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This research is focused on decision-making problems with redundant and incomplete information under a fuzzy environment. Firstly, we present the definition of incomplete fuzzy soft sets and analyze their data structures. Based on that, binary relationships between each pair of objects and the “restricted/relaxed AND” operations in the incomplete fuzzy soft set are discussed. After that, the definition of incomplete fuzzy soft decision systems is proposed. To reduce the inconsistency caused by the redundant information in decision making, the significance of the attribute subset, the reduct attribute set, the optimal reduct attribute set and the core attribute in incomplete fuzzy soft decision systems is also discussed. These definitions can be applied in an incomplete fuzzy soft set directly, so there is no need to convert incomplete data into complete one in the process of reduction. Then a new decision-making algorithm based on the above definitions can be developed, which can deal with redundant information and incomplete information simultaneously, and is independent of some unreliable assumptions about the data generating mechanism to forecast the incomplete information. Lastly, the algorithm is applied in the problem of regional food safety evaluation in Chongqing, China, and the corresponding comparison analysis demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) problems in practice may simultaneously contain both redundant and incomplete information and are difficult to solve. This paper proposes a new decision-making approach based on soft set theory to solve MCDM problems with redundant and incomplete information. Firstly, we give an incomplete soft set a precise definition. After that, the binary relationships of objects in an incomplete soft set are analyzed and some operations on it are provided. Next, some definitions regarding the incomplete soft decision system are also given. Based on that, an algorithm to solve MCDM problems with redundant and incomplete information based on an incomplete soft set is presented and illustrated with a numerical example. The results show that our newly developed method can be directly used on the original redundant and incomplete data set. There is no need to transform an incomplete information system into a complete one, which may lead to bad decision-making due to information loss or some unreliable assumptions about the data generating mechanism. To demonstrate its practical applications, the proposed method is applied to a problem of regional food safety evaluation in Chongqing, China.

Cellular receptor-mediated signaling pathways play critical roles during the initial immune response to Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection. However, the involvement of type-I transmembrane glycoprotein CD147/EMMPRIN (extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer) in the antiviral response to HCMV infection is still unknown. Here, we demonstrated the specific knockdown of CD147 significantly decreased HCMV-induced activation of NF-κB and Interferon-beta (IFN-β), which contribute to the cellular antiviral responses. Next, we confirmed that HCMV-encoded miR-US25-1-5p could target the 3 UTR (Untranslated Region) of CD147 mRNA, and thus facilitate HCMV lytic propagation at a low multiplicity of infection (MOI). The expression and secretion of Cyclophilin A (sCyPA), as a ligand for CD147 and a proinflammatory cytokine, were up-regulated in response to HCMV stimuli. Finally, we confirmed that CD147 mediated HCMV-triggered antiviral signaling via the sCyPA-CD147-ERK (extracellular regulated protein kinases)/NF-κB axis signaling pathway. These findings reveal an important HCMV mechanism for evading antiviral innate immunity through its encoded microRNA by targeting transmembrane glycoprotein CD147, and a potential cause of HCMV inflammatory disorders due to the secretion of proinflammatory cytokine CyPA.

With the rapid development of the Internet of Vehicles (IoV), the demand for wireless spectrum resources has significantly increased. Dynamic spectrum sharing technology is regarded as a key solution to alleviate the shortage of spectrum resources. However, during the spectrum sharing process, security issues and a low utilization of the shared spectrum may arise. This study designs a consortium blockchain for trustworthy dynamic spectrum sharing in IoV environments. An improved asynchronous byzantine fault-tolerant algorithm is also designed to address the instability of signals in this scenario, and the allocation and management of spectrum resources between vehicles and base stations are further optimized using the Stackelberg game, ultimately deployed automatically through smart contracts. Simulation results show that our method not only significantly improves the system's response time but also ensures communication quality and can maintain efficient operation under high network delay and complex scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: The sustainable development of rural areas has become a critical factor in global economic and social transformation. As an essential part of China's rural ecological and cultural system, traditional villages are now facing a crisis of yearly decline, and sustainable development has become a meaningful way to solve the problem. This study utilized morphological indicator analysis and the SDGs as an evaluation framework to reveal the correlation and driving factors between traditional villages' spatial form and sustainability indicators. From the perspective of the spatial form, this approach has specific reference significance for improving the sustainability of traditional villages. (2) Methods: A framework for detecting the driving factors of rural sustainability based on four dimensions (morphology, environment, economy, and society) was constructed. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to analyze the geographic patterns and morphological indicator characteristics of traditional villages in Jiangsu Province, and GeoDetector was used to analyze the driving mechanisms of the spatial patterns of sustainability in traditional villages, providing the basis for spatial zoning and differentiated policy design for the construction, planning, and management of sustainable villages. (3) Results: ➀ The spatial patterns and morphological characteristics of traditional villages exhibit prominent geographical imbalances and significant cluster cores. ➁ The high-density and low-aspect-ratio rural form in the southern region (where rural industries are developed) promotes good economic sustainability in rural areas but also leads to poor environmental performance. The rural areas in the southwest and north (high-density forest areas) have medium density and a high aspect ratio, and the lack of agricultural space and external connections affects their social performance. The main focus is on poverty reduction and urban cooperation. The central and northern lakeside areas and the eastern coastal areas (important ecological protection areas) have low density and high aspect ratios, which have helped them to achieve excellent environmental performance but also led to contradictions in environmental, economic, and social performance. Maintaining low-density patterns, using clean energy, and protecting terrestrial and underwater biodiversity are essential to the sustainability of the rural environment. The agglomeration of spatial patterns promotes cooperation between rural and urban areas and improves industrial development, contributing to the sustainability of the rural economy. Improving social welfare and agricultural development contributes to the sustainability of rural societies. ➂ The impacts of various factors vary significantly; for example, Life below Water (SDG14), Climate Action (SDG13), and No Poverty (SDG1) are the most prominent, followed by Partnerships for the Goals (SDG17), Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG7), and Recent Work and Economic Growth (SDG8). (4) Conclusions: It is recommended that the government, with the driving mechanisms, divide the spatial management zoning of traditional villages in Jiangsu into three types of policy areas: environmental-oriented, economic-oriented, and social-oriented. Differentiated and targeted suggestions should be proposed to provide a critical decision-making basis for protecting and utilizing traditional villages in Jiangsu and similar provinces, as well as to help promote rural revitalization and sustainable rural construction in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3), a newly emerged immune regulator, is considered to be involved in type 2 diabetic periodontitis (T2DCP). However, the risk factors and genes with altered expression that influence the progression and severity of T2DCP remain unknown. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to elucidate the relationship between 25(OH)D3 deficiency and severity of T2DCP as well as the potential mechanisms. Material and Methods: A total of 182 subjects were divided into two groups: chronic periodontitis without diabetes (P group, n = 88) and type 2 diabetes mellitus with periodontitis (DM+P group, n = 94). Patients in both groups were further classified according to age as young (Y) and elderly (E) for a total of four groups: P/Y, P/E, DM+P/Y, and DM+P/E. Periodontal status was evaluated based on the probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL). The serum levels of human 25(OH)D3, interleukin (IL)‐1β, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays. Immunohistochemistry was used to measure the expression of protein tyrosine phosphatase non‐receptor type 2 (PTPN2), vitamin D receptor (VDR), and JAK/STAT proteins in the gingival tissue. Results: Serum 25(OH)D3 levels were lower in the DM+P group than those in the P group (P < 0.001). When the patients were subgrouped according to age, 25(OH)D3 deficiency was more commonly found in DM+P/E than in DM+P/Y (67% vs 51%), with a significant difference detected in the 25(OH)D3 quartile of 15‐20 ng/mL (P = 0.007). The 25(OH)D3 level showed a significant negative correlation with fasting blood glucose (FBG) (r = −0.623), serum IL‐1β (r = −0.392), serum TNF‐α (r = −0.218), PD (r = −0.269), and CAL (r = −0.305) in the DM+P group (all P < 0.05), but not with hemoglobin A1c (P = 0.123). Additionally, reduced VDR and PTPN2 expression levels were observed in DM+P patients, whereas JAK1 and p‐STAT5 protein levels were increased in this group. Conclusions: Vitamin D3 deficiency is strongly associated with T2DCP, and age mediates this relationship. Abnormal FBG and IL‐1β levels should be considered as important potential risk factors for the progression and severity of T2DCP. Moreover, 25(OH)D3 deficiency may be related to the immune function of T2DCP by weakening PTPN2 signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the risk factors for mortality of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) patients admitted with interstitial lung disease (ILD) to guide rapid and accurate judgment of clinical prognosis., Patients and Methods: This retrospective, single-center cohort study was conducted with 135 participants (37 males, 98 females; mean age: 54.8±11.1 years; range, 24 to 85 years) between June 1, 2016, and June 30, 2021. The participants were categorized into the survival group (n=111) and nonsurvivors (n=24) according to whether they survived during the one-year follow-up. The independent risk factors for mortality in one year after discharge were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine the accuracy of oxygenation index at baseline combined with pulmonary infection (PI) at follow-up to indicate death in IIM-ILD patients., Results: Compared to the survival group, nonsurvivors were older (p=0.006) and had a higher proportion of anti-MDA5 (melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5) positivity (p<0.001). The ILD duration was shorter (p=0.006), the oxygenation index was lower (p<0.001), and the intensive care unit occupancy rate (p<0.001) and ventilator utilization rate (p<0.001) were elevated in nonsurvivors compared to the survival group. Oxygenation index at baseline (odds ratio [OR]=1.021, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.001-1.023, p=0.040) and PI (clinical judgment) at follow-up (OR=16.471, 95% CI: 1.565-173.365, p=0.020) were found as independent risk factors for death in the year after discharge in IIM inpatients with ILD. An oxygenation index ≤279 mmHg at baseline combined with PI at follow-up exhibited a promising predictive value for all-cause death in IIM-ILD patients within one year., Conclusion: Oxygenation index at baseline and PI during follow-up were independent risk factors for death of IIM-ILD patients within one year after discharge. Patients with an oxygenation index ≤279 mmHg at baseline had an increased risk of death once they developed PI during the one-year follow-up., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024, Turkish League Against Rheumatism.)

Type 2 diabetic mellitus is manifested by metabolic impairments with high prevalence worldwide, of which periodontitis represents a typical oral complication (also called diabetic periodontitis). Oral epithelia bear the brunt of periodontal damage from microscopic intruders; thus the defense function of epithelial cells is of vital significance. We have previously proved that 25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 (25-OHD 3 ) altered the expression of cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide in oral epithelial cells in vitro. Herein, we discovered that 25-OHD 3 intraperitoneal injection attenuated periodontal inflammation by promoting cathelicidin production in gingival epithelia and reducing fasting glucose of diabetic mice. Dotblotting of serum showed cathelicidin secretion was consistent with 25-OHD 3 treatment. Immunochemistry exhibited enhanced expression of cathelicidin and vitamin D receptors along with reduced expression of TLR4 in diabetic mice. Stereomicroscope showed less alveolar bone loss when injected with 25-OHD 3 .These results showed 25-OHD 3 can promote cathelicidin and ameliorate the severity of diabetic periodontitis. Our study complemented the mechanism of cathelicidin and extended knowledge of 25-OHD 3 's role in diabetic periodontitis.