero‐Pinto E. , Romero‐Galisteo R. P. , Jiménez‐Rejano J.‐J. , Escobio‐Prieto I. , Peña‐Salinas M. , Luque‐Moreno C. , Palomo‐Carrión R.
Published: October 2022

Background

The emotional state of parents of babies with Down syndrome affects their babies' development and their parent–child bonding. The aim for this study was to conduct a pilot randomised controlled evaluation of the effect of infant massage on parents of babies with Down syndrome.

Methods

This pilot study compared two groups (intervention and control), each with 16 parents of babies with Down syndrome. Indices of acceptance, engagement and awareness of influence were measured at two different time points (pre‐test and after 5 weeks) using the ‘This Is My Baby’ Interview. The allocation of families to each group was randomised. The experimental group performed infant massage, applied by the parents, for 5 weeks, every day for at least 10 min. The massage protocol was based on the methodology created by Vimala McClure. Parents in the control group received the intervention after completion of the study.

Results

The indices of acceptance, commitment and awareness of influence improved in the experimental group and in the control group. The 2 × 2 mixed‐model analysis of variance indicates a statistically significant group‐by‐time interaction for all indices (P < 0.001), which was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group.

Conclusions

The application of infant massage, by parents to their babies, improves the rates of acceptance, commitment and awareness of influence of parents of babies with Down syndrome in the short term.
Production strategies, productivity changes and innovation: An analysis of European turbot aquaculture from 2009 to 2020
Authors: Fernández‐González Raquel , Pérez‐Pérez Marcos I. , Correia‐da‐Silva João
Published: October 2022

After more than four decades of production in the European Union, turbot (Psetta maxima) farming is a mature sector with a moderate growth trend (2.74% in 2020). Although up to seven countries started the production of this species, there are only four producing countries in 2020, with more than 90% of the production concentrated in the Iberian Peninsula. The objective of this paper is to analyse the economic performance of turbot companies in the EU between 2009 and 2020. In this way, biological, environmental, technological, political and social factors will be interrelated with the economic‐financial performance of the sector in order to reach a holistic understanding of this industry. The novelty of this paper lies in the fact that it is the first to analyse the profitability of the 22 turbot companies, aggregated by size and location, in the EU. The results show that the countries that have achieved success in the production of this species, and whose companies are still active today, are those in which several favourable circumstances converge. Among the most important factors are the location of the plants in the natural distribution area of turbot, an adequate institutional climate, and the financial and technological capacity of the companies.
Design and Evaluation of Self-Cooling Electrodes for Radiofrequency Intestinal Anastomosis
Authors: Yue Wanli , Cui Haipo , Song Chengli , Tu Liangyong , Lang Jingcheng , Yan Wenhui , Lu Yingxi
Published: October 2022

Colorectal cancer is a common malignant tumor in the gastrointestinal tract. Resection of the cancerous site and anastomosis of the residual intestine is the preferred radical treatment for colorectal cancer. In particular, radio frequency energy anastomosis of the residual intestine is being increasingly used in clinical practice. To improve the quality of anastomosis, reduce the thermal damage of tissue near the anastomosis area, and avoid foreign body residue in this area, we propose a self-cooling eversion-type radio frequency-energy intestinal anastomosis electrode, which is analyzed through simulations and evaluated experimentally for welding intestinal tissue. For radio frequency energy power of 160 W, anastomosis time of 13.2 s, and pressure of 154 kPa, the disconnected intestinal tissues can be anastomosed using the proposed electrode. The average burst pressure of the anastomotic orifice is 43.86 mmHg. During welding, the temperature of the normal saline at the outlet is 6.8 °C higher than that at the inlet, indicating that the use of circulating normal saline as the conductive and cooling medium can dissipate part of the heat generated by welding and reduce heat accumulation, thereby reducing thermal damage of biological tissue near the welding area. Overall, the proposed electrode may contribute to the recovery of postoperative intestinal function by enabling a novel strategy for clinical intestinal anastomosis induced by radio frequency energy.
Investigation on Thermal Performance of a Novel Passive Phase Change Material-Based Fin Heat Exchanger
Authors: Zhang De-Xin , Zhu Chuan-Yong , Gong Liang , Ding Bin , Xu Ming-Hai
Published: October 2022

This work presents a numerical investigation of the thermal control performance of a phase change material (PCM) composite-filling fin heat exchanger under natural convection and transient heat flux shocks. First, the temperature control performance of the PCM-based fin heat exchanger and the fin heat exchanger without PCM is compared. Then, the influence of the PCM filling patterns, liquid phase change temperature, and the PCM filling volume fraction on the temperature control performance are studied. The results show that filling the PCM in fins could significantly improve the temperature control performance by absorbing heat during the solid–liquid phase change process. Compared with the fin heat exchangers without PCM, the temperature control performance of the designed PCM-based fin heat exchangers could be improved by up to 13%. PCM filling patterns influence the temperature control performance of fin heat exchangers to a certain extent, and the asymmetric filling pattern is better than the symmetric filling pattern. The results of different phase change temperatures of PCM show that, within a certain temperature range, the lower the liquid phase change temperature results in a better temperature control performance since more PCM would melt when suffering the heat flux shock. Besides, when the volume fraction of PCM is small, it also greatly influences the temperature control efficiency of the heat exchanger; however, when the volume fraction of PCM is larger than 75%, its influence could be neglected.
Draft Genome Sequences of Four Strains of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria Associated with Maize Rhizosphere
Authors: Babalola Olubukola Oluranti , Agbodjato Nadège Adoukè , Ayangbenro Ayansina Segun , Adjanohoun Adolphe , Baba-Moussa Lamine
Published: October 2022

This study presents the draft genome sequences of four strains of rhizobacteria, namely,
Bacillus cereus
ADO11,
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
NAA11,
Acinetobacter pittii
LAM11, and
Serratia marcescens
NSA15, which were isolated from maize soils and have the ability to stimulate plant growth. The genome assembly sizes for the strains were 4,476,462 bp, 4,731,402 bp, 4,080,875 bp and 4,959,744 bp, respectively.
Statistical Evaluation of Metaproteomics and 16S rRNA Amplicon Sequencing Techniques for Study of Gut Microbiota Establishment in Infants with Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Saralegui Claudia , García-Durán Carmen , Romeu Eduardo , Hernáez-Sánchez María Luisa , Maruri Ainhize , Bastón-Paz Natalia , Lamas Adelaida , Vicente Saioa , Pérez-Ruiz Estela , Delgado Isabel , Luna-Paredes Carmen , Caballero Juan de Dios , Zamora Javier , Monteoliva Lucía , Gil Concepción , del Campo Rosa
Published: October 2022

In recent years, some techniques have been incorporated for the study of microbial ecosystems, being 16S rRNA gene sequencing being the most widely used. Metaproteomics provides the advantage of identifying the interaction between microorganisms and human cells, but the available databases are less extensive as well as imprecise.
Decreased Interleukin-1 Family Cytokine Production in Patients with Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Lung Disease
Authors: Jung Bock-Gie , Dean Kristin , Wadle Carly , Samten Buka , Tripathi Deepak , Wallace Richard J. , Brown-Elliott Barbara A. , Tucker Torry , Idell Steven , Philley Julie V. , Vankayalapati Ramakrishna
Published: October 2022

Upon MAC stimulation, the production of IL-1 family cytokines and IL-10 by PBMCs of NTMPD patients was attenuated compared with that of healthy household contacts. Upon MAC stimulation, the expression of TLR2 and TWIK2 (one of the two-pore domain K+ channels) was attenuated in PBMCs of NTMPD patients compared with that of healthy household contacts.
Microvascular lung injury and endoplasmic reticulum stress in systemic lupus erythematosus-associated alveolar hemorrhage and pulmonary vasculitis
Authors: Zhuang Haoyang , Hudson Erin , Han Shuhong , Arja Rawad Daniel , Hui Winnie , Lu Li , Reeves Westley H.
Published: October 2022

Human COPA mutations affecting retrograde Golgi-to-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein transport cause diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) and ER stress (“COPA syndrome”). Patients with SLE also can develop DAH. C57BL/6 (B6) mice with pristane-induced lupus develop monocyte-dependent DAH indistinguishable from human DAH, whereas BALB/c mice are resistant. We examined Copa and ER stress in pristane-induced lupus. Copa expression, ER stress, vascular injury, and apoptosis were assessed in mice and COPA was quantified in blood from patients with SLE. Copa mRNA and protein expression were impaired in B6 mice with pristane-induced DAH, but not in pristane-treated BALB/c mice. An ER stress response (increased Hsp5a/BiP, Ddit3/CHOP, Eif2a, and spliced Xbp1) was seen in lungs from pristane-treated B6, but not BALB/c, mice. Resistance of BALB/c mice to DAH was overcome by treating them with low-dose thapsigargin plus pristane. CB6F1 mice did not develop DAH or ER stress, suggesting that susceptibility was recessive. Increased pulmonary expression of von Willebrand factor ( Vwf), a marker of endothelial injury, and the chemokine Ccl2 in DAH suggested that pristane promotes lung microvascular injury and monocyte recruitment. Consistent with that possibility, lung endothelial cells and infiltrating bone marrow-derived cells from pristane-treated B6 mice expressed BiP and showed evidence of apoptosis (annexin-V and activated caspase-3 staining). COPA expression also was low in patients with SLE with lung involvement. Pristane-induced DAH may be initiated by endothelial injury, resulting in ER stress, apoptosis of lung endothelial cells, and recruitment of myeloid cells that propagate lung injury. The pathogenesis of DAH in SLE and COPA syndrome may overlap.
Analysis of Spectroscopic, Morphological Characterization and Interaction of Dye Molecules for the Surface Modification of TiB2 Nanoparticles
Authors: Mayakannan S. , Rathinam R. , Saminathan Rajasekaran , Deepalakshmi R. , Gopal Mahesh , Hillary J. Justin Maria , Nanthakumar S. , Ganvir V. Y. , Singh Pallavi
Published: October 2022

Nanoparticles of titanium diboride (TiB2) coated with a conductive polymer and subjected to an oxidizing agent was carried out in this research. TiB2 nanoparticles coated with polypyrrole (PPy) were studied using XRD and TEM techniques. Nitrogen adsorption and desorption properties of nanoparticles are covered with modified polypyrrole to understand better the surface zone, structural features, and pore geometries of the nanoparticles. The water‐based hazardous anionic Congo red (CR) dye was removed using polypyrrole‐coated titanium diboride (PPy@TiB2) nanoparticles. Numerous cutting‐edge experimental techniques, including FTIR, FE‐SEM, EDXS, and element mapping analysis, were used to confirm the CR color’s adhesion to the PPy@TiB2 nanoadsorbent study. While conducting batch experiments, coated TiB2 nanoadsorbents with polypyrrole enhanced the adsorption behaviour. One of the factors evaluated in the adsorption tests was pH; another was contact time, and a third was dose. At pH = 4, 98.75% of Congo red dye was detached using 60 mg of PPy‐coated TiB2 nanoadsorbent. Several sorption‐desorption cycles were performed on this nanoadsorbent to determine its reusability. An excellent adsorption capacity for water treatment is reported in PPy‐coated TiB2 nanoadsorbent.
Bioinformatics Analysis Identifies TNFRSF1A as a Biomarker of Liver Injury in Sepsis TNFRSF1A is a Biomarker for Septic Liver Injury
Authors: Zhou Shangxun , Zhao Wei , Li Junjie , Huang Yang , Yang Jing , Wang Qianmei , Xu Yunyun , Duan Chujun , Wang Yutong , Yin Wen
Published: October 2022

Sepsis is a severe disease with high mortality, and liver injury is an independent risk factor for sepsis morbidity and mortality. We analyzed co-differentially expressed genes (co-DEGs) to explore potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for sepsis-related liver injury. Three gene expression datasets (GSE60088, GSE23767, and GSE71530) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). DEGs were screened between sepsis and control samples using GEO2R. The association of these DEGs with infection and liver disease was analyzed by using the CTD database. GO functional analysis, KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis were performed to elucidate the potential molecular mechanism of DEGs. DEGs of different tissues in GSE60088 were analyzed again to obtain specific markers of septic liver injury. Mouse model of sepsis was also established by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), and the expression of specific markers in liver, lung, and kidney tissues was analyzed using Western blot. Here, we identified 21 DEGs in three datasets with 8 hub genes, all of which showed higher inference scores in liver diseases than bacterial infections. Among them, only TNFRSF1A had a liver-specific differential expression. TNFRSF1A was also confirmed to be specifically reduced in septic liver tissues in mice. Therefore, TNFRSF1A may serve as a potential biomarker for septic liver injury.
Clinical Efficacy of Antianlotinib Combined with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in the Treatment of Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer and Its Effect on Serum VEGF, CEA, and SCC-Ag
Authors: He Linghui , Chen Xi , Ding Lingchi , Zhang Xuedong
Published: October 2022

Purpose. This study is aimed at investigating the clinical safety and effectiveness of anlotinib combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods. We selected 68 NSCLC patients treated at the Tumor Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University from October 2019 to January 2022. Patients receiving ICI monotherapy were included in the control group (

n
=
36

), whereas patients receiving anlotinib combined with ICIs were enrolled in the study group (

n
=
32

). The survival, adverse reactions (AEs), and short-term clinical effectiveness of the two groups were observed. The tumor markers (vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-AG)) and T lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and CD4+/CD8+) were determined before and after treatment. Results. Compared with the control group, the disease-control rate (DCR) and objective response rate (ORR) in the study group were substantially higher than that of the control group (62.50 vs. 36.11, 81.25 vs. 55.56;

P
<
0.05

). The serum levels of VEGF, CEA, and SCC-AG in the two groups were considerably lower after two cycles of treatment (

P
<
0.05

), and the serum levels of VEGF, CEA, and SCC-AG in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group (

P
<
0.05

). Following therapy, CD8+ in both groups decreased dramatically (

P
<
0.05

), whereas CD3+, CD4+, and CD4+/CD8+ were significantly increased, but there was no statistical difference between the two groups (

P
>
0.05

). The incidence of gastrointestinal, respiratory, cardiovascular, and immune-related adverse events did not significantly differ between the two groups (

P
>
0.05

). The median progression-free survival (PFS) in the control and study groups for the first-line treatment patients was 7.2 and 9.8 months, respectively, whereas for the second-line treatment patients, it was 4.2 and 6.4 months, respectively. The mean PFS of study group was substantially longer than that of the control group regardless of the first- or second-line treatment. According to Cox analysis, the number of drug lines and TNM stage was independent risk variables impacting the prognosis of patients in this study. Conclusion. The combination of anlotinib with ICIs was more effective than either agent alone in the first- and second-line treatment of patients with advanced NSCLC. This treatment regimen did not interfere with immunological recovery or increase side effects.
A
B
C
Fractional Derivative for Varicella-Zoster Virus Using Two-Scale Fractal Dimension Approach with Vaccination
Authors: Yang Jirong , Afzal Farkhanda , Appiah Perpetual
Published: October 2022

Chickenpox or varicella is an infectious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus

V
Z
V

. This virus is the cause of chickenpox (usually a primary infection in the nonimmune host) and herpes zoster. In this paper, a compartmental model for the dynamics of

V
Z

transmission with the effect of vaccination is solved using the

A
B
C

fractional derivative. The possibility of using the fractal dimension as a biomarker to identify different diseases is being investigated. The problem is investigated in two different levels of research using two scale dimensions. To ascertain the existence and uniqueness of the solution, we qualitatively evaluate the model. We have used the Euler method to compute the numerical solution for the system. At the end, we provide the graphical results showing the effectiveness of two-scale dimension and fractional calculus in the current model.
Effective Microorganisms Improve Growth, Nutrients Uptake, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Photosystem II, and Essential Oil While Reducing Canopy Temperature in Water-Stressed Salvia sclarea Plants
Authors: Elgaml Naayem M. , Salama Adel B. , Shehata Heba Sh. , Abdelhamid Magdi T.
Published: October 2022

Clary sage (Salvia sclarea L.), a member of the Lamiaceae family of aromatic plants, is used as a flavoring in the food, fragrance, and cosmetic industries. Egypt’s food and pharmaceutical industries require more natural resources, thus new crops have been introduced to meet the demand. In addition, various environmental conditions, such as water stress, influence aromatic plant growth and essential oil output. The microorganisms included in biofertilizers that have enzymes that solubilize minerals include plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs). Therefore, a field experiment was carried out to test how irrigation management, i.e., 100% of reference evapotranspiration (ETo) (full irrigation) or 50% ETo (water stress), can affect herbal yield, essential oil, and physiological aspects of clary sage, as well as how to improve clary sage plants utilizing biofertilizer in the field in Egypt’s Mediterranean climate zone. The main processes through which PGPRs aid clary sage plants in coping with water stress include increased macro and micronutrient concentrations (P, N, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, B, Mn, Cu, and Fe), dehydrogenase activity, essential oil, and physiological and growth traits of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), chlorophyll content (SPAD-value), plant’s health (normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI), shoot dry weight, and leaf area in clary plants. Application of different PGPRs reduced canopy temperature (CT), thus improving clary sage plants either under 100% ETo or 50% ETo. Consequently, the usage of PGPRs is appropriate for alleviating environmental stresses experienced by clary sage plants and has potential use in maintaining productivity in water stress and may thus be regarded as an important component of sustainable agricultural practices.
Comprehensive Analysis of NPSR1-AS1 as a Novel Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker Involved in Immune Infiltrates in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhang Hui , Yuan Jin , Xiang Yuehua , Liu Yong
Published: October 2022

The incidence of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), the most common subtype of lung cancer, continues to make lung cancer the largest cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to have a significant role in both the onset and progression of lung cancer. In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinical significance and underlying mechanism of lncRNA NPSR1-AS1 (NPSR1-AS1) in LUAD. First, we performed an analysis on TCGA and identified 229 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) (including 216 upregulated lncRNAs and 13 downregulated lncRNAs). Then, we carried out a screening of the lncRNAs associated with survival, and a total of 382 survival-related lncRNAs were found. 15 survival-related DELs were identified. Among them, our attention focused on NPSR1-AS1. We found that the expression of NPSR1-AS1 was much higher in LUAD specimens compared to nontumor tissues. According to the results of the ROC assays, high NPSR1-AS1 expression had an AUC value of 0.904 for LUAD, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 0.881 to 0.927. The expression of NPSR1-AS1 was shown to be significantly elevated in a wide variety of cancers, according to the findings of a pancancer investigation. Functional enrichment analysis confirmed that NPSR1-AS1 was involved in LUAD progression via regulating several tumor-related pathways. Patients with high levels of NPSR1-AS1 expression were shown to have a shorter disease-specific survival (DSS) or overall survival (OS) than those with low levels of NPSR1-AS1 expression, according to the findings of a clinical investigation. It was determined by multivariate analysis that NPSR1-AS1 expressions served as an independent prognostic factor for the overall survival of LUAD patients. The results of immune cell infiltration revealed that the expressions of NPSR1-AS1 were negatively associated with CD8 T cells, pDC, cytotoxic cells, mast cells, iDC, neutrophils, NK CD56dim cells, DC, Th17 cells, Tgd, and macrophages, while they were positively associated with NK CD56bright cells and B cells. Overall, our findings revealed that NPSR1-AS1 could serve as a potential biomarker to assess the clinical outcome and immune infiltration level in LUAD.
Network-Assisted Full-Duplex Enabled Ultrareliable and Low-Latency Communications
Authors: Zhu Yue , Li Jiamin , Zhu Pengcheng , Wang Dongming , You Xiaohu
Published: October 2022

The ultrareliable and low-latency communication (URLLC) is one of the key scenarios of the current 5G new radio (NR). The performance of the duplex technologies in URLLC to assist in meeting the needs of low-latency services is of great significance. However, time division duplex (TDD) has poor delay performance due to the extra data waiting delay caused by the frequent uplink/downlink switching. Besides, TDD systems cannot dynamically adapt to the real-time changes of user requirements due to the problem of frame structure configuration, while frequency division duplex (FDD) has more pilot overhead due to channel estimation and worse spectrum utilization which are great drawbacks in 5G NR enabled URLLC. In this paper, we further proposed the strengths of a novel duplex technology named network-assisted full-duplex (NAFD) in terms of URLLC latency performance compared with TDD and FDD. NAFD scheme exploits the resources of the time and spatial domains to form a special duplex mechanism where the central processing unit (CPU) can dynamically assign the modes of different access points (APs) as downlink transmission or uplink receiving in the same coherent time block. Some improvement of the existing NAFD scheme for better fitting for URLLC is also proposed in this paper. The simulation results and analysis showed that the NAFD scheme outperforms other duplex technologies under URLLC scenarios.
Biogenic Metallic Nanoparticles from Seed Extracts: Characteristics, Properties, and Applications
Authors: Bhardwaj Kanchan , Chopra Chirag , Bhardwaj Prerna , Dhanjal Daljeet Singh , Singh Reena , Najda Agnieszka , Cruz-Martins Natalia , Singh Shubhangi , Sharma Rohit , Kuča Kamil , Manickam Sivakumar
Published: October 2022

Metal nanoparticles (MNPs) are popular in different research fields due to their unique physical and chemical properties and superior antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant, larvicidal, and catalytic potentials. Although conventional wet methods like colloidal synthesis, calcination, and spark ablation for synthesizing MNPs are effective, their synthesis uses an array of reducing and stabilizing agents and gases, making the process tedious. Additionally, metal nanoparticles induce oxidative stress through reactive oxygen species (ROS), showing high toxicity. Research and development in green chemistry have gained momentum and massive attention because of being efficient, clean, economical, environment‐friendly, and free of hazardous byproducts. Recently, seed extracts in‐lieu of chemical stabilizers and reducing agents have become popular because of the single‐step green synthesis of MNPs. Seeds provide the researchers with a cost‐effective alternate to other biological methods due to low maintenance costs, culture/growth independence for biomass, and diversity of phytochemicals as reducing and capping agents. Thus, effective green synthesis approaches are considered sustainable for MNP synthesis. This review depicts the literature on the challenges associated with metal and metal oxide nanoparticles and discusses their synthesis using seed extracts. The application section of the review discusses the antimicrobial, anticancer, and larvicidal activities of seed extracted‐synthesized metallic nanoparticles. Furthermore, insights into the different biological potentials of the synthesized green MNPs have also been discussed.
A Study on the Quality Improvement of Language Teaching in the IoT Environment
Authors: Ma Liang
Published: October 2022

IoT networks and Teaching System have attracted much attention from researchers of industry and academia. As a typical application of IoT tworks and Teaching System, the system studied in this paper is a three-way platform for IoT technology, language teaching methods, and language teaching quality is incorporated into the framework of language teaching system. Based on the current stage of language teaching methods in China and its digital needs, the role of IoT-based language teaching models on language teaching quality improvement is investigated by establishing an IoT language teaching model and using conventional comparison methods to compare conventional language teaching quality improvement models with language teaching models based on IoT platforms to consider the impact of IoT technology on language teaching quality improvement. The results show that in the educational context where digitalization and intelligence are the trends, the intelligent language teaching model integrating IoT technology is much better than the language teaching model under the conventional model in terms of teaching quality, and through IoT technology, more language enthusiasts can become language learners and improve their learning ability. The work in this paper provides an important application guidance to IoT networks and Teaching System.
Identification and Validation of a DNA Damage Repair‐Related Signature for Diffuse Large B‐Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Li Yang , Liu Xiyang , Chang Yu , Fan Bingjie , Shangguan Chenxing , Chen Huan , Zhang Lei
Published: October 2022

Background. Diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of non‐Hodgkin’s lymphoma in adults, whose prognostic scoring system remains to be improved. Dysfunction of DNA repair genes is closely associated with the development and prognosis of diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma. The aim of this study was to establish and validate a DNA repair‐related gene signature associated with the prognosis of DLBCL and to investigate the clinical predictive value of this signature. Methods. DLBCL cases were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. One hundred ninety‐nine DNA repair‐related gene sets were retrieved from the GeneCards database. The LASSO Cox regression was used to generate the DNA repair‐related gene signature. Subsequently, the level of immune cell infiltration and the correlation between the gene signature and immune cells were analyzed using the CIBERSORT algorithm. Based on the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC) database, the relationship between the signature and drug sensitivity was analyzed, and together with the nomogram and gene set variation analysis (GSVA), the value of the signature for clinical application was evaluated. Results. A total of 14 DNA repair genes were screened out and included in the final risk model. Subgroup analysis of the training and validation cohorts showed that the risk model accurately predicted overall survival of DLBCL patients, with patients in the high‐risk group having a worse prognosis than patients in the low‐risk group. Subsequently, the risk score was confirmed as an independent prognostic factor by multivariate analysis. Furthermore, by CIBERSORT analysis, we discovered that immune cells, such as regulatory T cells (Tregs), activated memory CD4+ T cells, and gamma delta T cells showed significant differences between the high‐ and low‐risk groups. In addition, we found some interesting associations of our signature with immune checkpoint genes (CD96, TGFBR1, and TIGIT). By analyzing drug sensitivity data in the GDSC database, we were able to identify potential therapeutics for DLBCL patients stratified according to our signature. Conclusions. Our study identified and validated a 14‐DNA repair‐related gene signature for stratification and prognostic prediction of DLBCL patients, which might guide clinical personalization of treatment.
Biological Properties and Clinical Significance of Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 in Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Zhang Shuang , Huang Shuchun , Hu Dingju , Jiang Fenglong , Lv Yanli , Liu Guoqi
Published: October 2022

Ischemic stroke, which occurs following blockage of the blood supply to the brain, is a leading cause of death worldwide. Its main cause is atherosclerosis, a disease of the arteries characterized by the deposition of plaques of fatty material on the inner artery walls. Multiple proteins involved in the inflammation response have been identified as diagnosing biomarkers of ischemic stroke. One of these is lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), an enzyme that can hydrolyze circulating oxidized phospholipids, generating proinflammatory lysophosphatidylcholine and promoting the development of atherosclerosis. In the last two decades, a number of studies have revealed that both the concentration and the activity of Lp-PLA2 are independent biomarkers of ischemic stroke. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two tests to determine Lp-PLA2 mass and activity for predicting stroke. In this review, we summarize the biological properties of Lp-PLA2, the detection sensitivity and limitations of Lp-PLA2 measurement, the clinical significance and association of Lp-PLA2 in ischemic stroke, and the prospects of therapeutic inhibition of Lp-PLA2 as an intervention and treatment.
A Comparative Study between Polyline and Straight Line Arrangements of Antislide Piles Based on Soil Arching Effect
Authors: Dai Xue-gang , Fa-you A. , Zhang Peng , Yan Shi-qun
Published: October 2022

Considering the limitations of terrain and engineering expenses, antislide piles are sometimes arranged in polylines. Studies show that this arrangement adversely affects the mechanical characteristics of antislide piles. However, there is no in‐deep understanding of this issue and the structural design and calculation method of this arrangement have not been discussed in relevant standards. Aiming at resolving this shortcoming, the polylines pile arrangement is studied in this article to provide a scientific basis for designing and calculating antislide piles. To this end, the cantilever pile is taken as the research background, and the soil arching effect between piles is taken as the research object. Then the performances of the single‐row polyline pile layout and straight line pile layout are analyzed in the Dawanjiang landslide and the results are verified from the aspects of the landslide reinforcement and the influence on the antislide pile structure. The obtained results show that the polyline pile layout is disadvantageous to the safety of the antislide pile structure, and the soil arch between piles under the polyline pile layout condition is not uniform. Meanwhile, it is found that as the polyline pile layout angle increases, the stress concentration appears at the “inflection point.” Under this circumstance, the soil arch between piles is not uniform, and the stress concentration intensifies.
Finding Cases of Hepatitis C for Treatment Using Automated Screening in the Emergency Department is Effective, but What Is the Cost?
Authors: Prince David Stephen , Girolamo Julia Di , Pipicella Joseph Louis , Bagatella Melissa , Kayes Tahrima , Alvaro Frank , Maley Michael , Foo Hong , Middleton Paul MacConachie , Levy Miriam Tania
Published: October 2022

Case detection remains a major challenge for hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination. We have previously published results from a pilot of an emergency department (ED) semiautomated screening program, SEARCH; Screening Emergency Admissions at Risk of Chronic HCV. Several refinements to SEARCH have been developed to streamline and reduce cost. All direct costs of HCV testing until direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy initiation were calculated. Cost was assessed in 2018 Australian Dollars. A cost analysis of the initial program and refinements are presented. Sensitivity analysis to understand impact of variation in staff time, laboratory test cost, changes in HCV antibody (Ab) prevalence, RNA positivity percentage, and rate of linkage to care was conducted. Impact of refinements (SEARCH (2)) to cost is presented. The total SEARCH pilot, testing 5000 patients was estimated to cost $110,549.52 (range $92,109.79–$129,581.24) comprising of $68,278.67 for HCV Ab testing, $21,568.99 for follow-up and linkage to care of positive patients and $20,701.86 to prepare HCV RNA positive patients for treatment. Internal program refinements resulted in a 25% cost reduction. Following refinements, the cost of HCV antibody screening was $8.46 per test and the total cost per positive HCV Ab, positive HCV RNA, and per treated patient were $611.77, $2,168.64, and $3,566.11, respectively. Our sensitivity analysis indicates costs per HCV case found are modest so long as HCV Ab prevalence was at least 1%. ED screening is an affordable strategy for HCV case detection and elimination.
VR-Assisted Environmental Education for Undergraduates
Authors: Ruan Bibo
Published: October 2022

Environmental education is an important approach to improve students’ environmental literacy. The method of environmental education in colleges and universities is advancing with the development of multimedia technologies, among which virtual reality (VR) technology is gradually being widely applied to education due to its strong sense of immersion and interactivity. This article focuses on the application of VR technology to environmental education in colleges and universities, using EduVenture APP and VR glasses to innovate environmental education, with the aim of improving students’ performance and making a strong connection between sense and activity of environmental protection. This research found that the learning efficiency and the sense of environmental protection of students were enhanced with VR assistance in comparison to traditional instruction, and students’ learning interest in environmental protection activity was also improved.
Drug Treatment Effect Model Based on MODWT and Hawkes Self-Exciting Point Process
Authors: Nie Xiaokai , Zhao Xin
Published: October 2022

In precision medicine, especially in the pharmacodynamic area, the lack of an adequate long-term drug effect monitoring model leads to a quite low robustness to the instant drug treatment. Modelling the effect of drug based on the monitoring variables is essential to measure the drug benefit and its side effect preciously. In order to model the complex drug behavior in the context of time series, a sin function is selected to describe the basic trend of heart rate variable that is medically monitored. A Hawkes self-exciting point process model is chosen to describe the effect caused by multiple and sequential drug usage at different time points. The model considers the time lag between the drug given time and the drug effect during the whole drug emission period. A cumulative Gamma distribution is employed to describe the time lag effect. Simulation results demonstrate the established model effectively when describing the baseline trend and the drug effect with low noise levels, where the maximal overlap discrete wavelet transformation is utilized for the information decomposition in the frequency zone. The real data of the variables heart rate and drug liquemin from a medical database is analyzed. Instead of the original time series, scale variable s4 is selected according to the Granger cointegration test. The results show that the model accurately characterizes the cumulative drug effect with the Pearson correlation test value as 0.22, which is more significant for the value under 0.1. In the future, the model can be extended to more complicated scenarios through taking into account multiple monitoring variables and different kinds of drugs.
Prediction of the Temperature of Large Framed Mold and Curing Deformation of Composite Components in the Autoclave Process
Authors: Wu Zhipeng , Zhao Anan , Yue Ming , Guo Jungang , Wang Qing , Ke Yinglin
Published: October 2022

The temperature uniformity and thermal deformation of the tool in the autoclave forming process have an important influence on the forming quality of the composite components. In this paper, the prediction methods of the temperature distribution of the tool and the curing deformation of composite components in the autoclave forming process were developed. Using Ansys CFX fluid analysis technology, the temperature field of a large framed tool in the autoclave process was simulated, and the distribution of the surface temperature of the large framed tool was obtained. The calculated temperature field was then applied in the cure-induced deformation simulation of composite components. The thermo-chemical-mechanical coupling analysis was conducted to simulate the curing deformation of the composite components, and the numerical results were verified by practical engineering application.
Deciphering the Mechanism of YuPingFeng Granules in Treating Pneumonia: A Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Study
Authors: Huang Bing , Luo Jing , Liu Liu-Yuan , Deng Wu-Sheng , Wang Ke , Lu Hua-Song , Kong Jin-Liang
Published: October 2022

Objective. YuPingFeng Granules (YPFGs) is an herbal formula clinically used in China for more than 100 years to treat pneumonia. Nevertheless, the mechanism of YPFG in pneumonia treatment has not been established. This network pharmacology-based strategy has been performed to elucidate active compounds as well as mechanisms of YPFG in pneumonia treatment. Methods. First, active compounds of YPFG were identified in the traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology (TCMSP) database, and then the targets related to the active compounds were obtained from TCMSP and Swiss Target Prediction databases. Next, using DisGeNET, DrugBank, and GeneCards databases, we got therapeutic targets of pneumonia and common targets between pneumonia targets and YPFG. After that, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of pneumonia composed of common targets was built to analyze the interactions among these targets, which focused on screening for hub targets by topology. Then, online software and the ClusterProfiler package were utilized for the enrichment analysis of gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) data. Finally, the visualization software of Autodock was used for molecular docking among the hub target proteins. Results. 10 hub genes were selected by comparing the GO and KEGG functions of pneumonia targets with those of the common targets of YPFG and pneumonia. By using molecular docking technology, a total of 3 active ingredients have been verified as being able to combine closely with 6 hub targets and contribute to their therapeutic effects. Conclusion. This research explored the multigene pharmacological mechanism of action of YPFG against pneumonia through network pharmacology. The findings present new ideas for studying the mechanism of action of Chinese medicine against pneumonia caused by bacteria.
In Vitro Antimitotic and Hypoglycemic Effect Study and Acute Toxicity Assessment of the Aqueous and Organic Extracts of Chamaerops humilis L. var. argentea Andre
Authors: Lachkar Nacima , Lamchouri Fatima , Toufik Hamid
Published: October 2022

Background. Chamaerops humilis L. var. argentea Andre is a plant widely spread in the region of Taza (North‐East of Morocco); it is used in traditional phytotherapy against cancer, diabetes, inflammations, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and for the treatment of digestive disorders. Objective and Methods. The objective of our work is to contribute firstly, to the study of the in vitro antimitotic potential by the phytotest of Lepidium sativum and the evaluation of the in vitro antidiabetic activity of three enzymes (α‐amylase, α‐glucosidase, and β‐galactosidase) on nine aqueous and organic extracts prepared from the leaves of Chamaerops humilis. In addition, a correlation study was carried out on the chemical composition and the antimitotic and antidiabetic activities of Chamaerops humilis leaves. Then, we tested the acute toxicity of the decocted extract and the ethanolic extract. Results. The results of the antimitotic activity showed that the decocted extract showed a higher inhibitory activity than the other aqueous extracts (IC50 = 9.624 × 103 ± 95.97 μg/mL); for the organic extracts, the ethanolic extract and ethanolic macerated expressed the highest values for the cell growth inhibition test with an IC50 of 5.638 × 103 ± 22.61 and 5.599 × 103 ± 45.51 μg/mL with statistically nonsignificant difference. Regarding the antidiabetic activity, the decocted showed a higher inhibitory activity than the other aqueous extracts for α‐amylase (IC50 = 1.781 · 105 ± 358.30 μg/mL), α‐glucosidase (2.540 × 102 ± 3.14 μg/mL), and β‐galactosidase (7.118 × 102 ± 16.13 μg/mL); the ethanolic extract also revealed the highest inhibitory activity for α‐amylase (IC50 = 8.902 × 103 ± 57.81 μg/mL), α‐glucosidase (2.216 × 102 ± 1.39 μg/mL), and β‐galactosidase (2.003 × 102 ± 7.41 μg/mL). A strong correlation was recorded between the antimitic activity and the inhibitory capacity of β‐galactosidase and between these two activities and the chemical composition of Chamaerops humilis leaves. The acute toxicity study showed that the decocted and the ethanolic extract are weakly toxic with an LD50 greater than or equal to 5000 mg/kg. Conclusion. Chamaerops humilis could become a good source in traditional herbal medicine.
Late Systemic Lupus Erythematosus-Associated Insulin Resistance Syndrome: A Rare Cause of De Novo Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Alvarez-Payares José C. , Ribero Daniel , Rodríguez Luis , Builes Carlos E. , Prieto Carolina , Arango Clara , Gamboa Juan G. , Alvarez-Payares Cristian
Published: October 2022

The association of type B insulin resistance syndrome (TBIRS) due to autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is uncommon. This is partly due to the lack of established criteria for the diagnosis of this resistance. However, some clinical aspects may suggest that the diagnosis does not necessarily have to be positive insulin receptor antibodies as such patients could respond to immunosuppressive treatment. Methods. We describe a case and have performed a literature review on PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Google Scholar bibliographic databases to identify all case reports. All available studies from January 1975 through December 2020 were included. Data collected were tabulated, and outcomes were analyzed cumulatively. Results. Thirty-one cases of TBIRS associated with SLE have been described. These patients presented with catabolic symptoms and hyperglycemia in most cases, with an average time from the onset of symptoms of four months. In addition to that clinical characteristics related to SLE were variable, along with certain common characteristics such as acanthosis in 60% of patients. Almost all the patients had antibodies against insulin receptors. The insulin doses required by the patients ranged from 450 to 25,000 U daily. Remission was achieved in 80% of the patients with a two-year follow-up. Most patients associated with late-onset SLE, like our patient, achieved metabolic control after immunosuppressive treatment. Conclusion. High insulin resistance in patients with de novo diabetes mellitus (DM) without obesity should be considered as a possible clinical manifestation of an autoimmune disease such as SLE, with a good metabolic response to the immunosuppressive management established.
Fast Explainable Recommendation Model by Combining Fine-Grained Sentiment in Review Data
Authors: Wang Ying , He Xin , Wang Hongji , Sun Yudong , Wang Xin
Published: October 2022

With the rapid development of e-commerce, recommendation system has become one of the main tools that assists users in decision-making, enhances user’s experience, and creates economic value. Since it is difficult to explain the implicit features generated by matrix factorization, explainable recommendation system has attracted more and more attention recently. In this paper, we propose an explainable fast recommendation model by combining fine-grained sentiment in review data (FSER, (Fast) Fine-grained Sentiment for Explainable Recommendation). We innovatively construct user-rating matrix, user-aspect sentiment matrix, and item aspect-descriptive word frequency matrix from the review-based data. And the three matrices are reconstructed by matrix factorization method. The reconstructed results of user-aspect sentiment matrix and item aspect-descriptive word frequency matrix can provide explanation for the final recommendation results. Experiments in the Yelp and Public Comment datasets demonstrate that, compared with several classical models, the proposed FSER model is in the optimal recommendation accuracy range and has lower sparseness and higher training efficiency than tensor models or neural network models; furthermore, it can generate explanatory texts and diagrams that have high interpretation quality.