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Recently, accumulating study shows that some long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have potential protein/peptide-coding capacities. In this study, the coding potential of lncRNA distal-less homeobox 6 antisense 1 (DLX6-AS1) was examined and the roles and downstream pathways of a DLX6-AS1-encoded peptide in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell development were investigated. The peptide-coding potential of lncRNA DLX6-AS1 was extrapolated based on prior ribosome footprint and ribosome sequencing data, IPX0002962000 mass spectrometry dataset, and Getorf bioinformatics analysis. The peptide-coding abilities of several DLX6-AS1 open reading frame (ORF) fragments, as well as protein levels were detected by Western blot assay. Cell proliferative, migratory, and invasive abilities were tested by CCK-8 or Transwell assays, respectively. Potential key biological processes and pathways related to DLX6-AS1 expression were identified by single-gene gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) based on RNA-seq data of 510 lung adenocarcinoma samples in the TCGA GDC database. The results showed that an ORF of lncRNA DLX6-AS1 could encode a short peptide. The exogenous overexpression of this ORF-encoded peptide promoted NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. GSEA analysis suggested that DLX6-AS1 might play crucial roles in cancer progression and wnt signaling pathway. Further analysis revealed that the exogenous overexpression of a DLX6-AS1-encoded peptide could exert its functions by activating the wnt/β-catenin pathway in NSCLC cells. In conclusion, the exogenous overexpression of a DLX6-AS1-encoded peptide could facilitate NSCLC cell growth by activating wnt/β-catenin pathway.

An interplay of geometrical frustration and strong quantum fluctuations in a spin-1/2 triangular-lattice antiferromagnet (TAF) can lead to exotic quantum states. Here, we report the neutron-scattering, magnetization, specific heat, and magnetocaloric studies of the recently discovered spin-1/2 TAF Na

The use of anti-PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitors in combination with other anti-cancer agents was a priority for treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with considerable PD-L1 expression. However, studies seldom show the progression of liver metastases after using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).Data were obtained from the Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care of Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of the Air Force Military Medical University. In the present study, we analyzed five non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who had liver metastases after they were treated with pembrolizumab between 2019 and 2021. All of them had both stable primary lesions and liver progression with pembrolizumab intervention. Blood laboratory tests and imaging examinations were performed regularly during the treatment to assess the tumor responses of patients.All patients displayed reduction or stability in the initial lesions as a result, but they also experienced the emergence of metastatic liver locations, which were regularly detected throughout immunotherapy. Additionally, the appearance of liver metastasis weakened their liver function gradually with the escalation of carcinoembryonic antigen, regarded as a predictor for evaluating the progression of tumors. These individuals were highly distinctive with hyper-progressive diseases associated with immunotherapy. We drew individualized intervention schemes for metastatic lesions in each patient and found that their life expectancy shared no significance given the restricting subjected population.Our study indicated a clinical phenomenon after using immune checkpoint inhibitors and presented a necessity for implementing large scales clinical studies to manage NSCLC-oriented liver metastasis.

This paper is mainly concerned with developing and establishing the reduced-order extrapolated format about the unknown coefficient vectors in numerical solutions to the finite element (FE) method for the hyperbolic type equation. To this end, the functional-form FE format, the existence, stability, and error estimates of the FE solutions, the matrix-form FE format for the hyperbolic type equation are first proposed. Afterwards, a reduced-order extrapolated FE (ROEFE) format is established by means of a proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) technique, and the existence and stability as well as error estimates of the ROEFE solutions are demonstrated by matrix analysis, leading to an elegant theoretical development. Particularly, our work reveals that the ROEFE format possesses the same basis functions and accuracy as the FE method. Finally, some numerical tests are illustrated to computationally confirm the validity and correctness of the ROEFE format.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a fundamental shift in the Chinese education system, which has compelled teachers and students to accommodate the process of online learning in a short period of time. Accompanied by the advancement of information technology and the emergence of small private online courses (SPOCs), a variety of online programs containing a wealth of new materials and novel pedagogical approaches have emerged. However, there is a lack of awareness among researchers about the efficacy of utilizing shared SPOCs in teaching at conventional universities. Flipped classroom model (FCM) can make up for this defect. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of flipped learning on the basis of SPOC and to suggest explicit criteria for its reuse in conventional college education. We carried out a quasi-experiment in a course on inorganic chemistry and examined findings with regard to the engagement and performance of the learners. We also conducted a post-task questionnaire and interviews to examine the experiences of the students so that those experiences could be incorporated into the design and study plan for flipped learning based on SPOCs. It was shown that the average performance of students in the flipped SPOC-based classroom was superior to that of students in the traditional classroom. Furthermore, the combination of quantitative and qualitative data showed that the majority of students experienced the flipped classroom favorably regarding student interaction, accessible learning resources, and proactive academic outcomes.

In this paper, by using proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) to reduce the order of the coefficient vector of the classical Crank–Nicolson finite spectral element (CCNFSE) method for the two-dimensional (2D) non-stationary Navier-Stokes equations about vorticity-stream functions, we first establish a reduced-order extrapolated Crank–Nicolson finite spectral element (ROECNFSE) method for the 2D non-stationary Navier-Stokes equations so that the ROECNFSE method has the same basis functions as the CCNFSE method and maintains all the advantages of the CCNFSE method. Then, by means of matrix analysis, we analyze the existence, stability, and convergence of the ROECNFSE solutions such that the theoretical analysis becomes very simple and convenient. Finally, we utilize some numerical experiments to validate that the numerical computational consequences are consistent with the theoretical ones such that the effectiveness and feasibility of the ROECNFSE method are further verified. Therefore, both theory and method of this paper is new and completely different from the existing reduced-order methods.

Metrology support includes the management of measurement equipment and measurement process, which is an indispensable part of engineering construction. Aiming at the health status of instrumentation in use in enterprises metrological verification, BP and SOFM neural networks are introduced, the characteristics of the two neural networks are introduced, the sample data system and network algorithm are designed, and a set of scientific and complete evaluation methods are produced through algorithm practice and data analysis, which provides direction for the research on the health status of instrumentation in use.

A large amount of wastewater from various and discharged sources that are not treated in any way could affect properties of both land and water, causing severe problems for the environment. Advanced oxidation processes seem to be a feasible option to address effluent treatment with regard to salvation of the environment. In this work, a CdO/ZnO/Yb2O3 composite composed of trimetallic semiconductors was synthesized through a simple one-pot hydrophile approach at low temperatures and then was employed as a photocatalyst. The degradation of phenol, a common organic persistent pollutant in industrial wastewater, was efficiently catalyzed in the presence of simulated sunlight. It was demonstrated that the synthesized CdO/ZnO/Yb2O3 photocatalyst was significantly active after 15 min of reaction and facilitated the effective degradation of the phenol. The CdO/ZnO/Yb2O3 photocatalyst achieved 71.5% and 97.81% degradation of the phenol without and with the existence of H2O2, correspondingly. The results show that the synthesized composite possesses high oxygen reduction capability and is available for rapid and potent photodegradation of the organic persistent pollutants such as phenol, with minimal damage to the environment.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to analyze the diagnostic performance and clinical application of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in patients with suspected pleural malignancy (PM). Methods A retrospective review of patients with suspected PM was performed from March 2014 to August 2018 (NCT 02320617). All patients underwent chest DWI and computed tomography (CT) with cytological or histopathological findings as reference standards. The diagnostic performance of DWI and CT was analyzed and compared. A DWI diagnostic algorithm with three sequential steps was established. Results Seventy patients (61.6 ± 13.6 years; 47 males and 23 females) were included. The sensitivity of DWI (94.2%, 49/52) for the diagnosis of PM was significantly higher compared with CT (67.3%, 35/52), with similar specificity (72.2% vs. 72.2%, respectively). The apparent diffusion coefficient of malignant lesions (1.15 ± 0.32 × 10−3 mm2/s) was lower compared with benign lesions (1.46 ± 0.68 × 10−3 mm2/s), but the cutoff value was difficult to define for overlap between groups. Approximately 62.5% (5/8) of invasive procedures were avoided when using the DWI diagnostic algorithm in patients with suspected PM without N3 lymph node or extra-thoracic metastasis. Conclusion Including DWI into the diagnostic algorithm of suspected PM can effectively identify malignancy and avoid unnecessary invasive procedures, which may have some potential in clinical application. Key Points • Diffusion-weighted imaging can identify pleural malignancy much more efficiently than CT. • A diffusion-weighted imaging diagnostic algorithm helped to avoid unnecessary invasive procedures in patients without N3 lymph node or extra-thoracic lesions. • A hyperintense signal on DWI at a high b value (800 s/mm2) but not at a low b value (50 s/mm2) was a reliable signature of PM.

Beyond the absence of long-range magnetic orders, the most prominent feature of the elusive quantum spin liquid (QSL) state is the existence of fractionalized spin excitations, i.e., spinons. When the system orders, the spin-wave excitation appears as the bound state of the spinon-antispinon pair. Although scarcely reported, a direct comparison between similar compounds illustrates the evolution from spinon to magnon. Here, we perform the Raman scattering on single crystals of two quantum kagome antiferromagnets, of which one is the kagome QSL candidate Cu3Zn(OH)6FBr, and another is an antiferromagnetically ordered compound EuCu3(OH)6Cl3. In Cu3Zn(OH)6FBr, we identify a unique one spinon-antispinon pair component in the E2g magnetic Raman continuum, providing strong evidence for deconfined spinon excitations. In contrast, a sharp magnon peak emerges from the one-pair spinon continuum in the Eg magnetic Raman response once EuCu3(OH)6Cl3 undergoes the antiferromagnetic order transition. From the comparative Raman studies, we can regard the magnon mode as the spinon-antispinon bound state, and the spinon confinement drives the magnetic ordering., Spinon excitations of a Kagome quantum spin liquid are expected to give rise to a magnetic continuum in Raman spectroscopy. Here, the authors report a magnetic Raman continuum in the Kagome spin liquid candidate Cu3Zn(OH)6FBr, in contrast to a sharp magnon Raman peak in the Kagome antiferromagnet EuCu3(OH)6Cl3.

This paper forecasts the demand of urban talents in the future years from the perspective of urban talent demand and employment situation of Chinese students. To a certain extent, there is a relationship between the supply of talents in cities and the demand for talents in China. Artificial neural network is a kind of nonlinear system which contains some simple nonlinear connection points or calculation modules. BP neural network is one of the most widely studied and widely used artificial neural networks. BP neural network includes input layer and output layer, which overcomes the shortcomings of traditional evaluation methods and enriches the relevant evaluation methods. The evaluation results can truly map the nonlinear relationship among various analysis indexes. BP neural network model is suitable for nonlinear sample analysis and belongs to quantitative analysis. The grey prediction model belongs to qualitative analysis, which can predict the future development trend of the analysis object, and does not require high data. Therefore, this paper uses the combination of BP neural network model and gray prediction model to predict the talent demand of China’s College Students employment market reasonably and effectively, and finally analyzes the reliability of the prediction results. According to the prediction results, this paper puts forward the development strategy for the city, in order to promote the modernization of the city.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, which is related to many cardiac and cerebral vascular diseases, especially stroke. It can therefore increase cardiovascular mortality and all-cause death. The current treatments of AF remain to be western drugs and radiofrequency ablation which are limited by the tolerance of patients, adverse side effects, and high recurrence rate, especially for the elderly. On the contrary, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with long history of use involves various treatment methods, including Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) or bioactive ingredients, Chinese patent medicines, acupuncture, Qigong, and Tai Chi Chuan. With more and more researches reported, the active roles of TCM in AF management have been discovered. Then it is likely that TCM would be effective preventive means and valuable additional remedy for AF. The potential mechanisms further found by numerous experimental studies showed the distinct characteristics of TCM. Some CHMs or bioactive ingredients are atrial-selective, while others are multichannel and multifunctional. Therefore, in this review we summarized the treatment strategies reported in TCM, with the purpose of providing novel ideas and directions for AF management.

Background Research on coronary heart disease (CHD) remains one of the major concerns in the medical and health fields in recent decades, yet data on the circumstances of CHD are unsatisfying. We aimed to evaluate the situations and trends of the most cited articles in CHD via bibliometric approaches. Methods and results The Web of Science database was used to identify the 100 most cited articles concerning CHD. General and bibliometric information was collected and analyzed. The total citations ranged from 7829 to 1157. Clinical trial was the largest proportion in article type while risk factor was the most preferred study content. The New England Journal of Medicine published the most T100 articles ( n =31), followed by Lancet ( n =21), Circulation ( n =19) and JAMA ( n =12). The USA and UK were the leading countries in the field of CHD, and contributed enormously in combating CHD. Conclusions This study presented a detailed analysis of the 100 most cited articles focused on CHD in recent decades, which provides insights into the circumstances and trends in preventing and treating CHD.

Objectives. We aimed to assess the current clinical evidence of Chinese herbal medicine for AMS.Methods. Seven electronic databases were searched until January 2013. We included randomized clinical trials testing Chinese herbal medicine against placebo, no drugs, Western drugs, or a combination of routine treatment drugs against routine treatment drugs. Study selection, data extraction, quality assessment, and data analyses were conducted according to Cochrane standards.Results. Nine randomized trials were included. The methodological quality of the included trials was evaluated as low. Two trials compared prescriptions of Chinese formula used alone with Western drugs. A meta-analysis showed a beneficial effect in decreasing the score of AMS (MD: −2.23 [−3.98, −0.49],P=0.01). Only one trial compared prescriptions of Chinese formula used alone with no drugs. A meta-analysis showed a significant beneficial effect in decreasing the score of AMS (MD: −6.00 [−6.45, −5.55],P<0.00001). Four trials compared Chinese formula used alone with placebo. A meta-analysis also showed a significant beneficial effect in decreasing the score of AMS (MD: −1.10 [−1.64, −0.55],P<0.0001). Two trials compared the combination of Chinese formula plus routine treatment drugs with routine treatment drugs. A meta-analysis showed a beneficial effect in decreasing the score of AMS (MD: −5.99 [−11.11, −0.86],P=0.02).Conclusions. No firm conclusion on the effectiveness and safety of Chinese herbal medicine for AMS can be made. More rigorous high-quality trials are required to generate a high level of evidence and to confirm the results.

Background Transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor ischemic stroke represents the largest group of cerebrovascular disease, and those patients have a high risk of early recurrent stroke. Over decades, anticoagulation therapy has been used prudently in them for likely increasing the risk of intra-/extra-cranial hemorrhagic complications. However, recently rivaroxaban, a new oral anticoagulant, is proved to be as effective as traditional anticoagulants, while carrying significantly less risk of intracranial hemorrhage. Therefore, we assumed that patients may benefit from rivaroxaban if treated soon after TIA or minor stroke, and designed this adequately powered randomized study, TRACE. Methods and design The Treatment of Rivaroxaban versus Aspirin in Non-disabling Cerebrovascular Events (TRACE) study is a randomized, double-blind clinical trial with a target enrollment of 4400 patients. A 14-days regimen of rivaroxaban 10 mg daily or a 14-days regimen of aspirin 100 mg daily will be administrated to randomized participants with acute TIA or minor stroke, defined as National Institute of Health Stroke Scale scores ≤3. The primary efficacy end point is percentage of patients with any stroke (ischemic or hemorrhage) at 14 days. Study visits will be performed at the day of randomization, day 14 and day 90. Discussion Even though the new oral anticoagulants seem to be both safe and effective, few clinical trials have been carried out to test their effect on non-disabling cerebrovascular events. Treatment with rivaroxaban may prevent more cerebrovascular events with an acceptable risk profile after TIA or minor stroke, compared with aspirin, thus helping to improve the outcome of the disease. Trial registration No. NCT01923818

Background Nondisabling cerebrovascular events represent the largest group of cerebrovascular disease with a high risk of recurrent stroke. A recent trial demonstrated that dual-antiplatelet therapy (clopidogrel and aspirin), compared with aspirin monotherapy, reduced the risk of recurrent stroke and was not associated with increased risk of hemorrhagic events. Apixaban, a new oral anticoagulant, has been proven to be as safe and effective as traditional anticoagulants while carrying significantly less risk of intracranial hemorrhage. Patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA)/minor stroke might benefit from apixaban treatment; therefore, an adequately powered randomized study is needed. Methods and Results The ADANCE [Apixaban Versus Dual-antiplatelet Therapy (Clopidogrel and Aspirin) in Acute Non-disabling Cerebrovascular Events] study is a randomized, double-blind clinical trial with a target enrollment of 5,500 patients. A 21-day regimen of apixaban or of clopidogrel with aspirin followed by clopidogrel on days 22 through 90 will be administered to randomized participants with acute TIA or minor ischemic stroke. The primary efficacy endpoint is the percentage of patients with any new stroke (ischemic or hemorrhage), including fatal stroke, at day 21. Study visits will be performed on the day of randomization, and at days 7, 22, and 90. Discussion The novel oral anticoagulant apixaban has been widely used with fewer adverse effects than traditional anticoagulants. We designed the ADANCE trial to observe the effects of apixaban on recurrent stroke after TIA or minor stroke. The results should better guide the selection of anticoagulant or dual-antiplatelet therapy for patients with acute TIA or minor ischemic stroke.

Cardiomyocyte-like cells have been reported in thoracic veins of rodents and other mammals, but their differentiation state and relationship to the muscle mass in the heart remain to be characterized. Here we investigated the distribution, ultrastructure, and the expression and developmental regulation of myofilament proteins in mouse and rat pulmonary and azygos venous cardiomyocytes. Tracing cardiomyocytes in transgenic mouse tissues with a lacZ reporter gene driven by cloned rat cardiac troponin T promoter demonstrated scattered distribution of cardiomyocytes discontinuous from the atrial sleeves. The longitudinal axis of venous cardiomyocytes is perpendicular to that of the vessel. These cells contain typical sarcomere structures and intercalated discs as shown in electron microscopic images and express cardiac isoforms of troponin T, troponin I and myosin. The expression of troponin I isoform genes and the alternative splicing of cardiac troponin T in thoracic venous cardiomyocytes are regulated during postnatal development in a precise synchrony with that in the heart. Nonetheless, the patterns of cardiac troponin T splicing in adult rat thoracic venous cardiomyocytes are slightly but clearly distinct from those in the atrial and ventricular muscles. The data indicate that mouse and rat thoracic venous cardiomyocytes residing in extra-cardiac tissue possess a physiologically differentiated state and an intrinsically preset developmental clock, which are apparently independent of the very different hemodynamic environments and functional features of the vessels and heart.

Background Both severe stenosis and completed occlusion in internal carotid artery or its distal branches have been considered the main reasons of cerebral hypoperfusion, which contributes to the washout disturbances of embolism in low perfusion territories distal to stenosis. An aggravated hypoperfusion state in certain brain region may induce ischemic stroke and further cognitive decline. However, the effective medication for cerebral hypoperfusion is largely unsettled. Methods/design By using computed tomography perfusion (CTP) imaging, the trial will evaluate the effectiveness, safety and tolerability of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) 130/0.4 for patients with extra-/intra-cranial artery stenosis and cerebral hypoperfusion. From 5 neurological inpatient wards, 300 patients will be randomly recruited for administered routine medications plus intravascular volume therapies using the equal volume of HES 130/0.4 or 0.9% sodium chloride solution. Cerebral hypoperfusion state after 7-day intervention is the primary outcome measure. The secondary outcome measures includes, impaired renal function, abnormal heart function, hematological changes, neurological dysfunctions and cerebrovascular events in peri-intervention period and/or 3-month follow-up. The sample size will allow the detection of a two-sided 5% significance level between groups in the endpoint with a power of 80%. Discussion The trial would provide important efficacy and safety data on the intravascular administration of HES 130/0.4 in patients with unilateral cerebral hypoperfusion. The effects on kidney function, heart function, coagulation, neurological function and cerebralvascular events will be assessed. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT01192581)

The importance of mechanical signaling in life process has long been recognized, however, it remains to be established that how mechanical signals is transduced in cells to regulate gene expression. Our previous studies have demonstrated that the gene encoding h2-calponin (Cnn2) is regulated by mechanical tension (Hossain et al., JBC, 2005). To investigate the regulatory mechanism, mouse genomic DNA containing the Cnn2 promoter was cloned and 5’-serial deletion constructs were made in reporter plasmid vectors. By transfective expression in NIH3T3 fibroblasts and HEK293 cells that express endogenous h2-calponin, we tested the activity of the epigenetic Cnn2 promoter constructs and their responsiveness to the stiffness of cultural substrates. The results showed that while the −0.6-kb construct had only near background activity, significant levels of transcriptional activities were observed for the −1.0-kb, −1.6-kb and −2.1-kb promoter constructs. The −1.6-kb and −2.1-kb constructs were both responsive to substrate stiffness that produce different mechanical tensions in the cytoskeleton, whereas the −1.0-kb construct showed no such regulation. The dada indicated that cis-regulatory element(s) located between −1596 and −1016 of the mouse Cnn2 gene is responsible for the mechanical tension-regulated expression of h2-calponin. By establishing a novel experimental system to study mechanical cell signaling, the characterization of Cnn2 promoter activity allows us to identify trans-regulatory factors involved in the cellular signaling pathway that transmits mechanical tension stimuli to the regulation of h2-calponin gene expression.