Search

Background: Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate among cancers. Radiation therapy (RT) is one of the most effective therapies for lung cancer. The correct segmentation of lung tumors (LTs) and organs at risk (OARs) is the cornerstone of successful RT. Methods: We searched four databases for relevant material published in the last 10 years: Web of Science, PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. The advancement of deep learning-based segmentation technology for lung cancer radiotherapy (DSLC) research was examined from the perspectives of LTs and OARs. Results: In this paper, Most of the dice similarity coefficient (DSC) values of LT segmentation in the surveyed literature were above 0.7, whereas the DSC indicators of OAR segmentation were all over 0.8. Conclusion: The contribution of this review is to summarize DSLC research methods and the issues that DSLC faces are discussed, as well as possible viable solutions. The purpose of this review is to encourage collaboration among experts in lung cancer radiotherapy and DL and to promote more research into the use of DL in lung cancer radiotherapy.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are important members of the plant microbiome and affect the uptake and transfer of mineral elements by forming a symbiotic relationship with plant roots. Nitrogen (N), as an important mineral element, can directly affect plant growth and development at different N levels. It has been confirmed that inoculation with AMF can improve the efficiency of N utilization by plants. However, there are still fewer reports on the dynamic relationship between arbuscular mycorrhizal and plant secondary metabolites at different nitrogen levels. In this experiment, the physiological indexes and genes related to saponin synthesis were determined by applying different concentration gradients of nitrogen to the medicinal plant P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis infested by AMF as the test material. It was found that nitrogen addition increased the biomass, chlorophyll content, and nutrient content of above- and below-ground plant parts and increased the content of saponin content of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis to some extent, but AMF inoculation increased the saponin content of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis more significantly. AMF inoculation also promoted the expression of genes related to the saponin synthesis pathway, including 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A synthase (HMGS), squalene epoxidase 1 (SE1), and cycloartenol synthase (CAS), which is in according with the accumulation of saponin in plants. It also may increase the saponin content of AMF plants by altering the expression of P450s and UGTs related to saponin synthesis.

Tremors are a symptom of several disorders of the central and peripheral nervous systems, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). Exoskeletons have been investigated as noninvasive tremor suppression alternatives to medication and surgery. The challenge in musculoskeletal tremor suppression is attenuation of tremor motion without impeding the patient’s voluntary motion. Linear low-pass filters (LPFs) are commonly used for tremor removal. This study presents an alternative method based on an adaptive filter. We compare the effectiveness of the LPFs and adaptive filter on the recorded acceleration signals from an online database.

Wolfiporia cocos is commonly used as a traditional Chinese medicine for its diuretic, tonifying, and invigorating effects on the spleen. However, the epidermis of W. cocos is discarded as scrap during harvesting because of its low price, resulting in a great waste of resources and environmental pollution. In this work, the epidermis of W. cocos was studied and three new lanostane triterpenoids were isolated. The structures were determined using NMR and HRESIMS, with absolute configurations established by comparison of the calculated and experimental ECD spectra. The three new compounds were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities in vitro against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. None of the tested compounds showed inhibition against these three strains of indicator microbes at a concentration of 128 μg/ml. This study provides a reference for further medicinal development and the utilization of the epidermis of W. cocos.

Objective MicroRNA-29a-3p has been reported in a variety of cancers, but its role in hypopharyngeal cancer remains unclear. This study was to determine the role of microRNA-29a-3p in the occurrence and development of hypopharyngeal cancer. Methods 40 patients with hypopharyngeal cancer who underwent surgery in the Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University from April 2013 to November 2017 were selected for this study. The cancer tissue samples of the patients were collected, and the patients were followed up for three years. The expression of microRNA-29a-3p in tissue samples was detected by in situ hybridization with fluorescent probe, and the relationships among microRNA-29a-3p and clinicopathological factors, postoperative recurrent-metastasis, survival time were studied. Immunohistochemical was used to detect the expression of Ki67 and E-cadherin in tissue samples. Results Combined with HE staining results showed that microRNA-29a-3p expression was relatively high in non-cancer tissue cells (red blood cells and fibroblasts in tumor interstitial vessels), but was relatively low in cancer tissue and cells. According to the follow-up data of 40 patients with hypopharyngeal cancer, tumor size, T-stage, tumor differentiation, postoperative recurrent-metastasis of hypopharyngeal cancer patients were significantly negatively correlated with microRNA-29a-3p (p< 0.05). Immunohistochemica results further confirmed that microRNA-29a-3p was negatively correlated with the expression of Ki67 and E-cadherin. The survival time of patients positively related with microRNA-29a-3p expression (p< 0.05). Moreover, ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of the combined detection of miRNA-29a-3p+Ki67+E-cadherin was larger than that of the single detection of the three indexes. Conclusions The expression of microRNA-29a-3p is closely related to the occurrence, development and prognosis of hypopharyngeal cancer, and it affects the proliferation and invasion. This indicates that microRNA-29a-3p serves as a therapeutic target for the occurrence and development of hypopharyngeal cancer. The evidence of study designs of this study is IV using “Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine 2011 Levels of Evidence”.

Dao-Lin Wu,1,2,&ast; Chun-Li Luo,3,&ast; Xu Du,1 Pei-Pei Li,1 Min Jiang,1 Tao Liu,2,4 Yun Sun1,2 1School of Nursing, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 2Clinical Medical College and the First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Nursing, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Oncology, Clinical Medical College and the First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Key Clinical Specialty of Sichuan, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yun Sun, No. 783, Xindu Avenue, Xindu District, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China, Email sy83016603@163.com Tao Liu, No. 783, Xindu Avenue, Xindu District, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China, Email liutao520513@163.comObjective: Readiness for hospital discharge is an important indicator of patients’ transition from illness to health and can predict rehabilitation and prognosis. Identifying factors that influence readiness for discharge is crucial for developing effective nursing interventions. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the current status of discharge readiness and its influencing factors in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods: A total of 311 elderly inpatients diagnosed with COPD were enrolled in this investigation at a tertiary hospital in Chengdu between December 2021 and June 2022. Questionnaires were designed to collect general information, disease-related information, and responses to the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale (RHDS) and the Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale (QDTS). Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were employed to further analyze factors related to discharge readiness and the correlation between discharge readiness and the quality of discharge guidance.Results: The total score of discharge readiness of elderly COPD patients was 77.72 ± 11.86 with a mean score of 6.48 ± 0.19 for each item. The quality of discharge instructions was 110.54 ± 15.66, with a mean score of 6.12 ± 0.15 for each item. Discharge preparation was positively correlated with the quality of discharge guidance. Multivariate analysis showed that marital status, admission mode, length of stay in hospital, Classification of Severity of Airflow Limitation, mMRC classification, number of medications taken with discharge, presence of inhalers in medication orders, mode of home oxygen therapy, and quality of discharge guidance were independent factors of discharge readiness in elderly COPD patients (P < 0.05).Conclusion: Both discharge readiness and the quality of discharge guidance for elderly COPD patients in China are currently suboptimal and need further improvement. The survey findings provide valuable insights that can guide future management practices and interventions aimed at improving discharge readiness.Keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, discharge readiness, quality of discharge guidance, nursing care

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the radiation dose and image quality of head CT using SPS and OBTCM techniques. METHODS: Three anthropomorphic head phantoms (1-yr-old, 5-yr-old, and adult) were used. Images were acquired using four modes (Default protocol, OBTCM, SPS, and SPS+OBTCM). Absorbed dose to the lens, anterior brain (brain_A), and posterior brain (brain_P) was measured and compared. Image noise and CNR were assessed in the selected regions of interest (ROIs). RESULTS: Compared with that in the Default protocol, the absorbed dose to the lens reduced by up to 28.33%,71.38%, and 71.12% in OBTCM, SPS, and SPS+OBTCM, respectively. The noise level in OBTCM slightly (≤1.45HU) increased than that in Default protocol, and the SPS or SPS+OBTCM mode resulted in a quantitatively small increase (≤2.58HU) in three phantoms. There was no significant difference in CNR of different phantoms under varies scanning modes (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: During head CT examinations, the SPS mode can reduce the radiation dose while maintaining image quality. SPS+OBTCM couldn’t further effectively reduce the absorbed dose to the lens for 1-yr and 5-yr-old phantoms. Thus, SPS mode in pediatric and SPS+OBTCM mode in adult are better than other modes, and should be used in clinical practice.

Under the background of big data and the Internet of Things, different design elements in domestic architectural design are becoming more and more abundant. During the integration of different elements, traditional elements are an important part of the domestic building decoration industry. In the integration of the entire architectural style, it is integrated with the entire architectural style. It reflects the deep heritage of traditional culture. Many scholars have conducted in-depth research on this phenomenon, but how to better apply big data technology to promote the application of traditional elements in the field of architecture is still blank. This paper establishes a scientific evaluation model according to the different proportions in the application of traditional architectural elements and its proportion in the external display of actual buildings, which opens up new ideas for research in this field. This article studies the application and development prospects of the traditional elements of the architectural decoration industry in my country, and explores the innovative development of traditional decorative elements in the modern architectural decoration industry. Study the development needs of modern aesthetic design in the current stage of the building decoration industry. Through the rich and innovative application survey of traditional elements, the vitality in modern architectural decoration that stimulates traditional culture, and continuously enriches the extensive development and innovative development of the domestic building decoration industry. Stimulates the importance of traditional architectural decoration elements. This article conducts statistics and analysis of the big data and decoration requirements of the domestic decoration industry, applies the computing and evaluation model in the field of architecture, and evaluates the application of traditional elements in the field of architectural decoration more coordinated development. Looking at the existing research results, they all put forward suggestions for development at a macro level, but there is a blank on how to choose the ratio of various traditional factors more scientifically. In order to solve this problem, the research has created a scientific calculation model. Traditional factors are used for assignment and big data is used for calculation, which provides new ideas for research in this field.

The extraction and identification of endogenous peptides from plants are relatively unexplored because of the degradation of peptides after extraction from plant tissues. In this study, we developed an optimized sample preparation protocol that combined constant water heating with plant protease inhibitors and TCA-acetone precipitation, resulting in the effective extraction of endogenous peptide from plants, such as maize, while diminishing unspecific protease activity. The results showed that a total of 2867 endogenous peptides were identified in three maize samples using this method, of which 2119 (73.9%) peptides were commonly identified in all three samples. The length and molecular weight of these peptides ranged from 8 to 25 amino acids and from 729.44 to 2980.62 Da, respectively, with 96.4% of the peptide scores greater than 40. These results indicated that our extraction method is highly reproducible, precise, and wide-ranging, providing optimized information for large-scale identification of plant endogenous peptides.

In the context of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, offline learning is undoubtedly limited, so online education is becoming increasingly significant. The authors collected data related to online teaching and educational games and compared their advantages and disadvantages from the perspectives of learning engagement and popularity. It was found that online lectures and educational games scored high on the dimensions of students' learning motivation, understanding engagement, and enthusiasm to participate, especially online educational games, which perform well in stimulating students' interest in learning, enhancing their sense of belonging to the group, and creating a better learning atmosphere. However, users' popularity of online classes and online educational games varies significantly. In contrast to the vast number of users of online classes, educational games are not universally accepted as a way of education in China. It is analysed that the main reason is that Chinese parents and teachers are biased against learning through games. It is challenging to connect learning with games, especially in China. Therefore, it is recommended that the mixed teaching mode of traditional teaching as the primary and game education as the auxiliary can be piloted before large-scale promotion.

Tao Liu,1,&ast; Ronghua Zuo,2,&ast; Jia Song,1,&ast; Jia Wang,3 Zhijian Zhu,1 Lifang Sun,1 Shasha Wang,1 Baoyin Li,1 Yesheng Pan,1 Bing Wang1 1Department of Cardiology, Jinshan Branch of Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, 201500, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Nephrology, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221000, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Bing Wang, Department of Cardiology, Jinshan Branch of Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, 201500, People’s Republic of China, Email wangbing860716@163.comObjective: The association between serum uric acid (sUA) and incident abdominal aortic calcification (AAC), and severe abdominal aortic calcification (SAAC) in the general population of the United States (US) is unclear. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the association between sUA and the risk of AAC and SAAC.Methods: Individuals from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database were analyzed cross-sectionally between 2013 and 2014. The restricted cubic spline (RCS), multivariable logistic regression model and subgroup analysis were utilized to evaluate the correlation between sUA and incident AAC, and SAAC. In addition, generalized additive models with smooth functions were employed to survey the relationship between sUA and the degree of AAC.Results: This study included 3016 individuals from the NHANES database. According to the RCS plot, sUA levels were associated with the risk of AAC/SAAC in a U-shaped pattern in the US population. The degree of calcification decreased at first and then increased with the increase in the sUA level.Conclusion: Close monitoring and adequate control of sUA levels in the US general population may reduce the risk of AAC and SAAC.Keywords: abdominal aortic calcification, serum uric acid, cross-sectional study, China, United States

Highway markings (HMs) are representative elements of inventory digitalization in highway scenes. The accurate position, semantics, and maintenance information of HMs provide significant support for the intelligent management of highways. This article presents a robust and efficient approach for extracting, reconstructing, and degrading analyzing HMs in complex highway scenes. Compared with existing road marking extraction methods, not only can extract HMs in presence of wear and occlusion from point clouds, but we also perform a degradation analysis for HMs. First, the HMs candidate area is determined accurately by sophisticated image processing. Second, the prior knowledge of marking design rules and edge-based matching model that leverages the standard geometric template and radiometric appearance of HMs is used for accurately extracting and reconstructing solid lines and nonsolid markings of HMs, respectively. Finally, two degradation indicators are constructed to describe the completeness of the marking contour and consistency within the marking. Comprehensive experiments on two existing highways revealed that the proposed methods achieved an overall performance of 95.4% and 95.4% in the recall and 93.8% and 95.5% in the precision for solid line and nonsolid line markings, respectively, even with imperfect data. Meanwhile, a database can be established to facilitate agencies' efficient maintenance.