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Background: Describing the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases across different regions is crucial for effective disease surveillance. The multivariate time series (MTS) model has been widely adopted for constructing cross-regional infectious disease transmission networks due to its strengths in interpretability and predictive performance. Nevertheless, the assumption of constant parameters frequently disregards the dynamic shifts in disease transmission rates, thereby compromising the accuracy of early warnings. This study investigated the applicability of time-varying MTS models in multi-regional infectious disease monitoring and explored strategies for model selection., Methods: This study focused on two prominent time-varying MTS models: the time-varying parameter-stochastic volatility-vector autoregression (TVP-SV-VAR) model and the time-varying VAR model using the generalized additive framework (tvvarGAM), and intended to explore and verify their applicable conditions for the surveillance of infectious diseases. For the first time, this study proposed the time delay coefficient and spatial sparsity indicators for model selection. These indicators quantify the temporal lags and spatial distribution of infectious disease data, respectively. Simulation study adopted from real-world infectious disease surveillance was carried out to compare model performances under various scenarios of spatio-temporal variation as well as random volatility. Meanwhile, we illustrated how the modelling process could help the surveillance of infectious diseases with an application to the influenza-like case in Sichuan Province, China., Results: When the spatio-temporal variation was small (time delay coefficient: 0.1-0.2, spatial sparsity:0.1-0.3), the TVP-SV-VAR model was superior with smaller fitting residuals and standard errors of parameter estimation than those of the tvvarGAM model. In contrast, the tvvarGAM model was preferable when the spatio-temporal variation increased (time delay coefficient: 0.2-0.3, spatial sparsity: 0.6-0.9)., Conclusion: This study emphasized the importance of considering spatio-temporal variations when selecting appropriate models for infectious disease surveillance. By incorporating our novel indicators-the time delay coefficient and spatial sparsity-into the model selection process, the study could enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of infectious disease monitoring efforts. This approach was not only valuable in the context of this study, but also has broader implications for improving time-varying MTS analyses in various applications., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The monitoring of the lifetime of cutting tools often faces problems such as life data loss, drift, and distortion. The prediction of the lifetime in this situation is greatly compromised with respect to the accuracy. The recent rise of deep learning, such as Gated Recurrent Unit Units (GRUs), Hidden Markov Models (HMMs), Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs), Attention networks, and Transformers, has dramatically improved the data problems in tool lifetime prediction, substantially enhancing the accuracy of tool wear prediction. In this paper, we introduce a novel approach known as PCHIP-Enhanced ConvGRU (PECG), which leverages multiple-feature fusion for tool wear prediction. When compared to traditional models such as CNNs, the CNN Block, and GRUs, our method consistently outperformed them across all key performance metrics, with a primary focus on the accuracy. PECG addresses the challenge of missing tool wear measurement data in relation to sensor data. By employing PCHIP interpolation to fill in the gaps in the wear values, we have developed a model that combines the strengths of both CNNs and GRUs with data augmentation. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method achieved an exceptional relative accuracy of 0.8522, while also exhibiting a Pearson's Correlation Coefficient (PCC) exceeding 0.95. This innovative approach not only predicts tool wear with remarkable precision, but also offers enhanced stability.

The development of multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) has revolutionized the traditional reliance on a single, costly AUV for conducting underwater surveys. This shift has garnered increasing interest among marine researchers. Communication between AUV fleets is an urgent concern due to the data rate limitation of underwater acoustic communication. Laser-based underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) is a potential solution once the link-establishing requirement between AUVs can be met. Due to the limited coverage area of the laser beam, the previous pointing, acquisition, and tracking (PAT) method is to quickly adjust the beam direction and search for the target according to the set scanning path. In response to these challenges, we propose a scalable laser-based link establishment method that combines the maneuvering of the AUV, the acoustic positioning, and the control of the optical system. Our proposed approach has consistently outperformed the existing PAT method in simulated environments, effectively establishing laser links. Importantly, we have successfully implemented our approach in machine experiments, confirming its practical applicability.

Population-based cervical cytology screening techniques are demanding and laborious and have relatively poor diagnostic accuracy. In this study, we present a cytologist-in-the-loop artificial intelligence (CITL-AI) system to improve the accuracy and efficiency of abnormal cervical squamous cell detection in cervical cancer screening. The artificial intelligence (AI) system was developed using 8000 digitalized whole slide images, including 5713 negative and 2287 positive cases. External validation was performed using an independent, multicenter, real-world data set of 3514 women, who were screened for cervical cancer between 2021 and 2022. Each slide was assessed using the AI system, which generated risk scores. These scores were then used to optimize the triaging of true negative cases. The remaining slides were interpreted by cytologists who had varying degrees of experience and were categorized as either junior or senior specialists. Stand-alone AI had a sensitivity of 89.4% and a specificity of 66.4%. These data points were used to establish the lowest AI-based risk score (ie, 0.35) to optimize the triage configuration. A total of 1319 slides were triaged without missing any abnormal squamous cases. This also reduced the cytology workload by 37.5%. Reader analysis found CITL-AI had superior sensitivity and specificity compared with junior cytologists (81.6% vs 53.1% and 78.9% vs 66.2%, respectively; both with P < .001). For senior cytologists, CITL-AI specificity increased slightly from 89.9% to 91.5% (P = .029); however, sensitivity did not significantly increase (P = .450). Therefore, CITL-AI could reduce cytologists' workload by more than one-third while simultaneously improving diagnostic accuracy, especially compared with less experienced cytologists. This approach could improve the accuracy and efficiency of abnormal cervical squamous cell detection in cervical cancer screening programs worldwide., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Pulmonary aspergillosis is a pulmonary infectious disease that is clinically difficult to diagnose and treat. When the lower respiratory tract is invaded by Aspergillus, the clinical manifestations and imaging features vary among patients with different immune states. The use of antifungal drugs and glucocorticoids are important, but some patients do not respond satisfactorily to treatment., Case Presentation: A 59-year-old female had a long history of asthma and poor symptom control, with long-term use of long-acting inhaled glucocorticoids combined with a long-acting β2 receptor agonists (ICS + LABA) (salmeterol fluticasone inhalation powder). The ground glass shadow, tree-in-bud sign, and bronchiectasis in the middle lobe of the right lung and the lower lobe of both lungs were first detected by chest CT over 5 years ago. Atelectasis in the middle lobe of the right lung was detected over 3 years ago. Over 2 years ago, the patient was hospitalized and a repeat chest CT showed persistent atelectasis in the middle lobe of the right lung, and more lesions in bilateral lower lungs than before. Aspergillus fumigatus was detected in alveolar lavage fluid and sputum pathogenic culture, which confirmed the diagnosis of pulmonary aspergillosis. After treatment with voriconazole and amphotericin B, the middle lobe of the right lung partially reopened, but the lesions in bilateral lower lungs persisted. After 21 weeks of treatment, the antifungal drugs were stopped because the patient refused to use oral/intravenous glucocorticoids, and omalizumab was finally chosen for treatment. After 1 month of treatment, the patient's clinical symptoms began to ease. After 1 year of treatment, imaging reexamination of lung showed that the lesions were completely cleared, accompanied by significant improvement in nutritional status and airway function., Conclusions: We reported the case of a patient with pulmonary Aspergillus infection who was treated with omalizumab and showed significant improvement in clinical symptoms and imaging abnormalities, which provides a new option for patients with pulmonary Aspergillus infection who show unsatisfactory response with first-line drugs., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Mechanically flexible photonic devices are critical components of novel bio-integrated optoelectronic and high-end wearable systems, in which thermo-optic switches (TOSs) as optical signal control devices are crucial. In this paper, flexible titanium oxide (TiO 2 ) TOSs based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) structure were demonstrated around 1310 nm for, it is believed, the first time. The insertion loss of flexible passive TiO 2 2 × 2 multi-mode interferometers (MMIs) is -3.1 dB per MMI. The demonstrated flexible TOS achieves power consumption (Pπ) of 0.83 mW, compared with its rigid counterpart, for which Pπ is decreased by a factor of 18. The proposed device could withstand 100 consecutive bending operations without noticeable degradation in TOS performance, indicating excellent mechanical stability. These results provide a new perspective for designing and fabricating flexible TOSs for flexible optoelectronic systems in future emerging applications.

We articulate the design imperatives for machine learning based digital twins for nonlinear dynamical systems, which can be used to monitor the "health" of the system and anticipate future collapse. The fundamental requirement for digital twins of nonlinear dynamical systems is dynamical evolution: the digital twin must be able to evolve its dynamical state at the present time to the next time step without further state input-a requirement that reservoir computing naturally meets. We conduct extensive tests using prototypical systems from optics, ecology, and climate, where the respective specific examples are a chaotic CO 2 laser system, a model of phytoplankton subject to seasonality, and the Lorenz-96 climate network. We demonstrate that, with a single or parallel reservoir computer, the digital twins are capable of a variety of challenging forecasting and monitoring tasks. Our digital twin has the following capabilities: (1) extrapolating the dynamics of the target system to predict how it may respond to a changing dynamical environment, e.g., a driving signal that it has never experienced before, (2) making continual forecasting and monitoring with sparse real-time updates under non-stationary external driving, (3) inferring hidden variables in the target system and accurately reproducing/predicting their dynamical evolution, (4) adapting to external driving of different waveform, and (5) extrapolating the global bifurcation behaviors to network systems of different sizes. These features make our digital twins appealing in applications, such as monitoring the health of critical systems and forecasting their potential collapse induced by environmental changes or perturbations. Such systems can be an infrastructure, an ecosystem, or a regional climate system.

Serial examination and direct measurement of intracompartmental pressure (ICP) are suboptimal strategies for the detection of acute compartment syndrome (CS) because they are operator-dependent and yield information that only indirectly reflects intracompartmental muscle perfusion. As a result, instances of unnecessary fasciotomy and unrecognized CS are relatively common. Recently, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-based systems for compartment monitoring have generated interest as an adjunct tool. Under ideal conditions, NIRS directly measures the oxygenation of intracompartmental muscle (StO 2 ), thereby obviating the challenges of interpreting equivocal clinical examination or ICP data. Despite these potential advantages, existing NIRS sensors are plagued by technical difficulties that limit clinical utility. Most of these limitations relate to their transcutaneous design that makes them susceptible to both interference from intervening skin/subcutaneous tissue, underlying hematoma, and instability of the skin-sensor interface. Here, we present a flexible, wireless, Bluetooth-enabled, percutaneously introducible intramuscular NIRS device that directly and continuously measures the StO 2 of intracompartmental muscle. Proof of concept for this device is demonstrated in a swine lower extremity balloon compression model of acute CS, wherein we simultaneously track muscle oxygenation, ICP, and compartment perfusion pressure (PP). The observed StO 2 decreased with increasing ICP and decreasing PP and then recovered following pressure reduction. The mean change in StO 2 as the PP was decreased from baseline to 30 mmHg was -7.6%. The mean difference between baseline and nadir StO 2 was -17.4%. Cross-correlations (absolute value) describing the correspondence between StO 2 and ICP were >0.73. This novel intramuscular NIRS device identifies decreased muscle perfusion in the setting of evolving CS., (© 2022 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Introduction: Choriocarcinoma is a highly invasive gynaecologic malignancy. Molecular mechanism of metastasis in choriocarcinoma is poorly understood. Migration and invasion inhibitory protein (MIIP) regulates cell migration and invasion. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the function of MIIP in choriocarcinoma., Methods: Choriocarcinoma cell lines, JAR and JEG-3, were transfected with lentivirus carrying the MIIP-interfering RNA (to downregulate MIIP expression) or left untransfected (negative control). Cell migration and invasion were studied using transwell migration assays and scratch assays. In vivo tumour burden was studied using tumour xenograft models in specific-pathogen-free nude mice and live imaging. We elucidated possible molecular signalling pathways using western blotting., Results: In transwell migration and scratch assays MIIP-downregulated JAR and JEG-3 cells migrated and invaded faster compared to their respective negative control cells. Migration and invasion by the MIIP-upregulated SWAN cells was slower than that by negative control SWAN cells. Live imaging revealed that bioluminescence values were higher in MIIP-downregulated tumours than in the negative control tumours. Mice with MIIP-downregulated tumours had higher serum human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) levels than those with negative control tumours. The MIIP expression was negatively correlated with that of histone deacetylase (HDAC6) and positively correlated with that of acetylated α-tubulin., Discussion: Thus, MIIP-by inhibiting cellular motility in choriocarcinoma-acts as a tumour suppressor gene. This highlights a potential therapeutic target for refractory choriocarcinoma. Additionally, HDAC6 and acetylated α-tubulin may be involved in the regulatory effects of MIIP on the biobehaviour of choriocarcinoma cells., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Continuous, real-time monitoring of perfusion after microsurgical free tissue transfer or solid organ allotransplantation procedures can facilitate early diagnosis of and intervention for anastomotic thrombosis. Current technologies including Doppler systems, cutaneous O 2 -sensing probes, and fluorine magnetic resonance imaging methods are limited by their intermittent measurements, requirements for skilled personnel, indirect interfaces, and/or their tethered connections. This paper reports a wireless, miniaturized, minimally invasive near-infrared spectroscopic system designed for uninterrupted monitoring of local-tissue oxygenation. A bioresorbable barbed structure anchors the probe stably at implantation sites for a time period matched to the clinical need, with the ability for facile removal afterward. The probe connects to a skin-interfaced electronic module for wireless access to essential physiological parameters, including local tissue oxygenation, pulse oxygenation, and heart rate. In vitro tests and in vivo studies in porcine flap and kidney models demonstrate the ability of the system to continuously measure oxygenation with high accuracy and sensitivity., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The aim of this study was to determine the mechanism by which SIRT6 regulates glucolipid metabolism disorders. We detected histological and molecular changes in Sprague-Dawley rats as well as in BRL 3A and INS-1 cell lines subjected to overnutrition and starvation. SIRT6, SREBP1c, and glucolipid metabolism biomarkers were identified by fluorescence co-localization, real-time PCR, and western blotting. Gene silencing studies were performed. Recombinant SIRT6, AMPK agonist (AICAR), mTOR inhibitor (rapamycin), and liver X receptor (LXR) agonist (T0901317) were used to pre-treated in BRL 3A and INS-1 cells. Real-time PCR and western blotting were used to detect related proteins, and cell counting was utilized to detect proliferation. We obtained conflicting results; SIRT6 and SREBP1c appeared in both the liver and pancreas of high-fat and hungry rats. Recombinant SIRT6 alleviated the decrease in AMPKα and increase in mTORC1 (complex of mTOR, Raptor, and Rheb) caused by overnutrition. SIRT6 siRNA reversed the glucolipid metabolic disorders caused by the AMPK agonist and mTOR inhibitor but not by the LXR agonist. Taken together, our results demonstrate that SIRT6 regulates glycolipid metabolism through AMPKα-mTORC1 regulating SREBP1c in the liver and pancreas induced by overnutrition and starvation, independent of LXR., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology.)

Background:  Current near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-based systems for continuous flap monitoring are limited to flaps which carry a cutaneous paddle. As such, this useful and reliable technology has not previously been applicable to muscle-only free flaps where other modalities with substantial limitations continue to be utilized., Methods:  We present the first NIRS probe which allows continuous monitoring of local tissue oxygen saturation (StO 2 ) directly within the substance of muscle tissue. This probe is flexible, subcentimeter in scale, waterproof, biocompatible, and is fitted with resorbable barbs which facilitate temporary autostabilization followed by easy atraumatic removal. This novel device was compared with a ViOptix T.Ox monitor in a porcine rectus abdominus myocutaneous flap model of arterial and venous occlusions. During these experiments, the T.Ox device was affixed to the skin paddle, while the novel probe was within the muscle component of the same flap., Results:  The intramuscular NIRS device and skin-mounted ViOptix T.Ox devices produced very similar StO 2 tracings throughout the vascular clamping events, with obvious and parallel changes occurring upon vascular clamping and release. The normalized cross-correlation at zero lag describing correspondence between the novel intramuscular NIRS and T.Ox devices was >0.99., Conclusion:  This novel intramuscular NIRS probe offers continuous monitoring of oxygen saturation within muscle flaps. This experiment demonstrates the potential suitability of this intramuscular NIRS probe for the task of muscle-only free flap monitoring, where NIRS has not previously been applicable. Testing in the clinical environment is necessary to assess durability and reliability., Competing Interests: M.A.P., Dr. M.R.M., and J.A.R. have a patent “Novel Wireless Probes for Tissue Perfusion Monitoring” pending. H.M.A. reports grant from National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health under award number F31NS115422, during the conduct of the study. M.R.M. holds an equity position in Acera Surgical, Inc. and OsteoVantage, Inc., is a board member at Acera Surgical, Inc., and has received funding from ConductiveBio, Inc. M.A.P. has received research funding from Checkpoint Inc. Aside from the issues disclosed above, no authors have any actual or potential conflicts of interest related to the study matter., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) 2000 scoring system classifies gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) patients into low- and high-risk groups, so that single- or multi-agent chemotherapy can be administered accordingly. However, a number of FIGO-defined low-risk patients still exhibit resistance to single-agent regimens, and the risk factors currently adopted in the FIGO scoring system possess inequable values for predicting single-agent chemoresistance. The purpose of this study is therefore to evaluate the efficacy of risk factors in predicting single-agent chemoresistance and explore the feasibility of simplifying the FIGO 2000 scoring system for GTN., Methods: The clinical data of 578 GTN patients who received chemotherapy between January 2000 and December 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out to identify risk factors associated with single-agent chemoresistance in low-risk GTN patients. Then, simplified models were built and compared with the original FIGO 2000 scoring system., Results: Among the eight FIGO risk factors, the univariate and multivariate analyses identified that pretreatment serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level and interval from antecedent pregnancy were consistently independent predictors for both first-line and subsequent single-agent chemoresistance. The simplified model with two independent factors showed a better performance in predicting single-agent chemoresistance than the model with the other four non-independent factors. However, the addition of other co-factors did improve the efficiency. Overall, simplified models can achieve favorable performance, but the original FIGO 2000 prognostic system still features the highest discrimination., Conclusions: Pretreatment serum hCG level and interval from antecedent pregnancy were independent predictors for both first-line and subsequent single-agent chemoresistance, and they had greater weight than other non-independent factors in predicting single-agent chemoresistance. The simplified model composed of certain selected factors is a promising alternative to the original FIGO 2000 prognostic system, and it shows comparable performance.

Choriocarcinoma is one of the most aggressive gestational trophoblastic neoplasias (GTN). Methotrexate (MTX) resistance is the main cause of treatment failure in choriocarcinoma. However, the mechanism of MTX resistance in choriocarcinoma is poorly known. This study aims to explore the function of Lectin galactoside-binding soluble 3 binding protein (LGALS3BP) in MTX-resistance in choriocarcinoma cells. Gradual dose escalation of MTX was used to establish MTX-resistant choriocarcinoma cells (JAR-MTX and JEG3-MTX cell lines). RNA-sequencing was used to explore the differentially expressed genes. Plasmids or SiRNA transfection was used to regulate the expression of LGALS3BP. ELISA was used to detect the concentrations of LGALS3BP in the serum of MTX-sensitive and MTX-resistant patients. qRT-PCR, Western blot, and CCK-8 assay were used to determine the effects of LGALS3BP on MTX-resistance in JAR and JEG3 cells. The results showed the relative resistance index (RI) of MTX is 791.50 and 1040.04 in JAR-MTX and JEG3-MTX, respectively. LGALS3BP was up-regulated in MTX-resistant cells compared to original cells in both RNA and protein level. The concentrations of LGALS3BP were higher in the sera of MTX-resistant patients than in MTX-sensitive patients. Knocking down LGALS3BP can reverse the MTX-resistance in JAR-MTX and JEG3-MTX cells. In summary, we preliminarily established two MTX-resistant cells, and performed RNA-sequencing, and found LGALS3BP may play important role in MTX-resistance. Our work not only provides a research tool (MTX-resistant cells) for other researchers, but gives some hint on how MTX resistance is regulated.

Esophageal cancer (EC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Recent studies highlight roles for microRNAs (miRNAs) in EC. Microarray analysis identified miR-194 as downregulated in EC. However, little is known about the role of miR-194 in regulating self-renewal or other biological properties of EC stem cells. RT-qPCR and Western blot confirmed the downregulation of miR-194 in EC stem cells and revealed the upregulation of protein regulator of cytokinesis 1 (PRC1) in EC. Dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed miR-194 targeting of PRC1 resulting in its downregulation. MiR-194 overexpression or PRC1 silencing reduced PRC1 expression, preventing the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway prevented the proliferation, invasion, and self-renewal of EC stem cells while promoting apoptosis. Furthermore, overexpressing miR-194 or silencing PRC1 in nude mice decreased the tumor formation ability of EC stem cells in vivo. Taken together, miR-194 prevents the progression of EC by downregulating PRC1 and inactivating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Objective and Impact Statement . Real-time monitoring of the temperatures of regional tissue microenvironments can serve as the diagnostic basis for treating various health conditions and diseases. Introduction . Traditional thermal sensors allow measurements at surfaces or at near-surface regions of the skin or of certain body cavities. Evaluations at depth require implanted devices connected to external readout electronics via physical interfaces that lead to risks for infection and movement constraints for the patient. Also, surgical extraction procedures after a period of need can introduce additional risks and costs. Methods . Here, we report a wireless, bioresorbable class of temperature sensor that exploits multilayer photonic cavities, for continuous optical measurements of regional, deep-tissue microenvironments over a timeframe of interest followed by complete clearance via natural body processes. Results . The designs decouple the influence of detection angle from temperature on the reflection spectra, to enable high accuracy in sensing, as supported by in vitro experiments and optical simulations. Studies with devices implanted into subcutaneous tissues of both awake, freely moving and asleep animal models illustrate the applicability of this technology for in vivo measurements. Conclusion . The results demonstrate the use of bioresorbable materials in advanced photonic structures with unique capabilities in tracking of thermal signatures of tissue microenvironments, with potential relevance to human healthcare., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2021 Wubin Bai et al.)

Objective: To analyze the types and properties of cystic lesions originating from the muscularis propria of the gastric cardia (CLMPGC), explore the growth pattern and anatomical characteristics, and evaluate the safety, feasibility, and clinical efficacy of endoscopic esophageal submucosal tunnel dissection (ESTD)., Methods: From September 2013 to July 2018, we treated 6 patients with CLMPGC whom we had diagnosed using endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), and Computed Tomography (CT) before the operations. ESTD was the best option for treatment for all these patients. Postoperative observation and follow-ups were performed, and the operational, clinical data, and treatment results are analyzed., Results: The mean age of the patients was 50.67 ± 11.59 years (male : female = 1 : 1). The only clinical manifestations the patients exhibited were upper abdominal discomfort. The diameter of the masses was 2.05 ± 0.73 (1.1-3.0) cm. The duration of the ESTD operation was 93.5 (82-256) mins, and the length of hospital stay was 7.50 ± 1.38 days. Postoperative pathology showed 4 cases of an epithelioid cyst, and 2 cases of mucocele with xanthogranuloma. There were no complications, such as hemorrhage, pneumothorax, and pleural effusion during and after the operation. No recurrence during the follow-ups was observed., Conclusion: The CLMPGC were mainly mucocele and epidermoid cyst, in an expansive growth pattern, and these lesions had no distinct borders with the muscularis propria. The muscularis propria formed a complete wall of the lesion. There was no direct blood supply to the lesions from big blood vessels. Endoscopic esophageal submucosal tunnel dissection was a safe, feasible, and effective treatment for CLMPGC., Competing Interests: All authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Lu Liu et al.)

Angiolipoma in the region of the hypopharynx-esophageal introitus is a rare occurrence. Surgical treatment was performed in the few cases reported in the literature. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a minimally invasive treatment for hypopharyngeal and esophageal lesions. Our objective was to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of ESD for treatment of angiolipoma at the hypopharynx-esophageal introitus. The patients with submucosal tumors at the hypopharynx-esophageal introitus were diagnosed as angiolipoma by preoperative evaluation with endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasonography, and computed tomography (CT). The patients who were diagnosed with angiolipoma agreed to undergo endoscopic submucosal dissection. Under general anesthesia and endotracheal intubation, ESD was used to remove the lesions. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were collected and analyzed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of endoscopic submucosal dissection. From January 2013 to December 2018, 6 cases of angiolipoma were treated with ESD with a success rate of 100%. The average operation time was 107.0 ± 69.4 minutes. Intraoperative blood loss is the main risk. Endoscopic thermocoagulation successfully stopped bleeding in all cases. Pharyngeal pain and painful swallowing were the main clinical signs. There was no stricture at the hypopharynx-esophageal introitus after the operation. ESD treatment of angiolipoma at hypopharynx-esophageal introitus is feasible, safe, and effective., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Lu Liu et al.)

Role of ST7-AS1 in the malignant progression of gastric cancer (GC) and its molecular mechanisms were investigated. ST7-AS1 level in GC tissues and matched normal tissues was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Its level in GC patients presenting different tumor stages and tumor sizes was determined. Subsequently, ST7-AS1 level in epithelial cells of gastric mucosa and GC cell lines was examined. Cellular behavior of GC cells, including viability, apoptosis, migration, invasion and cell cycle, influenced by ST7-AS1 was evaluated. The interaction between ST7-AS1 and EZH2 was assessed by RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. The involvement of EZH2 in the progression of GC mediated by ST7-AS1 was identified. ST7-AS1 was upregulated in GC tissues and cell lines. Its level was positively correlated to tumor stage and tumor size of GC. Knockdown of ST7-AS1 attenuated proliferative, migratory and invasive abilities, arrested cell cycle progression and induced apoptosis of GC cells. EZH2 was identified to interact with ST7-AS1, which attenuated the regulatory effects of ST7-AS1 on migratory and invasive abilities of GC cells. Upregulated ST7-AS1 in GC accelerated proliferation, migration and invasion, and inhibited apoptosis, thus aggravating the progression of GC., (Copyright: © Cai et al.)

Enhancing robustness and energy efficiency is critical in visible light communication (VLC) to support large-scale data traffic and connectivity of smart devices in the era of fifth-generation networks. To this end, we demonstrate that amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin-film solar cells with a high light absorption coefficient are particularly useful for simultaneous robust signal detection and efficient energy harvesting under the condition of weak light in this study. Moreover, a first-generation prototype called AquaE-lite is developed that consists of an a-Si thin-film solar panel and receiver circuits, which can detect weak light as low as 1 µW/cm 2 . Using AquaE-lite and a white-light laser, orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing signals with data rates of 1 Mb/s and 908.2 kb/s are achieved over a 20-m long-distance air channel and 2.4-m turbid outdoor pool water, respectively, under the condition of strong background light. The reliable VLC system based on energy-efficient a-Si thin-film solar cells opens a new pathway for future satellite-air-ground-ocean optical wireless communication to realize connectivity among millions of Internet of Things devices.

Objective: To study the effect of ursolic acid on cardiomyopathy in mice with diabetes induced by high-fat diet combined with low dose streptozotocin, and to explore its possible mechanism., Methods: Thirty male ICR mice were randomly divided into control group ( n =10) and moulding group ( n =20), the mice in the two groups were fed with regular diet and high-fat diet respectively for 6 weeks, and then the mice in the moulding group were injected with streptozotocin (30 mg/kg) for 5 successive days to induce diabetes mellitus (DM). Fasting blood glucose (FBG) was measured after 9 days. Mice with FBG over 11.1 mmol/L were regarded as DM. Twenty DM mice were randomly divided into model group and ursolic acid group ( n =10). Mice in each group were continuously administrated ursolic acid (100 mg/kg) or corresponding solvent intragastrically for 8 weeks. After that, FBG was measured, body weight (BW), heart weight and left ventricular weight were weighed in order to calculate the heart mass index (HMI) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI). Levels of creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in serum and the level of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) in myocardial tissue were detected. HE staining was used to observe pathological changes of myocardial tissue. Immunohistochemistry was employed to determine the expression of NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β)., Results: Compared with the control group, HMI, LVMI were apparently enlarged, levels of FBG, CK, LDH in serum and MDA in myocardial tissue were extremely increased, while the activity of SOD in myocardial tissue were extraordinary decreased in diabetic group. HE staining of myocardium showed that arrangement disorder of myocardial fibers, edema and hypertrophy in myocardial cell, as well as inflammatory cell infiltration in model group. Immunohistochemistry showed that the expression of NLRP3 and IL-1β in myocardial tissue increased obviously in model group, the above changes inursolic acid group were significantly ameliorated., Conclusions: Ursolic acid has a obvious protective effect on myocardial injury in mice with diabetes induced by high-fat diet combined with low dose streptozotocin, and its mechanism may be associated with inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation, reducing IL-1β generation and alleviating myocardial inflammatory injury.

Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (RAC1) is a member of the Rho family of small GTPases. Recent studies have reported that RAC1 serves an important role in colon cancer cell proliferation. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of RAC1 knockdown on cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and apoptosis of colon cancer cells. Lentivirus‑mediated short hairpin RNA (shRNA) was used to knockdown RAC1 expression in colon cancer cell lines, and cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle progression were evaluated by MTT assays and flow cytometry. The differences in mRNAs expression were identified between RAC1-knockdown cells and control cells using a mRNA microarray, following which quantitative PCR (qPCR) and western blot were employed to confirm the results of the mRNA microarray. The proliferative ability of colon cancer cells was significantly decreased following RAC1 knockdown, and RAC1 knockdown increased the apoptotic rate and enhanced cell cycle arrest at G1 phase in colon cancer cells. In addition, >1,200 known genes were demonstrated to be involved in RAC1‑associated tumorigenic functions in SW620 colon cancer cells, as determined by gene chip analysis; these genes were associated with cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis and metastasis. Furthermore, western blot analysis indicated that cyclin D1 was downregulated, whereas B‑cell lymphoma 2‑associated agonist of cell death (BAD) was upregulated following RAC1 knockdown in colon cancer cells. In conclusion, RAC1 silencing may suppress the proliferation of colon cancer cells by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. In addition, a large number of genes were revealed to be involved in the process, including BAD, which was upregulated and cyclin D1, which was downregulated. Further studies on these differentially expressed genes may provide a better understanding of the potential roles of RAC1 in colon carcinogenesis.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) represent a newly identified class of non‑coding RNA molecules, which interfere with gene transcription by adsorbing microRNAs (miRNAs). CircRNAs serve important roles in disease development and have the potential to serve as a novel class of biomarkers for clinical diagnosis. However, the role of circRNAs in the occurrence and development of gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. In the present study, the expression profiles of circRNAs were compared between GC and adjacent normal tissues using a circRNA microarray, following which quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to confirm the results of the circRNA microarray. Compared with the adjacent, normal mucosal tissues, 16 circRNAs were upregulated and 84 circRNAs were downregulated in GC. A total of 10 circRNAs were selected for validation in three pairs of GC and adjacent noncancerous tissues. The qPCR results were consistent with the findings of the microarray‑based expression analysis. Of the circRNAs studied, only circRNA‑0026 (hsa&#95;circ&#95;0000026) exhibited significantly different expression in GC (2.8‑fold, P=0.001). Furthermore, online Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery annotation was used to predict circRNA‑targeted miRNA‑gene interactions. The analysis revealed that circRNA‑0026 may regulate RNA transcription, RNA metabolism, gene expression, gene silencing and other biological functions in GC. In conclusion, differential expression of circRNAs may be associated with GC tumorigenesis, and circRNA‑0026 is a promising biomarker for GC diagnosis and targeted therapy.

Objective: Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD) protein, as cytoplasmic receptor of the innate immune response, plays an important role in adipose inflammation and insulin resistance in obesity. Our objective was to examine adipose tissue (AT) NOD in nascent metabolic syndrome (MetS) patients and to investigate its association with MetS features., Methods: Thirty-four MetS subjects and 31 controls were recruited. Fasting blood was collected, and abdominal subcutaneous AT was obtained by biopsy for NOD1/NOD2 expression and activity., Results: MetS subjects showed significantly increased expression for NOD1 on adipose depots as compared to controls. In addition to increased expression of downstream signaling mediators RIPK2 and NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation, there was remarkably higher release of monocyte chemotactic protein1 (MCP-1), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-8 in MetS versus controls following priming of the isolated adipocytes with NOD1 ligand iE-DAP. With regard to NOD2, the differences between the two groups were not significant in either basal state or after activation. Increased NOD1 positively correlated with waist circumference. NOD1 was also correlated with HbA1c and HOMA-IR. NOD1 positively correlated with serum levels of IL-6, MCP-1, and NF-κB activity., Conclusions: Activation of the innate immune pathway via NOD1 may be partially responsible for the increased systemic inflammation and insulin resistance in MetS., (© 2015 The Obesity Society.)

Distributed estimation of Gaussian mixtures has many applications in wireless sensor network (WSN), and its energy-efficient solution is still challenging. This paper presents a novel diffusion-based EM algorithm for this problem. A diffusion strategy is introduced for acquiring the global statistics in EM algorithm in which each sensor node only needs to communicate its local statistics to its neighboring nodes at each iteration. This improves the existing consensus-based distributed EM algorithm which may need much more communication overhead for consensus, especially in large scale networks. The robustness and scalability of the proposed approach can be achieved by distributed processing in the networks. In addition, we show that the proposed approach can be considered as a stochastic approximation method to find the maximum likelihood estimation for Gaussian mixtures. Simulation results show the efficiency of this approach.

Predicting protein-coding genes still remains a significant challenge. Although a variety of computational programs that use commonly machine learning methods have emerged, the accuracy of predictions remains a low level when implementing in large genomic sequences. Moreover, computational gene finding in newly sequenced genomes is especially a difficult task due to the absence of a training set of abundant validated genes. Here we present a new gene-finding program, SCGPred, to improve the accuracy of prediction by combining multiple sources of evidence. SCGPred can perform both supervised method in previously well-studied genomes and unsupervised one in novel genomes. By testing with datasets composed of large DNA sequences from human and a novel genome of Ustilago maydi, SCG-Pred gains a significant improvement in comparison to the popular ab initio gene predictors. We also demonstrate that SCGPred can significantly improve prediction in novel genomes by combining several foreign gene finders with similarity alignments, which is superior to other unsupervised methods. Therefore, SCG-Pred can serve as an alternative gene-finding tool for newly sequenced eukaryotic genomes. The program is freely available at http://bio.scu.edu.cn/SCGPred/.

Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) was used to monitor thermal-induced changes in the blood flow and the diameter of mesenteric microvessels of normal and tumor bearing mice under 60 min treatment at different constant temperatures between 41 degrees C and 45 degrees C. The results show that the blood flow and the diameter increase at the beginning and then reach a plateau and finally start to decrease. The lower the temperature, the longer the plateau stays. A t-test indicates that there is no significant difference in plateau values of relative blood flow and relative diameter for the same group. For normal mice, the relative increases in the blood flow and the diameter are 1.26 and 1.41, respectively, while for tumor-bearing mice they are 1.08 and 1.13, respectively. At higher treatment temperature or under longer heat treatment, there are decreases in the blood flow and the diameter, such changes in tumor-bearing mice are more obvious than those in normal mice, which means tumor microvessels are more sensitive to heat than normal. Moreover, thermal induced shrink of microvessel usually occurs sooner than the decrease in blood flow, and the relative change in diameter is larger than that in blood flow. Therefore we may conclude that deformation of vessel is a main factor for changing the blood perfusion of a microvessel.

Objective: To study the correlation between clinical prognosis and clinicopathologic features, origin and cell proliferous index of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in China., Methods: The data of 60 cases of DLBCL were collected with the study of international prognostic index (IPI) and the follow-up results. Immunohistochemistry stain was used to check the expression of CD(45)RO, CD(3), CD(20), CD(79)a, CD(45)RA, Ki-67, p53 and bcl-6., Results: The ratio of male to female is 1.73 and the average age is 53.1. In 53.3% cases lymph node were involved (32/60), gastric intestinal tract and tonsil were the most common extranodal sites of involvement. 23 patients 38.3% died during follow-up, the longest survival period lasting 108 months.16 died in the first year after establishment of diagnosis (16/23, 69.6%). IPI is an independent prognostic index; the lower the index, the better the prognosis (P = 0.0102). Positive incidence of CD(20), CD(79)a and CD(45)RA was 91.5%, 73.7% and 58.3%. Ki-67, p53, bcl-6 were expressed in some cases (48/53, 90.6%; 26/46, 56.5%; 21/41, 51.2%). The expression of bcl-6 protein was somewhat related with prognosis (P = 0.0049), but the expression of p53 was not (P = 0.5948)., Conclusions: The clinicopathologic features of DLBCL are similar in the East and the West. It is highly aggressive tumor. Most of the cases died in the first year after establishment of diagnosis. IPI can be used to predict the clinical outcome. The expression of bcl-6 protein was somewhat related with clinical prognosis, but that of p53 was not.

Background & Objective: Brain gliomas seldom undergo extracranial metastasis. Local recurrence is the main reason of tumor patient's death. Therefore, it is important to detect tumor biological features through determination of gene expression. This study was designed to investigate the expression of nm23 (non-metastasis gene, nm23)and PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) and evaluate the malignancy, recurrence, and prognosis of the tumor., Methods: In 50 specimens of different malignant gliomas,the expression of nm23 and PCNA were examined using SP immunohistochemical staining., Results: (1)The label indexes of nm23 and PCNA in low-grade gliomas were 3.40+/-0.27 and 3.60+/-0.05, respectively; while the label indexes of nm23 and PCNA in high-grade gliomas were 1.72+/-0.18 and 6.20+/-0.23, respectively.There was significant difference between the two groups(P< 0.05). (2)The positive rates of nm23 and PCNA were 56% (14 cases) and 64% (16 cases) in 25 cases of low-grade gliomas, while the positive rates of nm23 and PCNA were 12% (3 cases) and 88% (22 cases) in 25 cases of high-grade gliomas. There was significant difference between the two groups (P< 0.05). (3)The positive rates of nm23 and PCNA were 0% (0 cases) and 100% (9 cases) in 9 cases of recurrent gliomas, while the positive rates of nm23 and PCNA were 50%(34 cases) and 50%(4 cases) in 8 cases of non-recurrent gliomas. There was significant difference between the two groups (P< 0.05). (4)The label indexes of nm23 and PCNA in gliomas were inversely correlated (r=-0.5335,P< 0.001)., Conclusion: (1)The expression of nm23 is inversely correlated with the malignancy of gliomas,i.e.the lower expression indicates the higher malignancy. (2)The expression of PCNA is associated with the increased malignancy. (3)Both nm23 and PCNA may be useful biological markers to evaluate the malignancy and prognosis of patients with gliomas.