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Background. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly malignant disease, and it is characterized by rapid progression and low five-year survival rate. At present, there are no effective methods for monitoring the treatment and prognosis of HCC. Methods. The transcriptome and gene expression profiles of HCC were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) program, International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. The random forest method was applied to construct a four-gene prognostic model based on RNA terminal phosphate cyclase like 1 (RCL1) expression. The Kaplan-Meier method was performed to evaluate the prognostic value of RCL1, long noncoding RNAs (AC079061, AL354872, and LINC01093), and four-gene signature (SPP1, MYBL2, TRNP1, and FTCD). We examined the relationship between RCL1 expression and immune cells infiltration, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and microsatellite instability (MSI). Results. The results of multiple databases indicated that the aberrant expression of RCL1 was associated with clinical outcome, immune cells infiltration, TMB, and MSI in HCC patients. Meanwhile, we found that long noncoding RNAs (AC079061, AL354872, and LINC01093) and RCL1 were significantly coexpressed in HCC patients. We also confirmed that the four-gene signature was an independent prognostic factor for HCC patients. Ferroptosis potential index, immune checkpoint molecules, and clinical feature were found to have obvious correlations with risk score. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values for the model were 0.7–0.8 in the training set and the validation set, suggesting high robustness of the four-gene signature. We then built a nomogram for facilitating the use in clinical practice. Conclusion. Our study demonstrated that RCL1 and a novel four-gene signature can be used as prognostic biomarkers for predicting clinical outcome in HCC patients; and this model may assist in individualized treatment monitoring of HCC patients in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of intelligent vehicle technology, the demand for advanced driver assistant systems kept increasing. To improve the performance of the active safety systems, we focused on right-turning vehicle's collision warning and avoidance. We put forward an algorithm based on Monte Carlo simulation to calculate the collision probability between the right-turning vehicle and another vehicle (or pedestrian) in intersections. We drew collision probability curves which used time-to-collision as the horizontal axis and collision probability as the vertical axis. We established a three-level collision warning system and used software to calculate and simulate the collision probability and warning process. To avoid the collision actively when turning right, a two-stage braking strategy is applied. Taking four right-turning collision conditions as examples, the two-stage braking strategy was applied, analysing and comparing the anteroposterior curve diagram simultaneously to avoid collision actively and reduce collision probability. By comparison, the collision probability 2 s before active collision avoidance was more than 80% and the collision probability may even reach 100% in certain conditions. To improve the active safety performance, the two-stage braking strategy can reduce the collision probability from exceeding 50% to approaching 0% in 2 s and reduce collision probability to less than 5% in 3 s. By changing four initial positions, the collision probability curve calculation algorithm and the two-stage braking strategy are validated and analysed. The results verified the rationality of the collision probability curve calculation algorithm and the two-stage braking strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To translate the instrument for measuring different types of cognitive load (MDT‐CL) into Chinese and assess the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the MDT‐CL. Background: The MDT‐CL is needed for hospital administrators to identify which nursing staff are prone to high cognitive load and to provide tailored interventions for specific types of cognitive load. Methods: The MDT‐CL was translated into Chinese using forward and back translation, cultural adaptation and pilot tested. The reliability and validity of the instrument were assessed with intensive care unit (ICU) nurses in three tertiary hospitals in China. Results: A total of 222 ICU nurses were recruited. The scale‐content validity index of the Chinese version of the MDT‐CL was 0.966. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that all the goodness‐of‐fit indicators were acceptable. Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.818. Test–retest reliability was 0.785. Conclusions: The Chinese version of the MDT‐CL is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating the cognitive load of ICU nurses in China. Implications for nursing management: The validated Chinese version of the MDT‐CL is a feasible, quantitative tool for evaluating different types of cognitive load in busy clinical practice, suggesting significant clinical application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During organ culture of intact vessels, endothelin receptors (ETRs) were upregulated in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) by various stimuli, but whether inflammation alters ETR expression in vivo remains unclear. We aimed to explore the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge on ETR expression in the VSMC in vivo. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received a single intraperitoneal injection of LPS (5 mg/kg body weight) or normal saline (NS) for 6 hrs. The function and expression of ETR type A (ETA) and type B (ETB) were evaluated in the mesenteric arteries without endothelium, by using myograph system, real-time quantitative PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. Serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) level was assessed by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results showed that, compared to control (NS) group, LPS treatment potently enhanced the vasoconstriction mediated by ETA or ETB in rat mesenteric artery, with elevated maximum effects. ETA and ETB expressions in the VSMC were increased at both mRNA and protein levels after LPS treatment, paralleled with activation of the NF-κB pathway and augmented serum TNF-α level. Conclusively, in the rat model of immediate systemic inflammation induced by LPS, ETA and ETB expressions were increased in the mesenteric arterial VSMC, paralleled with enhanced receptor-mediated vasoconstriction and activation of the NF-κB pathway. Our data has for the first time demonstrated the upregulation of ETRs in VSMCs by LPS-induced immediate inflammation in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is one of the most important cereals in the Northeast China. The physicochemical, pasting, texture, and cooking properties of 21 sorghum varieties were determined, which were mainly cultivated in Northeast China. Then, the evaluation of edible quality of sorghum was based on principal component analysis and fitted with the score of sensory evaluation. Five principal components (PCs) with a cumulative contribution rate of 86.19% could be picked out to describe the taste, pasting, flavor, cooking, and variety of sorghum, respectively. And a comprehensive equation of sorghum edible quality in Northeast China was constructed which was Z = 0.45F1 + 0.25F2 + 0.12F3 + 0.10F4 + 0.08F5. The edible quality of No. 14 and No. 15 was the best. The sensory evaluation was used to verify the above equation with the fitting coefficient of 0.81, which indicated that the equation could be more accurate to evaluate the edible quality of sorghum in Northeast China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work introduces an innovative seismic isolation system named the convex friction system (CFS). This newly introduced isolation system has a sliding concavity with a circular cone-type surface, and exhibits some distinct features compared to conventional isolation techniques, such as increased uplift stability, improved self-centring capacity, and resonance dodge when subjected to near-fault earthquakes. A series of comprehensive analytical and numerical investigations are performed to verify these features of the CFS. First, the force-displacement relation of the CFS is established to describe the underlying philosophy of the system. The analytical model is then incorporated into numerical simulations to evaluate the seismic isolation performance of the CFS. Various ground accelerations, such as near-fault shakings, are included in these numerical calculations. Furthermore, the numerical results are rigorously investigated to illustrate the feasibility of the CFS. Finally, the limitations of the CFS study are discussed, and conclusions are drawn. The analytical and numerical results show that the CFS performs well in seismic isolation applications. The structural response can be reduced by approximately 30% with the CFS when compared to that with the Curved Surface Slider (CSS) with a spherical-surface concavity for some near-fault earthquakes, which verifies the aforementioned advantages of the CFS. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outside the house, images taken using a phone in foggy weather are not suitable for automation due to low contrast. Usually, it is revised in the dark channel prior (DCP) method (K. He et al. 2009), but the non-sky bright area exists due to mistakes in the removal. In this paper, we propose an algorithm, defog-based generative adversarial network (DbGAN). We use generative adversarial network (GAN) for training and embed target map (TM) in the anti-network generator, only the part of bright area layer of image, in local attention model image training and testing in deep learning, and the effective processing of the wrong removal part is achieved, thus better restoring the defog image. Then, the DCP method obtains a good defog visual effect, and the evaluation index peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) is used to make a judgment; the simulation result is consistent with the visual effect. We proved the DbGAN is a practical import of target map in the GAN. The algorithm is used defogging in the highlighted area is well realized, which makes up for the shortcomings of the DCP algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of early-stage tumor and monitoring therapeutic efficacy and recurrence or metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC) are urgently warranted for improving the outcome of CRC patients and reducing the disease-related mortality. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic value of cell-free circulating methylated SEPT9 (mSEPT9) for CRC and beyond CRC and examined the potentiality of mSEPT9 in assessing therapeutic efficacy and monitoring recurrence of CRC. Our results confirmed the favorable diagnostic value of plasma mSEPT9 for CRC, with a sensitivity of 61.22% (95% confidence interval (CI): 51.33%–70.27%) and specificity of 93.7% (95% CI: 91.09%–95.57%) using 2/3 algorithm. The positive rate of mSEPT9 in CRC was correlated with tumor size, histological grade, and general histological type (P<0.05). Beyond CRC, gastric cancer patients also presented a high positive rate of plasma mSEPT9 (70%). The conversions between preoperative and postoperative plasma mSEPT9 reflected the therapeutic efficacy of curatively intended surgery for CRC patients. The persistent positivity of plasma mSEPT9 after surgery (within 7–14 days) was highly associated with impending recurrences or metastases (within one year), with a sensitivity of 100%. Postoperative mSEPT9 status during follow-up also provided valuable indication for CRC recurrence or metastases, with a good consistency (kappa = 0.818, P=0.001). Our results verified the reliability of plasma mSEPT9 as a biomarker for noninvasive diagnosis of CRC. More significantly, we revealed its valuable role in appraising CRC therapeutic efficacy and monitoring CRC recurrences or metastases. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to verify and elucidate the clinical utility of the promising findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To investigate the prevention and treatment effect of tanshinone IIA (TIIA) on acute gouty arthritis (AGA) and its mechanism. Methods. The anti-AGA effect of TIIA was observed in vivo and in vitro. Neutrophils were isolated from the abdominal cavity of mice, and the anti-AGA effect of TIIA was investigated in a rat model of MSU-induced AGA. The pathological changes of the ankle joint tissues were assessed by H&E. Cytokine and chemokine expression were determined by ELISA and RT-qPCR. The NLRP3 inflammasome pathway protein levels in the ankle joint tissues were evaluated via western blotting. Neutrophil migration was evaluated in air pouch and transwell assays. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analysis evaluate the release of myeloperoxidase (MPO), neutrophil elastase (NE), and citrullination of histone H3 (CitH3). Beclin-1 and LC3B expressions were determined using western blotting and immunofluorescence. Key Findings. Treatment with TIIA alleviated synovial hyperplasia and neutrophil infiltration, regulated cytokine and chemokine expressions, and inhibited NLRP3 activation in AGA rats, neutrophil migration, MPO, NE, and CitH3 expression, and LC3B and Beclin-1 protein expression. Conclusions. These results demonstrate that TIIA can effectively enhance AGA by focusing on the neutrophils and NLRP3 inflammasome, demonstrating that TIIA may act as a potential helpful agent for AGA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diminishing natural sand has facilitated the booming of the sand manufacturing industry, and intelligent management of sand factories, in a time- and cost-efficient way, has become a growing tendency for the future. A role has been played in achieving intelligent management by constructing a smart supply chain. However, the smart sand factories are hardly involved in previously reported studies, which is inconsistent with related studies on smart factories and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). In this paper, a smart supply chain management system (SSCMS) is constructed to realize the intelligence and automatization of the management of sand factories, using edge-computing and deep learning techniques. Along the supply chain, the deep learning model is used to realize the automatic identification of sand, avoiding the disadvantages of human identification, while improving the quality of sand factory operations. In order to relieve the pressure of network bandwidth, reduce system delay, and improve system operation efficiency, we use edge-computing technology to process data at the edge. To verify the performance of the constructed system, a sand factory simulation platform is established. Experiments show that the most critical indicator in the system, the accuracy rate of sand type identification, is above 98%, and the sand type identification time is only 0.022 s. In general, compared with traditional supply chain management, the constructed smart supply chain improves the quality and efficiency of sand factory operations, and all indicators of the designed system have achieved satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, a traditional Chinese medicine, is widely used in the treatment of a variety of diseases and syndromes. Tanshinone IIA (TIIA), a phenanthrenequinone-class derivative extracted from S. miltiorrhiza, is one of its main active components and has anti-inflammatory effects on various tissues and cells. This study aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of TIIA on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) induced in mice using a methionine choline deficiency (MCD) diet and the underlying mechanism of these. Our results reveal that TIIA remarkably ameliorated hepatic steatosis and inflammation and decreased the serum levels of liver dysfunction markers while increasing the levels of serum total cholesterol and triglycerides in MCD-fed mice. TIIA significantly reduced mRNA levels of the inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6, and TGF-β. Similarly, TIIA inhibited caspase-3 and Bax-mediated apoptosis in MCD-fed mice. Together, our data indicate that TIIA inhibits the formation of MPO and CitH3 in neutrophil extracellular traps and inhibits apoptosis mediated by caspase-3 and Bax in hepatocytes, thereby mitigating inflammatory progression in an MCD diet-induced NASH mouse model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific and technological innovation is the source of the survival and development of enterprises and the key to the realization of the goal of prosperity. In recent years, more and more companies have begun to focus on technological innovation, but the results are not significant, so companies have begun to explore the factors that affect their technological innovation. The management is the helm of the development of the enterprise, the main body of the company's actual production activities, and the direct person in charge of the company's management. Its influence on the innovation of the enterprise is self-evident, and the education level of the management directly determines the manager's ability and vision. However, the current research on management mainly focuses on the position change of management and the rights of management and does not involve the level of education of management. Based on this, this article started from the management education and subdivided it with the K-means clustering algorithm, so as to explore the impact of management education on the technological innovation of enterprises. The experiment showed that there was a significant positive correlation between the educational level of management and the technological innovation ability of enterprises, and the correlation coefficient was 1.521. It fully shows that the management with a higher education background will promote the enterprise to carry out scientific and technological innovation practice and continuously improve the enterprise's innovation ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phlegm-dampness retention (PDR) syndrome is one of the main syndromes of dyslipidemia. This study investigated the effects of Erchen decoction (ECD) on concentrations of two oxidative stress-related cytochrome P450 (CYP450) metabolites of arachidonic acid—14,15-dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acid (14,15-DHET) and 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE)—in mice with dyslipidemia and phlegm-dampness retention (PDR) syndrome (n = 5 C57BL/6J mice and n = 30 apolipoprotein E knockout mice). Murine models of the disease and syndrome were established using multifactor stimulation. Then, all mice were assigned to normal, model, low- (L-), medium- (M-), or high- (H-) dose ECD groups or to a control or an unmatched prescription-syndrome (unmatched P-S) group; five mice were included in each group. Dose formulations were administered by oral gavage for 30 days to animals in the corresponding groups. We detected and analyzed hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining characteristics of the mouse aorta and serum total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), peroxynitrite (ONOO-), 14,15-DHET, and 20-HETE concentrations in each group. TC and LDL-C concentrations significantly decreased in the M-ECD versus control group (P < 0.05); however, the TC and LDL-C concentrations were not significantly different in the unmatched P-S versus model group (P > 0.05). After treatment in the P-S correspondence groups (L-ECD, M-ECD, and H-ECD groups), the concentration of ONOO- decreased to different degrees in each group. Among these groups, the concentration of ONOO- significantly decreased in the L-ECD, M-ECD, and H-ECD groups versus the model group (P < 0.05). However, the concentration of ONOO- was not significantly different in the unmatched P-S versus the model group (P > 0.05). From the perspective of aortic HE staining, the P-S group experienced an improved endothelium structure after treatment. 14,15-DHET concentrations significantly increased in the normal, M-ECD, and H-ECD groups versus the model group; in the H-ECD versus the L-ECD group; and in the H-ECD versus the control group (all P < 0.05) to various extents after different doses of the prescription. 20-HETE concentrations pronouncedly decreased in the M-ECD versus normal group; in the M- and H-ECD groups versus the model group; in the M-ECD versus the L-ECD group; in the M-ECD versus the control group; and in the M-ECD versus the unmatched P-S (P < 0.05). However, the concentrations of 14,15-DHET and 20-HETE in the model group were not significantly different from those of the unmatched P-S (P > 0.05). In this study, ECD reversed blood lipid indexes and ameliorated oxidative stress-related metabolites, elevating serum 14,15-DHET and lowering serum 20-HETE in mice with dyslipidemia and PDR syndrome via CYP450 pathways of arachidonic acid metabolism. The efficacy of ECD relies on correspondence between the prescription and the syndrome. These findings scientifically validate the treatment according to traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation. ECD can strengthen the protective effect on the vascular endothelium by driving out pathogenic factors and strengthening healthy resistance. Its efficacy may be related to the adjustment of the polarization state of macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of drug-target interactions (DTIs) plays a crucial role in drug discovery. However, the traditional high-throughput techniques based on clinical trials are costly, cumbersome, and time-consuming for identifying DTIs. Hence, new intelligent computational methods are urgently needed to surmount these defects in predicting DTIs. In this paper, we propose a novel computational method that combines position-specific scoring matrix (PSSM), elastic net based sparse features extraction, and rotation forest (RF) classifier. Specifically, we converted each protein primary sequence into PSSM, which contains biological evolutionary information. Then we extract the hidden sparse feature descriptors in PSSM by elastic net based sparse feature extraction method (ESFE). After that, we fuse them with the features of drug, which are represented by molecular fingerprints. Finally, rotation forest classifier works on detecting the potential drug-target interactions. When performing the proposed method by the experiments of fivefold cross validation (CV) on enzyme, ion channel, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and nuclear receptor datasets, this method achieves average accuracies of 90.32%, 88.91%, 80.65%, and 79.73%, respectively. We also compared the proposed model with the state-of-the-art support vector machine (SVM) classifier and other effective methods on the same datasets. The comparison results distinctly indicate that the proposed model possesses the efficient and robust ability to predict DTIs. We expect that the new model will be able to take effects on predicting massive DTIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the interactions of the drug-target is central to the cognate areas including drug discovery and drug reposition. Although the high-throughput biotechnologies have made tremendous progress, the indispensable clinical trials remain to be expensive, laborious, and intricate. Therefore, a convenient and reliable computer-aided method has become the focus on inferring drug-target interactions (DTIs). In this research, we propose a novel computational model integrating a pyramid histogram of oriented gradients (PHOG), Position-Specific Scoring Matrix (PSSM), and rotation forest (RF) classifier for identifying DTIs. Specifically, protein primary sequences are first converted into PSSMs to describe the potential biological evolution information. After that, PHOG is employed to mine the highly representative features of PSSM from multiple pyramid levels, and the complete describers of drug-target pairs are generated by combining the molecular substructure fingerprints and PHOG features. Finally, we feed the complete describers into the RF classifier for effective prediction. The experiments of 5-fold Cross-Validations (CV) yield mean accuracies of 88.96%, 86.37%, 82.88%, and 76.92% on four golden standard data sets (enzyme, ion channel, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and nuclear receptor, respectively). Moreover, the paper also conducts the state-of-art light gradient boosting machine (LGBM) and support vector machine (SVM) to further verify the performance of the proposed model. The experimental outcomes substantiate that the established model is feasible and reliable to predict DTIs. There is an excellent prospect that our model is capable of predicting DTIs as an efficient tool on a large scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of drug-target interactions (DTIs) plays a crucial role in drug discovery. However, the traditional high-throughput techniques based on clinical trials are costly, cumbersome, and time-consuming for identifying DTIs. Hence, new intelligent computational methods are urgently needed to surmount these defects in predicting DTIs. In this paper, we propose a novel computational method that combines position-specific scoring matrix (PSSM), elastic net based sparse features extraction, and rotation forest (RF) classifier. Specifically, we converted each protein primary sequence into PSSM, which contains biological evolutionary information. Then we extract the hidden sparse feature descriptors in PSSM by elastic net based sparse feature extraction method (ESFE). After that, we fuse them with the features of drug, which are represented by molecular fingerprints. Finally, rotation forest classifier works on detecting the potential drug-target interactions. When performing the proposed method by the experiments of fivefold cross validation (CV) on enzyme, ion channel, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and nuclear receptor datasets, this method achieves average accuracies of 90.32%, 88.91%, 80.65%, and 79.73%, respectively. We also compared the proposed model with the state-of-the-art support vector machine (SVM) classifier and other effective methods on the same datasets. The comparison results distinctly indicate that the proposed model possesses the efficient and robust ability to predict DTIs. We expect that the new model will be able to take effects on predicting massive DTIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The E3 deubiquitinating enzyme ubiquitin-specific proteolytic enzyme 21 (USP21) plays vital roles in physiological activities and is required for Treg-cell-mediated immune tolerance. Using a murine model infected with Schistosoma japonicum, we observed that there were more cercariae developed into adults and more eggs deposited in the livers of the USP21fl/flFOXP3Cre (KO) mice. However, immunohistochemistry showed that the degree of egg granuloma formation and liver fibrosis was reduced. In USP21fl/flFOXP3Cre mice, levels of IFN-gamma, IL-4, anti-soluble egg antigen (SEA) IgG and anti-soluble worm antigen preparation (SWAP) IgG increased in blood, as determined using ELISAs and multiplex fluorescent microsphere immunoassays, while the levels of IL-10, lL-17A, IL-23, IL-9, and anti-SEA IgM decreased. In addition, the levels of the USP21 protein and mRNA in the liver and spleen of KO mice decreased. We further observed increased Th1 responses amplified by Tregs (regulatory T cells) and compromised Th17 responses, which alleviated the liver immunopathology. We speculated that these changes were related to polarization of Th1-like Tregs. Our results revealed the roles of USP21 in Treg-cell-mediated regulation of immune interactions between Schistosoma and its host. USP21 may have potential for regulating hepatic fibrosis in patients with schistosomiasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) combined with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is very common in clinical practice. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) rule of regulating the liver based on psycho-cardiology shows satisfactory effectiveness in the treatment of paroxysmal AF combined with OSAHS. However, its underlying pharmacological mechanism has not yet been elucidated. This study applied network pharmacology to identify 94 active components in the six TCM liver-regulating herbs and 182 corresponding targets from several databases and comprehensive literature studies, as well as retrieved AF combined with OSAHS-related targets. Cytoscape software was adopted to construct the component-component target network and component-putative target-AF combined with OSAHS target network. Then, we obtained 38 putative therapeutic targets against AF combined with OSAHS. After the production of a putative therapeutic target interaction network, topological analysis was adopted to determine the core targets of TCM liver-regulating herbs in the treatment of paroxysmal AF combined with OSAHS. For all putative therapeutic targets, biological process analysis and pathway enrichment analysis were utilized to investigate the possible mechanism of TCM liver-regulating herbs in the treatment of paroxysmal AF combined with OSAHS. Mechanistically, it included positive regulation of nitric oxide biosynthetic process, aging, response to hypoxia, TNF signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, and calcium signaling pathway. Especially, six core targets of TCM liver-regulating herbs, namely, TNF, STAT3, AKT1, IL-6, TP53, and INS, were significant in the regulation of the above biological processes and pathways. This study demonstrates the multicomponent, multitarget, and multipathway feature of TCM liver-regulating herbs, provides an extensional foundation for further research, and facilitates the reasonable application of TCM liver-regulating herbs in treating paroxysmal AF combined with OSAHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]