bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Network Pharmacology Study on the Active Components and Targets of the Radix Ginseng and Radix Bupleuri Herb Pair for Treating Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Zhang Li , Liu Kaili , Shang Haonan , Ruan Jun , Yu Zhonghai , Meng Shengxi , Liang Fang , Wang Tianzhan , Zhang Hongyan , Peng Wenbo , Wang Yuxin , Chen Junming , Xiao Tiegang , Wang Bing
Published: February 2022

Objective. To explore the potential active components and corresponding target herb pairs of Radix Ginseng (Renshen) and Radix Bupleuri (Chaihu) in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) through network pharmacology and in vitro experiments. Methods. The active components and potential targets of the herb pair of Renshen and Chaihu were screened through a network database system, and Venn analysis was performed with the obtained NAFLD targets. The intersecting targets were analysed for gene ontology (GO) functions and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) pathways, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was generated. Cytoscape software was used to construct active component-target networks of the Renshen and Chaihu herb pair. Free fatty acids were added to the HepG2 cell line to create high-fat models that were treated with different concentrations of stigmasterol. The effect of stigmasterol on the lipid metabolism in HepG2 cells and PPARγ-knockdown cells was determined by oil red O staining, Nile red staining, and TG level. PPARγ and UCP-1 mRNA, and protein expression levels were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses, respectively. Results. Twenty active components obtained from the Renshen and Chaihu herb pair were identified. The herb pair active component-target network showed that both Renshen and Chaihu contained stigmasterol and kaempferol as active components. The PPI network comprised 63 protein nodes. GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the targets were mainly involved in lipid metabolism. Eight core targets were identified: AKT1, PPARG, MAPK3, TNF, TP53, SIRT1, STAT3, and PPARA. In vitro experiments demonstrated that stigmasterol reduced lipid accumulation and TG levels in HepG2 cells, and the mechanism may have been related to the activation of the PPARγ-UCP-1 signalling pathway. Conclusion. This study preliminarily illustrated the potential components and corresponding core targets of the Renshen and Chaihu herb pair in treating NAFLD. The effect of stigmasterol on the PPARγ-UCP-1 signalling pathway in enhancing lipid metabolism may represent one of the mechanisms of the Renshen and Chaihu herb pair in the treatment of NAFLD. The results provide new evidence and research insights to reveal the roles of Renshen and Chaihu in the management of NAFLD.
Brain Connectivity and Network Analysis in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Renga Vijay
Published: February 2022

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with no effective treatment or cure. ALS is characterized by the death of lower motor neurons (LMNs) in the spinal cord and upper motor neurons (UMNs) in the brain and their networks. Since the lower motor neurons are under the control of UMN and the networks, cortical degeneration may play a vital role in the pathophysiology of ALS. These changes that are not apparent on routine imaging with CT scans or MRI brain can be identified using modalities such as diffusion tensor imaging, functional MRI, arterial spin labelling (ASL), electroencephalogram (EEG), magnetoencephalogram (MEG), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), and positron emission tomography (PET) scan. They can help us generate a representation of brain networks and connectivity that can be visualized and parsed out to characterize and quantify the underlying pathophysiology in ALS. In addition, network analysis using graph measures provides a novel way of understanding the complex network changes occurring in the brain. These have the potential to become biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of ALS. This article is a systematic review and overview of the various connectivity and network-based studies in ALS.
[Retracted] Application to Biomedical Data: Using the Topp Leone Inverse Lindley Model
Authors: Aldahlan Maha A.
Published: February 2022

A more flexible two‐parameter model named the Topp Leone inverse Lindley model is investigated. Some basic mathematical properties such as quantile, moments, order statistics, and Rényi entropy of the new distribution are considered. Plot analysis for mean, variance, skewness, and kurtosis is performed. The density of the new model can be right skewed and decreasing with unimodal and bimodal shapes. Also, its hazard rate function can be decreasing and upside‐down. The maximum likelihood (ML) estimation method is used to estimate the parameters of the distribution. The simulation study is executed to investigate the effectiveness of the estimates. The potential of the distribution is demonstrated through the application of the real biomedical dataset.
Physiotherapeutic Reduction of Orofacial Pain Using Extremely Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Field and Light-Emitting Diode Therapy—A Pilot Study
Authors: Lietz-Kijak Danuta , Ardan Roman
Published: February 2022

Introduction. Pain is a natural response of the body to injury and one of the symptoms defining an inflammatory reaction. It is almost always present after orthognathic surgeries (OGS), but its severity is subjective in each patient. Postoperative care of the patient is aimed at minimizing of postoperative pain relief orofacial region. Options of physiotherapy include extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF EMF) and high-energy light-emitting diode (LED). Aim of the Study. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of physiotherapy combining ELF EMF and LED to reduce pain of the orofacial region in patients after OGS. Material and Methods. The study was conducted in thirty-two patients who underwent OGS to treat morphological defects. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: Physiotherapy group (PT) and Control group (CG). In both groups, patients were prescribed Paracetamol and nonsteroidal analgesics (NSAID—ibuprofen). Patients from the PT group additionally received postoperative physiotherapy immediately after leaving the surgical clinic in the form of ELF EMF and LED therapy. Physiotherapeutic treatments were performed for 10 days, three applications a day, at no cost to the patient. Pain intensity was assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS), which is a reliable instrument for the measurement of pain intensity self-reported by the patient. Results. Faster reduction of pain was the major observation made in patients who received physiotherapy treatments. In all subjects, after 5 days of therapy, the pain intensity was reduced by about 50% or resolved completely. Effects of therapy were measured with the relative changes in the pain intensity score, showing what fraction of the initial pain was eliminated at the first stage and throughout the whole therapy. The analysis of relative changes instead of absolute changes allowed us, among other things, to eliminate the bias of the higher initial pain intensity in the CG group compared to the PT group. Conclusions. The conducted research revealed that the combined use of ELF EMF and LED is beneficial in the reduction of pain of patients after OGS. The analgesic effects of physiotherapy in the treatment after OGS are necessary to continue research in this area and analyze the possibility of extending the indications for its use in other surgically treated maxillofacial diseases.
Analysis of Instability Mechanism and Induced Cause of Urban Pavement in Xining City, China
Authors: Qi Gan , Wang Zhenyu , Chen Yu , Zhu Chun , Ren Dazhong , Tian Tao , Yang Fu
Published: February 2022

As a large human gathering place, the city directly causes huge property losses and casualties due to the ground collapse accident every year. In order to explore the causes and damage characteristics of urban ground collapse, taking Xining City, Qinghai Province, as an example, this paper analyzes the accidental factors causing ground collapse through on-site geological exploration and then expounds the deformation characteristics of urban ground collapse by using the numerical simulation method of Fluent and PFC. Using the collapsible balance method, it is obtained that the insufficient thickness of the top plate of the Loess Soil Subgrade in the collapse pit area is the inevitable factor causing the final collapse. The results show the following: (1) The failure of water supply pipe is an accidental factor leading to the formation of underground cavity, and the ground collapse accident is hidden, sudden, and of high risk, and its deformation and failure development process is slow. (2) The critical thickness of the roof above the air raid shelter is about 22 m, and the actual thickness is about 11.6 m, which is prone to deformation and uneven settlement, which is also an inevitable factor causing ground collapse. (3) The numerical simulation study shows that the final formation deformation range is about 16 m. At this time, the height of the formed cavity is about 9 m. The plastic zone tends to develop around, and the maximum settlement position appears above the air raid shelter. (4) The collapse process includes four stages: water supply pipeline leakage, underground cavity formation, collapse critical state, and ground collapse. This research and analysis provides theoretical guidance and scientific basis for the investigation, measurement, detection, and monitoring of various underground pipe networks of urban roads.
Unraveling the Expression Patterns of Immune Checkpoints Identifies New Subtypes and Emerging Therapeutic Indicators in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhang Jinguo , Han Xinghua , Lin Lin , Chen Jian , Wang Feng , Ding Qi , Hao Li , Wang Lingyu , Wei Jie , Wang Yong , Pan Yueyin
Published: February 2022

Immune checkpoint genes (ICGs) play pivotal roles in tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), and thus, targeting them represents a promising strategy for cancer immunotherapy. However, the genetic landscape of ICGs in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is still unknown. Herein, we comprehensively evaluated the ICG expression profiles of 1439 LUAD samples and linked ICG expression patterns with infiltration of immune cells, clinical features, and response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). The ICGscore was developed to quantify ICG expression patterns of individual patient by principal component analysis algorithms. Three distinct ICG expression patterns and three ICG-related genomic clusters were determined, which were implicated in different clinical outcomes, level of immune infiltrates, and biological process. LUAD patients were subdivided into high- and low-ICGscore subgroups. Patients with higher ICGscore were characterized by favorable survival outcomes, increased immune cell infiltration, and enhanced expression of ICGs. Further analysis revealed that lower ICGscore was associated with greater tumor mutation loads and higher mutation rates of TTN, KEAP1, and ZFHX4. High ICGscore has the potential to be a robust indicator in clinical benefit of immunotherapy. Taken together, unraveling the ICG expression patterns will advance our understanding of heterogeneity of TIME and guides more effective immunotherapeutic strategies in LUAD.
Some Inequalities for Operator (p, h)‐Convex Function
Authors: Omrani Zahra , Pourbahri Rahpeyma Omid , Rahimi Hamiderza
Published: February 2022

In this paper, we introduce operator (p, h)‐convex functions and establish a Hermite–Hadamard inequality for these functions. As application, we obtain several trace and singular value inequalities of operators.
A Multi-Target and Multi-Channel Mechanism of Action for Jiawei Yinhuo Tang in the Treatment of Social Communication Disorders in Autism: Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Studies
Authors: Linlin Zhang , Ciai Lai , Yanhong Su , Huizhong Gan , Yongchun Li , Zhen Yang , Shan Xu , Fengying Gong , Ying Lv , Jingjun Li , Qin Fan
Published: February 2022

Background. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a highly heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder with complex pathogenesis. Currently, the pathogenesis of ASD is not fully understood. Moreover, current treatments do not effectively alleviate the primary symptoms of ASD social disorder (SCDA). Jiawei Yinhuo Tang (JWYHT) is an improved version of the classic prescription Yinhuo Tang. Although this medication has been shown to improve social behavior in ASD patients, the mechanism by which it works remains unknown. Methods. In this study, network pharmacology bioinformatics analysis was used to identify the key targets, biological functions, and signal pathways of JWYHT in SCDA. Then, molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation were used to validate the activity and stability of the active ingredient and the target protein during the binding process. Results. The analysis identified 157 key targets and 9 core targets of JWYHT (including proto-oncogene (FOS), caspase 3 (CASP3), mitogen-activated protein kinase-3 (MAPK3), interleukin-6 (IL6), mitogen-activated protein kinase-1 (MAPK1), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), mitogen-activated protein kinase-8 (MAPK8), AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1), and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 1B (5HT1B)) in SCDA. In addition, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome results, as well as the staggering network analyses, revealed 20 biological processes and 20 signal pathways targeted by JWYHT in SCDA. Finally, molecular docking analysis was used to determine the binding activity of the main active components of JWYHT to the key targets. The binding activity and stability of methyl arachidonate and MAPK8 were demonstrated using molecular dynamics simulation. Conclusion. This study demonstrates that JWYHT regulates neuronal development, synaptic transmission, intestinal and cerebral inflammatory response, and other processes in SCDA.
Comprehensive circRNA Analyses in Human Vertebrae of GIOP and Its Molecular Mechanism
Authors: Wang Linfeng , Ye Hong , Huang Douquan , Lu Chengwu , Lin Weiming , Chen Xiaojie
Published: February 2022

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel class of noncoding RNAs that play important roles in human diseases. However, the regulation of circRNAs in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) has not been reported. In this study, we performed high-throughput sequencing to identify altered circRNAs in the vertebrae from GIOP patients. A total of 65 clinical samples were collected in this study. Bioinformatics algorithms were employed to predict the target relationship between circRNAs and miRNAs and the circRNAs-miRNAs regulatory network. We focused on the top 10 significantly up-/downregulated circRNAs (hsa_circ_0004906, hsa_circ_0001172, hsa_circ_0005778, hsa_circ_0004276, hsa_circ_0005729, hsa_circ_0006173, hsa_circ_0007662, hsa_circ_0001451, hsa_circ_0001564, and hsa_circ_0108735) and measured their expression by qRT-PCR in clinical samples. Bioinformatics analyses demonstrated that 87 miRNAs were predicted in upregulated circRNAs and 104 miRNAs were predicted in downregulated circRNAs. The functional enrichment analysis showed these targeted miRNAs were significantly enriched in bone metabolism-related biological processes and pathways, including the MAPK signaling pathway, positive regulation of the metabolic process and metabolic pathways, etc. Collectively, our study revealed circRNA regulation and circRNAs-miRNAs regulatory network in GIOP for the first time, which provides a new perspective on the molecular mechanism of GIOP and lays a foundation for GIOP treatment.
Musculoskeletal Pain Is Associated with Dietary Diversity Score among Community-Dwelling Older Adult: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Tajary Zahra , Esmaeily Zahra , Rezaei Mahshid , Daei Shahrzad , Eyvazkhani Atefeh , Dara Marjan Mansouri , Motlagh Ahmad Reza Dorosty
Published: February 2022

Background. Musculoskeletal pains (MSP) are the most common cause of long-term severe pain and physical disability among older adults. This study is aimed at determining the relationship between dietary diversity score (DDS) and MSP in Tehran’s older adults. Methods. The study was a cross-sectional one that employed 213 participants with and without MSP complaints between May and October 2019 in Tehran, Iran. A 100 mm length visual analog scale questionnaire was used to assess pain along with a validated 147-item food frequency questionnaire for DDS evaluation. Statistical analyses included descriptive analysis and multiple linear regression with a significance level of

p
<
0.05

. Results. 85% of the participants had a range of MSP with a low but insignificant DDS compared to individuals without pain (

p
=
0.12

,

3.24
 

±
0.86

vs.

3.43
 

±
0.85

, respectively). A significant association was observed among the quartiles of DDS that most of the subjects with MSP were in the lowest quartile relative to the highest one (

p
=
0.02

). Moreover, the association between DDS and MSP remained significant in the adjusted model (

OR
=
0.28

,

95
%

CI

=
0.08
−
0.99

). Conclusion. A high-quality diet is important. Our study showed that a higher dietary diversity might be associated with lower MSP in older adults. More robust interventional studies are thus warranted to confirm the results.
Kidney-Related Outcome in Cardiorenal Syndrome Type 3
Authors: Drubel Kim , Marahrens Benedikt , Ritter Oliver , Patschan Daniel
Published: February 2022

Background and Aim. In cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) type 3, acute kidney injury (AKI) induces and, sometimes, even perpetuates acute cardiac pathologies such as arrhythmias with or without cardiac decompensation or the latter due to other causes. Epidemiological data on CRS type 3 are limited. The aim of this study was to analyze epidemiological and outcome variables in CRS type 3. Methods. A single-center, retrospective and observational trial. All subjects with positive AKI alert, treated at the University Hospital Brandenburg between January and December 2019, were evaluated. Definition of CRS type 3 was according to predefined criteria. The three endpoint categories were in-hospital death, dialysis, and recovery of kidney function. Results. A total number of 1,334 AKI alerts were screened. Finally, 95 subjects received the diagnosis CRS type 3. The survival rates were 47.1% (females) and 43.6% (males). 46.8% of affected females and 33.3% of the males required dialysis therapy. Complete recovery at the time of discharge occurred in 35.8%, and no recovery at all was found in 54.7%. Conclusions. All three predefined study endpoints, the mortality, the prevalence of dialysis, and the percentage of subjects without recovery of kidney function, were notably high. Therefore, AKI patients with imminent or established cardiac complications require the highest attention of nephrologists in charge.
A Rare Case of Signet Ring Cell Colon Cancer Presenting as Adult Colorectal Intussusception
Authors: Gaskin D. A. , Reid A. , O’Shea M. , Gaskin P. S.
Published: February 2022

Signet ring cell carcinoma of the rectum is rare and typically presents with advanced disease. We report a case of a 68-year-old man who presented with left lower quadrant pain and was found to have signet ring cell carcinoma with intussusception. This case is unusual because of its polypoid growth pattern and apparent early pathological stage. We discuss the differential diagnoses and prognosis.
Identification and Validation of a Hypoxia-Immune-Based Prognostic mRNA Signature for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Lv Shaohua , Qian Zhipeng , Li Jianhao , Piao Songlin , Li Jichen
Published: February 2022

Background. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a commonly encountered head and neck malignancy. Increasing evidence shows that there are abnormal immune response and chronic cell hypoxia in the development of OSCC. However, there is a lack of a reliable hypoxia-immune-based gene signature that may serve to accurately prognosticate OSCC. Methods. The mRNA expression data of OSCC patients were extracted from the TCGA and GEO databases. Hypoxia status was identified using the t-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (t-SNE) algorithm. Both ESTIMATE and single-sample gene-set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) were used for further evaluation of immune status. The DEGs in different hypoxia and immune status were determined, and univariate Cox regression was used to identify significantly prognostic genes. A machine learning method, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis, allowed us to construct prognostic gene signature to predict the overall survival (OS) of OSCC patients. Results. A total of 773 DEGs were identified between hypoxia high and low groups. According to immune cell infiltration, patients were divided into immune high, medium, and low groups and immune-associated DEGs were identified. A total of 193 overlapped DEGs in both immune and hypoxia status were identified. With the univariate and LASSO Cox regression model, eight signature mRNAs (FAM122C, RNF157, RANBP17, SOWAHA, KIAA1211, RIPPLY2, INSL3, and DNAH1) were selected for further calculation of their respective risk scores. The risk score showed a significant association with age and perineural and lymphovascular invasion. In the GEO validation cohort, a better OS was observed in patients from the low-risk group in comparison with those in the high-risk group. High-risk patients also demonstrated different immune infiltration characteristics from the low-risk group and the low-risk group showed potentially better immunotherapy efficacy in contrast to high-risk ones. Conclusion. The hypoxia-immune-based gene signature has prognostic potential in OSCC.
Exploration of the Mechanism of Lianhua Qingwen in Treating Influenza Virus Pneumonia and New Coronavirus Pneumonia with the Concept of “Different Diseases with the Same Treatment” Based on Network Pharmacology
Authors: Su Huihui , Wu Guosong , Zhan Lulu , Xu Fei , Qian Huiqin , Li Yanling , Zhu Ximei
Published: February 2022

The 31 main components of Lianhua Qingwen (LHQW) were obtained through a literature and database search; the components included glycyrrhizic acid, emodin, chlorogenic acid, isophoroside A, forsythia, menthol, luteolin, quercetin, and rutin. Sixty-eight common targets for the treatment of novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) and influenza virus pneumonia (IVP) were also obtained. A “component-target-disease” network was constructed with Cytoscape 3.2.1 software, and 20 key targets, such as cyclooxygenase2 (COX2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), mitogen-activated protein kinase14 (Mapk14), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), were screened from the network. The David database was used to perform a Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) signal pathway enrichment analysis and gene ontology (GO) biological process enrichment. Results showed that the key targets of LHQW in the treatment of NCP and IVP mainly involved biological processes, such as immune system process intervention, cell proliferation, apoptosis and invasion, toxic metabolism, cytokine activity, and regulation of the synthesis process. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that 115 signalling pathways were related to the treatment of LHQW. Amongst them, IL-17, T cell receptor, Th17 cell differentiation, TNF, toll-like receptor, MAPK, apoptosis, and seven other signalling pathways were closely related to the occurrence and development of NCP and IVP. Molecular docking showed that each component had different degrees of binding with six targets, namely, 3C-like protease (3CL), angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), COX2, hemagglutinin (HA), IL-6, and neuraminidase (NA). Rutin, isoforsythiaside A, hesperidin and isochlorogenic acid B were the best components for docking with the six core targets. The first five components with the best docking results were isoforsythiaside, hesperidin, isochlorogenic acid B, forsythin E, and quercetin. In conclusion, LHQW has many components, targets, and pathways. The findings of this work can provide an important theoretical basis for determining the mechanism of LHQW in treating NCP and IVP.
Therapeutic Effect of Catgut Implantation at Acupoint in a Mouse Model of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Suppressing Immune Escape
Authors: Xu Shi-Hua , Luo Hao-Xuan , Huang Bi-Jun , Yu Ling , Luo Shao-Ju , Hu Hao , Li Yan , Lin Xiao-Tong , Cao Zhi-Rui , Deng Yuan-Jiang , Zhang Shi-Jun
Published: February 2022

Background. The occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are closely related to immune function, as is the capacity of hepatoma cells to escape. Immunosurveillance is a key mechanism. Catgut implantation at acupoint (CIAA) is a promising acupuncture improvement method that can regulate immunity and has been widely used in the clinical treatment of a variety of diseases. The aim of this study is to observe the therapeutic effect of CIAA on HCC and to investigate the potential mechanism of immune escape. Materials and Methods. A total of 40 mice were randomly divided into three groups: the HCC model group (n = 15), the CIAA treatment group (n = 15), and the control group (n = 10). HCC was chemically induced in 30 mice by the combination of DEN, carbon tetrachloride, and ethanol for 150 days. Among them, 15 were selected for CIAA treatment to ascertain the therapeutic effect. The mRNA expression levels of AFP, IL-10, PD-1, and CTLA-4 in three groups were examined by using RT-PCR. AFP and AKT expressions were measured by using western blotting. PD1, CTLA-4, IL-10, CD4+, and CD8+ protein expression levels were evaluated by using IHC. The mortality rate, body weight, and psychological conditions of three groups were also compared. Results. The mRNA and protein expression levels of AFP, PD-1, CTLA-4, and IL-10 were significantly downregulated in the CIAA-treated mice in comparison with HCC mice. IHC assay shows that CD4+ and CD8+ expression levels were notably upregulated after CIAA treatment. Western blotting assay shows that AKT pathway was deactivated in CIAA-treated mice. CIAA notably reduced the mortality rate and inhibited weight loss caused by HCC and improved the overall psychological condition of the mice. Conclusions. Taken together, our data corroborate the effective potency of CIAA in the treatment of HCC by and inhibiting immune escape and deactivating the AKT pathway.
A Hybrid Model for Assessing the Performance of Medical Tourism: Integration of Bayesian BWM and Grey PROMETHEE-AL
Authors: Yang Chin-Cheng , Shen Chih-Chien , Mao Tso-Yen , Lo Huai-Wei , Pai Chun-Jui
Published: February 2022

Medical tourism (MT) is the activity of traveling domestically or abroad to receive medical services. The scope of medical treatments covers dentistry, surgery, antiaging procedures, preventive medicine, and even some health-related treatments (meditation, physiotherapy, psychotherapy, addiction treatment, psychiatry, etc.). Due to the global boom in MT, governments are actively promoting MT packages to capture this huge business opportunity. However, what are the key factors that make MT development successful or unsuccessful? How can the performance of current MT operators be evaluated? And, how can the performance of underperforming operators be improved? This paper addresses these questions by proposing a MT assessment framework that summarizes the potential key factors of MT. In addition, this study proposes a model that integrates the Bayesian Best-Worst Method (Bayesian BWM) and grey Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations based on Aspiration Level (grey PROMETHEE-AL) to assess the performance of assessed MT operators. The Bayesian BWM not only aggregates the judgments of multiple experts but also generates a set of objective group criteria weights. Besides, the modified PROMETHEE incorporates the grey theory and aspiration level concept to increase the usefulness of the original PROMETHEE. The results of the analysis show that the two most critical criteria for MT are “the operators have cloud computing systems to analyze the travelers’ sensor data in real-time and accurately to provide customized medical services” and “multilingualism and communication skills of medical travel-related personnel.” Poor performers in the travel industry can be improved by prioritizing the criteria in order of importance. The management implications of this study can be used as a basis for performance evaluation by operators and government health care organizations.
A Software-Defined Networking Roadside Unit Cloud Resource Management Framework for Vehicle Ad Hoc Networks
Authors: Li Hongming , Ou Dongxiu , Rasheed Iftikhar , Tu Meiting
Published: February 2022

Roadside unit (RSU) cloud and its vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) connectivity can enable various security, entertainment, and shared mobility applications for vehicles in intelligent transportation systems (ITS) through wireless communications. In this article, the deep programmability of software-defined networking (SDN) is employed to dynamically reconfigure network hosting services and their data forwarding information for effectively meeting the basic shared mobility applications’ needs in vehicle ad hoc networks (VANETs). Multipath is also enabled to forward data flow for balancing network links utilization rate and SDN is thus utilized to achieve the minimum cloud delay with the least number of hosts, which can be summarized as a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problem. The joint optimization (JO) algorithm is proposed and in contrast to the two single-objective algorithms which are the delay optimization (DO) algorithm and host optimization (HO) algorithm, respectively. Results show that, for the single-threading instance, the JO and DO algorithms are the same in essence. For the multithreading instance, the JO algorithm generally outperforms the two single-objective optimization algorithms, respectively, under given demands. Furthermore, results also demonstrate that the services should be deployed globally in a distributed manner rather than in the centralized manner for achieving the minimized cloud delay in designing an RSU cloud.
The Risk Factors of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Morbidly Obese Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery in Iran
Authors: Aghakhani Ladan , Haghighat Neda , Amini Masoud , Hosseini Seyed Vahid , Masoumi Seyed Jalil
Published: February 2022

Background and Aims. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is common in severely obese individuals undergoing bariatric surgery. Assessing the prevalence and severity of NAFLD seems crucial since it may affect the prevention or development of more severe forms of fatty liver. Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 228 severely obese individuals undergoing bariatric surgery. Abdominal ultrasonography was done, and clinical and biochemical factors (liver enzymes, lipid profile, and fasting blood sugar (FBS)) were assessed. Results. The mean body mass index (BMI) was

43.45
±
5.92

 kg/m2. The prevalence of NAFLD was 49.12% (mild steatosis: 37.5%, moderate steatosis: 36.6%, and severe steatosis: 25.8%). The main risk factors of NAFLD were weight (

p
=
0.002

), BMI (

p
=
0.003

), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (

p
<
0.001

), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (

p
<
0.001

), serum triglycerides (TGs) (

p
=
0.004

), and FBS (

p
=
0.039

). The results revealed a statistically significant decrease in the mean level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (

p
=
0.044

). However, no significant association was found between the severity of liver steatosis and the presence of comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, hypothyroidism, and dyslipidemia. Conclusions. More severe NAFLD was associated with increased weight and BMI. Elevated ALT, AST, TG, and FBS levels and decreased HDL-C levels were also the risk factors of NAFLD and its progress to more severe conditions.
Exploration of Prognostic Immune-Related Genes and lncRNAs Biomarkers in Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma and Its Crosstalk with Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Juan Chenxia , Zhu Ye , Zhou Yan , Zhu Weiwei , Wang Xufang , He Weiming , Chen Yan
Published: February 2022

Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) has a poor prognosis and a high death rate globally. Cancer prognosis is strongly linked to immune-related genes (IRGs), according to numerous research. We utilized KIRC RNA-seq data from the TCGA database to build a prognostic model incorporating seven immune-related (IR) lncRNAs, and we constructed the model using LASSO regression. Additionally, we calculated a risk score for each patient using a prognostic model that divided patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. The ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT methodologies were then used to analyze the differences in the tumor microenvironment of the two groups of patients. Finally, we predicted three small molecule drugs that may have potential therapeutic effects for high-risk patients. We combined the acute kidney injury dataset to obtain differential genes that may serve standard biological functions with two risk groups. Our study shows that the model we constructed for IR-lncRNAs has reliable predictive efficacy for patients with KIRC.
Station Location Optimization for the One-Way Carsharing System: Modeling and a Case Study
Authors: Chen Yongjun , Wang Lulin , Tian Jingjing
Published: February 2022

Carsharing is regarded as a new mode of transportation that can meet the diversity of travel demands. Carsharing systems have different operating modes, and one-way systems are more widely used since cars can be dropped off at any station. However, their planning involves a series of joint decisions regarding the number, size, and location of stations, as well as the fleet size. This paper develops a data-driven mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model for planning one-way carsharing systems that consider the spatial distribution of demand and the interacting decisions between stations. The characteristics of existing stations and their spatiotemporal correlations are an important part of the model. To solve the MILP model, the extension of the Benders decomposition algorithm is adopted. The practicality of the proposed approach is demonstrated in a case study in Beijing, China. The results show that the existing planning of carsharing could result in a serious waste of resources. In contrast, the proposed method can obtain effective results in a reasonable time. The location results corresponding to a different rate of satisfied demand show that increasing the parking spots to improve the interaction between stations can effectively reduce the cost of operations. It should be noted that this paper only considers the benefit of operators. Future works will be carried out to optimize the one-way carsharing system by considering the benefits of operators, as well as the benefits of users and society. In addition, the impact of COVID-19 will be taken into account in future modeling and case studies.
Optimizing Product Configuration Problems with Multisourcing Supplier Selections under Both Carbon Cap and Carbon Tax Regulations
Authors: Li Jia , Yang Dong
Published: February 2022

Product configuration is a key enabling technology for mass customization production. Previous studies mainly focus on the solving technologies for obtaining a feasible configuration or optimal configuration but ignore environmental factors like CO2emissions, especially the environmental regulations from international organizations. In this article, we address product configuration optimization problems considering both carbon cap and carbon tax regulations. A two‐stage approach that combines both Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and a greedy algorithm is presented to solve the product configuration problems with carbon emission concerns. A case study of a configurable ranger‐drilling machine is illustrated to demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented approach. The impacts of carbon cap and carbon tax regulations on configuration results are compared. Further, the models are extended to analyze the effects of single‐sourcing and multisourcing on product configuration. The analysis shows that multisourcing in combination with carbon tax regulation can facilitate a manufacturer to provide more green and low‐carbon customized products for customers. Numerical experiments are conducted to validate the effectiveness of the model and the efficiency of the proposed solution method.
Optimization and Wear Properties for the Composites of Metal Matrix AA8011/Boron Nitride Using Taguchi Method
Authors: Kumar B. S. Praveen , Shobha K. R. , Singh Manoj Kumar , Rinawa Moti Lal , Madhavarao S. , Wadhawa Gurumeet C. , Alrebdi Tahani A. , Christopher David
Published: February 2022

In automotive and aircraft design, a new emerging material known as AA8011 metal matrix composite has earned a place for the reason that it is extremely durable and extremely hard. Newer composite variants were created and selected because of the demand for improved tribological performance. This study’s objective is to find out how an AA8011‐Boron Nitride metal matrix composite (MMC) wears out under different loads and sliding speeds. AMMC fortified with Boron Nitride particles are created using the powder metallurgy route and contain weight fractions ranging from 10% to 15% of the AA8011 and 37 μm Boron Nitride particles. The material is made in an electric melting furnace through a stir casting procedure. Next, the materials are tested to see how long they will last in a tribotester set up like this: a block on a roller. With a controlled experimentation strategy, wear data can be collected using the L27 Taguchi method. Dry sliding wear of composites is controlled by four parameters: Boron Nitride substance, load‐bearing capacity, slid speed, and sliding time. An analysis of variance is used to determine their effects. Sliding speed, friction, and normal load all have an effect on how much dry sliding wear occurs. In addition, the least amount of wear is obtained by combining the four controlling parameters optimally.
Supplementing Sulfate-Based Alginate Polysaccharide Improves Pacific White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) Fed Fishmeal Replacement with Cottonseed Protein Concentrate: Effects on Growth, Intestinal Health, and Disease Resistance
Authors: Chen Guofeng , Liu Baoqiang , Chen Jiajun , Liu Hongyu , Tan Beiping , Dong Xiaohui , Yang Qihui , Chi Shuyan , Zhang Shuang , Yao Min
Published: February 2022

Sulfate-based alginate polysaccharide (SAP) is a novelty marine prebiotic. To investigate the beneficial effects of SAP in Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) fed low-fishmeal diets, six diets (whole fishmeal group: FM; fishmeal replacement with cottonseed protein concentrate and SAP supplementary groups: SAP0, SAP1, SAP2, SAP3, and SAP4) were formulated and fed shrimp for 56 days. The results showed that SAP2 and SAP3 groups reached the best weight gain and specific growth rate (

P
<
0.05

). In serum, the activities of lysozyme and acid phosphatase showed the trend of firstly increased and then decreased (

P
<
0.05

). In the gut, the highest activities of trypsin, lipase, and amylase were found in SAP2 and SAP3 groups (

P
<
0.05

); the histological indexes gradually improved with SAP levels increased (

P
<
0.05

); sequencing of microbiota revealed that the composition and structure of microbiota have been improved, especially in the decreasing abundance of Vibrio, Pseudoalteromonas, and Candidatus Bacilloplasma at genus level. Besides, transcriptomics revealed a degree of similarity in differential gene expression patterns in shrimp; the comparison of RNA-Seq and qRT-PCR verified that SAP improved antioxidant and immunity in shrimp. The challenge revealed that SAP strengthened the resistance against Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Totally, the supplementary SAP to low-fishmeal diets improved growth, intestinal health, and disease resistance in shrimp. Based on the polynomial curve analysis of specific growth rate among SAPs groups, the optimum SAP supplementary level was 1.91%.
Dysregulated Bradykinin: Mystery in the Pathogenesis of COVID-19
Authors: Tabassum Aisha , Iqbal Mohammad Shahid , Sultan Sadia , Alhuthali Raghad Ali , Alshubaili Deena Ismail , Sayyam Raghad Salah , Abyad Lama Mohammed , Qasem Ahmed H. , Arbaeen Ahmad F.
Published: February 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic is rapidly spreading, and health care systems are being overwhelmed with the huge number of cases, with a good number of cases requiring intensive care. It has become imperative to develop safe and effective treatment strategies to improve survival. In this regard, understanding the pathogenesis of COVID-19 is highly important. Many hypotheses have been proposed, including the ACE/angiotensin-II/angiotensin receptor 1 pathway, the complement pathway, and the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2/mitochondrial assembly receptor (ACE2/MasR) pathway. SARS-CoV-2 binds to the ACE2 on the cell surface, downregulating the ACE2, and thus impairs the inactivation of bradykinin and des-Arg9-bradykinin. Bradykinin, a linear nonapeptide, is extensively distributed in plasma and different tissues. Kininogens in plasma and tissue are the main sources of the two vasoactive peptides called bradykinin and kallidin. However, the role of the dysregulated bradykinin pathway is less explored in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Understanding the pathogenesis of COVID-19 is crucial for the development of new effective treatment approaches which interfere with these pathways. In this review, we have tried to explore the interaction between SARS-CoV-2, ACE2, bradykinin, and its metabolite des-Arg9-bradykinin in the pathogenesis of COVID-19.
Double Heterotopic Pregnancies with Live Intrauterine Pregnancy after Ovarian Stimulation
Authors: Shi S. , Rasouli M. , Raman A. , de Guzman G.
Published: February 2022

Heterotopic pregnancies, although rare in natural conceptions, have increased in incidence with use of assisted reproductive techniques (ART). Double heterotopic pregnancy in addition to an intrauterine pregnancy is exceedingly rare. In this case, we present a patient who underwent ovulation induction and intrauterine insemination (IUI) and was found on ultrasound to have a live heterotopic pregnancy. Intraoperatively, both fallopian tubes were grossly swollen and engorged. Bilateral salpingectomy was performed. Pathology identified gestational products in both fallopian tubes consistent with a double heterotopic pregnancy. Postoperatively, the intrauterine pregnancy resulted in a live birth. Although double heterotopic pregnancy and an intrauterine pregnancy is exceedingly rare, this case emphasizes the importance of routinely inspecting the contralateral fallopian tube at the time of surgery for an ectopic pregnancy, particularly in patients undergoing ovulation induction.
Lip Epidermoid Cyst Caused by a Piercing: A Report of a Rare Case
Authors: Ito Takashi , Fukuzawa Satoshi , Yamagata Kenji , Takaoka Shohei , Ohkubo-Sato Makiko , Uchida Fumihiko , Ishibashi-Kanno Naomi , Bukawa Hiroki
Published: February 2022

We report the case of a lip epidermoid cyst, caused by piercing in a 23-year-old Japanese woman. She had an exophytic lesion in the lower lip associated with the piercing which was initially diagnosed as a mucous retention cyst. The lesion was resected under local anesthesia, and pathological examination revealed an epidermoid cyst, likely caused by piercings. Piercing-induced epidermoid cysts frequently occur in the tragus. There have been no reports of piercing-induced epidermoid cysts developing in the oral cavity. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a lip epidermal cyst caused by piercings. Six months have passed since the operation, and it has not recurred.
Numerical Investigation on Flame Stabilization of Cavity-Based Scramjet Combustor Using Compressible Modified FGM Model
Authors: Zhang Qi , Zhu Weibing , Yang Dongchao , Chen Hong
Published: February 2022

The technology of flame stabilization on cavity-based scramjet combustor has great significance in the field of future spacecraft. In this paper, a compressible modified FGM model was established based on the idea of the flamelet model, which was adopted to simulate the unsteady combustion process of the hydrogen transverse jet in the upper cavity of the scramjet. The results show that the compressible modified FGM model can accurately reflect the flow field and the propagation process of the flame in the supersonic cavity, and can capture the fine shock structure in the flow field. The coupling effect of shock waves and shear layer cause the shear layer to quickly destabilize, resulting in the turbulence effect, which promotes the mixing of air and fuel. The boundary layer separation at the upper wall of the combustion chamber will reduce the stability of the shear layer.
Design and Analysis of Chinese-Korean Translation System Based on Deep Transfer Learning
Authors: Xu Jun
Published: February 2022

In order to better establish the Chinese-Korean translation system model, the deep transfer learning and the model system are tested and analyzed, and the following analysis results are obtained. By discussing the different adjustment mechanisms of deep transfer learning under MMD metric and Wasserstein metric, we can see that, in the MMD metric model, through analyzing datasets 1 and 2, the highest accuracy rate is 83.1% under multisource weight adjustment mechanism under MMD metric and the lower accuracy rate is 62.7% under no weight adjustment mechanism, and the accuracy rates of datasets 1 and 2 are higher than the average. Under Wasserstein metric, the accuracy of dataset 1 is 82.5% under multisource weight and 68.5% under no source weight, both of which are higher than the average. Three EEGNet models, EEGNet_0, EEGNet_1, and EEGNet_2, were established for comparative testing; according to the test results, it can be seen that EEGNet_1 has high accuracy and can be preferred for system establishment. By comparing the Chinese-Korean translation model with the blockchain model and the traditional translation model, it can be seen that when the translation sentences are 100 sentences, the average response time and peak traffic response time of the Chinese-Korean translation model are lower than those of the traditional translation model and the test conclusion is passed. When the test sentences are 1000 sentences, the average response time and peak traffic corresponding time of the Chinese-Korean translation model are still lower than those of the traditional method. Therefore, it can be seen that the efficiency and winning rate of the Chinese-Korean translation model are higher than those of the traditional translation system and meet the needs. According to the analysis of the performance test results of the translation system, it can be seen that the average response time and success rate of the Chinese and Korean translation system under different data are higher than those of the traditional translation system. When the test data are 500, the average response time of the translation system is 13 ms and the accuracy rate is 100%. When the test data are 3000, the average response time is 99 ms and the success rate is 99.6%. Therefore, the success rate of the translation system is basically above 99.6%, which is higher than that of the traditional translation system. In contrast, the Chinese-Korean translation system can improve the translation efficiency and accuracy and can be preferred.