• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2023

This study conducts uniaxial compression tests on intact and single crack-contained rocks to investigate the time-frequency domain characteristics of acoustic emission (AE) signals monitored during the deformation failure process. A processing approach, short-time Fourier transform (STFT), is performed to obtain the evolution characteristics of time-frequency domain of AE signals. The AE signal modes at different deformation stages of rocks are different. Five modes of AE signal are observed during the cracking process of rocks. The evolution characteristics of time-frequency domain of AE signals processed by STFT can be utilized to evaluate the damage process of rocks. The difference of time-frequency domain characteristics between intact and cracked rocks is comparatively analyzed. The distribution characteristics of frequency changing from a single band-shaped cluster to multiple band-shaped clusters can be regarded as an early warning information of damage and failure of rocks. Meanwhile, the attenuation of frequency enables the exploration of rock failure trends.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.14
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• pp.5839-5843
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• 2014

Objective: The Zhejiang Provincial Cancer Prevention and Control Office collected cancer registration data during 2000 to 2009 from 6 cancer registries in Zhejiang province of China in order to analyze the cancer incidence. Methods: Descriptive analysis included cancer incidence stratified by sex, age and cancer site group. The proportions and cumulative rates of 10 common cancers in different groups were also calculated. Chinese population census in 1982 and Segi's population were used for calculating age-standardized incidence rates. The log-linear model was used for fitting to calculate the incidence trends. Results: The 6 cancer registries in Zhejiang province in China covered a total of 60,087,888 person-years during 2000 to 2009 (males 30,445,904, females 29,641,984). The total number of new cancer cases were 163,104 (males 92,982, females 70,122). The morphology verified cases accounted for 69.7%, and the new cases verified only by information from death certification accounted for 1.23%. The crude incidence rate in Zhejiang cancer registration areas was $271.5/10^5$ during 2000 to 2009 (male $305.41/10^5$, female $236.58/10^5$), age-standardized incidence rates by Chinese standard population (ASIRC) and by world standard population (ASIRW) were $147.1/10^5$ and $188.2/10^5$, the cumulative incidence rate (aged from 0 to 74) being 21.7%. The crude incidence rate was $209.6/10^5$ in 2000, and it increased to $320.20/10^5$ in 2009 (52.8%), with an annual percent change (APC) of 4.51% (95% confidence interval, 3.25%-5.79%). Age-specific incidence rate of 80-84 age group was achieved at the highest point of the incidence curve. Overall with different age groups, the cancer incidences differed, the incidence of liver cancer being highest in 15-44 age group in males; the incidence of breast cancer was the highest in 15-64 age group in females; the incidences of lung cancer were the highest in both males and females over the age of 65 years. Conclusions: Lung cancer, digestive system malignancies and breast cancer are the most common cancers in Zhejiang province in China requiring an especial focus. The incidences of thyroid cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer and lymphoma have increased rapidly. Prevention and control measures should be implemented for these cancers.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.13-27
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• 2023

Fatigue crack is a fatal problem for steel structures. Early detection and maintenance can help extend the service life and prevent hazards. This paper presents the ultrasonic guided waves-based (UGWs-based) fatigue crack detection of a steel I-beam. The semi-analytical finite element model has been built to obtain the wave propagation characteristics. Damage indices in both time and frequency domains were analyzed by considering the characteristic variations of UGWs including the amplitude, phase angle, and wave packet energy. The pulse-echo and pitch-catch methods were combined in the detection scheme. Lab-scale experiments were conducted on welded steel I-beams to verify the proposed method. Results show that the damage indices based on the characteristic variations in the time domain can identify and localize the fatigue crack before it enters the rapid growth stage. The damage severity can be reasonably evaluated by analyzing the time-domain damage indices. Two nonlinear damage indices in the frequency domain give earlier warnings of the fatigue crack than the time-domain damage indices do. The identification results based on the above two nonlinear indices are found to be less consistent under various excitation frequencies. More robust nonlinear techniques needed to be searched and tested for early crack detection in steel I-beams in further study.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.515-523
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• 2023

Background: 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD), one of the main components of ginseng, has anti-inflammatory, anti-estrogenic, and anti-tumor activities. It is known that activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the primary producers of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the liver, and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway participates in the activation of HSCs. We aimed to explore whether PPD inhibits liver fibrosis is associated with the Wnt/β-catenin pathway inactivation. Methods: The anti-fibrotic roles of PPD were examined both in vitro and in vivo. We also examined the levels of Wnt inhibitory factor 1 (WIF1), DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) and WIF1 methylation. Results: PPD obviously ameliorated liver fibrosis in carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-treated mice and reduced collagen deposition. PPD also suppressed the activation and proliferation of primary HSCs. Notably, PPD inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, reduced TCF activity, and increased P-β-catenin and GSK-3β levels. Interestingly, WIF1 was found to mediate the inactivation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in PPD-treated HSCs. WIF1 silencing suppressed the inhibitory effects of PPD on HSC activation and also restored α-SMA and type I collagen levels. The downregulation of WIF1 expression was associated with the methylation of its promoter. PPD induced WIF1 demethylation and restored WIF1 expression. Further experiments confirmed that DNMT1 overexpression blocked the effects of PPD on WIF1 expression and demethylation and enhanced HSC activation. Conclusion: PPD up-regulates WIF1 levels and impairs Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation via the downregulation of DNMT1-mediated WIF1 methylation, leading to HSC inactivation. Therefore, PPD may be a promising therapeutic drug for patients with liver fibrosis.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.73-82
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• 2024

Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) is a popular and economically vital plant known for its ornamental and medicinal properties. Despite its widespread cultivation, there has been no documentation of plant viruses on gardenia yet. In the present study, gardenia leaves exhibiting symptoms of plant viral diseases were sampled and sequenced by both metatranscriptome and small RNA sequencing. As a consequence, bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) was identified in gardenia for the first time and named BCMV-gardenia. The full genome sequence of BCMV-gardenia is 10,054 nucleotides (nt) in length (excluding the poly (A) at the 3' termini), encoding a large polyprotein of 3,222 amino acids. Sequence analysis showed that the N-termini of the polyprotein encoded by BCMV-gardenia is less conserved when compared to other BCMV isolates, whereas the C-termini is the most conserved. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis showed that BCMVgardenia was clustered closely with other BCMV isolates identified outside the leguminous plants. Our results indicated that the majority of BCMV-gardenia virus-derived small interfering RNAs (vsiRNAs) were 21 nt and 22 nt, with 21 nt being more abundant. The first nucleotide at the 5' termini of vsiRNAs derived from BCMV-gardenia preferred U and A. The ratio of vsiRNAs derived from sense (51.1%) and antisense (48.9%) strands is approaching, and the distribution of vsiRNAs along the viral genome is generally even, with some hot spots forming in local regions. Our findings could provide new insights into the diversity, evolution, and host expansion of BCMV and contribute to the prevention and treatment of this virus.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.1823-1840
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• 2023

In order to improve spectral efficiency and reduce power consumption for reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) assisted wireless communication systems, a joint design considering irregular RIS topology, RIS on-off switch, power allocation and phase adjustment is investigated in this paper. Firstly, a multi-dimensional variable joint optimization problem is established under multiple constraints, such as the minimum data requirement and power constraints, with the goal of maximizing the system energy efficiency. However, the proposed optimization problem is hard to be resolved due to its property of nonlinear nonconvex integer programming. Then, to tackle this issue, the problem is decomposed into four sub-problems: topology design, phase shift adjustment, power allocation and switch selection. In terms of topology design, Tabu search algorithm is introduced to select the components that play the main role. For RIS switch selection, greedy algorithm is used to turn off the RISs that play the secondary role. Finally, an iterative optimization algorithm with high data-rate and low power consumption is proposed. The simulation results show that the performance of the irregular RIS aided system with topology design and RIS selection is better than that of the fixed topology and the fix number of RISs. In addition, the proposed joint optimization algorithm can effectively improve the data rate and energy efficiency by changing the propagation environment.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.105-121
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• 2006

Body measurement was first made with the subjects of 193 males in their 20s residing in the Ningbo area, Zhejiang Province in China. In this first report, lower body shapes were classified and discriminated by using anthropometric measurement indices and lower body analysis. The following sums up the research: 1. Compared with the average values of Korean males in their 20s, the Chinese subjects were characterized with thinner waist, more flat hip, and smaller midthigh. 2. The subjects of Chinese males in their 20s showed three types of lower bodies: H-Round Type (25.91%)-thick waist-abdomen, round cross-section waist-abdomen, and small waist-hip difference. A-Trapezoid Type (34.72%)-small width of omphalion waist-abdomen, average cross-section waist-abdomen, and large waist-hip difference. A-Balance Type (39.38%)-average width of omphalion waist-abdomen, flat cross-section waist-abdomen, and large waist-hip difference. 3. Seven useful variables for the categorization of the subjects' lower body types were chosen through stepwise discriminant analysis, and the hit ratio of discrimination was 96.89%.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.108-124
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• 2007

Body measurement was held for the subjects of Chinese adult males in their 20s through 40s residing in the Ningbo area of Zhejiang Province in order to provide body type information and raise the fit of clothing products for the advancement into the Chinese market. The following sums up the analysis of body types based on body measurement: 1. Seven factors to compose body types were produced from the analysis of males in their 20s, explaining 76.07% of variables and representing 3 types according to cluster analysis. Type 1 was H-b and appeared as much as 32.14%. Type 2, semi X-d, was 40.81%, while Type 3, A-i, had 27.04%. 2. Eight body type composing factors were extracted from the analysis of men in their 30s and 40s. The factors explained 76.77% of all the variables and represented 4 types according to cluster analysis. Type 1, H-d, had the appearance rate of 18.47%; Type 2, H-b, 40.84%; Type 3, Y-i, 27.71%; and Type 4, semi X-s, 11.95%.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.1017-1021
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• 2013

The cellular apoptosis susceptibility (CSE1L) gene has been demonstrated to regulate multiple cellular mechanisms including the mitotic spindle check point as well as proliferation and apoptosis. However, the importance of CSE1L in human colon cancer is largely unknown. In the present study, we examined expression levels of CSE1L mRNA by semiquantitative RT-PCR. A lentivirus-mediated small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to knock down CSE1L expression in the human colon cancer cell line RKO. Changes in CSE1L target gene expression were determined by RT-PCR. Cell proliferation was examined by a high content screening assay. In vitro tumorigenesis was measured by colony-formation assay. Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometric analysis. We found CSE1L mRNA to be expressed in human colon cancer cells. Using a lentivirus based RNAi approach, CSE1L expression was significantly inhibited in RKO cells, causing cell cycle arrest in the G2/M and S phases and a delay in cell proliferation, as well as induction of apoptosis and an inhibition of colony growth capacity. Collectively, the results suggest that silencing of CSE1L may be a potential therapeutic approach for colon cancer.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.266-274
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• 2022

Colon cancer, the third most frequent occurred cancer, has high mortality and extremely poor prognosis. Ginsenoside, the active components of traditional Chinese herbal medicine Panax ginseng, exerts antitumor effect in various cancers, including colon cancer. However, the detailed molecular mechanism of Ginsenoside in the tumor suppression have not been fully elucidated. Here, we chose the representative ginsenoside Rg3 and reported for the first time that Rg3 induces mitophagy in human colon cancer cells, which is responsible for its anticancer effect. Rg3 treatment leads to mitochondria damage and the formation of mitophagosome; when autophagy is inhibited, the clearance of damaged mitochondria can be reversed. Next, our results showed that Rg3 treatment activates the PINK1-Parkin signaling pathway and recruits Parkin and ubiquitin proteins to mitochondria to induce mitophagy. GO analysis of Parkin targets showed that Parkin interacts with a large number of mitochondrial proteins and regulates the molecular function of mitochondria. The cellular energy metabolism enzyme GAPDH is validated as a novel substrate of Parkin, which is ubiquitinated by Parkin. Moreover, GAPDH participates in the Rg3-induced mitophagy and regulates the translocation of Parkin to mitochondria. Functionally, Rg3 exerts the inhibitory effect through regulating the nonglycolytic activity of GAPDH, which could be associated with the cellular oxidative stress. Thus, our results revealed GAPDH ubiquitination by Parkin as a crucial mechanism for mitophagy induction that contributes to the tumor-suppressive function of ginsenoside, which could be a novel treatment strategy for colon cancer.