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A new reference plane of the head, based on soft tissue landmarks and suitable for clinical analysis and soft tissue measurements, is needed. We recently discovered a novel reference plane, that is, the COs plane, which was formed by bilateral Lateral Canthus and bilateral Otobasion Superius and might be horizontal at the natural head position (NHP). In this study, we investigated the angles between the COs plane and the true horizontal (TrH) plane while sitting and standing, aiming to explore whether the new plane could be used as a substitution for the reference plane in clinical practice. Briefly, 26 volunteers were enrolled. Their sitting and standing NHP were recorded using the 3dMDface system. In the pitch axis, the mean angle of COs/TrH was 0.29 degrees and 0.41 degrees for sitting and standing positions, respectively, showing no statistical difference (P0.05). However, in the roll axis, the mean angle of COs/TrH for sitting position and standing positions was 1.08 and 1.33 degrees (P0.05), which was considered to be the result of habitual canting of the head. Moreover, there were no significant differences between the sitting and standing NHP, considering the COs/TrH angles (P0.05). To sum up, we concluded that the COs plane could be used as a reliable reference plane in certain soft tissue analysis and clinical applications.

In this paper, an edge-coupled interdependent networks with directed dependency links (EINDDL) model is proposed, and the theoretical analysis framework of this model based on the self-consistent probabilities method is developed. The phase transition behaviors and parameter thresholds of this model under random attacks are analyzed theoretically on both Random Regular (RR) networks and Erdös-Rényi (ER) networks, and computer simulation are performed to verify the results. In this EINDDL model, a fraction β of connectivity links within network B depends on network A and a fraction (1 - β) of connectivity links within network A depends on network B. It is found that randomly removing a fraction 1-p of connectivity links in network A at the initial state, network A exhibits different types of phase transitions (first-order, second-order and hybrid). Network B is rarely affected by cascading failure when β is small, and network B will gradually converge from the first-order to the second-order phase transition as β increases. The critical values of β for the phase changes process of network A and network B, and the critical values of p and β for network B at the critical point of collapse are given. Furthermore, a cascading prevention strategy is proposed. The findings are of great significance for understanding the robustness of EINDDL.

Objective: To explore the effects of bronchoscopy alveolar lavage in the treatment of severe pneumonia caused by multiple drug bacterial infection. Methods: A total of 84 patients with severe pneumonia infected by multi-drug resistant bacteria were randomly selected from Kunming Second People’s Hospital, which is our hospital from January 2019 to December 2020 for this research. They were divided into a reference group and a study group using a digital table method, with 42 cases in each group. The reference group was given the routine treatment, the research group performed bronchoscopy alveolar lavage on this basis to observe the curative effect. Results: Before treatment, there was no significant difference in serum factor indexes and blood gas analysis indexes between the two groups of patients, P>0.05. After treatment, the time of fever, cough, moist rales disappearing and infection control time in the study group were shorter than those in the reference group, P

Congenital tumor of tongue is not rare, but associated with cleft palate and bifid tongue is unusual. The authors describe a case of 7-year-old patient having bifid tongue, congenital tongue tumor, and cleft palate. Clinical features, physical and pathological examinations, possible diagnosis, and surgical treatment have been elaborated in this case report.

Identifying gene regulatory networks (GRN) from observation data is significant to understand biological systems. Conventional studies focus on improving the performance of identification algorithms. However, besides algorithm performance, the GRN identification is strongly depended on the observation data. In this work, for three GRN S-system models, three observation data collection schemes are used to perform the identifiability test procedure. A modified genetic algorithm-particle swarm optimization algorithm is proposed to implement this task, including the multi-level mutation operation and velocity limitation strategy. The results show that, in scheme 1 (starting from a special initial condition), the GRN systems are of identifiability using the sufficient transient observation data. In scheme 2, the observation data are short of sufficient system dynamic. The GRN systems are not of identifiability even though the state trajectories can be reproduced. As a special case of scheme 2, i.e., the steady-state observation data, the equilibrium point analysis is given to explain why it is infeasible for GRN identification. In schemes 1 and 2, the observation data are obtained from zero-input GRN systems, which will evolve to the steady state at last. The sufficient transient observation data in scheme 1 can be obtained by changing the experimental conditions. Additionally, the valid observation data can be also obtained by means of adding impulse excitation signal into GRN systems (scheme 3). Consequently, the GRN systems are identifiable using scheme 3. Owing to its universality and simplicity, these results provide a guide for biologists to collect valid observation data for identifying GRNs and to further understand GRN dynamics.

Aim: The main of the present study was to investigate the role of insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with the overarching of providing new biomarkers or potential therapeutic targets for OSCC. Methods: We combined datasets downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and samples collected from the clinic to evaluate the expression of IGF2BP2 in OSCC. IGF2BP2 survival analysis was respectively performed based on TCGA, GEO, and clinical samples. Correlations between IGF2BP2 expression and clinicopathological parameters were then analyzed, and signaling pathways associated with IGF2BP2 expression were identified using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA 4.1.0). Moreover, an IGF2BP2 co-expressed gene network was constructed, followed by gene ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis on IGF2BP2 co-expressed genes. Finally, TIMER and CIBERSORT were used to analyze the correlations among IGF2BP2, IGF2BP2-coexpressed genes, and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TICs). Results: IGF2BP2 was highly expressed in OSCC and significantly correlated with overall survival of OSCC patients (P Conclusion: IGF2BP2 may be a potential prognostic biomarker in OSCC and correlates with immune infiltrates.