This study proposes the novel idea of implementing a decision support system (DSS) based on both the prevalent MEAN architecture and the R statistical language platform. A ‘MEAN+R’ framework is ...defined, and the effectiveness of this framework is verified by taking it as the basis for the implementation of a real user-side, web-based, multi-participant DSS supporting a group decision-making process of quasi-senior people, pertaining to the selection of the best and commonly-agreed senior center for co-living after retirement. The ‘model base’ of the DSS is a recent MADM model evaluating the criteria-wise source opinions of the decision makers (DMs) toward alternatives in terms of intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (IFNs), but within the model the original multi-objective decision-making (MODM) phase to determine whether the criteria weight vector (CWV) has been replaced with another well-accepted MADM model, which is the AHP. This ensures not only unified grounds for modelling, but also a coherent implementation basis for the MADM model in R. The outside Node.js programs access the ‘data base’ of the DSS managed using MongoDB and will invoke the R-written ‘model base’ codes while necessary. Then, the R program also interacts with the ‘data base’ to exchange the information relevant to the decision from/to users. An illustrative numerical group decision example supported by this DSS is provided, and an efficiency analysis is made by listing the time spent on both data and model bases separately and clearly, while excluding the other processes of the DSS. A key finding is that the computational time can be controlled when incorporating the vector-based R platform, i.e., it leaps forward to the next level only when the size of the problem increases to a certain extent. Finally, since the realized DSS is intended to face end users of the healthcare system (rather than the business-oriented service providers, e.g., hospitals, physicians, nurses, etc.), it may provide some supplement to healthcare decision support (rather than solving other types of problem, such as clinical decisions).
Modified DNA strands undergo a reversible light-induced reaction involving the intramolecular photodimerization of two appended anthracene tags. The photodimers exhibit markedly different binding ...behavior toward a complementary strand that depends on the number of bases between the modified positions. By preforming the duplex, photochromism can be suppressed, illustrating dual-mode gated behavior.
In-depth genome characterization is still lacking for most of biofuel crops, especially for centromeres, which play a fundamental role during nuclear division and in the maintenance of genome ...stability. This study applied long-read sequencing technologies to assemble a highly contiguous genome for yellowhorn (
Xanthoceras sorbifolium
), an oil-producing tree, and conducted extensive comparative analyses to understand centromere structure and evolution, and fatty acid biosynthesis. We produced a reference-level genome of yellowhorn, ∼470 Mb in length with ∼95% of contigs anchored onto 15 chromosomes. Genome annotation identified 22,049 protein-coding genes and 65.7% of the genome sequence as repetitive elements. Long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) account for ∼30% of the yellowhorn genome, which is maintained by a moderate birth rate and a low removal rate. We identified the centromeric regions on each chromosome and found enrichment of centromere-specific retrotransposons of LINE1 and
Gypsy
in these regions, which have evolved recently (∼0.7 MYA). We compared the genomes of three cultivars and found frequent inversions. We analyzed the transcriptomes from different tissues and identified the candidate genes involved in very-long-chain fatty acid biosynthesis and their expression profiles. Collinear block analysis showed that yellowhorn shared the gamma (γ) hexaploidy event with
Vitis vinifera
but did not undergo any further whole-genome duplication. This study provides excellent genomic resources for understanding centromere structure and evolution and for functional studies in this important oil-producing plant.
Endometriosis (EMS) is a common gynecological disorder characterized by the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. It is commonly associated with pelvic pain and infertility. The ...exact pathogenesis remains unclear and many hypotheses have been suggested. In recent years, accumulating evidence indicates that oxidative stress (OS) plays a role in the development of EMS. The treatment of EMS remains a challenge. Antioxidant therapies for effective management of reactive oxygen species and inflammation have generated considerable research interest. Antioxidant agents such as Vitamins C and E, resveratrol, curcumin, melatonin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, and others have been studied for the treatment of EMS. This review presents the role of OS in pathophysiology of EMS and the antioxidant therapies in its management.
Objective
To determine the efficacy of serum levels of cancer antigen 125 (CA125) and cancer antigen 19‐9 (CA19‐9), and the neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) for diagnosis of mature cystic ...teratoma (MCT) with torsion.
Methods
A retrospective medical record review was conducted of data for women who had undergone surgery for ovarian MCT at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, China, between January 1, 2008, and January 1, 2015. Patients with torsion and a control group who underwent surgery on the same days were identified. Clinical characteristics and the serum levels of CA125, CA19‐9, and the NLR were assessed.
Results
The serum levels of CA125, CA19‐9, and the NLR were higher in the torsion group (n=68) than in the control group (n=120; P≤0.001 for all). Receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated that the area under the curve for the combined use of CA125, CA19‐9, and NLR was 0.978 (95% confidence interval 0.954–1.000; P<0.001). This combination had a diagnostic sensitivity of 93.9% and a specificity of 98.3%. Moreover, levels of these inflammatory markers were significantly increased among patients with large tumor diameters (P<0.01 for all).
Conclusion
The combined measurement of CA125, CA19‐9, and the NLR provided an efficient method for the diagnosis of MCT with torsion.
Combined evaluation of cancer antigen 125, cancer antigen 19‐9, and the neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio proved an efficient method to diagnose mature cystic teratoma with torsion.
Nomograms are widely used as predictive tools to predict oncological outcomes intuitively and precisely. The aim of our study was to develop a nomogram for predicting overall survival (OS) of ...patients with early stage cervical cancer.
In this retrospective study, the clinical, pathological, and hematological data and prognosis of 795 cervical cancer patients were investigated. We identified and incorporated independent significant prognostic factors for OS to develop a nomogram. The predictive accuracy and discriminative ability were measured by concordance index.
By univariable analysis and subsequent multivariable analysis, we identified body mass index, albumin, platelet, leukocyte, tumor differentiation, and the status of the pelvic lymph node (PLN) (all P < 0.05) as independent prognostic factors. The concordance index of the nomogram integrating these 6 variables was 0.74. The calibration curves for probability of 3- and 5-year OS also demonstrated ideal agreement between nomogram prediction and actual observation.
We developed a novel nomogram that can provide prediction of OS for patients with early stage cervical cancer individually. Furthermore, studies are required to validate whether it can be applied to other cohorts.
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a global health threat since December 2019, and there is still no highly effective drug to control the pandemic. To ...facilitate drug target identification for drug development, studies on molecular mechanisms, such as SARS-CoV-2 protein interactions, are urgently needed. In this study, we focused on Nsp2, a non-structural protein with largely unknown function and mechanism. The interactome of Nsp2 was revealed through the combination of affinity purification mass spectrometry (AP-MS) and stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC), and 84 proteins of high-confidence were identified. Gene ontology analysis demonstrated that Nsp2-interacting proteins are involved in several biological processes such as endosome transport and translation. Network analysis generated two clusters, including ribosome assembly and vesicular transport. Bio-layer interferometry (BLI) assay confirmed the bindings between Nsp2- and 4-interacting proteins, i.e. STAU2 (Staufen2), HNRNPLL, ATP6V1B2, and RAP1GDS1 (SmgGDS), which were randomly selected from the list of 84 proteins. Our findings provide insights into the Nsp2–host interplay and indicate that Nsp2 may play important roles in SARS-CoV-2 infection and serve as a potential drug target for anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug development.
Heavy concrete shielding properties for carbon therapy Wang, Jin-Long; Lu, Jiade J; Ding, Da-Jun ...
Nuclear engineering and technology,
June 2023, 2023-06-00, 2023-06-01, 2023-06, Volume:
55, Issue:
6
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
As medical facilities are usually built at urban areas, special concrete aggregates and evaluation methods are needed to optimize the design of concrete walls by balancing density, thickness, ...material composition, cost, and other factors. Carbon treatment rooms require a high radiation shielding requirement, as the neutron yield from carbon therapy is much higher than the neutron yield of protons. In this case study, the maximum carbon energy is 430 MeV/u and the maximum current is 0.27 nA from a hybrid particle therapy system. Hospital or facility construction should consider this requirement to design a special heavy concrete. In this work, magnetite is adopted as the major aggregate. Density is determined mainly by the major aggregate content of magnetite, and a heavy concrete test block was constructed for structural tests. The compressive strength is 35.7 MPa. The density ranges from 3.65 g/cm3 to 4.14 g/cm3, and the iron mass content ranges from 53.78% to 60.38% from the 12 cored sample measurements. It was found that there is a linear relationship between density and iron content, and mixing impurities should be the major reason leading to the nonuniform element and density distribution. The effect of this nonuniformity on radiation shielding properties for a carbon treatment room is investigated by three groups of Monte Carlo simulations. Higher density dominates to reduce shielding thickness. However, a higher content of high-Z elements will weaken the shielding strength, especially at a lower dose rate threshold and vice versa. The weakened side effect of a high iron content on the shielding property is obvious at 2.5 μSv/h. Therefore, we should not blindly pursue high Z content in engineering. If the thickness is constrained to 2 m, then the density can be reduced to 3.3 g/cm3, which will save cost by reducing the magnetite composition with 50.44% iron content. If a higher density of 3.9 g/cm3 with 57.65% iron content is selected for construction, then the thickness of the wall can be reduced to 174.2 cm, which will save space for equipment installation.
We consider the evolution of viscous fluids in a 2D horizontally periodic slab bounded above by a free top surface and below by a fixed flat bottom. This is a free boundary problem. The dynamics of ...the fluid are governed by the incompressible stationary Navier–Stokes equations under the influence of gravity and the effect of surface tension. We develop the global theory of solutions in low regularity Sobolev spaces for small data by nonlinear energy estimates.
The second-harmonic generation (SHG) coefficient for parabolic quantum dots (QDs) subject to applied electric and magnetic fields is theoretically investigated, within the framework of the ...compact-density-matrix approach and an iterative method. Numerical results are presented for typical GaAs/AlGaAs parabolic QDs. These results show that the radius of QD and the magnitude of electric and magnetic fields have a great influence on the SHG coefficient. And the peak shifts to the aspect of high energy when considering the influence of electric and magnetic fields. Moreover, the SHG coefficient also depends sensitively on the relaxation rate of the spherical QD system.
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