A safety risk assessment method based on conditionally constrained game theory and adaptive ensemble learning: Application to wheat flour and rice.

Food safety risk control and comprehensive assessment are crucial measures to ensure food safety. However, existing food safety risk assessment methods face challenges, such as unreasonable weight distribution of hazard factors and poor adaptability. Therefore, a safety risk assessment model based on conditionally constrained game theory and adaptive ensemble learning is proposed in this paper.

Plasma microRNA-320c as a Potential Biomarker for the Severity of Knee Osteoarthritis and Regulates cAMP Responsive Element Binding Protein 5 (CREB5) in Chondrocytes.

Objective: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a commonly known prevalent joint disease, with limited therapeutic methods. This study aimed to investigate the expression of plasma microRNA-320c (miR-320c) in patients with knee OA and to explore the clinical value and potential mechanism of miR-320c in knee OA.

Methods: Forty knee OA patients and 20 healthy controls were enrolled.

Improved whale swarm algorithm for solving material emergency dispatching problem with changing road conditions.

To overcome the problem of easily falling into local extreme values of the whale swarm algorithm to solve the material emergency dispatching problem with changing road conditions, an improved whale swarm algorithm is proposed. First, an improved scan and Clarke-Wright algorithm is used to obtain the optimal vehicle path at the initial time. Then, the group movement strategy is designed to generate offspring individuals with an improved quality for refining the updating ability of individuals in the population.

A clinical practice guideline for the screening and assessment of enthesitis in patients with spondyloarthritis.

Objective: The aim of this review is to provide guidance on the selection of approaches to the screening and assessment of enthesitis in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA).

Methods: Twenty-four questions regarding the approaches to the screening and assessment of enthesitis and the implementation details were devised, followed by a systemic literature review. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology was employed in the development of this guideline, with modifications to evaluate non-interventional approaches under comprehensive consideration of costs, accessibility, and evidence strength.

Deep reinforcement learning algorithm for solving material emergency dispatching problem.

In order to solve the problem that the scheduling scheme cannot be updated in real time due to the dynamic change of node demand in material emergency dispatching, this article proposes a dynamic attention model based on improved gated recurrent unit. The dynamic codec framework is used to track the change of node demand to update the node information. The improved gated recurrent unit is embedded between codecs to improve the representation ability of the model.

Mitochondrial impairment and repair in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Nucleic acid autoantibodies, increase type I interferon (IFN-α) levels, and immune cell hyperactivation are hallmarks of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Notably, immune cell activation requires high level of cellular energy that is predominately generated by the mitochondria. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mROS), the byproduct of mitochondrial energy generation, serves as an essential mediator to control the activation and differentiation of cells and regulate the antigenicity of oxidized nucleoids within the mitochondria.

Unsupervised monitoring of vegetation in a surface coal mining region based on NDVI time series.

Surface coal mining causes vegetation disturbance while providing an energy source. Thus, much attention is given to monitoring the vegetation of surface coal mining regions. Multitemporal satellite imagery, such as Landsat time-series imagery, is an operational environment monitoring service widely used to access vegetation traits and ensure vegetation surveillance across large areas.

MicroRNA-320c inhibits articular chondrocytes proliferation and induces apoptosis by targeting mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1).

Aim: To clarify the interaction of microRNA-320c (miR-320c) and mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1), and to investigate the effects of miR-320c on articular chondroctye proliferation and apoptosis.

Methods: Lentiviral expression vectors were constructed and dual luciferase assays containing MAPK1 3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTRs) were performed. Small hairpin RNA (shRNA) was utilized to modulate MAPK1 expression.

Erratum to development and formulation of the classification criteria for osteoarthritis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.21037/atm-20-4673.].

Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis in China (2019 edition).

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease of middle-aged and elderly people, contributed a higher burden of disease in China and the world. In 2017, under the support of the Rheumatology and Immunology Expert Committee of the Cross-Strait Medical and Health Exchange Association. The objective was to develop an evidence-based diagnosis and treatment guideline for OA in China based on emerging new evidence.

Development and formulation of the classification criteria for osteoarthritis.

Background: The classification criteria of osteoarthritis (OA) is lack of the support of relevant research evidence and there is no standardized protocol for detailed steps of the development or clinical verification of classification criteria has yet been established. This study aims to describe the development process of the Categorization of Osteoarthritis CHecklist (COACH), which is designed to choose the precise treatment option for patients with OA.

Methods: A multidisciplinary panel was established to gather opinions.

Iguratimod ameliorates bleomycin-induced alveolar inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis in mice by suppressing expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9.

Aim: To investigate the potential therapeutic efficacy of iguratimod (IGU) on bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice.

Methods: A total of 75 C57BL/6 mice were randomly and evenly divided into control group, BLM (5 mg/kg) group, BLM + IGU (90 mg/kg) group, BLM + methylprednisolone (MP, 10 mg/kg) group and BLM + pirfenidone (PF, 100 mg/kg) group. The mice were sacrificed on day 7, 14 and 28.

Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis of articular chondrocytes identifies TRAF1, CTGF, and CX3CL1 genes as hypomethylated in osteoarthritis.

The aim of this study is to identify osteoarthritis (OA)-associated differentially methylated genes in human articular chondrocytes from patients with OA. DNA methylation profiling of articular chondrocytes from OA patients, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, and controls was performed, and candidate genes were chosen for validation of gene demethylation status. The mRNA expression levels of candidate genes in chondrocytes were detected by real-time quantitative PCR.

Plasmapheresis therapy in combination with TNF-α inhibitor and DMARDs: A multitarget method for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of a multitarget method involving plasmapheresis therapy combined with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitor and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) on disease activity parameters in the treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Sixty-five patients with active RA were divided into two groups according to the treatment administered: the plasmapheresis combination therapy group (Plasmapheresis combination group; 38 cases), in which patients received plasmapheresis therapy along with a TNF-α inhibitor (recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-Fc; rhTNFR:Fc; Etanercept biosimilars) and DMARDs, and a TNF-α inhibitor therapy group (biological agent group; 27 cases), in which patients received a TNF-α inhibitor and DMARDs. Clinical parameters were measured before and at 4 and 24 weeks after treatment.

High-throughput screening of chemical libraries for modulators of gene promoter activity of HLA-B2705: environmental pathogenesis and therapeutics of ankylosing spondylitis.

Objective: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a highly heritable disease with HLA-B27 being the strongest susceptible gene. In order to survey the environmental triggers for arthritis development, we used a high-throughput technique to screen the effects of 12,264 chemicals on the HLA-B27 gene promoter.

Methods: Promoter reporter transfectants 293T-HLA-B27 and HeLa-HLA-B27 were tested using robotics with 12,264 chemicals.

[The role of promoter CpG islands methylation of leptin gene in osteoarthritis].

Objective: To investigate the effects of 5-Aza-CdR (methylation transferase inhibitor)on the expression levels of leptin gene in chondrocytes and methylation states of leptin promoter region between osteoarthritis (OA) group and control.

Methods: The chondrocytes in osteoarthritis group were treated with 5-Aza-CdR with different doses and time-points, and the expression level of leptin was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction for picking up the optimum dose and time-point. Next, the chondrocytes in 5 osteoarthritis patients and 5 control patients (amputation due to severe trauma) were treated with 5-Aza-CdR.

Screening disease-associated proteins from sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a comparative proteomic study.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation at the synovial membrane. Although great progress has been made recently in exploring the etiology and pathogenesis of RA, its molecular pathological mechanism remains to be further defined and it is still a great challenge in determining the diagnosis and in choosing the appropriate therapy in early patients. This study was performed to screen candidate RA-associated serum proteins by comparative proteomics to provide research clues to early diagnosis and treatment of RA.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms and expression of IL23R in Chinese ankylosing spondylitis patients.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IL23R with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in Chinese Han population. Six SNPs were selected for analysis in AS patients and controls. The IL23R mRNA expression was detected using RT-PCR.

Verification of Berlin algorithm for diagnosing undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy patients in Chinese population.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnosing value of the Berlin algorithm, comparing to that of the established ESSG and Amor criteria in Chinese patients with undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy.

Methods: A total of 92 clinically diagnosed undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy patients with axial involvement were compared to 123 patients with other kinds of rheumatic diseases by using the parameters listed in the Berlin algorithm, ESSG criteria, and Amor criteria.

Results: In the 92 undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy patients with axial involvement, the prevalence rate of HLA-B27 was 71.

Identification of cytokines that might enhance the promoter activity of HLA-B27.

Objective: Although the mechanism by which HLA-B27 induces ankylosing spondylitis is unclear, a minimum threshold of transcription is essential, a process controlled at the promoter. Our aim was to scan the effect of a panel of cytokines on the promoter of the HLA-B27 gene over serial timepoints.

Methods: The promoter region of B*2705 gene was cloned into a luciferase reporter, stably transfected into HeLa cells, and used to monitor the serial effect of 25 cytokines.

Seronegative spondyloarthropathy--studies from the Asia Pacific region.

Recent therapeutic advances, in particular the use of anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents, have revived interest in the seronegative spondyloarthropathies (SpA), a group of arthritides characterised by axial skeletal involvement and the absence of rheumatoid factor. The purpose of this article is to review the studies that have been done in the Asia Pacific region, as a broad understanding of the scope and severity of this group of diseases would enable rheumatologists and physicians in this part of the world to better manage their patients. The majority of genetic studies have focused on the associations of HLA-B27 with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and SpA, while a few studies examined the associations of the CARD, IL-1, LMP2, TAP and TGF with AS.

Epidemiology of spondyloarthritis in the People's Republic of China: review of the literature and commentary.

Objectives: The prevalence of spondyloarthritis (SpA) and its prototype ankylosing spondylitis (AS) varies considerably in different parts of the world. With 20% of the world's population in China, there is potential for a significant disease burden. Eight of the 10 articles providing primary data on the prevalence of SpA in China are in the Chinese language; our objective is to review all 10 articles for English readers.