bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patient Preferences for Limited Fasciectomy Versus Collagenase Treatment for Dupuytren Contracture
Authors: ZHANG Dafang , BLAZAR Philip , BENAVENT Kyra A. , EARP Brandon E.
Published: April 2022

Background: The primary objective of this study was to assess patient preferences for collagenase Clostridium histolyticum (CCH) treatment versus limited surgical fasciectomy in a cohort that has undergone both treatments for Dupuytren contracture.

Methods: We retrospectively identified 68 patients who have undergone both limited surgical fasciectomy and CCH treatment for digital flexion contractures from Dupuytren disease. Patients were contacted by telephone and asked whether they preferred surgery or CCH treatment for their Dupuytren contracture. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with preference for surgery versus CCH treatment.

Results: Of the 68 patients who were treated with both CCH and surgery, 37 patients (54.4%) preferred CCH treatment over surgery, 26 (38.2%) preferred surgery over CCH treatment, and 5 (7.4%) were unable to decide. Patients expressed common themes of the perceived ease of recovery following CCH treatment versus the perceived durability of contracture correction with surgery. Preference for surgical fasciectomy over CCH treatment was associated with lower American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification (ASA) [odds ratio (OR): 0.32, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.14–0.75]. The order of treatment was also associated with the treatment preference; treatment with surgery after CCH compared to treatment with CCH after surgery was associated with a preference for surgery (OR: 6.51, 95% CI: 2.15–19.7).

Conclusions: In a cohort of patients who have undergone both treatments, patients were divided in their preferences, with a slight majority preferring CCH treatment over surgery. Treatment recommendations should be individualised to each patient’s long-term goals and expectations.

Level of Evidence: Level III (Therapeutic)
A New Test for Trigger Finger: The Lenox Independent Flexion Test
Authors: POLATSCH Daniel Barrett , ZBEDA Robert Matthew , MURRAY Daniel P. , BELDNER Steven
Published: April 2022

Background: The diagnosis of trigger finger (TF) in patients who do not demonstrate triggering at presentation can be challenging. We have been using a new test for TF – the Lenox Independent Flexion Test (LIFT). The aim of this study is to determine the sensitivity of LIFT in diagnosing TF. We hypothesise that LIFT will be more sensitive compared to the classic physical exam finding of triggering or locking with active range of motion (AROM).

Methods: This is a prospective study of consecutive patients with TF over a 5-month period. Patients with the onset of trigger following trauma and trigger of the thumb were excluded. Patients were examined for tenderness over the first annular (A1) pulley, triggering or locking with AROM, and the LIFT was performed. A two-proportion test was used to determine whether the LIFT was more sensitive than triggering with AROM.

Results: The study included 85 patients with 118 TFs. The average age of patients was 63 years and the study included 49 women. There were 69, 49, 0 and 0 grade I, II, III and IV TF, respectively. 108 fingers (92%) had a history of catching or locking of the affected digit, 110 (93%) had tenderness over the A1 pulley, 49 (44%) had triggering or locking with AROM and 102 (91%) had a positive LIFT. The LIFT was found to be more sensitive when compared to triggering with AROM (p < .001).

Conclusion: The LIFT is more sensitive than triggering with AROM in the diagnosis of trigger digits. This test is especially useful in the diagnosis of TF in patients who do not have triggering at presentation.

Level of Evidence: Level III (Diagnostic)
A Proposed Classification for Sugarcane Crusher Injuries of the Hand and Its Correlation with Patient Rated Outcome Scores at 6 Months
Authors: SHARMA Alok , SANKHE Manashree
Published: April 2022

Background: Crush injuries of the hand sustained from sugarcane juice extracting machines have a unique mechanism of injury and clinical presentation. The severity of the injury can vary from simple skin lacerations to mangling of the hand. We devised a classification for these injuries based on the severity level that has helped with the management. The aim of this study is to determine whether the classification correlates with patient rated outcome score at 6 months.

Methods: We prospectively studied 30 consecutive patients with a sugarcane crusher injury of the hand. The patients were classified into Class I, II, III or IV based on our classification and managed accordingly. Patient outcomes were assessed at 6 months after the injury, using the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ). Spearman’s rank correlation test was used to analyse the correlation between the different classes of hand injury and functional outcomes at 6 months following injury (measured using MHQ).

Results: The study included 6 patients (20%) with Class I injury, 11 patients (36.6%) with Class II, 9 patients (30%) with Class III and 4 patients (13.4%) with Class IV injury. The mean MHQ scores at 6-month follow-up were 72.3% in Class I, 62.1% in Class II, 52.9% in Class III and 32% in Class IV injuries. An inversely proportional association between the severity grade as per the classification and MHQ scores was noted.

Conclusion: Our proposed classification of sugarcane crusher injuries of the hand correlates well with the MHQ score. The use of the classification can help with management and predicting prognosis. In addition, wider use will permit comparison of outcomes between different centres.

Level of Evidence: Level IV (Therapeutic)
Douglas Hofstadter’s Gödelian Philosophy of Mind
Authors: Nenu Theodor
Published: April 2022

Hofstadter [ 1979 , 2007 ] offered a novel Gödelian proposal which purported to reconcile the apparently contradictory theses that (1) we can talk, in a non-trivial way, of mental causation being a real phenomenon and that (2) mental activity is ultimately grounded in low-level rule-governed neural processes. In this paper, we critically investigate Hofstadter’s analogical appeals to Gödel’s [ 1931 ] First Incompleteness Theorem, whose “diagonal” proof supposedly contains the key ideas required for understanding both consciousness and mental causation. We maintain that bringing sophisticated results from Mathematical Logic into play cannot furnish insights which would otherwise be unavailable. Lastly, we conclude that there are simply too many weighty details left unfilled in Hofstadter’s proposal. These really need to be fleshed out before we can even hope to say that our understanding of classical mind-body problems has been advanced through metamathematical parallels with Gödel’s work.
Drawing Random Floating-point Numbers from an Interval
Authors: Goualard Frédéric
Published: April 2022

Drawing a floating-point number uniformly at random from an interval [
a
,
b
) is usually performed by a location-scale transformation of some floating-point number drawn uniformly from [0, 1). Due to the weak properties of floating-point arithmetic, such a transformation cannot ensure respect of the bounds, uniformity or spatial equidistributivity. We investigate and quantify precisely these shortcomings while reviewing the actual implementations of the method in major programming languages and libraries, and we propose a simple algorithm to avoid these shortcomings without compromising performances.
How Customer Demand Reactions Impact Technology Innovation and Security
Authors: Yeo M. Lisa , Rolland Erik , Ulmer Jacquelyn Rees , Patterson Raymond A.
Published: April 2022

Innovation is a very important concern for both managers and governmental policy makers. There is an important interplay between security and technology innovation that is largely unrecognized in the literature. This research considers the case where technology innovation in the form of additional product features increases demand through greater functionality. However, the likelihood of a security breach increases with the number of product features as the features interact in unintended ways, thereby increasing the attack surface. Using a two-stage game, we demonstrate how potential demand changes (from direct risk or externalities) impact firm technology innovation strategy. The analysis shows that the type and extent of customer demand reaction has a significant impact on innovative feature development. This research identifies two potential impacts on the level of innovation that can be strategically managed - the impact of externalities on demand and industry risk - explaining how these forces alter the level of innovation in the product ecosystem. Additionally, high-security development is disincentivized, and leads to a type of competitive behavior where the opportunity window for high-security development for all firms is small.
Synthesis and Characterization of Pure Infinite Layer Ni+ Nickelates: LnNiO2 (Ln = La, Nd, Pr) and La3Ni2O6
Authors: Lokshin Konstantin A. , Mitchell Daniel , Lobanov Maxim V. , Struzhkin Viktor , Egami Takeshi
Published: April 2022

A synthesis method of pure low valence nickelates using a custom built H2 circulation apparatus is described. Pure infinite layer LnNiO2 (Ln = La, Nd, Pr) and La3Ni2O6 nickelates have been successfully prepared using this method and characterized by x-ray diffraction. Resistivity of La3Ni2O6 was measured as a function of temperature and pressure up to ∼2 GPa and revealed significant pressure-induced changes in both magnitude and pressure dependence of resistivity. The existence of a hidden insulator-metal transition in La3Ni2O6 is proposed at pressures above 100 GPa.
Supplementation of a Multienzyme Complex, an Organic Acid-Essential Oil Complex, and Prebiotic Alone or in Combination Affects Growth, Nutrient Utilization, and Immune Function of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Authors: Cao Kailin , Wang Yuanyuan , Li Menglu , Zhang Chunyan , Lahaye Ludovic , Chowdhury M. A. Kabir , Li Xiaoqin , Leng Xiangjun
Published: April 2022

Dietary supplementation of functional additives is an effective strategy to improve the nutritive value of low fish meal diets for fishes. The present study is aimed at investigating the dietary effects of a multienzyme complex, an organic acid-essential oil complex and prebiotic on growth, immune function, and intestinal health of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). A positive control diet (PC) and a negative control diet (NC) were formulated to contain 200 g/kg and 100 g/kg of fishmeal, respectively. Seven other diets were formulated by supplementing a multienzyme complex (MC, 0.125 g/kg), organic acid-essential oil complex (OEC, 0.5 g/kg), and prebiotic (P, 2 g/kg) alone or in combination to the NC diet (MC, OEC, P, MC+OEC, MC+P, OEC+P, MC+OEC+P). All diets were formulated to be isoproteic (434.3 g/kg-439.1 g/kg) and isolipidic (119.2 g/kg-125.9 g/kg) and fed to rainbow trout of

7.66
±
0.05
 
g

for 56 days. The weight gain, apparent digestibility coefficient of dry matter, protein efficiency ratio, and protein retention efficiency were significantly increased, and feed conversion ratio was significantly decreased by the three additives alone or in combination (

P
<
0.05

) compared to the NC. No significant differences in growth performance and feed utilization were observed among the treatment groups. Compared to the NC group, serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transferase activities, and malondialdehyde content reduced significantly, while serum superoxide dismutase increased in all except for the MC group, and alkaline phosphatase and lysozyme activity increased in all except for the MC and MC+P groups (

P
<
0.05

). The foregut protease activity of the MC+P and OEC+P groups and the amylase activity of the OEC and MC+OEC groups were significantly higher than those of the NC group (

P
<
0.05

). The villus height of P, MC+OEC, and OEC+P groups, the villus width of MC group, and the muscle thickness of MC, MC+OEC, and MC+OEC+P groups were also significantly higher than those of the NC group (

P
<
0.05

). Compared to the PC group, the richness and diversity of intestinal microorganisms in the NC group and all the supplemented groups were significantly reduced (

P
<
0.05

), but no differences among them (

P
>
0.05

). In conclusion, the individual or combined supplementation of multienzyme complex, organic acid-essential oil complex, and prebiotic in a low fish meal diet (100 g/kg) improved the growth performance, nutrient utilization, and immune function of rainbow trout, but no synergistic effects were observed in the combination of the three supplements.
The Influencing Factors and Improvement Paths of the Manufacturing Industry Innovation System of Products for the Elderly
Authors: Chen Yunqi , Xu Yusen
Published: April 2022

Taking 22 manufacturing industries of the products for the elderly as the research objects, the process of reachability matrix and grounded theory is used to extract the influencing factors of manufacturing industry innovation system of products for the elderly. They are the completeness of the innovation subject, the ability of the innovation subject, the perfection of the infrastructure, the institutional incentives, the interaction efficiency of the innovation subject, and the degree of lock-in inertia, which are regarded as the condition variables for manufacturing industry innovation system. and the method of fuzzy sets qualitative comparative analysis is used to explore different configuration of conditional variables. The result identifies two configurations, namely, “subject-environment” dual-drive type and “subject-environment-interaction” comprehensive coupling type, which lead to high performance. The result also unfolds two configurations, “resource-oriented” and “technology-locked type,” which lead to failure of the innovation system. Multiple paths indicate that diversified innovation-driven combinations can help improve the performance of the manufacturing industry innovation system of the products for the elderly, and the ability of the innovation subject and the interaction efficiency of the innovation subject are the core driving factors.
Iterative Approach for Tuning Multiple Converter-Integrated DER in Microgrids
Authors: García-Ceballos C. , Pérez-Londoño S. , Mora-Flórez J.
Published: April 2022

This paper proposes an iterative approach to adjust the control parameters of multiple power converters within a microgrid, which operates in grid-connected and grid-islanded modes. The adequate control parameters are determined using an optimisation-based strategy, local measurements, and results obtained in previous algorithm iterations. The proposed objective function is based on the integral time-weighted absolute error (ITAE), modified to improve the microgrid control performance. The proposed approach addresses the control tuning complexity by considering an incremental strategy, starting from adjusting basic microgrids, continuing to the setting of intermediate microgrids, and finalising when the target microgrid control is fine adjusted. The results obtained at the CIGRE LV benchmark microgrid validate the proposal, obtaining during faults, the maximum deviations from rated frequency around 2.2% and 0.3% in grid-islanded or grid-connected cases, respectively. Also, voltage and power references are adequately followed during steady-state regardless of the microgrid operation mode, where the steady voltage profile is below 10% variation. The obtained results demonstrate the proposed approach advantages, which straightforwardly adjust multiple converters integrated into a microgrid. The main contributions are as follows: (a) the microgrid model is not required, and (b) only measurements at the point of common coupling of the distributed energy resource are used; consequently, the proposed tuning approach is especially applicable to complex microgrids. Finally, finely adjusted microgrids are required for further operation or protection studies where complex system configurations are commonly required.
E-Commerce Information System Management Based on Data Mining and Neural Network Algorithms
Authors: Zhang Qing , Abdullah Abdul Rashid , Chong Choo Wei , Ali Mass Hareeza
Published: April 2022

The rapid development of artificial intelligence technology has led to rapid development in various fields. It has many hidden related customer behavior information and future development trends in the e-commerce information system. The data mining technology can dig out useful information and promote the development of e-commerce. This research analyzes the significance and advantages of data mining technology in the application of e-commerce management systems and analyzes the related technologies of data mining and future trend prediction. This research has taken the advantages of clustering and naive Bayesian methods in data mining to classify product information and purchase preferences and other information and mine the associated data. Then, the nonlinear data processing advantages of neural networks are used to predict future purchasing power. The results show that data mining technology and neural networks have high accuracy in predicting future consumer purchasing power information. The correlation coefficient between real consumption data and predicted consumption data reached 0.9785, and the maximum relative average error was only 2.32%. It fully shows that data mining technology can obtain some unrecognizable related information and future consumption trends in e-commerce systems, and neural networks can also predict future consumption power and consumption patterns well.
Empirical Study of Large-Scale HLA Simulation of Parallel Region-Matching Knowledge Recognition Algorithm Based on Region Matching
Authors: Zhu Guohua , Wang Haizhou
Published: April 2022

Most of the existing region-matching algorithms need to match all regions, resulting in a waste of computing resources, increasing the cost of simulation technology and data redundancy, and resulting in the reduction of network data stream transmission efficiency. This paper presents a parallel region-matching knowledge recognition algorithm. Combined with the shortcomings of existing matching algorithms, a simulation technology is constructed to realize the parallel matching of multiple regions in HLA distributed simulation. The algorithm can realize the parallel matching calculation of multiple changed regions in one simulation. At the same time, the basic idea based on mobile intersection is adopted in the matching calculation, and the historical information before and after the region range is moved is used. The matching is limited to the moving interval, and the moving crossover theory is applied to the matching calculation to realize the relevant historical information before and after the region. Simulation results show that the parallel region-matching knowledge recognition algorithm can support HLA distributed simulation evaluation. In the matching calculation, the basic idea based on moving intersection is adopted, and the matching is limited to the moving interval by using the historical information before and after the region is moved, which reduces a large number of irrelevant calculations. Theoretical analysis and experimental results show that the algorithm is particularly suitable for the application needs of building large-scale distributed simulation based on multi-core computing platform.
Vulnerability Analysis of Urban Rail Transit Network considering Cascading Failure Evolution
Authors: Sun Ranran , Zhu Guangyu , Liu Bing , Li Xiaolu , Yang Yiyuan , Zhang Jingxuan
Published: April 2022

Vulnerability analysis is the premise of operational risk management and control for the large-scale and complex urban rail transit network (URTN) under the operation interruption of important stations. The temporary operation interruption of one station in an emergency may lead to the cascading failure and the paralysis of the whole URTN due to the load of other stations exceeding the limited capacity. The priority of important stations is proposed by combining its location and function in URTN. In addition, focusing on the analysis of the travel behaviour of passengers and the synergy of public transport networks, a novel cascading failure evolution model is established to simulate the cascading failure process of URTN under different attack scenarios. The vulnerability indicators are constructed to dynamically evaluate the vulnerability of URTN considering cascading failure evolution, which are different from the traditional vulnerability indicators based on complex network theory. Taking the Beijing urban rail transit network as an example, the dynamic simulation results show that the cascading failure of URTN is closely related to the temporal-spatial distribution of passenger flows and malicious attacks are more destructive than random attacks. Compared with the important stations with the largest betweenness or degree, the interrupted stations with largest intensity have a greater impact on the operational stability of URTN. Moreover, increasing the capacity coefficient of the station can reduce the vulnerability of URTN.
Percutaneous Bilateral Endoscopic Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Technical Note and Preliminary Results
Authors: Chen Huan , Zhang Huan , Yang Erping , Ling Qinjie , He Erxing
Published: April 2022

Objective. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility and clinical efficacy of the percutaneous bilateral endoscopy technique (microendoscopic trans‐Kambin’s triangle lumbar interbody fusion + percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal decompression of the lumbar spinal canal, ME‐TKT‐LIF+ PETD) in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases. Methods. From May 2016 to September 2018, 29 patients (16 males and 13 females) who suffered from neurologic symptoms due to degenerative lumbar spine disease and underwent percutaneous bilateral endoscopy technique were enrolled. A microendoscope was used for fusion, and a percutaneous endoscope was used for spinal canal decompression. These patients’ perioperative and clinical outcome‐related parameters were collected and analyzed. Results. The mean intraoperative blood loss was 72.8 ± 40.6 ml, the operation time was 87.1 ± 10.1 min, the postoperative ambulatory time was 1.69 ± 1.0 days, the hospital stay was 2.6 ± 1.3 days, and the follow‐up period was 22.34 ± 4.2 months. The visual analog scale (VAS) and the Oswestry disability index (ODI) were significantly improved at the early postoperative and last follow‐up, respectively. According to the modified MacNab criteria, 11 (11/29) cases were rated as excellent, 15 (15/29) as good, and 3 (3/29) as fair, and the excellent and good rate was 89.7%. Twenty‐eight (28/29) cases demonstrated solid fusion, and the fusion rate was 96.6%. Conclusion. The percutaneous bilateral endoscopy technique is safe and feasible in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases, with the advantage that more normal anatomical structures are preserved. It is an optional method of lumbar interbody fusion.
Impact of Road Environment on Drivers’ Preference to Merging Location Selection in Freeway Work Zone Merging Areas
Authors: Wu Biao , Zou Chunyue , Li Yun , Fan Dongnan , Zhu Shengxue
Published: April 2022

In view of the compulsory merging behavior and complex driving environment in freeway work zones, the factors influencing drivers’ merging behavior need to be focused on the given road environment. Realizing the need to mitigate the impact of such a challenging scenario, this study aims to explore the impact of road environment on drivers’ merging location selection in freeway work zone merging areas. The survey data for modelling were collected through questionnaires survey based on the stated preference (SP) method. The logistics regression model was utilized to extract the significant factors influencing merging location selection. The results of fitting effect analysis show that the developed logistics regression models provide a good fit for the survey data. The road conditions and speed limit strategies are the significant factors affecting the drivers’ preference to merging location selection in upstream transition area. The road conditions, traffic environment conditions, speed conditions, and speed limit strategies are the prominent influencing factors to the latter part of advance warning area. It is a comprehensive analysis to consider the influence of road environment on merging location selection from the perspective of drivers, which is expected to support the merging control strategy and avoid the occurrence of traffic crash in work zones.
Anti-Inflammatory and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities of Chemical Constituents from Bruguiera parviflora Leaves
Authors: Bui Tung Thanh , Nguyen Khanh Phuong Thi , Nguyen Phung Phi Kim , Le Dung Tien , Nguyen Thuy Le Thi
Published: April 2022

Bruguiera parviflora (Rhizophoraceae) is one of the Bruguiera genus-based mangrove plants which has not been investigated for the chemical compositions as well as biological activities so far. The present study was aimed at investigating the phytochemicals as well as anti-inflammatory and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of B. parviflora leaves. The results showed that the crude extract and its fractions significantly increased the percentage inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase and decreased NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The most effective fraction BP5 was further chromatographed and purified. As a result, eight compounds were isolated and elucidated, including five flavonoids (1–5) and three triterpenoids (6–8). All isolated compounds were evaluated for the anti-inflammatory and α-glucosidase inhibitory effects. The results indicated that flavonoids namely taxifolin (1), quercetin (2), myricetin (3), rutin (4), and kaempferol (5) exhibited potent anti-inflammatory as well as α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. Among them, compound 2 showed the most potent inhibitory effect against an α-glucosidase activity with an

I

C

50

value of

3.4
±
0.5
 
μ
g
/
mL

and the LPS-induced NO production of 11.8 μM at the concentration of 100 μg/mL. These findings suggest that flavonoids (1–5) from B. parviflora leaves may be useful as the potential α-glucosidase inhibitor as well as anti-inflammatory agent.
Evaluation of Accounting Data of Water Company Based on Combination Model
Authors: Tian Yu , Zhang Yonghong
Published: April 2022

Driven by the dual effects of artificial intelligence and accounting transformation, it has become one of the research hotspots of accounting intelligence in China to replace accountants with computers to make professional judgments and automatically evaluate accounting. On the basis of summarizing and analyzing the research status in the field of intelligent accounting, the realization path of intelligent accounting in water companies is put forward in this paper. By introducing the improved Apriori learning algorithm based on Boolean mapping matrix, intelligent data mining is carried out for evaluation of water accounting. With the help of the improved attribute inductive learning algorithm, the corresponding relationship between the original water consumption attribute and the water right transaction is mined and output. In addition, with the help of forward reasoning in inference engine technology, the computer intelligent data evaluation function is realized. Finally, the functional architecture of accounting system of the water company is designed, which provides reference for the development and application of intelligent accounting system, and explores a new path for the integration of accounting and intelligent algorithms.
Evaluation of the Pro-, Anti-Inflammatory, and Anabolic Effects of Autologous Platelet-Rich Gel Supernatants in an in vitro Coculture System of Canine Osteoarthritis
Authors: Gallego Miller , López Catalina , Carmona Jorge U.
Published: April 2022

There are scarce in vitro studies indicating the basic mechanisms of why platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is useful in the clinical management of dogs with naturally occurring OA. Methods. Cartilage and synovial membrane explants from six dogs were challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and cultured for 48 h with platelet-poor gel supernatant (PPGS) and platelet-rich gel supernatant (PRGS) at concentrations of 25 and 50%, respectively. The tissue explants challenged with LPS were cocultured over 48 h and culture media were sampled at 1 and 48 h for the determination of IL-1β, IL-10, hyaluronan, TGF-β1, and PDGF-BB by ELISA. Results. IL-1β concentrations were significantly higher in tissue explant groups cultured for 48 h with PRGS at 50% and with PPGS at 25% when compared to the remaining experimental groups at any time. IL-10 and HA presented similar concentrations in all evaluated groups at any time. TGF-β1 and PDGF-BB presented higher concentrations in the culture media of tissue explants cultured with PPGS and PRGS at 50%, which diminished with time. Conclusions. Both PPGS and PRGS at both concentrations showed a limited biological effect on cartilage and synovial membrane explants in coculture with LPS. Even PPGS at 25% and PRGS at 50% exhibited proinflammatory effects on these tissues at 48 h.
Research on Several Key Problems of Medical Image Segmentation and Virtual Surgery
Authors: Luo Dan , Zhang Yu , Li Jia
Published: April 2022

Medical images play an important role in modern medical diagnosis. Many clinicians make correct and appropriate diagnosis and treatment plans by means of medical images. With the development of science and technology, the application of medical image needs not only to simply read the image, but also to fuse advanced technology to analyze and process the image from a deeper level, such as the proposal of virtual surgery. Therefore, this article focuses on several key issues of medical image segmentation and virtual surgery. First, medical images are preprocessed by gray level transformation, interpolation, and noise elimination techniques. Second, level set model‐based segmentation algorithm is adopted and improved. Finally, a constrained Delaunay tetrahedron method based on a point‐by‐point insertion method is proposed to reconstruct the tetrahedron mesh model. In order to eliminate the thin element, the tetrahedron mesh model is optimized. The simulation results show that this article improves the segmentation algorithm based on the level set model, which effectively improves the contradiction between the convergence accuracy and the convergence speed of the algorithm. The proposed tetrahedral mesh reconstruction algorithm realizes the generation of tetrahedral finite element meshes with complex boundaries and improves the quality of the volume model by optimizing the model.
Recent Progress in Traditional Chinese Medicines and Their Mechanism in the Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis
Authors: Mao Dehong , He Zhongmei , Li Linglong , lei Yuting , Xiao Maodi , Zhang Huimin , Zhang Feng
Published: April 2022

Objective. To conduct a systematic review on the mechanism of action and use of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) in allergic rhinitis treatment. Background. Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a type I allergic disease of the immune system induced by immunoglobulin E mediated inflammation and is characterized by sneezing, nasal itching, paroxysmal nasal obstruction, mucosal edema, cough, and rhinorrhea. More than 500 million people have been affected by rhinitis worldwide in the past 20 years, leading to negative effects on health, quality of life, and social relationships. Currently, the trending medicines used in the case of AR include intranasal corticosteroids and oral H1 antihistamines, which are given as combinatorial medicines supplemented with immune therapy. These medications have been found to be very effective in either the short term or long term; however, they have been found to possess some serious side effects. Search Methodology. The information in this article on classical and traditional Chinese medications used to treat AR was derived from original papers and reviews published in Chinese and English language journals. Two Chinese databases (Wanfang and CNKI) and three English databases (Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Embase) were utilized for data gathering. Results. Traditional Chinese remedies have been identified to influence the production of cytokines such as IL-5 and IL-6, which are key mediators of eosinophilic inflammation, TNF-α, which stimulates TH2 cells at the site of inflammation, and NF-кB, which is required for cytokine and IgE antibody production. TCM has also been shown to be successful in lowering histamine levels, preserving histological changes by decreasing the thickness of the lamina propria, and downregulating the expression of Orai1, STIM1, and TRYC1, showing low expression of Ca+2 channel proteins. Conclusion. In this review, we discussed a series of classical, traditional Chinese medications, including Centipeda minima, Scutellaria baicalensis, licorice root (Glycyrrhiza uralensis), and others, as potential antiallergic agents and investigate their in vivo effect upon the production of cytokines and release of histamines for allergic rhinitis treatment.
New Fractional Derivative Expression of the Shifted Third-Kind Chebyshev Polynomials: Application to a Type of Nonlinear Fractional Pantograph Differential Equations
Authors: Youssri Y. H. , Abd-Elhameed W. M. , Ahmed H. M.
Published: April 2022

The main goal of this paper is to develop a new formula of the fractional derivatives of the shifted Chebyshev polynomials of the third kind. This new formula expresses approximately the fractional derivatives of these polynomials in the Caputo sense in terms of their original ones. The linking coefficients are given in terms of a certain

 

4

F

3

1

terminating hypergeometric function. The integer derivatives of the shifted third-kind Chebyshev polynomials can be calculated using this formula after performing some reductions. To solve a nonlinear fractional pantograph differential equation with quadratic nonlinearity, the fractional derivative formula is used in conjunction with the tau technique. The role of the tau method is to convert the pantograph differential equation with its governing initial/boundary conditions into a nonlinear system of algebraic equations that can be treated with the aid of Newton’s iterative scheme. To test the method’s convergence, certain estimations are included. The proposed numerical method is demonstrated by numerical results to ensure its applicability and efficiency.
Energy‐Efficient Task Migration and Path Planning in UAV‐Enabled Mobile Edge Computing System
Authors: Gong Can , Wei Li , Gong Deliang , Li Tiantian , Feng Fang
Published: April 2022

With the rapid development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) technology and the advent of the 5G era, the role of UAV‐enabled mobile edge computing (MEC) system has attracted much attention, especially in the event of some emergencies. However, considering the limited battery life and computing capabilities of UAVs, it is challenging to provide energy‐efficient services for mobile devices. To solve this challenge, we propose an energy‐efficient dynamic task migration algorithm (EDTM) that minimizes the total energy consumption of the system while ensuring UAVs system load balance. Based on the improved ant colony algorithm and path elimination strategy, the proposed algorithm comprehensively considers task migration distance between UAVs, the load situation of UAVs, and environmental factors (e.g., wind speed and air density) and finally plans a reasonable task migration path. The simulation results show that the performance of the proposed EDTM is superior to the benchmark schemes.
Amantadine as a Potential Treatment for Marchiafava–Bignami Disease: Case Reports and a Possible Mechanism
Authors: Noel Leenil , Myers Martin , Kesayan Tigran
Published: April 2022

Introduction. Several reports have described the use of amantadine for managing symptoms in Marchiafava–Bignami disease (MBD); however, amantadine’s role for the treatment of MBD symptoms is unclear. Here, we describe 2 patients with MBD who were treated with amantadine and hypothesize a potential mechanism responsible for clinical benefit. Case 1. A 38-year-old woman with excessive wine drinking presented with agitation, impaired speech, and a minimally conscious state. MRI revealed lesions in the splenium and genu. After being diagnosed with MBD, she was treated with intravenous thiamine, multivitamins, and 100 mg of amantadine twice a day for 2 weeks. She recovered to near baseline after 3 weeks. Case 2. A 54-year-old woman with years of heavy alcohol use presented with sudden bradyphrenia, acalculia, disinhibited behavior, weakness, and urinary incontinence. MRI revealed a large anterior callosal lesion. Two years after initial recovery from MBD, she noted that consuming “energy drinks” resulted in a transient, near-complete resolution of her residual behavioral, fatigue, and language symptoms. 100 mg of amantadine twice a day was trialled. After noted improvement, a further escalation to 200 mgs 3 times a day resulted in significant improvement in language and behavioral symptoms. Conclusion. Amantadine in addition to vitamins may be beneficial in the treatment of MBD. It is possible that the dopaminergic effect of amantadine leads to improved recovery and function in dopamine-mediated pathways, including mesocortical and mesolimbic pathways during initial recovery, as well as improved speech, behavior, and fatigue in the following months. The role of amantadine in the treatment of MBD warrants further study.
The Role of ET-1 in Early Cerebral Microcirculation Changes after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Qin Lei , Wang Yanan , Xie Zongyu , Ma Yichuan
Published: April 2022

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), especially aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, is a serious cerebrovascular disease with high mortality and morbidity. However, there is no effective treatment in clinics. In recent years, more and more studies have shown that early brain injury (EBI) may be an important reason for poor prognosis of SAH. Explore the mechanism of early brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). In this study, 20 male New Zealand white rabbits were selected and divided into the experimental group and sham operation group, with 10 rabbits in each group. The neurobehavioral scores, food intake, and cerebral perfusion parameters, cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral blood flow velocity (CBF), ET-1, IL-1, and IL-6, in rabbit plasma were compared. The food intake scores and neurological dysfunction scores of the experimental group at 1 h, 6 h, 24 h, and 72 h after modeling were higher than those of the sham operation group, which had a statistical significance (

P
<
0.05

). The dysfunction scores all showed a gradual decrease; the CBV and CBF values of the experimental group at 1 h, 6 h, 24 h, and 72 h after modeling were all lower than those of the sham operation group, which had a statistical significance (

P
<
0.05

), and the MTT values were all higher than that of the sham operation group, which had a statistical significance (

P
<
0.05

). The TTP values of rats in the experimental group were higher than those in the sham operation group at 6 h, 24 h, and 72 h after modeling (

P
<
0.05

), the experimental group was in the modeling. The levels of serum ET-1, IL-1, and IL-6 at 1 h, 6 h, 24 h, and 72 h were higher than those in the sham operation group, which had a statistical significance (

P
<
0.05

). New Zealand white rabbits can have brain perfusion volume disorder, inflammatory reaction, and cerebral vasospasm in the early stage after SAH, and brain injury can appear in the early stage.
Study on the Potential Molecular Mechanism of Xihuang Pill in the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer Based on Network Pharmacology and Bioinformatics
Authors: Wang Jing , Zhang Yaxing , Wang Qiuyuan , Wang Luyao , Zhang Peitong
Published: April 2022

Objective. We aimed to analyze the possible molecular mechanism of Xihuang pill (XHP) in the treatment of pancreatic cancer based on methods of network pharmacology, molecular docking, and bioinformatics. Methods. The main active components and targets were obtained through the TCMSP database, the BATMAN-TCM database, and the Chemistry database. The active ingredients were screened according to the “Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion” (ADME) principle and supplemented with literature. We searched GeneCards, OMIM, TTD, and DrugBank databases for pancreatic cancer targets. The targets of disease and ingredients were intersected to obtain candidate key targets. Then, we constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network for protein interaction analysis and a composition-key target map to obtain essential effective ingredients. Metascape was used to perform functional enrichment analysis to screen critical targets and pathways. The expression and prognosis of key targets were examined and analyzed, and molecular docking was carried out. Results. A total of 52 active ingredients of XHP, 121 candidate targets, and 52 intersecting targets were obtained. The core active ingredients of XHP for the treatment of pancreatic cancer were quercetin, 17-β-estradiol, ursolic acid, and daidzein. The core targets were EGFR, ESR1, MAPK1, MAPK8, MAPK14, TP53, and JUN, which were highly expressed genes of pancreatic cancer. Among them, EGFR and MAPK1 were significantly correlated with the survival of pancreatic cancer patients. The key pathway was the EGFR/MAPK pathway. The molecular docking results indicated that four active compositions had good binding ability to key targets. Conclusion. The molecular mechanism of XHP for the treatment of pancreatic cancer involved multiple components, multiple targets, and multiple pathways. This research theoretically elucidated the ameliorative effect of XHP against pancreatic cancer and might provide new ideas for further research on the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Panax Notoginseng Saponin Rg1 Can Effectively Improve the Cognitive Function of 5 × FAD Mice
Authors: Guo Lili , Li Kun , Zhou Jiajun , Luo Lian
Published: April 2022

In order to investigate the effect of notoginsenoside Rg1 on cognitive function in

5
∗
FAD

mice and the mechanism of Cx43 in improving cognitive function in mice, the methods

5
∗
FAD

mice are selected as experimental animals and normal mice as healthy control. They were divided into three groups: healthy control group (n = 10), disease group (n = 10), and treatment group (n = 10, Panax notoginsenoside Rg 1150 mg/kg/d) for 2 months. Two months later, three groups of mice were subjected to classical water maze and Y-maze to test the cognitive ability of mice, and the correct response times and total response time were recorded. At the end of the cognitive function test, the mice were executed, and the brain tissues were taken. The expression of Cx43 protein and the changes of glial cells and neurons in the brain of the mice were analyzed at the cellular level. After treatment with Panax notoginseng saponin Rg 1150 mg/kg/d, it was found that the escape latency of mice in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the disease group from the third day of training (

P
<
0.05

); the time spent on the platform quadrant and the number of times crossing the platform in the treated mice were significantly increased, and the difference was statistically significant (

P
<
0.05

); the expression of Cx43 protein in the brain of mice after treatment was significantly higher than that of mice in the disease group (

P
<
0.05

). Conclusion. Panax notoginseng saponin Rg1 can effectively improve the cognitive function of

5
∗
FAD

mice by increasing the secretion of Cx43 protein, thus increasing the reactivity of glial cells and neurons.
Controlled and Prolonged Release Systems of Urea from Micro‐ and Nanomaterials as an Alternative for Developing a Sustainable Agriculture: A Review
Authors: Tapia-Hernández José Agustín , Madera-Santana Tomás Jesús , Rodríguez-Félix Francisco , Barreras-Urbina Carlos Gregorio
Published: April 2022

The world population requires the increase of food products from agricultural fields and also the improvement of agricultural practices to avoid the environmental pollution. Urea is the most used fertilizer worldwide; however, it is lost to the environment by processes such as leaching, volatilization, and denitrification. As an alternative to avoid these losses, controlled‐release fertilizer (CRF) and prolonged release fertilizer (PRF) have been proposed. With this type of system, the plants could take the necessary amount of nutrients for their growth at the same time decreasing the environmental pollution. These systems could be fabricated from both synthetic and natural sources, such as wheat gluten proteins, polysaccharides, and composites (polymeric matrix, wheat‐gluten‐urea mix, among others). This review gives a sustainable agriculture approach in the application of CRF and PRF using inorganic and organic raw materials, focusing on the use of wheat gluten proteins and urea for the development of these systems.
Effect of Stellate Ganglion Block Combined with Lidocaine at Different Concentrations for Preemptive Analgesia on Postoperative Pain Relief and Adverse Reactions of Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
Authors: Wang Zhen , Yu Jiao , Niu Tongxiang , Dong Zhijiang , Yin Zhijun
Published: April 2022

Objective. To explore the effect of stellate ganglion block (SGB) combined with lidocaine at different concentrations for preemptive analgesia on postoperative pain relief and adverse reactions of patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Methods. Ninety patients undergoing LC in our hospital from June 2019 to June 2020 were selected as the subjects and were randomly divided into group A (30 cases), group B (30 cases), and group C (30 cases), all patients received SGB, and 10 mL of lidocaine at concentrations of 0.25%, 0.5%, and 0.75% was, respectively, administered to patients in groups A, B, and C, so as to compare the analgesic effect, adverse reactions, and clinical indicators among the three groups. Results. At

T

1

 
and
 

T

2

, group C obtained obviously lower NRS scores than groups A and B (

P
<
0.001

); compared with groups A and B, group A had obviously higher onset time (

P
<
0.001

) and significantly lower duration (

P
<
0.001

); no obvious differences in the hemodynamic indexes among the groups were observed (

P
>
0.05

); group C obtained obviously higher BCS score than groups A and B; and the total incidence rate of adverse reactions was obviously higher in group C than in groups A and B (

P
<
0.05

). Conclusion. Performing SGB combined with 0.5% lidocaine to patients undergoing LC achieves the optimal analgesic effect; such anesthesia plan can effectively stabilize patients’ hemodynamics, present higher safety, and promote the regulation of the body internal environment. Further research will be conducive to establishing a better anesthesia plan for such patients.