bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Efficacy of Antioxidative Stress Therapy on Oxidative Stress Levels in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Zeng Liuting , Yu Ganpeng , Yang Kailin , Li Jun , Hao Wensa , Chen Hua
Published: October 2021

Objective. To explore the efficacy of antioxidative stress therapy on oxidative stress levels in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials. Methods. Chinese and English databases such as PubMed, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and China Biomedical Literature were searched, mainly searching for clinical randomized controlled trials of antioxidant therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. The search time is from the establishment of the database to July 2021. Two researchers independently carried out literature search, screening, and data extraction. The bias risk tool provided by the Cochrane Collaboration was used to evaluate the bias risk of all the included literature, and the RevMan 5.3 software was used for meta‐analysis. Results. A total of 24 RCTs (28 records) and 1277 participants were included. The time span of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is from 1986 to 2020. These RCTs involve 14 types of antioxidants or antioxidant therapies, and these therapies have varying degrees of improvement on oxidative stress in RA patients. The summary results showed that the MDA in the experiment group is lower (SMD ‐0.82, 95% CI ‐1.35 to ‐0.28, P = 0.003). The difference of TAC, SOD, NO, GPx, CAT, and GSH between two groups was of no statistical significance (TAC (SMD 0.27, 95% CI ‐0.21 to 0.75, P = 0.27), SOD (SMD 0.12, 95% CI ‐0.16 to 0.40, P = 0.41), NO (SMD ‐2.03, 95% CI ‐4.22 to 0.16, P = 0.07), GPx (SMD 0.24, 95% CI ‐0.07 to 0.54, P = 0.13), CAT (SMD 2.95, 95% CI ‐2.6 to 8.51, P = 0.30), and GSH (SMD 2.46, 95% CI ‐0.06 to 4.98, P = 0.06)). For adverse events, the summary results showed that the difference was of no statistical significance (RR 1.16, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.71, P = 0.45). In addition, antioxidant therapy has also shown improvement in clinical efficacy indexes (number of tender joints, number of swollen joints, DAS28, VAS, and HAQ) and inflammation indexes (ESR, CRP, TNF‐α, and IL6) for RA patients. Conclusion. The existing evidence shows potential benefits, mainly in reducing MDA and increasing TAC and GSH in some subgroups. However, more large samples and higher quality RCTs are needed to provide high‐quality evidence, so as to provide more clinical reference information for the antioxidant treatment of RA.
Effect of Low Temperatures on the Mechanical Performance of GFRC Modified by Low Carbon Cement
Authors: Song Meimei , Wang Chuanlin
Published: October 2021

Glass fibre reinforced cement (GFRC) is a composite material with great ductility but it undergoes severe strength and ductility degradation with ageing. Calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement is low carbon cement, and more importantly, it exhibits great potential to produce more ductile and durable GFRC. This study focuses on mechanical performance, e.g., compressive strength, stress‐strain curve, and freeze‐thaw resistance of CSA/GFRC as well as its microstructural characteristics under low temperatures. XRD was applied to investigate the hydration mechanism of CSA cement under −5°C, 0°C, and 5°C. It was found out that low‐temperature environments have very little effect on the type of hydration products, and the main hydration product of hydrated CSA cement cured under low temperatures is ettringite. Moreover, low‐curing temperatures have an adverse effect on the compressive strength developments of CSA/GFRC but the strength difference compared with that under 20°C reduces gradually with increasing curing ages. In terms of bending performance, both ultimate tensile strength and ultimate strain value indicate considerable degradation with ageing under low temperatures after 14 d. The ultimate strain value reduces to 0.34% at −5°C, 0.39% at 0°C, and 0.44% at 5°C compared with 0.51% for that cured at 20°C for 28 d. The tensile strength of samples cured at −5°C for 28 d is only 15.2 MPa, taking up only 40% of that under 20°C. CSA/GFRC also demonstrated great capability in the antifreeze‐thaw performance, and the corresponding strength remains 95.9%, 94.7%, 94.2%, and 94.3%, respectively, for that cured under 20°C, 5°C, 0°C, and −5°C after 50 freeze‐thaw cycles. Microstructural studies reveal that densification of the interfilamentary space with intermixtures of C‐A‐S‐H and ettringite is the main reason that causes the degradation of CSA/GFRC, which may result in loss on flexibility when forces are applied, therefore reducing the post‐peak toughness to some extent.
The Emerging Role of Nanomedicine in the Management of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A State-of-the-Art Review
Authors: Moosavian Seyedeh Alia , Sathyapalan Thozhukat , Jamialahmadi Tannaz , Sahebkar Amirhossein
Published: October 2021

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver disease that can lead to end-stage liver disease needing a liver transplant. Many pharmacological approaches are used to reduce the disease progression in NAFLD. However, current strategies remain ineffective to reverse the progression of NAFLD completely. Employing nanoparticles as a drug delivery system has demonstrated significant potential for improving the bioavailability of drugs in the treatment of NAFLD. Various types of nanoparticles are exploited in this regard for the management of NAFLD. In this review, we cover the current therapeutic approaches to manage NAFLD and provide a review of recent up-to-date advances in the uses of nanoparticles for the treatment of NAFLD.
Doppler Ultrasound Imaging Combined with Fetal Heart Detection in Predicting Fetal Distress in Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension under the Guidance of Artificial Intelligence Algorithm
Authors: Liu Su , Sun Yue , Luo Na
Published: October 2021

This study was to improve the feasibility and economic benefits of intelligent medical system Doppler ultrasound (DUS) imaging technology combined with fetal heart detection to predict the fetal distress in pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), so as to reduce the risk of deterioration of the patient’s condition. The characteristics of DUS images were analyzed, and a diffusion filter reducing the specificity was adopted to improve the smooth speckle noise of DUS images. 120 pregnant women in hospital were the subjects of the study, all of whom received ultrasound cord blood flow testing and fetal heart monitoring. 88 PIH patients with fetal distress were diagnosed and included in the observation group, and 32 healthy pregnant women tested during the same period were identified as the control group. Clinical data were reviewed and analyzed. The diagnostic rates of fetal distress by simple fetal heart monitoring and DUS detection combined with fetal heart monitoring were compared. The results showed that 26.7% of fetal distress were diagnosed by fetal heart monitoring alone, and 73.3% of fetal distress were diagnosed by combined testing, so the diagnostic accuracy of the combined detection method was greatly higher than the single fetal heart detection (

P
<
0.05

). The Pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI), and S/D values detected by the umbilical artery in the observation group were 1.48, 0.85, and 4.31, respectively. The PI, RI, and S/D values detected by the umbilical artery in the control group were 0.96, 0.64, and 3.59, respectively. The results of arterial detection were significantly higher than those of the control group, and the difference was of significant scientific significance (

P
<
0.05

). In summary, the PI and RI values of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) detected by DUS diagnosis can effectively reflect the current status of the fetus in the uterus and reduce the mortality of the fetus. The images guided by DUS imaging technology can clearly show the current status of the fetus in the uterus, effectively improve the medical diagnostic efficiency, and have important reference value for the development of intelligent medical equipment.
[Retracted] Conceptual Implementation of Artificial Intelligent based E‐Mobility Controller in smart city Environment
Authors: Jayakumar Jayaraj , Nagaraj Balakrishnan , Chacko Shanty , Ajay P.
Published: October 2021

Testing and implementation of integrated and intelligent transport systems (IITS) of an electrical vehicle need many high‐performance and high‐precision subsystems. The existing systems confine themselves with limited features and have driving range anxiety, charging and discharging time issues, and inter‐ and intravehicle communication problems. The above issues are the critical barriers to the penetration of EVs with a smart grid. This paper proposes the concepts which consist of connected vehicles that exploit vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) communication, embedded system integrated with sensors which acquire the static and dynamic parameter of the electrical vehicle, and cloud integration and dig data analytics tools. Vehicle control information is generated based on machine learning‐based control systems. This paper also focuses on improving the overall performance (discharge time and cycle life) of a lithium ion battery, increasing the range of the electric vehicle, enhancing the safety of the battery that acquires the static and dynamic parameter and driving pattern of the electrical vehicle, establishing vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) communication, and handling and analyzing the acquired data with the help of various artificial big data analytics techniques.
Exosomes Derived from RM-1 Cells Promote the Recruitment of MDSCs into Tumor Microenvironment by Upregulating CXCR4 via TLR2/NF-
κ
B
Pathway
Authors: Li Nan , Wang Yingying , Xu Haoyu , Wang Hexi , Gao Yingying , Zhang Yao
Published: October 2021

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play a critical role in tumor immune escape because of its remarkable immunosuppressive effect. However, the mechanism of MDSCs migrated into tumor microenvironment remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated the recruitment of MDSCs can be promoted by exosomes derived from prostate cancer cells, which could upregulate chemokine (CXC motif) receptor 4 (CXCR4) via the TLR2/NF-

κ
B

signalling pathway. Flow cytometry detected that the percentage of MDSCs in the mice spleen and tumor tissue was significantly increased after injection with exosomes via mouse tail vein. Transwell chemotaxis assay showed the recruitment of MDSCs toward the lower chamber was enhanced after stimulation with exosomes, and the migration ability could be inhibited by AMD3100 (a CXCR4 specific inhibitor) both in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, Western blot and flow cytometry verified a remarkably increase of CXCR4 in MDSCs after incubation with exosomes; meanwhile, the protein level of TLR2 and activation of NF-

κ
B

were also strengthened obviously. Nevertheless, after blocking TLR2 by C29 (a TLR2-specific inhibitor), the expression of p-p65 and CXCR4, which were hypothesized as the downstream target of TLR2, was prominently reduced. In conclusion, prostate cancer-derived exosomes could reinforce CXCR4 expression in MDSCs through the TLR2/NF-

κ
B

signalling pathway, eventually promoting migration of MDSCs into tumor microenvironment in a CXCR4-CXCL12 axis-dependent manner.
Influence of Foundation Rigidity on the Structural Response of Mat Foundation
Authors: Tabsh Sami W. , El-Emam Magdi
Published: October 2021

A mat is a type of shallow foundation that is appropriate for structures supported on soil having relatively low bearing capacity or excessive settlement. Structural analysis of a mat foundation can be accomplished by either assuming the mat to be perfectly rigid or by considering the soil‐structure interaction. This study researches the relationship between the mat‐soil rigidity and structural response in terms of the soil bearing pressure, bending moment, and shear within the mat. To accomplish the objective of the study, 70 different mats are analyzed using a linearly elastic finite element approach. The variables that are considered in the analysis are the number of bays in each direction, center‐to‐center column spacing, mat thickness, panel aspect ratio, column cross section dimensions, soil modulus of subgrade reaction, and modulus of elasticity of concrete. A dimensionless mat rigidity measure was developed that determines whether a given mat can be reasonably analyzed by assuming it to be infinitely rigid. The developed rigidity factor takes into consideration all parameters that significantly affect the mat structural response. Results of the analysis indicate that there is strong correlation between the developed rigidity factor and critical soil bearing pressure and maximum internal bending moment within the mat. No correlation was observed between the mat rigidity and critical shear force. Relationships between the rigidity factor and the critical soil bearing pressures and bending moments, relative to the response of the infinitely rigid mat, are proposed. A parametric study is included to demonstrate the impact of the variables that affect the rigidity index on the response of the mat.
An Overview of miRNAs Involved in PASMC Phenotypic Switching in Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Zhang Weifang , Tao Zeying , Xu Fei , Diao Qian , Li Juan , Zhou Lu , Miao Yaxin , Xie Shanshan , Wan Jinjin , Xu Ruilai
Published: October 2021

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is occult, with no distinctive clinical manifestations and a poor prognosis. Pulmonary vascular remodelling is an important pathological feature in which pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) phenotypic switching plays a crucial role. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of evolutionarily highly conserved single‐stranded small noncoding RNAs. An increasing number of studies have shown that miRNAs play an important role in the occurrence and development of PH by regulating PASMCs phenotypic switching, which is expected to be a potential target for the prevention and treatment of PH. miRNAs such as miR‐221, miR‐15b, miR‐96, miR‐24, miR‐23a, miR‐9, miR‐214, and miR‐20a can promote PASMCs phenotypic switching, while such as miR‐21, miR‐132, miR‐449, miR‐206, miR‐124, miR‐30c, miR‐140, and the miR‐17~92 cluster can inhibit it. The article reviews the research progress on growth factor‐related miRNAs and hypoxia‐related miRNAs that mediate PASMCs phenotypic switching in PH.
Advances in Pathogenesis of Sjögren’s Syndrome
Authors: Tian Yao , Yang Hongyi , Liu Na , Li Yan , Chen Jie
Published: October 2021

Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology that mainly involves exocrine glands. Patients present with dry mouth and eyes, fever, arthralgia, and other systemic symptoms. In severe cases, the quality of life of patients is affected. At present, there is no cure for SS, and the treatment options are extremely limited. In recent years, studies of patients and animal models have identified abnormalities of immune cell function and cytokines to be involved in SS. A systematic review of the literature may clarify the etiology and pathogenesis of SS, as well as provide a theoretical basis for the development of new drugs for the treatment of SS.
Ultrasound Images Guided under Deep Learning in the Anesthesia Effect of the Regional Nerve Block on Scapular Fracture Surgery
Authors: Liu Yubo , Cheng Liangzhen
Published: October 2021

In order to discuss the clinical characteristics of patients with scapular fracture, deep learning model was adopted in ultrasound images of patients to locate the anesthesia point of patients during scapular fracture surgery treated with the regional nerve block. 100 patients with scapular fracture who were hospitalized for emergency treatment in the hospital were recruited. Patients in the algorithm group used ultrasound-guided regional nerve block puncture, and patients in the control group used traditional body surface anatomy for anesthesia positioning. The ultrasound images of the scapula of the contrast group were used for the identification of the deep learning model and analysis of anesthesia acupuncture sites. The ultrasound images of the scapula anatomy of the patients in the contrast group were extracted, and the convolutional neural network model was employed for training and test. Moreover, the model performance was evaluated. It was found that the adoption of deep learning greatly improved the accuracy of the image. It took an average of 7.5 ± 2.07 minutes from the time the puncture needle touched the skin to the completion of the injection in the algorithm group (treated with artificial intelligence ultrasound positioning). The operation time of the control group (anatomical positioning) averaged 10.2 ± 2.62 min. Moreover, there was a significant difference between the two groups (

p
<
0.05

). The method adopted in the contrast group had high positioning accuracy and good anesthesia effect, and the patients had reduced postoperative complications of patients (all

P
<
0.005

). The deep learning model can effectively improve the accuracy of ultrasound images and measure and assist the treatment of future clinical cases of scapular fractures. While improving medical efficiency, it can also accurately identify patient fractures, which has great adoption potential in improving the effect of surgical anesthesia.
Managing Known Difficult Airways in Obstetric Patients Using a Flexible Bronchoscope and IRRIS: A Case-Illustrated Guide for Nonexpert Anesthesiologists, without Surgical Backup
Authors: Hannig Kjartan E. , Hauritz Rasmus W. , Jessen Christian , Herzog Jan , Grejs Anders M. , Kristensen Michael S.
Published: October 2021

Pregnancy is associated with anatomical and physiological changes leading to potential difficult airway management. Some pregnant women have known difficult airways and cannot be intubated even with a hyperangulated videolaryngoscope. If neuraxial techniques are also impossible, awake tracheal intubation with a flexible bronchoscope may be one of the few available options to avoid more invasive techniques. The Infrared Red Intubation System (IRRIS) may help nonexpert anesthesiologists in such situations and may enhance the chance of successful intubation increasing safety for the mother and the fetus, especially in hospitals without the ear, nose, and throat surgical backup.
Myopic Correction with Iris-Fixated Phakic Intraocular Lenses: Twelve-Year Results
Authors: Nemcova Iveta , Pasta Jiri , Hladikova Katerina , Komarc Martin , Pospisilova Darina , Nemec Pavel , Tesar Jan , Kratky Vladimir , Sin Martin
Published: October 2021

Purpose. To evaluate a 12-year follow-up of myopic patients after iris-fixated phakic intraocular lenses (IF pIOLs) implantation. Setting. Ophthalmology Department, Military University Hospital in Prague (Czech Republic). Design. Single-center retrospective cohort study. Methods. We describe the results of a cohort study that included 85 eyes of 46 myopic patients who underwent implantation of Verisyse myopia, Veriflex, and Verisyse myopia toric (all Abbott Medical Optics, Inc.) intraocular lenses. Refractive functions and adverse events were assessed preoperatively, at 6 months, and 1, 2, 5, and 12 years after IF pIOL implantation. Results. Mean spherical equivalent was measured as −9.37 ± 2.87 D, 0.14 ± 0.61 D, and −0.42 ± 1.08 D, preoperatively, at 6 months and 12 years postoperatively, respectively. There was a significant reduction in the cylinder after surgery. At 12 years postoperatively, 90% of eyes had uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) of 20/40 and 64% of 20/20. The safety index was 1.10 for the whole postoperative follow-up period. We found cataract formation in 3 eyes (3.5%). The endothelial cells loss (EC loss) directly caused by IF pIOL implantation was 6.0%, 8.10%, 12.8%, and 11.9%, at 1, 2, 5, and 12 years, respectively. In our cohort, 95% of eyes lost a higher percentage of EC than would be expected from a physiological loss at 12 years postoperatively. We found a significant negative interaction between preoperative pachymetry and EC loss, indicating that the lower pachymetry leads to a faster decline in endothelial cells density (ECD). IF pIOL re-enclavation was found in 28% of eyes. 7% of subluxations were caused by trauma. The mean time of nontraumatic re-enclavation was 6 years postoperatively. Conclusions. The study confirmed the advantages of IF pIOL implantation due to rapid visual recovery and stable visual function over the 12-year follow-up and also showed the influence of lower corneal pachymetry regarding EC loss.
Longitudinal Changes of Sensorimotor Resting-State Functional Connectivity Differentiate between Patients with Thalamic Infarction and Pontine Infarction
Authors: Wang Peipei , Zang Zhenxiang , Zhang Miao , Cao Yanxiang , Zhao Zhilian , Shan Yi , Ma Qingfeng , Lu Jie
Published: October 2021

Purpose. We investigated the disparate influence of lesion location on functional damage and reorganization of the sensorimotor brain network in patients with thalamic infarction and pontine infarction. Methods. Fourteen patients with unilateral infarction of the thalamus and 14 patients with unilateral infarction of the pons underwent longitudinal fMRI measurements and motor functional assessment five times during a 6-month period (<7 days, at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after stroke onset). Twenty-five age- and sex-matched controls underwent MRI examination across five consecutive time points in 6 months. Functional images from patients with left hemisphere lesions were first flipped from the left to the right side. The voxel-wise connectivity analyses between the reference time course of each ROI (the contralateral dorsal lateral putamen (dl-putamen), pons, ventral anterior (VA), and ventral lateral (VL) nuclei of the thalamus) and the time course of each voxel in the sensorimotor area were performed for all five measurements. One-way ANOVA was used to identify between-group differences in functional connectivity (FC) at baseline stage (<7 days after stroke onset), with infarction volume included as a nuisance variable. The family-wise error (FWE) method was used to account for multiple comparison issues using SPM software. Post hoc repeated-measure ANOVA was applied to examine longitudinal FC reorganization. Results. At baseline stage, significant differences were detected between the contralateral VA and ipsilateral postcentral gyrus (cl_VA-ip_postcentral), contralateral VL and ipsilateral precentral gyrus (cl_VL-ip_precentral). Repeated measures ANOVA revealed that the FC change of cl_VA-ip_postcentral differ significantly among the three groups over time. The significant changes of FC between cl_VA and ip_postcentral at different time points in the thalamic infarction group showed that compared with 7 days after stroke onset, there was significantly increased FC of cl_VA-ip_postcentral at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after stroke onset. Conclusions. The different patterns of sensorimotor functional damage and reorganization in patients with pontine infarction and thalamic infarction may provide insights into the neural mechanisms underlying functional recovery after stroke.
Research and Design of Distributed Fire Alarm System of Indoor Internet of Things Based on LoRa
Authors: Chen Wei , He ChenYu , Lu JianRong , Yan Kui , Liu Jin , Zhou Feng , Xu Xin , Hao Xiao
Published: October 2021

In order to comprehensively improve the sensitivity of fire warning and effectively shorten the warning time, this paper proposes and implements an indoor distributed fire alarm system based on low power wide area network. The system is mainly composed of three parts: a multisensor acquisition node based on LoRa technology, a distributed edge gateway, and a remote user monitoring system. The multisensor collection node obtains environmental parameters such as indoor temperature, smoke concentration, and air quality and then transmits the sensing data to edge gateway by LoRa after preprocessing. The edge gateway is based on an embedded Linux platform and is deployed in distributed state to collect and store data from multiple collection nodes. Besides, edge gateway forwards valid data to the remote user monitoring system by standard MQTT protocol. The user monitoring system displays current deployment area parameters to users in real time and provides early warning prompts based on relevant preset indicators to help the administrator make more accurate decisions on corresponding measures. The system has been deployed and tested in Nanjing Institute of Technology. By sensor calibration experiments, LoRa communication experiments, and system tests in different environments, the experimental results show that the average received signal strength in a small interference space is -104.12 dBm, and the average received signal strength in a noisy signal environment is -57.5 dBm. By setting the optimal transmitting power for each distance, the packet receiving rate can reach more than 95%, and the alarm accuracy can reach 100% under premise of ensuring the lowest power consumption. Finally, this paper conducts a comprehensive performance analysis on the wireless communication performance of environmental collection nodes, multisensor data fusion algorithm, distributed LoRa edge gateway deployment performance, and remote system early warning accuracy.
Emission Reduction Effect and Mechanism of Auto-Purchase Tax Preference
Authors: Lo Kai Lisa , Fan Yaqi , Zhang Congzhi , Mi Jackson Jinhong
Published: October 2021

As a modern means of transportation, the automobile plays an important role in people’s travel. However, the environmental and energy problems brought by the automobile industry cannot be ignored. Based on unique Chinese urban and new car registration data, this paper empirically analyzes the emission reduction effect of car purchase tax incentives, its spatial heterogeneity, and impact on car consumption structure using difference-in-difference model, regression discontinuity design model, and other methods. We find that the tax incentives can effectively suppress the emission of urban pollutants. The quantile regression shows that the emission reduction effect of the tax incentives shows a dynamic change characteristic of weakening as the pollution level in cities increases. In addition, tax incentives for the purchase of low-energy consumption vehicles increase the market share of small-emission vehicles and change the consumption structure.
LNMR Study on Microstructure Characteristics and Pore Size Distribution of High‐Rank Coals with Different Bedding
Authors: Liu Jiajia , Hu Jianmin , Shen Mengqi , Yang Ming , Fang Yingxiang
Published: October 2021

In order to study the pore structure characteristics of high‐rank coals with different bedding, NMR experiments were carried out for high‐rank coals with different bedding angles (0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90°). The results show that the distribution of T2 map of high‐rank coal with different bedding is similar to some extent, showing a double peak or triple peak distribution, and the first peak accounts for more than 97% of the total, indicating that small holes are developed in high‐rank coal with different bedding, while macropores are not developed. The influence of bedding angle on the fracture proportion is less than 0.3%. Compared with the fracture proportion, the effect of bedding angle on the proportion of microhole, medium hole, and large hole is greater and presents a certain rule. There are certain differences in T2 cutoff value (T2C) of high‐rank coal with different bedding. The relationship between bedding angle and T2C conforms to exponential function, and the correlation degree R2 is 0.839. The research results provide a theoretical basis for gas extraction and utilization and prevention of gas disaster in coal mines in China.
Identification of Novel Biomarkers Related to Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma Using Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Wang Haiyan , Huang Lizhi , Chen Li , Ji Jing , Zheng Yuanyuan , Wang Zhen
Published: October 2021

Background. Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is one of the most common types of lung carcinoma and has specific clinicopathologic characteristics. In this study, we screened novel molecular biomarkers relevant to the prognosis of LUSC to explore new diagnostic and treatment approaches for this disease. Methods. We downloaded GSE73402 from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. GSE73402 contains 62 samples, which could be classified as four subtypes according to their pathology and stages. Via weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA), the main module was identified and was further analyzed using differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis. Then, by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), hub genes were screened for potential biomarkers of LUSC. Results. Via WGCNA, the yellow module containing 349 genes was identified, and it is strongly related to the subtype of CIS (carcinoma in situ). DEGs analysis detected 180 genes that expressed differentially between the subtype of CIS and subtype of early-stage carcinoma (Stage I and Stage II). A PPI network of DEGs was constructed, and the top 20 genes with the highest correlations were selected for GEPIA database to explore their effect on LUSC survival prognosis. Finally, ITGA5, TUBB3, SCNN1B, and SERPINE1 were screened as hub genes in LUSC. Conclusions. ITGA5, TUBB3, SCNN1B, and SERPINE1 may have great diagnostic and prognostic significance for LUSC and have great potential to be new treatment targets for LUSC.
Application of Computer Simulation Analysis in Green City Garden Plant Landscape Design
Authors: Zhang Jing
Published: October 2021

As an important component of urban landscape elements, garden plants have the role of improving urban ecological environment and forming landscape effects. Digital landscape is a high-simulation model of the system combined with computer hardware and software systems, which allow analysis of the application of computer simulation in the analysis of the value of urban landscape design. In this paper, we propose a “Task-Crowd-Process-Evaluation” computer simulation analysis framework to support management decision, which can form 2D or 3D spatial data, realize real-time and statistical analysis, make use of the multidimensional, efficient, and humanized human living environment, and make the environment landscape planning more reasonable and practical. The simulation shows that the effective use of urban vegetation can not only beautify the urban landscape, but also play the function of rainwater utilization.
Optic Nerve Head Hemoglobin Levels in Glaucoma: A Structural and Functional Correlation Study
Authors: Rocha Janaina A. G. , Dias Diego T. , Lemos Maria Betânia C. , Kanadani Fábio N. , Paranhos Augusto , Gracitelli Carolina P. B. , Prata Tiago S.
Published: October 2021

Purpose. To investigate structural and functional correlations in glaucoma patients using optic nerve head hemoglobin (ONH Hb) measurements as determined by automated colorimetric analysis of conventional retinography. Methods. We prospectively enrolled healthy participants and glaucomatous patients with a wide range of disease stages. All participants underwent visual field (VF) testing (standard automated perimetry, SAP), color fundus imaging (mydriatic retinography), and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) assessment through spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Software Laguna ONhE was used to estimate the amount of ONH Hb and to determine the glaucoma discriminant function (GDF) index. Scatter plots were constructed, and regression analysis was used to investigate the correlations between GDF, average pRNFL thickness, and VF mean deviation (VFMD) index values. A secondary analysis was performed to compare each parameter between three different glaucoma groups divided according to VFMD values (mild, >−6 dB; moderate, −6 to −12 dB; and advanced, <−12 dB). Results. One hundred ninety-six eyes from 123 participants (69 with glaucoma and 54 controls) were enrolled. Overall, all parameters evaluated differed significantly between glaucomatous and control eyes (

p
≤
0.001

). The comparison of each parameter according to groups of disease stages revealed significant differences between controls and each of the glaucomatous groups (

p
<
0.001

). More pronounced changes in GDF values were observed in early disease stages. We found significant nonlinear correlations between GDF and VFMD values (R2 = 0.295,

p
<
0.001

) and between pRNFL thickness and VFMD (R2 = 0.598,

p
<
0.001

). A linear correlation was found between GDF and pRNFL thickness values (R2 = 0.195,

p
<
0.001

). Conclusion. Our results showed significant associations between ONH Hb values and both structural and functional damage in glaucoma obtained by SD-OCT and SAP, respectively. The nonlinear correlation we found and the GDF behavior along different disease stages suggest that ONH Hb levels’ reduction may precede visual function changes in early glaucoma stages.
The DNA Repair Enzyme XPD Is Partially Regulated by PI3K/AKT Signaling in the Context of Bupivacaine‐Mediated Neuronal DNA Damage
Authors: Zhao Wei , Zeng Lei , Luo Jiaming , Li Ji , Lai Luying , Xu Shiyuan , Liu Zhongjie
Published: October 2021

Bupivacaine, a local anesthetic widely used for regional anesthesia and pain management, has been reported to induce neuronal injury, especially DNA damage. Neurons employ different pathways to repair DNA damage. However, the mechanism underlying bupivacaine‐mediated DNA damage repair is unclear. A rat neuronal injury model was established by intrathecal injection of (3%) bupivacaine. An in vitro neuronal injury model was generated by exposing SH‐SY5Y cells to bupivacaine (1.5 mmol/L). Then, a cDNA plate array was used to identify the DNA repair genes after bupivacaine exposure. The results showed that xeroderma pigmentosum complementary group D (XPD) of the nuclear excision repair (NER) pathway was closely associated with the repair of DNA damage induced by bupivacaine. Subsequently, Western blot assay and immunohistochemistry indicated that the expression of the repair enzyme XPD was upregulated after DNA damage. Downregulation of XPD expression by a lentivirus aggravated the DNA damage induced by bupivacaine. In addition, phosphatidyl‐3‐kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling in neurons was inhibited after exposure to bupivacaine. After PI3K/AKT signaling was inhibited, bupivacaine‐mediated DNA damage was further aggravated, and the expression of XPD was further upregulated. However, knockdown of XPD aggravated bupivacaine‐mediated neuronal injury but did not affect PI3K/AKT signaling. In conclusion, the repair enzyme XPD, which was partially regulated by PI3K/AKT signaling, responded to bupivacaine‐mediated neuronal DNA damage. These results can be used as a reference for the treatment of bupivacaine‐induced neurotoxicity.
Development of a KRAS‐Associated Metabolic Risk Model for Prognostic Prediction in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Ma Zuyi , Li Zhenchong , Ma Zuguang , Zhou Zixuan , Zhuang Hongkai , Liu Chunsheng , Huang Bowen , Zou Yiping , Zheng Zehao , Yang LinLing , Gong Yuanfeng , Huang Shanzhou , Zhou Qi , Zhang Chuanzhao , Hou Baohua
Published: October 2021

Background. KRAS was reported to affect some metabolic genes and promote metabolic reprogramming in solid tumors. However, there was no comprehensive analysis to explore KRAS‐associated metabolic signature or risk model for pancreatic cancer (PC). Methods. In the current study, multiple bioinformatics analyses were used to identify differentially expressed metabolic genes based on KRAS mutation status in PC. Then, we developed and validated a prognostic risk model based on the selected KRAS‐associated metabolic genes. Besides, we explored the association between the risk model and the metabolic characteristics as well as gemcitabine‐associated chemoresistance in PC. Results. 6 KRAS‐associated metabolic genes (i.e., CYP2S1, GPX3, FTCD, ENPP2, UGT1A10, and XDH) were selected and enrolled to establish a prognostic risk model. The prognostic model had a high C‐index of 0.733 for overall survival (OS) in TCGA pancreatic cancer database. The area under the curve (AUC) values of 1‐ and 3‐year survival were both greater than 0.70. Then, the risk model was validated in two GEO datasets and also presented a satisfactory discrimination and calibration performance. Further, we found that the expression of some KRAS‐driven glycolysis‐associated genes (PKM, GLUT1, HK2, and LDHA) and gemcitabine‐associated chemoresistance genes (i.e., CDA and RMM2) was significantly upregulated in high‐risk PC patients evaluated by the risk model. Conclusions. We constructed a risk model based on 6 KRAS‐associated metabolic genes, which predicted patients’ survival with high accuracy and reflected tumor metabolic characteristics and gemcitabine‐associated chemoresistance in PC.
Cooperative Edge Computing Task Offloading Strategy for Urban Internet of Things
Authors: Wang Bo , Li Mingchu
Published: October 2021

With the continuous progress of edge computing technology and the development of the Internet of Things technology, scenarios such as smart transportation, smart home, and smart medical care enable people to enjoy the smart era’s convenience. Simultaneously, with the addition of many smart devices, a large number of tasks are submitted to the edge server, making the edge server unable to meet the needs of completing tasks submitted by the smart device. Besides, if the task is submitted to the remote cloud data center, it increases the user’s additional delay and cost. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the task offloading strategy and resource allocation scheme to solve these problems. This paper first proposes a new task offloading mechanism and then proposes a two‐stage Stackelberg game model to solve each participant’s interaction problem in the task offloading mechanism and ensure the maximization of their respective interests. Finally, a theoretical analysis proves the equilibrium of the two‐stage Stackelberg game. Experiments are used to prove the effectiveness of the proposed mechanism. Comparative experimental results show that the proposed model can achieve better results regarding delay and energy consumption.
Review of Brazilian species of Syneches Walker (Diptera, Hybotidae, Hybotinae), with description of ten new species
Authors: SOARES MATHEUS M. M. , FREITAS-SILVA RAFAEL A. P. , ALE-ROCHA ROSALY
Published: October 2021

We increase the knowledge on the taxonomy of Brazilian Syneches describing 10 new species: S. amorimi sp. nov., S. barrettoi sp. nov., S. digitatus sp. nov., S. fasciatus sp. nov., S. flaviscutellatus sp. nov., S. fuscus sp. nov., S. nordestino sp. nov., S. plaumanni sp. nov., S. sinclairi sp. nov., and S. smithi sp. nov., and redescribing three species: S. catarinae Smith, 1962, S. luteus (Wiedemann, 1830) and S. tomentosus Smith, 1962. Syneches ruficollis (Walker, 1852) is proposed as a nomen dubium since the type is lost and the original description does not allow identification. An identification key, high-resolution images of relevant characters, short diagnoses and maps of geographic records for all 34 Brazilian species now included in the genus are provided, as well as a checklist for the South American species of Syneches.
An overview on the genus Amiserica Nomura, 1974 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Sericini)
Authors: AHRENS DIRK , LIU WANGANG , PHAM PHU VAN , FABRIZI SILVIA
Published: October 2021

Here we present an overview of the species of the genus Amiserica Nomura, 1974. The taxonomy of the species of eastern Asia (China and adjacent regions) is revised herein, which so far have not been treated yet. Twenty-eight species are discovered new to science: Amiserica basisymmetrica Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. belousovi Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. carolusholzschuhi Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. diaocangshana Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. eucurviforceps Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. fengyangensis Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. funiushanica Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. gibbosiforceps Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. guanmenshanica Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. guizhouensis Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. gulinqin Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. incisa Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. jiuhuensis Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. jizuensis Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. linzhouensis Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. longxinensis Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. lucidiflava Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. nahang Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. panghongae Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. pappi Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. piaoac Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. pseudoantennalis Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. pseudoincisa Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. sacculiforceps Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. strnadi Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. ventriscalptus Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. venxianensis Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species, A. zhongtiaoshanensis Ahrens, Fabrizi & Liu, new species. Furthermore, our investigation resulted in two new combinations: Maladera (Eumaladera) loi (Kobayashi, 1991), new combination and Amiserica antennalis (Nomura, 1974), new combination; the first species is thus excluded from Amiserica. A key to species groups and species within groups is given, habitus and male genitalia are illustrated. The distribution of the species revised herein is shown on maps.
The Influence of Applying Microbial Amendments to Soil and Plants on the Microbial Diversity in the Rhizosphere Soil of Garlic
Authors: Li Yang , Liu Sushuang , Yang Xiangui , Wu Choufei , Gao Quanxin , Zhang Liqin
Published: October 2021

With the environmental problems brought about by the excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, numerous biological amendments have been developed and used in recent years. This study, through in-depth analysis of the effects of two different microbial amendments on the microbial
diversity in the garlic rhizosphere, provides a theoretical basis and data support for farmers to select microbial amendments. In the experiment, two different microbial amendments were applied to garlic, and its rhizosphere soil was collected after 10, 20, 30, and 40 days. The polymerase
chain reaction denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) was used to analyze bacterial diversity in the garlic rhizosphere soil. The total abundance and diversity of microbial flora in the rhizosphere soil of garlic increased after application of microbial amendments to soil or plants.
Plant growth was significantly better in the soil treatment than the plant treatment and the water control. The two dominant bacteria of uncultured gamma proteobacterium and Uncultured Gemmatimonadete existed only in the soil treatment. After 40 day of treatment, the abundance
in the rhizosphere soil of these four bacterial strains (Uncultured Bacillus sp. clone D.an-22, Mesorhizobium sp., uncultured gamma proteobacterium, and Pseudomonas boreopolis) was greater in the soil than the plant treatment and the control. The irrigation of microbial
amendments not only influenced the structure and abundance of rhizosphere microorganisms, and also promoted the colonization by microorganisms. The five bacterial strains of uncultured gamma proteobacterium, Uncultured Gemmatimonadetes, Uncultured Bacillus sp. clone D.an-22, Mesorhizobium
sp., Pseudomonas boreopolis could facilitate the growth and enhance resistance of garlic, establishing a foundation for the use of microbial amendments and providing new ideas and methods for environmental management and protection.
Enhanced Carbohydrate Metabolism and Salinity Tolerance of Tobacco Plants Overexpressing a Vacuolar H+-ATPase Subunit B2 (DoVHAb2) Gene from Yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb.)
Authors: Shao Ying , Zhang Yanfang , Guo Shuchun , Zhao Lingmin , Sun Xiaohua , Huo Xiuwen
Published: October 2021

ATP synthase plays a vital role in plant growth and stress tolerance, functional studies of DoVHAb2 in yam tuber starch metabolism and salinity tolerance have so far not been reported. Full-length cloning and analysis of DoVHAb2 were conducted to ascertain its function.
The gDNAs were cloned and analyzed. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was probed in yam tuber developmental stage and different organs of DoVHAb2. Transient expression vector was constructed and injected into tobacco leaves to observe the subcellular localization
of genes. Overexpressed fusion vector of gene was constructed and transformed into tobacco by Agrobacterium-mediated method to identify the function of DoVHAb2 gene. In the results, the full-length of DoVHAb2 was 1926 bp, encoding 488 amino acids, and it was divided into 14 exons
and 15 introns, its highest expression was found in tubers than in stems and leaves in yam, the yam DoVHAb2 protein was localized to cytoplasm. The starch content, ADP glucose pyrophosphorylase, starch synthase and ATPase activity were significantly higher in transgenic tobacco plants than
in the wild-type. The transgenic plants also had higher leaf differentiation rate, soluble protein content, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities, and lower malondialdehyde content than the wild type under NaCl stress. In conclusion, the results indicated that overexpression of DoVHAb2
enhanced starch metabolism and conferred salinity tolerance.
Preparation of Eco-Friendly Acidic Corrosion Inhibitors from Ilex Chinensis Sims Leaves
Authors: Wang Qianlong , Zhang Ruquan , Zhang Liyuan , Gao Minlan , Du Weichao , Gu Xuefan
Published: October 2021

Preparing chemicals from natural product is a simple way to green chemistry. May flavonoids and protocatechuic acid have been found in Ilex Chinensis Sims leaves extracts, which indicates its extracts suitable to be used as an effective corrosion inhibitor. Extracts of Ilex
Chinensis Sims leaves (HE) were modified with hydroxymethylation reaction and Mannich reaction to produce the relative stable green acidic corrosion inhibitors (HM1 and HM2). The extracts of Ilex Chinensis Sims leaves and the modified samples were investigated on the corrosion inhibition
of A3 steel accordingly. The results show that these inhibitors have effective corrosion inhibition effect on A3 steel. The HM2 are the most effective for corrosion inhibition, and the inhibition efficiency can reach to 78.36%. At 60 °C, the corrosion inhibition efficiency
of these three extracts is HM2 > HM1 > HE. And the extracts inhibit corrosion mainly by adsorption mechanism. This adsorption accords with Langmuir adsorption isotherm.
Mothering Through Mental Illness: Exploring the Experiences of Motherhood for Criminally Involved Women on Mental Health Probation
Authors: Mulvey Philip , Terpstra Brice , Rabe-Hemp Cara , McDermott Cailin
Published: October 2021

As the number of criminally involved women has increased substantially over several decades, the prevalence of mothers impacted by criminal justice involvement has also increased. The current paper seeks to examine a specific subset of these criminally involved mothers—those with significant and long-term mental illness. This study explores how these women describe their experiences mothering through semistructured qualitative interviews with 48 women on a specialty mental health caseload in Maricopa County, Arizona. Using an inductive approach inspired by grounded theory to analyze the narrative accounts of criminally involved women with mental illness, the maternal identities of these women are placed at the forefront of the discussion, with an emphasis on examining their experiences beyond motherhood’s influence on desistance.