bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Image Feature Analysis Algorithm under Convolutional Neural Network in the Diagnosis and Risk Stratification of Prostate Cancer
Authors: Gao Weijun , Zhang Peibo , Wang Hui , Tuo Pengfei , Li Zhiqing
Published: November 2021

This work aimed to explore the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images based on the convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithm in the diagnosis of prostate cancer patients and tumor risk grading. A total of 89 patients with prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia diagnosed by MRI examination and pathological examination in hospital were selected as the research objects in this study (they passed the exclusion criteria). The MRI images of these patients were collected in two groups and divided into two groups before and after treatment according to whether the CNN algorithm was used to process them. The number of diagnosed diseases and the number of cases of risk level inferred based on the tumor grading were compared to observe which group was closer to the diagnosis of pathological biopsy. Through comparative analysis, compared with the positive rate of pathological diagnosis (44%), the positive rate after the treatment of the CNN algorithm (42%) was more similar to that before the treatment (34%), and the comparison was statistically marked (

P
<
0.05

). In terms of risk stratification, the grading results after treatment (37 cases) were closer to the results of pathological grading (39 cases) than those before treatment (30 cases), and the comparison was statistically obvious (

P
<
0.05

). In addition, it was obvious that the MRT images would be clearer after treatment through the observation of the MRT images before and after treatment. In conclusion, MRI image segmentation algorithm based on CNN was more accurate in the diagnosis and risk stratification of prostate cancer than routine MRI. According to the evaluation of Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and Hausdorff I distance (HD), the CNN segmentation method used in this study was more perfect than other segmentation methods.
Cervical Spondylopathy and Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Herniation Coexist in Free Radical Metabolism and Focus Separation in the Body
Authors: Yan Song , Taotao Tian , Shunwei Yun , Haitao Li , Cheng Chang
Published: November 2021

Lumbar disc herniation is a common lumbar disease in clinics, which is related to improper use of lumbar vertebrae and osteoporosis. Surgical removal of nucleus pulposus and maintenance of lumbar structural stability are important for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation. At present, in clinical percutaneous intervertebral foramen endoscopic surgery for lumbar disc herniation, interlaminar and intervertebral foramen approaches can be selected. Different approaches have different degrees of difficulty in the treatment of lumbar disc herniation, and the clinical effects that may be obtained are different. In this study, we observed the influencing factors of plasma nitric oxide (NO) and free radical metabolism in patients with lumbar disc herniation and the correlation between the effects of focus separation. The organic combination of local and total illness differentiation and dialectics, conventional acupuncture, and electrical stimulation was highlighted in this study, which linked local acupoints squeezed by nerve roots with distant acupoints along meridians. The use of authoritative quantitative standards and a multifactor assessment of the disease can accurately represent the disease's severity. The patient's condition changes in each period may be expressed more accurately, thoroughly, and objectively through the rise or reduction of the score, making self-evaluation easier for the patient. Electroacupuncture at point may be one of the most important strategies to minimize free radical damage, based on changes in plasma levels.
Decision Making of Curriculum Attainment Degree for Engineering Geology Based on Fuzzy Set Theory
Authors: Yang Binbin , Du Shuting , Zhao Xiaoming , Tang Dongqi , Yang Changde
Published: November 2021

The study of engineering geology emphasizes the combination of theory and practice, and it highlights the comprehensive cultivation of curricular theory, curricular practice, and comprehensive skills. It is necessary to establish a set of effective methods to evaluate the achievement of training objectives to track, test, and improve the quality of curricular learning. In this paper, the principle of the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process based on entropy is used to construct an evaluation index system for the goal achievement degree of engineering geology courses, and the primary indicators mainly include knowledge, ability, and quality. Based on the actual situation, five curricular achievement levels are determined, that is, the comment set V = {very low, low, medium, high, very high}. Relying on the engineering geology course resource database of Xuchang University, the course goal achievement degree is evaluated, and the results show that the engineering geology course achievement degree is high. This method is suitable not only for the evaluation of the achievement of curricular objectives but also for the evaluation of the achievement of engineering education graduation requirements. This method can also help us find different courses and teaching weak links supporting the index points, indicate the direction and provide support for teachers to continuously improve their teaching and management methods, and effectively promote a continuous improvement in teachers’ teaching level and teaching quality.
Evaluation and Influencing Factors of Transportation Industry Energy Efficiency of Changjiang Economic Zone
Authors: Xu Yi , Li Xiaojuan
Published: November 2021

Changjiang Economic Zone (CEZ) faces the urgent task to promote the energy conservation and emission reduction of the transportation industry. This study constructs an evaluation system for transportation industry energy efficiency (TIEE) and evaluates TIEEs of 11 CEZ provinces in 2000–2017, using the super-slack-based measure (Super-SBM) model containing undesired output. On this basis, the panel data model was adopted to explore the impactors of TIEE. The main results are as follows: CEZ provinces varied significantly in TIEE. In the sample period, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Shanghai, and Anhui achieved relatively satisfactory TIEEs; Hunan, Hubei, and Guizhou performed generally on TIEE, calling for some improvement; Chongqing and Yunnan did not perform well, leaving a huge room for improvement. Judging by TIEE trends in the lower reaches, middle reaches, and upper reaches, TIEE of the lower reaches exhibited a U-shaped trend (first decrease and then increase) and TIEEs of the middle reaches and upper reaches did not fluctuate significantly, except for a few years. There was a marked difference between the three regions in TIEE: TIEE in the lower reaches was much higher than that in the middle reaches and upper reaches. In addition, the panel data model demonstrates that TIEE is significantly promoted by economic growth and transportation structure, obviously suppressed by industrial structure, opening-up, and transportation infrastructure, and not clearly affected by government influence or environmental regulation.
Research on the Interaction Mechanism between Landslide and Tunnel Engineering
Authors: Zhang Yufang , Li Jian , Liu Hongyu , Li Wei , Li Jiaming , Hou Lijie
Published: November 2021

The landslide at the entrance of a railway tunnel is large scale, and serious diseases are prone to appear under natural disasters, which threaten the safety of the tunnel. According to its characteristics, on‐site long‐term monitoring experiments and numerical analysis were carried out, and the mechanism of interaction between landslide and tunnel engineering was analyzed. The results show that under the impact of rainfall and earthquake, the original internal stress balance in the landslide body is disturbed, leading to the increase in landslide thrust and damage of the tunnel lining. Simultaneously, the excavation of the tunnel can slack the surrounding rock to increase the landslide thrust and make the landslide be finally formed; this landslide conversely acts on the tunnel, resulting in deformation and destruction of the tunnel. During the monitoring, under the influence of rainfall and earthquake, the stress of the secondary lining was continuously increased by 25%. Tunnel construction caused a maximum deformation of 30 mm in the antislide pile at a distance of 2.12 m, and the slope and the tunnel were also affected. Under extreme conditions such as rainfall and earthquake, shear failure occurred at the vault, bottom, and waist of the right‐line tunnel located at the junction of soil and rock; at this time, the tensile strength of the tunnel reached 93.8% of the limit value of concrete, which seriously affected the safety of the tunnel. As for the weakened tunnel structure, measures such as dense planting and strengthening of concrete strength should be adopted to enhance the safety of the tunnel structure.
The Investigation on Initiation and Propagation of Hydraulic Fractures in Shale Reservoir
Authors: Liu Xiangjun , Lei Wei , Huang Jing , Ding Yi , Liang Lixi , Xiong Jian
Published: November 2021

Hydraulic fracturing is a necessary technique for shale gas exploitation. In order to have efficient stimulation treatment, a complex fracture network has to be developed, whereas with rich bedding planes and natural fractures, the mechanism of forming a fracture network is not fully understood and it is so tricky to predict propagation and initiation of hydraulic fracture. Therefore, in this paper, considering the strong anisotropy of shale reservoir, numerical simulation has been conducted to analyze fracture propagation and initiation on the basis of finite element and damage mechanics. Simulation results indicate that hydraulic fracture is not merely controlled by in situ stress due to strong anisotropy in shale. With plenty of bedding planes, hydraulic fracture tends to have initiation and propagation along the bedding plane. In particular, this influence becomes stronger with low strength and high development density of bedding planes. Additionally, in combination with natural fracture and bedding plane, the initiation point is usually on a natural fracture plane, causing relatively small breakdown pressure. In the process of fracture propagation, hydraulic fracture connects with natural fractures and bedding planes, forming dendritic bifurcation and more complicated paths. Numerical simulation proves that bedding plane and natural fracture are vital factors of hydraulic fracture. Compared to natural fracture, the bedding plane has a stronger impact on hydraulic fracture propagation. For the initiation of hydraulic fracture, natural fracture is the major effecting factor. The outcome of this study is able to offer theoretical guidance for hydraulic fracturing in shale.
Scanning Electron Microscope Image Analysis of Bonding Surfaces following Removal of Composite Resin Restoration Using Er: YAG Laser: In Vitro Study
Authors: Babarasul Dlsoz Omer , Faraj Bestoon Mohammed , Kareem Fadil Abdullah
Published: November 2021

It is impossible to remove tooth-colored restorations by mechanical means without unnecessary damage to the adjacent sound tooth structure. This study is aimed at investigating erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Er: YAG) laser (Hoya ConBio, VersaWave, CA, USA) in removing composite resin restorations and assessing the change in morphology of bonding surfaces using a scanning electron microscope (EDX, CAMSCANNER, 3200LV, UK). The investigators collected thirty extracted sound human premolar teeth for this investigation, and the conventional design class V cavity was prepared on the buccal surface of each specimen. The specimens were allocated randomly into three groups, according to the procedure used for the ablation of the composite restoration: group A (high-speed diamond fissure bur), group B, and group C (Er: YAG laser) using a different pulse repetition rate of 20 Hz (group B) and 25 Hz (group C). The AutoCAD software program (Autodesk, Inc., 2016) was used to calculate the surface area and the resulting dimensional change of the cavities after restoration removal. The cavities were filled with composite resin and randomly assigned into two groups conforming to the methods applied to eliminate the restoration; diamond turbine fissure bur and laser. In each group, two specimens were selected randomly for scanning electron microscope analysis of bonding surfaces. The least meantime for the composite resin removal was observed in the high-speed diamond bur, significantly less than both Er-YAG laser groups (

p
<
0.001

). However, at a higher pulse repetition rate, time-consuming decreased. The results showed that laser is more conservative in removing composite resin restoration as the change was most remarkable in group A (0.800 mm), then group C (0.466 mm), and the slightest change is in group B (0.372 mm) (

p
=
0.014

). The dentin surface of group A showed a smooth surface with no opened dentinal tubule and intact smear layer. In groups B and C, dentin surfaces were irregular, scaly, or flaky, and dentinal tubules were opened without a smear layer. Therefore, Er: YAG laser is effective for composite resin removal considering the parameters chosen in this study with fewer changes in cavity surface area and better microretentive features.
Downregulation of TRPC4 and TRPC5 Inhibits Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation without Affecting Endothelial Cell Proliferation
Authors: Zeng Wenjun , Ji Yinan , Zhang Haiping , Chen Liusheng , Du Li , Guo Ruiwei
Published: November 2021

Aims. The main treatment for coronary heart disease is percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and drug-eluting stents are designed to inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMCs) proliferation and migration causing restenosis by releasing pharmacological agents into the vessel wall. Once drug-eluting stents are deployed, these pharmacological agents exert many biological effects in the coronary circulation, not only inhibition of VSMCs but also extension to vascular endothelial cells (VECs). The purpose of this study was to explore target molecules that inhibit VSMCs proliferation without affecting VECs. Methods. mRNA and protein expressions of transient receptor potential channels (TRPCs) in cultured VSMCs and VECs were determined by western blotting and RT-qPCR. VSMCs and VECs proliferation was evaluated using CCK-8 assays and western blotting of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Calcium backfilling assays were performed to detect intracellular calcium ion concentration in cultured VSMCs and VECs. Results. The TRPC6 expression was more abundant in VECs than VSMCs, while TRPC4 and TRPC5 expressions were more abundant in VSMCs than VECs. Knockdown of TRPC4 or TRPC5 alone had no remarkable inhibitory effect on VSMC proliferation. Synergistic knockdown of TRPC4 and TRPC5 inhibited the proliferation of VSMCs, declined the expression of the PCNA, and reduced the intracellular calcium ion concentration but not VECs. Conclusion. These data suggest that concurrent inhibition of TRPC4 and TRPC5 inhibits VSMCs proliferation without affecting VECs, thus providing novel targets for developing pharmacological agents for drug-eluting stents.
Distributed Storage Strategy and Visual Analysis for Economic Big Data
Authors: Chang Xiangli , Cui Hailang
Published: November 2021

With the increasing popularity of a large number of Internet-based services and a large number of services hosted on cloud platforms, a more powerful back-end storage system is needed to support these services. At present, it is very difficult or impossible to implement a distributed storage to meet all the above assumptions. Therefore, the focus of research is to limit different characteristics to design different distributed storage solutions to meet different usage scenarios. Economic big data should have the basic requirements of high storage efficiency and fast retrieval speed. The large number of small files and the diversity of file types make the storage and retrieval of economic big data face severe challenges. This paper is oriented to the application requirements of cross-modal analysis of economic big data. According to the source and characteristics of economic big data, the data types are analyzed and the database storage architecture and data storage structure of economic big data are designed. Taking into account the spatial, temporal, and semantic characteristics of economic big data, this paper proposes a unified coding method based on the spatiotemporal data multilevel division strategy combined with Geohash and Hilbert and spatiotemporal semantic constraints. A prototype system was constructed based on Mongo DB, and the performance of the multilevel partition algorithm proposed in this paper was verified by the prototype system based on the realization of data storage management functions. The Wiener distributed memory based on the principle of Wiener filter is used to store the workload of each workload distributed storage window in a distributed manner. For distributed storage workloads, this article adopts specific types of workloads. According to its periodicity, the workload is divided into distributed storage windows of specific duration. At the beginning of each distributed storage window, distributed storage is distributed to the next distributed storage window. Experiments and tests have verified the distributed storage strategy proposed in this article, which proves that the Wiener distributed storage solution can save platform resources and configuration costs while ensuring Service Level Agreement (SLA).
A Comparison among Different Machine Learning Pretest Approaches to Predict Stress-Induced Ischemia at PET/CT Myocardial Perfusion Imaging
Authors: Megna Rosario , Petretta Mario , Assante Roberta , Zampella Emilia , Nappi Carmela , Gaudieri Valeria , Mannarino Teresa , D’Antonio Adriana , Green Roberta , Cantoni Valeria , Arumugam Parthiban , Acampa Wanda , Cuocolo Alberto
Published: November 2021

Traditional approach for predicting coronary artery disease (CAD) is based on demographic data, symptoms such as chest pain and dyspnea, and comorbidity related to cardiovascular diseases. Usually, these variables are analyzed by logistic regression to quantifying their relationship with the outcome; nevertheless, their predictive value is limited. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the value of different machine learning (ML) techniques for the evaluation of suspected CAD; having as gold standard, the presence of stress-induced ischemia by 82Rb positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) ML was chosen on their clinical use and on the fact that they are representative of different classes of algorithms, such as deterministic (Support vector machine and Naïve Bayes), adaptive (ADA and AdaBoost), and decision tree (Random Forest, rpart, and XGBoost). The study population included 2503 consecutive patients, who underwent MPI for suspected CAD. To testing ML performances, data were split randomly into two parts: training/test (80%) and validation (20%). For training/test, we applied a 5-fold cross-validation, repeated 2 times. With this subset, we performed the tuning of free parameters for each algorithm. For all metrics, the best performance in training/test was observed for AdaBoost. The Naïve Bayes ML resulted to be more efficient in validation approach. The logistic and rpart algorithms showed similar metric values for the training/test and validation approaches. These results are encouraging and indicate that the ML algorithms can improve the evaluation of pretest probability of stress-induced myocardial ischemia.
Elevated Expression of the Long Noncoding RNA MAFTRR in Patients with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
Authors: Peng Huiyong , Ding Xiangmei , Xu Juan , Han Yue , Yang Jun , Tang Xinyi , Wang Shengjun , Liu Yingzhao
Published: November 2021

Background. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) represent an important novel class of noncoding RNA molecule greater than 200 nucleotides that play a key role in the regulation of autoimmune diseases. Previous studies have demonstrated that MAFTRR (MAF transcriptional regulator RNA) regulated Th1 cells differentiation by inhibiting the expression of MAF in activated CD4+ T cells. However, the effect of MAFTRR on the pathogenesis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) remains unclear. This research was aimed at investigating the expression of MAFTRR in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) as well as the correlation between MAFTRR and Th1 cells. Methods. Thirty-eight HT patients and thirty-eight healthy controls were enrolled in the study. The proportion of Th1 cells and CD8+IFN-γ+ T cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from these specimens was determined by flow cytometric analysis. The transcript levels of MAFTRR, MAF, and IFNG in PBMCs and thyroid glands were detected by quantitative real-time PCR. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the potential value of MAFTRR in the HT patients. Results. We found that the proportion of circulating Th1 cells and the transcript levels of IFNG were increased in peripheral blood of the HT patients. The transcript levels of MAFTRR were significantly increased in the HT patients and positively correlated with the percentage of Th1 cells and serum levels of antithyroglobulin antibody and antithyroperoxidase antibody. The transcript levels of MAF, a transcription factor that inhibits Th1 cells activity and IFN-γ production, were attenuated in PBMCs from the HT patients. The transcript levels of IFNG had positive and inverse correlations with MAFTRR and MAF expression in PBMCs from the HT patients, respectively. Additionally, a significantly positive correlation between upregulated MAFTRR expression and augmented IFNG expression was revealed in thyroid tissues from the HT patients. ROC curve suggested that MAFTRR could potentially differentiate the HT patients from healthy controls. Conclusion. MAFTRR is significantly augmented in the HT patients and may contribute to the pathogenic role of the Th1 cells response in HT.
Evaluation of Antidiarrheal Activity of 80% Methanolic Extract of the Leaves of Cordia africana (Lamiaceae) in Mice
Authors: Ferede Yared Andargie , Zewdu Woretaw Sisay , Zeleke Mulugeta Molla , Alemu Muluken Adela
Published: November 2021

Background. Diarrheal disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world, particularly in developing countries. Currently available drugs are linked with adverse effects, contraindications, and risk of resistance. Traditionally, the leaf concoction of Cordia africana is claimed to be used for diarrhea. However, the safety and efficacy of the leaf extract have not been scientifically approved yet. Therefore, the study was conducted to validate its antidiarrheal activity and safety profile in mice. Method. The hydromethanolic extract was obtained by the cold maceration technique in 80% methanol. Phytochemical screening tests were done for secondary metabolites by using standard tests. The antidiarrheal activity of the test extract at the doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg was evaluated by using castor oil-induced diarrheal, gastrointestinal transit, and enteropooling models in mice. Result. In an acute toxicity study, there were no visible signs of toxicity and mortality following a single oral administration of 2000 mg/kg. Phytochemical screening tests revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenols, and tannins. The hydromethanolic extract significantly prolonged the onset of diarrhea and reduced the weight of wet and total feces at 100 (P<0.01), 200 (P<0.001), and 400 mg/kg (P<0.001) in the castor oil-induced diarrheal model. However, in the gastrointestinal transit model, a significant (P<0.001) reduction in the charcoal meal travel was observed in the middle (200 mg/kg) and higher (400 mg/kg) test doses. Similarly, the extract produced a significant (P<0.001) reduction in the weight and volume of intestinal contents at the aforementioned doses. Conclusion. The study demonstrated that the test extract showed promising antidiarrheal activity. Hence, this study supports its antidiarrheal use in Ethiopian folklore medicine.
Online Education Optimization Based on Edge Computing under the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Wang Huiling , Wang Jiasheng
Published: November 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has strongly affected education in China, even if education departments and corresponding schools took a series of measures to manage online education of the school’s new semester in China, including maneuver, learning platform allocation, and teacher training. In this paper, edge computing is used to optimize online education, and a task offloading algorithm is designed to minimize the computing delay of terminal tasks. Through preparation, practice, and reflection of this online education, this study aims to comprehensively demonstrate the learning condition of online education in China and present the real adjustment impact based on the problems encountered during the process. Although several schools gradually reopened to students in 3 months, several improvements are warranted in various ways. This study proposes the construction of education infrastructure, the adjustment of teaching organization, and the learning methods of teachers and students, providing a clear guiding significance for the development and enhancement of online education in the future.
Tribological Behavior and Analysis on Surface Roughness of CNC Milled Dual Heat Treated Al6061 Composites
Authors: Bovas Herbert Bejaxhin A. , Balamurugan G.M. , Sivagami S.M. , Ramkumar K. , Vijayan V. , Rajkumar S.
Published: November 2021

Dual heat treatment (DHT) effect is analyzed using the machining of Al6061‐T6 alloy, a readily available material for quickly finding the machining properties. The heat treatments are conducted twice over the specimen by the furnace heating before processing through CNC machining. The HSS and WC milling cutters are preferred for the diameter of 10 mm for the reviewed rotational speeds of 2000 rpm and 4000 rpm, and the constant depth of cut of 0.5 mm is chosen based on various reviews. Worthy roughness could be provided mostly by the influence of feed rates preferred here as 0.05 mm/rev and 0.1 mm/rev. The influencing factors are identified by the Taguchi, genetic algorithm (GA), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) techniques and compared within it. The simulation finding also helps to clarify the relationship between influenced machining constraints and roughness outcomes of this project. The average values of heat treated and nonheat treated Al6061‐T6 are compared and it is to be evaluated that 41% improvement is obtained with the lower surface roughness of 1.78975 µm and it shows good surface finish with the help of dual heat treatment process.
Jordanian Patients’ Family Members Need Perceptions in the Critical Care Settings: Nurses’ Perspectives versus Family Members’ Perspectives in the Context of Health Informatics
Authors: Al-Akash Hekmat , Maabreh Roqia , AbuRuz Mohannad , Khader Khaled , Shajrawi Abedalmajeed
Published: November 2021

Background. An unexpected hospitalization in any of the Critical Care Units (CCUs) is a stressful condition, not only for patients but also for other family members. Research in this field in Jordan is not available. The main objective of this study was to identify the most important needs as perceived by these family members in the light of this stressful event and compare them with the nurses’ perceptions of the importance of these needs and also to determine the perception of the needs’ importance with the sociodemographic characteristics of both family members and caring nurses. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the period between February and August 2020 among adult family members of patients admitted to the CCUs in hospitals of Jordan from all sectors (public, private, and teaching). The “Critical Care Family Needs Inventory (CCFNI)” questionnaire was administered to 82 family members and 99 CCU nurses to determine the importance of the needs on the inventory. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results. The most important need identified by the family members was relevant to the need for proximity (3.64 ± 0.45), followed by information (3.57 ± 0.58), assurance (3.44 ± 0.43), support (3.31 ± 0.62), and comfort (3.21 ± 0.56). Nurses identified the needs for assurance as the highest, followed by information, comfort, and support, whereas proximity was the least need perceived as very important. The top 10 important needs for both family members and nurses were identified. Family members and nurses were only common in 2 of the need statements on the scale. There was no significant association between the sociodemographic characteristics of the sample and the perception of the needs’ importance (

p
=
0.05

). Conclusion. This study has shown that nurses and family members of patients admitted to CCUs have different perspectives relevant to needs’ importance. This should warn nurses to set the needs viewed by family members as a priority. Implications. In the CCU settings, in the context of advancing health informatics, families of patients in the ICUs have different needs other than those viewed by nurses. Their needs must be identified and considered.
Image Processing for mHealth-Based Approach to Detect the Local Tissue Inflammation in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: A Proof of Concept Study
Authors: Silva Hermali , Chellappan Kalaivani , Karunaweera Nadira
Published: November 2021

Skin lesions are a feature of many diseases including cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Ulcerative lesions are a common manifestation of CL. Response to treatment in such lesions is judged through the assessment of the healing process by regular clinical observations, which remains a challenge for the clinician, health system, and the patient in leishmaniasis endemic countries. In this study, image processing was initially done using 40 CL lesion color images that were captured using a mobile phone camera, to establish a technique to extract features from the image which could be related to the clinical status of the lesion. The identified techniques were further developed, and ten ulcer images were analyzed to detect the extent of inflammatory response and/or signs of healing using pattern recognition of inflammatory tissue captured in the image. The images were preprocessed at the outset, and the quality was improved using the CIE

L
∗
a
∗
b

color space technique. Furthermore, features were extracted using the principal component analysis and profiled using the signal spectrogram technique. This study has established an adaptive thresholding technique ranging between 35 and 200 to profile the skin lesion images using signal spectrogram plotted using Signal Analyzer in MATLAB. The outcome indicates its potential utility in visualizing and assessing inflammatory tissue response in a CL ulcer. This approach is expected to be developed further to a mHealth-based prediction algorithm to enable remote monitoring of treatment response of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Changes in Hepcidin Levels in an Animal Model of Anemia of Chronic Inflammation: Mechanistic Insights Related to Iron Supplementation and Hepcidin Regulation
Authors: Kim Hye-Bin , Jun Ji Hae , Shim Jae-Kwang , Oh Ju Eun , Lee Cheolhun , Kwak Young-Lan
Published: November 2021

We examined changes in hepcidin (closely associated with anemia of chronic inflammation (ACI)) and upstream regulatory pathways after intravenous (IV) iron supplementation in an ACI animal model. ACI was induced in male Sprague‐Dawley rats by intraperitoneally administering complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA). Two weeks after starting CFA treatment, ACI rats received IV iron (CFA‐iron) or vehicle (CFA‐saline). Three days after IV iron treatment, iron profiles, hepcidin levels, and expression of proteins involved in the signaling pathways upstream of hepcidin transcription in the liver were measured. In CFA‐treated rats, anemia with a concomitant increase in the levels of serum inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species occurred. In CFA‐iron rats, hemoglobin (Hb) concentration was still lower than that in control rats. In CFA‐saline rats, hepatic hepcidin and ferritin levels increased compared with those in control rats and were further increased in CFA‐iron rats. In CFA‐saline rats, NADPH oxidase‐ (NOX‐) 2, NOX‐4, and superoxide dismutase levels in the liver were upregulated compared with those in control rats and their levels were further increased in CFA‐iron rats. In CFA‐saline rats, activities of the IL‐6/STAT and BMP/SMAD pathways were enhanced in the liver compared with those in control rats and their levels were further increased in CFA‐iron rats, whereas IL‐6 expression remained unaffected after IV iron administration. In HepG2 cells, iron caused phosphorylation of STAT‐3 and SMAD1/5 and knockdown of STAT-3 and SMAD1/5 using siRNAs reduced iron‐induced hepcidin upregulation to levels similar to those in corresponding control cells. Renal erythropoietin expression and serum erythroferrone concentration were lower in CFA‐iron rats than those in control rats. In ACI rats, IV iron supplementation did not recover Hb within three days despite an increase in hepatic ferritin levels, which might be attributable to an additional increase in hepcidin levels that was already upregulated under ACI conditions. Both STAT‐3 phosphorylation and SMAD1/5 phosphorylation were associated with hepcidin upregulation after IV iron treatment, and this seems to be linked to iron‐induced oxidative stress.
Research on the Mechanism of the Sustainable Development Model of Enterprises Based on Big Data Analysis Model
Authors: Zhang Wei , Yang Chaodan , Cheng Ying , Chen Haiying , Wang Wei
Published: November 2021

This paper adopts the analysis method of big data to conduct an in-depth analysis and research on the sustainable development mechanism of enterprises, firstly, combing the content and methods of enterprise business performance evaluation, defining enterprise sustainable development, and exploring the integration of enterprise sustainable development and enterprise business performance evaluation by specifically analyzing from different perspectives. Then, we analyze the industry in which the enterprise is located, its business situation, and strategy, and after analyzing the current business performance evaluation system of the enterprise, we point out its problems. The current performance evaluation system is incomplete, focuses only on economic benefits, is not long term, and does not consider the company’s strategy and stakeholders’ needs, which affects its importance and feasibility. Then, the above analysis is integrated to build a performance evaluation system consisting of four dimensions, namely, economic dimension, scientific research and innovation dimension, social dimension, and ecological dimension, from the perspective of sustainable development, and a total of 29 indicators are selected. Then, the two research tools of first value method and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method were combined, based on the panel data of enterprises from 2016 to 2020; the first value method was used to get the weights of each indicator in the business performance evaluation system. The fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method was used to get a comprehensive evaluation score of enterprise’s business performance in 2019, and then the evaluation results were analyzed in detail and suggestions were made, which confirms that enterprises are based on the sustainable development perspective. The evaluation of business performance is necessary and important. Finally, we propose supporting safeguards, such as establishing a performance evaluation team and a monitoring mechanism, dynamically improving the enterprise performance evaluation system, establishing a sustainable corporate culture, preparing and publishing a sustainable development report, and accelerating the information construction of performance evaluation.
The Numerical Investigation of Fractional‐Order Zakharov–Kuznetsov Equations
Authors: Sunthrayuth Pongsakorn , Ali Farman , Alderremy A. A. , Shah Rasool , Aly Shaban , Hamed Y. S. , Katle Jeevan
Published: November 2021

In this article, a modified method called the Elzaki decomposition method has been applied to analyze time‐fractional Zakharov–Kuznetsov equations. In this method, the Adomian decomposition technique and Elzaki transformation are combined. Two problems are investigated to show and validate the efficiency of the suggested method. It is also shown that the solutions achieved from the current producer are in good contact with the exact solutions to show with the help of graphs and table. It is observed that the suggested technique is to be reliable, efficient, and straightforward to implement for many related models of engineering and science.
Long-Term Outcome of Autotransplantation of a Complete Root Formed a Mandibular Third Molar
Authors: Kimura Hiroyuki , Hamada Yusuke , Eida Taro , Kumano Tsuyoshi , Okamura Kazutoshi , Yokota Makoto
Published: November 2021

Autogenous tooth transplantation is a procedure to reposition an autogenous tooth to another extraction area or surgically created recipient site. The autotransplantation procedures have been documented well in the literature, and the survival rate of the transplanted teeth was reported to be more than 90% after ten years. Therefore, autotransplantation might have been overlooked as a treatment option. The purpose of this case report is to evaluate the long-term (29-year) success and periodontal stability of the tooth autotransplantation from the mandibular third molar to the second molar. A 24-year old female presented to a clinic with a large caries lesion with periapical radiolucnecy on to tooth #18. The tooth was extracted with the site and treated with autogenous tooth transplantation from #17 with a complete root form. Endodontic treatment was completed 3 months post autotransplantation; the final prosthesis was placed 6 months postoperatively. The patient has shown excellent oral hygiene care and high compliance with the regular maintenance recall program. The transplanted tooth has been still functioning without any symptoms. Radiographic and clinical examinations revealed stable periodontal and endodontic conditions over the 29 years after the procedure. This case report showed the long-term success of autotransplantation of the mandibular third molar with a closed root apex to the second molar site. Autotransplantation can be an option when an adequate donor site is available to reconstruct the occlusion after the tooth extraction.
Active Safety Planning Method for Transportation Network Design
Authors: Lin Hongzhi
Published: November 2021

Traffic accidents are frequent although various countermeasures are introduced. Traffic safety cannot be fundamentally improved if it is not considered in the transportation network design stage. Although it is well known that traffic safety is one of the most important concerns of the public, traffic safety is not adequately accommodated in transportation planning. This paper considers traffic safety as a major criterion in designing a transportation network. It is a kind of proactive measure rather than reactive measure. A bilevel programming model system is proposed where the upper level is the urban planners’ decision to minimize the estimated total number of traffic accidents, and the lower level is the travelers’ response behaviors to achieve transportation system equilibrium. A genetic algorithm (GA) with elite strategy is proposed to solve the bilevel model. The method of successive averages (MSA) is embedded for the lower level model, which is a feedback procedure between destination choice and traffic assignment. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method and algorithm, an experimental study is carried out. The results show that these methods can be a valuable tool to design a safer transportation network although efficiency, in terms of system total travel time, is slightly sacrificed.
miR-539 Targeting SNAI2 Regulates MMP9 Signaling Pathway and Affects Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability in Cerebrovascular Occlusive Diseases: A Study Based on Head and Neck Ultrasound and CTA
Authors: Li Hui , Han Guochao , He Dongruo , Wang Ying , Lin Yuan , Zhang Tianyu , Wang Jiandong , Du Youli , Li Gang , Wang Yuguang , Zhou Jiexin , Liu Bo
Published: November 2021

This study aimed to explore the expression level of miR-539 in the blood-brain barrier permeability induced by cerebrovascular occlusion and its mediated mechanism. Altogether, 48 patients with cerebral vascular occlusion lesions from March 2018 to June 2020 were collected. The expression level of miR-539 in the peripheral blood serum of the subjects was analyzed by qRT-PCR, and the participants were divided into two groups according to the results of head and neck ultrasound and CTA hemodynamics. The MCAO model of cerebral ischemia was established in rats, and the expression level of miR-539 was detected by qRT-PCR in brain tissues of different groups of rats. The effects of miR-539 on the permeability of blood-brain barrier were investigated by intraventricular injection of agomiR-539 and antagomir-539. The model of blood-brain barrier was established by culturing brain microvascular endothelial cells and pericytes in vitro, and the changes of miR-539 expression level and permeability after glucose and oxygen deprivation were detected. The expression level of SNAI2/MMP9 signaling pathway protein in cells was detected by Western blot. Compared with the healthy control group, the expression level of miR-539 in peripheral blood of patients with cerebrovascular occlusive disease decreased significantly, and the expression level of miR-539 in the MCAO rat model decreased and affected the permeability of blood-brain barrier. Glucose and oxygen deprivation treatment in brain microvascular endothelial cells can lead to downregulation of miR-539 expression and affect cell permeability. miR-539 in brain microvascular endothelial cells can target and bind to SNAI2 and participate in the regulation of endothelial cell permeability by affecting the SNAI2/MMP9 signaling pathway. The results of this study suggested that circulating miR-539 in peripheral blood may be a potential marker for predicting blood-brain barrier permeability after ischemic stroke. More detailed studies are needed to determine its diagnostic value.
Infra Soft Semiopen Sets and Infra Soft Semicontinuity
Authors: Al-shami Tareq M. , Azzam A. A.
Published: November 2021

To contribute to the area of infra soft topology, we introduce one of the generalizations of infra soft open sets called infra soft semiopen sets. We establish some characterizations of them and study their main properties. We determine under what condition this class is closed under finite intersection and show that this class is preserved under infra soft continuous mappings and finite product of soft spaces. Then, we present the concepts of infra semi-interior, infra semiclosure, infra semilimit, and infra semiboundary soft points of a soft set and elucidate the relationships between them. Finally, we exploit infra soft semiopen and infra soft semiclosed sets to define new types of soft mappings. We characterize each one of these soft mappings and explore main features.
Marine Macroalgae Display Bioreductant Efficacy for Fabricating Metallic Nanoparticles: Intra/Extracellular Mechanism and Potential Biomedical Applications
Authors: Mahmood Ansari Sabiha , Saquib Quaiser , De Matteis Valeria , Awad Alwathnani Hend , Ali Alharbi Sulaiman , Ali Al-Khedhairy Abdulaziz
Published: November 2021

The application of hazardous chemicals during nanoparticle (NP) synthesis has raised alarming concerns pertaining to their biocompatibility and equally to the environmental harmlessness. In the recent decade, nanotechnological research has made a gigantic shift in order to include the natural resources to produce biogenic NPs. Within this approach, researchers have utilized marine resources such as macroalgae and microalgae, land plants, bacteria, fungi, yeast, actinomycetes, and viruses to synthesize NPs. Marine macroalgae (brown, red, and green) are rich in polysaccharides including alginates, fucose-containing sulfated polysaccharides (FCSPs), galactans, agars or carrageenans, semicrystalline cellulose, ulvans, and hemicelluloses. Phytochemicals are abundant in phenols, tannins, alkaloids, terpenoids, and vitamins. However, microorganisms have an abundance of active compounds ranging from sugar molecules, enzymes, canonical membrane proteins, reductase enzymes (NADH and NADPH), membrane proteins to many more. The prime reason for using the aforesaid entities in the metallic NPs synthesis is based on their intrinsic properties to act as bioreductants, having the capability to reduce and cap the metal ions into stabilized NPs. Several green NPs have been verified for their biocompatibility in human cells. Bioactive constituents from the above resources have been found on the green metallic NPs, which has demonstrated their efficacies as prospective antibiotics and anti-cancer agents against a range of human pathogens and cancer cells. Moreover, these NPs can be characterized for the size, shapes, functional groups, surface properties, porosity, hydrodynamic stability, and surface charge using different characterization techniques. The novelty and originality of this review is that we provide recent research compilations on green synthesis of NPs by marine macroalgae and other biological sources (plant, bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, yeast, and virus). Besides, we elaborated on the detailed intra- and extracellular mechanisms of NPs synthesis by marine macroalgae. The application of green NPs as anti-bacterial, anti-cancer, and popular methods of NPs characterization techniques has also been critically reviewed.