bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Treatment of Chronic Pulmonary Heart Disease with Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Protocol for the Development of a Core Outcome Set (COS-TCM-CPHD)
Authors: Niu Bohan , Zhang Mingyan , Chua Hui Zi , Li Kai , Zhang Junhua
Published: April 2021

Background. Treatment of chronic pulmonary heart disease (CPHD), a common disease, has over recent years been studied using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) due to many high-profile benefits. These can be evaluated by the measurement and analysis of related outcomes. Because of selective reporting bias and the heterogeneity of study outcomes, it is not possible to combine similar studies in a meta-analysis. Consequently, not only does the low quality of original studies fails to support evidence-based decision-making, but also the value of those clinical studies cannot be evaluated. To solve these problems, the development of a core outcome set for traditional Chinese medicines for the treatment of chronic pulmonary heart disease (COS-TCM-CPHD) is required. Methods. The development is conducted in five steps: (1) a library of outcomes through systematic review, the retrieval of libraries from two clinical trials registries, and semistructured interviews is established; (2) following data extraction and analysis of the library of outcomes, each outcome can be classified into seven outcome domains, including TCM disease, symptoms/signs, physical and chemical testing, quality of life, long-term prognosis, economic evaluation, and adverse events to form a preliminary list of outcomes; (3) stakeholder groups for participation are selected; (4) stakeholder groups are invited to participate in two rounds of Delphi surveys to score outcomes and provide additional outcomes; (5) a consensus meeting is organized to produce the final COS-TCM-CPHD. Discussion. The protocol is consistent with the guidelines defined by the Core Outcome Set-STAndardised Protocol (COS-STAP) statement and formulated with reference to Core Outcome Set-STAndards for development (COS-STAD). The COS-TCM-CPHD will improve the consistency of study reports and reduce publication bias, thereby improving the quality of TCM clinical trials and decision-making for evidence-based medicine. The study has been registered on the COMET website (http://www.comet-initiative.org/Studies/Details/1677).
Some Novel Sixth-Order Iteration Schemes for Computing Zeros of Nonlinear Scalar Equations and Their Applications in Engineering
Authors: Rehman M. A. , Naseem Amir , Abdeljawad Thabet
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we propose two novel iteration schemes for computing zeros of nonlinear equations in one dimension. We develop these iteration schemes with the help of Taylor’s series expansion, generalized Newton-Raphson’s method, and interpolation technique. The convergence analysis of the proposed iteration schemes is discussed. It is established that the newly developed iteration schemes have sixth order of convergence. Several numerical examples have been solved to illustrate the applicability and validity of the suggested schemes. These problems also include some real-life applications associated with the chemical and civil engineering such as adiabatic flame temperature equation, conversion of nitrogen-hydrogen feed to ammonia, the van der Wall’s equation, and the open channel flow problem whose numerical results prove the better efficiency of these methods as compared to other well-known existing iterative methods of the same kind.
[Retracted] Computer‐Aided Prediction and Identification of Phytochemicals as Potential Drug Candidates against MERS‐CoV
Authors: Mahrosh Hafiza Salaha , Tanveer Muhammad , Arif Rawaba , Mustafa Ghulam
Published: April 2021

The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS‐CoV) is the major leading cause of respiratory infections listed as blueprint of diseases by the World Health Organization. It needs immediate research in the developing countries including Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and China. Still no vaccine has been developed against MERS‐CoV; therefore, an effective strategy is required to overcome the devastating outcomes of MERS. Computer‐aided drug design is the effective method to find out potency of natural phytochemicals as inhibitors of MERS‐CoV. In the current study, the molecular docking approach was employed to target receptor binding of CoV. A total of 150 phytochemicals were docked as ligands in this study and found that some of the phytochemicals successfully inhibited the catalytic triad of MERS‐CoV. The docking results brought novel scaffolds which showed strong ligand interactions with Arg178, Arg339, His311, His230, Lys146, and Arg139 residues of the viral domains. From the top ten ligands found in this study (i.e., rosavin, betaxanthin, quercetin, citromitin, pluviatilol, digitogenin, ichangin, methyl deacetylnomilinate, kobusinol A, and cyclocalamin) based on best S‐score values, two phytochemicals (i.e., pluviatilol and kobusinol A) exhibited all drug‐likeness properties following the pharmacokinetic parameters which are important for bioavailability of drug‐like compounds, and hence, they can serve as potential drug candidates to stop the viral load. The study revealed that these phytochemicals would serve as strong potential inhibitors and a starting point for the development of vaccines and proteases against MERS‐CoV. Further, in vivo studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of these potential drug candidates.
Sleep Quality’s Effect on Vigilance and Perceptual Ability in Adolescent and Adult Athletes
Authors: Stavrou Vasileios T. , Astara Kyriaki , Tourlakopoulos Konstantinos N. , Daniil Zoe , Gourgoulianis Konstantinos I. , Kalabakas Konstantinos , Karagiannis Dimitrios , Basdekis George
Published: April 2021

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of sleep quality in cognitive domains of perceptual ability after exhausting exercise in adolescent and adult athletes. Eighty-six male professional soccer players were included in our study and divided into two groups: adolescents (age: 17.3 ± 0.2 yrs, body mass: 68.9 ± 7.9 kg, body fat: 9.9 ± 3.6 %) versus adults (age: 26.3 ± 5.2 yrs, body mass: 76.5 ± 7.2 kg, body fat: 10.3 ± 3.1 %). For each athlete, prior to cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), anthropometric and morphological characteristics were recorded and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire was answered. Immediately after CPET, all athletes underwent the perceptual ability test (PATest) for 30 sec and the sum of hits (rep/30 sec) and the time between a visual stimulus and the following stimulus (mean reaction time; RT, sec) were recorded. Oxygen uptake in maximal effort and in anaerobic threshold showed differences between hits (

P
=
0.037

) and RT (

P
=
0.025

). The variable of PSQI questionnaire “had bad dreams” showed correlation with hits (

P
=
0.021

) and RT (

P
=
0.011

) and the RT showed correlation with variables “cannot breathe comfortably” (

P
=
0.041

) and “...enthusiasm to get things done” (

P
=
0.041

). Adolescents showed poorer sleep quality (PSQI score: 5.7 ± 3.6 vs. 2.4 ± 2.6) compared to adults and slower reaction time (0.9 ± 0.1 vs. 0.8 ± 0.1 sec,

P
=
0.029

) compared to adolescent athletes with PSQI score ≥5.5. The variable of PSQI score in adolescents is related to HR in maximal effort (r = −0.364,

P
=
0.032

) and in adults is related to speed (r = −0.335,

P
=
0.016

). Perceptual ability, which requires sustained attention, vigilance, and motor coordination, is often negatively affected by restricted sleep, especially in adolescents.
Weighted Classification of Machine Learning to Recognize Human Activities
Authors: Wu Guorong , Liu Zichen , Chen Xuhui
Published: April 2021

This paper presents a new method to recognize human activities based on weighted classification for the features extracted by human body. Towards this end, new features depend on weight taken from image or video used in proposed descriptor. Human pose plays an important role in extracted features; then these features are used as the weight input with classifier. We use machine learning during two steps of training and testing images of standard dataset that can be used during benchmarking the system. Unlike previous methods that need size or length of shapes mainly to represent the cues when machine learning is used to recognize human activities, accurate experimental results coming from appropriate segments of the human body proved the worthiness of proposed method. Twelve activities are used in challenging of availability comparison with dataset to demonstrate our method. The results show that we achieved 87.3% in training set, while in testing set, we achieved 94% in terms of precision.
Formalin Fixation as Tissue Preprocessing for Multimodal Optical Spectroscopy Using the Example of Human Brain Tumour Cross Sections
Authors: Stefanakis Mona , Lorenz Anita , Bartsch Jörg W. , Bassler Miriam C. , Wagner Alexandra , Brecht Marc , Pagenstecher Axel , Schittenhelm Jens , Boldrini Barbara , Hakelberg Sabrina , Noell Susan , Nimsky Christopher , Tatagiba Marcos , Ritz Rainer , Rebner Karsten , Ostertag Edwin
Published: April 2021

Characterization of brain tumours requires neuropathological expertise and is generally performed by histological evaluation and molecular analysis. One emerging technique to assist pathologists in future tumour diagnostics is multimodal optical spectroscopy. In the current clinical routine, tissue preprocessing with formalin is widely established and suitable for spectroscopic investigations since degradation processes impede the measurement of native tissue. However, formalin fixation results in alterations of the tissue chemistry and morphology for example by protein cross-linking. As optical spectroscopy is sensitive to these variations, we evaluate the effects of formalin fixation on multimodal brain tumour data in this proof-of-concept study. Nonfixed and formalin-fixed cross sections of different common human brain tumours were subjected to analysis of chemical variations using ultraviolet and Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy. Morphological changes were assessed by elastic light scattering microspectroscopy in the visible wavelength range. Data were analysed with multivariate data analysis and compared with histopathology. Tissue type classifications deduced by optical spectroscopy are highly comparable and independent from the preparation and the fixation protocol. However, formalin fixation leads to slightly better classification models due to improved stability of the tissue. As a consequence, spectroscopic methods represent an appropriate additional contrast for chemical and morphological information in neuropathological diagnosis and should be investigated to a greater extent. Furthermore, they can be included in the clinical workflow even after formalin fixation.
Improved Results on Delay-Dependent Robust

H

∞

Control of Uncertain Neutral Systems with Mixed Time-Varying Delays
Authors: Zhang Jingsha , Li Yongke , Ma Xiaolin , Lin Zhilong , Wang Changlong
Published: April 2021

In this paper, the problem of the delay-dependent robust

H

∞

control for a class of uncertain neutral systems with mixed time-varying delays is studied. Firstly, a robust delay-dependent asymptotic stability criterion is shown by linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) after introducing a new Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional (LKF). The LKF including vital terms is expected to obtain results of less conservatism by employing the technique of various efficient convex optimization algorithms and free matrices. Then, based on the obtained criterion, analyses for uncertain systems and

H

∞

controller design are presented. Moreover, on the analysis of the state-feedback controller, different from the traditional method which multiplies the matrix inequality left and right by some matrix and its transpose, respectively, we can obtain the state-feedback gain directly by calculating the LMIs through the toolbox of MATLAB in this paper. Finally, the feasibility and validity of the method are illustrated by examples.
Antegrade Hybrid Chimney TEVAR Endograft in a Patient with Blunt Aortic Injury: A Challenging Case with Technical Success but Unfavorable Result
Authors: Eforakopoulos Fotios , Giovani Maria , Zampakis Petros , Kalogeropoulou Christina , Fligou Fotini , Charoulis Nikolaos , Koletsis Efstratios , Dougenis Dimitrios
Published: April 2021

Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair (TEVAR) has modified aortic medicine, particularly in patients with traumatic aortic injury (TAI). Conventional repair of TAI in the aortic arch is technically demanding as it requires cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic arrest with still a significant number of complications. Despite recent improvements in endovascular techniques, many patients have been excluded from endovascular repair due to unfavorable anatomy. To increase the feasibility of endovascular repair, adjunctive open extra-anatomical bypasses may be required to provide an adequate proximal landing zone. Several methods, for instance, chimney technique, hybrid technique, and fenestrated or branched stent-grafts, have been proposed as options to preserve the supra-aortic branches, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. We herein present a patient with complex anatomical features and blunt aortic injury, who underwent antegrade chimney stent-graft deployment through the ascending aorta, not otherwise amenable to standard retrograde delivery because of severe peripheral artery disease. The remarkable aspect, in this case, is that both stents were placed antegrade, through the ascending aorta.
Short-Term Electricity Consumption Forecasting Based on the EMD-Fbprophet-LSTM Method
Authors: Zhu Guorong , Peng Sha , Lao Yongchang , Su Qichao , Sun Qiujie
Published: April 2021

Short-term electricity consumption data reflects the operating efficiency of grid companies, and accurate forecasting of electricity consumption helps to achieve refined electricity consumption planning and improve transmission and distribution transportation efficiency. In view of the fact that the power consumption data is nonstationary, nonlinear, and greatly influenced by the season, holidays, and other factors, this paper adopts a time-series prediction model based on the EMD-Fbprophet-LSTM method to make short-term power consumption prediction for an enterprise's daily power consumption data. The EMD model was used to decompose the time series into a multisong intrinsic mode function (IMF) and a residual component, and then the Fbprophet method was used to predict the IMF component. The LSTM model is used to predict the short-term electricity consumption, and finally the prediction value of the combined model is measured based on the weights of the single Fbprophet and LSTM models. Compared with the single time-series prediction model, the time-series prediction model based on the EMD-Fbprophet-LSTM method has higher prediction accuracy and can effectively improve the accuracy of short-term regional electricity consumption prediction.
Downregulation of miR‐497‐5p Improves Sepsis‐Induced Acute Lung Injury by Targeting IL2RB
Authors: Lou Wei , Yan Jieping , Wang Weisi
Published: April 2021

Introduction. Acute lung injury (ALI) induced by sepsis is a process related to inflammatory reactions, which involves lung cell apoptosis and production of inflammatory cytokine. Here, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was applied to stimulate the mouse or human normal lung epithelial cell line (BEAS‐2B) to construct a sepsis model in vivo and in vitro, and we also investigated the effect of miR‐497‐5p on sepsis‐induced ALI. Material and Methods. Before LPS treatment, miR‐497‐5p antagomir was injected intravenously into mice to inhibit miR‐497‐5p expression in vivo. Similarly, miR‐497‐5p was knocked down in BEAS‐2B cells. Luciferase reporter assay was applied to predict and confirm the miR‐497‐5p target gene. Cell viability, apoptosis, the levels of miR‐497‐5p, IL2RB, SP1, inflammatory cytokine, and lung injury were assessed. Results. In BEAS‐2B cells, a significant increase of apoptosis and inflammatory cytokine was shown after LPS stimulation. In septic mice, increased inflammatory cytokine production and apoptosis in lung cells and pulmonary morphological abnormalities were shown. The miR‐497‐5p inhibitor transfection showed antiapoptotic and anti‐inflammatory effects on BEAS‐2B cells upon LPS stimulation. In septic mice, the miR‐497‐5p antagomir injection also alleviated ALI, apoptosis, and inflammation caused by sepsis. The downregulation of IL2RB in BEAS‐2B cells reversed the protective effects of the miR‐497‐5p inhibitor against ALI. Conclusion. In conclusion, downregulation of miR‐497‐5p reduced ALI caused by sepsis through targeting IL2RB, indicating the potential effect of miR‐497‐5p for improving ALI caused by sepsis.
Scientometric Analysis of Dental Implant Research over the Past 10 Years and Future Research Trends
Authors: Huang Xin , Bai Jin , Liu Xu , Meng Zhaosong , Shang Yuli , Jiao Tiejun , Chen Gang , Deng Jiayin
Published: April 2021

Background. We conducted a bibliometrics analysis to explore the recent trends in dental implant research which could help researchers have a clear grasp of the relevant research hotspots and prospects. Material and Methods. Altogether, 15,770 articles on dental implants, from January 1, 2010, to October 31, 2019, were selected from the Web of Science Core Collection. We used BICOMB software to extract the high‐frequency MeSH terms and construct binary and coword matrices. gCLUTO software was used for biclustering and visual analysis, Ucinet 6 software for social network analysis, SCIMAT software for strategic diagram building, Citespace 5.5 software to form timeline visualization, and VOSviewer software, eventually, for bibliometrics cocitation network. Results. Altogether, 72 high‐frequency keywords were extracted from the selected articles and 4 clusters and 7 subcategories were identified through biclustering analysis in the dental implant research field. The use of the strategic diagram also enabled us to find the research hotspot and development trends. Conclusions. The survival rate of dental implants and subsequent restoration have always been the core focus of research. Sinus floor elevation and guided bone regeneration are worthy of constant exploration owing to their reliability. With continuous improvement in technology, immediate loading could become a future research hot spot.
Malnutrition among the Elderly in Malaysia and Its Associated Factors: Findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2018
Authors: Ahmad Mohamad Hasnan , Salleh Ruhaya , Siew Man Cheong , Pardi Munawara , Che Abdul Rahim Norsyamlina , Shahril Norhafizah , Abdul Mutalib Mohd Hatta , Shahar Suzana , Ahmad Noor Ani
Published: April 2021

Background. Malaysia is predicted to become an ageing population by 2035. Malnutrition among the elderly is one of growing concern. This study aims to identify the prevalence of malnutrition and its associated factors among the elderly in Malaysia. Methods. Data from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2018 was analysed. This survey applied a multistage stratified cluster sampling design to ensure national representativeness. Malnutrition was identified using a validated Mini Nutrition Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF). Variables on sociodemographic, health status, and dietary practices were also obtained. The complex sampling analysis was used to determine the prevalence and associated factors of at-risk or malnutrition among the elderly. Result. A total of 3,977 elderly completed the MNA-SF. The prevalence of malnutrition and at-risk of malnutrition was 7.3% and 23.5%, respectively. Complex sample multiple logistic regression found that the elderly who lived in a rural area, with no formal or primary level of education, had depression, Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL) dependency, and low quality of life (QoL), were underweight, and had food insecurity and inadequate plain water intake were at a significant risk of malnutrition (malnutrition and at-risk), while Chinese, Bumiputra Sarawak, and BMI more than 25 kgm−2 were found to be protective. Conclusions. Currently, three out of ten elderly in Malaysia were at-risk or malnutrition. The elderly in a rural area, low education level, depression, IADL dependency, low QoL, underweight, food insecurity, and inadequate plain water intake were at risk of malnutrition in Malaysia. The multiagency approach is needed to tackle the issue of malnutrition among the elderly by considering all predictors identified from this study.
A Comparison of Analgesic Effect between Preoperative and Postoperative Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) Blocks for Different Durations of Laparoscopic Gynecological Surgery
Authors: Wei Meiyu , Liu Ming , Liu Jie , Yang Haitao
Published: April 2021

Aim. This study aims to compare the postoperative analgesia between preoperative and postoperative ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks for different durations of laparoscopic gynecological surgery. Methods. A total of 120 patients, ASA I-III, 18–65 years of age, were divided randomly into 2 groups: preoperative TAP group (pre-TAP group) and postoperative TAP group (post-TAP group). Patients in the pre-TAP group (n = 60) and post-TAP group (n = 60) received bilateral TAP blocks of 0.375% ropivacaine, 40 mL, preoperatively and postoperatively, respectively. Duration of surgery, postoperative pain score, consumption of analgesics, and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) during the first 24 h postoperatively were recorded. Results. For all the patients in the two groups, similar analgesia was obtained with no statistical difference. The same results were found in duration of surgery <180 min. Meanwhile, patients undergoing surgery >180 min in the post-TAP group obtained lower postoperative pain score, lower analgesics consumption, and higher satisfaction score than those in the pre-TAP group. Conclusion. Postoperative TAP block could offer better postoperative analgesia than preoperative TAP block for patients undergoing surgery >180 min. No difference was found in analgesia effect between preoperative TAP block and postoperative TAP block for patients undergoing surgery <180 min.
Total flavonoids of Astragalus Ameliorated Bile Acid Metabolism Dysfunction in Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Wang Zhe , Li Xu-Ling , Hong Kin-Fong , Zhao Ting-Ting , Dong Rui-Xue , Wang Wei-Ming , Li Yun-Tong , Zhang Gui-Lin , Lin Jing , Gui Ding-Kun , Xu You-Hua
Published: April 2021

Astragalus Radix is one of the common traditional Chinese medicines used to treat diabetes. However, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. Flavones are a class of active components that have been reported to exert various activities. Existing evidence suggests that flavones from Astragalus Radix may be pivotal in modulating progression of diabetes. In this study, total flavones from Astragalus Radix (TFA) were studied to observe its effects on metabolism of bile acids both in vivo and in vitro. C57BL/6J mice were treated with STZ and high-fat feeding to construct diabetic model, and HepG2 cell line was applied to investigate the influence of TFA on liver cells. We found a serious disturbance of bile acids and lipid metabolism in diabetic mice, and oral administration or cell incubation with TFA significantly reduced the production of total cholesterol (TCHO), total triglyceride, glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (AST), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (ALT), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), while it increased the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C). The expression of glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2) and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) was significantly upregulated on TFA treatment, and FXR and TGR5 play pivotal role in modulating bile acid and lipid metabolism. This study supplied a novel understanding towards the mechanism of Astragalus Radix on controlling diabetes.
Source Term Estimation under the SBLOCA-Induced Severe Accident Condition in the SMART
Authors: Ham Jaehyun , Kim Sang Ho , Kim Sung Il , Lee Byeonghee , Park Jong-Hwa , Park Rae-Joon , Jung Jaehoon
Published: April 2021

The SMART is a system-integrated modular reactor in which a nuclear steam supply system with a thermal power of 365 MW is contained inside of the reactor vessel. Although the probability is very low, the reactor core can be damaged during a small break loss-of-coolant accident when both the passive safety injection system and the passive residual heat removal system are completely unavailable. In this work, a total of five cases were analyzed considering the reactor vessel condition and the availability of the radioactivity removal tanks and the ancillary containment spray system as containment condition variables using MELCOR code. It was estimated that there is no containment failure based on pressure, hydrogen mole fraction, and ablation depth, so that the release fractions of the 12 classes of fission products in MELCOR were evaluated considering design leak only for all cases. The overall source term of the case in which the integrity of the reactor vessel is maintained by the early initiation of the cavity flooding system was similar to that of the reactor vessel failure case. While the release fraction of cesium to the environment was analyzed to increase when there is no water in the radioactivity removal tanks, the fraction is small enough at which the radioactivity of the released cesium-137 remains well below 100 TBq, a regulatory limit. Moreover, it was found that the source term can be cut in half if the ancillary containment spray system is available. The results of this study verify the safety performance of the SMART under the small break loss-of-coolant severe accident condition with respect to the source term of interest.
A New Numerical Method to Solve Some

PDE

s

in the Unit Ball and Comparison with the Finite Element and the Exact Solution
Authors: Malek Rajae , Ziti Chérif
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we give a new strategy to extend a numerical approximation method for two-dimensional reaction-diffusion problems. We present numerical results for this type of equations with a known analytical solution to qualify errors for the new method. We compare the results obtained using this approach to the standard finite element approach. The proposed method is adequate even with the singular right-hand side of type Dirac.
The Antibacterial Activity of Crude Extracts of Secondary Metabolites from Bacterial Endophytes Associated with Dicoma anomala
Authors: Makuwa Sephokoane Cindy , Serepa-Dlamini Mahloro Hope
Published: April 2021

Endophytic bacteria isolated from medicinal plants are recognized valuable sources of novel bioactive compounds with various activities such as antimicrobial, anticancer, and antiviral. In this study, eleven bacterial endophytes were isolated from surface sterilized roots and leave tissues, of medicinal plant Dicoma anomala. The bacterial endophytes were identified by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene, and belong to five genera viz Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Stenotrophomonas, Enterobacter, and Pantoea. The dominant genera were Bacillus with five strains, Staphylococcus with two strains, and Stenotrophomonas with two strains. The crude extracts of seven selected bacterial endophytes indicated antimicrobial activity against five pathogenic strains Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Bacillus cereus (ATCC 10876), Staphylococcus aureus (NCTC 6571), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), and Klebsiella oxytoca (ATCC 13182), with significant inhibition concentration ranging from 0.312 mg/ml to 0.625 mg/ml. Finally, based on the data analysis of the crude extracts of the endophytes, we identified bioactive secondary metabolites with reported biological activities such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties with biotechnological applications in medicine, agriculture, and other industries. This study reported for the first time bacterial endophytes associated with D. anomala, with antimicrobial activity against bacterial pathogens.
NAT10 Promotes Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Mediating N4-Acetylcytidine Modification of Gremlin 1
Authors: Zhu Zhenbiao , Xing Xiaowei , Huang Shisi , Tu Yuanyuan
Published: April 2021

Objective. To investigate the function of NAT10 in mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) osteogenic differentiation and study the mechanism by which NAT10 affects MSC osteogenesis by mediating Gremlin 1 N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) modification. Methods. Osteogenic differentiation of MSCs was induced, and the osteogenic ability was evaluated with alizarin red S (ARS) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assays. The NAT10 expression level during MSC osteogenesis was measured by western blot (WB). MSCs were transfected with lentiviruses to inhibit (Sh-NAT10) or overexpress NAT10 (Over-NAT10), and the osteogenic differentiation ability was assessed by ARS, ALP, and osteogenic gene marker assays. β-Catenin, Akt, and Smad signaling pathway component activation levels were assessed, and the expression levels of key Smad signaling pathway molecules were determined by PCR and WB. The Gremlin 1 mRNA ac4C levels were analyzed using RIP-PCR, and the Gremlin 1 mRNA degradation rate was determined. Sh-Gremlin 1 was transfected to further investigate the role of NAT10 and Gremlin 1 in MSC osteogenesis. Results. During MSC osteogenesis, NAT10 expression, ARS staining, and the ALP level gradually increased. Decreasing NAT10 expression inhibited, and increasing NAT10 expression promoted MSC osteogenic differentiation. NAT10 affected the BMP/Smad rather than the Akt and β-Catenin signaling pathway activation by regulating Gremlin 1 expression. The Gremlin 1 mRNA ac4C level was positively regulated by NAT10, which accelerated Gremlin 1 degradation. Sh-Gremlin 1 abolished the promotive effect of NAT10 on MSC osteogenic differentiation. Conclusion. NAT10 positively regulated MSC osteogenic differentiation through accelerating the Gremlin 1 mRNA degradation by increasing its ac4C level. These results may provide new mechanistic insight into MSC osteogenesis and bone metabolism in vivo.
Existence, Uniqueness, and Input‐to‐State Stability of Ground State Stationary Strong Solution of a Single‐Species Model via Mountain Pass Lemma
Authors: Rao Ruofeng , Zhu Quanxin , Huang Jialin
Published: April 2021

In this study, the authors utilize mountain pass lemma, variational methods, regularization technique, and the Lyapunov function method to derive the unique existence of the positive classical stationary solution of a single‐species ecosystem. Particularly, the geometric characteristic of saddle point in the mountain pass lemma guarantees that the equilibrium point is the ground state stationary solution of the ecosystem. Based on the obtained uniqueness result, the authors use the Lyapunov function method to derive the globally exponential stability criterion, which illuminates that under some suitable conditions, a certain internal competition is conducive to the global stability of the population, and a certain amount of family planning is conducive to the overall stability of the population. Most notably, the regularity technique of weak stationary solution employed in this study can also be applied to some existing literature related with time‐delays reaction‐diffusion systems for the purpose of regularization of weak solutions. Finally, an illuminative numerical example shows the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Experimental Study on the Damage and Degradation Characteristics of Red Sandstone after Dry and Wet Cycling by Low Magnetic Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Technique
Authors: Zhao Yuan , Li Jiangteng , Ma Gang
Published: April 2021

To study the damage evolution of rocks under the action of wet and dry cycles, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology was used to test red sandstone under different times of wet and dry cycles. The

T

2

spectral distribution curve, porosity, spectral peak area, and damage distribution curve of the rock were obtained, and the quantitative relationship between porosity, damage degree, and number of cycles was established. The results show that with the increase of the number of wet and dry cycles, the

T

2

spectral curve of rock gradually moves to the right, but the moving amplitude gradually decreases. The porosity and spectral area increase with the increase of the number of wet and dry cycles, coupled with a declining growth rate, and the maximum increase in porosity is 18.789%. The damage degree of rock increase with the increase of the number of cycles, but with the continuous increase of the number of cycles, the damage rate decreases, and finally the damage degree of rock tends to be a constant value.
Anthropometric Markers and Iron Status of 6–12-Year-Old Thai Children: Associations and Predictors
Authors: Suteerojntrakool Orapa , Khongcharoensombat Tharida , Chomtho Sirinuch , Bongsebandhu-phubhakdi Chansuda , Tempark Therdpong , Fewtrell Mary
Published: April 2021

Introduction. Obesity may be associated with poor iron status. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between different indices of iron status and anthropometric measurements in Thai children. Materials and Methods. Anthropometry (weight, height, waist circumference (WC), and body composition assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis) and iron indices were measured in 336 Thai children aged 6–12 years. Iron deficiency (ID) was defined using two or more of the following: (1) %transferrin saturation (%Tsat) < 16%; (2) serum ferritin (SF) < 15 μg/mL; and (3) soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) > 5 mg/L. Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) was defined as haemoglobin < WHO age cutoff combined with ID. Overweight and obesity were defined as body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score (SDS) ≥ +1 SDS or +2 SDS, respectively (WHO growth reference). Results. BMI SDS was significantly positively correlated with sTfR and SF (sTfR, r: 0.209,

p

 < 0.001; SF, r: 0.214,

p

 < 0.001) and negatively correlated with %Tsat (r: −0.132,

p

 = 0.013). Correlations between WC SDS and %fat mass and each iron marker were similar. The percentage with low SF was significantly lower than that using other individual markers. ID prevalence was not significantly different between normal-weight and overweight/obesity groups although a significantly higher proportion of overweight/obese children had sTfR >5 mg/L. Puberty and menarche were significant predictors of ID (puberty adjusted OR: 2.20, 95% CI: 0.43, 11.25; menarche adjusted OR: 6.11, 95% CI: 1.21, 30.94). Conclusion. Greater adiposity was associated with poorer iron status. However, SF may not be a good indicator of iron status in Thai children, particularly in those who are overweight/obese, whereas sTfR merits further investigation.
The Influence of Social Class on University Students’ Prosocial Behavior Based on the Game Perspective
Authors: Ding Hao , Xu Feng , Zhu Jia-Ming
Published: April 2021

In the present research, based on the game research paradigm, the research tools are the dictator game and the trust game, and the research objects are Chinese university students. We adopt 2(self‐social class: high, low) × 2(target social class: high, low) between‐subjects design experiment to investigate the influence of social class on university students’ prosocial behavior. Across the experimental study, we find that (1) in the two situations of dictator game and trust game, self‐social class has no significant influence on university students’ prosocial behavior; (2) in the situation of dictator game, target social class has a significant influence on university students’ prosocial behavior, and it is regulated by self‐social class. Under the condition of low self‐social class, the higher the target social class, the more prosocial behavior of university students, which confirms the perspective of status and negates “if you are poor, you will be good for yourself.” Under the condition of high self‐social class, the lower the target social class, the more prosocial the behavior of university students, which confirms the perspective of fairness and echoes “if you are good, you will be good at the world”; (3) in the context of the trust game, target social class has a significant influence on university students’ prosocial behavior, and there is no interaction effect with self‐social class.
[Retracted] Synthetic Network and Search Filter Algorithm in English Oral Duplicate Correction Map
Authors: Chen Xiaojun
Published: April 2021

Combining the communicative language competence model and the perspective of multimodal research, this research proposes a research framework for oral communicative competence under the multimodal perspective. This not only truly reflects the language communicative competence but also fully embodies the various contents required for assessment in the basic attributes of spoken language. Aiming at the feature sparseness of the user evaluation matrix, this paper proposes a feature weight assignment algorithm based on the English spoken category keyword dictionary and user search records. The algorithm is mainly based on the self‐built English oral category classification dictionary and converts the user’s query vector into a user‐English‐speaking type vector. Through the calculation rules proposed in this paper, the target user’s preference score for a specific type of spoken English is obtained, and this score is assigned to the unrated item of the original user’s feature matrix as the initial starting score. At the same time, in order to solve the problem of insufficient user similarity calculation accuracy, a user similarity calculation algorithm based on “Synonyms Cilin Extended Edition” and search records is proposed. The algorithm introduces “Synonyms Cilin” to calculate the correlation between the semantic items, vocabulary, and query vector in the user query record to obtain the similarity between users and finally gives a user similarity calculation that integrates user ratings and query vectors method. For the task of Chinese grammar error correction, this article uses two methods of predicting the relationship between words in the corpus, Word2Vec and GloVe, to train the word vectors of different dimensions and use the word vectors to represent the text features of the experimental samples, avoiding sentences brought by word segmentation. On the basis of word vectors, the advantages and disadvantages of CNN, LSTM, and SVM models in this shared task are analyzed through experimental data. The comparative experiment shows that the method in this paper has achieved relatively good results.
[Retracted] Data Analysis of College Students’ Mental Health Based on Clustering Analysis Algorithm
Authors: Chu Yichen , Yin Xiaojian
Published: April 2021

Mental health is an important basic condition for college students to become adults. Educators gradually attach importance to strengthening the mental health education of college students. This paper makes a detailed analysis and research on college students’ mental health, expounds the development and application of clustering analysis algorithm, applies the distance formula and clustering criterion function commonly used in clustering analysis, and makes a specific description of some classic algorithms of clustering analysis. Based on expounding the advantages and disadvantages of fast‐clustering analysis algorithm and hierarchical clustering analysis algorithm, this paper introduces the concept of the two‐step clustering algorithm, discusses the algorithm flow of clustering model in detail, and gives the algorithm flow chart. The main work of this paper is to analyze the clustering algorithm of students’ mental health database formed by mental health assessment tool test, establish a data mining model, mine the database, analyze the state characteristics of different college students’ mental health, and provide corresponding solutions. In order to meet the needs of the psychological management system based on the clustering analysis method, the clustering analysis algorithm is used to cluster the data. Based on the original database, this paper establishes the methods of selecting, cleaning, and transforming the data of students’ psychological archives. Finally, it expounds on the application of data mining in students’ psychological management system and summarizes and prospects the implementation of the system.
Can Cost-effectiveness Analysis Inform Genotype-Guided Aspirin Use for Primary Colorectal Cancer Prevention?
Authors: Biltaji Eman , Walker Brandon , Au Trang H. , Rivers Zachary , Ose Jennifer , Li Christopher I. , Brixner Diana I. , Stenehjem David D. , Ulrich Cornelia M.
Published: April 2021

Background:

Inherited genetic variants can modify the cancer-chemopreventive effect of aspirin. We evaluated the clinical and economic value of genotype-guided aspirin use for colorectal cancer chemoprevention in average-risk individuals.

Methods:

A decision analytical model compared genotype-guided aspirin use versus no genetic testing, no aspirin. The model simulated 100,000 adults ≥50 years of age with average colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease risk. Low-dose aspirin daily starting at age 50 years was recommended only for those with a genetic test result indicating a greater reduction in colorectal cancer risk with aspirin use. The primary outcomes were quality-adjusted life-years (QALY), costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER).

Results:

The mean cost of using genotype-guided aspirin was $187,109 with 19.922 mean QALYs compared with $186,464 with 19.912 QALYs for no genetic testing, no aspirin. Genotype-guided aspirin yielded an ICER of $66,243 per QALY gained, and was cost-effective in 58% of simulations at the $100,000 willingness-to-pay threshold. Genotype-guided aspirin was associated with 1,461 fewer polyps developed, 510 fewer colorectal cancer cases, and 181 fewer colorectal cancer-related deaths. This strategy prevented 1,078 myocardial infarctions with 1,430 gastrointestinal bleeding events, and 323 intracranial hemorrhage cases compared with no genetic testing, no aspirin.

Conclusions:

Genotype-guided aspirin use for colorectal cancer chemoprevention may offer a cost-effective approach for the future management of average-risk individuals.

Impact:

A genotype-guided aspirin strategy may prevent colorectal cancer, colorectal cancer-related deaths, and myocardial infarctions, while minimizing bleeding adverse events. This model establishes a framework for genetically-guided aspirin use for targeted chemoprevention of colorectal cancer with application toward commercial testing in this population.
Dose–Response Association between Adiposity and Liver Cancer Incidence: A Prospective Cohort Study among Non-Smoking and Non–Alcohol-Drinking Chinese Women
Authors: Li Zhuo-Ying , Li Hong-Lan , Ji Xiao-Wei , Shen Qiu-Ming , Wang Jing , Tan Yu-Ting , Xiang Yong-Bing
Published: April 2021

Background:

Based on a population with very low prevalence of smoking and alcohol drinking, we examined the associations between overall obesity and fat distribution in middle age, obesity in early adulthood, and adult weight gain with the risk of liver cancer incidence.

Methods:

The associations between body mass index (BMI) at study enrollment and at age 20, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), adult weight gain, and annual average weight gain with the risk of liver cancer were estimated using Cox regression models. Multivariable-adjusted HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

Results:

After a mean follow-up time of 17.5 years, 241 liver cancer cases were identified from 69,296 participants. The HRs for per 5-kg/m2 increment of BMI, per 10-cm increment of WC and HC, and per 0.1-unit increment of WHtR in middle age were 1.29 (95% CI, 1.07–1.57), 1.23 (95% CI, 1.05–1.43), 1.30 (95% CI, 1.10–1.55), and 1.37 (95% CI, 1.07–1.75), respectively. The HRs for per 5-kg increment of absolute adult weight gain and per 0.5-kg/year increment of annual average weight gain were 1.15 (95% CI, 1.06–1.25) and 1.44 (95% CI, 1.08–1.92).

Conclusions:

Overall and abdominal obesity in middle age and weight gain through adulthood were positively associated with liver cancer risk among non-smoking and non–alcohol-drinking women.

Impact:

Based on a cohort of non-smoking and non–alcohol-drinking women, the current study confirmed the association between obesity in middle age and increased liver cancer risk and suggested weight gain through adulthood as a risk factor for liver cancer.
The Evolving Epidemiology of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Authors: Chang Ellen T. , Ye Weimin , Zeng Yi-Xin , Adami Hans-Olov
Published: April 2021

Background:

The epidemiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has long been a source of fascination due to the malignancy's striking geographic distribution, the involvement of the oncogenic Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), the unique association with intake of Chinese-style salt-preserved fish, and etiologic heterogeneity by histologic subtype.

Methods:

This review summarizes the current epidemiologic literature on NPC, highlighting recent results from our population-based case–control study in southern China.

Results:

Findings from our case–control study provide new insight into the epidemiology of NPC, including a diminished role of Chinese-style salt-preserved fish, a profound impact of EBV genetic sequence variation, modest positive associations with passive smoking and household air pollution, and possible effects of oral health and the oral microbiome. Recent findings from other studies include a protective association with infectious mononucleosis, suggesting a causal role of early EBV infection; familial risk conferred by shared genetic variation in the host antibody-mediated immune response to EBV infection; and an unclear association with occupational exposure to formaldehyde.

Conclusions:

To shed further light on the interplay of environmental, genetic, and viral causes of NPC, large pooled studies must accumulate sufficient cases with detailed exposure data.

Impact:

New epidemiologic findings have reshaped the causal model for NPC.
Use of Medications for Treating Anxiety or Depression among Testicular Cancer Survivors: A Multi-Institutional Study
Authors: ArdeshirRouhaniFard Shirin , Dinh Paul C. , Monahan Patrick O. , Fossa Sophie D. , Huddart Robert , Fung Chunkit , Song Yiqing , Feldman Darren R. , Hamilton Robert J. , Vaughn David J. , Martin Neil E. , Kollmannsberger Christian , Einhorn Lawrence , Kroenke Kurt , Travis Lois B.
Published: April 2021

Background:

This study examined sociodemographic factors, cisplatin-related adverse health outcomes (AHO), and cumulative burden of morbidity (CBMPt) scores associated with medication use for anxiety and/or depression in testicular cancer survivors (TCS).

Methods:

A total of 1,802 TCS who completed cisplatin-based chemotherapy ≥12 months previously completed questionnaires regarding sociodemographic features and cisplatin-related AHOs [hearing impairment, tinnitus, peripheral sensory neuropathy (PSN), and kidney disease]. A CBMPt score encompassed the number and severity of cisplatin-related AHOs. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the relationship of individual AHOs and CBMPt with medication use for anxiety and/or depression.

Results:

A total of 151 TCS (8.4%) used medications for anxiety and/or depression. No cisplatin-related AHOs were reported by 511 (28.4%) participants, whereas 622 (34.5%), 334 (18.5%), 287 (15.9%), and 48 (2.7%), respectively, had very low, low, medium, and high CBMPt scores. In the multivariable model, higher CBMPt scores were significantly associated with medication use for anxiety and/or depression (P < 0.0001). In addition, tinnitus (P = 0.0009), PSN (P = 0.02), and having health insurance (P = 0.05) were significantly associated with greater use of these medications, whereas being employed (P = 0.0005) and vigorous physical activity (P = 0.01) were significantly associated with diminished use.

Conclusions:

TCS with higher CBMPt scores had a higher probability of using medications for anxiety and/or depression, and conversely, those who were employed and physically active tended to have reduced use of these medications.

Impact:

Healthcare providers should encourage TCS to increase physical activity to improve both physical and mental health. Rehabilitation programs should assess work-related skills and provide career development counseling/training.