circZNF532 promotes endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition in diabetic retinopathy by recruiting TAF15 to stabilize PIK3CD.

Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is a pivotal event in diabetic retinopathy (DR). This study explored the role of circRNA zinc finger protein 532 (circZNF532) in regulating EndMT in DR progression. Human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) were exposed to high glucose (HG) to induce the DR cell model. Actinomycin D-treated HRMECs were used to confirm the mRNA stability of phosphoinositide-3 kinase catalytic subunit δ (PIK3CD). The interaction between TATA-box-binding protein-associated factor 15 (TAF15) and circZNF532/PIK3CD was subsequently analyzed using RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA pull-down. It was found that HG treatment accelerated EndMT process, facilitated cell migration and angiogenesis, and enhanced PIK3CD and p-AKT levels in HRMECs, whereas si-circZNF532 transfection neutralized these effects. Further data showed that circZNF532 recruited TAF15 to stabilize PIK3CD, thus elevating PIK3CD expression. Following rescue experiments suggested that PIK3CD overexpression partially negated the inhibitory effect of circZNF532 silencing on EndMT, migration, and angiogenesis of HG-treated HRMECs. In conclusion, our results suggest that circZNF532 recruits TAF15 to stabilize PIK3CD, thereby facilitating EndMT in DR.

Up-regulation of miR-192-5p inhibits the ELAVL1/PI3Kδ axis and attenuates microvascular endothelial cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis in diabetic retinopathy.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common complication of diabetes mellitus that poses a threat to adults. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a key role in DR progression. However, the role and mechanism of miR-192-5p in DR remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the effect of miR-192-5p on cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis in DR. METHODS: Expression of miR-192-5p, ELAV-like RNA binding protein 1 (ELAVL1) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase delta (PI3Kδ) in human retinal fibrovascular membrane (FVM) samples and human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) was assessed using RT-qPCR. ELAVL1 and PI3Kδ protein levels were evaluated by Western blot. RIP and dual luciferase reporter assays were performed to confirm the miR-192-5p/ELAVL1/PI3Kδ regulatory networks. Cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis were assessed by CCK8, transwell and tube formation assays. RESULTS: MiR-192-5p was decreased in FVM samples from DR patients and high glucose (HG)-treated HRMECs. Functionally, overexpressed miR-192-5p inhibited cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis in HG-treated HRMECs. Mechanically, miR-192-5p directly targeted ELAVL1 and decreased its expression. We further verified that ELAVL1 bound to PI3Kδ and maintained PI3Kδ mRNA stability. Rescue analysis demonstrated that the suppressive effects of HG-treated HRMECs caused by miR-192-5p up-regulation were overturned by overexpressed ELAVL1 or PI3Kδ. CONCLUSION: MiR-192-5p attenuates DR progression by targeting ELAVL1 and reducing PI3Kδ expression, suggesting a biomarker for the treatment of DR.

USP14 Regulates ATF2/PIK3CD Axis to Promote Microvascular Endothelial Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Angiogenesis in Diabetic Retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the leading causes of blindness in diabetic patients. However, the pathogenesis of DR is complex, and no firm conclusions have been drawn so far. It has become a hot spot in ophthalmology research to deeply study the mechanism of DR pathological changes and find effective treatment options. Human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) were induced by high glucose (HG) to construct DR cell model. CCK-8 assay was used to detect the viability of HRMECs. Transwell assay was used to detect the migration ability of HRMECs. Tube formation assay was used to identify the tube formation ability of HRMECs. The expressions of USP14, ATF2 and PIK3CD were detected by Western blot analysis and qRT-PCR assay. Immunoprecipitation (IP) was used to ascertain the relationship of USP14 and ATF2. To explore the regulatory relationship between ATF2 and PIK3CD by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay and Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. High glucose treatment promoted the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of HRMEC, and the expressions of USP14, ATF2 and PIK3CD were significantly up-regulated. USP14 or ATF2 knockdown inhibited HG-induced HRMECs proliferation, migration, and tube formation. USP14 regulated the expression of ATF2, and ATF2 promoted PIK3CD expression. PIK3CD overexpression attenuated the inhibitory effectiveness of USP14 knockdown on proliferation, migration and tube formation of DR cell model. Here, we revealed that USP14 regulated the ATF2/PIK3CD axis to promote proliferation, migration, and tube formation in HG-induced HRMECs.

Study on performance and mechanism of enhanced low-concentration ammonia nitrogen removal from low-temperature wastewater by iron-loaded biological activated carbon filter.

In order to strengthen the treatment of low-concentration ammonia nitrogen wastewater at low temperature, iron-loaded activated carbon (Fe-AC) with ultrasonic impregnation method was used as the filter material of biofilter process. The performance and mechanism of ammonia nitrogen removal from simulated secondary wastewater by iron-loaded biological activated carbon filter (Fe-BACF) were studied at 10 °C. The characterization results showed that iron was loaded on the surface of AC in the form of Fe2O3, and the specific surface area, total pore volume, pore size and alkaline functional group content of Fe-AC were obviously increased. After the formation of biofilm on the surface of filter media, the average removal rate of ammonia nitrogen by Fe-BACF (97.9%) was significantly higher than that of conventional BACF (87.8%). The improved surface properties increased the number and metabolic activity of microorganisms, and promoted the secretion of EPS on the surface of Fe-BAC. The results of high-throughput sequencing showed that the existence of Fe optimized the bacterial community structure on the surface of Fe-BAC, with the increase of the abundances of psychrophilic bacteria and ammonia nitrogen removal bacteria. The mechanism of enhanced ammonia nitrogen removal by Fe-BACF was the joint action of many factors, among which the main causal relationship was that modification of iron could optimize the number and category of microorganisms on Fe-BAC surface by improving the surface properties, thus improving the biological nitrogen removal ability. Results of this study provided a practical way for the treatment of low ammonia nitrogen wastewater in cold regions.

Environmental contamination with SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 hospitals in Wuhan, China, 2020.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused high number of infections and deaths of healthcare workers globally. Distribution and possible transmission route of SARS-CoV-2 in hospital environment should be clarified. We herein collected 431 environmental (391 surface and 40 air) samples in the intensive care unit (ICU) and general wards (GWs) of three hospitals in Wuhan, China from February 21 to March 4, 2020, and detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA by real-time quantitative PCR. The viral positive rate in the contaminated areas was 17.8% (28/157), whereas there was no virus detected in the clean areas. Higher positive rate (22/59, 37.3%) was found in ICU than that in GWs (3/63, 4.8%). The surfaces of computer keyboards and mouse in the ICU were the most contaminated (8/10, 80.0%), followed by the ground (6/9, 66.7%) and outer glove (2/5, 40.0%). From 17 air samples in the contaminated areas, only one sample collected at a distance of around 30 cm from the patient was positive. Enhanced surface disinfection and hand hygiene effectively decontaminated the virus from the environment. This finding might help understand the transmission route and contamination risk of SARS-CoV-2 and evaluate the effectiveness of infection prevention and control measures in healthcare facilities.

miR-152/LIN28B axis modulates high-glucose-induced angiogenesis in human retinal endothelial cells via VEGF signaling.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a serious complication of diabetes contributing to blindness in patients. Inhibiting retinal neovascularization is a potent strategy for diabetic retinopathy treatment. Reportedly, the stable expression of lin-28 homolog B (LIN28B), a member of the highly conserved RNA-binding protein LIN28 family, could promote vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression; herein, we investigated the role and mechanism of LIN28B in diabetic retinopathy progression from the perspective of microRNA (miRNA) regulation. We identified miR-152 as a miRNA that may target the LIN28B 3'-untranslated region and can be significantly downregulated under high-glucose (HG) condition. The expression of miR-152 was remarkably suppressed, whereas the expression of LIN28B was significantly increased under HG condition within both human retinal endothelial cells (hRECs) and retinal microvascular endothelial cell line (hRMECs). miR-152 overexpression significantly suppressed, while LIN28B overexpression promoted the angiogenesis and the protein levels of proangiogenesis factors in both hRECs and hRMECs. More importantly, LIN28B overexpression could remarkably attenuate the effect of miR-152 overexpression. In summary, miR-152 overexpression could inhibit HG-induced angiogenesis in both hRECs and hRMECs via targeting LIN28B and suppressing VEGF signaling. Further, in vivo experiments are needed for the application of miR-152/LIN28B axis in the treatment for diabetic retinopathy.

Aquatic life criteria derivation and ecological risk assessment of DEET in China.

N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) is the most widely used active ingredient in commercial insect repellents. In addition to its adverse effects in insects, DEET can affect non-target organisms in surface water systems. Nevertheless, the aquatic life criteria of DEET are not available. This study conducted both acute and chronic toxicity tests on DEET in native Chinese aquatic species, and derived its criterion maximum concentration (CMC) and criterion continuous concentration (CCC). The determined CMC and CCC of DEET were 21.53 and 0.52 mg/L, respectively. The toxicity data indicated that DEET exposure posed a higher toxicity to some algae than other aquatic species. Compared with other insect repellents, DEET exposure posed a moderate toxicity to aquatic species. Therefore, the exposure concentration of DEET in Chinese surface water was collected to assess the potential ecological risk. The preliminary ecological risk assessment showed that DEET posed negligible risk to aquatic ecosystems in China. However, considering its toxic effects on the growth and reproduction to aquatic organisms, the ecological risk posed by DEET is worth further concern.

CDK7 activated beta-catenin/TCF signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Over-activation of beta-catenin/TCF signaling is very common in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The molecular mechanisms leading to the aberrant activation of beta-catenin/TCF signaling are not fully understood. In this study, it was found that CDK7 was up-regulated in HCC tissues and its expression inversely correlated with the survival of HCC patients. Functional study showed that CDK7 promoted the growth and migration of HCC cells, and knocking down the expression of CDK7 inhibited the growth of HCC cells in both liquid culture and soft agar. Mechanistically, CDK7 interacted with beta-catenin, enhanced the interaction between beta-catenin and TCF4, and activated beta-catenin/TCF signaling. Taken together, this study demonstrated the oncogenic roles of CDK7 in HCC and suggested that CDK7 might be a promising therapeutic target.

Microarray Analysis of Long Non-Coding RNAs and Messenger RNAs in a Mouse Model of Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy.

Objective: Retinal neovascularization is a severe complication of many ocular diseases. To clarify the possible functions and therapeutic potential of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in retinal neovascularization, we assessed their expression profile in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR). Methods: Microarray analysis was performed to identify altered lncRNA and mRNA expressions between OIR and control mice. The microarray results were validated by qRT-PCR. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were conducted to determine biological functions and signaling pathways of the altered or interacted mRNAs. A coding-non-coding gene co-expression (CNC) network was constructed to identify the interaction of lncRNAs and mRNAs. Results: We identified 198 up-regulated and 175 down-regulated lncRNAs (fold change≥2.0, P<0.05), respectively in OIR mice compared to control mice. We also identified 412 up-regulated and 127 down-regulated mRNAs (fold change≥2.0, P<0.05), respectively in OIR mice compared to control mice. GO and KEGG analyses suggested that altered mRNAs were enriched in immune system process, exopeptidase activity, ECM-receptor interaction and protein digestion and absorption. Four validated lncRNAs (ENSMUST00000165968, ENSMUST00000153785, ENSMUST00000134409, and ENSMUST00000154285) and the nearby coding gene pairs were analyzed. A CNC network profile based on those validated altered lncRNAs as well as 410 interacted mRNAs was composed of 509 connections. Moreover, the GO and KEGG analyses demonstrated that these interacted mRNAs mainly enriched in blood vessel development, angiogenesis, cell adhesion molecules and leukocyte transendothelial migration pathways. Conclusion: Our data highlight the utility of altered lncRNA and mRNA profiling in understanding the pathogenesis of ischemia-induced retinal neovascularization and further suggest that therapeutic potential of altered lncRNA for retinal neovascularization.

Rg1 inhibits high glucose-induced mesenchymal activation and fibrosis via regulating miR-2113/RP11-982M15.8/Zeb1 pathway.

Recent study has showed that Ginsenoside Rg1, the mian active compound of Panax ginseng, could ameliorate oxidative stress and myocardial apoptosis in diabetes mellitus. However, the roles and mechanisms of Rg1 in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) are still unclear. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of Rg1 on mesenchymal activation of high-glucose (HG) cultured müller cells. High glucose conditions up-regulate MMP-2, MMP-9 and down-regulate TIMP-2, and promote mesenchymal activation in Müller cells. And Rg1 inhibits the HG-induced mesenchymal activation and HG-increased MMP-2 and MMP-9 and HG-decreased TIMP-2 in Müller cells. HG up-regulates Zeb1 and lncRNA RP11-982M15.8, and down-regulates miR-2113, and Rg1 inhibits these effects of HG. Both inhibition of miR-2113 and over-expression of RP11-982M15.8 significantly restored the HG induced mesenchymal activasion. Taken together, our findings suggested that Rg1 inhibited HG-induced mesenchymal activation and fibrosis via regulating miR-2113/RP11-982M15.8/Zeb1 pathway.

LncRNA SNHG1 targets miR-340-5p/PIK3CA axis to regulate microvascular endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis in DR.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a serious long-term complication of diabetes. However, the current treatment of DR is still challenging. We aimed to investigate the role of lncRNA SNHG1/miR-340-5p/PIK3CA in DR and the mechanisms involved. Blood samples from clinical DR patients and healthy subjects were obtained. HRMECs were induced by high glucose for 24 h to establish the DR model. The vector for interfering or overexpressing lncRNA SNHG1, miR-340-5p, and PIK3CA was constructed. LncRNA SNHG1, miR-340-5p, and PIK3CA expressions were detected by qRT-PCR or Western blot. Cell proliferation and migration were detected by CCK-8 and Transwell assays. Blood vessel formation was detected by angiogenesis assay. Dual-luciferase reporter assay tested the interaction of lncRNA SNHG1 with miR-340-5p and miR-340-5p with PIK3CA. RIP measured the binding of miR-340-5p to PIK3CA. In the blood of DR patients and the DR model, lncRNA SNHG1 was increased and miR-340-5p expression was down-regulated. In the DR model, PIK3CA expression was elevated. Downregulation of lncRNA SNHG1 inhibited HRMECs proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis. LncRNA SNHG1 interacted with miR-340-5p, and up-regulation of miR-340-5p inhibited HRMECs proliferation, migration and angiogenesis. The inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis of HRMECs caused by down-regulation of lncRNA SNHG1 was reversed by knockdown of miR-340-5p. miR-340-5p targeted PIK3CA, and downregulation of PIK3CA inhibited HRMECs proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis. The inhibition of HRMECs proliferation, migration and angiogenesis caused by down-regulation of lncRNA SNHG1 could be reversed by overexpression of PIK3CA. LncRNA SNHG1 targeted miR-340-5p/PIK3CA axis to regulate microvascular endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis in DR.

Degradation of Typical Reverse Sand-Mudstone Interbedded Bank Slope Based on Multi-Source Field Experiments.

The bank slopes in the Three Gorges Reservoir area (TGRA) have experienced obvious deterioration under the action of the periodic fluctuations in the reservoir water level. Generally, laboratory tests have been used to reveal the evolution trend of the slope banks. However, this method has a certain degree of cross-scale problem, especially for the mechanical state in a complex environment. Therefore, in this study, we took the Yangjiaping bank slope in the TGRA as an example and proposed a comprehensive on-site detection method to further reveal the rock mass degradation phenomenon of this typical reverse sand-mudstone interbedded bank slope. Specifically, multi-scale laser scanning, cross-hole acoustic wave detection, and inclination measurements were performed to analyze the fractures, quality, and deformation of rocky banks. The results showed that the deterioration of the bank slope manifested as the expansion, deepening, and widening of the cracks, as well as the peeling off and loosening of rocky banks. Large-scale laser scanning revealed that the deterioration zone was deformed along large fracture zones and layers. Unlike limestone slopes, the intact sandstone underground might be degraded by changes in water. There are few inclinometers and no deformation or weak deformation, which requires long-term monitoring. The relevant research methods provide an important reference for determining the instability and failure trend of the reservoir bank slopes.

Study on adsorption of ammonia nitrogen by iron-loaded activated carbon from low temperature wastewater.

In order to improve the adsorption efficiency of ammonia nitrogen in low temperature wastewater, the modified activated carbon (Fe-AC) was prepared by impregnation-calcination modification of Fe(NO3)3. The characterization results indicated that the total pore volume, specific surface area and the point of zero charge of activated carbon increased after modification. A better adsorption effect was achieved under neutral condition than under alkaline or acidic condition. The effect of Ca2+ on competitive adsorption of NH4+ was greater than that of Na+ when both cations were present. Pseudo-first-order kinetic model was confirmed to be consistent with Fe-AC adsorption kinetic data, and Langmuir model was consistent with adsorption isotherm data. The adsorption thermodynamics demonstrated that the ammonia nitrogen adsorption process by Fe-AC was spontaneous and low-temperature was helpful to improve the adsorption capacity. The mechanism of adsorption of ammonia nitrogen by Fe-AC was the comprehensive effect of physical adsorption and chemical adsorption, which was the essential reason for improving the adsorption efficiency of ammonia nitrogen by Fe-AC at a low temperature. This research offered a new way for the modification of activated carbon and a new method for the removal of ammonia nitrogen at a low temperature.

Association of circulating leptin and adiponectin levels with colorectal cancer risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control studies.

PURPOSE: Leptin and adiponectin are adipokines which have been commonly implicated in carcinogenesis. As such, many studies have investigated the association of circulating leptin and adiponectin levels with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. However, the results remained inconsistent. METHODS: In this work, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to precisely examine the association between circulating levels of leptin and adiponectin and CRC risk. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases from inception until October 2020. The pooled effect size was then estimated by calculating the odds ratio (OR). RESULTS: A total of 23 records (comprising 26 studies) were included in the meta-analysis. The overall analysis found that circulating levels of leptin and adiponectin were not significantly associated with CRC risk (P > 0.05). Interestingly, subgroup analysis revealed that a higher level of adiponectin was significantly associated with an increased CRC risk among overweight individuals (OR = 1.16; 95 % CI: 1.02, 1.32), and a decreased CRC risk among normal weight individuals (OR = 0.76; 95 % CI: 0.62, 0.92). Besides, a higher level of adiponectin was also significantly associated with a decreased risk of CRC in men (OR = 0.76; 95 % CI: 0.59, 0.98). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, circulating leptin level was not associated with CRC risk, but that of adiponectin was associated with CRC risk only in specific subgroups.

Monitoring and Handing of 89Sr Injection Site Extravasation in a Patient With Breast Cancer.

Extravasation of various imaging tracers during administration was not a rare complication during nuclear medicine practice. However, the occurrence of extravasation of therapeutic radiopharmaceutical was rarely reported. Here we reported a 60-year-old woman with breast cancer and diffuse painful bone metastases who received strontium chloride (SrCl2) therapy to palliate her bone pain. Accidental subcutaneous extravasation in the injection site occurred. The extravasated Sr was absorbed rapidly by arm elevation, squeezing a stress ball, local warming, and gently massaging. Follow-up results showed the patient's bone pain significantly relieved and her right arm remained normal.

Numerical simulation data on landslide generated impulse waves affected by the reservoir geometry.

The data article provided time series of water surface elevation and wave parameters of landslide generated impulse waves affected by reservoir geometry. Two types of generalized reservoir geometries were investigated by the numerical method of Tsunami Squares-converging reservoir geometries and diverging reservoir geometries. 14 numerical reservoir models with expansion angle of 0°, 5°, 10°, 15°, 20°, 25° and 30° were performed. Time series of water surface elevation at the propagation distance of 2 km for the converging and diverging reservoir models were obtained from 70 numerical wave gauges, which allows to analyse the effect of reservoir geometries on wave characteristics generated by landslide. The wave profiles of section C at different propagation distance were also investigated in order to improve the understanding of wave characteristics at different positions. Furthermore, wave parameters (wave height, wave amplitude and wave trough) of different propagation distance for all reservoir geometries were present in the article. These data were used in Zhang et al., 2019 [1].

Identification of a novel CHN1 p.(Phe213Val) variant in a large Han Chinese family with congenital Duane retraction syndrome.

Duane retraction syndrome (DRS) is a neuromuscular dysfunction of the eyes. Although many causative genes of DRS have been identified in Europe and the United States, few reports have been published in regard to Chinese DRS. The aim of the present study was to explore the genetic defect of DRS in a Chinese family. Exome sequencing was used to identify the disease-causing gene for the two affected family members. Ophthalmic and physical examinations, as well as genetic screenings for variants in chimerin 1 (CHN1), were performed for all family members. Functional analyses of a CHN1 variant in 293T cells included a Rac-GTP activation assay, α2-chimaerin translocation assay, and co-immunoprecipitation assay. Genetic analysis revealed a NM_001822.7: c.637T > G variant in the CHN1 gene, which resulted in the substitution of a highly conserved C1 domain with valine at codon 213 (NP_001813.1: p.(Phe213Val)) (ClinVar Accession Number: SCV001335305). In-silico analysis revealed that the p.(Phe213Val) substitution affected the protein stability and connections among the amino acids of CHN1 in terms of its tertiary protein structure. Functional studies indicated that the p.(Phe213Val) substitution reduced Rac-GTP activity and enhanced membrane translocation in response to phorbol-myristoyl acetate (PMA). Together with previous studies, our present findings demonstrate that CHN1 may be an important causative gene for different ethnicities with DRS.

Correction to: Liaoning Score for Prediction of Esophageal Varices in Cirrhotic Patients Who Had Never Undergone Endoscopy: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study in Liaoning Province, China.

Unfortunately, the fourteenth author's name was incorrectly published in the Original Article. The correct author name is Cen Hong.

Liaoning Score for Prediction of Esophageal Varices in Cirrhotic Patients Who Had Never Undergone Endoscopy: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study in Liaoning Province, China.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Endoscopy is necessary for assessment of esophageal varices (EVs) in cirrhotic patients, but its use is limited because of the poor compliance of patients and shortage of public health resources at primary hospitals or rural areas, especially in less well developed countries. A multicenter cross-sectional study aimed to establish a novel non-invasive score for prediction of EVs in cirrhotic patients who had never undergone endoscopy. METHODS: Patients with liver cirrhosis regardless of acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB) who underwent the first-time upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at 11 hospitals in Liaoning Province, China were considered. Independent predictors for EVs were identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis and then combined into an equation. The diagnostic performance with area under curve (AUC) was further evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 363 patients were included, of whom 260 had EVs and 180 presented with AUGIB. In all patients, AUGIB, ascites, and platelets were the independent predictors for EVs. The equation (i.e., Liaoning score) was 0.466 + 1.088 × AUGIB (1 = yes; 0 = no) + 1.147 × ascites (1 = yes; 0 = no) - 0.012 × platelets, which had an AUC of 0.807 (p < 0.0001). In patients with AUGIB, ascites and platelets were the independent predictors for EVs. The equation was as follows: 1.205 + 1.557 × ascites (1 = yes; 0 = no) - 0.008 × platelets, which had an AUC of 0.782 (p < 0.0001). In patients without AUGIB, platelets was the only independent predictor for EVs, which had an AUC of 0.773 (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The Liaoning score is based on easy-to-access regular clinical and laboratory data and has a good diagnostic performance for non-invasive prediction of EVs in cirrhotic patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02593799.

A novel method for landslide displacement prediction by integrating advanced computational intelligence algorithms.

Landslide displacement prediction is considered as an essential component for developing early warning systems. The modelling of conventional forecast methods requires enormous monitoring data that limit its application. To conduct accurate displacement prediction with limited data, a novel method is proposed and applied by integrating three computational intelligence algorithms namely: the wavelet transform (WT), the artificial bees colony (ABC), and the kernel-based extreme learning machine (KELM). At first, the total displacement was decomposed into several sub-sequences with different frequencies using the WT. Next each sub-sequence was predicted separately by the KELM whose parameters were optimized by the ABC. Finally the predicted total displacement was obtained by adding all the predicted sub-sequences. The Shuping landslide in the Three Gorges Reservoir area in China was taken as a case study. The performance of the new method was compared with the WT-ELM, ABC-KELM, ELM, and the support vector machine (SVM) methods. Results show that the prediction accuracy can be improved by decomposing the total displacement into sub-sequences with various frequencies and by predicting them separately. The ABC-KELM algorithm shows the highest prediction capacity followed by the ELM and SVM. Overall, the proposed method achieved excellent performance both in terms of accuracy and stability.