bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of a novel heterozygous DYSF variant in a large family with a dominantly‐inherited dysferlinopathy
Authors: Folland Chiara , Johnsen Russell , Botero Gomez Adriana , Trajanoski Daniel , Davis Mark R. , Moore Ursula , Straub Volker , Barresi Rita , Guglieri Michela , Hayhurst Hannah , Schaefer Andrew M. , Laing Nigel G. , Lamont Philipa J. , Ravenscroft Gianina
Published: August 2022

Aims

Dysferlinopathy is an autosomal recessive muscular dystrophy, caused by bi‐allelic variants in the gene encoding dysferlin (DYSF). Onset typically occurs in the second to third decade and is characterised by slowly progressive skeletal muscle weakness and atrophy of the proximal and/or distal muscles of the four limbs. There are rare cases of symptomatic DYSF variant carriers. Here, we report a large family with a dominantly inherited hyperCKaemia and late‐onset muscular dystrophy.

Methods and Results

Genetic analysis identified a co‐segregating novel DYSF variant [NM_003494.4:c.6207del p.(Tyr2070Metfs*4)]. No secondary variants in DYSF or other dystrophy‐related genes were identified on whole genome sequencing and analysis of the proband's DNA. Skeletal muscle involvement was milder and later onset than typical dysferlinopathy presentations; these clinical signs manifested in four individuals, all between the fourth and sixth decades of life. All individuals heterozygous for the c.6207del variant had hyperCKaemia. Histological analysis of skeletal muscle biopsies across three generations showed clear dystrophic signs, including inflammatory infiltrates, regenerating myofibres, increased variability in myofibre size and internal nuclei. Muscle magnetic resonance imaging revealed fatty replacement of muscle in two individuals. Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis of muscle biopsy demonstrated consistent reduction of dysferlin staining. Allele‐specific quantitative PCR analysis of DYSF mRNA from patient muscle found that the variant, localised to the extreme C‐terminus of dysferlin, does not activate post‐transcriptional mRNA decay.

Conclusions

We propose that this inheritance pattern may be underappreciated and that other late‐onset muscular dystrophy cases with mono‐allelic DYSF variants, particularly C‐terminal premature truncation variants, may represent dominant forms of disease.
Autopolyploid inheritance and a heterozygous reciprocal translocation shape chromosome genetic behavior in tetraploid blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)
Authors: Mengist Molla F. , Bostan Hamed , De Paola Domenico , Teresi Scott J. , Platts Adrian E. , Cremona Gaetana , Qi Xinpeng , Mackey Ted , Bassil Nahla V. , Ashrafi Hamid , Giongo Lara , Jibran Rubina , Chagné David , Bianco Luca , Lila Mary A. , Rowland Lisa J. , Iovene Marina , Edger Patrick P. , Iorizzo Massimo
Published: August 2022

Understanding chromosome recombination behavior in polyploidy species is key to advancing genetic discoveries. In blueberry, a tetraploid species, the line of evidences about its genetic behavior still remain poorly understood, owing to the inter‐specific, and inter‐ploidy admixture of its genome and lack of in depth genome‐wide inheritance and comparative structural studies.

Here we describe a new high‐quality, phased, chromosome‐scale genome of a diploid blueberry, clone W85. The genome was integrated with cytogenetics and high‐density, genetic maps representing six tetraploid blueberry cultivars, harboring different levels of wild genome admixture, to uncover recombination behavior and structural genome divergence across tetraploid and wild diploid species.

Analysis of chromosome inheritance and pairing demonstrated that tetraploid blueberry behaves as an autotetraploid with tetrasomic inheritance. Comparative analysis demonstrated the presence of a reciprocal, heterozygous, translocation spanning one homolog of chr‐6 and one of chr‐10 in the cultivar Draper. The translocation affects pairing and recombination of chromosomes 6 and 10. Besides the translocation detected in Draper, no other structural genomic divergences were detected across tetraploid cultivars and highly inter‐crossable wild diploid species.

These findings and resources will facilitate new genetic and comparative genomic studies in Vaccinium and the development of genomic assisted selection strategy for this crop.
Fungal resilience and host–pathogen interactions: Future perspectives and opportunities
Authors: Brown Alistair J. P.
Published: August 2022

We are constantly exposed to the threat of fungal infection. The outcome—clearance, commensalism or infection—depends largely on the ability of our innate immune defences to clear infecting fungal cells versus the success of the fungus in mounting compensatory adaptive responses. As each seeks to gain advantage during these skirmishes, the interactions between host and fungal pathogen are complex and dynamic. Nevertheless, simply compromising the physiological robustness of fungal pathogens reduces their ability to evade antifungal immunity, their virulence, and their tolerance against antifungal therapy. In this article I argue that this physiological robustness is based on a ‘Resilience Network’ which mechanistically links and controls fungal growth, metabolism, stress resistance and drug tolerance. The elasticity of this network probably underlies the phenotypic variability of fungal isolates and the heterogeneity of individual cells within clonal populations. Consequently, I suggest that the definition of the fungal Resilience Network represents an important goal for the future which offers the clear potential to reveal drug targets that compromise drug tolerance and synergise with current antifungal therapies.
Correlations between photosynthetic heat tolerance and leaf anatomy and climatic niche in Asian mangrove trees
Authors: Li X. , Wen Y. , Chen X. , Qie Y. , Cao K.‐F. , Wee A. K. S.
Published: August 2022

Photosynthetic heat tolerance (PHT) is a key predictor of plant response to climate change. Mangroves are an ecologically and economically important coastal plant community comprised of trees growing at their physiological limits. Mangroves are currently impacted by global warming, yet the PHT of mangrove trees is poorly understood.

In this study, we provide the first assessment of PHT in 13 Asian mangrove species, based on the critical temperature that causes the initial damage (TCrit) and the temperature that causes 50% damage (T50) to photosystem II. We tested the hypotheses that the PHT in mangroves is: (i) correlated with climatic niche and leaf traits, and (ii) higher than in plants from other tropical ecosystems.

Our results demonstrated correlations between PHT and multiple key climate variables, the palisade to spongy mesophyll ratio and the leaf area. The two most heat‐sensitive species were Kandelia obovata and Avicennia marina. Our study also revealed that mangrove trees show high heat tolerance compared to plants from other tropical ecosystems.

The high PHT of mangroves thus demonstrated a conservative evolutionary strategy in heat tolerance, and highlights the need for integrative and comparative studies on thermoregulatory traits and climatic niche in order to understand the physiological response of mangrove trees to climate change‐driven heatwaves and rising global temperatures.
Tilapia introduction in China: Economic boom in aquaculture versus ecological threats to ecosystems
Authors: Xiong Wen , Guo Chuanbo , Gozlan Rodolphe E. , Liu Jiashou
Published: August 2022

The introduction and use of non‐native species in aquaculture have played a central role in the development of this economic sector worldwide. Tilapia is one of the most widely introduced species in the world, and China has become the largest producer and consumer of tilapia. While non‐native tilapia in China support provisioning ecosystem services of substantial economic value, the invasion also poses potential threats to native fish diversity, ecosystems and ultimately the sustainable fisheries development. However, knowledge regarding the invading pathway, aquaculture development, economic benefits and the ecological impacts of such important non‐native species is still limited, especially in China. Based on thorough literature review as well as field surveys, this paper has comprehensively presented the introduction of tilapia species across a range of aquatic habitats and its role in the aquaculture industry growth, emphasising the economic benefits in China. In addition, we also synthesised the potential negative ecological impacts caused by tilapia invasion with global evidences, which will provide excellent lessons and management recommendations for China and other countries worldwide. Future trends tend to indicate an increase in the number and frequency of tilapia's introduction in China, with an increasing likelihood of environmental impacts. However, it is apparent that the aquaculture of non‐native tilapias is a highly profitable activity in China which makes the introductions inevitable, therefore, alternative management strategies and implications are further discussed to seek to achieve more sustainable and ecosystem‐friendly aquaculture, reduce the risks and negative impacts on ecosystems while still maintaining the economic benefits.
A model of police financing through income and consumption taxes
Authors: Deng Weiguang , Li Xue , Luo Zijun
Published: August 2022

This article studies police financing with a focus on the difference in the timing between federal and local government funds. In general, federal government funds came from income taxes collected before possible appropriative activities while local government funds came from consumption taxes collected afterwards. We find that income‐tax financing results in more workers, more police, and fewer thieves when appropriation and tax rates are the same between the two cases. Funding the police before possible appropriative activities works as a deterrence. Our findings show the complexity of studying crime and police financing even in a highly stylized model.
‘It takes a village’ – fertility treatment using donor gametes, embryos and/or surrogacy
Authors: Raperport Claudia , Chronopoulou Elpiniki , McLaughlin Anna , Cox Sophie , Srivastava Garima , Shah Amit , Homburg Roy
Published: August 2022

Key content

Fertility treatment using donated gametes and embryos is increasingly common. Indications for the use of donated sperm and oocytes include azoospermia, single women and women in same‐sex relationships, inherited conditions, poor quality embryos or failed fertilisation in previous cycles of assisted reproductive technology, and ovarian insufficiency.

Causes of azoospermia and ovarian insufficiency include congenital and genetic disorders, infectious and traumatic conditions, iatrogenic causes and age‐related decline.

These treatment cycles have ethical and legal implications and require appropriate pre‐conception counselling and completion of Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)‐mandated forms to ensure the safety of donors, recipients and any children born as a result of treatment.

All donors are screened for infectious diseases and can also be screened for genetic conditions. Sperm donation can be organised outside of recognised fertility clinic settings, which increases the possibility of infection transmission.

Compared with cycles using autologous gametes and embryos, treatment outcomes can increase live birth rates and reduce incidence of low birthweight, but may increase hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Learning objectives

To understand the clinical indications for the use of gamete and embryo donation, including potential risks to donors and recipients, and success rates.

To learn the practical considerations of donation and procurement processes, screening, quarantine, legal and regulatory aspects in the UK and international comparison.

To appreciate special issues, including psychological assessment and support requirements, ethical considerations, intrafamilial donation, commercial DNA testing and family tracing implications.

Ethical issues

Donors must be made fully aware of the implications of donation and the lack of anonymity once resulting children reach the age of 18, according to UK law.

Recipients must be thoroughly counselled regarding the implications and psychological impact of treatment. The HFEA obliges all clinics to offer implications counselling to those undergoing treatment in terms of the impact of treatment on them and how to broach the subject with future children.
Interspecific variation in the temperature response of mesophyll conductance is related to leaf anatomy
Authors: Huang Guanjun , Zhang Qiangqiang , Yang Yuhan , Shu Yu , Ren Xifeng , Peng Shaobing , Li Yong
Published: August 2022

Although mesophyll conductance (gm) is known to be sensitive to temperature (T), the mechanisms underlying the temperature response of gm are not fully understood. In particular, it has yet to be established whether interspecific variation in gm–T relationships is associated with mesophyll anatomy and vein traits. In the present study, we measured the short‐term response of gm in eight crop species, and leaf water potential (Ψleaf) in five crop species over a temperature range of 15–35°C. The considered structural parameters are surface areas of mesophyll cells and chloroplasts facing intercellular airspaces per unit leaf area (Sm and Sc), cell wall thickness (Tcw), and vein length per area (VLA). We detected large interspecific variations in the temperature responses of gm and Ψleaf. The activation energy for gm (Ea,gm) was found to be positively correlated with Sc, although it showed no correlation with Tcw. In contrast, VLA was positively correlated with the slope of the linear model of Ψleaf–T (a), whereas Ea,gm was marginally correlated with VLA and a. A two‐component model was subsequently used to model gm–T relationships, and the mechanisms underlying the temperature response of gm are discussed. The data presented here indicate that leaf anatomy is a major determinant of the interspecific variation in gm–T relationships.
NLO multijet merging for Higgs production beyond the VBF approximation
Authors: Chen Tinghua , Figy Terrance M. , Plätzer Simon
Published: August 2022

We present results of the simulation of electroweak Higgs boson production at the Large Hadron Collider using both the NLO multijet merging and NLO matching frameworks provided by the general purpose event generator . For the simulation of the hard scattering processes, we use the library for the full calculation and for the approximate calculation to compute the $$2\rightarrow h+n$$

2
→
h
+
n

amplitudes at tree-level with $$n=2,3,4$$

n
=
2
,
3
,
4

and at one-loop with $$n=2,3$$

n
=
2
,
3

.
Reaching the bubble may not be enough: news media role in online political polarization
Authors: Kobellarz Jordan K. , Broćić Miloš , Graeml Alexandre R. , Silver Daniel , Silva Thiago H.
Published: August 2022

Politics in different countries show diverse degrees of polarization, which tends to be stronger on social media, given how easy it became to connect and engage with like-minded individuals on the web. A way of reducing polarization would be by distributing cross-partisan news among individuals with distinct political orientations, i.e., “reaching the bubbles”. This study investigates whether this holds in the context of nationwide elections in Brazil and Canada. We collected politics-related tweets shared during the 2018 Brazilian presidential election and the 2019 Canadian federal election. Next, we proposed an updated centrality metric that enables identifying highly central bubble reachers, nodes that can distribute content among users with diverging political opinions—a fundamental metric for the proposed study. After that, we analyzed how users engage with news content shared by bubble reachers, its source, and its topics, considering its political orientation. Among other results, we found that, even though news media disseminate content that interests different sides of the political spectrum, users tend to engage considerably more with content that aligns with their political orientation, regardless of the topic.
ML-CookGAN: Multi-Label Generative Adversarial Network for Food Image Generation
Authors: Liu Zhiming , Niu Kai , He Zhiqiang
Published: August 2022

Generating food images from recipe and ingredient information can be applied to many tasks such as food recommendation, recipe development, and health management. For the characteristics of food images, this paper proposes ML-CookGAN, a novel CGAN. This network enables the generation of food images based on recipe and ingredient labels. The generator of ML-CookGAN, Multi-Label Fusion Generator, converts recipe and ingredient labels into different granularity features and generates corresponding food images. The discriminator of ML-CookGAN, Multi-Branch Discriminator, implements discrimination and classification with a multi-branch structure. In addition, we propose two training strategies, Region-Wise Pooling and Image Style Distillation, to better the network performance. Region-Wise Pooling handles region-wise features with the discriminator. Image Style Distillation aims at extracting image latent features to assist image generation by an unsupervised method. The experiments conducted on VIREO Food-172 databases validate the proposed method to generate high-quality Chinese food images. And Region-Wise Pooling and Image Style Distillation are proven to enhance the diversity and realism of generated food images.
DynamAP: Architectural Support for Dynamic Graph Traversal on the Automata Processor
Authors: Liu Yiding , Zhang Xingyao , Zhuang Donglin , Fu Xin , Song Shuaiwen
Published: August 2022

Dynamic graph traversals (DGTs) currently are widely used in many important application domains, especially in this big-data era that urgently demands high-performance graph processing and analysis. Unlike static graph traversals, DGTs in real-world application scenarios require not only fast traversal acceleration itself but also, more importantly, a runtime strategy that can effectively accommodate the
ever-evolving nature of the graph structure updates followed by a diverse range of graph traversal algorithms
. Because of these special features, state-of-the-art designs on conventional compute-centric architectures (e.g., CPU and GPU) struggle to provide sufficient acceleration for DGT processing due to the dominating irregular memory access patterns in graph traversal algorithms and inefficient platform-specific update mechanisms. In this article, we explore the algorithmic features and runtime requirements of real-world DGTs and identify their unique opportunities of acceleration on the recent Micron Automata Processor (AP), an in-situ memory-centric pattern-matching architecture. These features include the natural mapping between traversal algorithms’ path exploration pattern to classic non-deterministic finite automata processing, AP’s architectural and compilation support for DGTs’ evolving traversal operations, and its inherent hardware fitness. However, despite these benefits, enabling highly efficient DGT execution on AP is non-trivial and faces several major challenges. To tackle them, we propose
DynamAP
, the first AP framework design that enables fast processing for general DGTs. DynamAP is oblivious to periodical traversal algorithm changes and can address the significant overhead caused by frequent graph updates and AP recompilation through our novel hybrid macro designs and associated efficient updating strategies. We evaluate DynamAP against the current DGT designs on a CPU, GPU, and AP with a range of widely adopted DGT algorithms and real-world graphs.
For a single update request
, our DynamAP achieves an average speedup of
21.3x
(up to
39.2x
) over the state-of-the-art implementation on host-AP architecture; an average speedup of
9.2x
(up to
14.7x
) and
1.7x
(up to
2.8x
) over two highly optimized DGT design frameworks on a 64-GB Intel(R) Xeon CPU and a 32-GB NVIDIA Tesla V100 GPU. DynamAP also maintains high performance and resource utilization for high graph update ratios, and can significantly benefit natural graphs that present a high average vertex degree.
A Method of Multi-UAV Cooperative Task Assignment Based on Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Zhao Xiaohu , Jiang Hanli , An Chenyang , Wu Ruocheng , Guo Yijun , Yang Daquan
Published: August 2022

With the increasing complexity of UAV application scenarios, the performance of a single UAV cannot meet the mission requirements. Many complex tasks need the cooperation of multiple UAVs. How to coordinate UAV resources becomes the key to mission completion. In this paper, a task model including multiple UAVs and unknown obstacles is constructed, and the model is transformed into a Markov decision process (MDP). In addition, considering the influence of strategies among UAVs, a multiagent reinforcement learning algorithm based on SAC algorithm and centralized training and decentralized execution framework, MA-SAC (Multi-Agent Soft Actor-Critic), is proposed to solve the MDP. Simulation results show that the algorithm can effectively deal with the task allocation problem of multiple UAVs in this scenario, and its performance is better than other multiagent reinforcement learning algorithms.
The Effect of Osteoprotectin (OPG)/Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor‐κB Ligand (RANKL)/Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor‐κB (RANK) Gene Methylation on Aortic Valve Calcified
Authors: Luo Wei , Song Yanqiu , Wang Jing , Yang Xia , Li Zuocheng , Cong Hongliang
Published: August 2022

To evaluate the effect of the methylation of osteoprotectin (OPG)/receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κB ligand (RANKL)/receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κB (RANK) pathway on aortic valve calcification, the aortic valve tissue was collected from 38 aortic stenosis (AS) patients who underwent valve replacement. OPG and RANKL gene methylation, RT‐PCR, and ELISA were performed. Hematoxylin‐eosin staining (HE), alizarin red‐S staining, and immunohistochemically staining of OPG, RANKL, and CD68 were simultaneously performed. The patients were divided into noncalcified group (n = 21) and calcified group (n = 17). The methylation rate of OPG gene in noncalcified group was higher than that in calcified group (P = 0.027). The methylation degree of RANKL gene was generally lower, but the noncalcified group was still higher than that in the calcified group (P = 0.025). RT‐PCR analysis showed that the mRNA expression of OPG and RANKL was higher in calcified group than in noncalcified group (P = 0.007 and P = 0.036, respectively), and the mRNA expression was negatively correlated with the gene methylation rate. The protein expression of OPG and RANKL was detected by immunohistochemistry and ELISA, showing significantly increased in calcified group (P = 0.004 and P = 0.042, respectively). Soluble RANKL (sRANKL) in CD68‐positive group was significantly different from that in negative group (0.1243 ± 0.0321 vs 0.0984 ± 0.0218 pg/mL, P = 0.007). There was no significant difference in OPG value between positive group (1.9411 ± 0.4554 ng/mL) and negative group (1.8422 ± 0.5218 ng/mL, P = 0.587). In conclusion, the degree of methylation of OPG and RANKL genes may play an important role in regulating valve calcification in AS patients.
Association of TP53 rs1042522 C>G Polymorphism with Glioma Risk in Chinese Children
Authors: Liao Fan , Yuan Li , Zhu Jinhong , Chen Wei , Zhao Yemu , He Jing
Published: August 2022

Glioma is the most common intracranial malignancy. TP53 is a crucial tumor suppressor gene that plays an essential regulatory role in cell growth, apoptosis, and DNA repair. The TP53 rs1042522 C>G polymorphism has been reported to be strongly associated with various tumor risks. To assess the TP53 rs1042522 C>G polymorphism with glioma risk in Chinese children, we determined the genotypes of the TP53 rs1042522 C>G polymorphism in 171 glioma patients and 228 cancer‐free controls by Taqman assay. We assessed the association of the polymorphism with glioma risk using odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) generated by logistic regression models. We also performed stratified analyses by age, gender, tumor subtypes, and clinical stages, but no significant association was detected between TP53 rs1042522 C>G polymorphism and childhood glioma risk. These results suggest that the TP53 rs1042522 C>G polymorphism is not associated with glioma risk in Chinese children. Subsequent studies with a larger sample size are needed to validate our results.
Analysis of the Key Factors of Ecological Environment Protection in the National Economic Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Long Haiwen
Published: August 2022

Urbanization helps people to create comfortable and convenient living conditions and meets the needs of people survival, enjoyment, and development. At the same time, the surge in population has also caused great disturbance and damage to the urban natural environment. Humans continue to utilize and transform nature by increasing the absolute surface area of the natural environment, but at the same time, rapid population growth and scarcity of resources exacerbate the absurd development and utilization of resources, leading to ecological destruction. The development of green plants, animals, and other creatures is hindered, and the imbalance of urban ecology aggravates the contradiction between man and the ecological environment. Based on this, the paper first expounds on the theoretical framework of sustainable economic development, draws the analysis of the elements of sustainable economic development, and then studies the coupling relationship model between economic development and ecological environmental protection as an example of the regional economy. GM (1.1) principle was used to test the practicability of the model and found that the model is very accurate in predicting the coordinated development between economic development and ecological environmental protection. It provides a comprehensive index of the sustainable capacity of the ecological environment in urban areas, analyses the indicators of Leshan City, and draws a conclusion: the main factors affecting the sustainable development of Leshan’s ecological environment are the economic environment and the natural environment; it is necessary to further adjust the industrial structure. In order to maintain sustained and stable economic development, it is very important to strengthen urban environmental protection, develop circular economy, and continuously improve the level of ecologically sustainable development.
Coordination Chemistry, Antibacterial Screening, and In Silico ADME Study of Mononuclear NiII and CuII Complexes of Asymmetric Schiff Base of Streptomycin and Aniline
Authors: Chaudhary Narendra Kumar , Guragain Biswash
Published: August 2022

Two novel metal complexes, that is, Ni (StmAn)2(4) and Cu (StmAn)2(5), were synthesized from unsymmetrical Schiff base ligand StmAn (3). The ligand was prepared by refluxing streptomycin (2) and aniline (1). They were characterized by elemental microanalysis, conductivity measurements, and spectroscopic techniques such as 1H NMR, FT-IR, ESI-mass, and electronic absorption spectral study. Interestingly, the study revealed metal coordination through azomethine nitrogen and N-atom of NH-CH3 of N-methyl-L-glucosamine unit of streptomycin. The electronic absorption spectral study supported an octahedral geometry for complex 4 and a tetrahedral geometry for complex 5. Particle size calculation by Scherrer’s formula indicated their nanocrystalline nature. The geometry optimization of the complexes was achieved by running an MM2 job in Gaussian supported Cs-ChemOffice ultra-12.0.1 and ArgusLab 4.0.1 version software. Based on SwissADME predictions, a theoretical drug profile was generated by analyzing absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) scores of the compounds. They were screened for in vitro antibacterial activity study against four clinical pathogens such as E. coli, S. pneumoniae, P. vulgaris, and S. aureus. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) study demonstrated greater inhibitory potency of complex (4) (0.024 g/L) for S. aureus relative to ligand (3) and complex (5). Studies show that metal complexes are more toxic to bacteria.
Systematic Review and Network Meta‐analysis of Acupuncture Combined with Massage in Treating Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Wang Zhen , Wang Yongquan , Wang Congan , Li Xujie , Zhou Ziyang , Zhang Lijuan , Li Miaoxiu , Pan Yankun , Jiao Tiyong , Shi Xiaoyun , Liu Qing
Published: August 2022

Background. Knee osteoarthritis is a common clinical disease with frequent occurrence. More and more studies have shown that external therapies such as acupuncture and massage are beneficial to the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Objective. The purpose of this systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTS) was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and massage combined with treatment of KOA and to provide some reference for clinical treatment of KOA. Methods. Network meta‐analysis was used to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture combined with massage in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, Chinese Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), VIP, and Wanfang were searched by computer for randomized controlled trials on acupuncture combined with massage in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. All researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and evaluated quality, and studies that met the quality criteria were analyzed using Stata16.0 software. Results. A total of 3076 articles were retrieved, and finally, 49 studies involving 10 acupuncture combined with massage methods were included. The total sample size was 4458, including 2182 in the experimental group and 2276 in the control group. The results of network meta‐analysis showed the following: in terms of effective rate, the optimal first three interventions were floating needle+massage, needle knife+massage, and silver needle+massage; in terms of reducing VAS score, the optimal first three interventions were common acupuncture+massage, needle knife+massage, and warm needle+massage; in terms of improving total Lysholm index score, the optimal first three interventions were silver needle+massage, electroacupuncture+massage, and needle knife+massage; in terms of reducing total WOMAC score, the optimal first three interventions were silver needle+massage, electrothermal needle+massage, and common acupuncture+massage; in terms of reducing WOMAC stiffness score, the optimal first three interventions were warm needle+massage, silver needle+massage, and common acupuncture+massage; and in terms of reducing WOMAC joint function score, the optimal first three interventions were silver needle+massage, warm needle+massage, and common acupuncture+massage. Conclusion. The results showed that acupuncture combined with massage could improve the clinical therapeutic effect of patients with knee osteoarthritis. Limited by the quality of the included studies, the conclusions obtained still need to be further validated.
Technical Level Assessment Method of Digital Silk Road Development Based on Intelligent Algorithm
Authors: Li Haixiang , Xue Weixian
Published: August 2022

The construction of the Digital Silk Road is an inherent requirement for the Silk Road Economic Belt to break through the global trade barriers and build new international trade cooperation relations. In order to seek the organic integration of open and shared development and correctly deal with the relationship between regional economic and social development and resources and the environment, it is imperative to assess the development technology level of the Digital Silk Road. This paper simultaneously incorporates economic, energy, and environmental systems into the Digital Silk Road development assessment system, uses intelligent algorithms to establish a super-efficient SBM model with green development efficiency as the Silk Road development index, and objectively evaluates the current situation in China. It finds that the overall development technology index of the Silk Road has increased by about 10 percentage points in the last decade from 2007 to 2016, and this feedback indicates that the Silk Road countries along the route are steadily improving.
Efficacy and Safety of Dapagliflozin versus Liraglutide in Patients with Overweight or Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomised Controlled Clinical Trial in Tianjin, China
Authors: Zhaohu Hao , Xiao Huang , Hailin Shao , Feng He
Published: August 2022

Objective. We aimed to clarify the efficacy of dapagliflozin versus liraglutide in patients with overweight or obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) at the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods. T2DM patients with overweight or obesity who visited the Metabolic Disease Management Center at Tianjin Fourth Central Hospital from October 2019 to January 2020 were recruited and randomised to receive dapagliflozin or liraglutide for 24 weeks. Changes in blood glucose and lipid levels, blood pressure, and body weight, as well as the occurrence of hypoglycaemia and other adverse events, were compared. Results. 309 patients completed the study (143 in liraglutide group and 166 in dapagliflozin group). After 24 weeks, HbA1c, fasting blood glucose (FPG), and 2 h postprandial blood glucose (2hPG) levels significantly decreased from

8.80
%
±
1.41
%

to

7.02
%
±
1.05
%

,

10.41
±
3.13

to

7.59
±
2.16

 mmol/L, and

17.90
±
4.39

to

10.12
±
2.47

 mmol/L, respectively, in the dapagliflozin group, and from

8.92
%
±
1.49
%

to

6.78
%
±
1.00
%

,

10.04
±
2.99

to

7.20
±
1.63

 mmol/L, and

17.30
±
4.39

to

10.13
±
4.15

 mmol/L, respectively, in the liraglutide group. Changes in HbA1c, FPG, and 2hPG levels between groups were not significantly different. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level significantly decreased from

144.1
±
19.1

to

139.7
±
16.2

 mmHg (

p
=
0.001

) and from

3.21
±
0.94

to

2.98
±
0.89

 mmol/L (

p
=
0.014

), respectively, in the dapagliflozin group. After COVID-19 outbreak, the number of patients taking sleep-promoting drugs increased from 4.9% to 9.4% (

p
=
0.029

). Conclusions. Liraglutide and dapagliflozin had strong hypoglycaemic effects in patients with overweight or obesity and T2DM at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dapagliflozin may be beneficial in improving SBP and LDL-C levels; however, further research is warranted.
Preparation of Ag@AgCl/GO Material with Efficient Visible-Light Photocatalytic Performance
Authors: Gao Daxiang , Shu Zhen , Huang Xiaozhong
Published: August 2022

Ag@AgCl/GO was prepared by chemical coupling, in-situ deposition of supported AgCl, and photoreduction. The morphology, structure, and surface area of the prepared Ag@AgCl/GO were characterized by SEM, TEM, FT-IR, Raman spectra, and BET. The optical properties of the photocatalyst were analyzed by PL and UV-Vis DRS, respectively. The surface electrical properties and degradation stability were evaluated by zeta potential measurement and cyclic catalytic degradation experiments, and the photocatalytic mechanism was proposed in detail based on the ESR test and trapping experiment. The results showed that Ag@AgCl nanoparticles were spherical and cluster distributed on the folded structure of GO. The prepared Ag@AgCl/GO had good adsorption performance and photocatalytic degradation stability. The material showed good visible light catalytic performance; especially, the degradation rates of cationic dyes RhB and MB were significantly higher than those of anionic dyes MO and CR, and their degradation processes were in line with the quasi-first-order reaction kinetics. Holes (h+) and superoxide radicals (·O2－) were the main active species for the degradation of RhB.
Altered Brain Activity and Effective Connectivity within the Nonsensory Cortex during Stimulation of a Latent Myofascial Trigger Point
Authors: Li Xinglou , Luo Meiling , Gong Yan , Xu Ning , Huo Congcong , Xie Hui , Yue Shouwei , Li Zengyong , Wang Yonghui
Published: August 2022

Myofascial trigger point (MTrP), an iconic characteristic of myofascial pain syndrome (MPS), can induce cerebral cortex changes including altered cortical excitability and connectivity. The corresponding characteristically reactive cortex is still ambiguous. Seventeen participants with latent MTrPs underwent functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to collect cerebral oxygenation hemoglobin (Δ[oxy-Hb]) signals. The Δ[oxy-Hb] signals of the left/right prefrontal cortex (L/R PFC), left/right motor cortex (L/R MC), and left/right occipital lobe (L/R OL) of the subjects were measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in the resting state, nonmyofascial trigger point (NMTrP), state and MTrP state. The data investigated the latent MTrP-induced changes in brain activity and effective connectivity (EC) within the nonsensory cortex. The parameter wavelet amplitude (WA) was used to describe cortical activation, EC to show brain network connectivity, and main coupling direction (mCD) to exhibit the dominant connectivity direction in different frequency bands. An increasing trend of WA and a decreasing trend of EC values were observed in the PFC. The interregional mCD was primarily shifted from a unidirectional to bidirectional connection, especially from PFC to MC or OL, when responding to manual stimulation during the MTrP state compared with resting state and NMTrP state in the intervals III, IV, and V. This study demonstrates that the nonsensory cortex PFC, MC, and OL can participate in the cortical reactions induced by stimulation of a latent MTrP. Additionally, the PFC shows nonnegligible higher activation and weakened regulation than other brain regions. Thus, the PFC may be responsible for the central cortical regulation of a latent MTrP. This trial is registered with ChiCTR2100048433.
Distribution Characteristics of the Alpine Treeline and Vegetation Response to Climate Change of Taibai Mountain, China
Authors: Wang Dan , Li Shuheng , Gao Shuyao
Published: August 2022

Climate change significantly affects global forest ecosystems, and the alpine treeline is sensitive to global warming. The alpine treeline data using high-resolution remote sensing images during four periods from 1987 to 2020 at Taibai Mountain are extracted. The dynamic change process of the alpine treeline and the response of vegetation near the alpine treeline to climate change are analyzed. The results showed that the alpine treeline of Taibai Mountain was primarily distributed in the range of 2266-3692 m, and the average elevation of the alpine treeline showed a trend of “rising-decreasing.” The elevation of the alpine treelines of the sunny slopes were much higher than that of the shady slopes, and the highest values typically appeared on slopes and steep slopes of 15-35°. Vegetation is sensitive to temperature changes, and it typically displays a synchronous increase and decrease. However, there was a lag in the precipitation of approximately one year, and the rising temperatures of the sunny slopes were not conducive to vegetation growth. The vegetation will be dominated by a trend of unsustainable improvement in the future, and there exists a risk of continuous vegetation degradation on the northern slopes. However, a warm and humid climate will be conducive to vegetation growth above the alpine treeline.
Constructing Risk Analysis for Changes in China’s Local Government Bond System Based on SSP
Authors: Xie Ping , Chunyan Zhang
Published: August 2022

The local government bond system of China has experienced a series of changes from its initial creation to its abolition and then to a recovery again. During the period, the central government always dominated the changing direction of the local government bond system. However, as fiscal decentralization reform has progressed, the institutional needs of local governments and investors have gradually gained attention. As a result, the size and variety of local government bonds are expanding. Through the introduction of analysis of system change based on situation structure performance (SSP), this paper uses Machine Learning (ML) approaches to predict the risk of government debt of China in the context of changing the local government bond system. Besides, this research work includes the comprehensive weight assignment for government debt hazard, fiscal revenue forecasting, default risk calculation, and finally an analysis of the validity of government debt hazard. The system may provide financial signal advice and strategy reference for dealing with hazards in early payment, organizing debt repayment significance order, optimizing fiscal revenue and cost structure, and so on.
Communication Strategy of Urban Media Image Based on Global Discretization
Authors: Zhao Qing
Published: August 2022

With the advent of the era of global economic integration, more and more cities are involved in the increasingly fierce competition in the form of image dissemination in order to obtain better economic benefits. The choice of media for this city to carry out image communication has become an inevitable choice for the survival and development of the city. However, since the effect of the current urban media image dissemination is not too ideal, in order to promote the dissemination and development of urban media image, this study made use of global discretization, which is widely used, to study the urban media image dissemination strategy. The research results prove that it is very important to combine global discretization and urban media image for development. Because, the combination of the two can improve the dissemination efficiency and effectiveness of the city’s media image to the greatest extent, enhance the city’s global popularity and competitiveness, and drive a large flow of capital and high-quality talents to the city. In order to obtain greater economic benefits in the wave of global economic integration and to stand out in the increasingly competitive urban environment, a firm foothold is gained in the global economy.
Serum Levels of CXCL-13, RBP-4, and IL-6, and Correlation Analysis of Patients with Graves’ Disease
Authors: Hu Yanqin , Sun Yue , Huang Yuxuan , Liu Qiuxia , Ren Fan
Published: August 2022

Objective. To investigate the serum levels of CXC chemokine 13 (CXCL-13), retinol binding protein-4 (RBP-4), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in patients with Graves’ disease (GD). The correlation between CXCL-13, RBP-4, and IL-6 levels and the basal metabolic rate (BMR) was analyzed. Methods. 118 GD patients diagnosed in our hospital were selected as the observation group from March 2017 to December 2018. According to the measured BMR value, 118 GD patients were divided into the mild group (n = 39), the moderate group (n = 47), and the severe group (n = 32), three subgroups. 60 healthy subjects were selected as the control group. The serum levels of CXCL-13, RBP-4, IL-6, TSH, FT3, and FT4 in every group were measured. Pearson correlation analysis was used to observe the correlation of serum CXCL-13, RBP-4, and IL-6 levels with TSH, FT3, FT4, and BMR. Results. The levels of serum CXCL-13, RBP-4, and IL-6 in the observation group were higher than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (

P
<
0.05

). The levels of serum CXCL-13, RBP-4, and IL-6 in the moderate and severe groups were higher than those in the mild group, and the differences were statistically significant (

P
<
0.05

). The levels of serum CXCL-13, RBP-4, and IL-6 in the severe group were higher than those in the moderate group, and the differences were statistically significant (

P
<
0.05

). Pearson correlation analysis showed that the serum levels of CXCL-13, RBP-4, and IL-6 in GD patients were negatively correlated with TSH levels and positively correlated with FT3 and FT4 levels. Serum CXCL-13, RBP-4, and IL-6 levels in GD patients were positively correlated with BMR (r = 0.915, r = 0.942, r = 0.926,

P
<
0.001

). Conclusion. Serum CXCL-13, RBP-4, and IL-6 levels are elevated in patients with GD, and with the aggravation of the disease, the serum CXCL-13, RBP-4, and IL-6 levels also increase, showing a positive correlation, which can be used as indicators to reflect the degree of GD.
A Model of Intracellular Persistence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Airway Epithelial Cells
Authors: Malet Julien K. , Hennemann Lisa C. , Hua Elizabeth M.-L. , Faure Emmanuel , Waters Valerie , Rousseau Simon , Nguyen Dao
Published: August 2022

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.a.) is a major human pathogen capable of causing chronic infections in hosts with weakened barrier functions and host defenses, most notably airway infections commonly observed in individuals with the genetic disorder cystic fibrosis (CF). While mainly described as an extracellular pathogen, previous in vitro studies have described the molecular events leading to P.a. internalization in diverse epithelial cell types. However, the long-term fate of intracellular P.a. remains largely unknown. Here, we developed a model allowing for a better understanding of long-term (up to 120 h) intracellular bacterial survival in the airway epithelial cell line BEAS-2B. Using a tobramycin protection assay, we characterized the internalization, long-term intracellular survival, and cytotoxicity of the lab strain PAO1, as well as clinical CF isolates, and conducted analyses at the single-cell level using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry techniques. We observed that infection at low multiplicity of infection allows for intracellular survival up to 120 h post-infection without causing significant host cytotoxicity. Finally, infection with clinical isolates revealed significant strain-to-strain heterogeneity in intracellular survival, including a high persistence phenotype associated with bacterial replication within host cells. Future studies using this model will further elucidate the host and bacterial mechanisms that promote P. aeruginosa intracellular persistence in airway epithelial cells, a potentially unrecognized bacterial reservoir during chronic infections.
Study on Digital Painting Art Based on Computer Virtual Technology
Authors: Guo Kan
Published: August 2022

To improve the comprehensive level of artificial intelligence robot painting art creation, the software and hardware of the robot are designed from the perspective of robot copying painting. In this study, a more refined 6-axis robot is used to cooperate with the 2-axis slider connecting rod platform for performing painting operation. Its hardware uses a 6-axis robot system grafted on the 2-axis screw slider platform, and its software uses machine learning artificial intelligence algorithms. These algorithms include multi-layer spatial convolution neural network and multi-column fuzzy neural network. It is found that the subjective evaluation results and market transaction value of the robot copying paintings completed by the system are equivalent to the creative level of senior undergraduate and graduate students majoring in fine arts. It is far higher than the high-precision inkjet system that has completed market transformation. Finally, it is considered that the robot copying painting system has basically met the requirements of the robot art creation system and is separated from the technical category of the picture printer.