bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Media Information Dissemination Model of Wireless Networks Using Deep Residual Network
Authors: Lv Xiaojing , Chun Dongphil
Published: July 2021

Information dissemination and its prediction in wireless networks is a challenging task. Researchers have studied the prediction process of media information dissemination in wireless networks using various methods. In this paper, we analyze information dissemination in wireless networks using a deep residual network model. In the proposed model, the relative weight of nodes and the dissemination probability of media information in wireless networks are obtained. The obtained information is the inputs into the deep residual network as features. The convolution feature extractor is used to obtain the details of the input features. Finally, the propagation information is classified according to the extracted features through the full connection layer. We have used the SELU activation function to optimize the deep residual network. In this way, a complete media information dissemination prediction of wireless networks is obtained. The simulation results show that the proposed model has fast convergence and a low bit error rate of information dissemination. It reflects the characteristics of media information dissemination in a wireless network in real-time applications. The results show accurate prediction of media information dissemination in wireless networks.
Stability and Hopf Bifurcation Analysis of an Epidemic Model with Time Delay
Authors: Zhang Yue , Li Xue , Zhang Xianghua , Yin Guisheng
Published: July 2021

Epidemic models are normally used to describe the spread of infectious diseases. In this paper, we will discuss an epidemic model with time delay. Firstly, the existence of the positive fixed point is proven; and then, the stability and Hopf bifurcation are investigated by analyzing the distribution of the roots of the associated characteristic equations. Thirdly, the theory of normal form and manifold is used to drive an explicit algorithm for determining the direction of Hopf bifurcation and the stability of the bifurcation periodic solutions. Finally, some simulation results are carried out to validate our theoretic analysis.
Research of Total Factor Productivity and Agricultural Management Based on Malmquist-DEA Modeling
Authors: Wan Binghun , Zhou Ende
Published: July 2021

Based on the Malmquist-DEA Modeling and drawing on the data from 12 cities in Hubei, a central province of China, this paper measures the total factor productivity (TFP) of agricultural management as well as technological change (TC) and technical efficiency change (EC). The Cobb–Douglas (C-D) production function is adopted to empirically estimate the impacts of TFP and its constituent elements on the agricultural management and economic growth comprehensively and further study the effects on different regions in Hubei. The results demonstrate that TC grows at an annual average rate of 6.7% and drives agricultural TFP growth in Hubei. The decline in scale efficiency accounts for the drop of 1.1% of EC. The agricultural TFP growth rates among different regions vary remarkably but overall have a positive and significant effect on agricultural output. The research sheds light on the analysis of agricultural development of Hubei according to the findings based on Malmquist-DEA Modeling and provides practical implications for the future management.
Automated High-Resolution Structure Analysis of Plant Root with a Morphological Image Filtering Algorithm
Authors: Gong Liang , Du Xiaofeng , Lin Chenhui , Zhu Kai , Liu Chengliang , Liang Wanqi
Published: July 2021

Research on rice (Oryza sativa) roots demands the automatic analysis of root architecture during image processing. It is challenging for a digital filter to identify the roots from the obscure and cluttered background. The original Frangi algorithm, presented by Alejandro F. Frangi in 1998, is a successful low-pass filter dedicated to blood vessel image enhancement. Considering the similarity between vessels and roots, the Frangi filter algorithm is applied to outline the roots. However, the original Frangi only enhances the tube-like primary roots but erases the lateral roots during filtering. In this paper, an improved Frangi filtering algorithm (IFFA), designed for plant roots, is proposed. Firstly, an automatic root phenotyping system is designed to fulfill the high-throughput root image acquisition. Secondly, multilevel image thresholding, connected components labeling, and width correction are used to optimize the output binary image. Thirdly, to enhance the local structure, the Gaussian filtering operator in the original Frangi is redesigned with a truncated Gaussian kernel, resulting in more discernible lateral roots. Compared to the original Frangi filter and commercially available software, IFFA is faster and more accurate, achieving a pixel accuracy of 97.48%. IFFA is an effective morphological filtering approach to enhance the roots of rice for segmentation and further biological research. It is convincing that IFFA is suitable for different 2-D plant root image processing and morphological analysis.
A Computationally Virtual Histological Staining Method to Ovarian Cancer Tissue by Deep Generative Adversarial Networks
Authors: Meng Xiangyu , Li Xin , Wang Xun
Published: July 2021

Histological analysis to tissue samples is elemental for diagnosing the risk and severity of ovarian cancer. The commonly used Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining method involves complex steps and strict requirements, which would seriously impact the research of histological analysis of the ovarian cancer. Virtual histological staining by the Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) provides a feasible way for these problems, yet it is still a challenge of using deep learning technology since the amounts of data available are quite limited for training. Based on the idea of GAN, we propose a weakly supervised learning method to generate autofluorescence images of unstained ovarian tissue sections corresponding to H&E staining sections of ovarian tissue. Using the above method, we constructed the supervision conditions for the virtual staining process, which makes the image quality synthesized in the subsequent virtual staining stage more perfect. Through the doctors’ evaluation of our results, the accuracy of ovarian cancer unstained fluorescence image generated by our method reached 93%. At the same time, we evaluated the image quality of the generated images, where the FID reached 175.969, the IS score reached 1.311, and the MS reached 0.717. Based on the image-to-image translation method, we use the data set constructed in the previous step to implement a virtual staining method that is accurate to tissue cells. The accuracy of staining through the doctor’s assessment reached 97%. At the same time, the accuracy of visual evaluation based on deep learning reached 95%.
Prevalence, Isolation, Identification, and Risk Factors of Major Bacterial Cause of Camel Subclinical Mastitis
Authors: Alebie Atnaf , Molla Alemante , Adugna Wesinew , Tesfaye Abebe , Ejo Mebrat
Published: July 2021

Objective. A crosssectional study was conducted between September 2015 and August 2016 in the district of Afar Regional State, Northeastern Ethiopia, to characterize the most prevalent bacterial pathogens and identify the associated risk factors of camel subclinical mastitis. California mastitis test (CMT) was used as a screening test, and standard bacteriological methods were carried out for isolation and identification of the pathogens. Results. Among the total 96 lactating camels examined, 25 were found positive with the overall prevalence of 26%, with 25% and 1% subclinical and clinical mastitis cases, respectively. Totally, 384 quarters of udder were examined; of these, 10 of them were blind while the rest 374 were nonblind teats. The quarter level prevalence of subclinical mastitis was 8.9%. The analysis showed that statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) of tick infestation and subclinical mastitis. Additionally, among the bacteriologically tested 34 CMT positive milk samples, all of them showed growth on nutrient and blood agar plate. Out of these culture isolates, the major bacterial pathogens identified were Staphylococcus aureus (8.7%), Staphylococcus hyicus (6.52%), Staphylococcus intermedius (6.52), Coagulase-negative staphylococci (19.57%), Bacillus (19.57%), Escherichia coli (6.52%), and Pasteurella multocida (6.52%) species. Therefore, appropriate control measures and awareness creation to the community should be practiced.
Modeling of Human Skin by the Use of Deep Learning
Authors: Xiong Xin , Guo Xuexun , Wang Yiping
Published: July 2021

Deep learning (DL) has matured well over time and resonated in various domains of computer applications. Pattern recognition gets more attention in machine learning field to take advantage of data available for modern life. Recognition by using the technology performance is worthy in terms of skin and other human features; this research tries to extract useful features from the skin and then classify these features under certain condition. The main objective of this study is to detect the skin diseases early and classify them for correct treatment. Using improved classifier (ISVM) to be adaptive with requirements of our task, many advantages can be got with this technique and it is useful in the fields of medicine, human health care, and diagnosis and life threat. Applying good classifier with best feature selection achieved good result in terms of accuracy, 95%, and recognition rate, 93%. This study concluded that adopting best strategy in selecting features and classification yields better prediction in emergency case before medicating the patient even during treatment.
Numerical Simulation and Optimization Design of End‐Suspended Pile Support for Soil‐Rock Composite Foundation Pit
Authors: Xu Qingchao , Bao Zhenhao , Lu Tu , Gao Huarui , Song Jiakang
Published: July 2021

In order to design the soil‐rock combination foundation pit more safely and effectively, this paper presents the investigations of the mechanical and deformational characteristics of end‐suspended piles supporting the structures in Jinan CBD area. Based on the measured data, a finite element model was established through the two‐dimensional numerical simulation method to study the deformational characteristics of the end‐suspended piles, and the influences of the depth of socketed rock, the width of rock shoulder, and the prestress of anchor cables on the deformations and mechanical property of end‐suspended piles were discussed. Some optimization methods are proposed based on these analyses. Results show the following: (1) Rock‐socketed depths have boundary effect on end‐suspended piles. Under the given geological conditions, the reasonable socketed ratio is within 0.158∼0.200. (2) The anchor cable prestress can effectively slow down the ground settlement, the force, and deformation of the pile body and can be set to 1P∼1.25P under the conditions of the site. (3) Rock‐shoulder width has little influence on the ground settlement and horizontal displacement of piles. The reserved width of rock shoulder is suggested to be selected in the range of 1.0 m∼1.5 m.
miR-16-5p Regulates PTPN4 and Affects Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis and Autophagy Induced by Hypoxia/Reoxygenation
Authors: Cao Zheng , Liu Jinglan , Zhao Zhanqing , Wang Qiao
Published: July 2021

Objectives. To explore the effects of miR-16-5p and PTPN4 on the apoptosis and autophagy of AC16 cardiomyocytes after hypoxia/reoxygenation treatment. Methods. AC16 cells were divided into the control group (NC), hypoxia/reoxygenation group (H/R), knockdown miR-16-5p negative control group (NC inhibitor), knockdown miR-16-5p group (miR-16-5p inhibitor), overexpression miR-16-5p negative control group (NC mimics), overexpression miR-16-5p group (miR-16-5p mimics), silent PTPN4 negative control group (sh-NC), silent PTPN4 group (sh-PTPN4), and silent PTPN4 + knockdown miR-16-5p group (sh-PTPN4 + miR-16-5p inhibitor). Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blotting (WB) were used to measure the expression level of miR-16-3p, miR-16-5p, protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 4 (PTPN4), and autophagy-related proteins (beclin-1, LC3 II/I, and P26) in AC16 cells. The apoptosis level of AC16 cells in each group was measured by flow cytometry and TUNEL. The dual-luciferase reporter gene experiment was also used to verify the targeting relationship between miR-16-5p and PTPN4. Results. After H/R treatment, the levels of myocardial injury markers including LDH and CK-MB in AC16 cells were increased significantly (

P
<
0.05

), and the levels of cell apoptosis and autophagy also increased significantly (

P
<
0.05

). The level of miR-16-3p in AC16 cells did not change significantly after H/R treatment, whereas the level of miR-16-5p was increased significantly (

P
<
0.05

). After miR-16-5p was knocked down, the levels of LDH and CK-MB in AC16 cells treated with H/R were significantly reduced (

P
<
0.05

), and the rates of cell apoptosis and autophagy were also significantly reduced (

P
<
0.05

). miR-16-5p negatively regulated the expression level of PTPN4 protein in AC16 cells (

P
<
0.05

), and the dual-luciferase reporter gene experiment confirmed that PTPN4 was the downstream target of miR-16-5p. Silencing of PTPN4 significantly increased the damage of AC16 cells induced by H/R treatment (

P
<
0.05

), but simultaneously inhibiting the expression of PTPN4 and miR-16-5p reversed the protective effect of miR-16-5p knockdown on AC16 cells (

P
<
0.05

). Conclusions. The expression of miR-16-5p is upregulated in AC16 cells after H/R treatment and the knockdown which can protect AC16 cells from H/R-induced cell damage that may be due to its regulation on the expression of PTPN4.
COVID-19 Infection in Spinal Muscular Atrophy Associated with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome
Authors: Mosalli Rafat , Al Matrafi Amirah , Ghazi Mohammed A. , Aboumousatafa Gamal A. , Paes Bosco
Published: July 2021

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is usually less severe and less prevalent in the pediatric population. Children with preexisting conditions such as neuromuscular impairments and chronic lung disease are more susceptible to COVID-19 and may incur several complications with a poor outcome. We present a case report of a 3-year-old-female with generalized hypotonia and respiratory failure due to spinal muscular atrophy who tested positive for COVID-19 and developed multisystem inflammatory syndrome that was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin and tocilizumab and subsequently died. The report highlights the importance of close surveillance, the use of protective measures during hospital visits, early testing, and diagnosis of COVID-19 in children with neurological disorders.
Research on the Meteorological Prediction Algorithm Based on the CNSS and Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Yang Li , Zhang Meng , Zhang Yunhan
Published: July 2021

Considering that the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) has the influence of positioning and atmospheric signals from time to time in meteorology, errors caused by moisture, and so on in the effect of the propagation path, these factors have led to the influence of various indexes of meteorological factors. In this study, a meteorological prediction algorithm based on the CNSS and particle swarm optimization is proposed. Aiming at the phenomenon that the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is prone to slow convergence speed and low optimization accuracy and there is a local optimal but cannot achieve the global optimal, an adaptive Kent chaotic map PSO algorithm is proposed. Through the comprehensive analysis of the meteorological input indicators in the GNSS, a noncurrent weight evaluation system is proposed. Under different evaluation systems, the PSO algorithm is applied, and PCA weight can obtain the best prediction effect. Then, the GA model, PSO model, and ADPSO model are used to predict PM2.5 index in meteorology. The results show that the proposed ADPSO algorithm has a good performance in RMSE, MAE, and R2 model evaluation.
High Level of Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Pathogens Causing Burn Wound Infections in Hospitalized Children in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Authors: Kabanangi Fatima , Joachim Agricola , Nkuwi Emmanuel James , Manyahi Joel , Moyo Sabrina , Majigo Mtebe
Published: July 2021

Background. Bacterial infection remains the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatric patients with burn wounds. The increase in infection and multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens necessitates a periodic review of antimicrobial susceptibility patterns in the burn units. The study aimed to determine the magnitude of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative (MDRGN) bacteria in children with burn wound infections and describe the resistance patterns in the tertiary and regional hospitals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Materials and Methods. The study was a hospital-based cross-sectional study design conducted between May 2017 and February 2018. Bacterial isolates from 103 wound swabs of pediatric patients with burn wounds were identified using conventional methods and API 20E. The antimicrobial susceptibility pattern was determined by the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23.0. Results. A total of 136 pathogenic Gram-negative organisms were isolated from burn wound infections in pediatric patients. The most isolated Gram-negative bacterium was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (39.0%), followed by Acinetobacter spp. (28.7%) and Klebsiella spp. (16.2%). MDRGN strains made up 80.1% of all Gram-negative isolates. All (100%) Klebsiella spp. and E. coli were MDR, while 69.2% and 79.2% of Acinetobacter spp. and P. aeruginosa, respectively, displayed MDR strains. We observed high levels of resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics. Among P. aeruginosa isolates, highest resistance (81.8%) was seen toward meropenem and piperacillin, 79.5% of Acinetobacter spp. showed resistance to aztreonam, while 93–100% of Klebsiella spp and E. coli displayed resistance to amoxyclavulanic acid, ceftriaxone, and ceftazidime. The proportion of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producers among Enterobacteriaceae was 78.6%. There was a significant higher rate of infection with MDRGN organisms in pediatric patients with a higher percentage of total burn surface area (TBSA) than patients with lower TBSA (

p

 = 0.016). Conclusions. P. aeruginosa, Acinetobacter spp., and Klebsiella spp. are the common Gram-negative pathogens causing burn wound infections in hospitalized pediatric patients in our setting. A high proportion of these organisms were multidrug resistant. The findings appeal for regular antimicrobial resistance surveillance in burn wound infection to inform empirical therapy.
Fault Diagnosis of Axial Piston Pump Based on Extreme‐Point Symmetric Mode Decomposition and Random Forests
Authors: Yafei Lei , Wanlu Jiang , Hongjie Niu , Xiaodong Shi , Xukang Yang
Published: July 2021

Aiming at fault diagnosis of axial piston pumps, a new fusion method based on the extreme‐point symmetric mode decomposition method (ESMD) and random forests (RFs) was proposed. Firstly, the vibration signal of the axial piston pump was decomposed by ESMD to get several intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) and an adaptive global mean curve (AGMC) on the local side. Secondly, the total energy was selected as the data of feature extraction by analyzing the whole oscillation intensity of the signal. Thirdly, the data were preprocessed and the labels were set, and then, they were adopted as the training and testing set of machine learning samples. Lastly, the RFs model was created based on machine learning service (MLS) to diagnose the faults of the axial piston pump on the cloud. Using the test and verifying the data set for comparative testing, the fault diagnosis precision rates of the model are above 90.6%, the recall rates are more than 90.9%, the F1 score is higher than 90.7%, and the accuracy rate of this model reached 97.14%. A benchmark data simulation of mechanical transmission systems and an experimental data investigation of an axial piston pump are performed to manifest the superiority of the present method by comparing with classification and regression trees (CART) and support vector machine (SVM).
Blood Genomics Identifies Three Subtypes of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: “IFN-High,” “NE-High,” and “Mixed”
Authors: Cui Mintian , Li Taotao , Yan Xinwei , Wang Chao , Shen Qi , Ren Hongbiao , Li Liangshuang , Zhang Ruijie
Published: July 2021

Purpose. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic and multifactorial autoimmune disease, and its diverse clinical manifestations affect molecular diagnosis and drug benefits. Our study was aimed at defining the SLE subtypes based on blood transcriptome data, analyzing functional patterns, and elucidating drug benefits. Methods. Three data sets were used in this paper that were collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, which contained two published data sets of pediatric and adult SLE patients (GSE65391, GSE49454) and public longitudinal data (GSE72754) from a cohort of SLE patients treated with IFN-α Kinoid (IFN-K). Based on disease activity scores and gene expression data, we defined a global SLE signature and merged three clustering algorithms to develop a single-sample subtype classifier (SSC). Systematic analysis of coexpression networks based on modules revealed the molecular mechanism for each subtype. Results. We identified 92 genes as a signature of the SLE subtypes and three intrinsic subsets (“IFN-high,” “NE-high,” and “mixed”), which varied in disease severity. We speculated that IFN-high might be due to the overproduction of interferons (IFNs) caused by viral infection, leading to the formation of autoantibodies. NE-high might primarily result from bacterial and fungal infections that stimulated neutrophils (NE) to produce neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and induced individual autoimmune responses. The mixed type contained both of these molecular mechanisms and showed an intrinsic connection. Conclusions. Our research results indicated that identifying the molecular mechanism associated with different SLE subtypes would benefit the molecular diagnosis and stratified therapy. Moreover, repositioning of IFN-K based on subtypes also revealed an improved therapeutic effect, providing a new direction for disease treatment and drug development.
Tissue Engineering Scaffold Materials to Repair Sports Cartilage Injury
Authors: Xing Mo
Published: July 2021

With the continued development of sports in China, sports sometimes cause cartilage damage. The purpose of this research is to study the tissue engineering scaffold material for sports cartilage damage repair. In this study, mesenchymal rat bone marrow stem cells (to put it simply, stem cells are a type of cell with unlimited or immortal self-renewal capacity, capable of producing at least one type of highly differentiated progeny cells) were obtained by the total bone wash method. The cells were inoculated into the cell culture bottle. When the primary cultured cells proliferated to about 80% of the culture bottle area, the cells were digested with trypsin to open the cell link, then the medium containing 10% serum was added to terminate the cell digestion, and then the passage expansion was carried out according to the cell density. PLGA/NHA and PLGA were heated to 65°C under ultrasonic vibration until uniform PLGA/NHA and PLGA solutions were obtained. Then, the samples were added to the tube mold and then heated and cooled to obtain the composite porous scaffold of mesenchymal stem cells. 10 μl MSCs cell suspension was extracted with a microinjector, and the needle was injected from the inside of the scaffold, and the cell suspension was added outside the scaffold to ensure that there were composite cells inside and outside the scaffold. The subcutaneous tissue of the skin was cut along the medial side of the knee joint and the capsule of the switch segment was cut. The scaffold materials were filled into the osteochondral defect to observe the cartilage healing. The mechanical strength of 0.5% PLGA-MSCs composite porous scaffold was increased to 1.1 MPa, and the cell density was high. The repair of cartilage in rats was the best. The results showed that the porous scaffolds designed in this study have good compatibility and are beneficial to repair sports cartilage injury.
The Impact of Identity on Satisfaction toward Entrepreneurial Environment: A Case Study
Authors: Liu Liu , Tian Fan
Published: July 2021

With the evolution of economic theory and the change of actual environment, the research on returnee entrepreneurs owns new significance. This article uses Chinese returnee entrepreneurs in Beijing areas as a sample to test the halo effect after returnee entrepreneurs encounter financing expectations violation and uses the theory of identity economics to explain the cause of this halo effect. Questionnaire survey, correlation analysis, and multiple regression were used in this study. The conclusion shows that after overseas returnees encounter a violation of financing expectations, not only will they lower their satisfaction with the financing environment but also this negative sentiment will spread to the two areas of policy support environment and entrepreneurial culture environment. The halo effects produced by returnees of different identity types are different, and the halo effect produced by returnees who identify with their own talents will be more obvious.
A Scheme of Sustainable Trajectory Optimization for Aircraft Cruise Based on Comprehensive Social Benefit
Authors: Ma Lina , Tian Yong , Yang Songtao , Xu Can , Hao Anmin
Published: July 2021

The increasing demand for environmentally friendly and passenger-favored flight operation requires a systematic scheme of sustainable trajectory optimization for the aircraft cruise. This paper achieves it by proposing an innovative performance framework based on the comprehensive benefit to the society considering both economic and noneconomic ones, following which the sustainable trajectory optimization problem is modeled by discretization. A method combining forward recurrence and memoization operation, called memoization dynamic programming, is developed to solve the model with computational efficiency. Working with real-world operational data of a typical flight route, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme at different levels and explore the difference in its performance due to meteorological conditions, aircraft type, and time horizon. The scheme is proved to perform robustly in comprehensive performance with a stable benefit rate of about 8% through sensitivity analysis, by which we find that it is relatively better for the flights cruising on business route with a load factor of 85%. Tradeoff results suggest that the systematic consideration of both the economic and noneconomic performance contributes to improved integrated sustainability. In particular, the optimal comprehensive performance at a monthly level can be obtained when accepting an additional $26,500 economic cost.
Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms and Its Associated Factors among People Living with HIV Attending Public Hospitals of Nekemte Town, Western Ethiopia, 2021
Authors: Abdisa Eba , Tolesa Tizita , Abadiga Muktar
Published: July 2021

Background. Depressive symptoms are the most common mental illness among people living with HIV/AIDS. Depressive symptoms impact negatively on the course of HIV infection and can lead to suicide and increased risk of mortality when it is a severe form. Although depressive symptoms are common among HIV/AIDS patients, only a few studies have been conducted in Ethiopia and no study, particularly at Nekemte town public hospitals. Therefore, this study was aimed at assessing the prevalence and risk factors for depressive symptoms among people living with HIV/AIDS attending Nekemte town public hospitals, Western Ethiopia. Methods. An institution-based cross-sectional study design was conducted on 425 HIV/AIDS patients at Nekemte town public hospitals, from March 30 to May 30, 2019. Data were collected through interviews and patient document reviews. The nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to collect information concerning depressive symptoms and was defined by a PHQ-9

score
≥
5

. HIV stigma and discrimination scales were used to measure stigma. Social support was described by a sum score of the Oslo3 social support scale (OSS-3). The collected data was entered into EpiData Windows version 4.1 and then exported to Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Windows version 24.0 for analysis. All variables found to be significant at the bivariable level (

p

value < 0.25) were entered into a multivariable logistic regression model.

p

values of <0.05 and 95% confidence level were used to determine statistical significance. Results. Out of the total of 384 study participants who participated in the study, 165 (42.96%) had depressive symptoms. Self-reported sleeping problems (

AOR
=
7.04

, 95% CI: 3.23, 15.33), CD4 level of <200 (

AOR
=
5.45

, 95% CI: 2.06, 14.42), poor social support (

AOR
=
2.79

, 95% CI: 1.17, 6.67), and perceived stigma (

AOR
=
9.11

, 95% CI: 1.17, 17.33) were significantly associated with depressive symptoms among HIV/AIDS patients at Nekemte town public hospitals. Conclusion. The level of depressive symptoms among HIV/AIDS patients in this study was high. Self-reported sleeping problems, CD4 level, social support, and perceived stigma were found to be significantly associated with depressive symptoms among HIV patients. Health care professionals should have to strengthen the linkage of mental health with antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinic to early detect and treat depressive symptoms.
Y-Box Binding Protein 1 Regulates Angiogenesis in Bladder Cancer via miR-29b-3p-VEGFA Pathway
Authors: Gao Dongyang , Niu Qian , Gong Yuwen , Guo Qi , Zhang Su , Wang Yuhan , Liu Shanhui , Wang Hanzhang , Svatek Robert , Rodriguez Ronald , Ma Junhai , Wang Zhiping
Published: July 2021

Angiogenesis plays a vital role in the development of bladder cancer (BC). The Y-box-binding protein 1 (YB-1) is a well-known oncoprotein which is closely related to angiogenesis of tumors, but the relationship and mechanism of YB-1 and angiogenesis in BC remain unclear. Based on 56 clinical BC specimens, this study found that high expression of YB-1 samples demonstrated a higher expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) than those of YB-1 low expression. Subsequently, the expression of YB-1 and miR-29b-3p was regulated in the BC cell lines where we noted that YB-1 promoted VEGFA expression by downregulating the expression of miR- 29b-3p. The ability of BC cells to induce angiogenesis decreased after YB-1 was knocked down. Moreover, the in vivo study further confirmed that YB-1 promotes angiogenesis in BC. Our findings enhance the understanding of how YB-1 promotes angiogenesis in BC and provide evidence for YB-1 as a therapeutic target of BC. Moreover, this may provide new inspiration for miRNAs replacement therapies.
A Design Method of Sparse Array with High Degrees of Freedom Based on Fourth-Order Cumulants
Authors: Mei Fengtong , Wang Daming , Jian Chunxiao , Wang Yinsheng , Cui Weijia
Published: July 2021

Recently, the design of sparse linear array for direction of arrival (DOA) estimation of non-Gaussian signals has attracted considerable interest due to the fact that the fourth-order difference coarray offered by non-Gaussian significantly increases the aperture of a virtual linear array, which improves the performance of DOA estimation. In this paper, a super four-level nested array (S-FL-NA) configuration based on fourth-order cumulants (FOC) is proposed. The S-FL-NA consists of uniform linear arrays which have different interelement spacing. The proposed array configuration is designed based on interelement spacing, which, for a given number of sensors, is uniquely determined by a closed-form expression. We also derive the closed-form expression for the degrees of freedom (DOFs) of the proposed array. The optimal distribution of the number of sensors in each uniform linear array of the proposed array is given for an arbitrary number of sensors. Compared with the existing sparse arrays, the proposed array can provide a higher number of degrees of freedom and a larger physical array aperture. In addition, to improve the calculation speed of the fourth-order cumulant matrix, we simplify the FOC matrix by removing some redundancy. Numerical simulations are conducted to verify the superiority of the S-FL-NA over other sparse arrays.
Loss-of-Function Mutations in TRAF7 and KLF4 Cooperatively Activate RAS-Like GTPase Signaling and Promote Meningioma Development
Authors: Najm Paul , Zhao Peihua , Steklov Mikhail , Sewduth Raj Nayan , Baietti Maria Francesca , Pandolfi Silvia , Criem Nathan , Lechat Benoit , Maia Teresa Mendes , Van Haver Delphi , Corthout Nikky , Eyckerman Sven , Impens Francis , Sablina Anna A.
Published: July 2021

Meningiomas are the most common benign brain tumors. Mutations of the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRAF7 occur in 25% of meningiomas and commonly cooccur with mutations in KLF4, yet the functional link between TRAF7 and KLF4 mutations remains unclear. By generating an in vitro meningioma model derived from primary meningeal cells, we elucidated the cooperative interactions that promote meningioma development. By integrating TRAF7-driven ubiquitinome and proteome alterations in meningeal cells and the TRAF7 interactome, we identified TRAF7 as a proteostatic regulator of RAS-related small GTPases. Meningioma-associated TRAF7 mutations disrupted either its catalytic activity or its interaction with RAS GTPases. TRAF7 loss in meningeal cells altered actin dynamics and promoted anchorage-independent growth by inducing CDC42 and RAS signaling. TRAF deficiency–driven activation of the RAS/MAPK pathway promoted KLF4-dependent transcription that led to upregulation of the tumor-suppressive Semaphorin pathway, a negative regulator of small GTPases. KLF4 loss of function disrupted this negative feedback loop and enhanced mutant TRAF7-mediated cell transformation. Overall, this study provides new mechanistic insights into meningioma development, which could lead to novel treatment strategies.

Significance:

The intricate molecular cross-talk between the ubiquitin ligase TRAF7 and the transcription factor KLF4 provides a first step toward the identification of new therapies for patients with meningioma.
The Chasm We Must Cross in Japan for Re-promotion of the HPV Vaccine
Authors: Ueda Yutaka , Katayama Kayoko , Yagi Asami , Kimura Tadashi
Published: July 2021

In Japan, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rate has decreased from around 70% to less than 1% due to repeated media reports of diverse symptoms after HPV vaccination, and to suspension of the governmental recommendation. The challenges for re-promotion of the vaccine will be discussed from a marketing perspective. The adopter categories by which a new product penetrates the market can be divided into five groups, including Innovators, Early adopters, Early majority, Late majority, and Laggards. The 16.0% line, which is the sum of the percentages of the innovators and the early adopters, is thought to be an important determinate of whether a new product will penetrate the market. By various initiatives, vaccination coverage has recently risen to about 10%; however, there is still a large chasm difficult to cross before reaching the majority of individuals. To cross that chasm, peer education will be essential. First, community health workers will need to be educated so that they have a firm understanding of HPV vaccine and can confidently recommend vaccination to the targeted population. That population will be expected to pass on that recommendation to their acquaintances, resulting in widening dissemination of HPV vaccine among the majority.
Conservation of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition Process in Neural Crest Cells and Metastatic Cancer
Authors: Zhang April , Aslam Hira , Sharma Neha , Warmflash Aryeh , Fakhouri Walid D.
Published: July 2021

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a highly conserved cellular process in several species, from worms to humans. EMT plays a fundamental role in early embryogenesis, wound healing, and cancer metastasis. For neural crest cell (NCC) development, EMT typically results in forming a migratory and potent cell population that generates a wide variety of cell and tissue, including cartilage, bone, connective tissue, endocrine cells, neurons, and glia amongst many others. The degree of conservation between the signaling pathways that regulate EMT during development and metastatic cancer (MC) has not been fully established, despite ample studies. This systematic review and meta-analysis dissects the major signaling pathways involved in EMT of NCC development and MC to unravel the similarities and differences. While the FGF, TGFβ/BMP, SHH, and NOTCH pathways have been rigorously investigated in both systems, the EGF, IGF, HIPPO, Factor Receptor Superfamily, and their intracellular signaling cascades need to be the focus of future NCC studies. In general, meta-analyses of the associated signaling pathways show a significant number of overlapping genes (particularly ligands, transcription regulators, and targeted cadherins) involved in each signaling pathway of both systems without stratification by body segments and cancer type. Lack of stratification makes it difficult to meaningfully evaluate the intracellular downstream effectors of each signaling pathway. Finally, pediatric neuroblastoma and melanoma are NCC-derived malignancies, which emphasize the importance of uncovering the EMT events that convert NCC into treatment-resistant malignant cells.
Automatic Identification of Upper Extremity Rehabilitation Exercise Type and Dose Using Body-Worn Sensors and Machine Learning: A Pilot Study
Authors: Balestra Noah , Sharma Gaurav , Riek Linda M. , Busza Ania
Published: July 2021

Background: Prior studies suggest that participation in rehabilitation exercises improves motor function poststroke; however, studies on optimal exercise dose and timing have been limited by the technical challenge of quantifying exercise activities over multiple days. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess the feasibility of using body-worn sensors to track rehabilitation exercises in the inpatient setting and investigate which recording parameters and data analysis strategies are sufficient for accurately identifying and counting exercise repetitions. Methods: MC10 BioStampRC® sensors were used to measure accelerometer and gyroscope data from upper extremities of healthy controls (n = 13) and individuals with upper extremity weakness due to recent stroke (n = 13) while the subjects performed 3 preselected arm exercises. Sensor data were then labeled by exercise type and this labeled data set was used to train a machine learning classification algorithm for identifying exercise type. The machine learning algorithm and a peak-finding algorithm were used to count exercise repetitions in non-labeled data sets. Results: We achieved a repetition counting accuracy of 95.6% overall, and 95.0% in patients with upper extremity weakness due to stroke when using both accelerometer and gyroscope data. Accuracy was decreased when using fewer sensors or using accelerometer data alone. Conclusions: Our exploratory study suggests that body-worn sensor systems are technically feasible, well tolerated in subjects with recent stroke, and may ultimately be useful for developing a system to measure total exercise “dose” in poststroke patients during clinical rehabilitation or clinical trials.
A Novel Enrichment Culture Highlights Core Features of Microbial Networks Contributing to Autotrophic Fe(II) Oxidation Coupled to Nitrate Reduction
Authors: Huang Yu-Ming , Straub Daniel , Kappler Andreas , Smith Nicole , Blackwell Nia , Kleindienst Sara
Published: July 2021

Fe(II) oxidation coupled to nitrate reduction (NRFO) has been described for many environments. Yet very few autotrophic microorganisms catalysing NRFO have been cultivated and their diversity, as well as their mechanisms for NRFO in situ remain unclear. A novel autotrophic NRFO enrichment culture, named culture BP, was obtained from freshwater sediment. After more than 20 transfers, culture BP oxidized 8.22 mM of Fe(II) and reduced 2.42 mM of nitrate within 6.5 days under autotrophic conditions. We applied metagenomic, metatranscriptomic, and metaproteomic analyses to culture BP to identify the microorganisms involved in autotrophic NRFO and to unravel their metabolism. Overall, twelve metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) were constructed, including a dominant Gallionellaceae sp. MAG (≥71% relative abundance). Genes and transcripts associated with potential Fe(II) oxidizers in culture BP, identified as a Gallionellaceae sp., Noviherbaspirillum sp., and Thiobacillus sp., were likely involved in metal oxidation (e.g., cyc2, mtoA), denitrification (e.g., nirK/S, norBC), carbon fixation (e.g., rbcL), and oxidative phosphorylation. The putative Fe(II)-oxidizing protein Cyc2 was detected for the Gallionellaceae sp. Overall, a complex network of microbial interactions among several Fe(II) oxidizers and denitrifiers was deciphered in culture BP that might resemble NRFO mechanisms in situ. Furthermore, 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing from environmental samples revealed 36 distinct Gallionellaceae taxa, including the key player of NRFO from culture BP (approx. 0.13% relative abundance in situ). Since several of these in situ-detected Gallionellaceae taxa were closely related to the key player in culture BP, this suggests that the diversity of organisms contributing to NRFO might be higher than currently known.
Mechanistic Insights Into Posterior Mitral Leaflet Inter-Scallop Malcoaptation During Acute Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation
Authors: Lai David T. , Tibayan Frederick A. , Myrmel Truls , Timek Tomasz A. , Dagum Paul , Daughters George T. , Liang David , Ingels Neil B. , Miller D. Craig
Published: July 2021

Background

Three-dimensional dynamics of the 3 individual scallops within the posterior mitral leaflet during acute ischemic mitral regurgitations have not been previously measured.

Methods

Radiopaque markers were sutured to the mitral annulus, papillary muscle tips, and leaflet edges in 13 sheep. Immediately postoperatively, under open-chest conditions, 3-D marker coordinates were obtained using high-speed biplane videofluoroscopy before and during echocardiographically verified acute ischemic mitral regurgitation produced by occlusion of the left circumflex coronary artery.

Results

During acute ischemic mitral regurgitation, at end systole, the anterolateral edge of the central scallop was displaced 0.8±0.9 mm laterally and 0.9±0.6 mm apically away from the anterolateral scallop; such displacement correlated with lateral displacement of the lateral annulus (R
2
=0.7, SEE=0.7 mm,
P
<0.001) and movement of the right lateral annulus away from the nonischemic anterior papillary tip (R
2
=0.6, SEE=0.8 mm,
P
=0.002), respectively. End-systolic displacement of the posteromedial edge of the central scallop was 1.4±0.9 mm anteriorly and 0.9±0.6 mm laterally away from the posteromedial scallop, corresponding to anterior displacement of the mid-lateral annulus (R
2
=0.5, SEE=1.0 mm,
P
<0.001).

Conclusions

Malcoaptation of the scallops within the posterior leaflet during acute left ventricular ischemia is a novel observation. The primary geometric mechanism underlying scallop malcoaptation in acute ischemic mitral regurgitation was annular dilatation, which hindered leaflet coaptation by drawing the individual scallops apart. These findings support the use of annular reduction in the repair of ischemic mitral regurgitation and also suture closure of prominent subcommissures between posterior leaflet scallops.
Human Cytomegalovirus Immediate-Early Protein IE2–86, but not IE1–72, Causes Graft Coronary Arteriopathy in the Transplanted Rat Heart
Authors: Suzuki Ken , Murtuza Bari , Suzuki Noriko , Khan Mahboob , Kaneda Yasufumi , Yacoub Magdi H.
Published: July 2021

Background

Graft coronary arteriopathy (GCA) after heart transplantation is a major factor limiting the long-term survival of the recipients. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is a possible cause of this disease which is characterized by diffuse intimal thickening resulting from smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation. It has been reported that HCMV immediate-early (IE) proteins, IE1 and IE2, could play an important role in the development of this disease; however, the precise in vivo role of these proteins in causing GCA has not been clarified.

Methods and Results

Excised Lewis rat hearts were transfected with HCMV IE1–72, IE2–86 or control plasmid by intra-coronary infusion of Hemagglutinating Virus of Japan-liposome, and transplanted into syngeneic recipients’ abdomens. All cardiac grafts continued to beat well throughout the incubation period in the absence of immunosuppression. Exclusive expression of IE1–72 or IE2–86 protein in coronary artery walls was demonstrated after IE1–72 or IE2–86 gene transfection, respectively. Luminal occlusion as a consequence of intimal thickening of graft coronary arteries developed in the IE2–86 transfected hearts at day 21 after transplantation (30.1±3.4% occlusion,
P
<0.0001), compared with the IE1–72 and control transfected ones (8.2±1.6 and 6.8±1.1%, respectively). In contrast, there was no significant difference in luminal occlusion between the IE1–72 and control transfected hearts.

Conclusions

We have demonstrated that expression of IE2–86 alone, but not IE1–72, causes intimal hyperplasia after cardiac transplantation. IE2–86 protein may therefore prove to be a useful target in therapies aimed at preventing HCMV-related GCA and improving the long-term result of cardiac transplantation.
Cellular Cardiomyoplasty of Cardiac Fibroblasts by Adenoviral Delivery of
MyoD
Ex Vivo: An Unlimited Source of Cells for Myocardial Repair
Authors: Etzion Sharon , Barbash Israel M. , Feinberg Micha S. , Zarin Parvin , Miller Liron , Guetta Esther , Holbova Radka , Kloner Robert A. , Kedes Laurence H. , Leor Jonathan
Published: July 2021

Background

The muscle-specific
MyoD
family of transcription factors function as master genes that are able to prompt myogenesis in a variety of cells. The purpose of our study was to determine whether
MyoD
could induce primary cardiac fibroblasts, isolated from infarcted myocardium or pericardium, to undergo myogenic conversion in a clinically relevant approach.

Methods and Results

Primary rat fibroblasts from 7-day-old infarcted myocardium or normal pericardium were transfected by an E1/E3-deleted adenoviral vector carrying both a human
MyoD
cDNA driven by a CMV promoter and a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene driven by a second CMV promoter. Expression of
MyoD
caused myogenic differentiation of cultured fibroblasts, as defined by elongation and fusion into multinucleated myotubes, typical cross striation as identified by electron microscopy, and positive immunostaining for sarcomeric actin, fast myosin heavy chain (MHC), and actinin. The myogenic cells (1.5×10
6
) were transplanted into the infarcted myocardium 7 days after coronary artery occlusion. By 1 month after transplantation, the converted fibroblasts gave rise to a cluster of myogenic cells that in a few hearts occupied a large part of the scar with positive immunostaining for the myogenic proteins fast-MHC and sarcomeric actin. A few cells expressed the gap junction protein connexin 43 in a disorganized manner. There was no positive staining in the control hearts treated with injections of untreated fibroblasts or culture medium.

Conclusions

Our work shows that it is possible to exploit the unique capacity of
MyoD
to activate myogenesis in fibroblasts ex vivo and to create a vast source of autologous myogenic cells for transplantation.